The God Frequency

"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care." -Psalm 95:6-8

Have you ever thought about what kind of "frequency" heaven must have? I was doing a tutorial recently on the frequency rates of wireless devices.  The information was fascinating!  All these electro-magnetic waves traveling through the air that we can't even see.  There is so much in our world that is invisible.  This is true in heaven, too. 

Sometimes we get caught up in the worries of life.  Sometimes someone angers us and we can't shake it off. Sometimes we are caught up in the world's pleasures.  The state of our hearts can live at those frequencies.  But, God invites us to transcend our emotional frequencies into heavenly frequencies - that of peace, love, and joy, and the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives.  I had a revelatory moment when I realized that it was possible to live in God's presence all the time and feel Him, not just in church services or at special events. We just need to work on our worship to Him individually to invite more of His presence into our lives. 

Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."  This heavenly reality begins in the garden of our hearts.  That is why the enemy wants nothing more to keep Christians content with the status quo, or so locked up in emotional bondage that they are rendered ineffective for the kingdom. 

What frequency are you on?  I pray you can "tune-in" to God's frequency, all the time, so that His plans can be made manifest in your life.

Go With the Cloud

http://www.flickr.com/photos/schristia/3953601866/

"In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out - until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels." Exodus 40:36-38

Have you ever heard the phrase 'go with the flow?' Well, surprisingly, this is a kingdom principle.
 
When the Israelites were learning obedience in the desert, God taught them something very important: "Go with the cloud." God put a cloud over them by day; a pillar of fire by night to guide them. This cloud was always over the tabernacle. If it moved, it meant it was time for the Israelites to move. If it stayed, this meant it was time for them to be still and wait.
 
Our lives are no different now. In our personal and corporate lives in the body of Christ, we learn, day by day, how to follow Him and do the things we see our Father doing. But, we need to stay under the "covering" He has placed over our lives to ensure His protection is over us, always. If we move outside the cloud, we move outside the blessing and shelter God has put over us to protect us from harm. Often this "covering" is worked out in several ways.
 
Parents. Mentors. Churches. Businesses. Pastors. Governments. Movements. Tribes. All of these groups of people represent a type of covering. For instance, when we obey laws, we are abiding by our "civil" covering. Some of these coverings we choose, others we do not. Thankfully, with God, He is our perfect covering, and we can choose to live under "the shadow of His wing".
 
But, we have to move with His covering in order to stay under His protection. We need to be careful of the covering we submit to - using discernment to make sure that is it of God. When we move outside His cloud we are headed for trouble. We stay under his protection by heeding sound advice and Biblical counsel, listening to Godly leadership, and by doing the things we feel the Holy Spirit saying to us.
Are you going with the cloud?

Jump In

"Come, and follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." -Matthew 4:19

Jesus was a no-nonsense kinda guy.  Whenever He said something, it had purpose. Jesus never did anything without purpose: He did what He saw the Father doing. (John 5:19) Additionally, he instructed people to jump all in - give it 110%, and never look back.

"Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road." (Luke 10:4 NLT)

We live in a different age than the time that Jesus was living. It would be considered 'unwise' to go somewhere without any money and expect people we visit to take care of us. But that doesn't mean we don't give Jesus our whole lives.

Going all in means we're not holding anything back. It means we're committed to relationship with Jesus, hearing His voice in our lives, and acting on that voice. It means we're committed to relationship with others - to help people along on their journeys and build bridges with those who do not yet know Him. It means dealing with our past sins and strongholds and forgiving. It may even mean forgiving God.

Are there any areas in your life keeping you from jumping in? God is faithful when we give our WHOLE hearts to Him!

Faith & Miracles

“So again I ask, does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?”  -Galatians 3:5

Have you ever witnessed a miracle?  I can’t say that I’ve seen someone come back from the dead, though I have experienced what might be considered “smaller” miracles in my own life related to emotional healing, safety, and finances.  Our level of faith is often congruent with our experience.  The enemy’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. He tries to get in the middle of our dreams by stealing our faith for our dreams.  But then, God comes in and shows us how “anything is possible to those who believe.” (Mark 9:23)

Let me pose a question to you:  What if our default was faith, where we simply believed all the time, but still had peace, trusting God for the outcome?  The Bible says that faith is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  (Heb 11:1)  How can you know for sure?  The wind is invisible, but we can feel it.  Likewise, faith is something that we sense in our hearts.  It’s the belief that yes, with God, all things are possible, to those who believe.  I believe if we kept our hearts like this, we would see more miracles than we ever thought possible.

