Power to Solve the Problems

'...overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.' Romans 8:37 NLT

Everyone has problems. The only people who don’t—are in cemeteries. That maybe harsh but it is true. The real problem is—how we handle our problems. Often we try to solve them with our own power. How can you tell when you’re doing that; you’re tired all the time! You’re like the guy who said, ‘I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.’ Or we’re like the lady who said, ‘Just about the time I manage to make ends meet, somebody moves the ends.’ We say things like, ‘I’m doing ok under the circumstances.’ Well, what are you doing under them? Someone has said that circumstances are like a mattress; if you’re on top you rest easy, but if you’re underneath you suffocate! What’s the answer? Take your focus off your problems and put it on God’s promises. Here’s one of them: ‘Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble?...’ (Romans 8:35 NLT) Paul answers, ‘No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.’ (Romans 8:37 NLT) The word ‘conqueror’ means ‘one who overcomes by gaining control’. And Paul says that we are ‘more than conquerors.’ (Romans 8:37 NKJV) To be a conqueror means to fight a battle and win. To be more than a conqueror means to win a battle without having to fight. Jesus fights on your behalf; He does it in you, and through you, and that makes you ‘more than’ a conqueror. Love you Much!

What Has God Called You to Do?

'...I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not...' 1 Corinthians 9:16 NIV

Only when you accept failure as final, are you finally a failure. What a way to open up my thought today. Any time you learn from failure, you've taken a step towards success. You can't hit a home run unless you step up to the plate and face the pitcher. Baseball legend Babe Ruth hit a record 714 home runs, but he also struck out over 1300 times. During a low period, an interviewer asked him how he overcame discouragement. He replied, 'If I just keep swinging the bat, the law of averages says I'll catch up. In fact, when I'm in a slump, I feel sorry for the pitcher because I know that sooner or later he's going to pay for it.' You say, 'How can I recognise my destiny?' First, your destiny is a desire that won't let you go. Paul said, 'I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not.' Secondly, your destiny will be more than a job, it will be joy. The Psalmist said, 'I delight to do Your will.' (Psalm 40:8 NKJV) Thirdly, your destiny will unlock your creativity. When God called Gideon a '...mighty man of valour' (Judges 6:12 NKJV), he was hiding in a winepress. But God wasn't addressing his present state, He was speaking to the potential within him. So, what are you called to do? There are many things you can be involved in here at CFW. You just have to say yes!

Salt and Light

A.J. the Shoe Shine Man

My friend Wayne Goodall shared this story in a recent article. It touched my heart and I pray it touches yours. "When transferring through the Denver airport, I had some time before my next flight. My shoes were new and needed a shine, and over the years, I’ve periodically used the services and skill of those who do this at the airport. When I have time to stop, I really enjoy talking to these people, because they have interesting lives. The gentleman who was available this last time was quite old. As I waited my turn, I noticed that many of the business people who walked by said, “Hi A.J.!” and he, in turn, greeted many of them by name.  
As I sat in his chair, he asked me how much time I had before my next flight. 
“Lots of time — just over an hour,” I answered.
He began to ask me questions about what I did, my family, and my opinion of the Denver Broncos.  I briefly answered him, but something about him really interested me. His dark eyes had a sincere, honest, friendly look.
I began asking him questions about his family, his job, and the interesting people he‘d met. I soon discovered that he had an amount of wisdom and knowledge that is difficult for many to attain. 
A.J. has an eighth grade education, and most of his career has been spent shining shoes — 12 hours a day/six days a week. His schedule has changed a bit recently, because he’s getting old.  He has a full life that includes working long hours. 
He and his wife have been married a long time and have seven children — one of whom is from Ethiopia. He first met that son (when the boy was 11 years old) at the funeral of a friend . . . the boy’s father.  When leaving the funeral, he saw the boy sobbing because he no longer had any parents. A.J. went to him, put his arms around him, and held him. The boy asked A.J. if he would be his father — so he adopted him. 
A.J. said, “I told my Ethiopian son when he first came into our home, 'We have a rule in this house — everyone gets a college education. Do you understand our rule?'”
The young man said, “Yes, sir.”
All of A.J.’s children have finished their college degrees, except the Ethiopian son and one other, because they are still in college.
I said, “You have done such a good job with raising your children. Tell me how you did it.” 
A.J. began spilling out short sentences that were full of wisdom. Each statement hit a bull’s eye of truth — and though he only had an eighth grade education, he was wise . . . even brilliant. I began taking notes as he just talked and worked hard on my shoes.

