There are two ways I see in scripture that blessing boundaries can be increased.

1. God Can Command It

“Enlarge the place of your tent,  stretch your tent curtains wide, ?do not hold back; ?lengthen your cords, ?  strengthen your stakes. ?For you will spread out to the right and to the left; ?your descendants will dispossess nations ?and settle in their desolate cities. Isaiah 54:2-3 (New International Version, ©2010)

2. We Can Request It

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (New International Version, ©2010)

Are you living within your boundary blessings?
Are you obeying Biblical commands?
Are you obeying Prophetic commands?
Are you in the right location?
Do you have the right vocation?

Let’s take some time right now and ask God to remind us of any command we may have forgotten.

• Invite the Holy Spirit to take you to where you’ve had a safe encounter with God.
• Now ask for a memory where I’ve made a promise to God or heard a definite command.

Has God shown you anything? Pray this with me:

Heavenly Father. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for reminding me of a the boundary blessing I’ve been out of. Forgive me for trusting in false security. Help me to take the step of faith to obey.

Do you need your boundary blessings increased?

Now maybe you’re right in the place He wants you but you need your boundary increased. Pray this prayer of Jabez with me…

Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.

Other posts in this series…

An Introduction to Blessing Boundaries
Blessing Boundaries Can Be for a Biblical Command
Blessing Boundaries Are On The Good God Has For Us
The Key For Getting the Good God Has For us
Blessing Boundaries Can Be for a Prophetic Command
Blessing Boundaries Can Be for a Geographical Location
Blessing Boundaries Can Be for a Vocation
Blessing Boundaries Can Be for a Season
Blessing Boundaries Cannot Be Imposed

Has this series helped you in any way? Is there anything I can pray with you about? Contact me or leave your comments below.

When you look at Scripture and see the overlap of what Fearing the Lord is, what Seeking the Lord is and what doing what’s right is, you have a key for all three….Obedience.

When you seek God you obey God.
When you fear God you obey God.
When you do what’s right you obey God.

I’m boiling it down to its essentials here and it’s all saying the same thing.

God will not honor sin. Because temptation needs to look good we can look around and see people doing evil and living rather well. And we can say like the psalmist in Psalm 73:

Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; ?I had nearly lost my foothold. ?For I envied the arrogant ?when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; ?their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; ?they are not plagued by human ills. ?Therefore pride is their necklace; ?they clothe themselves with violence. ?From their callous hearts comes iniquity; ?their evil imaginations have no limits. ?They scoff, and speak with malice; ?with arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, ?and their tongues take possession of the earth. ?Therefore their people turn to them ? and drink up waters in abundance.?They say, “How would God know? ?Does the Most High know anything?” This is what the wicked are like—  always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure ?and have washed my hands in innocence. ?All day long I have been afflicted, ?and every morning brings new punishments. If I had spoken out like that, ?I would have betrayed your children. ?When I tried to understand all this, ?it troubled me deeply…

Ever had one of those conversations with God? Let’s see how it continues…(v.17)

…till I entered the sanctuary of God; ?   then I understood their final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; ?   you cast them down to ruin. ?How suddenly are they destroyed, ?completely swept away by terrors! ?They are like a dream when one awakes; ?when you arise, Lord, ?you will despise them as fantasies.
When my heart was grieved ?and my spirit embittered, ?I was senseless and ignorant; ? I was a brute beast before you.  Yet I am always with you; ?you hold me by my right hand. ?You guide me with your counsel, ?and afterward you will take me into glory. Psalm 73:1-24 (New International Version, ©2010)

Psalm 49…

Do not be overawed when others grow rich, ? when the splendor of their houses increases; ?for they will take nothing with them when they die, ?   their splendor will not descend with them. ?Though while they live they count themselves blessed— ?and people praise you when you prosper— ?they will join those who have gone before them, ?who will never again see the light of life.  People who have wealth but lack understanding ? are like the beasts that perish. Psalm 49:16-20 (New International Version, ©2010)

