Love you all, praying for you.
The blessings that God gives are uncountable – un-understandable. The benefits of committing your life to Him are unending! God reminding me recently. Psalms 119:40 - How I long for your precepts, preserve my life in your righteousness. In other verses David says – ‘preserve my life according to your Word. That is righteousness - His Word. When the Bible says 'according to' – or ‘in’ – it is giving us clues as to how this comes about – what’s required, how it can come to pass. Praise God He preserves you because He is righteous, not because you are. It’s His righteousness that preserves me, not mine. Praise God we have been made righteous in Him – through Jesus our righteousness. We now meet the righteous requirements of God because of what Jesus did for us. So we are now righteous in Him, because of what He did. Righteous is right standing and also right doing. You have to be in Christ (having received His free gift of salvation) or you cannot possibly be righteous – no matter how many ‘good things you do. And then the righteousness that you are in Christ can flow into the righteousness that you do in Christ – because you walk in the Spirit and do the things He leads you to do... His plans not yours, His love, not yours. How I long for your precepts. How do you learn to do that? There is obviously a connection between longing for His precepts and being preserved in His righteousness. God preserves our life. Preserve has three parts - save, sustain and flavor. He saves and delivers you – not just for eternity in heaven with Him, but He saves you and delivers you from what could kill you, destroy you, or ruin or harm you here on earth. Whether external threat, or internal struggle. He preserves your life – He saves you and delivers you both now and forever. His preserve also sustains you - to add length and strength to. He increases the length and strength of your life – He makes it last longer than it would have – because He gives you strength day by day – not just physical, but spiritual, emotional, motivational, purposeful. He saves you, He sustains you – and the third thing that preserves you – is flavor. He adds flavor to your life - that's what makes it worthwhile - it's the joy of life. Preserves – like Raspberry or Blueberry preserves. He doesn't sustain your life to be miserable - He preserves it with favor and flavor! He adds flavor to life – true success, abiding hope for the future, unspeakable joy in the present – no matter what circumstance you face. His promises are true, He has good for you – you can walk in it daily! So how do you learn to long for His precepts - His standards, his principles for success? He gives his precepts through His Will and His Word. Just ask Him for His plans – PiVAT before dinner will help you – He will show you specifically what He wants you to do tomorrow – that will save you, sustain you, and add flavor to your life. PRISM will transform your mind – His Word always saves you (from error and foolishness), it sustains you and strengthens you – it levels your course, and it adds flavor – the joy that only He can bring! Get in His Word, Stay in His Word – and Immediately Obey what He tells you! First you taste something, then you develop a taste for it. Read His Word and you’ll taste His good – follow it – and you will see the fruit it brings – you’ll see what He does in response to your simple obedience. Once you taste and then see that the LORD is good, then you realize it’s His Word – the Holy Spirit leading you in hearing and doing it – that preserves you, saves you, sustains you, adds flavor and life to you. If you long for His favor, you long for His Word, if you long for wisdom, you long for His Word (His principles). If you long for success, you long for His Word. If you long for peace, happiness, joy, fulfillment, your destiny, the desires of your heart – you long for His Word. Increase His Word – and you’ll long for it. Praying that PRISM increases in frequency and priority in your life. Praying that you will take a PRISM Topic with you and meditate on it throughout the day – down times, transition times, lunch times and break times. Increase His Word – and you’ll long for it. That’s how He preserves you! It’s how He saves you, sustains you and adds flavor to your life – in His righteousness according to His Word. He will help you long for it – so you can walk in every Good thing that He longs to give to you! Love you all, dad
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Love you all, praying for you.
A friend made a comment yesterday about how Tony Romo was the best play by play announcer in football. I hadn’t really thought about it, but as I watched part of a playoff game that He was calling it became clear – my friend might be right. When the teams line up at the line of scrimmage to snap the ball, Tony is already calling what the Quarterback sees – what He’s thinking, and the options that are now open because of the defensive scheme called. And who has the advantage of one on one coverage – the plays that would work and the plays that will not. That’s what they are talking about when with a couple of years of experience under their belt – quarterbacks start seeing things more clearly. The game slows down for them. Not really – they just see faster, they see more clearly. God’s Word lets you see clearly, and obedience is the only thing that equates to those 'years of experience.' Obedience is what makes the game slow down. Proverbs 20:1 – Wine is a mocker, beer is a brawler whoever is led astray by them is not wise. Wow – this verse is about more than wine or beer. What leads you? Those couple years of experience help you see clearly - two things are happening right now. The Holy Spirit is trying to lead you, and the devil is trying to lead you astray. The Holy Spirit always leads you in truth – His paths are righteous. Other things – lead you astray, off the path of truth and success that God has chosen for you. Whether wine or beer or money or fame, or relationships, or pleasures… what leads you? You can tell the wise by what leads them, and so also the fool. “Things don’t lead me, I lead myself – and I lead others – I’m a leader!” Uhh, you just exposed what you are led by – pride. And you always lead others in what you are led by. It’s always helpful to double check yourself. What am I trying to lead others in? Is that the Holy Spirit? Or is that me? Is the source of that – really something that Jesus did - or something else? Humility and the fear of the LORD are the beginning of wisdom. Verbally commit yourself to obeying every Word that comes from God’s mouth. PiVAT is his Word to you, PRISM is his love for you, confirmation and understanding. PiVAT is obeying practice – humility practice. PRISM is obeying practice, your Daily Call is obeying practice and overcoming practice. When you start with humility (the first step is verbally committing yourself to obey), and the Fear of the LORD – instantly turning from evil, in awe in His presence, fully obeying, saying nothing harmful, seeking peace with God and others, and pursuing it… the Holy Spirit will lead you, not any other desire. Don’t mock or despise obedience. Nothing is too little to obey in. Don’t brawl, overlook offense. Let wisdom preside over you, let wisdom fill your house and its rooms with rare and beautiful treasures. Your house is first your heart, then your house is your family, then your house is your house. Praying that you will stay in His presence, and His Word – that PRISM out loud will be your priority. Praying that you will pray, that you will say, that you will obey, and that you will give your testimony every day. So the Holy Spirit will lead you – and the so devil will never be able to lead you astray. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Praying that God will help you become a pray-er and a say-er… that God will help you pray and help you say. God prompting me this morning about prayer. Prayer is simply communication with God. It’s praise and petition, it’s hearing and sharing, listening and talking. Prayer is a mystery – and many people think they’re not good at prayer. There’s not one person who couldn’t grow in prayer, and without question, of a surety – God wants to grow you in prayer. The disciples asked Jesus, “Teach us how to pray.” Adam’s prayer – was walking in the garden with his Father – in the cool of the evening. Jesus' prayer was a priority in His life - He did it deliberately, regularly and constantly. Average men like Elijah prayed and the improbable and even the impossible happened! God’s Word tells us to pray without ceasing. If you want to grow, God will grow you in prayer. Two secrets of prayer – are pretty important to growth. Secret #1 To learn to pray – you have to pray. You can read books about how to walk, but unless you start putting one step in front of another you’ll never learn. And the more you walk the better you get at walking. In fact – you’ll walk so well, you won’t even think about it anymore – you’ll just do it. And you will even start hopping, running and jumping. Another secret of prayer. Secret #2) As with EVERYTHING in life… Even in prayer, there is God’s Way and Man’s Way. One thing I pray that you will review is the PRISM Topic Packet – Prayer. When God reminded me that you can pray God’s way or man’s way – like the pharisee and the tax collector – He showed me how important it is to pray His prayer – what He wants you to pray – not just what you want to pray. Yes, the Bible says bring your petitions before Him, but there is a greater purpose and power through prayer – than just getting your needs met. He already knows what you need before you ask Him! And He already promised to provide all of your needs according to His riches in glory - in Christ Jesus (who is the Word of God). One thing I so appreciate about my PIVAT Prayer List – it directs my prayer. First it reminds me that His prayers for me are different than my prayers for me. But secondly – my PIVAT Prayer List – lets me ask Him those things on His heart for me to pray. It’s not a check-list – It’s not a rut it’s a runway! A place to take off from! Praying that God will show you your PiVAT Prayer List. One thing that has helped me grow in prayer – During PiVAT before dinner I always check with God on the time He has assigned me tomorrow to pray. He's moved it up in order on the priority list of my day. It doesn’t have to be long – consistency, especially when you’re getting started is more important than length. When I kneel down to pray – I always start with worship – just like when I do my PRISM time in His Word. That presence of His Holy Spirit sets the atmosphere every time you start your PRISM time, or your prayer time. I’ve found the best youtube search (for me) has been “live worship" and the current year. This will pull up worship sets – where extended time in His presence can set the foundation and background of your prayer time. Then as I begin my time of prayer – I always ask God to lead me in prayer – God, How do you want me to pray today? What's on Your heart this morning? – “Help me pray your heart not mine, your desires for me not mine.” Sometimes He leads me right through my PiVAT Prayer List – it contains some things that God told me to pray every day, not vain repetition – but persisting in prayer - fervent and effectual. Sometimes I