Equipping Thoughts

After several experiences helping to restore pastors and leaders in the church, I developed a better attitude regarding how to serve authority. I’ve always served as an associate pastor in the church, upholding my senior pastors heart and vision. When a previous Senior Pastor disqualified himself because of sin committed, being a part of his restoration deepened my awareness and desire to heartily serve the right master. His name is Jesus. Too often people fall into the trap of serving man, placing leaders on pedestals, with intentions to please God. But the trap to become men pleasers, can lay buried and hidden in the motives of our hearts.

How do I detect this trap and search my motives to see if I’m pleasing man or God?

Colossians 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

I ask myself:

• What reward am I seeking? Is it an earthly or heavenly reward? Recognition or affirmation from people or am I willing to serve behind the curtains without attention?
• Do I want to be seen or noticed by men first, or by God?
• Am I willing to “do whatever it is” to heartily serve God?
• Can my service be called genuine worship to God?

Serving unto man disappoints. Serving the Lord brings Him pleasure and us eternal rewards.

It’s easy to be led to think that worshiping God is happens when the music starts and ends when the song portion of our service is completed. We do call this “song” section of our church services “worship.”

Rom.12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?

Biblically, worship does encompass singing, music, clapping, dancing…and many beautiful art forms. But we will miss the complete meaning of worship if we stop there. Can worship God through what we do? Does God give us passions and desires mixed with our abilities, gifts, personalities and experiences to live our DESIGN as worship unto Him? We are designed by God to worship Him through our lives, actions and service.

DESIGN is an acrostic which stands for:

D - Desire or Passions
E - Experiences
S - Spiritual Gifts
I - Individual Styles (Personalities)
G - Growth
N - Natural Abilities

✓ God shaped us, spirit, soul, body to worship Him, inclusive of singing and music…and the way we live at home, work, community and church.
✓ God DESIGN’ed you and I to serve His Kingdom’s purposes.
✓ New Hope Core value 5; We Believe that every member is a minister who has been given gifts to be discovered, developed, and deployed. We are a gift-based, volunteer driven church. Each believer will find his greatest joy and fulfillment when serving in his spiritual gifts and passion. Every believer is created for ministry, gifted for ministry, authorized for ministry, and needed for ministry.
❑ Sign up for DESIGN…right now! Saturday, April 14th @ the Ministry Center, 8AM - 2PM

I forgot exactly how I asked Beckie to be my girlfriend. It’s been over 24 years ago! I do remember being so very-very nervous! She was leaps and bounds - notches above and beyond my caliber.

Proverbs 12:4 says “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband.”

We are going on our 22 year anniversary this June and Beckie has been nothing less than excellent!! Of course we don’t have a perfect marriage. C’mon…Beckie married me and that disqualified her from perfection. Ok, I’m being nice, but we sure are in love with Jesus and one another! My desire is to wear her as a crown. She allows me to stand tall and serves me like a king because I (really try) to treat her as my queen!

A successful marriage is cultivated by that “would you be mine” heart that every couple experiences while dating.
Beckie & I haven’t stopped dating. We added a couple of guests (3 kids) and frequent Taco Bell, but our hearts are engulfed by being “Boyfriend and Girlfriend…all the days of our lives!”

Husbands;

Don’t stop dating God’s daughter called your wife. Treat them like a queen and perhaps she will treat you like her king. Wear her as a crown - not just in public, but at home too! Don’t take your beautiful crown off…ever!

Honee…thanks for being mine You are my beautiful crown!

love you soopah-doopah plenti!

1 Samuel 10:
5 After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.

Modern day prophetic people see beyond present circumstances. Prophets Biblically defined are “seers” - they see with God’s heart and speak representing His Word and will. Prophets proclaim revelation, truth involving the present and future.

We hear practical, prophetic messages through Pastor Wayne every weekend. Speaking the truth with love, grace and hope, we are warned, taught, guided, mentored and corrected through forth telling truths, through his messages.

Don’t you crave the Spirit of the Lord to come upon you - to mold and change you? In the presence of worship through music, pastors speaking words on His behalf - our prayer should be…Alter me, transform me to be turned into a person full of Your Spirit, living in transformed obedience.

Prophetic transformation happens when we get around people who know His heart deeply, who have been given gifts of revealing present and future life changing truths, grounded in the Word of God.

1. Let’s spend time in the “high place with Jesus!” Are you spending quality time with Jesus through His Word and worshiping Him?
2. Spend time with disciples who have been in the “high place” of God. Leaders who know His Word, Live His Word and are devoted to His Word.
3. Worship God through song, with instruments - do not forsake the times of worship through song. Don’t forego singing, clapping, verbalizing your worship at our services. God’s Spirit will come upon you as you open your heart during these times.

p.s. - Do you want more of His Spirit? Come out to our Midweek LEAD service, 7PM every Wednesday’s!

Communication involves timing. Knowing when to speak, when to ask questions, share an idea or opinion or when to keep your mouth shut…all requires keen attention to the environment you are in. Have you ever “stuck your foot in your mouth” because you said something in jest - meaning no harm but the timing was bad? Oh boy…I am king guilty when it comes to speaking out of turn at times. In building relationships, making a sale, marketing an idea, dealing with conflict, or in a meeting, timing in communication can produce much fruit or can dampen and destroy situations and people.

