When the Dust Settles

Isaiah 43:18-19

New Living Translation (NLT)

 ¹⁸ “But forget all that—
      it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
 ¹⁹ For I am about to do something new.
      See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
   I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
      I will create rivers in the dry wasteland

Had a great time this past week at my brother's wedding in Ohio. While there among the friends, family, strangers, and others - .I thought about our lives - how we seem to be on the roller coaster, waves, and highs and lows of decisions, attitudes, hurt, resentment, pain, and mostly the past. I realzied that all of us in some way, some fashion, and some form have been or may still be in a cloud of dust. What do I mean -these clouds are different for each person, and for each situation of life. For some it could be the cloud of loss of a job, for others the cloud of loss of a spouse/marriage, and even for others it could be the loss of a loved one.

Regardless of how much of Christ we have, how much of the BIBLE we can quote, or how many people know our name - we all have been faced with the "dust clouds" of life. And no matter how we try to hide it, dance around it, or ignore it - it has happened, it has caught us - and we have had to at times blindly wade through it to try and find the light, the hope, and the answer to see the Sun shine again.

Much like the huge dust storm that occured last week in Phoeniz Arizona that caused flights to be delayed and power outages to occur - we have been stuck in a storm that has delayed our assignment, delayed our destiny, and delayed our faith. We have faced outages - that caused us to lose the power that we normally have been accustomed to. We have been in the dark - waiting for the light of life to return.

With all of that being said.........When the Dust settles - planes fly again, homes can be illuminated again, and life with resume. Today, i want to encourage us - that when ( and it will - not if!) the Dust settles on your setback, your loss, your questions, or the storm you seemingly cant seem to shake - remember

Isaiah 43:18-19 -- Forget all that! It is nothing compared to what I am going to do! I am about to do something new! Do you not see it?

Understand this----when the dust settles ---we have to begin focusing on the NEW THING that Christ will do -- and stop dwelling on the dust! Let the dust settle - let the waves of uncertaintiy subside, the cloud of doubt to dwindle, and watch FAITH ARISE in the NEWNESS that Christ has promised for you!

When the DUST SETTLES.............a NEW PATH IS FORMED...................

"Whatever it Takes"

BEND -BUT DONT BREAK!

AT TIMES THIS LIFE – EVEN THE LIFE OF A CHRIST FOLLOWER BRINGS PERIODS OF STRUGGLE – PERIODS OF ISSUES – PERIODS OF QUESTIONS – PERIODS OF CONFUSION – PERIODS OF HOPELESSNESS – PERIODS OF DROUGHT ….THIS WALK OF LIFE AT TIMES CAN CAUSE EVEN THE STRONGEST, EVEN THE MOST FAITHFUL PERSON TO BEND – TO BECOME WITHERED AND WORD - - BUT TODAY I WANT TO ENCOURAGE US THAT WE MAY BE GO THROUGH IT – WE MAY HAVE TO FIGHT – WE MAY  HAVE TO PRESS – WE MAY BECOME BENT – BE WE ARE NOT BROKEN!

ABRAHAM WAS COMMANDED BY GOD TO TAKE HIS ONLY SON – HIS PROMISE THAT GOD HAD GIVEN HIM AND TAKE HIM TO THE MOUNTAIN AND SACRIFICE HIM IN AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE. I DON’T CARE HOW MUCH YOU LOVE GOD AND WANT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT –  THIS WOULD CAUSE ME TO BEND A LITTLE – CAUSE ME TO QUESTION A LITTLE – CAUSE ME TO WONDER A LITTLE – BUT THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS WAS TO SEE HOW STRONG – HOW FIRM – HOW COMMITTED ABRAHAM --- WAS TO THE CAUSE. YOU SEE GOD NEVER INTENDED ISSAC TO DIE – HE WANTED TO BE SURE HE COULD BLESS ABRAHAM --- AND MAKE HIM THE FATHER OF MANY NATIONS.

YOU SEE WE THINK A LOT OF TIMES THAT OUR TRIALS, OUR TESTS, OUR HARDSHIPS – ARE

GODS WAY

OF GETTING US – GOD IS A LOVING GOD – THE THINGS WE GO THROUGH ARE OUR WAY OF LEANING AND LEARNING MORE AND MORE THAN WE CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT HIM!

IMAGINE HOW YOU WOULD REACT TO CERTAIN THINGS – CERTAIN PEOPLE – CERTAIN FAMILY --- IF HE WASN’T HELPING YOU!!

Hebrews 2:18 (New Living Translation)

¹⁸ Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

  YOU SEE WE WILL BE BENT – WE WILL BE STRETCHED – WE WILL BE PULLED AND PRESSED – BUT - - - THIS SHOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE TO US!

