February 26, 2010

Delighting in the Father
Some years ago I had a delightful experience that I’ll never forget. I was about to drive home from an appointment and I called home first. My youngest daughter, Briana, who was seven years old at the time, answered and I told her that I would be home in 5 minutes and that I had a hug to give her.

When I walked in the door she was waiting for me on the couch and she jumped up and ran toward me, shouting out, “433 seconds! 433 seconds!”

“What do you mean?” I asked with bewilderment.

“It took you 433 seconds to get home Daddy!” And she leaped up into my arms…

Just telling the story melts my heart all over again, even years later… How blessed I am to have a daughter who loves me like that!

All three of my kids when they were little would do things like that. Now they’re teenagers, but that’s another story! As little children when they heard me open the door they’d yell from our family room in the back of the house, “Daddy’s home!” And then they’d say, “Daddy, wait there at the door.” And then one-by-one they’d sprint the full length of the house and jump into my arms for a hug!

Sometimes this ritual was followed by what we came to call “Rough and Tough,” which was a game of chasing the kids around the house to catch them in order to wrestle, tickle, and throw them onto a couch.

Those are very special memories. Part of what makes them special is that my Dad did the same thing with me. The “Daddy’s home!” moment was often the highlight of my day as a little boy too.

Now I want to ask you a question…

Would you count the seconds before you could jump into the arms of your Heavenly Father? Do you delight in the God that Jesus reveals? As Saint Augustine said so many years ago: “Our hearts our restless until we rest in God.”

You and I can find the soul rest we long for in God. We can learn to live in the love of our Heavenly Father, letting him be the source of our well-being and self-esteem. How? How can you experience more of God’s fatherly love? By apprenticing yourself to Jesus.

Jesus shows us that God is our “Abba” (Hebrew for “Papa” or “Daddy”) and his arms are open to us! Jesus is the Master and we can be his student – for everything we do in our lives! What incredible things we can learn from Jesus! What a wonderful adventure our lives become when we learn to live from within the reality and resources of his kingdom of the heavens in our midst!

William Gaultiere, Ph.D. is a Psychologist specializing in “Christian Soul Care” since 1986. Bill and his wife Kristi (a Marriage and Family Therapist) have a donor-supported ministry to pastors and leaders called Soul Shepherding. In counseling, spiritual mentoring, seminars, and retreats Bill and Kristi help people to connect deeply with Christ in ways that facilitate soul transformation. At Bill and Kristi’s webstie, SoulShepherding.org , you will find articles, prayers, and pictures to nourish your soul in God.

William Gaultiere, Ph.D. ~ Soul Shepherding, 4000 Barranca Pkwy, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92604 ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org/ ~ 949.262.3699 ~ http://mailto:Bill@SoulShepherding.org

February 25, 2010

But Master...
By Os Hillman

February 25

Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught
anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets" (Luke 5:5).

Have you ever argued with God? One of the first sermons Jesus ever gave
was from a boat. It was Simon Peter's boat. Jesus used a businessman's
business to preach the Gospel. However, Peter had to first make his
business available to the Master. When he did, something wonderful
happened to his business.

You see, Peter's fishing business was in a slump. They had just fished
all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless, Peter made his boat
available to Jesus to use as He wished. Jesus used it to preach to the
multitudes. After Jesus used Peter's boat for His purposes Jesus did
something interesting for Peter. He blessed his business. However, Peter
almost missed the blessing because he began to argue with Jesus. Peter
was looking at the market conditions instead of the instruction of
Jesus. Something inside of him made him reconsider Jesus' instruction.
Jesus rewarded his obedience. "When they had done so, they caught such a
large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled
their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came
and filled both boats so full that they began to sink?" (Luke 5:6-7).

We see a number of Kingdom principles we can apply in our work lives in
this story. 1) We must be willing to let God use our work life for His
purposes. 2) We must not look at circumstances and argue with Jesus when
His instruction seems to contradict what we have seen or experienced
already. 3) We must obey the Lord.

When we obey the Lord we might just see Jesus use us for His glory and
bless our obedience.

February 24, 2010

You're Expected
Jesus is preparing a place-and waiting for you to arrive.

Max Lucado | posted 2/17/2010

In one of his Far Side cartoons, Gary Larson depicts a winged man seated
in heaven on a cloud. No one near. Nothing to do. Marooned on his
celestial post. The caption witnesses his despair: "Wish I'd brought a
magazine."

I can relate. Eternal life? Clouds in my midst, a harp on my lap, and
time on my hands, unending time. An endless sing-along-a hymn, then a
chorus, then still more verses. "Whatever the tortures of hell,"
declared science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov, "I think the boredom of
heaven would be even worse."

You might have similar reservations, quiet yet troubling. Will eternity
meet expectations? Jesus gives an assuring response:

Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.
There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? (John
14:1-2, NLT)
Perfected Prototypes
Forget the movies' images of knee-high fog banks and floating spirits.
Jesus has gone to "prepare a place." Heaven is tangible: as real as the
soil in your garden, as physical as the fruit in your orchard. In fact,
your garden and fruit might look familiar in heaven.

You probably assume God will destroy this universe and relocate his
children. But when God created the heavens and earth, he applauded his
work (Genesis 1:31). God never denounced his earth, just man's
mistreatment of it. Besides, he's the God of reclamation, not
extermination. He restores, recovers, renews. Expect him to reclaim
every square inch of what's rightfully his (Matthew 19:28).

Although Scripture uses A-bomb terminology to promise earth's
destruction: "disappear with a roar ... destroyed by fire ... laid bare
... passed away" (2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 21:1), destruction need not
mean elimination. Your body provides a prototype. It will return to
dust. Yet the one who called Adam out of a dirt pile will reverse your
decomposition with resurrection. Amino acids will regenerate. Molecules
will reconnect. The mortal body will put on immortality (1 Corinthians
15:53 ).

The same is true about earth. The "whole creation groans and suffers the
pains of childbirth" (Romans 8:22, NASB). Like a mother in labor, nature
looks toward her delivery day. You see the birth pangs: floods,
volcanoes, earthquakes. But God will cleanse and reconstruct his cosmos.
And pristine purity will flow, as Eden promised.

Glorious Glimpses
God grants glimpses of this future state. He designed an oculus in this
pantheon. Through it you see gold-drenched sunsets. Diamond-studded
night skies. Appetizers of heaven.

But none of those compare to God's crowning jewel: the New Jerusalem.
Scripture reveals this city's jaw-dropping dimensions: an exact square
of 1,400 miles (Revelation 21:16). Large enough to contain the land from
the Appalachians to the California coast-Canada to Mexico. Tall enough
to stack more than 600,000 stories-ample space for billions of people to
come and go.

Come and go they will. The gates will never be closed (21:25). For the
enemies of God will be banished (21:27). Satan won't lurk in heaven's
gardens as he did in the Garden of Eden (22:3). Just think what he's
taken from you, even in the last few hours. You worried about a
decision, dreaded a conversation, and resented an interruption.

But in heaven, you'll be you at your best forever. You catch occasional
glimpses of your heavenly self when you change your baby's diaper,
forgive your boss's temper, tolerate your spouse's moodiness. Others
will be at their prime, too. Now bad moods infect the best of families.
Complaints shadow the clearest of days. But in heaven, all gossip
excised and jealousy extracted, no one will doubt your word or speak
evil behind your back. Christ's completed redemptive work will
discontinue all strife.

The resulting dramatic reunions are beautiful to imagine: a soldier
embracing the sharpshooter who killed him, a daughter holding the father
who abused her, a son encountering the mother who aborted him. And when
they meet, forgiveness will flow like a waterfall. God's sin purging
will wipe away all tears, all sorrow, all death (21:4).

Assigned Activities
No sin also means no boredom. You won't be bored in heaven because you
won't be the same you in heaven. Boredom emerges from soils that heaven
disallows. The soil of weariness (your eyes tire), mental limitations
(information overload dulls you), tedium (meaningless activity siphons
your vigor). But Satan will take these weedy soils to hell, leaving you
with a keen mind, endless focus, and God-honoring assignments.

