dennis j adams

Love is defined in many different ways because of the perception that people have about love. Life starts for all of us in a womb of a mother who, hopefully, loves in an accepting way. As we enter into the atmosphere of air and people from the enclosed womb we begin to moderate the sounds and touch of others around us. The journey begins by somebody carrying us around and feeding us. This action that is being described is the normal ‘Phileo’ love which consists of the glow of the heart kindled by the perception of that in the object which affords us pleasure. This love is born into our DNA and helps us establish our character and relational views. The more love we sense and feel the more comfortable we become in our surroundings.

Of course, this is determined by what we are taught. Even if we have sense that the love that we are shown is tarnished or even perverted it may become the love we understand as “normal”. During my journey and in depth studies of humanity I have viewed and documented the “psychic” response to bruised love that people have been afforded. There perception of what real love is in human relationships has been manipulated to a level of perversion. Child abuse, child pornography, elicit relationships have caused children to feel normal when being molested! This type of love is the lowest and most painful perception of love.

Children are being raised in the streets and alley ways across this world and they are taught that love is really for sale and perverted. What a lie and a travesty to mankind and its understanding of the love God has placed in us naturally. Other  instances of love that has matured from the purity to a spotted and  freckled appearance of love is when people begin to date and find that they are in love with several people in an immoral application or relation. The generation that is around us today are caught up in the sexual and lustful activities that they have learned from human input without moral conviction. Hurting one another without regard to social issues and social edicate. Sharing the purity of love with the soiled immoral convictions of a liberal world. the “feelings” of love can be manipulated and falsified by words and a clouded romance of gifts. This type of blurred love has also engraved itself into marriages and tooled it way into the vanity of humanity. Love should never be treated with the disrespect that we witness on television or in the movies. Love is to be respected and given in the most purest sense of its true meaning.

That is why we are so careful in the raising of our children! the impression that we give them from the first breath they take is important to the rest of their lives. Not turning the page on society and social imprints but keeping the focus on teaching purity and morality as a natural life style not an oddity. There can be a real crippling effect on the social skills of a person if  they do not know how to give or receive love. Jesus stated in the Word the two most important commandments there are has to do with the subject of love.

…”You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-39 ESV)

Begin to center your love on God in everything that you do and love as you want to be loved! When we come to Christ we are given a second chance in life. The love of God, “Agape” is placed in our spiritual DNA and the character of Christ becomes one with us. We begin as we did as a child being “born” again into the freshness of life which is pure and holy. The love that God gives us is a moral and strong in its application to even love our enemies. That love is a forgiving love which has rinsed us clean of all our sin. This is the love that is poured out in our hearts bu His Holy Spirit! (Romans 5:5). It is the love that we are lavished with which makes us like Him. (1 John 2:28-3:2) This is the love that Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 13. That love is patient, bold and does not keep a record of wrong doings. This love is the love that held Jesus to the Cross at Calvary. His great love look through the time and saw us in our sin and He loved us with an abiding and sure love. The love that has given us hope and security in a world that has lost its hope and trust in each other.

Just how do you perceive love? Is it a tool to bring you better things in life through manipulative pleasures and lust? Is it the pure love of Jesus which has embraced you wholly and built a foundation of your dreams. Without that love what we do is just a bunch of noise and makes no impact on what is important. Feelings can sway you to trust in a love that is not founded in His Word. Love is not just a feeling alone but an action of mercy and grace on the part of God toward mankind. What we are doing in this life if going forth and sharing His love with all. Our actions and our motives are clear in the heart. We have fallen in love with God because He has fallen in love with us first. Now go and do the same with humanity and never stop loving as Christ loves the Church. He will never give up on you! His love endures forever.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;for his steadfast love endures forever! (1 Chronicles 16:34 ESV)

Dennis

All scripture used in this blog is The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Taking a few moments each day to review your walk with Christ can be interesting and challenging all in the same! Knowing that He is constantly with you and sustaining you by His Spirit is quite cool to say the least. His love has established a relationship with the Father and has given us an open door policy to receive grace and mercy in our time of need. Having the boldness of a lion to face difficulties in our lives because of His promises of victory.

