Tim Liston

Applause vs Criticism

In life you will receive both applause and criticism. How do you balance the two? Actually, you don't have to. Here's what I mean...

 

"A reporter once asked an insightful question when interviewing a woman from the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra: 'How does it feel to get a standing ovation from the crowd at the end of your performance and then wake up in the morning to a negative review in the newspaper?' Her response was also insightful. She said over time she has learned not to pay attention to the applause of the crowd or the disapproval of the critics. She was only after the approval of her conductor. After all, he was the only person who really knew how she was supposed to perform."¹

 

As Christians, we live for an audience of One. Applause will come and go. Criticism will come and go. People are fickle in their opinions. It is impossible to please everyone. But, we're not supposed to even try. Paul says in Galatians 1:10, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."

 

Recently I spoke "hard truths" in church (in the opinion of someone who was there). They cautioned me, "Coming right out and saying it like that... you're going to run some people off." Actually, that doesn't worry me. I'd rather have a church with 1 person and obey God, than to have a church of thousands where I have to waterdown the truth. Truth is truth. Abraham Lincoln once said, "If you call a dog's tail a leg, how many legs does it have? The answer is four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."

 

I'll stick with the truth of God's Word, His principles, and His standards. Besides, someday I will stand before God. The people who wanted me to bend the truth or shave off edges won't be standing with me. It will be me and Him. And I want to be able to hear him say, "Well done."

 

 

  ¹ Replenish: Leading from a Healthy Soul, by Lance Witt.

Cancer, Rebuke, Pastors, Weddings, Christ's bride...

It's early Tuesday morning and I'll admit it: I'm a little all over the map today. It's already been a long week. But somehow, everything around me is related. I sat in M.D. Anderson yesterday praying, reading, and waiting as Ty had his surgery. During that time I made it halfway through the book, Replenish: Leading from a Healthy Soul, by my friend Lance Witt. I want to share two excerpts with you. In the first, he’s talking about rebuke; why we need it and how it is the highest form of love. The second is an interesting take on a Pastor’s job. Enjoy…

 

“A question I often ask people in ministry is, ‘Who in your life can rebuke you?’ Solomon said, ‘He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.’ When’s the last time a trusted confidant rebuked you about how you treated someone, or an off-color joke you told, or your insensitivity to your spouse, or your distortion of the truth, or your harshness toward a team member? A rebuke can be life-giving in the same way that a doctor exposing and removing cancer is life-giving. There’s temporary pain but long-term gain. Usually when we think of rebuke, we attach words like shame, guilt, and failure. But a well-placed rebuke from a well-trusted friend actually exposes the stuff in my life that could destroy me. If I have a friend who loves me enough to rebuke me, it is a [blessing]…

...As a pastor, my job is to watch after the bride [the church] on behalf of the groom [Jesus]. I am like a spiritual wedding coordinator. The coordinator’s job is to assist and serve the bride and groom, behind the scenes, in making their wedding day a meaningful event. No wedding coordinator worth their salt would ever steal the spotlight from the bride and groom. Jesus said, ‘Father, I want these whom you’ve given me to be with me, so they can see my glory. You gave me the glory because you loved me even before the world began!’ There should never be anything blocking the bride’s view of the Groom’s glory. My constant challenge as a leader in the church is to get myself out of the way so that the bride [the church] will be awestruck by the incomparable majesty of her Groom [Jesus]!”

 

BTW- A question I’m constantly asked is: Why isn’t your name on anything at New Hope? (Some people seem a little disturbed by this!) But the reason is simple: It’s not about me! It’s all about Jesus and for His glory alone!

 

Blessings! And thanks for your prayers for my family!

 

Replenish: Leading from a Healthy Soul, by Lance Witt

http://www.amazon.com/Replenish-Leading-Healthy-Lance-Witt/dp/0801013542/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327421226&sr=8-1

 

 

Bring a Bible You Can Write In, Series Addendum...

 
I've had a number of people ask for the Series Addendum because they missed church this past Memorial Day weekend. First of all, shame-shame... :) Second, I want you to bring your Bible every weekend, if possible. We're going to be giving you the opportunity to mark each and every service. And third, here's the addedum! (Complete with typos...)

