Now that's a great question, especially when it comes to "people of color". Statistics indicate that we read at a much lower percentage than people of most other ethnic groups. If Oprah doesn't give her "blessing", you may be writing to an audience of one.
But why should that stop you from exercising your God-given gift? The amount of readers doesn't determine the quality of your content and it's potential impact on the few who do read it. If what you write makes a difference in just one life, I say keep the presses rolling!
As a Christian, your audience of one is actually God himself! You want to make Him look good, and make Him smile! That alone should be reward enough! Your correct use of God's gift may not make you wealthy, but may make you worthy of His divine... "Well Done"!
So "write on" my brothers and sisters! Best selling Christian author Rick Warren was asked how did Saddleback Church become so successful? His reply raised some eyebrows. He responded with sincerity, "We try ten ideas, nine fail, and only one usually experiences success" THEN WE WRITE A BOOK ABOUT IT!
One of the keys in life is to not be afraid to fail! Failure in your eyes may be success in God's, and He is the ultimate judge and jury. Here are three keys to remember as a Christian author however:
Make sure you are writing from your heart!
Make sure your heart's desire is to touch someone else heart!
Make sure your heart is in line with the heart of God!
If you write for the right reason, in the right season, and for the purpose of pleasing God, He just may use your words for eternal purposes! Come to think of it, an attitude of gratitude just may determine the altitude your book may fly if you just have the courage to try!
Today I want to tell you a little about Jesus!
He was the greatest motivator
He was the greatest innovator
He was the greatest agitator His name was Jesus …the Christ!
No one ever cared so much
No one ever loved so much
No one ever sacrificed so much His name was Jesus …the Christ!
No man could kill Him
No grave could hold Him
No whip could discourage Him His name was Jesus... the Christ!
He lived so we could see
He died to set us free
He paid for your sin and my sin on an old rugged tree His name was Jesus... the Christ!
If I wanted to be the world's greatest basketball player …I would talk to Michael Jordan!
If I wanted to be the world's greatest businessman...I would talk to Bill Gates!
But If I wanted to live a life of fulfillment and contentment, with absolute security I would talk to Jesus ... the Christ!
There will never be anyone to walk the earth like Jesus. There will never be a book written as powerful as the Bible! Each day we get an opportunity to personally talk to Him, listen to Him, and experience His love! The choice is yours and you only get one lifetime to make this choice. Choose a relationship with Him today. Admit your sinfulness and receive His eternal forgiveness. When you serve Him with each tomorrow He gives you, then you will be able to tell the world about the greatness of Jesus...the Christ, YOUR SAVIOR!
I wrote a book called When God Says Wait. Waiting in our society is considered a weakness. People hate to wait! Even waiting on God!
You must be too weak to lead if you are quiet. Quietness is also considered a weakness. But I've discovered that it takes more strength to remain silent and wait on God, than to boldly proclaim your power and demonstrate it with loud talking, loud walking, and loud living!
God's timing is rarely our timing! I would rather wait on God and be late to man, than move too quickly without clearly hearing from God what He wants you to do. I would rather suffer with Christ than gain the world with man without hearing from God first!
The bible tells us that meekness is not weakness! It's actually strength under control! Very few model this attribute but those who do make an impact that few can match. One such man who models this with incredible results is former coach Tony Dungy. His strength may look like weakness to some but to God it's strength He can use for His glory!
Listen to Tony talk about his book, Quiet Strength. My prayer is that I could model this type of strength in my life and ministry. Tony is one of the strongest men I know and is a role model to me. May God Bless those who model this type of strength in a world who thinks the world would run over them if they exercise strength this way. Wait on God and model strength His way!
Reaching this generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ by:
Communicating the good news of Jesus Christ to high school and college students who do not yet know Him.
Encouraging, equipping and motivating the body (those who do know Him) to take the message of Christ to others.
Partnering with local churches and para-church ministries that are focused on helping to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) by WINNING, BUILDING and SENDING high school and college aged students.
Family: David and his wife Terea* have been married since 2001. They have four children: Selah (7), Kaela (6) and David Jr. (3) and Joseph Daniel (born 7/24/10). David also has a son Sukari (16) who lives in Pittsburgh, PA. David and his family live in Stow, Ohio and are members of The Chapel in Akron, Ohio.
Terea*, David Sr., Kaela, David Jr. & Selah
David Jr., David Sr., Terea*, Selah, Kaela & Sukari
David graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A. in Economics & Political Science (1993) and a Masters in Public Administration (1996). Before being in full-time ministry, David was employed with the following organizations: The University of Pittsburgh, The City of Cleveland and PNC Bank.
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. (Psalm 27:14 NIV) Waiting is not something most of us enjoy. The very mention of the word "wait" may remind us of how much we dislike it and how poor we are at doing it. We admire people who appear to be good at it and may marvel at David's calm disposition in this Psalm.
