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.