Some of us are waiting...you are waiting for your moment of greatness to appear, your opportunity to arrive, your season to materialize.  Some are waiting for someone to love...or for someone to fall in love with us...for the one that God has for us.  Perhaps there is a Ruth listening that is waiting for Boaz to look your way...or maybe you are an Esther waiting for an appointment with the King.One of the reasons we keep waiting is the joy we expect to receive when the thing you are anticipating arrives……but you can have joy today. Galatians 6:9 “Let us not be weary in well doing…in due season we shall reap, if we faint not…” There are things you can do to keep from fainting as you wait…  John 5 tells of the lame man who sat at the pool of Bethesda for 38 years…Jesus same by and the man tells Him his story…everytime I go to get in the water someone steps in front of me…then Jesus says in John 5:8 “…arise, take up your bed and walk…” In other words, “what you are wanting is not in the pool, what you are wanting is where you are!”   So, WHERE ARE YOU?The bible tells the story of Ruth…her husband dies and her mother-in-law is very bitter because she also lost her husband and 2 sons.  So, all that’s left is Naomi and the 2 daugthers-in-law.  One named Ruth and the other named Orpah.  Naomi tells them to go back home and Orpah left but Ruth wouldn’t go.  Ruth knows something good is coming her way and Ruth begins to look within her inner circle for someone that needs her. And she sees her mother-in-law and says, “Wherever you go I’m going…”…so, here’s the first thing you do while you’re waiting…1.   Inventory what and who you haveSomething in your present is the key to something in your future…Moses what’s in your hand? Ex. 4"Jesus the people are hungry and if we send them away they will faint…Jesus said , What do you have?  Well there is a lad here with 2 fish and five loaves of bread.  Bring it to me.” John 6 Ruth made a decision to sow into her present while she waited for her future…next thing you know Ruth is married to Boaz and they produce Obed, who produces David, that leads to the lineage of Jesus…and if you read the book of Ruth closely will see that Ruth came into her blessing and promotion because of her connection to Naomi… In Genesis 39 we read the familiar story of Joseph who had a dream of everything opposite of what he was presently experiencing…his home life was awful, his brothers hated him and was jealous of the relationship he had with their dad…but he had a dream that he was a ruler and everyone loved him and bowed down to him…He was sold by his brothers for around $13 to a traveling band of Ishmaelites and now he is a slave. I believe that Joseph began to carry himself like a ruler…here’s why I believe that because Gen. 39 says that a general pf Pharoh’s army named Potiphar saw something on Joseph.  He saw that Joseph was different, he carried himself different, he saw God’s favor on his life2. Joseph began to act like the future he sawA young preach friend of mine left Bible school and came to me and said, “Mike, what should I do…no body wants to have me to preach for them…I’m not getting any bookings.”  I said…Print you some business cards, put on your best suit and sharpest tie, comb your hair and shine your shoes, go into conferences and hand out your business cards to every pastor you can find and tell them, “I’m an evangelist”. Start acting like the person you want to be. Start developing the aura, the charisma, the standard, the posture, and even the vocabulary for the future you are wanting to enter…Even though Joseph was accused and lied on by Potiphar’s wife he didn’t feed into that accusation…while he was waiting for his f

Some of us are waiting...you are waiting for your moment of greatness to appear, your opportunity to arrive, your season to materialize.  Some are waiting for someone to love...or for someone to fall in love with us...for the one that God has for us.  Perhaps there is a Ruth listening that is waiting for Boaz to look your way...or maybe you are an Esther waiting for an appointment with the King.One of the reasons we keep waiting is the joy we expect to receive when the thing you are anticipating arrives……but you can have joy today. Galatians 6:9 “Let us not be weary in well doing…in due season we shall reap, if we faint not…” There are things you can do to keep from fainting as you wait…  John 5 tells of the lame man who sat at the pool of Bethesda for 38 years…Jesus same by and the man tells Him his story…everytime I go to get in the water someone steps in front of me…then Jesus says in John 5:8 “…arise, take up your bed and walk…” In other words, “what you are wanting is not in the pool, what you are wanting is where you are!”   So, WHERE ARE YOU? The bible tells the story of Ruth…her husband dies and her mother-in-law is very bitter because she also lost her husband and 2 sons.  So, all that’s left is Naomi and the 2 daugthers-in-law.  One named Ruth and the other named Orpah.  Naomi tells them to go back home and Orpah left but Ruth wouldn’t go.  Ruth knows something good is coming her way and Ruth begins to look within her inner circle for someone that needs her. And she sees her mother-in-law and says, “Wherever you go I’m going…”…so, here’s the first thing you do while you’re waiting…1.   Inventory what and who you have Something in your present is the key to something in your future…Moses what’s in your hand? Ex. 4"Jesus the people are hungry and if we send them away they will faint…Jesus said , What do you have?  Well there is a lad here with 2 fish and five loaves of bread.  Bring it to me.” John 6 Ruth made a decision to sow into her present while she waited for her future…next thing you know Ruth is married to Boaz and they produce Obed, who produces David, that leads to the lineage of Jesus…and if you read the book of Ruth closely will see that Ruth came into her blessing and promotion because of her connection to Naomi… In Genesis 39 we read the familiar story of Joseph who had a dream of everything opposite of what he was presently experiencing…his home life was awful, his brothers hated him and was jealous of the relationship he had with their dad…but he had a dream that he was a ruler and everyone loved him and bowed down to him…He was sold by his brothers for around $13 to a traveling band of Ishmaelites and now he is a slave. I believe that Joseph began to carry himself like a ruler…here’s why I believe that because Gen. 39 says that a general pf Pharoh’s army named Potiphar saw something on Joseph.  He saw that Joseph was different, he carried himself different, he saw God’s favor on his life2. Joseph began to act like the future he saw A young preach friend of mine left Bible school and came to me and said, “Mike, what should I do…no body wants to have me to preach for them…I’m not getting any bookings.”  I said…Print you some business cards, put on your best suit and sharpest tie, comb your hair and shine your shoes, go into conferences and hand out your business cards to every pastor you can find and tell them, “I’m an evangelist”. Start acting like the person you want to be. Start developing the aura, the charisma, the standard, the posture, and even the vocabulary for the future you are wanting to enter…Even though Joseph was accused and lied on by Potiphar’s wife he didn’t feed into that accusation…while he was waiting for his f

What To Do While You Are Waiting

Thousands of people have misunderstood success and prosperity. Somewhere they have gotten the idea that it is wrong to want to be successful. In fact, some even feel that prosperity is of the devil. Nothing could be further from the truth! Do not be misled. God does want you successful!  His Word does say: “...thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success,” (Joshua 1:8).  The successful person may enjoy things, but even things are not, in themselves, the foundation stones of success.Real Success If success is not measured in terms of possessions, popularity and performance, how then can it be defined? Perhaps the simplest definition of success for the believer is knowing and attaining God's goals for your life. A successful life is one that is happy. Becoming what God wants you to become. Doing what God wants you to do. Possessing what God wants you to own.As you achieve the goals God has set for your life, then you become successful.  Real success is not a destination, it is a journey. It is movement. It is the joy created by progress. Success is not a city where you will arrive tomorrow, it is the enjoyment of today, the now.That is why I say true success is achieving the goals God presently has for you.  Remember, success is different things to different people at different times.Success is the achievement of the goals God has for you!!  But, there are some things that will get in your way... Obstacle 1: An Unteachable SpiritAn unteachable spirit is an unwillingness to change. Millions refuse to implement new and vital information as it becomes available. Growing means change. It is a part of prospering. If you are unhappy with yourself, dare to reach for new information, new teaching and new truths that will elevate you and build your relationship with God. Obstacle 2: Unforgiven OffensesForgiveness is not a suggestion. It is a requirement. Pray for those who have wronged you. Find a way to communicate a personal care and interest. Is it hard to do? Oh, very much so. But the personal peace it sets in motion is beyond description.Obstacle 3: Unwise AssociationsUnwise friendships and associations have destroyed the potential and the abilities of multiplied thousands of could-be winners.Re-evaluate your life and friendships. Do you allow your dreams to be eroded and your goals limited because of relationships with those who laugh at your pursuit of accomplishment?Disconnect.Obstacle 4: Unbridled Tongue“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof,” (Proverbs 18:21).Words are tools God gave you to build up your own spirit and mind. Your body responds to sounds. Your spirit responds to words. Words provide you mind-pictures that your entire life reacts to. You hear a story. You smile or cry. You feel.Obstacle 5: Undeveloped Gifts And AbilitiesWinners are people who have discovered their special talents, abilities and special God-given gifts. And, seeing their Seeds of Greatness, they have taken the time and energy to grow those Seeds into great benefits and advantages.Obstacle 6: Uncommitted HeartA committed heart is a decided heart. It is the result of a made-up mind.Make a commitment to God. He made one to you in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Calvary was commitment. The blood and cross of Jesus was commitment. Gethsemane was commitment.

Thousands of people have misunderstood success and prosperity. Somewhere they have gotten the idea that it is wrong to want to be successful. In fact, some even feel that prosperity is of the devil. Nothing could be further from the truth! Do not be misled. God does want you successful!  His Word does say: “...thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success,” (Joshua 1:8).  The successful person may enjoy things, but even things are not, in themselves, the foundation stones of success.Real Success If success is not measured in terms of possessions, popularity and performance, how then can it be defined? Perhaps the simplest definition of success for the believer is knowing and attaining God's goals for your life. A successful life is one that is happy. Becoming what God wants you to become. Doing what God wants you to do. Possessing what God wants you to own.As you achieve the goals God has set for your life, then you become successful.  Real success is not a destination, it is a journey. It is movement. It is the joy created by progress. Success is not a city where you will arrive tomorrow, it is the enjoyment of today, the now.That is why I say true success is achieving the goals God presently has for you.  Remember, success is different things to different people at different times.Success is the achievement of the goals God has for you!!  But, there are some things that will get in your way... Obstacle 1: An Unteachable Spirit An unteachable spirit is an unwillingness to change. Millions refuse to implement new and vital information as it becomes available. Growing means change. It is a part of prospering. If you are unhappy with yourself, dare to reach for new information, new teaching and new truths that will elevate you and build your relationship with God. Obstacle 2: Unforgiven Offenses Forgiveness is not a suggestion. It is a requirement. Pray for those who have wronged you. Find a way to communicate a personal care and interest. Is it hard to do? Oh, very much so. But the personal peace it sets in motion is beyond description.Obstacle 3: Unwise Associations Unwise friendships and associations have destroyed the potential and the abilities of multiplied thousands of could-be winners.Re-evaluate your life and friendships. Do you allow your dreams to be eroded and your goals limited because of relationships with those who laugh at your pursuit of accomplishment?Disconnect.Obstacle 4: Unbridled Tongue “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof,” (Proverbs 18:21).Words are tools God gave you to build up your own spirit and mind. Your body responds to sounds. Your spirit responds to words. Words provide you mind-pictures that your entire life reacts to. You hear a story. You smile or cry. You feel.Obstacle 5: Undeveloped Gifts And Abilities Winners are people who have discovered their special talents, abilities and special God-given gifts. And, seeing their Seeds of Greatness, they have taken the time and energy to grow those Seeds into great benefits and advantages.Obstacle 6: Uncommitted Heart A committed heart is a decided heart. It is the result of a made-up mind.Make a commitment to God. He made one to you in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Calvary was commitment. The blood and cross of Jesus was commitment. Gethsemane was commitment.

