Leadership – Servant Kingship!

Leadership Process – Servant Kingship!

1 Cor 4 : 8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

How life changes as we grow up. We first come to Jesus, and the whole world lights up. The sun seems brighter, the flowers more beautiful, the sky clear, and we simply want to love the whole world. Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. He loves me, He loves me, He loves me!

May this love ever burn in our hearts! May this love compel us to action!

Yet, quickly, we also discover, there is great evil in the world. Fallen men, empowered by their sin nature, and devils do abominable things! Babies killed, abused, wars, carnage, greedy people raping others, the land, for their own selfish carnal desires to be met.

Then, someone teaches us that we have authority over the devil! That we have something to say in this world! We can exercise God’s authority in the earth, because we have read:

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Re 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Indeed, we are kings before Him! Priests of the most High God! Offering acceptable sacrifices of prayer, praise, worship, and service, through Jesus shed blood!

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

We have been given authority over the works of darkness, positionally, and we begin to walk it out!

Luke 10: 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

We are those who hear His voice, and we get filled with the Holy Spirit, and experience His power in our lives. Signs and wonders start to happen, daily in our life!

Mark 16: 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

We pray, and heaven opens, and we see visions, experience living revelation from a very living God.

Act 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Yet, after some years, God decides on a specific calling for our lives, something for us to do individually…He speaks to us, and sends us….

The word apostle, simply means: ‘sent one’.

Now, I can send my children to the refrigerator for milk, making them the apostle of milk!

In our reading today, this is not what Paul is talking about here. There is five fold ministry in the earth, set in place by the hand of God, to govern His church.

1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

These offices are the government of God in the earth, with the authority, power, and grace from God, to accomplish what He needs established.

Rather than divert from the clear direction Holy Spirit is leading me today, please read: http://www.amazon.com/He-Gave-Gift…/…/0892765178/ref=sr_1_1…

Today, I am led to share about the journey from revelational position and spiritual authority, to practical authority, responsibility, and seasoned leadership, in authentic five fold ministry gifts operating in the earth, now.

Paul discovered himself, initially, in his early years of ministry, to be great in the kingdom, called of God, with both spiritual and earthly authority. He was a king, priest and lord, subject only to the King of all Kings,High Priest we confess, and the Lord of all Lords!

2Co 11:5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

What caused the apostle Paul, to call himself the ‘very chiefest of apostles’?

He had a revelation from heaven, and it was incredibly great!

Yet, the character of the Master, must become the character of the servant.

By the end of his life, we read, the same apostle Paul:

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

The journey of life, from chief apostle, to chief of all sinners….

From king, priest and power, to

1 Cor 4: 9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

Did his identity change? Did God demote him?

Ro 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Nope, promoted him actually, so much so that he wrote over half of the New Testament.

God did not change, but Paul did!

Consider carefully these words of Jesus:

Luke 22: 25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

What I want you to see, is this. Your eternal rank, privilege, and reward, are given to you by God Himself, AS A SERVANT!

Ro 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

I have discovered this as a missionary, first back to Canada my home country, and now to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to the United States of America, and the nations, that my heavenly office, authority, and position are secure.

Yet in the natural order of life, my day to day walk, I have become a spectacle unto the world, a laughing stock from my family, colleagues from college, former business leadership friends, where I am at best, misunderstood.

Even angels, that minister to me, my family, and the nations through me, are probably amazed at what I put up with, and undergo, to obey God, intimately, personally, daily, as even my fellow brothers and sisters at my church, probably question my sanity (Gotta admit, I question it some days too!), as again, and again, Jesus speaks, leads, and moves me far outside my comfort zone, as my deeper insecurities, need for control, position, and pride are stripped away, that the love of the kingdom of God, through pure motives might shine through me.

If you are called to lead, He is doing the same thing in you, too.

The great violinist, Niccolo Paganini willed his marvelous violin to city of Genoa on condition that it must never be played. The wood of such an instrument, while used and handled, wears only slightly, but set aside, it begins to decay. Paganini’s lovely violin has today become worm-eaten and useless except as a relic. A Christian’s unwillingness to serve may soon destroy his capacity for usefulness.

J.K. Laney, Marching Orders, p. 34.

Not sure who this is for, but the very call of God upon you to greatness, has actually produced the deeper workings of the cross in your life, as you seek to obey Him intimately.

Dreams and visions that did not come to pass in your timing, produce a quiet peace, trust, and revelation of His Lordship, that He will make everything beautiful in His time. He has eternity on His mind, and a people on the other side of your obedience.

Obedience is the Word of the day, for if you are truly called of God, there is no other way, to get from here, to where you know you need to be, otherwise.

1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Have a Happy Death!

Ga 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Let’s pray:

‘”Father, I embrace the cross. I receive your process, and provision for the process, as I quietly hear, and obey, your voice, today. Jesus, you are my good Shepherd, may I clearly hear your voice, and fully obey you, today, Amen’

 

The thoughts of the Diligent

I have been thinking about the word diligent this morning:

I read this Scripture, and decided to look up a few more:

Pr 21: 5 ¶ The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

Saw the beaver picture, and my Canadian roots made me think about the industrious beaver depicted on our coins, a symbol of work…

Pr 10:16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

Pr 13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.

Pr 12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

Pr 14:23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

Our work produces prosperity, and it seems that when we are diligent in what God has called us to do, we see plenteousness, blessing, abundance, in every area of life. Notice here that abundance begins in our thought life, we need to see it first in our mind, and then in the hustle and bustle of our muscle applied to a dream or a project, great things occur. Notice Proverbs 14:23 here, there is work involved with the dream. Just talking about it doesn’t get the job done, in fact, it leads to poverty.

I could say I’m called of God, and then pretend to be praying, while surfing the internet, watching videos, or being entertained, but there would be no substance to what I teach or preach, you can get by on a few hymns, quips, and quotes to break the ice in a meeting, but God has no dumb sheep, we all have the mind of Christ. If we claim to be leading for God, we need to be going somewhere, and if we claim to be feeding the flock of God, we need to have fresh bread, broken and fresh from the oven of our prayer life, hot from the coals of heaven! No one wants stale, moldy bread, too hard to even break or chew!

Jesus is the bread of life, and I have determined to spend my life, preparing, baking, and serving the fresh bread of His Word to His people, in the heart and center of a God given vision being accomplished progressively for as long as He might leave me here in the earth. How about you?

Are you hungry?

Or are you filled up with the things of this life that will never satisfy…

There is a hunger in every heart, that only Jesus can fill!

Let’s pray:

‘Father, here we are again, hungry to know you more. Show us the area’s were are called to work for you, and help us to be faithful and diligent in them, in your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen.”

Get Your Ducks in a Row!

Get Your Ducks in Row!

Hab 2: 2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Some time ago, I attended a ministers conference that was teaching us the importance of solidifying the vision and mandate that God had placed upon each of our lives, hosted by Brad Stine, and Blake Fite of Sanctuary Church. He gave the illustration of being stuck in traffic on Sheridan here in Tulsa, on the 4 lane section, with all 4 lanes stopped in both directions. He looked at the long line of traffic stopped in both directions, and saw the lights of a police cruiser up ahead, stopping traffic.

Thousands of tons of metal at a complete stop, with a policeman directing traffic?

As he peered off into the distance, to see what kind of accident or calamity had stopped traffic, he was amazed to see the policeman escorting a mother duck across traffic, with her ducklings in tow. She seemed oblivious to all the commotion her crossing was causing, but simply with great quacks, and purpose, she focused on keeping her ducklings moving in single file, to get them out of danger, and across the busy street.

Brad went on to say, that our particular vision, mandates, and goals needed be as focused as that mother ducks: all we have to do, to be successful in life and ministry, is to stay focused on our particular assignment from God, for our individual lives, keeping our ducks in a row. He will stop the world if needed to make way for our gift and calling…Yep, all we need to do, is keep our ducks in a row.

This is a cute story, but relevant. We can walk with Jesus, in a spirit-led, powerful life.

Let’s Pray:

Father, God, please reveal to me today, Your specific assignment for my life, and what I need to be doing today in order to accomplish it. Remove from me, the distractions, and things that I have added to the simplicity of what you have called me to do. I trust you to protect, provide, stop traffic, and send the laborers I need today, to get done, exactly what You have called me to do, in Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen

 

Prisoners of Hope!