ask Him if He wants me to pray something completely different – that’s not even on my PIVAT Prayer List yet. Start with praying in the Spirit! If you do – you will 100% of the time be praying His exact will for you. God was prompting me recently – in praying for the lost. How do you know God wants us to pray for the lost? First, Scripture says – If we pray anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – we know that we have what we have asked of Him. So if you want to grow in Prayer – grow in PRISM - your time in His Word! His Word reveals His Will - His ways – which are so different than our ways. Pray that! Pray the Word. I Peter 3:9 -says that God would that everyone come to salvation. That’s His will – so we can pray according to it! God showed me several kinds of people that do not know Him yet – that we can pray for. First pray for Saul’s - those who not only don’t believe and have not received Jesus as their Savior – but persecute – even try to kill those that do. But Saul’s of Tarsus – become Paul’s – God is still doing it today. Pray for them that God would bring them to their road to Damascus – where Jesus appears – and the light of the truth shines on them. Then pray for Thomas’s – these are the people who know Jesus is the one true God – but they struggle with doubt – they are doubters. Pray for the rich young men. Those people that want to follow God – but they don’t want to give up the pleasures of this life – money, or things, or the pleasures of sin for a season - as if these cheap trinkets could ever possibly even come close to the blessing in every way that God gives! They are deceived – the devil has blinded their eyes. Pray for the Festus’s the ruler who after Paul gave an overwhelming defense of Jesus as the true Messiah and Savior of the world – said – “You’ve almost persuaded me.” Those that will have a moment coming soon – that will give them the opportunity to put their faith and trust in Jesus – or decide to wait for another time. Pray for Peter’s those that may have followed God but denied Him – and think there is no way back. And pray for pagans - Ephesians and Corinthians - for those who serve other gods – false gods which are no gods at all. Whether the people who have a statue to an unknown god – or that serve false religions – completely deceived; or that believe the oxymoron lie of Atheism. One quote says – 'God doesn’t believe in atheists.' There really is no such thing. Those who say they are atheists merely deny the source of their own existence. It’s not that they don’t believe there is a God - they chose not to believe in the one true God. They have made themselves their own god. Humanism – that which considers man the god of their own thinking or their own life or their own destiny. Pray that the love of God would reach them. Pray that the One who loves them, who suffered greatly to pay the price for their sin would reveal Himself to them. That their hearts would be softened, that the scales will fall from their eyes. "Even when we were enemies of the cross – God sent His Son to die for us." Praying that as you grow in prayer – you will also pray for the lost - those who will be found – as we join with God’s heart – in praying for them. Finally – pray for your family – those who have yet to give their life to Jesus Christ - in your family. God’s Word says – Believe on the LORD, Jesus Christ and you will be saved, and your house! God’s will is for your family to be saved. It’s God’s heart for them! He wants them to be saved. Why would anyone not give their life to Jesus? I cannot understand it. Not just to be saved, to live with God for all eternity – not apart from Him in outer darkness... but even just for the fact that the One who created you is the One who knows what you were created for. You won't be fully happy without knowing the wonderful plans He for you – that you are missing out on! The good that He has for you every day – you can never walk in – until you surrender your life to Him! Just let Him drive – the trip is awesome! Praying that you will also review the Relationship Topic – Salvation First – so you can pray God’s Word over the lost. Praying that you will pray His Word. Praying that you will know God’s Way – when it comes to prayer – that He will help you pray and help you say. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Have you ever noticed that some things just don't go together? One thing I love about God’s Word – it always provides contrast. That’s because in everything in life – there is God’s Way and Man’s Way. Praying you’ll review the Relationship Topic – God’s Way and Man’s Way. Gods Word is abundantly clear on this choice which faces us with every decision we make. God prompting me about sandpaper and honey recently. Our words are one or the other. Numerous times in scripture God speaks of the promised land that He has for His people. A land flowing with milk and honey. The Old Testament was filled with natural demonstrations of spiritual reality. Just like the Israelites had a physical land promised to them. We too have a land promised to us – the people of God. It’s not physical, it is spiritual. Physical land is geography – the place you live. Spiritual land is also the place you live, not a mountain, river and valley land, but a heart, mind and mouth land. The land of "Israel" – Where He rules as God – is the place where God is in control of your heart, your mind and your mouth. The land of "Judah" – is that land of praise – it’s a place you can actually live, no matter where your physical address is. The land flowing with milk and honey – is a place of nourishment and sweetness. The heart place, mind space, and word choice that God has