Word of the Week - Excellence

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent. Philippians 1:9-10 (NKJV)

We Serve a God of Excellence - Our God is a God of Excellence at His very core. He has created all things with Excellence (very good of its kind; eminently good; first class). As His children He desires for us to receive His spirit of Excellence and reproduce it. I believe a spirit of Excellence is a godly attitude that is demonstrated by how we live. Just like many other godly fruits/attributes such as love, joy and patience, a spirit of Excellence is a byproduct of what God is doing on the inside of us as we are discipled in Christ and allow Him to impart His nature within our soul and spirit. If we understand who God really is, we cannot help but want to represent Him well as we engage all things with purpose, passion and Excellence.Bring Your Very Best to All You Do - "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." Col 3:23-24  I love this verse because it exudes the spirit of Excellence for those who are in Christ. Whether we are doing full time ministry, working in the marketplace, serving in the community, raising and disciplining our children or hosting a party, we should do everything as unto the Lord and thus with a Spirit of Excellence. The difference between good and great is a spirit of Excellence. God does not require us to be perfect, but He does call us to have an attitude and posture of Excellence.Excellence in the Marketplace - Rather than displaying a Christian fish symbol on all our marketing materials, if we simply conduct our lives and run our businesses with excellence and integrity the world around us cannot help but stop and take notice. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the Excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into the marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 So what does it look like to be excellent in business:  1) having an attitude of service, 2) being honest and transparent in all of your dealings, 3) striving to exceed expectations, 4) being willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, 5) taking responsibility when you make mistakes and being candid and timely in addressing any issues and 7) being proactive and taking ownership. All of these things work together to create a spirit of excellence. Walking in Excellence consistently over time will result in being a positive witness for the Gospel of Jesus. This creates opportunity for us to share our faith and influence others for the Kingdom.Have a great week, and take every opportunity to live in a godly spirit of Excellence.Godspeed,

Word of the Week - Scripture (Bible)

For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Scripture is Alive and Active:  The Word of God is a mysterious and powerful force that encompasses so many dimensions. It points us toward the will of God (Galatians 1:4), the truth of God (John 17:17), the decrees of God (Jeremiah 22:29), the commandments of God (Exodus 20:2-17), the good news of Jesus Christ (John 3:16) and the list goes on. The word is living and eternal. It has the same power and relevance today that it had 2000 years ago and will continue to have forever thus it is timeless. It is profoundly deep yet simple and practical. It is filled with spiritual truths and principals that serve as a true north for God’s people giving us direction as we navigate through this complex and confusing world. Since it is a spiritual book, some of scripture does not seem to make practical sense to us and thus requires childlike faith and trust to come alive and be activated in our lives. Read in faith, God’s Word begins to read us and transform our nature into God’s nature. Scripture is truly an amazing gift that God gave us so that we would know Him at the deepest level and be able to flourish as His children on this earth. I can personally attest to the power of Scripture and how it has impacted my perspective on God and every aspect of life. I make a point to read God’s word daily, and it is usually one of the first things I do each morning. It is the rock that I stand on for protection, peace and life. There is not doubt in my mind that it is alive!Scripture is Jesus:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 This verse is so powerful because it makes it clear that Jesus is synonymous with the Word of God (the Bible). We know from Scripture that God created mankind for the purpose of companionship through personal relationship with Jesus. The Bible is the primary source for us to have relationship with Jesus and grow in our intimacy with Him. Therefore, we should see the Bible not only as a key to finding salvation but also as God’s manifestation on earth and our way to know God at the deepest level and grow closer to Him through the physical Word (Bible) and the Spirit (Holy Spirit). I have found that the more I abide in Christ through reading and studying His word, the more I know God and feel closer to Him, which continues to transform my very nature to becoming more godly. This is the transformational power of filling ourselves with the Word of God and Jesus.The Bible helps us know who we are:  “The spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  The spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” Romans 8:15-17 In Christ we gain our new and true identity as sons and daughters of the living God, which is quite amazing. The Bible is the living manual that gives us clarity on our new identity in Christ and continues to reinforce this truth, which is sometimes hard to comprehend.  As we live in God’s Word, we begin to truly receive this truth and reality that is reinforced throughout scripture. The Word of God also provides a loving but powerful way for us to know ourselves in light of Christ. This helps us see who we really are in terms of our thoughts, attitudes and postures and where we need adjustments. If we truly want to grow and become all God has called us to be, we will allow God’s word to penetrate our souls and do its sanctifying work within us.I encourage you to make scripture and reading God’s word a part of your daily rhythm in pursing deeper relationship with Christ. When you read God’s word in faith, you are communing with Christ and being renewed and transformed into the person you were meant to be in Christ and this is perfectly pleasing to God. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2Have a great week…-Duane

Word of the Week - Perseverance

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything. James 1:2-4

Definition of Perseverance: Continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure or opposition: steadfastness; overcome.The power of our faith is realized through Perseverance: I love this verse because it is so encouraging in the promises of God and the reality of life. God is very clear throughout scripture that as believers we do have an adversary that will work to discourage us, especially as we face the trials of life, and there is not doubt that we will all face trials as Jesus told us in John. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. The good news and promise is that ultimately we win; we overcome by our faith in Jesus through the cross and the power of our testimony in Christ. The only way we can fully understand and know the power of our faith in God is by the testing of our faith through the trials of life. This process produces in us the amazing characteristic of Perseverance, the power and ability to keep going when we are facing opposition and want to quit, which allows us to become mature and complete in Christ. What an awesome and encouraging truth and reality. Since James personally experienced this reality, he was able to share this truth with great conviction. I can personally attest to this truth in my own walk of faith over the past 20 years as I have Persevered by faith through many challenging trials. I have experienced the reality of this verse. These trials have produced in me new levels of faith and maturity that I would have never attained without the trials, so I do consider them a blessing even though it did not feel like a blessing while I was enduring through them.The benefits of Persevering through trials by faith: Just a reminder, we don’t earn our salvation; it is truly a gift from God that comes by a decision to put our hope in Christ through faith. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast”  Ephesians 2:8-9. That being said, once we make a decision to follow Christ we are responsible for our growth and maturity in faith as followers of Christ. If we want to live to the full and experience the full benefits of our faith, we must be fully committed (see last week’s word of the week from 1/17/21) and remain committed. This will require us to develop the characteristic of Perseverance, which can only be developed through fire and testing. “Not only so, but we glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5: 3-5  Like most things in life, there is a great return on our investment if we are willing to play the long game and remain consistent, persistent and determined in our pursuits and convictions, especially when it comes to things of faith. Our reward is growing and maturing to reach our full God-given potential, this process of sanctification produces in us and through us increased faith and spiritual fruits such as love, joy, peace, patience to name a few, and ultimately gives us influence to help build and multiply God’s Kingdom.What does it look like to Persevere?: Walking through trials with a godly attitude and an eternal perspective. Truly believing and understanding that the trials of life are opportunities for growing and maturing. Protecting our hearts so they don’t grow bitter by taking our thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).  Staying connected to a body of believers through small groups, spiritual friendships or accountability partners who know what you are going through so they can help encourage you and pray for you. Staying connected to the vine of Christ daily: “I am the vine and you are the branches, if you abide in me I will abide and  you and you will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing” John 15:5. By reading God’s word and praying for wisdom and protection so that our hearts remain open to hear, see and receive from the Lord. Constantly asking the Lord to give us perspective and eyes to see and ears to hear what He is trying to teach us through the trials we are enduring, “Ears to hear and eyes to see – both are gifts from the Lord” Proverbs 20:12. Not blaming others or pointing fingers but taking responsibility for ourselves and what we are doing. Understanding that we cannot control others, but we can allow God to do a work in us and trials are His process of doing a refining work in us. We must remember that God is good and faithful and has our best interest at heart. As our loving Father, He is more interested in building our godly character than our comfort. The truth is that this life is simply the refining process of become mature and complete in Christ so what we are prepared to dwell in the house of the Lord in fellowship with Jesus for eternity.So be encouraged in any trials you are facing and step into faith in God so you can Persevere in Christ and become mature and complete, not lacking in anything.Have a great week.-Duane