Before we label ourselves as hopelessly impatient and forever doomed to a life of restlessness, consider the basis for David's exhortation to wait on the Lord.
Before he says, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord," he says ... "The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident." (Psalm 27:1-3)
He expresses his confidence in God's protection. He knew and acknowledged the source of his strength and salvation. He had been through battles and had seen the Lord rescue him. When you have experienced the light of the Lord and know of His salvation, it is easier to say, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.""One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me." (Psalm 27:4-7)
He expresses his contentment to be in God's presence. All he wanted was to be with the Lord. He knew that in the Lord's presence was safety. When you know the security of God's presence it is easier to say, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.""My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, LORD, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me." (Psalm 27:8-10)
These words are the result of a life devoted to the Lord.
He states his commitment to seek the Lord. He verbalized his commitment to seek the Lord's face in his prayers. He made his requests for the Lord to respond to his prayer. He spoke his confidence in the Lord above all other people. When you have opened your heart to the Lord so openly and have seen those prayers answered, it is easier to say, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.""Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." (Psalm 27:11-13)
He expresses his willingness to submit to the Lord. David had surrendered his life to the Lord and had given his heart to Him. He knew that the Lord had previously protected him and he knew the Lord would protect him in the future. When you have completely given your life ... your heart ... to the Lord it is easier to say, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.""Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." These words are the result of a life devoted to the Lord.
When we dwell on God's protection, the peacefulness and pleasures we find in being in God's presence, our commitment to seek the Lord, and our willingness to submit to the Lord, waiting for the Lord might be easier. Waiting is more difficult and more unpleasant when these qualities are not present in our lives.
Are you in the midst of a period of waiting for the Lord to work in your life? Give Him your life and your heart. Trust in Him completely.
Gossip is often regarded as a relatively harmless pastime, particularly when compared to wrongs like murder or adultery. Satan has painted talebearing as innocuous, but if we peel away that deception, we see the ugly truth. In the Bible, God lists gossip among the most depraved sins (Romans 1:28-31).
Nothing about gossip is harmless. Whether the talk is intentionally cruel or simply some idle musing, the target of the comments can be embarrassed or hurt. A friend of mine decided to trace a damaging story about himself back to its source. He asked one man after another, “Where did you hear this?” Seventeen pastors later, he finally found the person who had originated the tale. This fellow admitted he had speculated aloud regarding a situation about which he knew little. A destructive chain reaction began with just one man jumping to a false conclusion while chatting with a friend.
Even if the victim never learns of the chit chat going on behind his or her back, gossip still has consequences. The people who spread a tale reveal their inner thinking: “For the mouth speaks out that which fills the heart,” (Matthew 12:34). A poisonous tongue flows with the jealousy, resentment, or pride residing inside.
Ask a few people to define gossip, and most will mention something about spreading rumors. That is correct, but it’s not the whole truth. Gossip includes any idle or malicious talk that harms someone else.
Gossip has the power to hurt feelings, destroy reputations, and divide churches. We do not have the right to bring such damage into anyone’s life. In fact, God is the only one we should turn to when we hear a story. Those facing trials need prayer rather than tongues wagging over their misfortunes.
In her new book, A Place of Healing, disability activist and Christian author Joni Eareckson Tadatakes on a question that has vexed the faithful for centuries: If God can heal people, why doesn't he always do so? Tada has a strong personal interest in the answer. A quadriplegic since a diving accident four decades ago, she has suffered from crippling chronic pain in recent years and was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this summer. Tada spoke with TIME about finding peace through suffering and continuing to fight for acceptance 20 years after the landmark signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
How are you feeling?
Cancer and chronic pain on top of quadriplegia is a little challenging. Right now I'm tired from the chemotherapy and that, coupled with the pain, makes it difficult. At times I've thought, "Lord, this is an awful lot to bear. Are you sure you know what you're doing?" And yet, I know the answer.
Some people think there's another answer, though. At the beginning of your book, you describe an astounding encounter you had in a church parking lot.
Yes, this very earnest young man named David came up to me, knelt down by my wheelchair, and asked me, "Joni, are you sure there's no unconfessed sin in your life? I just know that God wants to heal you." He was basically saying my faith wasn't big enough or strong enough or righteous enough. I reminded him of the story in Luke where the four friends brought their paralyzed buddy to Jesus to be healed. But it was the faith of those friends — not the man's own faith — that Jesus used as a channel for healing. Well, there you go, David, the pressure's on you.
Why do you think people need to believe that you're to blame for your suffering?
If we can come up with a simple explanation, "You did something wrong," then it's something we think we can control. In the Christian faith, God really puts suffering front and center. He doesn't get squeamish about it. But our human inclination is to turn the other way, to assume that this person must have a bad track record with God. We just don't want to embrace the God who can be found in the midst of pain. We'd rather listen to Jesus preach sweet sermons about lilies.
