Love you all, praying for you!
Praise God – Do you remember the last time God revealed something to you that altered your pattern of life? A change in the order He wanted you to do things? Are you still doing it? Consistency is one day at a time. If you’ve fallen off - of something He said - or missed a few days or weeks. Just start back today. You can’t change yesterday, but today you can still fully obey. Have you reviewed the habits God has told you to establish in your life? Are you doing them? Are you doing them at the right time? The time He told you? Ask Him, confirm with Him, the time He wants for every regular activity He has assigned you - and just do it today. Habits form character. Perhaps nothing is more powerful than consistency. Proverbs 21:5 – Steady Plodding brings prosperity. PiVAT before dinner – will help you greatly. It will keep you on track – it’s a blessing! Praying for you! that you will do today and every single day, the habits that He has established for you – for your Good! To prosper you! God showed me something recently. Proverbs 19:11 – A man’s wisdom gives him patience, it is to his glory to overlook an offense. God gives wisdom, and wisdom gives. Wisdom is part of God – the Spirit of Wisdom – which was with God when He laid the foundations of the earth. Wow – what if you had what wisdom gives? Not just the golden egg, you’d have the golden goose. Eggs – keep coming. Wisdom gives. Wisdom gives patience, protection, enduring wealth. The wise man has patience, he’s not seeking it. Do you need patience? You can ask for it, but it’s a fruit of the Spirit. Just like getting wisdom gets you a lot more, so does walking in the Spirit – that gets you everything God has for you. It elevates you above what the flesh has to offer. You walk in what the Holy Spirit has to offer – everything you need from God for you! Walk in the Spirit - you’ll walk in wisdom. Do you need patience? Get wisdom, and wisdom will give it to you. PRISM – Insight from the Word – Today’s Proverbs Chapter – Wisdom - It’s the thing that brings the thing. If you are lacking patience, you’re really lacking wisdom. What is patience? The suffering of afflictions with a calm and unruffled temper. A calm temper which bears evils or delays without murmuring or discontent. The King James says a man’s discretion “defereth his anger.” One not easily angered or frustrated whether facing delay or offense – patient. How do you know if you have patience? Just because you have waited for something for a long time – doesn’t mean you have patience. It’s not how long you wait – but how you wait – that reveals patience. Some people have waited for years, and have fretted, whined and complained the entire time. But here’s the direct indication as to whether patience (and therefore wisdom) has taken up residence in you. How do you respond to offense? Do you obsess over it or do you overlook it? That’s the Patience Test – the patience indicator. When someone does something that justifiably could upset you. Do you let it? Or do you overlook it? The wise – overlook offenses. Those lacking wisdom – are upset by them. What’s an offense? Something someone does or doesn’t do - that offends you. That you could even justifiably be upset about. An omission, inconsideration or a wrong done against you. God says a mans wisdom gives him patience, it is to his glory to overlook an offense. It is to his glory. The word glorify means “ to make bigger” so if we are to Glorify God – that means we are to make him bigger in the eyes of others – by our words and our actions. Your Testimony does this every time! One reason to get good at your Testimony and your Daily Call will help! - not only do you overcome by your testimony, it encourages others – and it glorifies God – it makes Him look bigger in their eyes – and yours! So if glorify is to make bigger – glory is to get made bigger - To be made to increase. So if you glorify him, He gets the glory. God’s definition of words clarifies things for us – because his thoughts are so different from ours. We think its to our glory – to defend ourselves. “I don’t take nothin' from nobody!” Why do people think that way? Because they think it is to their glory to defend themselves. When God says – it’s to your glory to overlook an offense. Doing so actually makes you bigger. Not just ‘makes you the bigger man’ – no really it adds to you – it increases you. Not to mention – someone else coming to your defense is far more powerful than you defending yourself. God’s wisdom for defending yourself is similar to his wisdom on praising yourself – (Where we talk trash – to bring glory to ourselves – God says different. Proverbs 27:2 – Let another praise you and not your own mouth, someone else and not your own lips. Why? Because praising yourself like defending yourself – doesn’t glorify you – as much as someone else doing it! As much as God doing it. Eventually defending or praising yourself brings disrespect, not increase. “Oh… He’s good! Just ask him.” What we think will bring us glory – or increase us or our reputation – often does not – it does the opposite. God’s wisdom is opposite of our natural reaction. Don’t talk trash, or boast about yourself - let someone else do it – you’ll look better. Don’t defend yourself – overlook an offense – God says that will be your glory! So how do you overlook an offense when it comes – and it will – its just a matter of time. Humility – that’s how. Humility is how you see things. How you see yourself and how you see others. If you are humble you will not take offense at an offense – you will overlook it and cover it over. Humility helps you recognize, 1) They may not have meant it that way – Humility always thinks the best of others 2) They really did mean it – but I’ve done that before myself. 3) God promises that undeserved curses will never come to rest on the righteous 4) God will defend us far better than we ever could – He will bring others to our defense and finally – 5) if nothing else – God forgave me for far worse than that. And if I ever need him to forgive me again someday, I need to forgive others. When you have humility and the fear of the LORD – that begins wisdom in you, which gives you patience, and you overlook offense, you seek peace. You forgive and forbear, because – God has also forgiven you. It actually brings you glory! It increases you! And it glorifies God. It’s your love for God, for his love for you, that lets you see them for who they are – sometimes just selfish or hurting people, or trapped, being used by the enemy, but loved by God despite their rudeness or hatefulness. Just like He loved you. Praying for you, that you will humble yourself and fear God, that it will begin wisdom in you which gives you patience that any time someone is less than good to you, the forgiveness and kindness of God would shine from your life. You will be a peace maker, seeking peace, not division. God said blessed are the peace-makers for they will inherit the earth – not the offended, the hot-tempered, those who don’t take crap from anybody – He said He will give the earth to those who seek peace. James 1:4 Let patience have it’s perfect work that you may be complete – lacking nothing. That means overlooking offense is proving that patience is finishing it’s work in you. So you will lack nothing in your life – God’s fullness, nothing missing, nothing broken, every Good thing that He has for you. His love for you is more than you think! You can trust Him. Love you all, dad
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Love you all, praying for you!
