Top 5 in 2013 God's Bucket List!

On the New York Times Best Seller list is Rick Warren’s book,“The Purpose Driven Life.” Long before Rick wrote his book, God designed you for a Purpose. You are not an accident. Regardless of what your mom or dad may have told you, God knew all about you before you were formed in your mother’s womb. 

When you realize that God had planned you long before you came into this world, it changes the way you view life. It gives you a new perspective in the way you look out the window of life. Many people go through their days with a cloudy perspective. They guess at what they’re supposed to do with their journey. Some cast their life to the wind because they haven’t come to the truth and knowledge that God is the designer of their life. So, is our life an accident or is it by design?

AIR , When you think of the way God created the universe, He placed oxygen in the air so we could breathe. The air is about 21% oxygen; had it been created 50% oxygen, the next time someone lit up a match we would all be toast! Is 21% oxygen by accident or by design?

TEMPERATURE, God created the sun with a temperature of 12,000 degrees Fahrenheit, some 93 million miles away from the earth, just the right distance. If the earth’s temperature were even 50 degrees hotter or colder, all life would cease. Why was the earth not placed twice as far away, or twice as close? Is its distance by accident or by design?

ROTATION, The earth rotates 365 times a year around the sun. Suppose we only rotated 36 times instead. Well, our days and nights would be 10 times as long; we’d be terribly hot on one side and unbearably cold on the other. And life as we know it would begin to disappear. Are the rotation numbers by accident or by design?

Realize today that God has created you for a reason. When you dig into the Word of God, you begin to realize that you didn’t chose God but He chose you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit. Being “wealthy” isn’t driving fancy cars, living in a condo on the ocean, wearing diamond rings, and having millions of dollars in your bank account. WEALTH is knowing and believing the fact that God created you for a purpose.  As you live out His purpose, you will begin to experience great peace and joy like nothing the world can give.

 On “Gods Bucket List” for each of us is to live out the reason we were created. Are you doing that today? Are you living for Him or for yourself? Are you fulfilling the purpose God designed you for? Are you living out His design for your life? When you do “Oh…” Life is Sweeter!

Dannysdevotional.com

"Bucket List Part 2" - video message

Realigning for the New Year

Recently I had to realign my sprinkler heads at home because several of them were shooting water out in the wrong direction. Green algae began to grow in certain areas on my driveway, all because of sprinkler heads that were out of alignment.

If you’re an owner of a car, you most likely realize the importance of keeping the front-end of your car aligned. Picture yourself cruising down the most beautiful road in the world. Now imagine driving down that same road with your wheels pointing the wrong way. Not the most beautiful road in the world anymore. A car with a front-end out of alignment can ruin tires, destroy your front- end and cause a strong pull in the wrong direction.

There is no such thing as roads and highways without potholes. America’s highways are constantly being maintained to make our cars drive more safe and secure. I would add, there is no journey in the Christian life without potholes. Hitting tough places can cause great discouragement, disappointment and even doubts in life. They can result in one losing their Confidence, Courage and even the Cause to complete the journey God’s way.

The Word of God supports REALIGNMENT and a close examination of our spiritual life can sharpen our Confidence, Courage and Cause in life. Ask yourself, “Have I lost my cutting edge in my prayer life; has reading His Word and attending the House of God become dull? Am I pressing toward the mark that God has prepared for my life? Am I drifting away from Gods promises and my purpose here on earth?

Abraham Lincoln reportedly once said, “If I had 60 minutes to cut down a tree, I would spend 40 minutes sharpening the ax and 20 minutes cutting it down.” Elisha’s students were building a new dormitory. While cutting down a tree, the ax-head came off its handle. The student quickly realized that he wouldn’t get a lot accomplished without his ax-head. Many today are trying to live out their life without the cutting edge of God’s Confidence, Courage and His Cause.

I’m convinced today that you can regain your cutting edge. Yes, God used Elisha to cause the ax-head to float again, and the student reached down and picked it up out of the top of the muddy Jordon River. Regardless of the painful potholes in life, God is able to renew you in order for you to reach the mark He has created for your life.

You may say, “Can God correct my out of alignment Courage to do His will? Is it possible to repair the yucky mistakes of the past that’s deluded my confidence? Can I get God’s Cause back in my life? With high-powered chemicals and a hot water pressure cleaner, all the yucky glooby goo algae came off my driveway and today it sparkles. God has the Supreme Power NOW to clean up and realign your life where again, you will have the cutting edge of Confidence, Courage and His Cause for the sparkled journey He’s planned out for your life.   

dannysdevotiuonal.com 

Realigning for the New Year - video message          

Having Joy Regardless?

The Atheist movement recently paid 25k to rent a sign in New York City’s Times Square — a 40′ by 40′ display that stated, “Nobody needs Christ for Christmas.” Is that really true? Has the world become so full of themselves that life is no more than packages and toys wrapped up under a spruce or artificial tree decorated with lights, money that’s spent on gifts purchased for kids and grown-ups; beer, pecan pie and family gatherings who celebrate on Christmas day?

Who and What really brings Joy at Christmas? It’s not any different today than it was some 2000 years ago. God chose Mary; a virgin girl upon whom He would place His favor. Even though she was troubled about how the details could become a reality, Mary proclaimed, “My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46)  Even with all of her questions, suspicions, doubts and fears, she chose to rejoice in her God who was bringing Great Joy to the World.

