This morning, we had an awesome life group exploring what it means to live in 3D. I thought I would share some of the 'gold' from the meeting.
Cacooning or Connecting
While many of us said that we tended to cacoon ourselves in our Christian circles, Kristy Karhula and her mum shared that they had moved into being 'connectors'. When asked how they moved from being cacooners to connectors, Kristy said words to the effect, "I go out of my way to catch up with people I haven't seen in a while. I don't just say 'we should catch up', but I set a time and date then and there"
She also said that it takes time, it takes effort and she has to be deliberate about it.. whether she feels like it or not.
It reminded me of a verse I read this week: 1Corinthians 9:19 "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. "
I've been asking myself the hard questions this week - do I live like a slave to Christ and others? or do I live like a concerned bystander - concerned...but never really getting involved
To use a Staggsanism, Kristy had 'cracked the code' on moving from being a cacooner to being a connector. She had given up her free time, her free resources to serve others to win as many as possible.
Discovering the Story First
We learned this morning to place emphasis on building a friendship instead of saving a soul. The question was then asked.. Why? Why build the friendship before engaging in spiritual discussion?
Without missing a beat, Bevan said, "People don't care how much you know--until they know how much you care." (John Maxwell)
Right then it made me realise - another key difference between me sharing my faith and a pyramid scheme salesman is the 'Care' factor. Bill Hybels calls it a platform of Love.
The challenge with this is - we have to care! I genuinely have to care!
My struggle (and perhaps that of others) is that care is often an emotion behind an action. We don't always 'FEEL' the need, which makes it harder to care and connect.. My emotions are often dry, or disconnected from the needs in my 'neighbourhood'.
The consequence of not feeling the need is that we often are less inclined to move towards action, or act with genuine care or love.
To help with this dilemma, I heard a brilliant message on Jesus' ministry. To put it simply, the speaker said that Jesus' ministry was in this order.. 1. Jesus went; 2. Jesus saw; 3. Jesus felt.. and acted.
The point of the message is that if you wait to feel the need, you will never do anything. However if, like Kristy, we deliberately GO, only then can we see the need, feel the compassion and take the right steps. None of this can be done within the safe walls of convenience.
We can show we care through our discerned next steps which may be helping an immediate need, carving out time from our busy schedules to just listen, or using recreational interests to develop deeper friendships.
The take home for me is this:
1. Connector and Comfort don't really go together.. neither does Slave and Convenience. I have to move from one to the other. I have to move from cacooned to connected. It won't happen accidentally. I have to deliberately plan this into my schedule to be able to 'live in 3D'
2. Going through the motions without genuine love and care is nothing more than a clanging symbol. I can't show genuine love and care without step 1 - Deliberately going out (connecting) and seeing the need first. Then I can show I care through my actions This is why I must 'Discover the story'.
3. Once I've connected and shown I care, then I can share what I know - the greatest gift of all.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Pointing, not Solving
Have you ever looked at someone and thought, "they are just so far from God.. where do I start?" Whether it be attitude, lifestyle, weaknesses, there comes a point where we walk across the room, develop friendships, find their story only to realise that they have some serious issues going on in their life.
When we encounter people like that, there is often a strong urge to want to "solve" their problems for them. We want to tell them what they 'need' to do, what areas in their life they need to fix and how they should fix them!
I'm not sure this is what Christ had in mind. Perhaps Just walking across the room is about pointing people in the right direction, not telling them how to fix their problems, but letting God do the transformation in their lives.
It matters less about the baggage they carry, and more about the destination, because the baggage will be dealt with on the journey.
On P88 and 89 of JWAR, Hybels states, "What was of utmost importance to Jesus was that irreligious people were willing for Him to make them holy. It didn't matter where they had been or what they had done.. But to Christ, what mattered more than where they came from was the direction in which they were headed"
A few examples came out of the campaign so far. Brian, the soccer coach, was told that his choices had led him to the place where he was, but Bill Hybels didn't tell him how to fix his problems. He just pointed him in the right direction, and let God do the work.
Another example is Bill's encounter with the couple in the restaurant. He wasn't prompted by the spirit to condemn their lifestyle, but simply pointed them in the right direction.
In a message called "People Matter", Dr John Maxwell makes a few points that help in this area:
1. The value that God has bestowed on people, is the standard by which we should value others.
2. What is the standard? “God loves me as I am, not as I would like to be, or as I appear to be, but just as I am.”
Because God loves us in this way, then we ought to love others just as they are and without judgment on where they're at. We then can point them in the right direction and let God make them holy.
3. People are important to God (and therefore important to us) because of who they can become.
Bill Hybels states the same point when he says "Jesus capitalised on the possibility in people - the hidden potential inherent in all of us"(p67). He goes on to say, "He [Jesus] had an uncanny ability to look past the obvious flaws in people's lives and envision who they could become if the power of God were released in their lives"
Chuck Swindoll summarises it nicely when he says, "Our job is not to clean the fish tank.. just to fish"
Our job is see people for who they can become, love them just as they are and point them towards the one who can transform their reality to God's potential.
When we encounter people like that, there is often a strong urge to want to "solve" their problems for them. We want to tell them what they 'need' to do, what areas in their life they need to fix and how they should fix them!
I'm not sure this is what Christ had in mind. Perhaps Just walking across the room is about pointing people in the right direction, not telling them how to fix their problems, but letting God do the transformation in their lives.
It matters less about the baggage they carry, and more about the destination, because the baggage will be dealt with on the journey.
On P88 and 89 of JWAR, Hybels states, "What was of utmost importance to Jesus was that irreligious people were willing for Him to make them holy. It didn't matter where they had been or what they had done.. But to Christ, what mattered more than where they came from was the direction in which they were headed"
A few examples came out of the campaign so far. Brian, the soccer coach, was told that his choices had led him to the place where he was, but Bill Hybels didn't tell him how to fix his problems. He just pointed him in the right direction, and let God do the work.
Another example is Bill's encounter with the couple in the restaurant. He wasn't prompted by the spirit to condemn their lifestyle, but simply pointed them in the right direction.
