WOW MOMENTS

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

It truly is remarkable when GOD “presents” himself.  

And before I go further, GOD doesn’t always present Himself in mountaintop experiences or “wow” moments, one of which I am about to share.  Those are awesome for sure, but sometimes GOD shows up to correct us or to “steady the ship” as well.

Psalm 25:8

God is fair and just; He corrects the misdirected, Sends them in the right direction.

The truth is GOD just loves to “get involved” with us!

And this past week, time after time, GOD has presented Himself to me in some most amazing WOW” moments.  And over the course of the next few weeks I will share them in order to GLORIFY HIM and hopefully INSPIRE you because that is “my job”…

Psalm 115:1(ESV)

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

So I thought I would share one such “WOW” which was last night. 

It is not often in life when we get to “rub elbows” with those we have admired from afar; the “famous ones” if you will. But last night GOD blessed me immeasurably and inexplicably by intersecting me with one of my heroes, Michael English.www.michaelenglishmusic.com.

Michael is an accomplished and decorated solo artist in the gospel music world; Grammy winner and Dove Award winner.  But my connection to Michael is more than just as a fan of his talent.  My connection to Michael was through his transparent and inspired auto-biography “The Prodigal Comes Home.”  His journey into depression, drugs and drinking is so eerily similar to mine.  His fears and “missed expectations” so similar to mine that I thought I was reading my story when I was reading his. 

But it is his story of GOD’s RESTORATION that helped to change my life.

I count the living breathing nature of THE WORD OF GOD, Michael’s BOOK, and Pastor Mark Brook’s initial visit to me in the hospital as the three crucial catalysts for my recovery from alcoholism and entrance into full-time ministry.

I always believed that when I fell into alcoholism, I would never serve the Lord again.  GOD wouldn’t want me.  GOD surely wouldn’t need me.  Yet as the pages turned in Michael’s book I found a GOD who DID love me in spite of me and a GOD who still valued me; not for any talent, but just for me and I could RECOVER.

Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV)

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

And last night after years of being a “fan in the stands”, Michael and I just “hung out”. He was gracious enough to come and celebrate my 5^th year in ministry with me.  We talked about our kids.  We talked about challenges.  We talked about music. We talked about anxiety and failure.

But mostly we shared our gratitude for GOD’S RESTORATION.

Isaiah 61:3

…He will give: beauty for ashes; joy instead of mourning; praise instead of heaviness. For God has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory.

It is not often we meet our heroes.  Not often at all.  We pray that they live up to expectations.  Mine most certainly did. It still is a little surreal.

So last night would be easily categorized as a WOW moment; a top ten evening for me directly on the heels of a top ten morning (which I will talk about soon).

And that brings me to the point of today’s DISPATCH.  It is a simple one.

GOD is pursuing us relentlessly.  He has plans and dreams for our lives.  He wants WOW moments for US.  He wants US to be ABLE TO SEE Him frequently and powerfully each day.

And while I had a big WOW yesterday, I know there may be another one waiting on the other side of the door this morning.  In fact I have begun TRUSTING GOD for MORE of them. (even the "correcting" ones)  And all HE asks is that when they happen to give HIM the GLORY.

Ephesians 3:20

Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.

So be on the lookout today.

A “WOW MOMENT” for you might be just on the horizon!

And if you have one, GIVE GOD the GLORY!

I love you all.

Freedom Church

 

Pastor GDelaney