Eyes On The Prize

"I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: by no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the prize, where God is beckoning us onward- to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back."
                                                              Philippians 3:12-14




The apostle, Paul, was not one to back away from competition. Before his conversion to Christ, he lived a righteous life, obeyed the law, and defended the faith of his fathers. He became a religious zealot, well-versed in Jewish history, the Psalms, and the works of the prophets. He knew how to dissect scripture and then use that to defend or prosecute those who broke the law. He became a lawyer and probably was a member of the Sanhedrin ( the Jewish Supreme court), which ruled over Jewish life and religion. It was his zeal and competitive nature that led him down the path of violence and extremism.

He was probably present at the trial of Stephen and then attended his stoning and death. He held the garments for those who did the stoning (Acts 7:58) and then heard Peter share the Gospel afterward. This agitated Saul and he became even more determined  to eliminate all the Christians in that time. He was now really on a mission and "He began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison" (Acts 8:3).

That is, until the day that he met Jesus face to face on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus. Right before he had started on this 150 mile journey, he had asked the high priest for permission to bring any followers of "The Way" back to Jerusalem so that they could be thrust into jail. He was brimming with murderous rage for these people he could not understand. People, he thought, that impeded his cause.

Enter the King of kings. Jesus said to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"  To which he responded, "Who are You, Lord?" Immediately, Jesus says, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting" (Acts 9:4-5).

From this moment until forever, Paul's life was radically changed and transformed. In the short-term, he lost his sight and became dependent on his friends to meet his needs. In Damascus he met a man named Ananias who prayed for him and explained to him his vision of Jesus. Saul received the Holy Spirit, regained his sight, was baptized, and immediately began proclaiming that Jesus is the Son of God. He became known as Paul.  His transformation would allow others to later refer to him as "the Apostle of Grace".

He now had a new mission, vision, and purpose. His eyes were fixed on Jesus and he could now run the race like never before. He transitioned from religiosity to relationship with the One who had died just for him. Suddenly, he could hear the upward call resounding in his ears and he was determined to run and fight with the utmost of love and determination. No one or nothing would deter him from accomplishing all that God had set before him.

Paul went on to spend time in Arabia, Damascus, Jerusalem, Syria, and Antioch. He took three missionary journeys and wrote 13 letters that became books of the New Testament. He spent the remainder of his years proclaiming the Risen Christ to the Roman world, often at great peril to himself. Ultimately, he died a martyr's death in the mid to late 60's in Rome.

Through devotion, Paul learned how to keep his eyes on the prize and how to win the race set before him. He concentrated on Jesus and what was important so that he could become even more proficient in his calling. He didn't try to do a thousand things. Just like an athlete who excels in his game, he focused on his specialty, which was proclaiming the Risen Christ to a skeptical audience. That is why his labor still bears fruit to this day.

Paul also looked to the future. He did not dwell on his past failures or even get side-tracked by the opposition of the day. Instead, he "forgot those things that were behind" and did not allow them to influence or affect what was important and had eternal impact. He broke the power of his past and used his power for the future.

Determinedly, Paul says, "I press", which means to "follow after".  He allowed God to work within him and to work through him. He understood that it is God who matures us and strengthens us. Paul was pressing towards the goal, realizing that when he attained it that he would also receive a reward for it. That is not to say that we work to attain heaven by our own efforts. It  is to say that Jesus will crown our efforts when He returns. Paul understood this distinction and the determination required to press forward.

Paul also had spiritual disciplines that helped him to stay focused. This means that he obeyed the "spiritual rules" that God outlines for us in His Word. He said, "Any man who enters an athletic contest practices rigid self-control in training" (Philippians 3:25). Later, he says, "No contestant in the games is crowned, unless he competes according to the rules" (2 Timothy 2:5). It is possible to lose our rewards if we disregard the rules that God outlines for us for our safety.

Like Paul, God has set a race before each one of us. We each have a sphere of influence that we can share the Gospel with and minister to. It is God that empowers us and gives us strategies to accomplish His purposes. If we are devoted, look to the future, determined, and disciplined, we will hit the mark and receive the rewards that God has apportioned for us. All the while, passion pulsates in our hearts and we are keeping our eyes on the prize, which is Jesus!


"Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, who is the leader and the source of our faith and is also its finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
                                                         Hebrews 12:1-2, AMPC

Total Trust

"Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths."
                                                               Proverbs 3:5-6




The quickest way to truly evaluate your level of trust for God is to suddenly be thrust into a scary predicament for which there seems no humanly possible way out. When we feel safe and comfortable it is easy to over-estimate our genuine level of trust in God. All of us want to believe that we trust God completely but it is only He that knows the real truth. Often, we deceive ourselves into believing we trust God more than we really do.

A scary predicament is exactly where Daniel found himself hundreds of years ago when he was cast into the lion's den for the crime of  praying and practicing his faith. Even though King Darius knew that Daniel was honest and had an "excellent spirit" (Daniel 6:3), the other administrators were jealous and schemed to set Daniel up for a fall. It seemed that Daniel's honesty would pose as a hindrance for their financial gain and unscrupulous activities and he needed to be removed so that they could advance in their agenda. What these administrators did not understand, however, is that when they came against Daniel they invited God's judgment into their own lives.

Nevertheless, in the short term it was Daniel that suffered the consequences of their aberrant choices. While they knew they could never tempt Daniel to do anything immoral or illegal, they chose to make an example of his faith and make sure that he was punished for practicing it. Cleverly, they deceived King Darius into  signing a law that made it illegal to pray or worship anyone other than the king. They appealed to the kings' ego and they succeeded. Unknowingly, King Darius put his friend, Daniel, in jeopardy and expedited his entrance before a group of hungry lions.

Interestingly, Daniel was praying for God to deliver His people (Daniel 9:1) when he, himself, was captured for breaking the law. He was leaning on God's promises in faith and believing that He would turn things around for His people when his own world seemingly came to an abrupt halt. Despite his circumstances worsening, Daniel pressed into God all the more expecting that His God was able and would show up on his behalf. It wasn't that Daniel was exceedingly strong; rather it was that he had learned how to truly depend on His God.

D.L. Moody says, "Real true faith is man's weakness leaning on God's strength." The author of the book of Hebrews describes it as "man's weakness transformed into God's strength" (Hebrews 11:34).
Our outlook will determine the outcome, and when we choose to lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord we realize that no matter what happens the outcome is in His hands and we have nothing to fear.

King Darius was distressed when his administrators informed him that Daniel had broken the law. He did not want to sign Daniel's death warrant but his own pride had put him in this untenable position. He spent a day trying to find a way of escape but there was none to be found. Before Daniel was lowered into the lion's den, the king offered a prayer for Daniel that God would deliver him and then covered the pit and sealed the rock so that he complied with the law.

The next morning the king went to the pit and cried out to Daniel before it even could be opened. He confessed that Daniel's God was the Living God and not an idol and that God had the power to deliver Daniel. When Darius heard Daniel's voice respond back to him it must have been a huge relief and he then knew that God had delivered him. We are told that "Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel should be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no hurt of any kind was found on him because he believed in (relied on, adhered to, and trusted in) his God" (Daniel 6:23).

The more we know God the easier it is to trust Him. Really trust Him.  The definition of trust is, "belief that someone or something is reliable and good. It is the assure reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone." In other words, when we trust someone we depend on them. In our relationship with God, it means that we have learned how to completely depend on Him and not on ourselves.

Child-like faith is required. It is so easy for children to trust because they have no grown-up barriers that prevent them from doing so. We have to learn how to let go of our grown-up barriers and false perceptions of who God is. If we see Him as anyone other than a loving heavenly Father we need to let go of our misperceptions or unforgiveness in order to completely trust in Him.

A fulfilled life is one that receives the love of God. Because God is love, the more we know Him and have let Him into our lives, the more we will realize just how much He loves us. Individually and personally. He is passionate for each one of us because He uniquely and lovingly created us. He can do no less than to love us like crazy!

Receiving His love will also help us to love Him passionately with our whole heart. As we grow in the Word and spend time in praise and worship everyday, we begin to put Him first. Our desire becomes to spend time with Him and to obey Him. Love must be the catalyst for our obedience in order to yield a peaceable harvest.