So why doesn't God always heal people when they ask?
There is this verse in Matthew 18 where Jesus is delighted to heal people who come to him. But he says, if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. Now right there, it shows that Jesus has a different priority, and that is our spiritual healing. If I had been granted a miraculous physical healing back when I was 17, I know I wouldn't be in a ministry serving other people with disabilities around the world.
So when you work with people in great pain, do you encourage them to let go of the desire to be healed?
We can certainly ask to be healed. Even I ask for healing regarding this pain, regarding this cancer. Anyone who takes the Bible seriously agrees that God hates suffering. Jesus spent most of his time relieving it. But when being healed becomes the only goal — "I'm not letting go until I get what I want" — it's a problem. There comes a point at which if you don't start living, your whole life is spent jumping from one healing crusade to the next. And I believe I have been healed — just not in the way that others expect.
A lot of people would look at you and find that hard to believe.
I know. But I'm happy. And on that level, I have been healed. People who have been healed in the way I think I have been healed, we don't care about wealth, success, comfort. Having that peace makes up for any amount of walking that I have missed. One problem I have with faith-healing is that it tends to be focused only on the physical aspect of healing. But Jesus always backed away when people came to him only to get their physical needs met. My goodness, he was ready to have you lop off your hand! His real interest was in healing the soul.
You were involved with passing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which has now been law for 20 years. What still needs to be done for people with disabilities?
On the day the ADA was signed into law, we all went back to the hotel for a reception and our national director Paul Hearne gave a toast. He said, "This civil rights legislation is great in that it will open up doors of opportunities in employment, it will put ramps into restaurants. And yet this law is not going to change the employer's heart, it's not going to change the heart of the maître d'." He lifted his glass and said, "Here's to changed hearts." Paul understood what makes our society value or not value people. It's a matter of that moral center. I think the advancements will only be accomplished when we make friends with people with disabilities, when we stop tiptoeing around that person with MS, when we make ourselves see the woman in the wheelchair. You can't legislate that.
Thabiti Anyabwile - Why Does God Allow Suffering To Come To Some But Not Others/
It was the fourth quarter of my son's big game of his senior year against their arch rival. Great game! Three minutes left but they were losing by twelve with four minutes to go. Their coach was about to throw in the towel and put in the bench. I was sitting behind the bench watching this moment about to unfold. Suddenly I yelled out from my bleacher seat...YOU DON'T GIVE UP! YOU DON'T GIVE UP!
Next time down the court my 6ft8' son hits a deep three pointer! YOU DON'T GIVE UP! Turnover. Back down the court my son hits another deep three pointer, and it's a six point game! I yell out again...YOU DON'T GIVE UP! A missed shot, and back down the court. Then from deep in the corner, with fifty seconds to go in the game, my son hits yet another three pointer! YOU DON'T GIVE UP! YOU DON'T GIVE UP, I yelled! A three point game with little time to go!
I sure wish I could tell you they came back and won the game, but I can't! Down by three, with less than ten seconds to go, he steals the ball and then...dribbles the ball off his foot...out of bounds...game over! But I have to tell you this ... I have never been so proud of a kid or a team as I was at that moment. They didn't win the game...but THEY DIDN'T GIVE UP! Life lesson learned!! GOD JUST WANTS OUR VERY BEST!
Now don't tell me you haven't! But tell me the truth.
Have you ever wanted to give up!
Throw in the towel!
Say I'm out of here!
If you haven't you're either a not telling the truth, or just haven't lived long enough to realize that the Christian life is not a sprint. It's a marathon with high hurdles! Facing the Giants Movie - "Death Crawl"
When you do get to that point in your life...and you will... I want you to take a moment and think what this life and this world would be like if Jesus had made that decision to give up! We would be still lost in our sins, with no hope of eternal life and no help for this life we now live and even endure! There would be no joy, only phoney moments of laughter masquerading the hidden pain beneath the plastic smiles!
But Praise God... HE DIDN'T GIVE UP! He chose to endure the cross because He loved people like you and me and was totally obedient to His Father above! So no matter where you are today I urge you to take one more step! And as you do just humble yourself and cry out...I need you Lord! You know you can't make it without Him! The good news is this... for the believer in Christ... He's just one step away! NEVER GIVE UP!
Watch this and you will appreciate not only the music, but the Lord he serves with passion! Pray that we can make it happen this Spring! Mike Goin AGF member, brother plays with him and has blessed us at Grace!
In junior high school I played the clarinet for one reason only. Just to sit next to a girl I liked. She was good so I had to be good too or I would have sat in the back row. But what I really wanted to play was the sax! Today we are both married with kids, but the love of the sax is still with me. What if I had just taken the time. Maybe today I could play like Greg Vail. Gifted and a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ!
