Word of the Week - Affirmation

You are God’s chosen treasure-priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones.  He called you out of darkness to experience His marvelous light, and now He claims you as His very own.  He did this so that you would broadcast His glorious wonders throughout the world.”  1 Peter 2:9 (The Passion Translation)

Affirmation is the process of affirming someone by making positive assertions.  Simply put, finding things about people that are positive and true and speaking into them to encourage and strengthen.  Affirmations are powerful and typically bring out the best in us if communicated and received in the right way.  I think we would all agree that we all like being affirmed, especially by those who we love and desire to please like our parents, friends and mentors.  There is power in affirmation in that it typically encourages us and reinforces positive and life giving behaviors.

Biblical Affirmation:  The bible is full of spiritual affirmations from God towards us.  The key is that we must truly understand who we are in Christ so we can receive these affirmations.  This can be a life transforming reality when we understand that when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become beloved sons and daughters of the living God.  In this reality, we have tremendous benefits as co-heirs with Christ.  This power becomes available to us “today” if we take hold of it and walk in it.  It is not just a thing for the future when we get to heaven, it is something we can take hold of and experience “today” and this is what Jesus desires for us.  “Today is the day the Lord has made, lets us rejoice and be glad in it”  Psalm 118:24    

A few Biblical Affirmations:  The following are just a few biblical affirmations that are what God our Abba Father says about you and me in His Word.  Let’s receive this and walk in it today. In Jesus we are:

• Redeemed – “But when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship/daughtership.” Galatians 4:4-5
• Renewed – “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day”. 2 Corinthians 4:16
• Restored – “And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal Glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself Restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast”. 1 Peter 5:10
• Reconciled – “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of Reconciliation:  that God was reconciling to himself in Christ, not counting our sins against us”. 2 Corinthians 5: 18-19
• Rescued – “For He Rescued us from dominion with darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.” Colossians 1:13
• Resurrected – “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11
• Righteousness – “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

My good friend Chuck Scott is constantly affirming me and all the men in his center of influence about who we are in Christ, the 7 affirmations I highlighted above that start with R, and encouraging us to receive this reality and walk in it “today”.  There is amazing power in these biblical affirmations.  They have the power to transform our lives.  We all have an enemy of our soul who’s objective is to keep us from receiving this truth and somehow making us believe that God is not pleased with us. He is a liar.  To overcome, we must reinforce these affirmations daily by praying and meditating on God’s truth found in His word that clearly define who we are in Christ.   

I am going to make this a 2022 focus, to revisit these affirmations daily, so I can reinforce this amazing truth and walk in it.  I am also going to purpose to speak these affirmations over those around me to remind them of how God sees them. 

Let’s make 2022 a year of receiving and speaking affirmation and see what God does in us and through us!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - First Fruits

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the First fruits 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 the principle of First Fruits because it is so clear and easy to understand.  There are many things about God and our walk of faith that are mystical, and at times, hard for us to understand.  The principal of First Fruits is very straightforward, God simply wants 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 take second position.  This concept is emphasized throughout scripture beginning with the 1^st Commandment that states “You shall have no other gods before me”, He simply wants us to put Him First above all things.  With divine order comes diving blessing, this is God’s economy.  He is our Creator and the God of the universe, He deserves and desires to be revered and honored for who He really is and the authority and power He possesses.  I love this principal because it is a tangible way to love and honor the Lord.  This principal not only pertains to our money/resources but to every aspect of our lives, He desires the first of our time, our thoughts, and our pursuits.  He wants to be the first in our day, week, month and year.  For God, order is the priority over quality and quantity.  There is amazing power, both blessings and protection, in the simple daily act of placing God First.  As we begin 2022, I encourage you to test the Lord in the principal of First Fruits.  Put the Lord First and watch your time and resources multiply and overflow.  Seek “First” the Kingdom and His righteousness and all things will be added unto you. 

I pray God’s blessings over you, your family and your business in 2022. 

Happy New Year!!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - The Perfect Gift

"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given.” Isaiah 9:6

Have you ever taken time to think about the impact that Christ birth had on our world?  Beginning with the celebration of Christmas, a holiday 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 (After Death) by this single event.  This was obviously a major historical event that changed the world forever but 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 the 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 is for us.  Jesus is both awesome and magnificent but personal and intimate, which makes Him our God, our friend, our comforter. 

The Christmas prayer below that my daughter Mary Kathryn shared with our family yesterday does a marvelous job of characterizing what is available to all of us in the gift of Christ.  It was so good I wanted to share it with you.  It was written by Martha Kilpatrick https://shulamite.com/:

The Son, The Child born under the Star of heaven’s Joy
Was Given – Unto us!!!
Born – Unto us!!!

Our Gift – unsearchable, unfathomable, unimaginable, indescribable.
So vast is Our Gift, beyond seeing, rich above all golden wealth,
Jesus is…simply everything.
And He is mine.  And He is yours.

Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God.
He is the Beginning of all things.  He is the end of all things.
Jesus is the Creator of all things and the Sustainer of all things.
He is the Nature of all of life, the Hope of all people.
Christ is the Savior of the world, Redeemer of all devastation.
Lover of all mankind.  King of all kingdoms.

Jesus is Light for the darkness, Victory over every hell,
the Glory of all believers, the Transformation of our being.
Christ is the Prince of all peace, the Wisdom of all crisis.
The friend of all friendless, our Safety from all danger,
The Bread of our hunger, the Healer of our suffering.

Jesus!  The Word of our existence, The breath of our Life.
Forgiver of all sins, the Blood of our perfect cleansing.

Beloved!  Receive your priceless, Perfect Gift!

I pray that the Lord’s grace over each of us to fully receive the Perfect Gift of Christmas our Lord Jesus Christ.  This is the the reason for this holiday season.  “For unto us (you & me) a Child is Born”.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Centered Leadership part II

“I love you, Lord, my strength.  The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  I called to the Lord, who is worth of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.”  Psalm 18 1-3

Centered Person  Last week in my “Word of the Week”, see below, I shared on the importance of being a Center leader.  What it looks like to be Centered and what it looks like to be un-centered.  I also shared a few concepts from Craig Groeschel’s podcast on how we can become more Centered as leaders.  This week I want to go a little deeper and explore how we become more Centered and secure in who we are as individuals.

Christ at the Center:  I don’t believe we can become great leaders and live to our full potential until we are secure and Centered in who we are at the core of our being.  It’s an inside job, which I am convinced and have personally experienced must be founded in our discovering our true self identity in Christ.  Until we are firmly grounded on the Rock of Christ as our true source of identity and security, we will be standing on shifting sand and thus we will be un-centered and insecure.  I truly believe that it is only by knowing in the depths of our soul that we are a child of the living God, that we can find the grounding to be firmly Centered knowing true north.  This begins with us surrendering our hearts and lives to God and receiving God as our Lord, Savior and the Center of our living and being. “I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. Galatians 2:20

Remaining Centered:  Chris Hodges shared last week at the impact Conference three key ideas on how we can live Centered lives and be Centered leaders Chris Hodges Impact Talk:

• Character – Being a person of character means that we are bigger person on the inside than we are on the outside.  Character building is an ongoing process in life.  Are we learning and growing through the challenges and adversities of life?  Are we growing wiser or are we allowing roots of insecurity and cynicism to take root in our minds and hearts?  Are we feeding our minds, hearts, souls and spirits a good healthy and balanced diet of godly things that build us up and help our inner man to grow and remain healthy or are we feeding ourselves the junk and discontent of the world and allowing ourselves to be tainted? 

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things”. Philippians 4:8

• Community – The people we hang out with and the groups we associate with have a huge impact on our view of ourselves and of the world.  God created us to be relational and live in community with others.  Dr. Henry Cloud says that “The foundation of every human being is their relational connectedness”.  Pastor Chris says “Show me your friends and I will show you your future”.  It really matters who we hang out with and spend our time around, it will impact and shape who we are and how we see ourselves.  Solid relationships will help us remain Centered. Less than solid relationships can lead us off Center to dangerous territory.  From this perspective we should be asking ourselves, who should I spend more time with, who should I spend less time with or who should I not be spending any time with?  There are several proverbs that state this so well.

“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get into trouble."
Proverbs 13:20

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”
Proverbs 27:17

• Courage – Are we living by faith or fear.  There is no doubt that we all have fears and things in life that intimidate us and try to keep us from being the best version of ourselves in Christ.  It is the primary objective of our adversary the devil to do whatever he can to keep us from what God has for us by keeping us from being Centered and secure in Christ.  He is the master of lies and intimidation.  Courage is not the absence of fear it is choosing the right attitude and mindset in spite of the fear.  Courage is stepping forward through the fear and overcoming.  It is reminding ourselves of the truth of who we are in Christ and stepping out in faith based on that reality.

“The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:10

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
Romans 8:37

I believe that the most important thing in life and leadership is to be Centered in Christ, knowing that we are living and breathing for a purpose bigger than ourselves.  This is the abundant life that Christ talked about in John 10:10.  I pray that we all grow in our relationship with Christ so we can become more Centered people and leaders.

Have a great Christmas week.  O come, O come Emmanuel!!!!! 

-Duane

Word of the Week - Centered Leadership

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens (centers) me.”  Philippians 4:13

Centered leadership?  I am a big fan of Craig Groeschel CraigGroeschelbio, and have listened to most of his Leadership Podcast.  This past week at the Impact Leadership Conference, which our firm had the privilege to sponsor, I was reminded by Chris Hodges about the importance of living a Centered life and being Centered leader.  I will share more about this amazing leadership conference and Chris’s message next week. This week I pulled most of my content from a podcast that Craig did on “Becoming the Centered Leader your team craves” CenteredLeadersPodcast . 

In a study by Bain Research on what makes leaders most effective, they found many different traits were mentioned but the one that stood out above the rest was Centeredness.  Centeredness is difficult to describe and impossible to miss. 

So what makes a Centered Leader?  Centered leaders are grounded, aware, secure and consistent.

• They are guided by values
• They are driven by purpose
• They have a mission that is bigger than themselves

“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart; lean not on your own understanding.  Acknowledge Him in all things and He will direct your paths and keep them straight”. Proverbs 3:5-6

What does an Un-Centered leader look like?  Many leaders are a little, if not a lot, uncentered.  They come in all shapes and sizes.  Most are not fully aware of their lack of Centeredness.  When you’re an uncentered leader, it’s obvious to your team.  You can’t hide it, you’re not fooling anyone.  Typically off-Centered leaders exhibit these three behaviors: 

• They are annoyingly insecure and looking for constant affirmation from team members.  They typically avoid conflict and lack direction.  Sometimes insecurity manifests itself as arrogance.  So, instead of being passive, insecure leaders are bullies, micro-managers, and know-it-alls that typically take credit for successes and pass off blame.  Insecure leaders produce insecure followers.
• They are unpredictable.  With this type of leader, the team has no idea what to expect.  The direction will change on a whim.  There’s always a new project, new emphasis, or new focus.  Team members wind up playing it safe.  Instead of bringing new ideas to the table, they keep them to themselves.  Unpredictable leaders produce hesitant followers.  When the leader lacks confidence, the team lacks commitment.
• They are self-absorbed.  The more success a leader gains, the more vulnerable they are to this behavior. Self-absorbed leaders believe that their team works to serve them – their vision, their dreams, their goals with little to no input from their team.  Self-absorbed leaders produce resentful followers. 

“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 12:2

Becoming a Centered Leader?  There are three primary traits that can help us make the shift towards being a more Centered leader:

• Gaining inward security and confidence.  Neediness and insecurity repels others, but inward confidence attracts.  You don’t have to be perfect or appear to have everything together to be secure and confident.  In fact, being your authentic self is most effective.  God does not make junk so he made you in His image and you are enough as your best you.  I believe one of the most important things we can do to gain security and confidence is to have the right perspective about who we are in Christ (Ephesians 2:10 below).  If we really know how God sees us then we will see ourselves differently.
• Being steady and consistent.  When a leader is consistent, you know what to expect.  Consistent actions, rhythms and processes create consistent results.  Consistently doing the right things over time generally leads to compounding positive outcomes.
• Being mission-driven.  Why we do what we do matters more than we can imagine.  So knowing our mission and having a true heart conviction about the mission is paramount.  We must fight to keep our vision, mission, values and purpose in clear focus for ourselves and our team.  We don’t want our people to simply do a job.  We want them living on purpose to fulfill a mission that they believe in.  People will work for a what but they will give their lives for a why.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance for us to do”  Ephesians 2:10

Whether we realize it or not, as leaders, we reproduce what we are.  If our organizations are imbalanced and off Center, it’s a reflection of our leadership.  If we want strong healthy teams, we must become Centered leaders who are inwardly secure & confident, strategically consistent and mission focused. 

Craig Groeshel always ends his podcast with this quote, which I believe to be good and true:

“You don’t have to know it all to be a great leader!  Be yourself. People would rather follow a leader who is always real than one who is always right”.

Have a great week!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Pruning (pathway to growth and maturity)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.   He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  John 15: 1

How do we live fruitful lives from a Kingdom perspective?  We simply abide/remain connected to the vine of Christ.  The fruit is the bi-product of our intimate relationship with Christ.  We don’t make the fruit God produces it through us as we remain in Him.  I believe the most important thing as a follower of Christ is pursuing an abiding relationship with Jesus and making that the priority of our lives each and every day.  Jesus promises us that “If we abide in Him, He will abide in us and we will bare much fruit”.  John 15:5  Part of the abiding life is being willing to be pruned so we can even be more productive and fruitful.   

