Volume 3 Post/Email 11 – Anger
by brian
Do you ever find yourself angry because of something or someone?
Ephesians 4:26-27 reads, "In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."
It is possible to become angry without sinning, but Paul instructs us not to sin, since people generally do while angry. The other two statements and points flow from this instruction.
Anger that is not released is emotionally and spiritually unhealthy, which is why Paul says to lose it before the sun goes down. Furthermore, the devil can gain a foothold in our spiritual castle while we are angry.
In midieval castles, once the enemy broke through and gained a foothold, it was only a matter of a short period of time before they worked their way up and gained a stronghold.
Anger is toxic! The habit of harboring feelings of anger is not only a physically unhealthy lifestyle, but also a spiritually unhealthy one.
James writes that we are to be slow to become angry, because man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires (1:19-20).
Sometimes we think we are righteous when angry. We can always attempt to justify our anger, but being quick to become angry is to live a life contrary to God's desire for us.
Wherever you find yourself in this matter, understand that God grants us the spiritual resources to live a life of shalom, or peace. God's peace is a blessing, and fruit, he wants to grant and produce in our lives.
(The next post will more deeply examine various Scriptures and thoughts on peace. I also intend to dedicate a post or two on the application of being peacemakers.)
-Brian
Volume 3 Post/Email 10 – Discouragement
by brian
There are so many encouragers in my life, as I hope are in yours, and greater than all, is the encouragement of Scripture.
The next time you find yourself discouraged, read from God's Word.
Among several verses on the topic of encouragement, Romans 15:4 reads, "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
-Brian
Volume 3 Post/Email 9 – Proverbs 18:24
by brian
This past week my brother Robert (Bob) has stayed with me while in Nashville for extra training for his job. He is with me this week also. It has been extremely fun to spend time together. Now Landon is back in Nashville for school and I'm looking forward to spending more time with him. They were both over at the house tonight and we watched the comedy "Death At A Funeral" and laughed our heads off. Monday night Bob and I are going to the Titans game and Thursday Landon is meeting us at Buffalo Wild Wings. So we're trying to make the most of it.
Anyway, we have always had that bond as brothers, though we have been more distant geographically the last 10 years. Spending time with Bob and Landon makes me reflect on the proverb, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."
It is difficult to imagine having a non-family member willing to accept and love me more than a brother, a parent, or spouse, but the Bible states the possibility.
My question for you and me: Are we a friend who sticks closer than a brother?
Are we a fair-weather friend? Or are we there for others whenever there is stormy-weather?
Are we only a friend when it's convenient, or even when it's not?
Let's be grateful for close family and close friends. Let's be a family member and friend who sticks close by.
-Brian
Volume 3 Post/Email 8 – Colossians 4:2
by brian
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
When my spiritual life is unfocused, I suffer. A lack of devotion to speaking with God is costly.
1. I am not prepared to deal with Satan and temptation when I am not devoted to prayer.
2. My attitude drifts from being grateful and positive when I am not devoted to prayer.
3. The Great Commission of Jesus Christ is less of a priority when I am not devoted to prayer.
Colossians 4:3 reads, "And pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains."
Colossians 4:5 reads, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."
Am I watchful and thankful?
Without being devoted to prayer, being thankful is difficult, and being watchful even harder.
However, when my spiritual life is focused, God grants me wisdom and strength for any temptation.
When my spiritual life is focused, God cleanses my heart from ungrateful, unloving, and negative attitudes.
When my spiritual life is focused, God's will for my influence on others is my will, and so I am watchful for people to pray for and to have beneficial spiritual conversations with.
Colossians 4:6 - "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
A good measure for assessing my spiritual conversations is whether they are grace-oriented. Paul teaches us to be "full of grace" when talking with others about God.
Obviously, being "devoted" (vs. 2) implies an ongoing, continual, everyday practice.
Everyday Let God Use You to pray for others, speak with others, and be a Christian example for others.
Let's be devoted to prayer, being watchful and thankful!
-Brian
Volume 3 Post/Email 7 – “Disturb us, Lord”
by brian
Below is a prayer Deanna passed along to me some time back. "Disturb us, Lord" isn't your typical, comfortable prayer. May the thoughts and perspective of this prayer be a blessing to us this day. -Brian
Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
[Sir Francis Drake]
Volume 3 Post/Email 6 – Proverbs 11:24-25
by brian
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
I really like these 2 verses and thought they would be good ones to share here on elguy.
These proverbs encourage us to extend a helping hand to our fellow man.
Another translation ends with "he who waters others will himself be watered."
When we only live for ourselves and self preservation, we actually miss out on personal blessings.
However, when we look to bless others, a byproduct of a generous heart and generous acts is personal gain!
By faith, we believe and trust in the supernatural realm and providence of God.
Thus, we live with the awareness of the truth that we actually gain when we give!
We actually end up refreshed, or watered, when we refresh or water others.
Are we giving freely? 
-Brian
Volume 3 Post/Email 5 – Proverbs 15:15
by brian
The cheerful heart has a continual feast.
I love this observation and statement of truth from Solomon!
We can excuse a sour attitude because of the negative events of life.
However, the choice is truly ours as to how we will live.
