Tough People

This past week, thousands of people gathered in Orlando, FL, for the Biennial General Council of the Assemblies of God.  We heard a number of powerful speakers who brought a mixture of messages – updates from the front lines of what is going on in our culture and around the world and we were encouraged by the reports of what God is doing! 

Oft times, if you only hear what the media is telling you, you will come away discouraged and upset.  There is no doubt that these are “tough times”. 

I don’t need to repeat what you already know.  There are times when you come away believing that the whole world is “going to hell in a hand basket”. 

I am reminded by the statement that Robert Schuller made years ago – “Tough Times don’t last – Tough people do!”

What are the qualifications of a “Tough Person”?  This blog isn’t large enough to list all of them, but let me tell you a few:

(1) A person of CONVICTION --  you just have to have something bigger than yourself to hold on to – you’ve got to have something anchoring your life – or you will be blown away by tough times

(2) a person of FAITH – no matter what you think – you HAVE to have Faith – I’m not talking about faith in yourself – or just faith for faith sake – but Faith in God – those who have faith in God are the most stable of all people

(3) a person of PURPOSE - I’ve heard it said that if you don’t know where you are going, you will succeed --- when you get where you get – you’ll not know where you are anyway!   In these troubled times, you must have a purpose – you need direction – you need to know which way to “set your sails” – you cannot just drift along! 

Are you a person of conviction?  Are you a person of Faith?  Are you a person who has purpose?  If so, you are on your way to becoming a “Tough Person” during these “Tough Times”.

I am encouraged today!  I want you to be encouraged also!

We Need an AWAKENING!

Things are happening so fast ......events are unfolding daily .... sometimes hourly.  Each time something happens, the social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others) immediately "blow up".  People from around the globe are responding - and mostly from fear!  




The Bible tells us clearly that "when you BEGIN to see these things come to pass ..... LOOK UP ... your REDEMPTION is drawing near!"

Now more than ever we need to PRAY and get serious about our commitment to God!  I saw a post the other day on FB that simply said 

"Part-time Christians are no match for Full-Time Devils"

I still believe that God is moving by His Spirit across the land -- and wherever people will call out to HIM in faith -- HE will move and change things for us!

We desperately need a move of God in these days!  We need Repentance and a Return to God --- I pray for America to get back to our roots --- but if the whole nation doesn't return -- I pray that everyone who will listen, will "return to God" -- Get you own life and house in order!

How much time do we have?  Only God knows the time-line!  We do know that the statement of the angel is true, "This same Jesus which you see taken up into heaven WILL come again ....."

Are you ready for the return of the KING of KINGS?  I am!  I echo the words on the last page of the Bible .... 

"EVEN SO, COME LORD JESUS"!

Use ALL 5 Gifts!

Saw a statement posted on Facebook the other day, which said:  “We will never change the world by going to church.  We will only change the world by being the church.”  This is so true -- the difference is between “going” and “being”.  You’ve heard it said that we are human BEINGS not human doings!  We are made to BE!

I think the challenge comes in the above statement --- “change the world”.  When I grew up in church that was always a core belief – which our reason for existence was to “change” for the better the world around us.  We frequently had missionaries coming through our church telling us of how God was using them to change the world.  We had evangelists come to our church often – and each time they challenged us to “win lost people” to Christ.

Today, things have changed.  “Stagnation” has come to many churches – we merely exist to benefit ourselves.  Look at the sermon topics lately – “how to….” How to be financially independent – how to be successful – how to have a good family – how to overcome this and that …… 

Where is the voice of the Apostle, setting things in Divine order–pioneering what God is saying today ?– where is the voice of the Prophet, who calls us back to repentance for our lethargy and lack of compassion on the lost around us? --- where is the voice of the Evangelist who stirs our hearts for changing our culture?

No, we hear the Pastor – the man who now assumes full responsibility for the development of the congregation – he is the administrator, the business genius, the “prophet, priest, and king” of the house!  Now, don’t get me wrong – I love the Pastor – I’ve been a Pastor for the most of my 40+ years in professional ministry. 

