. ✗ ღ ✗ ♚ Precious in His* Eyes... ♚ ✗ ღ ✗ .

Thursday, July 10, 2014

✗ CHURCH, why play it when you're born to live it? ✗

wasn't always a type of person who likes molds which one is expected to be like -- blame it on the rebel inside of me. i must prefer living out what i have actually been believing all this while which is the amazement and glory of Grace as a message and more so a Person. yes, i do screw up from time or time, or get tempted to go side ways as it may seem good at that moment, but at the end of day, i know who i run back to, and that is Him -- the One who never stops loving us, who never fails (and won't start ever), and who is on constant Savior mode wherever shadows or valleys we may be.

everyone wants to see a generation of impact and legacy, and so if you are tired of playing church and doing the same ol', than i dare say is time to give that all up, and run with a shift that is coming where old mindsets are wiped clean, and new ones have come which does not have the 'holy moly' tag attached. see, that is where the world gets to see the real Jesus, it is through our very authenticity and transparency of being oursleves -- that is the best spot where grace is not blurred but is as clear as crystal.

since our hearts are running with grace, think is time to also partner with it which is to bring a home to whoever was once where we were. no one was perfect when they came to know Him. not i, not you, not anybody. and that is okay, because we are simply not and will never will be. so that is where He comes right in. once you taste grace, you will never settle for anything else because it is the best there ever is. He always brings us forward and not back, so is time to fix our eyes beyond our comfort zone, and onto the grace one where anything can happen, and it probably will. (yes, ripped that off houston. God bless him!)

since we're SOLD OUT for grace, since He went ALL OUT for us, think is time for our lives to SHOW IT. is a boring life to play church and doing the sunday routine, it's time to LIVE IT and live it well. LOVE will find a way. xxx

✗ Young & Free Conf 2015 ✗

✗ This, I believe ✗

"As grace calls our true self forth, we discover magnificent parts of us we didn’t know were there—passions built into us, a purpose sewn into our DNA. Our identity is washed clean and we begin to see ourselves for what we inherently are: creators of beauty, order, and abundance. We no longer dismiss our ability to contribute in loving ways to a crumbling world. We take the grace inside of us, it becomes our guide, and we become it.

We quit dead end jobs and risk our family’s financial security to earn a teaching degree. We stop drinking and we start coaching. We quit living at the office and we invest in the life of our family. We trade in fear for boldness. We quit hiding in our homes and we start risking in the world by uncaging our ideas and our creativity. We stop waitingon perfection and we start wading into the mess.

When we quit seeking change and begin to seek grace, we let go of our frantic effort to be like someone else, and we discover a blessed peace with who we are. Finally."

Kelly Flanagan

✗ Songs from above ✗

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

✗ "Day 1" by K.will ✗

Monday, July 7, 2014

✗ LOVE leads the way... ✗

"If you want to lead people in worship, you will have to love them."

- JD

Friday, July 4, 2014

✗ Hillsong Conf 2014: "It's in the formula" by Robert Madu ✗

Eg. of Effective Communications: "Thou shall know your audience", "Thou shall steal" -- Take it to a whole other level, "Thou shall know the power of intro"
The most important part of your message it is the first minutes of your messag
How you begin something matters, it is critical
You start with explosion and actions
Estimated relationship potential -- Within the first minutes, you are already formulating if the relationship is going to be any value or significant at all
It is the end of conference, but it is a beginning of a new you
You are a brand new Genesis because of all that God has done in you, through you, and have a power to give you a brand new beginning
Your past has been washed away -- There is a power in the beginning