6 Roadblocks To Biblical Success

Resilience

Nobody experienced any more stress than Jesus Christ...He was criticized constantly, He was misunderstood, there were constant demands on His life, He had very little privacy...and there were people who were constantly trying to kill Him!  Yet, in spite of all of that He walked and lived with an amazing peacefulness ...mo matter how difficult the situation Jesus modeled a calmness and resilience...(I think there is something to learn here)This is why the writer of Hebrews tells us…”keep your eyes on Jesus…” it only makes sense.Look at the life of someone that dealt with the most unbelievable level of stress one can imagine and still walked through it...JESUS CHRIST!Remember How Much God Loves MeJesus CHrist had no doubt in His mind that God, the Father loved Him.   Knowing and understanding that God loves you unconditionally, continually, and extravagantly can give you the strength to to bounce back when life tries to stress you out!2.      Remember Who I AmIf you are not sure who you really are the Devil will be happy to tell you...your friends will...the world will...culture will!-Your problems will...your habits will...your hang-ups will.  Everything in your life is lining up to convince you of your identity...let Jesus!When you are convinced of who you are then you DO NOT need the opinions of others for validation and that makes you unstoppable! Matt. 3 gives the account of Jesus being baptized, the Spirit descending like a dove and God the Father, says, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased…” It may have made more sense if the voice of the Father would have said something like, “Listen Jesus...in just a few chapters you are going to go through the most painful death any human could possibly experience...you will experience the cross.”3.             Know Who You Are Trying to PleaseAnother way of putting that would be, “know who you are living for.”I love the word ‘motivation’ it’s root word is moto...where we get the word motor.  A motor is what empowers the car to move...it’s what drives the car...it gives the car boost, incitement, momentum.4.             Know Your CallingYour calling is God’s invitation for your participation in the reason for your creation…You must know exactly what God wants you to do with your life...what is your calling?Here’s why that is so important...when you know what God has called you to do, you also learn what He is called you NOT to do.·       When you know what’s your business...you should also know what is none of your business!5.             Focus on What Matters MostWhen you know where you are headed and you are focused then you are not distracted by less important things.  You know what matters most and you focus on that...that is a key to resilience!  Jesus refused to be distracted…Luke 9:51 Living Bible “As his time drew near to His return to heaven, he moved steadily on toward Jerusalem with an iron will.”-Jesus knew the plan...He was persistent, consistent, and insistent...at one point he even told Peter, “...get behind me, satan…” Matt. 16   In other words...unless you want to be run over, you probably should get out of my way…-There were a couple of people in the Bible that gave that same excuse to Jesus...Lord, let me first go do these other things, and then I’ll follow you….Matt. 8Unfortunately the word LORD and phrase ME FIRST...can never go in the same sentence.Luke 9:62 Living Bible “Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I have planned for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Nobody experienced any more stress than Jesus Christ...He was criticized constantly, He was misunderstood, there were constant demands on His life, He had very little privacy...and there were people who were constantly trying to kill Him!  Yet, in spite of all of that He walked and lived with an amazing peacefulness ...mo matter how difficult the situation Jesus modeled a calmness and resilience...(I think there is something to learn here) This is why the writer of Hebrews tells us…”keep your eyes on Jesus…” it only makes sense.Look at the life of someone that dealt with the most unbelievable level of stress one can imagine and still walked through it...JESUS CHRIST!<ol><li>Remember How Much God Loves Me</li></ol>Jesus CHrist had no doubt in His mind that God, the Father loved Him.   Knowing and understanding that God loves you unconditionally, continually, and extravagantly can give you the strength to to bounce back when life tries to stress you out!2.      Remember Who I Am If you are not sure who you really are the Devil will be happy to tell you...your friends will...the world will...culture will!-Your problems will...your habits will...your hang-ups will.  Everything in your life is lining up to convince you of your identity...let Jesus! When you are convinced of who you are then you DO NOT need the opinions of others for validation and that makes you unstoppable! Matt. 3 gives the account of Jesus being baptized, the Spirit descending like a dove and God the Father, says, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased…” It may have made more sense if the voice of the Father would have said something like, “Listen Jesus...in just a few chapters you are going to go through the most painful death any human could possibly experience...you will experience the cross.”3.             Know Who You Are Trying to Please Another way of putting that would be, “know who you are living for.”I love the word ‘motivation’ it’s root word is moto...where we get the word motor.  A motor is what empowers the car to move...it’s what drives the car...it gives the car boost, incitement, momentum.4.             Know Your Calling Your calling is God’s invitation for your participation in the reason for your creation…You must know exactly what God wants you to do with your life...what is your calling?Here’s why that is so important...when you know what God has called you to do, you also learn what He is called you NOT to do.·       When you know what’s your business...you should also know what is none of your business!5.             Focus on What Matters Most When you know where you are headed and you are focused then you are not distracted by less important things.  You know what matters most and you focus on that...that is a key to resilience!  Jesus refused to be distracted…Luke 9:51 Living Bible “As his time drew near to His return to heaven, he moved steadily on toward Jerusalem with an iron will.”-Jesus knew the plan...He was persistent, consistent, and insistent...at one point he even told Peter, “...get behind me, satan…” Matt. 16   In other words...unless you want to be run over, you probably should get out of my way…-There were a couple of people in the Bible that gave that same excuse to Jesus...Lord, let me first go do these other things, and then I’ll follow you….Matt. 8 Unfortunately the word LORD and phrase ME FIRST...can never go in the same sentence.Luke 9:62 Living Bible “Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I have planned for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Jesus' Secrets To Resilience

It seems that people are engaging a mass exodus from organized religion…according to the gallupgroup in 1999 70% of all Americans claimed church membership, now less than 50% do.  Out of the 50% they only attend 1-2 times a month…These trends are also manifesting themselves generationally…62% of Generation Xers attend while only 40% of millennials do…if we really love the local church like we say we do…we need to pause and ask ourselves, “WHY, is this happening?”  Now, there are a myriad of reasons and explanations for this…there is a rise in peoples access to online church via the internet where people don’t have to attend a literal location…but, as a church leader I would be re-miss if I didn’t say to us, are we one of the reasons. Many Christians—especially in the United States—are giving up on church because they were hurt by pastors or wounded by other Christians, or because they simply decided to “go it alone.” They are known as “dones”—people who are “done” with church.    “Dones” might watch an occasional church service on television or meet with a few Christian friends over coffee for a casual Starbucks version of “church” They still consider themselves serious Christians, but they want nothing more of pastors, tithing, scheduled meetings or church drama.    I’ve even heard people say that attending a local church is nothing but religious-ritual!If you or someone you love has given up on church, I’m not here to condemn you.But I want to offer six reasons why you shouldn’t let a bad experience end your connection to God’s people.1.    The church is Christ’s body on earth. With all its flaws, the church is still God’s Plan A.Jesus announced before He went to the cross: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). Jesus intended to use the church—even in its weakness—as His primary tool to reach the world with the gospel. Heaven does not have a Plan B. Jesus is the head of his church (see Col. 1:18) and we are His hands and feet. To reject the church is to reject God’s ultimate strategy to bring heaven’s kingdom on earth. 2.    The Holy Spirit has called us to work and flow together. When we were born again the Bible says we were mystically unified with all other born-again believers and connected to each other by the Holy Spirit. The Lord also connects people in local congregations. This connection is holy and we should never make light of it or damage it. Paul told the Ephesians to “preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” by being in close fellowship with each other (Eph. 4:3). To reject this union of believers is to dishonor the work of the Spirit.3.    God accomplishes more through His corporate people than through isolated individuals. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit worked primarily through the nation of Israel, and through individuals who had special callings and remarkable courage. But in the age of the New Covenant, the Spirit dwells in every Christian believer, and the corporate church makes a much bigger impact. This is why Jesus told His disciples after He went to the cross that we would do “greater works” than He did on earth (see John 14:12). 4.    God’s authority flows through His church, not through “lone ranger” Christians. Some people who’ve been hurt by church leaders feel they can never submit to another pastor again, nor will they honor a person who is called by God to carry the authority of a minister. Yet God has delegated to certain people the task of building up the church (see Eph. 4:11-12). It’s totally acceptable for you to leave an unhealthy church with poor leadership, but you should quickly find a new church where you can be equipped to fulfill your ministry. It was never int

It seems that people are engaging a mass exodus from organized religion…according to the gallupgroup in 1999 70% of all Americans claimed church membership, now less than 50% do.  Out of the 50% they only attend 1-2 times a month…These trends are also manifesting themselves generationally…62% of Generation Xers attend while only 40% of millennials do…if we really love the local church like we say we do…we need to pause and ask ourselves, “WHY, is this happening?”  Now, there are a myriad of reasons and explanations for this…there is a rise in peoples access to online church via the internet where people don’t have to attend a literal location…but, as a church leader I would be re-miss if I didn’t say to us, are we one of the reasons. Many Christians—especially in the United States—are giving up on church because they were hurt by pastors or wounded by other Christians, or because they simply decided to “go it alone.” They are known as “dones”—people who are “done” with church.    “Dones” might watch an occasional church service on television or meet with a few Christian friends over coffee for a casual Starbucks version of “church” They still consider themselves serious Christians, but they want nothing more of pastors, tithing, scheduled meetings or church drama.    I’ve even heard people say that attending a local church is nothing but religious-ritual!If you or someone you love has given up on church, I’m not here to condemn you.But I want to offer six reasons why you shouldn’t let a bad experience end your connection to God’s people.1.    The church is Christ’s body on earth. With all its flaws, the church is still God’s Plan A. Jesus announced before He went to the cross: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). Jesus intended to use the church—even in its weakness—as His primary tool to reach the world with the gospel. Heaven does not have a Plan B. Jesus is the head of his church (see Col. 1:18) and we are His hands and feet. To reject the church is to reject God’s ultimate strategy to bring heaven’s kingdom on earth. 2.    The Holy Spirit has called us to work and flow together. When we were born again the Bible says we were mystically unified with all other born-again believers and connected to each other by the Holy Spirit. The Lord also connects people in local congregations. This connection is holy and we should never make light of it or damage it. Paul told the Ephesians to “preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” by being in close fellowship with each other (Eph. 4:3). To reject this union of believers is to dishonor the work of the Spirit.3.    God accomplishes more through His corporate people than through isolated individuals. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit worked primarily through the nation of Israel, and through individuals who had special callings and remarkable courage. But in the age of the New Covenant, the Spirit dwells in every Christian believer, and the corporate church makes a much bigger impact. This is why Jesus told His disciples after He went to the cross that we would do “greater works” than He did on earth (see John 14:12). 4.    God’s authority flows through His church, not through “lone ranger” Christians. Some people who’ve been hurt by church leaders feel they can never submit to another pastor again, nor will they honor a person who is called by God to carry the authority of a minister. Yet God has delegated to certain people the task of building up the church (see Eph. 4:11-12). It’s totally acceptable for you to leave an unhealthy church with poor leadership, but you should quickly find a new church where you can be equipped to fulfill your ministry. It was never int

6 Reasons Why You Should NOT Give Up On Church

What is your "one thing"? You have been born to make a lasting and eternal mark on the world with your "just one thing." Don't miss your moment, but walk confidently toward the Father while you are changing the world around you with His character. Listen for His voice as He eagerly explains to you why He made you for such a time as this. What is your "one thing"? You may be thinking, “Mike, I’m not sure…”.  WELL, let’s talk about that. 1.    What grieves and even angers you can be a path to your assignmentTears Talk. What you cry about is a clue to something you were created and ordained by God to heal. Compassion is a signpost. What grieves you? What makes you angry?  Anger Is Energy, Power, And Ability.  However, it requires proper focus. Have you ever wondered why others were not angry about situations that infuriated you? Of course, you have. This is a clue to your Assignment. Unfocused anger destroys and ruins. Focused properly, it creates miraculous change. Anger merely requires proper focus. Develop it.  See your anger as an instruction from God to stay in The Secret Place to find the solution for the problem, obtain the weapons to destroy the enemy, and develop a daily agenda designed by The Holy Spirit...to create change.2.    Perhaps Your ‘ONE THING’ is a problem that simply needs to be fixed.You may or may not feel passionate about but it’s there and someone needs to take care of it.You Were Created To Solve A Problem.So when you open your eyes every morning and head out into the world you are looking into an entire world filled with problems that need YOU! Everything created is a solution...to somebody, somewhere, at some time.You are a walking solution to somebody.  You were created for a specific and very special purpose...to solve a specific problem on earth. I call this, The Assignment.3.    What You Love Could be a path to your assignmentPassion Is Magnetic. What do you love to discuss? What do you love to hear about? What excites you? These are clues to your Assignment. These are clues to your abilities. You will always have  Wisdom toward whatever you love.Love births persistence. When you love something, you give birth to a tenacity, determination, and persistence that is extraordinary, and could very well be YOUR ONE THING! That’s because He doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. So wait on God, and when the time is right He will call you.

What is your "one thing"? You have been born to make a lasting and eternal mark on the world with your "just one thing." Don't miss your moment, but walk confidently toward the Father while you are changing the world around you with His character. Listen for His voice as He eagerly explains to you why He made you for such a time as this. What is your "one thing"? You may be thinking, “Mike, I’m not sure…”.  WELL, let’s talk about that. 1.    What grieves and even angers you can be a path to your assignment Tears Talk. What you cry about is a clue to something you were created and ordained by God to heal. Compassion is a signpost. What grieves you? What makes you angry?  Anger Is Energy, Power, And Ability.  However, it requires proper focus. Have you ever wondered why others were not angry about situations that infuriated you? Of course, you have. This is a clue to your Assignment. Unfocused anger destroys and ruins. Focused properly, it creates miraculous change. Anger merely requires proper focus. Develop it.  See your anger as an instruction from God to stay in The Secret Place to find the solution for the problem, obtain the weapons to destroy the enemy, and develop a daily agenda designed by The Holy Spirit...to create change.2.    Perhaps Your ‘ONE THING’ is a problem that simply needs to be fixed. You may or may not feel passionate about but it’s there and someone needs to take care of it.You Were Created To Solve A Problem.So when you open your eyes every morning and head out into the world you are looking into an entire world filled with problems that need YOU! Everything created is a solution...to somebody, somewhere, at some time.You are a walking solution to somebody.  You were created for a specific and very special purpose...to solve a specific problem on earth. I call this, The Assignment. 3.    What You Love Could be a path to your assignment Passion Is Magnetic. What do you love to discuss? What do you love to hear about? What excites you? These are clues to your Assignment. These are clues to your abilities. You will always have  Wisdom toward whatever you love.Love births persistence. When you love something, you give birth to a tenacity, determination, and persistence that is extraordinary, and could very well be YOUR ONE THING! That’s because He doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. So wait on God, and when the time is right He will call you.

