Distractions Invite Detours From Your God-Given Destination! So, Stay Focused! Don't Allow Those "Who Knew You THEN", To Hinder Where You're Going NOW! There Are Five Types Of People You'll Encounter:

YOU ARE TOO CLOSE TO LOSE FOCUS: LET'S KEEP FOCUSED…those of us who want everything God has for us" (Philippians 3:15 MSG) Focus doesn't come easily or naturally; it's a discipline that must be practiced daily!

The power of focusing can be seen, for instance, in LIGHT. With a magnifying glass, the rays of the sun can set the paper on fire! But when Light is FOCUSED even more as a laser beam, it can cut through steel! Just as it is with Light, so it is with LIFE; nothing is as Potent as a Focus! The men and women who make the most significant difference in life are the most Focused! For instance, the Apostle Paul said, "I am bringing all my energies to bear on this ONE THING." (Philippians 3:13 TLB). Paul's obsession was to make Christ known, and maintaining a Focused Life, allowed him to do just that. So, if you want your life to have an impact, FOCUS it! Remember: "You Become Effective by Being Selective!" This means, in a nutshell: Stop Dabbling! Please stop trying to do it all! Do less. Turn away from even suitable activities and do only that which matters most. I learned a hard lesson that I hope you'll remember easily: Never Confuse ACTIVITY With PRODUCTIVITY!

Paul told Timothy to Focus on his strengths: "That special gift…you were given…keep that dusted off and in use." (1 Timothy 4:14 MSG). Focused people don't hide their weaknesses or excuse them; instead, they focus on their strengths!

There's a story about a couple who decided to build a farm. Then they began to argue. The wife wanted to build the house first. The husband wanted to make the barn first to house the animals. They went back and forth until finally, the man said, "Look, we have to build the barn first—because the barn will enable us to build the house, the garage, the silo, the kid's swing set, and everything else!" In other words, When You Focus on Putting FIRST Things FIRST, Everything Else Falls Into Its Proper Place Automatically!

Another way to look at it is this: Why focus on the number of people called instead of the critical FEW chosen?! Remember: "You'll Become Effective By Being Selective!" So, make sure your selections today are those Few things and people that Matter Most!

"Do not swerve to the right or the left." Proverbs 4:27 NIV

Bear this in mind; Focus does three things for you:

(1) IT KEEPS YOU ON TARGET: We find ourselves pulled in a dozen different directions, spending much of our time and energy on things we don't care about. Author Don Marquis put it this way: "Ours is a world where people don't know what they want and are willing to go through hell to get it." The Bible says: "Let your eyes look straight ahead…Do not swerve to the right or the left." (Proverbs 4:25-27 NIV) Focused People Develop a Discipline that helps them to Stay On Target Without Swerving to the Right or the Left! Distractions Invite Detours From Your God-Given Destination! So, Stay Focused!

(2) IT INCREASES YOUR ENERGY: Attempting everything, like attempting nothing, will suck the life right out of you! Focus gives you energy. Admiral Richard Byrd, the Polar explorer, said, "Few men come anywhere near exhausting the resources dwelling within them. There are deep wells of strength that are never used." One of the reasons those wells go untapped is the LACK OF FOCUS. The mind doesn't reach toward achievement until it has clear objectives. Focused People have Learned to Focus All of Their Efforts Into One Thing or One Direction, which in Return Replenishes the Energy and Strength that was Zapped from Multiple Activities that didn't Produce an Ounce of Productivity! All you desire will COME TOGETHER once you stop letting everyone and everything PULL YOU APART!

(3) IT LIFTS YOU: It's been said that "the world stands aside to let anyone pass, who knows where he or she is going." In a sea of mediocrity, just knowing what you want to do and trying to pursue it distinguishes you from almost everybody else. Henry David Thoreau asked, "Do you ever hear of a man who had striven all his life faithfully and singly toward an object and in no measure obtained it? If a man constantly aspires, is he not elevated?" Just by striving to become better than you are, you become elevated—even if you don't accomplish all of what you desire and even if others don't step aside for you. By trusting God and aiming higher, you move to a higher level—Regardless. Staying Focused Isn't All About Elevating to Another Level, Another Position, Another Title. Staying Focused Gives You The Best and Highest Level of Elevation There Is…Which is Simply Becoming a Better You Today Than You Were Yesterday, and a Better You Tomorrow Than You Were Today! Now That's What You Call a Worthy Elevation!

"Acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:6).

When it comes to staying focused, keep in mind these three additional notes:

(1) FOCUSED PEOPLE ALWAYS LOOK FOR A BETTER WAY: What got you where you are won't necessarily get you where you need to be. A family who moved into a new neighborhood got a late start one morning. As a result, their 6-year-old missed her school bus. Though it would make him late for work, her father agreed to take her to school if she gave him directions. After 20 minutes of going in circles, they finally arrived at the school, which turned out to be only a few blocks away from where they lived. Steaming, her dad asked why she drove him all over when the school was so close to home. "We went the way the school bus does," she said. "That's the only way I know." Focused People Don't Get In a Rut, Nor Do They Get Stuck and Stagnant! They Continuously Reinvent Themselves and How They Do Things. They Grow and Change Constantly! They Don't Regress; they Progress! They're Forever Moving Forward, Looking to Do Better In 2022 Than They Did in 2012! If Everything You Do Is Still Done the Same Way and The People, You Are Around Are Still the Same People, You, My Friend, Are In Serious Danger of Never Becoming Better!

(2) FOCUSED PEOPLE CONCENTRATE A LITTLE HARDER AND A LITTLE LONGER: Hall of Fame baseball player Hank Aaron said, "What separates a superstar from the average ballplayer is that he concentrates just a little bit longer." Focused thinking can remove distractions and mental clutter to concentrate with clarity. Examine Your Thoughts, Examine Your Emotions, Examine Your Speech, Examine Your Attitude, Examine Your Heart, Examine Your Habits and Certainly Examine Your Associations and Immediately Remove Anything or Anyone That Clutters Your Clarity or Breaks Your Concentration! Keep In Mind: Folly and Focus Can't Dwell In the Same Place!

(3) FOCUSED PEOPLE MAKE COMMITMENTS, NOT EXCUSES: A sign on the desk of an officer at the Pentagon read: "The secrecy of my job does not permit me to know what I'm doing." It's a cute joke, but not so cute when true. You become frustrated and fail when you don't know what you're doing. That's why praying and getting direction from God is critical for every area and aspect of your life. "Do not swerve to the right or the left," says the Scripture.  To' Swerve' means 'to make an erratic deflection from an intended course." In other words, your lack of Focus, when heading in the direction of your destiny, will cause you to' swerve' – or stray from the intended course God has set for your life. Therefore, you must never forget: "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (NIV). And when He does—STAY FOCUSED!

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I FOCUS on this ONE THING: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead." (Philippians 3:13 NLT)

Failure always results from saying yes to too many things. Because something is good doesn't mean it's right for you. When your plate's full doing what God has given you to do, learn to say no to everything else! "No" doesn't mean never; it just means "not now."

Know that you'll permanently lose when you: Fight the wrong battle; Fight at the wrong time; Fight when you shouldn't be involved; Fight because you need to win to feel good about yourself; Fight, though the battle has been lost, your pride won't let you swallow it! Instead, learn to Stay Focused on your goals. Keep your eyes on the prize that God has set before you. And be warned: If the enemy can't defeat you, he'll distract you with side issues or disqualify you by getting you to make bad decisions. Either way, he wins, and you lose! 

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I FOCUS on this ONE THING: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead." Notice 3 more things about Focused people:

(1) FOCUSED PEOPLE DON'T LIVE IN THE PAST: Too many of us yearn for the past and get stuck in it! Instead, we should learn from the past and let go of it. Elbert Hubbard wrote, "A retentive memory may be a good thing, but the ability to forget is a token of greatness. Successful people forget. They're running a race. They can't afford to look behind. Their eye is on the finish line. They're too big to let little things disturb them. So, if anyone does them wrong, they consider the source and keep cool. It's only the small people who cherish revenge. So be a good forgetter success demands it."

(2) FOCUSED PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES, BUT THE REWARDS: If you dwell on the difficulties too long, you'll start to develop self-pity instead of self-discipline. As a result, you'll accomplish less and less. On the other hand, by focusing on results, you'll stay encouraged. Make Christ your example. "He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross BECAUSE OF THE JOY HE KNEW WOULD BE HIS AFTERWARDS." (Hebrews 12:2 TLB).

