Is your walk with Jesus close?

[traveller]

Aw eric! That's beautiful. Our Father is so good! Thank you for sharing that. That's totally uplifting brother. And eric, never cut your stories short. I could listen to you all day.

[traveller]

Nice nice post IR! I can certainly relate to that one alright.

I just have to remember that when I find myself away from Him....It's not God who has moved.

Amen girlfriend!

[WayneB]

Bless you Eric!

I could listen to (read) stories like that ALL day long...24/7/365!!! You make some outstanding points and I appreciate your encouragement. I wish more folks would share their witnessing experiences just as you have done.

Blessings,

Wayne

[eric]

Thank you brothers and sisters for your posts and thank you again Trav for starting this thread. Everyone has replied positively and it makes a great change. If only people would only stay in the word and believe only what's written by the inspiration of God, half or more of the threads on this board would never get to print. There is only one body of Christ and we are all called to be part of that body,but too many lovely christians get side-tracked by some theological authors who are pushing their own barrows and causing strife and dissention in the body. I personally rely totally on the bible,but in saying that I depend on some of our more mature brothers and sisters on this board to clarify some of the verses and put them into the right perspective and context. My walk with Jesus (and thats what this thread is about) has become mush richer through joining this board than it ever had been if I merely relied on what I was told by some pastor, who through experience, in lots of cases, had his own agenda. A lot and I mean a lot of the cotemporay pastors have forgotten the word 'humble' and get a little carried away with their own self importance. I love this worthy boards and ask God every day to bless George and whoever else is resposible for making it available and tho you dont see my name in the prayer forum, I assure that I reserve my prayers for my prayer closet,because I can only seem to be able to pray when I am alone with my glorius Father. I seldom pray togther with my wife unless when something bad is going down, but I dont think God cares when or where you pray as long as you do it with humility, sincerity and always with thanksgiving.

Thank you again who have contributed to this thread and may your walk with Jesus be enriched deeply. Amen.

[RGR]

The Lord showed me this just this morning Ronald. After posting here and sending you a PM, He led me to Psalms 107. The entire chapter is awesome! But check this out -

Psa 107:35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. Psa 107:36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;

Psa 107:37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.

Psa 107:38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

God is good.

Thank you. That is uplifting and just what I needed tonight. Thank you so much!

[traveller]

Thank you brothers and sisters for your posts and thank you again Trav for starting this thread. Everyone has replied positively and it makes a great change. If only people would only stay in the word and believe only what's written by the inspiration of God, half or more of the threads on this board would never get to print. There is only one body of Christ and we are all called to be part of that body,but too many lovely christians get side-tracked by some theological authors who are pushing their own barrows and causing strife and dissention in the body. I personally rely totally on the bible,but in saying that I depend on some of our more mature brothers and sisters on this board to clarify some of the verses and put them into the right perspective and context. My walk with Jesus (and thats what this thread is about) has become mush richer through joining this board than it ever had been if I merely relied on what I was told by some pastor, who through experience, in lots of cases, had his own agenda. A lot and I mean a lot of the cotemporay pastors have forgotten the word 'humble' and get a little carried away with their own self importance. I love this worthy boards and ask God every day to bless George and whoever else is resposible for making it available and tho you dont see my name in the prayer forum, I assure that I reserve my prayers for my prayer closet,because I can only seem to be able to pray when I am alone with my glorius Father. I seldom pray togther with my wife unless when something bad is going down, but I dont think God cares when or where you pray as long as you do it with humility, sincerity and always with thanksgiving.

Thank you again who have contributed to this thread and may your walk with Jesus be enriched deeply. Amen.

eric! My walk has also been enriched since joining this board. The fellowship here is awesome. I have learned so many things, and had so many other things confirmed. One of the most rewarding things has been the intimate fellowship with all of you. Here we can share out hearts and not be concerned with looks or occupations or social standings. Here we don't have to worry about whether or not our coach is going to pick us for first string or second, whether we sit on the bench or carry the ball. We are family and everyone is as important as the next. And we have so many gifted and blessed individuals here, that I am continually thanking our Father for bringing me here to give me a good solid foundation to stand. If I get out of line in my thinking I know you guys will straighten me out. Many times I have been stopped in my tracks to reflect on a truth. Many times I have had to go back to God's word to dig deeper, and that is due to my time here with all of you. For that I will be eternally thankful, and I do mean that literally.

You people mean a lot to me.

