Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It’s the only thing that fixes stupid. It gives truth that will set you free, and reminders at just the time that you need. If there were two reminders we need most every day, it might have to be God’s Word and your word. The importance PRISM every day – those five things you can do in God’s Word that will change your mind and change your life. And number two, your words – what you allow out of your mouth will determine your life. They will either set your ceiling, or remove all limits. You cannot rise above your own words, it is not possible. Like defeating gravity, it won’t happen, only for about 3.5 seconds. From the fruit of his lips a man’s stomach is filled, as surely as the work of his hands rewards him. Praying that PRISM is your priority - infusing your mind and heart and life – with the Word of the Living and Almighty God. And praying that you won’t just allow or not allow words out of your mouth, but you will choose the words you speak – that you plant, sow and invest - and choose the words you don’t plant, and don’t sow or invest. Your flesh always wants to say stupid things. Mostly self-centered, weak-minded, unbelief, or pride, arrogance, illusion, or delusion. Here’s a great tongue check – Is it Faith and is it Love? If not, don’t say it. Choose to plant some other words instead. God said without faith it is impossible to please Him. Those things that are not of faith, displease him. Don’t speak what you see, speak what He says – and what you see will change. Everything will come into alignment with what He says – What He says stands, and will come to pass. You can be as sure of that as the Sun will rise in the morning. Unless… you say something different than what He says, or says to say. Then you’re stuck with that. In life its true… what you say is what you get. Anything you say that is not faith – is either doubt or unbelief, grumbling and complaining, selfishness, ignorance or pride and arrogance. None of which attract God’s blessing, but rather His correction. Hold Up! Don’t say that. Or you’ll get it, along with something else you don’t want. The Israelites had gone beyond grumbling and complaining – to blaming. They started accusing God of being unjust. Like the pot calling the kettle black. They’re doing things that God told them not to, and are reaping what they sowed, and they have the audacity to blame God? Do you know level of complete self-unawareness that requires? It’s embarrassing. Hold up! If it’s not faith – don’t say it. That’s why Praise the Word and Praying the Word is so important. If you have God’s Word in you, your word will be the word of faith. Next, Is it love? Do the words you say build up others, believe the best in them, and want the best for them? Do your words build or tear town? Anything said about someone else that doesn’t build them up – is slander – God hates it, it is theft of reputation. If you’re in a court of law – bearing witness to a negative incident you witnessed, that’s not slander, you’re under oath to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But in the course of human conversation – what most people say about others is not true, it’s conjecture, mere negative opinion. “They just think they’re better than everyone.” Have you ever heard someone say that? This could be the height of ignorance. How do you know what they think? You can’t read their mind, you’re not God. God Word gives a great reminder. Roman’s 14:4 – Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And God is able to make them stand. They stand before God, not you, whether they are following Him fully or not. Leave other people to God. Speak life, not death, not doubt or slander, learn to believe the best. This isn’t naïve, it’s circumspect and choice. Guard your tongue and you will guard your life. Hold up. Leave things unsaid that need not be said. That negative opinion may even be accurate, but God loves mercy, which is a good thing for you – how many times have you done something similar. And you might be wrong altogether… Ask the Holy Spirit to help you keep a tight reign on your tongue when it comes to anyone else, and what you say about God, life, and even yourself. Instead, ask Him to help you unleash your tongue on Faith and Love – so you establish it in you and around you. PRISM will help His Word become your word, which will become your life. PiVAT will help you do what He says, so you will be a doer, not a hearer only… and a Daily Call – is God’s secret weapon, to overcoming the pull of the old man, so you can walk in that newness of life – that Jesus died to give you. Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic – Speak Life, the PRISM Topic – Shut Up, and the PRISM Topic – Say. God’s Word is always the best reminder. It will establish your tongue – and establish your life. Love you all, dad
