Life @ The Center

NEW BLOGSITE

2009-04-10T09:06:00.001-04:00

Effective immediately my blog has been moved to a new site. You can access it here:

http://www.clconline.org/lifeatthecenter

All You Can Eat

2009-04-07T08:20:00.003-04:00

I know this may not be too surprising to many of you, but I like to eat. As a typical man I live with the TV remote control attached to my hand, but will always stop when I come across the Food Network. I love it...a TV channel about one of my favorite hobbies!

Not too long ago I heard about a restaurant in Denver that's right up my ally! They charge no set price for their meals. It's called the So All May Eat (SAME) Cafe. They operate on a "pay what you want" model.

No set prices. Customers can pay whatever they want. If you're unable to pay, they ask you to volunteer for an hour.

The cafe is an alternative to a soup kitchen. The food is good enough (it's organically grown health food) that customers don't mind paying for it; it's inexpensive enough that anyone eat there. Some people pay $10 for the cafe's pizza and salads, some pay for their meals by bussing tables and washing dishes.

I don't know if the owners, Brad and Libby Burky, are Christ followers -- but this is a great model for churches to follow. It's how the early church was described.

All the believers were together and had everything in common. (Acts 2:44)

Finally...Gordon Wins!

2009-04-05T19:33:00.003-04:00

A beautiful Sunday afternoon was made all the more better watching Jeff Gordon win his 82nd race. He now has won a race on every NASCAR track but one...quite an accomplishment.

More importantly he leads the points standings and appears to be well on his way to a great year!

Random

2009-04-03T18:35:00.002-04:00

It's been a few days since my last blog entry. I'm in the process of making some changes to the look and feel of "Life @ The Center." You'll notice them very soon!

At the moment I'm sitting in the Dallas-Fort Worth International airport waiting to board an American Airlines flight back to Philly. I've been here for a couple of days of meetings.

I've completed Sunday morning's message, which will be the final portion of the Truth Project. I'm looking forward to it...should be a great day!

The entire Truth Project has been a great experience. I've heard from many who have enjoyed their small group discussions. The Truth Project "study" may be over, but the journey will continue.

This Sunday we are going to talk about “COMMUNITY AND INVOLEMENT: GOD CARES, DO I?”

The parable of the Good Samaritan offers a challenge for each of us, just as it did for those whom Jesus first told the story to. It challenges us to examine our own hearts and consider who the Samaritans in our lives are.

It further challenges us because Jesus calls us to live as "neighbors" to those we may think of as "untouchables," those people we'd just as soon not have any contact with at all.

But as Jesus Christ makes so very clear in the Parable of the Good Samaritan and in so many other examples from his life, there are no untouchables in the Kingdom of God. We are all created in the Divine Image, and we are all called to love each other.

Jesus made this very clear on the last night of his earthly life, when he told his disciples he was giving them a new commandment: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

This Sunday we’ll discover the One who went to the cross for you and for me is calling us to "Go and do likewise."

Worst to First

2009-03-30T08:59:00.000-04:00

I was reading this week about Cal Ripken's record. You know which one I'm talking about: He played 2632 consecutive baseball games. This is a record that may never be broken; he will always be remembered as a legend in the game.

Many sports records are set when a player gets on a hot streak – he has a good game or a good month or even a good season. Ripken's record is the result of a 'hot streak' that lasted more than 16 years. Day after day he simply took the next step in the right direction, one game at a time.

Something many people don't know about Ripken is that during his first year as a pro – while playing minor league ball in West Virginia – he made his mark in a different way: he committed a league-leading 33 errors at short-stop. Not a good start, and since his dad was already well-known in baseball circles, many pundits said he was just over-rated kid, not good enough for life in the big leagues.

But Cal kept taking one more step in the right direction, one game at a time. Later in his career he went 95 consecutive games without making an error, and committed only three in an entire season – another record he holds. Ripken's habit of taking one more step led him through his own "worst to first" journey.

It's a journey you can take, too. God wants to pour out his grace in your life. He wants to change you through and through. He wants to give you victory over sin, and the power to live the life of your dreams?

Right now, if you feel like you're the worst, he wants to help you move in the direction of becoming first.

Einstein On Faith

2009-03-26T06:07:00.001-04:00

TIME Magazine ran a story in April 2007 about the faith of Albert Einstein. Though Einstein was not a Christ follower, his views were interesting, and unique among scientists.

After his 50th birthday, he gave an interview to George Sylvester Viereck. Here is an excerpt of Time's excerpt.

To what extent are you influenced by Christianity? "As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene."

You accept the historical existence of Jesus? "Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life."

Do you believe in God? "I'm not an atheist. I don't think I can call myself a pantheist. The problem involved is too vast for our limited minds.

We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn't know what it is.

That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God. We see the universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws but only dimly understand these laws."

Here's a link to the article.

Are People This Crazy?

2009-03-22T21:52:00.001-04:00

There's a Maytag commercial in heavy rotation these days. Maybe you've seen it: It involves a four wheel drive pick up and two parallel rows of about two dozen washing machines.

As the truck drives over the machines, you see the inevitable disclaimer: "Do not attempt."

Do they really think someone will go out and purchase 50 washing machines (an investment of about $40,000) and try to drive over them with a really big, expensive truck? I guess they do.

I know it's there for legal reasons -- because maybe someone actually is crazy enough to try driving over a row of washing machines. Maytag doesn't want to get sued if the experiment ends badly.

And so for that one oddball, they're forced to protect themselves with small print.

Truth Project #10

2009-03-20T09:09:00.001-04:00

This Sunday as we continue our journey with the tenth week of the Truth Project, we are going to talk about The American Experiment.

America is unique in the history of the world. On these shores a people holding to a biblical worldview have had an opportunity to set up a system of government designed to keep the state within its divinely ordained boundaries.

The Bible is not silent about nations. We learn that God is greater than all nations, nations come and go, that God uses nations as part of His plans, and that people from all nations will be part of His Kingdom.

The Bible also teaches us specifically what a nation is to do in order to receive and continue in the blessings of God. Psalm 33:12 states, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD..."

This Sunday at Christian Life Center we'll talk about America's greatness, America's God, and America's hope. We'll also discover what Christ-followers can do to bring revival to this great land!

On The Decline

2009-03-15T21:12:00.001-04:00

USA Today reported earlier this week on the decline of evangelicalism in America. Reporter Cathy Lyn Grossman stated her case...

The number of people who claim 'no religion' has almost doubled in the last 18 years, from 8% of the population to 15%.

The number of Baptists has decreased from 19.3% to 15.8%. (Even though the Southern Baptist Church has continued to grow, it hasn't kept up with the growth of the adult population, mainly due to immigration.)

Those who claim to be simply "Protestant" remain the same 14% as they were in 1990.

Though we need to aware of the numbers and we can not afford to be apathetic toward apparent trends, it's also true that there are still an estimated 115 million adult Protestant Christians in the US right now, which is well over 50% of the population.

When you add 57 million Catholics to that number, it's clear that this is still (at least now) a very religious, and predominantly Christian, nation.

Interestingly, evangelical Michael Spencer wrote an excellent editorial for the Christian Science Monitor earlier this week, The Coming Evangelical Collapse. I don't know that I agree with him, and I certainly hope he's wrong on a couple of points, but it's an interestingly read.

CLC Team!

2009-03-12T15:40:00.004-04:00

"Do you realize how great a pastoral team you have?" It was a question someone asked me at a gathering of ministers from Philadelphia recently. They sort of shook their head as if to say "Wow! What an awesome group of pastors working at CLC!"

I have to agree. You won't find a more talented group of men and women. My job as the coach is to model the way, inspire a vision, enable them to act, encourage them along the way; and then get out of the way as the go at it!

Given the choice between one great player and a team of good players that work together, I'll take good over great every time.

This is something we need to remember as we strive to improve areas of ministry Christian Life Center. One great musician...one great youth leader...one great pastor cannot do it alone. It takes team players!

Franklin Roosevelt said,"People acting together as a group can accomplish things that no individual acting alone could ever hope to bring about. "

I'm humbled to be surrounded by an incredible group of people. I'm honored to be a peer among equals as we work to advance the Kingdom of God...together!

A Challenge!

2009-03-10T09:47:00.001-04:00

While meeting with high-some high level executives in Washington D.C. the week after the presidential election, John Maxwell overheard one of the men say, "I sure wouldn't want to be the next president of the United States with all the economic problems facing this country."

Maxwell's response: "I would love to be Barack Obama right now...You show me a person who's a great leader, and I will show you a person who loves a great challenge. That is the DNA of leadership. Leaders are not looking for the easy way out or quick exits; they love to be 'over their heads.'"

It's like the comment that Gene Hackman made to quarterback Keanu Reeves in The Replacements: "Winners always want the ball when the game is on the line."

Leaders understand the power of Paul's words: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..." (Ephesians 3:20)

His power at work within us. This is why leaders love a challenge. It's why winners want the ball when the game is on the line!

Stott's Seven Stages

2009-03-08T21:10:00.001-04:00

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

John Stott points out there are seven great stages in this statement by the Apostle Paul.

1. God is able to do because he is not idle or inactive or dead.

2. God can do what we ask because he hears us when we pray.

3. He can do what we think because he knows what we think before we think it.

4. He can do all we ask or think because he knows it all and can do it all.

5. He can do more than we ask or think because his plans are bigger than our plans.

6. He can do much more than we ask or think because there is no holding back with God.

7. He can do exceedingly abundantly beyond what we can imagine because he is the God of the superlative

Out Of Proportion

2009-03-06T08:49:00.002-05:00

Florida resident Latreasa Goodman called 911 three times on Saturday February 28. The emergency? McDonald's was out of Chicken McNuggets.

She had paid for them, but McDonald's wanted to switch them for a McDouble, and Ms. Goodman appealed to 911, saying, "This is an emergency. If I would have known they didn't have McNuggets, I wouldn't have given my money, and now she wants to give me a McDouble, but I don't want one."

She was cited for misusing the 911 system.

Last February, Jean Fortune, another Florida resident, called 911 because the local Burger King was taking too long to fill his order. What's more they didn't have lemonade. He wanted the police to come to the scene and settle the matter!

I guess you might say these were over-reactions. It's frustrating when a fast-food place doesn't get your order right, but it's not really an emergency, is it?

The truth is, many of the things that stress us out aren't really worth it. We have a tendency to take little events and blow them up into big things -- especially in relationships.

In the movie Ruthless People, Danny DeVito wants to kill his wife because "I hate the way she licks stamps." We all have a tendency to blow little things out of proportion.

An important part of living the Christian life is learning to put up with annoying situations and the annoying habits of some people, responding instead with a spirit of love and patience. When events irritate you, strive to under-react.

Paul said, "Do everything without grumbling or arguing. Then you will be the pure and innocent children of God." (Philippians 2:14-15)

CELEBRITY SYNDROME!

2009-03-03T15:09:00.001-05:00

I don't know if you have heard the Christian Bale audio that has been posted all over the place in the last couple of months. It's better if you haven't, actually. It's a profanity laced rant that the movie star (star of the new Terminator movie) unleashed on a member of crew.

Apparently the guy blocked some of Mr. Bale's light during a scene, and Bale went ballistic. I heard a portion of it on TV, so much of it was bleeped out, but it was pretty intense.

It's not uncommon to see certain celebrities throw tantrums and demand special treatment. We just think they're spoiled, but one psychiatrist, Cornell's Robert B. Millman, says they're not spoiled, they're sick. The affliction is Acquired Situational Narcissism.

ASN develops when once-ordinary people achieve extra-ordinary success, such as winning an Oscar or being named rookie of the year. This double-dose of adulation loosens people's grip on reality and they become (according to Millman) "unbelievably self-involved because of the attention from us. We make it so." [From Reader's Digest April 2002]

Even though most of us will never be at risk of getting Acquired Situational Narcissism -- our lives are far too ordinary -- we all struggle with the temptation of becoming overly self-involved. We sometimes imagine minor-league celebrity status for ourselves and become prima donnas in the work-place, or at church, or at home.

A remedy for this tendency is to remember Paul's words...in humility, consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4)

What We Have

2009-02-28T20:26:00.000-05:00

Someone once said, "We are successful the moment we focus on what we have instead of what we lack."

