The Universal, Portable Rule

Do to others as you were the others - Unknown

The "golden rule" as Matthew 7:12 has become better known as is a lot more challenging than we often think of it as being. It is probably one of the verses that every child learns when they go to Sunday School or even Vacation/Holiday Bible School. Kids are instructed and encouraged to play fair with one another, including sharing and treating each other with respect. It can be challenging for them to apply the verse because of their lack of maturity. So that is an excuse for a youth...what's an adult's excuse?

When adults are reading this rule, do we think to apply it or brush it off? Have you ever thrown out the excuse of "That's the way I was treated, so evidently I can treat them the same way"? Justifying yourself being on the back end of the verse, not the front end? I have been guilty of this...and when you look back on it, it is immaturity shining forth.

As we reflect on the verse for a moment, here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• Analyze ~ Look over your life, probably the immediate life - past week or two - and see what kind of treatment have you been demonstrating? Have you been applying this rule? Have you been leaving it behind, so as to excuse yourself from obeying it? Why have you been guilty of doing such a thing? Maybe it is because you lost track of its universal application. Maybe it is because you just didn't want to obey it? There are probably other reasons you can come up with. However, we must analyze to realize where we are in the following of this rule.
• Take It With You~ When you grow up and move out of the house it is usually known that you do not have to live by your parents rules anymore. You are now an adult. However, when it comes to the "golden rule" you are never too old to have this apply to you. Also, you never are too far away that you are exempt from this rule. It is something that you must live by wherever you go and whoever you're with.
• Utilize It ~ Do you feel the need to complain about someone's effort in their profession? Do you feel the need to "express yourself" by putting a negative comment about someone on Facebook or some other social media medium? Do you feel the need to pick on (physically) another person? Do you feel the need to take out your aggression toward someone or a situation with violence? The big questions are...What do they accomplish?...&...Do they really make things better - even if you may feel better afterward? Think about this sentence I recently read in a book..."Think about what others ought to be like, then start being that yourself." If you start out a sentence something like "I probably shouldn't be telling you this," you'd better stop, because you shouldn't. We must think to ourselves how one must feel if the situations were reversed. Use the rule!
• Apply It Everywhere ~ "All men are created equal" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" are two important points to think about when we are thinking about who we should apply it toward...everyone and everywhere!

The "golden rule" is more than golden...platinum? However, it is universal, in that it applies to all mankind. And it is portable, in that you take it wherever you go.

May we take advantage of what impact the "universal, portable rule" plays on our life and start living it out!

When There is Nowhere Else to Go

You've probably seen the scene. Someone is running away from something and they come to a dead end. What will they do now? Sometimes the outcome is good, other times, not so good.

In life, you've probably felt that way. You feel like you've come to the end of your path and there is nowhere else to go. Up, down, left, right...nowhere! What are you to do?

This past weekend, I was given the opportunity to speak at a youth event. Due to Hurricane Irene, the scheduled speaker could not arrive on time. I was called at 6:00 PM on Friday to speak on Saturday at 4:00 PM. Not much time to prepare, but through prayer and planning, God's strength came through victorious amidst my weakness. The other glitch was, after arriving at the event site, I was told the first speaker was not going to be able to make it, so I was now the first speaker, moving up my speaking time to 2:00 PM - TWO HOURS SOONER! Again, it all worked out!

The theme for the event was "Unshackled." I found a cool song on YouTube (here), by Decyper Down, that pertained to the theme and projected my thoughts forward as I was preparing for the talk. It was a hard rock Christian song which I had never heard of, nor the heard of the band.

I went with the idea of the Israelites being on the beach, before they crossed the Red Sea. They had the Egyptian army behind them and a Sea in front of them...nowhere else to turn! Who gave them their way out...God! Who is the same answer when life is closing in on us? GOD!

Here are some applications from the lesson you might be able to use in your life...

• Identify the Shackle ~ What is hindering you from becoming what you need to become? Friends, relationships, yourself, circumstances??? Are you becoming something you do not like to make sure your friends are liking you? This can be for adults or teens. We are being shackled because of these people we're around. Relationships that we are involved in are causing us to be uncomfortable. Doing things we're not comfortable doing. Saying things or going places we're not comfortable with. You are making decisions that are putting yourself in a shackle. Not finishing responsibilities, procrastination, choices...keeping us in shackles. What are your "shackles" in life? Do you feel like you have nowhere to turn?
• Shatter the Shackle ~ Life can hand us situations that will encase us, much like a candle in a glass jar. We cannot become anything else, other than what the jar allows us to be..in this case cylindrical. how can you break free from that? Just shatter the jar. It is like taking the old self and getting rid of it, revealing a new self underneath. This new self can become anything it wants to be. No longer confined to the jar. Shatter the shackle giving yourself room to become something new...
• Create the New You ~ Once you shatter the shackle now you are free to discover the next chapter in your life. In some cases it may be a "new you." The new part could not have been created as long as the shackle was impeding you. Now that you're free from that, you can become something new. What will you create in yourself? What will the future hold for the "new" you?


