CONTINUE 10.27.2015

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.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. - Winston Churchill

Feel like you failed? Or feel like someone has failed you and you are suffering some fallout?

I love what C.S. Lewis said, Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success. - C. S. Lewis

One fails forward to success. That is so true.

In fact John Maxwell noted leadership trainer and Pastor wrote an entire book on “Failing Forward”.

Truth is we are all going to experience setbacks. It is part of the journey. Some even say it is necessary. Our footing will give way from time to time, the person who we thought had the rope may lose their grip, or we may take a step back or two. We will face naysayers and ruts, bad days and hurt feelings.

But as Churchill chimes, it is not fatal. We must continue to have courage and to continue to trust GOD that the challenge, though hard to understand at the time, is part of the process!

Romans 5:3-5 (LB)
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

So we can’t live in fear of failure.

We can’t live apprehensively or pensively, waiting for the “next trial or shoe to fall.” We live in a world where things are in constant change. We live in a world where the attitudes and agendas of others will not continue to coincide or agree with ours. We live in a world where we may be knocked back a peg or two on our path.

The key is to remain FOCUSED on the FATHER at all times. He is constant. He is consistent.
He is a GOOD GOOD Father.

And as long as you are walking in obedience and toward Him, though those around you may drop a banana peel or two or you may experience a blip on the screen, it is not enough to stop you from maintaining your vision, listening to HIS heart, and pursuing the calling of CHRIST on your life.

Often as the recovery community says, SETBACKS are SETUPS for COMEBACKS.

The trial is there to define you, reveal your character and often reveal the character of the company you keep.

So don’t get discouraged.
For:
…no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Continue.

I love you all!
Freedom Church (Champions Network)

NO FEAR IN LOVE - 10.28.2015

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.

“Courage comes from a heart that is CONVINCED it is loved.” ― Beth Moore

Where God’s love is, there is no fear, because God’s perfect love takes away fear...(1 John 4:18 ERV)

Not a day goes by in this ministry when I don’t have someone struggling with fears.

Fears of failing.
Fears of the future.
Fears from the past.
Fears of the now.
Fears of the when.
Fears of the known and unknown.

Sometimes that someone is me…

Yet GOD reminds us that where HIS love is there is NO fear.
And GOD is love as scripture says and GOD Spirit resides in those who follow Him, so why do we fear?
Doesn’t make sense does it?
Even when we have passages like 2 Timothy 1:7 to remind us that:
The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control.

So why do I start listening to the lies of the enemy or allow myself to be impacted by fear-giving circumstances?

Lies and thoughts like:
Am I good enough?
Am I as productive as I should be?
Am I meeting expectations?
When will the shoe fall this time?
What about “this” conflict? What about “that” challenge?

Like I said, it doesn't make sense.
I need to remember that GOD’S Spirit enables me to take CONTROL of those fearful thoughts and diffuse them!
…capture every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5 CEB)

And those thoughts in the light of GOD’S Word, don’t hold up!
I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. (Isaiah 41:9-10)

So I am going to choose the courage that GOD’S love supplies today. 
Will you too? 
Maybe you are dealing with some “similar” challenges?

I believe we can displace those fears and anxieties with FAITH!
Let’s make our default reaction to all the circumstances, all the uncertainties, all the overwhelming feelings of inadequacy FAITH rather than fear!
Hebrews 10:38(ICB)
The person who is right with me will have life because of his faith.

“Fear never wrote a symphony or poem, negotiated a peace treaty, or cured a disease. Fear never pulled a family out of poverty or a country out of bigotry. Fear never saved a marriage or a business. Courage did that. Faith did that. People who refused to consult or cower to their timidities did that. But fear itself? Fear herds us into a prison and slams the doors. Wouldn’t it be great to walk out?” ― Max Lucado…

I am walking out!
You?

I love you ALL!
FREEDOM CHURCH (CHAMPIONS NETWORK)

PRESENT PEACE - 10.29.2015

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.