Moses faced a similar situation when God called him to lead the people of Israel out of slavery. Moses' response was "What if they don't listen to me?"

God's response was "What do you have?" Then the Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?" (Exodus 4:2)

What Moses had was a rod. But it was more than a rod; it symbolized the power of God, and it was all Moses needed. That rod taught Moses not to look at what he had lacked, but look at what he had: the power of God in his life.

What do you have? Along with your talent and your determination, you can list the power of God among your assets. And needless to say, it goes at the top of the list.

Whatever challenges you are facing — whatever seemingly insurmountable odds — remember that the key to victory is focusing on what you have, not on what you lack

Holy Spirit Speak

2009-02-26T21:05:00.001-05:00

I saw an ad at a website offering an email subscription to "Daily Quotes from the Holy Spirit." Apparently, they send you an email each morning with some words spoken especially for you by the Holy Spirit. I have no idea what kind of quotes they are. The site looks kind of new-agey, so I imagine they follow that pattern.

I didn't subscribe, but I have to admit I liked the idea of hearing from the Holy Spirit everyday. Imagine starting everyday with a word from him, a word specifically spoken for you. Wouldn't that be great?

I guess you know where I'm going with this. We can start everyday with a personal word from the Holy Spirit, email not required. All you need is a Bible and willingness to listen.

I'll admit that when I read scripture early in the day, sometimes I'm reading with the intention of finishing and moving on to the next thing. Or sometimes I'm reading with the intention of finding a sermon.

Sometimes I forget that I could be listening for the voice of the Holy Spirit -- that he is ready to speak to my heart, if I will just sit still long enough to hear him.

Let's remember each day that he is willing to speak to each one of us, that he is just waiting for us to stop and listen. "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)

Give It Away

2009-02-24T08:42:00.001-05:00

Debbie Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields' Cookies, said that her best public relations approach was a good cookie. When she was twenty years old and newly married, she wanted to sell the soft, chewy cookies that she'd been baking at home. She opened her first cookie store, and the first day nobody bought any.

So, she filled a tray, stepped out onto the sidewalk, and began giving cookies away. People followed her back to the store—to buy.

Even today, with over 700 stores, she uses the same technique. At every location, passersby are invited in to sample free cookies.

Sounds like an odd way to build a business, doesn't it? Getting people to buy your product by giving it away? It worked, because Mrs. Fields realized that her primary objective wasn't really making money; it was serving customers.

Danny Thomas said, "Success has nothing to do with what you gain or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others." This is why Thomas will be remembered for establishing St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis long after people have forgotten "Make Room For Daddy."

Jesus taught us to live by this principle of "What Can I Do For You?" He said, "Whoever wants to become great among you must become a servant." (Matthew 20:26)

Whatever secondary roles we may fill in our lives, we must keep in mind that the primary role for all believers is that of a servant. Every day offers a new opportunity to invest our lives in others.

Today's The Day!

2009-02-22T20:57:00.001-05:00

Mel Fisher spent his life diving for buried treasure. In the late 1960's he began a quest for the priceless treasure cargo of the fabled lost Spanish galleon Atocha. Every day, for more than 16 years, Mel, his wife, his children, and his band of "Treasure Salvors" explored the waters off the coast of Florida, in search of riches.

He motivated his team and kept the dream alive by beginning each day's hunt with the cry: "Today's the day!" Finally, after more than 16 years of searching, that day arrived.

On July 20, 1985 Mel Fisher's team discovered the Atocha, containing a treasure worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The days of sporadic paychecks and living hand-to-mouth were over for Mel and his team.

Solomon tells us that if we'll search for wisdom the same way Mel searched for riches, we'll find an even greater reward: the knowledge of God.

The Bible makes the bold promise that within its pages you can discover foundational truths upon which you can build your marriage, your career, your family, your finances, your friendships, your relationship to God, and every aspect of your life.

And the best part is: these truths aren't elusive. It doesn't take 16 years to find treasure. When you search the Bible for God's direction for your life, you can make a new discovery every day. On one day you'll be reminded of someone you need to forgive; on another day you'll get insight in how to deal with a problem at work; on another day you'll become aware of a sin you need to confess, and on and on.

When you open the pages of your Bible, you can truly say, "Today's the Day!" We haven't been put on earth to stumble in the dark. God's light is available to us. He speaks to us each day, giving us the direction we need, if we will only search for it.

In speaking of wisdom for daily living, Solomon said, If you look for it as silver, and search for it as hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:4-5)

Truth Project Pt. 6

2009-02-20T09:33:00.001-05:00

This Sunday as we continue our journey with the sixth week of the Truth Project, we are going to talk about “History: The Importance of Remembering the Past.”

When we forget the past we lose the anchor that keeps us from drifting. When we forget the sacrifices made for our freedom we start taking that freedom for granted. And when we forget our spiritual roots we begin drifting away from God.

As a nation we have tried to keep our history alive through monuments. We have monuments to various wars. We have museums that contain artifacts that tell the story of the past. We place monuments in cemeteries and study family genealogical records, all in an attempt to keep our "history" alive.

This Sunday we are going to talk about the importance of doing the same thing in our spiritual lives.

From the very beginning of Israel's history in Exodus 13 God made a habit of building monuments and establishing symbols that would keep people informed.

They were designed to make people stop and remember God's power, God's love, and God's faithfulness. This Sunday we are going to examine, why we need to remember, what we need to remember, and how we can remember more effectively!

The Adventure Continues

2009-02-18T11:44:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite show business story is one that happened years ago. It's about the Glenn Miller band. Their bus broke down in the middle of nowhere and they were late for a gig so the band members were forced to walk a long distance into town through snow, ice and mud carrying their instruments.

While trudging through a field, they came across a farmhouse. Inside they could see a family sitting by the fire, husband reading the paper, wife knitting, children playing on the floor with their toys: a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting. One of the musician shuddered and said to another, "How do people live like that?"

Performers get that joke. So should those of us in the ministry. Though there's nothing wrong with a "Rockwellian lifestyle," we need to aspire for something more. If we're not getting our hands dirty, if we're not roughing it a little bit, if we're not trudging through ice or snow, so to speak, in order to get the job done — then we're asking too little of ourselves.

Sometimes my life has the ease and comfort of a Rockwell painting, and I treasure those moments. But the crazy times — those remind me that the ministry (and the life of discipleship) is intended to be an adventure. It's inconvenient sometimes, and occasionally repetitious, and often demanding — but it's an adventure. And as for me, I wouldn't trade it for anything else.

Here's Matthew 16:24 in the New Living Translation: "If anyone of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life."

Personal Retreat

2009-02-15T16:58:00.002-05:00

For the next few days I'll be on a personal retreat at Avalon, NJ. I look forward to these times away. Gives me an opportunity to do some extended praying, reading, planning, etc.

So, if I'm quiet for a few days you'll know why. In the meantime, if there's something I can pray with you about leave me a comment.

In The Beginning God...

2009-02-13T09:21:00.001-05:00

"It was a dark and stormy night;" was the opening line of every book Snoopy ever started to write in the Peanuts comic strip. There's something about opening lines. You know, for example, when you hear the phrase "Once upon a time," that you are about to hear a story.

Opening lines set the stage; they introduce the plot and characters. They set everything in motion.

This Sunday at Christian Life Center as we continue our journey with the fifth week of the Truth Project, we are going to set this story in motion. You can't understand God's story without starting in Genesis 1.

The story is really quite simple. It starts out in the Garden of Eden, when the world is good. We get all the way into chapter three before man falls apart. God sets into motion a redemptive plan while man continues to rebel and fall.

God sends his son, and man rejects him. God initiates a final covenant called the church. Some people respond to it; some don't. The church is sent forth into the world to retell the story. Some people receive it; some don't. Ultimately God returns and takes us back into a garden.

When we look at chapter one of the creation story, we find ourselves with what one man calls the prelude and the plot. It is musical and poetic, and it sets up the story. The underpinning assumption is that the story begins with an act of God: "In the beginning God."

If you accept the statement "In the beginning God," then everything else about Scripture falls into place and leaves no room for debate. Genesis 1:1–2 sets the stage for everything that's going to happen!

Grace is Amazing!

2009-02-11T07:40:00.001-05:00

I love these quotes on grace! I especially like the one by Jerry Bridges...what a powerful thought!

Grace creates liberated laughter. The grace of God in Jesus Christ is beautiful, and it radiates joy and awakens humor. —Karl Barth

Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace. —Jerry Bridges

Thank God, he doesn't measure grace out in teaspoons. —Amy Carmichael

Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected. —Jonathan Edwards

You will never be called upon to give anyone more grace than God has already given you. —Max Lucado

Suspended from work for praying??

2009-02-09T17:54:00.003-05:00

Here's a story from The Telegraph you'll find interesting. There's a link at the bottom of the post for the full story.

Caroline Petrie, a committed Christian, has been accused by her employers of failing to demonstrate a "personal and professional commitment to equality and diversity".
She faces disciplinary action and could lose her job over the incident.

Mrs Petrie, a married mother of two, says she has been left shocked and upset by the action taken against her.

The incident which led to her suspension took place at the home of a woman patient in Winscombe, North Somerset.

"It was around lunchtime and I had spent about 20 to 25 minutes with her. I had applied dressings to her legs and shortly before I left I said to her: 'Would you like me to pray for you?'

"She said 'No, thank you.' And I said: 'OK.' I only offered to pray for her because I was concerned about her welfare and wanted her to get better."

However, after the incident on December 15, she was contacted by the trust and asked to explain her actions.

The woman patient, who is believed to be in her late 70s, is understood to have complained to the trust.

Mrs Petrie said that she often offers to pray for her patients and that many take her up on it.

She insists she has never forced her own religious beliefs on anyone but politely inquired if the elderly patient wanted her to pray for her – either in the woman's presence or after the nurse had left the patient's home. She has been a committed Christian since she was ten – after her mother died of breast cancer.

"I simply couldn't believe that I have been suspended over this. I knew I hadn't done anything wrong. All I am trying to do is help my patients, many of whom want me to pray for them," she said.

Here's a link to the story

Mercy

2009-02-08T05:10:00.000-05:00

St. Francis of Assisi said, "You should not let a single person in the world, whatever sin that person may have committed, come before your eyes and depart without having found mercy with you...

And were that person to come to you a thousand times, continue to love them so as to lead them back to the right path. Always have compassion, for all of us have sinned." —St. Francis of Assisi

"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him." (Luke 17:3-4)

Truth Project Pt. 4

2009-02-06T10:42:00.001-05:00

This week we continue our journey with the fourth week of the Truth Project. This Sunday on our Worldview Tour we’ll be talking about Theology: Who is God?

Who is God? He's been described as everything from an impersonal life-force to a benevolent, personal, almighty Creator. He has been called by many names, including: "Zeus," "Jupiter," "Brahma," "Allah," "Ra," and "the Great Spirit" to name just a few. He's seen by some as "Mother Nature" and by others as "Father God." But who is He really? Who does He claim to be?

For people who don’t believe in a Divine Presence, God is just a three-letter word, a word that is spoken as derogatory slang, in fits of rage or casual conversation. There is no meaning other than to fill up a sentence. In their search for meaning in their lives, they look to what they can visualize, touch, and feel. The word ‘god’ is given to the satisfaction of their desires.

But for a Christ follower, God is the ever-living Presence who desires to be a part of our lives that He became Life to us.

He gives us promises in the Bible that were true centuries ago, are true today, and will be true tomorrow. He has promised us ‘life and life abundantly!’

"Get it done" Leaders

2009-02-05T09:47:00.000-05:00

I love reading Nehemiah 3. It's a list of everyone who finished the Jerusalem Wall project they were assigned: Eliashib and his fellow priests rebuilt the Sheep Gate, the sons of Hassenaah rebuilt the Fish Gate, Joiada repaired the Old Gate, and on and on. If Hebrews 11 is the roll call of faith, Nehemiah 3 is the roll call of responsibility.

