Most peoples lives and jobs are boring and dull.
Church must be exciting and excellent - not in the eyes of the world, but
by the measure of the spirit.
Not a fleshly delight, but one of spiritual renewal.
As leaders we must model the reality of a life of love and passion in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must live it OUT LOUD!
Most peoples lives and jobs are boring and dull.
Church must be exciting and excellent - not in the eyes of the world, but
by the measure of the spirit.
Not a fleshly delight, but one of spiritual renewal.
As leaders we must model the reality of a life of love and passion in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must live it OUT LOUD!
The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist
threats and have raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved”.
Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or
even “A Bit Cross”. Londoners have not been “A Bit Cross” since the
blitz began in 1940 and tea supplies all but ran out. Terrorists have
been re-categorized from “Tiresome” to “A Bloody Nuisance”. The last
time the British issued “A Bloody Nuisance” warning level was during
the great fire of 1666.
Also, the French government announced yesterday that it has raised
its terror alert level from “Run” to “Hide”. The only two higher levels
in France are “Collaborate” and “Surrender.” The rise was precipitated
by a recent fire that destroyed France’s white flag factory, effectively
paralyzing the country’s military capability.
It’s not only the English and French who are on a heightened level
of alert. Italy has increased the alert level from “Shout Loudly and
Excitedly” to “Elaborate Military Posturing.” Two more levels
remain: “Ineffective Combat Operations” and “Change Sides.”
The Germans also increased their alert state from “Disdainful
Arrogance” to “Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs.” They also have two
higher levels: “Invade a Neighbor” and “Lose”.
Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the
only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.
The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to
deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new
Spanish Navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish Navy.
from my latest book - Business By the Book - Leadership and Management Principals from the Life of Christ
—————————
Luke 7:8
“For I also, am a man under authority” (NKJV)
In a day and age where leadership is by consensus and committee the leadership style of Jesus Christ seems out of place. But Jesus was not trying to win a popularity contest; He was determined to fulfil his destiny.
Jesus was a man under authority – He went about doing the will of the Father. In this scripture we see that He admired the Centurion and his view of authority. In other parts of the New Testament He taught parables that show the consequences of a disobedient servant. He clearly stated time and again that a disciple is known by his ability to follow out the orders/commands He was given.
It was vitally important to Jesus that He had his team on side and going in the same direction. There was no room for debate about how this was going to happen. When Peter, and one of Jesus closest friends tried to challenge His leadership and get Jesus to change His game plan (Matt 10:23) He was quickly, quietly and firmly told otherwise.
The reason being was that Jesus didn’t have a choice on whether or not to follow through with the agreed plan; His prayer in the Garden at Gethsemane echoed that. “Not my will…but yours be done”
The reason being was that Jesus was a man under authority with a greater love for His Father and what His Father wanted than the need to have consensus of the board.
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As someone born in Australia, how America as a nation deals with people’s different racial backgrounds confuses me.
A nation that talks so much of unity yet whose practices seem to divide and not in a passive way.
I was talking with a mate of mine, Chaffie at the gym the other day - Chaffie’s a black fella. (That’s a description not a racial comment - there is nothing implied other than he has more melanin). Chaffie would call me a white fella, because I am (some would say melanin impaired!).
Chaffie told me how a child belonging to one of his personal training clients announced to him that he “didn’t like brown people” and asked not to talk to them any more. My reflection to Chaffie was that we could take the kids father outside and discuss race relations in the carpark…. mano a mano…might not help my standing as a local church pastor, but would sure make me feel better about how a friend was treated.
But then I open up the Star Telegraph and they announce that an African-American church is coming and is planting a church in the area, build a big complex, etc., etc. Now they didn’t say “St John the Baptist Church from Grand Prairie is opening a new church”, they said St John the Baptist Church is planting a new black church to meet the needs of the blacks in the area, because black people are not having their needs met. Black people according to their pastor are different from white people so they need a special church. Maybe it has more to do with my Australian background - but that to me sounds racist and down right insulting. What if I was to say, “We have come to plant a white church in Southlake to meet the needs of the white people.” I would be labeled KKK and sued silly.
Does no one else read these sorts of things, hear these sorts of things and not say to themselves “Idiot - shut up you’re not solving anything you’re making matters worse”.
