MAKE A WAY

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)

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

Not like NOT having all the answers?

Ever encounter a situation that has no clear cut answer? 

One where all of the suggestions, possibilities, and even a few well vetted solutions don't pass the muster?

Those are frustrating situations right?

When things get out of frame we ALL at least want a little direction right?

I know I don’t like the uncertainty or the anxiety associated with this sort of thing. I really don’t like “not knowing” what to do.

And I am sure I am not alone.

But it is at times like these that we really DO have the best answer, the best solution, and the best plan.

Trust GOD more. 

Pray even more.

GOD will make a way...

“The more you go with the flow of life and surrender the outcome to God, and the less you seek constant clarity, the more you will find that fabulous things start to show up in your life.” - Hale

GOD has got it.

Relax.

God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax...Psalm 9:9 (MSG)

With our limited human perspective, we cannot know all aspects of the situations facing us. But GOD is fully in tune with our needs and burdens.  So much so we don't even have to articulate them in order to get GOD engaged.

...the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words. Romans 8:26 (AMP)

So do NOT let the frustration of "the unclear" keep you from seeking GOD for answers. 

Never stop BELIEVING, TRUSTING, PRAYING...

Jesus Himself tells us to persist.

Matthew 7:7 (NIV)

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

Therefore keep on asking.

Keep on seeking.

Keep on knocking.

Ask, seek, and knock are all present tense verbs in the original Greek; they elude continuous or habitual action. So our faith, our trust, our seeking and our pursuit must TOO be perpetual.

Remember:

God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength

For each new day

He will make a way

He will make a way

Have a blessed weekend.

I love you all

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE (Champions Charge)

BOLDNESS

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.

 

“The fear-filled cannot love deeply. Love is risky. They cannot give to the poor. Benevolence has no guarantee of return. The fear-filled cannot dream wildly. What if their dreams sputter and fall from the sky? The worship of safety emasculates greatness. No wonder Jesus wages such a war against fear.” ― Max Lucado

 

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]. 2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP)

 

Jesus did say for us to “fear not” a lot; to have courage and give FREELY! 

Paul told us to LOVE unswervingly regardless of the risk.

 

What dreams have you put on hold due to fear?

Have you withheld loving for fear of getting hurt?

Have you chosen timidity instead of boldness?

When is the last time you GAVE with no thought of the quid pro quo??

 

GOD doesn't call the cowardly.  He doesn't inspire the timid.

He instead INJECTS soundness via the Holy Spirit into the CHRISTIAN.

He says be CALM, BALANCED, MINDFUL, POWERFUL, BOLD and CLEAR

 

You up for that today?

Merton once commented: 

“Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.” ― Thomas Merton

 

Desire to PLEASE GOD today?

 

Walk without fear.

Love BOLDLY!

Give BOLDLY!

Depend BOLDLY!

Lean BOLDLY!

SERVE BOLDLY!

 

Drake implored:

“Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we sailed too close to the shore.

 

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more BOLDLY, to venture on wider seas, where storms will show your mastery, where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizon of our hopes, and to push us into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love.

 

Dare today.

Don’t fear today.

 

For:

 

...we have BOLDNESS and access with confidence through our faith in HIM. Ephesians 3:12 ESV

 

…the righteous are bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1 ESV

 

…we have such a hope, we are very bold - 2 Corinthians 3:12 ESV

 

“If we don’t live a life of faith, boldness and conviction we need to examine our perception of God.”― Graham Cooke

 

BE BOLD!  

 

 

 

I love you ALL!

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)

COMPASSION - 1.27.2016

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)

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

 

Matthew 9:36 (NLT)

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion…

 

“Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless.” - Nouwen

 

That is a tough order isn’t it?

But as Jesus HAD compassion we too are called to show compassion for others.

 

Yesterday on my way home after work I had some time to catch up on some phone calls.  It was my time to do the BEST I could at offering compassion.

 

I had a text that said “I am fed up with life”.

Compassion was needed.

 

A grandmother needs detoxed.

Compassion was needed.

 

A man was facing the consequence of a long run of addiction.

Compassion was needed.

 

Another man was described as FRAGILE by his family and friends.

Again compassion was called.

 

I am CONFIDENT that I am not unusual.  I am confident that you also encounter days and situations that REQUIRE COMPASSION.

 

Lucado makes the statement that “we were ALL made to MAKE a difference” in his book “Outlive your Life.”   That usually begins with acts of compassion.

