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Singleness doesn’t mean loneliness

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Don’t let superstition take you into the new year.

Every promise behind that little smooch at the countdown is not only a fantacy, but a lie.

Singleness doesn’t mean loneliness.

At this year’s countdown:
Hold on to Jesus, for He promised never to leave you nor forsake you.

Cherish the people He has placed into your life.

Build on and invest in the friendships He has gifted you with.

Finally, to my friends who are still single – you need to remember, even if there is a special someone with you at the countdown, the kiss of heaven is the only kiss that ensures the blessings you desire for 2016.

Happy New Year

Peace on earth goodwill to men

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Hate is not strong enough to mock this song.

God is not dead nor does he sleep.

Wrong shall fail and right shall prevail.

There is hope in the midst of despair.

We are grounded, settled and confident in His victory

Our hearts are assured by His everlasting love.

Darkness is swallowed by the light of the world – Jesus.

Peace is springing up in the most devastating places of war and chaos and trouble.

The Bells of Christmas Day will be heard far and wide – Peace on earth – goodwill to men.

 

Closed Doors… Part 3

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What do you do when the doors slam shut before you?

When we think about Jesus, we rightly think of him as a trailblazer; a way maker; a miracle worker. But at least on one occasion, this door opener, who is in fact “The Door,” had a door shut closed before him.

It’s also amazing to discover that that closed door, (especially when He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, “take this cup away from me”) led to greater and wider opened doors – even doors that would lead many into the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 26:36-46

The Prayer in the Garden

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me.”

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Why didn’t He answer Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane to take this cup away? Well, we are going to answer that question in this post.

But look at another classic example:

The apostle Paul is obviously in need of a breakthrough, so he prays to the Lord on three separate occasions asking for God to remove what the bible calls “thorns” from his flesh. It is only after the third time in prayer does Paul understand that God has something else up His sleeves (for lack of a better word).

2 Corinthians 12

The Thorn in the Flesh

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

  • Why didn’t He answer Paul’s prayer to take away his thorn?
  • Why do doors remain closed?
  • Why do marriages end?
  • Why does a toddler get kidnapped, torture with cigarette burns and left on the side of the road?
  • Why does the door of life close on 130 people in Paris; 21 in Mali; 49 in Nigeria to terrorism; and more than 14 in San Bernardino?

Would you like to know what God is doing behind the closed doors in your life?

I believe He is working behind the scenes:

  • His closed door to Jesus became an open door you, me and countless others who would open their hearts to Him.
  • His closed door to Paul became a door to the richness of knowing and walking with Him.

I believe there is a blessing behind every closed door.

  • We find it in the all sufficiency of His grace that is made perfect in our weaknesses
  • We find it in the gift of His grace which is like the working of His mighty power
  • They are rich – those who are poor
  • They are comforted – those who mourn
  • They inherit the earth – those who are humble

There is a blessing behind every closed door

  • It is the humble beginning that should not be despised
  • It is the insignificant stick that parts the red sea
  • It is the oil of a widow that was nothing in the beginning but became everything in the end – because it wouldn’t stop flowing
  • It is a boy’s lunch of fish and bread on the backside of a desert that feeds the multitude

There is a blessing behind every closed door

  • When an ordinary shepherd boy is forgotten by his father, but God anoints King
  • It’s a town up in the bunnies of a forsaken place; ridiculed and made fun of; yet God raises up a Prophet, Priest, King – mighty deliverer, healer – Savior of the world

There is a blessing behind ever closed door! But why do they remain closed?

There are closed doors because God knows what He’s doing

Isaiah 55:8-9

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Exodus 14:3

“For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in. Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them.”

In Exodus 14, God specifically led Israel to a dead end. He knows what He was doing? So while the children of Israel grumbled and complain God’s plan was to destroy Pharaoh and his entire army and make a way for the children of Israel by parting the waters at the red sea.

God will make a way where there seems to be no way… he works in ways we cannot see, he will make a way. Isaiah 43:19 says, by a roadway in the wilderness He’ll lead me, rivers in the desert will I see.

There are closed doors because we knock on the wrong ones too often.

Paul had a keen focus on his calling and ministry. It really didn’t matter what door he knocked on, as long as pagans where behind them, that’s where he was going. But God knows the right door and the right timing when it comes to reaching the lost. So, “A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, immediately sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that this was the right door and the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:6-10

There are closed doors because of wrong requests…

James 4:3

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures/passions.

