tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48787762258998329572024-03-19T05:59:33.245-07:00Positioned for GreatnessUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger150125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-78741698268325738872009-07-02T19:43:00.000-07:002009-07-02T20:01:14.562-07:00GOD DNA Part 2Jesus said if you <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">believe</span> in Him, you will do greater works than He did because He goes to the father (John 12:24). I call this the "Do it generation". In most Churches we are great talkers, but terrible doers. We have more information than any generation but we are doing the least. In the Church the divorce rate is the same as in the world. In fact if you look closely you would have a hard time <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">differentiating</span> between the world and the Church and yet Jesus said we would exceed Him in the works of the Kingdom.<br /><br />Jesus walked on water, cast out devils, spoke to the storms and they obeyed Him, multiplied a boy's lunch... And we will do greater. If we are the greater works generation, where is the proof?<br />Why are we not doing it? I propose it is because we have never become like Him. You have to be who He is, to do what He does and we are trying to do without being who He is. He said in my name you will cast out devils, heal the sick... In His name, what does that mean? That means to represent Him in power and authority, you have to live up to His name.<br /><br />You can point at it, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">buke</span> it, scream at it, but nothing will happen until you become who He is. Jesus said you will do greater works but you are as mean as the devil, have a bad attitude, cussing at the waitress, gossiping, don't tithe. You are nothing like He is but yet you want to heal sick people. You can't represent Him in power until you represent Him in name.<br /><br />One of the lessons my father taught me was learning to protect your name. He would say, son if you have to choose between your name and money and fame, choose your name. He then said, you can always get more money but you can't get a new name. Jesus said if you live up to my name and have a good attitude, treat people right, live at peace with all men, love your neighbor, forgive unlimited amount of times... If you become who I am you can do what I do. No wonder we say in the name of Jesus... And we see nothing happening. The power to use His name is tied to living up to His name in your conduct. The bible tells us that the earth is groaning for the sons of God to be revealed. They are waiting for the "Do it generation" to emerge. This is the generation that will do greater things than He did.<br /><br />To be continued.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-30585919169387387622009-07-01T21:58:00.000-07:002009-07-01T22:42:24.038-07:00"God DNA"My job as a Pastor is to help you discover who am I and why am I here? There is a great frustration in the earth of people who are locked in ordinary when they are called to be exceptional. They get up, punch in at 8:00 am and punch out at 5:00 pm, and they are crying out, please tell me there is more to life than this.<br /><br />The fact is we don't even ask the right questions in America, as soon as a kid graduates from High School we ask him, "What are you going to do?" When you take an entrance exam, they ask, "What do you want to do in life?" The priority is imbalanced, why? Because doing flows out of being. Nobody ask what are you going to be? They ask, what are you going to do? We start out in life asking the wrong questions.<br /><br />We start life out by doing things, we go get a job and start doing, and nobody has ever told us who we are. What if I tell you to go walk and you are a bird meant to fly? What if I tell you to go fly and you are a fish meant to swim. Here is the principle: If I don't know who I am then I don't know what to do. I can't roll till you tell me I'm a wheel, I can't fly till you tell me I'm a bird, I can't swim till you tell me I'm a fish.<br /><br />This is why we have powerless, impotent, puny Christians. Because we are good at doing Church but we have never become the Church. We are great doers but lousy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">becomers</span>. We do praise and worship but we have never become worshipers, we try to do ministry but we have never become ministers. We have to become it, before we can do it.<br /><br />Jesus never did anything, never preached a sermon, perform signs and wonders, heal someone until His Father told Him who He was. He was baptized in the Jordan, the dove descended, and He hears the voice of His father say this is my son in whom I am well pleased. Meaning that His Father was pleased before He ever did anything. Could it be that one of the reasons we are powerless is because we operate out of insecurity instead of identity.<br /><br />In closing it wasn't until after His Father told Him who He was that he walked into the temple and stood up and said, the spirit of the Lord is upon me and He has anointed me... (to do). In other words He said I'm God's son therefore I can do... The first question we have to answer is who am I? We have to become something to do something.<br /><br />To be continued...<br /><br />Blessings,<br />Craig SloanUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-18296396712418396792009-03-27T14:25:00.000-07:002009-03-27T14:26:30.827-07:00Book Review: Think and Make It Happen<p><a href="http://faithapproved.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/thinkandmakeithappen.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-83" title="thinkandmakeithappen" src="http://faithapproved.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/thinkandmakeithappen.jpg" alt="" align="left" height="240" width="240" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0785227814?ie=UTF8&tag=amosp-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0785227814" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/www.amazon.com');" target="_blank">Think and Make It Happen by Dr. Augusto Cury</a> is a book to help you conquer anxiety, overcome negative thoughts, and to discover your true potential.</p> <p>Dr. Cury is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, scientist, and author who developed the Intelligence Academy of Quality and Life Program and the theory of Multi-Focus Intelligence.</p> <p>In his book, Dr. Cury, explains that most people have not discovered the unlimited potential our minds hold and when that realized is discovered it can help you to eliminate fears, control your emotions, release your creativity, protect positive memories, respond skillfully to stress, transform your relationships, and reinvent your life.</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-55678633468686607422009-03-09T16:57:00.000-07:002009-03-09T17:02:49.184-07:00Is Gloom And Doom On The Way?In response to a Pastor friend of mine I want to respond to a blog that came out from Pastor David Wilkerson whom I highly respect.<br /><br />In response to the message David Wilkerson sent out I will use one of his recent blogs to answer.<br /><br /><h3><a href="http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/2009/03/do-three-things.html" target="_blank">O THREE THINGS</a> </h3> In the midst of their trial God told Israel to do three things: “Fear not. Stand still. See the salvation of the Lord.” His call to Israel was, “I am going to fight for you. You’re simply to hold your peace. Just be quiet, and put everything in my hands. Right now, I’m doing a work in the supernatural realm. Everything is under my control. So, don’t panic. Trust that I’m fighting the devil. This battle is not yours” (see Exodus 14:13-14).<br /><br />Soon dusk fell over the camp. This was the beginning of Israel’s dark and stormy night. But it was also the beginning of God’s supernatural work. He sent an awesome, protective angel to stand between his people and their enemy. I believe God still sends protective angels to camp around all who love and fear him (see Psalm 34:7).<br /><br />The Lord also moved the supernatural cloud he’d given to Israel for guidance. The cloud suddenly shifted from the front of Israel’s camp to the rear and it loomed as a pitch-black wall before the Egyptians. On the other side, the cloud provided a supernatural light, giving the Israelites clear visibility all night long (see Exodus 14:20).<br /><br />Even though Pharaoh’s army was in total darkness, they could still raise their voices. And all night long they spewed forth threats and lies. Israel’s tents shook from this barrage of lies throughout that dark night. But it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">didn</span>’t matter how loudly the enemy threatened them. An angel was on guard to protect them, and God had promised his people he would bring them through.<br /><br />Dear saint, if you’re a blood-bought child of God, he has put a warrior angel between you and the devil. And he commands you, just as he told Israel, “Do not fear. Stand still. Believe in my salvation.” Satan may come against you breathing every evil threat. But at no time during your dark, stormy night is the enemy ever able to destroy you.<br /><br />“Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night” (Exodus 14:21).<br /><br />The windstorm that God brought down was so powerful, it began to part the waves of the sea: “The strong east wind…made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided” (14:21).<br /> <br />The Hebrew word for wind here means “violent exhaling.” In other words, God exhaled and the water congealed in walls. Israel’s tent-dwellings must have shaken fiercely as those mighty torrents blew through the camp. Why did God allow Israel to go through an entire stormy night, when he could have spoken a mere word and calmed the elements?<br /><br />What a storm it must have been. And what a fearful time it had to be for Israel. I ask you, what was God up to here? Why would he allow such a terrible windstorm to go on all night? Why <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">didn</span>’t he just tell Moses to touch the water with his mantle, and part the waves supernaturally? What possible reason did God have for permitting this awful night to take place?<br /><br />There was but one reason: The Lord was making worshippers. God was at work the whole time, using the terrible storm to make a path for his people out of the crisis. Yet the Israelites <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">couldn</span>’t see it at the time. Many were hiding in their tents, but those who came outside witnessed a glorious light show. They also beheld the glorious sight of waves mounting up, mighty walls of water rising to form a dry path through the sea. When the people saw this, they must have shouted, “Look, God has used the wind to make a way for us. Praise the Lord!”<br /><br />I believe the answer is not in stocking up or hoarding up, running and hiding underground or declaring gloom and doom although I do agree that our nation is reaping the harvest of seeds that have been sown such as homosexuality and abortion. In spite of that fact, God says stand still, hold your peace, do not fear but see the salvation of the Lord... I sense that in the midst of all that is going on the Church will rise up as a reflection of God's power and Glory and it will be accompanied with a vast harvest of souls that we have never seen and signs, wonders and miracles. I believe we are about to see the body of Christ (not an individual) become a demonstration of Kingdom Impact. I believe that we must focus on seizing the moment and becoming an solution to the epidemics of the city we are assigned to. Here is what God said to me a few nights ago. He said do not fear but stretch your hand towards me in praise and surrender and as you stretch your hand I will stretch my hand and demonstrate my power like never before.<br /><br />We are in the greatest day that the Church has ever seen and while the world may be getting darker and darker the Church sill shine brighter and brighter. Though many say we are in a recession, I spent the weekend with a Pastor whose Church is seeing increase in ever area. I asked why? The answer is simply that they are finding the problems in their community and solving them, such as a assisted living facility like I have never seen, a garden in which they will grow fresh vegetables and fruits and give them to those in need, angel food and a food pantry, a after school tutoring service and much more. If we will discover the problems closest to us and become solutions provision will be released. Another way God's power and provision are released is illustrated when Sarah forces Hagar and Ishmael to leave. They are in the wilderness and Ishmael is about to die and Hagar just settles with allowing the next generation to die, the angel comes and says the Lord has heard the cry of the lad (the next generation) and God days pick him up for I will make him into a great nation. After she embraced the lad the Lord opened her eyes and she saw a spring that was flowing. If we will embrace the next generation and become relevant to reaching them and embracing them, God had heard their cry and their will be a release of provision like we have never see.<br /><br />No, I do not believe gloom and doom, I believe that there are up times and down times and we just happen to be in down times, yet we shall rise again. The Church and America will see in the midst of darkness and a cloud of despair that will linger for a season, the greatest move of God e have ever seen, if we will pray. We can't sit idly by, we must make the most of our opportunity and preach Kingdom, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">demonstrate</span> Kingdom and become relevant to the city in which we live. We can longer just play Church and count how many people we have and sit in our offices pretending we are making an impact. It is time for the King and the Priest to merge and become one, that is a Church that will take the gospel to the marketplace. Could it be that the reason our Church is not growing and is not seeing God's provision is because we constitute success with our Sunday services rather that impacting the city we live in. What needs are you meeting and what problems are you solving?<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-50822820463545897742009-03-06T05:58:00.000-08:002009-03-06T06:24:58.368-08:00Maintaining PeaceThe Bible tells us that as much as it is up to you seek Peace with all men. You are not responsible for what you can't control, but as much as it is up to you... There are some people that will put a guilt trip on you to make peace with them but they are not peaceable. It is not that you can't get along with them, it is that you have exhausted all your resources but they refuse to be peaceable. Why?