Word of the Week - Commitment

The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully Committed to Him 1 Chronicles 16:9

You will never get the best of God for your life without being fully Committed. I think we would all agree that the first step in beginning anything of value is making a decision and a Commitment. Whether it be a new routine, job, friendship, business venture or spiritual discipline, any new pursuit towards something meaningful begins with a decision to do something then a Commitment to follow through. In today's digital age of instant gratification and having more flexibility/options available coupled with an emphasis “feeling” good and pursuing happiness, there seems to be a resistance toward Commitment. It is almost as if Commitment is a negative word. The truth is that the best things in life come out of making Commitments and being Committed. One of the best examples is the Marriage relationship. This is a legal covenant relationship before God, which is the highest form of Commitment. Even though marriage can be tough and is one of the most challenging things I have experienced in life, I have never heard anyone say they regret staying married. I have heard numerous people who have been through divorce say that it was a terrible experience and if they had to do it over again they would have tried to work it out. I am not condemning divorce, I am simply making the case for being Committed through the good times and the bad. There are certain situations that make it nearly impossible to stay married because ultimately you cannot control your spouse's decisions or behaviors but you can remain Committed nonetheless.God is fully Committed to us/you, “God shows His love (Commitment) to us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 This verse says it all in that God loves us so much that He came to Earth as a man and died for us while we still rejected Him. This is the utmost form of love and Commitment that God gave His life for us before we accepted Him. If we grasp this reality and its implications, we are compelled to respond by receiving this truth and loving God by fully Committing/devoting our lives to Him and making Him a priority. How we live our lives really demonstrates what we are Committed to. Does your life and how you live express Commitment to God?God wants you to be fully Committed to Him so He can bless you, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this;  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:4  Since God is the source of all good things, the best things of God come through our relationship with Him. The foundation of relationship is trust and Commitment. The response to trust is Commitment. We must trust and Commit to get all the good things God has for us. Some of the best things in life come through delayed gratification and God’s ways typically involve perseverance and “waiting upon the Lord”. Commitment over time is truly the test of our hearts and demonstrate the degree of our love.Being fully Committed is the only way we realize our full potential, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all things and He will direct your path and keep them straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6  According to this passage we only get the best things of God if we are fully Committed to Him. As a child of God He has an awesome plan an assignment for each of us individually, which is our full potential in Christ. We can only know and realize this potential if we are Committed to Him and making Him by making Him the top priority “first fruits” in our lives. We show our Commitment by how we live and pursue God. Putting God first in our thoughts, conversations, actions, daily/weekly routines, finances is how we demonstrate our Commitment to Him. This also demonstrates to others our love for God and we become a light for Christ in a dark and broken world.As we begin 2021, I encourage you to decide and Commit everything to God and watch what He does in your life. “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act” Psalm 37:5Have a great week...- Duane

Word of the Week - Everything "New"

He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true' Revelation 21:5

As we begin 2021, we have the opportunity to start fresh and begin a “New” chapter of our lives, especially in our walk of faith. I love this about God and our faith as Christians; as foundational as God is in the fact that He has been around since the beginning of time, He is the same today as He was in the beginning, He is a God of New. He desires for us to be born anew in His spirit so that we can experience the abundant life He promises us. He also desires for us to be renewed and refreshed in Him so we can continue to experience the fresh life of God and have the capacity to minister this hope to others.  In the Spirit of God there is always life and Newness and He calls us to pursue New things in Christ so we can flourish and rejoice in this amazing life giving truth.New Life in Christ, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 The New life in Christ, which is the abundant life that He speaks about in John 10:10, comes to us when we surrender our hearts and lives to Christ and are born afresh of His spirit. In order to experience the New things of God we have to get ourselves out of the way by letting go of the old self, and allow Jesus to do a new work within us by surrendering our hearts and lives to Christ. This is where salvation and New life begins and we literally become New persons in Christ. I experienced this rebirth nearly 20 years ago at the age of 33 and it changed everything. I was given a New identity in Christ and it awakened in me a New perspective that has truly been the biggest blessing of my life and made me a New person with New priorities, values, interest, disciplines, hopes and dreams. It is never too early or too late to become New in Christ.New daily perspective, disciplines and rhythms, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins: otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins: but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.” Mark 2:22 It is hard to get new outcomes from old habits; therefore, we need to constantly be working toward being renewed in the things of God. Routines and rhythms of life are key to growing and realizing our full potential but they must be frequently evaluated to ensure they are still working toward the original intent. Many times we start a new routine or form a habit that initially had a good purpose but over time for varying reasons become less relevant our outdated in achieving their initial purpose/objective. Routines become habits and habits can create ruts if we are not careful and conscious. We must take time to reflect, evaluate and assess. We should never do something just because it is the way we have been doing it. I am all about traditions, systems and rhythms and have built my entire business and life around these principals, but I know that we must keep ourselves fresh and not grow stale in “our ways”.Be Re “newed” in Christ daily, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 According to this passage in God’s word, the key to living a healthy life is that we allow God to renew us each day by connecting to the vine of Christ, which provides the sustenance that we need to stay strong and faithful within our inner spirit man. This is what gives us the strength to press on through the challenges of life with strength, faith and hope. To maintain a healthy perspective we must have daily disciplines and rhythms that keep us in connection with the Lord. Investing focused time each day with the Lord by talking with Him about life and our challenges (prayer), receiving guidance and instruction from Him (reading His word), and telling Him how much we love Him while gaining love and encouragement from Him (praise and worship), are some of the basic disciplines and rhythms of our faith that are key to having intimacy with the Lord and experiencing New things in Christ.As we begin the new year, I pray we will take inventory and make adjustments to our lives so we can experience the Newness and Goodness of God. You can’t put new ideas into old mind-sets and you don’t typically get new results with old behaviors. But God can renew your mind and with him all things are possible. . “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13.  Make your relationship with the Lord the priority and experience newness like never before. Since it is the most important relationship in our lives, I would submit that it requires the most focus and attention.I pray the you will experience God in a New and Fresh way in 2021…-Duane

Word of the Week - First Love

"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.  Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.  If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Revelation 21:4-5

