All I Do Is Win!

Scripture

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” 1 Corinthians 9:24 (ESV)

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NLT)

Observation

This is a harsh reality of life: at the end of the day, not everyone is a winner. Everyone is moving with such momentum and acceleration, and often times, the people you interact with on a daily basis are pursuing the same things as you. Whether it be professional aspirations, personal accolades or spiritual development, we are moving with the idea to be progressing towards a goal…but so is everyone else.

Despite the promises in God’s Word, the prophecies spoken into our lives, and our relentless pursuit of God for answers, we often find ourselves in motion but rarely coming out on top. In this race of life, we are defining ourselves more as mere participants and less as winners. I believe that the disconnect lies in us having good INTENT but not being INTENTIONAL.

Application

For us to be true winners in life, we need to stop thinking about it…we need to start acting like it! Furthermore, there needs to exist a sense of tenacity towards being a winner in life! The word “obtain” in 1 Corinthians 9:24 comes from the Greek word katalambano, which means to take eagerly. Being a winner and victorious in life is yours for the taking, but you must not only want it but passionately & purposely pursue after it! Declare this with me:

I WILL be a WINNER in my family.
I WILL be a WINNER in my relationships.
I WILL be a WINNER in my job.
I WILL be a WINNER in my finances.
I WILL be a WINNER in my ministry.
I WILL be a WINNER in the emotional health.
I WILL be a WINNER in the spiritual battles of life.
I WILL be a WINNER in everything I put my mind to today.

Now, if you truly believe those declarations…what are you going to do differently from yesterday  so you can be a true WINNER today? You are not only destined for greatness…you are destined to WIN.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I pray that you impart into us the strength to put action behind our intent to win in life. Your Word declares us to victorious and more than conquerors, and we receive that not only in thought, but also in our every day steps. Guide us in our journey of being intentional, so through our nature of being winners, our life’s testimony may bring more glory to Your name. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

These Underdogs are KILLING my MARCH MADNESS Bracket!

Scripture

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 NLT)

Observation

The reign of King Saul was drawing to an end, and the time was near for Israel to be led by a new king. The prophet Samuel was sent out by God to anoint Saul’s successor, and here he has arrived at the house of Jesse. Despite his wisdom, Samuel sizes up one of Jesse’s sons based on his appearance and physical stature, only to draw this conclusion – he fits the profile, so he must be the one! God intervenes and makes a startling declaration that, needless to say, contradicts our and society’s current mindset: the heart of a man will always triumph over the qualification of a man.

Application

In the event that you’ve been terribly busy and out of touch with society over the past few days, let me quickly bring you up to speed on what’s been going in the biggest arena of NCAA Men’s Basketball…MARCH MADNESS! Each year, this tournament highlights at least one major underdog emerging from the background and stealing the spotlight (unfortunately, my alma mater Villanova University didn’t do too hot, but I’ll let that one slide for now). The biggest underdog story this year is undoubtedly the 15th-ranked Florida Gulf State Coast University (FGCU) stunning 2nd-ranked Georgetown with a first round defeat. Oh, the lamenting on every social media site about the brokenness of brackets and predictions due to this unforeseen loss! See, FGCU didn’t fit the profile of a champion when compared to Georgetown: proven track record, talent, funding, prestigious basketball program, experience, etc. In light of this, let me tell you what FGCU did have (and played with) on March 22nd: HEART.

You see, FGCU exemplifies what God was trying to reveal to Samuel: the heart of a man will always triumph over the qualification of a man. Many of you that are reading this have been at one time or another disqualified due to not fitting the profile or “just not measuring up”. You may be viewed , or even worse view yourself, as a background player that is only good for where you’re currently at. I am writing today to encourage you to break away from that lie of life! God is not interested in your credentials, accolades, or earthly achievements; God is interested in a person whose HEART is passionately pursuing after Him. Why is this? Why don’t our accomplishments and personal resume matter in the grand scheme of things? Here’s why: achievements bring glory back to the individual; the passionate and unadulterated pursuit of the heart brings glory back to God. Trust me when I say this, God is much more attracted and in desire of your heart longing & thirsting after His own, and when He has your heart, watch out! I declare that you will be elevated and placed in positions that will allow God’s glory to permeate through you! You WILL be that underdog that emerges from the background and you WILL triumph as a champion! This is YOUR season, and your heart, not your qualifications, will see you through the end.

