Sunday at Hope Church, we decided to do something a little different for Father’s Day. For twenty years (the age of my oldest son) I have either led or attended Father’s Day services where the church tried to give something meaningful away to the fathers in attendance. I’ve received countless books, Bible markers, crosses, you name it.
This year, I just couldn’t do that again knowing that it is difficult to find something meaningful for my own father, much less everyone else. To me, fathers are all about Hope! They are leaders in their families offering hope to the next generation as they sacrifice and lead for the dreams of their children to come true. They are men who are not caught up in receiving a token for their attendance. Father’s are world changers!
So, this year at Hope Church, we gave a gift to Angel Mission (www.angel-mission.org), an organization that focuses on spreading the Gospel and drilling clean water wells throughout the world. Currently, the world’s number one killer is unclean water. Every 8 seconds a child dies because of unclean water.
Sorry guys, no cool Bible marker this year. We decided to offer hope on your behalf to children around the world!!!
Easter is one of the most interesting but powerful days on the calendar. It’s interesting in that it changes dates every year (first Sunday of the full moon following the equinox). It’s powerful in that what it represents (no, I’m not talking bunnies or eggs), the resurrection of Jesus Christ changes lives!
The resurrection of Christ is everything! It is the anchor of our faith, the basis of our hope, and the reason for our faith. If Christ just came to earth to teach man a better way to live (the teachings of Christ are amazing) then we would acknowledge him as a great teacher or philosopher. If Christ just came to earth to die (thank you for dying on the cross for my sins), then we would acknowledge him as a martyr. But, because Jesus Christ rose from the grave on the third day, we can acknowledge him as our Savior and Lord.
It changes everything - my life, my hope, my attitude! What a day Easter is! I’m ok with eating a chocolate bunny, as long as we keep our focus on the life change that comes from the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We are in week 2 of our teaching series, “The Way.” It is amazing how often God calls me to live out immediately what I am teaching. With all the voices in this world, I believe it is so important that we learn to distinguish the voice of the Lord and walk in “His Way.” Today, as I am trying to lead Hope into it’s next stage of development, I recognize how easy it is to listen to every other voice but the Lord’s. We have so much information and so many opinions about everything under the sun that I must discipline myself to not take the easy way out, but to seek the Lord with my whole heart.
Just as it was God’s will for Denise and I to move back to Charlotte and plant Hope, God has a specific will for our ministry. He has a sphere of influence that He wants us to be faithful to. As we continue to pray and reach out with the life-giving message of the Gospel, I believe we will continue to see lives changed and souls saved and that keeps me in the pursuit of His Way.
Today I was surprised by four of my pastor friends who drove down from the Triad to take me to breakfast for my birthday. We had a great time sharing life and encouraging each other. As we spoke, I reminded them of how they were there for me when my wife Denise was in the hospital. I can’t recall what was said over coffee back in May, but I will never forget the fact that friends who love God and love me have a way of bringing hope when life seems a bit upside down. LOVE GOD, LOVE PEOPLE! Sounds simple but it is powerful in action.
We touched on it briefly in Sunday’s message: 1) Love is an action, and 2) Love is a choice. We literally are compelled to “put love on” like a garment. I’ve been so impressed by the response of Hope to a simple email that asked for help for one of our Hope families. The responses came pouring in from active Hope members as well as those who have attended Hope in the past and keep up with the ministry through our website. No one asked, “who is it? or why do they need help?” You responded by choice and you took action. Now, that is love lived out.
When God said, “love me with all your heart, soul, and mind,” and “love your neighbor as yourself,” He meant it to be lived out daily. Doing so is not only our worship toward God, but our witness to the world that He truly is Lord of our lives.
I’m so proud of Hope and am honored to serve the Lord among you.
When’s the last time you had a heart check up? Today I read that former president Bill Clinton had to undergo heart surgery to repair a damaged and diseased heart. Like most, he did not think there was a problem until he had the signs of a heart attack.
