Thursday, February 28, 2013

How is your fuel tank?

Know Your Strengths

When you teach, do people listen? When you lead, do people follow? Identify your strengths, and —this is important—major in them. Singing for others would give me wonderful satisfaction. The problem is, it wouldn’t give the same satisfaction to my audience. I’m what you might call a prison singer—I never have the key, and I’m always behind a few bars.

Paul gives good advice in Romans 12:3: “Have a sane estimate of your capabilities.”

Be aware of your strengths. Take a few irons out of the fire so one can get hot. Failing to focus on our strengths may prevent us from accomplishing the unique task God has called us to do. We cannot meet every need in the world. But some of us try. In the end, we run out of fuel. So, have a sane estimate of your abilities—and stick to them.

From Just Like Jesus

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

What's on YOUR Heart


What Do You Love to Do?
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What do you love to do?  What gives you a sense of satisfaction? Some long to feed the poor. Others relish singing or teaching or holding the hands of the sick or counseling the confused.  Each of us has been made to serve God in a unique way.

Ephesians 2:10 says: “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” You are a custom design; you are tailor-made. Regardless of the circumstances that surrounded your arrival, you are not an accident.

The longings of your heart are not incidental; they are critical messages. The desires of your heart are not to be ignored; they are to be consulted. As the wind turns the weather vane, so God uses your passion to turn your life. God is too gracious to ask you to do something you hate.

From Just Like Jesus

Monday, February 25, 2013

What is your VIEW?

Worship Changes Our Face

Exactly what is worship? I like King David’s definition in Psalm 34:3: “Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.”

Worship is magnifying or enlarging our vision of God. Of course his size doesn’t change, but our perception of him does. As we draw nearer, he seems larger. Isn’t that what we need? A big view of God? Don’t we have big problems, big worries, and big questions? Of course we do. So, we need a big view of God. Worship offers that.

A vibrant, shining face is the mark of one who has stood in God’s presence. He wipes away the tears. Not only does God change the face of those who worship, he changes those who watch us worship!

From Just Like Jesus

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Are you checked IN?

His Presence Never Diminishes

For years I viewed God as a compassionate CEO and my role as a loyal sales representative. He had his office, and I had my territory. I could contact him as much as I wanted. He encouraged me, rallied behind me, and supported me, but he didn’t go with me. At least I didn’t think he did.

Then I read 2nd Corinthians 6:1: we are “God’s fellow workers.” Fellow workers? Co-laborers? God and I work together? Imagine the paradigm shift this truth creates. Rather than report to God, we work with God.Rather than check in with him and then leave, we check in with him and then follow. We are always in the presence of God. We never leave church. There is never a non-sacred moment.

His presence never diminishes. Our awareness of his presence may falter, but the reality of his presence never changes!

From Just Like Jesus

Friday, February 15, 2013

Over and Over

A Little Over a Lifetime

Will I learn what God intends? If I listen, I will. A little girl returned from her first day at school. Her mom asked, “Did you learn anything?” “I guess not,” the girl responded. “I have to go back tomorrow and the next day and the next day. . .”

Such is the case with learning. And such is the case with Bible study.

Understanding comes a little at a time over a lifetime. James said: “The man who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and makes a habit of doing so is not the man who hears and forgets. He puts that law into practice and wins true happiness.” (James 1:25).

The Bible is not a newspaper to be skimmed but rather a mine to be quarried. Proverbs 2:4 says to “search for it like silver, and hunt for it like hidden treasure.”

And we need to do it today, and the next day, and the next….

From Just Like Jesus

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Put Your Burdens Down


Great Lesson on Stress

 

A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and

explaining stress management to an audience with a raised glass of

water. Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half

empty or half full?'... She fooled them all .... "How heavy is this

glass of water?" she inquired with a smile. Answers called out ranged

from 8 oz. To 20 oz.

She replied , "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how

long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I

hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it

for a day, you'll have to call an Ambulance. In each case it's the same

weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She

continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our

burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes

increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

 

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and

rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on

with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced.

 

So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down.

Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... Pick them up

tomorrow.

 

1 * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days

you're the statue!

 

2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to

eat them.

 

3 * Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the

middle of it.

 

4 * Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by

their Maker.

 

5 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

 

6 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was

probably worth it.

 

7 * It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a

warning to others.

 

8 * Never buy a car you can't push.

 

9 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then

you won't have a leg to stand on.

 

10 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

 

11 * Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.

 

12 * The second mouse gets the cheese.

 

13 * When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

 

14 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you

live.

