Love you all, praying for you,
Praying that you will take time today to do PiVAT Monthly for the coming month – and spend that time with God. – First so you can review His faithfulness to you this entire month, and be sure you completed everything He assigned for your joy and your good. Second, so you will know what He has for you this coming month! Everything He chooses to reveal so far. Praying that you’ll review PiVAT Monthly – for a refresher on why its so important. I just felt God wanted me to share this morning the FAQ’s on PiVAT Monthly and the final thoughts. PiVAT Monthly seems a little redundant. If I’m faithful with PiVAT before dinner and PiVAT Weekly, isn’t that enough? PiVAT monthly is a wonderful protection against the tyranny of the urgent. It forces you to seek God for His longer term perspective. In fact, you may wish to get away each quarter, and every December to seek God's plan for the year (PiVAT Yearly). Double entry is so minimal that it pales in comparison to the perspective God wants you to have through your PiVAT Monthly conversations with Him. Remember, He's trying to lift your eyes to eternal priorities - not temporal. As we learn to follow him Daily, Weekly and Monthly - Yearly also... the URGENT things - that seem like mountains in our life - take their proper perspective. He promised that His Word (Logos & Rhema) what He tells us - both through The Holy Bible, and the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, is a Lamp to our Feet (PiVAT) and a Light to our Path (PiVAT Weekly & PiVAT Monthly). God's longer term plan ensures that we are not so narrowly focused on the urgent daily tasks - that we neglect the daily steady plodding required for His greater purpose for our character this month. He truly wants us to be conformed to His image. Salvation comes the moment we believe, but it's effects are worked out over time through our surrender to His complete will. Both short term daily tasks, and longer term character results come from steady plodding at His direction. What if the month is almost over, and I just didn’t do one of the things He told me? (and it required steady plodding – so I can’t just do it today.) FIRST ask God again - was this one You or was this me? Sometimes, especially at first, we may confuse some of our own monthly plans with God's will for us this month. Maybe God didn't say "build a new house," "lose 100 pounds," "raise $100k for the homeless," and "learn a second language" in 30 days. Sometimes in our desire to accomplish things - even to please God, we confuse His will with our own. But God will lovingly reveal this too, and the more PiVAT Monthly's we do, the better we will discern His voice versus our own. SECOND ask for forgiveness. If God said to do something 3 days a week this month, and it's already the 3rd week, ask God to forgive you for not fully obeying in this area. Then, know for sure that you are forgiven. I John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Wait a minute. That sounds a little religious and legalistic. You’re saying I need to ask forgiveness for this? It’s not like I robbed a bank, or cussed somebody out. That depends if God told you to do it or not. "But that’s not like sinning… bad sinning…" Hmm… What is sin? (Greek: hamartano) to miss the mark (and so not to share in the prize) - to fall short. If God told us to do something, and we fell short – missed the mark, the target He wanted for us - that’s what the definition of sin is. We typically ask forgiveness only for things God told us not to do - but we did them anyway (the 10 commandments kind of stuff). These are sins of commission; things we did wrong, sins we committed that we knew were not pleasing to God. But God’s desire for obedience, is not a list of do’s and don’ts – it’s a path. Walking in the Spirit always takes us somewhere – the path He has for us. God's love always takes us from where we are to the first step forward from here. James 1:5 - If anyone of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God who gives liberally, without finding fault, and it will be given him. Great news! If you're still breathing, you can be faithful from this point forward, from this day forward! As we grow in our understanding of His loving Lordship over our lives, sometimes we need to ask His forgiveness for things He told us to do, but we just didn't fully obey. Not Ten Commandments, but rather Jesus specific “commands to us” - by the Holy Spirit. These are sins of omission, things we omitted or failed to do that He told us to. His Word is still his Word, whether Genesis through Revelation - revealed by His Holy Spirit - or His specific will and direction for us - revealed by His Holy Spirit. Sin - means falling short. Just confess where you have fallen short, and ask Him to forgive you. He will. (Done Deal). Now, He wants you to Move Forward! Just start obeying from here! His GRACE is there to help you! All Praise to God! Third, ask God, “Now What?” Don't just double up the activities for the remaining days this month. Ask Him, "Now What?" Maybe this TO DO was God's to do for you - but you got carried away and tried to do it your own way instead of His way. God is realistic, we aren’t. Even good things - He wants us to do at His pace - not ours. So Ask Him - from this day forward for the rest of the month - what would you have me do in this area? Then ask Him Daily for His Grace and DO IT! Share on your Daily Call. God's two by two