Chapter 30- I was shaped for serving God
Verse to remember - God works through different men in different ways, but is the same God who achieves his purpose through them all. 1 Cor 12:6
Question to consider- In what way can I see myself passionately serving others and loving it?
How God shapes me for ministry:
Spiritual gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personality
Experience
“Your spiritual gifts were not given for your own benefit but for the benefit of others”
I love people and I thrive on interacting with them in a real way. I am not a social butterfly and I do not care about small talk or superficial chit chat. I love to talk about matters of the heart. I am compelled to know people for who they are. I like to find ways to connect to others so I can share my faith. I love to tell people about who Jesus is to me. I would love to help lead new Christians into a deeper understanding of discipleship and how to walk the walk. I love to preach and teach Gods word and encourage others.
Chapter 31- Nobody can be like me
Verse to remember- God has given each of you some special abilities, be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others Gods many kinds of blessings 1 Peter 4:10
Question to consider- What God given ability or personal experience can I offer to my church?
According to the book I have been shaped by the following experiences
Family
Educational
Vocational
Spiritual
Ministry
Painful
I love to encourage people. I am an extrovert and I thrive on human contact. I love to communicate with people both in person as well as through the written word. I like to write short stories and articles about those things that are near and dear to my heart. I feel compelled to be transparent in my writing as I share the events of my life with others. I want people to know who Jesus is and how he is changing me from the inside. I want to teach others what I have learned through experiences and reading Gods word. I have a natural attraction towards computer technology and electronics. I love photography and capturing moments on film.
Chapter 32- God deserves my best
Verse to remember- do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth 2 Tim 2:15
Question to consider- How can I make the best use of what God has given me?
I need to prioritize my time more efficiently and find opportunities of service. I need to learn how to take what I already know and walk ti out in my life in practical ways. I need to ask God to open up doors of opportunity where I can use my spiritual gifts , abilities and experiences to minister to the needs of others. I need to stop comparing my life and ministry to other people and run the race that God has enabled me to run.
Chapter 33- I serve God by serving others
Verse to remember- If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers; you shall surely be rewarded Matt 10:42
Question to consider - which of the 6 characteristics of real servants offers the greatest challenge to me?
“We serve God by serving others”
“God shaped you for service, not for self centeredness”
“You can tell what they are by what they do”
The six characteristics of a servant are
Available to serve
Pay attention to needs
Do the best with what you have
Do every task with equal dedication
Faithful to ministry
Maintain a low profile
Being available to serve is probably the number one problem out of all 6 characteristics. If I were honest with myself I would admit that there are times that I struggle with each of these characteristics.
I live in a materialistic world that determines my value and identity by what I own and what I am able to do. You are someone if you live there, drive that and belong to this organization and have this amount of wealth. We are constantly bombarded by marketing of all types that tells us that we need all sorts of junk. Our wants have destroyed our perception of real needs and therefore we spend most of our time pursuing things, wealth and status. I can not serve God as much as I should because of bad financial decisions, debt, poor time management and the pursuit to be entertained during what little free time I do have.
On page 259 of this book there is a quote by John Wesley and it says the following
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you can” John Wesley
OUCH and double OUCH… That hurts
That means that I should pursue opportunities to do good and serve others every opportunity I get. Serving others will never be convenient or fun until God changes our hearts and gives us the desire to serve others above our own needs and happiness. Instead of looking for one opportunity per day to be good to someone I should never stop looking to serve others.
Chapter 34- To be a servant I must think like a servant
Verse to remember- your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus Phillipians 2:5
Question to consider - Am I usually more concerned about being served or finding ways to serve others?
If a need crosses my path that I can meet I usually do what I can. Do I go out of my way or inconvenience myself to see or find needs? The answer to that is no. I need to be more sensitive to others needs and be more willing to make myself available to meet some of those needs.
“Service starts in your mind”
“servants think more about others than about themselves”
“servants think like stewards, not owners”
“servants think about their work, not what others are doing”
“servants base their identity in Christ”
“servants think of ministry as opportunity , not an obligation”
Chapter 35- God works best when I admit my weaknesses
Verse to remember- My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness 2 Cor 12:9a
Question to consider- Am I limiting Gods power in my life by trying to hide my weaknesses? What do I need to be honest about in order to help others?
Yes, I am sure that I sometimes limit Gods power in my life. I am proud and sometimes arrogant. At times in my life I have been told this and my defense was that I am not arrogant but self confident. I am just very confident in my abilities.
When does self confidence turn into pride and arrogance? Can one be self confident and humble at the same time? At a very early age I rebelled against my parents authority and excessive abusive behavior towards me . I went out into the world determined to escape the abuse and do things “my way”. Life taught me some very hard lessons and I quickly realized that my parents did posses a certain amount of worldly wisdom that I if I had followed it some of my lifes lessons might not have been so painful.
Thanks to the school of hard knocks I learned at a very young age to be a survivor.
My support system most of the time was me, I and myself. I did not have a close relationship with a parent figure, mentor or friend who could speak truth into my life , give me guidance or allow me to be vulnerable to them. My nature was and still is to some degree to just “handle it” myself. I want people to think that “everything is under control”. I sometimes think that if I were to be vulnerable to people that I would be viewed as a “whiner”, “weakling” or “cry baby” that needs to just “suck it up”. It is easier for me to communicate my true feelings and struggles in writing than it is for me to be vulnerable to the fellowship of believers I go to church with.
I suppose that because I do not share with others the things that go on in my heart that they assume all is well and therefore they do not need to pursue me in an effort to connect with me. I am task and results oriented and when the feedback level is low or non existent I become discouraged and find it difficult to pursue moments of connectivity with other people. I wonder how many people feel the same way as I do? Ships passing in the night with no apparent problems or needs…..
James Moffitt
http://www.jesus-connect.net/jcmoffitt
moffittj@bellsouth.net
Saturday, February 21, 2004
The Purpose Driven Life Chatpers 27,28 & 29
Chapter 27- There is always a way out
Verse to remember- God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can not stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give into it. 1 Cor 10:13
Question to consider- who could I ask to be a spiritual partner to help me defeat a persistent temptation by praying for me?
According to this chapter defeating temptation takes these steps:
Refocus your attention on something else
Reveal your struggle to a godly friend or support group
Resist the devil
Realize your vulnerability
I have several people in my life who I am accountable to and who are willing to pray for any needs in my life. My wife is the first and foremost accountability partner since she is the closest to me and knows me better than most people.
Chapter 28- There are no shortcuts to maturity
Verse to remember- God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again. Phillipians 1:6
Question to consider- In what area of my spiritual growth do I need to be more patient and persistent?
I need to be less fearful of loss. In this chapter it states “ There is no growth without change; there is no change without fear or loss; and there is no loss without pain. “ This reminds me of one of my favorite sayings. “Through the pain onward to battle and victory.” I need to start a notebook or journal of lessons learned. I love to write anyway so this should not be difficult for me to start.
I need to be more patient with myself. I am my worst judge.
Chapter 29- Service is not optional
Verse to remember - For we are Gods workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Question to consider- What is holding me back from accepting Gods call to serve him?
This chapter tells us the following truths
You were created to serve God
You were saved to serve God
You were called to serve God
You are commanded to serve God
“Impression without expression causes depression”
The only thing that is hindering me with regards to service is the amount of time I would like spend doing it. With regards to my local congregation I wish I were in a position to do more than I am able to do. I wish I had more avenues of ministry. It seems that the larger the congregation the more opportunities to serve.
James Moffitt
http://www.jesus-connect.net/jcmoffitt
moffittj@bellsouth.net
Verse to remember- God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can not stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give into it. 1 Cor 10:13
Question to consider- who could I ask to be a spiritual partner to help me defeat a persistent temptation by praying for me?
According to this chapter defeating temptation takes these steps:
Refocus your attention on something else
Reveal your struggle to a godly friend or support group
Resist the devil
Realize your vulnerability
I have several people in my life who I am accountable to and who are willing to pray for any needs in my life. My wife is the first and foremost accountability partner since she is the closest to me and knows me better than most people.
Chapter 28- There are no shortcuts to maturity
Verse to remember- God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again. Phillipians 1:6
Question to consider- In what area of my spiritual growth do I need to be more patient and persistent?
I need to be less fearful of loss. In this chapter it states “ There is no growth without change; there is no change without fear or loss; and there is no loss without pain. “ This reminds me of one of my favorite sayings. “Through the pain onward to battle and victory.” I need to start a notebook or journal of lessons learned. I love to write anyway so this should not be difficult for me to start.
I need to be more patient with myself. I am my worst judge.
Chapter 29- Service is not optional
Verse to remember - For we are Gods workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Question to consider- What is holding me back from accepting Gods call to serve him?
This chapter tells us the following truths
You were created to serve God
You were saved to serve God
You were called to serve God
You are commanded to serve God
“Impression without expression causes depression”
The only thing that is hindering me with regards to service is the amount of time I would like spend doing it. With regards to my local congregation I wish I were in a position to do more than I am able to do. I wish I had more avenues of ministry. It seems that the larger the congregation the more opportunities to serve.
James Moffitt
http://www.jesus-connect.net/jcmoffitt
moffittj@bellsouth.net
The Purpose Driven Life Devotional Chapters 24-26
The Purpose Drive Life - Day 24,25 &26
Chapter 24 -The truth transforms us
Verse to remember - If you continue in my word, then are you disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32
Question to consider- what has God already told me in his word that I have not started yet?
The following quotes in this chapter stand out to me.
