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You Can Be a Hope Ambassador!

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

Having hope and offering hope to others  is perhaps the single most important key to experiencing true happiness.  I recently found a terrific description of hope written by James Goll of the Encounters Network, and published by the The Converging Zone Network.  I know you will be encouraged, as I was by Mr. Goll’s message of hope…it’s foundations, it’s benefits, and understanding how to obtain it !

Hope Ambassadors…

Theme verse: I Corinthians 13:13a (NASB): ”But now faith, hope, love, abide these three…”

In a time of great uncertainty, it is a necessity that we be people of hope. In recent years, we have had a good deal of teaching on faith and some on love, but the missing commodity in the Church is an understanding of HOPE.

It behooves us to look to the Lord in these days and call forth solutions to life’s problems. We must focus our gaze, not on the revival of evil, but we must set our gaze up higher and be a prophetic people with answers for today’s dilemmas. It is time to be Hope Ambassadors.

In my own life, I tend to be a parabolic prophetic person. As most of you know, I have gone through a severe “Job-like season” in the last decade of my life and ministry. I have been grappling with difficult things and complex questions. This has forced me to go back to the foundational bedrock of my faith. I declare that God is good all the time and that all things work together for good. Because these two foundational truths are laid firm in my life, I believe that the greatest level of purpose and impact is yet to come.

As I have found it necessary in my own life, so I believe it is necessary in many lives. It is time for teaching on good mental health in the Body of Christ! Yes, the world and the Church are both waiting for Ambassadors of Hope!

Definition of Terms:

Webster’s Dictionary states that “hope” means to cherish a desire with expectation of fulfillment.

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Greek Words states that “hope” is a favorable and confident expectation, the happy anticipation of good.

Scriptural Foundations of Hope:

Ephesians 6:17 states as a vital part of the full armor of God, we are to put on the helmet of salvation.

I Thessalonians 5:8 gives us a commentary on this verse and tells us this is the helmet of the “hope of salvation.”

The Roman helmet that Paul the apostle makes reference to covered the ears and even the front of the forehead (or the mind). We are to filter what we hear through a positive expectation of good and thus be able to think on whatsoever things are true, honorable, right, pure, of a good report and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). As a man thinks so is he (Proverbs 23:7). Therefore, it is imperative that we put on our HELMET OF HOPE.

Two Pictures of Hope:

Hebrews 6:17-20 (NASB) In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfastand one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Hope therefore is:

1. A place of refuge for mankind likened unto the Old Testament cities of refuge where people could flee and take hold of the “horns of the altar.”

2. An anchor of the soul – the mind, the will and the emotions.

A ship passes its anchor through the unstable element of water to the stable element of the Rock below. The world in which we live is like the water – unstable, impermanent, insecure, ever-changing and tossed around in its form. But hope in Christ Jesus is an anchor that passes out of eternity into time and fastens us to our foundation of bedrock below – to the Rock of Ages.

Hope is a Person!

Colossians 1:27 (NASB) …to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Titus 2:13 (NASB) …looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.

The Benefits of Hope:

Romans 8:24-25 (NASB) For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

We are saved by hope. We do not quit. We persevere because we are convinced by a greater reality than our temporary surroundings!

Romans 15:13 (NASB) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in the hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Through faith, the power of the Holy Spirit enables us to abound in the amazing power of hope.

Colossians 1:27 says when you have “Christ in you” you have the hope of glory – a sure expectation of unending ages of glory in the presence of God.

Ephesians 2:12 (NASB) …remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

The condition of the lost: without God, without Christ, and without hope.

Ephesians 1:17-19 says we can be filled with the hope of His calling in Christ Jesus. You are a person of destiny. Be filled with the positive expectation of good in your life. Something good is just about to happen!

Ways to Obtain Hope:

Romans 15:4 (NASB) For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Yes, through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we have great hope! Learn from our forefathers in the faith, and let hope arise!

Lamentations 3:21-24 (NASB) This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”

Right now, recall the history of the Lord in your life. Declare the testimony of His goodness over your own life and that of your family. Recall. Remember. Declare the truth that He has never left you or forsaken you. Great is His faithfulness!

