Whataya Say?

Happy Friday Friends!!!

I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day as this beautiful new day dawns!

I would like to respectfully ask for your thoughts & prayers as the Texas Gulf Coast, and in fact much of Texas, continues to get pounded by rain. There has been loss of life, terrible destruction and a whole lot of devastated folks. Thank you.

I want to share a few quick things with you this morning:

1. I heard this on the radio and absolutely had to share with you. If someone was listening to you and some friends talking at lunch, what would they say about you & your conversation? Is it uplifting? Life-giving? Positive? Encouraging? Or is it gossip? Tearing others down? Complaining?

In this hyper-sensitive, politically correct world we live in, we have gotten really, really good at saying the "right" things at the right time. However when our guard is down, like when we are at lunch with a bunch of friends, what are the words we speak? They reveal our heart & give legs to the life we walk out. It is my hope that we all will think of this the next time we are with a group of friends...that we would be very mindful of our words. 

I actually just put this on Twitter this morning...kinda fits:

"You are either supporting the vision or supporting division." - Saji Ljiyemi

 

I believe it is was meant in a business/leadership sense however I want to give you another application. God has a vision...you can read about it in the Bible. It doesn't include gossip, tearing others down, complaining or worrying....just sayin'!

2. "Perfect love casts out fear." I heard this, I don't know, a couple of months ago I guess. I have thought about it several times and, the opposite of this statement as well. If perfect love, the kind of love we all want, casts out fear then fear is not caused by love. Love protects you, wants what is best for you and believes in you. Fear steals your joy, kills your peace and, if given great counsel in your life, will destroy your destiny.

So let us look at the things that come at us every day in life. Have you ever noticed how many commercials prey on our fears? A simple question; are the things being spoken done out of love or to cause fear? It gives us a great indication of the intent of the deliverer of the message. Do they really want what is best for you & your family or are they simply trying to sell a product. Perfect love casts out fear, it doesn't cause it.

How about the words your family, friends, colleagues, etc. speak to you? Perfect love casts out fear, it doesn't cause it. A very simple phrase to remember, to help guide us, as we embrace each day.

3. A few years ago, when Kath & I were going through a season of trial, I told her that we were going to measure every thought against the Word of God. If what we were thinking lined up with what the Bible says we would discuss it. If it did not, we would dismiss it. Great peace followed though the season of trial remained.

Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting with a very sweet 76-year old lady. She has lived a great life, accomplished much and had a great marriage, filled with joy, love & friendship. However she has one great regret. She feels as though perhaps she has failed. That maybe she is inadequate. That somehow her life does not matter. She had revealed earlier in the conversation that she is a Christian. I asked her respectfully if I could speak truth, from a Book we both believe in, with her. She said yes. I then told her what my Beautiful Bride & I had decided a few years ago. I told her that the things she was saying about herself do not measure up with the truth we know from the Bible.

I want to encourage you Friends to use the same measure; does what you are thinking, feeling or about to say measure up with what the Bible says? If so, give it counsel. If not, please dismiss it immediately before it takes root in your heart. Just a few quick truths, paraphrased of course! :)

• The truth is we are not supposed to pick another apart, to point out their weaknesses, faults or failures. No, we are supposed to look first at our own & work on those.
• The truth is you are fearfully & wonderfully made, created for a great purpose, lacking nothing.
• The truth is we are blessed with each day to serve others, not to be served.
• The truth is we are not supposed to judge anyone.
• The truth is nobody is greater than anyone else, nobody!

These are a few Biblical truths, backed by scripture. How different would this world be if we actually walked out these truths? Please give it a try; measure every thought against Truth.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev