5 Ways to Benefit Your Community

Whether it’s your home, church, town, county or state…

1). Be a contributor: produce a product, a home, a lifestyle, a set of ideals, that adds to those around you and makes the community a better place.

2). Take responsibility for you and yours: There are plenty of excuse makers. Don’t be one of them. Whether its buying more insurance, doing a home repair, addressing a mistake you’ve made, or saying “I’m sorry,” take responsibility.

3). Don’t quit when it would be easy to do so: Stick with it and try harder. Be an encourager through your words and actions. It’s often the moment you decide to quit that a breakthrough is about to happen.

4). Embrace “win/win or no deal”: Life is not about up-and-down votes. It’s ok to look at something that impacts your life or others’ lives and say, “I see no upside. I’m not going to be involved.” You’ll only do so if your values and ideals are strongly outlined and lived in your life.

5). Do your civic duty: Know what’s going on in your community. Vote. Advocate for important change or against negative change. Don’t be caught ignorant on any issue of importance (or at least try your hardest not to be.)

Thanks for reading! Visit http://www.tenntalk.org/glen-gaugh to learn more about me and my coaching practice!

What is Fellowship?

“Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” Genesis 3:23-24 KJV

Fellowship with God was broken. God broke fellowship with man better than mankind broke fellowship with one another.

Gen. 4: Cain killed Abel and severed fellowship for the first time among men.

Jesus’ desire was not just a repaired relationship with Him, but also a repaired relationship with one another. “That they may be one, as we are.

What does that mean?

Fellowship (NT): koinōnía, koinōnós or metochḗ

The first has a connotation of contributing to; the second one of taking from or partaking. The third a general idea of partnership/intercourse.

Positive references to fellowship use koinōnía (contribute to): 

[Act 2:42 KJV] 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

[1Co 1:9 KJV] 9 God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

[2Co 8:4 KJV] 4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and [take upon us] the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. (“Fellowship” a reference to Paul’s collection for the saints at Jerusalem).

True fellowship is contributing to others, as well as partaking in what our brothers and sisters have to offer.

The Power of Fellowship 

“And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.”

Genesis 11:5-8 KJV

Zec 11:14 KJV] 14 Then I cut asunder mine other staff, [even] Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

As Israel became more corrupt, God broke not only the connection to Him, but also their connection one with another.

God must have remembered that at Babel, fellowship had grown too strong around a pagan idea, to the point it could not be stopped without divine judgement.

If we count fellowship as dispensable, we do to ourselves a punishment that in times past God has reserved for the worst of sinners. Worse than that, we will act contrary to His prayer in John 17:11:

“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” John 17:11 KJV

The man Jesus Christ is inseparable from His Father; He is God manifest in flesh. That indivisible relationship is the model for the relationship Jesus wants us to have with one another.

It is a picture worth remembering during those difficult times when we think our lot might improve in the world over what we possess in and with the Church, the body of Christ. We have to consider how both we and God would be affected if we were outside the fellowship He created for us to be in with one another.

It wouldn’t be a good thing for either Him or us. We need fellowship.

Thankfulness- You’re as Good as Your Works

We’ve heard it. “God if you’ll just… then I’ll…”

Let your yea be yea and your nay be nay, James wrote. He knew that for all of Israel’s solemn oaths, ultimately the words fell flat and they fell into sin. He knew we would suffer the same thing.

We’re warned against vain words. In the heat of a moment, we depend on the force of words to convey how serious we are, express our anger, get others to do what we want done. It’s even considered virtuous in the world to use an oath, a “swear word” to show righteousness indignation. What is it that’s said about bitter waters and sweet? They can’t come from the same fountain.

The strength of words, even shocking words, is short-lived. The vanity of words soon shows through.

I hold no grudge against people who make vows to God. Just understand God hears the words we say, and we will have to account for them.

When God moves on your behalf, if all you have is words, then you’ll be like that man who cast the strong man out, only to have him return with seven like him, and inhabit your life again. You’ll be worse off that when you started if you swear empty oaths to God.

The antidote to our vain human condition is thankfulness.

Repentance trumps apology because repentance is followed by action- a 180 degree turn around, never to walk the same way again. Thankfulness is in what you do with the mercy that has been given to you.

If Jesus has done something for you, then do something with that. Because the fact is He has done everything for you.

The photo above represents two different men. The one on the left had just made a decision to be a better man. The one on the right was in the process of making good on that decision. The second man was also entering the throes of an awful disease that would have stopped him from continuing on that path to being better.

