I will seek to be a source of unity in the church. I know there are no perfect pastors, staff, or other church members. But neither am I. I will not be a source of gossip or dissension. One of the greatest contributions I can make is to do all I can in God’s power to help keep the church in unity for the sake of the gospel.

I am a church member.

I will not let my church be about my preferences and desires. That is self-serving. I am in this church to serve others and to serve Christ. My Savior went to a cross for me. I can deal with any inconveniences and matters that are just not my preference or style.

I am a church member.

I will pray for my pastor every day. His work is never-ending. His days are filled with constant demands for his time; with the need to prepare sermons; with those who are rejoicing in births; with those who are traveling through the valley of the shadow of death; with critics; with the hurts and hopes of others; and with the need to be a husband and a father. My pastor cannot serve our church in his own power. I will pray for God’s strength for him and his family every day.

Read more…

Source: Thom S. Rainer—ChristianPost.com

“O Holy Spirit of God, visit now this soul of mine, and tarry within it until eventide.

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength… “ Isaiah 40:31

Inspire all my thoughts, – “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.“ 2 Corinthians 10:5b

Pervade all my imaginations, –“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.“ Philippians 4:8b

Suggest all my decisions. – “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.“ Psalm 32:8

Lodge in my will‘s most inward citadel… –“Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.“  Psalm 51:6

Order all my doings. – “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.“ Proverbs 16:3

Be with me in my silence… – “In quietness and trust is your strength… “ Isaiah 30:15b

In my speech, – “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt… “ Colossians 4:6b

In my haste, and in my leisure, – “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?“ Psalm 139:7

In company, and in solitude, – “Be still, and know that I am God… “ Psalm 46:10a

In the freshness of the morning… – “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.“ Psalm 90:14

In the weariness of the evening. – “My soul yearns for you in the night… “ Isaiah 26:9a

And give me grace at all times to rejoice in Thy mysterious companionship.“ – “Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him… “ Psalm 64:10a

Facts of the Matter: Daily Devotionals.

Recently, I had the chance to watch a little T.V. without my children.  I settled on a marathon of the T.V. One series Unsung.  I’ve always loved documentaries and music, so a two for one would be great.  After about three episodes it began to feel as if I was watching the same story with different characters.  Individuals from bygone eras, as well as the recent past, that had lost everything to alcohol or drugs or both, strings of failed marriages, broken friendships, bad business dealings and so on.

Those that were able to survive the industry and the blows that life had dealt them all seemed to be making feeble attempts to resurrect the glory of their withered careers.  Most of them struggled to sing with voices that should have been in retirement long ago.  My heart went out to them.

The more I began to reflect on their stories, the more I realized that they were not much different from the rest of us.  None of us can live on the “glory” of our past.  Like it or not, “yesterday’s slam dunks don’t win today’s basketball games.”  We have to have more than that to hold on to.

Most of us, I suppose, have received a few awards and accolades at one point or  another.  Somewhere along the way we have experienced the thrill of that momentary applause and recognition. But time passes, memories fade, people change. Life moves on. And those diminished accolades, as Paul so aptly stated, are, in reality no more than a “perishable wreath.” (1 Corinthians 9:25)

The tough economic times that we now live in have caused many to reevaluate their lives.  Those that once held enviable positions are now unemployed.  Huge amounts of debt were amassed in order to keep up with the Joneses.  For many, the American Dream seems farther away than ever before.  Many have been forced to reevaluate their definition of success and self worth, and rightly so.

Hopefully, we are all reevaluating our definition of “success” and “self worth,” and coming to the realization that there is more to life than attempting to hold on to a temporal prize.

Mother Teresa once said, “God has not called me to be successful. He has called me to be faithful.“ Her faithfulness to God is her success. Shouldn’t we measure our successes in light of our commitment to discipleship?

“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.”  1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

Paul understood that one day when he stood before Christ, what would count would not be his earthly “success,” but the lives of the people that he had invested for the sake of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).  Like a good shepherd, his maturing flock had become his hope. His joy. His glory. His crown.

If you were to examine the secret desires of your heart, where does your hope, joy, and glory really lie?

Oprah has been real–transparent.  Her struggles with weight, family, career, etc. played out for us like a Lifetime movie.  She has used her platform in innovative ways and fashioned the opinions of viewers everywhere.  She made people think.  She taught us that learning is a continual process.  She even had people that hated to read reading with her book club; talk about impact!