In a message called "People Matter", Dr John Maxwell makes a few points that help in this area:
1. The value that God has bestowed on people, is the standard by which we should value others.
2. What is the standard? “God loves me as I am, not as I would like to be, or as I appear to be, but just as I am.”
Because God loves us in this way, then we ought to love others just as they are and without judgment on where they're at. We then can point them in the right direction and let God make them holy.
3. People are important to God (and therefore important to us) because of who they can become.
Bill Hybels states the same point when he says "Jesus capitalised on the possibility in people - the hidden potential inherent in all of us"(p67). He goes on to say, "He [Jesus] had an uncanny ability to look past the obvious flaws in people's lives and envision who they could become if the power of God were released in their lives"
Chuck Swindoll summarises it nicely when he says, "Our job is not to clean the fish tank.. just to fish"
Our job is see people for who they can become, love them just as they are and point them towards the one who can transform their reality to God's potential.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Be afraid.. be very afraid
Last year, Bevan said to me, "It must be hard having an opinion on everything".
Now, he wasn't being sarcastic. He was genuine. People who are easy going seem to let many things slide, but others seem to be able to find a standpoint on everything, from how the grocery bags are packed at woolworths, to the colour of the serviettes in the church foyer.
There's no prize for guessing which category I fall into.
If ever there was an organisation where everyone has an opinion, it's got to be the church. We all have opinions, some stronger than others, on what time church starts, what songs are played, the outfit of the speaker, how long the service goes for etc etc. There are just so many things to analyse and critique. I know I'm putting myself out there.. but I know I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE!
I'm not blogging on this because I've heard things, or because I've been asked to. The following scripture was in my daily quiet time, and it's on my heart to share it.
In Numbers 12:1-16 Miriam felt uninhibited to share her opinions on Moses' conduct and leadership. Moses was the leader of the Israelites, of which she was a member.
She said to Moses, "Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?.. Hasn't he also spoken through us?"
In other words, "Moses - do you think that God only speaks to you?? We hear from God too. You view isn't the only one that counts"
At this point, God came to Moses' defence. He said:
"He [Moses] is faithful in all my house.
With Him I speak face to face, clearly not in riddles;
He sees the form of the Lord
Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"
For her lack of respect for Moses' position, and her lack of restraint in judging Moses' actions, Miriam was given a leprous disease for 7 days.
This story sends a very clear message.
In our church, we have leaders that God has appointed to lead us through journey God has set before us. Those leaders will not always do things the way we think it should be done. In fact, sometimes we think they are just plain wrong.
However, God is clear. Be extremely cautious, or just don't, speak out against the people that God has placed in positions of authority in our lives, particularly in our church.
Be sure to treat our leaders with the honour they deserve, and not to become complacent with the familiar. Don't fall into the trap of mentally elevating yourself where you think "God talks to me too - my view is just as important"
What it does mean is to show restraint? Life and death are in the of the tongue. Blessings dwell in the place of unity. The quickest way to destroy unity is to speak out against our leaders without restraint.
Our leaders spend much time in God's presence seeking guidance and wisdom on how to lead our church. However, when we speak without restraint, how many of us have first sought God for his wisdom and guidance on how to best approach our difference of opinion.
Does this mean we blindly follow without turning on our brains - NO!
God has given us guidelines on resolving disputes, in particular, going to the person you have a grievance with and talking about it with a spirit of conciliation and love.
So the next time there is an urge to share an opinion about the way things are done .. be afraid.. be very afraid.
Now, he wasn't being sarcastic. He was genuine. People who are easy going seem to let many things slide, but others seem to be able to find a standpoint on everything, from how the grocery bags are packed at woolworths, to the colour of the serviettes in the church foyer.
There's no prize for guessing which category I fall into.
If ever there was an organisation where everyone has an opinion, it's got to be the church. We all have opinions, some stronger than others, on what time church starts, what songs are played, the outfit of the speaker, how long the service goes for etc etc. There are just so many things to analyse and critique. I know I'm putting myself out there.. but I know I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE!
I'm not blogging on this because I've heard things, or because I've been asked to. The following scripture was in my daily quiet time, and it's on my heart to share it.
In Numbers 12:1-16 Miriam felt uninhibited to share her opinions on Moses' conduct and leadership. Moses was the leader of the Israelites, of which she was a member.
She said to Moses, "Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?.. Hasn't he also spoken through us?"
In other words, "Moses - do you think that God only speaks to you?? We hear from God too. You view isn't the only one that counts"
At this point, God came to Moses' defence. He said:
"He [Moses] is faithful in all my house.
With Him I speak face to face, clearly not in riddles;
He sees the form of the Lord
Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"
For her lack of respect for Moses' position, and her lack of restraint in judging Moses' actions, Miriam was given a leprous disease for 7 days.
This story sends a very clear message.
In our church, we have leaders that God has appointed to lead us through journey God has set before us. Those leaders will not always do things the way we think it should be done. In fact, sometimes we think they are just plain wrong.
However, God is clear. Be extremely cautious, or just don't, speak out against the people that God has placed in positions of authority in our lives, particularly in our church.
Be sure to treat our leaders with the honour they deserve, and not to become complacent with the familiar. Don't fall into the trap of mentally elevating yourself where you think "God talks to me too - my view is just as important"
What it does mean is to show restraint? Life and death are in the of the tongue. Blessings dwell in the place of unity. The quickest way to destroy unity is to speak out against our leaders without restraint.
Our leaders spend much time in God's presence seeking guidance and wisdom on how to lead our church. However, when we speak without restraint, how many of us have first sought God for his wisdom and guidance on how to best approach our difference of opinion.
Does this mean we blindly follow without turning on our brains - NO!
God has given us guidelines on resolving disputes, in particular, going to the person you have a grievance with and talking about it with a spirit of conciliation and love.
So the next time there is an urge to share an opinion about the way things are done .. be afraid.. be very afraid.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
I'm nothing like a pyramid scheme salesman
The most confronting paragraphs of Just Walk Across the Room, bar none, says this,
“A man once told me he never shares his faith with anyone.”.... “His answer shocked me. ‘I would never want to inflict the burden of God on anyone,’ he said.
