Archive for the 'Leadership' Category
Moving Forward Through the Messiness of Family Matters
Since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, family life has been messy. Sin disrupts and destroys what God intends. Thankfully, God uses all of this to show us our great need for His redeeming power – personally and in our families.
I Have Had It
I have had it with so many of us giving in to the will of Satan and his demonic forces in family life. He is appearing to win the battle, and this is not God’s desired will for any of us. The church cannot continue to yawn and just accept it as inevitable. It is time to stand up in our messiness and move forward to fulfill the will of God in every way possible.
As I issue this challenge, some might imagine me to be quite idealistic. Listen, I have been a pastor for more than three decades and I am fully aware of the extreme messiness in family life today. Yet, we must rise up and be different, even through the messiness of family matters. We must go forward.
Some May Think There is No Hope for Them
Many people wish their lives and families could be healed, but they believe they are beyond hope. They know things are messy and deeply feel there is no way God would help them.
Unquestionably, it is messy on the family battlefield. Abuse occurs physically and verbally. Pornography is raging in unimaginable influence and reach. Divorce continues endlessly. Unfaithfulness abounds; many believe they have just fallen out of love with their spouse. Others are involved in ungodly life choices, perhaps some even unlawful. Oh yes, it is very messy.
Grace Awaits You
God’s love and grace awaits any person who will turn their life toward God and His will. We cannot do much about our past, but we can choose grace in the future. You can choose life today. You can choose blessing today. God specializes in broken people, broken lives, and broken families. When we blow it in life, even in family life, it just reminds us of the need for God’s grace, love, forgiveness, and redemption. There is hope for you and your family.
Two Things to Remember
1. Your family history does not have to dictate your family future.
Break the chains today. Refuse to continue recycling the same failures. While Satan reminds you of your past failures, God is calling you to a new future. Therefore, choose grace. Choose life. Choose God’s future.
2. You have a spiritual family even if you are separated from your physical family.
We would do well to remember that even if our past has separated us from our physical family or we simply live in a different place than them, God has for us His family, the church. We do not have to walk alone in this journey. God has a future that awaits us where we can stand shoulder to shoulder with His people, the church; yes, even through the messiness of family matters. Choose God’s people, the church. If you know Christ, the church is your spiritual family.
Therefore, go forward through the messiness of family matters.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
How Important is Prayer to You?
Prayer is often the last action people take. Should not prayer be the first choice we make? Why should it take a bad diagnosis, a major business loss, or a big problem to move prayer up in our daily action plan? How important is prayer to you?
When we pray
When we pray, it says a lot about us. If we wait and pray later rather than earlier, it says we believe we do not need God very much. If we pray first when a situation occurs, it means we know we need God very much.
In our independent world, we must refuse to declare independence from God. Dependence on God is essential. Therefore, consider these thoughts today on prayer and its importance in your life:
1. When we pray, we are depending on God. When we do not pray, we are depending on ourselves.
Therefore, pray. Talk to God daily. Talk to God throughout the day. Carry on a continual communion with God.
Talking to yourself may make you feel better, but only God can help you through your life. Talking to others may provide counsel, but Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor. He will counsel you, coach you, and be your constant through your life.
2. Prayer is faith.
When you pray, you are declaring absolute dependence on the Lord! Therefore, pray whenever you need to exercise any level of faith, because prayer is faith. When you pray, you are trusting in the Lord completely.
In fact, faith is built up greatly when we pray with and for one another. I regularly pray with and for others. My ongoing daily prayer list is continually changing. Prayer builds faith in my life. It creates expectancy for God to move in the situation.
3. Prayer is action.
When you start your day with God, you are taking action upon your day. When you pray anytime, anywhere, about anything, you are taking action.
Oftentimes, we take matters in our own hands. Our impulsiveness or impatience shows we are depending on ourselves and not upon God.
Clearly understand: The greatest action you can take is prayer. This does not eliminate taking other actions. It is a matter of priority and prominence in your life. If a person needs a job, we do not simply pray for a job, but also take the action of trying to find a job.
Each day
Each day, make prayer your first choice.
Each day, realize that when you pray, you are demonstrating great faith in God.
Each day, live like prayer is important to you.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.