One day a man came to our church talking about faith and the working of miracles.  He shared a story whereby a woman had conceived a child, but the father left her.  This woman, with her newborn baby girl became a Christian. Then, 20 years later, the same thing happened to her daughter.  She met a man and got pregnant, and the man left the country.  She was devastated. But, even more devastating was the fact that her daughter had been born blind.  Both the mother and grandmother were asking God “Why?”, but they kept on believing.  Five years down the road they went to a church service where this particular minister was speaking.  He prayed for miracles to occur in the lives of the people there.  The mother responded to the altar call in faith.  The next morning, at her home, she noticed her daughter acting rather strange.  Normally she would have been playing with her dolls looking around without any focus, as blind people do, but instead she was holding the sheet on the bed, looking at it.  She could see! 

Do you have faith for the possibility of miracles in your life? Are you willing to do your part and believe?  Pray today that God would give you faith in Him for your hopes & dreams, so that His purposes and plans for you can be fully birthed in your life, no matter how long they may take. 

Becoming a Servant

"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant..." -Matthew 20:26

When I was younger, I worked at various restaurants as a server. At first, I was petrified. I used to have a HUGE fear of people. So huge, in fact, I was afraid to answer the telephone as a child!

Being a server, I had to come to terms with all of that. But, through it I learned to serve. I also learned to serve at the church I went to. Later when I got a job at Nordstrom, one of the visiting CEOs asked me where I had worked before. When I told him I was a server, he replied: "Hmm. Great training!"

If you want to have a bigger impact, find more people to serve. Solve people's problems, and you will have influence in their lives. Jesus was the best example of this: He went around solving people's problems, and people realized He was the Messiah that had been prophesied about in the Old Testament.

We shouldn't use influence to motivate people in the wrong ways, as in leading them to worship us or organizations. But everything we do can be used as a tool to draw them into relationship with Jesus and His kingdom.

We have the answer - the answer is Jesus. When we bring a solution into people's lives, this becomes an open door to share the gospel.

What type of problem does God want you to solve today?

From Bad to Best

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour."  -1 Peter 5:8
 

Sometimes when I think about the state of our culture, I feel burdened.  When I see or hear about music video with lots of sex and violence and all of the millions of views these videos have on YouTube, it makes my heart heavy.  

"How many people are being led into things that are spiritually dangerous for them?!?" I think.  The artists representing these videos do not care about the spiritual well-being of these millions of viewers, mostly young and impressionable. They do not have an awareness of the spiritual reality of what they are living out when they make these types of videos. (Or maybe they do?) The producers, music executives, and artists mostly care about the bottom dollar - what will sell.  We are always pushing the envelope as a culture with the mentality, "What can we get by with that excites people but doesn't go over the line too much...?" 

But, as Christians, we are called to live out a different example.  We are called to spread the good news of the kingdom, creatively, effectively, and authentically.  How much better could life be if all of us knew the freedom, love, and amazing life we could have in Christ?  Plus, heaven for eternity! 

When I first came to Christ, I came to Him because I realized how bad my life had been.  I was depressed, suicidal, and I hated myself.  But when I received a revelation of His love, I was changed into a different person.  I went from bad to best.  

Are you choosing the best in your life, so you can lead others to the best?  Pray that God would help you in this, so that we would not be swayed by the world, but instead become the people God has called us to be, to renew, restore, and show the best way - the way of redemption through Jesus Christ. 

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." -Romans 12:2
 
When we choose His way, we will discover the best for our lives.

The Son is Always There

"I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5b

Have you ever seen the sun shine when it's raining? It is one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. It is a natural phenomenon, a lot like the Northern Lights. The rain pours down, with big grey drops, and showers the earth with its downpour. But, as the sun peeks through, the raindrops that fall are no longer grey. They are bright and shimmering, like little yellow stars falling from the sky. Even through the clouds and the rain, the sun is able to shine.
 
More often, we don't see the sun when it's raining. However, that doesn't mean it isn't there.
 
In life, it takes rare perspective to realize the sun is still present despite the rain. It takes an even rarer perspective still to see Jesus in the midst of our most difficult circumstances. We often see He had been in our midst long after, in the insight we gained after the circumstance or event occurred. The "sun" that gives light and warmth to the earth is a great reminder of God's Son, who is always with us.
 
What can cloud our vision? Love of money, self-doubt, bitterness, rejection, condemnation, fear, greed; there are so many things that can cloud our vision from seeing the presence of the Son of God with us. We have to learn to break past those things that blur our vision to go to a place of faith in God. It takes faith to know our God is there - even when we can't see Him, and especially when it appears as though the world is falling down around us.
 
