When Life Gets In Your Way (Part 8)

You would think that a man with over 47 years in the ministry would have seen it all. Yet, I saw something I had never seen before. I saw a man so eaten up with bitterness that it was affecting every area of his life. Very little made him happy and he shut himself off from friends and people in general because he was tired of being hurt. Guess what? That man was me. My stroke affected me physically and mentally so much that paranoia begin to control my life. Hey, I am an Ordained Bishop, pastored some great churches, but I had been let down by so many that I loved that I didn't trust anyone for a long time.

During this time I learned some very important things that helped me get life out of the way and get myself where I needed to be spiritually.

-I learned that some times you have to walk away from people, not because you don’t care, but because they don’t. You can't help some people because they don't want help. If they don't want help or instruction you can't give it to them no matter how hard you try. It's their reaction and rejection that starts the hurt to build up inside.

-When someone hurts you time and time again, accept the fact that they don’t care for or about you.  It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s a necessary medicine. As believers we must love everybody, but sometimes that's hard to do, especially when the ones you're trying to help hurt you over and over again. Sometimes it's better to put them in God's hands, pray for them, but leave them alone. I've pastored more than one person that tried to hurt me even though I never did anything wrong to them that I know of. I just wasn't the former pastor or my direction was different than they wanted and they often let me know about it. Their lies and false tales brought me more problems than I could handle at times.

-Don't strive to impress people with your abilities.  Don't waste another second of your time trying to prove something to them.  Nothing needs to be proven. Do your best to forgive your enemies and move on. I moved into some situations that were there when I got to the church, but I begin to believe that my peers were blaming the circumstances on me and as a reflection of my ministry. Satan literally tore me apart with those thoughts and my illness only made it worse.

I learned that people become infatuated with someone simply for what they look like on the outside.  That's like choosing your favorite food based on color instead of taste.  It makes no sense.  It’s innate, invisible, unquantifiable characteristics that create lasting attraction. Those gifts can only come from the Holy Spirit. The facts are that some people will be with you and others against you. You determine which dominates your mind.

Just as some people enjoy the smell of mint, while others prefer the scent of cinnamon, there is an undeniable, magnetic draw that attracts you to the qualities of certain people, places, and things.  Those that share your burden and vision are greater than those that oppose you. That's a fact you have to remind yourself of when the going gets tough. Sometimes it’s the scars your soul shares with them that creates the very hinges that hold you together in the long run.

Life did get in my way, but I'm glad I found a way to get past it. How about you?

Stewardship (Part 5)

As you preach about the objectives of stewardship you will usually face opposition from others. Stewardship objectives include money, time, and talent. Yet good people often resist planning for the ministry of the church for several reasons. I'm sure there are more than I have listed, but these are a few I encountered as a pastor:

(1) Some people do not plan and manage wisely in the church because they do not know how to do it in their own lives. They are not good stewards of their personal resources so they don't understand the preparation required for managing God's.

(2) When people do not understand God's purpose for stewardship personally it is difficult to plan. You must first know God's purpose and yours if you are to make plans to fulfill it.  When you understand these things its easier to communicate them to others and help them recognize their part in God's plan. 

(3) Some people resist because they believe stewardship planning is not Biblical.  The Biblical record is filled with men and women who made plans under the direction of God.  God is a God of purpose and planning.  He has used individuals, nations, Israel, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Church in His plan.  His purpose was established from the beginning of time, and He is still working out His plan in the world today.

(4) Some people believe planning and organization hinder the freedom of the Holy Spirit. This is not true.  After the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit recorded in Acts 2, it is only a short time later that planning and organization under the direction of the Spirit begins in Acts 6. 

The discipline of organized planning in ministry in no way restricts the freedom of the Holy Spirit.  It makes you even more sensitive to the direction of the Lord because you make a conscious decision to seek His purpose and plans. Planning can be a form of worship, a time during which you reflect on God's purpose and plans and open your spirit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit searches your heart and spirit, and because He has the mind of God, He reveals God's plans and purposes to you.  When you pray, study God's Word, and plan under the inspiration of the  Holy Spirit, planning is a spiritual activity.  It does not hinder the working of the Holy Spirit. 

One good example of this is the plan of Joshua at Ai in Joshua 8.  Joshua had a plan in Verse 4,  but it did not hinder God's miraculous working in Verse 18. Both natural planning and supernatural events worked together in harmony.

(5) Anytime you try to do anything different, you will encounter opposition of those bound in tradition.  They do not want to change.  They have done things a certain way for many  years and it has become a tradition.  Jesus had this same problem with the Scribes and Pharisees.  Sometimes you can lead these "traditional" people into positive change. Other times you may not be able to "put the new wine in old wineskins,” as Jesus described it.  Then it is necessary to raise up new believers who are willing to enter into God's plan.

It does not mean the people bound by tradition are not saved or a part of the Body of Christ.  They are our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and we should love them and help them as much as they permit. But they have chosen to cling to traditions of men rather than moving ahead to accomplish new things under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus and Paul both ministered in the  temple and the synagogues as far as  they were permitted. These were the "traditional" houses of worship at the time.  But because of rejection due to tradition, they were forced to take their message to new believers who were more open to receive the message.