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Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word – It’s not just for the good times, it’s for the tough times. Have you ever been disappointed? After much thought and consideration – I entered with full confidence and high hopes my bracket for bracketology – March Madness. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament of 2021. My moniker? “The Bracket Whisperer” A most suitable name, given my skill and ability in picking winners. A tinge of doubt crept in – when I saw that the last time I entered my expert picks – ESPN said that my last bracket entry for the Bracket Whisperer did not come in first place… In fact it said that over 5.1 million people had better brackets than me. How is that even possible? It must be a type-o. Anyway, undeterred, I settled in at 3:00 pm to watch my team the Ohio State Buckeyes begin their Tournament run to the Final Four. Have you ever been disappointed? We watched in utter disbelief as Oral Roberts advanced to the round of 32 eliminating the hopes of Buckeye nation, and my personal hopes of bracket greatness. My bracket had been completely screwed up – by the very first day of the tournament! Have you ever faced disappointment? As high as my hopes were – this is only basketball. I have no personal contact with anyone on the team or the organization – I’m actually doing ok – thanks for asking… But have you ever faced real disappointment in life? Not in something that you just hoped for bragging rights, but in something that meant – truly meant so much to you that you didn’t know if you could survive? When something really important in life, doesn’t go your way, is lost forever, and beyond hope of returning? What do you do when you face real disappointment in real life, that effect the rest of your life? What do you do then? When the most important thing of your life, your greatest dream, your highest hope, what you prayed for and believed God for – is not going to happen. What do you do now? Maybe it was a job that you desperately needed, or prayed for, that was the perfect dream job for you, or a promotion you deserved but didn’t get, or a financial loss that you sustained through no fault of your own, or worse yet a mistake of your own, that you tried your very best – but to no avail. When you lose a lifelong dream, or a loved one. What do you do then? When it’s not just a game, but it’s real and the loss threatens to undo you. You can feign apathy – I didn’t really want it anyway… (but you’re not fooling anyone, least of all yourself). You can choose the blame game, blame others for their part, even blame God – as if it was His fault. You can get swallowed up into the abyss of grief, you can even just give up. But what does God have for you. He sees, He knows, and He cares. He never promised to save you from every disappointment, He promised to be with you in every one of them. It helps to be honest with yourself, about your disappointment. Just call it what is it. It was important to you – still is… It helps to even share it with a Godly friend, someone who knows what God says and the Hope that He is. I Peter 5:6-7 – Humble yourselves therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your cares on him, because he cares for you. This is real talk, for real life. There is no disappointment you will ever face that He does not carry for you if you will let Him. And no disappointment you could every encounter compares with what He suffered. You could blame others, or blame God, but if you humble yourself, He will lift you up. There will be light on the other side. God has what is best for you, He didn’t lose it. And while you would have bet everything you owned, even your very life that what you wanted, dreamed or hoped for was the best for you. You can really trust the One who knows the end from the beginning, who knows how your were made, and what you were made for – because He made you. And He does have good for you. Even scars can be made beautiful by Him, in His time. You can trust Him, in the deepest disappointment, the deepest sorrow, the deepest grief. The crushing disappointments of real life – He will carry them for you, and carry you in them. He will carry you through. One of my favorite verses – not because it’s fun, but because it’s real. I Samuel 30:6 – David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD (David encouraged himself in the LORD). You want to talk about disappointment – this isn’t a bracket of a meaningless game. David just lost everything that was dear to him, all of his wealth and his wife and children. And on top of that others were blaming him for it, and he was partly at fault. If only… But he didn’t dwell on the if only’s. They are of no use. He found strength in the LORD, He encouraged himself in the LORD. He looked at God, and who He is, not the situation he was in. He put His mind on things above, not things beneath. And when He lifted His eyes to the LORD, God gave him the next step to take. Praying that you will never suffer disappointment. But if you ever do, that you will humble yourself, cast your cares completely on the One who loves you – who has the best for you – whether you can see it right now or not. That you will encourage yourself in the LORD who turns even the worst things in life – to good. Because His love for you does not end. You can trust Him. Even with this… Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