Jesus is the Son behind the clouds. In the midst of our 'clouds' and rain, He is present in our time of greatest need. We have to remember to look for the light of the Son from behind the rain. He promises to ALWAYS be there, as long as we have faith in our promise in Him.

Leading with Love vs. Leading with Fear

"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." -2 Corinthians 13:14

In many organizations, the driving force is fear. Workers are afraid of losing their job, so they work themselves to the bone. People fear failing, or not being accepted, so they do whatever is asked. Perhaps there is a fear of authority, due to past experiences. Whatever type of organization, fear can be a powerful motivator, but it is often not the best one. When speaking of unhealthy fear, where people feel afraid to express themselves openly or feel fairly comfortable and appreciated, love goes much further in motivating people and keeping them with you alongside your mission.

What does love look like in an organization? Here are the characteristics of love as cited in 1 Corinthians 13:

• Patient
• Kind
• Not jealous
• Doesn't boast
• Humble
• Honors others
• Not self-seeking
• Forgiving
• Doesn't delight in evil
• Rejoicing in truth
• Always protects
• Always trusts
• Always hopes
• Always preserves

In today's competitive organizations, some of these attributes are quite a contradiction. Boundaries and processes are in order, for sure. But, wouldn't we get so much further by motivating others and setting an example in love versus fear?

Breaks in the Armor

"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Eph 6:16

Have you ever played a video game when your immunity shield went down? All of a sudden, you get hit. Out of nowhere. And you had gotten so far too! But not only does your immunity shield go down - every hit and every punch you take now does 10 times the damage. And very quickly you die. No fun!!
 
But you know what? God has given us an immunity shield for this life, called faith. When we first come to Him, the shield is small, but with every revelation we receive from Him it is built up, more and more and more, until we are so strong with His truth that we are impenetrable. But, sometime holes in our choices will cause breaks in our armor, making us more vulnerable to attack. Even if we know what the right thing is to do, our humanness can often be our greatest enemy.
 
So, what do we do to build up our shield of faith, or repair those breaks in our armor? The first step is to confess our shortcomings, renounce them, ask for God's forgiveness, and turn the other direction. The second is to surround ourselves with scriptures regarding the issues we face. And the third is surrounding ourselves with others who can surround us with 360 vision, and help encourage us along the way.
 
Do you have breaks in your armor? Ask God to help you create a shield of faith that is impenetrable.

Sins of Omission vs. Commission

"By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side." -Luke 10: 31&32

We often hear about the 7 deadly sins, or the "thou shalt not" mantra of the 10 commandments. All of these things are essential to understand the difference between right and wrong, and avoid doing wrong. But even if we don't do any of those 7 deadly sins the Bible talks about and we become "good people," if we're not living by the law of love, we've sadly missed the point.

One day a religious leader asked Jesus what he needed to do to earn eternal life. Jesus, as was His habit, responded with a question: "What does the law of Moses say?" to which the leader replied, "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 'Right!' Jesus told him. 'Do this and you will live!'" (v. 28)

Then, the leader asked Jesus who his neighbor was. To which, Jesus responded with the story of the Good Samaritan.

The priest and the temple assistant who walked by the beat up man on the road didn't sin blatantly. They didn't sleep with another man's wife, tell a lie, or steal from someone - they just didn't do anything at all. But herein lies the greatest danger: what happens to our culture, our widows, our orphans, our co-workers, our families, or our neighbors if we walk by and do nothing? The sin both the priest and the temple assistant committed was a sin of omission.

When we don't speak a word of encouragement to someone who needs it, we allow a void to be present that could have been filled with God's love and light. When we don't tell our spouse or our kids "I love you," and show them that we do, we are allowing the enemy to creep in by means of our vacancy.

When we don't step into leadership and we allow a vacuum, we do the world as much damage as if we had done something to harm it.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." -Edmund Burke

Let us not be found to commit many sins of omission, and may we each have the grace to be able to fill in the gap.

Matured in Love

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.” -Ephesians 4:15 NIV

What does it mean to be mature in Christ?  The Bible says Jesus is coming back for a “spotless” bride.  (Eph 5:27) But, what does that mean? 

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, maturity is the quality or state of being mature, full development.(1) When we are mature, we are considered to be “grown-up”.  Also, when we are mature, we can reproduce ourselves, meaning, we can be a discipler and care giver of people younger in faith.

Just as we “grow up” in our natural development, we “grow up” in our spiritual development too.  The Bible says that the mature can distinguish good from evil. (Heb 5:14) When we mature, the fruits of the Spirit are evident in our lives.  (Galatians 5:22-23)  These fruits include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.  Conversely, when we do not mature, we fall into our old fleshly behavior.  “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” –Matthew 15:19

The problem with our human nature, our flesh, is that we want to stay comfortable- we don’t want to change and grow.  “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” -Luke 8:14  Things can happen to us in our early years that can cripple our emotional development, too.  Family is the place where good or poor habits are shaped and formed.  We may not know if a habit is good or bad until we grow up to be on our own. Then, as we mature we realize that perhaps that way wasn’t the best way to handle things.

