Temporarily/Permanently

Other people can stop your dreams temporarily, but only you can do it permanently, especially if your dreams are bigger than those who desire your to fail. Many pastors have had their dreams shattered by someone in their congregation who did not receive the vision God had given them for their church. Those kind of people will stop you or at least hinder you from doing what God has said to do.

Whether it's a treasurer who acts like the church's money is theirs, or an elder who doesn't want change, or even a church member who decides that fulfilling your vision will put their position in jeopardy-these kind of individuals will stop you temporarily from fulfilling your commission from God. The only one that can stop your dream permanently is YOU. God said that if He was for you, who could be against you. I know from experience that sometimes it's easier to roll over and play dead than pursue what God has placed in your heart, but if I had to do it all over again I would have shaken the apple tree a little more and pressed forward with what God had placed in my heart to be done.

It's easy to give up a dream that you have to fight for because frankly you get tired of fighting. You know it as well as I, some people are never going to change, even if Jesus were to be their pastor. And if statistics are right between 700-1500 ministers give up their churches each week in America because they let somebody stop their dreams permanently and just give up on their ministry. 

I challenge every pastor to hold onto your dream and pursue it until you accomplish what God wants you to accomplish. Nobody can do it the way God spoke to you to get it done. In spite of all the rhetoric you hear from well-meaning individuals who say there is a season for your labor and once it is passed it's somebody's else's turn, don't believe that junk. Others may hinder you, but hold on and keep working. Your God will finish what He started in your life and use you in spite of that bunch that wants to take you down. If He is for you then stand and don't give in or up! Keep your dream alive!

You're As Happy As You Decide To Be

Most people will be about as happy as they decide to be. So why do so many see to be filled with sorrow these days? Well, there is a lot to feel bad about because our world is filled with a bunch of bad mojo. You seem to take two steps forward, then fall three steps behind. You worry about employment and never really pay anything off due to taxes. Your children or a loved one gets sick or makes a special announcement that catches everyone off guard. I could go on and on because life is filled with as many pitfalls as it is highs.

So being happy is a choice. You can choose to live sadly, or to rejoice with great joy every day. You can pout about how terrible things are or smile even in the midst of a storm over victory that is on the horizon. It's all up to you.

So you can be happy if you choose to be. I have some tips on how you can make it happen:

-Count your blessings one by one. Don't lump them all together, but savor them as choice delights that have been served to you by a loving Savior.

-Remember where you've come from and Who brought you through. It wasn't chance or intelligence, it was His grace that is amazing.

-Reflect on what He is able to do with somebody like you who is willing to let Him have control of their life.

-Hold on in times of darkness knowing on the other side of the storm there is calm.

-Never forget who you belong to and what family you are a part of. A King's Kid knows there will be valleys, but also know he or she can walk through them.

Yes, the world is filled with chaos, but don't worry; be happy! If you choose to be happy so will others around you. Again, you may not smile all the time, but you will hold on to joy in those times. When others ask you why you are so happy knowing what you're facing you can answer with the words: "The joy of the Lord is my strength!" You are as happy as you decide to be!

Whatever

Whatever you are willing to put up with, is exactly what you will have. There is a word for that and it's called compromise. So many pastors have changed their philosophy of ministry just to fit in with today's society rather than raising the standard of the Word and the holiness of the gospel. It has been said that what you start with you will have continually as you grow. I do agree with that concept.

I inherited some situations as a pastor that I could not change because the previous administrations had allowed them to go on. When I tried to change them tactfully I was attacked and penalized because I was wanting my way and trying to hinder these situations to appease myself (or so it was said). All I wanted was for a professing member to adhere to the Bible, our Declaration of Faith, and General Assembly Minutes. There has been more than one time I've had to deal with ungodly things due to a former pastor allowing junk to filter into the congregation.

I've also learned that there are devils in all places. They may change their voice, or their face, or their compromise, but they are there. You can't run from them, hide and hope they go away, or expect them to give up without a fight. So if you're wanting to run from the devil you're fighting, be assured he'll come in another form wherever you go. He doesn't give up easily and will remind you of that daily.

