Sometimes I don’t like what God commands me to do (Don't judge, neither do you!) 

Moses is one of the greatest leaders in the Bible…and he was so faithful to the Lord that his last act of obedience was to climb up a mountain and die…a death brought about by the hand of God.

I don’t know about you…but…I might have tried to run from this one.  However, Moses didn’t…he was faithful.  There are some Scriptures where he did beg God to change His mind…but at the end of it all he surrendered.  (WAIT…that reminds me of another story found in Luke 22:39-42.)

One of my fears in life is that I will always be the guy who is saying, “Whatever you want Lord…I will do it,” and then when He commands me to take a step that I won’t do it because doing so will, well…it will hurt, it won’t be easy!

But…I am beginning to realize that God is always calling us closer to Himself…and the closer we get the more we die.  We cannot walk closer to God and remain the same.  The Apostle Paul was able to pen the words of Galatians 2:20 and he was quoted in Acts 20:24 because he realized this…

No price was too high

No command was considered to be ridiculous

EVEN when it hurt!

Jesus said if we want to follow Him that we are going to have to take up our cross…translation…there are going to be times that it hurts!  (See Luke 9:23)  However…

James 1:12 says that those times are for our development.

Romans 8:28 says that He works all things out for His glory and our good.

Romans 12:1-2 says if we will become a living sacrifice (ouch) then we will know His “good, pleasing and perfect will!”

And…even though God asked Christ to go to the cross…Jesus was able to experience something that no one on the planet has been able to pull off either before or since.

There was a crucifixion…but it led to a resurrection!!!

God has greater things in mind for us than we have for ourselves.  And…the path He commands us to take isn’t always going to be the quickest one, the easiest one or the one that makes the most sense.  However, we can trust that He is HOLY and wants nothing more for us than the very best.

I may not always like what He commands me to do…but if I will stay faithful and follow Him, even when it’s hard…then I will always be content with the results that He brings about.


(Resource: Perry Noble)

One of my life verses that is always in front of me is Hebrews 11:6…

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

One of the myths that has been crippling to Christianity for years is that Jesus has called us to “play it safe”…when that is not taught OR modeled by Jesus OR His followers in the Scriptures.  (See Acts 20:24 and Galatians 2:20)

Jesus didn’t play it safe…Paul didn’t play it safe…none of the Apostles played it safe…the church in Acts 4:23-31 upon being threatened and persecuted did NOT pray for safety…they prayed for boldness!

Yet today we seem to want to play it safe…that cannot be the goal.

So what about you church leader?  Church member?  Whoever…what is that ONE THING that you KNOW the Lord is calling you to do?  You know it’s a risk…you know that in order for it to take place you are going to need divine intervention?  What is it?  Why not do it?
People have asked me before, “Pastor, how do I know that it’s God telling me to do it and not just an idea I had?”  GREAT question…allow me to share three identifying marks that I have personally experienced.

#1 – This thing that you believe you are called to do by God will not contradict God’s Word! I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit…and I believe that He speaks as loud today as He did in the book of Acts; however, I also know according to the teachings of Scripture that the Holy Spirit will not contradict the Word of God.  So…if “that thing” that you feel called to is in direct conflict with God’s Word…then it’s not God telling you to do it.

#2 – You can’t get away from this thought…it dominates your thinking and the more you marinade on it the more you feel like you might explode. For example…you feel God is telling you to do something.  BUT…instead of running out and doing it immediately you begin to read books on it and dive into the Scriptures to see what they teach about the subject.  But the more you pray, study and read about it…the hotter the fire inside of you becomes!

#3 – Godly people in your life affirm it. (SEE Proverbs 15:22)  What I have learned from personal experience is that if I do not want to share my idea with those in my life who I know really do love Jesus and love me…then…I usually know it’s not a “God idea” but rather a me idea.  One of the things that EVERY believer in Christ needs is godly men and women who love Jesus and love the person enough to speak the truth in love…people who value the friend more than the friendship and are willing to say what needs to be said.  ANYTIME I have ever shared a thought/idea that I really believe the Lord has placed in my heart and the people the Lord has placed in my life to love and challenge me push back…I ALWAYS take a step back and pray and think through the idea more until the Lord either gives me greater clarity OR shows me that the wise counsel of my friends is exactly what I needed to hear.

That is what works for me…so how about you?  What is that thing that you know you should do?

Life is short, hell is hot and eternity is forever!!!  The world has NEVER been impacted by Christians who spend their whole lives in a car seat and beg God to never let anything bad happen to them!

Ask HIM to set you on fire with HIS plans…and THEN GO FOR IT
(Reference: P Noble)

I believe you can do exactly what God has called you to do!

We serve a God who is a MASTER at calling those who are not “qualified” to do things that seem “impossible!”

I believe that when a person becomes obsessed with the character of God by reading the Word of God and then gets empowered by the Spirit of God…that person is unstoppable and his/her potential is unlimited as long as they will dare to continually follow Jesus and refuse to play it safe!  (See Zechariah 4:6-7)

(A quick note on this…you’ve GOT to make sure you’ve heard from God and are not simply getting ready to do something and then begging Him to work!)

I believe God puts dreams and visions in our hearts that are so HUGE that it causes great desperation for HIM and HIS power…thus leading to the world seeing what HE can do through us rather than what we can do “for Him!”  (The bigger the revelation the greater the desperation!)

I believe we are all GIFTED to make an impact on the world and NOT simply sit and watch it pass us by.

I believe we are ALL EMPOWERED to make a difference…that fear and timidity does not come from Him, but the power and discipline to execute what He has called us to does.  (II Timothy 1:7)

I believe that YOU are NOT an accident…that He created you with a divine design in mind…that His plans for your life are GREATER than you could imagine, and that by surrendering to HIS plans is the GREATEST freedom on the planet.

I believe that they KEY to discovering what it is that God wants for us is found in Proverbs 3:5-6, that we’ve got to trust Him with EVERYTHING…and if we “hold out on Him” we are actually holding out on ourselves.

I believe God’s plan for your life will not always be easy…but He will always be with you.  (Isaiah 43:1-3)

So…what is it that God is calling you to do?  OR…put another way, “What would you be willing to attempt for God if you knew you could not fail

Life is short…we should get to the end of it with NO REGRETS…so…GO FOR IT!!!

(reference P. Noble)

We are almost half way through our 40 days of prayer and fasting...
Are growing in God's word? Are you maturing spiritually?

#1 – Am I reading my Bible for information or transformation?  (James 1:22-25)

#2 – Am I allowing people or circumstances to steal the joy that Jesus promised to me?  (John 10:10)

#3 – Is there anything in my life that God is consistently dealing with that I am trying to ignore?  (Ezekiel 14:1-5)

#4 – Who are the people in my life that God has placed around me for the purpose of me sharing Christ with them and/or inviting them to church?  (II Corinthians 5:16-21)

#5 – Is there anyone I need to apologize to?  (Ephesians 4:25:27)

#6 – Is there anyone I need to forgive? (Ephesians 4:32)

#7 – Is there a sin I need to confess to others and ask for help? (James 5:16)

#8 – Am I fully utilizing the gifts and abilities that God has blessed me with…or am I simply choosing to waste my life?  (I Peter 4:10)

#9 – Do I know more lines from the movies that I love than verse from the Bible that I read? (Psalm 119:11)

#10 – Is there anything going on in my life privately that, if it became public, would cause me and/or the body of Christ to be embarrassed? (I John 1:9, James 5:16)

(reference: P. Noble)