Trust vs. Suspicion

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In my 20 years of ministry I have learned many valuable lessons and one of the big ones is that I have 2 choices when it comes to my attitude towards leadership with whom I serve; I either trust them, or I am suspicious of them.

Isn’t this true even at your job? You can either trust your boss or be suspicious of her. You can either support her, or undermine her with your words to others in the company.

I was told a story about a woman a few years ago that gave me a certain “perception” of her. I was told she cheated on her husband; she stole money and so on. So when I met her face to face I looked at her and felt toward her a certain way UNTIL I heard her side of the story … then my eyes were open to the truth, not just a perception (which was a distortion of the truth) that had been formulated in my mind by the words of others. This is exactly what Satan did to Eve in the Garden when he said… “did God say …” he was planting doubt in her mind … to get her to be suspicious of God … to crack at her trust in God … and look where that got her and Adam.

All that said I encourage you who work with many people to be a person who fully trusts co-workers and or your boss until you are given a factual reason to be suspicious. And by “factual” I mean you have heard it from the horses mouth or have seen it with your own eyes … not a he said she said type deal … that is called gossip! And gossip is very very dangerous to relationships!

And let’s be real here … if you are suspicious of someone at work, go talk to them directly and tell them your concerns (this would be the Biblical approach) and see if your perception doesn’t completely change.

Good day!

Is God Here, There or Anywhere?

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Have you ever felt like God was gone on vacation? Or just not alive; like He may have tripped over a cloud and fell and hit His head on a mountain and perished?

If you are human (and honest) you probably have. If not then you might want to stop reading my blog and find the blog called “little Christian perfect people” … it’s in the same section of blogs where you’ll find stories of sightings of unicorns. I digress!

Before you think it’s blasphemy to think any negative thought of God you might want to read the Psalms … David is often spewing things that are a bitter complaint of God’s seeming absence from life. Saying things like, “my God my God why have you forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1) which is a shockingly honest confession of the experience of godlessness and godforsakenness in a suffering world.

Yet even in David’s songs (Psalms) you read (after he has given full vent to his frustrations, anger and pain of the seeming silence, absence and hiddenness of God in his experience) he remember what God had done in his own past. Like when he says, “I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember your wonders of old.” (Ps.77:5,11)

David remembering the times God was a very present help in a time of trouble, and when He did answer prayers, and He did act to help and save.

Remembering the past victories gives us a hope for the future.

Let’s face it - this world is still broken, we are still broken and full of all kinds of evil … we are motivated by fear, guilt and shame… we need Jesus to give us hope (something to strive for… something to pursue and imitate … to save us from ourselves)…

To answer the question in the title – YES HE IS!

Twilight

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The Twilight book series by Stephenie Meyer is crazy popular right now. I have not read the books, nor have I seen the movie ... but I am okay with that since I am a 40 year guy and the book seems to be reaching a female audience ages 13 and up .

Trust me, this is no book review … but I find it intriguing because what I have heard from readers (most every female I know) about Twilight makes total sense WHY it’s so popular; it has within its pages what every human desires down deep; Love (true love that is … love that doesn’t just got for what it desires or hungers for, in Edwards case – human blood … but a love that thinks of the other person … a self-less love … a love that is so completely opposite from what we see in our current culture. Love with restraint. Crazy passionate deep heart-pounding love … the kind of love that gives you goose bumps all over! It’s lacking in the world today!)

From what little I know the book Twilight is basically the story of Edward and Bella’s romance. Edward is a Vampire, but has chosen to only feed on the blood of animals. Of course Bella is a human … anyway if you like a good romance novel this is a must-read series from what I have heard. Check it out!

1 Cor. 13

Bible Reading Plan - Week One

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Happy New Year! I am hopeful that this year is already going better than last year … or at least “our perspective” is better!

I am confident that the practice of “goal setting” is an important part of a successful living. And typically Christians will have on their “list” of New Years Resolutions to read through the Bible … but often get bogged down when they hit the book of Leviticus which is full of Laws and stuff that isn’t so interesting to many of us. So I thought we could do a "read through the Bible" a little different this year … interested? Read on!

I would like to take a trip with you through the most famous and well-read book of all time - The Bible. I have picked a plan that reads in chronological order, which is worked out in date order, as the books were written. Though this list isn't guaranteed to be exact, many theologians have agreed on this order. I think it will be fun to read the events of the Bible as they occurred chronologically. For example, the Book of Job is integrated with Genesis because Job lived before Abraham.

God bless!

January 1
Genesis 1-3


January 2
Genesis 4-7


January 3
Genesis 8-11


January 4
Job 1-5


January 5
Job 6-9


January 6
Job 10-13


January 7
Job 14-16

New Year Plan

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I know, I know, everyone this time of year says, "Set your goals for 2009 - ya da ya da" well I am here to say, "set some goals for 2009!" ha!


Seriously though, I am a firm believer in making a plan and then working the plan. So here is my two cents:


1) Take a few hours between now and January 1st to THINK about what you would like to see happen in 2009 in regards to the main areas of your life; Marriage, Children, Health, Career, Friends, School, Family, Destiny, and the most important GOD.


2) WRITE out what you want in each area.


3) Make a simple PLAN to accomplish the "wants" - with easy steps.


4) SHARE with friend for help and accountability.


5) LOOK at it regulary to stay on course.


6) Work it baby!


Example: Let's say your Goal/Desire is to have a closer relationship with Christ. WRITE that down, then add what that may look like for you ... then the PLAN would be to attend Mercy Church every Sunday that you are in town, join a life group or volunteer on a Sunday service team, read the Bible every day, pray every day, pick up a good devotional, or Bible study book to read. Tell a friend about this (obviously someone with the same goal so they will encourage you not discourage you. Make sure to LOOK at the goal to keep it fresh in your heart!


I am firmly convinced that to have a healthy balanced Christian life you MUST be a part of a local church community!


Happy New Year! May it be your best one ever!