‘Wow, that is not at all the God I know’, I thought. ..”
He also says, “I honestly believe that every wayward person I know would live a vastly better life if God’s love, grace, and redemption were operating in their lives.... DO YOU BELIEVE THIS TOO?”(p27)
I stopped reading right there. Do I believe this? Of course I believe this for my life. But do I believe this for others? If I do, then why don’t I feel comfortable sharing it with others? Why do I hold back?
Bill encourages us to ‘rewind our faith journey a little to the pre-christian days’ – and reflect on what that was like. However, for me, I accepted Christ into my life at 5.. So I don’t know a life apart from Christ that I can remember.
It’s difficult to share a testimony of ‘before and after’ when I can’t remember the ‘before’. It’s hard to describe the change they’ll experience, when my changes have always been post-Christ.
Then I thought about the people that are in my sphere of influence.. successful people who seemingly have life under control, are financially stable, happily married and life is good.
Do I believe that these people would be vastly better off in this life (leaving the next life for the moment) if they handed control of their lives over to God - the answer is Yes!
Do I believe I have the skills to convince them of that – the answer is No! That is probably the honest reason why I have held back from going into the ‘zone of the unknown’.
I believed that I would look and sound like a pyramid scheme salesman (eg amway or sandenbrook) - the type of ‘friendship marketing’ most people have experienced when a friend asks you for coffee, and you realise they just want to sign you up for the life-changing, money making, freedom giving network sales scheme. .. which can bring friendships to end, or make them very awkward from that point onwards.
However, then I read a paragraph that gave me a new perspective to my dilemma:
“Dr B (professor at Trinity College) said, ‘throughout the course of your life, you’re going to give your life to something. You will. All people do. They give their lives to pleasure or to possessions, to the attainment of popularity or to the acquisition of more power. But always to something”(p28)
I realised that no matter how successful, my friends were giving their life to something that would never satisfy them and would always leave them feeling wanting. I realised that, while they looked like life was good, I could never know the condition of their heart, the questions that remained unanswered, the deep desires that were never filled and the fact that they weren’t sure how to fill them.. but God knows. He knows where they’re at. That’s why I have to be obedient to His promptings – when and where He prompts me.
My part in this is to listen to Jesus when He says “Live as though you actually believe that your parent, your co-worker, and your neighbour would be better off if they knew my Father – if they were on the receiving end of his counsel, his wisdom and his guidance” (p29)
I always believed it, but I don’t think I lived it.
Living this way means I look at the people around me differently.
I start wondering whether they’re lonely, wondering whether they’re unfilled, wondering if they’re searching for something more... and living as though I actually believe that they would be better off knowing Christ.
I no longer assume they don’t want to talk about it - because I’m nothing like a pyramid scheme salesman .
Changing my perspective towards seemingly happy people is my first right step in being unleashed to just walk across the room.
“A man once told me he never shares his faith with anyone.”.... “His answer shocked me. ‘I would never want to inflict the burden of God on anyone,’ he said.
‘Wow, that is not at all the God I know’, I thought. ..”
He also says, “I honestly believe that every wayward person I know would live a vastly better life if God’s love, grace, and redemption were operating in their lives.... DO YOU BELIEVE THIS TOO?”(p27)
I stopped reading right there. Do I believe this? Of course I believe this for my life. But do I believe this for others? If I do, then why don’t I feel comfortable sharing it with others? Why do I hold back?
Bill encourages us to ‘rewind our faith journey a little to the pre-christian days’ – and reflect on what that was like. However, for me, I accepted Christ into my life at 5.. So I don’t know a life apart from Christ that I can remember.
It’s difficult to share a testimony of ‘before and after’ when I can’t remember the ‘before’. It’s hard to describe the change they’ll experience, when my changes have always been post-Christ.
Then I thought about the people that are in my sphere of influence.. successful people who seemingly have life under control, are financially stable, happily married and life is good.
Do I believe that these people would be vastly better off in this life (leaving the next life for the moment) if they handed control of their lives over to God - the answer is Yes!
Do I believe I have the skills to convince them of that – the answer is No! That is probably the honest reason why I have held back from going into the ‘zone of the unknown’.
I believed that I would look and sound like a pyramid scheme salesman (eg amway or sandenbrook) - the type of ‘friendship marketing’ most people have experienced when a friend asks you for coffee, and you realise they just want to sign you up for the life-changing, money making, freedom giving network sales scheme. .. which can bring friendships to end, or make them very awkward from that point onwards.
However, then I read a paragraph that gave me a new perspective to my dilemma:
“Dr B (professor at Trinity College) said, ‘throughout the course of your life, you’re going to give your life to something. You will. All people do. They give their lives to pleasure or to possessions, to the attainment of popularity or to the acquisition of more power. But always to something”(p28)
I realised that no matter how successful, my friends were giving their life to something that would never satisfy them and would always leave them feeling wanting. I realised that, while they looked like life was good, I could never know the condition of their heart, the questions that remained unanswered, the deep desires that were never filled and the fact that they weren’t sure how to fill them.. but God knows. He knows where they’re at. That’s why I have to be obedient to His promptings – when and where He prompts me.
My part in this is to listen to Jesus when He says “Live as though you actually believe that your parent, your co-worker, and your neighbour would be better off if they knew my Father – if they were on the receiving end of his counsel, his wisdom and his guidance” (p29)
I always believed it, but I don’t think I lived it.
Living this way means I look at the people around me differently.
I start wondering whether they’re lonely, wondering whether they’re unfilled, wondering if they’re searching for something more... and living as though I actually believe that they would be better off knowing Christ.
I no longer assume they don’t want to talk about it - because I’m nothing like a pyramid scheme salesman .
Changing my perspective towards seemingly happy people is my first right step in being unleashed to just walk across the room.
Friday, February 6, 2009
You can't have one without the other
On Wednesday night, Ps Andrew shared his concept of 'Unleashed!', and gave us a range of examples of people who were unleashed including Jesus, Moses and Gideon.
