5 Things
Five Checkpoints for a Healthy Heart
Published
3 years agoon
By Sarah Williams
The other day I received a text from my doctor’s office. “It’s time to schedule your annual wellness check,” it read. I thought to myself, “I have a million things to do, and that’s not even close to what I want to work into my schedule right now.” Our routine rhythms of screening and testing for wellness may not be our favorite things on the agenda, but they can be critical in detecting early markers of problems that are much easier to resolve early rather than in advanced stages.
This goes beyond physical health; it also applies to our spiritual health. In the same way we commit to caring for our bodies, we also need to be aware of the state of our souls. Regular check-ins with the greatest physician, Doctor Jesus, will help us with the issues of the heart, restoring the places that have been broken and bringing cold and stony parts back to life. Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Did you catch that? Your heart determines the course of your life! In other words, everything we do can be traced to what is going on in our hearts.
What does it mean to guard your heart? The word guard in the original language means “to watch, to preserve, to look at and examine, and to guard from dangers.” When was the last time that you examined your heart? Are you aware of any dangers that are trying to invade? Following are five checkpoints that will aid you in assessing your heart health. As you read them, invite Jesus to help you evaluate. He knows your heart better than you do and is eager to lead you to wholeness. Pray this as you go through these points:
Jesus, I invite you to help me examine my heart today. You said that you came to the earth to lead us to abundant life, and I trust you in this moment to help me see anything that is hindering me from walking in that promised fullness of life. I choose to open my heart to you and allow you to speak into my heart what I need to see and know.
- What do I need to repent of?
Repentance is not just being sorry for something; it is a change of thinking that results in a change of behavior. God wants to invade your mind with His kindness in order to transform you! His love burns for you to encounter His truth so you can see your life and destiny as He does.
“Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2, NLT).
“God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]” (Romans 2:4, AMP).
You can pray this prayer that King David prayed and then quiet your heart to listen to what God wants to show you.
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV).
God, what do I need to repent of?
- Whom do I need to forgive?
Forgiveness is vital for walking in freedom and wholeness. It is impossible to receive all that God has for you if you have an unwillingness to release those who have hurt you. Sometimes unforgiveness is stuffed and buried so deeply that we don’t realize it is there. It is important to give God the opportunity to scan our hearts to reveal any of these hidden areas that we might not have dealt with. When we receive His help to remove offense, it creates room for Him to come in and minister to those places, resulting in greater wholeness.
- When preparing to walk in forgiveness, it is important to remember that forgiveness is a CHOICE, not an emotion or feeling. It does not mean that the person who hurt you is “off the hook” or not accountable for their actions. But it means that you give up your right to be the judge. Instead, it allows you to extend grace as you hand the person to God and let Him be the judge. As a result, you are relieved of the burden of hurt you have been carrying and are freed from a prison of torment. It closes a door which the enemy was using to have access to you and opens you up to God’s grace and forgiveness.
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15, NIV).
God, whom do I need to forgive?
- What do I need to release myself from?
Often the most difficult person people find to forgive is themselves. If you have repented, then God has forgiven you. Not only has He forgiven you of your sins, but He has forgotten them!
“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again” (Isaiah 43:25, NLT).
While God has long forgotten your offenses, you may not find it as easy to stop thinking about them. This is because the devil is working to bring guilt, regret, shame, and condemnation. In order to forgive yourself, it is so important to ask God to help you figure out what is going on deep in your heart. Too often people don’t realize that it is the devil trying to keep them stuck in past regret. God wants you freed from the past so you can move forward with Him into His promises for your future.
God, what do I need to release myself from?
- What lies am I believing?
Perhaps you have heard the acronym for FEAR, False Evidence Appearing Real. Lies are the devil’s language, and he directs them straight to our hearts in the form of fear. If you are experiencing fear, then you are likely listening to his lies. Guarding your heart means watching for what intruders are trying to pass over into your heart. If a lie has made itself at home in your life, it must be kicked out! To have a healthy heart, you must reject the enemy’s lies. You need to be aware of them and call them out!
