To Whom Are You Accountable?

I’m reading Bill Hull’s book titled The Complete Book of Discipleship. One of the interesting statements Hull makes is, ‘Many people have said, “I’m going to go deep with God,” but unless they submit to the help of others, they’re not likely to grow, apart from suffering.’

Each of us need to be held accountable to someone. Knowing what to do is simply not enough. We know we should eat right and exercise regularly, but unless we have someone to help us maintain those disciplines we won’t do what we know we need to do. Simply knowing what to do is not enough. We must have accountability if we are going to do well.

The same is true with the disciplines of the Christian life. We all know we need to study our Bible, spend time in prayer, memorize scripture, regularly be with other believers, serve God’s family, share Christ’s love, and support God’s work. But unless we have someone in our life to whom we have given the right to ask us the tough questions about progress, we will simply not do it.

So, what portion of God’s truth did you memorize this week? Did you at least once this week spend an hour alone in prayer? Have you been faithful in giving God his ten percent of your income? With whom did you share God’s love this week? How did you use your spiritual gift to serve God’s family this week?

Going deep with God requires consistent discipline, but being deep with God is the only thing that will truly satisfy the craving of your soul.

Until next time…

Jim

God’s Character

Do you know the character of God? Do you know what God says about Himself?

I’ve been noticing lately how often Satan attacks the character of God. His tactic is to cause us to doubt the very nature of our God, because if he can get us to doubt God’s nature, His character, then we will act on what we think is best rather than on what God says is best, and that always leads us to sin.

In Exodus 34:6-7 God shows Moses His glory and makes a statement about who He is.

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (English Standard Version)

God wanted His friend Moses to know who He is. God wants you and me to know who He is.

When God told Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham asked God if He would destroy the righteous with wicked (Genesis 18:23). Then Abraham makes this statement: “Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” Genesis 18:25 (ESV)

Knowing God’s character, that He is just, gave Abraham the boldness to question God about what He was going to do.

God is love. Satan will attack you and try to make you think God is holding out on you, that He is not loving.

Where has Satan been attacking you lately? Which of God’s attributes is he trying to make you doubt?

Do you trust your Heavenly Father? Do you know that He is faithful, just, loving, pure, kind, truthful?

Do you know the character of your Heavenly Father? Why don’t you write me and tell me what other attributes you find for God?

Until next time…

Pastor Jim

Leadership Points

“Many people think they are leaders when in reality they simply hold a position of authority. If given the choice the people under them would quickly choose to follow someone else.” Peter Stanton

“Self-assessment is the first action requirement of leadership: the constant resharpening, constant refocusing, never really being satisfied.” Peter F. Drucker

“You cannot lead others until you first learn to lead yourself. But because leading self is so difficult most people will quit before they become authentic leaders.” Peter Stanton

“Creating community is an essential leadership skill.” Gifford Pinchot

“One of the greatest inhibitors of teamwork among executive teams is the fear of conflict” Patrick M. Lencioni

“Energizing leaders articulate a motivating vision and mobilize the energies of people to help them achieve it.” Dean Spitzer

“An organization will have a high spirit of performance if it is constantly directed toward opportunity rather than toward problems.” Peter F. Drucker

“Dialogue creates an atmosphere in which mutual needs are recognized, common interests are understood, and solutions to conflicts are discovered.” George Kohlreisser

“Learn to listen. And remember, a key skill here is decoding and feeding back the messages you think you are hearing.” Howard M. Guttman

“Integrity of character is central to the effectiveness of an executive.” Joseph A. Maciariello

“The bottom line: changing lives, healing and unifying, building the healthy, inclusive community that cares about all of its people. That, in the end, sustains the democracy.” Frances Hesselbein

“Neither a title, a degree, nor desire makes someone a leader. Being a leader is based upon three elements: a calling from God, character that honors God, and the competencies that enable the person to effectively pursue the vision God entrusts to them.” George Barna

When God Lets You Down

What do you do when God lets you down? How do you deal with it? How do you go on?

How do you continue to have faith and trust when God has not come through for you?

Perhaps it’s even harder when you’re a church leader and this happens, because then you still have to preach God’s Word, while you yourself are struggling to find answers.

Have you ever been there? I sure have! And I’ve been there more than once!

So what do you do?

First, I must remember that He is still God, and that I’m not.

This may sound like a cliché but it’s very true. Often I think my perspective is perfectly correct. I think I have all the facts, that I’m able to make perfect evaluations and decisions, that I can figure out all the ramifications of all surrounding events, etc.

