Watch Out for the Ditch!

Matthew 20:26 - Servant Leadership

"It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,

Today more than ever.....EVERYONE wants to be in charge, at the top, handling everything...being the LEADER.

It is hard for anyone to become a leader, if first they have never followed anybody else. The reason why many people who are "leaders" look behind them and see no one following - is because they themselves have never submitted or followed anybody else. Jesus was the greatest example of a Leader - not simply because HE WAS GOD, but because He followed the will of the FATHER. And because of CHRIST's obedience to the will of the WILL -- miracles, healings, and salvations were not only seen, but common in the 3 years of the ministry of JESUS. And of course JESUS went to the cross - which allowed you and I to have the live in HIM that we can now have!

One of the common reasons that some Christians “hop” from Church to Church, or detach themselves entirely from Church participation, is that inwardly they foster an “independent spirit” which resists authority. They don’t wish to be corrected or to confront truths they would prefer to avoid. Without accountability to authority, a believer will often develop “itching ears” (2 Tim. 4:3), which seeks after teachings that validate self-conceived opinions, instead of “objective” teaching which compels us to face truths that may conflict with our self-willed inclinations and desires.  - Dr. Dale Robbins


To wrap this up today-- the great LEADERS are the GREATEST followers! Why, because a man under authority - understands authority.


Matthew 8:8-9 (New Living Translation)

 ⁸ But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”

How in the world can you expect others to submit, follow vision, remain accountable to the cause -- it we have never submitted, followed, or stayed accountable.


Its always easier to "FAKE THE LEAD" - then really "TAKE THE LEAD" But as we learn to become great followers, we also are becoming great leaders.


It is never the position that makes you a leader - but the responsibilities of that position.  Any body can make a business card, anybody can give themselves a title - but the true measure of a leader - is their ability to follow.


EVERYBODY is following someone - the question is do you know where you are headed?

Luke 6:39 (New Living Translation)

 ³⁹ Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch?


REMEMBER... The greatest way to  follow the leader...........is to find one who has been a follower..............."Whatever It Takes"

Opportunity Knocks...

1 Corinthians 16:9 (New Living Translation)

⁹ There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.

Life is about opportunities, options, chances, FAITH.  Many times I hear people say, I am just looking for an open door - looking for a chance. But in reality and in our relationship as a Christ Follower - opportunities are everywhere - everyday- and in every situation.

1 Corinthains 16:9 - lets us know that there are opportunitues - DOORS so to speak for us to open and wlk into some things...however, we seem to forget that when opportunity knocks---so will opposition. Many people miss the moment of great victorys, blessings, and more from Christ - because we focus more on the battle - then we do on the victory that WE ALREADY HAVE.

When we open a "door" there is always something on the other side. It may be exactly what we expected, exactly what we prayed for, exactly what we wanted. My thoughts today are this, regardless of what is on the other side of the door - I want to embrace it as an opportunity. Even if there are those who oppose me, those who dont celebrate me, those who dont really want to see me successful, I want to see every chance, every new door, to be an opportunity for me to grow, excel, and more than anything....LEARN.

Because really if we have to go through a door that turns out to be not what " WE WANTED", maybe we can start to see it for what HE WANTED. We cannot learn what we already know. Some doors are US - some doors are for OTHERS, but every door is an opportunity.

And when we knock at the door of opportunity - and HE swings it open for us.....HE must have a specific reason- a plan - and a future for leaving it open.

Revelation 3:8 (New Living Translation)

 ⁸ “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.

Today, let us not dwell on the doors that we have closed -- but on the ones HE HAS OPENED.

"WHATEVER IT TAKES"

"TOO CLOSE TO QUIT"

TOO CLOSE TO QUIT

The Danger of giving up too soon

Romans 8:28, 35-39

!

Anybody ever thought about quitting – come on =- quitting your Job – quitting you relationship. Quitting everything.  We have all been there!

(ROMANS 8:28, 35-39) 

You see when we get in a place of Luke warmness, a place of a dry season – that seems like a good opportunity to give in – take a rest – but, in your troubled times – you find out who you really are.  In your mess – you see if you are as faithful as you talk about.

You are not alone – great men have felt like giving up – sometimes in my spiritual walk, I feel like David – ready to kill the giants in my life – then other days I feel like David when he hid in the cave from Saul. 

You see you cannot measure your end result by your present situation!

Faith takes time to work!

**where you are and WHO you are totally different!* Now you may in a place that seems dark, lost, hopeless, but that’s not WHO you are!  Now they may be about to take your home, your car, garnishing your wages!  BUT THAT’S NOT WHO YOU ARE.  Now you may be asleep spiritually – but that’s not who you are!!  You can’t quit!  You’re too close!! 

You are just passing through the where of your life – to get to the WHO!