God probably knew I would get the big head and never follow Him, so I will just rejoice with Greg and others who play instruments so beautifully for the glory of the Lord!
I love sax players from Grover Washington, to Kenny G, and so many others, but playing "my instrument" for the Lord is so special! May God Bless all of them and allow them to continue to play for Him. Maybe in heaven I will finally get my chance to play for the Lord as well. Enjoy the sounds!
From August In Touch magazine by Dr. Charles Stanley
"Right timing is critical in a believers walk with the Lord. However trusting His timing in important decision, uncertain direction, or pressing needs is extremely difficult when everything within us cries, "Do something!" Because we want action, waiting for God seems so passive.
To wait for the Lord means to pause for further instruction while remaining in the present circumstance. It is a purposeful, expectant focus on God- a choice to be actively still and quiet in our heart, listening for His voice and watching for His intervention. The wait is not for events to work out as we want, but rather for God's will to be done. The Lord's voice often comes to us through His Word. Because this is His instruction book for our lives, quiet meditation on Scripture is essential. Sometimes when I read my Bible, a passage will jump out at me. The guidance I'm seeking is right there, almost as if it has my name written on it.
At other times, God will use changed circumstances to redirect us, or He will motivate another person to give guidance, However, always remember that any voice offering us direction must align with the Lord's will as revealed in His Word; otherwise, it is not from Him.
The first step in waiting for the Lord is submission to His choice of how and when He will act. What are you hoping God will do? Are you seeking Him or the thing you want from Him? Because He alone knows what is best for you, let go and trust His choice."
When I served as Associate Chaplain of the Cleveland Cavaliers the on player that stood out to me above all was Mark Jackson of the NewYork Knicks. He was so serious about Jesus Christ. Most players who come to Chapel really love the Lord. They take the time before the game to sit through a 15 minute message with players from both team, but only a few go on to be Christian leaders on their team and city.
Mark would always greet me with a hug, and come early just to talk a little more about Jesus. Along with Alan Houston and Charlie Ward they formed them a powerful witness for Christ. To see that Mark is now a Pastor is a thrill to behold.
He is also a key NBA analyst for ABC-TV, but his love for the Lord cannot be hidden. Mark was more than just a great player, he was a great man with a great wife by his side, and a great God. I pray the Lord will continue to use him in a powerful way in His new calling! Would you pray for him too.
Miles McPherson is the President of Miles Ahead and Senior Pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego, California. As a nationally known speaker, Miles is viewed as an expert on relevant issues such as teen pregnancy, drug use, suicide and gangs, as well as dynamic church leadership and outreach strategies.
Miles was born in Brooklyn, New York in March of 1960. The second oldest of five children, Miles grew up in Long Island, New York with a solid family background. As with most teenage boys, he had dreams of becoming a professional football player. He also had the desire to learn. After playing football in high school, he attended the University of New Haven where he majored in engineering while playing football. Miles was the university's first player to achieve All-American honors and be drafted into the NFL; he attained his dream and played as a defensive back for the San Diego Chargers.
His life began to spiral out of control. Two years into his professional football career, Miles was battling a drug problem and living a very immoral lifestyle. Fellow Chargers teammate Sherman Smith approached McPherson and asked him, "If you were to die right now, would you go to heaven?" It took over six months for Miles to answer that question. Having been up all night doing cocaine and realizing that his life was empty, Miles asked Christ to come into his life in April 1984. The change in his life was dramatic and instant.
Soon after his conversion, Miles began attending Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego and reaching out to teenagers. He also began doing motivational speaking with the Chargers' organization. In September 1986, within a week after retiring from football, McPherson went to work as a Youth Pastor for Horizon and enrolled in Azusa Pacific University's School of Theology. He received his Master's of Divinity degree in 1991, and in 1992, founded Miles Ahead, a non- profit organization that reaches out to the world's youth with the Gospel.
The Rock Church held its first services on February 27, 2000 with 3,364 people in attendance. The congregation grew quickly, generating the need for increased services. Currently over 7,500 people attend one of the Rock's six weekend services. The church is has now into its permanent home.
Between his crusades, speaking engagements and Rock Church services, Miles has spoken to over 465,000 people and seen over 43,000 people make decisions for Christ. Miles and his wife Debbie have three children and reside in San Diego, California.
I remember reading Iain Murray's excellent biography of Jonathan Edwards. I found much to identify with, especially the personal heartaches Edwards endured as pastor of the same church for twenty-three years. After all that time his flock voted him out.
I've been the pastor of Grace Community Church now for forty wonderful years. While I don't envision a fate like Edwards's, I know what it is to be the subject of controversy, both inside and outside the church.
Have I ever contemplated leaving the pastorate? Admittedly, there are times when even the prospect of digging ditches for a living has a certain appeal. But I know God has called me to be a pastor, and I have never seriously considered bailing out.