3 Paths To Your 1 Thing

You have heard it said throughout your life as I have…timing is everything.  It affects everything we do in life;Eccl. 3:1 “There is an APPOINTED TIME for everything and a RIGHT TIME for every activity under heaven.”Acts 13:36 “…David served God’s purpose in his generation, then he died…”·      To me… this statement is the perfect definition of a successful life. Eccl. 8:5 (New Century Version) “A wise person does the right thing at the right time…”So, it is not only important to do the right thing, but it must be done at the right time.  And that is a mark of true wisdom. But, how do you know what is the right time??  Knowing the right time is not always easy.  Why is that? Because of the next verse…Eccl. 8:6-7 “There is a right time and a right way to do everything, but we know so little!  None of us knows what is going to happen, and there is no one to tell us.”  You can do the RIGHT thing too soon and it becomes the WRONG thing…So, here are 6 Steps of Faith that you are going to need to take to discern the best time to make a major change…………………………………. 1.    Enlist the Prayers of Other PeopleYou are never going to know the right time for anything unless you learn to talk to God about it…but on major decisions get people that know how to pray to help you pray about it…Paul talks about this in Romans 15:30 “Brothers and sisters, I beg you to help me in my work by praying to God for me…” 2.    Seek the Counsel of Wise FriendsNot just any of your friends but your wise friends…don’t just depend on your own perspective alone…Proverbs 11:14 (Amplified Bible) “Where there is no wise guidance people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” If you want to be safe and not sorry…seek the advice of the wisest people you can find and get all the counsel you can.3.    Be Quiet and Listen to God In his WordA million voices are demanding our attention. The chatter is unstoppable. Self-proclaimed experts are dusted with makeup, wired with a microphone, and propped up at desks where cameras are aimed at them like canons. Out of fear of cancellation, they try their best to persuade us they’re right, even if they have to scream to do it.-I had a person say to me one time, “Mike, God never speaks to me…” there are two possible reasons a person feels that way…1. You’re never quietWe are always looking at our phones…earbuds in…listening to the media, scrolling through Instagram, etc…Here’s something I learned a long time ago. God doesn’t shout…He does not compete with every other voice in your life.  He is not interested in being in line in your life…I’ve got this going on..I’ve got that going on…I have to go here and then go there…check emails and then, THEN, finally next in line is time with God…our relationship with Him is, “God, don’t call me, I’ll call you.” 2 You may not be spending enough time reading God’s WordIsaiah said, “If only you had paid attention to My commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea” (Isaiah 48:18, NIV). 4.    Take a Look At Your Life Up To This PointWhile we are not prisoners of our past we are often shaped by it…so, another way to help you with the timing of major changes is look closely at the rhythmic ups and downs that your life has taken up to this point and then compare them to the Bible…Psalms 119:59 (New Living Translation) “I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your instruction.”  His instruction is in the Bible…5.    Take The Time to Make The Right DecisionGod is never in hurry…why are we?A GOOD decision is always better than a 

You have heard it said throughout your life as I have…timing is everything.  It affects everything we do in life; Eccl. 3:1 “There is an APPOINTED TIME for everything and a RIGHT TIME for every activity under heaven.”Acts 13:36 “…David served God’s purpose in his generation, then he died…”·      To me… this statement is the perfect definition of a successful life. Eccl. 8:5 (New Century Version) “A wise person does the right thing at the right time…” So, it is not only important to do the right thing, but it must be done at the right time.  And that is a mark of true wisdom. But, how do you know what is the right time??  Knowing the right time is not always easy.  Why is that? Because of the next verse… Eccl. 8:6-7 “There is a right time and a right way to do everything, but we know so little!  None of us knows what is going to happen, and there is no one to tell us.”  You can do the RIGHT thing too soon and it becomes the WRONG thing…So, here are 6 Steps of Faith that you are going to need to take to discern the best time to make a major change…………………………………. 1.    Enlist the Prayers of Other People You are never going to know the right time for anything unless you learn to talk to God about it…but on major decisions get people that know how to pray to help you pray about it…Paul talks about this in Romans 15:30 “Brothers and sisters, I beg you to help me in my work by praying to God for me…” 2.    Seek the Counsel of Wise Friends Not just any of your friends but your wise friends…don’t just depend on your own perspective alone…Proverbs 11:14 (Amplified Bible) “Where there is no wise guidance people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” If you want to be safe and not sorry…seek the advice of the wisest people you can find and get all the counsel you can.3.    Be Quiet and Listen to God In his Word A million voices are demanding our attention. The chatter is unstoppable. Self-proclaimed experts are dusted with makeup, wired with a microphone, and propped up at desks where cameras are aimed at them like canons. Out of fear of cancellation, they try their best to persuade us they’re right, even if they have to scream to do it.-I had a person say to me one time, “Mike, God never speaks to me…” there are two possible reasons a person feels that way…1. You’re never quiet We are always looking at our phones…earbuds in…listening to the media, scrolling through Instagram, etc…Here’s something I learned a long time ago. God doesn’t shout…He does not compete with every other voice in your life.  He is not interested in being in line in your life…I’ve got this going on..I’ve got that going on…I have to go here and then go there…check emails and then, THEN, finally next in line is time with God…our relationship with Him is, “God, don’t call me, I’ll call you.” 2 You may not be spending enough time reading God’s Word Isaiah said, “If only you had paid attention to My commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea” (Isaiah 48:18, NIV). 4.    Take a Look At Your Life Up To This Point While we are not prisoners of our past we are often shaped by it…so, another way to help you with the timing of major changes is look closely at the rhythmic ups and downs that your life has taken up to this point and then compare them to the Bible…Psalms 119:59 (New Living Translation) “I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your instruction.”  His instruction is in the Bible…5.    Take The Time to Make The Right Decision God is never in hurry…why are we?A GOOD decision is always better than a

Discerning The Best Time to Make A Major Change

God is the Master of New Beginnings. He loves beginnings.  He is the Alpha and the Omega.  He is the Beginning and the End.  He began life, He began earth, He began animals, He began people, He began the Universe...He began YOU! Sometimes we make unfortunate mistakes…unwise decisions, devastating wrong turns in life…during those times we become damaged.  We need a new beginning…a second chance…and God stands there waiting for us to call upon Him.  Therefore, I serve Him and have for 53 years.  A God of a second chance means the Almighty doesn’t give us just one shot at getting it right. In fact, we already had that shot when Adam and Eve chose their way over God’s (Genesis 3:1-19). Therefore, God found a way to give us a second chance through the sinless life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection of His Son, Jesus. When we repent of our sin condition and surrender our lives to Him, through accepting Jesus’ atonement for us on the cross, God sees us as righteous and unblemished as His perfect Son. Jesus is our second chance. And His gift of redemption is evidence that His Father is the God of a second chance. The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.     -Lamentations 3:22-23aLou Gehrig was one of the greatest baseball players in history. He was a gentleman in the game, and never argued balls and strikes with an umpire. On one occasion, however, after taking a pitch that was called strike 3, he had a word with the umpire before heading back to the dugout. After the game, reporters asked the umpire what Lou had said. The ump replied, “He said, ‘I wish I had that one over again.’”  How many times have you and I echoed those same words, as life has thrown pitches our way that we wish we could have over again. Our scripture assures us that, although we can’t go back, we can begin again… every day. So look for assurances of God’s unceasing lovingkindness and unfailing compassion today. He’s giving you and He’s giving me a much-needed second chance so, let’s discuss “4 Keys To A New Beginning”. 1.    Make Adjustments‘I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.’ Psalm 119:11 Senator Bill Nelson trained for and flew on a six-day space shuttle mission aboard the Columbia just prior to the Challenger disaster. In his book Mission he explains how difficult it is to maintain a proper orbit in space. There’s no resistance in space, so an astronaut can literally turn that huge orbiter over by himself. To maintain a proper orbit, the onboard computers constantly make course and altitude corrections by firing small rockets which make minute adjustments, while larger jets burn fuel to make major adjustments. These rockets are critical, for if they don’t consistently fire at the right time, the space vehicle can veer from its orbit and go tumbling into outer space or crashing into Earth’s atmosphere.  2.    Become a Master at Managing ChangeThe mother eagle carefully prepares the nest for its eggs. When it is time for the eaglet to learn to fly, the mother begins to remove the comfort layers from the nest, exposing the pricks and sticks.   Life lesson: We must not become complacent in life; clinging to the old and familiar. We can only grow if we are willing to step out of our comfort zone. The thorns or pain in life are there to tell us that 1. there is nothing more for us where we are, and 2. it is time to move on, grow and spread our wings.3.    Refusing the Influence of FEAR and WORRY‘God has not given us a spirit of fear.’ 2 Timothy 1:7 The Bible says, ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-di

God is the Master of New Beginnings. He loves beginnings.  He is the Alpha and the Omega.  He is the Beginning and the End.  He began life, He began earth, He began animals, He began people, He began the Universe...He began YOU! Sometimes we make unfortunate mistakes…unwise decisions, devastating wrong turns in life…during those times we become damaged.  We need a new beginning…a second chance…and God stands there waiting for us to call upon Him.  Therefore, I serve Him and have for 53 years.  A God of a second chance means the Almighty doesn’t give us just one shot at getting it right. In fact, we already had that shot when Adam and Eve chose their way over God’s (Genesis 3:1-19). Therefore, God found a way to give us a second chance through the sinless life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection of His Son, Jesus. When we repent of our sin condition and surrender our lives to Him, through accepting Jesus’ atonement for us on the cross, God sees us as righteous and unblemished as His perfect Son. Jesus is our second chance. And His gift of redemption is evidence that His Father is the God of a second chance. The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.      -Lamentations 3:22-23aLou Gehrig was one of the greatest baseball players in history. He was a gentleman in the game, and never argued balls and strikes with an umpire. On one occasion, however, after taking a pitch that was called strike 3, he had a word with the umpire before heading back to the dugout. After the game, reporters asked the umpire what Lou had said. The ump replied, “He said, ‘I wish I had that one over again.’”  How many times have you and I echoed those same words, as life has thrown pitches our way that we wish we could have over again. Our scripture assures us that, although we can’t go back, we can begin again… every day. So look for assurances of God’s unceasing lovingkindness and unfailing compassion today. He’s giving you and He’s giving me a much-needed second chance so, let’s discuss “4 Keys To A New Beginning”. 1.    Make Adjustments ‘I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.’ Psalm 119:11 Senator Bill Nelson trained for and flew on a six-day space shuttle mission aboard the Columbia just prior to the Challenger disaster. In his book Mission he explains how difficult it is to maintain a proper orbit in space. There’s no resistance in space, so an astronaut can literally turn that huge orbiter over by himself. To maintain a proper orbit, the onboard computers constantly make course and altitude corrections by firing small rockets which make minute adjustments, while larger jets burn fuel to make major adjustments. These rockets are critical, for if they don’t consistently fire at the right time, the space vehicle can veer from its orbit and go tumbling into outer space or crashing into Earth’s atmosphere.  2.    Become a Master at Managing Change The mother eagle carefully prepares the nest for its eggs. When it is time for the eaglet to learn to fly, the mother begins to remove the comfort layers from the nest, exposing the pricks and sticks.   Life lesson: We must not become complacent in life; clinging to the old and familiar. We can only grow if we are willing to step out of our comfort zone. The thorns or pain in life are there to tell us that 1. there is nothing more for us where we are, and 2. it is time to move on, grow and spread our wings.3.    Refusing the Influence of FEAR and WORRY ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear.’ 2 Timothy 1:7 The Bible says, ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-di

