Pastor Carl Friday Message

Life's Pricks

“It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

–JESUS

At the time of Christ it was a predominantly gregarious age, where men and women had to till the soil. Oxen were used for this laborious and tiresome work. A prick or ox goad was a necessary device used to get the animal to comply with the driver’s will. It was a long wooden shaft with a pointed spike (prick) at the end. The farmer would position the stick in such a way that if the ox became stubborn and refused a command, the prick would be used to jab the ox forward. At times the ox would stubbornly kick out at the prick resulting in the prick causing considerable discomfort. The degree of the kick determined the degree of the pain. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary says, “It was a proverbial expression for unavailing resistance to superior power.”

Don’t kick against the pricks.

Kicking against life’s pricks will makes matters worse in life, not better. Creatively successful people don’t spend their time kicking against the pricks. In your professional life there will be many pricks. The prick of a prickly supervisor or co-worker who gets under your skin, the prick of a moved deadline causing you to double down to finish the project early. There also can be the prick of being reassigned to a new division causing you to leave behind a highly collaborative team that you enjoyed working with, or the prick of downsizing in a shaky economy. Don’t kick! Go with the flow, make the most of the opportunity; if you can’t change it let it change you. Adjust; be agile, so you can advance. Some events are beyond your ability to alter and resisting the “superior power” of inevitability would be an exercise in futility.

Relationships will have their prickly moments as well. Misunderstandings, transitions, changes, and painful departures are all the pricks that pick at our well-being. I had lunch recently with a former senior leader of a very large organization. He was abruptly let go by the board due to a power grab by the former senior leader. Instead of becoming bitter “kicking against the pricks” he adjusted, was agile and it has resulted in the advancement of his career. I have learned that God can use the pricks in life to our advantage if we keep our heart in the right place, remain humble and keep plowing ahead.

Just a thought,

Carl

Pastor Carl Friday Message

Un-Generation

7 Up had a successful marketing campaign years ago they advertised themselves as the unCola.

Today, I believe you and I are living in the Un Generation.

The “Un” in life can be no fun. The prefix un means without. It’s no fun to be: unhappy, unthankful, unworthy, unable, unlucky and unnoticed. I know people who are struggling with unbelief, and feeling as though they are underachievers.

The little prefix “un” causes the complete opposite of the word to which it is attached. If the un is no fun what would happen if we became done with un?

But there is the one thing that is UNdeniable. God loves you! God is for you! God takes out the un in (un) happy, (un) faithful, (un) willing and (un) committed.

“For men will be…

unthankful, unholy,

unloving, unforgiving…”

2 Timothy 3:2-3

Simply reverse the “un’s” in your life and you’ll be amazed at what you UNcover. It will be UNexpected, making you Unstoppable.

While you’re at it, give out a prayer for all the people who are unsaved, un-churched and unloved. As devoted followers of Christ it is our mission to reach the Un Generation with the truth about our UNbelievable God.

Just a thought,

Carl

 

Pastor Carl Friday Message

Resistance

Recently, I took an online coaching course to maintain my life-coaching certification and one of the courses was on inner resistance.

What is resistance? Basically, it is an opposing force hindering motion or action in a positive direction.

Resistance is what you experience whenever you make an effort to move forward in your life, relationships, career, health or any other important undertaking.

Resistance can be compared to the headwinds of life that you experience in pursuit of your goals.

Do you ever feel like you are swimming upstream, against the current? Sure, if you are simply maintaining the status quo in life you experience little to no resistance. But, no sooner do you decide to write that book, start an exercise program, finish your degree, start investing for your future, giving to the Lord’s work, breaking a bad habit, initiating a daily Bible reading and prayer routine and immediately you will be met with this unseen force called resistance.

Resistance has been defined as a malevolent force that attempts to sabotage your success. Proverbs says, “Patient persuasion can break down the strongest resistance.”

Because it was our will to come to you.

[I mean that] I, Paul, again and again

[wanted to come], but Satan hindered and impeded us.

1 Thessalonians 2:18 (AMP)

  

I have discovered the greater the goal or task one is pursuing the greater the resistance will be.

Take for example the Old Testament example of Nehemiah. The closer he arrived at finishing the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem the more the resistance was intensified.

Jesus was aware of the intensified resistance He faced the closer He got to the cross.

Sometimes the resistance we experience comes through well meaning friends and family members who are discouraging the pursuit of lofty goals. Beware and be ready anytime you attempt to play big in your life to go against the grain, to challenge the status quo or move beyond your comfort zone.

You will face RESISTANCE.

Keep pressing on!

Just a thought,
Carl

Pastor Carl Friday Message

Let It Go!

Three of the most important words you need to hear today, “Let It Go!”

I read a story about a little boy who came running into the house, he was upset and angry. His mother asked him, “What’s wrong?” The boy said, “Billy called me stupid.” “Do you believe that you are stupid?” his mother asked. “No.” “Great,” mom said, “now let it go!” And with that the whole matter was over.

One important key in life and in all relationships: Let it go. For those of us who are married, has your wife ever come to you with an old shirt of yours that she is tired of washing and wants to throw it away but for sentimental reasons you are reluctant to let it go? Well, when it comes to life there are some things we hold on to way too long – we need to learn to let it go.

When someone cuts you off in traffic, let it go.

If a competitor stole your client from you, let it go.

If you get an unfavorable email from a coworker who is venting to you about the last project you worked on together, let it go.

If someone did you wrong at some point in time, let it go.

Your previous employer did you wrong, let it go.

You friend betrayed you, let it go.

Let go of anger, and leave rage behind.

Do not be preoccupied. It only leads to evil.

Psalms 37:8 (GW)

It’s not worth holding on to it. Let it go, so you can move on, unfettered to your next destination. Far too many of us hold on to things that we should have let go of a long time ago. As I am writing this devotional, I can think of a few things myself. How about you? If we can practice letting go of the things we need to let go of, we can grab hold of the things that we need to hold on to.

As Tozer once said, “In the kingdom of God the surest way to lose something is to try to protect it, and the best way to keep it is to let it go.”

Just a thought,

Carl

Pastor Carl Friday Message

Faithlift

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 12 million plastic surgery procedures were performed in the United States in 2010.This is an increase of more than 60 percent over the previous eight years. It’s estimated that more than $10 billion a year is spent on such surgeries. The marvels of modern medicine that can slow down the aging process include:

· Live cell therapy

· Botox injections

· Liposuction

· Placenta Extracts

· Silicone augmentation

· Teeth whiteners

· Phony tans

· Anti-wrinkle creams

· Hair-coloring

· Hair implants

· Skin rejuvenators

So, why does there seem to be so much interest in maintaining a “youthful appearance”?

This question begs our attention because there is an underlying spiritual reality we must not overlook. The issue that theologian Paul Tillich has called the grace to “accept that you are accepted”. Knowing that God loves you just as you are, which in return, frees you to become the person you were meant to be.

Maintaining health, staying fit and looking good can be a healthy quest in life if pursued in moderation. However, we should never pursue these things at the expense of missing what is truly beautiful about you. Most importantly, the fact that you were created in the image and likeness of God. It’s all about inner beauty, “the hidden man of the heart”. As a face-lift helps tighten sagging skin, a faith-lift helps tighten sagging faith.

Faith that has lost its freshness if that faith is simply going through the motions with no real focus. When my faith is sagging, I get a lift from the promises of God found in His Word. There are three such promises found in Psalm 139, they are:

· God Cares for Me

· God Created Me

· God Considers Me

Just a thought,

Carl