It’s amazing to me how closely the spiritual heart parallels the physical. So often, we do not recognize that our hearts are being damaged or restricted by disease until the pain comes and we are rushed to receive care. The Bible says that we must guard our hearts. We live in a world where so many influences, experiences and pollutants are constantly attacking the core of who God made us to be.
Over the next three weeks, we are going to be looking at the Heart and rediscovering God’s heart for us. I’m praying for the Lord to soften my heart to make me more sensitive to Him and to others. I don’t want to wait until spiritual surgery is necessary for my heart to function according to God’s plan.
Since we had to cancel services this weekend due to the icy conditions in Charlotte, I want to post my message, part 4 in the series God @ Work, so that you could study and pray through it on Sunday. I look forward to seeing you on 2/7 when we will wrap up this series by looking at how to share your faith at work.
God bless you and enjoy the study…..
God @ Work
Pt. 4 Serving
Genesis 40-41
Good to Great – Even business experts recognize the value of servant leadership if we wish to move from being good to becoming great in the marketplace.
Joseph – became great when he learned to serve two peers in prison
Genesis 41:38 (NLT) 38So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?”
Question?How can we go from good to great in the Marketplace?
What does a spirit filled employee or employer look like?
Matthew 20:26 - 28 (TMSG) …Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. 27Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. 28That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.”
Today, we will look at how we can serve those over us, around us, and those who serve us.
How many of you work for a company or for someone?
Joseph served the agenda of those above him.
·Potiphar
·Jailer
·Pharoah
1.Serving Up
- Be grateful..
Recognize that you work in a resource rich environment.
·Building
·Staff
·Supplies
·Customer base
·Benefits
·Salary
- Be supportive
Be supportive of your
·Boss
·Companies purpose
·Doing all for the glory of God
How?
·Be a connector – connect those above you with others in the organization that can help them.
·Be a Protector - Protect your boss from being blindsided
·Be an Informer – inform them about what is going on below you (productivity, morale, technical issues)
·Be a trouble-shooter – help solve problems and if you bring them to those over you, come with solutions.
Be faithful… to God and to those you serve
·Potiphar gave him charge of the whole house
·Jailer – whole jail
·Pharoah – rode in 2nd chariot?
Genesis 41:39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. 40 You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.”
41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck. 43 Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!” So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will lift a hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval.”
AAA servant leader
·Attitude – Can Do
·Ability – to accomplish task I’m assigned
·Available – here I am, let me be part of the solution
Recommended Reading – Leading from the Second Chariot, by Billy Hornsby
How can I serve@work? – those who are equal in rank in your organization or those who serve you?
2.Serving around
·Be an affirmer – Read Scripture of Joseph in prison.
Affirmers firm up others.Speak positively to and about them – encouragement helps others face adversity
·Be a Listener
Difference between listening and hearing – listening is wanting to here
Genesis 40:8
Joseph wanted to listen because he wanted to help.
Listen with the intent of understanding
Listen with your eyes
Listen as we would like to be listened to
Listen with empathy and acceptance as we give others the chance to tell their story.
People always move towards people who increase them.
“The most basic of human needs is to understand and to be understood” – Joseph Nikkel
Joseph listened to their stories and trusted God
Psalm 91:14-15 MSG“If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble. I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party.
·Be a friend
Friendship is the foundation of influence
Friendship is the framework of success
Friendship is the shelter against the sudden storms of life
True friends hear and understand, love, support, correct, prod, forgive, celebrate your successes as if they were their very own.
Henry Ford – “best friend is he who brings out the best in you”
Ecclesiastes 4:12By yourself you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped. 3.Serving down
Supervisory Positions
·Be joyful
Ps. 100:2 (KJV) “Serve the Lord with gladness!”
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.
Attitude is like the thermostat for the work environment.
If you have good attitude….
If you have a bad attitude….
Spirit filled boss serves the Lord and those who work for them with gladness.
What about when you don’t feel joyful?
Self - Leadership moments – “Why you are paid the big bucks”
Take a quick review of all that Jesus has done for you.True greatness, true servanthood is rooted in your relationship with Jesus
Saved
Purpose in life through power of the HS
Job – God has given me
Future in heaven.
1 Timothy 1:12 (TMSG) 12I’m so grateful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work. He went out on a limb, you know, in trusting me with this ministry.
Do you ever feel inadequate for the work God has called you to do?
God makes us adequate where He has called us!
God’s willing to go out on a limb for those who love him and are called according to his purpose
Example:Paul the apostle – former persecutor of the church
God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things!
Every day, Count you blessings and surrender your attitude to God
·Be available
One of the greatest mistakes that leaders make is spending too much time in their office and not with the troops.
Leadership is a people business!
Jesus knew that he had to spend time with the disciples if they were going to carry on His work
John 3:22 (NLT) 22Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there…
Walk among those who serve you.
·Find stories to celebrate!
·You also find out who’s avoiding you (there’s always a reason)
Example of Jesus after the resurrection – He walked among them and noticed that Thomas was missing.He went to him and ministered to him.
·Be an advocate
Think about leaders that you have worked for…who got your best effort?Someone that thought you were a 10 or thought you were a 2?
Who did you learn the most from?
People who believe the best, get the best!!!!!
1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT) 7Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful (always looks for the best), and endures through every circumstance.
This describes a spirit filled person!
When the squeeze of life comes – love comes out and we will see people for who they can become and not just who they are.
Have faith in others and if they are lacking loan them yours!
Give others the benefit of the doubt.We don’t want to be judged solely on our actions!
If you want to be a leader, follow the example of Christ!
Philippians 2:5 - 7 (NIV) 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,7but made himself nothing,taking the very nature of a servant,being made in human likeness.
Jesus – humble
How would those who work over, around or under you describe you? (arrogant)
Jesus – loving(envy)
Jesus – obedient(rebellious)always a yeah-but
Jesus – encouraging (critical)
Jesus – selfless (selfish)
Focus for reflection:
1.Make a commitment to be more like Jesus.Become a servant leader going from good to great!
2.Maybe there are areas of your attitude that need correcting (repent of sin that the Lord brings to your mind)
3.Who can I be a blessing to this week?Who can I serve in my workplace?
I have tried several times over the last week to sit down and write an end of the year blog. Each time I would start, my mind would immediately go to the difficult days that were experienced by many in 2009. My own family was greatly impacted by health issues that placed my wife in the hospital for a month and saw my sister-in-law lose her battle with the H1N1 flu. 2009 was a year that I will never forget. At the same time, it was a year that I will never regret living. Without pain, we would never experience relief. Without grief, we would never experience comfort. I’ve lived my entire life believing that the Lord never wastes an experience. Events shape us and truly we are never the same after walking through intense difficulties. Then, and only then are we able to relate the love of the Lord to others who lives are upside down.
So, in my first blog of 2010, I want to list a few things that I look forward to (not necessarily in any order)
God’s grace being sufficient
Making memories with my wife as we celebrate 25 years of marriage
Watching my kids grow into the incredible young men and woman that God created them to be
Today, we attended the memorial service for my sister-in-law Dawn Denise Field. It was very moving as friends shared their memories of her very full life. It reminded me of the importance of relationships. Our lives impact others in so many ways and often we are not even aware of it. I’m sure Dawn would have enjoyed the stories told and probably would have responded humbly to all of the accolades. What stood out to me was that it was the day-to-day consistency of her life that made the biggest difference. So many people go through life looking for the big event that will make them stand out. Jesus said, “let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
In this life, we will not always hear from others of how our lives have affected them. But, when we live our lives for Christ and love others as He does, we will one day stand before God and hear the greatest “Well done” of all. That to me is a good life!!
Thank you all for praying for my brother’s family during this difficult time. On Sunday afternoon, my sister-in-law Dawn Field passed away after losing the battle with the H1N1 virus. Denise and I will be traveling to El Paso, Texas on December 1 to be with my brother Bob and attend the memorial service. In moments like these, I am so thankful for the power and presence of the Lord. God is the “God of all Comfort,” and even though we grieve, we grieve with hope - and that makes all the difference in the world.