This past Sunday I did a message titled ...
Here are the five points of the message.
1. You can't do everything, but you can do one thing.
2. Focus on the few and you will accomplish much.
3. Write down your schedule.
4. Do one thing at a time.
5. Success and failure is not based on the tasks you accomplish but how you accomplished them.
ere is the full length message video.
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We are living in a season of transition, trouble, and turmoil as a nation. But this is not new! The children of Israel faced similar seasons of unrest in their history. In this message we look at three stories of the past to learn lessons that apply to our story today.
It is time to Fight for your Family. Hope you enjoy and share this link with a friend.
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"If I had the money they have".
"If I had that stage".
"If I had that worship team".
"If I had that staff and a facility like theirs".
"I know they are growing and things are going well for them, but look at all the tools and toys they’ve got! If I had what they have I could do what they are doing".
That mindset is a lie from the pit of hell and it will keep you meandering in mediocrity. The truth is, God is not a respector of persons. He does not love the church down the street or the pastor on the corner any more than he loves you!
Stop making excuses for why you are not seeing what you want to see happen in your ministry and start making phone calls to ask questions and grow.
How did you get a facility like that?
How did you grow a worship team that works so well together?
What do you do to train up so many great leaders?
What are the systems you have for follow up and discipleship?
Find out what others have done ... then do what they do!
Let's not lie to ourselves anymore. The statement to make is not, "If I had what they have, I would do what they are doing". The statement to make is,
We had a great time last night at our youth ministry for students 6th - 12th grade. We worshiped Jesus. We had a blast hanging out, and I did a message titled "Real World Rules". This is a message that I have spoken in one form or another, training Pastors, Youth Pastors, and Ministry Teams all over America. But I really wanted our students to realize that Jesus did not save them to be mediocre, he saved them to impact their world. So I spoke to them like leaders of their generation, knowing that they will rise to the level of expectation.
Here are the points from the message titled "Real World Rules". Feel free to take them and train teenagers and teams in your local setting.
Rule #1
Your talent and $4 will get you a coffee at Starbucks.
Rule #2
You deserve nothing you earn everything.
Rule #3
Small is big.
Rule #4
A servants heart will take you further then you ever dreamed.
Rule #5
Nothing is ever accomplished by just thinking.
Rule #6
People don’t listen to what you say that listen to what you do.
Rule #7
Life is all about people. You are in the people business.
Rule #8
Pray or fail.
What do you do when money gets tight?
What do you do when attendance goes down?
What do you do when your friend is dying?
What do you do when you just received a phone call that changed everything?
Here are four things you have to do when things get tough:
In Acts 27 the Apostle Paul goes through a tough time. The ship is is sailing on is getting ready to crash. Many people think about jumping ship, but Paul encourages them, "unless we stay with the ship we cannot be saved".
Many times like the men Paul was traveling with, when things get tough, we want to quit the ministry, leave the church, dump the friend, jump ship and move on. But what good will that do? Running away from the tough times will not change anything. Keep trying. Keep pressing. Keep believing. Don't jump ship.
In the same story in Acts 27, once the ship ran aground the men held onto pieces of the boat that had broken off. They held onto those pieces and floated safely ashore.
When things start getting tough, you have to hold onto that you believe.
Hold onto that passage of scripture. Hold onto that statement of faith. Hold onto what you know to be true. It just might be what it takes to get you safely to shore.
God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above that which we can ask or think. When tough times come, trust him to provide, protect, deliver, and change the situation.
God parted the Red Sea for Moses, held the sun still for Joshua, surely He can help you. Don't jump ship. Hold onto what you believe and trust Him to do something that only He can do!
There are very few things in life that we can control. We cannot control other peoples actions, words, or deeds. However, we can always control our heart.
Scripture teaches us, "Above all else guard your heart for it is the well spring of life".
When your ministry is not growing, but your friends ministry is, guard your heart.
When your Pastor pulls you into his office and corrects you for something you feel he is not being correctly, guard your heart.
When you lose something or someone that was very dear to you and you don't understand why, guard your heart.
Guard your heart against bitterness. Bitterness is a small monster that burrows it's way down deep and grows in the darkest place of our heart. But bitterness never stays there. It grows and begins to claw its way into ever area of our life.
When things get tough. Choose to not become bitter.
It would be so great to live in a world where there were no problems or opposition. But that is not the world we live in. Jesus once said, "In the world you will have many troubles, but don't worry, I have overcome the world".
Your story is not over.
Jesus tomb is empty.
Don't jump ship. Hold onto what you believe. Trust God to do the supernatural. Never become bitter.
