I'm glad we are family!

We just watched a cartoon clip that despite being "for children" we all probably had FEELINGS.

Sad feelings toward Little Foot when he lost his Mum ... or when he met Duckie you probably had feelings of relief or happiness?

Depending on how over active your mind is, you may have thought through things like, "How is he going to live without his Mummy?" or "What's going to happen to all the families that are separated now?"

These thoughts are in reaction to what we see the situation being and we have these thoughts and emotions because at some level we can all sympathise with this.

Sympathy is being able to feel what someone else is feeling because you have been through something similar or exactly the same before and you remember how you felt at that time.
It is difficult to sympathise with someone if you have not been through that situation... but there is another emotion we can all feel is Empathy.

We can empathise with someone over a situation even if we haven't been through it because we can "IMAGINE" how it would feel if it happened to us.

I want to say a few words that would best describe the first part of that clip:

·        They were divided

·        Families cut in two

·        "On one side and the rest on another"

·        Lost

·        Pain

·        Separation

·        Death

·        Mother or anyone who cares is gone

·        Time to journey alone

Although we watched a cartoon for children, it is those concepts that we can sympathise or empathise with and it may have even bought a little tear to your eye...

We know how that feels. We all know how that feels.

We have all at some point in our lives felt abandoned, lost, in crisis.

I would like to go one step further and say unless you are a walking miracle we have probably experienced these things with in your own FAMILY.

Your family are the ones who you are most close to as you grow and I have found this picture that best describes what I am trying to say. 

It hurts when it is those closest to us. Our FAMILY.

Matthew 10:32-38

English Standard Version (ESV, I'm reading from)

³² So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, ³³ but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

³⁴ “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ³⁶ And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. 

³⁷ Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Who can think quite easily of tensions in their family because of the Gospel?

I would imagine everyone. Either outright fights and complete separation from each other over it or at least it is the subject that IS UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES talked about.

When there is such a divide in the natural family over any issue there is pain.

It is especially hard for a believer and a non believer to coexist closely together because of such difficult and sensitive issues about where they will both be after they die. Very sensitive and difficult. Lonely and painful sometimes.

We can all probably very easily recall times where you and a family member has called it quits on working on the relationship due to "irreconcilable differences".

I heard that term when a celebrity couple divorced and that was the excuse.

Irreconcilable differences between family is painful. You divided. You are on two different sides. You feel you are journeying alone. The people that mattered most are just not there anymore. And you can sometimes be desperate to regain that relationship... just like Little Foot's face was as he was hanging over the rock looking into the water.

Did you notice how devastated he was. Hopeless.

Then something happened:

He found his DUCKIE.

Who can recall when their DUCKIE popped up in their life? I don't mean Jesus I mean a person who walked up and said, "Hi what's your name!?"

Who can think of one person who in the midst of a crisis popped up and sympathised with you and understood you?

Someone who could make you smile and bring back a glimmer of hope while you made the journey?

That is why I have called this sermon, "I am glad you are my family!" 

Let's look at:

John 1:12-13

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

1 John 3:1

English Standard Version (ESV)

3 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁷ Therefore go out from their midst,
    and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
    then I will welcome you,
¹⁸ and I will be a father to you,
    and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”

If we are all called CHILDREN OF GOD, that means you and me are related. Now...we all know the pain of betrayal or separation from family and we have all got baggage that reminds us how painful those family relationships can be.

Although you do still have blood family... You have been transferred into a NEW FAMILY!

And this family has got to learn how God want His family to be because we have a very long time to spend together!

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I want to do something a little weird but I will do it anyway an hope you can understand what I am trying to say...

Who else would agree that we have an enemy?

Who agrees that we have to war against that enemy?

So if we are family and we are in a war you could say we are a FAMILY in WAR?

One thing that I know is that if God has made something to work a certain way, you can be sure that the devil has taken it and perverted it into something that will work to evil's advantage.