However, one verse in this chapter sticks out: The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors. (Nehemiah 3:5)

I can imagine that the nobles were the type that didn't mind helping supervise the project, but Nehemiah says that they didn't want to "put their shoulders to the work." Ever worked with someone like that? Someone who could pinpoint the problem, but was of no real use in bringing about a solution? Someone who saw themselves as being just a little above the hands-on effort required to complete a project?

British General Alan Brooke said, "It is child's play deciding what should be done as compared with getting it done."

This is what I look for more than anything else when hiring an employee or placing a person in ministry leadership: the ability to get things done. It's also one of the characteristics I most want instilled in my children. And it's a quality I try to build in myself.

The most effective leaders can do more than diagnose the problem. They can take the steps necessary to make the problem go away

Conflict Resolution

2009-02-03T08:33:00.002-05:00

If you're married you will appreciate this. Even if you're single, however, the importance of communication can't be overlooked!

A married couple were in the middle of a long quarrel that had now deteriorated to each giving the other the silent treatment. This went on for several days.

One night the man realized that he would need his wife's help in the morning in order to catch an early flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence, he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5 a.m."

The next morning the man woke up to find himself alone, the sun shine was shining into the bedroom, and the clock said 7:30 a.m. His flight was long gone. Next to his pillow he saw a note from his wife. It said, "It's 5 a.m. Wake up."

Go Steelers

2009-02-01T22:38:00.001-05:00

Wow! What a game. One of the best Super Bowls in a while. Congrats to all the Steeler fans! Only 7 months till it starts all over again.

Thoughts From An Atheist

2009-02-01T17:29:00.002-05:00

In researching some things for The Truth Project I came across an interesting article.

Matthew Parris, a writer for the London Times and a 'devout' atheist, grew up in what is now known as Malawi, a small country in Africa. He returned for a visit shortly before Christmas, and the work he witnessed there among Christian organizations challenged his world view. In a Times column, he wrote ...

Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.

You can read the entire column here. As I read this article, I kept thinking, "This is how the church should appear to non-Christians." The article also reveals, I believe, what non-believers are looking for -- what they hope to see -- in people who profess the Christian faith.

Truth Project Pt. 3

2009-01-30T08:56:00.001-05:00

This week we continue our journey with the third week of the Truth Project. This Sunday on our Worldview Tour, we’ll be talking about anthropology, the nature of man.

That may sound boring at first. “Anthropology?? I don’t know if I want to go to CLC on Sunday or not!”

It’s not boring when you find out who God made you to be according to Gen. 1:26; 2:7. One of the primary truths that come from these verses is the fact that man is the product of God’s creative power and not the result of random evolution. Man did not evolve from a single-celled organism over the space of millions of years; he is the special creation of God.

All the other animals were spoken into existence by the Word of God. Man, however, was formed by God out of the dust of the earth and God breathed life into the nostrils of man.

The fact that God singled man out for special care in the creation lets us know that there is a vast difference between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom!

Quotes on Preaching

2009-01-28T16:00:00.000-05:00

No man preaches his sermon well to others if he does not first preach it to his own heart. —John Owen

Some ministers would make good martyrs: they are so dry they burn well. —Charles Spurgeon

A sermon is no sermon in which I can't hear the heartbeat. —Henry Longfellow

If you preach to hurting hearts, you will never want for a congregation; there is one in every pew. —Joseph Parker

Each time you go into the pulpit, go as if it were your first time, and your best time, and your last time. —Vance Havner

The test of a preacher is that his congregation goes away saying, not "What a lovely sermon", but "I will do something!" —Saint Frances de Sales

My grand point in preaching is to break the hard heart and to heal the broken one. —John F. Newton

In Need of an Upgrade?

2009-01-26T16:59:00.000-05:00

Here’s a joke for you: A man applies for a job. His prospective employer asks about his previous work. The man says, “I was a dog catcher in a small Texas town, but they had to let me go when the position was eliminated.”

The employer asks, “Was it eliminated because of funding cuts?”

The man says, “No. It was eliminated because I caught the dog.”

Have you ever felt like that dog catcher — that you have outlasted your usefulness and are no longer necessary? It’s been known to happen. One way we sometimes deal with it is simply to let the dog back out on the street and chase it some more. We may not accomplish much in the long run, but at least we keep busy. There is, however, a better way.

In the Old Testament there’s a story of a Babylonian slave named Nehemiah. Nehemiah had a big dream: he wanted to rebuild the walls of the city of Jerusalem. Against all odds, he accomplished his goal. What next? Tear down the walls and build them again? Instead, Nehemiah moved to a new level. He developed a new dream, bigger and more ambitious than the first: reuniting the people of Israel.

This is what he wrote: At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small. And only a few houses were scattered throughout the city. So my God gave me the idea to call together all the leaders of the city, along with the ordinary citizens, for registration. (Nehemiah 7:4-5)

Instead of questioning his own usefulness, Nehemiah upgraded his goals in life; he made the transition from building walls to building people.

If your life has become a circle of letting the dog out so you can catch it again…of tearing down walls so you can rebuild them…it may be time to upgrade your goals. God gave Nehemiah an idea of what to do next.

He has an idea for you, too.

Attitude toward government

2009-01-24T21:45:00.002-05:00

In case you have been somewhere else this week -- such as visiting another planet -- history was made last Tuesday when our nation inaugurated our first African American President. This was the most celebrated inauguration ever, and also the most watched. Regular programming was pre-empted so that the proceedings could be broadcast to a nationwide audience. It was this way in countries around the globe.

Frankly, it doesn’t matter to me one bit which candidate you supported. It’s no longer an issue. Barack Obama is our President. There’s a new administration in leadership. The question is, how should we respond? What should be our attitude toward our nation’s highest official? What should be our attitude toward the government? What should be our attitude toward politics in general?

1. Pray for those in leadership.
In his first letter to Timothy, Paul wrote ...(v. 1-2) I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

I can say this with certainty: Our president needs your prayers. He needs you to stand in the gap on his behalf, to speak his name before the throne of grace, to wrestle with the principalities and powers that seek to destroy all that is good. Our president needs your prayers. And, bluntly, the more wrong you think he is, the harder you need to pray for him ... that God will give him the wisdom to run the country as well you could.

2. When you talk politics, speak with honor and respect.
Somewhere we have gotten the idea that if we disagree with the things a political candidate stands for, it’s OK to demonize them.

During the next four years, President Obama will make decisions, at one time or another, that every American disagrees with. Not all at once, but at various times over the course of the next four years. He will be criticized from all sides. Some of that criticism may be deserved; much of it probably won’t be deserved.

It is our responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ to respond with honor and respect to the dignity of his office, and to the position in which God has placed him. It’s why Paul said, "Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Along these lines Peter wrote: "Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." (1 Peter 2:17)

God wants us to honor those in authority. We don’t have to agree with them, but we do have to honor them. The best way to do that is to speak about them with respect.

Thinking Biblically

2009-01-24T10:49:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow at CLC we continue our journey with the second week of the Truth Project. We will look at Colossians 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

The church in Colosse faced a particular form of strange doctrine. It was a mixture of Greek philosophy (an early version of Gnosticism) and Jewish legalism. Today we face numerous forms of unusual teaching. Some of that teaching is even within the church. On one hand there is the teaching of liberalism. On the other hand there is the teaching of legalism.

Perhaps the biggest threat we face comes from the most popular spiritual philosophy in our culture today. It is what is known as New Age teaching. It may be the most dangerous teaching we are facing. It is subtle and popular.

The New Age movement is a loose confederation of networks which share a common philosophical foundation. The New Age movement is a strange mixture of science and Eastern mysticism with a liberal splash of the occult. An emphasis on the idea that "all is one" or that everything that exists composes one essential reality can be found as a common belief. God is seen as an impersonal consciousness and power.

For those of us who hold a Biblical worldview, it should be obvious that we should be concerned, and for very good reason. What we are dealing with is not a rigid cult of mindless robots who are totally dependent on their despotic leader to map out every move.

We are dealing with a philosophy which is in vogue in our culture, and which is being propagated in our public and private schools, colleges, universities, arts, cinema, television, music and government. Rather than being the salvation of our society, it is a subtle cancer for Christianity and culture, one that moves us away from the center of our faith, Jesus Christ our Lord and God, and cause us to doubt the moral center of revealed truth, the Bible.

Hope you can join us tomorrow as we outline a way of thinking about our relationship with God that is different than anything the world teaches, or any other religion teaches, or any other pseudo-spiritual guru teaches. In contrast to what "worldly philosophies" teach, Colossians boldly states that everything we need we have in Christ!

President Obama

2009-01-22T20:26:00.005-05:00

Yesterday while driving I had a chance to catch some conservative talk radio ... and one particular host was especially pessimistic about the next four years. He said, "As a patriot, as an American, as a conservative, and as a Christian, I'm against everything in Obama's licentious left-wing agenda." Then he said that he hopes that our new President fails miserably.

Sadly, his words echo what I have heard from a number of evangelicals in the last few months -- though it's usually not expressed quite so explicitly.

It reminds me of how some church members act when a pastor they didn't want got called or appointed/voted in to their church. Maybe it's his age or his accent or his theology, but some decide they're not going to like the new guy no matter what. It's happened to just about all of us, I would imagine.

Since most of us are fairly conservative in our political persuasions it's easy to become less than enthusiastic about the recent change in leadership. However, I encourage you to put your "lack of enthusiasm" on hold.

Let's give our new President the same fair chance we would want others to give us.

NIV, KJV, NASB, NLT?

2009-01-21T08:25:00.004-05:00

I have a habit of bouncing from translation to translation in my messages. For the most part, I use the New International Version, the New Living Translation, and the New American Standard. Sometimes I use the "old" Revised Standard Version.

Some have asked me, "Why switch? Why not use the same one every week?" It's a good question. I know many pastors who always preach from the same version. In my case, since I use a number of different translations in my personal study, I tend to use a number of translations in my sermons. (Not as many as Rick Warren, though. He wins the prize. Purpose Driven Life cites 15 different versions.)

I encourage people to examine different translations of the text. Though the NIV and NASV, for example, are both accurate, sometimes the way a word or phrase was rendered in one translation will resonate more with what God is saying to you through the text this time through.

As Rick Warren points out, the Bible was originally written using more than 11,000 Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic words, but the average English translation uses about 6,000 words. He says, "Obviously, nuances and shades of meaning can be missed, so it is always helpful to compare translations." (Purpose Driven Life, page 325)

The primary objective is to instill in people the habit of digging into the Word, studying it, meditating upon it, and, ultimately, incorporating its teaching into our daily lives.

Looking at each passage from as many angles (i.e. translations) as possible helps us accomplish this.

MLK Quote

2009-01-20T00:58:00.003-05:00

Mark Batterson posted the following quote on his blog in honor of MLK day. I liked it so much I thought I'd share it with you!

Martin Luther King Jr. once said: "If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry.

He should sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven will pause to say, 'There lived a great street sweeper who did his job well'."

Expect More From God!

2009-01-20T00:53:00.001-05:00

Do you know why God sent his Son into the world? Paul tells us. He says...

Titus 2:14 says, [Jesus Christ] gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

He came to forgive us, to save us, and to change us. It’s not just that he says, "I will forgive you for being a sinful person." He says, "I will change you into a better person. I will shape you and conform you into the image of my Son. I will help you become like him."

This is what God wants for you, and he paid a tremendous price. He is absolutely committed to helping you become holy. He’s not standing away at a distance saying, "Get better. I’m waiting." He’s saying, "I’m here to help you." You can call on him and he will be there for you. King David wrote, "The Lord is near all who call on him." (Psalm 145:18)

I want you to understand how much God wants this for you. He wants you to be more holy more than you want it. He has more patience with the process than you have. He gives you more mercy than you will ever deserve. And he believes in you more than you can possibly believe in yourself.

When I say "expect more from God," here’s what I’m saying:

You can expect God to purify you. He will bring situations into your life and he will bring people into your life that he can use to teach you how to be more like him. You don’t have to say, "I will always be this way." You can say, "God has the power to change me. He wants to change and he will change me."

You can also expect God to be patient with you. He’s not going to give up you, so you don’t have to give up on yourself. He will pour out his mercy as many times as you need it; he will give you another chance as many times as it takes.

You can also expect God to empower you. When he saved you, he gave you a new nature and he gave you the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." (Acts 1:8) That power is available when you need it. When you call on him, he will help you.

You can expect these things from God. It’s his promise. That means that it’s a lot easier to practice self-control when you know you’re not in this alone, you don’t have to do life in your own strength, you’ve got the power of God on your side.

Gimme Five!

2009-01-18T16:37:00.001-05:00

When Jack Canfield was trying to get Chicken Soup for the Soul off the ground, he asked a number of best-selling authors and publishing experts how he should go about it. He received more advice than he could possibly act on -- he was overwhelmed him with possibilities and he had no idea where to start.

Then a man name Ron Scolastico told him, "If you would go to a very large tree and take five swings at it with a very sharp ax, eventually, no matter how large the tree, it would have to come down."

Out of this advice Canfield developed what he called The Rule of Five: every day he did five specific things that moved him toward the goal of getting Chicken Soup on the best seller list. He might do five radio interviews or send out five review copies or call five bookstores, and on and on.

Eventually the ax felled the tree; two years after the book came out, it made the New York Times best seller list, where it stayed for many months.

Where can you apply the rule of five in your life? Can you make a five-minute phone call of encouragement to one of your leaders every day? Or send five 'thank-you' emails each morning? Or read five pages of a book each day? Or review five memory verses?

As you survey the areas of your life that present the greatest opportunities for growth, think about how you can apply Canfield's Rule of Five. How can you take five strong swings at the tree day after day?

Solomon said, "He who works his land will have abundant food." (Proverbs 12:11) The rule of five is a great way to start working your land.

Words of Forgiveness

2009-01-13T21:44:00.000-05:00

"I think if God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than him." C.S. Lewis

"We forgive to the extent that we love." La Rochefoucauld

"It is in pardoning that we are pardoned." St. Francis of Assisi

"If I do not forgive everyone, I shall be untrue to myself." Albert Schweitzer

"Lead us not into the temptation of believing that we have truly forgiven, while rancor lingers." Katherine Zell

Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

Ant Lessons

2009-01-12T13:08:00.003-05:00

We tend to remember where we were and what we were doing on days of special significance. For example, most of us remember where we were when we heard that Elvis had died (or John Lennon or John Kennedy, depending on your age).

For pastors, most of us remember where we were and what we were doing the day we learned that the IRS considers us "self-employed." I remember the day well. I stared at the guy and said, "Are you crazy? Is the IRS crazy? 'Self-employed' implies that you are your own boss. Nothing could be further from the truth!" At the time, I had about one hundred bosses, who had one hundred different ideas about what I should be doing each day!

We're all accountable, in one way or another, to someone else for the job that we do. Solomon tells us there is a lesson we can learn from the ant. He doesn't have anyone looking over his shoulder, no Committee or Senior Pastor watching his every step, yet he gets done what needs to be done.

Why? Because the ant, by nature, doesn't allow himself to get sidetracked; he has a firm grip on what is most important in an ant's life. He gathers his food and stores his food and makes certain he can feed himself and his little ant family. He knows the most important thing to do, and he does it.

We could learn from the ant. Regardless of how many people are looking over our shoulder, we're accountable to God for own actions, and it is up to each one of us to do what is most important.

What is most important? For an ant, it's easy to define: Gathering/Storing Food. For us, it's not always as clear cut. If you search your heart, and if you search the will of God, you can know what is most important for you to do today. Chances are, you already know.

So learn from the ant. Ignore whoever may be looking over shoulder, and focus on priority one.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise. It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8)

Having Faith!

2009-01-09T16:53:00.001-05:00

Hosea 6:3 says, "Let us press on to know the Lord" (NAS). That’s always a good word, but it seems like a message from heaven for this moment in the history of Christian Life Center. This year we begin our 19th year of ministry in Bensalem.

From a tiny beginning in 1990, Christian Life Center has experienced God’s faithfulness across the years. Even though we have been in existence for 19 years, we have not arrived and our journey is not yet ended! We are not 19 years old, but 19 years young with much ground left to conquer for God and His kingdom.

This is no time to retire, no time to give up, and certainly no time to bask in past successes. No, this is a time for us to move forward by faith. As a matter of, “Forward by Faith” is our theme for 2009, because that which is before us is greater than that which is behind us!

This Sunday we’ll talk about what it means to have faith by defining it with six different statements that are derived from the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews. Join us as we prepare to go forward by faith into 2009!

Prayer/Fasting

2009-01-07T10:17:00.003-05:00

Our theme for 2009 at Christian Life Center is Forward by Faith! Sunday we'll see what it means to have faith in our 21st century world. At the same time we're beginning our 21 day fast as we start the New Year.

Jesus teaches that a life of faith requires both prayer and fasting. Prayer grasps the power of heaven, fasting loosens the hold on earthy pleasure.

Jesus himself fasted to get strength to resist the devil. Abstinence from food, or moderation in taking it, helps to focus on communication with God.

Let's remember that abstinence, moderation, and self-denial are a help to the spiritual life. To willingly sacrifice our own pleasure or enjoyment will help to focus our minds more fully on God and His priorities. The very practice needed in overcoming our own desires will give us strength to take hold of God in prayer.

Prayer is not easy work. For the real practice of prayer—taking hold of God and having communion and fellowship with him—it is necessary that our selfish desires be sacrificed.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. (Galatians 5:24 NLT)

Second Chances!

2009-01-05T17:48:00.002-05:00

Ok, so this is a football post...nothing wrong with that except it's not about the Eagles! It's about what Kerry Collins of the Tennessee Titans can teach us about second chances.

It's been good to see the Titans having such a good season -- and especially good to see the contribution that Collins has been able to make. He's having his best year -- this after having been considered a has-been more than once in his 14 NFL seasons.

Collins has had his share of setbacks, and they were all self-inflicted. He has struggled with a bad attitude, poor on-field performance, off-field controversies, alcohol addiction, getting benched and bouncing around from team to team. There have been some good moments in his career (he played in a Super Bowl), but he has never quite lived up to expectations as a top draft pick in 1995.

Until this year. At the age when many players have retired, Collins is leading Tennessee through a remarkable season. Kerry Collins could have called it quits a couple of years ago. Had he done so, he would have been remembered primarily for the blunders. But he decided to stay, even though it meant, most likely, finishing his career as a backup player. Maybe he thought a small contribution to a team was better than nothing at all.

Then, unexpectedly, a new opportunity presented itself in 2008. This time he was ready.

There's a lesson to be learned in his story: It's never too late to change the course of your life. Your past may be marked with missed opportunities and unfulfilled expectations, but the past doesn't equal the future, and it doesn't have to define the present. As long as you stay in the game, you can change your course at any time.

It reminds of the verse in Jonah: "Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time." (Jonah 3:2)

Regardless of how your story has played out up to this point, God is ready to reveal his Word to you again. He wants to send you back onto the playing field, wants to give you a chance to capture the potential that has been there all along.

Forget the disappointments of yesterday. They don't determine who you have to be today or tomorrow. It's not too late to have your best season ever -- keep yourself in a position for a second chance!

A New You For A New Year!

2009-01-02T20:46:00.001-05:00

We all have attitudes and habits and thoughts and ways of reacting and responding to things that “are out of date.” They were habits and attitudes that were appropriate in the past but they will be ineffective in 2009.

Your happiness in this New Year is determined to a large degree by your willingness to change, your willingness to be changed by God.

If we don’t change and if we don’t grow we just tend to perpetuate the same old problems over and over. We go into each New Year with the same old hang ups, the same problems, the same responses to life, making the same mistakes and we never grow.

Some people are constantly changing. They’re changing their jobs, they’re changing their homes, and they’re changing their friends, even changing their spouses. But they never think of changing themselves.

As you go forward into 2009 you’ll be facing a lot of new situations. Specifically you’ll face new problems, you’ll face new pressures, and you’ll face new possibilities. And each of these will require a new response, a new attitude, a new adjustment, and a new action.

So this Sunday, the first of the New Year, we’ll focus on Luke 5:36-39 and talk about “A New You For A New Year” and discover what’s required to face 2009!

Happy New Year - Goals for '09!

2009-01-01T08:43:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! It’s amazing how quickly this day comes. Doesn’t it seem only a couple of months ago we welcomed 2008? I guess it’s true what they say: the older you get the faster time flies by!

As I blogged a couple of days ago I’ve been reviewing and reflecting on 2008 and 2009. 2008 was a year of transition for me; both personally and publicly. In some ways it was one of the hardest years of my life, and in other ways it was the greatest.

Nevertheless, looking to 2009 I’m excited about the potential of what is to come! That which is before us is greater than that which is behind us!

As I’ve pondered over the days ahead I’ve written out several goals I’m aiming for in 2009. I’m a little gun-shy to put all this out in public, but feel it’s therapeutic to make them known publicly. Below are some of the things I’ve designated as goals in my life for 2009. There are a few others that are more personal and private; only God and I know about those.

Hopefully, these motivate you do establish your own list.

GOALS FOR ‘09

1. Read at least 40 books this year…from fiction to non-fiction

2. Read the Bible in chronological order completely

3. Maintain my weight under 200lbs…this one is gonna kill me…I’m too much of a “foodie”

4. Run a Half Marathon…this one is gonna kill me…see above!

5. Lead CLC to 2,000+ in attendance…we were there once and we can get there again!

6. Improve as a Leader/Coach… for my kids, my staff, and other leaders/pastors I serve

7. Do a 40 day Daniel Fast…this one is gonna kill me…you get the picture!

8. Start initial work on a Doctoral Degree

9. Do a personal retreat at a monastery

10. Take a vacation with my entire family…the older my kids get the harder this is.

11. Live with vision…ask God to enlarge my view of things so I can see the possibilities of his work in my life.

12. Husband my wife…my goal is to help Marvina see the beginnings of the fulfillment of God's 'word' on her life.

A Resolution or A Goal?

2008-12-30T15:28:00.002-05:00

The last few days of each year I try to set aside some time to reflect and evaluate what I want to accomplish in the New Year ahead. It’s basically a three-step process:

1. Revisit and review last year’s goals and evaluate progress made.
2. Establish new goals for the New Year.
3. Ask God for a theme for the New Year. (This is already done: for ’09…it’s Forward by Faith)

I follow the process Jeff Leake, Lead Pastor of Allison Park Church, recommends:

· Name Your Year - determine the theme of what you want God to do in 2009.
· Evaluate Your Past - consider what you did well last year and what you need to work on.
· Set Life Goals - write out the larger dreams you have for the rest of your days.
· Write '09 Goals - what are your targets for the next 12 months?

I’ve decided to use the term “goals” instead of “resolutions.” Resolutions often are perfection based, whereas goals are targets. Shooting for something moves us forward more than shooting for nothing.

So what are my '08 goals? I will share that soon...

In the meantime, I’d like to hear some of yours!

God Is Using You!

2008-12-28T15:10:00.000-05:00

There's a story in W.A. Criswell's biography that illustrates how you can never measure the impact of your life.

W.A. tells about the day of his conversion: It was Autumn, 1920. His church was holding a revival and Criswell received permission to skip school to attend a special mid-day meeting.
At the close of the service, W.A. responded to the invitation and accepted Christ as his Savior.

Seven years later he was licensed to preach. He soon began a lifetime of ministry, including 55 years as pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas. He wrote more than 50 books, led untold thousands to Christ, trained hundreds for the ministry.

He was one of the most influential pastors in America during the 20th century.

But this story is really about the man who preached that 1920 revival which changed the course of Criswell's life. His name was John Hicks. He had been a guest in the Criswell's home during the two week revival, and young W.A. had been greatly impressed with the man's manner and character. This admiration compelled the 10 year old boy to attend every service and hang on every word the preacher spoke.

Years later, as Hicks lay dying in Baylor Hospital, his friend Wallace Basset sat with him during his final moments. Hicks said, "Wallace, my life is over, my preaching days are done, and I've never done anything for Jesus. I've failed, Wallace. I've failed."

Apparently John Hicks never knew about the special contribution he had made to the kingdom of God: how one revival meeting held in a small Texas town -- and specifically one sermon preached on an Autumn morning -- touched the heart of a young boy who would, in turn, touch the lives of millions in the years to come.

