Click on this scripture reference and read 1 Corinthians 2:9-12.
I've read these verses many times prior to a few nights ago. But God revealed something to me that might not seem big to you, but it did to me. I've joined with people all over the world, maybe you're even one of us, who have searched for God's purpose for your life. I think that even the fact that Pastor Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life, sold so many copies, gives evidence to the fact that people the world over are concerned with their life's purpose. I was called to the ministry when I was 16 years old, but I've come to learn that sometimes your calling and your purpose are not always one and the same. Many times, maybe even MOST of the time, your purpose lies within your calling.
Since moving to Nashville, I have made some new friends. I'm thankful for all of them! Some of them may even prove to be the rare life long friends. But one of these friends, Jamie, challenged me back in July to do a 5 year plan for myself. Having walked away from local church ministry a little over two years ago for a number of reasons, and having been in a wilderness experience almost ever since that event, I was really at a loss for where to even start! I'd taught leadership on a state level to church leaders, led volunteer armies of 200-300 in my former role of Worship Pastor, but trying to come up with a vision for myself seemed to be a much more daunting task!
Jamie and I had met at 10:00a that morning, and he wanted it in his Inbox by 8:00p that night!!! I remember sitting down right after lunch with my laptop and just staring at a white screen wondering where in the world to start. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that God brought Michelle and I here to Nashville, TN! None whatsoever! The doors He kicked open for us to be here and the favor He has shown on us since arriving has been quite overwhelming, if I'm honest. But how many of you reading this, who have experience with a relationship with God, know that just because God's unmistakable hand leads you somewhere, doesn't always mean He shows you WHY He led you there upon arrival?
So I prayed. And as I prayed I started typing. And as I typed, God revealed some things about me that I, with His help, needed to change. He also renewed some dreams that He had given me long ago that I had let slide. He renewed some passions within me and gave me new ones in the process. I got a vision for what He could do in and through me and it EXCITED me! When I got done a couple of hours later, I was amazed at what I'd written. As a matter of fact, I thought it was a bit grandiose and even questioned God as to whether I'd written some of it out of greed or pride. The details of my plan and the ways that God confirmed it to be from Him are not important for now. Just know that there was a confirmation as to the details. What IS important is what I saw that led me to even type the first word. And that part of the story takes us back to scripture.
Click on this scripture reference and read Isaiah 55:8-9. Think back. You may even have to think back to your childhood. What were your dreams? I'm talking about the dreams you had when you were old enough to be passionate about something. They've been there all along, and no matter how old you are right now, they've never gone away. Resources, age, lack of experience, life circumstances may have gotten in the way and you laid your dreams and passions aside, but they've never gone completely out of your mind. Yeah. Those. Think on those for a minute.
Now click on this reference and read Jeremiah 29:11-13. Now when this reference is used, most people stop with verse 11. GREAT! We have a hope and a future! But there is more to it than that. If we are to KNOW that hope and future, we must pray and seek God! It is when we seek that we find. Remember the verse in Isaiah? God's ways and thoughts for us are higher than our own. You know those dreams you had? Well God put them there. And His purpose for them is even HIGHER than what you think could be done!!! Getting excited yet?!?
Now let's go back to the first passage of scripture you read at the beginning. Verse 9 talks about how no eye can see nor mind imagine the things that God has prepared for us. That is SO exciting and great to know! But how many are like me and you want to taste the dough even before the cookies are in the oven?!? I'm glad that there are things being prepared for me one day in heaven when I see Him face to face! But what about right now? Jesus came to establish His kingdom on this earth. Not that this earth is heaven, but that we might experience a portion of the eternal in the here and now!
Now look at verses 10-12. Do you see it? God has given us His Spirit which searches out and reveals to us God's "deep secrets." We have a window into the very mind of God!!! A window that He controls, mind you, but a window that reveals to us His higher ways and thoughts about us and His plan and purpose for our lives!!! I believe with all my heart that when I sat down to write my 5 year plan, that it was this window through which I saw what God has planned for me and will do in and through me if I remain faithful!!!
