June 2014
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winner’s Circle
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June 2014
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winner’s Circle
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Contents
Finish Strong, Not Wrong
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Class of 2014 Gradutes
7
Continuous Learning
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Pastor G’s Growth Garden
9
Words of Life from Pastor G
A Recipe for Victory
10
The Finish Line
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Christian Education
14
A Youth’s Perspective on Fashion
16
Fun in Faith
18 Word of Life Christian Church George Wilkinson, Pastor 460 W. Atherton Rd. Flint, MI 48507 (810) 232-5944
June 2014
www.thewordisalive.org
June 2014
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winners Circle
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Words of Life from Pastor G
I
t has been said that success is made up with bookends, the first bookend of success is deciding to start and the second bookend of success is having the discipline to finish. One without the other will lead to unfulfilled missions and scattered dreams.
In order to be a finisher, one must embody the key traits such as character, discipline, sacrifice, and tenacity - these qualities aren’t stylish, but they are essential ingredients for believers to encompass to finish strong. We all have projects, goals, objectives and dreams that are in their initial stages. I encourage you to pursue these initiatives with all that you have and remember when you approach the final curve and are in the home stretch to finish strong - for the race is given to the one who endures to the end. The following are excerpts on character, sacrifice and tenacity from John Maxwell as it relates to finishing strong. CHARACTER Emotion might drive us to make a decision, but character, or discipline, is what keeps us going when the journey gets hard. A person with character makes decisions on principle, not on the basis of what is popular. He or she honors commitments instead of catering to convenience. High-character, disciplined individuals work steadily regardless of circumstance, creating their own momentum by dint of a steady work ethic. SACRIFICE Being a finisher requires recurring installments of sacrifice, not a one-time payment. Sacrifice is a leader’s constant companion. As influencers, we must give up to go up, ever exchanging our rights for greater responsibility. Most people expect to pay a price to achieve their goals. Yet, many people seem to have a vague concept of sacrifice, viewing it as something distant or far-off. Consequently, when their goals demand a significant investment, people are bewildered and resist giving up anything. If you desire to finish strong, you will need to sacrifice earlier than expected and to give up more than is comfortable.
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TENACITY Tenacity means quitting only when the job is done, not when you’re tired. Much of life is spent laboring in the trenches. To reach the finish line, you must wade through tedious details, take care of thankless tasks, and tie up thousands of loose ends. Most people tire along the way, settle for second-best, and stop before reaching their goals. However, a select few push on, refusing to stop until they’ve taken hold of their dreams. So as we run the race of life let’s ensure that we look toward the finish line with a mindset and determination to finish strong. It has been stated that there are three kinds of people who arrive at the finish line of life: 1) Those who start wrong but finish right. Like Paul: ...I persecuted the church...and tried to destroy it (Galatians 1:13 NIV). But after he met Christ on the Damascus Road, Paul’s life was captioned in one phrase, For to me to live is Christ...(Philippians 1:21 KJV) 2) Those who start right but finish wrong. King Saul was one. He strayed from God’s will and lost his crown at Mount Gilboa (the word Gilboa means pride). His life is summed up in these his final words,” I have acted like a fool...” (1 Samuel 26:21 NIV) 3) Those who are afraid to run. The following poem describes them: There was a very cautious man who never laughed or played; he never risked, he never tried, he never sang or prayed. And when one day he passed away, his insurance was denied; for since he never really lived, they claimed he never died. Which of the three are you? I pray that the June Theme of “How to Finish Victoriously” - “Enter the Winner’s Circle” will make an indelible imprint on your life and positions you to become a faithful finisher for Jesus.
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winner’s Circle
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June 2014
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winner’s Circle
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June 2014
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winner’s Circle
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CONTINUOUS LEARNING IS REQUIRED TO FINISH WELL! “You need someone to teach you.” -Hebrews 5:12 NIV One of the keys to becoming a finisher is learning that you must always be teachable and never cease learning. Continuous improvement is the mindset of those who strive to live a life of excellence. One who mastered learning was an individual named Charlie Chaplin. Born into poverty, he worked onstage to support himself, and by age seventeen he was a veteran performer. Then at age twenty- nine he did something unheard of: he signed the entertainment industry’s first milliondollar contract. But he wasn’t successful simply because he had talent and drive. He was also teachable. He kept learning and perfecting his gift. Even at the height of his career, the highest paid performer in the world didn’t rest on his laurels. He said: “When I watch one of my pictures I pay attention to what the audience doesn’t laugh at. If several audiences don’t laugh at a stunt, I tear it apart and try to discover what’s wrong. On the other hand, if I hear laughter I hadn’t expected, I ask myself why that particular thing rang the bell with the audience.” The truth is, if Charlie Chaplin had replaced teachability with complacency and arrogance we probably wouldn’t even remember his name today. But he didn’t. He never forgot the basics, and he committed himself to learning. Eventually he cofounded United Artists, a megamovie company that’s still in business today. There’s an important principle in this story. The Bible says, “Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again.” If you want God to use you, stay teachable and never stop learning.
