A Great Easter Day!

Today has been an awesome day! Our launch team met at 6:30 a.m. this morning to set up for worship and Journey Kidz. There was a festive spirit in the air! We all knew that it was Easter Sunday and a great opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ with others. We had a mom and dad, just visiting Journey Church for the first time today, and both received Christ as their Savior! It was thrilling! We felt so honored to be used of God in such a wonderful way.

I hope your Easter Sunday went well, too. Easter is not only a great day to attend worship, but also a great day to spend with family and those you love. I hope all of us will remember that Jesus died, and rose again, so that we could experience new life, and a new beginning. If you are one of those people who are “sick and tired of being sick and tired”, why not give Jesus a chance? He promises to come into your life and bring you meaning and purpose. It does not matter what you’ve done, or how bad things have gone, Jesus loves you and accepts you as you are! His grace is a free gift! Why not accept Him into your life today? You can enter this next week a “new person”! You’ll be glad you did!

“For as many as received Him, to those who believed on His name, He gave power to become children of God.” John 1:12

“If anyone is in Christ, he becomes a new person; the old things have passed away, and behold, all things become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

He’s Alive!

Thank you, Jesus, that You’re alive…resurrected from the dead!  I know You are because I’ve experienced Your presence and grace in my heart.  Thank you for the hope that Your resurrection brings to my heart.  Thank you for going to a painful, shameful cross where You gave yourself so freely for me, and for the whole world.  I thank you for the gift of forgiveness and eternal life.  My heart rejoices in that today!  I love You so much!!!

“I am the Resurrection and the Life, he who believes in Me shall live, even though he dies.”     John 11:25

You Are the Salt of the Earth

Jesus told His followers that they were the “salt of the earth”.  What are some characteristics of salt?

Salt prevents things from decaying…..Salt creates thirst….Salt adds flavor…

I am a follower of Jesus Christ!  As I look at my life, do I see these qualities being portrayed?  Am I, by my speech, actions, lifestyle, habits, and influences, making this world a better place?  Am I helping my culture and community to see God and experience His grace?   Am I creating a thirst for Jesus Christ by the way I live?   Do I live each day with zest and joy and enthusiasm?  Does the new life that Jesus gives add flavor to my life?  Am I adding flavor to other’s lives with my words and deeds of kindness?

Salt is only effective as it penetrates that which it is trying to influence.  Salt left in a salt shaker is no good!  It must be poured out.  Since I am to be salt in this world, I too, must engage this culture in which I live with truth and godliness so that Christ can bring His transforming power to bear upon it!  I cannot distance myself from this world and still bear influence for Jesus.  As salt, I can bear an influence for Jesus every day, no matter where I am…at home, at school, at work, on the ball field, or at the grocery store.  Wherever I go, I can be a witness for Jesus Christ with my words, and with my actions. It is as I make contact with people who do not know Him, that I can (by His grace) help create a thirst in their lives to want to find Him, and experience His grace in their lives.

I want my life to count for Jesus!  I want to see people come to know Him in a personal way.  I hope that this will be your prayer also.  Let’s go out and impact our generation for God!  Let’s make this world a better place!

Stir Up the Gift Within You

As the apostle Paul writes Timothy, a young man he has been mentoring in the Christian faith, he encourages him by saying, “Timothy, fan into flame the gift of God within you…” (2 Timothy 1:6).  In other words, stir up those gifts, talents, and abilities that God has placed in your life.  These are great words for all of us!  Each one of us must do all that we can to develop and sharpen the abilities that lie within our lives.  This may take the form of reading good books (in the field of our work), attending seminars and conferences, spending time with mentors, and taking advantage of opportunities where our talents can develop and grow.  We must commit ourselves to doing whatever it takes to stir up those gifts within us.

Too many people never grow because of fear…poor self-esteem…lack of motivation…poor choices…inability to stay focused.  Friend, God has blessed you with fantastic abilities and talents that you are to share with others to make this world a better place.  Don’t bury your talents!  Don’t hide your gifts!  Don’t settle for mediocrity!  Put your talents to work!  Use your abilities to improve the lives of others!  Let God work in your life.  Give yourself completely to Him.  You have a purpose in this life.  Your life has value and worth.  God has placed within your life gifts and abilities, that when used properly, will bring meaning and fulfillment to your life.  You will find that there’s no greater joy in life than using your gifts for good, and being a blessing to others!

I want to challenge you today to get serious about developing and sharpening those gifts in your life!  Do what it takes!  Be committed!  Sacrifice if you have to.  Take risks if you have to.  Do what you normally wouldn’t do, if it will help you become a better person!  Stretch yourself.  Die to yourself.  Let God rule your heart.  Be the best that you can be!

The world will become a better place when we each stir up the gifts within us!

Enthusiasm Makes the Difference!

Did you hear about the man whose life was totally changed because of a piece of pie?  Yes, that’s right!  A number of years ago there was a salesman whose job caused him to do a lot of traveling on the road.  Over time, this man became familiar with a little “mom & pop” restaurant off the beaten path where he would stop for dinner after a long day’s work.  What really continued to bring him back to this particular restaurant was the delicious homemade pies that were served.  One evening this man had had an extremely tough day and decided to stop by this restaurant on his way home and have a piece of pie.  It was delicious!

