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August 31, 2012

Does Scripture On Discipline Say We Should Receive It With Open Arms?

Filed under: Charleen's Kitchen of Life — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 7:12 pm

Scripture On Discipline Is A Friend

By looking at Scripture on discipline, it is clear that Godly correction should be treated like a best friend. In other words, we must love correction! Scripture On Discipline

Scripture tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”

This scripture on discipline clearly shows that correction helps us see where we are wrong, and guides us to the right path. Don’t we all want to know where we are missing it, and find out how to get it right?  I certainly do!

Since all Scripture is useful to teach us,  our next step would be to look for other Scriptures about discipline.  In Proverbs 12:1, we are told, “To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.”

In Psalm 139:24, which I pray every day, it says, “Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Who of us wants to miss the path of life? It would be tragic to live our lives on the path of “neverlasting” life!

Because of this particular Scripture on discipline, I believe we must learn to love correction. It should be a dreadful thing for us to try and avoid correction that is needed. Everyone can benefit from Godly correction.

I have had times in my life when I was completely ignorant of situations or flaws within myself, and it was such a blessing to be made aware of those logs in my eye.

Scripture On Discipline Examples

Let me give you two personal examples of how these Scriptures on discipline allowed me to receive correction:

Example 1: As a younger church going woman, I usually dressed quite provocatively. I never thought I was dressing inappropriately, nor did anyone tell me about it in my circle of family,  friends or church.

The Lord used my boss, to shake me up, and open my eyes to the truth. She eventually wrote a whole dress code for the hospital where I worked based on the way I dressed!

Did the Lord have to use something that blatant to wake me up?  Absolutely. Though it humbled me, I am extremely thankful He did. Wouldn’t this have been a situation that called for a bit of church discipline?

Example 2:  I was at a leadership convention for a ministry I was involved in.  They were talking about a subject I thought should not be an issue for people in  leadership.  They asked for everyone involved in looking at pornography or struggling with cursing to come up.

I was shocked to see so many people going up. I knew I could never do anything like that.  I heard the altar call again, but this time they included anyone sensing they were feeling conviction about anything.

I had no choice now, because I was being convicted of my pride. I realized that everyone in that room could easily assume I was doing those other things. My pride felt so ugly and I knew it was a more grievous sin to the Lord.

This last example is the greatest and easiest way to receive correction, and has helped me love correction like a best friend. By praying these Scriptures for discipline above, it becomes easier to let your Heavenly Father correct you through His Spirit within you.

My Scriptures On Discipline Results

I have been able to see my lack of love, my little faith, my wrong conversations, my big-headed pride, my lack of compassion, and on and on.

A final look at a Scripture on discipline, found in Hebrews 12:6, gives us more reason to receive Godly correction with open arms. It says, “For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He corrects those He accepts as His child.”

My Daddy corrects me because He loves me.  This is better than life! I want to look for His correction around every corner.

I am praying you will love correction too, and learn to live on the path of everlasting life!

Charleen

Now that you have been corrected by SCRIPTURE ON DISCIPLINE, it is time to celebrate with the Lord in the most awesome ways at this link above.

August 30, 2012

Godly Men and The Plague of Pornography Are Battling In The Ring

Filed under: Men's Destiny Teams — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 10:09 pm

Godly Men Are Up To The Task

It is time for Godly men to go for the knock-out punch against the deadly foe of pornography. The battle has been hidden away for too long. Christian men
all over the world now have the winning edge. Godly Men

Actually, Godly men have had all the skills and tools needed to deal with the plague of an addiction to porn.

They just needed the right strategy to get the victory
that is so important.

Studies show that Christian men struggle with this battle just as much as non-believers. With the universal access to the internet, most men face this horrific temptation up to ten times on a daily basis. Those are not good odds.

The Battle of Godly Men

This battle has become so huge that it is accepted as fact that the biggest struggle men in the Church face is with sexual temptation, most notably pornography.

The numbers are staggering when it comes viewing sexual content and that includes Godly men and even pastors. The percentage is close to 70%.

