Category: Ministry

A Good Reputation Is Better Than A Fat Bank Account

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Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good reputation is better than a fat bank account. Your death date tells more than your birth date. 2 You learn more at a funeral than at a feast – After all, that’s where we’ll end up. We might discover something from it. 3 Crying is better than laughing. It blotches the face but it scours the heart. 4 Sages invest themselves in hurt and grieving. Fools waste their lives in fun and games. 5 You’ll get more from the rebuke of a sage Than from the song and dance of fools. 6 The giggles of fools are like the crackling of twigs Under the cooking pot. And like smoke.
7 Brutality stupefies even the wise And destroys the strongest heart. 8 Endings are better than beginnings. Sticking to it is better than standing out. 9 Don’t be quick to fly off the handle. Anger boomerangs. You can spot a fool by the lumps on his head. 10 Don’t always be asking, “Where are the good old days?” Wise folks don’t ask questions like that.
11 Wisdom is better when it’s paired with money, Especially if you get both while you’re still living. 12 Double protection: wisdom and wealth! Plus this bonus: Wisdom energizes its owner. 13 Take a good look at God’s work. Who could simplify and reduce Creation’s curves and angles To a plain straight line? 14 On a good day, enjoy yourself; On a bad day, examine your conscience. God arranges for both kinds of days So that we won’t take anything for granted. Stay in Touch with Both Sides 15 I’ve seen it all in my brief and pointless life – here a good person cut down in the middle of doing good, there a bad person living a long life of sheer evil. 16 So don’t knock yourself out being good, and don’t go overboard being wise. Believe me, you won’t get anything out of it. 17 But don’t press your luck by being bad, either. And don’t be reckless. Why die needlessly? 18 It’s best to stay in touch with both sides of an issue. A person who fears God deals responsibly with all of reality, not just a piece of it. 19 Wisdom puts more strength in one wise person Than ten strong men give to a city. 20 There’s not one totally good person on earth, Not one who is truly pure and sinless. 21 Don’t eavesdrop on the conversation of others. What if the gossip’s about you and you’d rather not hear it? 22 You’ve done that a few times, haven’t you – said things Behind someone’s back you wouldn’t say to his face?
23 I tested everything in my search for wisdom. I set out to be wise, but it was beyond me, 24 far beyond me, and deep – oh so deep! Does anyone ever find it? 25 I concentrated with all my might, studying and exploring and seeking wisdom – the meaning of life. I also wanted to identify evil and stupidity, foolishness and craziness. 26 One discovery: A woman can be a bitter pill to swallow, full of seductive scheming and grasping. The lucky escape her; the undiscerning get caught. 27 At least this is my experience – what I, the Quester, have pieced together as I’ve tried to make sense of life. 28 But the wisdom I’ve looked for I haven’t found. I didn’t find one man or woman in a thousand worth my while. 29 Yet I did spot one ray of light in this murk: God made men and women true and upright; we’re the ones who’ve made a mess of things.

He Perfects All Things Concerning Me

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God purposes every single thing in our life for good. It’s hard to believe that those horrible things in our lives were for our good but I believe they were. They stretch us and move us out of our comfort zone and our lives aren’t the same yet in some ways better if we allow them to be.

God comes to our aid, and kisses our cuts and bruises, he just doesn’t just pick us up, he walks us through. There is an obvious love that the Lord has for us that shows in the way he handles things for us.

The man that you choose to marry should want to help you right the wrongs in your life. He should want even the heavy and hard stuff to work out in your favor. He should begin with the end in mind. Life isn’t just some roll of the dice thing. Yes there are spontaneous things but for the most part it should be planned. He should not however be willing to do the work for you. The man that is looking to do the work for you is looking for the ego gratification of rescuing a damsel in distress. The minute the damsel is no longer in distress he gets stressed because he’s out of a job. So he goes looking for another damsel.

Expect a man who has planning and that vision. If it’s not there, your life will be a rollercoaster of good and bad with no way to gauge what will happen next. A woman needs to feel secure in her life. We look for that as our number one need. It’s easy to fall into a trap of a man who fixes it all but remember, the bible doesn’t say God fixes it all, it says he perfects it all. We fix our own messes, he helps heal and get us to learn our lesson. He turns the negative into a positive. He never berates us in the process. He never says ‘I told you so’.

Leadership Advance

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We went off for a two day break. We call these Leadership Advances because we get refreshed and renewed. We get away from the noise and the tyranny of the urgent and get to what’s important, listening to that still small voice and taking an assessment of where we’ve been and where we’re going. So as we drove through the mountains, our destination was on the horizon.