for you is always nourishment – a building up, and sweetness – good to the taste. Taste and see that the LORD is good. Your words are the land you live in. Some people live in a contentious land. Others live in a land of abundance – of nourishment and sweetness. Your words determine your land – because words fill your heart – and direct your mind. The land of praise – is nourishment and sweetness. Proverbs 15:21,23 - The wise in heart are called discerning and pleasant words promote instruction. Verse 23 A wise man’s heart guides his mouth and his lips promote instruction. Words are honey or sandpaper. Harsh words don’t promote instruction. Harsh words promote resistance and misunderstanding. Harsh words confront they don’t instruct. They promote a defense – a digging in – there’s no where to go. Instruction is a path – it invites, instruction always yields progress. Instruction is friendship and partnership. It’s interesting to note in this verse – God tells us pleasant words and harsh words come from the heart – a wise man’s heart guides his mouth. What’s in your heart will come out. If your words are harsh – they promote ruin and bitterness, not nourishment and sweetness. You don’t have a word problem, or even a tongue problem, you have a heart problem. Wanting pleasant words won’t produce them - only a formed heart will. Here’s what God’s word produces - Psalms 119:103 – How sweet are your words to my taste, yes they are sweeter than honey to my mouth. As usual, when God instructs us in how to treat others – He first demonstrates (sets the example himself), and then He always starts with those closest to us. How you treat your family, your spouse – is how you will treat others. Song of Songs – 4:11 – Your lips, O my spouse, drip honey; honey and milk are under your tongue, and the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. Isn’t it interesting – our marriage and our family should be that land of milk and honey – created by our words. If your words are sweet and nourishing – building up – to your spouse – they will also be to others. David said God’s Word – His commands, and precepts are more desirable than gold, sweeter than honey in the honeycomb. Your words are harsh or sweet, sandpaper or honey – and they overflow from your heart. Wanting words that promote instruction won’t get you them, only a filled heart will. First use your words to fill your heart. Use the words of God – they are always milk and honey, they are always nourishment and sweetness. Speak them out loud – to fill your heart. Then the words that come out – will be not harsh but sweet – they will build and nourish everyone around you – starting with those closest to you. Praying that you will do a Word-Check. Just honestly ask yourself – What are my words - sandpaper or honey? Ask you spouse – they will tell you – or your best friend, or your siblings. Praying that PIVAT and PRISM are your daily Habit – that you live in them all day long. PiVAT will reveal what God is telling you to do PRISM will confirm it and tell you how God wants you to do it. PRISM out loud is God’s Word - His milk and honey filling your heart, so that milk and honey – not sandpaper - comes out. Your words are the land you live in. Praying that you will always fill your heart with His Word so you live in that land flowing with milk and honey - the land He promised! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Have you ever been between jobs? It can be unnerving – but know this for sure – God is faithful. The Psalmist said – I have been young and now I am old – but I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their seed begging bread. This is a promise. You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus – if you have received Him as your Savior and committed to Him as LORD. He said He will never leave you nor forsake you. He provided the last job, He will provide your next job. In the meantime He has blessing for you! Ask Him what He has for you today. Go serve somebody. You work for Him, not money. Take time to seek Him, this might be the opportunity to grow in your rhythm of daily obedience in Time, Thoughts, Money and Testimony. PiVAT, PRISM, 4C’s and your Daily Call will really help you. Sometimes God has you between some things – between projects, between assignments, between jobs, but there is one thing that He rarely wants you in between. If you are between Daily Call Partners – I pray that you will ask God whom He has for you to walk with next - and that He would even bring you to start today. If you go between Daily Call partners for too long – your life will start to show it. God gave Hebrews 3:13 for a reason – Exhort one another daily as long as it is called today – so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. He didn't say exhort one another daily - every once in a while. He said exhort one another daily. It's a life-skill, a victory formation, a success requirement, an overcoming rhythm. You can go without a job for a season easier than you can go without a Daily Call – your overcoming depends on it! Ecclesiastes 4:9 says One may be overcome by an adversary but two can withstand him, and a cord of three strands is not easily broken. The Holy Spirit is that third strand of your Daily Call. What you share with each other in PiVAT and PRISM - He revealed! When you pray for each other - He takes over your prayer - He will speak - every day. God Word says - They overcome him (their adversary) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony - Rev 12:11. God has overcoming for you every day! Your Daily Call is His Hebrews 3:13 command for you - in action - and His promise goes with it! I just finished a 3-Day-Challenge