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.

MAY 1 – DON’T LOOK BACK

 Don’t dwell on the past. Wake up! Look! I’m doing a new thing. It’s happening already. Don’t you see? I make you a road through every wilderness. I sustain you in the driest and bleakest places. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

                Are you looking forward? Do you believe the best is yet to come; that God will continue to do even greater things? The good news, that new and better things are ahead, is the message of the Lord through Isaiah.

                The preceding passage reminded listeners of all that God had done to save Israel from their Egyptian slavery. It evoked memories of the parting of the sea, providing for them in the wilderness, and leading them to their new home (vv.16-17). He was telling them to realize that the Lord is always doing amazing things. As a believer, God has done some great things in your life. He has saved you from a life of destruction. He has used you in His work. You have seen faith in Jesus Christ change the lives of people around you. Maybe He has even transformed the place where you work into a community of believers. But, He is not finished. Don’t stand around talking about what God has done. Don’t miss what the Holy Spirit is leading you to do today and tomorrow.

                Ask the Lord today to keep your eyes on the road – where you are and moving ahead. Don’t keep looking back.

February 6 – IMMEDIATELY

 Jesus called to them, “Come, follow me. I’ll make you become fishers of people,” and immediately they left their nets and followed Him. (Mark 1:17-18)

                How do you react when you hear God’s voice? Do you try to dismiss it? Do you ask for counsel from other people? Do you hesitate or try to run away?

                Simon and Andrew modeled the only appropriate response to God’s call – immediately they followed Him. Surely, they had questions, doubts, and even fears – if not at first, certainly as they continued to follow Jesus. But, they addressed their questions to Him. They pressed in around Him at times when they didn’t understand or felt afraid. This simple call from Jesus has not changed. As He shows you the people He created you to serve and to love, the invitation is still, “Come, follow me. I will give you the work to do.”

                He is Lord. He has a plan for your life that is designed uniquely to fit you. Answer His call immediately.

OCTBER 5–CELEBRATE–GROW PARTICIPATION

 The Holy Spirit of the Father, the Lord God, is covering me; my life. The purpose; the reason He placed that Spirit in my life is to tell the great news to the poor. The captives are now free, those who have been stumbling around blind can now see, and I bring real liberty to the oppressed and enslaved. (Luke 4:18-19)

                  Do some of your people need re-charging? You don’t celebrate just to introduce and invite new people to respond and join the effort. Celebration also promotes and grows participation for those already engaged. Remember that what you talk about as the leader is what your people will do. Your words will have a desire-shaping focus. If you stop talking about vision and values, and you stop telling and celebrating the stories of what God is doing, they will notice. Your actions and words, or your inaction and silence are watched very carefully.

                  Jesus said the Spirit was placed upon Him; “covering His life (completely),” so that He would be constantly telling and celebrating the good news. Every day brought an opportunity to shape focus on God, encourage participation, and grow people together in community. His whole business, and yours, is to replicate workers who will in turn bring more transformation.

                  Let your life be covered with the Spirit. Keep on telling the good news. See the transformation God promises as you allow Him to work through you every day.