RETHINKING THE HOW OF YOUR WITNESS

RETHINKING THE HOW OF YOUR WITNESS

A tool company that manufactures drill bits was faced with huge financial losses.  Company executives met to discuss their declining market demand. The CEO challenged them: “How can we revive the bit market?” After an embarrassing and lengthy silence, one member of the team dispelled all of the confusion.  He said, “Sir, the market isn’t for bits—it’s for holes!”

This true story illustrates a basic but often overlooked truth in business: Customers don’t actually buy products.  They are looking for the fulfillment of something that they really need or want. Put another way, there is no real market for products.  There’s only a market for what a product can do.

So, when you’re speaking to a family member, co-worker, or friend about spiritual matters, always avoid trying to sell a denomination, or a church.  People are not necessarily interested in hearing about religion, they want to hear about what it can do.  Effective testimonies highlight what Jesus can do – by sharing what He has already done – in your life.  Get to know Jesus for yourself so you can share the practical truth of what He has done for you, and what He will do for others.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

WHO'S YOUR ADVISER?

WHO’S YOUR ADVISER?

A school teacher lost her life savings in a business scheme that had been deceptively promoted by a swindler.  When her money disappeared and her dreams were shattered, she went to the Better Business Bureau. “Why on earth didn’t you come to us first?” the official asked. “Didn’t you know about the Better Business Bureau?” That teacher sadly responded, “Oh, yes, I’ve always known about you. But I didn’t come because I was afraid you’d tell me not to do it.” Wow!

The abject folly of human nature is that even though we know where the best answers reside – in God's Word – often we don't turn there for fear of what He might say.  Bottom-line: The All-Wise God is immeasurably preferable to any other source of alleged wisdom. (James 1:5) Seek Christ.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

WHAT ARE YOU BUILDING?

WHAT ARE YOU BUILDING?

After all is said and done, when we net it all out, we can compare life to a basic matter of building.  Indeed, all of us are building something – whether it’s family, reputations, skills, careers, relationships, etc.  Of paramount importance is how we build spiritual covenants with Jesus Christ.

The late great Daniel Webster served as secretary of state for three U.S. presidents.  I love how he framed the issue of what we should be building in life. “If we work on marble it will perish. If we work on brass, time will efface it. If we erect temples, they will crumble to dust. But if we work on men’s immortal minds, if we imbue them with high principles, with just fear of God and love of their fellows, we engrave on those tablets something which time cannot efface, and which will brighten and brighten to all eternity.” 

My friend, build wisely and eternally.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

DON'T GET HUNG UP ON APPEARANCES

DON’T GET HUNG UP ON APPEARANCES

As I perused the following height statistics pertaining to famous or historical personalities, it occurred to me that one doesn’t have to be tall to be big.

Olga Korbut, Soviet gymnast 4'11"
Dolly Parton, American singer 5'
Victoria, British queen 5'
John Keats, English poet 5'1"
Alexander Pope, English poet 4'6"                                                                                                        Debbie Reynolds, American actress 5'1"                                                                                                   St. Francis of Assisi, Italian saint 5'1"

Yuri Gagarin, Soviet cosmonaut 5'2"
Nikita Khrushchev, Soviet leader 5'3"
Micky Rooney, American actor 5'3"
Voltaire, French writer 5'3"
James Madison, American president 5'4"
Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter 5'4"
Haile Selassie, Ethiopian emperor 5'4"
Hirohito, Japanese emperor 5'5"
Aristotle Onassis, Greek shipping tycoon 5'5"
Napoleon Bonaparte, French emperor 5'6"
Tutankhamen, Egyptian king 5'6"

The take-away from this list is simply this: We must not focus so intently on the physical attributes of others.  There are personal characteristics that actually matter – so much more.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

MOVING FORWARD

MOVING FORWARD

A Danish fur trapper adhered to an important principle of personal determination: “The next mile is the only one a person really has to make.”  Be tenacious about taking your next practical and wise steps.  Keep on keepin’ on – even in the face of opposition, criticism, lack, or exhaustion.  In the memorable and motivational words of President Barack Obama, “Yes, you can!” 

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

KEEP THE VOW YOU MADE TO GOD

KEEP THE VOW YOU MADE TO GOD

The psalmist, David, penned these important words, “Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.” (Psalm 50:4)

Too often, people are prone to make serious commitments (vows) to the Lord and then fail to keep them.  A wealthy oil tycoon lay on his deathbed as his pastor tried to encourage him by sharing the Word about God’s healing power.  That very sick man was desperate to be healed.  “Pastor,” he gasped, “if God heals me, I’ll give the church a million dollars.”  

