Confidence

Psalm 27:3 "Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident."

A person who lives without confidence will always fall short of their potential. If you do not believe that something is possible, you will not take the steps required to succeed. You might wish to be a great guitarist, but if you don't believe it is possible, you will never take guitar lessons or practice sufficiently to get good at playing the guitar. You may desire to succeed in business, but if you don't believe you can, you will never take the steps required for success. You will be half-hearted, discouraged, perhaps cynical and definitely unmotivated. This thinking will affect the way you do your work, your attitude, and will create mediocrity that you weren't expecting.

The only time you rise above your actual level of confidence is when some one else helps and encourages you, maybe even prods and pushes you, ultimately showing you the way past your fears into success. Not everyone gets this kind of help in the things that matter most in life. You are blessed indeed if you have a pastor who cares enough for you to take an active interest in your personal development, but most pastors cannot do this except with a small number of people. They usually select only the ones who are already showing the greatest leadership potential. If you want to grow in God and be fruitful as a Christian, then learn how to draw on Christ for life and strength directly. Learn to be confident in His abilities to guide you, protect you, and provide for you.

If you wish to live a holy life, but you don't believe it’s possible or have confidence, you won't seriously aim for your goal. Your condition is limited by the belief that what God says is impossible when you think that way. God wants you to have faith in Him and confidence is an important element of faith. When you have strong faith in God, you have a confidence to move forward because you have come to know God, to know what He wants, and to know that He is with you, especially when we have been obedient to His commands.

There is a difference in being confident and being cocky. A cocky person thinks he/she deserves something because of who they are and what they assume they bring to the table. A confident person is one who knows he/she can accomplish anything with the resources they have at their disposal. It's not because they deserve something unearned, it's because they believe that the impossible is possible. God is looking for the confident rather than the cocky. He wants someone who can take what they have and make it work for His glory by trusting in Him.

War is coming against those who have no confidence. It's coming against those that are afraid. There is a host of troubles lined up to drag you down and stifle your abilities. Don't let it! Be confident in what God has placed in your heart and stand against defeat, discouragement, and despair. If God be for you, who can be against you! That's not a question, but a confidence in what you can do for God. He didn't prepare you for defeat, but He repaired you for victory. Be confident in Him!

When You Get Caught

When we get caught doing wrong we're amazed. Our reaction is either "How could I have been so stupid?" or "What part of my plan went wrong?" The first means the person is like Samson, so dependent upon his abilities, he thought he was untouchable. The second is like David, again so dependent on his wisdom and authority, that Uriah's death meant nothing to him. All he was interested in was covering up his sin with Bathsheba.

We all hate to get caught. Some things we can patch up and make right. Other things are bigger than our abilities and we have to pay the penalty for our actions. It's often the thought behind the event that causes us the most regret when it's over. The Bible verifies that the pleasures of sin last for a season, but when that moment of regret comes, it's like a dagger in the heart. You begin to feel remorse for the people you have hurt, how your reputation has been damaged, but most importantly, how you let God down. In that very moment of failure you don't see the consequences ahead, but when you get caught you realize that moment of weakness cost more than you could imagine.

So many Christians have that mentality of spiritual invulnerability. They feel in their heart they are justified for their moment of weakness. They say to themselves the right things and they know how to cover the failure up. It probably won't be a Prophet that exposes the truth, but the truth will have life-altering ramifications when exposed. It will change every aspect of your life from top to bottom. It will rob you of your emotional stability, your profession, your livelihood, your reputation, and so much more.

That's why we need to be careful in our spiritual routines. If we begin to believe we are untouchable we put ourselves in position for failure. Whatever your weakness is the devil desires to capitalize on it. He is the great manipulator and can turn your world upside down in just a moment. That is why Paul reminds us that in our weaknesses God is strong. In other words, He knows how to give you the ability to deal with your shortcomings if you will lean on Him. None of us are immune to failure. It can happen to the best of us. So understand who you are in Jesus and trust in Him. When the opportunity for failure presents itself, call on His name. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

But if you fail, admit it and do what's right. Don't be blackmailed into confessing; just get the failure under the blood and move on. Make the restitution you should to those you have hurt, submit to whatever discipline to correct the problem, and know that God will forgive you if you ask. Sure there will always be whispers from those who think they are above falling, but if it's under the blood who cares. I'm glad that God is my final judge and not men, because what men won't forgive, God doesn't even remember. 

10 Years From Now

If the Lord tarries where will church be in 10 years? If you don’t think that really matters look at how many people have passed away in your community in the past 10 years. As morbid as it sounds you or I could be next. I know when we start making requirements for volunteers, making ministry changes, or doing whatever we need to improve our work for the Lord somebody’s going to get mad. That’s always the case, because people don’t like change. Some will take their toys and walk out the door because even though they don’t participate in those areas that are changed, they don’t want change. But again it’s not about me or even you-it is about tomorrow. The Bible tells us that “tomorrow will take care of itself”. Yet it also indicates that we must prepare today for what may happen tomorrow.

How important is ministry to you?

You may have been a part of your church since it was established or you may have joined in worship within the last 5 years. But there are some questions you have to ask yourself personally regarding her future-let’s say 10 years from now if the Lord doesn’t return.

Are you coming to church out of habit or because you really want to worship God?

Do you complain more about things at church because there are legitimate reasons or because you don’t get you way? 

Do you think this is your church so much that you don’t want to share it with anyone new? 

Will your actions today help your church 10 years from now be the church that God wants her to be or will your present actions keep her from growing and reaching out beyond your four walls?

Let’s face facts-Because of health issues many of us probably won’t be here in 10 years. If we don’t try new methods of ministry then who will be here to take our place when we’re gone? If pleasing self is more important than pleasing God then the church will not exist in 10 years.

My Pastor's Council in a meeting told me to do what I felt needed to be done to make changes in ministry as God directed me to stabilize us and help us grow. One of the biggest difficulties that we dealt with was that it’s hard to bury something that isn’t working. Usually the people that fuss about any kind of changes, even to programs that are dying, are the ones that don’t get their way or those that only come once a week and don’t really know what’s going on. And to me that’s really sad.

Yes, pastors do expect a promotion when they move, but for most it isn’t. Most churches are not the churches that some outsiders still think they are or even what they we once were. Some are still holding on to things about the past that they need to get over and concentrate on what we can do now to keep the church alive 10 years from now. That has to start today. If your pastor haven’t earned your trust in a year then maybe you need to find another church or another pastor. God called for someone to be your pastor me and you voted for him to stay. It probably confirmed what God had spoken into his heart about coming there. He was comfortable where he was and could have stayed there until he retired. He came because God ordained that he should be you leader and wants rebuild your church into the church God destined her to be.

Most churches have less than 1/3 of their congregation who come to Sunday School on a regular basis and only 3 or 4 of our teachers who even show up on time. The SS offerings do not even cover the cost of the materials that are purchased. As much as I loved Sunday School growing up, it kills me to see the condition it is in in most churches. Only a commitment from the members of that church and a renewed effort by your teachers can bring it back to life. We need a commitment from members to come to the scheduled times of music practice to prepare for the services. We can’t learn new music because we never have the same group together to practice and learn it. We need a commitment from our leaders, teachers, and volunteers that they will be faithful in their attendance and support of the church. The Minutes of our General Assembly require that those in any leadership position within the church be faithful in all areas of membership. Some do have service on Sunday night and Wednesday night. I know people can’t be in every service because of health issues or jobs, but some have just gotten away from their vows of membership when they united with the church about being faithful.

I was going to build a cemetery on one of the church properties that I pastored as a service to our people and one lady made it known she didn’t want dead people on the property. Well, I can honestly say your pastor doesn’t want dead people in the church either. He wants a church that has a vision for now as well as for the future. So let me ask you again-Where will your church be 10 years from now?