Praise God, through PiVAT last night and PRISM this morning - God gave revelation to me so specifically! He gives us exactly what we need! Specific wisdom for what we are struggling with or more honestly – failing at… the exact answer we need... that we can implement immediately! Praise God – He just does stuff like that – constantly. I’m so thankful! We recently shared the Daily Huddle – He Already Knew! About the test that becomes the testimony. God showed me something recently. It happened just after Jesus fed 5000 men and their families - with the little boy’s lunch box. John 6:12 – When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” These people saw, and so they started to say. They had to see in order to say. Then, that very evening, while all those people were across the lake from Capernaum – where Jesus had fed them their picnic lunch – they saw the disciples all get into the boat. But Jesus didn’t go with them. That was the very night Jesus - while His disciples were straining with the oars against the wind and waves – came to them walking on the water. He got into the boat and they immediately reached the other side. Wow. We can row with all our might, or we can let Jesus be the captain of the boat. The next day, boats from Tiberias came. John 6:24 – Once the (“lunch eating – have to see before they say”) crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into those boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. Verse 25 – when they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Rather than even bringing up the fact that He walked on the water in the middle of the storm… Verse 26, Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw the miraculous signs, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval. Then they asked him, “What must we do – to do the works God requires? Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." In other words - Jesus was telling them - "not see first, then say - believe means - you Say First, then see." Verse 30 – So they asked him, ‘What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Are you kidding me! These "gotta see first before they say people," who just saw Jesus feed 20,000 with a little boy's lunch box – who just came across the lake in a boat, when Jesus never took a boat, these people are now asking him for another miracle? (another free lunch - so they can really believe Him this time) “What will you do so we will believe you?” Are you kidding me? If you have to SEE before you SAY – you will never see enough. You will always have to see more – you will never say – and therefore never believe. Jesus told them the truth - they were now asking for another free meal – manna from heaven! When Jesus had just told them stop seeking God just to get a free lunch – wanting God just for what He can give you. Another time there was another lady, completely opposite from these people. Matthew 9:20 – Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” This is say first before you see, not having to see first before you say and believe! Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. This lady was not a see first and then I’ll say – person. She was a Say First person. She said to herself – words which activated her faith. And she saw the miracle she had been longing for. The other people – wanting another free lunch - didn’t see any more miracles. Those who have to see before they say – will never believe and never receive what God has for them. But those who say before they see, their faith will become belief, they are the ones who will See Jesus first, who He is – and then He will surely show them what He can do. Praying for you that you will never be the ones who have to see before they say. That you would always SAY FIRST - no matter what you see or if you ever see. That your words would build your faith, that you wouldn’t see the storm, the lack or the need, but that you would speak the person, the power and the promise of God. A couple things could be helpful - PRISM Topic - How To Put Your Hope In God, or PRISM Topic - As For Me - might be a good start! Praying that you would always SAY FIRST – so your faith will arise - so that you will believe. Then God will move - and you will SEE every Good Thing that He has stored up for you! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you!
