Revitalize Your Church

Here we stand at the threshold of the New Year. 2015 will soon be passed and packed away, living only in the attic of memories.   Looking ahead to 2016, I can guarantee one thing: a lot of living will go into it. How will it turn out? Only God knows. This chapter may be drama. Perhaps it will be romance. Action adventure. Comedy. Tragedy. Mystery. Next December, upon reflection, you will be able to describe the events of 2016 – but not now. The best you can do is throw your shoulders back, trust God, and march right in. You see, although you don’t know anything about the upcoming months, God does – and He will be with you as you travel from mountain top to valley.   Nobody knows what tomorrow holds, but we do know WHO holds tomorrow. Sometimes, in lonely moments, it feels as if we are alone, but God has promised never to leave you or forsake you – even in the darkest hours. An anonymous writer captured this idea with these inspiring words: I said to the man wh...

"Much will be required from everyone to whom much has been given." -- Luke 12:48 ISV "There is not one saint in the Old Testament who received a fraction as much as you have in Jesus Christ.  Yet, we act as if all God wants from us is 'Oh, hi Lord', then we go about our way.  And we count millions of converts who have done nothing more than salute the Lord and continue in their wicked ways." -- Richard Owen Roberts

Each year, John Wesley - the founder of Methodism - would begin the New Year with a "Covenant Service." (We follow this same tradition at Hayward Wesleyan Church, by incorporating Wesley's Covenant into the worship service on the first Sunday of each New Year.) The heart of the service, focused in the Covenant Prayer, requires persons to commit themselves anew to God. Scriptures read at this service included Deuteronomy 31: 9-13, Jeremiah 31: 31-34, Psalm 50, and John 15: 1-8. The Prayer of Invitation from this service follows: Commit yourselves to Christ as his servants. Give yourselves to him, that you may belong to him. Christ has many services to be done. Some are more easy and honorable, others are more difficult and disgraceful. Some are suitable to our inclinations and interests, others are contrary to both. In some we may please Christ and please ourselves. But then there are other works where we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves. I...

The following prayer was delivered by baseball great, Bobby Richardson at a banquet years ago: Lord, your will. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else. Amen I think it would do us all good to pray the Richardson prayer today.

Art Erickson recently posed this challenging question: Am I a follower of Jesus Christ? If I am, what is my commitment: 100%, 50%, or 10%? 50% and 10% Folks Want: A safe neighborhood, a nice marriage, kids who behave, a good church, and good retirement benefits. Choose what is acceptable rather than what is right. Are moved by stories about the oppressed and the neglected… but do nothing. God is a part of their lives… but only a part (a small, controlled, and self-determined part). Will serve God… “But there are limits you know”. Hardly, if ever, share their faith with family, friends, neighbors or fellow workers. Hang with the rich… Do not hang with the poor To live by faith, but their lives are so structured that they never have to because they: Have a savings account Retirement plan in place Full refrigerators Good health mostly Have their lives figured out and planned Think more about this world than the next one. 100% Folks Want: To serve and glorify God. Are not motivated by ego ...

Everybody has a "pay day" and a "play day". If you pay now, you can play later -- but if you play now, you will have to pay later - and the price might be higher than you expected. There's no such thing as a free ride. You reap what you sow. If you do not humble yourself now, you will be humbled later. If you do not discipline yourself now, you will be disciplined by life later. If you live on credit now, you'll have to pay compound interest later. If you are selfish now, you will be isolated and lonely later. If you are negative now, life will get worse later. If you are angry now, you will be bitter and ugly later. If you fail to be kind now, you won't have friends later. If you are a "people pleaser" now, you will sacrifice your integrity later. If you don't cherish your family now, you won't have a family later. If you don't work hard now, you will not succeed later. If you fail to make healthy choices now, you will feeble a...

