The Tom Crandall Blog

3 Keys to Receiving What Jesus Paid For

tom.crandall@bethel.com (Tom Crandall) — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 05:09:29 GMT

Can you imagine receiving a gift on Christmas—adoring the box and beautiful bow, yet never opening the gift?

It’s possible to be in church for a lifetime and not receive the treasures of what’s been paid for.

In the past few months I have found myself in a deep dive in understanding the simple message of the gospel. The Spirit of God has been highlighting different aspects of the cross, the blood of Jesus and the new nature that we have received as a result of it.

I want to share 3 truths with you that have started to revolutionize my life in recent times:

1. Righteousness is a gift from God that can’t be earned—it must be received by faith.

Righteousness means right standing with God—a position that no man can earn. The law reveals God’s holy nature, and man’s sinfulness. The law is good, and gives us the definition of sin, but can’t give life to anyone. Instead, it leaves us in a place of needing forgiveness and grace. It’s like a doctor that is able to diagnose a disease but unable to offer a cure. Jesus is the cure for the disease of sin and sickness that we all need.

Many Christians try to earn their right standing before God with their good deeds and noble offerings, not realizing that Jesus has already paved the way for them. Their efforts are in vain and soon enough they burn out and wonder why they are not sensing God’s approval on their life. Self righteousness just leads to more self and focusing on sin management as the barometer for the righteousness you carry—a religious treadmill that never stops.

We don’t live for righteousness, we live from it!

In case you don’t have a relationship with God yet, you can click HERE to read my blog on “How to start a relationship with God”.

If you are a child of God, you are righteous not because of what you do, but because of what Jesus has done for you on the cross.

Meditate on these verses:

2 Corinthians 5:21

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Romans 5:17

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:1

“Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:20

“Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,”

Peace is the result of trusting that God has made you righteous before you feel it, see it, or do anything to prove it.

Focusing on our shortcomings and failures will never set us free, but only perpetuate more bondage. Looking to Jesus (John 3:14-16) is how we get free and receive the gift of righteousness.

Activation:

Ask yourself: Is there anything you need to surrender to Jesus?

Take a few minutes to let the blood of Jesus wash you from the inside out.

Spend some time meditating on the fact that you are already fully righteous before God, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. If you are righteous in nature, how do you believe God sees you? Good or bad?

Declaration:

“Jesus, you are Lord of my life. Thank you that your blood was enough to make me fully right with you.”

“I am standing pure and righteous before the throne of God right now, not because of what I did but because of what Jesus has done!”

“I receive your peace you paid for in every area of my life.”

2. Faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus has brought us into full union with Christ.

Romans 6:4–5: “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

For if we have been UNITED together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,”

United means to identify with, to be like, to be one with.

We are in union, oneness with Christ! Our old sinful nature is nailed to the cross, buried in the grave and we are resurrected with Jesus—alive in Him!

Just as a man and a woman getting married die to the single life and become one with their spouse, so we die to our old, sinful life and become one in spirit with Jesus.

Ephesians 2:6 (NLT):

“For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.”

Romans 6:11

“Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Activation:

Become aware of your union with Christ and take time to thank Him for being closer than the skin on your bones.

See all temptation and sin as something outside of you. It is not who you are.

Meditate on the reality that God lives in you on your best and worst day—He promised He would never leave you.

Declaration:

"I am hidden with Christ in God."

"I have the mind of Christ."

"I am one with Christ."

“I am no longer separated from God. Every feeling of loneliness is a mere illusion, because I know that I am one with Christ in my spirit man!”

3. Our identity in Christ becomes a reality as we renew our minds.

Oftentimes life happens and we don’t feel saved, at peace, or free. But God and His Word never change—we can come to Him just as we are at any time, in any situation, and He will receive us and transform us.

It is so important to not interpret God’s word through the lens of our experience, but instead interpret our experiences through the lens of God’s Word. Your perception might be wrong, but His word never changes or fails.

Romans 12:2 (NIV84): “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Ephesians 4:22–24 (NIV): “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Galatians 5:24 (Passion Translation) “Keep in mind that we who belong to Jesus, the Anointed One, have already experienced crucifixion. For everything connected with our self-life was put to death on the cross and crucified with Messiah.”

HERE is a blog called “Receiving Righteousness” that I believe will help you in the process of growing in your identity.

The renewal of the mind happens as our faith aligns with Him by doing the following:

Feasting on His Word
Reviewing testimonies of what God has done
Praise and worship
Prayer
Meditation
Declaration

Activation:

Give God thanks for what He has accomplished on the cross for you.

How is the Holy Spirit leading you to renew your mind with what Jesus has accomplished for you?

Take time to receive the love of God, His grace, and His perception of you.

Declaration:

“My mind is continuously being renewed by the Word of God, and as a result my life is continuously growing to look more like Christ!”

"I am a new creation."

"I am covered by mercy, and empowered by grace to live bold in Christ!"

Knowing the nature of God

tom.crandall@bethel.com (Tom Crandall) — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 04:43:12 GMT

People are convinced that God is angry, disappointed, punishing and judgmental. Let me assure you, the Bible proves, that is not the nature of God.

Contrary to the world’s opinion God is actually holy, righteous, just and also loving, merciful, gracious, kind, forgiving and empowering.

How can you know what God, the Father really looks like?

By looking at Jesus!

Jesus dealt with our inability to know the nature of God. He Himself said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” God looks like Jesus, because while Jesus was fully man, He was also fully God.

Christ was not afraid of sinners, He was their friend. He never gave anyone an excuse as to why they cannot be healed, instead He healed everyone who was sick. Wherever He went, he brought freedom and deliverance to those who were bound.

The life of Jesus points us to this truth: A good Father, like God will do anything for his kids, even if it means laying down his own life for their good. He gave up His only Son to give humanity true freedom.

Many have not encountered a father like this, which is exactly why Jesus came; to reveal a heavenly Father who is better than anything we could imagine. He was a physical example of the love that God has for us.

I want to encourage you today: No matter how hopeless you feel right now, this amazing Father loves you, and is right there with you to set you free!

Meditate on Jesus and you’ll find the Father:

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” -John 14:12

Jesus covered sinners.

Jesus healed the sick.

Jesus accepted the rejected.

Jesus set the oppressed free.

Jesus forgave sin.

Jesus removed shame.

Jesus listened to people.

Jesus gave hope to the hopeless.

Jesus protected the vulnerable.

Jesus comforted the broken-hearted.

Jesus brought laughter and joy.

Jesus brought peace to turmoil.

Jesus revealed truth in the midst of lies.

Jesus did miracles to provide for others.

Jesus demonstrated the reality of another world.

Jesus laid down His life so others could live.

Jesus empowers us to live like Him.

Everything Jesus modeled was a good Father.

Activation:

Get comfortable and take 3 minutes to imagine what the Father is like. Think about how He revealed Himself through Jesus.

Are there any lies that you have believed about the nature of Father God? Write them down and leave them at the foot of the cross.

Declaration:

“I know that the Father loves me, because Jesus demonstrated it by dying on the cross!”

“The Father’s embrace is the safest place in the world for me! I will not be afraid of punishment when I come to God, because I know Jesus has paid for all my mistakes."

Are you living in the freedom Jesus paid for?

tom.crandall@bethel.com (Tom Crandall) — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 01:42:32 GMT

Over the past months I have been pondering on the subject of freedom. In today’s fast world we are inundated with options but do our choices produce real freedom?

The world thinks freedom is the ability to do, say and think whatever you want, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Living in lawlessness will make your soul sick, it will leave you asking “Isn’t there more to live for?” We all know of people who seemingly have it all. They are searching for freedom in money, friends, sex and success but when their head hits the pillow at night, they are left empty on the inside.

True freedom is found in knowing God. We are designed to live in friendship with a Father who loves us. Never do I feel so free as when I experience the presence of God. Can you relate? That’s because we are made for Him. Jesus did not just give you a “get out of hell free” card, He paid in blood for you to live a life of freedom here on earth!

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!” -Galatians 5:1

If you received Jesus’ gift of salvation you can experience this freedom today, because Jesus paid for it. You have free access to the Source of everlasting freedom, love, joy and peace-found in Christ alone.

Activation:

Say this with me: Father, here I am! I know that I am precious to you. Thank you for loving me today.” Now, just sit still for a moment. Do you feel Him loving you?

Take a few minutes to identify areas of your life where you are not experiencing this freedom yet, areas where you feel bound. Then take time to lay them down before the throne and listen to what God is saying to you about how He wants to change your life.

Declaration:

“I was designed for freedom in Christ, not for bondage!”

“I don’t have to earn freedom, Jesus already paid for it on the cross! I simply get to receive it as a gift by entering His presence.”

Why Vote in 2020

tom.crandall@bethel.com (Tom Crandall) — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 22:06:33 GMT

I love history. Everything we want to learn for our future is found in our past. Love, fear, courage, cowardice, sacrifice, selfishness, hate, kindness, poverty and prosperity—the fingerprints of God and man can be witnessed throughout the halls of our past.

We see empires rise and fall in our rearview mirror and discover priceless truth and lessons for today.

As we decide who will serve the will of the people on November 3rd, America will make history again. We the people, exercise a right purchased for us by the blood of previous generations.

Should Christians Vote?

Exercising your right to vote is making your voice known—a gift granted to us that we didn’t earn, and a right most of the world still doesn’t possess.

Not voting is voting.

Do you understand what is at stake in this election? We are in a battle of truth vs. lies, and what you choose will empower good or evil.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who stood against the Nazi regime ultimately giving his own life said:

“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”

There are reasons why people don’t use their voice.

We hear popular terms such as “separation of church and state” and think that means christians can’t talk about politics. This phrase is mentioned in a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to a church.

The actual bill of rights amendment is about religious freedom and freedom of speech, not about keeping political conversations out of the church.

We will never change culture by shrinking back. Instead we are called to raise our voice against the injustices of today so that our children can live in righteousness tomorrow.

Today’s polarizing politics make a lot of christians nervous as culture and media casts shade in every possible direction. They are making it a challenge for anyone who is uninformed to be involved, but if you care about the direction of our nation don’t let opinions cause you to shrink back.

The biggest problem today in politics isn’t what people say, it’s what other people say someone said. “Did you hear what CNN said about Trump?” “Did you hear what Fox News said Biden wants to do?” We have resorted to the ways of Jr. High School gossip to find truth. I actually remember the day where the only fake news you could find was in magazines at the check out stand in the grocery store! Where have we gone as a nation? The media has polluted the atmosphere with hearsay, making it difficult to find the truth.

Show me the video of what Trump said—I want to hear it straight from him. Show me the policy that Biden claims he will implement—then I can make an educated decision for myself.

I don’t just have a right to vote, I have a duty.

Understanding the Greatness of America

America was founded by imperfect men and women who trusted in a good God for their future. They were standing against tyrannical leadership that sought to rule people’s lives and limit freedom.

July 4th, 1776 Our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence and penned these timeless words:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

America didn’t give us the right to be free, God did. However, our nation recognized the God-given right to humanity, and became a government that seeks to protect those rights for every person, no matter their gender, race, or background.

America is one of the few nations in history where you actually get to choose who rules over our land and sets policy that we all abide by.

How to vote

Blindly voting Republican or Democrat because it’s how you are raised is not only dangerous but irresponsible with your vote. I couldn't care less what party a candidate claims— but it’s vital to look at what they are promising and what the track record of each candidate has been.

Vote policy and character over personality and charisma

You are not voting for your next Pastor in Chief to influence your personal life. The personality of the candidate is not the most important issue, it’s the policies they will implement that matter the most.

Both men are deeply flawed and their faults have been on display for all of us. Everyone stumbles at Trump's inappropriate tweets, and ungodly past, but the evidence to believe he is a racist just isn’t there.

I have watched him for 15-20 years, and he has been loved by people of every color—owned football teams, gone to fights with Don King, hosted every race on The Apprentice, and has had long friendships with Herschel Walker and others—then he came down the elevator and announced he is running for President—presto, he’s a racist!

Christians that believe this lie grieve me. You can’t find a video on the internet that points to this disturbing accusation. It is evil. Click here to watch Trump renounce racism, hatred and bigotry.

The Democrats have tried to condemn Trump time and time again with baseless finger pointing that ended up going nowhere.

Events have come up from his past, but if any of us where judged according to our worst day we would all be doomed?

As for Joe Biden and the Democrats, look at their values and what they stand for. That's enough about Joe for now.

Vote biblical values and conviction over party and emotionalism.

In Joshua 5:13–14, Joshua was near the town of Jericho, when he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded to know, “Are you friend or foe?”

“Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the Lord’s army.”

Joshua yielded to the Lord. This was the secret to his heavenly authority and assignment.

You don’t want to find yourself fighting against God, but with God.

Trying to vote left or right can be confusing for some, but if you start from Heaven's perspective and let go of popular opinion from either side, it’s actually incredibly easy to choose to discover how to make your voice known.

The topic at hand:

Pro-Life Vs Pro-Choice

In heaven’s eyes, abortion is murder. People say, “But what about the woman’s body? It’s her choice!” Yes, it’s true that her body is her choice but what about the baby’s body? Why doesn’t the baby matter? Why does someone get to choose for the baby’s body? Culture has believed the demonic lie that a baby is not a real human in the womb, releasing unprecedented evil upon the most vulnerable in our society, the unborn. You can choose what you do with your body, but choosing for someone else is wrong—in this case, that someone else happens to be a baby, a real person. (That being said, If you have had an abortion there is complete forgiveness in Christ, and no need to live in condemnation.) Here is a study from Princeton University (click here ) that proves life at conception.

This one issue is the most important thing I am voting on, and one of the main reasons why I am casting my vote for Donald Trump. He is the most pro-life president since abortion began.

He has stood against the deceptive blood bath machine of Planned Parenthood, and lifted his voice consistently for the unborn, by defunding the abortion industry. Click here for more info.

At the Republican National Convention he said:

“Democrat leaders talk about moral decency, but they have no problem with stopping a baby’s beating heart in the ninth month of pregnancy. ... All children, born and unborn, have a God-given right to life.”

President Trump has made history appointing three pro-life supreme court justices over the last 4 years, with Amy Coney Barret as a final confirmation just a few days ago.

The Bidden-Harris ticket is the most pro-abortion path in american history. They will stir up the slaughter of the unborn, and partial birth abortion—where a full grown baby is murdered minutes before exiting the womb.

Joe Biden has vowed the following in order to fuel the demonic agenda of the abortion industry:

make Roe v. Wade “the law of the land”
restore federal funding for planned parenthood
cancel the Mexico City Policy - which would give billions of dollars to the abortion industry. Trump reinstated this policy to stop federal funding of abortion.

Don’t believe me? These points are Biden & Harris’ promises on their website here .

There have been more than 47 million reported abortions in America from 1970 to 2017 according to CDC data.

To make it clear: A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for the murder of the unborn. To believe differently is to follow the lies of culture.

If every christian in America would show up at the polls with biblical conviction, we could move towards ending this bloody genocide! It’s time to stand up and make our voice known for the unborn!

Do your research and vote your values to shift the culture of our nation.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” -Edmund Burke

Here are more resources to inform you to make a powerful choice on November 3rd!

Bill Johnson, Biden Vs Trump. Why I’ll vote for… Click here .
Thomas D. Klingstein Trump 2020, a Man vs a Movement. Click here .
Franklin Graham on Trump and protecting life. Click here
Capitalism vs Socialism. Click here .
President Trump’s plan to combat Human Trafficking. Click here .
Protect the 2nd Amendment—Does gun control stop violence? Click here to find out.
If you feel like you can't support either candidate, click here .

New Paragraph

Receiving Righteousness

tom.crandall@bethel.com (Tom Crandall) — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 04:06:52 GMT

Have you ever felt like something was missing from your life? Like something was wrong and you just couldn’t figure it out? You’ve been faithful in church attendance, and trying to be a good person yet you can’t shake this gnawing feeling that something is missing—or worse, wrong.

We were designed for righteousness—to be just—in right standing with God, and when we are not something feels off.

This “off” feeling isn’t meant to condemn us, but lead us to righteousness.

Romans 10:4 says, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

When we get to the end of ourselves, and we realize we don’t have what it takes to be good enough for God—we find Christ—He is not waiting for you to clean yourself up to be righteous, but rather look to Him alone to be our righteousness!

Feeling righteousness doesn’t come with external change and doing more, but turning from sin and receiving by faith in what Jesus paid for to make you righteous in your present moment, regardless of circumstance.

Romans 1:17 says, “For in it (the gospel of Christ) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Reconciling the feeling of lack with the truth that Jesus paid for everything, is found in renewing your mind in the mind of Christ.

This feeling of lack or shame comes from belief in the lie that I have to do something else to be right with God other than believe what He did at Calvary was enough.

Here are 3 truths that will transform your life regardless of your current circumstances:

1. Man cannot make himself righteous.

Imagine being lost in a forest, you pull out your compass and follow north for five miles, only to find out your compass is broken.

This is humanity attempting to make itself good enough— but it’s according to the standard of man. We lie, then tell the truth to another—we lust, and then are faithful to another. This culturally accepted inconsistency reveals that we are following a broken compass, and we waste our lives lost in a forest, trying to make ourselves good enough, but we never arrive at our destination.

There is only one who has ever been good enough—Jesus. I am not talking about the concept of Him, or even the theology around Him—but Christ Himself!

Isaiah 64:6 says, “But we are all like an unclean thing, a nd all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags .”

God’s Word is the compass that leads to freedom, and it’s clear that we need to turn from sin in repentance, and look to the Lord to change our hearts.

Activation

Is there anything in your life that feels wrong?
Are you trying to earn your way to God?
Is the Holy Spirit putting his finger on a part of your life that needs to be surrendered to Him?
Ask Him if you need to confess anything before Him, or to people that your decisions have affected?

Declaration

Lord, I’m done trying to earn my way to you—I come just as I am, hiding nothing.
Thank you for being so kind, that you have never turned anyone away who has come to you.
Jesus, I trust you to be my compass.

2. Righteousness comes from faith in Christ alone.

No other human or religion has created a path for a sinful man to get to a Holy God.

Righteousness is a gift that we receive by faith in what Christ has accomplished on the cross. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is a historical fact and an eternal truth that we can stake our lives on.

We can rest, knowing our old sin nature was crucified with Christ, buried with Him in Baptism, and we are resurrected in the newness of life. Praise God!

Meditate on these verses:

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us , that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith , we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith , and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Activation

See your old life, the bad decisions, the shame and the regret crucified with Christ.
See your old life buried with Christ.
See your new life, resurrected and covered in the righteousness of Jesus today!

Declaration

Thank you Jesus for being the Lord, my righteousness!
God I praise you for the finished work of the cross, that the fulfillment for my righteousness was completed by you!
I rest in the new life you purchased for me, free from the curse of sin and alive in you!

3. We have been made slaves of righteousness.

Before receiving the righteousness of Christ, the Bible says we were slaves of sin. A slave has no say over his life. The difference between being a slave of sin and a slave of righteousness is a distinction in masters.

When sin is our master, self is the one we live for at the expense of others. Lust is what drives us.

When Jesus is our master, our desire is to please Him at the expense of self. Love is what leads us.

Romans 6:7-11

“For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ , we believe that we shall also live with Him , 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin , but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Activation

Ask God who has been leading you?
Give God thanks for providing the death of your old man on the cross.
Spend time reckoning yourself dead to sin and alive in Christ.
Let the Holy Spirit reveal what you look like, covered in the gift of righteousness.

Declaration

Jesus, I trust you with my life!
You are the Lord, my righteousness and my allegiance is to you alone.
I am dead to sin and alive in Christ Jesus, the Lord!

3 Keys to Living Encouraged

tom.crandall@bethel.com (Tom Crandall) — Sat, 16 May 2020 21:55:00 GMT

We were born to live with victorious courage. If that’s true, why are so many believers living beneath their design? The nemesis of discouragement looms over many like a rain cloud of acid, eroding at their will to move forward with confidence. The solution to this chasm is not far away, but near.

Here is a story that will encourage you:

The moving truck was packed and we were off to a fresh adventure—stepping into a dream to be the youth pastor for a hero of mine, Bill Johnson at Bethel Church. Upon our arrival, Pastor Bill brought me on stage, laid hands on me and lead the church to declare their reception of me and my family. It was a dream! Could life get any better?!

We inherited a wonderful team of youth leaders and began building the Youth Ministry. Soon, the honeymoon was over, and it was time to get to work. Over the next few years, we had incredible times of refreshing, and some of the most discouraging times of my ministry.

We were living in a revival movement with no limitations, yet kids would talk so loud in our youth service during worship that our team could hear them speaking over their in-ear monitors. Not all of my leaders were on board, and I realized quickly I had a lot to learn and was getting discouraged at a lot of the new dynamics I was facing; church, families, team, very busy schedule, learning the culture, new relationships, etc.

It didn’t take long to discover that if I depended on external circumstances for encouragement, my life would be a Yo-Yo in the hands of whoever was holding the strings that day.

Here is what I’ve learned:

1. Living encouraged is an inside job.

God is not afraid to stick us in situations that cause our hearts to faint in discouragement. He is a faithful Father waiting for us to take his invitation to see Him in every situation and discover that He alone is the source of encouragement in both lack and plenty.

If you are standing in front of a Goliath, he knows there is a David living on the inside of you.
If you are facing betrayal, he knows there is a Joseph living on the inside of you.

1 John 4:4 says, “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

In ancient times , people would dig wells to tap into a water source that would give life to everyone. The wells of life we dig become the source we live from.