Being keenly aware that He has made all things according to His purpose and has shared it all with us is truly awesome and incredible. There are tough times and there are good times and He is there all the time. He never sleeps nor slumbers, He is always watching out for us! He surrounds us with His angels and shelters us with His love. We abide under the shadow of His love and we find comfort in His Name.

There is not any place that we can go where His Spirit is not felt. He has forgiven us of our sins and promised us an eternal Heaven with the Father of our Creation. Once an enemy of God He has made us His friend. Once naked in our sin before Him He has covered us with His love. We are clothed in His righteousness and and called by His Name. The beauty of His Holiness has engraved our hearts and minds with His Word. We were once blind and now we see. We were once numb to the depth of pain we caused Him in our sinning and now we are aware of His forgiveness and grace. When we were yet in darkness we He died for us that we may live. He rose for us that we may rise in Him and become more than conquerors! We are now an over-comer by His blood and we testify Him to the World, not even loving our lives unto death because He is our life. We are willing to commit to the impossible because He has made all things possible for us! What seemed to make no sense to us carnally, makes sense to us spiritually because we now walk in the Spirit of His Love.

In the midst of silence His voice is heard because He speaks to us from within our hearts. Before each day begins He has a design for us to follow. He has especially created the day for us to enjoy His great pleasures. Hope was not part of the life we once had but since He entered into our life, hope now, is as part of us as breath to our lungs. The supply of our every need is promised to us by Him who took a few loves and fishes because they were hungry. He does the same for us because we are hungry for Him and His Word. The understanding of His Word was darkness to our minds until His marvelous light was shown to our hearts. He gave us a new identity and called us His sons and daughters when we were without an identity nor a family. Once we were wondering throughout this life with goals that were temporal and He gave us an eternal goal and paid for the journey to reach it. When we were friendless and lonely He came by and became our friend and loneliness left, never to return. When everyone else has left us down and out He came by and lifted us up forevermore. He will never let us down or ignore our concerns. When no one else would listen He was always listening.

So, what is not to like about your day with Him?

Dennis

The BBC reports that a Cambridge University professor thinks “lust” should be removed from the traditional list of seven deadly sins. Lust, he argues, is actually a virtue. He redefines lust as “the enthusiastic desire for sexual activity and its pleasures for its own sake.” Rick Warrens Toolbox 5.19.04 (news.bbc.co.uk)

Professor Simon Blackburn of Cambridge University is trying to “rescue” lust, arguing it has been wrongly condemned for centuries, the Sunday Times says. His campaign is part of an Oxford University Press project on the modern relevance of the seven deadly sins. The list of sins was drawn up by Pope Gregory the Great in the 6th Century.  OUP has commissioned books on each of the sins – lust, anger, envy, gluttony, sloth, pride and greed.

Controlling lust

It says Prof Blackburn is aiming to save lust “from the denunciations of old men of the deserts, to deliver it from the pallid and envious confessor and the stocks and pillories of the Puritans, to drag it from the category of sin to that of virtue”. According to the Sunday Times, Prof Blackburn has defined lust as “the enthusiastic desire for sexual activity and its pleasures for its own sake”. The philosopher says that if reciprocated, lust leads to pleasure and “best flourishes when unencumbered by bad philosophy and ideology… which prevent its freedom of flow”. He points out that thirst is not criticized although it can lead to drunkenness and in the same way lust should not be condemned just because it can get out of hand, the paper says. Professor Blackburn is quoted as saying: “The important thing is that generally anything that gives pleasure has a presumption in its favor.

“The question is how we control it.”

Seven Sins:

1. Pride
2. Greed (Avarice)
3. Envy
4. Wrath (Anger)
5. Lust
6. Gluttony
7. Sloth

Lust is a doorway for corruption:

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:4, NIV)

The Bible presents a threefold division of temptation. We read of “the lust of the flesh,” or the desire to enjoy; “the lust of the eyes,” or the desire to obtain; “the pride of life,” or the desire to accomplish.