So instead of putting up with garbage and hoping that a move will take care of the problem, stand up and face it, get over it, and build the kingdom. Don't be mean or worldly, but do the work scripturally. Be a peacemaker, but not a doormat. Somebody before you had put up with the junk, but you don't have to. I wish that I had practiced that more in my last few years of pastoring and I would probably be pastoring still today and not of lost my health fretting about the junk.

It's a disgrace that there are some in our Christian faith that want to forsake our Biblical heritage for their own personal gain. It's further a shame that some people profess with their mouths something they don't live or believe in their hearts. Too many pastors have compromised the gospel for a paycheck or position and have caused havoc for the man of God that follows them. Others have maintained relationships with those they allowed compromise and created a cavalier attitude among them toward the new pastor. Please don't be one of them.

Don't let down your guard or your standard. Don't give in to the fads or allow finances to be your directive. Don't be overbearing, but fair and scriptural. Just remember that what you sow, you will also reap.

Same Problem, Different Faces

How many of you have dealt with the same problem, only different faces more than once in you life? Maybe it's the holier than thou folks who find fault with you and everybody else, but themselves, or the folks that use their leverage to get what they want or else. Same problem, just different faces. Too much time is spent on dealing with those things that interfere with the real mission of the church, which is ministering to people in need. In fact, we spend most of our time dealing with the same problems, only different faces.

You know those individuals that give you fits spiritually and emotionally. They question every decision you make and everything the pastor preaches. They have this attitude that they are always right and that nobody else is. Ironically God can out you in the right place at the right time to expose their spiritual charade. It will make you happy in the flesh and probably stop their attacks on you, but in the spirit it makes you sad, because it's the little foxes that spoil the vine and give ministry and the church a bad name.

I could share many stories of situations in different areas that were almost similar involving totally different faces. No matter where you live in this world you will have to deal with these same type problems. They have a tendency to repeat themselves with different people in different places because the devil uses the same tactics everywhere. If he can't attack you in one way, then he will find another. And there is always a willing pawn that he can find to perpetuate his torment of you. They may be good people down inside, but the wolf comes out when the devil is in control. We are all flawed and some times deceived, whether we want to admit it or not. Yet, we are not without hope. No matter what face or what problem, Jesus gives us hope and comfort in those times when the enemy comes against us like a flood.

Do what the Bible says and don't let your good be spoken evil of. Try to be the same in season and out. I have seen the wolf, dealt with the wolf, and may have been the wolf sometimes. That's why I'm glad for the blood of Jesus and the hope and peace it gives. Our flaws can become claws if we let them. Don't become a statistic, but be an example of the believers in Jesus name.

Look Before Your Leap

This past Sunday I faced a very embarrassing situation because somebody leaped before they looked. I have had 8 knee surgeries and with the complications from heart attacks and my stroke I've had a handicapped license tag for years. Even before my stroke I had to often use a cane to get into the hospitals to make my visits. So it's not been easy for me to accept my limitations for a long time.

As I pulled into the restaurant parking lot and was getting out of my car in the handicapped spot I parked in, I heard a women in the car next door curse at me for parking in that space. I stopped for a minute and questioned what she said so loudly and her husband repeated it and said I shouldn't be parking in a handicapped space. I must admit, I almost lost it. I replied as politely as an embarrassed man could and said, "Folks, look at my tag!" When they backed out and saw my handicapped license tag, they turned as red as can be and apologized for making that remark. I did accept their apology, but it gnaws at me how many people leap before they look.

I've had to deal with that spirit in many of the churches I served, but its even worse in the world. People jump to conclusions before they know all the facts. Let's face it-we all have done that, but speculation can create devastation if the facts aren't as they seem. Too many of us have leaped before we looked at the total picture and ended up with egg on our face or much worse. The hurt and misconception we have caused others because of incomplete information may have lasting affects on that individual. That's why we need to know the whole story before we decide to speak out.

