Stop It!

In response to Justin's amazing last blog Create Your Future,
and in response to Jesus not condemning the woman caught in adultery (see my blog, point 4), we NEED TO STOP CONDEMNING OURSELVES based off of our PAST sins!

"Therefore, there is NOW NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life SET ME FREE from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1, NIV).

"Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to LIFE---is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." (Romans 8:34b)

Did you see it? Jesus is at the right hand of God PRAYING FOR US...NOT CONDEMNING US! STOP IT! Stop condemning yourself for past sins! Stop letting others condemn you! Jesus does not condemn you! HE PRAYS FOR YOU!

God Resides In Faith

"God resides in Faith... He "hides" in Faith."

Jentezen Franklin

In his sermon, "Destiny," which I mentioned in the last post, Jentezen Franklin talks about the fact that if we want to see God in our lives, then we must find Him where He resides. So many times we have probably thought, "God, where are you hiding?"

God is "hiding" in faith...God does not do comfortable. God does not do the "easy" life. If we want to know where God is, if we want to receive His power, then we must be stretched...we must take a step of courage and do something that requires faith...

...now I'm talking about stupidity, I'm not talking about doing something crazy, even The Bible says to count the cost (Luke 14.28), but the Lord tells us in Hebrews 11.6 the following:

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

A few points to wrap up:

1. God wants us to be content (Philippians 4.11-13), but God does not want us to be comfortable (Hebrews 11.1)

2. To please God we must have faith and be Holy

3. Discerning God's Will:

• Are we living a chair-rocking, lazy-boy-lemonade-sipping-all is cozy life? Then we are probably not on an assignment from God.

• Are we being stretched in our faith to the point where we let loose and take a leap of faith, so much to the point that if God does not come through than we are through? Then I can almost guarantee we are on an assignment from God...

4. If Jesus was stretched out on a cross, then I want to stretch my faith. Through Christ, we have the power to face anything! (Phil 4.13)

God wants us where we trust Him most. He wants us to hold on to Him for dear life. If we want to see God then we must live a life of adventure and find Him residing in Faith! By finding God in Faith, we discover who He calls us to be!

"If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God,

"I'll get you out of any trouble.

I'll give you the best of care

if you'll only get to know and trust me.

~ From Psalm 91.14-16 ~

While I'm Waiting

Waiting on You, Lord

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord”
Psalm 27:14

I’ve recently discovered John Waller’s (http://www.johnwallermusic.com/ ) powerful song entitled While I’m Waiting. It is featured in the new movie Fireproof and hit me harder than Ivan Drago’s first punch on Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV! Before I go on, read his words below:

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience

While I’m waiting
I will serve You
While I’m waiting
I will worship
While I’m waiting
I will not faint
I’ll be running the race
Even while I wait

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it’s not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting on You, Lord

I have to admit, I’ve been in a rut for several months now in my professional life. I have truly been waiting on God to tell me what is next in his playbook for my career, or more accurately, complaining to God about waiting for the next move to show up in a detailed letter in my mailbox so that I could know when, where, and how He was going to use me next. I had pretty much accepted my current position as a place to park for a while and have been constantly praying for what God was going to do for ME and how he could use ME and allow ME to make an impact for Him anywhere but here. Me, Me, Me.

That’s when John MacArthur and others began to slap me on the back of the head to wake up and be CONTENT with where I was for as long as God wanted me here. Next came the words above that really hit it home… While I’m waiting I will serve You, While I’m waiting I will worship, While I’m waiting I will not faint, I’ll be running the race even while I wait. And you see, that’s what God has been trying to teach me lately. It’s not all about ME and what I want to do next, even if I think it’s for His glory. WRONG. It’s about Him and His timing and His plans. If I can’t be trusted to tend to the flock I have been given or fields which I am charged to plant, then how can I expect to be rewarded with greater flocks and larger fields?
You see, we aren’t serving Him by praying for new opportunities and then complaining and moping about our present circumstances. No sir! To pray for God’s plans to be revealed in His time is a wonderful plan, but while I am planted where I am, I must SERVE Him, WORSHIP Him, and RUN THE RACE, even while I wait.

In one of my favorite movies, Facing the Giants, the football coach feels like his world is crashing down around him and that God must be planning for him to move on. This comes after he overhears several boosters plotting his exit as the coach because “he just can’t get the job done.” A local man who stops by the high school to pray over the students’ lockers suddenly appears in the coach’s office and told him “God is not done with you yet!” and that until God closed this door, he was to bloom where he was planted. You know what, that’s the absolute truth with us as well!

So what are you doing about your present circumstances? I don’t know about you, but I’m more focused than ever to give God my all right where I am, even while I’m waiting!

Contenment and Aspirations

"Glorifying God means that we praise Him with a full heart, absolute contentment, knowing that our lot is God’s plan for us now.”
~John MacArthur~

Had a great email from Gates the other day that made extra neurons fire in my cerebral cortex! The topic is on Contentment and Aspirations. Read below an edited version of Gates' email. Soak in these great thoughts to understand where you are in life and how God is "pruning" your branches in order to develop amazing fruit!

We all need a proper perspective on things in the midst of our desires to make a mark and have a bigger impact in the world around us. We all get caught up in our routines sometimes that it’s like watching Bill Murray in Groundhog Day where it feels like you are re-living the same day over and over. But, I have found some good perspective this week in John MacArthur’s “The Keys to Spiritual Discipline.” He hit on some key points this week…Trust God, Give Praise to God, Endure Suffering, Be Content, Pray According to God’s Will, and more. Being Content probably spoke louder than most to me right now in the midst of some feelings of wanting to do more with my life.

Here is an excerpt from MacArthur's book...

“Discontent characterizes the age in which we live. We may be discontent about ourselves and our circumstances. But who made us? God. And He promises to supply all our needs. When we are content, we acknowledge God’s sovereignty in our lives, and that gives Him glory. If we are discontent, it’s the same as questioning God’s wisdom….Paul testified ‘I’ve learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am…I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.’ (Philippians 4:11-12)…..Paul understood God’s working in his life, and he was confident that God would use all things – poverty as well as abundance, comfort as well as pain – for Paul’s good and God’s glory. He didn’t say, I will give God glory in spite of my pain, he said I will give God glory because of it. Discontent is a sin because it robs God of glory….Glorifying God means that we praise Him with a full heart, absolute contentment, knowing that our lot is God’s plan for us now.” (Emphasis added)

Good stuff from MacArthur! While we are made to aspire to do more for the Creator, we should not be moping around saying, "woe is me." We can be anxious to do more but respect where God has put us for now. I am learning to be more content in this period of waiting. My passion and energy comes by leading people; Leading them to the point where I can have a significant impact on the lives of others...we are all in specific places presently for a specific reason and we must accept that there is something more going on in preparation, so for now, you and I will, as did Paul, learn to be content in whatever circumstances we are in. (Emphasis added)