Four Areas In the Body of Christ – We will evidence just one. – Broken Convictions

1. Broken Promises
2. Broken Dreams
3. Broken Hopes
4. Broken Convictions

What is Conviction?

A strong persuasion or belief

The word convict (Gk. elegchein) is a legal term that means “to cross-examine for the purpose of convincing or refuting an opponent (the word being specially used of legal proceedings).”

It involves the conceptions of authoritative examination, of unquestionable proof, of decisive judgment, of punitive power. Whatever the final issue may be, he who “convicts” another places the truth of the case in dispute in a clear light before him, so that it must be seen and acknowledged as truth. He who then rejects the conclusion which this exposition involves, rejects it with his eyes open and at his peril. Truth seen as truth carries with it condemnation to all who refuse to welcome it.

“But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.” (John 16:7-11, NIV)

“in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:4, NIV)

As the earth can produce nothing unless it is fertilized by the sun, so we can do nothing worthwhile for God without the energizing Holy Spirit’s power operating in our lives.

—Unknown

I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking Him to do His work through me.

–Hudson Taylor

One of the marks of spiritual maturity in any believer’s life is the growing conviction of the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power for daily living. How natural it often seems to attempt to live our lives and even minister for God in our own wisdom and strength. How tragic it is when churches and religious organizations institutionalize themselves with dogma or legalistic rules and practices and gradually replace the invigorating ministry of the Holy Spirit in the lives of their people.

It is said that religious movements often follow a predictable course: A Spirit-filled leader, an efficient machine, a dead monument.

Holy Ghost, With Light Divine
Holy Ghost, with light divine, shine upon this heart of mine; chase the shades of night away; turn my darkness into day.
Holy Ghost, with pow’r divine, cleanse this guilty heart of mine; long hath sin without control held dominion o’er my soul.
Holy Ghost, with joy divine, cheer this saddened heart of mine; bid my many woes depart; heal my wounded, bleeding heart.
Holy Spirit, all divine, dwell within this heart of mine; cast down ev’ry idol-throne; reign supreme and reign alone.

1. The first stanza tells us that we need a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s presence in order to have clear directions for our lives.

2. Then we are reminded that we need the Holy Spirit’s ministry in order to live lives of purity and power (verse two)

3. We also need the work of the Holy Spirit to balance the emotional sorrows of life with “joy divine” (verse three).

4. Finally, we need the all-prevailing control by the Holy Spirit if our lives are be totally committed and conformed to God (verse four)

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.” (Galatians 5:16-18, NIV)

Which is opposed to and this becomes an antinomy to the unsaved:

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.” (1 John 2:15-16, NIV)

“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]. ” (1 John 2:16, AMP)

Broken Convictions:

Adams and Eve –

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (Genesis 3:6, NIV)

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”” (Genesis 3:8-10, NIV)

Joseph and his brothers –

“They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come upon us.”” (Genesis 42:21, NIV)  Referring to Genesis 37:26-28

The Disciples –

“But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.” (Matthew 26:56, NIV)

Convictions Unbroken:

Ruth and Naomi ———— Ruth 1:6-18
Elijah and Elishah —- 2 Kings 2:1-10
Jesus/Father ————— John 17

Jesus stated that we can be one with the Father also.

““I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” (John 17:20-23, NKJV)

Reference:

Lust of the flesh. The genitive, flesh, is subjective here, as it is normally when used with lust. Thus the meaning is not lust for flesh but the flesh’s lusts, or those lusts which have their base in the flesh. Flesh used in this ethical sense (as opposed to the material sense, meaning body) is the old nature in man, or his capacity to do that which is displeasing to God. Lust of the eyes. The eyes are the gate from the world to the flesh. In the phrase, lust of the flesh, the thought is of physical pleasure; while in lust of the eyes, the thought is of mental, physical, or aesthetic pleasure. Pride of life. The word pride occurs elsewhere only in Jas 4:16, where it is translated “boastings.” The idea in the word is pretentious ostentation which results from not seeing the real emptiness of the things of the world.

