MAY. 7, 2025

Why can't we work together? (4)

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Eph 4:3 NIV

A lady told her friend, "My husband and I have a very happy marriage. There's nothing I wouldn't do for him, and there's nothing he wouldn't do for me. And that's the way we go through life-doing nothing for each other!" We smile, but that's not so funny when it's true.

That attitude paves the road to disaster in marriage, business, church, personal relationships, and everywhere else. Often people join a team for their own advantage— they want supporting players so they can receive all the accolades. But ultimately, that attitude not only hurts them, but it also hurts the people they work with and hinders the results they otherwise could have had.

President Woodrow Wilson asserted: "You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and to impoverish yourself if you forget the errand." Here is a true statement, if ever there was one: When you use people, exploit them, and take advantage of them, you inevitably fail in life. Is it easy to work with others and always get along? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. That's why Paul writes, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." You have to work at it. When someone criticizes, offset it with a compliment. When someone complains, find something to be thankful for. When someone comes across as self-centered, remind them that the collective goal you're striving for is greater than any one individual.

Why can't we work together? You are here to enrich the world.

Share This Devotional

Send us a text

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Why can't we work together? (3).

"How good…..it is... to dwell together in unity!" Ps 133:1 NKJV

Reason three: temperament. Some people aren't naturally outgoing. When they face challenges, it never occurs to them to enlist other people's help in order to accomplish their goal.

• When you operate alone, you will achieve a certain amount of success, but when you cooperate with the right people, you will achieve things you never dreamed possible.
• When you do everything alone and never partner with others, you produce huge hurdles to your own potential.

Dr. Allan Fromme quipped, "People have been known to achieve more as a result of working with others than against them." That's certainly an understatement! Like Chuck Swindoll says: "Nobody is a whole team...We need each other. You need someone and someone needs you. Isolated islands we're not. To make this thing called life work, we gotta lean and support. And relate and respond. And give and take. And confess and forgive. And reach out and embrace and rely on [others]. Since none of us is a whole,

• independent,
• self-sufficient,
• super-capable,
• all-powerful hotshot, let's quit acting like we are.

Life's lonely enough without our playing that silly role. The game is over. Let's link up." If you desire to accomplish something big, you have to join with others. One is too small a number to greatly succeed. The Bible says, "Behold, how good and...pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!….For there the Lord commanded the blessing" (vv. 1, 3 NKJV). Did you get that? When we work together, God commands His blessing to be upon our efforts.

And without the blessing of God, there is no true and lasting success.

Why can't we work together? Let's link up.

Share This Devotional

Send us a text

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Try. Try harder. Try longer.

"Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Gal 6:9 NKJV

One of the greatest predictors of success in any endeavor is persistence. It's not only how hard you try; it's how long you try. We tend to overestimate how much we can accomplish in the short term. And according to an American pastor and author, we also "underestimate how much we can accomplish over the long haul. Why? Because energy is exponential. The harder you work and the longer you work, the more it pays off.

In a study involving Japanese and American first graders, kids were given a difficult puzzle to solve while researchers measured how long they would try before giving up. On average, the American children lasted 9.47 minutes. The Japanese children lasted 13.93 minutes. That is a 47 percent difference. Want to guess who scores higher on standardized math tests?

Success in any endeavor is a by-product of trying harder and trying longer. There are no substitutes. There are no shortcuts. It doesn't matter whether it's athletics or academics, music, or math [or ministry]. Study after study has shown that it takes about ten years or ten thousand hours to become great at anything. You need to work hard and work long. In the words of Malcolm Gladwell, 'Ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness! Are there any God ideas you've given up on? Any God-ordained passions that you have stopped fighting for? Any God-sized dreams gathering the dust of disobedience? Don't give up on them. You need to try. Then you need to try harder. And then you need to try longer."

Try. Try harder. Try longer. There are no shortcuts.

Share This Devotional

Send us a text

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

"Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." 1Sa 14:7 NIV

Reason two: naivety. An old Chinese proverb says, "Behind every able man there are always other able men." Even if you can do the job yourself, isn't it wise to stop and ask, "Who do I know who could help me to do it better?" That question defines the difference between mediocrity and excellence. Business consultant John Ghegan keeps a sign on his desk that reads, "If I had it to do all over again, I'd get help." We all need that sign! When you have a few victories under your belt, you're at an increased risk of thinking you can do anything and everything by yourself.

But when your dream is from God, it will always be greater than your individual capacity and gifts, which means you will have to reach for others. Two men, Jonathan, and his armor-bearer, wiped out an entire Philistine garrison. How? "Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, 'Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf.

Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.' 'Do all that you have in mind, his armor-bearer said. 'Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul'" (vv. 6-7 NIV). Jonathan, the leader, needed the encouragement and support of his armor-bearer. And his armor-bearer needed the courage and leadership of Jonathan. Together they accomplished amazing things for God.

The truth is teamwork is at the heart of all impressive triumphs. The question isn't whether teams have value; it's whether you are humble enough to acknowledge that fact and become a better team player.

