Amazing People

Amazing People
I used to be amazed at some of the things that people do. As I have aged I have long accepted that if you don’t expect much you will not be disappointed. I guess it was the result of being disappointed as a child that I have come to live my life as if I was the only one responsible for my results. Of course once I met Christ I found a partnership where you could trust the other. I know He does not exist to please me and meet my expectations but I do Him. But when it comes to people I expect small and love to be surprised. What have I learned about people?
1. People want to be your friend when you can benefit them but when the benefits are gone so are the people.

2. People who were present in your life when you held positions will be the the same ones who are absent when you did not.

3. If you are sick and may die the time you need a friend will be the time that only the real friends are present. You will not need a big room!

4. People who want the most when they have the least are the same ones who when they have much will contribute the least.

5. Those who wear the bracelet WWJD are the ones when the opportunity is there only do what they want to do.

6. Those who encourage you to make moves of faith are the same people back in the boat who watch and jeer from a distance.

7. People who have needed the most kindness seem to be the most harsh to others.

8. People who you worked hard to see the best in will be the same people who will to show the worst of you.

9. People who talk the loudest seem to be the quietest when the opportunity is available to make a difference.

10. People who slap your back in public will stab you in private.

So how are we to live and act with people? Do we have reason to give it back to others as they have given to us? No!!!!! Do unto others as you would like for them to do to you! You are not really do it to them and for them as you are doing it for Christ and to Christ.
Be friendly and a friend, be present, be concerned, give freely and generously, do what Jesus would do, make steps and decisions of faith, see the best in people, be vocal when the issues matter and quiet when they don’t and never betray others even when they deserve it!
Be a Man of God for God and not for others but for yourself!

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Don’t Be Afraid

Don’t Be Afraid
Matthew 14:[27] But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
I think the opposite of love is fear. Love just will not let you leave someone hungry, hurting and homeless. Love does not consider how you will feed them, or how you will heal them or how you will make room for them. Love does not allow the bullies of life to make cowards of you. Love makes you crazy and fearless to move forward. But fear, well it is what the masses operate in. It is what the tyrants, terrorist and troublemakers depend on for us to justify our silence in the opportunity of calamity.
Truth is those things and those people and issues may be Jesus coming at you. He may be trying to get to you so you get the opportunity to see a storm stopped. He may be coming at you so you can experience a miracle! He may be coming at you so you can develop a new and deeper fellowship with Him. But as long as you fear the issues, the irregularities and the individuals you will miss the opportunities!
These are challenging days for us as a Church and a Christ Follower. We stand at a crossroad in which the present Crisis will reveals us as cowards or develop us in courage. Choose to go toward Jesus! He is never one who is easy to see until you get closer to where He is!
 

Matthew 25:[42] For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, [43] I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

 [44] “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

 [45] “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

    
  

Missions Conventions

Every Church can do something for Missions and it should start with anAnnual Missions Convention! What funds that are raised in the Convention can relieve the General Fund of the expenditures of missions projects and Missionaries. Of course I would allow the children to raise their BGMC, the youth their Speed the Light and the men their LIght for the Lost and the women their projects. I would budget from the Missions Convention the expenses of the conventions, monthly missions support and any other special project the Lord had laid on my heart. 
The church I was with this weekend did a few of these things if not all. They had raised last year $1500.00 in faith promises and this year nearly $2500.00 in Faith promises. It was a really large Church. I think I saw thirty four in the missions banquet and maybe a few more in The Sunday morning Faith Promise service.
1. This pastor met with his key missions givers about a month earlier to have them pray about the faith promises. He asked them to meet with him about two weeks out to discuss what they thought the faith promises should be at the Missions Convention. 

2. He planned the Missions Convention about a year out.

3. He talked about the Missions Convention for several months and what he was believing God to do through the church.

4. He made it a week long event with some really good speakers people who could give a full overview of the world and passionately communicate the need for everybody to be a part of sending the Gospel everywhere!

5. He focused on the world the week of the convention. He had problems around the church with equipment, sickness and other essential things. But this week was not about the churches challenges it was about the worlds challenges.

6. He expressed to the church his confidence that they could do anything other churches could do. Small did not equate to non-involvement and excuses about the Great Commission. 

7. He planned a great Missions banquet.

8. He decorated the building with posters and whatever else he could find.

9. He made sure the missions board was up to date.

10. He praised his people when the faith promises were received and lead them to praise the Lord and to pray for the world. He gave them history of where they had been and now where they were going.

If half of our churches in the Assemblies of God would plan, promote and participate in a Missions Convention the need to finance missions would be met. You cannot say you have a heart for missions without putting in place a strategy to lead your church to see, participate and get excited about something larger than where they are. When a church focuses on the Great Commission then God focuses on the needs of the local Church. When we start taking out of our buckets and placing in Gods buckets then God will fill out buckets. If you are waiting on your bucket to be full before you fill God’s then you will always be working to accomplish something that will never happen. If you act small, live small, believe small then you will produce small. But if you act in faith, live in faith and believe in faith then you will produce large things through faith. If you as a leader cannot move forward in faith then don’t expect the people who follow you to move beyond you! Your movement will produce momentum and will produce those God Moments of miracles.