Power Of Found Money

Key Scripture:  “God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done.”  2 Corinthians 9:8, The Message

Power Point:

If we’re still here, God is not finished with our story. I’m still here. You’re still here. He’s not finished yet.  I’m still believing for my dreams to be fulfilled. I’m still basing my faith on His goodness and all that He has promised. Abundant Grace means “Good” no matter how you look at it.          
     Are you looking at it the wrong way?  Do you find yourself trying to apologize for God or even limit your expectations? I’ve learned that  even though I expect big things from Him I can never anticipate the magnitude of blessings coming my way. It's always above and beyond what I can ask or think.

     If you aren’t “there” yet, start small. Ask Him for something small that you might even be able to do yourself; something you don’t have to have a lot of faith for, but for you it’s a leap of faith-something possible. It's the beginning of a glorious partnership.

     For example, one day my friend Bobbi, wanted some extra money to give to someone. She prayed for “found money”; money that was at her fingertips but that she hadn’t been able to put her finger on yet! She probably could have written a check but she wanted to partner with God. Over the next week, she began to find money everywhere. It was a small beginning but she began.

The thing is, you have to take the first step to partnership. Imagine yourself as God's partner. You're going to begin to allow Him to show up in extraordinary ways, by giving Him opportunities. Simply begin. 

     You see, Beloved, its’ not about the money. He can supply anything you need. In the USA money is a good object lesson because our minds are so wrapped around it. That's why it  may be a good way to begin don’t you think?

As your faith begins to rise, sit down with Him and talk about the dreams you have, or had.  He LOVES that.  He loves it because He tells us over and over in scripture that He gives us our dreams. He genuinely loves to give good gifts to His kids, and He loves the process.  Sometimes we're just to shy to ask, aren't we?  We believe the lie that our dreams are too big for God, too unimportant for Him, or that we are too unworthy to receive them, or that God really didn’t mean what He said.

STOP IT!  Take one small step for mankind. Move into the intimacy of a Father/ child relationship and realize that God SO loves you that He loves to give you the desires of your heart. When people see Him working together with you, they'll want to try it too! As a Father, He's simply out of this world. The more opportunity you give God to bless you, the more others will begin their own tiny steps of faith.

HOLD ON TIGHT!  Don’t let go of your small beginnings because eventually they will become  big miracles. God loves those small beginnings. So should we.

MOVE IT!  Act your way into a new way of thinking. Take that first step, no matter how big it is. Make yourself a target for God's blessings whether it's "found money", or "found health", or "found peace", or whatever you need to find. If you begin to trust Him in the small things, you'll build your confidence for the bigger things that will come along.

Power Thought:

God So loves being partners with us. He’s an answer to prayer isn’t He?

Isn't that astonishing?

Power Of Darts

Key Scripture: “ …Above all, take up the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”  Ephesians 6:16

Power Point:

     I know this probably never happens to you but sometimes (daily, hourly, moment by moment) the Enemy sends me negative thoughts. When those thoughts fill my mind-(the hateful, proud, egotistical thoughts; selfish thoughts, full of venom) they are the fiery poisonous darts that the enemy offers us to throw at others. If we pick them up and throw them, we are aiding and abetting the enemy. If we gather them up and ask Jesus to bury them, we are offering Jesus an opportunity to bless instead of curse. Each dart is a curse isn’t it?  “She’s too fat. He’ll never amount to anything.  That will never work!  He’s doomed to failure.”  Ouch.
     There’s a catalogue I sometimes order from called “Soft Surroundings”. Beloved, we are to enclose people in safe, soft surroundings. Our words are to be gentle, kind, encouraging, edifying and filled with promise.  My friend Peter is the absolute best at that. He will take any negative situation, or person and turn it to a positive.  He will take a lost, hurting, disillusioned person and paint a beautiful picture of how much God loves them right now, and how many

wonderful things He has planned for them. He is God’s paintbrush to bring His Life into a life that is filled with hopelessness. He creates a masterpiece in their minds-a vision of what God sees. He does it beautifully. So does God. He refuses to pick up your fiery dart and aim it at anyone. It’s just not his nature. He will not play that game with you. He can’t.  He’s too good, kind, merciful, gracious, and patient; Extremely P-A-T-I-E-N-T!

      I’ve found myself feeling quite alone, separated from Grace after I have fallen short of it. I know in my spirit man that I have not “kept the faith” for someone. I’ve been too busy throwing my darts at them or their situation.

Beloved, maybe it’s time we pack up that dartboard. Every word that is a fiery dart is a curse to someone that God loves. God never does that. If you are going to be an “ambassador for Him”, that means that you have to stop picking up the enemy’s weapons to steal, kill and destroy, and release the powerful force of the Father’s grace for them. That’s your job. Don’t get confused. Pick up the cross of Christ and plant grace firmly in your life and in theirs. Do not under any circumstances play darts with the Enemy.

Power Thought:

If you’re going to throw darts, throw them at the Enemy.  And be sure to get a bullseye!

Power Of Shaping UP!

Key Scripture:  “Exercise daily in God-no spiritual flabbiness, please!  Workouts in the gymnasium are useful but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit today and forever.”  I Timothy 4:8, The Message

Power Point:

I’m not particularly fond of physical exercise but I’m particularly fond of how I feel after I do it.  I’m not particularly fond of exercising good eating habits. I’ve had the old ones for a very long time.  But I am very fond of the benefits when I eat healthy foods. To be honest, it takes a lot of hard work. I discovered that it needs to be a lifestyle not a one-time event. I can’t exercise on Monday and expect it to last me for the next month! Darn.

In the last few years, I’ve had to make a few changes. I had gotten really sloppy (okay-LAZY) in my exercising any of the above. Then about three or four years ago I began having real issues with my legs. I wasn’t able to walk well at all.  It was a little frightening and Satan whispered in my ear all the time-but so did Holy Spirit. He kept telling me to exercise. I decided to just pray for healing, it seemed easier. It didn’t happen. More prayer. I still couldn’t walk well.

One day I decided to listen to the right voice in my head and exercise a little godliness. I realized that He was giving me good advice and if I respected His opinion, it would help me not only physically but spiritually. In my case it began with a new exercise program.  Over the last year, I’ve seen great changes. I still have some difficulties but I’m in a lifestyle of exercising physical godliness. I wondered why He didn’t do a miracle and then as I looked back over my life in the last few years, I realized that there were changes I needed to make. If He had just “zapped” me, I would never have made them. Did He want me well? Yes.  Does He want you well? Yes. Are there some lifestyle changes that perhaps will help you exercise godliness?  Yes.

Of course, the key to any exercise program is having a goal. Keeping your eye on that goal helps you to stay with the program doesn’t it? When scripture says that physical exercise profits “little”, it is not telling us not to do it. It’s just pointing out the fact that exercising yourself spiritually is the key to a profitable life. 

Sometimes when we’ve prayed for people to be healed and God doesn’t do a miracle right away, I always wonder if perhaps there are some important things He wants to teach them in the healing process. I wonder if there’s something He’s been telling them to do that they’ve refused to do. Sometimes our desperation will lead us to do things we wouldn’t have done otherwise doesn’t it?  When I couldn’t walk, I got desperate enough to make some changes. 
     How about you?  Are you ready to do what He’s been whispering in your ear?  Are you ready to deal with the issues that are keeping you from walking in the wholeness of life that He offers you? Is it time to exercise godliness? Do you need to shape UP in some areas? 

Today is a great day to begin. Why don’t you simply ask Him what is holding you back and then do what He tells you to do! (Now there’s a thought!)

Obedience to Him is still the foundation of a wise walk with Him where HIS wisdom is applied to our lives. I still don’t always enjoy the exercise part and I still slip up on my healthy eating but I’ve become wise enough to know that both of those things are wise things to do.

Shape UP! Beloved! If you do what He tells you to do, you will have what He says you can have, and you’ll become what He means for you to be.

Power Thought:

He may tell you to make Life Changes so that your life can change for the better. Exercising godliness simply means that you have respect for what He tells you.  That means that you DO it!  In other words-Shape UP!

Power Of Rags

Key Scripture:  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”   2 Corinthians 5:17

Power Point:

My friend, Sally Kennedy, sent me one of her devotionals the other day. It is so good I wanted to share it. The original author is unknown.

“Once upon a time a man lived in the streets, clad only in the dirtiest and worst of rags. One day a person from the Palace saw him, and approached him. There was going to be a banquet at the Palace, and he had instructions to come and invite people from the highways and byways. Would he like to come?

The man was indeed interested. However, he could not attend a banquet dressed in his rags. The Palace representative assured him they would exchange his rags for some suitable finery to wear to the banquet.

All was in order. The two arrived at the Palace where they went directly to the dressing chambers of the King. Servants took the filthy rags, bundled them in a little package, and proceeded to rub, scrub, and clean the man from top to bottom.

He was then allowed to choose his robes from the closets of the King. He was told that whatever he picked he would be able to keep, so he carefully examined all the many garments in the closet. He chose an exquisite inner garment of purest silk, and an outer robe of finest purple satin. He was ready for the banquet!

As they left the dressing quarters, the man grabbed his old rags. The servants told him to just leave them, because he wouldn't need them anymore. However, he insisted on taking the bundle with him. Even though he didn't need the rags now, he felt more secure somehow if he could just hold on to them.

In the Palace banquet hall, the festivities were about to begin. Nearly everyone was there, including the King himself. The man was seated, looking resplendent in his new attire. He hid his bundle of rags on his lap, underneath the tablecloth, so no one would see them.

The banquet was not to be believed! There was music and dancing, and every kind of delicacy imaginable. As the trays were passed, the beggar had difficulty getting the food onto his plate. He was constantly juggling the package of old rags on his lap, balancing it so it wouldn't fall off. It constantly distracted him from what was going on in the grand hall.

Eventually the evening ended and the great gala event was over. Everyone was stuffed to the gills except for the man clinging to his rag bundle. He was as hungry as when he had come in. He never had eaten even one morsel of the food. He had been too busy fixing and holding on to his old rags.

Today, Jesus invites all of us to God's great banquet, to leave our old ways and old rags, and to say, "Yes!" to Him and to a new and glorious way of living.  That is good news!  

Prayer: Lord, your Word says that I am a new creation in Christ. Help me to discard the old and walk in the new with You today. Thank you, Lord. Amen.”

Beloved, because of Jesus, everything old can be transformed by Resurrection Power. Will you “take it?”

Will you give up the old so that all that lovely “new” is what fills your mind and directs your life? Will you?  

Power Thought:

Walking in the “new” means leaving the “old” behind. Everything old is transformed.  Will you live in resurrection power or hold on to your rags?