Yes, you'll have assignments in heaven. God gave Adam and Eve garden
responsibilities (Genesis 1:26). He mantled the couple with leadership
over the earth (v. 26) and placed Adam in the garden "to tend and keep
it" (2:15, NKJV). Adam and his descendants will serve God again
(Revelation 22:3). And what is service if not responsible activity?

You might serve in the capacity you serve now. Couldn't earthly
assignments hint at heavenly ones? You may be a chef on Saturn or a
mural designer for the New Jerusalem. God might fill heaven with plants
and animals and entrust you with the care and feeding of an Africa or
two.

Increase will mark this new world. You might oversee the orbit of a
distant planetary system or monitor the expansion of a new species. "Of
the increase of his government and peace there will be no end" (Isaiah
9:7, NKJV). Increased planets? Colors? Music? Seems likely.

And the attributes of God will increasingly stun. His grace and wisdom
will progressively astound. God is so rapt with wonders that their
viewing requires an eternity. And this is his invitation: "When
everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be
with me where I am" (John 14:3, NLT).

Eternal Expectations
John Todd was very young when he became an orphan. His aunt offered to
take him in and sent a servant to get John. As they set out for her
house, the boy's questions unveiled his fears.

"Will I like living with her?"

"You fall into good hands."

"Will she go to bed before we get there?"

"Oh, no! She'll wait up. When we get out of these woods, you'll see her
light in the window."

Sure enough, as they neared the house, John saw the lighted window and
his aunt standing in the doorway. When he reached the porch, she kissed
him and said, "Welcome home!"

John Todd grew up in his aunt's care and became a pastor. Years later,
she sent news of her impending death. Here's his reply:

My Dear Aunt,
Years ago, I left a house of death, not knowing where I was going. The
ride was long, but the servant encouraged me. Finally I arrived to a new
home and your embrace. I was expected; I felt safe.
Now your turn has come. I'm writing to tell you Someone's waiting up,
your room's all ready, the light's on, the door's open, and you're
expected!
As are you. Jesus is preparing for you a place. A perfect place of
perfected people with the perfect Lord. And at the right time he'll come
and take you home./eb/

Max Lucado is the pastor of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, and
a best-selling author of numerous books, including 3:16: The Numbers of
Hope (Thomas Nelson), from which this article is adapted. Used by
permission.

Copyright (c) 2010 by the author or Christianity Today
International/Kyria.com.
Click here for reprint information.

February 23, 2010

February: The Holy Spirit

In my sober judgment the relation of the Spirit to the believer is the
most vital question the church faces today.

Keys to the Deeper Life, page 15
________________________________

February 23

The Holy Spirit: Ungifted Hands

For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good
pleasure. --Philippians 2:13

The important thing is that the Holy Spirit desires to take us and
control us and use us as instruments and organs through whom He can
express Himself in the body of Christ. Perhaps I can use my hands as a
further illustration of this truth.

My hands are about average, I suppose--perhaps a little large for the
size of my body, probably because I had to do a lot of farm work when I
was a boy. But there is something I must tell you about these hands.
They cannot play a violin. They cannot play the organ or the piano. They
cannot paint a picture. They can barely hold a screwdriver to do a small
repair job to keep things from falling apart at home. I have ungifted
hands....

You will agree that it would be foolish for me to try to bring forth any
delightful organ music using such ungifted hands. Is it not appalling,
then, to think that we allow this very thing to happen in the body of
Christ? We enlist people and tell them to get busy doing God's work,
failing to realize the necessity of the Spirit's control and functioning
if there is to be a spiritual result. Tragedy in the Church: The Missing
Gifts, 30-31.

"Lord, maybe the reason we enlist ungifted people is that the gifted
people aren't functioning properly, aren't using the gifts you gifted
them with. Move in our midst, Holy Spirit, that everyone in the Body
might actively serve, each one using the gift He's been given for Your
service. Amen."


Today's "Insight for Leaders" is taken by permission from the book,
Tozer on Christian Leadership, published by WingSpread Publishers


________________________________

This Insight for Leaders devotional is also available in a
print-friendly format here on
the LMI web site.

February 22, 2010

OBTAINING REAL REVIVAL
by Leonard Ravenhill

Revival..... another definition would be to recover, repair or restore.
Hosea 10:12 says: "Sow to yourself in righteousness, reap in mercy;
break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the Lord till He
come and reign righteousness upon you." What is fallow ground? Fallow
ground is ground that has been fruitful, and then it has been plowed
over, and no seed has been sown in it, and therefore it has become
unproductive.

Notice, there is a human emphasis here -- it says that we are to break
up -- you break up your fallow ground.

Now take another aspect of it here in Psalm 85:6 - "Would Thou not
revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee." So, there is an
absence of joy, of vitality -- there is an absence of ecstasy. The very
word "revive" presupposes life. You can only revive what has already had
vitality -- life that has become sick, weak, or apathetic. I think the
nearest analogy I can give you is a recent case of a man who apparently
drowned. He had been under the water for an incredible amount of time.
Then somebody pulled him out and worked and worked on him, and
eventually life came again. This is actually what it means to revive,
It means to revitalize.
It means to restore lost power.
It means to recover lost energy.

In the Acts of the Apostles 3:19 we read, "Repent ye therefore, and be
converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of
refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."
Whatever else we say about revival we have to recognize this, that
revival is an act of mercy in the sovereignty of God. There is a vast
difference between revival and evangelism. When we speak of revival in
America we think of church advertising, "Our revival will begin next
Sunday night at a certain time and it is going to finish the next Sunday
night at a certain time."
Obviously this is something purely mechanical, it is something which men
have engineered. I think that one of the offenses of revival, in the
historic sense, is that it cannot be organized.

As Doctor Tozer said, "When revival comes it changes the moral climate
of a community." You can have revival that covers a church - Spurgeon
had that. You can have a revival that covers a city. You can have a
revival that covers the whole nation -- and I am thinking in this
context more than in the other contexts (though sometimes revival
spreads from here to there -- like fire spreads.) Revival cannot be
organized -- evangelism can be organized. Revival cannot be subsidized
--evangelism can and usually it must be. Revival cannot be advertised
--evangelism can.

It may cost millions of dollars, as it often does, to have one of our
huge, modern, so called revivals. You have to pay vast sums of money for
time on TV, for example -- perhaps a million dollars a night. That's
incredible, that's unthinkable to me in the context of Biblical revival,
or even historical revival. Why doesn't revival need to be advertised?
For the simple reason, that fire is the most self advertising thing that
there is, whether it is a physical fire or a revival fire. It draws
people like a magnet. To bring this down to modern technology -- revival
cannot be computerized. There is information that you can put in
computer and presto, you get the answer predicting an outcome according
to the facts that were put in. But you cannot computerize or predict
revival. There are periods in which one thing predominates. Sometimes
revival is totally taken over by sorrow. Sometimes revival is totally
taken over by joy, ecstasy 'till you don't know whether you are in the
flesh or whether you've gone out of the earth. Sometimes revival is
taken over by stillness.

There are times when you go to a prayer meeting and the power of God is
there. There is stillness and you feel it is creative. You feel, "Now
something is building up around here, somebody is going to come out
shortly with a heart bursting... with some agonizing prayer..." Revival
cannot be rationalized. Again, one of the offensive things about revival
is you can't put your finger on the spot, usually, as to how or why or
where it began. It is supremely an act of God.

You find a man would go with a series of messages to a community and
before long that community is alive, it's throbbing. He goes to another
town with exactly the same group of men, the same type of prayer is
poured out, the same sweat and soul travail and there is no response.
You can't predict and you can't organize revival. Why? Because you can't
organize where the wind is coming from. The Spirit, the wind, bloweth
where it listeth. If you say it's going to come this way, it comes that
way. If you say God's going to use that man, very often He doesn't even
bother with that man. Revival so often comes through unknown characters.


I don't think the world has ever been in a greater sense of turmoil than
it is in this moment. I don't think our nation has. Whatever we shall
say about revival we have to recognize this: There are three things
about natural life: conception, gestation, and birth. You can't alter
the program. There has never been revival, that I can trace, that has
not been preceded by agonizing prayer. You might say, "I haven't got to
that stage yet of agonizing prayer. How does is come?" Well, it comes
through VISION. If we are really going to get a concept of revival we
have to get a vision of God's sorrow over sin. We have to get a concept
of how, day by day, we offend God. As a nation we offend God in millions
of ways.