Realize…

A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,  but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22 (New International Version, ©2010)

Do what’s right because it’s right. Don’t do what’s right in order to be rewarded. You will be rewarded both in this life and the next. You’re focus can’t be on the person up the street or you’re co-worker who doesn’t seem to naturally do good. You’re focus needs to be on God and your relationship with Him. Jesus said…

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 (New International Version, ©2010)

Other posts in this series:

An Introduction to Blessing Boundaries
Blessing Boundaries Can Be for a Biblical Command
Blessing Boundaries Are On The Good God Has For Us
Blessing Boundaries Can Be for a Prophetic Command
Blessing Boundaries Can Be for a Geographical Location
Blessing Boundaries Can Be for a Vocation
Blessing Boundaries Can Be for a Season
Blessing Boundaries Cannot Be Imposed
Blessing Boundaries Can Increase

Can you still obey God when you’re faced with fear? Yes!

Download the Episode or watch it below.

How to Love in Fear – RevTrev TV

In this episode of RevTrev TV  I continue my discussion with Gary Meller as we talk about how to love in fear.

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When you sign up for my newsletter you get a series of emails I’ve prepared with downloads of unannounced gifts and tools to use. I so much like this because it connects me with readers who respond with their questions and comments and let’s me get to know them as well. A friend named Blanca asked if I could post this email so she could put it across her social network. I’m happy to do it. This one brings me the most email comments every day.

The time for living on principle alone is over.

You know what I mean by that?

While the Israelites were wondering in the desert,
they were led by the cloud by day and
kept warm by the pillar of fire by night.
They ate manna every day. God told them
to go out every day and pick enough for that day.

When they crossed the Jordan, the manna stopped.
They had to go up and possess what was promised
to them. They needed to hear God’s plan for every
battle, for every giant, for every encounter.

And God got specific. He said, “walk around the city
once for 6 days and on the seventh day, seven times
and on the seventh, give a big shout and play the
trumpets and the walls will come down…”
yah, that was in every military manual before.

God wasn’t interested in setting down principles.
The principle was “listen and obey.”

The one time they didn’t, they got tricked
and had to compromise with God’s plan.

You and I and us as the church, cannot afford to
compromise with God’s plan. We can’t miss out
what He’s entrusted for us to do.

God told the people of Israel to do ridiculous things.
He told them to do difficult things. He told them to do
impossible things…

…but He also gave them a promise.

Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan
to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger
than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky.
The people are strong and tall–Anakites! You know
about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up
against the Anakites?”  But be assured today that the
LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of
you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will
subdue them before you. And you will drive them out
and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised
you. Deuteronomy 9:1-3 (New International Version)

Did you catch that? When God leads us into the land
he has promised us:

He moves us from Principals to the Principal of Hearing and Obeying.
He asks us to do the impossible.
He does the work, so we can accomplish it quickly.

Aren’t you glad He’s for you, and if He’s for you
who can be against you?

-Trevor

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Listening to the Father part 2 - Episode 19 – RevTrev Radio

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Listening to the Father- Part 2

You can hear the Father’s voice. You’re His sheep you know His voice. Learn to keep in step with Him. This message presents a tool that can revolutionize your relationship with God. This part concludes this message, I’d love to hear your experience with conversational journaling.

Enjoy!

-Trevor

In our last post in this series of “How Big Is Your But?” I wrote about if we really have any options but to obey God. Of course it’s our choice to disobey, but often we excuse it to the point of not even acknowledging that we are not doing what He’s told us to do or doing what He’s told us not to do.


Here are three lies I first saw on Perry Noble’s blog. They are worth repeating in this context.

1. “Someday”

One of the biggest lies we can tell ourselves when God clearly speaks to our hearts is “someday!” “Someday” is easy because we can say it and, in our hearts know that we never actually are going to do what He’s told us to do.

