Champions BYTES for 12/30/09: "Restore and Focus in 20X!"

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Inspired by TD Jakes, "Dont Get Lost In the Feast."

"Now *his parents went *to Jerusalem every year at *the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, *they went up according to custom. And when the feast *was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. *His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group THEY WENT A DAY'S JOURNEY, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, *sitting among *the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents* saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, *your father and I have been searching for you in great distress." And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that *I must be in *my Father's house?" -The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Sometimes Jesus stays behind when you are moving too quickly ahead of Him.

Mary and Joseph lost Jesus (their oneness with Christ.)

But when you lose Jesus (or His anointing), you will always rediscover Him in His Father's House doing His Father's business.

You will not find him in the place of carnality, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, lust and greed; He is in the place you were at before you last became distracted and moved ahead of Him:

In the place you made bad decisions and a lapse of judgment, He is in good (redemptive) decisions.
In the place where temptation mastered you, He is in the place of dominion over sin (the place of resistance and refusal to give in.)

Jesus told them, "You should've known where I was; if you had just come back to My Father's house, your search would have been over. You would not have wasted your time, if you had stopped looking for me in other places."

They went an entire day's journey without noticing that He was gone (or missing.)

What were you doing the last time you experienced His touch (His clarity, presence, power, purpose and direction flowing in your life?

He is there. He never left. He's right where you left Him before you became caught up in carnal, pity or nonsensical things.

No matter how much ground you have given up, you can recover. Like Mary and Joseph, it may take you three days to discover what you lost in a day, but you can get it back.

Your anointing can be restored.
Your purpose can be restored.
Your health and marriage can be restored
Your dreams and destiny can be restored.

Stop spiraling out of control.

Most people, physically, when they fall, try to catch themselves or brace themselves before sustaining damage or impact. But what happens to us spiritually? Why is it, when we miss days, weeks or months in His presence (and Word) we do nothing about it?

When there is distance between us and the will of God dealing with tension or strife, sometimes we let it continue to simmer and bring offense to our relationship to God; We just allow stuff to happen, to push us off the edge, and do nothing; not realizing that sudden impact is coming.

In 2010, that needs to change.

The enemy would love to convince us there is no road back to His grace, anointing and power, but there is. Jesus went to the cross to make a bridge back to God for us; on His back (by His stripes and wounds.)

Don't you ever forget it.

The devil is a liar; lies originated from him and he is the Father of them. But God's word will never deceive or lie to us.

Today, I came to challenge all of us with these questions:

Are you still madly in love with Him?
Have you stopped bringing Him flowers or the fragrance of your intimate life decisions?
Are you more concerned with protecting YOUR rights or HIS righteousness?
When was the last time you took Him on a stroll on the beach, in the park or neighborhood and just opened up to him (becoming transparent; ruthlessly honest about yourself for change?)
When was the last time you read any new love letters from Him (His Word?)
When was the last time you wrote Him one back?
When was the last time you spent a weekend vacation with Him alone?
When was the last time you took a lunch talking to Him or raving about Him to those you touch?
RIGHT NOW, are you still looking for new ways to surprise Him?

You see, even if we lose the power and presence in the Word we once carried within, we can get it back in the Temple; in the secret place of His presence where He is waiting for us to return.

Love never had anything to do it. We never lost his love.

In Jer. 31:3 He passionately said: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you."

Drawn us where?

God wanted more than just love. He wanted to be "ONE" with us.

Oneness begins at the altar but doesn't end there. It's our oneness with Him that needs to be restored and focused in 2010.

To be continued...

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