Yet busyness, cynicism, and sometime apathy creep into our minds, hearts and lives.  And those things hinder the call of GOD to be compassionate.

 

That is why it is IMPORTANT that we don’t lose our heart for others.  We were called to LOVE them as we LOVE ourselves.  We were called to serve not be served.  We were not called to always be first but more often take the last seat.

That takes compassion.

That takes a willingness to go where it hurts as Nouwen suggests.

 

So the question for today is a simple one.

Is there someone in your sphere who could USE a little compassion today?

 

Everyone needs some as the song “Mighty to Save” reminds.

Everyone needs compassion,

Love that's never failing;

 

Remember my friends You (WE) have been loved with an unfailing love. 

(Jeremiah 31:3).  Share it.

 

Compassion can come in the form of:

A phone call.

A plate of cookies?

Card or a note?

Maybe a quick Facebook encouragement or affirmation?

An available ear?

 

Let’s ask God for a special alertness to sense moments in this day when we can clothe ourselves with COMPASSION. Let’s start by thanking the Lord for each person who has demonstrated that character trait of Jesus in our life and then resolve to replicate!

 

Let’s start here. 

“Loving Father, you made me, so you know very well that I am but dust. Yet you have called me into your kingdom to serve you at this specific place, at this specific time, for a very specific purpose. Despite my ordinariness, I belong to you—and you are anything but ordinary! Help me pour out your grace and compassion upon others that they, too, may experience the richness of your love. Through me, my Father, show others how you can use an ordinary life to bring extraordinary blessing into the world. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”  ― Max Lucado…

 

 

I love you ALL!

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)

 

SUBSTANTIVE FAITH

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)

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

 

“Our belief in God is not blind faith. Belief is having a firm conviction something is true, not hoping it’s true.” - Lucado

Hebrews 11:1(KJV)

Now faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 

Faith is THE SUBSTANCE!

That implies that FAITH needs to be tangible; a firm conviction.

That is more than “a wish” or even a HOPE as Lucado eludes.  

Faith for the CHRISTIAN must have SUBSTANCE.

 

Webster defines faith as a "strong belief or trust in someone or something."  We have seen how the BIBLE defines it.

 

But regardless of definition, it really is impossible to exist in this life without faith of some capacity and variety. Pastor Brooks reminded us of this as he closed things out this past Sunday.

 

You had faith the light switch would light the bulbs today as you struggled down the hall for the coffee pot.  You had faith that the key would start the car or the bus would come, that others in traffic would obey the rules.

 

We exercise FAITH all of the time.

So what makes the Christian’s faith unique?

 

Simply put…

Not because we LIVE by faith, but because of the OBJECT of our faith.

Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. – Mark 11:22 (NLT)

 

The question is, “Is He the OBJECT of my faith?” 

Do we HAVE FAITH in GOD?

Do we have FAITH in what we can’t see?

Is our FAITH more than a “Christiany” word or a "churchy" thing?

 

If a slight wrinkle appears and upsets the day’s schedule, do you like me sometimes get immediately irritated and FORGET the “sovereignty” and INVESTMENT in GOD in each of us for today?

 

When things go sideways does your FAITH waver? When troubles hit does doubt surface? Do you like me sometimes forget his wisdom, protection, and love for us.

People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over… things…(Instead) Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. From Matthew 6:34 (MSG)

 

That takes FAITH! 

Substantive faith!

 

When things are not MOVING the way we believe they should does our faith falter or do we forget to:

…Trust God from the bottom of (our) heart; (not) try to figure out everything on our own. Listen for God’s voice in everything (we) do, everywhere (we) go (?) – from Proverbs 3:5 (MSG)

 

I am not trying to beat us up today.

 

In fact, regardless of our sometimes faulty faith our acceptance with God is based on HIS FAITHFULNESS towards us, not our faithfulness towards Him!

 

Whew!

 

What I am doing today is just encouraging each of us to EXAMINE our faith. 

Is it substantive?

Are we merely wishing or BELIEVING in those unseen things?

 

Let’s:

“Trust God.

Believe with every fiber of your being that He will faithfully fulfill His promises. Do not just say, “I hope the Lord will come to my aid.” Do not merely stop at declaring, “I know He can work everything out.” Exhibit the highest level of FAITH by proclaiming, “I am absolutely certain my heavenly Father will help me—it’s as good as done.” 

― Charles F. Stanley

 

That is SUBSTANTIVE faith!

 

 

I love you ALL!

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)