I Have Another Dream...

Though the sound waves are 50 years old, Martin Luther King's voice continues to travel through time. The voice still echoes through the Lincoln Memorial and through the red hills of Georgia. And though some of those dreams have become a reality...many have yet to be fulfilled. Racism and inequality continue to exist in our great nation and most likely will continue to exist as long as we insist on governing ourselves apart from God's word.

As great as the continuing need is for racial harmony and equal opportunity when it comes to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness for all men and women who are citizens of the United State of America...there remains an even greater injustice in the world. 

Martin Luther King was a voice for thousands and hundreds of thousands who had no voice...and he used that voice to make one of the greatest speeches of all time. 

But where are the rallying cries for the millions and millions who are born, live and die without a single moment in, a single interaction with, or a single word from the Bible. Where is the voice echoing through our churches for the millions who have suffered generation after generation for over 2,000 years without a single word of the gospel in their language.

200 years of racial inequality pales in comparison to 2,000 years of living and dying apart from any knowledge of the gospel. Yes many horrific things have happen during those 200 years; but even Martin Luther King benefited mightily from being born in the realm of the gospel reach. His name was changed early in life, after the great reformer 'Martin Luther'.

If we would only truly understand how much worse, how much more awful, traumatic and desperate is it being born in a land where there is no gospel light than being born black in America in any era. Being born in a land where there is no gospel...means you never have the opportunity to call on the name of the Lord and be saved. And you if can not call on the name of the Lord...you perish. You lived eternity apart from him, in torment. That is much worse than anything we can imagine or suffer here in America. (Never mind that most of those same people don't have access to clean drinking water and medication never mind the right to vote, health care and flat screen tv's and the 1,000 other luxuries we have!!!!) 

The lack of fervor by supposed born-again believers for world evangelization is a much worse atrocity than any social injustice we face in America. The lack of interest in living for God's dream because we are too busy living for our own dreams is a much worse injustice than any social issue America is up against today.

I have a dream...that one day America Christians will wake up to their disobedience and realize that there are still over 2,393 whole languages in the world that do not have a Bible. They do not have the message of sin through Adam and salvation through faith in Christ alone! 2,393 whole languages can not call on the name of the Lord and be saved today! But we are more worried about our cell coverage.

I have a dream...that one day America Christians will wake up to the reality that there is only 1 missionary per 1 million unreached people in the world today! 

I have a dream...that one day soon Southern Baptist Christians will wake up from their stupor and realize that there are over 6,686 Southern Baptist Christians per unreached group in the world today!! 

I have a dream...that we would start caring less about our own comforts and desires and more about God's desires.

I have a dream...that we would be more concerned about people in Kenya getting the gospel for the first time than if we are treated fairly today, or if our clothes are just right and our lives are turning out exactly the way we planned.

God has a dream. Will it be your dream?

God has a dream...that all the nations that he has created will come and worship him. (Psalm 86:9)

God has a dream...to gather all his sons and daughters that he created for his glory. (Isaiah 43:6-7)

God has a dream...that one day there will be a great multitude from every tribe, tongue and nation worship him in Heaven! (Rev 7:9, 5:9)

God has a dream...that the church would abandon their own pursuits and obey him at all cost to make disciples of all nations. (Matt 28:19, Matt 16:24, Matt 19:29)

To close...amongst all the hype of continuing social injustices in America that do need to be addressed, don't forget the greatest injustice and inequality of all... that we have over 100 translations of the Bible in English, while 2,393 languages don't have a single one.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Two Criminals, Two Crosses, Two Choices...

<sup>Two Criminals, Two Crosses, Two Choices...

I love the allegories in the Bible. The analogies. I have come to learn that everything that happened in the Bible (from the smallest, seemingly most insignificant account to ---> the greatest) has a specific, intended spiritual lesson. I really love the ones that increase the understanding of the significance of Jesus' death. One of my favorites is the comparison of Jesus and Barabbas to the scapegoat and sacrificial goat in Leviticus 16. I would really encourage you to study up on that one. The account of choosing of Barabbas over Jesus seems so insignificant and random that you can totally miss it; I know I did for the longest time. The fact was that the High Priests were the first to cry out "Free Barabbas - Crucify Jesus" (Mark 15:11) while the two men stood at the front of the Temple...and they were literally performing the Old Testament instruction for the Priest to select the appropriate animal for an atoning sin sacrifice at the front of the Tent of Meeting. (Lev 16:7-9)
 
If I asked you "Who was the first person to be set free because of the sacrifice of Christ?" You may flip through your Bible to look for the first disciple who expressed clear understanding after the resurrection. You may look for a name of someone at Peter's speech at Pentecost. A really observant person may even say "the Roman Solider who was at the foot of the cross" and after Jesus died, said "Surely, this man was the Son of God!" (Luke 23:47) Truly the first person to benefit from the sacrifice of Christ, in a very real way, was Barabbas. 