(6) Stewardship planning deals with the future.  Some people fear the future and do not like to think about it or plan for it.  But you do not have to fear because God controls the future. He already knows the plans He has for you.  All you are doing in planning is asking God to reveal His plans to you.
 Jeremiah 29:11  TLB "For I know the plans I have for you.  Says the Lord, they are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

(7) Some people do not plan and organize because it takes time and it is hard work. They are slothful. Slothfulness is unconcern and laziness.  The field work of the slothful is described in Proverbs 24:30-34.  It does not bring forth spiritual harvest.

(8) The unfaithful steward in Matthew 25:14-30 feared failure, so he did not even try to use what he had been given by his master in Verse 25. 

The only time you ever really fail is when you stop trying.  Thomas Edison, a great inventor in the United States, tried hundreds of methods which failed before he invented electricity. However, Edison went on to become a great success because He did not stop trying.  Eventually, he discovered electricity.

The Biblical record is filled with stories of great men and women of God who failed, but went on to become successful for God because they did not stop trying. Actually, when you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!
  

Stewardship (Part 4)

(4) Many people are more occupied with reacting to urgent matters of the present instead of planning for the future.  This causes them to react rather than act with wisdom and purpose.

Without a plan, you do not know what you are doing, why you are doing it, or how it is to be done.  Because you have no purpose and plan, you have nothing to commit to, no way to evaluate your effectiveness for God, and you are easily persuaded to react by quitting in times of crisis.  Planning transforms desire to demonstration and visions to reality. It helps you determine what needs to be done and how to do it in order to fulfill God's purposes.

(5) When you have a plan, people know their responsibilities. This makes them accountable to God, others, and themselves.  To be accountable to someone means you have to answer to them for something they have given you to do.

In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 the servants were accountable for talents their  master gave them. Their master had a plan, communicated it to his servants, and they were to fulfill it by investing the funds as they had been directed.

You are accountable not only for knowing God's will for your life and ministry, but also for doing it:Luke 12:47 "And that servant, which knew His Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to His will, shall be beaten with many stripes."

(5) Planning permits evaluation to see if you are fulfilling God's purpose and plans.  If you have no plan, how do you know if you are succeeding or failing?  If you have no purpose, how will you know if you ever achieve it?

(6) Planning helps you manage spiritual resources properly and make wise use of funds, material possessions, people, spiritual gifts and callings for the work of God's Kingdom.

(7) Planning prepares you to enter open doors. When God opens doors, you need to be ready to walk though them.  This is not possible without advance preparation. Read the parable of the wise and foolish virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.  God opens doors, but they do not stay open forever. They open and wait for your entry.  Then they close, sometimes never to open again.

(8) Planning brings your will into harmony with God's will. The first question of the Apostle Paul after his conversion was, "What will you have me to do?"  He was asking God, "What is your plan for my life and ministry?"   When you bring your will in harmony with God's plans, you are successful.   

Stewardship (Part 3)

Good stewardship of the ministry God has given you is very important because:

(1) If you are to be successful in ministry, then your purpose and plans must be in harmony with those of God.

When you know your specific purpose for ministry and make plans to fulfill that purpose, then you can lead others.  Good leaders must know where they are going in order to guide followers.  Guidance and unity of ministry involves common purpose and direction.

When there is proper direction, confusion is eliminated:

1 Corinthians 14:33 "For God is not a  God  of  confusion  but of peace."

Ephesians 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children."

God has had a purpose and plan from the beginning of time.  If God's activities are not characterized by confusion, then the ministries of His servants should not be either.

(2) Decisions determine your destiny. This is true even of salvation.  You must make a decision to either accept or reject the Gospel.  Your eternal destiny is determined by your own decision.

Your present life and ministry is determined by previous decisions you have made.  You either make decisions by thoughtful planning or on the spur of the moment.  Planning and management with the guidance of the Lord permit you to make good decisions.

(3) Knowing God's purpose and plan helps you establish proper priorities for your life and ministry.  Priorities are activities which are more important than other things you could choose to  do.

You have priorities in life whether you consciously determine them or not. You will establish priorities either by drifting into habits that become a way of life, through pressure of circumstances or others around you, or by a definite decision based on God's purposes. 

Luke 12:16-20 tells the story of a man with misplaced priorities. You will study this parable in more detail later in this course.  This story illustrates that misplaced priorities are always followed by a penalty. 
 

Stewardship (Part 2)

Stewardship by objectives involves:

 -Formulating a purpose for ministry in harmony with that of God.

-Making plans to achieve the purpose.

-Organizing people and procedures to implement the plan (implement means to put it into action).

-Perfecting the plan through evaluation.

Good stewardship planning is hard work. It takes time and effort. Spiritual works of wood, hay, and stubble are easier to produce, but are perishable.  Gold and silver takes more effort, but is lasting.

1 Corinthians 3:12, 13 "Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest:  for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is."