Living encouraged depends on the source of your encouragement.

When we look to man as our source, we will never be satisfied with their answers.

When God is our source, our hearts will pull from the living water in the face of challenges, and we will not cease to see breakthrough no matter what we are facing.

Trusting God doesn’t mean we don’t need encouragement from people, It means encouragement from man doesn’t replace trusting God.

Activations:

Ask the Holy Spirit what areas of your life are you looking to man for encouragement where you need to look to God.
Recognize your need for encouragement and ask the Lord what he wants to be for you right now.
Pray, turn your thoughts away from needing man’s fickle encouragement, and receive encouragement from the Lord.

Declarations:

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life ; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1
God the Father, is at work in me showing me how to partner with His thoughts of encouragement for my life.
God is at work on my behalf, even if I can’t see it. I trust the Lord!

2. Face what is discouraging you from the Father’s perspective.

When my kids were little, if they were afraid or panicked they would come sit in my lap where I could hold them tight, till my strength and comfort brought them back to a sound mind. My love drove out fear and filled them with encouragement again.

If you have lost heart, come sit in the Father’s arms. He is safe, cares for you, and will encourage you again.

In 1 Samuel 30, David was facing one of the most difficult changes of his life. His family, along with the families of his men had all been captured by the enemy and they all wanted to kill him for it. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. And God spoke to him saying, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”

David and his men were filled with courage and succeeded in getting their family back.

Click here to hear Bill Johnson talk about strengthening yourself in the Lord.

Activations:

Visualize yourself bringing your challenge before the Lord—ask if He is big enough to help you with what’s discouraging you.
Sit in the Father’s lap. See and feel yourself fully go there until the sting of discouragement fades away in the light of His face.
What solution is the Holy Spirit showing you for your situation?

Declarations:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
I am safe in the Father’s arms.
God is my greatest encourager!

3. Renew your Mind

If you want to feel encouraged, this is the place that needs transformed. Feelings follow thinking. This is why the first thing Jesus preached in Matthew 4:17 is so powerful, “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is near.” Repent means to change the way you think.

This is extremely empowering!

Because of his grace to change, I never have to get stuck, stay down, or live discouraged. I can always do something with what’s going on inside of me—especially in the face of challenges.

Romans 12:2 says: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind , that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Here is how you can renew your mind:

Develop a lifestyle of thanksgiving and gratitude . Click here for a powerful verse.
Get a hope filter . Click here to read my blog It’s Time to Get Your Hopes Up.
Develop a lifestyle of Praise and Worship .
Go on the journey with friends . Be vulnerable about what is causing discouragement and invite the Holy Spirit to reveal his thoughts.

Click here to read Kris Vallotton’s blog called 7 ways to tell if you have a renewed mind.

Activations:

Put on worship music, set aside distractions, and exalt the Lord until you are encouraged.
Let go of negative thought patterns and meditate on the Word of God. Click here to read Joshua 1:1-9.
Click here to listen to Graham Cooke declare the word of the Lord over you.

Declarations:

Say these out loud!

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1
“God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
"I have the mind of Christ!" 1 Cor. 1:16

3 Ways to Fail Forward

Fri, 01 May 2020 23:47:27 GMT

Failure has been a part of my life since I can remember. From childhood attitudes to leadership blunders; I’ve had my fair share. The truth is we all fail; it’s what we do with it that determines whether we flourish or get stuck.

Can you identify?

Here is a STORY that will encourage you:

During a youth service years ago, the worship team was changing songs. The room had been engaged and alive until Mari, our worship leader, started talking to another team member for longer than normal, putting worship on pause. I could feel people disengaging from worship as they waited for the next song to begin.

After thirty seconds, I walked on stage and said to her, “you are quenching the Spirit of God.” I walked back to the front row, with a familiar sense in the pit of my stomach that I just screwed up in a huge way! This unwarranted sharp rebuke destroyed her—I was the one who had just quenched the Spirit of God, not her.

Speaking, before seeking to understand, was a massive failure in my leadership that created a colossal mess.

My actions crushed a spiritual daughter that was doing her best and needed my help.

Afterward, I pulled Mari aside and groveled in repentance attempting to clean up my mess, remove the sting of my failure, and restore trust.

I soon discovered that her teammate couldn’t hear the tone to sing the next song. They needed help from their leader, not crushed by him.

Here is what I learned from my failure:

Kids disengaging for a minute is not a big deal.
I just made a gigantic mess and broke trust with someone very special to me.
My lack of self-control made me a scary, unpredictable leader that would be hard for anyone to serve if I didn’t change.
I needed to seek to understand what’s going on before acting next time.
How I clean up this mess determines whether I can be trusted more, or less, from this moment on.

Many times we look at leaders and think they have it all together, but the truth is every leader has failed forward into destiny.

Here are 3 keys to failing forward:

1. Failure is only fatal if you quit.

Shame is a nasty voice that wants you to hide and act like nothing bad happened. If your identity is wrapped up in what you do, you can’t handle it if you make a mistake. People that live this way will have a string of broken relationships in their wake, and never build anything lasting.

When you quit, it doesn’t mean you won't face your failure. God, in His love and mercy will always give you another opportunity to face yourself again. You can run, but you can’t hide. This is for you good so you keep growing.

You have to determine that no matter what you feel, or how bad you want to run Jesus is Lord, not my failure, feelings, or the opinions of others. I am staying right here to learn from this moment.

You are not a quitter.

Action step:

Get vulnerable with someone you trust to help you.
Make the decision to not run from this moment.
Sit with the Holy Spirit and invite Him to show you how he feels about you in this moment.

Declarations for moments of failure:

God is using this moment to show me his grace.
I will become a better person through this.
Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
My worst failure can’t separate me from the love of God.
Psalm 34:18 "The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit."

Click here to read my blog 5 things I do when I feel like quitting.

2. What you do with failure determines whether you

grow or get stuck.

There are only two heart choices you have when you fail; pride or humility.

James 4:6 says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Life gets heavy when you cast blame , run , or refuse to own your failure because God resists pride. Even when King David failed in his worst moment, he cried out to God in his agony and the Lord met him there. God is gracious to the humble.

It’s that simple.

Often, failure creates a mess that needs to be cleaned up.

As a leader, it's challenging to build with someone who refuses to own a mess, because trust has been compromised.

I can’t build a relationship with someone who won't own their decisions because it becomes difficult to trust them.

Taking personal responsibility for failure is how you grow and become trustworthy.

Click here for a Navy Seal’s compelling story on how he handled his own failure leading troops in war.

Action Step:

Sit with the Holy Spirit and ask what attitudes and actions you need to own?
What beliefs or lies are holding you back from owning it in the middle of failure.
Decide to take responsibility, because that’s the person you are choosing to be whether people forgive you or not.
Who do you need to talk to and own your mess with?
Be sure to humble yourself before God, then humble yourself to people. This is how you clean up your failure with more than words. When your spirit is right, it’s felt by the people you are owning it with.

Here is how you clean up your mess (adjust to fit your circumstance):

I was wrong when I said ____, please forgive me for the way I affected you. I will do my best to never let this happen again.
My attitude was off when I talked to you, please forgive me for the way I affected you. I will bring my best next time.
I apologize for not keeping my word to you. I know that broke trust. I let myself go and didn’t own it, please forgive me. I will do my best to keep my word next time.

Note: Once you’ve cleaned up your mess, you are now working to restore trust. You have an opportunity to become either more trustworthy, or not, based upon how you handle life from here.

Declarations for moments of failure:

Thank you God that you are meeting me here in this challenge.
I am not defined by this moment—but by your grace to move forward.
God is building something beautiful in me.
God is making me a trustworthy person through this.

3. God will cover, lead, and define you in the middle of failure.

God will COVER you.

He is a Father that leads you from the inside-out. The Holy Spirit guides you into what feels right, and true.

If my kids make a mess, I don’t help them grow by doing everything for them. They have to own it. My goal is to connect with their heart, ask them what they are learning, and help them move forward with the next step.

I never use shame to manipulate them—that’s counterproductive to their growth. Grace empowers us to change.

Psalm 91:4

He shall cover you with His feathers,

And under His wings you shall take refuge

God will LEAD you.

As a Father, He will lead you through. I would NEVER abandon one of my kids in failure, no matter what they did! God is the same way!

God will DEFINE you.

Often in failure, you get afraid that you’re beyond repair and you’ve gone too far. These familiar lies have to be confronted with the truth of who Jesus is—and the Lord will define you.

When Peter denied Christ, Jesus pursued him—restored him—then established him as a leader, and an Apostle over what Jesus had just shed His blood for.

That is the nature of God.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Action Step:

Hold your failure in your hands, close your eyes—offer it to God, and ask him: “Lord is this mess bigger than you?” “Does your blood cover this as well?” “Are you big enough to help me?”
Sit with the Holy Spirit and ask him how the Father sees you at this moment.
Do you view God as distant and angry, or like a close loving Father?
Who comes to mind that can pray for you like a Father?
What image of God do you need to let go of?

Declarations for moments of failure:

God said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” in Hebrews 13:5
The Father is covering me and leading me at this moment.
He is forgiving and gracious and holds the final word about my life.
I am not defined by my worst moment, but by what God says about me.
I am forgiven, loved, and being empowered to earn trust back.

3 Keys to Cultivating a Happy Marriage

Sat, 25 Apr 2020 00:39:15 GMT

It was my 23rd Birthday, September 11, 1999, and I was about to receive the biggest gift of my life. It was also a very special day for my Fiance Leslie and I. That morning, I wrote the final entry in a journal I had been writing for her, on the first few pages I had left blank that I had been keeping on our relationship.

The entry wrote:

“Well here we are honey, we are getting married in just a few short hours. It just doesn’t seem real yet that we are actually getting married today. Last night with the guys was crazy, and I’m running on three hours of sleep but I think I’ll be fine.

If you are wondering what this is, it’s not just another journal. Leslie ever since I really met you, I knew that you were the person that I wanted to love and marry, so for the last thirteen months, I’ve been keeping a journal of our relationship, events, and simply my love and prayers for you.”

Later that evening, I gave her the journal. She cried. Mission accomplished.

Before the wedding, I picked up the rental car for our getaway and stopped at McDonald's for breakfast. I noticed the old guys in the corner with their newspapers and had a surreal moment—“they have no idea that I’m getting married today.” They have lived most of their lives and I’m about to start living mine.

The wedding began—She turned the corner holding her father’s arm, walking down the aisle to trade vows, and make a lifelong covenant called marriage. She was stunning! I took a million pictures in my mind of this beautiful moment. We both wept as we worshiped the Lord together committing our lives to Him as one from this day forward. All I could feel was the kiss of God—that this beautiful person would choose me.

It was an unforgettable day.

We were married and off to a great start.

We soon found out that marriage was full of twists and turns, ups and downs, pain and comfort and we needed more than the memory of a wedding day to thrive.

Two kids later, living in five different states serving at Bethel Church, the fourth church we’ve been on staff at—we’ve learned a thing or two about growing a flourishing marriage amongst ministry pressure, transition, pain, and change.

We recently celebrated 20 years last September! Today, our love and connection is deep, fun, alive, and has carried one goal—please the Lord in our relationship.

Here are 3 keys to Cultivating a Happy Marriage:

1. The Cross of Christ must be the center.

The Cross of Jesus Christ is a place of justice, punishment, death, and love. He became sin for us so we could become the righteousness of God. He was buried in a grave, and rose three days later conquering death, hell, the grave, injustice, and everything else that seeks to divide a marriage. This is the place where you die and come alive!

Jesus Christ paid the price for us to have abundant life in marriage. Without Christ at the center, it’s impossible to live in a wholehearted connection that’s alive.

Declarations to apply the blood of Jesus to your life and marriage:

I died with Christ, my old life, and sin habit’s died with him.
My old life was buried in the grave with Christ. My past is gone.
Shame, guilt, and condemnation died with Christ, and I partner with resurrection life to replace it.
I am resurrected in a new life, empowered by the Holy Spirit to love my spouse unconditionally as Jesus loved me.
I’ve been forgiven, therefore I forgive.
He no longer holds my past against me, therefore I no longer hold my spouse’s past against them.
The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is resurrecting the dead parts of my life and marriage.
Jesus took my punishment, therefore, I release the punishment I want to give my spouse to the Lord.
The same love that drove Christ to the cross is the same love I love my spouse with.
Just as Jesus yielded to the Father even to death on the cross, so I yield to the Holy Spirit to love my spouse no matter what it costs me.
As Christ was the light of the world, so I live in the light with my spouse in all things.

Activation

Give God thanks for Jesus and the Goodnews of the Gospel! Spend time giving Him praise—lift your voice—something will come alive in you as you do!
If you have willful sin in your life, repent to God and your spouse so the connection can be restored, and let Christ be the atoning sacrifice for you, and receive the reality of a new life; the old is gone. Click here to start a relationship with God.
Spend time seeing your spouse as Christ sees them.

2. Marriage takes work.

Like a fruitful garden, you must till and fertilize the soil, pull weeds, and learn what works and doesn’t work in certain seasons. It takes intentional effort, becoming a student of your spouse, and spending thousands of hours practicing to produce desired fruit.

Don’t settle for a low-grade euphoric picture Hollywood has created for you; God’s ways flow in seasons, grow rich fruit, and work in the soil of surrender, effort, and perseverance.

Most of us weren’t raised knowing how to have a great marriage. It takes two people giving 100% to see it thrive.

Ideas to work on your marriage:

Devour content from experts on marriage, and learn like a student would study a craft. Click here for great resources and encouragement.
Read books, do E-courses, attend marriage seminars then apply the learned knowledge.
Get a “whatever it takes” mentality.
Set a weekly time aside where you connect on how you’re doing.
Identify weeds (lies, thoughts that make you want to quit or create distance and pull them)
Find other couples you can do life with and grow together.

Activation

Dream and get heaven’s vision for what your marriage is going to look like.
Thank God that He is at work in your marriage even when you can’t see it.
Pray for each other, and partner with the Holy Spirit to speak what He sees over your spouse.

3. Protect connection at all costs.

Several years ago, I shot a deer. I got him right in the vitals as he was coming to a stop from running down a hill. I wanted to hit him before this moving target took off again.

Marriage is like hitting moving targets. I know, not an analogy for everyone. You’re welcome!

Needs communicated become targets to take aim at—often they are moving. You can’t run to meet the needs of your spouse unless you see a clear target. This is where tension forms between many couples. One expects the other to just know what hasn’t been articulated. Or you forget what’s already been communicated.

”You build connection by seeing the needs of your spouse, and showing value by making necessary adjustments to meet them with joy!”

There is an exchange of needs being met in every healthy relationship. Do you know what you need for your marriage to thrive? Yes, YOU. Finding your needs is a journey in self-discovery with the Holy Spirit, asking questions, listening, then identifying the right, and the wrong paths for the fulfillment of those needs.

Communicating what you need is a vulnerable and scary process that takes courage, patients, perseverance, and flat out hard work. If you were going to meet with the President of the United States, how much time would you think about what to say, and what not to say? Your spouse is a more significant relationship than the President.

Questions to ask yourself in order to find what you need:

What would make me feel seen?
What would make me feel valued?
What would make me feel heard?
What would make me feel connected?
Is what you need a real expectation, or does it need to be adjusted?

Tips on communicating your needs to your spouse:

I feel seen when you meet this need in my life.
I feel heard when you make an effort to prioritize what’s important to me.
I feel valued when you make time for what’s significant to me.

Click here for more on keeping connection alive in my blog 3 keys to building a healthy family.

Activation

Practice communicating about your needs, not telling them what they need to do.
Practice reflective listening. Repeat back what you are hearing them say.
Seek to understand each other, then give each other freedom to meet each other’s needs.

For more, you can visit my friends here at Loving on Purpose who have helped millions with marriage and family.

Click here to learn more about overcoming disconnection.

If you are ready to take your marriage to the next level click here .

3 keys to building a healthy family

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 19:03:31 GMT

Last weekend I built a roof on my daughter's playhouse. Fear gripped me several times as I was 20 feet atop a ladder mounting building materials, hoping I wouldn’t plummet to my death below—my family spotted me as I attached the final pieces.

Tired and physically exhausted, it was all worth it when I could see the joy in my daughter’s eyes as we built together. Upon finishing, we blew out the debris and she brought up pillows and a rug, excited about her new creative space.

As her Father I live with a deep conviction that I am not just building a playhouse, I am building the memories she will live from for the rest of her life. As she handed me nails and boards, and I let her use my drill, I know we’ll reminisce about this moment years from now.

There will be no redo of her childhood, and my goal is to nail it as her Father! Her mother and I decided years ago as parents, there is no price too high we wouldn’t pay to bless our children and set them up for success.

In our 20’s, we let the rigorous schedule and emotional pull of ministry hurt us. After that season of pain and regret, we hit reset and made changes to ensure we stay healthy and thrive as a family in the long run.

We've discovered some imperative knowledge that we call “Non-Negotiables” that have been guiding principles on our journey. We discovered what we need as a family, agreed-upon them, and they became tangible targets we take aim at, that has created a healthy culture of love in our home.

Protecting our home is a shared responsibility my wife and I carry. We both serve in full-time ministry at Bethel with a lot of things going on, and we are so grateful we took the time to establish these guideposts years ago.

1. Stay connected to each member of your family no matter what it costs you.

Author and researcher Brene Brown says, “I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued ; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship .” ― Brené Brown

Here are some keys to keep the connection alive:

Trust is the currency of connection. Trust is the foundation of any relationship. Click here to watch a short video by Danny Silk on how to build trust.
Never hide. To live in wholehearted connection we must share the good and the ugly or else parts of you remain alone and untouched by unconditional love. Connection needs unconditional love to flourish.
Laugh often. Find things you all think are funny and laugh together. It’s good medicine! Click here for a good laugh!
Honor the Presence of God. His Presence lives outside of a church service. He is welcomed or reflected by the attitudes of our hearts. We desire praise and thanksgiving to be continual in our home. More happens in the Presence in two minutes than I can accomplish in 10 years. Click here to watch this short conversation with Bill Johnson and Michael and Jess Koulianos,
Celebrate each other. My Son Joel loves Basketball and works really hard at it in season and out. When it’s his time to shine we are all there. If Leslie is preaching we are celebrating her. Addie had a school play, we are all there watching her and cheering her on.
Listen. If someone is mad or acts out it doesn’t mean they are bad, it means they are frustrated and need someone to listen. When my Son was 10 years old, a substitute teacher shamed him in class. When he got in the car he was so hurt he punched the window shattering the glass. He was scared—I was calm. I felt the Holy Spirit come over me and I said, “I don’t care about the window, that’s replaceable—I want your heart, what’s going on.” We were able to help our son, cover him and build trust that family is the safest place you can run to.
Deal with issues with kindness and grace. All of us at one time or another have needed feedback, or an attitude adjustment, repented, and forgiven each other. That’s life. To pretend like all is well when it’s not can disrupt the best of family’s. I have repented to each member of my family more times than I can count. If you can’t figure it out on your own, then reach out to someone who can help.

2. What are the priorities of your season?

Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

When you prioritize the Kingdom of God, He will help you find the rest of your priorities.

I recently got invited to speak at a conference for a lifelong hero of mine. At first I said yes, but then realized because of the travel schedule I would have to miss my Son’s 15th Birthday. I immediately knew my answer even though I wrestled some. I am not going. Opportunities will come and go, but knowing my priorities helps me make decisions before they come. When you say yes to your priorities, it’s an automatic no to distractions and temptation.

What are you protecting ?
What is of the most value in this season?
As a family, what season are you?
What are you building as a family?
Who in your family is God highlighting that everyone needs to get behind?
What are the priorities of your family?

3. Only do what you have grace for.

Grace is the empowering Presence of God. Out of our connection, we talk about what we have grace for and honor that.

Here is how we find what we have grace for:

What’s the word of the Lord for the season you are in?
What is our capacity in this season?
What’s the word over our kid’s lives?
What’s stirring on Tom’s heart ?
What’s stirring on Leslie’s heart ?
Who’s turn is it for their capacity to be grown?

We have an invisible button in our family called “reset.” Use it when you need it and don’t get stuck.

At the end of the day, we are far from perfect. Well, at least they are. I’m pretty awesome.

New Paragraph

How to Start a Relationship with God

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 18:57:06 GMT

This story is from Chapter 1 of Your Life Speaks

I was eighteen, and I was at a Halloween party wearing the worst costume ever. (Comment below what you think it was.) Sitting in my backyard with a beer in my hand, surrounded by drunk “friends,” I became overwhelmed with a feeling of emptiness. It didn’t make sense to me. I was supposed to be “having fun” like everyone else seemed to be. I thought I had everything I wanted in life. I was a successful athlete at school, popular among my friends, and dating constantly. Still, I could not shake the feeling of worthlessness. It felt like my life didn’t matter.

My success and happiness felt meaningless. There had to be more to life than just doing whatever felt good and looked good. I took another sip of my beer, looked up towards the sky, and whispered these words to myself: “What am I doing?”

In that moment, something happened in my heart. Even though my decision to change something (anything!) seemed small and insignificant, it started a series of events that would change the course of my entire life.

[ THE FIFTY-YARD JOURNEY ]

After that night, I did the only thing I could think of to try to find something that would give me purpose. I started going to church and reading my Bible.

At first, I tried inviting my friends to come to church with me, but they just laughed and mocked me for “doing the Jesus thing.” That hurt. For much of my life, I had done

whatever I thought other people would like and accept. But what had that done for me? Where did that ever take me? I was starting to realize that living for the approval and acceptance of other people was a path that led to the very lifestyle of hopelessness that I was trying to come out of. So, though I continued to party with my friends on the weekends, I also continued to go to church every weekend without them. Over the next six months, my hunger for God grew steadily.