It is easier to serve God without a vision, easier to work for God without a call, because then you are not bothered by what God requires; common sense is your guide, veneered over with Christian sentiment. You will be more prosperous and successful, more leisure-hearted, if you never realize the call of God. But if once you receive a commission from Jesus Christ, the memory of what God wants will always come like a goad; you will no longer be able to work for Him on the common-sense basis. -- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

At some point, to be a Christian, you have to transform from "come and see" to "go and die." -- Mark Driscoll

We used this video during our Christmas Eve services

Preparing to go to Africa, the great missionary, David Livingstone prayed: “Send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever me from any tie but the tie that binds me to Your service and Your heart.” As he prayed, God’s Word came to him, “Lo I am always with you to the end of the age.”

An inspiring site based on the Don't Quit Poem

Although it’s been over seven decades since Babe Ruth played baseball and most of his records have been eclipsed by others, he’s still recognized as the greatest slugger who ever lived. The Bambino is truly an American icon. I’ll never forget taking my boys to the Smithsonian and admiring their Babe Ruth artifacts. We just stared and said, “Wow!” Time after time, the Sultan of Swat strode to the plate and hammered one out of the park. He was the first major leaguer to hit 60 homers in one season. His career record of 714 homeruns stood for nearly four decades (without steroids!) and he still remains the all time slugging leader. Every survey and ranking lists Babe among the “greatest of the greats” – usually at the top of the heap. It’s no wonder the old Yankee Stadium is still known as “The House that Ruth Built.” There’s another major league record holder worth noting. His name was Eddie “Cocky” Collins, who played as an infielder for the Athletics and White Sox. Collins played in t...

We must disabuse people of the notion that there is any shortcut to achievement. Life requires thorough preparation. Veneer isn't worth anything. -- George Washington Carver

A wonderful post by Charles Hill

“The size of the vision God will give me is directly related to the amount of pain and discomfort I’m willing to endure.” Read more: "Catalyst West: Perry Noble TonyMorganLive.com" - http://tonymorganlive.com/2009/04/24/catalyst-west-perry-noble/#ixzz0Dpl1Jsig&A

Giving Up Something You Love for Something You Love Even More -- From a great post by Craig Groeschl

I ask no bliss But this, To know Thy will, And it fulfill, In every part So that my heart, Without alloy, May know the joy By peace Or rod To please My God. -- Leonard Ravenhill in Heart Breathings

"veni, vedi, velcro" -- "I came, I saw, I stuck around." -- from my friend, Chad McCallum Fitting after nearly 18 years of ministry in the same church!

We all know the story of the tortoise and the hare. In their great race, Mr. Hare started with a flash, and, noticing his huge lead, decided to stop for a moment and take a snooze. Mr. Tortoise, on the other hand, plodded along slowly and steadily. At first, he was left in a cloud of dust, but he refused to quit. He kept going. After a while, he waddled right past the napping hare, and crossed the finish line. His persistence, not his swiftness, made him a winner! Are you a tortoise or a hare? Do you finish what you start, or do you leave a trail of unfinished projects behind you? Sometimes, the people with the greatest talent lose life’s race because they are undisciplined, and unwilling to go all the way to the finish line. Oh yes, these folks have lots of great intentions, but little things just seem to crowd them out. Any expert in goal setting will tell you that to reach a big goal, you gave to tackle it one step at a time. Achievement is not accomplished by a quick dash, but by ...

It is easier to fix the blame than to fix the problem. It is easier to make excuses than to make progress. It is easier to duck responsibility than to take it. It is easer to find fault than to appreciate good qualities. It is easier to daydream than it is to pursue a dream. It is easier to rock the boat than to row it. It is easier to worry than to pray. It is easer to put off a chore than to tackle it. It is easer to blame society than to improve it. It is easier to be self-serving than to be self-sacrificing. It is easier to critique from the stands than to play on the field. It is easier to spend money than to save it. It is easier to waste time than to invest it. It is easier to watch the news than to make it. It is easier to follow the familiar path than to blaze a new trail. It is easier to complain than to cheer.. It is easier to condemn than to bless. It is easier to reprimand than to encourage. It is easier to argue than to understand. It is easier to talk than to listen. It ...