Don’t be afraid to preach!
A classic Christian bumper sticker says, “Preach the Gospel and if necessary, use words”. We certainly get it, we need to be living the Gospel among mankind before we have the right to “preach at him”. Or, it would seem. Yet, for those of us called away from secular work and into the Kingdom building work, a major part of our call involves preaching, and yes with words! Today there seems to be a glut of teaching and a famine of preaching. Oh, I’m not simply talking about talking faster and raising our volume, I’m talking about a declaration of Truth. While teaching is certainly a big part of discipleship, it causes people to ponder and gives them room for consideration. Preaching doesn’t really leave room for comparative religion. By definition, preaching is a heralding, a declaring, publishing and proclaiming truth with no options other than the truth being set forth in the Scripture. Of course we need to make sure what we are “heralding as Truth” is in fact, the Truth of the Bible. It’s tempting to “preach” our pet doctrines but maybe we should leave those to our teaching venues.
In California and other States, there is a movement that is called, “teach don’t preach”. The thinking behind this movement is precisely my point. They are calling for Christians to use our Holidays as opportunities to “teach” our beliefs to those in our communities in a passive, non threatening way. That sounds good. There is even a place for that in our Nation. I like to practice diplomacy and enjoy being known as a peacemaker or one who can communicate without conflict. However, when we bring that thinking alongside the commands of Jesus and the very foundation of our mandate to take the Gospel to all Nations, we quickly discover that to preach is in itself an act of confrontation and demands a decision to be made by the hearer.
The New Testament is especially filled with commands and exhortations to get on with the preaching!
I have noticed in my own ministry that when I have actually abandoned my efforts at self preservation and reputation building, and actually let go and “preached the Good News of the Gospel” without compromise, there came into the room a fresh empowering. I could sense it in my preaching and I saw it settling on the audience. It brings a confrontation between the hearer and God Himself. When Peter was facing charges in Acts chapter 4, his answers to the authorities was not teaching. He was not bargaining for his life or reputation. He declared, he heralded, yes he preached, 11 This is the 'STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED BY YOU BUILDERS, WHICH HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.' 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." That is preaching!
Paul challenges Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7 by saying, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Timothy had a problem of timidity. Then later in this letter Paul gets down to some specifics of Timothy’s struggles when he says in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach The Word”! It is time to preach. Don’t be afraid to preach!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
How To Take A Vacation
Mark 6: 30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.31 And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.
Webster defines the word vacation as: 1. “leisure time away from work; devoted to rest or pleasure. 2. “a period of absence from work for recreation”. “Recreation” - The act of recreating, or the state of being recreated; refreshment of the strength and spirits after toil; amusement; diversion; sport; pastime.
I. Signs of the need for a vacation:
A. Decision-making becomes difficult (both major and minor kinds).
B. Excessive daydreaming or fantasizing about "getting away from it all."
C. The use of medications just to cope on a daily basis.
D. Thoughts trail off while speaking or writing.
E. Excessive worrying about everything.
F. Sudden outbursts of temper and hostility
G. Paranoid ideas and mistrust of friends and family.
H. Forgetfulness regarding appointments, deadlines, dates.
I. Frequent feelings of defeat and inadequacy.
J. Change in your normal behavior.
II. Personal Characteristics That Brought You To The Crisis
A. Plans day unrealistically
B. First to arrive, last to leave work
C. Always in a hurry
D. Makes no plan for relaxation or recreation
E. Feels guilty about doing anything other than work
F. Sees unforeseen problem as a setback or disaster
G. Is always thinking about several other things when working/Can’t
remain focused.
III. Making Vacations Happen
A. Make vacations a part of your annual planning.
B. Budget in vacations well in advance.
C. Be realistic about your venue.
D. Make a vacation long enough to get past the threshold of relaxation.
E. Plan a vacation that will work best for your family.
F. Don’t over plan your vacation.
G. Leave you cell phone, laptop and beeper at home. (Yes, really!)
H. Plan ahead so that when you leave your job, you leave your work.
I. Learn how to vacation.
J. Take Jesus on vacation with you. (Not your job, and there is a difference)
K. Show this to your mate and ask them to grade you on it! (I just added this at the last moment.)
Closing: Ex. 20: 8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.
Mark 6: 30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.31 And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.
Webster defines the word vacation as: 1. “leisure time away from work; devoted to rest or pleasure. 2. “a period of absence from work for recreation”. “Recreation” - The act of recreating, or the state of being recreated; refreshment of the strength and spirits after toil; amusement; diversion; sport; pastime.
