DOD 34 - What is your normal?

I have to be honest starting out here.  I am on vacation with my family, and there has been a lot of time spent on decompression.  More so this year than I can remember in any previous year.  I have not wanted to put much thought into any bit of the day to day that usually is jockeying for position for my attention.  This vacation has been a vacation from life for me.

Now for the honest part.  I have not wanted to put much thought into putting this DOD together.  I have even struggled with the thoughts of:  “This DOD needs to so earth shattering that all who read are moved to rousing applause and complete transformation”.  Ok.  That is me being overly exaggerative.  I care less about whether you read this DOD and are impressed.  I, however, have continually fought the desire to come up with something that is pretty impactful though.  There you go.  It’s out.  That monkey can go find another back to ride on.

The reason I took time to share all of this, is because it exactly related to what I want to share in a current, personal challenge.  I share with you one scripture and one thought/challenge that have been rattling around in my brain and spirit for the last several days.

Scripture:

Psalms 19:14:  “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you.”

Thought:  “What have you accepted as normal?”

As I stood in front of the toilet when I first had the thought, I know the Spirit was challenging me to consider what I have accepted as normal, but is not.  What thoughts or words have easily spilled in or out without the challenge of, “Is this my new normal?”  I am not talking about impure thoughts.  I am digging deeper and wider.  Something like, “my wife and I are fighting again today and….” fill in the blank.  That should not be our new normal.  Or, “I was completely justified in standing up for myself and the words I used.”  Is getting the last word in, though justified, accepted as our normal?  Or try this one on: “I guess I have made enough of a mess of my life, and I have ruined everyone else’s, I should consider myself lucky and content just to be able to eat the slop with the pigs”.  Or: “This DOD has to be perfect!”  Ok...last one: “I am truly alone.”

Here is the simple challenge to consider:  Are the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart pleasing to Him?  Do you, as His work of art, whom He has said with conviction and unwavering belief, that you are FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE, respond with words and thoughts that bring Him joy?  Not for the purpose of just bringing Him joy.  I mean that he is so filled with joy because you know who you are and you know what your normal should be?

So...What words and thoughts have you accepted as normal?  Ask the Spirit to challenge your thinking, to renew your mind and find your normal.

DOD 33 - Monday, July 31, 2017

I lead worship in church this morning, and we sang a song that I shared with some of you a couple weeks ago in Men's Integrity. If you haven't heard it, it's called Do It Again, and you can listen to it by following this link. Please take a few minutes and do so:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOBIPb-6PTc

This was a special weekend for me. While getting to be on stage leading at Quest Community Church, the place where the Lord has met us, healed us, pursued us, and invited us into so much healing and freedom over the past 7 years, I was reminded of the anniversary of this weekend back in 2010, when I was fired from my ministry job in Central KY over yet another layer of my deception and manipulation coming out into the open, and the downward spiral to the end of myself and to rock bottom began.

The song above begins with these words... "Walking around these walls, I thought by now they'd fall, but You have never failed me yet. Waiting for change to come, knowing the battles won, but You have never failed me yet."

READ Joshua 5:13-6:27 - The Battle of Jericho

The song is referring to this story... The people of God, under Joshua's leadership, were approaching a fortified stronghold of a city and Joshua was told by the Lord that HE was going to deliver this city into their hands. I'm sure when the people first heard about this, they assumed, because of previous battles, that it would take an incredible amount of personal strength and intestinal fortitude, with significant bloodshed, lost life, and incredible pain and sacrifice. They didn't know if they would even survive, let alone have success, and I'm sure they were scared.

And then the Lord told them how they were going to do it... this is a paraphrase. March around the city blowing horns for seven days and do not speak or shout a single word. Just be obedient to what I'm asking and create a sound that reaches all the way to the heavens, to remind both you and the enemy that there is a God and I am Him. And then on the 7th day, during the 7th rotation around the city, after having made nothing but trumpet sounds, lift up a battle cry of a shout with one voice among all the people of Israel, and watch what happens when you make yourself available, and trust my unconventional ways, and pick faith and obedience instead of fear and control.

A life yielded to God in faith and obedience and gratitude is a powerful thing. A body of those lives all united in the pursuit of community, having a mutual understanding of the power and presence of God - now that is something that is utterly formidable. 