“Someday I will get help in my marriage.”
“Someday I will invite my friend to church.”
“Someday I will begin reading my Bible.”
“Someday I will get serious about my physical health.”

What is it that He’s telling you to do?  Life is way to short for us to get at the end of it and have regrets…”someday” needs to be today.

2.  “Someone”

Christians are the best people in the world at taking what God has told them to do and try to make it everyone else’s calling as well.

Your burden is your responsibility!

Stop expecting other people to do what He’s calling you to do!  He didn’t call any of us to merely be informants and tell people what to do…but rather He called us to make an impact by carrying out what He has so clearly burdened our hearts with.

You are the “someone” who needs to step up and do what He’s put in your heart to do!

3. “Somewhat”

If I was to ask you whether or not you are doing what God has called you to do would you answer “somewhat?”
Partial obedience is complete disobedience.

We can’t halfway do what God is calling us to do and expect Him to be happy with a half hearted effort. Caleb followed God wholeheartedly. He endured the consequences for the sins of others. For a lifetime he wandered apparently aimlessly as he waited for everything he knew to die off.

If God’s called you to do something then He will complete His work when we our faithful to complete ours.

…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

The Good News

The good news is that, contrary to what I tell my kids, delayed obedience is still obedience.

How can I say that? Look at the Jesus told the parable of the two sons:

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’  ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted?” ?”The first,” they answered.  Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. Matthew 21:28-31 (New International Version)

It’s not too late for you to obey now. Don’t forget Caleb. 85 years old he said “Give me my hill country, there are giants there with fortified cities and I want it.”

Don’t let the same fear and worry that stopped you the first time you saw those giants stop you ever again.

What giants are you facing? I’d love to pray with you.

photo credit: nutrition education

In this series on “How Big is Your But?” we’ve looked at the children of Israel’s response to the news from the spies who looked at the giants in the land and said “we looked like grasshoppers in our own eyes and we looked the same to them.”

Their response to worry and fear is only significant in how it affects our response today to situations that look impossible.

If God has told you to do the difficult are you going to obey?

Stop and think about it. What are your options?

Without obedience, do you  know Jesus?

We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 1 John 2:3

Without obedience, do you love Jesus?

If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. John 14:23

Without obedience, are you a friend of Jesus?

You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:14

We can’t know Jesus, love Jesus or be a friend of Jesus if we don’t obey. We can’t let fear or worry stop us from doing what God’s asking us to do.

Please don’t consider this condemnation. I simply need to set up discussion around the excuses all of us make to do our own thing. Next post we’ll look at 3 lies we often use to excuse disobedience. For now I’d like to know if seeing these verses in this context motivate you to examine your hearts.

Do you believe that Jesus needs to be Lord of all if He’s really Lord at all? Love to know your heart. Leave your comments below.

photo credit: Eri_pl

Keeping in Step part 2 - Episode 17 – RevTrev Radio

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Keeping in Step – Part 2

The Gospel is simple. Worship, Wait, Obey. You can hear the Father’s voice. You’re His sheep you know His voice. Learn to keep in step with Him. This is part 2.

Enjoy!

-Trevor

How do we steward our destiny? There comes a time for us to “go” and as we go, we need to go as Jesus went.

Jesus Set the Pattern

I can’t tell you when it’s time for you to go. But I’m glad to say Jesus gave us the pattern for how we are to “go”. In John chapter 20 Jesus was already crucified and buried and rose again. His disciples where hiding behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders and Jesus appeared and showed them his hands and side. Then He said: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  As the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus sends us. The same manner and the same means and with the same Spirit in which the Father sent the Son, so the Son tells us to “go”.

So How Did the Father Send the Son?

From the context, we see “the going” is earmarked by peace.  He said; “Peace be with you” Jesus earlier said: So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Jesus’ walk is permeated with peace. He didn’t fear storms. He didn’t fear demons. He didn’t fear men. He didn’t fear impossibilities.  I think we can see how He walked in that peace.