I. Signs of the need for a vacation:
A. Decision-making becomes difficult (both major and minor kinds).
B. Excessive daydreaming or fantasizing about "getting away from it all."
C. The use of medications just to cope on a daily basis.
D. Thoughts trail off while speaking or writing.
E. Excessive worrying about everything.
F. Sudden outbursts of temper and hostility
G. Paranoid ideas and mistrust of friends and family.
H. Forgetfulness regarding appointments, deadlines, dates.
I. Frequent feelings of defeat and inadequacy.
J. Change in your normal behavior.
II. Personal Characteristics That Brought You To The Crisis
A. Plans day unrealistically
B. First to arrive, last to leave work
C. Always in a hurry
D. Makes no plan for relaxation or recreation
E. Feels guilty about doing anything other than work
F. Sees unforeseen problem as a setback or disaster
G. Is always thinking about several other things when working/Can’t
remain focused.
III. Making Vacations Happen
A. Make vacations a part of your annual planning.
B. Budget in vacations well in advance.
C. Be realistic about your venue.
D. Make a vacation long enough to get past the threshold of relaxation.
E. Plan a vacation that will work best for your family.
F. Don’t over plan your vacation.
G. Leave you cell phone, laptop and beeper at home. (Yes, really!)
H. Plan ahead so that when you leave your job, you leave your work.
I. Learn how to vacation.
J. Take Jesus on vacation with you. (Not your job, and there is a difference)
K. Show this to your mate and ask them to grade you on it! (I just added this at the last moment.)
Closing: Ex. 20: 8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Focus
There's an old saying that says, "you can't be two places at once". Another thought like that is, "you can't get to a destination if you are looking in two directions". Focus is a hard thing to maintain, especially in a shaking world. I was taking a tennis lesson years ago from a Pro and after we hit a few balls, he called me to the net and said, "you aren't watching the ball". I said, "certainly I am watching the ball because I am hitting it back to you". He reminded me that there are different levels of focus. One level is seeing the ball but there is deeper level of focus where you see only a part of the ball. In baseball, an average high school hitter sees the ball coming to the plate and sees the stadium as the backdrop. A college player sees the ball as a back drop and sees the stitches spinning as the ball approaches. The great Ted Williams is said to have had the ability to see writing on the ball rushing toward him. As I learned to focus on the tennis ball at a deeper level, I found that my shots became more powerful , more crisp and were more difficult to return by my opponent. As leaders we can't have a casual approach to the Christian life and to leadership in particular. We must get clear as to what we are called to be and what it is that we want to accomplish. What are we wanting to produce in those we are leading. As we see it more clearly and with greater intensity, we will find that our work is much more powerful and our fruit will increase. The question is asked of a leader in Scripture, "how long halt ye between two opinions"? Another case was Moses at the Red Sea. There is a time to hesitate in order to be sure. There are also times when hesitating will cause failure. Let me encourage you to hear this word today. If you are struggling with indecision, get before the Lord in prayer. Hear what it is that he is saying to you. Then, when you hear it, focus on that direction. Don't let anything or anyone cause you to waver from what "He said". Remember, Jesus set his face to Jerusalem and would not be distracted from his focus on his mission.
There's an old saying that says, "you can't be two places at once". Another thought like that is, "you can't get to a destination if you are looking in two directions". Focus is a hard thing to maintain, especially in a shaking world. I was taking a tennis lesson years ago from a Pro and after we hit a few balls, he called me to the net and said, "you aren't watching the ball". I said, "certainly I am watching the ball because I am hitting it back to you". He reminded me that there are different levels of focus. One level is seeing the ball but there is deeper level of focus where you see only a part of the ball. In baseball, an average high school hitter sees the ball coming to the plate and sees the stadium as the backdrop. A college player sees the ball as a back drop and sees the stitches spinning as the ball approaches. The great Ted Williams is said to have had the ability to see writing on the ball rushing toward him. As I learned to focus on the tennis ball at a deeper level, I found that my shots became more powerful , more crisp and were more difficult to return by my opponent. As leaders we can't have a casual approach to the Christian life and to leadership in particular. We must get clear as to what we are called to be and what it is that we want to accomplish. What are we wanting to produce in those we are leading. As we see it more clearly and with greater intensity, we will find that our work is much more powerful and our fruit will increase. The question is asked of a leader in Scripture, "how long halt ye between two opinions"? Another case was Moses at the Red Sea. There is a time to hesitate in order to be sure. There are also times when hesitating will cause failure. Let me encourage you to hear this word today. If you are struggling with indecision, get before the Lord in prayer. Hear what it is that he is saying to you. Then, when you hear it, focus on that direction. Don't let anything or anyone cause you to waver from what "He said". Remember, Jesus set his face to Jerusalem and would not be distracted from his focus on his mission.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Stranded in Denver!