"The truth transforms us"
"Gods word generates life, creates faith, produces change, frightens the devil, causes miracles, heals hurts, builds character, transforms circumstances, imparts joy, overcomes adversity, defeats temptation, infuses hope, releases power, cleanses our minds, brings things into being, and guarantees our future forever"
"We cannot live without the word of God"
"Never take the word of God for granted"
Abiding in Gods word includes these activities
I must ACCEPT its authority
I must ASSIMILATE its truth
I must APPLY its principles
"Memorizing Bible verses helps resist temptation, make wise decisions, reduce stress, build confidence, offer good advice and enables me to share my faith with others."
"The truth will set you free, but first it may make you miserable! Gods word exposes our motives, points out our faults, rebukes our sin, and expects us to change"
"The bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives"
To answer the question for this chapter will require brutal honesty. I have spent most of my time after spiritual rebirth gaining knowledge about God and his word. I have spent countless hours on intense bible study and preparation to teach what I have learned about Gods word to others. However I have not applied everything learned in practical ways to my life.
I guess that if I were honest I would have to say that I have practiced "sporadic obedience." Perhaps I could further define it as periods of being on a spiritual rollercoaster. On page 187 it says "many of our troubles occur because we base our choices on unreliable authorities: culture, tradition, reason and emotion." Our sin nature automatically engages all of these authorities if we are not careful. I have fallen victim to all four of these at different times in my life. Here are some action items I need to take.
I will read Gods word every day and not when I feel like it or when it is convenient
I will practice better self control with regards to being a good steward with my finances.
I will actively pursue opportunities to serve my immediate family, my church body and the community God placed me in.
I will purpose in my heart to find the good in people I meet and leave their problems and faults with God.
I will purpose to connect with other men in my community for the purpose of developing relationships so that we can grow in grace and spiritual maturity together.
I will purpose in my heart to renew my mind and heart through Gods word instead of trying to find multiple ways to be entertained and just burn empty time.
Chapter 25- There is a purpose behind every problem
Verse to remember- And we know that in all things God works for the good of those that love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Question to consider- What problem in my life has caused the greatest growth in me?
The following quotes in this chapter stood out for me.
"If you look at the world, you will be distressed. If you look at within, you will be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you will be at rest! Your focus will determine your feelings"
"Character building is a slow process"
I have had 3 major events in my life that have caused the most spiritual growth.
Event one happened when I was just 3 or 4 months old in Christ. I was a fire insurance Christian and I only called upon God when I was in trouble. I called Jesus savior but he was not the Lord of all. I lived life with me being in the center of the throne room of my heart and not God. I spent 45 days in a street rescue mission called The Star of Hope Mission where God got my undivided attention.
Event TWO happened when I experienced a divorce from my first wife and separation from the family I loved. I was devastated, angry, bitter and resentful towards my ex wife, her family and God. One of the things that I learned was that it takes 2 people to experience divorce and I had to recognize my participation in both conscious and unconscious sin that helped to destroy the relationship. I also experienced the pain and anxiety of separation from the two people that I loved with every fiber of my being. I learned during this time that God is always there and is able to comfort, strengthen and heal when no one else is.
Event 3 is when we lost our daughter Jessica to cancer. The most difficult part of this loss was to realize that Jessica was not ours. Jessica is Gods child. God allows us to experience the lives of children and to manage their day to day details. We are able to enjoy the many joys and trails that they face. We are reminded of our parent child relationship with God as we attempt to be Godly parents to our children. Our humanity is reflected back to us from our children as constant reminders of our need for humility and a real connection with our creator.
Chapter 26- Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.
Verse to remember- God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterwards they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him James 1:12
Question to consider - What Christ like character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?
The following quotes stood out for me in this chapter.
"God develops real peace within us, not by making things go the way we planned, but by allowing times of chaos and confusion"
"We learn real peace by choosing to trust God in circumstances in which we are tempted to worry or be afraid."
"We learn real peace by choosing to trust God in circumstances in which we are tempted to worry or be afraid"
I keep coming back to the theme with regards to my response to tests in my life. I always want for life to be smooth sailing. Why me Lord and what have I done to deserve this situation or these circumstances are questions I always seem to ask. I believe that ultimately I tend to do what is right with regards to being faithful and enduring hardship. My problem is I start out acting surprised at the circumstances of a situation and spend my initial moments mentally reacting to it as if the situation is not fair. Nothing in life is fair. We live in a fallen world and bad things happen to good people just as good things happen to bad people.
Sometimes I react wrong emotionally to circumstances and make poor choices. I can truly say that I am learning what it means to have peace and joy in the midst of trials in my life.
James Moffitt
http://www.jesus-connect.net/jcmoffitt
moffittj@bellsouth.net
Chapter 24 -The truth transforms us
Verse to remember - If you continue in my word, then are you disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32
Question to consider- what has God already told me in his word that I have not started yet?
The following quotes in this chapter stand out to me.
"The truth transforms us"
"Gods word generates life, creates faith, produces change, frightens the devil, causes miracles, heals hurts, builds character, transforms circumstances, imparts joy, overcomes adversity, defeats temptation, infuses hope, releases power, cleanses our minds, brings things into being, and guarantees our future forever"
"We cannot live without the word of God"
"Never take the word of God for granted"
Abiding in Gods word includes these activities
I must ACCEPT its authority
I must ASSIMILATE its truth
I must APPLY its principles
"Memorizing Bible verses helps resist temptation, make wise decisions, reduce stress, build confidence, offer good advice and enables me to share my faith with others."
"The truth will set you free, but first it may make you miserable! Gods word exposes our motives, points out our faults, rebukes our sin, and expects us to change"
"The bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives"
To answer the question for this chapter will require brutal honesty. I have spent most of my time after spiritual rebirth gaining knowledge about God and his word. I have spent countless hours on intense bible study and preparation to teach what I have learned about Gods word to others. However I have not applied everything learned in practical ways to my life.
I guess that if I were honest I would have to say that I have practiced "sporadic obedience." Perhaps I could further define it as periods of being on a spiritual rollercoaster. On page 187 it says "many of our troubles occur because we base our choices on unreliable authorities: culture, tradition, reason and emotion." Our sin nature automatically engages all of these authorities if we are not careful. I have fallen victim to all four of these at different times in my life. Here are some action items I need to take.
I will read Gods word every day and not when I feel like it or when it is convenient
I will practice better self control with regards to being a good steward with my finances.
I will actively pursue opportunities to serve my immediate family, my church body and the community God placed me in.
I will purpose in my heart to find the good in people I meet and leave their problems and faults with God.
I will purpose to connect with other men in my community for the purpose of developing relationships so that we can grow in grace and spiritual maturity together.
I will purpose in my heart to renew my mind and heart through Gods word instead of trying to find multiple ways to be entertained and just burn empty time.
Chapter 25- There is a purpose behind every problem
Verse to remember- And we know that in all things God works for the good of those that love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Question to consider- What problem in my life has caused the greatest growth in me?
The following quotes in this chapter stood out for me.
"If you look at the world, you will be distressed. If you look at within, you will be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you will be at rest! Your focus will determine your feelings"
"Character building is a slow process"
I have had 3 major events in my life that have caused the most spiritual growth.
Event one happened when I was just 3 or 4 months old in Christ. I was a fire insurance Christian and I only called upon God when I was in trouble. I called Jesus savior but he was not the Lord of all. I lived life with me being in the center of the throne room of my heart and not God. I spent 45 days in a street rescue mission called The Star of Hope Mission where God got my undivided attention.
Event TWO happened when I experienced a divorce from my first wife and separation from the family I loved. I was devastated, angry, bitter and resentful towards my ex wife, her family and God. One of the things that I learned was that it takes 2 people to experience divorce and I had to recognize my participation in both conscious and unconscious sin that helped to destroy the relationship. I also experienced the pain and anxiety of separation from the two people that I loved with every fiber of my being. I learned during this time that God is always there and is able to comfort, strengthen and heal when no one else is.
Event 3 is when we lost our daughter Jessica to cancer. The most difficult part of this loss was to realize that Jessica was not ours. Jessica is Gods child. God allows us to experience the lives of children and to manage their day to day details. We are able to enjoy the many joys and trails that they face. We are reminded of our parent child relationship with God as we attempt to be Godly parents to our children. Our humanity is reflected back to us from our children as constant reminders of our need for humility and a real connection with our creator.
Chapter 26- Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.
Verse to remember- God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterwards they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him James 1:12
Question to consider - What Christ like character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?
The following quotes stood out for me in this chapter.
"God develops real peace within us, not by making things go the way we planned, but by allowing times of chaos and confusion"
"We learn real peace by choosing to trust God in circumstances in which we are tempted to worry or be afraid."
"We learn real peace by choosing to trust God in circumstances in which we are tempted to worry or be afraid"
I keep coming back to the theme with regards to my response to tests in my life. I always want for life to be smooth sailing. Why me Lord and what have I done to deserve this situation or these circumstances are questions I always seem to ask. I believe that ultimately I tend to do what is right with regards to being faithful and enduring hardship. My problem is I start out acting surprised at the circumstances of a situation and spend my initial moments mentally reacting to it as if the situation is not fair. Nothing in life is fair. We live in a fallen world and bad things happen to good people just as good things happen to bad people.
Sometimes I react wrong emotionally to circumstances and make poor choices. I can truly say that I am learning what it means to have peace and joy in the midst of trials in my life.
James Moffitt
http://www.jesus-connect.net/jcmoffitt
moffittj@bellsouth.net
Monday, February 16, 2004
Living in the shadow of a stupid ground hog....
