Waste of Energy - a message about feeling sorry for yourself

One of the things I wish we were not born with would be the ability to be selfish. I consider myself about as bad in this area as the average person. Too often I am thinking of myself in a situation - and the situations vary. Regardless of the variances, it still funnels down to I'm thinking of me. There are likely times when you would have to admit you tend to be like this, also to various degrees.

For some it could be "I want" and they may not receive. For others, it may be a sense of idealism in expecting people to react a certain way. No matter how you spin it the end result comes down to variances of selfishness.

An outcome of selfishness can be "feeling sorry for yourself." When this happens it can entrap us into a sentence we should not have to serve. This brings us to this week's quote...

Feeling sorry for yourself, and your present condition, is not only a waste of energy but the worst habit you could possibly have. ~ Dale Carnegie

During the times I have served the sentence of "feeling sorry for myself," looking back I would easily say that I was wasting my time. Like a millstone tied to someone and dropped into the ocean, to feel sorry for yourself simply drowns your life from being able to accomplish much.

Think back to the moments that you have wasted in feeling sorry for yourself. Someone once said that time is something you cannot get back. That statement is very true. Once we've spent time we cannot make it up, it is spent. Let us spend our time more wisely and not waste it on times like feeling sorry for yourself.

Now it's your turn...what have you learned from wasting time and energy in feeling sorry for yourself?

The Extra Degree: Tearing Down the House to Get to Jesus

There is just something pretty cool about watching a big building be demolished. Whether it comes from implosion or a wrecking ball, I find it fascinating. Maybe it is somewhat of a guy thing, I cannot pinpoint it, but it is still fascinating.

When it comes to a wrecking ball, that big ball coming and knocking out entire areas of a building is cool. You may not think along the same lines as me, and that is OK.

Sunday, we looked at Mark 2:1-12 where Jesus heals a paralytic that has been brought to Jesus as a result of four friends. Thinking about our 212-degree theme for the month, these four men went that extra degree to be able to make a difference in the life of their paralytic friend. They did what they needed to do to take him to Jesus, no matter the obstacles that were in front of them.

Thinking about the text, here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• Look for the Opportunity ~ The men approached the place where Jesus was at to realize that it was crowded. It would have been easy for the men to turn around and not want to go through the effort to get their friend to Jesus. They decide to cut a hole in the roof - who would think to alter/destroy someone's house to make sure their friend sees Jesus? Not many, but these men did - that's possibly one of the reasons Jesus says to the man "your sins are forgiven." Who do you have as a friend that you would like to go through the extra effort to make sure they get to Jesus? Think/pray about it...
• Excitement of the Arrival ~ I can remember one family vacation that we went on when I was around 4-5 years old. We went to our state's amusement park and my family rented a van to take. This was a family van, not a 15-passenger van. I had a blast, as we didn't have a van. I was so excited! The paralytic must have been even more excited to have this opportunity to see Jesus. He was probably going to be able to be healed - because Jesus is the man to do it! With all that type of excitement to see Jesus imagine a friend of yours (or you yourself) getting to see Him, through having their sins forgiven. The Bible speaks of this in Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3-6, for example, to be able to be baptized! Are you ready? Who do you need to take to the crowded house and "tear it open" to make sure your friend "sees" Jesus?
• Go the Extra Degree ~ Don't let anything stop you to make sure that Jesus is brought into the life of others. You never know who is sin-paralyzed and needing the Savior! Make sure your you make sure they get to Him!

How far will you go? Don't make the thought of taking a person to Jesus or showing them Jesus an unnatural concept. The more natural the approach, the easier it is to talk. Also, don't use the same talk for each person, we're all different. Just make sure He sees them!

Now it's your turn...if you are apprehensive, why are you apprehensive to take your friends to Jesus?

Christmas Down and Dirty: "The Time Has Come"

Deadlines can be very stressful. It could be a deadline for work or school or life. Projects or budget proposals can become stressful for an employee. Papers or tests can become stressful for students. Bill paying or taking time for appointments can become stressful in life.

I do not like tests, in school. For that, I am thankful that I am not in school. It really centers on those tests I didn't feel I was quite prepared for. The times I would cram and study and try to remember. Sometimes hoping to have a bit of extra time to study before the test - in all actuality, just putting it off. But, inevitably, the time had to come when I needed to take the exam.

