Friday, April 17, 2009
ECONOMY/ACCOUNTABILITY/GOD'S LOVE CUP KKIM/DDC
Dear KKIM Family,
We have a wonderful cup for you that may last a couple of days....it is full of honey.......it is full of God's love. It is full of the truth.
I woke up at 4am and and I was thanking the Lord for my job. I was thanking HIM that I can go to work early and work late. Now you are thinking I am crazy......I was thinking of my Dad who would leave the house by 5am most days and not return home till 6pm and may have to go back to work later. There is freedom in that you know.......YES there is! The job is really not a job.........it is part of your life. When you feel what you do for a living is not a job you have it made! My Dad and Mom taught me to serve others.....to give of yourself........they did it!!! In fact when I was growing up in Windom, Minn. most all the folks did the same! Give until it hurts, we used to say! I carry all those lessons and love from Windom to this day!
Today we have three excellent write ups from Gordon Macdonald on these economic times and Pastor Leonard Navarre on Accountability and one from Chuck Swindoll on God's love. But first..........
I just got me new copy of Leadership magazine. A write up on the Economy. Let me share a bit of this with you.
What might God say in tough economic times?
Gordon MacDonald writes.........
What was clear , even to me, was the larger message the speakers were trying to convey: uncertainty. This much was abundantly clear: no one can say with confidence what's going to happen on Wall Street or Main Street in the foreseeable future. The solutions being offered as a way out of this recession or depression are nothing more than educated guesses. Bottom line: don't bet on anything. Keep your seat belt tightened and don't quit your day job.
One of the speakers suddenly stopped talking statistical language and in plain English offered some observations. Here in bulleted form is what I heard him saying:
There is all kinds of evidence that this economic tsunami is radically changing the ways Americans think about money and the way it has defined our modern way of life.
We're seeing an economic paradigm shift in the way people are beginning to save rather than spend.
New and cautious views of the meaning of career, risk, wealth, success, and personal satisfaction are emerging.
Trust, the "glue" that holds financial systems together, has been almost destroyed.
Economically speaking, the world has gone from peak to trough overnight, and we are likely to remain in that trough for several years. Better to plan with that long range view in mind than to keep getting disappointed by every quarterly business report.
As the speaker ventured these speculations, the audience seemed to freeze, each person appearing to turn inward as if to ask: Where am I in the midst of all of this? What do these new realities mean to me and my loved-ones?
My own reaction was to wonder if we are not in a profoundly biblical moment: a time when God is seeking the attention of people and when he wishes to raise up a new kind of leadership with a different kind of message.
In these days of economic distress, we will no doubt hear about a historic depression that hit in 1859. America and much of Europe were then plunged into fiscal chaos. Unemployment in American cities neared 25 percent (Elkhart County in Indiana is nearing that now)
While not having a complete economic stimulus plan, a man named Jeremiah Lanphier one day got a simple idea. Why not, he asked, get some people together each day at noon to pray? Lanphier got churches up and down the East Coast to open their doors at midday and admit people for the purposes of prayer. AND BY THE MILLIONS IN AMERICA AND EUROPE PEOPLE BEGAN TO PRAY!!!!!
Lanphier never got a scintilla of credit for the eventual economic recovery of the nations. But he originated a spiritual bailout. What became known as the Noonday prayer Revival touched several generations before its influence ended.
But it took a fiscal meltdown to get it off the ground.
Jeremiah, where are you when we need you?
That is a portion of what Gordon Macdonald writes in Leadership magazine the Spring issue. www.LeadershipJournal.net
Paradise Hills Methodist Church is opening it's doors at noon I think at least one day a week for prayer......and Heights Christian Church opens it's doors the first Friday of the month for community prayer. The movement has already started.......Let the prayer movement spread! Let us unite in prayer to our LORD! I am going to be in prayer about this!
I think Mr. Macdonald is on to something.......I think the Lord is looking for leaders..........leaders for HIM and the TRUTH! Let us put our faith in the LORD and not the ALMIGHTY dollar.......let us put our faith in HIS will.....not ours..........Let us give our lives to HIM! Let us lay ourselves flat out on the floor and let everything go to the LORD.........give it all up! Give it to HIM!