Prayer

Dear God, I pray that we will begin to see ourselves as You see us: a people that have been called and destined for victory, greatness, and leaving a positive impact on this world. I thank You for the deeper revelation of what truly attracts You: a heart that is pure, in need and forever longing for You. I pray that You bring someone along our path this week to share this encouraging Word as we have been encouraged by it, for we are blessed to be a blessing to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Count The Cost

Scripture

“Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’ (Luke 14:28-30 MSG)

Observation

In this passage, Jesus is painting a picture of the uncalculated cost. He relates it to someone that had an idea to build a house and set forth in the project without first understanding if he could afford to complete the project. Unfortunately for this builder, there are insufficient funds to complete the project, and the apparent failure to count the cost is now apparent to the outsiders looking in.

Application

This parable presented by Jesus parallels too often what happens with Christians or those coming to Christianity. Don’t get me wrong, it is amazing and exciting to see people that have been living an unfulfilled life give their hearts to Jesus! Even more, it is a beautiful sight to see someone that had walked away from their relationship with Jesus Christ to come back into His presence, being fully received back into welcoming arms…it is truly amazing!

But what next? Notice how the passage calls for the builder to count the cost to FINISH. There is so much more to the call of Christianity past going to church on a Sunday and posting bible verses as Facebook statuses. The call is much more than relying on good works and volunteer hours to feel accomplished and in good moral/ethical standing. According to this passage, there is a cost associated with this call, and I would be doing you a great disservice without shedding some insight into this cost. So here is it:

1. You DO NOT have to clean up your life before coming to Jesus. A theologian draws the analogy of washing up before taking a bath…it doesn’t make sense! Jesus has the desire AND power to wash you clean of your past, your insecurities, your fears, your soul wounds, and anything else that has hindered you from being a partaker of His grace for you. Your cost of following Jesus is not dependent on how clean you are when you present yourself to Him; your cost is dependent on simply presenting yourself to Him.

2. Once you let Jesus into your life, you DO have to allow Him to clean up your life. It’s interesting to see some people say, ” Of course I want Jesus to be my Lord and Savior…but I still want to control my life.” That’s like paying for car maintenance but then coming home and doing it yourself even after paying…just doesn’t make sense! This is the cost that so many people struggle with…control. Power. Authority. In some respects, it’s as if the passage is asking, “it’s not about can you afford to follow Jesus. It’s about can you afford not to follow Jesus?” And therein lies the true cost.

It’s as simple as that. When I have to count the cost, I have to understand that I can come to Jesus EXACTLY the way that I am right now, but I need to be willing and able to allow Jesus to clean my life up. Luke 14:33 says to forsake all that you have as counting the cost. That passage is often misinterpreted, for its Greek connotation meant to “say goodbye to.” Are you ready to say goodbye to the old life? Are you ready to say goodbye to the need for control and holding on to the past? Are you ready to say goodbye to the safety net that has hindered you from spiritual growth for all these years? If the answer is a sincere yes, then my friend, you’re on the right path of counting the cost. I’d be lying to you if I say it’ll be easy, but trust me when I say this…it’ll be worth it eternally.

Prayer

Dear God, I pray that anyone reading this would begin to feel Your heart’s desire for us. You exhibit a love that transcends human comprehension, a love so deep that an attempt to focus on it will bring a strong man to his knees in humility and adoration. I thank you that Your love is strong enough to take us at any point where we are in life. I thank you even more that you enlighten us about the cost of embracing this love into our lives so that we understand what is in store for us. The most amazing thing is that you’ve already told us what is waiting for us at the finish line…such an awesome God you are! I pray right now, in the name of Jesus, that the strongholds of control and hardened hearts will begin to melt away so that Your love and grace can come in & begin to do a great work. I thank you Lord for the healings and testimonies that will come of this. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

But…but…I wish it was 2012!

Scripture

At the Lord’s command, the whole community of Israel left the wilderness of Sin and moved from place to place. Eventually they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there for the people to drink. (Exodus 17:1 NLT)

But tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?” (Exodus 17:3 NLT)

Observation

At this point, the Israelites have been delivered from the hand of the Egyptians, witnessed firsthand the demise of Pharaoh’s army as they were swallowed up by the Red Sea, and have been provided for with manna and quail from heaven. Despite all these provisions, they reach a point of lacking water and their faith crumbles. In anger (and with sincerity), they turn to Moses, demanding rationale for bringing them out of Egypt; after all, at least they had menial provisions while in slavery versus none at all while walking in supposed “freedom”.

