Spiritual Fitness Lesson Four

Spiritual Fitness

        Lesson Four

Gtcotr/ws102616

Ok you know the routine …
* Imagine you at your best …
* In the best condition of life …
* Wiser, stronger, more spiritually fit than ever …
* You at your best for you, your family and your God …

What are you doing right now to get yourself from where you are to that best place in life?

Remember: A dream is not a plan!

So:
* You have an image of you at your best
* You have considered some things you must do in order to move yourself closer to that image
* Now, open your mouth, take a chance, make a declaration of faith … tell somebody about it … if only talking to yourself or to the devil … tell somebody! Pull the trigger and start the race.

These stretching exercises are important to your faith and spiritual fitness. With those first three exercises in mind, let’s tackle the new exercises for this week. Turn to the book of Genesis.

Last week we concluded in Genesis 39 with the continuing review of Joseph’s life, that 98 pound weakling whom God turned into a real heavy weight champion of the whole known world. Both God and Joseph teach us that:

Success in life is more than a one step process.

God wants every Believer to do some spiritual exercises every day so that each one of us might grow stronger and last longer and not faint in the day of our greatest need.

We ended week three with:

Genesis 39:23 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.

At the age of seventeen Joseph caught a glimpse of destiny. He saw something in a dream that spoke to him and gave him a vision and hope for his future. No one else in his world imagined that what Joseph saw could actually come to pass. However, this dream Joseph had was but a seed of the destiny God planted in Joseph’s life and it was Joseph’s trust in God’s dream that kept him on track through many years of hardships and great difficulties.

By the time we get to the end of Genesis 39, Joseph is 27 or 28 years old and had been separated from his family for about 10 years. He was sold by his jealous brothers, falsely reported as having been vicious killed by wild animals, taken to a foreign country, sold into slavery, unjustly accused of attempted rape, and thrown into prison.

At every injustice served him, his accusers benefited. All Joseph had was a dream for his future and he would not let go of that dream. Now in prison Joseph continues adding to his life the virtues of a spiritually fit child of God … Joseph is growing spiritually strong.

We pick up this story in the very next verse:

Genesis 40
1 ¶ It came to pass after these things that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker.
3 So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined.
4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.
5 ¶ Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation.
6 And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad.
7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?"

As if Joseph did not have enough troubles of his own. In the eyes of the world Joseph ought to have been the one sitting around in the corner of his cell, perhaps curled up in a fetal position, crying about his plight and the unfairness of his situation, waiting for someone to bring him his daily ration of bread and water.

However, this is not the posture of a man who is exercising himself to spiritually fitness. Joseph wanted to be ready at any moment to embrace his dream. There was not time for self pity.

In order to become spiritually fit we need to exercise ourselves, regardless of our own problems, exercise ourselves in the virtues of:

1. Kindness

* If we help enough people get what they want, we will get what we want.
* Joseph was given the keys to his own prison, he was a trustee, but he could not set himself free … his freedom was going to come through someone else … someone to whom he was kind.
* Our greatest blessings in life may be waiting on us becoming a blessing to others.

Job 42:10 ¶ And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

* Pray for others, be kind to them … try to meet someone else’s need every day … and watch God deliver you in return.

A second virtue Joseph added to his exercise program was:

2. Candidness

The Chief Butler and the Chief Baker of Pharaoh were very sad to find themselves out of the palace and in prison. Each of them had a very vivid dream the same night and could not figure out what their dreams meant. When Joseph took the time and asked them to share their dreams with him they agreed.

* So many people in prison have dreams but don’t understand what they mean.

First the Chief Butler told his dream and Joseph was given the interpretation from God. Joseph promptly told him that he would be restored to his former position within three days.

Seeing that the interpretation given to the butler was a favorable one, the baker told Joseph his dream too. When the Spirit of God gave Joseph understanding of the dream it was not favorable. Joseph knew that in three days the baker would be hanged on a tree and that the birds would peck at and eat his flesh.

What could Joseph do? This was a horrible interpretation, a devastating message for anyone to hear. How could Joseph say such a thing? The only way … with care, but with candidness.

* Joseph answered in a responsibly honest manner.
* There is a difference between being responsibly honest and being irresponsibly honest.

This baker had a need and a right to know and even though it was difficult to hear, nonetheless it was best that he be told the truth.

* It is important for our spiritual fitness that we have and exercise the ability to be candid, not irresponsibly honest, unkind or uncaring, but when the situation calls for it … straightforward.

