A Word About Occupy

Occupy Wall Street; Occupy Charlotte and all the other Occupy protest have nothing in common with Nations Ford Community Church, which has been using the Occupy Theme for over 2 years.  For us, the word occupy does not suggest a protest against the wealthy, the banks, or the productive taxpaying citizens and corporations of our nation.

Occupy is a Biblical mandate that we have from our God to possess the land in which we live and to pray for that land as well as influence for His glory and His kingdom.  Occupy is what we do, we invest in ourselves and in our communities by providing life skills training; we influence people, communities and governments through our volunteer acts of service; we impact our culture with a positive message of change and empowerment; we involve ourselves as servants to our city and communities; thus we increase the presence of a loving God in our city and communities.

For the past two years, we have been Occupying by donating and contributing over 25,000 volunteer hours of service per year, to the city and various agencies and ministries.  Occupying is not a matter of looking for hand-outs and complaining about the wealthy; the taxpayers; and those who take personal responsibility.  Occupying is about being responsible and serving our communities and thus taking the social responsibility of enhancing the lives of families and individuals out of the hands of big government and placing it where it belongs in the hands of individuals, families and communities.

Nations Ford Community Church is committed to continue occupying in a Biblical sense and giving itself in service for the ultimate cause of Christ and His Kingdom!

Lesbian Elected To Run In General Election

In the Charlotte, NC Primary Election, District Three democrats just elected an opening gay lesbian to run in the November general election. 

What are your thoughts? 

Is It Just A Matter Of Time?

In 1 Chronicles 12:32, the Bible says that, "...the sons of Issachar, understood the times and knew what Israel ought to do."   There is a crying need in our world today in general and the United States in particular for modern day sons of Issachar.  Our world is in desperate need of leaders men and women who can discern the seasons and times and who have the wisdom of God to know what we ought to do.

When we examine some of the recent developments around the world, we can't help but to see the parallel track upon which the United States is traveling.  Is it just a matter of time?  The overgrown and blotted socialist governments of Europe, including England and Ireland are crumbling.  The overgrown and blotted socialist governments of Spain and Greece are bankrupt.  The overgrown and blotted socialist governments of France and Germany are on the verge. 

Government cannot continue to grow and fund and give entitlements to people who are unproductive.  Why? Because when those same governments finally wake up and realize that they cannot sustain the entitlements and welfare states that they have created and try to make changes and cut back on the give-aways...the people revolt.  When the government pay people not to work...and when the government creates temporary, unsustainable jobs to bolster political campaigns ultimately those impacted will revolt in some way, when their entitlement is taken from them or threatened.

Is it just a matter of time, before we in this country see the same type of riots in the streets and protest that we are witnessing around the world?  I say yes...it is just a matter of time! 

Our government's socialist policies and inept economic policies (from the failed famous $800 Billion Bail Out to the ridiculous display during the Debt Ceiling Debacle) have all but crippled the ingenuity and creativity of the American worker and further feed the entitlement mentality of our culture.  When are we going to get it? Governments do not create wealth; nor do governments create sustainable jobs that contribute to the long-term economic growth of an economy.

Soon our political representatives will have to face the music and will have to cut entitlement programs such as Unemployment Insurance; Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security Supplement (notice the word supplement)...and when this happens, we will see a duplication of the protect of the Middle East and the riots of Europe right here in America.  Its just a matter of time.

THEME:         THE MIND OF CHRIST - THE ATTITUDE OF AN ACHIEVER

TEXT:             1 CORINTHIANS 2:16; PHILIPPIANS 2:01 – 10

Introduction

 Today' word from the Lord is designed to cause each of us to examine our motivation for service and our level of our commitment:       

A.                    To our relationship with Jesus Christ

B.                    To our local Church
C.                    To living an authentic Christian life in general

I am confident that there is absolutely nothing that can stand against; prevent or prevail against the church when we stand together united in purpose and in our minds.  This is essentially the message of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church at Philippi.  

Paul was encouraging them to stand firm in their commitment to one another even in the midst of the pressures and persecutions that they were facing daily!  He had to remind them to stick together and stay together…and in their time of crisis not to turn on each other – but rather to turn to each other. 

It takes a certain mind (attitude), a certain maturity and willingness to turn to one another – rather than turning on one another - when the pressure is on and the enemy is trying to do everything he can to pull us apart. 

It takes a certain mind (attitude) to turn to one another – rather than on one another when the enemy has come in like a flood; when the resources are limited and when the challenges are great.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:25, “…Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.”   When we as the church stand united there is nothing impossible for us to accomplish.   When we all use our gifts and each of us does what we have been anointed to do – then that which seems impossible becomes possible. 

The same is true in our homes; our communities; our cities and our nation.  Therefore Satan will do all he can to destroy the unity of your family…the unity of a community and the unity of the church.

It is important to note that the Apostle Paul was having some people problems.  People problems can rob you of your joy – if you allow it!  Paul had problems with the people in Rome (1:15-18) and now he was having problem with the people in Philippi.  There were some bad attitudes developing in the church at the most in opportune time. 

This was a time when the church was being tested and tempted…there were false teachers creeping in and false prophets rising up; in addition they were under persecution and having hard economic times.  If there ever was a time for them to band together; stand together and stay together…now was the time.

I believe that if there ever were a time for the church today to band together; stand together and stay together – now is the time.   Now is the time to stand together against the false teachers of perverted values; against the radical courts who redefine the family and legalize homosexual marriages; against the violence of gangs; against the ignorance of racism; the crisis of AIDS; the spread of illiteracy; the dumbing down of our educational standards in our schools; the lack of skilled workers and the general apathy and moral decay in our land.

Now is the time to band together; stand together and stay together in bringing pressure on the political machinery of both the Republican and Democratic Parties who continue to play games with the laws of the land; ignore the Constitution and enrich themselves off the taxes of the American people.

If there was ever a time for us to renew our faithfulness and our commitment to the local church; to our families and our community and to stir up our gifts – now is that time!

Paul found it necessary to challenge the attitudes that had developed in the people of the Philippian church – attitudes of selfishness; attitudes of pride; attitudes of contention; rebellion and apathy.  These are the same attitudes that plague the church and our nation today! 

These same attitudes steal the joy out of the church and hinders us from winning people to Christ and releasing the full power of our gifts so that we see a demonstration of signs, wonders and miracles.

Paul appeals to the spiritual maturity and the spiritual motives of the believers in the Philippian congregation.  In essence he says in the first 4 verses that “Your disagreements reveal your attitudes of selfishness and pride…and because you are selfish and prideful – you have no joy in serving God.”

Then Paul shows them the attitude of an achiever in Christ…he reveals to them the attitude of one who is truly “in Christ.” 

And I would challenge each of us today to adopt the same attitude that Paul outlines here – so that we can fulfill the mission and vision of the church that was given to us by the Lord…and so that you can reach and fulfill the vision of your family’s future! 

I.          The Mind of Christ is a Servant's Mind

Vs. 5 - 7 “But made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant and coming in the likeness of men…”

Someone said it well – one of the biggest problems we face today is that we have got too many chiefs and not enough Indians.  Everyone seems to know what to do and how it should be done – but not many are willing to become servants and get the job done! 

Let me ask this question of you – “What jobs; what task; what assignments in your home, church or community, have you got too big for?”  

If anybody could have opted out of serving because He was too big; too good; too important – it was Jesus…but He didn’t – look at what He did:

1.         He emptied Himself, laying aside the independent use of His own Godly attributes

2.         He permanently became a human, in a sinless physical body
3.         He used that body to be a servant
4.         He took that body to the cross and willingly died for you and me

The attitude of Christ – the mind of Christ – the attitude of an achiever is that you and I have been created and call by God to serve one another! 

II.         The Mind of Christ is a Submissive or Humble Mind

Vs. 8 – “And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

The attitude of Christ…the attitude of an achiever will always be one of humble submission.  We don’t actually understand the terminology and the meaning of the word “humble” or ‘humility.” 

We think often that it means ‘weak’ or weakness or that, we become a push-over and that is just not the attitude we can stand.  No one wants to be a push-over – especially in today’s aggressive, assertive and arrogant culture in which we live. 

But it is important to understand that Biblical humility is demonstrated not by the person who has a victim mentality or one who has a low self-esteem attitude.  It is not the person who thinks little of himself – it is the person who does not think of himself at all.