I want to show you what even the devil has worked out how a family runs best: let's look at "The Family". SLIDE

Ok so first thing they understand is that they all have a code of conduct that they to abide by:

The 10 'Mafiosi' Commandments are: SLIDE

1. No one can present himself directly to another of our friends. There must be      a third person to do it.   - sounds like Our heavenly Father requiring Jesus to introduce us?

2. Never look at the wives of friends. - sounds like the 7th commandment!

3. Never be seen with cops. - sounds like they treat the "cops" like we treat the devil!

4. Don't go to pubs and clubs. - sounds like us being separated and consecrated for God's work?

5. Always be available for Cosa Nostra, even if your wife's about to give birth.

6. Appointments must be respected.

7. Wives must be treated with respect. - 10th commandment!

8. When asked for any information, the answer must be the truth. 9th commd!

9. Money cannot be appropriated if it belongs to others or to other families.um... 10th commandment not to covet?

10. People who can't be part of Cosa Nostra are anyone with a close relative in     the police, with a two-timing relative in the family, anyone who behaves            badly and doesn't hold to moral values.

Does anyone else see the close resemblance to the rules God gives us to live by?

And each one has a "role" or "gift":

American Mafia (La Cosa Nostra) Structure SLIDE

Boss GOD – The head of the family, usually reigning as a dictator, sometimes called the Don or “Godfather”. The Boss receives a cut OR TITHE of every operation taken on by every member of his family.

Underboss JESUS – The Underboss, usually appointed by the Boss, is the second in command of the family. The Underboss is in charge of all of the Capos, who is controlled by the Boss.

Consigliere HOLY SPIRIT – Consigliere is an advisor to the family. They are often low profile gangsters that can be trusted. They are used as a mediator of disputes or representatives or aids in meetings with other Families. They often keep the Family looking as legitimate as possible.

Caporegime (or Capo) PEOPLE CALLED TO AN OFFICE OF GOD- A Capo (sometimes called a Captain) is in charge of a crew. There are usually four to six crews in each family, possibly even seven to nine crews, each one consisting of up to ten Soldiers.

Soldier CHRISTIANS – Soldiers are members of the family, and can only be of Italian background. Soldiers start as Associates that have proven themselves.

Associate NON CHRISTIANS - An Associate is not a member of the mob, and an Associate’s role is more similar to that of an errand boy. They are usually a go-between or sometimes deal in drugs to keep the heat off the actual members

 What I am trying to do in a round-about way is to show you that if the enemy side has got it so well down pat then we really need to get it too.

Yes we have Jesus we also have the Father and the Holy Spirit but they are GLORIFIED and HONOURED and DISPLAYED by us.

Our behaviour toward each other is how people will see God. It is a big responsibility but we have it nonetheless.

We are all family whether we like it or not. It is not written in the bible that Gods family will have irreconcilable differences.

 It says in Ephesians 4:1-6 

Unity in the Body Paul writing to the church in Ephesus.

4 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. ² Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. ³ Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. ⁴ For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. ⁵ There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,⁶ and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

Just like our natural family are "bound by blood" ... How much more are we bound by the eternal Holy Spirit? Our body and blood will pass away but our Spirit lives forever.

We have to be able to interact and be ourselves but also be willing to learn from each other.

We have got to learn how to be a fully functional family who displays GOD with their love for each other.

I know we all have baggage. We all have had experiences with in our own families that have birthed dysfunction in us.

I know that it's no one's fault other than the devils. It is his mission to destroy families and important relationships. That's why it hurts so much because they are important to us.

We can blame our parents or our brothers or our sisters or our Grandparents for what we lacked growing up and in some circumstances YES they are definitely at fault and need to be held accountable - depending on the circumstance. Sometimes we fail ourselves at those roles and that creates self esteem and guilt and shame issues.

But, if we allow those issues to control us now, we can become afraid to go through the pain of separation again.

We can be scared we will be let down when we need each other most again.

We can be fearful that we might say something offensive and hurt each other unintentionally again.

We can believe a lie about who you are on the inside. Useless or a failure.

We might be inclined to think that people in authority are hypocrites and are do as I say not as I do types and unworthy of your loyalty.

