Seizing The Opportunities In Life

This post is a message summary* from Dr. Decker H.Tapscott, Sr. He is the Senior Pastor of Faith Christian Church International Outreach Center, in Warrenton, VA. He is a frequent speaker to God's people in both Denominational, Non-denominational, and International church bodies, and is a guest speaker for Women's Aglow. He is the author of "So Run" and "Let Us Make Man", two powerful kingdom initiatives on Biblical Manhood and The Life of Faith. His vision is to see men and women, young and old, impacted by the life-changing power of the Word of God, so that the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit can bring the transformation necessary for Kingdom service. For more information visit www.gotfaithnow.com.

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Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people),Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Ephesians  5:14-15

We must make the most of our time because the days are evil. We must seize every opportunity.
We don't have time to waste time. You must consider your ways. You can't spend time in front of the TV watching valueless things. The scripture tells us to not be vain or thoughtless.

As the old saying goes, "An empty mind is the devil's workshop." We must understand and grasp what the mind of the Lord is. It is impossible to live a life on purpose without knowing His will.

As we run life's race, we will come across one opportunity after another. There will be ostacles along the way. We must gain the greatest value from the opportnites while avoiding and overcoming obstacles. Life is not a bed of thornless roses! There are things that want to undermine our walk and our integrity, to undermine and keep you from reaping the rewards.

Obstacles like: "It doesn't take all that."
                          " You think you're more spiritual than us?"

Many things come to question the validity of your ordination by God. Even church folk can't seem to grasp the grace on your life. God is the one who validates! God brings recognition to us! In this hour, in the shaking of our Nation (USA), there will be some shaking off and some shaking together. It will cause you to be stronger and be apt to fulfill what God has called you to.

Take a look at this verse:

1 Corinthians 16:9

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁹For a wide door of opportunity for effectual [service] has opened to me [there, a great and promising one], and [there are] many adversaries.

This verse has to do with the timing of God. You may long to be elsewhere, but where you are now, there is a great door of opportunity, an open door there for you! There may be adversaries that you are facing that want you to underfunction, but God will give open doors. You must be willing not to miss it!

You cannot be intimidated!

God will open the door, and someone who has vision  and can see what you can't see will be there. God sees the worth and value in you! God sees promise in you! He sees growth and increase! Be careful of people trying to talk you out of where you are. Walk through every door of opportunity that God opens to you! Don't worry about the Sanballats and Tobias and Gershoms that say what you build won't last. Understand God's will. He will complete the work he begun in you and perform it until the day of Jesus Christ's return! (Phil. 1:6)

There may be those like those in Nehemiah's day that seek to destroy or discredit you but let God turn your mess into ministry! We have the opportnity to do two things:

1. We can EMPATHIZE or

2. We can ENERGIZE

Take a look at this passage:

Luke 10:25-37 (NIV)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’^[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]”

²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii^[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

To empathize means to place yourself in the position of another, to identify with what they think or feel.

This man went down from Jerusalem (peace) to Jericho (curse). He fell among robbers ( a types of the law) who stripped him of his clothes and beat  him.

Anytime we try to keep the mandates of the law, we will fail. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ.

He was passed over by the Priest (minister) and the Levite (worshipper). He was ignored by the religious. Those who it was their assignment to minister to the injured. They refused their opportunity. Instead he was looked on with pity and sympathy by the Samaritan (outsider).

The Samaritan, the least likely, was moved with compassion. And he reacted to it. He did something about it. Like Jesus, he was touched with the feeling of the man's infirmity. You too, in this season will encounter those going through and suffering.

This year, in the next 18 months, you'll see people living in tents, boxes, parks, losing their homes. You will see disasters as things worsen. These are Promising Opportunities to show empathy! The Samaritan, an Outcast to society felt the suffering and ministered.

Be careful when God brings you into a "Can't Miss It", "Roadside" Opportunity.

The Priest and the Levite chose to miss the opportunity. To cross over the street. To go around the corner. To avoid the encounter with the broken and wounded. To act like you don't see them. Empathy has an action attatched to it!

Many say, "I feel you." What are you going to do with the feeling?

The Samaritan poured in oil and wine. He took him to the Inn (a type of the church). Do what you can do! Make yourself available! Not all you come into contact with will be your assignment, but you must hear God and act when he instructs and how he instructs. Not every good thing is a God thing, but God will bless every God thing.