In today’s reading, we read the 105th Psalm. Please read it for yourself:

Ps 105:6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

Ga 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Ps 105:17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

I wish to focus on v19,  Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

Joseph had a dream from God as a young man, and it was authentic. He would become the prime minister of Egypt. He believed that word, and then all hell broke loose against him. Instead of his brothers rejoicing and participating in his development willingly, they beat him up, threw him in a well, and sold him into slavery. Then, as God promoted him as a slave, he was falsely accused, and thrown into prison, and God was with him. Then, the chief cup bearer for Pharoah and baker ended up in prison, and Joseph’s gift of dream interpretation ‘read their mail’.

Looked like, finally Joe was headed for freedom, but nope, not yet…

There was a set time appointed by the Father for Joseph, and his life was on hold, while Egypt was being prepared for his leadership.

I love this verse. Joseph had a word from God!

Yet the very word he had received, tried him!

He had to believe he had heard God, no matter what the circumstances looked like…

Was Joseph trying the word of God?

Nope, the Word of God is already tried.

2Sa 22:31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

Ps 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Ps 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

So the word of God is already tried, God is holy and cannot lie.

It is us that need refinement, and believing a personal promise from God, when every circumstance is against us, provides that refinement.

Joseph is not alone in his trial, you and I are being tried too…

Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Now, read: Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is a heavenly substance, and after we have believed we received, then what?

Then there is Bible hope.

In order to understand true Bible hope, I quote Kenneth Copeland:

“ If you look up the Greek definition of the word hope, you’ll find it means “to be intensely expectant, to be confidently looking forward to something you fully expect to happen.”

You can see this kind of hope in action in Philippians 1:19-20. There, the Apostle Paul says:

“I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope…”

For emphasis, Paul used the two Greek words there that mean earnest expectation.

In other words, he was saying to them, “This thing is so inevitable I’m just burning up with expectancy!”

This sheds a brand new light on this wonderful verse brought before us pastors Terri and Steve Spanish of Victory.com, when we attended their connect group:

Zec 9:12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;

When pastor Terri uttered those words, they literally leapt off of the page for me, under the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

Here is what I saw, clearly that night!

It is only after we have believed we received, that we need Bible hope. Hope is the total, passionate expectation that which we have believed, will surely come to pass.

The very word from God that we have believed, is what makes us a ‘prisoner of hope’. We see clearly by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the vision of God for our lives, and no matter what the daily circumstances scream, we are captive to the vision. We have believed we have received, and each day, we fully expect that today is going to be the day it comes to pass!

This captivity, this heavenly vision, this faith in action, is what empowers us to:

2Ti 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

It empowered the apostle Paul, when he cheerfully proclaimed the gospel in chains:

Ac 26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force!

We are in a war, it is the fight of faith!

To believe when it looks impossible, because faith makes the impossible, possible, in fact, inevitable!

When we have authentically heard God, that which He has spoken, tries us, refines us, forces us to grow, to discipline ourselves, to get equipped, trained, fit for service.

I believe this is what sustained Nelson Mandela through his years in prison, before becoming the first black leader in apartheid South Africa. God raised him up, through hardship, to be a vessel of great wisdom, compassion, mercy, strength, and forgiveness, in prison.

I believe he knew he would be President for many, many years before it happened, and that this inward knowing was his faith in operation, and that this word from God, tried him, just like it tried Joseph.

How about Martin Luther King? The words, ‘I Have A Dream!’ have been a battle cry against racism here in the United States since he rallied this nation to confront this great evil. He died for what he believed, yet his work is immortal, and still goes on today, for there is power in heavenly vision.

Think about President Abraham Lincoln: his repeated failures, yet, one of the greatest Presidents to ever live: http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/education/failures.htm

As Paul Harvey says, ‘now for the rest of the story!”

Isa 61:7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

Both yours and mine days of promotion and prominence will indeed come to pass, as we move forward in obedience to Holy Spirit, after we have believed we received.

Heaven is on its feet, the great cloud of heavenly witnesses, watching our course with joy, eternal testimony being written on parchment of time, we call, history.

Indeed it is HIS story, written in eternal record for all the universe to see, when we victoriously serve Jesus in this life!

Let the process have its work in you, remember, we never try the Word of God, it is trying us!

