Get up and stop whining already!

It never ceases to amaze and even upset me when I speak with those who want change in their life and complain about the way things are but yet are unwilling to do anything about it.
When the man who was sick for 38 years complained about his condition and that no one would help him, Jesus didn't sit down, grab his hand and say, "Oh! You poor man, everyone is so mean spirited, I feel so bad for you." He said "Get up!" and it wasn't until the man make a conscience effort to get up that he got well.

If you want things to get better in your health, in your finances or in your relationships, GET UP! already and quit whining about it!

Remember, Jesus turned water into wine but he didn't turn the whiners into anything.

Why not right now, list everything about your life you do not like. Write each item down and then arrange them in the order of importance. Then and here comes the only thing that will make a difference. Get up and do something about it and start today! If you don't know where to start, email me and I will help you find the first step. bobwagner@bobwagner.org

Is Your Church Growth From Heavens Work or Hells?

“Churches that grow at the expense of another’s loss are prospering from the devil’s work.”

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In one of the towns I was ministering in there was a church that was experiencing explosive growth. In conversation with one of the pastors of this church I told him how much of a blessing it was to see his church growing so rapidly. I then asked him the following question: “Is your growth due to more un-churched people coming into fellowship or is it because there are so many other churches losing people?” His expression changed instantly from gladness to sadness. “Our growth is from other churches’ loss,” he humbly replied.

Churches that grow at the expense of another’s loss are prospering from the devil’s work. Don’t boast over that kind of growth. Open your doors to anyone who needs to be fed but if you really want to be successful in ministry you must teach your church how to evangelize the lost and un-churched. While a church should be a hospital for the sick, we are not called to create “Christian Maintenance Facilities.” We are called to create disciples and to reach the lost.

If your church is not teaching people how to handle the atheist and the agnostic, how to talk to the un-churched, their neighbors and loved ones, and how to lead people to the Lord, then it is not equipping them to accomplish the great commission. You must restructure what you are doing if you want to be in line with God’s word. There is plenty of material out there that will assist you. Why not call a meeting with your Pastor, Director of Education, or Sunday School Administrator and help them come up with a plan to do what Jesus asked you to do? Then you can boast in the Lord all you want

This posting is an excerpt from "Hey Church! Your Fly is Open!"

Read This First!

How much do you read? Oh! And I don’t mean the back of the cereal box. I mean how often do you read about subjects that you have a passion about? Ok maybe you have a passion for cereal boxes. How often do you enrich your mind with things that will cause you to grow; spiritually, as a parent, a spouse, an employee etc? If you are not reading and studying, you are not growing.

Let’s look at what some of the worlds leading authorities on success say.

Jim Rohn, perhaps the world's leading motivator and speaker says you can judge a person's bank account by the size of his/her library. Marketing guru Dan Kennedy says he's observed that people with tiny bank accounts tend to have no libraries, but they usually have big TVs.

A Stanford University study has indicated that if you read 30-60 minutes each day in your field of interest, in 4-5 years you will be a national authority.

A Harvard study shows that those who are readers are more positive, optimistic and excited. Those who are not readers are more negative, pessimistic and doubtful about their future.

'The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains proves he has no brain of his own.' Charles H. Spurgeon

Had enough? Ok then. One of the quickest ways to health wealth and wisdom is through learning and one of the easiest ways to learn is to read.

How would you like to be smarter then almost everyone you come in contact with?

Start reading 2 books. First read the bible, especially the book of Proverbs everyday. Just one chapter a day each month starting with today’s date. If it is the 8^th of the month, then read chapter eight, tomorrow read chapter nine, so on and so forth. Next month start all over again. Why will Proverbs make you smart? Because it was written by Solomon, the wisest man to ever walk the face of the earth. After you read the chapter, write down how you can apply what you read in your life. If you keep doing this, you will not only think like Solomon, you will begin to act like him as well.

The next book you should read is anything that pertains to an area of your life that you would like to see increase in. If you want to get closer to your spouse, find books on relationship building, or becoming a strong man or woman of God. A better parent, read about parenting, if you need an increase in your financial portfolio, read books on stewardship and investing; “Rich Dad Poor Dad” is a great one, you can find a link on my Blog for his website. If you want to be a better boss, start with a book called “Jesus, CEO” by Laurie Beth Jones, you can find her book at ChristianBook.com, there is a link to your left for this site as well. If you want to be a better teacher or leader, read “The 7 Laws of the Learner” by Bruce Wilkerson, you will have a totally different outlook on our education system, I promise you.

Oh! Yeah! Want to learn how you and your church can become all God wants you to? Read “Hey Church! You Fly is Open” That link is to your left as well.

Folks, the bottom line is: “As a man thinketh, so as he is” and “What comes out must first be put in.”

You want to stay where you are at, go back to the cereal box.