“What if”...
“Sure I am ok today, but what if tomorrow they say no.”
“I can handle IT ok right now, but what if ‘he/she’ shows up, I know I will blow it.”

Projection.
Fear of “the next”.

It is the enemy of a good recovery and a peaceful walk of faith.
I have watched an awful lot of people succumb to the pressure of the “what if”; getting ahead of themselves, worrying about what might happen next rather than taking care of what is happening right now.

There is a reason GOD carved our days into 24 hour increments. We are not really capable of handling much more than that. Think about it.
Can you control what someone will do next? Can you predict the future? Do you have a crystal ball cluing you in to GOD’s next step for your life and recovery?

If you did you would be on reality TV.

But we all have our moments of projection don’t we? We do sometimes get wrapped up in “what iffing” ourselves into quite the lather. Yet GOD encourages us to stay grounded, maintain our current focus, to seize the day and do the best we can with it.

Matthew 6:34 MSG
Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

We need not focus on the uncertain for when we fixate upon our fears and our doubts (our “what if’s” if you will), we will find many reasons to lie awake at night and fret about the uncertainties of the coming day robbing us of the energy we need for the present.

A better strategy, of course, is to remain focused on GOD.

Philippians 3:16 (MSG)
…let's keep focused…those of us who want everything God has for us… God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! …we're on the right track, let's stay on it.

God is near.
He is in control.
So don't focus your thoughts upon the fears of “the next” or get debilitated with the “what if’s”. 
Stay in the present, focused and find peace.

“If you are depressed you are living in the past.
If you are anxious you are living in the future.
If you are at peace you are living in the present.”
― Lao Tzu

I love you all.
Have a blessed day!

FREEDOM CHURCH (CHAMPIONS NETWORK)

GOD'S CHOICES

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.

Vance Haver has said,

 “The greatest choice any man makes is to let God choose for him.”

Good quote.

I know I should try what it says. Lord knows (and yes I do believe He does) my heart wants to serve Him, follow Him, honor Him, and represent Him to the fullest. My problem is too many times my heart and my brain is on different wavelengths. And what goes on and is encouraged by my BRAIN sometimes is NOT a good reflection of my heart.

Face it, I often make ridiculous choices.

I have silly self-centered thoughts. I entertain knuckle-headed and sin-soaked notions and temptations.  To make matters worse, I act on them. I often don’t “represent” quite like a Pastor should. Heck with Pastor, like a Christian should.

But if I would really embrace that thought from Vance, I know that my choices and consequently my walk and life would be so much sweeter, so much more "impactful" and so much more fulfilling.

It is up to me.

It is up to you too.

Bill Bright says it this way…

“Every day, I find countless opportunities to decide whether I will obey God and demonstrate my love for Him or try to please myself or the world system. God is waiting for my choices.”

I will admit. That drives me crazy sometimes; that whole “GOD is a gentleman” thing.

Doesn’t GOD realize just how goofy and jacked up my "gray-matter" can be? Why doesn’t He just short-circuit this whole FREE WILL thing and take the pressure off?

Because He loves me and He wants me to love Him willingly.

That is why GOD didn’t craft drones and robots.

He made us to choose.

And as Vance and Bright have eluded, our lives are a series of choices. From the instant we wake up in the morning until the moment we nod off to sleep, we make countless decisions—decisions about the things we do, decisions about the words we speak, and decisions about the way that we choose to direct our thoughts.

So will you join me in the effort today to let GOD direct those choices; to making the choice to let His SPIRIT lead?

Galatians 6:8 (ERV)

if you live (CHOOSE) to please the Spirit, your harvest from the Spirit will be eternal life.

Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

God doesn’t want people to do what they think is best: he wants them to do what he knows is best…- Blackaby

I love you all!

Have a blessed weekend

FREEDOM CHURCH (CHAMPIONS NETWORK)

CONTINUE

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.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. - Winston Churchill

Feel like you failed? Or feel like someone has failed you and you are suffering some fallout?