While he was sharing this, it struck me that unleashing cannot occur without change.
There must be change in some form to have true unleashing this year.
This change may occur in the one or more of the following areas:
* Change of thoughts
* Change of perspective
* Change of actions
* Change of opportunities
* Change of restrictions (whether self-imposed or external)
* Change of circumstances
For some, change is effortless. For others, change is extremely difficult and just plain scary!
I thought I'd look into change a bit more, and found these interesting insights into change.
It the book, “Managing personal change”, the statement is made:
“Change is like a rock thrown into a pond. It ripples through your life causing disruption, excitement, distress, and sometimes crisis. Your usual ways of doing things and your plans for the future can come into question. In place of clarity, change brings uncertainty and transition. This disruption is not only in your mind. It can affect you physically and even make you ill. It can also affect your emotions, especially your feelings about yourself.”
Herodotus from the fifth century says, "Disease always attacks people when they are exposed to change"
When we start changing our actions, our thoughts or our perspectives, there may be temporary feelings of uncertainty and anxiety and even frustration while we transition. Similarly, when we are presented with new opportunities that we step into, there may be feelings of insecurity, inadequacy and fear.
I think we need to be realistic about the impact that being unleashed will have on our lives. Allowing God to unleash us is absolutely the best thing we can do this year! But we also have to be cognisant of the "ripples" that this big rock will create when thrown into our lives - so that we can, with God's help, manage the ripples.
To manage the ripples, we should:
1. Spend regular time with God. We need to recalibrate our purpose, direction and steps with God's plans for our lives. (See my blog on this here). This will give us certainty on God's work in our lives in times of change.
2. We need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Look after our bodies physically by eating properly and exercise. This will help reduce the risk of disease because we're giving our body the nutrients and oxygen it needs.
3. Get plenty of rest. When you are tired, your immune system finds it harder to resist disease AND you are so much more vulnerable to an attack from the devil. When you are tired, you are more likely to compromise, feel like giving up, or have a stinking attitude to the great work God is doing in your life.
4. Have regular connection. Proverbs says "2 are better than 1, because if one falls down, the other can pick him up". Establish strong friendships with people where you can spur each other on to push through the transition" That's why small groups and growth groups are vital to our journey of being unleashed this year!
God is in the business of change. The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.
While he was sharing this, it struck me that unleashing cannot occur without change.
There must be change in some form to have true unleashing this year.
This change may occur in the one or more of the following areas:
* Change of thoughts
* Change of perspective
* Change of actions
* Change of opportunities
* Change of restrictions (whether self-imposed or external)
* Change of circumstances
For some, change is effortless. For others, change is extremely difficult and just plain scary!
I thought I'd look into change a bit more, and found these interesting insights into change.
It the book, “Managing personal change”, the statement is made:
“Change is like a rock thrown into a pond. It ripples through your life causing disruption, excitement, distress, and sometimes crisis. Your usual ways of doing things and your plans for the future can come into question. In place of clarity, change brings uncertainty and transition. This disruption is not only in your mind. It can affect you physically and even make you ill. It can also affect your emotions, especially your feelings about yourself.”
Herodotus from the fifth century says, "Disease always attacks people when they are exposed to change"
When we start changing our actions, our thoughts or our perspectives, there may be temporary feelings of uncertainty and anxiety and even frustration while we transition. Similarly, when we are presented with new opportunities that we step into, there may be feelings of insecurity, inadequacy and fear.
I think we need to be realistic about the impact that being unleashed will have on our lives. Allowing God to unleash us is absolutely the best thing we can do this year! But we also have to be cognisant of the "ripples" that this big rock will create when thrown into our lives - so that we can, with God's help, manage the ripples.
To manage the ripples, we should:
1. Spend regular time with God. We need to recalibrate our purpose, direction and steps with God's plans for our lives. (See my blog on this here). This will give us certainty on God's work in our lives in times of change.
2. We need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Look after our bodies physically by eating properly and exercise. This will help reduce the risk of disease because we're giving our body the nutrients and oxygen it needs.
3. Get plenty of rest. When you are tired, your immune system finds it harder to resist disease AND you are so much more vulnerable to an attack from the devil. When you are tired, you are more likely to compromise, feel like giving up, or have a stinking attitude to the great work God is doing in your life.
4. Have regular connection. Proverbs says "2 are better than 1, because if one falls down, the other can pick him up". Establish strong friendships with people where you can spur each other on to push through the transition" That's why small groups and growth groups are vital to our journey of being unleashed this year!
God is in the business of change. The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
We are living in Exponential Times
This youtube clip is mind-boggling! Make sure you watch it all the way to the end.
Credit to Mark Beeson's blog, as I saw this clip on his blog.
This just raises so many thoughts in my head on how unfathomable is God's power, knowledge and wisdom (compared to human intelligence); and How awesome that He knows each of us by name and has numbered the hairs on our head!
It also makes my creative side start firing with ideas of new ways to reach, new methods of connection, and new workshop ideas on technology so people don't feel left behind.
Perhaps we could all follow Ps Andrew and Ps Jill on twitter? Perhaps we could start loading our messages on podcasts or vodcasts? Perhaps we could all become fans of Westlife on Facebook? Perhaps we could have our own program that fires out a devotion each day by email/blog that ties in with the relevant theme (eg Just walk across the room)..!
I realise all of this takes time and money, but I believe there are Westlifers out there that would relish the opportunity to serve in this area. We also then create opportunities to serve in non-traditional areas and keep our technology savvy generation 'tucked-in'
Finally, I think about the new igeneration (see an article here on this new generation class) who do not remember life without the internet. How can we best position them for an unleashed future!
Growing up, I spent many hours on my father's computer, and have enjoyed the benefits personally and professionally - over and over and over. With proper supervision, I let Bailey and Reuben have computer time because nothing beats exposure to technology to improve skills and knowledge in this area.
Credit to Mark Beeson's blog, as I saw this clip on his blog.