The ministry of Jesus was one managed by stewardship objectives:
 
-Jesus knew His purpose in God's plan.  He made many statements of purpose during His early ministry-Luke 4:18, 19.

-Jesus had a plan of ministry. He planned to preach and teach the Gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons, and do miracles confirming God's Word.  He would fulfill God's purpose by dying for the sins of all mankind, destroying the works of the enemy, and rising from the dead in power and glory.     

-Jesus used people in His ministry.  He specifically called twelve men to minister with Him.  Later He sent out seventy to minister the Gospel.  He also commissioned all believers to take the Gospel to all nations.
 
-Jesus had a procedure for fulfilling God's plans.  A procedure is a method or way of doing things.  He outlined a procedure for spreading the Gospel in Matthew 10 and Luke 10.

-Jesus evaluated the ministry of His disciples to perfect the plan in Luke 10:17-24.  After the plan was perfected, He commissioned all believers to participate in it according to Matthew 28:19, 20 and Acts 1:8.

Quit (Part 3)

Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Quit ...

h. Living in another time and place.

Some people spend their entire lives trying to live in another time and place.  They lament about what has been, what they could have done, or what might become.  However, the past is gone, and the future doesn’t exist.  No matter how much time we spend thinking and lamenting about either, it doesn’t change anything.

One of life’s greatest paradoxes is that our brightest future hinges on our ability to pay attention to what we’re doing right now, today. We need to live more in the moment.  Living in the moment requires active, open, intentional awareness of the present.  Don’t fantasize about being on vacation while at work, and don’t worry about the work piling up on your desk when you’re on vacation.  Live for now.  Notice the life unfolding around you and rejoice in it.

i. Trying to be someone you’re not.

One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love you, and you’ll love yourself more too. The world is filled with counterfeits and fakes. Don't be one! 

j. Being ungrateful.

Not all the pieces of life will seem to fit together at first, but in time you’ll realize they do, perfectly.  So thank the things that didn’t work out, because they just made room for the things that will, and thank the ones who walked away from you, because they just made room for the ones who won’t.

No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

Quit (Part 2)

1 Corinthians 16:13 "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."

Paul is making it clear that we must have courage and stand on the faith God places within our hearts. It takes a real courageous person to quit some of their behaviors that are derogatory and keep them bottled up inside.

Quit ...

e. Talking down to yourself.

Romans 8:14-17 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

Nothing will bring you down quicker than berating yourself.  The mind is a superb instrument if used right, but when used incorrectly, it becomes very destructive.  Be aware of your mental self-talk.  We all talk silently to ourselves in our heads, but we aren’t always conscious of what we’re saying or how it’s affecting us.

Henry Ford once stated, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.”  One of the major causes of why we fail is due to self-doubt and negative self-talk.  The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful.  Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones, over time you will change the trajectory of your life. You area joint heir with Christ and don't forget that.

f. Criticizing others.

Galatians 6:1 "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

The negativity you bleed out toward others will gradually cripple your own joy.  When you truly feel comfortable with your own imperfections, you won’t feel threatened or offended by the imperfections you see in other people.

Stop worrying about the flaws you see in everyone else, and focus on yourself.  Again, that's easier said than done, but consider it could have been you in the same situation. Let constant growth and improvement in your own spiritual life keep you so busy that you have no time left to criticize others.

g. Running from your problems and fears.

Psalm 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

Trust me, if everyone threw their problems in a pile for you to see, you would grab yours back.  Tackle your problems and fears swiftly, don’t run away from them.  The best solution is to face them head on no matter how powerful they may seem.

Fears, in particularly, stop you from taking chances and making decisions.  They keep you confined to just the small space where you feel completely comfortable.  But your life’s story is simply the culmination of many small, unique experiences, many of which require you to stretch your comfort zone.  Letting your fears and worries control you is not ‘living,’ it’s merely existing.
Either you own your problems and fears, or they will ultimately own you.

Quit (Part 1)

James 4:8 "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."

When you quit doing the wrong things, you make more room for the things that fill you with joy.  So start today!

Quit...

a. Procrastinating on your goals.

James 4:14 "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it.  Action and change are often resisted when they’re needed most.  Get a hold of yourself and have discipline.  Putting something off instantly makes it harder and scarier.  What we don’t start today won’t be finished by tomorrow, and there’s nothing more stressful than the perpetual lingering of an unfinished task.

The secret to getting ahead is simply getting started.  Starting, all by itself, is usually sufficient to build enough momentum to keep the ball rolling.  So forget about crossing the finish line and just concentrate on taking your first step.  Say to yourself, “I choose to start this task with a small, imperfect step.”  All those small steps will add up and you’ll actually get to see changes fairly quickly.  

b. Blaming others and making excuses.

James 4:11 " Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge."

Stop blaming others for what you have or don’t have, or for what you feel or don’t feel.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility and perpetuate the problem.  Stop giving your power away and start taking responsibility for your life.  Blaming is just another sorry excuse, and making excuses is the first step towards failure; you and only you are responsible for your life choices and decisions.

c. Trying to avoid change.

