Happy Friday Friends!
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama!
What is your story? We all have one...and every one of them matters. There are stories of great triumph and great struggles, in every life. Our stories do not define who we are however they give us the opportunity to discover who we are. There are countless tests that we all take - some are lessons of success and some are lessons of failure. There are lessons of love and there are lessons of hate. There are lessons of great offense and there are lessons of great forgiveness. The thing about these tests is that they are not in our lives to define us but rather to refine us. Sadly, some are stuck in the tests of yesterday, a week ago, a year ago, and for some, many years ago.
In terms of defining who you are, God did that a long time ago. He says you are fearfully and wonderfully made, created on purpose for a great purpose for which you are perfectly equipped, lacking nothing. That is who you are, the Son or Daughter of God that He created you to be. You are not your job, your relationships with others, your successes or your failures. Those are simply opportunities to grow, develop and become all that God created you to become.
Please Sweet Friends, don't let either your successes or failures to define. Please learn lessons from these great opportunities. There is a lesson in each day, if only we will be willing to learn. Instead of gloating over our successes or insistently beating ourselves up over our failures, let's simply look at each as the opportunity to learn, to grow and to become all that we were created to become.
And, as a guy who beats himself up pretty good when he feels he has fallen short, let me provide a friendly reminder; it is our tests that give us our testimonies. Our greatest purposes to influence this world for good are often born out of our own struggles, challenges and problems. Don't put on a mask and try to hide the scar. Don't continue to beat yourself up over the thing that happened yesterday - no matter how long ago that is! I promise you, the lessons you have learned, the steps you have taken to overcome whatever fault or failure you experienced - provided you have learned and grown from it - will be used to encourage, empower and equip others who are currently experiencing the same thing you have already survived.
Which leads me to my next thing; what are you doing with the platforms you have been given? Have you ever really thought about it? The very first person you see this morning is an opportunity; you will begin influencing them the moment you see each other. Are you using that to lift up, to encourage? Are you valuing them? Are you encouraging, empowering and/or equipping them? And this repeats itself over and over again throughout the day with every single person you interact with this, and every, day. I read a quote once that said something like, "We leave a little bit of ourselves with every single person we interact with." Think about it, what are you leaving? Are you a stepping stone or a stumbling block?
Please know, your family, your friends, you work and every other thing you do, is a platform. You and I will broadcast a message...this is not a question. The only thing we have to decide, we will decide, is what that message will be. If we are still stuck in one of our seasons of life, we may find it hard to be an intentional, positive influence. However, if we have learned and grown from our stories, we will find within us the wisdom, strength and courage to encourage, empower and equip others to thrive on their journey's as well.
Life truly is a great blessing. You and I get to live this new day. As I type this at 4:30 a.m., there have been no successes or failures. Today is a blank canvas, waiting for me to paint. You and I hold this big brush of life in our hands. There is a vast array of colors we can use to paint on this canvas. Wisdom tells us to order our thoughts, determine in our minds that this is going to be a great day, regardless of the circumstances, that we have all we need to thrive through this day and that we will seek the good in every person and every situation/circumstance. The painting of the canvas begins the moment we open our eyes, when we begin taking steps to live out this life. It truly is an honor & privilege. I pray we will all intentionally choose to use it for good.
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
Friday, October 4, 2019
Friday, September 27, 2019
Offenses
Happy Friday Friends!
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day - full of hope, opportunity & promise - begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)
At our church, the Pastor is currently preaching a sermon series titled, Thin Skin. It is about offenses, about how we are so easily offended, the problems/challenges of being offended and/or offensive. Some of you need to hear this series! :) That was a joke...we ALL need to hear this series.
This morning I just want to share a few thoughts about what we have learned.
1. We should not be surprised about offenses...it is actually Biblical. Matthew 24, in explaining signs of the end times, says in verse 10, "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another." Sound familiar?! Sadly, it is a pretty accurate description of our world today.
Offenses will come. We are all different, with different thoughts, ideas and perspectives. We are not all going to agree and sometimes the things people say and do offend our hearts, offend our spirits. But here is the thing, while we cannot control what others say, think or do, we do have a very powerful choice...we can always choose how we will respond. Yes Dear Friends, I know it is not easy. And if I am honest, I have failed at this one far more often than I have succeeded. This does not change the reality that ultimately, being offended is a choice I make. And My Sweet Friends, you have the same choice.