Have you ever noticed there are several kinds of hunger? You can be hungry for food, that’s physical hunger. You can be hungry for money – that’s greed. You can hunger for physical gratification, that’s lust. You can hunger for fame or attention – that’s vanity or narcissism. You can hunger for what belongs to someone else – that’s coveting. You can hunger for what you don’t have – that’s discontentment. You can hunger for payback – that’s revenge. Of all these hungers, one is legitimate, the rest are sin. If you hunger for what will never satisfy, you will never be satisfied. When it comes to food, God said if a man will not work, neither shall he eat. (2 Thess 3:10) So do your part. But it’s nothing to dread, and it’s not hard. God can give you joy in working, He gave Adam a job before He gave him a wife. Colossians 3:23 – When you know that you work for the LORD, not man or money and He rewards you, it can be a joy! Just work because you love God – He’s at least worth that, and hunger won’t be a problem for you. But here is the real promise that you can take to the bank. Psalms 37:25 – I was young and and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken, or their children begging for bread. God is Jehovah Jireh, your provider. On the mountain of the LORD He will provide. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, give your heart and your life to him, and you and your children won’t go hungry. When it comes to hunger for money. God said you cannot love God and money Matthew 6:24 - so it’s either greed, or God. He said “Thou shalt not covet” Exodus 20:17 - what belongs to someone else is none of your business. He said be content in with what you have (Hebrews 13:5) and in whatever situation you are in (Phillippians 4:11-13) so you don’t have to suffer discontentment. He said honor others above yourself (Romans 12:10, and in humility value others above yourselves, Philippians 2:3) so you don’t fall into vanity or narcissism. He said Vengeance is mine I will repay (Deu 32:35, and Hebrews 10:30) so you don’t waste your energy or sacrifice your happiness on payback. So if all these hungers are not for you… what should you hunger for? Matthew 5:6 – Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled. Hunger for this, and you will be filled, and blessed (that means filled again and again – more is coming! His provision is perpetual for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. All other hungers – go hungry, get used to disappointment. But if you hunger and thirst after righteousness – God said… you are blessed, and will be filled. And if you have righteousness – right standing and right doing – an infinite list of blessings are already on the way. Hunger for His presence, because if you do, you get everything that comes it, that comes with Him, because all He is and has are found and flow out of His presence – that place of worship, adoration and obedience. This includes every fruit of the Spirit, (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) and everything else He gives both physical and spiritual. It all flows from His presence. Being with Him, just to be with Him, not for what He gives. Another interesting thing about hunger. It self-perpetuates. Whatever hunger you feed increases. If you feed the flesh, your hunger for the things of the flesh will increase. But if you feed your spirit, your hunger for the things of the Spirit will increase – because they are just better! The other stuff can’t compare. PRISM is the secret, your time in God’s Word every day. You wouldn’t skip breakfast, lunch and dinner, you’d be hungry. Same thing with spiritual food. You can’t starve your spirit – and be spiritually effective, spiritually victorious. And since the battle is not against flesh and blood – you want to be strong in spirit – if you are – the body will follow. The more you feed your spirit the more your hunger for the things of the Spirit will grow, the more your hunger for things of the world will wane, and the more the physical things you really need - will be met. Jesus said to his disciples, I have food to eat that you know not of (John 4:32). They thought he was talking about hamburgers, they didn’t understand. But Jesus was telling them, there are things more important than food, it’s your Daily Bread, the Bread of Life – Jesus, the Word of God. There are things more important than physical, temporary hungers. If you will hunger after the things of the Spirit – you will be permanently filled. Praying that you feed on His Word – so your hunger for it grows, so your righteousness will grow – and surely you will be fed. Praying that PRISM becomes a growing appetite for you. Both the written Word of the Bible, and His Word of His Spirit to you for today – His plans that you get directly from Him, during PiVAT before dinner. And if you walk daily with another – like He commanded in Hebrews 3:13 – you will overcome the other hungers that won’t satisfy, you will have victory over them. Your hunger for Him will grow, and every hunger you have will be met. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It gives warning. It saves you from disaster, it saves you from misspent time and energy, and it saves you from self-flattery – if you will heed it. Psalms 36:1 – An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. They do not fear God, and since humility and the fear of the LORD are the beginning of wisdom, they lack wisdom. They are completely devoid of it. They have made up another wisdom, which is not wisdom at all, but foolishness. God gave David a revelation, important insight about something, it didn’t come from within his heart, it came from without, placed there by God. Why are the wicked, wicked? Why do they sin? Why are they full of sin? Why are sinners wicked? And it could happen to you, if you are not guarded and diligent. They have no fear of God. They lack a humble reverence and awe and fear of the One who will judge the living