Life, which is full of definitions, can shackle us. Depression, peer pressure, parental pressure, pressure from a superior, sexual temptations, affairs, thoughts of suicide, alcoholism, drugs, financial struggles, fear, cancer/health issues, work woes, and the list can go on. All will define life for various people. All of which can cause us to feel like we are that candle encased by the glass. We must find a way to shatter the shackle and break free from it! Let's hear the shackles falling off as we look to the future with a new found freedom!

What Do You Discuss?

What have you been discussing with people this week? Maybe it is topics like your job, your kids, your schedule, the weather, what you like or don’t like about other people, etc.  There are all kinds of things that can come up in any given conversation.

This week’s quote caught me and made me think.  It made me think about its trueness. See what you think about it…

"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people."  ~ Unknown

I don’t think that you are put into a box if you are ever in a situation where you are discussing people or events. By that, I mean, your mind is not ever “great” or going to be “great”.  However, at that moment which you are discussing events or people you are limiting the potential of what is out there to discuss.

Where do the discussions of people or events usually take you…not much of anywhere.  However, when you discuss ideas, that can take you places.  Are you one who tends to complain but not provide a solution?  That can get you into trouble, too (the most recent person was kicked off The Apprentice for such a thing).

What ideas can you discuss?  Think about them…even just thinking about it will make you much better off!

Stay Fascinated!

I love having the opportunity to raise a child and see the fascination he has with just about everything.  He is interested in everything from tools to make-up to nature.  It is just awesome to think what his mind is seeing and coming up with day after day to be interested in.

He knows where the batteries go on toys and wants to get them out, even if there is a screw holding it on.  He is an explorer and it challenges me to never give up that sense of exploration.  That brings us to this week’s quote…

Stay fascinated with positives.... Never lose your fascination! What you're fascinated by becomes fastened to you! Be excited! -Rev Ike

Fascination brings about life and vibrancy.  To be vibrant shows life.  When your fascinated with things you will naturally have a life in you that is hard to kill off.

I like what the quote said about the thing you’re fascinated by will become “fastened to you”.  So true!  You will have a difficult time shaking off what you are enticed by.  I know that when I have an idea for some sort of a project, then my mind will race until I can get it done.

Stay fascinated…be excited!  Have a great week!

Which End Do You Use?

I am having a difficult time introducing this week's quote, as I am afraid I would give too much of it away.  So, simply put, here is this week's quote...

[God] gave us two ends: one to sit on and one to think with.
 Ever since then, man's success or failure has been dependent on the one he used most.
  ~ Robert Albert Bloch

The decisions that we make most frequently take us either to the side of "good job" or "ooops".  Those decisions could be couched around the words we choose to say, the purchases we choose to make, or the direction we choose to turn.  

Not all the decisions that are hasty are guaranteed "ooops" kinds of decisions.  Not all thought out and/or prayed about decisions are "good job" decisions.  We can make "good job" hasty decisions or "ooops" thought out decisions.  However, from my experience, the majority of the "good job" decisions were more thought out.

Sometimes you do not have the opportunity to really think it out.  Ever been in a conflict situation with someone?  Words are spewed right and left, the timing of thinking about the words is not being utilized.  Your thought process is being derailed and it comes back much quicker, with barbs attached. 

Neither of these possibilities disregard the quote.  The outcome of a situation will hinge on the decisions that you make and which "end" you made that decision.  

Use your head!

Stifled

Wouldn't it be great to be free?

Near our house is a dog that is tied up.  He is a good-sized dog that would be able to run a lot, if given the opportunity.  Instead, he is tied up on this cable and has about a 24 foot circle to run around in.  He has all the freedom he wants inside of that circle.  He can jump.  He can roll around.  He can run - in circles.  He can lay in his "house".  He can eat and drink.  So much to do in so little of a space.  He would probably be ecstatic to be freed from that circle.

