This is sort of an "Intermission" for the Series "What's Next" instead of "What If..." I had originally planned for a different journey, continuing the meditation on Exodus 3 & 4, but as usual, God ROCKS my world and has better plans than I do....so, I do look forward to continuing with Exodus 3 & 4, but for now, I want to be transparent and tell you three one sentence Prayers that I am going to Pray and that I challenge you to Pray as well....
What's Next Prayers*
1. God, you created me for a reason(s), so how can I be an answer to Your Prayers?
2. God, how can I see like you see, love like you love, and live like you live. (See 1 John 2.6, Living as Jesus lived)
3. God, what is lacking in my life that is keeping me from being all you call me to be? What is the next step you want me to take? How can I bring my life to the next level of representing Your Name? (In Summary, What's Next God?)
*These Prayers are inspired from Perry Noble's blog, http://www.perrynoble.com/2008/06/29/sunday-night-reflections-59/
*These Prayers are inspired from Christians blog, The Prayer of Freedom
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
"What Next?" Instead of "What If?"
"A Change of Place plus a change of pace equals a change of perspective." ~Mark Batterson~
Many times in life, I think we all need to change our perspective so that we can change our mindset. So in terms of your life, take some meditation time and visualize your life from The Cross, place yourself on The Cross and see your life as Jesus sees it. I believe this will help change your perspective...
Change Of Perspective?
The reason this is so important is because...
1. God has, is, or will give you a calling in life
2. You should be confident to follow His lead
When God called Moses in Exodus 3 & 4 to free His people (People of Israel) from the Egyptians, Moses kept objecting. He kept objecting because of his perspective. He was too focused on himself and his own self-imposed limitations that he was making the challenge bigger than The God who was making the call.
In Exodus 3.9-12, God gives Moses His assignment, Moses replies, "But why me?" God says, "I'll be with you." Then as we journey together over to Exodus 4, Moses continues to object...
But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you?"
Exodus 4:1 (NIV) ,emphasis added
Exodus 4:1 (NIV) ,emphasis added
Moses raised another objection to God: "Master, please, I don't talk well. I've never been good with words, neither before nor after you spoke to me. I stutter and stammer."
Exodus 4:10 (The Message), emphasis added
Change Of Questions
So here is what we need to do. We need to change our perspective and anticipate what God is going to do in our lives and we need to be ready and excited about it! We need to say the following...
"What Next?" instead of saying "What If?"
See what is next in part 2 of this series in the next post!!!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Where are you?
The next couple of blog entries from Christian will be a series. We'll take a look at where each of us are "hiding". We will discuss 4 "hiding" places. We all hide...just depends where we are hiding...3 of the places are negative...1 of the places are positive...it's the place we WANT to "hide". That will be our last topic in this series so STAY WITH US!
WHERE'S KATE GRAY?
Let me start by telling you about my daughter who the Lord promised Whitney and myself. Her name is Kate Gray. She is now 10 months old, almost 11! Praise the Triune God! WE LOVE HER. MY FAVORITE thing in life is to COME HOME, HUG WHITNEY and then lay down on the GROUND and LET KATE GRAY CRAWL and SPIT UP ALL OVER ME! MY FAMILY plays a game with her. She plays along so well. We do it a bunch of DIFFERENT WAYS, but the funniest is when we are sitting on a COUCH and Kate Gray is at SOMEONE’S FEET. She will be in the SQUAT POSITION “HIDING FROM US”. She’ll look at the person next to her and give a smile, like “watch this, I got ‘em”. The person whose feet she is SQUATTING by will LOOK around, ACTING LIKE THEY DON’T SEE HER and say, “WHERE’S KATE GRAY? WHERE’S KATE GRAY? And then she’ll STAND UP as FAST as she can, LAUGH and SMILE and we’ll say, “THERE SHE IS!” Immediately, she will SQUAT at their FEET again, “HIDING” from them and we’ll say, “WHERE’S KATE GRAY? WHERE’S KATE GRAY?
WHERE ARE YOU?