Joseph had to go to a few places before the Palace.  He was in a pit, he was a slave – he was Potiphors assistant t – got lied on, cheated, beat down – messed up! –BUT HE NEVER FORGOT HIS DREAM!  HE NEVER QUIT ON GOD – Then before you know it---He was running the joint!

Some of you are at a point of giving up, giving up on church – giving up on ministry, giving up on your service to God – don’t miss your palace – don’t miss your greatest gifting!  YOU’RE TOO CLOSE!

Rise up!  Wipe the dry out of your eyes! Get past what you look like, your reputation; GET WHAT GOD WANTS – WHATEVER IT TAKES!

INSTEAD OF QUITTING – GET DESPERATE! WILLING TO CLIMB OUT BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!

Quitters walk away from something thinking it is worthless – not realizing it takes time for greatness!!!  (Lazarus – dead – JESUS SAID WHOP SAID HE WAS)!! – Keep on going, keep driving, you may be almost out of gas – but as soon as you get out of your pity party out of your bitterness – RELEASE WILL COME!

Hebrews 12: 14-17

12:14 Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled;
12:16 Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears

Lastly – the danger of giving up to soon – begins to ruin your testimony!

Sometimes we have to keep going – and it’s not just for our sake!

Others are watching – others are counting on us!

I thought a few weeks ago – about our buses, and our vans on Sunday mornings – I thought Lord sometimes it would be easier to not do this – not have the headaches of trying to get drivers, help, and people to commit! 

You see a lot of people are anointed, but a lot of anointed people are not faithful!  

You may preach, quote scripture better than me – but are you more faithful than me. 

Then the Lord told me – people are counting on you!  HOW CAN WE QUIT! When we quit – those that had faith in us – begin to think – it must not be worth it!

QUITTERS LEAVE A LEGACY OF FAILURE!  What will your children, your family, others say about you!  Quitters pass down their ability to run to the next generation! 

Don't you dare give up on yourself!!!

Lets quit quitting................"WHATEVER IT TAKES"

March Madness 2011

Started new series yesterday..March Madness 2011. Its the time of year when college basketball fans get crazy over brackets, cinderella stories, alma maters, and their favorite team competing.

As we began the month with the topic "Keep your Head in the Game" - we looked at Jonah who was given direct instructions by God of where to go, who to talk to and what to say in the city of Ninevah. The story goes on to tell how Jonah lost focus of his assignment - got his Head out of the Game, and would up punching his own ticket to a place called Tarshish. Long story short, he went the WRONG way, got tossed over board -and wound up in the belly of a STINKY FISH.

How does this apply to us? Many of us do great when we are "in the game", when things are good, we are busy serving others, money is in the bank, jobs are secure - but the moment our "routine" or "comfort" level is put to the test - we "punch our own ticket" in our own directions, plans, and course. We lose focus that - the same GOD who loved us enough to send his Son to die for us, the same God who gave us all the great and good things we enjoy - IS OUR SOURCE and IS OUR FOCAL POINT.

JAMES 1:7

Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.



We have to stay focused! We have to stay IN THE GAME. Those who sit on the bench to long - begin to have wandering minds, side conversations, and forget that the focus is in front of them. I know at times it seems like the results are evident, the end is clear to see - and it may seem like nothing else good can happen...but with focus ....anything is possible! And of course with focus on who Christ is....ALL things are possible!

Genesis 18:14 - "Is anything too hard for God" I dont have time to get in this story -- but an old old - i mean old lady Sarah was told she was gonna have a baby. By the way she was 90! And this was long before little blue pills and all the "miracles" we seem to have now.

You see with focus and faith -- the unexpected -become expected! The impossible becomes impossible- and the never could have -- becomes the "look at me now"!

Whatever you do... STAY FIXED - STAY FAITHFUL - STAY FOCUSED and watch what GOD can and WILL do......................"Whatever it Takes"

Restoration 101

Had a phenomenal Bible Study last night on the topic of Restoration. I am going to share a few thoughts and points of that today:

"For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds,
saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying,
This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after."
Jeremiah 30:17

1. Restoration is when God begins to give us back and place us in a better state.
All of us - regardless if you have been a Christ follower for 40 years or 4 days will need restored at some point in our lives. Stuff happens - people leave us, turn on us, cause us pain. Marriages dont always seemingly work out, careers have chaos, families falter, and LIFE OCCURS. But when we allow God to restore our lives - it is a cleansing process of taking the broken, out of place pieces of the puzzle and renewing them to fit exactly into the will of God for our lives.

2. God specializes in Restoration.
It brings God great joy to take what others thought was done, over, insignificant, useless, no good anymore and REcreate something of great value, purpose, meaning, and destiny. Why did Jesus heal people -- HE WAS RESTORING them to allow them to continue the message of Christ! Why did he rebuild the temple on top of the ruins of the old one? Simply so everyone would not forget the past --- but remember that God took the things that seemingly were DEAD - and REstored it with something new, fresh, better, and STRONGER.

