Love you all, praying for you.
Praise God - God working yesterday, open doors, His help, His grace, His faithfulness. I know that you are seeing these things too! Praise God! Praying that you will finish everything He told you to do this month... and seek Him for Next Month (PiVAT Monthly) He has plans for you for May - you can only walk in them if you ask Him. He will surely reveal - and they are Good... God reminded me this morning – How quick is your turnaround time? How quick is your obedience? When God reveals something, how long does it take you to do it, implement it the first time? Abraham wasted no time. Early in the morning, Abraham got up, saddled his donkey… took servants, and Isaac and left for Mt Moriah. There’s a pattern to obedience. 1) Revelation – God reveals something for you to do. 2) Initiation – How quickly do you do it the first time – Your Turnaround Time. 3) Replication – How soon do you repeat it – to get used to doing it – building a foundation. 4) Continuation – How long does it take until it’s your habit – continually – a permanent part of your character – added to your DNA – the revelation He showed you. Yesterday we talked about The Power Of Declaration. So how quickly do you activate that truth in your life? So you do what David did – that made him a man after God’s own heart. Three things even right now - can help you make that “Power Of Declaration” truth shared yesterday – a quick turnaround. The three things are – PRISM P:Praise the WORD, Psalms 71, and the PRISM Topic: As For Me) .1) PRISM – Praise The WORD -- start every day with Praise the Word. It’s Declaration Practice! It’s Praising God – AND committing yourself. Pick a Psalms Verse! .2) Psalms 71 - A Great Chapter for Declaration Practice. This is an opportunity for a Quick Turnaround if you choose to do it right now. Declaration and Praise go together. As you praise the Word through this chapter, you will notice David’s Pattern of Declaration: (Who God is, What He does, What you will do.) I’m praying that you will make this your pattern of declaration also. This will form your heart, love for His Word will grow in you, A heart to Praise and Declare will grow in you, A heart of obedience will grow in you as you become a man after God's own heart – a woman after His own heart. Psalms 71 is a perfect example of David’s Declarations Pattern: But if you use Praise the WORD along with this chapter - Praise the Word will use David’s praise as your own – but also, Praise the Word will translate David’s prayers – into active Declarations - simply by inserting (You O LORD…) before the requests. Here are the Declarations of Psalms 71: Just read them out loud, and you will be declaring Who God is, What God does, and what you will do… Who God is: You have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD (v5) You are my rock and my fortress (v3) (You O LORD) Are my Rock of Refuge – to which I can always go (v3) You are my strong refuge (v7) Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God (v19) You who have done great things, Who, O God is like you? (v19) What God does (You O LORD) never let me be put to shame! (You never have! You never will!) (v1) (You O LORD) rescue and deliver me in your Righteousness (v2) (You O LORD) turn your ear to me and save me (v2) (You O LORD) give the command to save me. (v3) (You O LORD) deliver me from the hand of the wicked (v4) You have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD (v5) You brought me forth from my mother’s womb (v6) (You O LORD) do not cast me away when I am old (v9) (You O LORD) do not forsake me when my strength is gone (v9) (You O LORD) are not far from me (v12) (You O LORD) come quickly to help me (v12) Since my youth, O God, you have taught me. (v17) (You O LORD) do not forsake me, even when I am old and gray (v18) You will restore my life again (v20) From the depths of the earth, you will again bring me up. (v20) You will increase my honor (v21) You will comfort me once again (v21) (You) have redeemed me! (v23) What You will do In you I have take refuge (v1) You have been my hope (v5) You have been my confidence since my youth (v5) From birth I have relied on you (v6) I will ever praise you (v6) My mouth is filled with your praise (v8) Declaring your Splendor all day long (v8) But as for me I will always have hope (v14) I will praise you more and more (v14) My mouth will tell of your righteousness (v15) My mouth will tell of your salvation all day long though I know not it’s measure (v15) I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD (v16) I will come and proclaim your righteousness – yours alone (v16) To this day I declare your marvelous deeds. (v17) (I will) declare your power to the next generation (v18) (I will) declare your might to all who are to come (v18) I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; (v22) I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. (v22) My lips will shout for joy – when I sing praise to you (v23) My mouth will tell of your righteous acts all day long (v24) The third thing that will help Your Turnaround Time on the “Power of Declaration” truth - Read out loud – the PRISM Topic - As For Me - This PRISM Topic is declaration practice! There is a power that is released when you put your words to something – when you declare it out loud, not only does it go into your heart – cementing your heart and resolve to obey – it is a declaration into the atmosphere! God’s Word never fails to produce something! Isaiah 55:11 So shall my Word be that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish that which I purpose, and will succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Praying for you that your Turnaround Time will always be quick – on anything that God reveals, and that this Declaration truth and habit of David – that made him a man after God’s own heart – will become your habit too – until God’s Word put into your heart – makes you also, a man after His own heart. Love you all, dad
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Love you all, praying for you.
