It's highly likely the burnout you and I experience, the frazzled nerves and frayed edges, are a result of taking on jobs God never intended for us, trying to be superwomen or supermen, thinking we can be all things to all people, never saying, “It's not my job.” And amid all those urgent voices, you and I have shortchanged what is important: the Word of God and prayer. You cannot allow others—no matter how well intentioned—to cause you to try to be or do what you're not supposed to be or do. You may disappoint them, but if you're going to be effective for God, you have to avoid the tendency t ..read more

Jesus could say at the end of his short earthly life, “I have finished the work which you gave me to do.” But I wonder how many of us will be able to say that. Are you doing what God has given you to do, or are you distracted and burned-out by trying to do urgent things that are not truly important? Though Jesus did much during his short earthly life, he didn't do everything everybody wanted him to do. He didn't heal all the sick, he didn't reach everyone. When so much was left undone, how could Jesus say he had finished his work? In his pamphlet, The Tyranny of the Urgent, Charles Hummel puts ..read more

I saw something in Scripture that just made my day. Why? Because it said to me it's okay to say, "That's not my job.” If you constantly struggle with priorities and feel as though you are being pulled apart by demands and responsibilities, this could be great news for you, too. One of the things I taught in my business seminars is you should never say, "It's not my job." But would you believe Jesus said that once? It's in Luke 12:13 and 14. In this passage, a man asked Jesus to be a judge, and Jesus said, Who appointed me an arbiter between you and your brother? In essence, he said, “That's no ..read more

I much prefer to be busy. Having nothing interesting or important to do is not where I want to be, and I find a full schedule forces me to be efficient, to manage my time more carefully, and therefore to get more accomplished. Frankly, I would be miserable if I were not busy. God designed us to be busy. Jesus was busy; the disciples were busy. They were no doubt stressed out at times. I don’t believe you’ll ever meet or know anyone whom you admire who is not a busy person. But I want to take a look at the downside of busyness; the potential bondage of busyness; the traps that are ready to swal ..read more

Presented by Lisa Bishop I want to examine something essential for our spiritual lives and for fostering unity in our Christian community, and that’s abiding in Jesus. Jesus himself gave us a key to unity in the body of Christ when he invited us to abide in him. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me (John 15:4). When we abide in Jesus we remain, we dwell, we stay connected to him. It’s not just about having a fleeting connection with Jesus. It’s about staying deeply rooted in him ..read more

Presented by Lisa Bishop We’ve been examining ways we can foster unity in community. When the Bible calls us to be of one mind, unified in Christ, it does not mean we will always see eye to eye. But there are attitudes and behaviors we are called to display as we work toward a spirit of unity. Yesterday we talked about how to respond when we feel wronged. Rather than retaliate, pay people back with a blessing. That behavior in and of itself will show the world around us a better way and put the glory of God on display. Today I want to dive in a little deeper and talk about another essential as ..read more

Presented by Lisa Bishop I’m glad you have joined me today. This week we’re looking at attitudes and behaviors that foster unity in community. Community matters to God, and how we act toward one another is essential, as we carry out our calling as ambassadors of Jesus. So today, let’s look at what 1 Peter 3:8-9 has to teach us about living out our oneness in Christ. Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so th ..read more

Presented by Lisa Bishop Unity is a powerful force, isn’t it? It strengthens relationships, enables us to accomplish more together, and most importantly, reflects the love and nature of God to the world around us. But unity is not something that just happens automatically. It requires intentional effort, humility, and a focus on our common purpose in Christ. I don’t know about you but when I think about the idea of unity, I automatically think it means agreement. But the truth is we will not always see eye to eye, think exactly alike, or have the same opinions. Yet, we can still be a community ..read more

Presented by Lisa Bishop Are you self-righteous? What an opening question, isn’t it? I would venture to say there are times in our lives when we have been self-righteous, and self-righteous behavior can jeopardize relationships and destroy community. As followers of Jesus, you and I are called to be a community that loves one another. But how do we do that well? We’re looking at what the Bible says about our dispositions, mindsets, and attitudes and how we are to behave in a way that fosters unity. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace th ..read more

Presented by Lisa Bishop Do you remember the game show, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” The show featured a quiz competition where contestants could win a top prize of $1,000,000 if they correctly answered a series of 15 multiple-choice questions. When the contestant picked the right answer, they banked some cash and advanced to the next question. The questions increased in difficulty, and for every correct answer, the amount of prize money increased. If the contestant was stumped and did not know the answer, they were given three lifelines to use throughout the game. The lifelines allowed th ..read more