1 Peter 4:12-20 (New Living Translation)

¹² Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. ¹³ Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

¹⁴ So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian,^[a] for then the glorious Spirit of God^[b] rests upon you.^{[c] 15} If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. ¹⁶ But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! ¹⁷ For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? ¹⁸ And also,   “If the righteous are barely saved,
      what will happen to godless sinners?”^[d]

¹⁹ So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

WOW – SO IT HAS TO BEGIN WITH ME FIRST – I HAVE TO BE WILLING TO BE BENT – TO LEARN – TO GROW SO THAT OTHERS CAN SEE HIM CLEARLY IN ME! THAT MEANS I HAVE TO REACT RIGHT – RESPOND RIGHT- AND RETALIATE RIGHT!  WHY OH WHY!

James 1:2-4 (New Living Translation)

Faith and Endurance

² Dear brothers and sisters,^[a] when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

We are growing through our trials – sometimes they make us not want to grow anymore – but we are becoming what He wants us to be – NOT WHAT WE OR EVERYONE AROUND US WANTS US TO BE – you see some people want to be the same – BIRDS OF A FEATHER – FLOCK TOGETHER.

He never made us to be like everyone else – or to be like every other Christian or Church – HE MADE US IN HIS IMAGE – to be like HIM.

UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE TIMES WE FEEL BENT AND WEAK – AND USELESS, AND DON’T WANT TO KEEP GOING –THOSE ARE THE TIMES THAT WE ARE REALLY POSITIONED TO GROW AND GO TO A NEW PLACE IN OUR WALK WITH CHRIST

Corinthians 12:9-10 (New Living Translation)

⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

YOU MAY BE BENT – BUT KNOW YOU ARE NOT BROKEN – YOU MAY FEEL LIKE THE LIMBS – THE BRANCHES ARE ABOUT TO BREAK – BUT STAY FOCUSED – STAY ROOTED – STAY STRONG!

Jeremiah 17:8-10(New Living Translation)
 ⁸ They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
      with roots that reach deep into the water.
   Such trees are not bothered by the heat
      or worried by long months of drought.
   Their leaves stay green,
      and they never stop producing fruit.

A PLANT – EVEN IF UPROOTED CAN STILL BE REPLANTED

STAY ROOTED – EVEN WHEN YOU GET MESSED UP – LIED ON – TALKED ABOUT – USED – EVEN WHEN MAYBE YOU CAUSED SOME PAIN – STAY ROOTED-----

"WHATEVER IT TAKES"

Walk it out!

Matthew 7:16
You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

Alot of times we base our decisions, actions, emotions, and plans on what those around us dictate. Now, dont get me wrong, I am all for advise, wisdom from those who have been through some stuff, and would rather learn from a mentor than from experience in most areas. However what happens when we base our lives on the expectations and desires of those around us at all times--eventually we will fail them.

The sad reality is that most "Professional Christians" would rather you live up to their standards than to see you rise above normalcy and become great. Why you may say? Simple - comfort keeps us from stepping out in faith - and usually (lets keep it real) those who want to seem bigger than others always discourage BIG FAITH moves.

So what do we do....simply JUST LIVE! Do what you do - live according to your relationship as a Christfollower, serve, grow, and when its necessary===========STEP UP OR STEP OUT IN FAITH

Listen to advice ( from those who you trust and who actually invest something), learn on a regular basis, but do not limit your life to the expectations and parameters of those around you! There is greatness inside all of us -- the problem is---we sometimes let others talk us out of it!

You cant do that, that costs too much, how can that happen in this town, that will no work, etc..

Psalms 37:23
The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

In this journey called life....we will have to decide that if I have given my life and the direction of it to Christ....there is absolutely ----no way HE would lead me astray. And while this is easier said that done---we really have not exercised FAITH ---until we really take the brakes off!

Lets begin to love others, listen to others, have confidence in others....but more than ever its time that we begin to WALK IT OUT....in out relationship with Christ........................

"Whatever it Takes"

Can't Grow - Unless Planted

It is difficult - impossible really for a plant to grow if it is never planted.

I think this is the reason many Christ followers, church folks and others have a hard time really stepping out and being successful in the things, talents, and gifts that we have - we never want to plant ourselves so we can grow even more.

Its like Bananas ( which are my favorite fruit - send them to PO BOX 1254.....) ok, anyway back on track....There are times when you get one that is not fully ripe - and you can tell the difference in taste from one that is. Too often we refuse to go through the planting and growing stages of life -then when we peel back the place where we think is ready---we are not fully "ripe"

Whatever we do -- we have to have the mindset that we need to have a place where we can remain planted and grow. Too often we jump the gun and miss out on some of the greatest moments of training, learning, and development that can propel us to greater heights.

