← Speeches & Workshops

Bluffs church, 2002

Pleasure..church of fishing champion of PAC Camp.. Courtney

I’ve never lived in a house with locks on the door. What some call faith, others label stupidity.

I live in Arenzville.. no locks.. I was blessed: someone stole my lawn mower.

I want to speak today on theft prevention. Police say that the first rule is, Don’t trust anyone. … take a close look at the person sitting beside you. You’ve been watching me, but what have they been watching? USA TODAY: 1) shoplifting home burglary car theft BUT: Today…. the type of theft that’s more common than any of these in our churches… … The THEFT OF JOY. For some of us… just petty theft.. for others, grand larceny.

We rush, we serve on committees, we teach Sunday School, we go three places in one night…. and before we know it, our JOY HAS BEEN STOLEN.

SO..A FEW TIPS ON THEFT PREVENTION FOR your soul

THIS IS YOUR ASSIGNMENT my fellow Christians

LIGHTEN UP! Let me warn you: Christians have a reputation have a reputation for being joyless. And this usually comes from centering so many of our thoughts on ourselves. Don’t take yourself too seriously.. Me: Chillicothe

The thing that kept me from giving my heart to Jesus Christ.. I looked around at church and thought, “If heaven is like this, I’m going to be bored for eternity.”

PAC camp.. probably the single strongest message we send it that life in Christ is a life of joy. You can have fun. We’ve seen some weird and wonderful performances this weekend. “I Fell Off the Bleachers” Classical violin. Boy with red handkerchief over his face..still not sure what his message was. ..but God smiled.

Girl’s testimony about her cat.. Doris.

THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU HAVE TO DO: Realize that Jesus Christ died for you. The SECOND MOST IMPORTANT THING: Everything else. Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

So LIGHTEN UP! The Important stuff is already done!

I recently spoke in a nearby church.. 18th hymns, 17th century liturgy, 16th century architecture, King James prayers… “Why can’t we get our youth involved?” Well Duh!

---A little boy who always knows how to brighten me, just with his smile: Matt… he knew how to lighten up.

A FEW THEFT PREVENTION TECHNIQUES:

---Wear something really outrageous to work or school some day, . BREAK YOU OWN PRIVATE DRESSCODE. Stop being so normal. Jesus Christ came to earth do change the entire world… the least you can do is wear loud socks. Bud and I often wear strange clothing because Doris picks up things on sale.

---Take your shoes off more often. ---Next time somebody at Hardees or McDonnalds tells you to have a nice day, ask them why. ---Send a love letter to someone you love then don’t sign it..let them suspect everybody in the whole world. ---Eat more ice cream. There’s so much ice cream in the world and so little time. ---Kidnap your grandchildren and take them on a picnic. Used to kidnap kids at camp… ---Lighten Up! You don’t have a thing to do this week that’s more important than a Savior dying for you and that’s already been done..so take it easy!

You may say, “But you just don’t know what I’ve been through…” THEN YOU NEED IT THE MOST. Recent death in our community.. Bruce Charlesworth.. Connie.. laughing: “I broke my video camera!” .. praying, porch..video camera… She said, “I didn’t need a sermon at that moment. Christ sent what I needed. I needed laughter.”

2. STOP GIVING SO MUCH BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO AND GIVE MORE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO: ---What do you dread the most? Those things you have to do because you always do them and somebody expects you to do them. GIVE MORE SURPRISES! ---Give a flower to the lady at the checkout counter who’s always so friendly ---a decorated apple to the lady who always smiles at you at church.. tell her it’s just because she smiles. ---Spoke recently at a S’field church.. smiling, joy, laughing. Then the organ started and the entire congregation turned into prunes. Everything that happened was planned, predictable, and dull. Every week before church, ask God to surprise us. (Sweet lady who holds my hand always jumps a little when she hears this) ---Simply tell someone... “I’ve waited all year to say this, but I really appreciate you.” It’ll be remembered long after their WalMart Special Aftershave and Deodorant kit or their designer scarf has worn out. Scott to Scott this weekend. ----go up to the biggest grouch you know.. even if you’re married to them.. “I just want you to know that I feel great!” ---Jan Smith… our community’s chief encourager…. Always wrote me notes of encouragement. ---We have a lady in our church who brings fresh flowers for the altar every Sunday (flower shop refuse)...Nobody ever brings her any flowers. ---Give more gifts without letting anyone know who did it. The best gift: when the giver is unknown. Lockers at school for Mary.