principle is a powerful thing - because prayer is a powerful weapon. Loving accountability alone sometimes helps us be faithful where we wouldn't otherwise - even when God told us to. I'm embarrassed and ashamed to say this, but there have been times I did what God told me to do this month - not because I love Him so much, but because my Daily Call is coming at 7:30 a.m. and I will have to share with my brother... "Did I fully obey this month?” Be encouraged dear friend, God knows we are but dust. He will always "dust us off," and set us on the right track again. He loves you so much that He gave us the principle of Two by Two: Walking with another to help us learn to obey him fully so we can walk in the joy of the LORD. (See the 3-Day-Challenge) Final thoughts on PiVAT Monthly – Guard against fear, and guard against selfish ambition. Remember, PiVAT is a change of direction: From man’s way to God’s Way! Guard against fear. Fear can cloud God's voice for your PiVAT Monthly. Just because you fear something doesn't mean God is giving you a To Do for the month. Just because everyone at the office is convinced layoffs are coming - doesn't mean God is telling you to look for another job, sell the house, sell the car, or sell the dog and the kids. That job-looking could keep from doing your best on the job you have. Guard against selfish ambition. PiVAT Monthly is most susceptible to Goal Driven Christianity. Financial Goals, Career Goals, Ministry Goals: are not always God. In fact, it's surprising how often our goals can become more us than God, or even not God at all. Christians these days are big on setting goals. We are driven to accomplish things that we want- or things we think that God wants for us. But consider this: How many goals did Jesus set? Did Jesus give the disciples a seminar on Goal Setting? "Plan your work and work your plan." "If you do what you've always done - you'll get what you've always got." These are not Jesus' words, they are man-made wisdom. Not that there is no element of truth to them, but the most dangerous lies are always part truth. God's ways are different than man's ways - especially man's ways of "doing church" or doing Christianity. John 6:38 - Jesus said: "for I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me." 2 Cor 5:9 - "For we make it our goal to please him..." James 4:13-15, "Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, according to the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that. God doesn't need you to be rich so you can give more money. He already owns all the money! - and can direct it like a leaf blowing in the wind - wherever He chooses. God doesn't need you to get a promotion for you to have a greater impact at work. He may have these things for you in time, but learn to obey daily, weekly & monthly first. Seek Him, and be faithful in the little things. The more PRISM time you spend in His WORD, the more your thinking and perspective will change. Man's goals are temporal-minded, God's plans for you are eternal, and "His Goal" is that you will Hear Well Done! Pursuing your goals will not accomplish this, only hearing and obeying what God has for you today, this week, and this month - will yield reward and joy on this earth and reward and joy in heaven. Matthew 25:21 - "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the Joy of your Lord." PiVAT Monthly will help you understand the larger things God wants you to walk in. Just obey daily, He will help you. Joy is there! Love you all, dad
0 Comments
Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It tells you truth, it shows you success, it bequeaths wisdom, it gives simple steps, and it even gives priority order for those who struggle. I just love that all truth is God’s truth, there is no truth apart from Him. Whatever man has discovered – that proves true, is just our discovery of what God has already said. I Corinthians 13:11 – When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. God makes it clear. There are some things you don’t know yet. I’ve brought you a long way already, but there are still some things you don’t know yet, that you don’t fully understand yet. Then He makes it simple. I Corinthians 13:13 – And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. I love how God always brings things to conclusion, ties them all up at the end, and gives us something to run with. Here we go: Top 3 – when it comes down to it. These three remain. Faith. What is faith? Acting like what God says is true. (I thought it was believing?) Of course, and you know what you believe by what you do (James said faith without works is dead – it isn’t faith). Your actions will demonstrate your belief, more than your mouth. (But use your mouth to activate your belief – so you put it into action – that’s why David always committed himself with his mouth. – one of the secrets he learned along the way). Faith. Hope. What is hope? A confident expectation of good. That God will do what He says. Hope is a really important thing. Without hope you can even despair of life. How do you get hope? God said through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures - these bring hope. It’s what they were written for. (Romans 15:4) That’s how Jesus the hope of glory, becomes your hope of glory – It’s Jesus, the Word of God – in you! - Hope. Love. And what is love? Simple. Love is obey. Affection comes with it, yes, but love is obey. Jesus made it un-mistakeably clear? If you