Praise God. Daily Calls – God is growing us in obedience – and joy always comes with it. God reminding me recently - One of my favorite verses of all time. Acts 13:22 - I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, He will do everything I want him to do. This was an amazing revelation. What made David a man after God’s own heart? Was it his good looks? Was it his advanced skills, was it his work ethic? Was it his leadership? Was it his courage, was it his Worship, his harp playing, his song writing? He will do everything I want him to do. David was a world-class obeyer. He will do everything I want him to do. Most people don’t even think about that – they are busy trying to do what they want to do. Not asking God what He wants them to do. That’s why PiVAT before dinner – is absolutely vital in your life. It puts your heart and your mind – already pre-disposed to obey. What was David’s secret of obeying? How did he get that way? A man after God’s own heart. He gives the secret in Psalm 199:112 – I have inclined my heart to obey your decrees to the very end. Inclined – to lean toward, have a propension (a bent of mind, natural tendency) Pre-Disposed – set in order, arranged, beforehand. David set his heart to obey before he ever had to. He predisposed his heart to obedience. That’s How He became an obeyer. David filled his heart with God’s Word – which is how he inclined his heart! That’s Why PRISM is so important. It will give you a love for God’s Word. PRISM Out Loud – will fill your heart with faith. It will predispose your heart to obey. It will change you completely, your desires, your loves, your first reactions, your responses, your wisdom, your understanding, your knowledge of the best way to do things. When you love God’s Truth and His Wisdom, His promise and His instruction for blessing – and you incline your heart to obey – obeying becomes easier. It’s a given, already set in motion, you wouldn’t consider doing otherwise. So you always walk in blessing. God’s goodness has no restriction. His favor can rest on you. Just like David. So what was David’s secret - to incline his heart? David understood the power of declaration. He didn’t just read God’s Word – He declared it, and the things in it. Psalms reveals David’s pattern - to have a heart like David – so we can become a man after God’s own heart. Here was His pattern: David always declared three things. Who God Is, What God Does, and what he will do in response. Psalms is full of it! .1) David Declared Who God is (His Nature, His Character, His Power and His Authority). .2) David Declared What God Does (Past, Present, Future) What He did in the past – for others and for him - what He is doing right now – and what He will do in the future – everything that He has promised) .3) David always declared what he will do in response – always committing himself to obey all the days of his life – with His mouth. What He has done since his youth, what he is doing right now, and what he will do for the rest of his life. The power of declaration. It will fill your heart with faith, it will incline your heart to obey, and it will set the course of your life in every good thing God desires for you. Declare: To make known, to tell explicitly, to free from obscurity, to make plan, to show to the eye or the understanding, to publish, to proclaim, to assert or affirm, to decide in favor of. Proclaim: to declare with honor, to utter openly, to make public. David was always declaring who God is, What God does and did, and what David has always done and will do. It was how he inclined his heart to obey. And the LORD established him – by the word of his mouth! Who God is: My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, O LORD?” How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth. Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise. He is to be feared above all gods. The Mighty One, God, The LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. Proclaim the power of God whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. You are awesome O God, in your sanctuary. Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God is like you? What God Does: How great is your goodness that you have stored up for those who fear you. Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my heard. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their new wine and grain abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace for you O LORD, make me dwell in safety. What David will do in response: I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your Name is good. I desire to do your will O LORD, your law is in my heart. I am still confident of this, I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times. Your statutes are my delight, they are my counselors. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. For I delight in your commands because I love them. As for me I will always have hope, I will praise you more and more, my mouth will tell of your righteousness and your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will always obey your Word for ever and ever. This is the power of declaration. It fills your heart with faith, it inclines your heart to obey, it will establish you as a man or woman after God’s own heart - just like it established David. Praying for you. That you will learn the power of declaration. That you will always Praise and Declare like David did: Who God Is, What He Has Done – for others and you, and what you will do in response – all the days of your life. Praying that you will fill your heart with faith - that you will incline it to obey, that God can pour out his blessing on you – so that everything that He has purposed for you to do – you will do. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Praise God, Baptism today! Our God is a God who saves! God reminding me… a Life Changing Truth - this is important. Holy Spirit would you confirm your Word in the hearts of those who hear. In Jesus Name. Your mouth is a weapon – use it every day! Fill your heart with faith! That’s why God gave you a mouth. It fills your heart, it is the seed that gives birth. If you do not order it – it will disorder you. Here is a secret: The mouth and the heart are the chicken and the egg of life. The chicken makes an egg, and the egg makes a chicken. (OK, lets just get this over with before we go on… Which came first the chicken or the egg? In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:24 – And God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds… Genesis 1:25 - God made the wild animals... and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. So - now we know which came first. God created the chicken. “Let there be chickens” – not “Let there be eggs.” And now that that’s behind us – lets get back to the important) The chicken and the egg of your life - Your Words and Your Heart - they are inextricably tied. Matthew 12:34 – For out of the overflow of the heart – the mouth speaks. That means what’s in your heart – will come out. But we also know. Jeremiah 17:9 – The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? (NLT) So if what’s in the heart will come out... and we know that the heart doesn’t naturally tend toward right – how do we change that? Store Up His Commands in your heart! Matthew 12:35 – The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings forth evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. So how do you store up in your heart? Matthew 12:36 – But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every idle word they have spoken. The heart and the mouth – are connected just like the chicken and the egg. Idle Word – (careless, useless, words you say without thinking, words of no purpose) What’s in your heart is what you say! And you are proved evil or righteous by what you say! Deuteronomy 1:34 – When the LORD heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore, “No one from this evil generation will see the good land I swore to give your ancestors. That’s why the Israelites who left Egypt died in the wilderness. It wasn’t what they did – it was what they said that made them an evil generation Because what you say – goes into your heart – it forms your heart – it’s what you believe and therefore becomes what you do. That’s why God warns about idle words. Don’t fill your heart with false words, un-purposed words – He reveals why in the very next verse. Matthew 12:27 – For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. Psalm 14:1 – The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good. What was in the fool’s heart came out. But what came out was what was put in. 2 Chronicles 12:14 He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD. WOW! This is a vital truth. You can’t just hope your heart gets filled. You better order your mouth to fill it. This is a decision, a plan, taking action, and making it a habit! That’s why it is so important to understand the power of your words. Your mouth is a weapon – use it to fill your heart with faith! Use it to set your heart to obey the LORD. Your mouth is how you fill your heart! Deu 11:18 - Fix these words of mine into your heart and soul, tie them as a reminder on your hands, and let them be symbols on your forehead… You imprint them with your mouth! (Write them on the tablet of your heart – is done not with a pen, but with your mouth.) Proverbs 22:18 For it is pleasing if you keep them within your heart, and if they are constantly on your lips. David got this. He mastered it. It’s why he had a heart after God’s own heart. Psalms 19:14 - Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your site, O LORD my Rock and my Redeemer. So your mouth and your heart are tied together. What is in your heart comes out of your mouth, and what you say with your mouth gets put in your heart. You will give an