Miraculously, the man fully recovered and in a few weeks was out of the hospital.  Months later, he and the pastor happened to meet downtown in front of a grocery store. “You know,” the pastor said, “when you were in the hospital dying, you promised to give the church a million dollars if you got well.  We haven’t received it yet.”

“Did I say that?” the tycoon asked. “I guess that goes to show how sick I really was!” 

We should never forget that God sees, hears and remembers everything that we do and say.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

SELF-IMPRISONMENT

SELF-IMPRISONMENT

Master locksmith and magician , Harry Houdini, once found himself locked in by his own thinking.  After being shackled and confined in a Scottish jail, the officer closed the cell door and walked away.  Houdini was quickly able to free himself from the metal shackles, and then went to work on the cell door lock.  But no matter how hard he tried, he could not open the lock.  After many hours, he felt totally exhausted and leaned against the door to rest.  To his surprise, it immediately swung open and he fell into the corridor.  Actually, the guard never locked the door.  He just made Houdini think that he did.

Of course, prison locks and bars are not the only means of holding people captive.  Indeed, it is entirely possible to be personally confined and trapped in ‘stinkin-thinkin’ – especially when we buy in to negativity or the judgmental opinions of others.  My friend, never allow yourself to be imprisoned by apparent circumstances, or illness, or loss, or pain, or criticism, or habits, or anything else.  Christ has set you free, so be free indeed.  (John 8:36 – Romans 8:1)

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE WHAT YOU HAVE

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE WHAT YOU HAVE

Many years ago, a ragged and unkempt man shuffled into a little music shop in London, which was owned by the Betts family. Clutched under the man’s arm was a violin. “Will you buy this old violin from me?” the old man muttered. I’m starving and I need to buy something to eat.” Betts replied, “Well, I already have several violins, but I don’t want to see you go hungry. Will a guinea ($5.00 at the time) help you out?” “Oh, yes,” the man responded eagerly. “Thank you!” And taking the money, he disappeared into the night. Betts picked up the violin, took the bow and drew it across the strings. The violin gave forth a deep mellow tone. Surprised, Betts took a light, peered into the inside of the violin. and could scarcely believe what he saw. Carved into the wood were these words: “Antonio Stradivari, 1704.”  It was a priceless Stradivarius violin!  Betts ran out into the street to find the old man and pay him more for the violin. But he had gone.

My friend, our God has deposited something entirely unique and extremely valuable within your personality, or your character, or your life – something that is absolutely priceless.  Discover it, treasure it and use it for His glory and your blessing.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

HOW DO YOU DEFINE WINNING?

HOW DO YOU DEFINE WINNING?

At the age or 47, former North Carolina State basketball coach, Jim Valvano, was suffering from terminal spinal cancer.  In an interview with a news reporter, he looked back over his life and shared a very transparent story about himself as a 23-year-old coach of a small college team.

“Why is winning so important to you?” one of his players unexpectantly asked.

“Because the final score defines you,” Valvano responded confidently.  “You lose, ergo, you’re a loser.  You win, ergo, you’re a winner!”

“No,” the young athlete insisted somewhat sheepishly.  “Participation matters.  Trying your best whether you win or lose – that’s what defines you."

It took Jim Valvano 24 more years of living.  It took him getting out of bed 3 or 4 times a night with his soaked pajamas and his teeth rattling from the fever chill of chemotherapy.   It took the terror of seeing himself die repeatedly in nightmarish dreams.  It took all of that for him to come to this conclusion: “That kid was right.  It’s about effort, not always about results.  It’s about trying.  Dear God, what a great human being I could have been if I had this awareness way back then.” 

My friend, are you a winner – in the ways that really matter?

A winner goes through a problem; a loser goes around it, and never gets past it.  A winner makes commitments; a loser makes promises.  A winner says, I’m good, but not as good as I ought to be; a loser says, I’m not as bad as a lot of other people.  Winners have a habit of listening; losers just wait until it’s their turn to talk.

Invest the necessary time, talent, treasure, effort, enthusiasm, commitment, character and love to actually be a winner.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

NO HARM IN WAITING

NO HARM IN WAITING

G. Campbell Morgan presents helpful insights for the occasional times in life that we must simply wait on the Lord.  He writes, “Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort.  Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; and third, the ability to do nothing until the command is given.”

David admonishes, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart.  Wait, I say, on the Lord!”  (Psalm 27:14, NKJV) And Isaiah promises, “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.  They shall mount up with wings like eagles.  They shall run and not be weary.  They shall walk and not faith.” (Isaiah 40:31, NKJV)

Wait on the Lord…

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

JESUS CHRIST, OUR MATCHLESS AND MARVELOUS SAVIOR

JESUS CHRIST, OUR MATCHLESS AND MARVELOUS SAVIOR

Gregory of Nazianzus, penned these inspirational words about Jesus Christ in 381, A.D.

Jesus began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life.

Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water.

Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest.

Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King.

Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons.

Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears.

Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world.

Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd.

Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death.

Amen!  Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

THE ORIGIN OF "ROCK OF AGES"

THE ORIGIN OF “ROCK OF AGES”

Charles Wesley wrote several hymns to promote his brother John’s doctrine of sanctification. The second verse of his “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” asks God to “take away our bent to sinning.” This view was too much for the Calvinist, Augustus Toplady. In a magazine of which he was editor, Toplady wrote an article detailing a picture of man’s potential for sinning. Somehow, he arrived at the mathematical conclusion that a man of eighty is guilty of many millions of sins, a debt he could never hope to pay but for which he need not despair because of the sufficiency of Christ. He closed the article with an original poem, entitled “A Living and Dying Prayer for the Holiest Believer in the World.” This poem became one of the most beloved Christian hymns of all time.  We know it by the title, “Rock of Ages.”

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood,

From Thy wounded side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure;

Save from wrath and make me pure.

Amen, Brother Toplady, Amen!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

HOPE

HOPE

A self-made millionaire by the name of Eugene Land virtually transformed the lives of 59 sixth-grade minority students in East Harlem. Mr. Lang had been asked to speak to them and was totally at a loss, wondering what to say this group of students that most people expected would eventually drop out of school. What could he possibly say to inspire these struggling students? Scrapping his notes, Land decided to speak from his heart.

“Stay in school,” he admonished them cheerfully, “and I’ll pay the college tuition for every one of you!” In that moment of unexpected hope, their lives were miraculously changed. For the first time, they had real prospects for the future. One student later shared, “I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling!” Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school and quite a few commenced and completed college.

Hope is an awesome and contagious experience, a lifting and life-changing reality.  It is the tangible stepping-stone to a bright tomorrow.  So share hope…wherever, whenever and however you can.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

SELF-CONTROL = TONGUE CONTROL

SELF-CONTROL = TONGUE CONTROL

The sage, Solomon, penned the following wise saying about our tendency to occasionally over-use our tongues: “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.” (Proverbs 21:23)  It’s true.  It’s true!  To be transparent, most of my ripples in life’s waters are traceable to my tongue.  And I’m confident that I have one or two tongue-kinfolk out there somewhere!?!

Indeed, Jesus declares that whatever emerges from the mouth is a direct reflection of the heart. (Luke 6:45)  Publius, a Greek philosopher, put it this way: “I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.”  Hmmm…think about it.

I read a short paragraph today with a tongue-in-cheek reference (pun intended) regarding our talking:

On a windswept hill in a country churchyard stands a drab, gray slate tombstone.  The quaint stone bears an epitaph not easily seen unless you stoop over and look closely. The faint etchings read:

Beneath this stone, a lump of clay, lies Arabella Young,

Who on the twenty-fourth of May began to hold her tongue.

Of course, I never intend to throw any stones at the ladies because we men do more than our fair share of tongue-wagging as well!  Relax, my friends, and have an enjoyable, peaceable, tongue-controlled day. 😊

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

FULL FIDELITY TO CHRIST

FULL FIDELITY TO CHRIST

Augustine, the well-known African bishop of Hippo, penned these memorable and meaningful words: “Jesus Christ is not valued at all until He is valued above all.”  Therefore, my friend, true faithfulness to Christ simply means being all in.  For example, a man that is 85% faithful to his wife is not faithful at all.  The application is apparent:  There is no such thing as part-time Christianity or half-hearted loyalty to Christ.

No matter what others say or do, no matter how inconvenient or out of step with the world it might seem, be all in for your Savior and Lord.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

NEVER ALLOW OTHERS TO LABEL YOU

NEVER ALLOW OTHERS TO LABEL YOU

As children, on certain challenging occasions we would boisterously chant, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words [names] will never harm me.”  In other words, we would not allow the opinions or disparaging words flowing from the minds and mouths of others to affect our self-esteem.  It’s an important principle to keep top-of-mind, because some tend to garner their self-worth by diminishing or degrading other people.

For example, Charles the Simple was the son of Louis the Stammerer.  They were named thusly for their policy of making concessions to the Norse invaders, rather than fighting their enemies. 

Louis the Sluggard was noted for his self-indulgence while ruling over the Franks.

