NO, YOU make the Change

LIVE INTENTIONAL

“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.”

    -Luke 6:31

 This is a cruel unfair world.  God doesn’t change the evil.  He doesn’t take out the good.  He instructs us how to walk in victory even while evil is present around us.  One day, one person at a time.

We need to not just look around, but to see.

Not to just hear, but listen.

True observation can lead to discerning where we can set a bit of goodness/ godliness where needed.

A teenage boy was tired of being bullied.  Of being a nobody.  He wanted others to change.  That is only right!  It isn’t he that is being the bully, being the jerk.  Well, yes, they truly need to change.  But maybe they needed an impetus.

He started holding the door open for people at school.  Every door he came to and for however many people came through.  He served them.  Even those who certainly didn’t deserve it.

He did it consistently.  After a couple of weeks things began to change.  People noticed and spoke their appreciation.  Then, others began to do the same thing.  Others began to serve others by doing the same thing- simply holding the door open.

That led to changes in how people greeted one another.  Now, there were a lot more “thank you’s”

The climate within the school changed.

Instead of waiting for others to change, the boy was proactive in cultivating the change by intentionally setting out to make a change himself.

How about you?  Where are you waiting for someone to make a change for your benefit?  One that is only fair?

Are you tired of complaining about them?

Exhausted and tired of the same interactions?

Uncover the power within to make change.

Invigorated, strengthened, empowered, emboldened!

 Be the impetus for change

READY?….GO!

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Find Out There Is More

TRUE LIFE ABUNDANT

I tell you the truth, when you did for the least of these, you were doing it to ME! – Matthew 25:40

I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these, you were refusing to help ME! – Matthew 25:45

 It is estimated that roughly 50% of all food is thrown out, wasted.

Scientists say we use only 10% of the capacity of our brains.

I believe what is more of a shame is that most of us waste the gifts and resources that God has given us charge over to be stewards of.

 

Why do we waste so much?  I believe that first of all we are not aware of all the gifts and resources.

We also, focus too much on what we don’t have and therefore extend much energy, time and focus pursuing that instead of being engaged using what we have to bless ourselves, family and others.

 

What are some of the resources we have that we neglect to share with others:

Our words – positive and uplifting for others

Our smile

Our time – to listen and to encourage

Our money – God has created money to flow through us – CURRENTcy.  God designed it to fit our needs and the rest to flow thru us to bless those who are in need.

Our clothing – How much of your clothing that you haven’t worn in over a year hangs in your closet that can bless someone else?  Clothes also need to flow thru.

Our tools that sit unused – can they benefit someone else?

Our knowledge

Our physical abilities – helping those who are too weak, too old, to do certain chores/works.

Our belief – sharing the TRUTH , the gospel truth, when the opportunity is given to someone who desperately needs it.

 

The rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-26) and the man with the full barns who believed he would gather even more for himself by building bigger barns (Luke 12:20) are foolishly and tragically mistaken thinking all they had was their own.  It cost them their salvation.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it – Psalm 24:1

 

Even your very self is not your own.  We are not Our own.

You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you at a high price. – 1 Corinthians 6:20

 The more you give the more that will be given to you.  You can’t out give God, but it is worth a try.

 GIVE from yourself

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Give and Receive

TRUE LIFE ABUNDANT

 As He entered the village, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”  He looked at them and said,” Go show yourselves to the priests.”  On the way they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting “Praise God!”  He fell to the ground at Jesus thanking Him for what He had done. Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men?  Has no one else returned to give God glory?” – Luke 17:12-18

Once, on the  the Steve Harvey Show, the producer of his show had a surprise guest via satellite on Steve’s birthday.  When the person came up on the screen and Steve saw who it was he broke down.  Steve tried to compose himself as he told the audience that the man and his wife took him in when he was 26.  He had absolutely nothing.  Nothing.  They helped him with a little business and then bankrolled his travel expenses when he started out as a comedian. Steve was not be able to stop crying. He was getting emotional.  Steve kept telling them thank you and that he loved them and meant so much.  Steve also told them that he has been looking for them for years- that he never never forgot.  They bailed him out.

