August 12

Bono's Message


Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as day.

Isaiah 58:10 (NLT)


Yesterday, I watched Bill Hybels interview Bono, the internationally acclaimed rock star, philanthropist and one of TIME magazine’s People of the Year. His passion to right wrongs, to see justice done and to bring hope to the neediest people on earth gripped my heart. Listen to Bono as I did, and, soon enough, you’ll be hearing about the AIDS pandemic.

Consider these facts: 11,000 people are infected with the AIDS virus every 24 hours and by the year 2015--a mere 9 years from now--115 million people will have died from AIDS. The impact on African families has been especially devastating.

Rich Stearns of World Vision says, in Uganda alone, there are 60,000 child-led households because both mother and father have died. And with 8,000 deaths a day we now have over 15-million orphans due to the AIDS virus. Which leads to the question: What can we do?

Bono says this war is winnable. We have the food, we have the medicine, we have the money, but do we have the will? So, the question becomes: What will we do? Anything? Are we unconcerned … because it’s over there?

If you need motivation, think on this: What would Jesus do? Or, if that doesn’t grab you, sober up with Matthew 25:31-46, and answer this: What will Jesus do?


Father, we’ve heard the need, now motivate our hearts to make a difference. Spread the truth and spread your love ... for the glory of Christ. Amen.

August 11

A Lesson In Honoring Others


Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring one another.

Romans 12:10 (NLT)


It had been a year in coming, but it was well worth the effort. Ruth took special care in designing and printing the invitations. Craig sent them out. Bill and Mary planned the evening. Pat cooked a delicious meal while Sally decorated. Finally, on our big night, John and Judy shared loving words of encouragement.

It was a most inspiring evening.

It was the first annual Small Group Facilitators Recognition Dinner--designed to honor those who, for the last nine months, had opened their homes and faithfully led groups through Bible study, prayer, fellowship and outreach.

Affirming words, smiles, handshakes and hugs. These were the visible expressions of our heart felt appreciation--genuine acts of honor and love. This is what it’s all about … and I learned a lesson that night. I won’t wait a year to honor my brothers and sisters. I’ll find a way today to honor them well.


Lord, help me to value others as You did … as You want me to. May my brothers and sisters know they are appreciated and may we experience a great oneness as we honor You together. Amen.

August 10

The Best Leadership Decision


… you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church. He gave his life for her….

Ephesians 5:25 (NLT)


… I will build my church and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Matthew 16:18 (NLT) .

Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work.

Psalm 19:13 (the Message)


At The Leadership Summit 2006, Andy Stanley, pastor of North Point Community Church spoke about the best leadership decision he ever made. He shared his early frustrations of never having enough time to do everything a young pastor needed to do. Andy shared his old philosophy which, was actually a fear: “If I don’t do it, it won’t get done.” And so, he used to pray, “Lord, I’ve got all this work to do. Would you take care of my family while I’m gone? Would you fill those gaps so I can do the work here?“

And so, Andy became a workaholic, but still, very frustrated.

It wasn’t until he linked two passages of Scripture that he came to understand God’s call. Without going into deep exegesis, the simple truths of Matthew 16:18 and Ephesians 5:25 spoke loud and clear. God called Andy to love his wife sacrificially. It was Christ who loved the church, and it was Christ would build His church--not Andy. It wasn’t Andy’s job. God calls husbands to love their wives.

Andy prayed, “Lord, I’ve got to love my wife, right? So, I can only give the church 45 hours a week, but would you cover the gaps while I’m gone taking care of my family?”

Eleven years ago, Andy came home with a new heart. He looked at his wife who was expecting their third child and asked, “What can I do?”

She said, “My toughest hours are 4:30-6:30 p.m., if you could just help me during those two hours, it would be worth any other four hours of my day.”

And that’s what Andy did. He left church every day at 4 p.m. His new philosophy was, If I have to, I’ll cheat the church before I’ll cheat my wife and family.

Andy has been faithful to God’s call.

And Jesus has done His work too. Eleven years later, North Point Community Church has grown just 200 people to over 15,000 adults worshipping at two campuses--soon to be three.

It was the best leadership decision he ever made.


Father, help us to see Your priorities. Give us the strength, the courage to make the tough calls, to live life Your way. Amen.

August 09

Teamwork


Listen to my voice; I will give you counsel and God will be with you…. Select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness and place such over them to be rulers … If you do this thing, and God so commands you then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace … and Moses chose able men….

Exodus 18:19, 21, 23, 25 (NKJV)

… every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Ephesians 4:16b (NKJV)


It was time to pull the team together. Jethro had his vision, and he shared it with Moses: “You can’t do this alone!” No one can. It takes a team. Like the Children of Israel, the Church is a giant team--a Body in fact.