I challenge you to do a 5 year plan for your life TODAY! It's much like a prayer journal for your own life. In a prayer journal, we see and record God's answers to our prayers as they happen and it strengthens our faith. With a 5 year plan in place, you can see God working and bringing to fruition those things He gave you dreams and passions about. You can watch His encouragement in your life as He opens doors and you pass through them. It's a wonderful faith building tool! Plus you get to see through His Spirit those things which He has in store for you, His faithful child.
Please leave comments below! Ask questions! Tell your friends by clicking on the social media links and posting on your Facebook or Twitter or Google + accounts. It helps to know that these are being read and even helping YOU! I never know that unless you're doing these things and ESPECIALLY leaving comments!!! Thanks for sharing a few moments with me!
Monday, November 18, 2013
Saturday, November 2, 2013
"They will act religious..."
As we were closing tonight, I was talking with a coworker about today's church. We were speaking about the authenticity of the average modern day Christian. Understand, we weren't passing judgement and stating that anyone wouldn't deserve heaven or anything of the sort! It was simply a discussion on whether most of today's church-going Christians "get it."
I can already hear someone from the back row stating piously in his best religious tone, "Son, we're not going to 'get it' till we get to heaven one day and see God for all that He is in all His glory." You know, you're right. We won't. But see, Jesus didn't come to tell us what we had to wait for so much as He came to redeem us to Himself and bring His kingdom to us so and establish His kingdom NOW! I don't mean the environment of the place called heaven that we will occupy for eternity, but I speak of the relationship with/to the God of heaven, Jehovah. In relationship TO God, means to be children OF God and therefore be WITH God in His kingdom.
Take a moment to read John 14:9-14 (NLT) (click on the scripture reference to the left and you will be directed to the passage). Jesus says that if we have seen and know Him, we have seen and know the Father. He also says that we will do "greater works" that what HE did!!! He even ends that paragraph by telling us that we can ask for things in His name, and it will be granted to us! Now please note that I don't believe that means asking for a Mercedes, unless somehow that car would glorify God and not YOU! The "yes" to these asks come with a expectation that the affirmative answers bring glory to the Father. How do we know what brings glory to Him? We know Him. How do we know Him? According to John14, we get to know His Son, Jesus. We get to know Jesus by surrendering our lives to Him, believing in His work on the cross to take our place for our sin. When we do that, we are adopted into the family (kingdom) now, and immediately become heirs to the throne of, and friends with God, and brothers and sisters to Jesus Christ. Jesus said that all that His Father has given Him, He gives to us. God's kingdom - here and now.
Let's read one more passage (you can click on this reference too to be taken directly to it) and then we will get straight to the point. Read 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Pay close attention to verse 5. All through this passage, Paul is talking about church-going people! He's not talking about the crowds that we're needing to tell about Jesus, he's talking about the ones who should know better! Me and you!!! Look around you. Close your eyes and imagine you are where you normally sit on Sunday (yes, I know you have "your seat" in church). See those people around you in your mind. You think they "get it?" Do YOU?!? Are we living lives of authenticity?
Let's look at some of the works that Jesus did: healed the sick, made the lame to walk, made the blind to see, brought back Lazarus from the dead, fed 5,000 men and their families from a few fish and a couple loaves of bread, calmed stormy seas, walked on water, and the list goes on. Now Jesus said that we would do even greater works than HE! What have you done? Made the toast without burning it? Got the kids to soccer only ten minutes late this time rather than the normal fifteen? Fixed the broken windshield wiper on your own? NOW go back and read 2 Timothy 3:5. What if we were so busy with verses 2-4, that we ended up like verse 5? The great toast, the lack of tardiness, the working wiper while all good, mean nothing to eternity! God takes more care of us than just providing a close parking space at Walmart!!! There is POWER given to us!!!