2. We are all offensive to someone at some point in time. Offended?! Not everyone is going to agree with all your thoughts, ideas, words and actions. And then, with this, they will make the same choices that we make - to be offended or not.
And many will say, "Well that is just who I am!" and that is their excuse for choosing to be offensive to another. The Bible talks about this too. It says in 1 Corinthians 8:9, in talking about food that was acceptable to eat but offended others when doing so, "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak." Did you catch that really key word, "rights." Oh how we love that word! "I have the right to [fill in the blank with whatever you want]. Yes Sweet Friends, we may have the "right" to do many things however it does not mean we should. If our "rights" heart the hurt of another, we would be wise not to exercise our rights. In this "me" world, that makes no sense. As a Christ follower, it makes perfect sense. It is not about me - it is about loving, caring for and serving others. All others...not just the one's who look, act, think and talk like me! I really gotta work on that one too!
3. And then Pastor Huskey spoke words that were like a 2 x 4 right between the eyes. He said we "have informed heads but illiterate hearts." Ouch! And he is so very right...
We know our rights. We are highly educated on many, many things. And then we all want to speak "our truth." But do we love?
The Bible tells us that we all have two purposes - to love God and to love people. We can be 100% right, 100% within our rights and if we don't have a heart of genuine love for others - all others! - we are 100% wrong.
What part of the Bible do you and I believe? We believe the parts we actually live. We don't want to hear about not being able to do the things we want to do, that we have the right to do. Oh, the horror of focusing on genuinely loving, caring for and serving others so much that we place their peace above our rights. Why would I sacrifice like that? Are you kidding me?! Don't you know we live in a me first, instant gratification world? Sweet Friends, let me tell you a brief story about a man who had no sin. He came to serve and not be served. Though he had done nothing wrong, though He didn't want to - stressed to the point of sweating drops of blood! - He died a painful death on the cross that you and I might have eternal life. And I must tell you, He rose again! He is a man who literally forfeited every right, to the point of death, for you and me. What part of the Bible do you believe?
I don't profess that any of this is easy. It is extremely difficult and, quite honestly, I know I am terribly inadequate to do this in my own wisdom, strength and courage. I do know, however, that with God, all things are possible. I will cling to this truth, seek Him daily and strive to be neither offended or offensive. I simply invite you to join me on this journey.
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
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day - full of hope, opportunity & promise - begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)
At our church, the Pastor is currently preaching a sermon series titled, Thin Skin. It is about offenses, about how we are so easily offended, the problems/challenges of being offended and/or offensive. Some of you need to hear this series! :) That was a joke...we ALL need to hear this series.
This morning I just want to share a few thoughts about what we have learned.
1. We should not be surprised about offenses...it is actually Biblical. Matthew 24, in explaining signs of the end times, says in verse 10, "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another." Sound familiar?! Sadly, it is a pretty accurate description of our world today.
Offenses will come. We are all different, with different thoughts, ideas and perspectives. We are not all going to agree and sometimes the things people say and do offend our hearts, offend our spirits. But here is the thing, while we cannot control what others say, think or do, we do have a very powerful choice...we can always choose how we will respond. Yes Dear Friends, I know it is not easy. And if I am honest, I have failed at this one far more often than I have succeeded. This does not change the reality that ultimately, being offended is a choice I make. And My Sweet Friends, you have the same choice.
2. We are all offensive to someone at some point in time. Offended?! Not everyone is going to agree with all your thoughts, ideas, words and actions. And then, with this, they will make the same choices that we make - to be offended or not.
And many will say, "Well that is just who I am!" and that is their excuse for choosing to be offensive to another. The Bible talks about this too. It says in 1 Corinthians 8:9, in talking about food that was acceptable to eat but offended others when doing so, "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak." Did you catch that really key word, "rights." Oh how we love that word! "I have the right to [fill in the blank with whatever you want]. Yes Sweet Friends, we may have the "right" to do many things however it does not mean we should. If our "rights" heart the hurt of another, we would be wise not to exercise our rights. In this "me" world, that makes no sense. As a Christ follower, it makes perfect sense. It is not about me - it is about loving, caring for and serving others. All others...not just the one's who look, act, think and talk like me! I really gotta work on that one too!