This note isn't about Barabbas (though I should probably write one about that account)...this note is about the first person to be spiritually set free because of the sacrifice of Christ. 

38</sup> There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. ³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:38-43

The two criminals represent all humanity. All of humanity will be categorized along side of (with) these two criminals...and the determining factor will be how we each, individually, respond to the savoir in the cross in the middle of us.  


Notice how similar they are. Both are suffering the pain of crucifixion. Both are guilty of a crime ("we are getting what our deeds deserve," v. 41). Both see Jesus, the sign over his head ("King of the Jews," v. 38); they hear the words from his mouth ("Father forgive them," v. 34). And both of these thieves want desperately to be saved from death.

Things are then divided between these two criminals and between two categories of people by how they each respond to Jesus on the cross, next to them.

All of us have all these things in common with these two criminals: there is suffering in our lives because of sin and we are dying because of it. We are guilty of many crimes. Most of us have seen Jesus on the cross in some way, shape or form and have heard his claim to kingship and his gracious words of forgiveness. And all of us want to be saved from death and suffering in one way or the other.

The First Criminal

The first criminal says, "Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”   What a picture of a spiritually destitute, worldly man. It is a matter of total indifference to him that he is suffering "the due reward of his deeds." He does not recognize that he is a criminal and that the punishment he is receiving is correct and fair.

To him right and wrong, praise and blame, good and bad are of no interest: his one objective is to save his earthly skin. He might even believe Jesus is the Messiah, the King of the Jews. But, it's only a matter of convenience to him: he'll take anybody as king who can get him off the cross. Just another way to serve his own worldly purposes. He fails to acknowledge that he is on that cross because of his own doing.

Notice however the other criminal: this one is the one Luke and Jesus want us to be like...

The Second Criminal

First, he is not sucked in by the other criminal's response.

He is not basing his opinion or response to Jesus on anyone else's inaccurate babbling about Jesus. The world has a bunch of incorrect notions about Jesus and will babble all day about your "craziness" to believe in such a man. Do not let your individual response to Jesus be swayed by other dying criminals who fail to recognize their situation. 

Second, he fears God.

'the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? '
God was real to this man and he feared the holy wrath of God.

Third, he admitted that he had done wrong and that the penalty he was receiving was correct. 

"We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve."  He had no desire to save face any more; he had no more will to assert himself. He was here and laid open before the God he feared and there was no way to hide his guilt. Not only did he admit to wrong and guilt, he accepted his punishment as deserved. We must admit that we are sinful, we are criminals against the most high God and we must admit that our sentence of death and separation from him is what our deeds deserve.

Fourth, he acknowledged that Jesus was righteous and the King of heaven.  

"But this man has done nothing wrong....Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
It didn't make any difference to the first criminal if Jesus was right or wrong. We must say with the second criminal: "This man has done nothing wrong." This man only does what is good. This man only speaks the truth. This man is worthy of our faith and allegiance and imitation.This man was perfect and died in my (a criminals) place. This man acknowledged that Jesus was who he said he was; the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, righteous and holy as God alone is righteous and holy...and we must do the same. 

And finally, the second criminal does one more thing. He fears God, admits wrong, accepts justice, acknowledges the goodness and power of Jesus. Now he pleads for help.

"Jesus, remember when you come into your kingdom." Both criminals wanted to be saved from death. But how differently they sought their salvation: 1) "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" Prove yourself to us! 2) "Jesus, remember when you come into your kingdom!" If you don't remember me, I have no other hope!!! There is an infinite qualitative difference between "Remember me!" and "Save me!"

Jesus response to these two criminals was almost as radically different as their own responses to him.

To the first criminal, there is no record of response. I take this to mean that Jesus didn't reply. He didn't respond. Jesus did not reply to the first man. Jesus did not save this man, or give any promise of future deliverance. The man did not come to Jesus in the way that God demands. Neither will Jesus respond to any sinful criminals alive on earth today who do not come to him the way that God demands.

Jesus does reply to the second man.

He promises this second man that today, this very day, without delay...the man will be with Jesus in his kingdom. If we too reply like the second man, today, this very day, we can be brought into the kingdom of God. We can be called children of the King, sons and daughters of the most high God. We can be removed from the punishment that is due our deeds.

God is for me and that's good. God is for God and that's not bad. God's glory in me is best for me.

I decided to launch this note as a spin off of the key phrase in Wreck-It-Ralph...Boston's favorite flick. 

Wreck-It Ralph: I am bad and that's good, I will never be good and that's not bad, there's no one I would rather be than me. 

Here it is: God is for me and that's good. God is for God and that's not bad. God's glory in me is best for me. 

There are a handful of truths that have so completely turned my life upside down that I base almost everything I do/teach on them. They are so profound and totally encompassing that you'll find their hands in all of scripture. I have found that the more I focus on these overarching few truths, the better off I am.  

A few of them are: Man must have faith in what God has said. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. I can do all things, and only things by Christ who strengthens me. We must be confident in our position, if we are to be impactful in our condition... etc. 

One of the most revolutionizing that: When God seeks his own glory in my life, it is actually the most loving act possible towards me. God's aim and effort to glorify himself is very loving (not selfish) and is without fault of any kind and is very different from human self-exaltation and it is a supreme act of love. 

Let me explain....

God Pursues His Own Praise

Everything he does is motivated by his desire to be glorified. God's goal in all he does is to receive praise for the glory of his name.

Isaiah 48:11:

For my own sake, for my own sake I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.

It's pretty clear that even our salvation is under the purpose of his own gathering of glory: 

Listen to Ephesians 1. There is a phrase repeated three times in verses 6, 12, and 14 which makes it very clear what Paul thinks is the goal of God in saving us from sin and for himself. Notice verses 5 and 6:

He predestined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace.

Then verse 12:

We who first hoped in Christ...have been appointed to live for the praise of his glory.

Finally, verse 14:

The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory.

His goal in the end is that he might be admired, marveled at, exalted, and praised. Christ is coming, Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 1:10, at the end of this age, "to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at by all who believe." 

Some people have a very hard time swallowing all this however, because it makes God appear to be selfish. And doesn't God love us? Because doesn't John 3:16 say that "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son?" Wasn't salvation based strictly on his love? Was he for us when he saved us or for himself?

It is all right for God to be praised, but it doesn't seem quite right for him to seek praise. Didn't Jesus say, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted"? Yet, God's clear purpose from Scripture is to exalt himself in the eyes of man.

There are two reasons, I think, why we may stumble over God's love for his own glory and his zeal to get men to praise him for it.One is that we don't like humans who act that way, and the other is that the Bible seems to teach that a person ought not to seek his own glory. 

First, we just don't like people who seem to be very enamored by their own skill or power or looks. 

Second, we are told not to be self seeking...1 Corinthians 13:5 says,"Love seeks not its own." So this, seems to create a crisis: if, God makes it his ultimate goal to be glorified and praised, how then can he be loving? How is it not selfish and self-centered for God to be seeking his own glory, and how it is in fact loving?? 

Scriptures that teach that God is for himself. "For my own sake, for my own sake I do it, my glory I will not give to another" (Isaiah 48:11). But if God is a God of love, he must be for us. Is God for himself or is he for us?

The Infinite Love of God in Pursuing His Own Praise

The answer is: because God is unique as the most glorious of all beings and totally self-sufficient, he must be for himself in order to be for us. If he were to abandon the goal of his own self-exaltation, we would be the losers. His aim to bring praise to himself and his aim to bring pleasure to his people are one aim and stand or fall together. 

(For any other creature to seek self exaltation and praise would be SELFISH, because every other creature is NOT supremely valuable.) 

Think about this: What could God give us to enjoy that would show him most (perfectly) loving?There is only one possible answer, isn't there? HIMSELF! 

If God would give us the best, the most satisfying thing,that is, if he would love us perfectly, he must offer us no less than himself for our contemplation and fellowship. Because, isn't God the best there actually is??

And this was God's very intention in sending his Son. 

Ephesians 2:18 says that Christ came that we might "have access in one Spirit to the Father." And 1 Peter 3:18 says,"Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God."God conceived the whole plan of redemption in love to bring men back to himself, for as the psalmist says, "In your presence there is fullness of joy, in your right hand are pleasures for evermore" (16:11). God is after us to give us what is best—not prestige,wealth, or even health in this life, but a full-blown vision of and fellowship with himself.