4 Keys To A New Beginning

I know we want God to change all of our circumstances in life but what is really far more important than what is happening around you is what is happening IN you.Here are three reasons that changing your mind can change your life……..1.    Because my thoughts control my lifeEverything begins with a thought….if you don’t think you don’t do it.  Proverbs 4:23 Today’s English Version “Be careful how you think; your life is        shaped by your thoughts…” 2.    Your mind is the battleground for sinThe devil will attack you there before he attacks you anywhereRomans 7:22-25 Living Bible...I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; 23-25 but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin.  So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done[a] by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free.3.    Because managing your mind is the key to peace and happinessRomans 8:6 New Living Translation “If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death.  But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.”I want to bring your attention to 3 choices that you must make in order to Change your Life by Changing Your Mind……………………1.    I must feed my mind with truth.When Jesus said “…the truth will set you free…”(John 8) it was with good reason.”…God’s Word is truth…”(John 17)-Your quality of life is determined by the decisions you make…the quality of your decisions will be based on the quality of information you have that is feeding your decision-making.    The truth of the Bible is the world’s most reliable source of information when it comes to how we live our lives. 2.    I must free my mind from destructive thoughts…….1) I must feed my mind 2) I must free my mind...This is NOT easy…because you have three enemies that are tag-teaming your mind all day.  These enemies are fighting your good intentions, your resolutions, and everything that you want to do that is good.1. My old (sinful)nature (the way I used to be before I received Christ and He gave me my new nature). While I am free from its power (Rom. 6). I am not free from its presence-Have you ever done things that you know were not right, but you did them anyway…saying to your self, “I know this isn’t good for me, but……..”·      What’s going on?  The battle for your brain is going on!2. Satan-he wants to control my mind…while he cannot force you to do anything he can and will try to put his ideas and thought and suggestions in your mind.·      However, the good news is you don’t have to accept a thought just because it’s in there!  Don’t get caught in the trap of thinking…”If I thought of it, it must be true!”3. The World’s Value System – the things that the world deems as important·      Friends, the world is not going out of its way to help you become a more disciplined person with your thought life…the world’s system wants your thoughts too!!-So…….here is this triple threat…my old self, the devil, and the world fighting for a foothold in my thoughts and in my mind.  How can I possibly win?2 Corinth

I know we want God to change all of our circumstances in life but what is really far more important than what is happening around you is what is happening IN you.Here are three reasons that changing your mind can change your life……..1.    Because my thoughts control my life Everything begins with a thought….if you don’t think you don’t do it.  Proverbs 4:23 Today’s English Version “Be careful how you think; your life is        shaped by your thoughts…” 2.    Your mind is the battleground for sin The devil will attack you there before he attacks you anywhereRomans 7:22-25 Living Bible...I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; 23-25 but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin.  So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rom.+7%3A22-23&amp;version=TLB#fen-TLB-25183a" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a</a>] by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free.3.    Because managing your mind is the key to peace and happiness Romans 8:6 New Living Translation “If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death.  But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.”I want to bring your attention to 3 choices that you must make in order to Change your Life by Changing Your Mind……………………1.    I must feed my mind with truth. When Jesus said “…the truth will set you free…”(John 8) it was with good reason. ”…God’s Word is truth…”(John 17)-Your quality of life is determined by the decisions you make…the quality of your decisions will be based on the quality of information you have that is feeding your decision-making.    The truth of the Bible is the world’s most reliable source of information when it comes to how we live our lives. 2.    I must free my mind from destructive thoughts…….1) I must feed my mind 2) I must free my mind...This is NOT easy…because you have three enemies that are tag-teaming your mind all day.  These enemies are fighting your good intentions, your resolutions, and everything that you want to do that is good.1. My old (sinful)nature (the way I used to be before I received Christ and He gave me my new nature). While I am free from its power (Rom. 6). I am not free from its presence-Have you ever done things that you know were not right, but you did them anyway…saying to your self, “I know this isn’t good for me, but……..”·      What’s going on?  The battle for your brain is going on!2. Satan-he wants to control my mind…while he cannot force you to do anything he can and will try to put his ideas and thought and suggestions in your mind.·      However, the good news is you don’t have to accept a thought just because it’s in there!  Don’t get caught in the trap of thinking…”If I thought of it, it must be true!”3. The World’s Value System – the things that the world deems as important·      Friends, the world is not going out of its way to help you become a more disciplined person with your thought life…the world’s system wants your thoughts too!!-So…….here is this triple threat…my old self, the devil, and the world fighting for a foothold in my thoughts and in my mind.  How can I possibly win?2 Corinth

Change Your Life By Changing Your Mind

With Him on your side, YOU are a giant slayer! If we can learn from and apply the keys to David’s success against Goliath, we can learn how to bring down our own Goliaths. We can face these giants with confidence and become Giant slayers.Let’s look at these specific things from 1 Samuel 17 and see if we can learn from David to become a giant slayer!1.  First of all, you must be submitted to authority. You have to get under what God puts over you, or you’ll never get over what God wants to put under you! You can have talent, calling, and anointing, but if you are not submitted to authority—such as parents, teachers, spiritual leaders, you will not see your giants fall. Submit yourself to the authority of godly people who God has put you around and opened the door for you to learn from. Submit yourself, and if they’re wrong, God will deal with them. But as you submit, it empowers you to slay giants.2.   the Bible says in 1 Samuel 17:20, “David rose early in the morning.” If you’re going to defeat your giant, you’ve got to rise up early. You have to put some things first. This speaks of discipline. Are you disciplined to make time to read your bible, to pray, to spend time in worship? You must first be disciplined before you can slay your giant. Otherwise, it’s like competing in the Olympics without ever practicing.The other thing rising up early in the morning speaks of about David, is that he GOT UP! Your enemy will always show up when you’re in the trenches. When you’re down in your lowest place. The Bible said when David arrived the men were in the trench. Sometimes we dig a safe place to hide. We find a level of comfort to live with that protects us from what’s going on around us. But when you peep out of that trench, looking up to face your enemy, all of a sudden that 9-foot tall giant appears to be 15-feet! But if you’ll get up, you’ll see the enemy is not as big as you thought it was!3.  Next, when Goliath stepped forward, they got up out of the trenches and started shouting for the battle. If you’re going to kill a giant, you can’t be silent. Giant killers shout. Giant killers praise. Giant killers say to themselves, “I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will continually be in my mouth.” You have to lift your voice for victory in your family. Lift your voice in prayer. Lift your voice in the confession of God’s word. Shout the promise is bigger than the lies the enemy is touting. The enemy wants to silence you. He wants to silence you with fear and judgment and defeat. But Joshua said shout, for the Lord has given you the city. And Ezra said shout grace, grace, because God has already laid a foundation. Shout your promises. Speak your truth. Do not be silent. 4.  Number four, David wasn’t focused on the battle; he was focused on the reward. “Tell me, what will I get if I win this battle?” Twice in 1 Samuel 17, David asked what would happen if he killed Goliath and twice the reward is repeated. I believe God wanted to make that point clear. Everyone else was focused on the battle – may be afraid of what would happen if they lost. But David wanted to get focused on the prize. When you get in the battle, the enemy wants you to focus on the wrong thing. Focus on the reward. Get your eyes on the prize. It’s worth all the struggles and the things that we go through to get our families to Heaven. It’s worth fighting for. It’s worth living right. It’s worth keeping your family in the church. It’s worth the fight. Focus on the reward. No more sorrow. No more pain. No more death. Get your eyes off of the risk and on to the reward. Heaven is going to be worth it all.5.  This one is very important. If you’re going to slay your giants, you have to be the same in the dark as you are in the light. You have to defeat your personal lion and bear before you can go out and defeat Gol

With Him on your side, YOU are a giant slayer! If we can learn from and apply the keys to David’s success against Goliath, we can learn how to bring down our own Goliaths. We can face these giants with confidence and become Giant slayers.Let’s look at these specific things from 1 Samuel 17 and see if we can learn from David to become a giant slayer!1.  First of all, you must be submitted to authority. You have to get under what God puts over you, or you’ll never get over what God wants to put under you! You can have talent, calling, and anointing, but if you are not submitted to authority—such as parents, teachers, spiritual leaders, you will not see your giants fall. Submit yourself to the authority of godly people who God has put you around and opened the door for you to learn from. Submit yourself, and if they’re wrong, God will deal with them. But as you submit, it empowers you to slay giants.2.   the Bible says in 1 Samuel 17:20, “David rose early in the morning.” If you’re going to defeat your giant, you’ve got to rise up early. You have to put some things first. This speaks of discipline. Are you disciplined to make time to read your bible, to pray, to spend time in worship? You must first be disciplined before you can slay your giant. Otherwise, it’s like competing in the Olympics without ever practicing.The other thing rising up early in the morning speaks of about David, is that he GOT UP! Your enemy will always show up when you’re in the trenches. When you’re down in your lowest place. The Bible said when David arrived the men were in the trench. Sometimes we dig a safe place to hide. We find a level of comfort to live with that protects us from what’s going on around us. But when you peep out of that trench, looking up to face your enemy, all of a sudden that 9-foot tall giant appears to be 15-feet! But if you’ll get up, you’ll see the enemy is not as big as you thought it was!3.  Next, when Goliath stepped forward, they got up out of the trenches and started shouting for the battle. If you’re going to kill a giant, you can’t be silent. Giant killers shout. Giant killers praise. Giant killers say to themselves, “I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will continually be in my mouth.” You have to lift your voice for victory in your family. Lift your voice in prayer. Lift your voice in the confession of God’s word. Shout the promise is bigger than the lies the enemy is touting. The enemy wants to silence you. He wants to silence you with fear and judgment and defeat. But Joshua said shout, for the Lord has given you the city. And Ezra said shout grace, grace, because God has already laid a foundation. Shout your promises. Speak your truth. Do not be silent. 4.  Number four, David wasn’t focused on the battle; he was focused on the reward. “Tell me, what will I get if I win this battle?” Twice in 1 Samuel 17, David asked what would happen if he killed Goliath and twice the reward is repeated. I believe God wanted to make that point clear. Everyone else was focused on the battle – may be afraid of what would happen if they lost. But David wanted to get focused on the prize. When you get in the battle, the enemy wants you to focus on the wrong thing. Focus on the reward. Get your eyes on the prize. It’s worth all the struggles and the things that we go through to get our families to Heaven. It’s worth fighting for. It’s worth living right. It’s worth keeping your family in the church. It’s worth the fight. Focus on the reward. No more sorrow. No more pain. No more death. Get your eyes off of the risk and on to the reward. Heaven is going to be worth it all.5.  This one is very important. If you’re going to slay your giants, you have to be the same in the dark as you are in the light. You have to defeat your personal lion and bear before you can go out and defeat Gol

How To Slay Your Giants!

Leaders are defined by their commitments—non-negotiables they must keep in order to lead effectively and biblically in a ministry setting. Such commitments aren’t standards that other people set for them. In fact, great leaders often expect more from themselves than they do from their followers.Six times in the New Testament, the Bible says to “make every effort.” I think we’d all agree that if the Bible tells us to make every effort to do something, we should commit to that. These verses represent 6 vows that spiritual leaders need to make in order to become the kind of leader God calls us to be. …………………………. There are a total of six vows. 1.    As a leader, I vow to maintain my integrity.“Make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with [God]” (2 Peter 3:14 NIV). You don’t need to be perfect to be an effective leader, but you do need to be transparent about your weaknesses. The Bible says hiding your sins leads to failure, “but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Proverbs 28:13 NIV).2.    As a leader, I vow to forgive those who have hurt me.“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:14-15 NIV). You will be hurt in ministry, both intentionally and unintentionally. That’s a guarantee. Pioneers always get the arrows!Even Jesus, who was a perfect leader, was betrayed. It’s not always your fault, but it will be your fault if you carry bitterness in your heart, as it will keep you from being the leader God wants you to be.3.    As a leader, I vow to relax and trust God. “Anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter [God’s] rest” (Hebrews 4:10-11 NIV). You’ll need to learn what I call “relaxed concern” to be effective in ministry. You must be concerned about the needs of the people around you, but also remember you’re not God. You cannot bear everybody’s burden all the time.  4.    As a leader, I vow to be an encourager.“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19 NIV). The word “edification” means to build up. To be a leader, you must decide to build up people, not tear them down. How can you do that? Regularly praise the people you’re leading. Focus on what they’re doing that is positive, including their potential to grow and improve. Every human being is a mix of problems and potential. People often live up to the expectations placed on them. 5.    As a leader, I vow to be a peacemaker. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3 NIV). Leaders should work toward reducing conflict in their places of influence—and certainly should not add to it. Our world has plenty of conflict already. This means refusing to participate in gossip and challenging it when you hear it. No one likes to be called out for gossip, but addressing gossip for what it is will help to shut it down. 6.    As a leader, I vow to never stop growing.“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8 NIV). 

Leaders are defined by their commitments—non-negotiables they must keep in order to lead effectively and biblically in a ministry setting. Such commitments aren’t standards that other people set for them. In fact, great leaders often expect more from themselves than they do from their followers.Six times in the New Testament, the Bible says to “make every effort.” I think we’d all agree that if the Bible tells us to make every effort to do something, we should commit to that. These verses represent 6 vows that spiritual leaders need to make in order to become the kind of leader God calls us to be. …………………………. There are a total of six vows. 1.    As a leader, I vow to maintain my integrity. “Make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with [God]” (2 Peter 3:14 NIV). You don’t need to be perfect to be an effective leader, but you do need to be transparent about your weaknesses. The Bible says hiding your sins leads to failure, “but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Proverbs 28:13 NIV).2.    As a leader, I vow to forgive those who have hurt me. “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:14-15 NIV). You will be hurt in ministry, both intentionally and unintentionally. That’s a guarantee. Pioneers always get the arrows! Even Jesus, who was a perfect leader, was betrayed. It’s not always your fault, but it will be your fault if you carry bitterness in your heart, as it will keep you from being the leader God wants you to be.3.    As a leader, I vow to relax and trust God. “Anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter [God’s] rest” (Hebrews 4:10-11 NIV). You’ll need to learn what I call “relaxed concern” to be effective in ministry. You must be concerned about the needs of the people around you, but also remember you’re not God. You cannot bear everybody’s burden all the time.  4.    As a leader, I vow to be an encourager. “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19 NIV). The word “edification” means to build up. To be a leader, you must decide to build up people, not tear them down.  How can you do that? Regularly praise the people you’re leading. Focus on what they’re doing that is positive, including their potential to grow and improve. Every human being is a mix of problems and potential. People often live up to the expectations placed on them. 5.    As a leader, I vow to be a peacemaker. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3 NIV). Leaders should work toward reducing conflict in their places of influence—and certainly should not add to it. Our world has plenty of conflict already.  This means refusing to participate in gossip and challenging it when you hear it. No one likes to be called out for gossip, but addressing gossip for what it is will help to shut it down. 6.    As a leader, I vow to never stop growing. “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8 NIV).