This just raises so many thoughts in my head on how unfathomable is God's power, knowledge and wisdom (compared to human intelligence); and How awesome that He knows each of us by name and has numbered the hairs on our head!
It also makes my creative side start firing with ideas of new ways to reach, new methods of connection, and new workshop ideas on technology so people don't feel left behind.
Perhaps we could all follow Ps Andrew and Ps Jill on twitter? Perhaps we could start loading our messages on podcasts or vodcasts? Perhaps we could all become fans of Westlife on Facebook? Perhaps we could have our own program that fires out a devotion each day by email/blog that ties in with the relevant theme (eg Just walk across the room)..!
I realise all of this takes time and money, but I believe there are Westlifers out there that would relish the opportunity to serve in this area. We also then create opportunities to serve in non-traditional areas and keep our technology savvy generation 'tucked-in'
Finally, I think about the new igeneration (see an article here on this new generation class) who do not remember life without the internet. How can we best position them for an unleashed future!
Growing up, I spent many hours on my father's computer, and have enjoyed the benefits personally and professionally - over and over and over. With proper supervision, I let Bailey and Reuben have computer time because nothing beats exposure to technology to improve skills and knowledge in this area.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Align your perspective of wealth with the Bible – Perspectives 3 and 4
3. Money will NOT bring me contentment and peace.
“Things will be better when.. “ Do you find yourself thinking that?
This is the statement of someone who is not content.
"When I finish school, when I get to retire, when I pay off my mortgage, when I get that payrise.."
This is another example of the lie that says you need just a little more.. Be content where you are
Contentment is independent of external circumstances. (Thayer Definition)
Easton says Contentment is "A state of mind in which one's desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be (1Ti_6:6; 2Co_9:8). It is opposed to envy (Jam_3:16), avarice (Heb_13:5), ambition (Pro_13:10), anxiety (Mat_6:25, Mat_6:34), and repining (1Co_10:10). It arises from the inward disposition, and is the offspring of humility"
Quickest way to rob your contentment is spend your time looking at what others have, or reading those junk mail catalogues in the mail.
A lack of contentment leads to irresponsible spending.
Here is what Ecc says:
Ecc 4:4 "Then I saw that all painful effort in labor and all skill in work comes from man's rivalry with his neighbor. This is also vanity, a vain striving after the wind and a feeding on it."
The global credit crisis that we’re facing at the moment started with US financiers lending amounts that were more than people could repay.. to fund a lifestyle that those people couldn’t afford.
It doesn’t matter how often you have the latest of everything, or keep up with the jones’.. the temporary feeling of elation does not last. If your self esteem if fuelled by finances or the latest gadgets, you are on a path of poverty.
Paul learned to be content. Php 4:11 "Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am."
He who dies with the most toys doesn’t win! He who invests most in the Kingdom of God wins.
4. Money is NOT just for me
Our view can become that having wealth is an end it itself.. that is, that having wealth is the goal. No! Having wealth is a means to an end..
The money isn’t just for us.. We are blessed to be a blessing.
Yesterday, the Courier Mail reported on the new Igeneration, coming in after generation Y.. and one of the predictions was that the Igeneration will be less accepting of religion. Friends, we need to get chaplains in our school...not just working part time on a minimum salary. We need to invest in youth programs, and children's outreach!
Mat 9:37 "So he said to his disciples, "The harvest is large, but there are few workers to gather it in. 38 Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest."
We need to send out workers in our schools, in our communities.
Another example of money not just being for us is in Matthew 25:35 “I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, 36 I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.'..."40 Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me--you did it to me.'"
There is on obligation on us to feed the hungry.. there is a charge on us to look after the disadvantaged.
God doesn’t want to just give to you.. He wants to give through you – so we can change the world!
“Things will be better when.. “ Do you find yourself thinking that?
This is the statement of someone who is not content.
"When I finish school, when I get to retire, when I pay off my mortgage, when I get that payrise.."
This is another example of the lie that says you need just a little more.. Be content where you are
Contentment is independent of external circumstances. (Thayer Definition)
Easton says Contentment is "A state of mind in which one's desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be (1Ti_6:6; 2Co_9:8). It is opposed to envy (Jam_3:16), avarice (Heb_13:5), ambition (Pro_13:10), anxiety (Mat_6:25, Mat_6:34), and repining (1Co_10:10). It arises from the inward disposition, and is the offspring of humility"
Quickest way to rob your contentment is spend your time looking at what others have, or reading those junk mail catalogues in the mail.
A lack of contentment leads to irresponsible spending.
Here is what Ecc says:
Ecc 4:4 "Then I saw that all painful effort in labor and all skill in work comes from man's rivalry with his neighbor. This is also vanity, a vain striving after the wind and a feeding on it."
The global credit crisis that we’re facing at the moment started with US financiers lending amounts that were more than people could repay.. to fund a lifestyle that those people couldn’t afford.
It doesn’t matter how often you have the latest of everything, or keep up with the jones’.. the temporary feeling of elation does not last. If your self esteem if fuelled by finances or the latest gadgets, you are on a path of poverty.
Paul learned to be content. Php 4:11 "Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am."
He who dies with the most toys doesn’t win! He who invests most in the Kingdom of God wins.
4. Money is NOT just for me
Our view can become that having wealth is an end it itself.. that is, that having wealth is the goal. No! Having wealth is a means to an end..
The money isn’t just for us.. We are blessed to be a blessing.
Yesterday, the Courier Mail reported on the new Igeneration, coming in after generation Y.. and one of the predictions was that the Igeneration will be less accepting of religion. Friends, we need to get chaplains in our school...not just working part time on a minimum salary. We need to invest in youth programs, and children's outreach!
Mat 9:37 "So he said to his disciples, "The harvest is large, but there are few workers to gather it in. 38 Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest."
We need to send out workers in our schools, in our communities.
Another example of money not just being for us is in Matthew 25:35 “I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, 36 I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.'..."40 Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me--you did it to me.'"
There is on obligation on us to feed the hungry.. there is a charge on us to look after the disadvantaged.