Pruning is Part of the Process of Growth and Maturity – If we truly desire to be all God has called us to be then we must embrace the principle of cutting and pruning.  “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”  This is not necessarily a fun process and surely not a refrigerator scripture for most of us but it is part of the refining process of our walk of faith and maturity in Christ.  Pruning is how God answers our prayers when we pray for God’s abundant blessings and that He will make us more like Jesus.  When we are praying that our lives will please Him more and have a greater impact for eternity.  In desiring to grow and go deeper in the things of God, if we choose and allow Him, God our gardener cuts and prunes to remove things that are dead and not productive from our lives to make room for sunlight and nutrience to get to all fruit-bearing branches;  to increase the quality and quantity of the fruit; and to encourage new fruit to develop.  This is the only path to abundance, we must all be cut and pruned.  He must first cut away parts of our lives that drain precious time and energy from what is truly important.  To allow the sunlight and nutriance to flow to the most fruitful areas of our lives so we can live in our highest and best use.  Live to our full potential in Christ.  His plan for pruning is not random – He works in each of our lives uniquely to find what needs to but pruned so that we might bear our best fruit.  If we understand that this is part of the process then we can “Count it pure joy” as outlined in James 1:2-4 “whenever you face trials of many kinds (cutting/pruning), because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Our Response – If we truly desire to live to our full potential in Christ and maximize Kingdom fruit while on earth, we should acknowledge to God our Father that we are grateful He loves us so much that He is willing to do the hard work of pruning our lives.  If we have resented the pain of God’s discipline and/or pruning in our lives, we should acknowledge this and let God know we appreciate His deep love for us.  The truth is that our heavenly Father loves us so much that He won’t stop tending our lives as long as we stay connected to His vine. This is simply the process of spiritual maturity and “Breaking through to Abundance”.  So let’s embrace our Abba Father and all He has for us because He truly is a good, good Father that knows what is best and His plan for our lives is much greater than ours.  “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of our faith.  For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”.  Hebrews 12:1-2

Practical Application:  By the way, this principle is also true in most areas of life.  If we want to grow and mature in our professional journey, we must be pruned of certain things such as old ways/habits and mindsets.  Things that worked in a prior role may be holding us and our team back toward moving forward in our journey of growth.  Certain organizational structures that got us to where we are will no longer facilitate organizational growth and maturity and must be changed/pruned.  This is typically a painful process.  We have heard it before, no pain no gain. So we must recognize this reality and embrace the short term pain so we can realize the longer term gain, so we can realize our potential and become mature and complete in every area of our lives.

The only true evidence of God working in our lives is the spiritual fruit that is being produced through our lives.  “By their fruit you will recognize them”. Matthew 7:16  

Have a great week!!!!! 

-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 God’s divine goodness”. 

Life can be very difficult at times.  In fact Jesus tells us this in John 16:33 “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”.  The real question is how we will respond to the challenges and disappointments we face.  Will we focus and dwell on the negative or will be decide to focus on our blessings?  The tendency of the world is to focus on the negative, which is our natural inclination. This is not God’s will for us and does not lead us to the abundant life Jesus desires 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.

My friend John Michael Pierce who recently passed away demonstrated this like no one I have ever seen.  In the face of the worst circumstances, he chose to focus on the blessings of God and he truly lived life to the full in his last months on earth.  In doing so he had a tremendous impact on thousands of people to the Glory of God. Watch this short video that was shot a few before he died to get a glimpse of this young man’s heart and impact John Michael Video .  If we keep our eyes on Jesus and maintain an eternal perspective, we are much more inclined to have a heart of gratitude even when we face trials and setbacks in life.

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 100:4

I am thankful for each of you and pray you and your family had a blessed Thanksgiving.

Thanks,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Courage - John Michael Pierce

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

My dear friend John Michael Pierce (F3 Woody) passed away on Wednesday, November 17^th after a short battle with cancer.  He had just turned 25, way too young.  He was diagnosed with stage 4 Esophageal cancer on July 1^st after having issues swallowing.  When I heard the news I had a hard time believing it, because Woody was such a picture of life and health.  In fact, I got to know Woody doing F3 workouts during the early days of COVID and quickly fell in love with this young man and his contagious smile and delightful personality.  He was truly a special human being. Watch this short video that was shot a few weeks ago to get a glimpse of this young man’s heart and impact https://vimeo.com/642502556/3d80e63fc8.

When Woody found out about his diagnosis, he turned to his faith in God and began to pray for God’s strength.  The Lord gave him the verse Joshua 1:9 above, and he began to share this with friends and family as his guiding verse.  Many stood with Woody in faith over the past 4 months watching him live life in a remarkable manner.  He had the most positive and encouraging attitude and was determined to use his situation as a way to minister and encourage others.  He truly impacted so many people in such a huge way in such a short amount of time.  God used him in an amazing way.

Even though I only knew him for a relatively short amount of time, his life and death had a tremendous impact on me, my family, and so many.  He and his family demonstrated courage at a level that I have never witnessed in such a tough situation.  He is a hero of the faith in my eyes, because he walked the walk in the toughest of times.  

So how did he do it?  I believe he was emboldened by choosing to trust God and walk by faith because:

• Woody had an eternal perspective  - “For to me, to live is Christ to Die is gain” Philippians 1:21  Woody lived with fullness of life each and every day in the face of death on this earth because he know that this life is temporary and the life to come is eternal.    
• Woody was walking very closely with God – “He who dwells in the shelter of the most Most High will rest in the shadow of the almighty.  He will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust”.  Psalm 91:1 Woody was walking each day in the presence of the almighty, so he knew God was with him and he had the peace of God in him.  

I don’t understand why God allows these type of things to happen to great people like Woody, but I choose to trust that God’s plan is perfect even when it does not make sense to me.  Woody’s sister Michelle, who he was very close to, shared at the service on Saturday that Woody’s short life of 25 years had more impact than most who live to old age, so his life was just what God had planned and their family was grateful for the 25 years they had with Woody.

Thank you Woody for showing us what godly Courage really looks like in the face of the toughest of circumstances.  You will be greatly missed but your godly legacy remains. 

We love you Woody!!!!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Benefits

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:2-5

Forget not all the Benefits of knowing and trusting Jesus:

Our God is so good that He not only came to save us and give us eternal life with Himself, but He desires to bless us as we journey through life on our way to being with Him for eternity.  Our God is a God of relationship and deeply desires for us to know Him so we can live in fellowship with Him and realize our full God given purpose and potential.  Just like there are benefits to knowing really powerful people because they have power and influence that you can call upon and use if you know them well enough.  This is how it works with God, but He is the “great I am” with eternal and limitless power as opposed to powerful people whose power and influence are limited. “God can do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine by His power at work within us” Ephesians 3:20.  I believe that one of the keys to realizing the benefits of knowing God is that our heart motivation is pure in our love towards God.  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all of your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27  Just like our children, if their hearts are right towards us and others, there is really nothing that we will not do for them within our power and influence.

