I just read Andy Andrews new book, The Noticer, and want to recommend it to you. It's a short and fast read that will compel you to look again at your current relationships and circumstances. In brief, it's a message on how not to waste or miss a great well-planned life tutorial intended to maximize your potential. You'll find it will help you in taking a step back (or I prefer to say "take a step forward") and gain perspective in whatever challenging circumstance you are facing.
In typical Andrews style, he creates fictional characters that you can easily identify with. Throughout the story you'll read lines that will not only resonate within you as true but you'll want to spend time thinking about them.
The main character in this story is a man called Jones who continually shows up at just the right time to help others who are facing a crisis. Jones happens to "notice" them and help them by pointing out what they have not yet noticed about their crippling situation.
I highlighted a few of Jones' priceless quotes in my copy of the book to occasionally review and have listed a few below for you.
"If you are still here, then you have not completed your life's purpose." "Worry is just imagination used in an unproductive way." "Wisdom is the ability to see the future consequences of our choices."
It's been my experience that perspective (or wisdom) changes everything. It motivates. It gives courage. It births hope. It can unlock the chains that so confine and trap us. I believe this story will at least move you a step forward toward perspective.
My seminary evangelism professor, Oscar Thompson, said the most important word in the English language is “RELATIONSHIP.” I couldn’t agree more.
Unfortunately, relationships are so very fragile and so often taken for granted. And we let the little things that bother us in a relationship become the poison that ultimately can destroy the very relationships we have cherished.
I recently did some research and spoke on the devious and destructive nature of jealousy and how it kills relationships. I talked about the subtleties of how a jealous heart is developed. It was illustrated by the relationship between King Saul and David, the Goliath killer (1 Samuel 17:31-19:1).
I thought some of you who read this blog would be interested in the bottom line of my message – the cure for jealousy.
Rather than go into the dirty details of how jealousy destroys a relationship (you can always go to our church website and listen to the message if you want that), I thought I’d pass on in this blog the prescriptive cure for jealousy. Be sure to notice how the cure has nothing to do with others until you first deal with your own heart and God’s plan for your life.
The Cure for a Jealous Heart
1. Admit you are jealous. Stop pretending you’re not.
James 3:14 (TLB) “And by all means don’t brag about being wise and good if you are bitter and jealous and selfish; that is the worst sort of lie.”
2. Stop comparing yourself to others. You’ve been uniquely designed by God. Start acting like it.
Galatians 6:4 (MSG) “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others.”
3. Thank God for what you already have. Get specific in your gratitude.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (HCSB) “Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
4. Recommit yourself to God’s plan for YOUR life.
Romans 12:1 (HCSB) “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.”
5. Let God to use you to help others succeed. This forces you to reject the goals of a jealous heart.
Galatians 5:13-15 (HCSB) “For you are called to freedom, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.”
6. Trust God with the results. Even if it means someone else gets what you were wanting.
Romans 8:28 (HCSB) “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.”
How to talk to God about your jealousy:
“Dear God, You have told me that I am uniquely made by you and precious in your sight. I am unworthy to be loved by you but You have chosen to love me anyway. Plus, you proved it by sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for me even when I didn’t care about You. Help me to stop comparing myself to others who are also loved by You. Help me to appreciate their role in teaching me to trust You and to hold all I have with an open hand. Please forgive me for being so possessive of what I have and transform my jealous passions into a willingness to serve others. Also, please teach me to trust You with the results.”
I read a recent study that offered some practical tips on how to best relieve stress. I thought you’d be interested in the findings like I was. At the top of the list was simply to read a book.
On March 29, 2009, the Telegraph (UK) reported,
“researchers found that stress levels and heart rate showed a 68% reduction in measurable stress after reading from a book. After achieving a high stress level through exercise and mental tests, just six minutes of reading slowed the heart rate and decreased other measures of physical stress in the muscles. Reading reduced stress to levels even lower than the baseline before the high stress was reached.”That’s amazing! But I have to admit that I think they’re on to something. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve curled up with a good book after a stressful day and come up refreshed. Reading a book has a way of distracting me from the things that stress me. In fact, reading renews my perspective and often births in my mind creative options in dealing with the things that cause me stress.
I read all kinds of books - Fiction, nonfiction, mysteries, biographies, histories, self-help, and theological ones. But my favorite book is the Bible. It has a way of burrowing down deep in me and rooting out those things that stress me out. Maybe that’s why the Bible says,
“The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb 4:12 HCSB)
I don’t need any other studies to tell me that reading, especially reading the Scripture, is a healthy habit. I just need to keep on doing it. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a shot…you won’t regret it. Wondering where to start? Read through the four gospel accounts in the New Testament. Those four books will introduce you to a character that you won't ever forget.
Oh, by the way, the study also listed some other things that weren’t quite as effective in reducing stress levels but were worth noting:
- Listening to music reduced levels by 61 per cent.
- Having a cup of tea or coffee reduced levels by 54 percent.
- Taking a walk reduced levels by 42 percent
- Playing video games reduced levels by 21 percent but still left the volunteers with heart rates above their starting point.
HE IS ALIVE!