account for every idle word (words that don’t fill your heart with faith), and your words will either condemn you or justify you. Not only will your words fill your heart – so faith comes out, Your mouth is how you overcome the enemy. Rev 12:11 - They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. When the devil attacked Jesus in the wilderness – Jesus response was the same every time. “It is written, It is written, It is written.” You fill your heart with faith, and you overcome with the WORD of GOD that your mouth has filled your heart with. Praying that you will activate your mouth as a weapon and that you will do it every day. That you will set it into action. That you will speak truth to your heart regularly! so God’s truth is what fills your heart, and overflows from you – to establish you in victory in this situation, and to bring life to those around you. Praying that you will do PRISM - out loud every day. P: Praise the Word. This is victory – using your mouth to fill your heart with God’s Word. It’s how faith grows! It’s how you go undefeated! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
God has Good for you today! Things He wants to show you, tell you, reveal to you, give you, things He wants to give to others through you. He wants to grow you today, so He can grow you further tomorrow. Praying that you will live each hour today at His direction - redeeming the time. God teaching me recently... I had seen this verse many times before - but God wanted me to go deeper so I could understand how that applied to you and me. Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, to search out a matter is the glory of kings. (NLT - It is God's privilege to conceal things, and the king's privilege to discover them.) There are things God has concealed - that He wants you to discover. Conceal - to hide by covering, to keep close or secret, to forbear to disclose, withhold from utterance or declaration, to hide from observation, to withhold from sight. Why does God do this. It is His glory. kabod <kaw-bode> weight, weightiness, heaviness, splendor, copiousness (abundance, splendor, great quantity, full supply). Glory is related to glorify (to make bigger in one's eyes). Concealing a matter adds to His weight, his reputation. But it is also the glory of kings to search it out. (a thing - a matter - something spoken of, the cause, counsel, advice - dabar <daw-bar> to arrange words, to speak, declare tell. What does God want us to search out? the things of His Word - for this life. His counsel, His wisdom and secret things He has declared. To search out. chaqar <khaw-kar> to penetrate, hence to examine intimately from the inside. to find out, make search, investigate thoroughly, sound (find the depths of). To investigate from the inside - like the Swat Robot used by the Military to penetrate a building to provide an inside look, video surveillance from the inside - to fully determine how to proceed in the conquering of it. So God has hidden things, to add to His glory and establish and grow His reputation, that He wants us to fully investigate from the inside. It is the glory of kings to do this. But I'm not a king... Actually, you are. This is the word used for king: melek <meh-lek> It means more than just a king of old. It means anyone who reigns, or rules, or leads, or has jurisdiction over some area - and particularly it refers to one - beginning their leadership, the establishing of them in this leadership role, and the recognition by others - that is required to establish them in their position. Wow! It establishes you in authority. It comes from malek - to reign - inceptively to ascend the throne. (not one that's been there a long time, but just getting established in the role) 1828 Inceptive: from incipio - to begin - the beginning point. (like a dot is the beginning point of a line, or a line is the beginning point of a surface). Also to induct - from Latin Induco - which means "in - lead" or to begin or introduce as to a benefice or an office. To put in actual possession of an ecclesiastical living or any other office, with the customary form and ceremonies! Like being inducted into the Hall of Fame! You're not in the Hall of Fame, until the induction ceremony. You give your Hall of Fame Speech, like Jerry Rice, and from that moment on, you're a Hall of Famer for life! It's like the beginning of your 'reign' from this point on with all the privileges and benefits that accompany it. So what God is trying to tell us? SEARCH IT OUT. Find my WORD, my counsel! Dig Deeper - Fully investigate my counsel from the inside - because it will establish you in the beginning of your reign - over the leadership and jurisdiction that I have appointed you for! Wow. This is the beginning of the victory and authority that God wants you to operate in - in your life - and this is what establishes you in it. It is the honor and glory of kings to search it