I just finished 10 days of wonderful ministry in South Dakota. I flew out this morning with great excitement about getting home! I flew out of Rapid City this morning with snow and ice on the ground but without incident. I arrived in Denver and all was good only to find out that my flight delay problems were not in Denver as one might expect, but in Atlanta! As of now I am schedule to get home in 2 days!!!! I guess there are worse places to be stranded but when you want to get home, nowhere is a good place to be stranded.
South Dakota Ministry
I ministered at Dove Christian Center in Rapid City last Sunday twice. Pastor Gary Johnson is the founder/pastor there. It was a great day with the Lord touching lives and encouraging all of us. Monday I met with the Pastor and Elders of Dove Christian Center for about 4 hours. I give oversight to Dove and have been going there for over 20 years now. I flew out early the next morning for my 2 day trip to San Diego to see Tiffany. (See Tiffany Joiner Updates) I flew back from San Diego on Thursday changing planes in Denver. This is the 4th time I have been in the Denver airport on this trip! When I took off from Denver it was 65 degrees and sunny. An hour later we landed in Rapid City in 12 degrees and it was snowing. We left Friday morning for the Mighty Men's Advance in the Black Hills. When we drove through town the temp was "ZERO"! The Advance was a gathering of Professional Rodeo Cowboys from Texas to Colorado and other men from the here in the West. Timothy Stuen is an ex-bull rider turned preacher. He leads this event each year. The weather didn't stop this group. There were outside games of all kinds in the snow and ice with temps hoovering around 10-12. The meetings were powerful and filled with the enthusiam you might expect from men who practice a profession that only gives them 8 seconds to perform.(Bull Riding). It was fast paced, action packed and anointed by the Holy Spirit. The spiritual momentum grew with each service with men being saved, delivered and filled with the Holy Spirit. It was a powerful time. I enjoyed preaching to such a wild bunch!
It is obvious as I travel that there is a new generation being raised up that is hungry for God and zealous to serve the Lord with all their hearts. The other exciting part of all this is that there is a connection taking place between the young and the old. That is my burden of this hour. I want to see a smooth transfer of the baton from the older to the younger without a disconnect of the older. I see it happening in many places as spiritual fathers and sons are seeing great fruit.
Longing For Home In Denver!
LAJ
I just finished 10 days of wonderful ministry in South Dakota. I flew out this morning with great excitement about getting home! I flew out of Rapid City this morning with snow and ice on the ground but without incident. I arrived in Denver and all was good only to find out that my flight delay problems were not in Denver as one might expect, but in Atlanta! As of now I am schedule to get home in 2 days!!!! I guess there are worse places to be stranded but when you want to get home, nowhere is a good place to be stranded.
South Dakota Ministry
I ministered at Dove Christian Center in Rapid City last Sunday twice. Pastor Gary Johnson is the founder/pastor there. It was a great day with the Lord touching lives and encouraging all of us. Monday I met with the Pastor and Elders of Dove Christian Center for about 4 hours. I give oversight to Dove and have been going there for over 20 years now. I flew out early the next morning for my 2 day trip to San Diego to see Tiffany. (See Tiffany Joiner Updates) I flew back from San Diego on Thursday changing planes in Denver. This is the 4th time I have been in the Denver airport on this trip! When I took off from Denver it was 65 degrees and sunny. An hour later we landed in Rapid City in 12 degrees and it was snowing. We left Friday morning for the Mighty Men's Advance in the Black Hills. When we drove through town the temp was "ZERO"! The Advance was a gathering of Professional Rodeo Cowboys from Texas to Colorado and other men from the here in the West. Timothy Stuen is an ex-bull rider turned preacher. He leads this event each year. The weather didn't stop this group. There were outside games of all kinds in the snow and ice with temps hoovering around 10-12. The meetings were powerful and filled with the enthusiam you might expect from men who practice a profession that only gives them 8 seconds to perform.(Bull Riding). It was fast paced, action packed and anointed by the Holy Spirit. The spiritual momentum grew with each service with men being saved, delivered and filled with the Holy Spirit. It was a powerful time. I enjoyed preaching to such a wild bunch!
It is obvious as I travel that there is a new generation being raised up that is hungry for God and zealous to serve the Lord with all their hearts. The other exciting part of all this is that there is a connection taking place between the young and the old. That is my burden of this hour. I want to see a smooth transfer of the baton from the older to the younger without a disconnect of the older. I see it happening in many places as spiritual fathers and sons are seeing great fruit.
Longing For Home In Denver!
LAJ
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