Humility is that grace and gift of God – that when you know you have it – you have lost it.  The opposite of humility is pride and the Bible teaches that pride always comes before the destruction.   

A person with a genuine humble attitude – is someone who knows himself; accepts himself; and then yields or submits himself to Jesus Christ to be a servant and who uses his or her gifts for the good of others and for the glory of God.

 

III.       The Mind of Christ is a mind Sacrificial or Obedient Mind 

Vs. 8 “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

The mind of Christ – the attitude of Jesus – the attitude of an achiever…is to learn obedience – even when that obedience calls for a sacrifice.    One of the most interesting things I have observed over my 30 years plus of ministry is that many people are willing to serve others – IF it does not cost them anything.  But when you tell them or show them that there is a price to pay…suddenly they lose interest. 

Jesus, the Bible says…for your sake and for your sins – “became obedient unto death – even the death of the cross.”  He made the ultimate sacrifice for you and for me. 

The person with the attitude of an achiever…the mind of Christ – does not avoid sacrifices…but humbles himself…obeys and makes the sacrifice for the glory of God!

V.        The Benefit and Blessing –

There benefit and blessing that is ours is that --- when we have the mind of Christ; the attitude of Christ and humble yourself, obey and serve others sacrificially --- God is faithful to do for us just as He did for Jesus!  

Jesus humbled Himself, obeyed, served and sacrificed…but God highly exalted Him…and gave Him a Name that is above every name!  God the Father lifted Jesus up for all to see what a servant is like!

Likewise, God will exalt you in due season and He will lift you up when you humble yourself…and obey Him; and serve Him; and sacrifice you self for Him. 

Fathers' Day

The Word of God teaches us to honor our father and mother.  Taht is not too difficult when you have a father who is responsbile and a mother who is caring.  However, what happens when you grow up without a father in your home?  Although you might respect and honor your mother on one hand, the feelings you have toward your father might be quite different.

David Blankenhorn in his book, "Fatherless America: Confronting Our Most Urgent Social Problem," said, "Fatherlessness is the most destructive trend of our generation."  This should come as no surprise to us.  God said that many, many years ago as He spoke through the Prophet Malachi. 

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet befoe the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.  And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a cruse,"  Malachi 4:5-6. 

The implication of these verses is, that from God's perspective, the fundamental problem with mankind is the fatherless problem.  Fatherhood is the foundation from which the family is established.  Fatherhood sets in motion the order which God instituted from the beginning of creation.  Everything hinges on fatherhood, the results of which can have a positive or negative impact.

In my book, Father Force, Changing The World One Life At A Time, I share some helpful principles that I have learned along my journey, that I believe will help any father be a better father.  Not that I have perfected the art of fatherhood...but I have learned how to face the struggles and acknowlege my failures and keep pursing the high call of The Father Force.

The Father Force

You Are of God

Day Forty

In all your understanding of your new identity never forget that your identity is not based on your performance or behavior but on your birth.  You are born of God and therefore you are His son or daughter. He has made you a new creature and He will complete that which He has begun in you.  You are great…because the Great “I AM” lives in you and has made you after His image.

Memorize:   Exodus 3:14; John 8:24; 28; 58; I Corinthians 15:10

Who Are You and What Do You Have According to these Scriptures? _______________________________________________________

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What Promises Can You Rightfully Claim According to these Scriptures? _______________________________________________________

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What Actions Will You Take As A Result of Your New Identity?
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Other thoughts along my journey…

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You Are Free In Christ

Day Thirty - Nine

As a son or daughter of God you must recognize that you are no longer in bondage to anything or any one.  No pain of the past, no hurt, no condition, no demonic spirit and no current set of circumstances can hold you in bondage unless you allow it.  You have been and are a free man or woman of God…now live like it!

Memorize:   John 8:31-36; Romans 6:7; 14; 22; Galatians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 3:17

Who Are You and What Do You Have According to these Scriptures? ________________________________________________________

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What Promises Can You Rightfully Claim According to these Scriptures? _________________________________________________________

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What Actions Will You Take As A Result of Your New Identity?

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Other thoughts along my journey…

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