Give or Acquire

How do you measure your growth in ministry or the things that you are doing?

It is always a tough decision whether to give away or to acquire.

Our normal mindset is once given away... that's it, it will return anymore.
The world mentality is to grab, grab and grab.

Can we say our measure of growth is by how much we gave last year and not how much we received?
Can this be ultimate measurement for growth?
Though we have financial controls and accountability.

Will God be please by a bigger building? or a fatter account?

My conviction is
if we are reaching the lost!
if we are giving to mission!
if we are drawing people to Christ!
if we are investing into the harvest field!
if we are focusing on what God called us to do... obeying the Great Commandment and fulfilling the Great Commission!

Acts 20:35
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

for other readings :
Read Luke 12:13-21 Parable of the Rich Fool

Relationship or Just Want to be Right

I can fight and argue my way to state that i am totally right and loose the relationship.

Have you heard "I know I'm right and I don't care what other people say..."?
How often we respond and act like this?

Many do not realize until we face the real life.
Having to be right all the time can be an exit door for many good relationships.

What happen to people who always claim to be right?
Often they become self-righteous, judgmental and condemning.

Learning from Jesus is the best example.
Jesus was always right but rarely condemning.
On the hand, Jesus stands for the truth. He became angry with the religious self-righteous... He overturned the tables of the money changers because they are making the house of God into den of robbers.

Romans 15:7
"Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."

We can learn to
accept one another just as Christ accepted us.

We can be right
without severing relationship.

We can learn to
accept one another even when you disagree with their opinions and beliefs.

But
there are times when the relationship causes you to sin and continue in sinful behavior
then
probably you have to part the relationship.

James 5:19-20
"My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

Question : What would you do when disagreement arise? What should i consider?
Ask "What price are you willing to pay to stand for the truth nothing but the truth"?
Ask "Which one is worth it, "sacrificing truth" or "sacrificing self" ?

John 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

People or Policy

I can say almost all churches or organization are governed by their own standard procedure or whichever you called it. And that means policy makers do exist. I worked for a manufacturing company for a long seven years many years ago. And my last four years i was involved in making quality and environmental policies and standard procedures for the company.

I discovered that many workers were so intimidated by the procedures that their own superiors have written.
The whole idea of the procedure was to "write what you do" and "do what you write." And they can change that procedure if it does not apply anymore and needed to change for better. But because of ignorance, it has become a bondage to many of them and majority were afraid to request for change.

Policies or standard procedures or by-laws or constitutions are written by people with the intention to protect the institution and it's people.
But sometimes the very thing that protect us can also separate and divide us.

Our commitment in ministry is to people, to tending and to caring for the sheep; all the more honoring God.
When policies do not protect and serve people, then they must be re-examined, revised or sometimes have to set aside.

Policies should serve the needs of the body; and not dictate the ministry of the body.

I told one production supervisor, "The procedure is meant to help, to assist, to maintain quality of manufacturing and not to cause fear, burden and unnecessary stress. If you see any flaws in it, please come forward and request for amendment. There is always enough room for improvement."

Never let policies pull you down from achieving what God has called you to do!

The Living Word is the most accurate authoritative Word of Life to guide and direct our steps. Following them is a good policy

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Many things or One thing

Luke 10:41-41

⁴¹"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴²but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Today we are so occupied with so many stuffs.

Astro has so many channels I not even know;

Unlimited numbers of websites that I have no idea at all;

Mobile phones, PDAs, Smartphones moreover with those who have Blackberrys, Iphone, Ipad and with Wifi areas and portable modems... we are connected 24 hours 7 days at all times.

Needless to say all the media and entertainment world attracting our daily attention.

I can say that majority of us or all of us are trapped into this busyness. Those mentioned have become part of human life.

Just imagine if the world without them.

There will be more families in the park, picnic by the beach, playing kites, children at the playground with their daddies and mummies.

On the other hand, what if all the Astro channels relate to the Bible; we treasure our mobile phones, smartphones whatever communication media is the Bible.

We carry them everywhere we go, we browse it all the time, we anticipate God speaking to us at every moment, now and then we will pick up and check thinking God would be calling us or texting us... our connection with God is 24 / 7/ 365 without fail.

Our world will be a different world.

May I ask you, "What is the ONE thing Jesus referring to?"

People or Programs

Often times we are just too busy doing programs, especially in church activities. As such that we probably would have live for programs rather than what is important that gives life.

I once told a famous quote, "Major the major and minor the minor."

Are we seeking to satisfy the appetites of hungry sheep without considering their nutritional well-being?

We are growing daily physically but not growing healthy from the inside out.

What is the spiritual balanced-diet?

Food :Matt 4:4 : the Word of God

Water :John 4:10-14: the Water of Life

Air :Gen 2:7 : the Breath of Life

Developing programs is best when the Spirit of God meets the Deep Real Needs of people drawing them to Christ alone.

My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but i have put my hope in your word.

Psalms 119:81

Exist to serve or to be served

It is always a struggle for every church whether they have leaders that exist to serve or waiting to be served. It is the same senario whether we have more leaders or more followers. Do we need more people to serve us or to serve the Kingdom of God?

Eph 4:11-16

An effective leader equips believers to do the work of ministry.

What kind of leaders do we need?

We need leaders who focus on strength not weakness;

We need leaders who give power away not hoard them;

We need leaders who invest time in others;

We need leaders who choose to grow by multiplication;

We need leaders who impact people beyond their own reach;

Phil 2:5-7

Ministry is best learned through serving the least.

Are you looking around for someone to serve or are you equipping others to serve Christ?

3 Ways to Say "NO"

Ever wanting to guard your time and energy and staying on good terms with others?  Many times it could depend on just saying "No" to requests in one of these ways :

• "No" plus a reason : when you don't want to come across as difficult or uncooperative, say something such as , "I can't help you because... " then offer an acceptable reason.
• "No" with an alternative :  use this approach for your boss or other person in a higher position than you.  Example : "I can't promise that I can finish it by then. But here's what i'm sure I can do..."
• "No" and "no" and "no" : Resort to the broken-record method when you're sure someone is trying to manipulate you or make you feel guilty with repeated requests or an aggressive approach.  Example : "No, I can't change my plans." "I realize this may be important to you, but I still must say "No" because I can't change my plans." "I understand what you're saying. But because I can't change my plans, my answer has to be "No.""