God reminded me of something recently. Instruction is Iterative. Proverbs 13:1 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke. Wow. If I do not listen, if I do not respond, if I do not make a change, change course, do something different than before, if I don’t do what He just told me - I am a mocker. It’s not just making faces or being disrespectful that makes you a mocker, your response and response time reveals you as a mocker. The Holy Spirit told me, "Are you making a change? Or is your Father instructing you for nothing?" Wow. Instruction is more than warning, that’s admonishment. Instruction is a pattern to follow, steps to take. He warns about danger, or misbehavior, but He instructs you in the way you should go – steps to take before further instruction is given. Instruction isn’t a sentence, it’s iterative. Instruction comes in phases – after each step is completed. Instruction is dependent on participation. He won’t explain how to put the car back together until you have first followed His instruction on how to take it apart. Wisdom is directly tied to obedience. You cannot have wisdom without obedience, because wisdom comes in levels. That’s why the wise always add to their learning. They obeyed the 1st wisdom, that's why they are at this level. The wise are not those who hear the most, the wise are those who apply the most, and the quickest. It’s in the applying that you are positioned for the next hearing. He could share wisdom about what you should do at second base – while you are in the batter’s box, or the on-deck circle but it makes more sense, when you are on second, facing home plate, seeing the umpire and the crowd behind him… Get a good lead, we want to score on any hit out of the infield! Always know where the 2nd basemen is and especially the shortstop behind you, if they start to circle back – you’re gonna get picked off! Look at the 3rd Base coach – he’ll help you, and signal if we’re gonna hit and run, but focus on the pitcher – he can’t balk, but if his back foot moves, he’s coming for you. And don’t sleep on the catcher – he’s got a rifle for an arm. All good instruction, but far more understandable from second base, than from the batter’s box, or the on-deck circle. First get to second base – then that instruction makes more sense. Your obedience that got you to second base has now changed your perspective and perception of the instruction you are receiving. The view is different from here! So is the understanding. Wisdom is iterative, obedience adds perspective, Instruction looks different from 2nd base than it does from the batter’s box. Obedience always clarifies instruction – it releases the next wave of it! Like a treasure map, you have to get to the next location – to get the next instruction. It will make a lot more sense from there. Praying for you, that you will never get lulled to sleep. That you would always listen for your Heavenly Father’s next instruction. Even throughout the day. That PiVAT before dinner, and PRISM and your Daily Call will always have you hearing and obeying. Be careful- don’t just write down your own stuff on PiVAT, and tell yourself it was God. If He tells you a time – obey at that time. You either heard him right or not, but obey the best you know, and you will get better and better at the hearing part. Don’t believe the devil’s lie, obedience is not religion, there is incredible joy in obedience. The perspective from 2nd Base prepares you for the Holy Spirit’s next set of instructions. As joyful as it is - hitting a double, or stealing second at God’s direction - there is greater joy coming! One crack of the bat, and you’ll be rounding 3rd for home. Obedience is the greatest joy you’ll experience, other than His presence – and even His presence – obedience got you there. It positions you for the Good your Heavenly Father is so excited to lead you in. Jesus told the truth, my yoke is easy and my burden is light. No greater joy than surrendering your plans to him (PiVAT) and the way you think to Him (PRISM) and overcoming by the testimony that obedience always brings. Praying that your Daily Call is a deep and growing encouragement for you. God said very clearly – Hebrews 3:13 - Exhort one another daily! It's for our benefit! Praying that your obedience in this specific thing - will bring great victory in your life and the lives of others. Can’t wait to see what God will do! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you!
Have you ever had anybody throw a pillow at you? Often it comes suddenly. How quickly do you react? What’s your reaction time? Do you catch it before it hits you in the face? Or at least duck? Reaction and Response are slightly different. Reaction – in physics, counteraction; the resistance made by a body to the action or impulse of another body which endeavors to change it’s state, either of motion or rest. A reverse movement or tendency. That’s reaction – but response is a little different. Response is an answer or reply, or to satisfy by payment - to make a return by some action as if in answer. What if it’s not a pillow fight? What if its more of an invitation – an opportunity or a command? What if God tells you to do something? What’s your response time? How quickly do you obey? God revealed something to me yesterday. And Praise God, I did it immediately. (If you haven’t yet – view or listen to yesterday’s Daily Huddle – Three-Peat Wisdom). It’s important! Praise God by His Grace I did it, first thing, multiple times. When it comes to obedience – how quickly you respond is important. In fact the quicker you respond – the more likely you are to take action. Transversely – the longer you wait, the greater chance you won’t do it at all. Now when it comes to obedience to God – don’t just jump into something that’s not really Him speaking. Just cause you get a thought – doesn’t mean it’s God. But if it is clearly Him speaking to you, don’t delay obedience. Improve your chances! Obey immediately! Someone once said, “Delayed obedience is disobedience.” How true. But one other truth is worth considering. Delayed obedience steals distance from your journey. My two daughters were returning from Atlanta to Cincinnati recently – and I jokingly had my wife send them a text as they were leaving… “Just remember, North good, South bad.” A short time later, I asked my wife, why she was laughing? She said they went south by mistake even after you warned them.” Fortunately they caught it quickly and it only cost them one exit on the expressway. But If you go south instead of north – you won’t get as far, or it will take you longer. But when it comes to life, you won’t get as far – cause you don’t get longer. It’s a set time – your days are numbered. How far you get in God’s Good for you – His purpose for your life – depends on your obedience. PiVAT before dinner - will help you obey – so you get the full journey He has for you. PRISM transforms your mind, it confirms the direction God gave you, it helps you understand it, and enables you to do it more successfully. And your Daily Call - ensures you overcome the enemy by the word of your testimony, and continue in that journey! Delayed obedience steals distance from your journey. So be sure to obey today, don’t waste time with anything else. And whatever you do, don’t think about the past! That’s heading south. “If only I had obeyed more when I was younger, if only I didn’t commit those sins, or if only I did what God told me to do back then, my life would be so much different today. Probably true, but unproductive of thought – that’s heading south on a trip north. A quick realization may be helpful so you don’t do it again… but past that - it’s unfruitful. God forgave your sins, when you received Christ as your Savior, and has forgiven any sin since then that you have confessed and forsaken. Either He lied, or He didn’t. And since He is not man that He should lie – it’s now on you. You either believe His Word or not. If you spend time regretting what He already forgave, going south instead of north, you won’t get as far! That will delay you as much as sinning again today. Don’t look back - Just obey today! PiVAT, PRISM, and your Daily Call will keep you moving forward! So just quick from yesterday, Praise God by His Grace – when He revealed Three-Peat Wisdom yesterday, I did multiple verses in a row in Proverbs. Praise It, Pray It, Declare it! I obeyed immediately – and God gave me additional revelation. You can Three-Peat Psalms too! Not just Three-Peat Wisdom in Proverbs - You can Three-Peat any Scripture! Praise it, (whatever truth or wisdom it contains – it comes from God, the perfect example of it – is Jesus- and you can praise God for it). Pray It – Ask God to help you do this - what His Word says! For His commands, His truth and His righteousness – to become your DNA! Then Declare It. Speak Out Loud – the specific thing you will do – to implement this truth in your life - like David did! Here's what will happen: when you start with Praise It, when you Praise the Word (Just like you do in PRISM every day) He, the Holy Spirit takes over – so it started out as you praising, but it becomes The Holy Spirit praising the Word. This is true because God promises He inhabits the praises of His people. In Praise the Word – once the Holy Spirit takes over your praise – it instantly goes to another level altogether! But then, when you move from PRAISE IT, to PRAY IT, the Holy Spirit continues from Praise the Word – right into the Prayer for you – to apply that Word – and you pray what the Holy Spirit leads you to pray – to apply that in your life. And then, the Holy Spirit keeps going - right into the DECLARE IT. The Holy Spirit reveals the specific step for you to take - to do it – the first action to take, the habit to start or continue so you can do this thing that God’s Word is saying, that He, the Holy Spirit just praised through you, and just asked the Father for you – through your mouth. It increases your revelation – it’s instant Holy-Spirit led S.O.A.P. It’s instant observation and application! Praying for you that anything God ever reveals to you, you would obey immediately and do it multiple times as soon as you possibly can. That trains your heart to obey – it's a heart like Jesus, and a heart like David – after God’s own heart. Praying that you will never waste a moment of time going south – when He is leading you north – not by thoughts or by actions. And praying that you will try this Three-Peat of God’s Word. Praise It, Pray It, Declare It – and see what the Holy Spirit will speak into your life and into your actions. So from this day forward, every good thing God has planned for you and stored up for you – you will be with Him on that journey for the full distance! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you!
God showed me something. Wisdom talks. I love that God’s revelation is always so practical. Something we can do. He doesn’t waste words. He doesn’t waste time. He doesn’t just give information – He gives activation! It’s not just something to hear, it’s something that will change you, grow you, prepare you for your purpose, mature you, increase you… He doesn’t give trivia, He gives transformation. Proverbs 14:3 - A fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them. Do you ever ask God for protection? Do you do what He says that brings you protection? The lips of the wise protect them. Wisdom talks. Wisdom speaks, the wise speak, wisdom is activated with your mouth! The wise are always talking to themselves - talking wisdom to themselves – God’s wisdom – true wisdom, not the false wisdom of the world – the things that seem right, but are not… they’re off… The wise are always talking wisdom. The foolish talk smack, arrogance, selfishness, and before they say it to others, they have been saying it to themselves. The wise speak wisdom to themselves, they speak wisdom over themselves. They are always speaking the character and nature and authority and power and wisdom of God. They fill their hearts with wisdom perpetually with their mouth. Wisdom protects you – not just from other people, wisdom protects you from yourself, the stupid things you could easily talk yourself into doing. Wisdom protects you, wisdom is made active by your mouth. Humility and the Fear of the LORD begin wisdom. Wisdom is confirmed with your mouth. The wise use their lips to speak wisdom, to speak praise, to speak destiny. Proverbs 15:2 – The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. Wisdom talks, so does folly. What are you saying? You can’t hope you’ll say it, you must decide to say it, and say it by habit. The wise commends knowledge. Commend – sunistao <soon-is-tah’-o> to introduce favorably, to set together. Romans 16:1 – I commend to you Phebe our sister. Commend - paratitheme <par-at-ith’-ay-mee> to place alongside, to present truth, by implication to deposit as a trust, or for protection. Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. The tongue of the wise, commends knowledge, first to themselves – then to others. Wisdom - the wise Introduce it, place themselves alongside it, entrust themselves to it for protection. I love the King James on this verse. The Tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright. That word aright means to make well, to make beautiful. Uses knowledge – to know in every way. So literally wisdom starts with your mouth. The wise use their mouth – to know in every way how to make things well. Wisdom Talks. So how do you do this? Three-Peat! God showed me something. Just like we Praise the Word every day in PRISM, from the Praise Book – Psalms. You can also Praise the Word in any book of the Bible. Praying that you will try Three-Peating Proverbs. Praise It, Pray It, Declare It. Take today’s Proverbs Chapter and Three-Peat Wisdom – even start with one verse. Praise It! (Praise God for it Any wisdom it speaks of - comes from God. Pray for it, ask God to give it to you. Ask Him to make your mouth speak wisdom habitually so your life demonstrates it fully. And Declare it! Speak out loud the specific way you will activate it. For example. Proverbs 15:2 – Praise It - "God I praise you - because all wisdom comes from you, all knowledge comes from you, all understanding, even our ability to recognize it, speak it, the idea and grace to open our mouth - it all comes from you." Pray for it. "God would you give me knowledge to speak, and a heart and habit to speak it – In Jesus’ Name." Declare It. " I will read this book of wisdom every day - today's chapter so it becomes my DNA. I will Praise It, Pray It, and Declare it over my life and my family. My mouth will always commend knowledge. I will introduce it to myself, and come alongside wisdom with my own mouth. So I can live it – to bless others. Thank you God for helping me." Praying that you will Three-Peat Wisdom. Praying that you would go where wisdom speaks, and that every time wisdom speaks, you would speak it with your mouth. Praying that wisdom would take root in your heart and your actions, that you would speak it and be protected by it - so the purpose and destiny that God has for you through the wisdom that was with Him when He created the world – would make you highly effective – and make your life a testimony of the Goodness of God. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you!