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We arrived, and immediately did a drive-by of our favorite spot. We were happy to be free for a couple of days. Thank you God for a some rest. The next morning we got up bright and early, had a good breakfast and went to set up camp!

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We settled in for the day. Neither of us really saying a word. We really needed to be quiet. Let the Advance begin!

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We stayed until the sun began to set and it started to get a little cold. As leaders though we are never quite alone. There are always those who need ministry and today was no exception. They came to sit at our feet.

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My husband, the pastor, never misses an opportunity to preach the word. So he gathered them around and began.

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The looks on their faces were priceless!

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We went home that evening happy and refreshed and ready to do it again the next day.

As Brooke Fraser ministered to me through my Ipod with her song, Indelible, the view was incredible, the sun was shining and God was whispering. I had been sensing a connection that was unlike one I had experienced before and I was glad that I was not disappointed. How magnificent You created the earth to look, Lord. Who could not have faith in You when they see Your wonders?

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Our friends were back and we relaxed in the beauty of the wonders He has created.

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We stayed until the sun began to go down once again. We are headed home now as you read this. Refreshed, renewed, anointed and invigorated. Praise God for His blessings!

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Moms Against Hunger

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Today I want to direct you to a really good friend of mine and fellow Pastor’s wife blog. Her name is Dr. Gayla Holley and she is the President of Moms Against Hunger. As you will read her prayer list she has some exciting things that we can get involved in. There are people that can use our help and if we all just pitch in a little, it will go along way. To the right of my home page you’ll see a donate button. Please donate to this worthy cause. There are people who are quietly working for the betterment of others and Dr. Gayla is one of them. Click here to view her blog.

The Lazy Are Oppressed By Work

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Proverbs 12:1 If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it – how shortsighted to refuse correction!
2 A good person basks in the delight of God, and he wants nothing to do with devious schemers.
3 You can’t find firm footing in a swamp, but life rooted in God stands firm.
4 A hearty wife invigorates her husband, but a frigid woman is cancer in the bones.
5 The thinking of principled people makes for justice; the plots of degenerates corrupt.
6 The words of the wicked kill; the speech of the upright saves.
7 Wicked people fall to pieces – there’s nothing to them; the homes of good people hold together.
8 A person who talks sense is honored; airheads are held in contempt.
9 Better to be ordinary and work for a living than act important and starve in the process.
10 Good people are good to their animals; the “good-hearted” bad people kick and abuse them.
11 The one who stays on the job has food on the table; the witless chase whims and fancies.
12 What the wicked construct finally falls into ruin, while the roots of the righteous give life, and more life. Wise People Take Advice
13 The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble; the conversation of good people keeps them out of it.
14 Well-spoken words bring satisfaction; well-done work has its own reward.
15 Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice.
16 Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly; the prudent quietly shrug off insults.
17 Truthful witness by a good person clears the air, but liars lay down a smoke screen of deceit.
18 Rash language cuts and maims, but there is healing in the words of the wise.
19 Truth lasts; lies are here today, gone tomorrow.
20 Evil scheming distorts the schemer; peace-planning brings joy to the planner.
21 No evil can overwhelm a good person, but the wicked have their hands full of it.
22 God can’t stomach liars; he loves the company of those who keep their word.
23 Prudent people don’t flaunt their knowledge; talkative fools broadcast their silliness.
24 The diligent find freedom in their work; the lazy are oppressed by work.
25 Worry weighs us down; a cheerful word picks us up.
26 A good person survives misfortune, but a wicked life invites disaster.
27 A lazy life is an empty life, but “early to rise” gets the job done.
28 Good men and women travel right into life; sin’s detours take you straight to hell. “The Message”

There Is Nothing He Wouldn’t Do For Me

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/superlocal/ 1355931714/ Korean men carry their woman's purse!
/superlocal/ 1355931714/ Korean men carry their woman's purse!

God loves me. He counted each strand of hair on my head and that’s love because I have a thick head of hair. He knew me before I was in my mother’s womb and he chose me to be his before the foundation of the earth. He moved heaven and earth and he sent his son Jesus in human form legally to buy me back when I was sold in a garden. It cost Jesus his life and the pain and suffering he went through during his life was bad enough, rejected by people and called names and lied on and yet it was not the worst part. They tortured him in the worst way and then hung him on a cross to die a brutal death. While those who professed to love God stood by and mocked him and yelled out. He did all of that for me. So truly there is nothing he wouldn’t do for me.