Who started listening to ground hogs with regards to predicting our weather anyway? The ground hog saw his shadow the other day and I guess that means 6 more weeks of winter weather. Did anyone think about relocating the ground hog to another part of the globe where the sun would be directly on top of his little noggin and therefore would be NO shadow? Sheesh... Yes, I did think about taking OUT the ground hog but resisted any excessive excitement about that option just in case our friends from PETA were reading my drivel.... LOL. Like they would be reading MY blog.... NOT....
This weekend downtown Charleston was in full swing with visitors from who knows where. I have not seen that many umbrellas this side of Niagra Falls. I am wondering IF these people who visited our fine city decided to visit BECAUSE of the 2 day rain storms or IF they were locked into the visit because of having planned their weekend jaunt to our fine city months ago? Either way, I hope that they re think their planning strategies for next year and NOT visit us in the midst of the winter months. Dont get me wrong, Charleston certainly has its fair share of tourist trap goodies to visit and remove your disposable income from your possesion. I am hoping that because they are able to do this so effectively (like most tourist traps) that someone in city hall will think about fixing some of the pot holes and streets in our fine city. GASP.... Imagine that thought...
Luckily for me I was able to observe the happenings all around me at work from the vantage point of my favorite parking garage. Cough.... It is amazing to me how many people look at things from a horizontal view point. It seems as if no one ever looks up past the second story of any dwelling. Well, at least they don't until the passing pigeon deposits a prize on their noggins. If that happens DO NOT look up because the pigeons fly in numbers and if they are all on the same schedule you may get more than you bargained for.
It is Presidents Day and most Government Employees are enjoying a day AWAY from their cubicle prisons. Wahoooo! What a deal. If you are lucky you are getting paid for being off today as well. This is my regular day off so I am off regardless of what President we are honoring or what ground hogs see when they look at the ground. The kids just got back from the Dentist in Mt Pleasant and got their teeth cleaned. I guess I will need sun glasses now to see their beautiful smiles. I am on Day 29 of my 40 days of purpose (porpoise) devotional study by Rick Warren.
The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church are two indespensible books for your library so if you don't have them rush right over to your nearest Christian Bookstore URL and get them. Experiencing God Day by Day is another book that has the same theme. Both authors , Blackaby and Warren have Southern Baptist Convention backgrounds if you are interested in that type of trivia. I have encouraged several friends to get this book and engage in working through the 40 days. One friend told me that she has had the book in her posession but has not chosen to do anything other than collect dust with it. Another friend is just starting the book and is beginning to work through the contents. Did I say that this book is not intended to make your comfortable or help you to stay wrapped up in your current security blanket? This book is not light reading either. You will either love this book or you will hate it. The book will challenge you to examine your views about a lot of different things with regards to your faith. Are you ready for that? Are you ready for change? Change means sacrifice and loss and therefore sometimes pain. Do you have some extra Excedrin in the medicine closet? If you do, it wont help. The Holy Spirit will be the only one that can administer healing with regards to the change and pain I am talking about. I wish you Jesus should you undertake this study. Get a pen, journal notepad and a nice cup of coffee and get started.
I am currently working on growing the membership of Jesus Connect Ministries BBS Jesus Connect Ministries BBS We have gone from 5 members to 16 members in the last 4 to 6 weeks. I can not tell you how excited about that I am. Well, yes, actually I can tell you. I am absolutely happy about it. We are paying an ISP to Co-host our server on their Internet backbone so we need to start using it for the glory of God.... If we are not then we are not being good stewards of what God has given us. Click on over to this location and see what is going on. Jump right in and tell us who you are and how you found us. You will be able to READ as a guest but you will need to sign up for an account to post a message so as soon as I see you requesting access I will process your account.
I hope you have a wonderful week! Keep Jesus Christ number ONE in your life. Its all about God, not about me...
God bless
Monday, February 09, 2004
How bad can my bowling get ??
My AVERAGE is going backwards instead of FORWARD. Sigh.... Yes, I NEED, I WANT a wha whaa whaaambulance....
I am seriously thinking about doing something else on Monday nights. I can barely break a score of 100 for the last two weeks. My last game was the BEST game tonight and it was a whopping 112! Cough..... GAG.... I am feeling ill....
What can I do that does not require hand eye coordination ? I need to take a cannon with me next week OR a broom stick handle so I can lash two bowling balls together. I might hit the head pin that way. LOL....
I am seriously thinking about doing something else on Monday nights. I can barely break a score of 100 for the last two weeks. My last game was the BEST game tonight and it was a whopping 112! Cough..... GAG.... I am feeling ill....
What can I do that does not require hand eye coordination ? I need to take a cannon with me next week OR a broom stick handle so I can lash two bowling balls together. I might hit the head pin that way. LOL....
Thursday, February 05, 2004
40 Days of Purpose Chapters 20 -23
Day 20- Relationships are always worth restoring
Verse to remember-Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody. Romans 12:18
Question to consider- Who do I need to restore a broken relationship with today?
Regarding the true definition of a broken relationship I can think of several.
Mother- unable to reconcile, tried several years and failed
Sister- lifestyle justification issues
Jeremy - time
Creditors - need to pay off debt
My father died in 1990 of cancer. Shortly before his death I attempted to make some type of amends with our shattered relationship. I wont go into all the gory details but I will say that we were never close to one another. As for my mother I spent between 2 to 3 years trying to reconcile our relationship. My mother and father adopted my sister and I. Both parents were strict disciplinarians and my sister and I both rebelled. As young adults our parents chose to disown us. We did not meet their standards of perfection. I spent a lot of time in the late 90's trying to reconcile my relationship with my mother. All my mother was willing to do was to regurgitate every single mistake that I have ever made and reinforce in her mind why I was not worthy of her time nor was she interested in knowing her grandchildren.
My sister Tanya who is 2 years older than me has her fair share of broken relationships, emotional baggage and problems. My sister moved to Canton Ohio many years ago and because of that we have not been very close. My sister revealed to me that she has been engaged in a homosexual lifestyle and expected me to affirm her and encourage her choices. Because I did not do that our relationship was strained to the point that we did not talk for several years. In the last couple of years I have managed to make a trip to Canton Ohio and spend some time with my sister trying to encourage her to make some tough decisions.
My son Jeremy who lives near Houston Texas will be 18 years old this year. We are not as close as I would like to be and part of that reason is because I have failed to stay close to him. In August of 1997 my family and I moved from Houston Texas to Atlanta Georgia. My moving made any type of close relationship almost impossible for us to maintain. Before our move our relationship was not the closest in the world but it was easier and more convenient for Jeremy and I to spend time together when I lived in the same city as him. I have been told that my moving away and taking contract jobs that kept me away from him reflected my lack of concern for his feelings. So, I guess that I have done some damage. I hope that it is not permanent and when Jeremy becomes an adult that he will be able to choose to reach out to me more than he has in the last 17 years.
My creditors would love for me to reconcile my relationships with them. We owe, we owe, off to work we go. How many of us sing that song because we are up to our eyeballs in debt. I am not stranger to debt and thanks to bankruptcy and a divorce my credit has been screwed up for years. I have also made some bad decisions after the bankruptcy that has not helped me either with regards to credit.
Chapter 21- It is my responsibility to protect the unity of the church
Verse to remember - Let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony and the growth of our fellowship together. Romans 14:19
Question to consider- what am I personally doing to protect unity in my church family right now?
I am remaining faithful and committed to the church body and the ministry that goes on within the body of Christ there. On page 161 we are instructed to "focus on what we have in common, not our differences". "We should value and enjoy those differences, not merely tolerate them."
On page 162 we see the following principle. "Be realistic in your expectations". "once you discover what God intends real fellowship to be it is easy to become discouraged by the gap between the IDEAL and the REAL in your church". "Yet we must passionately love the church in spite of its imperfections."
Having read this chapter I am reminded of two things. If I ever want the "ideal" fellowship to happen I will need to exemplify what "real" fellowship is through my actions. The second thing I have learned is that I need to constantly remind myself that everyone is on a unique path of their own and for me to expect them to understand and grasp the things I do is unrealistic. I wonder how many of my brothers or sisters in the Lord think the same thing of me? Gosh, why doesn't James get it?? Instead of focusing on the future of "real" fellowship at Grace Fellowship I need to find a way to focus on those things that we as a body of Christ DO have in common now and build on that. The following commands are excellent suggestions to protect unity in our church. " Choose to encourage rather than criticize". "Refuse to listen to gossip". "Practice Gods method for conflict resolution" "Support your pastor and leaders".
Chapter 22 - I was created to become like Christ
Verse to remember - As the spirit of the Lord works within us , we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. 2 Corinthians 3:18b
Question to consider - In what area of my life do I need to ask for the spirits power to be like Christ today?
The following statements are important to me in this chapter.
"every time you forget that character is one of Gods purposes for your ulife, you will become frustrated by your circumstances"
"life is supposed to be difficult ! It is what enables us to grow"
I need to learn how to welcome and embrace difficult circumstances in my life. I am like most people in that I do not cherish conflicts but would rather life to be hassle free and smooth sailing. I want my needs met but I also desire to have those things that I see others have. Lately I have found myself envious of people who appear to have extremely stable lives. That is my perception from where I am standing. Those people are those who have been able to keep a job for longer than 2 years, have a home they are purchasing, drive new cars etc. I realize that jealousy and envy is sin and I also acknowledge that some folks have made wise choices in their life that enables them to have certain things and enjoy certain activities and social status. I am reminded today that perhaps I do not see what goes on behind the perception I have with regards to stability in the lives of others. Maybe those people struggle in other areas of their lives that I can not see. Maybe their struggles in the areas of life that they are in are those character building blocks that Christ is using to bring them into likeness with him.
