GOT TO FINISH!

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight...." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Paul deals with "patience" when he deals with the Hebrew believers because he is ultimately urging them to possess a "steady confidence" in God. He understands that the plague of all humanity is the issue of consistency and persistence and until a rhythum of belief and faith is reached, the believer will always be doubting the progress they are making.

Steady describes the master workman who has to keep his composure while completing his most delicate and intricate work. We are completing the most vital phases of our lives and must continue to be vigilant against everything that comes against us.

The race that we are in, we are in to win! Patience, Paul describes is like a badge worn by the faithful that have proved steady wins the race. All of us are running in this "faith walk" but what gives us the confidence that we will win. The race has a clear beginning and end with Jesus Christ the author and finisher of it. He is at the start line while at the finish line knowing you will finish what He has started.

Here we are running in the stadium and the Hebrew write describes the "great cloud of witnesses" who have already run and completed the race. The reason we have to finish is because they are pushing us to greater confidence each step we make. Witnesses like Job and Joseph watching our progress to the finish line. They are not only in the stands but they are also at the finish line cheering us home.

Got To Finish!
Until then!

He Saved A Miracle For Himself

There are many tremendous themes that flow from the "Calvary and Golgotha experience", and all of the interconnected circumstances, ultimately bring truth and revelation, regarding the immense and incredible suffering of the Lord to the forefront of our thinking. It is impossible to think about "the hill called mount calvary" without thinking about the pivotal place that this symbolizes in each of our lives. Calvary becomes the turning point for the entire universe in it's totality because it is a place that anchors our existence, and the foundation of our faith in God because it provides a visual reference to what my faith can be hinged upon. It is so significant that no matter what else happens, I know that God changed my life at Calvary.

Jesus said "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). Destroy means to demolish by force, much like the destruction of a heavily guarded fortress that needs a full assault in order to take it. This is not how they took Jesus because he went quietly and subserviantly to fulfill all prophetic words, " He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, He opened not His mouth" (Isaiah 53:7). Jesus went quietly, yet in the power of His own might.

Jesus reserved the right to reserve his own miracle, remember he said "For as the father hath life in himself, so hath he given the son to have life in himself" (John 5:26). Naturally, if Jesus could raise Lazarus, raise the widow's son at Nain, raise Jairus' daughter, then surely He can raise himself!

Shalom Alecheim

NEXT DIMENSION BELIEVER!

NEXT DIMENSION BELIEVER!

“NOW UNTO HIM THAT IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDING, ABUNDANTLY…” (EPHESIANS 3:20)

The first thing that utterly challenges our comprehension whenever we read texts of this nature, is the apparent of implied impossibility with accepting the reality that God is able to do the exceeding. This thinking brings into play the body and mind struggle which the believer contends with on every level of existence. Trying to agree with the ridiculous things of God, and His ability to perform more than I can ask or think, immediately sets at variance the struggle of the limitations of the body and the power of the mind. The struggle is with what I know about my physical limitations, and the superb ability of the mind to surpass what I know of myself and still be able to believe God can do more. So the struggle is knowing what I know about me, and still believing that God through the power of my mind, can do more for me than I previously thought or imagined.

When the writer says "Above all that we ask or think" he brings into play the greater philosophy of the working of the mind. The mind becomes central to following God and agreeing with His word. "The human mind is the most complex and mysterious power that God has ever released into the body". Paul shares "So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with my flesh the law of sin" (Romans 7:25). Paul divides himself into two parts with two contrasting laws. He referst to "the mind" referring to the inward, inner man or renewed me, and "the flesh" referring to the outward man by which he deals with his carnality. The law of God written in the mind challenges the law of sin written into my members.

To rise above the limitation of my body, I must release the power and critical thinking and believing of the mind. Before I get to the next dimension I must release "Next Dimension" thinking which charts the path for Next Dimension behavior.

Believe yourself into the possibility of greater things and observe God releasing what is at the next dimension because you dared to believe there was more than you could see.

Until then!

SEE YOURSELF CONNECTING

The impotent man in John 5:7 appears to be waiting for his opportunity to be healed from his long illness. Apparently he was waiting for the wrong thing..not for the moving of the water but for the omnipotent to move in his direction. This man's condition is common to all of our experiences. Impotent describes his current situation not his future existence. He is "impotent" deprived of power without strength and disabled..Jesus is "omnipotent" unlimited in ability, power and authority. The two had to meet for there to be a real "move". At first glance it appeared he was waiting on the water but he was really waiting on God. This man finally learned when your options are limited you can be trapped into waiting on a pool when you ought to be digging a well.
"Sir I have no man when the water is troubled to put me into the pool"..the Ethiopic version reads "I have no men, or servants to wait upon me to take me up in their arms and carry me into the pool". This is the thinking he must escape rom..the "attitude of acceptance"..believing that where he was, was always where he was going to be. He could see the pool, close enough to see the angel at a certain season but could not see himself connecting to the opportunity.

See yourself connecting to all the opportunities that God is providing for you. It is obvious that this is not going to be a conventional year..so look for the unconventional, the non-traditional and surprisingly you will find Jesus there!

Blessings
PJ

PERSONAL FOCUS

You are what you believe yourself to be. This statement is especially meaningful in the development of the image of God in you. I would encourage you to get in touch with the image of the God in your lives which houses the blueprint for your purpose. There is no discovery in the external world more valuable than the discovery within you. Once you discover who you are, and accept what God has manufactured you to be, the path becomes clear. The ministry tends to make you focus on all the on-going needs of others while at times neglecting your own needs. All public positions, viewed and assessed by the masses, tend to bring significant pressures and challenges. This requires you, as a minister, to prepare yourselves emotionally, physically, spiritually and psychologically for the demands of ministry. Remember, the ministry is not something you can do of yourself or by yourself. Your help still comes from the Lord. All the management and leadership tools to help you organize your responsibilities will be advantageous when considering the work of ministry. There are things in ministry preparation that are inspired and there are things that become the structural responsibility of good organization. There are resources to assist in organization however, there are unique gifts that are derived from your relationship with the Lord. Taking care of you is easier said than done. It becomes increasingly difficult to shift the focus from what you have been called to do and who you are called to be. It makes no sense to spend all of your time and energy preparing, feeding and serving others, while you go hungry. Time must be set aside to ensure that your needs are met and that the work of the ministry is being handled, as God would have it to be. Whenever you begin to think that things cannot be achieved without you, is the time you begin to believe that without you, God will not bring His purpose to pass.

ONE SOUND

In Joshua chapter 6 the first thing that Joshua and his new leadership team faces in the Promised Land is a problem. Jericho became the next issue to deal with even though still battle-worn from the Red Sea experience. Joshua was a listener! He had listened to God through the wilderness, through the sea and now directed his energies to listening to the plan that God had for the problem. You may have a problem but you also have a plan!

The plan was for Israel to come into unity and come into agreement with the plan to remove the walls that prevented them from possessing what God had promised. Six days they closed their mouths and followed the plan which was to walk once around the city of Jericho each day. On the seventh day after the seventh circuit the plan said for Israel as a whole to shout.

It was not the strength of Israel or the loudness of their instruments that caused the walls associated with Jericho to fall. It was, and is the simplest of concepts that describes God throughout history, ONE SOUND! Together with unity and agreement the challenge was removed. The sound of victory is ONE SOUND, the heart beat of God is ONE SOUND, the sound of deliverance is ONE SOUND!

ENERGY

there is a formidable drive, inherently hidden in the creative part of our humanity  that propels us to excel in ways we are not conscious of or persuaded by

this drive, is an indescribable energy, that pushes us to greater things as if it were not under our own directives, but under the directives of the power of god

it is inexplicable at best, for there are times when i do not have the motivation to accomplish the vision of god in my life, and to perform the things that are necessary for success

yet when i reach that point of frustration and irritation, something  internal rises to propel me into the action needed for victory

this can be understood through the experience of paul as he struggles through understanding the source of the drive that brings him back from ultimate defeat

“therefore i take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for christ’s sake, for when i am weak, then am i strong” (2 corinthians 12:10

after experiencing the mentioned infirmities, when laden with reproaches, surrounded with necessities, followed with persecutions and facing the weakness in himself to bear and go through all these things

then he was upheld by the strengthening power of god to be able to sustain conflict but was able to triumph in the midst of the adversities

what would account for this sudden change in attitude and energy that would create a source of strength out of a moment of weakness

“let the weak say, i am strong” (joel 3:10)

joel says don’t plead your weakness but declare their strength and enter into any struggle with courage in god’s ability to bring them through

There is always energy to achieve!

EVERYTHING IS OUT OF CONTROL BUT ME!

