Keep your Marriage & Ministry from Coming Un-Glued! October 12, 2009

Today I want to give you some fireproof insights on how to fufill your call in Ministry while keeping the peace at home.  A lot of people in ministry stumble into the pitfall of spending hours on end completing ministry obligations while neglecting a loving spouse and children at home. Many make the mistake of justifing this by saying “Well I’m doing the Lord’s work so it’s ok.” The truth is, true ministry starts at home. 

Here are seven ways to balance a successful marriage and successful ministry at the same time.  First, spend time with God each and every day. Second, make and take a day off.  Third, designate a date night.  Make sure you date your mate!  Fourth, If you have to schedule sex, so be it.  We have a doctor friend at our church that says, “Don’t call me after 1pm on Friday, wink wink!”  If you’re too busy for sex than you are way too busy!  Fifth, schedule family vacations and family days.  Sixth, see your family as your Ministry Team serving God together.  Seventh, when things are broken at home fix them immediately.  If it doesn’t work at home then don’t export it. The condition of your marriage and family is just as much a part of your ministry assignment as leading the worship team or the children’s ministry. Keeping your balance can make or break both your marriage and your ministry! ~ Think About It!  Pastor Paul (The Glue Guy)

Fear August 21, 2009

“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.”  ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

We all experience fear at different times in our lives.  Momentary fear is natural.  Fears that keep us from doing something begin to control us.  Nearly 10% of the U.S. population is affected by some sort of phobia which is really a case of extreme fear.  The difference between giving in to fear and conquering it is one word:  ACTION!  It’s not that we won’t ever be afraid or experience fear it’s that we are to face our fears as children of God with our FAITH!  Faith causes us to take action in the presence of fear.  When we focus on fear it will cloud our thinking, torment us, cause us to act irrationally and keep us from all we can and should be with God’s help.  “The Lord is our light and our salvation, whom shall we fear?” says Psalms 27:1.  

Extremely fearful people will speak fear into our lives and situations if we let them.  Gideon was headed into battle and God told him to get rid of all the soldiers who were afraid.  He lost about 2/3 of his soldiers that day!  Going into battle with a lesser amount of soldiers than I started with is not my idea of improving my odds in a fight.  In fact, I think it would make even the fiercest of warriors afraid.   But like Gideon and his warriors, we can’t let fear be a major obstacle in our lives.  We must refuse to be ruled by fear.  When we replace “I Can’t” with “I Can” we really can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.  Think about it!  ~ Pastor Paul

SHIFT BACK! August 13, 2009

I am not sure when the shift happened, but sometime ago in America going to God’s House became an obligation for many people  and stopped being the privilege it should be.  For the past several years, I have traveled to Africa and when I’m there I am always amazed at the amount of people they can pack into a church service.  People walk for miles and miles just to get to a service and there is NO air conditioning and NO padded seats.  The House of God is designed to be a place of safety, training, rest, peace and the place where we come together to worship our Creator.  It is precious in God’s eyes!  He gave his very son’s life for the church!  When we come together in God’s House in agreement and believe that He can and will hear our prayers the House of God is a place of power and a place of healing.  Let’s put aside our pet peeves, our hangups, our need for comfort and focus on the reason we come to church:  To worship the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords TOGETHER!  Amazing things happen in God’s House when the people coming to His house have a hunger and desire to experience God!  Let’s Shift Back from worrying about our own comfort to worrying about nthe condition of our souls and also the souls of those around us!  Think about it ~ Pastor Paul

Change July 17, 2009

How well we adapt and handle change will be largely determined by whether we are able to grasp the fact that our lives are really about a much bigger picture overall.  Many times we are only focused on ourselves and don’t adjust to changes very well.  Look at Acts Chapter 15.  There was a huge conflict over whether the Gentiles needed to be circumcised or not after they came to Christ.  So many disputes ensued that Paul and Barnabas travelled to Jerusalem to discuss it with the apostles and elders.  Once he heard the report from Paul and Barnabas, Peter was the first to grasp the need for change.  Peter persuaded the leaders to change their thinking about circumcision of the Gentiles and keep focused on the big picture:  multitudes of them were coming to Christ.  He knew that it was more important to teach the Gentiles to live pure lives than to worry about them being circumcised.  They were able to see that the salvation of the Gentiles lined up with what was told by the Old Testament prophets and that the measuring stick should be the fruit, which was the salvation of the Gentiles.   Sometimes we can become frustrated with others around us when we see a need for a change before they do.  Peter didn’t argue with everyone, he persuaded them by communicating what God was doing and bringing everyone along together.  We need to be open to changes in our lives and also make sure we bring those in our lives along with us when changes come.  Think about it!  ~ Pastor Paul

WHATEVER IT TAKES! July 10, 2009

Are we living our lives as individual Christians with a “whatever it takes” mentality? Are we willing to do whatever it takes to live our lives for Jesus?  Do we truly desire to be used by Him as we live out our days on this earth? Or are we satisfied with just getting up in the morning, going to work, putting in our time, coming home, eating supper, watching the news, then getting up the next morning and doing it all over again?