I love what C.S. Lewis said, Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success. - C. S. Lewis

One fails forward to success.  That is so true.

In fact John Maxwell noted leadership trainer and Pastor wrote an entire book on “Failing Forward”.

Truth is we are all going to experience setbacks. It is part of the journey.  Some even say it is necessary.  Our footing will give way from time to time, the person who we thought had the rope may lose their grip, or we may take a step back or two.  We will face naysayers and ruts, bad days and hurt feelings.

But as Churchill chimes, it is not fatal.  We must continue to have courage and to continue to trust GOD that the challenge, though hard to understand at the time, is part of the process!

Romans 5:3-5 (LB)

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

So we can’t live in fear of failure.

We can’t live apprehensively or pensively, waiting for the “next trial or shoe to fall.”  We live in a world where things are in constant change.  We live in a world where the attitudes and agendas of others will not continue to coincide or agree with ours. We live in a world where we may be knocked back a peg or two on our path.

The key is to remain FOCUSED on the FATHER at all times.  He is constant. He is consistent.

He is a GOOD GOOD Father.

And as long as you are walking in obedience and toward Him, though those around you may drop a banana peel or two or you may experience a blip on the screen, it is not enough to stop you from maintaining your vision, listening to HIS heart, and pursuing the calling of CHRIST on your life.

Often as the recovery community says, SETBACKS are SETUPS for COMEBACKS.

The trial is there to define you, reveal your character and often reveal the character of the company you keep.

So don’t get discouraged.

For:

…no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Continue.

I love you all!

Freedom Church (Champions Network)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjEYtaD-Ywg

TIME TO GET UP

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.

He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. (Ephesians 1:7 MSG)

Yesterday while listening to my friend Josh share the Word I was reminded of this passage from Ephesians.

Josh was sharing the POWER of “the encounter”.

He was recalling the stories of Paul’s conversion and the voice of the LORD pressing him to GET UP.  He shared the powerful story of the paralyzed man who was lowered by his friends to encounter Jesus and how JESUS encouraged him to GET UP.

I was reminded of the man at Bethesda’s pool who also was told to "GET UP".

Get up and “what” you ask?

JOIN GOD in the WORK He has gotten us ready to do, work we had better be doing.  Seemed to be theme of the weekend. A talk that was shared by Rev. Dr. Gloria on Saturday echoed the SAME thing.  She was exhorting the men in that meeting to GET UP and GET to WORK in “changing the culture” of the young men in our community!

For after Jesus encouraged them all to GET UP it didn’t stop there.  Rather He encouraged them to step into their purpose, to share the “change”; the encounter, to become the testimony, to make the MOST of the time at hand!

That is today!

Have you been down?

Beat up?

Lost your direction?

Out of step?  Out of sorts?

In rebellion?

Feeling a little crippled?

Questioning your value and place?

Don't just "lie there".

(Jesus said) “I tell you, GET UP…– Mark 2:11 (NIV)

There IS something for you to be doing RIGHT now, on this day, in this moment.  That same Paul who “got up” is the one ENCOURAGING you to ‘get to work’, embrace the moment, grab your purpose.

What is that?  To obey GOD, listen for Him and find out!

His purpose is for this minute, not for something in the future. we have nothing to do with the afterwards of obedience; we can get it wrong when we think of the afterwards. what men call training and preparation, God calls the end… if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment is precious.” ― Oswald Chambers

Each moment is precious now that you have encountered GOD.

Don’t miss any of today’s.

“Before you were born—before any of your defects were apparent to you—they were absolutely apparent to God. That didn’t stop Him from calling your name and setting you apart. He placed you on the earth at a certain time for a purpose.” ― Steven Furtick

Therefore, let’s get up and get going!

I love you ALL!

FREEDOM CHURCH (CHAMPIONS NETWORK)