Archives for May 2009
Who Gets the Glory
Do people stand amazed by your life? In other words do people in your life see something supernatural at work?
Often times when it comes to living for and serving God we tend to look at what we’re good at and what we like to do and then serve according to our ability. The result is we tend to not rely on God and the power of his spirit because we think we have everything under control.
The world therefore sees good people doing good things for their God, but they don’t see the power of God working through His people to accomplish what only He can do. The problem with that is if we function according to our ability alone,we get the glory. If however we function according to the power of His Spirit within us then He gets the glory.
So how about it…are you living for your glory or His?
How to Plan Your Week
When I was in college my professor for preaching (which is what I got my degree in, thus I had him for a number of classes) was the famous preacher Stephen F. Olford. This morning I came across something of his that I thought might be helpful for all of us in planning out our weeks.
Basically he breaks it into 4 categories. Assignments, Appointments, Adjustments and Assessments. Now he did this in light of being a pastor but I think these apply to just about anything. In fact I’ll change things just a bit to make it more family and business oriented.
You start by looking at every APPOINTMENT (whether it be a meeting or task) you potentiallly have for the week up-coming. The question then becomes do I need really need to accomplish this this week or can it wait. If it need to do be done then determine can I ASSIGN it to someone else or do I need to make it one of my APPOINTMENTS.
Now that the week is laid out (he suggested in 15 minute blocks at a time) you proceed with your week. ADJUSTMENTS of course are major disruptions to your plans. The key is to deal with it and then as quickly as possible get back into your schedule (side-note from me: keep in mind that people are always more important than tasks so use caution that you don’t get so locked into the schedule that you jeopardize your relationships).
The final step then is at the end of the week make ASSESSMENTS of how you did. What did I set out this week to do? What did I actually accomplish? Where did I mess up? How can that be fixed in the future?
This would be a good time to pray and ask God to forgive you of your short-comings and to lead you as you begin the process all over again. Hope this has been helpful.
I’ll leave you with a scripture…
Act like people with good sense and not like fools. These are evil times, so make every minute count. -Ephesians 5:15-16
Inside Today’s Experiences
HERO: Becoming the Man She Desires
During our Re:Married series I mentioned the book Every Man’s Battle by Fred Stoeker and Mike Yorkey. It covers sexual purity for a man and is very good. Their lastest book, HERO: Becoming the Man She Desires, includes Fred’s son Jasen in the writings.
Written primarily for single men, this book can be read in two or three nights because the 16 chapters are captivating and fast moving. This doesn’t mean though that married guys can’t learn from this book…the guys give very practical examples from their lives and others in how to become the not just man, but man of God that will make you desirable to a woman. Essentially the book looks at 9 modern day myths that guys believe about marriage, dating, relationships and sex. Written in many ways to tell the story of Jasen growing up, then meeting his wife Rose and doing it all in a pure way, this book is a full of ideas that will challenge your thinking. I also liked that Rose from time to time writes a little to give the female perspective on what’s being discussed.
Released just last month, this book would make an excellent gift for graduates or any guy who has the rest of the Every Man series. Highly recommended.