Trusting Him means we understand that His faithfulness outweighs our circumstances. When we build our faith on God's character, we learn to trust Him through the difficult times.  Ernest Wadsworth said, "Pray for a faith that will not shrink  when washed in the waters of affliction." This means we learn how to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:12). As we learn contentment through adversity, the fruit of the Spirit (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) grows within us. Adversity can render a soil in our hearts that is fertile for growth if we allow it to.

Having a renewed mind is required to trust God. We can only trust to the degree that our thoughts are godly. Since faith is built only on truth, we have to filter out anything that is contrary to it. We cannot rely on our own insight or understanding. We must allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth so that we can consistently rely on God and not vacillate because of emotions or circumstances.

There are hindrances to trusting God. They are as follows:
1. Independence and self-reliance
2. Self-pity (Form of idolatry because it focuses on self and makes excuses)
3.Circumstances (when we allow them to become bigger than God is)
4. Unbelief (brings fear, pulls us down, and separates us from God)
5. Guilt and Condemnation (causes depression, despair, and a lack of fruit)
6. Fear and anxiety (robs us of rest and keeps us focused on wrong things)

Our goal is to remove the hindrances and to live a life of radical trust. This is the kind of trust that knows God intimately, believes His promises, and trusts Him with the outcome of all things. It focuses on His past faithfulness and meditates on His goodness. It doesn't worry about tomorrow because it understands that God has that covered too. Trusting God radically changes everything and also inspires others to live a life of total trust!


        "For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things."
                                                           Psalm 107:9

More Than Conquerors

"Amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him who love(s) us."
                                                                 Romans 8:37




Sometimes life can hit really hard and it would seem that we are no match for all the warfare and opposition that stands against us. We can be living our lives and suddenly we feel bombarded by circumstances that are overwhelming and intimidating. We scramble for solutions to our dilemma but, at times, that can be elusive at best. If we are really honest with ourselves, we realize that the giant that stands before us is far too big for us to conquer on our own.

With knees knocking we have to choose whether to flee or stand to overcome that which is much bigger than our ability. Fight or flight. Upon deeper introspection we find that we have an ally that has already overcome our giants. He has already overcome the world and every problem contained within it. The question comes down to whether or not we will truly believe that he stands ready to fight on our behalf.

This becomes an even more daunting decision if we have a personality that is non-confrontational and non-aggressive. And yet, somehow God gets even more glory when this is the case. Enter Elisha. It would have made far more sense for God to have called Elijah known as the "son of thunder" to confront the enemy armies that threatened Israel but instead He chose the quiet farm boy named Elisha. And it was through this unsuspecting witness  that God showed Himself strong to King Joram and the people of Israel during a time of a severe famine.

Elisha came to the king with a message. He said, "Tomorrow about this time..." (2 Kings 7:1). He went on to explain that food would become available again and the inflationary prices of this food would go away. An officer of the king scoffed and mocked Elisha at his proclamation. Instead of his faith being ignited at the miracle God would bring to the Israelites, his heart was hardened and he ridiculed the prophet of God.

Even though the circumstances for the Israelites were extremely dire and there were many on the verge of death, God still had a plan. And for those who believed, there was blessing and victory right around the corner. The only one who missed out on this blessing was the king's official that had hardened his heart. Instead of conquering and witnessing the miracle of God, he was trampled to death in the excitement of those who did believe.

The commotion occurred when the people of God realized that the Syrian army had fled because of a sound that God had let them hear which mimicked the sound of a vast army coming against them. They not only fled but they did so with such speed that they left all their food and valuables for the Israelites to appropriate. God honored the word that Elisha had spoken and He provided for the starving, beleaguered Israelites that would have been so easily defeated by the Syrians. They were spared and they were blessed. They were "more than conquerors".  God fulfilled His promise then just as He does for us today.

We also have an adversary today that is just as real as the adversaries the Israelites faced. His job is to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10). And that is what he attempts to do on a daily basis. The apostle, Paul, listed some of the hardships of believers as: trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, and sword (Romans 8:35-39). Paul exhorts us to stand firm in our faith when the attacks come against us and assures us that through Jesus we have God's promise of love and protection.

So often, we think that to overcome means that we escape the attacks and opposition, but this is not the case. We are "more than conquerors" in the midst of them. Our victory is not circumstantial or positional. It is relational. As long as we are attached to Christ and the victory He obtained through the Cross and His resurrection, we, too, are victorious.