God doesn’t want to just give to you.. He wants to give through you – so we can change the world!
Free Software - a Microsoft Office alternative
If you're looking for a free alternative to Microsoft Office (because you're cleaning out your well!) why not have a look at Open Office (http://www.openoffice.org/).
Personally I found this to be a very reasonable alternative.
Personally I found this to be a very reasonable alternative.
Align your perspective of wealth with the Bible – Perspectives 1 and 2
It is so important that, while managing money well and positioning ourselves for increase, we have the right perspectives on wealth. Here are a couple to think about.
1. Money is NOT my passion
Let’s be clear – God wants you to be prosperous, but not for that to be your focus. He wants to be the apple of your eye, the object of your efforts, the first place in your heart – then he adds the wealth to you.
Ecc 5:10 "If you love money, you will never be satisfied; if you long to be rich, you will never get all you want. It is useless". The bible tells us to seek first the Kingdom, then all these things will be added unto you.
If our passion is money accumulation, then we can run the risk of paying a much higher price for our wealth than we intended... in stress, in poor health, in sacrificing relationships because we are never home.
Prov 23:4 "Do not wear yourself out getting rich. Be smart enough to stop"
2 Money is NOT my security
Pastor Elwin from New Hope Hawaii says "In many respects, we seem to rely on money to determine our sense of value, to define our level of success, to measure the extent of our happiness. It's money that we turn to in order to find comfort and security, albeit a false sense of security. And as the economy goes, so goes our finances and our degree of contentment. Everything that affects us, our emotions, our happiness, our sense of satisfaction, it seems, rises and falls on the condition of our finances."
The challenge is - How much is enough? One of the greatest lies we buy into is that we will reach a point when we have enough and therefore, feel secure about our financial future. So we keep aspiring for that elusive point... of JUST A LITTLE MORE
Gerry Harvey still fears going broke, and he has $1.6bn in wealth. It doesn’t matter how much you have – you will not feel financially secure in money. God must be your financial security. Money is not secure..
Bible says "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . "(Matthew 6:19–20 NKJV).
Haven’t we seen that lately – wealth disappearing like the wind.
Don't let money be your security, or your passion - only God.
1. Money is NOT my passion
Let’s be clear – God wants you to be prosperous, but not for that to be your focus. He wants to be the apple of your eye, the object of your efforts, the first place in your heart – then he adds the wealth to you.
Ecc 5:10 "If you love money, you will never be satisfied; if you long to be rich, you will never get all you want. It is useless". The bible tells us to seek first the Kingdom, then all these things will be added unto you.
If our passion is money accumulation, then we can run the risk of paying a much higher price for our wealth than we intended... in stress, in poor health, in sacrificing relationships because we are never home.
Prov 23:4 "Do not wear yourself out getting rich. Be smart enough to stop"
2 Money is NOT my security
Pastor Elwin from New Hope Hawaii says "In many respects, we seem to rely on money to determine our sense of value, to define our level of success, to measure the extent of our happiness. It's money that we turn to in order to find comfort and security, albeit a false sense of security. And as the economy goes, so goes our finances and our degree of contentment. Everything that affects us, our emotions, our happiness, our sense of satisfaction, it seems, rises and falls on the condition of our finances."
The challenge is - How much is enough? One of the greatest lies we buy into is that we will reach a point when we have enough and therefore, feel secure about our financial future. So we keep aspiring for that elusive point... of JUST A LITTLE MORE
Gerry Harvey still fears going broke, and he has $1.6bn in wealth. It doesn’t matter how much you have – you will not feel financially secure in money. God must be your financial security. Money is not secure..
Bible says "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . "(Matthew 6:19–20 NKJV).
Haven’t we seen that lately – wealth disappearing like the wind.
Don't let money be your security, or your passion - only God.
Stop the blockage to being Blessed!
Gen 26:12 "Isaac planted crops in that land and took in a huge harvest. GOD blessed him. 13 The man got richer and richer by the day until he was very wealthy. 14 He accumulated flocks and herds and many, many servants, so much so that the Philistines began to envy him. 15 They got back at him by throwing dirt and debris into all the wells that his father's servants had dug back in the days of his father Abraham, clogging up all the wells."
Commentators say that these wells were used to water their flock.
In other words, the water from the wells sustained their wealth – a bit like our income today. We need to water our mortgage, water our electricity bill.. water our school fees..
Some of you don’t have to worry about the enemy clogging up your wells, because you’re doing a great job on your own. Some of you are heaping dirt into your own wells and stopping the flow of blessing in your life.
1st example – Tax Returns
Mar 12:17 "And Jesus said unto them, Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. And they marveled greatly at him."
The bible is clear – honestly pay your taxes.. even if you think you pay too much tax, don’t we all, be honest.
2nd example – Petty Theft. Tit 2:9 “Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters--no back talk, 10 no petty thievery. Then their good character will shine through their actions, adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God. “
Petty thievery may include stationery, time goofing off on the net, etc etc. It’s petty – yes.. so don’t do it. Live a life pleasing to God, and be a good PR in your workplace
3rd example – Piracy and Copyright There’s another kind of theft that I used to struggle with a lot. I know I’m going to sound like a dvd intro, but you wouldn’t steal a car, but we all know that piracy and copyright infringements are theft. It’s stealing..
How can we expect God to bless the hands of our work when we are stealing from the hands of others.
I can talk about this because 4 years ago – I cleaned out my well. I was the queen of copied music, illegal software and photocopied books. Napster and bearshare were my source of all music and while I knew I probably shouldn’t do this, we had no money so I justified it.
Pro 6:30 “Hunger is no excuse for a thief to steal”;
Increasingly I felt more and more guilty about this stuff, and so when we moved into our house in Springfield Lakes, I had a ceremonial destruction day.. anything that I hadn’t legitimately purchased was either snapped, deleted (including out of the recycle bin) or torn up. I cleaned my house of any tainted property.
Ephesians 4:28 “the thief must steal no more, but rather toil to earn a living with his own hands, so he may have something to give the person in need.”
