www.apayton.me
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Marks of New Monasticism Locating Our Lives in the Abandoned Places of the Empire
I read this recently from "Common Prayer" by SHANE CLAIBORNE, JONATHAN WILSON-HARTGROVE and ENUMA OKORO. It moved me. I hope it does the same for you.
Marks of New Monasticism Locating Our Lives in the Abandoned Places of the Empire
"Everything in our society teaches us to move away from suffering, to move out of neighborhoods where there is high crime, to move away from people who don’t look like us. But the gospel calls us to something altogether different. We are to laugh at fear, to lean into suffering, to open ourselves to the stranger. Advent is the season when we remember how Jesus put on flesh and moved into the neighborhood. God getting born in a barn reminds us that God shows up in the most forsaken corners of the earth.
Movements throughout church history have gone to the desert, to the slums, to the most difficult places on earth to follow Jesus. For some of us that means remaining in difficult neighborhoods that we were born into even though folks may think we are crazy for not moving out. For others it means returning to a difficult neighborhood after heading off to college or job training to acquire skills — choosing to bring those skills back to where we came from to help restore the broken streets. And for others it may mean relocating our lives from places of so-called privilege to an abandoned place to offer our gifts for God’s kingdom.
Wherever we come from, Jesus teaches us that good can happen where we are, even if real-estate agents and politicians aren’t interested in our neighborhoods. Jesus comes from Nazareth, a town from which folks said nothing good could come. He knew suffering from the moment he entered the world as a baby refugee born in the middle of a genocide. Jesus knew poverty and pain until he was tortured and executed on a Roman cross. This is the Jesus we are called to follow. With his coming we learn that the most dangerous place for Christians to be is in comfort and safety, detached from the suffering of others. Places that are physically safe can be spiritually deadly."
Sent from my iPad
www.apayton.me
Marks of New Monasticism Locating Our Lives in the Abandoned Places of the Empire
"Everything in our society teaches us to move away from suffering, to move out of neighborhoods where there is high crime, to move away from people who don’t look like us. But the gospel calls us to something altogether different. We are to laugh at fear, to lean into suffering, to open ourselves to the stranger. Advent is the season when we remember how Jesus put on flesh and moved into the neighborhood. God getting born in a barn reminds us that God shows up in the most forsaken corners of the earth.
Movements throughout church history have gone to the desert, to the slums, to the most difficult places on earth to follow Jesus. For some of us that means remaining in difficult neighborhoods that we were born into even though folks may think we are crazy for not moving out. For others it means returning to a difficult neighborhood after heading off to college or job training to acquire skills — choosing to bring those skills back to where we came from to help restore the broken streets. And for others it may mean relocating our lives from places of so-called privilege to an abandoned place to offer our gifts for God’s kingdom.
Wherever we come from, Jesus teaches us that good can happen where we are, even if real-estate agents and politicians aren’t interested in our neighborhoods. Jesus comes from Nazareth, a town from which folks said nothing good could come. He knew suffering from the moment he entered the world as a baby refugee born in the middle of a genocide. Jesus knew poverty and pain until he was tortured and executed on a Roman cross. This is the Jesus we are called to follow. With his coming we learn that the most dangerous place for Christians to be is in comfort and safety, detached from the suffering of others. Places that are physically safe can be spiritually deadly."
Sent from my iPad
www.apayton.me
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Leadership: To Train Or Not To Train
Have you ever wondered why some churches achieve their goals and objectives much faster than others despite having less talent? Talent is important, but typically those who succeed have a plan for success. That plan always includes training and developing leaders.
A popular saying states, "A church that fails to plan is a church that plans to fail." I would like to rephrase that, "A church that fails to train its leaders is a church that trains its leaders to fail."
Since the pastor cannot do it all alone, training leaders is a must. It is imperative that every church have a plan to train existing and future leaders. Leaders are not born, they are developed through mentoring, training and hands on experience.
Leaders must have a clear mental and spiritual picture of their goals. The Bible calls this vision.
Prov 29:18
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Without vision, people have no direction or focus and are easily confused and distracted. Without vision, ministries will fail and people will become discouraged and move on. Your leaders must know the vision, see the vision, understand the vision and believe in the vision. They must be trained in how to accomplish the vision. Then they must be consistently encouraged to fulfill the vision.
Training leaders is an ongoing process. It is not something you do only when one thinks it is needed. It must continue even when all of your leaders are succeeding because every leader will fail at some point. When they do fail, they will need somebody there to pick up the pieces. They will need to fall back onto that foundation of mentoring and training they have been building on. If your mentoring program no longer exists, they might just pack it in for good.