He Kept in Step with the Spirit

Jesus only did what He saw the Father do He only said what He heard the Father say. The intimate relationship that Jesus had with the Father is what’s available to us today.  As we go, we don’t have to worry, because we keep in step with the Spirit.

He Obeyed

Jesus obeyed to the point of death on the cross. The widow obeyed the prophet and took what she had and took what she borrowed and in faith poured out the only thing she had of value.  As we go, it’s not just that we have this mind-shattering relationship with the creator of the universe, it’s that we obey what He tells us to do.

This is liberating…this is why I can say we “steward a prophetic call.” Your prophetic call is entirely on His shoulders. It’s what He’s entrusted you to share with others.  You steward the treasure He’s entrusted with you. You manage the destiny He has planned for you. You’re responsibility to move in your prophetic destiny is to keep in step with the Spirit and obey what He says. It’s an amazing partnership deal. There is no downside to this…as long as you understand God is good and in a good mood.

He Had Friendship With God

The final point of “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” is that as we keep in step with the Spirit, and as we obey what He tells us to do, Jesus says that we’re no longer servants, we are His friends. We are His friends because we know the Father’s plans.

As we go, we go in peace. We go in peace because we keep in step with the Spirit and obey what He says. Because we obey what He says, He know longer calls us servants He calls us friends. He calls us friends because He reveals all the Father reveals to Him.  Our steps are ordered by God because we are friends with God.  As the Father has sent the Son, so the Son tells us to go.

photo credit: Jos Dielis

Does God Really See Value in Everyone?

The question becomes more powerful when we ask: Does God see value in me?

Look at some of the people God saw the value in:

• Moses stuttered.
• David’s armour didn’t fit.
• John Mark was rejected by Paul.
• Timothy had ulcers.
• Amos’ only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.
• Jacob was a liar.
• David had an affair.
• Solomon was too rich.
• Abraham was too old.
• David was too young.
• Peter was afraid of death.
• Lazarus was dead.
• John was self-righteous.
• Naomi was a widow.
• Paul was a murderer.
• So was Moses.
• Jonah ran from God.
• Miriam was a gossip.
• Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
• Jeremiah was a bullfrog;
• Just kidding — he was depressed and suicidal.
• Elijah was burned out.
• Martha was a worry-wart.
• Mary may have been lazy.
• Samson had long hair.
• Noah got drunk, and that’s not all.
• Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?

Have you ever noticed that God’s opinion of us matters more than what we do?

Need proof?

Look at God’s opinion of Sarah. Peter uses her as an example:

…like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. 1 Peter 3:6 (New International Version)

Do you remember what she actually did?

Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD ? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.”

Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

Genesis 18:11-16 (New International Version)

Isn’t grace amazing?

You haven’t messed up so much He can’t make it right. The mistakes you’ve made and even the sin you’ve committed can and will be redeemed. He’s not about to hold what you’ve confessed and He’s forgiven against you.

So dare to dream again. Dare to live once more.

I’ll be sharing resources at Life Above the Negativity to help you.

Can I examine my obedience to God?

Since obedience is part of fearing the Lord, seeking the Lord and doing what’s right…and doing what’s right, seeking the Lord and fearing the Lord are the pre-requisites for getting the good God has intended for us, how can I examine myself to see if I’m obeying God?

I’ve got to allow the Holy Spirit to search me. I can’t take other people’s kind or harsh words at face value and it’s easy for me to be self deceived. I can believe the voice of the enemy more easily than I can believe God at times. I can’t think more highly of myself than I ought.

It’s taking time to ask the Holy Spirit to “search me and know me” and waiting for Him to answer knowing there is no condemnation in Christ but Godly sorrow leads to repentance.

Here’s some questions we can ask the Holy Spirit. Take time to listen. Write down the words that come to your mind in response to these questions.