[tsth]

I wanted to share this message that the Lord sent to my husband this morning, as I thought it was complimentary to this thread. (trav and Dr. Luke, you'll understand the significance especially for my husband and I, considering our current calling;)

In His Love,

Suzanne

FIRST-PERSON: God uses those with a dream

Jan 19, 2004

By Rick Warren

LAKE FOREST, Calif. (BP)--Nothing starts happening until somebody starts dreaming. Every accomplishment started off first as an idea in somebody's mind. It started off as a dream, as a vision, a goal.

Therefore, the first task of leadership is to set the vision for the organization. If you don't set the vision, you're not the leader. Whoever is establishing the vision and goals in your church is the leader of that particular church. A church will never outgrow its vision and the vision of a church will never outgrow the vision of the pastor.

So I want to challenge you to dream great dreams for God.

The Bible says, "God is able to do far more than anything we would ever dare to ask or even dream of, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes" (Ephesians 3:20, Living Bible).

That's an amazing verse. In it God tells us, "Think up the biggest thing you think I can do in your life, in your ministry, in your church, and I can top that; I can beat it."

So you need to ask yourself this question, "What would I attempt for God if I knew I couldn't fail?"

Let that expand your horizons. Let it expand your dreams. Let it expand your vision into God's unlimited vision for your ministry. But how do you find God's vision for your ministry?

THE WHAT

When God reveals His vision for your ministry, the FIRST THING He shows you is the WHAT. He shows you what He's going to do. The big mistake is, Once God has shown you what He's going to do in your life and ministry, there is a tendency in all of us to immediately run out and assume we can accomplish it any way we wish.

So we go out and try to accomplish it under our own power, in our own way, and through our own efforts. And inevitably, we fall flat on our face, and it's then that we come crawling back to God.

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry," we say. "What did I do? Did I miss the vision? You told me what You were going to do, and I went out and tried to accomplish it and fell flat on my face. Did I miss the vision?"

THE HOW

And God will say to you, "No, you didn't. You just didn't wait for Part Two. I told you what I was going to do, but you didn't wait to find out HOW I was going to do it." God's HOW is always in the exact opposite way that you thought.

You say, "I'll grow the church this way...." And God will say, "No, let's do it My way," because He wants the glory.

THE WHEN

Once you see the WHAT and the HOW, you're still not finished. There's a third part of the vision: God shows you WHEN. The longer I walk with the Lord and the longer I'm in ministry, the more I'm convinced that God's timing is perfect. He is never a minute early; He is never a minute late; He is always right on time. And His timing is as important as the WHAT and HOW of His vision. You must wait for all three parts for God to work in your life.

POLAROID VISION

Have you ever taken a Polaroid picture? You take it and the longer you look at it, the clearer it gets. That's true in my life. When I first started Saddleback Community Church, I didn't know what it was going to end up like. All I knew was that God had called me to this spot, and I had a bunch of ideas in a bag, and I wanted to build it on the five purposes of God. That's all I knew. As I have walked with the Lord and worked with the Lord over the years, the vision has gotten clearer and clearer.

Or you could say that God's vision is like a scroll. When you unroll a scroll, you don't see the whole thing from beginning to end. You just see what's right in front of you.

Then you roll it up a little bit and unroll a little bit more. That's the way God's will is in our lives. He doesn't lay His full plan before you all at once. If you knew what would happen the rest of your life, you might contemplate suicide. Some tough points are coming up along with some turning points, rough edges, difficulties and crises that you probably don't think you can handle.

And the truth is you can't. But God's grace is sufficient for each day and when you get there, the grace will be there.

So don't borrow trouble by worrying about what might lie ahead.

Jesus said, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34, NIV).

Instead, you should seek God's vision day-by-day. You get God's vision by asking, "WHAT do You want me to do? HOW do You want me to do it? And WHEN do You want me to do it?"

You need to stop praying, "God, bless what I'm doing," and start praying, "God, help me to do what You're blessing."

I get up in the morning, and I pray this prayer every day: "God, I know You're going to do some very exciting things in the world today. Would You give me the privilege of just being in on some of them? I just want to be in on what You're doing. I want to do what You're blessing."

Adapted from a message by Rick Warren titled, "Authentic Leadership," from a Purpose-Driven Church Conference. Warren is pastor of Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, Calif., and author of the best-selling "The Purpose-Driven Life."

[traveller]

Amen sis! What a timely message! And what a confirmation Suzanne.

You need to stop praying, "God, bless what I'm doing," and start praying, "God, help me to do what You're blessing."

And what a prayer.

[eric]

Nice message Suzanne, and as Trav said ,Tmely. Not too late or not too soon

[Guest micka_loves_god]

yes i think my walk with the lord is becoming close the way it should be.

i belive iam heading completly in the right direction.

hows about you rose?

so iam going to continue leaning on him cause he; the best one to do that

to. so may god keep you and bless you & your family in christ micka.