Peter was the disciple that was the most guilty of doing this same thing. In the beginning of his discipleship he was the one that questioned more than anyone the things that Jesus did. His speculation was often determined by his upbringing and Jewish tradition. Yet God used him to cross over boundary lines he would have never crossed unless led by the Holy Spirit. He learned to look before he leaped. Some lessons were learned the hard way and others became simple truths. Yet, in all those things, when he begin to see the whole picture he knew how to speak intelligently rather than be brash and speak out of turn.

So look before you leap. Satan has a pit with your name on in and you can fall in it if you're not careful. Be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove. Don't speak things that are hurtful or negative about things you don't know the complete story about. Sometimes its better to be quiet and just let God do the talking. Keep your eyes on Jesus and you won't sink when you step out of the boat.

Start

If you don't start some where, it's certain you won't arrive any where. So much is said about the culmination of our journey, but to get to the end there has to be a beginning. Some start fast and fizzle out before they get half way. Others move cautiously and never progress for fear of the risk. Still there are those who forsake houses and lands and press on until they finish their task. That's the group I want to be a part of.

It's not hard to begin the race, but it takes perseverance to complete it. There are obstacles in your path that will do their very best to trip you up, plus stumbling blocks you never expected to encounter as a child of God. Immunity is off the table when it comes to trials, temptations, and failures. Remember to get anywhere you have to start. You will deal with the stuff you have to as you come across it, but don't let it be a hinderance to you're beginning.

It is said that every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. What will your story say about you? Will it say that you started from humble beginnings or that you were satisfied where you were? Will it share that you started and failed several times before you succeeded or that you refused to try. Will it express regret and sorrow because you missed out on opportunities in your journey because you thought it easier to play it safe? Your story, especially the middle and end part, cannot happen unless you are willing to begin to do what you know you're supposed to do.

My middle brother was the last of us three boys to accept the call to preach. He was and still is a successful business man, but he felt the leading to start a new church. That was almost 25 years ago. He's still pastoring the same church today that he started. It's not been an easy journey. He has been wounded, along with his family, along the way. Yet, his journey would never had taken place unless he started by being obedient to God's call all those many years ago. Sure, he's felt like all of us from time to time and wanted to give up, but he's hung in there and trusted God. God is rewarding him for his faithfulness with new people and a new harvest.

If you haven't embarked on your journey, there's no better time to do so than now. Now is the day of salvation, now is the day of blessing, and now is the time for new beginnings. When the door of opportunity opens, walk in it and be blessed. If you want to get to your destination it begins by putting one foot in front of the other. Start with faith and let your journey begin!

Don't Go With The Flow

When things are going wrong, don't go with the flow. It doesn't take much to turn a great situation into one that's terrible. Even the thought of that makes me cringe. Yet, I have seen ministry after ministry make a simple mistake and continually ride that mistake until there is no ministry left. They dig a hole and just keep on going until they reach rock bottom.

I know some long-term pastors who have faced the ebb and flow of ministry many times. When they faced one of those times of ebb, they rethought their approach and rebounded. On the other hand I have seen some who continued with the wrong flow and ended up losing everything. They had a chance to change direction, but the current of popularity or personal gain was too strong for them to stop. 

I spoke with a great gospel songwriter last week who shared some very personal things with me about the ebb and flow of his ministry. He shared how he was riding a wave of success and then how things quickly turned wrong. He was hurt, spiritually and mentally, and could have gotten revenge on the ministry that wronged him. A national news outlet wanted him to out the individuals that had caused him so much pain and discomfort. Even though retaliation was possible, he chose to go against the tide and stay spiritually strong. Even though he was tempted to get back at those who wronged him, God stepped in and turned the tide. His refusal to ride the wrong flow allowed God to work on his behalf.