That is exactly what Peter did. He failed big time by denying the Lord three times in the space of one day. His mentor, Jesus, was gone. He didn't have anybody there to pick up the pieces. So Peter gave up and went back to fishing. If Jesus had not come back to mentor Peter through this trying time, Peter would have packed it in for good. The one who at one point was given the "keys to the kingdom of Heaven" would not have preached the keynote message at Pentecost.
A one year class is not enough, a two year class is not enough, a three year class is not enough. Training leaders is an ongoing process. This must be a continuing education program that is a regular part of your ministry.
Developing Future Leaders
In the business world recent studies show that the number of managers available to step into leadership roles is dropping dramatically. The average company will be left with just half the leadership talent it needs by 2015. This means that companies are going to have to get a lot better at identifying and developing leaders from within, and not many companies do this well.
The same challenge exists in the church. There are not many churches that look very far into the future. Most pastors are not too concerned about who will lead their outreach ministry five years from now. They figure God will send somebody. While that may be true, God also honors those who have a plan.
Luke 14:28-31
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Are you sitting down with your ministry teams and consulting whether you can finish God's plan in your city? Are you counting the cost of leading without enough leaders? Are you making sure that you have enough trained leaders to fight the spiritual battles of your community?
There are many pastors who fail to train and mentor future leaders because the need isn't immediate. To some, it seems counter-productive to train a person today for a ministry they may or may not fill five years from now. There are always many other pressing needs that take priority. But a church that is not developing its future leaders today is a church that is dying a slow and painful death. Start planning for your future leaders today, don't wait till it is too late.
From the Preachit Newsletter
www.apayton.me
A popular saying states, "A church that fails to plan is a church that plans to fail." I would like to rephrase that, "A church that fails to train its leaders is a church that trains its leaders to fail."
Since the pastor cannot do it all alone, training leaders is a must. It is imperative that every church have a plan to train existing and future leaders. Leaders are not born, they are developed through mentoring, training and hands on experience.
Leaders must have a clear mental and spiritual picture of their goals. The Bible calls this vision.
Prov 29:18
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Without vision, people have no direction or focus and are easily confused and distracted. Without vision, ministries will fail and people will become discouraged and move on. Your leaders must know the vision, see the vision, understand the vision and believe in the vision. They must be trained in how to accomplish the vision. Then they must be consistently encouraged to fulfill the vision.
Training leaders is an ongoing process. It is not something you do only when one thinks it is needed. It must continue even when all of your leaders are succeeding because every leader will fail at some point. When they do fail, they will need somebody there to pick up the pieces. They will need to fall back onto that foundation of mentoring and training they have been building on. If your mentoring program no longer exists, they might just pack it in for good.
That is exactly what Peter did. He failed big time by denying the Lord three times in the space of one day. His mentor, Jesus, was gone. He didn't have anybody there to pick up the pieces. So Peter gave up and went back to fishing. If Jesus had not come back to mentor Peter through this trying time, Peter would have packed it in for good. The one who at one point was given the "keys to the kingdom of Heaven" would not have preached the keynote message at Pentecost.
A one year class is not enough, a two year class is not enough, a three year class is not enough. Training leaders is an ongoing process. This must be a continuing education program that is a regular part of your ministry.
Developing Future Leaders
In the business world recent studies show that the number of managers available to step into leadership roles is dropping dramatically. The average company will be left with just half the leadership talent it needs by 2015. This means that companies are going to have to get a lot better at identifying and developing leaders from within, and not many companies do this well.
The same challenge exists in the church. There are not many churches that look very far into the future. Most pastors are not too concerned about who will lead their outreach ministry five years from now. They figure God will send somebody. While that may be true, God also honors those who have a plan.
Luke 14:28-31
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Are you sitting down with your ministry teams and consulting whether you can finish God's plan in your city? Are you counting the cost of leading without enough leaders? Are you making sure that you have enough trained leaders to fight the spiritual battles of your community?
There are many pastors who fail to train and mentor future leaders because the need isn't immediate. To some, it seems counter-productive to train a person today for a ministry they may or may not fill five years from now. There are always many other pressing needs that take priority. But a church that is not developing its future leaders today is a church that is dying a slow and painful death. Start planning for your future leaders today, don't wait till it is too late.
From the Preachit Newsletter
www.apayton.me
Location: By David Church
Three Ways to Influence
Influence is the power and the ability to personally affect others' actions, decisions, opinions or thinking. Ultimately, influence allows you to get things done and achieve desired outcomes.