Man does not control the economy........even thou he thinks he does.
What can YOU and ME control?
Our relationship with our LORD JESUS CHRIST!
That my friends is the BOTTOM LINE we should be most concerned about!
If you are waiting things to get back to normal....well, my friend Grant Kuck says, "Normal is just a setting on the dryer!"
I talked with Richard Spray last night. He was not feeling so good. He said this is tough Dewey......It must be because Richard never would say that unless it was, because he never complains. It is going to be tough for this young 85 year old to be in bed and pinned up for so long after hip replacement. I told him he better behave himself and get healed up in a good way so he can get back on his feet! He promised me he would.
When is the last time you have visited a hospital or nursing home? Frank Haley and I did a couple of weeks ago when we went to visit our friend Jim, who also went through hip replacement.
Frank and I prayed for those in the ICU, I was told once that we all should visit a hospital or nursing home once in awhile, to appreciate life. It really makes you think and be thankful..it also gives you a chance to think of others and their needs.
One of God's angel's here on earth is Nicole, who looks in on our friend Gail who we have been praying for.........
Dear Dewey, Sharon and Family,
What a wonderful message today. It just is so inspiring to hear all the goodness and that prayer is really, the true answer for all of us.
I just came back from being at Gail's house. I had not seen her since she started her chemo. She told me her hair had fallen out and I was prepared for the worst. What I saw when I went into her room was the radiant, vibrant Gail that I have always known. Makeup on weight put back on and the beautiful faith and attitude of loving the Lord and her life.
Thank you all for your prayers! We decided that God gave her a challenge and wanted to see if she would fight. Has she ever! She is a miracle! Praise the Lord for all of you.
It did my heart such good to see her.
Good Bless you all,
Nicole
Thank you so much for staying in touch Nicole, give Gail our love!
Here is a note from Pastor Leonard........
Well, the Men's Retreat called the Walk to Emmaus began with a tremendous out pouring of God's love and Spirit. Over 60 touched with the love of Christ. Today was great but tomorrow will be better and Saturday even better yet.
Your prayers are greatly appreciated. Please continue to pray for each participant and all the leaders for this weekend.
God bless, I am praying for you and yours,
Leonard
--
"Rein que le sang de Je'sus"
Leonard Navarre, Associate Pastor
Valley View Chrisitan Church
License Church Consultant
P.O. Box 990
Edgewood, NM 87015
Special Reporter: www.mykkim.com
www.valleyviewnow.comlrnavarre@gmail.com
www.navarreministries.comcom
www.yourbibleboost.blogspot.com
505-980-0141
And now as promised.....more on ACCOUNTABILITY........From Pastor Leonard.
ACCOUNTABILITY
“I had them turn the porn channels off”, my friend said to me. I asked, “Why did you do that?” “Well”, he said, “I knew you were going to ask me those questions and I couldn’t lie to you”. This was a conversation I had several years ago with one of my accountability partners as we went over the questions we ask each other.** For you see, I too, even though a pastor, must hold myself answerable and accountable. My friends and I meet once a week and go over 7 questions that help us stay true and accountable to each other and to God. Chuck Swindoll says, “you need someone in your life who will ask you the hard questions.” Integrity results when Truth and life align. We all need help with that aligning because we’re weak and subject to deceiving ourselves. Okay, we just lied to each other. So, the last question my accountability partners and I ask each other, “have you just lied to me” as we look each other straight in the eye.
Did you know that there are 35 “One Another’s” in the New Testament of the Bible? Such one another’s as “love one another”, “pray for one another” and “honor one another”. There is one other that we seldom use or practice on a regular basis. It is found in James 5:16 “confess your sins to each other…” Wow! That’s a tough one. Do I honestly want to tell others what is REALLY going on in my life? That’s why we need others around us to help us in our spiritual journey. This verse is not an option and not a suggestion. IT IS A COMMANDMENT!