Let’s Pray:

‘Father God, I ask for confirmation, strength, encouragement, and fresh revelation of the vision for my brother or sister today. May we walk out, without compromise, the heavenly vision, and come out of this trial, perfect, entire, and lacking nothing. We ask this Father, in Your name Lord Jesus, Amen’

Lift up your eyes…

Isaiah 49:18
Lift up your eyes and look around; all your children gather and come to you. As surely as I live,” declares the Lord, “you will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride.

This simple photo reminds me how the entrance of God’s Word brings light, and when light comes, we see the harvest He has prepared for us to walk in.

Let’s pray:
‘Father, open our eyes to your harvest today, in Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen”

The thoughts of the Diligent

Pr 21: 5 ¶ The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

Saw this picture, and my Canadian roots made me think about the industrious beaver depicted on our coins, a symbol of work…
Pr 10:16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

Pr 13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.

Pr 12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

Pr 14:23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

Our work produces prosperity, and it seems that when we are diligent in what God has called us to do, we see plenteousness, blessing, abundance, in every area of life. Notice here that abundance begins in our thought life, we need to see it first in our mind, and then in the hustle and bustle of our muscle applied to a dream or a project, great things occur. Notice Proverbs 14:23 here, there is work involved with the dream. Just talking about it doesn’t get the job done, in fact, it leads to poverty.

I could say I’m called of God, and then pretend to be praying, while surfing the internet, watching videos, or being entertained, but there would be no substance to what I teach or preach, you can get by on a few hymns, quips, and quotes to break the ice in a meeting, but God has no dumb sheep, we all have the mind of Christ. If we claim to be leading for God, we need to be going somewhere, and if we claim to be feeding the flock of God, we need to have fresh bread, broken and fresh from the oven of our prayer life, hot from the coals of heaven! No one wants stale, moldy bread, too hard to even break or chew!

Jesus is the bread of life, and I have determined to spend my life, preparing, baking, and serving the fresh bread of His Word to His people, in the heart and center of a God given vision being accomplished progressively for as long as He might leave me here in the earth. How about you?

Let’s pray:
‘Father, here we are again, hungry to know you more. Show us the area’s were are called to work for you, and help us to be faithful and diligent in them, in your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen.”

Prisoners of Hope!

Prisoners of Hope!

As I read the 105th Psalm, I saw:

Ps 105:6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

Ga 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Ps 105:17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.
I wish to focus on v19 ‘Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.’

Joseph had a dream from God as a young man, and it was authentic. He would become the prime minister of Egypt. He believed that word, and then all hell broke loose against him. Instead of his brothers rejoicing and participating in his development willingly, they beat him up, threw him in a well, and sold him into slavery.

Then, as God promoted him as a slave, he was falsely accused, and thrown into prison, and God was with him. Then, the chief cup bearer for Pharaoh and the baker ended up in prison, and Joseph’s gift of dream interpretation ‘read their mail’.

Looked like, finally Joe was headed for freedom, but nope, not yet…There was a set time appointed by the Father for Joseph, and his life was on hold, while Egypt was being prepared for his leadership.

I love this verse. Joseph had a word from God!

Yet the very word he had received, tried him!

He had to believe he had heard God, no matter what the circumstances looked like…

Was Joseph trying the word of God?

Nope, the Word of God is already tried.

Ps 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

2Sa 22:31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

Ps 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

So the word of God is already tried, God is holy and cannot lie.

It is us that need refinement, and in believing a personal promise from God, when every circumstance is against us, that provides that refinement.

Now, Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is a heavenly substance, and after we have believed we received, then what?

Then there is Bible hope.

In order to understand true Bible hope, I quote Kenneth Copeland:
“ If you look up the Greek definition of the word hope, you’ll find it means “to be intensely expectant, to be confidently looking forward to something you fully expect to happen.”

You can see this kind of hope in action in Philippians 1:19-20. There, the Apostle Paul says, “I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope…” For emphasis, Paul used the two Greek words there that mean earnest expectation. In other words, he was saying to them, “This thing is so inevitable I’m just burning up with expectancy!”

This sheds a brand new light on this wonderful verse brought before us pastors Terri and Steve Spanish from Victory Christian Center here in Tulsa, OK.

Zec 9:12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;

When pastor Terri uttered those words, they literally leaped off of the page for me, under the illumination of the Holy Spirit!

Here is what I saw, clearly that night!

It is only after we have believed we received, that we need Bible hope. Hope is the total, passionate expectation that which we have believed, will surely come to pass.