5 Major Benefits:

There are endless benefits to knowing and abiding in Christ; the following are 5 major benefits outlined in Psalm 103:

• First and foremost, God forgives all of our sins.  Nothing is more powerful and valuable than having our sins removed and being washed clean in the blood of Jesus.  This is what allows us to have the hope and promise of eternal salvation.  We are made new in Christ through the forgiveness of our sins, “as far as the east is from the west”.
• Second, He heals all of our diseases.  Since we live in a fallen world of sin and disease, we will experience disease in our lives and the lives of our loved ones.  In knowing Christ we have access to His healing power that allows us to be healed and overcome disease. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed”. Isaiah 53:5
• Third, we are redeemed in Christ.  God does not just fix us and make us acceptable He actually redeems us by taking the things in our lives that are broken and the enemy meant for harm and uses them for good and for godly purpose.  This is an amazing transformative power of God at work in us as we become His masterpiece.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here!”. 2 Cor 5:17
• Fourth, He crowns us with “love and tender mercies”, which is His very nature.  Through the Holy Spirit living in us, He imparts His very nature into our being so that we become Christlike and bare eternal fruit.  The anointing of God’s spirit makes our nature become godlike, which gives us the power to minister in Christ.  “As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you.  But as His anointing teaches you about things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit- just as it has taught you to remain in Him”.  1 John 2:27
• Fifth, our lives will be filled with “good things” and our strength will be renewed.  Our heart desires are changed toward the things of God and this allows us to walk in the abundant life of Christ.  Our God is a God of abundance and He desires to bless us beyond measure so that we can bless Him and others. “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19

Forgiveness, Healing, Transformation, Anointing and Provision.  Let’s seek Him with a pure heart so we can know Him deeply and realize the fullness of these benefits and much, much more….

I also want to say thank you to all of our Veterans who have served our country and given us the benefits that come from their sacrifice, especially Freedom!!!!

Have a great week!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Persecution

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Matthew 5:10-12

Persecution defined – To harass or punish in a manner designed to injure, grieve or afflict:  Intent to cause a person to suffer because of their beliefs: Religious persecution.

Persecution is Imminent – As followers of Jesus, we must understand that our heritage is persecution.  For the past 2000 plus years since Jesus walked this earth, Christians have been persecuted around the world. “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”  2 Timothy 3:12 

As Americans living in the South, we have not really seen intense Persecution like many others around the world, due to our Christian culture and religious freedom.  Those days are fading as things are quickly shifting away from our Judeo Christian value system toward a humanistic viewpoint that values individual preferences over moral values.  This is a complex phenomenon that is very prevalent throughout history in societies that lose their God fearing foundation.  It generally is a result of success and prosperity when a society/people become proud, lazy and gluttonous.  When people become proud, their intellect and feelings excuse them from standards of basic human decency and they engage in perverted ways that lead to Persecuting those who don’t go along with their thinking.  I heard a powerful message last Sunday from Pastor Charlotte Gambill at Church of the Highlands https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/blessed-are-the-persecuted.  The message is summarized below.

Prepare yourself for Persecution – As true followers of Jesus we must be prepared for hostility and ill treatment because of our faith convictions.  We must also be willing to stand in the face of Persecution and not acquiesce to the forces around us that are pushing us to comply with the forces of our culture.  This story is told so well in the book of Daniel, chapter 3 when King Nebuchadnezzar was trying to get Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to go along with the ungodly perverse culture of the time.  Here are some of the tricks the enemy uses to bully us into compliance:

• He tries to steal your voice – The enemy will try to steal our voice through peer pressure.  “So they were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, that you do not serve my gods and worship the image of gold I have set up?  Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image I made, very good.  But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace.  Then what God will be able to rescue you from my hand?”  They said to the king, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from your hand.  But even if he does not, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.””. Daniel 3:14-18
• He tries to kill your spirit by intimidation – As you resist the enemy and stand firm in your convictions, he will turn up the heat and try his best to intimidate you.  “Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and his attitude toward them changed.  He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual.” Daniel 3:19 We must know that tactics of the enemy in our Persecution and increase our connection to the Lord and stand with Him in our divine protection.
• He will try to destroy your legacy in God’s purpose for you – God has a divine purpose for everyone who is in Christ and we must be overcomers in order to realize this purpose.  The enemy will do everything he can to “steal, kill and destroy” our divine purpose and destiny.  What we do matters not only for our life and generation but for those who come after us, it is truly generational and thus the stakes are high.  Think about your children and grandchildren. “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God and you and your descendants after you.” Genesis 17:7

Persecution leads to promotion – If we persevere and stand in faith through the Persecution there is something much greater on the other side.  We are refined and purified in the fire for God’s Glory.  “Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!  So they came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisors crowded around them.  They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of heir heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.  Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants!  They trusted Him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.  Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of these 3 men will be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the proving of Babylon”. Daniel 3:26-30

So be encouraged, God does His best work in the fire of Persecution.  “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20. 

Have a great week. 

-Duane

Word of the Week - Mortality

The years of our life are seventy, or possibly eighty by reason of strength; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.  Psalm 90:10

My good friend Charlie Beck, who I met over 25 years ago when I moved to Birmingham, died suddenly last Sunday afternoon from a heart attack after a round of golf at Shoal Creek with family and friends.  Charlie had just turned 64, which seems young from my perspective.  Charlie lived a rich life and was loved by so many.  We celebrated his life yesterday with family and friends at his life Celebration Service.  It was a sacred time together as we laughed and cried remembering Charlie.  He was a unique and authentic person who had a God sized heart of love and generosity that we all loved and was a common theme at his service.  He was a good man and a great friend but like all of us, he was a flawed human being with rough edges and brokenness that I believe led him to know his need for God.  He was not the typical church going kind, although he did attend church from time to time.  I believe he is in heaven today because he had faith in Jesus, not because he did anything to earn salvation.  He is survived by his amazing wife Mary and 3 awesome grown children Catherine, Anna and John who are all married with great spouses.  He also has 6 beautiful grandkids.  He will be greatly missed by all; I look forward to seeing him again one day in heaven. 

