Rocks or You???

How will you use your voice this week and where will you point others? Each and every day we make choices about what we say and how we will use our voices. We can choose to make a lot of noise about us, about others, the world we live in or the Savior that we know.

All too often I find myself focused too much on me or others or the things going on in our world and saying very little about the Savior that I know and love. I know that my life needs to back up what I say. But there are times that I need to use my words to point others to the one who can bring life.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the crowds went wild. The religious leaders wanted Jesus to make the crowds stop. Jesus would not and said,

"I tell you if they keep quiet, the stone will cry out." Luke 19:40.

If we don't the the stones will. I don;t know about you, I don't want to be outdone by the rocks on the ground. I want to use my voice to point others to the one who gave His life and rose from the dead so that we could have life.

What will you do??? Will it be the rocks or will it be you???

Significance...

I had a great discussion with some men this morning about the issue of significance. We all want to make a difference, we all want to do something of value that will last. The question is what does bring significance and value to our lives? What motivates us as we live?

One person has said, "Significance is not possible unless what we do contributes to the welfare of others." Jesus emphasized the same point when he said,

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

If this is true, then the question we must ask is this--How am I making a difference in
the lives of others? Am I serving others or am I really trying to get them to serve me? But, let's be honest, sometimes it is hard to know if this is happening or not.

As a pastor, it is much easier for me to measure my significance by things like:

Are more people coming today than last week?

Are we meeting our budget?

Are our small groups growing?

How many positive emails do I get as opposed to negative ones?

When I do this, I find myself getting too focused on me and what I am doing and I also drive myself crazy. I do believe significance is measured by my willingness to serve others. Maybe I should ask:

Whom did I seek to serve today?

How did I respond to the one who interrupted my schedule?

What sacrifices did I make to meet the needs of someone else?

So, what do you think? How do you measure significance in your life? When you go to bed at night, how do you know if you've truly made a difference in someone's life?

I'd love to hear from you...

Talk is Cheap-Take Action...

I am always challenged by God's Word as I teach God's word. Last week we dealt with James 2:14-26. It is so easy to get up and talk about something and so challenging to put it into practice. James emphasizes that real faith will always take action and not just talk.

"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:17)


In the middle of my study last week, I received an email from a friend who was very upset with me. I had promised I would do something for him several months ago and I have not done it. My first thought was to be mad about what he was saying. Then I thought, I have plenty of reasons why I have not followed through...

I have been very busy.

He never followed up with me.

I simply forgot about it.

All are true, but none of them really matters. The truth is that I made a promise and have done nothing. As I think about it, I do that more often that I would like to admit. I say...

I will pray for you...

I will call you...

Let's get together for coffee...

And I never take action. Once more I am reminder that it's not what I say that matters, it's what I do...

So, today I am going to pick up the phone and call my friend and begin to take action on what I said. What action do you need to take today???

R U Lstening???

One of the biggest challenges that most people face is "Listening Well." At least once a week something happens that reminds me of the fact that I still have a long way to go on this one. On some level, I take comfort in the fact that this is not a new problem. It's one that the early church needed to deal with as well...

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, (James 1:19)

Here are a few things that I am trying to focus on to get better:

• Give my full and complete attention to the person: Turn off the cell phone, close my computer, turn off the tv, etc.
• I listen more and talk less. (This is a tough one for me because I have so much to say)
  
• I ask a lot of question to make certain I am understanding.
• I take notes.
• I make certain I follow up if needed.

These things are helping me but I still fall short of where I want to be...

Do any of you have any suggestions that help you become a bteer listener that might help me as well? I'd love to hear from you...

How Do You Identify Yourself?

I am starting a new teaching series this weekend called "Life: Some Assembly Required" from the book of James. It's a great book with a lot of wisdom about how to live your life and I'm so excited about teaching it.

But there is one thing that jumps out at me in James 1:1 and it's the way that James identifies himself to his readers...

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. (James 1:1)

He calls himself a SERVANT of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is quite amazing when you know who James really is. You see James is the brother of Jesus.

“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? (Matt. 13:55)

Now if I had been writing this letter, I know what I would have said. I would have said, "Hey, my name is James and I am the brother of Jesus. I grew up with him. I got to see things you don't know about. I did not always get along with Him and I did not believe He was the Messiah. But, He appeared to me after His death and resurrection (1 Cor. 15:7) and I've been convinced ever since. So, since Jesus is my brother, you can trust what I am about to tell you because I am speaking with experience and authority."

BUT, James did not do this. He never tells us anything about his background nor about his family. He simply says, I am a SERVANT of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This makes me think about how I identify myself. Sometimes I want people to know who I am and who I know. I want people to think more highly of me because of who I am..I say thinks like ...

I am a pastor and I studied at...

I am the Senior Pastor at the Bridge Church

I know so and so...

I am a husband

I am a father, etc. etc..

All of this is true, but perhaps the best way to identify myself is to simply say:
I am a SERVANT of God and the Lord Jesus Christ... Maybe if I were to do this it would help me keep the right focus about who I really am and who needs to be in the spotlight. I don't know.

Tell me, what do you think??? How do you identify yourself?