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Finish Strong...it’s more than a statement, it’s an attitude. When you combine the word Finish with Strong you create a powerful platform for high performance achievement across all aspects of your life…personally, professionally and spiritually. You’ll live regret free and know at the end of the day that you gave all you had to give and that you would not change a thing because you did indeed…Finish Strong. Finish Strong – Amazing Stories of Courage And Inspiration, is a great motivational and inspirational book for men, women, teachers, teenagers, athletes, coaches and business professionals. If you are looking to motivate others or learn techniques to live a life of finishing strong this is the book for you.
June 2014
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winner’s Circle
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L
ast month our focus was on writing your story. Many authors who write will tell you that ‘The End’ is one of the most most exciting sentences for an author to pen. It indicates that all the work and planning is over and you’ve finished! You’re heart rate is up, you’ve done a lot of laboring and sweating, and are hopefully in the winner’s circle, ready to receive your Pulitzer Prize. But if you think about it, I mean really look back and reflect, there are lots of steps in between that help to get you to that point. In the same way a runner trains and gears up for running a marathon, writers and believers are required to do something similar... ponder, plan, and get in position; for it’s through this process that we become winners. Let’s for a moment probe the minds of these seasoned authors, Kevin and Arlene Williams to understand their recipe for finishing strong. What are you main ingredients for finishing strong? God, family, faith, and team work.
What would be your advice to those who might be reading this article about finishing strong? In order to finish strong, you must start with the end in mind. Visualize yourself winning, formulate your plan and vet it out with God, then commit it to memory, vocalizing it often; speak it into existence! Also remember, God blesses us with our own individual stories, no two stories are alike, no two victories are alike. Be authentic to your story and your victories for they make you who God has called you to be. What advice would you give to married couples that are in the race together? Once you have decided to run the race together, understand that “the two become one”. There is no leaving your partner behind. Collective stories create a life long narrative that puts the spotlight on the blessings of marriage. When you win together, the reward is sweeter!
What do you do when you get tired? We’ve made a commitment to never give up; to always Why are they key? finish strong! Finishing strong for us means giving We view our family as a team. Each member of the our very best and then some. Our Christian walk is team/family has a role and responsibility. We also extremely important to us as it is the foundation for acknowledge God for who He is; our Father whom everything. When we are weary, we rest, regroup, and we put all our trust and faith in. He is the captain of revisit the plan. This fuels us and provides us with the our ship. energy necessary to go forward. Authors usual acknowledge those who have assisted them or were most influential with their work. Who are you planning to acknowledge when you finish your life’s novel? Our parents provided the foundation, our friends provide support, and our siblings have allowed us to stretch and grow. We would certainly want to give them all a shout of thanks. Writing your story comes with successes and challenges, how have these helped to frame your life together? Well, challenges help us grow stronger and have served to draw our family closer. They also help reinforce areas of growth. Successes have helped to keep us encouraged. In our family, we believe in rewarding success and hard work.
June 2014
How has The Word of Life Christian Church family been a sentence in the story you are writing? The Word of Life church family, along with George and Sophia have and continue to be a loving supportive essential part of our family. There we are provided with real and genuine fellowship and love. As your story continues, how will it be penned in the years to come? We are sure we’ll enter many more competitive arenas and trust that there will be stories of blessings, giving, and passing on a legacy of love that will far outlive us.
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The Finish Line
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very 4 years the Olympics take place. We see countless athletes competing in their respective events. What we don’t see is what it took for them to reach this type of platform. These are people who have committed to a goal, stayed focused, sacrificed and worked tirelessly in an effort to be a winner. It becomes a job that they punch in to everyday, with the motto of “No Days Off”. Training stops being what they do and becomes who they are. As sons and daughters of the faith we too should be in constant training to prepare to cross the finish line. The blessing is we are running in a race that has already been won. Jesus said in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. June 2014
In this world you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world”. Our job is to register and show up. Registration is when you make up your mind that you are going to be a follower of Christ, and the entry fee to this race was paid on Calvary. Showing up is when you live for and represent Him every single day. We must be consistent in training, learning His commandments and how to love people into joining the race. It is written: Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all (Ecclesiastes 9:11 ESV). The question is what will you do with your time and chance?
