[I] created you ... [I] formed you ... Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be … Continue reading Inner Peace from God’s Love
If God’s objective for every believer is to transform us into total Christlikeness, then the objective of preaching is to motivate people to develop Christlike convictions (to think like Jesus), Christlike character (to feel like Jesus), and Christlike conduct (to act like Jesus). Every other objective of preaching is secondary. At the end of the sermon, if people … Continue reading The Ultimate Goal of Preaching (by Rick Warren)
A little wisdom goes a long way. When you give you will always get it back. A father left 17 camels as an asset for his three sons. When the father passed away, his sons opened up the will. The Will of the father stated that the eldest son should get half of 17 camels … Continue reading The 18th Camel
This Coach Improved Every Tiny Thing by 1 Percent and Here's What Happened In 2010, Dave Brailsford faced a tough job. No British cyclist had ever won the Tour de France, but as the new General Manager and Performance Director for Team Sky (Great Britain's professional cycling team), that's what Brailsford was asked to do. His approach was simple. Brailsford … Continue reading The Power of 1% (by James Clear)
A great recent post from Michael Hyatt, worth repeating ... As 2013 has rolled over to 2014, there has been the usual emphasis on New Year’s resolutions. Network television, radio shows, podcasts, and blogs have all had features on the topic. But the truth is, New Year’s resolutions don’t work. Get this: 25 percent of … Continue reading 5 Reasons to Commit Your Goals in Writing (by Michael Hyatt)
A few thoughts on Sabbath by Wayne Muller ... "Sabbath is not dependent upon our readiness to stop. We do not stop when we are finished. We do not stop when we complete our phone calls, finish our project, get through this stack of messages, or get out this report. We stop because it is … Continue reading Sabbath – time to STOP
We've just spent the last series of BLOG posts doing some Planning for the New Year exercises. Over this time we have looked at six steps for leading your own life. Each of these six simple steps can also be applied to your church, your ministry, your organisation or business, your family, as well as … Continue reading Planning for the New Year (Conclusion)
Our final step in Planning for thre New Year is ... STEP 6 - Evaluate. Effective life leadership requires that we take time to evaluate our lives and our progress. Every Christian needs to periodically take a spiritual “stocktake”. We need to bring ourselves to account, to see how we are really doing. It is … Continue reading Planning for the New Year (Pt.13)
Happy New Year! Let's move on to the next step in Planning for the New Year ... STEP 5 - Do God's Will Paul’s instructions to the believers at Ephesus were action-orientated (Eph.5-6). He gave them things he wanted them to do. They were to take action, which meant to start doing things they weren’t … Continue reading Planning for the New Year (Pt.12)
Let's now look at our next step ... STEP 4 - Organise Weekly To make the most of your time and to manage your life well means that you need to consider what you are doing with your time. That’s why a weekly planning appointment is so helpful. Use a calendar and schedule specific time … Continue reading Planning for the New Year (Pt.11)
Step 1 of Planning for the New Year was Understand Your Mission. Step 2 was Identify Your Roles. Let's now move on to Step 3. STEP 3 - Establish Goals. As Paul identified each role, he gave some specific instructions or goals for the believers at the church of Ephesus to work on. Wives were to lovingly submit to … Continue reading Planning for the New Year (Pt.10)
STEP 1 in Planning for the New Year is to Understand Your Mission. We have considered a number of things to help us get a better handle on our mission: a mission statement, core values, personal vision, prophetic directives, our unique SHAPE, and a SWOT analysis. These all work together to show us different aspects or … Continue reading Planning for the New Year (Pt.9)
Another simple tool to help you as you continue to think through your Mission is a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for: Strengths - what are you good at? When do you feel strong? Weaknesses - what do you find difficult? What drains you of energy? Opportunities - what are the greatest opportunities facing you right now? Threats - what are … Continue reading Planning for the New Year (Pt.8)
Another helpful thing to consider when reflecting on your Mission is your personal SHAPE. SHAPE is a concept developed by Rick Warren and it includes consideration of five things: Spiritual Gifts - what spiritual gifts has God given to you? Heart - what are your passions, interests, and motivations? Abilities - what are you good at? Personality - what type … Continue reading Planning for the New Year (Pt.7)
Another dimension of Mission is considering any Prophetic Directives God may have given you. This includes any specific prophetic words God has given to you directly or from others, as well as any specific Bible verses God has quickened for you. Listening to the Spirit's directives and then following them creates a sense of spiritual momentum in your life. Spiritual … Continue reading Planning for the New Year (Pt.6)
