“LISTENING” Immediately ENDS all Arguments !

• Prov. 18:13 He who answers before listening- that is his folly and his shame
• Philippians 2:20, 21 I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
• Prov. 10:13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.
• Prov. 10:21 The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment.
• Prov. 10: 31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out.
• Prov. 10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.
• Prov. 13:16 Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly.
• Prov. 14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
• Prov. 14:33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning
• Prov. 15:2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
• Prov. 15:7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.
• Prov. 15:14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
• Prov. 15:23 A man finds joy in giving an apt reply- and how good is a timely word!
• Prov. 15:28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.
• Prov. 15:33 The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
• Prov. 16:21 The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.
• Prov. 16:22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools
• Prov. 16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
• Prov. 17:24 A discerning man keeps wisdom in view
• Prov. 18:2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.
• Prov. 18:15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.
• Prov. 19:8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers.
• Prov. 19:27 Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
• Prov. 20:5 The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
• Prov. 20:15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.
• Prov. 22:11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.
• Prov. 23:12 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
• Prov. 24:3,4 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
• Prov. 24:13,14 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
• Prov. 25:11 A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

The Bible warns LOUDLY against pride and control

• Psalm 49:20 A man who has riches without understanding
  is like the beasts that perish.
• Proverbs 18:23 A poor man pleads for mercy, but a rich man answers harshly.
• Proverbs 23:4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.
• Proverbs 28:6 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse.
• Proverbs 28:11 A rich man may be wise in his own eyes, but a
  poor man who has discernment sees through him.
• Proverbs 28:22 A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him.
• Hosea 12:8 Ephraim boasted, “Look, I’m rich! I’ve made it big!
  And look how well I’ve covered my tracks: not a hint of fraud, not a sign of sin!”
• Mark 10:23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
  “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
• Luke 1:53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
• Luke 6:24 But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
• 1 Timothy 6:9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction
• James 2:6 Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
• Revelation 3:17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

Pastoral Authority to Bless

Biblically, if the Lord has called any to be your Pastor; then he or she has authority to take all of the blessings that are on our lives and release them onto you life.

I  am the single richest person on the planet. I love Jesus more every day. I have the best wife, the best kids, the best friends and the most loving church. I am so fulfilled and blessed in every area of my life that I am literally overwhelmed with God’s goodness in my life. Each of our friends and Colleagues in Ministry are extremely rich people who also have the blessings of God in every area of their lives.

The word says;

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD COMMANDED the BLESSING — Life forevermore. Psalm 133

For Joyce and I our goal is to find and release ALL of God’s richest blessings in every area of your life.  It takes DECADES to hear your heart and to release God’s Blessings in every area of your life. We are ready and eager to take that time and to release His Blessings in your life.

For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up 2 Corinthians 10:8.

The authority the Lord gave me for building you up 2 Corinthians 13:10

Before we  will agree to become someone’s Pastor, we ask them to accept  Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We are NOT in a hurry. If the Lord has called us to be your Pastors and called this church to be your spiritual family, then we will bring great blessings into each other’s lives as we journey together.

Are we GM or Toyota in our community?

The institutions of the last 50+ years MUST now figure out how to survive and thrive in a word of crippled by recession.  Some will retool while many will likely disappear in the next year or two.

What does this mean for a religious denomination such as The Southern Methodist Church or a new church start like Victory Fellowship?  Will the fate of some of the Big 3 be our fate?   Are we GM or Toyota in our community?

Can the management style, and culture of the last decades give us a good footing in these times?

Should we move to strategic action  or  we wait a year, or worse yet, FOUR YEARS?

How can we refocus on the lost without establishing more committees?