A Servant Leaders Opinion!

I love being a servant leader as it brings you so much closer to those you love in the body of Christ! Though it can work you more, it also humbles you even more! It opens your eyes to the realities around you, and ignites God's word within you as the Holy Spirit moves you in the lives of those you serve!

You always learn, or should learn to follow the advice God gives you to pass on as a servant leader! We serve and lead by example, if we cannot that is where the breakdown lay's! If you are not doing these things important biblical points are being missed! If you have been called to servant lead, you need to be in daily prayer and preparation before God and getting renewed!

Yes taking time for you also is so very important, yet you cannot spend all your time on you! If you are stuck in a rut, you need to pray ask God what His teaching is here! If you cannot seem to get out, you need to be humble and ask those close to you to pray for you! If you still cannot get free, it may be, you want to be right where you are, and again you need to get deep in the word and pray!

Your thinking needs to be, all you do and say needs to bring Glory and honor to God.

(Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.)

God has not called you for no reason, He wants you, He wants your time, and He wants you before Him daily! It is when we can come to that place in our servant leadership relationship, will we experience less burn out, less excuse making, and receive a renewed and revitalized spirit! Then and only then will you be an effective servant leader!

Then and only then will people truly see Jesus in your life! Be all you can be for Jesus, and He will do all He can in you and through you! Remembering Jesus set the example for us to follow, no better teacher!

John 21:15-19

15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”

He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”

16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”

He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”

17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”

And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 

One new thing this year!

Remember, the New Year changes in-spite of us, what are we going to change realistically in 2015? Don't think of many changes, as people usually do and nothing changes for being overwhelmed! Think about that one thing, that one annoying thing that has followed you oh so long. The one thing that has held you back from being what you need to be, or do.

If it is diet work on that! If it is a job change, work on that. If you have struggled with attitude, work on that! Gratitude work on that! So many and long is the list, yet it is that one elusive thing we seem to carry over year after year! We try to change so many things, make many resolutions, followed by the disappointment of accomplishing none!

The one thing we don't want to do, is the one thing we must do! If we see the one thing change it will be the encouragement we need to take the next step! It is just like a honey do list, we get it set before us yet become overwhelmed at all that needs to be done, usually nothing does! We put off what we can because of the long list before us.

Well prioritize your list from most important to the least and chip away at it, one at a time! When the list begins to shrink your confidence will begin to grow, because you will actually see accomplishment! So what do you say New Year one new thing? Or New Year same old you because you took on more than you could handle?

Remember what is, or seems impossible to you, is possible with God! You alone can do it, but you cannot do it alone!

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

It has to start somewhere why not with you

I am not sharing this because of me, I know somewhere out there; there is someone who thinks they will never hear an I love you from mom or dad! It may start with you, if you can forgive and fall in love with them again, love will reign! I did just that, Jesus loved me out of despair and let me live again, but I had to talk to my dad whom I disliked so very much! It was hard as I lived 10 hours away and had no vacation at the time, but God had a plan and timing is all His! 

But we could talk by phone, and that is where it started, as I would hang up with him, I would say love you dad, and always got a me too from him! As some time passed I did get to sit with my dad, share my heart, my bitterness, and yet ask his forgiveness and tell him I loved him! Some people would say he should have asked for mine, but I was the one who needed to move on and if dad wanted to do anything he could! 

At that meeting he did not. But I was freed from so much bitterness and anger that day it cannot be explained except God was in control! But one glorious day, unexpected my dad made me weep, not from anger or bitterness, but from three words he would never share again. As I was getting off the phone with him I gave him my usual good bye, I love you dad. 

That is when it happened, out of no where, no rhyme or reason, he hadn't gotten saved yet, it came, three words I have not forgotten! I love you and tell the family also! I never heard it again, that does not matter, I got to hear it at least once! I have shared something similar to this before but felt led to share again I feel God wanted to too! So sometime if you want something so badly, what are you willing to sacrifice? 

Pride, anger, bitterness maybe even an abused life? Sometime to get free we need to forgive, even those who may of wronged us. A big decision yes, but also a complete freedom so worth it! God does not want you held captive by anything or anyone, He wants you free! I hope this helps someone out there, if not I needed to write it down being obedient to God! If we don't share what He has done in our lives how will people ever see His amazing love, it has to start somewhere? Be blessed all and give it to Jesus!

Free indeed?

If I gauged everyone by the color of their skin, I could not in clear conscience be a Pastor! We have to live and believe the whole word, preach the whole word, without discrimination or prejudice! If we choose to express our opinions outside the back up of scripture, then they are just that a feeling based on opinion only!