A few years ago I was in Canyon City, Colorado visiting with a new ministry acquaintance. Earlier that morning while in prayer I asked the Lord to help me become a good counselor to other pastors and leaders and to give me wisdom and grace to speak the truth to other people in love.

I heard in my spirit that I should be both willing and able to tell others to their face what I would tell my wife about them in private. That challenged me. So, after listening to this pastor across the breakfast table and feeling compassion for him, I took a deep breath and simply said, “Allow me to be candid with you. The very best counsel I can give you is to tell you face to face what I would tell my wife about you.”

With this I saw is eyes searching my facial expressions and gauging my body language for any signs of falseness or lack of sincerity. Finding none he asked me to please continue. I was candid and it ministered to him in a very profound way. From that time forth I have been able to draw on that experience when truth, although difficult, deserves to be shared. I get a lot of exercise on this one and it has become one of my most relied upon strengths.

Proverbs 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.

Not only should we exercise ourselves by Kindness and Candidness but also we need to realize the power of:

3. Influence

Genesis 40
14 "But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.
21 Then Pharaoh restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.
22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23 Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Joseph asked … You have not because you ask not … ask and receive!

* Don’t think that because nothing happens immediately that nothing will happen.
* God knows how and when to awaken His Word and Will in a person’s life.
* You have more influence than you imagine … than you may ever see.


* Spend your spiritual capital
* You will no longer need your spiritual capital and influence in heaven
* Through influence one can lead from the middle of the pack

Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Assignment for this week:

1. Take time to be kind.

2. Be responsibly honest and speak the truth in love.

3. Contemplate your circle of influence. Do something to build and bless the kingdom of God by using your influence.

Your blessing and best in life might be waiting just on the other side of you blessing and helping someone else.

Spiritual Fitness Ten Weeks To A New You Week 3

Spiritual Fitness

        Ten Weeks To A New You

                Week 3

Gtcotr/ws0101916

This is week three of our ten week spiritual fitness class. This course will get you in the best spiritual shape you have ever been in and is designed to begin:

A lifestyle that will last a lifetime.

The spiritual exercises we have and will discuss are designed by God to stretch and strengthen you beyond your current capacity and make you able to successfully handle every situation in life.

At the end of these ten weeks, providing you keep up with the spiritual exercises, you will be sharper, more confident and spiritually ready for any challenge. Other exercise programs don’t always afford you the benefit of seeing immediate results. Not so with this program, it begins paying dividends instantly. From the first time and every time you allow these principles to work, they will stretch you, strengthen you, and increase your spiritual momentum.

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

The Greek word translated work in this scripture is a prime example of the dynamo of God’s Word turning over on the inside of you to create energy … the energy needed to run the race, finish the course, and keep the faith. If you take every principle we will learn in these ten weeks and apply them to your life, discipline your soul with daily spiritual exercise, and keep them under your conscious command, you will win the race of life.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ …

This is a given … victory is a pre-drawn conclusion for the spiritually fit.

Joshua 1
8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

When God needed Joshua to be strong and courageous, God gave Joshua some spiritual exercises and told him to be disciplined and consistently stretch and strengthen himself.

Joshua 1
5 "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
6 "Be strong and of good courage …
7 "Only be strong and very courageous …

Joshua was told that if he did these things that no man would be able to prevail against him all the days of his life. But it all hinged on Joshua keeping up with his spiritual exercises and looking beyond the natural circumstances to the spiritual realities.

Spiritual things are the things we cannot see. Natural exercises are things we can see and touch, but spiritual exercises are exercises of the mind, the will and the emotions of man … the invisible things which cause natural circumstances to line up with spiritual realities.

Invisible things like the stretching exercises we discussed in week one. Remember them? Have you yet disciplined yourself to stretch your spirit on a daily basis?

* To Dream
* To Meditate & Get A Plan From God
* To Declare

In week two we continued adding exercises to our spiritual exercise plan and discussed:

* Relationship
* Presentation
* Participation

If you missed these sessions please don’t fall behind or risk failure by not knowing how to fully exercise your spirit and get the every advantage in life. Log onto cotr.com or churchonline.tv, download the notes and view the archived sessions or stop by the information desk and ask for your copy of the lessons you missed.

Week Three

This week we are going to add yet three more disciplines of spiritual fitness from God’s word. We are continuing to use the life of Joseph as God intended, for our example, our role model if you will, to instruct us on the things we need to add to our discipline of life.

Genesis 39
7 ¶ And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."
8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, "Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.
9 "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.

This brings up the first exercise we need to add to our life this week:

1. Character

* Character is who you are when no one else is watching.
* Is your integrity for sale? If so, what price?
* Whatever you compromise to keep you will ultimately lose.
* You will encounter character defining and character confirming moments in life … these defining moments give you an opportunity to redefine your character when you find a flaw.

Just because you are a person of character and your integrity is intact does not guarantee you will never face injustice. However, with continued exercise of your character and integrity in the face of injustice, you will prevail.

The Apostle Peter said, (1 Peter 4), that if we suffer injustice as a Believer we should not let it get us down knowing that we are just and right within ourselves. However, if we suffer as an evildoer then we are only suffering the trouble we have caused ourselves.

* Joseph continued passing the tests of character.

The story continues in Genesis 39 by telling us that this woman could not stand being rejected and ended up falsely accusing Joseph of trying to rape her. When Joseph’s master heard this he believed his wife and put Joseph in prison.

Genesis 39
20 Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.

The second principle of spiritual fitness we need to add to our life in week three is the element of:

2. Humility

* How a person handles the false accusations, demotions, and failures of life will determine if they overcome or are overcome by the circumstances.
* At times we must wait on God.
* What we do while we wait may at times determine how long we wait.
* You think things are bad now? Believe me, you can make them worse!
* No man can change your destiny … God can … just don’t make Him mad at you.
* Convince yourself: “My future is set … Today won’t be the end of me … This is not the big one.”
* When you can’t do anything else … just don’t make it worse. * Give God time to work … He is still on your side!

Genesis 39
21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Exercise three for this week:

 
3. Endurance

Genesis 39
23 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.

Even after all of his trouble, Joseph had the energy to keep on going … to start all over again … to prove himself to yet another master.

* Do not allow hardship or pressure to take away the dream. * Keep your focus on the goal and keep the dream alive.
* A successful person is one who blossoms where they are planted.
* Success is more than a one step process.
* Most often success in life belongs to those who are able to endure the process.
* Never adjust your theology to accommodate a tragedy.

Assignments for this week:

Remember to: Keep Stretching

1. Work on your Character
* Do not compromise your integrity.
* Seek to impress God today more than man.

2. Work on Humility
* Blossom where you are planted … even if it is beneath you.
* Pray for those who persecute you, despitefully use you, or falsely accuse you.
* Give God space and time to work.
* When you can’t do anything else, just don’t make it worse.

3. Work on Endurance
* It’s not what you are going through but what you are going to.
* Endure hardships as a good soldier of Christ.

Spiritual Fitness – 10 Weeks to a New You Lesson Two

Gtcotr/ws100516

We are beginning week two of our ten week spiritual fitness class and as I told you last week, this course will get you in the best spiritual shape you have ever been in and is designed to begin a lifestyle that will last a lifetime. These spiritual exercises will stretch and strengthen you beyond your current capacity and will make you able to successfully handle every situation in life.

At the end of these ten weeks, providing you keep up with the spiritual exercises you will be sharper, more confident and a spiritual force to be reckoned with. Other exercise programs don’t always afford you the benefit of seeing immediate results. However, this program begins paying dividends instantly. The first moment you start stretching you will increase your potential and begin moving closer to your strongest day.

Speaking of stretching, I trust you have been doing the three daily exercises we discussed in week one. Remember what they are? If not either log onto churchonline.tv to view, or stop by the info desk and order your copy of week one … you’ll be glad you did!

So, let’s open up the Book of Life together once again and add this week’s exercises to our program. Turn in your Bibles to Genesis.

We continue this week following the life of Joseph, the son of Jacob. Joseph is our role model and we are using his life story as an example as we transform ourselves from that proverbial 98 pound spiritual weakling into a world class champion of faith. Today we will pick up on his story in the book of:

Genesis 37 NKJV

Verses 12 through 18 tell us that Joseph’s ten older brothers were away from home feeding and tending to their father’s sheep in the Valley of Hebron. Joseph was at home when his father, Jacob, asked him to go and check on his brothers and bring back a report of how they were managing the sheep.

When Joseph was still a ways off the brothers saw him and conspired together to kill him. We pick up the story in verse 19.

19 Then they said to one another, "Look, this dreamer is coming!”
20 "Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!"
21 But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, "Let us not kill him."
22 And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him" —that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father.

When these brothers wanted to kill Joseph and rob him of his destiny and put an end to his dreams, Reuben, the eldest brother, spoke up on his behalf and delivered him to keep his dream alive. All of this went on behind the scenes without Joseph knowing.

This speaks to us confirming the strength, protection and defense that others can add to our life, even when we are unaware. Without someone else in the background standing up for Joseph he would have perished. Our first element of personal strength for week two centers on:

1. Relationship
* Relationship means to be connected or allied by kindred, marriage, kindness or cause.

It’s not what you know, but who you know that counts.