• Am I fearing God?
• Am I seeking God?
• Am I doing what’s right?
• Am I obeying You?
• When was the last time I did something because I knew You wanted me to do it?
• When was the last time I didn’t do something because I knew You wouldn’t be pleased?
• When was the last time I was timid about obeying You, but because I sensed You wanted me to do it, I went ahead with it?

What has the Spirit shown you?

Consider these next questions:

• How long ago were these events?
• Are you more sensitive now to God?
• What has made you more sensitive?
• What has caused you to be less sensitive?

Here’s a prayer to get you started:

Lord forgive me where I have lost sensitivity to you. Show me how to make it right. I want to keep in step with your Spirit. I want to do what you want me to do.

Remember if you get discouraged by the responses you sense, take them to a spiritual father or mother to see what they think about it. God wants you to have the good He’s created for you. He wants you to have all the benefits of seeking Him, fearing Him, and doing what’s right. As Derek Prince used to teach:

God gave His commands to us not to create problems for us but to solve them, not to harm us but to help us. God’s love is in His commands. They are given to save us from ourselves, to save us from evil, to show us the way out of our difficulties and our problems.

So He’ll show you where you aren’t obeying what He wants you to do. You just have to trust Him enough to wait to hear Him speak.

It’s something I’m trying to do each day. Love to hear how you do it. Leave your comments below.

What are the promises when I obey God? I’ve never preached on this portion of Scripture except when I’ve shared this message. It’s a powerful one to consider.

Deuteronomy 28:1-13 (NLT)

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:

Your towns and your fields
will be blessed.
Your children and your crops
will be blessed.
The offspring of your herds and flocks
will be blessed.
Your fruit baskets and breadboards
will be blessed.
Wherever you go and whatever you do,
you will be blessed.

“The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!

“The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

“If you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways, the Lord will establish you as his holy people as he swore he would do. Then all the nations of the world will see that you are a people claimed by the Lord, and they will stand in awe of you.

“The Lord will give you prosperity in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, blessing you with many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops. The Lord will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them. If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.

Let’s not forget two things.

1. All God’s promises are “yes” in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20). If it was good in the Old Testament, it’s good for us as well.
2. This is an inferior covenant than the one we’re under with the shed blood of Jesus (Hebrews 12:24), so

2 Corinthians 3:8 (New Living Translation)

Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory [than Moses when His face shone bright], now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?

If under the old covenant wealth and power came from God (1 Chronicles 29:12)…

If confirmation of the old covenant was the sign of wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18)…

If the blessing of the old covenant was to be blessed wherever you go and whatever you do (Deuteronomy 28:6)…

Then you and I better be serious about hearing the voice of the Father and obeying what He says. We’d better get serious about fearing the Lord, Seeking the Lord and Doing What’s right.

That’s the good news. God trusts you with power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise.

But there’s more that some of us may not consider “good”. We’ll discuss that in the next post.

I know this is a controversial subject, I value your feedback and wisdom.

I’ve found 4 ways to help us do what’s right. Here they are:

1. Let the Word teach you what’s right…

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Proverbs 1:2-4 (New Living Translation)

Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.

2. Obey what God shows you is right…

Deuteronomy 21:9
By following these instructions, you will do what is right in the Lord’s sight

1 Kings 11:38
If you listen to what I tell you and follow my ways and do whatever I consider to be right, and if you obey my decrees and commands, as my servant David did, then I will always be with you. I will establish an enduring dynasty for you as I did for David, and I will give Israel to you.

3. Use disciplines to help you obey what’s right…

Romans 6:13
Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

4. Let others help you do what’s right….

Romans 15:2
We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.

Do you see the overlap of Fearing the Lord, Seeking the Lord and Doing what’s right. What’s the key in all three?

Obedience.

When you seek God you obey God.

When you fear God you obey God.

When you do what’s right you obey God.

