"To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did." When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.
Concentrate on this sentence...
"The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you."
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Wait
by Russell Kelfer
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate . . .
And the Master so gently said, "Wait."
"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.
"My future and all to which I relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to wait?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign.
"You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And Lord I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply."
Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,
As my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting for what?"
He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine . . .
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.
"I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.
"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence are all you can see.
"You'd never experience the fullness of love
When the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.
"The glow of my comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.
"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss, if you missed what I'm doing in you.
"So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still . . . Wait."
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate . . .
And the Master so gently said, "Wait."
"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.
"My future and all to which I relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to wait?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign.
"You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And Lord I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply."
Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,
As my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting for what?"
He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine . . .
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.
"I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.
"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence are all you can see.
"You'd never experience the fullness of love
When the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.
"The glow of my comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.
"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss, if you missed what I'm doing in you.
"So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still . . . Wait."
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Want To Be Remembered
By: Glen Schneiders, Lead Pastor of Crossroads Christian Church in Lexington, KY
The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts comic strip. I recently came across it in some writings by Bob Buford. (Don't actually answer the questions, just read...)
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
4. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
5. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!!
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier?
The lesson:
The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials... the most money...or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most.
Care is one commodity every one of us can distribute this Christmas. And it is a gift we never tire receiving.
Romans 12:10 (God’s Word Translation) “Be devoted to each other like a loving family. Excel in showing respect for each other.”
“Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.” Charles Schulz
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
A Life That Counts
http://www.maximumimpact.com/articles/read/article_a_life_that_counts/
By Dr. John C. Maxwell
Ben Franklin once wrote, "I would rather have it said 'he lived usefully' than 'he died rich.'" More than just words, it was the way Franklin lived his life. One example of his useful nature was the invention of the Franklin stove. Instead of patenting it and keeping it to himself, Ben Franklin decided to share his invention with the world.
According to Dr. John C. Van Horne, Library Company of Philadelphia: "Franklin's philanthropy was of a collective nature. His sense of benevolence came by aiding his fellow human beings and by doing good to society. In fact, in one sense, Franklin's philanthropy, his sense of benevolence, was his religion. Doing good to mankind was, in his understanding, divine." Even his position as a printer fit this philosophical bent. He did not hoard his ideas, but shared them, and everyone benefited. He had an "abundance mentality."
Instead of seeing the world in terms of how much money he could make, Franklin saw the world in terms of how many people he could help. To Benjamin Franklin, being useful was its own reward.
As I age, I gain perspective on the illusion of wealth and status as forms of fulfillment. I don't want my life to be measured by dollars and cents, or the number of books I've authored. Rather, I want to be remembered by the lives that I've touched. I want live a life that counts. With each day that passes, I feel a greater sense of urgency to make sure my time and energy are invested in developing leaders.
A Life That Counts Is Determined By:
1. The Relationships That I Form
Relationships help us to define who we are and what we can become. In my own life, I can see how relationships have shaped my character, values, and interest. I consider relationships to be my greatest treasures in life and an immense source of joy.
Most people can trace their failures or successes to pivotal relationships. That's because all relationships involve transference. When we interact with others we exchange energy, emotions, ideas, and values. Some relationships reinforce our values and uplift us; while others undercut our convictions and drain us. While we cannot choose every relationship in our lives, on the whole, we get to select those who are closest to us.
Relationship Rules
1. Get along with yourself
The one relationship you will have until you die is yourself.
2. Value people
You cannot make another person feel important if you secretly feel that he or she is a nobody.
3. Make the effort to form relationships
The result of a person who has never served others? Loneliness.
4. Understand the Reciprocity Rule
Over time, people come to share reciprocal, similar attitudes toward each other.
5. Follow the Golden Rule
The timeless principle: treat others the way you want to be treated.
2. The Decisions That I Make
Good decisions sometimes reap dividends years into the future, while bad decisions have a way of haunting us. Consider diverging decisions made by Johnson & Johnson and Phillip Morris.