Christ – Our First Love – I think it is human nature to allow life and the things of this world to come into our lives and compete with our most important relationships. If we are not careful and intentional, this can easily happen in relationships with our spouse, family members and friends. Our relationship with Jesus/God can be especially challenged since God is spirit and not a physical person we see day-to-day. I remember when I first came to Christ and was born of the spirit, I was so in love and excited about my newfound relationship with Christ that it was all I could think about and mostly what I wanted to talk about, similar to being a newly-wed. In fact, my wife Amy and I just celebrated our 30^th wedding anniversary; I am thankful to the Lord that we are still happily married and believe the best is yet to come! I can remember our wedding day and how easy it was to be madly in love with my new bride at the young age of 22. But as to be expected, life has thrown us lots of curve balls causing times of distance and strain on our relationship. We have decided that our love is deeper than the things of this world that try to break us apart, so we continue to pursue and intentionally invest in our relationship to keep the flame burning by having committed date nights each week, praying together daily, taking romantic trips, writing each other notes/letters, doing marriage retreats/intensives, working with an amazing couple who does marriage enhancement/coaching and the list goes on. No matter how much you love someone, it is not realistic to think that a relationship will be sustained without investing in the relationship. Our relationship with Christ Jesus is very similar, we must continue to renew our love for God by investing in our relationship with Him through doing the things we did at first like: praising and worshipping God, talking to God through prayer, reading God’s word and memorizing scripture, fasting, giving and serving and simply pursuing your relationship with God.Return to Christ – As we begin this New Year, I pray we will take inventory and make adjustments to our lives so we can experience the fullness of our relationship with Jesus our First Love. If you have never experienced the fullness of God by being born anew of the Spirit, there is no better time than now to surrender your life and start afresh in 2021. The following is a link to a sermon that is one of the best I have ever heard on salvation: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/do-you-love-me1. Praying the prayer of salvation and making Jesus your Lord and savior is the best decision you will ever make. For those who have already surrendered their hearts and are pursuing God, there is no better time than now to assess, adjust and recommit to our daily disciplines in pursing an abiding relationship with Christ. This is the process of returning to Christ your First Love. My friend John Maxwell says “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret to your success is found in your daily routine.” Like any relationship, our relationship with the Lord is something that requires daily focus and attention. Since it is the most important relationship in our lives, I would submit that it requires the most focus and attention.Make Christ our First Fruits – The principal of First Fruits is very simple and straightforward: God desires to be the priority in our lives and He wants us to honor Him by giving Him our first and best. He loves us so much that He is jealous for our love and attention and does not want to compete for the top position in our lives. He will not tolerate being second. This concept is emphasized throughout scripture beginning with the 1^st Commandment that states, “You shall have no other gods before me” Exodus 20:2. He simply wants us to put Him first above all things. He promises that with divine order comes divine blessings: “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the Firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine” Proverbs 3:9-10. I love this spiritual principal because it is a tangible way to love and honor God. This principal not only pertains to our money/resources but to every aspect of our lives to include our time, energy and pursuits. Jesus desires to be first in our day, week, month and year. There is amazing power, peace and protection in the simple act of placing God first.As we begin 2021, I encourage you to return to your First Love, Jesus, and test the Lord in this principal of First Fruits. Our pastor at Church of the Highlands has lead us for the last 20 years in making the Lord first by starting each year with 21 days of prayer and fasting to put our focus on God and declare our dependence on the Lord. I would encourage you to join us for the next 21 days as we pray and seek the Lord together. You can learn more or join the prayer service virtually each day by clicking on https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/. I hope you will join us; I guarantee it will be a life changing experience for you and this new year.Happy New Year and blessings in 2021,-Duane

Word of the Week - Immanuel (God with us)

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means "God with us"). Matthew 1:23

This is the true gift of Christmas – Christ! It is amazing to me that God sent His only begotten son, Jesus, down to earth to be the ultimate sacrifice so we can have eternal salvation and live the “life that is truly life” with Him, but He did not stop there. Jesus came to this earth to be “with us” in the flesh, and He remains “with us” in spirit. As we journey through this brief time we have on earth, our God is with us through the good times and challenges of life. Not only is He “with us” but if we invite Him, He lives “within us”, and we can experience the manifest presence of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, our great Comforter. Under the new covenant established through Jesus birth, death and resurrection, we as followers of Christ are the temple of God’s Spirit.Oh come, Oh come Immanuel!!!!!!! Let’s rejoice because God is “with us” and “within us”. This is definitely a reason to rejoice and give thanks to God during this special season that we celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus. I pray you would experience the true comfort of Immanuel during this season and throughout the year.Merry Christmas and happy Holidays,-Duane

Word of the Week - Christmas (the true meaning of this day/season)

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Have you ever taken time to think about the impact that Christ’s birth had on our world? Beginning with the celebration of Christ birth on December 25^th, which has culminated in the holiday of Christmas that is recognized and celebrated by most everyone around the world. It is by far the most celebrated holiday in the western world and has an unrivaled impact on our world both economically, relationally and spiritually.  Further, our entire world calendar is based upon this event!!! We actually measure time BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini, Latin for “in the year of the Lord”) by this single event. Today is Dec 20, 2020 which is 2020 years and 355 days since the death of Jesus. This was obviously a major historical event that changed the world forever, yet it was such a simple and humble happening: a child being born in a stable amongst a handful of people. The most amazing part of the Christmas story is that God sent Jesus “Unto us” you and me, as the gift of all gifts. This is truly the reason for the season of Christmas, to celebrate the amazing gift of Christ unto us, all of humanity. Anyone who wants to receive this gift has access through a relationship with the person of Jesus. Jesus came as God in the flesh, and He is known as the great “I am” everything we need He desires to be for us. He is also “Immanuel” God with us who promises to never leave or forsake us. Jesus is both awesome and magnificent (the great I am) but personal and intimate (Immanuel, God with us), which makes Him our God, our friend, our comforter. 740 years before Christ, Isaiah prophesied the birth of Christ and many of the awesome characteristics of Christ:Wonderful and Mighty  – In His awesome and eternal power, Jesus is King of all the heavens and the earth. He is beyond our ability to understand, which makes Him our wonderful and magnificent God almighty. His power is endless; He has been given authority over all things and literally sits at the right hand of God our Father and intercedes (advocates) for us. We will ultimately stand before Him, and He will have the final say as it relates to our eternal destiny. If we “know Him” then we will enjoy eternity with Him. “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22-23  He will ultimately return to Earth in His second coming as a mighty King with a legion of angels with a mission to reconcile the world. Whether we choose relationship with Jesus or not, ultimately we will acknowledge who He is. “It is written, 'As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God'" Romans 14:11Everlasting Father – We all desire to have a loving and caring Father in our lives to be there for us in the ups and downs of life. There is nothing like the presence of a loving father when we are struggling and need strength and encouragement.  It is also a blessing to have a father who can share in our victories and success in life and who has our back no matter what the circumstance.  This is who Jesus is for us, He gives us access to Father God through the Trinity and desires to be our loving “Abba” father in all circumstances of life. Regardless of the status of our earthly fathers, who are also a very important to us and our wellbeing, Jesus is there to be our connection to our everlasting heavenly father. “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'”Counselor and Prince of Peace – As our Counselor, the Lord desires to be our friend and confidant in times of need. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 The death and resurrection of Jesus gave us access to the Holy Spirit who comes as the great Comforter to give us what we need in times of trouble. As the Prince of Peace, the Lord offers us the ability to stand in peace even during the most trying times of life. One of the names of Christ is Jehovah Shalom, the giver of Peace. We all desire to have peace in our lives but it is not something we can produce in our own strength, but we can surely find peace in Christ our Prince of Peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27I pray the Lord’s grace over each of us to receive the true blessings of Christmas in Christ and remember the reason for this holiday season. “For unto us (you & me) a Child is Born”.Have a blessed and Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!-Duane

Word of the Week - Security

This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence (Security) on the day of judgement: In this world we are like Jesus.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.  For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.  We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:17-19