<br /><br />There are three kinds of people in life, those that are going through a storm, those who are coming out of a storm and those who become a storm. These are people that no matter where you put them, they will always cause a storm. They are contentious, quarrelsome, and if there is no trouble, they will cause trouble. They are people who refuse to embrace peace and in a moment of trauma, instead of passing through it, the trauma gets in them and they become trauma. No matter what job, who they are married to, what Church they join, they are always causing a storm. These are the people I run from. I have enough fight with the devil, I don't need to surround myself with people who are trying to be the devil. They try to put the responsibility on you to fix them when in reality only God can fix them. <br /><br />These people are full of poison and whoever they come in contact with they poison. You can throw them a good person, with a good attitude, if they hang with the poison, what's on them will get on the good <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">person</span>, and they will become the poison. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4 1:-3 that we are to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. What is the bond of peace? It is keeping unity by keeping your relationships right. As much as it is up to you keep your relationships pure. God puts the responsibility on you and I to do whatever we can to make peace, but after we have exhausted all of our resources and done everything we can, it is time to wipe the dust off your feet and move on. Don't fret it, or sweat it just move on.<br /><br />The angels that showed up to announce the birth of the Messiah defined true peace. They said peace is goodwill towards all men. Jesus brought the same message, goodwill to all men, whether it was the poor, the sick, the sinful, the religious, He brought goodwill to all men. Paul tells us that love does not rejoice in iniquity. Love does not rejoice in the downfall of another. I do not want to see you fail, no matter what you have done to me. I do not rejoice in your struggle, your pain. I want to see you succeed, win, overcome. I want goodwill towards all men.<br /><br />There are two primary words for peace in the bible, the O.T word which is internal peace and the N.T word which is relational peace. If someone has done something to you, and you desire to see them pay, then that is an area where you lack peace. Peace is what Stephen had as his persecutors began to stone him, he prayed for them. Jesus was perfected in Peace when he said, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. Joseph had peace when he could have made his brothers pay, but instead He viewed it all as part of God's plan. Peace is when I relaize no matter what you do to me, God will take what you meant for evil and turn it for good. Refuse to let that poison get in you, endeavor to keep the peace. Why? Because Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers for they are the sons of God. They are the mature ones. Those that have been perfected in God's love. There is a special blessing for those who stay in peace. So let me ask you, are you going through a storm or are you becoming one? Do you create havoc or do you bring peace?<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-16344402106903404582009-03-02T12:50:00.000-08:002009-03-02T13:14:58.147-08:00Making Right Decisions Part 3I remember something that a great Mentor once taught me. He said, "Don't ever make a long term decision out of a temporary situation". In other words never make a decision in the midst of a crisis. If you feel rushed or anxious, wait for the peace, if the peace doesn't come then continue to wait. In a time when business is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">acquainted</span> with accomplishment, the reality is that just because you are busy does not mean you are productive. Even Jesus prior to making any important decisions (not whether you put sprinkles in your hair, or where or what do I eat), would withdraw to a solitary place in the quietness of God's presence and He would receive daily direction from His father. Jesus used Mary and Martha to illustrate that though you are busy, you are really running around in circles accomplishing very little. He told Martha, you are busy (anxious, worried) about many things, but Mary has chosen the greater part and it will not be taken from her.<br /><br />As Naomi instructed Ruth to go to the threshing floor and wait, as Ruth obeyed that simple instruction and as a result <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Boaz</span> took notice of her and covered her. God wants to cause opportunities, open doors and favor to notice you but you never sit in a posture of waiting and listening long enough to be noticed. He wants to cover you with His garments of provision and blessing but you are busy with many things.<br /><br />Jesus was sleeping in the middle of the boat when a storm came. The disciples out of fear woke Him up and said do you not care that we perish. Jesus then stands up goes to the bow of the boat and says peace be still! Then He turns towards His disciples and rebukes them for their lack of faith. I have always believed that Jesus was talking to the winds and the waves, but it never says winds and waves be still, it says peace be still. Why?<br /><br />Jesus was not addressing the storm on the outside, He was addressing the storm in them because the outer world is a reflection of the inner world. The storm is the manifestation of the fear and lack of peace in you. Have you ever noticed that some people no matter where they are or who they are with, they are always in a storm. Why? Because they are a storm!<br /><br />Jesus addresses their peace and then asks them why are you so fearful? He was addressing something powerful using the storm to give them a revelation that would cause them to be able to change their world. And it is this, are you ready? Hold on to your seat belt.<br /><br />If you can maintain and keep your peace, it don't matter what's going on around you, your environment will submit to your inner peace. When the winds and waves of life can't steal your peace, they will stop. Why? Because you have held on to your peace. You can change that environment by simply maintaining your peace, you can change your marriage by maintaining your peace, you can change your city by maintaining your peace! Your environment has to submit and yield to your peace. That's why the wisdom writer said, out of you flows the issues of life. Meaning that the issues of your life are not caused by the devil but by your lack of peace inside of you. But when you hold your peace, the God of peace will crush <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">satan</span> under your feet!<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-50477815710084342732009-02-28T10:05:00.000-08:002009-03-01T15:40:43.086-08:00How To Make Right Decisions. Part 2Our life is like a road trip on the way to a desired destination and our success is determined by discerning the route we are to take. Success is not where you start out in life but where you finish. It is learning to navigate the traffic, potholes, and turns of life. It is the difference between <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Israel</span> wandering on a 11 day journey for 40 years and Jesus coming out of a wilderness season for 40 days in power. Do you want to take the 40 year trip or do you want to take the 40 day trip. It is up to you. A transition is meant to be short and intense. Your life is not to be a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">continuous</span> cycle of failure, frustration and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">disappointment</span>, living from battle to battle, strife to strife, argument to argument. No my bible says I am called to live from glory to glory (advancement), strength to greater strength, faith to greater faith.<br /><br />I am attending God's class called "How To Make Right Decisions". By the way when Paul wrote all things work together for our good... We quote the first part but we ignore the condition tied to the promise that He will work all things together. Paul said the qualification of this promise is that we love God (those that love Him obey him, those that know Him know His voice and they will not follow another, and to those who are called according to His purpose. In other words those who are passionately in love with God in intimate relationship out of the proximity of their relationship they know His voice and they are called. The word called is literally directed, guided, or led. Those that are led by the Spirit are the true sons of God birthed out of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">intimacy</span> of relationship.<br /><br />See Phil. 4:6-7<br /><br />Paul writes be anxious for nothing...<br /><br />How many people in our world are filled with anxiety, worry, fear, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">uncertainty</span>? Worried about marriage, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">mortgages</span>, bills, kids, doctor's reports. People take more medicine for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">anxiety</span>, mental breakdown, and stress related illnesses than any other sickness.<br /><br />God said be anxious for nothing but in everything through prayer and petition let your request be made known and the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.<br /><br />What is a guard? A guard is an defensive weapon designed to shut down any attack from the enemy and to fortify your family, finances, and faith. It other words what is aimed at you, He won't let it get to you. Peace is what gets between you and it and says hold on, you can't go any further. The Peace of God is a guard that protects your heart, and your mind.<br /><br />You get a bad report but the peace of God won't let you flip out. It begins to build a fortress around your mind and God will limit the thoughts the enemy can put in your mind. Remember the battle you are fighting is won or lost in your head. I heard one guy say if you can whip it in your head, you can whip it in life. Thoughts of despair, hopelessness, discouragement will begin to diminish. Why? Because the peace of God is guarding your mind not letting your thoughts get to you.<br /><br />Paul says the peace of God passes all understanding. How does a guy who is told he only has weeks to live walk around in peace? Peace passes <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">al</span>l understanding. He just <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">received</span> the bad news, he ought to flip out, go on a drinking binge, put on the blues music and close the blinds and pull over the sheets, but here he is in Church lifting his hands, jumping w<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">ith</span> joy. Why? The Peace of God causes you triumph in the midst of an assault.<br /><br />Though your kids may be strung out on drugs, your husband is cheating on you, your bank account is overdrawn, you just got the pink slip on your job. The Peace of God guards... It keeps you under control. I speak peace over your life, marriage, finances, future, family in Jesus name. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Tomorrow</span> we will learn how to stay afloat and maintain your course in the midst of a storm. We will also learn "Learning to Use Your GPS System to Arrive at Your Desired End.<br /><br />Peace to You,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-74889963144222564542009-02-28T08:32:00.000-08:002009-02-28T10:04:38.611-08:00"How Do I Make Right Decisions" Part 1Continuing with the thought of making long term investments, I want to share with you a lesson that God is teaching me right now.<br /><br />How many of you have made a series of wrong decisions, causing your life to stuck in cycle of failure, frustration and fear? Recently I began to take inventory of my life to see if the tares of my life were a result of the devil, or the enemy (in a me). God has showed me that 75% or more were the result of bad decisions. So I began through prayer and fasting to inquire of God on how to make right decisions so that my life could see the fullness of all that God had put in me before I was born.<br /><br />I don't have time to share how everything that you need for your life is already inside of you, the supply of your life is locked up in the anointing and gifts that are already resident in you. That's what it means when we say you don't decide your life, you discover it. Paul wrote that I can do all things through Christ who is in me, My God shall supply all my needs according to the riches in Glory in Christ Jesus, I am complete in Christ, I am seated together with Christ in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">heavenly</span> places in Christ... The theme of the entire New Testament is "In Christ".<br /><br />Many of us are waiting for our blessing in the sweet by and by, but the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mortgage</span> company doesn't care if my money is in heavenly places in the sweet by and by, no I need it in my now and now. I need open doors in the now and now, I need divine appointments and connections in the now and now, I need my body healed in the now and now, I need my children saved in the now and now, I need debts cancelled in the now and now.<br /><br />So how do I discover a life of fulfillment and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">fruitfulness</span>, a life where my success overrides my failures? Let's find out.<br /><br />Every struggle and battle ultimately comes down to this, my passion versus my peace. I may have a passion to buy that car but my peace says it is not time, to save so that I can buy it with cash. My passion says that girl is fine and a knockout, but my peace says on the inside she is empty and void and that our lives are on two different paths, my passion says let's go for it, make it happen but my peace says wait, be still and know that I'm God.<br /><br />The key to Ruth stepping into the Destiny God had planned for her and be transitioned from a peasant girl into one whose life was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">transformed</span> by an encounter with her <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Boaz</span></span> was her listening to her Mentor Naomi who said go and sit at the feet of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Boaz</span></span> and say nothing but wait until He speaks to you and tells you what to do. Her entire life was transformed by a simple instruction which was get in position now and wait, don't move, don't go forward, don't finalize the deal, don't buy the house but wait.<br /><br />Most of my life I have listened to my passion resulting in a series of bad decisions, wrong partnerships, and wasted time, energy and resources. I am 37 years old and I just now am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">beginning</span> to learn that in order for my life to be everything God created it to be I have to let my peace <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">override</span> my passion. I know you want to run now, but where are you running to? What will you say and do when you get there. There is nothing more frustrating than <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">arriving</span> at your destination prematurely only to get there and not have clue what you are to do.<br /><br />The second type of peace talked about in the N.T is internal peace. In the O.T everything is outer and physical and in the N.T it is inner and spiritual. In O.T God led by a pillar of fire and a cloud and in the N.T He fills us with the Holy Spirit as a guide and inner compass. To be led by the Spirit means you are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">acquainted</span> with the Spirit of God who lives on the inside of you. The key is you have to know Him well enough to know His voice and follow. If you are not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">acquainted</span> with the Holy Spirit you will miss it (sin) when He talks and you will end up in the wrong place at the wrong time.<br /><br />The Peace of God is the go ahead. People tell me that God talks all day long to them, that He tells them what to wear, what to eat, whether to go right or left at the fork in the road. These people <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">believe</span> that the majority of your life is a mystical and magical experience with God. Isn't it odd that these people are the same people who are very spiritual but totally undisciplined and they shout real loud in Church on Sunday but when you follow them home their life is a mess. Why?<br /><br />I don't believe that God says the stuff you say He said to you, near as much as you say He does. The majority of the forward movement in my life was not the result of a booming voice, a smoke filled room, a visitation from an angel (I do <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">believe</span> in angels)... No almost every time it was my inner peace that gave me the go ahead or told me to hold steady. The overwhelming peace of God will give me the go ahead to take a step forward. To the Christian it is the yes and no of God.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Colossians</span> 3:15 (See)<br /><br />Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts since as members of one body you are called to peace.<br /><br />The first thing we see here is that we are called to a life of peace. That means my life should not be filled with turmoil, confusion, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">uncertainty</span>, anxiety.... I am called to a life of peace. In the O.T peace is the word Shalom which means nothing missing and nothing broken. In other words I am called to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">a life</span> where nothing is out of place or out of order. I am called to a life of order and right placement. That means I am called to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">a life</span> of being in the right place at the right time, with the right people. How? By listening to my peace.<br /><br />The peace of God will rule...<br /><br />The word rule in the Greek is the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">English</span> word umpire. In sports especially baseball we see this word come alive. When sliding into home plate, the authority lies with one guy, not the people yelling from the stands or the dugout. There is one guy who calls it safe or out. I don't care how many voices you have speaking to you, how many people are surrounding you, how much counsel you are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">receiving</span>. I don't care what your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">mamma's</span> side of the family is saying or what your daddy's side of the family is saying, what your best friend is saying or your wife's best friend is saying.<br /><br />The Bible says after you have listened to everybody, including me, after everything is said and done and everybody has got their word in, let the peace of God call it safe or out. Now here lies the challenge. I have had people get mad at me because they told what <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">God</span> said to do and I did <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">something</span> else. It is not that I didn't listen to you, that I don't respect you, or that I don't believe that God speaks to you, some of the time. At the end of the day I have a decision to make and after I have gathered all the counsel because there is wisdom in right counselors. How do I determine who should counsel me? In the area you are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">receiving</span> counsel, is there life what you want yours to be? In other words if they are counseling you in the area of finances, is there life whole in that area. Don't try to counsel me on marriage if you are in your third marriage, don't counsel me in finances if you have filed <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">bankruptcy</span> seven times and your are living on credit... <br /><br />The question is not what the banker said, the salesman said, your friend said, the preacher said, it is "Is it mine." Does my inner peace say Craig it is safe or it is out. When dating is he or she mine? He or she may be fine but are they safe? Most people don't have the fortitude to hear what everybody else is saying but they listen to their inner peace anyway. The people who walk closely with God are the people that hear all these voices saying do this or don't do this but in spite of all the voices they choose to listen to their peace. Sometimes my peace parallels popular opinion but the difficulty comes when my peace defies popular opinion.<br /><br />Let me close the first part of this study with, Can you stand with God when popular opinion is against you? At the end of the day would you rather have them like you or have the hand of God against you?<br /><br />I would hate for them to approve of me but the presence of God <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">leave me</span>.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-79932290551421858892009-02-27T11:22:00.000-08:002009-02-27T11:43:45.761-08:00"Understanding the Principle of Investments"The Bible tells us in the love chapter (1 Cor. 13) that love does not seek it's own. In a culture that promotes selfishness, we must demonstrates <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">selflessness</span>. Love does not come into a relationship to see what it can do for them, true love asks what can I bring into this relationship. It is not what I can get out of you, but how can I complete you.<br /><br />If you give more to that job than that job demands then that job will bless you more than you think it can. If you give more to that marriage than it demands then that marriage will bless you more than you think it can. Why? <br /><br />All relationships are a bank, all jobs are a bank, all ministries are a bank. You can't pull out, what you have not put in. If you put a $50 bill in your account, then all you can withdraw is $50. If you withdraw more than you put in then the ATM will say account empty. <br /><br />Here is the law of investments. I have found it is difficult for people to manage relationships over a long time because most people don't understand the law of long term investments. Most marriages fail between the 6<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span> and 8<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span> year and if you make it to 8 you have done well. It is like a retirement account, if you start investing at 28 and continue to put a small amount in over a long time then when you get to 68 you will see the rewards of your investment.<br /><br />Diligence is defined as doing a little thing a long time till something big happens. Some people never <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">see</span> the rewards of investing because they never stick with one thing long enough. I have seen in my life that I have made decisions to leave a place of assignment to early and it becomes a cycle of always moving but never seeing the return of what I have invested. Why? because the hand of the diligent will rule, the diligent man will be blessed. Why? Because He understands the law of long term investing. It is not that other marriage, job, ministry, job, no it is can you stick it out when times are bad because good times will come again. Stocks and investing is down now but it will rise again, it will get better and those who stick it out and hold on to what God has told them will see the upswing from their down swing. <br /><br />We think that if there is battles and all hell is breaking loose we need to move on. Could it be that your greatest blessing is right there in that pea patch and God is wanting to see if you have the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">resilience</span> and diligence to fight for what is your until it turns because it will turn. If you sow good seed you may experience a season of tares but your harvest will come. We have to understand the ebbs and flows of life that everything operates in cycles and it may be down today but it go up <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">tomorrow</span>. It may not be today, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">tomorrow</span> or next week, but it will get better, you will see the reward of your labor if you don't faint. Paul said do not become weary in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">doing</span> good because if you faint not you will reap a harvest. Fight for your pea patch get into stance of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">diligence</span> and stand your ground. There is truth to the saying that good things come to those... Success is not overnight, there is no such ting as a overnight turnaround, no it is the person that understand if I keep <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">applying</span> God's word, speaking God's word and just keep <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">showing</span> up something good is going to happen. <br /><br />Paul told Timothy you may be experiencing difficulty now but <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">remain</span> in Ephesus. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">There</span> is a harvest to be reaped and a reward to be gained. Don't give up now for your harvest draws nigh.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-75474019623456027822009-02-11T17:45:00.000-08:002009-02-11T18:14:15.339-08:00The Finished WorkSEE Psalms 139:14-18; Psalms 118:24; John 5:4-21<br /><br />One of the greatest lessons I learned in 2008 that has revolutionized my prayer life and the way I view my daily agenda is this:<br /><br />The disciples saw results in Jesus ministry that were unparallel to any other they had ever seen. Naturally when you see someone operating on a level and getting results, you want to know their secret. The disciples saw Jesus open blind eyes, enable the mute to speak, created limbs and arms, raised the dead, multiplied a boy's lunch... You get the idea. And when Jesus encountered the enemy He never seemed to sweat or struggle to get results. In studying Jewish culture I discovered that jews started their day in the cool of the morning around 3:00 a.m. They started the day when it was cool so that they could get a head start and better utilize their energy. Jesus would often withdraw to solitary places early in the morning to spend time with the Father. According to some theologians he would often spend about 6 hours seeking the Father. Now I am advocating a secret formula, or saying you have to pray 6 hours every day. Some of us struggle to pray 1 hour.<br /><br />The focus is not a formula but a principle. And when the disciples wanted to know the secret to His results, they didn't ask how He defied gravity and walked on the water, or how he overcame the law of physics and multiplied a meal... I don't know about you but I would have signed up for the class on how to multiply my resources so I could have 12 basketfuls left over. Imagine the profit you would get, multiplying dollars, jewelry, automobiles, cell phones, houses... But the disciples didn't ask for that, they simply asked Him to teach us how to pray.<br /><br />What if instead of struggling, buking, and fighting to get results, you could simply speak one word and it would happen. Now mind you, Jesus while He was on the earth, He didn't use His divinity but relied upon the direction of the Father and the anointing. What takes us six hours only took Jesus 6 minutes. Why?<br /><br />In John 5 Jesus comes to a man that was sitting by the pool waiting for the angel to come down and stir the waters> The only problem was He was lame and could not move into position to get in the pool before someone else. Notice he said when I try to get in the pool someone steps ahead of me. Why? Because the reality is people want theirs before you get yours. If you are waiting on a person to help you, then well you will always be waiting. My help comes from the Lord and some may trust in chariots and some may trust in horses but I will trust in the name of the Lord. Here is a man that was bound for 38 long years, seeing the same scenery, depending on people to get him out. Now that is frustration. Why did he keep showing up at the same place for 38 years? Most of us would have given up around year 8. (Later I will deal with the tipping point).<br /><br />Jesus shows up and in a matter of seconds reverses the man's condition. There was no struggle, no straining, no praying and yelling, just a simple spoken word. He heals the man and then the religious leaders get mad. Why? There are a few reasons.<br /><br />* Religion would rather keep a rule, than free the person.<br />* Jesus the ultimate rule breaker, will break a rule to free a person.<br />* Religion desires to make you dependant upon a person and a system, always have to get a handout, so that the preacher can keep his job.<br />* Religion aims to keep the person ignorant and powerless so that they have job security, because the moment you get free, you no longer need the person.