Closing:

“Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37, NIV)

Dennis

All scriptures used in this blog from the following Bible versions:
New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Amplified Bible (AMP)Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

The opportunity always is there to be graceful and kind to one another.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Galatians 6:10 ESV)

The greatness of His mercy clings to us and directs us to be merciful to all that we come in contact with. Being a Christian does not mean that you are a spiritual “wimp” but that you are doing things in a righteous format. In other words you are Christ-like. The mind and attitude Christ had is the same attitude that we a re to have today!

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5 ESV)

God showed us His grace when Jesus showed up up on earth. The many instances of grace found throughout the Bible culminated with the birth of Christ Jesus.

through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, (Romans 1:5 ESV)

From that moment of intervention, grace has been the proper response to people. Being graceful is a natural outflow of heart that has been shown grace! The action of being graceful actually platforms from the gratitude that we have for God. What He has done for us and what He has planned for His children is awesome and we are not worthy of it! Bringing some one you know a grace moment, is the best act of kindness that you can show. Especially when it is a moment rewarded to the most distant person you may come in contact with!

Showing the love Christ to the world is the base principle and fact of why we were given the command in the Matthew 28.  The Great Commission could be stated as ‘Go and be graceful….’ Giving someone else the encouragement and to esteem them better that yourself is an action of Grace. Jesus showed us so much Grace when He was nailed to that Cross! It is Grace that has saved us through faith in Him.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (Ephesians 2:8 ESV)

The Church really should try harder to show grace to one another and too embrace grace instead of using grace was manipulative tool in time of trouble. Take hold of grace and understand what it means! The reference to grace is not a point to push aside as you would a piece of cake. the importance of the word in our lives is the hook to our understanding why God has given to us the gift of repentance. The deserving factor does not belong to us, it belongs to the praise that we give God for His gift to us! Grace has come to us not by works or actions but simply through Jesus Christ in which we have hope in the glory of God. The action is not a cheap turn of events that some try to make it! It cost the Father to watch His Son die a horrible death on Calvary so that mankind could be reconciled back to Him. We are the ones that should have been on that cross! Grace that unmerited favor which has sparked in us the kindness of His love and the appropriation of opportunity.

Take the time to introduce the Grace of Christ to all that you come in contact with. Do not let any go by  that could witness the gracefulness that should be shown by your overflowing compassion toward them.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. (1 Corinthians 16:23 ESV)

Dennis

All scripture used in this blog is from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

With so much going on each day it not a surprise that your attention is being pulled like silly putty. Most of the core values of this time is based on who is successful and who is not. Maybe someone will publish a book entitled: Who Is and Who Is Not in America. The key factor in this attention surge is the amount of success one may have. Just how does one weigh success. Is it on how much one owns or how much one does not own? I would say it has nothing to do with that at all. There are people who are the most successful people on this earth who may not own an acre of land or even a home. Success is weighed on your obedience to your purpose. Now this could be debated on the floor of the market place or even in the halls of a church. The crucial point in all this is that success is not weighed in a cylinder nor in the pocket book. It is weighed in the hearts of men! At least that is what men think. Success is weighed in the heart of the Lord. We have been so twisted and swayed from the truth it is almost impossible for anyone to think that success can be anything else but ownership and great sums of money.  The American Dream, which is actually a great dream, has been manipulated and a new face has been placed on it! You could say that it is a mask of sort.  What lies behind that mask and error in design is the great dream of being successful because of the destiny that you follow.

I really like what Jesus stated when He asked about the place of a man’s treasure.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV)

There you have it! Success brought into the balance of a meaningful commitment and a choice. You may look at the large corporation or even the large church (which today, it is hard to tell apart) and think that the one with more people and more money is the obvious winner in the success race. That is not always true. Success goes along with being happy not overworked or displaying some nonsense of arrogance and family rejection. Being successful details that fact that your heart and your soul are content! That you can lay your head down at night and be comfortable in your inner-man. When I look at people like Mother Theresa and Gandhi I think ‘Man, now they are successful in life.’ When I kook at the father who takes time with his children and cares for his wife I think, now that is a successful father. Searching through the Bible I find all sorts of successful people who just simply lived out there destiny obeying God.