Psalm 19:14 is one of my favorite prayers. “May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Helpful hints to develop your timing:

• Be an interactive listener. Give honest attention to those talking to you.
• Learn to understand and read people’s emotions and state of mind before you talk. You can do this by asking questions about the persons day.
• If you are an “Attention seeker or you like talking about yourself”, you need to be careful of this desire. Keep yourself in check during conversations. Talk less, interact with your ears more.
• Learn to ask good questions about others.

Proverbs 21:23 says - “If you keep your mouth shut, you will stay out of trouble.” This passage reminds me to watch my words and pray that the timing of my conversations keep me out of mischief.

To the Shepherds and Servants of New Hope:

I believe this is a prophetic prayer for each of you, your hearts and the hearts involved on your ministry teams. Alignment of our hearts to fully focus on God is what He longs for.

Read this Scripture prayerfully, opening your heart to His voice. Ask Him right now to speak to your heart..and see what He speaks to you.

Psalm 86:
11 Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, that I may honor you.
12 With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever,
13 for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death!

The Lord says unto you…My love for you is great. Praise Me, Honor and glorify Me with a pure heart. Live according to My truth. Forsake the ways of your old nature and ways and allow Me to instruct you in My ways. Prioritize your health, your family, your sabbath, your devotion to Me and watch Me increase you! I desire your whole hearted praise. Be wholly devoted to Me with all your heart - not partially - and I will bless the work of your hands. I am the God of increase in your life - as you decrease to live for Me.

As we dawn the gates of Easter, the preparation of our hearts are so important. We know that many more people attend church on Easter weekend. Many come out of duty to ease their conscience or maybe to ease the conscience of their loved ones who invited them. But we know God orchestrates the hearts, lives and destinies of people. He will draw people to Jesus by His Spirit..through you and I. Let’s invite people like crazy.

With aloha,
Rod

In my 20 years plus of being involved in ministry, I’ve had my share of dealing with territorial people. I myself can be one. There are some characteristics I’ve found that describe a territorial person.
Characteristics of a territorial person (wearing masks of Godliness) :

• possessive (mask of shepherding)
• controlling (mask of leadership)
• involves inner circle people to protect their leadership (mask of loyalty)
• surrounds themselves with people they can manipulate (mask of trust)
• gossips about other people, leaders (mask of love)
• makes “lone ranger” decisions (mask of teamwork)
• involved in many church activities, lacking submission (mask of godliness)

How do I help people overcome being territorial?

• Ask them to give leadership away and delegate decisions.
• Be committed to shepherding them through change.
• Help them to identify that they are territorial.
• Hold them personally accountable for offenses they cause.
• Ask other people to hold them accountable.
• Commit to uphold their good/Godly decisions and leadership.
• Show support and unconditional love for them.
• Communicate your desire for them to succeed.
• Rotate responsibilities; rotate people and positions. Provide cross training among the team.
• Be an example in lifestyle, speech, love, faith, trust, discipline and coaching.

1 Timothy 4:12 Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

A team that’s decaying consists a group of people who have lost their trust in one another. What’s a quick way to rotting relationships - seed mistrust into the heart of your team. This applies to any relationship whether it be in church, business or at home. The lack of trust burns quickly into lost of trust. Then communication goes sour. Why does communication go sour? There are many reasons aren’t there? But we know that broken communication adds to broken trust, leading to broken relationships, leading to team decay.
Team Decay happens when:

• You feel like you aren’t being heard and you take offense. Hurt feelings lead to hurt relationships if not addressed.
• Someone has talked about you behind your back, you find out and you harbor ill feelings.
• You talk about a team member behind their back. When you say things to others about a person that you don’t have the courage to speak to them face to face. Ouch!
• You are silent about a discussion or decision when you should’ve at least shared your thoughts or feelings. Now you respond with a silent, cold heart.
• When we undermine authority. Being a grumbler, discontent with your role, responsibility, lack of compensation (whether in pay or affirmation - we all like to be compensated with affirmation or a reward of some kind), when we don’t get our way, our idea was not considered or used, etc.
• When teams develop “cliques” among themselves. Internal competition arouses pride. Pride feeds self centeredness and opposes team unity.
• When co leaders or second or third tier leaders want to vie their way into “position” and can tend to develop different camps or cliques among the team.
• When territorial attitudes develop.

On June 2, 1985 at a little church in Kaimuki, Beckie and I made a decision for life. We knew God called it a covenant. A word we understood in thought, committed to in heart, but have grown through experience to discover that “Happily ever after” was more than a feeling, but a choice despite feelings and circumstances.

Doesn’t every couple desire to live “happily ever after” when they say “I do” to one another? I don’t know of anyone who plans their divorce when they get married. There is every intention to stay married forever - in sickness and health, whether rich or poor, through any and every circumstance in life!

Mottos we covenanted to live by till death parts us.

We will always live “each for the other and both for Jesus.”

We will always meet at the base of the cross when we are at odds. When we said “I do” we meant “I die” to myself to gain each other.

Divorce…IS NOT an option!

We will not leave any conflict (I mean ANY conflict) unresolved. We will talk out every bad attitude, offense, difficult situation. Not a single speck of dust swept under the carpet of our hearts.
We are determined to succeed - to stay married - to live “Joyfully Married!”

We choose to be Best Friends…boyfriend and girlfriend all the days of our lives.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, that I may honor you.

A worshiper:

• Desires God’s ways always and is a student of His desires and will.

• Devoted to living according to God’s truth and rids any compromise conflicting with His Word of Truth.

• Desperate for purity in being…heart, soul, mind and strength!

• Displays honor through reverent speech and actions.

Pray this in your heart, right now…Dear Daddie God: Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, that I may honor you.