AT THIS MOMENT, as “YOU” SIT BEFORE GOD in READING THIS BLOG, I want to ASK YOU, “WHERE ARE YOU?” Where am I? WHERE ARE “YOU” in YOUR LIFE WITH JESUS CHRIST? Where is your Bible? Do you know? Where has your prayer life been? We're not talking about your "multi-task" prayer life...the prayers you do while your doing something else...those are great, but where is your sit down intentional prayer time with God? Where is your love for your family and friends...for the world who is lost without Jesus? For the hungry? Where are you in your relationship, communion, and life with Jesus Christ?
God asked ADAM that QUESTION one COOL DAY in the GARDEN in GENESIS 3. ADAM and his wife, EVE, had just eaten FRUIT from the TREE of the KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL; the very THING GOD had COMMANDED ADAM NOT to DO. Their EYES were OPENED and they COVERED themselves in FIG LEAVES. That’s the MOMENT GOD asked the MAN, “WHERE ARE YOU?” –
Tomorrow, we'll take a look at Genesis 3:8-10 and continue finding out where some of us might be hiding. It's the first hiding place: behind a TREE.
WHERE'S KATE GRAY?
Let me start by telling you about my daughter who the Lord promised Whitney and myself. Her name is Kate Gray. She is now 10 months old, almost 11! Praise the Triune God! WE LOVE HER. MY FAVORITE thing in life is to COME HOME, HUG WHITNEY and then lay down on the GROUND and LET KATE GRAY CRAWL and SPIT UP ALL OVER ME! MY FAMILY plays a game with her. She plays along so well. We do it a bunch of DIFFERENT WAYS, but the funniest is when we are sitting on a COUCH and Kate Gray is at SOMEONE’S FEET. She will be in the SQUAT POSITION “HIDING FROM US”. She’ll look at the person next to her and give a smile, like “watch this, I got ‘em”. The person whose feet she is SQUATTING by will LOOK around, ACTING LIKE THEY DON’T SEE HER and say, “WHERE’S KATE GRAY? WHERE’S KATE GRAY? And then she’ll STAND UP as FAST as she can, LAUGH and SMILE and we’ll say, “THERE SHE IS!” Immediately, she will SQUAT at their FEET again, “HIDING” from them and we’ll say, “WHERE’S KATE GRAY? WHERE’S KATE GRAY?
WHERE ARE YOU?
AT THIS MOMENT, as “YOU” SIT BEFORE GOD in READING THIS BLOG, I want to ASK YOU, “WHERE ARE YOU?” Where am I? WHERE ARE “YOU” in YOUR LIFE WITH JESUS CHRIST? Where is your Bible? Do you know? Where has your prayer life been? We're not talking about your "multi-task" prayer life...the prayers you do while your doing something else...those are great, but where is your sit down intentional prayer time with God? Where is your love for your family and friends...for the world who is lost without Jesus? For the hungry? Where are you in your relationship, communion, and life with Jesus Christ?
God asked ADAM that QUESTION one COOL DAY in the GARDEN in GENESIS 3. ADAM and his wife, EVE, had just eaten FRUIT from the TREE of the KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL; the very THING GOD had COMMANDED ADAM NOT to DO. Their EYES were OPENED and they COVERED themselves in FIG LEAVES. That’s the MOMENT GOD asked the MAN, “WHERE ARE YOU?” –
Tomorrow, we'll take a look at Genesis 3:8-10 and continue finding out where some of us might be hiding. It's the first hiding place: behind a TREE.
Risk & Uncertainty! Part III "Wake Up!"
You must be "Awake" to start taking God-Ordained Risks!. I think sometimes as Christians we think we have to be so modest that we repress our gifts, not wanting to bring attention to ourselves. Dude, go read Matthew 5.13-16, God wants to put us on a light stand so that we can shine for His Glory (see solar eclipse illustration, Risk & Uncertainty! Part II ), so that everyone will see our good deeds and Praise Him!
