I Like Kind People

Has anyone ever shown you kindness for kindness sake?

Definition of Kindness = the state or quality of being kind; good will; grace; tenderness; compassion; humanity; gentleness; goodness; generosity; favor.

One Christmas, when I was about 11 years old, my cousin Daniel received three Survival Knives. To be honest, I was jealous.  I wanted one but that certainly wasn't what I received as a gift that year. No, instead of a survival knife, I ended up with socks, underwear and undershirts. Lucky me.  

Apparently Daniel saw the disappointed look in my eyes and was moved with kindness to give me one of his.  WOW...to this day...that is one of the best memories I have of KINDNESS!  Guess what?  I still have that survival knife!!!!!!! 

Do you have a memory of kindness?

In the Bible, the story that I can't get enough of is in 2 Samuel 9 where David shows kindness to Mephibosheth.  He asked, "Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

That question showed the heart of David.  He's asking, "What can I do for someone else?" 

David had kindness in him...and what was in him came out because of his covenant relationship with his friend/brother Jonathan.  

You see, Jonathan had a crippled son who was hiding in the land of Lodebar. Mephibosheth knew full well that any decedents from the previous king were to be executed since they were considered a potential rival to the throne.  I'm sure the knock on the door caused fear in Mephibosheth's heart because he realized that he was no longer hidden from David.  The Bible says that Mephibosheth fell on his face in the presence of David.  According to the custom of the times, Mephibosheth had a lot to fear from David. Yet his fear of David was not founded in fact, only on assumption.

David removes the fears of Mephibosheth!

1. Do not fear!
2. I will surely show you KINDNESS for Jonathan your father's sake!
3. I will restore to you all the land of Saul!
4. You shall eat bread at MY TABLE continually!

Mephibosheth was happy to know that David didn't want to kill him.  To have a PROMISE like this was almost unbelievable!

The beautiful part of this story will always be that as long as Mephibosheth sat at the table of David, no one could see his lameness! 

Friend, when you and I stay at the King's table, we receive the same covering!  

It's important that you know 

who's table you're sitting at...

your future depends on it!

Today, I encourage to show KINDNESS to someone...no matter what they look like, how they act or what they've done!

This is what Jesus did for you!

Our Greatest Gift

Christmas is such a special time for our family.  We get together and exchange memories, laughter and gifts. Our conversations naturally point to our present day happenings as well as old memories and stories we love to hear told again...and again...and again.  

I'm thankful for a Christian family.

When we come together, there is harmony, love, prayer, encouragement and lots of talk about JESUS. Not just Jesus...the babe in the manger...but JESUS...the Savior of the world.

As I sit here awake, in the early hours of Christmas morning, MY HEART IS FULL as I think about how Jesus brought the promise of unconditional love, hope and eternal life to every person who believes in Him.

I'm just as excited about SHARING Him with people as I am with sharing earthly gifts with my little family on Christmas morning!

Who will you share Jesus with?

Sharing Jesus is a practical part of my life.  I don't have to be caught up into a spiritual frenzy to "feel" the need or the "unction" to witness about my Savior. I merely just have to live my normal everyday life and the JESUS in me will shine through in everything I say, everything I do and everywhere I go.

• Sharing Jesus isn't pouncing on people with religious jargon's and "churchy" language.
• Sharing Jesus isn't trying to impress people with how many Scriptures you have memorized or how many "old testament" feasts and festivals you keep.
• Sharing Jesus isn't accompanied with a list of "do's & dont's."

Sharing Jesus is offering unconditional love to people who have hurt you, wronged you or even offended you.  It's saying, "the same Jesus that loves me...loves you!" 

Sharing Jesus is lending a helping hand to someone who is experiencing loss, lack or has reached their limit.

Sharing Jesus is turning your weakness into worship! It's praising God in the midst of your trials and tests without losing your testimony!  

Sharing Jesus is choosing to be better not bitter! It's taking your broken pieces and allowing God to make something beautiful out of it

Sharing Jesus is letting your life speak. You won't even have to tell people that you follow Christ...they will see Christ in you and begin to follow too.

I challenge you to SHARE JESUS today and every day after.  Look for ways to make a positive impact in someone's life. Perhaps through your smile, a kind gesture, a huge favor, or a pat on the shoulder.  In time, the gift in you will be requested and you'll have the perfect opportunity to give the GREATEST GIFT...JESUS!

From Now On!

Perhaps you've thought about reasons to STOP because you can't think of a reason to CONTINUE.  My advice...you must think of a reason to START OVER!

There's a difference in GIVING up and STARTING over.  Your new beginning has to begin with the words "FROM NOW ON..."

• FROM NOW ON ... Choose to let the things you cannot control GO!
  Honestly, most of things in your life today are there because you keep thinking about them.  To get the POSITIVE...often you have to distance yourself from the NEGATIVE.  Stop clinging to the memory of what HURTS and make room for what HEALS.  Refuse to let what is out of your control interfere with all the things you can control.
  
  
• FROM NOW ON ... Choose to REJOICE rather than REGRET! Whatever has happened was FOR you not TO you. I believe that God is working ALL THINGS for your good. God is working these things at His SCHEDULE and I've learned that He is seldom early but never late. Friend, for everything you LOSE, you GAIN something else.
  
