Tag Archives: relationships

Enlightened Perspective (Andy Rooney)

14 Saturday Apr 2012

Posted by in Illustrations/Cartoons/Etc.

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I’ve learned … That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I’ve learned … That when you’re in love, it shows.

I’ve learned … That just one person saying to me, “You’ve made my day!” makes my day.

I’ve learned … That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I’ve learned … That being kind is more important than being right.

I’ve learned … That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I’ve learned … That I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in some other way.

I’ve learned … That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I’ve learned … That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I’ve learned … That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I’ve learned … That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I’ve learned … That we should be glad God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.

I’ve learned … That money doesn’t buy class.

I’ve learned … That it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I’ve learned … That under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I’ve learned … That the Lord didn’t do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I’ve learned … That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I’ve learned … That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I’ve learned … That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I’ve learned … That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I’ve learned … That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I’ve learned … That there’s nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I’ve learned … That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I’ve learned … That life is tough, but I’m tougher.

I’ve learned … That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I’ve learned … That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I’ve learned … That I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.

I’ve learned … That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I’ve learned … That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I’ve learned … That I can’t choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I’ve learned … That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you’re hooked for life.

I’ve learned … That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.

I’ve learned … That it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life-threatening situation.

I’ve learned … That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

by Andy Rooney

Blessings,

Pastor

The Altar of Ministry

29 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in Abraham: Life of Faith

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Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.” 18 Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD.  Genesis 13:17-18

 

Abraham built an altar at the site where King David would begin to reign and extend the Kingdom of Israel to its uttermost borders. Abraham walked the entire length and breadth of his inheritance.  Finally, at the Hebron altar, Abraham sought the Lord and laid claimed to his inheritance for future generations.

Before anyone can build the altar of ministry, the other two altars of dedication and worship must already be established.

Imagine this for a moment. A man whispered to me in private, “Hey, if you call on me in church I would be honored to pray publicly.” I say, “Great, I’ll call on you sometime.”   A few moments later this man’s wife approached me and said, “I really wish you wouldn’t call on him to pray in church.  He can do it and has prayed very eloquent prayers before….its just, well uh, I know he never has a quiet time and rarely prays to God alone.  He believes in it; he just doesn’t do it.  Also, I have begged and begged him to have family devotions and family prayer times with the children and myself but he never does.  In fact, he usually calls on the kids to pray during meal time.  It would bother me to hear him pray at church when I know he never prays alone or with his family.”

The point is none of us can have an effective ministry unless we have established in our lives the altar of dedication and worship. If you seek to minister before building these types of altars then you will simply be performing.  I know you will agree with me that we have had enough of this in church.

Notice what was going on in Abraham’s life just before he built this altar of ministry.  God allowed him to separate himself from Lot.  (see Genesis 13:6-14)

In order for God to use us for ministry we must separate ourselves from all the “Lots” in our lives. “Lots” are merely the people we have in our lives that will potentially ruin any ministry God develops.  What God allows in our earlier walk with Him has to be excluded as we advance spiritually. It is only when we completely separate ourselves that the altar of ministry can be built.

We commonly call this process “keeping boundaries” here at our house.  Sometimes in order for you move on with God, certain relationships or friendships have to go. They may even be family members!  It is not that these relationships are bad or sinful.  They simply keep you from becoming all God called you to be. It is about where God is taking YOU, not them. God will always let you know the boundaries you need to keep and maintain. It is your choice whether or not you are obedient with these boundaries.

 

 

Abraham had to separate from Lot before he could fully enter into his promised land and claim the inheritance God had for him.  God speaks about boundaries all the time and He has been speaking to you about the boundaries you need to make and keep.  He has been doing this for years.

Remember Abraham’s initial call to leave his home, his land, and his family.  Yet, when he left, who did he take with him?  Lot, his dead brother’s son.  Yes, I am sure Lot needed someone to look after him.  Yes, I am sure Abraham was the one responsible for him. God allowed Lot to journey with Abraham for a season.

But Abraham’s original call did not include Lot.  In fact, the call excluded Lot.  As Abraham was entering into the full measure of his blessing there had to be a separation and boundaries had to be kept.

Why?  Because if you and I do not keep well maintained boundaries, we will ultimately lose God’s blessings.  Notice, Abraham was already dividing up the Promised Land with Lot.  This was not what God originally desired.

When we finally kneel at the altar of ministry, we come alone.  It is not about anyone else.  It is not about being nice and generous to family and friends.  Lot was not walking the same spiritual road as Abraham and Sarah.  Lot didn’t keep boundaries and frequently compromised.  He and his wife ultimately lived in a whole society full of all types of perversions.  For the sake of Abraham, if God had not dragged Lot out of the city, he and his family would have been destroyed.

Are you ready to move forward in your call to effective ministry.  I don’t know any pursuer of God who has not had to forsake certain relationships in order to maintain spiritual purity.  What are your boundaries?  Allow the Lord to speak to these issues today.

 

Blessings,

Pastor