The Absolute Leader

Worthy

Tim — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:23:20 GMT

Quick Take – We just cannot seem to act differently than we feel. If we are grumpy, everyone knows it. If we are happy, why hide it? If we are prideful, we will express it even when we think we are not. It is impossible to be something other than what we are. Pride will shut many doors of opportunity in our life. Often, pride will keep us from learning what we need to know to get ahead in our career. We have to be willing to admit we do not know it all. A prideful boss will alienate his or her workers and they will never be loyal. The worst thing pride will do is shut doors to witness to others. If we allow ourselves to fall victim to spiritual pride, then others will not hear our message of salvation. The words they will hear from us will not be love but pride. Other people’s eternities depend on you controlling pride in your own heart.

If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.
James 1:26 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – Christians seem to know they should fight pride about worldly things. We try not to feel prideful because of our possessions, accomplishments, or talents. We give the credit for all these things to the Living God and stay humble in those areas. However, there is a kind of pride that attacks Christians specifically. You might say we are genetically or spiritually predisposed to have these kinds of pride issues.
     The kind of pride we are susceptible to is spiritual pride. It is something which seems to spring out of our spiritual growth and sends us backwards. It is ironic that when we should be coming to a point of having a stronger witness, we fall into this trap of being prideful about our growth. We tend to forget we were not the ones who were responsible for our growth in Christ.
     In reality, if we are afflicted with spiritual pride, then our growth probably was not a result of God’s work but our own. We like to take over for God because His ways can be slow and painful. We like to find the areas of spirituality where we naturally excel and focus our life around those things. If we excel in family, then we become a spiritual giant in family matters. We also become prideful very quickly because we know we were the ones who really did all the work.
     If we really enjoy the fellowship of our church, then we take pride in our good attendance. If we naturally are even tempered, then we are prideful about how well we roll with the punches. We all like to find an area we are already good at and use it to define our spiritual maturity which quickly leads to pride.
     When our growth is a result of God’s working on our life, the natural result is humility. It is sad how spiritually prideful Christians rebel when someone has to humble them. They are instantly filled with righteous indignation and they strike out. This is not the kind of person who leads others to Christ because the world sees their pride and not humility.
     Humility is critical in our witness to others. Humility tells others that God has done a good work in us and our own personal salvation is from God and not ourselves. The prideful cannot convey that message because they give the world the impression they are a self made Christian. They do not demonstrate grace but rather judgment.
     I know you want to be a witness for Christ, so pray that He will make you humble enough for others to see Him in your life and not your own human effort.
     Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Safety

Tim — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:34:04 GMT

Quick Take –Have you ever had someone you did not want to approach? If you think about it, there was something about them that made approaching them unsafe. Either you were afraid of them or afraid of their reaction. Maybe they were condescending or angry towards others. No one likes that kind of person. Often, something prideful is in this person which makes them treat others that way. Maybe they think their time is more valuable than yours or maybe they just do not like to listen to others. If you dig deep enough, you will always find pride at the base of someone who keeps us at bay. It is always offensive to be treated like this isn’t it? By the way, have you ever had someone afraid to approach you?

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.
Prov. 18:19 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – Pride is something that stands between us and others. It is always out in front greeting people in its usually harsh way. Pride lets anyone who approaches know that they are not as good. Sadly, it only takes a little pride to do this to someone and once they are hurt, they will never forget the feeling and who it came from.
     I see people do this in their home all the time. This is where we see how we really are. At work we are guarded and careful. At home, we say what we want and expect our family members to just accept us. We often are harder on our families than we are on our coworkers.
     This tells us that the first place we need to learn a nonabrasive attitude towards others is at home. If you can’t do it there, you will never do it successfully anywhere else. If you feel superior in any way to those in your home, you will also feel that way to outsiders. Pride is not something we can confine to a certain part of our life. Once infected with pride, it will color every part of our life to varying degrees.
     We need to start looking carefully at how people respond to us. Does your wife or husband tell you bad news willingly? Is she or he nervous and hesitant to “spit it out?” Do your children feel they can talk to you? I know so many parents who have alienated their children because they did not treat them as persons but inferior foolish little people.
     I also know bosses who do the same thing. If you are a Christian boss, treating people in this prideful way will not make them want to come to you or listen. There are a host of opportunities for ministry that you will eliminate based on your prideful, rude, or offensive treatment of them. This is not the action and attitude of a leader but of a prideful person.
     If you have acted this way and allowed your pride to offend others, then you have some work to do if you ever expect to minister to them. Confess your pride before the Lord and ask Him to change you. Let go of those offensive attitudes and be humble to others. Become a man or woman of God that others can relate to and come to about anything. Don’t let pride build a prison of isolation around you. Reach out instead of striking out. Let God use your humble spirit to reach others for Him.
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Heart Problems

Tim — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:48:32 GMT

Quick Take - Your imagination can be a wonderful tool. It resides deep inside you and comes up with the ideas and innovations you need to move forward and do your job effectively. Nothing great was ever done without imagination. Since it is such a powerful tool, you need to be sure it is used correctly. If pride ever begins to work in your imagination, it can become a very destructive tool very quickly. You can glorify God with your imagination as long as you use it humbly before Him. Pride distorts things and takes them in the opposite direction from where God wants to go and the first thing it takes is your heart.

Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot.
Psalms 73:6-7 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – We serve a creative God! If you don’t believe it, just look around you at all the wonders of creation. Look in the mirror and see how uniquely you are made. God can imagine all things and He used incredible creativity in the world. Since we are created in His image, He gave us this wonderful ability to imagine also. We can use it to glorify Him and others if we use it humbly.
     Pride, though, is something that only serves itself. When pride gets a hold of our imagination, we no longer use it to find ways to glorify God, but only ourselves. Pride goes straight to the center of our person – our heart. It turns the efforts and affections of our hearts to self instead of God and others. We start to imagine all kinds of things we should not.
     First, our heart will imagine we are more than we really are. This is when the imagination makes more of what our eyes see than is really there. This is the part that tells us the lie is true and inflates all of our thinking. We imagine ways we can become more and more important and powerful. Our heart begins to think only of us and nothing else.
     The imagination of the heart also begins to get carried away with thoughts of other people. It goes from seeing them as co-laborers and begins to see them as enemies. We imagine more and more evidence to discredit and distrust them. Pride likes to work alone and is distrustful of everyone. It only wants to use others and not share with them the joy of accomplishment. It imagines everyone is trying to steal our glory and isolates us.
     Finally, pride will cause our heart to imagine we deserve the indulgences of sin. You think about the last time you really sinned badly and you will find pride at the root of your actions. Pride tells us we deserve the empty pleasure of sin. In fact, scripture tells us that pride and lust are at the root of all sin. It is bad enough when we get caught in the sin we can see, but pride makes us imagine new and perverse ways to sin.
     The best way to protect your heart’s imagination from this is to be sure you are walking humbly before the Lord. Do not give into pride and learn to see its warning signs. Look to bring glory to God first and He will lift you up in His time. Don’t listen to the deception of pride that no one appreciates you because God does. Don’t allow pride to make you distrustful of others. Be their humble servant. Don’t ever listen to pride when it tells you how much you deserve to sin. Cry out to God and ask Him to make your imagination subject to Him. It is a wonderful gift when given to God’s service.
     Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Hearing Aids

Tim — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:41:10 GMT

Quick Take – There is a lot of noise in our world today. Much of it has to be filtered out so we can focus on our work. Some has to be filtered because it is inappropriate for us to hear. Sometimes, we also filter out things that we should be listening to. This can happen because of pride. Be sure that you are not too proud to listen to other people. You will have a lot of the answers as a leader but not all of them. Jesus was the Son of God, and yet, He would listen to anyone. You have no idea what you will learn about situations and people if you will just listen. The words may sound like criticism, but be humble enough to hear it.

A wise son accepts his father's discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
Prov. 13:1 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – I remember a sign I once saw that said “in every bushel basket of criticism there is at least one kernel of truth”. Sometimes we have to really listen hard to find it, but it is there. It can be in a look or a gesture, but people are always trying to communicate to us how they feel about things.
     Listening to a rebuke, a concern, or someone just sharing their life takes effort. We have to get all the noises out of our head and listen to them. It takes focus and attention. We have to change the focus and attention from ourselves and place it on them. Every time we fail to do this we are saying that our life or opinion is more important or valid than theirs. This is nothing more than pride.
     Sometimes we do not hear people because we are too busy. This is a form of pride that says our time is better spent taking care of things rather than listening to people. Our time is no more valuable than the next person’s. We have to be humble enough to slow down so we can hear what people are saying. Often, we do this to our families. We are so consumed with “our” work that we do not hear what they are saying. Stories about school and friends are not important enough to listen to. Doing that to our family is prideful.
       There is a world of people out there who need someone to listen to them. You have to be careful that your pride does not close your ears. Only you can keep a proper perspective about what is most important. We hardly have the time to listen to people we know much less strangers. Our ears get full of our own voice and our own life and we do not leave room for others.
     Today, I want to challenge you to understand the hearing problem as an issue of pride. When someone starts to say something to you at work or at home, put in the hearing aid of humility. Let them and their story be the most important things at that moment. Listen very carefully and don’t be selfish and think about yourself. And when they are done, thank them for sharing with you because they just helped you make a pride check based on how well you listened.
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Barriers

Tim — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:26:51 GMT

This week’s sermon is a continuation of Paul’s ministry in Acts 21: 1-14. We see the barriers that come up for Paul as he pursues God’s will for his life and ministry. We too will face obstacles when we follow God’s will for our life. See how Paul handled it. Another thing you might notice at the end of this sermon is the falling microphone. Oops! The thud is unmistakable but so is the message of Acts.

20/20

Tim — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:06:25 GMT

Quick Take – Pride can be a cruel master who builds our ego while stealing our life and relationships. Pride is not something you wake up with one day. Like any cancer, it starts small and unnoticeable. The more it grows the faster it takes over more areas of our life until we are consumed with it. Just like cancer, pride can never be totally eradicated from the flesh, just controlled. You have to look for the warning sign of its growth so you can catch it early. The first thing it attacks is your eyes. You begin to look at yourself and others differently. You seem to appear much bigger than you really are and others appear much smaller. This vision impairment causes you to step on people and hurt them. Your prideful eyes tell you it is unavoidable because you are so big and they are so little, but it is really the cancer of pride. Get your eyes checked regularly by someone who will honestly tell you how big you are.

Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
Prov. 16:18 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – So how can we know if what our eyes are telling us is wrong? The best way is to listen to your words. Your words will tell you what your eyes are seeing in no uncertain terms. The first sign is that you start saying things to yourself about other people and how small they are getting. You make comments that demean them in stature and value. You progressively use stronger and stronger words to describe how small they are getting.
     As this condition progresses, you will notice that most of the size and value comments you make about other people use you as the standard against which they are measured. The references may not be direct, but behind every statement you will find yourself as the measuring rod of comparison. Also, you will notice every time you measure someone else they will get smaller and you will get bigger.
     When this condition reaches critical mass, you will no longer keep these words to yourself, but you will begin to say them out loud. Your eyes will tell you that the others have grown so small that you are obligated to help the little people by telling them how small they are. You compare them to your great stature and encourage them to be more like you if they want to get big.
     What you have forgotten is that the problem is not their size or yours because you are both still the same size. It is only a distortion in your eyesight which makes you appear bigger. You are shouting down to people who are right in front of you. Ironically, after awhile, you are the one who begins to get smaller and smaller until you just become petty. You will demean and shame someone over the smallest thing. Your eyes are now filled with only a vision of yourself and you can no longer see anyone else. You go through life trampling everyone who gets in your way.
      When pride has reached the place that your eyesight is completely obscured, it is hard to get it back. It takes a lot of work and time because we have come to view the perspective of pride as reality. Many people who get to this stage cannot ever find their way back because they have become totally dependent on the pride to see everything.
     Don’t ever get to this point in your life. The very next time you see someone smaller than yourself and start to say something unkind in your heart, stop and confess it for what it is; a sin. Ask God to control the cancer of pride in your life and seek someone out who will help you see yourself in a proper perspective. Let God keep you cancer free from pride.
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Creating Leaders

Tim — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:20:16 GMT

I am still working on the technical glitches for posting me weekly sermons. If it does not come through with this file, then I will keep working on it until we get it right.
Blessings,
Tim

Grateful

Tim — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:00:14 GMT

Quick Take - Many people in the world struggle with sharing. They do not like it when others ask them to share their time or money. The reason for this is that we all want more. Enough is never enough. Proverbs 13:25 tells us that the righteous have enough to satisfy their appetites. In contrast, the world never seems to have enough. Believers must ask themselves how much is enough? This greed for more will make us selfish people who cannot afford to spend time with those we love or money on those in need. If we cannot be grateful for what we have, then we will not share with others. How grateful are you today? Do you have enough to take time to share?

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
James 1:27 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – Yesterday was our monthly “go to town and take care of errands” day. One of the things we had to do was get groceries. Talk about sticker shock! We eat less than we ever have and it costs more. I almost fell over when they tallied the bill in Sam’s. A couple of days ago I went to the store and got two bags of apples, one small bag of oranges, and a pineapple and the bill was $32. Then before I came home I had to get some fuel for my pickup and lawn mowers. That was over $70.
     The tendency is to start griping about how much things cost. Many of us get grumpy when prices get so high. As Pam and I were closing our day in prayer, I thought about how much everything cost us lately and how it is impacting our budget. There was a time when I would have asked God to provide better for us or make prices go down.
     Last night as I prayed, I thank God that we live in a country where we can buy beautiful fresh fruit and all kinds of food. I am amazed that we can walk into all the stores we want and the shelves are full of food and anything else we want to buy. There are places in this world where people could not buy food even if they had the money. We forget how blessed we are in this country. And the gas prices? Well, it hurts because we all have two or three cars to keep gas in so we can drive anywhere we want to go. We are blessed in this country beyond imagination.
     Our time is no different from our money. We work all we want and sometimes more than we should. Do you know how many places in this world have double digit unemployment? When we get off work there is no shortage of things we can do to entertain ourselves in town. Or, we can go home and have access to more TV channels than we could ever watch. We can get our kids involved in something every day of the week. We are gluttons for excitement and activities and then complain we have no time.
     With all these blessings, which we indulge in till they become burdens, we are very selfish sometimes. We do not share because we are not grateful for what we have and are constantly craving more. The blessings and opportunities in our country can become a curse when all we want is more of it. That is why our financial industry is in such trouble today; everyone was greedy for more loans, bigger houses, and better returns on their investments. Enough is never enough.
     Leader, what are you grateful for? Is your appetite satisfied or do you have to keep going for more. As long as you are trying to get more you will never have time to stop and share with someone else. You won’t be able to share your money with the needy or your time with your family. Start saying “no” to your appetites and thanking God for all you have. Then, and only then, will you really be able to enjoy the blessings you have by seeing how they can bless other’s lives.
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Your Account

Tim — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:17:39 GMT

Quick Take – We need to be careful when we give. The purpose of giving is to glorify God, but sometimes we allow the praise to come to us. It is tempting to let the thanks and praise from the recipient fall on us, and we gladly accept it. Rarely do we reject the praise and inform them that it really belongs to God. The next time you share with someone, try not to get caught doing it; and if you do get caught, be sure they know that it was not your blessing upon them, but God’s blessing through you to them. Be sure the thanks for the sharing gets back to the Person Who really made it possible. Let people know when you share something that you are only a vessel and not the origin of the gift.

Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. Phil 4:17-18 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,

     Digging Deeper – We have so much fun sharing with others that sometimes we forget how it all happens. It is OK to enjoy the act, but not if it takes away from glorifying God. Paul reminded the Philippians that their gift was an offering to God. It was not directed to Paul, but was part of their service to bring glory to God.
     We often forget this principle. We not only forget the ability to give comes from God, but we forget that the gift is an offering to Him. It is not an offering of penance or for earning favor; rather it is an offering of praise. It is a way we make a sacrifice, not for sin, but for praise to Him. We actually are performing worship when we share with others as long as we see it as done unto the Lord.
     When we think about giving in this way, it should create a whole new attitude for us. We are no longer looking for thanks or praise from men, but we are seeing our worship in practice.   Praise is not just something we do in church, but it is something we should do with our resources.
     After all, all of the resources you have came from God. Your income is from God. He could have just as easily chosen you to be a homeless person as an executive. Oh, you think it is because of all your hard work and dedication. God could have given you a simple or mentally ill mind instead of the intelligent mind you now have. God could have placed you in a country where there were no opportunities. You are where you are and have what you have because of the grace of God, so praise Him with what He has given you.
     And if you are someone who has to receive a gift, remember that it is not about you. God has chosen you to be a method by which someone can make a sacrifice of praise to Him by sharing with you.   Your life or circumstances are so that God can be worshipped. Is it all bad if God allows your struggle to bring praise to Him? Would it be so difficult to allow someone to share with you if you knew God was being glorified through it?
     The focus is to be on God and the glory due His name, not on you or me. We need to start seeing giving and receiving as something intended to bring praise to God. Don’t let this be about man. Let it be about God and His gracious gifts to all of us. Remember, He can give anything, to anyone, any way He wants to. Thank Him for the part He allows you to have.
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Hard Lessons

Tim — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:39:34 GMT

Quick Take- This week I have been talking to you about sharing with others and today’s lesson will be the hardest and strangest. Most people have one really big obstacle to sharing with others, which is an inability to accept help themselves. I know that seems strange, but it is true. You cannot really know how to give to others until you learn how to receive from them. So, today I want you to work very hard at letting people do things for you when they offer. You practice being gracious and thankful for other’s help. It will probably be uncomfortable because you are used to refusing help from someone else. After all, you are the giver and not used to being the recipient. Practice really hard today so you can know how it feels to receive.

for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Philippians 4:16

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – It goes against human pride to accept help from other people. Rather than feel needy, we like to feel powerful and strong by helping others. They say it is more blessed to give than to receive and it is also easier. We struggle with pride which causes us to want to be the giver rather than the taker. So why can’t we just give all the time? Why do we need to know how to receive?
     When Jesus was washing the disciples’ feet in Matthew 13, Peter refused, only to be reproved by the Lord. Peter had to learn how to accept what Christ was offering. It wasn’t so much an issue of pride as the absence of humility. Peter had to learn how to receive this small service from the Lord in order to learn how to receive the greater service of salvation.
     None of us likes to feel needy. None of us likes to feel we cannot take care of ourselves. It becomes a matter of pride when we are strong and can help those who are weak. We often cannot identify with those who are in need and cannot care for themselves. If we cannot identify with them, then how will we ever know how to give to them?
     We do things for and to other people based on our own perspectives. If we like something, we assume others will too. That is why if we buy something we enjoy, we will buy it as a gift for others. We use our frame of reference in ministering to others. When Christ came to this earth to die for us, He could have done it any way He wanted. He chose to first identify with our need before He gave the gift of His life (Hebrews 4:15).
      If we really want to be effective and loving by sharing with others, then we need to allow them to share with us. If we do not, the sharing we do can backfire and become a wall instead of a bridge. If we do not allow people to give to us in kind, then they feel we are rejecting them. We are refusing them a way of saying thank you. Their gestures may be small like the story of the lion and the mouse (remember, the lion spared the little mouse who later chewed threw the bonds of the lion setting him free). The disproportion cannot be considered, only the desire of someone else to do something nice for us.
     It can also backfire by making us seem out of reach for others. If someone, even in our family, never can see themselves contributing to the relationship, then they no longer feel needed. Many times husbands do this to their wives and parents do it to their children. Everyone wants to feel needed and appreciated for what they can do. While this can sometimes be prideful, most often it is just a matter of wanting to feel needed by others. Even Jesus allowed the sinful woman to wash His feet (Luke 7:37-38).
     Today, learn to let others share with you. Learn how to be thankful and gracious. Learn what it feels like to need another person. Learn more about giving than you have ever known, by learning how to receive.
     Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper!

A Rarity

Tim — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 07:15:40 GMT

Quick Take – Today, I want you to take special note of other people at work and observe their behavior as it relates to helping others. You might find some people who do help and you might find a lot of people who will not. Outside of work we seem to be more likely to help someone than at work. The pressure and desire to get ahead just seems to take up all of our time. You can choose what kind of person you want to be. If you want, you can be someone who has time to care for others and share their burden. I know it can be a thankless job, but it is a choice you will make every time you see someone needing help. If you were the one being observed, would others see you as a kind and helpful person? Think about it.

