Day 344 - An Open Conversation About Life

"...an open conversation...about life..."

I think we need more of this. We need to be open and honest about life. Not rude or ugly but motivated by love. We can do it if we are willing to do some things.

We cannot have an open conversation about life if we are distracted. We need to put the electronics down and turn them off. I heard a report on the radio today that there are buses in our area installing loud speakers outside the bus to alert people who may be distracted by electronic devices to let them know the bus is coming. Apparently people are getting hit by buses for this reason. Otherwise they wouldn't be putting in speakers to tell people a huge bus is headed towards them. Maybe I need a loud speaker to tell people I want their undivided attention.

If you're married and trying to fix your marriage then checking updates online will not help you connect to your spouse who is sitting in the same room with you. If you are working on the job you will not win points with your boss by posting selfies and hash tags about work. Get to work. Listen to your boss. Offer ideas.

We also need to be ready to see ourselves. I have found that I don't always have the right perspective on how I am perceived. I think people see me one way and often they see me another way. Good or bad.

I recently had someone tell me how they viewed me in a moment of crisis. They were saying how I took charge and lead with clear direction and authority. My presence gave them comfort and strength to follow and do what needed to be done. They saw me as firing off decisions and taking action. You want open and honest? I told them how I viewed myself. I felt like I was part of the crowd and was just following and doing what needed to be done. Thankfully they caught something else!

I have had the opposite happen to me as well. There have been times I have thought I was calm, collected, clear and my wife or my employees have come to me and told me quite the opposite. I was shouting, disturbed, frustrated and all over the place.

When you have an open conversation and get honest and real then you see what others see. You see you. Sometimes you has to change. I know...I've had to change. But I am better for it.

Don't be missing when it comes to your life. Your spouse, friends, children and co-workers need you. Get rid of the distractions and take some time to focus and talk about life. Have an open and honest conversation. Be ready for change as you see yourself through others eyes. As you do life will get better.

Have you had any open conversations like this lately. Are there other factors that hinder us from talking?

Day 258 - It won't be as bad as you think

"They both appreciated the fact that we reached out to invite them back to church." 

The anticipation of an event is often worse than the event itself. When I think about confrontation and conversations they play out in my mind as terse and bad. When the actual event happens I mostly get responses like my quote from last year. There is appreciation, respect and love. 

Maybe it is the cynicism of our society that we are immersed in or maybe it is just human nature but don't we often go to the negative. the Bible encourages us to believe the best. If we did we wouldn't dread the conversations we know we need to have with people. If we speak the truth in love then the power of love will be in the conversation. 

Be bold and be brave. Things will turn out better than you think. Especially if God is on your side! 

Do you have any anxiety when it comes to confrontation or important conversations? How do you draw strength to press ahead in spite of how you feel? 

Day 205 - Daily Prayers

"From the Word: Solomon's blessing from 1 Kings 8:59 “as each day may require”. Our prayers may be the same but applied in a different manner as each day may require. We may pray for protection on two separate days and on one The Lord protects us from a car crash and on another He protects us from evil men who would do us harm. We may pray to The Lord to deliver us from evil on two separate days in the same manner and yet on one He delivers us from evil lusts and on the other He delivers us from the evil one.

Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

There should be joy and peace in our believing. Joy of the One who promised and gives us whatever we ask in His name that our joy might be full. Peace in knowing the One who promised is faithful and we let our request rest with Him."

I used to be down on daily prayers. I have known people who have prayer lists and scripted prayers that they pray every day. There is a danger that these prayers become dead and simply a religious act rather than a desperate cry or a life giving plea. 

What changed in me was when I understood the words of Jesus when He stated "In this manner pray..." It wasn't meant to be a script but rather a type of prayer with a formula for life. 

Our prayers may center around a theme of praise and adoration, thanksgiving, asking for blessings or change, and many other topics. But just because they center around these themes daily doesn't mean that they are less heard. It also doesn't mean that it is the same prayer for the same thing even if it is in the same category. 