“When he [Satan] lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44, NIV).
God, what lies am I believing?
- What is the truth?
Jesus said that we would know the truth and it would set us free (John 8:32). Once you have identified the lies, you must exchange them for the truth!
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Knowing God’s Word is the most powerful weapon against the lies of the enemy.
“For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12, AMP).
In order to walk with a healthy heart, you must allow the power of God’s Word to fall afresh upon your heart. If you allow the Holy Spirit to quicken God’s Word to you, He will pave the way for a personal encounter with the truth, which will further dismantle the effect of the lies that have been in operation. Know God’s Word, listen for His voice, and let it revive your heart.
God, what is the truth?
If you have navigated these checkpoints with God, you are on your way to greater wholeness. But don’t let it stop there! God wants to walk with you daily to guide you toward the best He has for you. The more often you allow Him to walk through the chambers of your heart with you, the healthier and stronger you will be spiritually to walk out your destiny.
And here’s a bonus question you can ask Him:
God, what do you think of me?
“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” (Psalm 139:17, NLT).
Once we have kicked out all the junk that doesn’t belong in our hearts, filling up with what God thinks about us provides us energy to thrive. While the enemy throws garbage at us, God whispers sweetness that changes us from the inside out. Taste and see that He is good.
About the Author
Sarah and her husband, George, have been in ministry together for over fifteen years. They began their journey as urban missionaries, which led to planting and co-pastoring CityLight Church for nine years. In 2016, Sarah founded the Transformation Center, which offers personal prayer ministry to help people receive heart healing and freedom. In addition to providing individual sessions, Sarah and her team also work with other churches offering seminars, training, and coaching in healing and deliverance. Sarah highly values her ministry to her family and to the Lord. Her delight is in raising her two daughters and being a friend of God.
5 Things
Five Lessons Learned While Reaching a Neighborhood
Published
1 month agoon
November 1, 2024Years ago, I took the StrengthsFinder Assessment, which is designed to help a person understand their top gifts. “Achiever” fell at the top of my list, and I found myself feeling uncomfortable with this result. I wrestled with my uneasiness, unsure why I felt this way until God began to unlock my understanding. From the time I was young, I had built my life to be full to the brim, accumulating a long resume of accomplishments, none of which brought me satisfaction. Instead, God placed a hunger inside of me to be marked by the supernatural. One definition of supernatural is “above, beyond, and far higher and greater than the natural.” I longed to see things that exceeded what I could do through my own achievements and to witness the power of God in my daily life.
Since that time, God has taught me to forsake striving and performance, instead discovering His will and wisdom by walking in friendship with Him. Even more than before, my heart yearns to experience ministry moments that inspire awe of our magnificent God. Our team had the honor of experiencing some of these moments during our summer of outreach at Asbury Park. As I share our story, I’ll also share the five lessons we learned through reaching our neighborhood.
1. We can partner with God to see His desires fulfilled.
We were gathered for our regular weekly prayer meeting when God said, “I want this neighborhood. Will you make My name great at Asbury Park?” We felt the weight of this invitation. For a year, we had been hosting neighbors in the basement of our ministry house for weekly dinners. Dozens had found community and a sense of belonging in that space. Some had already met Jesus, but He wanted us to cast the net further. No one on our team had imagined taking our Thursday night dinners out to the park for the summer. But God had heard our cry: “God, you get to do whatever is in your heart to do. We pray your will be done in this region and that Jesus would be glorified.” And that day, He gave us another piece of His blueprint for our region.
2. We don’t have to strive.
Naturally, we looked at the invitation from God and imagined possibilities of how to gather the community at our neighborhood park. We considered the successes of past events that utilized raffle and prize incentives or entertainment such as bounce houses. We went back to prayer and God revealed more of His plan to us. He wanted it simple. As we prayed, He gave us visions of the stations in the park: crafts themed to tell the story of creation, food to fill bellies, a field with kids carefree and playing, bold worship, and a baptismal. He said to get ready for people to be saved and baptized!
