F@ith_Life

Driven By Your Passion

About 10 years ago I worked for a video game company and I really enjoyed being there it because I was surrounded by people who really loved what they were doing.

I would sometimes work overtime and instead of coming in on Saturday I would stay all night on Friday night working, but a lot of my co-workers would be there playing games all night, then sleep under their desk wake up and start playing some more.

When you were in the cafeteria standing in line to get some lunch you would hear people talking about games. During our lunch breaks we would play games. And after work...you guessed it, we would stay late and play more games.

I remember working on a game testing project and we would had 12 hour work days and guess what we did on our lunch break? We broke off into little groups and played more games or went down to the media library and looked for more games to play.

I know people who loved working there but couldn't afford to live in the area so they would sleep on the floor in meeting rooms during the week and go back home on the weekend.

In other words our lives revolved around playing video games, thats how we made our living and thats what we liked to do in our spare time.

Our passion and lives converged...we did what we loved and loved what we did.

I have met very few believers that have a passion for the things of God like my co-workers back at that video game company.

Morning Meditation 11-09-09

Started a new series Sunday called "the blueprint-downloading the plan of God". It's about getting Gods plan for your life and walking in the light of it. Should have it edited and uploaded later on today.

I had my notes for the whole series ready but didn't get to them until the last few minutes of the service. But when talking to some of the folks after service I know why, the Holy Spirit knew the needs of the people in the room and spoke to those needs directly during the message.

I had a opportunity of attending a meeting at HBCC last week with Dr. Ed Dufresne and there were a bunch of preachers from all over the bay area there, in fact you couldn't swing a cat without hitting one. In those 4 nights my life and ministry were changed. The Spirit of God used him to confirm some things He had been dealing with me about and in general it was just a great time of refreshing.

The fire of God is starting to burn in California.

Start From The Beginning

Ephesians 2:10 (Amplified Bible)
For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

The whole process of starting a Church from scratch can sometimes be daunting especially when one starts pays to much attention to what you do and do not have.

When you do what wisdom requires and count up the cost of doing a new endeavor before starting you can sometimes become distracted by the so-called facts.

"Okay whose going to pay for all this?"

"Who is going to come to a Church Pastor by me?"

"The Lawyer just told me she wants 250 bucks a Hour!"

"Lord is this you or that pizza I ate last night?"

Don't let what you don't have stop you from using what you do have. People are delaying their destiny waiting for some perfect moment when everything they (think) need will be laying there right in front them.

That moment may never come.

If the dream that's burning in your heart is God given, He'll lead you into the fullness of it by one seemingly small step of obedience/faith after another until you wake up one day and find your standing in the glory of God.

So start from the beginning and take the first step. When it's time for the second step what you (really) need will be there waiting for you and now your in position to receive it.

Seasons

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (Amplified Bible)
TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven:

The Church I've been serving at for the last 8 years is closing it's door this Sunday.

I've known in my spirit for many months that big time change was coming, so when I heard the news I wasn't dismayed or sadden. I knew this to was just part of the process of the Lord doing His will in the earth.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (Amplified Bible)
Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.

I've known for a couple of years that the Lord was getting ready to move me out into my own ministry. And the Holy Ghost has been working overtime on me to get me in position to make the change.

This process has been both unpleasant and exciting at the same time. Because a change in status always requires first a change in you.

Change is sometimes hard on the soul and flesh. Many people miss their season because they are unwilling to change.

Throughout this whole process of change I've had to fight to maintain my focus on the Lord, His person and in-workings in me. Fight to stay attentive to the voice of the Holy Ghost and be careful not to step out of line of His directions.

Hebrews 11:1-3 (Amplified Bible)
NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
For by [faith--trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report.
By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.

So I was laying on the couch last night just counting up the cost of doing this new thing and it was like how in the world am "I" going to do this? Where is all the money going to come from? Who is going to help me?

In a instant I lost my focus and took my eyes off Him and His unlimited provision and put my eyes back on me. Which is not a good thing.

Then Hebrews 11:1-3 came up in my spirit and this holy thought came to my mind..."I have faith in God, I have everything I need".

John 16:13 (New Living Translation)
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

Is Jesus making great changes in your life? If you have faith in Him, His Word and Yield to the Holy Ghost this transition into this new season can be easy.

