Our crisis becomes our cross. If we will bear it, it will become the pathway to glory : A message by Steve Trevino

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Sermon by Steve Trevino

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Some Papercut

Another reason I love Macs

Lion looks toward storm

I came across this image the other day and was stirred. This is a good example of maturity in a believers life. The storm is approaching and yet the lion sits unmoved. Looking toward his storm not away, confident and bold.

The wicked flee when no man pursues but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

Prov. 28:1

MEET FRANK

Waiting in front of a dope house on a hot Houston afternoon, Frank Medders had been gone for twenty-five days now. Leaving his two sons with their grandmother, as he continued down a path that had become very familiar during his 15-year addiction to crack-cocaine. While waiting to score, he raised his head to examine the surroundings. He could see a school across the street. Not just any school, but the school where his oldest son attended. Other parents were lining up to pick up their children but Frank was waiting outside of his connection buying dope. His son had stopped expecting to see his dad picking him up long ago.

The school bell rang and soon children poured into the schoolyard. The potent reality of the moment set off a whirlwind of emotions that could no longer be ignored. The driver door flung open and Frank bolted out of his vehicle into the street and ran. A sprinting, six-foot, four-inch white man with quite a stride is an unusual sight for a quiet neighborhood street. He wasn’t even sure why he was running or what he was running from but he just ran. Maybe he was ashamed at the man he had become, a deadbeat dad, a thief, and a crack head. Maybe he hoped to out run the misery and despair that had become his life. He ran with the desperation of one fleeing danger until he could run no longer. Collapsing under a tree in the middle of a sprawling urban district sat a man who had been defeated by crack-cocaine. Like Elijah fleeing the wrath of Jezebel under the disappearing shade of the juniper tree, Frank was running from a different spirit. Broken, ashamed and defeated Frank wept. He wept bitterly and painfully over his condition. He needs to change and he wants to change but doesn’t know how.

Fortunately for Frank, his story has a happy ending. He was later picked up by the police and taken to Harris County Jail. FULL ARTICLE

This is pretty funny!

Mary vs. Martha = Law vs. Grace

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”- Luke 10:38-42

Here we have a clear example of the two covenants. Mary & Martha have opened their home (hearts) to Christ and they have two completely different modes of living out their new faith. Martha represents the old economy of Law. This is works righteousness that strives through serving to earn an audience with Christ. It was tradition and customary to serve guests as they arrived to your house. Mary on the other hand broke custom and tradition and chose to rest at the feet of Jesus. Mary represents the new economy of Grace, resting in the finished work of Christ. Notice the reaction of Martha toward Mary, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?” Typical response of a legalistic mindset is to be critical, tired, and bitter and feels the need to question God. “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Do you ever find yourself wrestling instead of resting?
How does the Holy Spirit draw you back into grace?

Blue Ocean Strategy

Pastor Robert Barriger of Camino De Vida, Lima Peru speaks about Blue Ocean Strategy during the premier United Pastors Network gathering in Dallas, TX May 12-14 2008

Notes adapted from Marketing Trends PPT, Philip Kotler – Brian Houston



Blue Ocean Strategy
W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne





At the heart of Blue Ocean Strategy is differentiation.

“The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the LORD your God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.” Deuteronomy 11:10-12

Red Ocean vs. Blue Ocean





















The Red Ocean is red because of competition. Two companies with similar production competing for the same customers.

Ex. Coke vs. Pepsi

Similar products, similar profits, similar people= Red Ocean. This breeds fierce competition and much blood shed.

Why not get out of the Red Ocean and into the Blue Ocean?
The Ocean is blue because its free of blood. No fierce competition and an untapped market.

Ex. The Strategy Canvas of Cirque du Soleil



Leave the red ocean of intense competition and capture a blue ocean of uncontested market space.

The key value is innovation

Start with a strategy canvas

The horizontal axis captures the range of factors the industry competes on and invests in.

The vertical axis captures the offering level that buyers receive across all the key competing factors (high to low).

The challenge is to find a new value curve to escape from the red ocean.

Use the four action framework:

1.What factors to eliminate? (cost goes down)
2.What factors to reduce well below the industry’s standard? (cost goes down) –
3.What factors to raise well above the industry’s standard? (differentiation goes up)
4.What new factors to add that the industry has never offered? (differentiation goes up)

OUR MISSION, A message by Pastor Steve, Thursday Night May, 15,2008

In Christ, Through Christ, Of Christ

These are the crosses we bear:

Calling people INTO CHRIST,

Rom. 6:11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1Cor. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

2Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Teaching them to live THROUGH CHRIST,

Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Embracing daily the Cross OF CHRIST.

Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

1Cor. 15:31 I die every day — I mean that, brothers — just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Phil. 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

2Cor. 4:10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.

2Cor. 4:12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.


When light falls upon an object a form is cast without effort.