We can demystify the experience of prayer and realize that we can simply talk to God about every part of our life. And so as each day has it's own issues we bring those issues to God. Work, family, finance, future and whatever else life may bring. Talk with God about it and believe Him for great things. As each day requires He has new mercies waiting for you!

How is your prayer life? What helps you to pray?

Day 197 - Get To Talking

"We had a long conversation about it."

Life carries a lot of trials with it. I have found that burdens carried alone are heavy. Sharing the burden makes them light. We are told to cast our cares on the Lord because He cares for us. Additionally we as Christians are encouraged to bear one another's burdens and fulfill the law of Christ, that is, the law of love. It is out of love that we can encourage one another and lift each other up.

Many times I have thanked God for my wife, close friends and mentors who have listened to me and took the time to talk things through with me. Without someone to lift me up I would have surely fell under the weight of the cares.

I am always grateful to be that person for others too. It is a wonderful feeling when you know that you have been used by God to encourage someone in their life. Sometimes all it takes is a listening ear or sharing a scripture that helped you.

Have you ever been encouraged by someone through a good conversation? What are some ways we can encourage others?

Day 143 - Tasty Morsels

"The stuff that was said was utter foolishness. I'm not sure why any of it would have ever been believed but gossip is a slippery snake."

One of the Proverbs in a modern translation likens gossip to tasty morsels that go deep into the body. But like any candy laced with poison, tasty as it may be, it will either make you sick or kill you. Maybe you have heard it said of gossip that it is juicy. It reminds me of that old bubble gum that had the juice in the center so that the first few bites it was a gushing flavor fest in your mouth. Soon after though the flavor was gone and the gum was hard and tasteless. The only remedy was another piece. 

Gossip is a lot like that. It is juicy and tastes good initially but soon it will turn on you. Soon others won't talk to you because trust has been breached. As they turn on you they will share tasty bits about you with others and your reputation will be tarnished. 

Make the choice not to listen to gossip or to share it. Think before you speak and have the courage to shut it down when others want to share gossip with you. It is tough to do and people won't like you at first but in the end you will be trusted and won't have that poison running through your body. 

Is there a tactful way to stop gossip? How can we determine what to share and what not to share? 

Day 87 - Why Didn't You Say So?

"Why Didn't You Say So?"

This phrase usually follows me saying so. The times that it doesn't it is usually because it shouldn't be said (whatever 'it' is). Our words can hurt, help and even heal.

I have hurt people with my words before. It always ends up hurting me too. When I intentionally hurt people with my words it hurts me in the end that my heart is in the wrong place. That is where using words to heal is important. Some of the most important words we can ever say are "I am sorry, please forgive me". The same goes for when I unintentionally hurt someone with my words. Even if my intent was pure love covers and apologies help.

I am a preaching pastor so it is my job to use words to help people. My preaching and teaching focus is to help people with their relationship with God and living by what He says in the Bible. God is our best example. He speaks and declares things that aren't as if they were. Jesus spoke encouragement, love, wisdom and life into people. We have that same ability. Let's say so!

How have you helped others with your words? What are some other important words or phrases we should use often?

Day 30 - Stop and Listen

"God's Word is so simple, 'be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.'"

On this day in a meeting we had a lot of talk and passion shared over words and definitions of what we were talking about. We wasted a lot of time and emotion over something that wasn't the real issue. It was that meeting that caused me to write what God says about how we should handle ourselves. 

We need to be quick to listen. I find myself at times waiting to say my piece instead of taking in what others are saying. 

We need to be slow to speak. There are times when I react instead of respond. The Bible says even a fool is thought to be wise if he can hold his tongue. 

We need to be slow to anger. Don't get this one wrong. Jesus got angry at times and the Bible tells us to be angry and do not sin. What makes the difference is that we are to be slow to anger. Listen to the whole story, try to hear the voice of God through what is being said and respond accordingly. 

I believe that we will have better meetings, better relationships and less stress if we hold to this simple instruction from God's word. 

Are you quick or slow to speak? How do you slow the process of anger?