Tom Brady is perhaps the greatest NFL quarterback of all time. After Sunday's loss to the Rams ended his season earlier than he'd have liked, media reporters started asking him about retirement. He basically said that, (and I am paraphrasing) he wasn't at a point to make any decision at the moment, his mind was still on the game they had just lost.
His answer reminded me of a great principle in life and ministry.
"Never make major life decisions when you are emotionally down and hurting."
The Christian life is like that too! We all have our ups and downs. It is very easy for us to look at the past few years and see more negatives than positives. That can negatively influence our decision making and affect the way we run our race.
Yet, s those with the hope of Christ, we are called to run our race with endurance (Heb. 12:1) to the very end. Coach Jim Valvano used to say, "Don't give up, don't ever give up!" That should be our mentality as believers too! Every day, we wake up and say to ourselves, "I can do this!"
If we love Christ, if we love His Church, and if we love our church family as deeply as we say we do, then we will never give up fighting for their honor. We must learn how to fight for the church, not with ourselves or with the church. One of the best ways to combat negativity is with positivity. The light always overcomes the darkness.
(Please don't misread any notion of the false theology of the power of positive thinking here, rather understand that the Bible does encourage us to be encouraging.)
Ephesus, as part of our Barnabas Initiative, let us seek to always exhibit a genuine, heart felt, positive outlook toward our present circumstances and our future development. We can encourage each other greatly by never giving up the fight for the honor of Christ.
God placed us at our current address with our current family of believers, so that together, WE can be an agent of encouragement and change in our lives and in the lives of those who live in our community and around this globe. We have a mission. We have the hope of Christ to empower us, to sustain us, and give us the endurance to run this race well and fulfill this mission.
Church, let's do this! May we stand strong and triumphant, joyfully encouraging the hope of Christ to flood our ranks with a great sense of optimism. Optimism that can breathe new life into even the most weary of souls. Let us become that kind of disciple! Let us become that kind of Church!
When our hearts are right before God in unison and hopeful expectation, then we will be prepared to hear God and make the right decisions to follow Him in His works and ways. Let's do this Church!
The Power of Encouraging Hope!
Tom Brady is perhaps the greatest NFL quarterback of all time. After Sunday's loss to the Rams ended his season earlier than he'd have liked, media reporters started asking him about retirement. He basically said that, (and I am paraphrasing) he wasn't at a point to make any decision at the moment, his mind was still on the game they had just lost.
His answer reminded me of a great principle in life and ministry.
"Never make major life decisions when you are emotionally down and hurting."
The Christian life is like that too! We all have our ups and downs. It is very easy for us to look at the past few years and see more negatives than positives. That can negatively influence our decision making and affect the way we run our race.
Yet, s those with the hope of Christ, we are called to run our race with endurance (Heb. 12:1) to the very end. Coach Jim Valvano used to say, "Don't give up, don't ever give up!" That should be our mentality as believers too! Every day, we wake up and say to ourselves, "I can do this!"
If we love Christ, if we love His Church, and if we love our church family as deeply as we say we do, then we will never give up fighting for their honor. We must learn how to fight for the church, not with ourselves or with the church. One of the best ways to combat negativity is with positivity. The light always overcomes the darkness.
(Please don't misread any notion of the false theology of the power of positive thinking here, rather understand that the Bible does encourage us to be encouraging.)
Ephesus, as part of our Barnabas Initiative, let us seek to always exhibit a genuine, heart felt, positive outlook toward our present circumstances and our future development. We can encourage each other greatly by never giving up the fight for the honor of Christ.
God placed us at our current address with our current family of believers, so that together, WE can be an agent of encouragement and change in our lives and in the lives of those who live in our community and around this globe. We have a mission. We have the hope of Christ to empower us, to sustain us, and give us the endurance to run this race well and fulfill this mission.
Church, let's do this! May we stand strong and triumphant, joyfully encouraging the hope of Christ to flood our ranks with a great sense of optimism. Optimism that can breathe new life into even the most weary of souls. Let us become that kind of disciple! Let us become that kind of Church!
When our hearts are right before God in unison and hopeful expectation, then we will be prepared to hear God and make the right decisions to follow Him in His works and ways. Let's do this Church!
"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Romans 8:31