Dangerous to make rational decisions like that! If you feel oppressed come to Jesus get release! If you feel like a slave come to Jesus get freedom, if you feel beat down and held back, come to Jesus get the strength to move on! You see, Jesus did all these things for us, lived them experienced them, yet without sin!

He loved us so much He came to earth to feel what we feel yet without sin! Pastor's we cannot get caught up in preaching a social theology, we have to preach the word of God in it's fullness! Jesus did not sway from the word He is the word! the Apostles did not sway from the word they learned faith through the word!

For 2 thousand years the gospel message has been preached and has transformed lives, who are we to change that method? Jesus the same yesterday, today and forever! Get back in the word stand on it, live it breathe it, that is the only way we will change anything, one soul at a time, not one color at a time!

Acts, Romans, Hebrews The four Gospels, no where does it say separate people by color! There were two groups of people Jew and Gentiles!

Galatians 3:28 New King James Version (NKJV)

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Take time, to take time!

My granddaughter brought tears to my eyes last night. She wrote a 9 page paper dealing with Alzheimer disease. When you wonder if people notice, and how the family deals with the issues of life. We may need to stop and read a 9 page paper on the subject. Alyvia came down and ask me to proof read her paper, by the way it was due today, and make any corrections I may find.

It was such blessing to see how much she had taken notice in what was happening to her Great grandmother and the family.  She actually interviewed her grandmother to learn how this disease effects caregivers, those closest to the family members struggling. Her paper was not only touching, but had so much information.

She had done her homework for sure, researching the causes, and expressing her concerns about this disease. Never really knowing how this all impacted her until last night. She shared how she has lost the exciting great grand-mom she remembered when she was younger, and her struggles with understanding that loss.

Her concerns that people be made aware, this disease is real and effects everyone, not only the caregiver, but the entire family! What I learned last night, reading her paper, was the importance of staying in touch now! When things are going fine we seem to take life for granted and family is doing alright. Wrong! We need to do a better job communicating with each other before life becomes a loss issue.

What I mean by that is, never assume we have mom and dad forever. You never know when a disease like Alzheimer's will strike, it may be happening to them right now. Take time to pay attention, take time to take time. Those you have not talked with in a while, now is the time! It is never to late to catch up with family, unless, you don't take that precious moment, and take time!

Not about the "I" but about the us!

Being in the Marine Corps, you could never say I in boot camp. We thought it was always some dumb thing the drill instructors  harassed you about!  What we really learned from that is, it is not about I it was always about the team! We were a platoon, not a one man show, it took everyone in the platoon to execute an order!

Funny how the same thing we learned in the military would be effective in my walk with the Lord! Though we are one part we are also part of a body, we have our function but it has to work with all the other parts to be effective! Would have never guessed, being trained by the Marine Corps, was preparing me to serve my Lord and the church!

Funny how life does that if we are open to learn from it. Who would have known that being in mans military would prepare me for being in God's army? Looking back many times and comparing my life to today. There are many moments, no matter how bad, that God has transformed them to His good purpose!

Just like the Marine Corp needing and creating a few good men, through rigorous training to face a physical enemy. So God through His rigorous training, prepares us for that spiritual battle we face daily! But we are not to do it alone. Though we are one, we are part of many! There is a reason for that, it reminds us we are never alone.

God never leaves us or forsakes us. He never sends us into a battle without the proper back up, and equipment! Life always has it's lessons. They are training tools for the bigger things that will come our way! But remember it is not about the I, it is always about the us! You may have never been in the military, but you can still learn the us way of life.

Stop thinking it is all about you alone. There are people around you that care. They are part of your life. They are there for a purpose. Try today, to break the "I" syndrome you may be trapped in. You are truly part of a bigger team if you are willing to see and look beyond yourself a bit! Don't let the "I" in your life blind you from seeing God's bigger plan for you!

Romans 12:4-5 (NIV)

4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Never Alone In Marriage!

Marriage is not something you do alone, marriage is the beginning of many things you will do with your new best friend! Marriage, becomes a glorious adventure as you both search out the mysteries of life together. She may not understand all you do, and you may be confused at times to her actions and emotions!

But that is what makes this journey you are beginning together, exciting and intriguing!  When the bumps of life  throw you off, and they will, that is when you hold on tighter than ever. That is the time you turn to each other and say together we have this. You are now the team as God intended. A team that endures even when wining seems to be out of grasp, because losing is not an option!

You hang in because there is always another game to be played! If you look at each other everyday with the same eyes as when you met, you cannot lose, but only gain! Love is not always smiles and laughter, sometime there are tears and pain! But it is through those time together you grow closer to being one!

Genesis 2:24 (NKJV)

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.