Good thoughts from the Publisher of SUCCESS Magazine, Darren Hardy…

Maybe one of the most powerful laws of the universe is also one of the most counterintuitive, thus for many, the most elusive.  If you can embrace this principle, it can liberate the resistance you might have to getting anything you ever wanted in life…

What do you want in life?
What do you think you lack?
What do you wish to receive?

Here is how to get it –
Give to others what you wish to receive.

Why?
“Giving starts the receiving process” –Jim Rohn
“You reap what you sow.” “You get what you give.”
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Lk 6:31
“Every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind” –Law of Karma

Want more success? ? Help someone else become successful.
Want more love? ? Give love to someone else.
Want to make more connections? ? Help others connect.
Want more happiness? ? Make someone else happy.

When you give, you provoke your power to create abundance. If you withhold, you are stopping the rebounding energy flow of reciprocity.

Can I be trusted with the blessings of God?

That question is messing me up right now…

• Am I a generous giver with the money I currently possess?  If not, why should God entrust me with more?
• Am I honoring God with the responsibility He has already given?  If not, why should I pray for more?
• Do I express gratitude for where I am now?  What makes me think I would express gratitude then?
• Am I following after the heart of God now?  Will I really follow after the heart of God then?

I’ve heard it said that “God is preparing you for what He has prepared for you.”  My prayer right now is that I follow God in THIS season of my life.  If not, it’s irresponsible to think I will follow Him in the next.

Mike Linch and I had the opportunity to attend a breakfast with Ken Blanchard last Thursday.   The story about how he came to Christ and the role that Norman Vincent Peale and Bill Hybels played in his journey was pretty incredible.

Mr. Blanchard had some great things to say, but one comment in particular stuck out in my mind.  He was referencing staff relationships and setting people up for success by making the comment…

“Don’t just mark their paper - help them get and A”.

Exodus 17 provides a great leadership challenge.  They are not difficult verses to understand; however, the implementation of those verses might be a different story.

Most of us don’t have a problem encouraging and speaking well of people that are coming behind us.  It’s our response to the success of other people that will quickly reveal our true motives.

• Do we celebrate our friends promotion - when it means that we will now report to him or her?
• Can we celebrate with the church down the street who is experiencing a season of incredible growth?
• Do we celebrate with our friends and family when they experience financial blessing?
• Do we find ourselves speaking highly of other Pastors (whether or not they do ministry the same way we do)?

Every single day we must make the decision…Are we going to lift the arms of people or just continue to add to the weight?

I very rarely repost something that someone else has written, but I couldn’t help myself with this one.  Pastor Steven knocked this one out of the park.  Here it is…

One of the most devastating effects of sin is the way it strips away our confidence.

I think it’s impossible for a pastor to confidently lead his congregation to trust God for the unknown while he’s nursing known sin in his life. 

Many fathers are unable to fully lead their families to seek and worship God because they’re aware of their own hypocrisy…and it strips confidence away layer by layer.

Unconfessed sin will chip away at your confidence until you find yourself backing down from Christ centered challenges, and settling into survival mode. 

Walking in purity activates a boldness that enables you to follow Jesus with a holy swagger.

Be pure…and be bold.

1 John 3:21
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 

What a great week!  Hanging out and learning from the guys in Perry’s Coaching Network was a blast.  Then, spending time with family, going to a birthday party, date night with Devin, watching the Olympics, and a great day at Freedom yesterday - made for an eventful 3-4 days.

God is stretching us right now - personally and as a church.  Personally, I am on a huge growth curve and I feel like a completely different person every couple of weeks.  Have you ever felt like that?

The church is experiencing some incredible things as well as we had our best attendance by far yesterday (35% higher than our best day ever) and several people accepted Christ.  There are also some great opportunities right in front of us that we are praying through and that could really help us go to a “whole nutha level“.

I love this season that I am in.  Pray for me and for my willingness to listen and to change when necessary…

I had a blast in SC the past couple of days.  Here are a few thoughts…

• I don’t think I stopped laughing for 24 hours.
• Gary and I thought that Chris had been kidnapped at the Marta Station.
• Being on ExposedPastor.com was fun.  Very strange knowing that every conversation was on camera.
• Perry and crew did a fantastic job.  I will be processing through tons of information over the next several days.  I am honored to be in this network and looking forward to the next several months.
• I met Radio at breakfast on Thursday.
• Everyone made fun of my computer (Toshiba).  I am going to duct tape an apple to the front of it and all should be well in the world.
• This has nothing to do with the trip, but something has to be done when it comes to the judging in Olympic gymnastics.
• Next month will be a blast!

I met with Brian Bloye yesterday for a couple hours.  I love hanging out and learning from him.  I’m trying to work out a plan to join him and several others for a trip to Africa in a few months as well.  Much fun!

Here’s some insight into 3 minutes of our conversation…

We talked about how funny it is that some prospective church planters will meet with the various Pastors in the area - only to run down other local churches.  For example, someone might meet with Brian and talk bad about Freedom or vice versa.  The only problem is that we all know each other, like each other, believe in each other, and talk very regularly.

Here’s a secret that some people out there need to know.  Don’t allow your platform to be one of criticism.  The people you are leading will take on your personality, and a devisive, critical spirit isn’t something that you really desire to cultivate.