The words of Paul come to mind: "Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and teaching. Do not neglect your gift..." (1 Timothy 4:13-14)

Maybe you can't see the full results of your life at this moment. Maybe today your years of sacrifice and hard work resemble nothing. Remember this: You've accomplished things that you don't know about -- and you may never know about them on this side of glory.

What appears to be failure sometimes isn't failure at all. Stay devoted to your work. Do not neglect your calling. Do not neglect your gift. And during those days when measurable results remain elusive: do not give in to despair. God is using you.

How Big Is God?

2008-12-26T08:30:00.001-05:00

How big is your God? How big is Jesus in your life? I'm convinced that the way we live is a consequence of the size of our God. The primary problem in our lives is we are not convinced that we are absolutely safe in the hands of a fully- competent, all-knowing, ever-present, utterly loving, infinitely big God.

If I wake up in the morning and go through the day with a small, shrunken God, there are consequences. I will live in a constant state of fear and anxiety, because everything depends on me, and my mood will be governed by whatever circumstances hit me that day.

If I live with a small God, I will find it unnatural to pray when I have a need, because I'm not really sure, to be honest, that God makes a difference and that prayer matters. If I live with a small God, I will become a slave to whatever other people think of me, because I don't live in the security of a big God's acceptance of me.

When human beings shrink God, they pray without faith, worship without awe, serve without joy, suffer without hope, and the result is a life of stagnation and fear, a loss of vision, an inability to persevere and see it through.

It's against this backdrop the writers of Scripture never tire of telling us that we do not live with a little tribal God. Whatever we need, God is bigger. Whatever our weakness, God is stronger!

Join us at Christian Life Center for the final Sunday in 2008 as we discover what it's like to live with a God who is so big He can do anything!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T09:11:00.001-05:00

On behalf of the Smith family I wish you a Merry Christmas! May God's peace surround you, and his presence comfort you this holiday season!

QUOTES ON CHRISTMAS

2008-12-23T15:51:00.001-05:00

Christmas is the day that holds time together. -- Alexander Smith

There's only been one Christmas (the rest are anniversaries), and it is not over yet. --W.J. Cameron

The place that the shepherds found was not an academy or an abstract republic; it was not a place of myths allegorized or dissected or explained away. It was a place of dreams come true. -- G.K. Chesterton

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. -- Charles Dickens.

Some businessmen are saying that this could be the greatest Christmas ever. I always thought the first one was. -- Art Fettig

Nothing during the year is so impressively convincing as the vision Christmas brings of what this world would be if love became the daily practice of humans beings. -- Norman Vincent Peale

Huh?

2008-12-22T17:10:00.000-05:00

The pastor of a church in California put a sign in front of his church during the Christmas season that said, "Jesus is the reason for the season. Merry Christmas."

He received a complaint from a woman in the community who took exception with the message.

She closed the conversation by saying, "I don't think the church should try to drag religion into every holiday."

Go figure!

A Christmas Carol

2008-12-20T09:51:00.001-05:00

In the fall of 1843 Charles Dickens was facing tremendous financial pressure. He knew he needed to write a hit and he needed to do it quickly.

One evening he took a long walk, hoping for something that would spark his imagination. He began his walk in his own neighborhood-one of London's finest. As he walked he waved and spoke to those he passed, the elegant ladies and the well-dressed gentlemen.

His walk took him across the Thames River into the litter strewn streets of one of London's worst slums. Here, the lords and ladies were replaced by streetwalkers, pickpockets, and beggars.

Suddenly he felt a flash of inspiration. He would write a Christmas story for these very people--people who hungered for a bit of cheer and hope.

Christmas was close; Dickens had to write quickly. As he recorded the story of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge being visited by the ghost of his dead partner, Dickens began to experience a personal change.

What had begun as a calculated plan to eliminate debt became a work that captured his soul.

He wrote about the kind of Christmas he loved--family parties, mistletoe, carols, games, feasts and gifts. When the manuscript was ready for press, Dickens insisted that the book have a gold-stamped cover, a red and green title page, four hand-colored etchings and four woodcuts.

To make it possible for the book to reach a wide audience, he priced it at only five shillings.

Neither Dickens or the publisher were prepared for the response to the release of A Christmas Carol. It completely sold out the initial press run of 6000 copies in the first six days--an amazing feat in 19th England.

Since the book was so lavishly packaged and so modestly priced, it did not provide an immediate solution to Dickens' financial problems. This was all right with him; he had enough to get by. His later works (David Copperfield and Tale of Two Cities among them) brought him the financial prosperity he needed.

In Christmas 1843, however, Charles Dickens was satisfied to give this universally loved novel to the world. From the storm of tribulation came a gift--and it changed forever the way people celebrate Christmas!

2009 Resolutions

2008-12-18T05:50:00.001-05:00

Charles Lamb said "New Year's Day is every man's birthday."

We're just a few of weeks away from changing the calendar, so we've all got a birthday coming up. We'll all have a chance to reflect a little bit on the past 365 days and, hopefully, focus a lot on the next 365 days. If we choose, we can wipe slate clean from the past and begin a new day.

There's nothing special about January 1, of course, but there is something special about the decision to break away from old habits and develop new ones. It can be done any day -- January 1 is as good a day as any. The important thing is to devote oneself to doing better and trying harder.

It was said of Hezekiah: "In everything he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered." (2 Chronicles 31:21)

My resolutions for 2009 are centered in this verse. I want to seek God more and to serve him better.

Old books, Old Friends

2008-12-16T08:37:00.003-05:00

I recently heard about a different approach to reading I'm going to try in 2009: going back to the good books in your library again and again. There's an old saying that great books are not written, they're rewritten. In other words, an author should give his manuscript more than one pass. It can also be said that great books shouldn't be merely read, they should be re-read.

Spurgeon said: "Master those books you have. Read them thoroughly. Bathe in them until they saturate you. Read and reread them, masticate and digest them...A student will find that his mental constitution is more affected by one book thoroughly mastered than by twenty books he has merely skimmed."

As we work our way into the New Year, I've been thinking about my reading list for 2009. There are a few books I read every year or so -- if not the whole volume, at least certain chapters and/or sections that I find especially helpful. Here are some of them.

The Purpose Driven Life (Rick Warren)

Communicating for a Change (Andy Stanley)

A Tale of Three Kings (Gene Edwards)

Visioneering (Andy Stanley)

Celebration of Discipline (Richard Foster)

Courageous Leadership (Bill Hybels)

Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis)

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire (Jim Cymbala)

Your Road Map For Success (John Maxwell)

The Power of Positive Living: An Autobiography (Norman Vincent Peale)

These books have become my friends. They encourage me during difficult days, they tell me what I need to hear, they remind me of things I have forgotten, they challenge me to try again, they help me become more holy -- to see Christ more clearly, to love him more dearly, to follow him more nearly, as the old song says.

I encourage you to give some thought to which books on your bookshelf are worth a second look -- and add them to your list for 2009. I'd also like to know what you plan on reading...drop me a line and let me know!

Changing The Course

2008-12-14T21:08:00.000-05:00

There are certain laws at work in the universe, and no amount of power, or money, or influence can change them.

These laws are God's laws. He designed them to work for us, not against us. In order for this to happen, we sometimes have to change our course. His laws don't change; we must change.

When we try to find happiness, fulfillment, and meaning in life through any method other than a personal relationship with God, we are setting ourselves up for failure.

But it doesn't have to be that way. We can change our course at anytime. We can choose life over death; we can choose spiritual blessings over self-destruction.

God doesn't change his course to accommodate us, but if we are willing to change our course, to chart the path of lives in his direction, he will to open his arms wide to receive us, and will shower us with blessings from heaven.

These are his words...
"I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live, and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life..." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

Quotes On Accomplishment

2008-12-12T08:33:00.001-05:00

We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we've already done. —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. —Herm Albright

There is no such thing as a great talent without great will-power —Honore de Balzac

Luck is being ready for the chance. —James Frank Dobie

Unless a man has trained himself for his chance, the chance will only make him ridiculous. —William Matthews.

Opportunity is sometimes hard to recognize if you're only looking for a lucky break. —Monta Crane

For a man to achieve all that is demanded of him he must regard himself as greater than he is. —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Opportunity's favorite disguise is trouble. —Frank Tyger

Talking To Myself

2008-12-10T17:33:00.001-05:00

The average person talks to himself or herself thousands of times a day. For many people, much of that self-talk is negative. "You're so stupid!" one says to oneself. "Why can't you do anything right? You'll never get a break. You'll never succeed. You don't have a chance."

These words reinforce what we believe about ourselves, and they influence the actions we take.

We find it far too easy to believe in the power of our weaknesses and failures; we find it far too difficult to believe in the power of the God who came to transform us into his likeness.

God spoke through Joel this simple phrase: "Let the weak say 'I am strong.'" (Joel 3:10) He was talking about the day of battle; he was guaranteeing his people a victory.

Every day is the day of battle for followers of Christ. We fight temptation, discouragement, apathy, and failure -- day in, day out. And in the midst of battle, God reminds us that victory is ours. Therefore, let the weak say I am strong -- for (as David proclaimed when facing Goliath) "The battle is the Lord's."

The Treasure of Christmas

2008-12-08T03:35:00.001-05:00

In the Christmas story, I like how Luke used the phrase, "All who heard the shepherd's story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured those things in heart and thought about them often." (Luke 2:19)

The King James says, "Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart."

It means that year after year she thought about the events leading to the first Christmas -- how she was chosen to participate in God's story of salvation, how God brought everything together, how she witnessed firsthand that, like the angel had said to her many months before, "Nothing is impossible for God." (Luke 1:37)

Mary's example is good one to follow. We should remember to treasure these things and think about them often. There are so many lessons to be learned the nativity story.

● From the wisemen we learn that God speaks to anyone who will listen, and he leads anyone who is willing to follow.

● From Mary and Joseph we learn what it means to fully submit to the will of God. We learn that obedience takes courage, and that it's better to obey God than worry about what others think or say.

● From the shepherds -- those minimum wage workers who were watching sheep late in the night -- we learn that no one is too poor or too insignificant to have a personal experience with God.

● Even from cruel Herod, we are reminded of how foolish it is to try to hinder the purpose of God.

Most of all, from Jesus, we learn that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

We're beginning a busy season of the year -- stressful sometimes, hectic, and financially challenging. Follow Mary's example: Remember to remember the first Christmas. Treasuring the story, think about it often, ponder its meaning in your heart.

Nothing is Insignificant with God!

2008-12-06T18:33:00.002-05:00

At the beginning of the Christmas story, Mary was just a teenage girl living with her family in Nazareth preparing to marry a man named Joseph. She probably had no ambitions for her life beyond caring for her home, her future husband and children. She was a poor, simple woman. By worldly standards, she was quite insignificant.

But then an angel showed up! And what he said rocked her world: "Do not be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God" (Luke 1:30).

With those few words the angel announced to her that with God there is no such thing as an insignificant person. There is no person on this planet whom he doesn't see, whom he doesn't know, whom he doesn't love.

You may be poor. You may be desperate. You may lack education and resources. You may be tucked away in an obscure, out of the way place -- feeling like a nowhere man living in a nowhere land. But with God, you're not hidden, you're not obscure, you're not insignificant.

He has a place for you. He has a plan for you. And he is willing to bestow his favor upon you. If you will put yourself in his care, through trust and obedience and submission to him, he will put you in your place, so to speak. He will pour out his favor in your life.

What does his favor mean? It means blessings. The blessings of a happy home, the blessings of joy and peace and abundance. The blessing of knowing him personally.

God's favor also means that he will use your life to do great things. In Mary's case, she did the greatest thing of all -- she gave birth to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

In your case, it means that God will use to touch the lives of people around you. That you will be a blessing to others, and an inspiration to others. He will put you in situations in which you will care for others, and teach others, and influence others in a way that empowers them to fulfill God's calling on their lives.

The favor of God means that he will bless you and he will use you.

Models

2008-12-04T09:32:00.003-05:00

I read an interesting article about the church recently that mentioned there are three kinds of churches: the Hotel, the Asylum, and the Hospital. It's an fascinating analogy! Is Christian Life Center one of these?