James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

If nothing ever changed there would be no sunrise the next morning.  Most of us are comfortable where we are even though the whole universe is constantly changing around us.  Learning to accept this is vital to our joy and general success.  Because only when we change, do we grow, and begin to see a world we never knew was possible.

Don’t forget, however good or bad a situation is now, it will change.  That’s the one thing you can count on.  So embrace it, and realize that change happens for a reason.  It won’t always be easy or obvious at first, but in the end it will be worth it.

d. Trying to control the uncontrollable.
James 4:15 " For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."

If you try to control everything, and then worry about the things you can’t control, you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of frustration and misery. Some forces are out of your control, but you can control how you react to things.  Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects and whether you’re happy or not depends greatly on which aspects you focus on.  The best thing you can do is to let go of what you can’t control, and invest your energy in the things you can.

Stories (Part 4)

Romans 8:17 "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Even when your past stories try to pull you back in, you can consciously do your best to focus on your present blessings.  What do you see in your life right now?  Be thankful for it all:

-For your health.

-For your family,

-For your friends.

-For your home. 

Many people don’t have these things. Remind yourself that the richest human isn’t the one who has the most, but the one who needs less.  Wealth is a mindset.  Want less and appreciate more today.

That's easier said than done of course, but with practice it does get easier.  As you practice, you transform your past stories into present moments of freedom.  Ultimately, happiness is letting go of what you assume your life is supposed to be like right now and sincerely appreciating it for everything that it is.  At the end of this day, before you close your eyes, smile and be at peace with where you’ve been and grateful for what you have.  Life is good and your past stories can't steal that from you unless you let them.

It takes practice to fully grasp in real time that what happened yesterday cannot be changed. Oftentimes we don’t even realize we’re blocking our own present blessings by holding on to those past stories.  So just do your best to bring awareness to this pray diligently so you can gradually let go of your hurtful stories.  Keep reminding yourself:

-You are not your bad days!

-You are not your mistakes!

-You are not your scars!

-You are not your past!

Stories (Part 3)

John 20:22 "And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost

When you're still working through a painful story from the past, it’s easy to feel like you’re going through it alone. You've been made to think like no one else could possibly understand how we feel.  In a way, we subconsciously place ourselves at the center of the story, and see everything that happened exclusively from the viewpoint of how it affects us personally, without regard for anyone else.  Yet, as we grow through our pain and gradually broaden our horizons, we begin to see that our self-centered thinking is only fueling our misery and we realize that shifting our focus onto others'
needs for a while can help.

It’s one of life’s great paradoxes-when we serve others, we end up benefiting as much if not more than those we serve.  So whenever you feel pain from those past stories trying to suck you back in, shift your focus from your circumstances to the circumstances of those near and far.

Breathe in whatever painful feeling you’re feeling, and breathe out relief from that pain for everyone in the world who is suffering alongside you.

-If you’re feeling grief, breathe in all the grief of the world then breathe out peace.

-If you’re feeling anger, breathe in all the anger of the world then breathe out forgiveness.

-If you’re feeling regretful, breathe in all the regret of the world then breathe out gratitude for the good times.

Do this for a minute or two as often as you need to, imagining all the pain of those near and far coming in with each breath, and then a feeling of compassion and reconciliation radiating out to all of those who are in pain as you breathe out.  Instead of running from your past stories and the pain they caused you, you’re embracing it, and you’re thinking of others as well, which gets you out of that miserable, self-centered mindset trap that past stories can bring.

Remember, Jesus is the author and finisher of your faith!

Stories (Part 1)

Psalm 32: 1 "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."

If you're working on yourself and changing for the better, it’s unnecessary to keep holding on to your past. You can change and grow.  You know this is true, but,have you given yourself a fair chance to change and grow?
Have you consciously loosened your grip on everything that’s behind you, so you can step forward again with grace?

If you’re shaking your head, you aren’t alone.  I know exactly how you feel.  I’ve been there myself, and I know dozens of others in the same boat.  At times, we all fall victim to our attachments, and sometimes we don’t even realize we’re blocking our own present blessings by holding on to the past.  Do your best to realize this right now. Growth is painful and so is change, but in the end, nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere in the past.

In the present moment, we all have some kind of pain:

-Anger.
-Sadness.
-Frustration.
-Disappointment.
-Regret.

Realize this pain within yourself, watch it closely, and see that it’s caused by whatever story you have in your head about what happened in the past.  Your mind might insist that the pain you feel is caused by what happened, but what happened in the past is not happening right now.  It’s over.  It has passed.  But the pain is still happening right now because of the story you’ve been subconsciously telling yourself about that past. The word “story” in this context doesn’t have to imply true or false, positive or negative, or any other kind of forceful judgment call.  It’s simply a process that’s happening inside your head:

-You are remembering something that happened.
-You subconsciously perceive yourself as a victim of this incident.
-Your memory of what happened causes a strong emotion in you.