I think satan wants to repress our thoughts, our goals, our ambitions, our lion chasing dreams so much so that we dont make a difference in this world...he wants so bad for us to remain silent, to "fall asleep" in life...We need to "Wake Up"...satan wants to make us insecure and think, "who are we to do anything?"...man i am about to go ballistic and face satan head on and get seriously competitive with the loser....in fact, Christ has made it so easy for us because He has already WON!!! Christ has already defeated the loser! Harooh!
If you would just focus for 10 minutes everyday what God wants to do through you and in you, it would blow your mind...but satan does not want you to know it, he wants to hypnotize you to sleep and make you dead weight...
So what areas of life do we need to "Wake Up": Knowing, Sewing, Growing (serving). I could write a book on this, but Ed Young goes into detail on it, so I encourage you to go listen to Ed Young in the "One Prayer" series podcast where Ed's One Prayer for The Church is to "Wake Up!"
Question that will change your life...
I think satan wants to repress our thoughts, our goals, our ambitions, our lion chasing dreams so much so that we dont make a difference in this world...he wants so bad for us to remain silent, to "fall asleep" in life...We need to "Wake Up"...satan wants to make us insecure and think, "who are we to do anything?"...man i am about to go ballistic and face satan head on and get seriously competitive with the loser....in fact, Christ has made it so easy for us because He has already WON!!! Christ has already defeated the loser! Harooh!
If you would just focus for 10 minutes everyday what God wants to do through you and in you, it would blow your mind...but satan does not want you to know it, he wants to hypnotize you to sleep and make you dead weight...
So what areas of life do we need to "Wake Up": Knowing, Sewing, Growing (serving). I could write a book on this, but Ed Young goes into detail on it, so I encourage you to go listen to Ed Young in the "One Prayer" series podcast where Ed's One Prayer for The Church is to "Wake Up!"
Question that will change your life...
Here is a simple area of how you can take inventory...ask yourself this question, a question that will change your life if you will meditate on it, chew on it, and absorb it...I learned this from Andy Stanley....ask your self this question:
"Why has God Blessed me so much?"
"Why has God Blessed me so much?"
We are normally asking God to Bless us, so turn it around for a moment and ask the question with a new perspective...
You may not think you have much, but stop comparing yourself to other people...God has Blessed you because someone else is in need...If you had asked yourself this question five or ten years ago, I can almost guarantee the way you mangage your finances would be different...
You may not think you have much, but stop comparing yourself to other people...God has Blessed you because someone else is in need...If you had asked yourself this question five or ten years ago, I can almost guarantee the way you mangage your finances would be different...
Listen, enjoy the fruits of your labor, there is nothing wrong with that, but Give God your first and your best...Like Mark Batterson says, "Leadership is producing more than you consume." So consume, by all means live life, but make sure you are producing more!!!
You take the risk, you make the tackle!
When Jesus was speaking to a large crowd in Mark 6, the disciples said, send this people off and give them some supper. "Jesus said, "You do it. Fix supper for them." In John 21.17, Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him, Peter replies, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."
It's like being a strong safety in a football game, don't be "asleep" and wait for someone else to make the tackle, "Wake Up!" and you go make the tackle!!!
Listen, God wants your life to count, He wants you to leave your mark in life and SHINE for His Glory..."Wake Up" and take God-Ordained Risks. When you do, you will be a Blessing to others and your life will be so Blessed that you will embrace uncertainty and discover the Greatness of God like you have never imagined before! Harooh!
Risk & Uncertainty! Part II
God-Ordained Risk
In the context of God-Ordained Risk, risk-taking is somewhat of a paradox; On a deeper level, these type of risks are really not risks at all. We have an advantage because we have the counsel of The Holy Spirit, so when we have a feeling of risk, I think the "jittery" feelings we get is just our lack of trust in ourselves or our self-imposed limits we create...
Unleash yourlimits, Magnify THE God
I believe it is also our view of God....if our view of God is small, our risk taking will be small, yet if we believe and see our God as HUGE, then nothing can or will stop us at taking risks because we will trust God so much that we will use everything He has blessed us with to go after life with Reckless abandon. Quiet your mind, pause, assess your situation. Take the risk. Make it a goal to do something everyday that you can journal about. Wake up everyday so excited to see how God is going to work that you can not wait to go out and take some risks!
Trusting God
Trust God...I need to trust Him more. Man, I think about all He has blessed me with. I must take risks and go and use everything He has called me to do and use. I am going to start being "Cocky In Christ," please take that the right way, it's kind of like Righteous Indignation or Spiritual Anger. I want to be "ARROGANT IN CHRIST".... It's like a Solar Eclipse, the moon passes in between the sun and the earth. Take a look...
The moon gets put in "shadow" and what you see is the light from the sun shining around it. In the context of this illustration, it is The Light of Christ you see, not me...I am simply part of the process in what God is doing....but without the moon, the eclipse does not occur...
In the context of God-Ordained Risk, risk-taking is somewhat of a paradox; On a deeper level, these type of risks are really not risks at all. We have an advantage because we have the counsel of The Holy Spirit, so when we have a feeling of risk, I think the "jittery" feelings we get is just our lack of trust in ourselves or our self-imposed limits we create...
Unleash yourlimits, Magnify THE God
I believe it is also our view of God....if our view of God is small, our risk taking will be small, yet if we believe and see our God as HUGE, then nothing can or will stop us at taking risks because we will trust God so much that we will use everything He has blessed us with to go after life with Reckless abandon. Quiet your mind, pause, assess your situation. Take the risk. Make it a goal to do something everyday that you can journal about. Wake up everyday so excited to see how God is going to work that you can not wait to go out and take some risks!
Trusting God
Trust God...I need to trust Him more. Man, I think about all He has blessed me with. I must take risks and go and use everything He has called me to do and use. I am going to start being "Cocky In Christ," please take that the right way, it's kind of like Righteous Indignation or Spiritual Anger. I want to be "ARROGANT IN CHRIST".... It's like a Solar Eclipse, the moon passes in between the sun and the earth. Take a look...
The moon gets put in "shadow" and what you see is the light from the sun shining around it. In the context of this illustration, it is The Light of Christ you see, not me...I am simply part of the process in what God is doing....but without the moon, the eclipse does not occur...God wants us to do our part! What an honor!
You are a creative genius, a risk-taker, we are all made in the Image Of Our Creator! So let's "Wake-up" (see part III) and start taking God-Ordained Risks!!!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Risk & Uncertainty! Part I
When I think about all the Champions of Scripture, Jesus, David, Benaiah, Moses, Joseph, you name it, I see a common thread that runs through all of them: They took risks despite uncertainty. In fact, that is my definition of risk: Moving forward in the face of uncertainty.
I have read "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson, I am studying 1 Samuel and searching for new perspectives on David v goliath, I am meditating on how Jesus looked death in the face yet never flinched (From Isaiah 53.11-12) and man, You may have heard it a thousand times, but how much more uncertainty does it get when Jesus prays, "Father, not my will buy your will be done." Pray that right now...it's actually a Paradoxical Prayer, on one hand, you may at that moment not know where or how God is going to answer that Prayer, but on the other hand, there is no other Prayer I would rather Pray because knowing that I am in God's Will makes me more certain than ever...deep I know, contradictory maybe, exciting...yes!!!
Look, here is my point, I am not saying to be stupid and take risk that are not God-Ordained, if you can't sing, don't audition for American Idol. When you are a Christ Follower, and you genuinely seek God and ask The Holy Spirit for counseling, a dream will stir up inside of you that will become a God-Ordained Risk. What it comes down to is are you willing to take the step forward? Are you willing to trust God with your life?
Ask, Seek, and Knock for a Risk to take and don't wait to be 100% certain. In the words of Batterson, "Embrace Uncertainty." In the words of Andy Stanley, "If you wait to be 100% certain, you could miss your opportunity."
Take a risk, recondition your thoughts, re-frame your fears, fuel your faith and chase your lions!
Chasing & Conquering, Chasing & Conquering.....
