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March 10, 2013

Looking For Love

Have you ever gone looking for love, or for acceptance, or to have your needs met outside of God’s plan for your life?

Do any of you remember Johnny Lee’s 1980 chart-topping-single “Looking for Love”? I didn’t see Urban Cowboy (the movie that introduced the song), but the song got LOTS of radio airplay on my school bus. I wasn’t a country music fan, but I can still recall the lyrics, “Looking for love in all the wrong places. Looking for love in too many faces, searching their eyes, looking for traces of what I’m dreaming of . . .”

The Old Testament offers a great example of someone who went looking in the wrong place. David had no business living in the land of the Philistines (1 Samuel 27, 29). Here are two big reasons for NOT living in Philistia:

David was already anointed to be king (1 Samuel 16). He couldn’t be killed and fulfill God’s plan.
God warned the Israelis of the dangers of close relations with sinful outsiders.

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David and his loyal band of misfits become pirates and liars while living in Philistia. Could the bad influence of the people around whom David chose to live be the reason nothing is said about God for the 16 months David lives in Ziklag?

I know that Saul repeatedly tried to kill David, but God delivered David every time. Why did David no longer trust God’s protection in Israel? I think David suffered from three common worries.

#1 “I’m not sure my needs will be met.”

#2 “I don’t want to get rejected by my peer group.”

#3 “I want to feel accepted or loved.”

David suffered from that internal need for acceptance – to the extreme he was willing to seek it from a Philistine king. David tried in vain to meet his own needs. David certainly got no sense of peace from King Saul but King Achish of Gath was the wrong place to go looking.

Too often people seek out the wrong folks for security. God hasn’t called you to live life outside the community of faith. David’s decision to seek acceptance outside of Israel ended horribly. Ultimately David and his men get rejected by the Philistines who refuse to fight alongside of them. David even gets rejected by his own men when they return from being rejected by the Philistines. Finally, David recognizes his mistake.

Even after his experience in Ziklag, David struggled with this same kind of concerns, but David takes his emotions to the right place. Instead of looking for love in the wrong place, David goes to the Lord directly. I appreciate David’s willingness to bare his unprocessed sentiments in open worship.

“O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 NLT)
“Quick, God, I need your helping hand! The last decent person just went down, All the friends I depended on gone. Everyone talks in lie language; Lies slide off their oily lips. They doubletalk with forked tongues.” (Psalm 12:1-2 MSG)
“My God, my God, why have you deserted me? Why do you seem to be so far away when I need you to save me? Why do you seem to be so far away that you can’t hear my groans?” (Psalm 22:1 NIRV) Every human knows this concern. Jesus used the words from this Psalm while hanging on the cross.

Your circumstances may be quite different than David’s, yet you feel those same pressure points of worry and concern. What will you do with them? Take time today to read all of Psalm 10, 12, and 22. See how the Psalmist David learned to handle those raw emotions.

God is never threatened by your honesty in prayer and worship. He knows everything about you and still invites you to come to Him. Get God’s perspective on your life. Don’t look for love in the wrong place. You are called to respond in faith to trials and difficulties in life.

For more insight into David’s Ziklag experience, check out http://www.pastorgreg.org/distressed-3-sources-to-encourage-yourself/.

March 9, 2013

Be the Right Person

Do you want to have a great marriage? Prepare early and start now. Start praying for your spouse now. “But I am not married yet” is no excuse for not praying. “But I am already married” is no excuse for not praying. Get it? Start now!

Single but wanting to get married? Ask God what are the qualities and characteristics that He wants in your spouse. Don’t let go of your vision! Use those characteristics as a guide to find the person God-picked for you. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. As you believe and pray, expect God to refine those desires. Allow Him to adjust unrealistic or dysfunctional thought patterns inside of you. When God gives you insight into the qualities that He wants in your spouse, hold on to that picture.