We have to have the mindset of both Steve and the couple.

We should always be in a mindset of thanksgiving. We should go out of our way to let other’s know how much we appreciate them.  It is real easy to forget the lengths God went to reconcile yourself to Him with the troubles of life we easily focus on.  Our countenance and our mind will be lifted up if we continue to remind ourselves to thank God for everything we have.

True, it is, that we learn as a kid – Count your blessings

 We also should be alert of our surroundings.  We have the ability to bless people every day; no matter how small it might seem to you.

Receiving and giving.  We are allowing God’s grace to flow when we are a unhindered vessel of His goodness and selflessness.  God centered – other people focused.

We don’t deserve God’s amazing grace.  But He freely gives it to us.

Freely given to you – freely give

That is a great way to show our thanks to God

Continually give thanks to those who bless you and pass it on!

READY?….GO!

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God Centered, Other People Focused

TRUE LIFE ABUNDANT

 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Jesus,” Rabbi, eat something.”

But Jesus replied,” I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”

“Did someone bring Him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other. – John 4:31-33

This is from the story of Jesus with the woman at the well.  Jesus and the disciples had traveled a long way and got to this village at midday.  Verse 6 tells us that Jesus was tired and weary when He sat by the well.  The disciples took off to get food.

Monday I talked about good and bad habits.  This lesson deals with spiritual verses natural habits.  Jesus not only has a lesson for the woman He meets at the well but also for the disciples, and me and you.

Our natural habits are that we take care of our own physical needs.  Disciples are famished.  As soon as they get to a town they break in dead sprint to closest Mickey D’s.  Wouldn’t we as well.  It’s only natural.  But God called you first to be a spiritual being.

So we get ourselves all full with the super size meal that we leave no room for God and what He wants to fill you up with.

Jesus met someone else’s spiritual needs first.

He was being God centered, other people focused.

In verse 34 Jesus talks about His nourishment.  Nourishment is sustenance.  Sustenance is nutrition; replenishment, energy and fuel.  Sustenance is what we truly need that enables us to do all that God desires for us to do.

The disciples were full of empty calories and dulled to the spiritual climate around them because they were self focused.

Jesus got the nourishment and the disciples got the full bellies.

To be God Centered, Other People Focused is to have a spiritual habit where you are complete mind, body and spirit.  It is trusting God for your needs and therefore have your eyes on lookout to where you can be a blessing to someone else.

Jesus knew He would eventually get His physical needs met but how much more He would be replenished by meeting someone else’s needs first.

The more we get full by feeding ourselves the emptier we become. 

And then the natural habit is to keep filling up to fill a emptiness that becomes unfulfilled and leaves us wanting; frustrated, tired, unenthusiastic, unmotivated.

Be spiritually deliberate first and see how it becomes a habit.  And experienceTRUE NOURISHMENT.

 God Centered, Other people focused

READY?….GO!

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Affirm Others

TRUE LIFE ABUNDANT

 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. – Proverbs 3:27

 Strengthen others, encourage others, and comfort them – 1 Corinthians 14:3

 Avoid and ignore negativity.  Do not add to someone’s negativity but interrupt it with something uplifting, encouraging, complimentary. 

Seek and search to give someone warranted praise.

 The power that each one of us wields with the words we can speak cannot be overstated.

You want to be blessed?  Bless someone else.

There was a school in a certain city that was considered almost hopeless.  What was needed was a strict disciplinarian. Shake it down to its core.  Get the kids straightened up. They needed someone real tough to come in; no nonsense. There was a man that fit the order for the job out in Los Angeles.  He was known as one who could whip even the most undisciplined schools into order.  He had a legendary reputation which soon spread throughout the school on the notice that he was coming.

The first week he was there he came to a classroom and asked the teacher if a certain student was in the class.  When he was told yes he demanded the student stand up.

Reluctantly and very much scared the boy stood up.

“Young man where you at the grocery store across the street yesterday after school?”

“Uh…uh…yeah.?”

The room got tense.  Everyone was waiting for this new top dog to unleash on this poor kid.

“Did you help an old woman with her grocery bags?”

“Uh…yeah”

The big bad new sheriff in town walked straight to the boy.

“Young man I want to commend you.  We need more young men like you doing positive things.  Good job.  Keep it up!  You ever need anything you come to my office, anytime.  I mean it, anytime”…and he walked out.

This new principal told the entire faculty that the only way to turn the school around was to uplift these kids in their good deeds as much as possible.  Give them self worth.  They need to be affirmed when they do good.

The power you wield.

Your employees

Co- workers

Spouse

Children

Friends

neighbor

Clerk at the store

Pastor

Etc.

Enrich others.  Bless them to be more confident; for them to feel better about themselves.  Affirm that someone is doing a good job.Encourage them in their work, their passions and visions.  Give strength to their self worth.

The most productive employee, most dependable friend, loving spouse, respectful child – is one that feels appreciated because they are told so.

Don’t miss the opportunity to wield that power of affirmation into someone’s life…today.

 

Intentionally, today……and everyday…. affirm someone, bless them, and let it bless you.

BE an ENRICHER   

READY?….GO!

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Subtraction by Addition

TRUE LIFE ABUNDANT

 Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception, instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. – Ephesians 4:22-23

 We all have habits we are aware of and others that we are not conscious of. We all have some that we are aware of that we want to get rid of and just fail to.  Some we have been resigned to; even knowing they aren’t good for us.

Experts in the field of neurology state that there are no habits, good or bad, that can be eradicated.  They must be deliberately, intentionally replaced.

Subtraction by addition

This is the title of a chapter in my first book LIVE the Life Abundant. The chapter is about about making changes to ,erase bad and create new,habits. It is almost impossible to change a habit by will power; by just trying to not think about it or fight it without it inevitably taking over.  And in so doing making us feel even more defeated, hopeless and angry.

When I set out to change my habit of watching hours of television each night I had to add something else to take its place.  I started reading the Bible. Intentionally making myself do it began to empower me from giving in to the habit of watching so much television; the urge became less and less powerful. And God gave me a desire to learn from the Bible that led me to other reading. It took my mind off of having to watch all that junk.

Romans 12:8 tells us that we do not have to do what our sinful nature urges us to do.

The habits don’t go away – we learn how to be in control by adding healthier ones.

In Matthew 12:43-45 Jesus tells of demons being cleaned out of the house but come back and fill it even worse when they see the house stays empty.

You can’t be empty – you have to create new ones.

Bill Wilson, the founder of Alcohol Anonymous, failed miserably time and time again to kick the habit of drinking.  He began to realize it couldn’t be taken away but had to be replaced with other habits to actualize the reward.  He also came to understand success was greater when there was a belief that you can triumph over it.  That belief would be even stronger being around those who believe the same thing.

Do not neglect our meeting together as some people do, but encourage one another. – Hebrews 10:25

There are no lone ranger Christians.  Satan will isolate you and destroy your trying to make changes.  Continually be in fellowship with other believers.

Ultimately, it would be a belief that there was a God who you had to relinquish control of your habits to.

Jesus says, “Anything is possible if a person believes.” – Mark 9:23

Romans 12:3 tell us to honestly evaluate ourselves.

The most important thing is to be conscious that we have many habits that we aren’t even aware of and why we do them.  We need to do self inventory. Realize those which aren’t constructive to our mind, body and spirit.  Surrender them to God and ask for wisdom for new habits to put in their stead.

Start with just one.  And see if that doesn’t put your mind into a heightened awareness of others that you can replace.

It’s a great start to make concrete changes in your life for the better

Not only to bless you, but to bless those around you as well.

You can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens you. – Philippians 4:13

REPLACE by RENEWAL

READY?….GO!

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Surrender Your Plans

TRUE LIFE ABUNDANT

 “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail” – Proverbs 19:21

 Wylie coyote woke up every day with a plan; to catch the road runner.  He’d whip out the ACME  instructions.  Followed it to a T.  He was all set.

At the end of each day there would be Wylie; black as charcoal with smoke coming out of his ears- him- flattened to the ground.  Just got himself all blw’d up. Not quite how he envisioned it.

Unfortunately, we too, have seen great laid out plans go up in smoke.

Maybe, for you, it was your marriage that ended in divorce or the loss of your spouse.

Maybe it is your business. You followed the model, did everything you were suppose to and the economy, embezzlement, mistakes -brought an end to it.

Maybe a child.

A parent

A best friend

A career.

bankruptcy

Tragedy in your life

Accident

Other

No matter how you were careful; that you were faithful, obedient.  You might have sacrificed greatly and still it didn’t go as planned.

From it you have become bitter.  Maybe sad or despondent.  Untrusting, skeptical, cynical or/ and angry.  Perhaps it took a chunk of faith away from your belief in a loving sovereign God.  Maybe that there isn’t even a God.

In all of this the question that would come to mind is……….why?

Years ago Martin Sheen played the President on a tv show called “The West Wing”  There was an episode where his long time faithful secretary was killed by a drunk driver the day before her retirement party.  He went into a church and had it out with God.  This woman has done nothing but good all these years. Martin Sheen himself yelled that he has been obedient to His Son Jesus Christ. (very surprising to hear on network tv) Sheen couldn’t believe God would allow this.

……………….why?

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” – Isaiah 55:8

Would you have the same plan as God for salvation?  To take your one and only son and have him brutally beat and hung on a tree to die and most importantly put the full wrath of punishment of sin upon Him, for you?

…God’s purpose will prevail.

 “ That you would know Him.  And the power of His resurrection and fellowship of His suffering” – Philippians 3:10

 “He that He foreknew, He predestined to conform into the image of His Son” – Romans 8:29

 There isn’t anything that God allows in your life that isn’t for the purpose of you knowing Him more intimately.  To depend more on Him and less of the world. To see that He is full of grace and mercy.  And that it is more than enough for you. That He loves you beyond the capacity to comprehend.

That in this corrupt and bankrupt broken world – It is He and He alone that will never fail you.

 Surrender all your plans over to Him

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Be The Best YOU

TRUE LIFE ABUNDANT

 There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior who did many heroic deeds.  Once, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.  Once armed only with a club, he killed an Egyptian warrior who was 7 ½ ft. tall and whose spear was as thick as a weaver’s beam.  Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.” – 1 Chronicles 11:22-23

And I am sure he scaled vertical cliffs, both to and from, school!

And then there is Peter who talked about dying for Christ but ended up denying he even knew Him out of fear……to a little servant girl.

But, we continue to see and hear about Peter throughout after his blunder.  Jesus even tells him that He will build His church on this rock, Peter. We don’t hear anymore about Benaiah.  Hmm?

Do you see others who are acclaimed for doing such great things and achievements and feel you don’t measure up?  Feel inadequate?

Well, who can you relate to more?

The one who desires to do and be more, but at times slips and tumbles?

The good news is that Peter was redeemed.  Just as we are.  And he wasn’t redeemed because he finally did something great.  No, we ALL are redeemed because of what Christ has done; what He did is the greatest.

Your faith and obedience honors God just as much as Benaiah’s.

So, give yourself a break.  Stay in the confines you are in right now and allow Christ to grow you up.  Don’t focus on other’s achievements.  Keep your concentration where you are.

Jim Boeheim, basketball coach for Syracuse, who is 3^rd all time in major college basketball wins, was asked by a young coach – what does it take to have the success you have?  Boeheim asked him if he coached.  The man answered yes.  Boeheim asked him at what level.  The man answered that he coached middle school girls basketball.  Boeheim answered him, “be the best middle school girls basketball coach; that is what it takes.”

Don’t compare yourself to others and judge yourself a success or failure by what they do or not.

BE the BEST YOU; WHERE YOU ARE  – WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.

THAT  is being Benaiah in the eyes of the Lord.  Even when we fall short or even on our faces before God as Peter did.

