Game-Changer
Women speak an average of 20,000 words a day while men average
7,000. Knowing this is the average amount of words you’ll use in any
given day, you can decide to use your words to bless people or to
gossip about them. And this decision can be a game-changer!
Make it a point to LISTEN to yourself today.
How are you choosing to use your words?
The Bible has some strong warnings:
“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of
judgment for every empty word they have spoken”
(Matthew 12:36 NIV).
Have you ever been part of a conversation that begins like this:
• “What I’m telling you is highly confidential, but you’re my friend and I know I can trust you. . . .”
• “OK, I’m not totally sure about this, but I heard . . .”
• “It’s really none of my business, but here’s what I think about . . .”
These conversation openers are usually a huge forecast of idle wordson their way.
“A good man’s speech reveals the rich treasures within him.
An evil-hearted man is filled with venom, and his speech reveals it” (Matthew 12:35 LB).
Wow.
That’s pretty clear, isn’t it?
I want to be part of the solution—not the problem.
So I’m choosing to spread “positive gossip.”
Anytime I can say something good about a situation or a person,
I’m doing it.
You see, we’re either part of the judgment problem,
or we’re consciously choosing to be active in the grace solution.
But we can’t have it both ways.
So choose your words wisely.
It really CAN be a game-changer!
Thoughts?
I’m driving to Cleburne, TX this Sunday morning to begin speaking
Sunday evening through Friday evening at the West Texas District
Family Camp. I’ll be teaching Bible study during the mornings, and I’ll
be preaching in the evenings. I’d love to know your prayers for God’s
anointing are with me.
My annual two-week international missions trip is June 26 to July 9.
We’re headed to Peru. We’re close to $1,000 short on funds. If you’d
like to make a donation to help, I’ll send you a tax receipt for your
files, because I’m a 501 C-3 non-profit ministry. You can make your
check to Susie Shellenberger Ministries and mail it to me at: 3128 N.
Timber Avenue, Bethany, OK 73008. I’ll need to receive it this week
to be able to use for the trip expenses. Will you pray about helping?
The Next Step
Oftentimes we make “knowing God’s will” into something much
harder than it really is. Most of the time, it’s simply taking the next step.
Doing what’s right.
Walking forward.
I think of Moses.
Yes, he’s known for leading God’s chosen people out of the bondage
of Egypt’s slavery, but the scene begins when he was simply
watching sheep for his father-in- law. A nearby bush went up in
flames, and when Moses turned to look, He heard directly from God.
So he took the next step. He did the right thing. He obeyed and
moved forward. The result? He led millions.
And David.
Sure, he went down in history as the giant-killer. But the only reason
he was even near Goliath is simply because he was running an
errand for his dad. Once there, he just did the next thing.
He took another step forward.
He obeyed and later became the Israel’s greatest king.
What about Andrew?
He would never be the leader like his brother, Peter.
He wasn’t good in front of a group, he wasn’t a leader, and he wasn’t
an extrovert. But he loved people. He shined at one-on- one
relationships. And in the midst of thousands of hungry people,
Andrew made friends with one little boy.
When Jesus instructed the disciples to feed the thousands, Andrew
simply did the next thing. He took another step. He brought his new
friend to Jesus. And Jesus took a few fish and some bread and
produced the greatest food delivery service in history.
Then there’s Peter.
He and his fishing crew had been out all night, but their nets were still
empty. Jesus entered the scene and challenged them to fish a
different way. Peter obeyed. He took the next step. He tossed his net
on the other side of the boat and pulled in a haul so great, he madehistory with it.
But do you think when he slid into his sandals that morning and
pulled his tunic over his body he had any idea that this was the day
he’d be drafted by the Messiah to join Team Jesus and turn the world
on end with Christianity? Do you think any of Peter’s fishing crew
even imagined they’d write parts of the Bible and launch the church?
They all just took the next step.
They did what was right.
They simply obeyed.
Instead of wringing your hands trying to figure out God’s will, why not
simply take the next step?
Do what’s right.
Keep walking in obedience to His Lordship.
This is His will.
The rest of the plan will unfold in His perfect timing.
Thoughts?
I’m not speaking this weekend. I’m home and will be attending my
home church this Sunday. Will you pray for my annual missions trip?
It’s coming up June 26-July 9. We’ll be serving in Peru. I’m taking 125
with me. We’re a bit short on funds. If you’d be willing to help
financially, please consider writing a check to Susie Shellenberger
Ministries. You can send it to me at:
3128 N. Timber Avenue,
Bethany, OK 73008. I’ll send you a tax receipt because I’m a 501 C-3.
Anything you can do will help a LOT!
Taking God at His Word
My 95-year- old aunt passed away in November, 2016.
And my almost-93- year-old Dad passed away in February, 2017.
Both of them had pre-paid their funeral costs. Years ago they met
with the local funeral home director, selected the casket and made
monthly payments until everything was paid for—including the
honorariums to pay the minister and musicians.
What an incredibly generous and loving act that was! My
brother and I weren’t burdened with the tremendous expense of
funerals.
The Bible gives us a similar example in Genesis 23. In fact, an
entire chapter is devoted to Abraham’s purchase of a cave for the
burial of his wife, Sarah—and where he would also be buried years
later.
You may remember that God told Abraham to move, but he
didn’t know where God was taking him. In faith, Abraham and Sarah
followed God. As a result, he didn’t own any land in Canaan. But in
Genesis 17:8, we read that God had promised to give Canaan to
Abraham’s descendants.
So Abraham was actually moving in faith when he purchased
the burial plot for himself and his wife. He took God at His Word,
believing he and his future relatives would fill the land.
Abraham was proving his faith in what God had promised!
I want to be more like Abraham.
Oftentimes, we say we believe God’s promises, but when we’re
faced with difficulties, we fail to put our faith into action and claim
what God has already promised.
How about joining me in living inside the promises God has
given us?
Thoughts?
This weekend I’m speaking in Rocky Mt., N.C. and would love
to know you’re praying for me.
It’s one thing to say we believe; it’s another to
prove it.
Many times professing Christians act like
atheists. We say we believe but when we make
decisions or deal with hardships, we act like we don’t
believe.
I am praying that I will be more like Abraham and live
what I believe. Will you join me in that prayer?