  
• FROM NOW ON ... Choose to REST and REJOICE!
  Jesus chose to retreat to the mountain after He learned of the death of John the Baptist. Strength isn't about bearing a cross of grief it's about choosing your path and learning from the experience. Friend, regardless of the MESS that people may try to put you through...continue to do your BEST!  The good news is that the experience has taught you WHAT NOT TO DO as well as what to do.
  
  
• FROM NOW ON ... Choose to take RISKS!
  Changes aren't easy and can sometimes be scary. But do you know what's even scarier? REGRET. I've learned that most of your fears are bigger in your mind than they are in reality.  Friend, don't let fear stop you! Face it and move on! Live your life so that you never have to regret the chances you never took, the love you never let in, and the gifts you never gave out!
  
  
• FROM NOW ON ... Choose to keep CLIMBING!
  How do you get to the top of a mountain? One step at a time!  Good things come to those who WORK for them!  You gain confidence and strength with every experience in which you truly PUSH yourself to do something you didn't think you could do! As long you're standing in the place of "in-between", unable to or unwilling to move forward, you'll never see the VIEW from the top!
  
  
• FROM NOW ON ... Choose to SMILE through the STRUGGLE!
  Nothing is more beautiful and powerful than a smile that has struggled through the tears!  Don't regret your TIME, even the moments that were filled with HURT!  Choose to SMILE because you have learned from it and gained the strength to rise ABOVE it. In the end, it's not what you have been through that defines who you are...it's how you GOT THROUGH IT that has made you the person you are today, and the person you are capable of being tomorrow!

Believe me...you are STRONGER because of the STRUGGLE!  What you went through PREPARED you for the PROMOTION you're now enjoying.  

The LIDS of LIMITATION are removed when you CLIMB over the CEILING of COMPLACENCY, CONSPIRACY and CROSSFIRE!

Help! I need a jumpstart!

A big shout out to Joe from @autozone In Avon, IN for helping me change my battery today. He went above & beyond while providing me with excellent customer service. As someone who works with people everyday, I appreciate quality service when I receive it.

I thought about that battery and how we have to get a check up once in a while to make sure our power level is what it is supposed to be. In addition, we have to get rid of the corrosion that sometimes builds up in our life and causes a loss of power and even deadness to our purpose.

Attending church, reading the Bible, worshiping Jesus, fasting and prayer and even giving of our time talent and treasure…are all routine maintenance items we have to do to stay in tip-top performance.

Today is Wednesday… It's not a question on whether I will attend church this evening. I will have my family with me in the house of God because it is the appointed time even if I have to come late. It's a choice I make every week, not because I'm a pastor… but because I'm a Christian and my priorities keep me on point even when I need a jumpstart from time to time.

Attending church doesn't make me a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes me a car...however...Christians go to church.

How are things in your life? Are you taking care of your spiritual life? Do you have some unfinished business that you need to deal with? Well, put your best foot forward & do what you know to do.

‪#‎NoExcuses‬
‪#‎NoPlanB‬
‪#‎AllIn‬
‪#‎BestFootForward‬
‪#‎YouGotThis‬

Be A Barnabas

Let's take a look at mentorship in the life of Barnabas. As we look at his life we discover that...

Barnabas was the ideal mentor because he was an ENCOURAGER. 

He was part of the multitude of believers who were of one HEART and of one SOUL (Acts 4:32-35).  

There was a spirit of SHARING among them, but Barnabas was especially noted for his GENEROSITY. (Acts 4:36-37).

His name was Joses, but he was nicknamed “Barnabas” which means “SON OF CONSOLATION.” 

Consolation means “the act of emboldening another in believe or course of action, encouragement, exhortation.”

• Barnabas did something in emboldening others to act in a similar manner.   
• He did something that was an encouragement, a help, an example to the other Christians.
• The apostles were amazed by his spirit and his example and called him the basically “THE ENCOURAGER.”

From Barnabas, we learn that if we are going to mentor others, we must be willing to:

• ENCOURAGE others to and MOTIVATE them to serve the Lord especially with the Word of God.  
  Hebrews 13:22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
  
  
• Set a GOOD EXAMPLE for others to follow. 
  1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
  
  
• GIVE generously of what we have to help others. 
  2 Corinthians 12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
  
  
• Mentors are willing to TRUST when others won’t.
  
  
• Mentors are willing to TAKE RISKS when others are afraid.
  
  
•  Mentors BELIEVE when others doubt.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 

If we are going to mentor and disciple leaders, we must be willing to HELP those that no one else will help, BELIEVE in those that others won’t believe in, and TAKE RISKS on people.

Barnabas sought out and believed in Saul when others did not.

Saul was not trusted by the disciples at Jerusalem (Acts 9:23-26).  Running for his life from the Jews at Damascus, He came to Jerusalem.  But the church there would not let him join them because they were afraid of him and did not believe he was a true disciple.

Barnabas REACHED OUT TO SAUL when no one else would (Acts 9:27-31).  He took a risk and brought Saul to the apostles.  He told them how he had seen the Lord in the way, how the Lord had spoken to him, and how he had boldly preached at Damascus in the name of Jesus.  The apostles accepted the word of Barnabas, and Saul was with them COMING IN and GOING OUT at Jerusalem.

From Barnabas, we learn about BELIEVING in people.