But when I do that I’m actually trying to fit almighty God into my box. I’m trying to take the infinite Creator and fit Him into the finite which He created. I’m trying to understand the infinite Creator with my finite mind, using my finite vocabulary, using a finite perspective, with finite vision, all in a very finite time frame. Simple physics tell us that we can’s fit the infinite into the finite. No wonder I always come up short with the wrong perspective!

I have found the story of Job to be very helpful. At the beginning of the book we see God Himself saying about Job that he is the most righteous person on the earth, and yet all sorts of heartbreaking things happen to him. In his agony, despair, and grief Job cries out to God. Job even goes as far as saying he wishes he could take God to court and to prove God was being unfair to him. But when we get to the end of the book (Job 42:5) Job recognizes that his understanding is miniscule, and he repents of having called God unfair. Job recognizes that he used to know about God but now he knows God.

God does not want His children to simply know about Him! God wants us to know Him! God does not want us to have knowledge about Him, but rather He wants us to have a relationship with Him!

The only reason a loving father allows his children to go through pain is so that they will be better. Just think of vaccinations and braces. God is doing the same, but He is molding my character. We do it for our children to have a better life here on earth. Out perfect Heavenly Father is doing it for reasons that will last for all eternity.

Until next time…

Jim

Perspective

The Cat’s Perspective: The can notices all the things the man does for her. He buys food for her and feeds her; he buys kitty litter and keeps her littler box clean; he lets her sleep when and where she wants to; he pets her whenever she climbs into his lap, but when she's had enough she can simply walk away; he takes her to the vet whenever she is sick; he buys her medicine to keep fleas off her; he does whatever he can to care for her. The cat says to herself, “I must be god for him to take such good care of me.” And when the man comes home from work there are no expectations of the cat. The cat says to herself, “It’s all about me!”

The Dog’s Perspective: The dog notices all the things the man does for her. He buys her food and feeds her; he takes her outside for walks; he lets her sleep in the house whenever she is tired; he takes her to the vet whenever she is sick; he buys her medicine to keep fleas and ticks off her; he does whatever he can to care for her. The dog says to herself, “He must be god to take such good care of me.” While the man is at work the dog watches the house and protects his possessions. When the man gets home the dog meets him at the door to welcome him, delighted to see and be with her master. The dog thinks, “It’s all about him!”

So what is your perspective? Are you a cat or a dog? Is it all about you, or is it all about Him?

Until next time…

Jim

A Father’s Advice to His Children

If You’re Smart You Mary Up. If You’re Dumb You Mary Down.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who can help you become more than you can become on your own. If you’re dumb you will marry someone you can control and push around.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who will encourage you to push yourself and do more. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who will tell you why you can’t do more.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who sees how bad things have been and finds ways to make things better. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who sees how bad things have been and finds someone to blame for it.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who will help you look for ways to accomplish more. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who will help you look for ways to accomplish less.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who reminds you that you have untapped potential. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who will remind you that you have reached your potential.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who will question how you came to your decision. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who never questions you.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who is not needy or dependent. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who is needy and dependent.

If you’re smart you will ask how you mate views raising and training children. If you’re dumb you will ignore this question because it may cause an argument.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who will teach their children to become all they can be. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who will teach their children to become what they want them to be.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who has high values, morals, and standards so that you’re children will become good citizens. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who has no values, morals, or standards and your children will likely end up in prison.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who is well grounded in their spiritual beliefs. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who does not know the basis for their spiritual beliefs.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who will help you grow in your spiritual walk. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who will be dependent on you for their spiritual walk.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who is growing in their spiritual walk. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who has no spiritual walk.

If you’re smart you will recognize the value of having similar deep spiritual convictions. If you’re dumb you will ignore any thought of deeply held spiritual convictions.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who has their core spiritual beliefs based on God’s unconditional truth. If you’re dumb you will marry someone who has their core spiritual beliefs based on man’s conditional truth.

If you’re smart you will marry someone who appreciates views different from their own because it forces them to reevaluate their core beliefs and learn more. If you’re dumb you will marry a person who is intolerant of views different from their own because they are insecure in their beliefs and lack supporting evidence.

Now look around you. Look at the people who are happy and ask yourself if they married up or if they married down. Look at those who are unhappy and ask yourself the same question. Now which do you want to be: happy or unhappy? Which are you: smart or dumb?

So before you ever give that guy or gal on a second look you’d better write down the answers to these questions, and if you don’t have overwhelming facts don’t show that you’re marry up then you’d better run for cover as fast as you can before you ruin the rest of your life. Why? Because the conclusion is very simple: Make smart choices and you will be a lot happier than if you make dumb choices.