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May 11, 2008, Who is my prostitute?
“Spurn the careless kiss of a prostitute. Stay far fro her. Look straight ahead:
Don’t even turn your head to look.
Watch your step. Stick to the path and be safe. Don’t sidetrack; pull back your foot from danger.” (Proverbs 4:vs.23-27 TLB)

From Gary Oliver:
“Are there prostitutes in your life? Hear me out before you answer, When most people think of a prostitute, they think of someone that sells his or her self for money. However, I prefer to think a prostitute can be a person, habit or activity that promises short term pleasure for a high price; that makes you forget the most important for the least important and increases your vulnerability. Let me ask the question a different way. Are there any thoughts, habits, possessions or activities in your life that are more important to you than God, that make you more vulnerable to compromise and sin. If so, giving in to that is like giving in to the careless kiss of a prostitute. In proverbs we are warned to stay as far away from these things as possible.” Ok folks, now that we have all realized that we have “prostitutes” in our lives, what do we do next. T is a simple answer. We need to look into our hearts and follow our instincts. Purity, ethics, commitments and standards begin in our hearts. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Mathew 6:21)

Thought for the Week: Each week we need to be the best that we can be. This week we will make choices. Let us make them from our heart- in purity with ethics, commitments and high standards. WWJD!

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April 21, 2008, In the bulb there is a flower
This is an annual repeat for every May 1st.

“In the bulb there is a flower,
in the seed an apple tree;
in co-coons a hidden promise:
butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of Winter
there’s a Spring that waits to be,
unrevealed until it’s season,
something God alone can see.”
(Hymn of Promise, Vs1, Natalie Sleeth, 1986)

This is s glorious time of the year. The northern hemisphere goes into the transition to Summer. It is a time when the resolutions from new year are long since successful or forgotten. A time of vacation planning, garden planting and the anticipation of the beauty of the warm season. A time of hope led by the visible evidence of God’s presence around us. This is a time for reflection and review of our dark side. A review of the negative forces in our lives. This is Spring and we need to recover the “...hidden promise...” in our personal lives “... that God alone can see.” Through our faith and belief, our Lord will share with us the pleasures of life.

Thought for the Week: It is Spring. Let us take special notice of it’s wonders. Smell the flowers and enjoy the showers. Let us share these positive feelings with others and encourage positive feelings around us.

Prayer for the Week: This week we pray that the worlds religions may see You as one God. We pray that somehow through your divine guidance, killing, hate and violence may come to an end.

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April 21, 2008, Nervous Break Down
“The fruit of the Spirit is... peace
(Galatians 5:22)
And the peace of God... will
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7)

J.L. Glass has written a humorous article, titled “Five Ways to Have a Nervous Breakdown.” He lists the ways as follows:

1. Try to figure out the answer before the problem arises. “Most of the bridges we cross is never built, because they are unnecessary.” Matthew 6:34 says: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”

2. Try to relive the past. As we trust Him for the future, we must trust him with the Past, and He can use the most checkered past imaginable for His good. Paul’s letter in Romans 8 verse 28 states “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

3. Try to avoid making decisions. Doing this is like deciding whether to let weeds grow in our garden: while we are deciding, they are growing. Decisions will be made while we are procrastinating. Choice is a man’s most godlike Characteristic.

4. Demand more of yourself than you can produce. Unrealistic demands result in beating our heads against stone walls. We do not change the walls. We just damage ourselves. Romans 12:3 says “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.”

. Believe everything Satan tells you. Jesus described Satan as the “father of lies” (John 8:44). But our Lord declared that his sheep follow Him because they “know his voice”(John 10:4). They have listened to it in His word.

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April 14, 2008, Enough is Enough
“Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.”
(Psalm 127 vs.1)
The competitive nature of our society has generated a workaholic mentality. In the 60s, we occasionally met someone who worked a 50 hour week and in some families both the wife and husband had full time jobs but they were not commonplace. It seems today that it is fairly common that people work way too much. We work on the internet every day, we are attached to our cell phones and when we have a break we seem to be overloaded with our recreational commitments.

Tim Hansel wrote the following regarding our present state.
“We are called to be faithful, not frantic. If we are to meet the challenges of today, there must be integrity between our words and our lives and more reliance on the source of our purpose. “Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.”

Almost Christianity reveals itself in feverish work, excessive hurry and exhaustion. I believe that the Enemy has done an effective job of convincing us that unless a person is worn to a frazzle, running here and there, he or she can not possibly be a dedicated, sacrificing, dedicated, spiritual Christian. Perhaps the seven deadly sins have created another member— Overwork!
We need to remember that our strength lies not in hurried efforts and ceaseless long hours, but in our quietness and confidence. The world says today— Enough is not enough. Christ answers softly— Enough is enough!

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April 7, 2008, Compassionate Leadership
“...He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.” (Isaiah 49:10).
In the 60s, a company I worked for had an engineering manager who ruled the roost by fear. Three or four times each year he would lay off someone and then the next week warn a few that they could be next. The department output would increase for a while. He kept control of all projects, decisions and empowered no one. There was no compassion in the department or the company. It closed and no longer exists. Great things did not happen for them. In recent years, several companies I have represented have transitioned from being entrepreneurial or family owned to being professionally managed. The owners retired or sold out. New management arrived and the companies became a numbers game, one where high paid experienced staff are replaced by lower cost employees. The dreaded down sizing to increase productivity occurred. As a result, everyone’s stress level increased along with their work load. In these specific cases the companies are now performing below what they did under the more compassionate entrepreneur. What does a person, boss, parent, pastor or whatever, have that makes a great leader? Henri Nouwen says “It is compassionate authority that empowers, encourages, calls forth hidden gifts and enables great things to happen.” It seems that leaders that have great accomplishments have compassion. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as in Christ, God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32). Yes, it is clear that compassion, forgiveness and caring are strong components of success.

Thought For The Week: This week we will all have opportunities to be compassionate. We may be tired, short tempered or busy. However, let us focus on being compassionate.

Prayer for the Week: Heavenly father, we are caught up in a busy world. There is too little time and too many things to do. Pressures to make the fast decision, reaction or remark sometimes lead to a lack of compassion. Please, help us concentrate on your place in our lives. Help us be compassionate and forgiving in all of our activities. Amen.

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