When I was praying in the Bahamas one day, I saw a great column of
smoke, which happened to be coming from tires that were being burned. It
was as black as could be, and over there I saw a wisp of smoke going up
from the ground. I didn't think much of it until about a year after, I
was praying and the Lord said, "That volume of black, thick smoke is
like the volume of sin that goes up every day." All the blasphemy, all
the unbelief, all the dirty stories, all the lying, all the deception,
all sex- perversion, all drunkenness-- this tremendous column of
iniquity goes up in the sight of God. And here you have a little wisp --
of what? That is the praise that God gets out of His people. If we are
going to realize how much we need revival we need to recognize the
dimension of sin. We have to recognize that sin offends God. Psalm 85:4
says, "Turn us, O God of our salvation and cause Thine anger towards us
to cease. Wilt Thou be angry with us forever?" Psalm 80 verse 3, "Turn
us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine." Notice, it's repeated
again in verse 7 and in verse 19, "...cause Thy face to shine"..."cause
Thy face to shine."

Leonard Ravenhill (1907-1994) was an English Christian evangelist and
author who focused on the subjects of prayer and revival. He is best
known for challenging the modern church and his most notable book is Why
Revival Tarries.

Born in Leeds, in Yorkshire, England, Ravenhill was educated at Cliff
College in England and sat under the ministry of Samuel Chadwick. He was
a student of church history and an expert in the field of revival. His
meetings during the war years drew large crowds in Britain, and as a
result many converts devoted themselves to Christian ministry and the
world's mission fields.

In 1939, he married an Irish nurse, Martha. The Ravenhills had three
sons: Paul, David, and Philip. Paul and David are themselves ministers
of the Gospel, and Philip is a teacher.

In 1959, Ravenhill and his family moved from Great Britain to the United
States. In the 1960s they traveled within the United States, holding
tent revivals and evangelistic meetings.[1]

In the 1980s, Ravenhill moved to a home near Lindale, Texas, a short
distance from Last Days Ministries Ranch. He regularly taught classes at
LDM and was a mentor to the late Keith Green. He also spent some time
teaching at Bethany College of Missions in Minnesota, and some time in
Seguin, Texas.

Among others influenced by Ravenhill were Ravi Zacharias, Tommy Tenney,
Steve Hill, Charles Stanley, Bill Gothard, Paul Washer, Dan Brodeur,
Sean Cabral Myers, Brett Mullett, and David Wilkerson.[2]

He was a close friend of pastor and writer A. W. Tozer and a prolific
writer himself.[3]

Through his teaching and books, Ravenhill addressed the disparities he
perceived between the New Testament Church and the Church in his time
and called for adherence to the principles of biblical revival.

Tozer said of Ravenhill:

To such men as this, the church owes a debt too heavy to pay. The
curious thing is that she seldom tries to pay him while he lives.
Rather, the next generation builds his sepulcher and writes his
biography - as if instinctively and awkwardly to discharge an obligation
the previous generation to a large extent ignored.

Gravesite at Garden Valley CemeteryWhen he passed on in November 1994,
Ravenhill was interred in the same cemetery as Keith Green.

February 19, 2010

When was the last time you got up in the darkness of the night and
discovered the hard edge of some piece of furniture with your shin?
Colliding with a hard edge is painful. It usually leaves bruises as a
reminder of the experience.

There are many people who are hard-edged in their interactions with
others. The hard lines in their personality make relationships painful
and often leave emotional bruises in the souls of people who collide
with them. They lack a key character trait called kindness.

The Bible highlights kindness as a quality every believer is responsible
to develop and demonstrate. Take a look at the instructions God gives
us about this characteristic:

"Love is patient, love is kind ... " - 1 Corinthians 13:4

"But the fruit of the Spirit is ... kindness ... " - Galatians 5:22

"Be kind and compassionate to one another ... " - Ephesians 4:32

"Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be
kind to each other and to everyone else." - 1 Thessalonians 5:15

"And the Lord's servant ... must be kind to everyone ... " - 2 Timothy
2:24

To be kind is to have a good nature; a warm and helpful disposition. It
is to be considerate of others. Kind folks are mild and gentle.

The concept of kindness is sometimes used to describe temperate,
pleasant weather - clement weather - as compared to inclement weather
that is harsh, bitter, dangerous and unpleasant.

To be kind is to be merciful to others in spirit and word. Kind people
are not "edgy" people. They have allowed the edges of their personality
to be softened and rounded.

When we are kind we are like God. One of the things the Holy Spirit
wants to form in each of us is kindness. But He cannot do this without
our cooperation. We have to choose to lose our edge. We must value
this quality and decide to demonstrate it in the way we speak and act
toward others.

Take the edge off!

Pastor Dale

February 18, 2010

God's Definition of Love
By David Sanford
Guest Writer

CBN.com – If I talk a lot about God, the Bible, and Church, but I fail to ask about other people’s needs, I’m simply making a lot of empty religious noise.

If I graduate from theological seminary and know all the answers to questions you’ll never even think of asking, and if I have all the degrees to prove it … and if I say I believe in God with all my heart, soul, and strength, claiming to have incredible answers to my prayers, but I fail to take the time to find out what makes others laugh and why they cry, I’m nothing.

If I sell an extra car and some of my books to raise money for poor starving kids somewhere, and if I give my life for God’s service and burn out after pouring everything I have into the work, but do it all without ever once caring about the people, the real hurting people—the moms and dads and sons and daughters and orphans and widows and the lonely and forgotten—if I pour my life into the Kingdom but forget to love those here on earth, my energy is wasted, and so is my life.

Here is what love is like … genuine love. God’s kind of love. It’s patient. It can wait.

It helps others, even if they never find out who assisted them. Love doesn’t look for greener pastures. Love doesn’t boast. It doesn’t try to build itself up to be something it isn’t.

Love doesn’t act in a loose, immoral way. It doesn’t seek to take, but it willingly gives. Love doesn’t lose its temper. It doesn’t keep changing its mind. Love doesn’t think about how difficult the other person is, and certainly doesn’t think of how it could get back at someone. Love is grieved deeply over the evil in this world, but it rejoices over truth.

Love comes and sits with you when you’re feeling down and finds out what is wrong. It empathizes with you and believes in you. Love knows you’ll come through just as God planned, and love carries on to the end. It doesn’t give up, quit, diminish, or go home.

Love perseveres, even when everything goes wrong and the feelings leave and the other person doesn’t seem as special anymore. Love succeeds 100 percent of the time.

That, my friend, is what genuine love is.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. ... 13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13, NLT)

February 17, 2010

Changing Your Self-Talk

Whether we realize it or not, we are constantly carrying on a conversation with ourselves. Inside our heads and hearts there is ongoing communication. Our spiritual and emotional health is determined by the content, tone and tenor or this dialogue. This is sometimes referred to as “self-talk.”

Our self-talk can help us or hurt us. When we speak the right things to ourselves we are strengthened and encouraged. When our internal conversations are negative and demeaning, our spirit is deflated and demoralized. We are weakened on the inside.

Many people continually barrage themselves with abusive, destructive self-talk. Their worst enemy is their own words. They are taken down by the things they say to themselves about themselves and about others. They live defeated lives, not realizing that they are sabotaging the changes, victories and breakthroughs they long for by their own internal declarations and proclamations.

Let’s take a look at an example of this in the Bible.

The prophet Jeremiah lived during a very tough time in Judah’s history. His pain over the spiritual condition of God’s people is recorded in the book of Lamentations. He had lots of reasons to be discouraged and to give up hope as he observed the idolatry and wickedness of the nation. But Jeremiah learned and practiced a spiritual principle that kept him going amidst the horrible and ugly circumstances around him. Take a look at his words:

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. – Lamentations 3:21-26

Please pay attention to the phrase. “I say to myself … “

How did Jeremiah make it through the tough times? He monitored his self-talk. He made a conscious decision to say the right things to himself. Over and over again, Jeremiah declared to himself, “The Lord is my portion … “ He was careful about what he said to himself!