It is in our yielding to the Lordship of Christ that we see the victory manifested on our behalf.  Paul tells us that our purpose is that we "may know Him [progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly],that we may come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection and that we may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] unto His death" (Philippians 3:10).

Submission and resurrection power go hand in hand. We submit when circumstances are good and we submit during the onslaughts of our enemy. As we do, we will see God show Himself strong on our behalf. The literal translation of 1 Corinthians 15:57  is, "But thanks be to our God who keeps on giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

If today you are feeling less than "more than a conqueror", let me assure you that God is with you and He is fighting on your behalf. No sin of ours nor any attempt of the enemy can steal God's love and protection from your life. We can face our giants and our trials with confidence because we know that God is with us and He is for us.

Here are the lyrics to Rend Collective's song, entitled "More Than Conquerors":

                                                When my hope and strength is gone
                                                You're the One who calls me on
                                                You are the life
                                                You are the fight
                                                That's in my soul

                                                Oh, Your resurrection power
                                                Burns like fire in my heart
                                                When waters rise
                                                I lift my eyes
                                                Up to Your throne

                                                I will sing into the night
                                                Christ is risen and on high
                                                Greater is He
                                                Living in me
                                                Than in the world

                                                No surrender, no retreat
                                                We are free and we're redeemed
                                                We will declare
                                                Over despair
                                                You are the hope

                                                Nothing is impossible
                                                Every chain is breakable
                                                With You, we are victorious
                                                You are stronger than our hearts
                                                You are greater than the dark
                                                With You, we are victorious

                                         Chorus:
                                                We are more than conquerors, through Christ
                                                You have overcome this world, this life
                                                We will not bow to sin or shame
                                                We are defiant in Your Name
                                                You are the fire that cannot be tamed
                                                You are the power in our veins
                                                Our Lord, Our God, Our Conqueror
                                               
                                                
                                               

    

A Perfect Heart Towards God

"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him."
                                                       2 Chronicles 16:9




Sometimes God waits to show Himself strong in our lives. Twenty-four years after God had called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees, God appeared to Abraham and said, "'I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless [or perfect]'" (Genesis 17:1). Abraham had walked with God during those years but God waited until the time that Abraham was reaching the climax of his spiritual growth. He waited until Abraham walked in an attitude of perfect obedience, faith, and commitment to God.

God honored Abraham's commitment and he became the father of all who believe (Romans 4:11-12). His obedience and faith is the pattern for us to follow and his patience and faith is sill to be emulated by believers today. God desires that we, too, walk before Him and are made perfect so that through His covenant with us  He will be glorified and multiply us abundantly. The closer we come to the culmination of all the promises of God, the more God calls us to this standard.

The book of Job gives us more insight into what it looks like to have a perfected heart towards God. Job's friends did not have a high opinion of him, but the Lord said, "'Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless [perfect] and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?'" (Job 1:8).

The insight here is that a perfected heart consists of both a right attitude toward God and a right attitude toward evil. There is no compromise or sitting on the fence. This requires a fierce commitment to obedience and the willingness to pay the price for it because it will cost us something.

Please know that God does not require us to have a perfect heart. He requires us to have a perfect heart towards Him. David is the example of this. Morally, David was not  perfect as he had an affair with Bathsheba. However, his heart was perfect towards God and he became the measuring stick for all the other kings that would follow him.

The book of Exodus gives us the first requirement of a perfect heart towards God. We are told that "God spoke all these things, saying, 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me'" (Exodus 20:1-3).

Determining who our "god" really is will determine our destiny. We find this answer by looking at what we fear. If there is anything we fear more than we fear God then that is what becomes our "god". For example, if I fear cancer more than I fear God, then cancer has become my "god".

According to Derek Prince, there are four kinds of fear that are not the fear of the Lord. They are: natural fear, demonic fear, religious fear, and the fear of man. These can actually become deterrents to us walking in the true fear and admonition of the Lord that we are called to.

Natural fear is something that God placed within us to protect us. If we are hiking along a path and a rattlesnake is coiled up right in front of us our natural instinct is to jump backward (and possibly scream very, very loudly). Both fear and pain are two devices that God gives to us to protect us from harm.