As the man traveled home all he kept thinking about was that piece of pie!  He replayed every bite of it and the taste lingered in his mouth.  As he was driving home a thought went through his mind, “I wonder how many salesmen are on the road every day, away from home, and would enjoy a delicious piece of pie like I had tonight?”  The more he thought about it, the more excited he got!  He began laughing out loud in the car thinking about how great it would be if he could serve salesmen all over the country delicious pieces of pie like he had just eaten.  He was sure it would be a success.

That night he found it difficult to sleep.  Over the next several weeks he began to inquire into the possiblity of buying pies from this “mom & pop” restaurant and then selling them at specific places along his sales route.  He did, and the pies became an immediate success!  It wasn’t long until the man secured enough money to build his own “pie factory” that began producing the most delicious pies in the region.

What made the difference?  Enthusiasm!  This man got excited about an idea, and he put his creative juices at work to make it become a reality.  Why is it that some people are hired, when others are let go?  Enthusiasm.  Why is it that some workers are promoted and climb the corporate ladder faster than others?  Enthusiasm.  Enthusiasm is contagious!  Enthusiasm affects one’s attitudes and drives.  Enthusiasm is an energy that strengthens one’s resolve and brings all of one’s energies to bear on one’s goals and aspirations.  Some like to equate enthusiasm with passion.  Many successful leaders, teachers, community workers, pastors, and entrepenuers will tell you that it is enthusiasm that makes all the difference in how they approach their work!  It is enthusiasm that communicates excitement and confidence in what we are doing.  We must believe strongly in what we are doing, if we are going to make a difference!

How do you approach your work every day?  Are you excited about what you do?  Are you passionate about the goals and aspirations of your heart?  Are you thankful for the gifts and talents that God has given you to do your work?  Are you thankful that every day you can be a blessing to someone else?  Do others sense your excitement about your work, your product, or your message?  Would others be compelled to “listen” to you, or “buy” from you, or “embrace” the message you are sharing because of your enthusiasm?  Are you willing to “knock down the walls” in front of you?   Are you willing to be creative and innovative in your work so that amazing things can happen?   Friend, you never know who is waiting for that piece of pie that you can offer! 

Wherever you find yourself today, be enthusiastic!  Face life with optimism.  Give away a smile, a kind word, a loving deed.  Let God fill your life with His presence and give you the power that you need to make a difference for good in your world.  Enthusiasm makes all the difference.  Make the necessary changes in your life, and your attitudes, that will bring the energy, the boldness, and the joy that you need to face your daily responsibilities with enthusiasm!

 ”Make the most of every opportunity…”     Ephesians 5:16

Einstein’s Profound Statement

Here’s what Einstein once said, “Don’t look to become a person of success, look to become a person of value.”  The best thing that you can do with your life is to increase your value!  How valuable are you to others?  To your company?  To your family?  To those who care about you?  Are you growing as a person?  Are you learning more each day?  Are you reading and studying in your field of work so that you can become better at what you do?  Are you going to conferences?  Are you spending time with mentors who can share their experiences and insights with you?

Work every day at increasing your value.  Better yourself every day.  Grow every day.  Stay motivated.  Keep pushing yourself.  Work on becoming the best YOU that you can be!  Become the kind of person that others want to be around.  Become the kind of person that others want to listen to.  Become the kind of person that is valued for your integrity, your knowledge, your wisdom, your heart.  There are plenty of people who are very “successful” in terms of achievement, but are not valued as persons that others would want to be around.

Challenge yourself to increase your value.  Stretch yourself 1% more each day.  Learn something new each day.  Seek to become a person of value in your field of work.  Discipline yourself to be a better listener, more organized, more skilled and equipped in your line of work, a person of character and integrity.  If you will do this each and every day, you will become a person of greater value.  You will be sought out by others.  People will want to learn from your experiences.  People will trust your judgment.  People will seek you out for guidance.  People will want to be around you.  You will become the answer to other people’s prayers.

Friend, look to become a person of value!  Dedicate your life, your talents, your abilities, and your life experiences to God.  Commit to becoming the BEST person that you can be for God’s glory!  Use your gifts and abilities to be a blessing to other people.  Let your field of work/career become a way of showcasing God’s amazing grace and love to others.  Don’t settle for average.  Don’t crawl around in mediocrity.  Soar!  Be a person of excellence and quality.  Let God shine through you!

A Legend Retires

Brett Favre, quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, announced his retirement today after 17 years of professional football.  For those who have followed the Packers or NFL football, they will recognize Favre as one of the greatest quarterbacks that has ever played the game!  Favre leaves the game with outstanding credentials:  most touchdown passes by a quarterback, most yards passing by a quarterback, most games won by a quarterback, 7 division titles, and one Super Bowl championship.  Maybe Favre’s most impressive achievement is starting in 275 consecutive games!  Amazing!  No former, or active, player even comes close to that.  He truly was the “iron man” of football!

