He is our prize

HE is our prize.

Yes, the Bible is very important. 

SO important. 

SO good. 

The greatest book ever written. 

I think we again ought to be aware and reminded of its purpose: 

to show us Jesus. 

Draw us closer to Him. 

To know Him. 

To remind us who we are.

To bring us into relationship with Him.

To ultimately grow the family of The Lord.

Let us be careful not to worship this book. 

Let us be careful not to worship the Bible.

It is a tool. 

God-inspired.

A way for us to know Him.

And there are other ways we can know Him too.

We get to know Him through people.

Through other books.

Through just being with Him and talking with Him.

Through songs.

And please hear me...I take the Bible very seriously. 

I scour it's pages and am hungry to read it. 

Other books are great but this book is like no other.

I take life's situations and thoughts and ideas and run back to scripture. 

And yet-- I don't think it's about the book. 

I don't think all this is about the Bible.

We don't worship the book.

We don't worship the Bible.

We worship the One whom the book reveals-- Jesus. 

When we read, may we search for Him. 

May we read to find Him.

And may we find Him. 

And may we become like Him. 

Every page; 

Every story;

Every literal part, every symbol;

EVERYthing is there to show us the Son.  

As the pastor was saying-- it is good to have the scriptures in us. Let me present that from a different angle. May we have spent such valuable time in the scriptures getting to know Jesus, that He is so apart of who we are, SO in us. The goal is not scripture in you. The goal is Jesus in you. And the scriptures contain Him. 

The world is hungry for Him. And when we spend time with Him, and when we become like Him --the world then gets to taste and see that He is good. They will taste and see the Jesus in us. The Father in us.

And Jesus, Father-- is SO good.

Yes, please read the Bible.

Look for Jesus there.

He is our prize.

I AM raised with Christ

Colossians 2:20-3:4

"Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to it's rules...These rules...are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations have an appearance of wisdom...but they lack any value in restraining...Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is."

The season of law is over. Christ has come. "Why, as though you still belong to the world, do you submit to it's rules?" You can't be in the presence of The Lord unless you have clean hands? No. That's before Christ. We no longer live there. We died with Christ and have been raised with Christ. Freely "set your hearts on things above, where Christ is." Come be with Him. Clean hands or not. The veil is torn. Come on in. Shift into His presence. 

Later--you'll find yourself cleaning your hands with Him.  

I AM a king

[Hear these words from the perspective of the Father.
See us as the king.   
And see Him awakened by us, His love.
See us fighting.  See us fighting for victory.
See Him running to see us standing in victory.
See us --seeing ourselves as kings, doing anything for our kingdom.
Our Father's kingdom is our kingdom.
Taking Him higher.
Opening the sky to reveal Him.
We are kings.]

_________________________________________

BETHANY DILLON "DREAMER"

love woke Me up this morning...

imagine a beautiful castle 
and a beautiful king
he left the comfort of his throne
to fight for victory

love woke Me up this morning
and I ran to see
the king in the winner's circle
on the horse he won for Me

only a king
would do anything
for his kingdom
only a king
would do anything
for his kingdom
only a king
would do anything
for his kingdom

take. Me. higher.
open the sky up 
start a fire


_________________________________________


We have got to start seeing ourselves as kings.
"Only a king 
would do anything 
for his kingdom."




Somehow that took me here...
MATTHEW 16:13-20

"But what about you?" he asked.  "Who do you say I am?"

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 

I like verses 18  & 19 in the Message version,

"And now I'm going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock..."
"You will have complete and free access to God's kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is a yes in heaven.  A no on earth is a no in heaven."



We are rocks.  Peters.
On His rocks, He will build His church.  
We are kings.
We are given the keys. 
The keys to the kingdom.  
Keys denote power and authority.
Keys have power to open.
Keys have power to shut.
Keys can cause the heavens to withhold rain;
Keys can obstruct the entrance into the kingdom.
With keys;
We can open the heavens.
With keys;
We can unlock the kingdom --for ourselves and others.
With keys;
We can reveal the Father.
With keys;
We. Are. Powerful.
With keys;
We are kings in the kingdom.


We have got to start seeing ourselves as kings.
"Only a king 
would do anything 
for his kingdom."

I AM an Investment

MATTHEW 25:14-30
God's Kingdom:  "It's also like a man going off on an extended trip.  He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities.  To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities.  Then he left.  Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master's investment.  The second did the same.  But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master's money.