The very word from God that we have believed, is what makes us a ‘prisoner of hope’. We see clearly by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the vision of God for our lives, and no matter what the daily circumstances scream, we are captive to the vision. We have believed we have received, and each day, we fully expect that today is going to be the day it comes to pass!

This captivity, this heavenly vision, this faith in action, is what empowers us to:
2Ti 2:3 ‘endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’

It empowered the apostle Paul, when he cheerfully proclaimed the gospel in chains:

Ac 26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force!

We are in a war, it is the fight of faith! To believe when it looks impossible, because faith makes the impossible, possible, in fact, inevitable!

When we have authentically heard God, that which He has spoken, tries us, refines us, forces us to grow, to discipline ourselves, to get equipped, trained, fit for service.

I believe this is what sustained Nelson Mandela through his years in prison, before becoming the first black leader in apartheid South Africa. God raised him up, through hardship, to be a vessel of great wisdom, compassion, mercy, strength, and forgiveness, in prison. I believe he knew he would be President for many, many years before it happened, and that this inward knowing was his faith in operation, and that this word from God, tried him, just like it tried Joseph.

How about Martin Luther King? The words, ‘I Have A Dream!’ have been a battle cry against racism here in the United States since he rallied this nation to confront this great evil. He died for what he believed, yet his work is immortal, and still goes on today, for there is power in heavenly vision.

Think about President Abraham Lincoln: his repeated failures, yet, one of the greatest Presidents to ever live: http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/…/education/failures.htm

As Paul Harvey says, ‘now for the rest of the story!”

Isa 61:7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

Both yours and mine days of promotion and prominence will indeed come to pass, as we move forward in obedience to Holy Spirit, after we have believed we received.

Heaven is on its feet, the great cloud of heavenly witnesses, watching our course with joy, eternal testimony being written on parchment of time, we call, history.

Indeed it is HIS story, written in eternal record for all the universe to see, when we victoriously serve Jesus in this life!

Let the process have its work in you, remember, we never try the Word of God, it is trying us!

Let’s Pray:
‘Father God, I ask for confirmation, strength, encouragement, and fresh revelation of the vision for my brother or sister today. May we walk out, without compromise, the heavenly vision, and come out of this trial, perfect, entire, and lacking nothing. We ask this Father, in Your name Lord Jesus, Amen’

Follow Your Dream!

Follow Your Dream!

Matt 7: 6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Ever done this? I sure have. Painful! You have some cool insight from the Word of God, or some really neat revelation on how to do something, or that God is going to do, and like a child with a new toy, you want to share it with your friends or colleagues at work.

Used to do that all the time, but if you recall in the life of Joseph, it was his own brothers who threw him down a well, and sold him into slavery. Why? Because he shared his dream from God!

Guess that would be about the same as ‘lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.’ In certain countries, this still happens, for the gospels sake: brothers and sisters in Christ are beaten, ridiculed, imprisoned, and now often we see them beheaded in these ‘honor’ killings by Jihadist Muslims.

Like somehow these killings are going to stop God?

Pr 19:3 ¶ The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.

Old English doesn’t say it clear enough for me, I like the way it reads:
Proverbs 19:3  (NIV)
3 A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,
yet their heart rages against the LORD.

People that do not know Jesus yet, hate Him, and are angry at the world. When we show up, representing Him, they focus their anger upon us, because we represent Him!

Let’s bring it a little closer to home…

So, you share spiritual truth around the water cooler at the office (used to be the coffee pot, old school), and if you are like me , you are excited about it! God loves us, and speaks to us through many ways, and when we clearly hear, it is exciting as we enter into the life we were born to live! (Want to find out 7 of those ways, read ‘Knowing Your Future’, the chapter in my new book, http://www.amazon.com/The-Parable-Sower-Kingd…/…/ref=sr_1_1…) Or you can read them here, for free:

Spirit Led Living

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/02/seven-ways-to-hear-the-voice-of-god-part-one/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/03/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-2/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-3/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-4/

Vision – Testimony https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/06/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-5/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/07/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-6/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-7-prophesy/

Yet, the very thing that excites you, will cause others to turn around to destroy you.

Now, here in the US, it is usually what I call ‘death by insinuation’. Remember, people are called to their own individual vision, gift and calling from God. If they are mature in the Lord, they will not pour water on your fire, but it has been my experience that this is more rare than common. Usually, the process of envy, jealousy, competition and discreditation begins.

Understand and love them! Remember we wrestle not against flesh and blood, and these very people are people that God loves, that Jesus died for. The ABC’s of satan, are Accusation (Allegation), Blame, and Criticism, and this is what I call ‘death by insinuation’, as you become the butt of the office jokes, and ridiculed for your dream.

So, I have learned the division, is simply ‘two visions’, and can two walk together except they be agreed?

Seems the more you separate yourself unto God, your relationships will change. People will come into your life to train, equip, and encourage you, and others will be removed from your life, sometimes even family members for a season, for these will oppose and destroy you, if God did not deliver you from them. Let Him add, and let Him remove. Keep your eyes on Jesus!

I like what pastor Snoot said, the ABC’s of Jesus are A Better Covenant!

He is faithful, and His promises are true!

Then comes the growth or maturation of your dream, as you study, prepare, pray, and spend every available moment, preparing yourself for your calling, the only thing worth living for in light of eternity.

And it can become very, very lonely, as God separates you unto Himself for the sake of the call…

Yet, you are not alone. We have all walked this way, the straight and narrow way, the way of destiny, purpose, and eternal consequence!

Let them lie, misunderstand, mock, ridicule! There will come a day, either in this life or the next, when we all, personally stand, individually before Jesus, and then He will justify us!

In the meantime, know that you are not alone in the process. You are loved, and I and many others are praying for you, your gift, and your calling and destiny today. You are not called to be a clone, a cookie cutter Christian, you are a designer original, a work of creativity created by the creator of the universe Himself, unique, with a particular call and destiny that only you can fulfill.

I have invested my life, trying to help you fulfill it, for our gifts always flow through the Word of God, that establishes, constrains, and sets boundaries in our hearts, that become the runway from which the flight of our life takes off!

Let’s Pray:
‘Father, I have a burden today to encourage my brothers and sisters in pursuit of a dream. A dream from heaven, a dream with eternal weight and consequence, Your dream for them! Father, for those in their long dark night of their soul, I ask that you send the Holy Spirit to encourage, to comfort, to console, and to confirm to them, their dream and purpose today. In Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’

Get Your Ducks in a Row!

Get Your Ducks in Row!

Hab 2: 2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Some time ago, I attended a ministers conference that was teaching us the importance of solidifying the vision and mandate that God had placed upon each of our lives, hosted by Brad Stine, and Blake Fite of Sanctuary Church. He gave the illustration of being stuck in traffic on Sheridan here in Tulsa, on the 4 lane section, with all 4 lanes stopped in both directions. He looked at the long line of traffic stopped in both directions, and saw the lights of a police cruiser up ahead, stopping traffic.

Thousands of tons of metal at a complete stop, with a policeman directing traffic?

As he peered off into the distance, to see what kind of accident or calamity had stopped traffic, he was amazed to see the policeman escorting a mother duck across traffic, with her ducklings in tow. She seemed oblivious to all the commotion her crossing was causing, but simply with great quacks, and purpose, she focused on keeping her ducklings moving in single file, to get them out of danger, and across the busy street.

Brad went on to say, that our particular vision, mandates, and goals needed be as focused as that mother ducks: all we have to do, to be successful in life and ministry, is to stay focused on our particular assignment from God, for our individual lives, keeping our ducks in a row. He will stop the world if needed to make way for our gift and calling…Yep, all we need to do, is keep our ducks in a row.

Let’s Pray:
Father, God, please reveal to me today, Your specific assignment for my life, and what I need to be doing today in order to accomplish it. Remove from me, the distractions, and things that I have added to the simplicity of what you have called me to do. I trust you to protect, provide, stop traffic, and send the laborers I need today, to get done, exactly what You have called me to do, in Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen!’

Set Yearly Goals and work them!

Set Yearly Goals and work them!

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ! The word disciple, means: ‘disciplined one’. My aim, my passion, my destiny, my calling, is to fully obey Him, and make a radical, eternal impact upon this world, through my obedience and love….