Confession is good for the soul and I have to admit it's easier to justify your action of retaliation when you are wronged. Again, I've done it myself and sometimes still catch myself riding that wrong flow. Hurt is hurt and when that hurt comes because of your peers it's devastating. But when God says, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," He means it. I can't justify going down the same path with those that did me wrong, even though I would like to at times. What I can do is understand that in every walk of life we can build a bridge to stop the flow of negativity. Let it be our prayer to stop the flowing flood waters and be bridge builders for something good.

No Escape

Problems are often like puzzles and if a piece is missing it's hard to find a solution. The best way to escape your problems is to solve them. I will admit it's very difficult to solve some problems, especially with people who refuse to listen. Time and time again it's usually the same scenario that people get upset about and no matter what you do you can't please them.

However, running away from them is not an option. If the problem is fixable then do your best to resolve it and press on. There is no escape from situations that can be handled. In fact, the quicker you deal with it, the less heartache you will have. The Bible again offers an answer to problem solving, but it takes a humble spirit and a willing heart.

Too many of us have thought that moving in ministry to a different place or position would take care of every thing, but after a while you run out of places to hide. Some problems will never cease until you are fearless enough to deal with them. Years ago it was easier to deal with things because there was truth and untruth present, but now there is a distinct gray area. It's in that place we face some facts and deal with problems that we would rather overlook and hope they'll go away.

Three things you need to consider:

-What is the easiest answer to dealing with my problem?

-What can I do stop its maximum effect on others not associated with it?

-What will I gain from avoiding dealing with it in the long run?

Years ago I received a call from a mother-in-law frantic about some illicit behavior her son-in-law was engaged in. I prayed about dealing with it before I did so, because I knew it would affect my relationship with the parties involved. I approached it prayerfully and carefully and still ended up the bad guy. Yet, if I had allowed it to go on, there is no telling what would have happened in that family's life. It would have been less of a heartache for me to ignore it, but it saved a family by being obedient to God and facing the crisis head on.

Here's the truth when dealing with problems-escape is not an option. Be a man or woman of God and face them in the power of the Holy Spirit. In hindsight I would have been much better off in every situation if I had done this myself. So take it from the voice of experience. You can't run or hide from your problems. Trust God for wisdom to deal with them and sail on.

Complaints

Yesterday was the last day for complaints. I told my nurse at a doctor's visit this week that we all love to complain, but it doesn't really do us much good. As a consumer your complaint might help with a product you've purchased that doesn't deliver as promised, but complaints about life don't change anything. We all have to live with the lot we were given and make the best out of it. Complaining doesn't change one thing about tomorrow.

We complain about our aches and pains, our losses, our inabilities, our sicknesses, or whatever ails us. We complain about not having enough or failing to be successful in some venture, but no complaint will change the outcome. What happened yesterday may affect tomorrow, but complaining about it never will stop it from happening.

We have all complained about the wheres and whys of episodes that have affected us. We have questioned God about illness, divorce, the loss of a loved one, tragedies that have affected us, and many other things and never received an answer. We have tried to legitimize why they happened and then tried to figure out why God allowed it. There really is no simple solution or answer. It rains on the just and the unjust. Just because you're a Christian doesn't mean you'll have all the answers or ever stop complaining about these events in your life.

In fact, Ecclesiastes 3 tells us there is a time for everything. The wise man, under the direction of God, prepared us for this one fact-life isn't easy. There is a season for everything that we go thru. Yes, even a season of complaining. But God wants us to discipline ourselves not to live a life of complaints. In fact, what happened yesterday can't be undone. It happened, so we have a choice. Either get over it and move forward, or sit there and stew over it until it robs you of your joy.

As I said early complaining about life doesn't get you much. Maybe the occasional letting off some steam, but not much more. On the other hand, praising the Lord, even in the midst of it all, brings you closed to Him and eases some of the pain. So we have a choice-fuss about yesterday or trust and live today. Which one will you choose?

No Weapon

No one can ruin your day without YOUR permission.  The prophet declared, "NO weapon formed against you may prosper!" Is that true reasoning for 2016? Read the rest of the verse: 

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord. Isaiah 57:17

God has given you authority over your mind. You may not be able to control all the situations that surround you, but you can be at peace with the fact that no weapon or slander used by the enemy will prevail because you have inherited a heritage of the children of God and His righteousness dwells within you.