What the Body can use now is more teamwork--with Christ as the head. It’s what our church needs; but, more specifically, it’s what our Men’s Ministry needs.

We‘ve seen the success of teams banding together--whether it was to pray for a new youth pastor, run a family camp or our children‘s programs, or build a Small Group ministry. Teams pulling together, praying together and working together get results.

They get results because they share the load, because they focus on strengths, because they follow God’s design.

And God’s design for work is team work!


Lord, build Your team; allow us to work together for You; help us catch this vision: together we can! Amen.

August 08

It Bears Repeating: Bloom Where You’re Planted!


God did it. He sent me here. … God has sent me here … Yes, it was God who sent me here….

Genesis 45:5-8 (NLT)


Work hard … work with enthusiasm as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

Ephesians 6:6-7 (NLT)


Are you like me? Sometimes I look back and ask, “How did I get here?” or “What am I doing here?”

Life can be a perplexing thing until we come to appreciate the hand of God and His great heart. Our peace and joy come when we appreciate the fact God knows what He is doing; He understands everything about us AND He has a plan to use us right where we are. Even if we don’t. Even if we are in the worst of situations, if we trust Him, if we love Him, then His amazing plans for us begin to unfold.

Take Joseph. In Genesis, we read how Joseph was separated from his family and sold into slavery—God allowed it. Later, we read how Joseph was unjustly accused and thrown into prison—God allowed that as well. But, eventually, God's plan unfolds. Joseph survived, became the number two man in the most powerful nation on earth and enjoyed a rather emotional reunion with his loved ones. And, yes, God allowed that too.

The thing we should remember is: God is in control … He put us here ... we work for Him and in the long run ... He will never let us down!


Lord, give me the strength to work hard for You, and, through it all, give me the heart to trust You each and every day. Amen.

August 07

Avoiding the Rubble

Things are not going well.… They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall … has been torn down.

Nehemiah 1:3 (NLT)


For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock? God arms me with strength; he has made my way safe.

Psalm 18:31-32 (NLT)


For some, life is a rubble.

Recently, a famous Christian actor and film producer was arrested for suspicion of drunk driving and reportedly launched into an anti-Semitic tirade. The world-wide attention damaged his reputation, cost him financially, and shamed him greatly. His life is in a rubble.

Likewise, I recently read of a Christian who shocked his community by robbing a bank. Before he went to prison, people learned he had a secret gambling problem and was desperate to pay for his habit. Now, life for him is in the rubble.

The stories go on and on. I hate top say this, but last year, authorities imprisoned a man from our church. Convicted of molesting children in a home, his life will never be the same. He lives … in the rubble.

All three of these Christian men are suffering because of one thing: they failed to abide in Christ (see John 15). Jesus said He was the Door and we enter the kingdom through Him. He said He was the Good Shepherd, and, as His sheep, we follow Him—and not our own course. He also said He was the vine, and we are the branches and as long as we abide in Him, we have His life.

These are all good comparisons, however, He is also a wall—a fortress in time of need and temptation. He is there as we abide in Him and His words live in us—then we bear good fruit. But if we don’t abide … His wall is not there to protect us as it once did. Instead, our most valued relationship collapses and life as we know it tumbles down in a heap until we live in the rubble.

So, learn from the Word, and learn from others’ mistakes: keep the wall secure—abide in Him!


Father, we can do nothing by ourselves but fail. Live in us. Bring Your beautiful life to our souls. Amen.

August 06

Feelings About Heaven


Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…. I heard a loud shout from the throne saying, “Look the home of God is now among his people! … Look I am making all things new! … All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”

Revelation 21:1, 3, 5, 7 (NIV)


Do you remember as a child going to Disneyland or some other exciting place? Do you remember the expectation and absolute joy as you prepared to go? I do.

Now those feelings are back. And why not? As Christians, think of what we have; think of what we NEVER will lose—an eternity with HIM. This is joy so great it easily surpasses any thrill, any happiness on earth.

Yes, it boggles my mind, it thrills my heart, and it makes me realize the cares and worries of today are nothing. They are nothing more than non-essential rubbish when compared to this glorious truth: I am His and He is mine—forever!

Today, the feelings are back and greater than ever: I am going to heaven! Glory, hallelujah!

But … I wonder, do you have this joy? Do you know you have heaven too? Will I see you there? The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Make this decision and my joy will be doubled … for we’ll be there ... together!


Lord, let this truth, this joy, shine through us: we have eternal life with Christ! Amen.