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tomorrow</span>, what enabled Jesus to get results? What is the finished work? How can I do greater things than He did?<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-26025240144535128702009-01-26T19:39:00.000-08:002009-01-26T20:30:53.471-08:00"I Hear The Sound of Abundance" Breaking the spirit of poverty.I want to share some things out of my heart that are new to me. It may be old to you but it is revelation to me. We are living in perilous times, testing times, fierce times. All you have to do is turn on the tube or pick up the daily news and relize our world is permeated with negative reports and there is mass fear and confusion. As we have just witnessed the inaugeration of a new President who many belive is a savior and there is false hope in a person that can't really help us. The enemy is using a false sense of security to hide the fact that God is breaking the spirit of materialism in our nation. <br /><br />The bible tells us that faith that is seen is no hope at all for who hopes for what he sees. In other words faith is not tested when everything is going well, it is tested when all hell is breaking loose on every side and you don't have a clue what to do. Faith is not even materilaized until you are in an impossible situation. Some of us have never seen true faith manifested because we cling to what is safe and we run to what we can understand and hold together on our own. Peter's faith was not tested in Matthew 16 when Jesus asked who He was. Faith is not when you are surrounded by people of faith, or in a Church service when faith is high and you feel you can whip the world. No, faith is when you are surrounded by doubt, storms, negative reports, no hope, darkness... <br /><br />Why is it that the stage of a downward economy has been set? Could it be that God has allowed the spirit of materialism to be broken so that the people that know their God shall begin to rise in downward times? Could it be that the stage is set so that the true source of prosperity can be revealed and the people who have put His Kingdom first and have not looked at the wind to determine whether they are to sow, but they have understood that our God is an unlimited source and their is nothing or no one can ever limit Him or put Him in a recession.<br /><br />When God got ready to deliver His people out of captivity, the bible tells us that Isreal walked out of Egypt with their gross economy in their pocket. Pharoah then gathered his chariots and horses and began to pursue after them. Why? He was not chasing them for their worship, their rituals, their Church services. Satan is not fearing our shouts or high services on Sunday. He doesn't care if if we shout as long as we don't have nothing. Why? Because as long as we are broke and living in a limited economy, we are paralyzed from fulfilling the Kingdom mandate that has been given to us. As long as the spirit of poverty locks up God's people, we will not see the full manifestation of the corporate Kingdom blessing, the place called there, the place where God commands a blessing, where not one gets a breakthrough but everybody, not where one gets a financial breakthrough but from the ghetto to the mansion the blessing of God not on one but on many.<br /><br />Here is where we have been guilty. It is that we have begun to speak our situation and not what we know inside to be true. If we are talking our situation, we are not in faith but we are in doubt. And doubt is always believing negative outcomes to be true. The word says having the same spirit of faith we belive therefore we speak. In other words what we belive is revealed by what is coming out of our mouth. Jesus said we are justified and condemned by the words out of our mouth. Proverbs says we are ensnared by the words of our mouth, locked up and paralyzed, causing the present negativity to become a viscious cycle, a wilderness of wandering and circling. We have to be careful that we are not so bogged up in the situation that we start talking it, rather than what we know. I have been guilty of this, allowing the negativity of the times so so creep within my spirit life that is causes us to be powerless. Faith arise and doubt cease in Jesus name, I call us into our rightful place of inheritance.<br /><br />I prophecy that the stage has been set for financial transfer and Kingdom multiplication, to those who will not repeat what they hear but what they know and their tithe and seed does not vacilate with the times but they have built their house on the rock, God says you shall rise and the spirit of poverty that you see today, you will not see again. Even as God caused the waters of the Red Sea to return to drown Pharoah and his army and draw a line between God's people and their stuff and him, God is seperating you and your stuff from the curse of poverty. I declare that the spirit of prosperity blessing, the now blessing, the millionaire annointing, the hundredfold blessing that comes through much prosperity is being released in this day. You shall now see the plundering of the enemy and wealth trasnfer on a level not see in the histroy of the Church. I declare a corporate blessing of wealth transfer upon the Body of Christ, you shall see in this year money miracles break out on the right and the left.<br /><br />Here is what I see, we have tried to change situations with no revelation. The people of God have been lockes up in darkness, destroyed for lack of knowledge. If you have no clue about marriage but begging God to fix your marriage, ignorant of what kids supposed to be but praying for God to save them, ignorant of what God says on finances yet crying for God to deliver. Have you noticed the devil fights preachers on a whole nother level when they begin to talk on finances. Why? Because when this spirit of poverty is broken off God's people, we will be a force to be reckoned with, an unstoppable force. Many of you have been force to become bivocational and you feel that for all of your labor of faithfullness, God has abandoned you, no God is about to reveal himself as your source in a way you have never seen before and there will not be one stream that waters your garden but multiple sources of income. If God had allowed you to stay on that level, you would have never known him as the God of more than enough, He would have been just enough... <br /><br />But God has brought a crises in your life to unlock a wealth release where you will never be poor again, you will never have to consult your bank account to fulfill His will, but you shall have plenty! Many of you have come to Jesus with one basket but God is askign is anyone have faith enough in this time to bring twelve baskets. The miracle of the five loaves and two fish (not enough)(lack) was not so mucha result of a special prayer by Jesus but it is the fact that somebody (the boy) had brought 12 baskets into a poverty situation. Will you allow God to enlarge your capacity and position you for a pressed down, shaken together, running over blessing, where you don't just have enough to meet your need but it will be enough to meet somebody elses need! A more than blessing!<br /><br />How does this happen, it happens when you get a word on it> Jesus said, if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you can ask what you will and it shall be done for you. In other words, if you have a word on it, ask me for it and you shall have it. Don't ever ask me for something that you don't have a word on. You get a word on breakthrough and then breakthrough comes, you get a word on healing and healing comes, you get a word on financial prosperity and then... Why> Because <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">everything</span> in life follows a word. God has never created anything that He didn't first speak a word on. Everything started with a word, nothing has been created that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">didn't </span>come out of a word. If you go to God with a problem, God will give you a word, If you share a need with God, he will give you a word, if you ask God a request, He will give you a word. I hear a sound of abundance being released from God's true prophet's and then the manifestation of that sound ill follow. If we are living in time where the world's focus is on money, what sound do you think needs to be released and what manifestation is waiting for that sound!<br /><br />Here is how I want to finish this. As I have I want to give you the opportunity to repent for your doubt and lack of faith. Here is the good news, Jesus told the same Peter that would deny him and allow doubt to saturate his life, He said Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">satan</span> has desired to sift you as wheat, but when you return strengthen your brothers. In other words after you repent of speaking what has surrounded you rather than what God says to be true, God is going to give you such a blessing that you will whip the devil with your blessing. God is about to take your trouble and put it on his payroll to destroy the enemy.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-12379172841181931692009-01-22T20:32:00.000-08:002009-01-22T21:21:55.667-08:00What is true prosperity and how do I achieve it?One of my goals in life is to know the word and secondly to know people. I strongly desire to be an expert of the word and people. Why? Because the thing I see constant in people is problems and the thing I see constant in the word is solutions, so if I can marry the two, that's what we call a miracle or a breakthrough. Wisdom is the ability to discern the problem, and then connect it to the right answer. In other words if you have a health problem, i don't need to try to sell you a car, i need to sell you a gym membership or health insurance. It is in connecting the right solution to the right problem.<br /><br />One of the problems that I see that has created the economic crises we are living in is the desire to keep up with the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Jone's</span>. We go through life judging our success and prosperity by the achievements and the accumulation of stuff. We look at television and see a certain lifestyle and because we are living on a lower level, we think we are a failure. We see CRIBS, or Pimp my ride and see a certain lifestyle and then believe if I can get that house and drive that car or wear those clothes then I will have arrived. I even hear preachers who take the worlds definition of prosperity and then go to the bible and say this is how you get that.<br /><br />Have you ever heard someone say if God this for me, He will do it for you, or if I have got it, you can get it too. That is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">erroneous</span> thinking. Paul said to the Church in Corinth that true fulfillment comes when I stop comparing and measuring my life by someon<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">eelses's</span> ruler. He said it is not wise to compare yourself to everybody else. Comparisons lead to frustration, depression, inferiority, low self esteem...<br /><br />The Bible tells me something that is powerful that will free us up. Here is a powerful truth. Are you ready for this? This liberated me! Everybody does not have the same equipment (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">metron</span>). David says the Lord has chosen my inheritance for me, my boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Paul</span> says the secret to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">fulfillment</span> and peace is contentment at whatever level we are presently on (not containment). Yes we are all loved equally by God in His eyes and yes God is no <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">respector</span> of persons. But the fact is everyone of us has different measures.<br /><br />According to scripture we have a measure of faith, a measure of gifting (this is why when Paul said you can do all things through Christ, He did not mean all things). I can <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">prove</span> this to you by getting on the stage and attempting to sing. No matter how much <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">anointing</span> I conjure up or how much you grease me with oil, the fact remains I can't do all things, I can't sing. Now, what Paul is saying is I can do all things through the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">anointing</span> (my equipment)(resident ability or potential). In other words I can do all things according to the ability that God has placed in my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">anointing</span>. Everything I need to be or do is already <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">resident</span> in me. That's why the trap of comparisons is to chase after something I am not graced for or with, therefore I end up like a pregnant woman always in labor pain but only giving birth to air. Why? I can't have your baby and you can' t have mine (That will preach).<br /><br />We have a measure of faith, gifting, talent, and grace. How do you determine your equipment? How do you determine what is within your reach? Is is by first discovering your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">assignment</span> in life. God never promises to give you <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">whatever</span> equipment you chase after, He only promises to give you what you need to fulfill your assignment. For example if a faith preacher gets up and says because God gave me a jet, He will give you a jet. That is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">preposterous</span> and what it has done is painted a false picture of prosperity and made God out to be a liar. No, the reality is to accomplish your assignment, you don't need a jet, you may need a degree, a broom, a paintbrush, a slingshot, a 5 loaves and two fish, a rod, a axehead, a pen... We spend our life chasing something we don't need and end up wasting our life, never <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">finishing</span> what God has assigned us to do. What is true prosperity?<br /><br />Prosperity is not cars, jets, boats, a bigger house, clothes, millions of dollars. Prosperity is defined as this, it is you having everything you need to fulfill the assignment on your life! If it takes a plane for you to fulfill your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">assignment</span>, then a plane is in your prosperity potential. If your assignment is a motorcycle ministry then God will give you the motorcycle. But I can't get up and say God is going to give everybody a Harley. Why? Most of you wouldn't know what to do with a Harley if you had one. Wouldn't be a shame to spend your life chasing after a Harley because so and so got one only to get one but never leave the garage.