Worse than shooting yourself in the foot!
I heard the other day of a U.S. fighter jet that shot itself down. True. Here’s how it happened.
A number of years ago a test pilot was flying an F-11F Tiger jet to test its capabilities at supersonic flight. It was outfitted with weapons, including four cannons. In the test flight, pilot Tom Attridge took the jet to twenty thousand feet, then dropped to thirteen thousand and fired a burst from the four cannons. He then switched on the afterburners and fired a second volley. Suddenly, Attridge felt the plane shudder, and saw that both the canopy and one of the engines had been damaged, as if hit by enemy fire.
Attridge tried to get the crippled jet back to the base but crashed just short of the runway. Thankfully he survived, but the multi-million-dollar plane was destroyed. When they examined the pieces and looked at the damage, the engineers determined that the plane had flown into its own weapon projectiles. He had shot his own plane down!
A pastor friend was telling that story the other day and shared some interesting thoughts from a book, The Strength You Need, by Robert J. Morgan. Some of it may apply to you as you hurry to run a ministry, lead others, care for your family, and serve in other capacities.
Like the jet that shot itself down, you may be moving too fast. You may be your own worst enemy by causing yourself to be exhausted from all the busy activity you have taken on. There are some signs that that is happening in your life.
First, you don’t have time for God’s Word. You don’t spend quality time reading the Bible to see what the Lord has for you. And believe me, God has a specific word for you.
Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
Romans 15:4 NLT
Second, you don’t have time for quality prayer time with the Lord. Quick prayers are okay if they are from a person who also spends quality time…extended time…in prayer. But if that quick prayer is all the time you have, then you may be moving too fast. How do you think the disciples felt when they heard Jesus say, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger.” (Matthew 26:40, 41 MSG)
Third, your church attendance begins to fall off. You allow other things to get in the way of being with other believers in corporate worship. There is a reason the writer of Hebrews admonished his fellow believers:
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Hebrews 10:25 NLT
Fourth, you don’t us the spiritual gifts you have been given. As we mentioned recently, the Apostle Paul urged young Timothy to use the gift he had received. Each of us has a spiritual gift that the Lord has given us. It is to be a compliment to others in the fellowship of believers, and when you aren’t exercising it, the body isn’t functioning as God intended.
The scripture that often haunts me… “Be still and know that I am God.” In my busyness, in the rapid pace of life, as I think I must run from here to there and back again just to keep the ministry plates spinning, the Lord says, “Slow down. Relax. Renew your trust in Me in every area of your life.”
And though the Lord doesn’t say it in so many words…be careful that you don’t shoot yourself down by flying too fast.
God’s best…
Bored? Frustrated? Disappointed?
If you have worked in ministry for very long, you have probably dealt with these barriers to your productive work. Boredom. Frustration. Disappointment. It happens. Sometimes it is the result of a job or task that is repetitive…and often doesn’t seem to go anywhere. You do it again and again…and don’t see any lasting result.
Maybe it is the many limitations to ministry that bring on frustration. Not enough resources…money. Not enough help. Not enough time for all that must be done. And possibly the mental and emotional roadblocks come because of thing that just don’t turn out the way you thought they should. A key staff person leaves. A project you were working on must be shut down. Expansion that you felt was necessary just won’t happen in the current climate. On and on the challenges come.
All of these things are hard. They take a toll on a leader who is trying to chart a path to greater impact of the Gospel.
What do you do?
As hard as it sounds, you just keep on. You come in the next day and plunge into the work. You look at the tasks and decide how you can do them better, or even determine if you should delegate them to someone else. You don’t give up. You don’t give in. You give it your best…anyway!
Eugene H. Peterson has a book in whose title itself is instructive to us: A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society. We seem to want instant gratification in just about every area of our lives. We want to blink problems away. We want to have a magic pill that fixes things…and does so quickly. We drum our fingers on the top of the microwave because it’s too slow!
Peterson says most people today want some sort of “religious experience” without the effort. Peterson says:
“…there is little enthusiasm for the patient acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for a long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christians called holiness.”