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Some of A.J.’s wisdom:

• “Kids crave love like a junkie craves drugs — keep loving them no matter what.”
• “We choose our behavior, words, and attitude, and have the choice to hold on to painful memories or let ‘em go.”
• “Get over people that treat you bad. We shouldn’t give our good energy to these kinds of people. We don’t stoop to the level of those who abuse us.”
• “My mother-in-law is in her late 80s. Understand that she grew up in Mississippi, and during those times it was tough. She is still angry, and I try to tell her to put it behind her — don’t waste energy on past pain.”
• “My mother and father were poor and had nothing. Mom cleaned houses. Dad did whatever he could to earn money for the family. I never doubted my father’s love or that he would do anything he could to help me. That memory will always be with me.”
• “A.J., how have you been able to get your children ready for college,” I asked, “and to pay for it?" "Two of my sons were on football scholarships. The others are making it work with the help of the schools and other ways,” he answered.
• “My Ethiopian son is now in college too . . . when I was getting ready to take him to look at a college, I needed to rent a car. One of the people that I shine shoes for is a friend that owns six car dealerships in the Denver area. He even sells Porsches. I was telling him about taking my son to college and renting a car. He said, 'You are hurting my feelings . . . I have six car lots full of cars, and you didn’t tell me you were going to rent a car. Please come to one of my lots, and I’ll loan you a car.' He gave me a wonderful mini-van to drive, and then he handed me $300 in cash to pay for expenses." A.J. said, “All I’d ever been to that man was his friend . . . and did a good job on his shoes. And he did this for me. I couldn’t believe it.”

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Looking back on that conversation makes me grateful for people we meet along life’s journey. They often have wisdom and insights we would never pick up — unless we take the time to listen. A.J. gave me great encouragement that day. He reminded me: 

• Hard work has great rewards such as a sense of achievement, accomplishment, and fulfillment.
• Get your kids the best education you can, and find ways to encourage them along the way as they aim toward their careers or transitions.
• Show them two parents who love them. A.J. has never forgotten his poor parents who did what they could to support their family – while making sure that he knew that they loved him.
• Do the right thing. When facing difficult decisions, do what you feel is right and honest and honoring of God.
• Get over the bad experiences in your past. Focusing on these times will lock you into a rut in life.  Use these bad experiences to help you become a better person.
• Don’t stoop to the level of those who are rude or who hurt you. Focus on looking forward and turn those people over to God.
• Kids crave love like a drug addict craves drugs, so love your children — no matter what.
• Life can be unfair — but we use the unfairness of life to make us better people.

That conversation with A.J. also reminded me of Proverbs 18:24: “A person who has friends — must be friendly” (my paraphrase)."


Who will come into your life today?  Try to listen more than you talk. God could be speaking through someone . . . and you might just hear words that you need to be Salt and Light!

Start Thinking Creatively (3)

'Diotrephes...does not acknowledge our authority...' 3 John 1:9 ESV



Not everybody is willing to think creatively, and where it becomes problematic is when people disregard the authority of those who have been put in charge. The apostle John said: ‘I have written briefly to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to take the lead among them and put himself first, does not acknowledge my authority and refuses to accept my suggestions or listen to me.’


