Fulfilling God’s Plan for Your Life (Part 2)

Welcome back to our look at “Fulfilling God’s Plan for Your Life.” If you missed part one, feel free to take the time to read that before we continue on today. Fulfilling God’s Plan for Your Life (Part 1)

In Part 1, we focused on taking the time to get to know who God is for us as individuals.  And this is very important.  We can’t just skim over that and keep going.  It was God who not only created us but he also created the plan that he has for our lives.  Let us not be like the person who said “Lord, Lord.” But I pray that from this point on, we would all make a personal convenant with God to get to know him a little bit more in this beautiful journey called life that we are all apart of.

Now before we continue with today’s thought, I want to share a very important thought and it’s tied to what we just mentioned.  Are you ready? Ok, here it is: The Proof of Desire is PURSUIT! I hope if there is one thing you get out of today’s blog, it’s that.  If you say you really want to fulfill God’s plan for your life…then the proof of that desire inside of you will be you pursuing it.  I’m sorry to tell you…but the plan of God isn’t just going to fall on your lap.  It’s not going to be found in a fortune cookie and you won’t be able to ask someone else to discover your plan for you.  You have to do something about it.

Now, I just want to take the time to share a portion of God’s word (Don’t you just love God’s word? There’s nothing like it!) with you today and then you can continue on with your day. We’re going to glean from the book of Matthew 7:24-27:

 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

It’s important that we take the time to listen to the things that God is telling us.  It’s a sad thing when christians no longer hear the voice of God in their lives.  They begin to learn how to minimize the convictions in their lives.  In this story, God is telling you and I how to build our lives.  Our house is our lives.  And the house that we build will not only affect our lives but those around us as well.  I pray you understand just how important you are and just how much you matter in the eyes of God.  He loves you so much.  As a matter of fact, there’s nothing you could do to make God love you any more or any less.  He’s crazy about you and he wants to use your life for his honor and glory.

Your life is very important…so it’s important that we use the right tools to build the life that God has called us to live.  Just like a builder needs the right tools for each project he is given, it’s the same with you and I as well.  We have to learn how to build our house (life) on the rock (Jesus). When we do that, come what may come…but at the end of it all, we’ll still be standing and going forward accomplishing all that God has set out before us.

When we don’t take the time to build our lives according to the plan that God has, scripture is clear about what will take place, “it fell with a great crash.” Some versions say that it will “collapse.” Maybe you’ve seen this in your own life or in a loved ones life…where they experienced a crash. A crash takes place when the foundation is weak. It’s the foundation that holds up any structure.  Our foundation as christians is the word or God & prayer.  Those are the things we need constantly in our lives to be able to build a foundation that will last the test of time. Once a crash takes place, it can cause destruction and this is where other people could feel the aftershocks of the pain.  Too many christians today don’t take the time to build the right foundation in their lives and have grown up crooked or have allowed the effects of compromise (pet sins that sometimes turn into transgression and then iniquity) to cause gaps in their foundation. Give it enough time…and a crash is waiting to happen.

I believe you don’t want that kind of life or you wouldn’t be taking the time to read this.  Choose to be the wise man or woman that builds their house (life) on the rock. Take time to check your foundation today.  Allow the holy spirit to check your spiritual foundation to see if everything is in order. Be open to any adjustments you might need to make in your own life to avoid a collapse that would not only affect you but those close to you as well. Believe me, you won’t regret it!

Fulfilling God’s Plan for Your Life

God has a plan for your life!  I’ll say it again…God has a plan for your life! Now let me just ask you a few questions before we get started today.  Do you know that God has a plan for you life? Most people would actually agree with that question. Next question: Do you know what God’s plan is for your life?  Now that one isn’t so easy to answer for some.  Many would agree that they know there is a plan for their life but not everyone knows what that plan is.  Now for the final question: Are you fulfilling God’s plan for your life?  It’s one thing to know there is a plan, even another to know what it is…but in order for you to be able to be effective & fruitful, you have to take steps toward fulfilling that plan.