The Oprah Winfrey Show, movie roles, O Magazine, and philanthropic deeds will not be the last chapters in the story of the Winfrey chronicles.  During the last season of her show we were introduced to the O Network!  Can you imagine owning your own television network? Talk about a legacy!

As I scan my memory I find little compromise, at least publicly, in her life.  She stuck to her convictions and quite frankly, I’m impressed– to a point.  You see, during a Webinar class, in which she promoted the book, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, Winfrey stated “God is a feeling experience and not a believing experience. If your religion is a believing experience [...] then that’s not truly God.”  Simply put, Christianity is incompatible with New Age thought.  So, sadly, for all of the accomplishments, accolades, awards and acknowledgements from men, it will all have been in vain.

In Mark 8:36 Jesus asks a pivotal question: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Many a believer might say that if they had Oprah’s platform they would do thus and so.  But, would we really?  Or would we find ourselves with a watered down Christianity because we don’t want to lose the adoration of men?

So many of us that name the name of Christ fail to acknowledge that we are yet works in progress.  When God elevates us we seem to forget to draw nearer to the cross.  Compromise begins to creep in and we begin to satisfy people with what they want to see and hear, what they are thirsty for, instead of following God’s instructions.

When God gives us a platform it is our responsibility to remember our mission. Thirteen of the New Testament epistles are attributed to the Apostle Paul.  He was known Jerusalem to Rome.   Paul used every ability and resource that he had for the furtherance of the gospel.  His reward…souls!  Churches were established–congregations grew.  He could see growth in the youth like Timothy.  Lives were changed as he declared that he was a servant of Christ set apart for the gospel.

We have to ask ourselves, are we fulfilling the great commission?  Are we making disciples?  I don’t know about you, but I want my legacy to be a kingdom legacy.  Remember me for my love of God’s people.  Remember me for the desire to see the kingdom of God advance.  I want to have an impact on a generation.  I want people to want to know the God I serve.  I don’t want my living to have been in vain.  What about you?

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that day will not come unless
the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed.”
—2 Thessalonians 2:3

Why We’ll Still Be Here on May 22, 2011

Setting dates for the return of Christ is a big temptation for many students of apocalyptic Scripture. It is tantalizing to study prophecies and numbers and symbols in Daniel and Revelation with a calculator in one hand. Some feel compelled to roll up their sleeves, punch out prophetic figures, and do number crunching. Surely there is a hidden answer in Scripture predicting when Christ will come!

But if we are true to the Bible, if we seek the message of Christ’s words in Matthew 24 and 25 with an open heart, we will close our holy calculators. Preparation

for Jesus’ return has less to do with figuring out a date and more to do with how we are to live in the present.

Harold Camping, a Christian radio broadcaster and president of Family Radio, has used mathematical predictions to predict that the end of the world will happen on May 21, 2011 at exactly 6:00 p.m. He is convinced that a rapture of God’s people will take place. Then, five months later, God will destroy the Earth and the universe.

Some people laugh at Camping. Others wonder, “Could this be true?” The answer is not to be found in blogs, posts, or interesting articles. The answer is found by studying the Word of God for yourself.

What does the Bible say about the timing of Christ’s coming? Here are seven passages from Scripture that guide us in understanding whether Camping’s prediction is true.

1. Matthew 24:36 says, “Of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”
   The Bible tells us every effort we make to nail down the time for Christ’s return will fail. Camping directly contradicts Christ’s words.
2. Luke 21:9 says, “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them” (Luke 21:8).
   The Bible warns us there are false prophets who attempt to predict the timing of Jesus’ coming. Camping demonstrates that he is a false prophet by trying to set a date for Jesus’ return.
3. Matthew 24:32, 33 says, “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!”
   While the Bible shows us we cannot know the precise time of Christ’s second coming, it helps us know from signs that it is near.
4. Matthew 24:44 says, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
   A repeated emphasis in the Scriptures is to watch and be ready always because we do not know exactly when Christ will return (Luke 12:35-40, Matthew 24:50, 1 Thessalonians 5:6).
5. Acts 1:6, 7 says, “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?’ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” God has not revealed when Jesus will come again. Our focus is not to be on time-setting, but mission.
6. Luke 12:37 says, “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.” The passage teaches that no matter when the master returns, the servant is blessed because he is always ready. The servant is not fixed on a time for the master’s return.
7. Luke 12:45 says, “But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming.’” Here is a warning that putting off preparation for Christ’s coming will catch people off guard. We must not smugly point out false predictions and neglect our own preparation for Jesus’ return or we will not be ready.