A long obedience in the same direction.
Now, if we aren’t careful, that “long obedience” seems like trudging down a muddy lane to get to the next destination. No joy. No sense of accomplishment. No great prospects of accomplishing much.
And even the Scripture that remind us, “Our ways are not God’s ways,” rings hollow in our heart.
My suggestion is to look at the big picture of what the Lord is doing through us and our ministry work. What is the ultimate goal? What are the end results of your work? What is the “finished product?” Business management consultant Peter Drucker says the product of a nonprofit is a “changed life.” The ultimate changed life is one that has surrendered to Christ as Lord of their life. Is that worth the times of boredom, frustration, and even disappointment? Yes!
While writing this I was dealing with a bit of disappointment in our MEDIAlliance ability to minister internationally due to the covid pandemic. This morning in my Bible study I came across a passage in Ecclesiastes that helped me deal with that disappointment.
Accept the way God does things,
for who can straighten what he has made crooked?
Ecclesiastes 7:13 NLT
The road may seem crooked. It may seem boring, frustrating, and even disappointing. But our sovereign Lord is ahead of us on that path. Our goal is a long obedience in the same direction…toward the Lord’s call in our life. As the Apostle Paul said, “I press on to the high calling…”
God’s best…
The day my idea died...
I remember it well. It was a brilliant idea for a television special. It had well known people (a talented husband and wife team), a beautiful location, and some exciting content. I thought it was terrific. I wrote the script...and re-wrote the script...then honed it again.
Then came the opportunity. One of the “known” people I wanted in the TV program was to be in Dallas performing at a certain hotel. I polished up the script, put a nice cover page on it, slid it into a professional looking presentation folder, and took it to the hotel in Dallas in hopes of connecting with this artist. It didn’t happen. The closest I came was giving it to some hotel staff person who said they would try to get it to the artist.
I waited for days. Nothing. Weeks. Nothing. And that’s when I realized the idea was dead. I soon learned that the husband-wife team were in the process of divorcing. All that work. All that writing and rewriting. All that time. Wasted.
Or was it?
Looking back, I realized I had just “gone to school” on ideas, productions, and expectations. I had actually learned a lot. And what I gained would be applied to other projects...other ideas... that DID work.
Ideas. They are what drive many of us, whether in ministry or management. An idea for a new program. An idea for a new way to accomplish something critical to the mission. But not all ideas are created equal.
Phil Cooke, television writer, producer, and media consultant, says there is a secret to having great ideas. Have lots of ideas...many of which won’t be so great. But out of the mix will come something that will click and have life, impact, and influence.
I remember the famous quote from Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb and many other innovations. He was asked how it felt to fail 10,000 times. His response?
“I have not failed 10,000 times—I've successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.”
We may be led to believe that our ideas have failed. That WE have failed. Not so. We are just in the process of finding that great idea that will work...and work well.
Phil Cooke understands that we do need to believe in our ideas. If we don’t think highly of them, others will have a hard time seeing their value. Cooke says:
Commitment to your ideas is important. But if you spend much time with truly creative people, you’ll discover that they live in a world of multiple ideas. They spend the day trying everything and bouncing things off the wall to see if anything sticks. If you want really great ideas—then start having more of them.
Phil Cooke says that for him, out of 100 ideas he may have, only two or three are ones he would pitch to others. Some are just stupid. Many of the ideas sound good, but just won’t work. And some ideas are not quite ready yet.
The secret is to keep coming up with ideas. And when something doesn’t work, learn why, and press on to the next idea. God has put in you a creativity that He wants you to use for His purpose and His glory.
The Apostle Paul admonished young Timothy with these words:
Do not neglect your gift, which was given you....
1 Timothy 4:14 NIV
If the Lord has placed you in an area of leadership, He will give you what you need to accomplish the task...and that includes ideas. It is up to you and me to exercise the gift God has given us.
God’s best...
Been there, done that. Needed help...