THE IDEA BEHIND CHRIST’S MESSAGE WAS A SURPRISE TO ME.. ”...When I was born, I had no idea that a baby was born 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem to take away my sins. It was a surprise to me! Surprise people with your gift of love.

3. To keep from being robbed of your joy, FIX SOMETHING: ---Think of a problem you have which you just can’t get off your mind and you can’t do anything about. MAKE YOURSELF FORGET ABOUT IT FOR ONE WEEK. ---Think of a relationship you have which has been damaged. HEAL IT. Give your pride a vacation. Christ: I shall remove your sins from you for a far as the east is from the west. The least we can do to mend a single relationship. Ephesians 4, 31-32: Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger, and evil speaking be put away from you, along with all malice. And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Does it say “Wait unti that other person straightens up and does things my way, then let all bitterness, wrath and anger and evil speaking be put away from you. And as soon as he changes his attitude, be ye kind to him, tenderhearted, and forgive him” ?

---A teach with a man who really grates on my nerves… Tennis shoes, sweat pants, never prepared, and the first to gripe. I also teach with an atheist who’s a wonderful teacher. Every morning he compliments the first guy. Shames me. I’m trying to learn how to be a Christian from this atheist. And it’s working!

4. To keep from being robbed, Give Yourself. It’s the one gift God wants most from you.

It is impossible to be robbed of your joy while you’re giving yourself to someone else. I REPEAT.. It is impossible to be robbed of your joy while you’re giving yourself to others.

Prayed with a girl last night. Sharon brought her to me. Been to camp many times and was despondent because it never lasted. She complained of no joy even though she prayed, no joy even though she read her bible. Year after year. She was frightened that it was about to happen again. I asked her what she took home to give to other people. Nothing. Last night she vowed to do it. She was being robbed of joy because she wasn’t giving.

God blesses giving and the giver..... I know a church...huge endowment...spirit of church stopped once they stopped struggling and giving

Albert Sweitzer: The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who’ve sought and found out how to serve others.

FIND TIME TO BE ALONE. I ask my classes, “When are you most lonely?” When I’m in a group of people.” Please take the time to be alone to soak up God’s love. Bud and Doris… treating pond on their anniversary. If you have a happy marriage and a wonderful spouse of many year’s God bless you, but each of us works out our own, individual relationship to Jesus Christ. Take time to be alone to find joy.

Folks in my church often take pity on me because I’m single. They bring me meals for shutins. They bring me Christmas baskets because I’m so handicapped. I’ll admit… I don’t tell them the truth. The joy in Christ is multiplied if it’s just you and Him. I’m at my worst with people..I’m at my best with Christ alone.

Take a walk alone this week.. Don’t ask for anything.. Just praise Him and let Him love you. Let Him give to you.

To keep from being robbed of your joy, stop complaining.. Hebrews 12: 14, 15: Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man whall see the Lord; looking diligently lest anyman fail of the grace of God. Lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and therefore you will be defiled…”

Johnstone 93: Architect: the hottest places in hell are reserved for the whiner and complainers. If my life were ten times longer, I still couldn’t justify a minute of it complaining. When I speak to teachers: For every minute you spend worrying and complaining about your students, spend one minute praying. And if you’re not a Christian, go out and hire…..

Complaining steals your joy. You cannot find joy in Christ while you’re complaining.

I must “check” myself a dozen times a day at camp. Matt.. Alaska and London.. “That’s kinda harsh.”

6. (sorry.. I’m used to a Methodist church where we number everything) If you would find the joy of Christ, you must look for it. God provides it each morning..fresh and new. And you have the choice to look at it or not. Game in Quest..passing ball behind backs.. Easiest way to hide it.. put it at their feet. The one place they never think to look is at their own feet.

Carrying Finco engine with Mart. 10p.m. heat, mud, skeeters. “Boy, this rain’ll sure grow some corn.” The joy is right there..you’ve got to look for it.

Scott Stanberry.. beaten up.

Last night at the end of camp.. band was playing..kids were praying.. lights went out and nobody at sound board.. My monitor went dead.. My back was killing me.. I was thinking about cleanup. Somebody turned their music stand light on and in the shadows at the altar I saw a young Mexican boy who had given his life to the Lord this weekend, now bringing his sister to the altar. Duh! The joy was at my feet.

I wish you a wonderful life in Christ, ... but it cannot be if you allow yourself to be robbed on a daily basis. No burglar can break into a happy heart and steal it’s joy.

Because finally, it all comes down to trust… If you enjoy being miserable.. and some people do, then you are perhaps the saddest of all believers…at least for the moment… It’s all a matter of trust. You have asked the Lord to direct your life. Do you trust Him to lead it or not.

Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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