If who you know, not what you know gets you into heaven, then who you know will also be a key to open every other door in life. What you know is only important after who you know gives you a chance to show what you know. Without opportunity, what you know means nothing and your potential will never be realized.

It is a firm principle of life that before you can stand on your own, you stand on someone else’s strength first. Some other person carried you nine months before you could even breathe on your own. This is a basic principle of life, strength and success … sad to say … some otherwise healthy people with great potential choose to be carried all of their life rather than exercise themselves and gain greater personal strength.

It is true that the enemy may be speaking to men behind the scenes about destroying your dreams, but God is speaking to men behind the scenes to protect your dreams.

God has a plan for your life, but so does the devil. Learn the difference and remember: Relationships matter … who you know makes a difference … two are better than one … a threefold cord is not easily broken … no person makes it on their own.

There are many players in the game of life and your life, your dreams, your strength and your success may depend on others more than you imagine. Don’t cut others short … don’t write them off … be kind … you may need someone to speak up behind the scenes on your behalf in a time to come.

The second element of spiritual fitness we are going to add to our lives in week two is a personal strength called:

2. Presentation
* Your life is a commercial about you. You are writing the story that others will one day tell about you. If your life ended today, what would your epitaph sound like? It would probably depend somewhat on how you have presented yourself to others thus far … unless you knew someone who loved you beyond your presentation … maybe mom could write it!

Joseph’s life was saved by Reuben however when Reuben was gone and the other nine brothers were left alone with Joseph trapped in that pit, they didn’t like him and … since Reuben was not there to stop them … they sold him into slavery to a group of traveling merchants. These merchants carried Joseph down into Egypt and put him on the auction block. Let’s look a couple of chapters further into this story to Genesis 39.

Genesis 39 NKJV
1 ¶ Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.
2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

What made Joseph a good buy on the auction block of his life? What made this intelligent and well educated man of means choose Joseph as his slave? It could have been the way Joseph presented himself, even in the dark hours of his soul.

Beware … there may be something bigger at stake than whatever is causing that frown on your face.

Joseph had an image in his mind of what he was going to and he did not let what he was going through cloud that image. Joseph was a man with a dream, a man with a destiny … he knew he was somebody going somewhere and he also had the good sense to understand God was going to use others to get him there.

Neither Reuben, his older brother, nor Jacob, his loving father, was with Joseph to protect or promote him right now. Joseph was going to have to make some new friends, impress some new people and for this he needed to make a good presentation of himself to others.

Genesis 39
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.
4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
5 So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field.
6 Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

Joseph looked good! He cared for his fitness and appearance …

After being sold into slavery, mistreated, rejected, and separated from his family and the good life he was used to, Joseph, nonetheless, presented himself well. He did not kick and scream, fuss or complain, argue or whine, make excuses or beg his freedom … rather Joseph strengthened himself and realized the power of presentation.

Joseph knew that his life, the way he looked, the way he spoke, the way he acted and even the way he reacted, were all opportunities to let others know what they could expect from him. So, he presented himself with destiny’s qualities in the light of his present situation.

He could not afford to act haughty or high minded but rather he needed to come off confident and cooperative, willing to serve.

We must consider our presence and our presentation. How valuable do we appear to others? Success avoids a lazy or a complaining person … work on yourself – exercise yourself – position yourself to be someone others value.

This brings us to our third element of spiritual fitness for week two:

3. Participation
* Participation is simply working together with God and others.

Genesis 39
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.
4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him.

God demands that we participate in our miracles and many miracles are made from the accumulation of life in its daily grind.

Joseph was not where he wanted to be in life but realized that he was where he was and if he was going to get anywhere from here it would take participating to the best of his ability right where he was.

Like Joseph, if we are going to get where we want to be in life we are going to have to:
     * Take what we have
     * Start where we are
     * Do the best we can

Many people refuse to participate responsibly, do their best or go the extra mile when they find themselves in surroundings which either they don’t like or feel they don’t deserve. When you find yourself in a difficult position which requires more strength to conquer … exercise yourself! Often we must be willing to exercise ourselves and achieve victory in the situation before we gain victory over the situation.

What am I saying … if you want to be spiritually fit you are going to have to exercise and pay close attention to the essentials. You will never become spiritually fit unless you are able to:

1. Make and maintain relationships
2. Present yourself as valuable to others
3. Participate in life by serving at your best where you are

Your assignment this week:

·        Work on your old relationships and take every God given opportunity to make new ones

·       Examine your presentation

·       Participate – blossom by serving where you are currently planted.