But, as Jesus was, we are called to a high standard of maturity so that Christ’s life in us may be revealed.  “Then, having arrived at the full stature of his maturity and having been announced by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey him.”-Hebrews 5:7

Are you walking toward maturity in Christ today?

Adopted

"The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'" - Romans 8:15

Enric Siva is a survivor of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. He and his family lived on a farm there, but during the raiding of their home, Enric's father and some of his siblings were murdered. Just 6 years old at the time, Enric and his brother escaped into the jungle and lived there for 3 months, surviving on fruits and vegetables for food. Eventually, they could not find any more food to eat, but found a Red Cross camp where they discovered that their mother was alive.

Through an unfortunate turn of events however, their mother was also killed and Enric and his brother were left to survive on the streets, doing small odd jobs to survive. Enric's story is incredible, because even in his struggle he found Christ while living on the streets and began to attend a church there in his town.

A widow with 5 children of her own discovered Enric and asked him about his life. She took him under her wing and asked him to stay with her and her five children. It was here where Enric was provided shelter, food, and clothing, and did not have to live on the street any more. God did a healing work through the church from all of the trauma Enric had endured as a young child.

While he was living on the street, Enric discovered a love for music and was given a guitar to learn how to play. Miraculously, he won a national singing competition in Rwanda, much like American Idol in the U.S., which put him in the limelight. Today, Enric speaks and performs, advocating for marginalized children.

Although Enric's story is heart-wrenching, it is an amazing testimony to God's love in how He provided for Enric throughout his journey. Enric attributes his redemption story to Jesus Christ and hopes that others will discover spiritual adoption through our Heavenly Father.

You can find more about Enric Sifa on his website at http://enricsifa.com.

A New Job Description

"Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!" -Matthew 10:7-9
 
Have you ever been given a new job description? Sometimes when we've been doing the same thing over and over change is refreshing - but it can also be scary and challenging at the same time! 

When Jesus assembled his new disciples, he gave them a mission, and a new job description. The Bible says He "gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness." (Matt 10:1) And this was even before He had died and was raised from the dead! 

As Christians, God has also given us a new job description. Jesus has given us the authority to cast out demons, heal the sick, and "do the same works... and even greater works..." than Jesus did. "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." -John 14:12
 
Did you know that through Jesus Christ you have a new job description? Ask God today in what situations He would want you to act within this job description, praying for someone who is sick, casting out evil spirits, or sharing the love and salvation of Jesus with someone. As Lance Wallnau says, are called to be "killer sheep" to destroy the works of darkness as Jesus' delegated representatives until He returns. Because of Him, we have been given a new job description. 

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." -Matthew 28:19-20

Degrees of Difference

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matt 17:20

Sometimes a little difference can make all the difference.
 
We were sitting in a small group with our pastors talking about temperature. The man said, "You know, I can turn the temperature down one degree, and for me, that degree makes all the difference between being cool and comfortable, and feeling like I'm in the Sahara desert! But, that one degree can also make the difference of upwards of $100 on my energy bill."
 
Our youth pastor once said, "Just one degree, warmer or colder, and water changes forms, from either frozen to liquid, or liquid to steam. Just one degree makes all the difference."
 
This principle can be applied to our lives as well. What small changes can we make that will make all the difference? For me, if I wake up just 30 minutes earlier, it means I have time to write a message. For people trying to lose weight, it only takes eating 1 less thing in order to kick-start the weight loss process. For those who have trouble finding happiness in life, it only takes 1 shift in thought that can turn dissatisfaction into true contentment.
 
What small things can you change that will make all the difference? Maybe it's listening to the Bible on CD in the car for 15 minutes to get some encouragement before the rush at work. Perhaps it's calling a friend you don't see much. Or maybe it's getting some time alone to think and pray to God. Often our busy lives don't allow for much of that.
 
Let God lead you in making small changes that can benefit your life. Sometimes a little difference can make all the difference in the quality of our lives and the accomplishment of our goals and dreams.

Immediately!

“…and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”  -Matthew 4:22

There is a lot to be said for the word “immediately.”  Nothing defines us more than our actions right now, or our lack thereof.  Our actions determine the content of our hearts, and the course of our lives. 

Sometimes it’s difficult to own up to our actions or failure to act.  But in the Bible, when the moment needed seizing, Jesus and his disciples took action immediately.   