out. It is the beginning, the establishing, and the making obvious to all around you - Yep - from now on... Hall of Famer! (the leadership role - the victorious authority - that God has called you to walk in!) Praying for you - that You Would Never Miss PRISM - on any day! That is the first step of Searching Out - fully investigating from the inside - things HE has hidden for HIS GLORY - that He want you to search out - to begin, and to establish you - in all that He has for you. And it is SO GOOOOD. God, would you give them a love for Your Word and Your wisdom, a thirst for Your Presence, and Praise, and a hunger and habit of Obedience. That like Jesus, they would do everything that you want them to say and do. That You O God - will be GLORIFIED, and that they would be fully established - In Jesus Name. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Daily Calls so powerful! Walk with the wise, you grow wise, walk with overcomers, you overcome. Please pray for Luke Gibson and Bridge City Church – that God would build a culture of obeyers, overcomers. Pray for Carl & Darlene and Kelsey – visiting KC, Haleigh and Praise this week in Georgia - that God would bring great encouragement to them as they give their lives in ministry. God revealing... Last night in Nashville – a couple hundred thousand gathered to see a spectacle. The 2019 NFL draft. And guess who got drafted Number #1. Zaccheaus. Kyler Murray – Barely 5’10” with an updraft, in a culture of 6’5” prototype quarterbacks – 207 lbs? Maybe with rocks in his pocket. The Zacchaeus draft of 2019. Years ago – there was another draft. But it was a once in a lifetime draft. A greater spectacle passed through a city called Jericho. The Healer – the Miracle Worker – the Dead-Raiser – was passing through the city. And crowds gathered! One guy was on the outside looking in. He was vertically challenged, un-respected, and hated, not only did he not make the NFL Combine – he wasn’t on the radar. He was too short, no talent, and even worse he had no character. Can you imagine any team drafting that? His mistakes haunted him – on video. Irredeemable. Never gonna be drafted… The only thing going for him. He had heard about this Jesus and wanted to see Him. Since no one would even let him in, and He couldn’t see over anyone. He decided to run ahead (of where Jesus was going – and climb up a tree) (Jon on our Daily Call – noticed this ‘childlike’ action) Luke 19:5-6 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down, I need to stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. Immediately all the Philly fans started booing. They couldn’t believe that Jesus wasted the first draft pick on this loser! (Luke 19:7 - All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’ – they just couldn’t see it.) The guy that no-one wanted - Jesus took as the #1 Pick? So what made Zacchaeus - Jesus #1 Draft Pick? (wasn’t size, or arm strength, or athleticism, or win-record, or character – so what was it?) First, He wanted to See Jesus! He pursued Him. Second, He was willing to embarrass himself – His desire for Jesus surpassed his fear of what others might think of Him. Third, He put himself in position to see – He made sure he got a clear view – of Jesus. He knew where Jesus was coming from, and he got himself there – where Jesus was. But the reason Jesus chose him… He had a heart of repentance - a willingness to turn. That was the number one criteria. A man who when He heard the Word of Jesus - was not only an immediate obeyer – He was a radical obeyer. Luke 19:8 – But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord. . “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” You see this man – deficient in outward appearance, and even past performance – was a perfect fit for the culture of the team Jesus was building – an obedience culture – He drafts obeyers - because that’s what He was - to His Heavenly Father – and strangely enough - in a very short time – He too would climb a tree – on a place called Calvary) Zacchaeus stood up and said. He committed with His mouth – and he didn’t care who else heard it. He repented, and He turned. His life was forever changed from that day. What started as just wanting to see Jesus – ended up in Jesus coming into His home – and taking over! Like any other NFL Draft pick – from that day forward – His life was forever changed. Just like today – Jesus stands at the door and knocks. He wants to take over your whole life – with the Good that He has for you! As soon as this came out of Zacchaeus mouth - Jesus said to Him - “Today – the Super Bowl Championship has come to this house.” That’s the Superbowl l’m after! Luke 19:9 – Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house… v10 – For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” Praying for you – that you would have a heart of repentance and obedience – like Zacchaeus. That you would not waste ANY time worrying