1 Corinthians 9:22-23 (New International Version)  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Are we a church that will do whatever it takes to see lost people come to Jesus? Do we have that kind of mentality as a church?  Will we do whatever it takes?  Will we change the way we’ve always done things if that is what it takes?  Will we give up our own personal preferences if that is what it takes?  Will we break with tradition if that is what it takes?  Will we be dissatisfied with the status quo if that is what it takes?  Will we think strategically and creatively of how we can do whatever it takes to reach more lost people in our community and world with the message of God’s love for them?

What will it take for us as individuals and for us as a church to develop a “whatever it takes” mindset?

Think about it!  ~ Pastor Paul

REJOICE! July 1, 2009

“Rejoice in the Lord, Always, Again I Say Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4 tells us to always rejoice.  That is sometimes easier said than done, right?  Throughout the toils of our lives, the bickering between family members, traffic jams, bills, and pressures of life, Paul tells us to rejoice.  Now the apostle Paul wasn’t immune to stress in his life so he wasn’t just blowing smoke about rejoicing!  He was in prison, bound in chains and still found a way to rejoice!  It is amazing to me that we seem to have less and less to rejoice about yet we live in the richest nation of the world, have the most technology and conveniences ever in the history of the world and yet so many of us don’ t feel we have much to rejoice about.  We always tend to magnify the problem instead of magnifying God in our lives and rejoicing that He has the answer we need!   Let’s rejoice even when we don’t think we have anything to rejoice about!  We must take some time and thank God for the things we do have, rejoice for the people in our lives, rejoice that He has the answers to our problems and cares, and then, again, REJOICE!   Paul knew the secret  to real happiness:  rejoicing no matter what our circumstances are!  Rejoicing in ALL things requires us to look beyond ourselves and our feelings.  It means stirring up our spirits to rejoice in the Lord - for He is the ultimate source and when we magnify Him by rejoicing, we minimize our problems and find the strength and wisdom we need!  Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Think about it ~ Pastor Paul

In it to Win It June 24, 2009

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”  (I Corinthians 9:24). 

Did you know that there are over 150,000 runners in 6 major marathons each year, but less than one percent start the race with any thought of  winning?   They are just hoping to have enough stamina and strength to finish the race.   Marathons were originally created for military training in 546 BC and all the runners were “In it to Win it” not just finish it.  They ran to build their bodies and equip themselves as warriors.  The idea that Paul is writing about in I Corinthians is that we are to equip ourselves spiritually as a marathon runner and to be “In It to Win It” – the race of life!   Modern day marathons are for the most part all about recreation because:

• The runners are not thinking about winning!
• They are just thinking about surviving the race!
• They will Limp across the finish line if they have to!

There are basically three kinds of people at a marathon:  1% are “In It to Win It”,  99% run for recreation, millions are on the sidelines watching!   It is sad to say, that just like a marathon race, there are way too many spectators in the House of God.  Let’s not be weekend warriors, instead let’s be mighty warriors chasing after God each and every day!    We must train as if we are going to run in a marathon race and Run to Win!   Think about it!   ~ Pastor Paul

Hear Part II of Pastor Paul’s “IN IT TO WIN IT” Message this Sunday at COR!

Where is God? June 12, 2009

This is not just a question children ask because they have trouble grasping the concept of something they can’t see with their natural eyes, but also a question that we, as adults,  may ponder from time to time.  Due to life’s circumstances and situations we quickly forget that God is as close as we will let Him be.  God is where He has always been and and He is doing what He has always done!  He is looking for us!  God has been trying to connect with us long before we begin to search for Him.  And even though we may call ourselves born-again Christians, we have to continuously work on our personal relationship with Jesus Christ or we will find ourselves wondering “Where is God?”   