“…and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”  -Matt 4:22

“But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.””  Matt 14:27

“Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matt 14:31

Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.  -Matt 20:34

Procrastination is a big problem in our society. According to Wikipedia, procrastination refers to the act of replacing high-priority actions with tasks of low-priority. Twenty percent of people classify themselves as chronic procrastinators.  This begs the question, how many “high priority”, important items are we passing by in order to just do the normal, the mundane, or the easy?  How many more businesses could be started, ministries birthed, or goals accomplished?

Sometimes when we have big ideas it’s difficult to know where to start.  Write them down.  Start a goal journal.  Ask others who are doing what you want to do what the first steps were for them.  Your steps may not be identical, but knowing theirs will help you on your journey.  And, once you figure out what the most important things are, don’t wait to start! As the old Nike commercial used to say, “Just do it!”

Are you ready to begin immediately?

The Prison Song

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. " -1 John 1:9

I have a friend named Kathy. She is amazing! The day I met her, Kathy told me the most amazing story. Her story was not only engaging but also imparted such wisdom and insight.

"I was invited to sing for inmates with the prison ministry that is run by my church. I felt the Lord prompting me to accept the invitation, so I did. I had several songs prepared, but as I was driving to the prison, the Lord put "Amazing Grace" on my heart to sing to the inmates?, Kathy explained.
 
"So, following the leading of Holy Spirit, I decided I would sing 'Amazing Grace.' Because you know," she said, "joy follows obedience and joy definitely followed what happened that day."
 
"As I began the time of worship, I talked about God's grace. I shared how I had done bad things when I was younger, like drinking and using drugs, but that I knew many of the inmates there had done much worse than that. I went on to share that no matter how big your sin, God is that much bigger."
 
"I then began to sing 'Amazing Grace' and the most amazing thing happened. The presence of God fell like rain. All of the inmates raised their hands. They were all singing, worshipping God at the top of their lungs - all two-hundred of them."
 
As Kathy shared her experience with me, I began to tear up. I could visualize two hundred broken, toughened men crying out to God, worshipping Him. There is nothing more moving than seeing a grown man cry, much less a prison inmate. It made me want to be involved in prison ministry!
 
How much do we allow ourselves to receive and be touched by God's grace? I was definitely touched by her story, by the picture she painted in my mind's eye. God is so willing to forgive us, no matter what the circumstance. If we just come to Him with an open heart, reaching out for forgiveness, He is waiting, arms outstretched, faithful to forgive us and love us. I thought about how much I needed to feel God's grace. How we all need it - but so much more when we know we've really messed up.
 
How amazing and beautiful is His grace.

Agreeing with God

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)

Do you agree with God? This may seem funny to say, but each of us comes to Christ with a different perception of God, perhaps even a negative one. 

Subsequently, our thoughts about what we think about God and what He thinks of us is reflected in our lives to others. If we believe God is out to get us, we will think this about people in general too. We might even have a judgmental attitude toward them. 

However, in order to be effective conduits of God's love and grace, we need to agree with His TRUE nature! Through this process of understanding what God thinks about us and agreeing with Him, we might discover that we've been agreeing with the enemy for way too long. 

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:7 & 8) 

Here are some things the enemy might have us believe, either through circumstances or through negative things people have done or said to us in our past:

• We are insignificant
• No one loves/cares for us 
• We do not have a purpose 
• There is not a reason for our existence 
• We have to do something to earn God's love/approval

Conversely, all of the above are the exact OPPOSITE of how God wants us to believe! 

Let us make sure we have aligned ourselves with God's thoughts for us, for our past, present, and future. Our God is love - and we need to agree with Him!

Overcoming Evil with Good

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” -Romans 12:21

What does it mean to overcome evil with good? Many days it may seem as though we are being overcome by negativity.  But, how do we get out of the mire? What did God have in mind for the way we should live our lives?

I love the verses leading up to the scripture above: "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves... keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse... If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."  This is our blueprint for walking in love.

When life hits us with hard blows, in order to win, we shouldn't hit back. The natural response is to pay back evil for evil, to lash out or to avenge ourselves, but that only allows the enemy of our souls a foothold in our lives. Instead, we are to be different. Instead, we are to be counter-culture.  We are to overcome evil, by applying the good.  We are to win over the situation by applying God's ways, and by putting Him first.

When we are freed from feeling the need to avenge a negative situation that we have no control over, that's when we know that area in our lives has been redeemed. When we can give freely and walk in peace, that is overcoming. Sometimes continued negativity or drama can become an idol in our lives when we live with it too long.  We have to lay the situation at the foot of the cross. We'll know we're freed from its power when it doesn't bother us anymore. God has instead taken its place in our lives.  We are at ease.