3.  Restoration has to start in us!
It is vital that we take responsibility and accountability for OUR PART that got us to the point of restoration. When Restoration can occur it no longer is about WHO, WHAT, HOW we got to this point--but more about...OK I AM HERE - FIX ME GOD, RESTORE ME- RENEW ME---because I know if I will allow you -- the LATTER will BE GREATER ( Haggai 2:9)

So lastly - lets be real...RESTORATION IS NEEDED AND IT IS HELPFUL, but even after you go through it, even after God REPLACES, REPLENISHES, and RESTORES us - not everybody will celebrate or think you are different! Not everyone will accept your restoration, feel that the change is being made, or even that you are sincere. What to do? SIMPLY --LIVE! In restoration - FIRST we are to allow God to do what HE does -- then we are to live according to his purpose! When we FOLLOW HIM - HE takes care of the rest.

Matthew 7:16You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

There will always be "FRUITCAKES" who dont want to accept the fact that God can and is restoring you. Some people feel better about themselves  - if you stay down and out. But remember- you tell a tree by the fruit that it bears.....And Fruitcakes dont grow on trees!

Be restored - be renewed - and watch God do great things..........WHATEVER IT TAKES!

Day by Day

Philippians 2:12-16 (New Living Translation)

Shine Brightly for Christ

 ¹² Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. ¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

 

 Work hard - to show the results of your salvation. This is a DAY by DAY process. Look, Monday you may have had a great day - just left church on Sunday - around great people - Pastors, Leaders, Christians ( well most of them probably ), so you are ready to start the week! As the old timers used to say... HIGH ON JESUS! But then....LIFE starts again --- flat tire on Tuesday, kids in trouble at school, somebody takes your parking spot at the store, rain storm and you forgot your umbrella, or whatever "things" get you aggravated or agitated happen!

Understand, bad days, trouble, aggravation, attitudes, and more are not punishment for sins - but part of the process of growth. Every church service, prayer meeting, fellowship time, outreach event, etc is a time where growth is happening. It may not seem like it at the moment --- but STRENGTH COMES FROM SERVING. Any of us can sit on a pew or a chair and have a nice dress, new hat, suit tailored, and know when to say Amen and clap - but the WORK of salvation is in the DAY by DAY living that takes place in the community, at work, school, the grocery store, the park, and in your home. There is a whole lot of living that takes place from SUNDAY TO SUNDAY.  Thats why Paul was telling the church in Phillipians -- I cant be with you always - so now more than every its important to WORK - LIVE OUT your relationship with Christ ---daily!

Luke 9:23 (New Living Translation)

 ²³ Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.

In other words - take ALL of you - your best, your worst, your burdens, your attitudes, your dilemas, your cussing the guy who took your parking spot, your family fueds, and EVERYTHING - take it with you - and as you do DAY BY DAY you will be working your salvation out and you will start to see many of those things that seemingly weighed you down begin to disappear......

WHATEVER IT TAKES!

There is More to You!

One of the greatest struggles that we face is not the expectations or the opinions that others have about us, but even more so what we have for ourselves!

We focus most of our attention on the areas in our lives that "need work" ( finances, physical appearance, material possessions, etc) , which dont get me wrong is ok, nothing wrong with money, working out, having a car, house and all that stuff, but my point here is we fail to realize that why we may not be everything we want to be --- WE ARE SOMETHING! There is more to us than we even realize! WHAT - ME - NO WAY! Yes -- check this out-- we were made in the image, the likeness of Jesus Christ - thats a pretty awesome architect, I mean God who formed the heavens and the earth, God who created man from the dust of the ground---MADE US!

Psalm 139:14 (New Living Translation)
 ¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
      Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it

In other words there is MORE TO YOU than you give yourself credit for!

1 Peter 2:9
  But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

You see he made us just how he designed! Now look, peculiar doesnt mean you should be nuttier than a fruitcake! We are trying to show and share the love of Christ - not SCARE the Love of Christ. This scripture means - I should embrace the thing (s) inside me that make me ME! My talents, my abilities, my giftings, my personalities, my uniqueness is what draws people to who I am - then in turn I can draw them to the Love of Christ!

He said  in John 12: 32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."

So today - You have something in you that makes you --YOU! Do you think people jsut followed Christ around because He was a great man - some did - but MOST who went from town to town to see Him - did so because of WHAT HE HAD that WAS DIFFERENT!

Realize that in you is greatness, in you is hope, in you is joy - and in you ....IS CHRIST!

BE YOU....THERE IS ALOT THERE..........."WHATEVER IT TAKES"