Security is defined as the state of being safe and free from danger or threats.  This is one of our greatest needs as human beings to maintain health; we have a deep desire to feel physically safe and secure, which is why I am so grateful for law enforcement workers who work to keep law and order within our communities and for our military service men and women who risk their lives to keep us safe from domestic and foreign threats.  I hope we all make an effort to show our appreciation for these people who serve us so faithfully.  Physical safety is very important but having emotional and relational Security is paramount to our health and ability to thrive in this world.  Since we live in a fallen and broken sin filled world, it is very hard to find the degree of relational security we need and desire without God.  As much as we desire to receive this type of love from family and friends, it is typically not achievable in its fullness due to the reality of our humanity.  That being said, we surely experience degrees of love and security through our relationships with others when we have relationships with people who love us and accept us completely, which makes us feel safe and secure.  Every relationship is unique, but healthy relationships are generally based on trust, loyalty and commitment and allow us to be ourselves and still feel loved and accepted.  The greatest security we can ever experience is that of true unconditional love, which is not based on our performance or a condition.  This is love at the deepest level and we all desire and need this love and “God demonstrates His own love for us in this; While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (me and you)” Romans 5:8Importance of Security to living healthy lives.  We all know instinctively how important it is to our health and development to find Security through love and acceptance, especially for children and teens as they are developing.  Fostering health and Security through encouragement and affirming words, good will and unconditional love reassures us that we are loved and protected.  When we experience love in this way we are able to be more transparent, which serves to deepen our relationships and allows us to develop, grow and thrive.  On the other hand, we all have an enemy of our soul that is constantly trying to undermine and threaten our Security to make us feel unworthy, insecure and less than as we search to find our identity and compare ourselves to those around us.  As social beings we typically care too much about what others think about us.  We live in a world that constantly bombards us through media with messaging that undermines our Security and tries to make us feel insecure. “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety” Proverbs 29:25.  Even those of us who are fortunate enough to have grown up in more healthy, loving and secure environments will experience vulnerabilities that create insecurity.  I grew up in a wonderful home where I knew deep down that my parents loved me unconditionally, in hindsight I realize that I struggled with insecurity issues throughout my teen and early adult years.  Much of my insecurity was founded in my uncertainty about who I really was and my true place and purpose as a young man trying to find my way.  Like most of us, I had an identity crisis. By the grace of God, this crisis was substantially resolved when I surrendered my life to Christ at the age of 33 and life has never been the same since. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he/she is a new creation: The old has gone and the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17Security in Christ is powerful and life changing.  No matter how Secure or insecure we may feel in our human relationships, nothing can compare to the Security that is found in Christ when we truly receive His love in fullness and experience being born of His spirit.  I will never forget how profound it was for me when I experienced and accepted the full love of Christ and became alive in the spirit and my faith became real, alive and powerful. For the first time in my life I felt fully accepted for who I was in Christ who created me and truly loved me and was pleased with me as His son.  By the way, God does not make anyone that is not worthy; He is our creator and we are made in His image.  Up until that point I never felt like I could do enough or be good enough to be worthy of the unconditional love of God.  I had a skewed perspective that had me convinced that God could only love and accept me if I performed a certain way or became more religious.  This is not true, God’s word tells us that “We are saved by grace, through faith – and it is not from ourselves, it is a gift from God – not by works, so that no one can boast” Ephesians 2:8-9  This is truly the good news of the gospel that brings amazing Security, if we truly believe on Him and surrender our lives to Him as our Lord, we will experience the miracle of being born anew and receiving this amazing gift of eternal salvation.  This radically changes our perspective and gives us an eternal Security in Christ Jesus that makes us new and different.Our Security in Christ gives us confidence to trust God and remain connected to Him, even when life is difficult.  In our abiding Secure relationship with Christ, God gives us everything we need to live godly and Secure lives.  Even though we still experience trouble and challenges in this life, we are overcomers through Him “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace (Security).  In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33  If we are Secure in Christ, God uses the difficulties of life to help refine us as we grow to become more Christ-like, this is the process of sanctification.  God promises us that He will always be with us as we walk through the difficulties of life.  “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you: He will never leave or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 3:16God deeply desires for us find our identity and Security through Him so we can live emboldened and courageous lives to be all that God has called us to be in Him.  Without this profound truth we are handicapped.  My friend Coach Tom Mullins Coach Mullins, who I got to hang out with this past week down in the marshes of South Louisiana at Beau Blake’s Island, shared an encouraging word with our Legendary Leaders Group Legendary Leaders .  The following is a quote that summarizes the essence of his powerful word.“We cannot be who we need to be in this world until we are Secure in who we are in God’s Love”

Coach Tom Mullen

I hope you have a great week and truly find yourself encouraged and Secure in the love of God.-Duane

Word of the Week - Resilience

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.  James 1:2-4.

Resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.  Psychologist define Resilience as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress – such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors.  As much as Resilience involves “bouncing back” from difficult life experiences, having Resilience can be key to helping us grow and realize our full potential in life.  It is typically the adversity and challenges in life that create the biggest opportunities for growth and development.  The apostle Paul showed tremendous Resilience in his life, which led to him penning near 2/3 of the New Testament.  I love this verse that demonstrates Paul’s resolve toward Resilience. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body”.  2 Corinthians 4:8-9This past week I had the opportunity to participate in an amazing conference event with some extraordinary people.  Our firm, Founders Advisors, was privileged to be the title sponsor of this years Impact Leadership Conference presented by Highlands College Highlands College.  The topic of the conference was “Resilience”.  We had an amazing line up of world class speakers that featured John Maxwell, Alan Mullaly, Bonnie St. John and Chris Hodges (click on names of each speaker for bio and background information).  Each of these speakers shared valuable wisdom on the topic of Resilience from their own life experiences. Given the times we are living in, along with the many challenges we have faced in 2020 as a result of COVID and national political disunity, the principles shared at the conference were enormously relevant, encouraging and timely.The following are a few nuggets from each of the 4 primary speakers that I wanted to share with you.  As a gift from me and our team at Founders Advisors, you can click on the following link to get the full content of each speaker from the Impact Conference On-Demand Content, which will be available until Friday, December 18, at 11:59 CST.Principles of Resilience:

• Bonnie St. John  –  How to build a community of Champions within our organization by putting the team above self with an attitude of Resilience.  “We must get up and not give up”.  This is the true mark of a champion.  Bonnie shared an amazing life story from her years training for the para Olympics as the first black woman to win a metal at these events.  She also shared the nugget of having a psychological “first aid” kit prepared for the days when you don’t feel it and need encouragement to overcome and walk with Resilience.
• Alan Mullaly – How to build world class sustainable organizations by having the right processes in place and working the processes daily within a culture of transparency and accountability.  Our people must know that they matter most and that they are loved and valued.  Look for places you can include people and their perspectives to accelerate your business?  Focus on PGA – Profitable Growth for All.  Make it very clear on how everyone wins.  Leaders must lead by example, walk the walk.  “Expect the unexpected and trust the process” this gives us daily Resilience in the midst of the daily challenges we face.
• Chris Hodges – Pastor Chris gave us a framework for staying healthy and being Resilient and used the analogy of a building structure. 1) The foundation is relationships and your connectedness to key relationships. Consider your top three relationships, do these people really know what is going on with you?  Your challenges and the issues you are facing?  Are you emotionally transparent? 2) The framing of our lives is about having purpose and routines/rhythms.  “We reboot our emotions by establishing new routines”.  How do we spend the first part of our day.  Are we intentional about how we spend our time and do we have healthy and productive daily routines that are aligned with our purpose? 3) The finishes are related to trust and self-control.  Do we trust God and others or are we trying to control everything in our own strength?  Do we pray and believe the serenity prayer?
• John Maxwell  – “Take the tour of the detour because success is about how we overcome adversity”.  John shared 5 values of Resilience to include: 1) Life is difficult and was never meant to be easy.  Leaders are made for hard and we are made complete in the process of hard.  Success is made through the day to day of gritting and grinding over time.  2) Resilience provides opportunity for us to become better.  Get through the problem to see the opportunity.  3) Resilience is about keeping focused on what we can do today and showing up each day with a can do attitude. Stay in the moment. 4) Resilience demands creativity and pushes us to find new ways of doing things, which is the blessing that comes through the pain of challenge.  5) Resilience highlights our values and character. Values are revealed and tested during hard times.  This is our opportunity to shine and show our true colors, the mark of a true leader.