We do not have to be sour and miserable!
Neither do we have to be empty.
We can decide to be full of God and spiritual joy.
It is very possible to overcome the difficult people and negative circumstances that cross our path.
A cheerful heart has a continual feast, including days of discouragement and disappointment!
A cheerful heart has a continual feast, even when dealing with petty and unnecesary issues!
A cheerful heart has a continual feast, so choose to be glad and free in Christ!
-Brian
Volume 3 Post/Email 4 – Hebrews 7:25
by brian
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
Isn't this a tremendous truth? Jesus is able to save "completely"!
You and I are 1000% saved by the interceding blood of Jesus Christ!
We do not earn even a fraction of a percent of our salvation!
Anything good or religious that we do is a result of the merciful work of God. We do not worship and serve to be saved, nor to remain saved. We are always completely redeemed by Jesus. We worship and serve out of love and joy because we are redeemed!
Another way we can think about and apply this verse is with regard to religious differences.
I have Christian brothers and sisters who I consider to be considerably more liberal than I am on some of their religious views. Likewise, I have Christian brothers and sisters who I consider to be considerably more conservative than I am on their religious views. Who is in right standing with God? Am I for my more conservative views than some, or for my more progressive views than others?
As we all seek truth, wisdom and growth in Christ, we are still always saved completely by Jesus! For all of our misunderstandings and misapplications along the way, trust in the grace of Jesus is what continues to cleanse me of my sins.
God loves us, even in our moments of misunderstanding, mediocrity, incompetency, and inconsistency!
Praise God! Jesus always lives to intercede for us!
-Brian
Volume 3 Post/Email 3 – John 13:34-35
by brian
34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Jesus makes this statement after demonstrating love through washing the disciples' feet in the upper room before sharing a meal.
Jesus' mark of authentic discipleship is not Bible knowledge, though knowledge can be helpful to our faith, spiritual insight, and understanding of God and kingdom life.
Jesus' mark of authentic discipleship is not theoretical.
Jesus' mark of genuine discipleship is relational!
How do we treat people?
Are we washing feet? Are we listening? Are we feeding? Are we visiting? Are we teaching? Are we encouraging?
Do I wash my spouse's feet? Do I wash my family's feet? Do I wash my co-workers feet? Do I wash my church family's feet?
Jesus' calls us to model his life! Jesus calls us to discipleship! Jesus calls us to be radically different!
Jesus calls us to be slaves who are thrilled serving others in love!
-Brian
“Pastoral ‘Free Agency’ Hurts Churches” – Rick Warren
by brian
Below is the latest Rick Warren article from his internet ministry, dated 7-08-2010. I am including it as an email and also as an ongoing accessible article on our "Ministry Articles" page. What he writes is consistent with church growth research. I have read approximately 40-50 books, plus other sources, on the matter. Furthermore, observing churches, such as the one I grew up in, for which my dad has ministered since 1984, is a good example that confirms Warren's conclusions. A graduate course I took at Lipscomb, for which 3 books were assigned, also taught what Warren says. The point is that this is more than one man's opinion. It is consistent with churches of all sizes across America.
I know there are readers of this site from various congregations, and hope this article will encourage each church represented to pursue church health, including the end of any "patterns" of changing preachers every few years.
Furthermore, while his article is intended to specifically encourage preachers, I would hope to influence all readers by his final statement. "Want to see your church grow? Don't leave."
Every church needs dedicated members! Every church needs members who will positively and persistently be there to worship and work and build up the body, even and especially in times of frustration or discouragement.
Here is the article:
You don’t need to be a fan of professional basketball to have heard talk this week about free agents. Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, among others, are all contemplating changing teams in a quest for championship rings (and dollars).
Building short-term dream teams to win championships may be an effective strategy for winning championships in the NBA, but churches rarely become more effective when pastors keep changing, moving in and out like free agents of the church.
The truth is pastoral longevity is one of the untold secrets of church health. My experience is this –
A long pastorate does not guarantee a church will grow, but changing pastors every few years guarantees a church won’t grow.
Can you imagine what the kids would be like in a family where they got a new daddy every two or three years? They would most likely have serious emotional problems. In the same way, the longevity of the leadership is a critical factor for the health and growth of a church family. Long pastorates make deep, trusting, and caring relationships possible. Without those kinds of relationships, a pastor won’t accomplish much of lasting value.
Churches that rotate pastors every few years will never experience consistent growth. Few people want to follow a leader who they think won’t be around a year from now. The pastor may want to start all sorts of new projects, but the members will be reticent because they will be the ones having to live with the consequences long after the pastor has been moved to another church.
Knowing the importance of longevity in growing a healthy church I prayed at the beginning of my ministry, “Father, I’m willing to go anyplace in the world you want to send me. But I ask for the privilege of investing my entire life in just one location. I don’t care where you put me but I’d like to stay wherever it is for the rest of my life.”
I’ve now been at Saddleback for more than 30 years. I’m convinced that’s been a factor in Saddleback’s growth. Want to see your church grow?
Don’t leave.
This can also be found and read at http://www.pastors.com/blogs/ministrytoolbox/archive/2010/07/08/pastoral-free-agency-hurts-churches.aspx