Is it a wonder that church attendance by men is so poor? Is it a wonder that the men who are attending church are typically not involved or engaged in meaningful relationships and activities there?

One of the biggest barriers to spiritual growth among Godly men is pornography. It creates a sense of hopelessness and self-hatred. Men then tend to isolate themselves and the enemy has won. At least he thinks he has won.

The enemy wants passive men who feel that they can no longer please God and feel that they are stuck spiritually. They take a pass and women have to take up the slack.

This sad condition among Godly men has started to change. The tide has turned and Christian men are learning how to deliver the knock-out punch to the enemy and his x-rated schemes.

Godly Men Can Now Win

This knock-out power is an amazingly simple strategy for Godly men to use and it is called the Power of Four.

When Godly men get engaged in the Word of God at least 4 times a week, their ability to resist sexual temptation is magnified. The percentage falling to the plague of pornography numbers drop from 70% to about 40%.

Being engaged in the Word is not just reading it, but also meditating on it and actively pursuing ways to apply it to your life.

The Gospel of John talks about letting the Word abide in you – letting it become part of you. That’s when you bear much fruit.

That is a pretty significant drop. It gets better, though. If these same Godly men also participate in some type of ongoing men’s fellowship activity, the numbers drop almost another 30% points.

This fellowship may be meeting periodically with a Godly man, involved in a ministry to men, or participating in a small group like a Bible study.

I’m tired of hearing about Christians who don’t look or live any different than non-Christians. Another result of these 2 activities is that there is marked reduction in destructive behaviors by men such as drunkenness, adultery/fornication, and gambling.

I just heard the bell and the fight is over. Godly men just put pornography out of commission.

Michael Ecuyer

P.S. On-line teams of GODLY MEN are forming now called the Courageous Men’s Destiny Teams and they will help get in the winning corner at the link above.

August 29, 2012

Feed on The Faithfulness of God and Step Into the Miraculous

Filed under: Men's Destiny Teams — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 4:51 pm

The Faithfulness of God

It is time for Christians to feed on the faithfulness of God. In fact, it is past time. He  instructed us to do this over 3000 years ago. When are we going to get it? The Faithfulness of God

Folks in Louisiana love to eat. Whether it is a hot bowl of crawfish bisque or a cool slice of Mississippi mud pie, we get serious when it comes to the pulling up to the table.

Just as we need food for our physical bodies, we need to feed on the faithfulness of God for our spiritual food.

Without it, our spiritual lives get swept under the rug of the stress and temptations that our lives bring.

You probably know that we exist not only on a physical level. We are spiritual beings that live in a body with a soul. The highest level of our existence is the spiritual one. Why do we usually tend to neglect it?

Imagine what it would be like if you were ruled by your body or by your soul, your feelings and desires. Actually, you probably don’t have to imagine it. That is why things are in such a mess for us.

Our spirit man, in union with the Spirit of God, is supposed to be ruling the other two. Your spirit man can’t do this without feeding on the faithfulness of God.

When we happen to do this, it is called walking by the Spirit, and that is where we can access the gifts and the fruit of the Holy Spirit that the Bible describes. What an awesome place to be.

Without spiritual food, we become weak spiritually flabby and our faith is weak and limited. This is turn limits the miraculous power of God working through us.

Jesus experienced this same thing when the faith of those around him was weak.

The idea of feeding on the faithfulness of God is different than just thinking about Him. When you recall how Gods faithfulness has delivered you out of trouble in the past, draw strength and nourishment from it.

The Faithfulness of God 5-Course Meal

How can we feed on the faithfulness of God? Keep in mind that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

We are creatures of habit. We typically eat 3 meals a day and some of us do more than that. Use your meal times as a reminder to also feed on the the faithfulness of God.

1) Your main course is always the Word of God. Don’t just read it, though. Engage yourself in Jesus, the Word made flesh, by meditating and asking the Lord how He wants you to apply the Word in your life.

2) Regularly spend time worshiping the Lord in song and praise, not just on Sunday’s. Your worship honors Him and invites His glorious presence.