The Hotel model is the kind of church where people come in and don't lift a finger: all the work is done by someone else. Their stay is temporary, it does not become their home, and it usually isn't long before they check out -- leaving nothing of themselves behind, taking with them all they brought in.

The Asylum model is the kind of church where people arrive with problems and leave with their problems multiplied. It's a place where people go but never get better, and sometimes they get worse.

The Hospital model is the kind of church where hurting people can find healing. There are sick people in the hospital-church, but they're not judged for being sick -- they're just made whole again.

I hope we're more like the hospital model than the others! Our purpose, clearly, is to be a hospital the sin-sick soul. Our goal is to help people discover God and experience His power in life-changing ways; to find healing for their broken lives through the healing power of Jesus Christ!

No More Masks

2008-12-01T11:15:00.003-05:00

Our heroes usually wear masks, so we don't know who they really are. Like Spiderman and Batman and the Green Lantern and Zorro... and, of course, the original masked man: the Lone Ranger.

We benefit from their kindness -- they frequently save the world from bad guys like the Penguin and the Joker -- but we don't know who they really are. They may be our heroes, but our knowledge of them is limited; they can't be known personally!

There's a sense in which the same could have been said about God. In the Old Testament we learned about him, we saw how his people benefitted from his kindness, but we couldn't really know him personally, intimately. It was like he was behind a mask.

On Christmas Day, the mask was removed. He revealed himself to us fully and completely, so that we may known him as he really is. This is why, when Philip asked Jesus to reveal the Father, Jesus said, "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9)

God's plan is not to be our hero. He wants to be more than the one we call on in times of trouble.

He wants to be our constant companion, our Father, our friend. He wants us to know him personally. This is made possible through his Son, Jesus Christ, who was sent to us two thousand years ago. This is why we celebrate his birth.

During the month of December at Christian Life Center our focus will be on Jesus! What significance does this first-century Jewish rabbi named Jesus have in our lives today? He claimed to be the Messiah; how does it affect our lives? Join us this Sunday as we begin exploring the real reason for the season!

Hope Inspires Endurance!

2008-11-28T17:52:00.006-05:00

Do you know who my biggest hero is? Joe Paterno. He's the head football coach for the Penn State Nittany Lions. I'm not a huge Penn State fan, but this guy is amazing. He's been on the coaching staff at Penn State for 59 years -- 16 years as an assistant and 43 years as the head coach. He's won more football games than any other coach in history. He's now 81 years old.

One of things I like about Paterno is that he cares deeply about his players, not just how they perform on the field, but how they perform in life. One player who was recruited by a number of colleges said that all the other coaches promised him a position on the team. Paterno said, "If you play for Penn State, you'll leave a better person."

Several years ago, when Paterno was still in his early seventies, he went through a storm. Over a period of five years, Penn State had four losing seasons. Penn State alumni were calling for his resignation, if not his head on a platter. A website even sprung up called firejoepaterno.com!

If he had stepped down at that time, no one would have blamed him. He could have said, "I've had a good run, but the time has come for me to call it a day," and he would have gone out a hero.

But after those four losing seasons, Paterno didn't step down. He decided to stick around a few more years. Why? He believed he could still do what he was hired to do all those years ago: consistently produce winning teams for the Penn State program. He had hope -- not wishful thinking, but a solid sense of optimism -- that there were still some good years to come.

What eventually happened? He turned things around. In the three seasons before this one, Penn State lost only a total of 9 games, and they went to a bowl game each year. This year Penn State is 11-1 and they're going to the Rose Bowl. The firejoepaterno.com website is still up, and if you go there you'll see that they're trying desperately to justify their existence.

Even during those days that must have been the most difficult of his career, Joe refused to quit. When people said, "Your time is up, Paterno. You're old. You're finished. You should quit while you're ahead," he just kept going. It is his hope -- his optimism -- that fuels his endurance.

Paul said, "...your endurance inspired by hope" (1 Thess. 1:13). If you want to develop endurance, develop hope. Develop an attitude of optimism. This idea -- that God is in control and that he is working all things together for good -- needs to be foundational in your attitude at work.

This idea -- that the best is yet to come -- will carry you through those difficult days that come with any and every job. That's because hope inspires endurance!

Crazy Dreams!

2008-11-25T21:59:00.003-05:00

Recently, I came aross the story of Ronald Mallet, a man who lost his father to a smoking related illness 53 years ago. When his father died, his lifelong quest began: to build a time machine that would enable him to travel into the past, see his father again, and warn him to change his lifestyle.

It sounds crazy, I know. If Ronald Mallet was a wild-eyed Emmet Brown type (that was Christopher Lloyd in the Back to the Future trilogy), it would be easy to laugh him off as a nutcase.

But he's nothing like Emmet Brown. He is a tenured theoretical physicist at the University of Connecticut, only the 79th African American to earn a doctorate in physics. Why did he choose physics? Because of his crazy dream: he wanted to find a way to travel through time, because he desperately wanted to see his father once again.

He hid his obsession hidden for decades, knowing that if the secret got out, he would become a laughingstock. So he worked at home each night in solitude, and along the way made some amazing discoveries -- discoveries that the academic community is beginning to pay attention to.

It also illustrates how there are many things that drive us to choose the career we choose -- and if the motive is strong enough, it can drive us to do the seemingly impossible.

I can't imagine devoting my life to something as crazy as time travel. Instead, I've devoted my life (we've devoted our lives) to something that many find crazier -- the foolishness of preaching.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

2008-11-23T05:31:00.002-05:00

Today at CLC I'm going to be talking about the connection between graditude and generosity. The focus will be on the apostle Paul's words of instruction to the church at Corinth. However, you can go back years earlier and discover the principles being established with the children of Israel.

For example, in the book of Deuteronomy is a lesson to be learned about giving. Verses 1-11 describes the Liturgy of the First Fruits, which was associated with each of the Pilgrim festivals. Even though we don't celebrate the same feasts and festivals that they did, we can follow a similar liturgy today when we give. Here are three reminders about how to give:

1. Make giving a priority. (v. 2)...take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. (v. 10) "...and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, O Lord, have given me."

2. Make giving an act of worship.(v. 10) Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him.

3. Make giving a celebration of thanksgiving.(v. 11) And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

We express gratitude by recognizing our debt to God (v. 2); by remembering his faithfulness (v.5-9) and by reaching out to to others (v. 11 — "Remember to include the Levites and the foreigners living among in the celebreation." NLT).

What God Sees

2008-11-21T03:34:00.002-05:00

God sees us according to our potential, not our limitations. Jesus called Peter "a rock" long before Peter did anything to deserve the name. God's objective in our life is that we might be conformed to the image of his Son...to become the righteousness of God in Christ. (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 5:21)

This puts us on a never-ending quest for self-improvement...a never-ending quest for holiness. Our purpose each day is to make an effort toward spiritual growth, to become more like him. That's why at Christian Life Center we've made spiritual formation one of our core values.

Let's keep in mind that God already sees in us the potential to become what he wants us to be. It is we who have a hard time believing in ourselves, and believing in his ability to bring it to pass.

This anonymous Mexican prayer expresses both humility and faith in God's ability to work in our lives. Let's make it our prayer, too.

I am only a spark, Make me a fire.
I am only a string,Make me a lyre.
I am only a drop,Make me a fountain.
I am only an anthill,Make me a mountain.
I am only a feather,Make me a wing.
I am only a rag,Make me a king.

A Week To Live

2008-11-19T13:22:00.001-05:00

What would you do if you knew you had only week to live? Would you go away? Would you go home? Would you do some last minute sinning, or some last minute repenting? Would you be sad? Angry? Hopeful? Afraid? How would you spend those final hours?

Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. (John 13:1)

When Jesus had one week to live, he chose to wash his disciples' feet. He did the work of a common slave, ministering to those who were closest to him. He washed their feet (John 13), he comforted them (John 14), he encouraged them (John 15-16), prayed for them (John 17), and then he died for them. He spent the last week of his life fulfilling his purpose; he spent the last week of his life being a servant.

...the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

You and me, we have a week to live: this week — and most probably hundreds more. I want to spend this week fulfilling my purpose, doing that which is most important in terms of eternity: serving Christ by serving others.

Control

2008-11-17T09:22:00.000-05:00

Life isn't easy. We all know that. We all face challenges big and small, and sometimes things seem to spin out of control. The key word is seem.

No matter how things look for you today, you can find a place of peace in the presence of God.

You can get centered in him, because he is for you, and because he is in control of every situation -- including this situation, today. It's a choice you make. A choice to be honest with your situation, and a choice to trust that God will deliver on his promises.

You can celebrate this day, because this is the day that God has designed to change you, to teach you, to help you.

You can ask for more than enough, because God has the ability to help you thrive. And you can look to the light, because in his word and in his presence, you will find all the help you need!

All Because of Grace

2008-11-14T11:09:00.000-05:00

The movie "Saving Private Ryan" ends with Captain Miller(Tom Hanks’ character)sitting near a bridge after an attack by German forces. His life is ebbing away as he pulls Ryan (Matt Damon)down toward him.

Struggling for breath he whispers, "Earn this, earn this."

As Ryan stands his face morphs back into the present as a senior adult searching for Miller’s cross in the cemetery. Crying he turns to his wife and says, "Tell me I’m a good man."

Many people may believe that Christ died for them, but they have an attitude that Christ told them, "Earn this." They spend their lives through religion trying to receive validation so that people will tell them, "You are a good man or a good woman."

Grace is realizing that we can never earn Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross. Our lives should reflect thanksgiving for what he has done instead of validation for being a good person. We can never earn salvation. We can only receive it.

Ho, Ho, Ho...

2008-11-12T10:15:00.003-05:00

Let the record reflect the following action. November 12, 2008 Pastor Del posted his first Christmas blog! Ok, so I'm a bit early perhaps but I'm already hearing Christmas music on the radio!! Geez...at least let me get the turkey digested first! At any rate, my mind is already beginning to fill with thoughts about the holidays ahead.

How do you gauge a good Christmas? Most of us, I would guess, have some type of scale that determines whether or not this Christmas, or any Christmas, goes down as one of the better ones. And, I would imagine, most of us probably already have a pretty good idea of where this Christmas will fit on the spectrum.

We have a bad habit of making Christmas all about “me” -- my expectations, my wants, my needs, my preferences. The result is, often, that Christmas disappoints us or frustrates us in one way or another, year in and year out.

The paradox is that Christmas really is about you -- you are the reason that God sent his Son into the world. It was the only way you could be saved. He sent Jesus to be born in a manger and to die on the cross for your sins so that you could turn back to him, so that you could experience the forgiveness of sin, so that God’s face could shine upon you. Only then can you be saved.

Before you think about what you can give, be willing to receive God’s gift to you. His gift of love. His gift of acceptance. His gift of new life. When you receive God’s gift to you, you are able to give back to him, and give to those around you.

The Grass is Always Greener...

2008-11-10T09:27:00.001-05:00

I read an interesting story in the Tampa Bay paper recently. It's about a man who lives Hudson, Florida; his name is Andy Law.

One morning, as Andy was reading the daily news, he came across a story that shocked him. Joseph Prudente, a sixty-six year old man in nearby Beacon Woods had gone to jail for the crime of having a brown lawn. He had received notices from the local homeowners association that his grass wasn't green enough for community standards, but he overlooked them. Prudente has some health problems right now and is struggling financially. He can barely make his mortgage payment; he doesn't have the resources to take care of his lawn.

So the homeowner's association did what was in their power: they filed a court order against him and had him arrested, without the option of posting bail.

Here's where Andy comes in. He has troubles of his own. His business is failing, he is on the verge of losing his own house, and he is considering bankruptcy. But as he read Joseph Prudente's story, Andy decided that something must be done. "This," he thought, "is a problem that can be solved."

He began calling everyone he knew to help. Soon the yard was full of people working. Others dropped off gifts. Another man came to repair the sprinkler. Andy borrowed some lawn equipment and convinced a nursery to donate sod. By the end of the day, the yard was done: covered with new green grass, red mulch, flowers, and a working sprinkler.