Long before you are married, use that list to help you weed out the ones that don’t match up. I had several things I knew God wanted for me in a partner. That list helped me, confirmed that Patti was the one for me. I can still remember my excitement as a student at Oral Roberts University, when I knew that she was the one. Patti is beautiful inside and out! I love my wife.

Singles, keep your standards high and live those standards. If you want to marry the right kind of person, BE that right kind of person.

That axiom applies to you that are already married. If you wish to be married to the right kind of person, be that right kind of person. It’s the Golden Rule – do to others as you would have them to do you. It’s virtuous practice – to see the change, be the change. It’s righteous routine – be holy for God is holy. It’s seed faith living – give of yourself first and expect God’s return.

Married but wanting to see a change in your relationship? Ask God what are the qualities and characteristics that He wants in your life. Don’t let go of your vision! Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. As you believe and pray, expect God to refine those desires. Allow Him to adjust unrealistic or dysfunctional thought patterns inside of you. Start with yourself but also invite the Holy Spirit to do His transformational work in your spouse. If God gives you insight into the qualities that He wants in your spouse, pray and hold on to that picture, but don’t try to do the Holy Spirit’s job.

March 8, 2013

Worship Connects People to God

Valley Fellowship Church is a Spirit-led, Spirit-empowered congregation that actively pursues the manifest presence of the Lord. Each time we gather we expect to meet with God. Each time we assemble we anticipate God doing something special. Each time we come together we desire God to show up too.

Valley Fellowship values worship. A strong component of our spiritual DNA is worshipers experiencing God individually and collectively on a Sunday morning. Motivated worshipers give God glory even if the music isn’t perfect, even if the singers are out-of-tune, even if it’s cold outside, even if their favorite song isn’t included, even if the temperature inside isn’t ideal, even if the sound system is buzzing, even if others won’t. Enjoying powerful praise and worship is so much easier in a Spiritually-charged congregational atmosphere where the majority give God glory. Passion within the congregation lifts and inspires people to connect with God.

Our worship is a powerful tool for connecting people with God! Valley Fellowship’s worship communicates God’s presence in a relevant manner, and we want to enlarge the number of motivated worshipers. Our worship opens the door for lives to be changed!

I enjoy the music of Paul Baloche, a gifted song-writer, a many-year-veteran worship leader, and a very talented musician. We sing several of his songs including Hosanna, Your Name, Open the Eyes of Heart, and Our God Saves because his music and lyrics connect people with God’s presence. I also appreciate Baloche’s honest heart for worship. Check out Baloche’s www.leadworship.com where you can find printable music, training videos, and several articles that could be a blessing for you.

In the May 2008 edition of Focus on the Family magazine, Baloche highlights:

Worship is much more than 20 minutes of singing at a church service. What I try to model for my family and my church is that worship has more to do with relationship than it does with music. It is impossible to worship a living God — sacrificing our bodies, emotions, minds and hearts — and not have it affect all our relationships. Of course, I go through seasons when life is hard and relationships are difficult. On occasional Sundays, I stand before my church and just go through the motions. But I can’t do that for long. We can’t separate worship from relationship any more than we can separate intimacy from a healthy marriage. Just as intimacy wells up from the mutual respect and love within a marriage, worship springs from a surrendered and grateful heart.

True worship is birthed from a relationship with the living God of everything. Is the Lord your Heavenly Father? Are you His child? Do you worship from a surrendered and grateful heart? Does everything in your life reflect the surpassing greatness of my loving Heavenly Father? By examining your own life, you can better support worship that connects people with God’s presence. “I will proclaim the Name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!” (Deuteronomy 32:3 NIV)

Are you ready to worship on Sunday with a passion and sound that draws everyone who attends into God’s presence? Huntsville, I expect to see you Sunday at 8:30 or 10:00 AM!

March 8, 2013

Good Marriages Don’t Just Happen

Good marriages demand effort and attention. There is no magic trick to pull off a good marriage. If you want a good marriage, it takes work. A refrigerator can be plugged in the electrical outlet and run fine for years without maintenance, but marriage is NOT an appliance. Marriage is a God-ordained relationship that must be cultivated and cherished, never neglected.