What about you? Have you monitored your self-talk recently? Are you carrying on conversations with yourself that are sabotaging your spiritual and emotional health? Are you speaking God’s truth to yourself or are you trafficking in lies from your spiritual adversary?

Make a decision to change your self-talk. Speak God’s truth to yourself and watch the difference it will make!

Pastor Dale

February 16, 2010

The Making of a Man of God
by David Wilkerson

February 1, 2010

I want to talk to you about three men whom God used mightily ­ and how he used failure to produce godliness in them.

Today we hear so much talk about success and how people obtain it. Success in biblical terms is vastly different.
As we consider those whom God used to stir their generations, we discover that the elements he used to shape them were torment, pain, sorrow and failure.

Consider godly Job. Here was a man who failed in his motives. Job was proud of his own goodness, saying, "I have never harmed anyone. I have lived righteously."
Indeed, as we read through this book, we wonder how God could have such high regard for so proud a man. Even though Job was godly, avoiding evil, he was clearly convinced of his own righteousness.

Next, consider David. Here was a man who failed in his morals, yet he still became a great man of God. Generations have been baffled by David's actions. How could a man so bold in godliness fail in such blatant immorality? This king ended up groveling in the dust. How could someone who fell so far end up as Scripture says "a man after God's own heart"?

Finally, consider Peter. Here was a man who failed in his mission. Peter had a vision and a calling; indeed, he was the one person Christ entrusted with the keys to his kingdom. Yet this same man ended up weeping on a hillside, having cursed and rejected the Christ he loved. In spite of so great a failure, Peter became a reconstructed man who served as God's spokesman at Pentecost, when the New Testament church was birthed.

What are the forces that
go into the making of a
man or woman of God?

What do all followers of Jesus have in common? If we want God's touch in our lives, what inner struggles do we all face? And what are the forces and pressures that God uses to produce righteousness in us? We dare not pray, "Use me, Jesus," or, "Lord, put your hand on me," unless we are willing to face what will surely come.

I have read many biographies of missionaries, ranging from contemporary times to ancient history. You would think these precious people, so used of God, would have stories of constant love, power and joy. Not so. Their stories are marked by heartache, discouragement, even treachery like Jacob's. Theirs are stories not of adventure but of tears.
We read of worn down saints who cry themselves to sleep at night, despairing souls who cry out, "I am so inclined to sin! I'm inconsistent, always up and down. How can God ever use me?"

If we are genuine in our desire to know the forces that produce godliness, we must go to the Garden of Gethsemane ­ in short, to Jesus, our example. All the forces that were arrayed against Job were also there at Gethsemane, arrayed against Christ. Likewise, the fierce tempter who sought out David's heart on the rooftop is the same tempter who sought out Jesus on the temple pinnacle to destroy him. And all the forces of torment that plagued Peter's soul were also at Gethsemane, battling with our Savior.

Understand clearly: Christ was touched by all the feelings of our infirmities. There is no trial we face that he did not face.

To be a servant of God
we must at some point
be served a cup of pain.

To every true man or woman of God there will come a cup of pain. Consider Christ's prayer in the garden: "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Matthew 26:39).

Jesus' entire ministry had been doing the will of his Father. Indeed, for three years everything he did pointed toward Calvary. Now, at Gethsemane, whatever was in the cup Jesus drank caused him to sweat great drops of blood. He cried out in effect, "Oh, God, if it is possible at all, relieve me of this burden. It's too heavy for me. I would rather let it pass."

When Job was served his cup of pain, he cried out, "I am so pained, I can't see my way. I have bathed my sores in tears." When David drank his cup of pain, his couch became a bed of tears. He said, "My breast and bones are consumed with pain." I hear in both men's voices Jesus' own words: "Master, if it is at all possible, let this cup of pain depart from me."

I don't know what your cup of pain may be. Some Christians have prayed for years to be delivered from theirs. Make no mistake, I believe in healing. Yet I also believe in healing afflictions. David testified, "Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word" (Psalm 119:67).

We cannot let ourselves think that every pain or trial is an attack of the devil. Nor can we think that these trials mean we have sin in our lives and that God is judging us. David tells us differently: If he had not been afflicted, he wouldn't have sought the Lord.

So, you want to be a man or woman of God? You want the hand of the Lord on you? I tell you, you are going to be served a cup of pain. You will lie in a bed of tears. You'll weep not so much at physical pain but at something much worse than that. I'm speaking of the pain of being bruised and rejected by friends. It is the pain of parents when children trample their hearts and become strangers to them. It is the pain between a husband and wife when brick walls are built up between them.

Oh, the tragic turmoil that comes, the restless, sleepless nights ­ knowing that God is real, that you are walking in his Spirit, that you are loving Jesus with all that is in you...and yet you are forced to drink a cup of pain.

We cannot run from this cup. We cannot be fooled into thinking following Jesus is only happiness. Scripture does say our approach to life should be to "count it all joy." Yet it also says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous." Even though God has promised to deliver us from our afflictions, it still pains us deeply to go through them.

Peter tried to drive away affliction in his flesh. He wielded a sword at Gethsemane, telling Jesus in effect, "Master, you don't have to go through this. I'll keep them at bay while you make your escape." Many Christians today have the same attitude. They take sword in hand to try to turn away afflictions, saying, "I don't have to face this. My God is a good God!"

I believe God is faithful. But Jesus tells us we cannot run from our cup of pain. He commanded Peter, "Put up your sword. That is not my Father's way. Live by your sword and you will die by it." Then he stated, "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11).

When you trust the One who is serving you this cup ­ when you see his purpose behind your suffering ­ then you are able to drink it. It may burn, sear and scar you, but don't be afraid, for your Father holds the cup. You are not drinking death but life!

The servant of God will also
endure a night of confusion.

Jesus said at Gethsemane, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" (Matthew 26:38). Can you imagine the very Son of God enduring a night of confusion?
Didn't he know he was about to claim all victory over hell and death? Didn't he have an innate sense of guidance and destiny, that the Father was with him? He had to see in his prophetic eye he would face this hour. In fact, he had told the disciples, "I will not be with you for long."

It has been said by generations of Christians that the hardest part of faith is the last half hour. I want to add a word here that the night of confusion always comes just before the victory, just before the darkness breaks and light begins to dawn. In other words: Just before all power of Satan is broken, you will face a devastating night of confusion.

In that hour, it will seem to you as if all sense of guidance and purpose are gone. The sense of God's Spirit you once relied on will seem to have evaporated. Job made this clear when he said, "I turn to the right, and he is not there. I turn to the left, and he is not there. If the Lord is at work, I cannot perceive it."

David cried during his night of confusion, "I am overwhelmed by darkness. My eye is as blackness!" On Peter's night of confusion, he was provoked to curse the Master. His cry was essentially that of many Christians
today: "Why me?"

Job had the same feeling as Peter. He declared, "I haven't trusted in the arm of the flesh. And I haven't hidden my transgressions. I've been honest; I have kept my integrity. So, why me? Why do I have to face this confusion?
Why should I have to suffer?"

He speaks for many believers today, who cry, "Lord, I haven't cheated anybody. I avoid dishonesty of any kind.
So, where is your guidance? Why this night of confusion?"

Picture David, the mighty king of a mighty nation, as the prophet Nathan confronted him. Can you imagine the terror David felt as his sin was exposed? Suddenly, David didn't recognize the man who had done the wicked things Nathan named. Indeed, David wrote three beautiful Psalms about this night of confusion, grappling with why he had committed such foolish acts. He could only say, "It is too hard for me to grasp. My sin has overwhelmed me. Oh, why me?"

Many in Christ's body face moral issues like David's.
In their night of confusion they wonder, "God, why me? My heart was searching after you when my sin overwhelmed me. My soul is plagued by it all. I don't understand."

Don't think for a moment that someone who has been used mightily by God has the answers. I know what it is like to face that divine silence in a night of confusion. I know what it feels like to walk through a season of confusion, with no apparent guidance. All my previous patterns of guidance and discernment were useless. I simply couldn't see my way. I was reduced to this cry: "Lord, what has happened? I don't know which way to go."