Some questions come to mind that I'd love for each of us to spend some time with the Lord on today:

1. How is this unconventional God asking you to yield yourself and your plans to His greater and better purpose? What are some specific things he's asked of you that might not yet make sense or that are simply requiring a lot of faith in this season? 

2. What battle stands before you that you are dangerously close to stepping into on your own power and with your own plan, knowing that God might have a better way? 

3. What wall exists in your life that the Lord has already showed you He wants to bring down? And are you in agreement with Him that they need to come down? 

4. What does faith in action look like for you this week? How can you grab your trumpet, and take your laps around the city in your own life, knowing that the day will come when He asks you to give a shout and watch the walls come down? 

It was just a month after that date 7 years ago this weekend, when I would finally come to the end of myself, humbly take a knee and give my life to Jesus Christ, and pick up my trumpet to begin walking around the walls in my life as a fully yielded follower of Jesus. In the time from then to now, I've seen my shouts of praise to God bring many walls down, and I know there are still many more to trust Him with. But I know He's leading me and is committed to my complete and total freedom. I'm in this one with Him for the long haul. 

One final note... the key to this victory is not found in Chapter 16. I believe the snapshot of the success of Joshua is found in the final two verses of Chapter 15 - before the faithful marching and eventual success ever took place. The bible says at the end of 15 that Joshua fell face down in reverence before the Lord on the eve of the marching and when he recognized that he was standing on Holy Ground, he took off his sandals, because he wanted nothing coming between him and the HOLINESS and PRESENCE of God. 

Joshua knew The GREAT I AM, and it affected every part of his life, and nothing was going to hinder him from being a faithful servant of the Lord. What a model for us as men to follow. When you live with that kind of posture men, face down in reverent awe before the almighty, no request or command from God is too crazy, or too foolish, or too out there. You can simply trust Him and follow through. Let's be barefoot men this week, creating pockets of holiness ground everywhere we go!

Devotion of the Day - 32

Day 32 of the 40 Days to Freedom Challenge – are you experiencing more freedom / healing in the area of sexual integrity? 

Today I want to talk about a person who, like us, needed healing: “Now a woman, having a flow of blood for 12 years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any.”  Luke 8:43

You most likely know the story well…but let’s ask the Holy Spirit to show us how it can apply today to any area of our life where we needed healing….spiritual, physical, financial, relational, etc.

God, our Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to save us and restore us into the Father’s arms.  This restoration is so deep and so powerful I would venture to say we, the Body of Christ, have only begun to understand the depths of the blessings it provides.  Through Jesus, we can literally touch God and experience His glory and supernatural power for healing in our lives!!  Just like the woman in today’s story!!  This was not just a cool story to demonstrate Jesus’ power….it is a story that spans they ages and is for us today.  While we cannot touch Jesus’ robe physically today….it’s ok…we don’t need to.  The healing came from her faith that accessed His power and is the blueprint for us today on how we can receive healing!

This woman had spent all her money to find healing to no avail.  Then something happened.  She heard about a man named Jesus Christ.  She received pure, unadulterated revelation of the One called Jesus.  The report she heard created a hope so powerful it pierced and overwhelmed her pain, rejection and discouragement.  When the day came when Jesus was close enough for her to approach, she was consumed with revelation and faith!

In this state of faith she said, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well” Matt. 9:21  Immediately, when she did, the supernatural power of God was released from Jesus and His power and light overwhelmed the darkness working within her body, and she was instantly healed!

Do we have this same level of expectation regarding Jesus desire and ability to heal us?  If we did, then I believe we would have many more of us walking in amazing freedom and healing!  I am concerned that we interpret or determine what Jesus will do through either A) our personal experiences or B) religious tradition and both are not the right filter.  Our western minds are so inundated with science and reason and we block our own access to the power of Jesus to heal us immediately.  The day of miracles has not passed….it is today….it is now!  God is the same yesterday, today and forever and He longs to heal us and have us experience freedom and relationship with Him!

