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!