In 1982, Johnson & Johnson faced a dilemma when seven people died from cyanide poison placed inside of Tylenol bottles. Johnson & Johnson's reaction? The company pulled its product from the shelves, invested in tamper-proof bottling, and emerged as a paragon of corporate responsibility. To this day, Johnson & Johnson remains one of America's most admired companies.
In 1999, Phillip Morris, in an attempt to counter antismoking measures in the Czech Republic, commissioned an economic analysis to look into the "indirect positive effects" of premature deaths to smokers. The purported "benefits" to Czech society included savings on health care, pensions, welfare, and housing costs for the elderly. After word of the study began to circulate, public opinion forced Phillip Morris to issue a sheepish apology. In light of clear evidence showing the health detriments of smoking, Phillip Morris' decision to justify cigarette sales has contributed to the "Big Tobacco" image as an object of consumer scorn.
My friend, legendary basketball coach John Wooden, encourages leaders to, "Make every day your masterpiece." Two ingredients are necessary for each day to be a masterpiece: decisions and discipline. I like to think of decisions as goal-setting and discipline as goal-getting. Decisions and discipline cannot be separated because one is worthless without the other.
Good Decisions - Daily Discipline = A Plan without Payoff
Daily Discipline - Good Decisions = Regimentation without Reward
Good Decisions + Daily Discipline = A Masterpiece of Success
3. The Experiences That I Encounter
In addition to relationships and decisions, our lives are shaped by pivotal experiences. Whether triumphs or tragedies, our lives are molded by a shortlist of prominent experiences. Perhaps we receive a long-awaited promotion or we're suddenly let go from a job. Perhaps a loved one passes away, or a newborn baby enters our lives. These experiences immerse us in emotions and challenge our convictions. They may even reveal our purpose in life.
Oftentimes, we're defined not so much in the moment of experience itself as in our response to the experience. Do we quit or rebound? Do we harbor bitterness or choose to forgive? Do we blame or improve? Whatever the case, the experiences in our lives profoundly touch us.
The life experiences we encounter are broad and varied, but here are a few brief pointers on gaining the most from them.
1. Evaluate experience
Experience isn't the best teacher. Evaluated experience is the best teacher. Learn from mistakes and victories alike. Draw upon experiences to grow and gain wisdom.
2. Manage the emotional aspects of experience
Pivotal moments come with a flood of emotions - at times positive, and at times negative. Teach yourself to counteract negative feelings and learn to harness the momentum of positive emotions.
3. Share them through storytelling
Experiences are my richest repositories of teaching material. Make a habit of sharing the lessons learned from the experiences that have shaped your life and your leadership.
REVIEW
Living a Life That Counts Is Determined By...
1. The Relationships That I Form
2. The Decisions That I Make
3. The Experiences That I Encounter
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you're not doing something with your life, then it doesn't matter how long you live. If you're doing something with your life, then it doesn't matter how short your life may be. A life is not measured by years lived, but by its usefulness. If you are giving, loving, serving, helping, encouraging, and adding value to others, then you're living a life that counts!
About the Author
John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold over 16 million books. His organizations have trained more than 2 million leaders worldwide. Dr. Maxwell is the founder of EQUIP and INJOY Stewardship Services. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and audiences as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and ambassadors at the United Nations. A New York Times , Wall Street Journal , and Business Week best-selling author, Maxwell was named the World's Top Leadership Guru by Leadershipgurus.net. He was also one of only 25 authors and artists named to Amazon.com's 10th Anniversary Hall of Fame. Three of his books, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership , Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader have each sold over a million copies.
By Dr. John C. Maxwell
Ben Franklin once wrote, "I would rather have it said 'he lived usefully' than 'he died rich.'" More than just words, it was the way Franklin lived his life. One example of his useful nature was the invention of the Franklin stove. Instead of patenting it and keeping it to himself, Ben Franklin decided to share his invention with the world.
