Word of Encouragement

Word of Encouragement based on THE MENTOR LEADER by Tony Dungey. Chapter 3

Godly leaders have decided to see themselves from outside their own being and attempt to have a self view that is Godly. To accomplish this, we need to be willing to see ourselves as we really are. As we enter Lent, we are reminded of the Christian tradition of self examination and the need to see ourselves from a healthy perspective. Often self examination has the sour taste of finding something that needs to be removed from our lives. Perhaps our foul language, our ill temper or our love of sweets. Yet in my spiritual journey I have always found it far more difficult to add godliness to my life than it was to remove ungodliness. Sunday I shared the nine fruit of the spirit from Galatians 5:22: Love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This week I have been challenging folks to just pick one. Choose one word and ask God to help you gain it in your life. To secure it and empower the choice, try to help someone else see that they need it too.

~Grace & Peace~
Pastor Ernie

The Mentor Leader, Chapter two. Great teams have a chemistry and that chemistry begins with a fundamental attitude. Life is not about me. Leaders on winning teams have decided they want to mentor younger players because there really is no way to win otherwise. “The mentoring mindset can be seen in Jesus’ interactions with others.” Mentor leaders decide to look beyond themselves to others and help other people become better people. Leaders decide to make someone else know they are important. Great leaders increase the value of everyone in the room. Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking that talent, skill, knowledge, and even Godly blessing is intended for us and then it stops with us. Always God chooses to work through us. Our skills and talents are meant to help others. Our blessings and learnings to assist other people in their life journey. All that is good in life is at its best when it flows through us.

~Grace & Peace~
Pastor Ernie

I recently read Tony Dungey’s book The Mentor Leader. It is a very good read. Most people do not consider themselves leaders. In fact the vast majority of people would say, “just tell me what to do.” So The Mentor Leader one would think has a limited audience. Not so. The principles are for all of us and appropriate for any one in a relationship, all parents, people with a job, people who volunteer and serve, pretty much all of us.So for the next several weeks I thought we might learn together.

Chapter One. “You’ve got to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather is.” Irish Proverb. If all you want to do is win games, it is not really worth it. The only significant thing a person can accomplish is to make another person a better person. Everything else lacks purpose. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” Those who would become mentors of others have first allowed themselves to change the way they think. They have become other minded. This transformation comes from God and is empowered by God. We are by nature selfish, only God can change that. And when God changes our selfish nature, there is clear evidence. Jesus calls it fruit. And that evidence, the fruit, is God begins to use us to change other people. He knows He can count on us. So He does. All we have to do is faithfully put others first.

~Grace & Peace~
Pastor Ernie

As we learn about God’s providence, we can begin to see just how faithful God is to us. Paul tells the Philippians, “My God shall supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 Even when we make a mistake, God faithfully provides. Sometimes we focus too much attention on the mistake and like Adam and Eve we overvalue our behavior and undervalue our relationship with God. We think God’s provision is determined by our behavior. It is not. Provision is determined by the nature of the provider, God wants to provide for us. So the provision is always available. It simply hovers over the chaos we create, waiting for a chance to bring order and what is good into our lives. We receive it. If we are out of harmony with God, we confess and God helps us turn things around because that is what he wants. Walk with God.

~Grace & Peace~
Pastor Ernie

As we seek to learn about God’s providential plan for us in the scheme of creation, it is important to remember that we are all together part of a plan for all of creation. When we think, “what is God’s plan for my life,” we often do not think, “How can I further God’s plan for creation.” Only in the we of providence will we ever find the me.

God values me as a person and he values people as a whole. In no way does he value me more than any other person, but he does count on the obedient to further His plans. We should learn to ask ourselves, “How is this part of a larger plan? Is God calling me to influence someone else? To help the community? To further the local church?

When I connect to the we of creation, I will almost always find a greater sense of purpose.

~Grace & Peace~
Pastor Ernie

So as we ended 2017 we decided that 2018 was going to be an A+ year and we were not going to let circumstances hinder our progress toward becoming like Jesus. So far this year I have had the flu and now Brenda has pneumonia. And I keep saying to myself, “try, try, try.” What is a person to do? So I sat down. Took a deep breath. And I listened to me talking to you. I tried to hear what I have said to you and then take it in. Took another breath. Texted my children, focused on what is good…it is working. I am actually breathing normal again, not angry breathing. Listening to me talk with you…who would have thought?

So the preacher learned from the preacher…focus on what is good.

~Grace & Peace~
Pastor Ernie

Just a few more days of lights on the tree. I like it when the rain is falling, it is cold outside and I sit down to a nice bowl of homemade chili. Peace, peace. One small light lights up an entire room of darkness, just a small light. And Jesus says He is the light of the whole world. I can sit and meditate about how Jesus has changed my life. And the light is still shining. Though the world does not comprehend it for what it is. What John knew in the first century, believers still know today. Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness. The next time you light a candle, just say, “thank you Jesus.”

~Grace & Peace~
Pastor Ernie

I have always wondered why God came as an infant, subject to the rules and laws of this world, an innocent at the mercy of the guilty. Why not come in power and might? Why humbly? A baby in a manger? Only when we begin to understand the true nature of love can we begin to understand this. Power is the opposite of love. Power does not care about you or me. Power simply wants results. Power demands. It consumes, pushes, controls. Love, not so much. Love thinks of the other first, seeks the best for others before self. Love is not jealous or angry or shouting or demanding. Love just wants to walk quietly with us in the cool of the garden, and listen and smile, and bring us purpose and peace, meaning and life. Christmas is Love; Love is Christmas. This is why God came as an infant. Merry Christmas Wesley!

~Grace & Peace~
Pastor Ernie

We all come to the end of the 27/90 series and for those who have completed reading, congratulations. It does require a bit of discipline. We will leave the videos available for anyone who would like to complete the readings another time. I am once again in awe of what I have learned as I read through the New Testament with you. As much as I have studied over the 40 years of ministry, it surprises me there is so much more to learn.

My intention in having all of us read was to give us a chance to meet God and in that meeting uncover the truth He desires us to know. In our search for the truth, we have had to set aside preconceived ideas and open ourselves to new words from God. So as a word of encouragement, I want to go back to the original main verse. “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, it pierces us to the very core of our existence.” Hebrews 4

I how that we have all met God in our reading, and that our meeting pierced us to the core. I hope and pray God has challenged you to new ways of thinking and living and loving. May God give all of us the strength to become what He desires. Thank you for being on this journey with me.

~Grace & Peace~
Pastor Ernie