No one is perfect, no church is perfect, no ministry is perfect, but many ministries are sick as a dog on a diet of rat poison if you will, so be involved in a healthy church led by a spiritual pastor who knows and loves to talk about Christ ..and also enjoys teaching all the counsels of God through the Bible. Go help him when you have time.. to reach out to others in need, as you both live what you believe. Would be fishers can learn from other fishers who actually catch em. Remember that only One is perfect and that ain’t you ..or me (I’ve got gobs of growth and learning ahead of me that I refuse to ignore).
You want people to cut you some slack at times ..right? Of course you do. Well ok, then lets do that for them too. Avoid excuses and blaming others. Say: "But for the grace of God, go I." If the other person keeps sinning up a storm, just get away from them before you join in. Ditch all worrying about what others will think of you (they probably aren’t thinkin' 'boutcha much at all. Why should they think about you or me all that much?). And stop over-explaining yourself in an effort to somehow "justify".. if God is already leading you, if you have already really prayed about it, if you are confident in your God and already know for sure that it is indeed scripturally right. How many missionaries would have stayed home if they allowed every so called church leader to discourage them from obeying God?
Have no idols today or any day.. no destructive excess either. Refuse the temptation to joke about or embarrass your wife, your coworkers or your kids before their friends, just to drive home a message that they need to apply but seem to be ignoring. Show respect in absentia. Try not to ever verbally take another’s inventory where they tend to blow it in public and be factual, respectful and careful when confronting in private. But wisely sound the alarm to the authorities if people are being cruelly abused. Remember James Jones and his so called flock.
Watch over your heart and keep some balance in your life as you lovingly walk in the Spirit. Show up on time when you make a commitment to be there and listen intently (man, I’m currently workin’ on this..again).
Play the hand you were dealt so to speak (I don't mean go gamble with God's money). Do your best and be loyal to your Friend, parents, elders, and friends. Be courageous by praying away all your trepidation, and then face the challenges that God lays before you head on. Pray for open doors to get the Gospel out (don't forget to ask if they are ready now). Then pray over the opportunities before you and act on the ones that are clearly from Him.
Maintain a clear conscience, a right spirit and build godly character today. A good name can be easily crashed into the rocks.
Seek the Lord with thanks and honest questions minus all the demands for all the answers now, and start looking for a way through the circumstances with Him, instead of an easy but spiritually compromising way out ..or around em. Be a student of truth, of God, of life, of people, of godly influence that sure is good for witnessing, of missions (past and present) and of real solutions in general.. every single day.
No lame excuses! An excuse is the skin of a comely looking truth stuffed with an ugly lie and we aren’t to be about deception or falsehood. We are to live in the light as children of the day, not of the night or all uptight.
Replace all of those excuses and gossiping too.. with ways of doing the basics (in regards to Christian disciplines) better. You know, daily Bible meditation / memorization, prayer, hearing from Jesus, fellowship with Him and other growing believers, limiting your time with people who you discover are there to pull you down, and also in the area of tactful witnessing. Don’t pressure, push, or badger people.. or waste your precious time, emotions or energy. Those are valuable gifts! There are open-sinners to be found among the closed ones. Why wait endlessly on other people to make a decision that will affect your family long term, when you can simply communicate and get on with the plan of God for you? It helped me to stay in contact with strong Christian leaders back here in the States when I was on the mission field in Europe?
Be straightforward and to the point while not thinking of yourself first ahead of others. Be wise in how you let others know where you stand. No unnecessary words, attitudes or body language. Be loyal to the core values that the Holy Spirit stuck deep inside you. He will honor you if you honor the Word.
Never be afraid of a challenge or of failing if there is a chance for God to be glorified in it. Pray earnestly about it and seek godly counsel that’s legit! In general, aim to service to others better in a very quality way, and more people tomorrow than you did today.. without burning out as a workaholic for the Lord.
See if there is a way to do that serving without increasing your workload to an unhealthy level. Why win the world and lose your own kids by hurting them? Be a volunteer in some place where the irreligious are being rescued and where Christians are or can be edified and trained for rescuing sinners. Live primarily “on the give” wherever you go. There are some things you have that you can give if you are still sucking air. Don’t always be out for what you can get out of it.. for your pleasure, your family or your personal aggrandizement. Why be known for selfishness and always “on the take”?
Work hard and smart. Take responsibility for the part you did wrong. Everyone has a part to play so do yours with all you got.. DUH.. and know when to avoid negligence by heading home to your family at the right time. Cross every “T” and dot every “I” in order to remain above reproach and blameless with the law. Avoid all appearance of what is whack! Don't cast a stumbling block on your neighbor's big toe!
Invent good methods for getting it done in a new way—yes good and right! Discover new ways to explain the old Message and to evangelize that are still biblical. Be passionate for Jesus the most, instead of for politicians, or for your favorite minister or good organization. But let your spouse, rather than another friend (or noble program etc) be your second priority. Let no one become your second best friend ahead of your spouse!!!