Let us do all we can, and let God handle the rest.  Let us overcome evil with good.

Being a Bigger Person

"But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too." (Matthew 5:39, 40 NLT)
 
More than we'd like we are faced with situations where someone may have taken advantage of us. These types of situations can happen between friends, relatives, associates, or strangers. When we get the short end of the stick or the bad end of the bargain - or we are mistreated - it is easy to want to retaliate. But this isn't the way Jesus wanted us to respond. He wanted us to "be the bigger person." 

It's amazing to me how these types of situations happen with people you think should know better. But, these are the very situations we can get "caught up in the web of" if we aren't careful. The way to successfully let them go is to be the bigger person and turn the other cheek. 

Suppose someone said they were going to give you a car, and turned around and gave it to someone else. That would probably make you pretty upset, right? But, according to this verse the 'big' thing to do is to buy that person something or do something nice for them, just because. "What?!" You might say. "That person just ripped them off!" 

But, think about what it means to be the bigger person. If an injustice was done to me, it's not about me- its about the other person. So, make it about them. The Bible says that when we bless someone who curses us we 'heap burning coals upon their head', meaning- there's no way to escape conviction. (Prov 25:21&22) 

Is there any situation you are facing now where you may need to "be the bigger person"? Why not bless the person, and give it to God. Life is too short to hang onto things that steal our joy. Be the bigger person and let it go.

Encountering the Supernatural in Our Everyday Lives

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father." John 14:12, 13 NIV

Have you ever had something happen to you that had no logical explanation, or that you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it had to be God?
 
I hope you have had this kind of experience. In fact, I hope it's something that becomes a part of your daily life!
 
A life lived with God is a walk of faith. It's not a stop of faith - it's a walk of faith. Faith requires a belief in something we can't completely hear, see, or understand. Events happen that cannot be explained in natural, human terms.
 
Let me give an example.
 
One day a friend of mine was driving in her car. She had struggled with anxiety her whole life, and she was at the point of utter breakdown. She found that she couldn't keep enough composure to drive, so she stopped her car and began to cry. She was so frustrated about the hold that fear had had on her life, and she was done with it. Suddenly, a man walked by and asked if he could hug her. She thought it a little strange, but she let him, only because she felt like it would be okay. He told her something that she couldn't have explained in her wildest imagination. "You know the enemy's greatest weapon against us? It's fear. But through Jesus, God has made us victorious." And then he began to pray with her.
 
Have you experienced the supernatural in your own life? I hope that you do. And if you have, but it hasn't happened in a while, begin to ask God for miracles to occur. God is a God of the supernatural. And He wants to show up on our behalf.

Focus & Purpose

“God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty, and firm in His purpose.” -Job 36:5

Each of us has a call, an assignment from heaven for our lives.  We may or may not know what it is, but all of us have one thing in common. We have time – a finite amount of it. 

Whether or not you’ve decided on your path in life, God certainly made no mistake when He made you.  It says in the Bible through the example of Jeremiah’s that He fashioned us before we were born, and has a plan for our lives. (Jeremiah 1:5)

The place where our gifts, talents and God’s dream for our lives collide is called Convergence.  Experts say that just 20% of us will every reach this point in our lives.

You may even be involved in a “good” thing right now.  But is this God’s thing for your life?

That is why it is so important to examine where we focus, where we spend our time.  If you know what God has in mind, or you have a general idea, are you spending time in these pursuits? If you’re not sure what it is yet, are you seeking God and discovering and developing the gifts and talents He’s given you?

I have a good friend whose father recently passed.  She said that at the very end of his life he regretted never getting involved in computers, his true passion.  How awful would it be to get to the end of our lives and think, “I wish I would have pursued such and such.”  I never want to be in that place! “The biggest mistake people make is not making a living at doing what they most enjoy.”- Malcom Forbes

Do everything you can to stay focused on the things that make you the most alive.  Do everything you can to seek God out in your life. Our purpose is tied up with others – could it be possible that God is birthing a purpose in you “for such a time as this”? (Esther 4:14)

Raised By Culture

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." -Proverbs 22:6

Do you have any kids? I do not have children yet, but I have served in kids ministry long enough to know that children are both a blessing and a huge responsibility! (And they can also be a pain sometimes too!) But the Bible says that children are the greatest blessing. (Gen 17:6, 22:17; Deut. 7:14; 1 Sam 2:20; Ps 127:3) 

The fact that Proverbs 22:6 is true can be both good and bad. If a child is raised well, generally speaking, he or she will turn out alright. If he or she is brought up in an adverse environment, then there is a greater likelihood that the child may be at risk.
 