3. And then Pastor Huskey spoke words that were like a 2 x 4 right between the eyes. He said we "have informed heads but illiterate hearts." Ouch! And he is so very right...
We know our rights. We are highly educated on many, many things. And then we all want to speak "our truth." But do we love?
The Bible tells us that we all have two purposes - to love God and to love people. We can be 100% right, 100% within our rights and if we don't have a heart of genuine love for others - all others! - we are 100% wrong.
What part of the Bible do you and I believe? We believe the parts we actually live. We don't want to hear about not being able to do the things we want to do, that we have the right to do. Oh, the horror of focusing on genuinely loving, caring for and serving others so much that we place their peace above our rights. Why would I sacrifice like that? Are you kidding me?! Don't you know we live in a me first, instant gratification world? Sweet Friends, let me tell you a brief story about a man who had no sin. He came to serve and not be served. Though he had done nothing wrong, though He didn't want to - stressed to the point of sweating drops of blood! - He died a painful death on the cross that you and I might have eternal life. And I must tell you, He rose again! He is a man who literally forfeited every right, to the point of death, for you and me. What part of the Bible do you believe?
I don't profess that any of this is easy. It is extremely difficult and, quite honestly, I know I am terribly inadequate to do this in my own wisdom, strength and courage. I do know, however, that with God, all things are possible. I will cling to this truth, seek Him daily and strive to be neither offended or offensive. I simply invite you to join me on this journey.
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
Friday, September 20, 2019
The Abundant Life
Happy Friday Friends!
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day!
Before diving into this Happy Friday, I would like to respectfully ask that you pray for those who have been impacted, are continuing to be impacted, by Tropical Depression Imelda. This one hits so close to home...it is impacting many people who mean so much to the Haslam family. We have done life together, weathered storms of nature and of life together and here they are again, in another storm. We love you, we miss you and we are praying for you!
This week I don't want to share some thought/idea, tell some story or attempt to impart some wisdom. This morning I am seeking to learn, to understand and I simply invite you to grab a cup of coffee or tea, pull up a chair and explore with me.
Earlier this week I read John 10:10 and it hit me in a way that it had not hit me before. It says:
"The thief's purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness."
I am reminded of the question, "What part of the Bible do you believe? The part you actually walk out." Just this morning I read a quote that said, "We may not always live what we say but we always live what we believe." For far to long I have lived a life of condemnation, not conviction and yet, the Bible tells us this is not how we are to live. Like far to many Christians, I have tried to live this life of self-martyrdom instead of a life of abundance. I freely accept that I am lost, broken, a sinner...I guess I know my thoughts and actions too well!!! :) But I have struggled when I am told that God wants to bless me, that He wants me to live life to the fullest. And then we wonder why non-Christians don't want to live the Christian life. When we are beating ourselves down, trying to make crosses to carry when God has already carried it for us, etc. it does not speak to a God of love, mercy & grace. What part of the Bible do I believe?
O.K., so the Bible tells me that the thief - Satan - comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus' purpose was to give me an abundant life. But what does that mean? I think this, the meaning, is where we get hung up and what we don't understand.
Some think that the Christian life means that we will not have trouble. We try to use God as some sort of rabbits foot or other good-luck charm. Yet John 16:33 tells us in part, "In this world you will have trouble." Some think that if we are Christian, are nice to people and try to do the right things, all of our weaknesses will be taken away. With this, we try to live these self-righteous lives. But 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." And finally, many believe that if good things happen in their lives they are living "right" and if bad things happen, they must be living "wrong" or have sinned...like they are being punished for what they did or did not do. Matthew 5:45 says in part, "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
You feel my pain?!?! :) What does it mean to live abundantly? I don't know for sure though I think I am starting to get it. I have spent the better part of the week trying, and praying, to understand what this really means, what this look like to live life this way. Instead of trying to impart some wisdom I readily admit I do not have, I want to share excerpts I have found from 3 different articles as I searched for what living an abundant life looks like.
The first excerpt comes from an article titled, What Does It Mean to Have Abundant Life? It was written by Brenda Rodgers and was posted on iBelieve.com on February 26, 2018.