Can you see how this baggage we bring from our family experiences can affect how we relate to each other in the Family of God?

·        You will hold back and not invest what God is asking you to into a person.

·        You will not put your trust in people God asks you to trust.

·        You will build WALLS NOT BOUNDARIES around yourself and your life that keep all the bad people out and unfortunately the GOOD ones too!

·        You will not have the boldness God wants you to have in witnessing for Him if you are afraid to open your mouth.

·        And you will not view those in authority over you in Gods Kingdom as being worthy or able to do that job - so you can't submit.

So much baggage!

Has anyone noticed I have gone for a high sensory experience today?

With the emotional video, all the smells and display...

I don't do things for no reason and there is a very good reason for all this stuff up here... based on what I have just said does anyone know how this ties in?

I'll tell you: Because God did not give us our senses to be polluted by all that garbage!

He gave us our senses and our emotions so we can find much enjoyment in the good things, the beautiful things, the variety He has created the world with.

Even the wise men bought indulgent  gifts: Strong smelling things like Frankincense and Myrrh and precious and beautiful Gold.

When Jesus reclined at the table and Mary opened the Alabaster box of "very expensive" perfume and let it pour over his head. The disciples were shocked by the waste. What did Jesus say?

Don't bother her, she's done a great thing. "Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."

Jesus loved beautiful smells and lovely things. He wants us to enjoy these things and give Him praise for them.

Everyone looking at these different items can image what they smell like or taste like or feel like.

·        Marshmallow's soft and gooey

·        Coffee strong and invigorating

·        Lavender sweet and calming

We are just about finished:

But right now I want everyone to close their eyes and just for a moment take in the smells that waft around you, concentrate on your breathing and focus on what I am going to say - keeping your eyes closed:

First I want you to imagine a large paper bag. A brown paper bag that is a little crumpled. Open it up wide.

Now I want you to allow the Holy Spirit to search and bring to your attention these things in that may be in your heart to put into that paper bag:

Here we go:

·        Fear of intimacy

·        Fear of rejection

·        Fear of being misunderstood

·        Pain of not being heard

·        Pain of being the unfavoured kid

·        Anxiety of letting go and trusting people

·        Anxiety of allowing our authority - God - to take control and do as He will

·        Hard heart of unforgiveness for injustices and insults

·        Absent Fathers

·        Emotionally absent mothers

·        Pain of isolation

Now I want you to fold the top of the paper bag over twice and seal it.

Put it on the shelf in front of you.

Now I want you to visualise a very large space. Like when the Holy Spirit was hovering above the waters before there was light.

Let your mind expand as far as what you can manage. Bigger and wider.

I want you to imagine that the East and West of this space will NEVER touch. So far is as the East is from the West...

Now pick up that take paper bag of pain and.... throw it so hard toward the blackness.

Now watch as that bag hurtles into the sea of forgetfulness till you can see it no more.

Now go right now and sit at the foot of the cross.

Look up at Jesus and thank him for taking all of those things upon himself.

Now go and sit on your Heavenly Fathers knee. Run up and jump right into it!

Allow his arms to hold you and feel His love.

Warm and secure. He knows you and he loves you.

Tell Him you love Him too.

Ask Him to help you be a great member of His family.

Ask Him to show you how.

Pause...

LET ME PRAY FOR YOU:

**If there is someone I don't know - offer the Salvation Prayer to make Jesus Lord of their life.

Lord Jesus Christ,

I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. (Take a few moments to ask His forgiveness for anything particular that is on your conscience.) Please forgive me, I now turn from everything which I know to be wrong.

Thank You that You died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.

Thank You that You offer me forgiveness and the gift of Your Spirit. I now receive that gift.

Please come into my life by Your Spirit to be with me forever.

Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen.18

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Father we love being a part of your family. We love that you are our Dad and we love being your kids. We want to get to know you more. Thank you for choosing us.

Please Father, help us to bring down the walls and teach us how to build healthy boundaries. Give us your wisdom right now - because you said "If anyone asks and believes that you hand out wisdom generously without finding fault.

