accountability.....

Choice's have to be made as to what we esteem, what is filling our hearts and what we want our lives to reflect. So simply speaking, "the life we live in the flesh will pass away, but the life we live in the Spirit will endure forever." If it is the flesh that leads you, the winds will bring you to unpredictable places (John 3:3-8).

There just comes a point in time when you have to stand for the theology of your beliefs. If I proclaim Him, I have to do whatever it takes to love Him. I am burdened when I hear somene who struggles with righteousness because they are not willing to do what it takes to walk in it. Fighting the stumbling blocks with simple applications of accountability and sometimes hard choices. There is always a way to fight what holds us captive if we simply believe in the Power of what is greater. Stop allowing the enemy to have topography in our lives.

Nehemiah 4 speaks of the enemy trying to live among us by simply walking through the low places in our wall. The efforts of the enemy is to deter us from the "cross." All too often it means we have to work with a spear in one hand and continue the work building the fortress for our hearts, marriages, children and Him.

The burden is lifted in knowing I too was not willing to do what it takes....until I started applying the simple steps it then becomes easier to make the harder decisions.

highest honor....

I would consider it a monumental opportunity and blessing when someone comes to you with a request for prayer. Have always felt that, however it is not until my heart was right that I understand what is attached and the power that is unleashed. Had a friend once tell me as he was going through treatment for cancer, I replied "I will pray for you, it is the least I can do." When he responded, "it is the most you can do for me!" Dang, smacked square in the forehead with that one. It has always stuck with me, and now I believe!

Yesterday a friend came to me for that very need, prayer. As I kneeled before Him with my hands on his back I felt a burning presence as I prayed over him. To commit something to Him in prayer may just be the very highest honor I will ever be bestowed, certainly the greatest power I will ever know! It is not just saying a prayer, it is building the temple, feeling the weight of the timbers to glorify Him.

Then this morning I receive this nugget of truth from Pastor Steven, "EXPECTING God to show up goes beyond HOPING He will. Hope is an aspiration. EXPECTATION makes preparation....R U ready?" My response "Today I am, yesterday I hoped...today I know!" What's different...the preparation, the investment, the change that is my life.

Brother, thanks for allowing me the honor to lift that burden before Him. The battles already won, the victory known and the Glory His. He's paid the price to ransom you and I......

Invest in people...

Recently I heard the statement from someone "I'm changing churches; I'm just not getting fed there." To which I responded by asking, "what are you bringing & how are you serving?"

Hebrews speaks of investing our lives in the Kingdom of Heaven, the unseen. Trust Him with the seen (Matthew 6). The Kingdom of Heaven is made up mostly of one thing, people. You grow spiritually by investing yourself into people, using the gifts, talents and resources God has invested in you. Remembering the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). God blessed those who invested in faith and took risks with what He had given them. The one who buried his talent in the sand.... not so good. Spiritual stagnation, he went looking for another church because he was not being fed...by others.

"Revelation without application is only inspiration and will not lead to transformation." Pastor Steven

surrounded by greatness....

Just have to brag just a little on God, how He has surrounded me with incredibly instrumental people. From every area and aspect of life. Leaders, co-workers, friends and most of all my bride. Here's what spawns this whole thought. Yesterday, I received a text from a good brother that says this profound concept. "The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you!" Just look at Elijah in the Kerith ravine, the brook dries up, and enter in the widow!

This includes our children, which I have to give a shout out to Jessica. May not be a big deal to you, it is to me! She is now a "certified sitter" having taken the Red Cross Certification for Baby Sitting. Yeah, that's right top of the class, she gets that from her mom! She felt lead to take this course and stepped out of her comforts and allowed God to bless her and stretch her. I am both happy and sad. Jess, I love being your dad and I am so proud of you. This is just the beginning of God using you. Sad, simply because my little girl is growing up, dang God is great!

What's my take away from all this? Besides having an awesome wife! Just few years ago I surrendered to the fact that I do not know how to be a father, He has met me every step of the way. Sometimes I just forget. I may not get it right all the time, but hey I am listening and following Him with application. I'll just keep kneeling and asking Him to lead me.

broken again...

After writing a post "broken" the answer too was right there in the Book of James. James 4:6b "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

The difference in my life today is that I have been broken in humility, the need of a Savior, Healer and Redeemer. I have surrendered and submitted. I seek that I may be free from all that limits His power in my life. Repentance will allow the roots to grow deep in the living water that is Christ Jesus.

Many times broken out of embarrassment, truly just pride. One allows for change and transformation, the other only leads to stagnation and limitation. When speaking with others, I can only pray they know the power that comes from our weakness...it is there grace enters.

Well there you have it, if I had only understood what I had read many times before. May just be the explanation of reading the word and living the word!