and the dead. Who will call everyone to account for the things they have done, even the motives of the heart. Why do the wicked not fear God? They mistake his longsuffering for apathy. He hasn’t brought judgment to the wicked. They have been getting away with murder so far… And it seems like God doesn’t exist, or care, or will never punish them. They do not realize… Proverbs 16:4 – The LORD has made everything for His purpose, even the wicked for a day of disaster. Their day is coming. They flaunt themselves now, they celebrate their corruption now, they jeer and slander and curse and oppress now, but the clock is ticking. God sees and He remembers. Their deeds have sealed their fate. Proverbs 16:5 – The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: they will not go unpunished. Why does God reveal this? Because the injustice of the wicked could consume our mind, our emotions and our attention, distracting us from what God wants us to do. Praying that you will leave others to God. Pray for the salvation of the righteous, the removal of the wicked, but pray for the will of God for you and His grace to do it quickly and completely. David got caught up in the injustice and it consumed him to distraction. Psalms 73:17 – until I entered God’s sanctuary, then I discerned their end. Surely you place them on slippery ground, you cast them down to ruin. Praying that you will learn the Fear of the LORD yourself. Praying that you won’t focus on what the wicked do, but focus fully on what God told you to do. Praying that you will turn from evil instantly, tremble in His presence, fully obey what He tells you, speak the truth, say nothing harmful, do good (what God told you in this hour), seek peace and pursue it. Praying that you will not worry about the wicked, but resist them through prayer, knowing that the battle is not against flesh and blood (people), but the principalities and powers that have deceived and control them. Praying that you will learn the fear of the LORD. You are not fearing God for nothing. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It contains concise truth. The opposite of what people naturally think and do. Proverbs 16:21 – The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction. Every time you read something in God’s Word – in your PRISM time with Him. It is always good to ask… God is this me? Is this a change that you want for me? What is discerning? The ability to separate good from evil, crucial from superfluous, the ability to understand the difference between what works and what doesn’t, what is effective and what is of no lasting effect for good. The wise in heart are called discerning. That means to be discerning, you must be wise in heart. That means you need to put God’s wisdom into your heart. Praying that your PRISM habit, makes that occur regularly without having to decide every time. “Habit prevails where motivation fails.” Praying that you do your PRISM out loud, that you fill your heart with your words – so what God says is what you say, that’s how your heart gets filled. And when it comes to others… pleasant words promote instruction. God is saying, unlike what so many people think and practice, the most effective way to promote instruction, the way that instruction will stick the best, is through pleasant words, not harsh ones. March Madness is starting this week. Sixty four teams with dreams of winning it all, and coaches who every year chase the holy grail. And the fortunate few may win one in a lifetime of coaching. Of all the coaches in history - only fifteen coaches have won the whole thing more than one time. Of all the D1 Colleges and the fraction that make the tournament each year, of all the coaches of all time, only fifteen won more than one championship, and only six have won more than two, and only three coaches have won more than three (John Wooden, Coach K, and Adolf Rupp). Coaches are famous instruction givers. God says pleasant words promote instruction. Coaches seem to hold one of two philosophies, pleasant words or harsh ones. God reveals what works the best. All you need to do is look at the results. Bobby Knight has three championships, but John Wooden has ten and no one else is even close. The next one down is Coach K with five, Adolf Rupp had four. You may not be a National Championship winning or pursuing coach. But your lips instruct people. Everyone does. So how do you communicate with others? Do you want to promote instruction? Or misunderstanding. Do you want to promote instruction, or offense. Harsh words do not promote instruction, or understanding, or unity. Kind words are powerful, harsh words are offensive. Sometimes people can’t hear what you’re saying because of the way you say it. You may be right, but it doesn’t matter. People remember most not what you say, but how you make them feel. If you really love someone, if you are humble, and consider them more important than yourself, if you really want to help them… you will choose pleasant words, and leave the harsh ones unsaid. It’s not that you never deliver harsh things, or hold anyone accountable, but if done with respect and kindness, your effectiveness increases dramatically - God said. Proverbs 15:1 – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 25:15 – Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone. The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction. Praying that your PRISM time with God – will always have you speak wisdom into your heart, so discernment can come to you, and that your words will always be pleasant. So your fruit is instruction, not offense. Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic – Speak Life. So the words you speak always bring the life of Christ. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It’s offensive. That’s not why I love it, it’s just an observation. I love God’s Word because it’s true. “Let God be true and every man a liar.” Sometimes truth is offensive. Like when Jesus called out the Pharisees. Even the disciples were uncomfortable, as if Jesus (the One who loved the world so much that He gave his life for everyone in it) – was being rude? What seems right isn’t always right, and what seems wrong isn’t always wrong. What standard do you go by? Truth is not absent of love, it is the definition of love – it’s included in love, there is no love without truth. The lack of truth cannot be love. The problem is, everyone has their own truth. Their opinion is what they deem to be the truth, and demand that you agree. Humans do that. Do you? But what about the times when God does something that doesn’t seem right? Is He not right? We’re right? And He’s not? Crazy story about Jesus that amazes me every time I read it… and the amazing person who was a part of that story. Mark 8:24 – Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “For it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” What? Did he just stay that? That’s why he lost His Twitter account. Jack Dorsey and his thought police were having none of it – that was a permanent ban. That is so racist! – inexcusable! Clearly He couldn’t be God, God would never say such a thing! I am so offended! Aren’t you offended? Does that offend you? Here’s an amazing fact - Do you know who wasn’t offended? The Greek Lady from Syrian Phoenicia! The victim, who wasn’t a victim. She wasn’t there to give an opinion, she wasn’t there to judge anybody or anything, she wasn’t there for any other reason than to get her healing. And Jesus is The Healer – God’s commands to the Jewish people, or his rules for their culture were of no concern to her. She had one concern, her daughter, and she let nothing get in the way of her healing. She didn’t take the bait. Before he barely finished his statement, she replied… “Yes, Lord,” but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Wow. That’s even more shocking than the last statement. This lady wasn’t playing around, she had no time for anything else than what she came for, she wasn’t going to let the devil use anything she didn’t fully understand, to get in the way of what Jesus could give her, and was about to give her. She didn’t take the bait, she took the faith. She didn’t worry about things that were of no concern to her. What other people thought or did, didn’t matter. She knew this Jesus was the healer, that He was sent from God, and when she heard, she believed that what He did for others, He could do for her. She didn’t get tricked to take offense, she determined to take faith. Instantly Jesus replied, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. Praise God! Her faith brought her miracle – Jesus said so. Was Jesus racist? Capital N, Capital O, He’s the one who created male and female, every man, woman and child, chose their nationalities and their families. He’s the one who died for every person of every race and every color – and adopted all of them including you and me into His family. He’s the one who appeared first to a woman, He is the greatest force in human history for equality, and heaven one day will be full of those – from every tribe and tongue and nation, who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, and will live forever in eternity with God in heaven. So what about you? Do you take the bait? Do you take offense or do you take faith. Are you distracted by what you don’t understand, or may not agree with? What do you do when God says something you don’t understand, or question? Do you disagree with God? You would have handled that differently? Really? That’s kinda funny. Of course we would, we’re human with finite wisdom and understanding. He is The Almighty God will infinite wisdom and understanding. His actions aren’t subject to our opinion, our opinions and actions are subject to His Word and His Truth. And there may be some things I don’t fully understand yet… but you will either take the bait, or take faith. Praying that you will always take faith, not offense. That you will allow for things you don’t understand yet, whether God says them or others. That you won’t take offense at God, or other people, whom God has called us to love – not without truth, but with truth in love. Praying that you will be like this awesome woman, who believed God no matter what, and got what she came for. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word – It tells you everything you need to know. It is wisdom for the ages, vision for the future, purpose for a lifetime, and love for eternity. It tells you Who made you, what you were made for, how to avoid failure, and how to walk in success. It tells you the good guy and the bad guy, (in movies and real life it can be hard to tell). It tells you what is good and what is evil, it’s not what you would think or expect, it is love and life and abundance. Those who know God, the One who created the world and them, who know His commands and do them, these are the ones whose lives are the most meaningful and the most rewarding. But what sets you apart? What does God say? Many people think what sets them apart is their looks, or their strength, their ability, their accomplishment, their money, or their determination. No matter how beautiful you think you are, there are many more beautiful than you. If you’re seven feet tall, you win, but who cares? Your strength only lasts for a decade maybe two, your ability no matter how good you are, it’s only a matter of time, before someone emerges more talented than you. Your accomplishments are set only to be surpassed, your money can come and go, and your determination – if it’s misguided means nothing. So what sets you apart? And how hard do you have to work to get it? Psalms 45:7 – You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. What sets you apart is joy. Many people are rich or skilled or even happy for a while, but joy is deeper and wider than happiness, it remains and surpasses any accomplishment or accumulation, it is immune to both good times, and hard times, and being stuck in the middle. Joy is not something you are born with, or accomplish by talent or skill, or purchase by trade or any price. It is what God gives, it is the fruit of the Spirit, it is beyond human ability to create or maintain. It comes only from a relationship with the One and Only, True God, and time spent in His presence, not buying or earning, but being. Walk in the Spirit, and you will get the fruit of the Spirit. It will set you apart. Your diligence is as unto the LORD, not men, for the audience of One, to please the One who created you for His purpose. Joy is not subject to situation, it is internally given, and externally radiant. It sets you apart. It draws people to what you have because of Who you know, and it is not replicated by any earthly thing. Only God can give you this kind of joy. And if you have it, happiness can come and go, just like money and anything else in life, that comes and goes. Your joy remains, it sets you apart. Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic – Joy. So that His Word will take a hold of your life, and establish you in it’s truth, and the blessing that always comes from knowing and doing the will of God for y ou. He has good just waiting! And the anointing of Joy to sustain you through every twist and turn, every high and low of life. The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy – and he’s after your joy. If he can’t take that, whatever else he takes, doesn’t matter. Don’t worry, He needs permission, and most things He takes, people just give him… but not you. You know better, and you know the One Who is stronger, Who lives in you, and gives you joy. It sets you apart. Praying that you are walking In Him today, so you are walking in His Joy! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love Gods’ Word. It tells you what’s up. Psalms 34:15 – The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil to cut off the memory of them from the earth. Proverbs 15:3 – The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on both the wicked and the good. When boys are young, they tend to get into trouble. So their mom or their grandma often remind them… God is watching. It’s true. When you hear that… does it make you nervous? or does it excite you? God is watching everyone. The wicked, to bring their plans and their memory to nothing, and the righteous to hear and answer their cry. How do you view your Heavenly Father? Some people think He’s out to get them… that He’s watching to catch you doing something wrong. You do not know the heart of your Father. Far more – He is watching to catch you in everything you do that is right, and pleasing in His sight. He longs to reward you. Matthew 10:42 – And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward. God is watching – Be righteous and His ear will always be listening for your cry. And He will do something about it! Be righteous – Have faith in Christ – that makes you righteous. And then do what is right – what He told you to do, not what you want to do. Just like Jesus just did what His Father told him to do. Don’t worry about the wicked, God will bring them and their plans to nothing. You just be righteous, and He will listen to your cry. Obey God’s plans for you, stand up for truth, resist the wicked, and seek peace with all those who seek peace. (Proverbs 28:4 – Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked, but those who heed it resist them.) Be righteous! Pray and obey! Resist the wicked! You do that through prayer first! Seek peace and pursue it. God is watching - like the parents of a young child that always keep the monitor with them, so they can hear the moment their child cries. God is watching and listening – He will come to help you. God is watching – and that’s exciting, it means His good is coming! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