If we continue to have a choir in both Sunday services

The Root of Rot

A pastor friend of mine was out visiting and really got his feelings hurt. He told me he tried everything to usher calmness back into his spirit and his temper when he got home. He quoted Bible verses, he rebuked Satan, he bossed his feelings around with truth, he even tried to take a nap, but none of these activities calmed him down. What really sent him over the edge was a smell in his house that not even three strongly scented candles could mask. He said, “I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was or where it was coming from, but it was driving me crazy and I was in a bad mood already.”

Finally, he realized his daughter had placed a bathroom trashcan in the middle of her bedroom floor so she could toss scraps of paper in as she worked on a school project. Something had obviously been thrown away in that trashcan that had surpassed gross and moved into the final stages of rot. Or something had crawled up into that can and died.

He said, “I didn't have the heart to find out what the rot was; I just knew the trash can had to go out-Immediately!” He continued, “The smell was an outward indication of an internal situation and the trashcan wasn't the only thing that stunk that day. So did my attitude. My reaction was an outward indication of an internal situation. There was a stench in my heart because bitterness had started to rot within me.” The reason he couldn't be soothed by quoting scriptures, bossing his feelings, rebuking Satan, or even taking a nap was because God wanted him to be aware of his stench. There was something inside of him that was gross and starting to rot.

When you’ve been hurt by a friend and don't want to forgive the person who has hurt you, rot sets in. You can pretend there’s no bitterness in your heart, but the rot that’s there and the stench deep within your heart will keep spilling out. God doesn’t want us to temporarily mask the situation by feeling better in the moment. He wants us to address the root of our rot—to see it, admit it, expose it, let Him clean it up, and shut it down-Immediately!

A little rot can spread fast if not dealt with swiftly and seriously. That's why it's so crucial to pay attention to our action and reactions today. How we act and react is a crucial gauge of what's really going on inside us. When people, issues or situations bump into our happy, it's not wrong to feel annoyed. But if that annoyance leads to a reaction out of proportion to the issue at hand, we can bank on the fact that this eruption has a root of rot.

Here are some telltale signs of roots of rot:
-You throw out statements based on your opinion and not fact.
-You start gathering ammunition from past situations to build your case.
-You use words and a tone derogatory to your testimony.
-You justify your reaction by pointing out how hard your life is right now.
-You demand an apology, all the while knowing you should be giving one.

These are not fun things to admit, but here's the beauty of the situation: The quicker we see a root of rot, the quicker we can get rid of the stench and move forward. Your attitude does make a difference in handling things that otherwise will make you rot inwardly. Don’t let rot ruin your mind or your spirit. Keep it at bay by heeding the Word of God.

Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Family Ties

One of the most common complaints I heard from families as a pastor was they are not as close as they used to be. They may be close in proximity, but still not feel close as a family due to divorce, separation, or loss in a household. They may live next door to one another or even in the same house, but feel more like strangers today than they ever have before.

Families today should value closeness and work hard to keep anyone from feeling left behind or forgotten. Again, closeness is not so much about distance, but about the attitude we have toward each member of our family. We may live far apart from one another, so we need a willingness to do what it takes to keep our relationships close. 

Everyone feels closer when they feel understood, loved, and can look forward to time they can spend together with other family members. No one wants to feel left behind or forgotten.

Treat your family members in a way you would like to be treated. Let them know that they are priority in your life and always will be. Set aside time to remember as a family both the good and hard times. Show appreciation for the good things that they do and have done. Don’t let jealousy over a family member’s success cloud your relationships.

Be available if possible in a time of crisis or need. Try and resolve any conflict with mutual understanding. Don’t let stuff fester. Be glad when a loved one fulfills their dreams. Pray one for another. Even though it’s just a saying, prayer still works. Cherish every moment you can spend with your family. In the long run, you will be glad that you did.

One can stand in the way of that unity. Please don't be that one.

Perception

In the past, when people were in need they would look to local churches for assistance. They also looked to the church for ways to help them cope and live everyday life. The simple fact is that this is no longer true. The church has lost its value to many people who still seek for reality and truth. One study found that about two thirds of Americans do not value the church for any direction in their life, or feel that the church could possibly offer them any value in directing their personal decisions or life goals.

Most people have a positive attitude about Jesus, but for them church is another matter. As American demographics shift and move, neighborhoods are changing and reforming. At the same time it seems the Church has lost touch with those in the most accessible area–their backyard. Entertainment venues and anti-Christian religions are buying up old church properties and replacing moral and spiritual values with other alternatives in those buildings that once were filled with people changed by the Word of God.

The church has become for many just another organization competing for people’s sense of community. Other community organizations can and do integrate people into their fold easier, allowing people to truly feel like they belong. Once accepted into that fellowship, it becomes even more difficult for the church to reach these folks. In fact, the number of young adults leaving their childhood spiritual roots is now nearly 90 per cent. Their number one reason is that their spiritual needs are not being met by the churches of today.

Most of our churches are seen as judgmental and exclusive by those outside our walls. Yes, it is true that we should discipline those inside the church as the Bible commands, but we forgot that our front door policy should be as large and inclusive as possible. We have to change the perception that the local church is just a special club for the religious elite. The lost, prodigals, and backsliders already think we are all hypocrites based upon what they are told by the media and see with their own eyes every day from the lifestyle of so-called believers. We have to change that perception by being real with ourselves and real with Christ in our everyday lives.

I do believe we can alter this growing perception about the church if we begin to live out the love of God rooted in the commission of Christ-"Go into all the world and preach the gospel". Our mission must include an invitation to all people in our community regardless of their present sin, lifestyle, or their past. God always intended for the church to be a hospital for sinners, never just a haven for saints. The problem is that many have forgotten this fact and our local church leaders are not doing a lot to help the their congregations regain this sense of our calling to reach the world.

J. Lee Grady wrote a few years ago in an article for Charisma magazine that he still believed in the church. I do as well, and pray daily that God will help me to show others we can still be a vibrant part of our community. I'm sure that I'm not the only minister that feels this way. So let's all do our part to help those folks that don't like church anymore to realize there's somebody that cares and wants to help them.

Authentic

Jeremiah 23:1-4 "Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord."

A credible witness is one whose testimony is trustworthy. His life and his words line up together. The word "authentic" goes from English back to French back to Latin and ultimately to the Greek "authentikos". It means “conforming to the original” or “reproducing the essential features” of something.

If something is authentic, it is not a fake or an imitation.  Another definition says that authentic means “being actually and exactly what is claimed.” Therefore to be credible means that you are believable and to be authentic means that you are genuine and real, not a fake or phony. Put the words together and a credible, authentic leader is someone who can be trusted because he is what he professes to be. He is the real deal, what you see is what you get.

Confidence in religious leaders has declined in the last twenty years. With all the scandals involving pastors, it’s not surprising that people look at us with jaundiced eyes. When I was serving at one of my former churches a good friend, who has since passed on, had access to several major ministry personalities in radio and television. He told me he was shocked by the carnality that existed in their lives when they walked away from the microphone and that many people would turn the dial if they knew how these men talked and conducted themselves in private away from the cameras. He told me also that very few of them exercised humility in their lifestyle. That's why it's important for any pastor to be authentic.

Authenticity breeds credibility. Credibility is earned over a long period of time, and is not about what you do or what you say. It’s about who you are on the inside. You cannot fool the people closest to you forever. Your ministry will have lasting impact in direct proportion to the authenticity of your own life. The great enemies of credibility are pride, arrogance, isolation, and excessive self-confidence. Ironically the more gifted you are and the more successful you are, the easier it becomes to fake your way through life. Credibility once lost is very difficult to regain.

So what qualities does God use to mark a person as credible and authentic?

-Honesty.
-Willingness to admit your faults.
-Consistency.
-Kindness under pressure.
-Accountability in the small areas of life.
-Willingness to answer hard questions.
-Quick to take blame, quick to praise others.
-Not taking yourself too seriously.
-Knowing your own limitations.

-Not blaming others for your own problems.
-Confrontable.
-Approachable.
-Handling anger appropriately.
-Not offended when others get the credit you deserve (no need to brag).
-Keeping your word.

Our challenge as ministers and laity is to live what we preach and preach what we live. We don't need an imitation in the pulpit or pew, but the genuine article.