"When you were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self, God made you alive with Christ, and he forgave all our sins. He canceled the debt, which listed all the rules we failed to follow. He took away that record with its rules and nailed it to the cross." Colossians 2:13-14 (NCV)
"For in that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in that He lives, He lives to God. So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." Romans 6:10-11 (HCSB)
GO TELL SOMEBODY!
The day after. What looked to be a journey of new hopes and dreams have now been destroyed. Everybody is gone. There’s no more laughter. You just can’t feel any worse than this.
The day after Good Friday has no semblance of being good. Jesus has been murdered. He’s gone! His followers are now in hiding and wallowing in a great deep funk. Now what are they suppose to do? Is life even worth living without Him? Those were just a few of the questions being asked. And it made them even more depressed the more they thought about it.
Some were saying that He still might come back…you know, like be raised from the dead. Those who said that were just living in denial of what had happened – right? But didn’t Jesus even say he would be killed and raised from the dead in 3 days? Ahhh, he couldn’t have meant that…or could he?
Think about it – Good Friday is associated with the day that Jesus Christ was falsely accused, tortured, and condemned and executed on a Cross. What in the world could be so GOOD about that?
While you’re thinking, let me give you three reasons.
1. Good Friday is the day God shouts out, “You are extremely valuable to Me.”
Jesus said that the reason He came to earth was to die for us and rescue us from our sin. (Mark 10:32-34) The Psalmist said, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14) Good Friday is GOOD because it is the day when God demonstrates how valuable we are to Him by paying the supreme sacrifice to redeem us.
2. Good Friday is the day God shouts out, “I love you.”
Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13). John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave is only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Good Friday is GOOD because it demonstrates the depth of God’s love for us.
3. Good Friday is the day God shouts, “Enough is enough.”
The reason Jesus had to die was because of our sin and how it separates us from God. Death is the mandatory sentence for sin. When Jesus hung on the cross, He said “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Literally those words mean, “It is now paid in full.” Good Friday is GOOD because it is the day when the debt was fully paid for our sin. All that’s left is for us to accept the payment that was made on our behalf.
GOOD FRIDAY was really a GOOD FRIDAY!
I just received an emergency email from a good friend of mine in Moldova requesting prayer. Valeriu Ghiletchi was just elected to the Parliament of Moldova. He is an evangelical Christian and former president of the Moldovan Baptist Union. This is miraculous in and of itself since the country’s leaders are predominantly communist.
Valeriu desires to use his influence as a follower of Christ among those who are the most influential in Moldova. The recent developments are alarming but could also prove to open doors that would never open under other circumstances. Please pray! Below is the email I received
Dear friends, Street protests erupted today in Chisinau, the capital city of Moldova. The demonstrations are a result of the huge disappointment that many people felt after the announcement of the final election results. The President and Parliament buildings have been vandalized. At this moment the Parliament building is under fire. The situation is out of control. Police withdrew from these buildings. Political leaders of the opposition met with the power, but so far the conflict has not been resolved. I addressed the protesters a public message in which I invited them to pray, have peace and faith in Christ. Our churches are engaged in prayer today. Toma Magda, the European Baptist Federation President, who is in Moldova these days, and myself urge you to pray for peace and stopping of violence. Pray also for me, so I can play a peace making role and be a witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in these crucial days for our nation. Valeriu Ghiletchi
Why Every Pastor Should Tweet (And Blog Too)
I’ve started blogging and tweeting. I even have a FaceBook page. Why in the world would I start adding things like that to my plate? Isn’t pastoring a multi-campus church in South Florida enough to keep me busy? The answer to that question is definitely YES. But I’m always looking for ways to help me improve and develop as a Pastor.
When I started tweeting and blogging, I kept wondering if it was a waste of time. The learning curve took me a while to see any kind of value. But now that I’ve used Twitter for about 8 months and blogged for 3 months I’ve come to the conclusion that both have added greatly to my effectiveness as a pastor. I have been amazed at the feedback.
Here’s the bottom line. Transparency and authenticity are more than current buzzwords. People want to know if what they hear from their pastor is for real. They want to believe what they’re taught from the Bible, but it’s hard when they don’t see examples of people actually living out these truths. Tweeting and Blogging are great ways to demonstrate the daily practicalities of Biblical Truth. It’s like supplementing the weekly sermon with daily illustrations from your life. The pastor gets to actually model it. Sometimes as a good example; and sometimes not.
Pastors need to be true to their calling and preach and teach the Bible. But we also need to find ways to practically demonstrate through our lives those things we preach and teach. Tweeting (using Twitter) a few times a day helps others see how we interact with our circumstances and the people we meet. It’s like adding a living commentary to the things you’ve been teaching. What a great way to apply personally, for others to see, the Biblical truths you and I believe. Some would call that MENTORING.
Warning though! You don’t want to just tweet whatever thoughts come to your mind. You want to use discretion, be wise, and constructive. Never forget that you are modeling behavior that you would want others to learn from or imitate. Be sure to keep asking yourself, “How can what I just saw or thought apply to a Biblical principle I’ve learned?” or “Am I speaking the truth in love?” or “Would this really help somebody?”
I think if this technology was available to the Apostle Paul, he would have used it. That’s one thing I think he was saying in his letter to the church at Philippi.
“Join in imitating me, brothers, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.” Phil 3:17 (HCSB)
Posts