At this time, the Tampa Bay paper reports, there was a sudden, thick downpour. Jennifer Prudente, Joseph's wife, stood in the rain with her arms open wide. "Our luck is changing," she said.

The next day Joseph was released from jail. Though he still faces fines and court costs, he is a free man today ... as long his grass stays the right shade of green. (And you thought your neighbors were picky.)

As far as I'm concerned, this story is more about Andy than it is about Joseph. Yes, it's outrageous that you can go to jail in America for having brown grass; I realize that some will see only this aspect of the story.

More impressive is the fact that one young man, also down on his luck, put his own problems on the back burner long enough to make a difference in someone else's life. This is an example of Paul's words in Philippians being put into practice: "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4)

100th Posting

2008-11-08T10:29:00.001-05:00

Someone once said that wisdom is to live your one and only life in such a way that when it comes to an end, and it will, God looks at it and says, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Well done."

This is wisdom. From the moment you wake up in the morning until you go to bed at night, you love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength, and then you walk through the day and love the people that you see. Love them like you love yourself. Then become a servant of the world.

Not a bad way to live!

MISSIONAL LIVING AT IT'S BEST!

2008-11-06T08:15:00.003-05:00

It's hard to believe but the holidays are upon us...again! I've already heard Christmas music on the radio...unbelieveable!

One of the great outreach ministries at CLC this time of the year are the boxes of love. I hope you have picked one up. It's a simple yet effective way of showing compassion to a less fortunate family.

Former Ambassador for Humanitarian issues, Tony Hall reminds us: "There's over 2500 verses in the Bible that deal with the issue of helping the poor, the sick, the hungry. God set it up that we are to address this issue and that he works through us. His Plan B? Well, I don't know what Plan B is. Plan A is the way he set it up."

God's plan goes back to the first books of the Bible. Deuteronomy 15:4 sets the standard: There should be no poor among you. A few verses later the acknowledgement is made: There will always be poor people in the land. [v.11]

What then is our response? Our responsibility?

Therefore, I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land. (Deuteronomy 15:11)

Pastor John Ratz commented recently on the CLC Group Life Blog that "Living an others-centered life is truly the mark of a Christ-follower. Sharing the message of God’s love to a lost and dying world is of prime importance. Serving those very people, rather than judging and condemning them, is a bridge that earns us the credibility in their eyes."

Missional living at it’s best is being God's hand reaching out to others.

Things That Still Stand!

2008-11-04T09:11:00.002-05:00

Today is an historic day in our nation. Today we decide who will lead us as our president for the next four years. I fulfilled my obligation and voted, and surprisingly no one was in front of me...I walked in; cast my vote and walked out. It took all of 5 minutes.

Later tonight the results will be known. Regardless of who does or does not win some things will remain the same:

1. God will still be on the Throne.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Bible will still have all the answers.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed men and women proclaiming the Truth.
6.There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out His Spirit upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will continue to save the lost when they come to Him.

He's got the whole world in His hands!

Living Without It

2008-11-04T07:40:00.001-05:00

In an article in Christianity Today, Philip Yancey wrote...

"I've become more convinced than ever that God finds ways to communicate with those who truly seek him, especially when we lower the volume of the surrounding static.

"I remember reading the account of a spiritual seeker who interrupted a busy life to spend a few days in a monastery.

"'I hope your stay is a blessed one,' said the monk who showed the visitor to his cell. 'If you need anything, let us know, and we'll teach you how to live without it.'"

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age... (Titus 2:11-12)

What Is and What If

2008-11-02T20:58:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago Fellowship Church in Dallas used a great theme for their "C3" church growth conference: "Turning What If Into What Is." This is the goal of every leader. It should also be the goal of every believer.

We need to learn to ask "What if?" in every area of life: our spiritual growth, our work, our family, our marriage, our ministry, our sphere of influence.

However, in order to turn your what if into what is, you must first turn your what is into what if.

In other words, instead of simply accepting things the way they are, consider the possibilities of the "what ifs" in your most challenging situations. Take some time to ask, "What are the possibilities here? What is the best that could happen? How could things change, and what could I do to initiate the process?"

Don't settle for what is. Explore the world of what if, and see what new dreams God can inspire.

Buying Happiness?

2008-10-31T10:39:00.000-04:00

BUSINESSDAY.COM reports that in August, 2003, a study was released revealing that money can't buy happiness.

Beginning in 1975, University of Southern California researcher Richard Easterlin surveyed 1500 persons annually and found that...

"Many people are under the illusion that the more money we make, the happier we'll be. We put all of our resources into making money at the expense of our family and our health…The problem is we don't realize that our material wants increase with the amount of money we make."

The study discovered happiness was related to quality time with loved ones, good health, being friendly, having an optimistic outlook, exercising self-control, and possessing a deep sense of ethics.

This is why Paul said, "But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." (1 Timothy 6:8)

A Person of Influence

2008-10-30T06:14:00.002-04:00

What does it mean to be a person of influence? There's a lot of answers to that question, but the important thing to remember is it’s really not a question of "if", it’s a question of "what kind" and "how much".

You are an influencer -- at home, at work, at church. If you want, you can be a positive influence in others -- you can make a difference in people’s lives.

In 30 years they will be able to look back and say, "I made this good decision because I followed your advice. I developed this habit, because I followed your example. I became what I am because you believed in me, you challenged me, you inspired me, you encouraged me, and you never gave up on me. You poured life into me, and it made all the difference."

Decide today that you will be a person of influence.

Decide today that you will pay the price that must be paid.

Decide today that you choose influence over popularity, that you will choose pleasing God over pleasing people.

Decide today that you will pour your life into others without fear and without reservation, so that your influence will make a difference for years to come!

God's Power

2008-10-28T18:34:00.001-04:00

Many people say they want God's resurrection power, but they forget one crucial part. What comes before a resurrection? Death. Pain. Suffering. Just as Jesus endured these things on the road to his resurrection, we can expect to endure them, too. God's power will not save you from suffering, but his power will get you through it. You can count on it.

God's power didn't save Joseph from prison, but God's power got him through prison--and through his power Joseph rose to prominence in Egypt and his family was restored.

God's power didn't prevent Moses from spending years exiled in Midian, but through God's power Moses was able to stand up to Pharaoh and lead God's people out of Egypt.

God's power didn't prevent Nehemiah from becoming a slave to King Artaxerxes, but through God's power Nehemiah was able to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and was instrumental in bringing about revival in Israel.

God's power didn't prevent Jairus' daughter from dying, but through God's power she was raised to life.

God's power didn't prevent Bartimeus from being born blind, but through God's power his sight was restored.

God's power didn't prevent Paul and Silas from being beaten and thrown in jail, but through God's power their chains were broken and salvation came to the house of the Philippian jailer.

God's power didn't keep Paul out of prison, but through God's power he wrote the letters that have inspired countless millions in their spiritual life for the last 2000 years.

God's power is available to you--his resurrection power.

The result of understanding who Christ is, and understanding who you are in Christ, is that you will experience his resurrection power. Power that will change you from the inside out. Power over sin. Power over despair. Power over fear. His power is available to you.

The Blame Game!

2008-10-25T12:01:00.000-04:00

A couple of years ago a woman filed a $1 million lawsuit against Dr Pepper. She had been chosen to participate in their halftime punt-catching promotion during a college football game. She didn't win, but it was, according to her suit, Dr. Pepper's fault.

She had been told she would receive three punts from a kick-simulation machine (catch one, $50,000; two, $250,000; all three, $1 million) and was told that the punts would come down in the general vicinity of the 50-yard line.

She missed all three because, she said, her they came down too far away: one landed on the 44, one landed on the 45, and one landed on the 42. Therefore, she argued, it was Dr. Pepper's fault that she didn't win $1 million.

Sometimes it's difficult for us to admit it's our fault. It's difficult to admit the role we play in our failures, in our setbacks, and our sin. It's not easy to say: "I had a chance, but I blew it." Too often, instead of fixing the problem, we settle for fixing blame -- on anyone others than ourselves.

Whether it's in our relationships, our career, or our spiritual life, improvement (and, ultimately, mastery) begins with accepting responsibility for our own limitations, mistakes, and failures.

When faced with his own sin, King David said to God:

"I have sinned greatly... Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing." (1 Chronicles 21:8)

When you don't perform up to par — professionally, personally, or spiritually — you've got two choices. You can fix the blame or you can fix the problem. The first step in problem solving -- the first step toward wholeness — is taking responsibility. From there, we begin moving forward.

ENTHUSIASM!

2008-10-22T18:18:00.000-04:00

FedEx CEO and founder Fred Smith first developed the idea for an innovative air-freight company while he was a student at Yale University. His professor was less than impressed; the paper Smith submitted outlining the concept earned him a "C". Thirty years later, FedEx is the world's largest express transportation company, with 128,000 employees and more than $7 billion in capital.

This short-sighted professor didn't take a few things into consideration. One is Smith's persistence—he simply refuses to give up. Another is his resourcefulness—when plan 'A' doesn't work, there is always a plan 'B' to put in motion.

Most important, however, is Smith's ability to recruit others to his vision. People want to be part of what he is involved in—even to the point of sacrifice. In the early days, for example, his pilots often refueled company jets with their own money. Sometimes they sat on paychecks for months to help keep the company afloat.

How does he do it? How does he command such devotion from his employees?

Fred Smith's greatest asset is his enthusiastic determination to get the job done. It sounds like a cliché, but he believes in what he is doing. As a result, he inspires loyalty.

The Christians in Philippi offered Paul this same kind of loyalty. They supported him through prayer, hard work, and sacrificial giving. Why? Maybe they were inspired by the enthusiasm they observed in Paul when their church was first founded.

You remember the story: After being beaten in the town square, Paul and Silas were thrown in jail. They were singing hymns late into the night when an earthquake came and shook the foundations of their jail cell, freeing them from their chains. Paul could have escaped. He could have left Philippi and never come back, but instead he stayed, and took the opportunity to lead the jailer to Christ. Paul believed in what he was doing, and his enthusiastic determination to spread the gospel encouraged the Philippian believers. [Acts 16]

Your enthusiasm has a profound effect on others. When you approach anything with an upbeat commitment to get the job done, people begin to take notice. When they see that you believe in what you are doing, they become willing to join in the process.

The secret, then, is to pour your life into something that captures your heart, and give it all you've got. Solomon said, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." (Ecclesiastes 9:10) You will find that your zeal is contagious, and it will spread to the people around you.

A Safe Place

2008-10-20T10:42:00.005-04:00

It's 10:43 Monday morning and I'm sitting in a Starbucks in Newtown while waiting on Marvina to do a few things around town.

Watching people come and go with their beverage in hand is an interesting past-time. The majority appear to have everything anyone could ever want out of life.

Appearances, however, are deceiving. Because we live in an imperfect world, people experience hurt, and I'm sure some of these people are hurting deeply; they just don't show it. They're hurt by accidents, by illnesses. But the deepest hurts in life will come from people.

Relationships are the greatest blessing and the greatest joy in our lives. They are also the greatest source of stress in our lives. People do hurt us, sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally, sometimes accidentally, and sometimes on purpose.

That’s why at CLC we are committed to building an atmosphere of openness and honesty and authenticity. We want to create a safe place where real people can share real problems without being judged, and by being accepted and loved. They can find safety and be able to share.

If you've been hurt in any way we want you to discover God's peace. Let Him sooth your wounds, and satisfy every one of your needs!

Getting It Done!

2008-10-18T09:03:00.000-04:00

We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we've already done. —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. —Herm Albright

There is no such thing as a great talent without great will-power —Honore de Balzac

Luck is being ready for the chance. —James Frank Dobie

Unless a man has trained himself for his chance, the chance will only make him ridiculous. —William Matthews.

Opportunity is sometimes hard to recognize if you're only looking for a lucky break. —Monta Crane

For a man to achieve all that is demanded of him he must regard himself as greater than he is. —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Opportunity's favorite disguise is trouble. —Frank Tyger

What Matters Most

2008-10-15T22:17:00.002-04:00

The vision of Christian Life Center is to create a place where people discover God and experience His power in Life-changing ways! However, there are some strategic focus points or values under which the whole vision rests; values that we have to lift up powerfully and live out passionately.