You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; Philippians 4:15 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – Paul is speaking in this passage about some much needed help the Philippian church responded to. They were not under obligation per see, but they did it anyway. They stood out to Paul because of all the churches and people he had worked with, only one shared in his needs.
     That’s the way it is in ministry often, and in life, because we make assumptions. Don’t assume someone else will meet the needs of those in your office. Don’t expect a government agency to meet the needs of people on the street. We excuse ourselves by imagining that it is someone else’s job to help a person in need. You need to learn that when the Holy Spirit enables you to see a need in someone else it is so you can respond to it. We have lost our sensitivity to the calling of the Spirit in all kinds of ministry.
     Start realizing that God shows us needs in others so we can respond. Why would God prompt you if there was someone else He expected to help with the need? It does not make sense that God would show us a need and give us the resources to meet it, if He did not want us to respond. We often do not see that God is trying to move us to action and we respond by making excuses.
     The second assumption we cannot make is that someone else is meeting the needs of the pastors and missionaries we know. Again, God places things on our hearts and we ignore it. I sometimes have people call me and ask if I am doing OK because they were praying and felt a need to call me. Most of the time, I did need the call and appreciated their sensitivity to the Spirit. I have also had people tell me that they felt moved to pray for me during the week and sure enough, I had a need at that very moment.
     We need to learn that it is a rarity for people to be sensitive to the needs of others. It is also rare for Christians to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit when He reveals these needs to us. Let God lead you because you are surrounded by people in need all day long. Some needs God will use others to meet, but you must be ready to meet the ones He lays on your heart. Make the call He wants you to make. Share the gift He wants you to share. Your shepherd, missionaries, and fellow people need the rarity of sharing in their life. Will you answer the call?
     Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Sorry

Tim — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:31:57 GMT

For some reason the podcast is not coming through. I will work on it and post the sermon as soon as I can.
Blessings,
Tim

Their Needs

Tim — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:39:20 GMT

Quick Take – Today when you go to work you will have a lot of finances on your mind. Part of your job as a leader is to stay on top of costs and incomes for the company. You will have opportunities to increase your sales or market share in order to increase income. Perhaps you can take some cost cutting measures to enhance the better bottom line. You have a lot of options and many of those options will come back to you in the way of salary or bonuses. While you are thinking about these things, think about the pastors and missionaries out there serving the Lord. They do not have the options you have to change their pay at all. Won’t you take a minute and pray for those men and women today. Many of them are earning far less than you are but are thankful to the Lord for His provision. While you’re at it, pray that God will show you ways to share with those people in their financial needs.

Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. [The Apostle Paul to the Philippian church]
Philippians 4:14

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – I have served in churches that have ignored the needs of my family and I have served in churches that cared. I can tell you from years of experience and speaking to countless pastors that those that care are the exception rather than the rule. I have been very blessed by the churches which cared and it is always an encouragement to me. Whichever church we served, God saw that our most basic needs were met.
     I talk to many pastors who do not serve in a church that cares. They do not understand the work their pastor does and have no concept of their needs. These types of church people are in two camps. The first believes the pastor or missionary should live in poverty since they serve the Lord. They feel that a vow of poverty is part of the calling to the pastorate. It is not, and no one can back that up biblically.
     The second group of people thinks the pastor has it cushy and does not really work that hard. These are people who have no idea what a pastor does, but think they do. I recently heard about a man and his wife who were filling in an extended amount of time for a pastor. They were stunned at the amount of work he had to do to be a pastor and how much of that work was putting up with parishioners.
      Pastors and missionaries have no control over their pay and often serve at the mercy of the church. They do not work in a “for profit” business. What kind of bonus would you give them for saving a marriage in the church? Should they get a raise for leading someone to Christ? How much of a raise will you give him? What should it be worth to keep encouraging you? What kind of compensation is there for being on 24 hour a day call 365 days a year? Do you ever ask them when you call if they are on the clock or do you just always assume they are?
     Many of you know pastors or missionaries who are struggling. You may not know they are struggling, but they are. When you go to your “for profit” job, are you mindful of how God may be blessing you so that you can bless others? Do you lift these godly servants up in prayer? Do you ever look to see what their needs may be? Many of these godly men and women are struggling financially and God called the church to share in their needs.
     I want you to know you can be a great blessing to them. Look for ways to pass your blessings on to those who have given their life in service to the Lord, the Church, and the lost. Pray for your pastor and the missionaries you know today.
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Freedom

Tim — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:43:39 GMT

Quick Take – We know that sin will drag us down and mute the gifts and talents that God has given us. We lose our effectiveness and our witness. This is what Satan wants to do to Christian Leaders. We have all experienced guilt and know how devastating it can be. Sadly, we allow the effects of sin to linger long after they should. Once we have confessed our sins, they are gone in the eyes of God. Christ has made full payment for them. But sometimes, we hang on to the guilt and it has the same effect as the offence. Realize that once we repent before our Heavenly Father, there is no need to carry any debilitating guilt around. Let it go because through the blood of Christ God has taken it away completely.

Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Heb 10:18 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – It is important that we are quick to confess our sins and keep our fellowship with the Father fresh and close all day long. We as leaders cannot afford to let any sin stand between us and the Lord. He wants to forgive us and is quick to forgive us. We have to literally run to Him when we fall. As quickly as He forgives, we have to quickly let go of the guilt.
     Anytime we try to make up for our sin to God by appeasing Him, we say that the work of Christ on the cross was not good enough. We serve, worship, and glorify Him because of Who He is and what He has done. We obey Him because we believe Him. We do not do these things to make up for some sin we committed. He is the only One Who can make restitution for sin and He did it completely. There is no sacrifice of time, person, or money we could ever make to add to what Christ has done.
     We have to be able to grasp this doctrine of complete propitiation in order to live a victorious life for Him. We cannot serve Him as leaders when we are going around feeling defeated and useless because we cannot let go of some forgiven sin in our life. There may be consequences to our sin, but there is never any penalty when we lay it at the cross. Don’t let your leadership become tainted by something that no longer exists. God takes away our guilt completely.
      God tells us: For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Cor 7:10 (NASB) Don’t let your leadership suffer a slow death because the world convinced you that your sin was still hanging over your head. God has set you free and will establish you in His power and forgiveness. We serve at the pleasure of our Father and our leadership is confirmed in the power of the cross. Praise God that He has set us completely free!
     Today, thank God for the complete forgiveness provided by the cross no matter what you are struggling with. Throw off the shackles of sin and be the leader God has called you to be in the home, office, factory, or church. Know that there is nothing you can do beyond the cross because it was all sufficient. Stand as a free child of God and rejoice in His total forgiveness.
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Help Wanted

Tim — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:19:33 GMT

Wow! Can you believe the financial mess we have right now? If the financial storm brewing is not bad enough, congress is going to get involved. Based on their track record they will make it even worse. On top of that, throw in the looming election and how erratic it makes the politicians and we have a catastrophe waiting to happen. McCain brought some reason to the politics by suspending the race. Obama seemed to think staying on the campaign trail and just talking about doing something was a better idea. I think they should both go to Washington and have reality cameras rolling as they debate and try to solve a real problem instead of a hypothetical one. Take the cameras into the oval office for the meeting they are going to have with President Bush. If they want a political promotion to the office of the presidency, then let’s see how they perform in real life. Let’s get some perspective on this mess and the people who want to solve it. Let’s quit being the victims of endless sound bites and see some political reality TV. No photo ops. No staging. Take the cameras in for the real debates candidate to candidate. I want to see what these guys can do in real life. Can they even function at the level they serve now? If they cannot be effective as Senators in a national crisis what would make anyone think they could do it as president? This is the greatest opportunity we will have in this election to see what Obama and McCain can REALLY do. If McCain wants to head back to Washington, then let us see what he does there. If Obama wants a debate, then get out of the limelight and into the real world of governing this country through a crisis. We don’t’ want to see them chumming and scheming with their cronies, we want to see what they do face to face and on the Senate floor. Senators McCain and Obama, give the media unfettered video access to your work until the crisis is solved. Show us what you can do instead of telling us what you might do.

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men. Prov 22:29 (NASB)

Send this to everyone you know right nw and let’s see if we can get the attention of the media so they apply some pressure to the politicians and we can get a real look at these two men. Don't underestimate what you can do by getting involved.

Blessings,
Tim

Confidence

Tim — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:01:31 GMT

Quick Take – Confidence is a critical matter for a leader. If a leader has confidence, they are able to stand up and do their job. If a leader lacks confidence, they become hesitant and defensive in their work. If a leader is overconfident then they will make costly mistakes in judgment. So how can you know if you have the right amount of confidence to be a good leader? Confidence is nothing more than having a very good perspective about yourself. You have to keep false doubts and delusions of grandeur at bay all the time. The only way you can do this is if you are rooted and grounded in something that gives you perspective. You have to be rooted in God. Nothing else will allow you to keep a healthy perspective of yourself – nothing.

"Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."
Acts 10:43 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – As you read this blog over the years many truths will be repeated on purpose because they are so important. One of those truths is the reality of what sin is and does. You have to remember that sin kills and destroys everything it touches. It kills hopes, dreams, relationships, potential, and leadership. It is a terminal condition for everyone and the only cure is the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ our Lord.
     The essence of our salvation is that we chose to believe God. Abraham was declared righteous based on his belief and not his works (Gen 15:6). God has made full provision through the blood of Christ for the forgiveness and payment of our sins. We have to believe in that provision 100% and nothing else. We have to believe that God will save us and forgive us exactly as He designed and explained it.
     Once we understand this and have received a full pardon of sin, we are given back our rightful value. Man was created in the image of God which gave him his intrinsic value. Sin took that value away and Christ restored it. When we seek and believe in the forgiveness that comes from God then we are made whole once again. It is only in this forgiveness that we find the grounding we need to be confident and whole as a leader.
     Once we have humbled ourselves and repented before God, we become centered on Him and not ourselves. When we are centered on ourselves or the world, we will either be self degrading or arrogant. Neither the flesh nor the world knows how to be balanced. God encourages us through our close relationship with Him that He is in control of our life and our abilities. We rest upon Him and His will to place us where He equips us to serve. So many Christians are afraid when they should be trusting God.
     Through repentance we also find a safeguard from arrogance. It is very hard to be in close fellowship with the Living God and become arrogant. How could we think so highly of ourselves when we are in His presence? The light of His presence shines so brightly that it overpowers any illusions we have of ourselves. When we believe Him we know that all we do is because of His grace and not our flesh.
     As a leader, you have to believe God if you are going to be firmly grounded. Our daily repentance helps us remember who He is and guards us from trying to become our own god. Decide right now, whether you are arrogant or defeated, that you chose to believe God about who you are.
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Ask