Several people will read this and say,"Well, gossip did destroy me or sickness prevailed against me. Maybe that verse doesn't work in all things." I have news for you. I too have thought the same things in the past. I've even faced unsubstantiated rumors that caused my family distress. Probably every pastored has faced that in their ministry. Gossip is as cold as the grave and is probably the most powerful weapon in Satan's artillery. However God has promised in spite of false tales you will prevail. Those weapons used with the intent of destroying you will ultimately fail.

Forgiving people that have harmed you through lies, deceit, or even physical altercation is very difficult even for the most spiritual person. And some times it seems like the hurt will never end or the falsehood will never be overturned. Yet, it can only ruin your day it you let it stick in you like a dagger and never remove it. When you give yourself permission to let it ruin not just your day, but your life it's you fault. God will exonerate you and so you how powerless that weapon was that was used against you.

Just like Israel, God will also restore what the cankerworm and palmerworm have stolen. So life your hands and praise Him rather than hold your head down and sulk. This is the day the Lord hath made and no weapon used against you shall prosper.

Getting Up One More Time

Success is getting up one more time. If anybody understood that it was Paul. He was left for dead, imprisoned, beaten, shipwrecked, and much more, yet he kept getting back up. Failure only succeeds when you refuse to rebound from it. You got to get up when you fall because if you don't you'll get trampled on. Losers become losers because they constantly give up trying after one failure.

The Cleveland Browns are a prime example. I don't want to upset any of you CB fans, but how many quarterbacks have you had since your reinvention? How many coaches and general managers? I know you're tired of hearing maybe this year will be different and it never is. Your team will never succeed with its inconsistent behavior, which is all your're known for, and that's why you can never seem to find success.

Everybody loves an underdog. It's the people that get knocked down and keep on trying until they get it right that will end up successful. Sometimes the fall hurts so bad you can't stand it, but when the pinnacle is reached it's so much sweeter. Thank God for the pastors, ministries, and churches that refused to give up. Thank God for the inventors and statesmen that failed but kept on trying. It's not how many times you get knocked down that makes or breaks a situation-it's how many times you're willing to get up and try again.

We tend to equate ministers and ministries with invulnerability. In other words, they cannot fall or fail, and if they do they are scarred for life. That is why so many ministers have given up their ministry because they feel unworthy or helpless in their situation. If they give up somebody thinks they did something wrong or they can't handle some problem personally or church wise. If they stay in and fail, they can't deal with the speculation of their failure by their peers. It's a no-win situation as far as they're concerned.

So I challenge every person who reads this that's in ministry or facing challenges in every day life-if you get knocked down, get up. Don't worry about what people say or do, give yourself a second chance. You don't have to answer to God for others, just yourself. If you want to hear Him say, "Well done," don't stay down. What caused you to fail the last time will become the motivation to succeed the next.

The Gift

There is one gift that you can give at anytime and anyplace you desire that costs very little, but means so much to so many that receive it. Those who receive it usually want to return it joyfully. It is the foundation that we build relationships on that will not crumble and a sign that the gift we give is received.

Here are some of it's benefits that you can't deny:

-It has no moving parts or batteries.

-It has no monthly payments or fees.

-It is inflation proof and nontaxable.

-It can't be stolen, and it isn't polluted.

-One size fits all and it shows no wear.

-It uses little energy, but yields results enormously.

-Relieves tension and stress.

-Invigorates your happiness.

-Combats depression and elevates your self esteem!

-It corrects your circulation and demeanor without any unpleasant side effects.

-Of course, it's also fully returnable,

What is this amazing gift you ask? Just a simple hug. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Repairing The Broken

Jesus specifies that He is the one that can put broken things back together again.  In Luke 4:17-19, he said “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

How many of individuals that you know have been broken before? Your family members? You co-workers? Your pastor or his family? Maybe even you?

