Just Breathe

Just Breathe

2 Timothy 1:3-7 "I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Ministry should be releasing, and not strangling. If God is in something you’ve got to relax and let what He wants to happen take place without incessant worrying and constant micromanagement. Three things I wish I had learned earlier in ministry concerning this: 

-Learn to let go a little before you squeeze too tight.  

Take a deep breath and meditate on what God wants to do rather than what you desire to do. Sometimes our thoughts are not His thoughts and our desires are not His desires. Why He does some of the things He does I will never always understand, but if I snuff out someone's dream before it begins, I may be doing more harm than good. Let God use others and don't be afraid. Guide them, mentor them, even correct them if you must, but for His sake allow them to use their gifts for His glory.  

-When the dust settles and you can once again see the forest for the trees, take the next step forward. 

Yes, there are times when it gets a little to personal. Satan uses different vices to catch you unaware in snares that are unexpected. It's in those clouded moments you need to stand still and see the glory of the Lord. Pressing ahead into uncharted areas can lead you into an ungodly perspective or circumstance. Wait until the dust settles before you take your next step forward. His light will pierce the darkness.

-You don’t have to know exactly where you’re going to be headed somewhere great.

Until you've been there you don't know what you'd do in a situation. You can give advice or even show a judgmental attitude, but until someone has lied on you or treated you badly you won't understand. Yet, in every trial there is a victory to come. Sometimes it takes years for vindication, but God will help the righteous to triumph if we wait on Him. People may never forget or forgive, but God does!

Everything in ministry is in perfect order whether you understand it yet or not. It just takes some time to connect all the dots and see what God has in store.

Someday Is Now

Someday Is Now

Isaiah 25:9 "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

The world doesn’t owe you anything, but you owe the Lord every thing. As the prophet said, "We have waited for Him and we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."

That word "salvation" has the meaning here of "deliverance". He has come, He is here, and He is ready to move. So in spite of the environment of sin around us, that someday you've been waiting on to come is today-RIGHT NOW! However, it will never come to pass unless: 

-You stop daydreaming and start doing what God want's you to do.  

-Develop a spiritual backbone, not a wishbone, and declare what God has promised you.  

-Take full responsibility for your life's calling and take control of any negative ambitions that drive you.  

You are important to God and you are needed to do His work.  It’s too late to sit around and wait for somebody else to do something someday.  Your someday is now and the somebody the world needs is you equipped with the gifts God has place within you. 

Don't waste another day-rejoice is His salvation, speak His Word, and see His glory manifested in the lives of those who so desperately nee Him. Who knows, the next Billy Graham may be among those that you reach today.

Settling For Less Than You Deserve.

Settling For Less Than You're Promised 

Isaiah 43:19 "Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."

Be strong enough to let go of what's been hindering you and wise enough to wait for what you've been promised by God.  Sometimes He allows you get knocked down lower than you have ever been to allow you to stand up taller than you ever were before.  Sometimes your eyes need to be washed by your tears so you can see the possibilities in front of you with a clearer vision again. 

-Do you feel like you're in the wilderness?

-Is that wilderness dry and parched like the desert?

Raise your level of expectation and stand on the promises of God. If He said it He will do it, if He promised it He'll bring it to pass. You can count on Him to spring forth a new thing within your life if you refuse to settle for anything less than what He promised!

Don’t settle for something mediocre, but believe for the best things that God has in store for you. It may not happen as soon as you expect it, but it will happen according to His Word regardless of your location or proximity. The floods of blessing are going to come-just wait and see!

No Victory In Sight

No Victory In Sight

Hebrews 12:1, 2 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Giving up when the going gets tough is easy. It is harder to keep on going when the odds are against you and there is no victory in sight.

There are no failures, just results.  Even if things don’t unfold the way you expected, don’t be disheartened or give up. Look unto Jesus who is the author and finisher of your faith. 

Learn what you can from your stumbles and move on with an even greater expectation.  The one who continues to advance one step at a time will win in the end, because the battle is always won far away and long before the final victory.  

Victory is a process that occurs with small steps, decisions, and actions that gradually build upon each other and eventually lead to that glorious moment of triumph. When you can't see victory, just keep on trusting in the promises of God. The One that rolled the stone away from the grave is the One that will give you the patience to run and finish your race.

Remembered

Remembered

2 Timothy 4:7, 8 "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

A life filled with loving deeds and good character is the best epitaph.  Those who you have inspired and shared your love with will remember how you made them feel long after your time has expired.  So carve your name on hearts, not stone.  What you have done for yourself alone dies with you; what you have done for others and the world remains long after you're gone.