Here are five areas that demand attention for a good marriage.

#1 PRAY TOGETHER: Release God to work in your marriage. You have not because you ask not. Pray together; stay together.

#2 TALK TOGETHER: Actually talk to one another about everything – feelings, frustrations, hopes, happiness. Turn off the media, look at one another, and have a conversation about life.

#3 EAT TOGETHER: Don’t let our society steal the connection that comes when people share food together. The early church benefited from eating together and you and your spouse will benefit too!

#4 PLAY TOGETHER: Play a game, watch movie, or take a walk. Spend time together on a short vacation. Do you share a hobby? When was your last date with your spouse?

#5 SERVE TOGETHER: Find an area where you and spouse can serve your local congregation together. Couples make great teams for evangelistic outreach, kids’ teaching, prayer ministry, usher helps, greeter smiles, nursery diaper-changing, mission trips, and more! Serve the House of God and serve your house. Share household responsibilities. Can you work together to get the house, the lawn, or the checkbook done?

Good marriages don’t just happen; they take work but God will help you. Allow the Lord to soften your heart.

March 7, 2013

OPEN DOORS, OPEN OPPORTUNITIES

Are you ready to share Christ? Let’s make it hard to go to hell from Huntsville, Alabama. I am praying for an outpouring from heaven that covers the Tennessee Valley and raises the spiritual water level of every Christ-honoring, Bible-believing church. I’ve seen God move amazingly outside the United States, but I want to see U.S. altars filled with lives being changed for Christ’s glory.

God wants to move, but we have a part to play. God has open doors, open opportunities for us to share His message.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2 NIV)

Have you prayed today? Have you asked God to use you to share Christ today? To be an effective messenger, spend time with Jesus Christ. Let your words be an overflow of a heart passionate about Christ. Maintain daily, intimate relationship with the King of the universe. Pray! Ask the Lord for lives to be changed. Prepare your heart and intercede for the lost. Talk to the Lord about your pre-Christian friend – then talk to your pre-Christian friend about the Lord.

After you have prayed and asked the Lord to use you – be alert! Be watchful during the roughly 160 hours a week you are awake and encountering other people. I have found that praying in the Spirit helps my sensitivity. You need the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit – NOT YOU – will inspire a person to change. It’s His job, not yours. Be sensitive to the unction of the Holy Spirit and thankful for where the Holy Spirit has placed you.

Gratitude and joy are attractive. Be thankful! A wrong attitude will rob you of sensitivity. Don’t grumble about where you are. God can use you in the daily routine of your life.

“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.” (Colossians 4:3 NIV)

Are you looking for open doors? Don’t open the door yourself. Let God open the door. Wait on Him but wait alertly! Pray and be alert to know when a door opens. Attentive to the many opportunities God has prepared.

The Holy Spirit can tell you NOT to share. Do you realize that at times Paul was forbidden to preach the Word (Acts 16:6)? Sensitivity is required. The Lord said “no” to Asia, “no” to home, “no” to Bithynia, but “yes” to Macedonia. Paul has a vision in the night (Acts 16:9-10). He must have been awake to see a vision, instead of a dream. Could he have been spending a sleepless night seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit?

Paul and his companions obeyed and walked through the door open by the Lord. Later, Paul proclaimed, “When I arrived in Troas to proclaim the Message of the Messiah, I found the place wide open: God had opened the door; all I had to do was walk through it” (2 Corinthians 2:12 MSG).

“Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” (Colossians 4:4 NIV)

Is your message clear? Avoid religious terminology that is not a part of your natural vocabulary. Share the story of how Jesus Christ changed your life.

Remember to listen – I mean, REALLY listen. Your message will hit home when you listen. Don’t get so caught up mentally in the plan you have memorized that you are preparing your next sentence while the person is sharing.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:5-6 NIV)

WISE REMINDERS:

#1 God has not called you to present a plan of salvation to every person you see today. But that is not excuse for neglecting the one to whom you ARE to share Christ.