I thought a lot about those people who say, “God, if you’ll just heal me, I’ll live for you the rest of my life.” “I’ll do all the things I haven’t done, if You’ll just give me my healing!”

I had made the decision years before that nothing was going to turn me away from the love of Hod. And I knew I could live for God and be thankful if I was confined to a bed. 

But I am not confined to a bed. I am healed. So I have an obligation to continue what I started. I have an obligation to live the thankfulness I now have. It’s the biggest reason I still run and work out and have a new desire to compete.

Just say yes to what Jesus offers you. Be thankful. And be changed. That’s all He wants.

Acts 2:38

What is the Church To Do?

I spoke at church today on the need to take action on the issue of protecting life.

The photo above is of Jews arriving at Auschwitz. We can’t forget. We also can’t forget the millions that have been aborted and that stand at risk of being murdered in the womb.

We tend to get upset and angry when something like the NY abortion expansion takes place. But how long does it last?

What do we do as believers when we see something that is abominable and a heartbreak to Christ?

How are pastors to address their congregations? What are we supposed to encourage them to do?

The Church is to spread the Gospel. We are also supposed to live the Gospel. We are the body of Christ.

Suffer the little children. Forbid them not. They are the kingdom of heaven.

It’s a barbaric civilization that kills its young. We are bound to see the fault lines become wider and deeper as our outlook on the living becomes more bleak. Our condition becomes more defined and more terminal the farther we go.

There is a spiritual war to fight and a war of ideas to wage among men. We have to lead that charge.

There is a host of victims that need to be cared for. There is a generation that needs an application of prevention. 

We must stand in stark contrast to the world around us at a time when the church is doing well at blending in. Standing out is uncomfortable and possibly dangerous. 

Nevertheless-

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” Jude 1:20-23

How easily we get distracted or bullied into silence by detractors. No more. Whatever your talent or calling, apply it to problems of eternal consequence. Pray and work on behalf of those who cannot. Share the Gospel and be guided by the Gospel. Don’t be jolted into short-term awareness; be vulnerable to the voice and the hand of God each day.

God bless-

Glen

Acts 2:38

Descent of a Nation

I don’t quite have all the words to say yet, but I’m getting started.

For now, I just pray that all those who now have awakened to the horror of not just abortion, but of the abortion agenda, stay awake and get out of the comfort zone that allowed them to get so complacent in the first place.

In spite of the work my family and I have done on behalf of life, it hasn’t been enough, and I have allowed detractors to distract and delay me. Never again.

Sunday is coming. Make the best of it to rally those who are needed to pray without ceasing and work while it is still day.

Letter to the Editor on School Choice

(This article was originally posted in The Jackson Sun online here.)

Choice is typically considered to be a good thing. Why is school choice controversial?

With middle school looming large, we were concerned about the quality of education my 6th grader would receive. We alsodidn’t feel safe sending him to the middle school in our zone. As a public school graduate, I used to believe public school would meet our children’s needs. But with ludicrous curriculum (or lack of), burdensome testing, and no shared sense of decency, the concerns mounted and the options sank.

We became a home school family this school year, but only for our 6th grade scholar. Our youngest son is still doing well in his public elementary school, and we are optimistic that he is making gains with his current teacher.

These are the choices every family should have the opportunity to make.

I am amazed at those who believe mainstreaming school choice through initiatives like Education Savings Accounts would destroy public schools. If you are truly concerned about student outcomes, stop diverting 50% of education dollars from the classroom to administration and administrative salaries. Focus on individual achievement rather than aggregate test scores. Focus on fundamentals.

School choice leads to better outcomes for individual students through higher graduation rates, lower incarceration rates, and higher employment rates. I know it makes it harder for government to measure and politicians to take credit when parents are able to do education in whatever way works best. But in the long run, individual liberty will create a stronger society.

Leadership Opportunities: Serious Inquiries Only

Needed: those seeking the opportunity to:

Strive without strife (Luke 13:24, Rom. 15:30)

Contend without being contentious (Jude 3)

Press without pressuring (Phil. 3:14)

Seek with all my heart (Jer. 29:13)

Speak with seasoned speech (Col. 4:6)

Continue the list in the comments?

Glen

Acts 2:38

You’ll Always Fall Back on Status Quo

Broke from the status quo tonight. Without planning you’ll fall into default mode; that’s why lifting your floor is as important as raising your ceiling. Have a high minimum standard to base your high aspirations on.

