Purposeful Thoughts

I have a few things on my mind today. So I'm going to try to do them all justice and communicate as succinct as possible.

Thought #1
I have had people ask why we don't make personal announcements about anniversary, funerals or other personal announcements on Sunday morning. It's a fair question that deserve an answer so that we're all on the same page. On Sunday morning we want to be as inclusive as possible and avoid insider communication. We don't make personal announcement because 20 people may know that person and 60 or 70 may not. Even if 89 knew the person and 1 didn't we still don't do the announcement. Jesus told the story about the one lost sheep and how he left the 99 to go find the 1. Same thing at CATF, Sunday is not about you and me. The church is not about us, it's about reaching people. The church is for the world. The church is the light of the world. Let's be that light and put aside our needs for others. My hope and desire is that all of you would be connected to others in the church and that the personal touch would happen with in that group of people.

Thought #2
I have had a few interactions with people lately and it has stunned me at how negativity ruins a person's outlook. At work, if you listen to the negative person long enough you will not only dislike your boss you will begin to hate everything about him or her. If you listen to the negative person at the coffee shop long enough, you will be walking around with a mask on (to avoid swine flu), lining up at unemployement (even though you still have a job) and be wearing a hard hat (because the sky is falling). If you hang around Christians that complain all the time you will lose your joy (JOY SUCKERS). Now with that said their is reality, but get away from the people that spewn negativity becasue they sour your life. The Bible says to speak words that are helpful.

Thought #3
My third thought and I'm done. Forgive! Forgive! Forgive! If you choose to hold a grudge against a person it will hurt you and your relationship with God. It can't break your relationship with God, but it will put walls up in your relationship with God. The Bible teaches that if someone has hurt you, go to them and deal with it. If that person is part of our church and they blow you off then you come to me and we go together to talk with them. That is what the Bible teaches. If the person is unaware of the situation, then maybe all you need to do is forgive them and let it go. Your ether get bitter or better. Getting better is the wise decision. Getting bitter will effect every area of your life.

Thanks for taking the time to learn and grow.