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Wondering What to Give Jesus for His Birthday?

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

The following is from Matthew 25:31-40.  Jesus is teaching, and as he often does, he is doing so by using parables.  This passage is from the parable of the sheep and the goats.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 

He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

In December of 2005 I was in Naples, Florida enjoying a golf trip with a group of friends.  We would rise early, go on a prayer and fellowship walk on the beach, grab breakfast, go play golf, grab dinner, then just hang out, fellowship, and wait for the next day to get up and do the same thing all over again.  it was a great trip!

But that is not not what I remember most about that trip.  If you recall, on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina pushed ashore near New Orleans. We know now that Hurricane Katrina is the costliest  natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States.  Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall. At least 1,836 people died in the actual hurricane and in the subsequent floods, making it the deadliest U.S. hurricane since the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane; total property damage was estimated at $81 billion nearly triple the damage wrought by Hurricane Andrew in 1992.  The most significant number of deaths occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana, which flooded as the levee system catastrophically failed, in many cases hours after the storm had moved inland. Eventually 80% of the city and large tracts of neighboring parishes became flooded, and the flood waters lingered for weeks.  I am sure many of us still have mental pictures in our mind of the destruction and of the tens of thousands of people wandering the streets after their homes had been destroyed or literally washed away.

Now flash forward to December of 2005.  I am in Naples Florida, staying in a nice condo, walking on the beach each morning, not worrying about my next meal, playing golf, and enjoying all the comforts and pleasures that Naples.  I wasn’t even thinking about Hurricane Katrina or the people of New Orleans and coastal areas of Louisiana and Mississippi.  That is until one morning on one of our prayer walks.

That particular morning God decide to speak to in a profound an life changing way.  As we walked along the beach, and as gazed west across the Gulf of Mexico toward New Orleans, God brought the circumstances there to mind and I began to have this dialog with Him.  I started to question why I was so fortunate to be where I was both literally (very comfortable in Naples) and metaphorically (healthy, wealthy, and with no real worries in life).  Why was I where I was, while those in New Orleans had lost everything (homes,belongings, and even loved ones) and were wandering the streets or living in make shift shelters not knowing what their future was.  Why am I blessed with plenty while others are not, and why am I not suffering great loss and hardship, while others are?  There was no good, reasonable answer. But, as I wrestled with God about this, he led me to the scripture above.  And while the scripture did not answer the question, (I have determined that I will never know the answer to the question) it did give me very clear direction about what I am to do because I am fortunate to be blessed by the God of the universe.

I knew from that day forward that one of my callings in life and one of the gifts God has blessed me with is to give; give of my finances, my time, and my talents to help those less fortunate.

It was really powerful too, because it was right at Christmas time and God spoke to me and said “It is my son Jesus’ birthday. Now you know what he wants most for his birthday; he told you in the words he spoke in that passage…“Truly I tell you, whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do for me.”

I have never felt so much freedom, joy, peace and happiness as when I am serving and giving to others.  I encourage you to consider my story and the words of Jesus this Christmas, and give Jesus the the gift he most desires!  I know that, when you do, you will be Happy at Work and in Life!

Merry Christmas and God’s Peace!

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What Are You Going To Do With This Jesus, Who Is The Christ?

Saturday, April 23rd, 2011

The Bible says that because we are sinners we are hostile with God.  The Bible also tells us that God loved us so much, he made a way for that hostility to be removed so that we could have fellowship with him eternally.  That way, was to send his only son, Jesus, to live among us without sin, an unblemished lamb, then to die the ugliest of deaths on a cross for our sin, past, present, and future.  Jesus did that for you and for me, but the story does not end there.  God raised Jesus from the grave, defeating sin’s death grip on our lives, freeing us from the bondage of sin and giving us the free gift of eternal life and fellowship with him.  All we have to do is accept this free gift by acknowledging our sin, believing that Jesus died on the cross for those sins, and that by God’s mighty power is risen!