Someone once suggested that I could leave my church if I wanted to and still have a fruitful ministry preaching on the Bible-conference circuit and through radio, thereby avoiding the hassles of leading a church. I could never do that. In fact, I can think of at least ten reasons I remain committed to church ministry.
1. The church is the only institution Christ promised to build and bless. He said, "I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it" (Matthew 16:18). Christ's purpose in the world is to call to Himself a redeemed people who would live to the praise of His glory. He is building the church. In that I take great comfort and confidence, thankful for having a small part in our Lord's great work.
2. The corporate functions of the Body all take place in the church. The church is where God has ordained His people to meet together to celebrate the Lord's Supper, to worship Him, and to encourage and edify one another. It's my joy to call God's people to worship, just as the psalmist said, "Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand" (Psalms 95:6-7).
3. Preaching is the chief human means God uses to dispense His grace. The apostle Paul commanded Timothy to "preach the word" (2 Timothy 4:2). I have the privilege each Sunday of proclaiming God's message to His people - a message of grace, by which God saves people and transforms lives.
4. I can be consumed with study and communion with God. There's a public side to me that the congregation sees, but there's a private side to me that only God knows. While I might preach three hours a week, I study thirty. And those hours spent each week in God's presence are a high and holy privilege.
5. I am directly responsible to God for the lives of the people He has given me to shepherd. Teaching on the radio and the internet, I'm not as personally accountable for how people apply God's Word. But as the pastor-teacher of a congregation, I have a relationship with my people like that of a shepherd and his sheep. I watch over their souls as one "who will give an account" (Hebrews 13:17).
6. I am also accountable to the people in my church. Everything is exposed to them: my life and family, my personal strengths and weaknesses - everything. I cherish that accountability. It is a constant encouragement for me to reflect Christ in everything I say and do.
7. I love the challenge of building an effective leadership team from the people God has put in the church. When someone starts a business, he can hire anyone he wants. It's another thing entirely to build with the people God has called, when few of us are wise, mighty, or noble by the world's standards (1 Corinthians 1:26). God reveals the greatness of His power by demonstrating that the world's nobodies are His most precious resources.
8. The pastorate embraces all of life. I share the joy of parents over the birth of a child, as well as the pain of children over the death of a mother or father. I help celebrate at a wedding; I also offer comfort at a funeral. There is an inevitable unpredictability that accompanies my calling - an incredible adventure may begin at any given moment. It is at those times that the pastor goes beyond his sermon to stand in the gap for God in the lives of His people.
9. The rewards in this life are marvelous. I feel loved, appreciated, needed, trusted, and admired - all a result of being an instrument God has used in the spiritual progress of His people. I know my people pray for me and care deeply about me. I owe a debt of gratitude to God for that. I am honored to be a channel through which the grace of God, love of Christ, and comfort of the Holy Spirit can be made real to people.
10. I'm afraid not to be a pastor. When I was eighteen, the Lord threw me out of a car traveling seventy miles an hour. I landed on my backside and slid 110 yards on the pavement. By the grace of God I wasn't killed. As I stood up on that highway, having never lost consciousness, I committed my life to serving Christ. I told Him I would no longer resist what He wanted me to do, which was to preach His Word.
God has called me to be a pastor-teacher "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service" (Ephesians 4:12). The reward of being a pastor far surpasses any frustration I will ever feel in ministry. And so I say with the apostle Paul, "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14).
At a NASCAR race, the driver is the public's hero. But to the drivers, their teammates are the heroes. The drivers know that without their team members and sponsors, there would be no car for them to race.
It's amazing how the structure of a NASCAR organization parallels the teams that Jesus built during His ministry on earth.
1. The Home Team
• Jesus had 120 disciples who were the core of those who followed Him (Acts 1:15).
• A NASCAR race team can consist of a hundred or more people.
2. The Hands-On Team
• Jesus had seventy disciples to do the work of the ministry.
• A NASCAR team's hands-on crew is up to fifty individuals who actually build the cars.
3. The Road Team
• Jesus had twelve disciples who went everywhere with Him. They spent time with Him and learned to think and act together in accordance with His direction (Matthew 10:1-4).
• A NASCAR team has a crew of a dozen or more at every race who manage the hauler, work in the pit, take care of equipment, and repair the car if it gets damaged.
4. The Pit Team
• Jesus had three disciples-Peter, James, and John-whom He chose to be with Him in "the pits," so to speak-at the crisis moments of His ministry.
• A NASCAR race team has seven individuals who go into the pit and service their team's car when it makes a pit stop. The driver is wholly dependent on his pit crew to support him in those brief moments of "organized chaos."
5. The Team Leader
• Jesus was apparently closer to John than all the other disciples (John 20:2; 21:7, 20).
• A NASCAR team is definitely led by one individual who is closer to the driver than anyone else: the crew chief who leads the hands-on team.