Live with an eternal purpose in mind. Be proactive to plant good seeds in your children’s hearts..and in your friend’s lives too.
Don’t take it personal if it wasn’t meant that way. When someone says hi to you, take that to mean “hi” ..not some over-spiritualized hidden message that you need to follow up on!
Simply get the truth out there simply putting the cookies on the bottom shelf where God’s kids can get to em. Yup, say it… what’s right for the moment, but not with a simplistic mindset. Laugh, thank, sing and dance in worship more often (..not in some sensual worldly way for the public to be ill effected by). Do it when the time, location n other stuff are appropriate as the Spirit leads you. Remember King David getting “unsophisticated” but sincere in full-on worship ..no matter what others or his wife thought of him!
You don’t always have to resist laughing at yourself. You don’t have to take yourself too seriously or be uber-self-deprecating.
Ask God to help you be flexible as you manage your time for Him. Try not to confuse the things that are urgent with the things that are important.. or the things that are flat out superstition or religious or weird!
Look for time wasters and eliminate them. Streamline and become efficient if you can, as you represent Another. Look for who you can help in a practical way, and sometimes ask for help yourself as you co-labor with Christ in building.
Be prepared—pray over it and do your homework well. Count the cost and do some research to understand what you’re getting into before you start, or commit to something new. If you do you can reduce the fear-factor, the uncertainty-factor as you abolish some ignorance there, and even some residual anxiety about it. Dream on paper while praying over the goals that you believe came from God. He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. He can give you the desires of your heart—even new desires. Ask: What are the impediments in the way of me fulfilling my God-given mission?
Give all the glory to God... PERIOD!
Don't touch the gold, the glory, or the girls..
....or even the altar-boys! Be sure your sin will find you out.
Give the credit to whom it is due on the horizontal plane as well.. rather than taking it for yourself from another person who actually did the work. Live a life of obedient devotional connection with Jesus—talking about candid romance here. Why be a carnal, luke-warm, untrusting immature saint acting independently from your Lord? Too many people like that around!
Finish right what God leads you to start, for He is determined to complete what He rightly started in and through you. Live a life of repentance before Him and of outward forgiveness towards others. Don’t take up an offense for another one hurt, but remember.. Love protects! Don’t stay in a polluted well drinking the Kool-Aid ‘til you crook!
You weren’t designed to carry around boat-loads of guilt, shame, people-ward-anger, fear, grudges and regret. Bail on the baggage and pursue what’s real. Hate evil and sin a lot, not others that are different from you. There might be a reason why their green Mohawk is sharp and blaring etc. Try to understand people and multi-task less often. Seek ye first not to be understood, but the One who already understands. Take it one step at a time in Him, one day at a time, one task at a time ..and do it with excellence.
Take the initiative in doing the Word! Some people around you that you’ve really wanted to be a good “responder” with when they finally come, are literally waiting for you to reach out first and show that you really care. That’s what fishing for souls is all about—timing and going for it just like Christ would! The wild woman at the well didn’t take the initiative to seek Jesus out just to talk about her love life issues. He came and found her… as the real Lover she had always hoped for.
Listen, gobs of people will tell you about how to love yourself more, to go find yourself as you ditch your spouse cuz you’ve outgrown each other or how to build up your self-esteem. That’s stupid! Well, it just is. You already love yourself and God-esteem is what you need! If you didn’t love yourself, you’d be happy for that zit on your forehead as you glance in the mirror! Get out of yourself today and go love the Lord.. and then others. Have sanctified common sense if you will. Being a real neighbor like the good Samaritan was with the dude in the ditch ..is most of the time a no-brainer.
As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work.” ~Acts 13:2
When you see someone in need, Love demands a loving deed; don’t just say you love Him true, prove it by the deeds you do. ~Sper
Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. ~1 John 3:18
Simply abide in the Lord, continue in His Word and ask this.. “Apart from what my contemporaries or religious affiliates might think of me, what is simply the right thing to do here, Lord?”
Abide—maintain the union—rather than striving in the flesh to get it all done. God will show you what to do or not do.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations. ~Jesus, Matthew 28:19
Jesus, please widen my world before my eyes. Make me aware of what really matters. Wanna be willing to go, to send, to lend, to mend, to show, to grow! Help me to know You and do my part! You are working and I want to worship You ..and also join You in this world-changing! I can’t, but You can! Help me first feel what You feel for people around me.. yes, and then respond as You would have me to. Give me sight and light so I shine bright, so I can see as You see. Give me a heart and hands to serve others with. Give me your boldness to share Your Gospel clearly.. perhaps in ways that haven’t yet been done before. What can we do together? Amen.
Been born once? Try it twice! More waiting on Him, less acting before you pray or listen to Him. Allow the Spirit to implant His others-orientated kind of thinking into your spirit, into your heart and into your head! Let Him keep making you into the “you” that our missions-minded God intended for you to become—into the “you” that you always wanted to be!