Demonic fear is a fear that torments us (1 John 4:18). This is a fear that does not come from God
(2 Timothy 1:7) and its purpose is to harm us. This is a fear that controls and paralyzes us from being who God called us to be and from doing what God has called us to do.

Religious fear is taught by man. Isaiah 29:13 says, "Therefore the Lord said: 'Inasmuch as these people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.'" This involves the fear of doing the wrong religious things. It prefers the status quo and does not acknowledge what God is doing in their midst.

The fear of man is the opposite of trusting in God. Proverbs 29:15 says, "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe." It is our human tendency to worry about what other people think but the apostle, Peter, tells us that "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

So, what does the fear of the Lord look like? The two aspects of the fear of the Lord are found in Psalms and in Proverbs:

"Come you children, listen to Me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord."  (Psalm 34:11)

"Then they will call on Me, but I will not answer; they will seek Me diligently, but  they will not find Me, because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord." (Proverbs 1:28-29)

Thus, the fear of the Lord is taught and we must also choose it. The Holy Spirit will plant it in our hearts and then teach us how to walk in it. As we respond to what we are being taught, we will begin to enjoy God's favor in our lives.

Humility and favor will bring blessings everywhere we go. It will carry with it God's presence and goodness that touches everything and everyone we encounter. It is a joy and a privilege to walk in this level of anointing. It is a blessing and a comfort to know that our heart is undivided.

God is always looking for a people whose hearts are fully His, but He especially is in these days we are living in. He seeks those who have completely made Him their God and have learned the fear of the Lord. This is when He will show Himself strong and manifest His divine favor. Oh, that we may be among those that have perfected hearts towards God!


          "In the light of the King's face is life; and His favor is like a cloud of the latter rain."
                                                                  Proverbs 16:15

Perpending His Presence and His Promises

"In the same way the sun never grows weary of shining, nor a stream of  flowing, it is God's nature to keep His promises. Therefore, go immediately to His throne and say, 'Do as You promised.'"

                                                          Charles H. Spurgeon

The book of Joshua is known to be a book of new beginnings. After forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites were finally able to claim their inheritance and enjoy the blessings that God had prepared for them. It was "as the days of heaven upon the earth" (Deuteronomy 11:21). This is also the way that God wants us to live because He has "blessed us with all spiritual blessings" (Ephesians 1:3) and has provided the path to victory through Jesus (who is our Joshua).

When God first called Joshua, He told him to "Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). What we don't see in this statement is all the years of preparation God had infused inside of Joshua. He was born into slavery in Egypt and given the name of Hoshea (Numbers 13:8), which means "salvation". Later, Moses changed his name to Joshua, the Hebrew form of Jesus, which means "Jehovah is salvation".

By giving their baby the name of "salvation", Joshua's parents were bearing witness to their faith in God's promise to redeem His people. They had seen God deliver their family from many perils such as the Passover when Joshua was a boy. Because he belonged to the tribe of Ephraim and was the firstborn son of Nun, his very life was in danger that night. However, they trusted in the Lord and in the power of the blood of the lamb and his life was spared.

Joshua got to see firsthand the signs and wonders God performed in Egypt (Exodus 7-12), and he quickly came to realize that Jehovah was a God of power that was with them and would protect and care for them. He witnessed the One, True God humiliate the gods of Egypt and understood that there was no one to compare with Him. His faith grew and he trusted God to do wonders for His people.

We can do the same today. When we really meditate on the presence and promises of God in our lives, we will understand that He continually is with us and is working on our behalf. We can intentionally choose to heed the commands God gave to Joshua and not be afraid nor dismayed. Obviously, our human tendency when things get tough is to become discouraged or fearful, but perhaps our perspective should be the opposite. Perhaps we should understand that the warfare is trying to prevent us from walking in our destiny. If God didn't have great plans, then why would the enemy try so hard to bring discouragement to us?

The real thing Satan tries to steal from us is our faith because that is the very thing that can move mountains. Our faith should rise up in times of distress and when we are weary because that will drive the enemy out and help us to possess the Promised Land that God has for us. The name that God called the Promised Land was "a good land" (Joshua 8:7-10) and He contrasted it to the monotony and barrenness of Egypt. This land was to be a place of rest and inheritance and the dwelling place of God.

