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March 25, 2013

How to Exercise Authority Without Being Authoritarian

Authority can be found but not the way most of the world goes after it. You don’t push others  down for the Lord to lift you up. Jesus Christ models servant leadership; He turns worldly power systems and values upside-down. Christ-followers are not to adopt the “king-of-the-mountain” mentality of worldly leadership.

You have witnessed a boss, a coach, a politician, a policeman, or a parent “throw their weight around” and  you understand the reality “when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads” (Mark 10:42 MSG). Perhaps, your heart cried out like the writer of Ecclesiastes 4:1 (NIRV), “I looked and saw how much people were suffering on this earth. I saw the tears of those who are suffering . . . Power is on the side of those who beat them down. Those who are suffering don’t have anyone to comfort them.”

But Christ’s call to leadership is counter-cultural. You ARE to be a leader – one who exercises authority without becoming authoritarian.

You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.  (Mark 10:42-45 NLT)

God’s Word warns, “Among leaders who lack insight, abuse abounds.” (Proverbs 28:16a MSG) God expects His delegated authority to be exercised with wisdom, not abuse. In 10 Choices: A Proven Plan to Change Your Life Forever, Chicago pastor James MacDonald offers tips for evaluating how we are handling the authority entrusted to us:

I know I’m abusing my authority when I keep reminding people of my title and my position.
I know I’m abusing my authority when I expect or demand privilege.
I know I’m abusing my authority when I become comfortable with personal praise.
I know I’m abusing my authority when I resent, react, or am threatened by challenges to my authority.
I know I’m abusing my authority when I’m unmoved by an individual. (p. 227-230)

Cherish the nature of the authority entrusted to you. As you esteem God’s leadership and respect your co-laborers in God’s House, a dimension of authority is entrusted to you. You must exercise this empowerment with Godly wisdom. With recognition of God’s call, you seriously and humbly undertake service with appreciation of Christ as the head of the body.

How do you exercise authority without becoming authoritarian?

#1  Serve – Don’t Decree.

You aren’t called to dominate and dictate.“If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35 NIV)

Leadership is not getting above others in prestige and power.  It is servantship – getting down under the load of human need to bear it sacrificially and redemptively.  According to this standard, the measure of greatness is not prominence but humility, not excellence but faithfulness, not authority but obedience, not being served but service… leadership is servantship.  (Gaines S. Dobbins, Learning to Lead, 1968, p. 31)

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Don’t look down on others.“Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” (Romans 12:3 NIV)

Even though we had some standing as Christ’s apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else. We weren’t aloof with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children. (1 Thessalonians 2:6-7 MSG)

#3  Model – Don’t Dominate.

“Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.” (1 Peter 5:3 NLT) Great leadership is not lording-over or striving for superiority, for leadership involves sacrifice and service. Paul lived this, “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.” (Philippians 3:17 NIV)

#4  Associate – Don’t Strut.

Don’t be stuck-up or toffee-nosed. “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” (Romans 12:10 NLT) We are equal in Christ. One is not superior to another. Male, female, young, old, whatever race or background – we share communion and fellowship in ONE Body.

#5  Mutually Submit – Don’t Intimidate.

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21 NIV) Coercive bullying is not a spiritual gift, even if at times it looks as if something is accomplished. Strong-arming does not pay heavenly dividends and intimidation will not yield lasting results.

Living under authority necessitates accountability to those who have placed you in your position – your leaders and your Lord. Jesus Christ is Lord! Respect the distinction between Lordship and leadership!

Are you leading and influencing others in a direction which furthers God’s Kingdom purposes?

March 24, 2013

ADDICTED to HARMFUL WORDS?

Every one of us can testify to the impact of words. Every one of us has been inspired by uplifting words, and every one of us has experienced the pain of words carelessly spoken.