6 Commitments Every Spiritual Leader Must Make

OnPointe Christian Magazine is a weekly lifestyle magazine with a focus on faith, life, and culture.  OnPointe targets those who are passionate about God, spirituality, and the world they live in.  We are a collective that is asking questions and questioning the answers, living life to its fullest, seeking God, having fun, trying to reach people for Christ, and impact the world around us.

Does life have you going in circles? Do you ever find yourself going around and around searching for meaning and fulfillment in different areas, but never seem to arrive at an intended location? If this is you, I want to tell you more about the One who says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” When you link up with Jesus – He will take you to your purpose. He will guide you to your destiny. He has a plan for your life. Jesus Christ did not make His debut on that first Christmas morning in Bethlehem. He existed before creation “in the beginning.” In fact, it was “through Him” that “all things were made.” (John 1:3) Even when we look back to the book of Genesis, we read that God said, “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26) The Word John speaks of as he opens his Gospel presentation is none other than Jesus Christ. We know this because later, in verse 14, John tells us, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Imagine the depth of that reality. The Word, who is God, came down to dwell among us. Jesus walked among us. He was flesh, bones, sinew, and blood, and yet He was also the perfection of the divine. At one moment He was hungry because He was fully human. The next moment, He miraculously fed 5,000 because He was fully God. One moment Jesus agonized on a cross and died because He was fully human. Three days later, He rose from the grave because He was fully God. We read, “God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him.” (Colossians 1:19) Without Jesus, we would have no chance of understanding God. “No one has ever seen God, but the only begotten Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” (John 1:18) How does God make Himself known? Through Jesus. To understand and know Jesus is to understand and know God. Philip had been one of Jesus’ disciples for almost three years when he came up with an interesting request. “Show us the Father,” he said, “and that will be enough for us.” (John 14:8) Jesus’ answer puts His question in perspective. “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) Jesus took everything there is to know about God and put it on a shelf that we could reach. He is the complete revelation of God Himself. That’s why you can’t go around Jesus and get to God. He is the only begotten Son. Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius . . . no prophet, teacher or king can make that claim. “I am the way and the truth and the life,” Jesus says, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Today, when we choose names for our children, we sometimes base our selection on how that name sounds. A first name that rolls off the tongue nicely when combined with the last name is a popular option for many moms and dads. In biblical times, however, parents cared less about the sound of a name as they did about its meaning. A name was more than simply what sounded good. It was, rather, a replica and revelation of the individual or thing itself. A name is so important in biblical settings that there are frequent mentions throughout Scripture of God Himself changing someone’s name to reflect a new reality. Abram, which means “exalted father,” was changed to Abraham meaning “exalted father of multitudes.” Jacob, whose original name meant “grabber of the heel” and “deceitful,” had his name changed to Israel after wrestling with God. His new name, Israel, means “one who prevails.”  In Scripture, a name often both denoted and connoted purpose, authority, makeup, and ownership. It was frequently seen as an actual equivalency of a person or thing. When Jesus said that He had made God’s “name known to them, and will make it known...,”4 He was referencing more than just sounds put together in a word. Jesus, having come to earth in the flesh, unveiled God’s heart, mind, will, ch

Does life have you going in circles? Do you ever find yourself going around and around searching for meaning and fulfillment in different areas, but never seem to arrive at an intended location? If this is you, I want to tell you more about the One who says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” When you link up with Jesus – He will take you to your purpose. He will guide you to your destiny. He has a plan for your life. Jesus Christ did not make His debut on that first Christmas morning in Bethlehem. He existed before creation “in the beginning.” In fact, it was “through Him” that “all things were made.” (John 1:3) Even when we look back to the book of Genesis, we read that God said, “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26) The Word John speaks of as he opens his Gospel presentation is none other than Jesus Christ. We know this because later, in verse 14, John tells us, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Imagine the depth of that reality. The Word, who is God, came down to dwell among us. Jesus walked among us. He was flesh, bones, sinew, and blood, and yet He was also the perfection of the divine. At one moment He was hungry because He was fully human. The next moment, He miraculously fed 5,000 because He was fully God. One moment Jesus agonized on a cross and died because He was fully human. Three days later, He rose from the grave because He was fully God. We read, “God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him.” (Colossians 1:19) Without Jesus, we would have no chance of understanding God. “No one has ever seen God, but the only begotten Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” (John 1:18) How does God make Himself known? Through Jesus. To understand and know Jesus is to understand and know God. Philip had been one of Jesus’ disciples for almost three years when he came up with an interesting request. “Show us the Father,” he said, “and that will be enough for us.” (John 14:8) Jesus’ answer puts His question in perspective. “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) Jesus took everything there is to know about God and put it on a shelf that we could reach. He is the complete revelation of God Himself. That’s why you can’t go around Jesus and get to God. He is the only begotten Son. Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius . . . no prophet, teacher or king can make that claim. “I am the way and the truth and the life,” Jesus says, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Today, when we choose names for our children, we sometimes base our selection on how that name sounds. A first name that rolls off the tongue nicely when combined with the last name is a popular option for many moms and dads. In biblical times, however, parents cared less about the sound of a name as they did about its meaning. A name was more than simply what sounded good. It was, rather, a replica and revelation of the individual or thing itself. A name is so important in biblical settings that there are frequent mentions throughout Scripture of God Himself changing someone’s name to reflect a new reality. Abram, which means “exalted father,” was changed to Abraham meaning “exalted father of multitudes.” Jacob, whose original name meant “grabber of the heel” and “deceitful,” had his name changed to Israel after wrestling with God. His new name, Israel, means “one who prevails.”  In Scripture, a name often both denoted and connoted purpose, authority, makeup, and ownership. It was frequently seen as an actual equivalency of a person or thing. When Jesus said that He had made God’s “name known to them, and will make it known...,”4 He was referencing more than just sounds put together in a word. Jesus, having come to earth in the flesh, unveiled God’s heart, mind, will, ch

Who Is This Jesus?

C. S. Lewis said it like this, "The only thing Christianity cannot be is moderately important." Moderately important! If Jesus is God and He died and loved you that much, you owe Him the rest of your life, every spare minute of it. The only thing Christianity cannot be is moderately important. It either deserves your entire life or nothing. Passion! The creative force behind all great art, all great drama, all great music, all great architecture, all great writing is passion. Nothing great is ever accomplished in life without passion. Nothing great is ever sustained in life without passion. Passion is what energizes life. Passion makes the impossible possible. Passion gives you a reason to get up in the morning and go, "I’m going to do something with my life today." Without passion life becomes boring. It becomes monotonous. It becomes routine. It becomes dull. Nothing else matters in life if you don’t love God passionately. God doesn’t want you to love Him half-heartedly. He wants you to love Him with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength.Then as if you didn’t get the message, Paul says it too…in Colossians 3:23 He says "Whatever you do, do it with all of your heart as unto the Lord and not unto men." He says I want you to do everything passionately when it comes to loving Me, serving Me, living for Me. Here’s the amazing thing. In America, it’s ok to be passionate about anything except God. That is not politically correct -- to be passionate about God. I can be passionate about movies. I can be passionate about sports. I can be passionate about politics. I can be passionate about fashion and clothes. I can be passionate about restaurants (and some of us really are). But I cannot be passionate about God. That’s a no-no. I type in the phrase "a passion for..." into Amazon.com and found a couple of hundred books with that title. There’s a book called A Passion for Birds, A Passion for Books, A Passion for Cactus, A Passion for Chocolate (that’s understandable), A Passion for Fashion, ... for Fishing... for Flying, ... for Gardening, ... Golf, Hunting. But in our culture, it’s ok to be passionate about anything, except your faith, except your relationship with God. I can go to a rock concert, or a political rally or a baseball game and I can shout my head off. Romans 12:1 "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor." Everything in life conspires to keep you from being passionate. And it dissipates your energy. That’s what we’re going to look at today. As we go through God’s word we’re going to look at seven passion killers, things that rob the joy out of your life. ……………….. 1. An unbalanced scheduleLife is a series of seasons, the Bible says. There’s a season for everything. And there’s a rhythm to life. You need both in your life -- both input and output. You need both rest and work. And too much of either will cause you to lose your passion. Too much work will cause you to lose your passion. Too much nothing -- boredom -- will cause you to lose your passion too if you’re not working enough. 2. An unused talentAn unused talent will cause you to lose your passion for life and your passion for God. 1 Peter 4:10 says "Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gifts well." Notice God gives you certain talents, abilities, personality, gifts -- and those gifts, those talents that you’ve been given are not for your benefit. They’re for the benefit of other people. My gifts are for your benefit. Your gifts are for my benefit. You are to use those gifts in the service of other people.  3. An unconfessed sinThis is a big one. Few things rob us of joy, rob your confidence, rob your passion, more quickly than guil

C. S. Lewis said it like this, "The only thing Christianity cannot be is moderately important." Moderately important! If Jesus is God and He died and loved you that much, you owe Him the rest of your life, every spare minute of it. The only thing Christianity cannot be is moderately important. It either deserves your entire life or nothing. Passion! The creative force behind all great art, all great drama, all great music, all great architecture, all great writing is passion. Nothing great is ever accomplished in life without passion. Nothing great is ever sustained in life without passion. Passion is what energizes life. Passion makes the impossible possible. Passion gives you a reason to get up in the morning and go, "I’m going to do something with my life today." Without passion life becomes boring. It becomes monotonous. It becomes routine. It becomes dull. Nothing else matters in life if you don’t love God passionately. God doesn’t want you to love Him half-heartedly. He wants you to love Him with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength.Then as if you didn’t get the message, Paul says it too…in Colossians 3:23 He says "Whatever you do, do it with all of your heart as unto the Lord and not unto men." He says I want you to do everything passionately when it comes to loving Me, serving Me, living for Me. Here’s the amazing thing. In America, it’s ok to be passionate about anything except God. That is not politically correct -- to be passionate about God. I can be passionate about movies. I can be passionate about sports. I can be passionate about politics. I can be passionate about fashion and clothes. I can be passionate about restaurants (and some of us really are). But I cannot be passionate about God. That’s a no-no. I type in the phrase "a passion for..." into <a href="http://Amazon.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a> and found a couple of hundred books with that title. There’s a book called A Passion for Birds, A Passion for Books, A Passion for Cactus, A Passion for Chocolate (that’s understandable), A Passion for Fashion, ... for Fishing... for Flying, ... for Gardening, ... Golf, Hunting. But in our culture, it’s ok to be passionate about anything, except your faith, except your relationship with God. I can go to a rock concert, or a political rally or a baseball game and I can shout my head off. Romans 12:1 "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor." Everything in life conspires to keep you from being passionate. And it dissipates your energy. That’s what we’re going to look at today. As we go through God’s word we’re going to look at seven passion killers, things that rob the joy out of your life. ……………….. 1. An unbalanced schedule Life is a series of seasons, the Bible says. There’s a season for everything. And there’s a rhythm to life. You need both in your life -- both input and output. You need both rest and work. And too much of either will cause you to lose your passion. Too much work will cause you to lose your passion. Too much nothing -- boredom -- will cause you to lose your passion too if you’re not working enough. 2. An unused talent An unused talent will cause you to lose your passion for life and your passion for God. 1 Peter 4:10 says "Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gifts well." Notice God gives you certain talents, abilities, personality, gifts -- and those gifts, those talents that you’ve been given are not for your benefit. They’re for the benefit of other people. My gifts are for your benefit. Your gifts are for my benefit. You are to use those gifts in the service of other people.  3. An unconfessed sin This is a big one. Few things rob us of joy, rob your confidence, rob your passion, more quickly than guil

