Drifting from Disciplines? (2)

How can you be filled with peace, joy, courage and strength without daily hearing the Master's voice? When I forget or misplace my IPhone, I get very frustrated that I have become disconnected from my work and the world.

Is that a good or a bad thing? The Lord wants each of us to know how much He desires and longs to whisper His thoughts and words into our hearts and minds. While Jesus was on earth, each day he would pull away from the crowd to spend time with the Father. He knew His Father had plans and encouragement for the journey.

How was it that He knew that He was to lead His disciples across the Sea of Galilee? Was it to show them that He was greater than the waves and the winds? Was it to show them there was a man on the other side who needed deliverance? (Luke 8:22-33)

Why was it that He felt compelled to go through Samaria? Was it to change a woman's life at the well? One that no other would talk to, But Jesus says, "I have water to give you so that you will never thirst again." (John 4:4-14)

Most of Christ miracles were “interruptions”. But were they really interruptions or was He prepared to flow with what the Father had already prepared for the day.  So many times we get bent out of shape when things aren’t going as we had planned.

Could it be that if we would submit each day into His hands and plans that we wouldn't get so worked up when interruptions come? Jesus said, "Who touched me?" A woman with an issue of blood had said within her heart, "If I can but touch Him, I shall be made whole."

What if Jesus had been in a hurry and was trying to get somewhere before God had planned for that woman to touch His garment?

Some of you may have never developed a discipline to take time to hear what God has to say for your day. You can't imagine how exciting and exhilarating the day can become by watching Him develop and mold the day in front of you.

The disciples asked the Lord, "Teach us how to pray" Not how to preach, how to build a church, how to be successful in life but, “Teach us how to pray”.

Today pray, “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen (Matthew 6:9-11)

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Drifting From Disciplines? (1)

Dear friends, I love you and long to see you. Please keep on being faithful to the Lord. You are my pride and joy. (Philippians 4:1) CEV

Paul is saying to the Philippians, you are my pride and joy; please stay faithful to the Lord. Another words stay on track; don't drift from the disciplines you have learned in staying strong in the Lord. One of the greatest disciplines in being successful in your spiritual journey, is to start each day by reading God's love letter to you.

Before Vonnell and I got married, she went overseas to spend three months with her dad station in the army. This was before the e-mail system came along. We wrote each other hand written letters every single day. One day I went to the mailbox and there was no letter. The next eleven days went by and still no letters. My heart began to doubt and a fear rose within me that something was deadly wrong with our relationship.

When you and I fail to read God's love letter on a daily basis, we fail to see His love and peace and joy and plans for our lives. We just can't stay full of faith and peace in our journey without mediating daily on His word.

God says; "Without faith it is impossible to please God, he that cometh to God must believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. God says; "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing the word of God. David said, Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. " 

If you are not discipline to read His love letter each day your heart will grow faint and weak. On the 12th day guess what? 12 letters showed up in the mailbox from my baby. Yes, the mail system had caused my heart to skip a few beats but after that day was I ever filled with joy and a smile that wouldn't go away. Her letters charged my heart that everything was great on her end. God wants to reassure each of us that everything is good on His end.

Refuse to drift from the discipline of His word for your life each day. Before you check your face-book and twitter, the news, your stocks, and texting back your favorite friends, Go see what God's love letter has to say to encourage your heart and mind for the challenges of the day. Find a system, yourversion.com is a great way to track your daily time in the word. Find what works for you and stay with it. You are God's pride and joy.
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Is The Dream Drifting Away?

The angels said; "Why stand ye gazing?" (Acts 1:11a) A few years ago my father and I were about to go fishing and he was left holding the tied up boat at my dock. Dad stood there gazing at the beauty of the river while I had to go pick up a few more things at the house. Somehow the boat slipped away and went floating down the river. When I got back I thought my 50-year-old body could swim faster than the current and the tides. Little did I know how close I would come to my last breath in life.

After Jesus had died and risen from the dead, He stayed here on earth some 40 days speaking to His disciples the things pertaining the kingdom of God. The last words of Christ were to go back to Jerusalem and be endued with power. Jesus ascended into the heavens and the angles said; "Why stand ye gazing into the heavens, he shall come back in the same manner."

The disciples had experienced a traumatic window of time from the night Christ was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane to his suffering on the cross at Golgotha. Christ had just given His life as the perfect Lamb of God for the sins of the world. Praise the Lord! After 3 days He comes forth from the grave and shows himself alive to His disciples and others.

Where would the dream go from here? Peter had blown it 3 times by denying that he even knew Christ. Judas had betrayed him and went out and hung himself. All of the disciples forsook him. What would become of their dream?

Jesus gave them the key to keeping the dream alive. Notice that Peter had already said; "I'm going fishing." He'd gotten so discouraged, disheartened, and discombobulated with the dream. Jesus even shows up on the shoreline asking Peter if he caught any fish. Peter had caught nothing and Jesus says: "Throw the nets on the other side," ....the nets fill up.