"Jesus gives us the fruit of the Spirit, and this is the abundant life. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Jesus wants us to have the best life possible in a world that is sometimes unbearable - a world full of cruelty, injustice, sadness, and pain. He knows that the only way that is possible is for us to take on His character of a life where inwardly we are satisfied because we know who we are through Him, who He is through God the Father, and where we are going - Heaven.
Our lives can be falling apart all around us, and we can still have an abundant life. The abundant life is a state of being from within, not a result of external circumstances. It is the result of the pruning God does to make us more like Him, and it is what we will take to Heaven with us (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). An abundant life is a life that keeps on giving."
The second excerpt comes from an article titled, What did Jesus mean when He promised an abundant life? It can be found at gotquestions.org.
"What is the abundant life? First, abundance is spiritual abundance, not material. In fact, God is not overly concerned with the physical circumstances of our lives. He assures us that we need not worry about what we will eat or wear (Matthew 6:25-32; Philippians 4:19). Physical blessings may or may not be a part of the God-centered life; neither our wealth nor our poverty is a sure indication of our standing with God. Solomon had all the material blessings available to a man yet found it all to be meaningless (Ecclesiastes 5: 10-15). Paul, on the other hand, was content in whatever physical circumstances he found himself (Philippians 4:11-12).
Second, eternal life, the life a Christian is truly concerned with, is not determined by duration but by a relationship with God. This is why, once we are converted and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are said to have eternal life already (1 John 5:11-13), though not, of course, in its fullness. Length of life on earth is not synonymous with abundant life.
Finally, a Christian's life revolves around "growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). This teaches us that the abundant life is a continual process of learning, practicing, and maturing, as well as failing, recovering, adjusting, enduring, and overcoming, because, in our present state, "we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror" (1 Corinthians 13:12). One day we will see God face to face, and we will know Him completely as we will be known completely (1 Corinthians 13:12). We will no longer struggle with sin and doubt. This will be the ultimately fulfilled abundant life."
And finally, I found this excerpt in an article titled, What Does it Mean to Have an Abundant Life? Some Thoughts on Prosperity. It was written by Ed Stetzer on March 18, 2015. You can find it at chritianitytoday.com.
"Abundant life is not about what we have. It's not about what we get. It's not about what we claim. Ultimately, abundant life is about what we receive as a gift from the Lord and to live knowing we are stewards of the blessings of God.
It's not a sin to be rich (though it might be missing the point if we die rich). Furthermore, stewardship is not measured by what we have received, but by what we have given.
At the end of the day, perhaps that is how we know we have the abundant life - when we have shared our life with others. When we have enough of the blessing of God (mercy, peace, love, grace, wisdom, etc.) to share with others, and then actually do it; that's when we truly have abundant life."
Take heart Sweet Friends, at least we aren't the only one's trying to figure out what the abundant life means and is all about!!! :) Look, I simply know that Jesus said He came so we can live life to the fullest. Even if I don't fully understand what that means, I accept this truth and will strive - through continually seeking God, prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit - to live it every day of my earthly life.
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
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day!
Before diving into this Happy Friday, I would like to respectfully ask that you pray for those who have been impacted, are continuing to be impacted, by Tropical Depression Imelda. This one hits so close to home...it is impacting many people who mean so much to the Haslam family. We have done life together, weathered storms of nature and of life together and here they are again, in another storm. We love you, we miss you and we are praying for you!
This week I don't want to share some thought/idea, tell some story or attempt to impart some wisdom. This morning I am seeking to learn, to understand and I simply invite you to grab a cup of coffee or tea, pull up a chair and explore with me.
Earlier this week I read John 10:10 and it hit me in a way that it had not hit me before. It says:
"The thief's purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness."
I am reminded of the question, "What part of the Bible do you believe? The part you actually walk out." Just this morning I read a quote that said, "We may not always live what we say but we always live what we believe." For far to long I have lived a life of condemnation, not conviction and yet, the Bible tells us this is not how we are to live. Like far to many Christians, I have tried to live this life of self-martyrdom instead of a life of abundance. I freely accept that I am lost, broken, a sinner...I guess I know my thoughts and actions too well!!! :) But I have struggled when I am told that God wants to bless me, that He wants me to live life to the fullest. And then we wonder why non-Christians don't want to live the Christian life. When we are beating ourselves down, trying to make crosses to carry when God has already carried it for us, etc. it does not speak to a God of love, mercy & grace. What part of the Bible do I believe?