I cannot imagine being confined to living in a circle. However, oftentimes I feel that way.  I think that many people feel that way.  Maybe it is in their family, at school, at work, or in the church.  You can do anything you want, but you cannot go outside of this circle - for one the cable will make sure you stay within. I feel sorry for that dog.  I think "If you want a dog, why make them stay in that small of a space?"

A word that is describes this type of living is "stifled".  It is not an unfamiliar word, but I thought I would look it up for the meaning of the base word, stifle...here it is...

1 a : to kill by depriving of oxygen : suffocate b (1) : smother (2) : muffle
2 a : to cut off (as the voice or breath) b : to withhold from circulation or expression : repress <stifled our anger> c : deter, discourage intransitive verb :: smother <stifling in the heat> to become suffocated by or as if by lack of oxygen

When one is not permitted to be outside of a circle they start off by feeling stifled.  They are having their figurative oxygen taken away.  They are feeling suffocated.  They cannot breathe.  If not given any air, one will either search for air elsewhere, die, or be given air where they are at.

We have "teams" but, from my perspective, if you want to do something that doesn't require monies or help from these groups, get it going!  Don't be so independent that it is kept from the church, but if you want to have a youth event, it doesn't have to be discussed in the Education & Youth meeting.  If you want to use your talents to organize a picnic, no need to go through Member Care & Activity.

The Teams are meant to keep us organized, not prevent us from doing things.  In other words, if you have something on your heart that you want to do for God...DO IT!  Why wait for a meeting...time may be ticking for your "harvest"...get in the fields and, possibly, bring others with you!

If you are feeling suffocated, discouraged, deterred...you need to get off of the leash and do things for Him!  Many references encourage us to use our talents...Romans 12, I Corinthians 12, I Peter 4:10-11 - among others.  Remember that use of talents shouldn't be reserved for our meeting times.  I use probably less than 10% of my talents when we're meeting. 

Wouldn't it be great to be free? YOU CAN...YOU ARE!!!

And the Winner is...

A popular phrase that is said a lot where they are handing out awards. In fifth grade I entered a science fair. I worked on creating an ear model. It was to show how the ear worked. My dad and I worked and worked on that. Then, we took it to the science fair. I was proud of that project. I can’t remember how I did with the speaking part to explain the model to the judge. However, I do remember the anticipation I felt when we went to the awards ceremony. “Is it me? Did I win?” were my thoughts. I also remember the utter shame and foolishness that I felt when my name wasn’t called for third, second, or first place. I had my dad take me home immediately after I found this news out. I didn’t want to have anything to do with that ear model again. I didn’t enter the next year.

This last week, the Powerball lottery was up to $222 million dollars. That isn’t pocket change for anyone. (As I am writing this before the drawing, I don’t know if anyone won or not) That money will make a difference in everyone’s life. Managed well, you wouldn’t have to do anything for the rest of your life. But what about all of the people who put in their one dollar, two, five, or ten dollars, that didn’t win? Will they play again? Most probably will. If no one won this drawing, there was another one last night (Saturday). Someone will eventually win and they will be financially set for life.

In our Christian walk, we sometimes feel like there is only one winner. Only one who “wins the race”. They see all the good things happening to everyone else, and just see their life as creeping toward miserable. Friends, that is not the case at all. The race is there for everyone who is “in Christ” to be able to finish. The finish line is put up again after each person has crossed it. We all get the chance to finish the race. We all can be winners in His kingdom.

Jesus continually holds an awards banquet and He has stacks and stacks of envelopes with cards inside with names on them. Jesus stands at the podium and says that infamous phrase, “And the winner is…” YOU! You are a winner! You have been given the honor of being a part of something great. Then, when all is over, you get to go and be with Him to an even better place, as He considers you a “good and faithful servant”.

How exciting and awesome is it to see yourself a winner! You don’t have to sit in the audience and wonder if your name is going to be called. He’s calling it continually. Relish in the fact that as a child of His, you are a winner! Kick up your heels, get a bounce in your step, puff out your chest because you are a winner! Show it off proudly but in a way that you want others to win, too. Who will you show your winning trophy to this week? Who do you want someone to hear their name mentioned after the phrase “And the winner is…”? Go, help someone else win, too!

Just When You Thought You Were Done

Just When You Thought You Were Done

Planning big events takes a lot of extra time and effort, and it feels so good to be finished. Maybe it is a campaign, a workshop, a dinner, or a trip. All of these would probably hold true to the opening sentence. When it is completed you think that it is all over. All that preparation and planning has come to an end. Now you can rest and move on…so you think.