or regretting your past – but fully commit to TURN and OBEY from this day forward. And let God do the redeeming work of your life - bringing Championships to your house! Praying for you - that you would be willing to climb a tree, that what people think would mean nothing to you because what Jesus thinks means everything to you. That PiVAT and PRISM would always position you to see, hear and seek - Jesus. That you would obey immediately, radically – and that your journey of obedience to Christ would be just like His journey of obedience to His Father. That a championship culture and a championship mentality (a Salvation culture, and a Salvation mentality) would take over your heart and your house. To fully obey in the Joy of the LORD. Praying also that God would use you to draft others. That your Daily Calls would grow the heart of obeyers. In Jesus Name. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Have you ever tried to stop doing something? Really hard. Whatever you do, don't say "What." - What? - see what I mean? (oops - did it again). Trying not to do something - is almost a futile task. Perhaps because that which you are trying so hard not to do... becomes the preoccupation of your mind, rather than that which you should do. Someone once said, "The best weed prevention is thick grass." God knows this. Galatians 5:16 - So I say then, walk by the Spirit and you won't carry out the desires of the sinful nature. God is telling us - don't focus on what you shouldn't do - just walk in the Spirit - and you will be doing what I have for you! That's why PiVAT before dinner is so important. It fully engages your mind on obeying what He is telling you to do. (There just isn't time for the other stuff, anymore - and you don't even think about those other things because you're busy walking in the joy of obedience!) God often points out in my PRISM time - things that I really need to work on... (Oops - No, things I need to replace - with something else). God reminded me of something recently. Proverbs 18:2 - A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinions. What delights you? What do you find pleasure in? talking or listening? If you like talking more than listening and understanding - you are a fool. (at best - you are 'like a fool.') Learn to find pleasure in understanding and you'll become a better listener, you will become - the wise. The first step to take pleasure in understanding - more than talking - is to seek understanding from the source. Proverbs 2:6 - For the LORD gives wisdom and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding... So... if His mouth is speaking - then knowledge and understanding are coming forth - and my mouth is still. The pleasure of understanding is an acquired taste, an acquired skill - especially if your pleasure has been listening... Be faithful first in PRISM (no matter what you feel, discipline yourself to seek Him (Ask the Holy Spirit to help you - He will). As you grow more in His Word, understanding will come, and over time, your pleasure in it will grow. Then when understanding becomes a habit, and a pleasure, and you're used to talking less and listening more - then it can translate to listening to others - as you choose to take pleasure it it also. God teaches us through others. Love starts with listening. Those you love, you listen to - you want to hear their heart. It's hard when you think you know better, or especially if what they are saying seems critical of you, your words or actions) But God says - the wise take pleasure in listening and understanding - more than they take pleasure in talking. So how do I shift pleasures from talking to listening and understanding? .1) Be absolutely faithful in PRISM every day - first get His understanding. .2) Schedule times to listen (when all you will do is seek to understand - not talk). Ask God who He wants you to listen to next - so you begin to focus on taking pleasure in understanding. .3) Commit yourself - Out Loud. Declare your commitment to listen and seek to understand - more than talk. .4) Ask the Holy Spirit to tell you when not to speak, when to speak, and what to say - and only say that. Always speak testimony, never harmful words, and never your own opinions. Only what He tells you to say. Learn to leave things unsaid. Praying for you - that God would help you value understanding - more than talking. That God would teach you how to invest time in it, and that you would declare your commitment to obeying the LORD in this. That your pleasure in understanding would grow so everyone you come in contact with - would feel the love of Jesus. Please pray this for me too... Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Praise God! What a blessing Family Dinners are. 40-50 who can experience His presence and grow with people who love God and love them. Thank you, each of you, for intentionally engaging those that come, and those that visit. (I see what you are doing.) You are Jesus’ hands and feet. This burden on me is so heavy – for all those who come to our home. Please pray for a PiVAT Small Group. And a Revive-Net. So no one is lost or forgotten, and that everyone whom God loves so very much – begins a Daily Call that they will overcome with! With a group of others also growing. God loves them! He wants each of them to walk in victory and leave their past behind. Daily! – It’s so very important! God showed me something. Proverbs 22:3 - A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it. The greatest danger is not affront, but apathy. Not what could attack you, but what could lead you astray, get you off track. A prudent man sees danger that the simple don’t see. It didn’t say that the simple saw danger and decided to keep going. It said they kept going – unaware as much as unwise. Misplaced refuge is a danger as much as a coming storm. The only way the prudent see, is if they are looking , listening, and seeking. Prudent – foreseeing by instinct, frugal, economical, wise, intelligent, discerning. You cannot get prudent. You have to be made prudent. Two call out to the simple. Wisdom and Folly. “Come in here – stolen water is sweet.” That’s Folly – she’s lying – the dead are there. The other, the Spirit of Wisdom says, “You who are simple – gain prudence (Proverbs 8:5) Leave your simple ways and you will live. (Proverbs 9:6) So how are you made prudent? Proverbs 19:7 – The law of the LORD is perfect converting the soul, the statutes of the LORD are trustworthy making wise the simple. The prudent see danger that the simple do not see… because they are looking, listening, and seeking. PiVAT and PRISM and a Daily Call! This is how you continually look, listen, and see! It’s how you take refuge in Him. And discernment becomes easy. The prudent see and take refuge – because the prudent take refuge which is why they see. Praying that you will take refuge so you will see… so that when you see you can take refuge. Praying that you will never miss PiVAT before dinner, PRISM throughout the day, and your Daily Call before work. If you did… just stop right now and do it! – Ask God for His PiVAT for you for the rest of the day. (How will you every walk in all the plans He has for you? And they are so Good! Take 3 minutes right now! And P: Praise the Word. It’s a start! And you can come back to PRISM throughout the day. God has something that He wants to tell you! that you need today, or will need tomorrow! If you missed your Daily Call, call them! And just pray for them and reset the time for tomorrow’s Daily Call. (Or Call Me! And we can sharpen each other. Don’t let the devil steal your overcoming testimony!) This is how the simple are made prudent… How you go from foolish and gullible – to established in God’s wisdom – which God says you need above all else. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
God’s timing is perfect. His plans for you today are perfectly timed. If you will listen - He will confirm what He told you to do and when. So that what He has for you next, can be fully deployed. Praying that you will seek Him for His will and His timing all day today. God showing me… Psalm 71:1 In you O LORD I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. Everyone takes refuge in something. When life gets hard, and it always does… Refuge: Shelter or protection from danger or stress. Refuge: what you escape with, what you go back to, what you trust to pull you through. Some people take refuge in work ethic. They double down – work harder 14, 15, 16 hour days. Some people take refuge in exercise, workouts – a more socially acceptable high… Some people take refuge in the self-help religion – the latest book on success. Some people take refuge in movies, books, video games – their escape into another world. Some people take refuge in drugs, alcohol, weed, porn, tinder, affairs, or promiscuity - as if those could ever satisfy... Some people take refuge in music – which represents the passions and desires of human nature. Some people take refuge in golf, running, rec leagues – the weekend warriors. Some people take refuge in activism (political, animal, environmental) convinced this will make the world a better place. “In you, O LORD I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.” David reveals a truth in this verse. Every refuge other than the LORD will either inherently bring shame, or has risk of shame. (Misdirected – it will bring shame.) Any refuge that God forbids, or any refuge that doesn’t produce growth toward God’s person or His presence will ultimately end with shame. But if God is your refuge – what you escape with, what you always go back to, what you trust to get you through, He will never shame you, He will only elevate you. Innocuous activities can certainly be used by God if directed by His purpose. But if they become a refuge, the opportunity cost becomes