The dictionary defines “accountability” as “answerable, explainable, a willingness or obligation to accept responsibility, responsible to others.” Accountability within the church is an issue that scares most people to death. People are afraid that if they become real and honest with each other, there will be judgment and disapproval for their shortcomings. Pastors many times are the worst. Instead of modeling accountability, we often want to think of ourselves as above being accountable and as having to answer to no one. Not only is that type of thinking dangerous, it is unbiblical.
Dr. Howard Hendricks did a survey of 256 pastors who fell to temptation. One of the common denominators was that they had no accountability partners. They were alone 99 % of the time. When we are alone, the devil, that roaring lion seeks us out and endeavors to entrap us. Why does the lion in the jungle stalk the herd of deer? To find the one straggler. The one that is last and away from the herd. What happens when you pull a briquette out from the group in the center of the BBQ pit? Yep, the heat diminishes and eventually the briquette dies. Same happens to us when we move away from each other. .
Accountability is not about judgment. It is about love so that we may be what God has called us to be. “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NIV) Accountability is all about encouragement and restoration. We need each other to help hold us responsible and accountable.
There are many avenues that the evil one chooses to entice and entrap. Sexuality is just one. It can be a whole host of entrapments when we are alone, such as bitterness, tiredness, jealousy, neglecting our Bible study and prayer. Remember, David’s sin with Bathsheba. The Bible states in I Samuel 11:1-2, “at a time when kings went out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all of Israel…David stayed at Jerusalem.” Oops. David was alone, when he observed the bathing beauty of Bathsheba. Here it is again, no accountability. That’s why the Bible states, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)
The two keys to effective accountability are commitment and honesty. Commitment to seek out close friends to meet with on a regular basis to hold each other accountable and responsible. It tough at times to keep those appointments because of scheduling but most of the time because of having to answer those questions (they are listed at the end of this article). However, the most important is TOTAL HONESTY when you do meet. There are going to be times in life where we are going to blow it big time with God. It may be that we simply fall prey to the attack of the enemy, or it may be that we go seeking after sin. Either way, we must have someone or someone’s who can watch out for us and help us get back on the right path. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV) this scripture is the reason I picked 3 friends to be close to me. Remember Jesus, even though He had a band of brothers numbering 12, he chose 3 to be His closest confidante’s. Name the 3, RIGHT NOW, that you will chose to help you on this journey called life.
Okay, a couple more scriptures to show the importance of Christian accountability. Proverbs 27:17, “just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen each other” (CEV), and “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NIV)
So, you see my friends. Not only do we need our heavenly Father, His son the Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessed Holy Spirit, BUT WE NEED EACH OTHER. REMEMBER, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.” James 5:16 (The Message)
Leonard Navarre
Associate Pastor
Valley View Christian Church
Edgewood, New Mexico
** Chuck Swindoll’s Seven Integrity Questions:
1) Have you been with someone, this week, of the opposite sex who is not your spouse? Could the meeting be seen as compromising?
2) Have you exposed yourself to any sexually explicit material in a stimulating way?
3) Have you given your wife/husband, family top priority this week?
4) Have any of your financial dealings lacked integrity?
5) Have you given your self to adequate time in Bible study and prayer?
6) Are you fulfilling the mandates of a disciple?
7) Have you just lied to me?
Here is a note from Chuck Swindoll who can be heard weekdays at 6:30am and 6:30pm on KKIM...........
Dear Friend of the Ministry:
After preaching on Sunday morning, Cynthia and I always take time to greet folks as they are leaving. Some time ago, a smiling young mother approached me while the last few people trickled out of the sanctuary.
As we talked, I observed that she was intelligent, well-dressed, and looked successful. Watching the well-behaved youngsters waiting patiently behind her, I assumed that she was what our society would call a “Supermom.”
But when I asked if I could meet her husband, she began to weep. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she told me about her impending divorce. After enduring many years of verbal abuse, she was facing a bitter custody battle with a man who had vowed to do everything he could to destroy her life and her family.
She looked at me and said, “Chuck, I don’t know who I am anymore. He’s been telling me that I’m worthless for so long that I believe him. And I’m terrified that I’m going to lose my children. Does God even care? Does He remember me at all?”
Listening to the raw pain in her voice, my heart broke. How many other women pretend that everything is all right today when they’re terrified about tomorrow? How many others try to cover up pain and feelings of inferiority with a brittle smile and a false “I’m fine. How are you?”