At one level, influence is about compliance — getting someone to do what you want them to do (or at least not to undermine it). But genuine commitment from other people is often required for you to accomplish key goals and tasks.
Early in your career, or in individual contributor roles, influence is about working effectively with people over whom you have no authority. It requires the ability to present logical and compelling arguments and engaging in give-and-take. In senior-level or executive roles, influence is focused more on steering long-range objectives, inspiration and motivation.
The Center for Creative Leadership has found that influencing tactics fall into one of three categories: logical, emotional or cooperative. We call this influencing with head, heart and hands.
Logical appeals tap into people's rational and intellectual positions. You present an argument for the best choice of action based on organizational benefits, personal benefits or both.
Emotional appeals connect your message, goal or project to individual goals and values. An idea that promotes a person's feelings of well-being, service or sense of belonging has a good chance of gaining support.
Cooperative appeals involve collaboration (what will you do together?), consultation (what ideas do other people have?) and alliances (who already support you or have the credibility you need?). Working together to accomplish a mutually important goal extends a hand to others in the organization and is an extremely effective way of influencing.
To maximize your personal influence, you'll want to become skilled in all three styles of influencing. Decide which tactics will reap the most support for a specific task or strategy and employ one or more approaches. To understand which tactics might work best, consider the following:
Assess the situation. Why are you involved in this work? Why do you need this person's support? What outcomes are you trying to achieve by influencing this person? Be clear about whom you need to influence and what you want to accomplish.
Know your audience. Identify and understand your stakeholders. Each will have special concerns and issues, plus his or her own agenda, perspectives and priorities. Various groups and individuals will require different approaches for influencing. Tailor your influencing strategy for the particular person, considering individual personalities, goals and objectives, as well as organizational roles and responsibilities.
Review your ability. What tactics do you use most often? Which seem to be most effective? What new tactics could you try in this situation? Draw on others for advice or coaching, too. For example, if you always focus on the logical appeals, have a co-worker who is a strong collaborator help you think through your collaboration tactics and arguments.
Brainstorm your approach. What tactics would work best? Which logical appeals will be most effective? How could you make an emotional or cooperative appeal? What specifically could you say and do to use each type of tactic? Anticipate possible responses and prepare your reply. What counterarguments could you use? What additional influence tactics might be helpful?
At first, you might want to try out new influence tactics in low-risk situations, practicing these skills one-on-one. As you become more versatile, you'll gain new confidence in your ability to influence teams and larger groups and to persuade others in higher-stakes situations.
But also consider changing tactics right away if you have a pressing issue that has stalled due to lack of buy-in or support. Would a more logical, emotional or collaborative approach make a difference? If so, go ahead and try out a new angle — you might be more influential that you realized.
www.apayton.me
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Making The Cut
Text: Titus 1:1-14
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; 3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; 4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Title: Making The Cut
Series Title: Game Ready: Conditioning For Leaders
And when it comes to leadership in the church, the question is less about talent and more about making the cut. In 1999 there was an excitement amidst the National Football League and the fans thereof. It was a historic year. For the first time, five of the top draft picks were quarterbacks and even more historic was the fact, that three of these was African American.
All five were drafted in the first round. A few years later, after the hype subsided, three of those quarterbacks had become complete busts; one started well but descended into mediocrity; only one (Donovan McNabb) fulfilled his promise as star.
The same can be said of leadership in the church, because we count so much on talent. Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads. Erica Jong
In John Maxwell’s valuable new book, Talent is Never Enough, he cites Peter Drucker on effectiveness, “There seems to be little correlation between a man’s effectiveness and his intelligence, his imagination, or his knowledge…Intelligence, imagination, and knowledge are essential resources, but only effectiveness converts them into results. By themselves, they only set limits to what can be contained.”
1. Belief lifts your talent: Lack of belief in yourself can act as a ceiling on talent.
2. Passion energizes your talent: A passionate person with limited talent will outperform a passive person who possesses greater talent.
3. Initiative activates your talent: Socrates said, “To move the world we must first move ourselves.”
4. Focus directs your talent: Attempting everything, like attempting nothing will suck the life out of you.
5. Preparation positions your talent: Becoming more intentional. You can claim to be surprised once; after that, you’re unprepared.
6. Practice sharpens your talent: Practice demands discipline and embracing change.
7. Perseverance sustains your talent: People who display perseverance keep a larger vision in mind as they toil away at their craft or profession.