God spoke to me this morning. Wisdom Talks. He revealed it yesterday in my PRISM time with Him, and followed up with it again this morning. I love when God does that. Maybe He knows, sometimes I’m a little slow, to understand and obey. So He says it twice. So thankful. That’s a God who loves you. If He says something twice. That’s His Love being demonstrated to you! Psalms 85:7 Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. He shows you His unfailing love every morning! Did you wake up this morning? He showed you His unfailing love. That means He’s got something for you today. His blessing for you isn’t done yet! Did the Sun come up this morning? He showed you His unfailing love. Did You die this morning? Not if you’re reading this… (Proverbs 14:32 – When calamity comes the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge) – even if you did die this morning, His unfailing love would never leave you. Does Summer, Fall, and Winter still follow Spring? He’s showing you His unfailing love. Does He answer when you call? Is He still worth your praise? He’s showing you His unfailing love. Is His Word still true? He’s showing you His unfailing love. Does He convict you and correct you? He's showing you His unfailing love. Do His promises still stand? He’s showing you His unfailing love. Did He tell you yesterday in PiVAT before dinner what you need most from Him today, and the #1 Thing He wants you to do today? Then He showed you His unfailing love! Can you still overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of your testimony? He’s showing you His unfailing love. The more you praise Him for His unfailing love, the more “unfailing love” things He will reveal to you - when He inhabits your praise – and the more you will notice them. Perhaps the greatest human desire – is to be loved. That’s why bars are full, dating sites are everywhere, and people are perpetually swiping left and right. But they will never find it there. The love people long for is only found in the God who made them, and loves them. He not only loves you – His love for you is unfailing. Wow! That means your Heavenly Father’s love for you has covered you since before you were born, it has never failed you, it will never fail. He loves you – His plans for you are good. Praying that PiVAT and PRISM is drawing you, and establishing you in His unfailing love, and the absolute good that He has planned for you. Praying that your Daily Call is reminding you of it. I’m a father – and I love every one of you. I only want the very best for you. I want you to be happy in life, and fruitful, and fulfilled. But as your father, I have no power to make those things happen. I can only hope for them, pray for them, and believe God for them. But your Heavenly Father – who loves you with an unfailing, everlasting love, not only wants what’s best for you, He knows what that is! He created you for it, and He has the power to make it happen! He wants to give you His plans every day to prosper you. An earthly father, can only pray, dream and hope for the best for you. But your Heavenly Father, not only dreams, hopes and wishes for the best for you. He knows what that is, He has plans to get you there, and the power to make it happen! He has plans for you that He is just waiting to reveal to you – And if you are faithful with PiVAT before dinner, He will show them to you! If you’re faithful in PRISM, they will start to make sense. And He has Grace for you! The power to walk in the blessing that those plans bring! His love for you is unfailing. Praying for you – that today you will praise Him for His unfailing love, remind yourself of it. You start with praise, He’ll finish it. He inhabits the praises of His people. Ask Him to reveal His unfailing love, so you can praise Him more for it. Ask Him so you know the plans He has for you - that if you obey Him today and each day, He will have you living a life so much better than even I could wish for you! His love for you is unfailing! It never stops! Praying that you will never forget it, ignore it, or run from it, but that you will walk in it! Humility and Obedience – that’s the key. If you’re humble, you will obey, and you will see where His unfailing love will take you! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
You gotta know something. God makes no mistakes. Not a single thing about you was a mistake, not your name – that’s on purpose, not the day you were born, the length of your days, the generation you were born into, the country you live in, in the middle of this time in history, even how you were formed in your mother’s womb, what you look like, your gifts, your talents, your interests, your abilities. Not a single thing about you was a mistake. Of absolute certainty – you were born for such a time as this. Acts 17:26 - From one man He made every nation of men, to inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. He did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. Psalms 139:13-14 - “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well… 16 your eyes saw my unformed body, all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious are your thoughts toward me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them they would outnumber the grains of sand.” Not only are you created by God, you are loved by God, and you were created perfectly in every way for such a time as this! Praise God. Have you ever felt like you’re not worth very much, other people are so much more beautiful, more talented, more successful… But You don’t determine your worth! God does! Other people, the culture you live in doesn’t determine your worth or your success or your significance - God does! And His perspective in the end – will be overwhelmingly accurate, the other measures are just a façade. If you are comparing yourself or measuring yourself by those around you – or those on social media, or what’s respected in this culture - Stop! That’s not what God wants you to do. He has created you beautifully for such a time as this. He’s got you hidden now, but He will reveal you in His perfect time. He said He will fulfill the purpose for which He created you. What other purpose or pursuit could ever make you happy or fulfilled? It can’t! He’s created you on purpose for a reason, and you will only find your fulfillment in that. Psalms 138:8 - The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. I would encourage you – don’t look at others around you – you are a work in progress, in preparation, under construction – you’re still on the potter’s wheel. Give God a chance to fulfill what He is preparing you for! And what He’s preparing