(3) FOCUSED PEOPLE CHOOSE THEIR FRIENDS CAREFULLY: Here are five types of people you'll encounter: 1) REFRESHERS—who strengthen your faith and energize you; 2) REFINERS—who sharpen you and clarify your vision; 3) REFLECTORS—who mirror your energy, neither adding to nor subtracting from it; 4) REDUCERS—who try to diminish your goals and efforts to their comfort level; and 5) REJECTERS—who don't understand you or what God's called you to do. You will have to encounter all five of these people at some point in time! So, remain focused, and you'll stay grounded; the praise of others is less likely to go to your head, and the negative impact of your critics will be minimized!

"Now the LORD had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee." (Genesis 12:1 NLT)

I wonder why God would take people like Moses or Abraham away from their familiar environments after He called them—uprooting them from Family and friends to use them for more significant works. But the more I look at where I was, where I'm at, and where I'm going, the more I understand why God does such a thing as this. The harsh reality is there are many limits put on us By Our Very Own Loved Ones! Especially those that have watched us come up and fall many times before. Often, their perception of us distorts our vision and causes us to doubt ourselves, God, and even the planned purpose He has for us. But what we must remember is, whenever someone says you can't do it or be it, they are a liar! Because the Bible Clearly Declares, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." {Philippians 4:13} Understand that too often, people will speak into your life according to what THEY were able or NOT able to accomplish on their own. They will judge you based on what they could or, Moreso, what they couldn't do themselves. But Listen: A vision is only seen by the bearer of it, and because you were selected to bear it, it is, therefore, invisible to others. They only get to see the back of it after the glory of it has passed by (Exodus 33:12-21) That's why folks get mad with you because they want to see the personal face-to-face of your vision but must settle for the hind parts instead! So, prepare yourself because when God chooses you to carry out a dream, not everyone's going to understand what you're doing or why.  So, they'll label you based on the outside because they don't have inside access! Don't let them shift your Focus because they can only see the container and not the contents! 

"And they said one to another…this dreamer cometh…let us slay him…and we shall see what will become of his dreams." {Genesis 37:19-20} Listen: Don't feel bad when you don't have a lot of friends and Family around or when people abandon you and walk away. Count it all joy because those that God wants in your life will never leave, and those that are from Him will never lead you astray. Friends and Family are good to have, but God often removes them, so prepare yourself for it. Don't fight it. Stop holding folk's hostage in your life that need to be set free! Allow God to add and subtract what's best for your multiplication! There's so much more to you than meets the eye, so surround yourself with people that can see past your appearance. If you Stay Focused, you'll say like Joseph, "… Don't you see, you planned evil against me, but God used those same plans for my good…" {Genesis 50:20} Need I remind you; Joseph didn't say that to enemies, or even friends, but FAMILY!

"Isn't this the carpenter?" {Mark 6:3} Please be careful around those who love to say, "I knew you when…" to label or limit you. When David volunteered to fight Goliath, his faith was an embarrassment to his big brother Eliab, King Saul's army officer. Think of Eliab's position, "If my little brother wins, everybody will ask, 'How come you couldn't do it—big brother?'" Beware: your decision to step out and follow God will pressure others around you! And the first place you'll feel it will be amongst those closest to you, especially if your calling sets you apart and takes you higher than them! The Bible records that Eliab "burned with anger at [David] and asked, 'Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is" (1 Samuel 17:28). Take Note: Before David could overcome Goliath, he had to overcome the thoughts and opinions of those around him, especially his Family. And you will too! Look at the life of Jesus. When He went back to His hometown they said, "What's this wisdom…given him, he even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son…they took offence at him. Jesus said to them, 'Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.' He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them…he was amazed at their lack of faith." (Mark 6:2-6)

Bottom line: Don't allow those "who knew you THEN", to hinder where you're going NOW! Neither friend, Family nor foe! STAY FOCUSED!

"…Stay close to the king wherever he goes." (2 Chronicles 23:7 NIV)

Commercial flying can be a real adventure. Like the day Pastor Ron booked a last-minute flight to the Northwest to support some Native American friends who had just lost their young son. He was supposed to fly into Spokane, Washington, but fog shut it down and he was diverted to another airport for the night. So, the airline put him up in a hotel overnight and promised they'd do their best to get him to Spokane the next morning. Pastor Ron knew if he didn't get to the reservation that next day, he would have missed what he was going for. He really needed the real scoop on whether his plane was going to get into Spokane. Thankfully, from a casual conversation at the hotel, he knew who the captain was. So that next morning, as he waited around trying to get some word on the fate of his flight, he saw the captain headed for a payphone in the airport. He made sure he got close to the captain; he was calling to check the current Spokane weather. Then, as he walked over to the gate agents in charge of his flight, Pastor Ron overheard him say, "Well, we'll try Spokane, but I think there's only a 20% chance we'll get in. We'll probably end up back in Denver where we started." Well, that inside information helped Pastor Ron pursue alternatives – one of which got him where he needed to be when he needed to be there.

There was one reason Pastor Ron knew where to go – He Stayed Close to the Captain. That’s how all of us are going to know what we're supposed to do and where we're supposed to go – and that's by Staying Close to the Captain of our flight, Staying Close to Captain Jesus!

There are eight words in 2 Chronicles 23:7 that I've typed out and posted on my wall at work. These eight words remind me of the secret of knowing and doing what God has planned in any given situation. In this chapter, a coalition of military and spiritual leaders is working to put the rightful king on the throne in Judah – even though he's only a boy. The temple staff, the Levites, are given a straightforward assignment, and here are those eight words, "Stay close to the king wherever he goes." That's our assignment, too. And when we fulfill this assignment, we'll be led naturally and supernaturally – into the next steps we're supposed to take. Just like that day at the airport when Pastor Ron got his direction just by staying close to the captain. He had the information Pastor Ron needed, but he never would've known that information Except For His Proximity to the One Who Knew. It's like that with knowing God's Will for our lives. It's not your cleverness in figuring it out; It's Your Closeness to the God Whose Will You're Looking For! That's the Focus of John 10, which describes us as sheep following our Shepherd. Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27) NIV. See, it's about being where you can hear His voice – not figuring out some spiritual jigsaw puzzle called "The Will of God."

If you're needing to know God's direction right now, don't focus so much on figuring out The Plan. Focus on staying close to the man, to Jesus, whose plan it is. Living in God's Will isn't supposed to be this stressful spiritual mystery game. Relax and do the things that get you really close to the person Who is the Pilot of your earth-journey. Or in the words of the Bible, "Stay close to the King … wherever He goes! "Unfortunately, in this day and time of the church, too much attention is being Focused on Fleshly Leadership! But God's Word still declares: "You can't depend on anyone, not even a great leader. Once they die and are buried, that will be the end of all their plans. The LORD God of Jacob blesses everyone who trusts Him. God made heaven and earth; He created the sea and everything else. God always keeps His Word." {Psalm 146:3-6 CEV}. Stop focusing on the arm of flesh, for it will fail you every time. Instead, Stay Focused on Your Captain, Your Leader, Your King, Whose Word Never Fails! Knowing With Assurance that Once He Gives You Direction, You Are Guaranteed to Make it to Your Intended Destination!

It is indeed my prayer that you will now set your heart, mind, and spirit to the things of God and the Will of God for your life, and that you will allow nothing and no one to distract you or deter you from destiny, Not Even You! People of God, Stay Focused and Finish Strong! Because You're Too Close to Manifestation to Lose Sight of the Vision Now!

"If your parents ever measured you as a child, they had you stand against a wall and made a little pencil mark on the wall to show your growth. They did not measure you against your brother, or the neighbor's kids, or kids on TV. When you measure your growth, make sure to only measure your today self by your past self. If you compare your relationships, your success, or your anything against anyone else, you are not being fair to you. Everyone has a different path, a different pace, and different challenges to face along the way." (Doe Zantamata)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

Do Not Ever Allow Intimidation To Cause You To Miss Out On God’s Promises For Your Future! Never Allow What People Say to Alter What God Has Already Said! No Problem Can Stop the Process of God’s Promises From Coming to Pass In Your Life.

