Faith Failures... and Hearing God.

Listening is an act of Love, by David Robert Bilwas

Faith Failures - An Answer

My honest expose' of myself. It was about 2003. I was young in Faith, pure motives, but naive actions. I was at a meeting of a well known preacher. I felt that I wanted to act on my faith. I took my glasses, set them on the ground, and stepped on them.... and drove home blind... drove around blind for a few days... then went and got new glasses, felling like an idiot. For the record, there was nothing wrong with that preacher, he didn't tell me to do it, I just had the idea and it seemed right at the time.

Since then I've read great books like:

• Faith, Foolishness, or Presumption? By Fred Price (Affiliate Link)

• Faith and Confession, By Charles Capps(Affiliate Link)

I learned that you can't do something because it sounded like a good idea, or because you saw ten other people do it. You only act, and call it Faith, when you heard God tell you to do it, and then you are obeying that command.

Hocus Pocas Faith:

In total naked honesty, since that day I've struggled with Faith. Always believing the principles, but not consistently seeing the results. My understanding of the process has been that I should go to the Bible (The Book) find a scripture that covers what I need, and confess (speak out loud) that scripture until it happens (get the desired end result).

Recently I realized that I've been treating this process as though it was a magic spell, along with all the other people who half-heard the truth about Faith. I didn't know I was treating Faith like a magic spell, but that was what I was doing. Think about how Wizards are portrayed in famous movies.

Wizards and Magicians, are portrayed as having a spell book full of spells for different things they want to accomplish. So then, he looks up the desired spell in a book, then speaks it out loud until he gets the desired end result. Gee... that sounds familiar.

Faith vs Magic

Now everything Satan has comes from a Godly process. I do mean everything. There is not a single tool in the devil's tool belt that has not been copied and twisted from a process God created. Satan is not a creative being, he never was.

However, there ought to be a distinct difference in the look, feel, and operation of God's process and Satan's. So then, if both sides to go the book, speak it out loud, until they get the desired end result... how is it different?

Based on this, and other reasons, some have written off "Faith" as a false doctrine and walked away. I never could because I KNOW it's God's principle in God's Word. I see it plain as day in every book of the bible, and on nearly every page. If I'm not seeing results, I'm missing it, not God, not my teachers... me.

The Faith Failure of the 7 Sons of Sceva.

Let's take a look at a bible account of the difference between Faith and Magic.

Acts 19:9-19

11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. (For Interlinear View - Greek Definition Links - Click Here)

Notice that demons don't flee from the name of Jesus. Not even a little.

In fact, the name of Jesus just made them more bold in the face of someone who did not KNOW Him. Using the name of Jesus without knowing Jesus just got them beat up, stripped naked, and chased out the house. In other words, they used the process as they understood it, but failed to achieve the desired end result. They had a "Faith Failure". 

Who are you? Do you KNOW?

Notice the demon said:

• "Jesus I Know"
• Greek for Know here is: Ginosko -(Intimate Knowledge- Like Sex: Adam KNEW Eve and had a baby.)
• "Paul I know"
• Greek for Know here is: Epistamai (Acquainted with, has my attention, preoccupies my thoughts)
• "But who are you? We don't know you!"

It's not enough to be familiar with the Word of God. It's not enough to have mental assent, or to mentally agree that the Word is true. You have to hear God speaking to you and KNOW what God has said to you right now. It's about believing with your heart and not just your head. Where doubt resides, faith is not yet present.

Matthew 21:21 NKJV 
So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.

Mark 11:23 NKJV 
For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

No Doubt!?

So how does one remove doubt?

Several times per week my wife sends me an email or text asking me to drop by the store and grab something for her on the way home. Often times I find myself unsure about exactly what she meant. I know the written word says to get "X", but as I start to walk out this revelation I'm faced with unexpected choices and situations. Does she want the 2lbs bag or the 4 lbs bag? Does she want pink or purple?

• In other words, I have the written instruction/truth, but life has presented choices and doubt is present.

• What is the easiest way to remove doubt?

• Call her and ask!

In the same way, God has His written Word. There are some things that are clearly written for me. Healing always belongs to me, ALWAYS!

However, I find in the Word of God that some were healed through:

• ...a spoken word from a distance.
• ...laying on of hands.
• ...Peter's shadow healed people.
• ... pieces of cloth from Paul's body.
• ...the elders of the Church could lay hands and put oil on the person.

Jesus himself never seemed to do it the same way twice.

• For example, one time he took two blind men into a house and asked them if they believed, laid his hands on their eyes and healed them. (Matthew 9).

• In another instance, he took a blind man out of the city, spit on his eyes, and didn't get full results the first time, and he did it again, then the man was healed (Mark 8). 

Modern Christian's seeing this second result, but not present for the first, would start a new Church called the "The Eye Spit Healing Church". They'd spit on every blind person they met and follow the formula.

We are so formula driven. But Jesus didn't spit on every man's eye, He spit on this mans' eye. Jesus DID always heal, he didn't do it the same way every time. What was the difference between one occasion and another?

Instruction: Written vs Heard

He only did what he saw his Father do. He waited until he had the instruction from His Father, and then did what he was told to do.

It's not enough to know the Bible promises healing, deliverance, prosperity, etc. Which it does! You must also hear The Father, through the Holy Spirit, give you instruction regarding your situation.

Jeremy Pearsons tells the story of  the time he had a car accident. The devil would have wanted to take his life; however, it ended up being a minor accident. There was still this matter of a $500 deductible. Jeremy decided that he was not going to allow Satan to seal $500. He could have gone off and found 13 scriptures dealing with theft and started yelling: "In the name of Jesus, Devil you owe me 7 times $500, you thief!" He would have been scripturally accurate, but would not have had any power/unction/faith behind that statement. And probably would have seen almost no result from it.