3) Talk with the Lord giving Him thanks, rolling your cares on Him, and making sure YOUR words stay in agreement with His.

4) Be about your Heavenly Father’s business, seeking and following His directions and speaking life and blessing, not death or curses.

5) Control your thought life by bringing every thought captive to the obedience of God’s Word.

Make this 5-course meal on the faithfulness of God a regular part of your diet and step into the miraculous things of God.

Michael and Charleen

P.S. Help is available to adjust your diet to THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD by checking out our Courageous Men’s Destiny Teams at the link above.

August 28, 2012

Your Ticket To Wealth Is Found With Sowing and Reaping in The Bible

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Sowing and Reaping in the Bible

The purpose of sowing and reaping in the Bible is to make you rich beyond your wildest imagination. I thought that might catch your attention. Like most things, you can find some truth in my statement above. Sowing And Reaping In The Bible

The purpose of sowing and reaping is to bring forth fruit for the glory of the Lord. According to the Bible, that includes physical wealth.

A person’s definition of wealth or being rich can be a million different things. In order to keep things simple, we will say they mean having much more than you need or having an abundant supply of resources or money.

In God’s eyes, your ticket to wealth is not a lottery ticket. Jesus said quite emphatically that we should seek His kingdom first, not riches.

At the same time, our Heavenly Father’s desire is for us to enjoy wealth and to use it for His kingdom purposes AND our enjoyment. The key idea to introduce here is Godly balance.

The idea of sowing and reaping in the Bible is a common one and one that Jesus talked about a lot. He used sowing and reaping to describe the central meaning of the mission of the Gospel to the world.

His Word is sowed into the hearts of men with the hope that the fruit of salvation and faith and love will come forth.

We are also instructed in Scripture to sow and reap with great expectation for return. The Bible says those who sow big chunks will reap much and those who sow little will be puny reapers.

This truth is evident in the natural world. You reap as you sow means your harvest is dependent on how much you sow and your faith in God multiplying your seeds.

Sowing and Reaping in The Bible

Sowing and reaping in the Bible is your ticket to both material wealth and spiritual wealth. While our spiritual health is obviously more important, we don’t have to do without as Christians.

Many Christians are afraid of wealth, but how can we be a blessing to others when we have trouble putting food on own tables. God is not about lack. He is about abundant provision and He has told us how to get it.

Have you noticed how sowing and reaping in the Bible are always together? You reap as you sow. A farmer who doesn’t expect a harvest is beyond foolish. Did Jesus expect a harvest of a couple of hundred souls?

Sowing and Reaping in The Bible Means Faith

Sowing and reaping in the Bible speaks to speaks to the foundation of how God’s kingdom works. “As you sow so you reap” is talking about faith.

Every opportunity we have to sow and expect a Godly return of 30, 60, or 100 fold is an exercise of faith. This is so important because without faith it is impossible to please God.

The wealth of this world has been made available to us not by throwing our co-workers off the corporate ladder, not by running after every get-rich-quick scheme, but by the strategy of sowing and reaping in the Bible.

The next time you sow seeds of finances, of time, of love, of God’s Word, of faith, or of peace thank your Heavenly Father for a bountiful return.

Michael and Charleen

P.S.  To learn more about how SOWING AND REAPING IN THE BIBLE opens the doors of Godly, consider joining with other men online towards achieving your destiny in life at the link above.

August 27, 2012

Some Preparation For Disaster Thoughts From Katrina Survivors

Filed under: Reality Blogging — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 8:36 pm

Preparation For Disaster

We would like to share with you some preparation for disaster thoughts. While we are not government experts on how to prepare for disaster, we have a lot of experience in preparing for a disaster. Preparation For Disaster

We are not only Katrina survivors but K-storm thrivers.

We were without electricity in the heat of Louisiana’s summer for 31 days and actually have some fond memories of that time.

The Lord was able to use to prepare several thousand meals in the 4 weeks following the hurricane’s hit to southeast Louisiana.