Numbers 14:24, 26-32, “But My servant Caleb, because he has a DIFFERENT spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his DESCENDANTS shall possess it…And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, how long will this evil congregation murmur against Me? I have heard the complaints the Israelites murmur against Me. Therefore, tell them, As I live, says the Lord, what you have said in My hearing I will do to you: Your DEAD BODIES shall fall in this wilderness—of all who were numbered of you, from TWENTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARD, who have murmured against Me, Surely NONE shall come into the land in which I swore to make you dwell, EXCEPT CALEB son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. But your LITTLE ONES whom you said would be a prey, THEM WILL I BRING IN, and they shall know the land you have despised and rejected. But as for you, your DEAD BODIES shall fall in this wilderness.” (AMP).

Earlier in Numbers 13, Caleb said to Moses: “…Let us go up at once and take possession [of the Promised Land] for we are well able to overcome it” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we” And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out…” (Numbers 13:30-33 NKJV).

Notice two attitudes at work:

1…AN ATTITUDE OF DOUBT: Ten of twelve spies came back saying, “It CAN’T be done!” But the majority is not necessarily suitable! Hear this; if God promises you something, it is yours even if you are in the minority! Do not let a few foolish, faithless folks who are clothed in fear cause you to forfeit a fruitful future in the land of promise! If it is only two people out of two hundred, GO FOR IT ANYHOW! I would instead look silly on the way to obtaining my inheritance than look ridiculous walking away from my wealthy place because of a few fools with a whole lot of Sight but No Vision, Courage, or Tenacity! The majority report terrified God’s people, which caused them spiritual amnesia. Because they forgot the last forty years of His Supernatural Provision! But How Is That Even Possible?! How do you forget what the Lord has Already Done? In other words, how do you panic when you must go for a physical when God has already healed you in the past? Look at it like this: If nothing is there, you are Healed! If something is there, He’s Healed You Before, And He will Surely Heal You Again! Either Way, How Do You Justify Fear of the Future When He’s Already Fulfilled Promises In Your Past?!  Get Your Faith Together! Be People of Courage and Go For It Despite the Circumstances, Conditions, and even the Company surrounding you! Now, I know that is a little different than what most people are doing today.  You see, Fear Will Make You Look Foolish! I will Prove It! They were so fearful that they even talked themselves into believing that Egypt (of all places) was the land of milk and honey! Listen to what they said: “Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness…” (Numbers 16:13 NKJV). Do you know how stupid that sounds?  Egypt was a land of straw and slavery, masters, whips, beatings, and bricks, not milk and honey! Never allow your fear of the future to cause you to reconstruct a faulty view of your past! For your greatest blessing is before you, not behind you! And what is coming will always be better than what has been! For the latter house shall be Greater than the Former house! So, what was their problem? They allowed their surroundings to influence them more than what God said! Do not Let It Happen To You! Do Not Ever Allow Intimidation or Imagination To Cause You To Miss Out On God’s Promises For Your Future! Never Allow What People Say to Alter What God Has Already Said! No Problem Can Stop the Process of God’s Promises From Coming to Pass In Your Life! I Challenge You to Be Different Than the Doubters! You never want doubt and fear to cause you to say stupid stuff like: “God may have worked miracles in the past, but He doesn’t do it anymore.” Because of this kind of thinking and talking and unbelief, not one of them entered the Promised Land except Joshua and Caleb! So, Which Company Do You Belong To? The ten or the two, or the faithful minority? Think about it: Twelve were sent and only two had a good report! Therefore, Your Challenge For The Week Is To Examine The People In Your Circle That Box You In! And When You Locate, Then Break Out of The Box! Understand that when you allow people’s distorted thinking to box you in, it will eventually reshape your Faith in God! And you will find yourself like Israel, going around in the same circles for 40 years, going nowhere! And you know why? Because a box is a coffin, and I am not ready to die! I Rather Be Different Than Die! Get Out of The Box! I know this is not the status quo, but like Facebook, I have the authority to change my status as often as I want to! Therefore, every day, you should have a different level! On Monday, My Money Is Coming to Me; On Tuesday, My Tuition Is Paid In Full; On Wednesday, I am Walking In Wealthy Places of Favor; On Thursday, I am Triumphant Over Every Trick, Trouble, and Trial; on Friday, My Future Is Fruitful, On Saturday Every Full Scholarship Available Is Hunting Me Down. On Sunday, I am Shouting Because I Broke the Status Quo All Week Long! Daily Remind Yourself, Get Out the Box! If you have a company of twelve friends and only one has Faith, kick the rest to the curb, and drive full force into your fruitful future! Besides, the passenger seat is made for Only One Person anyhow! Therefore, that one person might as well be a person of Faith! I Warn You: Be Different Or Die!

