A Little Extra

H Jackson Brown Jr once said, "A racehorse that consistently runs just a second faster than another horse is worth millions of dollars more. Be willing to give that extra effort, that separates the winner from the one in second place." I love this audacious statement. When you read this statement you can tell that there is a high expectation for human beings to go the extra mile. If you're in business, go the extra mile for your client or customer. If you are a pastor, go the extra mile for your community and congregation. If you are a teacher, go the extra mile for your students. If you are a mother or a father, go the extra mile for your children. There is no better time to practice going the extra mile than today! Be A Person Who Is Willing To Do A Little Extra!

Go The Extra Mile

In life, most of us walk the first mile. We'll do what's required. We'll perform what's expected. If you want to keep your job, stay married, and have friends, the first mile is the bare minimum. The first mile is secure, it sometimes feels like a very long mile, but none the less, it's secure and comfortable. But what about the Extra Mile? What about the mile that no one really sees coming? What about the mile that becomes a surprise to on - lookers? This is the mile where we find a ton of fulfillment. Why are so many people unfulfilled daily? Could it possibly be because the extra mile is the mile less traveled? I believe that when we decide we are going to go the extra mile on a daily basis we will experience a life of fulfillment. What can we do today to go the extra mile? Choose one thing, do it, and see what happens. This is going to be a ton of fun! Enjoy feeling fulfilled today. When your head hits your pillow, smile, you went the extra mile!

Do More Than The Minimum

Last week I talked about adopting a "Rubber Band Mentality." When stretched, a rubber band does what it was purposed to do. Here are some phrases that are intended to stretch us. No, they are not easy, but worth applying to our lives -

I will do more than belong - I will participate
I will do more than care - I will help
I will do more than believe - I will practice
I will do more than be fair - I will be kind
I will do more than forgive - I will forget
I will do more than dream - I will work
I will do more than teach - I will inspire
I will do more than give - I will serve
I will do more than live - I will grow
I will do more than suffer - I will triumph

Enjoy being stretched this week!!! Remember "Rubber Band Mentality!"

Church Life Part 3

Church Life Is Awesome! Keep that in mind as I talk about being stretched for just a minute. A rubber band is a very interesting tool we use in life. If a rubber band just sits on our counter top, it is not being used for its intended purpose. A rubber band finds its purpose when it is stretched! I Want To Be Stretched! I believe that if we adopted a "rubber band mentality" the word of God would spread like wild fire all across America. Our Churches would begin to fill up, our work life would be full of excitement, and our families would be stable. Be The Church Today, Allow God To Stretch You In Any Area He Desires, Yes, It Hurts, But The Payoff Is Eternal!

Church Life Part 2

Church Life can be summed up in two words "It's Awesome!" In order to capture the kind of energy Church Life Produces, we must understand there are some things Jesus never wants us to say, EVER! Check This Out -

Jesus never said:

"I Can't" or "I Won't"

"I'm Too Tired" or "I Don't Get Paid To.."

"It Doesn't Really Matter"

"Ask Me Next Month" or "Ask ME Next Year"

"I Worked All Week" or "It's Just Too Early To Get Up"

"I Quit!"

Thank God Jesus NEVER said, "Now that's just asking WAY TOO MUCH." So why do we as His Church, allow some of these phrases to be Barriers, or Busters, that keep us from the energy Church Life produces? Church Life Is Awesome, so get these words and phrases out of your vocabulary before it's too late.

Church Life Part 1

Church Life can be summed up in two words. "It's Awesome!" I have been thinking so much about church life due to some upcoming adventures that are going to be, well, very, very interesting, or a better word might be "stretching." What is church life, you might be asking? Well here is what I have come up with - It is understanding that God loves people, so we should love people, and do whatever necessary to stand with others while leaning on God. Mark 12:30 - 31 says it this way - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." It's amazing how just two little verses in the bible tells us what church life is truely designed for. This whole week I am blogging on Church Life. "It's Awesome, not always easy, but is Awesome!"