Amiss/ wrong motives:

  • Not with submission to the will of God
  • Not to honor God
  • Not to glorify God
  • Not to bless others

But

  • To consume it on our lusts
  • To use it on excessive indulgence and luxury
  • To satisfy the passions and pleasures of life

There are closed doors because of disobedience…

Obedience led to opened doors for Abel. But disobedience led to closed doors for Cain. Take a look at his story:

And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

God wants to be first in our lives – when we obey and put Him first in our time, talent and treasure, He opens supernatural doors. In Malachi 3, He even promised to “open the windows of heaven for us and pour down for us a blessing until there is no more need.” He promised to “rebuke the devourer for us, so that it will not destroy the fruits of our soil.”

There are closed doors because there is something better…

A simple act of obedience is like an avalanche that slides wide open – door after door.

The Macedonian door led to the Lydia door. The Lydia door led to the deliverance of the demonic slave girl door. The demonic slave girl door led to the prison door. When the prison door opened, it led to opened door to salvation for the jailer.

When God closes a door in our lives, He always opens better doors. Closed doors are only detours to better doors that God leads us into.

There are closed doors because of your adversities… 

1 Corinthians 16:9

For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

We need to be aware that some open doors are a walk in the park. But others are covered with land mines of oppositions, both natural and supernatural. So when a door is closed, it could mean that we need to embrace the challenge and press on with the help of the Lord.

The bible says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12

There are closed doors because God wants us to exercise our faith…

The entire Christian life is a life of faith. The bible says, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Sometimes we just don’t know and just can’t see what God is up to, in those times we must walk by faith. This kind of faith not only pleases God; but is rewarded by Him. Hebrews 11:6

Conclusion:

Learn to hold things with open hands

Too often we try to hold on to things God wants us to let go of. We hold on to that relationship because of the fear of being single. We hold on to ministries God wants us to transition out of. We hold on to habits God wants us to change.

We hold on to so-called “gardens” (we grow pot) because we’ve convinced ourselves that there is no other way to deal with pain. We hold on to the pills because we’ve become dependent on them and not on God. We hold on to a certain status, living beyond our means and in debt because we want to look good or measure up to people we may never meet.

Holding on to something creates a sense of power, of being in control. But if we are not careful, holding unto those things the Lord wants us to let go of, can lead us into bondage, and keep us from receiving something better.

We must learn to hold our goals and aspirations with open hands and a patient heart. Never try to force doors open.

The secret to living with open hands is:

  1. An openness or willingness to let God close whatever door He wants to close. (Again, refer to Paul’s journey in Acts 16.) Am I completely submitted to God’s ultimate plan for my life? I must be ready to submit to whatever God wants to do in my life. I must be willing to renegotiate where ever I am on my journey, with where ever He wants me to be on His journey. After all, he knows what’s best for me.
  2. An openness or willingness to embrace contentment. The bible says, “There is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:6-7). Contentment does not mean you lack to desire to achieve. It is not a resignation to mediocrity. Contentment doesn’t depend on your opened or closed doors. It means Jesus is more than enough and I am willing to follow Him however He leads.
  3. Awareness that we are blessed to be a blessing. Sometimes the doors God opens in our lives are not necessarily for us alone to enjoy. Psalm 67:7 declares, “God shall bless us; may God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us so that the ends of the earth will fear him! Freely receive – freely give. Our lives are designed to be conduits of the mercies of God. So from time to time we need to remind ourselves that it is not about us. It’s all about Him and what He wants to do in and through us.

Doors: How to recognize them

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Crossroads

Have you ever been at a Crossroad in life? We all have. In fact right now in our world, after the #parisattacks, nations are at crossroads. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions! The French President told his fellow countrymen a few days ago, “We are at war!” And rightly so!

Other nations are adjusting their approach to the growing threat of ISIS. And just a day or two ago, 20 or more governors have decided against bringing Syrian refugees into their state. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

In fact right now, Congress wants to halt the process of bringing Syrian refugees into the United States. This is not a debate about whether they are right or wrong; I’m just trying to point out – that life is sometimes filled with hard choices and difficult circumstances to navigate.

