El Bethel

The name El-bethel occurs only once in the Bible. It's the name that Jacob gave to the place near Bethel where he had seen the famous ladder from earth to heaven, when God sent him back there to commemorate that event. The word אל (El) is either a semi-personal name of God, or the commonly accepted abbreviation of Elohim, the genus God: God of Bethel, the name of the place where Jacob had the vision of the ladder, and where he built an altar.

Continue ReadingEl Bethel

The Lent Buzz

“Lent is the span of time in the church calendar that starts with Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter Sunday. Ash Wednesday commemorates the beginning of Jesus’ 40-day fasting and temptation in the desert, and Easter Sunday commemorates Jesus’ resurrection from the grave after his crucifixion." Andy Rau, Senior Manager of Content, Biblegateway.org.

Continue ReadingThe Lent Buzz

Cutting Christmas Chaos: 5 Tips for a PEACE Full Holiday

Ever been tempted to run away at Christmas-time? It would be nice take a two week trip, maybe to a deserted island and just be alone with your family? Guess what. Christmas comes around the same date every year, and it’s wonderful to know, even in the midst of the flurry, we will have another opportunity next year, to start over and ask God to help us make Christ the center of Christmas. To make it easy to remember, let’s use the letters in the word PEACE for a five-step acrostic:

Continue ReadingCutting Christmas Chaos: 5 Tips for a PEACE Full Holiday

How to Tame the Bucking Bronco of Rebellion

Spiritually, you and I may inadvertently bind ourselves up with a rebellious attitude, which is contrary to Scripture but culturally acceptable. It’s important to see what God says about how rebellion is a subtle way the enemy can warp us into thinking we don’t need to obey leaders in our civil government, in our churches, in our families (husband or wife), or God. Proverbs 12:8 reminds us, “A man is praised according to his wisdom, but men with warped minds are despised.”

Continue ReadingHow to Tame the Bucking Bronco of Rebellion

Little Things Can Become a Big Deal

Little things can become a big deal. Instead of limping along with a wounded heart, we can be healed and whole. We can learn lessons from the little things, as we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and apply truth from God’s Word. We can learn how to pay attention as we choose to trust God for His timing. 

Continue ReadingLittle Things Can Become a Big Deal

Make the Most of Your Time

TIME MANAGEMENT is actually a misnomer because no one can manage time. What we really manage is ourselves in order to accomplish our goals in the time available. Time must be redeemed; it has to be bought. Time is basic, unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed. “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time for the days are evil.”   Ephesians 5:16, 15  I wish I could stand on a busy street corner and beg people to give me all their wasted hours. Most people waste at least two hours everyday, although few realize it. Today we’re discussing how to improve Life Management skills:

Continue ReadingMake the Most of Your Time

People Not Platforms

"How can we acquire, train and retain talent?" It's worth considering. We must view our team members as co-laborers brought to us by God. He has given them to us to steward, and allows us to nurture and encourage them along the way. So, let's grapple with the opportunity of how best to engage our team members to connect with God. As leaders, we can lead them closer to God only if we have gone there first. We must answer these two important questions: (Lead Like Jesus Revisited, pages25-27)

Continue ReadingPeople Not Platforms

When God’s Plan Doesn’t Make Sense

It’s not the path I would have chosen for me or my family. It’s been a time of healing, questioning God, and trusting our Creator for what is in store. I never would have imagined I’d be a widow. It breaks my heart to watch my own children grieve this loss as we face the future without their father. As many of you have experienced, at times in our lives, God’s will does not make sense. I trust God because He is good. I’ve chosen to depend on God.

Continue ReadingWhen God’s Plan Doesn’t Make Sense

Failing Forward

It’s time to settle an important life question. As a leader, how do you deal with failure? Failure is the inability to complete a task. Instead of feeling incompetent or giving into failure and giving up, leaders must learn to reset our expectations. We might even need to alter our schedule and regroup our team.We all fail. But it’s how we handle failure that will set us apart from other leaders.

Continue ReadingFailing Forward

Victory In Christ Requires Cooperation

Armor up! When we pray Scripture, we are doing battle God’s way. The battle is not against flesh and blood. 2 Corinthians 10:4 reminds us,  “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” Obeying God’s instructions, we put on our ‘spiritual armor’ and stand firm in the authority of Christ.

Continue ReadingVictory In Christ Requires Cooperation

Why?

Why?

Why is not just a question. Why is a cry of anger, hurt or disbelief. Why didn’t God do something? Why did this happen? Why me? We need reminding that we can be confident that everything works together for good to those who love God. The apostle Paul wrote about this in Romans 8:28 (NKJV to encourage believers who lived in a city ruled by the powerful madman, Nero. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Paul reminds us that we can be sure everything that happens to us will result in good, brokenness leads to blessing, death leads to life and suffering leads to glory. We can be assured to trust God when we don’t understand and nothing makes sense.

Continue ReadingWhy?

Plan to Succeed

You’ve failed. Again. It’s time to reorganize. Start over. Begin again. Use a fresh approach, a new strategy. When you are discouraged, it’s probably not that you are doing the wrong thing, but you might be doing it in the wrong way. Our natural temptation is to give up on our dream. We think, “Maybe God didn’t give me this dream in the first place.” No, it’s probably just the opposite. However, it might be time to expand your vision and ask God to give you new ways of thinking.

Continue ReadingPlan to Succeed