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Here is The Savior’s story as foretold by the prophet Isaiah (chapter 53):

1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:1-12)

Understanding that we have a Heavenly Father who went to such great lengths to provide a way for each of us to spend eternity with Him and a Savior who faithfully and obediently paid our sin debt is what prompted Paul to become the apostle he was and to spur us on with these words in Romans 12:1-2:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Paul understood that following Christ, even when it put him in the midst of trails and in harms way, was the only path to living a victorious, joy-filled life both on earth and in heaven. I pray that you have discovered what Paul discovered, and if you are still on your own journey, I hope you will consider getting to know the real Jesus. If you do, I know you will be Happy in life and at work.

 

Happy Easter and God’s peace…

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Blueprint For Our Lives

Saturday, February 26th, 2011

In the midst of everything that life has to throw at us, isn’t it good to know that God has it all under control. In fact, you could say that He has the blueprint for our life. We just need to give up control and trust him; walk in faith, a faith that holds on to God’s truths and promises. We need to stop striving, and start abiding in the one who creates us, loves us, and has a wonderful plan for our lives.

 

Jeremiah 29:11 says:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

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Leave The Stronghold – Enter The Land Of Judah

Monday, January 10th, 2011

 

“Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah” 

David is one of the most colorful and controversial people written about in the bible.  1 Samuel 22:5 is one of my favorite versus about David; I believe it describes why God called David “a man after my own heart”.  You see, David, even though he messed up a lot, had many fears, and was often beat down and troubled never stopped, seeking God, listening to God…following God…moving toward God…pursuing God…chasing after God…and most importantly praising God!

In 1 Samuel, David and his fighting men had been hiding in the cave of Adullam. He was fleeing Saul. Many of life’s down-and-out had come and joined David’s army. David was content to stay in the stronghold of safety. Then, God’s prophet came to David and told him that he must leave the stronghold and go into the land of Judah.

When life beats down on us and we get to the place where we want to hide in a cave, God often places people around us who prod us into moving in the right direction. He does not want us to remain in the place of discouragement. He wants us to move into the land of “praise.” Judah means “praise.”

I recall when I went through a very difficult time. It seemed to drag on and on with no change until finally I wanted to retreat to a cave and forget pressing on. It was a great time of discouragement. A godly man came to me and said, “You must keep moving! There are too many who are depending on you..now and in the future.” I didn’t totally understand what he meant at the time. Now I know he was saying that God is preparing each of us to be the vessel He wants to use in the life of another person, but we will never be that vessel if we give up and hide in our cave of discouragement. Not only must we keep moving, we must move into a new realm. Our attitude must move from discouragement to praise. It is when we move past discouragement to praise that we begin living above our problems. Make a decision today to go into the land of Judah.

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Stand By Me, You, Somebody

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5)

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)

Take a look at that first verse again; “I will never leave you nor forsake you”. It says “never”. That has been a tough one for me at times; admittedly, there have been times when I have been unhappy, sad, hurt, discouraged, dissapointed, disillusioned, afraid, lonely, or angry, and I have felt like God had foresaken me. But, without fail and at just the right time God always shows up! Oftentimes, he shows up in the form of a friend or family member, who knows just what I need, or don’t need.

Sometimes in life we just need someone to stand by us, not to do anything specifically, but just to know that they beleive in us and are willing to stand by us and with us. Do you have a friend or family member like that? I pray you do, and If so, I hope you recognize and acknowledge how blessed and fortunate you are. If you don’t, I pray God will meet that need; send you that special someone to stand by you, love you, and encourage you. I want you to pray for that too, then have faith and believe that God will help you find that “friend that sticks closer than a brother”.

Secondly, and just as important, I hope you will take the time to be that friend for someone else in their time of need…because no matter who we are or where we go…at some point we all need somebody to standy us. Do this and I know you will be happy in life and at work.

Playing For Change: Song Around the World “Stand By Me” from Playing For Change on Vimeo.

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A Cheerful Heart Is Good Medicine

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Are you someone who normally finds it difficult to be happy in life and at work?  Is it worse for you around Christmas and the holidays?  If so, I am sorry, and I hope a favorite passage of mine will help.

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22)

Proverbs 15:13 says it this way: “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit”

You may read this and say “duh…I get it, but first you have to have a “cheerful heart”.  You’re right, but many times we don’t have a cheerful heart because we chose not to.  We chose to think about and dwell on the very things that get us and keep us down.  The pity party begins and before we know it we are in the pit and can’t find our way out.