Tim — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:33:02 GMT

Quick Take – We all hate it when people make assumptions. There are a lot of mistakes made when assumptions are made and it costs us all time and money. Sometimes, we make assumptions about God and it is costly to us. We lose precious time in fellowship with Him because we assume He will just forgive us for something. While He has made full provision for the penalty of our sin through Christ, we still have to ask for it. It seems we often forget this and spend more time asking for things than we do asking for forgiveness. As a believer, even though we are going to heaven, unconfessed sin can cause us to be out of fellowship with the Father. Make sure there isn’t anything you need to repent of today so that you can enjoy the full blessings of fellowship with Him.

and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
Luke 24:46-47 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper - We can never take the forgiveness of sin for granted. We can’t just ignore God’s call for us to repent and confess our sins before Him. The sad part is that God made full provision on the cross if you and I would just lay it before Him.
     Many people do not understand what repentance means. Whenever we repent or confess, we are admitting to God that He is right about whatever it is we are doing or have done. In other words, we agree with God that the behavior in our life was sin. We quit trying to justify it or make excuses. We humble ourselves before Him and admit that He is holy and we are not. We give Him His rightful place as the One who says what is holiness and what is sin. We distance ourselves from the world and draw close to God. David did this so beautifully in the 51st Psalm after the worst sin in his life.
     As a leader, this is a very important part of your spiritual life and your leadership. When we have an attitude which allows us to freely repent of the sin in our lives, we have a key element to successful leadership. The only way we can truly repent to God is to humble ourselves. We kneel at His throne and admit He is the sovereign God and we are sinful man. It is not demeaning but liberating. We humble ourselves so He can work through us and accomplish His purposes (Isa 58).
     Humility starts towards God and enables us to have the relationship with Him that we need in order to serve and glorify Him. It is the attitude we need if we are to be servant leaders. How humble have you been before God? Please do not let unconfessed sin stand between you and the Lord. Don’t take His grace for granted. Repent and let God know you still understand Who He is and who you are. Admit He is right,
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!
p.s. As soon as we can work out the technical details, I will be posting my weekly sermons on the blog each Monday for those who would like to hear them. Lord willing, it will start next week. God bless and have a great day at work. Tell others!

Ready and Willing

Tim — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:02:59 GMT

Quick Take – Have you ever done something wrong to someone and needed to go apologize? Do you remember how it felt to worry about their reaction? You were not sure if they would receive it well or still like you. If the offence was not known to them, you worried that the confession might destroy the relationship. If they did know about it, you did not want to face the shame of having to go to them. It is a hard and awkward situation to be in, but we all have to take our turn. We have a lot of the same feelings towards God when we have sinned. He knows about it, but we are still torn. We begin to avoid Him and our spiritual life suffers. If there is some unconfessed sin in your life, go to God and confess it so you can get rid of those bad feelings and restore your fellowship with Him.

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.
Psalms 86:5 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – There are not little sins. We like to make ourselves feel better by measuring sins as big and small. Anything that grieves our heavenly Father is HUGE! The sins that seem so little to our flesh are a huge thorn to our spirit that keeps us from our Father.
     Every time we try to move towards the Father, these huge ugly thorns of sin pierce us and drive us back. Each time we are repelled, we go further and further away from him and are slower and slower to reach out. Before we know it, there is a huge gulf in our relationship with God. Don’t be fooled, this great gulf can grow over years, months, weeks, or even hours. You know because you have felt it before.
     The problem for you and me as leaders is once we grow distant in our relationship with the Lord, our productivity goes down. God’s Word tells us that we can do all things through Christ (Phil. 4:13). The opposite is also true. Apart from our Lord, we can do nothing. Our ability to lead our family, our business, or our church diminishes with each moment we allow sin to keep us from fellowship with the Lord.
     In Matthew 12:29, Jesus gave the example of a robber coming into someone’s home. Once the strong man of the house was bound, the robber did what he wanted. Our leadership can be bound by unconfessed sin in our lives. It is no longer an issue of our relationship with the Lord, but a matter of how we lead others that our counting on us. Our creativity, passion, compassion, and sense of priority are all unbalanced when the thorns of sin are keeping us from our Father.
     God is ALWAYS ready to forgive us the Psalmist says. There is never any reason we should allow the sins of omission or commission to keep us from Him. He wants us to come to Him immediately when we fail. It is the lie of sin telling us to avoid God and His anger. Through Christ, He responds in love and compassion. He wants to help you in your leadership and your life. He does not want sin to be between you and Him. That is why He is ready to forgive. Cry out to Him if you are feeling the sharp pain of sin in your life. Let Him free you and wipe away everything that keeps you from having the strength to lead through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Hello?