What a Difference Your Team Can Make
A team is like a pyramid. At the bottom is that largest, foundational part of the team that supports the increasingly smaller teams that are drawn from it. Every Christian will be far more likely to win his spiritual race if he has most, if not all, of the multiple teams I've just described.
1. Your Home Team
Today, extended family members are scattered from coast to coast. But they represent a phenomenal support network for those who have stayed in touch, which I strongly encourage you to do.
2. Your Hands-On Team
Your hands-on team is your immediate family. My children challenge me toward maturity now as much as I challenged them when they were younger. How blessed is the man whose wife and children bear their fruit abundantly for all his life (Psalm 128:1-4)!
3. Your Road Team
When eight to twelve individuals meet regularly week after week for prayer, study, and fellowship, a bond is formed that cannot be duplicated any place else (Acts 2:42-47). I strongly urge you to become a faithful member of a small group.
4. Your Pit Team
Invariably, everyone forms a close relationship with one, two, or three others. One's spouse ought to be in that number. A christian needs someone who will go into the pit with him in life's crisis moments (2 Timothy 4:11).
5. Your Team Leader
If you are not daily drawing closer to Christ, your personal Team Leader, then no other team in your life will function smoothly (Philippians 3:10)
The more closely you identify and live within teams that function at the approximate levels of the ones I've described, the greater will be the likelihood of your winning your spiritual race.
Do this: Make a quick written or mental evaluation of the five team levels I've outlined relative to your life. Where are the gaps? Where are your teams strong? Take this up with your Team Leader, Jesus Christ himself, and ask His help in building strong teams that will surround you and support you in the years ahead. And by the way-others need strong team members in their life, too. So be willing to serve in order to be served by others.
LISTEN TO THIS SONG AND REMEMBER HOW GOD SEES YOU!
by Charles R. Swindoll
Tucked away in the folds of Hebrews 11 is a two-word biography worth a second glance: "he endured" (11:27). The "he" refers to Moses. Moses was the one who hung tough, who refused to give in or give up, who decided that no amount of odds against him would cause him to surrender. He had staying power. He possessed the disciplines of durability.
He endured, despite the contempt of Pharaoh, the mightiest monarch of that era. He endured, despite the stubbornness of the Hebrews who grumbled, blamed, complained, and rebelled. He endured, despite the criticism of Miriam and Aaron, his own sister and brother. When ten out of twelve spies came back with their nay-sayings, Moses stood fast. When Korah and Dathan and Abiram led a cold, cunning conspiracy against him, Moses remained "resolute."
Maybe the great Apostle of Grace had such things in mind when he introduced his classic essay on the armor of God by saying, "and having done everything ...stand firm" (Eph. 6:13).
Stand firm when the wicked appear to be winning! Stand firm in times of crisis! Stand firm even when no one will know you compromised! Stand firm when big people act contemptibly small! Stand firm when people demand authority they don't deserve! Stand firm . . . keep your head . . . stay true . . . endure!
I have no idea where this finds you. For all I know, you are stronger than ever, pressing on with a full tank of resolve. That's great. However, you may be getting shaky. Your normally thick hide of moral purity and ethical integrity may be wearing thin. It's possible you've begun to listen too closely to your critics or need others' approval too much. Maybe you've started giving in to the kids in little areas you once resisted because you're tired, sort of shrugging off your better judgment.
Moses endured—even in his eighties. How? The same verse tells us: by focusing his attention on "Him who is invisible." He fixed his heart and soul on the One who, alone, judges righteously. He continually reminded himself that his sole purpose in life was to please the Lord . . . to obey Him . . . to glorify Him . . . to gain His approval at all cost.
Whatever it is you're facing, stand strong. Walk in quiet confidence, not veiled pride. Be sure without being stubborn . . . firm without being unteachable . . . enduring but not discourteous . . . full of truth balanced with grace.
MAY GOD ENCOURAGE YOU AS YOU REFUSE TO GIVE UP, GIVE IN OR GIVE OUT!
"Presence of Royalty" by Byron Cage Some of us are discouraged in our ministries because we have refused to do what God has told us to do, not because he hasn't told us.
Nothing in life or in ministry ever happens apart from courage. Somebody has to pull the trigger. The very nature of leadership is that it is a prophetic statement of where things ought to be. Inherent in leadership is a call to embrace aloneness and resilience.
When you read Joshua 1 you must read it in its emotional context. Moses is dead because he disobeyed God. He allowed the pressure of those following him to get to him and he acted in unbelief. He commissioned Joshua to carry on.
Now God comes to Joshua personally to give him an exposition on courage. This is the best leadership text in the Bible. It is not for the faint-hearted. It's as if God reaches out and grabs Joshua (and us) by the lapels. He doesn't coddle us but gives us a fourfold description of courage.
1) Courage rests upon a clear assignment from God (v 1-4).