I’m boiling it down to its essentials here. I can write a book on each of these topics and one day I might. There’s more to each, but the conclusion when all has been heard is fear God and keep his commandments.

So when we do, we’re fulfilling the conditions for receiving the good God has for us. I know some of you are wondering if the good God has for us is really all that good.

“So I obey Him, what do I have coming?”

Let me try to answer is in the few posts. I’ll try to describe what I see the Bible calls “good.”

What are your thoughts about the good thoughts God has for you? I’d love to have you mention them in the comments.

Before we look at seeking the Lord, I need to point out something about fearing the Lord. We’re given three conditions for getting the good God has for us.

• Fear the Lord
• Seek the Lord
• Do what’s right

And right away we see that part of fearing God is obeying his commandments…doing what’s right. We could make an argument that everything in the list of 16 Ways To Fear the Lord can be summarized with “do what’s right.” I won’t right now because we’ve got to move on, but I just wanted to note:

If you think you can fear the Lord without doing what is right, you’re being religious.

Let’s move on to seeking the Lord…

If you’ve been raised in the church with a similar tradition as mine, you’ve heard the term “seek the Lord.” You may even understand that term the same way I once did – “pray longer, pray louder,” and especially, “fast.”

I absorbed that definition from I saw. I don’t know if I ever studied what the Scriptures say about seeking the Lord.

I was listening to a sermon encouraging me to ‘seek the Lord’ and I thought to myself, “Do I really know what that means?”

I decided I’d better do some research and figure out what the Bible says about seeking the Lord and I discovered I only knew part of the whole.

If we think we can just say, “I’m seeking God” we’re mistaken. If we think we can just pray more and find Him, we’re deceived. If we try to earn His favor in hopes we’ll get our ways, we’re going to be disappointed.

“Now” is always the time to seek the Lord, so in the next post in this topic let’s start by examining the benefits beyond “not be wanting any good thing.”

Sow for yourselves righteousness,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the LORD,
until he comes
and showers righteousness on you.

Hosea 10:12 (New International Version)

What do you think of when you hear “Seek the Lord.” I’d love to have your comments.

Truth:

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 (New Living Translation)

Thought:

When we were in New Zealand, everyone was so laid-back compared with what we were used to in North America. When you signaled to change lanes on a busy motorway, people would actually give way to you. It was astounding.

Few were in a hurry. “No worries” is the standard reply. No one seemed busy… unless you were in the church.

I spoke to some of my pastor friends about this: “How can you reach a culture that’s laid-back, when you seem to take pride in being busy?” I suppose what I meant was, how can the church teach peace when they don’t experience it?

I’m not pointing fingers here. In North America it’s so much worse. We add church programs into a busy schedule and feel holiest when we are close to burnout. How can we have “feet fitted with the gospel of peace” when we don’t have peace?

But we can have peace. It’s our choice to obey God.

We can fix our thoughts on Him (Isaiah 26:3) and take all of our requests to Him with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6-8). We can forgive others for our sake and choose to live un-offended at God. We can cease striving and give up our right to understand so we can have the peace that passes understanding.

So will you?

Prayer:

Lord, in my weakness You are strong and I need Your strength to help me choose peace. I need Your peace to share Your good news. I need Your peace to calm me in the storm. I need Your peace so others will see Your goodness and greatness in me.  I choose today to seek peace and pursue it.

Challenge:

Take everything you are worrying about and thank God for the answers that are promised in His word. Meditate on Matthew 6:7-34.

Declaration:

I choose to reflect the light of the Son to the side of the world that’s away from the Son. I choose to put on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

I had the vision of dancing with Jesus. I heard the voice of God tell me he had given me time to write. I was quickly closing in on
my word count goal for my novel and we were wondering what God had in store.

The kids should be able to adapt to New Zealand, right? A greater purpose for our move should at least start to sprout, no? I could be writing at home, couldn’t I?

