Colossians 2:1 NIV - I want you to know how much I AM STRUGGLING FOR YOU and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.
YOUR STRUGGLE IS NOT JUST FOR YOURSELF. Much hinges on your victory. Much hinges on you staying in the fight even if it only appears to you to be just your own personal battle, not involving anyone else. ACTUALLY EVERY PERSONAL BATTLE IS ALSO A BATTLE FOR SOMEONE ELSE YOU CANNOT SEE OR DON'T REALIZE AS BEING IMPACTED AT THIS TIME.
- My struggle today is indirectly a struggle for my immediate family Marilyn, Marsha and Joe, Matthew, Andrew, David and our parents.
- I am struggling for my grandchildren Ben, Sarah, Colin, Austin and Mallorie.
- I am struggling for each family at Life International Church (my church) that the Lord has entrusted to my care.
- I am struggling because the enemy knows my impact on each reader of my weekly email devotional, Faith Food For Eagles.
- I am struggling for my grandchildren yet to be born.
- I am actually struggling today for generations of people yet to be born and who'll be indirectly impacted by my obedience to God TODAY.
Hebrews 7:9 KJV - And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth
tithes, payed
tithes in Abraham. (How could this be? Yet this scripture says that Abraham's financial obedience actually impacted future generations too! Amazing!)
Pressures come to bear upon me because my obedience is actually impacting more people than I realize both now and in the future.
Every act of obedience or disobedience is a SEED with HUGE effect and far-reaching implications.
Consider the TINY ACORN from which the MIGHTY OAK grew... the tiny spark that started the forest fire... the seemingly insignificant pine cone that produced a whole stand of pine trees which, in turn, produced hundreds of thousands of dollars in lumber.
So rejoice, you're only drawing attack because you're doing something right, and the enemy has taken note!
Consider the ramifications of the obedience of one man named Abraham... one man named Noah... one king named David.
Consider the ramifications of the obedience of one woman named Esther... one woman named Ruth.
Consider the ramifications of the obedience of one author named Paul the Apostle... another writer named Daniel... another author named John.
You never really know how much hangs in the balance on just your obedience alone.
Consider Billy Graham... Oral Roberts... Mother Theresa.
Consider the person who led Billy Graham to Christ.
Consider the person who God used to heal Oral Roberts from stuttering.
Consider Corrie Ten Boom.
Consider the divorce of Adolf Hitler's parents.
Consider Margaret Sanger's horrible childhood. She became the founder of Planned Parenthood who slaughters precious babies in women's wombs.
Consider Obama's absentee father who was a philanderer and radical anti-government philosopher, Obama's liberal Harvard professors and Communist party mentors, and his racist pastor. No wonder his agenda to advance the homosexual agenda, murder millions of unborn babies, socialize our government, etc., etc. The SEEDs of his childhood, experiences, and education have produced giant harvests that have HUGE IMPLICATIONS, negatively impacting MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of people, their families, and their values. In four short years his policies and postmodern agendas have culminated in irreparable damage to our society and culture. The VALUES of a President affect the VALUES of millions of people both now and for future generations. A tenet of the art of "community organizing" (of which Obama mastered before his government service) is to "pit classes and groups of people against one another" and to so inflame them that it FORCES change. So that fox learned, so that fox has done! (Yes, I call him a "fox" and that on the authority of Luke 13:32 and as I stand in my fivefold minisatry office of a New Testament prophet who has authority to rebuke and challenge evil in governments. See Ephesians 4:11)
Consider Hugh Hefner's 1954 idea to create a magazine pedaling pornography for profit.
Consider Winston Churchill's bold and brave speeches during WWII.
Consider Martin Luther nailing his 99 theses upon the Church of England's door on October 31, 1517.
Consider John Huss's obedience to give his body to the martyr's fire while boldly prophesying of Martin Luther's coming to his peersecutors.
Colossians 1:5 MSG - The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope.
My life and your life have LINES OF PURPOSE.
What are your LINES OF PURPOSE? Consider writing those LINES down on a sheet of paper.
Reverend Habbakuk recommends WRITING YOUR VISION, READING YOUR VISION, RECITING YOUR VISION, and RUNNING WITH YOUR VISION! (See Habakkuk 2:2-3)
To be specific is terrific. To be vague is a plague.
KNOW where you are headed!
KNOW where you are going!
KNOW where you came from.
KNOW your ultimate destination.
KNOW who you are in Christ.
KNOW who you belong to.
KNOW what you're good at.
KNOW what you're NOT good at.
KNOW why you're doing what you're doing.
Break down your vision into bite-size attainable goals.
Celebrate each and every person in your life that contributes to your dreams and goals. Each should be treated as 24K gold to you. Someone has rightly noted that success is really just a collection of relationships. In the final analysis, the only thing you can take to heaven with you is your family, friends, and people. All other material blessings of success are merely temporary tools to true eternal success... which is relationships!
Speak His Word boldly into the atmosphere around you! Confess His Word over your health. Confess The Word over your finances. Confess the Word over your family members. Speak the Word over your situation!
The Holy Spirit is already MOVING. We have only to cooperate and MOVE WITH HIM.
The purpose of every church service is to FIND THE FLOW of the Spirit and to simply FLOW WITH HIM. Problem is we usually have our own agendas and our own misplaced expectations. Often we want Him to flow with us instead of the other way around... and this quenches His manifested presence. He can use us but we cannot use Him.
What we all need is MORE SENSITIVITY to the Spirit's subtle nudgings and promptings. We should make this SENSITIVITY to His presence a matter of prayer.
What we all need is less religious activity and more responsiveness to the Spirit. We get so used to our religious activity and so familiar with a certain way of doing things, that we MISS HIS FRESH LEADINGS!
The Holy Spirit is GOD, not just a power or influence. He must be honored as BEING IN CHARGE or He is automatically grieved and limited in what He can do for us and through us.
We must learn to HONOR HIS PRESENCE in our midst, yielding entirely to Him. We must EXPECT HIS PRESENCE to manifest in our midst.