In fact you might even enjoy it...

The Holy Spirit already has the plan for your success. All the resources you need to put the plan into effect are already there waiting for you to make a demand on them, by faith.

If you'll simply trust, listen and obey this whole process can be easy.

Honors And Rewards

We are living in season of promotion, but you have to be in position to receive...

Flourishing

Psalm 92:12-13 (King James Version)
12The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

My Plan Put Back On The Self
About 15 years ago my life took a dramatic change. After years of running from God I ran to Him and handed over the reigns of my life.

My plan on that Sunday morning was to get saved...I didn't even pay attention to the message, I was just waiting for the preacher to quit so I could get saved. You see I knew I was lost and was finally tired of it. So I remember walking down the isle to talk to the preacher, so I could get saved. I know if I could just get saved everything would be alright. My plan was simple, get saved go home and everything would be alright. So I said the prayer, confessed my sin, asked Jesus to come into my life. I turned to go back to my sit and something deep on the inside of me said "join the church", but my plan was get saved go home and everything would be alright.

So I joined the Church that day and was planted into the house of the Lord.

I Don't Like Church
I didn't like the praise and worship because it wasn't like the music I was used to listening to. It was hard for me to follow along with the preacher because he used so many scripture references and I didn't know any of the books of the Bible. But I kept coming and hearing the Word. Something on the inside of me kept telling me I was in the right place. So I stayed there and started to grow.

Full Of The Holy Ghost
I heard them keep talking about the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues. I could see it in the Bible, so I thought it's in there, I want it. So I walked down that long isle again and this time I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. My life has never been the same.
The reality of the indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost literally took over my life.

Planted For A Purpose
I didn't get plant there because I liked the music, at first I didn't.

I didn't get planted because I liked the preacher, at first I didn't.

I didn't get planted because I liked the Church, at first I didn't.

You see I was planted for a purpose larger than myself, because on the other side of my obedience was somebody else's deliverance.

Somebody was waiting on me to get saved, get planted, find my purpose in Christ, get trained and get started doing the works of Jesus by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Flourishing By Design

John 15:5 (Amplified Bible)
I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

The Lord added me to that church. He planted me there and caused me to grow. He did it through the lives of men, but it was Him working in them and through them.

Drucker On How To Get Things Done...

The difference between being active and being productive is that productive people are moving towards and expected end, while active folks are reacting to the demands of life.

So before you take your next action you need to ask yourself, "am a acting with purpose or simple reacting?"

Throughout human history, it was the super achievers -- and only the super achievers -- who knew when to say "No." They always knew what to reach for. They knew where to place themselves. Now all of us will have to learn that. It's not very difficult. The key to it -- what Leonardo da Vinci and Mozart did -- is to record the results of our decisions.
Every time you do something that is important, write down what you expect will happen. The most important decisions in organizations are people decisions, and yet only the military, and only recently, has begun to ask, "If we assign this general to lead this base, what do we expect him to accomplish?" Three years later they look back at what they had written. They have now reached a point where 40 percent of their decisions work out.

via leader to leader

The Truth About Marriage and Cars

photo by kevin n. murphy

By Michelle Rene Mancha

You want to get married someday? Great. Now all you need is a man, right? Wrong. You need more than a man, a ring and a wedding. It takes more than a deep voice to make a man. It takes more than a ring to make a marriage. And it takes more than a wedding to create a beautiful lifetime. You don’t need a man, you need the right man. And he is worth the wait.

Having a substitute instead of what you really want can be devastating. When my husband and I were looking for our first car, I wanted to buy something that we could easily afford, he wanted to buy a car he liked. We went shopping and I found the perfect family car for a very good price. When we went for the test drive, the car would not start. When we finally got going, it had no pick-up and did not handle well. After the drive, he and I talked about it and agreed that we did not want that car. A few months later, we went shopping again and there it was, the car my husband wanted. To make a long story short, it was a great car, at a good price and we were both satisfied with the purchase. Sometimes I think back to the car we almost bought. It looked nice on the outside, and it was a good price. I almost overlooked the warning signs and bought a piece of junk. There were probably other things wrong that I didn’t know about. The money we would have spent on repairs would have made the low cost of the car insignificant.

