Christ-follower, Husband, Dad, Pastor

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September 3, 2013

What does it take to build a House?

“House” is common metaphor for the church, the Body of Christ, or for a local congregation. Here are four components of building a House for God’s glory.

#1 House Building Entails PEOPLE!

People are the instruments God uses to build. God wants to use US to do His work on earth. Every person in a congregation needs to recognize their own individual responsibility to the body. No one is excluded. There is so much that God wants to do. “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” (Ephesians 4:16 NLT)

#2 House Building Entails UNIFIED People!

God wants US to work together in unity. More unity releases more power; more division equals less power.

  • “Live in harmony with one another.” (Romans 12:16a NIV)
  • “Live in harmony. Do what I have asked you to do. Agree with each other, and live in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11b NCV)
  • “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.” (Philippians 1:27 NLT)

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#3 House Building Entails Unified People WORKING!

Can you imagine a “help wanted” sign hanging in front of your church building? Maybe the sign should read, “Business Good! Help Wanted.” To accomplish God’s purpose, sweat equity is required. We need people who work – faithfully and diligently – even when it takes time and effort.

House building isn’t easy work, but God’s people don’t need to be afraid of hard work. Should you really call yourself a “lion tamer” if your prerequisites are 1) a tamer lion or 2) an already tamed lion?

Willingness to work is evidence of commitment and not just interest. When you are only interested in doing something, you do it when the task is convenient. When you are committed, you accept no excuse and fulfill the job. Lots of folks are interested in something happening, but not everyone is willing to work to see something happen.

  • “And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17 AMP)
  • “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24 NLT)

#3 House Building Entails Unified People Working WITH GOD!

We need the right perspective. We co-labor with Almighty God. We are building what He desires. “For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything” (Hebrews 3:4). The secret to success is not self-confidence but God-confidence. We desperately need His strength and grace. We will face difficulties as we build but we can confidently say, “I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

  • “If the Lord does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless.” (Psalm 127:1a GNT)
  • “Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” (2 Corinthians 3:4-5 NIV)
April 27, 2013

Work with the Time You Have

Time is fleeting. Life on earth is brief. Don’t spend your time foolishly. “To waste time is to squander a gift from God.” (John Blanchard) Do you have God’s perspective on time?

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”  (Psalm 90:12 NLT)

  • “There is nothing [which] puts a more serious frame into a man’s spirit than to know to know the worth and preciousness of time.” (Thomas Brooks, The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks, Volume 5, p. 11)
  • “Time lost can never be retrieved. Time cannot be hoarded, only spent well.” (Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, p. 94)

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The story is told of a man’s return to the doctor for a diagnosis. Sitting down, the doctor abruptly announced, “I have bad news and worse news.”

“What’s the bad news?” the bewildered patient blankly responded.

The doctor paused, “The bad news is that you only have twenty-four hours to live.”

The man leaped, spun around, arms flailing. “I can’t believe this,” the man shouted, “I’m not ready; I don’t have enough time! No! No! . . . If that’s the bad news, what could possibly be worst?”

“I forgot to call and give you the report yesterday.”

“Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right.”  (Ecclesiastes 8:5b NLT)

You can’t just WANT to do something with your time; you must DISCIPLINE yourself to do something with your time. “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, But the soul of the diligent is made fat.” (Proverbs 13:4 NASB) I always smile when I read Old Testament passages equating “fatness” with prosperity and success. American society reveres skinniness; Hebrew culture valued body fat. Here is Proverbs 13:4 more dynamically translated for today’s mindset, “Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.” (NLT)

“The lazy person claims, ‘There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!’” (Proverbs 22:13 NLT) Unless there REALLY IS a lion out there! Or a shark?

“If you wait until the wind and the weather are just right, you will never plant anything and never harvest anything.” (Ecclesiastes 11:4 GNT)

Don’t wait until the conditions are “perfect” or you are in the just the right mood. Feelings are unreliably fickle. Don’t let your emotions – anger, bitterness, sadness, insecurity, etc. – hold you hostage. Choose a constructive frame of mind; choose your attitude; choose to be productive now.

