Revitalize Your Church

Self examination and difficult conversations are hard.  That's why so few are willing to "go there."  It's painful. "Going there" means humbling yourself enough to face the truth, regardless of how uncomfortable it may be. "Going there" is mustering up the courage to say what needs to be said, even if the other person may not react well to it. "Going there" means caring enough to confront, but often feels uncaring. "Going there" takes the risk that things will never be the same. "Going there" forces you to face your fears. "Going there" reveals your secrets. "Going there" requires looking beneath the actions to the underlying cause. "Going there" shows your shadow self. "Going there" is nerve wracking and gut-wrenching. "Going there" means seeing or hearing things you would rather ignore. "Going there" may make you...

Here is a helpful guide for prayer,  inspired by a chapter from   In The Day of Thy Power , by Arthur Wallis:  Six Steps to the Throne. In 2 Chronicles 9:18 we read that there were six steps to the throne of King Solomon.  And in our prayer life, there are six steps to the throne of God:  The King of Kings. Step 1:  Abiding in Christ John 15:5-7  I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. This means being connected to Christ -- living in Christ - being at home with him.  There is a huge difference between saying prayers and being a person of prayer. Two ways we become disconnected:  Disobedience (Ps, 66:18) and Neglect.  Is Jesus your spare tire or your steering wheel? Step 2: In the Will of God 1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we ...

If you've botched your New Year's resolutions already, maybe it would be helpful to take a different approach.  Instead of throwing in the towel and feeling guilty about how you didn't achieve your feeble intentions, why not select a focus -- a theme for the year and keep plugging on towards it?  This method gives guidance and direction, without the pressure of impending failure hanging over you head.   If you are looking for theme, how about this one?   Listen and Do .  It is simple and sweet and will keep you going for the full 365 (actually 366 since this is Leap Year!) 1) Listen:   You and I have been given two ears and one mouth. That’s because we’re supposed to listen twice as much as we speak. However, I've discovered that talking is easier than hearing.  Listening is far more difficult than explaining. Why is it so hard to listen? Consider this. We speak at 100-150 words per minute. We are able to comprehend at 250-300 words...