Rise Again

In the 1800s, A printer decided to earn some money by printing lithographs of a young and beardless president Lincoln.  It took awhile to print them and before he had the chance to sell the first one... it was revealed that Lincoln had grown a beard.  This printer had a stack of beautiful photos that no longer looked like the president.  What did  he do?  Instead of letting his failure define him, he went a completely different direction to earn money.. he invented a game... Checkers.  You may recognize this young printer’s name... Milton Bradley.  He went on to become a huge success as the father of board games worldwide.

Failure does one of two things... it either defeats us or it makes us more determined.  In the Bible, Micah gives his reaction to failure in chapter 7  “Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again.”  Is that you today?  Have you been hit with a failure?  Change course, stay focused on God, and never give up!   And you, just like Micah, will rise up and enjoy future success!

The Speed of Life

TRUST 

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

    do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

    and he will show you which path to take.”

The head of the Nevada Highway Patrol once said, “‘At 100 mph you’re not driving a car, you’re aiming it.’" So true.  At that speed, you aren’t really in control... You don’t feel the rocks under your tires or see any of the passing scenery.  It’s just an exercise in staying between the lines and avoiding major obstacles.

Sound like your life?  Fast?  Out of control?  If you’re in a season like that, Proverbs 3:5-6 has some advice.  Trust God.  The verse says to count on Him completely... and He’ll direct your path.  He will get you to where you need to go regardless of life’s pace or what comes your way.  You may not get to pick the speed of your day... but you do get to choose Who does the high-speed driving through the challenges.  

Tied Down?

If you’ve ever gone to the circus, you know the size of the mighty elephant.  But did you know that when they are behind the scenes, they are kept in place by tying a tiny rope from their leg to a small stake in the ground?  How does this work?  Simple.  When they were baby elephants, that same small rope used to hold them securely.  Sure, they could easily break it now... but because it used to be strong enough, they’ve become conditioned to believe it always will be.

Many of us are the same way.  A mistake early in our life ties us to the post of failure.  We think... why bother trying to break free?  We’re just like that elephant that stops trying to tug on what used to hold them in place.  Fact is, you aren’t bound by your past to a lifetime of defeat... If you know Christ as Savior, you have His strength to break free.  In Philippians 3, Paul tells us that he has forgotten the past and is focused on the future.  Do the same!  Pull against that tiny rope of your past mistakes and watch it release you.  It’s time to be the person God tells you that you are!

Display Only?

I was shopping in the mall last week and saw a shirt in the window that I was interested in.  I went inside to talk to the clerk and told her that I would like that particular shirt in my size.  Her reply?  We don’t have it in stock.  I checked the shirt in the window... and sure enough, it was my size!  I told her, “I’ll just take this one!”  She quickly told me that it wasn’t for sale... that the shirts in the window were for “display only”.

That got me thinking about Romans chapter 2... “And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.”  What in my life...or your life... is “for display only”?  Are we being genuine, real, authentic... or is there something we are trying to keep a secret from those around us?  Take a few minutes today and look at your life... at your “store window.”  Is what you’re showing others really “in stock” or just “display only”  Let’s do our very best to be the people we tell others we are.  

Cheering Others On

Fishermen know that when they go out to sea to catch different types of crabs, they don’t need to put a lid on their capture bucket.   Why?  Because once they’re caught... crabs never try to escape.  Not because they are unable to.. but because when one tries, the others drag him back down.  It’s what is called the “crab mentality.”  If we all can’t escape... nobody can.  

Sadly, some people are the same way.  They just can’t stand to see others happy.  If they can’t be filled with joy... neither can you.  If they can’t succeed... they’re keeping you down there with them.  The Bible tells us in Philippians 2:3 to do nothing selfishly... but consider other people as better than ourselves.  Want a cure for the “crab mentality?”   Resist the urge to keep them in the bucket... instead encourage their growth, cheer them on when they win, and help them over the hurdles of life.  God will bless your selflessness.  

Your Greatest Competition

A former chaplain of the US Senate, Richard Halverson once said... "Want to be a winner? Compete against yourself, not somebody else. Outrunning your rival doesn’t mean you ran your best race. You can win over another and still not fulfill your potential. It’s true in all of life. To be your best, you must compete with yourself. It’s life’s biggest contest.”

In Galatians 6, the Bible says, "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions.".   One of the biggest barriers to personal success is the comparison of ourselves to others.  You are the only one qualified to be you... and that’s what God made you to do!    Are you ready to move forward and improve?  Stay in your lane, check your own motives, work on improving yourself, and remember... your only real competition is the you of yesterday.  Keep moving forward!