“Our task is not to bring order out of chaos, but to get work done in the midst of chaos.” (George Peabody) Work with the time you have.

This is part two of God’s Perspective on Time. To view part one, click “God Owns ALL – including Your Time“.

April 12, 2013

Working Hard or Hardly Working? (Stand Out part 3)

Poise, focus, and work (1 Thessalonians 4:11) draws the respectful attention of even non-believers. “The Christian life is not a nonstop parade of miracles and astonishing answers to prayer and extraordinary visions and angelic visitations. Much of it is low-key, tame, and ordinary.” (Charles Stanley, Life Principles Bible, 1 Th 4:11) However, you can do ordinary things in an enthusiastic, extraordinary way that elicits esteem. You can be a respected STAND OUT.

“Try your best to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work hard, just as we taught you to do. Then you will be respected by people who are not followers of the Lord, and you won’t have to depend on anyone.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 CEV)

Poise, focus, and work will cause you to STAND OUT. Check out “Calm in Chaos?” or “Minding Your Own Business?” for more insight into the first two areas. This post aims at the third question.

#3  WORK: Are You Working Hard – or Hardly Working?

Get to work and STAND OUT. You will earn no respect from onlookers mooching and sponging and depending on others to pay your bills.

  • “Be honest and work hard, so you will have something to give to people in need.” (Ephesians 4:28b CEV)
  • “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men.” (Colossians 3:23 HCSB)

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You are working for the Lord. Laziness or a refusal to work hard insolently insults the Lord for whom you serve.

Unfortunately, some of the new believers in the church misunderstood the doctrine of Christ’s return and gave up their jobs in order to wait for His coming. This meant that they were supported by other Christians, some of whom may not have had sufficient funds for their own families. It also meant that these fanatical people could not pay their bills, and therefore they lost their testimony with the unsaved merchants. (Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, 1 Th 4:11).

“The fact that we are Christians and are looking for Christ’s coming does not relieve us of the practical responsibilities of life. We should remember that the world is watching us. Men judge our Savior by us.” (William MacDonald and Arthur Farstad, Believer’s Bible Commentary : 1 Th 4:11.)

Failure to work results in lost blessings. “But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up?” (Proverbs 6:9 NLT) Paul bluntly states, “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10b NLT) Don’t waste time; wasting time is really wasting your life. Winston Churchill warned, “Time is neutral, but it can be made the ally of those who will seize it and use it to the full.” Use your life wisely. Get to work!

You have heard this kind of message before? Great! Hear it again! Paul repeats his admonition to the believers at Thessalonica in his second letter: “Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work . . .We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living.” (2 Thessalonians 3:11-12 NLT)

Paul’s words are directed to a Greek culture that generally despised manual labor. Menial or hard labor was considered a slave’s work. Paul’s decision to work as a tentmaker in Thessalonica (1 Thess. 2:6; 2 Thess. 3:6) unsettled the philosophic sensibilities of the world around him. Paul definitely was a STAND OUT. “It was folly in the world’s opinion that a learned teacher should work with his hands.” (Ronald Trail, An Exegetical Summary of 1 Corinthians 1–9, p. 177) Yet, Paul modeled a willingness to work with his hands and commanded the believers to follow his example.

Valley Fellowship Church believes in the benefit of working with your hands. I am honored to be partnered with such as awesome bunch of believers who are glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ in the Tennessee Valley and around the world. We are showing God’s love in practical ways – letting our hands be His tools. Locally and globally, we are reaching out. Below are two examples – building a water treatment center in the Amazon and cleaning up chairs after a recent egg hunt in Huntsville.

To STAND OUT, try the trifecta of poise, focus, and work! Every accomplishment in life starts with a decision. What is your ambition? Will you make the decision to STAND OUT in the world?

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