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winner’s Circle
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There was a man who lived a life of crime. Stealing what others had worked hard for. His life of thievery finally caught up to him and he was tried, convicted and sentenced to death. On the day he was to be executed, there were two others who were to join him in death. One was also a thief and the other was innocent of any charges. The innocent man was mocked and the other thief joined in with the crowd. After wasting his whole life as a crook, with death nearby he realized a better way. He asked the innocent man for mercy. He was down to his last chance, yet he turned to Jesus for help. This simple
June 2014
act of faith and hope led to him crossing the finish line in paradise. He seized the time and chance to obtain victory over the life he had led (Luke 23:3943. The moral of the story is it’s never too late. We have all experienced failures, injuries and setbacks. Our route in this Christian race will have some hills, uneven terrain, rocks, and barking dogs. We will have to endure heat, dehydration and fatigue. It is the assurance of victory that pushes you further than you thought you could make it, because God is for you, and those against you will not win.
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winner’s Circle
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Christian Education
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Sunday sermons Week 1: Born to Win Week 2: What it Takes to Win Week 3: Failing Yet Winning Week 4: It is Finished
Weekly Mediation Scriptures John 17:4 Acts 20:24 2 Timothy 4:7 John 19:30 Hebrew 12:2
Christian Education Study Syllabus
June 3 - The New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9-27) June 10 - Jesus is Returning (Revelation 22:2-17) June 17 - Jeopardy (An Interactive Session) June 24 - Summer Recess Begins (Bible study in recess until the end of August)
The Word
Every God-begotten person conquers the world’s ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. The personwho wins out over the world’s ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:4-5 , MSG)
June 2014
Our Corporate Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we come submitting ourselves to you for we know you are the author and finisher, the beginning and the end. We worship and praise you and you alone. Father as we play this game of life,we recognize the road may not always be easy and that our main opponent, the devil, is a talented yet unfair player. Nevertheless, we know with you, we are capable of winning for we are more than conquerors through you. We ask for your unending strengthen and guidance. Help us to walk, talk, and live more like you daily. We aspire to not only finish the race but to finish strong and understand the game of life can only be won through love and faith. Decrease us so that your glory will shine through. We claim sweet victory right now, in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winner’s Circle
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perspective
Can Christians be fashionable? Are they allowed to have swag?Are the latest runway trends okay to wear to church? Should it really matter what you wear? Most young people want to look their best and many churches are moving towards a come as you are dress code; therefore, looking your “Sunday Best” is not as important as where your heart lies with God. Having said that, the question is worth repeating, can Christians be fashionable? The answer is of course, but only if it doesn’t interfere with your inward appearance which is what God really cares about.
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As young Christian men and women, there are two key points to ponder when considering fashion. First, the dress code for your church may be come as you are, but that shouldn’t be interpreted to mean come any old way and be revealing as you want to be. 1 Timothy 2: 9-10 (MSG) tells us that God wants women to be modest in their appearance and be attractive to the good works they do. He doesn’t want us to represent anything that belittles and is not a representation of who He is. We are strong and loyal followers and are clothing should represent that, just how you dress for your job or a job interview you put your best foot forward to show a strong representation of who you are. God wants his followers both male and female to be modest and represent your good deeds instead of your clothes. So a bit of fashion advice, instead of sexy think chic. Chic is being sophisticated and modest, yet confident in who you are. As Christians we should be confident followers who are not sexy but sophisticated; sophisticated in Christ. Secondly, the key to fashion is to remember the inward appearance is what matters most. What we wear means nothing if our inward appearance doesn’t represent God. However, many of us get so wrapped up in our outward appearance that we forget looking beautiful on the outside means nothing to God. Some of us even think our character is represented in what we wear, however, our mindset should be that what we wear should be a clear representation of who God is. 1 Peter 3: 3-4 (NLT) says that it is the beauty from within that God values the most and the expensive jewelry and clothes doesn’t mean a thing. Style is an expression of who someone is. Some take pride in how they dress while others may not care. Whatever the case, Christians are an expression of God. The clothes you wear represent who He is as well. If we’re going to join the winner’s circle, we surely want to look the part. Practice looking beautiful at all times, both inside and out but be careful not to let your outside appearance out shine your inward appearance, for God takes great notice of what you’re wearing on the inside.
fashion June 2014
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winner’s Circle
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Many times we tend to delay our chance of victory and our lives by allowing our minds to be caught up in an event that happened in the past. This can be a bad or even a good event. The bad event can be unemployment, relationship break-up or a loss of a loved one. The good event can be winning an award, getting promoted or buying a car. Both events can have a negative impact in your life. The bad can create prejudice, resentment or loneliness and the good can create complacency, pride, and allow you to get caught up in self. However, God placed our eyes only at the front and not at the back of our heads for us to look forward and move on. We’ll stop right there and allow the cartoon to speak for itself. It you are to finish victoriously and enter into the winner’s circle, you must let go of the past, move on, and look to God so that He can richly bless you as only He can!
Building Christian character can be a strain sometimes, but it is necessary to “keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:8), and will be a determining factor in finishing strong.
Fun in Faith June 2014
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June 2014
Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winner’s Circle
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