Then one Sunday night, the speaker at church closed his talk with an invitation: “If you want more of God, then come up front.” I looked at my dad and said, “I’m going to go down there.” After making what seemed like a fifty-mile journey from the back, I sat down in the front of the church and prayed a simple prayer: “God, I’m here.”

I wasn’t ready for what happened next. I felt the presence of God overshadow and envelop me. I could feel His all-knowing eyes look through my soul as I heard these words: “I’m cleansing you.” His liquid love pierced through every part of me as His all-powerful arms wrapped around

me, making me feel safe, forgiven, and accepted. I was crying so hard that I had snot hanging from my face to the floor as my hot tears flowed.

I had just met everything I had been looking for—a God outside of time with unending love and forgiveness, who had become more real to me than the carpet I was sitting on. I also knew that though I had been pursuing God for a short time, He had been pursuing me my whole life.

I got up from the ground with a heart that wanted to please God. Every other opinion that controlled my life died that day. I knew I was alive for one thing—to please the Lord of my life.

My mind shifted from living for this life, to living to please the eternal God, who is completely good. And because God’s opinion of my life now mattered the most, He began to shape the message my life would begin to SPEAK.

I had been what Jesus called Born Again. My old life died with Christ on the cross; my new life had begun.

I began a relationship with God that transformed me and altered the trajectory of my life forever.

Here are 4 things I learned that you need to know about starting a relationship with God.

1. God is the pursuer, we are the responder.

We can sum the whole Bible up in these words:

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”

Love is when someone does the highest good for another at the expense of self.

God and His love are revealed in the Person of Jesus Christ.

The Truth about Jesus:

Jesus ate with sinners and showed them kindness.
Jesus healed all who came to Him with great compassion.
Jesus demonstrated power over sickness, demons and destroyed the works of the devil.
God has been pursuing your heart in spite of your shortcomings since the beginning of time.

Action Step:

Read about Jesus, or click here to watch the new movie The Chosen.
Meditate for 5 minutes on what Jesus would say to you if he were with you right now.
Take 2 minutes and think about how God has been involved in your life, even before you ever looked for Him. Give him thanks for how has he protected, provided and been with you?

2. Jesus paid the full price for God to come to us.

The price Jesus paid, was for the problem humanity created. Like a Father, he ran to restore us when we couldn’t save our selves.

Understanding the problem

God is good and created moral law (The 10 Commandments) which reveals his nature.

Do not lie--God is Truth.
Do not create an idol--There is only one God.
Do not commit adultery--God is faithful.

When we live independently from God we miss the mark of living like He created us, which we have all done. That’s called sin.

Romans 3:23

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Sin separated you from God, but Christ bridged the gap by His own death on the cross to come to you and restore you to glory.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death , but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners , Christ died for us.

The cross of Christ swallowed your sin and revealed your value.

Sin had a price tag that someone had to pay in order to ransom back a life taken captive.

The price tag for your soul was the Son of God. You are priceless!

The Truth about Jesus:

Jesus is the revelation of the love of the Father who demonstrated His love by paying humanity’s price for salvation with His own death on the cross.
Our sinful nature gets nailed to the cross with Christ, and the Blood of Jesus washes away our sin.
He has conquered our hearts with His love, which is why we follow Him.

Action Step:

Take 2 minutes and imagine The Lord was sitting with you, what would he say to you about your sin?
For 3 minutes, ask him for forgiveness and receive what he did on the cross for you as sufficient payment for your sin; and to silence shame, accusation or guilt.
Receive Jesus into your life as your personal Lord and Savior by giving him thanks.

3. Surrender your past, present, and future to the Lord.

The miracle of getting born again comes through the transference of trust, by the grace of God. You transfer trust from yourself to be good enough to save you, to trusting the finished work of the Christ for your full salvation.

Surrender looks like repentance and trust.

Acts 20:20-21

I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you... repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Repentance toward God is turning away from sin and changing the way you think.

Faith toward Jesus is putting your total trust and confidence in who the Bible says he is, and what He has done for you.

Matthew 4:17

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “ Repent , for the kingdom of heaven is at hand .”

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith , and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works , lest anyone should boast.

Romans 10:9-10

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead , you will be saved . 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness , and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation .

Action Step:

Take time to confess Jesus as Lord of every part of your life.
Ask Him if there is anything He wants you to change.
Take time to exchange things you haven’t had the power to change, and receive the free gift of grace.

4. Get connected.

Like red coals burning together in the base of a fire, our lives where meant to burn together with others. No one can live for God alone. We receive strength, comfort, and hope from being with other believers.

Matthew 18:20

For where two or three are gathered together in My name , I am there in the midst of them.”

Hebrew 13:5

For He Himself has said, “ I will never leave you nor forsake you. ”

Action Step:

Find a group of believers you can do life with.
Tell someone what Jesus has done in your life.
Thank Him for always being with you

Refine your Focus

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 03:09:05 GMT

There is one thing that all of America has in common during this quarantine — we’ve never been here before. The President told us to brace ourselves for the next couple of weeks, as they predict high fatalities.

Miracles are taking place at the hands of faith-filled health workers.

They need our prayers as they go to war for the sick and dying.

What do we do in tough times that we’ve never faced?

Here’s a story that will encourage you:

Years ago, I took a motorcycle course. As a new rider, I was hesitant to go around corners because of fear —I wanted to look down. The instructor repeatedly told us, “do not look down at the ground on corners lest you wipe out, focus on where you want to go and your bike will follow.”

With a lot of practice, I broke the habit, learning how to take corners with ease.

Fear was motivating me to look at the ground, but focus was how I fixed the problem.

Fear was trying to create a painful reality, but focus was how I moved in the right direction.

At first, it didn’t feel natural to focus on my destination while tackling a corner; I wanted to see something familiar— but in this case; it was fear. Attempting to break the habit, I had to trust my instructor and focus on creating a new normal that didn’t feel natural at first.

This challenge gets easier as we focus.

In the last two weeks since COVID-19, I have had to refine my focus, vigorously.

Peter knew this timeless battle when Jesus called him to walk towards Him on the water by saying, “Come.”

He stepped on the water to go to Jesus but when he transferred his focus from Jesus to the wind, he got distracted and waves of fear swallowed his faith; he began sinking, and cried out “Lord, save me!”

Distractions kill faith.

Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased and they worshiped Him, saying "truly You are the Son of God".

Jesus wasn't freaking out — He was confident. The wind was a distraction that created waves to swallow Peter but the Lord was never afraid."

Peter had faith! He stepped out of the boat but lost his focus when he saw the wind. Fear is a distraction— faith grows as we focus on Him.

We’ve all been distracted by wind, but we don’t have to flounder in the waves it creates. We can focus on the author and perfecter of our faith and receive His confidence amidst the wind and waves.

Faith becomes the result of focus. Whatever we focus on is what we move towards so

If I focus on my faith, I’ll usually fall short, but if I focus on God who is for me, I’ll receive strength I didn’t have.

These encounters didn’t reveal their failure but set them up to face future storms.

This story ended in worship when they said, “You are the son of God.” When we worship first, our focus gets refined to see Him as He is, and the wind and waves find their proper place beneath our feet.

Worship is the best way to refine our focus.

You can’t worship and be distracted at the same time. You have to choose one or the other.

Join the Psalmist!

Psalm 34:1-6

I will bless the Lord at all times ; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me , and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him , and saved him out of all his troubles.

We find everything we need in the nature of God. Whenever we find lack, it’s an opportunity to draw near to God and receive more of Him.

As a Father—I focus on Father God who is Fathering me.

As a Husband—I focus on the covenant I have with the Lord and His faithfulness.

As a Leader—I focus on Heaven’s Leadership.

As a Sinner—I focus on His provision for my soul.

As a Saint—I focus on His Presence in my life to empower me.

As a Writer—I focus on what He is saying and write.

As a Beggar—I focus on His feast.

As a Fearful one—I focus on His eyes of love.

As a Worshiper—I focus on the one who fascinates my heart.

My Hope For You.

Is that you would recognize that fear is a distraction and you might have more faith than you think, it’s just time to refine your focus.

To increase your faith read my blog Are You Ready For Combat?

Are You Ready for Combat?

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 23:15:11 GMT

For the first time since World War II, the world has united to defeat a global enemy. We are living in historic times of unrest and cha nge.

Eight days ago, Governor Newsom d elivered a stay at home order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Although I’m beginning to get used to Zoom meetings, I am ready for a high-five or a hug from the people I’ve been meeting with online.

This past week, I was thinking about what a gift the elderly population are. I contacted my aging parents and my heart filled with gratitude for who they are and the fact that they are okay. I know this is not the case with many others.

To say it has been an interesting week is the greatest understatement of the year. I’ve become a homeschool dad, my office has moved to my couch, and I am in desperate need of a haircut.

While working from home, I occasionally find my thoughts drifting towards a possible fearful outcome or questioning a relational conflict I had recently. I have found myself asking questions like, “What if that situation happened?” or “Did that person mean that?” I know myself enough to know that if I choose to follow those thoughts, they will ultimately give birth to ugly twins called Suspicion and Criticism.

Some may mistake those thoughts for being “discernment”; I call them “demonically-inspired distractions.” They are like seeds, and entertaining them is like pouring water on the soil of my thoughts, granting permission for roots to grow. Eventually, those seeds sprout into beliefs that shape my new reality. Scary!

The entire world is moving in one direction to safeguard itself from an invisible enemy. And yet, we are simultaneously ignoring the symptoms of the unseen principalities that are at work over regions. These principalities are doing their best to keep people quarantined from the deep conviction that will transform controlled and powerless men into courageous conquerors.

Life is being shaken and idols have fallen. A defeated devil is looking for a voice to borrow in order to release fear, panic, temptation, division, hate, and hopelessness.

Minds that are saturated in pornography, greed, and self-gratification are being exposed as lies that don’t actually satisfy or bring life.

But God is at work, like a steady rock in the chaos. Unmoved, his voice brings peace and protection from the storm. There is an invitation for us to climb up the rock by going low in repentance, being washed in His blood, and receiving His mind needed to stand with Him, protected from the waves of uncertainty.

Knowing how to stand in today’s world is imperative.

At 19-years-old, I was battle-weary and had to learn how to prepare and protect myself by putting on each piece of the Armor of God before I started each day. It felt silly, at times, but it changed my life.

Here are some declarations to claim that will get you ready for battle:

1. America is in a war over the mind.

According to Paul the Apostle, in Ephesians 6:10-18, we are in a battle for the mind and need to be clothed in the Armor of God. As a Roman soldier would prepare himself for battle, we need to think with the mind of Christ to be ready for spiritual combat today.

Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Being strong in the Lord comes from focusing on His Presence, letting go of distractions, and living from Heaven to Earth.

Declare:

“I am strong in the Lord, my strength comes from His Presence.”

Our battle isn’t against people, but demons and principalities that influence thought over regions.

Principality means “ruler” or “origin”, that seeks to control thoughts and reshape lives according to his lies. Most of this happens through media pollution and cultural pressure. There are lies being released from puppets who are controlled by the spirit of the age, giving opinions based on political correctness rather than facts and truth.

The gender confusion kids are battling is heartbreaking and wouldn’t be happening if parents and leaders would stand up and fight.

It’s time for leaders to quit bowing to the god of the age with our silence and, instead, declare the Gospel with conviction and authority that sets people free.

All attacks from the enemy come through thoughts or feelings. These fiery darts are an attempt to get you to doubt God, His work in your life, and who He says you are.

Principalities are on a megaphone over cities because someone with authority hasn’t exposed the lies and established the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven yet.

Will you be the one in your region to shift the atmosphere?

The battle you are facing today is the training ground for your tomorrow. You’ve got this!

Declare:

“People are not my enemy. The devil is, and I have already won with Christ.”

2. Stand!

Stand in the finished work of Christ and who God says you are, being clothed in the whole armor of God.

Many Christians today look like they just showed up for a bikini contest, not combat, with the amount of armor they are wearing. I don’t take a vacation from the helmet of salvation and I never put down my sword of the Spirit. I am always battle-ready!

The finished work of the cross declares that I died with Christ, and He lives in me. My past is gone and I am redeemed. I am no longer a sinner but a saint; no longer an orphan but a son or daughter of Heaven. When the enemy reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!

Stand in Christ! Do not be moved!

Declare:

“I don’t fight for victory, I am already victorious in Christ. I fight from victory. I am forgiven, redeemed, filled with His Spirit and can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”

With the Belt of Truth

Ironically, the belt on a Roman soldier held all the armor in place. Truth holds us together. Truth means reality - nothing hidden, no deceit.

The enemy blackmails us with lies, secrets, and things in the dark.

1 Peter 1:22-23 says, “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart”

Declare:

“I walk in the Spirit of Truth. I have an honest and noble character. I am a man/woman of Truth!”

Breastplate of Righteousness

Romans 1:17 says,”For in the gospel, a righteousness from God is revealed; a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

You no longer have a bad heart. You have been made new from the inside.

1 Peter 1:23 “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

Declare:

“I have been made righteous from the inside-out. I have a good heart that has been made new.”

Feet prepped in the Gospel of peace.

The peace of God is not the absence of chaos, it’s the presence of a person: Jesus. Everywhere your feet go, you bring peace. It’s not something you strive to get, but a Presence you rest in.

Declare:

“Every place my feet touch, comes under the peace of God because I carry the Prince of Peace.”

Above all, taking the shield of faith to quench fiery darts from the enemy.

Faith means to be fully convinced; persuaded; assurance. I never focus on how much faith I have, but how much He has. My faith is in His faithfulness.

The tip of a fiery dart of the enemy is dipped in doubt, temptation, accusation, and comparison before he shoots it at you. The Roman shield was covered in leather and dipped in water to extinguish the enemy. Be sure your faith has been dipped in the river of God before you hit the battlefield.

Praise and worship is the greatest way we can activate our faith. It’s impossible to fully worship with your eyes on yourself or the enemy. The battle is won. Look at Jesus and give Him praise!

Declare:

“I was made for worship. I will lift my voice in praise and silence the enemy.”

Take the helmet of salvation.

Paul admonished us in Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

1 Corinthians 2:16 says, “But we have the mind of Christ.”

A helmet protects you from the outside in, not the inside out.

Declare:

“The Holy Spirit lives in me and is giving me the thoughts of Heaven. I have the mind of Christ.”

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Of all the weaponry, this is the only offensive piece!

In the Greek, the word “word” means rhema which means “saying” or “statement” - that which is said.

Just like the Lord in Revelation 1:16, “Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword,” we have to have a sword in our mouths. It’s time to use it!

Many of us are just holding on, taking a beating. It’s time to stand up and swing your sword!

Declare:

“I am a child of God. No weapon forged against me shall prosper. I am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus! I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus!”

3. Our minds will follow our movements.

Physical obedience will bring spiritual breakthrough.

It’s time to take all of this and put it together in prayer. Lift your hands and give God praise for winning the battle of the mind. Give Him praise for each piece of armor, allowing your thoughts to align with Heaven, who he says you are, and then stand victoriously in Christ!

My hope for you:

I pray that you would recognize what is happening in the unseen realm and stand as a noble warrior, knowing that the battle belongs to the Lord and we’ve already won. Christ in us is using all the adversity we face for our good and for His Glory.

So for now, let’s cover our shaggy, in-need-of-a-cut hair in the helmet of salvation, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ and stand!

5 ways to abound in hope in a Global Pandemic.

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 23:18:20 GMT

COVID-19 has rifled the world unlike anything I’ve seen, pillaging Nations, killing thousands and putting the world on pause releasing a plague of fear almost as destructive as the virus itself, pushing millions into the wake of the unknown without enough toilet paper to go around.

On March 11th, the WHO declared a ‘ Global Pandemic. ’ Two days later The President declared a National Emergency bringing America to a screeching halt as we rally together to defeat the virus and protect the vulnerable.

Life is changing by the hour.

We are facing a real Global unseen enemy.

However, the fear we are suffocating from caused by Media Pollution, and imaginations run amuck devoid of solutions at hand, is proof that we all need to breathe and stop preparing for the end of the world.

Is there an end in sight?

Man has made it through disruptions before, some unscathed, others without skin based upon the response in the middle of the mess.

Two years ago, my City conquered a crushing threat that I believe will release hope for today.

A Surreal Night

Disruption hit when I received a text that the fire jumped the Sacramento River, engulfing homes six miles from my house.

It was a windy, hot summer day of 113 degrees as people filled my house to meet before going on a missions trip to Mexico when this moment took place. We had been receiving updates all day regarding the unruly Carr Fire that was approaching our City, Redding California.

With churned emotions, I composed myself and sent everyone home. Walking outside I could see the mountain in the distance red like Lucifer’s tail and could hear him barking at me through the blasts of exploding propane tanks and houses in the distance.

The night felt apocalyptic. The circumstances impaired communication; while the Firefighters did their best, the fear of what could happen gave us no peace to sleep it out.

In a scramble, we packed our valuables knowing the fire was miles away, however; it was moving fast, and this could be the last time we see our house.

Packing pictures, taxes, guns, suitcases, and the kid’s special toys into my Truck with our two Labs, we were heading out when my 9-year-old daughter broke in tears, “Dad I don’t want to lose my house.” Pushing back the fear of uncertainty, knowing this will be a marking moment in her life, I replied, “Addie, everything will be ok. We will be fine no matter what happens, God is with us and we have each other.” With a hug and a kiss, we finished packing and got moving.

We drove to the gas station along with the rest of the panicked City to flee the fire’s wrath, then to a nearby town finding refuge in a hotel.

The night was surreal and brought perspective as the true riches of my entire life fit inside my truck.

The fire had disrupted life, but it wasn’t over. It was just time to pivot.

After a few weeks of smoke-filled air, and wearing a mask, Redding felt heavy as we looked for an end in sight, grieving from the loss of eight people, and losing over a thousand homes.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. We were all ready for the page to turn.

Hope was rising.

Instead of going to Mexico, we stayed in Redding to serve our community. Bethel became a home for the Redcross as semi-trucks from major grocery stores, Convoy of Hope and generous people sent thousands of items so people could receive what they needed to start over. The disaster became an opportunity to touch our community as we prayed for and served thousands of people. It was miraculous to watch so many people unite to help.

Partners and friends from around the world gave thousands of dollars so we could give every person who lost a home $1000 no matter who they were.

People received insurance settlements that put them ahead of where they were before losing their homes.

Amidst the rubble, beauty had risen as churches in the community rallied to push back the smokey onslaught and restore hope.

The Lord was faithful to refresh us as we spent time in worship and receiving comfort from Him.

Eventually, the season shifted, and life was normal again. It was a relief to be through it, and we look back with grateful hearts at what the Lord did in the middle of the impossible.

Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

He helped us through the Carr Fire and He will help us through COVID-19.

5 ways to abound in hope in a Global Pandemic.

1. Don’t be afraid, pivot.

Fear can be more than a feeling, but a deceiving spirit whose goal is to exaggerate problems. Let me be clear, COVID-19 is a real threat that has made a huge mess, but it’s not Godzilla shooting rivers of fire upon thousands of running victims, knocking planes out of the sky and burning down toilet paper factories. The virus will be stopped if we all pivot and follow The Presidents 15 days to slow the spread and do our part. Our economy will bounce back eventually, and we’ll be ok.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Spirits are like lenses we see-through. When we are looking through the lens of fear, we are not seeing the truth but usually an exaggeration of a problem, which is a lie.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth who shows us a problem with His perspective in mind, and His Presence at work creating solutions for us.

2. Feed your faith, not your fears.

The Bible is a compilation of stories of a faithful God revealing Himself to a hurting people when entire Nations were in upheaval. He’s never abandoned His Beloved. Are we feasting on the news and social media more than what God says?

Psalm 91 is God’s promise of protection!

3. Recalibrate your life.

These moments are an invitation to adjust our lives, according to an eternal mindset. Have you fully surrendered your life to Jesus Christ? Faith in Him and what He did on the cross is the only way to heaven. Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of anything you need to let go of?

Leonard Ravenhill said, “are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for?”

Let temporal worries, wrong attitude and sin fall off in this time of reflection.

4. Look for God in the waiting.

In 1665 the Black Plague hit London, closing Cambridge University, sending Isaac Newton home. In the waiting, he saw an apple fall from a tree and was inspired to write the “Law of Gravitation” changing the world.

If we use this time wisely, we will see this as an opportunity to spend time with our loved ones, be productive with what we love, and seek the Lord for his heart. He is waiting to reveal Himself to us if we will turn aside to be Him.

5. Don’t lose hope.

Hopelessness is a disease that is worse than the problem we are facing because it has the power to perpetuate a problem. Hope empowers us to see solutions and live a full life in the waiting.

If you have suffered loss, the Lord will comfort you. Bill Johnson once said, “all loss is temporary, all breakthrough is eternal.”

To grow resilient in hope, check out my blog called It’s Time to Get Your Hopes Up

My hope for you

That as you do your part to help end the virus, you would abound in hope knowing that you won’t be scouring the world for Toilet Paper forever.

Its Time To Get Your Hopes Up!

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 18:33:21 GMT

I sat in a heap of discouragement with a cup of coffee in my hand one Sunday morning as hundreds of people bustled around me in the Bethel Hebrews lobby. I had been the Youth Pastor of Bethel Church for a year now, and I was feeling defeated over the progress of our ministry. My thoughts were interrupted when a man in his twenties approached me and said,

“I have a word for you, can I share it?” He asked.