             While she struggled to See, Feel and Explain these events, regardless her faith allowed her to bring Christ into the world with JOY. It’s empowering to me how she worked through each step in this journey of joy.
            Before the Baby came, we see Mary living out a life with a smile. Too many times in life we just can’t seem to muster up having joy before the ‘baby’ or the miracle comes. But there are People who believe that there is Peace beyond their Pain, Miracles beyond their Misery, Healing beyond their Hurt, and a Testimony beyond their Test. God says, “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Eccl 7:8)

            How did Mary and Joseph work through their struggles in this incredible Season of their life?  They Focused on God’s WORD instead of their WORRIES. God still deposits His Words of life to guide our steps today. They Focused on THE SAVIOR instead of their STRESS. God can calm us down to live in Peace and Joy instead of stress. They Focused on a Miracle instead of their MESS. In the natural, they had a real mess on their hands. Living out God’s plan can get a bit messy on this side of heaven. But God says, “My thoughts are higher than your thoughts and my ways than your ways.” (Isaiah 55:10) They Focused on CHRIST’S COMING instead of their CHAOS. Lifting your eyes to Christ produces LIFE!
   

Christ not only came 2000 years ago, but He will come again. Choose to have Joy not based on the world’s situations. Matthew 2:10 states about the wise men in search of the star, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding Great Joy.” So will YOU and I when we Search and find Christ

Having Joy Regardless? - video message

Have Faith Regardless

If you were to ask Alabama’s Cade Foster how he was dealing with life after missing three field goals en route to a possible 2014 National Championship Game, he would probably have a lump in his throat, being in the “recovery” mode. On December 26, 2013 with one second left in the game, he was pulled out of the game; the backup freshman then missed a 57-yard field goal that was returned for an Auburn Tigers game–winning touchdown. Listen, there is nobody in life who always hits the mark!

The Bible is full of those who missed the mark, but somehow got up to see the sunshine another day. Some choose to live their life based on their mistakes, blunders, whims and mishaps. But Paul says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) God doesn’t always give us the details of the next step after our failures. If He did, you and I wouldn’t need faith for this walk.  ^“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

What would Mary do when the angel Gabriel said to her, “You will have a Son and call His name Jesus?” She could have “freaked out” and run from God’s plan knowing that she was a virgin;  instead she listened to Gabriel say, “Fear not, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35).

God is the One who knows how to calm all of our uncertainties. He can quiet all our fears, doubts and suspicions. And yes, He can restore us when we’re in despair. Mary could have worried herself sick with thoughts of, “Everybody is going to think the worst of me and my integrity. Will Joseph believe me when I tell him what the angel of the Lord has said to me?” All of us know how easy it is to get worked up in our emotions when things don’t make sense or go as planned.

Somewhere, Mary and Joseph both had to say to themselves, “Regardless, we’re going to put all our FAITH and confidence in the Lord’s Process and Plan.” They had to say to God and to one another, “This event can’t happen by what we can SEE, FEEL or EXPLAIN” Yes, nine months later just like the angel said, Jesus, the Son of the Living God, came into this world through a virgin upon whom God had placed His favor. ‘What do you lean on in getting through your unbelievable events and steps in life? Will you make your decisions based solely on what you can See, Feel and Explain? Does God have a process that I will Trust?

It’s those who say, “I may not See it so clearly; I may not Feel the right vibes; and I cannot Explain my steps. But my FAITH SAYS, “REGARDLESS” I will walk by FAITH AND not by sight in His design and will for my life.

Have Faith Regardless - video message

SHINE ON REGARDLESS

Years ago, I was flying back from Calcutta, India after a 10 day tour in Asia. I was VERY weary and tired after a long flight, some 33 hours including layovers. As we neared Jacksonville Florida, the pilot came on the speaker and said, “There has been a storm in Jacksonville that has knocked the lights out. There are no lights on the runway; we are going to fly on to Orlando. You will have to make new plans to get home from there.” My heart sunk, being exhausted from jet-lag, plus thinking about adding an additional four hours to our travel time.

 Just how important were the lights on the runway that night? Truth was, as experienced as he was, the pilot couldn’t land the plane without LIGHTS. There is something powerful about light. It was in the beginning of creation that God said, “Let there be light.” This world was without form, empty and full of darkness. Everything changed when he spoke those words, “Let there be light.” (Genesis 1:3)

         This should remind every born again believer that just like the earth, we too were without form, empty and full of darkness. I don’t know where I would be today had not the Light of God shined into my own life. Saul was turned into another man (Paul) when a Great Light shined in his life on the Damascus Road (Acts 9).

                       I challenge you to Shine on Regardless of your:

·                Shakings… God says that in Hebrews 12:27 one day everything that     can be shaken will be shaken. You may face “shakings” in your finances, marriage, job, health, kids and your dreams in life. Friend, be determined to let your light shine even in these times, regardless!

·                Storms… They are part of life. Nowhere in the Bible does God promise us that if we come to Him, our lives will be exempt from winds of adversity and difficulty. God says, “Count it all joy when you fall into ‘divers temptations’, or different types of tests. (James 1:2)

·                Seasons… God says, “To everything there is a season.” (Eccl 3:1)  Many people get confused and disoriented in the different types of season of life. Approach every season in your life with the fact that if God is for you, who can be against you? Approach life with the knowledge that “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17)

·                Stress… Paul says, “We are pressed on every side but not crushed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8) Make up your mind that God is watching over you regardless of your nightmares in life. He can use your dilemma to encourage somebody else that there is power to get through their struggle.

Now, for the rest of the story on our flight to Jacksonville, Florida. Within ten minutes I heard the sweetest words from our pilot. “Lights have been restored to JIA; we are turning back. We now have lights to land us safely onto the runway.” Are you the Light for someone today who is weary, tired, discouraged, and disoriented in life?  Jesus says,” You are the light of the World.” (Matthew 5:14) I encourage you every day in every situation in life to Keep Shining Regardless.

Shine On Regardless - video message