 

Series: Bring a Bible You Can Write In (Addendum)

 Instructions: Write the topic on each page near the underlined verse when marking a string. (This will keep you from confusing other marked verses on that same page.) To keep the string going, never leave a page without writing where you’re going next. Page numbers apply to the New Hope Bibles only. Add verses you find on your own to the end of the suggested string. “Other” section at bottom includes individual texts – not in a string. Enjoy!

 

 

Topic- First Verse (for inside front cover)                              >Next Verse in String

 

Prayer- Lev 16:2 (p79) >Lu 23:44-46 (p737) >Heb. 10:19-24 (p 843) >Heb 4:15-16 (p 840) >Lu 18:9-14 (p732) >Phil 4:6-7 (p 820) >1 Thess 5:16-18 (p826) >Matt 6:9-13 (p678) >1 Pet 5:6-7 (p852) >Jam 1:6 (p847) >Jam 5:17-18 (p849) >Ps 34:15-18 (p387) >Ps 50:15 (p395) >Acts 12:1-17 (p767)

 

Salvation- Rom 3:10, 3:12, 3:23 (p784) >Rom 6:23 (p786) >Rom 5:6-8 (p785) >Rom 8:1-3 (p786) >Rom 10:9-10 (p788) >Rom 10:13 (p 788) >Rom 6:1-4 (p785)

 

Overcomer- Ps 46:1-3 (p393) >Isa 54:17 (p512) >Rom 8:35-39 (p787) >Jer 29:11 (p546) >Phil 4:13 (p820) >Rom 8:28 (p787) >Isa 40:21-28 (p500) >Isa 41:10 (p501) >Isa 43:2 (p503) >Jn 16:33 (p753) >1 Jn 4:4 (p856) 1 Jn 5:5 (p857) >Rom 12:21 (p768)

 

Science- Ecc 4:12 (p463) 3 strands 1960AD > Isa 55:10-11 (p 513) Hydrologic Cycle 1580 AD >Rom 1:18-20 (p782) Design >Gen 1:1 (P1) Designer >Job 28:25 (p???) Air Weight > Job 30:5-6 (p???) Cave men? Sort of. >Gen 1 (p1) “According to their kinds” used 10 times = Genetic Codes. >Isaiah 40:22 (p500) Round earth >Luke 17:34-35 (p731) Simultaneous day & night – once considered impossible >Leviticus 17:11 (p80) Bloodletting 1616AD >Job 40:15-25, 41:1-34 (p372) Dinosaurs (NOTE: Hyperbole used in description.)  

 

Comfort- Ps 23 (p382) >Ps 103:8-18 (p418) >Ps 91:1-2 (p413) >Ps 139:1-12 (p433) >Ps 73:23-24 (p405) >Jn 10:11-29 (p748) >Matt 8:23-27 (p680) >Ps 30:4-5 (p385) >Phil 4:19 (p820) >Jn 14:1-4 (p752)

 

Speech- Ps 19:14 (p381) >Ps 141:3 (p434) >Eph 4:15, 25 & 29 (p816) >Pro 15:1 (p447) >Jam 1:19 (p847) >Pro 10:19 (p444) >Pro 15:28 (p448) >Pro 17:27-28 (p450) >Pro 18:13 (p450) >Pro 12:22 (p446) >Pro 12:18 (p445) >Jam 3:1-12 (p848) >Pro 25:11-12 (p455)

 

Example- 1Tim 4:12 (p830) >Matt 5:19 (p677) >Matt 18:6 (p688) >Lu 17:1-3 (p731) >Rom 14:13, 19-21 (p791) >1 Cor 8:9-13 (p797)

 

Jesus=God- Dan 7:13-14 (p619) >Mk 13:26 (p710) >Jn 6:38 (p744)  >Mk 10:17-18 (p707)  >Mk 14:60-64 (p710)  >Jn 10:33 (p748)  >Jn 8:46, 58-59 (p747)   >Mk 2:5 (p700)  >Jn 14:6 (p752)  >Rom 10:9 (p788 – we marked this during Salvation lesson. Lord=God.) >Col 1:15-20 (p821)