We live in a culture that expects women to have perfect looks, perfect marriages, perfect children, and perfect careers, treating anything less with disdain. In more than four decades of ministry, I have seen the heartache caused by these false expectations. Every single one of us—male or female—is drowning in an unrelenting flood of fear, self-doubt, tasks, demands, and pressures. Believe me; even those who exude an air of confidence and poise secretly struggle with feelings of anxiety and inferiority.
But God never intended for us to remain caught in this emotional riptide. The apostle John offers a lifeline: “We know and rely on the love God has for us. . . . Perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:16–18 NIV, emphasis added).
God’s love alone can calm the raging storms of worry and the thunder of inferiority in our lives. His love alone can be our strong rudder when fierce winds blow. His love alone can serve as our reliable compass when we lose our bearings. His love alone can be our safe harbor when we just can’t continue sailing on.
At Insight for Living, we have watched far too many Christian women struggle with anxiety and self-doubt. Each day, we read letters from people all over the world who share stories of pain, stories of lost hope, stories of anguish and fear. And we consistently recognize and respond to folks who have been worn down by circumstances, men and women who need to be reminded of God’s love.
We never shy away from challenging or highly emotional issues; in fact, we willingly shoulder the responsibility of addressing them. To that end, we recently created a helpful resource called Releasing Worry and Finding Worth as a Woman.
Releasing Worry and Finding Worth as a Woman
This timely four-chapter book contains practical, biblical teaching as well as meaningful, applicable studies from God’s Word. Created for every woman who has been confronted by the stormy seas of anxiety and self-doubt, this addition to our LifeMaps series demonstrates how to move beyond fear and inferiority to faith and self-worth.
I thank God for Insight for Living’s ministry—for the way He has continued to change lives in times of great need. I’m also deeply grateful for friends who continue to sustain us month after month. These tough economic times can bring financial anxiety to ministries like ours, so your gift will be a much-needed encouragement for us this month. Please help us to keep reaching out . . . to keep listening and responding . . . to keep providing encouragement and truth. . . . We need you!
Take just a moment to send your online gift today. And when you do, be sure to request Releasing Worry and Finding Worth as a Woman. I am absolutely confident that you—or someone you know very well—will benefit from working through this excellent resource. We look forward to sending you a copy in appreciation of your support of Insight for Living this month.
Finally, to all who suffer from feelings of inferiority and anxiety, remember that you are of infinite worth as a child of God. Be assured that God loves you with His whole heart. Allow His perfect love to drive out your fears. We want to help you do that . . .
With encouragement and hope,
Charles R. Swindoll
And here is note from Dr. Deb on what's on her show Saturday morning on KKIM.......
Dear Listeners,
A special guest will be with me this Saturday. David Nowell is President of Hope Unlimited in Brazil. He is here in Albuquerque to talk about the mission work of this organization in Brazil . Hope Unlimited provides care to over 1000 street children in Brazil . There are an estimated 7 million children on the streets in Brazil with an average survival rate of 3 years. Many of these children are 3 and 4 years of age. In the 18 years of its founding, Hope Unlimited has served many children. 78% of Hope’s graduates are in stable living situations, meaningfully employed, and active in a local church. Come hear about this international mission that glorifies God in its service to needy children.
The show airs from 8:05 to 9:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) this Saturday April 18 on KKIM-AM1000 or FM94.7 in the Santa Fe /northern NM area. The show is also audio streamed live on http://www.mykkim.com/. If you have a question or comment, please give us a call. In the Albuquerque area the phone number is 998-0021. You can also call toll-free at 1-866-523-5008. I am looking forward to being with you this Saturday morning.
May God bless you today and always,
Dr. Deb
Deborah Gunderman, D.Min.
Walking in The Way
It makes the difference in life!
505-385-7063
Let us pray..............
Dear Lord, Our prayer to You this day is that we all strengthen our relationship with You.......we look for Your will to be done not ours........we surrender our lives to You. In the name of Jesus, AMEN!
