Leadership

What does salvation mean to you? For many of us, we define salvation in very personal, limited terms. Jesus died for me, therefore, I will live with him. Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I have a personal relationship with Jesus. "Jesus loves me, this I know..." In some ways, these views of salvation fit very nicely with the very reasons why we needed saving in the first place. We tend to be self-absorbed, superficial people. At the root of our sin problem is pride: we are the problem. It's not the devil or the corruption in Washington or the declining moral standards in Hollywood. The problem is not out there somewhere; it's me. I am the problem. In addition to the forgiveness of sins, the transforming work of Jesus on the cross should also bring about a change in perspective. I see myself differently. I see God differently. I see…

Here’s an important truth: The higher your sense of entitlement, the lower your sense of gratitude. The more I feel entitled to something, the less thankful I am for it. Why? Because, obviously, I deserve it and why should I be grateful for something that I am entitled to? We can only be grateful when we know that we do not deserve our blessings and we did not create them. I don't believe it's coincidental that the Greek word for thanks is built on the word for grace. Grace and gratitude are closely related. Grace, in its simplest terms, is unmerited favor. I receive what I did not deserve - and that should lead to gratitude. Gratitude requires humility because entitlement and pride are often found holding hands. A prideful person finds it hard to be thankful. On the other hand, a humble person is grateful for whatever blessing comes…

If you drink enough bad coffee, you’ll eventually get used to it. Even worse, if you've never known good coffee, you'll grow up believing that the bad is actually good. Or, maybe you'll just say: "It's not great, but it's good enough." Few people attain great lives because it’s really easy to settle for a good life. For a good enough life. Is that what God wants for you? It's not. Not only does he want so much more for you - he can do so much more for you. ---------- For Further Reflection ---------- Rise Above: How to Go Faster, Farther, & Higher in Your Faith Point of No Return: Tackling Your Next New Assignment with Courage...