According to Dr. John C. Van Horne, Library Company of Philadelphia: "Franklin's philanthropy was of a collective nature. His sense of benevolence came by aiding his fellow human beings and by doing good to society. In fact, in one sense, Franklin's philanthropy, his sense of benevolence, was his religion. Doing good to mankind was, in his understanding, divine." Even his position as a printer fit this philosophical bent. He did not hoard his ideas, but shared them, and everyone benefited. He had an "abundance mentality."
Instead of seeing the world in terms of how much money he could make, Franklin saw the world in terms of how many people he could help. To Benjamin Franklin, being useful was its own reward.
As I age, I gain perspective on the illusion of wealth and status as forms of fulfillment. I don't want my life to be measured by dollars and cents, or the number of books I've authored. Rather, I want to be remembered by the lives that I've touched. I want live a life that counts. With each day that passes, I feel a greater sense of urgency to make sure my time and energy are invested in developing leaders.
A Life That Counts Is Determined By:
1. The Relationships That I Form
Relationships help us to define who we are and what we can become. In my own life, I can see how relationships have shaped my character, values, and interest. I consider relationships to be my greatest treasures in life and an immense source of joy.
Most people can trace their failures or successes to pivotal relationships. That's because all relationships involve transference. When we interact with others we exchange energy, emotions, ideas, and values. Some relationships reinforce our values and uplift us; while others undercut our convictions and drain us. While we cannot choose every relationship in our lives, on the whole, we get to select those who are closest to us.
Relationship Rules
1. Get along with yourself
The one relationship you will have until you die is yourself.
2. Value people
You cannot make another person feel important if you secretly feel that he or she is a nobody.
3. Make the effort to form relationships
The result of a person who has never served others? Loneliness.
4. Understand the Reciprocity Rule
Over time, people come to share reciprocal, similar attitudes toward each other.
5. Follow the Golden Rule
The timeless principle: treat others the way you want to be treated.
2. The Decisions That I Make
Good decisions sometimes reap dividends years into the future, while bad decisions have a way of haunting us. Consider diverging decisions made by Johnson & Johnson and Phillip Morris.
In 1982, Johnson & Johnson faced a dilemma when seven people died from cyanide poison placed inside of Tylenol bottles. Johnson & Johnson's reaction? The company pulled its product from the shelves, invested in tamper-proof bottling, and emerged as a paragon of corporate responsibility. To this day, Johnson & Johnson remains one of America's most admired companies.
In 1999, Phillip Morris, in an attempt to counter antismoking measures in the Czech Republic, commissioned an economic analysis to look into the "indirect positive effects" of premature deaths to smokers. The purported "benefits" to Czech society included savings on health care, pensions, welfare, and housing costs for the elderly. After word of the study began to circulate, public opinion forced Phillip Morris to issue a sheepish apology. In light of clear evidence showing the health detriments of smoking, Phillip Morris' decision to justify cigarette sales has contributed to the "Big Tobacco" image as an object of consumer scorn.
My friend, legendary basketball coach John Wooden, encourages leaders to, "Make every day your masterpiece." Two ingredients are necessary for each day to be a masterpiece: decisions and discipline. I like to think of decisions as goal-setting and discipline as goal-getting. Decisions and discipline cannot be separated because one is worthless without the other.
Good Decisions - Daily Discipline = A Plan without Payoff
Daily Discipline - Good Decisions = Regimentation without Reward
Good Decisions + Daily Discipline = A Masterpiece of Success
3. The Experiences That I Encounter
In addition to relationships and decisions, our lives are shaped by pivotal experiences. Whether triumphs or tragedies, our lives are molded by a shortlist of prominent experiences. Perhaps we receive a long-awaited promotion or we're suddenly let go from a job. Perhaps a loved one passes away, or a newborn baby enters our lives. These experiences immerse us in emotions and challenge our convictions. They may even reveal our purpose in life.
Oftentimes, we're defined not so much in the moment of experience itself as in our response to the experience. Do we quit or rebound? Do we harbor bitterness or choose to forgive? Do we blame or improve? Whatever the case, the experiences in our lives profoundly touch us.