The Bible teaches us that God is very near.  In the book of Acts it is recorded that He is “not far from each one of us.  For in Him we live and move and have our being.”  (Acts 17:27-28)   If we are living, moving and having our being in God, then He can’t be far away.  Ever since Adam and Eve, man has been hiding from God, not God hiding from us!  Adam and Eve ran and hid themselves from God after they sinned in the Garden of Eden.  (Genesis 3:1-13).  God came looking for them, but they were hiding in the trees, afraid to speak to Him.  God loved His creation so much that He made the first move toward reconciling.  God has been and always will be as near as WE will let Him BE!  What is it that is keeps us from experiencing the presence of God?  The first step for us to take is to reconcile ourselves to God.  That means repenting of anything that keeps us from God.  The next step is spending time with God.  Our prayer and devotion times are precious and we must guard them jealously!  The third is keeping God’s presence with us throughout our day and not just in a small part of our schedules.  The fourth is in spending time in God’s House.  When we worship together corporately there is power and we are encouraged and strengthened by one another!   God’s House is for everyone.  He’s made the first  move towards each of us by extending His grace and mercy to us.  He is just waiting for us to make our move!   Think about  it! ~ Pastor Paul

Double Portion Living May 29, 2009

In order to bless others, we need to have MORE than enough!   Make no mistake, God is excited when we have increase.  It is when we think we don’t deserve increase that we sabotage ourselves.  God has given us life and that more abundantly and it’s up to us to receive it.   World class athletes don’t just think they can, they know they can.  Let’s develop ourselves to have Double Portion thinking!   

Here are three ways:

 

• Keep Hungry for the Dream!  Most of the time we give up too soon on our dreams.  What dream has God given you?  How are you developing it so that it can become a reality?  Hunger is created, it just doesn’t land on you.  What keeps you hungry (good or bad) is what we put our eyes on.  Whatever we dwell on is what we will get.  Dwelling on our dreams will keep us hungry and pressing towards them. 
• We must attach ourselves to what can take us upwards.  Who and what we attach ourselves to will either propel or take us further from our dreams and destinies.  Success in others will either motivate us or intimidate us.  We must be motivated to learn from successful people and glean from them what they’ve learned along the way. 
• Identify and look at what has to change.  We can’t stay the same if we want to go somewhere new.  Something has to change.  Once we identify things that are stagnant or unproductive then we need to take another step and change them to things that do.  The hardest part is not the change itself but the actual stepping out of one thing or way and into something new.

We know the truth, but until we DO it, it doesn’t become a reality!  Let’s position ourselves for double portion living!

Think about it!  ~Pastor Paul

You Are in Charge, so Live LARGE! May 22, 2009

 

As Christians, we are called to live Big Lives.  Big Lives make a Big Difference!  We don’t remember anyone giving an “I’ve Got A Complaint” speech but we remember an “I Have a Dream” speech.  Likewise, God’s desire and purpose for us is to impact our world.    Here are 7 things we can do to Live Larger, Bigger Lives:

 

•  Get Bigger Wisdom.  The Bible says if we lack wisdom we should ask for it.  We can’t be experts in every field, but we can get the wisdom we need from other people!
• Expand Our Knowledge.  We must be continuously learning something new.  When we stop expanding we shrink! 
• Expand Our Capacity.  We will burn out if we try to do more and more without redefining what we currently do.  Wasted time keeps us from being productive as well.  We must become better time managers and delegate those things someone else can do for us.   Our capacity to take on new projects can be directly attributed to how well we organize our time and delegate to other people the things we currently are responsible for.
• Be Willing to Be Inconvenienced.  The average  person tries to avoid being inconvenienced.  If it was easy, everyone would be doing it!   By being EXTRAordinary, we catapult ourselves to another level but it always takes us willing to be inconvenienced first!
• Solve Problems.  In the business world, the bigger problems you solve, the higher your pay.  We can and should look for solutions to problems, not be a problem!
• Speak Big Words.  How we talk is how we eventually will live.  Proverbs 10:21 says the “lips of righteous feed many.”  Life-Giving Words feed other people!  When we speak big words, we not only bless our family but those around us!
• Live in a Bigger World.  Expand your view by going on a Missions Trip or experiencing a different culture.  We find that our problems are not as big as we think they are when compared to others who are less fortunate than we are – especially around the world.

This is it!  We don’t get another life!  So let’s make this one a great one by living larger!  Remember:  It you don’t do it, it will NEVER happen!

Think about it ~ Pastor Paul