This weekend is a great weekend. One filled with bittersweet feelings. For the graduates, twelve years (plus Kindergarten and/or preschool) of education comes to an end. All the hard work, socializing, playing sports, frustration, procrastination, school lunches, and routine, as you they know it, comes to an end. You will most likely miss high school, as it starts out slow your freshman year, but by the time your senior year comes around, it seems to end very quickly. You are probably a bit sad, though you are glad to be done. Parents reminisce of memories when these graduates were too small to go to school. They now have to let their “birds” start to fly a bit. Even if they are staying close to home, there is a sense of flight that comes with the territory.

I still remember what it was like to walk across the stage and feel that awesome “completion” sensation! It seemed like so much had passed in my life, but that was simply the beginning. I am sure that most of you who have completed various levels of education have felt similar feelings and can remember those moments of relief when you were finished. However, you also know that much more came after the diploma. Your learning and life-tests never stopped, though you were out of the formal classroom.

Regardless of whether you are an Eagle alum, a Viking alum, a Plainsmen alum, or a Trojan alum, you may think you are finished because you walked across a stage, but you are just getting started with the future. The future is much of what you make of it, determined by the choices you make. However, regardless of how many years of formal education you may have under your belt, the classroom whose teacher is Experience, never holds a graduation ceremony. So, just when you thought you were done, there is much more to look forward to in the future!

Go get ‘em, graduates!

No Victory in Mud Slinging

Complaints are a dime-a-dozen. It doesn't matter if it is a child complaining about what's for dinner, a fan/player complaining about an official's call or lack there of, a customer's dissatisfaction with their food, an actors work in a play/film, the weather, the government, or how a church operates. We find it easy to complain. We want to be satisfied, so when we're not, we don't give second chances, we expect to be pleased, so we let people know about it.

Have you been receiving complaints? I've had my fair share. I once thought I wanted to be a "famous" preacher. However, after knowing all that they go through from skeptics, I thought about it again and do not think I need to be "well-known".

If you have been experiencing some complaints lately, this week's quote is for you. I hope you gain encouragement from it...

If criticism is mistaken or mean-spirited, rise above it.
Maintain the high ground when you're under fire.
No victory is worth winning at the expense of picking up the mud that has been slung at you and throwing it back. ~ Rubel Shelly

It is easy to throw mud back. There are people out there that will always complain about something I have done. They have slung mud as they were upset. It took a lot to imitate Christ and not sling it back. Though it may make me feel good to throw the mud back, there is no victory found in mud slinging.

If you are thinking about slinging some mud...don't. If you've been slung at...don't sling back. There is no victory in that. Rise above being under fire! You can gain victory in rising above rather than lowering yourself to their level.

Ever trying to maintain the higher ground...with His help...

What is Hidden Within You?

When I was in eighth grade, I remember studying in science the animals with exoskeletons (animals which have a hard outside with no bones on the inside). Common examples are the ant, beetle, cockroaches, etc. You’ve all stepped on them or squeezed them together. You hear that “crunch” upon stepping on or squeezing. The idea behind the creation is to protect the animal and give the body support. It doesn’t allow things in the body, very easily.

Humans are made up with an internal skeletal system. However, we have evolved to develop a type of exoskeleton (or force field for you sci-fi people). We don’t want to let people in or ourselves out without “permission”. We try to protect ourselves from what others may send our way and don’t want our true self to be seen by many people. We are the gatekeepers of our own selves and sometimes our “exoskeleton” is locked up like Ft. Knox.

This becomes a real problem when we have so much potential to do things in life that we keep it in. That brings us to this week’s quote…

Within each of us is a hidden store of energy.
Energy we can release to compete in the marathon of life.
Within each of us is a hidden store of courage.
Courage to give us the strength to face any challenge.
Within each of us is a hidden store of determination.
Determination to keep us in the race when all seems lost. ~Roger Dawson

What is hidden within you? Do you even know? No one may know because you haven’t “let it out”. You haven’t had your “shell” broken. In my first ministry job, I brought up the idea to send out an e-mail to the congregation for encouragement. The idea was met with a suggestion to do something else. So, it never got off the ground. A few years later, I was at another job and started the idea on my own. It has blossomed to so many people looking forward to reading the writings. Even going worldwide on the internet through blogging. I don’t think that the writings are worth any prize, but the aim in encouragement is achieved.

My point is, who knows what is inside of you that is ready to help many, many people! May you just “let it out” and see what good you can do for others!