The life experiences we encounter are broad and varied, but here are a few brief pointers on gaining the most from them.
1. Evaluate experience
Experience isn't the best teacher. Evaluated experience is the best teacher. Learn from mistakes and victories alike. Draw upon experiences to grow and gain wisdom.
2. Manage the emotional aspects of experience
Pivotal moments come with a flood of emotions - at times positive, and at times negative. Teach yourself to counteract negative feelings and learn to harness the momentum of positive emotions.
3. Share them through storytelling
Experiences are my richest repositories of teaching material. Make a habit of sharing the lessons learned from the experiences that have shaped your life and your leadership.
REVIEW
Living a Life That Counts Is Determined By...
1. The Relationships That I Form
2. The Decisions That I Make
3. The Experiences That I Encounter
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you're not doing something with your life, then it doesn't matter how long you live. If you're doing something with your life, then it doesn't matter how short your life may be. A life is not measured by years lived, but by its usefulness. If you are giving, loving, serving, helping, encouraging, and adding value to others, then you're living a life that counts!
About the Author
John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold over 16 million books. His organizations have trained more than 2 million leaders worldwide. Dr. Maxwell is the founder of EQUIP and INJOY Stewardship Services. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and audiences as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and ambassadors at the United Nations. A New York Times , Wall Street Journal , and Business Week best-selling author, Maxwell was named the World's Top Leadership Guru by Leadershipgurus.net. He was also one of only 25 authors and artists named to Amazon.com's 10th Anniversary Hall of Fame. Three of his books, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership , Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader have each sold over a million copies.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Integrity
By: Glen Schneiders, Lead Pastor of Crossroads Christian Church in Lexington, KY
J.P. Hayes says anyone else on the PGA Tour in his situation "would have done the same thing." During the second stage of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament last week in Texas, Hayes discovered that on two shots on one hole, he had unwittingly used a prototype golf ball not approved for competition by the United States Golf Association.
No one would have known. And a full-time spot on the PGA Tour in 2009 was on the line. But Hayes, honoring the tradition of a game where the players police themselves, turned himself in and was disqualified.
"It's extremely disappointing," Hayes said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and this is going to be a bad nightmare."
On his 12th hole of the first round, Hayes' caddie reached into his golf bag and tossed a ball to Hayes, who played two shots -- a tee and a chip onto the green -- and marked his ball. At that point he realized the ball he was playing was not the same model with which he started the round -- by rule, a two-stroke penalty. "I realized there was a penalty and I called an official over," Hayes said, according to the newspaper. "He said the penalty was two shots and that I had to finish the hole with that ball and then change back to the original ball."
Hayes shot a 74 Wednesday and a 71 on Thursday, putting him in good shape to finish in the top 20 and advance to the final qualifying stage in December.
But on Thursday night in his hotel room, Hayes realized that the errant golf ball might not have been on the approved list.
"It was a Titleist prototype, and somehow it had gotten into my bag," he said, according to the Journal Sentinel. "I have no idea how or why it was still in there."
Hayes had a choice: He could have said nothing and kept playing, with no one aware of his mistake. Or he could turn himself in and let his mistake cost him a 2009 PGA Tour card.
He chose the latter.
"I called an official in Houston that night and said, 'I think I may have a problem,'" Hayes said. "He said they'd call Titleist the next day. I pretty much knew at that point I was going to be disqualified."
As for his decision to turn himself in? "I would say everybody out here [on the PGA Tour] would have done the same thing," Hayes said, according to the report.
Hayes also refused to blame his caddie for the error, saying he should have spotted the errant ball because it did not have a model name on the seam.
Proverbs 20:7 (God’s Word Translation) “A righteous person lives on the basis of his integrity. Blessed are his children after he is gone.”
J.P. Hayes says anyone else on the PGA Tour in his situation "would have done the same thing." During the second stage of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament last week in Texas, Hayes discovered that on two shots on one hole, he had unwittingly used a prototype golf ball not approved for competition by the United States Golf Association.