8. Courage tests your talent: As we develop our talent and grow to our potential we will be tested continually. Courage is an everyday virtue.
9. Teachability expands your talent: Teachability is not so much about competence and mental capacity as it is about attitude. It is the desire to listen, learn, and apply. Talented people can be the toughest to teach because they often think they know it all. It’s a problem of pride.
10. Character protects your talent: People cannot climb beyond the limitations of their character. Talented people are sometimes tempted to take shortcuts. Character prevents that.
11. Relationships influence your talent: Life is too short to spend it with people who pull you in the wrong direction. And it’s too short not to invest in others. Your relationships will define you.
12. Responsibility strengthens your talent: Responsibility not only improves your life, but also will improve the life of those around you.
13. Teamwork multiplies your talent: Teamwork divides the effort and multiples the effect.
14. [Leadership directs, deploys, and gives purpose to your talent.]
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Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; 3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; 4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Title: Making The Cut
Series Title: Game Ready: Conditioning For Leaders
And when it comes to leadership in the church, the question is less about talent and more about making the cut. In 1999 there was an excitement amidst the National Football League and the fans thereof. It was a historic year. For the first time, five of the top draft picks were quarterbacks and even more historic was the fact, that three of these was African American.
All five were drafted in the first round. A few years later, after the hype subsided, three of those quarterbacks had become complete busts; one started well but descended into mediocrity; only one (Donovan McNabb) fulfilled his promise as star.
The same can be said of leadership in the church, because we count so much on talent. Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads. Erica Jong
In John Maxwell’s valuable new book, Talent is Never Enough, he cites Peter Drucker on effectiveness, “There seems to be little correlation between a man’s effectiveness and his intelligence, his imagination, or his knowledge…Intelligence, imagination, and knowledge are essential resources, but only effectiveness converts them into results. By themselves, they only set limits to what can be contained.”
1. Belief lifts your talent: Lack of belief in yourself can act as a ceiling on talent.
2. Passion energizes your talent: A passionate person with limited talent will outperform a passive person who possesses greater talent.
3. Initiative activates your talent: Socrates said, “To move the world we must first move ourselves.”
4. Focus directs your talent: Attempting everything, like attempting nothing will suck the life out of you.
5. Preparation positions your talent: Becoming more intentional. You can claim to be surprised once; after that, you’re unprepared.
6. Practice sharpens your talent: Practice demands discipline and embracing change.
7. Perseverance sustains your talent: People who display perseverance keep a larger vision in mind as they toil away at their craft or profession.
8. Courage tests your talent: As we develop our talent and grow to our potential we will be tested continually. Courage is an everyday virtue.
9. Teachability expands your talent: Teachability is not so much about competence and mental capacity as it is about attitude. It is the desire to listen, learn, and apply. Talented people can be the toughest to teach because they often think they know it all. It’s a problem of pride.
10. Character protects your talent: People cannot climb beyond the limitations of their character. Talented people are sometimes tempted to take shortcuts. Character prevents that.
11. Relationships influence your talent: Life is too short to spend it with people who pull you in the wrong direction. And it’s too short not to invest in others. Your relationships will define you.
12. Responsibility strengthens your talent: Responsibility not only improves your life, but also will improve the life of those around you.
13. Teamwork multiplies your talent: Teamwork divides the effort and multiples the effect.
14. [Leadership directs, deploys, and gives purpose to your talent.]
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Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
A Christian Leader is Chosen
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
A Christian Leader is Chosen
View more presentations from ryrota.
Christian Leadership
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
Christian Leadership
View more presentations from Trent Cotton.
3 Keys To Innovative Leadership
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
3 Keys To Innovative Leadership
View more presentations from bobby gilstrap.
Four Factors of Effective Leadership
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
Four Factors of Effective Leadership
View more presentations from Michael Lowstetter.
Little Book of Leadership Powerpoint
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
Little Book of Leadership Powerpoint
View more presentations from PhilDourado.