Were they broken by someone who betrayed you? Were they broken by the circumstances that they had to face in everyday life? Were they broken by a family crisis that never seemed to have an ending? Were they broken because their health failed and nothing helped the pain? Were they broken because somebody intentionally hurt them just to justify themselves? So many reasons exist today that in a split second can break even the strongest people among us.

That is why Jesus is still the answer for broken lives, broken hearts and broken families today. He is able to bind up your wounds, heal the brokenness in your heart, and lift the heaviness from your spirit. When you are broken there is only one person who can put you back together and His name is Jesus!

So if you need Him to touch your area of brokenness today just ask Him. He has an answer with your name on it and is standing by to bring it to pass in your life.

Jeremiah 33:3 " Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show you great and mighty things which thou knoweth not!"

Easy And Difficult

For every positive there is a negative in life. We all face them each and every day. We often say so many things are easy failing to realize how difficult it is to make the positives come to pass without the negatives.

It's easy....

-to get a place in someone's address book. 

-to judge the mistakes of others.

-to talk without thinking.

-to hurt someone who loves us.

-to forgive others.

-to set rules.

-to dream every night.

-to show victory.

-to admire a full moon.

-to stumble over a stone.

-to enjoy life every day.

-to promise something to someone.

-to say we love.

-to criticize others.

-to make mistakes.

-to weep for a lost love.

-to think about improving.

-to think bad of others.

-to receive.

-to read this.

-to keep a friendship with words.

These things are easy to say, but hard to follow up on. Here's why:

It's difficult... 

-to get a place in someone's heart.

-to recognize our own mistakes.

-to hold your tongue.

-to heal a wound.

-to ask for forgiveness.

-to live up to your own rules.

-to fight for a dream.

-to accept defeat with dignity.

-to see the other side.

-to get up when you've been knocked down.

-to give life its real value.

-to fulfill the promises you've made.

-to show you care every day.

-to improve yourself more than you criticize others.

-to learn from your mistakes.

-to take care of that relationship so as not to lose it.

-to stop thinking it and put it into action.

-to give others the benefit of the doubt.

-to give.

-to follow.

-to keep it with meaning.

The Prodigals

People often say, “Why doesn’t God speak to me?” To which I answer, “He speaks to you all the time, but you won’t slow down long enough to listen.” The loudness of life and the constant pressure to get things done, to meet our goals, and to cross off items on our to-do list conspires to keep us from hearing the still, small voice of the Lord. But God knows how to speak to us and to get our attention-we just have to learn how to listen.

God will use desperate measures when necessary to reach a prodigal. I can imagine very few things worse than Jonah being in the belly of a great fish for three days and three nights. But it is better to be in the fish and talking to God than on dry land boasting about your big plans. It’s a good thing to be desperate if desperation turns your heart to the Lord. You pray inside the great fish because if God doesn’t do something, you will die there.

You already know you can get into trouble anywhere. An earthquake can strike, a tornado can come, a car can veer off the road, and catastrophe can strike at any moment. You can be singing a tune one moment and have a stroke the next. I did, and it happens to people every day. No one is immune to trouble, and there is nowhere on earth where you are truly safe from heartbreak, sadness, disease, danger and death.

Even after Jonah got right with God, he’s still inside the fish. He’d never get out on his own. So God works an amazing deliverance. Look at verse 10 of Jonah 2:

“And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.”

The same Lord who appointed the fish to catch him now tells the fish to let him go. I checked out the Hebrew word translated “vomit” and it means vomit. That’s a very good translation. One moment he’s wedged in the belly of the fish, the next he’s flying through the air, and the next he lands on the shore, covered with shrimp cocktail. All of it meant to teach him and us that salvation is of the Lord and Him only.

So remember even the Prodigals are being chased by the Lord. No matter where they are, God knows. So trust Him. Put them in God's hands and let Him do the work that you can't do. It may get as deep as the belly of a great fish and they be covered with a stench you can hardly stand, but God can set their feet on dry ground.