Look deep into The Purpose-Driven Church and see a man following God’s lead, both prayerfully and faithfully. Prior to pastoring, Rick Warren had faith. Prior to having a mega-church status
, Rick Warren sought to please God.
Archive for the ‘accomplishment’ Category
No Middle of the Road
Posted in accomplishment, action, believers, calling, faith, glory, God, inspiration, study, testimony on November 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Special Events and Beyond
Posted in accomplishment, charity, methods, planning, resources, strategy, success on October 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »
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Preparation
: How you prepare will impact how you perform. If you are lackluster in preparation, don’t expect to tap into some hidden gem of enthusiasm and energy that wasn’t present before it is time to perform. Go full strength with your preparations.
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Promotion
: You have to talk it up and take it up a notch. You are to talk it up to get others talking about what’s coming. If you don’t show any enthusiasm about what you are putting on, then you won’t see many people rushing to get there. Talk it up and take it up. Introduce something new. Innovate it. Put a new spin on an old idea. Let it wow your audience.
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Presentation
: Small budgets don’t have make your events small-scale ventures.
Get others to partner and support your efforts. Look at your vendors for discounts. Do you always use the same caterers or order from the same local restaurants? Ask for a discount and offer premiere signage. See where you can cut costs without cutting corners. Keep your presentation flawless and fantastic.
Excuses or Excellence
Posted in accomplishment, action, business, choices, doubt, expectations, faith, fear, folly, goals, growth, new nature, perception, priority, productivity, stewardship, success, tips, work, tagged calling, change, daily, faith, glory, heart, help, ministry, power, relationship, service, support, work on October 23, 2010| 3 Comments »
“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” ~Benjamin Franklin
Exceed expectations. Are you getting any closer to excellence? Merely meeting expectations is a minimum. When you exceed those same expectations, you start to enter into excellence. We are to offer God our best every step of the way. Excuses do not excuse us from the expectations of our Eternal Father.
We have to go further than we have ever gone before. We have to take actions that will lead to exploring new territory. Excuses are just excuses. They do not excuse us from His expectations. They can hinder us from doing His will or walking by faith. They can harm progress in our spiritual maturity. They may not even help us at all. We have to see what excuses really do for us. They offer nothing but trouble because they lead to procrastination, problems and poor performance or pitiful productivity. That’s what comes forth out of excuses.
Let excellence serve as your trademark. Lead by example. Let excuses go. Let others see the distinct qualities that set you apart from the crowd. Demonstrate that you are not simply going with the flow. In fact, if you live for Him, it may even cause you to go against the grain at times. You begin to discover that God has put more in you than you think, but you won’t discover it until you have been put to the test. When the tests, trials and troubles come your way, it won’t be time for excuses. That will be the time you set your heart on excelling beyond expectations. At that point, you become David facing a giant called Goliath. Right then, you become Moses standing before a raging Red Sea. In the midst of it, you stand out like Paul, writing as a concerned parent to his dear children, addressing believers in Rome with an assurance that every Christian is more than a conqueror. We overcome with overwhelming strength supplied by the Supreme God, God Almighty.
Imperfect People and a Perfect Plan
Posted in accomplishment, believers, blessing, encouragement, inspiration, service on August 27, 2010| 2 Comments »
70 He chose David his servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 from following the nursing ewes he brought him
to shepherd Jacob his people,
Israel his inheritance.
72 With upright heart he shepherded them
and guided them with his skillful hand.
Psalm 78:70-72 ESV
God does something miraculous with us. He uses imperfect people to accomplish the glorious work of His perfect plan. Imagine that. He uses whoever He chooses.
He chose David…
God Chooses Us
The choice is God’s, not ours. He is open and honest when He states that His ways are not like our ways. In fact, He clearly states that His ways are above ours. God is autonomous. He is God Almighty without our help.
…and took him from the sheepfolds…he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people
God Moves Us
God moves us from where He has us to where he wants us. When you get a chance, check out Jonah’s story. Jonah tried to get away as far from God’s determined destination for as possible, but God got him right where He wanted him. God will move us. He can move us like He did David and place us in a privileged and predestined position. He can move us.
With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.
God Uses Us
God used David to accomplish much through his livelihood and his life. Even some of David’s stumbles and snafus led to him crafting beautiful psalms that resonate with hearts and souls today. David was used by God. God uses individuals who don’t have the right resume or the perfect portfolio.
God uses whoever He chooses.
Clean Up Time
Posted in accomplishment, action, believers, change, encouragement, family, inspiration, Jesus, lesson, peace, reflection, share, solutions, success, thoughts, tagged Christ, church, cleanliness, corruption, exhortation, glory, godliness, heart, Jesus, prayer, preach, relationship, temple, theology, Word, worship on June 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »
And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple. . . Luke 19:45-48 (KJV)
I am a royal mess. I mean it. I literally keep my desk, car and “area” of the house a real mess. I’m just messy and unorganized.
I keep things in an uproar. Chaos is essentially where I thrive. I keep mounds of paperwork (who said automation is modern) and I am not thrown off when things are not altogether “in order.” Yet, I live and work with orderly people who care enough to share with me how bad I can be while exercising my lived-in practices. I decided during this long weekend to do something about me and my mess.