When we know our seasons of opportunity, we know how to posture ourselves.

To engergize we begin to respond proactively to affect another person's life.

Hear this prayer: ¹⁶May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].

¹⁷May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love. Ephesians 3:16-17 AMP

God wants us to be reinforced with mighty power, making a permanent home in our hearts!

We are not called to beat a man or kick a man when he's down, but to lift him up! We can help others get back on their feet. Maybe God is calling you to be a resource, give of your resources, or preach and proclaim resurrection life. Do what the will of God is requiring of you.

You may be like the beggar, the one standing in need, crying out for mercy. Jesus is right there, feeling you. he will respond. Remember the more determined the beggar became, the more he was told to shut up! You must be willing to cry louder. When you recognize Jesus is here, nothing should stop you! The beggar's plea stopped the the King's parade. Jesus came with not only compassion, but the power to bring results!

If you have to pray, worship, fast, cry, whatever you have to do, SEIZE your opportunities in life!

*minor adjustments have been made grammatically to the text.

No Room In The Inn: A Holiday Message

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

Lk 2:7

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The end of the year is fastly approaching and a new year  is soon to be upon us. As the song goes, "It's beginning to look alot like Christmas. But let's take a moment to think about what Christmas looked like through Mary and Joseph's eyes.

As we celebrate the birth of Christ (most believe the date to be in the Spring), I want you to think about this: Jesus was homeless on the day of his birth. Yep. Homeless. That thought hit me hard. Not only, because I too have been homeless, but also that at a time when people should have welcomed the King they instead overlooked Him. The package wasn't what they were expecting. The parents were not prominent members of the community. There were few to witness the birth of Christ, indeed more animals than humans may have gazed on the event.

 

So, what are we doing with Christ this Holiday Season? Are we making room for Him in our festivities, in our home, in our hearts? Is this just the most wonderful time of the year if we get everything WE want? What about those who are grieving the loss of loved ones who were here last year, but not this year? What about those with financial decisions weighing heavily upon them? Or, what of those who are homeless like Christ was? His parents had the wherewithal to secure lodging; there was simply none available.

Will you make room for the Son of God? After all, Jesus, God with Us, is the reason for the celebration. Want to have Outrageous Church? Invite Jesus into your heart. Make room for him, and watch what gifts will unfold in your life because of Him!

 

Blessings!

Worship: To Serve Sin or The Savior

Worship. There are a plethora of books, articles, and sermons on the topic. I don't intend to give an exhaustive overhaul of what you already know. I would just like to share what the Lord laid on my heart about the topic. It all started with the Book of Revelation. I started at chapter 4, and I intended to stop, but here's the thing: I couldn't. I kept reading, and reading, and reading, and found myself up at 2a.m. wishing I could enter into the heavenly city and just walk right from the last verse on into eternity. I won't attempt to exegete the scriptures, but simply share some nuggets, some insights that might be a benefit to you.

This walk of life is a walk of faith, and intrinsic to that walk, whether we know it or not, or are fully aware, is a walk of Worship. Worship is what we give our time, our attention, our allegiance to. So, here are some things I discovered and re-discovered on my unexpected path through Revelation.

1. Worship didn't start with us. As earthly beings, we tend to think everything revolves around us, but the reality is that worship was going on in Heaven before we entered the picture. Yep, its really not about us. We were created FOR God's pleasure and FOR his glory. Yep, you were manufactured and outfitted for worship. Worship wasn't created for you, but for God. It stands to reason that we should live life this way. We aren't the object OF worship but the object FOR worship.

2. Worship didn't start on an earthly plane. In Chapter 4, verse 1, John is invited to "come up hither". Salvation is God's hand reaching out to us. Worship is our life reaching up to the God who saved us. We must invite people to go where God is.

3. Worship goes to the ONE who sits on the throne. This can appear to be a simple statement, but so many times we get it confused. We begin to worship people, buildings, concepts, systems, and institutions, but really, worship should only go to God. (Revelation 4:2)

4. Worship has divine order and government. Worship reveals the seats of authority that belong to the people of God. (Rev. 4:4)

5. Worship illuminates the Holy Spirit in your life. (Rev. 4:5, Isa. 61) If you have been in worship, the Holy Spirit will be in operation in your life. He is at the throne of God and cannot be denied.