I don't believe that it will be long till Jesus returns. And when He does, I think there are going to be many of us Christians who look at Him and say, "Whoa! Preacher wasn't kiddin'!" We will be caught off guard at the fact that being godly is more than a good idea or a mantra by which to live. The Bible, Jesus, our Heavenly Father - are all more than a good idea!!! They are REAL! Yet we treat it like we've joined a fraternity or a sorority, learned the secret handshake, the code words, the key gestures, and now we're part of the club! All that religious hokey pokey stuff will work it's way out, we just want to go to heaven and be a part of something and this is an easy one to join! We use the stuff we've learned when appropriate, but never tap into the full power that lives inside of us. We are living 2 Timothy 3:5!!!
Then on top of all that, we spend so much effort every four years trying to push for the "right man" in the White House. BTW, if you're just joining us, "right man" means Christian man. It's Christianese. But can I actually get someone out there to agree that the Christian one isn't always the best LEADER?!? We need BOTH. We need a Christian who is also a good leader. Not one or the other! Yet seemingly we need that person (President) to blame when things don't go as they should. "Well, if the 'right man' had been elected, it wouldn't have been like this!" Can I just throw the BS flag right there?!? I firmly believe that Jesus isn't as concerned with having a Godly leader in the White House as he is having a Godly leader in YOUR house!!! Let's stop blaming others for our lack of faith and courage!!! If it's not the President, it's someBODY or someTHING else! The real reason that things are the way they are looks back at you with a haunting stare every time you face a mirror. The church hasn't been the Church for years now!
I believe God is looking for His children to RISE UP! We wear HIS name! We are HIS people! We carry HIS power, HIS love, HIS salvation, HIS hope to a hopeless world. Let's quit GOING to church and let's BE the church. Let's no longer deny the power of the God whom we declare we believe in and worship. Our enemy is playing for keeps! It's real!!! Let's get real ourselves.
I'm going to pray here. Feel free to make this prayer your own.
Jesus, I'm sorry for making Christianity more of a good idea than a reality. I'm sorry for not acting like the child you chose to make a part of Your eternity by sending your Son to die in my place. Prompt me with the Holy Spirit to act when I should act, listen when I should listen, and fill me with wisdom for every decision I make every day I live, starting right now. Empower me and help me to act in that power with FULL FAITH!!! Knowing that Your promises are true and that whatever I ask in Your name, if I am in line with Your will, it will be given to me so that You alone may receive glory! Thank you for Your forgiveness and Your promises. In Jesus' name, amen.
Please leave comments below! Ask questions! Tell your friends by clicking on the social media links and posting on your Facebook or Twitter or Google + accounts. It helps to know that these are being read and even helping YOU! I never know that unless you're doing these things and ESPECIALLY leaving comments!!! Thanks for sharing a few moments with me!
I can already hear someone from the back row stating piously in his best religious tone, "Son, we're not going to 'get it' till we get to heaven one day and see God for all that He is in all His glory." You know, you're right. We won't. But see, Jesus didn't come to tell us what we had to wait for so much as He came to redeem us to Himself and bring His kingdom to us so and establish His kingdom NOW! I don't mean the environment of the place called heaven that we will occupy for eternity, but I speak of the relationship with/to the God of heaven, Jehovah. In relationship TO God, means to be children OF God and therefore be WITH God in His kingdom.
Take a moment to read John 14:9-14 (NLT) (click on the scripture reference to the left and you will be directed to the passage). Jesus says that if we have seen and know Him, we have seen and know the Father. He also says that we will do "greater works" that what HE did!!! He even ends that paragraph by telling us that we can ask for things in His name, and it will be granted to us! Now please note that I don't believe that means asking for a Mercedes, unless somehow that car would glorify God and not YOU! The "yes" to these asks come with a expectation that the affirmative answers bring glory to the Father. How do we know what brings glory to Him? We know Him. How do we know Him? According to John14, we get to know His Son, Jesus. We get to know Jesus by surrendering our lives to Him, believing in His work on the cross to take our place for our sin. When we do that, we are adopted into the family (kingdom) now, and immediately become heirs to the throne of, and friends with God, and brothers and sisters to Jesus Christ. Jesus said that all that His Father has given Him, He gives to us. God's kingdom - here and now.