A car is a major purchase for most people, and its selection should be conducted with care. Selecting a mate is even more serious. If you make a mistake, you can not send your mate back to the dealer or make a trade for new model. In the case of a mate, a substitute is even more dangerous because you become involved in the deception of your heart. When you lie to yourself and ignore your heart, or try to convince your heart that this is the man you have always been waiting for, and later realize that you made a mistake, you can no longer trust your heart. It takes a lot of healing to return your heart to a trustworthy condition.

The good news is that you do not have to worry about selecting the wrong mate or rushing off to marry a substitute. Not because it can not happen to you, but because you are opening your ears for understanding and instruction. You are seeking wisdom from the Word of God (the Bible) and the pages of this book. Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” That is what you are doing. You are seeking to get wisdom and you will be pleased with the results if you follow the Word of God in the area of dating and marriage.

Dealing With Distractions

photo by misswired

The following excerpt is taken from Honor the Blood by Osterhus Publishing House:

The Lord has made the saints of today to be "kings and priests unto God" (Rev. 1:6). The total person needs the total covering of the Blood of Jesus to become a normal, effective Christian. His Blood not only redeems but it also sanctifies, "How much more shall the Blood of Christ…purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14). The unsanctified ear will be dominated by the inner voice of self. The unsanctified hand will reach out to satisfy the fleshy appetites. The unsanctified foot will delight to walk in the way of the world. These are the three great avenues of approach which Satan makes to the human race - inflate the ego, satisfy the flesh, and love the world. Jesus was victorious in all three such attempts as recorded in Luke 4:3-10. Christ makes His victory possible for all saints who trust His Spirit to apply His Blood.

One of Satan's most effective weapons against the Church is distractions.  And if your not careful the noise that permeates your environment can drown out the still small voice of the Holy Ghost. All of our success in this life is given birth in our intimate time with the Lord. But if your to busy to (really) pray and let the Word saturate your spirit you will become weak and ineffective in the things of God.

And Satan knows this.

1Jn 2:15-17 Wuest's
15-17 Stop considering the world precious with the result that you love it, and the things in the world. If anyone as a habit of life is considering the world precious and is therefore loving it, there does not exist the Father's love in him. Because everything which is in the world, the passionate desire of the flesh , and the passionate desire of the eyes, and the insolent and empty assurance which trusts in the things that serve the creature life, is not from the Father as a source but is from the world as a source. And the world is being caused to pass away, and its passionate desire. But the one who keeps on habitually doing the will of God abides forever.

When I can sense my spiritual batteries getting low and I feel myself losing focus, I shut everything down…no more TV, no more internet, no nothing, my number one priority becomes getting my attention set back on Him and His Word.

John 15:5 ESV
(5)  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

But it all starts with a quality decision not only to put Jesus first but to put Him at the center of everything you do. It has taken me almost 15 years in the ministry to figure this out that I can’t (and shouldn’t) do anything without Him.

Here are the steps that I take to help get me back on point…

Wait on the Lord…not coming with a list of demands but just praising and worshiping Him for who He is.

Psa 27:14 KJV
(14)  Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Being thankful…remind yourself of all the great things the Lord has already done for you.

Psa 100:4-5 KJV
(4)  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
(5)  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Praying in the (or with your) spirit…praying in the spirit literally recharges your spiritual batteries.

Jude 1:20 (Amplified Bible)

²⁰But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [^[a]make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit;

Spend a lot of quality time meditating the Word…allow the Holy Ghost to bring light to the Word in your heart and mind.

Jos 1:8 ESV
(8)  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful 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.

Just do what He tells you to…obedience is the way into victory and your love for God is proved not with your good intentions but in your willingness to follow His instructions.

1Jn 5:2-3 ESV
(2)  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
(3)  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Robert James Mancha Say Hello To The World

Psa 127:1-5 GNB
(1)  If the LORD does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the LORD does not protect the city, it does no good for the sentries to stand guard.
(2)  It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late. For the LORD provides for those he loves, while they are asleep.
(3)  Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a real blessing.
(4)  The sons a man has when he is young are like arrows in a soldier's hand.
(5)  Happy is the man who has many such arrows. He will never be defeated when he meets his enemies in the place of judgment.