“PATTERN YOURSELVES after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah).”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:1‬ ‭AMPC

If you haven’t climbed the mountain that I am climbing, or if you have not walked the road that I’m walking, or if you have yet to be where I’m going, then I’m not interested in following, listening or imitating you!

I will find those ahead of me, NEXT LEVEL people, to stretch, strengthen and motivate me!!!

Labor Day Lifetime!

Labor day week end. What about Labor Day life time? Jesus said in Matt. 28 18 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The Message bible says it this way,
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Holidays are great but Jesus wants to give us Holy Days for the "REST" of our lives!.

Mentors Matter!

“Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”
‭‭1 CORINTHIANS‬ ‭11:1 AMP

“PATTERN YOURSELVES after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah).”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:1‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

“I want you to pattern your lives after me, just as I pattern mine after Christ.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:1‬ ‭TPT‬‬

My earliest memories are of walking from the parsonage to the church, REACHING UP, HOLDING DAD’S HAND!

I need, we need leaders, mentors and pastors to follow! Not just anyone with a title or a position, rather those who are anointed and appointed to be in our lives.
I want to be around people who know more than me, who have done more, who have gone further and are going faster then me! I want to be MOTIVATED BY MY MENTORS!

MENTORS MATTER! 

It Is Already Done!

7, The number of God. A number of Completion.

As Dr. Bill Winston says, “on the seventh day God rested, not because he was tired, but because he was done”!

Everything we need to accomplish our purpose is already in the KINGDOM!

We don’t need to ask for anything. We just need to MANIFEST everything!

Who is Following you?

“And he said to them, “As you go into all the world, preach openly the wonderful news of the gospel to the entire human race! Whoever believes the good news and is baptized will be saved, and whoever does not believe the good news will be condemned. And these miracle signs will accompany (follow) those who believe: They will drive out demons in the power of my name. They will speak in tongues. They will be supernaturally protected from snakes and from drinking anything poisonous. And they will lay hands on the sick and heal them.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:15-18‬ ‭TPT

“Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the LORD.”
PSALMS‬ ‭23:6‬ ‭AMP‬‬

The Holy Spirit will bring with Him more than just “feelings”, He brings powerful signs! Since I believe, these signs will FOLLOW me. Who is FOLLOWING you?

Goodness and Mercy is FOLLOWING me! Who is FOLLOWING you?

I Quit!

Why is it, that it is so hard to quit THAT which is destroying us and yet it is so easy to quit WHAT can help us?

“THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:1‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

I was not made to “FIT IN”. I was given a purpose, a calling and a particular assignment!

I will never find it and fulfill it, trying to fit in!!!

Your Next is becoming your Now!

Your Next is becoming your Now! 

Now Faith IS....- Heb 11:1

TODAY IS the Day Of Salvation...2 Cor 6:2

—————————————————

The Rest of My Life will be the BEST of my Life!

The Best is yet to come!

I believe all of these, BUT...

This mindset has caused us to except less today than we should...

NOW, NOW and NOW!

Your Next is becoming your Now! 

Sometimes you DO what you have to DO, until you can DO what you are CALLED and CREATED to DO!

Can You Spare Some CHANGE?

An old preacher told me once “God don’t change, so we ain’t gonna change.” About that time my young daughter walked up and the old preacher said “she sure is growing up!” I said “yeah, she is CHANGING isn’t she?”

“And Jesus grewin wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Luke‬ ‭2:52‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“But growin grace (undeserved favor, spiritual strength) and recognition and knowledge and understanding...

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭

We have turned to many of the Laws of Faith into pictures, posters and art pieces!

DECLARATION not DECORATION!!!

Renewed Mind!

Am I a Conformer or am I a Transformer? Do I think like the world around me, or do I create the world around me by the way that I think? The scripture says it this way:

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. (Romans 12:2 AMP)

What I think about, I bring about! 

God Is The Giver!