Let's read one more passage (you can click on this reference too to be taken directly to it) and then we will get straight to the point. Read 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Pay close attention to verse 5. All through this passage, Paul is talking about church-going people! He's not talking about the crowds that we're needing to tell about Jesus, he's talking about the ones who should know better! Me and you!!! Look around you. Close your eyes and imagine you are where you normally sit on Sunday (yes, I know you have "your seat" in church). See those people around you in your mind. You think they "get it?" Do YOU?!? Are we living lives of authenticity?
Let's look at some of the works that Jesus did: healed the sick, made the lame to walk, made the blind to see, brought back Lazarus from the dead, fed 5,000 men and their families from a few fish and a couple loaves of bread, calmed stormy seas, walked on water, and the list goes on. Now Jesus said that we would do even greater works than HE! What have you done? Made the toast without burning it? Got the kids to soccer only ten minutes late this time rather than the normal fifteen? Fixed the broken windshield wiper on your own? NOW go back and read 2 Timothy 3:5. What if we were so busy with verses 2-4, that we ended up like verse 5? The great toast, the lack of tardiness, the working wiper while all good, mean nothing to eternity! God takes more care of us than just providing a close parking space at Walmart!!! There is POWER given to us!!!
I don't believe that it will be long till Jesus returns. And when He does, I think there are going to be many of us Christians who look at Him and say, "Whoa! Preacher wasn't kiddin'!" We will be caught off guard at the fact that being godly is more than a good idea or a mantra by which to live. The Bible, Jesus, our Heavenly Father - are all more than a good idea!!! They are REAL! Yet we treat it like we've joined a fraternity or a sorority, learned the secret handshake, the code words, the key gestures, and now we're part of the club! All that religious hokey pokey stuff will work it's way out, we just want to go to heaven and be a part of something and this is an easy one to join! We use the stuff we've learned when appropriate, but never tap into the full power that lives inside of us. We are living 2 Timothy 3:5!!!
Then on top of all that, we spend so much effort every four years trying to push for the "right man" in the White House. BTW, if you're just joining us, "right man" means Christian man. It's Christianese. But can I actually get someone out there to agree that the Christian one isn't always the best LEADER?!? We need BOTH. We need a Christian who is also a good leader. Not one or the other! Yet seemingly we need that person (President) to blame when things don't go as they should. "Well, if the 'right man' had been elected, it wouldn't have been like this!" Can I just throw the BS flag right there?!? I firmly believe that Jesus isn't as concerned with having a Godly leader in the White House as he is having a Godly leader in YOUR house!!! Let's stop blaming others for our lack of faith and courage!!! If it's not the President, it's someBODY or someTHING else! The real reason that things are the way they are looks back at you with a haunting stare every time you face a mirror. The church hasn't been the Church for years now!
I believe God is looking for His children to RISE UP! We wear HIS name! We are HIS people! We carry HIS power, HIS love, HIS salvation, HIS hope to a hopeless world. Let's quit GOING to church and let's BE the church. Let's no longer deny the power of the God whom we declare we believe in and worship. Our enemy is playing for keeps! It's real!!! Let's get real ourselves.
I'm going to pray here. Feel free to make this prayer your own.
Jesus, I'm sorry for making Christianity more of a good idea than a reality. I'm sorry for not acting like the child you chose to make a part of Your eternity by sending your Son to die in my place. Prompt me with the Holy Spirit to act when I should act, listen when I should listen, and fill me with wisdom for every decision I make every day I live, starting right now. Empower me and help me to act in that power with FULL FAITH!!! Knowing that Your promises are true and that whatever I ask in Your name, if I am in line with Your will, it will be given to me so that You alone may receive glory! Thank you for Your forgiveness and Your promises. In Jesus' name, amen.
Please leave comments below! Ask questions! Tell your friends by clicking on the social media links and posting on your Facebook or Twitter or Google + accounts. It helps to know that these are being read and even helping YOU! I never know that unless you're doing these things and ESPECIALLY leaving comments!!! Thanks for sharing a few moments with me!
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