I have read "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson, I am studying 1 Samuel and searching for new perspectives on David v goliath, I am meditating on how Jesus looked death in the face yet never flinched (From Isaiah 53.11-12) and man, You may have heard it a thousand times, but how much more uncertainty does it get when Jesus prays, "Father, not my will buy your will be done." Pray that right now...it's actually a Paradoxical Prayer, on one hand, you may at that moment not know where or how God is going to answer that Prayer, but on the other hand, there is no other Prayer I would rather Pray because knowing that I am in God's Will makes me more certain than ever...deep I know, contradictory maybe, exciting...yes!!!
Look, here is my point, I am not saying to be stupid and take risk that are not God-Ordained, if you can't sing, don't audition for American Idol. When you are a Christ Follower, and you genuinely seek God and ask The Holy Spirit for counseling, a dream will stir up inside of you that will become a God-Ordained Risk. What it comes down to is are you willing to take the step forward? Are you willing to trust God with your life?
Ask, Seek, and Knock for a Risk to take and don't wait to be 100% certain. In the words of Batterson, "Embrace Uncertainty." In the words of Andy Stanley, "If you wait to be 100% certain, you could miss your opportunity."
Take a risk, recondition your thoughts, re-frame your fears, fuel your faith and chase your lions!
Chasing & Conquering, Chasing & Conquering.....
Thursday, June 12, 2008
What Do You See!
I was hungry the other night and I was looking for my almond butter...listen, if you have not tried it yet, mix some almond butter with organic chocolate chips and drizzle agave nectar on top, then, sprinkle it off with organic and raw sprouted almonds. Christian and I call this the "Spartan Mix" and it will take you to new heights of intense living!
Anyway, the almond butter was in the fridge, but i went into panic mode because i did not see it..."What Do I do now?" I started having thoughts of, "the almond butter is never there when i need it," or "If I only had the almond butter, my life would be complete, but "where are you almond butter!!"...
You know what, the almond butter was right in front of me, all I had to do was take my eyes off of the Organic Raw Trilogy flavored Kombucha that was blocking its view....
Is God like that to you? Do you ever wonder what He is calling you to do with your life? Listen fellow warrior, sometimes God is right there in front of you, closer than you could ever imagine, waiting to make your life complete, all you have to do is look up, clear your eyes, and focus...move whatever it is out of your life that is blocking your view of him and you will see exactly what it is He is calling you to do......
take a look at Ephesians 1:15-19 (MSG with empahsis added). I will let Scripture speak for itself and I Pray the following Prayer for each and every one of you as you read it!
Have a G'day Mate!
Anyway, the almond butter was in the fridge, but i went into panic mode because i did not see it..."What Do I do now?" I started having thoughts of, "the almond butter is never there when i need it," or "If I only had the almond butter, my life would be complete, but "where are you almond butter!!"...
You know what, the almond butter was right in front of me, all I had to do was take my eyes off of the Organic Raw Trilogy flavored Kombucha that was blocking its view....
Is God like that to you? Do you ever wonder what He is calling you to do with your life? Listen fellow warrior, sometimes God is right there in front of you, closer than you could ever imagine, waiting to make your life complete, all you have to do is look up, clear your eyes, and focus...move whatever it is out of your life that is blocking your view of him and you will see exactly what it is He is calling you to do......
take a look at Ephesians 1:15-19 (MSG with empahsis added). I will let Scripture speak for itself and I Pray the following Prayer for each and every one of you as you read it!
Have a G'day Mate!
I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Light+Shine+Bright
Why are you here?
This is a deep question and perhaps one of the major questions everyone one wants answered for their life and the lives of those around them. Look how clearly Jesus tells us the answer to this question during His Sermon On The Mount....
This is a deep question and perhaps one of the major questions everyone one wants answered for their life and the lives of those around them. Look how clearly Jesus tells us the answer to this question during His Sermon On The Mount....
Let me tell you why you are here.
You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth.
Matthew 5.13 (MSG with emphasis added)
You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth.
Matthew 5.13 (MSG with emphasis added)
As Jesus continues in this famous teaching on being salt and light, I want you to focus on your purpose and day-to-day activity by focusing on what I am going to call the
"Illumination Principle"
The "Illumination Principle" is based on three focus words: Light, Shine, Bright....
As we continue to read, Matthew 5.14-16 (MSG), Jesus adds to His answer of why we are here....