Jesus said something very critical to success; "John baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. He says; "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you." As they went back to Jerusalem they waited for this promise. Acts 2:1-4 shows us they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Would anything be different about their life and their dream?

Peter is a new man. He stands up on the day of Pentecost and preaches with a new fire; dynamite on the inside. Was this what Jesus was referring to when He said; "Out of your bellies shall flow rivers of living water? It was indeed.

The dream would have drifted away had they not followed Jesus command to be baptized with the Holly Spirit. I believe that many dreams are drifting away from God's servants because they have attempted to move forward with their exhausted plans and without the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

I almost lost my life that day attempting to swim to the boat against the currents and the tide. Totally exhausted, somehow outside of my own strength, God empowered me, saved me from drowning and got me safely to the boat. This is not a day to be gazing. Dreams slip away when we only gaze at our challenges. "We walk not by sight, but by faith." (2 Corinthians 5:7) 

It's a day to focus on our call and the dream of the Master. We'll never accomplish our assignment or our mandate without the power of the Holy Spirit. Peter would now be determined instead of discouraged. He would now be developed instead of distracted. He would now have dynamite in his spirit instead of being doubtful of the dream.

Friend, don't allow the dream to drift away. Peter would now move with power and purpose and passion to finish the dream that Christ placed in his life. Will you?
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Are You Treating Her Right?

1 Peter 3:7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

Guys, can you remember you and your wife's first date? You had sweaty palms, nervous steps to the car, pulling out the chair for her at dinner? You were so careful with each word, each action you took to impress this incredible lady that sits beside you?

You are shocked that she would even accept your invitation for dinner. You put on your best jeans and shirt, your hair was just right, your breath is mint and your teeth are sparkling. You were not about to pass up this opportunity to make the best impression.

After many months of putting on your best, one day she sees you're a real person. She sees you get stressed with the flat tire, the car beside you cuts in front of you, the waitress fails to bring you a refill your entire meal. The steaks you've ordered are overcooked, now she sees the real deal, and your a real person.

After a few years the two of you fall in love and in spite of one another weaknesses you decide to get married. The honeymoon is short lived and now both of you get stressed under the pressures and burdens of real life.

Fellows there are no perfect people in the world. Were all made out of the same stuff. Anyone who lives in this life very long has to depend on a God in heaven to give him grace for each step of the way.

All of us want to keep the favor of God on our life and our marriage. Peter tells us; "Treat your little lady right." God says; "So your prayers don't run aground, just so your prayers are not hindered, treat her right."

If you're having a hard time understanding that principal, you don't need to understand Greek to get this. Just go back to doing what you were doing before you put a ring on her finger. Go back to those first dating days. I think you get the point.

There are great benefits in treating your lady right. Guys let's work on it and God promises us that life will go so much better.
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Lost People Matter To God

Many years ago when my wife and I lived in the church's doublewide trailer, I had a 55- gallon salt-water fish tank. When the washing machine was turned on, it would shake the house. For some time I was concerned if it would affect the tank. One night about 3 am, I heard an explosion of water. I sat straight up in the bed knowing what it was. The pressure of the water had found a weak panel of glass in my aquarium. My fish experienced their own "tsunami." I stooped down and began to pick them up one by one.

God says, "I will shake all nations." (Haggai 2:7) I believe there is more shaking to come in the final days here on earth. God will use tough times to wake up people in their lostness. Over my years in ministry, I've observed most people come to Christ in a crisis or in a dilemma.

The Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus while teaching in the temple courts. They said; "The law says to stone her, what do you say?" Jesus knew that if He didn't agree they would accuse Him of false doctrine, But if He did agree they could accuse Him of sedition. Rome had abolished the capital crime in 30 AD. The Jews could no longer stone someone for this crime. What would Jesus do?

Jesus smelled something fishy. This woman was being publicly humiliated and busted in front of a huge crowd. They were out to trap Jesus. He stoops down and begins to write on the ground. He stands and says; "He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone." None of us knows what He wrote on the ground but one by one the accusers dropped their stones and walked away. Jesus said, "Woman where are your accusers?" She said; "There are none." Jesus said, "Go and sin no more."

In this woman's brokenness, Jesus puts all the pieces of her life back together. She is on the edge of losing her life, but Jesus comes to her rescue and changes her forever. Who do you know that the world or even the church has given up on? Do you have a friend, a son, a daughter, a co-worker that you too have said; "They're hopeless." My friend I don't believe that there has ever been anyone yet that God didn't love and couldn't change and transform.

Jesus is the healer, the cleanser, and the restorer, the God who makes all things new. I was able to take my aquarium into the shop, they replaced the weak broken glass panel, and the fish were able to move back to a stronger and more secure place than before. 

God really does care about those in our reach. Do we really love our neighbors in their own brokenness? Look around; it's not too hard to find someone who is being shattered in their own tsunami. Will you and I take the time to stoop down and pick them up one by one? Come on, we can make a difference in someone's life today.
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