Every organization has at least one of these people; just make sure it’s not you. Author Phil Cooke says: ‘One of the most damaging sacred cows in organizations is basing employee status on seniority rather than talent. Yes, loyalty is important, but some of the most loyal employees I’ve ever met are loyal because of selfishness. They project loyalty to keep their jobs, retain their benefits, or hold on to their authority. Real loyalty is about innovation, original thinking and helping the company get to the next level… Every person has worth and is important. But a great leader always knows the people who bring the most value to the organization. Those are the people to be developed, trained and cultivated. When you create an atmosphere of original thinking, you’ll have more loyalty than you’ll know what to do with. Most companies are so ignorant of how to develop an environment of innovation that if you’ll do it, you will have people coming from every direction to work with you.’ The apostle Paul practiced and taught this principle: ‘We urge you… to recognize those who labor among you… and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake…’ (1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 NKJV) To become a creative thinker, you must value creative thinking. So be ask the Lord how you can become the best!

Start Thinking Creatively (2)

'Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.' Proverbs 22:29 ESV



God has given you the skills and creativity you need to succeed, but you need to steward them and continue stretching your capacity. In other words, thinking creatively. Film director Frank Capra said, ‘A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.’ An environment doesn’t just ‘happen’, it’s created by the people who live and work in it. People, systems and policies either stoke the fire of creativity or put it out. Alexander the Great once visited the famed teacher Diogenes and asked whether he could do anything for him. Diogenes replied, ‘Only stand out of my light.’ One of the best things you can do for a creative person is not to get in their way! Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Leonardo da Vinci all used the best equipment and went to extraordinary lengths to find the finest materials for their paints, brushes and canvas. And they’d be no different today. But don’t expect change to come easily. So don't feel threatened by creativity, especially when it suggests there’s a better way of doing things. Embrace it and watch what God can do! You owe it to God, to yourself and the people you work with to give it your best shot.

Start Thinking Creatively (1)

'...God created mankind in His own image...' Genesis 1:27 NIV

The Bible calls you a ‘child of God’. Stop and consider what that means. God’s creativity is already built into your DNA; your job is to identify it, release it and put it to work. Writers and even ad–men have recognized the great power of creativity is in its defeat of habit by originality. But for your creativity to be released, you must first identify the barriers and start taking them down. Here’s a common one: ‘We’ve always done it this way.’ People who say that have stopped thinking for themselves. They’re just putting in their time, waiting for a pay check and going home at the end of the day without thinking, reflecting or even considering the possibilities of change. If you’re one of these people, it’s time to wake up and start looking around you. Mind–deadening routine is the cancer of creativity. If you mindlessly go about your business the same way every day, your routine is opening you up to mistakes. Why? Because, the chances are, your habits have caused you to lose the ability to think critically and question your methods. Start questioning policies, techniques, forms, rules, paperwork—anything that’s become routine. Ask, ‘Why do we do that? Is it even necessary? Can we do it better?’ On the farm of success there are no sacred cows. If you insist on doing things the way they’ve always been done, you’ll end up being out–thought, out–sold, and out–produced. So start thinking creatively. 

Are You a Grudge Holder?

'Love...keeps no record of being wronged...' 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NLT





This scripture popped out to me this morning during my devotions. "Love keeps no wrongs!" When you begin to break down what love is, holding a grudge is costly. In all probability the offender has moved on, forgotten the offence and left you holding the bag. But in reality, blame, not the offender, is the crux of the problem. And until you understand and accept that, you will continue to be upset. Don’t let your grudges fester and turn into: (1) Self–victimisation. Negative energy expended on others just drains your resources and robs you of the chance to fulfil your God–given potential. Stop cheating yourself. Don’t surrender your power to your grudges! (2) Bitterness. It’s like a deadly poison; a little of it can contaminate your entire system. The hurt you harbor pollutes the stream of your daily experience, including your experience with God! (3) Isolation. There’s no joy in being around someone who constantly indulges in blame, defensiveness and anger. Others pick up the vibes and feel at risk, so they keep a safe distance in case they become a target in the event that they displease you. It’s a formula for isolation and self–induced loneliness. (4) Negative role–modelling. Maybe you think, ‘My feelings are nobody’s business!’ Maybe—if you live on a desert island. Grudges are highly communicable. ‘…Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up…corrupting many.’ (Hebrews 12:15 NLT) (5) Sabotaged repentance. Genuine repentance and forgiveness aren’t possible until you’re willing to face up to your grudges. If you’re still blaming others, you’re avoiding responsibility. A bad attitude is like a flat tire—until you change it, you’re not going to get anywhere. Think About It!