There is no such thing as courage apart from mission, just as there is no such thing as faith apart from challenge. You're not just courageous to be courageous, but you are courageous for something.
As for Moses, a man of God had died; but nothing of God died. He gave Joshua the assignment. He reiterated to Joshua what he had told Moses to do. God isn't needy of worthy men. He makes men worthy. Therefore we shouldn't fear the loss of any of his human instruments. God isn't fearful of his cause failing.
Ephesians 2:10 implies that we should step out in bold obedience. The good works he has prepared beforehand—we should walk in them!
What are the things God has prepared for you to do? When did you last reassess God's call on your life? What are those things that God has given you a passion for?
Your courage will rise when you have confidence in the call. Most people leave the ministry because of confusion and a lack of courage.
2) Courage rests upon the assurance of God's presence (v 5, 9).
God never calls us to do anything apart from him. Every assignment that God gives is also his primary means of sanctifying the leader. Some of us are getting burnt out because we are separating the sanctification process from our ministry. The very thing that God is using to draw us to himself is his calling upon us. His calling is a statement of his presence.
Pastoring is not just a job for you. It's not some evangelical corporate fulfillment. God's assignments come with a special sense of God's presence, also known as unction or annointing; and his presence is real.
Do you think God would leave Joshua high and dry? If God has called you, he is with you. Courage doesn't mean that I am not afraid. It means that I fear God more than I fear my environment. It means that I trust in divine resources more than the resources of man.
Philips Brooks: "Don't ask for tasks equal to your powers. Ask for powers equal to your tasks." 3) Courage rests upon focused determination (v 6, 7, 9).
Three times he repeats "be strong and courageous." God does not have a speech impediment. When he repeats himself, he intends to.
Be very careful of making decisions based upon your personality profile, etc. God is not bound by the way we're "wired." God never dialogues with anybody about how they're wired before he calls them to a job. Consider Moses and quit camouflaging doubt with psychobabble.
Leadership is strengthened by acts of obedience. It's a verb, not a position. You know you're flying over the right target when you're being shot at. If you're running because of opposition, you'll be running for the rest of your life.
The ability to endure deepens your resolve. If you act courageously, you'll get more courage. God is with you, but he'll only strengthen you when you raise your leg and put it forward. He can't steer a parked car. The wind will only blow when you put up the sail.
4) Courage is anchored by the word of God (v 7-8).
Success or failure in a mission is tied to your relationship to truth. There are three primary relationships in the verse:
a) Proclaim the Word ("let it not depart from your mouth").
The amount of biblical illiteracy in evangelicalism is appalling. How dare you think that you have the right to presume that ministry can succeed without being built upon the word. Pragmatism is taking the supernatural right out of our ministry. You can have C- leadership ability, but if you honor his Word you will succeed.
Pastors, make your time alone in God's Word inviolable. Your people deserve to hear from God every Sunday morning. They can't make it on illustrations, stories, or insights. They need a word.
b) Meditate upon the Word ("you shall meditate on it day and night").
The reason you can proclaim the word is because you have it stored up within you. It is the background noise of your life. When the trials come you can just turn up the volume.
Devotionally master the word of God for your souls. Immerse yourself in the book. Love it, live it.
c) Do all that is written in it.
Hypocrisy is an occupational hazard in ministry. It is the primary fault in our work. The problem with evangelicalism today is that if you can pull ministry off, nobody will ask you any questions. There isn't a dynamic relationship between giftedness and holiness, but true fruitfulness will prove itself over time. The integrity of your ministry is everything, so you have to practice the truth you're proclaiming.
You have to be the destination where you want other people to arrive.
Great message for Christian Leaders by Chip Ingram of "Walk Thru the Bible"
I’ve discovered that there are four keys to setting God-given goals in your life. They can be easily remembered in the following acronym:
P - Pray! The process of setting God-given goals begins on your knees! As you communicate with the one who created you with sincerity, He will communicate His purpose for your life!
L – Learn! The process of setting God-given goals continues in the classroom! This classroom can be a school building or in private study. However, you must invest the time to become an expert in whatever endeavor you are attempting to achieve!
A– Access! The process of setting God-given goals takes major steps to becoming a reality when you honestly access just what it will take to make this happen in your life. The bible calls this “counting the cost”! Goals become reality when you determine that you are willing to do everything you can do to make them happen with integrity!
N – Now! The process of setting God-given goals leaps into action when we determine that this process starts today! Many goals have been detoured because of personal procrastination! If God has lets you know what goals to set in you life, don’t delay. Begin the process right now!
So we see, that the process of setting God-given goals starts when you implement His personal P.L A.N.! To achieve your goals from God, remember, planning is not a dirty word
Listen to this amazing presentation and remember who you are setting your goals for!