The Israelites had persevered and endured much hardship and fatigue while they were slaves in Egypt. Now, they would be able to rest and enjoy the fellowship with their God and their deliverer. Similarly, "the promise of entering His rest still holds and is offered today" (Hebrews 4:1).  Paul goes on to tell us that after we have entered into this rest, we should then "fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace ( the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]" (Hebrews 4:16).

Courage and strength will increase as we draw near to God to experience the full weight of His presence and trust in the merit of all His promises to us individually. When life becomes a battering ram of challenges and difficulties, we can have peace knowing that He is with us and that His goodness will triumph over all obstacles. God will open our eyes so that we can "Look to the heavens and see; and behold the skies which are higher than you" (Job 35:5). We will understand that when God is at our side, nothing shall be impossible.

Before God told Joshua to be strong and courageous, He told him, "This book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success" (Joshua 1:8).

In the Old Testament, there are two primary Hebrew words for meditation: Hagah and Sihach. The word Hagah means "to utter, groan, meditate, or ponder". The word Sihach means "to muse, to rehearse in one's mind, or to contemplate". Both of these words can also be translated as "dwell, diligently consider, and heed".

Rick Warren describes meditation this way: "Meditation is focused thinking. It takes serious effort. You select a verse and reflect on it over and over in your mind... if you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate. No other habit can do more to transform your life and make you more like Jesus than daily reflection on Scripture...If you look up the times God speaks about meditation in the Bible, you'll be amazed at the benefits He has promised to those who take the time to reflect on His Word throughout the day."

In Satisfy Your Soul, Dr. Bruce Demarest writes, "A quieted heart is our best preparation for all this work of God...Meditation refocuses us from ourselves and from the world so that we can reflect on God's Word, His nature, His abilities, and His works... So we prayerfully ponder, muse, and 'chew' the words of Scripture... The goal is simply to permit the Holy Spirit to activate the life-giving Word of God."

God rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). In my walk, I have found that the more chaotic the world around me becomes, the more intentional I need to be in my Quiet time and pressing into God's Word. Otherwise, it can be really easy to fall into the trap of distractions or spending my time in useless ways. These are the times when it is much easier to give in to fear and discouragement. Knowing what God has to say about my circumstances changes everything.

Spend time in His presence and write down specific promises He has made to you. If you cannot think of specific ones, sit down in faith and ask the Holy Spirit for verses directly related to the concerns you may have. Meditate on these verses and remind God of what He has shown you.

I really believe that this is a year where we will see God move in mighty ways. We need to be positioned and prepared. We need to stoke the fires of our faith on a daily basis. We truly need to diligently perpend His presence and His promises!

"Let my cry come right into Your presence, God; provide me with the insight that comes only from Your Word. Give my request Your personal attention, rescue me on the terms of Your promise. Let praise cascade off my lips; after all You've taught me the truth about life! And let Your promises ring from my tongue; every order You've given is right. Put Your hand out and steady me since I've chosen to live by Your counsel. I'm homesick, God, for Your salvation; I love it when You show Yourself! Invigorate my soul so I can praise You well, use Your decrees to put iron in my soul. And should I wander off like a lost sheep- seek me! I'll recognize the sound of Your voice."

                                                              Psalm 119:169

Divine Assignements

         "They'll do the work I sent them to do; they'll complete the assignment I gave them."
                                                      Isaiah 55:8, The Message Bible




Life in Christ is a wild adventure! It is neither for the faint of heart nor for the doubters. It is a mind-blowing, nail-biting series of steps that ultimately lead to the finality of our journey here on earth. We finish our assignments and step into eternity to cheer on the next generation of believers.

God holds the master plan and He is the One who gives out the assignments and then directs our steps accordingly. Each one of us was born for a reason, which is our divine purpose, and it is that purpose that will lead us to our assignments in Christ. Because God developed our purpose before the world began (Ephesians 2:10), we must discover it by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Times and seasons also reveal the handiwork of God. I truly believe in this New Year that there is so much promise that is before us. I believe it is a year in which we will walk in greater vision and purpose. I believe it is a year of alignment and breakthrough and really walking in what God is calling us to do.