Love's Power

'...God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.' 1 John 4:16 NIV




When Dr E Stanley Jones preached a sermon on love in India, a church leader told him how a layman, whom he loved and had helped, was making trouble and threatening to split the church. The frustrated clergyman asked Dr Jones what to do because, in this case, love didn’t seem to be working. ‘Increase the dosage!’ retorted Jones. Our self–centred nature would have us believe that happiness comes when we get what we want and all of our needs are met. Yet, when we do get a better job, or a bigger house, or a bit of fame, we find ourselves empty because these things don’t bring us lasting joy and fulfilment. They actually whet our appetite for more—and around and around it goes.


Peter Gillquist said, ‘Every time we have a chance in any way to flesh out the love of God to others, our joy cycle gets fulfilled all over again.’ Francis of Assisi may have expressed it best in his famous prayer: ‘Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.’

"Expectations of God"

Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? No: but by the law of faith.



Have you ever pondered what God expects of us? From this verse in Romans I have translated the Greek Words used to maybe give you a little better understanding of what was stated here.

"Where is boasting therefore excluded. Through what law of works? Not indeed but through the law of truth."

Chapter 3 deals with the fact all people are sinners and we are incapable of saving ourselves from sin and death. How many times have you tried to figure out a way to save yourself and obtain eternal life? Before I was saved, I was always looking for some way to make myself better. When we are in it, it's a continual cycle of failure. I am sure you have heard several suggested "methods" to ensure salvation, or make you into everything you can be. Nothing we can do will ever get us what God can give us.

The reason is simple. Our works which include all of our actions, potential actions, spoken words, beliefs, confessions, prayers, thoughts and all manner of works will never be an acceptable substitute for God's established plan to save mankind. God set the specific rule that all will be saved by and it has nothing to do with anything we can say, be or do. God accomplished all through Jesus as His perfect gift for the redemption of all people.

Today, we are saved by the faithfulness and graciousness of God. We are not saved by our faith IN God but only by God's actions and faithfulness. Thankfully God does not require or expect us to earn our salvation so accept His gift and stop trying to accomplish what God made impossible.  You are Loved!

Don't Bury Your Talent?

'...I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground...' Matthew 25:25 NIV




One of the most familiar parables Jesus told illustrates how things work in God’s Kingdom: ‘Then he who had received one talent came. “Master,” he said, “…I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground.”…His master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant!… You should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him …throw that worthless servant outside.”’ (Matthew 25:24–29 NIV) Can you imagine going to work next Friday and watching your boss hand your pay packet to someone else, while you stand there? That’s exactly what’s going on in this story. It’s a picture of what will happen at the judgment seat of Christ—and you’ll be there to see it. Why did the Lord come down so hard on this guy? Because he buried his talent. And why did he bury it? Because he ‘was afraid’. Afraid of what? (a) Afraid the talent God had given him wasn’t equal to the task. (b) Afraid to take a risk in case he failed. (c) Afraid he didn’t have the talents others had, therefore his didn’t count. Just like there are degrees of punishment at the Last Judgment (Matthew 11:21–24; James 3:1; Matthew 18:6), there will be degrees of reward in Heaven. And how you steward your talent now determines what your reward will be then.

How to Pray (3)

'I lay prostrate before the Lord...' Deuteronomy 9:25 NIV








One of things about prayer is to find a style that works for you. In Scripture people pray as they stand, kneel, lie on the ground, sit, stretch out their hands, lift their faces toward the sky, or bow them toward the earth. Just find the method that works best for you, and use it. Some people pray better when they are moving. If you’re one of them, take a walk, go for a drive, or run. You are free to use your body and posture to help you turn your mind and heart towards God. When you’re acknowledging your sins, you may find it helpful to have your head bowed and to kneel; it’ll help you to remember and experience the humility of the moment.