Article courtesy of Amazing Facts for more info: http://www.aftermay21.com/

For some of us motherhood saved our lives.  We became selfless rather than selfish.  Our priorities changed, as well they should.  Unfortunately, for a lot of mothers society has blurred the lines of what a mother’s role should be in their children’s lives.

Motherhood is a holy calling.  In fact, Psalm 127:3 NLT reads, Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Successful motherhood requires great faith.  One must trust that the voice of the Holy Spirit to direct you on your journey.  The Spirit of God who bore us, who shared his divine life with us, who sustains us, comforts us, and teaches us, stands ready and willing to aid every Christian mother in fulfilling her sacred duty.  Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Comforter.  Allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you in your many faceted role as a mother.  It’s a lifelong position.  No risk of termination or early retirement here.  The job is yours to keep.

Mothers  have been innately equipped to download everything that God has given them into their children.  Those early years lay the foundation for our children’s personalities and there is so much potential for error.  We must not let society make us think that we should define ourselves by their standards.  We are more than qualified.  We have the ultimate standard, the infallible Word of God, as our measuring rod.

Successful mothers devote themselves to prayer.  They recognize that they need to tap into the source, Jesus Christ, in order to keep moving. What an honor it is to be chosen by the most high God to nurture a child!  Be blessed and know that whenever you feel tempted to lean to your own understanding or someone else’s that Jesus is all you need to be a successful mother.

I know this sounds like such a cliché and so many times we say it because it sounds good, but it’ really true, we all need each other. I know some of us would like to think they don’t need anyone else, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We need each other. God created us to be in healthy relationship with one another. Vicky Winans has a song out that says “Long as I got King Jesus I don’t need nobody else.” And as catchy as that song is it’s only true to a certain extent.

First  Corinthians 11:11-12 reads, Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, even so man comes through woman; but all things are from God. We need each other. My kingdom assignment is attached to your kingdom assignment.  In order for us to grow into the fullness of what God has called for us we must learn to work together. Every part must do its share. No one is too young and no one is too old. We can all still grow in one area or another. Yes we can come to Him as a child,  but we don’t have to stay as a child.

The body must build itself up in love. When we love right we are strengthening our spiritual muscles, when we love right we are declaring to the world that Jesus is truly Lord, when we love right we are letting the world know that God is real and His love is true, when we love right we are saying that God is in control here, when we love right we show one another that we need each other. When we love right we send a consistent message to the world that God so loved her that He gave His only begotten son and that whosoever believe upon Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  When we love right we prove the testimony of Jesus Christ to be true and that what He went through, He did it for me and He did it for you. He endured the mistreatment of others. He put up with the sinful condition of man while speaking the truth in love. He showed His love by washing the filthy feet of 12 grown men, one would deny Him, one would doubt Him, one would betray Him, while the others strayed from Him.  He yet loved them and it was love that allowed Him to subject Himself into the hands of sinners.  It was love that allowed Him endure three trials that would condemn Him of crimes that He did not commit.  It was love that allowed Him to endure brutal beatings, mocking, spitting, and cursing.  It was love that allowed Him to be nailed to a cross that held Him up in pain and agony. It was love that allowed Him to say, “Father into thy hands I commit my spirit.” It was love that allowed Him to be separated from the Father for three days, but the testimony is true that on that third day it was love that raised Jesus up with all power in His hands! It was love that allowed Him to ascend and it’s gonna be love that’s gonna allow Him to come back again!

He’s coming back church, He coming for a spiritually mature church.  He’s coming for those who are working together in love.  He’s coming for those who acknowledge that He is the head of all things. That’s why we must grow up church! Grow up because the earth in is her birth pains and is moaning and groaning waiting for the sons of God to be revealed. With earthquakes going on in various places, wars and yes even rumors of wars we must grow up. Kingdom is rising against kingdom, it’s time to grow up! Nations are being overturned, it’s time to grow up!  Children are being sold into sex trade it’s time to grow up. Young men are killing one another,it’s time to grow up. Grow up into your kingdom assignment. Grow up and tell somebody about Jesus.  Grow up in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.  Grow up and let bygones be bygones!  Grow up and let go of grudges.  Grow up give God full control!  Grow up and stop letting your peers influence your thinking! Grow up and let God be God in every aspect of your life!  It’s time to grow up church! Grow up! Grow up!