Does no one else read this sort of stuff and get ticked off???
Why couldn’t the guy just come to town and do a good thing for God and help as many people as he could without making it an issue of color - not of race - but he made it an issue of melanin, just like the little boy did at the gym. You’ve got less melanin than us so you can’t join our ‘melanin- plus’ church.
I feel like I have been slurred, that every church in Southlake slurred. Maybe the Pastor of St John’s should get over his bad ‘black’ self.
Our church is young, but it is full of people from different backgrounds. Mexican, Puerto Rican, German, Italian, Welsh, English. Funny thing is, I never stopped to ask their race, just their relationship with Christ. But apparently you can’t say anything in America because everyone is so sensitive and fragile they get offended…. grow up, would you?
I didn’t know we needed black churches and white churches. I didn’t know there was a Black Savior and a White Savior. That gets the same reaction from me that the kids racist comment got about my friend.
Now Chaffie and I are mates. I never stopped to think of his race when we meet, while we trained at the gym, when he started helping me with a church project, when I prayed for his life, his healing, his soul. Whenever I shared Christ with him.
Chaffie wasn’t a blackman in need of a friend, Chaffie was a man in need of a Savior. He became my friend and I have shared my Savior, oh by the way he has more melanin than me.
I was deeply disappointed not in the little boy, but in his father for allowing his son to grow up that way.
I am deeply disappointed, not in the people of St John’s Church but in the Pastor who allowed them to grow up that way.
Article from the American Policy Center
http://www.americanpolicy.org/un/thereisnoglobal.htm
You can’t find a real scientist anywhere in the world who can look you in the eye and, without hesitation, without clarification, without saying, kinda, mighta, sorta, if, and or but…say “yes, global warming is with us.”
There is no evidence whatsoever to support such claims. Anyone who tells you that scientific research shows warming trends - be they teachers, news casters, Congressmen, Senators, Vice Presidents or Presidents - is wrong. There is no global warming.
Scientific research through U.S. Government satellite and balloon measurements shows that the temperature is actually cooling - very slightly - .037 degrees Celsius.
A little research into modern-day temperature trends bears this out. For example, in 1936 the Midwest of the United States experienced 49 consecutive days of temperatures over 90 degrees. There were another 49 consecutive days in 1955. But in 1992 there was only one day over 90 degrees and in 1997 only 5 days.
Because of modern science and improved equipment, this “cooling” trend has been most accurately documented over the past 18 years. Ironically, that’s the same period of time the hysteria has grown over dire warnings of “warming.”
Changes in global temperatures are natural. There is no proof that temperature is affected by anything that man has done.
Christ wanted to validate His kingdom, He did so with supernatural manifestations (Matt 11:3-5).
Christ wanted to establish the Kingdom, He did so through the affirmation of supernatural means ( Mark 16).
Christ wants us to expand the Kingdom, He wants us to do so using supernatural gifts ( Luke 10:8-9).
It is not an issue of dispensations, but traditions (Mark 7:13).
It is not about denominations, but a decision. Do we take our Christianity from Christ, or Christians?
Remember if you allow another to make your world for you, they will always make it to small. If you take on another man’s philosophy of ministry, that are a justification for his failures, you take on his failures. Let Jesus be the expert on Jesus.
It needs the ability to not only read, but edit Word documents.
Also it needs the ability to sync via bluetooth. Both of these are essential for business users. I don’t like carrying a bunch of cables and cradles when I travel. It is labouriuos to have to sit down and open itunes everytime I want to sync music.
Keyboard isn’t as easy as they suggest, but I am sure it is just a matter of getting use to it.
Video quality is great and the little speakers are good enough for background music while stuck in some hotel or because you don’t want earphones in after being stuck in a plane for 14 hours.
SMS is well done.
Photos are really groovy. But it needs a video camera and the ability to put NON web based apps on it. Because if you are sitting in a plane at 35000 feet and want to read your Bible on your iPhone - you can’t because you can not connect to the web.
All that said… Beccy loves it, Jessica wants one and Noah thinks it is cool - because I put Star Wars 3 on it for him and Amy has tried to feed it to the dog.
A better response than usual to daddy’s latest techno purchase.