Reality of this Life – Each day that we have on this earth is a gift from God and it is up to us to determine how we will use it.  The truth is that none of us will get out of this world alive.  Only God knows the day or hour that we will face our departure from this world but each day that we live we are getting one day closer to the inevitable.  I think we can all agree that as we get older time seems to pass much faster.  God’s word is full of scripture that address this topic.  James 4:14 “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little while then vanishes”.  The average life span in the U.S. is 78, and even if we are blessed with a long life of 80 or 90 years, that is still a dot (mist/vapor) in the realm of eternity.  So how are we to process this reality?  On one hand it seems a bit scary and depressing, encouraging many of us to not want to think about it, which is the path most take.  On the other hand, it is the reality of life, and thus I believe it is something to be embraced.  God tells us in Psalm 90:12 “To teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

God Perspective – The truth according to God’s Word (perspective) is that this life was never intended to be the end game.  Our life on this earth was always meant to be temporary.  “For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all of our fathers were.  Our days on the earth are like a shadow, this is not our permanent home”. 1 Chronicles 29:15  If we gain a godly perspective and understand this reality, it is truly a gamechanger on how we live and think about physical death.  Even more importantly, how we see the process of death.  This is why Psalm 90 above tells us that there is great wisdom in understanding that we have limited days on this earth and taking that to heart. 

By the grace of God, I have personally experienced God’s divine wisdom in this area as I have grown in my walk of faith.  Over the last 20 years since surrendering my heart to God, God has graciously led me from a place of fearing death and the unknown associated with dying, to embracing this life on earth as a process of preparing me for the next life, eternal life with Jesus.  This has been life changing for me.  So much so that I founded a ministry called the Heritage Forum www.heritageforums.com, where I and a group of amazing men lead a 2 day retreat to help men gain a new perspective on this process of beginning with the end in mind.  Encouraging men that if we are in Christ and living with a God purpose and Heritage Vision, the best is yet to come and the final chapters of our lives can be the most enjoyable and productive years of our lives.  In fact, the first exercise we do at the Heritage Forum after our welcome reception and a dinner is go through an exercise of writing our Obituary from the perspective of sitting at your funeral at 90 years old and listening to what your family and friends say about you and your life and what you would want them to say.  This is a powerful exercise that gives us godly wisdom as noted in Psalm 90.   

Our Hope in Christ  – Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.  Do you believe this?”  John 11:25-26  This is the good news of our faith, the simple gospel.  Jesus overcame death on the cross and gave us all access to eternal life.  This is a free gift that is available to all of us but we must make a decision of faith to receive this gift.  “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not of yourselves, it is a gift of God – not by works, that than no one can boast”. Ephesians 2:8-9  The truth is that none of us is without sin and good enough to save ourselves, “we all fall short” Romans 3:23.  We are not saved by anything we do other than accepting and believing in what Jesus did for us through the cross.  The lie of the enemy is to try to make us think we have to do something or be a certain way to earn our salvation; the enemy of our soul wants us to believe we are not worthy.  None of us is righteous or worthy in ourselves but yet God loves us and desires for us all to come to know Jesus and be saved.  “Therefore, since we have been made righteous through His faithfulness combined with our faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1

So we have a choice, we can live like most of the world fearing and avoiding the inevitable, or we can embrace the reality of our mortality and walk by faith understanding that this life is our temporary home preparing us for our permanent home with Jesus.  Do you fear death? Do you have assurance of your eternal destiny?  If not, I encourage you to surrender your life to Jesus today and be born of the spirit of God so you can be assured of where you will spend eternity.  Romans 10:9-10

“Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”  2 Corinthians 4:16

“We only live once but if we live life well, once is enough”. Bruce Johnston JH Ranch

I apologize for the length of this “Word of the Week”.  Have a great week!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Peacemakers

Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  Matthew 5:9

My good friend Pastor Mark Pettus shared a message on the 7^th beatitude this morning “Blessed are the Peacemakers”, it was such a powerful word I wanted to share the highlights from his message in my Word of the Week.   

Biblical Peace – Peace in the context of the bible is not the absence of strife or adversity in life as generally taught in the world.  Ideas such as world peace (lack of war or conflict) or finding a state of nirvana (tranquility).  Peace in the context of the bible is finding a place of inner rest and fulfillment in the midst of chaos and conflict going on all around us.  Jesus said in John 14:27 “Peace 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.”

Peacemaker – Is an active state of sharing the peace of God with others regardless of our differences.  Peace is something that we actively pursue and many times requires pain and conflict, opposed to the idea of peacekeeping, where we are trying to avoid any conflict and maintain status quo.  To be a Peacemaker we must start with a God perspective and look for our point of unity with others.  Remembering that we are all created in the image of God and God loves all His people regardless of the differences and beliefs.  Peacemaking is a godly mindset and heart perspective.  There is a huge blessing in being an active Peacemaker.  “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness” James 3:18

Being a Peacemaker – How do we become a peacemaker?

• We pursue our relationship with God by abiding in Christ daily and experience God’s peace in our own hearts.  “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we boast in the hope and glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2
• We experience peace with ourselves by depending on God. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
• We experience peace in our circumstances knowing that God is with us. “I have told you these things, so that you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

We extend peace through our lives -  God has called each of us to sow seeds of peace through our lives to model Peacemaking by:

• Staying focused on the real issues and understanding that we all have an enemy that is trying to lead us away from peacemaking toward destruction. “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10
• Seeing others through the eyes of God.  We must see ourselves and others the way that God sees us.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16
• We become the evidence of peace to the world around us. We spread the peace of God by loving God and receiving His peace so we can share it.  “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be bought to complete unity.  Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them as you have loved me”. John 17:22-23

With the many challenges we are facing in our country/world today as it relates to focusing on our differences and experiencing disunity, there is no better time than the present to be a Peacemaker by actively sharing the love and peace of Christ. We are never more like God than when we are carrying the wholeness and completeness of Christ into the world through the gift of making Peace as an ambassador of Christ.  

Have a great week!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Growth

Not that I have obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own.  But the one thing I do:  Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 2:12-14

Continued Growth – I have heard it said that if we are not growing we are dying.  In order for us to become mature and complete, not lacking anything, we must be on a continuous path of growth in all dimensions of life.  Although the pace of growth may vary and slow as we age, it is paramount to our health that we continue to learn and grow throughout our life.  I believe this is key to living a life of fulfillment and significance.  The definition of a mature person is someone who has reached full growth mentally, emotionally and spiritually, this is a lifelong process.  The joy is in the journey toward realizing your full God given potential.