To know for certain what that is we must really get alone with God, seeking both His presence and His purposes. We are promised that those who "seek (inquire and require) the Lord [by right of their need and on the authority of His Word], none of them shall lack any beneficial thing" (Psalm 34:10). Certainly it is His will to specifically reveal His purposes and assignments in our lives.

The uncertainties that arise come from our end. Sometimes we feel unqualified for what God calls us to do. Jeremiah did. He thought he was too young for his assignment to be a prophet but then God reassured him that He would put His Words into Jeremiah's mouth. God followed through on is promises and Jeremiah completed his assignment.

Other times, we can be intimidated by a God-sized assignment. This is what happened to Moses when God told him to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Not only did God support Moses through his insecurities (Exodus 4:10-11), He also brought Moses into his potential by exhibiting His power (Exodus 4:1-17). He did all of this to reveal to Moses that He was with him and that He was all Moses needed.

God understands our frailties but He also loves us too much to leave us stuck in them. He bids us to "Follow" and promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. His Spirit ever compels us to walk by faith and not by sight in order to accomplish all that He sets before us.

If we let fear rule and reign in our hearts, we will run from our assignments like Jonah did. However, running will never change the assignment God has ordained for us. When we eventually get tired enough from fleeing, our assignment will still be waiting. The book of Romans tells us that "God's gifts and His call are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29).

There is a stipulation, though. We do have to daily receive His grace in order to complete our assignments. God gives a daily outpouring over our lives that must be received by a surrendered heart and life if we are to bear the quality and quantity of fruit that God has purposed. It is His provision and it is He that receives the glory.

God matches our gifts with our assignments. If you clearly see your gifts and strengths and talents and look at them against the backdrop of people and circumstances God has placed in your life, you will begin to have more understanding of your calling. He deposits His gifts and Spirit within us and then places us and positions us for success and victory.

Like the Wild Fig Tree in Mpumalanga, South Africa, that has roots documented to be 400 feet deep, our character must also match our calling in order to be sustainable. God will direct our journey to mold and shape the character we will need, but this does require our cooperation. Henry Blackaby says, "Nothing is more pathetic than having a small character in a big assignment. Many of us don't want to give attention to our character; we just want the big assignment from God." Without adequate character development and sanctification, we will stumble and potentially fall.

Our assignments will also determine the suffering and the attacks we encounter. After Paul described his assignment as a preacher and teacher, he said, "For which cause I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed: for I know in Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day" (2 Timothy 1:12). It was because of his calling that the attacks came.

God can even use our families as a training ground. They may misunderstand, doubt, or even betray. Jesus understood this because we are told that "Neither did His brethren believe in Him" (John 7:5). While our families may long to humble us, it is Satan that desires to destroy us. When we survive our families, it is a great indicator that we will survive our calling.

Our adversaries are just as important to our development as our friends are. Promotion comes when we stand against our enemies and determine we will not be conquered. Much of our assignment has to do with how we problem-solve  and how we overcome. Jesus had assigned adversaries and we are told that we will, too (John 15:18-21).

We do not need to worry about having what we need for our divine assignments. God will provide everything we need. While He may stretch our muscles of faith in this area, His Word promises over and over again that He will provide for His children. Especially for what He calls us to do.

Therefore, we are gifted, equipped, anointed, uniquely positioned, called, and empowered for our divine assignment. We are strengthened and favored for the tasks at hand. There is a purpose and plan in each of our lives to ultimately reach the 7 billion people on this planet with the Gospel. God is beckoning us all into His perfect plan and purposes. Are you ready to really walk in your divine assignment?


"Christians are not left in the world by accident, but are placed there on divine assignment from their Lord."
                                                                 John MacArthur

Vision For 2017

"And the Lord answered me and said, 'Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by. For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint.
Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not delay on its appointed day.'"
                                                                 Habakkuk 2:2-3




The beginning of a New Year is an excellent time to take a spiritual inventory of our lives. While I'm not really one to set a bunch of lofty resolutions for the year, I do enjoy the challenge of trusting God with the struggles at hand and for insight regarding spiritual disciplines that I need to improve in the upcoming year. For me, it is very beneficial to press in spiritually in an effort to gain God's perspective for how I can best co-labor with Him for the next twelve months.