The plan God has for your life is great! And if you give it some time…it’ll affect not just your life but the lives of those around you.  I’m reminded of the plan that God gave Pastor Sonny Arguinzoni…to reach “Treasures out of Darkness.” It was from that calling that a world-wide movement formed, known as Victory Outreach International.  The mission (or you could say ‘plan’) is:

Victory Outreach is an international, church-oriented Christian ministry called to the task of evangelizing and discipling the hurting people of the world, with the message of hope and plan of Jesus Christ. This call involves a commitment to plant and develop churches, rehabilitation homes and training centers, in strategic cities of the world. Victory Outreach inspires and instills within people the desire to fulfill their potential in life with a sense of dignity, belonging, and destiny. Victory Outreach works cooperatively with others of mutual purpose in accomplishing the task before us.

It’s so awesome to see that “Treasures out of Darkness” are still being reached to this very day. That’s the kind of God that we serve! He has a plan so big for your life that it’ll affect not just you but those around you.  That’s exactly how I feel when I think about the plan he has given Victory Outreach Whittier. We call it the “Vision of the House.”

1. We’re called to be a Strong, Growing Thriving Church (Holy Ghost Hospital & University)
2. We’re a Ministering Church
3. We’re a Sending Church
4. We’re called to Possess the Land

You might be saying…”that’s great! But what about me?” That’s where we’ll turn a corner right now.  This has everything to do with your life too.  The plan that God had for Victory Outreach International & Victory Outreach Whittier didn’t happen overnight.  It took some time.  Are you taking the time to build what God has given you?

In Matthew 7:21, the bible says “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” It’s very important that we take the time to understand what God is saying right here (in the next blog, we’ll talk about how the proof of desire is pursuit, meaning we have to do our part).  He mentions ‘Lord’ twice.  And many times throughout scripture, things are repeated to get our attention.  And right here in this verse, I believe the Holy Spirit is trying to get our attention.  If you’ve taken the time to read this blog today, I believe the Holy Spirit is trying to get your attention.  He’s trying to speak to you and deposit something life-changing.  

The first ‘Lord’ was an acknowledgement of his authority.  That’s so important because God should be the supreme authority in our lives.  He should be the one that we allow to sit on the throne of our heart.  This is so important for us to catch because we could so easily read through scripture and miss what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us.  

The author goes deeper and says it a second time which not only acknowledged the authority that he had in his life but also it was also saying that ‘you know me.’ We have to learn to listen to what God is telling us.  Even right now…I don’t know where you’re at in your walk with God but I know that he wants to speak to your life.  He has great things for you.  He wants to share so much with you.  We just have to allow him to not only be the authority in our lives but we have to get to know him as well.  If we don’t do that, we’ll never be able to listen to what he is telling us and discover the amazing plan he has for our lives.  

There are so many more things for us to get into when it comes to the plan of God within our lives but I’ll leave you with that thought for today: are you taking the time to get to know him? Not just letting him be an authority in your life but the one you talk to on a regular basis. I pray right now that God would begin a new work in your life and that you would go from strength to strength. I pray that you would allow God’s word to begin to do something brand new and begin to take root like never before. Allow God to do what he wants in your life and you will never regret it.  Remember, God has a great plan for your life…just give it a little time and you’ll see!

Positioning Yourself to Receive all that God has for Your Life: Part 3

Today we’re going to jump into the third step in positioning ourselves to receive all that God has for our lives.  If you missed the previous two blogs, take some time to read them before continuing on.

Positioning Yourself to Receive all that God has for Your Life: Part 1

Positioning Yourself to Receive all that God has for Your Life: Part 2

The third step to keep in mind when we talk about positioning ourselves is: Repentance should lead to change, open to change & open to grow.

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” – 2 Corinthians 7:10

We have to constantly take time to evaluate our lives before God.  We never should come to a point in our lives where we stop being grateful for where God brought us out of.  It is only by His grace & mercy that we are here today.  I still wake up to this day saying, “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner. Lord, I thank you that you’re still merciful to this filthy animal.” I say filthy animal…because that’s exactly what I’d be without God.  I never want to get to a point in my life where I think I’ve arrived.  Or where I begin to get comfortable and start to live a mediocre life.  I want to become all that God has created me to be and accomplish all the great things that He has set out for me to accomplish in my lifetime.  And i believe because you are taking the time to read this…that’s exactly how you feel too!

I love this portion of scripture where Paul is writing to the church of Corinth.  He is warning them and us today that we should never get to a point where we sear our conscious.  We should have a repentance evident in our life that brings about salvation (in other words…a life that will lead to revelation or understanding).  And what is that understanding? In simple terms for you and I…sin brings pain.  How many times have you touched the iron in your life before finally realizing “it’s hot, don’t touch it?” Today I want to have a little heart to heart with you and ask you, is there anything in your life where the Holy Spirit is requiring repentance for?

“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” – 2 Corinthians 10:12

Paul again is speaking to a group of people who have taken the liberty to compare themselves with themselves.  Have you ever known someone to do this?  They were pretty much saying, “the measurement of greatest is me…” Now let me go just a little bit further, have you ever been guilty of this? When we’re stubborn or we get to a point where we stop or prevent the holy spirit from changing us..then we run the danger of being like the people from Corinth and we begin to compare ourselves with ourselves. If there’s not real repentance in our lives…there won’t be change because we won’t be open for change.  We’ll think we’re right.  And if we continue down that route we could end up like the adulterous woman in proverbs:

““This is the way of an adulterous woman:     She eats and wipes her mouth     and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’”– Proverbs 30:20

Before we end today…take time to answer this really honest question.  Am I growing?  To add to that question…are you growing in the areas that you need to grow in?  I’ve had to come to this crossroads in my walk with God many times…and in the end, I am responsible for my own growth.  No one else can do it for me and I can’t do it for you.  Are you taking time in your life to really think about the areas that the Holy Spirit is trying to adjust in your life?  Are you allowing Him access into your life? I want to encourage you today to really look at your life and ask the Holy Spirit to begin to reveal to you the areas in your life that He needs to work on in order for you to be more like Jesus.  Isn’t that our goal above everything? To be more like Jesus.

Here’s a starting list of things to begin to evaluate in your life (I’m sure you can add more.  But take time to ask, “where do I need to grow?”)

-Personality

-Emotions

-Stability

-Moods

-Enlargement of Your Spirit

-Love

-Commitment

-Giving

Positioning Yourself to Receive all that God has for Your Life (Part 2)

Today we’re going to jump into the second step in positioning ourselves to receive all that God has for our lives.  If you missed the first step, take some time to read that before continuing on.

Positioning Yourself to Receive all that God has for Your Life (Part 1)

The second step to keep in mind when we talk about positioning ourselves is: Responding to the Will of God.

God has a perfect will for your life.  God actually took the time to write out your story.  Another version says:

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
    all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
    before I’d even lived one day.

Since God took the time to make and create a unique being like you, he cares about your future.  He wants to see you fulfill the potential he put inside of you. There is a special purpose for you to fulfill.  Most people live in one of the following: the permissible will of God, the pleasing will of God or the perfect will of God.  If you were to take a second and think about that in your own life right now…where would you place yourself in that scale?  By the end of this blog, it is my prayer that you would respond to the will of God within your own life.  How you respond to God, will determine the blessings that will begin to overflow or stop flowing within your life.

I like the way James says it: (James 4:13-17)

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”

He opens up with “listen.” James is trying to tell us to pay attention.  He’s saying “look…it’s ok to plan. You have to have some kind of plan for your life. But a true believer thinks ‘God this is what I have planned…but what do you think?'” Have you ever had someone (maybe a friend, co worker or relative) come up to you and tell you about all the great plans they have lined up for their life or summer? If you’re like me, then you probably just listen politely and say ‘ok.’ There’s not really much you can say to someone that already has plans to go away for a few weeks when they’ve already got the time off work, made arrangements for a baby-sitter, bought the plane tickets, booked a hotel and a rental car…all you can really say at that point is “have a great time.” The sad thing is that many people tend to do the same thing to God.  They come to God and say “here God…check out my plan! It’s a great plan, huh? Can you just bless it? I’ve put a lot of thought into it. I’ve considered all the options and yeah it’s a great plan.” Sad thing is they’re not considering, “what do you think God?”

Has there ever been a situation in your life where you’ve said, “what was I thinking?” That’s the problem…we weren’t thinking.  We have to keep God in the center of everything we do.  That’s how we should respond to his will.  We’re only going to know his will if we keep Him in control.  Now I understand how hard that can be for fellow control freaks out there.  I had my own struggles with that myself.  But let me ask you, can’t you trust God? If he can run the universe…don’t you think he could run your life?  If he is able to sustain every living thing with consistency…don’t you think he is able to sustain you?  If you trust Him enough to take you to a place you’ve never seen (heaven)…don’t you think you can trust Him to pick out your mate?  How long will it take for us to get it that God knows more?  There could be situations that God has allowed to get your attention…but it doesn’t always have to be that way when you learn how to respond to God’s will.  Don’t be like Jonah and run. Why take the long way? Why take the detour?  Why take the stubborn route? God knows best!

