Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Eight principles to live by

People who set goals accomplish much more than people of equal education and ability who don't. With that in mind, build these eight principles into your life. Good planning and insight...bring...you honor and respect." Proverbs 3:21-22

(1) Decide what you want. But first consult God. "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" (Pr 19:21 NIV).
(2) Think on paper. Writing your goals down gives them a sense of permanency, plus it energizes you. "Good planning and insight... bring...you honor and respect." Wishy-washy objectives won't get you where you want to go.
(3) Establish a deadline. Without a definite beginning and ending it's easy to procrastinate and get nowhere.
(4) Make a list of what you need to do to. Keep it before you at all times; it'll give you a track to run on.
(5) Convert your list to a plan. Decide what you need to do first and what you can do later. An organized plan is always better than trying to carry stuff around in your head.
(6) Act immediately. "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity" (Eph 5:15-16 NIV). Do something! A mediocre plan that's implemented beats a brilliant one that's not.
(7) Do something every day to move you forward. Build it into your schedule. For example, read systematically through your Bible, call a specific number of clients, engage in physical activity for a given time.
(8) Have a goal you're willing to devote your life to. And keep your eye on that goal at all times. "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Ps 90:12 NIV).

Monday, March 30, 2009

Leadership

"If a man's gift is...leadership, let him govern diligently." Romans 12:6-8 NIV

Good leaders have intuition. They "see it" when others don't; they "get it." We all fall into three intuition levels:

(1) Those who will never see it. Putting these people into a leadership role is like putting a square peg in a round hole; you can keep hammering and driving it, but it won't fit. When someone's gifted to work in a support role, it's a mistake to put them into a leadership role. Besides, every orchestra needs a good second fiddle. We're only responsible for the gifts God gives us, not the ones we want - or other people think we should have.

(2) Those who are nurtured to see it. These folks have the raw material; they just need to be nurtured and mentored. Dr. John Maxwell points out that the ability to think like a leader is "informed intuition." These people just need someone to inform, instruct and inspire them, and they'll become good leaders. The truth is, without intuition we're condemned to be blindsided by events and opinions all of our lives.

(3) Those who naturally see it. These are the ones who are born with true leadership gifts. They instinctively understand people and know how to move them from point A to point B. Even as children they act like leaders. Watch them on the playground and you will see everyone else following them. People with such God-given intuition can build on it, become great leaders and bless others.

Now, if you want to see leadership in its finest form study the life of Christ, who said, "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life" (Mt 20:28 NKJV).

Thursday, March 19, 2009

It-Takes-One-To-Make-One

NCAA basketball tournament starts today!! March Madness to all us sports geeks. 65 college basketball teams, from very very famous and established universities to never heard of them before schools, all in the same tournament with an equal chance to win. One game elimination, thus the madness. Everyone is buzzing about their brackets and trying to figure who will be this years giant killer.

Ever thought about the history of Giant killing? Don't think it started with the basketball tournament. When David stepped out to face Goliath, do you think he said, "I wonder if this has ever been done before? This is a regular David verses Goliath situation".

Even more interesting question, How many giant killers were in King Saul's army? Answer- NOT ONE!!! When Goliath challenged Israel every soldier quaked with fear. Yet David, who came to bring food to his brothers, sized up the situation, recalled his experiences with God and went out and killed him.

Now, after David became king, how many other giant killers arose in Israel? I count at least three:
1. "Then Sibbecai...killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the giants, and they were subdued.
2. "And there was war with the Philistines again, and Elhanan...killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.
3. "Again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot; and he also was descended from the giants. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him.

These were descended from the giants in Gath [Goliath's home town], and they fell by the hand of David and by the hands of his servants" (1Ch 20:4-8 NAS).

Why do you suppose there were no giant killers in Saul's day? Because Saul himself wasn't one! But under David's leadership they multiplied because David was a giant killer. This illustrates the "it-takes-one-to-make-one" principle that starts in Genesis and runs through the Bible. God shows us how He intends things to work in life:

"Let the earth bring forth the living creature...each according to its kind." Genesis 1:24

Each one of us is a product of our DNA and our environment. Be careful who influences you, and be careful how you influence others. What are you making today and what is being made in you. Be a giant killer, it is what God created you to be!!!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Lessons learned only in Life's Storms

"Why are you so fearful?" Mark 4:40 NKJV

In the Gospel of Mark we read: "He said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side'...And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, 'Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?' Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still!' And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, 'Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?' And they...said to one another, 'Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!'" (Mk 4:35-41 NKJV).