We all will face that night. Yet, thank God, it is a season that will pass. The Lord desires to make our path clear.

Finally, the servant of God
will endure an hour of isolation.

Jesus cried at Gethsemane, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" What incredible words to hear coming from the lips of Jesus, the Son of God. We hear similar words from Job, who said, "God has become cruel to me."
Likewise, David asked, "Has God forgotten his mercies? Has he taken them away from me?" And Peter, isolating himself by the fire outside the Sanhedrin, said bitterly, "I don't know the man!"

The truth is, in an hour of isolation there is no friend who understands what you're going through. It appears God has hidden his face from you. You may ask, "Is it really possible for God to lift his hand and hide his face from his beloved ones for a season?" Scripture answers, "God hid from him that he may prove him and try him to find out all that was in his heart."

I can honestly say Jesus has never been more real to me.
Yet no terror can compare to that which plagues you when heaven is as brass to your prayers. In those moments there is only fear and emptiness. Your heart cries out, "Oh, God, where are you?"

Does this sound strange to you? Have you never faced this crisis in your life? Then you have never been to Gethsemane.
God said of himself in that dark hour, "In just a moment of wrath I hid myself." Yet he also promised, "I will turn to thee in tender loving mercies." And so he will do with us, his children, extending to us his mercy in our times of isolation.

What has resulted for those
servants who have endured
the cup of pain, the night of
confusion, the hour of isolation?

Job concluded in his hour of isolation, "The Lord knows the path that I take. And when he has finished trying me, I will come forth as gold, because I trust in him."

David, in his night of confusion, declared, "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever! I will raise my voice in praise to him."

At Pentecost, Peter rose above his failure to deliver a sermon that brought thousands into the kingdom in a single hour. This was the apostle whom Jesus chose to declare to the world, "What you are seeing is that which was promised by the prophet Joel."

We know that all of these men were dedicated servants of God. The Lord acknowledged Job's righteousness...he handpicked David from among his brethren...and Jesus himself pointed to Peter and told him, "Come, follow me." Yet all of these beloved, chosen servants experienced great testings beyond their human limits.

I think of a line from an old gospel song, which says, "Standing somewhere in the shadows you'll find Jesus."
Beloved, my battle is not in my home. I love my wife and I have wonderful children and grandchildren. My battle is not with friends; I have thousands around the world who I know appreciate me. Nor is my battle with faith; I have never loved the Lord more than I do now. I have never desired Jesus more in all of my life.

Let me tell you where my battle lies. The more I pray, "Lord, use me," the more I feel the enemy's forces arrayed against me. The more I pray for people to be won to Jesus ­ the more I struggle in prayer and faithful witness for people's souls ­ the more I feel myself being crushed as Jesus was. And I cry all the more, "Oh, Lord, that I had wings to fly. Then I would escape this cup of pain, this trial of my soul. God, I can't endure it!"

Yet like Job, David and Peter before me, I know in whom I have believed.

When a man or woman of God
is in the making, enemy forces
will come at them with great fury.

Right now you may be tasting a bitter cup of pain. You may be enduring a dark night of confusion, a terrifying hour of isolation. But I urge you to do as these men did in their darkest moment, and take a stand in faith. Say as they did, "Though I be tried, and all these forces are arrayed against me, I know in whom I have believed. And I know he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

You may not have joy at that moment. Your soul may not be flooded with peace. In fact, you may still have turmoil in your soul. If that is the case, stay rooted firmly in his Word. Stop trying to think your way through it all. There is but one way through, and that is the path through Gethsemane. "Weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning."

Many dear men and women in Christ tell me sad stories of lost love, prolonged sorrows, unending afflictions. Often it seems as if their trials will never end. And indeed, in human terms, they seem locked into hopeless situations. For them, life is all pain and rejection, with moments of happiness very few and far between. They have begun to question the Lord, wondering, "Will this dark night ever end? Am I destined to a lifetime of trouble?"

Precious one, I assure you: God has not forgotten you. He bottles every tear you shed. Years ago, after I first preached this sermon, I was approached by a dear sister in Christ. She told me, "Pastor, when I came to church this morning I was happy and carefree. But when you began talking about the cup of pain, I wept inside. I realized I was putting on a front. My husband has left me and my children are in turmoil. I've covered it up to hide my pain. But the reality is my soul is being flooded." I prayed with her in that moment, asking God to make her faith strong in him. She left with true encouragement because she knows in whom she has believed.

Dear saint, in the midst of your battle, make Jesus the joy and hope of your life. Let him change your heart so that your conditions no longer thwart your spirit. God does his best work when changing us in such times. Then, whatever may come, you will remain above it all, seated with him in heavenly places. You are the object of his incredible love!


_______________________________________________
Copyright © 2008 - World Challenge, Inc.
P.O. Box 260, Lindale, Texas 75771, USA

February 12, 2010

Spread the word!

Date:
Saturday, February 20, 2010

Time:
9:00am - 11:00am

Location:
Quantico: Little Hall

You are encouraged to contact the Marine Corps Base Chaplain's office at 703-784-2035 for reservations. Ravi will be speaking from 9 - 11 AM. Admission is free. This is a wonderful opportunity for all to hear from one of the most brilliant apologists of our generation!



By Albert Mohler

You do not have to look far to find evidence of the fact that males are in trouble in these confused and confusing times. On the university campuses, women undergraduate students outnumber young men by a clear margin -- 60% to 40%. A frightening percentage of young males are or have been behind bars, and the vast majority of young men are delaying their assumption of adult roles and responsibilities until well into their twenties or early thirties.

A crisis of fatherlessness marks the lives of millions of boys and young men, with boys growing up without fathers in the home now comprising a majority within some ethnic groups and urban populations. At almost every grade level, boys are performing below girls, and are often left behind as girls go on to more advanced levels of learning. Then, adding insult to injury, reports from scientists indicate that both sperm counts and testosterone levels are falling among some boys and men -- blamed on anything from hormone supplements in the food chain to chemical contamination of ground water.

In many churches, young men and older boys are simply missing. The absence of young men ages 18 to 30 is just a fact of life in many congregations. Though this is especially acute in the mainline Protestant denominations, it is increasingly true of many evangelical churches as well.

One dimension of this problem is the difficulty of helping boys develop into manhood -- a responsible, healthy, and meaningful manhood. Put simply, many of the most significant man-making institutions of our society are either gone or in big trouble. Military service is now both voluntary and no longer male-only. Organizations like the Boy Scouts attract more opposition and fewer boys. Even as the Boy Scouts of America marks the organization's centennial this year, that proud American institution that shaped the lives of so many boys is marginalized and under attack.

Add the absence of fathers to all this and this society faces a challenge unprecedented in human history. A society cannot survive without a means of assisting boys to grow into responsible manhood. The same is true, of course, of the church -- only in the church the stakes are even higher.

An enlightening (and oddly odorous) illustration of this social problem comes from The New York Times. Reporter Jan Hoffman tells of young boys now using "hypermasculine" products in order to demonstrate their masculinity and advertise their male identity -- largely through the smells they put off.

Hoffman tells of Noah and Keenan Assaraf, age 13 and 14 respectively, who live near San Diego, where daily "they walk out the door in a cloud of spray-on macho," according to their mom. The smell, she says, "drives me nuts." Even as marketers insist the products are intended for young males ages 18 to 26, the products have now "reached into the turbulent, vulnerable world of their little brothers, ages 10 to 14."

As Jan Hoffman explains:

Boys themselves, at a younger age, have also become increasingly self-conscious about their appearance and identity. They are trying to tame their twitching, maturing bodies, select from a growing smorgasbord of identities — goth, slacker, jock, emo — and position themselves with their texting, titillating, brand-savvy female peers, who are hitting puberty ever earlier.

And armies of researchers note that tween boys have modest disposable incomes, just fine for products that typically sell for less than $7.

"More insecurity equals more product need, equals more opportunity for marketers," said Kit Yarrow, a professor of psychology and marketing at Golden Gate University.

