I'm enjoying a wonderful cup of hot coffee on this beautiful Monday morning. There's nothing quite like a fresh cup of coffee on a cool fall day.
Gods word tells us the the Lords mercies are new, fresh with every morning. Praise God. Jeremiah said in Lamentations 3 - that even after all he had been through, and he had been through a lot, he could still dare to hope! What powerful words... still dare to HOPE! He had watched the city that he loved be completely destroyed, watched as people were slaughtered ruthlessly, had watched such starvation that mothers were eating their own babies just to survive. Ug! Yet he could still dare to hold onto hope. How?
He would think about the Lords fresh new mercy that comes with every new day! Have you ever walked past a coffee pot at work that has been on all day long and has that horrible smell of burnt coffee? Yuk. It's not fresh and smells horrible. What started out with such great smell and flavor over time gets old, it stinks, and tastes awful.
As I drink a fresh cup of coffee this morning, I'm reminded that the mercy of the Lord is fresh and new with every day. It doesn't get old, and no longer any good to me... no just the opposite - the mercy of the Lord is fresh and it's aroma fills my life with hope as I enter yet another wonderful day that the Lord has made.
Let me encourage you today... yesterday is gone, whatever took place is what it is... but it is in the past. Your life does not need to be ruled by your past, because there is fresh mercy for you today. May you be filled with hope today as you realize that:
1. Your biggest and brightest days are your days yet to come!
2. Life is best lived out of your imagination not your memory!
3. The Lord is crazy in love with you!
4. Before the foundation of the world the Lord chose you as the focus of his love!
5. With every day come new and bigger opportunities!
6. You are a masterpiece in the making!
7. The Lord has something significant for you to do... plans and destiny for your life.
Lord, I thank you this morning for your rich, fresh mercy. This cup of coffee sitting next to me that I've been sipping as I write down some thoughts this morning remind me of your fresh rich mercy that is brand new for me today. I love you and thank you today. May my life put a smile on your face today as the thought of your fresh mercy puts a smile on my face.
I'm going for another fresh cup of coffee.... have a great day!
Kev
Monday, November 3, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Repair The Leak
This morning I was walking up in the balcony of the church... praying and with my eyes of faith seeing both the main floor and the balcony filled every Sunday. I could see chairs set up along the back walls for extra seating every week. Young people giving up their seat for others and sitting on the floor down front. I could see Acts 13:44 becoming reality... the day that almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. The I could see Ps.64:9 taking place... everyone in the city and soul zone was talking about what God was doing.
Then I looked up at the ceiling and saw a water stain where there is an obvious leak. And I had this thought - "We must repair the leak!" My great time of prayer seemed to be interrupted by this nasty stain. I can get so easily distracted at times when I'm praying...
Of course practically the leak in our roof must be repaired. Pastor Dave expects excellence in every area of Mount Hope Church and that certainly includes our facility. Who wants to look at an ugly ceiling stain? It will be fixed. But that little leak in our roof began a thought in my mind about other "leaks" in peoples lives, about other "leaks" in the church, and a leaders responsibility in it all.
If you think about it people leak things like:
1. Passion. One might start out in a relationship with Jesus Christ with a great amount of passion. Or begin an exciting ministry with a great amount of enthusiasm and passion. But over time passion can leak right out of a person. A persons passsion to read the Word and pray begins to leak and gets replaced by a sense of obligation. A persons passion to serve others and do the work of the ministry leaks and gets replaced by a sense of duty. Passion in a marriage can leak too and be replaced with boredom.
Personally, why not take some time to fill up your "passion" tank today. You can start by thanking the Lord for all He is and all He is doing in your life. Take time to look at all the good that is going on around you and thank the Lord for it. Remember, your life is pulled in the direction of your most dominant thought. So if you are looking at the good and thanking the Lord for it, your life will be heading in that direction. As leaders, we reproduce what we are, not what we know. If we are running around half empty when it comes to passion, that is what we will reproduce.
Now as a leader make sure you are taking the time first to keep your passion tank filled, and secondly, fill the tanks of others. Your staff and team are your greatest asset and they all leak passion too. Fill them with passion, be a master motivator, flood them with appreciation, and help them to see the future with you. If you don't watch the passion level of those around you, you may very well find yourself getting to your goal, but being all by yourself once you get there.
2. People also leak vision. I heard Bill Hybels say a CD once... "people leak vision." And it's true. As a leader keep the vision fresh in your mind and heart. I like to keep a glass board right in front of my desk and on that board I write down the vision, draw the vision... put pictures that inspire vision in me. I want the vision before me. I pray the vision, talk about the vision and I also need to impart the vision. Vision will leak right out of your best staff and leaders. It is your role as a leader to keep pouring vision into those around you. Creatively weave the vision into every message you preach. Talk about the vision in your conversations over a cup of coffee.
How is your vision tank doing? What can you do this week to pour vision into those around you?
Well... I'm new to blogging and really have to go. But I pray the Holy Spirit will help you repair the leaks that take place in your own life as well as to be in a constant state of filling up those around you.
Many Blessings,
Kevin
Then I looked up at the ceiling and saw a water stain where there is an obvious leak. And I had this thought - "We must repair the leak!" My great time of prayer seemed to be interrupted by this nasty stain. I can get so easily distracted at times when I'm praying...
Of course practically the leak in our roof must be repaired. Pastor Dave expects excellence in every area of Mount Hope Church and that certainly includes our facility. Who wants to look at an ugly ceiling stain? It will be fixed. But that little leak in our roof began a thought in my mind about other "leaks" in peoples lives, about other "leaks" in the church, and a leaders responsibility in it all.
If you think about it people leak things like:
1. Passion. One might start out in a relationship with Jesus Christ with a great amount of passion. Or begin an exciting ministry with a great amount of enthusiasm and passion. But over time passion can leak right out of a person. A persons passsion to read the Word and pray begins to leak and gets replaced by a sense of obligation. A persons passion to serve others and do the work of the ministry leaks and gets replaced by a sense of duty. Passion in a marriage can leak too and be replaced with boredom.
Personally, why not take some time to fill up your "passion" tank today. You can start by thanking the Lord for all He is and all He is doing in your life. Take time to look at all the good that is going on around you and thank the Lord for it. Remember, your life is pulled in the direction of your most dominant thought. So if you are looking at the good and thanking the Lord for it, your life will be heading in that direction. As leaders, we reproduce what we are, not what we know. If we are running around half empty when it comes to passion, that is what we will reproduce.
Now as a leader make sure you are taking the time first to keep your passion tank filled, and secondly, fill the tanks of others. Your staff and team are your greatest asset and they all leak passion too. Fill them with passion, be a master motivator, flood them with appreciation, and help them to see the future with you. If you don't watch the passion level of those around you, you may very well find yourself getting to your goal, but being all by yourself once you get there.
2. People also leak vision. I heard Bill Hybels say a CD once... "people leak vision." And it's true. As a leader keep the vision fresh in your mind and heart. I like to keep a glass board right in front of my desk and on that board I write down the vision, draw the vision... put pictures that inspire vision in me. I want the vision before me. I pray the vision, talk about the vision and I also need to impart the vision. Vision will leak right out of your best staff and leaders. It is your role as a leader to keep pouring vision into those around you. Creatively weave the vision into every message you preach. Talk about the vision in your conversations over a cup of coffee.
How is your vision tank doing? What can you do this week to pour vision into those around you?
Well... I'm new to blogging and really have to go. But I pray the Holy Spirit will help you repair the leaks that take place in your own life as well as to be in a constant state of filling up those around you.
Many Blessings,
Kevin
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