Living Fearlessly

Is there something in your life that is holding you back from getting your goals accomplished? Are you scared about something? Are you fearful of failure? Do you want to attack your fear head on so that you can get to the next level of your life?
Well now is as good a time as ever! Today is the first day to the rest of your life. I have a real fear of heights. I have been talking about going and doing bungee jumping or something like this to overcome. I talked with a friend last night who asked me if I wanted to go with her to Vegas and ride the rides on top of the stratosphere! 800 something feet above the ground!! Of course I said "no way." But, can I get over the fear by moving around it. It reminds me of a story in the Bible. God had promised Abraham that he would inherit the promise land. It took years and years but they finally arrived to the edge of the promised land. They were nervous about what was on the other side. They sent 12 spies to go and search out the land. The spies came back and reported that the enemy was too great. They were "grasshoppers" compared to the enemy. The spies were fearful. They were afraid and had lost there trust in the Lord. God had promised them the land. A land where milk and honey flowed. A land of blessing. A land of their own!
God has promise for your life. He has blessings and abundance for your life. Whether you are called by God or not you have an opportunity to experience Gods blessing in your life.
But, here is the catch. In order to get to the next level, you must take the next step. You can't reach the top of a 20 story building without going up the steps. You can't get the next place without overcoming your fears! What are you afraid of? What do you have to lose? If you are a salesman, all they can do is say no. If you want to start a business, the worst case scenario is it doesn't work out and you are back where you started. If you want that promotion or raise, kick it to the next level. You only have one life to live. You see, because the spies came back and exaggerated their reports because of their fear, most of the people that were there on the edge of a major abundant life never made into the land. Press through. Overcome. And live a greater life!! A fearless life!

Keep on keeping on!

As I was doing a personal study I came across a couple of verses in the bible. There was one that really hit home and I thought you would benefit from it. It is found in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and it states the following:

So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

If you are doing things in your life to honor God and are striving to live the absolute best life possible, you have no worries. The things which make it difficult for you now are only temporary. The economic situation that has everyone on edge is only temporary. The rainy weather we had in Texas today is only temporary. The car and house you work hard every hour of every day for is only temporary. But, if you give this life all you have got and you have your focus centered on accumulating eternal treasures and you concentrate on leaving behind a legacy that will live on even after you are gone, the "big" speedbumps will pass away. Why let the things of this world get you down. Life is way too short to be stressed out. Focus not on the bad things, for they will soon be gone, but put your entire being into living the best life you possibly can. Remember on your tombstone it does not say "drove a Ferrari, lived in a million dollar home, surrounded always by beautiful women (or guys for you women), and partied like a rockstar!! It has a born date, the date you die, and a dash. Once you are buried in the ground will people forget who you are? Will you have had a lasting effect on their lives? Will something you taught them or did for them cause them to leave behind the same to their kids and grandkids? Just think about it. If you had thirty days to live, how would you spend that time?

What a Night! Best Yet!

What an awesome night last night! We had our largest group so far. We had new faces. We had great discussion and we had some great works and breakthroughs that began to happen last night. James chapter 1 in the bible declares, "Consider a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." Did I hear that right?? James just told us to be happy when we are in a rut? to be happy when our finances are out of wack and we are about to lose our home? Be happy when we are diagnosed with cancer and given a month to live? What? Could this be right? First of all, how are we to be happy? Well it starts with perspective. It begins by looking at the situation with the possible outcome in mind. When you look at the challenge as a learning and growing experience, something happens. If we live according to James, we know that challenges are inevitable. Not only are they inevitable, but they can be very beneficial. He states, "Let it do its work so you can become mature and well developed, not deficient in anyway." The challenges make us better people. If we get the right mindset we learn how to overcome and trust more in the Lord. In 2 Corinthians it states that we go through stuff so that we can turn around and help those in need. Those whose need is perhaps the same challenge we just completed. What an opportunity! What a chance to really be used by the kingdom! What a chance to love on your neighbor! What a chance to have your life changed and the others around you at the same time! Remember, it is all about learning humbly. When you change your perspective, your attitude through the trial will change as well.
If you had one month to live how woulod approach every challenge? Would you have a different mindset?