I would encourage you to take time to view the Impact Conference to hear each of the speakers by clicking this link On-Demand Content. You can also click on the conference Discussion Guide for more detailed information from each of the talks.  You can also Sign up to receive additional leadership content from Highlands College.We know that during the journey of life we will all face adverse events that are painful and difficult.  The great news is that if we have a strong faith and confidence in the Lord God we can look to our trust in Christ as a strength to find Resilience so the struggles or our live don’t define us but refine us to become all we were created to be.  Resilience underpinned with faith is a winning recipe for life, which allows us to be overcomers and grow to all that God has called us to be in Christ Jesus.“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”  Hebrews 12:1Stay Resilient in Christ,-Duane 

Word of the Week - Guard your Heart

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” Proverbs 4:23

The condition of our heart is vital to our health both physically and spiritually.  Physically, our heart is the most important organ that sustains life by pumping blood throughout the body supplying oxygen and nutrients to sustain life.  If our heart stops pumping then we die.  If our heart is not healthy it can greatly impact our quality of life by limiting what we can do physically.  If we are wise, we will incorporate disciplines in our lives such as exercising and eating well to keep our hearts healthy and well-conditioned to prevent heart disease, which is quite prevalent in our world. In fact, cardiovascular (heart) disease is by far the largest cause of death in the U.S. and the world, 2 times greater than deaths caused by cancer.Even more importantly, our heart is at the center of our spiritual condition.  The heart represents the central wisdom of feeling and being as opposed to the head-wisdom of reason and rationalizing.  The heart represents our ability to give and receive love giving us the capacity to experience compassion, empathy and joy.  It is the universal symbol for love.  All that being said, it would make sense why God tells us in His word to “guard our hearts” with vigilance to keep them pure and healthy.  All of life both physically and spiritually flows from the heart, the wellspring of life.So how do we guard our hearts and love well:

• Stay in God’s word and seek God’s Truth – If we feed our hearts and minds the junk of this world then our hearts will be perverted and not be pure.  The simple principle of garbage in equals garbage out.  If we feed our hearts a daily portion of God’s word also known as the “bread of life” we will stay healthy and pure.  When we let our guard down and forget the things of God we become vulnerable to the attacks of the evil one who desires to damage our hearts.  “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” Psalm 51:10
• Protect yourself from negative influences, toxic people and ungodly living – Even though we live in this world and need to remain connected and relevant, we are not of this world.  As Christ followers, we are born of the spirit and must be wise about who and where we spend our time.  Pursuing God and His word as noted above is an offensive strategy but we also need to have a defensive strategy and shield ourselves from the things of this world that can cause our hearts to be negatively affected.  This begins with the friends we hang out with and the character of the people we keep company with.  I also relates to the media we consume and the places we hang out.  “How can a young man keep his way pure?  By guarding it according to your word.  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:9-11
• Forgive freely and don’t let any bitter root take hold – If we have a heart for God and for people then we will love often and well.  In doing so our hearts will be hurt by people, whether intentional or unintentional.  We must recognize that this is the reality of life as we live in a fallen and broken world.  The key is that we do not take offense and allow the pain of the wound to take deep root in our hearts.  The antidote to bitterness is grace and forgiveness.  “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”.  Ephesians 4:31-32

As we enter the Christmas season, I encourage us to prepare our hearts so we can enjoy the reason for the season and share the love of Christ.God is so good that He promises if we “Delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart” Psalm 37:4Guard your heart,-Duane

Word of the Week - Thanksgiving

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:1,8-9

Thanksgiving defined by Webster is; the act of giving thanks; a prayer expressing gratitude; a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness.  I love Thanksgiving and the fact that we as a nation set aside a day to give thanks and acknowledge our blessings both individually, as a family and as a country.  It is by far my favorite holiday, a time to slow down to “express gratitude and acknowledge and celebrate divine goodness”.With all that is going on in the world, especially in 2020, it is easy to focus our energy and attention on all the challenges of life.  This is our natural inclination but not necessarily God’s will for us.  By focusing on the challenging issues of life, which will always be here this side of heaven, we often lose perspective on the blessings of life and God’s goodness towards us, which can easily lead to the trap of negativity, despair, bitterness, envy, depression etc, this is bad thinking.  Or, we can choose the Lord’s way, which is to “Give Thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16.  This approach leads to peace, hope, joy, encouragement etc., a life giving perspective.The benefits of a grateful heart:  

• It gets our eyes off ourselves, and helps us to focus back on God.
• It reminds us we're not in control, but that we serve a Mighty God who is.
• It takes our attention off of our problems and helps us instead to reflect on, to remember, the goodness of His many blessings.
• A grateful heart reminds us that ultimately God is our Provider, that all blessings and gifts are graciously given to us by His hand.
• A heart of gratitude leaves no room for complaining. For it is impossible to be truly thankful and filled with negativity and ungratefulness at the same time.
• It makes the enemy flee. The forces of darkness can't stand to be around hearts that give thanks and honor to God. Our praise and thanksgiving will make them flee.
• It opens up the door for continued blessings. It invites His presence. Our spirits are refreshed and renewed in Him.

This is a simple and powerful spiritual principle.  There is no question that we will reap what we sow in this very important area of life.  Therefore, I challenge you this week to begin each day (First Fruits/Priority) by acknowledging God’s goodness by counting your blessings and giving thanks to Him.  Before you put your feet on the floor each morning think of something you are grateful for and give Thanks.  No matter how bad things are we can always find something to be Thankful for.  God loves it when we enter His presence with praise and thanksgiving, it blesses Him but it also really blesses Us.  “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name” Psalm 100:4I am thankful for each of you and pray you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving.Thanks,-Duane

Word of the Week - Shalom

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:  “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.   Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.  Jeremiah 29:4-7

The Hebrew word Shalom has a far more comprehensive meaning than its English translation of peace.  Although peace is a good definition and a fruit of God’s spirit that we all desire, the Hebrew meaning of Shalom is described as the webbing together of God, humans and all creation in harmony, wholeness, fullness, abundance, justice and fulfillment.  Shalom means universal flourishing and delight – a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed (living in God purpose), a state of living that inspires joyful wonder (divine curiosity).  In other words, Shalom is the way things ought to be when we are living with a sense that “all is well”.In the Garden of Eden before the Fall, Adam and Eve lived in perfect Shalom.  Because of the fall, we live in a broken and sin filled world that is anti-Shalom due to the adversary who is out to steal, kill and destroy.  That being said, God’s intent for His sons and daughters (us) through the blood of the Cross is that as we abide in Him, we are redeemed in Christ and restored to what He intended for us from the beginning.  Yes, even in 2020 in this crazy culture we live in, we can experience Shalom.  God is clear throughout scripture in both the old and new testament that He has come to set us free and give us “life that is truly life” Shalom.  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11 and ^“ The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance” John 10:10.  Shalom is abundant life.How do we live in Shalom:

• First and Foremost, we must surrender our lives fully to Christ and His Lordship –  “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths”. Proverbs 3:5-6
• Know God by abiding in Christ daily through His Word, prayer and spiritual disciplines – “I am the vine and you are the branches, if you abide in me I will abide in you and you will bare much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”.  John 15:5  &  “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27
• Be a peacemaker and strive to live in Harmony with God and others – “Peacemakers who sow in peace will reap a harvest of righteousness” James 3:18

 If we take hold of God’s intention for us and depend upon Him for our strength, then we can experience Shalom in Christ.  More importantly, we can stay faithful to God and stand strong in our godly values without compromising, while at the same time living and working within the world and our communities, continuing to influence our culture for good and ultimately for God’s glory.  If we experience Shalom then we will be salt and light to those around us and God will use us to expand His Kingdom as we live with eternal purpose and perspective.Shalom,-Duane