Crazy thing to me…this woman didn’t have the bible or church or praise music or devotionals or support groups most likely.  She was considered spiritually unclean and probably had very few, if any friends.  Today, we have so much that I wonder if it isn’t too much.  The simple truth….Jesus Christ, the risen Son of the Most High God is all we will ever need!  How then do we have faith like this woman so we can access His power?  She didn’t beg Him for healing…she didn’t even ask…she didn’t fast, didn’t read the Word, didn’t get her life together before approaching Him. Jesus also didn’t “decide” to make her well.  He said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” Mark 5:34

God had already made the decision to open the Heavens to her and to us when He sent Jesus, and God Himself is now waiting for us to press through the crowd, the noise of our western world, the reason of our minds and receive His Word, Jesus Christ, the One who heals us and delivers us from all our destructions.

Questions for Reflection:

1)      What things have you heard about Jesus?  Have they come from God’s Word, or have they come from sincere people who have mixed information about Jesus?

2)      Has what I know about Jesus caused the kind of faith to well up in me like the woman in our story?  Why or why not?

3)      What specifically do I need healing in….where I need to press through to touch Jesus with faith?

4)      Have I been waiting for God to send help that He has already sent? 

Pray this prayer with me:

Father, I thank You that You’ve already made the decision to send Your Son, Jesus Christ, for me!  I pray that I fully receive all that is available to me through this relationship.  Holy Spirit please give me a divine revelation of who Jesus is and how I can access His power through faith.  Help me to move past human reasoning, past religious traditions.  I need You to open my heart and mind to the Truth.

I desire to walk in Your supernatural power, and declare that I will get in and abide in You and Your Word like never before.  Increase my faith and my level of excitement and expectancy regarding what you are going to do in my life!

I love You!

DOD 31

DOD 31, 40 Day Challenge


The fact you are here reading this I assume you want to hear from God. I know I do each day as I start my devo and even as I start my day.  I find myself sometimes mid morning having had my devo and having spent time with God and I have that checked off my list and I neglect to invite Him into my day.  Let's start by asking God to be here with us now and to help us hear Him.  ...


Now that we have asked God to be here let us begin.  For many years I had a relationship with God.  I know I did.  God has confirmed it in many ways.  Yet in all those years of knowing God I never completely believed Him.  My pride said I could earn my or be good enough.  I couldn't or wouldn't except that I needed God for everything I did. I couldn't accept that I was weak and needed Him and that He loved even weak as I was.  I fought that.  It kept me from realizing so many things and experiencing LIFE and all God had for me and because of that sin had a foot hold and wrecked my world for years.


Does that sound familiar?  Maybe?  Maybe not. Probably at some point though for whatever your reason is you did not fully accept or agree with God's word.  The word He gave us to tell us what we needed to know about Him and life.


Let me break from that thought there and go into another thought.  Today I finish up a military school I have been at for the last two weeks.  I missed my family.  They did come visit on during the middle weekend and it was great.  It will be good to be home tonight.  I also told my wife last night how I missed real authentic conversation I share with you guys.  There are good people here but there alwasy seems to be this layer where I will only let you get so close.  I miss the realness of being known and hearing other guys being real and exposing their stuff because they are not afraid of judgement and want to be known.


So this probably seems like I am all over the place.  I am driving at a point here.


Exodus 24:3-4 "When Moses went and told the people all the Lord's words and laws, they responded with one voice, "Everything the Lord has said we will do.'  Moses wrote down everything the Lord had said." 


What a beautiful picture.  Everyone in agreement with God and each other to be obedient.  So let us start there today.  As bothers today let us be in agreement with God and that we all want to be obedient.


Then let us write down what God tells us today.  Yes write it down.  If you journal write a scripture that you are in agreement with or need to be in agreement with.  If you don't journal get out some paper or a note card and write.   Use this to help you remember what God has said to you this morning. 


Let us share scriptures that are truths we are in agreement about today.  Choose one or two and write them down and meditate on them today.


Here a few:


I Timothy 4:8 Let us agree to be strive to be holy.  Holiness is not stiff or boring.  It is good for now and for heaven.


Galatians 6:9 Let us agree to keep doing good even when it is hard.  Agree it is okay to be rewarded for serving.  We are not just servants to God that serve because He owns us.  It is ok to be rewarded.


I Peter 5:7 Let us agree God cares about all our problems.  He cares about each of individually.


Hebrews 13:6 Let us agree God really wants to help us.  Let us agree He can protect us from man.