We called Canada on Skype quite regularly and it was very difficult to hear about everything my Dad was going through with A.L.S. Could God be allowing us to return?

We put out some fleeces. That a reference to what Gideon did to confirm God’s leading in his life.

Ours were not as dramatic as his, but they were meaningful to us.

We made friends with people from all around the world. All of them said how much their kids loved New Zealand and how easily they adapted. Fleece #1 – “OK Lord, as a sign to us you want us to stay, take away our kids homesickness. If we have delighted ourselves in you, give us your desires so that they will be the desires of our heart.” Returning home grew as the desire of our heart.

God has always given me vision for the future that drives my passion. We obeyed his call to New Zealand without knowing why he wanted us there. Fleece #2 – “Lord, I don’t even need doors to open up immediately, just show me the area I can have eternal impact in this nation or from this nation and that will be enough.”

I guess I expected what I experienced before – a glimpse of the possible future. Instead of a concern for the nation, my passion for writing increased.

Finally we asked people we trusted what they thought. I have various people I rely on for godly advice when I need to make a decision. The lines have blurred over time but initially I could group them in three categories: people who know me, people who know the situation, and people who know God. Fleece #3 – “God, speak through your people, we don’t want to be out of your will. When we know what you say, we will obey what you say.” I expected some to tell us to stay and some who would want us home. I would weigh appropriately any that I could predict. All had different perspectives. All had the conclusion: return home to help your family.

God leads us by our desires. Not in the sense that we are spoiled children demanding our way, but rather as a loving father who gives us our desire to have his desires.

Make sure your motives are true and then ask God boldly for your desires… but see James 4:3 re: motives.

–Trevor Lund

Wynne Lewis was coming to Auckland to visit his son. I hadn’t seen Wynne since the 2002 FCA International Convention I helped organize. We’d exchanged email fairly regularly since. It was only 500 and some km from Palmerston North, so I thought we’d go up for the weekend.

Problem is: they don’t believe in straight roads in New Zealand. I was told it was a 9-hour drive. Alberta is flat until you get to the mountains. Nine hours would take you into Montana going south, or – I don’t know- five hours from NWT going north. You can get to the Okanogan and pick fruit for an hour. Taiessa would need to miss school. Gas cost 50 cents more than Alberta. It just didn’t work out.

But Wynne suggested we hook up with a friend of his, Rodney Francis, who was doing a prophecy seminar  in town later that month. We had seen the signs and didn’t know what to think, but any friend of Wynne’s…

Karen went to the conference alone since babysitting was at a premium but Rodney had me and the kids show up Saturday morning. He told the people “These people moved from Canada. That’s all you need to know. Tell them what God is saying to you about them.”

The next hour or so was the single most encouraging group activity I had been a part of for a long time. The Holy Spirit spoke encouragement and direction into our lives through what willing people risked with us. One lady came up to me after it was all done and said. “I didn’t come up because I thought what I saw was silly.”

I was curious. “What did you see?”

“I saw cars at Rangitikei and Tremaine.” She responded.

I smiled. “I guess I need to take the job if they offer it.” I said. She was confused.

I went for an interview at the Manawatu Standard for an advertising features writer. The churches had just gathered to pray against a sex expo that was coming to the city. The assistant editor asked me if, given my background, I would have trouble writing about the sex expo next year.

“I guess I could write about some of what happened.” “No” he insisted. “You would be promoting it.” “No, I wouldn’t” came my automatic response and the remainder of the interview entailed me asking him ethical questions on the paper’s responsibility to form public opinion.

I left the interview determined not to take the job out of spite… until this lady shared what she thought was silly. The  car dealership on Rangaitikei and Tremaine was the only advertising feature I had seen. I was offered a casual contract so that I could refuse any story I didn’t want to write. I took it, liked it, and promoted godly principles, because someone dared be silly.

Would you be silly for the sake of another?

