Day Twenty One - January 31, 2012

John the Baptist was considered the "forerunner" of Jesus. He led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River, challenged sinful rulers, called for repentance and promised God's justice.

John pointed to the "Messiah" who was greater than himself. In essence, he represented Jesus and became a modern day "Public Relations" ambassador.

A true PR person will take on the DNA of the one they represent. Their words and actions will reveal their heart. They will embrace the vision of their leader and cast the vision to others. They will see their leader's mission as their own and will make it the center of their efforts.

When you are called to represent someone else (believe me...we are called to represent Christ, but to also represent a leader(s), group, organization, team, etc. during our lifetime) you must avoid speaking negatively. Negativity will never produce positive results.

Even if you experience the negative, you will only communicate the positive. 

• Think back to Samson when he passed through the vineyards of Timnath and defeated a lion with his hands. He didn't tell his father and mother about what he had done. After a time, he returned through the same vineyard and found the carcase of the lion and in it was a swarm of bees and honey. Samson ate of it and received enlightenment and then shared the honey with his parents. But notice, he only shared the "honey" not the "lion."

As we represent our leaders, we must do so with positive communication. Even if you don't understand your leader's decisions or actions at the time, you must represent your leader with truth and loyalty.

Each of us will be faced with this test. Whether or not you pass this test will depend entirely upon your ability to remain a pure representation of your leader even in the face of negative circumstances.

I've saved myself from many embarrassing moments and painful failures by simply thinking about a person in whom I greatly admire and saying..."would ___________ do this or say this?" Doing this has kept my feet from wrath and my actions loyal.

The blessing is found in "loyalty" and "right" representation.

Five Rules for Representation

1. Representatives must always represent the truth. - Ephesians 4:15
2. Representatives must always speak words that edify.(Build up) - 1 Corinthians 14:26
3. Representatives must never let their actions betray their words. - Matthew 7:3-5
4. Representatives must know what to say, how much to say, and when to say it. - 1 Corinthians 3:2
5. Representatives do not rehearse the failures of the past. They restate the goals of the future. - Philippians 3:13-14

Day Twenty - January 30, 2012

Ever thought about what the word "anointing" means? In Full Gospel circles we tend to view this word as a "trance-like state" of spiritual power. It is believed by some that to really be "anointed" you'll become more spiritual and empowered beyond your natural abilities. 

After hearing someone preach or sing, we're infamous in saying things like, "now, that was anointed" - many times based upon the fact we received a goose bump during their performance or are drawn to their particular "flavor" of ministry performance. 

But is that really the anointing? 

Are we only anointed when we preach, sing or prophecy? Can we not also be anointed when performing an administrative or operational function? How about when serving another leader? What about cleaning the church? 

Are we any "less" anointed in a service role? When I was serving as a youth pastor, a minister whose name I will not mention said to me that "one day I'd have my own church." He made reference that when I stepped "up" into a Sr. Pastor's role I'd experience a "real" anointing. 

Honestly, that type of thinking in the body of Christ has put a bad taste in my mouth. As if...serving in a youth pastor's role was not fully anointed or cleaning the church or ushering was only a temporary place to serve on my way to something "bigger" in God's Kingdom. 

Friend, I was fully anointed to serve in every role God assigned me to, regardless of what others thought. To this day, I have a toilet brush anointing. I can clean with the best of 'em and I'm not ashamed to play second chair, carry water, clan a toilet, stack chairs or turn out the lights and lock the door.

Wherever you are presently serving, be assured the anointing of God is upon you in full measure irregardless of other people's opinions. 

Here's what I believe...we are anointed by God to perform the task He assigns us to do!  Whenever God calls you to do something, He'll also empower you to perform that assignment. It doesn't take long to recognize the anointing in someone else. However, can you recognize the anointing in your own life? 

1. The anointing will give you understanding of what needs to be done.
2. The anointing will direct you to the practical.
3. The anointing will cause you to do the unexpected.
4. The anointing will help you speak words to edify.
5. The anointing will feed you.
6. The anointing will make you aware of needs.
7. The anointing will give you endurance.

Rest assured, if God has called you...He will give you what you need to accomplish His work!

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, thank You for your calling in my life.  As I look back over my shoulder I see Your hand was guiding me in my fervor to work in Your Kingdom.  Even as a child, You placed a desire in me to serve in Your Kingdom.  Thank You for not giving up on me, even when I was tempted to go astray.  I pray the anointing You give to your people will not be squandered by fleshly practices.  I surrender my body, soul and spirit to You afresh.  In Jesus' name.  Amen. 

Day Nineteen - January 29, 2012

CHRISTIAN...is that what you're known for?  What's your disposition?  Are you known as brash, funny or easy going?  The way you present yourself to the world is important to God 
The reputation you gain with the people who you associate with, and the consistency in which you demonstrate it is addressed inPhilippians 4:5

"Let your moderation be known unto all men.  The Lord is at hand."

What does Paul mean by "Moderation?"  The Greek interpretation of this word literally means "fair, mild and gentle."  So what is Paul saying?  He's reminding us that we should exemplify through our lives the fruit of the Spirit, specifically in this case, gentleness, goodness, meekness and temperance. (Galatians 5:22-23)

What does Paul mean by "known unto all men?"  This may seem self-explanatory as we come to understand Paul to be saying "to see someone as something and to have knowledge of, or to understand."  

As we live our Christian life, there will be some people who willknow us better than others.  Some people we see every day and they get to know us as being one kind of person or another.  This speaks to the reputation that you earn through your lifestyle and your actions.

Paul is saying that we are to have a reputation of being a gentle and mild person.  We ought not to have the reputation of someone who is brash or uncontrolled or someone who cannot control their tongue.

We are to be known as a true Christian, exhibiting the characteristics of Jesus.

There are other people who may see our life, but we don't personally know them.  We may be known to them by what they see, in the one time they see us.  We ought to make a good impression on everyone, regardless of whether they know us well, or don't know us at all.

• Are you exhibiting the characteristics of Jesus?
• What comments are you leaving on facebook? 
• Is Jesus pleased with your conversation?
• Are you calling people names?
• Are you taking verbal jabs at people?
• Are you speaking everything that comes to your mind without regard to the consequences?
• Are you claiming to be a Christian but your actions speak of un-Christlike behavior?
• Are you claiming to be a Christian but you don't attend church?
• Are you claiming to be a Christian and yet you are defiling your body with habits, addictions and questionable practices?

I guess we should take a deeper look at not only how others view us...but also, how our Lord views us.  We have His unending love, grace and mercy...but in truth, what is God's opinion of us?

Sure...He loves us unconditionally...however, is what we're"known for" causing Him pain?  Are we the "Achin that's breakin' His heart?"

Although we are not perfect people,

we must continually reach forward to a moderate spirit. 

We may even take the disposition that "we don't care what people think about us."  However, if we are to represent Jesus to a lost and dying world, we must "care" how we're viewed...not only by those in the body of Christ but more so by those who are not.


PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for saving me!  Your name is Holy and You are the love of my life.  Thank You for giving me a Holy Ghost check in my spirit that will keep me on my knees in prayer and my heart in tune with You.  I do not want to misrepresent You to this world.  So, thank You for doing whatever it takes to keep my path free from wrath...and my soul satisfied.  In Jesus' name.  Amen. 

Day Eighteen - January 28, 2012

The book of Acts describes the early church and it's challenges. One of those challenges was meeting the needs of a growing church while keeping everyone happy at the same time.

Sound like a challenge?

That church needed a team (staff) to feed all the people who showed up hungry for the church dinner. There were tables and chairs to set up; food to be served; dishes to wash; trash cans to be emptied; floors to be swept, etc.

If you were the leader and knew you needed help...what traits would you look for in a potential member of that team?

• Sharp dresser?
• Smooth talker?
• Clean fingernails?
• Charming personality?
• Award winning smile?
• Hard worker?

Perhaps. Think about it...wouldn't you want someone with those traits to wait on you at your favorite restaurant? 

But this is not what the early church based their decision on. InActs 6 we are given the standard for leadership. In fact, we know this particular position to be the role of a deacon (servant).

• Acts 6:1-6 1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists,[a] because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

God isn't impressed with how you look, how you talk, what you wear, what you can do and where you've been.

Personal integrity is the main issue.

What is integrity?  

• An adherence to moral and ethical principles; honesty.(Random house dictionary 2011)

Integrity comes from within.  It's not something you have to parade around in front of people.  It is birthed from right choices, right associations, commitment to truth and unwavering faith.  If you have it...it will be good.  If you don't...it will be a disaster.

We live in a day and age...even in the church world...where we base our opinions of people by what we see on the outside rather than what's on the inside of an individual.  

What do people know you by?

I promise you...in the end you'll only want to be known as a person of integrity.  A person who spoke the truth, modeled the truth and embraced the truth.

Integrity will follow you around like a senior yearbook picture.


PRAYER
Lord, I commit to continue to walk in integrity.  Thank You for the cross.  Thank You for giving Your life so I could have life.  Although I'm not perfect, I do not use that as an excuse for a lack of integrity.  I invite Your Spirit to invade every part of my being.  Mold me and transform me into Your image.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Day Seventeen - January 27, 2012

Vision is useless in the hands of someone who lacks the discipline to do what needs to be done to make it happen.


God is large and in charge.  We need to dream big dreams because God is able to do "exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or think."  Ephesians 3:20 


Question:  Is God insulted when we dream small?


Jesus said in John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."


It's one thing to dream it...it's another to have the DISCIPLINE to see the dream come to pass...through a disciplined life.


When God gives us a vision, He also gives us the GIFTS and TALENTS needed to make that vision come to pass.  If we sit back and "wait on the Lord" to do it all for us then we aren't being "spiritual"...we are actually being LAZY.


Why does God give us VISION?


It's not for the purpose of just giving us INFORMATION...but rather TRANSFORMATION.  The first person that has to be transformed is the one He gave the vision to.  If we're content to sit around and merely dream about it...nothing will happen.  


When God gives us vision, He does so knowing that it will LIGHT A FIRE within us that will make us want to do whatever it takes to make that vision a reality.


Many people dream BIG...few people want to pay the price to do whatever it takes to make that dream become a reality.  If you are a leader, then understand this...THE BIGGER THE VISION, the HIGHER the PRICE you will have to PAY.


Big Vision requires Big Responsibility!


PRAYER
Dear Lord, You have placed a vision within me that cannot be extinguished by time or temporary set backs.  I cannot control other people's behavior, attitudes or laziness...but I can control mine.  With Your help, I will put works with my prayers to see the dream come to pass.  I'm committed to fulfilling the dream You called me to and not settling for just a portion of it.  No matter how long it takes, I will do my part to make that vision become a reality.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.