Get Back Up

Get Back Up

1 Corinthians 11:23-28 "Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches."

The best thing you can do when you get knocked down is to get back up and keep going. Paul's life is a testament of what you can do if you make up your mind not to quit when you've knocked down and your ministry has been left for dead. We, in the church need to remember this verse:

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."

We need to remind the fallen, who have been trapped in a failure:

-Don’t be afraid to get back up and try again.

Think of the many who have been restored when their ministry was given up for dead. God can still use you unless you let fear stop you from trying again. 

-Don't be afraid to love again, live again, and dream again for the glory of God.

The God that called you hasn't changed one bit, nor has His calling on your life. Remember that whenthe devil tells you there's no way you can get back to where you were with God.  

-Don’t let a hard lesson harden your heart.  

Life’s best lessons are often learned at the worst times and from the worst mistakes.  When it seems like everything that could possibly go wrong has gone wrong, and you feel like you will be stuck in failure forever, remember you won’t unless you choose to do so  
When you feel like quitting, remember that sometimes things have to go very wrong before they can be right.  

Sometimes you have to go through the worst, to arrive at your best.

Get  back up-Don't stay down. God can lift you up again.

The Glass House

The Glass House

"If God is for me, who can be against me?"

God did not make a minister immune to life. You will face imperfection, insecurities, and even insurrections in your pastorate(s). Stick and stones may not break your bones, but long tongues and harsh words will cut you to the core. There is no immunity zone in the life of a minister. You are an open book and always live in a glass house and some of your greatest critics are the ones that you give so much to.

I asked the Lord a number of times to help me cope with living in a glass house. I believe the Holy Spirit gave me some thoughts that I hope will help you in the dark times you may be facing even today. These are simple thoughts that I wish I had someone say to me when I was going through a dark time in ministry. Hopefully, they will encourage you today. Remember: 


-Life is tough, but you are tougher, stronger, and more capable to deal with what it throws at you than you can imagine.  

-Find the strength to laugh every day even in the face of adversity. 

-Find the courage to live differently than you can imagine, yet beautifully in the grace of God.  

-Find it in your heart to make others smile, even when you're hurting inside, and learn how to forgive.  

-Don’t stress over things you can’t change. I can speak again from experience-it cost me my health and it really wasn't worth it. I got stressed over things that never happened except in my mind. Some things will happen no matter what you do to prevent them, but God is always in control.

-Live simply and be yourself not what others tell or want you to be. 

-Love generously, faithfully,  and share the good news of Jesus.  

-Speak truthfully and never be ashamed of the gospel of truth even if it doesn't please the crowd.  

-Work diligently for the cause of Christ and be smart about doing it His way.  

-If you fall short of your goal, keep going because failure is only produced when you stop trying to be better.  

-Keep growing because each day is a new day of your ultimate destiny and the next step to your eternal home.

Masked

Masked 

Do you really know who you really are? 

Have you hid under a mask for so long to please everyone else and to fit in that you've forgotten your true identity?

Has it helped you in your ministry to try and copy everyone else's success instead of being who God called you to be?

When they questioned Paul's identity because of his past, this is how he responded in his letter to Timothy:

1 Timothy 1:11-16 " According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting."

If the face you always show the world is just a mask and not your true identity then someday there will be nothing beneath it and when your true self comes out you'll have no true identity to build on.  You've always spent so much time concentrating on everyone else’s perception of you, or who everyone else wants you to be, you eventually forget who you really are.  

Here's some good advice:

-Don’t fear the judgments of others.

-Know in your heart who you are and what’s true to you and seek to please God more than man.  

-You don’t have to be perfect to impress and inspire people.  

-Let them be impressed and inspired by how you deal with your imperfections and have learned to overcome them by the grace of God. 

Have a great spiritual mentor like Timothy did in Paul. Take heed and learn from their experience and their advice. Get all the knowlege and information you can and glean from it, but let God develope you as He desires to. Don't become a masked Christian or preacher who wants to please everybody and always be loved, but be a man or woman of God who loves everybody even when they are unloveable.

Blessed

Blessed

Psalm 31:3 "For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me."

True strength comes when you have so much to weep and complain about, but you prefer to smile and appreciate your life instead.  There are blessings hidden in every struggle you face, but you have to be willing to open your heart and mind to see them.  You can’t force things to happen, but you can drive yourself crazy trying to see it happen.  At some point you just have to let go and let what’s meant to be, be, by the grace and power of God.

Loving life is about:

-Trusting your intuition and the mind of God.

-Taking steps of faith in faith.

-Losing and finding happiness.

-Cherishing the memories of the good times and bad.

-Learning through your experiences in every place God calls you.  

Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."