Time to Change

In 2005, former Apple CEO, Steve Jobs shared this thought at Stanford University’s graduation ceremony:  "For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I knew I needed to change something."  

It’s been said that the only person who likes change is a baby with a dirty diaper.  Some avoid it because it makes them feel uncomfortable...others fear it because they get used to a routine.  Fact is, change is sometimes necessary. Feel like you aren’t using your God-given gifts?  Make a change.  Doing something good instead of something great?  Change your priorities.  Ecclesiastes 3 says that there’s a season for everything... but those seasons don’t last forever.  Find yourself doing something unfulfilling?  Feel like you’re time could be better spent for God?  Ask Him to reveal what isn’t working... and be bold enough to make the necessary changes to help you reach your destiny.

Where Do You Run?

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9

Researchers have discovered that athletes have a higher pain tolerance than non-athletes. It seems both men and women who play team sports can stand more pain than those involved in other less intense activities.  Their recommendation?  If you deal with a lot of everyday pain... get active... you’ll feel healthier and more resistant to discomfort.  

Great advice!  But when it comes to the pains of life... many of us do the opposite.  When it hurts...we retreat... we become afraid.  Timid.  Unsure of what God can do or if the pain will ever end.  Scripture tells us in Joshua 1:9 to be strong!  Be courageous when it hurts because God is with us!   When life gets challenging, don’t shrink back or  just stand there in pain... step boldly forward... stay active and connected to God...  and soon you’ll find yourself stronger and more tolerant to what used to hurt you.  

Caught Not Taught

Billy Graham once said... “Children will talk, eat, walk, think, respond, and act like their parents. Give them a target to shoot at. Give them a goal to work toward. Give them a pattern which they can see clearly, and you give them something that gold and silver cannot buy.”  

Parenting is caught not taught.  No matter how we much tell our children to behave, be kind, share, tell the truth, and mind their manners... they will struggle if they don’t see it lived out in our own lives.  God tells us in Proverbs 22 that we should train up our children in a way that honors God... and once we do so, it will stick with them forever.  How do we do this?  Demonstrate integrity... be true to our word... give second chances.. love them like Christ does... and face challenges with courage not complaints.  Telling our kids about Christ is important.   Living out His values in front of them is equally so.  

Ordinary

We’re just getting home from an amazing weekend.  We just experienced nearly ten hours of amazing Christian concert worship and a historic Potential Church service at the BB&T Center.  Plus we had lives changed at all of our other campuses outside of the South Florida area during their services!

As I sat and thought about what we were all just a part of… it hit me.  It was something that Hillsong United said in between songs yesterday at the show.  The singer told the audience that the night wasn’t about performing or entertaining… it was about pleasing the only One who matters… God.  He said that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when their only intention is making their Creator happy.

Do you feel ordinary today?   Plain?   

Good.  

You are exactly the type of person God uses to change the world.  Joseph was a prisoner... Gideon was a farmer... David was a shepherd... Mary was a teenager... Luke was a doctor... Matthew collected taxes... and Peter caught fish long before he was called a “fisher of men”.   

When we read that list, we think “God’s all-stars”  But they didn’t think of themselves that way.  In their minds, they were just regular people doing what God had asked them to do... and changing the world in the process.  

Fact is, every person He creates is knitted together with a purpose.  A destiny.   That includes you.  You may have opened your eyes this morning feeling plain but you aren’t.  God had a plan for those He used in the Bible... and He has one for you.  He specializes in doing extraordinary things through ordinary people who are committed to fulfilling His purpose in their lives.  There’s nothing common about that!

Every Moment

Christian writer Philip Yancey once wrote ““If you can live through a moment, you can live through a day, and how you live a day is eventually how you live your life.“  Quite a true statement.  Life is made up of little decisions... roads not taken and paths that are... choices, challenges, and chances... all leading us somewhere.

Today, you’ll have hundreds of opportunities.  What will you fill them with?  In the book of Ephesians, Paul tells us to “make the most of every opportunity” ...  some philosophers tell us to “seize the day”... why?  Because we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow.  God has kept our heart beating and our lungs taking in air for a reason... to bring Him glory... to serve others... and be the best that we can be.  

This Sunday will be one of those opportunities to seize.  A chance to be a part of something that will strengthen your walk with Christ… This Sunday, all of Potential Church’s South Florida campuses will come together as one.  Worshiping, praying, learning, growing, and connecting… one time in one place.  If you are in the area and can make it… we’d love to see you there.  10AM - BB&T Center - Sunrise, Florida.

