Yes and No and starting fires

The God we serve is always a "yes" God.

2 Corinthians 1:20 states, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "yes" in Christ.  And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God."

The promise of God are "yes" in Christ.  We simply need to be in agreement with them in prayer.

I am thankful that our God is a "yes" God.  Oh, I know that sometimes he tells us "no", but it is always for our benefit.  God is not a negative, unhappy, "always saying no" type God.

At least the God I serve is not.

People can be "yes" or "no" depending upon their personalities.

None of us can be all "yes", all the time.  There are certain situations that demand that we say no for the good of a person, a child, an employee, an organization or a church.

But none of should be all "no" all the time either.

It is very frustrating for me to hang around or work with someone who says, "no" all the time.

Let's use this analogy.

Some people are firelighters.  When you are around them their attitude is great (as we talked about yesterday), they leave you with a smile on your facing ready to live an extraordinary life for God.

They are "yes" people.  It takes a lot for them to say "no" to an idea, a new venture, or a new direction that God is leading his people to take.

I love firelighters.  I love people who live by faith.  I love people who are willing to risk.  I love people whose first inclination is to say "yes."  I love people who light a fire, not only in me, but in the people around them.

I leave their presence passionate for God, passionate for His people, passionate to attempt great things for our Lord.

Some people are firefighters. 

They smother the fire that is within your heart and soul. 

My word to you today is:  "Watch out"!

Watch out for fire fighters.  A firefighter is anyone who tries to put out your fire or your organizations.

Listen to the firefighting statements:

"It's not in the budget".  "It's not practical".  "Yeah, but".  "We've tried that before".  "That's not the way we do things around here."  "Who will do the extra work"?  "Why change?  Things are working the way they are".  "It will never work".  "That would be a good idea somewhere else."

Let me give you some facts about firefighters:

Firefighters focus on what's wrong with the idea rather than on what's right.  They find a problem in every solution.

Firefighters possess a questioning spirit.  Asking question is good for any group.  We all need feedback.  A questioning spirit is bad for any organization.

Firefighters hate change.

Firefighters accept everything before the "but" as baloney.  "Yeah, but what about this."

Firefighters keep many people with great potential (including churches) from going to the top.

Jesus dealt with a group of firefighters called the scribes and Pharisees.  He said they "strain at a gnat and swallow a camel."  And "they appear beautiful outward but are within full of dead men's bones."  (Matthew 23:24,27.

Instead of having "fire in their bones" they had "death in the bones." 

Or as someone once said, "it is hard to soar with the eagles when you are flying with turkeys."

So, I encourage you today to hang around firelighters.

I encourage you to attend firelighting events.

I encourage you today to attempt firelighting deeds for God.....and don't let the "no" people get you down.