Sticks and Stones

Do your words lift others up or do they squash the hope out of them?

Today's Scripture:

Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit - you choose.

Proverbs 18:21

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." If you remember this nursery rhyme, you probably also remember the words to which you were responding. In fact, even children know that words do hurt. Often you realize the importance of words when you are the victim of a hurtful comment, even as an adult. Seldom do you realize how hurtful words are when you are the one speaking them.

You must realize that your words are powerful and carry great influence. Words can give life or kill it. You have a choice.

With your words, you can stifle effectiveness in your ogranization. Or you can inspire momentum, impart courage, and instill hope.

If a once loyal partner or coworker leaves your organization, choose to impart hope for new opportunities. If someone makes a risky decision that fails, choose to comfort him and encourage his continued innovation.

Words have consequences, and you must accept those consequences. Begin your conversation with the end result in mind. You must choose what you want to cultivate in your relationships. You will reap what you sow, even through speaking. So, speak life and reap life. Give encouragement; receive encouragement. Be a friend; find a friend and lead a friend to Christ. In choosing your response, you choose your consequence.

Selah people' and friends give yourself three to five seconds to think before choosing your words. Then you will respond by choice and react by decision rather than impulse. Plant words of life and reap rapport and relationship.

"Peace and joy be yours and mine as we choose to use words of encouragement instead of words of hate."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Invisible Vogue

Are you as committed to making yourself look

as good on the inside as you do the outside?

Today's Scripture:

Your beauty should come from within you - the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit that will never be destroyed and is very precious to God.

1 Peter 3:4

As you prepare to enter that most important meeting or sharing that critical presentation for the week, you check the mirror. You find that your newest tie, that name brand suit or perhaps for you ladies shoes that are just right with a dress that craves respect and beauty, like the magazine where it first caught your eye. With meticulous hair, manicured nails, and perfectly whitened teeth, you acknowledge that you will make a perfect first impression...just looking at yourself and how you have put yourself together makes you exude confidence.

You need to make a positive impression on others, so it is easy to get caught up in the newest look or hottest label of cutting-edge fashion, this is true for both men and women. Unfortunately, that perfect look isn't permanent. The clothes will wear and go out of style, the hair will gray or perhaps fall out, the nails will chip or break, and the teeth will stain again.

Maintaining the look of a leader is more about cultivating character than charisma.

It is important for yo to cultivate true beauty that never fades. One might expect a leader to be described as a "mover and shaker," rather than "gentle and quiet in spirit." Insight reveals "gentile" as a type of reliance on God to defend your injustices, and "quiet" as being steadfast in spirit. When you become confident enough to know that you do not have to defend every decision, and you are secure with your own God-given abilities, you exude the beauty of character that radiates from within and is precious to God. Take as much time cultivating inner beauty as you do you physical diet, exercise and yes grooming and putting that nice starch and crease - just so -in your clothing to top off your outer beauty, and if you do you will make a positive and lasting first impression not only on many, but on God the one who counts most of all as well.

Selah people' and friends conduct a character checkup today. If there is an area in which you are not relying on God to resolve a situation or even allowing his guidance by taking it to him in prayer, choose today to being to pray and commit it to him. Allow God to help you truly be all you can be, both inside and out.

"Peace can be yours if you will open up and allow God to do an extreme makeover on your insides that the world will see on the outside."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

CAUTION: Bridge Under Construction

Are you ready to move on to the other side?

Today Scripture:

The Lord says, "Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don't you see it? I will make a road in the dessert and rivers in the dry land."

Isaiah 43:18-19

Change happens. In fact, change is one consistent characteristics of all progress. Think of the transportation system. At times roads need reconstruction because the asphalt has deteriorated and potholes have formed. Other roads need reconstruction because of economic growth that increases traffic and requires expansion of the roadways. A detour, bridge, or some other change agent will be required in the transition through the change - and even though there is hope for safer and faster travel, the drivers usually get frustrated in the process.