Why can't we work together? Become a better team player.

Share This Devotional

Send us a text

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

APR. 15, 2025

Become willing to change.

"You will grow as you learn to know God better and better." Col 1:10 NLT

To grow, you must dedicate yourself to the process. Whether it's in your career, your marriage, your ministry, or your walk with God, once you dedicate yourself to growth and development and a lifestyle of planned improvement, it becomes normal to you. And you realize when you're not making progress. Something is missing! It's been reputed that the Polish American classical pianist Arthur Rubinstein refused to listen to recordings of his playing. Even only a few months afterward, he was unhappy with what he heard. Why? Because he had changed and improved-but his recordings had not. Stop and think about the non-negotiables in your life.

What are you willing to live and die for?

Write down what you want to hold on to at any cost, and fully explain why. After you have done that, everything else should be open to change. Here is how Paul prayed for the Christians in the Colossian church: "We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and...spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light" (vv. 9-12 NLT).

Become willing to change To grow, you must dedicate yourself to the process.

Share This Devotional

Send us a text

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

APR. 24, 2025

The waiting strategy.

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry." Ps 40:1 NKJV

When you're up against a problem that seems too big for you or feel like you are "in over your head" and you don't know what to do or which way to go, use the waiting strategy. That's the one David the psalmist used. And it worked for him: "I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth-praise to our God...Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust...My ears You have opened" (vv. 1-4, 6 NKJV).

Waiting is hard to do when you are anxious. And waiting patiently is even harder. Stop and think who you are waiting for: the Lord. He is Lord of every situation, including yours.

Perhaps this illustration will help you. Arthur McKinsey writes: "If you think of a... problem as being like a medieval walled city, then a lot of people will attack it head on, like a battering ram. They will storm the gates and try to smash through the defences with sheer intellectual power and brilliance...I just camp outside the city. I wait. And I think. Until one day-maybe after l've turned to a completely different problem-the drawbridge comes down and the defenders say, 'We surrender' The answer to the problem comes all at once." Waiting for God to work is that way. While you are waiting, He is working on your behalf.

The waiting strategy While you are waiting, He is working.

Share This Devotional

Send us a text

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

APR. 25, 2025

Resolve conflict quickly (1)

"If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother." Mt 18:15

Few things in life cause more stress than unresolved conflict. It will elevate your blood pressure and consume your thoughts until you resolve it, so if you're wise, you will deal with it right away. Not all people feel this way. Even though Jesus commanded us to deal with it, many Christians refrain from saying anything for the sake of peace. Not so. Unresolved conflict will affect

• your peace of mind,
• your productivity, and
• your attitude toward others, so it must be dealt with.

Additionally, the problem with refusing to face an issue is that it will probably occur again. So, according to an interpersonal communications adviser, do these three things:

(1) "Ask God to give you His words to say so that His purpose will be achieved. 'My word...will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it' (Isa 55:11 NIV).

(2) Empty your emotions out to God before engaging the offender. Emotions tend to get in the way of facts and can hinder objective thinking. This isn't as hard as it may sound once you decide you are going to make every effort to settle the issue in a harmonious way. 'If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone' (Ro 12:18 NIV).

(3) Be clear as to what you perceive the problem to be. Avoid vague arguments that leave room for misinterpretation. For example, 'You need to do better' does not really clarify the problem." If your goal is to heal the relationship, God will work with you.

Resolve conflict quickly "Live at peace with everyone."

Share This Devotional

Send us a text

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

APR. 2, 2025

Be real.

"People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1Sa 16:7 NLT

Jesus was rough on Pharisees: "People look at you and think you are saints, but beneath... you are total frauds" (Mt 23:28 MSG).

They put on a good front but were devoid of grace, mercy, and compassion.

And Jesus called them on it! Because we live in an appearance-focused society, Jesus warns us about the dangers that come from dwelling on the outer life at the cost of developing the inner life. So, how do you keep that from happening?

(1) Follow Jesus' example. He spent His life ministering to the hurting, the forgotten, the lost, and lonely.

(2) Keep in mind that even though you're a Christian, you will still struggle in certain areas, and don't try to act like you "have it all together."

(3) Ask God to reveal behavior patterns that are appearance oriented instead of heart oriented.

(4) Surround yourself with transparent people who encourage you to be real and correct you when you need it.

Marybeth Whalen writes: "The painters painted the wall leading downstairs...A week later I discovered, while the wall had been repainted, the habits hadn't changed. The kids were still dragging their dirty hands behind them, making what was white and clean, grey, and dirty.

Like that wall, if I'm not careful I can cover up what's there...

• wear the Christian tee shirt,
• carry my Bible,
• smile like everything's great,
• and talk a good game about my walk with the Lord.

But deep inside the ugly habits are waiting to be revealed the moment life gets messy. I can become a modern-day Pharisee who focuses on the whitewash and ignores the dirty stuff underneath." So, be real.

Be real

Don't try to act like you "have it all together."

Share This Devotional

Send us a text

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!