Adding Value

One of the things that provides value to others is meeting their felt needs. We have to know what the people around us need. The problem to overcome is we tend to be consumed with our own felt needs. Sometimes many of our wants even trump the needs of the others in our lives. We can spend so much time and energy trying to cater to ourselves that we don't add anything to those around us. Jesus Christ was the opposite of that. He always considered others. Our Lord gave purpose to the aimless. He gave food to the hungry. He gave healing to the sick. He gave answers to the seeker. He showed loving concern to the outcast. He represented the kingdom of God and He embodied a willingness to help people find a better way to live. He wasn't looking to add a notch to His belt. He wasn't trying to increase the number of followers in His community. Jesus loved people and people sensed that love. Massive crowds came to Him because they knew He cared. Operating like Jesus is not about easing the conscience. We need the heartbeat of Jesus to transform our lifestyles. Have a great day filling a need that someone else has!

On God's Mind

Things are moving all over the universe and are being held in check by the word of God's power. Still, God has you and I on His mind more than anything else. We are the apple of His eye. We are His peculiar treasure. He refers to us as beloved. We are the objects of His affection. He wants us to know what is on His mind in truth not what we conjure up based on warped ideals that have been passed along. God cares enough to feed every sparrow daily and we are more valuable to Him than sparrows. He cares enough to clothe flowers with beauty daily and we are more valuable to Him than flowers. There is absolutely no mystery in this, God loves us and we occupy His thoughts continually. When we operate like we know this to be real, it changes how we see everything. Problems become opportunities. Our worry melts into a sense of peace. Our eyes begin to open with an expectation of God leading us to victory. We are no longer overwhelmed by the issues of society. We know that "if God be for us, who can be against us." However, we also need to know that God is for us. Have a great day enjoying the truth that you and I are on God's mind!

Agree and See

We can't go where we don't direct ourselves. It's hard to move toward what we can't see. The Bible term for this is vision. We need to see where we are going before we can move out and get there. Painting a clear picture of our preferred future is good. Seeing a crystal clear vision of the future based on God's word is better. When we can agree with what God says about us it's powerful. When we can actually visualize our lives based on that agreement we become what we see. This is not positive, possibility thinking. It's greater than that. God's word is eternal. God's word is unchanging. God's word is already settled in heaven. His word cannot return unto Him empty. When we see according to the Bible, we see what God has said. Nothing can stop what God has said. The power of seeing in agreement with God's word promotes the true image of us that will not be stopped. Don't settle for less. Have a great day seeing yourself as God declares you to be!

Evaluating the Call

This may not resinate with the bulk of my followers, but those that believe in God's active involvement in our lives will relate. God calls us to link with His purposes. I believe that God places a call on the life of every person. I do not believe that sense of call is limited to missionaries and ministers. God calls all of us to do what we were created to do. My belief is this call opens up more and more and therefore needs to be evaluated from time to time. It is important for us to ask ourselves honest questions. Should I still be doing what I'm doing the way that I am doing it? Am I in the right place to accomplish the purpose God has for me? Are there talents and gifts that I have which are not being used? Am I developing myself so that my potential can be reached? Am I afraid to explore new experiences? The best days we have may still be ahead of us, but if we are not growing, seeking and preparing for those days we will miss many of the waves we could ride. Have a great day refusing to stagnate and choosing to grow!

Be There A While

One of the evangelistic mistakes we make is failing to get permission. This is not about some sort of formal asking and receiving. It's about the normal flow of relationship etiquette. The state of a persons relationship with God is an intimate discussion point. To barge into someone's space and begin talking about heaven and hell is awkward at best and in many cases just plain rude. We need to respect the rules of common sense. If we are just there for a little while genuine concern can develop. If we are willing to take the time to get to know people we earn the unofficial permission to raise spiritual topics. That's why although going door to door, or using canned programs have their place the best way to be effective is by adopting a lifestyle of soul concern. Our coworkers, neighbors, family members and friends are all in need of Jesus. When it comes to strangers we can take a little time to build a bridge first. Folk have been exposed to enough antagonistic religion. Your presence, which reveals a healthy relationship with God, does more than you think. The fruit of the spirit is on display for us when we are not saying a word. Trust the Lord to give a sense of assurance when it's time to speak up. Then telling what the Lord has done for you is the natural place to start. This thing is about persuasion not force. Have a great day letting the presence of God in you work in the relationships you're building.

Self Management

The great need of our times in terms of management execution is the management of self. We have become way too comfortable with the notion that someone else is supposed to rescue us. There are too many of us with the wherewithal to change our conditions for the better sitting and waiting for favors to drop out of the sky. Worse than that is the application of habits that are destructive rather than constructive. Creativity and productivity are gifts that have been bestowed upon us from God. We have along with those incredible gifts a promise from Him to bless the works of our hands. The problem is we have far too many hands that are not doing anything that God can bless. The times we live in are harsh. This is not an attempt to minimize that. In the midst of the conditions before us we can either wish for the better days that may never return, or we can roll up our sleeves and do something. Renewal, growth, discipline and persistence are not just words that we admire from afar. The application of these ideals will make it happen for us if we manage to consistently apply them from day to day. We can't afford to wait for something to happen. We need to make something happen. The opportunity is out there if we are willing to go get it. Have a great day going after yours!