Insecurity seems to be a major motivating factor. Jake Guttenberg, a New York seventh grader, told the paper he uses one of these "deodorants" because, "I feel confident when I wear it."

Lyn Mikel Brown of Colby College was blunt in her assessment: "These are just one of many products that cultivate anxiety in boys at younger and younger ages about what it means to man up . . . to be the kind of boy they're told girls will want and other boys will respect. They're playing with the failure to be that kind of guy, to be heterosexual even."

Interestingly, Hoffman reports that these products are often bought for boys by their mothers, "simply relieved that their sons are thinking about body odor." Just about any mom will nod in agreement at this point -- but where are the dads?

These boys are acting out what society is telling them -- urging them to be hypermasculine, hypersexualized, hyperconsumers. You don't have to consult with Karl Marx to be leery of the marketing of these products to preteen boys. You do not have to know these boys to be saddened that they, while understandably and naturally desire to grow up into manhood, think that "masculinity in a can" is the way to get there. Their desire to identify as masculine is natural and healthy -- even essential -- but the lack of real support in getting there leads them into confusion.

The New York Times also offers evidence of the crisis of manhood in a second article, in which reporter R. M. Schneiderman takes readers into a world of "mixed martial arts" in some evangelical churches and ministries.

"The outreach is part of a larger and more longstanding effort on the part of some ministers who fear that their churches have become too feminized, promoting kindness and compassion at the expense of strength and responsibility, he explains.

From his report:

In the back room of a theater on Beale Street [in Memphis], John Renken, 37, a pastor, recently led a group of young men in prayer.

"Father, we thank you for tonight," he said. "We pray that we will be a representation of you."

An hour later, a member of his flock who had bowed his head was now unleashing a torrent of blows on an opponent, and Mr. Renken was offering guidance that was not exactly prayerful.

"Hard punches!" he shouted from the sidelines of a martial arts event called Cage Assault. "Finish the fight! To the head! To the head!"

In order to reach young men, some churches are turning to mixed martial arts, defined as "a sport with a reputation for violence and blood that combines kickboxing, wrestling, and other fighting styles."

The main issue here is not the legitimacy of martial arts, but the fact that these churches are making a self-conscious effort to reach young men and boys with some kind of proof that Christianity is not a feminized and testosterone-free faith that appeals only to women.

Of course, Christianity honors the man who fights "the good fight of faith," and the most important fight to which a Christian man is called is the fight to grow up into godly manhood, to be true to wife and provide for his children, to make a real contribution in the home, in the church, and in the society, and to show the glory of God in faithfully living out all that God calls a man to be and to do. This means a fight for truth, for the Gospel, and for the virtues of the Christian life. The New Testament is filled with masculine -- and even martial -- images of Christian faithfulness. We must be unashamed of these, and help a rising generation of men and boys to understand what it means to be a man in Christ. The Christian man does not embrace brutality for the sake of proving his manhood.

This much is clear -- we are living in strange times, getting stranger by the minute. Churches and parents are right to be concerned about the new challenges of helping boys to grow into manhood. The crisis is real, and this one demands urgent attention.

Boys will never find real masculinity in a can, but boys and young men should find respect for and examples of genuine manhood at church. What about your church?

Blizzard of 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F5VZG4IsfA

Today's storm video taken from our front porch around 12:30 pm on Wednesday, February 10, 2010.

The news stated that we in DC have had more snow than Rochester (#3).
We are now #2 behind Syracuse.
Ha!

Bud

February 11, 2010

Friendship

It has been said that one good friend is more valuable than a thousand acquaintances. It’s true that a real friend is a great blessing, and sadly, all too often, a rarity.

What is friendship?

While friendships are certainly characterized by emotional connection and positive chemistry between people, they are much more than this. Real friendships are all about lifting, helping, encouraging and challenging growth in one another. They are about care, commitment, endurance and longevity. They are about selflessness. They are about deep bonds of loyalty and devotion.

One of the great stories of friendship in the Bible is that of David and his dear friend Jonathan. Jonathan was the son of Israel’s first king, Saul. He was heir-apparent to his dad’s throne. But Jonathan knew something that caused him to freely forfeit his right to succeed his father. He knew that a young man named David was God’s pick to lead the nation.

Denying pride and jealousy, and giving no thought to any personal ambitions, Jonathan graciously became David’s friend and helper. He encouraged David in tough times. He protected him from destructive schemes. He pledged and demonstrated loyalty to David over and over again. Jonathan did everything he possibly could to help David reach his God-designed destiny as the King of Israel. What an amazing friend!

Although Jonathan’s life unfortunately ended prematurely, David never forgot him, and never stopped appreciating his friendship. Many years after Jonathan’s death, David asked a question that revealed his enduring gratitude for his great friend:

“Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” — 2 Samuel 9:1

From this inquiry David located Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was poor, depressed and disabled, but David befriended him, took him in and took care of him for the rest of his life. He did this as statement of his abiding appreciation for Jonathan.

The lesson?

Friendships impact people for a lifetime! You never forget a real friend!

I’m sure we’d all like to have a friend like Jonathan. While we cannot create “Jonathan’s” in our lives, we can choose to be a Jonathan-like friend to someone. Go ahead and be a real friend to somebody. Start today!

Pastor Dale

February 10, 2010

Responding to Hostile Fire

The games that kids play today are so high-tech that the child actuallyhas to teach the parent how to play them. One of our directors was describing a game his teenage son taught him that simulates combat in an F-16 Fighter Jet. He said there is one aspect of the game that's really nerve-wracking. It's when this beeping sound starts going off in your"cockpit." It's the signal that an enemy pilot has locked onto you. You're about to come under some heavy fire, man! In fact, I understandsomething like that happens in real life aerial combat situations. Ofcourse, the question is, what do you do when someone has locked onto youand you are under fire? You know, that's an important question in everyday life.

What do you do when someone's locked on to you and you're under fire? If you're incombat, or even in simulated combat, you instinctively fire back at theone who's firing at you. Unfortunately, we do that even when we're notin mortal combat. We all know the feeling: someone has locked onto you, maybe your spouse,your child, or your parent. It could be a co-worker, or someone atchurch, or one of your critics. Someone is shooting at you. Andeverything in you says, "Retaliate! Fire back! Give them back what they're giving you!" Then along comes the most radical blueprint for human relationships in history - the loving lifestyle of Jesus Christ. Who said on behalf ofthose who had just nailed Him to a cross, "Father, forgive them."

Peter says of Him, "When they hurled their insults at Him, He did notretaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats" 1 Peter 2:23. That's in the same verses where Peter says, "Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in Hissteps." Which leads us to our word for today from the Word of God in Romans12:17, where Christ calls us, not to a natural response to hostility,but a supernatural response! Here are our orders: "Do not repay anyoneevil for evil...Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room forGod's wrath, for it is written: 'It is Mine to avenge; I will repay,'says the Lord...Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil withgood." God says, "When someone has locked onto you; when someone is shooting atyou, don't shoot back!" This is so counterintuitive! It's so against ourinstincts! When your spouse is harsh with you, everything in you wantsto blast them back. Right? When someone is criticizing or attacking you,you just want to give them some of their own medicine. When you feelshot at by your child or your parent, you want to shoot them down. But since you gave yourself to Jesus, you've had another possibility.When someone is shooting at you, turn the controls over to Jesus! If youremain in the pilot's seat, you're eventually going to blast them. Butif you say, "Jesus, it's Yours. Enable me to respond as You would," thenyou can avert a battle that is only going to escalate and do a lot moredamage. It's amazing what can happen when hostility is greeted withgentleness, when harshness is greeted with tenderness, when anger isgreeted with love and understanding. When someone is shooting at you, you've got an incredible opportunitynot to shoot them down, but to show them Jesus. (c) (c) Ronald P. HutchcraftDistributed by Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.

February 9, 2010

Always Faithful

U.S. Marines are known for many things - bravery, endurance, esprit de
corps - but they are perhaps best known for their motto "Semper
Fidelis." These two Latin terms sum up a mindset that is purposefully
and intentionally taught to these men and women from boot camp forward.
It is also required of and exemplified by those who lead them.

The term, "Semper Fidelis" can be translated "Always Faithful." It
describes a way of thinking and living marked by solidity and
reliability. Someone who is "semper fidelis" can be counted on, not
occasionally or sporadically, but all the time.

One of the often overlooked and under-emphasized qualities in our
spiritual growth is faithfulness. In our studies and sermons, faith
rightly receives a lot of attention, but faithfulness, which is an
important and expected by-product of faith is sometimes neglected.

What is faithfulness?

Faithfulness is the way we live out our faith. It is the demonstration,
by our lifestyle, words and actions that we really do believe God and
His Word. It is holding firm to our commitment to God in times of
temptation and testing. It is doing the work God has assigned us to do
wholeheartedly, with excellence and thoroughness. It is "putting our
hands to the Kingdom plow and not looking back!"

One day we will all stand before God, the great Judge of the universe.
As believers in Jesus Christ, our judgment will not be about our eternal
destiny, that has already been settled for us by our faith in Jesus'
death and resurrection. What will be up for review is our faithfulness.
The question will be, did we live faithfully as a follower of Jesus?

Jesus revealed to us the most desirable and precious words that could be
heard on that day:

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have
been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many
things. Come and share your master's happiness!' - Matthew 25:21

Although our individual gifts, Kingdom responsibilities and personal
opportunities are all different, there is one thing we should all strive
to do equally well - we should strive to BE FAITHFUL! Our goal as
believers in Jesus should be "ALWAYS FAITHFUL!"

Pastor Dale

February 8, 2010

A Believer's To-Be list Steps to a fresh start with God Philip Yancey | posted 1/01/2001

When I turned 50, I had a complete physical checkup. Doctors poked,prodded, x-rayed, and even cut open parts of my body to assess andrepair the damage I had done. At the same time, I scheduled a spiritualcheckup, too. I went on a silent retreat led by a wise spiritualdirector. In those days of solitude, I pondered what I needed to change to keep mysoul in shape. The more I listened, the longer grew the list. Here is amere sampling, a portion of a spiritual action plan for my next 50 years.

Question your doubts as much as your faith. By personality, or perhapsas a reaction to a fundamentalist past, I brood on doubts and experiencefaith in occasional flashes. Isn't it about time for me to reverse thepattern? Do not attempt this journey alone. Like many Protestants, I easilyassume the posture of one person alone with God, a stance that more andmore I see as unbiblical. The Old Testament tells the story of thepeople of God; Jesus' parables unveil the kingdom; the epistles wentprimarily to communities of faith. We have little guidance on how tolive as a follower alone because God never intended it. Allow the good natural beauty, your health, encouraging words topenetrate as deeply as the bad. Why does it take about 17 encouragingletters from readers to overcome the effect of one that is caustic andcritical? If I awoke every morning, and fell asleep each night, bathedin a sense of gratitude and not self-doubt, the in-between hours woulddoubtless take on a different cast. For your own sake, simplify. Eliminate whatever distracts you from God.Toss catalogs, junk mail, and book club notices in the trash. If I everget the nerve, my television set should probably land there as well. Find what Eric Liddell found: something that allows you to feel God'spleasure. When the sprinter's sister worried that his participation inthe Olympics might derail his missionary career, Eric responded, "Godmade me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure." What makes me feelGod's pleasure? I must identify it, and then run. Always "err," as God does, on the side of freedom, mercy, andcompassion. I continue to marvel at the humility of a sovereign God whodescends to live inside us, his flawed creatures. "Quench not theSpirit," Paul says in one place, and in another "grieve not the holySpirit of God." In so many words, the God of all power asks us not tohurt him. Do I show that same humble, non-coercive attitude towardpeople of whom I disapprove? Don't be ashamed. "I am not ashamed of the gospel," Paul told theRomans. Why do I speak in generalities when strangers ask me what I dofor a living and then try to pin down what kind of books I write? Why doI mention the secular schools I attended before the Christian ones? Remember, those Christians who peeve you so much? God chose them too.For some reason, I find it much easier to show grace and acceptancetoward immoral unbelievers than toward uptight, judgmental Christians.Which, of course, turns me into a different kind of uptight, judgmentalChristian. Forgive, daily, those who caused the wounds that keep you fromwholeness. Increasingly, I find God uses our wounds in his service. Byharboring blame for those who caused them, I slow the act of redemptionthat can bring healing. My spiritual checkup offers one clear advantage over my physicalcheckup. No matter what I do my body will continue to deteriorate, but,spiritually I can look forward to growth and renewed vigor as long as Ilisten and then act on what I hear God saying. Condensed from Christianity Today (4/3/00), (c) 2000 Philip Yancey.

February 5, 2010

Sow A Seed Today

What's your occupation? People usually respond to this question with a
description of their work - what they do for a living. While our
business occupations are important to God, there is an occupation that
should be foremost in the heart and mind of every Christian believer.
In whatever we do, God has called us to be Kingdom seed sowers.

To help us to understand this responsibility, Jesus gave us a parable.
As a quick sidebar, the word parable comes from two Greek words which,
when used together means "to throw alongside." Jesus, wanting us to
understand significant principles in His Kingdom, would often "throw
alongside them" a story or illustration to help us grasp the truth He
was teaching.

In Matthew 13 we find a great story or parable that is very familiar to
most believers. It is often referred to as "The Parable of the Sower."
While there are many lessons in Jesus' illustration, at the heart of the
parable is call to you and me. Take a look at how the story begins:

"A farmer went out to sow his seed." - Matthew 13:3

Without taking time to explain all aspects of this teaching , there are
three main parts of the parable that we need to understand:

The seed that is sown - which is the good seed of God's Word.
The farmer who sows the seed - you and me; followers of Jesus Christ.
The soil that receives the seed - the hearts of people in whom the seed
is sown.
Let's zero in on our responsibility. Jesus wants all of us to be fully
engaged in the process of sowing good seed in other people's lives.
Jesus doesn't ask us to inspect the soil before we sow Kingdom seed, He
simply says, "Sow!" We are to be "broadcasters" of the seed of God's
love and good news everywhere we go.

How do we do this?

Sowing good seed is not complicated. We sow by giving a warm smile to
someone who is discouraged, by speaking healing words to someone who is
in pain, by being kind to people around us, by bearing burdens for
people who are overwhelmed, and by sharing the hope of Jesus when we
have an opportunity.

What's your occupation? Are you living every day as a Kingdom farmer,
sowing good seed in the lives of the people God has placed in your life?

Go sow some good seed today!

Pastor Dale

February 4, 2010

Committed?

"I do!" "I will!" "I promise!" What do these three statements have in
common? They are all declarations of commitment.

What is a commitment?


Commitment is the beginning point of action. Good intentions become good
actions when the ingredient called commitment is added.


Commitment is essential for success in all kinds of things in life. Great
marriages require commitment. Being a good parent involves commitment.
Business, educational and professional success never happen without making and
keeping the right commitments. Enduring, rewarding friendships are built by
commitment. Commitment is also necessary for spiritual growth.

How do we know how committed we really are to God?


The depth of our spiritual commitments is measured by what we do and how we
live. It is measured by our actions.


In the Gospel of Matthew (see Matthew 4:19, 20), there is a great story that
helps us understand the transformational power of commitment. Jesus was
walking along the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee one day when He noticed 2
fishermen; Peter and his brother, Andrew. These fellows had been introduced
to Jesus earlier, but had not yet chosen to follow Him as disciples. They
had not made a personal commitment to Jesus.
That day Jesus issued to them a clear, direct call, "Come follow Me, and I
will make you fishers of men!" There was no doubt about what Jesus was looking
for from them - a full, "no looking back" kind of commitment.


While Jesus saw incredible spiritual potential in these men, their potential
would go undeveloped until they committed themselves to Him. Knowing about
Him was not enough. For them to spiritually progress a commitment was
required.


Peter and Andrew "got it." Without an ounce of hesitation they dropped their
fishing nets and committed! That day was their "all in" day. They proved
their commitment to Jesus by their actions.

This commitment was the key to their spiritual development. All that they
later became in God and did for the Kingdom of God was traceable to this
critcal moment of commitment. Their actions that day positively and
eternally changed their lives!

