Big dreams?

With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Do you ask God for big things? Or do you play it safe and ask only for the things you are pretty confident he will provide? Don't be afraid to ask for the big things because we serve a BIG God who delights in revealing his love toward us. What we don't want to do is limit God in any way. We want to remain open to the 'power working in us' that will 'do much' if we allow him access, are obedient to what he asks, and trust him with our whole heart.

In my youth I was a big dreamer. In fact, I was a bit of a daydreamer growing up. I'd drift off into thought about things way bigger than I could achieve right then, finding myself carried away in a world of imagined plans. It wasn't until I began to realize God has dreams for me that were being limited by the dreams, I concocted in my own mind that I began to let God show me the 'much more' he had planned for me. His power within me was aching to be turned lose, but I was limiting his actions by the limitations of my dreams.

With God's power working in us - this doesn't say 'when' his power is working within us - it says 'with'. The way we read this is important because we already have his power resident within us, ready to work not only within us, but through us. If we read just a few verses prior to today's passage, we will see Paul reminding us that God's plan is for Christ to live in our hearts, for us to come to experience his love, and that we should be 'filled with everything he has for us'. When Christ is in the center of our lives, his power is working within us - no matter what!

What are the 'big things' God has prepared for you? Today is a great time to find out. You won't know until you begin to ask! He can do much - we just need to be available to him. Maybe it is time to ditch some of our 'daydreaming' and listen to hear the plans he has prepared for us well in advance of us ever knowing he would do such things in or through us. Just sayin!

Take inventory

It was D.L. Moody who reminded us of 'heaven being a prepared place for a prepared people'. Jesus reminds us, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (Matthew 6:19-21) Heavenly-minded individuals are living today in preparation for heaven. That may look like one thing to me and another thing to you, but the end result is what matters. Are today's actions in accord with the principles taught in scripture? Did we take time to consider others as Jesus always did? Are we leaving behind goodness and kindness wherever we journey? To prepare here, we stay focused on the actions and attitude of Christ in all we do.

Wherever your treasure is... To understand the 'where', we must first define the 'what'. In other words, if we don't know what we 'treasure', we will never really know 'where' we find our focus. Treasures are simply the things we focus on the most - the things we value the greatest. Our treasure could be things, people, dreams or aspirations, or even something we have lost along the way. If Jesus is our treasure, his principles soon become more than our 'guidance' in life - they give us focus and therefore, they give us direction. Anyone who treasures the direction God gives is soon going to realize anything apart from making Christ first in our focus is just not going to bring us as much pleasure or peace. Prepare today for the place prepared for you tomorrow - this is the principle we have to learn well while here on this earth.

How do we prepare? Take inventory. All of life's greatest 'work' begins with 'taking inventory' of what we have, where we are, and where we need to go. We don't know what we have been given in saying 'yes' to Jesus until we begin to take inventory of those things. Peace replaced worry, hope replaced despair, freedom replaced bondage, love replaced rejection. After we know what we have, we begin to focus on where we are right now. An honest appraisal of the choices we have been making, how we make those choices, and what we have been accomplishing by those choices is important. When we know what we have been given, where we are right now, we are ready for Christ to establish where he wants to take us. Just sayin!

Put your best foot forward

And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (Ephesians 6:12-13)

It comes as no surprise to me that the majority of the time we try to do things on our own, utilizing our own resources, and then wonder why the outcome didn't go as planned. We are kind of hard-headed at times, believing we have all the resources we need, finding we might not be as well-equipped as we thought we were. The truth is we DO have all the resources we need right there at our disposal, but we oftentimes don't equip ourselves with them. We have to 'take' what God has prepared for us and apply those resources within our lives. Prayer is a resource - do we pray before we begin? The Holy Spirit is a resource - do we listen for his prompts as we set out on the course? The Word of God is a resource - do we explore the examples set forth and the 'rules' that might apply to our circumstances? If we have the resources and then neglect to use them, we only have ourselves to blame when we fail to meet the objective.

Be prepared - have you heard me say that a few times in the past couple of weeks? I have learned the hard way that ill-prepared plans are costly. The time we take to be well-prepared is something we will never regret. It is in the preparation that we tap into the help we need. As I am learning some woodworking skills in my woodworking class, I have been watching tons of videos and reading lots of articles/books on the subject I am trying to grasp. I just finished one on how to do a good 'glue-up' of materials - when is it too many boards to piece together, what pressure is required to get a solid connection without 'over-squeezing' those boards, and what clamps are the best for the type of project I am attempting. Who knew there was so much to learn about putting glue between two boards? Do you know how most of these experienced woodworkers discovered these facts? They learned through trial and error - costly mistakes resulting in bowed materials, insufficient glue remaining on the surface, or uneven boards requiring the removal of too much material after the glue-up. 