My point is we have neglected the other “office ministries” in the local church. Paul wrote to the Ephesians (4:11-12) and said that Christ had given 5 gifts to the church – Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher.  God never intended the church to be only operating from the one position – the Pastor.   

I like what the Message Bible says of this passage:  “He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.”

Notice that the purpose of these office gifts is: “working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other…”

The Amplified Bible says it this way:  “His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church)”

The goal is to minister OUTSIDE the four walls of the church building – to actually BE the church – using our influence in every area of society to “redeem” that, which is lost.

In order to do this, we need ALL of the office ministries of Christ to work together:

Bring back the Apostle! 

Bring back the Prophet! 

Bring back the Evangelist! 

Bring back the Teacher! 

Work together with the Pastor to accomplish His purposes in the world.

LEGACY

My mentor and friend, John Maxwell writes a lot about “legacy”.   In life, as we get older, we all reflect on our future and what we leave behind, and what is before.  John had his “wake-up” call when he had a heart attack at the young age of 51.  I got a wake-up call when in 2005 I was diagnosed with cancer.  I think about legacy every day now.

I was once again aroused in my thinking last night – when my wife’s father, Dave McNeilly received his heavenly promotion.  We were at his side when he took that last breath – at the age of 86.  What a precious man of faith and conviction.  He has impacted so many people over the years.  He is the father of two children, proud grandfather of five grandkids who adore him – and great-grandpa to twelve kids, who think he’s the greatest!  Pictured above is the youngest great-grandchild (# 12) – my granddaughter, Vera Victoria Railey, age one. When I look at that picture, I know that even though she may not remember all about him – she will be impacted by his influence in the family.

He is leaving an awesome legacy – every child, grandchild, and great-grandchild has a rich Christian heritage.  Dave was such a strong man of faith and so many people felt his influence. He never knew a stranger and was accepting of everyone, making them know how much he cared for them.  He was an inspiration to all, and was a mentor to many.

Dave is leaving his legacy.  Think about who is following you! What will your legacy be?

REFLECTION

Driving along the highway the other day, I was listening to the audio book of John Maxwell’s classic, The 15 Laws of Growth.  Over and over John kept talking about the power of thoughtful reflection.  He made statements that said, in effect, “experience is not the best teacher…. reflective experience is.”  As I thought about this, I was conscience-stricken by the fact that many times I have attended seminars, read good books, heard fantastic speakers, then never took the time to stop and “reflect”.

We all are aware of the idea of reflection.  We’ve seen the awe-inspiring views of scenery reflected on the water.  We daily look at the reflection of ourselves in the mirror.  Where would we be without the mirror?  How would we prepare ourselves for each day without the reflection of who we are staring back at us?

But for a moment – let’s think about the other kind of reflection – the kind where we think about what we’ve learned, heard, or read – where we think about the experiences we have gone through.

One of my favorite Bible passages says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable n your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalms 19:14).  There’s that word “meditate” or “reflect upon”.  

I’m not talking about some mindless transcendental meditation.  Even Confucius stated, “Learning without reflection is a waste. Reflection without learning is dangerous.”

Doing a word study on that Hebrew word for “meditate,” you’ll find definitions such as, “ruminate, roll over in the mind, analyze, study, imagine, muse, mutter, and groanings”.    To those who are familiar with cows and sheep – ruminate means the same as ‘chewing the cud’ – the process of a double digestion of food.

In life, we all have so much information flowing into our minds and lives – so many experiences – so many voices being heard.  How do you learn?  How do you apply what you’ve heard?  What do you need to apply, and what do you need to ignore?

We’ve heard the expressions, ‘head knowledge’ and ‘heart knowledge’ – how does information get from head to heart?  -     REFLECTION

John Maxwell talks about a “thinking chair” – a quite place where he goes to reflect and think.  We all need to do more reflecting – more mediation – more rumination.