Leadership. Is it just getting the job done, or is it something else? My desk would get stacked with things to do, and with my head down and my office door closed, I would attack the stack and try to get it all done. I needed help... but didn’t always recognize it. Does that sound familiar to you?
In a recent Lead Like Jesus devotional, I was reminded of the patterns of leadership that our Lord gave us. And I was reminded of how many times I forged on in my own strength, not remembering to look for help...God’s help.
The devotional listed several ways Jesus prepared Himself to be used by His Father to accomplish the task He had been given.
- Jesus became part of His world, the one He was called to save. Do you keep yourself aloof from those you lead? Do you know your staff’s family? Their names? Recent achievements? Do you understand their challenges, both at work and in the rest of their life? How can you lead effectively if you don’t know the people you are leading...really know them?
- He filled His mind with Scripture. Most of us can quote some Scripture, and often it is from passages we learned when we were young. That is why daily time in God’s Word is so important. And memorizing key passages, though increasingly difficult for many of us, is so critical.
- Jesus affirmed again and again His desire to fulfill God’s call in His life. Are you reminding yourself...and others...of the call on your life? I know some leaders who are good, but don’t have a sense of calling. They are not fulfilling all that the Lord would have them be and do.
- He resisted temptation. In our world today there are an increasing number of things that would pull us away from God and would disqualify us for His service. Temptations: in areas of integrity, fidelity and character. Remember the words of the old hymn, “Yield not to temptation/for yielding is sin....””
- Jesus spent valuable time reconnecting with His Father. I could go on and on about the need for more time in prayer, listening to my Father rather than just giving Him my list of needs. I still need that. I need it more each day. And I must fight to claim that valuable time with God. It is worth every battle.
- He surrounded Himself with a spiritual support community. Who prays for you? Who do you turn to when you have a heavy burden? Are you surrounded by those who feed you spiritually or by those who drain you? Your pastor, spiritual mentor, spouse, or close spiritual friend...these are the ones who will build you up spiritually and help you be who the Lord has called you to be. They will help you accomplish all God has before you to do.
Timothy used the analogy of vessels. Some are expensive and used for special occasions. Others are common and are used for the menial things of the day. Through Timothy the Lord is saying, stay clean and prepared for His special assignment.
If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
2 Timothy 2:21 NLT
We are talking about spiritual habits that we can develop so we can better serve our Lord and lead those He has placed in our care.
What are you doing to prepare yourself for His call in your life?
God’s best...
The ripple effect...
Do you ever catch yourself saying something your father said? At the time you heard it you may have rolled your eyes, shrugged, and vowed to never say anything like that to anyone. Yet, here you are, being influenced by others. And it is rippling through you.
Fred Smith was a wise man. He was an influencer. In his later years some of the key Christian leaders…businessmen, pastors, heads of ministries, dedicated Christians…would gather early on Saturday mornings to gain some of Fred’s wisdom. Some notes from one of those “Breakfast with Fred” meetings expounded on the impact of influence. Let me paraphrase some of Fred Smith’s words on the topic.
Influence never dies.
You may talk to me about the imprint of your parents, then say “but they are dead.” No, they are not, for you are still alive and their influence lives on through you...for better or for worse. We each ripple the pond of human life. Some make dainty circles while others make big splashes. Yet the movement of the water continues.
This is human immortality.
Have you felt the influence of others? Parents? A teacher who poured themselves into the students…into you? A coach…a pastor or church leader? They have helped shape you and mold you into who you are today. And there are those today looking to you, to learn, to grow, to be influenced by you and your life. Personally. Professionally. Spiritually.
Here are some things to consider, some questions to ask, as you think about influence:
- Who is currently influencing me?
- What influence am I exerting in my family, at work, and in the community?
- How can I choose positive influencers?
Words of wisdom to remember: “Influence never dies.”
From the Old Testament to the New, God’s word directs us to be influencers, for the glory of our God.
Obey them [God’s statutes] completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’
Deuteronomy 4:6 NLT
The Apostle Paul’s letters to his young mentee Timothy, show again and again how Paul, influenced by Jesus himself, was rippling God’s influence onto Timothy.
Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you.... May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear.
1 Timothy 1 18-19 NLT
You ARE going to influence those around you. The question is...what kind of influence will you be? What will be the “ripple effect” of your life?
God’s best...
Time is fleeting...
How busy are you? I can almost see you roll your eyes, sigh, and think about all that is on your agenda today…this week. I woke up the other morning at 3:15am thinking of several key projects I had on my list... I wasn’t sure if I would get back to sleep. Too much to think about!
So…where does “time with the Lord” show up on your To Do list? At the top? Near the bottom? Not on the list?
American Gospel singer Larnell Harris sang a song with words from God’s perspective.
I miss My time with you….
And it hurts me when you say
You're too busy, busy trying to serve Me
But how can you serve Me
When your spirit's empty….
When I was manager of Christian radio station KCBI in Dallas, I often told the staff, “We can’t effectively send a message outside the walls of the station that isn’t happening inside the walls.
God’s love? Forgiveness? Grace? Humility? Are these evident in your ministry and in your work? I realized something as I would talk to the staff about that. It first had to begin with me. And it first had to begin with my personal time with God. Bible study. Prayer…and not just talking to God but listening to Him…to what the Lord wants to say to me.
I also realized I had to exhibit Jesus’ nature in my daily life. Love. Forgiveness. Grace. Humility.
The second radio station I ever worked for, while still in college, was a major market secular station. On one wall was a little sign that said:
To err is human; to forgive divine.
Neither are the policies here!
It was meant as a joke, but it still sent the message: Don’t expect any grace in this place.
Martin Luther is quoted as saying,
“If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.”
Well, I’m not in Martin Luther’s realm in my prayer life. But I trust I am moving towards more time with the Heavenly Father…before things become too busy.
God’s best...
To podcast...or not to podcast?
It’s amazing how a new delivery platform can quickly move from obscurity to the forefront of the communication process. We have watched things like WhatsApp take off in other parts of the world before being embraced by those in the United States. Twitter. Instagram. And TikTok. The phenomena of TikTok is seen in its exploding popularity. It has been noted as the most downloaded app of 2020.
So, what about podcasting? It’s been around awhile. Is it trending upward? Are people listening? Is it a viable tool for us in ministry?
Paul McDonald, a media strategist at Infinity Concepts, shared some valuable information about the impact of podcasts today. While this is based on studies in the U.S., there may be some insight for all of us in Christian media.
A listening study is cited by Paul that shows podcasting to represent about six percent of all audio listening. That doesn’t sound too impressive. Six years earlier podcasting commanded only two percent of the audio listening experience, so it is growing. Where McDonald’s study gets interesting is when he begins to look at various demographic groups and their listening habits.
“Nearly two-thirds of podcast listeners are younger than 45 years old, and almost 50% are younger than 34. Finally, almost one-fifth of listeners are 21 or under. Nearly two-thirds of Millennials and over half of Gen Zers say they use podcasts to learn about social issues, and nearly two-thirds of both groups feel that audio formats like podcasts are one of the greatest ways to tell stories.”
That last sentence got me thinking. How will we reach the younger generation with the Gospel? Often it is through the stories of the Bible itself. And through the stories of changed lives. My friend Dr. Hannu Haukka and his Great Commission Media Ministry has held massive media campaigns in over 100 major cities of the world. They use many different media platforms to alert people to the hope available to them. The backbone of the evangelistic campaign is a 100-page book produced for each city called “The Power to Change.” The book is filled with stories of lives changed by the power of the Gospel of Christ. Powerful stories. Life changing stories. Stories that might lend themselves to podcasts for further impact and influence, especially of those in the younger demographic.
Though the Apostle Paul didn’t have a podcast, I believe if he were with us today he certainly would. Why? Because he told his friends in Corinth that he was willing to use every possible means so that the hope of Christ might be embraced by many of those who hear.
I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some.
1 Corinthians 9:22 NET
It sounds like Paul was willing to explore every means possible so that people would have the opportunity to hear the Word of God. And with that hearing came the opportunity to accept the gift of salvation. By all means. By every method. By today’s latest technology and trend. Even podcasting.