Here are two lessons we learn only in life's storms:

(1) We must trust what God has told us. When Jesus said, "Let us cross over to the other side" there wasn't a big enough wave to take them under, no matter how threatening. What has God promised us? Standing on that won't keep us from getting scared or soaked, but it'll keep us from sinking.

(2) We must remind ourselves who's in the boat with us. If the Lord can calm a storm, He can prevent one. So when He permits us to go through storms it's to show us that we don't have a problem He can't solve; that we may be powerless in the situation but He's not; and that through this experience we'll come to know Him in a way we have never known Him before. So learn these lessons well and come out stronger on the other side.

If you are someone who remembers things by writing them down, put this in a place that can be seen and then immediately remembered. "Why are you so fearful? God is in Charge!!!!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Guard against lust

"Above all...guard your heart." Proverbs 4:23 NIV

Jesus said, "Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Mt 5:28 NIV). Why did Jesus say this? Because every lustful glance damages your marriage bond. The less you desire your mate, the more you'll look for things in them to justify your fantasies. And the saddest part is, you'll never know how good your marriage could have been.To win, you must decide once and for all to be fully committed to God.

Here are three Scriptures you need to live by:
(1) "I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully" (Job 31:1 NIV). Before David got into trouble with Bathsheba we read: "He saw a woman bathing...inquired about the woman...and took her" (2Sa 11:2-4 NKJV). Pay close attention to the progression: "saw", "inquired," "took." If what you're looking at is not yours, pull your eyes away immediately.

(2) "Take captive every thought...make it obedient to Christ" (2Co 10:5 NIV). Police your mind. Instead of giving in to your daydreams or the internet or magazines, etc. fill your mind with God's Word and memories of your best moments with your mate. "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Ps 119:11).

(3) "Above all...guard your heart." Work on strengthening your bond with your mate. Decide to love even when you don't feel like it, and your love will begin to blossom. And if you need to, find someone who can help you. "A brother is born for adversity" (Pr 17:17). Sometimes the difference between victory and defeat can be as little as five or ten minutes on the telephone, talking and praying with someone who understands.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

The Path to the Throne

"I have found David...a man after My own heart." Acts 13:22 NKJV

David was anointed to be king in his teens, but he only ascended the throne at thirty.

There's a pattern here:

(1) God calls the man. In spite of being unappreciated by his family and overlooked by the prophet Samuel, God picked David. He also picked Deborah to lead the nation in a male-dominated society. Stop trying to figure God out, and stop comparing yourself to others! "Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" (Ro 9:21 NIV). We'd have rejected many of the people God used - which lets us know how much we don't know.

(2) God decides the plan. "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it" (Php 1:6 NKJV). Who decides it? Who performs it? Who should your confidence be in? God! God's plan for David involved years of ducking Saul's spears, living in caves and working with 600 misfits who redefine the word "dysfunctional." God trains you in a small sphere so you can handle a bigger one.

(3) God knows the span of time required. "Who through faith and patience [endurance] inherit the promises" (See Col 1:11-12). Endurance means standing firm under pressure. The prize belongs to the man or woman who's committed for the long haul. Joseph refused to let go of his dream; it's what enabled him to say no to the advances of Potiphar's wife and endure unjust imprisonment. But the day came when Potiphar and his wife knelt before Joseph.

So keep your eyes on the prize and don't give up and stay on the path to the throne.

Monday, March 9, 2009

My Father's Son

Matthew 5:43-45

"(43)You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy; (44) But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (45) To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven..."

Over the last 2 weeks, We have been talking about traps or Pit Falls that the enemy uses to distract us from God's purpose and plan. On this past Sunday, We discovered that fouls or offenses are one such trap. It robs us of power and authority. Not worth the loss in my opinion but when the offense is great or the wound by someone we love it makes matters more difficult.

I asked us to take the next 7 days to show mercy and kindness (forgiveness)to someone who offended or fouled us. I did mine today. I wrote and blessed someone who had fouled me. Man it felt really good.

I am my Father in Heavens son. Be Blessed!