Genesis 1:1

God does not need anybody to confirm Him -- He is God all by Himself
Nobody can vote Him in nor out -- There is no other name
He is a the first and last, alpha and omega -- There always been and was a God
Live your life the like heaven on earth -- You can't be materialistic and if you're a believer this earth is not your home
Heaven is your true home, but you are not looking up to God to rescue you from plant earth
You've been called to bring heaven down to earth, and change tee very environment you step in
He stands in Himself, by Himself -- "Our god is three in one"
And He says that if something new is going to manifest, is to bring order to the chaos that we are compass by
We want to bring order to the chaos around us
There is something inside and the inner human propensity
Have you ever looked at your life and say order has got to come to this chaos? I got to get some things in order and get it together?
You can make the declaration of the new year in a heart beat, but hows that resolution working for you?
Most of our resolutions are on will power -- "Argh, I can do it? I can't fix myself?
There is no power to will power
It is your will that got you in trouble in the first place
If you want a live a broken life and promises, you put on will power, but if you want the light of God's glory to shine in, and omitting new, and you got to use the same thing with, word power
The power is not in your will, but the power is in the word of God
When you come under the word of God, it can change a reality
God's word is a transformation agent that can take you from chase to cosmos
Jesus who is the word can create something out of the chaos of your life
God was the only one to create something out of nothing
There is a different between making and creating
We make, we don't create
And some of your have been complaining -- seems like nothing is happening in my life, healing that I have been believing him for
When nothing is happening, is time to get your praise on
God has the power to create something in the middle of your nothing
It is in the atmosphere of nothing that something can show up
The situation does not have to get better for God's word come to past
If God said it, it has to come to past

John 11:1-4

You're Jesus, do what you do
After Jesus told them its going to be alright, Lezurus died, and Jesus didn't even come to the grave, and Mary looked at a dead situation
If Jesus said it, that settles it
His word is specific, and He will get the right word to you at the right time and make sure the dead thing will come right back to you
Don't doubt God's word because nothing is happening, because He can create something out of nothing
Whenever God speaks something, it has to come to past, and He does not need a sign to validate it

Genesis 1:3-5

"Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day."

Genesis 1:16-19

"Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Is the power that is in the word of God -- Believe the light will show up
When He speaks something into your life, it has to come to past because that is the power of the world of God
If your word is so powerful, why create the son, moon and stars?

Genesis 1:14

seasons, and for days and years;

Could that be a formula to take you to your next dimension and place that God has for you?
Your life is all that comprise of the years that your live
And the way you have wholeness and fruitfulness in your life if you understand the value and significant of every single days
And the way you understand and have strength it that you will trust and worship Him in any seasons He is going to take you and that you are in
"God I am going to trust no matter the season, day and year because You are a faithful God, and there is no other name"
It is a formula that will take your life to the next level
Seasons come and go, but God's word shall stand forever
We don't trust God for the season we are in
We don't like our season -- young people wanna be old, old people wanna be young, single is tired of being by themselves, married people is sick of their partners
If the art of living life well, is to say that "God I will trust you no matter the season"
Eg. Summer is hot, but you get a hot car when you park it under a hot sun
Eg. Spring is great with the flowers but causes allergies
Eg. Winter looks good but it doesn't feel good
Eg. Fall has colourful leaves, but it doesn't look beautiful when they fall on your ground and you have to clear them up
Every season has its beauty and its burden, and it is all contingent on your perspective
You are not going to let your season dictate your faith or worship
Our faith will speak to the season
"If it is hot, I praise You in my swimsuit. I know Your word shall stand forever, Your name is greater, and I am going to give you praise"
Anchor, Hillsong -- "Your name is higher / Your name is greater / All my hope is in You / Your word unfailing / Your promise unshaken / All my hope is in You"
All of our hope, all that we are, is in Jesus
Would you hold on to that great name?
"God, my life is yours"
No matter the season, hold on to the word
The love of Jesus is saying to put your hope in Me
I am the only thing that is constant, and I am the only thing that will not change
Put your anchor in Him -- So when seasons come and go, you have a sure foundation
You need to give all that you are to Him

✗ Hillsong Conf 2014: "God, God & God (There is no other name)" by Louie Giglio ✗

There are people here who have sacrificed more than anybody which is not easy, and there may be days you may want to have quit a dozen of times, but thank you for not quitting -- God is amazing when He uses people
Not only it is true that there is NO OTHER MAME, but that He is the biggest component of that idea that exist in time and history
We are going to rest, that God is going to make sure that in eternity, time and history, we know that there is NO OTHER NAME
Rest does not mean inactivity, the only thing we are going to seize is striving
We are still going to be committed, we are still showing up, we are still sacrificing, and we still all in
When we commit in that big idea, and we join Him in what He is committed to, He has already assured that there is NO OTHER NAME and it is guaranteed a reality
Selah means ‘What I said is a big idea’
There is nothing here in play, and that we should stop and think about what He just said