If you have one share on GroupMe.

DOD 30: Wednesday, July 26, 2017

What is Happening?

Ok, so yesterday (Tuesday)was tough.  It started Monday evening, my wife came home really overwhelmed and disappointed with her job, spent most of the night in tears.  Then I went to work and got my commercial mower running at about 8 AM.  Then it quit again around 10:00.  By about 12”30i was frustrated and fed up with this thing that’s been giving me fits since Thursday of last week.  Re-grouped, went to another jobsite, got a few things knocked out and went back to work on the mower around 3:30.  Eureka, by 4:00 we had it running! Prayers answered.  I headed off and cut one lawn, by 5:15 I was at my second (and last) lawn for the day; stupid mower wouldn’t start! Meanwhile, my daughter started Band camp this week and suddenly needs a new flute by tomorrow (which ain’t gonna happen ‘cause money don’t grow on trees and Amazon prime cant ship that fast).  Also, Tuesday is my night for dinner at our house, and I had a DOD to write…Not a good place…I was not in a good place.

There is a point here way beyond just unloading to you all about my day. 

I want to describe to you what was happening – internally—spiritually while all this was going on.

This is exactly the kind of day that in the past would have driven me to withdraw, pity myself, look for ways to relieve the pain and seek comfort in self-righteousness, pride, defensiveness, porn, video games, all kinds of stuff that covered up the real me instead of bringing Life.

Instead, I spent my day asking and listening for the response from God,” What is Happening here?” “Why is all this going on?” “What are you trying to unveil or work here?” “Is this from you Lord or from the enemy?”.  It certainly didn’t feel like I was a beloved son as I struggled with this stupid inanimate piece of equipment that wouldn’t start.  It felt bigger than that, something else was going on and I didn’t have the eyes to see it.  I got the sense that I was being lured into something. So, I changed my question, “what agreement am I being tempted with”.  The response, “don’t fall for ‘unworthy’.  Don’t agree with ‘incapable’.”  That was it!  I felt that down deep.  I was being lured into a lie of “I just don’t have what it takes” it seems like an old school trick of the enemy at this point, but it was a real fight for me this time.  I spent the rest of the afternoon resisting this agreement.  This was a spiritual battle ground.  It wasn’t that I was all alone, God was there, I just had to keep looking to him to know where and how to swing my sword, when to put up my shield.   It took significant concentration.  It took asking for help from trusted friends.  It took time, plain and simple for the answers to get through the fog.  It took intentionality to not give in.  I was still fighting when my wife got home and the mower still wasn’t fixed…

I share all this to lead into today’s DOD.  It is simple enough, but vital. 

Ask Jesus.

That’s your assignment. Ask.  Whatever comes your way today ask for His interpretation of the situation.  Ask for his desired outcome for you.  Ask for His input in how to respond.  I said it was simple, I didn’t say it was easy.  Most of the battle I described took place in my thoughts.  “I’m alone” I panicked!  “No” I had to tell myself, “That’s a lie, hang in there.”  “I’m and idiot for not being able to figure this out”.  “No, that’s a lie, that’s not how God sees you, hang in there” and so it went all day.  It took courage to ask for help, to reach out.  “guys, I’m having a tough day, the enemy is pushing all my buttons” it took more courage to hear the truth.  “Jamie, you don’t have to cook dinner, just provide it” (my wife and I had a lovely evening out – Grace1).  My dad came by after work and helped get the mower running (grace2).  This DOD…” Jamie, use your experience today, the buttons” “Jamie, you don’t have to produce anything of your own strength, let Holy Spirit lead –let God stir” (this DOD, take it for what it is – Grace 3)  went to a new couple/marriage study group (Grace4).  I could have let a piece of my heart die today.  I could have handed it over to the enemy and agreed that I wasn’t able and wasn’t worthy.  But the sin in that would have been to deny who God has created me to be.  We all make missteps here.  We’ve all agreed that we are less than we were meant to be. 

It’s time to repent of that.  Walk out a new way.  Follow a new path.  Jesus is the way! He is the truth when lies are all around our feet. He is LIFE when all we can feel is pain and the shadow of death. 