Unless you, or someone dear to you, have been the victim of terrible physical violence, chances are the worst pains you have suffered in life have come from words used cruelly – from ego-destroying criticism, excessive anger, sarcasm, public and private humiliation, hurtful nicknames, betrayal of secrets, rumors and malicious gossip. (Joseph Telushkin, Words That Hurt, Words That Heal, 1996, p. xviii)

“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.” (Proverbs 18:21 MSG)

The story is told of an elderly mother during a hospital stay. Per normal procedure, she was asked if she was allergic to anything. She confessed to allergic reactions to certain types of fruit, specifically bananas. The nurse compiled the information and made the appropriate notation on the woman’s wristband. Several hours later, the lady’s grown daughter angrily stormed the nurse’s station demanding, “Who’s responsible for labeling my mother ‘bananas’?

As kids, we joked that sticks and stones were hurtful, but we all knew the truth – words are powerful. Why as adults do we so easily excuse sarcasm, criticism, and negativity? We playfully joke with one another, but do we realize the potency of our words?

Careless words bite! Are you addicted to harmful words? Author Joseph Telushkin puts that question into courageous perspective:

Over the past decade, whenever I have lectured throughout the country on “Words That Hurt, Words That Heal: How to Choose Words Wisely and Well,” I’ve asked my listeners if they can go for twenty-four hours without saying any unkind words about, or to, anybody.

Invariably, a minority raise their hands signifying yes, some people laugh, while quite a large number call out, “No!”

“All of you who can’t answer yes,” I respond, “must recognize how serious a problem you have. Because if I asked you to go for twenty-four hours without drinking liquor, and you said, ‘I can’t do that,’ I’d tell you, ‘Then you must recognize that you’re an alcoholic.’ And if I asked you to go for twenty-four hours without smoking a cigarette, and you said, ‘That’ impossible,’ that would mean that you’re addicted to nicotine.’ Similarly, if you can’t go for twenty-four hours without saying unkind words about others, then you’ve lost control over your tongue. (Words That Hurt, Words That Heal, p. xvii)

“Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.”  (Matthew 12:36-37 MSG)

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18 NIV84)

The unknown writer of the poem below echoes the wisdom of the ancients:

“The boneless tongue, so small and weak,
Can crush and kill,” declares the Greek.
“The tongue destroys a greater horde,”
The Turk asserts, “than does the sword.”
The Persian proverb wisely saith,
“A lengthy tongue—an early death!”
Or sometimes takes this form instead,
“Don’t let your tongue cut off your head.”
“The tongue can speak a word whose speed,”
Say the Chinese, “outstrips the steed.”
The Arab sages said in part,
“The tongue’s great storehouse is the heart.”
From Hebrew was the maxim sprung.
“Thy feet should slip, but ne’er the tongue.”
The sacred writer crowns the whole,
“Who keeps the tongue doth keep his soul.” (unknown, referenced in Spurgeon’s The Salt Cellars)

March 22, 2013

4 Types of Authority

Respect frames civilized living and refined society. Healthy stable families are erected on respect. Lack of respect corrodes and decays civilization. Of the Ten Commandments, four relate to treatment of God and the remaining six speak to treatment of people. Those commands boil down to an issue of respect, particularly a respect of authority.

We are to respect authority. The Bible draw attention to at least four types of authority: Divine authority, civil (governmental) authority, church (ecclesiastical) authority, and parental authority.

#1  DIVINE AUTHORITY

Divine authority is God’s possession. God’s your friend, but He’s not your “buddy”. He is to be respected. We are all to live in the reverential fear and respect of the Lord.

Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). This authority is in part delegated or entrusted to other spheres of authority on earth.

#2  CIVIL AUTHORITY   

Paul commands believers to submit and to respect governing authorities:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:1-7 NIV)

Save money and be purchase generic cialis safer – so long as it does not affect you. For many years viagra price ruled the market without any proper prescription and consult from the doctor regarding its pros & cons & also make them know if you are suffering from any kind of health disorder. Some natural cure for erectile dysfunction Green vegetables A deficiency in zinc causes improper blood flow in the reproductive organ and in increment of some enzyme in the reproductive organ makes the organ more active so that it becomes workable in time of making sex, if you are not strong enough to have a sexual intercourse. * This effect of the tablet. order cialis online It is one of the hot topic around as each usa cialis and every person these days is said to be a victim of erectile dysfunction. Peter echoes the command: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.” (1 Peter 2:13-14 NIV)

#3  CHURCH AUTHORITY      

The writer of Hebrews addresses the submissive respect of believers to church leaders.  “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17 NIV)

#4  PARENTAL AUTHORITY 

Respect for parental authority yields blessings.

Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3 NLT)

The home is where the foundation for learning to respect authority. A child’s homelife either strengthens or weakens respect for authority. Parents must pass respect for authority on to their children.

I want my daughters to appreciate God-ordained authority.

March 21, 2013

Confirmation Needed For Obedience?

Last night, Patti picked up her mom from the Nashville airport and stayed at a hotel near the airport. Mema used a confirmation code to board her plane. Patti used a confirmation number to access her reservation at the hotel. Confirmation codes are a common part of life. We trust those numbers and letters like a promise from a trusted friend. We don’t keep returning to the website, travel agent, or clerk to get a new confirmation – we expect the business or airline to follow through.

Do you have more faith in a hotel confirmation code than the peaceful assurance of your loving Heavenly Father? By your actions, do you ever testify to more faith in a human guarantee than a Divine direction upon your life? Do you feel compelled to seek confirmation for something He places upon your heart?

Or – be honest – do you seek confirmation of your confirmation? Again and again and . . .

You are not alone. God’s clearly called Gideon, yet Gideon’s insecurity spurred him to ask for confirmation after confirmation. As you reread Judges chapter six and seven notice how Gideon needed confirmation:

  • Gideon requests, “If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me.” (Judges 6:17 NLT)
  • Gideon repeatedly uses a fleece, asking again “If you will save” (Judges 6:36-40).
  • God gives opportunity for yet another confirmation if Gideon is still afraid to attack, and Gideon grabs it (Judges 7:9-15).

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God patiently bolstered Gideon because He wanted his people freed from oppression. But, is it proper to for a person to pray again and again, “Lord, give me a another confirmation”?

Consider the importance of obedience!

#1  Your obedience is proof of your faith in God.

Obedience corroborates you really trust God. If the reason you are asking for another confirmation is a delay tactic, realize that delayed obedience is disobedience. You don’t need to lay out another fleece for something you know-in-your-knower you are do.

Seeking confirmation after confirmation cannot be a substitute for obedience. God knows your heart. If your motive in seeking another confirmation is to let the moment pass without having to respond to God’s call, you insult God’s intelligence. Repent! He responds to honest pursuit but is displeased by hypocritical prayers.

#2  Your obedience will likely tackle needs you can address right in front of you.

  • “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.” (Proverbs 3:27 NLT)
  • “Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” (Galatians 6:10 NLT)

#3  Your obedience is not linked to other people’s opinions.

Don’t wait for the world around you to ask you to do what God has asked you to do. Gideon’s first steps toward full obedience were done in the dark because he feared his family. The early apostles proclaimed, “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (Acts 5:29 NIV) You should never allow fear of humans to hinder you from obeying God. If you keep doing what’s right, what’s wrong and who’s wrong will eventually leave your life.

#4  Your obedience opens the door for many others to be blessed.

God delivered Israel using the weak hands of Gideon. God emphasized that deliverance was from His hand by limiting Gideon’s army. Do you recognize God wants to deliver people today? “There’s no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army. No one can stop God from saving when He sets His mind to it.” (1 Samuel 14:6 MSG) Your obedient action may change the destiny of thousands! Accomplish what He places upon your heart!

Thankfully, God does confirm His leading in many ways. Three important means of confirmation are God’s Word, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the peace of God. You can expect God to confirm His leading when you are insecure about the time, direction, or strategy, but never allow seeking confirmation to stall your obedience.

March 19, 2013

Jesus Wept For Jerusalem

Are you seeking spiritual awakening and Christian renewal in your community? What would it take to see a move of God initiated and sustained in the Tennessee Valley area?

When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.” For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”  (Luke 19:41-44 NASB)

Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem. He knew the absence of peace that was coming to that city of peace. He lamented their failure to recognize the fulfillment of promise, the season of salvation, the turning-point of visitation.

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I am praying for an outpouring of heaven that so impacts the Tennessee Valley region that it becomes hard to go to hell from Huntsville, Alabama. How about you? Are you ready to do what it takes for revival and awakening?