Here was my workout tonight. Praise God; I couldn’t have done this in 2015 because of health problems that I’ll talk about later. I just know I have a lot to be thankful for, and that is what all this #ocrtraining is about for me.

After planks for 6 mins:

warm up squats/lunges/jump rope; AMRAP for 20 mins. squat to overhead throw w kettlebell (8), log carry over shoulder 90 m w overhead press at each turnaround (6), log toss over each shoulder (8 total).

Cool down.

Discipline = Habit? Conviction vs. Worldview?

Is making good choices a discipline? Or is there a system? Maybe using the right system is a discipline?

What was once called conviction is now called worldview. Conviction has a tough connotation. The secret is to be convicted in yourself, so you don’t get convicted in a court if someone else’s jurisdiction.

Proper discipline comes out of right conviction.

Self-esteem has replaced self-assurance. The former can be achieved by justifying one’s self, even in a thing that is wrong. The later comes from being in alignment with an outside and objective source of direction.

No one wants to feel influenced anymore though. Least of all by God.

Trying Faith

A faith that hasn’t been fought for- is it really faith?

I had it so easy as a kid because I didn’t have to try my faith. It wasn’t until I completely lost out with God for a while that I had to build my own faith based on what the Bible really says.

The idea that God wanted to use me, and that that fact meant I had to give Him my all, scared me out of my weak faith. Seeing what life without Him les to brought me into a strong faith.

If your faith hasn’t been tried, it will be.

If your faith is shallow or you don’t have faith in Jesus Christ, how will you stand when the trial comes?

I encourage you-
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts‬ ‭2:38‬ ‭

The Eternal Consequence of a Missed Opportunity

“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.””
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:54‬ ‭‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

[Hos 13:9-14 KJV] 9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me [is] thine help. 10 I will be thy king: where [is any other] that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? 11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took [him] away in my wrath. 12 The iniquity of Ephraim [is] bound up; his sin [is] hid. 13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he [is] an unwise son; for he should not stay long in [the place of] the breaking forth of children. 14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

Paul’s reference to Hosea shows the choice, thus the opportunity, for Israel to turn back to their Help. They had power over death and the grave as a reward.

Opportunity: “toward port”
“The definition we have today for the word opportunity is considerably different from its etymological origin. It lacks the existential depth and transformational power of its original version.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, opportunity has the following two meanings: “1) a favorable juncture of circumstances; 2) a good chance for advancement or progress.” These definitions guide today’s use of this word in colloquial, literary, and business settings. Yet its etymology provides a broader meaning.
The word opportunity comes from the Latin term opportunitas, which is composed of two other terms: ob, meaning “toward”, and portus, meaning “port”. This word came about in the realm of navigation, where sailors used the phrase ob portus to denote the best combination of wind, current, and tide to sail to port. However, the only way to seize such weather conditions was if the vessel’s captain had already sighted the port of destination. Knowing the weather conditions without knowing the destination was useless. Therefore, a ship was in a state of opportunitas when its captain had decided where to go and knew how to get there.” Luis E. Romero

Opportunities are all around

Benjamin Franklin daily journaled: “What good shall I do this day? What good have I done this day?”

“But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:15-21‬ ‭KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

God’s question to Moses: What is that in your hand?
An opportunity at hand is worth more than a world of possibilities.

As Jesus said:
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. John 9:4

The greatest opportunities are often the hardest to take advantage of:

The blind man of John 9:
“And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
‭‭John‬ ‭9:1-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The blind man was both an opportunity and the recipient of an opportunity. In spite of the temporary consequences, he could do nothing but proclaim Jesus asbthe source of his healing.

Both the blind man and his parents started out with clean slates. But at the end of the story, the parents had passed up an opportunity, while the man had taken full advantage. Even though he was cast out of the synagogue, he gained the greatest reward of all.

Paul in the shipwreck (Acts 28:21-35):

Paul did not shut up. He spoke what God gave him to say, and he didn’t stop even when he was ignored. Even though they missed an opportunity to avoid a shipwreck, opportunity still presented itself. Paul led through faith in God and positive action, leading the crew to stay aboard and eat for their strength and health.

Conclusion:
“Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:6-7, 16‬ ‭KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

What is the eternal consequence of missed opportunities?

“ I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭30:15-20‬ ‭KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:38-39‬ ‭KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The opportunity to know Jesus is for all, and it isn’t up to us to decide who gets to hear, and who doesn’t. So we must take every opportunity to speak the truth to those who need to hear it.

The eternal consequences go far beyond just you and me.

God bless- Glen