I Corinthians 15:58 (KJV) - Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Commitment is the glue that keeps you steadfast at your faith address. It ensures that you are not moved regardless of what you hear or see. Commitment is your pledge to God and yourself about what you are contracting and promising to do. Commitment in its simplest form is to do what you say. It is to be entrusted with responsibilities and to have a determination to fulfill them.
Your level of commitment is determined by your love for God and your love for what He has called you to do. The level of your confidence in what you hear God saying will also determine your ultimate commitment. This commitment in the preparation process will keep you from straying away from the faith and make you fully available for the highest level of service.
Commitment keeps you in the character-building process. It dares to ask the questions, “Are you a person of your word?” and “Do you follow through?” Your character is in a perpetual development cycle based on the commitments you keep. Your words will shape your life and define who you are. People assess your character as you honor your commitment.
Each time you make a commitment and keep it, you die to self by putting others first. In your commitment to God you are willing to sacrifice in order to help others and to allow God to stretch you so that you can grow and develop into the person He birthed you to be.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
What is the level of my commitment to God and myself?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Faith/Confidence
Hebrews 11:1 (CSB) - Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.
Our faith pleases God. In fact, it is impossible to please God without having faith and confidence in Him. In your walk toward your destination, you must not only clothe yourself with humility, but you must also clothe yourself with faith.
Faith is the armor, which ensures that you annihilate the attacks of the enemy against you. Faith moves and activates God to go to work on your behalf, and it is the substance that will get you to your destiny.
Your faith must be solid and secure in what God has spoken to you about your life. Without absolute confidence in His word and ability, you will not enjoy the richness of your destination. Without faith, many of you merely exist from day to day. Faith gives meaning and life to your existence.
To activate your faith and receive your rewards you must speak what God has already spoken about you. When you begin to speak His Word back to Him, you activate your faith by kicking it into gear, which brings it roaring to life.
In your destiny, you must put action to what you believe. Every act of faith requires movement in the direction of the things for which you believe. You have a voice of faith, which activates your faith as it is used to petition God for the fulfillment of your destiny. Without consistency in speaking God’s Word about yourself, you will not experience great success.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
What is my level of faith in God?
Our faith pleases God. In fact, it is impossible to please God without having faith and confidence in Him. In your walk toward your destination, you must not only clothe yourself with humility, but you must also clothe yourself with faith.
Faith is the armor, which ensures that you annihilate the attacks of the enemy against you. Faith moves and activates God to go to work on your behalf, and it is the substance that will get you to your destiny.
Your faith must be solid and secure in what God has spoken to you about your life. Without absolute confidence in His word and ability, you will not enjoy the richness of your destination. Without faith, many of you merely exist from day to day. Faith gives meaning and life to your existence.
To activate your faith and receive your rewards you must speak what God has already spoken about you. When you begin to speak His Word back to Him, you activate your faith by kicking it into gear, which brings it roaring to life.
In your destiny, you must put action to what you believe. Every act of faith requires movement in the direction of the things for which you believe. You have a voice of faith, which activates your faith as it is used to petition God for the fulfillment of your destiny. Without consistency in speaking God’s Word about yourself, you will not experience great success.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
What is my level of faith in God?
Monday, June 22, 2009
Obedience
I Samuel 15:22 (CSB) - Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice; to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
Everyone has struggled with obedience. Some of you struggled to obey your parents as you were growing up. I am sure that at times you struggled to obey and submit to instructions from your boss. Many of you have struggled with doing what is right and good.
It seems that there is a war going on in you when you decide to obey and do the things that you are called to do. God does not take pleasure in the things you do or the sacrifices you make. What pleases God is your obedience to Him and doing what He has instructed you to do.
The steps of obedience will lead you into a fulfilling destiny, while the steps of disobedience will keep you living below your privileges. To get to any level in God you must learn to hear and obey His instructions.
As a young adult, I learned a song which went something like this, “Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus; you must trust and obey.” In order for you to experience happiness and fulfillment, you must first learn to hear, trust, and obey the voice of God.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
Am I obeying God’s instructions for my life?
Everyone has struggled with obedience. Some of you struggled to obey your parents as you were growing up. I am sure that at times you struggled to obey and submit to instructions from your boss. Many of you have struggled with doing what is right and good.
It seems that there is a war going on in you when you decide to obey and do the things that you are called to do. God does not take pleasure in the things you do or the sacrifices you make. What pleases God is your obedience to Him and doing what He has instructed you to do.
The steps of obedience will lead you into a fulfilling destiny, while the steps of disobedience will keep you living below your privileges. To get to any level in God you must learn to hear and obey His instructions.
As a young adult, I learned a song which went something like this, “Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus; you must trust and obey.” In order for you to experience happiness and fulfillment, you must first learn to hear, trust, and obey the voice of God.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
Am I obeying God’s instructions for my life?
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Intimacy with God
Philippians 3:10 (NIV) - I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.
To get in step with God you must have an intimate relationship with Him. In this intimate relationship, you accept Him as your Savior and begin a life of service to Him.
There are many people who know Jesus as Savior, but not as Lord. When you accepted Jesus, He came into your life, and you now know that when you die you will spend eternity with Him. There are some people, however, who know Him not only as Savior but also as Lord. These people have made the decision that they want more than to just spend eternity with God; they desire to know Him in a more intimate way.
To know Him intimately they have submitted and surrendered their entire life to Him. He helps them with every decision whether small or great, and they do not make a move without consulting Him. He has clearance to tell them what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. They wait for His okay before moving forward. In their surrendering, they have given everything totally over to His control so He can use them as He desires. The hand of God touches every part of their lives. His signature is on everything they do. When you see them, you see a reflection of God because God is the captain of their souls and the master of their ship.
This level of intimacy requires a willingness to submit all that you are and ever will be to the care of a loving God. Someone defined intimacy as “into me see.” God sees your heart and blesses you because He is faithful.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
What is the level of your intimacy with God?
To get in step with God you must have an intimate relationship with Him. In this intimate relationship, you accept Him as your Savior and begin a life of service to Him.
There are many people who know Jesus as Savior, but not as Lord. When you accepted Jesus, He came into your life, and you now know that when you die you will spend eternity with Him. There are some people, however, who know Him not only as Savior but also as Lord. These people have made the decision that they want more than to just spend eternity with God; they desire to know Him in a more intimate way.
To know Him intimately they have submitted and surrendered their entire life to Him. He helps them with every decision whether small or great, and they do not make a move without consulting Him. He has clearance to tell them what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. They wait for His okay before moving forward. In their surrendering, they have given everything totally over to His control so He can use them as He desires. The hand of God touches every part of their lives. His signature is on everything they do. When you see them, you see a reflection of God because God is the captain of their souls and the master of their ship.
This level of intimacy requires a willingness to submit all that you are and ever will be to the care of a loving God. Someone defined intimacy as “into me see.” God sees your heart and blesses you because He is faithful.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
What is the level of your intimacy with God?
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Five Steps to Your Destiny
Psalm 37:23 (CSB) - A man’s steps are established by the Lord, and He takes pleasure in his way.
As I reflect on the reasons God would plan such great destinies for us, I cannot help but think of His great love for us. Because He so loved us He gave us His very best in the form of His Son. God adores the people He created, and because you are His, there is nothing good that He will ever withhold from you.
God is your Abba, He is your Father, and for many of you that is enough, but there are others of you who know Him as Daddy, the One who has been there and has been faithful to you every step of the way. You have intimate knowledge of your Daddy, and He has intimate knowledge of you because you have spent time with Him learning to walk in His footsteps.
God is ordering your steps to the special life He has planned for you who fear and reverence Him. He will fulfill the desires of all who stand in awe of His great goodness. He is a protective Daddy who watches over every step you take, to keep you from stumbling and falling. If you stumble and fall, He is right there to pick you up and set you on the right path again.
As you get in step with God, He will bring the blessings and greatness from His Kingdom into your life. These blessings were designed to bring fullness into your life. When you seek God, and not His blessings, He will pour all of His substance into you. The very blessings you long for will be a part of the deposit you receive from Him, as He takes up residency in your life.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
What is my true relationship with God?
As I reflect on the reasons God would plan such great destinies for us, I cannot help but think of His great love for us. Because He so loved us He gave us His very best in the form of His Son. God adores the people He created, and because you are His, there is nothing good that He will ever withhold from you.
God is your Abba, He is your Father, and for many of you that is enough, but there are others of you who know Him as Daddy, the One who has been there and has been faithful to you every step of the way. You have intimate knowledge of your Daddy, and He has intimate knowledge of you because you have spent time with Him learning to walk in His footsteps.
God is ordering your steps to the special life He has planned for you who fear and reverence Him. He will fulfill the desires of all who stand in awe of His great goodness. He is a protective Daddy who watches over every step you take, to keep you from stumbling and falling. If you stumble and fall, He is right there to pick you up and set you on the right path again.
As you get in step with God, He will bring the blessings and greatness from His Kingdom into your life. These blessings were designed to bring fullness into your life. When you seek God, and not His blessings, He will pour all of His substance into you. The very blessings you long for will be a part of the deposit you receive from Him, as He takes up residency in your life.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
What is my true relationship with God?
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Outside Influences
Romans 13:8 – Do not you people be owing anybody a single thing, except to love one another; for he that loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
You can be hindered and stopped by the influences of others. Many times, you will encounter people, including family and friends, who do not believe that you are truly hearing from God because of the greatness of the destiny He is revealing to you. These outside influences can keep you from obtaining your destiny because of their belief system. If they do not believe that you are hearing from God, they can deposit their doubt in you and cause you to question whether you are truly hearing God.
Many of you will walk away from your destiny because you do not have the support of your family and friends. You believe if they cannot see the greatness of your destiny, no one else will. That is a lie from the enemy. Most of the time, the people that are closest to you are unable to clearly see because of their foreknowledge of you.
You cannot base your entire destiny on what people think or say because you will miss out on great opportunities every time. Give them the respect of hearing them out, but do what the older generation says: “grind your own meal.” Make your own decision. In the final analysis, God is the only one who knows what you have been equipped to accomplish since He did the equipping. The only thing He asks of you is to love one another.
You can trust that He will not lead you astray but will only lead you down the best path for your life. He is the only influence that you must truly consider. Trust the work He has faithfully begun in you and know that He will not stop until it is fully accomplished. Hear the counsel of your family and friends; but decide that you will base your final decision on the wisest counsel of all, the counsel of the Holy Spirit of God.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
Who is influencing your belief about what God has spoken to you?
You can be hindered and stopped by the influences of others. Many times, you will encounter people, including family and friends, who do not believe that you are truly hearing from God because of the greatness of the destiny He is revealing to you. These outside influences can keep you from obtaining your destiny because of their belief system. If they do not believe that you are hearing from God, they can deposit their doubt in you and cause you to question whether you are truly hearing God.
Many of you will walk away from your destiny because you do not have the support of your family and friends. You believe if they cannot see the greatness of your destiny, no one else will. That is a lie from the enemy. Most of the time, the people that are closest to you are unable to clearly see because of their foreknowledge of you.
You cannot base your entire destiny on what people think or say because you will miss out on great opportunities every time. Give them the respect of hearing them out, but do what the older generation says: “grind your own meal.” Make your own decision. In the final analysis, God is the only one who knows what you have been equipped to accomplish since He did the equipping. The only thing He asks of you is to love one another.
You can trust that He will not lead you astray but will only lead you down the best path for your life. He is the only influence that you must truly consider. Trust the work He has faithfully begun in you and know that He will not stop until it is fully accomplished. Hear the counsel of your family and friends; but decide that you will base your final decision on the wisest counsel of all, the counsel of the Holy Spirit of God.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
Who is influencing your belief about what God has spoken to you?
Monday, June 15, 2009
Knowledge/Education
1 Timothy 2:15 – Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
While I was teaching a message recently, I had a revelation that not many men and women in the Bible were college-educated! This revelation came to light because many of you put limitations on your abilities and yourself. You limit yourself by thinking about what you can and cannot accomplish due to your lack of education and knowledge.
God does not qualify or disqualify you because of your education level. He is not looking at what earthly man is looking for when they hire or promote you. God looks at your heart to see if you are trustworthy and can be useable to Him. Some of you have used your lack of knowledge and lack of education as a hindrance to keep you from moving forward.
When God called and chose you, He qualified you to fulfill greatness with your life. He has pre-wired you with everything you need to succeed. You are handpicked and qualified for the task that has been assigned to you. Though you may feel limited in your abilities, God has not limited you because of those abilities. I heard these words from a song long ago, which simply say, “If You can use anything, Lord, You can use me.” The qualification to be useable is to say, “Yes, Lord,” and to surrender your will and your plans over to God. In surrendering, you are saying to God, “I trust Your preparation, and I will be open to however You want to use me to bring glory to Your name.”
When God called you to this great destiny, He knew He would have to qualify and prepare you to feel worthy enough so you would embrace what He has in mind for you. Part of this qualification came when you said, “Yes” to Him. With the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, you are thoroughly equipped to fulfill every good work.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
Am I spending time with God so He can use me for His purpose?
While I was teaching a message recently, I had a revelation that not many men and women in the Bible were college-educated! This revelation came to light because many of you put limitations on your abilities and yourself. You limit yourself by thinking about what you can and cannot accomplish due to your lack of education and knowledge.
God does not qualify or disqualify you because of your education level. He is not looking at what earthly man is looking for when they hire or promote you. God looks at your heart to see if you are trustworthy and can be useable to Him. Some of you have used your lack of knowledge and lack of education as a hindrance to keep you from moving forward.
When God called and chose you, He qualified you to fulfill greatness with your life. He has pre-wired you with everything you need to succeed. You are handpicked and qualified for the task that has been assigned to you. Though you may feel limited in your abilities, God has not limited you because of those abilities. I heard these words from a song long ago, which simply say, “If You can use anything, Lord, You can use me.” The qualification to be useable is to say, “Yes, Lord,” and to surrender your will and your plans over to God. In surrendering, you are saying to God, “I trust Your preparation, and I will be open to however You want to use me to bring glory to Your name.”
When God called you to this great destiny, He knew He would have to qualify and prepare you to feel worthy enough so you would embrace what He has in mind for you. Part of this qualification came when you said, “Yes” to Him. With the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, you are thoroughly equipped to fulfill every good work.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
Am I spending time with God so He can use me for His purpose?
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