Ethelred the Unready (a.k.a. Ethelred the Ill-Advised) was named for his inability to repel the Danish invasion..

Louis the Fat was reputed to be sufficiently obese to preclude mounting and riding his horse.

But they were all rulers.  You, my friend, are much more than your weakest bodily or emotional link.  So look beyond the views of others and see yourself through the eyes and affirmations of your Creator.  Rise!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

LOOK AHEAD

LOOK AHEAD

Former President Harry S. Truman penned these insightful words about those who are fixated on the past: “People who live in the past remind me of a toy…a small wooden bird called the Floogie Bird.  Around that bird’s neck is a label reading, “I fly backwards.  I don’t care where I’m going.  I just want to see where I’ve been.” 

My friend, you’re not a hummingbird; you’re a child of God.  So don’t go flying into, getting trapped in, (or paralyzed by) your past.  The Holy Writ records an important admonition to all who are victimized by the backward look.  “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press...” (Philippians 3:13-14)

You know why it’s called the past?  Because it has passed…period!  Look forward and move on.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

ABILITY VS. AVAILABILITY

ABILITY VS. AVAILABILITY

One lesson I’ve learned (sometimes painfully so) is that in the general scheme of life, one’s ability counts far less than one’s availability.  Availability always…always…trumps ability.  The life of Booker T. Washington is one such noteworthy example.  At your leisure, check it out.

Josh Billings frames this important truth about staying power so artfully.  He writes, “Consider the postage stamp.  Its usefulness consists in its tendency to stick to one thing until it gets there.”  My friend, when your mind occasionally contemplates other options, just consider the importance of your present situation and decide to stick to it.  Always be available and stick to it.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

INCREASING KNOWLEDGE: A SIGN OF THE TIMES

INCREASING KNOWLEDGE: A SIGN OF THE TIMES

Educational analysts have noted that knowledge is now exploding at a phenomenally rapid rate--more than 2000 pages of new information every minute.  Even the most brilliant among us could not possibly keep up with that incredible pace.  Actually, if we were to read 24 hours every day (from age 21 to age 70) we would still be 1.5 million years behind when we finished.  Wow!

If we were to graph this awesome increase of human knowledge from the beginning of time to recent times, it would roughly appear as follows:

--Up to 1845 is one inch.
--From 1845 to 1945 is three inches.
--From 1945 to 1976 is the height of the Washington Monument.

Actually, in 1945 the sum of human knowledge doubled every 25 years.  Currently, the sum of human knowledge doubles every 12 hours!  The prophet, Daniel, predicted such amazing circumstances for the end-time, emphatically stating that “knowledge shall be increased.” (Daniel 12:4)  Unquestionably, his words constitute a real understatement of our present situation.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

SOMETIMES IT'S PAINFUL TO HELP

SOMETIMES IT’S PAINFUL TO HELP

Alexander de Seversky, U.S. aviator and engineer, visited a fellow flyer in the hospital who had recently lost his leg. Seversky, who had an artificial leg for quite some time, was trying to cheer him up. “The loss of a leg is not so great a calamity,” he reasoned. “If you get hit on a wooden leg, it doesn’t hurt a bit! Try it!” The patient then raised his walking stick and brought it down hard on Seversky’s leg. “You see,” Seversky responded cheerfully. “If you hit an ordinary man like that, he’d be in bed for five days!” Having said that, he left his friend’s side and limped into the corridor, where he collapsed in excruciating pain. It seems the young man had struck Seversky on his good leg!

Occasionally, we might have to experience moments of pain during our heartfelt and sacrificial attempts to aid or comfort others. However, my own life experiences convince me that helping is always the right choice, no matter how much it might personally cost. Your painful experiences just might be the start of healing, hope and help for others.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

WHY SO MUCH PRIDE?

WHY SO MUCH PRIDE?

I discovered some rather intriguing truths in the writings of St. Francis de Sales.  He wisely advises, “Some men become proud and insolent because they ride a fine horse, wear a feather in their hat, or are dressed in a fine suit of clothes. Who does not see the folly of this? If there be any glory in such things, the glory belongs to the horse, the bird and the tailor.”  Wow!

During the pastoral ministry of my natural and spiritual father, the late Bishop Joseph Edison Bass, Sr., he often referenced the following relevant questions posed by the Apostle Paul: “What do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (I Corinthians 4:7)  Think.

Whoever you are, whatever you have somehow achieved or accrued in life, your Creator and some other person or people were certainly instrumental in your accomplishments.  So, make sure that you express sincere gratitude to God and to others who laid tangible foundations for your success.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!