You say you remove our sins as far as the East is from the West and we know that means they are deleted. Thank you.

Bind us together in unity with Your Holy Spirit and may we find joy and peace in indulging in your creation. Open our eyes to the world you want us to live in. 

In Jesus name, AMEN.

War Strategies no matter what your battle is...

As you know I am a TC graduate and proud of it. It was the first thing I had ever really accomplished at that point in my life and I succeeded in it so the place is very dear to me.

If you have ever been there you will know that the driveway is gravel and has become corrugated. It is also lined with very tall gumtrees overlooking large paddocks and it is a very enjoyable 3km round trip.

At first tried running it as my exercise, then jogging, then riding and eventually I decided a leisurely walk was the best way to enjoy it.

I used to look at those trees and imagine they were Angels all standing there on guard taking care of anything evil that tried to come near us. Like they were soldiers who were there without fail protecting us and watching over us.

The corrugated gravel driveway used to be so hard to walk as you would easily roll your ankle an trying to ride a bike down there (for the 1000km training) it was a miracle if you made it without the bike sliding out from under you!

Right at the very end was a gate. It was a solid wooden gate, painted white  with a sign. The sign was double sided and on the entry side of it was "Welcome to Teen Challenge" and on the departing side (and the side I would see each time I walked the driveway) was "You are about to enter the Battle Field".

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This time I was walking down to the gate, happened to be the last time I would walk down to the end and back and I was thinking about what this sign said and was starting to worry.

This was the day that I was leaving and the last bit of advice Teen Challenge had to offer me was "Good luck in the WAR you are walking into!"

I was wondering if there was anything I could do to stay. For God to decide that I in fact needed much more rehabilitation - or even better - that TC needed me to stay and work there forever. I was scrambling for ideas and I began to feel the pressure in my head and just wanted this all to end.

I could not see my future outside of TC. My vision was limited to that moment in time because from October 2001 I had done my sums and figured out that the program for me would finish by end of 2002 and that I would then have another 6 months traineeship and that THEN I would PROBABLY be when I would think about leaving.

I had always envisaged myself finishing the program and working there a bit... and then I had no plan from there.

And that is what I had done. Completed my goal or fulfilled the VISION I had at the start but now... I had neglected to think much about the future away from the BUBBLE.

So anyway, I stood there at the gate staring at the sign and the only thing going through my mind is, "I know God says He will never leave me but what about me? Am I really capable of maintaining a relationship with God... FOREVER?"

What am I going to do when I get on with life in the real world? Will I start to forget about Him? Will I slowly start leaving Him out until one day I realise it's been a year since I last thought about Him?

How could I have just spent the last 2 years with Him and I still can't be sure I will be faithful to Him when I have free reign to choose what I will do? Go to church or not?

It is all entirely up to me when I walk out the gates and not only that, I will be having to decide while living in the middle of a war zone. Great.

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As the days and months went on after my departure I settled into it and made very conscious decisions to include God in everything, so I was wrong about my capability of hanging on to God...

But unfortunately I cannot say the same about the sign -  it was not wrong.

The Battlefield is certainly what I had walked into.

Obviously I didn't literally walk into an actual war but into a spiritual war.

TURN TO EPHESIANS 6:10-12 The Armour of God SLIDE

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Now at first I thought that the war I was about to engage in was with the DEVIL and his DEMONS. And my experience on the outside was very much in tune with this enemy. I knew him and I was well acquainted with his ways.

So in my head I was pulling on my stompin' boots and shovin' a knife down my back pocket! Don't laugh. A knife was one of my nicer weapons I used to carry.

I knew we had an enemy in the Devil and his demons and still know we do. But I was less acquainted with the other enemies I was about to encounter. MYSELF.

TURN TO ROMANS 7 The Law and Sin

21So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Paul is talking about the "flesh" that has somewhat a mind or a desire of its own. He is saying what we want to do is the thing we don't do and what we don't want to do is the very thing we do. Saying that it is sin that resides in his body, he despairs and wants deliverance from himself!