In the Love of Christ, Dewey Sharon and family
www.deweysdailycup.com
www.mykkim.com
We have a wonderful cup for you that may last a couple of days....it is full of honey.......it is full of God's love. It is full of the truth.
I woke up at 4am and and I was thanking the Lord for my job. I was thanking HIM that I can go to work early and work late. Now you are thinking I am crazy......I was thinking of my Dad who would leave the house by 5am most days and not return home till 6pm and may have to go back to work later. There is freedom in that you know.......YES there is! The job is really not a job.........it is part of your life. When you feel what you do for a living is not a job you have it made! My Dad and Mom taught me to serve others.....to give of yourself........they did it!!! In fact when I was growing up in Windom, Minn. most all the folks did the same! Give until it hurts, we used to say! I carry all those lessons and love from Windom to this day!
Today we have three excellent write ups from Gordon Macdonald on these economic times and Pastor Leonard Navarre on Accountability and one from Chuck Swindoll on God's love. But first..........
I just got me new copy of Leadership magazine. A write up on the Economy. Let me share a bit of this with you.
What might God say in tough economic times?
Gordon MacDonald writes.........
What was clear , even to me, was the larger message the speakers were trying to convey: uncertainty. This much was abundantly clear: no one can say with confidence what's going to happen on Wall Street or Main Street in the foreseeable future. The solutions being offered as a way out of this recession or depression are nothing more than educated guesses. Bottom line: don't bet on anything. Keep your seat belt tightened and don't quit your day job.
One of the speakers suddenly stopped talking statistical language and in plain English offered some observations. Here in bulleted form is what I heard him saying:
There is all kinds of evidence that this economic tsunami is radically changing the ways Americans think about money and the way it has defined our modern way of life.
We're seeing an economic paradigm shift in the way people are beginning to save rather than spend.
New and cautious views of the meaning of career, risk, wealth, success, and personal satisfaction are emerging.
Trust, the "glue" that holds financial systems together, has been almost destroyed.
Economically speaking, the world has gone from peak to trough overnight, and we are likely to remain in that trough for several years. Better to plan with that long range view in mind than to keep getting disappointed by every quarterly business report.
As the speaker ventured these speculations, the audience seemed to freeze, each person appearing to turn inward as if to ask: Where am I in the midst of all of this? What do these new realities mean to me and my loved-ones?
My own reaction was to wonder if we are not in a profoundly biblical moment: a time when God is seeking the attention of people and when he wishes to raise up a new kind of leadership with a different kind of message.
In these days of economic distress, we will no doubt hear about a historic depression that hit in 1859. America and much of Europe were then plunged into fiscal chaos. Unemployment in American cities neared 25 percent (Elkhart County in Indiana is nearing that now)
While not having a complete economic stimulus plan, a man named Jeremiah Lanphier one day got a simple idea. Why not, he asked, get some people together each day at noon to pray? Lanphier got churches up and down the East Coast to open their doors at midday and admit people for the purposes of prayer. AND BY THE MILLIONS IN AMERICA AND EUROPE PEOPLE BEGAN TO PRAY!!!!!
Lanphier never got a scintilla of credit for the eventual economic recovery of the nations. But he originated a spiritual bailout. What became known as the Noonday prayer Revival touched several generations before its influence ended.
But it took a fiscal meltdown to get it off the ground.
Jeremiah, where are you when we need you?
That is a portion of what Gordon Macdonald writes in Leadership magazine the Spring issue. www.LeadershipJournal.net
Paradise Hills Methodist Church is opening it's doors at noon I think at least one day a week for prayer......and Heights Christian Church opens it's doors the first Friday of the month for community prayer. The movement has already started.......Let the prayer movement spread! Let us unite in prayer to our LORD! I am going to be in prayer about this!
I think Mr. Macdonald is on to something.......I think the Lord is looking for leaders..........leaders for HIM and the TRUTH! Let us put our faith in the LORD and not the ALMIGHTY dollar.......let us put our faith in HIS will.....not ours..........Let us give our lives to HIM! Let us lay ourselves flat out on the floor and let everything go to the LORD.........give it all up! Give it to HIM!
Man does not control the economy........even thou he thinks he does.