Jesus said in John 10 that “the thief comes to steal and kill.”  But “I am come that you might have life to the fullest.” I do not care who or how many times people quote Job when he said “ the lord gives and the lord takes away.” IT IS TRUE JOB SAID THAT.  BUT IT IS NOT TRUTH! Job was messed up, he was fearful and attracted the thieve to steal from him. God is blessing you only!!!
If you are losing do not blame it on God!

DORMANT DREAMS

To dream the impossible dream....how many dreams do you have that seem impossible or at least improbable? They eventually become inactive or asleep, tucked away somewhere in the corner of your heart. The interim from the dream to their

reality takes some doing. Many times its during the doing that dormancy sets in. I hear an alarm clock ringing, not that I'm alarmed, but it is TIME to wake up some DREAMS!

50 IS NOT FINAL

                                                                                                                                                                    

The guy at the gym said " you are doing well for fifty". He thought he complimented me, I did not!

So many people have talked about things like Geritol, black balloons and said they were sorry for me. Many referring to being over the hill and other depressing analogies. All well meaning, but I don't feel that way at all.
First turning fifty is better than the alternative...think about it. Well in the eternal scope of things maybe not, Heaven is going to be way cooler than fifty :). But I have more to do here and now!!! I feel better, I am fitter and I am wiser that I have ever been. It does give me pause, causes me to think and take proverbial stock of my journey. Allowing me to review, retool and reinvision my goals, making adjustments and eliminating or adding as the case merits. So I conclude 50 IS NOT FINAL but rather 50 is a time to FOCUS! Not to mention that 50 is the YEAR OF JUBILEE! More to come...

GOAL GETTER

Goal setters on average earn more, accomplish more and see much more success than people who do not set goals. But only a small percentage of people actually set goals and even fewer set clear written goals with plans to accomplish them.

I have found that I will set goals and even write them down, but that tends to satisfy me enough to walk away without a plan. You know the old saying "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail". So as I write this I am resolving to transition form being a GOAL SETTER to becoming a GOAL GETTER! The Apostle Paul said "I have my eye on the goal" in another translation it reads "I am pressing toward the mark". There will be some pressing involved, and energy expended. But I will...

1. Create and write down clear and precise GOALS.

2. Prepare an ACTION Plan.

3. PRESS toward the GOAL!

And of course all of the above will be bathed in prayer, believing that my goals are God's GOALS for my life.
That they are not just good goals but GOD'S GOALS!!!!

LABOR DAY

Labor day week end. What about Labor Day life time? Jesus said in Matt. 28 18 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The Message bible says it this way,
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Holidays are great but Jesus wants to give us Holy Days for the "REST" of our lives!.

GET STRONG, BE STRONG AND STAY STRONG

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in
Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you
and make you strong, firm and steadfast. - 1 Peter 5:10

Labor Day!

Labor day week end. What about Labor Day life time? Jesus said in Matt. 28 18 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The Message bible says it this way,
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Holidays are great but Jesus wants to give us Holy Days for the "REST" of our lives!.

Can You Spare a Little CHANGE?

And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured (CHANGED) into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified Bible)

To move forward we must change. In order to advance in life in any area change is necessary. How do we grow or progress? We must change! As our children grow up, they CHANGE! We document it, take pictures, and videos of each milestone. We MEASURE their physical growth, we journal their emotional and intellectual maturation. We EXPECT them to change. But as they reach adulthood our expectations degrease or completely cease.

Mark Twain once said, "Most men die at 27, we just bury them at 72." Let’s not stop growing.

Imagine a world without the Internet, no email, texting twittering, blogging etc. Yet I have friends who live in such a world. Think about a business or a church operating in the same manner as they did in the 1950’s. Yet on any given Sunday many churches are like time machines, you walk through the doors and are transported back to another time and place. If we are to be agents of change we must not be intimidated by change in our own lives. If we are to progress we must be progressive.
God calls us to growth. We must always prepare to go forward in our endeavors. We must never want to stay the same. Refuse to remain as you are. Always press for more, to become better. Never settle!.