Without these spiritual strengths you may not be as promotable as God needs you to be when He calls. So let’s give God the greatest opportunities to make us all we can be for Him in this life.

1.         Dream – Meditate – Declare

2.         Relationships – Presentation – Participation

Don’t forget to encourage others to begin building their spiritual strength … it begins with a dream. What would a better day look like? What can you and God do about that?

5777

gtcotr/ss100216

L’shanah Tovah!

Worth noting – Sundown today, October 2,2016 in Israel, marks the beginning of the New Year 5777 of the Hebrew calendar. This simply means that by the most studied approach in Biblical Judaism the scholars calculate there has been 5777 years since God created Adam. The New Year is now called, Rosh Hashanah which literally translated means the head of the year. Biblically we also recognize it as the Feast of Trumpets. The date is known as the 1^st day of the Hebrew month of Tishri.

Without going deep into all the surrounding elements of this season allow me to simply inform you that all Believers in Jehovah God, both Jew and Christian, are entering into one of the most holy seasons of the year. It is not a time to party but a time to pray. This is the season when both Jews and Christians expect the coming of Messiah. If Jesus is going to come this year it will be in the next 2 or 3 days … personally I hope He does … I don’t see how this world can make it another year without breaking out in complete chaos and great tribulation.

(Explain: These are the High Holy Days … This is not party time but a time prayer. 1 Elul; Daily Trumpet; 1 Tishri - Last Trumpet; 10 Days of Awe; Shabbat Shuva; 10 Tishri - Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement - Great Trumpet; 15 Tishri - Feast of Tabernacles) (The return of Christ – Matthew 24:31&36; 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Isaiah 27:13)

L’shanah Tovah!

Well, that’s our history lesson and our great hope for this week. Now … let’s prepare ourselves as though we are going to have to continue to live in this world for another year and let’s pray we don’t!

Turn with me to the book of Joshua chapter 1.

·        We cannot allow the negatives to dominate our lives.

·        I believe the Lord wants you to Live a life of what you do want instead of living a life of what you don’t want.

·        It is often the trouble we encounter that points us in the right direction. (I’m not talking about God causing or giving us trouble – but when we do find ourselves in trouble, whether in mind, body or spirit, we can easily identify which way we should go to get out of it … Just like the prodigal son … he knew his father would help him.)

BTW - 5777 is an interesting grouping of numbers with some varied suggested meanings. Hebrew Gematria, Jewish Gematria and Numerology are long established methods of calculating the values of words and meanings of numbers based on the computations of their values.

·        5 for example is the number recognized for the grace of God

·        7 is the number for complete or final

·        3 is the number assigned for divine wholeness or fulfillment

·        So, 5777, in some assignments suggest the completely finished work of the divine grace of God.

Let’s hold that thought as we read our text for today:

Joshua 1  NKJV – Well, let’s back up to the last chapter of Deuteronomy …

Deuteronomy 34:8  And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. So the days of weeping and mourning for Moses ended.

There they were, 30 days in the wilderness without divine leadership or direction … what do you do at the end of a long hard journey ??? begin a new one!

Joshua 1

1 ¶  After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying:

2  "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them — the children of Israel.

3  "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.

Arise

·        Wake up

o   wake up to the need you have for divine leadership and a fresh word from God – what would a better day look like?

·        Get up

o   Not just wake up but get up and do something … the next step!

·        Stir up

o   Some of you need to wake up and some need to get up but some of you simply need to stir yourselves up and begin again.

o   Don’t allow sameness to become lameness. You can have a new day – every time you need one. Trouble points the way …

o   Revisit why you began this journey in the first place.

o   The goal has always been to cross the Jordan and inherit the land. Don’t forget why you came this far and worked so hard.

Arise also means:

·        To Continue

·        To Persist

·        To Endure

One day the Apostle Paul found himself in a great time of need. He had worked hard and long and was evidently more than a little frustrated when he first petitioned God to deliver him from what he called a “thorn in his flesh”. God replied to Paul’s request by saying, “My grace is sufficient … for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) <5777>

Perhaps there is no better time than right now, the beginning of the new year, 5777, to realize that the grace of God full and final and completely  sufficient for your every need. Arise!!!

1.   You cannot allow the negatives to dominate your life.

2.   Live a life of what you do want instead of living a life of what you don’t want.

3.   Wake up!

4.   Get up!

5.   Stir yourself up!

I say to you, Arise in the Name of Jesus! Are you awake to the grace of God? What if Jesus was to come today … are you ready??? L’shanah tovah!