So just notice what story you have, without judging it, and without judging yourself.  It’s natural to have a story; we all have stories.  See yours for what it is.  And see that it’s causing you pain.  Then take a deep breath, and another…Inner peace begins the moment you take these deep breaths and choose not to allow the past to rule your present thoughts and emotions. 

Stories (Part 2)

1 John 2:8 "Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth."

We desperately try to hold onto all of the stories from our past that have hurt us as if they’re real, solid, everlasting fixtures in our lives; but they aren’t really there. If they are there in some form, they’re changing, fluid, impermanent, or simply imagined storylines in our minds. Life gets a lot easier to deal with the moment we understand this and let the stories be laid to rest.

Imagine you’re blindfolded and treading water in the center of a large swimming pool, and you’re struggling desperately to grab the edge of the pool that you think is nearby, but really it’s not that far away.  Trying to grab that imaginary edge is stressing you out, and tiring you out, as you splash around aimlessly trying to holding on to something that isn’t there. It's in the darkness the stories of yesterday affect us so deeply.

Now imagine you pause, take a deep breath, and realize that there’s nothing nearby to hold on to.  Just water around you.  You can continue to struggle with grabbing at something that doesn’t exist or you can accept that there’s only water around you, and relax, and float. In spite of the blindfold you know you are close to the edge.

Today, I challenge you to ask yourself:

-What stories from your past are you are still desperately trying to hold on to?

-How is it affecting you in the present?

Realize the story you’re trying to hold on to doesn’t really exist anymore.  Let go and just floating. The darkness is past. Recognize how that will change your life from this moment forward and swim to safety.

Ecclesiastes 3:15 "That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past."

When Life Gets In The Way (Part 7)

I remember as a young preacher in the early 70's that one of our evangelists went on an evangelistic campaign in Alaska. They were one of the most respected evangelists and ministers in our state and had a full schedule of meetings, but they chose to obey the Lord and leave material comforts behind in South Carolina. Their calling to minister was greater than being content with the status quo of ministry.

There are two variations of contentment in ministry. the first is fleeting and the second is enduring.  The fleeting type is derived from limitations of material comfort, while the enduring type is attained through the gradual growth of your relationship with God.  At a glimpse it might be difficult to decipher one from the other, but as time rolls on it becomes vividly obvious that the latter is far superior.

Enduring contentment sustains itself through life’s ups and downs, because through them your mind remains confident and at peace with God.  On the other hand, when life’s fleeting changes have the ability to ruffle your mind into a frenzy, even the most elaborate physical comforts won’t make you any happier for very long.  Pastoring a larger church is not always the answer. It's all about being where God wants you to be that makes the difference.

If you want to make a difference for God in the world, start with the world around you.  Making a big difference all at once is almost impossible, and the process of trying is extremely stressful.  However, instantly making a difference in a few lives is entirely possible and usually fairly easy.  You just have to focus on one person at a time and start with the one closest to you.

Work to make a bunch of small splashes, and let the ripples spread naturally.  If you want to change a person’s mind or mood, sometimes you have to change the minds or moods of the people around them first.  For instance, if you make one person smile, their smile just might make others smile too.  In this subtle way, you can touch the masses with your ministry without stressing yourself out. Learn as the Apostle to be "content in whatever state you're in." 

When :Life Gets In Your Way (Part 6)

Ministry is the most important thing to a man or woman that is called of God. The Word says, "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance." It's a lot harder today to begin your ministry within the Church of God than it once was and there are many reasons for it. One of those reasons is the need for training an individual to deal with the pitfalls of full-time ministry. Just as the wise man said, "There is a season for everything." The most discouraging thing in ministry almost never really happens, but it's the fear of the unknown that cripples so many involved. That's why the training is important in learning how to deal with life's impasses.

Someday when you look back over your ministry you’ll realize that nearly all of your worries and anxious thoughts never came to fruition and were completely unfounded. When you look back over the last few years, how many opportunities for joy did you destroy with needless worry and negativity?  Although there’s nothing you can do about these lost joys, there’s plenty you can do about the ones that are still to come.

You will find that it’s necessary to let some things go simply for the reason that they’re heavy on your heart and soul.  Let go of them.  Don’t clamp shackles to your own ankles.  It’s incredibly easy to enjoy more of your life right now, no matter what the situation.  It’s just a matter of letting go of the layers of junk that are weighing you down.

Let go of your worries. fears, and of your need to always be right and control others.  Let go of your pretentiousness and your need to have everything your way instead of God's.  Underneath all these layers of junk there is a happy, productive person.  When you start peeling them off and simply appreciating your calling for what it is, life can be wonderfully fulfilling and not a stumbling block.

A bad day is just a bad day.  Choose not to make it anything more.  Times of adversity will inevitably affect the conditions in which you live and work; yet you don’t have to let it affect who you are and where you’re headed.  Take note of the setbacks and adjust to them, but don’t expand on them by making them a bigger part of your life. Remember, if the grass is greener on the other side, it might just be because of a bigger septic tank.

Every day brings new lessons and new possibilities.  There is always a way to take the next step forward on the path God's chosen for you.  Events may be terrible and inescapable at times, but He gives you a choice. It's not when, but how, you may endure and proceed forward. There is a balance you can achieve to keep life from getting in your way through the power of God. Take it from experience-if you don't take it your ministry may not make it.