for you! Do you trust Him? The only thing that could stop you from everything God has for you – is disobedience, that’s it. Not knowing what He wants you to do today, because you didn’t ask him… Getting distracted, putting your focus on other things. Fix your eyes on Him! Trust Him when He says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Don’t focus on other people, focus on your preparation for all that He has for you. And it doesn’t matter how young or old you are. PiVAT before dinner – obey what He has for you today – it’s preparing you for what He is bringing you to! Get there – don’t be distracted by others. PRISM – will transform your mind, and your heart, your eyes, how you see things, and your words, what comes out of your mouth. It keeps you close to your Heavenly Father who formed you and wonderfully made you. Seek His will for you each day – He’ll tell you, walk in it! Seek His Wisdom daily. Don’t forget the Insight section of PRISM – the Proverbs chapter for today. Plant wisdom daily, and it will grow exponentially –To fulfill the purpose God has for you – requires wisdom for you to walk in it. Proverbs - the book of wisdom will sow seeds that grow and produce more seeds. It won’t just make you an apple tree, it will make wisdom an orchard from you. One more thing, have you ever looked at your wisdom chapter? What day is your birthday? There are no accidents with God, what life wisdom does God have for you in your Wisdom Chapter? The Proverbs Chapter for the day you were born? If you ask Him, God will reveal wisdom for your life. Praying for you – that you would rejoice today that He is fulfilling His purpose for you, with every little step of obedience you take. You are tailor-made for what only you can fulfill. It’s what you were made for! It’s what will bring you fulfillment! And great joy! It just requires humility and obedience, and setting your eyes on Him! not people or things around you. God will fulfill your purpose - You just trust and obey – He will bring it to pass. Praying that you will rejoice in His goodness – that you will praise Him for not just who He is, but also what He made you to be, and what He is finishing in you! He will bless others through you, that’s part of what purpose does – you don’t compare yourself with others, you ask God how to love and serve them. It’s where joy awaits you. You will do things that only you can do. You will find your purpose in Him! Just obey today (PIVAT before dinner) and learn to think like He thinks (PRISM throughout the day). And help someone else do the same thing! Overcome with your testimony every day on your Daily Call! And just so you know… You will love His purpose for you! He wired you for it! Choose to rejoice in the preparation! He loves you! He has good for you! You can trust Him. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
God showed me something recently. John 6:5 - When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where should we buy bread for these people to eat? He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Jesus always saw opportunities - He never saw obstacles or needs. What need is really a need to Jesus? While they were in the boat – fighting the storm - rowing with all their might - Jesus was sleeping. They were stressed out, overwhelmed by the need! What need? Jesus is in the boat. There is no need. He’s the answer, He’s the supply, He already knew what His Father was going to have him do to bless these people. Many times before He will bless – He will test. He already knew what was going to happen, but He wanted to test Philip before it happened. Tests seem to come most often in questions. The test is the question. How are we ever going to…? Where are we gonna come up with…? What if this happens? What question are you facing? It could be a test. What could be a threat, or danger, or need in your life. God already knows what He’s going to do! He’s going to save you! He’s going to deliver you, He’s going to test your faith to build your faith, so He can do more! But He allows questions to come to test us. On my Daily Call yesterday, Alan said something that was revelation. During His time sharing His PiVAT for the day – he shared something and immediately added, ‘It was a test that turned into a testimony.” Wow. That was God speaking. That is the purpose for every test! Every situation you find yourself in, every question that you face. This test is going to turn into a testimony! When you pass the test – you increase the testimony. So how do you pass the test? It’s always faith demonstrated by obedience. Speak Faith, Speak Life, He’s your deliverer, He’s your helper, He’s your strong tower, He’s the way maker – He makes a way out of no way! Something out of nothing! He brings victory out of defeat, He makes us thrive under threat. He’s faithful. Those questions that test your faith – He already knows what He’s going to do. He’s already turning this test into a testimony! It’s already underway! So how did Philip do? Verse 7 - Philip answered him, “Eight months wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite! Philip saw the earthly reality, he didn’t see the opportunity. He didn’t know who it was who asked Him that question. Verse 8 - Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" Andrew too, was still stuck in earthly reality. But I love it, He at least had a start - Here’s a little boy’s lunch… Wow, faith starts with something so small. God said it’s like a mustard seed. Do you know who might have had the most faith? The little boy. Andrew didn’t steal that lunch box from that boy – do you think he said “Hey, what’s that over there?” and when the boy turned his head, Andrew swipes his lunchbox, and puts it behind his back. That could never have happened. Little kids know when someone takes their stuff! This little boy volunteered it, he gave his lunchbox to Jesus. Childlike faith. Praise God! What’s the answer to that Question? The Test Question? Where will we get food for all these people? “But God!” That’s the answer! I know 20,000 people are coming over for dinner – But God! Just give him your lunch box. What do you have with you now? Take inventory, and give it to God. God can use it, He knows how to multiply things. That’s why you sow seeds of faith – not corn stalks of faith. Verse 10 - Jesus said, “Have the people sit down…" Oh boy, here we go. Sometimes to see your miracle, God makes you do something uncomfortable. You were fine giving the lunch box, but now you’re telling these people to sit down? What are they gonna eat? Grass? Have you ever had God tell you to do something that is just really going to be embarrassing – if He doesn’t come through? You’re doing what? God told you to do what? “There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. (not counting women and children) Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish." Oh Praise God, that’s what God does – Jesus just thanked God and started passing out the food! And God didn’t just provide enough to eat, he gave them as much as they wanted! They were coming back for seconds! Just a little bit of faith, just with the little lunch box they had. And God did mighty things through it! He already knows what He’s going to do - for the rest of your life! Every Question, Every Test you will ever face – for the rest of your entire life! He already knows what He is going to do. And it’s Good! Praying for you, that you would see every question that is a test. That you would know that God’s purpose in this is to turn this test in to a testimony! It’s what tests are created for! Praying that you will seek the wisdom from God that He has for you, that your answer to every test question is “But God!” And that you would be always willing to share your lunch. God always starts with what you have – and then He makes it more than enough! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
Do you have a favorite Bible Verse? One that just means so much to you, maybe when you needed Him most, or maybe a life verse? Maybe even a few verses that are your favorites? One of mine is 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.” Wow what a verse. It’s not that David was special – (although he was) It was that David grew to be special. He grew a heart after God’s own heart. There’s hope for me! Anyone can be like David, just ask, and start obeying what God tells you! Praying for you that PiVAT before dinner and PRISM every day - becomes a non-negotiable for you, not a religion, just that special time you have with your Heavenly Father every day, getting directly from Him the wonderful plans He is so excited to lead you in tomorrow. In church circles people often ask, what’s your favorite verse? But has anyone ever asked you, Hey, what’s your least favorite verse? What’s the one that you don’t like the most? I gotta say, I’ve got a couple. Verses that are just downright...uncomfortable. Those verses that stop you in your tracks. Luke 6:46 – Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord,” when you don’t do what I say? (Wow, what do you say to that?) or Isaiah 30:1 – Woe to the obstinate children, declares the LORD, who carry out plans that are not mine, who form an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin… (Are you kidding me?) or Psalms 50:16 – But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips?” (If verses like this don’t stop you in your tracks, you’re like the guy in the canoe blissfully ignorant as he paddles down the river toward Niagara Falls.) I don’t even like reading these verses… God challenged me recently - It’s funny how many times we are quick to claim promises – as if our actions align us with them. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” as we pursue our own earthly ambitions – carrying out those plans that we never really asked Him about – to see if this is what He is really calling us to pursue at this time. We assumed His approval because we had the talent and the desire. As if success in this earthly desire, is the desires God has for us. Recently God was showing me about re-engineering… deconstructing an object to discover how it works in hopes of duplicating or enhancing it. God told me, "You should do this with my Word. It will grow your discernment. Let the Holy Spirit lead you." Just like the revelation He gave… "Don’t just ask for the thing – ask for the thing that brings the thing." I’ve always encouraged our kids to seek the context, not just the verse. The context of that... “I can do all things” verse may surprise you. Paul wasn’t using that verse to become a millionaire. Check it out yourself - Philippians 4:13... God showed me something recently that I’ve quoted myself, without fully understanding the context. Psalms 84:7 – They go from strength to strength, til each appears before God in Zion. Hey! We all go from strength to strength! Then God told me to re-engineer that promise. Find out what precedes it. Some eye-opening things. Verse 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD, Almighty. Before he went from strength to strength – it started with him placing a high value on God’s presence, spending time in worship – not just at church – on your own. It starts there. Strength to strength starts there. Verse 2 My soul yearns even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. David acquired a taste for God’s presence. He valued it above anything else, and he put himself there - A choice – and then that choice became an increased appetite. Then verse 3 - Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near your altar. Like the Daily Huddle – Where You Live At? Is your home His presence, because His presence is always what you come home to and go out from? Then verse 4: Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Wow! You can always tell those who make their home in His presence and His presence their home – they are the ones who are always praising! His praise is always coming out of their mouth. Every time you talk to them, they are praising God about something, giving him credit for something! That’s why God is always inhabiting them… (Notice that these people are the ones that lead the most incredible lives!) They are always praising Him, so they always see what He’s doing. And He's always doing more and more in them. Then verse 5 – Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. (They have determined to be obeyers, they're on the journey of obedience, and because they are living in His presence, because they value it and have a passion for it, their constant praising is ‘putting their strength in him’ You can’t go from strength to strength until you put your strength in Him the first time! Verse 6 follows - explaining what makes these people so different… As they pass through the valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; (they make it a well) the autumn rains also cover it in pools. What was once dry as a bone is now pools of water - because they came. And you'll notice they always pass through... What was once a dessert is now a well. These people, that make their home in His presence, constant praisers, these people bring the water with them. and they leave it behind - Wells of it. The Water of the Word, and the Water of the Holy Spirit. They bring dead places to life. But