Application

For all of us, 2013 will be full of victories, conquests, natural and spiritual promotions, physical and emotional healings, and God responding to our hearts’ desires. BUT…, there will come a moment (or several moments) in 2013 where things will get tough, and in that moment, we may be tempted to think and/or say, “I wish it was 2012! At least it wasn’t AS DIFFICULT!

Stop and think about it for a second. Has our God ever failed us (Psalm 136)? Does He not know what we have been through, what we are going through (Matthew 6:8), and has He not provided a way out for us (1 Corinthians 10:13)? Doesn’t the God we serve have a phenomenal, perfect plan for each and every single one of us (Jeremiah 29:11)?

Be encouraged that when the menial provisions of 2012 seem more attractive than the tough, trying times of 2013, God has your well-being, abundance of provision(s), and undeniable victory as the first things on His mind for you. Let us not be like the Israelites who were fixated on the SURVIVAL of 2012; rather, let us be focused and excited for the abundant VICTORY of 2013.

Prayer

Dear God, as we enter into this new year, we do not forget what you’ve done for us in 2012. From the blessings to the trials from which we have endured, we understand and are thankful that every piece of our life works together for good (Romans 8:28). But we do not want to stay focused on 2012; God, we want to prepare our hearts to jump into 2013 and receive everything this year has to offer. We pray for a purposed disconnect from 2012 and past years that will inhibit us from partaking of what 2013 has in store for us. Even in the trying times of 2013, we pray that you make these verses alive in our Spirit as an encouragement to never give up, never look back, and never doubt Your faithfulness. We thank You and love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Praise Break!

Scripture

“The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” (Acts 16:20, 21 NLT)

They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. (Acts 16:23, 24 NLT)

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! (Acts 16:25, 26 NLT)

Observation

Paul and Silas were on a mission, ordained by God, to unashamedly and unapologetically bring the Good News of the Gospel to wherever they journeyed. After casting out a demon and setting a woman free from the spirit’s bondage (which is what any of us would’ve done, right?), the woman’s masters realize their form of revenue has been lost. As anyone else would towards someone that is causing you loss of revenue, the woman’s masters bring Paul and Silas among the city leaders, and with enough of the crowd’s support, Paul and Silas are beaten and thrown in jail.

This is the interesting part. The bible doesn’t say that Paul and Silas lamented. It doesn’t say that they cursed their oppressors. It doesn’t say that they felt bad for themselves. And it definitely doesn’t say that they blamed God for their current misfortune. Rather, they began to PRAY and SING. This seems like an absolutely absurd concept, but not to Paul and Silas, for they saw not only a purpose in their predicament but also a greater purpose in their PRAISE. Verse 26 shows us that Paul and Silas weren’t too crazy after all, for their chains fell off, along with those of the fellow prisoners!

Application

More times than we would like, we find ourselves in the midst of circumstances or situations where we just want to complain, lament, or lash out. Even worse, these are situations that are not our fault! Yet, in the midst of the circumstance, we have a decision to make. By the position of our heart and declaration of our spirit, we can either marinate in our present situation OR praise our way to our victory! It is easy to praise God when all the stars align in your favor, the bank account is looking good, and everyone at work thinks you should be the next CEO. But when it seems as if everything possible is against you, your praise in that moment takes on a new dimension.

First, it sets forth in motion a level of faith that is incomprehensible to mankind. Were Paul and Silas crazy for praising while being imprisoned? Absolutely! But they had a level of faith that doesn’t need to make sense to mankind in order to be activated. Second, and HALLELUJAH FOR THIS, your praise does not fall on deaf ears, for our faithful God rejoices in our faith and He will make a way out for us! I personally enjoy when God shows off in my life, as He did for Paul and Silas. Why? Well, it creates an undeniable testimony of the weakness of man making way for the power of God! Third, our praise begins to positively affect those that are around us. From the fellow prisoners that had their chains fall off to your friends that may be going through a similar (or even more difficult) situation, your victory through praise serves as both an inspiration and insight into the power of God that can work in their life. How awesome is it that your praise not only blesses you, but also everybody else in your life!

