HANG ON!

While watching an Atlanta Hawks basketball game last night, the Hawks were at one time 20 points ahead, but I realized that if there was a fifth quarter the end results may be different.  The Hawks seemed to be losing ground and I found myself saying,"Hawks just hang on to your lead".  (The game ended with the Hawks winning by 11 points.)

Do you ever feel like you are just hanging on?  Do you feel that you are "hanging by a thread" and wish this day was over?  

Maybe that is reality for you today.  I encourage you that there is no problem to big for God and that He cares about every need that you have.

Psalm 16:8, NCV "I keep the Lord before me always.  Because he is close by my side, I will not be hurt."

If you get to the end of your rope today, just hang on! 

MAKING DECISIONS

There are some sports that requires you to be quick to think and others allow you to think it through. Baseball requires you to think quick when a ball is speeding by you at 95 mph, if you are the batter. Golf requires just the opposite, for you to give it some thought before you "swing it". 
Today there will be some decisions that will come quickly while others will afford you some time to give it some thought. But in all of your decisions today follow the advice given in Proverbs 3:5,6.
"Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don't depend on your own understanding. Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success." Proverbs 3:5,6 NCV

The Carpenter's Son

Everyone has a "platform" that God blesses them with to speak into the life of someone else. Your platform may be wide and high while others may be narrow and short but a platform is huge when it impacts just one person.

Jesus, the great Carpenter, is the builder of your platform. He has built no other platform just alike and you are on stage today. Someone is watching you and you too will influence someone with your words and your actions. 

In the bible it states that a Scribe by the name of "Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet. Then Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people chanted, 'Amen! Amen!" as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground" (Nehemiah 8:5,6NLT).

Today, may your place in life bring others to a place of worship.

"Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary...?"
Matthew 13:55NLT

The Light At the End of the Tunnel

Thomas Edison learned thousands of ways of how not to invent the light bulb before being successful at his goal.  Many things that we attempt in life will come with failure but failure is part of the process, not our identity.  Failure does not identify who we are but helps to develop our character.

In my arena of life they are times in preaching that (to use an analogy Bishop Oscar Moore once used) "I felt I came in on four flat tires and the spare tire leaking."  Okay, maybe that analogy is a little to the extreme but hopefully you get the point.  I have been in places attempting to minister to someone and leaving, feeling I failed in what I hoped to accomplish.  However, I'm still preaching, I'm still visiting the sick, I'm still attempting to do ministry.  Why?  Because this is the call on my life and among all the failures there are many success stories to be told.
Today, you may fail miserably at something you attempt, but if it is a worthwhile goal, get up and try and try again.  Eventually you will find the light at the end of your tunnel that will lead to success while on this journey!

"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."  Philippians 3:12 NIV

Communication and Prayer

The way to communicate has changed considerably, and is still forever changing! And I am thankful for the way of communication that we are privy to today. 
For example, if Paul Revere had lived in our day he would not have had to ride a horse warning the people the enemy was approaching. He possibly could have just posted it on face book, e-mail, or blogged.
However communication has never changed between God and human beings. Prayer to God is the most powerful and productive way of communication that has ever been created. 
"Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray...Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you...The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." James 5:13-16 (NLT)
Lord, give me a "spirit of prayer."

Taking Longer to Lose...or to Win?

According to USA Today Sports 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks stated in an interview "I don't know why the power went out, it just took us a little longer to lose."  What a profound statement!

As I read that statement my heart sank as I realized that many come to the end of their life feeling the same.  If you know me you know I speak a lot about finishing well.  The 49ers actually finish the game rather well, including Brooks, and maybe the delay did helped them to make some adjustments needed.  In fact I only watched the last 16 minutes of the "power outage" show and then the rest of the game and both was pretty good.

  Sometimes God allows "delays" in our life so that we too can make adjustments to what the opposition is trying to do to us.  If you find yourself being delayed today, make the best of it, make any adjustments needed, and let's finish the day well.  Days that are finished well will contribute to having a good finish in life.

"Don't overlook the obvious here, friends.  With God, one day is as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day.  God isn't late wit his promise as some measure lateness.  He is restraining himself on account of holding back the End because he doesn't want anyone lost.  He's giving everyone space and time to change"  2 Peter 3:8,9 (The Message).