Monday, October 29, 2018

Time Change


Time Change

Here we go again. This weekend we change the clocks again. The spring and fall ritual of moving up or turning back the clocks one hour.

Time is an interesting thing. It controls and directs our lives in so many ways. It's one of those things that we all seem to want more of. Yet no matter how hard we try, we each feel the limitations of time. Whether we change the clock an hour ahead or an hour back, it's still ticking. Each day still has only 24 hours.

There is so much we could do, if only we had more time. Rather than wishing for more time, maybe the better approach is to make the most of the time we have. The Bible calls it "redeeming the time". (see Ephesians 5:16)

A friend of mine was recently badly injured in a motorcycle accident. He spoke of lying on the road after the accident, not sure if he would survive. He felt regret that he had not done more for the Lord during his life. Thankfully, he did survive and is now recovering. But his story challenges us to take a hard look at our lives. How are we using our time?

That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Helping people redeem the time by seeking out the call of God on their lives, and preparing to follow the call wholeheartedly. There is no greater use of our time than to spend it in the service of our Savior. 

 

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Traits of a World-Changer


Traits of a World-Changer

It's been jokingly said that there are three kinds of people. Those who watch things happen. Those who make things happen. And those who don't know what happened. There is some truth to this statement, and it gives us something to consider. How are we changing the world?

History records many people who have impacted the world in profound ways. Freedom fighters like  Moses, Martin Luther, Abraham Lincoln, and Nelson Mandela. Inventors like the Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, and Alexander Graham Bell. Explorers like Magellan, Christopher Columbus, and Lewis & Clark. And the list goes on of thinkers, writers, musicians, scientists, humanitarians, and soldiers and statesman who have left their mark.

Not everyone has made such large or noticeable contributions. Countless others have been a great blessing just by being a loving parent, a good friend, or a faithful employee. Being a world-changer doesn't necessarily mean being famous. But there are several common traits we can identify among those who make a significant difference in the world.

First of all, they live with a strong sense of purpose. They don't live randomly or haphazardly. They have visionary focus and an intense feeling of mission. Secondly, they live by their convictions. Most people have no trouble verbalizing their beliefs. Having the courage and commitment to live by those beliefs isn't as common. Lastly, they are people of action. They understand that while change begins with ideas, it must eventually be converted into meaningful action. World-changers and difference-makers follow through with strategic action.

That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Developing the traits of a world-changer. How are you changing the world? 

Thursday, October 18, 2018

The Chosen


The Chosen

The choices we make in life are of immense value. They determine the outcome of so many things. For this reason, praying for wisdom to choose wisely is of utmost importance.

In Matthew 22:14, Jesus ends one of his parables with these words, Many are called but few are chosen. The call goes out to everyone. However, not everyone chooses to respond to the call.

Like most things, there are differences of opinion in how this is interpreted. Regardless of your view, it still is clear that answering the call should be a priority. This one choice supersedes all others.

God loves us and invites us into his family. God loves us and invites us into his purposes. God loves us and invites us into his plans.

The best choice to make is to respond to the call. It won't be easy. There will be sacrifices and struggles, but in the end it will be well worth it.

That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Creating an environment where people can answer the call. Once and for all and one day at a time. Because the choices we make, end up making us. 

Monday, October 15, 2018

The Finish Line


The Finish Line

There are endless ways to measure success in life. People look at things like power, prestige, and possessions to gauge their level of the good life. Those things have their place and serve their purpose, however, there is a greater scale to measure what really matters.

It all begins with taking a long range view of life. Most people don't like to think about it, but there is a finish line in life. It's not how we start but how we finish that matters most.

There is a higher calling in life. We are made for something bigger than ourselves. Deep within, there is a sense of significance waiting to be awakened. It speaks not only of what we do in life, but also why we do it. It brings us into contact with what really matters.

In John 17, Jesus is praying in the garden. He is preparing to sacrifice his life on the cross. He reflects on what has been done and what is still to be accomplished. He prays for his disciples and the future of the church. But before that, in verse four, he makes a profound statement. He says to the Father, I have brought glory to you on the earth by completing the work you've given me to do.

With that one statement, he sums up the measure of what really matters. With the end quickly approaching, the thing that stood out to him the most in that moment was his readiness to finish what God had asked him to do. That is the mark of a successful life. The finish line says it all.

That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Getting your focus on the finish line. Not only figuring out what God has called you to do, but also getting a deep sense of why. Because when all is said and done, the higher calling is how we measure what really matters. 





Thursday, October 11, 2018

Do It Again


Do It Again

Of all the attributes of God, the one that seems to stand out more than any other is his faithfulness. He is good, and merciful, and holy, and just, and so much more, but without his faithfulness, we couldn't count on those aspects of his nature. We wouldn't know what to expect from day to day. In other words, his faithfulness encompasses every other one of his attributes. His faithfulness reveals what he is at all times. He is what he is again and again.