This leads me to another one of my favorite passages…

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.  (Philippians 4:4-9)

This great passage tells us how to get out of the pit and stay out; how to create and maintain a “cheerful heart”.   God does not want us to sad, discouraged, depressed, or downcast…even when we are faced with trials, challenges and times of uncertainty.  Quite the contrary, look at what he says we should do during these times: turn toward him (did you notice it says “The Lord is near”), seek him, rejoice, stay calm, pray and give thanks, present our requests to him, think positively, and do what is right.  And, do you see what he promises us when we put our faith in him and trust him in our circumstances:

  • “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
  • “the God of peace will be with you.”

I don’t know about you, but I think it is very comforting to know that the God of the universe loves me, and wants to walk with me through tough, painful, unhappy situations and give me a peace that “transcends all understanding”!

The question is, how will we respond to our Heavenly Father?  Here’s how I beleive we should respond; starting this Christmas and continuing beyond, let’s all follow God’s prescription for a cheerful heart, after all, it is good medicine.  If we do this, I believe we will be happier in life and at work.

A very happy, merry and meaningful Christmas to you all; God’s peace!

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What Are You Unwrapping This Christmas?

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010

I want to use the greatest story ever told, the Christmas story, the story of the birth of Jesus, to illustrate how anyone who is fearful, lonely, or desperate can find real hope, comfort, peace, healing, joy and satisfaction in life.

Can you imagine being Mary? If there was ever anyone who had reason to be fearful, lonely and desperate, it was Mary.  Think about it; she found herself in the middle of some very tough circumstances she did not plan on (unplanned pregnancy), she was very young, very poor, and she was unwed.  She was truly an outcast, wanted and loved only by Joeseph (and he himself was unsure about sticking around); from Maty’s perspective, the future looked very bleak and dark.  Luke 1:29 tells us that she was “greatly troubled”. 

But, everything changed for Mary, didn’t it?  Why did things change for Mary?  This is what is important for us to understand.

Things changed for Mary when God sent the angel Gabriel to visit her.  Gabriel “went to her and said, “Greetings you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”  He then comforted her and set her at ease when he compassionatley said, ”Do not be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God.” 

Gabriel then went on to explain to her that she was going to be the mother of Jesus, ”the Son of the Most High”.  At this point Mary was still uncertain about all this.  Although Gabriel had her attention and she was pleased to hear that, even in her condition and circumstances, God valued and favored her, she knew she was a virgin, and in her human understanding she wasn’t quite ready to believe what she was hearing.

So she did what any of us would do, she asked Gabriel “How will this be?”.  Gabriel responded by saying, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”  He also told her that “nothing is impossible with God.”

It was then that it happened; Mary made the decsion to submit to God’s plan for her life.  She boldly says to Gabriel, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.”  Mary responded to the love and power of God.  She repsonded to the “gift” that was the miracle of Christmas; the one miracle that all other miracles flow from.  Mary decided to unwrap the gift of God for her Christams.  Mary beleived and trusted God in the midst of what seemed like an impossible set of circumstances. She trusted God to move her from uncertainty and darkness to life and light, and boy did God deliver.  Look what Mary says about God her savior:

 “My soul glorifies the Lord 
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful 
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, 
for the Mighty One has done great things for me— 
holy is his name.”   (Luke 1:46-49)

So, the questions for us this Christmas are:

  • Will we decide to open the gift of God for our Christmas?  How will we respond to God?
  • What are we trusting God for…what miracle do we need?
  • Will we trust him to move us from a future of uncertainty and darkness to a future of life and light, a future of real hope, peace, healing, joy and happiness in life and at work.

Let me know what you decide, and God bless you and your family this Christmas!

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To Be Happy Get Outside Your Comfort Zone

Monday, October 18th, 2010

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  2 Corinthians 5:17

When God touches anything, in any way, it changes, becomes different, becomes better…becomes new!