Today, if we are humble and honest enough, we’ll acknowledge God in all our plans. Only God can put us in the right places at the right times that will begin to allow His blessings to overflow in our lives. I pray that you would begin to take some time right now and let God speak to you about how He would want you to respond to the different things that are taking place in your life right now.

Positioning Yourself to Receive all that God has for Your Life

At the outset of this blog, I want to make it clear that I understand once you receive Jesus into your heart as your personal savior that you are positioning yourself to receive God’s grace, mercy, love & salvation.  If you do or have done an in depth study on the book of Romans, you’ll know exactly what I am talking about. But what these next few blogs are going to be talking about…is receiving God’s blessings for your life.  There are certain things that both you and I have to do to be able to position ourselves to receive all that God has for our lives.

“The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.” – Proverbs 10:22

The heart of God is to bless you. He wants to increase you.  He wants you to enjoy the abundant life. The more than enough life. He wants you to be able to experience the (Zoe) of God which is his peace, joy & blessings…and like the scripture says ‘without painful toil for it.’

Are you ready to position yourself?

#1. Maintain a Holy Fear of God.

The first thing you and I must do is learn how to maintain a holy fear of God.  We must learn to live a life where we answer to an “audience of one.” We can’t get caught up in pleasing people but we must be caught up in pleasing the one that matters most…God.  Pleasing God will bring conviction in our lives and conviction is the compass that guides our lives.  Do you have a holy fear of God? Meaning a reverence, a respect and a love for God?

This idea was foreign to me when I first came to the Lord because I grew up in disobedience and rebellion.  You might be able to relate with me. But over time…and fast forward over three decades later…I have learned how to value my relationship with God.  When he speaks, I listen.  I listen even to the point that if others are against it…I will still obey.  And I want to encourage you to do the same.  At the end of our lives we will have to stand before God and answer for everything He entrusted us to do…I don’t know about you but I take that very serious. And more than pleasing people…I want to be pleasing to Him. Who are you pleasing?

The good life begins in the fear of God—
Do that and you’ll know the blessing of God.
His Hallelujah lasts forever! (Psalm 111:10 – The Message)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Good sense is shown by everyone who follows God’s guiding principles.
His praise continues forever. (Psalm 111:10 – Living Bible)

We usually approach God with one of the following types of fear:

a.  Bad Fear – In the bible this is referred to as “pachad.” This is a person reacting to something sudden or startling to the point of trembling. This type of fear is synonymous with terror, horror or alarm.  This fear can hold you back and paralyze you from doing things you know you should do. This kind of fear will paralyze or damage your faith.

b. Good Fear – I like how Charles Finney put it.  “It’s an affectionate reverence where God’s sons and daughters…they come into his presence and they humbly bow their hearts, their attitudes, their minds and their lives before a loving father.”

Have you been coming to God that way? The problem is that sometimes we have the wrong perspective of ourselves.  Sometimes we feel that people are putting us down when in reality it’s just God dealing with our pride.  We need conviction and when we don’t have it, we begin to become people that are married to compromise.  It fits into our little world so we keep it.  It’s sad too because some people have had the same bent in their lives for years…they get the victory for a season but then go right back to it later like an old familiar friend. Don’t be like those in the following verse:

For the leaders of my people—
    the Lord’s watchmen, his shepherds—
    are blind and ignorant.
They are like silent watchdogs
    that give no warning when danger comes.
They love to lie around, sleeping and dreaming. (Isaiah 56:10)

“To fear the Lord is to avoid evil.”

What’s your weakness? I want to encourage you today to do something about it.  We all have something.  It could be a bent towards being negative, lust, gossiping, anger, jealously…believe me this list can get pretty long.  But you can’t just ignore it…you gotta do something about it.  Start today by taking a few moments to evaluate your fear of God.  Do you have an awe of God in your life? When God speaks, do you listen and obey?  Have you been wrestling with God in your mind? Whatever it might be, respond the way David did in Psalm 51. Take time today to read that chapter and let God speak to you.  The first step in positioning yourself to receive all that God has for your life is maintaining a Holy Fear of God!

7 Things to Help You Accomplish Your Dreams (Part 2)

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

What’s your dream?  Have you been giving it some more thought lately? Have you been asking God to speak to you? Have you written it down? Let’s quickly review the first two things that we talked about in the last blog “7 Things to Help You Accomplish Your Dreams“:

1. Define Your Dream (Write it Down)
2. Divine Dreams require patience (Trust God’s Clock)

Today we’re going to jump into the third thing that will help us accomplish our dreams: Divine Dreams are often birthed from PAIN/Trials…

From the very beginning of today’s blog I want to let you know that God has a purpose for your life…and he has a purpose for everything that happens in your life because of that great purpose he has for you to fulfill.  You have to know that everything that happens in your life has first passed through the filter of God’s love.  God knows what he is doing and he knows what he has to do to get our attention.

I want to direct your attention to the book of James, chapter 1 for a second.  This is actually a very interesting chapter that uses 4 imperatives in the first chapter.  It just so happens to be the only book in the new testament that uses 4 imperatives in the first chapter.  These are actually commands, not suggestions that God is giving us. You’re probably thinking…”what does that mean?” Well, I’m glad you asked.  This means…that God is trying to get our attention in using 4 of them in this chapter.

As we see in the book of James, you and I should “Consider” it pure joy whenever we face trials of many kinds. That word “consider” means to evaluate.  We have to come to a place where we begin to ask God…”what are you trying to show me?” All this is taking place to test us.  Everything is tested…or it ain’t true.  It’s when we’re tested when the real us comes out.  It’s easy to say we’re ok when everything is going great: the bills are paid, the kids are obedient, the car isn’t acting up, traffic always goes your way and…well, you get the picture. It’s easy to have joy when we’re on the mountain top.  But let’s flip that around.  Are you still joyful when you don’t know how the rent is going to get paid? Are you still joyful when the kids are acting up? Are you still joyful when extra bills pop up, you & your spouse can’t seem to see eye to eye, the car is in and out of the shop, your dog doesn’t like you and….I’ll stop there for now.  We need to consider it pure joy…

Matthew 5:45 says, “…for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” My question to you though is, “how do you respond when trials and pain hit your life?” You’re outlook will determine your outcome so choose carefully.  We’re a lot like a tea bag…we’re worthless without being put into hot water.  That hot water can represent the pain and trials that God allows us to go through in our lives.  How do you respond? Do you complain? Do you long for the pain to go away? Do you say, “God…when is this going to end?” Oh…that just caused you to be dipped one more time. “I can’t stand her.” (one more dip) “Why now?” (one more dip) “This guy talks too much.” (one more dip) “It was her fault God…” (one more dip)

God knows what he’s doing. He’s building you into a spiritual giant. We shouldn’t long for the comfort & ease (represented by cold water) of life. We’re going to go through some things…but we all will.  And the next time you look at your Mickey Mouse problem…don’t worry because they’re going to get bigger. I like the way one person put it…”Whoever God will use greatly…he will first wound deeply.”

Take some time today to evaluate your life. You know the areas. You know the flaws. You have to guard the ointment in your life.  If you want a greater anointing….then you have to guard it well.  Why? Because flies will be attracted. That’s symbolic of the enemy trying to come into our lives. We have to guard what God has done. He’ll take us from a piece of coal…and turn us into a diamond.  Whatever pain you have experienced…it has brought you to where you are today. And you are not weaker because of it…but stronger. And I’d dare to say that pain [labor pain] was just a sign of a dream that’s about to be birthed in your life.

7 Things To Help You Accomplish Your Dreams

In the last blog, we began to dream. I know God has given you a dream.  Have you taken the time to really think about all that God has for you to do?  I’m in awe when I really begin to think about the privilege that God has given you and I to partner with Him in building His kingdom.

Today I’m going to begin to share “7 Things (that I have learned in my own life) to Help you Accomplish Your Dreams.” We won’t get through all seven today, but I believe that if you begin to put these guides into practice, you’ll see God begin to make your dreams a reality.  You affect your own life. I wish that I could regulate other people’s spiritual appetite…but I can’t.  They have to decide what they will do with their life each and every day.  It’s the same with you.  But I believe that you want more…or you wouldn’t be taking the time to read this blog.  So I know you’re a dreamer.  What are the dreams you have for your life this year? Do you have dreams to be a better husband? A better wife? A better student? A better son? A better child of God?

#1. Define Your Dream (Write it Down)

The first thing we have to do is write it down. You must have something to write down and that is why I took the time to write the last blog.  You have a dream.  We all do. Without that, it’d be hard to start the process of seeing it come to pass. Let me ask you a question, how important is your life? I would dare to say that it’s pretty important or you wouldn’t be taking the time to make it better.  You control the outcome of your life, no one else.  You control the attitude that you have when certain things happen…no one else can do it for you.  Don’t let other people affect the quality of your life…they’re just flies on the wall anyway.

People with goals succeed, people with plans move forward.

Take the time today to write down the vision that God has given to you.  Don’t stay in the same place too long.  In football, each team has 25 seconds to come up with a plan and then attack.  It’s sad however that some people have been stuck in a huddle for years.  Don’t be that person. Write down the things that God has been telling you today.

#2. Divine Dreams Require Patience (Trust God’s Clock)

Patience. Now that’s a hard one right there.  Would you describe yourself as patient? In my natural nature…I am not even close to being patient.  What about you? You know when I’m patient? When I pray.  It’s only in those times when I get alone with God that I am able to put my trust fully in Him and all that He desires to do in my life. I shared in the last blog that it took 17 years for the promise that God gave me to unfold. 17 years!!! Talk about patience. The great thing about our God…is that he knows WHEN.  He knows when we’re ready for promotion.  He knows when we’re ready for His blessings.  He knows when we’re ready to step into the next level of what He has planned for us.  He knows WHEN…

There were many people in the Bible that had to learn patience.  Noah had to wait 120 years for the ark to be completed (talk about a project). Abraham had to wait years for a son.  Sometimes, we’re going to have to wait.  And it won’t matter how much we want it to happen, how much we plead or how frustrated we might get…it still will only happen in God’s timing.  Don’t be like Sarah who took it upon herself to come up with a plan to try to help God.  She decided that since she was beyond the age of child bearing that she would have Hagar (her servant) bear a child with Abraham. Let me just throw this in for free…God doesn’t need our help.  He knows exactly what He is doing.  And when we decide to step out because of impatience, like Sarah…we’ll give birth to things in the flesh.  Learn to trust God’s timing. When you don’t trust God’s timing…you’ll start asking the WHY & WHEN question. Take a real honest look at your life today…have you been trusting God’s Clock? Or maybe…have you been a little on the impatient side and trying to do things in your own strength?

The Best is Yet to Come

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they might have life and have it to the full.” – John 10:10

Let me start this blog off by saying that this is going to be the best year of your life. I believe that with all of my heart! If you’re breathing as you’re reading this (go ahead and take a deep breath just to make sure that’s you) then God is not finished with you.  There’s still a work that He has for you to accomplish. I love how Jesus says it in this verse, “I have come that they might have life and have it to the full.” He’s talking to YOU & I! He wants you to have a FULL life! Another version puts it like this, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” I’m so excited to see what God is going to do in your life this year.  It’s going to be better than you could of dreamed of. Believe me, The Best is Yet to Come!!!

Over the next few blogs, we’re going to dream. And if I were you, I’d dream big.  I don’t know about you, but I serve a big God.  He has given me some big dreams.  Dreams that are so big that I need His help to see them come to pass.  Are those the kind of dreams you have?  I believe God has a special dream he has already given you.  I’d dare to go as far as saying that some of you already know what that dream is.  Maybe there was a dream you had last year but weren’t able to see it come to pass.  I want to encourage you to get up, dust yourself off and get back to it.  I remember the first time God told me I was going to be a pastor.  Something inside of me thought that it was going to happen the very next year.  Well…was I wrong. It actually took 17 years to see it come to pass.  Should I repeat that? 17 years! There’s going to be a little thing called “The Process” for all of us.  But God is with you & here’s a little secret between you and I…God’s promises don’t have an expiration date attached to them!  I know that’s good news to someone.  Be encouraged today.  God still has greater things for you.  He has a dream he wants you to accomplish.  It might seem a little far fetched…but that’s the God we serve.  He’s in the business of working out the impossible.

So what’s your dream? What’s your passion? What do you have a strong desire for this year? Maybe you want to see God do something new in your family, your marriage, your career, your finances, your spiritual life or some other area in your life.  This could even be the year that you start to give back to those around you in a brand new way.  Maybe God’s been putting it in your heart to open up your house to host a bible study (life group), helping people who might of came from a similar background as yourself or maybe just by being more available with the gifts and talents God has given you.  The possibilities are endless.  If you don’t know, I’d like to encourage you to make some time this week to get alone with God.  Quiet yourself in His presence and ask God to begin to speak to you.  Ask him to show you what He wants you to do this year.

In Genesis 37:5-11, the Bible talks about how “Joseph had a dream.” I want you to go ahead and put your name there. “Wilber had a dream” or “Matilda had a dream.” You see where I’m going with this?  God has a dream for you! Our dreams are like a sharp double edged sword by which we cut through disappointments, discouragements, adversity and evil opposition.  Like we read in the beginning…it’s the thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy.  Maybe the enemy tried to come and do that to your dream this year.  But I want to encourage you to start dreaming again.  It’s a brand new year. God wants the best for you and your entire family.

I remember when I first came to know Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior that my dreams were small.  I just wanted to be a different person.  If you’re there, start there.  Once you begin to dream, God will exceed your expectations time and time again.  I encourage you to begin dreaming today. The Bible is full of people who had dreams. So, what’s yours? This is your year and The Best is Yet to Come!!!

“If you can dream it, you can it.” – Walt Disney

Is There Anybody Out There?

Today we’re going to read one verse.  That’s right…just one verse.  However, it’s a verse that will be individualized for both  you and I.  Before I share this scripture with you…let me give you some context behind the story.  For 29 verses in this chapter, God is pronouncing judgement on his people.  He’s condemning & telling them that he had tried to reach out to them time and time again…however they didn’t respond.  He had sent people to warn them but they failed to hear His warnings.  So here we go…verse after verse…God is reminding His people about what he had tried so hard to do…but they ignored him.  But all of a sudden…out of nowhere…the condemning & judging God that was speaking for 29 verses, cries out one more time.  Even though he had come to a point of enough is enough…he says, “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” (Ezekiel 22:30)

I love the wording in this scripture because God is so detailed on the particular words he uses.  It says that, “I looked.” That word “look” (“sought” in other translations) refers to a person who is earnestly seeking something which or someone who exists or someone who is thought to exist. God was believing for just one.  Just one person that would rise up so the enemy wouldn’t be able to come in.  Just one that would be a prayer warrior and seek his face.  This verse shows that God is in pursuit of finding such a person.  The question for you and I today is…”are you that person?” Are you that man or woman who would take their place in that gap? Are you that young person who would answer the call of God on your life? Are you that single parent that would be a prayer warrior? Are you willing to build up that wall of intercession for your city, for your church, your life group and your family? God is seeking one church, one city and even one person that wants to make a difference.  Are you that person? Let it not be said, “He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede…” (Isaiah 59:16).  God is calling both you and I to a deeper level of intimacy with him.  Remember those times when all you wanted to do was be in his presence? Remember those moments when nothing else mattered more than being at his feet? Remember when your heart cried out for more of him in your life? Let’ s get back to that kind of relationship with God.

Before we end today, I want to leave you with a story…

There was a man named Dr. Alexander Duff. He was a great, long time missionary to India in the 1800’s. When he was an old man, after spending his whole life reaching people in India…he returned to his homeland in Scotland. He returned to die there. He was sick, very old and frail. He couldn’t preach anymore and he could barely walk. One day during the general assembly of a church in Scotland, Dr. Duff asked if he could address the young men and women that were there. He was given the opportunity and he made a strong appeal for young people to volunteer their lives for India…but no one responded.

Not one man or woman responded. So under this strain…he kept on making his appeal. The aged missionary fainted and fell to the floor and was carried off the platform.  The doctors that were there, rushed over to help the old veteran.  While they were examining his heart, all of a sudden Dr. Duff opened his eyes and said, “Where am I? Where am I now?” And the doctors said ‘Lay still. Your heart is very weak.’ Then the old warrior replied, “No, I can not lie still. Please help me to get back to the pulpit.” They said ‘that’s impossible. Lay still.’ He refused and he began to move. So the doctor and the other gentlemen that was there, helped him up. He gathered as much strength as he could and got back on his feet.  And the great white-haired prayer warrior & man of God was led back to the pulpit.

The whole congregration rose in honor of his courage.  He quickly ignored their applause and said, “No, no…listen to me.” And he said, “When Queen Victoria calls for volunteers, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of young men respond…but when King Jesus calls, not one of you is willing to stand and go.” And he began to weep. And he said, “Is it true that there’s not even one more son of Scotland that’s willing to go and give his life to preach the gospel in India?” Still no one responded. Then under the heavy burden of India’s unreached millions…he looked at the crowd and he said, “Ok. Very well then. If Scotland has no more young men or women that are willing to lay their lives down and go & preach the gospel to this dying country…then this old, worn out man…I will go back. And even though I don’t have the strength to preach anymore, I’ll go back and I’ll lie down on the shores of the Ganges River and I’ll die there in order to let the people of India know that there’s at least one man in Scotland who cares enough for the souls to give his life for them.”

And at this, he turned his back and began to walk away…weeping. And as he was walking away, from over his shoulder…it says, that young men and young women began to stand at their feet and cry with all their heart, “I’ll go.” Then another “I’ll go.” And then another “I’ll go.” And many more began to follow in saying, “I’ll go, send me.” He turned and looked…and smiled. There was a multitude of young men and young women who answered the call. The story goes on to say that a few days later he died and went on to be with the Lord. Many of those young men & women actually went to reach people in India.

The same call is going out today for you and I…will you respond? Are you that man? Are you that woman? I believe with all my heart… YOU ARE! Take some time today to respond to God’s cry for your city, your church, the hurting people that surround you day in and day out.  I can guarantee that you won’t regret it.

This is How We Do it

Exodus 17:10-13, “Joshua did what Moses ordered in order to fight Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. It turned out that whenever Moses raised his hands, Israel was winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, Amalek was winning. But Moses’ hands got tired. So they got a stone and set it under him. He sat on it and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side. So his hands remained steady until the sun went down. Joshua defeated Amalek and its army in battle.”

I want to take the time today to paint a symbolic picture of a fight that you and I fight everyday from this portion of scripture.  It’s nothing new. As a matter of fact, this has been happening for thousands of years. It’s a fight that you and I are very familiar with.  And if we’re not careful, it’s a battle that could get the best of us.  It’s a battle that’s bigger than self. You won’t be able to have victory over this enemy with spears, swords or other man made weapons. Sadly, many have tried to battle this way and have left with the bitter taste of defeat. I want to challenge you today to be different.

The war I’m referring to is between the flesh and the spirit. The Amalekites were a warring people. They were even a brutal people. There have been stories where they had taken people hostage, mutilated their bodies and put them on display as a warning to others. We pick it up in this story for their third attack against the Nation of Israel. The battle in this portion of scripture took place at a city called, Rephidim, meaning, “self, natural or flesh.”

It’s a dangerous place when we begin to put trust in the flesh. It’s a place where we begin to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to.  It’s a place where we begin to trust in talent, intellect, riches or charisma. It’s a place where the enemy will try to attack us time and time again because it’s easier for the flesh to come under attack when we’re here.

You might find yourself at Rephidim today. Believe me…we have all been here.  It’s when we get to a place when we no longer spend that quality time with God in the morning before we go about our day.  It’s when we begin to spend more time watching tv or online. It’s when we begin to operate in the flesh…rather than operating in the spirit.  It’s when we begin to say “we’ll pray on the way to work,” but never really have that connection with God because we’re so busy with other things.

“It’s not about what happens in the valley of interaction, but it’s about what happens on the hilltop of intercession.”

We can be busy doing so many things, yet miss the one thing that matters most. There’s a call going out for you and I to begin to pray like never before.  I love the part that follows in verse 14 because God begins to tell Moses to write down what had happened as a reminder to Joshua.  Why? Because Joshua didn’t see that it was not by might, nor by power but by God’s spirit that the victory had come.  It wasn’t his amazing leadership, his great warfare strategy or his superb ability to swing a sword. Sometimes we don’t realize the power that we have when we begin to pray.  I don’t know what’s going on in your life right now, but you’re not going to overcome it by talking about it, staring at it, trying to figure things out or by responding on your own understanding.  We’re going to need the power of God. That’s the only thing that will bring about true victory in our lives.

Just recently in my own time with the Lord…I heard him speak so clearly to me saying, “Your spirituality has brought you to this point of fruitfulness…but it won’t take you to where I want you to go…I want more.” I believe God’s asking for a deeper level of intercession. I love how the apostle Paul said it, he said “I want to know him.” He didn’t say, “I want to know about him.”

In the next blog, we’ll dig deeper on this subject. There’s so much on the subject of intercession to cover. We’re going to see how even the disciples struggled with intercession…so we’re not alone. However, I believe today is a new day and God could turn every situation that you’re going through around. Take time today to go back to your first love with the Lord…don’t let your relationship with him grow cold.