Light+Shine
1. We are here to be light, bringing out the God-Colors in the world
2. Jesus has made us light-bearers
3. He has put us on a light stand
4. Why has He put us on a light stand? So that we can SHINE!
Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
"Illumination Principle"
The "Illumination Principle" is based on three focus words: Light, Shine, Bright....
As we continue to read, Matthew 5.14-16 (MSG), Jesus adds to His answer of why we are here....
Light+Shine
1. We are here to be light, bringing out the God-Colors in the world
2. Jesus has made us light-bearers
3. He has put us on a light stand
4. Why has He put us on a light stand? So that we can SHINE!
God wants for you to Shine for Him in order to help others open up with Him.....
Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Bright
Here is the cool thing. I want you to think of The Life of Jesus and His purpose. Jesus Prays to God a Prayer that is parallel to Shining for God, shining so that others would see His good deeds and Praise God The Father in Heaven...
Look at The Words of Jesus as He Prays for His Followers....
Here is the cool thing. I want you to think of The Life of Jesus and His purpose. Jesus Prays to God a Prayer that is parallel to Shining for God, shining so that others would see His good deeds and Praise God The Father in Heaven...
Look at The Words of Jesus as He Prays for His Followers....
Father, it's time. Display the bright splendor of your Son
So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor.
From John 17.1-5 (MSG with emphasis added)
So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor.
From John 17.1-5 (MSG with emphasis added)
This sounds a lot like The Salt and Light passage from Matthew. Take a look at it from the NIV...
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5.16 (NIV with emphasis added)
Matthew 5.16 (NIV with emphasis added)
Prayer To Shine
You may be saying, "This sounds great, I want to follow the Illumination Principle. So How do I going about shining?" Here is what I want you to do. In order to find out how to shine for God and in the process know the way in which to do so, Pray the following Prayer of Purpose!
Raise your eyes to Heaven and Pray.....
You may be saying, "This sounds great, I want to follow the Illumination Principle. So How do I going about shining?" Here is what I want you to do. In order to find out how to shine for God and in the process know the way in which to do so, Pray the following Prayer of Purpose!
Raise your eyes to Heaven and Pray.....
Father, it's time.
Display the bright splendor of your servant
So that I in turn may show your bright splendor.
Lord God, make me a light-bearer and place me
on a light stand so that I can SHINE for Your Glory.
Father God, I want to bring out The God-Colors in the world.
Strengthen me to open up to others so that others will open up to You.
Lord, make me this person and take me to the places so I can Shine for You.
Father help me discover what this means for my life, because I know that the only way for me
to discover my purpose is to be in Your Plans and therefore
Reveal You to others!
So that I in turn may show your bright splendor.
Lord God, make me a light-bearer and place me
on a light stand so that I can SHINE for Your Glory.
Father God, I want to bring out The God-Colors in the world.
Strengthen me to open up to others so that others will open up to You.
Lord, make me this person and take me to the places so I can Shine for You.
Father help me discover what this means for my life, because I know that the only way for me
to discover my purpose is to be in Your Plans and therefore
Reveal You to others!
Your Assignment
Jesus had an assignment to make God known. This is your assignment as well. If you earnestly seek God in Prayer He will show you the what, when, where, and how He wants to use you, but you must know that it is all rooted in making His Name Famous. Once you understand this, everything else will fall in to place.
Jesus understood this. After He prays to God for his brightness to be displayed, He goes on to say....
Jesus had an assignment to make God known. This is your assignment as well. If you earnestly seek God in Prayer He will show you the what, when, where, and how He wants to use you, but you must know that it is all rooted in making His Name Famous. Once you understand this, everything else will fall in to place.
Jesus understood this. After He prays to God for his brightness to be displayed, He goes on to say....
And this is the real and eternal life:
That they know you,
The one and only true God,
And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
I glorified you on earth
By completing down to the last detail
What you assigned me to do.
