07. Guard your heart! Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” My mother told me years ago, “Grow tough skin but keep a tender heart! How do I do this? I stay away from complainers and negative people. Never let bitterness set in. Examine your thoughts with the Word. Wrong thinking causes strongholds to develop. Never compare yourself to others. In John 21:18-22, John writes “I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!" Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." Weary in well doing and burned out don’t come from too much serving, they both come when you stop following Jesus and you don’t guard your heart. Read More »
07. Guard your heart! Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” My mother told me years ago, “Grow tough skin but keep a tender heart! How do I do this? I stay away from complainers and negative people. Never let bitterness set in. Examine your thoughts with the Word. Wrong thinking causes strongholds to develop. Never compare yourself to others. In John 21:18-22, John writes “I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!" Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." Weary in well doing and burned out don’t come from too much serving, they both come when you stop following Jesus and you don’t guard your heart.
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Not everyone who starts something for God completes his or her assignment.I know as many people who used to work with kids than people who have always worked with kids. What happened? The reasons and excuses are limitless.There have been times through the years that I’ve thought about making a vocational change. But I haven’t. It’s one thing to think about it, it’s another thing to act on it.Did you know even people in the Bible had thoughts like these? Look at Jeremiah 9:2, “Oh, that I had in the desert a lodging place for travelers, so that I might leave my people and go away from them; for they are all adulterers, a crowd of unfaithful people.”Do you hear what Jeremiah is saying? Oh to run a Holiday Inn in the middle of nowhere so folks will check in and check out and I want have to deal with them on an ongoing basis. Discouragement not only comes at Children’s Pastors it also comes at your workers. I hear it every week! I need a break. I would like to take a short leave of absence. (Leave of absence is code for I quit!) God is leading me to another ministry or to another church and last but not least I they say the “B” word. I am burnout!Burnout is not a part of God’s plan. Nobody starts out intending to burnout.Somewhere along the journey people forget about the beginning. They loose their excitement, their hope; they let go of their dreams and loose sight of God’s vision for their life. How do you keep the new from wearing out on a ministry? Do what the Word says, keep yourself stirred up. 2 Timothy 1:6 says “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” How do I do this Jim? I’m so glad you asked. Over the next few days I'll be adding my top ten list to have power to last over the long haul in children’s ministry. Read More »
Not everyone who starts something for God completes his or her assignment.I know as many people who used to work with kids than people who have always worked with kids. What happened? The reasons and excuses are limitless.There have been times through the years that I’ve thought about making a vocational change. But I haven’t. It’s one thing to think about it, it’s another thing to act on it.Did you know even people in the Bible had thoughts like these? Look at Jeremiah 9:2, “Oh, that I had in the desert a lodging place for travelers, so that I might leave my people and go away from them; for they are all adulterers, a crowd of unfaithful people.”Do you hear what Jeremiah is saying? Oh to run a Holiday Inn in the middle of nowhere so folks will check in and check out and I want have to deal with them on an ongoing basis. Discouragement not only comes at Children’s Pastors it also comes at your workers. I hear it every week! I need a break. I would like to take a short leave of absence. (Leave of absence is code for I quit!) God is leading me to another ministry or to another church and last but not least I they say the “B” word. I am burnout!Burnout is not a part of God’s plan. Nobody starts out intending to burnout.Somewhere along the journey people forget about the beginning. They loose their excitement, their hope; they let go of their dreams and loose sight of God’s vision for their life. How do you keep the new from wearing out on a ministry? Do what the Word says, keep yourself stirred up. 2 Timothy 1:6 says “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” How do I do this Jim? I’m so glad you asked. Over the next few days I'll be adding my top ten list to have power to last over the long haul in children’s ministry.