Love you all, praying for you.
God spoke to me recently. And it sounded a lot like my daughter - Jibby. Actually – she was talking, and God was speaking. I was about to eat lunch, but it was late and I changed my mind. I’ve got no time for lunch, I’ve got to get to the next thing. “Why aren’t you eating lunch?” (Jibby noticed my sudden change of direction). “I’m not hungry.” “You don’t eat when you’re hungry, you eat when it’s time to eat. That’s how you’re not ruled by your stomach.” Mic drop. That’s all she said. And the silence left in the vacuum, was heavy with the weight of truth. Jibby is often like that – she doesn’t talk long, but what she says has weight. It only comes from time in His Presence. Wisdom is like that. It reminded me immediately of my PRISM from yesterday. Proverbs 18:4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. It’s life giving. Perspective changing, and the words aren’t many – but few. That’s all that wisdom needs. A few words – and immediate response. I ate lunch – gained strength – and then was quickly on to the next task God had assigned me to do today. The truth weighed so heavily, that God then transferred it. Truth is always transferable. God's principles and precepts apply across activities and topics. Honesty for example applies in school, at home, and at work. Different venue, same truth. As I pondered what God said through her, God reminded me... You don’t do things when you want to, you do things when God tells you, that's how you’re not ruled by your wants or desires or decisions, but by His wants, desires and decisions for you. And they are always good. That’s why PiVAT and PRISM are so important – They are daily training in setting aside your wants, and hearing from God. The One whose plans for you far exceed yours. They put your heart and mind in the framework of hearing and obeying, They give God the opportunity to speak His will into your life – every day. How else would you know His plans for you – so you can walk in them And your Daily Call – is how you overcome with your testimony (Hebrews 3:13) and how you get to hear God speak to you – using other people. Sometimes God sounds a lot like your Daily Call Partner. It also challenged me – about circles. Who are your circle of friends? The ones with most access to you? They are the ones who influence you the most. Their heart, and mind, their attitude and values, their desires, and goals and ambitions and opinions – will affect you – because that’s what they talk about. They base their lives on God's truth, or man's ideas. "Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future."– Mark Ambrose. "You will become like the five people you spend the most time with." – Jim Rohn. The people you associate with will accelerate your future, or stunt it’s growth. You cannot rise above your circle. Like gravity, or surface tension of water, or crabs in a barrel – your friends will limit you – or carry you. That’s why it’s so important to have friends who are obeyers - who surrender time thoughts and money to His control. They live life at a whole 'nother level. Those who understand God has Good For Them, who understand in every decision of life, there’s God’s Way and man’s way, who understand that Love is Obey, and who fully submit time, thought and money decisions – to the God who loves them – and promises to lead them in the way they should go – the way chosen for them. Friends who have committed their life to God’s plans for them, not their own. Not saying to dump all your friends, invite them to do a Daily Call with you. God loves them as much as He loves you. PiVAT and PRISM will let God reveal His love and His good for them, just as He has for you. Their testimony will change them! Praying that you will never miss PiVAT, always come back to PRISM, and your Daily Call will be just the first testimony of many today that you overcome with! Praying that you would do what God wants you to do, not what you want to do, so you’re not controlled by your will or desires, but led by God’s will and His desires for you. They are so very good! Love you all, dad
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Love you all, praying for you.