No one would have known. And a full-time spot on the PGA Tour in 2009 was on the line. But Hayes, honoring the tradition of a game where the players police themselves, turned himself in and was disqualified.
"It's extremely disappointing," Hayes said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and this is going to be a bad nightmare."
On his 12th hole of the first round, Hayes' caddie reached into his golf bag and tossed a ball to Hayes, who played two shots -- a tee and a chip onto the green -- and marked his ball. At that point he realized the ball he was playing was not the same model with which he started the round -- by rule, a two-stroke penalty. "I realized there was a penalty and I called an official over," Hayes said, according to the newspaper. "He said the penalty was two shots and that I had to finish the hole with that ball and then change back to the original ball."
Hayes shot a 74 Wednesday and a 71 on Thursday, putting him in good shape to finish in the top 20 and advance to the final qualifying stage in December.
But on Thursday night in his hotel room, Hayes realized that the errant golf ball might not have been on the approved list.
"It was a Titleist prototype, and somehow it had gotten into my bag," he said, according to the Journal Sentinel. "I have no idea how or why it was still in there."
Hayes had a choice: He could have said nothing and kept playing, with no one aware of his mistake. Or he could turn himself in and let his mistake cost him a 2009 PGA Tour card.
He chose the latter.
"I called an official in Houston that night and said, 'I think I may have a problem,'" Hayes said. "He said they'd call Titleist the next day. I pretty much knew at that point I was going to be disqualified."
As for his decision to turn himself in? "I would say everybody out here [on the PGA Tour] would have done the same thing," Hayes said, according to the report.
Hayes also refused to blame his caddie for the error, saying he should have spotted the errant ball because it did not have a model name on the seam.
Proverbs 20:7 (God’s Word Translation) “A righteous person lives on the basis of his integrity. Blessed are his children after he is gone.”
Friday, October 24, 2008
Love Like Jesus
by John Fischer - http://www.fischtank.com/ft/
I opened a newsletter this morning from my good friend Robbie Goldman who heads up Dry Bones, a ministry to homeless teenagers in downtown Denver, and found a sobering conclusion to our discussions this week about Christians leading with the hellfire and brimstone message. The lead story is all about Robbie and his staff's shock and awe over the behavior of Christian protesters at the Democratic National Convention in Denver earlier this summer where signs like "Ask me why YOU deserve HELL," and "WARNING: Baby Killing Women, Party Animals, Rebellious Women, So Called Christians, Liberals, Jesus Mockers, Porno Freaks, Muslims, Drunks, Homosexuals, Sex Addicts, Mormons? GOD WILL JUDGE YOU!" greeted them along with insults hurled from the holders of those signs, as in "Can you even read?" and "What planet are you from?"
"We watched the spectacle with a growing sense of despair and sadness," Robbie wrote. "I was sick to my stomach. The scene was one of the single most heartbreaking experiences of my life."
Examples like this may be extreme cases of misrepresenting Christ, but harboring even the slightest attitude of judgment or hatred is only a matter of being a few degrees away from this. It's headed in the same direction. To the degree that we let any of these feelings take hold, we might as well be a sign-holding screamer of insulting epithets.
"I walked away with my co-workers; some of us were crying. Others like me simply walked in silent shock. Above all the emotions ? sadness, anger, shame ? I felt something else that had a stronger pull. I was motivated and rejuvenated. More than ever I was convinced of my job, and your job, to love. We must re-define Christianity to a watching world.
"What if we became a group of people known for the way we love homosexuals? What if we became a group of people known for coming alongside those struggling with addictions? What if we became a group of people known for the way we embrace people of other religions and backgrounds? What if we became a group of people known for the way we love women who have had, or are thinking about having abortions? What if instead of calling these women murderers, we told them how much they and their children are worth? What if we decided right now, today, to adopt would-be-aborted babies? We tell young women not to have abortions, but are we willing to give them another option?"
Robbie concluded with, "I am convinced that when we love like Jesus, we are slowly but surely helping to prepare someone's heart for God to do His work. Love well, brothers and sisters. Re-define Christ for the people in your life with love and see what happens."
And I can't help but think that whoever carried that sign about the Baby Killers and Porno Freaks is in for a big surprise when he is eventually welcomed into heaven by all the people his sign condemned. There will be tears.
I opened a newsletter this morning from my good friend Robbie Goldman who heads up Dry Bones, a ministry to homeless teenagers in downtown Denver, and found a sobering conclusion to our discussions this week about Christians leading with the hellfire and brimstone message. The lead story is all about Robbie and his staff's shock and awe over the behavior of Christian protesters at the Democratic National Convention in Denver earlier this summer where signs like "Ask me why YOU deserve HELL," and "WARNING: Baby Killing Women, Party Animals, Rebellious Women, So Called Christians, Liberals, Jesus Mockers, Porno Freaks, Muslims, Drunks, Homosexuals, Sex Addicts, Mormons? GOD WILL JUDGE YOU!" greeted them along with insults hurled from the holders of those signs, as in "Can you even read?" and "What planet are you from?"
"We watched the spectacle with a growing sense of despair and sadness," Robbie wrote. "I was sick to my stomach. The scene was one of the single most heartbreaking experiences of my life."
Examples like this may be extreme cases of misrepresenting Christ, but harboring even the slightest attitude of judgment or hatred is only a matter of being a few degrees away from this. It's headed in the same direction. To the degree that we let any of these feelings take hold, we might as well be a sign-holding screamer of insulting epithets.
"I walked away with my co-workers; some of us were crying. Others like me simply walked in silent shock. Above all the emotions ? sadness, anger, shame ? I felt something else that had a stronger pull. I was motivated and rejuvenated. More than ever I was convinced of my job, and your job, to love. We must re-define Christianity to a watching world.
"What if we became a group of people known for the way we love homosexuals? What if we became a group of people known for coming alongside those struggling with addictions? What if we became a group of people known for the way we embrace people of other religions and backgrounds? What if we became a group of people known for the way we love women who have had, or are thinking about having abortions? What if instead of calling these women murderers, we told them how much they and their children are worth? What if we decided right now, today, to adopt would-be-aborted babies? We tell young women not to have abortions, but are we willing to give them another option?"
Robbie concluded with, "I am convinced that when we love like Jesus, we are slowly but surely helping to prepare someone's heart for God to do His work. Love well, brothers and sisters. Re-define Christ for the people in your life with love and see what happens."
And I can't help but think that whoever carried that sign about the Baby Killers and Porno Freaks is in for a big surprise when he is eventually welcomed into heaven by all the people his sign condemned. There will be tears.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Who God Says You Are
Hi ladies!
Here is the list of Scripture references I read tonight at Week Two of the Character Makeover study. These are some of the things that the Word says you are IN CHRIST ~ not what you are in your own strength or by anything you do or say! I pray these we get these down into our hearts and allow them to transform us from the inside out!
I am a child of God. John 1:12
I am a branch of the true vine, and a conduit of Christ's life. John 15:1-5
I am a friend of Jesus. John 15:15
I have been justified and redeemed. Romans 3:23-24; Romans 6:6
I will not be condemned by God, I have been set free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2
As a child of God, I am a fellow heir with Christ. Romans 8:17
I have been accepted by Christ. Romans 15:7
I have been called to be a saint 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2
In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30
My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in me 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19
I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17
God leads me in the triumph and knowledge of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:14
The hardening of my mind has been removed in Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:14
I am a new creature in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17
I have become the righteousness of God in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21
I have been made one with all who are in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28
I am no longer a slave but a child of an heir. Galatians 4:7
I have been set free in Christ. Galatians 5:1
I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1:3
I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God. Ephesians 1:4
I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ. Ephesians 1:7
I have been predestined by God to obtain an inheritance. Ephesians 1:9-11
I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13
Because of God's mercy and love, I have been made alive with Christ. Ephesians 2:4-5
I am seated in the heavenly places with Christ. Ephesians 2:6
I am God's workmanship created to produce good works. Ephesians 2:10
I have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13
I am a member of Christ's body and a partaker of His promise. Ephesians 3:6; Ephesians 5:30
I have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Christ. Ephesians 3:12
My new self is righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:22-24
I was formerly darkness, but now I am light in the Lord. Ephesians 5:8
I am a citizen of heaven. Philippians 3:20
The peace of God guards my heart and mind. Philippians 4:7
God supplies all my needs. Philippians 4:19
I have been made complete in Christ. Colossians 2:9-10
I have been raised up with Christ. Colossians 3:1
My life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
Christ is my life, and I will be revelaed with him in glory. Colossians 3:4
I have been chosen of God, and I am holy and beloved. Colossians 3:12
God loves me and has chosen me. 1 Thessalonians 1:4
Review this powerful inventory frequently, since it reminds us of truths we quickly forget amid the worries and cares of this world. The more we embrace these affirmations from Scripture, the more stable, grateful, and fully assured we will be in the course of our lives.