#2 Don’t beat a person over the head for habits that offend you. You needed forgiveness, too.

#3 Avoid getting pulled into an argument. Make the issue Jesus Christ. Don’t win an argument and lose the person. Please, don’t muddy the water for the next person who tries to fish in that pond. Your goal is to win people, not arguments.

#4 You don’t have to study other religions in order to share Christ. The issue is Jesus Christ because He ONLY is the way, the truth, and the life. Share what you know!

#5 You are not called to bring every person to a decision. Sometimes you plant; sometimes you water; sometimes you reap.

“Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Don’t forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I’m locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.” (Colossians 4:2-4 MSG)

March 4, 2013

Psalm 133 Unity

Do you want to be a sweet fragrance in the nostrils of Heavenly Father? Do you desire His healing release? How about refreshing and fruitfulness as a result of the Lord abundant provision? If so – make it your aim to live with your brothers and sister in Christ IN HARMONY!

Psalm 133 is a beautiful picture of the commanded blessing of God upon unity.

How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. (Psalm 133 NLT)

Pleasant anointing oil profusely outpoured released fragrance and healing. Hermon’s heavy dew is a picture of fruitfulness and refreshing. Hermon, Syria’s highest mountain (nearly 10,000 ft) could be seen from 120 miles away. Image the psalmist raising a pointed hand toward the northern snowcapped peak (2/3 of the year has snow). Hermon’s 60 inches of precipitation become the main supply for the Jordan River.

Do you want the Lord’s commanded blessing? Meditate the following Scriptures:

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. (1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT)
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3 NIV)
Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. (Philippians 1:27 NASB)
Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. (1 Peter 3:8 NLT)

March 3, 2013

Don’t sell yourself short.

Have you ever heard the proverb, “You can be too big for God to use, but you can never be too small”? I am certainly not against people leveraging their popularity for God’s glory. God can use “big names” for His purpose, but the “big name” that really counts is the Lord Jesus Christ.

God uses quite ordinary people to do great things. You may never have a big name, but you can be a hero. In A World without Heroes, George Roche defines heroism as “an extraordinary act of goodness, performed by ‘ordinary’ persons from whom we do not expect it” (Hillsdale College Press, 1987, p. 23) Your name never being widely recognized is no justification for living an inconsequential life.

Contemporary United States culture may fixate upon celebrities, but God’s kingdom work is usually accomplished through the dedicated obedience of ordinary people. Ordinary people will always be the incalculable majority of the people in the church, but God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.

“Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing.” (1 Corinthians 1:26 GNT)

Nehemiah was ordinary guy. He had a respectable job and enjoyed living in a royal retreat area, King Cyrus’s summer palace. Nehemiah was trustworthy; no world leader wants to be poisoned. As the royal cupbearer, tasting the food and drink before the king, Nehemiah had unique access to the king. But don’t forget his job could be done by thousands of others. A cupbearer to a Persian king is quite replaceable.

But when this ordinary man heard about the condition of Jerusalem, he was deeply moved. Notice his first response, “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven (Nehemiah 1:4 NIV)”

He sought God’s guidance and looked for God’s opportunity. The walls were still broken, the city disgraced, the rubble had been there six decades, but Nehemiah felt like he could do something about it. What boldness! He didn’t let his servant status hinder his trust in Almighty God. The day arrived. Nehemiah found favor with an earthly monarch because Nehemiah had already found favor with the monarch of heaven.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking of the saints of Scripture as superheroes with superpowers unique to them. Think about the backgrounds of the some of the people God chooses to use.

If you took a heavenly roll call, the group would include an Egyptian castaway turned sheepherder, a shepherd boy whose best friends were criminals, an abandoned widow and her mother–in–law, a broken older woman whose only home was the temple, a carpenter whose hands were cracked and calloused, a common Jewish girl, a brawny fisherman, a tax collector, a prostitute, and a prideful Pharisee.

You may be thinking, What a group! Looks as if God would have chosen people of nobility. The truth is, He chose those very people, common in social status but uncommon in spirit, to change the course of history. . .

Common people doing uncommon things. God isn’t looking for polished social giants; He is looking for people who are available and willing to trust Him.

Whatever your past holds, it is no match for God’s grace. Tell Him you are available to be used by Him, and you will be surprised at the work He gives you to do. (Charles Stanley, Enter His Gates, 1998, July 11)

God works through ordinary people to carry out His work in the world. Yield your life, rely on Holy Spirit empowerment, get involved, and don’t quit. Do any of you remember Danniebell Hall’s 1977 hit “Ordinary People”? I close singing the chorus:

God uses ordinary people
He chooses people just like me and you
Who are willing to do as He commands
God uses people that will give Him all
No matter how small your all may seem to you
Because little becomes much
As you place it in the Master’s hand (Birdwing Music)

March 2, 2013

Lift Up Jesus

In a Valley Fellowship Christian Academy chapel in February of 1998, my brother Barry and I presented a salvation message. We drew upon the ideas of someone else, but I failed to note whom or where. Here was the heart of the message:

Jesus said, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14–15 NIV). The bronze serpent was lifted up on a pole;Jesus was lifted up on a cross. Those who looked on the bronze serpent were healed from a snakebite. Those who look on Jesus are healed from sin, from death, and from hell. Those who were healed of the snakebite eventually died of something else. Those who believe on Jesus do not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus said, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32 NIV).

Who are you lifting up?

Lift up the Jesus who is the living Word, who was in the beginning, who was with God, who was God.
Lift up the Jesus to whom John the Baptist pointed and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”.
Lift up the Jesus who left the glory of heaven, was born of a virgin, took upon himself the form of a man, and as a man faced every temptation and trial we will ever face and did so without once sinning.
Lift up the Jesus who said, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless he is born again”.
Lift up the Jesus who said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”.
Lift up the Jesus who said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty”.
Lift up the Jesus who said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”.
Lift up the Jesus who said, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am”.
Lift up the Jesus who said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved”.
Lift up the Jesus who said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”.
Lift up the Jesus who said, “I am God’s Son”.
Lift up the Jesus who said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies”.
Lift up the Jesus who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”.
Lift up the Jesus who said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”.
Lift up the Jesus by whose wounds we are healed, who bore our sins in his body on the cross, whose blood cleanses us of all our sin, and who died, was buried, and rose on the third day with victory over sin, death, and hell.
Lift up the Jesus who was seen by over 500 people after his resurrection, who ascended back through the clouds to take his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who is seated in the heavenly realms making intercession for us.
Lift up the Jesus who has been exalted far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come, before whom every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and whom every tongue will confess that he is Lord.
Lift up the Jesus of whom ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands say in heaven, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”.
Lift up the Jesus who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

March 1, 2013

Focused Worship or Distracted Worship?

There are times when I am leading worship I become preoccupied by the score or arrangement, or distracted by an out-of-pitch guitar string, or sidetracked by someone talking, or blurred by uncertainty in which direction to go. I know I am NOT the only one who has to take authority over my thoughts and bring them into subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I know that corporate worship needs my focus upon the Lord. I want to be focused upon Him, but sometimes even as a leader I can lose focus or have trouble concentrating on the Lord.

One common hindrance to being able to center upon the Lord is a lack of familiarity with the song we are singing. It is difficult to flow in Spirit-empowered worship when I am reading my musical score – chord by chord, note by note, or word by word. I’m not really connecting my spirit with Holy Spirit when my mind is crowded with thoughts about the upcoming key change, the transition to the bridge, the next song’s lyrics, or the rocking guitar solo that I wish I had more time to perfect.

