Keeping On The Cutting Edge – Part 2 - September 8, 2010

Keeping On The Cutting Edge
Part 2

The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go." Exodus 17:5

There are two stages you must go through as a leader: Stage 1. Spending time with your people! For 400 years Israel had been leaderless. They had no identity. They had a slave mentality. So Moses walked amongst them because sheep gain confidence by smelling the shepherd and rubbing up against him. Pastor, if you’re afraid to get close to your people, maybe you’ve too much to hide. When people feel loved, they listen better because they feel like a family. Stage 2. Getting out ahead of your people! How do you know when it’s time to move to this stage? Listen: ‘‘the people murmured against Moses’’ (Exodus 17:3). Why? Because there was no water and thirsty sheep always complain. When the murmuring starts you’ve probably spent too long socializing. It’s time for transition! Listen: ‘The Lord said unto Moses, ‘Go on before the people, smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it’’’ (Exodus 17:5-6). When you stop trying to fit in and get out ahead of them, God will give you supernatural resources equal to the challenge. No vision is ever stopped by lack of finances, only by a lack of faith, courage, and a willingness to get out on the cutting edge and discover that God can ‘‘supply all your need according to His riches in glory’’ (Philippians 4:19). According to what? His riches! that are waiting for the one who is willing to get out of their comfort zone and claim them. Is there a message here for you?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Help me to stay connected with you and be a shapeable lump of clay that you can continue to mold and shape. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Keeping On The Cutting Edge - Part 1 - September 7, 2010

Keeping On The Cutting Edge - Part 1

"You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." John 18:37

Pastor (and for all who are spiritually working with people), here are three principles you need to live by: 1) Don't go to your Bible for something to preach, go for something to eat. Those who listen to you, know when you're saying things that aren't a reality in your own life. 2) Love the people but only fall in love with the Lord. They're God's people, not yours! Your assignment to them is for a reason and a season. When it's complete, release them into God's care. Then get a life - and centre it around Christ. 3) Your message is timeless, your methods are temporary. What brought you to where you are won't necessarily get you to where you need to be. Everything God calls, moves. To be "called" means you'll always be moving from something, toward something, otherwise you're not called at all! If what you're doing isn't working, do something different. If it's not productive, cut it off and go back to God for fresh instructions. If your goal is to fit comfortably into the framework of where you started, you'll never enjoy what God has for you up the road. You can't pray for growth and defy change. Do you know why Jesus didn't heal all blind people the same way? So we'd never be able to claim, "This is the way God works." "That's heavy stuff," you say. Sure, it's the stuff that keeps you sharp, keeps you fresh, keeps you growing, keeps you on your knees and keeps you effective in the service of God.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Help me to stay connected with you and be a shapeable lump of clay that you can continue to mold and shape. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Becoming A Better Leader - September 6, 2010

Becoming A Better Leader

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
Joshua 1:7

In The Next Generation Leader, Andy Stanley gives us five things required of leaders. They're worth your careful consideration: 1) Competence. Discern your dominant gifts. Channel your energies into where you're most likely to succeed. Humbly acknowledge your limitations and help equip others to fill them. To do that, you must first be secure in your own identity. Are you? 2) Courage. Good leaders aren't necessarily the smartest, most creative people on the team or even the first to identify an opportunity. No, they're just the ones with the courage to step out and go first. That's why God told Joshua, "be thou strong and very courageous..." 3) Clarity. Uncertain times require clear directions. The vision may come at once but the steps are revealed over time. Don't allow your lack of answers to leave you paralyzed. Be clear about your goal, even though you're not certain as to the details. 4) Coaching. You may be better than most but without a coach you will never be as good as you could be. Elisha needed Elijah. Timothy needed Paul. If you're hoping to learn everything from personal experience, good luck - you'll have to outlive Methuselah. 5) Character. You can lead without character, but you can't be a leader worth following. Character provides the moral authority necessary to bring together the people and resources needed to fulfill God's plan for your life. Your talent has the potential to take you places where your character can't sustain you. That thought ought to humble you - and keep you on your knees.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to be the Leader you want me to be and to know what my limitations are and to see those you have placed to walk beside me. In Jesus' Name, Amen

The Best Part of Waking Up - September 5, 2010

The Best Part of Waking Up

The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back.
Isaiah 50:4-5

Each new day is a gift from God, and if we are wise, we will spend a few quiet moments each morning thanking the Giver of all things good. When we begin each day with heads bowed and hearts lifted, we remind ourselves of God's love, His protection, and His will. And if we are wise, we align our priorities for the coming day with the teachings and commandments that God has given us through His Holy Word. The path to spiritual maturity unfolds day by day. Each day offers the opportunity to worship God, to ignore God, or to rebel against God. When we worship Him with our prayers, our words, our thoughts and our actions, we are blessed by the richness of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. But if we ignore God altogether or intentionally rebel against His will, we rob ourselves of His blessings.

Are you seeking to change some aspect of your life? Do you seek to improve the condition of your spiritual, physical, emotional, or financial health? If so, ask for God's help because today offers yet another opportunity for spiritual growth.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank and praise You for this new day that you have blessed me with and the opportunities that lay ahead of me. I pray that You would open my eyes to see where You are at work in my life and in the world around me. Open my ears so I can listen and learn from You. Guide my by Your Holy Spirit that I can be the developing disciple of Jesus Christ that You desire. I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen

Be Silent - September 4, 2010

Be Silent

Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want you to be cleared. But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.
JOB 33:31-3

Here's a simple prescription for guarding your heart: carve out a little time for silence every day. Here in our noisy, 21st-centry world, silence is highly underrated. Many of us can't even seem to walk from the front door to the street without a cell phone or and IPOD in our ear. The world seems to grow louder day by day, and our senses seem to be invaded at every turn. Do you take time each day for an extended period of silence? And during those precious moments, do you sincerely open your heart to your Heavenly Father? If so, you will be blessed. If not, then the struggles and stresses of everyday living may rob you of the peace that should rightfully be yours because of your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. So take time each day to quietly commune with God and experience the peace of God, which transcends all understanding.

A Challenge: The next time you're driving alone in your car, do it without radio, CDs or cell phone. And then, have a quiet talk with God about His plans for your life... Let me know how it goes.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, as you told Job to pay attention, to listen and be silent, may I also, with Your help, pay attention, listen and be silent before You today. Help me to get away from the noise of this world that robs me of Your words of wisdom, direction and love. I pray this in Jesus' Name