Therefore, if God is truly for us, if he would give us what is best... we must know that, he must make it his aim to win our praise for himself. Not because he needs to shore up some weakness in himself or compensate for some deficiency, but because he loves us and seeks our best that can only be found in knowing and praising him, the most beautiful of all beings.

God is the one Being in all the universe for whom seeking his own praise is the ultimately loving act. For him self-exaltation is the highest virtue. When he doesall things "for the praise of his glory" as Ephesians 1 says, he preserves for us and offers to us the only thing in all the world which can satisfy our longings. God is for us, and therefore has been, is now, and always will be, for himself. 

Running the Wrong Way, With Eternity on the Line

I saw this video this morning and it got me thinking.
It is a video of a Kent State player, who recovers a muffed punt during the opening night of College Football!

He snatches up the ball and then displays an incredible zeal for victory and willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team win and begins tearing down the field. He sheds a few tacklers,  brilliantly stiff arms a guy and goes 58yrds in about 6 seconds. He displayed skills and speed that any team would want in a player. 

The only problem is...

He was running the wrong way!! 

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8320884/kent-state-golden-flashes-andre-parker-wrong-way-run-grabs-attention

It happens every once in a while in football. It usually involves a turnover or scrum and the man who comes up with the ball is turned around and confused as to his position on the field. The bloopers are always hilarious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nr9hjssWwM

It is really sad when this happens, because the whole effort was IN VAIN! It didn't count!

And in fact, IT COST THE TEAM!!!!

This got me to thinking about many Christians, including myself.

We are so eager and zealous for God. We just want him to "give us the ball". We want to do great things for him, we want to help his "kingdom come". We want to be and do and accomplish great things for God. We want to help score, we want to help the Church cross the goal line.

The only problem is, a lot of times, we are running the wrong way. We are not running in the scoring direction. The direction that God, the game designer has laid out.
We are running with great desire and passion, even correct motives...but we are running against the referee's whistle.

We think that building larger Church buildings and having more attendance is how we score.

We think that cutting out more sin than last week is how we score. Sadly, some even think that winning is if the Church building uses less electric than last year.

We think that inviting a friend to an Easter service is evangelism, while failing to ever talk to them privately about their sin and savior.

We gobble up the new books from the hottest celebrity pastor, we even sign up for the next conference where we think we will hear earth shattering news that will really "give us the info we need for growth"...as if God's word hasn't already told us the MISSION and the METHOD!

All the while we have yet to pray for the 2,000+ languages that do not have a single word of God's message of truth in their dialect, or truly considered if God is asking us, no commanding us, to go or get seriously involved.

All the while we sit silent next to a neighbor who is dying apart of any true understanding of God-Sin-Satan-Salvation. 

All the while we keep singing songs "where you go, I'll go..." and his word says "Go into all the world..."

All the while asking what his will is, if we could only know...yet reading "Seated around the throne was one from every tribe, tongue and nation."

Let's get the ball.

Let's run with zeal.

Let's run in the right direction and score and score a lot!

It is really sad when we as Christians run in the wrong direction, because the whole effort (our lives etc) could be IN VAIN! It didn't count! And in fact, THE DIRECTION AND WAY WE RUN CAN COST THE TEAM!!

Contender or Pretender in World Missions

Did you know that for all time, as recorded in the Bible, that God has had ONE Mission!? 
http://www.experiencecommunity.org/resources/sermons/04-29missionsconference%28hazen%29.mp3

That mission is for  "All nations who You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name." Ps 86:9 

That mission is for "[A]ll the nations [to] come and worship before You." Rev 15:4 


That mission is for "My name [to] be great among the nations." Mal 1:11

That mission is for "[T]he nations [to] know that I am the Lord." Ez 36:23

That mission is for "[M]any peoples and mighty nations [to] come to seek the Lord of hosts." Zec 8:20

That mission is that God's "way may be know on the earth" and His "salvation is known among the nations" so that "the nations can be glad and sing for joy" and so that "all the ends of the earth may fear Him." Ps 67:1-4, 7

That mission is that God is gathering for himself a holy people, one from every tribe, tongue and nation...who will praise and worship him forever! 