Want another chance to seize the day?  Why not seize two?  Join thousands of people this weekend at the Xtreme Music Conference… worshiping with such bands as Switchfoot and Hillsong United.  This Saturday and Sunday evening… BB&T Center in Sunrise.

I am excited to see what God is going to do through both the concerts and our church services.  Not only the service at the BB&T, but in those all over the world at our other campuses.  The team and I have been praying for breakthrough… for life-change… for strength for each and every person that steps through the doors.  It’s our prayer that people would come to know Christ as their Savior… that what held them down up till now would be left behind…and they would live free for the first time in Christ.  Will you join us in this prayer?  Will you pray with us that thousands would come…and experience much more than they ever expected?   

I can’t wait to experience this with you.  Let’s make the most of every moment and give God the glory for what He does in and through those that come. 

The Weight of Stress

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she asked: "How heavy is this glass of water?"  Some guessed 8 ounces... others 20 ounces... She replied, "The weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

Stress is the same way.  Hold it for a little while...no problem.  A little while longer...a little more weight.  All day?  A week?  It quickly becomes unbearable.  So how can we control the pressure on our lives?  Take Jesus up on what He offers in 1 Peter chapter 5  verse 7:  “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”  God wants us to turn to Him when times get tough... We weren’t created to carry the weight of the world... so today, let’s choose to trust in His strength and not our own.  

Here’s the link for more information about our amazing and historic weekend at the BB&T Center:  www.potentialchurch.com/xtreme/    Hope to see you there!

Impossible?

Before we start today,  I want to remind you… this weekend is historic at Potential Church.  For the first time in our history, our South Florida campuses will be meeting at one time in one place… the BB&T Center in Sunrise!  One free service… 10AM Sunday morning… I hope to see you there!  For more details about the service and the extreme music conference concerts, check out our website here:  http://potentialchurch.com/xtreme/

I was thinking about Pr. James’ teaching last weekend at our Cooper City campus and I kept coming back to the word he focused on… “impossible”.   Nothing is impossible through Christ.  Nothing.  That marriage that seems like there’s no hope.  Recovery is possible.  The low bank balance.  Replenishment is possible.  An uncontrollable teenager… a demanding boss… a medical setback?   All solvable.  All doable.  All possible through the One who promises that He will never leave nor forsake us.  (Deut. 31:8)

When we have no more stamina… He carries us.

When we are out of answers… He assures us that He has all that we’ll need. 

When the world tells us we’re nothing… He reminds us that we are more than just something.   We’re a masterpiece.   

His arms are strong enough for our heaviest burdens.

In 1 Peter 5, we read about God’s “mighty” hand!    No matter where we find ourselves today... God’s hand will be big enough.  He’ll cradle us with it when it hurts. He’ll provide for our needs with it.  We can grab it when we’re nervous and it will be there to protect us.  

Today, don’t live limited by what you can carry in your own hand... give it to Him... He is more than strong enough. 

Lose Everything

John 15:12-13 says, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Liza was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her five-year-old brother. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. He hesitated for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, ‘Yes, I’ll do it if it will save Liza.’  As the transfusion progressed, he lay in a bed next to his sister and smiled, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, ‘Will I start to die right away?’  Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give her all of his blood.  He was willing to lose everything to save the one he loved.

Sacrifice, selfless generosity, full commitment... these are the things of love.  Real love.  The love that Christ showed on the cross for mankind... and the type of love He asks us to demonstrate to those we call family or friend.   Are you willing to lose everything for the sake of another?  You may never be called to... but it’s this kind of dedication and devotion that changes the world.



Tuesday Reminder…  Don’t forget… this weekend is historic for Potential Church.  Our south Florida campuses are coming together for one free worship experience at the BB&T center!  Hope to see you there this Sunday at 10AM!  For more details about this special service and the amazing weekend concert, check out this link:  http://potentialchurch.com/xtreme/

Choose To Rejoice!

Unpaid bills, children who don’t listen, a boss who doesn’t get it, a grouchy spouse, and that pain that just won’t go away... sometimes it’s hard to remember that we are supposed to live out Psalm 118:24 It says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Rejoice?  How are we supposed to be overjoyed with so much going wrong?  Easy.  God made today.  Just for you.  He gave you air in your lungs and kept your heart beating so you could experience every second of it.  When trouble comes, He’ll be there.  Feeling alone?  Hurt?  He will never give up on you.  Short of money?  Stay generous...and watch Him provide for every need.  It’s all about perspective and a committed focus on God’s goodness!  You’ve got another 24 hours to change the world... make the choice to rejoice!   