Right now our church is doing a 21 day Daniel fast as we write down our prayer requests for 2017. It has been during this time that I realize that the most important thing for me right now is a fresh perspective. I am believing God for revelation on what He is doing in my life, which direction we will be travelling, and what my role in our partnership will be. In other words, I really want supernatural eyes and understanding to know the ways that will yield the greatest harvest in my life- both in a transformation and in a literal way.

The more New Years I have experienced the more it occurs to me just how short this life really is. There are two things that I think will matter on the day I go home to be with the Lord. The first thing is how much like Jesus I have become and the second thing is how many people did I share the love and Good News of the Gospel with? On that day, it seems to me that all else would seem unimportant.

Too often, I tend to focus on the obstacles and the challenges that seem to be insurmountable. Instead, I want to see my God as bigger and more powerful than what I face and I want my love for Him to supersede whatever parts of myself I need to lay down. I want gratitude to rise above all else and to be thankful for His provision for us to conquer all that stands against us. His grace really is sufficient.

This is the year of the breakthrough. For Brent and I, there have been some prayer requests that we have prayed now for over two decades. There was a time when I believed that the answers to these prayers were the most important things, but I don't anymore. While they are Biblical petitions, I now see that even more importantly than the answer was the journey that landed me smack in the middle of God's arms. His heart far outweighs what His hands can do. While I am excited for the breakthroughs, I am more excited about hearing the heartbeat of a beautiful and loving Father!

Other prayers we have prayed have been flat out denied by God. Most of the time while it was happening we didn't understand why God said, "No". Too often, I would see it as God not moving on our behalf. Now I see it as God moving fiercely to protect us from things in which we were unaware. Things that would have harmed us.

Now I crave the set-ups for Him to be glorified in the earth. It doesn't matter how it happens or who it comes through; I just want Him to be lifted up. Interestingly, when I survey the places in my life where the enemy tried to discourage me or deceive me into believing that no good could come from it, I now see that those were the set-ups for His glory to be seen! That's where God shines the brightest!

Whatever looks dead in your life, begin to speak resurrection to those places. If you are currently facing a situation in your life that only God can revive, then rejoice and look up! This is not the time to give up; it is the time to be filled anew with His Spirit, His vision, and His purposes.

It is time to dream again, live again, and hope again in Christ. God is moving in mighty ways across the globe and we will not be exempt from what He is doing. His desire is to seek and save the lost and He will use our lives to accomplish this goal.

Look ahead in this New Year and do not look behind. Trust His timing and His process in your life. When He said that He was returning for a bride that was without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27), we have to know that that level of sanctification involves some pain. However, in the end, the result is glorious!

Ask God to give you a new vision and a new dream or to resurrect the ones He has placed in you previously. This is not a time to shrink back. Rather, it is a time to be on fire for God and to help others to do the same.

Spend time in His presence and hear what the Spirit is saying to you personally. There is so much he wants to share with us right now. There is so much He longs to give to us.

When the apostle, Paul, was blinded on the road to Damascus, he was given a heavenly vision of Jesus. The Lord said to Him, "I have appeared to you for this purpose that I might appoint you to serve as [My] minister and to bear witness to what you have seen of Me and to that in which I will appear to  you, choosing you out and delivering you from the Jewish people and the Gentiles to whom I am sending you- To open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may thus receive forgiveness and release from their sins and a place and portion among those who are consecrated and purified by faith in Me" (Acts 26:16-18).

Paul's spiritual eyes were opened before his natural eyes were. He also heard the voice of the Lord. Supernaturally, God revealed His glory so that Paul could see the Living Christ. God showed Paul Himself so that he could co-labor with Hi to reap a mighty harvest.

This was the First Advent of Christ and we are drawing ever closer to His Second Advent. We have the ultimate privilege of living in the times in which we live. We are blessed beyond measure to be a part of what God is doing in this time and season.

Dream big. Pray without ceasing. Shine your light brightly. Receive God's vision and write it down. Love Him and trust Him with all your heart. Have a blessed and fruitful 2017!


"It won't be long now, He's on the way; He'll show up almost any minute. But anyone who is right with Me will thrive on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs, I won't be very happy. But we're not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We'll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way."
                                                                                                                     Hebrews 10:38-39
                                                                                                                     The Message Bible