God showing me things this morning. When God shows you something its for a reason, it’s probably not what you expected, it increases your knowledge and understanding, and it’s in His perfect timing. Every time God shows you something – the next thing that comes – is the moment of truth. #1) Do you believe what He just said (First, you gotta that it was Him that said it, and not your own thoughts that came up with it – that’s what the liar, the other guy, the devil, will always try to tell you every time God speaks to you - and brings something to your heart or mind) and #2) Will you do it immediately – or think about it for a while (perverse – a reluctance to obey, delayed obedience, entertaining in your mind- reasons not to – or other alternatives) How quickly do you obey? What’s your reaction time - to things He tells you? Your turnaround time? That’s why PRISM is so very, very important. PRISM – 5 things you can do in God’s Word every day – is what keeps you coming back to the WORD, His truth. The more exposed you are to His Word, the more truth you will recognize, and be able to walk in – to appropriate for yourself. And the more you are in PRISM – the more the Holy Spirit can bring to your attention – to remind you of – to bring back to your memory and your consciousness at the exact time you need it. This morning I woke up with a blasting headache. Poor timing – I have so much to do today. It’s funny there is such a difference between natural and spiritual – what first comes to mind, is not always what’s on God’s mind. And in that moment as I’m waking up – I recognize this pounding headache – what first comes to mind is “Take something.” Isn’t it interesting – what first comes to mind. When we have a headache – take something – when we have a cold – take something – when we have insomnia – take something. And in these split seconds as I’m gaining consciousness from a night’s sleep, God puts in my spirit – Proverbs 17:22 – A cheerful heart is good medicine… but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. And God started giving me some observations about dry bones... The thing about dry bones – they are easily broken. What wouldn’t normally break a bone – half the stress or pressure can snap it – if it’s dry. Dry bones break, they lack strength. A crushed spirit dries bones. A spirit that is crushed versus a spirit that is vibrant is simply what consumes it. What occupies and pre-occupies the mind. A crushed spirit isn’t a crushed body, it’s a heavy, burdened, weighed-down mind. It makes bones dry – easily broken. How are your bones? Is your mind weighed-down? by what? What did God say about that thing - that's trying to weigh you down? God says - a cheerful heart is good medicine. That word cheerful – sameach - <saw-may’-akh> means merry, glad, joyful, gleeful from samach <saw-makh’> to brighten up, to be or make gleesome, cheer up, be or make (oneself or others) glad, to make joyful, re-joice – take joy again, to make merry. Cheerful is a choice, Cheerful is something you can do – it’s medicine you can take. You can choose cheerfulness. Cheer – to dispel gloom, sorrow, silence, or apathy. To gladden, to make cheerful, to be of good cheer – Cheer – a state of gladness or joy, above gloom and depression of spirits. Cheerful – full of cheer – lively, animated, full of life, expressive of joy. Animated - takes some energy, it requires something from you. A cheerful heart – is what’s in your heart. A heart is formed by words, and words reveal what is formed in the heart. As God is revealing this medicine to me – that I should take – I just started thinking about and just started thanking Him for the blessings of the last few days – what God is doing, in me and in others. He's on a roll! Testimonies I’ve heard of people obeying in the little things, in the crazy things, and God just showing up and showing out. Answered prayers, opportunities, God making himself obvious – and rewarding obedience. And suddenly – I noticed … “My headache is gone.” Completely! It was amazing! And then I remembered last night before dinner. I didn’t eat until late last night - I didn’t get done working until 8:15 pm – needed to take a shower and grab dinner – but God reminded me – PiVAT before dinner. “Oh, I’ll just do it before bed… I’m really hungry and I need to take a shower.” And God said "No, PiVAT before dinner." So I sat down and did it. It never takes very long – God reveals exactly what I need to know for tomorrow – as much as He chooses to reveal. And as I drew the lines and the columns, and asked that first PiVAT question - What do you need most from God today?