The valley of decisions – You may be facing one today:

  • Should I go back to school?
  • Should I change careers?
  • Should I confront that person in love or seek reconciliation?
  • Who should I marry? Is he/she the right person?
  • Where should I live?
  • Is this the church God wants me to take roots in and grow?
  • Or is there a better fit elsewhere?
  • Does God want me to persevere in this job, relationship, even though it feels like a dead end?
  • Is there a future for me here, or is He calling me elsewhere?

In order get clear directions from God, it will depend on how we position ourselves to hear His voice, respond to His promptings and receive wise counseling.  In order to walk through doors, we must embrace the mystery it sometimes brings and be willing to take risks when there are no specifics of where to go or what to do.

Lifestyle 101

The book of Acts outlines a lifestyle or way of living that makes it easy, or I should say, easier for us to hear and follow God:

Acts 13:2

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

  • A lifestyle of daily worship
  • A lifestyle of daily prayer
  • A lifestyle of regular fasting

Worship helps us by bringing heaven’s perspective into our world. We create an atmosphere of faith, and divine clarity. The bible says, “When David entered the temple and began to worship -he understood…” Psalm 73:17

Every major decision Jesus made when he was on the earth, was made after a significant time in prayer. I believe that His prayer life was the catalyst to great decision making and supernatural breakthroughs.

5 Strategies:

Allow me to share with your 5 simple strategies to help you walk through God’s open doors.

Follow as He leads

Joshua 3:1-5

“Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” (See context by reading 1, 2, 3, & 4).

Notice:

He said, “You do not know the way you should go.” Despite our claim to know the way to take, God says, sorry, you just don’t know. In fact, “the road that seems good to a man often leads to destruction.” God says, let me take the wheel; let me take the driver’s seat. Let me show you the way you need to take – “because you have never been down this road before. Let go of the wheel. Get out of the driver’s seat. Walking through opened doors is like a dance between you and God – you need to let Him lead.

Listen for His voice as you go

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

Isaiah 31:21

If it is specifics you are waiting for, you may never walk through opened doors. Sometimes all we can do is to get up and take steps of faith, not knowing the specifics. Like Paul, He got up every day, went out preaching the gospels.

Acts 16:6-10

When doors to preach in Asia were closed, he tried to go into Bithynia. When that too was closed, he attempted to go down to Troas. See, he wasn’t sitting around waiting for the writing in the sky; he was taking steps of faith even though he didn’t know the specifics.

It was at this time “a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, he sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” That was his Isaiah 31:21 experience.

Know His timing and His season

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” When it comes to opened doors, we have to understand the “timing of God.” I hope through this lesson you will be reassured that “your times are in God’s hands.” If God started a work in your life, He will be faithful to complete.

When we study the life of David, we understand this principle. Opened doors always come in a threefold pattern. There is the birthing of a dream. When David was 17 years old he was anointed and given a prophetic promise. But this did not happen until he was 37 years old.

Between 17 and 37 David had to go through testing and preparation to equip him for the fulfilling of the dream. This period in David’s life was marked with suffering, setbacks and sadness. This is what most preachers would call the death of a dream.

But “in the fullness of time” God raised him up and made him King. That phrase “fullness of time” describes the way God brings about opened doors. It is always in His time. He, who birthed a dream in you, will prepare you during the seeming death of the dream, and in the fullness of His time fulfill the dream.

Take leaps of faith even when you can’t see or hear Him

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.”

Hebrews 11:30

It takes a lot of faith to just walk around the walls of a fortified city and with a shout see the walls of that city fall before your very eyes. The bible repeatedly calls us to “live, walk by faith,” because without faith, it is impossible to please God.

When it comes to walking through opened doors, sometimes there are no clear directions. Or sometimes, the task ahead is so ridiculously daunting, we are almost left paralyzed.  In those times we need to walk by faith.

The Ram’s Horn

God at one time came to Abraham and told him to take his son – Isaac and sacrifice him. To that, most of us would say, “Get you behind me Satan.” But Abraham took the boy, tied him up, laid him on the altar, lifted his hand to slay the boy – than God spoke again, “don’t kill the boy.”