(What does that have to do with Jesus and casting folks out of the temple?)
Just like Jesus, I had to go into where the mess existed. Jesus had to go to where it was and do something about it right in the midst of it. Jesus spoke out against all that He saw going on there. (In fact, the disciple whom He loved adds some details about Him making a whip for driving folks out of the temple.[John 2:15]) I won’t dare repeat the things that came to mind, but the closest I can get is mea culpa. (Oh, Lord, help me and have mercy today.)
Jesus got up close and personally involved in cleansing the temple. He spoke out against the “swap meet” for God’s people in God’s house, referencing two major prophets – Isaiah and Jeremiah. (Uh Oh, those are some powerful prophets!) Needless to say, as I got deeper into clean-up time, I wasn’t quoting the Scriptures as much as I could hear my grandmother’s voice in the back of my mind saying: “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” (Really? Is that so? I could argue against her theology but I respect the deceased and I think she probably would have a better perspective on it than I would. You think?)
Okay. Where was I ? (You know I said I am unorganized.) Anyhow, it’s like Jesus when I get to moving and ordering things around. I changed the entire environment. I can’t say that I did everything that I need to do, but I definitely made some real, genuine progress.
Jesus taught in the temple. That goes along with His proclamation as a “house of prayer.” Here’s the real deep part for you. I didn’t teach as much as I learned. You see, I learned that my mess was interfering with the “pursuit of happiness” [Not the Will Smith flick with his son; that was the Pursuit of Happyness, I believe] for my family and people who I work with (when I “work”). It also let me know that if my daughter didn’t have to ride in my car, she would gladly ride in something else. I learned how being me and letting things go and get out hand can lead to me hurting others. That is not good. That is not a Christ-like existence. I had to make a change to make my relationships better off. I will definitely keep you posted. (Keep me in prayer.)
Reflect on Results
Posted in accomplishment, action, business, planning, reflection, tagged effectiveness, ministry, praise, reflection, service, success, work on February 6, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.- Peter Drucker
How often do we accomplish a goal and then quietly reflect upon it? I am not sure about the experience of many others, but I have seen where we get our desired results and instinct leads us into celebration, not reflection. Take a long, hard look at what you have done, the effort and energy put into doing something right, and then simply reflect upon it quietly. Discern what more could have been accomplished or how to improve on the effort the next time. Keep thinking forward for the next opportunity. Identify opportunities that exist now that you have accomplished this goal. You need to build upon the success of this latest triumph, but you need to do so with some time to reflect upon what you have already done. Use the victory as motivation for more movement. Keep that enthusiasm burning among your people to get them over the next hurdle that is headed their way along the journey. Take some time to simply reflect, then regroup and go forward with an action plan for further success.
Built Up by the Bay
Posted in accomplishment, action, Bayview, blessed, California, change, Christianity, community, discipleship, evangelize, follow, future, growth, leadership, manhood, prayer, preaching, reflection, religion, salvation, service, stewardship, study, success, support, tagged calling, change, church, faith, help, ministry, outreach, preach, salvation, support on December 31, 2009| Leave a Comment »
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. Hebrews 10:24 (NKJV)
I learned most of what i know and have come to understand about God, salvation, church, ministry and being a minister of God right by the bay. It has been under Dr. Timothy J. Winters, the pastor of Bayview Baptist Church in San Diego. San Diego has presented many learning opportunities for me in the Lord’s service and through the non[rofit and educational sectors of service within my community, but I have truly learned a different skill set under Pastor Winters and through Bayview Baptist Church. I have been built up in what has been dubbed as “America’s finest city” for the work of the Lord. My past is exactly that; it has passed on. So, as I look forward towards 2010, I am inspired by the man who influenced and impacted me as my father in the ministry to reach new heights and accomplish new things that will lead to others being inspired and influenced as well. I pray that Life Path Ministries touches lives in new and innovative ways for God this year. I pray that we are able to reach hearts and souls for Christ. If God could do such a work with me, He surely can build up others by the bay and shoreline, the border and beyond.
Since We’ve Started (The Journey of Life Path)
Posted in accomplishment, faith, joy, labor, ministry, offering, reflection, service, work on February 23, 2009| Leave a Comment »
God has been so gracious to allow us time to reflect and look back at what we started and how far we have come thus far. When I consider the fear that held my dreams in 2006, I am thankful for the challenge of faith that came about in 2007 that made Life Path Ministries & Services more than a dream. I was sparked by Isaiah 61:1-2 to take a long, hard look at my christian walk and what I had really been offering God as my service. It was through much study and prayer as well as wise counsel from both friends and elders that has made me sure of what I have offered through Life Path as my best effort.
Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.– Proverbs 16:3Visit the following sites to learn more about
Life Path Ministries & Services:www.ministriesinaction.com
www.lulu.com/lifepath/
http://lifepathministries.christianarchives.org
www.myspace.com/lifepathevents/
If there is no struggle, there is no progress.
–Frederick DouglassFYI: Lamentations in the Storm, my latest book of poetry, has been delayed due to some publishing challenges. Please be in prayer that these matters can be resolved by March.