 

False Prophets- Jer 14:11-16 (p534) > Jer 23:1-4 (p541) >Ez 13:10-12 (p582) >Acts 20:29-31 (p775) >2 Pet 2:1-3, 17-19, (p853-4) >2 Cor 11:13-15 (p808) >Gal 3:1 (p811) >1 Jn 4:1 (p856) >Acts 17:11 (p772) >Rev 2:2-3 (p862)  

 

No Fear- 2 Tim 1:7 (p832) >Heb 13:5-6 (p845) >Ps 27:1 (p384) >Matt 10:28-30 (p682) >1 Jn 4:18 (p857)

 

Forgiveness- Isa 1:18 (p474) >Ps 32:1-5 (p386) >Ps 103:8-12 (p418) >Matt 11:28-30 (p682) >Lu 7:47-50 (p721) >Lu 23:43 (p737) >Lu 15:11-32 (p730) >1 Jn 1:7-9 (p855) >Ps 130:3-4 (p431) >Col 1:13-14 (p821) >Eph 1:7-8 (p814) >Acts 10:43 (p766) >Acts 4:12 (p760) >2 Cor 5:18-19 (p805)

 

Forgiving- Matt 6:12-15 (p678) >Matt 18:21-22 (p688) >Eph 4:31-32 (p816) >Mk 11:25 (p708) >1 Cor 13:5 (p800) >1 Pet 4:8 (p852) >2 Cor 2:7-8 (p804)

 

Sin- 1 Pet 5:8-9 (p852) >Jam 4:17 (p849) >1 Cor 6:12 (p795) >Pro 4:14-15 (p440) >Gal 5:19-21 (p813) >Rom 6:19-23 (p785)

 

Peace w/God- Matt 11:28-30 (p682) >Rom 5:1 (p785) >Jn 14:27 (p752) >Isa 53:5 (p511) >Isa 26:3-4 (p489) >Isa 9:6 (p479) >Ps 4:8 (p375)

 

Children- >Deut 6:6-7 (p126) >Eph 6:4 (p817) >Pro 1:8-9 (p438) >Gen 18:19 (p11) >1 Tim 3:4 (p830) >Col 3:21 (p823) >Prov 29:17 (p458) >Heb 12:6 (p845) >Prov 22:6 (p453) >Ps 127:1-3 (p430) >Matt 19:13-15 (p689)

 

Leaders Lead- Titus 1:5 (p835) >Acts 20:28 (p775) >Ez 33:7-9 (p599) >1 Tim 5:17 (p831) >Heb 13:17 (p845)

 

OTHER individual events/passages you should know (not strings of Scripture)…

Noah and the ark Gen 6:9 (p4)  | Crossing the Red Sea Ex 14:21-22 (p48) | 10 Commandments Exodus 20:1-17 (p52) | Birth of Jesus Matt 1:18-25 (p675) Lu 2:6-7 (p715) Jn 1:14 (p739) | Jesus’ Baptism Mk 1:9-11 (p699) | Temptation of Jesus Matt 4:1-11 (p676) | Sermon on the Mount Matt chapters 5-7 (p677) | Golden Rule Lu 6:31 (p720) | Lord’s Prayer Lu 11:2-4 (p725) | Last Supper Matt 26:20-30 (p695)  | Crucifixion of Jesus Matt 27:26  (p697), Mk 15:24 (p712), Lu 24:20 (p738), Jn 19:18 (p755)  | Love Chapter 1 Cor 13 (p800)| Fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22-23 (p813) | Great Command Matt 22:37-39 (p692) | Great Commission Matt 28:18-20 (p698) | Faith Hall of Fame Heb 11 (p843) |

 

+ MORE TO COME IN THE WEEKS/MONTHS AHEAD!!!!

Book: The Case for a Creator

 
This is the book I mentioned in the services this past weekend. Lee Strobel was an atheist who investigated the claims of the Christian faith, hoping to discredit them. However, because of the evidence he found, he gave his life to Christ. He’s written other books, such as, The Case for Faith, and The Case for Christ. If you have a scientific mind and want to hear from someone who has done the research, The Case for a Creator is a must read.