PART 2 - HOW DESPEARTE ARE YOU FOR AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD

Last entry I asked if you were desperate enough for an encounter with God that you would get out of the boat; “Are you brave enough to get out of the Boat; step out of the cloud of emotion or circumstances that surrounds that issue and trust that He will catch you? Who knows, you may find yourself walking on water!” Here is my second thought;

2. ARE YOU DESPERATE ENOUGH TO SING INSTEAD OF COMPLAIN?

In Acts 16:20-29 we see Paul and Silas accused of public disturbance, stripped, beaten and finally thrown into prison. They were placed in an “inner cell”, worse than the others, chained and guarded closely. What a horrible situation to be in, and for what crime? They were sharing the Gospel! Now that is enough to discourage anyone. I mean, we all know that we should be ready to pay the price but are we ever really prepared to do so? So what did Paul and Silas do in response? ²⁵About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. What? They were certainly better men than me. Truthfully, I would probably be pouting and complaining. I love the part that says, “and the other prisoners were listening.” I have no doubt that the others were likely thinking “These guys are weird! And they sing bad too!” But when those doors swung open THEIR lives were forever changed along with Paul and Silas.

When we are desperate enough for an encounter with God that we are willing to sing instead cry, curse and complain, more than our lives are changed; family, friends, associates and whoever is close enough to see will be impacted forever.

If you want to truly enjoy your life, you must be at peace with the life you have. But that doesn’t mean to just accept whatever comes your way in life. You were born to win; you were born for greatness; you were created to be a victor not a victim in life. So accept where you are, believe God for MORE and take action! Never forget that the “Natural precedes the Supernatural!” Take a step toward or for God and see what He does.

Do you need prison doors to swing open in your life? Start singing to God and don’t worry about what the “others” are thinking are saying. They will be changed as well if you are willing to actively trust God. Our enemies may love when we get knocked down but our heavenly Father loves every time we get up!

HOW DESPERATE ARE YOU FOR AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD?

As Vice President, George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, she performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must have ranked as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience in communist Russia: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband's chest. There in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She desperately hoped that there was another life, and that that life was through Jesus who died on the cross. She desperately hoped that Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband.

Hope activates Faith, Faith activates God and God activates His power for your life.

Our struggles have a way of beating us up. The key is to encounter God. Hope is conceived, birthed and grown as we encounter God! How desperate are you for an encounter with God? Here is one of three, maybe four things I will suggest over the next few weeks that you can do to encounter God in the midst of the whatever you are going through.

1.   Are You desperate Enough To Get Out of The Boat?

Matthew 14:25-29,30 - ²⁵During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear…. ²⁸"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." Jesus replies, “Come!” And peter got down out of the boat…

Peter was such a typical guy…he wore his emotions on his sleeve. When he was angry, sad, disappointed, defeated, no one had to guess; they saw it clearly in his countenance. Who says you can’t tell a book by its cover? Yes you can! That’s why they have covers!!! Anyway….It is between 3-6am and he and the others were exhausted as they boated across the Sea of Galilee hours after Jesus sent them away. They were weary and unsure. Now add to that the fear of seeing what could only be a ghost coming toward them on the water. They wouldn’t have thought it was Jesus. They were terrified. But in the midst of his muddle of emotions, Peter was desperate for an encounter with God! He could have waited to see if it was Jesus. But He got out of the boat!

"When we face difficulties, we need to remind ourselves that whatever is trying to defeat us could very well be what God will use to promote us." He can’t promote us while we are drifting aimlessly in our seas of worry and doubt and fear! GET OUT OF THE BOAT! We can either go through life waiting for God to show up in our situations or we can go after Him.

"When you are tempted to get discouraged, remind yourself that according to God’s word, your future is brighter than your past; you are on your way to a new level of glory. You may think you’ve got a long way to go, but all you need do is look back at how far you’ve already come. You may not be everything you want to be but you are exactly what God needs you to be right now for Him to move you toward your future."

I teach my interns every semester, “Learn from your past but look to your future!”  By the way, Peter’s miracle wasn’t walking on water for a few seconds. It was having the guts to get out of the Boat! He didn’t Know it was Jesus he just Hoped it was Jesus!

Whatever circumstances you may go through; it may seem like a storm ready to drown you or some kind of injustice robbing you of your future. Are you desperate enough to do anything to encounter God and see Him move in your life? Are you brave enough to get out of the Boat? Step out of the cloud of emotion or circumstances that surrounds that issue and trust that He will catch you! Who knows, you may find yourself walking on water!

GET OUT OF THE BOAT

Do What God Is Blessing

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Do What God Is Blessing

At some point in just about every day I wonder if I had made productive choices; choices that are moving me unobstructed toward God's purposes for my life. Yes, that can become a substantial weight to carry depending on the answer that whispers or even screams in reply. By the way, mine is typically a scream. I think it's because God knows that I'm so easily distracted. In fact I remember in grammar school thinking I was missing part of my brain because I couldn't focus in class like the others. For example when the teacher would ask us to read a story quietly in our seats my heart would sink. I would genuinely try. I would start by reading the title, "The Tales Of Peter Cottontail", That's a dumb name. My name is better. Cottontail.....Cot  ton  tail.....Dumb! Does this kid really have a cottontail? That would look dumb. I wonder how many tails dumb Peter has? Haha… hmm, they spelled tail wrong!  Oh wait, which one is spelled wrong, tale, tail? This book is dumb. I can spell better than that! Or is it 'Then' that? Haha, 'that' sounds like 'fat' and 'cat'! and 'hat'!! Hey, I'm good at that! Wow, that rhymes too!!!…fat, cat, hat! I wanna wear my baseball hat to school tomorrow! Emily should wear a hat everyday her hair is dumb. What's everybody doing??" And while I was thinking all of this the other kids were reading the book!!!!

Okay, what was I saying? Oh yes…making the right choices daily is crucial to walking the path God has for us. I want His blessing and His direction everyday, don't you?

Did you know that God is prepared to bless people who will purposefully do what it takes to hear Him, see Him and experience Him in their life? "Blessed is the man who hears me, who waits daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my door." Proverbs 8:34

This passage tells us that God is already blessing those who design their day in such a way that they are prepared to hear His voice of direction, protection and comfort. God is always speaking to us. Regrettably, we are not always focused enough and free from distraction enough to hear what He so earnestly wants to tell us. Additionally, God is always eager to show Himself to us in the circumstances, relationships and even the variety of commotion in our everyday life. All we need do is wait at His gates; our church, scripture, obedience to what He has already spoken to us, or other places where we have experienced Him in our life. And, if we are willing to stand at the doorposts of our Heavenly Father, His promises and Truth, He will act on our behalf. We can count on that!

Wow! Did you know that His favor and protection over us and our loved ones is a matter of choice. You see, the next verse says, "For whoever finds me (follows the instruction previously stated) finds life and receives favor from the Lord." Proverbs 8:35

Wake up tomorrow confident that you are equipped to make the right choices and decisions for your life. Not only does He know your name and everything about your yesterdays but He also knows everything about your tomorrows. Let Him show you.

By the way, I discovered that my inability to focus as a child has enabled me to be proficient as a "multi-tasking" adult. Do what God is Blessing!