When God finally got my attention on November 22, 1996 and I surrendered my heart and life to him, things began to change.  God began to take me through the fire to refine me.  The fire was never comfortable; it always took me outside my comfort zone.  But God had a plan; a plan to change me, and grow me into someone he would ultimately use to serve him by serving others.  He was carefully and perfectly molding me into a new creation.

At first, I resisited doing the things he asked me to do, meeting the people he wanted me to meet, participating in the activities he wanted me to participate in.  I had pride still wanted to do things my way; set my own course, but as I got to know him better and began to allow his love for me to soften my heart, I realized that his will and direction for my life was exactly what I wanted; It energized me and filled my heart with joy and purpose that I had not experienced before.

I have learned, that, especially when God is asking me to follow him into a tough set of circumstances, I need to follow and trust him because God’s leading and his will for my life, even if it is outside my comfort zone, is always best!  Jesus knew this and gave us the very best example of how we are to respond.  God asked and was leading Jesus to die on the cross…to give his life for you and I.  The time was nearing and Jesus was literally sweating and agonizing about what his Father was asking him to do. Luke 22:41-43 tells us this:

“He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.”

So, the next time you are feeling led into a tough situation in life or at work, don’t resist; allow God to take you through that situation, allow him to teach what he wants to teach you and allow God to further mold you into the new creation he wants you be.  Pray the same prayer Jesus prayed.  If you do this, I believe with all my heart that you will be happy in life and at work!

God’s peace.

 

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You Were Meant To Be

Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

I had lunch with someone I love today; a very special person who has been through a very difficult stretch of life over the last 18 months or so. She is a single mom. Her kids are 18, 12, and 8 years old. She and her three kids were all but abandoned by her ex-husband. He has continued to be engaged with her younger kids to some extent, but for some reason has chosen to remain very distant from her 18 year old son (I’ll call him Bobby). As you can imagine, this has affected Bobby greatly. He has experienced much pain and struggled to make sense of all that has happened in his life over the last two years. At a time when he expected and really needs his dad as a significant strong role model to finish raising him, affirming him as a young man, and releasing him as mighty man of God to be who God has purposed him to be, his dad has all but disowned him. Bobby, although he has experienced some victories and joy recently, has struggled to believe he is valued, to figure out his place in this world, to succeed in school, to stay out of trouble, and to see his future as anything but uncertain.

That mat have changed today! I beleive God has answered prayer and intervened for Bobby. He recently took a career assesment test and met with the career counselor for the results today. For the first time in a very long time, Bobby is beginning to beleive what the Bible tells us about about how God feels about all of us.

God tells us very clearly that we are his sons and daughters and that he loves all of us and has a good and perfect plan for our lives. He tells us that we have been fearfully and wonderfully made; knit perfectly in our mother’s womb! He tells that no matter what he will never leave us nor forsake us! God tells us that we are more than conquerors, and that all things are possible with him! He tells us that he knows every hair on our head! God has created us all, given us all life, you, me, and Bobby! he has a very special purpose for each of us, and has given us very different but wonderful gifts to use for this very special purpose.

Bobby had an “aah ha moment” today, as he began to see and hear from God what his spiritual gifts are and how God can use him and those gifts to serve others and make a future for himself and the family he will have one day. Suddenly Bobby has hope and sees a certain future; God has made him a new creation, and Bobby can see that throughout this time of difficulty God has been right there, in fact, if you look real close, you can see the fingerprints of God all over Bobby.

I imagine that many of you are facing some of the very things Bobby has been facing and struggling with. My hope is that you will know that God loves you, created you with a wonderful purpose and the gifts to accomplish that purpose, and wants more than anything for you to discover what that purpose is and use it to serve others and him every day. I encourage and exhort you to turn to God in prayer, tell him you are tired struggling and striving to blaze your own trail and do what you think is best, tell him that you want to discover his perfect purpose for your life and use your special gifts to serve him, ask him to reveal that to you, allow him to put his fingerprints all over you! You might be surprised, and it might seem crazy, but please trust him and follow his direction…I know if you do you will be Happy in Life and at Work!

To help get you started and excited about knowing that You Were Meant To Be, I have included a great song by Steven Curtis Chapman titled “Meant to Be”. It was recorded specially for Veggie Tales, but is very applicable to all of us, regardless of age. Enjoy!

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