Giving Tuesday

How to be Thankful

How to be Thankful

With this being Thanksgiving week, the subject of being thankful is on the minds of many people. The Bible has much to say about thanksgiving. It's more than our American celebration of turkeys and touchdowns. For the followers of Christ, being thankful is to be a lifestyle.

What happens when being thankful doesn't come naturally? Can we learn to develop a thankful heart? Are there things we can do to inspire and activate thankfulness in our lives? Yes, I think so.

The Bible teaches more than just the need to be thankful, it goes further by also explaining why we can be thankful, how we can be thankful, and what we can be thankful for. While there are many Scriptures we could look at, I especially like Psalm 116:12-14.

Here the writer asks himself an interesting question. How can I repay the Lord for all the good he has done for me? In other words, how can I properly and adequately give thanks to the Lord? Then he answers his own question by saying, I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

As he reflects on his desire to thank the Lord, he realizes the impossibility of doing so, since the Lord has need of nothing and everything we have came from him in the first place. However, he also recognizes that receiving what the Lord offers, his cup of salvation, is the best way to honor God. Humbly and eagerly accepting from the Lord is the best way to show thanks. The paradox is that we give to the Lord by taking what he freely offers.

That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Learning to live with a thankful heart by receiving the gifts and callings he has for each of us, and fulfilling his purpose for us among the people of God.   

The Future is Now

The Future is Now

It's vitally important to have dreams and goals for the future. The bible tells us in Proverbs 29:18, where there is no vision, people live in unrestrained and undisciplined ways which produces confusion and disorder. However, looking ahead should not prevent us from seeing the opportunities at hand right now.

It's not uncommon for us to get so focused on where we want to go, that we can easily lose sight of current realities. By current realities, I mean things like relationships, situations, needs and opportunities that are part of our lives right now that could be a link to our desired future. We must not limit our dreams in light of our current realities, but neither should we underestimate the connection our current realities can play in helping us achieve our goals.

A healthy balance is usually a good thing. Let's keep moving toward our goals without ignoring the possibilities that surround us right now. Rather than waiting for something special to happen, understanding what you have available to work with right now is often the best place to get started. Acting like our calling is a future event is a common behavior that holds people back. Our calling does involve the future, but the future is built on what we are doing today.

That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Growing into our God-given calling by getting busy with present opportunities to learn and serve. Because the future really is now. 

Under Construction

Under Construction

The story goes that as a man was walking through a large city one day, he came across a large construction site. Curious, he asked one of the workers what they were doing. With no emotion, "Laying bricks" was all he said. Still curious, the man asked a second worker what they were doing. Without looking up, the second worker replied, "Earning a paycheck". Finally, the man encountered a third worker, to whom he directed the same question. This time, however, he received a much different response. The third worker stopped for a moment, looked the man right in the eye, and with
excitement on his face and awe in his voice, he answered, "I am building a cathedral". 

How is it that outwardly, people can appear to be doing the same thing, yet inwardly they are experiencing different realities? It's all about attitude. It's all about perspective. It's all about seeing the bigger picture. That's what Empower is really all about. Sure, we are a school with classes and teachers and books. But there is much more. Empower is a mindset, it is an understanding of how God wants to make you into someone who is making a difference. Down deep, that's what we really want. We want our life to matter, we want our life to make sense, we want our life to count for something special.

The third worker from our story got it. He saw beyond the daily grind. He saw beyond the task at hand. He saw the lasting result of his labor. It was under construction, but he was empowered by his vision, which transferred into empowering his activity. His inward reality impacted his external performance. From where I sit, that is a good example of living empowered.

A Place Called There

A Place Called There

The account of Saul's conversion to Christ is an amazing story. It appears three times in the Book of Acts, in chapter, 9, 22, and 26. When something is repeated that often in Scripture, we need to pay attention. His experience left a lasting impression on Saul (who later became known as the Apostle Paul), and it became the driving force of his life. He used his story to convince others of their need for salvation, and of Christ's mandate to preach the gospel to all men.

As Paul recounts how he had a vision of Jesus along the road to Damascus, we can learn from his experience. After an intense light from heaven knocks him to the ground, he hears the voice of the Lord. He responds with two question. First, who are you Lord? And secondly, What should I do?

These two questions sum up the hunger of the human heart. Within each human soul, there is a desire to know God and to know how we can honor him. The Lord answers his questions by saying, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, and then he tells him to go into Damascus, THERE you will be told what you are assigned to do.

Why didn't Jesus just tell him everything right then and there? Why was Saul instructed to go into the city to receive further information? Could this be a pattern for us to follow? Just like Paul, do we also have a place called there, where we will receive what our hearts long to know? Of course, God can do whatever he likes, and I don't think everyone's experience is exactly the same. However, I do think  this story highlights an important truth for us all. There are places and people that God intends to use to help shape and direct our lives. 

That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. To be a place where people can come to learn more about what God wants them to do. To be a place called there.

Destiny Road

Destiny Road

Destiny is an interesting yet often confusing concept. We all like to believe there is something good out there waiting to happen for us. However, there are plenty of differing ideas on how this is supposed to work.

Is it fate? Some heavenly force that predetermines all of life for us. Or is it personal responsibility? Picking ourselves by the bootstraps and pushing through the obstacles of life with grit and a positive outlook? Maybe it's a combination of both, knowing that God has a plan for us, yet also being aware of our need to search it out and follow the plan with faith on Destiny Road.

Destiny involves a destination. There is a place we need to get to. But it's more than just that, it also involves the path we take to get there. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that as believers in Christ, we enter into a relationship with him that includes a God-ordained plan for us. There is a path prepared for us to follow, yet we must apply ourselves to the pursuit of this destiny or we may miss it. 

That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Helping people grow in faith and in their understanding of following God's plan for their lives. Are you confident that you are on Destiny Road?

Built to Last

Built to Last

There used to be a time when things were built to last. Advertisers would tell you about the long-lasting quality of their products. But things have changed. We now live in a disposable society where having the latest and greatest things seems to be of primary importance.

It doesn't take long before a newer version of things comes along, and entices us to upgrade. Upgrading is great, and the constant stream of innovation has made the world a better place in many ways. However, when it comes to following the call of God, let's not forget the value of standing the test of time.

Jesus said in John 15:16, You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Lasting value and enduring impact is the goal of God's call on our lives. We are not called to be a flash in the pan, here today and gone tomorrow. When the Lord gets hold of our lives, we are built to last.

We need not be opposed to new things. We should take advantage of all the tools at our disposal to serve the Lord. Yet, let us guard against the cultural mindset that can blind us to our true purpose. Let's not just live for today, let's keep the big picture in view. Let's stay on the cutting edge without forfeiting our commitment to bearing fruit that will last.

That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Growing disciples that will remain. Developing leaders that will endure. Making an impact that is built to last.