When choosing a man, you need to choose one that is for you and not against you. A man that knows that when you bear his children your bond to that child will be so strong that you will want to stay home and raise them and that he will be willing to get a second job to support you during that time. He will want to protect you and keep a roof over your head and he will never expect you to carry the weight of the family alone. Your man is looking for a partner. The man you chose is a man who has found his passion in life and he isn’t looking around to see if there is a better-looking woman standing around. He loves you. He isn’t comparing you to anyone. He is willing to get you a glass of water in the middle of the night when you wake up with a migraine. He loves you both with a passionate love that one has for their lover and an enduring love that one has for their best friend. He doesn’t mock your ideas or dreams and he wants and expects the best of everything for you. You are his woman and he is your man and together you build a life worthy of each other. He is committed to the long run.

I listened to Dr. Laura one day as a woman called in. She said that she had just had her breast removed because of stage two cancer. She said she desired her husband but was afraid of sexual intimacy because she didn’t want him to see her like that. Her voice was pained and it touched my heart. She continued and said her husband said he loved HER and not her breast and would do anything for her but she was having a hard time believing that.

Dr. Laura softly said something so profound. She said, that the caller had to believe her husband’s love for her and that as he caressed her body with his hand that she had to know that as his hand caressed over where her breast used to be, that he would gladly give his hand to make her whole again.

That’s a godly man. That’s the kind of man you want.

Amber Lyn

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www.amberlynchocolatestore.com
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Luke 6:12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Today was my first day off in over a month. Even when my husband called a day for a date a couple of weeks ago, we had to spend half the day in meetings and work, and then a couple of errands for church, so it really boiled down to a meal and we ended up skipping the movie because we were too tired.

I knew I was running on empty and we as followers of Christ know that Jesus went off to pray on a regular basis. I knew I was way overdue for some time to get away. I tend to begin to feel very caged in by circumstances and the things that happen in the course of ministry tend to get amplified when I am not rested. So I called a Sand Seminar (thanks Linda for the idea). I told my husband I was going and asked him to go with me if he could.

I went to bed that night with anticipation of going away for a day without work. I thanked God for making a way today. I also repented for the part that I play in all of this. I woke up singing and happy, which is totally unusual for me because I am a grumpy person in the morning. I believe my song was specific:

You are unfailing God, Your love’s unending
And Your word is eternal, Firm in the heavens it stands

My husband cancelled an appointment and we went to Monterey Bay for the day. On the way we stopped at Costco to get some fruit and a new book to take with us to our usual spot on the beach. I couldn’t get this song out of my head. I just was in a mode of worship!

There is this chocolate that I love. It’s called Amber Lyn and it’s not sold anywhere, I normally get mine online. It’s a great quality chocolate that is sugar free and gluten free. I have one square of chocolate each night before I go to bed. I do this because Amber Lyn chocolates cause me have sweet dreams! I have been out of chocolate for a month now and each night before I went to bed, I’d say, “I’ve got to order some chocolates in”. I was normally just too exhausted to do so and when I woke up each morning I wouldn’t even think about it. So guess who was at Costco with a special display? YES! YES they were! Amber Lyn’s display was right there! Not only did I get a my usual chocolate bars, I tried some new flavors and they gave me a few for free for being a loyal customer! They were $7.00 off the case price and I saved shipping as well! What are the chances? I mean really, I believe this was a divine ordered God day!

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

He really does love you! He really does want you to have a great day. He really does want to have this relationship with you where he just flat out comes first in your life, because you flat out come first in HIS! I hope you really do believe it! Trust God, pray to him, believe that he has your best interest at heart and then watch as you have an Amber Lyn day like I did!

Unfailing God
by Desperation Band

Unfailing God
Though my eyes may fail me, I will follow after You
Though Your promise seems forsaken
I’ll remember the world’s in Your hands
And You’ll find me singing

You are unfailing God, Your love’s unending
And Your word is eternal, Firm in the heavens it stands (repeat)

Though sorrow’s my condition
And pain holds back no blow
Though this be my darkest hour
Your lamp is leading me home
And You’ll find me singing

Eyes can’t see but I feel You near
I know you’re working through my tears
I trust You Lord, I trust You for You never walk away

Unfailing God, Unfailing God, Your love is unending,Lord

I’m Coming To The Party You’re Throwing For Me!