When Life Gets In Your Way (Part 5)

Philippians 3:13, 14 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
If you are called to be a minister full-time, life can really get in the way. Finances will affect your decisions, there's less time with your companion and family, and an insecure future hold many in a prison. Yes, you trust God, but somehow you've lost faith in people. Hey, I've been there and done that. When you've had people you love turn on you over something stupid, life becomes as real as it gets. It affects every part of your being and can even hamper the fulfillment of your calling.

Ministry without passion is imprisonment in any profession.  Even if you aren’t super-passionate about your ministry, you’ve got to at least be interested in it.  When you design a lifestyle in which your ministry is something you suffer through daily strictly to pay your bills, you end up spending your entire life wishing you had someone else’s.

Think about it.  This is your life; your ministry will fill a large percentage of it.  It’s not all about the money; it’s about you.  Ignore the propaganda, especially from people who say, “Don’t let your ministry define you.”  Reverse this message and mediate on it:  “I will do ministry that defines me.”  When the essence of who you are defines at least some slice of the ministry you do for a living, it generates fulfillment and an understanding of dealing with life when it gets in your way. Devotion in your ministry puts quality in your output and happiness in your mind.  Don’t settle for just a paycheck.  

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”  Truth be told, when we harbor feelings of hate, it eventually gets the best of us.  It takes control of us and spoils our ministry.  We forget why we hate, what we hate, and whom we hate, and we simply hate for the sake of hating.  And then, naturally, we begin to hate ourselves too because we can't get rid of the bitterness and hurt caused by the conflict. That's why ministry has to be more than just a job and a paycheck.

Everything and everyone you hate rents permanent space in both your head and heart.  So if you want to eliminate something or someone from your mind, don’t hate.  Instead, disconnect yourself, move on, and don’t look back. Don't let life get in your way another moment with things that deteriorate your ministry and steal your anointing. Stand up and declare your rights as a Child of the King and move forward in Jesus name! 

When Life Gets In The Way (Part 4)

So many people never reach their potential because they are living someone's story. Almost every story in fantasy has a happy ending, but real life doesn't always work that way. Sometimes there are setbacks in our lives that cause us to focus on other people's stories more than our own. Life is funny that way. You set out to write your own destiny and life gets in your way.

James 4:14 says, "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

Don’t become so satisfied with the success stories of others and how things have gone for them that you forget to write your own.  God wants you to own your story and bring it to life.  You have everything you need to become what you are capable of becoming.  Supernatural  change happens when you decide to let God take control. It means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and deciding for you.  It means learning to respect and use your own ideas and instincts to write your story. the Word says that "obedience is greater than sacrifice." People of God understand sacrifice, but we fall short when it comes to obedience.

If you want your life story to soar to new heights, you’ve got to clear a path, reduce the burdens weighing you down, and pick up the things that give you wings.  Keep your biggest goals close to your heart and dedicate time to them every day by the grace of God.  If you truly care about what you do and you work diligently at it, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish with the help of the Lord.

Too many buy into the myth of the perfect moment.  Moments aren’t perfect; they’re what you make them. if you wait around for the stars to align to do what you’re here to do, it may never get done.  The perfect moment, the perfect opportunity, and the perfect state of being are myths.  They do not exist.

Your ability to grow to your highest potential is directly related to your willingness to act in the face of imperfection and trust in a living God.  You will come to write your own story not by finding a perfect moment, but by learning to see and use life’s imperfections perfectly. You don't know what will happen tomorrow, so do what you can today to write your story. Don't let life get in your way! 

When Life Gets In The Way (Part 3)

Other people’s negativity isn’t worth worrying about. Truth be told, what others say and do, and the opinions they have, are based entirely on their own self-reflection.  Don’t take things too personal and move on.

Always forgive people and move on, even if they never ask for your forgiveness.  Don’t do it for them, but do it for yourself.  The best medicine is a strong dose of love, laughter and letting go. Just like we would never allow even a tiny bit of poison to be in our food, let us not allow even a tiny bit of anger to live in our heart.

Don’t allow your temporary wounds to permanently transform you into someone you aren’t.  A strong person is not one who doesn’t cry; a strong person is one who cries for a moment openly, and then gets up and fights again for what they believe in.

You are not what you have done, but you are what you have overcome.  Your struggles aren’t found on the path because they are the path. Life is inherently risky, but there is only one risk you should avoid at all costs, and that’s the risk of doing nothing.  Get out there and make something happen, even if it’s just a small step in the right direction.  Strive for progress, not perfection.

When he was working on inventing the light bulb, Thomas Edison famously said, “I have not failed.  I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”  In other words, he believed he never once failed at inventing the light bulb, he just first found thousands of ways that it didn’t work, which led him to the one way that did.  So take your so-called “failures” and learn something from them.  Learn how to do it better next time.  That’s what’s important.