6. Worship is a place of transparency. The mysteries of God are made clear. You, in turn are transparent before the presence of God. There is nothing hidden about you. (Rev. 4:6)

7. The resounding response to God in Worship is Holy. You cannot enter, remain, and exit the presence of God without being affected by His holiness and recognizing He calls you to that standard.

 8. Our worship or leading others in worship should be inspired by what we have seen in Heaven. (Rev. 4:9-11) Our worship should be Heaven-centered not earth-centered. We begin to sing more about our problems and the earth realm than we do of the ONE who deserves our worship.

9. Worship helps us to understand our role, one of giving back to God, NOT recieving. It is about offering up honor and praise to God, who we anticipate will recieve our sacrifice of praise. it is not about singing, so God will leave gifts for us, but consume our gifts to Him.

10. Worship reveals the Lamb slain. The only one STANDING up in the midst, is the Lamb slain. When we crucify our agendas and lay them down, the agenda of the Lamb will stand. (Rev. 5:6)

11. Worship opens up your understanding of Redemption. You become aware of who is WORTHY to open the BOOK.  (Rev. 5:6)

12. New songs are birthed out of Worship. (Rev. 5:9) If you find yourself with nothing to say or at a loss for words as a worship leader, you may let your time of public worship outweigh your personal worship time with the Lord.

13. In Worship, the Lion and the Lamb, the Power and the Humility of Christ are in harmony. There is a balance in worship.

14. Worship causes man to bow down and Christ to be glorified. His deity and His preeminence are magnified. Worship should not exalt your sound or your voice, but Christ. The perspective is that you are the instrument of worship, not to BE worshipped. (Rev. 5)

15. Worship is not limited to the righteous. You will worship God forever, even if you find yourself in Hell. (Rev. 5:13) I could not believe this, but its there. To me, there is no greater torment than to still worship God and not enjoy everlasting life.

16. Worship allows you to see what is going on in prayer and with prayer, and prayer allows you to enter into worship. (Rev. 8:4-5) They work in partnership.

17. Worship NEVER stops, even in warfare. As I read Revelation, one thing I could see clearly, was that the angels had a responsibility. They released the judgements of God, and they worshipped, along with the 24 elders, and the 4 Living Creatures. Worshipped unveiled the judgements of God, the redemptive plan of God, but worshipped never stopped! What an encouragement to us!

18. Worship to God has a distinctive sound. The sound isn't so much a genre as it is a heart sound. Many people feel that a song can be deemed holy by its lyrics alone, but we know that sound, or music, sound set to a specific pattern, is just as important as lyrics.

If we will be honest, we can acknowledge that music moves us: it can move us to tears, laughter, it can calm us, it can set a romantic mood. Music can do this not just consciously, but unconsciously. Couple it with words, and it can deliver or be destructive. David's music drove out the demonic spirits that tormented Saul. It stands to reason that music can also summon them. Daniel's friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace because they would not bow to the music. So, we know that music can be as much of an influence to worship as lyrics. Music can go below the radar to your unconscious and recalibrate your mind and heart thoughts. No matter how many years go by, there are some songs and jingles I can't seem to get out of my head! I can hear the first note, and then sing word for word songs from my childhood, or a commercial from years ago.

What am I saying? Simply this: we must allow what we hear and sing to be that which floods our souls for where we are going: Heaven. There is a war going on, and there is a generation that has been lulled into worship of the culture and not the Christ. We must make sure that our heart is tapping to the rhythm of Heaven. I am by no means saying that any one genre or style of music is right. Ask yourself, what is my heart tapping to? What have I been more engaged in lately? Is it Christ honoring? Is it bringing Redemption or does it have redeeming value to it? Whether in music or in lyric, in word, or in deed, ask God to make you an instrument of worship. If you can't give it up (whether that be a CD, or a particular Artist) then maybe you have made it an idol.

Let's Pray:

Father,

          We want to please you. We want to serve you. We don't want you to be a compartment of our life. You ARE life to us. Help us to reflect that in all we do, say, sing, listen to, and live out. We want to hear what Heaven is saying. Help us to give to you in worship what you desire. Let nothing stand in the way. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Thanksgiving: The Fuel of Outrageous Church

A broken marriage restored. A missing child found. A body wracking with pain miraculously healed.

These are all great reasons to thank God, but I want to focus on one simple command:

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT Yeah, that really nails it down, right? In all circumstances. You mean, when my car breaks down? Or when my kids roll their eyes and act ungrateful? You mean when it appears that my bills are mounting up and I simply cannot make ends meet? You mean when my animal can find shelter, but I can't? Yes. You should give thanks in every circumstance. Here's why: Your thanksgiving allows God to be glorified and gives God a work permit to move on your behalf in the earth. Your prayer is the seed but your thanksgiving is the water for that seed. I can't begin to express how many times I have thanked God in a difficult situation and God sent help in the form of extra income or a helping hand. You see, it was my attitude of gratitude that opened the floodgates of heaven. Job said it this way: You give and You take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. When you begin to grasp the fact that anything you have in this life is really because God decided to give it to you, it begins to produce in you a grateful heart. I have committed this month to giving myself away in THANKS to the Lord. Every day, I am writing in my personal journal something to thank God for. Even in the last few days, the more I thank God, the more He has given me to thank Him for. God is attracted to praise, not murmuring and complaining. I challenge you to join me in thanking God. You might find yourself with a contagious habit, a healthy habit diagnosed as "uncontrollabe thanks". As you walk in an attitude of gratitude, you will find that's its not that there isn't anything to be thankful for, but that you placed your attention only on what was wrong. Job said, "the thing I feared the most has come upon me." I would venture to say, "the things you believe in and give life to will come upon you." So, speak life! You want to have Outrageous Church? You must fuel yourself with the power of Thanksgiving. May you ignite those around you to give thanks in EVERYTHING! Blessings!

Moving Beyond PTSD (Post Traumatic Sin Disorder)

Angry Saints. Bitter Believers. Yes, these are oxymorons according to the Word of God but unfortunately are all too real across the congragations of the world.The Holy Spirit calls it PTSD : Post Traumatic Sin Disorder. This disorder attacks those who have been attacked. The Holy Spirit spoke this to me earlier this evening:

The believers are suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Sin Disorder) If you don't forgive, anything will set you off and trigger that painful experience. You will continue to bleed because the offense is still fresh in mind. Forgive & Be HEALED!

There are many angry saints running rampant and ruining healthy relationships because they are still remembering what the last man, woman, church, or Pastor did. You can shout over, dance over, and preach over pain, but until you are healed, it will be hard to free others ♥ What good is loosing if I am only loosed to bite and devour? John 13:35 is still the plumbline for how unbelievers know the Church loves each other.

This disorder causes you to be ineffective in your witness and if you are a leader, ineffective in your ministry. Sadly, many new converts enter the idyllic scene of church only to find themselves in a war zone, with booby traps. These traps can range from sitting in the wrong seat, to reminding a person of a former member who left the church, to having gifts similar to another believer. This list of triggers for contention could go on and on. The new member who once was excited about the community of faith, now walks on eggshells in an effort to not "offend".

What does it stem from? Unforgiveness. As human beings we can be notorious for holding grudges or holding people to a standard that we ourselves could never measure up to. Rather than seeking the Balm of Gilead to be healed from these issues, we harbor bitterness and resentment, and then wait for the right moment to unleash our pent up frustrations. We leave people reeling, not knowing what hit them or why. It may have been something that happened years ago, but because we never let it go, it continues to color our experiences and perceptions of the fresh relationships that God wants to bring into our lives. Rather than embracing, we isolate. Rather than communicating, we whisper. Rather than welcoming, we turn a cold shoulder, holding over their heads "every hurt and harm ever committed against you".

I once had a student who hated me. They hated my instructions, directions, even the tone of my voice. They worked diligently to poison my relationships with new students and paint me in a negative light. We finally sat down and talked with a mediator present. What did it boil down to? I reminded her of someone who hurt her. Everytime she saw me, she saw them. She associated me with her pain. Once we were able to get past that, she began to recieve my words and teaching, went on to do well in the class, and I later wrote her college and scholarship recommendations. We still communicate today.

Do you really want to have Outrageous Church? Begin to forgive Outrageously. Be real with yourself about the areas you are hurting in. Have a cleansing cry if you need to. Don't keep it bottled up. Don't pour sour feelings into a fresh relationship. Ask God to forgive you for harboring unforgiveness and participating in the works that result from it. I guarantee that God will hear your honest prayer, and heal you. He will bind up the wounds and heal your broken heart. We must guard our hearts, but we must also hear God when He says, "Open Up and Let Me In."