Identifying 7 Passion-Killers

For those of you that may be unfamiliar with the phrase ‘level up’…it is simple a phrase that means to make moves for the benefit and betterment of ones life.   It means that a person is not waiting for something to happen but rather they are ready to make something happen.  Things are moving because I’m making some moves!  It is a phrase that pushes us to our potential…create a burden for our best…to give us an appetite for achievement…it is the individual that is saying, “I want God’s best for my life.” Of course when I say, ‘level up’ most people think of elevation (you know, going up)…however, I am not referring to elevation as much as evolution.  I’m not referring to becoming a better version of an old thing…I’m talking about a superior version of a new thing. Vance Havner – God is not in the antique business…where He takes an old thing and makes it look new.  He is in the creation business where He takes old things and makes them brand new. So, what had to happen in Jacob’s life before he could come to this place of evolution…here are a few things to consider. Jacob got word, that his brother Esau knew he was coming.  So, he sent his family on ahead of him just in case things would go bad between him and his brother….he sent them over the brook Jabok and the Bible said, he was left alone…at the place of the crossing there he wrestled with a man ‘till daybreak. So, here, in the middle of the night God shows up…now I prefer the God that shows up to tell me He loves me…I would rather see the God that tells me, “Lo, I’m with you always even till the end of the world.”I would rather see the side of God that tells the storm, “Peace, be still.”  This time God shows up, and for no apparent reason HE STARTS A FIGHT! When the man saw that he couldn’t win over Jacob he touched his hip until it was pulled out of place…he dislocated it.  To dislocate is to disturb the normal arrangement of things…to change the connection1. You might have to allow the Lord to change some of your connectionsThere are some places you will never go simply because you have the wrong people in your life…People come and people go. Some are there just for a season. Others are there to fulfill general aspects of your life.Some of the people around you are logical, and some are analytical. Others are creative and energizing, but the contribution of each person is vital.  On the other hand, some of the people in your life are an empty well, and you know it.  There are some people around you that possess the solution to your problems, there are others that are the problem to your solutions…in order to level up you will have to discern some relationships and you may have to allow the Lord to do some dislocating and change some of your connections.The result of this encounter results in Jacob walking with a limp…v.32. Then the man says, “…let me go for it’s daybreak…” v. 26.  Now, Jacob is injured but he still has the ability to keep fighting.  I’m hurt but I’m still here! 2. On the way to your next level, you must learn how to keep on, even though you’re limping.I’m hurt but I can still pray…I’m hurt but I can still praise…my feelings are hurt but I’m gonna move on…you can tell I’ve been through something because I’m limping. Now, if you read your Bible closely you will see that the trajectory of Jacob’s life changed from this encounter…v. 26 says that they wrestled until day break…which means they fought all night.3. Now, Jacob didn’t become Israel until he won the battle he was fighting in the dark.We all have something we are wrestling with.·      There’s a wrestling match going on that you keep hidden from those around you…maybe it’s unforgiveness…maybe its bitterness, insecurity, sadness…

For those of you that may be unfamiliar with the phrase ‘level up’…it is simple a phrase that means to make moves for the benefit and betterment of ones life.   It means that a person is not waiting for something to happen but rather they are ready to make something happen.  Things are moving because I’m making some moves!  It is a phrase that pushes us to our potential…create a burden for our best…to give us an appetite for achievement…it is the individual that is saying, “I want God’s best for my life.” Of course when I say, ‘level up’ most people think of elevation (you know, going up)…however, I am not referring to elevation as much as evolution.  I’m not referring to becoming a better version of an old thing…I’m talking about a superior version of a new thing. Vance Havner – God is not in the antique business…where He takes an old thing and makes it look new.  He is in the creation business where He takes old things and makes them brand new. So, what had to happen in Jacob’s life before he could come to this place of evolution…here are a few things to consider. Jacob got word, that his brother Esau knew he was coming.  So, he sent his family on ahead of him just in case things would go bad between him and his brother….he sent them over the brook Jabok and the Bible said, he was left alone…at the place of the crossing there he wrestled with a man ‘till daybreak. So, here, in the middle of the night God shows up…now I prefer the God that shows up to tell me He loves me…I would rather see the God that tells me, “Lo, I’m with you always even till the end of the world.”I would rather see the side of God that tells the storm, “Peace, be still.”  This time God shows up, and for no apparent reason HE STARTS A FIGHT! When the man saw that he couldn’t win over Jacob he touched his hip until it was pulled out of place…he dislocated it.  To dislocate is to disturb the normal arrangement of things…to change the connection1. You might have to allow the Lord to change some of your connections There are some places you will never go simply because you have the wrong people in your life…People come and people go. Some are there just for a season. Others are there to fulfill general aspects of your life.Some of the people around you are logical, and some are analytical. Others are creative and energizing, but the contribution of each person is vital.  On the other hand, some of the people in your life are an empty well, and you know it.  There are some people around you that possess the solution to your problems, there are others that are the problem to your solutions…in order to level up you will have to discern some relationships and you may have to allow the Lord to do some dislocating and change some of your connections.The result of this encounter results in Jacob walking with a limp…v.32. Then the man says, “…let me go for it’s daybreak…” v. 26.  Now, Jacob is injured but he still has the ability to keep fighting.  I’m hurt but I’m still here! 2. On the way to your next level, you must learn how to keep on, even though you’re limping. I’m hurt but I can still pray…I’m hurt but I can still praise…my feelings are hurt but I’m gonna move on…you can tell I’ve been through something because I’m limping. Now, if you read your Bible closely you will see that the trajectory of Jacob’s life changed from this encounter…v. 26 says that they wrestled until day break…which means they fought all night.3. Now, Jacob didn’t become Israel until he won the battle he was fighting in the dark. We all have something we are wrestling with.·      There’s a wrestling match going on that you keep hidden from those around you…maybe it’s unforgiveness…maybe its bitterness, insecurity, sadness…

It's Time To Level Up!

Did you know there are some places where we are losing when we could be winning? It’s not because we don’t have the talent, the skill, or the ability—it's because we don’t have the focus. Peter allowed the blowing wind to distract him while walking on water. If you are going to have an unbreakable life, you must maintain unbreakable focus.  Sometimes the difference between a breakdown and a break-through is FOCUS. Your talent, abilities, skill, faculty, flair, gift, genius your very anointing are all at the mercy of your focus.  An unstoppable life requires unbreakable focus Focus (According to m-w.com) – the center of interest or activity… the state or quality of having or producing clear visual  As long as Peter kept Jesus as his focus he walked on water…but (the text says) he saw the wind and began to sink.  Peter no longer placed Christ in the center of his activity and interest.  Peter started looking at the reason he couldn’t do this even though Jesus said COME. Here’s something to consider, you don’t really see wind, you see what the wind is doing to things around you.  So, Peter started to see the waves and lost focus…You cannot win looking at the wind. Faith helps you keep your focus, which helps you to keep your eyes on Jesus, which allows you to walk on water.·      Everything follows your vision…That’s why the Bible says in Proverbs 4:25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.  Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. It’s easy to drift. Life is hectic for all of us and if we’re not intentional about our direction in life we can easily wake up one day and wonder how we got where we are.A common complaint I hear from people, men in particular, is regret over not having done something in their life that they had always wanted or planned to do. It wasn’t their intention not to do it, but they also weren’t intentional enough to make sure it happened. Which direction does your focus go – backward, forward, or present? Here are 3 keys to staying focused:1. Don’t Look Back.While it’s helpful for us to learn from our mistakes, it’s important that we don’t spend more time in the past than is necessary to learn those lessons. A good distinction to note is whether our purpose for thinking about the past is to learn from it, or escape to it.2. Don’t Live in the Future.Okay, obviously if we have to look forward or we won’t know where we’re going. And some looking forward is necessary to set goals and develop plans to meet them. However, living in the future is a whole other thing. Again, a key distinction is our purpose for thinking about the future. 3. Stay in the Present.Living in today doesn’t mean we don’t look back or forward, but we don’t do it to the point that it robs us of today and we don’t do it to escape today. We have to continue to remind ourselves that the only way tomorrow will be better is if we stay focused on the present. As long as Peter looked at Jesus he didn’t sink…whenever the wind is blowing in your life you can’t look to what you usually do.As I was reflecting on Peter. . .I was stirred by 3 things that need to happen if we want unbreakable focus!1.   IntercessionBefore Jesus went out on the water…he prayed.  Prayer reminds you of the greatness of God…prayer in a storm is different than prayer in the norm.·      In the time of pressure and pain your prayers will help you focus on the endurance you will need for th

Did you know there are some places where we are losing when we could be winning? It’s not because we don’t have the talent, the skill, or the ability—it's because we don’t have the focus. Peter allowed the blowing wind to distract him while walking on water. If you are going to have an unbreakable life, you must maintain unbreakable focus.  Sometimes the difference between a breakdown and a break-through is FOCUS. Your talent, abilities, skill, faculty, flair, gift, genius your very anointing are all at the mercy of your focus.  An unstoppable life requires unbreakable focus Focus (According to <a href="http://m-w.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">m-w.com</a>) – the center of interest or activity… the state or quality of having or producing clear visual  As long as Peter kept Jesus as his focus he walked on water…but (the text says) he saw the wind and began to sink.  Peter no longer placed Christ in the center of his activity and interest.  Peter started looking at the reason he couldn’t do this even though Jesus said COME. Here’s something to consider, you don’t really see wind, you see what the wind is doing to things around you.  So, Peter started to see the waves and lost focus…You cannot win looking at the wind. Faith helps you keep your focus, which helps you to keep your eyes on Jesus, which allows you to walk on water.·      Everything follows your vision…That’s why the Bible says in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+4%3A25&amp;version=ESV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Proverbs 4:25</a> Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.  <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3%3A2&amp;version=ESV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Colossians 3:2</a> Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. It’s easy to drift. Life is hectic for all of us and if we’re not intentional about our direction in life we can easily wake up one day and wonder how we got where we are.A common complaint I hear from people, men in particular, is regret over not having done something in their life that they had always wanted or planned to do. It wasn’t their intention not to do it, but they also weren’t intentional enough to make sure it happened. Which direction does your focus go – backward, forward, or present? Here are 3 keys to staying focused:1. Don’t Look Back. While it’s helpful for us to learn from our mistakes, it’s important that we don’t spend more time in the past than is necessary to learn those lessons. A good distinction to note is whether our purpose for thinking about the past is to learn from it, or escape to it.2. Don’t Live in the Future. Okay, obviously if we have to look forward or we won’t know where we’re going. And some looking forward is necessary to set goals and develop plans to meet them. However, living in the future is a whole other thing. Again, a key distinction is our purpose for thinking about the future. 3. Stay in the Present. Living in today doesn’t mean we don’t look back or forward, but we don’t do it to the point that it robs us of today and we don’t do it to escape today. We have to continue to remind ourselves that the only way tomorrow will be better is if we stay focused on the present. As long as Peter looked at Jesus he didn’t sink…whenever the wind is blowing in your life you can’t look to what you usually do.As I was reflecting on Peter. . .I was stirred by 3 things that need to happen if we want unbreakable focus!1.   Intercession Before Jesus went out on the water…he prayed.  Prayer reminds you of the greatness of God…prayer in a storm is different than prayer in the norm.·      In the time of pressure and pain your prayers will help you focus on the endurance you will need for th

The Unstoppable Power of Unbroken Focus

There is an emotional epidemic that is affecting people all over the world, including the church…it’s called stress.  It is so disruptive and destructive that an article in the Wall Street Journal suggests that it is responsible for taking more lives than smoking, drinking, and lack of exercising combined.  You see, it is not as much as what you eat rather it is what is eating you. The University of London printed that it was 6x’s more likely to cause cancer than high cholesterol, smoking, and elevated blood pressure…I am referring to a silent killer…-You can’t see it. (invisible)-You can’t hear it. (inaudible)-You can’t feel it. (intangible).    It’s called stress… It is completely indiscriminatory …. Everyone no matter your age, economic status, or season of life you are in is vulnerable to stress.Stress -  force or influence exerted when one thing or body part presses on, pulls on, pushes against, or tends to compress or twist another thing or body part.  The state or result of one thing pushing against another.  Pressure, strain, or tension.  Stress is caused when your every effort to push through this life are met with the cares of this world pushing back.We all are dealing with stress in our life.  Stress is pretty much unavoidable.  What we have to learn to do is manage the stress.  there are some things that Jesus taught to help manage stress.Philippians 4:6-7. Living Bible6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. 7 If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.1.   V. 6 “Refuse to worry about anything…”Jesus spent a majority of His most famous sermon (Sermon on the. Mount) on the subject of worry…He says many things about it…here are 3·      Worry is unreasonable, illogical, and it doesn’t make sense.Matthew 6 “Don’t worry about your life; what you’ll eat or drink; or your body, what you’ll wear.  Your life is more than your food, and your body is more than just what you’ll wear…”·      The next thing Jesus taught in the sermon of the mount about worry is – Worry is Unnatural-Jesus points out the in all of the things in the universe that He created, the only thing that worries is us.  In Matthew 6 Jesus refers us to the birds and tells us how they do not worry.  I mean, birds don’t worry and God is not their Father…he’s their creator but not their Father.·      The next thing Jesus said about worry in His sermon on the mount is that - Worry is Unhelpful-It can’t make you taller…shorter…skinnier.  It can’t help yesterday…it can’t change tomorrow…the only thing it can do ruin today.  The only thing changes is YOU.The next step is the next phrase of Phil. 4:6…2. “…Talk to God About Everything…”In other words…don’t panic, pray!  Don’t worry, worship!   Don’t stress, talk to God about everything.·      If we prayed as much as we worry, we would probably have a whole let less to worry about.·      Here’s what Paul is saying to the church at Phillipi, “…if it’s not worth praying about, it’s not worth worrying about…”The next thing he tells us to do in Phil. 4:6 is point #33.” …Thank God in All Things…”Not for all things…rather, in all things.  The New Living Translation of that phrase is “…when you ask God for what you need also thank Him for all He’s done…” Did you know when you have an attitude of gratitude and thankfulne

There is an emotional epidemic that is affecting people all over the world, including the church…it’s called stress.  It is so disruptive and destructive that an article in the Wall Street Journal suggests that it is responsible for taking more lives than smoking, drinking, and lack of exercising combined.  You see, it is not as much as what you eat rather it is what is eating you. The University of London printed that it was 6x’s more likely to cause cancer than high cholesterol, smoking, and elevated blood pressure…I am referring to a silent killer…-You can’t see it. (invisible)-You can’t hear it. (inaudible)-You can’t feel it. (intangible).    It’s called stress… It is completely indiscriminatory …. Everyone no matter your age, economic status, or season of life you are in is vulnerable to stress. Stress -  force or influence exerted when one thing or body part presses on, pulls on, pushes against, or tends to compress or twist another thing or body part.  The state or result of one thing pushing against another.  Pressure, strain, or tension.  Stress is caused when your every effort to push through this life are met with the cares of this world pushing back.We all are dealing with stress in our life.  Stress is pretty much unavoidable.  What we have to learn to do is manage the stress.  there are some things that Jesus taught to help manage stress.Philippians 4:6-7. Living Bible6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. 7 If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.1.   V. 6 “Refuse to worry about anything…” Jesus spent a majority of His most famous sermon (Sermon on the. Mount) on the subject of worry…He says many things about it…here are 3·      Worry is unreasonable, illogical, and it doesn’t make sense. Matthew 6 “Don’t worry about your life; what you’ll eat or drink; or your body, what you’ll wear.  Your life is more than your food, and your body is more than just what you’ll wear…”·      The next thing Jesus taught in the sermon of the mount about worry is – Worry is Unnatural- Jesus points out the in all of the things in the universe that He created, the only thing that worries is us.  In Matthew 6 Jesus refers us to the birds and tells us how they do not worry.  I mean, birds don’t worry and God is not their Father…he’s their creator but not their Father.·      The next thing Jesus said about worry in His sermon on the mount is that - Worry is Unhelpful- It can’t make you taller…shorter…skinnier.  It can’t help yesterday…it can’t change tomorrow…the only thing it can do ruin today.  The only thing changes is YOU.The next step is the next phrase of Phil. 4:6… 2. “…Talk to God About Everything…” In other words…don’t panic, pray!  Don’t worry, worship!   Don’t stress, talk to God about everything.·      If we prayed as much as we worry, we would probably have a whole let less to worry about.·      Here’s what Paul is saying to the church at Phillipi, “…if it’s not worth praying about, it’s not worth worrying about…”The next thing he tells us to do in Phil. 4:6 is point #3 3.” …Thank God in All Things…” Not for all things…rather, in all things.  The New Living Translation of that phrase is “…when you ask God for what you need also thank Him for all He’s done…” Did you know when you have an attitude of gratitude and thankfulne

4 Biblical Strategies For Managing Stress

The missing man seems to have become the crisis of the day.It is being asked by the child that has to grow up with either a physically or emotionally absent father…it is asked by the mother who has been abandoned to raise her children on her own…but, worst of all it is being asked by God, “where are you?”  So the desperate need of today is to call males back to being men…as God defines being a man…not as the culture defines him. Ezekiel 22:30 (King James Version) 30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Jer. 5:1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. There's a disconnect between men and church. And what's amazing is this is not true in other religions. Men outnumber women in the Buddhist religion. Men outnumber women in the Hindu religion. Men greatly outnumber women in the Islamic faith. Only in the Christian faith do women outnumber men in the church. What's going on? There is an absence of men in the church, real men. Somehow there's a disconnect between men and wanting to be in church. Why is that? What's going on? Is that how it was in Jesus' day, in the first-century church? Something is happening with the men. I want to use the word REAL as an acrostic and discuss with you why R.E.A.L. men matter1.    Responsibility1 Tim. 2:13 “Adam was first formed, then Eve.Adam and Eve were not created at the same time…God spends an entire chapter of Gen. (chapter 2) discussing his creation of Adam before Eve even comes into the picture. WHY?  Because it would be the man that would be responsible.Even though it was Adam and Eve hiding in the garden at the same time, God didn’t say, “Adam and Eve where are y’all?”     Because Adam was the one that God would expect to take responsibility.  If you are going to be God’s man you must be ready to take a position of responsibility…responsibility (m-w.com) is accountability, blame.  You must take the “mindset” …”If I don’t do it, who’s going to?”So, if your culture is declining…while we can discuss all the peripheral social, cultural, socio-political reasons why, God stands up in the middle of it all and asks, “Men, where are you?” Because the man was first, he must function as the foundation…and the one where buck stops! The buck stops here.—A sign on the desk of President Harry S. Truman If you’ve ever played or watched sports, you know what I mean by the “loser’s limp.” It’s what happens when an outfielder misjudges a fly ball and misses the catch, or when a wide receiver drops an easy pass. The player falls to the ground and gets up limping.  He’s not really hurt. The purpose of the limp is to camouflage his failure. He wants his teammates and fans to think he missed the ball because of a cramp or pulled muscle or another injury— anything besides his own mistake. It’s the athlete’s excuse.  Adam tried his own loser’s limp way back in the gar­den. Despite what you learned from a Bible storybook, Eve was not alone during her conversation with the ser­pent. Genesis 3:6 describes “her husband with her.” The whole time the serpent was talking, Adam was there. Silent. And by his silence, Adam relinquished his God-given right to leadership. The silence of Adam is still a problem among men. But Adam—and you and I—are still accountable. While Eve bore responsibility for her part, Adam was held responsible because of his leader­ship position. Men, you are responsible for that which falls within your realm of influence: your family, m

The missing man seems to have become the crisis of the day.It is being asked by the child that has to grow up with either a physically or emotionally absent father…it is asked by the mother who has been abandoned to raise her children on her own…but, worst of all it is being asked by God, “where are you?”  So the desperate need of today is to call males back to being men…as God defines being a man…not as the culture defines him. Ezekiel 22:30 (King James Version) 30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Jer. 5:1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. There's a disconnect between men and church. And what's amazing is this is not true in other religions. Men outnumber women in the Buddhist religion. Men outnumber women in the Hindu religion. Men greatly outnumber women in the Islamic faith. Only in the Christian faith do women outnumber men in the church. What's going on? There is an absence of men in the church, real men. Somehow there's a disconnect between men and wanting to be in church. Why is that? What's going on? Is that how it was in Jesus' day, in the first-century church? Something is happening with the men. I want to use the word REAL as an acrostic and discuss with you why R.E.A.L. men matter1.    Responsibility 1 Tim. 2:13 “Adam was first formed, then Eve.Adam and Eve were not created at the same time…God spends an entire chapter of Gen. (chapter 2) discussing his creation of Adam before Eve even comes into the picture. WHY?  Because it would be the man that would be responsible.Even though it was Adam and Eve hiding in the garden at the same time, God didn’t say, “Adam and Eve where are y’all?”     Because Adam was the one that God would expect to take responsibility.  If you are going to be God’s man you must be ready to take a position of responsibility…responsibility (<a href="http://m-w.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">m-w.com</a>) is accountability, blame.  You must take the “mindset” …”If I don’t do it, who’s going to?”So, if your culture is declining…while we can discuss all the peripheral social, cultural, socio-political reasons why, God stands up in the middle of it all and asks, “Men, where are you?” Because the man was first, he must function as the foundation…and the one where buck stops! The buck stops here. —A sign on the desk of President Harry S. Truman If you’ve ever played or watched sports, you know what I mean by the “loser’s limp.” It’s what happens when an outfielder misjudges a fly ball and misses the catch, or when a wide receiver drops an easy pass. The player falls to the ground and gets up limping.  He’s not really hurt. The purpose of the limp is to camouflage his failure. He wants his teammates and fans to think he missed the ball because of a cramp or pulled muscle or another injury— anything besides his own mistake. It’s the athlete’s excuse.  Adam tried his own loser’s limp way back in the gar­den. Despite what you learned from a Bible storybook, Eve was not alone during her conversation with the ser­pent. Genesis 3:6 describes “her husband with her.” The whole time the serpent was talking, Adam was there. Silent. And by his silence, Adam relinquished his God-given right to leadership. The silence of Adam is still a problem among men. But Adam—and you and I—are still accountable. While Eve bore responsibility for her part, Adam was held responsible because of his leader­ship position. Men, you are responsible for that which falls within your realm of influence: your family, m

Why R.E.A.L. Men Matter

Marriage and family, by God's design, is one of life's greatest privileges and most amazing adventures. But the devil's plan for marriage includes making life miserable and destroying you to the core.  God created a family before He created the church…These are stressful times in which we live.  And almost every day you hear about another home where the string has snapped.Stress in a home is like sand to machinery, and a marriage that should be smooth and efficient instead begins to slowly grind away!1.Learn to LaughProverbs 17:22  A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Laughter is a gift God has given to us, to release tension, and to keep our spirits from being broken in this sin-cursed earth.  According to this verse, it’s one of God’s ways of keeping us healthy, emotionally and physically.  Medical science has proven that when you laugh, chemicals and enzymes are released in the brain which is extremely important to the health of our vital organs. An article from a secular magazine called Executive Digest:  “Scientists have been studying the effects of laughter on human beings and have found, among other things, that laughter has a profound and instantaneous effect on virtually every important organ of the human body.  Laughter reduces unhealthy tensions and relaxes the tissues, as well as exercising the most vital organs.  Laughter, even when forced, results in a beneficial effect on us, both mentally and physically.  So, the next time you feel nervous and jittery, indulge in a good laugh.”2.Cultivate ContentmentWe try to have too much too quickly...we want everything our parents got over several decades, and now...on credit!  The devil is heaping stress upon us and we need to remember things won't make us happy.Don’t even get on the treadmill of materialism, it doesn’t take you anywhere! (if only we had a bigger, nicer house, newer car…no, if you’re not happy w/ what you’ve got now, you wouldn’t be then, it has nothing to do w/ it.) 3.Alleviate AngerProverbs 15:18 18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. The clear lesson here:  the way to control anger is to control your mouth…your tongue! Nothing will reduce stress and tension in the home like getting control of your words.        When you are mad, angry, upset (and those times will come) keep your mouth shut!  “Be angry, and sin not!”4.Walk in WisdomWe need to do some prevention, especially if things are good now at home.  Because many times the marriage which started out as the ideal becomes an ordeal and somebody starts looking for a new deal! Strife and tension result when there’s confusion when we’re not on the same page when the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing…the result isn’t unity and harmony, it’s division, strife, tension, and stress!You can build your home on 1 of 2 foundations:  rock or sand·      The difference is whether or not you put Christ first in your life/marriage…that's building on The Rock…and when the winds of adversity blow, and the waves of disappointment roll in, your house will be able to weather the storm.  That’s walking in wisdom!And then you can build something beautiful together!  On the foundation of Christ.

Marriage and family, by God's design, is one of life's greatest privileges and most amazing adventures. But the devil's plan for marriage includes making life miserable and destroying you to the core.  God created a family before He created the church…These are stressful times in which we live.  And almost every day you hear about another home where the string has snapped.Stress in a home is like sand to machinery, and a marriage that should be smooth and efficient instead begins to slowly grind away! 1.Learn to Laugh Proverbs 17:22  A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Laughter is a gift God has given to us, to release tension, and to keep our spirits from being broken in this sin-cursed earth.  According to this verse, it’s one of God’s ways of keeping us healthy, emotionally and physically.  Medical science has proven that when you laugh, chemicals and enzymes are released in the brain which is extremely important to the health of our vital organs. An article from a secular magazine called Executive Digest:  “Scientists have been studying the effects of laughter on human beings and have found, among other things, that laughter has a profound and instantaneous effect on virtually every important organ of the human body.  Laughter reduces unhealthy tensions and relaxes the tissues, as well as exercising the most vital organs.  Laughter, even when forced, results in a beneficial effect on us, both mentally and physically.  So, the next time you feel nervous and jittery, indulge in a good laugh.”2.Cultivate Contentment We try to have too much too quickly...we want everything our parents got over several decades, and now...on credit!  The devil is heaping stress upon us and we need to remember things won't make us happy.Don’t even get on the treadmill of materialism, it doesn’t take you anywhere! (if only we had a bigger, nicer house, newer car…no, if you’re not happy w/ what you’ve got now, you wouldn’t be then, it has nothing to do w/ it.) 3.Alleviate Anger Proverbs 15:18 18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. The clear lesson here:  the way to control anger is to control your mouth…your tongue! Nothing will reduce stress and tension in the home like getting control of your words.        When you are mad, angry, upset (and those times will come) keep your mouth shut!  “Be angry, and sin not!”4.Walk in Wisdom We need to do some prevention, especially if things are good now at home.  Because many times the marriage which started out as the ideal becomes an ordeal and somebody starts looking for a new deal! Strife and tension result when there’s confusion when we’re not on the same page when the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing…the result isn’t unity and harmony, it’s division, strife, tension, and stress!You can build your home on 1 of 2 foundations:  rock or sand·      The difference is whether or not you put Christ first in your life/marriage…that's building on The Rock…and when the winds of adversity blow, and the waves of disappointment roll in, your house will be able to weather the storm.  That’s walking in wisdom!And then you can build something beautiful together!  On the foundation of Christ.

Desperate Households: Dealing with Stress and Tension In The Home

You Are Designed For Connection.  Eyes require a view. Ears require sound. The mind requires thoughts.   Aloneness creates vulnerability. God knew it. “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone,” (Genesis 2:18). God loves marriage. But, marriage is not a mere reproduction center for human babies.Marriage is sowing ground where you sow your patience, love, and enthusiasm, and watch it multiply in those around you who celebrate your presence.Your mate is a gift from God to you. That gift is intended to: 1) protect your focus, 2) reduce distractions, and 3) create a climate of protection. Focus often creates blindness. When you are looking north, you cannot see south. Someone else is needed for your protection. So, God provides the gift of a Mate.  Unfortunately, some who qualify for our attention are often unqualified to receive our hearts.

You Are Designed For Connection.  Eyes require a view. Ears require sound. The mind requires thoughts.   Aloneness creates vulnerability. God knew it. “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone,” (Genesis 2:18). God loves marriage. But, marriage is not a mere reproduction center for human babies.Marriage is sowing ground where you sow your patience, love, and enthusiasm, and watch it multiply in those around you who celebrate your presence.Your mate is a gift from God to you. That gift is intended to: 1) protect your focus, 2) reduce distractions, and 3) create a climate of protection. Focus often creates blindness. When you are looking north, you cannot see south. Someone else is needed for your protection. So, God provides the gift of a Mate.  Unfortunately, some who qualify for our attention are often unqualified to receive our hearts.

How To Recognize the One God Has For You

You can be addicted to a lot of different things like alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, and even food. But did you know you can also be addicted to approval? When Moses chose seventy leaders to help govern Israel, he told them, ‘Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone.’ (Deuteronomy 1:17 NIV)  When your identity is wrapped up in other people’s acceptance, you set yourself up for approval addiction, because your sense of self-worth is always on the line. A notable French author said, ‘We’re so accustomed to wearing a disguise before others, that eventually we’re unable to recognize ourselves.’ That’s not how God wants you to live!   I really cannot give you the formula for success. But I can give you the formula for failure. It's this: Try to please everyone.   Are you obsessed with the need to please? From parents to bosses, we all like a pat on the back for doing well, but what if you're addicted to the approval of others?Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.Approval addiction, definedGregory Jantz, an author of several books about addiction, notes, "People who are addicted to approval have a fragile ego. Their sense of self-esteem is dependent upon whether or not someone likes them, so in order for them to feel OK about themselves, they need to know they are liked." People with approval addiction rely on others to soothe their insecurities and satisfy their emotional needs and struggle with establishing self-confidence without others' external validation. Jantz said the use of cell phones and social media has only exacerbated the problem."We did a study for my latest book that says 48 percent of the highest users on Facebook will go on (to Facebook) first thing in the morning," Jantz said. "This is even before they go to the bathroom! They check to see who 'liked' their posts and for many, this will determine how they feel before starting their day."In The Message Bible, Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.” The New King James Version put it this way: “The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.”  You see, the problem with allowing the opinions of others to control our lives is that they are fallen humans, just like everyone else is. People are fickle. One minute they like you, and the next, when you do something they disagree with or disapprove of, they don’t. This is the “disabling snare” that the Bible speaks of, that can leave us confused emotionally and paralyzed spiritually.  When we think of addicts, we may immediately think of drugs or alcohol. But the truth is we can be addicted to almost anything. The apostle Paul stated that he would not allow anything to control him (See 1 Corinthians 6:12).   That is a good attitude to have, one that we will have to be very determined to maintain.   Approval addiction is a thing that is tied and tethered to ‘how you feel about me is the way I feel about me.’  If they say it..and all of a sudden your mood changes…you might have a problem.  Approval addiction is like a paper cut…it doesn’t bleed but it sure hurts!    It’s okay to want to be liked by people…but it’s dangerous when you need to be. Well Mike, will it go away?  Friends, fire cannot consume what you don’t put on the altar…God won’t fix what you won

You can be addicted to a lot of different things like alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, and even food. But did you know you can also be addicted to approval? When Moses chose seventy leaders to help govern Israel, he told them, ‘Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone.’ (Deuteronomy 1:17 NIV)  When your identity is wrapped up in other people’s acceptance, you set yourself up for approval addiction, because your sense of self-worth is always on the line. A notable French author said, ‘We’re so accustomed to wearing a disguise before others, that eventually we’re unable to recognize ourselves.’ That’s not how God wants you to live!   I really cannot give you the formula for success. But I can give you the formula for failure. It's this: Try to please everyone.   Are you obsessed with the need to please? From parents to bosses, we all like a pat on the back for doing well, but what if you're addicted to the approval of others?<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3%3A23-24&amp;version=ESV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Colossians 3:23-24</a> Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.Approval addiction, defined<a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-xpm-2012-06-26-ct-tribu-weigel-approval-addiction-20120626-story.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gregory Jantz</a>, an author of several books about addiction, notes, "People who are addicted to approval have a fragile ego. Their sense of self-esteem is dependent upon whether or not someone likes them, so in order for them to feel OK about themselves, they need to know they are liked." People with approval addiction rely on others to soothe their insecurities and satisfy their emotional needs and struggle with establishing self-<a href="https://fairygodboss.com/articles/how-to-gain-confidence" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">confidence</a> without others' external validation. Jantz said the use of cell phones and social media has only exacerbated the problem."We did a study for my latest book that says 48 percent of the highest users on Facebook will go on (to Facebook) first thing in the morning," Jantz said. "This is even before they go to the bathroom! They check to see who 'liked' their posts and for many, this will determine how they feel before starting their day."In The Message Bible, Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.” The New King James Version put it this way: “The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.”  You see, the problem with allowing the opinions of others to control our lives is that they are fallen humans, just like everyone else is. People are fickle. One minute they like you, and the next, when you do something they disagree with or disapprove of, they don’t. This is the “disabling snare” that the Bible speaks of, that can leave us confused emotionally and paralyzed spiritually.  When we think of addicts, we may immediately think of drugs or alcohol. But the truth is we can be addicted to almost anything. The apostle Paul stated that he would not allow anything to control him (See 1 Corinthians 6:12).   That is a good attitude to have, one that we will have to be very determined to maintain.   Approval addiction is a thing that is tied and tethered to ‘how you feel about me is the way I feel about me.’  If they say it..and all of a sudden your mood changes…you might have a problem.  Approval addiction is like a paper cut…it doesn’t bleed but it sure hurts!    It’s okay to want to be liked by people…but it’s dangerous when you need to be. Well Mike, will it go away?  Friends, fire cannot consume what you don’t put on the altar…God won’t fix what you won

How To Overcome Approval Addiction

Purpose is why something exists. Until purpose is discovered, existence has no meaning, for purpose is the source of fulfillment.  Have you ever wondered about your purpose?  Many people die without discovering their true purpose, without doing anything of value with it. Myles Munroe - ‘The richest place in the world is not the mines of South Africa’, he says, ‘it is, in fact, the cemetery. Because it is a place filled with the dead who left with untapped dreams, unwritten books, and unfinished beginnings. ‘ Destiny and Purpose must be pursued. "You must strive to be who you were born to be."  Proverbs 20:5 " The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.” History shows that the value of life decreases and the quality of existence diminishes when a generation loses its sense of destiny and purpose. A quick glance at our current world exposes a sad picture that demands our attention. We preserve nature, for example, but kill babies. We build solid houses but cannot construct lasting homes. We are smarter but not wiser, bigger but not stronger. We know more but understand less, and we live longer but enjoy life less fully. We write more books but fail to take the time to read them. We go faster but get nowhere, conquer space but cannot conquer our habits, protect whales but abuse our children, go to the moon but wander far from home, and flirt with fantasy to avoid reality.Without purpose, life is an experiment or a haphazard journey that results in frustration, disappointment, and failure. Without purpose, life is subjective, or it is a trial and error game that is ruled by environmental influences and the circumstances of the moment. Likewise, in the absence of purpose, time has no meaning, energy has no reason and life has no precision Therefore, it is essential that we understand and discover our purpose in life so that we can experience an effective, full and rewarding life.·      Your purpose isn’t a search, it’s an alignment.So, if you are going to discover your purpose you must walk these paths by aligning yourself with the following questions… 1.    P – What is your passion?-What are some things I get really excited about?  What are some things I see going on in the world, my church, my community that I want to be a part of?  Or, what am I seeing that is wrong that I long to make right?2.    U - Unfulfilled – Where do I feel unfulfilled?As for me personally, sometimes when the Lord was getting ready to take me into my purpose it was proceeded by a time where I felt extremely unfulfilled where I was. 3.    R – Relationships – Am I investing in relationships?What relationships am I currently building, investing in and cultivating that God may use to catapult me into the purpose He has for my life.There are four kinds of people in your life: those who add, those who subtract, those who divide, and those who multiply. Those who do not increase you inevitably will decrease you. It is your responsibility to discern their worth. -  Mike MurdockJoseph was imprisoned with a butler and a baker…a butler is a door-opener…a baker brings many ingredients together to create a beautiful future.Take the time to assess the people in your life and how they add or multiply and think about how those relationships could be used by God to help create your purpose.4.    P – Past Experiences - What are your past e

Purpose is why something exists. Until purpose is discovered, existence has no meaning, for purpose is the source of fulfillment.  Have you ever wondered about your purpose?  Many people die without discovering their true purpose, without doing anything of value with it.  Myles Munroe - ‘The richest place in the world is not the mines of South Africa’, he says, ‘it is, in fact, the cemetery. Because it is a place filled with the dead who left with untapped dreams, unwritten books, and unfinished beginnings. ‘  Destiny and Purpose must be pursued. "You must strive to be who you were born to be."   Proverbs 20:5 " The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.”  History shows that the value of life decreases and the quality of existence diminishes when a generation loses its sense of destiny and purpose. A quick glance at our current world exposes a sad picture that demands our attention. We preserve nature, for example, but kill babies.  We build solid houses but cannot construct lasting homes. We are smarter but not wiser, bigger but not stronger. We know more but understand less, and we live longer but enjoy life less fully. We write more books but fail to take the time to read them. We go faster but get nowhere, conquer space but cannot conquer our habits, protect whales but abuse our children, go to the moon but wander far from home, and flirt with fantasy to avoid reality. Without purpose, life is an experiment or a haphazard journey that results in frustration, disappointment, and failure. Without purpose, life is subjective, or it is a trial and error game that is ruled by environmental influences and the circumstances of the moment. Likewise, in the absence of purpose, time has no meaning, energy has no reason and life has no precision Therefore, it is essential that we understand and discover our purpose in life so that we can experience an effective, full and rewarding life. ·      Your purpose isn’t a search, it’s an alignment. So, if you are going to discover your purpose you must walk these paths by aligning yourself with the following questions…  1.    P – What is your passion? -What are some things I get really excited about?  What are some things I see going on in the world, my church, my community that I want to be a part of?  Or, what am I seeing that is wrong that I long to make right? 2.    U - Unfulfilled – Where do I feel unfulfilled? As for me personally, sometimes when the Lord was getting ready to take me into my purpose it was proceeded by a time where I felt extremely unfulfilled where I was.  3.    R – Relationships – Am I investing in relationships? What relationships am I currently building, investing in and cultivating that God may use to catapult me into the purpose He has for my life. There are four kinds of people in your life: those who add, those who subtract, those who divide, and those who multiply. Those who do not increase you inevitably will decrease you. It is your responsibility to discern their worth. -  Mike Murdock Joseph was imprisoned with a butler and a baker…a butler is a door-opener…a baker brings many ingredients together to create a beautiful future. Take the time to assess the people in your life and how they add or multiply and think about how those relationships could be used by God to help create your purpose. 4.    P – Past Experiences - What are your past e

7 Paths Toward Discovering Your P.U.R.P.O.S.E.

On Point Christian Magazine

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