I need to take my eyes off of other people and their circumstances and outward appearances and stop comparing my life with theirs. I need to focus on my own life struggles and learn those lessons and character building that I can receive as I am going through them. I need to quit asking "Why me Lord" and "why cant I have a break just for a little bit" and "why do I have to go through long periods of intense battle and struggle". I need to learn to be thankful for God placing his grace and mercy on my life and caring enough about me to lead me through the trials and tribulations of daily sanctification. I am reminded of Christ praying in the garden knowing what was ahead of him. He asked God to remove the cup from him if at all possible but nevertheless that His will be done on earth and not his own. As I whine and moan and complain that life is so tough I am sinning against God. I need the Holy Spirit to give me the strength to perceive life as a character building and as a challenge to be obedient and make the right choices.
I also need assistance in the area of being servant. I need to learn how to seek out the needs of others and do whatever I am able to do to minister to them. I need to be more selfless and self seeking.
Verse to remember-Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody. Romans 12:18
Question to consider- Who do I need to restore a broken relationship with today?
Regarding the true definition of a broken relationship I can think of several.
Mother- unable to reconcile, tried several years and failed
Sister- lifestyle justification issues
Jeremy - time
Creditors - need to pay off debt
My father died in 1990 of cancer. Shortly before his death I attempted to make some type of amends with our shattered relationship. I wont go into all the gory details but I will say that we were never close to one another. As for my mother I spent between 2 to 3 years trying to reconcile our relationship. My mother and father adopted my sister and I. Both parents were strict disciplinarians and my sister and I both rebelled. As young adults our parents chose to disown us. We did not meet their standards of perfection. I spent a lot of time in the late 90's trying to reconcile my relationship with my mother. All my mother was willing to do was to regurgitate every single mistake that I have ever made and reinforce in her mind why I was not worthy of her time nor was she interested in knowing her grandchildren.
My sister Tanya who is 2 years older than me has her fair share of broken relationships, emotional baggage and problems. My sister moved to Canton Ohio many years ago and because of that we have not been very close. My sister revealed to me that she has been engaged in a homosexual lifestyle and expected me to affirm her and encourage her choices. Because I did not do that our relationship was strained to the point that we did not talk for several years. In the last couple of years I have managed to make a trip to Canton Ohio and spend some time with my sister trying to encourage her to make some tough decisions.
My son Jeremy who lives near Houston Texas will be 18 years old this year. We are not as close as I would like to be and part of that reason is because I have failed to stay close to him. In August of 1997 my family and I moved from Houston Texas to Atlanta Georgia. My moving made any type of close relationship almost impossible for us to maintain. Before our move our relationship was not the closest in the world but it was easier and more convenient for Jeremy and I to spend time together when I lived in the same city as him. I have been told that my moving away and taking contract jobs that kept me away from him reflected my lack of concern for his feelings. So, I guess that I have done some damage. I hope that it is not permanent and when Jeremy becomes an adult that he will be able to choose to reach out to me more than he has in the last 17 years.
My creditors would love for me to reconcile my relationships with them. We owe, we owe, off to work we go. How many of us sing that song because we are up to our eyeballs in debt. I am not stranger to debt and thanks to bankruptcy and a divorce my credit has been screwed up for years. I have also made some bad decisions after the bankruptcy that has not helped me either with regards to credit.
Chapter 21- It is my responsibility to protect the unity of the church
Verse to remember - Let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony and the growth of our fellowship together. Romans 14:19
Question to consider- what am I personally doing to protect unity in my church family right now?
I am remaining faithful and committed to the church body and the ministry that goes on within the body of Christ there. On page 161 we are instructed to "focus on what we have in common, not our differences". "We should value and enjoy those differences, not merely tolerate them."
On page 162 we see the following principle. "Be realistic in your expectations". "once you discover what God intends real fellowship to be it is easy to become discouraged by the gap between the IDEAL and the REAL in your church". "Yet we must passionately love the church in spite of its imperfections."
Having read this chapter I am reminded of two things. If I ever want the "ideal" fellowship to happen I will need to exemplify what "real" fellowship is through my actions. The second thing I have learned is that I need to constantly remind myself that everyone is on a unique path of their own and for me to expect them to understand and grasp the things I do is unrealistic. I wonder how many of my brothers or sisters in the Lord think the same thing of me? Gosh, why doesn't James get it?? Instead of focusing on the future of "real" fellowship at Grace Fellowship I need to find a way to focus on those things that we as a body of Christ DO have in common now and build on that. The following commands are excellent suggestions to protect unity in our church. " Choose to encourage rather than criticize". "Refuse to listen to gossip". "Practice Gods method for conflict resolution" "Support your pastor and leaders".
Chapter 22 - I was created to become like Christ
Verse to remember - As the spirit of the Lord works within us , we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. 2 Corinthians 3:18b
Question to consider - In what area of my life do I need to ask for the spirits power to be like Christ today?
The following statements are important to me in this chapter.
"every time you forget that character is one of Gods purposes for your ulife, you will become frustrated by your circumstances"
"life is supposed to be difficult ! It is what enables us to grow"
I need to learn how to welcome and embrace difficult circumstances in my life. I am like most people in that I do not cherish conflicts but would rather life to be hassle free and smooth sailing. I want my needs met but I also desire to have those things that I see others have. Lately I have found myself envious of people who appear to have extremely stable lives. That is my perception from where I am standing. Those people are those who have been able to keep a job for longer than 2 years, have a home they are purchasing, drive new cars etc. I realize that jealousy and envy is sin and I also acknowledge that some folks have made wise choices in their life that enables them to have certain things and enjoy certain activities and social status. I am reminded today that perhaps I do not see what goes on behind the perception I have with regards to stability in the lives of others. Maybe those people struggle in other areas of their lives that I can not see. Maybe their struggles in the areas of life that they are in are those character building blocks that Christ is using to bring them into likeness with him.
I need to take my eyes off of other people and their circumstances and outward appearances and stop comparing my life with theirs. I need to focus on my own life struggles and learn those lessons and character building that I can receive as I am going through them. I need to quit asking "Why me Lord" and "why cant I have a break just for a little bit" and "why do I have to go through long periods of intense battle and struggle". I need to learn to be thankful for God placing his grace and mercy on my life and caring enough about me to lead me through the trials and tribulations of daily sanctification. I am reminded of Christ praying in the garden knowing what was ahead of him. He asked God to remove the cup from him if at all possible but nevertheless that His will be done on earth and not his own. As I whine and moan and complain that life is so tough I am sinning against God. I need the Holy Spirit to give me the strength to perceive life as a character building and as a challenge to be obedient and make the right choices.
I also need assistance in the area of being servant. I need to learn how to seek out the needs of others and do whatever I am able to do to minister to them. I need to be more selfless and self seeking.
What COLOR will this font be?
It seems as if a LOT of the text is RED for some reason. I usually like to use RED to highlight a specific point or hot topic within my writing. I certainly do NOT like to use RED for the main color though. Hummmmm... Lets see what happens to this text...
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
Written by Rick Schatz, President and CEO of the National Coalition for the
I received this article from Rick Schatz because I am subscribed to his newsletter. I agree with everything that is said in this article and want to use my BLOG as a place to SHOUT IT FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP......
I have always said that we live in a REAL world with REAL PROBLEMS and we have a REAL SOLUTION and that solution is Jesus Christ living within me. I have always said that if the CHRISTIAN community would stand up and RAISE their voices and say that ENOUGH is ENOUGH that the secular world would HAVE to listen. That does not always mean that the world is going to change its wicked ways. What it DOES mean is that our voices will be heard and the world will have yet ANOTHER opportunity to choose righteousness over wickedness. How will the world KNOW that what they are doing offends God IF we as Christians sit back quietly and say nothing. Apathy and cowardice in the face of the majority will NEVER change one single thing in this world. I have also said that the church as a whole is apathetic and complacent because the church is not willing to DO WHAT IT TAKES to make a difference. Sometimes making a difference means to sacrifice something. Those things can include time, talents, money, power, prestige, popularity and our own private security zones we like to stay warm in.
I am thankful for organizations like this one that are willing to do what it takes to be heard. I stand behind what they are doing.
God bless
From: Rick Schatz, President and CEO
Date: 02/03/04 11:54:23
To: james@jesus-connect.net
Subject: MTV THUMBS ITS NOSE AT PARENTS
WELCOME!
IN THE NEWS
MTV THUMBS ITS NOSE AT PARENTS DURING HALFTIME SHOW
MTV's halftime show was a slap in the face to parents and youngsters across the country, said the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families.
"The last thing a parent expects to see when they sit down with their family to watch the Super Bowl is Janet Jackson's breast," said Rick Schatz, president and CEO of the National Coalition.
"The Super Bowl provides a unique opportunity in that it can be enjoyed by viewers of all ages. To feature a halftime show that requires parents to send their kids out of the room is unconscionable."
The Super Bowl started out with a beautiful tribute to NASA and the space shuttle astronauts who lost their lives a year ago but it went rapidly downhill with the halftime show.
Parents who gathered to watch the show with their kids were blindsided not only by the baring of Jackson's breast but also by the freak dancing, crotch grabbing and sexualized lyrics of the music.
"CBS clearly made a very poor choice in having MTV design and produce the content of the halftime show," Schatz noted. "The MTV ideology is clearly aimed at promoting a sexualized lifestyle to teens. This time they got the chance to do it on broadcast television instead of cable."
Even the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission called the incident a "classless, crass and deplorable stunt." The commission has already agreed to launch an investigation.
The National Coalition will be polling its constituents to get their feedback on the halftime show. In addition, the organization will be focusing on informing parents about what they really get when they pay for MTV in their cable package.