One of the things that is especially troubling to us is having the ability to
manage unplanned eventualities. Our entire nature is heavily based upon some
level of organization and order for there to be efficient measurable progress or achievement. Even though we crave order there are some things that God ordains that will disrupt our best laid plans. “Let all things be done decently and in order” (I Cor 14:40) suits us just fine because it is far easier to follow a given path than to trail blaze one!
   We all remember the account in Mark 4 when Jesus finishes teaching the multitudes, then explains hidden truths to his disciples and then decides to take a trip in a ship across the waters to the other side. A great storm disrupts the trip with such force and unpredictablility that the disciples fear losing their lives. The assignment was simply to pass over to the other side but this storm
disrupts their plans! An ordained storm changes the routine order of the disciples! Likewise God will use a storm to redirect our lives and sometimes we do not even recognize it is the Lord’s doing!
  The storm term used here is “loelaps” meaning a great concussion or shaking of water resulting in a great storm with torrential winds that cause the surrounding water to whip upward and downwards in an unpredictable fashion. Here again is the unpredictable nature that we must all deal with even though it resists our need for organization and order. This whirlwind effect, inexplicable and
unpredictable, challenges even the skill of the experienced and seasoned fishermen aboard. They had seen storms before and survived, but this particular storm needed more than skill and
experience than they possessed combined! This storm needed the Master of the Sea.
  It is obvious that Jesus wanted to do something in the deep. Until this time He is asleep and fairly unconcerned about what appears to be happening in the lives of the disciples. It is interesting that He is sleeping in the “hinder part of the ship” somewhere near where the stern, a place of control! Everything else seems to be out of control except Jesus. If we could only take our lead from our Leader. Though the storm was at its highest, if Jesus is not concerned then why should we be. When you have the power to handle all eventualities and unpredictabilities, the concern is removed because the storm is not greater and never will be greater than you!
  Everything else can be out of control but the power is within you to quiet your circumstances and speak to your situation. If Christ is not concerned about how things are going to work out, then rest assured in His ability and trust His take on what He is taking you through.

WALK WITH HIM - Today's Thought is Remember!

I remember the day. I remember the call. I remember the voice. I remember the silence. I remember how long I wrestled with the call before accepting what I am persuaded was God’s will. What is even more of a struggle is having no idea what His will is? But accepting it anyhow. Now I know that knowing God is vital. When you discover what He re­quires of you it calms your initial fears during the early stages of your walk with God in ministry. Did I always know? I be­lieve not. And yet there was always a willingness to serve Him in some way. I remember possessing a true love for worship in my youth. I was gifted to play the piano long be­fore I was tall enough to sit on a chair. I would teach myself to play tunes by stretching my little arms to reach the piano keys and pick out the melody of hymns I had been taught in Sunday school, or by my parents. My father would teach all of us hymns to sing in the Church. I remember the words to the hymn “Be Still My Soul” like it was yesterday.




It’s funny how God reminds you of particular incidents in your life, which clarify His presence with you even before your ministry is manifested in later years. When you take the time to wander back through your life you discover what you share with individuals today is the sum total of each and every experience in which God has permitted you to grow.

NOT GOING THROUGH THIS FOR NOTHING

Paul talks about "For our light affliction.." (2 Corinthians 4:17)..I think he is hitting at an idea that we all battle with and that is how do I deal with the now, when I believe my future is brighter and greater. On the way to that wonderful thought, we tend to evaluate every step we make to ensure that progress is being made. Sometimes things are not happening, they are preparing to happen. One of the skills to learn in managing our faith walk and life, is that we are always in preparation for something. Genesis 8:22 helps us see that there are only two states we exist in. Either we live in seed time or harvest. When I am not sowing, I am reaping. The benefit for me is knowing that when I am not reaping that is the next thing that is about to happen. All of what we go through is light affliction because it prepares us for greater things. Sometimes it does not make sense until you get to the step, but it is getting you ready.
Peace be multiplied!
PJ

WAIT OR WEIGHT!

Recently I traveled to Orlando, Florida and due to inclement weather I could not return home. It's pretty amazing the emotions that we process when we are faced with disappointing circumstances. No one likes having their plans changed, especially when there is a special occasion you are trying to get to. I checked out my attitudinal journey, moving from frustration to justification of the circumstances. Knowing everything happens for a reason and purpose and ofcourse Ecclesiastes reminds us daily that there is "a time and purpose to everything under heaven". The challenger of our purpose, in an attempt to continue to frustrate us will present "weights" of indecision and disappointment to further complicate our times of waiting. Do not allow these weights to complicate and confuse your wait. God is workng out His purpose in our lives even during missed opportunities or changes in our circumstances. Remember this, that while we are waiting the Psalmist challenges us to "be of good courage" and then strength will come. The challenger would prefer that we become anxious. God has many ways to work out our schedules and if He decides to alter, cancel or rearrange our appointments it is for divine purpose and our empowerment. Enjoy the weight!
PJ

You're Left With More Than You've Lost!

How eager are we to pine over the things in life that we lose! It seems almost second nature to spiral into a world of disorientation just over the thought of being without things we esteem important. In Mark 10 Bartimaeus is blind and certainly disadvantaged over the loss of his vision. Somehow he manages to negotiate his way to be positioned by the highway where he spends his time begging. Position is key! He is begging but he is by the highway where the probability of connecting with a miracle is increased. The stages of his miracle are quite amazing. Bartimaeus hears, with the ears that he does have, that Jesus was coming by. He cries out, with the voice that he does have and when commanded rises to walk on the feet that he does have! What have you lost that blocks the release of your other abilities and talents. Bartimaeus teaches us that the loss of sight does not mean the loss of vision as it was his vision that mobilized his other abilities to receive his faith miracle. God is His awesome wisdom leaves you with more than you will ever lose. Until then!