Tag: Book

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What Will You Do With The Power?

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The first time I heard Francis Chan was at the Thirsty Conference in 2006. He did a talk out of Haggai that blew me away. I have to admit, I stole it, changed it up slightly to make it my own, but I gave him credit for the influence. 🙂

Today in my daily devotional read of My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, I was reminded of the message, and wanted to share a few thoughts (I suggest taking the time to read through the 2 short chapters of Haggai HERE after reading this post to get the full idea of what is taking place.)…

(1:12) Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people began to obey the message from the Lord their God. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent, the people feared the Lord. Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the people this message from the Lord: “I am with you, says the Lord!”

The basic idea from Chapter 1 of Haggai is that God is not pleased with the people because they have put themselves, their desires and ambitions, before pleasing the Lord and doing the things that He desired. Zerubbabel led the people to obey the Lord and its at that point that the Lord tells them, “I am with you.”

Kind of sounds like the promise in Matthew 28:19-20 when we are commissioned to go into all the world to make disciples, to baptize, and to teach others all that Christ has taught us, basically the things He desires. He ends by saying in the NLT, “And be sure of this: I am with you always…”

Now back to Haggai…
(2:23)”…I will honor you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant. I will make you like a signet ring on my finger, says the Lord, for I have chosen you.

Zerubbabel obeyed the Lord and did what He desired, so the Lord finishes the chapter out telling Zerubbabel that He is chosen by God and that He has made him like His signet ring. That right there is awesome! Pause and think about it…A signet ring is the King’s Seal, it is used to attest the authority of its bearer, the ring has also been seen as a symbol of his power. So that means, Zerubbabel has been given God’s authority, His power, His advanced say-so to do what needs to be done, He had God’s approval.

Oswald Chambers wrote today about “The Never-Failing God” – and his focus is on His promises to never fail us and to never forsake us. “…I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrew 13:5) – “Neither will I in any way forsake you” – That means that no matter what we do, how bad we mess up, how sinful we are or how selfish we get, the Lord is still there. He has chosen us, He has given us power, He lives with in us, and promises to give us abundant life. Here’s how Chambers closes the devotional:

“We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing, that He is preparing and fitting us for some extraordinary thing by and bye, but as we go on in grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, in the present minute. If we have God’s say-so behind us, the most amazing strength comes, and we learn to sing in the ordinary days and ways.”

So…What have you been waiting for God’s say-so on? Or – What is something in the past that you were holding back on because you were waiting on God’s approval? What will you do with the power God has given you?

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Chasing Daylight Chapter 5 Thoughts (Part 2)

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Here are some of the things that stood out to me from Chapter 5 of Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus:

  • The journey that travels through divine moments is not an escape route from personal suffering. In fact, it strengthens our resolve to suffer in the now for the greater good that can be accomplished. It is a recognition that future moments are both born out of and connected to present choices.
  • If it is difficult to fail without risk, it is even more difficult to succeed without failure.
  • You do yourself a disservice when every story has a happy ending in this life. Its far more important that there be a meaningful middle. So often we’re paralyzed in our fear to do the wrong thing, and it is important to always move forward with all the wisdom possible.
  • It is as if we long to know God’s Will, but God refuses to reveal it.
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Chasing Daylight Chapter 5 Thoughts (Part1)

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Here’s what stood out to me from Chapter 5 of Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus…

  • Divine moments require us to move from the invisible to the visible so that the invisible can become visible.
  • Its about volunteering when God is asking, “Who will go on my behalf?”
  • It is so much easier to choose to be invisible. Oh, there are other words for ‘invisible’ – average, mediocre, normal, compliant, predictable, safe – and the list could go on and on.
  • The most important decisions of our lives will require us to forsake invisibility and risk becoming visible. Whenever you choose to seize divine moments, you move from invisibility to visibility.
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Thoughts on Chapter 3 of Chasing Daylight (Part 1)

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Here are some quotes and thoughts from Chapter 3 of Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus that stood out to me or spoke to me: Please share in the discussion!

The Chapter is about Uncertainty, and how as we move with God, we will face uncertainties. I am about a quarter of the way through the chapter and it’s really good!

  • We have no control over when we die or how we die. We must instead take responsibility for what we do have control over – how we choose to live.
  • Our wealth and abundance of human resources have positioned us to accept a paradigm that provision precedes vision. This has been the foundation of building no-risk faith. This is a tragedy when a part of the adventure is the discovery that vision always precedes provision.
  • If you wait for guarantees, the only thing that will be guaranteed is that you will miss endless divine opportunities – that you can know for certain.
  • [On Uncertain Faith] “By faith Abraham, when called [by God] to go to a place where he would later receive an inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” Hebrews 11:8
  • Faith is all about character, trusting in the character of God, being certain in who God is and following Him into the unknown.
  • One of the wonders of uncertainty is that it is the environment in which God invites us to be creative.
  • First-dimension faith is about trusting the character of God – and transforming your character.
  • Much of first-dimension faith is about doing the right thing regardless of the circumstances or consequences. It is about having the faith that God will be with you when you do what is right.
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Final Thoughts on Chapter 2 Chasing Daylight

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Final Thoughts on Chapter 2 of Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus:

  • Until our bodies return to dust, there will always be a voice crying out within us to move from existence to life.
  • The possibilities that await us in each moment are fueled by the potential God has placed with in us…Its about the kind of life you live as a result of the person you are becoming. The challenges you are willing to face will rise in proportion to the character you are willing to develop. With the depth of godly character comes an intensity of godly passion.
  • It is the process of transformation that we find the fuel to engage with confidence the opportunities placed before us.
  • For some strange reason many sincere followers of Christ have come to think that their passions are always in conflict with God’s purpose.
  • When we delight in God, we become anything but apathetic. In fact, we become intensely passionate. These desires of our hearts are born out of the heart of God.
  • The more passionate you are, the more proactive you will tend to be (even if you boldly do the wrong thing).