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Prosperity</span> is you having enough to do what God has called you to do and never having to consult your checkbook to see if you can do it. Poverty is not that you live on a lower level than Donald Trump, poverty is lacking the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">necessary</span> tools you need to do what you were born for. God never intended for us to get a word from God then have to consult our wallet or bank account to see if we can do it.<br /><br />So what do you do when you lack the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">necessary</span> equipment? You begin to call into your life what is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">necessary</span> for you to do what God has called you to do. He has given you everything that pertains to life and godliness. This means He <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">has</span> already given everything you need to do what is within your <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">metron</span>, and it has your name on it, waiting for you to call it into your life. Here is one <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">of</span> the ways I judge this. Whenever I see something that I desire or I think I need, I check my faith meter. If I have faith for it, then it is mine positionally. Why? Hebrews tells us that Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence (<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">title deed</span>) of things not yet seen. Let me break it down. In order for me and Tara to fulfill the assignment of launching Freedom House this year we need and estimated $110,000. How do I know this is mine and that when I call for it, it will come. Hebrews tells me that the substance of what is in my future that I need in the present is brought into the now, from the unseen to the seen by my faith. How do I know what I have faith for? Jesus said, whatsoever things you desire, when you pray believe you <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">receive</span> them and you will have them. The actual Greek translation says, that whatsoever things are in your heart (desire), when you articulate those inner desires, you already have them (locked up in desire) and when you call for them, they are released in your life. Why? Because the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">boundary's</span> of your capacity is determined by the measure of faith, ability, grace, and talent that is already inside of you. Therefore when you tap into your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">assignment</span>, you are in a birthing position to give birth not to air, but to everything that is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">necessary</span> for you fulfillment in life. In other words I come into my (moment) when I release what I am already full of. Say this out loud, prosperity is learning to push out what God has already put in me. It is learning that there are no limitations to my life, everything I need to do what I was created for is waiting on me to 1) discover my assignment 2) articulate the inner desires 3) Pursue the voices or mentors that unlock new levels in me 4) Command my mornings by calling for me desires and everything <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">neccessary</span> for fulfillment.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-20822225390608158902008-12-22T20:05:00.000-08:002008-12-22T20:07:11.987-08:00Book Review: Living Rich for Less<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgpAhXb8tX68MwK5hGgON6ep8gImCdNoynFe_dIUbSy9gd-KVz_eL1odZxEottz6jf7BbdriAlthe0-rvikbHdTAu_j5mea4TqOvXcm44s1YxOhQeycftGH9gga5nHyvU9mHEeXeJ-FPN/s1600-h/Living_Rich_Book_Cover_Comp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgpAhXb8tX68MwK5hGgON6ep8gImCdNoynFe_dIUbSy9gd-KVz_eL1odZxEottz6jf7BbdriAlthe0-rvikbHdTAu_j5mea4TqOvXcm44s1YxOhQeycftGH9gga5nHyvU9mHEeXeJ-FPN/s320/Living_Rich_Book_Cover_Comp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282832087594672626" border="0" /></a><br />Once again, I have the privilege of giving another fantastic book a huge “thumbs up!” And this is a fantastic time of year for a read such as this! Are you making a decision to shore up your financial situation in 2009? Then this book is for YOU!<br /><br />You really can be rich in every way, every day.<br /><br />So you want to own the home you love, make memories on wonderful vacations with family or friends, finance college educations, and help others too? You can—starting here and now.<br /><br />With lively humor, proven know-how, and practical principles for financial health, <a href="http://www.elliekay.com/">Living Rich for Less </a>helps you stretch your dollars to realize the lifestyle of your dreams. Ellie Kay’s entertaining and enlightening examples show you simple steps to save, spend, and give smart, and her three main principles are undergirded by dozens of effective rules and hundreds of Cha-Ching Factor™ tips that keep or put money in your pocket.<br /><br />Ellie knows what it’s like to be financially-strapped or struggling, wanting to be the Joneses but feeling as poor in spirit as in pocketbook. She went, within two and a half years, from being a new wife and mom with $40,000 in consumer debt and seven children (and college educations) to support, to being completely debt-free and within fifteen years able to pay cash for eleven different cars, give away three of those cars, buy two five-bedroom houses (moving from one to the other) and nicely furnish each, take wonderful vacations, dress her family in fine fashion; and support more than thirty non-profit organizations in more than a dozen different countries, giving away more than $100,000.<br /><br />Isn’t that the kind of transformation to a rich life that you want?<br /><br />Living Rich for Less helps anyone get there in our taxed-out, maxed-out times. Because financial security doesn’t mean just genuine prosperity, but being able to live luxuriously, give generously, and care for yourself as well as the others around you.<br /><br />Why keep up with the Joneses when you can be them?<br /><br />Get YOUR copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Living-Rich-Less-Lifestyle-Spending/dp/0307446018/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229977591&sr=8-1">Living Rich for Less at Amazon…</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-58554434776607503422008-12-18T09:02:00.000-08:002008-12-18T09:10:50.127-08:00Home of Refuge<span class="head16"><center><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I want to focus today's post on praying for a special family of ours. Pastor Tony and Rosa Rivera have had a huge impact on my life. I can <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span>confidently</span></span> say that if not for them I probably would not be in ministry today. They are one of the best models of Christ I have ever seen. Read the article of a recent incident that happened to their ministry and begin to pray for them. Also pray about sponsoring one of the children and giving to this ministry which is making a difference in the world. You can <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">learn more</span> at www.homeofrefuge.org.<br /><br /></div><br />The Truth of What Happened in Venezuela<br /><br /><p style="text-indent: 10px; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px; line-height: 150%;"><span class="Text10">"On Monday, December 8<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span>, while Tony was in Honduras, four armed men entered the Venezuela Home of Refuge. At gunpoint, they locked the boys into a room and the girls into a bathroom and completely robbed the orphanage and children of all valuables, even as far as removing air conditioning wall units. Upon hearing the report, Tony changed travel plans and was able to be back in Venezuela on Thursday, December 11<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span>. The four men were in conjunction with a local, politically-motivated confiscation of the property which transpired the following day (Friday, December 12). During that time, a large group of government officials, police and psychologists entered the Home of Refuge, told Tony that he was no longer sanctioned to operate an orphanage, and forced him off of the property with only the clothes on his back. Through the grace of God, Tony was able to make contact with someone who smuggled out of the orphanage his passport and all of the money he had just brought for the purpose of buying Christmas presents for the children. For the following few days (until Sunday evening), Tony had to travel about "in hiding", having received four different death-threat phone calls. The children were shipped out to various drug rehabilitation institutions (from which some of the children escaped and met up with Tony in the city). Though "on the run", Tony was able to secure living places for the children he had possession of and administer finances to a trusted neighbor whom he appointed with the task of providing for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">childrens</span>' needs until the money ran out. When Tony went to the National Guard on Sunday, they advised him to leave the country immediately. At immigration, he was told that an impediment had been placed in the system under his name and therefore he would not be allowed to enter the country of Venezuela again.</span></p><span class="Text10"> </span> <p style="text-indent: 10px; line-height: 150%; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px;"><span class="Text9">Though the events that have taken place in Venezuela feel devastating to us here at the Home of Refuge, we will continue on in the work of rescuing children, knowing that it is the Lord who is able to cause speedy justice for all the oppressed; our hope is in Him for the children that He has brought into our care. Our orphanage in Honduras currently has 32 children and we have discovered a great need that we are able to meet in that country. On the 28<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span> of December, Tony and Rosa will travel to Honduras again. Our plan is to go forward full blast in rescuing the oppressed children of that country. We fully expect to rescue 100 children in the 2009 year. Please remember with us that the Lord loves the orphan and the widow. He considers it pure and undefiled religion when we care for them. On the contrary, we are in the midst of a war--a relentless onslaught from the enemy of our souls and he hates it when we bring light to a dark world and rescue children from the domain of that darkness. We will continue to do this with all of our strength...the rest is in the hands of the Lord. Please also know that now more than ever we need the financial and prayerful support of those who have faithfully stood with this ministry. Much work remains to be done. We are looking for those who will respond to this dark hour with resolution in their hearts to see even more children rescued and placed into the glorious Kingdom of God.</span></p><p style="text-indent: 10px; line-height: 150%; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="text-indent: 10px; line-height: 150%; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px; text-align: left;"><span class="Text9">Blessings,</span></p><p style="text-indent: 10px; line-height: 150%; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px; text-align: left;"><span class="Text9">Craig<br /></span></p><p style="text-indent: 10px; line-height: 150%; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="text-indent: 10px; line-height: 150%; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="text-indent: 10px; line-height: 150%; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="text-indent: 10px; line-height: 150%; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px;"><span class="Text9"><br /></span></p> </center></span> <span class="text9"><a href="http://www.homeofrefuge.org/2002/ShowHeadline.asp"></a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-3451449209995634602008-12-15T13:49:00.000-08:002008-12-15T14:41:02.911-08:00"Do You Have A Plan For Intentional Growth?"Recently I was challenged with this question. Do you have a intentional plan for growth? Not do you read books here and there or do you occasionally go to a learning conference or get mentoring, but do you have a systematic plan for growth. My answer was, no I don't. I thought I have been doing pretty good until I was asked this question. Through a recent coaching session, I was challenged to plan for growth in 2009.<br /><br />Success is not accidental, it is intentional. You are not just out on a Sunday afternoon drive hoping you get where you want to go. You have to have<span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_InsertOrderedList" title="Numbered List" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 15);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="img/blank.gif" alt="Numbered List" class="gl_list_num" border="0" /></span></span> a plan. In fact if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. I don't know about you but I want to see continual progress towards my Destiny. Proverbs tells us that a man plans his way but the Lord gives success. You must first have a plan and then God will give your plans success.<br /><br />Here are truths about personal growth.<br /><br />1. Personal growth is necessary to spiritual growth.<br />2. Personal growth requires a plan.<br />3. Personal growth proceeds Church Growth.<br /><br /><ol><li>If I am going to lead a Church to the next level, I must first go there. The truth is that if our Church is not growing, then I am not growing as a leader. John Maxwell's law of the lid states that if a leader stops growing so does the organization under him. My goal is that 2009 will be the greatest year of growth ever. Let's get started.</li><li>Growth requires balancing the wisdom of God with the knowledge of the ages. Jesus said that the children of this world are much wiser than the children of light. we must not only know the bible but we need to know the wisdom of the ages and then filter the wisdom of our times through God's wisdom found in the word.</li><li>For this exercise, you will need a notebook, a pen, and a calender.<br /></li></ol>4 Ways to Look At The Calender<br /><br />1. Annually<br /><br />A. vacation - This is when you abandon the everyday routine of life.<br /><br />* When you are desperate for a vacation, it is too late.<br />* You can do this in a couple of long weekends, a block of time (week or two depending on your occupation).<br />* In ministry you may want to take a long weekend at the end of April and then your vacation later in the year.