Whether propelled by failure or success, change is inevitable. You must be a change agent if you are going to be an effective and progressive leader. Change begins with a vision of something better. So often leaders have great vision for their organization and share the vision of progress with their followers, expecting everyone to jump on board, ready to enjoy the ride. As change agent, you should expect resistance among those who will be part of the change.

But you have the exciting privilege of stirring enthusiasm for the new vision.

Focusing on the "new thing," you lay out the plan for addressing change. You are the change agent - the temporary road or detour that moves people from the old system to the new one. You can relieve the sense of anxiety, create a sense of possibility, and instill an attitude of adventure among the people involved in the change by sharing a vision of something greater to come.

Selah people' and friends if you have a process that is not working well in your group, family or organization, envision a better way. Write down the vision. Make a plan to communicate the vision and construct the change. Know that with God you and I can bridge the gap to a new way of living and doing.

"May we move forward beginning today no longer clinging to the past but moving forward to what God has planned for us in the future."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Surplus Dreams

Do you have big dreams, what can God do through you?

Today's Scripture:

With that kind of hope to excite us, nothing holds us back.

2 Corinthians 3:12

Do you live in the comfort zone of your capability, or do you dare to dream in your role as a leader? A leader's ability to have the biggest dreams of anyone in your organization, family or work is significant. When you plan, make it a three-pronged plan by setting a goal, marking a hope, and daring a dream.

Carry your goals all the way through to attaining your dreams. Goal setting is familiar to leaders. Goals should be attainable but challenging for your organization and family. Once you have set your goal, next mark your hope. What do you really hope you will achieve if everyone is working to his or her best capability? The final prong of planning is more daring. What do you dream? What is the impossible that you would be foolish to say aloud? When you know this is impossible in your own power and capability - you have arrived at exceeding, abundant thinking. God can do even more than that for you and through you.

In your three-pronged planning, motivate your entire organization by sharing your goals, hopes, and dreams.

Surplus planning almost guarantees success above and beyond your original goal.

It raises the standard of excellence without burdening your followers (or yourself) with undue pressure. God is able to step into your organization or family and do the dream - even above what you can imagine or request.

Selah people' and friends examine your goals. Can you press them a little further? Take a daring approach and plan beyond your stated goal. Show exceeding, abundant thinking in your plan.

"Raise your level of expectation and allow God to go bigger than you ever thought possible."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

What God Did Just for You

Today's Scripture:

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.

John 3:16

The famous verse John 3:16 is an important one for all. It speaks of God's love for you and his great gift to you: eternal life. Yesterday I was without my mini-laptop as I had left it with one of my members during a visit at Wake Med on Wednesday. Our family laptop had a virus that I needed to remove and during the process of working on that computer it made me just think of the basics of life and God's love the familiar John 3:16 came to my mind. One of my facebook friends made statement about living and her friend said "he wanted to live forever" I commented by saying I did too and that the Bible tells that I can and will live forever if I just believe. 

As I put my children to bed and still battled to repair of my computer via various scans and software, while watching my former fraternity brother and college football teammate & friend Schapp' on the TV show "Warriors". I watched Terry in a battle his with shield and sword and as he fought and shared his story I could here God speaking and basically telling me that all would be well again for me again just as he had promised. 

God loves you more than you can imagine. He loves the whole world. God's love inextinguishable, eternal, personal, and life-giving. 

That love is yours for the taking. Just accept it at face value, and God will be pleased. God has given you more than anyone would ever expect. He might have given you money or a mansion or a beautiful spouse, children and family or any number of other things for your enjoyment. But what he gave- his Son-encompasses all those things. God gave everything for you. God's peace and love is yours for the taking.