This scripture is not talking about Paul having a demon inside him or being possessed but about the sin we are born into still affecting him even as he serves Jesus - doing miracles in His name and glorifying God with his life.

So after a while I realised I had 2 enemies. The Devil and Myself. I thought it couldn't get any worse. Then I found out we had another enemy! But who??

TURN TO GALATIANS 5: Paul addressing Christians in Galatia SLIDE

⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion is not from him who calls you. ⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰ I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. ¹¹ But if I, brothers,^[b] still preach^[c] circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. ¹² I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. ¹⁶ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 

Other people who were living by the flesh can also be an "enemy" to our walk in Christ. So the Devil is against me, myself is against me and maybe you are against me....

Ok. I took my knife out and my boots off and sat down defeated. I thought there is no way I can overcome 3 enemies even with GOD. He would have to come down here and take me home coz I was done. I had no strategy.

Of course we can get a clue from the Word and it would be the last part of Ephesians 6.

13Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

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I knew of the Armour of God  and had endeavoured to PUT IT ON regularly. However that is supposed to look... but half the time I wasn't sure if I was swinging my sword at the devil or myself or at you!

Yes we are in a war. Yes there are many things going against us. So what is our resolve in the midst of all these things?

Do we despair and get bogged down in the miry clay again? Do we let our carnal minds take our bodies over seen as it seems much easier to listen to how we FEEL?!

If I had have known then as I was standing at that gate at the end of the driveway I would have made a different choice with regarding the war I was walking into.

I tell you what that choice would have been. PEACE. I would have chosen to rest in the PEACE that he has given me in the promises that I trust that He has said in His word.

I would not have been looking for combat around every corner. I would not focus negative things I still had to overcome in Christ. I would not focus on every negative thing you had to overcome in Christ. I would not see the devil around every corner.

I would have put on my armour and engaged the war like this...

1.    Belt of Truth: Tell the truth and believe the truth.

2.    Breastplate of Righteousness: Accept my righteousness as the free gift it is.

3.    Feet fitted with the Gospel: Be prepared to share the gospel in an opportunity.

4.    Shield of Faith: Exercise my Faith by believing His promises.

5.    Sword of the Spirit: Learn the WORD and apply it to my life.

6.    Helmet of Salvation: Have an eternal perspective on this life.

7.    Pray in the Spirit and then... just rest or stand.

When you have done everything you are supposed to do then you: REST.

REST IN GOD. He is the one who fights on our behalf. He is our shepherd who leads us. If He is for us, who can be against us?

Let's look at:

ROMANS 8 The Future Glory

¹⁸ Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. ¹⁹ For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.²⁰ Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, ²¹ the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.

²² For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,^[j] including the new bodies he has promised us. ²⁴ We were given this hope when we were saved.

²⁶ And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. ²⁷ And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers^[l] in harmony with God’s own will. 

²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together^[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. ²⁹ For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn^[n] among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love

³¹ What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? ³² Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? ³³ Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. ³⁴ Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honour at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

³⁵ Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?³⁶ (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”^[o]) ³⁷ No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[p] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Listen, we are in a war, but in the best kind of war. It's already been won!

We can't screw this up no matter how hard we try. God is fully able to bring you through to the place He wants you to be. The top of the mountain.

He just develops our character on the way.

Don't despair. When you have been beat up by yourself, the devil or someone else take a second to think about the fact that the war is already won. Rest in Gods arms tonight in peace. 

Looking Backward, Moving Forward...

WHAT ARE WE STRIVING TOWARD?

·        Where have I come from?

·        Where do I want to go?

Two questions I most frequently ask myself.

I always take stock of where I am at in life. I look at what I am doing and analyse what is working for me and what is not.

I look at the lessons God has been trying to teach me and "grade my own paper" (as Dr Phil says).

Am I getting it?

I have done that in my own life for a long time now and now I also have to do it with The Storehouse Church people in mind.

The short answer is YES. I am happy how things are going. My expectations have been more than met for this year.

Sometimes I get caught up in the moment...

·        Do I have everything I want NOW?

·        Have I attained ALL my goals NOW?