A happy, effective mindset is really dependent on perspective.  If you think something is a problem, then your thoughts and emotions will be negative.  But if you think it’s something you can learn from, then suddenly, it’s not a problem anymore.  In almost every case, nothing is stopping you, nothing is holding you back but your own thoughts and ideas about yourself and “how life is.”

When Life Gets In The Way (Part 2)

Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live..."

Happiness in life is allowing yourself to be perfectly OK with “what is,” rather than wishing for and worrying about “what is not.”  “What is” is what’s supposed to be, or it would not be.  The rest is just you, arguing with life.  Think about that for a minute.  This means your suffering only ever occurs when you resist how things are.  You cannot control everything that happens to you; you can only control the way you respond to what happens.  In your response is your power.

Sometimes we avoid experiencing exactly where we are because we have developed a belief, based on our ideals, that it is not where we should be or want to be.  But the truth is, where you are right now is exactly where you need to be to get to where you want to go tomorrow.

Not always getting what you want forces you to reevaluate things, opening new doors to opportunities and information you would have otherwise overlooked.You’re not going to avoid change.  Change is the process of life itself.  In fact, everything is changing every single minute of our lives.  However good or bad a situation is now, it will change.  That’s the one thing you can count on.

Don’t be someone who goes through greater lengths to avoid change than you do to obtain what you desire.  Your life will begin to improve when you define precisely what “improve” means to you.  The agonies and frustrations will start to ease only when you have something real and positive to replace them with.  Be specific.  Happiness is not a goal, it’s the result of a life well lived.  The question is:  How do you want to live going forward?

You can’t change situations you don’t take responsibility for. Don’t let this be you.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility and you surrender power over that part of your life. No matter how bad things are, you can always make things worse. You can’t have a positive life with a negative attitude.  When negativity controls your thoughts, it limits your behavior, actions, and  opportunities.  If you realized how powerful your thoughts were, you would never think another negative thought again.

Life will get in your way as often as you let it, but you have the power to overcome it. So as a believer seize the moment and declare, "This is my time!"

When Life Gets In The Way (Part 4)

1. Everyone has their own challenges… everyone has their own journey. – It is meaningless to compare one with the other.  We all need our own time to travel our own distance.  It’s perfectly OK to be different.  Today, the only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday.
2. You really are pretty amazing. – Even when life gets rough, you need to be willing to bet on yourself.  It’s the one investment in the world you can control better than anything else.  YOU are worth it!  (Read Choose Yourself!)
3. Being kind to yourself is the best medicine. – Your self-worth has nothing to do with your craft, your calling or your success, and everything to do with how you treat yourself.  Always be kind.
4. Being kind to everyone around you is imperative too. – Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are endless.  Be kind whenever possible.  And realize that it is always possible.  What goes around comes around.  You know this.
5. Letting others in when you’re in a dark place helps. – No, they won’t always be able to pull you out of the dark place you’re in, but the light that spills in when they enter will at least show you which way the door is.
6. Gratitude improves every situation. – Even in the most peaceful surroundings, the ungrateful heart finds trouble.  Even in the most troublesome surroundings, the grateful heart finds peace.  Remember this.  There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.  Life is better when you’re smiling.  Being positive in a negative situation is not naive; it’s a sign of leadership and strength.  You’re doing it right when you have so much to cry and complain about, but you prefer to smile and appreciate your life instead.  Ask yourself: What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you were grateful for today?
7. Rough times help you appreciate the good times. – If everything was always smooth and perfect, you’d get too used to that, you know?  You have to have a little bit of chaos and disorder in your life now and then.  Otherwise you will never really enjoy it when things go right.
8. All the small victories are worth celebrating. – Sometimes we forget to pause and appreciate all our little victories.  Remind yourself: It’s the small things done well that make a big life.
9. It’s OK to give up on things that aren’t getting better. – Move forward with no second-guessing, no guilt trips, no hesitation.  Your purpose is to let go and then recreate yourself anew in each moment.  There’s a big difference between giving up and knowing when you have had enough.  Sometimes we have to move on to move forward.  (Angel and I discuss this in detail in the “Adversity” chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)
10. You are not trapped; you just need to re-learn a few things. – We all have doubts that make us feel trapped at times.  If you doubt your ability to make a life-altering decision, to take on a new chapter in your life, or to fend for yourself after years of being overly-fostered, consider this:  Surely if a bird with healthy wings is locked in a cage long enough, she will doubt her own ability to fly.  You still have your wings, but your muscles are weak.  Train them and stretch them slowly.  Give yourself space.  You’ll be flying again soon.
11. Great things take time. – By all means, find ways to be more efficient in your work.  But make no mistake that it takes diligent effort through good times and bad to build something worthwhile.  There are certainly some success stories out there about people who excelled rather quickly, but you will often find they had put in years of related work long before anyone was paying attention to their seemingly rapid success.  In other words, their current state of achievement is simply all those years of work coming together flawlessly in the present.  So start every morning ready to run farther than you did yesterday and fight harder than you ever have before.  It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it in the end.

