Great lives are produced by a commitment to a great cause. What will you give your life to today? And will it make an eternal difference? The fact is, our day-to-day activities speak volumes about what we really believe and the difference our lives can make.… Read the rest
Great leaders imprison themselves for the sake of another. I remember reading a quote years ago: “The more you rise in leadership, the fewer choices you have.” Leaders understand the power of influence. Leaders understand that their lives can, and will, make a difference. Thus, their lives, their schedules, and their day-to-day activities are built around making a difference. It’s less about them and more about influence.… Read the rest
What if grace is God’s invitation to climb, not camp? Too often God’s grace gets used to excuse where one is instead of inspiring one to what could be, as if grace means God did all the hard stuff and we don’t have to. Maybe grace wasn’t supposed to make things easy and excuse complacency. What if grace is an invitation to climb, to strive and not settle, to inspire and not excuse? What if God wants us to go beyond what’s expected and raise the bar rather than lower it? What if the role of grace is to turn the ‘I can’t’ into the “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13)?… Read the rest
Gossip is like murder in God’s eyes. The Bible instructs us to “stay away from people who talk too much” (Proverbs 20:19). The reality is gossip is a sign of immaturity. The best advice I can give you is that when you have a problem with someone, go to them personally. Refuse to let your lips become a stumbling block. I’ve heard it once said, “Live that you wouldn’t be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.” Remember, he who throws dirt always loses ground.… Read the rest
God’s grace takes ordinary people and uses them for extraordinary things. The greatest gift we can give God is our self. We don’t have to be superman for God to use us; for the moment we get useful, we become His superman. Imagine if we quit comparing ourselves to others and just made ourselves available to God. The fact is: He will wear us out.… Read the rest
God is more interested in why we do things than in what we do. Too often we act without thinking. We need to stop and consider why we do what we do. The why reveals more than just production; it reveals our motive and purpose behind what we do. The great question in life always begins with why.… Read the rest
God is always first – NEVER second. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). He went on to say that we’re going to have to pick one. Throughout my years of ministry I’ve heard individuals say something to the effect of, “I just need to make Jesus first in my life,” as if He’s second or third. The fact of the matter is that He’s always first or nothing at all. Let’s make sure we keep Him the main thing.… Read the rest
Walk higher than what’s required. When someone asks you to go one mile, go two. When they ask you to give one hour, give four. Don’t figure out what it takes to complete a task; embrace it – give it everything you have. Too often I see people decide what some things are worth and then parallel their efforts. “In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people” (Colossians 3:23).… Read the rest
Unity is not uniformity. Team members don’t have to agree on everything, but they must learn to play and work together. Learn to celebrate people’s difference (their gifts, opinions, ideas), and bring them to a place where everyone can use them and express them for the good of the whole.… Read the rest
There are two days we should never worry about: yesterday and tomorrow. Jesus said, “Each day has enough troubles of its own” (Matthew 6:24), and yet it blows my mind how many sacrifice each moment because of what they’re still dragging around from yesterday or fixated upon tomorrow. “Today is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).… Read the rest
Time and trials show the true test of character. How you face your adversities speaks volumes about who you truly are. Isn’t it true that if you cannot learn through your difficulties, you truly cannot live in a moment of victory? Character is always best grown in the billowy storms of the world. Remember, you’re not alone; God is with you.… Read the rest
The strength of prayer is how well you know God’s promises. We will pray like we believe. If we believe He is a big God, then our prayers will be filled with hope and prayed with a sense of assurance. If we believe God is not that big, then our prayers will be filled with fear.… Read the rest
Life was to be lived from the inside out, not from the outside in. If you don’t like who you are, it’s sort of hypocritical to expect others to like you. Jesus said, “Love your neighbor AS yourself” (Matthew 22:39). I remind you: a battery CANNOT put out what it does not have.… Read the rest
Coach Ara Parashegian offers this fundamental fact: “A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.” Who are you helping dream bigger than they ever thought possible? Who are you breathing life into that they never thought existed? The greatest gift we can give someone is for them to believe in themselves.… Read the rest
I read about a local church that caught fire and a painting of Jesus, which had hung unnoticed, was endangered. Two men rushed into the fire and rescued the painting. Interestingly, after the fire was out people began to gather around the picture and admire it. The leaders of the church were amazed that so many people were interested in the picture that had hung for so many years seemingly unnoticed. And then someone spoke, “Funny, when the church caught fire and moved Jesus to the street, people become interested.”… Read the rest
Never forget: Only God can turn our TRIals into a TRIumph, take our MESSes and write them into a MESSage, and transform every TEST into a TESTimony. Paul was right, “Jesus treated us much better than we deserve” (Titus 3:7).… Read the rest
Nobody wants to be rejected. And if we’re honest, some of our deepest wounds came at the hands of it. Charles R. Solomon writes, “There are two kinds of people in the world – those who have been rejected, and those who have been rejected more.” Isn’t it great to know that, regardless, God accepts us just the way we are? “He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).… Read the rest
I read a story of a Sunday school teacher who was trying to impress his class with the importance of living a good, Christian life. “Why do people call me a Christian?” he asked. After a long pause one of the boys replied, “Maybe it’s because they don’t know you.” The Bible tells us that “those who exalt themselves will be humbled” (Matthew 23:12). How do you want to be remembered?… Read the rest
When Andrew Carnegie died they found a little slip of paper on which he had written a life goal: “I’m going to spend the first half of my life accumulating money. I’m going to spend the second half of my life giving it all away.” And he did just that – to the sum of 450 million dollars. “He who gives generously…will be powerful and respected” (Psalm 112:9). I can tell you this: the most respected people I know are the most generous people I know.… Read the rest
The Bible tells us to not “be selfish,” but to “think of others as better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). Why? Because when we focus on the rewards in any relationship – what we get from them – that relationship will last only until those rewards run out. Such conditions placed on others are sure to crumble in the long run.… Read the rest
Martin Luther once noted, “I am more afraid of my own heart than of the Pope and all his cardinals. I have within me the great pope, Self.” Nothing is more powerful than self – good or bad. It can quickly destroy a marriage, divide a friendship, and most importantly, dishonor God.… Read the rest
“Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results” (Andrew Carnegie). Nothing great is ever achieved in a world of yourself. We were created to do life with others; why not do it together?… Read the rest
There’s an old African-American proverbs that says, “Nobody will think you’re somebody if you don’t think so yourself.” Our self-image is our self-reflection. More often than not, people see us exactly the way we see ourselves. We’re not fooling anyone but ourselves. So let the image of Christ grow within you that it would soon radiate out from you.… Read the rest
Though I was never a Shaquille O’Neal fanatic, he still offers a wonderful slice of truth: “Excellence is not a singular act,” he says, “but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly.” I agree. One of the greatest acts in maturity is learning to do the same thing over – as long as that same thing over are God’s principles.… Read the rest
The church should be a place of safety. That place where people are invited to bring their worst and know that they will be loved regardless, and thus in turn can now go out into their world and give it their best. The Bible describes this as grace in action.… Read the rest