Please let us know if you watched the halftime show and what you thought of it. Please send us your comments at ncpcf@nationalcoalition.org.
KUDOS TO ABERCROMBIE & FITCH FOR CLEANING UP ITS ACT
The National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families has officially called off its boycott of clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch.
"We've seen some stunning developments at A&F," said Rick Schatz, president and CEO of the National Coalition. "Not only did they retire the 'magalog' in December but also they have unveiled their spring clothing line without resorting to the offensive, sexualized messages of the past."
Schatz has been in conversations with A&F's Director of Investor Relations and Communications, who assured him that the clothing company had dramatically changed its marketing methods.
"We've seen evidence on A&F's web site and in their stores that things have indeed changed," noted Schatz. "The people spoke, the company listened, and it has done the right thing."
The National Coalition launched its awareness campaign against A&F on Nov. 10. By December 6, the company had retired its "magalog," which was filled with nudity and text that promoted risky sexual behavior.
More than 30,000 people signed the National Coalition's online petition or called to express their outrage. A&F's in-store sales dropped as did their stock, and they received an abundance of negative press.
Schatz added that A&F's decision to change the way it markets clothing to teens and young adults underscores the fact that when thousands of concerned consumers speak with one voice, they can change the culture.
Visit our website for more details at http://www.nationalcoalition.org.
MICHAEL CRAVEN DEBATES ACLU AT UC BERKELEY
Michael Craven, the National Coalition's vice president for religious and cultural affairs, debated representatives from the ACLU on the subjects of homosexuality and same-sex marriage Jan. 28.
Before a visibly hostile crowd of 600-plus students at the University of California, Berkeley, Craven presented the sociological and historical perspectives regarding not just homosexuality but other matters of moral truth related to sexuality.
"What I saw was a generation of young people who are desperately interested in knowing the truth," Craven said. "And I realized that what was important was not simply to win the debate but to demonstrate the light and love of Christ."
Despite the unbalanced nature of the debate, Craven's attempts to present reasonable and rational arguments for marriage between one man and one woman didn't go unheard. He was approached by more than 30 students at the close of the debate, all of whom disagreed with his position but were moved by the calm and compassionate way in which he spoke.
"I realized how important it is that we focus on people, not just the issue," he said. "When we reflect Christ's own grief and compassion for those who don't understand truth, then we can impact their hearts."
Go to our website for current news and information
National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families
800 Compton Rd
Suite 9224
Cincinnati, OH 45231
Phone: 513-521-6227
http://www.nationalcoalition.org
The vision of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families (NCPCF) is to move the people of God to embrace, live out and defend the biblical truth of sexuality. We work to promote a return to Judeo-Christian values in the areas of human sexuality and relationships.
However, we cannot do it alone. Your help is greatly needed and a financial gift could make a great difference in the fight to protect children and families from the effects of pornography and the sexualized messages of today's culture and to motivate God's people to assert an informed Christian worldview in matters of public policy and debate as they relate to sexuality. NCPCF is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt status organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
How do I discontinue my membership/subscription to this e-mail list? Do not respond to this e-mail for any reason. To discontinue your membership automatically, please follow the link below.
If you experience any technical problems and/or do not receive confirmation that your request has been completed online, please postal mail, phone or fax your request using the contact information listed above. Your request will be processed within 10 days of the receipt of your request.
Monday, February 02, 2004
Galatians 6:10
Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Gal 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Katy called me the other day when I was at work. Honey, who do we know that lives in Columbus Ohio? I told her that my sister Tanya lives somewhere in Canton Ohio but other than that I did not know IF I actually know of someone. Katy tells me that this person sent us CASH in an envelope with Galatians 6:10 printed on it with no name, no return address , no nothing...
As you know, I was out of work for most of 2003. We managed to scrape by on what unemployment paid me which was 7.50 per hour. Yes, our needs were met and for that we are deeply grateful. There were days when we wondered WHEN the needs would be met and things got sort of ugly. Nevertheless we never were homeless, always had something to eat and the "needs" were met....
The amount of money that was in the envelope was enough money to move our checking account out of the RED and back into the BLACK.... Praise God for that...
Thank you Jesus!!!
MSNBC - German cannibal sentenced to 8 1/2 years
MSNBC - German cannibal sentenced to 8 1/2 years
Highlight this statement in your brain and see if you can BELIEVE this lunatic actually said this in court.
"I had my big kick and I don't need to do it again," he said. "I regret it all very much, but I can't undo it."
ONLY 8.5 years for killing and EATING his victim. Can we really believe that anyone in their right mind would WANT to be stabbed to death and eaten by a stranger????
Come soon Lord Jesus, come soon!!!!
Highlight this statement in your brain and see if you can BELIEVE this lunatic actually said this in court.
"I had my big kick and I don't need to do it again," he said. "I regret it all very much, but I can't undo it."
ONLY 8.5 years for killing and EATING his victim. Can we really believe that anyone in their right mind would WANT to be stabbed to death and eaten by a stranger????
Come soon Lord Jesus, come soon!!!!
MSNBC - Justin, Janet not only boobs at Super sleazefest
MSNBC - Justin, Janet not only boobs at Super sleazefest
OH MY GOSH.... I "thought" that is what happened BUT the cameras turned off of the scene so quickly I just forgot about it. Apparently my eyes did not deceive me. My oh my.... How SAD is that? I have to agree that the half time show was absolutely disgusting. I hope no one PAID good money to see that disaster...
OH MY GOSH.... I "thought" that is what happened BUT the cameras turned off of the scene so quickly I just forgot about it. Apparently my eyes did not deceive me. My oh my.... How SAD is that? I have to agree that the half time show was absolutely disgusting. I hope no one PAID good money to see that disaster...
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
BLOGGER - Knowledge Base - What is Atom?
BLOGGER - Knowledge Base - What is Atom?
Just when you thought you knew what ATOM was.....
How many BLOGS or WEB LOGS do you TRY to keep up with? If it is more than two then you NEED to get with the program and install a Newsfeed reader or RSS Reader so that you can SUBSCRIBE to all of your favorite BLOGS. When you have the urge to read or catch up on your favorite drivel spots all you do is fire up the program and have it refresh the newly syndicated BLOGS. Then you just go to the BLOG that shows a change. I use BLOG EXPRESS and it is VERY easy to install and use. Just a thought folks..... Ok, back to ATOM, enjoy this article....
Just when you thought you knew what ATOM was.....
How many BLOGS or WEB LOGS do you TRY to keep up with? If it is more than two then you NEED to get with the program and install a Newsfeed reader or RSS Reader so that you can SUBSCRIBE to all of your favorite BLOGS. When you have the urge to read or catch up on your favorite drivel spots all you do is fire up the program and have it refresh the newly syndicated BLOGS. Then you just go to the BLOG that shows a change. I use BLOG EXPRESS and it is VERY easy to install and use. Just a thought folks..... Ok, back to ATOM, enjoy this article....
What does our doublewide look like?
I WAS going to share BEFORE and AFTER pictures of the "cleaning" experience BUT someone "family" had 51 images sitting on the digital camera and it was OUT of memory to add more. #$%^%$&*(*&^%$. Somehow, I am the ONLY person in this family that knows HOW to remove the pictures off the camera and export them to the main computer....
ANYWAY, I did my thing today and transferred the older pictures off the camera and made room for the new ones. The following pictures are the AFTER pictures of a clean doublewide trailer. Wahooooo
I know, I need to take the mattress and bed fram leaning up against the porch to the county dump.... I will do it soon!!!
MyDoom - ZDNet: Reviews
MyDoom - ZDNet: Reviews
PLEASE BE AWARE of this latest computer virus... UPDATE your virus signatures TODAY and do a full scan of your system if you have NOT done so recently.
Thanks
PLEASE BE AWARE of this latest computer virus... UPDATE your virus signatures TODAY and do a full scan of your system if you have NOT done so recently.
Thanks
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Riddle me this batgirl.....
I posted this in our Happy Days and Special Times Yahoo group just now and thought I would share it....
Dont tell anyone BUT I am cooking my own breakfast. I can not remember the last time I attempted this. It is funny but I watched the cat "sparkles" sneak up on the pan that had the Jimmy Deans MILD sausage sitting waiting to be cooked. She did not seem to have a taste for raw sausage. haahahahahaha
Who is smarter, man or cat? I can hear the laughter now.... I captured aforementioned feline and tossed her outside. Little did I know she made a bee line for the open window by the STOVE. Guess who pops in for ANOTHER visit for the biscuits? Guess who got whopped upside the noggin and recaptured? Yes, sparkles was seeing stars and landed on the front porch and I made a bee line for the second window asap....
It is AMAZING what you will eat when you are hungry.... Yes, I am eating my own cooking. I hope I survive.... Hey ladies. Riddle me this.... I guess I should have said, Riddle me this batgirls....
Why does Katy leave broken egg shells IN the carton with the rest of the GOOD eggs? Why is it when I banged the egg on the stove this morning it did not break at first? Stubborn Egg or just Food Lion eggs are tougher than the typical egg? Are they feeding the chickens too much iron or what?
Dont tell Katy but I got her the most favorite thing in the whole wide world. If you were to seperate her from this one drink she would have to be admitted to the psyche ward at MUSC.. 1 Point for James! Yeah.... Good thing I dont have to buy diamonds or provide an endless supply of cash to make this woman happy... Well, sometimes she does want software for the computer....
Question. How many of you power washed your trailer in the FREEZING Cold yesterday? Raise your hand so I can get a head count.....