My Personal Experience -  Ever since becoming a true follower of Christ over 20 years ago, I have come to love and enjoy the journey of continued growth and learning.  With the right godly perspective, we can see this as a blessing and a joy, not a duty or job and enjoy the “Everlasting Adventure”.  I recently had the privilege to take a trip with my friend John Maxwell to South America on a “Vision” trip to Paraguay and Brazil to see what John and his team are doing through his Equip Ministry aka Transform Paraguay and Brazil.  I was blown away by how God is using John and his team to truly transform these countries through a strategy of teaching biblical values and leadership in all streams of influence, starting with young people through the Ministry of Education.  I was able to witness leadership, service and growth at a level I had never seen and it was truly life changing and quite inspiring.  I spent 5 days with John Maxwell from sun up to late in the evenings and observed this 74 year old brother, who is a world renown expert on leadership, add-value, serve, learn and grow as if he was a young man overflowing with energy.  It was amazing and quite contagious.  No matter how old we are and what level of success we think we have achieved, there is always opportunity to grow and develop.  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.  Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interest of the others”.  Philippians 2:3-4

10 Nuggets for Continued Growth from John Maxwell:

• Intentional Learner – Growth does not just happen  
• Self-Aware – You must know yourself to grow yourself  
• Believe in Yourself – Value yourself and add value to yourself
• Set aside time to reflect – taking time to pause, reflect and evaluate gives us better perspective
• Embrace Daily Disciplines – disciplines keep us going and growing  
• Seek out great people to learn from – show me your friends I will show you your future
• Grow from the inside out – character is key to wholesome growth  
• Stretch yourself – growth stops when you lose tension between where you are and where you could be 
• Ask more questions – growth is stimulated by asking why
• Help yourself by helping others – we grow when we help others grow – be a mentor  

So let’s strain forward to what lies ahead and press forward toward the goal and prize of growing upward to reach our full potential in Christ Jesus.   

Have a great week!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - godly Character

Not only so, but we also 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 been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  Romans 5:3-5

What is Character - The Oxford English Dictionary defines Character as “a distinctive mark impressed, engraved, or otherwise formed”.  Character is the essence of who we are on the inside – the internal system that guides us in all that we do, which becomes our permanent engraved nature.

Moral Character - You do not have to be a believer to have strong moral Character, in fact there are many great people throughout history who have displayed amazing Character who did not profess faith.  Godly Character includes all of the core virtues of moral Character such as honesty, courage, patience, integrity and self-control but takes Character to a new level with Christlike virtues like humility, joy, faith, hope and love. 

Godly Character - As Christians our objective is to take on the Character and nature of Christ so that His ways become our ways.  In order to develop Christlike Character we must first be born of the spirit by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation: The old is gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17.  This is the part of the Character building process that is a gift from God that we can do nothing to earn or achieve, it is of the Spirit and given by Grace.  “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and not from yourselves; it is the gift of God not by works, so than no one can boast” Ephesians 2:8-9.  Once we become a new creation in Christ, then our purpose is to Glorify God and allow God to work through us to produce fruit with our lives, which requires Character.  Just like sanctification, growing in Character is a process that happens over time as we grow and mature in our walk with God.

So how do we build and develop godly Character?  The first way we build godly character is by simply living life and persevering through the challenges of this life as stated in Romans 5:3-5 above.  We will experience trials in this life. “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  Secondly, we grow in godly Character by intentionally practicing godly virtues through training and repetition; these are the disciplines of our faith.  Similar to daily workouts for a professional athlete, we must strive daily towards developing godly virtues so they become our nature.  It requires intentional effort and discipline.  Godly Character is forged and developed over time as we abide in the vine of Christ and grow in our relationship with Him.  The byproduct of Godly Character is that our lives produce good fruit by becoming human beings who are naturally inclined to do the right thing.  “I am the vine and you are the branches, if you abide in me then I will abide in you and you will bear much fruit.  Apart from me you can do nothing”. John 15:5  

This is the goal and evidence of godly Character and the highest purpose of our lives as Christ followers.  This Glorifies God!!!!!!  

Have a great week. 

-Duane

Word of the Week - Maturity

Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  James 1:3-4

Mature defined – The definition of a mature person is someone who has reached full growth mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  Reaching full natural growth and development;  Realizing your full God given potential. 

Characteristics of a Mature person:

• Show restraint – have control over their own feelings and emotions Mark 15:4
• Responsible – they take responsibility for themselves and their actions Galatians 6:5-10
• Grateful – they are thankful for what they have and recognize their blessings 1 Thes 5:18
• Secure – they know who they are and are comfortable in their own skin 2 Corinthians 5:17
• Considerate – they are aware of the needs of others 1 Corinthians 10:24
• Humble – they recognize the value of others and are less about themselves and their ego Romans 12:3
• Flexible – willing to work with others and adjust their agenda to accommodate others 1 Corinthians 1:10
• Non-Judgmental – they look for the best in all people and reserve judgement  Luke 6:37  
• Self-aware – they recognize that they have issues and blind spots that need to be addressed Psalm 51:10-12
• Continuous learner – they realize there is always room to grow and improve Psalm 25:4-6

Growth & Maturity:  

We must grow to mature but growth by itself does not translate to maturity.  Some people do a lot of growing and never mature and reach their full potential.  Maturing is a different process that involves time, experience and walking through and being tested by trials in life .  People and organizations can grow very rapidly in short amounts of time but they don’t necessarily mature.  In fact many times rapid growth results in relative immaturity.  We see this often in businesses that experience rapid growth but have not had the time to mature by being tested, and therefore have not built a foundation of maturity needed to sustain the business.  This can create illusions of grandeur that are not healthy and many times lead organizations down a path of dysfunction and ultimate failure.  Just like the lifecycle of a business or product in business is the lifecycle of a person.  Maturation is a process that requires time and experience with a willingness to learn and grow through the experiences and trials of life.  This is the theme of James 1:3-4 above and also outlined by Paul in Romans 5:3-5, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance produces character; and character produces hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy spirit, who has been given to us.”   

So let’s rejoice in the trials and challenges of life recognizing that they are a gift allowing us to become mature and complete in Christ Jesus.

Have a great week!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - New Creation

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.  The Old has gone, the new is here!.  2 Corinthians 5:17

New Creation – So how do we know if we are truly “in Christ”? It seems clear in this verse and several others that when we become one with Christ we are transformed into a new person.  Our minds are renewed by the spirit and we think and act different then we did before we knew Christ.“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 12:2

The Old Man vs. the New Man – “That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.  You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:20-24

Below are some thoughts from Pastor Larry Stockstill’s “One year bible” Devotion today and this topic:  

The exciting reality of Christianity is that a believer becomes a new person. In Ephesians 4, Paul contrasts the "old man" and the "new man." The old man is a liar, while the new man tells the truth (Ephesians 4:25). The old man is always angry, but the new man controls anger and makes amends for it before the day is over (v. 26).

There are further contrasts between the old man and the new. The old man is stingy and steals, but the new man has a desire to work hard and give to others (v. 28). The old man uses abusive language, but the new man speaks words that encourage others (v. 29). The old man holds grudges and bitterness for years, but the new man is kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving (v. 32).

For you to say that you have become a Christian yet continue to lie, vent your wrath, steal, curse, and harbor unforgiveness is a contradiction in terms. As a Christian, you must put off your old self and put on the new self, which was created to be like God. In this way, you will live a life "worthy of your calling" (v. 1) by the grace God has given you through salvation.

Remember: You are a new person!

Power of the Spirit – It is not us but the power of the Holy Spirit that gives us what is needed to be transformed into a new creation.  “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20  I will never forget how God transformed me by the power of His spirit when I surrendered by heart to Jesus 20 years ago.  For me, it was an amazing and miraculous experience that totally and radically transformed and renewed my mind.  The old bad thinking was replaced with a fresh life giving perspective.  It impacted every area of my life in a positive way, including business/career.  I was blind and I saw, seeing gave me a new perspective on life.  This truly allowed me to be “born again of the spirt” and become a new person in Christ. I am still growing and being sanctified, and at times the old man sneaks in, but I can honestly say that I have become a new creation in Christ and the old has gone and the new has come by the power of the Holy Spirit.  We cannot change ourselves, we must be transformed by the power of the Spirit. 

Let’s walk and live as a New Creation in Christ Jesus!!!!

Word of the Week - Generosity

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Generosity defined by Marriam Webster as liberal in giving: openhanded; marked by abundance or ample proportion.  I love the spirit of Generosity because it is truly the spirit of the Lord.  Our God is an amazing and abundant giver. 

God our Provider – “And my God will supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:19  One of God’s name’s is Jehovah Jireh, which means God our provider.  If we truly believe God is the creator of all things and our provider then we can understand that all things come from God and He can give us whatever we need and much, much more.  Are we living Generous lives in how we love and serve others?  Are we clinging onto what which we believe will give us security?  Are we at peace, and confident in trusting God as our true provider?  Do we believe and trust that God knows what we need?  If we truly understand where our blessing and provision come from it gives us confidence to trust God by faith and live with a spirit of Generosity.

Heart of Gratitude  – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life ” John 3:16  It begins with understanding what God has done for us through His son Jesus.  If we really receive the amazing gift of grace and immeasurable Generosity that God showed to us through the Cross, then we cannot help but want to respond by giving and sharing what we have been given.  This is a heart of gratitude that leads to a life of generosity.  One common denominator of Generosity is Generous people don’t hold on to anything too tightly, whether money or status. 

Generous Living – It truly is “More blessed to give than to receive” Acts 20:25  Generosity is a state of the heart, not necessarily of your wallet.  It encompasses all areas of our lives and resources including time, talents and treasures.  Are we generous and open handed with the blessings that we have been given regardless of the measure of what we possess?  Generous living is truly having a posture of “giving” to others out of what God has given to us.  Some examples include giving your time to disciple or mentor others or giving your financial resources to support Kingdom work.  This is above and beyond the tithe.  The tithe is a minimum threshold but very important.  There are multi-dimensions to living Generously.  We must be discerning and pray for wisdom in the process because we cannot say yes to everything but we should be open to be lead by God’s spirit towards what are the right things to invest in. 

The Blessing – “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others in the name of Jesus will be refreshed” Proverbs 11:25.  Just like all matters of faith, we must step out in faith and trust God by His word to experience the blessing.  I am continuing to grow in my journey of Generosity but I can testify by personal experience over the past 20 years that God is true to His word.  There is an amazing blessing in Generosity and the spirit of giving and it is the antidote to the spirt of fear, pride and greed.  When we recognize God as the provider of all things and live in Generosity we are blessed beyond measure.  The Lord truly loves a “Cheerful giver” and will bless those that “Sow Generously”.  Despite many challenges and difficulties in life, I truly feel that I am living and waking in abundance as described in Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ever ask or imagine, according to His power at work within us”. 

So let’s step into all that God has for us by trusting Him as our Generous Father who wants to bless us His children with “life that is truly life” 1 Timothy 6:17-18 in Christ Jesus. “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasures for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life”  

Let’s live our lives with abundant Generosity!!!!!

Word of the Week - Service

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many” Mark 10:45

Service is defined as someone providing help and assistance to those being served.  I would suggest that Service should always involve adding value to the person being served.  I believe that Service is as much an attitude and perspective as the specific Service being provided.  The majority of us work everyday Serving others to make our living by providing something that is of value such as food, repair, maintenance, computer or financial advisory services.  We have the opportunity to be both providers and recipients of Services and typically have a sense for what constitutes bad, average and good Service.  Service is typically evaluated and measured relative to our comparable Service experiences.  For instance we compare our experience eating at one restaurant vs. another restaurant and would typically not compare a fine dining experience to a fast food experience.  Service makes the world go round and creates a tremendous opportunity to influence others and make an impact in this world. 

Heart of Service – I believe the single most important key to providing great Service is ensuring that we have the right heart attitude, which begins on the inside.  Understanding that it is truly a blessing and privilege to be able to Serve others.  Not seeing it as a burden but as a blessing. “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus himself said; ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive”. Acts 20:35  With the right perspective we realize that there is true joy in the act of Serving and giving of ourselves, especially when it is done with pure motives.  This is really the essence of the Gospel, that Jesus “Gave His all for us” to model what it looks like to be a follower of Christ.  As believers, we exist to Serve others by showing God’s love in practical ways through meeting the needs within our communities, families and spheres of influence.  Simple acts of personal kindness can open hearts to the love of Jesus for both those being served and those serving. 

Going the Extra Mile  – “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two” Matthew 5:41  Having a willing spirit to go the extra mile is one of the things that differentiates typical Service from exceptional Service.  When we are willing to go way past what is expected or the minimum threshold, we typically make a meaningful impression and engender goodwill with those we are Serving.  It is important to keep a pure heart and not do it so that person “owes you” but do it out of the desire Serve them well.  This is the true heart of ministry Service and what the Lord has done for each of us who call upon His name.  That being said, these principals work well in any and all areas of life, especially in business.  If you want to differentiate yourself in business and build strong and loyal client/customer relationships then go the “extra mile” by going well beyond what is “expected” and you will win clients and friends for life.  Moreover, the person who Serves selflessly, lovingly, without complaint, and without seeking recognition is highly regarded in the Kingdom of God.   Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4

Communication is key to providing great service to others.  We must be thoughtful and timely with our communication to properly manage expectations and keep the person being Served informed.  How the people we are Serving feel throughout the process really matters and this is a function of our ability to communicate well.  Many times there are circumstances that we cannot control when providing Service to others, which may lead to less than favorable outcomes even though we did everything we could do to achieve the preferred outcome.  Especially during these situations, communication is paramount. When and how we communicate things is almost as important as what we are communicating.  It is very important that we “speak the truth in love” at all time and not try to alter or manipulate information to avoid the truth or reality.  “We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like truth.  Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the Church”. Ephesians 4:14-15  I think we can all appreciate times when those who were serving us shared less than favorable news but did it in a way that was forthright and honorable (in love), and we felt like they had our best interest at heart and were Serving us well.  This may be juxtaposed to situations where we had little or no communications and felt like we were getting strung out and manipulated to find out at the end that we were not told the truth in a timely manner.  Communicate clearly, frequently and in the proper mode of delivery (in person, telecommunication, written note, email, text etc.)