Tim — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:17:53 GMT

Quick Take – How much time have you spent in real prayer today? Notice I did not ask you if you had prayed, but I asked about real prayer. There is a lot done in the name of praying that is not what God had in mind. I know how badly you want to have a connection with God. Our prayer life is lacking for one of two reasons. The first reason is that we want to go our own way. The second reason is that we have lost faith in prayer. You can have a strong and effective prayer life anytime you want. Just realign yourself and your priorities with God. Don’t try to have your own way, but believe that God’s way is the very best.

But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts, is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
James 1:6, 4:3 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper - Do you ever have prayers that don’t seem to get past the ceiling? Do you ever have times when it seems like God does not want to hear from you? Do you ever wonder if He forgot you? There are times when we all struggle with our prayer life. We know theologically that God loves us and hears our prayers. We know intellectually that God says He will answer our prayers. But sometimes all the theology and intellectual knowledge of prayer does not seem to cut it.
     First, our prayer life falls flat when we do not have faith in an answer from God. It’s like when my kids were teenagers and were trying to talk me into letting them go to some party or event. I would say no and they would respond by saying I was not listening to them. I told them that just because I did not give them the answer they wanted, did not mean I was not listening.
     We have to believe God for the answer He has to give. We have to believe that He will answer our prayers according to His will. His will is the only place we will ever find real joy and happiness. We can rest assured that God does hear us and answer. Try not to put God in the position of being your personal wish giver. He is a loving and omnipotent God, so trust Him to answer you in love as a faithful Father.
     Sometimes, just like children, we ask for things that we should not be asking for. I know for a long time I wanted a full size diesel pickup truck. I am praising Jesus now that He never answered that prayer. I would have a very expensive lawn ornament because I could never afford the fuel for it. God is loving, isn’t He?
     We have to realize that sometimes what we want is not from a pure heart. That is why we need to listen so carefully to the answers we get when we pray. God is trying to teach us how to pray and how to be obedient children. He is telling us that when He says no, it is for our own good and we have to accept that. It is not always easy, but we have to trust God in all things.
     Stop letting doubt and your desires get in the way of your time talking with the Father. If your prayer life is dull or stale, start believing in His love for you in every answer to prayer. He wants you to come to Him. He wants to care for you. He wants to help you grow and mature into a child who brings glory to Him. Stop what you are doing right now and spend a moment in real prayer.
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!

Gaining Value

Tim — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:25:06 GMT

Quick Take – Wow, I hope you did not have stock in AIG. The former and retired CEO of AIG lost 3 Billion, yes BILLION, out of his retirement this week. He said it has wiped him out. Things are really tough right now in the financial industry. I hope my 403b has not become a 4.03b by now. Those decimal points can really move fast in times like this. Thank goodness we can still gain and retain value. Not in the stock market, but in something that is permanent and has the greatest value added of anything you could invest yourself in. Stop and take a little time to ponder God’s Word and begin to memorize something from it. You do have the time and ability to memorize God’s Word IF you will. Stop letting this incredible opportunity pass you by. Stock up on God’s Word today!!!!

How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.
With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
Psalms 119:9-11 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – Bible memorization is something that few believers do today. We study the Word, but we do not plant it deeply in our heart as God commands us to. How can we let such a treasure stay outside of our life? This is one of the most precious gifts our Heavenly Father has given us.
     I don’t have to tell you all the temptations that come your way each day. We get bombarded from all sides and it is hard to stand against these influences. Paul warns us that bad company will corrupt good morals (1 Cor. 15:33). No wonder we struggle so. So how can we overcome this?
     First, we can stop making excuses for not memorizing scripture. We fill our heads with all kinds of information all the time. Does it take some work to memorize scripture?   Sure it does. It takes a consistent effort and you have to put some time into it, but you can do anything hard if you see the value in it. This is just like saving money. It is always easier to spend than to save, but you see the value in the investment of your money for the future. The same is true when it comes to scripture memorization.
     The only way we can live a consistent life in Christ is if we live according to His Word. The only way we can do that is if we treasure it (memorize it) in our hearts. The idea here is that we are planting it deep so that it will take root and grow. We also memorize it so that we cannot lose it through neglect or forgetfulness. The Holy Spirit uses the Word in our heart as a toolbox for our growth and protection. We wonder why the Spirit does not lead us or speak to us and it is because we have given Him nothing to work with.
     So how do we memorize the Word? One way is the scratch out method. Take the verses from today and cut and paste them into a document or note pad. Print it out and stick it in your pocket. Read it through several times and then cross out a couple of words so you cannot read them. Just two or three will do and then keep reading the verse and filling in the words you crossed out. Over the next several days, keep crossing our a few words now and then until you have crossed them all out and you will find you have memorized the verses. If you did a verse or short passage every week like this, can you imagine how your life and relationship with the Lord will change? Stop waiting, print these verses out ASAP. If you have other methods of Bible memorization, share them with us all, won’t you?
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me.