In fact, the biggest factor that enabled us to thrive in the face of the discomfort and stress and isolation from this storm was the fact that we were able to help people in serious need.

Seven years later we are again reviewing how to prepare for a disaster with the expected arrival of Isaac to the Gulf Coast region.

Preparation For Disaster Key

Here is the foundation for being prepared for disaster. The best preparation for disaster and protection from harm is being under the Lord’s wings.

This really comes down to having the faith in the Lord promises for protection. That faith is built within you through the Word of God.

We declared scriptures that promised God’s hand of protection as we watched 10-ton pine and oak tress crashing around our kitchen back in 2005. Not one hit our kitchen.

We were prepared spiritually because we had been laying hold of God’s promises of protection for our family for several years.

There are quite a few practical things that you need to address also so that you can be positioned to help others.

You will need a variety of basic items to help you deal with the loss of electricity: candles, lanterns or flashlights, non-perishable food, ice to keep your freezer and refrigerator items cold until you can eat them, and ways to stay cool or warm depending on your location.

Also be prepared with gasoline to keep your vehicles running in case you want to evacuate.

The mistake many make in their preparation for disaster is trying to get prepared the day before the expected strike. When dealing with hurricanes, at least you do have some advance notice. Tornadoes and earthquakes do not give you that kind of luxury.

The time for preparation for disaster on a spiritual level and practical level is when things are going smooth.

Preparation For Disaster Weapon

The biggest weapon you have to successfully prepare for disaster is peace of mind. Where is that peace going to come from when you have a tree crashing down on your house, or when your toilet paper has run out, or when you’re going through cable TV and internet with-drawls?

Where is your peace of mind going to come from when each day brings another round of new challenges to face?

It will come from being spiritually prepared and practically prepared so that you can do 2 things.

First you can provide for the basic needs and protection for your own family. Secondly, you are able to be a blessing to others who are facing the same stresses and challenges as you are.

During the K-storm, we fed a group of elderly neighbors and were able to provide shower facilities for their use. The looks on their faces and their gratitude were priceless. We also fed a group of kitchen volunteers with real home-cooked meals.

We were able to thrive in the midst of what was going on, and we give all the credit to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As a result, we were able to be an encouragement to those who were suffering.

Michael and Charleen

P.S. Stayed tuned as we share an awesome plan of PREPARATION FOR DISASTER that neighborhoods across the country can put into play. For now we invite you to check out more ideas to be prepared in life as winners at the link above.

If You Have Favor From God, Awesome Things Are Within Your Reach

Filed under: Men's Destiny Teams — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 5:23 pm

Favor From God Brings Increase

Having favor from God gives you the potential to create awesome results wherever you go in life. The favor of God can put you far beyond what you can accomplish without His power. Favor From God

We are not talking about being ambitious for your own benefit or for your own selfish desires. We are talking about achieving things that impact not just individuals, but communities, and not just cities, but nations.

While God’s desire is to restore and lift up men and women, His heart goes beyond to turning the course of society and countries. He has to start with you and me,  but only if we are willing to live with the favor from God and step up.

What is the favor of God? Elisha and the Shunammite widow are a great example. Favor from God through Elisha delivered a widow from her poverty and the eminent loss of her two sons.

Let’s look closely at what happened. The widow was instructed to gather as many containers as possible to put the supernatural flow of oil into. She was the one who determined how much oil she received because God’s supply was unlimited.

This incident began her relationship with Elisha which put her in contact this miraculous favor from God. Her son was brought back from the dead, and seven years later, when she returned from the famine, her story moved the heart of the king to restore all her possessions.

Is it hard for you to believe that God is all about increase? His desire to increase His children both spiritually and in material wealth. Why else would He talk of storing up of the wealth of the wicked for the righteous?

Favor From God Brings Wealth

Faith in God’s favor is what will open the doors to that wealth so that we can be God’s instruments of blessings to others. God wants us to enjoy His blessings but also put them to use for the building up of His kingdom.