If you want to change your life – change your future – change your family – start with some reflective thinking.  All actions are based in our thoughts.  Go to the source of your actions – think better – think and learn – and change for the better

How Well Do You Know Yourself?

I wrote recently in a blog concerning knowing your purpose.  I think we need to look back a bit and see that if we are going to know our purpose, we must first know ourselves.  John Maxwell in his great book, The Fifteen Invaluable Laws of Growth, writes in the second law – “The Law of Awareness - you must know yourself to grow yourself.” 

John goes on to say, “to grow, you must know…your strengths and weaknesses, your interests and opportunities. You must be able to gauge not only where you’ve been, but also where you are now. Otherwise you cannot set a course for where you want to go.” 

Think about this statement!

How well do you know yourself?  What motivates you?  What do you like?  What are you good at doing?  What energizes you?  This will take time to reflect and understand, because if we ever intend to grow our businesses, our families, our finances, our future, we must first grow ourselves.  To do that we must be fully aware.

John asks some probing questions in his book: 

1. Do you like what you’re doing now?

2. What would you like to do?

3. Can you do what you would like to do?

4. Do you know why you want to do what you would like to do?

5. Do you know what to do so you can do what you want to do?

 6. Do you know people who do what  you’d like to do?

7. Should you do what you’d like to do with them? 

8. Will you pay the price to do what you want to do?

9. When can you start doing what you’d like to do? 

10.  What will it be like when you get to do what you’d like to do?

Take time to review these questions?  Meditate and reflect on them as they apply to you!  You’ll begin to know yourself.  It’s a beginning to a lifetime of growing to become the person you were made to be.

Two great days in your life:  

1. The day you were born

2. The day you discover why?

Do YOU Know Your Purpose?

Purpose – the why for our existence – that which defines us as a person – that which causes us to be unique.  Do you know your purpose?

Our children and youth are tested often during their lifetimes, to judge how much they know, and what they know.  Sometime between elementary school and high school, they will take aptitude tests, psychological assessments, and ‘giftedness’ evaluations to determine what is the ‘bent’ or interests.  The sad thing is that after all those tests, they may end up wandering and drifting along through life, without a sense of direction and purpose. We are discovering that many college graduates cannot find jobs in their field of study and expertise, and they are either unemployed or are settling for jobs that make them feel unfulfilled.

Do YOU know your purpose in life?  What is your direction? 

John Maxwell writes in his book Your Roadmap For Success , “Nothing can take the place of knowing your purpose.” I believe that each of us is made by our Creator and a portion of His image is in us. That means we each have a destiny – a purpose.  We are NOT here by accident!  The problem comes when you don’t know that purpose.  Years are wasted searching, usually by trial and error, for a reason.  Many miserable days are spent doing “work” that produces no satisfaction emotionally, and that nagging feeling that you are on a “cruise to nowhere”.   John talks about that in his book.  In many of the coastal ports of America, cruise line companies offer “cruises to nowhere” (day cruises) – in other words, you pay to take a ride at sea, only to return in a few hours to the same port you left, having went nowhere!  Does this describe the way you feel? All that effort, and you’re seemingly going nowhere?

Now let me quickly let you know that SUCCESS in life is a journey --- not a destination.  Also, beware that success relates to your direction, and not your destination.  Since success in life is a journey, you ought to know your direction. Have you ever heard someone say,  “You can’t get there from here?”  That means you are not headed in the right direction!  Which way are you headed? 

You must know your purpose, so you can set your direction!

One of the ways you can begin to determine your purpose in life, is to spend time reflecting on who you are?  What do you like?  What activities bring you the most satisfaction?  What energizes you?  If you’ll stop and listen to yourself, ask the tough questions, and be honest with yourself, you’ll begin to uncover that inner purpose for your life. 

Need help in asking those questions?  Need help in finding your purpose?  That’s what I would like to do --- come alongside you as a friend, and help you unlock that destiny inside of you.  Contact me.