We can be far too dignified to be any good for people who need us to be less like ourselves and more like God. I suppose it’s the old fear of man thing.

DON’T LET IT BE! Find your pleasure in God’s pleasure of you!

-Trevor Lund

Finding a decent home to rent in Palmerston North had been a difficult task to accomplish. Most of the homes we had checked out were damp, moldy and very stinky. Finally we found one. Needless to say we had down graded from our huge four bedroom 4-level-split in Edmonton to a small three bedroom bungalow in N.Z. Interestingly enough though the market value of the home in N.Z. was probably a fair amount more than the one in Edmonton.

My new laundry facilities were situated in a small room just outside of the house.

In order to keep this space aired I had to leave the window slightly open at all times. This of course meant I had to contend with spiders and their webs every time I attacked my laundry!

One morning while hanging the wash on the line outside it dawned on me how North American I had become. I wanted to return to Edmonton where I had my big heavy duty dryer inside my home! To make matters worse I fumed over the fact that I was not able to find work as a Lab Tech at the Massey University.

I allowed resentment to chill my blood. After all I had graduated from the University of Alberta and had 8 years of experience in the lab of one of the “grandfathers” of science. Didn’t Kiwi’s recognize talent when they saw it?  Why did God bring me back to this place?

God interrupted my tantrum with His words:” Don’t throw away your confident trust in me, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do my will. Then you will receive all that I have promised you.” (Adapted from Hebrews 10:35-36)

I’m prone to these tantrums, especially when I’m not in complete control of my destiny. They have decreased though over the years. Thanks be to God who intervenes on my behalf and sets me straight on the right path – again!

Have you learned all this, or is it something the Spirit is teaching you now? Don’t give up. Persevere!

-Karen Lund

It wasn’t that we woke up one day and decided to move to the other side of the world. Before we were married God  told us independently that we would be outside Canada.

We didn’t know the where, when, why, or how but knew God would reveal it in time and we were to simply do the best with what we had while we had it.

When we were considering me becoming the Senior Pastor of RCF, I asked God to tell me if I should be looking to leave the country then, or if He would give me a timeframe for how long we would be at the church.

Three times 2005 came into my mind. That was seven years away and I was too young and too much in the  immediate to consider that was really a time from God. I felt at peace at taking on the challenge at RCF, knowing God would reveal where He would lead us.

Over the years I contacted people from around the world and slowly our focus got narrowed to New Zealand. In short order we were asked to consider a position in Palmerston North. We went down to investigate telling God, “If it’s you command us to come, and we’ll step out of the boat. Long story short, no command came but I knew Palmerston North was the place and the when would be made clear.

The call became clear about a year later. Things at the church became less of a challenge and we had confirmations we may explain later that told us it was time to go. Dad had still not been diagnosed with A.L.S. when we told the family we were leaving in six months, but the symptoms were starting to show and the diagnosis would be soon coming. Challenge returned to the church before we left, but we were blessed with a wonderful send off from our church family.

My family spent Christmas in LA and we joined them soon after for a few days in Disneyland before continuing onto Auckland. It was tough to leave the family not knowing if we’d ever see Dad again this side of heaven. I asked God to let us gather as a family again not to mourn, but to celebrate.  But we knew God had confirmed he was on the waves and told us to come after him and step out of the boat. We had to keep our eyes on him, not the waves.

But everyone needs to do that, don’t we? The waves of our circumstance quickly grab our attention and it is so easy to start to sink.

Isn’t it incredible that Christ is always there to grab our hand when we get overwhelmed and lift us back to safety?

So why did Christ chastise Peter for his lack of faith and not the eleven still in the boat?

Don’t know, but I know I’d rather be chastised than ignored.

–Trevor Lund

These words were once common in marriage vows, and they need to be common in our relationship with the Lover of our souls. The enemy can come with signs and wonders, what separates us as children of God is that we need to love, honor and obey what the Spirit says. Maybe this explains it better: