One thing a mentor of mine said to me, which has stuck with me ever since, is: “Learn something new every day.” Read the newspaper, read a book, read the Bible -- learn something new every day. I believe we should constantly be growing and developing. When I first started pastoring, I realized I didn’t know much about leadership -- how to lead, cast visions, etc. -- so I began studying leadership almost daily. It was important for me to develop my leadership ability in order to lead people (the greatest of all God’s creation). Learning leadership principles, and how to apply those principles, has helped me in more ways than I can express.

To be successful, we must be teachable and willing to learn. If we are not, we will be left behind in the companies we lead, our ability to motivate people, our families, and our communities. If you study leadership, you will realize everything rises and falls on it. For instance, good leadership results in good company and a good family. Bad leadership, however, results in bad company and a messed-up family. Some are so stuck in their ways that it keeps them from moving forward in life. Our country is so messed up because we have the worst leadership in the history of our country.

Stay teachable, and don’t get so set in your ways that you are closed to new ideas and ways of doing things. Instead, develop your skills by learning something new every day. Let’s believe God to teach us, so we can grow and develop to reach our full potential.

Just a Thought,

PSS

If we are not careful, we can become accustomed to giving up and make quitting a habit, especially when it comes to the things of God. Some of the leading causes of habitually quitting are false expectations and a lack of knowledge of God and His Word. Sadly, quitting has become the norm for so many today, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Generally, when we think of winning or losing, it’s based on a scoreboard. But when it comes to life, it’s really about learning to never quit. Unfortunately, when things don’t go our way or when negative things happen, we tend to think, “This is too hard,” or, “Nothing ever works out for me.” But we have to realize, the enemy of being a winner isn’t failing--the real enemies are fear and discouragement.

We need to learn to win. A winner is one who never quits or gives up. In fact, the most successful people (winners) have one thing in common: they never quit. If only we could get this in our hearts and minds, and remember that we have God on our side and we will never lose, as long as we don’t give up or quit, then we would get in the habit of winning.

For most of us, getting in the habit of winning is learning how to keep moving forward through adversity and setbacks. Whatever your dream may be, as long as you don’t quit or give up, you will be a winner. As a result, we will see more of our hopes and dreams come to pass. With God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26), so let’s learn to win!

Just a Thought,

PSS

Hate is a very destructive emotion and it should not be a part of our lives as Christians. Hate is the feeling of intense or passionate dislike for someone or something, but the world has defined hatred as disagreement. To disagree, however, simply means I don’t agree with your behavior, point of view, or opinion on something. Just because I disagree with you, doesn’t mean I hate you. It’s amazing how we sit back and allow the politically correct to redefine the meaning of words; so-called Christians still believe in the rhetoric of the lost who don’t believe in Christ or His teaching.

On the contrary, to truly hate someone, means you don’t care about a person, or group of persons, at all. As a consequence, you have no compassion for that individual or group. Clearly, most of us would never physically murder anyone, but when we hate someone in our hearts, the Bible says it is like murder (I John 3:15). By saying this, God was letting us know that our intentions are just as important as, if not more important than, our actions. We may not have to go before a judge in a courtroom, but one day we will have to go before the Righteous Judge.

How long will we allow someone or something to have such an ill effect on our lives (I John 1:9)? I don’t hate anyone to the point that I wouldn’t care if they died. If the person I dislike the most came to me and wanted to get their life right with God, I wouldn’t hesitate to help them. But when we hate someone, it separates us from God; and the effects of hate, in our lives and in the lives of those around us, can be detrimental. Let’s confess our sins to God and watch what happens; if hate was your issue, anger will leave and depression will subside. But first, we need to forgive, and then, we need to let it go.

Just a Thought,

PSS 

What is hate? By definition, hate is to feel intense or passionate dislike for someone or something. To the world (those who are opposed to God and His ways), hate is defined as disagreeing with a lifestyle choice. If you don’t agree with them, then, in their opinion, you are a hater. Hate is typically wrong, very destructive, and unhealthy; however, there is also a hate which all Christians should embrace.

Romans 12:9 says, “Hate what is evil (sin); cling to what is good (God’s way)” (NIV). We should love what God loves and hate what God hates, and God hates sin. Sin is anything God calls wrong. God has warned us in Isaiah 5:20 about calling “evil good, and good evil.” In doing so, you will find yourself opposing God and His ways.  We must learn to hate sin because it will lead a person to eternal death.

The Bible teaches us, “My people perish for a lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). It is sad that people could know the Truth, and yet still embrace a way that is not God’s way.  We must learn, believe, and act on the Word of God, lest we perish for a lack of knowledge. It’s our only hope and the only way we will truly live forever with God in heaven.

You are not a hater if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle choice. That’s called freedom of conscience, freedom of religion. Let’s embrace God’s way.

Just a Thought,

PSS

Friday, the 26th day of June, we all realized we are no longer a Christian nation. The Supreme Court decided, after 150 years, that homosexual marriage was hidden in the 14^th Amendment to the Constitution of The United States of America.  However, the truth of the matter is, it is not there. Furthermore, while this case was pending, Supreme Court Justices Kagan and Ginsburg performed same-sex ceremonies -- so much for a fair and impartial verdict! Nevertheless, no matter how this court does away with our constitution and the democratic process, we should not honor such a law.

The homosexual community says this new ruling is freedom, and we should accept it. But, for whom is this freedom: for the business owner who believes it’s wrong and doesn’t want to serve a homosexual couple by photographing their union, or for the baker who won’t bake their cake? Where is freedom of conscience, freedom of religion?

George Orwell once said, “The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.”  History has shown us that any nation which has embraced homosexual sin has fallen or been destroyed. Accordingly, Harvard sociologist Pitirim Sorokin found no culture surviving once it ceased to support marriage and monogamy (marriage between a man and a woman -- traditional marriage).

This new Supreme Court decision did not change the Word of God and it definitely didn’t change God. In truth, God’s Word, from the beginning to the end, clearly condemns immorality; and homosexual marriage will never be accepted by God. Therefore, we must keep believing and speaking the truth. It’s the only hope for people to be able to repent and get right with God.

This is a sad moment for America and for those of us who still believe in God’s inerrant Truth – His Word -- not a truth watered down by so-called politically-correct Christians. We must pray and stand up for righteousness: God’s way of living and thinking.

Just a Thought,

PSS