love me you will obey what I say. In fact anything you could do to love God, is only obeying what He already commanded, to love Him with all your heart, all your might, and all your soul. Obey in what you do, what you think and what you spend. So if God says it comes down to these three? Faith, Hope and Love. What are you doing to increase in these three? Like the 80/20 rule that every successful business person has learned. How much of your effort and attention is spent on these three most important things that bring the greatest result, and the greatest return? Praying that your faith grows this week. (How do you increase faith? Pray in the spirit, and soak in His Word – it will build you up in faith, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God). PRISM will bring you to more faith, and PIVAT will have you walking it out (that change of direction to God's way - from yours...) It works - God said. Praying that your hope grows this week. How do you get hope? Through endurance of obedience, and the encouragement of the scriptures. (PiVAT – He’ll tell you what to do… just keep doing it – He’ll even give you grace for it). And PRISM will bring encouragement throughout the day – by His Word. Praying that your love grows this week. And How do you increase love? You grow in obedience, by hearing, obeying, and overcoming. PiVAT will help you hear and obey, PRISM will confirm what He said, and help you understand how He wants you to do it. And your testimony – your Daily Call – will help you overcome so you can endure. That’s how your faith grows, your hope grows and your love grows. It will make you more like Him, it will make you significant, not just successful, it’ll make you fruitful, Those top three – God told us what they are – so we can grow in them. Praying His Top 3 are yours also. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word – it raises us to new levels. Mark 9:14 – When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “’If you can?’” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” Did the disciples just speak to the demon – and it didn’t budge? Did they forget to pray and ask their Heavenly Father to drive it out? Or did they forget to use the Name of Jesus? Jesus didn’t pray, He just spoke to it. Scripture doesn’t tell us what method the disciples used to try and cast out the demon, and Jesus didn’t ask His Heavenly Father – He just spoke to it and it obeyed. That’s how authority works. But when they asked, Jesus said – this kind can only come out by prayer. So Jesus wasn’t talking about His prayer in the moment, He was talking about His prayer habit. This kind of problem, challenge, opportunity, miracle only happens through prayer. Your prayer life is the source of your belief life, because Jesus said, O unbelieving generation. So prayer is what generates belief, and degenerates unbelief. Prayer is the key to the big results in your life, the big answers, the big miracles, the opportunities. Have you ever wondered if your prayer life – is generating the belief you need in your life? Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic Packet: Prayer – that you will increase your belief through prayer, as the Holy Spirit draws you, as the Holy Spirit leads you and directs you. So your belief will be strong, so the authority of Jesus Christ – flows through you according to His will. Praying that you will grow this kind of prayer, for this kind of opportunity. He is willing, praying that God will grow your belief, and remove all unbelief - In Jesus Name, Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word – it confirms things you should do and are doing. Psalms 143:8 – Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” This is God just confirming what you are doing and what will happen if you do. If you will start with PRISM each morning – He will bring you word of His unfailing love for you. How else would you get it? It’s how He brings it to you. “For I have put my trust in you.” David was always committing himself with his mouth. It was a habit. Declaring who God is, what God did and does and will do... and what he (David) has done and will do in response. Show me the way I should go… if you do PIVAT before dinner – He’ll remind you of the rest of what He told you to do today, and He will tell you which way you should go for tomorrow, the things He has planned for you, so in the morning you can run with it! This is lifting up your soul to him (submitting your mind, will and emotions - coming under His plans for you today, instead of running with yours). If you will get His Will, and get His Word, you will walk in His way. Verse 9 – "Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in you." This is worship – David spent time in God’s presence, and in prayer – hiding himself in the LORD, who fights his battles for him. David knew the importance of time in worship – it’s how his life gets hidden in God. Earlier in the chapter David says verse 5 – I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works, and consider what your hands have done. I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Answer me quickly, O LORD… David in God’s presence lifting His hands in worship, bringing his petition before God. Praying that you will be like David today - in PRISM, getting news of His unfailing love for you, in PiVAT – walking completely in everything He told you to do today, lifting your hands in praise in His presence and bringing your petition before Him. Remembering all He has done – and how faithful He has been, praying in the Spirit so you walk in the Spirit, so His Holy Spirit can lead you, and declaring your trust and obedience – no matter what God says. Praying that the joy of the LORD, on the path He has chosen for you, will bring you joy and strength today – so you are hidden in Christ – and victorious in life! He has good for you today. He can’t wait to bring you Word of His unfailing love for you! He cannot wait to show you all the good that He has stored up for you today! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word! It’s so real. I'm so thankful for PRISM that keeps me coming back to it. It doesn’t sugarcoat things, or sweep things under the rug, it lays it all out there for all to see. We can relate – those joys and sorrows, victories and defeats in life – are all right there to learn from, and be encouraged by. Psalms 142:3 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you know my way. That means God not only knows the way you took that got you here, He knows the way you should go to get you out of here. Why is David's spirit growing faint within him? The next sentence, “In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me." Verse 4 – Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. David is feeling alone, discouraged, overwhelmed, these are real feelings, out on the table. Verse 5 - I cry to you O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." Wow, David when he is under it… remembers two things – who to go to, and what to say… the power of your words. He cries out to God for help, and he declares “You are my refuge, my portion” in this life. The next chapter gives more insight on why he is discouraged. Psalms 143:3 - The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in darkness like those long dead. So my spirit grows faint within me, my heart within me is dismayed. That’s why - the enemy (your adversary) is causing this weight – you feel his attack, and it makes it seem like you’re all alone, or no one cares. Well number one, feelings are not reality, they just feel like reality that's why they are called feelings. God cares for you. He said He did. He proved it. And He proves it again and again. Then in chapter 142:7 David says – Set me free from my prison that I may praise your name. David is clearly not in prison right now. He’s talking about the prison of his mind, the prison of what he feels, the pressures that he feels are closing in around him. This is not physical but mental and spiritual - and just as real. Then He gives a secret. If you can praise – you are set free. If God can give you the grace to praise, you are free from the mind-prison that confines you. Praying that if you are ever discouraged or dismayed, if you sense the attacks of the enemy, pursued by things too strong for you – if you find your spirit growing faint within you, that you would Praise God. If you can praise, you’re free. God knows your way, He will lead you with each step. The first step is praise – get free, and then take the next step He reveals. The snares hidden around you do not matter, those things or people which rise up against you, do not matter. God is for you, so who can be against you? Praise is not only the key to enter His presence, it’s the key to exit that prison that tries to entrap your mind and emotions. God is faithful from everlasting to everlasting. Eternity from now – He is still faithful to you. Praying that you will praise, that you will say like David, 'You are my refuge, you are my portion, you have put me in the land of the living – and I will praise you as long as I live. I will declare your praise.' It’s how you know He’s set you free! There are always things to be concerned about, to worry about – things too strong for you. But not one of them is too strong for Him. He’s been faithful all this way – He will be faithful to the end. And there is no end! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word – it is so practical! If you believe it and do it you will change your life forever. The best way to change your life forever, is to change it daily. What’s the change? PiVAT is the change – a change of direction from man’s way (the way that seems right), to God’s way (the way that is right, and brings right). PRISM is PiVAT for your mind – the transforming of it, so you think like God thinks. Praying that PiVAT before dinner and PRISM throughout the day is like breathing for you. That it becomes so a part of your DNA – that you'd never life without it. That it's not an internal debate or decision anymore, but just habit... That God’s Word to you in PiVAT, and God’s Word to you in PRISM – is what you live by. Without it, all you have is your word to you – on what to do, and how to think. As a man thinketh in his heart – so is he. Praying that God uses PRISM every day to change how you think, so you think like Him – that’s how you become like Him… Praying that God uses PiVAT every day to change what you do, so you do what He does – and what He wants you to do, not what you would do, because you don’t know what He wants for you, or because you just want to… I love God’s Word – it gives secrets. Proverbs 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. Have you ever faced some things all at once, maybe setbacks or challenges, or decisions, or maybe just a really full plate? God says it’s His glory to conceal a matter, it’s your glory to search it