Written By TWFT
Wednesday, September 13
“Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” Pr 20:6 NIV
Pastor Roland Croucher writes: “The children had gone to school, my wife was off to work, and I did something I’d never done before. I turned the phone down, put a note on the door, and went back to bed. I was burned out. Within two months I had resigned my ministry…Three out of four pastors report anger, depression, fear, and alienation. The reasons include…a disparity between idealistic expectations and hard reality…lack of boundaries…workaholism…feelings of incompetence…conflict between being a leader and being a servant at the same time…’playing it safe’ to avoid upsetting powerful parishioners…and loneliness (pastors are less likely to have a close friend than almost anybody).” Ministering in your own strength virtually guarantees you will end up as another statistic. Paul was able to go the distance and finish strong because he depended on God to give him the needed strength. One Bible teacher says avoiding burnout means (a) having a definite call on your life and a strong relationship with Jesus, (b) seeking His vision and being willing to do whatever He asks, (c) never losing sight of the people behind the work, (d) never taking your position for granted, (e) respecting the guy above you, and submitting willingly to authority, (f) knowing that you’re fulfilling God’s will and your reward is laid up in heaven, (g) having a servant’s heart, (h) putting loyalty above personal feelings, and (i) never being too big to do small things, or too small to do big things. Practice these principles and you won’t burn out.
Wednesday, September 13
“Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” Pr 20:6 NIV
Pastor Roland Croucher writes: “The children had gone to school, my wife was off to work, and I did something I’d never done before. I turned the phone down, put a note on the door, and went back to bed. I was burned out. Within two months I had resigned my ministry…Three out of four pastors report anger, depression, fear, and alienation. The reasons include…a disparity between idealistic expectations and hard reality…lack of boundaries…workaholism…feelings of incompetence…conflict between being a leader and being a servant at the same time…’playing it safe’ to avoid upsetting powerful parishioners…and loneliness (pastors are less likely to have a close friend than almost anybody).” Ministering in your own strength virtually guarantees you will end up as another statistic. Paul was able to go the distance and finish strong because he depended on God to give him the needed strength. One Bible teacher says avoiding burnout means (a) having a definite call on your life and a strong relationship with Jesus, (b) seeking His vision and being willing to do whatever He asks, (c) never losing sight of the people behind the work, (d) never taking your position for granted, (e) respecting the guy above you, and submitting willingly to authority, (f) knowing that you’re fulfilling God’s will and your reward is laid up in heaven, (g) having a servant’s heart, (h) putting loyalty above personal feelings, and (i) never being too big to do small things, or too small to do big things. Practice these principles and you won’t burn out.
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January
A NEW YEAR, A NEW STARTTHIS YEAR, DO FIRST THINGS FIRSTNEVER STOP LEARNING (1)NEVER STOP LEARNING (2)GET OUT OF DEBT AND STAY OUT OF DEBTDON'T BE SO CONTROLLINGTHE SEVEN-DAY CHALLENGEPARENT, KEEP PERSEVERINGTURNING TWO FAMILIES INTO ONEPUT YOUR HEART INTO YOUR PARTFOUR PRINCIPLES FOR VICTORIOUS LIVINGTAKE CONTROL OF THE SMALL THINGSDON’T GIVE UPLEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (1)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (2)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (3)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (4)SET OTHER THINGS ASIDE AND SERVEGOD AND WORKHOW TO ENRICH AND STRENGTHEN YOUR RELATIONSHIPSPROPHECY FULFILLEDDON'T SHOUT ABOUT ITYOU'RE GROWING IN GRACEWALKING WITH GODYOUR SECRET PLACEWORK ON GROWING CLOSERARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT RETIREMENT?GIDEON'S GOD IS YOUR GODTO GROW WE MUST KEEP ASKING QUESTIONSBE INTERESTED IN EVERYTHING GOD DOES
February
GOD WILL SPEAK TO YOU–IF YOU LISTENDO THE WORDPRAYING WITHOUT SAYING A WORDSHOW GRACE UNDER FIREHAVING JOB SECURITY (1)HAVING JOB SECURITY (2)HAVING JOB SECURITY (3)HAVING JOB SECURITY (4)THE HOLY SPIRIT PRAYS THROUGH YOUYOUR PERSONAL GUIDESTOP AND ASK FOR DIRECTIONSYOUR HARVEST IS ON THE WAYGIVE YOUR CHILDREN CONVICTIONS TO LIVE BYYOUR LIMITED WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITYPULL DOWN THOSE STRONGHOLDSUSE THE GIFT GO GAVE YOUFINDING SELF-WORTHMUZZLE YOUR MOUTHCHOOSING A LEADERGOD KNOW'S WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUARE YOU TIRED OF LIVING IN DEFEAT?MAKE AN IMPACTBE PATIENT, GOD IS AT WORKLIVE THE LIVING WORDTAKE TIME TO WONDER AND WORSHIPBE A DISCIPLE OF JESUSTO BE CONFORMED IS TO BE CREATIVELIVE IN THE “HERE AND NOW”YOU NEED GOD'S HELP
March
GOING FORWARD OR GOING BACKCOME OUT OF THAT CORNERTELL THE TRUTHBELIEVE GOD FOR GREATER THINGSHONOR GOD, AND HE WILL HONOR YOUMOVING FROM FAILURE TO SUCCESS (1)MOVING FROM FAILURE TO SUCCESS (2)THE RIGHT ATTITUDE (1)THE RIGHT ATTITUDE (2)STRONG, FIRM AND STEADFASTRAISING GREAT KIDS IN A TROUBLED WORLDRAISING GREAT KIDS IN A TROUBLED WORLD (2)RAISING GREAT KIDS IN A TROUBLED WORLD (3)RAISING GREAT KIDS IN A TROUBLED WORLD (4)RAISING GREAT KIDS IN A TROUBLED WORLD (5)ARE YOU HOOKED ON PORNOGRAPHY?YOU CAN RISE ABOVE WORRY (1)YOU CAN RISE ABOVE WORRY (2)YOUR BOAZ SEASONSTAND ON GOD'S WORD (1)STAND ON GOD'S WORD (3)STAND ON GOD'S WORD (4)STAND ON GOD'S WORD (5)GOD WILL FORGIVE AND RESTORE YOUDON'T STRIKE BACKARE YOU A TRUE FRIEND?
April
EVIDENCES OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION (3)EVIDENCES OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION (2)EVIDENCES OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION (1)THE RIGHT BALANCEWHEN YOU GO THROUGH DIFFICULTIES (3)WHEN YOU GO THROUGH DIFFICULTIES (2)WHEN YOU GO THROUGH DIFFICULTIES (1)STORMPROOFED FOR LIFEARE YOU STRESSED OUT? (1)LEARN TO LISTEN TO YOUR MARRIAGE PARTNERREADY…GO!ARE YOU STRESSED OUT? (2)ARE YOU STRESSED? (3)DO WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYSSTOP COVERING IT UP