Values are the filters through which we want to funnel what we do as a church. These are the building blocks or foundations on which the rest of the structure sits.

These values are the guiding principles that will help us make decisions on a daily basis and define what we stand for as a church. They help answer the question, “What matters most?” Because if everything is important then nothing is important!

Core values – everybody has them. As a matter of fact, we all live by a core set of values either consciously or unconsciously. They really are the driving force behind our lives. So you might be asking, "how does one define a value?” There are many definitions but the one best one is this: values are “a set of core beliefs by which one measures his or her priorities in life.”

In other words, values are an essential part in keeping one’s life on track. When we clarify our values, we begin to lay down a plumb line for all our decisions. They help us to navigate as we face future crossroads.

For the next four weeks we’re going to be talking about:
October 19 Loving God
October 26 Loving Others
November 2 Missional Living
November 9 Spiritual Formation

These are the things that matter most to Christian Life Center! These are the four defining values that bring clarity to who we are as a community of faith. Join us as we talk about foundations on which we will build a great church.

This week we'll look at Mark 12:28-31. Jesus said that we're to love God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and will and our strength. That means loving him with all that we are: our emotions, our intellect, our innermost being, our outward actions. The focus of all we do should be, first and foremost, on loving God!

Lights...Camera...Action!

2008-10-15T09:21:00.002-04:00

John Ruskin said, "What we think or what we know or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do."

We'll take issue with part of this statement, since we know that what we believe (i.e. our faith) is, in fact, of great consequence.

We also know, however, that unless what we believe is expressed in what we do, our beliefs aren't fully genuine. [James 2:26]

So, nitpicking aside, look at what Ruskin is saying. He's saying that talking, planning, evaluating, analyzing, and theorizing won't get us where we need to be. What we need to do, more than anything else, is take action.

Jack Canfield (The Chicken Soup for the Soul guy) said, "The world doesn't pay for what you know; it pays you for what you do."

Canfield goes on to say (in his book, The Success Principles): "When you take action, you trigger all kinds of things that will inevitably carry you to success...You begin to learn things from your experience that cannot be learned from listening to others or from reading books. You begin to get feedback about how to do it better, more efficiently, and more quickly...

You begin to attract others who will support and encourage you. All manner of good things begin to flow in your direction once you begin to take action."

What action have you been putting off too long?

Disappointments

2008-10-13T06:12:00.001-04:00

Bible teacher Kay Arthur was bitterly disappointed when she contracted a heart infection that forced her to leave her work as a missionary in Mexico. "I felt like a failure," she said. "Depression set in until I cried, 'Father, whatever you want.'"

She went on to say, "It would be several years before I'd see how He'd use those formative years of study in Mexico to prepare me to write inductive Bible studies that would eventually reach fifty-two countries."

"My disappointments aren't over," she continues. "Pain and trials are almost constant companions, but never enemies. They drive me into His sovereign arms. There He takes my disappointments and works everything together for good."

(from Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations and Quotes.)

Churches

2008-10-11T09:27:00.000-04:00

A survey by the Barna Research Group has pinpointed the reasons why Americans choose a church. A nationwide sampling of Americans were asked to respond to the following statement:

"For most people there are a few key factors that determine whether or not they will return to a church they have visited. For each factor I mention please tell me if that factor would be extremely important, pretty important, somewhat important, not too important or not at all important in your decision of whether or not to return to a church you had visited."

Of the 22 factors named, including worship styles and community outreaches, the top eight reasons for selecting a church, in order of importance, were:

• Theological beliefs

• How much people care

• Quality of sermons

• Friendliness to visitors

• Help to poor and disadvantaged

• Quality of children’ programs

• How much you like your pastor

• Denomination

(From the Barna Research Group)

WHAT PEOPLE WITH MONEY SAY ABOUT MONEY

2008-10-09T19:02:00.001-04:00

In light of the current economic crisis in our country I thought I'd post of few interesting remarks from those who know what having tons of money is all about!

"I have made millions, but they have brought me no happiness." -- John D. Rockefeller

"I know of nothing more despicable and pathetic than a man who devotes all the ho urs of the waking day to the making of money for money's sake." -- John D. Rockefeller

"I am the most miserable man on earth." -- John Jacob Astor

"What can I say? I only know that I am desolate." --J. Paul Getty

"I was happier when I was doing a mechanic's job." -- Henry Ford

"Millionaires seldom smile." -- Andrew Carnegie

"Money has only one use -- to give one independence from his enemies." -- Humphrey Bogart

"Money doesn't talk, it swears." -- Bob Dylan

"Money often costs too much." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I don't care too much for money, for money can't buy me love." -- John Lennon & Paul McCartney

Teamwork Pt. 2

2008-10-08T17:07:00.001-04:00

I thought this would be a good follow up to my previous post on teamwork...gets the point across wonderfully well!

Sportscaster and former baseball great Ralph Keiner tells this story:

After the season in which I hit 37 home runs, I asked Pittsburgh Pirate general manager Branch Rickey for a raise. And he refused.

"I led the league in home runs," I reminded him.

"Where did we finish?" Rickey asked me.

"Last," I replied.

"Well," Rickey said, "we can finish last without you."

Teamwork

2008-10-07T08:34:00.000-04:00

Lyndon B. Johnson said, "There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few we can solve by ourselves."

We see this in Nehemiah, each person doing his or her part to build the wall around the city of Jerusalem: "From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall." (Nehemiah 4:16-17)

Our tendency is to tackle our problems on our own, but this is the least effective strategy. We need to make a habit of enlisting others to help us face our challenges.

Nehemiah made sure that his workers had someone watching their backs; we need the same!

Think Twice, Speak Once

2008-10-05T20:26:00.001-04:00

Cartoonist Bill Watterson of Calvin and Hobbes fame...which by the way, is absolutely one of my favorite comic strips of all time said, "Sometimes when I'm talking, my words can't keep up with my thoughts. I wonder why we think faster than we speak. Probably so we can think twice."

His words remind us of Solomon's: "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity." (Proverbs 21:23)

Do you want to eliminate some trouble in your life before it happens? Learn to think twice and speak once.

CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE

2008-10-04T09:37:00.000-04:00

In his book, Becoming a Person of Influence, John Maxwell identifies nine steps for connecting with people.

1. Don't take people for granted.You can connect with people and lead them only if you value them.

2. Possess a Make-a-Difference mindset.

3. Initiate movement toward them.

4. Look for common ground.

5. Recognize and respect differences in personality.

6. Find the key to other's lives.

7. Communicate from the heart.

8. Share common experiences.No one ever achieves alone what he can do when partnering with others.

9. Once connected, move forward!

BEING OFFENDED

2008-10-02T06:11:00.002-04:00

Last night at CLC I spoke about dealing with grudges/resentments. What do you do with the hurt in your life from being offended?

Many people go through their lives hanging on to hurts. In fact, many pastors I know are still nursing wounds from pastorates long, long ago. They say, along with David...

Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. (Psalm 73:13)

There's a way to deal with resentment and hurt. Dwelling on it, talking about it, reliving it—this isn't the solution. Looking for ways to get even isn't the solution. But I'll tell you what has worked for me. When I find myself reliving past hurts this is what I remind myself to do.

Don't talk about it. Most of us have been told that talking about such things will help with the "healing process" but in my case it only makes things worse. The less I talk about offences, the easier it is to get through them.

Do pray about it. I ask God to change my heart, and I ask him to pour blessings on whoever it is I resent.

Look for a chance to do good. I know a pastor who sends a check each year to a contentious church he served years ago—it's a step towards saying "I regret the hard feelings that developed between us."

Most of all, Let it go. We have to make a conscious decision: "I am not going to hang on to that any longer." Sometimes we have to "let it go" 10, 15, 20 times a day. However many times it takes, keep doing it until it works.

Resentment isn't worth it. Hanging on to hurts won't help those hurts heal any faster—but it will rob you of joy today. Let it go.

Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. (Psalm 73:1)

About Our Worries

2008-09-30T16:33:00.001-04:00

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength. —Corrie Ten Boom

Worry often gives small things a big shadow. —Swedish Proverb

If you do the best and the most you can today, don't worry about tomorrow.—B.C. Forbes

Worry is the interest you pay on trouble before it comes. —Dan Cresten

If you have a worry problem, do these three things:
1. Ask yourself "What is the worst that can happen?"
2. Prepare to accept it if you have to.
3. Calmly proceed to improve on the worst.—Dale Carnegie

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. (Proverbs 12:25)

About Change

2008-09-29T07:36:00.002-04:00

It's been said that the seven last words of the church are: "We never done it that way before." (The seven last words of the church in Missouri, that is!) We tend to resist change — and I've noticed that "contemporary" churches are just as reluctant to change as "traditional" churches. That's not necessarily a bad thing; change for the sake of change rarely leads to success.

Too often we keep changing the things that working and ignore what really needs to be fixed.

I've seen churches that are constantly changing their music ministry or the structure of their service when what they really need to change is the friendliness of their people to visitors.

The approach to any kind of change in our personal lives or ministry should be handled with thoughtfulness and prayerful consideration. Here are some notable quotes on the topic.

"If you want to truly understand something, try to change it." — Kurt Lewin

"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things." — Nicolo Machiavelli

"Don't take the fence down until you know the reason it was put up." — G.K. Chesterton

"Not all change is improvement, but without change there can be no improvement." — John Maxwell, Developing the Leader within You

"In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." — Max Depree, Leadership is an Art

Team Work

2008-09-27T09:39:00.001-04:00

In his book, Becoming a Person of Influence, John Maxwell tells the story about a famous 19th century organist who traveled from town to town giving concerts.

In each town he hired a boy to pump the organ during the concert. After one performance, the hired boy said to the organist, "We sure had a great concert tonight, didn't we?"

"What do you mean -- 'we'?" the organist said. "I had a great concert. Now run on home."

The next night when the organist was halfway through a magnificent piece, the organ suddenly quit. The organist continued to pound the keys, but no sound came out.

The audience became restless. At this point, the little boy stuck his head around the corner of the organ and said, "We're not having a great concert tonight, are we?"

The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. (1 Corinthians 3:8)

The Hunger!

2008-09-26T08:03:00.000-04:00

Solomon said, "The laborer's appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on." (Proverbs 16:26)

We are all driven by one appetite or another, one hunger or another. Which one is driving you today? The hunger to provide for your family? The hunger to succeed? The hunger for recognition?

Or the hunger to make a difference in eternity? The hunger to please God? The hunger to change lives?

Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6) Let this be the hunger that drives you today: The hunger to do good, the hunger to be good.

Romans Road

2008-09-25T09:48:00.002-04:00

If you've not read the Book of Romans lately I'd encourage you to do so. I know it can be a hard book to completely understand, but Paul basically hits the same themes over and over again.

We do not live by our power, we live by God's power.
We're not saved by our own goodness, we're saved by his goodness.
We don't live to serve ourselves, we live to serve him by serving others.

Romans is a testament of Faith In Action. It tells what to believe and how to live out our beliefs. The Christ follower who lives by the "Romans way" is an extraordinary person.

And you can be that person. Make this your prayer: "God use me, God work through me, God make me strong!"

Be An Encourager!

2008-09-23T07:41:00.001-04:00

You know what happens when a boxer goes to his corner between rounds. His team gathers round him, dressing his wounds, keeping his muscles loose, offering encouragement and advice: "You can do this. You can win this fight. Watch for his left hook. Keep your guard up. You can do it." And on and on. They keep doing this, even when the fighter is getting beat.

Every person needs one or two people in their corner encouraging them to stay in the fight. Especially when we're getting beaten up by our circumstances -- we need encouragement and support.

I hope you have someone doing this for you, but right now I want you to think of something even more important. There are one or two people in your life with whom you have special influence. Your words carry more weight with them than anyone else's. Don't be stingy with them. Use your words generously. Be an encourager.

A few years back Pepper Rogers, then head football coach at UCLA, was going through a terrible season. He was very upset about it, and he didn't think his wife was encouraging him enough. He said, "My dog is my best friend. I told my wife that a man needs at least two friends. She told me to go out and buy another dog."

Don't make your friends go out and buy another dog. Give them encouragement and support when they need it!