DAN GOULD

FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Author: dgould77

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 10

    “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” v.12-13 (NLT)

    Temptation is everywhere! And at anytime anyone of us get drawn in to its appeal. We’ve all heard the phrase, “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time” or, “I don’t know how it happened, it just happened.” If you are not careful you will become a victim to something you may say, “Oh that will never happen to me” right now.  I have seen men and even women who never thought they would have an affair, have an affair. Simply because they weren’t careful and thought that would never happen to them.

    Temptation is out to get you.  If you do not set up some boundaries what you thought could never happen to you will turn into, I don’t know how I got here! Because of this, there are places I won’t go and things I won’t do. It’s not that I can’t do these things and it’s not that these things are bad, It simply that I am protecting the things that are more valuable. For example, I do not go places with the opposite sex alone.  We do not ride in a car alone, we do not eat alone, we do not meet alone. To some, this may sound foolish! But this is the place I draw the line and protect my relationship with my wife.  Doing this reveals that I value my relationship with my wife so much, that I will not put myself in a situation where temptation could get the best of me, even if I think it wont!

    Today, What kind of boundaries do you need to set up so you don’t get caught in the moment and give into temptation? I don’t know what kind of boundaries you will set up, but I do encourage you to have them!

     

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 9

    “Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.” v.19 (NLT)

    What a challenge and way to live.  As Christ-Followers we have a responsibility to share our faith with others.  In his last words to the disciples Jesus told them that they would receive power through the Holy Spirit and that they would be His Witnesses. There is a saying that you have probably heard that goes like this, “People don;t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Giving up your rights for the sake of someone else, spending time with people without demanding anything from them, and serving them in a way that communicates care, compassion, and a Christ Centered Life will speak volumes to the people you are trying to share Christ with!

    Today, how are you adjusting your life to share Christ with the people around you? Are you willing to do anything you can so they can come to Christ?

     

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 8

    “But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.” v. 9 (NLT)

    WARNING: People are watching! And they are making judgments and adjustments to their life based on how they see you live yours. With social media, what use to be private has now become more public. Every aspect of your life can now be on display and it is impacting others! It impacts the way they see you and how they see Christ.

    If we aren’t careful we could cause someone to stumble by the things we do! One of the reasons I have chosen not to drink alcohol is this very reason.  Even tho I could, I chose not to because it could cause someone else to justify an addiction if they saw me drinking. This is just one example among many.  The reality is we impact others by the things we do and the things we don’t do and we need to be careful about how it impacts others that may be watching!

    Today, how will the way you live impact others?  Will it challenge them, encourage them, or keep them trapped in a sinful lifestyle.  Use your freedom wisely!

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 7

    “God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.” v.23

    I don’t know the exact statistics but sexual addictions run rampant in our society.  It’s said that most teenagers by the time they reach 6th grade they have already been exposed to pornography.  Homosexuality is becoming more and more socially accepted. Internet Pornography continues to gross some 14 billion dollars annually. Our world has bought into the “if it feels good do it” mantra!

    As Christ-Followers, it can be challenging not to be drawn into these temptations.  They are everywhere!!! But we must remember, that God has called us to a higher standard.  One day we will be rewarded for choosing to not be enslaved by the things of this world.  Always remember, you are a prized possession and belong to the Lord!

    Today, when that sexual temptation seeks to lure you in, resist it by remember all that Jesus has done for you and focus on Him instead of giving in!

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 6

    “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” v 9-11 (NLT)

    This is quite the list of sins and lifestyles that are not pleasing to God.  Sadly we live in a sex saturated society where lines have been blurred and lifestyles have tried to be justified.  This isn’t a new thing, these addictions and lifestyles were addressed in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament.  But they are just that, addictions and a lifestyle that is opposite of what God desires!

    When we ask Jesus to be a Lord and Savior, we surrender everything to Him.  Everything includes everything we were, are, and going to be! Everything means that we face and repent from who we use to be, Confess who we are and the struggles we have, and allow Him to transform us into the person that is more like him.  This may be difficult, you will have to face temptation, but Jesus has the power to take replace all of these desires that cause us to be addicted to these lifestyles, IF we are willing to seek Him completely not holding anything back!

    Today, what are you hanging on 2? May verse 11 truly be said of us!! No more games, no more hiding, no more justifying, Jesus we need you!

  • 5 Signs your team has Synergy!

    One of the challenges in working with a team (especially in the church) is creating momentum that produce life change!  I have been on a couple of teams. Teams that seemed to create, experience, and maintain momentum, as well as teams that just dreamed and talked about having momentum. But there is one thing that I have found to be a catalyst in momentum and that comes from the synergy of the team you are apart of.

    Synergy is the ability of your team to come together to stack hands and achieve thing together that’s bigger than what each of them could have done on their own.  It’s something that takes work to develop and protect, but once you have it, hang on for an incredible ride.  Here are things that I have seen from teams that have synergy.

    Authentic Leadership – There is nothing more engaging than being on a team where authenticity is modeled!  From the platform to the one-on-one conversations an authentic leader allows others on the team to see them from the inside out.  Nothing catapults a team more than being able to see the heart behind the leader and leaders they are stacking hands with. I believe this is where synergy starts.