12. Afterthoughts

One of life’s greatest gifts is the fact that life is difficult.  Because in dealing with life’s difficulties, we build invaluable strength.  This strength enables us to successfully fulfill our deepest, most meaningful purposes.  It is precisely because life is difficult that we are able to make it great.  It is because life is difficult that we are able to rise above the difficulties.  We are able to make a difference and we are able to truly matter.
So keep this in mind:
When times are tough, you must be tougher.  Don’t pray for an easy life; pray for the strength to endure a tough one that leads to greatness.

When Life Gets In The Way (Part 1)

In Genesis 15:6 we read that Abraham "believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness." In this passage it is clearly Abraham's faith that reckoned him as righteous. However, in James we do read that Abraham's righteousness was based both on his deeds and his faith:

James 2:21-21 "Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,' and he was called the friend of God."

So, at least for the New Testament church, Abraham was considered righteous not only in faith but by his works.

But how can that be, given Abraham's history? In Genesis 12 and 20 we read the stories of Abraham and his wife Sarah traveling south to escape a severe drought in Palestine. Apparently Sarah was an attractive woman and in Genesis 12 Abraham tells Sarah that if the Egyptians make advances to her that she should say she was Abraham's sister, that way they wouldn't kill him to get his wife. The Pharaoh does find Sarah attractive and makes inquiries. When he discovers she is "available" he takes her into his household/harem. In Genesis 20 we read a second story very similar to Genesis 12. In this account it is Abraham who wells the ruler that Sarah is his sister. In both stories a catastrophe is visited upon the rulers' households because Sarah is actually Abraham's wife. In Genesis 20:12, Abraham tries to wiggle out of his deception by saying, "Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife."

Most scholars believe Genesis 12 and 20 are two different accounts of the same story by two different authors, so we won't count each offense twice. The list of indiscretions include: inciting Sarah to lie, causing her to sleep with another, and marrying his half-sister. Hardly a man most people would admire. Yet, scripture heralds Abraham not only as the father of two nations (Israel and Arabia), and the father of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, but a man to be revered and respected. Why?

According to Psalm 53:3, there are none who are righteous-"No, not one." One of the great qualities of scripture is that it pulls no punches. The Bible not only shows the mercy, justice, and kindnesses of a person, but also their faults and foibles. Abraham is no different from any of the other great biblical characters.
Righteousness is the aspiration. Life is the reality. Abraham strove for righteousness in his time, but life got in the way sometimes and he made bad choices. Bad choices cost us all dearly. Certainly Abraham's poor choices brought him guilt and shame. It's not that he wanted to miss-the-mark, but life got in the way. 

That's where God comes in. The neat thing about God is it's God who decides about righteousness. The word "righteous" literally means "right-relationship", and if God's children are interested in being in a right-relationship with God, then God is willing, indeed eager, to be in a right-relationship with us. It's all a matter of reaching out, or reaching in as the case might be, to participate in that relationship.

Apparently Abraham reached out to God and God reached right back. Abraham was declared righteous because of his faith and because he kept on reaching out to God again and again. It wasn't that he was a better man than others, but simply that he was faithful in his relationship with God. He kept coming back no matter how many mistakes he made. God reckoned it as righteousness will do the same for us if we're willing to ask.

Sometimes life will get in your way, but like Abraham you've got to keep reaching out to God. He will not let you down.

The New Covenant (Part 1)

The New Covenant (or New Testament) is the promise that God makes with humanity that He will forgive sin and restore fellowship with those whose hearts are turned toward Him. Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant, and His death on the cross is the basis of the promise in Luke 22:20. The New Covenant was predicted while the Old Covenant was still in effect. The prophets Moses, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all allude to the New Covenant.

The Old Covenant that God had established with His people required strict obedience to the Mosaic Law. Because the wages of sin is death, the Law required that Israel perform daily sacrifices in order to atone for sin. But Moses, through whom God established the Old Covenant, also anticipated the New Covenant. In one of his final addresses to the nation of Israel recorded in Deuteronomy 29:4 , Moses looks forward to a time when Israel would be given “a heart to understand.” Moses also predicts that Israel would fail in keeping the Old Covenant in Verses 22–28, but he then sees a time of restoration in Chapter 30:1–5. At that time, Moses says:

Verse 6 “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.”

The New Covenant involves a total change of heart so that God’s people are naturally pleasing to Him.

The prophet Jeremiah also predicted the New Covenant.

Jeremiah 31:31 “‘The day will come,’ says the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah..."

Verse 33 "But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,’ says the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’”

Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses according to Matthew 5:17 and to establish the New Covenant between God and His people. The Old Covenant was written in stone, but the New Covenant is written on our hearts. Entering the New Covenant is made possible only by faith in Christ, who shed His blood to take away the sins of the world. Luke 22:20 reveals how Jesus, at the Last Supper, takes the cup and says, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

Ezekiel 36:26, 27, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

Ezekiel lists several aspects of the New Covenant here:
-a new heart.
-a new spirit.
-the indwelling Holy Spirit.
-true holiness.

The Mosaic Law could not provide any of these things, but a relationship with Jesus can.