ARE YOU USING GOD'S ROAD MAP, OR YOUR OWN ?

6/13/2019

I LOVE BRAVE CHURCH ! EVERY TIME I WALK IN THE DOOR I FEEL CLOSER TO GOD. I LEARN SO MUCH FROM PASTOR JEFF ABOUT HOW TO UNPACK GOD’S WORD DIRECTLY INTO MY LIFE, THAT I CAN’T HELP BUT WANT TO SHARE IT ! HE HAS A GIFT OF BEING REAL IN WHO HE IS, AND THAT IS SO CRITICAL IN TEACHING AND SHARING THE TRUTH OF GOD. I ALSO LOVE THE REALNESS OF THE PEOPLE THAT ATTEND BRAVE CHURCH. A HUGE MIX OF AGES, BUT ALL EXCITED TO FELLOWSHIP, PRAY, AND FEEL THE PRESENCE OF THE FATHER, JESUS, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. LAST WEEK JEFF ASKED US A REALLY CRITICAL QUESTION : “ IS JESUS THE LORD OF YOUR LIFE, AND ARE YOU LIVING FOR HIM COMPLETELY “ ? IF YOU ARE, YOU WILL LOSE SOME THINGS, BECAUSE YOU MAY NO LONGER LIVE IN THE FLESH. MORE APPROPRIATELY PUT, WE MUST GIVE UP OUR APPETITES FOR THE WORLD, AND START LIVING FOR JESUS. WE MUST ALLOW GOD TO DRAW UP A ROADMAP FOR OUR LIFE, AND WE MUST FOLLOW IT. TIME IS PAST FOR SETTING YOUR OWN RULES, YOUR OWN EXCEPTIONS, AND DECIDING WHICH SIN PATTERNS YOU WILL SURRENDER, AND WHICH ONES YOU JUST MIGHT HOLD ON TO A LITTLE LONGER. IT IS TIME TO GROW UP.

MAKE ME KNOW YOUR WAYS, O LORD; TEACH ME YOUR PATHS. LEAD ME IN YOUR TRUTH AND TEACH ME, FOR YOU ARE THE GOD OF MY SALVATION; FOR YOU I WAIT ALL THE DAY Psalm 25:4-5

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT. Proverbs 3: 5-6

I THINK ABOUT THIS A LOT. AS I HAVE GOTTEN OLDER, IT SEEMS EASIER TO REALIZE SOME OF THE CHOICES I MADE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER WERE DEFINITELY NOT THE BEST CONSIDERING MY FAITH. IT IS EASY TO MAKE EXCUSES. I WAS YOUNG…..MY FRIENDS ALL ENJOYED IT, SO I WENT ALONG…..EVERYONE DOES OR DID IT….IT’S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL…..OUCH ! WHAT I REALIZE NOW IS THAT I WAS AN EMISSARY FOR GOD. HE WAS EXPECTING ME TO SHINE WHO HE WAS THROUGH MY LIFE, MY BEHAVIOR, AND THE WAY I LIVED ! THANK GOODNESS I WASN’T TOO FAR OFF THE RAILS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT GOD WANTS US TO BE, AND REPRESENT, AND THRIVE IN. WE ARE OH SO LUCKY THAT GOD IS MERCIFUL AND UNDERSTANDS WHO WE ARE. WE ARE SO LUCKY WE HAVE THE GIFT OF JESUS AS A SAVIOR AND LORD.

I WAS LAUGHING WITH A FRIEND RECENTLY ABOUT HOW WE LOVE TO HAVE A PLAN FOR OUR LIVES, AND WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAP IT, AND REACH OUT INTO THE FUTURE. STEVE WORKED FOR KODAK, AND IF ALL HAD GONE ACCORDING TO HIS MAP, HE WOULD BE A V.P. FOR KODAK LIVING IN ALABAMA. WE NEVER WOULD HAVE MET, HIS KIDS WOULDN’T KNOW MINE, AND WE NEVER WOULD HAVE WALKED IN OUR FAITH TOGETHER. NEVER FISHED TOGETHER, NEVER TOURED NAPA WINERIES, NEVER HUNTED PHEASANT, NEVER TALKED FOR HOURS, NEVER WALKED THROUGH CHALLENGES…..NEVER LAUGHED, PRAYED OR CRIED TOGETHER. FUNNY THING, GOD HAD A DIFFERENT MAP FOR HIS LIFE, AND I AM SO BLESSED THAT OUR LIVES WERE SEWN TOGETHER BY GOD THAT WE WOULD LOVE EACH OTHER AS BROTHERS ! THANK YOU LORD !

SOME TIME WHEN YOU CAN, TAKE OUT A BLANK PIECE OF PAPER, AND JOT DOWN SOME THINGS THAT YOU APPRECIATE ABOUT YOUR LIFE, AND TAKE SOME TIME IN PRAYER TO THANK GOD THAT HE DIRECTED YOU THERE. THEN TURN IT OVER AND LOOK AT THE BLANK SIDE. SOME DAY IT TOO WILL BE FILLED, BUT RATHER THAN WRITE OUT ALL THAT YOU WANT, PUT YOUR HANDS ON IT AND CLOSE YOUR EYES AND ASK GOD TO FILL IT FOR YOU…..TRUST IN HIM TO DO THE MAPPING. LET HIM CREATE ALL THE AMAZING DETAILS THAT WILL SHOW YOU WHERE TO GO, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHO YOU WILL BECOME IN HIS KINGDOM. HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND WAYS TO LIVE WILL DEFINITELY PROVIDE WISDOM ON THE JOURNEY. YOU SEE, HE LOVES YOU AND ONLY WANTS THE BEST FOR YOU. NEVER BUY INTO THE LIE THAT HE HAS MISLED YOU, OR THAT HE DOESN’T CARE ABOUT YOU. THAT LIE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT ONLY SERVES THOSE WHO DON’T WANT YOU TO BE CLOSE TO HIM, AND TRUST HIM. IT ONLY SERVES TO CREATE A VACCUM IN OUR SOCIETY THAT MAY BE FILLED WITH WHAT THE WORLD DEEMS IMPORTANT AND GOOD. CHECK OUT THE NEWS HEADLINES, THE DIVISIVENESS OF OUR CULTURE, AND YOU SEE ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.

TRUST IN GOD. PRAY OFTEN. LOOK TO SERVE AND HELP OTHERS. BE GENEROUS AND LOVING. SEEK GOD’S KINGDOM AND HIS WORD. LET HIM HAVE ALL OF YOU, AND I GUARANTEE, IT WILL BE A JOURNEY THAT YOU WILL TREASURE ALL OF YOUR LIFE….EVEN UNTO ETERNITY :) BE NOT ALONE/BE IN GOD JA

THEREFORE I URGE YOU BRETHREN, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD, TO PRESENT YOUR BODIES A HOLY AND LIVING SACRIFICE, ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR SPIRITUAL SERVICE OF WORSHIP. AND DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, SO THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT THE WILL OF GOD IS, THAT WHICH IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT. Romans 12:1-2