… I just asked him and waited. And what He put in my spirit – was something that I had never written down in my PiVAT before – in years of doing PiVAT before dinner. He said “Amazement.” What I need most from God for tomorrow is - Amazement. I thought that was odd at the time, but when I said to myself this morning - "That's amazing" when my headache disappeared after "taking the medicine" He told me to take. The moment those words came out of my mouth - God reminded me - that was exactly what He told me I needed - during PiVAT before dinner. If I hadn't obeyed this morning, I wouldn't have seen it. And if I hadn't obeyed last night - I wouldn't have heard what He wanted to tell me. I’ve found God is always more amazing when we do what He tells us. And while I can’t promise that taking your medicine - of choosing cheerful - will instantly remove every sniffle, cough or papercut. I can tell you that every time I have obeyed what God revealed to me – as soon as I heard it – there is always a reward: joy, peace, healing, hope, contentment – something... Praying that you will hear from God today – that PiVAT before dinner will let Him direct your steps and reveal what He is about to do. That PRISM will give Him things to work with – that you will take your medicine, and always choose a cheerful heart, and that you would overcome by your testimony – and that every testimony you say, and every testimony you hear – will add to your cheer. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
God reminding me recently. The power of the tongue. God’s word says multiple times – what you say is what you get – from the fruit of a man’s lips his stomach is filled (the word is actually translated ‘womb’ as men obviously don’t have wombs – this is a picture to teach us that what we say – we will live in. Have you ever been at a bowling alley that has bumper guards for the kids? Foam strips that keep the ball from going in the gutter. When God says guard your tongue – that’s really what it means sometimes. Bumper Guards – they help your tongue stay in the lane so it can knock down the pins, not fall in the gutter (ineffective – not producing the intended result). There at least two ways to guard your tongue. Don’t say that, and, Say This. Sometimes it’s time to say nothing. Everything you think, is not meant to be said. Everything you could say – doesn’t mean you should say. Even things God reveals by His Spirit – some are to pray, not to say. Hoping that you will listen to PRISM Topic – Shut Up! (you will be surprised what God’s word says…) The other way to guard your tongue is those bumper guards. Just because the tongue is a danger, the Word says it can be a raging fire, who can tame the tongue… doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it. Your tongue is a powerful weapon given to you by God. Words are what activate faith. Paul said II Corinthians 4:13 - But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, I believed, and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we speak; The bumper guards of your tongue is the Word of God. Sometimes the best way to guard your tongue – is to occupy it with good. That’s why PRISM, and PRISM out loud! is so important. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God – but it becomes your sword when you speak it. What you believe is what you have spoken – speak it enough and you will believe. The Word of God is meant to be spoken, it’s how you write His truth, His promise, His Love and His commands on the tablet of your heart. What you say – you are far more likely to do. What you write down and speak out loud – will become your belief and your habit. PRISM out loud, God’s Word – out loud – taking up the sword of the Spirit is the bumper guards for your tongue. Your testimony comes with the tongue – a word that sustains the weary – requires a tongue to speak it. Praying in the Spirit – building up your faith – is done with the tongue. Prophecy comes through the tongue, encouragement and exhortation come from the tongue. See the PRISM Topic – Speak Life - the Word will always produce a result in you. Praying that you will activate your tongue today with His Word – those bumper guards direct your words – God has some pins for you to knock down. Just as He has plans for you today – He has plans for your words today. Praying that you are actively using the gift God has given you – to strengthen your faith and obedience, and the faith and obedience of others. God has good waiting for you! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
We recently shared the Daily Huddle - Baseline and Rhythm. Sometimes you need to get to the baseline, so you can establish rhythm. As God directs – be willing to cease and desist every other thing – to get to His rhythm for you. Getting to the baseline, lets you start rhythm. To understand rhythm, you have to understand sequence. Rhythm starts with sequence. God’s rhythm includes sequence. God is a God of order – and God’s order includes the thing that must precede the next thing. Ask God for the sequence He has for you. What do you do each morning? Sequence gets you into His rhythm. For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. – Ecclesiastes 3:1, but there (also) is a proper time and procedure for every matter… Ecclesiastes 8:6 Let God tell you the sequence. First things first, then next things next. Sequence is important. Have you ever made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with jelly first, then the peanut butter, then slap a piece of bread on top? Probably not – kinda messy… Always start peanut butter sandwiches with bread first – then peanut butter – then jelly. Somehow it just works better that way. Not a peanut butter and jelly religion, just sequence. Some baseball players have a funny way of getting ready to get into the batter’s box, adjust their cap, or gloves, or uniform or other things, it’s almost humorous. We’re not talking about superstition here, it’s just that in things of importance, you can be infinitely more effective in life, when you have a sequence. To do what God wants you to do today, first do what He wants you to do every day. Today’s task will get you something or somewhere, but every day’s tasks will make you something for you to be there. Every time you obey – it’s reinforcing your DNA. Praying that PiVAT before dinner – will not only reveal what God has for you today, but also remind you what He has for you every day. Your left Column- will be that Number 1 Thing God wants you to do today. But be sure you include in the Right Column those things that will grow you every day – and be sure you know their time slot. Sometimes you have to get up a little earlier – in order to do things in His Sequence. Just ask Him, He’ll tell you. God has me start with two things every morning - The Fear of the LORD and BRCBC (a sequence of personal faithfulness in natural things) - that we have taught our kids for years. I always want to be faithful spiritually and naturally. After The Fear Of The LORD, and BRCBC – I will usually do my 4C’s even before my PRISM time with God in His Word. Wow that sounds complex. Not at all. See the RelationshipTopic – How2 Fear God Right Now. This start to my day – has me begin in the position of humility and focus my mind, heart and spirit on obedience all day long. It’s something I rarely miss. Second BRCBC - don’t have a Relationship Topic for it yet… but I need to get one. How we care for the physical things God has entrusted to us – is a relationship issue. BRCBC - Bed, Room, Clothes, Bath, Clean. Even children can learn this simple sequence to be faithful naturally. When your feet hit the floor – right after the Fear of the LORD – make your bed, then clean the room – every surface clean, run the duster – make sure everything is in it’s place – if its not a decoration – put it where it belongs. After a few days – you’ll do it the night before so the morning is a breeze. Bed, Room, Clothes – run a load of laundry first thing. If you don’t have a full load yet, have it in the basket ready to run the load tomorrow. If you have a spouse and several children you can probably do a load a day. Just make it a part of your sequence. No brainer. Only takes a few minutes. Just do it. And this is not a woman’s job. A friend of ours once said – “Nothing sexier than a man folding laundry.” Don’t know about that, but I appreciate the appreciation. Bed, Room, Clothes, Bath – run the duster in your bathroom and wipe down the sink. If you keep your bathroom clean daily, just like your car – if it stays cleaner longer, it’s easier to clean. Bed-Room-Clothes-Bath-Clean. The Last one, clean – is your daily chore. Everyone in your family should have a daily chore. To keep the house clean. If you're worried about someone stopping by... you don't understand God's Rhythm and Sequence. The house you live in – are you faithful with it? It’s God’s house? Does it look like He lives there? Doesn’t have to be fancy but is it faithful? Faithful with little, will qualify you for much, unfaithful with little – who would entrust you with more? Luke 16:10-11 Cleaning daily takes just minutes - waiting for the weekend and it takes hours - a waste of your Saturday. These spiritual and natural things The Fear of the LORD and BRCBC – are sequence, daily habits that propel you to the assignment God has for you today. Next I always do my 4C’s – (to simply give an account of yesterdays financial transactions). A friend recently told me… when I do my 4C’s first thing in the morning, I am done thinking about finances for today. It’s funny how we can be consumed with money, the seeming lack thereof, when God doesn’t want us focused on money – just faithful with it, obedient with it. So we can focus on obedience in the other things that He has for us today. Praying that you have a 4C’s Accounting Tool – that helps you know where God’s money is, so you can do what He tells you to do with it. Then I do one or two parts of my PRISM to begin the day – and keep coming back to them. Wow – that’s a huge sequence, do you have to get up at 4 am? No. That’s the devil's lie. The Fear of the LORD, BRCBC and 4C’s are a matter of minutes. I pray in the spirit – while I’m doing my BRCBC. Sequence is simply habit. You shower the same way every day – you probably get dressed the same way every day – even drying off from the shower… you don’t stop and think about how to brush your teeth. You’ve known the most efficient way probably for years now. Sequence brings Rhythm. Sequence has you becoming, and focuses you on God’s assignment for today. Obedience in Sequence, brings joy in obedience. Praying that you are walking in the sequence He has for you – so He can bring the Good He wants for you. Ask Him, He’ll tell you. He may even change up your sequence, or bring you to new insight. He loves you! He has the best sequence and rhythm for you. Jesus knows a little about sequence himself. He always did what His Father told Him. Walk in the Spirit – and you will too. Sequence releases you to walk in the Spirit. He has good for you! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
God challenging me recently. Psalms 103:8 – The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love. That is so true! I’ve seen it. I’ve experienced it. That’s how He treats me. And if He is my LORD as well as my Savior – if I’m a disciple of Jesus – the LORD who is all these things to me, am I those same things to others? Sometimes these are good questions to ask. Disciples act like, think like, talk like, do like – the one they follow after. They are cut from the same cloth. Are you compassionate? having a temperament or disposition to pity? Inclined to show mercy? having a tender heart, easily moved by the distresses, sufferings, wants and infirmities of others? Are you gracious, favorable, kind, friendly, benevolent, merciful, disposed to forgive offenses and impart unmerited blessings – when they are not deserved? Are you abounding in love? having it in great plenty, is love very prevalent in you, generally prevailing? Does love prevail from you in great plenty? Are you inclined to show mercy, disposed to forgive offenses, and impart unmerited blessing on others? Do you forego anger, and does love generally prevail from you? That’s what God is toward me, am I that towards others? The problem is these things do not come naturally - an outward focused, others-centered heart and mind which wants what’s best for them, before being concerned with advantage for yourself. That’s who Jesus is. Praying that the God who loves you – is transforming you to love others – like He loves you. What doesn’t come naturally can come supernaturally. That’s why being transformed by His Word is so important. Praying that PRISM becomes the habit that keeps you coming back all day long. PRISM will change you – it will change your mind, your attitude, your heart, your thoughts, your words, your actions. Praying that you will never miss PRISM – and you will find yourself always wanting more - choosing one more drink from His Word – before choosing any other interests or pursuits. Not only is love there – life and light and truth are there. Wisdom and success are there! God says that your time in His WORD is an absolute guaranteed investment – it never comes back empty. Praying that your addiction to PRISM – those five things you can do in God’s Word every day – is growing in you, and changing you. It’s how you know His love for you and His will for you, and it’s how you learn to overflow his love to others - to treat them as He treats you. In the end – everything you have accumulated in this life will be left behind. The only thing that matters other than if you have put your faith in Jesus – is who did you bring with you? Praying that you are obeying each day in PiVAT - so He directs your steps, that you're growing each day in PRISM - so He changes your mind, and that you overcoming each day in your Daily Call - through the testimony He gives you. It’s how you walk in the good that He has waiting for you. Praying that you will love others like He loves you - that you will be inclined to - because His Word has changed you! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
God showing me recently. Baseline and Rhythm of life. Sometimes you need to get to the baseline – before you can establish rhythm. Something as simple as keeping your car clean every day – saves you enormous time, energy, stress, reputation, but you can’t keep a dust rag in your door cup holder – to just dust before you leave the driveway – when your car is filled with last weeks McDonalds wrappers and pizza boxes, crayons and animal crackers, two old cups of coffee leaking through the cup… Sometimes you have to get to the baseline. Why are baselines and rhythms so important? A person is measured by their actions not their ambitions, their habits not their hopes, their work not their wishes. Everyone wishes and dreams of what their life could be, but few get to the baseline, and establish the rhythms required to make progress toward their dreams. Be careful, we're not talking about selfish ambition, a chasing of the temporal, we are talking the good that God desires for us and what keeps us from getting there. I recently pruned three trees in my backyard, beautiful Trinity Pear trees – but several branches at the bottom had stolen all the energy. The lower branches became heavy, a drag on the shape and growth of the tree. So often we can allow ourselves to put energy into the lower things, rather than free ourselves to grow to the higher… Pruning, car cleaning, schedule lightening – are critical to grow into what God has for us. What do you need to shed, clean up, or clean out... the dead weight, misplaced focus and energy... So you can get back to the baseline, so the rhythm God has for you – can accelerate you forward? Deuteronomy 30:8 - And you will return and obey the voice of the LORD and do all his commandments which I command you this day. Return means to turn back, sometimes, to get back to the original starting point. Sometimes we can let things get out of control, either physical things, or time schedule things, even relationship things, or entertainment, maybe just irresponsibility in a couple areas in life, and our rhythm gets us off, those heavy branches weigh us down and disfigure the tree. Sometimes we need to get back to the baseline. So the rhythm that God directed – can be reestablished. The question is - Am I willing to put in the effort to get back to the baseline? Am I willing to cease and desist any other thing until I have pruned everything that weighs me down, so I can walk in what God has told me? Praying that each week, you would take the opportunity through PiVAT Weekly, and at month’s end – through PiVAT Monthly to be sure you are walking in God’s rhythm for you. Don’t be fooled. What you can see or imagine is not the motivation. It’s what you can’t see and have not yet imagined – that baseline and rhythm requires – which would motivate you completely – if you could just see where God would take you. That’s where faith comes in. Praying that you will be faithful in PiVAT before dinner, and PiVAT for this Week. Praying that you will do whatever it takes to get the physical things, the time things, and the relationship things in your life – in the proper order and perspective – that God ordains and directs – that baseline from which you can more forward unimpeded. Sometimes saying “No” is the most important thing you can do. Sometimes you have to “stop the presses” and get back to the baseline in some things– before you do a single other thing... where the rhythm God has for you is freed up from dead weight. Remember, Jesus said, my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Don’t get weighed down by distractions, or unfaithfulness in any area - physical, material, mental or spiritual. Praying that you will do whatever it takes today, right now, before anything else! to get to God’s baseline for you, so His rhythm daily – brings you freedom and joy in the journey He has for you to destinations you couldn’t even imagine! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
God challenging me today. Who did you help obey today? Who did you help be faithful today? Sometimes you just need someone to walk alongside you. First you gotta obey yourself. God reminding me… Basics. Everything comes back to the basics. Here are the basics of life. Time, Thoughts, Money. Whoever makes these decisions is the LORD of your life. Praying that you will take the time today to review the Relationship Topic – Time, Thoughts & Money. It’s a needed reminder and a great encouragement. What habits do you have in these three areas? Do PIVAT before dinner tonight – no matter what – don’t eat dinner until you do it. It’s not a chore, it’s a joy. Spending those few minutes with your Heavenly Father – getting His plans for you for tomorrow. It just helps you anticipate the good that He has. The other guy doesn’t have good for you, but God does. Every time you ask Him, He’ll tell you, so you can walk in it. If you don’t have your Conversation Log with you, just do it on your phone, and when you get home, transfer it to your PiVAT Conversation Log. Every time you write down what God told you and what God does when you obey – you get better, and your testimony gets better, so you overcome more! You are more likely to obey the next time, and your testimony will challenge someone else to obey as well. PRISM – if you didn’t do it yet, just do it now. Get on the Bible App and Praise the Word through just one or two verses. It will make a difference. This isn’t a religion – it’s just an opportunity. Praying that you have an Accounting Tool that you are current in. Peace in personal finances comes from knowing where God’s money is, and doing what He tells you to do with it. Habits are so important. Someone once said, show me your habits and I’ll show you your future. You cannot rise above your habits. God cannot bless you above your habits. Are your habits keeping you in obedience? That’s where the blessing is. If not, just start now. PiVAT first, PRISM next. And if you are faithful already today – have you ever thought about helping someone else? Sometimes you just don’t feel like it, but if someone says – Hey, I’ll help you, it’ll only take 15 minutes – lets do it – they help you be faithful – and you still get the blessing that comes with obedience. Praying that you will always ask God – who He wants you to help – obey today. To encourage them to take that next step of obedience. Just to come alongside them – two is better than one. The blessing God has for them – is waiting there! What if you were a friend who helps someone obey the next thing God tells them? When they just need a little encouragement, or someone to come alongside them. That’s exactly what the Holy Spirit does for us. Pray in the Spirit – and you will be praying the exact will of your Heavenly Father – over you. That will always produce a result. Praying that you are not only overcoming with testimony today – but obeying fully – so more testimony comes! You’re not obeying for nothing. Obey on Purpose, and His Purpose for you will come to life! If you’re faithful – who can you help obey today? – to be faithful too? Ask God, He’ll tell you. Helping them overcome with their testimony is so worth the inconvenience. God will use you! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
God reminding me recently – You need a Conversation Log. There is such an importance of obeying in the little things, obeying in the consistent things, obeying in the foundational things. There are some things so fundamental and practical in God’s commands, that are to be life-long habits. Praise, Humility, The Fear of the LORD, Worship, Speak Life, Praying in the Spirit, Diligence, Know the condition of your flock (know where God’s Money is so you can do what He tells you to do with it). But perhaps the first of the foundational habits. Write It Down. How can you be sure to do – what you don't remember? And whatever God says – if it’s important to you - you will write it down. Psalms 102:18 – Let this be written for a future generation that a people not created may praise the LORD: There are two kinds of people yet to be created. Those yet to be physically created, and those yet to be spiritually created. But perhaps there are three. Those who have yet to be awakened. Some are not born, some do not know Christ, and some even Christians, do not know that Jesus wants to be the LORD of their life, fully in control; the leader, the one who makes their time decisions, the thought decisions and the money decisions of their life. Some don't yet know - that His ways are higher than their ways – as high as the heavens are above the earth, and that His plans for them are good - and He will reveal it to them, if they will ask. They don't yet know that fully surrendering these time, thought and money decisions to Him, the God who loves them... is what presenting your body as a living sacrifice really is. Praying that you will never miss PiVAT before dinner, that you will know - so you can do - His will for you each day – to walk in the joy and purpose He has created you for! Praying that you will always be addicted to PRISM each day – those 5 things you can do in His Word every day – that transform your mind to think like He does – so you understand His love for you, and you understand the things He is telling you to do (Romans 12:1-2). And praying that you are walking in complete faithfulness financially – knowing where God’s money is, so you can do what He tells you to do with it. That you have an accounting tool that covers the 4Cs. Praying that your Daily Call – is making you victorious – as you are overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of your testimony. But for all these things – that God is speaking to you, and doing for you, and doing through you. God says. Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created – may praise the LORD. Whether they are not born physically yet… or maybe not born spiritually yet – truly walking in obedience to Christ – where He makes the call on these vital decisions which make your life the life He wants for you. These things He says – write them down. So those coming after you may Praise Him. Praying that you will be faithful with PIVAT, PRISM and Conversations in your Conversation Log – This simple tool will help you develop the habit of writing it down. These powerful truths that God gives are so practical. Praying that you will go back to the PRISM Topic – Write It Down – so God’s habits for you remain. See the Relationship Topic - How2 PiVAT Conversation Log – for a reminder of that practical application – which fulfills this scripture. We’re not saying that your Conversation Log, your testimonies, and the things God reveals to you through PRISM – are on par with the cannon of Scripture. But they are definitely what God says to you. He will confirm it. You will see it. That’s why PiVAT and PRISM and your Daily Call are so powerful. They focus you on what He is telling you, and telling you to do. Praying that you will use your Conversation Log – to write down all these things that God reveals, that He speaks, and the testimony of what He does. It will remind you! It will always result in praise, as you remember and can share the testimony with others. Re-share it! And teach it to your children (those physically coming after you, and their children – when the time comes). But also those you walk with – and others with whom you share your testimony. God wants them to discover theirs – so they also have a Conversation Log – for their conversations with God, themselves, and others – so they too can write down the things that will help a generation not yet created - to Praise the LORD! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
God reminding me recently. Proverbs 11:2 – When pride comes, then comes disgrace but with humility comes wisdom. What’s coming? Whatever is coming – there’s something that comes with it. What do you want? More importantly, what does God want for you? Disgrace or Wisdom. What a choice. Pride or Humility will determine it. Pride prevents wisdom (the right use of knowledge). Pride cancels grace (unmerited favor, and divine power). Pride attracts the opposite of grace – disgrace, powerless, favor-less, embarrassment, shame, dishonor. Wisdom comes with humility. Decide right now – no matter what… Don’t think you know better. Pursue humility and wisdom will find you. So how do you pursue humility? First – make a non-negotiable, unchangeable, life-long-no-exception-decision to obey God. Humble yourself to obey Him. Predetermine in your mind and heart to do whatever He will tell you. Then Ask Him what to do, daily! PiVAT before dinner and He will tell you. Every time you do PiVAT, every time you ask – having pre-determined to obey – you’re surrendering to His will. That’s the start of humility – humble yourself before God. Then listen – first to God, but also to others. Walking in Humility comes through a pre-decision to obey God, and then a habit of listening – to God and others. Consider others more important than yourself – what they have to say as more important than what you have to say. What is pride? The first thought that you are better - “I’m better than…” that’s pride coming. And you can be sure… disgrace is coming next. But if you are listening first to God, what He has to say (PRISM will transform your mind – It will tell you what He says - You’ll hear what He says so you start thinking like He thinks). And if you listen to others as a first reaction and a priority – it’s hard to think, “I’m better than,” when you are seeking to understand, more than seeking to be understood. Actively listening, clarifying, and re-listening to understand… that’s walking in humility – and wisdom is coming. Actually grace and wisdom are coming – because God says He opposes the proud, but gives grace (unmerited favor and divine power) to the humble. It goes back to the thing that brings the thing. Want grace? Want wisdom – learn to walk in humility. Finally, Go Serve Somebody. It's humility in practice, a physical demonstration of it. Do something for someone – not expecting anything in return. Ask God who? what to do? And when? He’ll tell you. You serving – communicates God’s love for them. Especially if you’ll give Him credit for sending you. Serving them just because God loves them, and you love God, so you love them. When you are serving – you are humbling yourself. When you serve them, you are placing more importance on them, their need, and their benefit, than you are placing on yourself, your time, and your convenience. Take the low place, leave things unsaid, be unoffendable, choose the smaller piece, not the biggest piece. That’s humility. (You don’t need to be walked on – you can assert yourself. Being taken advantage of – is not humility, but serving is. Preferring others is.) The Holy Spirit will lead you if you will ask. Praying that you will listen to PRISM Topic – Humility. And PRISM Topic – Humble. It will set your mind on what God says brings wisdom. Pride will be foreign to you, and humility will bring grace and wisdom – which enable and make permanent God’s blessing in your life. Praying for you. That you will pre-determine to obey God – no matter what He says. That you listen to Him and others... that you choose to serve, and that you choose the low place, so His grace empowers you, and wisdom finds you. Choose humility and you will always know what’s coming! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
God revealing to me recently. Proverbs 10:1 - A wise son brings joy to his father… It made me think. One of the things I am most, most thankful for. The Best Question Ever. Praying that you will listen to that Relationship Topic – The Best Question Ever. It’s the first question of PiVAT that we ask before dinner as we seek God’s plan for us for tomorrow. It really might be the best question ever. What Do You Need Most From God Today? You won’t know – you’ll need to ask Him, You’ve not been to tomorrow yet, He has. If you ask Him what you need most - He will surely tell you. As I thought of the thousands of times in the last number of years that I’ve asked that question – during my PiVAT before dinner. Many times what I need most from Him today – is Joy. That’s what I need most from Him. This verse is saying the exact same thing – but for Him, not me. It made me think. What does God need most from me today? What could I do that would bring Him Joy? Obey and Worship. That’s what brings Him Joy. Do what He told me to do, and make Him my first and greatest affection. Choose His presence (worship) and His Word (PRISM) before I choose doing something else I like to do. Paul sheds some light on this concept of bringing joy to our Heavenly Father… 3 John 1:4 - I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. That’s what brings a Father joy. Seeing His children walking in truth. What is that? Obeying. Jesus was an obeyer – that’s all He did. It’s how He pleased His Father – becoming obedience unto death – even death on a cross. That’s why God exalted Him to the highest place. David was a worshipper – but even worship was part of obeying. Matthew 4:10 - Then Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”(obey) David was maybe the best worshiper ever! He danced before the LORD, He led the nation in worshiping God, He played the harp, he wrote the whole book of Psalms. But when God defined him, - He defined Him as an obeyer. 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. Praying that as you ask God what you need most from Him today – as you're doing PiVAT before dinner, that you would also think of what brings Him joy. Praying that you would worship Him – that His Presence and PRISM (His Word) would be your priority and first affection. So your mind is changed - so obeying becomes easier - so obeying becomes the habit of your life – so you will always bring Him Joy - as He fills you with joy in His presence. Obedience always brings joy! Your testimony is just what He did as you are learning to obey. Praying that your Daily Call will just be the dress rehearsal today. That you will give your testimony everywhere you go. You overcome through it! Praying that your joy will be full today – and everything He told you to do... you would bring your Heavenly Father joy – as you walk in it. Love you all, dad |
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