Winning With Leadership
Check this slide show out...good for new series starting Sunday
Winning With Leadership
View more presentations from Andy Hanselman.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
God Said it, and That's Enough For Me
Jeremiah 1:12 says: "Then said the Lord unto me, You have well seen: for I will hasten my Word to perform it." This reveals to us that when God says something, He is actively watching over it and waiting for someone to believe it and act upon it. God says He will hasten, and He will move quickly to fulfill the Word that He has spoken. God has already determined what He will do on your behalf. He has already seen your needs, your battles, your conflicts and shortcomings, and the things you will have to deal with. He has spoken to you, and He has given you a word. He says this or that about your situation, and then He says, "I will hasten. I will quickly move toward fulfilling that which I have spoken." Remember, God said that He's not a man that He should lie or repent, nor the son of man that He should turn from it. Realize, if God said it, He will make it good. If He spoke it, He will bring it to pass. What does this mean for you? When God speaks something, it's His Word, and it's His Word as if He was speaking from Heaven for the very first time to you personally. He will not turn from it, nor will He fail to bring it to pass. Read the Word, and read it as if God's voice is in there. Don't read it like a book, but read it like God is speaking to you right now.
Location:Gathings Dr,Fort Wayne,United States
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Prayer
Prayer locking at our church tonight. Lord opened the doors.
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, October 18, 2010
Living Just Enough For The City
The year is the 6th century B.C. and the Israelites have been carried away to Babylonia. Babylon is a very beautiful, yet brutal city. Their
are three competing thoughts about this move into the city.
The people of Babylon take the Israelites there to strip away their spiritual identity.
The false prophets of Israel; tell the people not to move into the city and keep their spiritual identity.
God through the prophet Jeremiah tell the people to move into the city and keep their spiritual identity. As a matter of fact God tells the Israelites to move in and serve the city out of their unique spiritual identity.
Jeremiah 29:4-7
4 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.
6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
(KJV) Jeremiah 29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
In the bible "Shalom" means total flourishing in absolutely every dimension: physically, relationally, socially, and spiritually.
one way to think of shalom is in a cloth. In a cloth each tread is woven together to make the cloth prosperous. The treads are woven or lineup in a way that brings beauty and benefit for the cloth.
In the same way, we as the church or woven together or lineup to bring beauty and benefit...Shalom, total flourishing in every dimension: physically, relationally, socially, and spiritually were we are called.
This means we must serve and love those who need help and protection.
Bring God's love, peace, and justice to bear on a broken world.
Create and cultivate culture.
Hold our Christ as the ultimate satisfaction.
This is why we are a city set on a hill! Now, one of the ways we do this is through the spiritual gifts operating in the church.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
are three competing thoughts about this move into the city.
The people of Babylon take the Israelites there to strip away their spiritual identity.
The false prophets of Israel; tell the people not to move into the city and keep their spiritual identity.
God through the prophet Jeremiah tell the people to move into the city and keep their spiritual identity. As a matter of fact God tells the Israelites to move in and serve the city out of their unique spiritual identity.
Jeremiah 29:4-7
4 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.
6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
(KJV) Jeremiah 29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
In the bible "Shalom" means total flourishing in absolutely every dimension: physically, relationally, socially, and spiritually.
one way to think of shalom is in a cloth. In a cloth each tread is woven together to make the cloth prosperous. The treads are woven or lineup in a way that brings beauty and benefit for the cloth.
In the same way, we as the church or woven together or lineup to bring beauty and benefit...Shalom, total flourishing in every dimension: physically, relationally, socially, and spiritually were we are called.
This means we must serve and love those who need help and protection.
Bring God's love, peace, and justice to bear on a broken world.
Create and cultivate culture.
Hold our Christ as the ultimate satisfaction.
This is why we are a city set on a hill! Now, one of the ways we do this is through the spiritual gifts operating in the church.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
The Covenant Series
- Acts 2:41-47 POSSESSION IS NINE-TENTHS OF THE LAW (THE CHURCH GOD FOUNDED)
- Acts 2:42-47 ARE WE A GROWING OR GRUMBLING CHURCH (THE MARKS OF A GROWING CHURCH)
- Acts 4:23-35 THOSE ARE MY PEEPS
- Acts 20:28-32 PARAMEDICS OR PARALEGALS (HOW TO SAVE YOUR CHURCH)
- 1 Cor. 12:12-27 LINING UP OR LYING DOWN (YOUR PLACE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST)
- 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 SEPARATION PRECEEDS ELEVATION (STAYING SEPARATE IN A CONNECTED WORLD)
- Galatians 6:1-5 THE BODY SHOP (HOW TO HEAL A BROKEN BODY)
- Eph. 4:11-32 I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING (THE MARKS OF A MATURING CHRISTIAN)
- Ephesians 5:22-33 STATE OF THE UNION (WHAT'S RIGHT WITH THE CHURCH)
Monday, September 20, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Let’s Get It Done
Martin Luther King, Jr once preached that "We are now faced with the fact, my friends, that tomorrow
is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and
history, there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time. Life often leaves
us standing bare, naked, and dejected with a lost opportunity. The tide in the affairs of men does not
remain at flood-it ebbs. We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is
adamant to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residues of numerous
civilizations are written the pathetic words, "Too late."."