In the thicket nearby God had provided a ram. Seeing this, Abraham called the place Jehovah Jireh. Abraham concluded that “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

So every time a ram’s horn was blasted in Israel, they remembered the place call Jehovah Jireh. Every time a sound of the ram’s horn was blasted, it was a declaration that God will provide, He will deliver, and He will win. This was Israel’s faith declaration as they walked around the walls. Every step was a step or a declaration of faith – that just as He provided for Abraham – He will provide for us.

Listen to wise counsel

Proverbs 11:14 says, “Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.” Who do you first turn to for advice?

  • Do you lean heavily on your own understanding?
  • Do you lean heavily on mentors?
  • Do you lean solely on Jesus?
  • Lean toward the Perfect Middle

What we need is the perfect middle. A strategy that will help us draw strength, power and wisdom from Jesus, the mentors he put in our lives, and the wisdom we’ve learned from past experiences. Here they are:

  1. Seek Him First. Talk to Jesus first and don’t stop talking to him until you get the break through you need. Lean heavily on him.
  2. Find safety in the multitude of counselors. Talk to mentors, trusted friends and confidants while you continue talking to Jesus. Heavily lean on him, but seek advice.
  3. Apply the wisdom you’ve gained from past experiences – especially if you’ve learned from them. But, don’t stop there, take steps #1 and 2 into serious consideration. Do not lean on you own understand – lean on Him.

Conclusion

It is not a matter of if God will speak to you; it is a matter of how you position yourself to listen. Matter of fact, God is always speaking; unfortunately we do not have the right posture to capture what He is saying.

Habakkuk 2:1 says, “I will take my stand at my watch-post and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning.”

The early church folks made daily worship, prayer and regular times of fasting, a lifestyle. As a result, they got clear directions and walked through many supernatural doors.

  • What stand have you taken?
  • What attitude of heart have you taken?
  • Are you willing to let Him take the wheel of your life?
  • Are you willing to trust Him as you go?
  • Are you willing to wait for your season and your time?
  • Are you willing to take leaps of faith?
  • Are you willing to humble yourself to receive wise counsel?

I hope you are – who knows what awaits you on the other side of your open door!

Doors: Blog Series

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Part 1: The Shepherd Sheep Relationship

Doors are divine opportunities God purposefully and thoughtfully sets before us. God sets these doors before us so that we can walked through them. It takes seeing eyes; hearing ears and understanding hearts to recognize them. It takes courage and obedience to walk through them.

  • The Door of Freedom (Acts 16:26)
  • The Door for an effectual Work for God (1 Corinthians 16:9)
  • God’s Open Door of Preaching (2 Corinthians 2:12)
  • The Door of Witness (Col 4:3) Utterance
  • The Door of Opportunity and none can shut it (Rev 3:8)
  • The Door of Salvation is always OPEN! (Rev 3:20) His Name is Jesus!
  • The door of Hope – Joshua 7
  • Door of Healing and reconciliation
  • Opened doors of unique friendship and partnerships

To recognize and walk through these doors we must cultivate a relationship with the Father. In fact throughout the scripture God invites us into:

Shepherd and Sheep Relationship – Psalm 23 is a classic example that relationship:

  • The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. It’s good to know Jesus as Savior, but we need to make Him Lord of our lives. Not just of some parts, but of every part of our lives.
  • I shall not want. This speaks about doors of provision and contentment
  • He makes me to lie down in green pastures. This speaks about doors spiritual, emotional, physical nourishment
  • He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. This speaks about doors of rest and restoration
  • He leads me in the paths of righteousness. This speaks about doors of spiritual growth
  • Even in the valley of the shadow of death. He places a doorway through which I can walk. We were never meant to stay in the valley, we were meant to go through it.  He brings me through doors of deliverance, break through, Healing and reconciliation
  • His rod and your staff, they comfort me. This speaks about doors of comfort
  • He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. This speaks about doors of provision and protection
  • He anoints my head with oil; my cup runs over. The door of more than enough – all sufficiency

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have abundance for every good work.

This Shepherd and Sheep relationship are centered on three recurring phrases or words in both the Old and New Testament.

  • Ears to hear
  • Eyes to see
  • And hearts to understand

Isaiah 44:18

They do not know nor understand; For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.

John 12:40

He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.

Matthew 13:13

Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

Luke 10:23

For I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.

John 12:40

He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.

 Acts 28:26, 27

Go to this people and say: Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you will see, and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn.