2…AN ATTITUDE OF FAITH: God said, “But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land…and his descendants shall inherit it” Do you realize that the company you keep can even hinder the blessings of your household and your posterity?! Read the text: God said, “…AND HIS DESCENDANTS SHALL INHERIT IT” Now, I cannot speak for anybody else, but as for ME, as a wife, oh, I will help my husband exam and exonerate (release) some friends! Why? Because My Inheritance Is At Stake! You see, if he hangs around doubtful, faith-faltering, negative, pessimistic, fearful men, that attitude is contagious! And His Infection Can Kill My Inheritance! The Devil Is A Liar! His Present Inner Circle Will Not Choke Out My Future Blessings! Therefore, You Need to Search for the Company You Keep, Then Hire, Fire, Promote and Demote Accordingly, for You Alone Are The CEO of Your Life and Future! In this day and time, everybody is trying to fit into a mold! But I need to hear you say, “You Didn’t Make Me, You Can’t Mold Me!” I have decided to dare to be different! No, I am not doing what you are doing and going where you are going! Why? Because I have a wealthy future of fulfilled promises STANDING before me, and I will not allow the company I SIT amongst to rob me and leave me for dead in the wilderness, all because I was too fearful of being different! Boxes are coffins, and I have gotten too much to live for to die now! “I Rather Be Different Than Die!” And if so, Then Get Out of The Box!

When God Commands You to Go Forth…GO! This is the Generation of Courage! Therefore, Possess the Land, Possess Your Promises, and Bless Your Posterity! And what’s “Posterity”? It means “All Future Generations Of People!” It is Old French Origin “Posterite,” from Latin “Posterus,” Which Means “Following!” All Future Generations Are Depending On You To Get This Thing Right So That They Are Birthed Into Blessings that Are Already Awaiting Their Arrival! So Do not Let Them Down! There is a Fruitful Future Following Behind You; make Sure You Lead Them Straight Into The Promised Land! However, bear in mind: Anytime there is a Promise Lingering In Your Future, this Great, You Better Believe Folks Will Come From Near and Far to Discourage Your Possession! Especially those who are about to die! Do not Let Them Do It! God Promised It To You, And Your God Cannot Lie! “God is not like people. He tells no lies. He is not like humans. He does not change His mind. When He says something, He does it. When He makes a promise, He keeps it” (Numbers 23:19 GWT). So Let Them Talk While You Walk Into the Land of Promise! Listen: When you made the deliberate decision to be different than the rest, God decided to bless you better than the rest deliberately! Unfortunately, however, today, people so easily flow with the “norm;” they easily “fit in;” they easily “follow the crowd;” they easily stick with the same ole bunch of knuckleheads doing the same ole stupid knucklehead stuff day in and day out. Romans 12:1-2, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. DON’T BECOME SO WELL-ADJUSTED TO YOUR CULTURE THAT YOU FIT INTO IT WITHOUT EVEN THINKING. Instead, fix your attention on God. You will be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you and quickly respond to it. UNLIKE THE CULTURE AROUND YOU, ALWAYS DRAGGING YOU DOWN, TO ITS LEVEL OF IMMATURITY, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (MSG) Listen: if you are going to attain this great promise from God, then you are going to have to do something different! And Your Something Different Will Be Something New!” Why? Because It is A New Day, A New Year, A New Decade, A New Thing, And A New Move of God!

 “Behold, I am doing a NEW THING! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it, and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert?” (Isaiah 43:19 AMP) God says He wants to “…do a NEW THING….” For YOU, disregard the circumstances and believe the God who cannot lie! “So shall My Word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11 AMP), So If God Said He’s About To Do Something New For You, You Better Believe It and Get Ready! The ten spies who thought the same died the same! They thought the same thing; they died the same way in the same place! But Caleb, who had a different spirit, thought differently, acted differently, Lived and Attained The Promised Land! All because he dared to be different!

I like the word “different” because it means “different from anything else, or to produce and perform something new!” “Then said the Lord to me…I am alert and active, watching over My Word to PERFORM IT” (Jeremiah 1:12 AMP) People of God, Get Your Tickets Quick and Arrive Early For the Show Because the Lord Is About to PERFORM His Word In Your Life Today! Are You Ready For It?

If you are not ready, you will miss the next open door or the next great idea that God has RESERVED just for you! And do you know what the word “Reserved” means? It means “To keep for future use” or, my personal favorite, “To make pre-determined arrangements to be kept for the use of a particular person.” “Reserved” also means “To retain or hold for an individual who has the right or entitlement to something”! It further means “Funds kept available by a bank, company, or government,” not to mention “An area of land set aside for the access of a particular person”! “Reserved” has a Latin Origin, “Reserve,” which means “To Keep Back”! And what does all that mean? Glad you asked! I do not care how rough it has been, how bleak it looks, or how discouraged you are! The reality is God Has a New Thing In Reserve Just For You! You are DIFFERENT from the rest; you will not die stuck in the box; you will not live by the same status quo; you Are Different! And Because You are Different, There’s a Blessing Reserved and Waiting for Particular YOU, and it Includes Funds and Land That you Can Only access Because As A Child of the King, It Is Your Right and Entitlement! I do not care how many died in the wilderness; this is your new day to do something different so you can live and inherit the promises that you are entitled to because of who you are and to whom you are attached! The Bible says, “…since you are Christ’s family, then you are Abraham’s famous “descendant,” HEIRS according to the covenant promises” (Galatians 3:29 AMP) Do you know what an “Heir” is? An “Heir” means “A Person Legally Entitled to the Property or Rank of Another Upon that Person’s Death” It also means “A Person Who Continues the Work of a Predecessor.” I do not know about you, but I am certainly determined to continue the work of my Predecessor Abraham! He Was Continually Blessed, and that is My Job Too…To Be Continually Blessed! Listen: The Truth Is, Abraham, Is Dead! However, His Covenant Promises to His Heirs Is Very Much Alive! And what Covenanted Promises Are We Inheriting? Glad you asked! “And I (God) will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others], And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves]” (Genesis 12:2-3 AMP)

Is that all the blessing you get? NO! The Bible goes on to say, “Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, I will give this land to your posterity…” (Genesis 12:7 AMP). So, there is that word again! And what’s “Posterity”? “To All Future Generations”! Meaning your “Following”! In other words, Every Generation That Follows After You Will Reap The Abrahamic Covenant, Promises, Blessings, and Favor! But you got to be different to get it!

Now, if you think that is impressive, you have not seen anything yet, because your inheritance continues to increase! The Bible further states: “…Abram was wealthy…” (Genesis 13:2 AMP). In Case You Forgot…Caleb, You Are Abraham’s Heirs! And you do not need to be selfish either because God is not going to bless YOU, but even your “Posterity” (All Future Generations Following)! Listen, If You are Smart, You will Do Something Different and Follow Me! And what does the Bible say about Abraham and His “Posterity” Nephew Lot? Glad you asked! “Now the land was not able to nourish and support them so they could dwell together, for their possessions were too great for them to live together” (Genesis 13:6 AMP) Can you even wrap your brain around the fact that God will so favor you that you must move because where you are can no longer hold you?! So, , Pack Your Stuff and Get Ready For a New Move Of God! But remember, you got to be different to get it!

By now, you must certainly be thinking, “that has to be it?!” Well, once again…, NOPE! Unbelievably, YOUR INHERITANCE GAINS EVEN MORE INTERESTS! The Bible says: “The Lord said to Abram…Lift now your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward, southward, eastward, and westward; For all the land you see, I will give you and to your posterity forever. And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if a man could count the dust of the earth, then could your descendants also be counted. Arise, walk through the land, the length of it and the breadth of it, for I will give it to you….” (Genesis 13:14-18 AMP)

1…No matter where Abram looked (“…northward…southward…eastward…westward….” God declared, “…all the land you see I will give to you….” Go Ahead…It is Okay; you Can Shout! And If Anybody Says Anything To You, Send Them To Me, And I will Explain Your Unspeakable Joy! Seriously, Can You Imagine Being So Blessed That No Matter Which Way You Turn, You Bump Right Into a Blessing?! Here are Yet Another Warning: GET READY! Or Should I Say Brace Yourself Because You are About To Bump Into A Blessing!

2…Not only will Abram receive an “anywhere you look, the land is yours” blessing, but God declares, “…I will give to you and your posterity forever….” Do You Know How Long Forever Is?! It is defined as “For All Future Time!” and “Continually Without Ever Ceasing”! In other words, you AND all your future generations following you will Forever…For all the time into the Future of Eternity, Be Abundantly Blessed, Continually, Without Ever Ceasing! Now, I have heard of a Big Blessing, But Only God Can Give You A Blessing So Big That It Outlives You and All Your Future Generations That Are Not Even Born Yet! That is What You Call A Radically, Ridiculous, Make No Kind of Sense; I will Never Be Able to Explain It Kind of Blessing!

Listen, You Are So Favored By God That Not Even TIME Can Stop Your Blessing! Now That is What You Call a Crazy Blessing! How Can You Be In Time, And Yet Have a Blessing Outside of Time, At the Same Time! Your Blessings Are Ridiculous! Your Blessings Are So Big That They Defy Logic! Do not Make No Sense No Kind of Way! Let folks know, If You Want the Same, Just Do Something Different! Want What I Got, Then Do What I Did, And All I Did, Was Do Something Different! Go Ahead; It is Okay…You Can Run Again. 

“For You, O my God, have told Your servant that You will build for him a house (a blessed posterity); therefore, Your servant has found courage and confidence to pray before You. And now, Lord, You are God and have promised this good thing to Your servant. Therefore, may it please You to bless the house (posterity) of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; FOR WHAT YOU BLESS, O LORD, IS BLESSED FOREVER!” (1 Chronicles 17:25-27 AMP). From Now On, You Need to Wake Up In The Morning With This Declaration On Your Tongue: “I'm BLESSED FOREVER!” Yep, with my purple hair, ten piercings, twenty tattoos, green lipstick, orange shirt, blue pants, red shoes, and rainbow socks! Yep, I am Still Blessed Forever! Do not judge me; I might be different, BUT I’M BLESSED FOREVER! I may look different from the norm, but I’m blessed forever; I may talk funny, but I’m blessed forever; my friends may look a little quirky, but I’m blessed forever; I may have come from the wrong side of town, but I’m blessed forever, I may be divorced, I may live in the projects, my brother may be in jail and my sister on welfare, but hear me when I tell you, I’m blessed forever! Remind Yourself: different is the new norm! Because I am different, I am blessed FOREVER! But you can only get this type of blessing when you dare to be different, when you break out of the box, when you stand away from the crowd, when you break the status quo, when you move from the murmurers, when you follow God fully; when you trust and believe His promises! You Cannot Get Something Different Doing the Same Thing!

3…Then God tells Abram, “Arise, walk through the land, the length of it and the breadth of it, for I will give it to you….” Can You Imagine an “Anywhere I Place My Foot It’s Mine” Blessing?! That sounds a lot like Deuteronomy 11:22-25, “That’s right. If you diligently keep all this commandment that I command you to obey – love GOD, your God, do what He tells you, stick close to Him – GOD, on His part, will drive out all these nations that stand in your way. Yes, He will drive out nations much bigger and stronger than you. Every square inch on which you place your foot will be yours. Your borders will stretch from the wilderness to the mountains of Lebanon, from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. No one will be able to stand in your way. Everywhere you go, GOD-sent fear and trembling will precede you, just as He promised” (MSG). So, saints, I Challenge You: “Put Your Foot On It!” No Matter How Long or Wide You Walk…The Land Is Yours…Forever!”

When You are Different, It Does not Matter! It does not matter who comes against you, do not matter who they are, do not matter what they said, do not matter what they do, where they come from, what their size is, or who they bring with them to the fight! Just by being different, I do not even have to fight. I can sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride because God promised my posterity and me that He alone would drive out all the nations that stand in my way, and He will drive out nations much bigger and stronger than me! But You Got To Be Different To Get It! Knowing the promises that were given to your predecessors in the past is what keeps you focused as you move forward into your future, even when problems arise!

Do not be like the doubters and die in the wilderness when you can follow God, be different, and live in the Promised Land!

Caleb’s…Your Abrahamic Covenant of Generational Promises, Blessings, and Favor are Awaiting You! Do not Die, Be Different and LIVE!

Blessings

J.P. Olson