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.

Reflect

At Christmas, we all reflect upon how we grew this past year through our relationships, that serve as building blocks for the coming year. As we remember the good and bad we have faced during the year, Jesus finds a way to remind us how we made it through the difficulties and challenges. The removal of old dusty attitudes and ideas offer us the opportunity to sweep away what no longer mattes and clears the path for new information and enlightenment. In the center of the clearing, lies the opportunity for a rebirth of Spirit, moving us ever forward toward an abundant future. The Christmas season is a reminder that something new was on the horizon. Let His glory renew your path and make your future bright.

The Carpenter

Jesus is often identified as a carpenter because of his earthy heritage. I'm sure he learned this earthly trade from His earthly father, but His spiritual building is the greatest you will ever know. Whatever repair is in order, you can open His Word and find precisely what you need to hear. His shop never closes, there's no charge for His services, and He does incredible work that lasts for eternity. So, let the Christmas carpenter have full control of your life and give Him all the broken pieces. He wants to fix whatever's wrong, assemble all the parts, put them back in working order, and place you on display before the world as a heavenly-crafted person. If you've been repaired and renewed by this Christmas carpenter from Nazareth testify of His goodness today. Let the work of the Christmas craftsman fill you with hope in this wonderful season.

A Dead Horse

Most people will accept seconds rather than make the changes needed to keep them fresh and trusting God. To quote an old saying, "They will ride a dead horse into the ground" before accepting the necessary changes that could make them relevant. I refuse to be afraid of change or think that change is always bad. God is real and so is life and change is going to come whether we like it or not. It's what we do with it that makes the difference.

Can your church once once again impact and influence your community?  The answer is yes, but the window of opportunity is closing quickly.  The work ahead will take a radical commitment to change your direction and fulfill the Godly expectations that you read from His Word.



Acts 2:42 says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."


The word "devoted" originates from two Greek words (pros) and (kartereo) which means to be earnest towards, to persevere, be constantly diligent, to attend assiduously all the exercises, to adhere closely to, to attend continually, to wait on.


The early church, did not meet and vote to get a consensus about the direction they were going to take in the building of God's church on this earth. They simply acted out of spiritual conviction that this is what God was directing in their lives. They had the example of their spiritual leaders such as Peter on the day of Pentecost. 


Jesus prepared the 12 disciples to turn the world upside down with only the Gospel. He didn't have them focus on the politics of the day.
 He didn't have them attempt to compromise with the religious structure of the day. He didn't tell them to develop a focus on programs. He simply poured His life into these men and gave them His life and His message so they could infiltrate their culture with a passionate desire to serve God and to build others to serve God. It was done by conviction and not by majority vote. They were not only willing to give their lives, but to die in the process. 

It was an improbable strategy, but it worked and you have this historical perspective as an encouragement that if God has done it once through a surrendered life then He can do it again. He can use you and your church to be a blessing once again to those who need Him the most!

Too Much Fear

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." 

Fear is an instinctual human emotion designed to keep us aware and safe, but too much fear can cause the loss of the very thing we feared losing in the first place.

More than anything else, we fear being rejected by others. This type of fear is widespread and debilitating. Why is this fear so deeply entrenched in us? In ancient times, being rejected from the safety of the community could have meant death. So it’s no wonder, really, that we want to be accepted by others. The fear of being alone for life is greater than we can imagine. This is especially true when it comes to fear of rejection. 

Childhood outcast experiences are often the root cause of obsessive, people-pleasing ways people face in  adulthood. They're always looking for signs of why others don’t like them. They do almost anything seeking assurance and acceptance from their peers. Fear of rejection motivates them to wonder what people really think of them.

Constantly seeking acceptance and reassurance from other people is a dead end journey. These things can only be found within you, not from others. Because any look, word, or reaction from someone else can be warped and misinterpreted. That's why we let the bullies win. 

Don't let the devil bully you around. Don't be afraid of rejection. God is a constant companion and you are never alone. You don't have to be afraid of what other think or say-just be you in Christ Jesus.

What Should I Put Up With

There’s a big difference between accepting that someone’s negative actions or behavior is born from a place of anxiety or insecurity versus excusing their behavior and therefore enabling it to continue wrecking your life. You don’t have to condone a person’s negative behavior toward you or others, even though you may be compassionate, loving and understanding of its origins.

Every person at some point has to be accountable for their own well-being.  And quite honestly, if someone decides to lash out at you again and again, you’re not obligated to be a punching bag. Jesus said to "Turn the other cheek" and to "love and forgive", but He did not command us to be constantly bombarded by people or situations that would ridicule or detain us from doing His work. Read the Book of Jude and find out how to deal with angry people. 

Keep in mind that differing opinions are a part of life and relationships. Yet, when you come across people who are intent on delivering harsh criticism because their opinions are different than yours, you just have to tell yourself that you may not be doing it perfectly in their eyes, but at least you’re stepping up and doing the best God has enabled you to do.  While they're just fussing, you’re getting up, showing up, and walking into the fire every day and doing the best you can. If you're trying your best and recognize that you're a work in progress remember God knows the path you are taking. One day redemption will come and the wind of the Spirit will drive the chaff away.