It's hard to think of a more devastating feeling than losing what you had put all your hope in. It's a feeling you may know if you've lost your health, the love of your life, your job, an anchor person in your life, the thing you've invested so much in, or the person that's been the glue sort of holding your life together. Many have been told by their marriage partner of decades, "I don't love you anymore" and are left to feel crushed inside. In Cleveland, we had put so much of our hope in "the King", Lebron James. Today the King is gone. His mural has come down!
So many of us have either lost or will lose someone or something that we had put a lot of our hope in. Hope is often snatched away by death, divorce, desertion, disease, and disaster. Suddenly, our life is thrown into confusion, anxiety, and even despair. What we need is something to put our hope in that is "unloseable," something that can't be touched by death, disease, divorce, or disaster, and something that will never desert us. Actually, there is Someone who will never desert us. Surprisingly, many people have discovered in losing the source of their hope, they finally found the one hope they can never lose. It could happen to you today.
That hope is spelled out so beautifully in Psalm 62:1-2 and verse 5 of the Word of God: "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress; I will never be shaken ... Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." The only life-anchor, the only life-hope you can never lose is a personal love relationship with God - God alone.
It's not a religion, but a relationship. It's possible to have a lot of religion and totally miss the relationship with God that you were made for. Any hope we get from anyone or anything on earth is just an unsatisfying substitute for belonging to God. When you belong to Him and you know you do, your soul finally can, as the psalmist said, "rest." Until you belong to God, your soul is restless.
That unloseable relationship with God comes because we're away from the God we need so much. We are away from Him by our choice, not His. We've repeatedly chosen our way instead of His way and we've built an eternal wall between us and Him. It's a wall that God Himself acted to tear down by sending His only Son, Jesus, to pay for all our sins when He died on the cross. That's how much He loves you. That's how much He wants you. You've got to want Him in your life enough to say, "I'm sorry for my sin, God. I don't want to be this way anymore. I'm putting all my hope and trust in Your Son who gave His life so I could belong to You."
The hope you've lost and the emptiness you feel can lead you today to the hope you'll never lose - His name is Jesus, the "King of Kings" adapted from Ron Hutchcraft
If You Are a Christian He Will Never Leave You...take that to the bank!
Every family needs their own personal Family Vision Statement! Here is an example. I challenge you to take a few minutes and develop one for each area of your family's life. It will be time well spent. Years later you will look back and see how you did. Take the challenge today!
FAMILY VISION STATEMENT
To develop my family in a biblically-centered way so that each member maximizes his or her full potential in Christ.
I. Spiritual Life: To make sure each member of my family is maturing in their Christian faith.
A. Church Worship
To regularly attend church as a family and review what has been learned.
To be actively involved in a ministry of the church.
To develop a relationship with another family in the church with similar interests as ours.
B. Family Worship
To pray as a family on a weekly basis.
To have a family worship time on a weekly basis.
To have a special spiritual retreat on an annual basis.
C. Personal Worship
To set aside at least 15 minutes for personal devotions, and 30 minutes for bible study daily.
To teach my children how to develop a personal devotional life by the time they are teenagers.
To meet with, or lead a small group on a weekly basis.
II. Recreational Life: To promote meaningful fellowship and relationships that build up the members of the family.
·To romantically date my wife at least twice a month.
·To have a family outing at least once a month.
·To take a family vacation annually.
·To have at least two weekend getaways with my wife annually.
·To spend personal time with each child monthly.
·To make at least one affirming statement to each member of my family daily.
·To spend time talking to my wife daily about key life issues.
·To work out at least three times weekly for my, and wife’s physical well-being.
·To provide recreational activities for my children at least twice per week.
·To spend time each month with another Christian couple or family.
III. Financial Life: To be financially secure and stable.
·To be debt free within two years, except for house, and car.
·To pay off the house in twenty years or less.
·To develop a family business in the next 2 years.
·To develop a college education investment fund for my children.
·To support the church and selected ministries on a consistent and substantial basis.
·To use my finances as a means to bless family members and others.
·To teach my children how to give, save and spend.
IV. Education and Career: To maximize the opportunities and abilities of each member of the family.
·To sharpen my skills move to the next level in my occupation over the next three years.
·To allow my wife to continue to develop her skills, while maintaining family stability.
·To make sure my children are growing as students, and completing all school assignments.
·To pursue higher Biblical Education within the next three years.
·To fulfill God’s Call to ministry in my life.
·To develop ministry and spiritual gifts within the context of the local church.
·To read at least one book per month related to job or ministry.
V. Community Life: To contribute to the stability, progress, and development of the community in which I live.
·To miss no more than two PTA meetings annually in my children’s schools.
·To be involved in one quality community organization that helps others as well as provides the opportunity for Christian witnessing.
·To be a registered voter who participates in every election that affects my community.
·To get to know some of my neighbors personally.
Will you begin to write your family vision statement today?
