Permissible vs. Beneficial

“Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial.” Your future is found in I Corinthians 10:23. It reveals two options: permissible or beneficial. And your destiny will be determined by which option you choose. Who we become is determined by whether we settle for what is permissible or strive for what is beneficial. It’s so tempting to live down to what is required. It’s so tempting to live in our comfort zone. It’s so tempting to take the path of least resistance, but the path of least resistance never takes you where you really want to go! What am I getting at? Well, are you setting for what is permissible? Or are you striving for what is beneficial? Are you giving God leftovers? Or are you seeking first the kingdom of God? Where are you compromising? Where have you become comfortable with what is permissible? Don’t let short-term comfort short-circuit God’s long-terms plans for your life. Spiritual short-cuts always turn into detours! Take the hard way. Take the high road. Strive for what is beneficial.

Taken from Evotional.com. http://evotional.com/2009/11/permissible-vs-beneficial.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+evotional+%28Evotional%29

Fearlessness

According to psychologists we’re only born with two fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. That means that every other fear is learned. Which means that every other fear can be unlearned. Here’s a definition of faith: the process of unlearning ungodly fears.

The enemy is a fear monger. He wants to scare the heaven out of you. But I John 4:18 says: “Perfect love casts out all fear.” In other words, as we grow in a love relationship with God we unlearn our fears until the only fear we have is the only healthy and holy fear: the fear of God. And when you fear God you don’t have to fear anything else! Perfect love results in fearlessness.

I think there are moments in life when we have to make major decisions that will determine our destiny. And we will spend the rest of our lives managing those major decisions. And if you let fear dictate your decision you’ll end up with a ton of inaction regrets at the end of your life. Fear is a great friend, but it makes a terrible master! Don’t let fear dictate your decisions. You have to face your fears. And what you’ll find is this: the thing that scares you to death is very often the thing that brings you to life.

Here’s another lesson learned: few things are as liberating as what you fear actually happening. You realize that God is still there and life goes on.

Taken from Evotional.com

http://evotional.com/2009/10/fearlessness.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+evotional+%28Evotional%29

When the Bicycle Threatened the Church

In 1896, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church condemned bicycling on Sunday for enticing parishioners away from church and violating the Fourth Commandment:

The Sabbath, the Lord’s Day of rest for the body, and of worship for the soul, is especially threatened by many unscriptural innovations…Sunday bicycle pleasure riding…

Hard to imagine in our modern world isn’t it? I can’t remember the last time I heard someone describe the bicycle as such an amazing innovation that it puts the Sabbath in jeopardy

But to me, this passage isn’t just an interesting bit of history. It speaks volumes about how the Church reacts to innovation at times. Instead of embracing it and looking for ways to leverage it, we feel threatened.

Can you think of examples where today’s Church is reacting in a similar way?
Taken from Lifechurch.tv http://swerve.lifechurch.tv/2009/10/19/when-the-bicycle-threatened-the-church/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lcswerve+%28LifeChurch.tv+%3A+swerve%29

Focus determines your reality – Mark Batterson

[Below from Bronze Medalists]

I read a fascinating psychological study a few years that involved Olympic medalists. It found that bronze medalists are quantitatively happier than silver medalists.

On one level that doesn’t make sense because the silver medalists beat the bronze medalists. It seems like silver medalists ought to be happier. But the difference maker was focus. The silver medalists tended to focus on the fact that they could have won a gold medal and it produced feelings of disappointment. The bronze medalists tended to focus on the fact they almost didn’t win any medal and it produced feelings of gratitude.

Your focus determines your reality.

[Below from Twas the Day Before Thanksgiving]

The Battersons have a family value: your focus determines your reality. We repeat that all the time around our house. And it’s true. If you focus on things that are right and pure and good and just, Ala Philippians 4:8, you move towards righteousness, purity, goodness, and justice. It’s as simple as that. If you lose your focus you lose your faith.

The thing I love about Thanksgiving is that it gets you focused on the things you’re grateful for. It cultivates an attitude of gratitude. And I will make you this promise: if you spend an hour counting your blessings you’re feel blessed. And the truth is, you are blessed. I don’t even need to know your circumstances. If you know Jesus Christ, you are blessed beyond anything this world has to offer.

Ritual Series

We continue the ritual series this weekend. The heart of the series? Make sure sacred rituals don’t become empty rituals. We’ve talked about sabbath, communion, tithing, baptism, and confession. We continue this weekend with worship. (Idea from Mark Batterson)

Failure vs. Success

Most organizations only see the bird they have in their hand. this is my bird! I will hang onto it. We get paralyzed. We clutch at the familiar because we can’t see the alternatives. WE have to make change more exciting than standing pat. You have to create new alternatives. Wherever you see innovation at work, you will find momentum. You have to experiment with 1000 things, to find the ten that works. Trees drop thousands of acorns. The oak tree doesn’t know where the fertile ground is. The acorns are a search strategic to find the right combination of soil and light to grow. Where are our acorns? We are so anxious to find that one giant acorn, that we don’t generate enough crazies ideas to get that. We experiment with incremental change. But it’s never enough to beat the bell curve. — Gary Hamel

Life and Death

Write something about our death to self and new life in Christ.

Use examples of things that die and new life is produced as a result, after fire, changing of seasons, pruning.

In Love or In Lust?

“But don’t tell me that this is a love story. This is a lust story. You have to get to know someone to really be “in love” with them. Otherwise, it’s just hormones. Good luck with everything after.” — Jeff Overstreet, Christianity Today on the movie Twilight

Leadership, Parenting, Power

You can teach what you know, but you can only reproduce who you are. –Jonathan McKee

Rub Your Eyes to See Clear

Illustration — Rub your eyes, ask God to see your full potential, through His eyes.