Integrity is what you do when no one will find out.
Within 4 years of my ‘cleaning out the well’, there was a significant increase in our income – could have only been God.
Deu 28:1 “ If you listen obediently to the Voice of GOD, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, GOD, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world.
Deu 28:2 All these blessings will come down on you ..
Deu 28:4 GOD's blessing on your children, the crops of your land, the young of your livestock, the calves of your herds, the lambs of your flocks.
Deu 28:6 GOD's blessing in your coming in, GOD's blessing in your going out.
Deu 28:8 GOD will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces; he'll bless you in the land that GOD, your God, is giving you.
Perry noble wrote yesterday on his blog – partial obedience = total disobedience. Clean out your well.
Commentators say that these wells were used to water their flock.
In other words, the water from the wells sustained their wealth – a bit like our income today. We need to water our mortgage, water our electricity bill.. water our school fees..
Some of you don’t have to worry about the enemy clogging up your wells, because you’re doing a great job on your own. Some of you are heaping dirt into your own wells and stopping the flow of blessing in your life.
1st example – Tax Returns
Mar 12:17 "And Jesus said unto them, Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. And they marveled greatly at him."
The bible is clear – honestly pay your taxes.. even if you think you pay too much tax, don’t we all, be honest.
2nd example – Petty Theft. Tit 2:9 “Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters--no back talk, 10 no petty thievery. Then their good character will shine through their actions, adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God. “
Petty thievery may include stationery, time goofing off on the net, etc etc. It’s petty – yes.. so don’t do it. Live a life pleasing to God, and be a good PR in your workplace
3rd example – Piracy and Copyright There’s another kind of theft that I used to struggle with a lot. I know I’m going to sound like a dvd intro, but you wouldn’t steal a car, but we all know that piracy and copyright infringements are theft. It’s stealing..
How can we expect God to bless the hands of our work when we are stealing from the hands of others.
I can talk about this because 4 years ago – I cleaned out my well. I was the queen of copied music, illegal software and photocopied books. Napster and bearshare were my source of all music and while I knew I probably shouldn’t do this, we had no money so I justified it.
Pro 6:30 “Hunger is no excuse for a thief to steal”;
Increasingly I felt more and more guilty about this stuff, and so when we moved into our house in Springfield Lakes, I had a ceremonial destruction day.. anything that I hadn’t legitimately purchased was either snapped, deleted (including out of the recycle bin) or torn up. I cleaned my house of any tainted property.
Ephesians 4:28 “the thief must steal no more, but rather toil to earn a living with his own hands, so he may have something to give the person in need.”
Integrity is what you do when no one will find out.
Within 4 years of my ‘cleaning out the well’, there was a significant increase in our income – could have only been God.
Deu 28:1 “ If you listen obediently to the Voice of GOD, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, GOD, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world.
Deu 28:2 All these blessings will come down on you ..
Deu 28:4 GOD's blessing on your children, the crops of your land, the young of your livestock, the calves of your herds, the lambs of your flocks.
Deu 28:6 GOD's blessing in your coming in, GOD's blessing in your going out.
Deu 28:8 GOD will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces; he'll bless you in the land that GOD, your God, is giving you.
Perry noble wrote yesterday on his blog – partial obedience = total disobedience. Clean out your well.
Positioned for increased income - at Church
B. In your church:
This post is, from my personal experience, an absolute must when positioning yourself for increase.
Take a look (Prov 3:9-10) Honor the Lord from your wealth, And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
It’s an action, then a consequence.. Do this.. so you will get that.
One commentator says this,
“Many people give God their leftovers. If they can afford to donate anything after the bills are paid, they do so. These people may be sincere and contribute willingly, but they are not obeying what God says. God wants the first part of our income. This demonstrates that God, not possessions, has first place in our life and that our resources belong to him (we are only managers). Giving to God helps us conquer greed, helps us properly manage God's resources, and opens us up to receive God's special blessings.”
How do we put God first, or give Him the first fruits? Let’s look at another organisation that puts themself first with our income.. the tax department. They know what you’re like. If they asked you to pay your tax at the end of every pay week, they’d have no chance of collecting it. They take out their portion first to ensure it gets paid (before you spend it on other stuff)!
That’s the view I take when giving God my first fruits. Every 2nd Saturday, after our pays go in, an automatic direct debit goes from my account to the storehouse – so that the first fruits of my labour are my honour gift to God.. I can’t forget it.. I can’t overlook it.. No excuses.. it happens..
There’s my action... and I’m glad to do it! Because what’s the consequence – SO THAT MY BARNS WILL BE FULL!
Positioning yourself for increase means being obedient to the spiritual principles of giving into the storehouse.
Some people says – God if you’d give me more money, then I’d give you some money. But look at Luke – You give, and then it will be given back to you.
Luk 6:38 "give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again."
Generosity breeds Blessing.. The more generous, the more you’re blessed. However, there is a qualification here..
How would you feel if someone came up to you with a present and said ‘here you go.. merry christmas’.. dumped a present in your lap, huffed and walked out. You almost would think – why bother?
Same goes with us - 2Co 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
We position ourselves for increase when we cheerfully, not out of obligation, Honour God with the first fruits of our labour
Important question: Should we keep tithing in a recession?
My answer is without doubt yes! If I stop giving, will God stop giving back? Why would the laws of sowing and reaping change .. is God part of our recession? No! God’s ways are higher than our ways – His thoughts are higher than our thoughts..
He can make a way where there seems to be nothing but barrenness.. just look up and you will see.
This post is, from my personal experience, an absolute must when positioning yourself for increase.
Take a look (Prov 3:9-10) Honor the Lord from your wealth, And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
It’s an action, then a consequence.. Do this.. so you will get that.
One commentator says this,
“Many people give God their leftovers. If they can afford to donate anything after the bills are paid, they do so. These people may be sincere and contribute willingly, but they are not obeying what God says. God wants the first part of our income. This demonstrates that God, not possessions, has first place in our life and that our resources belong to him (we are only managers). Giving to God helps us conquer greed, helps us properly manage God's resources, and opens us up to receive God's special blessings.”