What can YOU and ME control?
Our relationship with our LORD JESUS CHRIST!
That my friends is the BOTTOM LINE we should be most concerned about!
If you are waiting things to get back to normal....well, my friend Grant Kuck says, "Normal is just a setting on the dryer!"
I talked with Richard Spray last night. He was not feeling so good. He said this is tough Dewey......It must be because Richard never would say that unless it was, because he never complains. It is going to be tough for this young 85 year old to be in bed and pinned up for so long after hip replacement. I told him he better behave himself and get healed up in a good way so he can get back on his feet! He promised me he would.
When is the last time you have visited a hospital or nursing home? Frank Haley and I did a couple of weeks ago when we went to visit our friend Jim, who also went through hip replacement.
Frank and I prayed for those in the ICU, I was told once that we all should visit a hospital or nursing home once in awhile, to appreciate life. It really makes you think and be thankful..it also gives you a chance to think of others and their needs.
One of God's angel's here on earth is Nicole, who looks in on our friend Gail who we have been praying for.........
Dear Dewey, Sharon and Family,
What a wonderful message today. It just is so inspiring to hear all the goodness and that prayer is really, the true answer for all of us.
I just came back from being at Gail's house. I had not seen her since she started her chemo. She told me her hair had fallen out and I was prepared for the worst. What I saw when I went into her room was the radiant, vibrant Gail that I have always known. Makeup on weight put back on and the beautiful faith and attitude of loving the Lord and her life.
Thank you all for your prayers! We decided that God gave her a challenge and wanted to see if she would fight. Has she ever! She is a miracle! Praise the Lord for all of you.
It did my heart such good to see her.
Good Bless you all,
Nicole
Thank you so much for staying in touch Nicole, give Gail our love!
Here is a note from Pastor Leonard........
Well, the Men's Retreat called the Walk to Emmaus began with a tremendous out pouring of God's love and Spirit. Over 60 touched with the love of Christ. Today was great but tomorrow will be better and Saturday even better yet.
Your prayers are greatly appreciated. Please continue to pray for each participant and all the leaders for this weekend.
God bless, I am praying for you and yours,
Leonard
--
"Rein que le sang de Je'sus"
Leonard Navarre, Associate Pastor
Valley View Chrisitan Church
License Church Consultant
P.O. Box 990
Edgewood, NM 87015
Special Reporter: www.mykkim.com
www.valleyviewnow.comlrnavarre@gmail.com
www.navarreministries.comcom
www.yourbibleboost.blogspot.com
505-980-0141
And now as promised.....more on ACCOUNTABILITY........From Pastor Leonard.
ACCOUNTABILITY
“I had them turn the porn channels off”, my friend said to me. I asked, “Why did you do that?” “Well”, he said, “I knew you were going to ask me those questions and I couldn’t lie to you”. This was a conversation I had several years ago with one of my accountability partners as we went over the questions we ask each other.** For you see, I too, even though a pastor, must hold myself answerable and accountable. My friends and I meet once a week and go over 7 questions that help us stay true and accountable to each other and to God. Chuck Swindoll says, “you need someone in your life who will ask you the hard questions.” Integrity results when Truth and life align. We all need help with that aligning because we’re weak and subject to deceiving ourselves. Okay, we just lied to each other. So, the last question my accountability partners and I ask each other, “have you just lied to me” as we look each other straight in the eye.
Did you know that there are 35 “One Another’s” in the New Testament of the Bible? Such one another’s as “love one another”, “pray for one another” and “honor one another”. There is one other that we seldom use or practice on a regular basis. It is found in James 5:16 “confess your sins to each other…” Wow! That’s a tough one. Do I honestly want to tell others what is REALLY going on in my life? That’s why we need others around us to help us in our spiritual journey. This verse is not an option and not a suggestion. IT IS A COMMANDMENT!
The dictionary defines “accountability” as “answerable, explainable, a willingness or obligation to accept responsibility, responsible to others.” Accountability within the church is an issue that scares most people to death. People are afraid that if they become real and honest with each other, there will be judgment and disapproval for their shortcomings. Pastors many times are the worst. Instead of modeling accountability, we often want to think of ourselves as above being accountable and as having to answer to no one. Not only is that type of thinking dangerous, it is unbiblical.
Dr. Howard Hendricks did a survey of 256 pastors who fell to temptation. One of the common denominators was that they had no accountability partners. They were alone 99 % of the time. When we are alone, the devil, that roaring lion seeks us out and endeavors to entrap us. Why does the lion in the jungle stalk the herd of deer? To find the one straggler. The one that is last and away from the herd. What happens when you pull a briquette out from the group in the center of the BBQ pit? Yep, the heat diminishes and eventually the briquette dies. Same happens to us when we move away from each other. .
Accountability is not about judgment. It is about love so that we may be what God has called us to be. “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NIV) Accountability is all about encouragement and restoration. We need each other to help hold us responsible and accountable.
There are many avenues that the evil one chooses to entice and entrap. Sexuality is just one. It can be a whole host of entrapments when we are alone, such as bitterness, tiredness, jealousy, neglecting our Bible study and prayer. Remember, David’s sin with Bathsheba. The Bible states in I Samuel 11:1-2, “at a time when kings went out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all of Israel…David stayed at Jerusalem.” Oops. David was alone, when he observed the bathing beauty of Bathsheba. Here it is again, no accountability. That’s why the Bible states, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)
The two keys to effective accountability are commitment and honesty. Commitment to seek out close friends to meet with on a regular basis to hold each other accountable and responsible. It tough at times to keep those appointments because of scheduling but most of the time because of having to answer those questions (they are listed at the end of this article). However, the most important is TOTAL HONESTY when you do meet. There are going to be times in life where we are going to blow it big time with God. It may be that we simply fall prey to the attack of the enemy, or it may be that we go seeking after sin. Either way, we must have someone or someone’s who can watch out for us and help us get back on the right path. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV) this scripture is the reason I picked 3 friends to be close to me. Remember Jesus, even though He had a band of brothers numbering 12, he chose 3 to be His closest confidante’s. Name the 3, RIGHT NOW, that you will chose to help you on this journey called life.
Okay, a couple more scriptures to show the importance of Christian accountability. Proverbs 27:17, “just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen each other” (CEV), and “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NIV)
So, you see my friends. Not only do we need our heavenly Father, His son the Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessed Holy Spirit, BUT WE NEED EACH OTHER. REMEMBER, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.” James 5:16 (The Message)
Leonard Navarre
Associate Pastor
Valley View Christian Church
Edgewood, New Mexico
** Chuck Swindoll’s Seven Integrity Questions:
1) Have you been with someone, this week, of the opposite sex who is not your spouse? Could the meeting be seen as compromising?
2) Have you exposed yourself to any sexually explicit material in a stimulating way?
3) Have you given your wife/husband, family top priority this week?
4) Have any of your financial dealings lacked integrity?
5) Have you given your self to adequate time in Bible study and prayer?
6) Are you fulfilling the mandates of a disciple?
7) Have you just lied to me?
Here is a note from Chuck Swindoll who can be heard weekdays at 6:30am and 6:30pm on KKIM...........
Dear Friend of the Ministry:
After preaching on Sunday morning, Cynthia and I always take time to greet folks as they are leaving. Some time ago, a smiling young mother approached me while the last few people trickled out of the sanctuary.
As we talked, I observed that she was intelligent, well-dressed, and looked successful. Watching the well-behaved youngsters waiting patiently behind her, I assumed that she was what our society would call a “Supermom.”
But when I asked if I could meet her husband, she began to weep. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she told me about her impending divorce. After enduring many years of verbal abuse, she was facing a bitter custody battle with a man who had vowed to do everything he could to destroy her life and her family.
She looked at me and said, “Chuck, I don’t know who I am anymore. He’s been telling me that I’m worthless for so long that I believe him. And I’m terrified that I’m going to lose my children. Does God even care? Does He remember me at all?”
Listening to the raw pain in her voice, my heart broke. How many other women pretend that everything is all right today when they’re terrified about tomorrow? How many others try to cover up pain and feelings of inferiority with a brittle smile and a false “I’m fine. How are you?”