But what about situations where there is no parenting at all? We often hear reporting in the media about children with absent parents, latchkey kids where both parents work, parents who are neglectful and don't care; and the tragic stories about the children who become rebellious and deviant as a result. My teacher friends often say how much they are parenting in the classroom versus teaching, since these kids don't get the parenting at home. The parents are just too busy, and thus the kids lack direction ("Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he" Proverbs 29:18 KJV). Dr. Paul Hegstrom, author of Broken Children, Grown-Up Pain, says that most adult dysfunction is rooted in experiences that happen before the age of 9 years old. It's no wonder we have so much teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol addiction, and promiscuity, among other things.
 
And what does our culture say? Seventy-five percent of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 19 watch MTV.* What does it tell them? That promiscuity and early sexual activity are a normal part of life. That being sexual equates to love for a girl and for a guy, being degrading and having a derogatory sense of humor equals manhood and acceptance by his peers. All the while the music, media, and pop culture vendors of our society get richer and richer - all at our children's expense.
 
Does this make anybody else just a little irritated?
 
But do you know what? God is a Father to the fatherless, including to those whose parents are emotionally, physically, or spiritually absent. And if there is anything we can do to help a fatherless generation, it is to help connect them to the heart of a Father who knows and understands their pain like no one else by praying for them, understanding them, being good examples for them, and most importantly, by loving them.



*http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_mtv.shtml

How to Hear God's Voice

"Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track." -Proverbs 3:6 

It was Monday morning, during our staff Bible study time. My dad asked, "How do you hear God?" Out came a myriad of responses. 

"A thought pops into my mind of someone, and that's how I know I'm supposed to pray for them." 

"I get a sense of His Spirit, then I get a word or a phrase." 

"I hear Him when I'm driving in the car. It mostly comes in pieces throughout the day, but then all the pieces link together to form a picture." 

"When I'm talking to someone, I get a certain emotion. It's like God gives me empathy for that person and I know what to pray on their behalf." 

Have you ever thought about the fact that we all hear God differently? 

Because each of us is wired uniquely, with different gifts and talents, we will not all hear God the same way. God speaks to each of us in a way that we can understand Him, often through our gifts or love language. 

Learning to hear God's voice is a unique process of reading the word, perceiving God around us, and "opening our ears", so to speak, to be able to hear what He's saying to us. It took me a while to learn to hear God, because I didn't know what was me and what was Him. But, after we learn God's character and how He operates, through reading the Word and being discipled, we begin to discern His voice from ours. 

Are you able to hear God's voice in your life? Seek this out - it is the most valuable attribute of a Christian - to be able to hear the voice of our heavenly Father in our lives.

Our Perfect Father

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” -Matthew 7:11

I didn’t have the best relationship with my dad growing up. He seemed cold, aloof, and distant. When I asked for attention in my own little way, his lack of affirmation (he had a VERY introverted personality) seemed like pure rejection!  My parent’s relationship didn’t help much either - it was a constant war zone.

Although we had a lot of junk in our family when I was young, my dad and I have a MUCH better relationship now than we ever had before. We can talk openly and I really feel that he cares for me. As I see him getting older it saddens my heart that none of us live forever, on this earth at least.

Before my relationship with my dad was restored, I had a negative view of my heavenly Father too. I didn’t know God as my "Dad" - I knew Him as an indifferent God who didn’t care about me or the details of my life. I was so mad at Him because He allowed bad things to happen to me. He didn’t change my negative circumstances. So to me I thought it meant He didn’t care.

But when I sought out and experienced God personally, my perception of Him completely changed.

A lot of us don’t have what we desire out of life because we don't believe we deserve it. Our problem starts in our belief. What do we believe about God?  We will perceive God the way we perceived our dads growing up.  If we don’t believe the person we are asking has good intentions for us, why would we even want to ask Him for what we need or want?

Now my dad spoils me in any way he can, even though I am now 28. If my earthly dad does this, how much more does our Heavenly Father want to love, cherish, and ridiculously bless His kids?

Speaking Only God's Message

"But Balaam replied, 'I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth.'" Numbers 23:12 
 
How many times are we faced with a decision to please the crowd, or to please God? 

In these types of situations, it can be stressful. But God calls us as believers to speak his words and to do the right thing - even if it may result in a negative consequence. When we make decisions based on principle versus logic or emotion, God will honor that decision in the long run. 

In the Old Testament, there was a Moabite king who was terrified of the Israelites. His name was Balak son of Zippor. He was frightened because of what the Israelites had done to the Amorites, and because of how numerous they were. So, King Balak sent for Balaam to pay him to place a curse on the Israelites. However, Balaam was a person who would only "say what God told him to say." 