Word of the Week - Graciousness

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6

Solomon taught that wise men speak graciously, but fools destroy themselves with their words (Ec 10:12). While he attached the critical adjective “odious” to women, he attached “froward” to men. A froward man is difficult, harsh, obnoxious, perverse, and unreasonable; he is the opposite of gracious. Kings delight in righteous speech (Pr 16:13), for they want counselors and ambassadors that advise and represent them well. Solomon highly praised pleasant words. Graciousness begins with a pure heart. Bitterness, envy, or strife in the heart is from the enemy of our soul, and leads to all sort of confusion and evil (James 3:14-16). A man’s speech reflects his heart (Luke 6:45), so you must keep your heart with all diligence (Pr 4:23). If your heart is cheerful, contented, forgiving, kind, and thankful, you will think gracious thoughts. We must reject all sinful thoughts of bitterness, envy, evil surmising, malice, or revenge.  A pure heart produces gracious speech. Paul said, “Let your speech be always seasoned with grace” (Col 4:6).  Graciousness is wonderful character trait. A gracious person is often described as a beautiful or charming person. Whether man or woman, graciousness makes a person delightful, pleasant, and winning. It is a rare and sweet pleasure to meet one. And this trait is most clearly shown by excellent speech. You will meet very few in life; they will have great reputations; they will warm your soul; and you will crave their company.  Lord create in me a pure heart and renew in me a steadfast spirit so I can have a full portion of your graciousness to dispense from my inmost being.This seemed to be a timely word given all that is going on in our world.  Simple but powerful.Have a great week.-Duane

Word of the Week - Faith and Politics

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” Romans 13:1

Faith and PoliticsI recognize that there is risk when we mix faith and political views and I am very hesitant to do so; therefore, I ask for your grace.  That being said, I feel convicted to go there given the chaos and confusion we are experiencing as a nation during this time.  It is clear that the Lord Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, was not politically oriented.  In fact, based on his teachings, He seemed somewhat anti-political during his time on earth as He redefined priorities of the day.  That being said, Jesus was perfect and without sin in His obedience to the Father and lived and taught a way of life that was very principled according to the Scriptures.  My simple approach to the political process is that as Christians we should align our vote/politics with the people and parties that are advocating for godly values, principals and convictions.  It is probably no secret that I would consider myself conservative in most categories as it relates to politics, moral views, fiscal policies and secular/cultural trends.  That being said, I would not say I agree with all of the policies and values of the Republican Party or any party for that matter (you can get more comparative details on both party policy platforms by going to https://www.alabamapolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/2020-Election-Platform-Comparison-Final.pdf ), but as a conservative Christian, I definitely lean toward right of center on many of the bigger issues facing our nation and leaders.  My main objective in this “Word of the Week” is not to tell you who to vote for but to better equip you my friends and family with a framework to consider as we approach this very critical election.Regardless of political affiliation, I think it would be hard for anyone to reasonably argue with the fact that the United States of America, even though it is still relatively young at the age of 244, is one of the greatest success stories in the history of the world and remains the greatest nation of modern times.  It is envied and revered by most nations around the world as a place where  foreigners, if given the opportunity, would love to gain U.S. citizenship.  Our nation was founded as a Republic Democracy under God, which by definition means we have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be repealed or retrained by human laws; rights derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe (God)”.  Nothing in our constitution suggests that government is a grantor of rights.  Instead, government was envisioned as the protector of rights as outlined in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”.  Whereby the government is chosen by the people for the people to govern to serve the best interest of the people under the system outlined by our founding fathers in the constitution.  As good as our system of government has proved to be for the last 244 years, one of the main intentions and insights of our founding fathers is that our leaders and people of our nation would maintain and share the core values that are outlined in the Declaration of Independence.  That being said, our value system is under attack and at risk.Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness are at risk:

• Life  – Regardless of your party stance, I think we would all agree that the essence of our existence as human beings is that we should value human life at all stages.  If you spend any time thinking about what it looks like when you devalue human life, you would quickly realize that this is a terrible scenario and definitely a spirit opposite of God.  It is historically evident throughout history that governments that trended towards socialistic and communistic approached to govern devalued life and people to the point where they were just numbers.  Once you start down the path of allowing our government to define what makes a life valuable and worth keeping, or not, you are on a very dangerous path.  As followers of Christ we should stand firmly for pro-life in any and all circumstances.  “The spirit of God made me, and the breadth of the Almighty gives me life”. Job 33:4
• Liberty – Government poses the gravest threat to our liberties, which has become very clear and evident during the recent pandemic.  The framers of our constitution used very clear language toward Congress in the first ten amendments of the Constitution such as: shall not abridge, deny, disparage, shall not be violated nor be denied.  In a republic all citizens, including government officials, are held accountable to the same laws.  Government power is limited and decentralized through a system of checks and balances and should not be mandated toward our civil society except where there is a breach of law and order.  Laws do not represent reason, they represent power.  Our forefathers understood that our rights were not to be seen as privileges that could be granted or rescinded by the government but the government was simply an agent to protect and uphold our rights and civil liberty.  The Lord Jesus was very clear that we should respect authority while living peaceable godly lives but that He came to bring us Liberty and Freedom.  “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery”. Galatians 5:1
• Pursuit of Happiness – I liken the idea of pursuing happiness to the concept that we are not limited or constrained in our pursuits.  That we can become all that God has called us to be and live to our full potential.  I believe, and have personally experienced, that when I am living and growing to the fullness of God’s purpose for my life that I am most joyful and fulfilled. I would equate to the idea of happiness as intended by our forefathers.  In order for our citizens to grow and flourish, we need a good and healthy environment where our individual rights and freedoms are protected so we can be empowered to live and grow to the full.  Our government’s role is to help create an environment that is conducive to growth and development both individually and corporately.  There are many dimensions of what this looks like, but at the core includes freedom of religion, speech, press, commerce etc…all with limited government involvement.  Similar to the concept of liberty, the more our government tries to use its power to mandate how we should live, believe and think, the less we will be free to pursue fulfillment and our God given purpose.  “The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10

There is no doubt that there are different ways to look at these aforementioned tenets of our founding principles, but I believe that as followers of Christ we have a different lens and moral obligation to see things from a biblical perspective when it comes to the policy and platform that are elected officials are pursuing.  There is no doubt that we live in one of the greatest countries ever formed and we have been blessed by our Judeo Christian heritage shared by our founding fathers.  I pray that God would keep His hand of blessing on our nation and we as citizens would step forth and each do our part to perpetuate our republic and expand the Kingdom of God both in the U.S. and around the world. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” 2 Chronicles 7:14Ultimately we know that God is sovereign over all nations, so we have nothing to fear.  Some might think that man reigns but where mankind rules, God overrules and will do whatever He decrees and wills.  “He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” Daniel 2:21-22All that being said, your vote counts so if you have not already done so, please vote with a prayerful perspective.  God does not need mankind to do what He is going to do but He desires for us to co-labor with Him and gives us the dignity of participation in what He is doing.  Thank you Lord God.Have a great week!!!!!-Duane

Word of the Week - godly Wisdom

For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing your desire can compare with her.  Proverbs 8:11

I have been doing a study on godly wisdom by Ken Boa, which is excellent and I highly recommend https://kenboa.org/series/wisdom/.  As I understand and grow in godly Wisdom I see the truth of Proverb 8:11 above, because it is so very valuable to attain godly wisdom, which can be simply defined as “supernatural skill for day to day living”.  Our world/culture seems to be moving further away from pursuing godly wisdom and more towards the ways of this world.  The bible tells us that there are two kinds of Wisdom “Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from Wisdom.  But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.  For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3 14-16Attributes of godly wisdom (outline from a recent sermon from Pastor Chris Hodges):