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Psalm 40:1-I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened. 2 He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn’t slip. 3 He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God. 4 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God, turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,” ignore what the world worships; 5 The world’s a huge stockpile of God-wonders and God-thoughts. Nothing and no one comes close to you! I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words. Neither numbers nor words account for you.
6 Doing something for you, bringing something to you – that’s not what you’re after. Being religious, acting pious – that’s not what you’re asking for. You’ve opened my ears so I can listen. 7 So I answered, “I’m coming. I read in your letter what you wrote about me, 8 And I’m coming to the party you’re throwing for me.” That’s when God’s Word entered my life, became part of my very being. 9 I’ve preached you to the whole congregation, I’ve kept back nothing, God – you know that. 10 I didn’t keep the news of your ways a secret, didn’t keep it to myself. I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough. I didn’t hold back pieces of love and truth For myself alone. I told it all, let the congregation know the whole story.
11 Now God, don’t hold out on me, don’t hold back your passion. Your love and truth are all that keeps me together. 12 When troubles ganged up on me, a mob of sins past counting, I was so swamped by guilt I couldn’t see my way clear. More guilt in my heart than hair on my head, so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out. 13 Soften up, God, and intervene; hurry and get me some help, 14 So those who are trying to kidnap my soul will be embarrassed and lose face, So anyone who gets a kick out of making me miserable will be heckled and disgraced, 15 So those who pray for my ruin will be booed and jeered without mercy. 16 But all who are hunting for you – oh, let them sing and be happy. Let those who know what you’re all about tell the world you’re great and not quitting. 17 And me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing and have nothing: make something of me. You can do it; you’ve got what it takes – but God, don’t put it off. “The Message”

Life Lessons

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Written By Regina Brett, 53 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio (written in 2006)

“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolled over to 50 in August, so here is the column once more:”
1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good..
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God.. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about..
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ”In five years, will this matter?”.
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29.. Time heals almost everything.. Give time, time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.
33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
34. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back..
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.
(don’t know what #45 is!!!)

Street Children

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kidsweb
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During the rebuilding of our church’s building after the fire, we are leasing a store front. Each day there are three boys who play in the parking lot, in the dumpsters, running down the sidewalks, annoying the other offices in our shopping center. They run into our office each time they pass by, “We came for candy and Coke”, they say. Each day that they come by, we give them candy but we don’t drink Coke often so all we have is water which is disappointing to them and they decline.

They generally wreak havoc in the office and then go on to the next office. Today though was different. I was working in what is now the sanctuary. They had found a shopping cart and they were taking turns getting in the cart and running as fast as they could go, before letting the cart go as it ran into cars, windows etc… They got in trouble so they had to let that activity go and they were running around looking for something to get into.

I leave the sanctuary to get a stapler from the office and as I was walking out of the office, I hear the drums and they boys screaming in the sanctuary. I lock up the office and run next door. The scene went like this:

“RUN SHE’S COMING!”
“HANG ON! DON’T RUN! SIT DOWN RIGHT NOW!” This is my best mom voice!
All three of the boys stop dead in their tracks and sit down.
“Now, I’m calling the police because you guys are trespassing.”
“NO! PLEASE DON’T!”
Three boys begin to look really scared.
“Too bad! You guys need to learn a lesson. You can’t just run into places and do whatever you want! There are a lot of expensive things in here and you can’t just go banging on stuff without permission. You have to learn to respect stuff and you have to learn manners.”
“NO! PLEASE DON’T! LET US WORK IT OFF! WE’RE SORRY! WE WON’T DO IT AGAIN.”
A couple of the boys begin to get teary.
“So, here’s the deal I’m willing to make. You have to promise never to do this again. You all can come and play drums and stuff but you have to ask first and you have to be supervised. If you do this again, I really will call the police. Got it?”
“Yes! Thanks! So we can play the drums if we ask permission first?”
“Yes. You can play with permission and with supervision.”
“Okay, and we’ll walk Lulu if you want.”
“No, that’s fine. I want you guys to have stuff to do but we have to have some ground rules. So let me show you how to play the instruments and what you can mess with and what you can’t touch.”
“Do you think we can be in the band?”
“When you’re in 7th grade you can.”
“They’ll let us? Are you really sure?”
“Yes, they’ll let you be in the youth band. I’m really sure. Just use your manners in the house of God.”
“Okay.”

In about 15 minutes they were trying to coordinate a song and trying to drum to a beat. The song? We Will Rock You by Queen.

I know the story of two of these boys. Their moms are stay at home moms and on drugs. The third boy lives with his grandparents but I’m unsure about where his parents are. They basically fend for themselves and no one ever comes to check on them. Ever. They eat whatever we have around the offices. They are generally unclean and unkempt and they have gutter mouths, but you know what? They are little boys. These aren’t big kids. The oldest one is a third grader. Hopefully today we struck a deal. I needed to get their attention and I needed to give them a place to go. You know something? After we made rules, they were sweet. Boys nevertheless, meaning they ran around, they yelled and they played. I wish their parents could see that with some boundaries, care, love and concern they’d have some really great future men to lead our country.