I learned early on in ministry and pastoring----if we refuse to stay planted in a minstry, church, accountablitlity, learning and development -- we "preach to others" and become castaways.
(1 Corinthians 9:27) Simply put -- unless we have a place or a people we can learn from, grow from, and be encouraged from -- we risk being haughty, full of pride, thinking we know it all.

I have seen many people ( and I have been there too) that seem willing to learn and grow -- until it actually is time to learn and grow......Here are a few points of being willing to be teachable and willing to get planted.

In those who are unteachable, these things are true...

• There is pride rather than humility.
• There is self centernedness rather than openness.
• There is reaction rather than submission.
• There is insecurity rather than peace.
• There is anger rather than tranquility.

In review– in those who are teachable we find...

• Openness to others.
• Self-acceptance and desire to grow.
• An inquisitive integrative mind.
• An appreciation of wisdom and the mind of God.
• A life that builds relationships.
• An understanding of growth process.
• A willingness to pursue a goal of value and a desire to change.

We should always look to not just "pluck ourselves up and move from ground to ground or place to place"
but to find a spot to get rooted, grounded, planted, where we can live, learn, water, shine, and then Go out and FLOURISH!

My prayer for you today is you will set your feet, dig in your roots, and watch the growth that will happen............Whatever it Takes!

STIR THE POT!

 WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE THINK OF WHEN THIS STATEMENT IS MADE “ YOU ARE JUST STIRRING THE POT” WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WHO ARE GOOD AT STIRRING THINGS UP – KEEPING DRAMA GOING SO TO SPEAK OR JUST GENERALLY – AGGRAVATE FOR NO REAL REASON!

TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN MINISTRY , TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN CAREERS, IN SCHOOL, WE HAVE TO STIR OUR POTS! WE HAVE TO KEEP MOTIVATION, KEEP POSITIVE – KEEP GOALS IN MIND

WE HAVE TO KEEP STIRRING THE POT OF OUR LIVES – IF NOT THINGS WILL SETTLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POT – AND THINGS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POT DON’T GET THE FULL BENEIFT AND FLAVOR THEY WOULD IF THEY WERE STIRRED AROUND!

 2 WAYS TO KEEP STIRRING THE POT:

1 – PRAYER/PRAISE           2 – REMEMBERING          

# 1 – PRAYER STIRS UP SOMETHING IN THE HEAVENS AND HERE ON EARTH

Acts 4:31-34 (New Living Translation)

³¹ After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

1 John 3:21-22 (New Living Translation)

²¹ Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. ²² And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him

Colossians 1:9-10 (New Liviing Translation)

⁹ So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better

YOU SEE PRAYER BOTH BY OURSELVES INDIVIDUALLY AND  TOGETHER IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME – WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY! STIR THE POT WITH YOUR PRAYER!

YOUR LIFE AND DEATH IS IN YOUR MOUTH – SO PRAYER STIRS IT UP!

The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. This means that praise is not merely a reaction from coming into His presence - Praise is a vehicle of faith which brings us into the presence and power of God!

2 Chronicles 5:13-14 (New Living Translation)

¹³ The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words:

   “He is good!
      His faithful love endures forever!”

   At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. ¹⁴ The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of God

#2 WE NEED TO SOMETIMES STIR THE POT BY REMEMBERING!

WHAT!!!!??– YOU WANT ME TO THINK OF PAST BATTLES – PAST STRUGGLES – PAST HURTS! YES ! BECAUSE EVERY TIME THINK ABOUT THOSE BATTLES – THOSE FIGHTS – THOSE ISSUES --- YOU SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER ---THE GOD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT! THE GOD WHO WAS RIGHT THERE – THE GOD WHO HAS NOT CHANGED! AND THE GOD WHO IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF DOING IT AGAIN AND AGAIN!

JEHOSPHAT WAS BEING ATTACKED BY 3 ARMIES – HE BEGAN TO NOT TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT BATTLE – BUT THE VICTORIES THAT HE HAD ALREADY SEEN!

2 Chronicles 20:7 (New Living Translation)

⁷ O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham?

Malachi 3:6 (New Living Translation)

A Call to Repentance

 ⁶ “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.

NEVER FORGET YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK! REMEMBER THE VICTORIES….STIR YOUR SELF UP!

WE CAN STIR THE POT – BY REMEMBERING THE BATTLES! BY BRAGGING ON HIM! ONCE YOU BEGIN TO BRAG ON HIM – YOU ARE WORSHIPPING HIM! AND WHEN YOU BEGIN TO WORSHIP HIM – YOU ARE STIRRING HIM UP!

 One of the most misunderstood principles in Scripture is that although the Holy Spirit is available to the believer,He waits to respond to our level of hunger and expectation, not just because we have a particular need.