We live in a culture that expects women to have perfect looks, perfect marriages, perfect children, and perfect careers, treating anything less with disdain. In more than four decades of ministry, I have seen the heartache caused by these false expectations. Every single one of us—male or female—is drowning in an unrelenting flood of fear, self-doubt, tasks, demands, and pressures. Believe me; even those who exude an air of confidence and poise secretly struggle with feelings of anxiety and inferiority.
But God never intended for us to remain caught in this emotional riptide. The apostle John offers a lifeline: “We know and rely on the love God has for us. . . . Perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:16–18 NIV, emphasis added).
God’s love alone can calm the raging storms of worry and the thunder of inferiority in our lives. His love alone can be our strong rudder when fierce winds blow. His love alone can serve as our reliable compass when we lose our bearings. His love alone can be our safe harbor when we just can’t continue sailing on.
At Insight for Living, we have watched far too many Christian women struggle with anxiety and self-doubt. Each day, we read letters from people all over the world who share stories of pain, stories of lost hope, stories of anguish and fear. And we consistently recognize and respond to folks who have been worn down by circumstances, men and women who need to be reminded of God’s love.
We never shy away from challenging or highly emotional issues; in fact, we willingly shoulder the responsibility of addressing them. To that end, we recently created a helpful resource called Releasing Worry and Finding Worth as a Woman.
Releasing Worry and Finding Worth as a Woman
This timely four-chapter book contains practical, biblical teaching as well as meaningful, applicable studies from God’s Word. Created for every woman who has been confronted by the stormy seas of anxiety and self-doubt, this addition to our LifeMaps series demonstrates how to move beyond fear and inferiority to faith and self-worth.
I thank God for Insight for Living’s ministry—for the way He has continued to change lives in times of great need. I’m also deeply grateful for friends who continue to sustain us month after month. These tough economic times can bring financial anxiety to ministries like ours, so your gift will be a much-needed encouragement for us this month. Please help us to keep reaching out . . . to keep listening and responding . . . to keep providing encouragement and truth. . . . We need you!
Take just a moment to send your online gift today. And when you do, be sure to request Releasing Worry and Finding Worth as a Woman. I am absolutely confident that you—or someone you know very well—will benefit from working through this excellent resource. We look forward to sending you a copy in appreciation of your support of Insight for Living this month.
Finally, to all who suffer from feelings of inferiority and anxiety, remember that you are of infinite worth as a child of God. Be assured that God loves you with His whole heart. Allow His perfect love to drive out your fears. We want to help you do that . . .
With encouragement and hope,
Charles R. Swindoll
And here is note from Dr. Deb on what's on her show Saturday morning on KKIM.......
Dear Listeners,
A special guest will be with me this Saturday. David Nowell is President of Hope Unlimited in Brazil. He is here in Albuquerque to talk about the mission work of this organization in Brazil . Hope Unlimited provides care to over 1000 street children in Brazil . There are an estimated 7 million children on the streets in Brazil with an average survival rate of 3 years. Many of these children are 3 and 4 years of age. In the 18 years of its founding, Hope Unlimited has served many children. 78% of Hope’s graduates are in stable living situations, meaningfully employed, and active in a local church. Come hear about this international mission that glorifies God in its service to needy children.
The show airs from 8:05 to 9:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) this Saturday April 18 on KKIM-AM1000 or FM94.7 in the Santa Fe /northern NM area. The show is also audio streamed live on http://www.mykkim.com/. If you have a question or comment, please give us a call. In the Albuquerque area the phone number is 998-0021. You can also call toll-free at 1-866-523-5008. I am looking forward to being with you this Saturday morning.
May God bless you today and always,
Dr. Deb
Deborah Gunderman, D.Min.
Walking in The Way
It makes the difference in life!
505-385-7063
Let us pray..............
Dear Lord, Our prayer to You this day is that we all strengthen our relationship with You.......we look for Your will to be done not ours........we surrender our lives to You. In the name of Jesus, AMEN!
In the Love of Christ, Dewey Sharon and family
www.deweysdailycup.com
www.mykkim.com
# posted by Dewey @ 2:20 PM 
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