For most everything there is a time which must come. That same principle impacted our the coming of Jesus. Which brings us to discuss this week's lesson from the "Christmas Down and Dirty" series. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• The Time Has Come ~ Imagine living in a time where Jesus had not come yet. Do you think you'd have doom as your thought for yourself? You could do all the ceremonial washings you want, but without a cleansing of the conscience, you'd be worried (or I would). The fact that Jesus has come and we get to live on this side of the cross, we can revel and be thankful in that. Appreciate that!
• Getting Dirty ~ My mind goes to a scene in the movie "Gladiator" where the main character is in the ring and the emperor is in the stands watching. The gladiator is dirty, where the others are clean. Imagine if we were to look up at Jesus like that, not knowing what it was like to be in the ring. Fortunately, Jesus is in the ring, right there with us and fighting alongside of us. He's come down to be in the fight with us. What a great feeling!
• Left Home ~ Going off to college was quite the experience for me. It was not that far away from home, but just far enough away to be "on my own." However, I had to leave some comforts. I had to manage money, make decisions, do my laundry, etc. all things that were not at the caliber, if existent, at home. Christ left home to come to earth. Leaving lots of comforts for this dirty earth. May we appreciate what He was willing to do for us!

What an indescribable blessing to have Jesus, the perfect Son of God, come to this earth for you and I. May it cause us to revel even more in His choice to be the sacrifice for our sins.

As you go into this holiday season, what do you appreciate most about Him?

Wondering What Happened

Have you ever returned to a town you used to live and noticed that in your time of absence things changed? Changes like: Businesses closed, buildings torn down, town expansion, etc. We reflect back "in the day" when we lived there and the way the environment used to look. I remember taking my wife to a town where I used to live. It was very small and it only took about 15 minutes to "tour". I enjoyed trip down memory lane of returning to the "Prairie Chicken Capital of the World", with a population of 130 (in 2000), according to the Wikipedia website.

Change is happening in our world all the time. In order for change to take place, someone must be willing to work and carry out the work that creates change. For those that do not put in the work, they may wonder what happened while "they were gone". This brings us to a quote that challenges me as I think about change and the effort it takes implementing change...

There are those that work, there are those that talk about those working, and there are those that wonder what happened. ~ DudLee Brennfoerder

Which category do you generally fit into? Are you a "get involved" kind of person, a "talk about whose getting involved" person, or a "when did this change" kind of person? As a society we are infected with this mentality. It affects us in various facets: communities, jobs, churches, etc.

Usually those in the latter two categories have a difficult time seeing the purpose in a project. The more we're a part of a project the more we see the purpose and develop a passion in the project.

As you look around your community, workplace, or church, think about how you will be involved with a project/program. If there isn't a work going on that you want to be involved in, think about an area that you are passionate about and see what might happen. Your passion will may end up being magnetic to others, causing them to desire to be involved, also.

It is very enjoyable to be involved in areas you feel strongly about. It motivates you so much that you may find it hard to quit or not look forward to the time when the project is finished. Get involved...who knows what fun adventures are right around the corner that you never would have known about if you didn't pursue your passions.

Energized by being involved...
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Picture came from: http://www.thelope.com/2006/09/three-meals-in-kansas.html

Monday Mentionings: Overcoming Discouragement - Numbers 13:1-2, 17-20, 27-28, & 30-32

At this time of year, we don't get the opportunity to have fresh vegetables from our own gardens. However, the time of year should not matter as to whether or not our faith is fresh. Discouragement can be one of the bigger things to keep you from having a fresh faith. Depending on what is discouraging you, it can loom in your mind filling each thought, causing your faith to lessen. As we reflect back on yesterday's sermon from Numbers 13:1-2, 17-20, 27-28, & 30-32, here are some applications to choose from to use...

1. You have been given senses, a voice, talents, and material things. You have also been given the Spirit, who will guide you. As you seek to find ways to share Jesus, use what God has already given you and ask the Spirit to guide you to help you in each situation.

2. God sent the spies into the land which God had already promised to give them (Numbers 13:2). God didn't send them into the land to decide IF they could conquer the land or not. As God sends you out into the mission field each day don't decide if you can "do the job" because God knows you can! Possibly use the following question, "What was one of the highlights of your time at church on Sunday?" Your answer doesn't have to reflect the lesson, but it will open up the door to talk about Jesus - whether or not they went to church on Sunday.

3. God has probably done some pretty amazing things in your life up to now. It could range from your salvation to healing a major health condition of you or someone close to putting you in touch with someone you never thought possible. If you were to be granted a wish to make an impact for the Kingdom, what would your wish be? Now that you named it...you did name it, right? If no...what is the wish? OK, now that you named it, is it possible to do it in our church? Why not? If it seems far fetched, think about what steps you need to take in order to help get you to reaching your "wishing" point. Maybe it is to pray, maybe just mentioning it to someone else, maybe just opening your eyes to the potential. No matter what you do, lean toward the side of accomplishing it, but don't, don't, don't let something discourage you from attempting to accomplish your goal. Don't let the letters I & M be a part of any probability to make it become an IMprobability!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!

What will you and God accomplish this week? What "lands" will you two be able to conquer together?

I hope all had a great Thanksgiving!

Spying out the land ~