3. God has a storehouse of provision.
Although God’s plan was relatively simple, we did not have the finances or workers to pull off this vision of taking dinners to the park every other week throughout the summer. God impressed upon us that He would be faithful to provide everything we needed to serve the community in this way. We chose to embrace His plan with faith that He would make a way.
4. God loves collaboration.
God brilliantly inspired us to reach out to many individuals and groups, inviting them to partner with us in reaching the Five Points Neighborhood in Toledo. Over a dozen churches were represented by the participants who filled volunteer slots and donated food and supplies. The greater Body of Christ truly came together, unified around Jesus and His mission.
5. Love + Power + Gospel = Jesus gets His reward
When our dinners first launched at the ministry base in 2023, God gave us a foundational verse to build upon:
“Walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance” (Ephesians 5:2 AMP).
God desired for this aroma to rise to Heaven, the smell of a people walking in sacrificial love. And so, His people took that love to the park. We shared the good news that Jesus gave His life so that all could be saved, healed, and delivered. Many accepted the invitation to receive this gift from Jesus, giving their lives to Him. People experienced healing in their bodies and freedom from bondage. Many encountered the power of the Holy Spirit in a personal way. Twenty-four people chose to follow Jesus through water baptism!
God rained down this summer on Asbury Park. It was His plan, His provision, His glory. It was Jesus’ reward. May we all live in daily expectation of the things that are beyond what we could do in our own ability, partnering with God and watching His fame spread across the earth.
About the Author
Sarah Williams
Sarah Williams and her husband, George, have been in ministry together since they were married in 2006. They began their journey as urban missionaries, which led to planting and co-pastoring CityLight Church. In 2016, Sarah founded the Transformation Center, where she and her team have helped hundreds of people find wholeness and freedom. Sarah’s passion is for Jesus to receive His reward through salvation, healing, and deliverance. The team at the Transformation Center welcomes ministers to book a stay to receive personal ministry or to visit and partner with them in reaching their community.
5 Things
Five Keys for Creative Fundraising in Student Ministries
Published
5 months agoon
July 1, 2024Every student should have an opportunity to encounter Jesus beyond the walls of a church. Most students further their relationship with Christ at special events like church camps or mission trips. But the reality of these intentional events is that they cost money, and sometimes a lot of money, for our students. Money should never be the reason a student doesn’t get to experience Jesus in a new way. Fundraising can be daunting for a youth pastor, but it doesn’t have to be! We have found that there are some consistent keys to make fundraising enjoyable, successful, and a blessing to the community.
- Diversify your fundraising sources.
Sometimes it is difficult to fundraise because it feels like we are asking the same people repeatedly to donate. When planning which types of fundraisers you’re going to do each year, make sure the fundraisers draw from various sources and audiences.
- Have a fundraiser that focuses on church engagement, allowing church members to bless the youth (e.g. Dessert Auction, Work Project, Bingo Night).
- Have a fundraiser that draws from the local community. These might offer a service that people in your community need or enjoy (e.g. Car Wash, Flower Basket Sales, Corn Hole Tournament, Restaurant Coupons).
- Have a fundraiser that draws from parents. They are going to have to pay for a portion of the event cost, so you might as well offer something to them in exchange for their investment
.(e.g. Dunk Tank to dunk students or youth leaders, Date Night with babysitting at the church).
- Lastly, have a fundraiser that casts a wide net and engages high numbers of people. You never know who will want to support you or who will want to help you network (e.g. Call/Text-A-Thon).
- Make fundraisers fun for students!
The worst thing ever is when leaders or parents are doing all the work to fundraise for their students. When we make fundraisers fun, students will want to show up and do the work. Here are two of our favorites as examples:
- Wing-A-thon: We have a local chicken shack that makes incredible wings, and they allow us to come in and eat unlimited wings for an hour. Students must collect sponsors to pay them for each wing they can eat. There are “Wing Refs” that ensure students eat all the meat off the bone, there is trivia for spectators, and prizes are awarded based on most wings eaten, fewest wings eaten, spiciest basket finished, surprise competitor, etc. We even let family members eat on behalf of students to encourage everyone to participate (sponsors just need to know it is Dad eating the wings and not a 12-year-old).