An Encouraging Word

Jackie Robinson was the first African-American person to play major league baseball. Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. Players would stomp on his feet and kick him. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he made an error. The fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans booed. Then, shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd. The fans grew quiet. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career.

Encouragement means so much.  Sometimes it’s verbal... a word of affirmation or a compliment.  Yet other times, it’s not.  It can come in the form of a hand squeeze, a wink, a pat on the back, or in Jackie Robinson’s case, an arm over the shoulder.  Regardless of how it is conveyed, everyone needs to be encouraged.  The Bible talks about it in 1 Thessalonians 5

Vs.  11 “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”

Throughout the course of your life you will talk with many people.  Some will be closer than others... but all will be affected by the conversations.  What kind of impact are you having on them?  Are you building them up?  Helping them see their potential?  Reminding them of their value?   God has called us to do so.   There are enough people in this world trying to boo and jeer those you love.  Refuse to be one of them.  Choose to shine your light on the good things... point them out... lift them up... and encourage those around you to believe in themselves again.  It’s love like that that will change the world.  

Passive Honesty

There is a story about an older couple having dinner in a restaurant. The wife sees another couple about their age sitting in a booth nearby. She sees the husband sitting close to his wife, with his arm around her. He is whispering things in her ear, and she is smiling and blushing. He’s gently rubbing her shoulder and touching her hair.  The woman turns to her husband and says, "Look at the couple over there. Look how close that man is to his wife, how he’s talking to her. Look at how sweet he is. Why don’t you ever do that?"  Her husband looks up from his Caesar salad and glances over at the next booth. Then he turns to his wife and says, "Honey, I don’t even know that woman."

Ever have a chat like that with your spouse?  You ask an honest question... and you get something in return that never helps... sarcasm.  One of the greatest enemies to meaningful conversation in use today.  Sarcastic remarks, snide comments, jabs, pokes, and “just kiddings” are far too often used in place of honesty and openness.

The Bible talks about this in Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

Sarcasm is a destroyer.  It is passive honesty... used to cloak true feelings in a jab or joke.   It’s used to avoid confrontation... yet often causes it.  If we are going to grow into better communicators, we have to learn to leave sarcasm behind.  It does far more damage than we realize and becomes our go-to conversational escape route if we’re not careful.   Rise above it!  Choose to value the person you are speaking to with a straight (and loving) answer.  Not only will you grow closer to each other... you’ll be honoring God in the process.  

Stuck Between Floors

Tony Evans, Pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Texas, spoke of being on an elevator in a high-rise building. He didn’t like riding elevators because he worried that something would go wrong.  One day it did.  The car he was riding in got stuck in between floors.   He noted that some of the people in the car became frantic. They began to beat on the door hoping to get someone’s attention. Others began to yell in the hopes that their voices would get someone on the surrounding floors to come to the aid. But nobody heard their noise or their cries. Then Evans quietly made his way to the front of the car, opened a little door in the wall and pulled out a telephone. Immediately he was connected with someone on the outside. He didn’t need to beat on the wall to get their attention. He didn’t need to speak loudly in the phone to receive their help. He could have whispered and they would have heard him.

Anger and yelling did nothing to get those people out of the elevator.   Instead, patience and self-control solved the problem.  The Bible talks about this very thing...

“Better to be patient than powerful;

    better to have self-control than to conquer a city.”  Proverbs 16:32

In any relationship, anger and lack of self-control hurt the ability to honestly communicate.  When one side is afraid of making the other mad for fear of setting off an emotional volcano...there is an issue...and before long, all meaningful communication stops.   If we are going to have deeper relationships, we must be in control of our temper...not over-reacting to a situation or a remark.  By doing so, we create an environment where both sides are equally heard... honesty and trust thrive... and God-honoring solutions are reached.  

Mixed Signals

It’s hard to handle a hypocrite.  You know the type... “Do as I say...not as I do!”  They like to point fingers, call out errors, and accuse... while doing many of those exact same things in their own lives.  The Bible calls it out in Matthew 7

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend,  ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?   Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

Hypocrisy hurts the ability to honestly communicate.  It wastes energy and erodes trust.  When the words don’t match the deeds, a person begins to doubt.  Which part are they supposed to believe?  What is truth and what isn’t?  Why are they saying those words and their body language or tone is saying something completely opposite?   If what they’re saying is such a good idea, why aren’t they doing it themselves?

