Wednesday, March 25, 2015

WEDNESDAY'S WORD- STRATEGY - Sadell Bradley New Life Covenant Cincinnati 03/25/15

Strategy - a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim; the art of planning and directing military operations and movements in a war or battle. From the Greek strategia 'generalship.' "Leaders establish a vision for the future and set the strategy for getting there." John P. Kotter Professor of Leadership, Harvard Business School

Every great leader has a strategic aim. Chess players out think opponents to  "checkmate." Coaches design plays for a big WIN. Entertainment executives gain the loyalty of their desired demographic for ratings.  Commander's strategize for leverage, power, and to win wars should they ensue. Jesus also has a strategy: to fill the world with disciples who will love, teach and establish His Kingdom rule on the earth.   In order to fulfill His strategy, our Lord needed followers who would understood the overall aim - to increase His government and peace in the world. Isa. 9:7 They had to reckon with whether they were prepared to pay a price for a strategic aim that would affect their personal comfort, relationships, possessions, and might cost their lives! Luke 14:25-33:

25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison-your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

Jesus admonished them to think things through befor
e signing up to be His  followers.  It would be shameful for them to begin with the Master in excitement, but then quit on the mission once things got hard - which He promised they would. I've often wished we would tell people what they were signing up for when they came to 'join church' - I'm not sure how mega they would be...

 28 “But don’t be
gin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.Whatever endeavor you are pursuing (ministry, education, marriage, work, children) FIRST calculate the cost. Invest the time to make a plan and ask yourself  the hard questions. Is it worth it to your life, family and future?  Do you have enough spiritual and natural resources to see it through to the end? If you've made a commitment to follow Jesus - the cost is EVERYTHING you own, EVERY relationship you have, and YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - PROFIT - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati 3/18/15




Profit - a financial gain, the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent; advantage; benefit. From the Latin profectus -meaning progress.

At New Life Covenant we are in the small group series: Balanced - Gaining and Maintaining Financial Stability by Andy Stanley.  It is re-shaping our ideas about money, stewardship and our responsibilities as managers of what is God's.  We learned that to be financially balanced: we must keep our eyes focused on the target, be adaptable and ready to make constant corrections, and have a clear objective - which with money is to honor God with what He has entrusted to us. 

Jesus' teachings correlate the way we interact with money with worship.  The rich young ruler was challenged to give 'his' possessions to the poor to gain treasure in heaven and inherit eternal life. He went away sorrowful because he was unwilling to do so (Matthew 19).  In Luke 12, a man asked Jesus to command his brother to divide his inheritance with him. Jesus told him about a greedy fool who in pride boasted about storing 'his' goods in barns and bigger barns for himself, but died the very same day without ever being rich toward God.

In Matthew 6, Jesus admonishes the disciples not to worry about provision, but to trust the Father's care.  There are two masters we can serve: either God or money, but not both. You will love one and despise the other. I never thought love of, or anxiety about a car, clothing, house, investments, vacation, entertainment, etc. means I am automatically despising God? Our hearts reside in the place we really treasure.

Growing up I wasn't taught that the way I handled money was a reflection of my relationship with God.  I heard the parable of the talents often, but the Return on Investment was preached as using gifts and abilities, or saving souls - not the actual context of a master handing his servants a sum of money and expecting a profit.  (Matthew 25)  The servant who wasted his Lord's money was deemed "wicked and unprofitable." If stewarding God's money on earth is our training ground for heaven's treasures...how are we doing? I could do better...

New Life Covenant Cincinnati's  2nd Anniversary is THIS WEEKEND and our 30 for $30 campaign is on NOW!! Please be a part of what we're doing to make an impact in the City and beyond... 

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - PREPARE- SADELL BRADLEY- NEW LIFE COVENANT CINCINNATI 3/5/15


Are you where you want to be? Are you accomplishing your desires? Is your life making an impact? I prayed, 'Lord let Your Kingdom come, and Your will be done in my life, just like it is in Heaven.' (Matt. 6:10)  'I will be faithful over the little that You've entrusted to me, then you can trust me with much more.' (Luke 16:10) I am so aware of my need for: wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, for doors of Divine access, for favor with God and man, for miraculous supply and good stewardship, and for platforms on which to stand and declare the good news of the Gospel. Knowing you're dependent on God is not a bad thing!! I confessed struggling with not having accomplished more by now.  To this He replied, "I just want you to prepare."
  • to make something/someone ready for use or consideration
  • create in advance - pre-plan
  • make someone ready or able to do or to deal with something
  • be willing to do something
In whatever direction you feel God calling you, or you just want to go...prepare.  FAITH ACTS as if what we hope for is so (Heb.11:1), and faith without corresponding works, is dead (James 2:26)  It's time to go to yet another level of PREPARATION!!   

As we are faithful to prepare for what God is calling us to, He is faithful to use His power, influence, provision and people to help prepare the way! You and I are not special in this, God prepared the way for Jesus by using the prophets Isaiah and John the Baptist. (Reference Mark 1: 1-4):    

1This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.It began 2just as the prophet Isaiah had written: "Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way.3He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord's coming! Clear the road for him!'" 4This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

It's hard for us to imagine that God would want or need to set up a preparation plan for His Son's coming to save the world, but He did: probably not so much because He wasn't ready, but because WE weren't ready. HE is ready for us to do and be all that He has said...but are WE ready? Let's get there...  

The Roman Philosopher Seneca said, "'Luck' is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."  We don't believe in luck, but in God's Divine plan and destiny. What if God had people, provision and possibilities all lined up, but they were just waiting for a PREPARED YOU?!   

New Life Covenant Cincinnati's  30 for $30 campaign is on NOW!! Please be a part of what we're doing to make an impact in the City and beyond... 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - IMMANUEL - Sadell Bradley - 12/25/2024

  WEDNESDAY'S WORD IMMANUEL 12/25/2024 "By the light of nature we see God as a God above us, by the light of the law we see Him as ...