23 Oct

Posted at 08:00h in Uncategorized

As you know we have been sharing our “Four Biblical Habits” that will radically change your life: Focus on firsts (Matt. 6:33). Four “First” Facets: What you do first reveals who you are. Whatever you prize you will prioritize. Whatever you put first you set up to meet your needs. First things have power Last week we began sharing with you Three “First” Formulas: Give God the first of your month…scheduling and budgeting This week we continue with...

09 Oct

Posted at 17:56h in Uncategorized

A few years ago I was caught in an oceanic rip current.  I was almost instantly shot out into the ocean about 75 yards from the shore!  I am a very good swimmer (I used to be a lifeguard when I was a young man) and I did not panic and knew exactly what to do.  In a rip current, you cannot swim against the current or you will exhaust yourself and eventually drown. You have to cut across it. So I did just that and swam to shore but I must admit, I was pretty tired by the time I...

02 Oct

Posted at 08:09h in Uncategorized

The first of each month we share First Tuesday's Teaching Tips. These are teaching nuggets from over thirty years in ministry. This month we highlight the area of : Leadership One of a leader's biggest assignments is to get and give perspective If you don't know where you're going, you'll end up somewhere else. You must be able to focus on and rally around the team's vision. Focus will enhance your ability to execute. If you are a leader that has followers, you'll have limits. If you are a leader that has leaders, you'll have no limits. ~from Winning with Wisdom volume 1...

25 Sep

Posted at 10:14h in Uncategorized

Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution?  At one time or another most of us have. I know this is September, but there seems to be something wonderful about a new year.  “Things could be different!” “This will be my year!” What is the common denominator with a newborn baby, a sunrise and a new year?  Hope! All these bring hope that things could be better for us! While hope is so important and vital, you can’t have uphill hopes and downhill habits and expect anything to change!  Let’s review…last month we shared with you “8 Habit Helpers”: Hope...

18 Sep

Posted at 17:42h in Uncategorized

Over the past few weeks we have begun sharing from this series. You can have valid and wonderful uphill hopes, but if you have downhill habits you will always be going around the same mountain on a yearly basis! Let's review our first five “Eight Habit Helpers”: Hope is not a strategy (Heb. 6:19).         2. The things we do and the things we should do don’t always line up (Rom. 7:19).       3.  The two greatest gaps in life are “wanting and having” and “knowing and doing”.  If you’ll close the second gap, the first gap will automatically...

11 Sep

Posted at 08:00h in Uncategorized

I could give you story after story of people here in this ministry where things looked absolutely hopeless and yet here they are, with both uphill hopes and uphill habits, and their lives are radically better!   My Multi-Media Director here at Joy Church was an ex-drug addict who gave his life to Jesus here at Joy Church and now is one of the best Christians, husband, father and employee that you’d ever want to meet! We have another woman at the church who was in a mental institution and now she is an ordained minister here at Joy Church and an...

28 Aug

Posted at 18:49h in Uncategorized

Over the past few weeks we have begun sharing from this series. You can have valid and wonderful uphill hopes, but if you have downhill habits you will always be going around the same mountain on a yearly basis! Let's review our first five “Eight Habit Helpers”: Hope is not a strategy (Heb. 6:19).         2. The things we do and the things we should do don’t always line up (Rom. 7:19).       3.  The two greatest gaps in life are “wanting and having” and “knowing and doing”.  If you’ll close the second gap, the first gap will automatically...

14 Aug

Posted at 08:00h in Uncategorized

Things are going to be different!   I’m going to lose that weight! I’m going to get in shape! My marriage is going to get better! We are going to get out of debt! My walk with God is going to grow! All of these are valid and wonderful hopes!   However, you can have valid and wonderful uphill hopes, but if you have downhill habits you will always be going around the same mountain on a yearly basis! Please allow me to share with you “Eight Habit Helpers”: Hope is not a strategy (Heb. 6:19).   Hope is important (see Prov. 13:12, Heb. 11:1) but it’s still not...