This is the way the shepherd leads the sheep

Unfortunately, too many times we don’t hear him, see him, nor understand him. And it’s not because he is not speaking or leading, but because of our unwillingness to follow. But the true, willing and obedient sheep always hear, know and follow his lead.

 John 10:3, 4, 5

To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.

Sometimes the Lord tells us something to do, but we decide to ignore Him. Sometimes He calls us into obedience, but we harden our hearts. Sometimes He simply wants to use us, to bring a word of encouragement, to lay hands on the sick or give extravagantly, but we hesitate.

The problem with that is:

If we continually ignore and resist the Lord, grieve the Holy Spirit, we build up dullness, a certain kind of insensitivity and the things of God, the voice of God and the leading of His Holy Spirit become less clear and more indistinct and vague.

That’s why we struggle understanding the will of God. Discovering the will of God or walking through opened doors was never meant to be a difficult task. Unfortunately, our lack of obedience over time creates a kind of callousness, dullness that leaves us confused.

Hebrews 5:11

We have much to say, but it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

Our dullness and disobedience actually puts us out of sync with God. The noise of our disobedience clouds out the voice of God.

Hebrews 3:5

Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.

  • The condition of our heart determines whether we will hear God and walk through open doors.
  • The condition of our heart determines whether we will see God and follow him through open doors.

John 7:17

Jesus said, anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out…

Isaiah 1:9

If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land…

Here’s the point:

We need to make God know that the answer is yes.., whatever it is he wants from us… whatever it is he asks of us… wherever he leads us… the answer is yes. My heart needs to be predisposed… willing to obey. That’s how doors open and stay open before us.

That takes care of the struggle of trying to force the hand of God. Prayer is not a means by which we convince God. Martin Luther said, “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness.” And the way we lay hold of His willingness is by offering our willingness to him.

When that happens, Proverbs 4:18 becomes true… scripture says, But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

Application:

Your obedience is the key, your ticket that unlock doors.

A simple act of obedience is an avalanche that slides open door after door.

The more doors you walk through by your obedience – the more doors are opened to you.

So in short, Obedience is a gift that keeps on giving.

Platform Generation

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We live in a day and age where numbers really matter. The number of followers and friends you have on social media matter. It matters so much that people buy followers to make themselves look influential. Studies show that people spend up to 9 hours a day trying to boast their status in the blogger sphere and on social media.

This phenomenon is so strong that even the number of members in any organization can change the status of both the organization and its leadership – positively or negatively. Positively they are able to leverage their influence to change the world. Negatively they become self-absorbed, narcissistic and needy for the praise of men.

Sadly, when it comes to numbers, a lot of people think you need a huge following to change the world. I disagree! For example: If your church is small, it doesn’t mean you need to fold your hands and be mediocre. It doesn’t mean you remain silent. I pray that your church grows; I pray that you find what it takes to bring in the numbers.

Numbers matter – because numbers represent souls; and Jesus loves every one of them.  Your church can prove effective no matter the size. It doesn’t have to lack influence because of its size. The same is true for your ministry: blog, band, and broadcasts.

Don’t fall for the lie that says, “Only those with a great following can make a difference; only those with a platform can change the world.” Don’t let Satan silence you by telling you “you’re not qualified; you don’t measure up; and you don’t have the skills or the gifts.”

It’s all a lie! Not having a platform does not mean you don’t have a voice. Not having a huge following does not mean you don’t have a story. You are great for God right where you are. God has planted you in the right place, and he wants you to use you talent right there. The goal is not to build a huge following so you can become famous. The goal is to make Jesus famous by helping other become fully devoted followers of Him.

Romans 12:3 says “Do not think of yourselves more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” What that means is you need to have a proper view of yourself, because if we do, you will think right and live in the right mindset about numbers.

Now, I tend to see every number as a very important person that Jesus loves. And if he allows you to reach each one with His life changing message, than it is worth adding another name to your following. But if it is just another means to boast my personal ego, then you’ll miss opportunities to change the world one person at a time.

You are not John Maxwell or Etta James, but there is something you’re definitely good at. Until you can actually believe in yourself, and unapologetic come into your own; using whatever hand you’ve been dealt; you may never change the world.