Paul McDonald concluded his brief report on podcasting this way:
“If you want to become an influencer, especially reaching young minds with a biblical worldview, now is the time to start podcasting.”
So...to podcast or not to podcast? That is the question. And it is one that may have eternal impact on a soul searching for meaning...real meaning... in our challenging world.
God’s best...
Some lessons are hard...very hard!
It will soon be a full year that my sweet wife Judy has struggled physically. Four hip replacement surgeries in eight weeks...due to a fall and to dislocations that couldn’t be put back in place. That meant five hospital stays (including a rehab hospital), four ambulance trips...all in two months...and then the long process of physical therapy to get Judy back to full mobility. When she got home, everything had to be relocated to one floor of our house, since she couldn’t climb steps.
Then Texas was hit with some of its coldest winter days ever. Water pipes froze and burst, flooding many homes...including that one floor we were living on. We were forced into a hotel stay for about six months while the house was being rebuilt and restored.
While there, it became obvious that the confusion and brain fog Judy was experiencing was something more than just the result of medications. Scans revealed that excess fluid on the brain was pressing in and causing a form of dementia. By God’s grace, we were led to a gifted brain surgeon who performed a procedure to take care of that problem. Like a miracle of God, Judy’s mental capacity returned to normal, and she is gaining more and more mobility.
Hard lessons for us...but powerful lessons.
I haven’t shared all this for sympathy or pity for Judy and me. At every turn, through every trial, we have seen God’s hand at work. I could tell you of miracle after miracle we observed even in the midst of very hard days. Again and again, we could declare, God is good!
One of the main lessons we have learned is that our Lord’s ways are so far above us.
Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
Romans 11:33 NLT
For instance, I prayed with the orthopedic surgeon from India who had to do those multiple surgeries. I could assure him that there were people in his hometown in India that were praying for him. After an extremely difficult procedure this gifted doctor expressed to me, “Someone was guiding me during that surgery.” I quickly agreed, put my arm around him, and told him I wanted to give thanks to the Lord for using this skilled physician to do His work. Peter said we should be ready to share with others the source of our hope. I could share with many of the medical personnel we met though this ordeal our thanks for them, but that our ultimate hope was found in Jesus.
Multiple times we have seen God bring people across our path and into our lives that we would have never met without the trials we were experiencing. A building contractor working on our home. Hotel people that have become like family, and others for whom we have prayed and shared our source of joy. Therapist, home health people, and many others. It has been amazing to see the Lord at work that way.
Here is something else we learned. We have known it theoretically. We have sung the hymn through the years:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
You see, the more we understood that the Lord was bringing us new assignments, the less we thought about our “problems.” The more we used these unusual encounters to share our hope in a loving God, the more our afflictions diminished. We came to understand they were God’s opportunities to let His love and grace be reflected into the lives of people we would have never met were it not for our struggles.
The things we have faced this past year have come nowhere near what the Apostle Paul dealt with throughout his life. But we better understand his perspective about afflictions.
For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT
Hard lessons? Absolutely. Not ones I would want Judy...or me...to have to go through again. But we have a real sense of joy that God could use our “light afflictions” to bring glory to our Lord, and to allow us to share our hope with those He has brought into our lives.
...the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
God’s best...
An absurd To Do list...
How long is your To Do list? What important things are on that list? Does your list include anything absurd? How about this one:
- Praise God
- Fight enemy
- Chase lion down into a pit on a snowy day
- Kill lion
- Pick up milk and bread
- Meet with staff
- Etc.
Wait! What’s that about chasing a lion down into a pit...on a snowy day...and killing it? That’s absurd. Yet God’s Spirit included that bit of information about a man named Benaiah, not once, but twice in Scripture. (2 Samuel 23:20, 1 Chronicles 11:22) What is all that about? If you read on, you learn that God was preparing Benaiah for other assignments to come with King David.
