Seven Best Practices for 2018

This has been an amazing year, but it is quickly coming to an end.

I want to challenge you with some of the practices which will make this next year even better. I see these practices as good for life and a blessing for the woman and man of God.

May God bless you as you grow in the coming year.

Here are seven “best practices” which will help you grow in God and make a difference in the world.

Number 1. Play the Movie. I heard this phrase years ago and have tried to put it into practice. It simply means to think through the consequences of your decisions. Dr. Phil would ask, “How’s that working for you?” Playing the movie means that you think through your actions before you have to determine how your actions are working.

Number 2. Bracket your Day. I try to put a bracket around my day by both beginning and ending it with God. Prayer, Scripture, and seeking God’s guidance at the beginning and the end makes for powerful and meaningful days.

Number 3. Read, Study, and Grow. Be a life-long learner. For pastors this is essential. Let your teaching be fresh by never quitting.

Number 4. Learn Sound Theology. Theology is the knowledge of God. We need to deal with correct views of God and how He works in the world.

Good theology will help you make it through the tough times of life.

Number 5. Live the Fundamentals. I learned this from my high school football coach. He taught us and drilled us on the fundamentals. By doing so, he turned “little and slow” players (his words) into a team better than it should have been.

Learn the basics of life and live them and you will have a much better year.

Number 6. Speak and Live the Truth. As Jesus said, “Let your yes be yes and your no be no.” Speak the truth in the little things and you will do so in the really big areas as well.

Number 7. Speak the Truth in Love. As you seek to encourage others by speaking truth, do so with a gentle spirit motivated by love.

I pray that God will bless you with a wonderful, growing 2018.

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4 Responses

    1. Thanks, Cindy. I really appreciate all of you who read so faithfully.
      About the basics, I have a conviction that we too often get all upset about the things that don’t really matter to the detriment of the things that do. Over the next two or three weeks I plan to write about each of these best practices. I hope to expand what I mean at that point.

      1. That reply is almost as good as the 7 practices that you wrote about. Thank You for your faithfulness and always giving us your best. The life lessons that you share are priceless.

  1. If we would all live by just these 7 principles we would live a wonderful fulfilling life. Thank you for reminding me of this!

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