OCTOBER 4 – CELEBRATE – GROW COMMUNITY

 When God’s people talk with each other about all He has done, the Lord, God listens. Even He makes note of how they have worked and what has been done through their work because they honor Him and put all their hope in Him. (Malachi 3:16)

                  Do your people have time and opportunity to simply be “us” together? Have you established, in your times of celebration, opportunities to focus on and celebrate the “we?” When you make room for time to appreciate what has happened because God brought you and your people together, it encourages unity. This time of celebration provides opportunity to grow in understanding the common vision and to care for and encourage each other.

                  Malachi urges, “Even He notices” when there is such community. Talking with each other about what God is doing, and seeing the work as His, is the beginning of faith. People become open and receptive to God’s provision and care. Think of all the Israelite feasts. Each one had a purpose, and common to all was that each was a reminder of God’s work in them as a people. Altars and pillars of stone dot the Israeli countryside from times that leaders memorialized God’s great works.

                  Leave your peoples’ memorials as you celebrate what God has done for “us,” the work He has done through “us.” Build a united community where the pronoun is “we.”

OCTOBER 3 – CELEBRATE – GROW OWNERSHIP

 Come, listen – if you want to know what God has done, so I can tell you what He has done for me! (Psalm 66:16)

                   Have you given your people opportunity to listen to God’s vision for you and for them, and to the values He has given you to teach? That work is very important, but it is also important for them to hear the stories of how the vision and values look when they are lived. As people hear how God has used others in their community for His purposes, they will begin to see themselves in those stories. They will understand how to show integrity in living the values and pursuing the community’s shared vision, rather than just talking about them as ideals.

                   Again, the writer focuses on what God has done. It is important that this topic dominate your words, too. When your people listen to – and celebrate - the stories, and they hear, “this is how you have lived,” and “this is how you have participated in pursuing God’s purpose,” they will begin to take ownership. The vision becomes “our vision,” rather than simply the words you have spoken. As the importance of the values become evident, they will be adopted too.

                   Speak in ways that will help your people to hear what God is doing and to embrace that work as their own.

 

OCTOBER 2 – CELEBRATE - GROW AWARENESS

 Sing, show delight, and great joy all who belong to the Lord, God. It is right for you to praise God for what He does. Praise Him using every instrument. Sing with your voice and heart your gratitude for all the new work He does. Give it your best! (Psalm 33:1-3)

                   As you notice the work God is doing in and around you, there is opportunity to help your people share in the celebration you lead to recognize God’s prosperity. Think of the many ways you can provide evidence of Jesus’ work, and call attention to Him as well as the culture He is calling you all to inhabit. You will be teaching them the patterns of worship each time you speak, “We celebrate!”

                   Here, the Psalmist says, “It is right for you to praise God for what He does.” He encourages a full-throated celebration – loud with lots of instruments and joyful gratitude. The encouragement to give it your best, and to be grateful for everything - all of what the Lord does - eliminates any doubt about the importance of this celebration. Clearly, your voice is critical to God’s plan for you and your people.

                   Celebrate loudly, publicly, and give it your best. Bring awareness to God’s purposes and His work in and through your people!

OCTOBER 1 – COMMUNITIES CELEBRATE

 The Lord, God took this man Adam, and He placed him at rest in the place that would be his workplace, Eden’s garden, so that he could work it and make it be what God had planned for it to become. (Genesis 2:15)

   Do you see your work each day as worship? Do you celebrate what the Lord, God is doing through you and your people? If you do this; working as God’s word tells you is His way for you to live, you’ll find that even the smallest details of your work will have real and lasting meaning.

   Adam was placed in the garden with a specific purpose. He and his work were an essential part of God’s plan for the world He had created, and for mankind. Notice too, the work was to be such that he could rest in it. God’s plan was to do the work that would accomplish His plan in and through Adam. Work was not intended to be hard or oppressive. It was because of sin that work is harsh (Genesis 3:17-19). Because of Jesus, work can again be restful and joyful. If you work with Him; do only what He plans for you, each day can be a day of celebration and worship as He uses you for His purposes.

   Embrace the rest Jesus offers. Pursue only His plan as your life and work has always been intended. Lead your community in celebration as you see God’s work being done.

SEPTEMBER 30 – LIVING IN THE STORY

 Nothing else matters. The only thing important is that the story is told. When that happens, I’m elated because I know my story. With your prayers and by God giving me the power of His Spirit, my ending is assured. I just hope and pray that I’ll always be courageous enough to live in Him; exalting Him. You see, for me, my story must be the story of Jesus Christ and even if I die that will lead to a great ending. (Philippians 1:18-21)

                  What does it mean to live in your story? Actors sometimes “step out of character” for a moment. This is a time when they will stop acting their role. For that period, they are no longer a part of the work to present the story. Is there a parallel for you? Do you ever “step out of your role” as leader? Do you ever fail to act consistently with your character? Are you ever too tired, or too distracted, or too worried about yourself to do what you must do to be true to your calling as the leader?

                   Paul’s one, fervent hope as he awaited trial, punishment, and even possible death, was that he would be true to the call of Jesus Christ upon his life. He wanted to be strong, and to live his life faithfully all the way to the end.

                   When you understand the story you have been given to live, it becomes the way you see the world. You will live a story each day. Be sure that Jesus is the center of that story as you face whatever your story provides.

SEPTEMBER 29 – IT COULD HAPPEN TO ME

 The disciples asked Jesus, “Why tell stories?” Jesus answered, “God has given you understanding of His truth, but these people have not yet received it. You know the one who has will be able to take in more, but the one who has not, will even lose what he has. I tell them these stories, so that they may begin to understand. Until now, they have seen and heard God’s word, but can’t understand it.” (Matthew 13:10-13)

                  Jesus told powerful stories. He introduced them in ways which held the attention of his listeners by telling stories about the things of everyday life; things in their lives. He painted a vivid picture of what the kingdom of God looked like, but he used stories instead of paints. These stories helped His listeners see through eyes that could now imagine that kingdom to be possible, and they became more open to hearing further truth from God.

                  You have these interesting, powerful stories too! Each day, as you look around where you are, some of your people will be living the reality of the vision God has given you for your community. As you observe these people living the values, doing the work of making the vision become reality, take advantage of this great opportunity. Share their story with others of your people as examples of the future you are pursuing together. Paint the picture for them.

                  Why will you tell stories? So that your people will understand and will be drawn to fulfill God’s plan for their lives. Tell them stories.

SEPTEMBER 28 – THERE IS POWER IN STORY

 But Jesus would not let him (the man He had healed) sail with them. Instead Jesus said, “Go back to your people and tell the story of the great things God has done for you, and how He showed mercy to you.” (Mark 5:19)

                  Your people know you well. They may not know about your past and your struggles, but they know you well enough to see a change in your life. Are you willing to be transparent with them – honest enough – so they may be encouraged by the story of the Lord’s work in your life? Telling your story is powerful, but it costs you something. That cost is part of your investment in your people; giving your life and your foregoing your privacy, so they may know God.

                   You can understand this man’s desire to stay with Jesus. He had been tormented by demons, and now they were gone. Think of the profound gratitude you feel when someone relieves you of a significant problem. This man truly loved Jesus, and he wanted to show that love. But, consistently, Jesus told people to show their love for Him by giving their lives away to other people. For this man it was no different.

                  Understand that this is the way for you too. Your work will often be to tell your story of God’s powerful work in you, even when it is hard to tell that story. Do that work, and so model transparency for your people.