You dont live in a trailer? You are not stupid enough to go out in the freezing cold to power wash your trailer? Well, I guess I was the only one to do this. Our trailer was transformed from something that looked like it came out of a Boggy Creek Monster Movie to a sparkling light grey double wide. It only took me 2.5 hours and two layers of clothing to finish the front. Luckily for me I had 4 layers of clothes on and two sets of gloves. I looked like the Coca Cola bear all dressed up for the Artic.
It must have been quite a spectacle actually. The next door neighbor's children kept making trips out to watch me commit this total act of lunacy. They problem went home and told their mother that my mother never taught me to stay in out of the freezing cold and not play with water.
Yesterday was my first day off in about two weeks. I was faced with two options. Stay in the house and be depressed about junk in my life or just forget about it and go do something. I voted to ditch the depression mode and just go do something that I could actually accomplish. Have you ever been there? Well I was there yesterday and even though I looked silly and froze my proverbial tail off I atleast did something productive and have something to show for it.
No, I am not finishing the POWER WASH the trailer task today. I get to work 3 to 11pm tonight in the freezing cold as I baby sit the parking garage down at the County Office Buildings for Charleston County on Meeting street. No, I do not have to stay in the cold. I actually only spend 30 min per hour out in the parking garage. PTL for that. Can you imagine finding someone in a stairwell curled up asleep because that is the warmest place you can find to sleep? Just when I thought my life had pathetic moments.
Ok, what are YOU doing right now and why have you NOT been posting in here? I know, you are busy. All of us are busy. We also need each other. Share your wacky stories with us so we can LAUGH... God, KNOWS we all need to laugh.... There are too many horrible things going on for us to CRY about. If you are happy tell us. If you are DEPRESSED, for goodness sake , share it with us so we can all be depressed TOGETHER. AFter all misery LOVES company. Just promise me you wont stay that way for long. That really sucks. Ok, are you having a PITY party? Are your children driving you crazy? Are they eating you out of house and home and feeding the neighborhood children the REST of what is left in the pantry?
Hope to hear from you soon.... Yeah that is YOU....
Love ya Katy, Kristina, Justin, Jeremy and Jessica... Yes, I love YOU tooo.....
Hugs
Dont tell anyone BUT I am cooking my own breakfast. I can not remember the last time I attempted this. It is funny but I watched the cat "sparkles" sneak up on the pan that had the Jimmy Deans MILD sausage sitting waiting to be cooked. She did not seem to have a taste for raw sausage. haahahahahaha
Who is smarter, man or cat? I can hear the laughter now.... I captured aforementioned feline and tossed her outside. Little did I know she made a bee line for the open window by the STOVE. Guess who pops in for ANOTHER visit for the biscuits? Guess who got whopped upside the noggin and recaptured? Yes, sparkles was seeing stars and landed on the front porch and I made a bee line for the second window asap....
It is AMAZING what you will eat when you are hungry.... Yes, I am eating my own cooking. I hope I survive.... Hey ladies. Riddle me this.... I guess I should have said, Riddle me this batgirls....
Why does Katy leave broken egg shells IN the carton with the rest of the GOOD eggs? Why is it when I banged the egg on the stove this morning it did not break at first? Stubborn Egg or just Food Lion eggs are tougher than the typical egg? Are they feeding the chickens too much iron or what?
Dont tell Katy but I got her the most favorite thing in the whole wide world. If you were to seperate her from this one drink she would have to be admitted to the psyche ward at MUSC.. 1 Point for James! Yeah.... Good thing I dont have to buy diamonds or provide an endless supply of cash to make this woman happy... Well, sometimes she does want software for the computer....
Question. How many of you power washed your trailer in the FREEZING Cold yesterday? Raise your hand so I can get a head count.....
You dont live in a trailer? You are not stupid enough to go out in the freezing cold to power wash your trailer? Well, I guess I was the only one to do this. Our trailer was transformed from something that looked like it came out of a Boggy Creek Monster Movie to a sparkling light grey double wide. It only took me 2.5 hours and two layers of clothing to finish the front. Luckily for me I had 4 layers of clothes on and two sets of gloves. I looked like the Coca Cola bear all dressed up for the Artic.
It must have been quite a spectacle actually. The next door neighbor's children kept making trips out to watch me commit this total act of lunacy. They problem went home and told their mother that my mother never taught me to stay in out of the freezing cold and not play with water.
Yesterday was my first day off in about two weeks. I was faced with two options. Stay in the house and be depressed about junk in my life or just forget about it and go do something. I voted to ditch the depression mode and just go do something that I could actually accomplish. Have you ever been there? Well I was there yesterday and even though I looked silly and froze my proverbial tail off I atleast did something productive and have something to show for it.
No, I am not finishing the POWER WASH the trailer task today. I get to work 3 to 11pm tonight in the freezing cold as I baby sit the parking garage down at the County Office Buildings for Charleston County on Meeting street. No, I do not have to stay in the cold. I actually only spend 30 min per hour out in the parking garage. PTL for that. Can you imagine finding someone in a stairwell curled up asleep because that is the warmest place you can find to sleep? Just when I thought my life had pathetic moments.
Ok, what are YOU doing right now and why have you NOT been posting in here? I know, you are busy. All of us are busy. We also need each other. Share your wacky stories with us so we can LAUGH... God, KNOWS we all need to laugh.... There are too many horrible things going on for us to CRY about. If you are happy tell us. If you are DEPRESSED, for goodness sake , share it with us so we can all be depressed TOGETHER. AFter all misery LOVES company. Just promise me you wont stay that way for long. That really sucks. Ok, are you having a PITY party? Are your children driving you crazy? Are they eating you out of house and home and feeding the neighborhood children the REST of what is left in the pantry?
Hope to hear from you soon.... Yeah that is YOU....
Love ya Katy, Kristina, Justin, Jeremy and Jessica... Yes, I love YOU tooo.....
Hugs
Winter is upon us
Actually winter has been upon us for atleast 30 days if not longer. Temperatures have gotten down to 26 degrees thus far and last night they were forcasting feezing rain and sleet. Luckily for us the ground temperatures were at 44 degrees so the rain we got did not stick and freeze. Schools out in Orangeburg County close as well as technical colleges but Charleston County, Berkeley County and Dorchester County schools are open for business as usual. I cant tell you how disappointed the rug rats were this morning when we opened the door and pointed the way to the school bus.
I had a day off yesterday for the first time in two weeks. Wahooooo! I was bummed out a bit about stuff and so I decided I would not spend my day depressed in the cold. I still spent the day in cold temperatures but since I had already borrowed the commercial pressure washer from a friend of mine I bundled up into four layers of clothing and washed the green slime off of our trailer. I managed to get 2 layers of the clothing soaking wet and after 2.5 hours of FUN the trailer turned from green to light grey again. It really looks so much nicer clean. LOL....
I finished washing the trailer on the front side and no sooner had I put everything up and changed clothes did it start to sprinkle. I was surprised by UPS arriving with a package for me. Inside I found two packages of French Vanilla coffee. Yum Yum... What a treat that was. Then the rain REALLY started coming down. Yuk and double Yuk....
The second WONDERFUL event yesterday that helped to beat off depression is that two of my FRIENDS worked out a deal where I could get a Compaq Ipaq Pocket PC with tons of accessories to go with it for the incredible price of 120.00. I would imagine that with all of the goodies and the Pocket PC that I would have had to pay around 350.00 to 400.00 for everything. Thanks to my friends I will have this newest TOY in the next day or two and I did not have to pay for it. Wahoooooo. What the heck IS a Pocket PC you might ask? A pocket PC has an operating system just like your computer does and even though it is no where near as powerful as the computer I am typing on it does have the ability to run Pocket PC versions of Microsoft Office applications which means you can put some of your more important Microsoft Word , Excel, powerpoint documents on your Pocket PC and view them. You can also read Microsoft Reader Ebooks, view jpg images etc. There is a ton of stuff you can do with the device such as synchronize your MS Outlook contacts and email. My friend Patty uses a Sony Clie PDA which enables here to carry PDR type information on it for quick reference at the hospital.
Bowling. Gosh, I did not do that well last night. I bowled a 130 average over all which means I did ok since my over all league average is 130. Maggie came out with an attitude last night after several weeks of doing badly and bowled an average of around a 155. We wound up losing 3 and winning one which was not too cool since we recently wound up in 3rd place out of 22 teams. We were 8 games out of 1st place so we have a LOT of work to do to catch up to them. The league does not end until April so we have plenty of time to catch up. I am sure after last nights performance we probably dropped a spot or two.
I had a day off yesterday for the first time in two weeks. Wahooooo! I was bummed out a bit about stuff and so I decided I would not spend my day depressed in the cold. I still spent the day in cold temperatures but since I had already borrowed the commercial pressure washer from a friend of mine I bundled up into four layers of clothing and washed the green slime off of our trailer. I managed to get 2 layers of the clothing soaking wet and after 2.5 hours of FUN the trailer turned from green to light grey again. It really looks so much nicer clean. LOL....
I finished washing the trailer on the front side and no sooner had I put everything up and changed clothes did it start to sprinkle. I was surprised by UPS arriving with a package for me. Inside I found two packages of French Vanilla coffee. Yum Yum... What a treat that was. Then the rain REALLY started coming down. Yuk and double Yuk....