 AND WHEN YOU STIR HE UP --- THE ATMOSPHERE CHANGES – AND WHEN THE ATMOSPHERE CHANGES – MIRACLES HAPPEN!

2^ND PETER 3:1

This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory.

STIR UP THE MIND! REMIND YOURSELF WHO GOD REALLY IS IN YOUR LIFE! REMIND YOURSELF WHAT HE ALREADY HAS DONE FOR YOU – REMIND YOUR ENEMIES – REMIND THE BATTLE YOU ARE IN NOW – THAT GOD HAS NEVER FOUGHT A BATTLE HE DIDN’T WIN

REMIND YOURSELF THAT THE SAME GOD WHO PICKED YOU UP FROM A LIFE OF MESS, AND TRASH, AND DRUGS, ALCOHOL, SHACKING, CRACKING, DADDY MACKING – IS STILL ALIVE AND MOVING TODAY

STIR UP THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE TIME HE SHOWED UP WHEN NOBODY ELSE EVEN SEEMED TO CARE – STIR UP THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE TIME YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO BE DEAD – BUT HE HEALED YOU! STIR UP THE REMEMBRANCE WHEN YOU LOST EVERYTHING YOU SEEMINGLY HAD – BUT HE BEGAN TO PUT THE PIECES BACK TOGETHER!  STIR HIM UP!

2 Timothy 1:6-8 (New Living Translation)

⁶ This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.  ⁸ So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.

A church will never be as strong and vibrant in the service of God as it ought to

be until it shares in this ministry of watching over and stirring up one another.

Hebrews 10:24-26 (New Living Translation)

²⁴ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. ²⁵ And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near

1.                                                     YOU SEE SOMETIMES WE GOT TO STIR THE POT! WE GOT TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP OUR FLAMES FANNED – OUR FIRE BURNING – OUR DESIRE GROWING! WHATEVER YOU GOT TO DO --- STIRR THE POT! RISEN MEANS –

= 

 – STIR THE POT! NEVER LET IT SETTLE – NEVER LET IT FADE OR SINK! STIR IT UP................

"WHATEVER IT TAKES"

After the Eggs..

Here we are ...EASTER 2011! A time of many things: Bunnies, Candy, New Dresses, Suits, Egg Hunts, and of course.....EGG DYE.


While all of that stuff is great and I too will partake with my daughter in the festivities of the season-----let us not forget--- that AFTER THE EGGS we have something so much greater...............LIFE. And we have this life all because of CHRIST given his up.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (NIV)

Everything we do this Easter season, every piece of candy, every Easter Play, every picture with that bunny - we enjoy all because of the Death, Burial and Ressurection of Jesus. Dont get me wrong, I will steal candy from my daughters basket, I will take her to get pictures made, I will watch her hunt eggs, and enjoy life -- all of that is GREAT - but I never want to forget that my lifes blessings were made possible by Calvary.

So this weekend --- After the candy, after the shopping, after the pictures, and After the last Egg is dyed ---lets remember --- that when all thats left is empty wrappers, confetti filled baskets, wrinkled new dresses, and plastic eggs......JESUS CHRIST still stands - alive in the lives and hearts of Christ-Followers all over the world!

MATTHEW 28:2-7 NKJ
2 And behold, there was a great earthquake (define earthquake); for an angel of the lord (define angel of the lord) descended from heaven (define heaven), and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow (define snow).
4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
6 "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into galilee (define galilee); there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."
The huge stone was moved, and the Roman seal was broken, in spite of the guards at Jesus' tomb.


After the EGGS - lets stay on the "hunt" to share the Good News of Life in Christ........lets not just remember HIM for a moment....................but live for HIM for a LIFETIME...................

"Whatever it Takes"

DON'T GET IT TWISTED....

Luke 14:23 (New Living Translation)

²³ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.

It is important we realize that our job is to bring the CHURCH TO THE WORLD-----TOO MANY TIMES WE GET it twisted thinking that the "world" will just come to the church!

Jesus was all about going to where people were. Matter of fact - he was always going to the places and people no body else seemingly cared about or wanted to go. He spoke and forgave the Women at the Well, He spit on a mans eyes - that others wanted to just overlook, He was all about taking what HE had to the masses!

Understand---going to church is the easy part................BEING THE CHURCH - is the goal we should have. Alot of people "go" to church - and that is great and needed and essential to our relationship as a Christ -Follower...However, when we BECOME the church...than we are able to take what we have to the world!  The world is not looking necessarily for another "building" - but instead for a church that can be seen no just on Sundays----but Everyday!

Lets make it our goal to bring the church to the world---not sit idle and wait for the world to get to the church.............

"Whatever it Takes"