"After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them.  The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment.  His master commended him: 'Good work!  You did your job well.  From now on be my partner.'

"The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master's investment.  His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well.  From now on be my partner.'

"The servant given one thousand said, 'Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error.  I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money.  Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.'

"The master was furious.  'That's a terrible way to live!  It's criminal to live cautiously like that!  If you knew I was after the best,  why did you do less than the least?  The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have goten a little interest.

" 'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most.  And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb.  Throw him out into utter darkness.' "



This isn't about my money.
It's about what He has put in me. 
Given to me.
I'm often given the one thousand.
And I cautiously hide it away; afraid to misuse it and lose it.
" 'That's a terrible way to live!' "
He only gave me one thousand, because I don't know how to handle two or five yet.
But that fact is: He gave me one thousand.
He gave me one thousand, because He trusts me.
He gave, "depending on their abilities."
I have it in me.
It's there.
Don't let me take my one thousand and hide.
When I hide it, I'm not just hiding it from Him --I'm hiding it from you.
This is an investment. 
I am an investment.
You should at least be partaking in my interest.
You should be "after the best."
Don't let me take my one thousand and hide.
Don't take your one thousand and hide.
Don't take your two thousand and hide.
Don't take your five thousand and hide.
That is meant to be doubled and experienced among us all.
That is not just for you.
That is not just for me.
May it be said among each other and by the Father:
"You did your job well. From now on be My partner."

I AM Strong and Courageous

Moses is dead. 

Joshua will lead from here. 

Get ready, we're crossing the Jordan.

I am strong and courageous. 

He is always on my lips.

I meditate on Him day and night.

I am strong and very courageous.

I am not afraid.

I am not discouraged.

For my Father is with me wherever I go.

I am strong and courageous.

Brave. 

Fear does not lead me.

My identity in the Father does.

I am strong and courageous. 

I am more aware of Him than I am of any fears. 

I fix my eyes on Him. 

And I don't look away, 

not even for a second.

I am strong and courageous.

I am headed for the Promised Land.

A place for me. 

A place of rest.

A place of freedom.

I am strong and courageous.

I enter the land.

I take the land.

I possess the land.

The land the Father has given me.

I am strong and courageous.

With Him.

In Him.

I AM His

Hey there Mariah Carey.
I almost forgot about you...








_____________________________________________

[individually and collectively]
We have always been His...
We will always be His...



We were as one babe
For a moment in time
And it seemed everlasting
That you would always be Mine
Now you wanna be free
So I'll let you fly
'Cause I know in My heart babe
Our love will never die

You'll always be a part of Me
I'm part of you indefinitely
Boy don't you know you can't escape Me
Ooh darling 'cause you'll always be My baby
And we'll linger on
Time can't erase a feeling this strong
No way you're never gonna shake Me
Ooh darling 'cause you'll always be My baby

I ain't gonna cry no
And I won't beg you to stay
If you're determined to leave boy
I will not stand in your way
But inevitably
You'll be back again
'Cause you know in your heart babe
Our love will never end


I know that you'll be back boy
When your days and your nights get a little bit colder
I know that you'll be right back baby
Oh baby believe me it's only a matter of time

I AM...Whole

I say it every day with math students:

Frustration is not a bad thing.

Frustration is healthy.

Of course you’re having trouble understanding it, you just learned it.

Of course you’re going to make mistakes. 

Mistakes are not a bad thing.

Mistakes are healthy.

Of course the fact that you just spent 20 minutes on that problem and got the wrong answer is not a waste of time.

It is so obvious to me.

Of course.

And the one who surrenders to that process comes out stronger.  Fuller.  Whole.

And constantly, as I encourage this very thing to students –day in and day out;

Reminding them that the process of frustration and mistakes is healthy and necessary;

Constantly as I know this in math—

I forget it in every other part of life.

Frustration.  Mistakes. 

These are not designed to take us further from our vision.

They are designed to more fully, more wholly, more foundationally take us into our vision.

When they rise their head, see them for what they are: Tools.  Spring boards.  Insights into the whole.

We are a family that does not give up. 

No. Matter. What.

Let whatever may rise, rise. 

Keeping our eyes, our vision—fixed on Him. 

Full in Him.

Whole in Him.