We wouldn’t eat at a restaurant where the chef didn’t eat his own cooking would we?  Of course not!  If the food is good enough to serve to others it should be good enough for the one who prepared it, right?   If you find yourself trying to change someone by giving them advice, make sure you aren’t sending a mixed message.  People learn more from what we’re doing than from what we’re saying.   And when those line up... trust builds and relationships thrive.   

Quiet Living

Life gets pretty loud.  Alarm clocks ring...kids cry... bosses yell... and our past screams at us from thoughts we wish we could forget.   Things get hectic... and if we’re not careful, we’ll let distraction win.   We are often told how much God wants to say to us... so why is it so hard to hear His voice in the midst of life?

Our question isn’t a new one.  Let’s take a look at the life of Elijah...

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:11-12

Elijah stood patiently and waited for God to speak.  And as the winds whipped through his hair... he became convinced that a powerful God would chat with him in a rowdy way.  He was wrong.  Then the earthquake came... surely God would communicate as the ground moved.  Wrong again.  After that... fire.  Yes!  Elijah knew the story of Moses’ burning bush... this must be a repeat performance!  God was going to tell him everything he needed to know when the heat was on!   Nothing.  Zip.  God wasn’t talking through the noise at all.  

Instead, He waited.  And then God whispered.   Gently.  Elijah didn’t expect “gently”.  He didn’t know that God wants to communicate with us when we’re still... 

How much of your day is spent just being still?   Peaceful?  Quiet?  If you’re like many..not much...and unchecked distraction wins out.  You have to make the intentional decision to get alone with God.   He won’t shout above the noise of your day... He’ll simply wait until you can hear Him.  He doesn’t signal us in shouts or yells or pointed fingers or accusations.  God whispers.  He nudges.  He speaks to us in the quiet spaces of our heart... not with judgment but in love.  We just have to quiet our spirit enough to hear Him.  

Retreat to where the sound isn’t... open up the Word... and listen for the gentlest voice you can hear.  God has something to tell you.

Painful Purpose

Pierre Renoir is a famous French artist who was known for his paintings, mostly depicting family life. But there was one disease that tormented this gifted artist -- he had arthritis that plagued him to the tip of his fingers. Each brushstroke forcing a grimace to his face... It took him a long time to finish one masterful work of art. One of his friends urged him to stop painting and focus on his health. Renoir kept going... even though it hurt.  

God talks about pain in His word:  “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”  Romans 5:3-5

For so many... that level of pain is very real.   Sometimes it comes from a physical condition...other times it’s emotional scarring... relationship damage... poor choices... or even self-inflicted loathing or pity.  In any case, it hurts.  Badly.  But one thing I’ve found in all my years of ministry... pain precedes progress.  What we see as a mountain… a barrier... God allows into our lives so that we can develop the necessary skills and character to become an overcomer... a person who knows what they’ve been through so they don’t have to be scared about what’s coming.  If you are hurting right now as you read this, hold on.  Don’t quit.  I know it hurts.  But I also know this... breakthrough is coming.  Pain is temporary...God is permanent.  He’s not going to give up on you and you are going to be different as a result of your perseverance.   

Doing Our Best

Baseball great Joe DiMaggio was a very unique player.   He just never quit.  When asked why he continually gave it all he had (even when the game was out of reach)... DiMaggio smiled and said “"There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first or last time, I owe him my best."

So many times we don’t try to be great because we can get away with good.  We ease up, slack off, pull back, or slow down.  Not because we can’t do it... but because we don’t have to.  We settle for a “C” when our potential is an “A”.... If you’ve ever felt like letting the feeling of “good enough” take over... remember today’s verse:

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”  Colossians 3:23

Joe DiMaggio worked hard consistently because of his inner drive.. his work ethic... and his unwillingness to settle.  He worked for Yankee manager Joe McCarthy.  If you are a Christ-follower... you should work hard, be driven, have a high work ethic, and push the envelope too... but not because you work for a demanding manager.  You work for God.  

Whatever you do... you work for God.  Plumber to pizza maker to politician.... Your boss came to Earth over 2000 years ago and died so that you could be a world-changer.  Defeat the feeling of “good-enough”... push yourself to try harder, work with joy, and represent Christ in everything you do.   Jesus gave all He had.  He held nothing back.  

Why shouldn’t we do the same... all day... everyday.