What can we learn from God ahead of time - before the battle is hot and heavy? If we just trust him to 'get us through', but don't prepare our minds, hearts, and even our bodies ahead of time, we might just find ourselves paying the cost of a poorly implemented 'plan'. Our minds need to be in the right mindset before we 'handle' the day ahead. How do we get the right mindset? We ask God to adjust our attitude - in other words, he is given permission to 'change the inclination' of our actions. We all have certain 'inclinations' before we tackle anything that is frequently based upon 'preferences' or 'likes'. If we like to do something, it is easier for us to embrace the task. If we have an aversion toward the task, we will drag our feet and hate every step we have to make. Seeking God's help ahead of time in adjusting our attitude toward what it is we must undertake, battle, or 'go through' might just be the best 'first step' we can take. Just sayin!

One day...

Have you ever been in that moment when you'd like to say something, but you know better than to even open your mouth? I have and let me tell you...it is harder to stay silent sometimes, but oh so worth it! The words I would say would not be helpful, could even incite a little argument or two, and might even end up doing more harm than good. There are times when silence is definitely the best "tactic" to utilize, yet there are others when remaining silent will just worsen a situation. Learning how to use silence in a positive manner is a skill many of us never fully grasp. In fact, many of us don't like silence. We avoid it at all cost. There are also a group of us who like to express our opinion - invited or not. Either way, what we do with the silence is important - what we do with the spoken word is even more so.

When Hathach told Mordecai what Esther had said, Mordecai sent her this message: "Don't think that just because you live in the king's house you're the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this." (Esther 4:12-14 MSG)

Esther finds herself in such a predicament. Her cousin, Mordecai, has learned of the king's decree (issued through Haman) to destroy all the Jews in the land - simply because he doesn't like them. The day has been set - all are to be killed - none spared. To date, Esther's family line - that of being a Jew herself - has not become a topic of discussion in the court of the king. No doubt Haman is totally and foolishly unaware of this as the decree is issued. If he knew the peril in issuing a decree which would affect the king's "special lady", he might have thought twice before opening his mouth! Her dilemma becomes more apparent as she learns of the decree - she now has to choose to remain silent, or speak up about her heritage - either way carries the potential of some form of loss to her and her family. Have you ever been in such a situation? You could speak up, but if you do, you will be "implicated" in the process? You could remain silent, but your silence will affect you just as severely - and possibly even others? Not a great place to find yourself, is it? 

The choice we make in that moment is often what determines the outcome. Isn't it amazing how one seemingly insignificant decision can make such a huge difference? Silence is indeed a difficult "weapon" to master. I call it a "weapon" because it is indeed a weapon in the hands of one skilled in its use. Silence in the hands of a skilled debater can give the audience just enough time to consider the point being made. Silence in the hands of a vindictive person can give someone just enough rope to hang themselves! Either way, it is a weapon of one sort or another. Esther learned something in her years of growing up under the care of Mordecai - she learned what it was to truly trust. She learned to trust wise counsel. She may not have possessed the things of other young women in the community - orphaned at an early age, raised by a single parent, and in a land where her people were not exactly appreciated. Yet, she possessed something many others did not - a caring and compassionate counselor (Mordecai). Look at where he positions himself each day - at the gate of the court of the king. He is at the "ready" - just in case she needs him.

In seeking counsel, she knows there is a moment when a decision will be required - speak up or remain silent. In trustful faith, she determines to speak what she knows may be the words that will determine her fate. She knows she cannot remain silent, but she can be prepared for the message she will deliver! She takes three days of fasting and prayer - calling on those who are of like faith to do the same. It is a great thing when we "rally the troops" to storm hell's gates, is it not? In the preparation of the three days, she trusts and prays the king's heart will be prepared. In the same three days, hers will be faith-filled and revealed as faith-full. The words of this passage which are spoken over and over again in churches across this world: Who knows - - perhaps you have been prepared for such a time as this. I had a pastor once tell me these words in just a slightly different manner. I have held onto them all these years. In closing, I will leave them for your consideration: Are you willing to prepare a lifetime to be used even one day in the hands of God? Just askin!

Huh....as simple as being prepared

If you have had the impression that the battle you see raging around you is bigger than anyone really knows, you are probably closer to the truth than you might think! The battle we 'see' with the naked eye is one thing. The one being fought in the minds and hearts of men is another. The one being fought in the heavenlies is yet another! The battle rages - the surface has likely only been scratched, and there you stand in the midst of it trying to make sense out of what you can see and feel. What we can see and feel are only part of the issues at hand - there is a much deeper 'point' of warfare that we just won't be able to see or feel, but it exists and is at work all around us right now.

Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places. That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing. Ephesians 6:12-13 ERV

We need to be prepared for what it is we cannot see or feel. These are the things we likely cannot fully understand with our finite minds, but it doesn't make them any less real. I don't have to understand how the worst virus replicates in a human body to know it is dangerous! I just need to see it at work one time and I am convinced it is a nasty bugger to deal with and I don't want it in me! I need to know how to keep it out of me and to not be affected by the presence of such an evil little bugger! The same principle holds true in terms of our spiritual warfare - we don't need to see evil at work to know it still exists! We just need to fight the good fight with all the weaponry we are afforded.

As a nurse, I will tell you the most important thing we can all do to stop the spread of disease is quite simple - wash your hands! Yup, you got it right - something as simple as washing one's hands can reduce the biological 'load' of microorganisms one can potentially 'spread' to others. Mom always used to say cover your mouth with your hand - now we tell you to sneeze or cough into your shirt sleeve. Why? Germs have a harder time 'living' on that surface and are less likely to be spread by casual contact. Again...not rocket science, but practical advice to help reduce the spread of disease.

The warfare we fight is not likely 'rocket science' either. In fact, if we are trusting in God's grace, holding fast to his truths, and doing what he asks us to do, we are likely going to do well in the fight. Why? We have the resources at our disposal - even when we lack the full knowledge of how they work! When we are told to put on our armor, it isn't a suggestion. We will never be fully able to withstand temptation without it. We shouldn't bemoan our failures when we haven't prepared to win the battle in the first place! Just sayin!

A lifetime or a day

Have you found yourself in a circumstance where just remaining silent was the only choice you could take? It may have been there was so much discussion going on that you didn't agree with, or that you just didn't know how to answer with some semblance of grace and tact, so you remained silent. There are times when silence is definitely the best "tactic" to utilize - yet there are others when remaining silent will just worsen a situation. Learning how to use silence in a positive manner is a skill many of us never fully grasp. In fact, many of us don't like silence. We avoid it at all cost. There are also a group of us who like to express our opinion - invited or not. Either way, what we do with the silence is important - what we do with the spoken word is even more so.

When Hathach told Mordecai what Esther had said, Mordecai sent her this message: "Don't think that just because you live in the king's house you're the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this." (Esther 4:12-14)

Esther finds herself in such a sticky predicament. Her cousin was Mordecai and he had just learned of the king's decree (issued through Haman, a top leader in his government) to destroy all the Jews in the land simply because he didn't like their customs. The day had been set - all were to be killed - none were to be spared. Up to that point Esther's family line had not become a topic of discussion in the court of the king. She was a Jew, yet we doubt Haman was aware of this as the decree is being issued. If he knew the peril in issuing a decree which would affect the king's "special lady", he might have thought twice about such a severe penalty for not bowing the knee to show him honor!

Her dilemma becomes more apparent as she learns of the decree - to remain silent, or speak up about her heritage - either way carries some form of loss to her and her family. She runs the risk that the king will no longer want her in his courts - not sure how he will take the  news of her being a Jew.  Have you ever been in such a situation? You could speak up, but if you do, you will be "implicated" in the process? You could remain silent, but your silence will affect you just as severely - and possibly even others who will be harmed because of your fear or unwillingness to speak up? Not a great place to find yourself, is it? The choice we make in the moment is often what determines the outcome. One seemingly insignificant decision can make such a huge difference. Silence is indeed a difficult "weapon" to learn to master. I call it a "weapon" because it is indeed a weapon in the hands of one skilled in its use. Silence in the hands of a skilled debater can give the audience just enough time to consider the point being made. Silence in the hands of a vindictive person can give someone just enough rope to hang themselves! Either way, it is a weapon to be used wisely.

Esther learned something in her years of growing up under the care of Mordecai - trust. She learned to trust wise counsel. She may not have possessed the things of other young women in the community, having been orphaned at an early age. She possessed something many others did not - a caring and compassionate counselor (Mordecai). He positions himself each day at the gate of the court of the king and in turn, he is at her gate, as well. He is at the "ready" - just in case she needs him. In seeking counsel, she learns the need for an advocate for the Jewish people - speak up or remain silent - she must decide. In trustful faith, she determines to speak what she knows may be the words which determine her own fate. She cannot remain silent, but she can prepare for the message! She takes three days of fasting and prayer - calling on those who are of like faith to do the same. It is a great thing when we "rally the troops" to storm hell's gates, is it not?

In the preparation of the three days of fasting and prayer, she is counting on the king's heart to be prepared to receive what she will say. In the same three days, her will becomes determined and she develops the boldness she needs. The words of this passage are spoken over and over again in churches across this world: Who knows - - perhaps you have been prepared for such a time as this. I had a pastor once tell me these words in just a slightly different manner. I have held onto them all these years. In closing, I will leave those words for your consideration: Are you willing to prepare a lifetime to be used even one day in the hands of God? Just askin!