Pastor and author Mark Batterson has written a book based on the incident mentioned, and he draws some interesting insight from that passage. Reading the book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, you may find you agree with one who wrote this about Batterson’s book:
“You will look back longingly on risks not taken, opportunities not seized, and dreams not pursued. Stop running away from what scares you most and start chasing the God-ordained opportunities that cross your path.”
What does God want to do through you that requires something that may scare you? If we are honest, we want to be successful in ministry and in life. But the definition of success depends on who you are and whose you are. Mark Batterson defines it this way:
"Do the best you can with what you have where you are.
In essence, success is making the most of every opportunity."
Even if that opportunity ends up being in a pit on a snowy day with a lion? Maybe especially if it ends up with you being in a pit on a snowy day with a lion.
Batterson sums up some of his ideas with these thoughts for those he calls “lion chasers:”
- God is in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time. But the right place often seems like the wrong place, and the right time often seems like the wrong time.
- Goodness is not the absence of badness. You can do nothing wrong and still do nothing right. Our calling is much higher than simply running away from what’s wrong. We’re called to chase lions—to look for opportunities in our problems and obstacles, and take risks to reach for God’s best.
- When we don’t have the guts to step out in faith and chase lions, then God is robbed of the glory that rightfully belongs to Him.
- Spiritual maturity is seeing and seizing God-ordained opportunities.
OK...so you think this is crazy talk. God would never put you in that kind of a situation. First of all, I would probably run from the lion...or worse, I would stay in the pit with the lion and die. But then there is that verse we probably all know:
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13 NLT
If it is God’s assignment, His challenge, His adventure for you, the Lord will supply all you need to accomplish His will in your life.
So, what is your pit? Where is your lion? What challenge has God placed before you? And what is the Lord preparing you for through your snowy pit experience?
God’s best...
Who's creative?
When I teach in seminars and university classes, I often ask people to raise their hand if they think they are creative. Usually a few hands go up, some hesitating as they do so. Then I ask, “Who thinks they are not creative?” Again, several hands are raised into the air, sometimes very emphatically. I know what they are thinking. “I’m not an artist or sculptor. I don’t write poetry or music. I’m not creative.”
I usually get a funny look when I ask the next question. “How many of you had a conversation with someone else today?” And I explain that the act of putting words into meaningful sentences is an act of creativity. Day in and day out we are constantly creating things.
We know that God is a creative God. We learn that from the very first verse in His Word:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1 NLT
God...our creative God...has built into each of us a level of creativity. Since He is creative, we who are made in His image are also creative.
Yes, there are different areas and different levels of creativity. Some may find their creative ability in art, or in music, or in the written word. And some have spent time developing that creativity so that they excel in their craft. The bottom line is...we are all creative. God gives us our skills and abilities to use for His purpose. I think of the men whom the Lord prepared to help Moses build the tabernacle. Bezalel and his apprentice Oholiab, who is also named by the God.
The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman...
Exodus 35:31-32 NLT
Our creative Lord has put in you the ability to create. It is yours to develop. English psychologist Edward de Bono helps us grasp this:
“Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.”
Management guru Peter Drucker understood this in the business realm. He calls creativity “innovation.”
“Innovation is the specific tool of entrepreneurs, the means by which they exploit change as an opportunity for a different business or a different service.”
So, what does this have to do with you as you lead in ministry? Everything. If you continue to look at the work the same way every day, there will be a repetitive sameness to what you do. In the media realm this can be a pathway to mediocracy. It is the easy way. The path of least resistance. Yet there is nothing fresh for others to see or hear. What we need is a pathway to excellence that points people to Jesus.
The Lord explained this to Isaiah:
For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19 NLT
People today are living in a dry wasteland. Many go about their existence wandering in the wilderness without hope. Without a fresh outlook. Without Christ. We have the opportunity to creatively show them there is a better path that leads to the river of life found only in Jesus Christ. But we need to develop our creativity to give those lost souls a fresh look at our creative Lord Jesus.
Are you creative? Yes! What will you do today to develop and put to use the creativity God has placed in you?
God’s best...