The expectation of being favored by God needs to explode on the inside of you, in your thinking. If this doesn’t happen. then you will limit the favor from God working in your life. Do not sell yourself short or God short.

Don’t be like the guy fishing who kept throwing the big fish back. He had to because he only had a 10-inch frying pan to cook them in. Make room in your thinking for God to operate big. You determine how little or how big He is able to bless you.

Key To Activating Favor From God

A powerful method to help grow your faith and expectation to see to have favor with God is to follow some simple instructions found in Psalm 35:27. It says, “Let them say continually:’Let the Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His people.'”

Say this constantly and what your expectations of favor from God grow. Then watch awesome things come within your reach. Your future is bright in the Lord. Don’t settle for second best anymore and walk in favor with God.

Michael and Charleen

P.S. Courageous Men’s Destiny Teams are forming now to help you activate the    FAVOR FROM GOD in your life at this link.

August 25, 2012

When God Is on Your Side, Can You Beat The Odds Against You?

Filed under: Men's Destiny Teams — Tags: , , , — admin @ 7:15 pm

When God Is on Your Side

Do you realize that when God is on your side, you don’t ever have to accept defeat in any area of your life? With God on your side, you actually have the deck
stacked in your favor. When God Is On Your Side

God cares about every area of your life. The key here is to make sure that God is on your side.

In reality, God is on everyone’s side. What? If God is on my side, then why do I have all these bad these happening?

Because we have a big part to play in all of this. Our faith is what activates God’s blessing and favor in our lives. We might lose a battle here and there, but we
never have to lose the war in any area.

Our faith walk begins in His Son, Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus that we have free access by faith into all the blessings of our Heavenly Father. He wants us
to enjoy all those blessings.

With God on your side and using your faith in His Word, the only limits you have are the ones you place on yourself. God has informed us that He has freely given us His kingdom with His Son.

God knows there is so much working against us in life. He has made provision for us so that we never have to experience lack.

When God is on your side, He wants you walking in abundance and in love. He wants you to be a winner, not a loser.

When God Is on Your Side Blessings

He wants us to have great spiritual blessings but He doesn’t stop there.

When God is on your side, you can be free to achieve your destiny in life. He has a purpose for you to fulfill and He is with you every step of the way. Happiness
and fulfillment in life is God’s desire for each of His children.

A young lady working for the police force saw so many children living in poverty and struggling in school. She sensed she had a part to play by providing
children’s books for families to enjoy.

She didn’t have the money to buy all that. During a robbery arrest, she met the owner of a warehouse who had over 10,000 children’s books that they were about to throw away. He gladly offered to donate them to her to put them to good use.

When God is on your side, you can have peace ruling in your home. You have access to health and healing and the abundance of material goods with God on your side.

Remember that all these blessings are available to us by faith in His Word.

When God is on your side, you have protection by the hand of the Creator of the universe.

A World War II soldier told the story of his close encounter with enemy troops. He became separated from his platoon and searched for a place to hide in the countryside. He found some caves to hide in and fervently prayed for deliverance from the enemy.

Soon, enemy troops began to close in. While praying in the small cave, he noticed a spider weaving his web. He thought, ” I need serious help here and all I
get is a spider.”

Enemy troops began to search the caves. When they came to his hiding spot, they noticed the large spider web and concluded that no one cold be hiding there and moved on.

When God Is on Your Side

Do not limit Him, because when God is on your side, you can beat the odds no matter how bad things look.

Michael and Charleen

P.S. You can fulfill your purpose in life WHEN GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE. Courageous Men’s Destiny Teams are forming now to help you achieve this at the link above.

August 24, 2012

What Is Betrayal and Can You Overcome Its Painful Effects?

Filed under: Charleen's Kitchen of Life — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 7:36 pm

What Is Betrayal?

It is sad that everybody knows the answer to what is betrayal from personal experience. We all know the gut-wrenching feelings related to that close trusted friend or family member who failed us, lied about us, or abandoned us when we needed them the most. What Is Betrayal

The real question is can we overcome the emotional trauma of betrayal? For many people, the answer is no. They end up living in constant mistrust with
fear ruling their lives from the moment of betrayal until an early death.