God is our refuge and strength

Be still, and know that I am God

God is our shelter in the storm -- You can take rest that you can’t calm the storm, but that He is greater than and can calm the storm you are in
God is here and He satisfies, and when God is on the scene, we have everything we need
“Be still and know that I am God." -- Meaning we can seize striving and rest in this
God means “I am, that I am, that I am”
He have always been, and always be – I did be, I will be (There has never been a blink or hiccup)
You can seize striving knowing that God is on the case
God is moving forward as always
“I will be exalted among the nations and will be exalted in the earth”
God has guaranteed that the world will know that there is NO OTHER NAME
God has a brand and the brand is Jesus – there are thousands of Gods, but only One Jesus, and we want the world to know what exactly we are talking about
We are a Jesus church, Jesus people, Jesus denominational, Jesus followers
What He has done for you, no one has done for you, and you have not met anyone like Him
God has been the brand manager of the name of Jesus, and He has insured that will be NO OTHER NAME
God does not have the beginning, He IS the beginning – There has been always God, and He promotes Jesus
The community of God is in one God (God, Holy Spirit, Jesus) and literally there was NO OTHER NAME

"Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God."

God was never not happy being God, God was never dissatisfied being God, and when it was God, God and God, it was amazing
He would have seized to be God if He needed anything, but He didn’t need anything because He KNEW who HE was
If you know your God, you know who you are
Who wrote it all, inspired it all?
He will promote the idea that there is NO OTHER NAME
God is 100% full of Himself because if He is not full of Himself, who is He going to be full of?
Jesus was the fullness of God in human form on earth
If you are God, you have permission to be full of yourself
This is the big idea that there is NO OTHER NAME – Heaven is committed to that idea, God is committed to that idea, Jesus is committed to that idea, and The Holy Spirit is committed to that idea, this is the big God idea, and it is not ever going to be different in the economy of God

"The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world."

The universe got the memo that it is all about Jesus, He created us, and that is why we are going to amplify the fact that there is NO OTHER NAME
It is not about us, it's about Him, and it creates a sense of awe and wonder, that expands your horizon that there is a great God who has breathe forth
God insured that the molecular construction of heaven is a tribune worship to a tribune God
The angels has never taken their eyes off God -- In their whole existence, there never seen anything else but Him, and they haven’t missed a thing
Their entire existence has been preoccupied with God, God and God, and they are not sad, because what is in their view, is the most beautiful, and the most perfect thing that you can set your eyes on, in time, history and eternity
And in that atmosphere, as far as they're concern, there is NO OTHER NAME
They are not looking around, weaver or get tired but singing “Holy Holy Holy, is the Lord God almighty”
We can take a rest, if we are not aware giving Him glory, because they are
Every moment that you sleep, there will be endless chorus that there is NO OTHER NAME

"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Everybody has the same ending to their story, just different destinations to their eternity
Hell will be filled with people who know there is NO OTHER NAME -- That is a really, really sad eternity
I would not have exist without Him
God has insured that the name of Jesus will be exalted among the nations, and it will be exalted in all the earth
God is into God, and more into God more than anything else -- He loved you very much and not want you to settle a lesser name
We are not doing it to add to the worth of God, but to add to the satisfaction of you and me
We lift Him up above all the other things, we are not adding but clarifying our own destiny by the grace of God to come and taste and see that the Lord is good, and we have come to hold the very best, and God wants you to have the very best
God wants the best for you -- You better believe it
Sin is less than the best