SO, your DOD for today is to ask Jesus for His perspective today.  Do the things he says.  If he says reach out, do it! If he says “don’t buy that B.S.” listen to him, find His words of truth for you. (look back at Mondays list).  If he says rest, take it as a time to rest, a season for you to rest in him, if its only for today, take it.  Let Jesus speak to you about your experience.  Let Him interpret your day today.  Don’t take for granted that you have it all figured out on your own.  You may be wrong, and that may be the biggest gift of freedom you could receive; that your assumption, your interpretation of your circumstance and feelings isn’t the final word.  IF YOUR WILLING TO ASK, so Ask.

DOD 29 - One Way To Work Through Burnout

I would like to share a weekly newsletter I get from one of my favorite pastors.  It is something I am in the middle of chewing on myself.  Enjoy!

http://krisvallotton.com/one-way-to-work-through-burnout/

When was the last time you felt truly rested? I’ve noticed that most people these days have no idea how to rest, and I’ve heard of so many people being diagnosed with fatigue related health issues. It’s becoming more and more common to hear about burn out and I honestly don’t know many people who practice a true sabbath. I think part of the problem is having access to work at our fingertips and emails coming through to our phones every day. However, I think an even bigger problem is that many people don’t understand the season they’re in. I don’t just mean season of life like the difference between being single or being a first-time parent. I’m talking about the metaphorical spiritual seasons that we ebb and flow through life in.

WHY SEASONS MATTER

So many of us have lost a sense of seasons because we aren’t operating in an agricultural culture. In Ecclesiastes 3:1 it says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” It’s so important that we understand what season we’re in, or we will judge ourselves against the work that others are producing in very different seasons than ourselves. If we don’t know the season we’re in we also run the risk of putting our energy in places that won’t produce good fruit. A farmer wouldn’t attempt to grow fruit in winter. It just wouldn’t work. He’d be putting his efforts towards something that the season wasn’t going to work with him in, and likely he’d end up with dead fruit. When you think about the harvest season, it’s something a farmer works hard towards for months of time, but he only has a few days to get the fruit from the trees. He’ll work 24/7 to get everything done in that time. But how are those few days of 24/7 work sustainable? By resting in the winter.

That’s why in the metaphoric winters of your life you must rest, or you won’t have the needed energy in the harvest. So many people are living in a performance driven culture and have lost a value for rest. Maybe we even find our value in being busy and filling up our schedules. I believe in hard work, but I also know there are seasons when we are called to rest, shout grace, and emphasize God’s work in our lives. Other times we’re sitting around waiting for God to show up and do something, but He’s actually asking us to get up and do something with Him.

REALITY OF REST

The reality of rest is that it doesn’t just “happen” to you. You have to guard it and therefore value it. I think this starts with our mindsets and understanding that every season has a purpose. If you’re in a winter season but are comparing yourself to someone who is harvesting, you may find yourself striving to keep up. The truth is that we were designed to need rest; that’s why God commanded us to sabbath. Remember that even He rested on the seventh day after creating the world. Rest looks like knowing your season and living in the grace God has given to you in that season. It also looks like acceptance of the place and time you’re in, and choosing not to worry about the harvest seasons to come. So once we understand the beauty of taking a break and owning our winter seasons, it’s important that we camp out there until the shift to the new season comes. Soak up every good gift that comes with the winter; the quiet, the coziness, unwinding and slowing down. Don’t let other people determine your rest based on their needs, or you’ll be worn out again before you know it.

So, is God asking you to rest in this season? Or is He asking you to pick yourself up by the bootstraps and work? Lean into Holy Spirit to show you your season, and camp out there until He moves you on to something new. Today I pray that the refreshing breath of God would blow over you and fill you to a point of overflow. I pray that any weight you’re carrying that is not for you to bear would fall off of your shoulders. I speak clarity over your spirit for the season that God has you in, and grace to receive every good thing He has for you in this time. Is it hard for you to take a break? How do you work through that?

DOD 28 - Monday, July 24, 2017

Who I Am, and Who HE Is. 

Gentlemen, here we are on the very front end of another week. We don't have the faintest clue what God has in store for us this week, but we can rest in the knowledge that whatever it is, it will be good, it will be just what we need, and it will product in us stronger faith, deeper passion, greater intimacy, and richer love...

IF WE LET IT. 

And that's the kicker. 

He's infinite, and Holy, and all-powerful, and He has our best always fully in the center of His plans for us. I want us to be reminded of who we are in Him and who He is to us this morning to set our hearts and minds on a correct course for this week.

Our exercise for this morning is very simple...

Read through this list and identify the statement(s) the Lord is highlighting for you this week. How do your struggles with MI relate to the labels and ideas defined by what you've read? What does God want to say to you this morning about who you are IN HIM? 

My Nature In Christ...

• I am blameless and free from accusation. (Colossians 1:22)
• Christ Himself is in me. (Colossians 1:27)
• I am firmly rooted in Christ and am now being built up in Him. (Col. 2:7)
• I have been made complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)
• I have been spiritually circumcised. My old unregenerate nature has been removed. (Colossians 2:11)
• I have been buried, raised, and made alive with Christ. (Colossians 2:12,13)
• I died with Christ and I have been raised up with Christ. My life is now hidden
• With Christ in God. Christ is now my life. (Colossians 1:1-4)
• I am an expression of the life of Christ because He is my life. (Colossians 3:4)
• I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved. (Col. 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4)
• I am a son of light and not of darkness. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)
• I have been given a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)
• I have been saved and set apart according to God’s doing. (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5)
• Because I am sanctified and am one with the Sanctifier, He is not ashamed to call me brother. (Hebrews 2:11)
• I am a holy partaker of a heavenly calling. (Hebrews 3:1)
• I have the right to come boldly before the throne of God to find mercy and grace in a time of need. (Hebrews4:16)
• I have been born again. (1 Peter 1:23)
• I am one of God’s living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house. (1 Peter 2:5)
• I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a People for God’s own possession. (1 Peter 2:9,10)
• I am an alien and stranger to this world in which I temporarily live. (1 Peter 2:11)
• I am an enemy of the devil. (1 Peter 2:11)
• I am forgiven on the account of Jesus’ name. (1 John 2:12)
• I am anointed by God. (1 John 2:27)
• I am a child of God and I will resemble Christ when He returns. (1 John 3:1,2)
• I am loved. (1 John 4:10)
• I am like Christ. (1 John 4:10)
• I have life. (1 John 5:12)
• I am born of God, and the evil one…the devil…cannot touch me. (1 John 5:`8)
• I have been redeemed. (Revelation 5:9)
• I have been healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
• I am the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13)
• I am the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14)
• I am commissioned to make disciples. (Matthew 28:19,20)
• I am a child of God. (John 1:12)
• I have eternal life. (John 10:27)
• I have been given peace. (John 14:27)
• I am part of the true vine, a channel of Christ’s life. (John 15:1,5)
• I am clean. (John 15:3)
• I am Christ’s friend. (John 15:15)
• I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear His fruit. (John 15:16)
• I have been given glory. (John 17:22)
• I have been justified…completely forgiven and made righteous. (Romans 5:1)
• I died with Christ and died to the power of sin’s rule over my life. (Romans 6:1-6)
• I am a slave of righteousness. (Romans 6:18)
• I am free from sin and enslaved to God. (Romans 6:22)
• I am free forever from condemnation. (Romans 8:1)
• I am a son of God; God is spiritually my Father. (Romans 8:14, 15 Galatians 3:26; 4:6)
• I am a joint heir with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him (Romans 8:17)
• I am more than a conqueror through Christ, who loves me. (Romans 8:37)
• I have faith. (Romans 12:3)
• I have been sanctified and called to holiness. (1 Corinthians 1:2)
• I have been given grace in Christ Jesus. (1Corinthians 1:4)
• I have been placed into Christ, by God’s doing. (1 Corinthians 1:30)
• I have received the Spirit of God into my life that I might know the things feely given to me by God. (1 Corinthians 2:12)
• I have been given the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)
• I am a temple…a dwelling place…of God. His Spirit and His life dwell in me. (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19)
• I am united to the Lord and am one spirit with Him. (1 Corinthians 6:17)
• I am bought with a price; I am not my own; I belong to God. (1 Corinthians 6:19,20; 7:23)
• I am called. (1 Corinthians 7:17)
• I am a member of Christ’s Body. (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 5:30)
• I am victorious through Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)
• I have been established, anointed and sealed by God in Christ, and I have been given to the Holy Spirit as a pledge guaranteeing my inheritance to come. (2 Corinthians 1:21; Ephesians 1:13,14)
• I am led by God in triumphal procession. (2 Corinthians 2:14)
• I am to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 2:15)
• I am being changed into the likeness of Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
• Since I have died, I no longer live for myself, but for Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:14,15)
• I am a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• I am reconciled to God and am a minister of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18,19)
• I have been made righteous. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• I am given strength in exchange for weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
• I have been crucified with Christ and Christ lives in me. The life I am now living is Christ’s life. (Galatians 2:20)
• I am a son of God and one in Christ. (Galatians 3:26, 28)
• I am Abraham’s seed…an heir of the promise. (Galatians 3:29)
• I am an heir of God since I am a son of God. (Galatians 4:6,7)
• I am a saint. (Ephesians 1:1; ! Corinthians 1:2; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2)
• I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. (Ephesians 1:3)
• I was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and am without blame before Him. (Ephesians 1:4)
• I was predestined…determined by God…to be adopted as God’s son. (Ephesians 1:5)
• I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13)
• I have been redeemed and forgiven, and I am a recipient of His lavish grace. I am alive together with Christ. (Ephesians 2:5)
• I have been raised up and seated with Christ in heaven. (Ephesians 2:6)
• I am God’s workmanship…His handiwork…born anew in Christ to do His work. (Ephesians 2:10)
• I have direct access to God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18)
• I am a fellow citizen with the rest of God’s family. (Ephesians 2:19)
• I may approach God with boldness, freedom, and confidence. (Eph. 3:12)
• I am righteous and holy. (Ephesians 2:24)
• I am a citizen of heaven, seated in heaven right now. (Philippians 3:20 Ephesians 2:6)
• I am capable. (Philippians 4:13)
• I have been rescued from the domain of Satan’s rule and transferred to the kingdom of Christ. (Colossians 1:13)
• I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. The debt against me has been cancelled. (Colossians 1:14)