<br />* Once you put it on the calender, avoid the temptation to change it.<br /><br />B. My Conferences<br /><br />* This is a big conference that you have to budget for.<br />* Great time to take your staff, invest in them, learn and grow together.<br />* make it a goal to attend two a year.<br />* Schedule it as far in advance as possible.<br /><br />2. Monthly<br /><br />There are two things you need to schedule every month. These are monthly checkpoints.<br /><br />A. Monthly Mentoring<br /><br />* Schedule a 1 to 2 hour lunch (offer to buy lunch) with a Pastor within driving distance (or a Mentor in the field of your expertise) who is where you want to go or is ahead of you.<br /><br />* Schedule this 3 months ahead at a time, do 2 to 3 a year.<br /><br />* Join a monthly coaching network, I just finished a Church planting network that was awesome.<br /><br />* You can also do this by phone.<br /><br />Note: Schedule this as far ahead as you can, and be prepared with questions. You don't want to waste their time or yours.<br /><br />B. Monthly Review<br /><br />This is when you schedule a time with yourself and you review your calender, notes.<br /><br />* Ask what am I doing right? What am I doing wrong? What do I need to stop doing?<br />* This is for review and reflection, I call it checkpoints along the way.<br />* A great time to do this is a couple of hours before your mentoring appointment, then you will know what questions to ask.<br /><br />3. Weekly<br /><br />A. Sabbath (day off)<br /><br />* Plan this a year in advance.<br />* This is one of God's big ten. God rested after 6 days of labor.<br />* Your sabbath may be a long lunch with your spouse, a midday nap, sleeping in.<br /><br />Rest Physically<br /><br />Reflect spiritually through meditation.<br /><br />* The purpose of this is to recharge you physically and spiritually.<br />* You can also reflect on your personal growth, goals.<br /><br />B. Reading<br /><br />* Theology, leadership, Best Practices, Philosophy, History.<br />* Set a goal to read one book weekly or monthly.<br />* Never leave home without a book.<br />* One person said, the only difference between now and five years from now will be the books you read and the people you meet.<br /><br />Leaders are learners.<br /><br />I am challenging myself to broaden my reading by reading more of a variety.<br /><br />4. Daily Investments<br /><br />A. God's word daily<br /><br />B. Daily communion through prayer<br /><br />C. Fitness (daily)<br /><br />D. Invest in your spouse<br /><br />E. Invest in your children<br /><br />F. Invest in a unsaved person.<br /><br />Prayer" God make me the person I need to be to lead at the next level. As a Pastor my prayer is Lord make me the person I need to be to lead a Church twice my size.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-88524182289756724752008-12-10T09:45:00.000-08:002008-12-10T10:21:06.228-08:003 Things To Guarantee Victory in Your Battle!I can't promise you that no weapon will ever be forced against you. In fact the bible tells us that we have an adversary the devil (not people). The enemy hates your potential, future, he doesn't want you to accomplish it. The very fact he is fighting you is an indicator that he fears your future.<br /><br />The enemies job is to create adversity, He is the adversary, and it is his assignment to create adversity in your life. The fact you have adversity in your life reveals that you are on the right team, and you are moving in the right direction. The fact you are in a struggle is a sign to you that you haven't been conquered. The fact you are struggling means he has not got you... It is you refusing to submit to it, he has not subdued you, conquered you, you are fighting it, and you are overcoming.<br /><br />There is a reward for those who don't quit. Those that try to slide through life taking shortcuts don't get their reward. As long as you believe you can win... I want to share 4 forces from my life that will help shorten the length of time you are in the battle. The bible teaches us that there is a time ans season for everything, a time to fight, and a time to rest. In other words if you are in a fight, you are in purpose. You are not going through it for nothing, there is spoil on the other side of this fight!<br /><br />If everything is smooth sailing in your life, I would be nervous, looking back over my shoulder waiting for something to jump out of the bushes. The devil doesn't want you tog gain any ground so he by nature will resist you. The resistance lets you know, you are making progress, and the closer you to the prize, the harder it gets.<br /><br />The struggle is never meant to be dragged out for long periods of time, it is meant to be short and intense. But if you don't know how to properly respond then a 40 day test will become 40 years of wandering in the wilderness!<br /><br />Over the next few days I will share one key. By the way I have not forgotten the "Cutting the head off your giant". I will get to that later.<br /><br />The first force you must use is your speaking. you have to learn that the power of life and death is in your tongue.<br /><br />Proverbs 18:21 tells us that there is power of life and death in your tongue and they that love it will eat the fruit. That means that my word is seed and I eat the fruit of what my words produce. Most of the trouble we experience in our lives is the fruit of what we spoke. Could it be that the difficulty you are facing is a harvest of your words?<br /><br />we give life to what God wants to kill, and we kill what God wants to live. You enjoy a world that has been created by your words. Everything in life follows your words, health, peace, provision, money, increase, success... If you know how to use the tongue properly, you can create a world you desire to live in. <br /><br />A undisciplined tongue will cause what God intended to be short and intense to be prolonged. It prolongs your trouble and it makes permanent your trouble. The first step to changing it is to stop talking about it. The thing you ignore will die, but the thing you keep talking about will live. That's why when Jesus's mother was at the foot of the cross, He told her behold your son, behold your mother. Why? If you keep talking to me momma, i can't die, momma go home so I can die! if you want it to die, stop giving life to it with your mouth.<br /><br />James tells us that though the tongue is a little member it can cause a wild fire and it can give direction to your life like a horse bridle, and it can turn your ship any way you want it to go. If your trouble is prolonged and it just keep sticking around kill it by ignoring ir. Call those things that are not as though they were. Speak what you want to see and experience. <br /><br />I hate when someone keeps bringing up the problem. Tell me the solution or don't say anything at all. Lastly, why is it that when trouble comes, we want to talk to everybody but God? Cast your burdens on the Lord and he will sustain you. I have a rule and it is this, don't share your problems with people that have no ability to solve them.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-77924626704761243302008-12-06T08:15:00.000-08:002008-12-06T08:57:01.073-08:00Becoming a Giant KillerPaul said that there is a wide door of opportunity that is opened to me but there are many adversaries. I used to think that there were adversaries standing in front of your door. But I submit to you that the adversary and the door are one and the same. That's right your enemy is the door to your next level, he is the portal of transformation from a Shepherd boy to a King. Just as the cross was the portal from Jesus the son of man to Jesus the son of God, from death and suffering to glorified dominion. It was cross (door) that was the door to taking the keys of death, hell and the grave from satan and kicking his teeth in. He was defeated once and for all, and Jesus said because of that door all authority on heaven and earth has been given to me. All means all, which means there is none left for the devil, he was stripped completely.<br /><br />There is no duel ism between God and the devil. It is not a big God and a mid size devil battling it out. God completely and thoroughly whipped him, and it only took the time span that it takes for lightening to strike which is a nano second. As fast as you can blink your eyes it was over. The devil is your adversary not God's and his intention is to lock you up in intimidation.<br /><br />David is sent by his father to the battlefield to take bread and cheese to his brothers. Those that are positioned for greatness must first be willing to tote the cheese. In faithfulness in little and natural things, you become qualified for big things. The big is always locked up in the small. David didn't just get lucky, he had developed his gift (slingshot) on various levels before he was given the door to be a giant killer. Giant killers don't start out as giant killers. But through the faithfulness as your present level, you are promoted to the next level.<br /><br />David goes to his brother and ask, what shall be done for the man who faces Goliath? His bother looks at him in disdain and says why don't you go back to tending the sheep? In other word, he is saying go back to the limitation and the low level living, who are you to think you can be a giant killer? Who are you to think that you can get that degree, achieve that dream, be debt free, break that habit? Why? Because people hate your success, they hate when you begin to do something with your life and you strive to be something and do something better with your life. Your forward progress is an indictment against their laziness and inactivity. Misery loves company. And when your life begins to rise they begin to say, who made you...? I have work harder and I am more qualified than you, who are you to think you can go farther and accomplish more? They don't underhand that God's favor sets motion to your life and causes you to exceed those more qualified than you. <br /><br />David had to ignore what some say. There will always be some say, to tell you that you are not good enough, qualified enough, smart enough. If others opinions of you can make you want to quit and if you build your life on what some say, you will never have anything to say. If they can dissuade your from your dream, if anyone can talk you out of your next level, then you are not ready. David simply turned his face and moved on. What do you do, when they tell you you can't, you move on, keep on walking. Don't get bogged down in the critics. The fact they want to express their opinion of you is proof that they know you are anointed for the next level.<br /><br />David asked, what shall be done for the man who defeats this Goliath? Your battle is always attached to a reward. The bigger the battle you are facing, the bigger the reward God has prepared for you. The size of the obstacle reveals the size of the opportunity. How do I qualify a battle? By asking myself, is this worth fighting for? Are than any spoils to this battle? What will I achieve by fighting this? Does this enemy threaten my tomorrow and what God has called me to be and do? If not, then I move on. If it affects my future, then I pull out my slingshot.<br /><br />Some battles have no rewards or spoils attached, they are simply devices of the enemy intended to rob you of momentum, energy, passion, and resources. Don't get distracted by small battles. Things like, why don't they like me? If they don't see the greatness in me, then I must not be called. Stop trying to get people to like you, accept you and let you into the club. They can't take you to your next level. If they do promote you, then one day they will demote you. Promotion is given by God alone. he is the one I want to please. <br /><br />Goliath came out for 40 days and shouted threats, accusations with the purpose of intimidating Israel. Israel dressed up for battle every day, went to the battlefield, but then they ran in fear. If you refuse to confront your enemy, or fight this battle, you are guaranteeing that you will remain stuck at your present level. David ran towards his giant with his mouth open. You must run at your giant with your mouth declaring what God has promised you. It is a war of words. Words are the weapon of the enemy intended to lock you up in intimidation. The enemy wants to get in your head and make you think, you have lost before the battle even begins. It is a old sports tactic. If the enemy can get in your head, you have lost. But if you can whip it in your head, you can whip it in life! Paul said we do not have a spirit of believing we can't win, but of power, love and a sound mind. I have a spirit of believing I have won before the battle starts. Remember you are fighting for something, don;'t quit, don't give up, there are some spoils on the other side of your battle!<br /><br />To be continued... Tomorrow, get ready to cut the head off!<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-69385347974900379042008-12-05T07:17:00.000-08:002009-04-02T11:19:37.790-07:00The Purpose of Your Battle Part 2Your battle is necessary. Friends create comfort, family creates humility and your enemy (battle) creates movement in your life. In 1 Cor 2:8 Paul says if the rulers of this age had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. Why? Because by crucifying Him, they multiplied him. The purpose of your battle is not to decrease you but rather to multiply you. God will never put a 10 by 12 vision in 5 by 8 people or a 2 liter blessing in a 12 ounce can. God allows the battle to create focus in you and to increase your capacity to receive what He is about to release to you.<br /><br />David had a Kingdom key long before he even knew what the Kingdom of heaven was. That key is this. Your promotion or next level is always locked up in your ability to solve the problem closest to you.<br /><br />Most people in life pick up a magazine, watch a movie, read a book and attempt to live their life vicariously through the person they fantasize about. Proverbs tells us that those who chase after fantasies will accomplish nothing... Instead of discovering who you are and what is in you, you attempt to become something you are not, which causes you to step out of the grace God has put on your life.<br /><br />How horrible it is to go through life dreaming about what someone has already done, never knowing what I have and what I am supposed to do. Remember all sin is the result of mistaken identity. In other words, the place you miss it is a result of ignorance concerning who you are. When you discover who you are and what's in you, you begin to dominate!