This is a lifelong journey, so you have to stop worrying, wondering, and doubting the whys of every step of the way.  Learn to laugh at the times of confusion, live consciously in the moment, and enjoy your life as it unfolds.  You might not end up exactly where you intended to go, but you will eventually arrive precisely where you need to be.

Psalm 61:2 "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

What You Think

What You Think

1 Peter 3:16 "Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ."

Negative people literally disrupt the faith of a good pastor. They always find something wrong with your leadership, family, or something in the church. With just a few words they can tear down in 1 minute what it took you years to build. The older I got the more it troubled me when false statements were made about me or my ministry. It eventually took a toll on me that caused my health to be affected and my thinking as well. 

Here's some good advice I wish someone would have given me a a younger pastor:

-Be positive when negativity surrounds you.  
Smile when others try to bring you down.  It’s an easy way to maintain your enthusiasm and focus.  

-When other people treat you poorly, keep being you.  Don’t ever let someone else’s bitterness change the person you are.  You can’t take things too personally, even if it seems personal. Rarely do people do things because of you.  They do things because of them and something that is wrong in their life.

-Don’t ever change who you arejust to impress someone who says you’re not good enough.  
Change because it makes you a better person and leads you to a brighter future.  

People in the church are going to talk about you, good and bad, regardless of what you do. So worry about yourself before you worry about what others think.  If you believe strongly in something, and know it's the way God is leading you, don’t be afraid to fight for it.  Great strength comes from overcoming what others think is impossible and out living those whose tongues are full of poison.

Your life and ministry only comes around once. So do what God directs you and don't allow those who oppose you steal your smile, happiness, or faith. If God be for you, who can be against you?

Drowning

Drowning

After my stroke 4 years ago, my internist told me, "Pastor, every little struggle you face is a step forward. Don't stop struggling! If you do you'll drown in your own self-pity." If I had of given into my feelings at that time, I would have given up. In fact in some ways I almost did, but those words kept ringing in my ears: "Don't stop struggling!" 

Patience is not about waiting, but it’s the ability to keep a good attitude while working hard on your dreams, knowing that the work is worth it.  So if you’re going to try, put in the time and go all the way.  Otherwise, there’s no point in starting. You may struggle to regain ground, but keep pressing on regardless. Only you can make that call.  

-This could mean losing stability and comfort for a while, and maybe even your mind on occasion.  

-It could mean not eating what, or sleeping where, you’re used to, for weeks on end.  

-It could mean stretching your comfort zone so thin it gives you a nonstop case of the chills.  

-It could mean sacrificing relationships and all that’s familiar.  

-It could mean accepting ridicule from your peers.  

-It could mean lots of time alone in solitude.  
Solitude can be the gift that makes great things possible.  It gives you the space you need to remember where you've been and how far God has brought you back.  

Everything in life is a test of your determination, of how much you really want it, and how your willing to keep on when you feel like giving up. 

If you want it, you’ll do it, despite failure and rejection, and every step will feel better than anything else you can imagine.  You will realize that the struggle is not found on the path, but it is the path, and it’s worth it.  So if you’re going to try, go all the way.  There’s no better feeling in the world than knowing what it means to be ALIVE. Don't give up on yourself. Do like Paul, who struggled with more than one difficultiy, but kept on keeping on.

Scars From Your Battles

Scars From Your Battles

Job 42:10 "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."


The scars you bear in ministry are symbols of your strength and faith in God. Don't beat yourself up if your not as perfect or as terrific as everyone thinks you are. God wasn't looking for the greatest orator or perfect pastor when He called you, but He was looking for someone available to be what He wanted you to be-a choice servant of the Lord. Sometimes we allow the shame of our scars to overshadow what God has done in our lives but don’t ever be ashamed of the scars life has left you with.  

A scar:

-Means the hurt is over and the wound is closed.  

-It means you conquered the pain, learned a lesson, grew stronger, and moved forward.  

-A scar is the symbol of a triumph to be proud of.  

So don't:

-Allow your scars to hold you hostage. 

-Allow them to make you live your life in fear.  

You can’t make the scars in your life disappear, but you can change the way you see them.  You can start seeing your scars as a sign of strength and not pain. You can see them as a badge of courage, because you refused to give up when the challenge was the greatest. You persevered when everything within you screamed "Give up!" You made it when the devil thought he had you where he wanted you.

Some of the most powerful ministers in this world are covered with scars.  These wounded warriors of the faith declare them as a sign of “YES!  I MADE IT!  I survived and I have my scars to prove it!  And now I have a chance to grow even stronger.”

Don't be ashamed of your scars-just thank God you recovered from the wounds and His blessing returned in a double portion!