Monday, August 16, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Got Power?
The Holy Spirit is at work in God's world, convicting people of sin and drawing them to God (John 16:8-11). The Holy Spirit is present in believers, revealing spiritual truth and enabling them to understand this truth, discern its application to their lives, and become transformed people. The spiritual transformation of lives occurs only through the Spirit's power.
The Holy Spirit is both active and essential in spiritual transformation, serving as the Teacher, Guide and Empowering Agent. While selected theories of secular education are useful in Christian education, adherence to secular theories alone will not achieve spiritual transformation. Bible teaching for spiritual transformation begins with teachers who pray and depend on the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
How the Holy Spirit transforms lives is beyond human understanding and beyond human power to accomplish either in one's own life or in the lives of others. Review some of the biblical evidence.
"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you …. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.'' (John 14:16-17,26)
When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.'' (John 15:26)
While following the back-road pathways, I trusted my hunch as well as the compass and the map. While walking the pathway toward spiritual transformation, a human hunch is inadequate. We must depend on a power to transform our lives that is beyond our human understanding or ability - the Holy Spirit. To be used of God in teaching to transform lives, we first must be transformed ourselves and live in dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Old Testament Quotation and Illusions In The New Testament From The Book of Joel
Joel
Joel 1:6 6For a nation has come up against my land, powerful and beyond number; its teeth are lions' teeth, and it has the fangs of a lioness. | Revelation 9:8 8their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth; | ||||||||
Joel 2:2 2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations. | Matthew 24:21 21For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. | ||||||||
Joel 2:4–5 4Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses they run. 5As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle. | Revelation 9:7 7In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, | ||||||||
Joel 2:5 5As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle. | Revelation 9:9 9they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. | ||||||||
Joel 2:10 10The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. | Matthew 24:29 29"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. | Mark 13:24–25 24"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. | Revelation 6:12–13 12When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. | Revelation 8:12 12The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. | |||||
Joel 2:11 11The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it? | Revelation 6:17 17for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" | ||||||||
Joel 2:23 23"Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. | James 5:7 7Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. | ||||||||
Joel 2:28 28"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. | Acts 21:9 9He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. | Titus 3:6 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, | |||||||
Joel 2:28–32 28"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. 30"And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 32And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. | Acts 2:17–21 17" 'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' | ||||||||
Joel 2:31 31The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. | Matthew 24:29 29"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. | Mark 13:24–25 24"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. | Revelation 6:12 12When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, | ||||||
Joel 2:32 32And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. | Acts 2:39 39For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." | Acts 22:16 16And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.' | Romans 10:13 13For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." | ||||||
Joel 3:4–8 4"What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will return your payment on your own head swiftly and speedily. 5For you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my rich treasures into your temples. 6You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their own border. 7Behold, I will stir them up from the place to which you have sold them, and I will return your payment on your own head. 8I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away, for the Lord has spoken." | Matthew 11:21–22 21"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. | Luke 10:13–14 13"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. | |||||||
Joel 3:13 13Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great. | Mark 4:29 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." | Revelation 14:15 15And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe." | Revelation 14:18 18And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe." | Revelation 19:15 15From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. | |||||
Joel 3:15 15The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. | Matthew 24:29 29"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. | Mark 13:24–25 24"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. | Revelation 6:12–13 12When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. | Revelation 8:12 12The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. | |||||
Joel 3:18 18"And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lordand water the Valley of Shittim. | Revelation 22:1 1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb | ||||||||
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Got Power Lesson Three
The first two lessons in the Got Power Series has been bread from heaven. So, what's next? In the third part of this series God will opens our eyes to the enormous power that Jesus enjoyed while here on earth...The same power is available to us?
The ancient Greek's definition of happiness was the full use of your powers along lines of excellence. Naguib Mahfouz is quoted as saying, "Happy is he who can give himself up." Jesus used His power in complete excellence and in full power gave Himself up for us! If we have access to the same power and are not doing the same, than we are guilty of the misused of power.
Join us as we learn more about this power—the third person in the trinity—the Holy Spirit. Learning more about His working in Jesus' life; will empower us to live in excellence and to give ourselves up to the greater good—the divine will of God for our life. Background scripture reading for the third lesson is: Luke 1 & 4, John 14. Hope to see you in the house.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
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