Don't continue to drink the poison of unforgiveness. Be Healed and watch what God will do through your Wholeness!

Blessings!

Shine ON

This video is a little encouragement for those who are going through the storms of life. Know that God is in you and you shall not be moved! SHINE ON and let God shine His light in you! Want to have outrageous church? Give God an outrageous praise in the midst of your tests!

Blessings!

http://youtu.be/-iM6ZwnJ8FQ

Vision Casting or Rock Throwing?

In today's troubling society there is an express need for vision. This need is being expressed on everything from talk shows, to magazine articles, to political interviews. This is an era that has been marked by visionless, directionless leaders, stuck in the mantra of "this is the way it has always been done, and I'm not budging!" Well, as we have seen in recent months around the world, generation next (those 30 and under) are not only changing the tune, but they are changing the way leadership will be defined in the future. Through a series of bad decision-making and disregard for the opinions of the people, not to mention well-being, many young people have decided to take matters into their own hands, deciding that justice will be served or they will die fighting for it. The unrest that began on one side of the world has made rip tides in other areas, and is now hitting the good ole USA. So, what does this mean for leaders, in particular church leadership?

As a leader, you must have a vision, a defined plan from God for the people of God. It is not enough to hope that things fall into place. Too many times the words "Spirit-led" are used to brush over or ignore lack of preparation, slothfulness, idleness, and irreverence for the things of God. When questioned about these areas, many times leaders get defensive rather than pensive. A thoughtful evaluation of leadership practices can go a long way to renewing faith and to strengthening your relationship with the body. As Rick Warren stated, before you renew a program, you should ask yourself, is it working? Is it what my church needs?

Most leaders have yearly and quarterly meetings with their staff and some include the entire congregation. This is commonly called Vision Casting. This is a time where leaders can refresh themselves with the overall vision, look at areas of improvement, and areas of stagnancy as well as growth. Out of that Vision Casting, the plan for the upcoming year is laid out. This is a great way to involve your congregation so that they will own the vision God has placed within you and run with it.

Once the Vision is Cast, don't make the mistake of spending the year turning it into a rock-throwing session. What do I mean? If you are not careful as a leader, you can find yourself preaching about what isn't right or who isn't doing, rather than focusing on the Vision at hand. Your sermons become therapy sessions for you rather than an enriching and equipping time in the Word of God. There is a difference between making the text relevant and using impartation time to point the finger or publicly embarrass a member of the congregation. God has his eye on everything done in His house, and He's not laughing.

Though I am by no means an "expert", I have been on both sides of the fence as a minister and as a member. It is an uncomfortable feeling to sit through a sermon that is directed at someone and not directed at the issues we all face. As a minister, it can be tempting, to let someone have it when you have the mic, but I encourage you to be the bigger person. As you go before God in prayer, ask Him to give you a clear conscience, and help you to speak what ministers grace not gripe to the hearers. In doing so, you allow God to minister to you and to the congregation.

 Rock Throwing causes people to run for cover.Vision Casting causes people to be empowered. Thank God for counting you worthy, putting you into the ministry, allowing you to be a light. Keep empowering and watch what God will do through you!

Want to have Outrageous Church? Put your Outrageous Vision in God's hands!

Blessings!

What The Enemy Really Wants

Matthew 4 (Message)

The Test

 ^1-3 Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: "Since you are God's Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread."

 ⁴Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth."

 ^5-6For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He sat him on top of the Temple and said, "Since you are God's Son, jump." The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: "He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won't so much as stub your toe on a stone."

 ⁷Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy: "Don't you dare test the Lord your God."

 ^8-9For the third test, the Devil took him to the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth's kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he said, "They're yours—lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they're yours."

 ¹⁰Jesus' refusal was curt: "Beat it, Satan!" He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness."

 ¹¹The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus needs.