Question for Personal Application
To what degree are you defined by the world? By the Word? How can you develop your identity more fully in the latter?
What does it require to see yourself as God sees you?
Which five from the list of biblical affirmations resonate the most with you? Which five seem the most remote to your experience? How can you make these more real in your thinking and practice?
Love to all my sisters! Remember we are .....
In Him,
Tara
Here is the list of Scripture references I read tonight at Week Two of the Character Makeover study. These are some of the things that the Word says you are IN CHRIST ~ not what you are in your own strength or by anything you do or say! I pray these we get these down into our hearts and allow them to transform us from the inside out!
I am a child of God. John 1:12
I am a branch of the true vine, and a conduit of Christ's life. John 15:1-5
I am a friend of Jesus. John 15:15
I have been justified and redeemed. Romans 3:23-24; Romans 6:6
I will not be condemned by God, I have been set free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2
As a child of God, I am a fellow heir with Christ. Romans 8:17
I have been accepted by Christ. Romans 15:7
I have been called to be a saint 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2
In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30
My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in me 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19
I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17
God leads me in the triumph and knowledge of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:14
The hardening of my mind has been removed in Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:14
I am a new creature in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17
I have become the righteousness of God in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21
I have been made one with all who are in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28
I am no longer a slave but a child of an heir. Galatians 4:7
I have been set free in Christ. Galatians 5:1
I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1:3
I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God. Ephesians 1:4
I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ. Ephesians 1:7
I have been predestined by God to obtain an inheritance. Ephesians 1:9-11
I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13
Because of God's mercy and love, I have been made alive with Christ. Ephesians 2:4-5
I am seated in the heavenly places with Christ. Ephesians 2:6
I am God's workmanship created to produce good works. Ephesians 2:10
I have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13
I am a member of Christ's body and a partaker of His promise. Ephesians 3:6; Ephesians 5:30
I have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Christ. Ephesians 3:12
My new self is righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:22-24
I was formerly darkness, but now I am light in the Lord. Ephesians 5:8
I am a citizen of heaven. Philippians 3:20
The peace of God guards my heart and mind. Philippians 4:7
God supplies all my needs. Philippians 4:19
I have been made complete in Christ. Colossians 2:9-10
I have been raised up with Christ. Colossians 3:1
My life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
Christ is my life, and I will be revelaed with him in glory. Colossians 3:4
I have been chosen of God, and I am holy and beloved. Colossians 3:12
God loves me and has chosen me. 1 Thessalonians 1:4
Review this powerful inventory frequently, since it reminds us of truths we quickly forget amid the worries and cares of this world. The more we embrace these affirmations from Scripture, the more stable, grateful, and fully assured we will be in the course of our lives.
Question for Personal Application
To what degree are you defined by the world? By the Word? How can you develop your identity more fully in the latter?
What does it require to see yourself as God sees you?
Which five from the list of biblical affirmations resonate the most with you? Which five seem the most remote to your experience? How can you make these more real in your thinking and practice?
Love to all my sisters! Remember we are .....
In Him,
Tara
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