Was eating at Il Gabbiano on Key Biscayne Thursday night. One of Miami’s best spots. There are waiters everywhere catering to every whim a patron might have. They all speak perfect Italian…they know every item on the menu with specifics, all the specials and they put more food on your table than can be eaten.

The food is fantastic.

The view from the restaurant shows Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach…great stuff.

When the waiter was talking about the choices, his Italian and his Italian accent was very difficult to understand. He was talking perfectly, I was listening intently….but it was quite difficult.

Had I not been there before…I would have had a very hard time understanding him and knowing what I wanted.

And…..I thought of how people who visit Church are like I was sitting in a great and beautiful place, where people know their stuff perfectly well….the product is better than can be imagined…..and the visitor sits there not be able to grasp the language and understand the message.

The presentation is fantastic….but if the food / product cannot be explained understandably…..the patron who willingly came to purchase the product cannot grasp what he needs or would want.

We cannot show off our talent so well …and not be understood.

We have to do what I saw one waiter do…..when he realized a young Oriental couple, who were listening intently but could not read the Italian menu, nor understand his Italian language or accent….
he bent over, spoke in perfect English and instructed the confused patrons to see perfectly what the menu said and what his presentation meant in words the visitors could understand.

That’s our responsibility with our faith.
That’s our responsibility with people unaccustomed to our church lingo.

Speak to the ears they have.
It means nothing if it’s beautiful…but not understood.

Terry
November 22, 2014

If we are living our lives “As unto Christ”….
Then we should be experiencing what is referred to in
1 Peter 4:2-4….especially verse 4.

You do not stay away from these people….who would draw you to those things in verse 3.
However….You “run” with them no more.

Righteousness draws one away from darkness.

You can be LIGHT to them….But you no longer “run” along with them in darkness.

Terry
November 21, 2014

Thanksgiving is the holiday that requires the most thinking, the most introspection.

It’s my favorite.

It calls us to ponder, think and meditate on the elements and particulars of our existence.
The season leads one to look inside and then out.
Inside at the things which bring quality, value and the lasting elements of life which are many times the unseen things.
These unseen things are those topics difficult to verbalize many times….
the elements of life which cause emotion to rise into the throat and make speaking a challenge.

These next two weeks…..spend committed, contemplative and meditative time looking at, reviewing those most meaningful parts of your life.
This will lead to one of two things. And it will reveal where your heart is. It should lead to thankfulness.

Thankfulness comes from humility.
Humility comes when you look at your life and realize how very much you have….and who brought it to you.
You will think of and be thankful to and for people from the present and the past.
You will come to see how God has arranged and blessed your life and existence. It has led me to realize how very intricately God has planned, blessed and filled my life…..with my parents, who gave me life, traits and traditions to follow. It has revealed to me how God has given me abilities and desires that have brought so many things into my life.
It allows me to see how my wife fills my life and shows me how my friends color my existence.

I Peter says we should give more earnest heed to things we have heard….lest we let them slip.

Think on these things.
Thank those responsible with words, thoughts and prayers.

If you will do this for the next two weeks….It might develop into a habit….a daily habit…thinking about and thanking those who have invested in your life.
You will daily begin to thank God for all those things you are thinking on.
Thankfulness will soften you toward other people.
Thankfulness will develop a more humble heart and walk of life.

Think.
Thank.

Terry
November 20, 2014

Guys….

You have seen the print or video advertisements for certain clothing or cologne retailers ….
where you cannot tell the difference between the male and female. Started several years ago.

Don’t be confused guys.

Don’t wear skinny jeans.
They are made for women.
Don’t wear jeans or slacks that show your crack when you bend down.
If the pants are cut so low that you have to continually tug them up….
You are wearing the wrong clothing.

For you guys under 35 – The fashion /fad industry is playing you. They are telling you what looks good.

These are the same people making the ads where you cannot tell the difference in the male and female. Stay away from uni-sex ads and clothing.
It looks silly. You WILL get beat up in your 40s when people look at pictures of you if you buy and wear what these people are pushing on you.

John Wayne never wore skinny jeans.
Clint Eastwood never wore skinny jeans.
Your Grandfather never did either.

Don’t buy the lie.

Terry
November 15, 2014

Just finished a study with Fixed Point Foundation.
It was titled – “Jesus was no sissy”.

It was about how The Lord was not effeminate, nor weak.
He was POWER and MIGHT under control.
He was confrontational.
He was our example.

I will be leading this same study each Wednesday beginning December 3 6:30 AM at EDGARS, Colonnade.

Join us.

Jesus WAS not metrosexual. He was not effeminate. He did not and does not look as most pictures have depicted Him.
Nor were His men.
Nor was Paul.

Start to act like a Man. Do not apologize.

Being a Man is not being Al Bundy or Charlie Sheen.

It’s being courageous.
It’s being a leader even when others disagree.
It’s having convictions and not being swayed by the latest fad.
It’s knowing and living by a law or within guidelines.

It’s being consistent.
It’s saying STOP to stupid things and showing young men how to act as a proper Man.

It’s what Fight Club is about.

If you are young, find an older guy and learn from him.

If you an older guy, find a younger guy and spend time with him. Don’t be afraid to let him to see a Man-in-full.

It’s up to Men to lead boys into Manhood.
Women cannot teach them….modern culture seems to emasculate them.
It’s up to Men…

It’s up to you.

Terry
November 14, 2014

It’s a noun and a verb.
However, one cannot be exercising the verb without being the noun.

Had breakfast this week with a guy doing ministry and his occupation of several years ….and is listening and trying to decipher Gods leading about the two.
He had had great success in both….Stewarding his gifts through his business….and rising to influence in the ministry God had laid on him.

Should he go full time ministry….or continue in the dual role of the past few years.
God will lead him.

We are all ministers no matter the field of our occupation.

We are either putting forth a positive ministry in our everyday life….or we are exuding a negative vibe. Our daily life is either revealing Christlikeness or it is not.
Our “ministry” either draws people to Christ through His Light in us
or we are restricting the wattage.

We are told to “let our Light shine”….to be as “a city on a hill”.

The Light in my friends life is high voltage and very visible. The more it is allowed to shine….
the higher the voltage.

May we all allow the Light within us to be revealed always and everyday whether we be
In an office or driving a truck to deliver goods.

We are all everyday ministers.
May we be allowing the Wattage to increase.

Terry
November 8, 2014

Happy Birthday
Billy Graham, 96.

A living example of what one life given to Christ can do.

JESUS said in John 14 that His followers could do the things He did, and greater ….
because He was going to Our Father.

Billy Graham has been a living fulfillment of those verses from John 14.

We can do this as well.

Terry
November 7, 2014

Heard this tonight…

“What a young gentleman can learn from an older gentleman, is how to be a better gentleman”.

Truth. Or as a friend says, “true dat”.

Terry
November 5, 2014

Read the two devotions in the booklet provided by METRO for Sunday, 11/2 and for Monday,
11/3.

Never doubt what you have at your disposal
given you by God.

David said continually he meditated on Gods Word.
Meditate on 2 Peter 1: 3 and 4.
Let it sink in. Read it several times. Pray for clarity.

Imagine Gates or Buffet gives you 1% of their net worth. Or Buffet gives you his strategies for investing with seed money. Or he says he will stake you 1% and he will invest it for you.

They have given to you of their financial nature.

God has given to us of His Divine Nature so we might participate and be partakers of that Divine Nature.

Meditate on that. Get Clarity

Rule and Reign with Him
Now….and in the future.

Terry
November 4, 2014

A common question guys have is….
“Do I matter?”
“Do I make a difference?”

You might say that Kirk makes a difference.
He touches and affects lives every Sunday from the podium.
You could say that is his job.

Do you today feel as though you touch and effect lives ?
Do you matter?

Know this ….You do.

To your wife. To your children. To your friends.
That right there is significant. And can bring positive effect upon the world through those you influence.

If you desire to matter beyond that you have to get out of that “comfort zone” you live in and reach beyond those you are familiar with.
Intentionally get involved with more people.

Move and through tenacity escalate relationships….
That’s an acrostic for the word….matter.

If you doubt that you matter….get over it.
Realize YOU DO to those around you….
Don’t underestimate your effect on them… and be responsible for them.

Beyond that…
You must get out of yourself and interject yourself into people’s lives.
It takes work…time….and listening.
People want someone to hear them, to listen.

Do that with five guys next month….who you do not spend time with now…that’s one a week.

Or just do that with one guy next month.

You do that and you will begin to matter to one or all of them. You will get involved in their life.
Pray for them,
Don’t just say you will pray for them.
Pray for them.

Many times people say they do not know how to pray… once you have listened to these new contacts…pray about what you have heard is on their heart….
Their children, their marriage, their job…Their issues.
Pray for them.

Follow up with them.

You will begin to matter to more people than your circle of influence currently.

You will know then that you matter. It will not just come to you…you have to go get it…. like most things that matter.
You have to want it.

Do you???

Terry
October 30, 2014