Don’t worry–it’s not bad…it is just that my throat is sore and there seems to be an abundance of snot in my head. (Sorry!)

To me being like this is more of an inconvenience than anything else. Just in case you didn’t know–I only have one speed–WIDE OPEN! I know, I know, some people say I need to do something about that, and I will…one day.

I used to let being a little under the weather get me down. I would have the idea that because things were not perfect in my life then I had a right to be depressed…and not only that, but to try to depress everyone around me as well.

Have you ever felt like that? (Sure you have–you’re human right?) We want things to be great in our lives, and I am not being critical of that desire–it’s natural. However, a serious problem occurs when we begin to expect daily perfection…and when that expectation is not met then we develop this thing called an ATTITUDE…and we become, well…jerks…and jerks are no fun to be around.

I remember being like this for the longest time…and then one day reading in Philippians 2:5-11 that my attitude should be like Jesus’. As I continued to read in that passage I was reminded of how mistreated He was…yet His attitude did not change. When the repentant thief called out to Him on the cross He didn’t reply, “Hey buddy, you’ve got your problems…I’ve got mine, so quit your whining!” Nope…He had an incredible attitude.

We live in an imperfect world–and we as followers of Christ can’t let that get the best of us. Face the fact–people are going to drive slowly in the fast lane, people will carry 15 items in the 10 items or less lane, your cell phone will drop calls (I can hear all of you moaning right now!) However, none of these things are reasons for us to lose our cool, begin to scream, cuss, throw things…and possibly damage our reputation with those outside of the kingdom.

We must strive to have incredible attitudes. It amazes me when people say, “Well, I guess I just got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning.” The fact is that you bed has nothing to do with the fact that you are acting like a rear end…it’s YOUR attitude…YOU chose it…and YOU could choose an alternate one…one like Jesus.

My prayer for today, and for my study time this afternoon…and for when tonight the most awesome woman in the world comes home is that I will have an awesome attitude, one that reflects Christ–even though I do not feel well.

How about you–how’s your attitude?

I found a bible of mine yesterday that was given to me from a Sunday school teacher…

In the Bible was a list of things that I wrote down back in 1996 (my freshmen year in High school)

I thought I’d share them with you…

1. Love God. Love People. Let everything else flow out of that.

2. What you do today is forecasting your tomorrow. Your choices matter.

3. You’ll never feel more alive or more like Jesus that when you’re helping others.

4. Spirit vs. flesh – what you feed will win. Feed your spirit.

5. Pray. And stay around people that do.

6. Guard your influences. Guard your eyes and ears. Keep the Godly close.

7. Sowing wild oats isn’t worth it. Ever. You reap what you sow.

8. Go. Mission trips, conferences, retreats… get away, let God speak to you.

9. Be a catalyst for Godly change without becoming cynical. Keep a firm resolve
while staying tenderhearted.

10. Decisions are the Hinges to which the door of life swing

11. Show me your friends and I’ll show you your Future

12. Live your life every moment to where when the Holy Spirit speaks,
you not only hear His voice, but you know it!

13. C.S. Lewis–If I find in myself a desire that nothing down here can
compare I know the only reason is that I wasmade for another world…Even so come Lord Jesus I pray

14. Lord, I want to Go as I’m led, when I’m led, to Where I’m led…Lead me Lord I will GO!

15. Lord Use me to be a generation changer! (this is still my prayer today)!

…Just some thoughts from a freshmen In High school…Ready and willing to be used to change the world!

‘Tis the season to shop for Christmas gifts, so I recently made a trip to Target. I love Target because I don’t have to spend a lot of money, and I avoid going to Wal-Mart.

After spending a little bit of time in the store, it struck me how different Target is from most churches I’ve visited in the past. That led me to wondering how Target would be different if it operated like the typical church. So, with that in mind,

here’s my initial list: What if Target Operated Like a Church?

•Instead of having men’s and women’s clothing departments, they would be called clever names like Impact and Embrace that are completely meaningless to new shoppers.

•Each department in the store would have its own logo to go with their clever name. And, of course, all those logos would be different than the logo on the front of the store.

•The workers in each department would all have their own t-shirts and flyers to promote what’s available in their departments. The youth clothing department would, of course, have the best flyers.

•The store manager and his wife would be pictured on the front page of the website.

•You wouldn’t actually be able to buy anything from the website, but each department would have its own page explaining why they are such a great department and the the information would be several months out-of-date.

•If you are in the shoe department and have a question about flashlights, the shoe department employee has no idea how to help you because it doesn’t have anything to do with shoes.

•Shoppers would be able to start their own departments so that they can buy the items that they want to buy. Don’t worry…that means there will certainly be a clothing department for singles.

•Shoppers would also be able to appoint their own store manager and then serve on committees and boards to tell the store manager what to do.