God made it simple as possible to come to know him. What does he ask of you? Faith. Simply believe in his Son. Believe that what God says is true. That's it. Nothing more is needed. As a pastor I council people young and old, single and married or divorced. People speak of walking down to the alter, being baptized, joining the church, seeing a bright light or maybe even hearing a voice. All this is wonderful but not needed according to God's word. As I sit looking out my window watching the rain God sends I am thankful that God made our salvation easy. There is very little in life that is simpler or easier than that. God has made it uncomplicated and always available; he wants everyone to accept his gift. Anyone willing to accept and believe in Jesus gains all of God's blessings. God gave the greatest gift possible: eternal life, and that includes everything else in life-love, joy, peace, a home in heaven, friends. He has held nothing back.

Selah people' and friends as I reconnect with old high school and college friends I think of how far he has brought and what he has pulled me through (losing friends, family, several near death experiences that only by his grace I am still alive) over the years. You and I obtain all of these grand blessings by faith, as the verse says. It remains a great promise to men and women of all ages and all times and all places. What it meant 2000 years ago it still means as much today that simply by believing in Jesus, we can gain the greatest blessings God has to offer. 

"Peace and joy come as we come to know just what God did for you."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Quiet amid Chaos - this one is for the girls!

We all need a moment to stop and enjoy the moment...

Today's Scripture:

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Psalm 46: 10

Three words can aptly describe the average christian...especially a christian woman today: busy, busy, busy. She hurries from one project or need to another, taking care of others and balancing demands. Studies show that not only is the average woman busy from the time she wakes to the time she goes to bed, but she also is reducing her sleep time because she just has too much to do.

It is tough for many women to slow down for anything - even God. This not only affects a woman's physical life, but also her spiritual life.

It is important for women to be still and know God for a couple of reasons.

In taking time to be with God, a woman builds her relationship with him. As she focuses on God, she remembers how vast God is. She thinks about God knowing everything, being everywhere, and being the focus of the universe. That puts her life into perspective as she sees the big picture of God and takes the focus off her own limited world and limited control. Perhaps most important, when a woman is still, she is refreshed spiritually and gains a new sense of how important she is to God and yes to her family. As a woman is still before God, she hears his voice - his loving, supportive, nurturing and yes reassuring voice.

Selah people' and friends slow down. Men help facilitate this for those special women in your life. Wash and put those dishes or clothes away. Make time to pick up her load and allow her to lay back and listen to still small voice that is our God speaking to her. Ladies avoid being so busy with the necessities of life that you forget to nourish your soul. Take time to be still in God's vastness. Somehow everything important will get done, and you'll find fresh rest for your life. This blog was incomplete as I thought of my wife handling my load of putting the children to bed while I was on my ride home from hospital visit at Wake med late last night. Take time out for God.

"Peace be yours as you make time for Quiet amid the Chaos we call life."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

The Can-Do Attitude

Influence others with a positive attitude and a pat-on-the-back!

Today's Scripture:

A good leader motivates, doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit.

Proverbs 16:10

Some stakes should be too high for employees and leaders alike. Often office, school and business politics offer manipulation and exploitation under the guise of networking and doing what it takes. In an exchange of "If you do this, then I will do that," manipulation may be the motivating force in managing results. You can "do what it takes" by remaining a positive influence in even the most political atmosphere.

Because of your integrity, it is imperative for you to embrace the fact that good leaders motivate; they don't mislead or exploit.

Good leaders motivate positively and respectfully. Your job is to promote a motivating environment that not only yields positive results and profits for the individual and company, but also cultivates employee and team satisfaction and worth.

Your encouragement and optimism will excite and energize others. A positive attitude is contagious.

Creating a can-do attitude is the key. You must first cultivate your own attitude within. Out of your own spirit, you can then motivate others to have an optimistic outlook. Catchphrases that have been used in schools and businesses alike are those such as: "If you can dream it, you can do it, "If you can believe it you can achieve it." Even the three musketeers' "All for one and one for all" references the can-do attitude. By influencing others with your own positive attitude, you will cultivate a spirit of camaraderie that initiates achievement.

Selah people' and friends when it comes to leading people toward a can-do attitude, a pat on the back works a lot better than a kick in the pants.

"Peace be with you as you strive to be a disciple who motivates and encourages others."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston