We Simply Must Learn How To Be Sensitive And Obedient To A Move Of God In Unfamiliar Places. Church Folks Get Too Comfortable With The Familiar. What If?

Believe it or not, but some of our greatest blessings will occur at “places” other than the ones we’re used to, accustomed to, or expect. We Simply Must Learn How To Be Sensitive And Obedient To A Move Of God In Unfamiliar Places. Church Folks Get Too Comfortable With The Familiar. The Familiar Is Your Comfort Zone. Your Blessing May Not Come Inside The Walls Of The Church. Do You Need A Miracle, Then Do Whatever He Tells You. Just Do It! 

“But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever He tells you to.” (John 2:5 TLB)

Do you need a miracle? Then reread the story of Jesus turning water into wine. And while you’re at it, keep in mind what Mary said to the servants at the wedding reception: “…Whatever He says to you, DO IT.” (AMP)

Which means: What If It Happens Outside Of Your Comfort Zone: The Familiar Places.

1.. DO IT EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE NOT IN THE ‘RIGHT PLACE’: They were at a wedding, not a church, when Jesus performed this miracle. “Three days later there was a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee…” (John 2:1 MSG) Believe it or not, but some of our greatest blessings will occur at “places” other than the ones we’re used to, accustomed to, or expect. We simply must learn how to be sensitive and obedient to a move of God in unfamiliar places. We expect to come to church and hear testimonies of the goodness of God. But do you know God works miracles outside of the four walls of the church? As hard as it may be for you to grasp, but God is saving souls behind prison walls, He’s giving job opportunities to those with no degree, He’s healing in the hospice, He’s providing shelter for those who last night slept under the bridge, He’s feeding those who just spent their last food-stamp. God is not restrained, restricted, limited or held captive, hostage or in bondage by our menial expectations of Him or His ability. Do you know that you don’t have to be in church, at the altar, or listening to gospel to experience a move of God? Understand that your limited location can’t limit a limitless God! He can heal at the gas station, provide while you’re in the beauty salon, make a way while you’re stuck in traffic, pay a bill while you’re applying for unemployment. You’re God Is Able! And you don’t have to be in the right circles, or in the proper location for Him to do it! So, the next time you need a miracle from God, call on Him, no matter where you are! He can hear you from the basketball court; in the hospital; at the Medicaid/Medicare office; at the mechanic shop; waiting for the bus; standing in line at the supermarket; waiting for customer service at the bank; or even sitting on a swing in the park! He Hears You, He Sees You, And He Will Indeed Meet Your Every Need…No Matter the Address Your Need Shows Up At! Philippians 4:19, "And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) YOUR EVERY NEED according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (AMPC) Think about it: If He can show up and help the three Hebrew boys in a fire; Jonah in the belly of a fish; a bleeding woman in a crowd; or a paralytic coming down through the roof, surely, He can show up anywhere you are, don’t you think? The Bible encourages us like this: “She answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, “YOU’RE THE GOD WHO SEES ME! “YES! HE SAW ME; AND THEN I SAW HIM!” (Genesis 16:13 MSG); “God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’M NEVER OUT OF YOUR SIGHT. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too – your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful – I can’t take it all in!” (Psalm 139:1-6 MSG). My friend, God can meet you ANYWHERE simply because He’s EVERYWHERE!  

2.. DO IT EVEN THOUGH YOU’VE GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS: They’d run out of wine for their guests. Embarrassing! However, truth be told, far too often our problems drive us away from Jesus instead of to Him! Listen: If you really want to empty out a church house just let the church folks encounter a problem in life! Money dwindles down, we stop going to church; the doctor gives us a diagnosis, we stop going to church; the car breaks down (as if there is absolutely no other means of getting to church), you guessed it, we stop going to church; we break up in a relationship, we stop going to church; we lose a job, we stop going to church; we’re evicted, we stop going to church; our big toe hurts, and we stop going to church! BUT, if God is as powerful as He says, and we believe, then why would we want to go away from Him instead of to Him? For instance, if my car breaks down, I don’t want to leave the mechanic and go to the pharmacy! What help can I possibly get from there besides an aspirin to get rid of the headache my broke down car just gave me! Please hear me when I say this to you, your praise cannot go on pause because of your problems, nor can your worship water down because of your worries! Those are in fact the ideal times to seek God’s direction, wisdom and answers! Can you imagine if our children had a problem with a school assignment and instead of taking it to the teacher, they decided to bring it home to the dog?! Sounds comical, but when we face problems in life that’s exactly what we do, we take our problems to people who cannot solve or resolve them, instead of taking them straight to God, the ultimate problem solver! There’s nothing too hard for Him, nothing impossible for Him, and nothing His hands cannot handle! Jeremiah 32:27, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there anything too hard for Me?" (AMPC); Genesis 18:14, "Is anything too hard or too wonderful for the Lord? At the appointed time, when the season [for her delivery] comes around, I will return to you and Sarah shall have borne a son." (AMPC) Luke 18:27, "But He said, what is impossible with men is possible with God." (AMPC) So the next time you’re in need of a miracle, don’t take your problems to others, and surely do not keep them to yourself, take them to God! Miracles begin when we focus on God’s power, instead of our problems! The Bible declares: “If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, THEN TRUST THE LORD COMPLETELY; don’t ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” (Proverbs 3:4-6 TLB)

3.. DO IT EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE NOT BEING ENCOURAGED: When Mary turned to Jesus for help, He tested her faith saying, “Woman, why do you involve me?” My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4 NIV). The Message Bible is a bit more colorful of course, “Jesus said, “Is that any of our business, Mother – yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.” (MSG); And even The Living Bible has an interesting way of putting this verse: “…Jesus’ mother came to Him with the problem. “I can’t help you now,” he said. “It isn’t yet My time for miracles.” (TLB). However, even in the face of what seemed like discouragement, Mary still passed the test! Instead of being disheartened in the face of what looked helpless and hopeless, Mary yet laid hold of the possibility of a miracle, believed God and received one! Because regardless of Jesus’ words “…It isn’t yet My time for miracles”, the very next verse says, “BUT his mother told the servants, “Do whatever He tells you to.” (vs. 5) And what happens next? “Six stone waterpots were standing there; they were used for Jewish ceremonial purposes and held perhaps twenty to thirty gallons each. THEN JESUS TOLD THE SERVANTS to fill them to the brim with water…” (vss. 6-8 TLB). How interesting. We went from “…It isn’t yet My time for miracles…” to “…Jesus told the servants…” When you know without a shadow of doubt that God is ABLE, you don’t allow anything or anyone to hinder or alter your belief! Mary never discussed a thing with Jesus, no crying, no complaining, no murmuring, no “but I’m your mama!” She simply gave the servants the only instructions that matter when there’s a problem and Jesus is present, “…DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU TO.” And that’s the attitude you must learn to take on. Even if no one asks you how are you doing? How are you getting by? Do you need anything? Do you want to talk about it? Is there anything I can do for you? You must maintain your inner encouragement! You must learn to be your own Barnabas! Acts 4:36 says, "Now Joseph, a Levite and native of Cyprus who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles, which interpreted means Son of Encouragement," (AMPC) And not only was Barnabas a Son of Encouragement, but David was a King of Self-Encouragement: The Bible says, “David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because the souls of them all were bitterly grieved, each man for his sons and daughters. BUT DAVID ENCOURAGED AND STRENGTHENED HIMSELF IN THE LORD HIS GOD.” (1 Samuel 30:6 AMP). Learn how to do this for yourself! Even when the odds are against you! Stay in the ring and keep on fighting even when there’s no crowd cheering you on and no one in your corner to wipe your blood, sweat and tears. Believe God is Able, because He is, and I assure you, that will be all the encouragement you need!

4.. DO IT EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN’T WALKED WITH CHRIST VERY LONG: The servants who obeyed Jesus had just met Him! And His disciples had just started following Him! YET, they were ALL EXPECTED to obey Him! So are you! The church has gotten so high and mighty with titles, positions, offices, elevations, degrees, and the like that we’ve lost the childlike simplicity of faith in God. You don’t need all the proper vestments and to be seated in the right chair, you simply need to follow the voice of the Lord and obey it. I don’t care if you just walked off the street and all you know is the name of Jesus, truth is, that is all you need to know! The Bible says, “You’ll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God’s master stroke, I didn’t try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did – Jesus crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2 MSG); “For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ…” (Galatians 6:14 MSG). Whether you’ve been with Jesus 20 seconds, 20 minutes, 20 hours, 20 days, 20 months, or 20 years, the key is simple, childlike faith. Believe God and Obey Him! Let nothing and no one complicate the simplicity of faith! These servants and disciples believed and obeyed Him with the least information about Him. You know that He saves, heals, delivers, performs miracles and He’s still alive and well, that’s enough! Don’t let go of that!

5.. DO IT EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN’T YET SEEN HIM WORK MIRACLES IN YOUR LIFE: This was Jesus’ FIRST MIRACLE! They had to obey Him without the faith that comes from a previous track record! That’s challenging!  So, we are all in a new place of trusting God for something we can’t even trace! Is that hard? Absolutely! Preacher or not, I will not tell you that this can be an easy faith walk! I’ve seen God heal people of cancer before, but this is different, when it’s your mother, husband, father, children or even best friend! And this can be an area unfamiliar to your faith! Likewise, you may be facing some things in your life where you’re looking at it like, “where the heck did that come from? When did that start? Who has that? What do we do with that? That nut is not on our family tree?” And yet I admonish you, trust God anyhow! Yes, there will be times when even the treatment seems like it’s working against your condition, but trust God still. He knows what He’s doing. And whether He decides to bring you out of it, or leave you in it, and prove His ability still, trust Him. Your testimony, whether you come out or stay in, will ultimately strengthen your faith, and those around you! Romans 8:37, "Nay, IN ALL THESE THINGS we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (KJV) God doesn't have to bring you OUT to bless you, He can bless you even while you're still IN it!

6.. DO IT EVEN THOUGH YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS: Why pour water into empty containers, when your problem is not water but wine? Answer: Give Jesus what you’ve got, and He’ll give you back what you need! Believe me, like you, I’ve had Jesus to tell me to do some things that made absolutely no sense whatsoever! I just couldn’t grasp His required instructions. I mean think about it like this: In regard to tithing, God says give Me 10%, you keep 90%, and because you gave Me the 10%, I’m going to open the windows of heaven and increase your 90%! WHAT?! Jesus, what kind of math is this?! Reminds me of when my son would come home with math homework with numbers, letters, symbols and the like all in the same problem and go “mommy, can you help me with this?” Uhhh NO! It looked like something to crack a code to hack into governments files! Who thought this math made sense! And so, it feels the same when we try to make sense out of God’s process. But always remember this: He Has Never Asked Us to Understand the Process, Only to Obey It!  No Matter How BAD It Gets, the Potter Can Always Remake It for Our GOOD! So, don’t worry about the Potter or the Process, just remain Yielded Clay that He can work with!

In a Nutshell: When You’re In Need of a Miracle, Just Do What He Tells You To!

Blessings            J.  P. Olson           www.journeyintotheword.com

You Can’t Afford To Let Your Past Affect Your Present! That’s Why Certain Things That Refuse To Be Healed Must Be Forsaken And Forgotten! There Are People Praising God In Church Every Sunday Who Lie Awake At Night, Reliving And Rehashing Old Memories

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creature; OLD things have passed away; behold, all things have become NEW." (2 Corinthians 5:17) You can’t afford to let your past affect your present or sabotage your future! 

That’s why certain things that refuse to be healed must be forsaken and forgotten! There are people praising God in Church every Sunday who lie awake in the privacy of their homes, digging up bones, picking at scars and reliving and rehashing old memories. You need to accept that some issues will never be resolved, and if you let them, they’ll take up residence in your head and in your heart! [The what ifs? The should haves? The maybes?] These will all drive you nuts…if you let them! 

Adjust Your Focus On Your Future! The Vision For Your Future Will Always Look Distorted When You View It Through Eyes That Can Only See The Past! Warning: Paying Attention to Your Past, Will Cost Your Present a Pretty Penny and Your Future a Fortune! Don’t Bankrupt The Blessing Before You! What Is Currently Around Us Is Not All There Is For Us! Past....Rest In Peace! Future....Get Ready For Revival! God Has An Awesome Customized Plan For Each Of Us! We Simply Need To Seek It, Find It, And Live It To The Fullest! 

AS OVERCOMERS, YOU ARE TO WALK IN NEW VICTORIES EVERYDAY! DAILY WAVING A FLAG OF VICTORY IN THE DEVIL’S FACE! 

With that said you must ask, if "NEWNESS" is supposed to be so EVIDENT in the life of a believer, WHY ARE WE SO CRAZY-GLUED TO THE “OLD?" Far too many of us, are stuck in the same old routines.

 In case you didn’t know, THAT IS NOT THE MENTALITY OF AN OVERCOMER! OVERCOMERS ARE DAILY IN HIGH PURSUIT OF SOME NEW CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME! LISTEN, GOD DID NOT CREATE US, AND HE MOST CERTAINLY DIDN’T REDEEM US, TO LIVE A PURPOSELESS EXISTENCE! OVERCOMERS DON’T EXIST—THEY LIVE AND THEY LIVE NOT JUST ABUNDANTLY—BUT MORE ABUNDANTLY! For the Bible declares, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, AND THAT THEY MAY HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY" (John 10:10).  What Is Currently Around Us Is Not All There Is For Us! God Has An Awesome Customized Plan For Each Of Us! We Simply Need To Seek It, Find It, And Live It To The Fullest! 

The Scripture says, "No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put NEW wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins are ruined. But they put NEW wine into NEW wineskins, and both are preserved." When something is PRESERVED it means it's, "KEPT, MAINTAINED, AND PROTECTED". And what’s being "KEPT, MAINTAINED, AND PROTECTED?" YOUR NEWNESS! UNDERSTAND THAT THE OLD CAUSES DAMAGE, IT TEARS, IT DESTROYS, IT PULLS AWAY, IT SEVERS, BUT THE NEW IS PRESERVED! IN A NUTSHELL: IT’S TIME TO BREAK-OUT OF THE OLD AND BREAK IN TO THE NEW! Overcomers, Crush That Devil Under Your Foot On This Current Level, Then Lift It And Put It On The Next Level And The Next Devil And Attain Your Next New Victory!  

Revelation 21:7, “He Who Overcomes Will Inherit These Things, and I Will Be His God and He Will Be My Son.” (NASB). 

Grab a hold of these promises and you will never again settle to live the same ole same ole life again! 

We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in NEWNESS of life.” (Romans 6:4 AMP) 

IT’S NOT ENOUGH THAT IT’S DEAD—YOU HAVE TO BURY IT! 

I do thank God for the Apostle Paul though. Because he was honest enough to admit that he still struggled in certain areas. Unlike those with a Pharisee spirit who condemn others for doing the very things they do themselves, Paul confessed, “But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do badly, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.” (Romans 7:17-20 MSG). 

Thanks Paul, from the rest of us who mistakenly thought that once we became Christians, there would be no more struggles! Thanks for helping some of us who thought that once we became Pastor, Elder, Teacher, Prophet, that the struggles would be over. That once we reached our 20 years saved, 15 years in ministry, 10 years healed and 5 years delivered, that the struggles would be over. Well, I’m here to serve notice on you: The Struggles Are Not Over! They continue! That’s why we were told to “Fight the good Fight of faith…” (1 Timothy 6:12). Not that we fought (past tense) the good fight. But this is a Current and Continual battle! YET, it’s one that doesn’t have to defeat us. 

Think about it: If you keep looking in the rear-view mirror, you’re going to eventually crash into something ahead of you! And I would hate for that to be your blessing, your miracle, your breakthrough, your season or your way out! You don’t want to damage what’s before you, by daydreaming about what’s behind you! Sure, you must utilize all the mirrors on your vehicle to some degree. But keep in mind, the main one is looking straight ahead out the windshield! Looking, anticipating, ready, expecting, and seeking for what yet lies ahead! SO…“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19 MSG). 

Tell yourself, all my past issues I’m taking to the tomb TODAY and I’m burying it! Yes it hurts, it’s disappointing, it’s caused me severe suffering and pain, but TODAY I’m burying it! The actions were painful, the words were hurtful, the thoughts were discouraging, but I’m burying it TODAY! I refuse to let it hang around in the funeral home. TODAY, I’m packing it up and finding an available plot, and if not, I’m fed up enough to dig one myself! One way or another this thing is being buried TODAY!

Whatever You Do, Know That You Don’t Have To Stay This Way! You Don’t Have to Settle For This! You Don’t Have To Accept This! NO! Change Begins With You, And Your Change Begins Today! The New Month or the New Day! Enough Is Enough! 

Albert Einstein said it best: “Nothing Happens Until Something Moves” And That Something Is YOU! Get To Moving Out of the Old and Into the New…TODAY! We are in the month of October. There are only have two months left in 2024. Soon we will wave goodbye to 2024 and high-five 2025! Look in the mirror right now and tell yourself: THE OLD ME IS FINALLY READY FOR NEW! Past....Rest In Peace! Future....Get Ready For Revival 

Blessings J. P. Olson

 www.journeyintotheword.com

The Mindset Of People Who Feel Unworthy Will Accept Any Kind Of Treatment From Anyone, Because They Are Under The Faulty Impression That They Are Not Of Any Value. A Faulty Shelter Does Not Help Us, It Offers A False Sense Of Comfort Or Security.

The Mindset Of People Who Feel Unworthy. They Will Accept Any Kind Of Treatment From Anyone Because They Are Under The Faulty Impression That They Are Not Of Any Value. A Faulty Shelter Does Not Help Us, But It Offers A False Sense Of Comfort Or Security. Know If You Have Any Faulty Shelters. God Values You So Much That He Does Not Even Discard You When You Mess Up! Our Shelter Is Not A Place, Or Thing, It’s A Person.

False shelters can be found in drinking, smoking, gambling, drugs, food, and hobbies. In commercial buildings there are emergency routes that lead to safety, they are normally marked in red.  In the New Testament, Jesus’ words are written in red.  His words will guide and lead to His shelter. When you are in a trial learn how to run to Jesus. Maybe you have taken up residence in one of these faulty shelters before, where it offered a false sense of comfort & security. Learn how to live an unshakeable life during trials. If you only knew how valuable, you are. “When you are in a trial you will run to Jesus.”

I am holding a $20 bill in my hand (let your imagination follow me). If you were sitting here with me and I offered this $20 bill to you, would you take it? I think you would. Now you are going to have to use a little bit more of your imagination to picture what I am about to do, but here goes. I am now crumpling that nice $20 bill, and I am crushing it into a little wad. Do you still want this bill? If you were right here, would you still take it? Keep in mind that it is all wadded up now. OK, say you decide to take it anyway, well, now I am beating on this wadded-up $20 bill, and I am stomping on it with my muddy shoes! Now, if I still offered to give you this $20 bill, would you still take it? I mean, it has been beaten up, it is crushed, stomped on, so would you still want it? Well, of course, you would! Do you know why? Because no matter what happened to that $20 bill, IT NEVER LOST ITS VALUE!

And that is the point, isn’t it? No matter how abused and beaten up that $20 bill is, it is still worth just as much as it always was, and in case you were wondering, SO ARE YOU!

I do not have to guess, assume, ask questions, or look prophetically into anything. I can guarantee you someone today feels just like I just treated that $20 bill. They feel beat up, mishandled, and treated badly, they have been crushed, crumpled, and trampled on. And when someone has been treated like that, they begin to believe a lie that they are not worth much. If they were, why would anyone treat them like that? People like this begin to feel like, ‘If I were so loved, why would he hit me; why would she leave me? If I am so valuable, why would they treat me like trash? If I am so important, why did they reject and abandon me? If I am so beautiful, why doesn’t anyone tell me so? If I am so needed, why do I feel so lonely?’

And what is worse about people who feel like this is that when you think you are worthless, you start making choices based on unworthiness. You start throwing yourself away, settling for junk, doing anything for a little love, a little affection, a little attention. Think about it: No one treats fake fur the same as a real one; no one handles real diamonds the same as fake ones; no one treasures a brand-new top-of-the-line car the same as they do a 30-year-old (raggedy, hope it makes it to the next corner) vehicle. If you want to know how much someone values a thing, JUST PAY ATTENTION TO HOW THEY TREAT IT.

But the truth is, you are just like my beat-up $20 bill. No matter how you have been treated, you are still just as valuable! You are still precious because no one on earth gave you your worth – GOD DID! So, no one on earth can take it away! So, if you have found yourself in the unfortunate predicament of allowing people to treat you as less than others, today is your day to Stop It!

We have got to go to God’s Book to get the truth about our value! And when we do, we find three worthy givers that cannot be taken from you:

FIRST, YOUR WORTH IS BASED ON BEING MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE: In Genesis 1:27, the Bible says, “So God created man in His image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” God made you as a reflection of Himself, so do not tell me you are not worth much!

Did you catch all of that? YOU are created, crafted, designed, and made in the DIVINE IMAGE OF GOD, TO BE LIKE GOD YOUR MAKER, REFLECTING THE NATURE OF THE GODHEAD! Yep, that’s VALUE! No matter what you see or don’t see, like or don’t like when you look in the mirror, the bottom line is YOU ARE THE REFLECTION OF GODHEAD, WHICH MAKES YOU IMPORTANT, SIGNIFICANT, WORTHY, AND VALUABLE! LET NOTHING AND NO ONE TREAT YOU LESS! YOU ARE TO BE TREASURED!

Think about it: When we think of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost), what are some of the things that come to mind? Almighty, Powerful, Awesome, Dynamic, Creative, Anointing, Gifts, Strength, Protection, Victorious, Ability…Well, You My Friend Reflect All of That! Stop underestimating and undervaluing yourself! You are powerful, victorious, anointed, gifted, and strong! You are Worthy!

SECONDLY, YOUR WORTH IS BASED ON GOD’S ONE-OF-A-KIND MASTERPIECE: In Psalm 139:13, David says to God, “For You created my inmost being You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful. I know that full well” (NIV). Listen to the Message Bible, “Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; You formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank You, High God – You are breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration – what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before You, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.” (MSG) Does that sound like a nobody to you? Does that sound like someone unimportant, unworthy, and without value? Not! When you believe you are not worth much, you are insulting the One who designed you. From the moment that egg and sperm came together to start your life, you have been God’s unique creation. If you do not believe it, look at your fingerprints. There is no one else on earth like you! You are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. God Himself Made You Bit-By-Bit, He Sculpted You from Nothing into Something, How Dare You Demean Such Tremendous Creation! Your Mess Can Never Mess Up His Masterpiece! And Do Not You Dare Forget It Again!

AND NOW, MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU ARE INFINITELY VALUABLE BECAUSE GOD PAID FOR YOU WITH THE LIFE OF HIS SON:  I want to invite you to walk with me right now up a hill near Jerusalem called Skull Hill. At the top, imagine there is this blood-stained cross. That is where God’s one and only Son thought you were so precious that He poured out His life for every wrong thing you have ever done and will do. Why? Because that’s the only way you could ever be forgiven of your sins; the only way you could ever have the loving relationship with Him you were made for; the only way you could be with Him in heaven forever.

Can you imagine being so valuable that to purchase you it took the Heavenly Father giving His Beloved Son to Sacrifice His Life? You were worth LIFE! You were worth blood, mockery, spit, nails, thorns, spears, and gall. You were worth the torture, the whipping, the mangled body. You were worth the cross. You were worth Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection, and Return! You were worth the Heart of the Gospel! You were worth Redeeming, Saving, Justifying, and Loving Unconditionally! You were worth the angels are given charge to keep you. You were worth having unlimited access to heavenly resources on earth!

YOU ARE WORTHY, TREASURED, AND STILL VALUABLE!

It is my prayer that this little reminder will put a smile on your face. No matter what you have done or left undone, no matter where you have been or why. No matter how many times you have fallen and failed…YOU ARE STILL VALUABLE!

No matter how many mistakes and even deliberate bad decisions you have made; no matter what you look like, where you are from, your marital, social, or financial status…YOU ARE STILL VALUABLE!

No matter what or who you have lost, never lose your value! And never allow anyone to make any attempts to alter or diminish it.

Let no one tell you that anyone is beyond restoration. Not even Jesus felt that way. And He had good reason to kick quite a few folks to the curb, but He didn’t…Judas betrayed Him (but He didn’t discard him); Peter denied Him (but He didn’t discard him); Thomas doubted Him (but He didn’t discard him); and in the end, they all left but John, and still He didn’t discard them He gave up His life still. Can you imagine hanging on a cross, dying yourself, between 2 thieves, knowing full well that they are guilty as sin, and yet one calls out to Him, and He still answers?

We are still called the Ministry of Reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:16-20, “Because of this decision, we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly do not look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that ANYONE UNITED WITH THE MESSIAH GET’S A FRESH START, IS CREATED NEW. THE OLD LIFE IS GONE; A NEW LIFE BURGEONS! Look at it! All this comes from the God WHO SETTLED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN US AND HIM AND THEN CALLED US TO SETTLE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world A FRESH START by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what He is doing. We are Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to DROP THEIR DIFFERENCES and enter God’s work of MAKING THINGS RIGHT BETWEEN THEM. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; He’s already a friend with you.” (MSG)

I’M STILL VALUABLE!

If you are not being treated with the love and respect you deserve, check your price tag. Perhaps you have marked yourself down. It is YOU that determines what you are worth by what you accept. Get off the clearance rack and get behind the glass case where the Valuables are kept.

“If you don’t value yourself, you’re not going to draw valuable things into your life.” (Robert Tew)

“If you find yourself constantly trying to prove your worth to someone you have already forgotten your value.”

Unshakeable in a chaotic world. David also teaches that to live an unshakeable life during trials.

You will be faced with some type of crisis in your life; it may be in your marriage, career, finances, health, or even faith.  During a life crisis, God has an evacuation route in place.  King David was one of the greatest kings of Israel.  He was also known as the man after God’s own heart.  He had a special relationship with God, but that did not make him immune from adversity. There was a time in his life before he was king; King Saul was trying to kill David. Three truths helped David live an unshakable life through the chaos. God will always make your path in life known. Whenever we are faced with some type of trouble God will reveal to us the path of life that we are on. In Psalms, “You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence, there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11 ESV) David teaches that in an unshakable life: OUR SHELTER IS NOT A PLACE, IT’S A PERSON.  David finds shelter in God.  In Psalms David proclaims, “Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You.’” (Psalm 16:1-2 ESV) David’s shelter is his relationship with God.  He surrenders his life to God and finds refuge in him.  During a troubling situation, surrender to God, and pray. Instead of taking the path of worry and fear, take the path to God’s shelter. The Psalmist declares,  “But as for me, how good it is to be near God!  I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter…” (Psalm 73:28 NLT) God is sovereign.  He is the supreme ruler of all the Earth.  God has everything in control.  Choose God’s shelter, He holds everything together.   During troubles, David reminds us, “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.” (Psalms 16:5 ESV) The “RED PATH” scripture guides by stating, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV). Jesus reminds us that in the world we will face troubles. Those troubles can be extremely intense and hold great pressure.  When pressure builds up, there needs to be a release. Instead of running to faulty shelters, run to Jesus and trust in Him.  By finding shelter in Jesus there will be peace. David also teaches that to live an unshakeable life during trials: CHOOSE TO WORSHIP. David says, “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also, my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:7 ESV).  David worships God during times of trial. He blesses God and receives guidance from Him.  It is critical to worship God during times of trouble.  Instead of falling into the pressures of trouble, the heart of worship will change us.  Worship songs are not just music; they can be prophetic words from God speaking to our hearts.  We need to posture our hearts towards God.  Worship aids the posture of our hearts.  We can easily allow the flesh to take over and things like anger, gossip, sin, and guilt can take control. The Devil will feed on sin and guilt. God will feed on the praises of His people.  Do not give the Devil any food; give your worship to God to delight in.   God knows our struggles.  We need to be vigilant in our commitment to do what is right in life, rather than settling for what is convenient.  No matter how tough things will be, we need to be responsible and take the right path in life.  God will always be faithful and guide us through our struggles. GOD KNOWS WHEN WE NEED GUIDANCE. The “RED PATH” scripture says, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13 NIV). God is the spirit of truth.  He will guide us in all situations.  He will use His word, our worship, and even the spirit of a true friend.  The spirit of a true friend is a friend who is grounded in Jesus and will help us seek Him. Lastly, to live an unshakeable life David says, STAY CLOSELY CONNECTED TO YOUR SHELTER.  As the Bible says, “I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken” (Psalm 16:8 ESV). By surrendering to God and placing Him first, He will be in control. God is greater than our problems and burdens. When we choose to control our own lives, we may steer them in the wrong direction to disaster. By placing God first, He will direct us on the right path to safety. God will be at our right hand to defend us through any circumstances; He will never reject or abandon us.  God is our shelter. The “RED PATH” scripture says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing”. (John 15:5 NIV). Without Jesus, we cannot do anything. God wants us to have that childlike faith, humility, and dependence that allows us to fully surrender to Him. In God’s shelter, He will guide us and help us to grow.   He wants us to stay close to Him and build our confidence through Him.  Allow the Holy Spirit to speak these three truths to live an unshakable life. God is our shelter; when we worship God, He will guide us; by staying intricately connected to God, He will help us grow. Blessings J.P. Olson www.journeyintotheword.com

Understand That There Has Never Been And There Never Will Be A DAY That Our God Has Failed Us! On Different Days Our Spouse May Fail Us, Our Family, Our Boss, Friends, Folks At Church; Our Income, Our Health. But, Every New Day, He Does Not FAIL!

Every New DAY, He Does NOT FAIL…” Declares the Word of God! And That’s A Promise You Can Take To The Bank! 

Understand that there has Never been and there Never will be a DAY that our God has failed us!  On different days our spouse may have failed us, our family may have failed us, our boss, friends, coworkers, folks at church; even our income, car or our health has failed us.  But “…Every New DAY, He Does NOT FAIL…” declares the Word of God! And that’s a Promise You Can Take to the Bank! Why? Because:  

“God is not like people. He tells no lies. He is not like humans. He doesn’t change his mind. When He says something, He does it. When He makes a promise, He keeps it.” (Numbers 23:19 GWT).       

Believe that every wall that's been holding you back is going to come tumbling down. Don't focus on what's tearing you apart, focus on Who is holding you together.  Everything we do for God may not always feel good to our flesh. Regardless of your circumstances. Let every unholy agenda against you be exposed and terminated immediately by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ!  Let combat angels pursue and subdue wicked people who intend to harm you!  The harm they intend on you, shall be their own undoing!

God Has A Plan And He Wants Us To Take One Day At A Time:  Never Cast Away Your Confidence In The God That Has You Covered! 

The message today is from: Zephaniah 3:5, “…Morning by morning He dispenses His justice, and every new DAY He does not fail…” (NIV)  

Some of you today have had unfair things to happen; life has not turned out like you hope.  God is saying "If you rise up out of those ashes, put on a new attitude, I'll not only bring you out, but I will bring you out with twice what you had before." Every season needs faith to get us through it. God's dawn of deliverance often comes when the hour of trial is darkest. 

If you are not anchored in the Word of God right now…the waves of bitterness, strife, malice, anger, hatred, lack of compassion, & fear are at high tides. You’re either joining the waves or anchoring down in what God says about ALL these things.

If we are living our life in Christ, we will always be more powerful than anything that comes our way. But the Bible is clear that we aren’t to be ignorant of our enemy.  Paul points out, “We are not ignorant of his schemes.” I have often heard the phrase, “Ignorance is bliss,” which suggests that if I don’t know something, then life is more comfortable, relaxed, and peaceful for me. But ignorance is not a godly way of living. Being ignorant of the enemy’s schemes only leaves us vulnerable to his tactics.

Being spiritually illiterate doesn’t mean the enemy will leave us alone. It means we are more likely to make critical mistakes due to a lack of full understanding. Ignorance will hurt us and leave us confused, dejected, and deceived. God did not call us to be spiritually blind; he called us to be spiritually alert.

Jesus did not live-in reaction to the devil. He lived in response to the Father. We should be aware of Satan, but not impressed by him.

God knows how to balance Your Grief with His Goodness! He knows just when you need encouragement, and He sends it! He knows just when you need a hopeful sign, or comfort and rest, or an extra shot of strength, or a miracle at the last minute! And He sends them all right on time! God knows when you’ve had all you can take and He raises His almighty hand and says, “Enough! No More!” He’s promised to NEVER let you have “more than you can bear” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Question: If God is all-powerful, why does He allow Satan to be the “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4)?

Answer: Scripture makes it clear that the devil—Satan—is currently in charge of planet Earth. Even Jesus Christ Himself, shortly before His arrest and crucifixion, acknowledged Satan’s authority: “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (John 14:30).

Was there always a Satan? No! God created a powerful and beautiful archangel named Lucifer, who—along with Michael and Gabriel—served at God’s throne in heaven. Why did this Lucifer (Latin for “light-bringer” or “morning star”) fall and become Satan (Hebrew for “accuser” or “adversary”)? You can read about this in Ezekiel 28:12–15 and Luke 10:18.

Lucifer and a third of the angels (Revelation 12:3–4) rebelled against their Creator. At some point in the distant past, Lucifer led these angels “above the heights of the clouds” to take the throne of God (Isaiah 14:13-14), leaving their “proper domain” or assigned responsibility (Jude 6) below the clouds here on Earth. Unsuccessful, they were cast back down to the Earth (Isaiah 14:12).

Satan failed in his rebellion, but he remains in the office God gave him, where he is ironically still instrumental in God’s plan. You see, human beings are spending 6,000 years living their own way, influenced by Satan’s spirit of selfishness and evil. They are writing with their own blood, sweat and tears the history of what it is like to live in disobedience to God’s way.

You see, you have (‘a promise’; ‘a word from God’) and the enemy is worried and ready to attack because he cannot let you have that ground, then gain more! God knows that the enemy is ready to attack, you see suddenly Satan is interested in you. He did not have to bother you when you were not a threat. He did not bother you when you stopped fasting, became lazy in reading/studying the Word, started slacking in your prayer/devotion time with God, when you stopped going to Sunday School and started making excuses for skipping Bible Study. The enemy did not think 2 cents about you. You didn’t even appear on his radar, in fact he may have said something like this: “But the evil spirit retorted, “I know and recognize and acknowledge Jesus, and I know about Paul, BUT AS FOR YOU, WHO ARE YOU?” (Acts 19:15 AMP)

The enemy does not bother those who do not bother him! If you are not reading the Word, in prayer, fasting, obeying the commandments, fellow shipping with your brothers and sisters in Christ, walking in the Spirit, being directed, and guided by the Holy Ghost, what does he want with you? After all, what can you do to attack his kingdom, when you are not armed with any of the weaponry of the Kingdom yourself!

Satan gets busy whenever God has made a major landing in your life. Maybe you have recently made a new surrender of your life to Jesus, or you have said yes to His call on your life. You have stepped up to leadership. Could it be that you have begun a new work for the

Lord? Made a new commitment to be the marriage partner or the parent you should be, to give more to the Lord’s work, to live by new priorities? Guess what? If so, alarm bells are going off in hell!

But do not get discouraged. Do not go back to the old ways. This is just your old enemy trying to stop this progress while it is new and fragile. If you keep going this way, your enemy’s going to lose big time, and he knows it. So, step up and launch a Biblical counterattack. In the words of James 4:7, “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.”

Time seems to stand still when a pressing problem is making us worry. It is emotional pain that suspends itself across all other daily experiences. Satan wants us to worry, be anxious, rush, doubt God’s timing, but God is saying take one day at a time.

Zephaniah 3:5, “…Morning by morning He dispenses His justice, and every new DAY He does not fail…” (NIV)       

We should be mindful of Zephaniah 3:5. It’s just seven reassuring words, but in those words, God points us to the way He wants us to handle things called Our Life! It simply says, “…Every New DAY He Does Not Fail.

God is saying to you Today, “Instead of trying to do Weeks, Months and Years, would you please do yourself a huge favor, and simply do Life in the 24-Hour Increments that I’ve obviously wired you to handle!  I’ve even given them a special name says God, I call them “DAYS”!

Think about it: If GOD Even handled HIS creative work by “DAYS”, what makes you think you can handle them by Weeks, Months and Years?!

The Bible says, in the beginning:

“…God called the light day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the First DAY.” (Genesis 1:5).

“…And the evening and the morning were the Second DAY.” (1:8).

“And the evening and the morning were the Third DAY.” (1:13).

“And the evening and the morning were the Fourth DAY.” (1:19).

“And the evening and the morning were the Fifth DAY.” (1:23).

“…And the evening and the morning were the Sixth DAY.” (1:31).

“And on the Seventh DAY God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the Seventh DAY from all his work which he had made.” (2:2).

Do you see the Pattern here? Learn how to handle your LIFE in “DAYS”!

When we try to drag Yesterday, with its baggage and its failures into Today, we become stressed, overwhelmed, feeling incompetent, even bitter, angry, and resentful! When we try to drag Tomorrow into Today, with its worries and its fears, we run ahead of His resources, which are issued each new DAY for that DAY! 

In a Nutshell: I’ve got Wednesday’s resources for Wednesday’s needs! When I start worrying about Thursday, or a week from Thursday, I’m on my own and I’m going down…FAST!

You need to learn how to handle your life in the days that God has given you. He has promised that we will always have ‘sufficient for each day.’ Which means, daily we will have what is satisfactory, acceptable, and equal to the needs of that one day! So, stop worrying about October; stop worrying about the holidays (that have not yet arrived); stop worrying about the September school year; and stop trying to plan every day of 2024, and for some of you, even 2025 in advance! Live in this DAY! Embrace this DAY! All you have need of God will grant you, for this DAY!

And just in case you need something short and sweet: “Give us This DAY our DAILY Bread.” (Matthew 6:11).

“My word, which comes from my mouth, is like the rain and snow. It will not come back to me without results. It will accomplish whatever I want and achieve whatever I send it to do.” (Isaiah 55:11 GWT).  

“Then the Lord said to me, “Right. I am watching to make sure that my words come true.” (Jeremiah 1:12 GWT).  

“For as many as the promises of God, they all find their Yes in Him [Christ]. For this reason, we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:20 AMP). 

In other words, GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES…YOU HAVE HIS WORD ON IT!

“Because of the Lord’s great love,” you are “Not Consumed.”  And You NEVER Will Be! You serve the God of DAILY Bread; the God of the “strength that will equal your DAYS” (Deuteronomy 33:25).

The God of whom you can say Every New DAY: “This is the DAY my Lord has made…” (Psalm 118:24). Not the day my condition has made, or my boss has made, or my frustrations have made, or my disease has made, or my spouse has made. My LORD Made This DAY And He’s Promised Me Everything I’ll Need To Live In It, Therefore I Will Rejoice in it and Be Glad!

So instead of stressing, seek God; instead of panicking, pray; instead of worrying, worship; instead of fear, have faith; instead of planning tomorrow, just give God praise for TODAY! Live in this moment, this DAY!

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com