Refuge, Yep!

The Lord Is My Refuge...

1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.  Psalm 18:1-3

1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  Psalm 46:1-3

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."  Psalm 91:1-2

A Sense Of Calling

“We must dispense with the myth that commitment to Christ means becoming a clergyman, or that work done inside a church building or in a church organization is more holy, somehow, than work done in the marketplace. Christ came to give us a sense of calling in everyday work. This is where the world is changed, and where the kingdom is built.” Bruce Larson

Thanks to my friend Tyrone Lawton for sending this to me and some other men.

Each New Day - Corrie ten Boom

Give One!

We All Are To Make Disciples

This is a little sarcastic and yet the point can be well received if we will really be open to God. Every follower of Christ is to make disciples. Every follower of Jesus Christ can grow in Christ and in some form, facet or fashion help others grow in Christ. Every follower of Jesus is to be actively involved in God's Kingdom purpose of making disciples. We are to worship, be in small groups, serve in a local church, share our faith with others, give for Kingdom expansion and live with intent so that we are glorifying God - in this we will make disciples.

A Prayer For Today

O God,
Give me strength to live another day; Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties; Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness; Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things; Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth; Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;
and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls; in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Taken from www.forwardmovement.org

7 Practices Of Effective Ministry

1. Clarify the Win. Define what is important. What is the organization’s purpose. Leaders and people working/serving in the organization need to know what a “win” is.
2.Think Steps, Not Programs. Before you start anything, make sure it takes you where you want and need to go in order to “win”. Think process. Processes within programs.
3. Narrow the Focus. Do fewer things in order to make a greater impact. Less is more. Focus, focus, focus.
4. Teach Less for More. Say only what you need to say to the people who need to hear it. Not everyone has to be in the know. Not everyone has to give permission.
5. Listen to Outsiders. Focus on who you are trying to reach, not who you’re trying to keep. Information from those not yet in organization is needed and can be used to help make improvements.
6. Replace Yourself. Learn to hand of what you do. Develop people. Develop leaders. Train others. Give permission within perimeters of “win”.
7. Work On It. Take time to evaluate your work, and to celebrate your wins. Analyze and improve. Personal improvement and organizational improvement is a must. Allow Teams to evaluate and improve.

The above are taken from 7 Practices of Effective Ministry by Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner, and Lane Jones.

A Prayer

Today Lord I humble myself before You. I recognize the Lordship of Jesus Christ in my life. Fill me with Your Spirit. Move me, God, into what You are already doing in your Kingdom. I am choosing to live in your freedom. May my thoughts, words and actions help others experience Your freedom. Spirit of God, fall fresh on me. As I go through my daily routine, task and responsibilites guide me, strengthen me, abide in me and may my freedom to choose lead me to seek You, follow You and hear You. May the freedom You have givne me in Jesus Christ bring You glory as I allow your Spirit to fill me and You work in me and through me. God, I surrender all.

One Another

The Gospels
1. “…Be at peace with each other” (Mark 9:50)
2. “…Wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14)
3. “…Love one another…” (John 13:34-35; John 15:12, 17)

Paul’s Letters
Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians
4. “Love one another”(Romans 13:8)
5. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love…” (Romans 12:10)
6. “Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10)
7. “Live in harmony with one another…” (Romans 12:16)
8. “…Stop passing judgment on one another” (Romans 14:13)
9. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you…” (Romans 15:7)
10. “…instruct one another” (Romans 15:4)
11. “Greet one another with a holy kiss…” (Romans 16:16; I Corinthians 16:20, II Corinthians
13:12; I Thessalonians 5:26)
12. “…When you come together to eat, wait for each other” (I Corinthians 11:33)
13. “…Have equal concern for each other” (I Corinthians 12:25)
14. “…Serve one another in love” (II Corinthians 13:12)

Galatians, Ephesians
15. “Carry each other’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2)
16. “If you keep on biting and devouring each other…you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:15)
17. “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” (Galatians 5:26)
18. “…Be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2)
19. “Be kind and compassionate to one another…” (Ephesians 4:32)
20. “…forgiving each other…” (Ephesians 4:32)
21. “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:19)
22. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21)

Philippians, Colossians
23. “…in humility consider others better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3)
24. “Do not lie to each other…” (Colossians 3:9)
25. “Bear with each other…” (Colossians 3:13)
26. “…Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another” (Colossians 3:13)
27. “Teach…[one another]” (Colossians 3:16)
28. “…admonish one another” (Colossians 3:16)

I Thessalonians, Hebrews29. “…make your love increase and overflow for each other” (I Thessalonians 3:12)
30. “Encourage one another” (I Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11; Hebrews 10:25)
31. “…Build each other up…” (I Thessalonians 5:11)
32. “Encourage one another daily…” (Hebrews 3:13)
33. “Spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24)

Other Letters
James, I Peter, I John, II John
34. “…Do not slander one another” (James 4:11)
35. “Don’t grumble against each other” (James 5:9)
36. “Confess your sins to each other…” (James 5:16)
37. “…Pray for each other” (James 5:16)
38. “…Love one another deeply, from the heart” (I Peter 1:22, 4:8)39. “…Live in harmony with one another…” (I Peter 3:8)
40. “Greet one another with a kiss of love” (I Peter 5:14)
41. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (I Peter 4:9)
42. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others…” (I Peter 4:10)
43. “…Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…” (I Peter 5:15)
44. “Love one another” (I John 3:11, 23, 4:7,11,12; II John 5)

Build Up One Another

Grade yourself on the same scale that you grade others.

Carefully avoid in yourself those things which disturb you in others. - T aKempis

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11 NIV