I tell you what gets my attention, it is when I see someone who is purposely living out their purpose. Not trying to step on the next person or out do someone else to get to the top. The successful person opens the door for his neighbor and lets them go first. The successful person forgives his neighbor and shares his possessions with those in need. The person who personifies success is the one who does not let human nature rule his heart. That person has put his treasures in heaven. I firmly believe that those who seem to shine on this earth because of mas possessions and large everything will not be the ones in heaven who will shine. Those that will shine will be the ones who simply took life, not by the horns, but by the Hand of God and walked with Him through it!

Dennis

All scripture used in this blog is The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

The day starts with the sound of the alarm clock penetrating your mind like a train coming through the room! You reach over and touch the snooze button, yes, just a few more minutes of peace! Peace is what we all desire in our lives. This is not a wish or a dream, peace is necessary for a balanced Christian life. Jesus left us with His peace:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27 ESV)

We have that peace already dwelling in our hearts. A peace that surpasses all understanding:

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7 ESV)

That wonderful sense of security that has been interwoven throughout our spiritual DNA. His peace gives us the strength to move forward in faith fully trusting Him through life’s storms and trials. Keeping this in mind, the one opportunity we have each day is to wake up and have that peace lead us in all our decisions. The decision to pray, fast, show mercy, or even make financial choices that may effect the business or church accounting. There are many topics that can be mentioned but those should suffice in making the point that peace is the one anchor that we have to feel confident in our choices each day.

The day begins when we put our mind to work and decide what to do first. Get up,  and start the day with a positive attitude. No matter what may be on your agenda for the day be positive about it! Today’s world, as never before, is saturated with negative talk. The talk that can actually break down your peace and manipulate your decisions in such a drastic manner that you loose confidence.  You may even begin to blame yourself for issues that you really did not create but you are listening to negative talk that is tearing you down.

When this begins to happen, whether you are listening to yourself or someone else being negative, start to meditate on the scriptures that bring promise to your life. There are several hundred that will help you ward off  the negative “spirit” of conversation! Philippians 1:6 speaks to the performance factor of your life:

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6 ESV)

Considering this verse you can actually grasp the truth of God’s presence in your everyday life and situations that may occur. His work is being done through you and around you. God is no a negative personality but a positive influence to a negative world. The evil of this world is based on the negative response and attitude toward God. Sin is negative and has a negative influence on lives. Jesus came to give us life and that life more abundantly! (John 10:10 ESV). Now that is some positive input right there. Abundant in mercy, love, hope, faith, spiritual strength and peace. When you think nothing can be done, remember what Paul wrote:

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13 ESV)

Now with that in your mind and heart you can look at negative situations and say back: “I can conquer this, no matter what the challenge.” Negative talk is a cancer to the positive influence that you can give to people each day. Turn away form negative talk and embrace the promises of scripture and acknowledge who you are in Him. God can do anything that we ask because He has promised and His promises are yes and Amen in us.

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. (1 Corinthians 1:20 ESV)

He is faithful to us and we find Him in all our situations and our hope is in Him constantly. No room for the negative talk and feelings that can infiltrate your mind if you listen! Listen to the Word and continue to embrace the many promises that are personally yours. Yours because you have a personal relationship with Him through Christ Jesus! There is a power that works within us that is positive and fulfilling all at once. The scripture that details this is found in Ephesians 3:20:

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, (Ephesians 3:20 ESV)

So when that alarm goes off in the morning and your mind thinks it is a train coming through your room, it is not! The start of new day has begun and you have the peace, the promise and the power to go through it positively! Your life can influence one person at a time with positive responses to negative darts that are hurled at you be the author of negative talk, the devil! So get up and put on the armor of God and lift that shield of faith up which is saturated in the Word and dowse out those fiery negative statements. Move forward into your day and own it! He has created it for you! Yes, positively for you!

Dennis

All scripture used in the blog is from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

This segment of time that we live in and the moments ahead we share in as I write this, are very important to the future of servant-hood. This is the most incredible time to pastor and it also is the most difficult time also. A pastor today needs to completely change the paradigm of ministry (servant-hood) to reach this generation. Some the these changes will need to be related to the different cultures that are being effected through ministerial service. To place them in a bullet list may be the beat way to influence you as a reader. 