too great. Activities which steward mind and body are purposeful in their God-directed time and dosage. Undirected by Him, they can become a refuge which cannot satisfy. So, how do you take refuge in God? How do you make Him your refuge above anything else? Get to His Presence (Worship and Praise, Word, Pray In The Spirit). How often do you go there during the day? What consumes your down tie, your discretionary hours? That will tell you… your refuge. I had a boss once, who in the middle of the day, would go into the restroom, close herself in a stall and seek His presence, His comfort, His answers. Before an important meeting or presentation she would take refuge in Him. All refuge ends in glory or shame – first to God, then to you. Praying that you will run to Him. Right now and throughout the day – taking refuge in Him. In His Presence, PRISM, and Praise, declaring His ability and your obedience; trusting Him first – and most. Praying for you that those activities which can be useful, will be done not as a refuge, but at His direction, in His timing and duration alone. Praying that God will lead you in a refuge check. That what could be good would never replace time with Him that always produces good and leads you in His Good for you. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Happy Easter Week! I always thought of Easter Week as last week. But that was Palm Sunday Week, Passion Week. He rose from the grave on the first day of the week. That makes this week Easter Week. Resurrection Week. Nothing will ever be the same again! His death and resurrection changed everything. This week should be totally different! And every week from now on should be changed forever! We often don’t realize what He just did! And that means from now on… He not only saved us from… He saves us to… So quick before and after: Before: we were dead in our sin, slaves to it, doomed to eternity apart from God – a place of outer darkness. No way out. After: We are now saved FROM hell. (Eternal separation from God). AND we are saved from sin controlling us. What we used to do and be – we are now set free! But we were also saved TO: eternity with God in Heaven. Where there is no sin, no darkness, no sorrow or tears, where trees bear fruit every month, and the streets are paved with gold! (Think about that – what men give their lives to acquire down here, up there… it’s like gravel, it’s pavement.) And we are also saved TO: Victory over sin! - to walk in the Spirit, overcoming every day what we used to be bound by! (the desires of the flesh, our old nature, which only give pleasure for a moment, but in the end are bitter destruction and separation.) Praise God! We are now saved TO life and life more abundantly, to knowing and walking in His purpose for us – which will yield true satisfaction and great fruit in this earthly life – and ridiculous rewards for all of eternity. This Easter Week is the first week of resurrection. It’s what Jesus did! And it’s the life He wants us to live. Praying that you will surrender your day and your week to His plan. That PiVAT and PRISM will help you walk in this resurrected life that Jesus bought for you – with His blood. That in your Daily Call – you will overcome by the testimony of His Resurrection – and the Resurrected life you now live in Him. That every week from this week forward would be undeniable evidence of what He did on the cross - and that resurrection that sets you free! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you!
What’s everybody talking about this morning? You’ve been in the office after a last second shot the night before won a championship. And you could sense the buzz around the office. Are you kidding me? What could compare with what happened this morning? The greatest power shift ever. The impossible just happened! Imagine a state penitentiary completely emptied – with every single inmate pardoned and released in one morning! Now imagine 8 billion people in prison – and every last one – set free. Imagine death having no more power, the grave losing all its fear, and sin having no control anymore. It just happened! What we were powerless to do – pay for ourselves. Jesus just did! Our sin disqualified us forever from a Holy God. We were guilty, convicted, condemned. His pardon set us free! His death replaces ours. He descended to the lower regions of the earth and took captivity captive. The greatest power shift in human history. We are no longer slaves to sin, we no longer fear death and the grave, hell and the lake of fire. Whoever believes in the Name of the LORD, Jesus Christ will be saved! Not only eternity in heaven, and saved from hell... Sin no longer has control over us! We are free! All praise and honor to the Lamb of God who was slain – who has taken away the sin of the world. Jesus is risen! All praise to God. Jesus is risen! Love you all, dad |
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