with a dear brother – I met him years ago, but God brought us back together in this season. God does nothing without purpose. I pray we can walk further. I remember one time specifically I had walked with someone in a Daily Call and we were on our 60th day. I can’t remember the content of the call (although I could look it up in my Conversation Log for that month – Praise God!) but I do remember the distinct realization that this Daily Call was so powerful – and if we had quit calling each other after only a couple days or weeks, we would have never experienced what God had for us today. This brother is now walking with others in Florida teaching them how to overcome daily. Daily Calls won’t always last for 60 days. God has a purpose and a length for each one. But as God grows you in obedience like Jesus in time, thought, money and testimony decisions – He will have you walk with others – who will then walk with others. That’s how people grow in the fear of the LORD and come to the knowledge of Him – and His wonderful plans for their life. It's how they walk in them! That’s what ‘teaching them to obey’ of the Great Commission looks like - together obeying what He tells you each day. Whether you're a full time pastor or missionary, or just a Jesus-follower trying to live your life for Him - there is nothing you could ever do in ministry to others that will yield greater results than allowing someone close enough to see how you obey every day. It’s not that you’re discipling them – the Holy Spirit disciples both of you! You sharpen each other! That's the Great Commission – learning to obey everything that Jesus commands you. He has plans for you for today - for His glory and your good! PiVAT and PRISM will help you hear and obey what He has for you. And when you and the one He has chosen for you to walk with in this season - together follow His Hebrews 3:13 command - overcoming the adversary will be your daily experience. Victory will be your habit. Your lives will look different – but your obedience will be the same! God will confirm things and inspire things in you – your faithfulness will grow! Obedience and Testimony are contagious. PRISM every day in His Word and sharing with another – only establishes it deeper in your life. Your Paradigms change – your life is established in His WORD, in obedience, and understanding. And when you pray for each other at the end of your Daily Call – the Holy Spirit takes over the prayer you pray for each other – as you focus on the number one thing He’s telling you to do each day. Those P4M (Prayer For Me) sections at the end of the Conversations Page for your Daily Call - where you write down what the Holy Spirit prays through you for each other that day - brings the Holy Spirit's Revelation. Today Justin prayed something that I’ve never heard before. As He prayed for grace and mercy for me – the Holy Spirit said – "When you walk on water – you don’t leave footprints, you leave ripples." Oh my… When you walk on water – that’s walking in the Spirit – PiVAT and PRISM that God has for you today is walking in the Spirit in the plans He has for you for today – that’s walking on the water of the Holy Spirit – and you don’t leave footprints – you leave ripples. God has ripples for you. Footprints are only seen when people come and see. But ripples go and see them! Footprints are stationary, ripples never end. There is no end to what God can do through your obedience when you're walking with someone else. . That’s why God says exhort one another daily, that’s why He sent out His disciples two by two. There's power in obeying His Word. If you are in a Daily Call right now – I pray that God will bring you to the fullness of all He has for you in this season. And if you are between Daily Call Partners – I pray that God will lead you to the one that He has chosen for you to walk with next, and that He would open that door for you even today – to begin the overcoming testimony that He has for you every day of your life. God will do things beyond what you could ever imagine! It’s how He brings you to the Good that He has for you. Can’t wait to hear what He does! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
One thing I love about God – He never does anything without purpose. If nothing else just to demonstrate His love for us. Even His promise has purpose. God challenged me recently Psalms 119:38 – Fulfill your promise to your servant so that you may be feared. Every promise He has ever spoken – He has kept. He keeps every promise. He is not like man that He should lie. Whatever God says will come to pass. Either it has already – or it will surely happen – as sure as the sun will rise in the morning and set at night. But even more sure than that! Matthew 24:35 - “Heaven and earth will pass away – but my words will never pass away. The sun one day will stop setting, but His Words will never - not come true. This is the doing of the One who created the heavens and earth – who answers to no-one, who speaks and does whatever He chooses. Whatever He promised will surely come to pass. He is fully and completely trustworthy. But even His promises have a purpose. So that You may be feared. It’s funny how I've always viewed His promises in terms of how they affect me – and what they can do for me. But that’s not the purpose of His promises. It’s not for my increased comfort, or ease, or reputation – it’s not to make me look better or feel better. He fulfills His promises – so that He may be feared - so every eye will see Him for who He is – Sovereign LORD and Merciful Savior - the Hope of the world. So it really challenged me. Do I want to see His promises come to pass for my benefit – or for His