Month: June 2013

Life Principles: It’s NOT All About You

In Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life, he opens up the 40-day journey by saying “It’s Not About You”.

Say what???

Life is not about me?  But….what is life about then?  I mean…..I have desires, needs, dreams, goals!!! Come on now!

Yes, we all have desires, needs, dreams, and goals.  But WHERE did we get these things come from and WHY are we pursuing them in the first place?

God GAVE THEM TO YOU!!  God gave everyone a purpose.  God gives all of us dreams and desires and goals.

But, LIFE IS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU.

See, as a human being, we need each other.  WE need each other for living.  We need each other for encouragement, fellowship, and getting through the tough times.  No one can do life alone.  They may say they can–but they can’t.

What is your purpose?

What are your dreams?

Ask God.

Ask your most trusted allies.

Friends, we live in tough times.  Let’s face it!!  The economy stinks, jobs are hard to find, and some families are all living together under one roof.  One thing that we need during times like these are purpose.  If we do not have purpose, we are just breathing and going through each day—-just getting by.  Who wants to just get by? Why not find our purpose?

Here is how to find your purpose:

1. Pray-It sounds like a Sunday School answer.  And it is! 🙂   Pray for God to show you what he wants from you.  Are you in the right job?  Do you need to prune some of the branches on your tree of relationships?

2. Discuss-Talk to trusted friends and advisers. Remember this: Look at your friend’s lifestyle.  If your friend does WHATEVER they can to get ahead in life; you probably do not want to seek advice from them.  Compare morals.  Not in a Pharisee-type way but in a realistic manner.

3. Explore-Look at your education, your passions, how you spend your time.  This will show you what REALLY SETS YOU ON FIRE!!!

4. Action-Take a leap of faith.  Why sit around and wait for things to happen?  There are two kinds of people: people that sit around and complain about what should be done AND people that make things happen.

Unity from the Pulpit

(Note: This was written 3 years ago by I feel my words are just as true today!)

Unity must come from the front. I am not talking about the front pew or the front row of people who have been holding down their seats since 1955.

Unity must be preached from the pulpit.

Ah ha! A light bulb flashed in your cranium. You are ready to jump out of your seat right at this very moment. Yes, we may teach and preach on unity in our churches; however, is this just a local church unity ordeal (MY church) or are we stretching our arms out to other churches (the Church)?

Again…….unity must be preached from the pulpit. Unity is much bigger than cooperating with other churches within our denomination. It will take great humility, love, grace, and acceptance in order for unity to occur between various Christian communities.

The pastor/priest/preacher sets the tone for their respective local churches. If they teach their flock the importance of embracing other Christians as brothers and sisters in Christ, the lifestyle of unity will flow freely through the congregation. If the congregation is taught that other Christian denominations are inferior to their church, the congregation will develop an elitist mindset.

John 17 20″My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24″Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25″Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Christ called us to be One. He is the Lead Shepherd (Psalm 23). All other shepherds (ministers) are to model Christ. If you are a pastor, what do you model to your congregation in regards to your attitude about other churches? If you are a church attendee, does your pastor or elders reflect an attitude of Christian unity?

Some of you reading this are thinking…”well we never partner with other churches or reach out to churches who need spiritual or financial help. I do not know what to do or where to begin. My pastor does not like those Catholics or Methodists.”

News flash. Doctrine differences between churches will always exist. We must ask ourselves…….Are we united as Godly brothers and sisters AND what is our agenda? Agenda = Walking with God as an individual and as a community. We must seek often God’s agenda.

It starts with one. One person. That person could be YOU. Approach your pastor or leadership and see where they stand on the idea of Christian unity. After all, if you attending a church, you want to know what your particular church REALLY believes about the Body of Christ. You are not attempting to start a revolution here. You just want to know the essentials……..such as…………does your church preach unity within Christianity and if so then how is this lived out in your faith community.