    Celebration – Now I’m not talking about celebrating to the point that it looses its meaning!  I am talking about recognizing the work that’s being done by the efforts of the people on the team and by the people they lead.  Learning how to recognize the small victories encouragement to see bigger ones down the road.  Also, don’t limit the celebration just to work related things, celebrate the personal things also.  This communicates to your teammates that you care about them as a friend not just a co-worker.

    Spending Time Together – We have all heard the saying, “Love is spelled TIME!” Teams that have synergy simply hang out together.  They have learned the value of doing life with the people they work with.  It doesn’t have to be a lot of time, but times spent with each other at work and away from work, goes a long way!

    Trying New Things – Teams that seem to have synergy are not afraid to change/challenge the status-quo. This allows for the team to talk through strategy, express creativity, and achieve something together.  You may not need to create new things, but evaluate what you currently do and talk about how it might be done differently. Some people like to manage while others like change.  Learning a balance here is very important.  Timing is everything and can create or kill the synergy with in the team and the momentum of the organization.

    Laughter & Learning – One of the greatest ways to establish and protect the synergy of a team is when it’s filled with both laughter and learning.  Create times where you learn together from God’s Word and other leaders.  You can do this by reading a book together, watching something together, or attending a conference together. It’s important spending time learning together, but it’s also important laughing together.  Create times where you simply hang out and enjoy being with each other, no agenda, just creating memories as a team.

    These aren’t the only 5 things that can gauge synergy. But I’d be willing to bet if your team isn’t experiencing synergy and moment, one, if not more, of these 5 things are missing!

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 5

    “It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.” v.12 (NLT)

    This is a difficult passage to read not just be cause it talks about sexual sin, but because it points out how we are to deal with those that claim to be Christ-Followers but continue to live in sin. Sin is serious and we can’t avoid it or it will run wild through our lives and if it’s not addressed it will run wild in our church causing our church to lose its witness in the community.

    This is challenging because we want to be accepting of all people, and let’s be honest, confronting someone of sin is difficult.  However, it may be the very thing that God uses to convict and correct their behavior and in the process grow you to greater maturity.  Remember, the goal is always to point people to Jesus and to challenge believers to become more like Him. Before you look outside at others, make sure you have looked inside at yourself. If you are struggling in a sin talk to someone who can listen to you, pray for you, encourage you, challenge you and hold you accountable. In this, is the authentic community that Jesus Rescued!

    Today, what do you need to confess and who do you need to challenge?

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 4

    “For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.” v.20 (NLT)

    Ouch! We have all heard the phrase “Talk the talk and walk the walk!” It’s a phrase used to remind us of the importance of putting our words into actions. For many non believers, they look at people who claim they are Christians with words but then contradict those words by their own actions.

    A true Christ-Follower lives by God’s power! Think about that for a moment! Are you living by God’s power? We unleash God’s Power in our life when we spend time in his Word weather by reading, hearing, or participating in the Word. But the Super Natural Power of God flows when we Meditate on His Word, Evaluate our lives according to His Word, and Activate our faith in the Light of His Word! When we do these three things, it brings His Word to life! This allows us to live by His Power in a way others can see Him more clearly.

    Today, lets live by God’s power so others can see that being a Christ Follower is not just a title but a way of life!

  • Leaving a Legacy

    Today, I attended a memorial service to celebrate the life of a man I never met! However, after hearing the testimony of the life he lived, I wish I would have had the opportunity.  Story after story, people shared of his life, his commitment to Christ, his love for his wife, kids & grand-kids, his generosity, his integrity, and his knowledge of scripture. I quickly realized that this wasn’t just a man who said he was a Christ-Follower, this was a man who lived every day for Jesus! The evidence of his relationship with Christ was seen and heard by the testimony of the people in the room.

    As I listened I was challenged, convicted, & encouraged to think about my own life & the legacy I would leave behind.  Would my boys be able to stand as his sons & daughters did today to tell about how their dad lived everyday for Jesus & challenged them to also? Would people be able to see evidence that I loved my wife as Christ loved the Church, & would others be impacted for Jesus by my influence?

    These are all questions that we need to ask ourselves from time to time.  These are the very things that will define who we are, who we live for, and who we touch with our life. It is the legacy that we will someday leave behind.  We don’t know how or when that may be, but lets live with no regret, taking advantage of the day and living it as if it were our last!

  • Bible Challenge – 1 Corinthians 3

    “Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.” v.18

    Sometimes I am my own worst enemy! It’s easy for me to deceive myself by looking at my life and thinking that I am doing pretty good.  I can see sin, call it sin, but then justify it if I indulge in it.  There are times that I try to fix things on my own, serve on my own, and simply live in the way I want to live. I can have knowledge of a lot of things and still be foolish. But I don’t want to live like this!

    I want to experience the Power of God that raised Christ from the dead, healed the sick, made blind men see, and the lame walk.  This can only be found when I step away from everything I know, and experience the unknown by putting my faith Christ.  Until I am willing to truly step out in faith, I will be trapped by my own knowledge, good works, and pride!

    Today, think about the areas where you deceive yourself. Are you willing to face the known and unknown and truly put your Faith in Christ?