Full Grown

There is not an equal understanding between the concepts of freedom and responsibility these days. When we were growing up we wanted freedom, but we knew in crystal clear terms that being free meant the ability to handle our own affairs. Being free meant dealing with rent, car payment, utility bills, buying food and carrying the weight of what ever it took to live. In some strange twist of all that makes the slightest bit of common sense now folk want freedom and expect others be responsible for them at the same time. People want to free without a job. People want to do what they want without facing any consequences. Mature freedom is not an escape from, but a charge toward responsible behavior. Good decision making, personal diligence, handling business and being the best person possible is the way to maximize freedom. Stepping up to full, grown adult life means reaching the potential that God has laid before us. Stop looking for others to pay the price for your freedom. Have a great day bearing the consequences of each choice you make!

Short Tribute

Whitney Houston amazed us with a vocal clarity and range that had to be a gift from God. She was led to the stage while still in her youth and she was so talented that she did not disappoint. She was a rare combination of amazing voice, incredible beauty and the ability to carry herself with grace. In her prime it appeared she was headed for the undisputed label of the greatest voice we had ever heard. There are so many things that probably could be said about her life ending far too soon. A star who's light has gone out. My emotions at this point are appreciation for the way her songs enriched my life and sadness for her family that must find away toward the healing of their broken hearts. May the God of all comfort surround her mother Cissy and her daughter Bobbi Kristina with his love and power. RIP Whitney Elizabeth Houston.

Connecting

I've been thinking allot this year about community connections. The simple conclusion I am coming to is if we do what the Bible says connecting is easy. Forming relationships that are respectful without compromising our lifestyles causes connections. We can respect all human beings. We can be friendly without getting involved with ungodly behavior. Then meeting basic needs, just like Jesus told us to do, causes connections. He said if someone is hungry feed them. If they are naked give them some clothes. If they are cold help them get warm. I don't know how we have made things so complicated. Simple, practical love and respect will cause genuine connections to take place. When the connection is there the gospel has a bridge that it can travel across. Connecting can never come from an "us against them" kind of mindset. Connecting is us for us. We were all lost. God does not want any of us to perish. If that is God's goal it needs to be ours too. There are potential Christian brothers and sisters around us everywhere. Have a great day making some connections!

Tight Rope Walking

If you are involved in a scenario where people have to work together you have probably seen the difficult balance there is between continuity and change. You never want to do something that is going to totally disrupt the smooth, steady flow of life in your organization. Yet, sometimes there is a part of that steady flow that is killing a segment of the group. That is where the tight rope walk begins. You know that suggesting change is always a tough proposition. You know that implementing change for the benefit of part of the organization will bring tension in other parts. You also know that the failure to do something other than that which is already being done will cause the ineffective segment to continue in it's downward spiral. It is necessary to act but the action must be taken with care. Reckless innovation will cause more problems than it solves. Watching failure continue from a paralyzed position does not help either. When you know something else needs to be done, select the right alternative and then apply it with great care. Have a great day making sure you keep your balance!

New Verses Old

Obviously, a big part of being made a new creature is living a new life. I don't know why anyone would want to continue being bound by old stuff when newness has been provided for us. We have to train ourselves to live by the new power source of the Holy Spirit. We have been so accustomed to forcing our way along in the energy of the flesh. We have to feed ourselves with the new information that is found in God's word. It's so easy to continue living by CNN, the opinions of friends and other information that's a part of the old system. Then, one of the hardest things for people to do is to become surrounded with new relationships. Old friends that are familiar with old patterns and want you to be your old self cause many down falls. The healthiest relationships for the new creature are other new creatures. The accountability and encouragement that come from the people of God are essential to the new life. To experience newness means using new tools. Once walking through the gate we must walk the narrow way. The new life is found on the new path. Have a great day with the Spirit of God, the word of God and the people of God.

Don't Miss The Transfer

It is an absolute fact that younger people are having fewer children. It is just as true that older people are living much longer than ever before. We have an ever increasing senior population and I don't know if we are seizing all the opportunities that presents. Our senior adults have something that is extremely valuable. They have life experience. They have been where we are going. They can tell us many things that will prevent us from learning lessons the hard way. The things that we are just now finding out are patterns, they have seen cycled through several times. It is just wise to spend time around seniors and open up our ears to listen to what they have to share. There is nothing new under the sun. That means the saying "been there done that" does have some weight. Why bump your head against a wall when there are people in your life that have seen that wall before and can tell you how to work around it? Have a great day listening at the feet of an elder!

Adjust

It seems one of the more difficult things to do is to recognize a significant shift and then make moves based upon that reality. The housing debacle would not have been nearly as severe as it was had the responsible parties made adjustments earlier. People just could not seem to accept the idea that real estate which had been appreciating for so many years was now depreciating. We have been losing young people in our churches for many years. That is another reality that many are not accepting very well. If our mindset continues to be just make them come, we will see an entire generation disappear. The style and pace of a worship service is not sacred and can be changed to be more youth friendly. The battles that no longer matter, like how a person is dressed, can be dropped. More importantly, the genuine power and love of God can be felt. There is nothing more important than showing our youth that God is real in the daily affairs of life. We can't ignore the facts that an adjustment is needed in many of our churches. We can't expect things to get better if we don't do things better. Finally, we can't fake it. Young people tend to be painfully honest. We need to fast and pray until a genuine move of God impacts our gatherings. Have a great day making the necessary adjustments in your world!