• The wise are pure hearted – We must make it one of our highest priorities to keep our hearts pure.  When we see things within our lives that are not good and pure we should ask God to remove it from our hearts and deeply desire to “not be that way”.  Most importantly we should guard our hearts from the being contaminated by the things of this world. We know that “friendship with the world becomes enmity with God” James 4:4  We must be vigilant in choosing to guard our hearts and minds from the things of this world that are not pure and of God.  “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” Matthew 5:8
• The wise are peace loving – The spirit of God is a spirit of love, unity, peace and harmony not of disunity.  There is definitely going to be conflict in this world and we will be tested by situations where we are unjustly attacked.  That being said, human anger and strife does not produce good.  This is quite apparent in the current strife of our culture.  All we see is one side pitted against the other in a spirt of anger, strife and disunity.  It only sows seeds of discourse and that is of the enemy not of God.  Our goal as followers of Christ should be to sow seeds of love, peace and unity. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone”. Romans 12:18
• The wise are considerate – To be considerate is to think of others and how we can love and serve them.  Part of the fruit of God’s spirit that comes from abiding in Christ is the capacity to be others focused.  We can only love others if we are secure in Christ and take time to understand the needs, wants and desires of others.  As Christians we should be others focused because that is the focus of the Lord Jesus.  “Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.  For even Christ did not please himself”.  Romans 15:2-3
• The wise willing to yield and submit – We must be willing to admit that we are human and don’t know everything.  We must be willing to admit when we are wrong.  We must be willing to submit to authority.  We must seek to understand and be reasonable (reason able). “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice”.  Proverbs 12:15
• The wise minimize the mistakes of others – It is much more profitable, and life giving, to be full of grace and mercy rather than to prosecute to the full extent even with justification.  If we realize what God has done for us and the amazing grace and mercy He has shown us, we begin to grasp this concept. “While we were still sinners Christ died for us” Romans 5:8  We will be judged by the same standard in which we judge others; therefore, “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.  Mercy triumphs over judgement” James 2:12-13
• The wise are real and authentic – God made each of us in His image for a special and unique purpose.  There is not another you and thus we should celebrate our uniqueness by being true to who God made us to be.  Being authentic allows us to live our lives with integrity, per the Word of the Week from last week.  If we have our true identity in Christ then there should not be anything to hide.  Our goal should be to become the best version of ourselves in and through Christ.  Like my partner Zane says, “be the best me I can be”.  “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance for us” Ephesians 2:10

So let’s pursue godly Wisdom to be salt and light to a hurting world and reap the amazing benefits because ^“Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness” James 3:18Have a great week ….-Duane

Word of the Week - Integrity

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out” Proverbs 10:9

What is Integrity?  The definition is simply “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness; the state of being whole and undivided”.  I think of integrity as being true to God, myself and others with God at the center of it all.  I think we have all heard the concept of Integrity as what we do when no one is looking. ^“Not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Ephesians 6:6  As followers of Christ, are we truly living our lives first and foremost to an audience of one, Christ Jesus?Integrity allows us to live free before God and man – One of the most powerful blessings of Christ is that He came to give us true freedom through the Cross.  By overcoming the sin of the world He gave us the gift of eternal life and the ability to access that same power to overcome our sin and curse of this world.  When we are born of the spirit of God, we are redeemed into wholeness in Christ and through this process we become what God intended us to be in Him, our unique person in Christ.  There is tremendous security and freedom that is found in realizing that we are created uniquely perfect in God’s image as His sons and daughters and His purpose for us is to live to the fullness of who He called us to be in Him.  “Be the best me I can be” and let God take care of the rest.  In my own personal walk of life, prior to my rebirth in Christ at the age of 33, it seemed I was not satisfied with who I was, and was always trying to become something or be like someone else.  This made me insecure, incomplete and mostly frustrated.  When I truly accepted Christ, almost instantaneously and miraculously my identity was made complete in Him and I started living secure, free with wholeness/integrity to Christ, myself and others.  I now know who I am in Christ.  What an amazing and powerful gift.  “For creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into freedom and glory of the children of God”. Romans 8: 20-21Integrity protects us from sin and death  – If a man walks with Integrity before God and man then he will be a man of virtue, pleasing to God.  The bottom line is that being a person of Integrity is foundational to being a person of truth and trust.  If we have a tendency to compromise then how will we know if we are trust worthy.  Of course the enemy is crafty and looks for our vulnerabilities, and as humans we all have weaknesses.  That being said if we desire to be men and women of Integrity we will seek the Lord and ask that our hearts be pure and our ways be blameless.  The power to walk in Integrity comes from God the author and perfecter of our faith that walked on this earth with full Integrity, blameless and without sin.  Walking in Integrity brings life and protection to every aspect of our lives.   “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:10-12Christ centered Integrity brings order and begets blessing  – If we place the Lord at the center of our lives and make Him our first and preeminent priority, then every area of our lives will be Integrated in and through Christ and we will live with divine order and blessing.  The alternative, which is very common to the ways of this world, is to compartmentalize our lives so that we have all of the components of life in different silos. This is a very challenging way to live because we are always fretting over how to order our time and priorities, and we generally live in disorder.  When we put Christ at the center of our lives and invite Him into every aspect of our lives, then we can live with much more order, which produces harmony, peace and fulfillment in our lives. “Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters”.  Colossians 3:23  As we place (surrender to) Christ at the center of our lives, we become more Christ-like and begin to produce spiritual fruit in all areas of our lives.  Christ at the center means that He is connected to every area of our lives and He is the source, which brings us back to a key concept I talk about often, abiding in Christ. “I am the vine, you are the branches, if you abide in me I will abide in you and you will bear much fruit.  Apart from me you can do nothing”.  John 15:3  This is the life blood of our walk of faith and living a life of Integrity.See illustration below from my friend Ken Boa www.kenboa.org of Compartmentalized Life vs. Christ Centered (Integrous) Life:As followers of Christ living with Integrity, there should be no sacred/secular dichotomy.  Our lives should be Integrated in all things.  We should be the same person at Church on Sunday, at work on Monday-Friday, on the golf course or at the hunting camp on the weekends, and especially at home with our families.  This is the evidence and blessing of Christ at work within us.  Everything connects together, so that you live in light of eternity and become all that Christ has in store for you to become in Him.Have a great week,-Duane

Word of the Week - Power of the Tongue

If anyone thinks himself to be religious and does not control his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless. James 1:26

I was reminded today of the power of our tongue/words and wanted to share the essence of Pastor Chris’ sermon in my “Word of the week” especially given the heated environment we finds ourselves in around all of the issues of the day.  Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit”.  As this scripture reminds us, we have a choice in everything we say, to speak life and build people up or speak death and tear people down.The power of our words:

• My Words determine my direction – We shape our words and then our words shape us.  If we speak life with a view towards positivity and optimism then it impacts those around us, just as negativity can poison those around us.  James likens our tongue to a horse bit and a ship rudder as it sets direction for our lives and who we become.  “Now if we put bits into the horses’ mouths to make them obey us, we guide their whole body as well. And look at the ships.  Even though they are so large and are driven by the strong winds, they are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines”. James 3:3-4
• My Words can poison and destroy  – One small word can do tremendous damage just as a small spark can start a forest fire that destroys thousands of acres of forest. “See how great a forest is set on fire by a small spark!  And the tongue is a fire, the very world of injustice and unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members as that which contaminates the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is itself set on fire by hell”. James 3:5-6  It is wise to limit the duration of your talk, less is more because too much talk leads to sin.  We should also be careful not to speak negativity into your surroundings to poison the thoughts of those around us.
• My words reveal my heart – Words are simply an expression of what is inside our hearts and minds, so the tongue is just the means of delivery. Only God can tame our hearts and tongue.  The tongue is considered the wellspring of our hearts.  “But no one can tame the human tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God.  Out of the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.  These things, by brothers, should not be this way (for as Christians we have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects our fear God and profound respect for His precepts)”. James 3:9-10

 How do we control our tongue?