- Dunk Tank Fundraiser: Every year at our summer baptism service, we spend a couple hundred bucks and rent a dunk tank. People can pay ten dollars for three chances to dunk the student of their choice, and at the end we do a bidding war for people to be able to dunk each of our staff pastors. You’d be surprised how high some of these bids can get!
- Utilize business sponsorships.
Business sponsorships are typically in larger amounts than contributions from individual donors, and they can serve multiple purposes. These funds can be used to make fundraiser events better by allowing you to purchase prizes, decor, or props. They can cover costs (like paying for everyone to eat unlimited wings so it doesn’t count against the student fundraising). They can go towards travel expenses to help drive down event costs. Any leftover funds can be offered to students who have a harder time fundraising. One perk of a church being a non–profit is we can provide businesses with tax donation forms for anything they give. Additionally, engaging these businesses fosters community partnership.
- Allow fundraisers to be outreach opportunities.
Fundraisers are wonderful opportunities to invite people into church environments. Encourage students to invite their friends and family to come support at fundraising events. Encourage leadership to attend fundraisers to socialize and build new relationships. Find ways to pray at the event, share testimonies, and model the gospel.
- Overpromote!
Utilize every platform you have in promoting your fundraisers. Make them a Facebook event, post them on your organization’s website, post social media stories that students and parents can share, create graphics for church announcements and printed fliers, send emails via your church database, and have fundraising nights where you sit down with your students to help them write and send out support letters. Lastly, never assume a student will fill their guardians in on what is going on. Always individually connect with parents and give them the information directly.
Fundraising does take work and intentionality, but it is so worth it. Instead of focusing on the money, keep the focus on Christ. He will provide in a perfect and timely manner. Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (NIV). Plan with intention, but have fun with your students, church, and community as you equip these students for an awesome opportunity to experience Jesus!
About the Author
Aaron and Christine McAndrews
Aaron and Christine McAndrews both grew up in Thurston, Oregon, and love the people there like family. They serve at Waypoint Community Church as youth pastors and volunteer with Young Life. Aaron attended Fuller Theological Seminary for his Master of Divinity, and Christine attended the University of Oregon for her Bachelor of Arts in education. Aaron serves as a US Army Chaplain for the Oregon National Guard, and Christine is an educator in a local elementary school. Both have a heart to serve the youth in their community.
By Jessica Sanford
Recently, I was asked the question “What surprises me most about people?” I responded, “It’s been my experience that most people simply want to know you care – that you were willing to take the time to truly listen.”
Notice I did not say “that you were willing to take the time to try to ‘fix them’ or to ‘solve all their problems’ or to engage in ever-so-helpful ‘telling.’” None of these things, no matter how well-intended, convey we care. (In fact, they generally have the opposite effect.)
Conveying that we care starts with a willingness to listen more and talk less. And lest you think this is something I simply made up on the fly, this idea seems to be a biblical principle as well. James instructs us: “You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (James 1:10, NLT). King Solomon put it like this: “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. . . . A time to be quiet and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7). It is not that we never speak (that would be a little awkward), but it is important to know when to speak and when to listen.
We complicate things when we get the order wrong.
I am convinced that connecting each of us is an innate desire to be fully heard and to know with certainty that what is in our heart matters to the person on the other side of the conversation. Imagine how many relationships could benefit from both parties adopting a listening posture!
Authentic listening is powerful; it brings life; it brings healing; it deepens intimacy and strengthens connection. And it is a gift we all can give.
Since I am a quieter and a naturally curious person, listening has always tended to be my first impulse. I am genuinely fascinated by people’s stories (and much prefer hearing others’ experiences over sharing my own). However, as I have come to learn, listening simply for “listening’s sake” is not the same thing as being an authentic, active, engaged, heart-level listener. In our conversations, it is entirely possible to hear every word being spoken but walk away having heard nothing at all. Authentic listening is a skill that must be cultivated and developed.