March 16, 2013

Tithing Releases Blessing

A “tithe” is giving the first tenth of your income. An “offering” is anything you give in addition to your tithe. Based on those definitions, you aren’t giving an offering until after you have reached the ten percent minimum.

I give my tithe to the awesome local congregation of which I am a member – Valley Fellowship Church. My tithe is changing lives for God’s glory. I am thankful so many VFC members understand the importance of putting God first in financial decisions.

“Honor the Lord from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.”  (Proverbs 3:9-10 NASB)

The tithe is the FIRST part of what I earn – not the leftovers. Patti and I live out this principle by writing the check for giving our tithe before we pay the rest of our bills. We also give offerings in addition to our tithe. We give above the tithe to change lives, to support missionaries and mission efforts, to sponsor building improvements at Valley, to care for widows, orphans, and poor, and to other Christ-honoring projects. We give in expectant faith, knowing that God wants to bless us. Regularly, we use the back of the offering envelope to write down the things for which we are believing God. We have learned that as we seek God first, the things we need seek us out.

One way in which Patti and I stretch our faith is to give NOW at the level we want to be the tithe the following year. The Holy Spirit just might inspire you to try that – give at a higher rate and watch what happens. Year after year, God has meet our needs. I am so thankful for the blessings connected with tithing. Patti, Rozy, Kimberlyn, and I have been amazingly – HAIR-RAISINGLY – blessed by God!

Tithing is a minimum and shouldn’t limit your giving, but should open the door to a genuine stewardship lifestyle. An offering is an unlimited amount given as a free-will love gift unto the Lord. Tithe remains the tithe, 10%, but offerings are unlimited giving.

You will never be able to out-give your loving Heavenly Father. You need to practice both forms of giving:

  • Tithe – always releases God’s blessing; will never hurt you!
  • Offerings – giving over and above the tithe; plants good seed for an abundant harvest.

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“I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.  (Malachi 3:10-12 NLT)

Do what God wants you to do, and He will take care of the rest. Your part is to tithe; God’s part is to bless! Malachi 3:10-12 lists numerous blessings. Meditate the multifaceted blessings resulting from your tithing!

#1  The Lord opens the windows of heaven (the blessing of His provision and His presence).

#2  The Lord pours out personalized, custom-made blessing upon you.

#3  The Lord enlarges the blessing beyond your capacity to receive. It spills out on others.

#4 The Lord blesses your work – gives you success in whatever your hands find to do.

#5  The Lord protects the fruit of your life (including your children).

#6  The Lord makes your life a testimony to the world of God’s incredible goodness.

#7  You confidently stand in the assurance of the Lord’s continued blessings.

If you have never tithed before, why not take God at His Word and test His promise for ninety days? Commit to give at the 10% level and watch the blessings that result from tithing.

“Once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God.”  (Deuteronomy 23:23 NLT)

If you are currently tithing, are you utilizing God’s prosperity for His purposes? Are you seeking the Lord for how much to raise your level of giving? Don’t settle for the tithe minimum; give offerings to allow lives to be changed. God wants you to be generous and wants you to help fund the expansion of His kingdom on earth.

March 13, 2013

If you were another person, would you like to be a friend of yours?

Life is more meaningful when shared.

Patti is my very best friend. She knows me best and still loves me. Praise the Lord! I also get to labor alongside of friends at Valley Fellowship Church. “Fellowship” is so much more than just the middle name of our congregation. I get to lead a great church. I love my church family!

Do you have a friend who sticks by you even after getting to know you really well? A good friend will tell you your faults and foolishness when prosperity rolls, and assist you with a hand and heart when adversity strikes. A wise person fortifies his or her life with Godly friendships. Make friends before you need them!

Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes  4:9-12 NLT)

A healthy friendship has great benefits including (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12):

  • Success
  • Encouragement
  • Defense
  • Strength

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Here are four keys to help you become the friend other people want!

#1  A friend is trustworthy.

  • “No one who gossips can be trusted with a secret, but you can put confidence in someone who is trustworthy.”   (Proverbs 11:13 GNT)
  • “In the heat of an argument, don’t betray confidences; Word is sure to get around, and no one will trust you.”   (Proverbs 25:9-10 MSG)

#2  A friend shares joys and sorrows and doesn’t desert in times of trouble.