For many others, dealing with betrayals and their painful effects can be overcome.

We all remember Judas’ betrayal of Jesus found in Luke 22:48 when He asks Judas, “would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” Judas is surely remembered as the betrayer of all betrayers.  The common question we have  is how could he do this to the One who loved him so much?

We know how wrong Judas was, and how he had no grounds for his betrayal. Yet, when WE are betrayed, we spend exorbitant amounts of time, trying to figure out what we did wrong.

We wonder what horrible character trait we must have that made someone do this to us.  While self analysis can be helpful, should we really be looking elsewhere? Does anyone really earn betrayal because of an imperfection?

What Is Betrayal To Me?

What is betrayal to many? I believe most betrayal comes from an unwillingness to communicate truthfully.

As a result, much betrayal comes from trying to get your way in a situation by manipulating behind the scenes, rather than deal with the conversation, conflict, or confrontation.

It seems that even negative or abusive communication would be more palatable to accept, rather then back-stabbing betrayal.

What is betrayal? Interestingly, the Greek word betray is paradidómi, which means to hand over, to give or deliver over, to betray. It can mean to bring forth,
cast out, or put in prison.

From this definition of betrayal, we find that it could mean that we are delivered over to our enemy. Most of the time, this is exactly how it feels.

Betrayal can come in many forms, but true betrayal can only come from someone who is close to us. It is associated with someone we love deeply, and have developed what we thought was a strong trust and faith in.

What Is Betrayal Answer?

I believe we can overcome betrayal, and learn to trust again. How is this possible?

The answer is Jesus Christ, who is the foundation to every answer in life. I like using His Hebrew name, Yeshua. Simply put your trust in Him and in His love for you.

Can Yeshua take betrayals and work them for your good?  Of course He can. Doesn’t Christ deserve our complete trust? Hasn’t He already healed our bodies and our minds as it is written in Psalm 103?

Didn’t He bear our pains and our sorrows spoken of in Isaiah 53? He took all of it on the cross so we wouldn’t have to continue to bear these hurts.

Exercise your faith in His healing grace and let your faith in Jesus overcome the betrayals you’ve had to face.

Is it really that simple?  Try it now.

I have, and the sting of betrayal has been eliminated completely from my heart. You too, can overcome betrayal!

Charleen

P.S. To move beyond WHAT IS BETRAYAL and discover more ways of walking in the abundant family life, join us at our blog at the link above.

August 23, 2012

Define Humility in Your Life and Watch God Promote You

Filed under: Men's Destiny Teams — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 9:18 pm

Define Humility In Your Life

When you define humility for your life, the stage is set for God to move you towards “muscular” things beyond your wildest imagination. Muscular things? Yes, you must develop the spiritual muscle of humility to achieve truly great things. Define Humility

This can be particularly challenging for men. Most men struggle in some way with their sense of who they are, and what they are supposed to do with their lives.

They typically respond by finding some activity that they excel in to build up their self image. They are already moving down the gymnasium path to pride.

The path you probably are expecting us to take is to define humility with a simple sentence. What we will do is show you how to connect humility with Godly promotion in your life.

We will also give you the chance to determine whether you are bulking up on pride or on humility in your daily spiritual exercise routine.

Define Humility By Pride

Is your diet full of pride?  You do realize pride works directly against humility?

It can be helpful to define humility by looking at the the opposite of humility. Check to see if these prideful ingredients are currently on your plate.

1) Doing things to get biceps praise or attention from others,
2) Keeping score of your self-made greatness,
3) Evaluating others in your own image, not God’s,
4) Reveling in others’ failures and resenting their successes,
5) Quickly defending yourself against any criticism.

It is vital that you look at your diet because God resists the proud. He has promised to do this. Believe me, you do not want to be working against the Lord.

Now that you know some of the big warning signs, what are some of the exercises that will help you define humility and create that ripped humble look? In other words, let’s look at some ways that Arnold Schwarzenegger might  answer what is humility.