Serving others is Worship - We win the Lord’s heart by loving Him through worship.  Serving others in the name if Jesus is one of the highest forms of worship to the Lord Jesus.  It is a way to tangibly love the Lord.  Especially when we serve the needy and less fortunate who could never repay us.  So whether you are serving a your spouse/family, client/customer, friend or the least of these among us, serve others with all of your heart and do it with no strings attached in the name of Jesus and for this you will be blessed both now and for eternity.  This is truly a win/win.  “The King will reply.  “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did unto me”.  Matthew 25:40

Let’s look for opportunities this week to Serve others in the name of Jesus.

Have a great week,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Team

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will life up his fellow.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!  Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?  And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him-a threefold cord is not quickly broken.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Power and synergy of Relationships - I love how God created humanity with a focus on relationship with Him and others.  This is the great commandment and the essence of our faith, to Love God and Love others.  In His divine Wisdom God put certain principals into motion that are true and delightful such as the practical and divine synergy of Team.  I think we all recognize that we are much better together as part of a Team or Body opposed to trying to do life solo.  For some reason we all have a tendency towards independence and trying to do things in our own strength, this is human nature and somewhat the American way.  Our country was pioneered and built with a spirit of rugged individualism, which definitely has some positive attributes.  That being said, we can only go so far in life on our own strength and talents but can do so much more together as part of a Team, especially when we put together the right combination of talented people with a clear focus and mission.  Even more powerful and fulfilling is a high powered Team that has the hand of God’s blessing on it; this divine blessing is the ultimate experience for a believer.  To live on purpose in your gifting as part of a Team where your giftings are exponentially multiplied through the synergy of the Team, where 1 + 1 = 5 plus!!!!

Joy and Protection in a Team - Not only do we have upside and synergy in Team but it is much more enjoyable to win with a team than solo.  Life is simply more joyful when we are doing life with others.  Even more important is the great protection we have when we are connected to a Team.  No matter how strong and competent we are in our giftings and life situation, there will be times of adversity and discouragement when we will be knocked down by the circumstances of life.  If we are running solo there is a meaningful chance that we will not have anyone there to lift a hand to help us up and out in times of need.  Even in the times of victory and accomplishment, we can become vulnerable to pride and self-centeredness and need friends and Teammates to admonish us and protect us from self-destructing.  “As iron sharpens iron, son one man sharpens another” Proverbs 27:17.  There is an enemy of our soul that has one objective, which is to isolate us so that he can take us down and out, especially if we are living for God’s Kingdom.  We must remain connected to our teammates in an honest and intimate way so we have their covering and visa-versa.  In doing so we have the opportunity to provide the same covering and protection to them, which is an opportunity to minister to our Teammates.  The bottom line is that life is much better together because this is how God our Creator designed it.  “so that they may take hold of life that is truly life” 1 Timothy 6:19

We all have a place on God’s Team - Finally, we may not feel like part of a Team in certain areas of our lives but we must understand that we all have a place on God’s Team.  The Kingdom is incomplete if we have not found our place and purpose.  “As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, ...” 1 Cor 12:20-25  So make sure you do all that is necessary to Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Your Purpose and Make a Difference by serving on God’s Team using your unique gifts to do what God has created you to do with others.

We are better together for the Glory of God!!!!

Have a great week…

-Duane

Word of the Week - Spiritual Warfare

"For God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity but a spirit of power, love and sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

Spiritual Warfare –  As noted in last week’s Word of the Week, we must recognize that we live in a fallen world and there is an enemy of our soul that is trying to destroy us and take us down, but take heart because as believers we are fully equipped to reign victorious over the enemy of our soul.  “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10  That being said, we must see ourselves as spiritual warriors and use the spiritual weapons that we have been given to battle in the spirit.  The following are some key spiritual weapons we have at our disposal.

The Armor of God – Knowing that we are in spiritual battle, God provides spiritual armor and equips us to take a stand when battles come our way, and they certainly will.  “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Ephesians 6:11-18

• Belt of Truth – Stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.”  We must stand on “The truth”.  Our enemy is a master of lies and will do everything possible to plant lies and deception.  We need to seek the truth, speak the truth and advocate the truth in all things.  Jesus said, “If you abide in my Word, then you will know the truth and the truth will set your free” John 8:31-32
• Breastplate of Righteousness – We must stand on the righteousness that is only found in Christ.  He is our righteousness and give us solid ground to stand on no matter the circumstance.  “The righteousness is given to us through faith in Jesus Christ, to al who believe.” Romans 3:22  There is power and authority in the name of Jesus and all things have to bow and flee at His name. 
• Feet shod with the Gospel of peace – We stand on the rock of Christ and what He accomplished through His death and resurrection.  This is the Gospel of Christ that gives us peace and confidence in the reality that Christ overcame death on our behalf so we can stand on the rock of the Gospel.  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble” Psalm 46:1
• Take up the Shield of Faith – We must actively take hold of the shield of faith by remembering what God has done through the Word and in our own lives, and continuing to exercise our faith and trust in the Lord.  That is why it is important to be in a community of believers so we can encourage and build each other up in faith through the power of our witness and testimony, especially during times of trials.  Faith in Christ is our ultimate defensive weapon from the attacks of the enemy.  “Be on guard, stand firm in the faith, live like men, be strong!  Let everything that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13
• Put on the helmet of salvation – The assurance of eternal salvation through Christ is our impenetrable defense against anything the enemy throws at us.  Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both the soul and the body in hell”. Matthew 10:28  There is amazing power in our salvation “To live is Christ to die is gain” Philippians 1:21
• Take up the sword of the spirit – This is the word of God and it is our main weapon of offense.  Jesus modeled for us how to use the Word of God in Matthew 4 when he was tempted by Satan after 40 days in the wilderness.  Three times Satan tempted Jesus and on all occasions Jesus overcame by the quoting the word of God.  “If you are the son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread. But Jesus told satan, “No! The scriptures say, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”” Matthew 4:4

Warfare Prayer – Prayer is not only communion with God; it is also confrontation with the enemy.  When praying warfare prayers it is important that we pray lots of scripture and pray everything in “the name of Jesus”.  Speaking declarations over people and circumstances actually has power in the heavenly realm.  Declaring that we have authority as a child of the living God.  “The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.  We loose the spirit of God on the situation and we bind up the spirit of the enemy.  We pray for protection.  We confess our sins and pray for forgiveness.  We pray for the spirit of humility.  We pray to break generational curses and bondage.  We pray for unity in our marriages and families.  We pray of healing. This is warring in the spirit and taking ground in the name of Jesus.

As followers of Christ, we have been equipped with the offensive and defensive weapons to overcome the enemy of our soul.  Let’s stand as warriors in the spirit so we can live victorious in Christ Jesus.  And when we don’t know what to do, Stand on the Rock of Christ!!!!!!  He does!!!

Have a great week.

-Duane