out. (But I’m not a king... In God’s Kingdom you are – He has made us to be kings and priests unto our God. Priests who hear God, and Kings who execute what He said, for the good of His people. First, what is glory? Glory – brightness, splendor, flower, flourish. The glory of God means brightness, splendor – a full view of His excellent greatness. What’s your glory? It's what makes you look good - it's what makes you shine... searching out the matters He has hidden for His glory. It’s what makes you reflect His splendor (great brightness, brilliant luster, as the splendor of the sun. Great show of richness and elegance, magnificence, pomp, a parade – on full display) - splendor. It’s what makes you flourish (to expand, enlarge or shoot out, to thrive, to grow luxuriantly, to be prosperous, to increase in wealth and honor) - flourish. What if you looked good, and flourished, what if you prospered? What if you increased in wealth and honor? What would life look like. That’s the life God has for you. You get there by simply hearing, and obeying, and searching out. It requires those PiVAT and PRISM habits to get His will, and get His mind, and due diligence. God says it’s your glory to search out the matters He has hidden for His glory and yours. So what’s searching out a matter? Some fruit is available on the ground - it fell off the tree, but the best fruit is often still up in the tree - it requires a climb. (To search it out) Is there anything in your life right now – requiring decisions or a response – that could gain from true wisdom? Is there any due diligence required of you? Not just for a major life direction - but just directions for the life you are living - to walk in the fullness He has for you? God says it’s the glory of kings to search it out. Sometimes to flourish – requires due diligence on your part in searching some things out. God's wisdom is waiting, His knowledge and understanding is waiting - hidden to be discovered. #1) Ask God for Wisdom, even how to search it out. He will give it. He promised. James 1:5. #2) Search His Word for it – His wisdom for this thing - is there for the finding. #3) Research. Put in the effort – find out what’s known about this challenge, effort or endeavor. You’re probably not the first one who’s faced it. What is the known body of knowledge regarding this? And #4) Seek Counsel – not just expert counsel but Godly counsel. Some experts aren't Christians, but the best counsel comes from experts who are. Car repairs and heart surgery don’t require a Christian as much as a good car mechanic, or heart surgeon. Get Godly counsel and expert counsel - ideally both in the same person... and get a multitude of counsel - God says to wage war you need guidance. Many counselors bring success. And don't forget God’s wisdom is different than man’s wisdom. So how do you search out a matter - the glory of kings? Ask God? Study His Word? Due Diligence in your research, and Expert and Godly Counsel. This whole situation that you face - might be or look different than you think. Praying that PiVAT will be consistent for you. Before you eat dinner, know His plan for you tomorrow – so you can search out the matters He directs you at the best time He has assigned for it. You want God to direct – even your due diligence. Just like the woman who lost the coin – He knows what you should search for, and where you should search to find what He has concealed for His glory and yours – so you flourish! Thrive! Increase! Praying that You’ll ask God for wisdom – what and where to search and find. Praying that PRISM – will add to your understanding. It always will if you choose it. God’s Word - that’s the “getting of wisdom” that God recommends above all else. Praying that each day and each evening, you will always come back to God, His will, His Word, His Praise and His Presence. That’s where He reveals the best thing for you, in His perfect time. And praying that you will search out the matters He directs you to. What if you had wisdom? What if you knew right now the right things to do, the right thing first, and the best sequence that will yield the greatest result? God has it waiting. Whoever asks receives, whoever seeks finds, whoever knocks the door will be opened. Praying that you would take joy in the searching it out, so you can be amazed by the wonder that He reveals. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It’s truth and success, and it’s there when you need it. The more you get of it now, the more you’ll have when you need it. Proverbs 24:5 – A wise man has great power and a man of knowledge increases strength; then verse 10… If you falter in times of trouble how small is your strength. I love that God tells us things that go together, that go before and go after, that are mutually exclusive and that are mutually inclusive. Wisdom doesn’t just give you patience, wisdom gives you power and strength. It’s interesting it didn’t say a young man has great power, or a buff man has great power, God reveals truth. A wise person has great power – force – the ability to move things – overcome inertia, change or reverse momentum. Power is important – not desiring it for misuse... Some are drunk on power – to lord it over others. This power is the necessary force to do good. Wisdom brings it. That’s why God says better a wise man than a man who takes a city. Wisdom brings power and strength – so you don’t falter in times of trouble - challenging times. Praying that