 

16 * Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

 

17 * We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are

pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different

colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

 

18 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

 

19 * Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you

today.

 

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

 

20 *Save the earth..... It's the only planet with chocolate!* I THINK

!!!!

 

And, to my "sisters" still reading:

Today someone asked me if I liked you. I laughed, and I said, "Ha!

That's funny!! I absolutely LOVE that woman!! She's funny, caring,

crazy as heck, sweet, beautiful, she's reading this email right now & I

love her!!" Send this to ten ladies you love!! & I better be one!!!!

 

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning

the devil says~~ "Oh Crap, She's up!"

 

May Angels Fly With You Wherever You Roam, and You Always Arrive Safely To Your Destination !

 

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Move ON


A Basin of Water


I looked for a Bible translation that reads, “Jesus washed all the disciples’ feet except the feet of Judas.” I couldn’t find one.

A couple once told me about a storm they were weathering. She learned of an act of infidelity that had occurred a decade ago. And as you can imagine, she was deeply hurt. She could have left. Women have done so for lesser reasons. But on advice of a counselor, they went away for several days. On the fourth night of the trip, he found a card on his pillow. It said: “I’d rather do nothing with you than something without you.” Beneath that she’d written these words: I forgive you. I love you. Let’s move on.

Certain conflicts can be resolved only with a basin of water. Jesus made sure His disciples had no reason to doubt His love. Why don’t you do the same?

From Just Like Jesus


Monday, February 11, 2013

Serve Others


MaxLucado.com Weekday Email

Wash Each Other’s Feet

Jesus said to His disciples: “If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other’s feet” (John 13:14). It means to kneel as Jesus knelt, touching the grimy parts of the people we’re stuck with; washing away their unkindnesses with kindness. Or as Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.”

“But Max,” you’re saying, “I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m not the one who cheated. I’m not the one who lied. I’m not the guilty party here.” Perhaps you aren’t. But neither was Jesus. Don’t we all think we are right? Hence we wash each other’s feet. Relationships don’t survive because the guilty are punished but because the innocent are merciful! Only one was worthy of having his feet washed. The one worthy of being served, served others.

From Just Like Jesus

Monday, February 4, 2013

What if?


MaxLucado.com Weekday Email

What If?

What if, for one day, Jesus were to become you? Waking up in your bed, walking in your shoes, assuming your schedule? With one exception—nothing about your life changes. Not your circumstances. Your schedule. Your problems. Only one change occurs! His priorities govern your actions. His love directs your behavior.

What would you be like? Would people notice a change? What about the less fortunate? Would you treat them the same? And your friends? Would they detect more joy?

Pause and think about your schedule. Obligations. Engagements. Appointments. Would anything change? Keep working on this for a moment. Adjust the lens of your imagination until you have a clear picture of Jesus leading your life. Then frame the image. What you see is what God wants. He wants you to “think and act like Christ Jesus.” God wants you to be just like Jesus!

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

From Just Like Jesus

Friday, February 1, 2013

Who do YOU dress up like?


MaxLucado.com Weekday Email

Just Like Jesus

When they were young, my daughters loved playing “dress-up.” They’d put on their mom’s shoes, fill up a grown-up purse with crayons and pretend grown-up scenarios. For the moment, they wanted to be just like mom.

Don’t we do the same? We look at ourselves, with our immaturity, our sinfulness, and we want to clothe ourselves in something better. We want to be just like Jesus. This seems like an impossible goal until we accept one simple truth: God will help us. He loves us. Not only does God love each of us exactly as we are, but he wants us, little by little, to become like him. Why? Because he wants us to have a heart like his.

Need to hear that message a few more times? Don’t we all? God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way! He wants you to be just like Jesus!

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26).

From Just Like Jesus


Who do you Dress Up like?


MaxLucado.com Weekday Email

Just Like Jesus

When they were young, my daughters loved playing “dress-up.” They’d put on their mom’s shoes, fill up a grown-up purse with crayons and pretend grown-up scenarios. For the moment, they wanted to be just like mom.

Don’t we do the same? We look at ourselves, with our immaturity, our sinfulness, and we want to clothe ourselves in something better. We want to be just like Jesus. This seems like an impossible goal until we accept one simple truth: God will help us. He loves us. Not only does God love each of us exactly as we are, but he wants us, little by little, to become like him. Why? Because he wants us to have a heart like his.

Need to hear that message a few more times? Don’t we all? God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way! He wants you to be just like Jesus!

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26).

From Just Like Jesus