• The absolute need for more patience with individual and family difficulties that face this modern generation.
• Showing the “true” love of Christ rather than a watered down version.
• To be a better listener to the personalities that you come in contact with.
• To come to grips that the liberal statements have a new meaning in this generation.
• The attachment to a church of denomination is not that important anymore.
• The respect for ministry has changed to a more “level” ground relationship.
• The message of Christ is the same but the method of delivery may have to be changed.
• Sharing in ministry is more important today than before – This is not an individual personality contest anymore.
• What seemed to make perfect sense spiritually may not be received by those who you minister to today.
• The lost really are not attending the building “ministry” but they are waiting for you to attend there locations like the home, job, and street corner.
• It is meaningless to say you love if your actions do not show it!
• The best book to read today is still the Bible not someone’s rendition or “spreadsheet” of His Word.
• The “phony” relationships that are normally embraced in church are not welcome in the generation. 
• The voices of “Hollywood” are becoming more effective so the minister must become more diligent and caring in the presentation of the Gospel of Christ.
• Truly living 1 Corinthians 13 in the face of adversity and criticism.
• Changing the approach when sharing the Gospel in a complex situations.
• Putting yourself in a place that you are not the focal point at all, but realizing that Jesus is in every circumstance.
• Wading through the changing of the “wineskins” so that the Lord can pour in “new” wine.
• The time that you spend in prayer must be extended and the subject of prayer should focus on the lost.
• Know the Word of God sos you can portray His love in the manner of Christ.
• Focus on the hurting and desolate not just on the spiritually mature. 
• Turn over the responsibilities to someone else that are keeping you from becoming the servant God has called you to be.
• Make friends with the sinner and build a relationship with them.
• Get out into the community and serve from a platform of care and compassion.
• The “star” quality that has been lifted up in the church is not what people need. They need Christ and they know this already.
• Don’t sell Jesus and the Gospel, give it!
• Be willing to give and be less concerned about what you receive!
• Look around you, your neighbor may not even know your name. Invite the neighborhood to a social “get together” and just be a friend.
• Be creative
• Loosen up!

These are really in-depth strategic paradigm changes that will bring the results that are biblical in your ministry and church. 

Dennis

Just what is gratitude? The definition that expresses this positive word is as follows: The state of being grateful; warm and friendly feeling toward a benefactor; kindness awakened by a favor received; thankfulness. That is just the way we all should feel toward Jesus for His accomplishment at Calvary. During His stay here on this earth He touched thousands of lives through His love and mercy shown. The dynamics of His miracles and concern for the hurting and both spiritually and physically sick people is the greatest story ever told. One such testimony was when He healed the ten lepers:

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:11-19 ESV)

What a unique mention of gratitude! Here ten lepers are healed and only one returns to give praise and show that gratitude that was due to Jesus. The one who came back was a Samaritan! Samaritans were not popular with the Jews. Jesus though, came to save mankind from sin and its curse. Jesus referred to him as a foreigner, someone that was not of the same culture and had a different belief system, yet similar. Jesus rewards this action of gratitude by declaring the richness of this Samaritan’s faith. He, alone, came back to look at Jesus Christ, the Master and Healer of his disease. An incurable disease that the Lord spoke to and it was cast away from the that which it had embodied. Where were the other nine? Had they forgotten to be thankful for what just happened?

How many come into the Church with the attitude of gratitude? That sense of praise and thankfulness for what Jesus has done for them. Even a expectation of His miraculous touch brings forth from the character of the heart a response of gratitude. Being set free from the disease of sin, that spiritual leprosy that eats away at the soul and detains the mind from knowing what true deliverance is like.  Reaching, not back, but out to the one who reached out to you! Healed and completely rewrote your life and set you on the path of righteousness for His Name’s sake.

