Power Of Purpose

Key Scripture: “But He’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women.

It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously-take God seriously.”  Micah 6:8, The Message

Power Point:

     God is all about purpose. He never leaves out the "fun" part but He's got a plan for each and every one of us. Everything He does is "on purpose". I find that a lot of us choose to live by what we think and feel don't you? 

      What if each morning you talked to Holy Spirit and asked Him for a fresh wind of wisdom to fulfill His purpose for that day?  What if you asked Him to release His wisdom about real compassion and loyal love, and ask Him to help you shift your focus  into the lives of others? What if you asked Him to help you keep His words so that the fruit of your Vine would be abundant enough to feed everyone around you. What if you really understood the love of God for the world and then began to demonstrate it in your words, your actions?  What if love was our purpose?

What if we SO loved that we gave it all?

What would that look like in your life?  What can you give, who can you be so that others know real, compassionate, loyal love?

Do you ever get annoyed, frustrated, angry or impatient with the people in your life. I do.  What does God tell us to do? Love-not in our own love but through the Divine Connection with Perfect Love that lives within us.

The Love that Loves on purpose.  The love that encourages on purpose. The love that forgives on purpose.

Why don't we make that our declaration today? 
I will Love on purpose.  
I will forgive on purpose.
I will not tolerate Un-love, UN-compassion, strife or division. 
Not by might.  Not by power. But by the power of the Holy Spirit.

     The continual war that wages in me to think about myself more than others, or to be offended at the slightest thing is pure flesh. God's plan for me is to walk in pure Spiritual power. Is it possible? I think so. I think we have a choice, and a never-ending opportunity to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh.

It’s really based on where we make ourselves present isn’t it?  When the flesh stands at the front of the classroom, reading off the roll of who is present, don’t answer. Be purposefully present to the Spirit. Be present to His Spirit and alive in His presence.

Do justly. Love mercy. And walk humbly with your God.

That’s what Jesus would do. That's what He still does through you. On purpose.

Power Thought:

 When we make ourselves present to His Spirit, life and peace will flow. His purposes will be fulfilled. It will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Power of Underestimating God

Key Scripture: "Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit in in them-living and breathing God!" Romans 8, The Message.

Power Point:

Measurements are really important aren’t they?  Imagine building your house and you find that you had underestimated the size of your lot. As you begin to build you discover that the tiny house you built on it looks really silly compared to the other houses on the street. In addition to that, you find yourself trying to live in tiny rooms and live your life bumping into walls that are too close together. 

Some of us (most of us), spend our whole life underestimating God. Our measurements are too small. We can’t even begin to comprehend the extent of His goodness toward us. We read about it.  Jesus talked about it. But somehow our tape measure is too small to get around the enormity of how much He loves us, how much He wants to do for us, how much He wants to be for us.

     Is it time to get a bigger yardstick? What if you allowed yourself to add a few inches to your knowledge of Him today? You do that by trusting Him a little big more, and by bringing Him into more of your life.  You do that by believing Him for more things. You do that by reading what Jesus said about Him and applying it to your life. 

Here are a few thoughts on that:

I will stop underestimating the Love of God for me.

I will stop underestimating the power of God for me.

I will stop underestimating the goodness of God for me.

I will stop underestimating the peace of God for me.

I will stop underestimating the patience of God for me.

I will stop underestimating the gentleness of God toward me.

I will stop underestimating the kindness of God to me.

I will stop underestimating the plans of God for my life.

You see, Beloved, the scope of God is so much larger than we can ever imagine. When we don’t allow Him to get bigger in our lives, it’s like living in a tiny house with tiny rooms when all around you. Wherever you go you're cramped. We might like to think about "adding on" so that  there is room to grow and explore. There’s always “more” of God for your life that He wants to show you. And trust me, that’s exactly how He wants us to live; learning more, trusting more, seeing more, and excited by the prospect of each new day with Him. His plans for your life include all of the above.  Visualize with me, that day when God spoke and said, “Let there be light!” and light began to roll off the tip of His tongue and began to expand.  As it went rolling forward, all darkness was enfolded in the power of God for light. That’s exactly what He wants to do and to be for you today.  Wherever there is darkness, never underestimate the power of His light rolling across your life. Wherever there is hope, He offers more hope. Wherever there is faith, He rewards it.

     Is your God too small? Then let Him out of that tiny place you’ve kept Him in and let His goodness roll over every area of your life. As Jesus said, “Have faith in God.”

     When we do that, the mountains move and the light flows into the darkness. Did you think your mountain was too big? It’s not bigger than God. Did you think that you were confined to things the way they are now? Your situation is not too big for God’s plans for you. Don’t underestimate who God wants to be for you. ALL of God is in us. He's in us and He wants to get OUT! Have you been underestimating how big He really is?

Power Thought:

We should not live our lives in cramped quarters. We were meant to live in the wide open spaces of heaven on earth.

Powering UP America!

Key Scripture: “This land, though it is now desolate and has no people and animals-will once more have pastures where shepherds can lead their flocks…The day will come when I will do all the good things I have promised them. The righteous branch will be raised up. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.”

Power Point:

     When the children of Israel were in captivity in Egypt, they prospered. Yes they were under the rule of the Pharaoh and had no freedom but the truth is that they had homes, and food. In fact, they liked it so much they wanted to go back! I’ve read that they were actually in the best part of the land. It was green and flourishing. They were in captivity nevertheless God did not abandon them or His plan for them. Don’t you just love that?

     In Jeremiah 33, Jeremiah is sitting in a prison one day when God shows up for a chat.  I guess you could compare it to Joseph who also spent a lot of time in prison but God kept him company. He prospered him so much that Joseph eventually ruled the whole land. God always has a plan for good.

At any rate, God gives Jeremiah this message, which I think is very timely for today. I hope you will read the chapter for yourself but here are the nuts and bolts of it.

God says:

I don’t break covenants. Just as the day follows the night, My covenant with you is everlasting.  

Have you noticed what people are saying? “The Lord chose them and abandoned them!”  They are sneering and saying that Israel (America) is not worthy to be counted as a nation.

Nevertheless this is what I say:  “I would no more abandon the descendants of Jacob or David, my servant, or change the plan that David’s descendants will rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. Instead, I will restore them to their land and have mercy on them.

     My favorite word from this passage is “nevertheless”.  When I looked it up, it means “in spite of, or BUT”.  In other words, He is saying, in spite of what you see, in spite of what you think, I do not break My covenants.” I think we can count on that don’t you?

     My friend, Jesus means something in the here and now. He’s not just a nice, gentle God who walked the earth healing and teaching and loving people. He was a Savior, a Redeemer and a Warrior who fought with all evil and won. We tend to forget that don’t we?

This nation was founded on a covenant with Almighty God. He hasn’t forgotten that and we shouldn’t either. We must stop thinking the way the world thinks! We must learn to think as God thinks; Higher thoughts, powerful thoughts, GOOD thoughts to give us a future and a hope. Thoughts that bring life and not death. Thoughts that overcome evil with good. Thoughts to give us all of heaven on earth.  In fact, In Isaiah 55 in the Message, He says, “ The way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think.  The words that come out of my mouth do not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I set them to do. They’ll complete the assignment I gave them.

SO you will go out with joy you’ll be led into a whole and complete life.

…”These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name: they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.” (NLT)

God is our Father. He is so good that we can never reach the depths of His goodness. That’s just who He is. Do we have ‘issues”? Yes.  But God’s plans have not changed. He always wants to bless His people and reward their faith. Are you positioning yourself for the reward of your faith? Is it time to think Higher for different results?                                      

Things may look desperate, impossible, and evil may appear to overwhelm the good. Nevertheless.  If the Word of God is true, and it is, then God’s people still have the ability to rise up and become a mighty force for good in this nation. God’s children are the ones who keep the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth marching on.

God has a people and He has a plan. He will never abandon us or forsake us. In II Timothy 3, Paul says, “evil people and imposters will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But (nevertheless) you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. ….Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” (The Message). 

Look UP!  And Power UP! The best is yet to come.

Powering Prayer for America

Father, I’ve not been “thinking higher”.  In fact, I’ve been thinking really low.  I’ve been thinking that You don’t hear my prayers, that our sin is too great and the evil in our land will overtake us. I’m so sorry. Today I bind my thoughts and my plans to You. I refuse any thoughts that don’t take me to a higher place. I refuse any plans that don’t bring Your good into my life or the life of this nation. The awesome truth is that You love us in spite of  everything,  You have plans to rescue us and save us again, to restore the years the locusts have eaten and to flood this land with Your Holy Spirit. The things that look darkest are still subject to the power of God. I’m grateful to be reminded of that today.

Let Your truth keep marching on, in me!

In Jesus Name.  Amen!

Power Of Staying The Same

Key Scripture:  “For even if the mountains walk away and the hills fall to pieces, My love won’t walk away from you, My covenant commitment of peace won’t fall apart. The God who has compassion says so.”  Isaiah 54:10, The Message

Power Point:

I was thanking the Lord this morning for an issue in my life. I had really been “under the pile” and I knew it was time to get on top of it. As we worked through the issue together and we rebuilt my foundation of faith in His plans for me, I said, “Lord, You are still amazing!”  That phrase really caught my attention.  You see Beloved, in the darkest of times we can forget Who God has said that He is and What He has said He will do. He will always be good. One of the glorious things about His goodness is that He never changes. Situations may change. People may change. In fact, everything may change but your heavenly Father will never change one word of His promises to you.

He is completely committed to you. Forever and ever. Amen.

     When Satan is relentless about throwing hard things at you to destroy you and your faith, that’s a good point to remember isn’t it?

     Years ago I had a real “issue”. For several weeks it was as though I didn’t have a leg to stand on.  The issue was so big that I couldn’t find my footing. The foundation of my faith was seriously scarred. Then one morning the Lord said to me, “Suzanne, have you forgotten that I have good plans for you to give you a future and a hope?”  I had. But that one word to me stirred up the anointing in me and the fire of faith began to burn again. Thank Goodness!

     Of course, we do tend to forget the lessons we learn at His knee and in my current situation, I had forgotten to apply His wisdom, again. But when I did what I knew to do; when I began to thank Him, and believe in His goodness toward me, I changed.  As I looked back over all the days of His faithfulness to me, I could see that the “covenant of Peace” I had with Him hadn’t ended. It is as powerful today as it was that day long ago.  He still only plans good things for me to give me a future and a hope. He promises that to you too.

     As I began to think about all this, the fires of my faith were stirred up again. My situation hadn’t changed, only my perception of it.  I began to remember that this is only the middle of the journey. And He’s got a good plan for the outcome. Even though it “feels” as though there’s no place for me to “stand”, there is indeed a solid Rock for me to stand on.  I changed position.

     Beloved, He hasn’t forgotten you. He hasn’t changed His mind about blessing you. He hasn't changed His mind about comforting you, leading you, encouraging you, and answering you.  But the shift comes from being “under the pile”, to being an overcomer when you begin to remember the plans He has for you. When you offer up the ashes of your faith, He will stir them up until the flame burns again. Things may not change immediately but you will. His Life is there for you as you choose to accept it.

Anticipate His goodness. He hasn’t changed and He won’t. He always stays the same, only better.

Power Thought:

"I praise loudly. I blame softly."  Catherine the Great