Define Humility Exercise Routine

1) Getting in your reps of being submissive to others,
2) Feeling secure in your spiritual giftings without a mirror,
3) Recognizing that you are one member of the body and honoring other members,
4) Giving the glory of your successes to the Lord,
5) Identifying your strengths AND weaknesses,
6) Honoring the work of Coach Holy Spirit in your life, and
7) Looking out for the interests of others.

These 2 checklist tools are here to help you define humility in your life. YOU have to decide which path you want to take to promotion.

Promotion is not solely a worldly concept. It is also a Biblical concept. God said He wants to make you the head and not the tail, to be above only and not beneath, and wants you to lend to many nations and not have to borrow.

Tell me how you plan on reaching these Godly positions of promotion. The world has defined a path to promotion and God has defined a very different path
to promotion.

His path is one of humility and sowing into others by faith. As you practically define humility in your life by following His path, expect to see promotion towards your God-given destiny.

Michael and Charleen

P.S.Courageous Men’s Destiny Teams are forming now to help you discover how to DEFINE HUMILITY in your life and open the doors of promotion to
your destiny.

August 22, 2012

What Do Christian Ministers Need Most From Their Congregations?

Filed under: Church Reviews — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 10:25 pm

What Do Christian Ministers Need?

One of the toughest things for Christians to realize is that Christian ministers have needs just like us. They have a life outside of the Sunday service, too. They
have struggles just like we do. Christian Ministers

They need support and encouragement just like we do. As the leader and director of your church’s mission to the community, you do not want them operating out of an empty bucket.

While promoting Pastor’s Appreciation Week or Month is commendable, it is in no way near enough. Christian ministers have a give-and-receive relationship with their congregation.

Their source of support from you should be a steady stream throughout the year, not just one week or one month out of the year.

Please remember that your pastor is only as good as the support from his congregation. Do you want a good pastor or a fantastic, on-fire-for-the-
Lord pastor?

Christian Ministers Need This

While I am not a pastor, I have surveyed several men who have been working with Christian ministers for many years. They informed me of 3 main areas of
support that Christian ministers expressed a need for.

What is pastoral support about? It’s about:

1) The number one area of support for Christian ministers is in the area of prayer. I know this is a no-brainer, but also know that this is still a major
challenge to do on a CONSISTENT BASIS.

Prayer lifted up on behalf of your minister is the lifeblood of his pastoral ministry. Your pastors needs your prayers through out the week every week. You have submitted your family’s spiritual growth and direction to this person.

Your consistent and faith-filled prayers open the doors of anointing, vision, patience, and wisdom for your pastor to be an inspired and effective minister.

Prayers of protection and provision and peace and health for your pastor and his family are also vitally important.

2) The number two area of support for Christian ministers is the need for friendships. Your pastor spends the week preparing for his sermon and other details for the Sunday service.

Christians ministers are also very busy during the week ministering to both the common and emergency needs of the families and individuals that attend the
church.

Rest and relaxation are important to us all. Pastors would like to have opportunities for friendship that don’t necessarily involve ministering. Pastors need social time in order to take off their minister’s hat.

3) The third top area of need for Christian ministers is honest and respectful feedback from the congregation. Your pastor would like to be able to evaluate
his ability to be an effective minister. This is extremely important for pastors.

Christian ministers want to grow and mature in their skills in relationship building and communicating and living out the Gospel.

Your respectful feedback gives them the chance to make adjustments and to do something about any potential blind spots they may be operating with.

Christian Ministers Action Steps

Now that you know what are the top 3 areas of needs, what are some simple steps you can take to give support for pastors at your church?

– Start the nickel defense prayer plan whereby you put a nickel in your pocket every day to remind yourself of the commitment to pray for your pastor and family, and then give that nickel to your pastor on Sunday.

– Invite your pastor and/or family to a simple lunch or social event periodically.

– Be willing to share your impressions with loving respect and honesty, in private if necessary.

Here’s to happy Christian ministers.

Michael Ecuyer

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