Prayer

Father, I thank you for Your unwavering love for your children. Time after time, You have blessed us, directed us, comforted us, shielded us, and continually perfected us. Despite the situations that may arise in our lives, I thank you for the insight to praise our way to our victory! Even in our circumstance, there is something to praise about, and I declare today that our mouths will not be full of doubt or worry, but rather of praise and victory! I am thankful and standing in faith for the testimonies that will come from praising through and to our victory! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I’m a Good Person…Right??

Scripture

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. (Luke 10:30-33 ESV)

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36, 37 ESV)

Observation

In response to what makes someone a good neighbor (or person), Jesus illustrates with a depiction of a robbery occurring between Jerusalem and Jericho; interestingly enough, this passageway was known as the “Way of Blood”. Not one, but TWO different categories of religious officials passed over the fellow Jew (their brother), for their “religious” laws forbade them from touching anything dead, seemingly dead, or bleeding. Yet, a Samaritan, a sect of society that had a mutual hatred for the Jews, demonstrated genuine compassion and the true meaning of being a good neighbor. This hatred is further exemplified in verse 37 when the Jewish inquisitor couldn’t even bring himself to deem the Samaritan as a good neighbor, only as “the one who showed mercy”.

Application

It is so easy to be a good neighbor (or person) to those that we’re comfortable with: people that look like us, walk like us, talk like us, interact like us, etc. In light of this, the true measure of a good neighbor, as with any situation, is not when circumstances are perfect but rather when circumstances are dire. How many of our fellow friends have we failed to share the love of God with because a difficult situation presented itself? Yes, they may have fallen into drugs and alcohol, but does that make them more flawed than you? Yes, they may have gotten pregnant out of wedlock, but does that make them less lovable? But that’s just about our seemingly fellow friends…what about those that we aren’t friends with (the Samaritans in our lives)? Are we willing to treat them equally in the same manner that Jesus did? Are we willing to sacrifice our levels of comfort to follow God’s Word? Will we continue to walk by those that need us to be a good neighbor to them? Before these questions can be answered in practice, they must be answered in principle. Being a good neighbor has less to do with actions, and more to do with the condition of your heart towards servitude.

Prayer

Father, I thank you for this reminder of truly loving people as You love us. I pray that we are reminded of this Word as we go through our day and encounter people that we may deem our friends or not. Grant us the strength and fortitude to break through our walls and comfort and genuinely care for people today, especially those that we cannot expect anything in return from. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Location Doesn’t Matter

Scripture

Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. (Acts 14:2, 3 NLT)

Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. And there they preached the Good News. (Acts 14:5-7 NLT)

Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, (Acts 14:19-21 NLT)

Observation

In Acts 14, Paul had a decision to make about the calling of God on his life. In each phase of the calling, Paul had to choose between LOCATION and PURPOSE. In the beginning of the chapter, he is led to Iconium where his fellow Jewish men (yet again) attempted to come against him with jealousy and persecution. Despite this, verse 3 shows us that he continued to PREACH the Word.

Verse 5-6 shows that Paul is kicked out of the town that God led him to! You would think that would’ve put a wrinkle in the calling of God in Paul’s life, right? Well, verse 7 shows us that in the next town, he still continued to PREACH the Word.

It doesn’t even end there. In verse 19, they try to kill Paul by stoning! SURELY Paul would take a break or a breather just to gather himself, right? Verse 21 yet again reinforces what Paul was about: he went to the next town and continued to PREACH the Word.

Application

Too often, we sometimes think that the calling on our lives is restricted to a location, a demographic, a certain social circle, or some other limiting factor. Unfortunately, these limiting factors are more about our COMFORT ZONE and less about GOD’S WILL. Just like Paul, we should be rooted, convicted, and holding steadfast to the calling and purpose, not the location and the comfort. The more we focus on the will of God, the more of a servant’s heart we will embody, and I am confident that it will translate to a greater capacity in which God can use us.

God can and will use you whenever, wherever, however. You just have to be willing. That’s the challenge today: will you be physically/mentally/spiritually/socially available and willing to the call of God on your life? Or will you retreat to the comforts of location and other limiting factors?

Prayer

Dear God, I thank you for the challenging word brought forth today in Acts 14. I pray for the strength that was evident in Paul’s life, where he abandoned comfort and the easy road in order to passionately chase after the call You placed on his life. I pray that You will open my eyes to areas in my life where I have grown comfortable, complacent or stagnant; reveal these areas to me and guide me towards a place of being purpose-driven in life, forsaking all other things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.