I wanted to share one of the hardest things I have found in the ministry so far. Hopefully it does not get harder than this but I am ready for whatever God wants me to do. I have a genuine love for our congregation and one of the most painful things I see on a continual ongoing basis is someone who leaves our church for the wrong reasons.
The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 92:13,
“Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God”
Did you catch that? You will flourish in the house!! When we are planted in the local church we will flourish in life. Also notice that the psalmist did not say, “those who attend the house of the Lord.” You can’t attend a church and not be planted. Being planted means that is where you lay your life down to serve God. It is there you tithe, serve and obey the leadership. We are planted in the local church, just as the tree values the ground from which it receives life.
Way too many times I have seen people leave the church for the completely wrong reasons. Most of the times offended and with hurt feelings. There is nothing in scripture that says if you get your feelings hurt or someone in leadership offends you, to leave the church. If you are seeking God and hearing from him, he will never tell you to leave the church for these reasons.
I felt God sharing with me there are really only 3 reasons to leave a church.
• Number one if the pastor is not teaching biblical truths, for example the doctrine is off—against the trinity, etc.
• Number two if the pastor is living in open sin and not repenting, check out what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:9-11.
• Finally and number three is if you get planted or released from the church.
If you are planted in a church, you will value your church leader’s words. You will not take lightly what they ask of you. You will then fear God, and in fearing God you will honor His appointed leaders. In honoring His appointed leaders you will receive the full reward God has in store for you.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
40 Week Renewal of Our Life Week 12
Week 12 December 27th
Spiritual— Start out goals for 2010
Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Physical— Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine
Diet- Balance to 5-6 smaller meals a day
Body-Continue work out plan work out at least 5 times this week with 3 extra cardio workouts
Family- Psalm 128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
Parenting- Family Devotional Friday Night, Start preparing the kids to come up with 2010 goals
Marriage- Date Night Wednesday Night
Financial- Deuteronomy 28:6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out
Ministry- Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;
Spiritual— Start out goals for 2010
Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Physical— Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine
Diet- Balance to 5-6 smaller meals a day
Body-Continue work out plan work out at least 5 times this week with 3 extra cardio workouts
Family- Psalm 128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
Parenting- Family Devotional Friday Night, Start preparing the kids to come up with 2010 goals
Marriage- Date Night Wednesday Night
Financial- Deuteronomy 28:6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out
Ministry- Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Honoring When It Is Hard
I wanted to share some teachings I have been learning about from John Bevere’s book Honors Reward.
1 Peter 2:18 says, Servants (employees, students, civilians, church members, etc.) be submissive to your master (employers, bosses, teachers, church leaders, civil authorities) with all fear, not only the good and gentle but also the harsh.
The word harsh here comes from the Greek word skolios, which means “crooked, perverse, wicked, unfair.” There are many benefits to honoring and serving our authorities. First if we are treated unfairly, our obedience to submit puts our case in the hands of God who will judge justly. If we take matters into our hands, God steps back and we are on our own. Most often when it deals with authority, we will end up on the short end of the stick.
Romans 13:1 says, “The authorities that exist are appointed by God”
When we are mistreated and continue to be a good worker, student, civilian, this is honor at its highest. It takes the fear of the Lord in our hearts to continue to treat as valuable who have mistreated us.
1 Peter 2:18 says, Servants (employees, students, civilians, church members, etc.) be submissive to your master (employers, bosses, teachers, church leaders, civil authorities) with all fear, not only the good and gentle but also the harsh.
The word harsh here comes from the Greek word skolios, which means “crooked, perverse, wicked, unfair.” There are many benefits to honoring and serving our authorities. First if we are treated unfairly, our obedience to submit puts our case in the hands of God who will judge justly. If we take matters into our hands, God steps back and we are on our own. Most often when it deals with authority, we will end up on the short end of the stick.
Romans 13:1 says, “The authorities that exist are appointed by God”
When we are mistreated and continue to be a good worker, student, civilian, this is honor at its highest. It takes the fear of the Lord in our hearts to continue to treat as valuable who have mistreated us.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Willing and Obedient
It says in Isaiah 1:19, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”
Way too many times we might be obedient in what we are doing but not willing in our heart. There has been time in my past where I was obedient to do something but not willing in my heart. If you are not both then you will not eat the good of the land. In other words you might not receive any type of blessing from God if you are not willing.
Obedience deals with your actions; willingness deals with your attitude. John Bevere
You have to realize how important your heart attitude is.
Wait Brad, what if my boss, my pastor, my leader over me is mean and does not ask me in a nice way? Do it, be willing and obedient.