This is vitally important for us to learn. We are called to follow the Lord and be conformed into his likeness. We are called to reflect his glory and be expressions of his greatness. Not just sometimes. Not just on good days, or when we feel like it. He is a full-time Jesus and following him is a full-time commitment. We are called to live out who he is again and again.

Herein lies one of the basic elements of success. Faithfulness. Whoever you are and whatever you do, you will never fulfill your potential without faithfulness. No matter the field of endeavor, success is the result of identifying best practices and consistently repeating them over and over. It's simply a matter of showing up day after day and achieving peak performance again and again.

Champions are those who find a way to live faithfully. Faithful to vision. Faithful to purpose. Faithful to values. They are consistent and dependable. They are tried and true. They are who they are again and again. That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Developing faithful followers of Christ who will do what they are called to do. Again and again. 




Monday, October 8, 2018

Right Voices Lead To Right Choices


Right Voices Lead to Right Choices

One of the most common prayer requests is for direction and guidance. We face many decisions on a daily basis, and each of us at some point will be searching for answers. Tuning into the right voices helps us to make the right choices.

Whether we use an online search tool, social media, or we simply phone a friend, seeking help with making decisions is a part of everyday life. Learning who to listen to can make all the difference. When it comes to getting advice, why not go straight to the top?

Psalm 119:24 tells us that the Scriptures can become our counselor. The Lord can speak to us through his word and give us the counsel we need. Talking things over with a trusted and qualified friend is always helpful, too, but the Word of God must be the first place we go to for answers.

Nobody knows more about everything, and nobody cares more about you than the Lord. James 1:5 says that God graciously grants us wisdom when we ask him for it. I just read this morning about an airline pilot in Indonesia who was sensitive to the voice of God and took off before he was scheduled, avoiding an earthquake which happened minutes later, sparing the lives of 144 passengers and crew.

Not all of our decisions will be that consequential, but getting direction from God always serves us well. That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about, developing our ability to walk with God and serve him effectively. Because right voices lead to right choices. 

Thursday, October 4, 2018

Keep the Fire Burning


Keep the Fire Burning

Sitting in front of a fireplace on a cold day can be a very enjoyable experience. There is something special about the sights, the sounds, and the sensations coming from the heat, the glow, and the crackle of the fire. But sooner or later, the fire is going to dwindle unless someone takes care of it.

Fire requires three things, fuel, oxygen, and ignition. Tending the fire means we need to supply it with one of those three elements to keep it going. We may need to throw more wood on the fire, we may need to let it breathe, or we may need to rekindle the flame.

In much the same way, our spiritual lives need attention to avoid going dim. Jesus said he would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Jeremiah spoke of God's word burning within him like fire in his bones. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the upper room in the form of fire.

God wants to light a fire within each of us. He wants our hearts to burn with love for him and for the souls of humanity. The Bible calls our God a consuming fire, and he doesn't want us living in lukewarm and apathetic ways.

In Luke 24, Jesus appears to two disciples as they walked the road to Emmaus. At first they didn't recognize him, but eventually they realize it was the resurrected Christ. After he vanishes from their sight, they say to each other, did not our hearts burn within us as we walked together and he taught us the Scriptures along the way?

When was the last time your heart burned within you as Jesus walked alongside of you and taught you from the Scriptures? That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Making a time and a place for the fire of God to capture our hearts and keep the fires burning.

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Either Or


Either/Or

We live in a world filled with so many choices and a multitude of options. From a menu of endless television stations to entire grocery aisles dedicated to cereal or toothpaste, we love having options. From choosing a paint color or ordering an ice cream cone, we have plenty of choices.

That may be true when it comes to making purchases or seeking entertainment, but when it comes to how we live our lives, we really only have two choices. Romans 12:2 says we will either conform to the pattern of the world or we will become transformed by the renewing of our minds. It's an either/or proposition. Every single one of us will fall into one of those two groups.

Romans 12:2 goes on to explain that it's the renewing of the mind that enables us to find God's perfect will. Either we will or we won't. Either we do or we don't. Either we conform to the ways of the world and live according to it, or we are transformed by renewing or mind and live according to the teachings of the bible.

In a world filled with so many choices and a multitude of options, there is one decision that matters most. Will we be conformed or will we be transformed? Will we go along with the pattern of the world or will we discover and follow the ways of God? In a world overflowing with choices, the truth is that it's still an either/or life. Will we do the best we know how, or will we know how to do what's best?

That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Providing an environment where one can become transformed by renewing their mind through a consistent and systematic study of the scriptures. This is the gateway to the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.