Therefore,

  • Give yourself permission to tell your story
  • Give yourself permission to let your voice be heard
  • Give yourself permission – be yourself

All you need is God and the opportunities and doors He allows you to walk through. You don’t have to wait to have a huge following to begin telling your story. You don’t have to wait to have a platform before you can make your voice heard.

All you need is:

  • A little confidence in yourself
  • A strong faith in a Big God
  • And an opportunity to let your voice be heard

So go ahead – start right where you are. If God allows, add more followers by taking the next village like Jesus did. Don’t forget every number represents souls Jesus loves and died for. This is what it’s all about – making your life count with God’s help for the sake of others. Those who forget that this is what it’s all about squander their influence and settle just for the status of having an impressive number of followers.

Let Him set you up!

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Every hard working person deserve a promotion and or a raise. Unfortunately, the way of hard work is not the usual route taken today. There is a game, for lack of a better description, that is being played everyday in the work place. People are trying by the minute to position themselves, set themselves up for promotion every minute of the day. Everyone’s trying to get ahead, and they do it at the expanse of others.

It happens all the time, a team member or a friend steals the ideas of others and take credit for them. Co-workers, business partners and close associates put roadblocks in the way of others in order to take what belongs to them.

Sadly, people forge friendships with the sole goal of using others to get to where they want to go – professionally, politically, socially, etc…

This same scenario is played out in “the church.” Yet, these people stand behind pulpits and act as if they are more spiritual than every body else. But when you take a closer look at their work, you see a different story.

There is power struggle, Group A against Group B. There is the backbiting and slandering and character assassination. There is dirty politics that make the shady stuff in Washington look like nothing. But the bottom line  here, the end game here is self promotion – how to get ahead of others. But I refuse to be a part of any of it.

I see things differently. The way to get ahead is not to use others. The way to get ahead is not to strive for it in an unholy way. The way to get ahead is not to assassinate other people’s character or steal their ideas.

When you desire to get ahead, you wait on God. Even when  you are cheated out of your opportunities to lead, you wait on God. For your times are in His hands.

Wait for God to promote me.
Wait for God to lift me up.
Wait for God to open the door.
Wait for God’s own time.

For when He opens a door – no man can close it.
When He closes a door – no one can open it.

Proverbs 10:22:
The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
It is better to wait for the Lord to promote you – cause when He does, he adds no sorrow.

Proverbs 10:2:
Ill-gotten promotions have no lasting value.
Therefore, it is better to wait for the Lord – for everything He does, He does good in His own time.

The Door

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All within are love and gladness,

Light and warmth and cheer;

All without the night wind wailing

O’er the lonely mere.

There within the child belovèd —

There the welcome sweet;

There without the wandering orphan

And the weary feet.

Wandering child! the Door is open —

That fair palace-door;

There thy Father’s kiss awaits thee,

Fatherless no more.

One fair golden Door — one only,

Jesus Who has died;

Jesus is that blessed Doorway

Open free and wide.

Child, no need to knock, to ask Him

If thou mayest come;

Lo! He stands in love beseeching,

Saying, “Child! come home.”

Saying, “Child, the night is dreary

On the mountains lone;

Pass within thy Father’s palace,

Heaven is all thine own.

“Thou hast sinned, and I have suffered

Curse and death for thee;

Now as I to Him am precious,

Thou art dear to Me.”

Emma Frances Bevan, 1899

Make my house a Home

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Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23

My house has become a home because:
It’s chief cornerstone is Jesus Christ.
It’s resting on a firm foundation which is Jesus Christ.
It”s a temple in which His Holy Spirit dwells.
It’s a dwelling of prayer and worship
It’s residents have been chosen, made royal and holy.

He has tied up the strong man, plundered his goods and made my house a home.
He has made it a home of contentment, peace and quiet – instead a house of feasting and strife.
He has answered my prayer – “Thy Kingdom come, Your will be done as is in Heaven.”
He has made it is home of rest and sound sleep because he is a strong and wise builder.
He has been counted worthy of more glory and honor than anyone else in my home.

Warren W. Weirsbe once said, “Salvation means we are going to heaven, but submission means that heaven comes to us!”

Your house can become a ‘heaven on earth’ as you commune with the Lord and worship Him. Loving obedience always results in intimate fellowship. That is the thing that turns our house unto a home.