But that is an unrealistic view of the way we achieve success in life yeah?

We need to look at where we have come from and what we have achieved within a specified time limit. Dr Phil says: "The difference between a dream and a goal is a timeframe with an end date.

To me dreams are awesome. I dream ALOT and I try to understand what my dreams are telling me... whether they are warnings or encouragements or instructions or what.

But then my Dad's voice will ring in my head, "Nicole, get your head out of the clouds!"

Dreaming is great, but they are fluffy and hard to grasp. I have to make tangible goals that I can cling onto when my focus gets blurry. I need something I can work towards and measure.

In February this year God was speaking to me about the time being right to embark on something big. With a fair bit of opposition from some - together with a lot of good counsel others - we decided to give it a go and we started the process in opening The Storehouse.

To do some measuring from 12 March to December (10 months) I would have to say that we have achieved more than I thought was possible in such a short amount of time.

Especially since the stuff I have been doing is completely new to me and have no  experience at all.

Makes that scripture:

Eph 3: ²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..."

very real to me!

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We are heading into 2014 and I know you will agree with me that time goes much quicker when your older!

Have you taken stock of where you are headed lately?

Have you had a good look at where you have come from and whether you are heading in the direction you want to go?

Do you have specific things you would like to accomplish that have been forgotten?                   

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We hear sermons on how God wants to do "BIG" things in our life.

So are we seeing the Kingdom of Heaven manifesting in our lives?

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He wants us to have a "MINISTRY" to use those "TALENTS" He's left us with.

So, is God doing things for you and are you doing things for God?

All of these encouragements are great and true but they are very open ended.

Is changing 15 nappies a day "the Kingdom" living?

Is working at a job for very little money "the riches of heaven" flowing in your life?

Is sitting with papers up to my ears learning how to keep legal financial records for a Church, showing the love of Christ?

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I actually think the answer is yes to all those questions, but if we haven't set a goal it would seem like a big waste of time doing all these things, when all that is in our heads is: "We need to make disciples of all nations and baptise them."

I mean far out, where do you even start with that goal?!

What does account keeping have to do with Baptising someone?!

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There is a lot of LIFE that happens while we are heading towards our goals and that is what God uses to enable us to KEEP and ENJOY our success when we hit the target.

If we don't have the character to sustain what God wants to give us in our life, it will slip through our fingers when we get there.

This scripture keeps coming to mind lately:

1 Corinthians 9:24-27²⁴ Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!²⁵ All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. ²⁶ So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. ²⁷ I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

Training is the changing nappies and learning to work for a hard boss. Training is being who you are in front of people as you are when no one is looking. Training is the attitudes we have toward people who are awful to us and so much more. It's hard and we will get it wrong.... many times.

Then I find this awesome encouragement when I fail...

Eph 3:¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

So a few things we can take from this is:

There is an eternal prize.

We need to train to attain it.

It takes a long time to obtain it.

The best way to move toward it is FORGETTING WHAT IS BEHIND and PRESSING ON TOWARD THE GOAL.

Now we just need to define what our goal is.

AND THAT'S BETWEEN YOU AND GOD!

KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST

When we are looking at what the future for our lives hold while we are working toward our goal... we can see in:

2 Peter 1:3

³ His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to^[a] his own glory and excellence,^[b]

 

When we are wondering where we can find some wisdom, love and encouragement... we can see in:

 

Colossians 2

2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, ² that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

 

When we feel like everything is against us and we are not succeeding.... we can see in:

 

2 Corinthians 2:14

¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

 

And when we have people around us who don't support us and ridicule us... we can see in:

2 Peter 3 

¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The commonality in us succeeding in our future is getting to know Jesus better. Growing in knowledge of Him. Very exciting to do that together with you in 2014! 

Let's pray:

Father you have created each one of us with a plan for our lives. We need you to tell us what that is and give us the wisdom to see the distractions. We want to glorify you in our lives - not ourselves.

Bless everyone here with a fresh understanding of the call on their lives and a renewed motivation to strive toward You in 2014. In Jesus name, Amen.