How do we put God first, or give Him the first fruits? Let’s look at another organisation that puts themself first with our income.. the tax department. They know what you’re like. If they asked you to pay your tax at the end of every pay week, they’d have no chance of collecting it. They take out their portion first to ensure it gets paid (before you spend it on other stuff)!
That’s the view I take when giving God my first fruits. Every 2nd Saturday, after our pays go in, an automatic direct debit goes from my account to the storehouse – so that the first fruits of my labour are my honour gift to God.. I can’t forget it.. I can’t overlook it.. No excuses.. it happens..
There’s my action... and I’m glad to do it! Because what’s the consequence – SO THAT MY BARNS WILL BE FULL!
Positioning yourself for increase means being obedient to the spiritual principles of giving into the storehouse.
Some people says – God if you’d give me more money, then I’d give you some money. But look at Luke – You give, and then it will be given back to you.
Luk 6:38 "give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again."
Generosity breeds Blessing.. The more generous, the more you’re blessed. However, there is a qualification here..
How would you feel if someone came up to you with a present and said ‘here you go.. merry christmas’.. dumped a present in your lap, huffed and walked out. You almost would think – why bother?
Same goes with us - 2Co 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
We position ourselves for increase when we cheerfully, not out of obligation, Honour God with the first fruits of our labour
Important question: Should we keep tithing in a recession?
My answer is without doubt yes! If I stop giving, will God stop giving back? Why would the laws of sowing and reaping change .. is God part of our recession? No! God’s ways are higher than our ways – His thoughts are higher than our thoughts..
He can make a way where there seems to be nothing but barrenness.. just look up and you will see.
Positioned for Increased Income - at work
Yesterday we talked about becoming fit financially.
There were 3 main keys to becoming financially fit - the first being "Position yourself for increased income"
Here is the first practical tip shared - Being positioned for increase AT WORK:
A. At work
Eph 6:5-8 Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. (6) Don't just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ's servants doing what God wants you to do. (7) And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you're really serving God. (8) Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free.
Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich (Prov 10:4).
Let’s get really practical on what this means:
1. Be a diligent worker. This means you’re a can-do person – not just doing what you need to get by. If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well
If you slacken off on the job – are you really helping that company to stay solvent, and thereby be able to afford you?
Don’t slacken off on the job.. there are so many things we can slacken off on these days.. the internet, facebook, emails, newspapers online – I struggle with these .. the water cooler chats..
2. Be a cheerful person – with a smile on your face. How many have worked with a moody person? How many are the moody person? If we’re going to walk across the room, we can’t have a history of being a sour-puss
3. Be a Humble worker. This next tip is courtesy of my mother’s initiative of putting motivational quotes on the back of the toilet door.. so I remember many of them.. Here’s one “There is no limit to what can be accomplished if it doesn't matter who gets the credit."—Emerson Don’t let a lack of kudos, or bragging rights put limits or boundaries on how much effort you put into the job. God’s approval is the only bragging rights you need.
4. Be a Respectful worker. Show respect to your bosses even if you think they don’t deserve it. “Respectfully obey your master” What does it mean to show respect? To speak well of, to speak well to, to recognise their position with humility.. choice, not a response to them – like parents.
5. Be a Teachable Worker. James Turner’s message of responding well highlighted this – be teachable. You’re not perfect... I’m not perfect, which means we will make mistakes, not handle things the best way we could.. cut yourself and everyone else some slack and take the criticism on the chin.
Pro 15:32 He who refuses and ignores instruction and correction despises himself, but he who heeds reproof gets understanding.
If you respectfully, heartily, diligently, cheerfully and humbly obey your master – when it comes time to lay off some jobs - you’re going to make sure they really need to do because they wouldn’t let you go otherwise.
And when all this is said and done – you will be positioned for a pay rise – because the bible says good work means good pay from the Master – that’s God.. he positions you for increase.
There were 3 main keys to becoming financially fit - the first being "Position yourself for increased income"
Here is the first practical tip shared - Being positioned for increase AT WORK:
A. At work
Eph 6:5-8 Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. (6) Don't just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ's servants doing what God wants you to do. (7) And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you're really serving God. (8) Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free.
Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich (Prov 10:4).
Let’s get really practical on what this means:
1. Be a diligent worker. This means you’re a can-do person – not just doing what you need to get by. If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well
If you slacken off on the job – are you really helping that company to stay solvent, and thereby be able to afford you?
Don’t slacken off on the job.. there are so many things we can slacken off on these days.. the internet, facebook, emails, newspapers online – I struggle with these .. the water cooler chats..
2. Be a cheerful person – with a smile on your face. How many have worked with a moody person? How many are the moody person? If we’re going to walk across the room, we can’t have a history of being a sour-puss
3. Be a Humble worker. This next tip is courtesy of my mother’s initiative of putting motivational quotes on the back of the toilet door.. so I remember many of them.. Here’s one “There is no limit to what can be accomplished if it doesn't matter who gets the credit."—Emerson Don’t let a lack of kudos, or bragging rights put limits or boundaries on how much effort you put into the job. God’s approval is the only bragging rights you need.
4. Be a Respectful worker. Show respect to your bosses even if you think they don’t deserve it. “Respectfully obey your master” What does it mean to show respect? To speak well of, to speak well to, to recognise their position with humility.. choice, not a response to them – like parents.
5. Be a Teachable Worker. James Turner’s message of responding well highlighted this – be teachable. You’re not perfect... I’m not perfect, which means we will make mistakes, not handle things the best way we could.. cut yourself and everyone else some slack and take the criticism on the chin.
Pro 15:32 He who refuses and ignores instruction and correction despises himself, but he who heeds reproof gets understanding.
If you respectfully, heartily, diligently, cheerfully and humbly obey your master – when it comes time to lay off some jobs - you’re going to make sure they really need to do because they wouldn’t let you go otherwise.
And when all this is said and done – you will be positioned for a pay rise – because the bible says good work means good pay from the Master – that’s God.. he positions you for increase.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