Gratitude is maintained by and through prayer. Prayer brings into the heart that constant reminder that God has brought His grace into this world in the form of a man, a God-man, Jesus the Christ. When you pray you praise and give thanks for all His wondrous works! Being in the presence of the Father sets up the heart and soul to a position of gratitude. When the heart is freed from the burden of sin and the mind is no longer blinded to the Gospel of Christ the character of the person set free births praise and gratitude in favor of Jesus. This must be maintained because of our nature that continuously wrestles against the spirituality that is also birthed in our heart through salvation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak! He, though, is made strong through our weaknesses. These lepers were weak and He was made strong through there weakness. He conquered their disease by the power of His Word. They had the faith to receive it! But only one had the gratitude to return and thank Him! To mention prayer is never over stated in any way or form. When one stops praying and stops spending time with Him, the gratitude ceases to exist! Jesus did not have to stop that day and heal them. He did not have to heal the Samaritan but He did! He did because of His love for humanity and His compassion for the hurting people who were scattered sheep being harassed and also helpless!

During each day find a place to pray! Go to that place and acknowledge Him as who He is, the Savior of the world and Master of your heart. He has given real purpose to your life and if that is not a reason to have a spirit of gratitude, then what is? We often thank our own strengths and accomplishments with awards and self promotions but that is frail and inconsistent to the Word. Live with the gratitude of heart that you so gracefully received when He healed you of your sin and your disease. Show gratitude to Him by sharing His love with this hurting world. Never stop praising Him and returning to the place of prayer to show your appreciation to Him for what He has done for you!

Dennis

All scripture used in this blog is The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Jesus came and turned the world around! He gave up so much to give us so much! the world finds itself in a condition that dares to raise the question: What is going on? the “economy” has become common place in every one’s vocabulary. The stocks are faltering,along with homes and unemployment. It seems that the world is changing climate both physically and spiritually. As I view this situation and begin to analyze the different prospects that could bring around a “bail out” of such, I cannot help but notice that the Church is being pretty silent. Yes, I truly believe that there is help with the Lord and He will not turn from those that call to Him. His “arm” on this earth, the Church, has an amazing opportunity to reach the desolate and confused in this economic downfall. Bringing help in the form of compassion and  mercy. Reaching into the hearts of “crushed” people with a answer that will make a difference. Finding solutions in the political realm of this world will not bring but a momentary peace of mind. As the rich continue to be challenged in their comforts and lifestyles, there are hurting people who need an answer that will bring eternal blessings and relief. I really hope that the Church wakes up to he fact that the doors swing both ways, in and out. We come into the Church for to many years without going out of the Church. The equation is to take what we do inside to the outside. The remarkable thing about that is you will find that there are plenty of “lost” people who are really desiring to be found by God’s love. Yes, there are small “pockets” of believers that have turned their back on the Church but not on the Lord. They are out, ministering and bringing a word of strength and encouragement to empty people who wish to be filled. To go by the way people act is absolutely absurd! People as a whole can put on a real false face so that you will not think that they are hurting or afraid. Well, let me remind you, fear is gripping the hearts of millions in the world right now and many of them live in America. There must be a concentrated plan and effort to bring courage and truth to those that have bought into the lie of physical prosperity! When I read the Word of God I see many mistakes that people had made but I also witness the Lord coming in and delivering them from all their troubles. Their heart was broken and smashed into the wall of despair and then came the healing process. The Word was sent forth and it healed them. How wonderfully made are we that He continues to bring us up to a place of restoration. We cannot and should be silent or keep the praise of King indoors. The powerful messages that come forth in Churches across this nation are kept behind closed doors. You wonder why people have left the Church but not Christ. Why has there been such a vacating of the Church buildings? It is really simple to see, Jesus is outside calling people to a real relationship that is not corporate funded nor created. It is a relationship that was formed before the foundations of the earth. there is not some monster “giga” or “mega” church out there that needs to be financed to float. There are not Church side shows, laced with gimmicks to bring in the funds. There are not the Christian “super-heroes” who come by and you buy a ticket to listen to their spiritual melodies. No, there are real people who do not care about all that pageantry and popularity! They just want something that is truthful and obtainable that really does matter in there lives. The question does arise here: Does any one really care enough to go outside and bring the Peace of Christ to a storm filled world? We talk about unity as though we have created the idea and put our own twists to it! We criticize each other in our beliefs and refuse to have fellowship with the outsiders of religion. The unwholesome thing about all this is that we have created “cells” or “clubs” that only desire to play spiritual “games” with those that we want inside our doors. The Church is not a viable source or resource of help if the doors are shut to those who do not meet the criteria of faith. Jesus was every where and went anywhere to bring the Word of God to everyone. The crowds followed and He continued to share the Love of God to the lost. He knew what He was doing and where He was heading, Jerusalem. The place where He would give up so much to give so much. I hope and pray that the Church would sop being comfortably numb and open up her walls and smash down her doors so the world could see Jesus. To many really great people hate the Church but love Jesus. When you love someone you want to share your life with that one. If the Father loved us so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son, Jesus to us as Savior, should not that send a message to the Church to share also? The stark reality here is that there is something going on and it is not hard to figure out. The Lord is speaking to His children to get up and go out and bring His love to a world in trouble. 