What can we learn from Brett Favre’s career?  There are a number of words that come to my mind:  persistence, courage, determination, focus, hard work, teamwork, and winning attitude.  Brett Favre would never have accomplished so many goals, and set so many records, without being willing to pay the price.  He worked hard, kept himself focused, and carried a winning attitude into every game.  Many good things can come to our lives, also, if we will move passionately and courageously towards our goals.  No doubt, we will face many hurdles, obstacles, setbacks, and disappointments in the pursuit of our goals.  We will have to have a perservering spirit and an optimistic attitude as we move forward in life.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we can find inner strength, courage, and faith to meet life’s demands.  There may be times of pain, suffering, and rejection.  We can find success in life as we allow these things to shape us, make us, and refine us.

Brett Favre was an extremely “focused” person who always kept his eye on the goal and never wavered.  He went into every game with a burning desire to win!  Even when his team was down, and their backs were against the wall, he willed his team to win.  And, many times they did!  We must do the same!  Many people never achieve what they desire in life because they allow themselves to be easily distracted and taken up with non-essential things.  Some people lose focus and lose heart.  To stay focused on the important things in life, and the dreams that we want to accomplish, is a daily discipline that we can develop.  With God on our side, we can develop a winning attitude that will toughen us for life’s battles!

We may never be a super football player like Brett Favre, but we can bring EXCELLENCE to the field in which we work!   We can determine every day that we will bring passion and enthusiasm to our job, and that we will seek to make a difference in people’s lives!   Friends, let’s not settle for mediocrity in our lives!   Let’s not settle for average!   Let’s not settle for second best!   Let’s  BE THE BEST that we can be!   Let’s put our whole heart into everything we do!  Let’s bring quality into our work, into our homes, and into our relationships.

After we’ve done all of that….let’s live with laughter, and joy, with smiles, and hugs, enjoying every day as a gift from God!  You never know who may need that smile…that laughter…that word of encouragement…that insightful comment…that burden lifted…that loving hug.  YOU may be the answer to someone’s prayers!

“…I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward–to Jesus!  I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.  So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us.  If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision–you’ll see it yet!  Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it!”        Philippians 3:14-16  (Message)

God Is Pursuing Men’s Hearts

A great day today!  Worship was so meaningful.  The words of the songs really spoke to my heart.  It is an unbelievable truth that God is pursuing a love relationship with every person in our city.  God wants to be known, loved, and followed.  In my sermon this morning I preached on the subject, “Following Jesus”.  I really felt God’s empowering presence as I spoke today.  I want to become more passionate, even more than I am right now, in helping others find a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  I know there are so many who struggle with pain, depression, aimlessness, emptiness, and hopelessness in their lives.  Jesus IS the answer!  He is the great Transformer of men’s lives!  God tells us in His Word “that through the foolishness of preaching He is able to save people.”   It is such an awesome privilege to stand before a congregation of people and declare God’s Word in a relevant, practical way.  Jesus said, “If I am lifted up, I will draw all men to Myself.”  That’s what I want to do in my preaching is to lift up Jesus and let Him draw people to Himself!

“‘It’s not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit’, says the Lord.”     Zechariah 4:6

Don’t Die With the Music Within You!

I wonder how many books were never written? How many songs were never sung? How many new projects never got off the ground? How many lives that could have been influenced in a positive way never were? I wonder how many people have gone to their graves carrying beautiful music with them because they were afraid to stretch their talents? I wonder how many books have never been written because people didn’t take the time, or belittled their abilities to publish anything significant? I wonder how many inventions have gone to the grave because people were not willing to risk, or invest, or do something out of the ordinary? I wonder how many lives could have been changed, blessed, helped, nurtured, and loved…but never were…because people who had special gifts and talents and resources, lived and died and went to the grave, never moving beyond the comfortable places of their lives?

God has given YOU something special to do! There is something that He has equipped you to do, and called you to do, with your life. There is some kind of music that is playing in your soul. There is some fire that is burning in your bones. There is some passion that moves your heart. What is it, my friend? What stirs you? What tugs at your heart? What difference can you make in this world in which we live?

Friend, don’t let the music die within you! Don’t bury your talents. Don’t run away from challenges and risks. Step out in faith! Take God’s hand and let Him direct your life. Don’t settle in to a comfortable lifestyle and let life pass you by. Don’t be afraid to risk and venture out in new areas. Don’t be afraid to give your life away in service to others. God has given YOUR life as a gift to this world. He wants to live within you, and work His eternal purposes through your life. YOU are needed. YOUR life is valuable. Others are counting on you, and needing what you have to give.

Let the music of heaven be heard through your life! Let your life be lavish in generosity, kindness, compassion, and mercy. Live a life of creativity and innovation. Be a blessing to others. Help lift someone’s burden. Bring a smile to someone today. Use your talents to give people hope. Ask God how you can make a difference right where you live!

“As long as I’m alive in this body, there is good work for me to do.” Philippians 1:22