•The store would only be open one day a week between 9:00 a.m. and noon and on the first Wednesday evening of every month.

Hope this makes you laugh. (Kym and I did.) And, maybe it also challenges some preconceived notions. After all, churches are sort of notorious for worshiping methods and traditions whether or not they actually produce results.

What would you add to the list?

 ”Tony Morgans” blog tonymorganlive.com

Here is a list of things that I so easily forget sometimes…from Pastor Perry Noble perrynoble.com

#1 – Jesus loves His church more than I do…so any “freaking out” that I do is totally not necessary!

#2 – The same God who allowed the storm I am going through will also see me through it.

#3 – The results in ministry are NOT up to me!

#4 – Success in ministry will not be measured by how big my church is…but rather by whether or not my wife and little boy really love me when this thing is over! I can always get another church…but I can NEVER get another Kym or Kaden.

#5 – Clear communication prevents unnecessary frustration…I can’t assume people know what I know, so it IS necessary to take the 2-3 extra minutes and fully explain what I am trying to say.

#6 – Eternity IS reality! Every single person I see is someone who WILL spend eternity somewhere…and I need to embrace that fact with urgency! (See Romans 10:14 and Romans 10:17)

#7 – Being busy doesn’t equal being godly!

#8 – Sometimes fighting the good fight means walking away from certain fights!

#9 – The same power that brought Jesus back from the dead is living inside of me…and IN HIM I can do ANYTHING that He commands me to do! (Philippians 4:13!)

perrynoble.com

I regularly check this blog out by pastor “Perry Noble” pastor of New Spring church in SC. A few weeks ago I came across this blog post that I want to post for you today… I found this blog after I was handed one of His post by a man @ lunch and  when I got back to the office I immediately found perry nobles blog! you can check his site out @ http://www.perrynoble.com/

• #1 – Never Apologize For Dreaming Big!

We have a HUGE GOD who can do things that are absolutely MIND BLOWING…and if we focus on HIS POWER rather than our limitations we will always be willing to hear what He says and then do it…even though we don’t have all of our questions answered.

He’s God…He wants more for the church than we want for it…ask big!

• #2 – Never Apologize For Your Passion!

I once had a guy tell me, “Dude, I think you would be more effective as a leader/communicator if you would just calm down a little.”

Here’s the problem…I can’t!  Jeremiah 20:9 is my verse…Jesus began a fire inside of me on…and it’s only gotten hotter.

You can be consumed with passion…or be content with being passive.  One Jesus will use to change the world…the other the enemy will use to dull your soul.

• #3 – Never Apologize For Wanting To Lead!

If you are called by God & gifted by God to lead…THEN LEAD!  Here’s the deal…someone is going to make the decisions.  Someone is going to call the shots…and if that is the call that God has put on your life then DO IT!

BTW…when you do this it IS going to make people mad.  AND…if you can’t handle the fact that people ARE going to hate you simply because you try your best to listen to Jesus and then do what He says…you may not be called to lead!

• #4 – Never Apologize For Not Embracing Someone Else’s Agenda!

You have got to understand that, as a leader, if you experience any level of success then other people will always want to attach themselves and their agenda to you.  I often tell people, “your burden is not my passion!”

As a leader we are responsible for embracing God’s vision for our lives…not everyone else’s!

I am not saying everyone else’s idea is bad…or even wrong…it’s just that you can’t embrace something that God didn’t truly birth inside of you…and doing so will only lead to personal frustration and your organization trying to manufacture energy for something that they hate!

• #5 – Never Apologize For Expecting The Best From Others!

Leaders cannot be afraid to set high standards…EVER!  I believe it is WRONG to expect perfection from others…we’re all humans, we screw up!  BUT…it isn’t wrong to expect others to give their best.  (BTW…MOST of the time if people see the leader giving their best it will inspire them to do the same!)

• #6 – Never Apologize For Wanting To Reach More People!

From time to time people will take a shot at me for wanting to see more people come to church…and…

I AM GUILTY AS CHARGED!

I can’t help it…the change in life that Jesus has brought about in me…I want as many people as possible to hear about it!  I want as many people as possible to have their lives changed.  I want as many people as possible to KNOW that they KNOW JESUS!  I just don’t see anywhere in Scripture where that is a bad thing.

Don’t EVER apologize for embracing the fact that God has called us to RECONCILE (not REVILE) the world!  (II Corinthians 5:16-21!)

• #7 – Never Apologize For Saying “No” To What You KNOW You Need To Say “No” to!

One of the biggest frustrations I’ve ever had as a leader is when I commit “sins of obligation,” you know, when I do something because I feel like I have to rather than doing it because I truly feel led to do it because of the Holy Spirit’s leadership in my life.

Just because we have opportunities doesn’t mean we need to embrace them…because saying “yes” to everything often means we have to say “no” to the things that are REALLY important.