"After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands." Rev 7:9 

"[Y]ou were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation." Rev 5:9 

Did you know that this mission has been given to the Church? To EVERY believer? 

^"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt 28:19-20 

"We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God." 2 Cor 5:20

But there is a big problem! 

Even after 7,000 years of history and 2,000 years since the Deliverer over 2.4 Billion people worldwide do not have access to this message, that God wants them, loves them and has purchased them. There is only 1 Missionary per 1 Million unreached people in the world today!!

There are 6,686 ‘Southern Baptist’ Christians in the United States of American PER unreached people group in the World! (16million Christians for 2393 languages)

That number is SHAMEFUL! We should be DISGRACED at our lack of obedience to God and concern for the lost!

At the end of time, when a "great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language," are "standing before the throne and before the Lamb" in Heaven, and God ushers in his Kingdom Reign and a massive celebration...ARE WE going to be able to celebrate in that moment, because WE had something to do with the fact that God's mission was accomplished?!?! 

 Just imagine for a second what that will be like when God says "Enter into the eternal worship of all the nations. You, however, had nothing to do with putting it together. In fact, as I recall, you never even shared your faith with those around you. Fortunately for the world, there were other who did--they made their lives count. This is their victory, enjoy the party anyway...poser."

Do you want to be the Quarterback on the Superbowl winning team or the water boy? Do you want to be Emmitt Smith or Thurman Thomas? Do you want to be Albert Pujols or Bill Buckner? 

The fans cheering on the real players in the contest, battling for the goal, never get to lift the trophy. They may feel like they had a role in winning the championship...but they didn't. 

Are you a contender in God's cause for his glory among every tribe, tongue and nation, or are you a pretender? 

Are you disobedient, or obedient?  

 

10 Ways to be Missional Right Where You ARE!

1. Each time you go to your bank, make personal conversations with the tellers and get to know them! Once every 4-5 months bring them in some donuts. You’ll be amazed at how well that will go over! 

2. Join and be a regular at your local gym and go at routine times…more than likely you will see the same faces at the same time of day. Intentionally bike next to someone, start a conversation. Befriend the staff. (Keep it to the same-sex, gyms are dangerous places). 

3. Take a regular stroll at your local park. More than likely you will see families with small kids, other people walking their dog. Immediately you have a common bond…you both change diapers, you both scoop up poop after your dog. :p 

4. Students: Actually attend your school’s Bible Club and turn it into an exciting thing to attend. Study something that is relevant to EVERYONE, not just maturing believers. Be real, open and honest. Be welcoming, be overly nice to new comers. Get a leader/teacher who is enthusiastic, energetic, who loves people and can accurately and effectively teach the Bible. 

5. At Christmas time, or New Years, Easter, Halloween get a small gift for your neighbors, and hand deliver them. Tell them how much you appreciate them, or wish you saw them more. When mowing your lawn, mow your neighbors occasionally out of the blue. When shoveling your snow, shovel your neighbors occasionally as well. Find out and remember your neighbor’s anniversary, birthdays, kids birthdays and do something small on those days for them. 

6. Start attending the local High School sporting events. Ask the families around you who there child is (what number etc), compliment them about their child during a good play. 

7. Check your areas Craigslist for community service needs…and then organize a small group of people from your Church, or sign up your small group to go and assist at the public service need. You can also ask the neighbors on their block if they need specific yard work done etc. and rally your small group/Church to help them. 

8. Frequent the same restaurants. Get to know the staff and servers. Ask a local restaurant owner how you could bless their employees. Be extra generous at Christmas time etc. Ask personal questions about family, jobs, education, interests. Run through open doors with follow up questions when a person admits a struggle, a hurt, pain, or shows excitement about something. 

 

9. Frequent the same gas station and make an effort to get to know the workers there. Stop a little longer for your Coffee fill up and make a conversation with the cashier or other employees. If your car is like mine, you are at the mechanics all the time for oil changes, tune ups, new brakes, new this and that….get to know your mechanic. Build a relationship with them. These people are starving for relationships, they are under a car all day, covered in oil! It isn’t easy for them. Expect them to be pretty gruff and unsocial. But it is worth it! 

10. Watch sporting events at the same local sports bar/restaurant in your city. You’d be shocked at how many people go out to watch the big sporting events, and/or local sports teams on TV. There is an Official Steelers Sports Bar in almost every major city. You show up every week with a Terrible Towel and you’re instantly friends with 200 people. 