The second WONDERFUL event yesterday that helped to beat off depression is that two of my FRIENDS worked out a deal where I could get a Compaq Ipaq Pocket PC with tons of accessories to go with it for the incredible price of 120.00. I would imagine that with all of the goodies and the Pocket PC that I would have had to pay around 350.00 to 400.00 for everything. Thanks to my friends I will have this newest TOY in the next day or two and I did not have to pay for it. Wahoooooo. What the heck IS a Pocket PC you might ask? A pocket PC has an operating system just like your computer does and even though it is no where near as powerful as the computer I am typing on it does have the ability to run Pocket PC versions of Microsoft Office applications which means you can put some of your more important Microsoft Word , Excel, powerpoint documents on your Pocket PC and view them. You can also read Microsoft Reader Ebooks, view jpg images etc. There is a ton of stuff you can do with the device such as synchronize your MS Outlook contacts and email. My friend Patty uses a Sony Clie PDA which enables here to carry PDR type information on it for quick reference at the hospital.
Bowling. Gosh, I did not do that well last night. I bowled a 130 average over all which means I did ok since my over all league average is 130. Maggie came out with an attitude last night after several weeks of doing badly and bowled an average of around a 155. We wound up losing 3 and winning one which was not too cool since we recently wound up in 3rd place out of 22 teams. We were 8 games out of 1st place so we have a LOT of work to do to catch up to them. The league does not end until April so we have plenty of time to catch up. I am sure after last nights performance we probably dropped a spot or two.
Sunday, January 25, 2004
Runt Ro- I have my childrens heros confused
I am glad that my sweet wife helped me to see the error of my ways when she wrote me an email and told me Mr. Rogers died last year and Captain Kangaroo is the gentleman who died and was 76 years old just this week. OOOPSSS. I feel like a baby boomer for sure...... Thanks honey for the quick save with my writing. Writing is always 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. Luckily for me I have a couple of folks who have a sharp eye and a keen sense of dates and who is who that can keep my brain on the right track.
James Moffitt
http://www.jesus-connect.net/jcmoffitt
moffittj@bellsouth.net
James Moffitt
http://www.jesus-connect.net/jcmoffitt
moffittj@bellsouth.net
Saturday, January 24, 2004
Blog comments and other drivel
Ok, Haloscan is nice especially since it is free. However, I do not get email notification of WHEN someone leaves a comment on one of my blog entries. That sort of bites... Oh well, maybe one day when finance pick up a little bit I can afford to upgrade to their premium service and get all the bells and whistles...
New England Patriots are favored as winners by 6 points against the Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Silly people... Dont they know that the Panthers are going to BURY the Patriots under a rock.... LOL....
I am off Monday and I am SO looking forward to it. What am I going to do on my day off? I borrowed a pressure washer from a friend and I am planning on washing all the green junk off of this trailer. The trailer has been LONG over due for a bubble bath. I probably wont have any bubbles but the pressure washer will knock that junk right off of it. Wahoooo the house will go from GREEN to GREY in a matter of hours. Neat huh?
Monday night is always a treat since that is the night that I attempt to hit the head pin and knock down all 10 pins at once. Last week I bowled a 156 average in three games and the week before I bowled a 152 average. Considering that I have a 129 average for the League I am getting better as time progresses. Too cool!! My goal is to bowl several games over 200 so I can add to my ABC patch collection.
Have you ever used Incredimail? Go to http://www.incredimail.com and download their email client. A friend of mine is using it and has had a lot of FUN with it. So, I was encouraged to give it a try. The last time I used it I had some technical difficulties that I just decided not to live with so I went back to Outlook. I still have everything backed up in Outlook and I still like the PIM functionality of the application so it will never go away completely. Incredimail is cool because it has all sorts of email stationary, animations etc etc. Check it out!!
Captain Kangaroo died at the age of 76. Children all over the world are mourning that death. Ok, maybe not children today, perhaps the baby boomers are feeling the grief more? I found out today that the Martian rover is having hardware and software failures. Apparently the darn thing must be running American hardware and the Operating System must be Microsoft Windoze. LOL... They are saying that the darn thing has been rebooting itself 60 times in a specific time period. I forget what the time period is but I wonder if it has a screen that shows the Blue Screen of Death every time it goes to reboot itself? I think the project cost something along the lines of 4 million dollars. That figure seems sort of low actually. Anyway, what a shame. We landed it, it crawled off the launch pad , sent back some cool pictures, sampled some soil and found evidence of water and then died..... I wonder if the second rover that is about to land will die as quickly? I hope it had Linux Redhat installed on it and not Mickeysoft.....
Have you purchased The Purpose Driven Life book yet? If not, why not? LOL.... Wow, this is an incredible book... I highly recommend it to ANYONE that wants to give their spiritual walk a super charged boost. How many books do you read, put on the bookshelf and then forget the contents or worse yet do not allow the contents to change you for the better? Does that sound like something we do to our bibles? We take it off the shelf, dust it off and then take it to church every Sunday. What do we do with it during the other 6 days of the week? Does what we read in the pages of our bible change us from the inside out ?
Once you have finished the 40 Days of Purpose in the Purpose Driven life book then I would recommend your picking up a copy of the Purpose Driven church. I am reading that book as well and while it is geared for pastors and lay leadership everyone in the church ought to read it.
New England Patriots are favored as winners by 6 points against the Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Silly people... Dont they know that the Panthers are going to BURY the Patriots under a rock.... LOL....
I am off Monday and I am SO looking forward to it. What am I going to do on my day off? I borrowed a pressure washer from a friend and I am planning on washing all the green junk off of this trailer. The trailer has been LONG over due for a bubble bath. I probably wont have any bubbles but the pressure washer will knock that junk right off of it. Wahoooo the house will go from GREEN to GREY in a matter of hours. Neat huh?
Monday night is always a treat since that is the night that I attempt to hit the head pin and knock down all 10 pins at once. Last week I bowled a 156 average in three games and the week before I bowled a 152 average. Considering that I have a 129 average for the League I am getting better as time progresses. Too cool!! My goal is to bowl several games over 200 so I can add to my ABC patch collection.
Have you ever used Incredimail? Go to http://www.incredimail.com and download their email client. A friend of mine is using it and has had a lot of FUN with it. So, I was encouraged to give it a try. The last time I used it I had some technical difficulties that I just decided not to live with so I went back to Outlook. I still have everything backed up in Outlook and I still like the PIM functionality of the application so it will never go away completely. Incredimail is cool because it has all sorts of email stationary, animations etc etc. Check it out!!
Captain Kangaroo died at the age of 76. Children all over the world are mourning that death. Ok, maybe not children today, perhaps the baby boomers are feeling the grief more? I found out today that the Martian rover is having hardware and software failures. Apparently the darn thing must be running American hardware and the Operating System must be Microsoft Windoze. LOL... They are saying that the darn thing has been rebooting itself 60 times in a specific time period. I forget what the time period is but I wonder if it has a screen that shows the Blue Screen of Death every time it goes to reboot itself? I think the project cost something along the lines of 4 million dollars. That figure seems sort of low actually. Anyway, what a shame. We landed it, it crawled off the launch pad , sent back some cool pictures, sampled some soil and found evidence of water and then died..... I wonder if the second rover that is about to land will die as quickly? I hope it had Linux Redhat installed on it and not Mickeysoft.....
Have you purchased The Purpose Driven Life book yet? If not, why not? LOL.... Wow, this is an incredible book... I highly recommend it to ANYONE that wants to give their spiritual walk a super charged boost. How many books do you read, put on the bookshelf and then forget the contents or worse yet do not allow the contents to change you for the better? Does that sound like something we do to our bibles? We take it off the shelf, dust it off and then take it to church every Sunday. What do we do with it during the other 6 days of the week? Does what we read in the pages of our bible change us from the inside out ?
Once you have finished the 40 Days of Purpose in the Purpose Driven life book then I would recommend your picking up a copy of the Purpose Driven church. I am reading that book as well and while it is geared for pastors and lay leadership everyone in the church ought to read it.
The Purpose Driven Life - 40 Days of Purpose - Day 19
Day 19- Community requires commitment
Verse - We understand that love is when we realize that Christ give his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers. 1 John 3:16
Question to consider - how can I help cultivate today the characteristics of real community in my small group and my church?
Cultivating community takes the following:
Commitment
Honesty
Humility
Courtesy
Confidentiality
Frequency
The following statements stood out to me as I was reading this chapter about each characteristic mentioned above.
HONESTY
We cultivate fellowship in our community with the choices and commitments we make.
You will have to care enough to lovingly speak the truth
Real fellowship depends on frankness
The tunnel of conflict is the passageway to intimacy in any relationship
Thoughtless words leave lasting wounds.
HUMILITY
Self importance, smugness, and stubborn pride destroy fellowship
Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is thinking more of others.
COURTESY
Respecting our differences
Considerate of others feelings
Patient with people who irritate us
Community has nothing to do with compatibility
The basis for our fellowship is our relationship to God
CONFIDENTIALITY
Only in a safe environment of warm acceptance and trusted confidentiality will people open up and share their deepest hurts, needs and mistakes.
Gossip is spread by wicked people, they stir up trouble and break friendships. Proverbs 16:28
FREQUENCY
You must have frequent, regular contact with your group in order to build genuine fellowship.
Relationships take time
A small group covenant should include the following characteristics
Share true feelings - authenticity
Encourage each other - mutuality
Support each other - sympathy
Forgive each other - mercy
Speak the truth in love- honesty
Admit our weaknesses - humility
Respect our differences - courtesy
Not gossip - confidentiality
Make the group priority - frequency
Fellowship means giving up our self centeredness and independence in order to become interdependent.
The way that I can cultivate the characteristics of community is by practicing each of them in every relationship that I have. That will take some courage on my part because ti will mean that I will need the Holy Spirit to enlighten me as to which characteristic is missing in the relationships that I have. I will need to practice courtesy with those people who are fearful or scared of going to a deeper level with their relationship. Perhaps I have already been practicing honesty and humility and that might be what scares people off. I desire deep and meaningful relationships. I want to give and encourage others and I need to be willing to receive these characteristics of community in return.