In worship, you may want to turn your face towards the sky. In asking for guidance, you may find it helpful to turn your palms upwards as a way of expressing with your body: ‘Lord, whatever You want.’ When praying for someone, say at a restaurant, you may want to look that person right in the eye while talking to God and say, ‘Father, I’m so grateful for this person. You know what they need. Give them what is required by their heart.’ When you’re praising God, put on a worship CD and sing along.


The point is you should approach God with the joy, excitement and simplicity with which a child runs into the arms of a loving parent. Just as you don’t have anyone else’s fingerprints, you don’t have anyone else’s temperament. So just approach God in a way that’s natural, spontaneous and comfortable for you.

How to Pray (2)

'Hezekiah received the letter...and spread it out before the Lord.' Isaiah 37:14 NIV




Many of us just don't know how to pray! I know that's a powerful statement and I don't really know who you are. But let me ask you, when push comes to shove and you need something big in your life, do you go to God first or do you rely on yourself?


Look at King Hezekiah, he received a threatening letter from a much more powerful king—the King of Assyria. The Assyrian potentate demanded unconditional surrender, and told Hezekiah not to trust in God. The letter was graphic, warning that resistance meant the Israelites would have to ‘eat their own excrement and drink their own urine’ before they died (2 Kings 18:27 NIV). Heavy words. We probably haven't been in a situation like that, but we may have needed to make a life changing decision a time or two. King Hezekiah was one of the good Kings who trusted God and immediately went to the temple ‘and spread it out before the Lord.’ Then he prayed: ‘…God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made Heaven and earth. Give ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see…’ (Isaiah 37:16–17 NIV) Hezekiah basically said, ‘Lord, would you read this, then do something about it!’ And God did. Indeed, what He did was spectacular. ‘Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty–five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies!’ (Isaiah 37:36 NIV)


So, what piece of paper would you like to spread out before the Lord? A financial statement that’s overwhelming? A divorce decree? A medical diagnosis? An angry email? Any piece of paper that causes you stress can be an invitation to prayer, and a candidate to be spread out before the Lord. If it’s important to you, it’s important to Him. You say, ‘I’ve never done anything like that before.’ Try it. Give it to God, trust Him, and watch how He works things out for you.

How to Pray (1)

'...the Spirit pleads for us...in harmony with God's own will.' Romans 8:27 NLT








Thank you to everyone who prayed for my mom's surgery. Now we need to pray that the Doctor got all the cancer. She will start radiation soon, so its not over unless God has healed her. As we head into the fall season, I'm asking everyone of you to make prayer a priority in your life. A praying church will do great things for Christ. Last Sunday we had someone give their heart to Christ. God is ready to even more if we are ready. You ask, how do I start? There is someone already at work on your behalf helping you in the area of Prayer. ‘...the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us... [and] pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.’ (Romans 8:26–27 NLT) Notice, the Holy Spirit ‘prays for us’. Sometimes we’ve a hard time being ‘fully present’ in prayer. We all know what it’s like to be with another person when their mind is a million miles away. What’s the answer? Try jotting down what goes on while you’re praying. The two most common hindrances to praying successfully are: (a) your mind gets easily distracted by other thoughts; (b) you get tired. When author John Ortberg shared these two frustrations with a friend, he suggested that John go outside alone and simply invite Jesus to come along with him. Ortberg writes: ‘The next day I went to the ocean, took off my shoes, started to run and invited Jesus to come along. I found the strangest thing. When I thought I was supposed to be talking to Him, I found it effortful and difficult. Now that all I had to do was invite Him, I couldn’t stop thinking about Him. My mind kept reflecting on His being with me. I found myself wanting to point out the pelicans and the waves to Him. People and concerns would pop into my mind, and I would find myself telling Jesus about them. Everything changed.’ So, invite Jesus to come along with you today and share each thing you do with Him.