I read this quote, and it encourages me today:

“Time is the inexplicable raw material of everything. With it, all is possible; without it, nothing. The supply of time is truly a daily miracle, an affair genuinely astonishing when one examines it. You wake up in the morning, and lo! your purse is magically filled with twenty-four hours of the unmanufactured tissue of the universe of your life! It is yours. It is the most precious of possessions… No one can take it from you. It is not something that can be stolen. And no one receives either more or less than you receive. Moreover, you cannot draw on its future. Impossible to get into debt! You can only waste the passing moment. You cannot waste tomorrow; it is kept for you. You cannot waste the next hour; it is kept for you.

You have to live on this twenty-four hours of daily time. Out of it you have to spin health, pleasure, money, content, respect, and the evolution of your immortal soul. Its right use, its most effective use, is a matter of the highest urgency and of the most thrilling actuality. All depends on that. Your happiness — the elusive prize that you are all clutching for, my friends — depends on that.

If one cannot arrange that an income of twenty-four hours a day shall exactly cover all proper items of expenditure, one does muddle one’s whole life indefinitely. We shall never have any more time. We have, and we have always had, all the time there is.”

Arnold Bennett, Bits & Pieces, March 4, 1993, p. 18-20

We are now beginning 2017! New years resolutions, or many of us actually put together a battle plan to get where we need to be. Thought today might be a great day to reflect on where we are at, and to perhaps rethink if we are spending time doing the critical, or have we allowed ourselves to become so busy, that we have drifted off course from our dreams and God given vision?

I see this here in Pauls letter to the Corinthian church:

1 Cor 16: 6 And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.
7 For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.
8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost..

Notice here Paul was planning out his year, scheduling what he would do, and what he would not…

Proverbs 16:9

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

Jer 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.
Carl Sandburg.

In Jan, I pray, fast, and set yearly goals for the next 12 months. So far, so good, the Lord has honored my faith, and I am on track pretty much for what I set out to accomplish in 2016. Truthfully, I missed a couple fitness goals, because I did not rest enough…and so we learn, adjust, implement, and move forward.

Jesus is welcome to change any of my plans or schedule at any point, but for now, I am walking out, and working towards my goals, trusting Him to do the impossible, daily. It has been said, that it is better to shoot for the stars, and only hit the moon, than to aim at nothing, and hit nothing.

Or, you can shoot for the moon, overshoot, and land among the stars…

Set measurable concrete goals, now. Plan your work, and work your plan, daily reviewing your plan, to keep yourself on track.

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2013/10/31/thoughts-words-and-deliberate-deeds/

Then, each time I complete a project, or portion, I can go back to the blueprint for the year, and begin focusing on the next level of excellence I need to achieve.

Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Susan Ertz.

As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.

 Henry David Thoreau

How well I have learned the truth of these verses:

James 4:

¹³ Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

¹⁴ Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

¹⁵ For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

When we began our company, we produced a 400 page business plan, on what we thought we would do with our business. For grins and giggles, 2-3 years into it, we would read it for humor. What we actually HAD to do, to feed our families daily, was a far cry from our fantasy dream. Then, we produced a 60 page business plan birthed in prayer and real life experience. It worked, and our company grew from doing 150K a year, to 550K in a couple years.

Then we studied, my business partner took his business degree, and we had a team of MBA students do a competitive business analysis on our company, and they produced a 300 page booklet for us, that was awesome, setting a realistic path to grow us to 5 million/year over the next 5 years. We grew it to 1.1 million over the next two years, (that took us almost 8 years to accomplish)  then at my office one night, I had an ‘open-heaven’ experience, where Jesus clearly called me to walk away from the company to do this full-time, and I have obeyed. Yet, I am convinced, that had we continued on the business plan we set out, we would have made it to the 5 million/year mark, as long as we, the leaders, were willing to continue to grow and learn how to survive and effectively manage the growth.

Yet the principal remains: In order for our organizations to grow, we must grow! We must always be bigger on the inside than whatever challenges life throws at us, and this takes faith!

I would love to say this was my idea, but I heard it taught both at Victory, and again in Tom Leding’s meetings.

Faith, without works, is dead.

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12

Let’s Pray:
‘Father, you have a perfect plan for each of us this year. Please show us clearly what that is, and help us to align ourselves with what you desire for us, then stay the course, and faithfully work at what you have shown us to do, in your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/02/09/timing/

If you do not yet know Jesus, then here is how to begin your journey with Him:https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/the-gospel-the-power-of-god/