True, authentic listening
Is not distracted.
Is compassionate.
Is others-focused.
Does not need to be right.
Is humble and non-defensive.
Listens for understanding and not necessarily agreement.
Can lay aside self-preoccupation in order to see things from the other person’s perspective.
This kind of listening is hard and, sadly, far too uncommon. Listening on this kind of level is something I have had to learn and develop over time – and I am still learning!
This kind of listening is impossible in our own strength. We will need the resourcing of the Holy Spirit to help us with this. Perhaps you want to become a better listener as well?
Here are five ways to cultivate an authentic, active listening posture:
- Resolve to be fully present. Set aside any distractions. Put down your phone. Turn off the T.V. Let others know you are not to be disturbed – whatever it takes to be fully engaged. This simple step communicates: You matter! You are important to me. (Nothing is more off-putting than feeling like you are having to compete for someone else’s attention.) Tip: The dinner table is a great opportunity to practice distraction-free, device-free listening.
- Do not presume to know what is in the other person’s heart; instead, be a safe place for them to share their heart. Before people will let us see inside their heart, they first need to know they can trust us with it. The truth is, we do not fully know what someone else is walking through, and to pretend we do is naive at best and arrogant at worst. I saw a quote recently that struck me: “Just because someone carries it well doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy.” If I had to guess, I would say there are a fair number of people carrying some pretty heavy loads. People are more fragile than we may realize, so let’s be careful with their hearts.
- Trust the Holy Spirit to guide the conversation. I used to put a great deal of pressure on myself to have just the “right” thing to say to someone while the Holy Spirit was working behind the scenes to bring clarity and revelation to that person’s situation the entire time. I simply needed to allow the person the opportunity to “talk it through.” As I listen, I am asking the Holy Spirit to give me some powerful questions that may help the individual think through their situation on a deeper level. I am also asking Him to give me wisdom in how I might respond. How much do I say or not say? Sometimes I have said too much, other times too little. It is not a perfect science, but the more I can lean into the Holy Spirit’s leading the better able I will be to respond in a way that honors both God and the other person.
- Remain humble and resist the urge to become defensive. Easy to say – so difficult at times to do. Some conversations are just downright hard, and before we know it listening has gone out the window! (Not speaking from personal experience, of course. Ha ha.) In these challenging moments, when the person on the other side of the conversation is speaking in an aggressive tone or saying some things that we deem to be unfair, we can still honor them by taking a humble, non-defensive posture. (This is where the Holy Spirit will be crucial because in our flesh, we will want to be anything but gracious!) A great response in these tense moments is to say, “While we don’t necessarily see eye to eye on this, please help me to better understand your position.” Another good question to ask is “What do you need from me going forward?” These responses often disarm the other person – letting them know that even though you may not agree with them you still care about preserving the relationship. The less we need to be right, the greater the opportunity to hear what the other person is trying to say.
To be clear, I am not advocating that in the spirit of “listening” we allow someone to berate or denigrate us. There may be times when we simply must end the conversation, letting the other person know we will be happy to resume it once they can do so respectfully. God doesn’t expect us to be anyone’s verbal punching bag.
- Try not to make yourself part of the story. This is their story. This is especially hard in a culture that emphasizes “self” above all else. We tend to want to make everything about us, filtering our conversations though our own lenses, biases, and life experiences. By taking ourselves out the story we can more fully appreciate theirs. Compassion rises within us when we can see the situation from their point of view.
Authentic listening communicates that we care. And though not necessarily easy, everyone, with a little practice (and a lot of help from the Holy Spirit!), can be a better listener. I would say it is worth it.
About the Author
Jessica Sanford has served alongside her husband, Matt, in ministry for over two decades. She is a licensed coach with Leader Breakthru, Inc. and is passionate about making disciples and helping facilitate the spiritual transformation of those not content with the status quo. She also loves seeing women in ministry, especially other pastors’ wives, realize and step into their unique calling.