A Recommendation

The best recommendation I can give to anyone anywhere for anything is that they follow Jesus Christ. That about sums it up for me.

Somebody

Most of us at some point in our week have thoughts about what “ought to” be done. What was the last thing that came to your mind that you really felt ought to be done? Was it some injustice that needed to be made right? Was it some ministry that needed to be started? Was it some person who needed a hand? Was it some task that would improve your community?

Chances are that everyone of us will have a moment today or tomorrow where we will think that somebody should do something about this or that. It is that “ought to” moment that I believe that God uses to prick us towards action. The challenge I want to leave you with today is when you sense that somebody should do something about an injustice, a need or a ministry that you will consider that the reason you have had an “ought to” moment is not for just personal observation only. It may be that God has put it on your heart to be the somebody to do something about it.

Narking

I was listening to Colin Cowherd on sports radio today. The subject of narking came up. The question was asked, "Would you nark to authorities on your brother if you knew your brother was murdering people?" Cowherd said he would nark on his brother. But the other guy, fish, said he would not nark on his brother. He would defend his brother.

Would you nark on your brother or sister for murder?

What does your answer reveal about your values?

By the way, I would nark on my brother. It is just.

Gratitude

Here's a verse you don't hear quoted very often,

"Ears that hear and eyes that see-- the LORD has made them both." Proverbs 20:12

I could have ears that don't hear. I could have eyes that don't see. Sadly, I take these blessings for granted. I live as though I am entitled to have the ability to see and hear. But these senses are a blessing from the LORD.

If I couldn't hear or see then I would miss out on...

• watching my sons play ball
• enjoying music
• hearing the words "I love you!"
• seeing the cardinal outside my window
• listening to the ocean waves crash on the beach
• being able to drive
• watching the Georgia Bulldogs play football
• seeing my smoking hot wife
• reading the Word of God

and I think that would really stink.

So, I stopped today and thanked God for these really great blessing of being able to see and hear.

The Myth of Obscurity

Sometimes it seems like when you work in a church that you minister to people in obscurity. But the truth is that there is not such a thing as obscure service in the Kingdom of God. I spent 15 years serving in youth ministry. When all the adults were meeting on Sunday evening, I was in a room far away with a bunch of hormonal middle schoolers. It seemed like no one knew and no one cared. It felt like I was working on a lost island.

I was reading Mark 12:41-44. It is the story of the widow who gave a couple of coins that didn't amount to a penny. The crazy thing is that Jesus sees here giving her last dime. He takes note and points her out to his disciples. She thought she gave in obscurity, but the truth is that God saw it.

When you serve Christ you never serve in obscurity. He is omniscient and omnipresent. He sees it all.

There are so many people who serve at GracePointe in what I am sure seems like obscurity. The pastors never say thanks. The people never pat them on the back. They never get called to do a national conference. They don't get a paycheck. They don't even get their name in the bulletin.

But I want you to know that Jesus sees your service and gifts. He knows. You never serve in obscurity because God is aware what you do.

The Greatest Leader

One way to measure a great leader is in the diversity of his or her following. Most of us who consider ourselves leaders only lead people who are for the most part like us. They look like us. They talk like us. They dress like us. They wear their hair like us. They are the same skin color as us. They really are not that different from us. We don't have a wideness in our leadership. It's not that we don't want diversity, we just are not that good of leaders. True diversity in leadership is shown in those who willing following without coercion, manipulation, fear or a paycheck. It is willingly following out of humble submission.

If you measured great leaders by the diversity of their humble followers, then who would be the greatest leader?

Jesus is the greatest leader in all of history. In Revelation 5:9, we discover that Jesus will be worshipped by people from every nation, every tribe and every tongue. He is gathering followers from all nations. He is making disciples of Egyptians, Americans, Spaniards, Italians, Africans, Polynesians, Iraqis, Iranians, Russians, Japanese and people from the four corners of the earth. He is, without a doubt, the greatest leader of all.

Swirl

We joined with Perpetual Praise and Worship Ministries for a time of worship. They are black congregation here in Douglas, GA. We had a great time of mixing our worship styles together. It was really cool and reminded me of the words found in Psalm 133,

"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!"

We have different backgrounds, different cultures and different colors, but the worship was sweet! I know that God was pleased.

The Apostle Paul says it like this...

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28