BAD MOMENT..I Need Your Help...johnny baker

Hello,   I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my trip. I'm currently in Manila, Philippines on a short vacation as I write this what happened today is unbelievable and now I am stuck here.  I got robbed at GUN POINT on my way to the hotel and my money, credit cards, phone and other valuables were stolen. Thank God they did not take my passport. I have been to the Embassy and the Police here,but they're not helping issues at all they asked me to wait for 3weeks but I can't wait till then as my return flight leaves in few hours from now.,we are freaked out at the moment Please I need you to loan me some money, I promise to refund you as soon as i'm back home, All i need is 1,850.00 USD but I will appreciate any amount you can spare.. I'll be waiting to hear back from you on how you can get the funds to me please.. Thank You, johnny

anger management

Anger Management

 

Do you ever get angry?  Unless you are a rock you have times when you are dissatisfied with events, persons, or conditions which may seem to be beyond your control.  Is it sinful to be angry?  Could a good Christian ever be angry?  Think on this . . . God is the most angry “person” in the Bible.  Three hundred and sixty times we are told that God was angry (or some variation of that statement).  Even Jesus was angry at times.  If Jesus did it, it must be o.k.  No, it isn’t sinful to be angry unless you do things out of your anger to hurt others verbally or physically.  Anger is also sinful if we are motivated by selfish or sinful desires.  So Ephesians 4:26 tells us to “Be angry, and yet do not sin:  Do not let the sun go down on your anger.”  There are many prohibitions against anger in the Scripture:  Psalm 37:8 says to “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath . . . “Proverbs 22:24, 25 warns:  “Do not associate with a man given to anger; or go with a hot-tempered man, lest you learn his ways, and find a snare for yourself.”  James 1:20 concludes that “The anger of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God.”  So, we need to be very careful when we are angry.  Anger must be managed.

There are inappropriate ways to try and manage anger:

1. Aggression.  This type of person acts out his anger toward others because of frustrated emotional base of incongruity between what he wants to happen and what he knows is out of his control.  Invariably this person finds “roots” for his behavior in the desire to be God.  Others try to make themselves seem larger than they are by exploding in rage.  This is a poor attempt to control anger.
2. Suppression (somatization).  This type person tends to clam up when he is angry.  As a child he may have been taught that expressions of anger were inappropriate so he learned to just stuff his feelings.  This anger will surface eventually (usually in explosions).
3. Passive aggression.  This type response comes when the individual desires to control with the least amount of vulnerability.  He does not want to risk relationships in an all out confrontation of aggression and he does not desire to hurt himself in suppression.  Therefore, he does things to “needle”, frustrate, or agitate the person with whom he is angry.  He uses this “subtle sabotage” to compete with the other person in a sly and dishonest manner.
4. Self mutilation or self depreciation.  Here the person does physical or verbal harm to himself.  Phrases like “I am so stupid, “or “I can never do anything right” become the means by which he expresses anger without harming others directly.  Physical trauma may be inflicted if the pain is deep enough.

 

There are two appropriate ways to manage anger:

1. Share your feelings of anger with others in an appropriate way in an appropriate time which will bring honor to the Lord.  Our standard of conduct is to “speak the truth in love.”  Be sure that you both speak the truth and that you speak it in love.  The person with whom you are angry may not be aware of an offense.  He will most likely appreciate an honest effort for you to express your feelings to him without accusing him of personal injustices in a caustic manner.  Emphasize your feelings about the matter.
2. Let the anger drop.  Sometimes it is most appropriate to just forgive and forget without talking to anyone about it.  Just give it to God and go on!  This is a very practical way of managing the anger by the grace of God.  Practice this form of divine forgetfulness (Philippians 3:13, 14)!

 

I believe that God is honored when we manage anger.  If you find yourself in a pattern of angry, resentful, or bitter relationships, something may be amiss in your spiritual walk with the Lord.  Ask Him to reveal the necessary changes in you and find the grace to change.  He will give you the courage and the grace to deal with occasional anger as you follow His simple plan outlined above.  To God be the glory!

Just start over!

We have just said "  Merry Christmas" and now we are saying "Happy New Year."  We trust that you will have a blessed 2008 year.  Think backward over the past year for a moment. . . There are many things to be thankful for. . . Right?  Of course, there are some things which we would just as soon forget!  It is wonderful to be a follower of Jesus for many reasons but I am most grateful that He gives us the grace to "start over" in life.

God knows our faults, failures, weaknesses, and sin, yet He doesn't hold those against us when we know Christ as Savior.  Genesis 6:5-8 tells us that God saw man's wickedness and was sorry that He had ever made man on the earth.  He was grieved  in His heart.  He first said to Himself, "I will just destroy every living thing from the face of the earth!"  But then He saw Noah and graciously started over with his small family of 8 people aboard the ark of salvation.

Aren't we glad that God gave us all a second chance through Noah!  He continues to let us start over when we trust Him through His gracious gift of salvation in His Son, Jesus.

So, don't let the negatives of 2007 hold you back!  Begin again with God's grace and live 2008 for His glory.  Learn from the mistakes of 2007 and trust God to lead you into a growing relationship with Him.  What a blessing!

 

the sufficiency of Scripture

Routinely we tell folks that the Bible, God’s Unique Book, addresses everything which we face in life, specifically or in precept or principle.  Thus we refer to the “sufficiency of Scripture.”  One of our most pointed reminders of this truth is found in II Peter 1:2-4, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord:  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”

In the context, verses 5-11 exhort us toward spiritual excellence on the basis of His faithfulness to fulfill His promises to us.  What do you think about this piece of “God’s anthology?”  Do you use the Bible promises to gain strength, wisdom, and direction for your life?  Do you understand the sufficient nature of Scripture?  Do you trust in the promises of God? 

 

"The Carrott Principle"

The carrot principle  a book by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, emphasizes the necessity for personal affirmation, words of appreciation, praise, and non financial rewards as the “acceleration tool” for successful employers and employees.  The book is the result of research over 10 years in 10 countries with 200,000 individuals.  It shows that purpose-based recognition and affirmation increases operating results in such areas as productivity, engagement, retention, and customer satisfaction.  He makes a startling conclusion:  “The Ph.D. statisticians at the Jackson Organization have concluded that the correlation is so strong between effective leadership and recognition that it is statistically impossible to be considered a trusted, communicating, team-building, goal-setting manager unless you are effectively using praise and recognition.”

What are your thoughts about the application of this conclusion to our processes within the IMB?. . .the Region?  What value do you see for us as missionaries in the supervisory / relationship areas of our work?

 

You are loved,

Johnny and Jo

 

“Caring that you complete His call”

Welcome

Thank you for joining us for what we pray will be a helpful dialogue.