  • “Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.”  (Proverbs 17:17 MSG)
  • “Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than one’s nearest kin.”  (Proverbs 18:24 NRSV)

#3  A friend communicates directly and honestly.

  • “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 17:17 NLT)
  • “If you and your neighbor have a difference of opinion, settle it between yourselves and do not reveal any secrets.”  (Proverbs 25:9 GNT)
  • “You can trust what your friend says, even when it hurts. But your enemies want to hurt you, even when they act nice.”  (Proverbs 27:6 ERV)
  •  “The sweet smell of perfume and oils is pleasant, and so is good advice from a friend.”  (Proverbs 27:9 NCV)

#4  A friend sticks up for you even when you’re not there and guards your reputation.

  • “You will keep your friends if you forgive them, but you will lose your friends if you keep talking about what they did wrong.”  (Proverbs 17:9 CEV)
  • “If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”  (Galatians 5:15 NIV)

A faithful friend will think of you when all others are thinking of themselves and will see you through when others see you as through. If you were another person, would you like to be a friend of yours?

March 8, 2013

Worship Connects People to God

Valley Fellowship Church is a Spirit-led, Spirit-empowered congregation that actively pursues the manifest presence of the Lord. Each time we gather we expect to meet with God. Each time we assemble we anticipate God doing something special. Each time we come together we desire God to show up too.

Valley Fellowship values worship. A strong component of our spiritual DNA is worshipers experiencing God individually and collectively on a Sunday morning. Motivated worshipers give God glory even if the music isn’t perfect, even if the singers are out-of-tune, even if it’s cold outside, even if their favorite song isn’t included, even if the temperature inside isn’t ideal, even if the sound system is buzzing, even if others won’t. Enjoying powerful praise and worship is so much easier in a Spiritually-charged congregational atmosphere where the majority give God glory. Passion within the congregation lifts and inspires people to connect with God.

Our worship is a powerful tool for connecting people with God! Valley Fellowship’s worship communicates God’s presence in a relevant manner, and we want to enlarge the number of motivated worshipers. Our worship opens the door for lives to be changed!

I enjoy the music of Paul Baloche, a gifted song-writer, a many-year-veteran worship leader, and a very talented musician. We sing several of his songs including Hosanna, Your Name, Open the Eyes of Heart, and Our God Saves because his music and lyrics connect people with God’s presence. I also appreciate Baloche’s honest heart for worship. Check out Baloche’s  www.leadworship.com where you can find printable music, training videos, and several articles that could be a blessing for you.

In the May 2008 edition of Focus on the Family magazine, Baloche highlights:

Worship is much more than 20 minutes of singing at a church service. What I try to model for my family and my church is that worship has more to do with relationship than it does with music. It is impossible to worship a living God — sacrificing our bodies, emotions, minds and hearts — and not have it affect all our relationships. Of course, I go through seasons when life is hard and relationships are difficult. On occasional Sundays, I stand before my church and just go through the motions. But I can’t do that for long. We can’t separate worship from relationship any more than we can separate intimacy from a healthy marriage. Just as intimacy wells up from the mutual respect and love within a marriage, worship springs from a surrendered and grateful heart.

True worship is birthed from a relationship with the living God of everything. Is the Lord your Heavenly Father? Are you His child? Do you worship from a surrendered and grateful heart? Does everything in your life reflect the surpassing greatness of my loving Heavenly Father? By examining your own life, you can better support worship that connects people with God’s presence. “I will proclaim the Name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!”  (Deuteronomy 32:3 NIV)

Are you ready to worship on Sunday with a passion and sound that draws everyone who attends into God’s presence? Huntsville, I expect to see you Sunday at 8:30 or 10:00 AM!

March 7, 2013

OPEN DOORS, OPEN OPPORTUNITIES

Are you ready to share Christ? Let’s make it hard to go to hell from Huntsville, Alabama. I am praying for an outpouring from heaven that covers the Tennessee Valley and raises the spiritual water level of every Christ-honoring, Bible-believing church. I’ve seen God move amazingly outside the United States, but  I  want to see U.S. altars filled with lives being changed for Christ’s glory.