Part One

Part Two

So why should we grow up? Why can’t we just stay the way we are?

The first reason why we should grow up is because God is not through with us yet!

Verse 14 indicates that we should no longer be children: truth is some people are adults, but they demand to have their own way, and throw temper tantrums when they can’t get their own way.  They are swayed by their peers, follow the crowd, and accept things at face value. This is considered childlike behavior. Paul said in 1 Cor. 13:11, When I was a child, I spoke as a child; I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things. Many of us have yet to put away childish things. Paul encourages the church to longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. There were false teachers among the Ephesian church teaching different things pertaining to Christ and if it sounded good it was accepted. Just like it was then, so it is now. There are those who bring division and not unity. There are those who plan, plot, and scheme trying to sway this one this way and that one that way. They try to control and manipulate people into following them and not necessarily Christ, airing their ungodly opinions and trying to form ungodly alliances and to those who accept this God says Grow Up!

Grow up and get some discernment (learn how to differentiate good/evil)!  Grow up and understand what is truly going on among you. Grow up and recognize when someone is trying to get you to do the wrong thing.  Recognize when someone is trying to get you to do their will and not God’s will.

Secondly, we must grow up because God wants total control.

In verse 15 Paul writes, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ. Saints God wants total control of every aspect of our lives. I don’t mean control in a manipulative way, but control in a loving way. Love should be the motive behind everything we do. Love should be the driving force of the church; love should be the reason behind why we say what we say. God has called us to speak the truth in love. Love is not a noun, but love in a verb. Love is not a feeling, love is choice. Love is and love does!

First Corinthians 13:4-7 reads, Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. The Bible says that God is love and He has commanded us to love one another. We should be able to speak the truth to one another in love, not in frustration, not rudely, not in envy, not in pride, but in true love.

The problem sometimes tends to be that we speak the truth out of emotion or even out of self; sometimes the problem can be that we can dish it, but we can’t take it. Maybe we don’t want to hear the truth. But saints if we are going to grow up and be all that God called us to be we must be willing to speak the truth in love and receive the truth in love. If love is not the motivating factor behind why you say what you say, then flat out don’t say it. God wants total control. He wants to be seen in all that we do and heard in all that we say. Christ is the head of the body of Christ. He is the authoritative leader it’s not you it’s not I, it’s not even the pastor: it’s Christ! Christ is in charge of the church. So God wants us to grow up because he wants total control in every aspect of our lives.

Part One

Part Three

Grow Up!

We each have a kingdom assignment! When God created both you and I He had a kingdom assignment intended for each us. Whether we know what that assignment is or not, the truth still remains that we have a kingdom assignment. Notice, I said kingdom assignment and not just an assignment. In other words there are things that God has called each of us to do for Him. I believe we get confused sometimes, thinking that our jobs are our Kingdom Assignment. No, your occupation is for you, but your vocation or (calling) is for God.

In Ephesians 4:11-16 we find a description of the five- fold ministry that Christ has given the church, His body of believers. Verse 11 says that he gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors, and teachers. Just in case there is someone here who does not know what these offices are please allow me to briefly explain. This goes beyond denomination: Apostles are the ones who have seen Christ, have walked with Christ and have been commissioned by Christ to lay the foundation of the church. Prophets are the ones called to speak direct revelation from God to God’s people. Evangelists are those who are called to proclaim the good news of salvation anywhere they may go. Pastors/teachers are those who shepherd God’s flock through preaching, teaching and ministering to the various needs of the people.

So, I believe it’s safe to say that everyone has a Kingdom Assignment. Now I can just hear somebody saying “Sister Moore none of those things sounds like me,” and that’s cool but there is still something that God has called you to do. Ephesians 2:10 reads: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The purpose of the fivefold ministry is found in verse 12.  That purpose is for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry and edifying of the body of Christ. Notice, the purpose of the fivefold ministry is not self-centered but Christ centered.

The words equip or equipping means to make fit and complete. It is the responsibility of the leaders of the body to make the saints fit and complete for the work of the ministry.

But, who are the saints? The saints are those who believe in Christ. Therefore if you are a believer in Christ there is a ministry assigned to you.

To edify or edifying is the spiritual building up, nurturing, and development of the church. In other words, God’s main concern is not a physical building but a spiritual one. What good is a new edifice without anyone to fill it? What good is it for you to faithfully attend a physical building if you are not going to share the good news about Him with anyone?

It matters not how young or old you are everyone can participate in the edifying of the building up of the body of Christ.  Every true believer or follower of Christ everyone should tell someone about Christ. If God has saved you, you ought to tell it, if he has changed you, you ought to tell it, delivered you, helped you, healed you, you ought to tell it.

Don’t tell me you don’t know your Kingdom Assignment, if you just start telling people about Jesus you are fulfilling your Kingdom Assignment. Notice I didn’t say to tell anyone about your “church,” no I said tell someone about Jesus!

We don’t have a problem inviting people to church but when it comes to telling them about Jesus we tend to not be as loud about it. Tell how Jesus forgave your sins, tell how He took you in, tell how he changed your life, tell how he loves you, tell how he teaches you, tell how he makes you smile, tell how serving Him is worthwhile tell somebody about Jesus.

I believe somehow the church has lost her focus, and we seem to think it’s all about “our church”  and we fail to remember why we go to “our church” in the first place. We come to build up and not tear down, we come to unify not divide.  We come to praise and worship not to gossip; we come to embrace one another, encourage one another, share with one another, care for one another, and love one another. How long do we do this for?

Verse 13 says till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; till.  It’s a word that denotes time.  Till. It’s an immeasurable span of time that ends whenever God sees fit.  Till, till we all reach the unity of the faith.  Till, till we agree across denominations, culture, background, race and class. Till, till we are all united in the knowledge of the son of God.

The word used for knowledge means to know by experience. Many people have heard of Jesus but have yet to experience Jesus. Many are fans of Jesus but not necessarily followers of Jesus. It’s not enough to know of Jesus, but we must know Him by experience. God wants us to experience Jesus. We must experience His life saving power, experience his power to change, experience his power to forgive, experience his power to grow us.  God wants to perfect us or mature us in such a way that His qualities are seen in every area of our lives. I don’t know about you but I got a long way to go. My attitude isn’t always godly, my responses aren’t always godly, my behavior isn’t always godly, my tone of voice isn’t always godly, I know I’ve got a long way to go but thanks be unto God that I’ve come a long way and I know that I’m alone. We were all something else before you got serious about God.  We’ve all come along way and yet we’ve still got a long way to go.

So why should we grow up? Why can’t we just stay the way we are?

1) First reason why we should grow up is because God is not through with us yet!

Verse 14 indicates that we should no longer be children: truth is some people are adults but They demand to have their own way, and throw temper tantrums when they can’t get their own way, they are swayed by their peers, follow the crowd, and accept things at face value. This is considered childlike behavior. Paul said 1Cor 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child; I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things. Many of us have yet to put away childish things. Paul encourages the church to longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. There were false teachers among the Ephesian church teaching different things pertaining to Christ and if it sounded good it was accepted. Just like it was then so it is now, there are those who bring division and not unity, there are those who plan, plot, and scheme. Trying to sway this one this way and that one that way. Trying to control and manipulate people into following them and not necessarily Christ, airing their ungodly opinions and trying to form ungodly alliances and to those who accept this God says Grow up! Grow up and get some discernment (learn how to differentiate good/evil) Grow up and understand what is truly going on among you. Grow up and recognize when someone is trying to get you to do the wrong thing, recognize when someone is trying to get you to do their will and not God’s will.

Part Two

Part Three

There comes a point in time where we have to re-align ourselves with God and His vision for our lives.  What is He most concerned with?  What makes Him smile when sees what has been accomplished at the end of the day?  What are the things in our lives that we can’t seem to let go of or struggle with that God is trying pry out of our hands?  Peace often escapes us because our priorities have been thrown off balance and we measure ourselves by everyone’s standards except God’s.

I found this wonderful chart that really begins to get to the heart of the matter.   I enjoy it’s simplicity (sometimes we make things really complicated).  This is posted on my refrigerator as a constant reminder that my goal in life is to be a woman who abides in Christ.  Not someone who works tirelessly on activities that won’t mean much in the end.  Now that I have finished rambling (LOL), please read an enjoy!

P.S. A special thanks to Erica from Confessions of  A Homeschooler.  Thanks for sharing this and allowing us to share it with others!

http://confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com/2010/02/super-mom-vs-abiding-mom.html