Are you successful? Do you wish you were? What would it take to be successful? How do you know? Have you ever found success elusive? Have you ever reached and attained the success you crave, and somehow it didn’t satisfy you? Have you ever reached success only to find out there’s ‘a whole nother level’ to get to? Why do you think a midlife crisis is so common? Are so few people successful? Successful people speak of a shift in their own life, a turning point in their desires, what drives them... from success to significance. Isn't it funny, the wealthiest people in history – end up giving away most of their wealth, if not to charity, their former spouse. Then at the end, at their death, to their family that remains. They leave every penny behind. Would you rather be loved or successful? Can you be successful yet not loved, and it mean nothing in the end? Can you ever be both, are they the same thing? For most people - success is like beauty – it’s in the eye of the beholder; success is like a mirage – the oasis is just dust; and success is so fleeting… Far more difficult than getting to the top – is staying there. So why is success so elusive? What even is it? What makes you successful, and how do you sustain it? How do you make sure that success in the beginning is success in the end? Most people don’t know what success is. Some say it’s having money, others say it’s having time. Some say it’s having friends. Some say it’s fame and glory, others say it’s leaving those pressures behind. Some say it’s being happy, other’s say it’s accomplishing whatever you set your mind to, still others say it’s having enough money do what you want when you want to do it. If you notice… most people’s definition of success has to do with them, what they desire or feel they need, not others, what others desire or need. And certainly not God. While He doesn’t need anything, He definitely wants you to be successful – because He loves you, and He created you for it! He is the definition of success, and He alone defines it. Was Jesus successful? Not really. He had no money, He died broke and homeless. (Even he said, when someone wanted to follow him - “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no where to lay his head.) He had no wife, no children, no grandchildren. He was the most hated man on earth by those in power. When it came down to it, he had no followers, no friends (they all ran out on him when it counted the most), even his own Father turned his back on him. He had no power, He wasn’t Caesar, Ceasar had never heard of him, he couldn’t stop his own execution, and he was innocent of what they accused him of. He died young, broke and friendless. Isn’t it funny how our minds can assume the opposite of what is true. First He wasn’t powerless – He had all power, He just chose not to use it. He didn’t die broke, or homeless, the world belongs to Him, every blade of grass, every rock, every mountain, hill, tree and sea – every house on every street, every barrel of oil, piece of gold, and bitcoin and every dollar in every bank… Because the world is His and all that is in it belongs to Him... Because He created it, and sustains it by his own hand. All earthly wealth and all earthly power is His – and He gives it to whomever He choses. He raises one up and takes another down. He wasn’t wifeless – the body of Christ is His bride. He wasn’t friendless – He became friendless so you and I could be called His friend. He didn’t die, He just passed through death and the grave and hell itself, so he could take the keys and set the captives free. So you and I might have life and have it more abundantly, and have it for eternity, that we could be called the sons of God – joint heirs with Him, victorious forever! If "things are not as they seem” was ever true, this is the time. Jesus Christ was and is the most successful man ever in all of human history. All of creation and time itself revolve around Him. And one day… of this you can be absolutely certain – every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is LORD. So if beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and success is in the eye of the definer. What really is it? Who says? God says. What made Jesus successful? He became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. "Therefore God raised him to the highest place and gave Him a Name above every name – that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is LORD." What made David successful? God said concerning him… I have found David, son of Jesse a man after my own heart, he will do everything I want him to do. Success is not what it seems, and true success is not what you want, you don’t even really know what you want. Success is what He wants for you. When you know that God has a purpose for you (you can know that it’s good – He said it). And you know that He also said He will fulfill the purpose He has for you. When you lay down your own version and definition, and you ask Him, so you know His plans for you, (and you can know that they are good)... When you walk in His plans and His ways – you will be blameless in His sight - so on that day… you will hear, “Well Done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master!” That’s success. Nothing else matters. Success is not what people think it is. It’s what God says it is. “What does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and lose his soul. You were created for something. You were created for a purpose, and you were created for success. Just like your Dad, just like your Savior, just like your Comforter, but they weren’t created like you… they created you. They have always been One - the One True God - and ever will be. Success starts and ends with obedience. The more you know your Creator, the more you can know the purpose and plans He has for you - the success He created you for. Praying that PRISM today has you hearing His voice, that PiVAT today has you knowing and doing His will - His plans for you, and that your Daily Call has you overcoming every day – so His success for you is all you ever know. Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic – Life Purpose and Direction. His Word will always encourage you in His success, and His success for you. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It’s amazing. It amazes you. It challenges you. It provokes you. It makes you ask questions. It tells you what you should do, what will happen when you do, and how to do it. It also gives principles. Things that when they happen - will make other things happen. Take the principle or natural law of gravity, what goes up must come down. One of God’s important principles is seedtime and harvest – He said they both will remain as long as the earth remains. Seed sown produces something. Fruit. And fruit produces something. Seed. Fruit means from, or out of, a part of, because of, to cause to be, grow, or increase. Seed is what you sow, fruit is what you get. And a part of that fruit, is seed to sow again. Fruit is what you produce, fruit comes because of what you’ve sown. The only thing you produce is what you sow, apple seed produces apples which produce apple seeds – and can result in orchards! The seed isn’t just for the apple, or the tree, it’s for an orchard. God also gives a command, really a commission… Go and make disciples… teaching them to obey everything I commanded you. There’s fruit that comes in your life, by what you sow, and your life is the seed that makes disciples – other apples like you. If people are going to be like you, they will do what you do. So is what you are doing – producing what you want to produce? What habits do you have – that will produce the fruit you want to produce, that will make you into what God wants you to become? You are sowing some kind of seed, everyone is – every day, with every word, and every obedience. Bob Dylan got it right – ‘you gotta serve somebody’. You are bearing fruit – someone is watching you and imitating you – your children if no one else. So is the seed you are sowing producing what you want to produce? Is it sustainable, replicable in others to produce something God desires? Does what you do produce lasting fruit of the blessing of God? Or does the surface look shiny, but underneath, are cracks which lead to ruin? Is some of your seed, something that God cannot bless? Your seed brings your fruit which results in blessing or consumes it. What if people did what you are doing? Is it worth producing? does it bear fruit that will last? What are you doing right now in your life? Will it enable God to bless you, or does it lead to a different result. God said I have chosen you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. Are you sowing faith? That will please God. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. That’s where it all starts, that’s why PRISM is so important. Probably some of the best news you’ve heard... your fruit can change! You can change your fruit - just change your seed. First – it starts with what you consume. More Word of God, less word of man. If you consume more of His Word, you get more good seed, that will absolutely produce a harvest. What you sow into yourself, produces fruit in your own life, and the fruit produced in your life – the testimony that comes from your obedience, becomes seed for others, so they will be drawn to the fruit God brings in your life. When you go to the grocery store, you don’t just pick up the first apple or pear, or bunch of bananas or bag of oranges. You quickly look through the display and pick the best one, the best bunch, or the best bag. You don’t choose the others. Praying that in the display of your life, there are no bruised or rotten pieces. No parts of your life, not submitted to God, or fashioned by His Word and His will for you. That’s where simple obedience comes. Another reason why PRISM is so important – change your mind you change your heart, you change your words, your first seed, which changes your harvest. That’s why PiVAT before dinner is so important. Getting God’s plans for your day, focuses your attention on His will, not yours. Its obedience training, prophetic training (as He tells you things to come) and testimony training – that you overcome with. Your Daily Call shares it with others, so you overcome daily. It’s what produces the fruit in you, that God wants to produce in others. You’re making disciples - if you’re going to make disciples of Christ – disciples of love and obedience, of goodness and blessing, of those who receive eternal reward… His Word, and His plans must be the seed you sow, so your fruit is much, and it becomes fruit that will last. So you get more seed so sow, and your harvest is one-hundred-fold. Praying that PiVAT helps you obey today! Great joy is waiting. Praying that PRISM transforms your mind today – as a man thinketh in his heart so is he. You will produce what you are. Praying that your Daily Call today – helps you overcome, and challenges others to the seed and fruit which brings life. The fruit of the flesh brings death, the fruit of the Spirit brings life. Praying that you will pray in the Spirit, and obey in the Spirit so you walk in the Spirit – and produce His fruit, the fruit that your Father in Heaven wants to increase in you. Love you all, dad |
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