When the friendships have grown in these sphere’s of influence, because of your loving, intentional efforts. Begin to take the friendships to the next level…that is, move them from casual to more personal. Rather than inviting a person to Church, where they will feel awkward, unwelcome, out of place…consider starting a small group just for them and inviting them. Build the group around where they are at in life. Give them a book that is a clear walk through of the Bible, such as ‘The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus.’ http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Road-Emmaus-John-Cross/dp/1890082147

Top 10 ways to Add Value to Others

1.Ask how someone important to the other person is doing. It
could be a child, a spouse, a family member, even a family pet.The most sincere way that you can verbally care about someone else is by caring about
who they care about! Doesn't that make sense? When you see someone who has
children it is always a great conversation starter to ask , "How are those wonderful kids
doing?" If you know that someone's dad recently had surgery, go ahead and ask how
the recovery is coming along. 


2. Ask specifically: "Is there anything I can do for you?"You communicate how much you value someone by simply asking the question.
Sometimes it's nice to do something for another person without them asking or
surprising them. But if you're not a good guesser and you don't have psychic abilities,
just ask. Do you need with anything? What I can do to help you? What can I do to help alleviate that in your life?  

3. Spend time with people. Often we communicate a person's
value to us simply because we like hanging out with them, with no agenda.
Time is a precious commodity and a valuable resource. How can you spend this
resource effectively on others? Being the person that someone just
wants to hang out with is an amazing feeling...our free time is truly the only thing that
most of us have to give to another person, and it is the most precious gift of all. Who
do you show their value to by "just hanging out" with them? Who do you need to spend more time with?

4. Remember people’s names.
This is a big deal when dealing with people in ministry, in business, in life. People are very attached to their
name! Nothing makes a person feel valued more than knowing they made enough of
an impression on you for you to remember their name! It helps in the dating world too!

5. Remember people's birthdays, anniversaries, and special
occasions. Send them a note on those dates to let them know you
are sharing in their celebration.
It doesn't matter if a person is 4 or 40, everyone likes to be acknowledged for being
born! If you can make a note in your records of someone's birthday and remember to
send a card or make a surprise phone call on their special day you will surely make
them feel valued! Same goes for life events such as anniversaries and promotions!

6. Strive to be the first to help a person whom you know in need.
Sometimes we can be at the right place, at the right time, for someone who needs our
assistance! You know when those moments happen and you act on them, most of the
time! Keep your eyes and heart open for ways to be helpful in your family and your ministry and
community. 

7. When someone asks for your help or assistance with
something, always do a little bit extra. It is the extra that turns
ordinary into extraordinary.
This is called “going the extra mile.” It means we have the opportunity to do
more than is expected of us. It is the “and then some” mindset. Someone asks you to
help them clean their backyard, so you help them clean their backyard and then
some.Someone asks for you to help for 10 mins, you help for 30mins. 

Zig Ziglar said that there “isn ’t much traffic on the extra mile” – not very
many travel there. This is why it shows people how much you value them when you
make the extra effort for them.

8. Send handwritten notes as often as possible. Writing a note
out by hand expresses more of a personal touch and a greater
investment of time.
I keep thank you notes and other small cards in office, in my bedroom, in my kitchen,
this way I can always conveniently jot a note to a special friend! Try to make a habit of
making someone aware of their value to you by personally writing a thank you for
anything they have done for you, been for you etc.
Nothing beats a sincere and physical thank you for making a positive impression.
Email/online thank you messages just don’t have the impact, the weight, of an actual
card or letter. 

9. Offer the unexpected, anonymous gift. Bring coffee to your coworkers. Arrive to work early and leave a small gift on someone's office chair. Leave a gift card on someone's windshield.
I love this one...it is amazing how something as small as cookies, a pie, a book, a magazine etc. will light up 

someone's face. Talk about adding value to their life. You can give things that really can add value, like my personal favorite, a BOOK! 

10. Find out what kinds of hobbies people have, topics they are interest in and send them ideas, brochures, or fliers on that subject. Send them a book that recently blew you away!
If you read an article, a blog, a book etc that really taught you a lot, SEND IT ON TO THEM. Get it for them. Add value by giving them more information, a training experience, more knowledge. If you just recommend the book, the article etc. the odds are about 1-999 that they will go get it on their own. 

When you read a good book, think about who else would benefit from it and invite them to borrow it or purchase a copy for them. Make sure you refer people to books that you've actually read.