glory? Of course we benefit from His promises – they are a blessing! He loves us with an everlasting love… But if my desire is His glory – then I don’t have to wait for His promises to come to pass - I can bring Him glory right now, in the believing and the waiting – in the seeking and the serving and the obeying. Serving is a great thing to do - when waiting on His promises - but Serving in His Name, His story, His schedule… His will – His timing. When my giving is at His direction – He gets the glory. Whether He tells me to give time, honor, or money – if directed by Him – His Name increases through me – He gets the glory. If directed by me, I might miss His will or miss His best. It’s not my giving that makes an impact, it’s my obeying. Psalms 115:1 - Not to us O LORD, but to Your Name be the glory because of your love and faithfulness. If God puts something on your heart, It might be for you or someone else, it might be to say, or it might be to pray, it might be for now, or it might be for later. God’s Will in His Timing – produces more fruit, more joy, more blessing, and more honor – it’s How His Name is made Great – It’s how He is feared. Praying that you will know His will – That PiVAT before dinner is your habit. Praying that you will know His heart – that PRISM all day is your habit. Praying that you will overcome in every Daily Call Testimony – and praying that as you look forward to His promise – you seek the impact on others – more than the benefit to you. Praise God – we don’t have to wait for His promises to come to pass. If for many to fear Him is the purpose of His promise – we can bring Him glory right now – before the promise has come to pass. It’s already done – what He said is already finished – He’s outside of time – so time is just catching up to His Word – which is already set, already completed in Heaven. Praying that your obedience today – will bring a new song. Psalms 40:3 – He has put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God; many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. When you trust - you obey and when you obey – He keeps giving you songs. Praying that you’ll praise Him for His promises which are fully guaranteed - He will fulfill every promise and every purpose! Praying that you will live in the obedience that brings joy – that brings you a new song. So many will see and fear and put their trust in Him. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Praise God. He doesn’t just teach you – He teaches you to follow. There’s a difference. The difference between hearing and doing. I love what God shows us through the heart and life of David. Psalms 119:33 – Teach me O LORD to follow your decrees, then I will keep them to the end. There is teaching your decrees, and there is teaching to follow them. If you’re taught them, you recognize, understand and believe them. But if you are taught to follow them – it means a response and a habit, a structure that enables continued response. God first speaks something to you, then He establishes it in you. Your response, your habit, your structure, your repetition makes the one-time, the first time – the “all-the-time” – the permanent. Tall building required strong foundations. The foundation of your building - is obedience. Things that spring up quickly can die off easily, but things that are planted deep, watered and cultivated, and continued… that’s how an apple seed becomes an orchard not just a tree. An orchard- which forever produces fruit. When God teaches you to follow – it’s a rhythm of obedience in your life. Praying that you are walking in the decrees of God. He gives decrees to his people – that’s His Word – that’s PRISM for you. And He gives decrees to you – the plans he has for you specifically, the way that is best for you, the way chosen for you – that’s PiVAT. He has plans for the money He’s given you – to release you from it – so he can release it through you - that’s your 4C’s each day. Note well the condition of your flock, give careful attention to your herds, for riches do not last forever nor is a crown secure for all generations. Knowing where His money is so you can do what He tells you to do with it. Praying that you will overcome every day – so He can establish his decrees in you through your obedience and your Testimony. Time, Thoughts, Money, and Testimony. PiVAT, PRISM, 4C’s, and your Daily Call. These are tools that God can use to teach you to follow His degrees. So the blessing He reserves for the faithful – His Awesome Power that He wants to demonstrate – on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him – becomes the story of your life. That's how His Name is made great in you! There’s joy there - like no other. Praying that you are fully walking each day in the joy that comes through the simple obedience that He leads you in - as He teaches you to follow. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Praise God. There are some things you praise Him for that are just cool, fun, awesome, encouraging, you’re really thankful for them. But some things you praise Him for – are so deep, so beyond that you could come out of. He is your deliverer! Psalms 119:28-29 – My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your Word. Keep me from deceitful ways, be gracious to me through your law. Sorrow is wearisome – have you ever been in the grip of sorrow? It won’t let go. If you've even been there in a season of your life - you know. Maybe a loss, or a disappointment, or a misunderstanding – of God and what you thought – and what He did – or seemingly didn’t do. The wounds of sorrow run deep. Sorrow is wearisome – it can burden you beyond what you can bear. There is a time for sorrow, even a purpose for it. God intended Godly sorrow – to lead us to repentance. Our first turn to Him – began with Godly sorrow – realizing our sin and His holiness – it led us to repentance. And our turn to Him – brought salvation and healing and establishing in the way of His love for us. But there are some sorrows that come as a part of life – that can consume us. We sometimes can’t seem to escape them, no matter much we try, or how long we try. The lowest point of our lives – can become a a pit – that seems impossible to escape in our own strength or will. No words could ever describe that place. Strengthen me according to your law – this is the Word of God. The psalmist had the law – the Torah – we have the whole thing - the promised Savior – the filling of the Holy Spirit – the victory in Christ Jesus. The devil uses sorrow – to bring despair – a giving up – a hopeless state. But Jesus is the hope of the world. Loss in Christ – is the place where your trust grows. It’s where you learn to cast your cares on Him because He cares for you. If you sense sorrow is trying to turn to despair, or if you know of someone who is struggling with sorrow and despair – stand in the gap for them. We are strengthened according to His Word - Pray His Word over them, pray His Word over you. There are direct commands that God gives for us to choose or not choose - which means we choose not to. Put on the Garment of Praise. Isaiah 61:3 - To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion. To give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. In your time of deepest sorrow God has already appointed for you beauty out of these ashes. He will anoint you with the oil of joy - He will give you the garment of praise - to dispel the spirit of heaviness that is trying to consume you. Put on that garment of Praise - let God decide how and when to bring the beauty and how to administer the oil. Nehemiah commanded the people - Nehemiah 8:10 ... Do not grieve – for the joy of the LORD is your strength. He said, eat and drink, rejoice in the LORD your God - focus on what He has done - Give to others - share with those who have less than you. To rejoice is to take joy again. Rejoice can be your choice - even in the deepest sorrow. God will deliver you from every spirit of despair. Sorrow which turns you to Christ – is what God can use and turn for your good. Sorrows that lead to despair – are those deceitful ways that David asks God to keep him from. God said David encouraged himself in the LORD - turning his eyes to Him - to praise, to trust, to declare. God will turn even this sorrow to victory in your life. He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. He has beauty for you, not ashes, He has the oil of joy for you, not mourning, He has praise for you, not heaviness. Sorrows will come – but He turns them into joy. He has overcome every sorrow. He took them for you – carried them for you – they died with Him - so you can be free. Praying that you will always look to Him and the Good that He brings – that sorrows which come - would be only the temporary experience that brings another proof of His deliverance. Weeping may last for a night – but joy comes in the morning. Praying that you will not grieve, that you will take joy every time - that you will choose praise every time - so the oil of His presence can flow through you. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
I’m so thankful for the Holy Spirit – who reveals God’s Word – uncovers it, opens it to the eyes of our understanding. Psalms 119:32 – I run in the path of your commands for you have set my heart free! Praise God His path is freedom! A slave of Christ is freedom! His path doesn’t just have you walking – it has you running - to every next good thing He gives - that He has planned – foreordained for you to walk in! It’s the joy of running with Him, like a runner’s high. There’s joy in every step of the journey – each step of obedience is no longer a difficult choice. You’re in cruise control - so full of the experience of the journey that each step is easy – it follows one after the other. The more you obey the easier it becomes. Inertia which once confronted obedience making it a difficult choice – now works in your favor. Things at rest tend to stay at rest, but things in motion tend to stay in motion. Obedience is like that motion. The four tires on the car are Time, Thoughts, Money, and Testimony. If you’re obeying in all four – things roll smoothly – if one tire is stuck – it can impede or even prevent progress. God has a path for you to run with him! He’ll reveal your direction and destination through PiVAT before dinner times with Him, and before the week and month begins. PRISM in His Word – transforms your mind – It’s the lamp to your feet and a light to your path. 4C’s – that daily obedience – to give an account financially – so you can obey immediately – that’s obeying with your heart – that either loves God or loves money (Matthew 6:24). Money - the thing that could distract or enslave you – becomes freedom and a testimony! And finally your Daily Call – God’s command to overcome your enemy who is trying to either get you to stop running, or throw rocks in your path. Your Daily Call is overcoming daily – so no sin can deceive you, slow you or prevent you. Your Daily Call Testimony – like that overcoming stiff arm of a running back – heading undeterred to the end zone. Those four wheels in perfect harmony – keep you running on His path for you. Time, Thoughts, Money and Testimony. Praying that PiVAT, PRISM, 4C’s, and your Daily Call have you running with Him on the path He has chosen – the way that is best for you that He promised to lead you in. Praying that you’ll review the PRISM Topic – Life Purpose & Direction. It keeps you focused on His promise for your journey. There’s joy in every step! And the more you obey – at the set times He has chosen – the further He can take you in the wonderful plans He already has waiting for you! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Are you happy? Many spend their life seeking it. We even write songs about it. “Don’t Worry – Be Happy.” The life advice and career advice and marriage advice the world gives - you need to do what makes you happy. Duude – that’s soo deeep… yeah… but… so’s the dog park. It doesn’t mean it’s true. Praying that God will open your eyes – to eternal truth – not cultural norms. Even people who want to please God with their life – can fall prey to cultural norms. What is your life philosophy? What do you say most – that's the reasoning behind what you do, what your pursuit or focus is? You can tell by a few words that reveal it. I just want to ____. What? Where did that philosophy come from? Did Jesus live it? Did Jesus say it – or did He live and teach something different, maybe even the opposite? Only truly humble people – will pause long enough to honestly consider this. But back to happy... If you were to pursue something in life, would you rather be happy or holy? Oops already lost you - because we don’t know what holy is. We think holy is something that it’s not. And we think happiness and holiness are incompatible. God is holy – and we can’t be like Him – so why try? Besides holy is kinda stiff, churchy, definitely not the fun that I want to have. But that’s not what holy is – that’s what religion is. Holy simply means set apart – unusual – not like everyone else around you – a fish going the other way. Holy means – set apart for a different purpose – a different plan - marching to a different drumbeat – serving a different master – walking according to a different Spirit, getting a different result. God gives us many things to be happy in - it's just that happy is not the goal. Would you rather have happiness or joy? Happy is temporary – Joy is not. Happy depends on circumstance, Joy does not. Chocolate makes me happy – but too happy and I get a stomach ache. Football makes me happy. But only if my team wins – if they don’t football makes me grumpy. Actually, happy – really is a lot like football – the NFL – not for long. Happiness doesn’t last – Joy is eternal. I hope you’re not trying to be happy – I hope you’re trying to be holy. Holy – set apart – means He’s driving, not you. Holy doesn’t mean perfect – Holy means humble – deferring to His will and His plans for you. Holiness – is demonstrated by obedience, just like love for God is. He set you apart for His plans for you – and they are so good! You couldn’t even imagine anything better, more successful, more significant or satisfying – than the life He has already planned for you. He loves you – He made you unique – there’s no one like you. And no one could fulfill His purpose – the way you can – He created you for it! And He longs to show you what He can do for you, through you, and through you for others by just walking in the plans He has for you! Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic – Joy. How do you get joy? Sometimes you are just overcome by it. In His presence sometimes God just buckets you with it. It springs up from within you, unexplainable. But most of the time, Joy is taken. It’s there for the taking. Rejoice – means to take joy again. How do you get joy? Three primary ways. #1) In His Presence - Get in that place of Worship – Pray in the Spirit – soak in Him – there’s always joy there. Jesus, full of joy in the Holy Spirit… His presence always brings joy. You see Him, and it leads you to think about what He's done for you - it brings joy - no matter what circumstance you are presently in. #2) Obey – PiVAT will give you His plans for you for today – PRISM will show you how to do them His way. Praying that these are your lifelong daily habit. Obedience always brings joy. When you are faithful in the little things – you enter into the joy of the LORD. And #3) Walking with Someone - Paul said hearing that those he walked with are continuing in the obedience of Christ – it just brought him joy. No different than when a parent is filled with joy seeing their children succeed. Praying that you'll never get fooled into making happiness your pursuit. Praying that the Joy of the LORD from His presence, and obedience, and from overcoming daily with one other – is your strength. His presence, obedience, and overcoming with another every day– always brings joy – and that joy of the LORD is your strength. Praying that you will always choose joy – always choose to take joy again. If you’re short on joy – you can always get in His presence – turn the game off (just hit the pause button and come back to it) Get in His presence and see what He has waiting for you there! Ask Him again what He has for you in this hour – and do it right now! Some people forfeit the joy that could be theirs because the let an hour, afternoon, evening or day – slip back into their ways – instead of His will for them. Or just pray for your Daily Call Partner – you know what God told them to do today – from your Daily Call this morning. Pray for them – text them an encouraging word – so in the morning when their testimony is filled with the joy of what God did – as they just obeyed – God will share their joy with you. Praying that you'll be holy first - set apart in His plans - so that whether you're happy right now or not - you will always choose the joy of the LORD. Love you all, dad |
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