Best

Dennis

Courage is defined as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery. Secondly, it details the remarkable adventure to go through life with a belief system in tact. The enabling power of courage is to act in accordance with one’s beliefs, esp. in spite of criticism. Having a resolve about your stand and the fortitude to stand against the oppositions that face you in life. As you search through the Word of God there are many stories of bravery performed by both men and women. David fought against bears and lions and conquered Goliath by having the courage to believe. Moses went back to the place of his childhood to take from Pharaoh what belonged to God. He went up against the mightiest power on the earth and won! This took tremendous bravery in the midst of being out numbered by the armies of Egypt. Gideon was found in a winepress thrashing grain because he was afraid of the Midianites. When the Angel of the lord came into the winepress he addressed Gideon as a might man of valor: And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, ”The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” (Judges 6:12 ESV) Gideon saw himself one way but the Lord spoke the words of His description as He saw Gideon. A man of great courage and resolution. That is exactly how we are to see ourselves, just as God sees us! 

He made a promise to us, all of us, that are called by His Name! Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Duet. 31:6 ESV) This promise is an everlasting promise which will bring the results of victory in our lives. As Joshua received his mentoring from Moses and then by the laying on of hands from the same he embarked on a life full of challenges! Without the promise of God and His presence Joshua would not have been able to conquer Canaan.

The Lord promised Joshua three distinct things about his future. First He promised to be bring fulfillment (Joshua 1:6), second, His power would be with Him (Joshua 1:7) and thirdly, His presence would go with them. (Joshua 1:9). As they entered into the land the Lord continued to show Himself true to His Word. Joshua lived with courage and disengaged fear. The challenges that he had to face could not be engaged with fear in the mix. He had to be confident and not faint hearted, bold and having a firmness of spirit.

This is what the Church needs today as always, to be courageous and true to her belief system. Not wavering between doctrines and philosophical statements that sound comforting. The challenges that face the Church today are greater than even before. Establishing truth in a society that encourages falsehood and hypocrisy. The walls have been built but they can be torn down when pressed by people of faith and courage.  The fear that has entered the Church has no place and there is no room for it! God has promised to fulfill and His power is with us and His presence is known in this world.  Just as Joshua faced the giants of the land the Church can also face down the giants of negativity and pleasures of the flesh. Those walls of separation that cause divisions in the Church cannot stand against courage and truth. God has not given you a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage…(Ezra 7:28a). Now that should be our testimony! 

Move out and away from fear and begin to live with courage. Courage meets danger without fear as the soul fills with the particular emotion of confident victory.  Brave life’s journey with the knowledge of God’s promises being fulfilled in you! Knowing that His power will protect you and you are never alone, for He is with always. Take courage throughout each day and manifest the truth of the Word in every thing that you do! Being constant in encountering danger and enduring pain with a steadfast and unbroken spirit. Having a adventurous spirit of courage with a high and cheerful spirit feeling no fear and having mental and emotional strength. For His Word has prepared the way for you!

Dennis