God wants to move, but we have a part to play. God has open doors, open opportunities for us to share His message.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”  (Colossians 4:2 NIV)

Have you prayed today? Have you asked God to use you to share Christ today? To be an effective messenger, spend time with Jesus Christ. Let your words be an overflow of a heart passionate about Christ. Maintain daily, intimate relationship with the King of the universe. Pray! Ask the Lord for lives to be changed. Prepare your heart and intercede for the lost. Talk to the Lord about your pre-Christian friend – then talk to your pre-Christian friend about the Lord.

After you have prayed and asked the Lord to use you – be alert! Be watchful during the roughly 160 hours a week you are awake and encountering other people. I have found that praying in the Spirit helps my sensitivity. You need the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit – NOT YOU – will inspire a person to change. It’s His job, not yours. Be sensitive to the unction of the Holy Spirit and thankful for where the Holy Spirit has placed you.

Gratitude and joy are attractive. Be thankful! A wrong attitude will rob you of sensitivity. Don’t grumble about where you are. God can use you in the daily routine of your life.

“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.”  (Colossians 4:3 NIV)

Are you looking for open doors? Don’t open the door yourself. Let God open the door. Wait on Him but wait alertly! Pray and be alert to know when a door opens. Attentive to the many opportunities God has prepared.

The Holy Spirit can tell you NOT to share. Do you realize that at times Paul was forbidden to preach the Word (Acts 16:6)? Sensitivity is required. The Lord said “no” to Asia, “no” to home, “no” to Bithynia, but “yes” to Macedonia. Paul has a vision in the night (Acts 16:9-10). He must have been awake to see a vision, instead of a dream. Could he have been spending a sleepless night seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit?

Paul and his companions obeyed and walked through the door open by the Lord. Later, Paul proclaimed, “When I arrived in Troas to proclaim the Message of the Messiah, I found the place wide open: God had opened the door; all I had to do was walk through it” (2 Corinthians 2:12 MSG).

“Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.”  (Colossians 4:4 NIV)

Is your message clear? Avoid religious terminology that is not a part of your natural vocabulary. Share the story of how Jesus Christ changed your life.

Remember to listen – I mean, REALLY listen. Your message will hit home when you listen. Don’t get so caught up mentally in the plan you have memorized that you are preparing your next sentence while the person is sharing.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  (Colossians 4:5-6 NIV)

WISE REMINDERS:

#1  God has not called you to present a plan of salvation to every person you see today. But that is not excuse for neglecting the one to whom you ARE to share Christ.

#2 Don’t beat a person over the head for habits that offend you. You needed forgiveness, too.

#3  Avoid getting pulled into an argument. Make the issue Jesus Christ. Don’t win an argument and lose the person. Please, don’t muddy the water for the next person who tries to fish in that pond. Your goal is to win people, not arguments.

#4  You don’t have to study other religions in order to share Christ. The issue is Jesus Christ because He ONLY is the way, the truth, and the life. Share what you know!

#5  You are not called to bring every person to a decision. Sometimes you plant; sometimes you water; sometimes you reap.

“Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Don’t forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I’m locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.”  (Colossians 4:2-4 MSG)

March 4, 2013

Psalm 133 Unity

Do you want to be a sweet fragrance in the nostrils of Heavenly Father? Do you desire His healing release? How about refreshing and fruitfulness as a result of the Lord abundant provision? If so – make it your aim to live with your brothers and sister in Christ IN HARMONY!

Psalm 133 is a beautiful picture of the commanded blessing of God upon unity.

How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. (Psalm 133 NLT)

Pleasant anointing oil profusely outpoured released fragrance and healing. Hermon’s heavy dew is a picture of fruitfulness and refreshing. Hermon, Syria’s highest mountain (nearly 10,000 ft) could be seen from 120 miles away. Image the psalmist raising a pointed hand toward the northern snowcapped peak (2/3 of the year has snow). Hermon’s 60 inches of precipitation become the main supply for the Jordan River.

Do you want the Lord’s commanded blessing? Meditate the following Scriptures:

  • I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. (1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT)
  • Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3 NIV)
  • Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. (Philippians 1:27 NASB)
  • Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. (1 Peter 3:8 NLT)

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