It is always easier to practice these on others but not so fun to allow others to extend the same to me. It is easier to focus on known failures and weaknesses but a bit painful for someone to speak truth about something I am not immediately aware of. Receiving truth into ones soul can take enormous amounts of courage and humility. I feel that I need to grow in the areas of mercy, courtesy and frequency.
As I study this book I am painfully aware that I am lacking in true biblical fellowship or community in my life with regards to a small group or the local church where I serve. Community and biblical fellowship only happens superficially. The largest common denominator for our church body is time. We get together 2 hours per week at the most. You can not expect community or deep meaningful relationships to happen in a corporate environment. I am also reminded of the fact that there is a difference between the attendees at our church and the church membership who have made a commitment to play their part in the ministry at our church.
The scariest part of all of this is that I am fearful that if I were to start advertising the need for folks in our church to read this book that one of two things will happen.
The first thing would be that some people will read this book and nothing will change externally. In other words, they will probably get something out of the words in the book but it will not move them enough to make changes. Perhaps that is because they as a church attendee are happy with the status quo and don't want to see anything change. The church attendee may be in a rut and comfortable with what is going on. The second type of person will look at the book as an attack against tradition and the denominational culture they have been raised in. They will see my promotion of this book as pointing a finger and rocking the boat.
What good is knowledge if it is not applied to our lives and changes made? Would someone please get me a LARGE bandage?
Verse - We understand that love is when we realize that Christ give his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers. 1 John 3:16
Question to consider - how can I help cultivate today the characteristics of real community in my small group and my church?
Cultivating community takes the following:
Commitment
Honesty
Humility
Courtesy
Confidentiality
Frequency
The following statements stood out to me as I was reading this chapter about each characteristic mentioned above.
HONESTY
We cultivate fellowship in our community with the choices and commitments we make.
You will have to care enough to lovingly speak the truth
Real fellowship depends on frankness
The tunnel of conflict is the passageway to intimacy in any relationship
Thoughtless words leave lasting wounds.
HUMILITY
Self importance, smugness, and stubborn pride destroy fellowship
Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is thinking more of others.
COURTESY
Respecting our differences
Considerate of others feelings
Patient with people who irritate us
Community has nothing to do with compatibility
The basis for our fellowship is our relationship to God
CONFIDENTIALITY
Only in a safe environment of warm acceptance and trusted confidentiality will people open up and share their deepest hurts, needs and mistakes.
Gossip is spread by wicked people, they stir up trouble and break friendships. Proverbs 16:28
FREQUENCY
You must have frequent, regular contact with your group in order to build genuine fellowship.
Relationships take time
A small group covenant should include the following characteristics
Share true feelings - authenticity
Encourage each other - mutuality
Support each other - sympathy
Forgive each other - mercy
Speak the truth in love- honesty
Admit our weaknesses - humility
Respect our differences - courtesy
Not gossip - confidentiality
Make the group priority - frequency
Fellowship means giving up our self centeredness and independence in order to become interdependent.
The way that I can cultivate the characteristics of community is by practicing each of them in every relationship that I have. That will take some courage on my part because ti will mean that I will need the Holy Spirit to enlighten me as to which characteristic is missing in the relationships that I have. I will need to practice courtesy with those people who are fearful or scared of going to a deeper level with their relationship. Perhaps I have already been practicing honesty and humility and that might be what scares people off. I desire deep and meaningful relationships. I want to give and encourage others and I need to be willing to receive these characteristics of community in return.
It is always easier to practice these on others but not so fun to allow others to extend the same to me. It is easier to focus on known failures and weaknesses but a bit painful for someone to speak truth about something I am not immediately aware of. Receiving truth into ones soul can take enormous amounts of courage and humility. I feel that I need to grow in the areas of mercy, courtesy and frequency.
As I study this book I am painfully aware that I am lacking in true biblical fellowship or community in my life with regards to a small group or the local church where I serve. Community and biblical fellowship only happens superficially. The largest common denominator for our church body is time. We get together 2 hours per week at the most. You can not expect community or deep meaningful relationships to happen in a corporate environment. I am also reminded of the fact that there is a difference between the attendees at our church and the church membership who have made a commitment to play their part in the ministry at our church.
The scariest part of all of this is that I am fearful that if I were to start advertising the need for folks in our church to read this book that one of two things will happen.
The first thing would be that some people will read this book and nothing will change externally. In other words, they will probably get something out of the words in the book but it will not move them enough to make changes. Perhaps that is because they as a church attendee are happy with the status quo and don't want to see anything change. The church attendee may be in a rut and comfortable with what is going on. The second type of person will look at the book as an attack against tradition and the denominational culture they have been raised in. They will see my promotion of this book as pointing a finger and rocking the boat.
What good is knowledge if it is not applied to our lives and changes made? Would someone please get me a LARGE bandage?
The Purpose Driven Life - 40 Days of purpose - Days 17 & 18
Day 17- I am called to belong not just to believe
Verse to remember- In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:5
Question to consider- Does my level of involvement in my local church demonstrate that I love and am committed to Gods family?
The following principles taught within this chapter are very important and a good reminder to me as I learn how to focus HOW I am involved in helping to build the church through ministry to fellow believers. I believe that I am very involved in what Christ is doing to build the local church we are attending. My wife and I are committed to using the gifts that God has given us to bless others in any way that we can. However as my understanding of WHAT ministry and worship really is I am learning HOW to GROW my perspective of ministry and what I can do to be better at what God has called me to do.
The Church meets the five deepest needs:
Purpose to live for
People to live with
Principles to live by
Profession to live out
Power to live on
Gods purposes for his church are identical to his five purposes for you
Worship helps you to "focus on God"
Fellowship helps you to " face life's problems"
Discipleship helps you to "fortify your faith"
Ministry helps you to "find your talents"
Evangelism helps you to "fulfill your mission"
" The difference between being a church attendees and a church member is commitment. Attendees are spectators from the sidelines, members get involved in the ministry. "
" Jesus has not promised to build your ministry , he has promised to build his church"
We are commanded to do the following "one anothers"
Love
Pray
Encourage
Admonish
Greet
Serve
Teach
Accept
Honor
Bear burdens
Forgive
Submit
Devoted
" Today's culture of independent individualism has created many spiritual orphans - "bunny believers" - who hop around from one church to another without any identity, accountability or commitment. "
Day 18- I need others in my life
Verse - share each others troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Gal 6:2
Question to consider - What one step can I take today to connect with another believer at a more genuine, heart to heart level?
The following Quotes from this chapter stands out for me.
"self-pity dries up sympathy for others"
"you cant have fellowship without forgiveness"
"you must make allowances for each others faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember , the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others" Col 3:13
The best way for me to connect to others for the purpose of genuine fellowship is for me to invest more time into the lives of people around me. I need to make myself available and encourage others to find the time to connect with me. The oly agenda that I should have during these times of connecting is to be open to whatever the Holy Spirit leads us. Listening to others and allowing them to share their heart is a powerful way to build trust and further communications. I need to be more willing to look beyond any obvious rough edges or obvious sin so that I might see the good things in a person that will allow us to have something in common and make a connection. It is so much easier to seek out people with the same interests and commonalities. God created each one of us with such diversity and just because someone is not just like me does not mean that their differences are bad or negative.
Verse to remember- In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:5
Question to consider- Does my level of involvement in my local church demonstrate that I love and am committed to Gods family?
The following principles taught within this chapter are very important and a good reminder to me as I learn how to focus HOW I am involved in helping to build the church through ministry to fellow believers. I believe that I am very involved in what Christ is doing to build the local church we are attending. My wife and I are committed to using the gifts that God has given us to bless others in any way that we can. However as my understanding of WHAT ministry and worship really is I am learning HOW to GROW my perspective of ministry and what I can do to be better at what God has called me to do.
The Church meets the five deepest needs:
Purpose to live for
People to live with
Principles to live by
Profession to live out
Power to live on
Gods purposes for his church are identical to his five purposes for you
Worship helps you to "focus on God"
Fellowship helps you to " face life's problems"
Discipleship helps you to "fortify your faith"
Ministry helps you to "find your talents"
Evangelism helps you to "fulfill your mission"
" The difference between being a church attendees and a church member is commitment. Attendees are spectators from the sidelines, members get involved in the ministry. "
" Jesus has not promised to build your ministry , he has promised to build his church"
We are commanded to do the following "one anothers"
Love
Pray
Encourage
Admonish
Greet
Serve
Teach
Accept
Honor
Bear burdens
Forgive
Submit
Devoted
" Today's culture of independent individualism has created many spiritual orphans - "bunny believers" - who hop around from one church to another without any identity, accountability or commitment. "
Day 18- I need others in my life
Verse - share each others troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Gal 6:2
Question to consider - What one step can I take today to connect with another believer at a more genuine, heart to heart level?
The following Quotes from this chapter stands out for me.
"self-pity dries up sympathy for others"
"you cant have fellowship without forgiveness"
"you must make allowances for each others faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember , the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others" Col 3:13
The best way for me to connect to others for the purpose of genuine fellowship is for me to invest more time into the lives of people around me. I need to make myself available and encourage others to find the time to connect with me. The oly agenda that I should have during these times of connecting is to be open to whatever the Holy Spirit leads us. Listening to others and allowing them to share their heart is a powerful way to build trust and further communications. I need to be more willing to look beyond any obvious rough edges or obvious sin so that I might see the good things in a person that will allow us to have something in common and make a connection. It is so much easier to seek out people with the same interests and commonalities. God created each one of us with such diversity and just because someone is not just like me does not mean that their differences are bad or negative.
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