this valley of Baca – baca means weeping, the place of lamentation and grief. Wow. Those who make His presence their home, who are ever praising you, leave behind pools of living water, even in the desert, even in the place of mourning. They bring refreshing. It doesn’t say the valley doesn’t affect them, but they affect it more! Then comes verse 7 - they go from strength to strength. Not everyone - These People. That’s the path – how the parts fit together to make this object. The things that happen – before the thing. Praying for you – that the Holy Spirit will lead you to re-engineer His promises. That you will align yourself with what God’s word says brings the promise to pass. Praying that you will value His Presence, and choose it as a habit, so your appetite grows! That you will make your home His presence, so you always come home to it. That you would choose to be ever praising Him, so He takes over your choice, and your praise and testimony rise to a new level, that this would put your strength in God, that you would leave behind you in every barren place the water of the Word and the water of His Spirit, that the joy of the LORD would become your strength – so God can take you from strength to strength – refreshing every place He sends you! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
It’s so amazing to me how much God can say in one little verse. Psalms 84:12 - O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. I love the “O." O Lord Almighty – the “O” means we can address Him, talk to Him, ask Him, petition Him, we can call on Him – He hears us – He answers - because He loves us. O LORD – the Supreme in Authority - the One in charge – over every existing thing - the ultimate say, the final decider. Almighty – matchless in Power. His Might has no limit – it is unequaled in heaven and on earth and under the earth. O LORD Almighty - some versions say – “of hosts” a mass of persons organized for war – He's the Controller of every host, every army, every force, in heaven and on earth. He is unmatched in authority and in power. Blessed is he - The One with all authority and all power – blesses. Which means, if He blesses, you’re blessed! Blessed – esher – (eh’-sher) Happiness – How Happy! To be straight, level, right, to prosper, to go forward! Fully Thriving – Abounding in Goodness. Completely successful - Blessed. Blessed is the man (any creature of the human species – man, woman, boy, girl, color, race, background, pedigree, status, position, high or low any person) blessed is the “anyone” who trusts in you. Trust - to run to for refuge, to have confidence in, be convinced of, lean on – put your full weight on – The LORD Almighty. It’s interesting - how easy to think or assume we trust God, but not in reality practice it. What do you trust in? Whatever you turn to first and fully lean on. In 1972, a Bill Withers single called Lean On Me – has since grown to be considered one of the top 500 songs of all time. Some people lean on a friend, or a person, maybe their spouse or a parent. They can help you – but that’s not what gets you blessed. Other’s lean on great leaders. Psalms 146:3 - Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. Others trust in military might – yet God can defeat tens of thousands with just 300 men with trumpets, lamps and clay pots. “Some may trust in horses, some may trust in chariots…” Some trust in fortified cities – which cannot protect them. Proverbs 21:22 – A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust. Some trust in false gods, idols of their own making. I Samuel 2:21 - Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. Many trust in money. Prov 18:11 - The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale. But it's only their imagination - wealth can disappear in an instant. But perhaps the thing people lean on or trust in most? Themselves – their own effort, their own ingenuity, what they can come up with, what they can figure out, their ability to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. But God says, don’t trust in horses or chariots, who cannot save you. Don’t trust in people who will let you down. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him and He will direct your paths. … So how do you know what you really trust in? How do you know what you lean on most? – Here's what reveals it... What's your first reaction? What do you go to first? Some people only lean on God – when they have no other option. God says those who are blessed – are those who lean on him – as their first reaction – not their last resort. Do you really trust God – even when things go wrong, when storms or struggles come? When decisions He has made or allows don’t match your prayers or expectations. When you don’t understand. Do you still trust Him then? Do you still lean on Him then? So how do you trust in the LORD, How do you put your full weight on… Him? Speak it with your mouth and prove it with your feet. Put your trust in Him with your mouth. Say it out loud. Psalms 18:2 – The LORD is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer, My God is my rock – I trust in Him; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower. Let your mouth start your trust in Him. Do it first, not last. You can declare your trust by speaking the Word of God, See PRISM Topic: Trust, or PRISM Topic: As For Me - or even speaking your own words, out of your own heart. "God I don’t understand, but I trust you." "God I don’t know why this happened, but I trust you." "God I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but I trust you." Let your mouth set your trust in motion. But perhaps the ultimate proof of your trust in God, where the rubber meets the road - is simply your obedience. Every time you do PiVAT before dinner – what you’re saying is – “God I trust you – I trust your plans for me, more than my plans for me." "My first choice – every day – is to follow your plan for me, not mine." That's trust. When you are in PRISM every day – you’re really saying – "God I trust your thoughts and your ways, over mine." You are learning on the character and nature and heart of God through His Word – so your trust can be in Him. Praying for you – that by your words, and by your obedience – your trust will be in God. So you that every day of your life, you are blessed beyond measure, beyond what you could imagine. He will do it – you can trust Him - He will bless you. Praying that you will even now review the PRISM Topic: Trust. His Word is powerful – it will grow your trust in Him. And will attract blessing in your life. Love you all, dad |
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