That they know you,
The one and only true God,
And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
That they may know you.....Say this as a one sentence Prayer before you do anything during your day, because your life is all about bringing Glory to God. Pray To God, ask Him to reveal to you how He wants you to apply the Illumination Principle to your life for His Glory. When you do this, you will be able to Pray to God with these same words as Jesus, Words of Prayer that will ROCK your world.....
I glorified you on earth
By completing down to the last detail
What you assigned me to do.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
GIVE ME JESUS, OR ELSE I DIE! #1 in john wesley series
Hey!
A New Series
I, Christian, am starting a new blog series on http://www.wonderfullysignificant.blogspot.com I am reading John Wesley's discourse on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount! The series will consist of short devotional thoughts based on excerpts from Wesley's sermons! This first thought comes from Wesley's Discourse II: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6;NIV)
3 Observations:
(1) Hunger and Thirst are the strongest of all our bodily appetites. In like manner, says Wesley, this hunger in the soul, this thirst after the IMAGE of GOD, is the strongest of all our spiritual appetites (as it is awakened in the heart). The one great desire=to be renewed after the likeness of God our Creator!
(2) Our appetites do not stop until we eat, drink, or die. In the same way, from the time that we begin to hunger and thirst after the mind that was in Christ, these spiritual appetites do not stop...they cry after their food with more and more intensity...they can not stop, before they are satisfied, while there is any spiritual life remaining.
(3) Hunger and thirst are only satisfied with meat and drink. If you and I gave to someone who is hungry all the world it would mean nothing to him if he still had an empty stomach. He would most likely say, "These are not the things I want...give me food, or else I die!"
Conclusion
The same is with every soul who hungers and thirst for righteousness. Comfort is found in nothing and no one else but God. Riches, honor, or pleasure are not sufficient offerings to the one who is hungry. Again, he would say, "This is not the thing I want! Give me love, or else I die!"
What if you were so hungry and thirsty for God you prayed with tears and hunger pain, "GIVE ME JESUS, OR ELSE I DIE!" What if you were starving for someone to have the mind of Christ you prayed to the Father, "GIVE him/her JESUS, or ELSE THEY DIE!"
Is your appetite that strong for Jesus? Is your thirst? Are we hungry and thirsty for those who are empty to be filled with the Bread of Heaven...the Living Water? I am praying we are that hungry and that thirsty! In Jesus Name, Amen!
A New Series
I, Christian, am starting a new blog series on http://www.wonderfullysignificant.blogspot.com I am reading John Wesley's discourse on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount! The series will consist of short devotional thoughts based on excerpts from Wesley's sermons! This first thought comes from Wesley's Discourse II: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6;NIV)
3 Observations:
(1) Hunger and Thirst are the strongest of all our bodily appetites. In like manner, says Wesley, this hunger in the soul, this thirst after the IMAGE of GOD, is the strongest of all our spiritual appetites (as it is awakened in the heart). The one great desire=to be renewed after the likeness of God our Creator!
(2) Our appetites do not stop until we eat, drink, or die. In the same way, from the time that we begin to hunger and thirst after the mind that was in Christ, these spiritual appetites do not stop...they cry after their food with more and more intensity...they can not stop, before they are satisfied, while there is any spiritual life remaining.
(3) Hunger and thirst are only satisfied with meat and drink. If you and I gave to someone who is hungry all the world it would mean nothing to him if he still had an empty stomach. He would most likely say, "These are not the things I want...give me food, or else I die!"
Conclusion
The same is with every soul who hungers and thirst for righteousness. Comfort is found in nothing and no one else but God. Riches, honor, or pleasure are not sufficient offerings to the one who is hungry. Again, he would say, "This is not the thing I want! Give me love, or else I die!"
What if you were so hungry and thirsty for God you prayed with tears and hunger pain, "GIVE ME JESUS, OR ELSE I DIE!" What if you were starving for someone to have the mind of Christ you prayed to the Father, "GIVE him/her JESUS, or ELSE THEY DIE!"
Is your appetite that strong for Jesus? Is your thirst? Are we hungry and thirsty for those who are empty to be filled with the Bread of Heaven...the Living Water? I am praying we are that hungry and that thirsty! In Jesus Name, Amen!
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