What's it Worth to You?

When did we get sooooo lazy?!!

It’s funny, but it can be very destructive if were not careful.

This propensity in us is actually counterproductive, and is quickly becoming a poison that is corrupting our lives.

If we want what we want when we want it...what will keep us from getting it, regardless of how?

Or worse yet, if we aren’t willing to stand up for what is right and true, even if it costs us something, or to work hard at what is not necessarily easy at the moment, what are we saying about our sense of conviction?

“Well, Pastor, I’m with you...what are we going to do about that sinful society we live in, those unsaved people are so lazy...I’m so glad that mindset isn’t a problem in the church!”

“Can you believe those people?”

Oooooh Reeeally!

Come on, let’s really look at this problem.

What is your integrity worth to you?

Where is the line where convenience wins over conviction?

What is worth fighting for, working for, sacrificing for?

The truth of the matter is anything worth something is going to cost us something!

Conviction by definition is “the state of being convinced of error or compelled to admit the truth, a strong persuasion or belief.”

It might seem easier, at the time, to make a decision based on convenience, but in the long run the consequences could be devastating!

Jesus said in Matthew 7:13,14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

I have found that the very things I don’t want to do, because they seem inconvenient, or too hard or too much trouble or maybe they will cost me something, are often exactly what I need to be doing.

If we are not careful, our lack of conviction and discipline in these areas will whittle away at our character and Integrity.

Our sin nature won’t be satisfied with the small compromises anymore, and we will find ourselves cutting corners in bigger things, and as a result experiencing even greater consequence. Yes, Consequences!!

We must stand on the promise of Proverbs 30:5,6 that says, “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to His words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.”

Convenience or Conviction, which will we choose?

Well pastor I don’t know… it all depends. No, it doesn’t depend.

If it is a matter of conviction, then as believers who desire to obey the Lord and walk in His blessing, the choice is made...Conviction, truth, integrity!!

Let’s raise the bar, church! A standard of righteousness, for the whole world to see.

Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us consider how we can spur one

another on towards love and good deeds.”

1 Peter 2:12 says, “Live such good lives before men, that thought they accuse you of wrong doing, they may see your good deeds and glorify God.”

Truly Relevant!

Relevance...from the Latin “relevare”...to lift up again and to bring relief; to the point, relating to the matters at hand, important, pertinent, applicable.

Relevance is not being like someone else or looking like someone else.

Relevance is not compromising who you are to be like the world or having to duplicate something that is already in existence.

Relevance is being who God has created you to be in Him and flowing as He has called you to...your personality, your gifts, your uniqueness...Being you, but not the old you...the new you in Jesus!

Jesus was the most relevant man that ever walked the planet and He wasn’t like anyone else.

True relevance meets the current needs of the day.

Believers…we are different and we are called to be different than anyone else.

That is what makes us special...and God has called us to be who we are.

We are called to be a blessing and a model of NEW things to come for the body of Christ.

We all have a tendency to do what we’ve seen done. There is nothing wrong with that unless God is telling you to do something else...even if that new thing isn’t what people expect.

I believe that God wants to release NEW things in His people…no longer a status quo, maintenance mode life…but a life of power and breakthrough - authored and finished in and through us by our Creator!

It’s an exciting new season...where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom and liberty.

I want to encourage you today to seek for and make room for a fresh moving of the spirit of God in your life.

Be who God has created you to be…that is the place where you are the most relevant in changing the world for Jesus.

Are you with me?

Break Through!

I feel like we all at some time face obstacles that seem to block us from that next level that we want to go to in our lives.

If you’re like me...you have ideas and dreams of what God can do with your life...most of which seem overwhelming and way bigger than you (a confirmation that they’re from God by the way).

And then we come into the home or our office and we sit in the “now” and those dreams seem very far away, almost impossible.

Well, the thing that I’m learning about the Lord and his shaping of my life is that he allows these obstacles, so that I will depend on Him and Him alone and allow His strength and power to cause me, through this process of breaking and melting, to strengthen me to breakthrough those ceilings.

He has to get us out of a confidence in our ability, our carefully orchestrated plans, our agenda and our goals so that He can fill us with a fresh vision that is far beyond what we could have imagined for ourselves.

We serve a BIG God, an awesome God that is ABLE to do
Exceedingly, abundantly BEYOND all that we could ask or imagine. Eph. 3:20

My heart for you today is to see yourself as God sees you. To see the life He’s entrusted to you as extraordinary, powerful, exciting, and the future for you as ripe, pregnant so-to-speak, ready to burst with God’s destiny for you, your family and your community.

The atom symbolizes the smallest unit of an element. Considered irreducible. Yet within the atom is a power of nuclear capacity. There is disproportionate power in relationship to it’s size. All that to say...Like the Atom, you have no idea what God can do through you.

If you will break through these ceilings and say “yes” to God-sized vision for your life, you become a human catalyst creating a divine impact. And the result will be earthshaking!!

What has God been speaking to your heart? Late in the night, early in the morning...what are the visions you’re seeing? What is the last thing He told you to do?

Let’s break through the baggage of the past, the fear of man, the fear of the future, our self-esteem issues and right now, choose life, our moment, our destiny...Break Through!