O.K., so the Bible tells me that the thief - Satan - comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus' purpose was to give me an abundant life. But what does that mean? I think this, the meaning, is where we get hung up and what we don't understand.
Some think that the Christian life means that we will not have trouble. We try to use God as some sort of rabbits foot or other good-luck charm. Yet John 16:33 tells us in part, "In this world you will have trouble." Some think that if we are Christian, are nice to people and try to do the right things, all of our weaknesses will be taken away. With this, we try to live these self-righteous lives. But 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." And finally, many believe that if good things happen in their lives they are living "right" and if bad things happen, they must be living "wrong" or have sinned...like they are being punished for what they did or did not do. Matthew 5:45 says in part, "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
You feel my pain?!?! :) What does it mean to live abundantly? I don't know for sure though I think I am starting to get it. I have spent the better part of the week trying, and praying, to understand what this really means, what this look like to live life this way. Instead of trying to impart some wisdom I readily admit I do not have, I want to share excerpts I have found from 3 different articles as I searched for what living an abundant life looks like.
The first excerpt comes from an article titled, What Does It Mean to Have Abundant Life? It was written by Brenda Rodgers and was posted on iBelieve.com on February 26, 2018.
"Jesus gives us the fruit of the Spirit, and this is the abundant life. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Jesus wants us to have the best life possible in a world that is sometimes unbearable - a world full of cruelty, injustice, sadness, and pain. He knows that the only way that is possible is for us to take on His character of a life where inwardly we are satisfied because we know who we are through Him, who He is through God the Father, and where we are going - Heaven.
Our lives can be falling apart all around us, and we can still have an abundant life. The abundant life is a state of being from within, not a result of external circumstances. It is the result of the pruning God does to make us more like Him, and it is what we will take to Heaven with us (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). An abundant life is a life that keeps on giving."
The second excerpt comes from an article titled, What did Jesus mean when He promised an abundant life? It can be found at gotquestions.org.
"What is the abundant life? First, abundance is spiritual abundance, not material. In fact, God is not overly concerned with the physical circumstances of our lives. He assures us that we need not worry about what we will eat or wear (Matthew 6:25-32; Philippians 4:19). Physical blessings may or may not be a part of the God-centered life; neither our wealth nor our poverty is a sure indication of our standing with God. Solomon had all the material blessings available to a man yet found it all to be meaningless (Ecclesiastes 5: 10-15). Paul, on the other hand, was content in whatever physical circumstances he found himself (Philippians 4:11-12).
Second, eternal life, the life a Christian is truly concerned with, is not determined by duration but by a relationship with God. This is why, once we are converted and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are said to have eternal life already (1 John 5:11-13), though not, of course, in its fullness. Length of life on earth is not synonymous with abundant life.
Finally, a Christian's life revolves around "growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). This teaches us that the abundant life is a continual process of learning, practicing, and maturing, as well as failing, recovering, adjusting, enduring, and overcoming, because, in our present state, "we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror" (1 Corinthians 13:12). One day we will see God face to face, and we will know Him completely as we will be known completely (1 Corinthians 13:12). We will no longer struggle with sin and doubt. This will be the ultimately fulfilled abundant life."
And finally, I found this excerpt in an article titled, What Does it Mean to Have an Abundant Life? Some Thoughts on Prosperity. It was written by Ed Stetzer on March 18, 2015. You can find it at chritianitytoday.com.
"Abundant life is not about what we have. It's not about what we get. It's not about what we claim. Ultimately, abundant life is about what we receive as a gift from the Lord and to live knowing we are stewards of the blessings of God.
It's not a sin to be rich (though it might be missing the point if we die rich). Furthermore, stewardship is not measured by what we have received, but by what we have given.
At the end of the day, perhaps that is how we know we have the abundant life - when we have shared our life with others. When we have enough of the blessing of God (mercy, peace, love, grace, wisdom, etc.) to share with others, and then actually do it; that's when we truly have abundant life."
Take heart Sweet Friends, at least we aren't the only one's trying to figure out what the abundant life means and is all about!!! :) Look, I simply know that Jesus said He came so we can live life to the fullest. Even if I don't fully understand what that means, I accept this truth and will strive - through continually seeking God, prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit - to live it every day of my earthly life.
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
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