<br /><br />The moment you begin to discover who you are, your assignment in life, the enemy shows up. He is always revealed on the edge of new revelation. He hates your blessing, and the reason grace is necessary is your gift, your prophetic potential attracts adversity. That's why it is ridiculous to spend your life wanting what somebody else has got, why? Because you don't have the grace to handle the adversity that comes with it. You are not asking for what they got, you are asking to go through all the hell that they have been through.<br /><br />One of the major problems I see in the Church is that we have a lot of titles but no function based on the title. Who you are is not determined by your title, it is determined by your function. And by calling someone something they are not functioning in, we are lying to them. For example if you give someone the title of lead singer, but they can't sing, you are lying to them, and putting a expectation on them, that they don't have the grace to deliver upon. <br /><br />If you have the title of a usher but you can walk down the aisle, see a piece of paper on the floor and not pick it up. I am lying to you when I call you an usher because you are not functioning in what I am calling you. Jesus did not say you will know them by their title, he said, you will know them by their fruit. If you are that, you will do that, but if I call you that and you are not doing that...<br /><br />The bible says your gift will make room for you and bring you before great men. What is inside of you will reposition you for greatness. Most people are seeking out the mighty man. Years ago I had someone tell me, you need to get some flashy cards, and rub shoulders with so and so, because it is not what you know, it is who you know. Why is it that people are positioning themselves for someone to bless them, as if there is no God. I'm not trying to get in the room with the right person, cause nobody can give me what God has for me! Why is it that the mighty man (butler and the baker) forget you after you used your gift to bless them? Because God has a level of blessing that they can not give to you. If you have been forgotten, get ready there is another level blessing coming to you.<br /><br />How many of us have troubles? How many are facing adversity right now? How many of us has 2007 been a year of intense battles? Could it be that the enemy fears what is on the other side of 2007 (completion or the end of something)? Could it be that what you have been fighting for will be released at 12:01 January 1st?<br /><br />What is they key, it is the ability to solve the problem closest to you. Instead of looking for the mighty man, we need to look on the inside for the gift that solves a problem. If you get in the room but you have not discovered what is inside of you, the weight of the blessing will be too great to handle. <br /><br />The gateway to your next level is in your ability to solve the problem closest to you. It is your gift that causes your life to move. Joseph solved a the butler's problem before he solved Pharaoh's problem. David solved a demon problem, bear and lion problem, a giant problem, a nation problem, many nations problems... Some want to display their gift publicly but they have never developed it privately. You want to use it when everybody sees you, but God says what you do in secret I will reward you openly. Why should God put you in front of millions when your wife hates your guts? Why should God trust you with millions , if you can't tithe off a thousand? <br /><br />It is solving the problem closest to you. It is solving the problem right here, the one right here, the one right here and then before you know it you look back and say look what the Lord has done! It is the the problem right next to you, that is your gateway, your ticket, the portal to the next dimension of your life. <br /><br />Joseph solved his father's problem, Potipher's problem, the prison's problem, Pharaoh's problem and a nations problem and then He looked back and said how did I get here in the palace? Let me bring it home. Lately we have faced some challenges, and God has challenged me to change my perception of the challenges, that they are not unwelcome intruders but they are friends. He then shifted me from trying to solve my own problems to solving other Pastor's problems. <br /><br />Blessings<br />Craig<br /><br />Tommorrow, Get ready to cut the head off your greatest enemy. When he falls there will be a domino effect and all will fall!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-75608747135698824552008-12-04T10:07:00.000-08:002008-12-04T10:52:37.853-08:00The Purpose of an EnemyMany people I have talked to over the last few weeks all have one thing in common, they are facing intense battles. Unexpected battles, fierce battles, battles from the people closest to them, battles in the house... <br /><br />I have learned two important things about battles, they are intended to be short and intense. And the very fact you are facing the battle is an indicator that the enemy knows the greatness that is in you. He never fights you on your present level, but he is fighting against your future level. He is fighting you over who you are dbecoming, your prophetic potential. And most of us don't fight himm over who we are in the future but who we are in the present. We access the battle based on our limited resources, artilary, favor... In order to win this battle you must fight him as hard as he is fighting you. A breakthrough is nothing more than the reality that press is greater than your resistance. The blessing of the battle is that it demands you focus.<br /><br />You never focus when you are enjoying great success, you relax. But when all hell is coming against you you are fiercly focused on the task at hand. And when you are focused, you are dangerous. The battle is seasonal. Jesus endured the battle for 40 days, Isreal wandered for 40 years. Why? Because they refused to get a proper understanding of the battle and allow God to increase their capacity equal to the opportunity that God was presenting to them. Isreal was not afraid of the giants in the promise land, they were afaid of the neccessary process God was requiring to become giants. The bible says the land was a land flowing with milk and honey. If you are going to possess your next level, you must be willing to squeeze (milk) and swat (bees). We see this in the word behave, which literally means you have to be before you have. You have to become it, to possess it, and the battle is God's way you you becoming outside what you are on the inside. It is the way God applies pressure on the orange, to get the juice out. There is something inside of you that God is wanting to squeeze out. It will not kill you, it will multiply you.<br /><br />Goliath was nothing more than a door to David's kingdom. He was the door of exit and entrance. Exiting the season of being with the sheep (1 Sam 16) and exit to revealing the king inside of him. Goliath's only purpose was to reveal the king inside of David. David was not primarily a musician, songwriter, one who threw kisses at God, a dancer, no David was at the core a warrior, a king. Your greatest problem is the portal from you being transofrmed from Clark Kent to Superman, it is the batcave, it is the trigger that releases the real you! It is the spinach to Popeye, the anger to the Hulk... It is neccessary!<br /><br />The battle is always fiercest right before your breakthrough. The enemy will hit you hardest right when you you are about to shift over into your next level. The enemy does not greet you on the other side, he fight you at the door or portal. You are at the door, you are just inches away from your next level. <br /><br />The battle is always a battle of word, threats, accusations, with the intention of intimidating you. It is the enemy's attempt through words and scenerios to get in your head to make you think you have lost the battle, before it has even started. Because if you lose it in your head, you will lose on the battlefiled, but if you can whip it in your head, you can whip it anywhere!<br /><br />So for 40 days Goliath the champion (in between)(stands in between where you are now and where you are going) showed up and shouted threats and accusations. Isreal was dressed up for battle meaning they were dressed up for their next level, you are dressed up for your new season. All they had to do was show up, but they ran back to their tents. How many people are dressed for their new level, dream, future, but they are running bacl to their past. Know this, when you fail to confront your enemy, you are stuck in your present, you have missed your next level, you are prolonging the battle and your present season. Isreal ran from their opportunity because of intimidation and were stuck in the wilderness, not realizing they were running from the exit and entrance. <br /><br />David shows up as shephard boy but he is about to be transformed in a moment into a King. He shows up with no money, he is about to leave with incredible wealth, he shows up as a single man but he is about to step through the door as a married man, he shows up as a peasant, low income, low level laborere, but he is about to leave the battle as champion, a giant killer. That thing you are facing right now, that financial hardship, that betrayel of a relationship, that failed marriage, that rebellious child you can't control, that pink slip, yes that problem right there, the one you are agonizing over, losing sleep over, the one that causes you great pain, it is your door, come on it is your moment, you are close to what you have been waiting for.<br /><br />I have often thought about quitting the ministry, tired of dealing with all the little devils you face, facing battles that seem to have no spoils... But the one thing that keeps me moving forward and gives me the courage to keep showing up is, why don't you stick around to see what you are fighting for? Why don't you stick around to see what your enemy sees? if I have faced 7 years of hell in my ministry, there must be 7 years of incredible blessing. If my marriage has been through 10 years of great pain, there must be 10 years of great power. Stick around, stick around, stick around! Endure, outlast, keep showing up, keep pressing...<br /><br />Tommorrow: Solving the problem closest to you, is the key to your promotion. Every promotion hinges on your ability to solve the problems closest to you.<br /><br />Keep showing up!<br /><br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-80442493411909831452008-11-29T22:25:00.000-08:002008-11-29T22:30:03.849-08:00"The Awesomness of Our God"When you have 40 min. to watch a sermon, check all 4 parts of this. They are 4 parts at 10 minutes a piece. Part four is titled lamminin. If you have ever faced impossible odds, or you feel that your problems are too small, and God really does not care. Or if you feel that God is way out there and we are here, please watch this. It will rock your world.<br /><br />Part 1 - How Great Is Our God<br />Part 2 - How Great Is Our God part 2<br />Part 3 - Lamminin<br />Part 4 - Lamminin <br /><br /><br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_82lZ2PpYQE<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-45710502992708727822008-11-28T08:58:00.000-08:002008-11-28T08:59:54.635-08:00"Beware of the Doghouse"This video is hilarious! Beware men. By the way this would be a great video clip for a marriage series.<br /><br />http://bewareofthedoghouse.com/VideoPage.aspx<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-69058883087586923532008-11-26T08:21:00.000-08:002008-11-26T08:53:12.748-08:00AppreciateThe word appreciate literally means to take inventory of, to access the value of something, to return back. As we get ready for the food, family, football, and fun this Thanksgiving, have you taken the time to appreciate those that God has placed in your life? Who has blessed you that you have not taken the time to appreciate them? What blessing has been left unreciprocated? <br /><br />Ps 116:12<br /><br />12 What shall I render to the LORD<br />For all His benefits toward me? <br />NKJV<br /><br />Gal 6:6-10<br /><br />6 Be Generous and Do Good <br /><br /><br />Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. <br /><br />7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. <br />NKJV<br /><br />Paul says let him who has received something, return something back. If everything in life operates in cycles, a females reproductive organs, trees, grass, seasons, reproductive life... As we have learned the process of life is reciprocity. It is everything that lives receives and gives life. The moment we stop giving or receiving, we become like the Dead Sea or swamps where there is no life or fruitfulness. Jesus said give and it shall be given unto you pressed down, shaken together and running over men shall pour out into your lap, and with the measure you give, you shall receive (Luke 6:38).<br /><br />If you give a little bit of kindness, you will receive a little bit back.<br />If you help somebody in need, when you are in need someone will help you.<br />If you can't find any good help in your business, were you good help for those you worked for?<br />If you want understanding, you must give understanding.<br /><br />The power of this revelation is this, if you don't like what you are receiving, change what you are sowing. Everything in life starts in seed form. The law is whatsoever a man sows that will he also reap. If you don't like your harvest, change your seed. <br /><br />The word behave is broken down into be have. Most people believe that if I have, I will be. If I have more money, then I will be more wealthy, If I get a new job, I will be more happy, if I get a new wife... The reality is if you have something but you are not process into the necessary development (capacity) to manage it, you will lose it. It is proven in the study of those who win instant wealth, but not very far down the road, they are worse off than they started. Why? Because they were never process into the necessary development to properly manage what same out of the seed. <br /><br />Inside of you are seeds of greatness, great wealth, prosperity, fulfilled dreams, a abundant life. It's already inside of you in seed form. But as we learned God is not obligated to rain on your seeds until you are mature enough to manage them. If I want to have it, I must first be it. If I want peace in my home, I must first be peace. If I want to have prosperity, I must first be prosperity. If I become it, I can have it! If I want to have a great harvest, I must become a great sower. <br /><br />One way you can do this, is take inventory of every person who has taught you something (increased your level of living) and start reciprocating back to them. This will break the cycle of famine and release a cycle of continual increase and harvest. Thanksgiving is nothing more than reciprocating back to someone who has increased your level of living, which keeps you in a season of perpetual blessing.