Further Exercise:

If you want to, and have time, follow this link to another article with great reading and lots of scriptpure describing different attributes of God's Heart for His kids. 

https://www.josh.org/resources/spiritual-growth/attributes-of-god/?mot=J65DGA&gclid=CJHR1JfToNUCFUO1wAodEP4FoQ

Chime in on GroupME with anything the Lord is showing you about your identity in Him, some attribute about His character that stands out to you, and anything else the Lord lays on your heart to share. We can't hear this truth enough guys! Soak it up, and absorb every last drop. 

 

DOD 27 - Make Your Life Count.....1 Second at a Time

Watch this video:  The Value of Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue8RSDMZVOQ

Men of Righteousness IN CHRIST

What will you do with the 86,400 seconds you are given today?  Yesterday is gone.  You aren’t guaranteed tomorrow.  You do have today.  You do have a choice.  How will you spend or invest the time you have that is a gift from your Father today?

In my past….in the darker days...I chose:

·         To embrace self-pity, entitlement, lust, anger

·         To seek pleasure above all else

·         To think of myself first

·         To veg out on t.v., drinking, eating, avoiding

All of this and many other destructive choices led to pain, depression, emptiness, sadness, hopelessness….so I repeated the cycle the next day to hopefully avoid feeling these things for the next 86,400 seconds.

Now – by the grace of God I am making more frequent choices to:

·         Get in His word

·         Enjoy a cup of coffee in peace

·         Pray (talk to Him)

·         Spend time…fully present with the members of my family

·         Spend time with my friends

·         Go for a walk / take a nap

·         Worship

·         Laugh, cry, experience joy and pain and fear and doubt,  but I get to experience with God and others I love so even when I am hurting I can’t lose

The DOD is simple:

Invest the next 15 minutes (900 seconds) as follows:

5 Minutes – read and think about Psalm 1 and talk to God about it and whatever else you want or need to talk to Him about

5 Minutes – ask God how to invest your time today and listen

5 Minutes – watch / listen to few minutes (or all) of this and praise God who has blessed us with life, love, Saturday’s and much much more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tax3zND4fTE&t=852s

Go out and do what He tells you when you listened! 

I love you men!  I count my time with you as some of the absolute best and richest of the seconds of my life!