The forms of the cross, (shadows)

OUR CORE VALUES OF DISCIPLESHIP

LORDSHIP (in Christ)
Calling all people at all times to believe into Christ Jesus and experience the Lordship of Christ in their lives.

FELLOWSHIP/MEMBERSHIP (through Christ)
The ongoing work of Sanctification through the cross continues in the believer.

We are committed to providing and encouraging environments, which complement authentic relationships and connections between God and others.

We are dedicated to the local church. Allowing the love of Christ to flow through us toward each other, the community and the world.

PARTNERSHIP/LEADERSHIP (of Christ)
Through partnering with our members we are fulfilling the great commission of Jesus Christ. We are committed to building and creating ministry opportunities and helping others fulfill the calling of God upon their lives.

Paying above 'fair trade' Some Houston roasters travel directly to Central America for supply

ACATENANGO, GUATEMALA — Like most Houston businessmen heading to work in the pre-dawn darkness, all Mike McKim could think about was coffee.

But as others satisfied their urge sipping takeout lattes on traffic-clogged highways, McKim was following his obsession up a winding mountain road into Guatemala's misty highlands.

The owner of a small Houston coffee-roasting house, he spent the morning trudging between snow-capped volcanoes thousands of miles from home looking for the perfect brew.

In the past, small U.S. coffee roasters seldom visited faraway Third World producer countries. Instead they bought beans directly from an importer.

But now a growing number of small-scale, high-end roasters are going straight to the farmer's gate to find "single origin" beans that will dazzle picky customers' palates.

"Flying down here is a massive investment, but it's one I'm prepared to make," McKim, who owns Spring-based roaster Cuvée Coffee, said recently during his first trip to Guatemala in search of a supplier. "There are some really great coffees in some very obscure regions."

In a process dubbed "direct trade," roasters sign multiyear contracts promising farmers more than the volatile world coffee price in exchange for steady, high-quality supply.

McKim pays farmers between $2.50 and $4.50 a pound for green coffee, which is currently going for about $1.33 a pound on the New York Board of Trade.

Industry giant Starbucks already offers such long-term contracts. Now small- to medium-size roasters focusing on the $12.3 billion-a-year luxury food market are getting in on the act.

FULL ARTICLE

MaxMan Saturday Morning MInistry

Pastor Cyrus Rod of Uganda, Africa visits Victory Family Men’s Ministry

WHAT'S YOUR DRIVE AND PASSION?

1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

Genesis 4:1

Here we have two men, Cain and Able. They are both born with a sinful nature however they have not been opened up to sins yet (according to scripture). As they grow up they are friends. But when they come into the presence of God sin is revealed. How? They offer sacrifices. They each presented two entirely different types of offerings.

Abel offered an offering of blood, through death.
Cain offered an offering of grain through the work of his hands.

Abel’s offering is accepted. Cain’s offering is rejected.

When Abel’s offering was accepted, God poured His favor upon Abel. Everything he touched had the favor and blessing of God upon his life. But Cain’s offering was not accepted. When his offering was not accepted something was revealed within Cain.

From the rejection of his offering was manifested a drive and passion to commit sin.

[Motivational speaking] causes discontentment to be stirred up within people so that a carnal, fleshly, satanic drive will arise within people.

Are you tired of living from paycheck to paycheck? Are you tired of struggling all the time? You don’t have to struggle anymore. All you need is 10 steps to victory, or 7 keys to success. All of the answers you need are already within you. This type of message will stir you up and creating a drive and passion within you. The root of it is a desire for acceptance among the high achievers. At the core of this dangerous message is discontentment. Christ is the passion, the drive. He will “cause” you, Christ will move you.

There is a drive and a passion that manifests through a spirit of rejection. There is a drive within men that springs from man’s envy. When we are not accepted by God or others we feel the need to work and earn acceptance. This is only flesh and will never fulfill a person’s life.

And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Eccl. 4:4

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Testimony of a MaxMan

I have been a student of the Majoring Men curriculum at my church for only 11 months. In that short time, I have had the undeserved honor of watching men become transformed into real men; men who have come to the understanding that “manhood and Christ likeness are synonymous”. I have seen a man on the brink of leaving his family acknowledge his own sin, repent, and receive complete restoration in his home. I have seen a mother sit in her car for 2 hours on many Saturday mornings in front of a church while her two sons are inside at a men’s meeting being taught the truth about manhood so that they can avoid the same path that led their father to imprisonment. I have seen many men receive deliverance of all sorts of sexual and substance addictions. I have personally learned more about being a real husband and father in the last 11 months of studying the Word through the guidance of Dr. Edwin Louis Cole’s books than the world has attempted to teach me in the first 30 years of my life. “While men look for better methods, God looks for better men.” Whether you are a new believer in Christ or have been in men’s ministry for 20 years, the Majoring in Men curriculum will open the eyes of your heart to the true calling of God on the life of every man – to walk-in the responsibility of being Christ to your home and to the nations.

Abel Villarreal – Music Minister
Victory Family Fellowship