King Balak's messengers visited Balaam and asked him to curse the people of Israel, as the king's request. But Balaam told them to "stay overnight," and in the morning he would tell them what God had told him to say. That night, God came to Balaam and asked him why the messengers had come to him, and he told them. "But God told Balaam, 'Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!'" (Numbers 22:12) So Balaam blessed them and told the king, "Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God." (Numbers 22:18) 

What a courageous example of speaking only God's message. Are you able to speak only God's message even when influential people or a group of people are looking for a different message? Pray that God would give you strength to stand up for what is right in your decisions.

Known By Our Love

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  -John 13:35

What must it like to be famous, or to be known for something? Oprah is known for her talk show, and for overcoming many obstacles to make her life a success. Lady Gaga is known for being bizarre. Politicians are known for cutting down their opponents, and Thomas Edison is known for inventing the light bulb.

But what about us? What are we known for as Christians?

Ghandi once said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Too much of the time, we're known more for what we're against that what we’re for.

But Jesus said, "...everyone will know you are My disciples, if you love one another."

To me, this means we should have the most loving, passionate marriages on the planet.  We should have the most assured, confident, creative kids.  When we go to church, we should treat our brothers and sisters with love and respect.  Not only that, we should go out of our way to help someone out or show care and kindness.  When we go out to eat, we should treat the server with respect, and tip them well. Everywhere we go, we should be a model of Christ's love for people.

This is not a list of do's and don'ts, but a reminder of our need to be filled with the love of Jesus. The best way we can be the best Christians, is to receive more of His love and grace for us.  When our mindset shifts about who He really is, our entire lives change. In order for the world to be different, we MUST know a true God, who loves us deeply without condition.

How can you be known by your love today?

No Fear In Love

"No, the Lord's delight is in those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His unfailing love." Ps. 147:11

There was a girl in one of my college classes who expressed her concern about the future. She was pretty honest. She said, "I'm just afraid about the future. Afraid about not getting a decent job; afraid about not finding my way in the world."

 

We Christians can get afraid too. The future is uncertain, that's for sure. But what's certain is that Jesus is alive, God is working, and His Holy Spirit is with us here and now, helping us tackle whatever comes our way.

 

But, without His direction, we can be like lambs being led to the slaughter. The world is a tough place. And if we don't have Jesus, we lack a great deal - such as the hope, eternal faith, unfailing love, peace, and promise of His grace as a result of trusting in Him.

 

"Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." 
1 John 4:18

 

So whenever you feel afraid, put your faith in His unfailing love for you. His love is certain, and his Hope is sure. We can be certain that we will find what we are looking for when we seek Him first. He works with us to bring His will to pass in our lives and in the lives of others.

What Is My Purpose?

“But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”   -Luke 4:43

Do you know your purpose?  Do you know that God made you with a specific idea in mind? There is no doubt that each of us is unique. But have you ever asked yourself why?

Sometimes it is baffling to try to figure out specifically why God made each of us.  But, it is a wonderful, lifelong journey of self-discovery.  Our gifts and talents collide with our passions, relationships, and an assignment from heaven.  Once we choose God, the journey doesn’t end there.  It is only the beginning.  The Bible says He has great plans for each of His children. (Jer 29:11) And just as Jesus’ was and is, our identity is unique in Christ. (Romans 1:2)

There are many stories in the Bible where God ordained someone for a particular task.  The problem with us is many of us don’t get to fully walk in the purpose God designed specifically for us.  We settle for doing tasks that keep us busy, versus having a real impact in the kingdom. We go to church on Sunday, go home and love our family. But this is the smaller story.  God has a much bigger story in mind.

Mark Driscoll said in a recent sermon: “If Satan can’t make you sin, he will keep you busy. Not doing bad things, but neglecting first things.”  What is the passion that is burning on your heart?  What is the thing that you most enjoy that collides with your gifts, talents, and abilities?

Churches have a purpose. Cities have a purpose.  Nations have a purpose.  Our purpose is tied up in our community, where we live, what church we attend, and what country we live in.  Even what school we go to.  God has a purpose for everyone on this planet, no matter how it looks right now.  God invites us to live our His purposes in our lives, so that we can be fruitful, peace-filled followers of His seeking to reclaim His kingdom on the earth, to bring heaven to earth. (Matt 6:10)

Do you know your purpose?  If you don’t know, I invite you to find out, through prayer, reading the word, trying new things, and perhaps using some tools to help you such as self-assessments.  We can live full, abundant lives living in our purpose.  After all, isn’t that following Christ’s example?