Success defined in the eyes of your God is YOU being who He called YOU to be.

BE the best YOU

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Power of Forgive

TRUE LIFE ABUNDANT

 For if you forgive people their trespasses (their reckless and willing sins, leaving them go and giving up resentment) your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.

BUT, if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.– Matthew 6:14-15

That is a big if….and bigger but.

We all have heard someone say, maybe even ourselves – God may forgive them but I never will!

 Yes, God will forgive them if they genuinely repent and ask.  But your unforgiveness affects your relationship with God more than it does that other person.  Therefore it adversely affects you mind, body and spirit.  It is like a big backpack filled with lead that you are carrying on your back.  God wants to take it off but you refuse.  It will bring stress to your body, therefore then, your mind and your spirit.  Slowing you down, weakening you and frustrating you.

 

Forgiveness is God’s grace in a sacrifice.  God made a way for you to be forgiven of your sin.  He demands of you to do the same.  There are not any ifs or buts about it.

 

It’s the hardest thing to give away

And the last thing on your mind today

It always goes to those who don’t deserve

 

It’s the opposite of how you feel when the pain they caused is just too real

It takes everything you have just to say the word……FORGIVENESS

 

It flies in the face of all your pride

It moves away the mad inside

It’s always anger’s own worst enemy

Even when the jury and the judge say you gotta right to hold a grudge

It’s the whisper in your ear saying “set it free”

 

FORGIVENESS

 

Show me how to love the unlovable

Show me how to reach the unreachable

Help me to do the impossible

 

It’ll clear the bitterness away; It can even set a prisoner free

There is no end to what its power can do.

So, let it go and be amazed by what you see through eyes of grace

 

The prisoner that it really sets FREE IS YOU.

 

–      Matthew West, Forgiveness

 

Matthew wrote this song after hearing about Renee.  Renee lost her 20 year old daughter to a drunk driver. Even though Eric was sentenced to 22 years in jail her bitterness and anger raged on until she visited him in prison and forgave him.  She asked for his early release so that he could join her in speaking around the country on the dangers of drunk driving.

 

To LIVE a CHAMPION LIFE we must obey God’s command of forgiveness; whether we feel it or not.  Feeling will come.  Be trusting and obedient first.  It will free you even more than the other person.  It will empower the both of you.

 This is what an unbelieving world needs to witness.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Seven times?”

“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.”–     Matthew 18:21-22

 FORGIVE

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Littlest of Things

TRUE LIFE ABUNDANT

 Down near the collection box in the temple Jesus watched the crowds drop in their money.  Many rich people put in large amounts.  Jesus noticed a poor widow put in 2 small coins. – Mark 12:41-42

When walking down a hallway or sidewalk and you notice someone coming right at you from the opposite direction do you yield and move over?  Or do you hold your ground expecting them to give you the right of way?

Noticing someone is acknowledging their existence, their worth. It might seem like the littlest of things.  But it is the littlest of gestures that give others worthiness.  And to many that is a big need.  Jesus says that when you do for the least of these you do for me.  And He was talking about just giving someone a cup of water.

Our flesh wants to make BIG impacts for others.  And we certainly get those opportunities.  But it is being intentional in making a habit of little blessings to others all day that make the biggest impact.

In the movie, Evan Almighty, Evan Baxter went to congress to make a huge impact on the world.  He had great plans to do so. In the end God, Morgan Freeman, showed him that it wasn’t about building this huge ark it was what the acronym a.r.k. stood for – acts of random kindness.  Which Evan failed to do when a stray dog kept coming on his property and Evan would yell for it to leave.  God just wanted Evan to give a thirsty dog some water.

In serving the least of these.  You too can get a glimpse of how Christ Jesus saw worth in you, the least of these – He took extreme physical punishment and spiritual wrath of God – to show you how much He loves you.

Today you have the opportunity to give reckoning to others.

What can you do today, this week, to give someone acknowledgement of their worth?

Give notice, let someone else have the sidewalk

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