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This passage is one of the most preached from passages in scripture. It is frequented by many a person who seek to understand just how we are supposed to attack this thing called temptation. Since the beginning of time, it has been with us, and will not even be done away with after the rapture. The enemy will be released after 1,000 years to try to rebel against God and anyone who joins in and is tempted to disrupt the Millennial Kingdom will be cast into the lake of fire with Satan, Death, and Hell, and the rebellious angels. As I was reading this time-tested scripture, the Lord showed me three things that the enemy wants from us. They are all tied to the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 

1. The Lust of the Flesh. The enemy wants your belly (appetites) to be more important than your belief in God. If we aren't careful, our appetites, like Esau's can get the best of us, and cause us to lose our inheritance by handing it over to our appetites. The enemy knows what we hunger for. He's been study the nature of sinful man for thousands of years so he has a pretty good idea of what moves us. This is why we have to submit our appetites, our desires to God. We have to taste and see that God and His will is better than anything the enemy can serve up.

2. The Pride of Life. The enemy wants you to turn your purpose, your ministry, into circus entertainment. He wanted Jesus to misuse the miraculous power of God for entertainment rather than redemption. The pride of life causes many to pervert their intended purpose that God created them for. This is played out quite a bit through the professional arts. There have been too many destined for greatness only to end up behind yellow tape, a chalk drawing, their most remembered contribution to society. 

3. The Lust of the Eyes. The enemy wants your personal empire to be more important than the Kingdom of God. Your eyes have to do with your vision, what you allow yourself to entertain and engrave itself in your mind and then your heart after constant meditation. Many are sacrificing their call from God for cash from men. We are encouraged to set our affections on things above, we are challenged to keep our eyes from beholding worthless things. The eyes are the window to the soul. What is your soul setting its sights on? Will it bring eternal life or eternal death. 

We must be watchful and prayerful in order to not enter into temptation. Jesus was in a state of hunger simply because he had starved the carnal man and fed his spirit man heartily. When it came time to resist the attack, the enemy was ready, but Jesus was test-proof. He had submitted himself to God, he knew the Word that would empower his resistance to the devil, and the devil in turn fled for a season. Jesus encountered other temptations in his walk, letting us know, that resisting is not a one time thing. No matter how many times we are tested, if we are submitted to God, he will make a way of escape! 

Know that what the enemy really wants can only come if you say yes. The way to keep saying no to the enemy is to keep a continual yes in action, in mind, and heart to God. Want to have outrageous church? Tell the Lord, Yes!

Dear Young Minister

 I will be the first to admit that I'm not what one would call an "expert" in ministry, but having spent the past twelve years being involved in active ministry (from outreach to in-reach to curriculum planning to teaching to preaching), I would say I have developed a great deal of "in-the-ministry-training" from some of the best preachers, teachers, apostles, evangelists, and prophets the Ecclesiastical Body of Christ has to offer. In spite of this, I find myself coming across more and more young ministers who seem ill equipped to deal with the realities of ministry. Like Paul, I believe that until we leave this life, we all have to some degree a never ending process of growth and development that must occur. So, to encourage the young minister, I want to share 7 truths with you concerning this thing called ministry. There are many more, but I feel these are core truths that no matter what capacity you serve in, they can be applied to any area. 

1. Ministry is not to be entered into lightly. There are souls at stake, including your own. You will give account to God for how you handle the Word of God, whether deceitfully, in truth, out of envy, vain glory, etc. 

2. Ministry is about serving, not being served. This is the wrong field to enter if you are looking for a paycheck, kudos, accolades...you get the point. To be a minister is to be the chief servant. You may come in last quite often in order to lead others to the feet of Jesus.

3. Ministry has great days, bad days, and ordinary days.  There will be times when you fell as if you really made an impact, times you may feel as if they just aren't getting it, and times as if nothing big is happening. Just know we walk by faith not by feelings. Trust God is working the change as you were obedient to deliver the message.

4. Ministry is not a place or a position, but an action. You "minister" beyond the pulpit. When you visit a school, hospital, offer a tissue to someone grieving, write a note of encouragement, you are ministering.

5. Ministry is a team effort, shared by both male and female. Some Jesus' strongest supporters (physically and financially) were women. Though you may bear the greater load as lead, you need a team to impart to and multiply the vision. The vision (which is the Gospel) should not stop if anything should happen to you.

6. Ministry begins with and flows out of relationship. Jesus didn't just perform miracles and lead the disciples with awe. They saw him weep, pray, eat, cast out demons, worship God in a hymn, call out the hypocrites, cook, etc. They saw him at "work" and "play". Ministry first flows out of your relationship with God and with your fellow man. Don't expect much ministry to happen when you don't take time to know those that labor among you.

7. Ministry requires you to do, live, and speak. You are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the earth. You are called to live the Truth. You are called to speak the truth, regardless of who it is. Know in advance that everyone will not receive you, but they are rejecting the message God gave. Jesus was received as a carpenter, Mary's baby, a teacher, the Son of the Living God. One thing about Jesus- he never forced anyone to accept what he KNEW he was. We still have a choice today to receive him as he really is. Isn't that awesome?

I hope you will search the scripture and see what it says concerning ministers and ministry. One last word of caution: Don't allow anyone to put you in a place of authority that you know you don't have the maturity for. Paul said, some ought to be teachers, but were immature and still repeating and re-learning the rudiments of the faith.  Then, there are those who are leading, that have the charisma, but lack the character and the Word of God to sustain the place of authority they have been given. I encourage you to be real with your shortcomings, your strengths, your weaknesses, and build yourself up on your most holy faith. The five-fold ministry is here to equip and mature you, but you have a personal responsibility to seek God and his purpose for yourself. Want to have Outrageous Church? Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus!

Blessings & Church <3

Men Gone Mighty in a World Gone Mad

2 Samuel 6:12-16, 21-23 (KJV)

 ¹²And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.
 ¹³And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
 ¹⁴And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
 ¹⁵So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
 ¹⁶And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

²¹And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
 ²²And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
 ²³Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

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In a world where everything but Godliness seems to be increasing, we have to ask the question: where have the mighty men gone? First, let me define what I mean by mighty: men who are unashamed to love God with all their, heart, mind, soul, and strength...even to the point of coming out of their outer garments to do so. Our society prides men on their physical prowess, their sexual prowess, intellectual prowess, and even their military prowess, but even here, in this passage, when they "Go broke for God", it is looked upon as something strange, feminine, and distasteful.

Well, let me set the record straight: Real Men praise God, and not only do they praise God, but they do so with abandon. David, in the passage above, had finally gotten in line with God's plan and how to bring the presence of God, the Ark of the Covenant, back into the city where it belonged. He developed a six-step plan: every 6 paces, he gave God praise and sacrificed to the Lord. He left a bloody trail all the way to the city. It was no wonder that by the time he reached the city, he had danced himself out of his outer garments.

Though David was not a priest, he put on the ephod, and operated out of the priesthood of grace, the order of Melchisedeck, the line through which his descendant, Jesus Christ, would come as well. He came in, leaping and praising before God. His own family member got upset with him for his outrageous display of praise. Because of her attitude, she remained barren for the rest of her life. She didn't give God the fruit of her lips; God didn't give her the fruit of the womb.

David, who understood the magnitude of having God's presence, took his might, and wrapped it up in praise and hurled it before the Lord, not caring who thought it was "appropriate" or not.

Our current world has seemingly lost its mind, lost its reason, lost its moral compass, and it is up to those who know God, who hold the presence of God as precious, to Go Mighty in a world gone mad. If there was ever a time for men and women to lift up our voices and give God the sacrifice of praise, it is now! Want to have Outrageous Church? Give God an Outrageous Praise, and watch him make you fruitful, while your critics stand around barren, wondering what happened. It is the Lord's doing, you can say, and it is always fitting to praise God!

Blessings and Church <3

I Don't Feel Like It Prayer

             Everyone has a prayer life. Everyone. Even atheists pray when everything in life hits the fan and their back is against the wall. But what fascinates me the most, is that the times we really should be praying, we hold back. What do I mean? When you are angry, frustrated, tired, and just plain fed up. Prayer is not just needed when everything is going well, but when you feel meaner than a rattlesnake too! David, best known as the King of Israel, and writer of a good portion of the Psalms understood this. He didn't just give God his "manly" dignified prayers or pretty emotions: he gave it all. He prayed when he felt unjustly treated, abused, stalked and hunted like an animal, when he was hot because bad people seemed to be getting all the goods and still doing evil. He didn't wait until he felt like lifting up a prayer. He even prayed when he was sick, depressed, and riddled with guilt for committing murder. You wanna have Outrageous Church? Develop the attitude of prayer. Don't let your situation drive you to your knees. Drive your situation to it's knees in prayer. I guarantee, if you pray to God in the name of Jesus, you won't have to wait until you get to church to have an Outrageous experience with God!