Most, if not all, of our spiritual growth and development is hindered by one
basic thing - lack of commitment. Just as Peter and Andrew's lives would have
gone unaltered had they refused to respond to Jesus' call, so our lives drag
on unchanged when we refuse or delay making the "all in" commitment to Jesus.
Like these 2 men, many of us are one key commitment away from spiritual
greatness.

How about you? Is a lack of commitment holding you back? Go ahead, commit
your all to Jesus. You will not regret it!

Pastor Dale

February 3, 2010

The 10 Stupidest Leadership Mistakes I've Made. Tony Morgan 

I've tried to learn as much as I can from my mentors, training opportunities and reading about leadership from those more experienced than I. Fortunately, I've been able to avoid some mistakes by learning from the mistakes of others. With the hope that it may be the same for you, let me share what I believe to be the stupidest mistakes I've made in leadership.

1. Hiring too fast and firing too slowWhen a position is open that you know needs to be filled and the right person isn't available, it's had to wait. The tendency is to fill the role with the best available person, but sometimes that's not the right person. Let me confirm that it's a lot easier to tell people they're not a good fit for the job before you hire them than after you've brought them on the team.On the flip side, I've made the mistake of waiting too long to let someone go. I can remember one particular situation when I let a problem go for months without dealing with it head-on. It was impacting me, my family and the rest of the team. More importantly, I was getting in the way of God doing a work in this particular employee's life. I thought I was doing him a favor by keeping him on the team. The reality was that he needed to move on to experience all that God had for him.

2. Trying to fix the problem rather than the process Not to be crass, but I've found it's a lot better to potty-train my kids than to continue changing messy diapers. Regrettably, though, there have been too many times in leadership roles when I've found myself reacting to a problem rather than addressing the process that prevents the situation from occurring in the first place. It takes a lot of discipline to rise above the emotion of a difficult situation and try to discern how a broken system needs to be fixed.

3. Putting projects before peopleOthers may have the opposite challenge of letting their love of people get in the way of actually accomplishing the purpose of the organization. But because I'm not naturally a people person, I tend to be too task-driven. Good leaders find the perfect balance between getting the job done and embracing the relational component of doing life as a team.

4. Delegating tasks instead of responsibility When pushed into a corner, I naturally revert back to my perfectionist tendencies. I know in my mind the way it should be done. And if I let myself, I'll fall into the trap of thinking I'm the only one who can get it done. First of all, I'm not that good. Someone else can usually do it better. Second, the failure to empower others with real responsibilities is a guaranteed recipe for limiting the potential of your ministry. This is the number-one reason that most churches don't grow beyond a couple hundred people. In those situations the pastor will delegate tasks. Real leadership development doesn't happen until an effort is made to build a team and give away ministry responsibility.

5. Assuming it's always black and whiteMaybe it's all those years I spent in local government, fulfilling my bureaucratic responsibilities. Or maybe it's just because following prescribed rules is easier than dealing with the mess of following God's lead and making wise decisions. The reality, of course, is that much of life isn't black and white. And I've found I'm chasing my tail if I think I'm going to be able to create policies or guidelines to address or prevent every situation that could potentially arise.

6. Not following my gutOr is that the Holy Spirit? One of my spiritual gifts is discernment. But I've noticed that people's strengths can also lead to their biggest challenges. For me, discernment can lead to paralysis through analysis. When that happens, I tend to get in the way of what God is trying to accomplish. In an effort to make the best decisions possible, I sometimes get stuck trying to acquire information rather than seeking God's direction and taking action. Yes, we're called to plan and seek counsel. But that initial reaction you sense could very well be God's prompting.

7. Dwelling on the worst-case scenarioAgain, this is what happens when I let my focus wander from God to the circumstances around me. It's appropriate to plan and take steps to prevent those bad situations from occurring. It's sin when this turns into worry. It's really kind of humorous to see the stupid mistakes we can make when we begin to think we're in control. I've wasted way too much time worrying about ministry challenges that never happened.

8. Waiting until there's a problem to provide feedback I really do hate this about myself, and I'm consciously trying to improve with God's help. But to be quite truthful, I'm encouragement challenged. Like I mentioned before, I've always had this strong sense of what the end product needs to look like. So one of my biggest mistakes as a leader has been withholding encouragement when the team delivers and only speaking up when expectations aren't met.

9. Staying busyI've fallen into this trap too many times. In my mind I tell myself that if I'm busy, then I'm adding value. The reality is that our busyness can get in the way of effectiveness. We can be busy about the wrong things. And if we don't discipline our lives, we'll find ourselves investing a lot of time with little impact. E-mail is one example of this trap for me. If I wanted to, I could spend the entire day processing e-mail and not really accomplishing anything. That's why when I plan my week, I actually plan the times when I'm going to respond to e-mail messages.

10. Spending too much time on the details rather than the dreams This is a natural corollary to the mistake of staying busy. When life gets busy and I get invested in all the dirty details flowing my way, I lose sight of the dreams that God has for me. Here's the reality: those dreams usually come when the pace of my life slows enough to do stuff like read, pray, rest, experience new places and meet new people. Dealing with the dailiness of life doesn't allow for that. It needs to be planned and prioritized. We need to create space to experience God and all that He has for us. I hope this list encourages you to consider where God is growing you in your leadership role. He loves you too much to leave you where you are today.

Adapted from Killing Cockroaches

February 2, 2010

A Changed Mind

Have you every changed your mind or opinion about something or someone? All of us have made the mistake of jumping to wrong conclusions aboutpeople and situations. Wrong conclusions lead to faulty thinking.Faulty thinking leads to wrong attitudes and actions. Wrong attitudesand actions lead to bad feelings. All of this is corrected when wechange our minds - when our thinking is rightly adjusted.The Apostle Paul reminded us of this important spiritual principle. Hedescribed the changing of our minds as a key part of spiritual growthand transformation. Take a look at Paul's instructions, inspired by theHoly Spirit: "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let Godtransform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then youwill know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good andpleasing and perfect his will really is." Romans 12:2 (NLT) Wrong thinking gets us in trouble. Right thinking sets us free. Ithelps us to be the person God wants us to be. Right thinking isnecessary if we are going to be effectively used by God. What is the right way to think, from God's perspective? According to Scripture, right thinking is always based in God's love.Right thinking comes from a mind saturated with God's grace. It viewspeople from a perspective of God's mercy and kindness. It comes from amind that is filled with and controlled by the Word of God, and thatdemonstrates the fruit of the Holy Spirit. (See Matthew 7:1-5; 1Corinthians 13:4-8; Galatians 5:22, 23.) When we let God change the way we think, we allow Him to change ourlife!

Pastor Dale

February 1, 2010

Changing Destiny

Destiny is an important thing. It speaks of the future. It is where weend up in life in terms of our character and contribution. Our choices determine our destiny. Where we end up in life is simply aresult of the roads we take. The pathways we take not only determine our destiny, they also impact the destiny of others also. In the Old Testament book of Esther we find the story of a man who made wise choices - choices that not only led him to a great destiny, but positively affected the destiny of many others, in fact, of a wholenation. The man's name is Mordecai. We could talk about several key decisionsthis man made, but let's focus on one. At some point in Mordecai's life his extended family faced a crisis. Anuncle and aunt died leaving behind a young girl named Hadassah. We knowher as Esther. This young lady was left an orphan, with no one to carefor her. Mordecai made a decision. He chose to take the responsibilityfor raising his cousin, Esther. He became a father to her. He invested in her life, providing for her needs and giving her the spiritualcovering she desperately needed. When he made this decision Mordecai could not have imagined how significant it was. Under Mordecai's tutelage and care, Esther grew up and ultimately became the Queen of Persia. Through her divineplacement, she helped save the Jewish people from horrible pain and destruction. Mordecai's decision to care for Esther changed her destiny, Mordecai's destiny and the destiny of God's people. His one wise and compassionate choice led to events that are still being celebrated today! Remember, our destiny and the destiny of others around us are being fashioned one decision at a time. Let's ask God to help us continually make good, wise and compassionate choices.

Pastor Dale