Wait, what if they hurt my feelings and did not ask me nicely? Do it be willing and obedient.
But they offended me and still want me to do something for them? Do it, be willing and obedient.
Way too many times we might be obedient in what we are doing but not willing in our heart. There has been time in my past where I was obedient to do something but not willing in my heart. If you are not both then you will not eat the good of the land. In other words you might not receive any type of blessing from God if you are not willing.
Obedience deals with your actions; willingness deals with your attitude. John Bevere
You have to realize how important your heart attitude is.
Wait Brad, what if my boss, my pastor, my leader over me is mean and does not ask me in a nice way? Do it, be willing and obedient.
Wait, what if they hurt my feelings and did not ask me nicely? Do it be willing and obedient.
But they offended me and still want me to do something for them? Do it, be willing and obedient.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
40 Week Renewal of Our Life Week 11
Week 11 December 20th
Spiritual— Start out goals for 2010
Habakkuk 2:2 “Write down the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.”
Physical—1 Timothy 4:8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come
• Diet- Continue to watch food and limit sugars this week. Limit caffeine intake this week
• Body-Continue the work out plan and get in 3 extra cardio workouts on top of the 6 days of p90x
Family- Psalm 103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
• Parenting- Family Devotional Wednesday Night, Start preparing the kids to come up with 2010 goals. Have them write them down by the end of this year.
• Marriage- Focus on helping out more around the house, picking up after self and kids and helping with laundry
Financial- Deuteronomy 28:3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
Ministry- Ephesians 4:12 “Prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up”
Spiritual— Start out goals for 2010
Habakkuk 2:2 “Write down the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.”
Physical—1 Timothy 4:8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come
• Diet- Continue to watch food and limit sugars this week. Limit caffeine intake this week
• Body-Continue the work out plan and get in 3 extra cardio workouts on top of the 6 days of p90x
Family- Psalm 103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
• Parenting- Family Devotional Wednesday Night, Start preparing the kids to come up with 2010 goals. Have them write them down by the end of this year.
• Marriage- Focus on helping out more around the house, picking up after self and kids and helping with laundry
Financial- Deuteronomy 28:3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
Ministry- Ephesians 4:12 “Prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up”
Welcome Team VIP 12/20/09
My goal is every Sunday? Can anyone guess it? It is kind of funny and weird. But it is to say Hello to everyone in the church. I know it is weird but sometimes I am doing so much that it is just that a Hi. You need to realize that you are direct reflection of me, Pastor Mike and more importantly Christ on the welcome team. Make sure every Sunday to make one of your goals to say hello with a smile to every person that walks in that door. Make sure to always say hi to the husband and wife and the kids. Just a simple hello and a smile will go a long way in the church. We want to be known as the church that was overwhelmingly welcoming but not overwhelmingly pushy.
Make sure we are honoring our guests as they walk in, honoring our leaders, and honoring our members and volunteers. Honoring people gives you huge rewards in heaven and helps to minister the Holy Spirit in this atmosphere.
Make sure we are honoring our guests as they walk in, honoring our leaders, and honoring our members and volunteers. Honoring people gives you huge rewards in heaven and helps to minister the Holy Spirit in this atmosphere.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Be Life Giving
Recently I came to a huge revelation when giving encouragement. The author of Hebrews writes in 3:13 to “encourage one another daily”. I have always done my best to encourage those around me. However I have found recently that sometimes for some reason when encouraging some people like in the past my employees or my kids I add a “however” or a “but” after a “great job” or “job well done.” I think I have done this because I didn’t want to build someone up too much and cause an arrogance or a pride issue.
In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 and Luke 19, the 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!'
I really feel like this is the one of the best examples of true encouragement. There was not a well done, good and faithful servant however you could have done better, or well done but you could have at least cleaned up your room before I came home. No he finished with a come and share in your master’s happiness.
Anytime we are encouraging someone we need to make sure we are being completely life giving because when you throw in the “however” or the “but” it can cancel out anything you said before that.
Today share in someone’s success and encourage them in something they did!
In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 and Luke 19, the 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!'
I really feel like this is the one of the best examples of true encouragement. There was not a well done, good and faithful servant however you could have done better, or well done but you could have at least cleaned up your room before I came home. No he finished with a come and share in your master’s happiness.
Anytime we are encouraging someone we need to make sure we are being completely life giving because when you throw in the “however” or the “but” it can cancel out anything you said before that.
Today share in someone’s success and encourage them in something they did!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)