“Yeah, go ahead.” I said.

“I saw you like Gideon building an army. You have all it takes to build the right team.” He said.

To be honest, I didn’t think much about it—until Bill Johnson stood up to speak that morning and said, “Today we’re going to talk about Gideon.”

At that moment, the prophetic word went off like a bomb in my spirit. Hope and vitality instantly filled me, flushing out discouragement like a geyser welling up on the inside. Though my circumstances hadn’t changed yet, my heart had just received something more concrete and encouraging than anything happening around me. This word from God ignited hope inside my bones that couldn’t be shaken and became an anchor to build the greatest team I ever led in all my years of ministry.

Nine years later, after many trials and triumphs, our Young Saints team is a dream come true that is making an impact on thousands of people.

I didn’t understand what real hope was until I heard Bill Johnson say, “Any thought that is not glistening with hope is under the influence of a lie.” I discovered that hope comes from beliefs about our internal world, not our external circumstances. I can have great things going on around me and be totally discouraged. But when I have beliefs that are anchored in truth, I will have power over negativity, discouraging thought patterns and any circumstance that I face.

Here is what I learned in my season of growing in hope.

1. Hope is anchored in the goodness of God.

As a father of two, I want what’s best for my children, and my heart towards them is for their good. In the same way, Jesus came to reveal God as a good Father and show us what He’s like: a Healer, Savior, Deliverer and King. God never changes. He is not the author of disaster, sickness or tragedy. Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Hope comes when our hearts are anchored in the truth that God isn’t out to get us and He’s not mad at us—He is for us!

2. Hope is the confident expectation that good is coming.

In the Greek language, hope also means expectation.

Hope is not wishful thinking or ignoring negative situations, it’s a sense that something good is coming.

Imagine it’s your birthday and you know your parents sent you a gift in the mail. It’s what they do, they love you and have the ability to bless you. You wait in eager expectation, checking the mailbox looking for goodness from Mom and Dad. That is what it looks like to hope in God.

When we lose hope, our minds shut down and we have a difficult time finding solutions.

Steve Backlund says, “Hopelessness becomes a bigger problem than the actual problem we are facing. Hopelessness is a tip off that we are believing a lie.”

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12

Hope comes from training my brain to see God at work in all things, partnering with Him and flushing lies that give hopelessness a place.

3. Your place of difficulty is the training ground for hope.

What issues are you facing right now? Are you wrestling with your thought life, trying to pay off debt, or facing relational challenges? Whatever the issue, remember this verse:

Romans 5:3-4 says, “We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Like an athlete training for his sport, if you lose you’ll either quit or persevere through it.

Every time we persevere through trials, we develop character revealing who we are becoming.

As you persevere and character is formed in you, hope will abound as you see solutions and grow stronger from what once shook you, but now you’ve grown through.

4. Hope is the overflow of beliefs that are anchored in truth.

The best way to exercise belief is to meditate on truth by making declarations for your heart and mind to hear.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NKJV

Here are some declarations to get you started:

There is always a solution for every problem I face.
God is always with me, I am never alone.
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
God works everything for my good and his glory because I love Him and have been called according to his purposes. Romans 8:28
If God is for me who can be against me? Romans 8:31
In every hard time I face I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me. Romans 8:37
Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.
I carry the Healer.
I carry the Joy Giver.
I carry the Light of the World.
Nothing is impossible.

As we declare truth, we release light, making it possible to see. I have found that making bold declarations sparks new ideas and solutions leading to breakthrough.

5. The biggest voice of hope will carry the most influence in our cities!

Like Jesus, we too can be known for giving hope. Jesus healed the sick, encouraged the downhearted, and gave life to all who came to Him.

When we follow Jesus in our workplace, families and environments, people will feel the overflow of hope from our connection with God. People wondering how to get out of shame and torment will see you and think, “I’ll bet they could help me.”

So whatever fight for hope you are in right now, victory is available for you, and you will become an access point of encouragement for others.

My hope for you is that you would be filled with the God of hope and joy, and that peace would wash over your mind. I pray that every lie about God and yourself would be flushed out until you see the endless possibilities He has for you!

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Take the sword of the Spirit and fight the fight of faith with declarations of truth, until your mind is renewed to think like God in every situation you face! You’ve got this!

Steve Backlund has been a great friend and mentor who has ignited hope in me. For more encouragement on living a hope filled life, click here !

5 Things I Do When I Feel Like Quitting

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 22:56:37 GMT

Have you ever felt like giving up?

I’ve felt like quitting more times than I can count, and the truth is, most leaders do. If you never want to feel discouraged about something, then do nothing! Ha! Discouragement is normal—what you do with that feeling determines the outcome.

Yes, that is me in the gif right after I lost a wrestling match as a 15 or 16-year-old young man. (I was swoll!) There is one famous actor that people think I look like in this video. Comment below who you think it is.

But two weeks after I started wrestling my ninth-grade year, I had a conversation that went something like this:

“Coach, I’m not sure I want to keep wrestling on the team,” I said.

“No problem. Let me know what you want to do," he replied.

The last two weeks of wrestling had been the most physically, mentally and emotionally grueling moments of my 15 years of existence. I had never been more challenged in my entire life, and everything inside of me wanted to quit!

I expressed my deepest feelings to my mom over a cheeseburger at McDonald’s, “Mom, I just don’t know if I want to do this. I’m constantly exhausted and I don’t know what I’m doing.”

My little German-Italian mother graciously replied, “Tommy, whatever you decide I will support you. You can stay in or you can quit if that’s what you want.”

Her words felt comforting, empowering and annoying. I wasn’t just facing whether I wanted to wrestle or not, but ultimately a decision to quit or grow—all by my mom’s permission to do what I want.

I stayed on the team during my freshman year for one reason: I didn’t want to be a quitter.

I lost every single match that year—I was so happy when that season ended. I had been challenged to my core and it didn’t feel like it was working in my favor. But I caught something that stuck with me for the rest of my life — grit. The resolve to work hard, learn and keep going regardless of the outcome.

I devoted the rest of my high school years to wrestling, and it was the best decision I made back then. I developed perseverance, character and the will power to push past what I felt was physically possible. I wanted to quit every year—but every time I pushed on something deeper developed in me, shaping who I am today.

I’ve been married for over twenty years with two kids while serving in full-time ministry for over 18 years and I’ve wanted to quit many times. Here’s what I do when I feel like quitting:

1. Understand where the feeling of giving up comes from.

God created feelings, and they can be good servants but they’re terrible masters.

We are triune beings with a body, soul, and spirit. Our soul consists of our mind, will, and emotions. Our spirit is the breath of God that entered us when we were born again.

Bill Johnson once said, “All issues of the heart are an issue with Lordship.”

The Lordship of Jesus in the heart brings everything into alignment. Where Jesus is Lord, there is perfect righteousness, peace, and joy. (Romans 14:17) A feeling of quitting can come from a situation of pain, where the enemy lies to us saying, “You’re alone. You’ll never overcome this. You’re always going to struggle.”

It’s no wonder we want to quit when these thoughts fill our minds in the midst of adversity.

2. Surrender is the key.

When we surrender to the Lordship of Jesus, our feelings no longer rule us and we step into strength.

Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” When we aren’t led by the Spirit we become soulish Christians. Powerful alignment with God looks like our spirit (which is connected to heaven) ruling over our soul, not our soul calling the shots!

So what does this have to do with not quitting? Everything!

Christ conquered death, hell, and the grave, and when we join ourselves with Him, we will have the strength to go through anything! When we partner with fear, panic, and anxiety we will crumble under slight adversity.

In Daniel chapter 3, King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image of himself commanding the nation to bow down to it. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego yet refused even in the face of death to submit. These men had been walking in powerful alignment with God long before this event took place. They decided not to defile themselves by eating the King’s food, only eating what was permitted for their Hebrew diet. This small commitment made a difference when the pressure came, revealing their source of strength.

Many believers today have replaced prayer and the Word of God with scrolling on social media and hearing from heaven with entertainment and current events. No wonder we want to quit when adversity comes! We have no strength because of what we’ve been feasting on.

3. How to break up with wanting to quit.

Repentance is a gift that allows me to change the way I think and embrace what God is saying over my life.

The Kingdom of God is activated in our lives through confession. Romans 10:9-10 says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

What we declare out of our mouth reveals what lies and truth we are beliving. For example, if you said, “I just can’t do this anymore!” Notice how hard things just got. But if you declare, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!” Your mind will begin looking for solutions and your heart will be filled hope.

4. Have a plan for when you want to quit.

My plan looks something like this:

● Sit with God and ask Him what lie needs to replaced with the truth.

● Never adjust theology to make room for bad beliefs in order to feel better.

● Block out distractions, and spend time in worship and reading the Bible.

● Listen to an anointed leader who can speak until something shifts.

● Call someone that can encourage and speak the truth. Get vulnerable.

● Make up your mind to never quit, it’s not an option.

5. Recognize God is building something in you every time you refuse to quit.

Every time I stepped onto the wrestling mat I was becoming someone, even though the scoreboard wasn’t in my favor. God used the matches I lost in high school to prepare me to become a champion in life.

Romans 5:3–4 says, “And not only that but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

My hope for you.

No matter who you are or what your history is, my hope is that you will recognize Christ in you, the hope of glory! You aren’t a quitter. Every I’m you endure, God is building you for something great. God the Father is cheering you on and celebrates when you fight. He will never leave or forsake you. (Romans 8:28)

Catching A Mantle To Reach Your World

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 22:53:08 GMT

All of humanity has one thing in common: an expiration date. Each of us will step into eternity, but no one knows when it will happen. Millions of believers have realized this and prepared themselves by putting their trust in Christ, but most of the world has not. If you’re like me, I want to do something about this gap in humanity, as many others have.

Recently, two events have taken place in the Body of Christ that every believer needs to take note of. The two most significant evangelists that ever lived went home to be with the Lord within two years of each other: Billy Graham and Reinhard Bonnke. These men burned with the heart of God for the world to hear the gospel.

Billy Graham 1918-2018

Billy Graham’s life and messages impacted everyone from presidents to children. Beginning with Youth for Christ, Reverend Graham later moved to huge tent meetings, stadiums and massive outdoor events all over the world.

Reverend Graham was known for a life of integrity, prayer, commitment to scripture and a conviction to proclaim the unchanging message of Christ—inviting people to accept the free gift of salvation through faith in Christ alone.

Reinhard Bonnke 1940-2019

Reverend Bonnke and his wife Annie followed God to Africa, where he had a recurring dream in which he saw a map of Africa being washed in the blood of Jesus, and heard a thundering voice say, “Africa shall be saved!” Rev. Bonnke focused the rest of his life on this dream the Lord gave him—and saw the largest crowds in the history of the world gather to hear the gospel. These crusades were marked by signs, wonders, and miracles.

In total, he ended up leading over 79,000,000 souls to Christ!

Bonnke didn’t start with a crowd of a million. In his early years he would travel just to talk to five people. Everyone starts somewhere. We are not in control of the size of the crowd, only the depth of our obedience.

Jesus said, “Go” and that is what they did. The same Holy Spirit that was on Jesus to set captives free was on them and will be on us as we obey the Lord.

In Luke 22:29 Jesus said, “and I bestow a upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me.”

In Acts 1:8 Jesus’ final command to his disciples was, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Here are 7 timeless keys we can learn from the legacy of Billy Graham and Reinhard Bonnke.

1. They carried a mantle to reach the lost

Both of these men burned to reach souls more than anything else. They didn’t want monuments to their names, they wanted to see a movement carry on after them.

The mantle of these men has been passed to whoever will say “yes” to carrying it. It doesn’t matter what your background is or the family you’ve come from, saying “yes” to Jesus is what will propel your life to bring people to Christ just as they did. Now is the time for our “yes” to increase because the harvest is bigger than ever.

Neither of these men started in massive stadiums, but with the people standing in front of them.

2. They had a conviction for scripture

Both Billy Graham and Reinhard Bonnke believed that scripture was the inherent Word of God. They had great authority and power when they preached, not because of who they were but the Word they had submitted to.

We are living in a day where many believers treat the Bible like a buffet—they’ll take some cheesecake, but no vegetables. Paul the Apostle warned us of this day in 2 Timothy 4:4 saying, “They will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” The Bible will remain the most significant, important book in the history of the world. The harvest we see today is connected to the quality and size of the message.

3. They reached the next generation

Both Billy Graham and Reinhard Bonnke had a significant impact on young people. Every time I stand before a church and ask, “How many of you received Christ before you turned eighteen years old?” At a minimum, 85%-90% of the crowd raises their hands.

If you’re wondering how to reach the world for Christ—think about young people. When you lead an 80-year-old to the Lord, you save a life, praise God! But, when you lead a 15-year-old to the Lord, you save a life and a life that can be lived out for the Lord.

Reaching young people is costly at first, but will yield the biggest return on investment for your time, energy and resources. Churches that don’t prioritize reaching kids are not only missing the heart of God but are hurting the future of their movement.

4. Christ was their message

“He preached Jesus” is written on Reinhard Bonnke’s tombstone, and Billy Graham exalted Christ in every message he preached. For both of them, Jesus wasn’t a point in their message, He was the message! There was no question after hearing them that faith in Christ was the only way to heaven. People encountered God and were born again because the Holy Spirit moved with the preaching of Jesus.

5. They lived lives of integrity

Billy Graham once said,” Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together.”

Integrity means to be the same person in private that you are in public. At Rev. Bonnke’s memorial, Peter Vanderburg said, “If you wish you knew Reinhard, and you’ve seen him preach, then you knew Reinhard. There weren’t two different versions of him, he was the same on and off stage.” Peter had known him for over 40 years!

6. They had a raw gift of faith that released the power of God

Rev. Bonnke would often say, “Faith is the power switch.” At Reinhard’s crusades, blind eyes were opened, the deaf were healed, the lame walked and the lost were saved.

A friend once asked him, “What is the key to God using you to reach millions for Christ?”

His answer was one word, “Faith.”

Billy Graham’s message annihilated self-righteousness, directing sinners to trust Christ alone for salvation, and would release power for a heart to be transformed by grace!

Both men had a bedrock faith in the God of the impossible.

7. They were faithful to the end

There was never a scandal or any double-life for the history books. These men were faithful to their families, their wives, and the call of God without veering off course.

They lived to hear these words from Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

My Hope for you

Billy Graham and Reinhard Bonnke were ordinary men who yielded themselves to an extraordinary God. Regardless of your background, status or even your age, your “yes” is what qualifies you to be used by God. My hope for you is that you would grab a hold of these truths and begin to see God move through you in similar ways today!

Recap of Young Saints Conference: Discovering True Identity

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 22:17:28 GMT

I believe in empowering young people to transform their generation, and that this can only come from an encounter with God. Last month my team and I hosted our fifth annual Young Saints Conference, where we saw radical breakthrough and transformation happen in hundreds of lives.

14 months earlier I had asked myself this question: What message do I feel the Lord speaking to this generation?

Finding their identity in Christ.

I processed my thoughts with my team and asked them to seek the Lord with me. Soon after our conversation, Donta Nelson, The Creative Director and Jr. High Pastor of Young Saints said he felt like the Youth Conference theme for 2019 would be Behold and Become. Instantly, I knew it was God.

People have found identity in the opinions of friends, destiny, work, being successful, ministry and a whole lot of other things. I too have found myself wrapped up in what I do at times, leading me to repent and adjust again. Any identity that you have to work for can also be taken away.

Everything in life has a creator. Ever since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, humankind has been trying to find their identity on there own, independent of a creator. We’ve been on an endless treadmill of searching and false finish lines.

Discovering your true identity comes from letting go, not hanging on. It comes from losing your life to find it. Our identity is shaped by what we worship, and if you’re not worshipping God, you’re worshipping whatever you value more than Him. When we value “likes” on Social Media more than what God thinks about us, we’ve created an idol and allowed the opinions or the lack thereof to shape who we are.

You become what you behold. When we behold the opinions of others, we become what they say about us. Therefore when we behold the Lord we become like Him.

Back to the opening night of the Youth Conference.

Dante Bowe opened the first song for worship, and you could feel the excitement in the room as 1,500 people lifted their voices inside the Civic Auditorium here in Redding, California. There was a wrestle going on in the atmosphere as several things were happening in the room: some felt the exhaustion from traveling and adjusting a new place, and some were spiritually bound and in need of an encounter with God.

Dante Bowe, Mari Helart and the team sang the solutions of heaven and pierced through the atmosphere by singing about the nature of the Lord. Lisa Bevere preached and declared the Word of God, ripping through the atmosphere with heaven’s truth over this generation as a prophetic Mother.

The next day, worship was at another level as we lifted up the name of the Lord. Kids were pressed up against the stage as their hunger for more was increasing. The Presence of God was thick in the room, and you could feel His heart.

Our next speaker was David Hall, an Australian preacher and one of the funniest speakers I have ever heard in my life. At times, the presence of God was so strong in a moment that many people couldn’t stand and were so overwhelmed they fell over. This is normal when God is moving in power. The hunger in the room electrified the atmosphere as the Lord drew near, and hundreds received a fresh touch from God.

In the afternoon, around 100 youth pastors gathered in a room where I was able to share my heart and encourage them. Those men and women are the culture shapers of America. Many of them were sleep-deprived as they were working really hard to see their kids encounter Lord. They are precious people and heroes for many.

Worship in the final session was full of the presence of God. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife as everyone sang the anthems in unison to the Lord. It’s like you could feel people coming alive in His presence, and being awakened to the reality that God is our loving Father and we are His sons and daughters.

I feel a deep conviction in my heart for this generation to understand what it means to be born again—so that is what I spoke about. We made time for an altar call, and many were running up front to repent and surrender their lives to Christ. It was a divine moment as people were set free from sin, and I know many will never be the same.

Afterward, we brought up teenagers from our Student Leadership Team who have learned how to partner with God and hear His voice. They received words of knowledge from God (factual information about people in the room) and then spoke them out. Close to forty people received healing that night. It was supernatural!

To close, our entire leadership team walked around and prayed for everyone. It was a joy watching the Holy Spirit touch everyone in a very unique and loving way.

Every time we have a conference or event, we later hear testimonies from kids who encountered God and were set free from porn addictions, gender confusion, self-hatred and more. During these encounters, they are established in the Father's love and given their true identity as sons and daughters; no longer sinners but saints. Our hope and prayer is that once young people have an encounter with God, they will go home carrying that encounter for someone else.

I can’t wait till next time!

4 Keys I Used To Overcome Porn, Lust, And Shame

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 22:15:53 GMT

The first time I saw pornography I was hooked.

My addiction to porn started when I was a teenager. It disrupted my relationship with God, shaped the way I saw myself, and shaped how I saw women. I was tormented by uncontrollable mood swings, rounds of depression, lust, and racing thoughts. Though I still believed in God, the sin I was living in opened a door for demons to torment me and control my life.

Pornography was never enough.

It always left me feeling ashamed, empty and wanting more. Towards the end of my teen years, I was awakened to the reality that what the world said would make me happy was a lie. I cried out to God for freedom, and I began to read my Bible and go to church.

When I encountered the love of God, He was so kind, so near and so graceful.

I learned that I was a sinner and Jesus died in my place to free me from this destructive life of addiction. As my heart was captured by Him I developed disgust and hatred for sin. In response to His love, my heart was moved to repentance and I was willing to do whatever it took to be free.

One day I went to my room, grabbed the porn that I developed a connection with for years, and tore it into a million pieces in the trash. I gave myself no ability to go back. I even made up my mind that I wouldn’t watch movies or listen to music with sexual messages.

My physical obedience brought about a spiritual breakthrough.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” When I received Christ, I became a new creation, although many times I didn't feel like it. My mind, will, and emotions needed renewing by the Word of God and time in His Presence.

Here are 3 tools for stepping into freedom from pornography:

1. Renew your mind

Now that the porn was out of my life, I had to get the porn out of me. When I closed my eyes, all I could see where previous images. Neurological science proves that what we focus on can create physical grooves in our brains that thoughts flow through. I had to create new pathways in my brain and cut off the old ones.

I started spending time with God in prayer, worship and reading the Bible. The blood of Jesus became my fountain of life, washing my mind continually. The Holy Spirit worked in me a life of surrender, and I began to allow God to shape me. Read about Jesus in the Bible, and spend time giving God thanks for the cross where your sin nature was crucified, and your sins were washed away!

2. Allow God to love you in the midst of your pain

The grace of God is stronger than the deepest sin. No matter how long you’ve struggled, God loves you and will set you free. The voice of hopelessness will tell you that God is mad at you, disappointed in you and is just tolerating you—but that isn’t true. Jesus loves you unconditionally and His love never changes.

Sit down and look God in the eyes until you stop hating yourself. Spend time letting God love you in the midst of your pain until you believe that He will never leave or forsake you. One encounter with His love will show you your true worth and value that the world can never give you.

3. Get in the light!

1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

We cannot do this alone, we were created to need help from our community. Who can you tell about your struggle right now? Find someone who is trustworthy and walking in freedom from porn and open up to them. Be vulnerable.

Practically, you can delete apps that represent temptation on your phone, and charge your phone away from your bed. In addition to taking these practical steps, remember that this is a spiritual battle as well, and the Holy Spirit will give you the power to overcome as you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus!

My hope for you is that whether you just started your journey to freedom or you have been trying for a while, you would receive supernatural grace as you meditate on The Lord and His Word. You’re not alone, and I believe that you are fully able to step into the freedom that Christ purchased for you!