<br /><br />It is not an coindidence that the two wealthiest men in the world are Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, they are also the biggest givers. Those who give much, will recieve much.<br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving!<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-71988252583147281782008-11-24T10:47:00.000-08:002008-11-24T11:30:24.226-08:00Psalm of ThanksgivingPs 116:12<br /><br />12 What shall I render to the LORD<br />For all His benefits toward me? <br />NKJV<br /><br />As we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday, I want to take a moment and reflect on all that God has done for me. He has been truly faithful even when I have been faithless. Almost a couple of months ago I was layed off from my job. Because of God's faithfullness, we have not gone without. We don't know how He did it, but God has provided, and we have been sustained by His Grace and Mercy. Thank you God for taking care of us.<br /><br />Many of life's trials come unexpectedly without warning. You get a report from the doctar, you find out your kid is on drugs, you lose a loved one who seemed to be healthy, your best friend betrays your confidance, you get blamed for something you didn't do, your husband walks out on you. All of these things happend without warning. <br /><br />David the psalmist said what do I do when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. When trouble comes, I am thankful that I serve a God that knows the end from the begginning and He is never caught off guard, in fact He has already made a way out of my trouble, and is working everything out for my good and His purpose. God is faithful every day, and His mercy is new every morning, great is His faithfullness.<br /><br />David ask a powerful question here. What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits towards me? The primary sign that you are walking into maturity is when you understand that life demands you give something back. Paul said when I was a child I thought like a child, spoke as a child, understood as a child...<br /><br />The characteristic of a child is he always sees things to his advantage. What's in it for me? What can I get out of it? How can it benefit me? I want what is mine. I have 5 girls and when they come home from school they used to go right into the kitchen, open up the refridgerator, take out the milk pour them some milk, open the cupboard and get out the Oreos and go sit down and watch television, all the while they leave the empty carton on the counter, and they didn't think to leave milk for the next morning for Kelloggs corn flakes, and they didn't close the regrigerator door, wasting electricity... Why> The nature of a child is to think of nobody but themselves, while you pay the bills.<br /><br />This childish nature thinks everything revolves around me. It takes no thought of the needs of others , or the consequence of my actions that affects those around me.<br /><br />Maturity is defined as responsibility, it is understanding that there are benefits to relationships, to being a part of a house of faith, to living under the care of another and father , to serving a God who daily loads us with benefits. There is no better feeling than when one of my children sees me doing something and they say, Daddy let me do it, or when I come home the house is clean and the laundry is done and dinner is on the table. There is no better feeling than when they do something to give back without me having to ask them to do it. It is called responsibility.<br /><br />The law of the earth is reciprocity, it is the law of seed time and harvest, it is how the earth operates. Rain comes down, then begins the process of evaporation, it gathers as vapor and moisture it goes back up into the heavens and forms rain clouds, and rains down again. It is the process by which it makes sure there is rain for another day. When you break this process it results in drought.<br /><br />When a tree sheds its leaves in fall, they fall to the ground and die, then they fertilize the soil so that the ground can provide nutrients to the trunk of the tree , so that the tee can begin to produce leaves for another day, and when you break this process, the tree will begin to die.<br /><br />Jesus said when you give pressed down, shaken together, and running over, then men will give back to you. If you release it from you, it will come back to you. But the day you hold it and break this process, famine begins. When we come to Church with a consumer mentality and are always taking but never giving anything back... We want the benefits but we don't want to release benefits back.<br /><br />We need to be asking, what can I give back? How can I be a blessing? If you want to have friends, you need to first be friendly, if you want life to bless you, then you need to first bless it, if you want people to give to you, then you need to be a giver, if you want people to treat you kind, then you need to first be kind. It is the difference in marriage of lust and love. Lust always takes, but love gives.<br /><br />This thanksgiving season, why don't you take inventory of the blessings and benefits you have received and give back. Instead of expecting your mom or wife to make Thanksgiving dinner to feed 10, 20, 30... Why don't you take the time to offer to do something special back, find ways to bless them back. If when you go out for dinner somebody always pays the tab, why don't you pay the tab. Instead of going to Church week after week and enjoying the benefit of having a Pastor who feeds you well, prays for you, the anointing on His life causes your life to rise, why don't you find a special way to give something special back. let your Pastors know how much you appreciate them, love them and value them. Why? Because what you don't value and reward will eventually exit your life. The moment we top being reciprocal we become the false image of Thanksgiving. A stuffed Turkey.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />CraigUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-58476409811753872362008-11-20T13:25:00.000-08:002008-11-20T13:52:27.411-08:00Bishop T.D. Jakes said one time that someone approached him about a “friend” of his turning on him and saying bad things about him. His response was to say “not my purpose” and walk away. It was not Bishop Jakes purpose to know what others say or do about him, or to try to win everyone over to be supportive of who you are. As I say often if they like you how can it help you and if they don't how can it hurt you. It amazes me that people hate success so much that they become absolutely consumed with your failure. So obsessed that they search your blog for hours looking for "evidence:. Why don't they become obsessed with their own success and make a decision to stop playing the role of a victim.<br /><br />As Bil Cornelius said, "Just run your race and don’t worry about all the other “drama.” Don't be a player in their scheme of life. Some people are so driven by drama that if there is none, they will create it. They are called drama queens.<br /><br />This stems from what I call a victim mentality. A victim mentality is so self centered because they give you the impression not to expect much of them. When you fail at what you should have succeeded at, you will blame what happened to you. A victim mentality takes, if you let it it will squeeze the life out of you. They are the ones in the room that if they don't get all the attention, if everyone is not turned towards them...<br /><br />Here is the reality, you are not the only one in the room that has not been hurt. Everyone has been hurt, everyone faces difficulties. Yes, I know that life is not fair. There are ups and downs, ins and outs, bumps along the way. It's time to press through all that crap and go after the dream, the prize, the degree, that promotion!<br /><br />Here is the first key, the power to change your life is in your choice! No one chooses for you, it is yours. i have to make a choice to be happy, to have a good attitude, to believe in what Giod says about me. Some of you care too much about what people think, say, do... Paul said forgetting what is behind I press! your life will begin to rise when you take back your power. Stop waiting for that person to come to you to apologize, forget anyway. When you allow others opinion of you to sidetrack you and steal your focus, you are giving them the power to your future. <br /><br />The first thing victims want to do is assign blame to somebody, the second thing is they wabnt to make it someone else's responsibility. As long as it is somebody else's fault you will never be healed. It is not their faulty, they don't have that much power over me. When I got the pink slip, it was not their fault, it was simply an opportunity to get a different perspective which is my sitution is God's opportunity!<br /><br />Tommorrow I want to build on this thought. Many have become so damaged by life and other view of them that even if God gave you a breakthrough, you would live up to their words. Many of the challenges we face in our present are a result of words that were spoken in our past. When they called Martin Luther King mny names, he said, "It is alright, it is not what they call me, it is what I answer to." What are you answering to?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4878776225899832957.post-8361556543406674022008-11-20T13:11:00.000-08:002008-11-20T13:13:36.430-08:00Guest Blogger: Pastor Shelissa HullGo on over to the Winners Circle and check out Pastor Shelissa Hull. She is one of the up and coming prophetic voices of this generation. Me and Tara are blessed to call her a friend/<br /><br /><br /><br />We were born to win…..to be successful in every area of our lives. TO live life at FULL CAPACITY POWER! I don’t want to be a half way successful, halfway happy, halfway powerful Christian. I believe that if we are going to fulfill the Great Commission to go ye into all the world……we will not be successful if we are weak wimpy whiney Christians!!!! We need the Power of GOD!!!<br /><br />Ephesians 3:20 is by far one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible. “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us!!”<br /><br />So here is the question I hear some of you asking now….Where did the power go? You say Pastor if the power is at work in me why I am not seeing it and feeling it and experiencing it in my life…..I’m glad you asked.<br /><br />I think there are 3 main keys we must have if we want to see that power working at full capacity in our lives. Key #11. READThe Word of God has to become your primary fuel. Just like a car cannot run without fuel, your spiritual life cannot operate without fuel. Ecclesiastes 8:4 says “Where the word of a king is there is power….” Praise God did you hear that! Have you done what Psalm 119:11 instructs us to do……Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You?? You MUST.......Because where the word is there is power! No matter what the situation in your life is speak the word. DO not side with the enemy……….Stop the negative talk and speak with the POWER OF THE WORD and watch your circumstances line up!!<br /><br />There are laws found in scripture that are just like the law of gravity. If you pick up your mouse and drop it.....it WILL FALL. Well here is the law of declaring Gods word…..Isaiah 55:11 - So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Job 22:28You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways. So if His word will not return void and we declare a thing and it shall be established then I believe we will operate in the full capacity of power that God desires for us!!!!<br /><br />Now listen I am not saying that you can just live any way you want randomly pick your favorite scripture quote it ten times and it shall come to pass. God is not a genie in a bottle…..but God is the all powerful Lord of the universe and everything in the universe is still under his command. The key is to submit to His word!!! Then declare it to be so. I have told you before life is a game of spiritual warfare. You are only on this earth a very short time and the enemy’s goal is to gain your soul at the end of this game. We don’t have authority that is independent of God. We were never commanded to simply stand against the devil and he will flee……If you will read it again in James 4:7 it says first to submit yourselves to God and THEN resist the devil and he will flee!<br /><br />Which brings me to my next point…….<br />2. DESIRE<br />You must have a desire for the things of God!! I can’t tell you how strongly God spoke this to me last night and said Power and Desire go hand in hand. If we want to operate in greater power, if we want to see more miracles, if we want spiritual gifts in operation in our homes, in our church, if we want to live a lift of unexplainable power than we must desire it with all of our hearts. Even God’s word (1 Corinthians 14:1 nkjv) tell us to desire spiritual gifts!! But here is the key……..The proof of desire is pursuit! If you say you desire God but you have not picked up your Bible since you were at church last Sunday…..you have to ask yourself CAN I OPERATE AT FULL CAPACITY ON LAST WEEKS WORD? If you say you desire God but you would rather spend your time in front of the TV instead of in prayer…..YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF CAN THIS TV HELP ME LIVE LIFE AT FULL CAPACITY? I want us to understand that GOD is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that works in us and then pursue it!!!<br /><br />And my last point today……<br />3. You have to BELIEVE!!<br />Mark 16:17 says – These signs shall follow them that believe. Notice it does not say these signs shall follow believers!!! There are a lot of people that say they are believers but don’t necessarily believe. At some point, they believed Jesus to save them, but they are not believing him in the present to perform miracles on their behalf. They have lost their faith. Smith Wigglesworth always warned believers not to try to move a mountain with their “faith in God” Then how do you move a mountain? By yielding to the Lord as you walk in a faith filled relationship with Him allowing HIM to move mountains THRU you.<br /><br />I don’t think we were intended to walk in the ordinary. You have a God given desire to win, succeed and dominate. Because God gave us dominion way back in the garden! To operate in full capacity power in your life…..you must remember<br /><br />1. Your Word is primary and of most importance!<br />2. The proof of desire is pursuit<br />3. If you don’t believe you won’t receive!!!<br /><br />READ, DESIRE, BELIEVE!<br /><br /><br />Be Blessed,<br />Pastor ShelissaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1