you will seek wisdom, so you find it. That you will pursue it like God says – above all else. Praying that PRISM for you won’t be just in the morning, or an afterthought – but what you keep coming back to. The more you spend time in that wisdom book – Insight from the Word in Proverbs – the more God can give you specific instruction on the things you are now facing. Praying that your wisdom increases – so God can increase your power to do good. Have you noticed that wise people are always happier than foolish people? Not just because they have much less drama, (which they do), they just have a completely different perspective. That's what wisdom brings you. Wisdom brings joy and thanksgiving. Wise people are rarely in a hurry, they don’t grumble or complain, they don’t worry or fret, they don’t answer harshly, they aren't critical of others, they aren’t in continual crises, they have peace, power, patience, strength. What if you had what wisdom brings? Do you know what is so compelling? What is keeping you from wisdom? Nothing - but asking and seeking. The only thing that keeps you from wisdom – is you. Praise God – He has it – you can get it, just ask, and He’ll help you walk in it. You can even get some more today! Praying that God will give you wisdom, so power and strength can come with it. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It is God’s truth for your day, God’s promise for your peace, God’s instruction for your success. I love His reminders. He knows we need them, and just the perfect time. Lamentations 3:22 – The steadfast love of the LORD never changes; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. This morning God has been thinking about you! With mercy! That mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves. His thoughts of you this morning are love and mercy. He’s already leading this morning – He can’t wait til you get up – He’s got such good things in store for you today. He leads, we respond. I so love God’s Word – He tells us how He leads and how we respond. What is the appropriate and fitting response to the mercy that He initiated before you even woke up this morning? Romans 12:1 – Therefore, I urge you, brother and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God --- this is your true and proper worship – (your reasonable act of service. Praise God! He was waiting for you already this morning – with mercy! He has goodness and kindness for you today. As you present your body as a living sacrifice. That’s a time thing. What you do with your body – where you go, what you do, who you talk to, what you pursue today with your time. God says my lead merits this response – living sacrifice. That means if your time is His – His mercy can be fulfilled in you. Praying that you would live in PiVAT today – that change of ownership, that full surrender that completely frees you for His mercy to complete you – to make you completely successful today – walking in every opportunity He brings, avoiding every pitfall or temptation that would have you miss out on His best. His love for you is never ending, His plans for you are so good. You can go back to PiVAT right now – and confirm you are right on track – so His mercy can guide you to His very best today. Praying that you will remember His mercy, that your life is His, praying that as He will always lead you – that you will always follow. There’s joy there. Love you all, Dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word – it’s new and it’s review. It’s fresh, and it’s foundational. God knows just what you need and when is the best time for you to hear it – either for the first time, or the first time again. What do you need most from God today? Praying that you will take the time today to review the PRISM Topic Packet – The Best Question Ever… and what God gives. What do you need most from God today? – is a show-stopper, a mind stopper, a plan stopper, a misguidance stopper. Just the thought, the truth, that God knows what you need more than you do, will stop you in your tracks, and will lead you to ask Him for the track He has for you. God knows what you need most, He knows what you need - to know who you are, (because of whose you are) and what you need to do - to walk in everything He has for you… today, this week, this month, and this season. It’s so easy to just go through the motions, instead of letting Him set your motion, your direction, your devotion, and your completion. What if you had grace today? Divine power that’s unlimited, and unmerited favor that’s unimaginable? Grace, the power that raised Christ from the dead, the power that saved you – translated you from the kingdom of darkness, into God’s Kingdom of Light? The power that enables you to say “No” to every passion or desire, that didn’t come from God, that’s not His best for you, that won’t propel you and progress you in His best plans for you? This might be the first and most important question for you today, for this week, this month, or this season that you are continuing, completing or even starting. What if you didn’t know what you needed most from Him today, or this week or this season? Then you probably don't know what He wants you to do either. What you need most from God today – is exactly what you need to do and be what He has planned for your good! His timing is perfect, His plans are better than you could dream. What if you didn’t know what you needed most, or what He has planned for you. You would be doing