Produce Positive Words From Your Mouth Part 4

Well, it's been a pretty awesome week ay! ("ay" I know I can hear you laughing) Do you feel like you have been stretched at all with the theme "Produce Positive Words From Your Mouth?" Alright... I am going to wrap this up with one final thought. Producing Positive Words From Your Mouth To Your Self , Is Essential For Personal Motivation. Studies have shown that people talk to themselves through "thought talk" almost all day long. So what you say to yourself is extremely important. What you say to yourself will produce bad fruit for the day, or great fruit for the day. Example - If you are having a week where you are feeling defeated, what are your "thought talk" words saying? Are they defeating words? If you are having a week where you are feeling unstoppable, what are your "thought talk" words saying? Are they words of encouragement and exhortation. What you say to yourself matters! When you wake up you should speak words of encouragement from your mouth to yourself. You Are Important & God Cares About The Fruit You Produce. Produce Positve Fruit For Your Life By Speaking Positively About Yourself. Remember: If you like you, others will like you!

Produce Positive Words From Your Mouth Part 3

This week I have focused on what types of words come from my mouth. Here is an important tip when it comes to understanding the power of our words. Here it is - "Words Backed By Prayer Are Powerful!" (say it again) The bible says in Acts 2:14 "Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you: listen carefully to what I say." Notice that he was preparing to speak words that the bible goes on to say added 3,000 people to the church, that day! (Acts 2:41)

Why did these words produce such amazing fruit that day? Simply put; The Words Were Backed By Prayer. Before Peter said anything he spent time in prayer. It was not just a couple minutes, or a quick prayer over the dinner table. It was a calling out to God to bring power. If you need power behind the words that you are preparing to say today, spend some time in prayer. Don't feel weird or uncomfortable with asking God to put some power behind the words that you speak. Who knows, it might produce some amazing fruit!

Produce Positive Words From Your Mouth Part 2

WOW! Producing positive words from your mouth can be tough! Monday I spoke alot of positive things from my mouth, but I noticed in situations where I wanted to be negative, I stayed quiet instead of saying something positive in its place. There is a saying out there that I like, "If You Can't Say Nothin Good, Don't Say Nothin At All." This statement definitely has it's place, but what if you find yourself saying "nothin at all, alot?" Today, when I find myself slipping into a negative thought process, instead of saying nothing, I am going to substitute it with something positive, and speak it out. Remember, life is to short to produce spoiled fruit from our mouths, let's produce some positive fruit today!

Produce Positive Words From Your Mouth

We are surrounded by a world that loves to find the negative rather quickly. Our news stations broadcast the latest catasrophe or accident. Our church leaders critique each others ministries and then write books about it. Our friends get jelouse as we become productive and successful. Magazines exploit the latest affairs for the the world to read. Really, you could go on and on, but the bottom line is that we need to always cross check what kinds of things are coming from our lips. Are they super positive, breathing hope and love into the world, or are they status quoe, always speaking of the negative. I think the world would be vastly different if we all would monitor what kind of fruit we produce simply by the words we speak. Today, I am going to be positive about every situation, and conversation I encounter, and continually make it a goal to remove negative words that could potentially give birth to negative fruit that will spoil not only my day, but the day of those around me.

Roof Tearing Faith

Jesus was in a town called Capernaum. The house where he was staying was so packed full of visitors that there was not any room for one more person, not even outside the door. Jesus was preaching to them. Four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They could not get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof above his head. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing there faith, Jesus healed the man.
(Mark 2:1 - 12)

This Is Awesome! These men had Faith that actually Tore The Roof Off! They were willing to do whatever it took (action) to get this man to Jesus (faith) to see him healed (miracle). I say it is time for us to have faith that tears the roof off! Let's be people of action, and have more faith in Jesus than ever before, and see miracles that Tear The Roof Off! That Is A Great Day!

Overwhelming Challenge? Or Amazing Opportunity?

"What you are calling an overwhelming challenge, God is calling an amazing opportunity" I love this quote taken from Perry Noble's Twitter update. It is a reminder that our minds can't comprehend the things that God has planned for us. The bible is specific about "great plans" (Jeremiah 29:11) that God has for our lives. In scripture we often read that God will never leave or forsake His people (Hebrews 13:5 & Deuteronomy 31:8). So, every morning I wake up, I have started with a prayer that goes something like this; "God grant me the capacity to receive the plans you have for my life, I surrender all my worries and fears, and put my trust in you." I pray that you are encouraged today! I believe that God is calling you towards amazing opportunity! Don't be down and discouraged, but live with the confidence that God is bringing His will to pass in your life! BE BLESSED!