• Allow God to change our hearts –  Let God reign as Lord and submit to His ways so you can know and experience Him and produce fruit of His spirit. “This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.  I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.  No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, Know the Lord, because they will all know (experience) me, from the least to the greatest of them” Hebrews 8:10-12
• Put a filter on what I allow to enter my mind and heart –  We are products of our environment and what we consume.  “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23   If we allow ourselves to consume garbage in the form of media or hanging out with the wrong people, then our hearts will be polluted and our words will not be edifying. “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” Matthew 12:35
• Make a decision each day to speak words of life – If we know the Lord and eat of the vine of Christ daily then we will have the capacity to speak life and live life to our full potential.  We still must consciously decide to speak words of life that include:
  • Words of Affection -  like I love you, you are a special friend!!!!!!!
  • Words of Praise and Affirmation - like great job, way to go, you are a winner!!!
  • Words of Encouragement - like you have what it takes, you are really talented, I enjoy spending time with you!!!!
  • Words of Healing – like you will get better, you will overcome, you will find health again and be better than before!!!
  • Words of Faith – like reminding people of who they are in Christ, you are a child of God, you are a new person in Christ!!!

^“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”. Ephesians 4:29Have a great week speaking words of life….-Duane

Word of the Day - Truth

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

As followers of Christ, we should be pursuers of Truth in all aspects of life.  Webster defines Truth - as most often being in accord with fact or reality, or fidelity to an original or standard.  As Christians, our faith is founded on biblical Truth, the original standard, that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light and all Truth comes from Him and through the Bible – the Living Word of God.  The truth of the matter is that we have to fully accept God at His Word to know Truth in order to receive the full benefits of our faith.  We cannot pick and choose, we must believe and receive all of Him and His Word and Truth.  As human beings this can be very hard for us because much of the Truth does not make sense or resonate with us or the way we want to live, or we simply don’t understand.   If you step back for a second and realize that God is the Creator of heaven and earth and we are simply people, His creatures that He made in His image for His purpose; it does not take long to realize that we may not understand many things of God because His ways are not our ways and His ways are higher and not fully comprehensible to us.  Nonetheless, as God, He is the author of all Truth.Our foundational world view should be grounded in the Truth of the Word of God.  But we should not stop there in our desire to seek and know the truth.  In day to day living we have the opportunity to seek the truth or allow our culture and circumstance to paint a façade of what is real and true.  There are so many different forces coming at us each day that must be deciphered to stay grounded in the Truth.  We should be vigilant in our pursuit to know the Truth of the matter as we guard our hearts and minds from the lies of the world, which are so prevalent in our culture, media and day to day living. Richard Simmons in his book “Wisdom – Life’s Great Treasure”, emphasizes that an essential component of wisdom is our ability to see things as they really are and not as they appear to be.  Wisdom enables us to distinguish between those ideas in life that are true and those that are not true.  I would add to this that godly wisdom, which is developed through our knowing God’s word, gives us the ability to see things for what they really are.  In fact the case is made in Richard’s book that knowing and living in the Truth is “Key to a Healthy Life” in regards to our mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being and being healthy is very much correlated to our happiness and fulfillment in life.  Scott Peck, a well-known author who wrote the book “The Road Less Travelled , says that a key to being healthy in life is “being dedicated to the Truth”.  In fact he and many experts in the field of mental disorders correlate mental illness to our ability as humans to deal with truth and reality.  Essentially, mental illness is our inability to deal with reality and the truth so we create our own anti-truth that creates havoc and disorder in our lives.  Seeking, knowing and understanding truth allows us to live in harmony with reality and leads to health and wellbeing.Contrary to our countries recent trend towards secular humanistic relativism, True Freedom is a function of absolute Truth.  If you believe that God’s Word is absolute Truth then you will know and experience the power and freedom in seeking, discovering and knowing the Truth.  God’s Word makes it clear that we live in a fallen world and have any enemy of our souls who is literally out to destroy us through perverting the Truth through lies.  The Devil is the father of lies and deception – anti-Truth.  “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies”  John 8:44  Our enemy desires to destroy us by keeping us in the dark and away from the Truth.  God came to bring Truth and light so we can overcome our adversary and be set free to live in the fullness of Christ and do what God has called us to do.  “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”. John 3:21So let’s seek the truth, speak the truth so we can know the truth and live in freedom and health?Have a great week!!!-Duane

Word of the Week - Fruit of the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

When we make the decision to surrender our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we are made new in Him 2 Cor 5:17.  In our newness, the Holy Spirit is imparted and becomes alive within us, giving us the power to overcome our natural flesh so we can be vessels that produce spiritual fruit as described in Galatians 5:22-23 above.  This passage goes on to say that “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” Galatians 5:24-26.  I think we would all agree that the 9 fruits of the spirit listed above are very attractive and desirable but not easily attained.  In fact I would suggest that we cannot produce these characteristics in our own strength no matter how hard we try, I know this from personal experience.  For example, we really cannot give ourselves true peace or patience, it is something that we only experience as a blessing from God.Three thoughts on Spiritual Fruits:

• Unlike spiritual gifts or natural talents, which are not universal to all believers, all Christians have the capacity to experience the fruits of God’s spirit – These fruits are not granted selectively but the result of our abiding in the person of Christ through our connection to Him in spirit.  As our spirit man grows and develops it takes on the attributes of Christ, which encompass the 9 spiritual fruits and more.  We become Christ-like, which should be the goal of a Christ follower.  Alternatively, if we do not nourish our spirit through the vine of Christ and we allow our flesh to be fed beyond our spirit, we will experience our sinful nature, the acts of the flesh that Paul lists as things like hatred, discord, selfish ambition immorality and the list goes on.  The things are in opposition to God’s spiritual fruits.
• We cannot produce spiritual fruit in our own strength but we can create and develop the right environment and conditions for the fruit to be produced – Analogous to the natural process of a fruit tree’s ability to produce fruit, the fruit is produced when the tree is planted in good soil and receives key ingredients for growth and health like sunlight, rain and the right temperature and is not competing with other things that are trying to choke it out.  When the fruit tree is properly nourished then it flourishes and produces much fruit.  In the same way, we cannot control the fruit production in our lives but we can control our environment and what we are pursuing and feeding our flesh and spirit.  This is so important to the life of a believer, we must posture ourselves daily by connecting to the vine of Christ so we can receive the nutrients of God’s spirit allowing spiritual fruit to be produced in us and through us.  “But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it.  This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:23
• It is by the fruits of the Spirit that Christians are recognized as true believers both by other Christians and by unbelievers -  I think we have to really question the sincerity of our faith if we are not seeing spiritual fruit being produced in our lives.  The Lord deeply desires for His sons and daughters to produce fruit so 1) they can experience the power of God in a tangible way as we become new in Christ and become more Christlike, 2) So we can be an encouragement to other believers as we exhort one another to be all Christ has called us to be and live to our full potential, and 3) To be an attractive witness to people who are lost and don’t yet know Christ.  Desiring that the fruit of the Spirit being produced in our lives would be salt and light making those who don’t believe become curious about what it is that makes us different giving us the opportunity to share the Good News.   “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.  People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers.  A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:43-45

So how do we remain in the Spirit so God can produce fruit in our lives?  Jesus makes it very clear in the Gospel of John that Spiritual Fruit is a bi-product of being intimately connected to the vine of Christ.  He uses the analogy of a vineyard; “I am the vine and you are the branches, if you abide in me, I will abide you and you will produce much fruit, but apart from me you can do nothing” John 15:5.  He makes it very clear that He is the source of spiritual fruit in our lives and the only way we can produce spiritual fruit is through our connection with Him.  He promises us that if we seek Him and remain connected to Him, we will bear much fruit.  So let’s seek the Lord with all of our heart by abiding in Him through the spiritual disciplines, which I shared in my “Word of the Week” last Sunday, see here.  Preparing the soil of our hearts by connecting daily to Jesus through the vine, will produce an abundance of fruit and allow us to become beacons of life and light in a world that is starving for this amazing Fruit of God’s Spirit.I hope you have a fruit filled week abiding in Christ.Thanks,-Duane