something else, and missing what you needed to do His best for you – in the best way. If you don’t know what you need most from Him, you won’t know what He wants to give you. If you ask Him – He’ll tell you, and when He tells you – it’s because He wants to give it to you. Gifts aren’t truly gifts until they are received, they’re just available, unclaimed, unopened – so you remain unchanged and under-blessed. Whatever you need most from God today – this week, this month, or this season – is the best thing to get you to the best thing. What if you didn’t know what you needed most? That God was about to give you? How would you receive it? Would you even recognize it? Would you even know what it’s meant for? Might you even ignore it or reject it? Praying that you will never tire of God’s review. That you would never tire of the basics - that you've already heard before, so you would never forget His great love for you, His great sacrifice for you, and His great plans for you. Praying that your PiVAT habit would grow – so you get His plans, and get all of His gifts – that you need most – in order to know Him, and do them. Praying that your PRISM habit would grow – so you know His heart, so He can confirm His plans for your good. Praying that your 4C’s habit will grow – so His money is a joy and a testimony of your obedience and His provision. Praying that your Daily Call habit will grow – so you know what overcoming is. That your overcoming testimony will become a part of your DNA. Praying that you will gather with other obeyers like you – provoking each other to obeying more and loving more and overcoming more – and getting ever-more amazed at what God does for those who know His heart and His will for them – and do it with joy by the grace that He gives. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word – It’s inexhaustible. Every time you read it, God gives you something new. He establishes and re-enforces truth, wisdom, life, perspective, knowledge and understanding. His Word transforms your mind, and when your mind is transformed, your life is transformed. Most of our life is lived through our mind, even more than reality. It’s how we view things that happen, more than really what happens. God said, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," more than what happens to him. That’s why I’m so thankful for PRISM – it’s how you can do what God said - to transform your mind every day. Actually PRISM just brings you to God’s Word, and His Word is what transforms you! God reminding me this morning about seed and fruit. You don’t plant fruit, you plant seed. Fruit comes from seed. When seed is planted, it becomes fruit. And then the fruit gives you the next seed. A recent Daily Huddle – spoke of things that are connected, that God says precede and follow another - "the thing that brings the thing." A man’s wisdom gives him patience; Above all else get wisdom – and you’ll get patience with it. But how else does patience come? Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience… So just like if you get wisdom you'll get patience, if you get the Holy Spirit - you'll get patience along with Him. So how does your life demonstrate those fruits of the Spirit? The old nature still wants control, but God has given you the Holy Spirit - so you can have the fruit the Holy Spirit gives. Luke 13:11 – “If you though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Ask God to fill you today with His Holy Spirit – just like you did when you first received the Holy Spirit. Then walk in the Spirit - and you'll see the fruit of the Spirit in your life, not the fruit of the flesh. So how do you walk in the Spirit? Pray in the Spirit. Sow the seed that brings the fruit. Pray in the Spirit and you will walk in the Spirit. When you pray in the Spirit, you are praying the exact will of your Heavenly Father from Jesus - through the Holy Spirit into your spirit. When you pray in the Spirit, your mind is surrendered, and your spirit comes to life. When you pray in the Spirit – the Holy Spirit is in control, not your mind, and the Holy Spirit will always produce fruit. When you pray in the Spirit – love comes – you obey easier; joy comes – you rejoice in His presence and His promise; peace comes – so all fretting can cease; patience comes – longsuffering – you learn to trust Him and His timing; gentleness comes – you become kind, useful in the best interest of others; goodness comes – you start doing the things that God does as He directs your steps; faith comes – you become convinced, fully persuaded and fully relying on His Word - constant in duty and affection; meekness comes - humble in spirit, power under submission, and temperance comes – strong, uncontrolled by emotions or appetites but by the Holy Spirit. Praying that you will pray in the Spirit – the seed that yields you, so the fruit of the Spirit is produced in you – and gives you even more seed to sow. Think of what your life will look like, when the Holy Spirit produces love in you - full obedience to him, and blessing to others, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, humility, and surrender. These are what make you effective, fruitful, not fruitless, truly happy, completely fulfilled. Praying that you will pray in the Spirit so you walk in the Spirit, that you'll so the seed that brings the fruit... so you get everything that comes with Him. Love you all, dad |
About This BLOG
Daily Huddle - Archives
April 2021
Categories |