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

It means we have settled for a lesser name
If you want to get God fired up, you get His name involved
He will not give glory to another, nor share any of His praise to another, but yet also real loving towards His people, and He wants us to have the best, which is HIM
And it can’t be left up to us to choose the best, but He helps us make the choice to have the best
He commands us to do that, because He wants us to have the best, and the best is Him
We are in a toss up moment, eternity past and future settled, but in the middle, there is a toss up in which name we are going to carry
If we choose the aline yourselves with God, God, and God, and schedule it into your life, and be a kind of person to project it to the world, and believe what God believes and that there is no other name but Jesus, and that is who you want to become, and you are announcing that, you are going to get headwind in your world but not in the forever (eternity)
Jesus is the God of your life, Jesus is the name you adore, Jesus is the name that changes your future and destiny, Jesus is the person you want to be like, Jesus is like a person no other for you, Jesus is your life, Jesus is your everything, Jesus is your love and you can announce that, you will get head wind in this world
John 8
We know that when we carry this name, that some point in time, there will be a price to be paid
Acts 9:8
It is a costly endeavor and that is why His spirit wind empowers and propels us forward to an undying commitment to exalting that name
You know you are a holy spirit person and church where Jesus is supernaturally magnified in your life and church
He always conceives Jesus and works in and through our lives to empower us to proclaim the name in this world contestant for it in every turn
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is NO OTHER NAME”
And we have a place in all this -- We are loved, chosen, restored, healed, saved, made new, filled, free but of all happened to us for one reason, and that is when we can rise up with our voice
Let it be heard on earth among all the contenders, there is no other name and that is our place in God's story
If your heart and life is to glorify His name above every name, it will be one that will glorify His name
Nothing can stop you -- No abandonment, cancer, divorce, defeat, depression, darkness can stop you from glorifying God
We want our life to magnify His name that is above every name, and our life WILL be of one that magnifies
Even when the darkness comes, Jesus rises up brighter, that death cannot shut that name down, and that when we rest He still promotes the name of Jesus
Count yourself to the work of God ("I am in to the work of God, promoting Jesus.")
We are joining Him in this grand adventure, that Jesus will be seen, savored and adored

✗ Hillsong Conf 2014: "Psalm 23, whether you like it or not" by Carl Lentz ✗

A lot of leaders say they believe in Jesus for the next generation but not a lot of them do it
If you came to leave different, Jesus Christ can change anybody
Psalm 23:1-6
The psalm is a great picture of emotion
"The LORD is my shepherd, and I lack nothing"
Prosperity is to know Jesus
If you have Jesus, He is everything
We don't camp in valleys -- We keep it moving in the valley, and walk through them
There are better days to come for you to walk on through
Whether you like it not, you are walking through the valley, God is your shepherd, He is still with you
Even if you don't want to hear it, the truth is the truth
Whether you like it or not, God is good, God is still for you
It doesn't change the truth, the truth is still the truth
This major truth in life is that we need a shepherd, and not do our own thing or be our own God
Psalm 23 only matters if God is your shepherd
If God is our shepherd, it makes us sheep in this equation
Of all the animals He could have picked from, a hawk, a shark, or something awesome, but He picked sheep
Sheep has nothing going for them, not great leaders, nor defend themselves, can't clean themselves, don't have a reverse magnetism
Sheep desperately need a shepherd
No matter how great, bad, or lost you might feel or great things might be, we need a shepherd
You need to go back to the shepherd, go back to Jesus, go back to trusting the one thing that has never failed anybody, and He won't start with anybody right here
The Psalm 23 Reality Check: If God is your shepherd, if Jesus Christ is everything to you, we no longer have to chase the right situation, identity from the world, or set up, we simply have to chase the shepherd everyday of our lives -- everything gets real simple
John 10:14-15
If I am your shepherd you should get to know My voice
I am the only shepherd that would lay My own life for a sheep
If you have been tempted to chase a situation, or been following Jesus and there is a temptation to chase anything but Him, you don't need to go anywhere else in your value, maybe you lost everything or get some identity back but chase Jesus cause He is the one that gave it to you in the first place
Only Christians can have a shaky situation, but have a solid Saviour
Things aren't great, but I am gonna chase the shepherd because there is more to come
Sheep don't strive -- looks peaceful, not have any worry in the world, because it knows the shepherd
If you feel tempted to strive, chase the Shepherd
If you are feel like chasing a quicker fix, chase the shepherd
The shepherd does what the shepherd does
The story of a church has never been chasing a spotlight, it has always been chasing a shepherd
Sometimes people don't know the journey but want what you have now
Sometimes the Shepherd will lead you into the spotlight or into shadows which we don't have any control of anything but locking onto the shepherd
Are you willing to follow the shepherd through the dark or shaky days
We should be a Jesus honoring church
Where are you at today?
Rest your heart that the shepherd knows what He is doing
We can rest easy and never strive a day in our lives because the Shepherd knows what the Shepherd does
We have Christians comparing to others' highlight reels
"My path is okay because I am following the Shepherd"
There is security in the Shepherd
People can say and do what they want to do, but we can stay secured in the Shepherd as He always remains steady
The good shepherd will always do two things:

1. The good Shepherd always corrects

Something to ponder, when you are tempted to wonder
Hebrews 12:5-8 ("Do not lose heart when He disciplines you...")
If you are not getting corrected, you are not legitimate
If you love Him, and knows He loves you, He is going to correct your life like a good Shepherd always will
We got to change the way we look at correction
They are a few that will remotely confront somebody
When heaven can't correct you, let alone a pastor, situation or a good shepherd, it is not cute that God is trying to get through you but not to you because you do not allow Him to correct you
When you feel His conviction, He is not being against you but for you
If you don't know that correction is good, God is on your case and He is because He loves you
If you realized maybe you have a purpose, that He loves you so much to accept, and loves you too much to leave you like this, let Him do what He wants to do
The same God that loves you will always correct that course
Sometimes God will correct you by giving you your prayer request
The Shepherd would not leave the lamb sitting there but picks it up with the broken leg
God does not want to break something, but God is so good, that He can use a hardship, direct word, or your own sin to correct your course and keep you closer to the Shepherd
What in your life might God be speaking to you?
Maybe God is trying to correct you from the little, so He can save you from the big disaster
Sometimes God tries to get your attention in the little
I will never tell you what you can or cannot do, and never intentionally reject Your correction
How many years have pasted that you rejected His correct?
How many miracles have you walked by with a proud spirit?
Fight over sensitivity leads to spiritual inactivity
A lot of Christians are super sensitive which you cannot get through them
God is searching the earth for humble people, as He exalts the humble up
Jesus searched the earth to look for people to simply follow
The influence and opportunity to reach people will be hindered and we need everyone here to be used by God and not stop the things of God because we are too proud
Some of you are defending are yourself against the same heaven that loves you so much, that God sent you the one and only Son that you never get to know death but Jesus
Would you allow the holy spirit to convict you?
Would you allow the shepherd to correct you?

2. The good shepherd always protects

Wherever you go, whatever you do, God's hand of protection will continue to cover you
No matter what you do, no matter where you go, His hand of protection will be all over you
The Shepherd will protect the sheep, cause the sheep does even know how to get protection from
His protection is even better than you know it to be
What if you know the King of heaven and earth was on your side?
The wind of heaven is on your back
He has gone before you and His protection is behind you
You do not just hope that God is for you but know that God protects you
You got to thank God for all those things that ended up being a bad deal or wanted to snap out but He shut it, give Him some praise -- that is our God
When you know how much God protects you, you are able to live with faith not fear
You can worship like you got a Shepherd
You just lost your job, "I got a Shepherd", You're not doing well, "I got a Shepherd" -- There is power in that
He's protecting you more than you know He is protecting you
He's got your back more than you have given Him credit for
But I do think you can rest a little bit easier knowing that God is protecting you from things you have not seen yet, or from forces you cannot fight on your own -- this is our God
God has got more for you -- "My cup it overflows"
It overflows with mercy and grace, we can sit in His presence day in and out, and He still is going to give grace and He still is going to give mercy
You may know the psalm, but want to know the Shepherd
It is not just good enough to just sing the songs, and know about the shepherd, you need Jesus, you got to know about His grace
It is better than you think it is, you got to know about His love -- There is more than you think there is

Church can't change anybody, only Jesus can
Preachers can't change anybody but preach about Somebody which is Jesus who can makes anybody move
He leaves a whole bunch of healthy sheep to look for the one that is wondering
If He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all, in your life
Romans 10 ("The old has gone, the new is here")

✗ "This I Believe (The Creed)" by Hillsong ✗

✗ Hillsong Conf 2014: "Leading & navigating through seasons of crisis" by Brian Houston ✗

Sometimes we believe for the best, but hear the worse
People want the things you have, but they don’t want the things it took for you to get there
As leaders there is crisis in the church, and then in our own lifes/corporate
Leadership is not proven in the good times but in the tough times

1. Facing crisis, we got to understand that pain has a process which is very important

Don’t try to avoid the process of time because it is all part of it
If you know what to do in the beginning, it makes it better for the ending

2. It is always good to respond, and not react

By nature, we are a reactionary
Sometimes in life, we got to understand the importance of it as it is repulsive and you may say things you regret

3. Try to not get defensive

Everything of your human nature wants to fight

4. Beware the human tendency to isolate

There are times and the worst thing you can do is isolate and turn all things to yourself
“A man who seeks his own desire...”
Often times the things are our weaknesses (addiction, emotional attachment, crazy)
The feeling of wanting not to fellowship, is when you need it the most
Hebrews 10
Psalm 142 (“The righteous shall surround me...”)
Make sure we always get ourselves in an environment of praise

5. Let your human side show

Be transparent but not pitiful
Sometimes we put all the walls up and think there is nothing wrong
Sometimes it is good to be a little bit human -- People warm to you and rally behind you with your life moving on
Eliminate blame and excuses -- Whatever any accident happens, it is your fault
It is not helping anything -- Always take accountability and responsibility
What could have i done different or need to change?

6. Focus on the good things

Leading people and on leading yourself
Hang on to those people who get you thinking of ‘whatsoever things are pure’ and not ‘rumour, mean, trashy, digging up the dirty, juicy reports, skeletons, gossip worthy’
It is good to focus on the good report, when you are surrounded completely in the bad report

7. Wise as serpent, harmless as doves

It does mean when you are leading in a way where you are pure hearted, but not stupid
We got to get into the mind of the spirit and wisdom of God

8. Man Up or Woman Up

It is time for your character to shine and not your flaws
We can easily go quickly to your flaws – personal reactions, facing our own demons, Challenge our reactions not justify them
Don’t just allow your reaction to run rampant, and challenge them, confront it
We got to make sure we leave plenty of room of our emotional bank
You take people upwards, and not downwards
Beware of your coping mechanisms – Sometimes you feel rebellious, and sometimes it feels good
One thing you can do is not to take it out with the people you are closest to
It is so easy when you need them the most, we got to make sure it – it is a coward way and easy to fall back on
Don’t cover up but address the issues (Personal and Public)

9. You got to gather trusted confidence

The bible talks about the multiple of people, not opinions
Make sure people are for you and not against you or to get a personal mile out of this -- who loves you and want the best for you, and tell you what you are afraid and need to hear
You need people who are further ahead in life than you
You want someone who has face some things and counsel which takes you forward
Find people who are not being thrown too easily by your challenges
You want people who are wise and have that ability
Talk to people who are generous hearted – that means they are for you and want the best for you
Find positive people – get a good word, overcoming word, breakthrough word and not sympathetic
Every time Jesus moved with compassion, something powerful happens
We do not want to be sympathy – “The friend to the whole world is a bad friend...”

10. Bring those around you on the journey

Because you are going to need them
Be an example who are leaning on you – showing real strength and leadership
You can help people around you

11. Resolve on what to do

Luke 15:4
Take the mediation time, and come to a point of resolve of this is what you are going to do and address so that you have strategy

12. Vision, Vision, Vision

Revision and reimaging instead of focusing on the problem
When a boat lose wind against the sail, the best thing you can do is reset your sails – talk life, talk hope, put faith into you
One ways to get happy is preach yourself happy
Tongues – it builds and strengthens us up

✗ A Risen Generation ✗

“When the kingdom is working, it is exactly the opposite; the generation gets stronger, and stronger, and stronger.”

Brian Houston

✗ Hillsong Conf 2014: "Don't stop on six" by Steven Furtick ✗

It really impresses you when someone has the fortitude to finish it
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you have received when He has promised
Joshua 6:14
If you are not careful, conference can become a walk through for you
Life is not a walk through, and the point of all of this is not marvel at what they did in conference, that you will receive something in here, that will unable you to release in faith in what you do back there
You can forfeit your position in ministry as you have lose your passion in what you're doing
“See I have delivered Jericho into your hands” (In other words, I got this, so you got this)
God is speaking in past tense to Joshua about a battle that he has not fought yet
Tim 1: “Who has destroyed death and brought life...”
God speaks in past tense about the battle that you are currently fighting -- that is His heavenly perspective in what you're facing
Three reasons people stop short

1. Your perspective gets obstructed (Blocked)

What do you do when what you see in your situation, doesn’t look anything like what God is saying in your spirit
God sees beneath our situation and see what we can’t see
The intensity of the opposition in your life is prove of the power of God's promise in your life
The reason the gate were locked; the walls were high, is because the enemy was intimidated
As we praise God, and sing the songs until we are singing them in our sleep -- walking around singing them
Praise has a way of lifting your perspective, and getting you above walls and helping you to see past problems
Praise will lift your perspective and show you what God sees beneath the situation that you can’t see past
That the eyes of your heart might see, know, comprehend and be reminded of what God have for you

2. Our progress isn’t obvious

It took 40 years of wondering, and then when Joshua thought he finally got to go in, and then God had a meeting of taking 7 days of exercise
God is a master motivator as He made us and knows what He wants and plans for us
First you can't see God, and this feels silly, you are not even going to knock them down but shout them down
For seven days, nothing moved – Not a brick fell. Nothing. Nothing.
We want the progress of the work we are doing to be apparent immediately -- we think that would be so helpful
But we walk by FAITH and NOT by sight
Will you keep walking even when it doesn’t seem to be working? -- This is the question of faith
When you pray and nothing moves, this is the question; Can you believe that God is moving even if the wall hasn’t moved at all? When the situation hasn’t change a bit? Can you keep preaching when the church isn’t growing? Can you keep forgiving (and it would be great they immediately reciprocate), and the person does it again?
Why would God make them march, and not give them a little sign that they are on the right track, or not crazy, or not just hearing things, or is really doing what they are told to do or see a little bit of progress?
"Obedience is your responsibility, outcome is Mine"
Will you have the faith to believe that God is working, even if IT isn’t working?
It is obedience, the steadfastness
Sometimes we are consumed and obsessed about the battle, that we want God to win for us, and we forget about the most important battle which is what He wants to win IN us
Maybe there is a battle He has to win IN you, before he can win the battle FOR you
Because it is in the walking, wondering, weakness, and in the how much longer that your faith is developed that God is doing stuff in you
Just because your progress isn’t obvious, doesn’t mean your faith isn’t working
It doesn’t mean your love isn’t working, or your giving isn’t working, or you didn’t hear from God
The promise still stands
Even when some things has happened, and cause you to questioned, the promise still stands ("I meant what I said")
The promise still stands. It still stands. Even if the wall is still standing between you and the promise, and after six laps, if God is for you, who can stand against you?
God said to Jericho, "Six times nothing, but seven times BAM and you will all go straight in"
But Jericho told his men nothing about the 7 times nor the wall tumbling down
Vs 1 (Taking Jericho) against Vs 7 (Advance and march) against Vs 14 (They did this in 6 days)
6 is your number (man), 7 is God’s number (perfection)
You can go really hard if you know it is going to happen

3. The process is open ended

How long Lord? That is the burning question.
I don’t mind walking, God I’ll serve you, but I am limping now, and I didn’t know it will take this long, how long it is going to hurt like this? How many people are going to leave me? how long?
I don’t mind walking, but I just need to know this is working, I just need to know why I am going around this walls, continuing to show up, walking and it is not walking
“Because if I let you in on the first lap, you would think it is your walking that let you in, your shot to bring the wall down, and I need you to take the faith to have just another lap"
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if life would wave a white flag to let you know you have one lap left, just one more month, if you can push through one more time?
But life does not wave its white flag, so we wave our white flag, and say God we can’t do this anymore
And God says good now you’re ready to go in, and now you know, it wasn’t because you walked so good that you walked so much, but it is He who begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it to the day of Christ
Take another lap, take another lap, you’re closer than you think you are, its working more than you think it is, it is doing stuff you can’t see, don’t stop, this might be the day
“Cause the enemy has been defeated / And death couldn’t hold You down / Gonna lift our voice in victory / Gonna make Your praises loud / Shout unto God with the voice of triumph / Shout unto God with the voice of praise / Shout unto God with the voice of triumph / We lift your name up / We lift your name up.
Wouldn't it be a shame for you have come this close, to fight this hard, only to quit?
Somebody is on six, and you don’t even know it, you are so close
You are growing, you are changing, it is working, this might be your last lap
But what if it is not? Walk, like every lap is your last, and one day, you’ll be right
“Except on that day... they circled the city seven times, and the seventh time around"
Don’t stop on six

Thursday, July 3, 2014

✗ Transforming LOVE ✗

"May love be the last act upon our lives to shock the world into reality."

Bobbie Houston

✗ Hillsong Conf 2014: "Giving to God" by Dave ✗

We have an opportunity to give to the One who gave us everything because You can breathe because of Him
Everyday we have an opportunity to give
A lot times is all on how you look at it
Philippians 4 (“And again they gave...”)
Expenses is one thing, seed is a completely different thing
John 3:16 (“He so loved the world that He gave...”)
He gave His only Son, His very best
Everyone of us can do something
What we sow, determines what happens in our lives
There will be more than enough
Give and expect great things in your future