Recognizing this limitation I honestly try to practice the songs as much as I can. I will sit with my guitar and sing through the prepared list. I will sing through and pray through my set list even while I am walking in the grocery store and visiting the rest room. While driving, I will repeat the recording of a new song until my daughter Kimberlyn can’t stand it any longer. I may not have the song perfected but I do want to have enough familiarity that I can focus on what’s important. I want my focus on the Lord; I want a Matthew 6:33 focus.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33 NIV)

Another common problem for many platform musicians and singers is lack of personal worship in private. My spiritual senses are dulled when I feast on the “world” for a week. What do I mean by “world”? Lots of things – pop music, NFL football, thanksgiving turkey, online media – whatever I consume in abundant quantity or whatever consumes my thought life during the week. I admit it – even pastors have to live in world that competes for attention. I have to remind myself to worship everyday.

I have figured out I have to tune up my spirit man before I can remain focused upon the Lord while I am in a worship service. I cannot do in front of people on Sunday mornings something that is missing from my private life. In fact, if worship is absent from my life on Monday through Saturday, worship isn’t likely to flow on Sunday. Worship really is a lifestyle. But when I take time to worship privately, my worship expression on Sunday comes much more easily.

“But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24 NLT)

Are you tuned up spiritually? Are you ready to focus your thoughts on the Lord as we enter God’s awesome presence on Sunday? Take some time to worship privately. Shut the door to your bedroom and express yourself to the Lord. Sing, shout, play your instrument, clap, pray in the tongues, bow, even dance! I bet that if all of us do it privately on Saturday we will be able to tell a difference on Sunday.

February 28, 2013

God-Confidence to Reach Beyond Limits

Don’t let barriers – from the enemy, from the world’s culture, or from your own mind – keep you from doing all God has called you to do. Travel the path God has prepared for you with confidence. God promised to never leave you and He is on your side!

“The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:7, 11 NIV)
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 NIV)

It’s time for you to become more familiar with God’s ability than the enemy’s obstacles. It’s time for you stop looking only at where you are and start looking at what you can be. It’s time for you to trust His strength within you more than your own dysfunctional thought patterns.

What restrictions or restraints have you put on yourself? What limits are you accepting that are hindering what God wants to do in your life? Where are you defeating yourself? In what areas of your life have you limited God’s ability inside of you?

I CAN’T BECAUSE ________.

What phrase do you put in the blank? I am just ordinary? I ain’t smart? I never have? I am only a ‘B’ student? I don’t have enough money? I’m scared? What might people say? I’m too heavy, too skinny, too short, too awkward . . .?

Too many folks never move further than the boundary of their self-imposed limitations. Gideon looked at circumstances and limited himself (Judges 6:11). God called Gideon “mighty warrior”, but Gideon quarreled and complained (Judges 6:13, 15). Don’t be like that! Stay out of your own way. Take the limits off your thoughts! Don’t fight with God. Surrender to His strength and use what He puts inside of you for His glory.

The Philistines possessed military superiority over the terrified Israeli army (1 Samuel 13:19-25), yet Jonathan displayed God-confidence in the face of the sizable force. Jonathan didn’t limit God’s ability. “’Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,’ Jonathan said to his armor bearer. ‘Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!’” (1 Samuel 14:6 NLT)

Jonathan was willing to take on an entire company of Philistines with only one guy standing with him. Jonathan went all MMA “using hands and feet” (14:6) on the enemy. His God-reliant exploit opened the door for victory not only for himself and his armor bearer but for the entire Israeli army. Follow Jonathan’s example!

Open your eyes to the possibilities around you. Believe God for what seems impossible for He “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV). Renew your mind with God’s Word.

Pick a barrier big enough to matter when you overcome it. Move toward the obstacle like Jonathan did – in faith, not fear! Stretch yourself to attempt something new or to do something differently.

Exercise God-confidence. Begin to take small steps toward your problem, and don’t quit. You may be stopped temporarily, but you are the only one who can stop you permanently. God is with you. You can move forward!