Instead Jeremy said: "Father, how would you have me believe for this?" The Father gave him specific instructions, "Jeremy, I want you to believe me for $1,000. $500 to pay this deductible, and $500 to pay someone else's car payment." Blessed to be a blessing, now that sounds like God. Both $500 amounts came in within a short time.

Prayer - Hear God Speak To You

In order to have true bible Faith, without doubt, it's not enough to read the Word of God. That is the first step, and one that can't be skipped. However, time spent in the written Word must be bathed in prayer. Not just the type of prayer where you list of the 103 things you want God to do for you, and get up and leave for work.

The prayer I'm speaking about is the type where you spend more time listening then speaking. Maybe you spend time in worship, praise, praying in the spirit...

...Be Still Be Led. In that stillness, when your body and mind are stilled, that is where you hear God best.

Then, and only then, when you have heard God... act/obey. See results.

By Darrell Wolfe

About This Blog, and Darrell. 

This Weeks Resource:

• Faith, Foolishness, or Presumption? By Fred Price

• Faith and Confession, By Charles Capps

Affiliate Disclosure:
I earn commissions off of some of my suggestions. Full Disclaimers (Click Here)
See my Store for more suggestions (Click Here)

And now I leave you with a question:

Testify: When has God told you to do something that brought results?

To Respond Leave A Comment on This Post

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#Habitation @Gatewaypeople

• In south Africa the major church there has planted over 90 churches. They win over 500,000 people to Jesus per week.
• They said "We must win the lost at any cost."
• This is not just what they believe, it is what they breath.
• Saul was breathing threats. This Church is breathing soul winning.
• What you breath out will be what others  breath in. Like second hand smoke. Smoke can fill a room and be shared breathed atmosphere.
• You become like God by being in His presence and breathing in.
• God breathed on Adam and he lived. Gen 1-2
• Jesus breathed on his disciples and they were born again. John 20:21
• What we breath in is what we become.
• Breath in the Word of God and the Spirit of God... then breath out into your life.
• What are you breathing today?

*Random church notes from @Gatewaypeople #Habitation

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Faith Is... A Faith Journey To Being Led

Kenneth Copeland @ The #SWBC2014 taken from section 306. 

#SWBC2014 - A Faith Journey

It was the Spring/Summer of 2003, the woman who would become my wife gave me a disc with the MP3 of the entire 2002 KCM Believers Convention. This was the first time I heard preaching on "Faith". Oh, I'd heard the word "Faith" thrown around Church every now and then; however, nobody ever really used the word as though it meant much.

Faith and Hope were equivalent to "wish" in my early church experiences.

• "I'm just hoping and praying..." 
• "You just gotta have faith brother..." 
• "Keep the faith!" 

These were all platitudes at best, with very little real meaning or impact on one's life. These were Christianese words to be thrown around just to sound good.

Real faith is powerful. The bible says several times: "The just shall live by faith." The bible goes on to say that it is impossible to please God without Faith.

So then, if the just shall live by faith, and it is impossible to please God without faith, we must come to understand what faith is. The common definitions are somewhat helpful; however, faith is so much more than belief.

I've always felt there was a missing key, which is why I have a hit and miss relationship with God. I've felt that once I found this mysterious key it would unlock the things of God in a new way. It's too early to tell, but I may have found that key.

First I must do some review, for your sake, and for mine. 

*Gloria Copeland breaks some of this down well in her articles: Understanding Faith Part 1 and Part 2.

Faith Is...

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for , the evidence of things not seen .

Faith Is Belief?

Phil Vischer deals with "faith" in an article countering Atheist Peter Boghossian.

Peter B. Atheist claims faith is:  

• Pretending to know things one doesn’t know.
• Belief without evidence.
• An irrational leap over probabilities.

Phil V. counters saying:

• What is faith, in a nutshell? Faith is putting confidence in the representations or claims of someone or something.

The 1828 Websters dictionary defines faith as:

FAITH, n. [L. fides, fido, to trust; Gr. to persuade, to draw towards any thing, to conciliate; to believe, to obey. In the Greek Lexicon of Hederic it is said, the primitive signification of the verb is to bind and draw or lead, as signifies a rope or cable. But this remark is a little incorrect. The sense of the verb, from which that of rope and binding is derived, is to strain, to draw, and thus to bind or make fast. A rope or cable is that which makes fast. Heb.]

1. Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without other evidence; the judgment that what another states or testifies is the truth. I have strong faith or no faith in the testimony of a witness, or in what a historian narrates. 
2. The assent of the mind to the truth of a proposition advanced by another; belief, or probable evidence of any kind.

The Greek Word used in Hebrews 11 is:

Strong's Grk 4102 - Pistis: Faith, Assurance, Belief. The conviction of the truth of anything. 

Even the government has taken use of this word and used it, in the term: Full Faith and Credit.

 Blind Faith?

All of this just falls short of what faith actually is. It's no wonder that Peter B. defined faith as "belief without evidence", given that his definition is the functioning (if not spoken) definition of many religious people today. You hear this term "Blind Faith" as somehow being the ultimate admirable quality. "That guy has real strong faith, he just has blind faith!"

Yet... according to Hebrews 11, "faith" has nothing at all to do with being blind, or lacking evidence. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Hope does not mean wish. Bible Hope means expectation. Faith is the substance of expectation. Expectation is always based on solid evidence and prior experience. It's hard to expect something without those in place.

If a friend I know to be a flake tells me he'll meet me at church on Sunday, I don't even look for him that day. I may check my phone to see if he texts me; however, it's usually with the "expectation" that he has another excuse for not being there.

Whereas, if a man I admire and respect as a man of his word says that he'll meet me at church on Sunday, I will leave early, shower, shave, and be ready. Why? I'm expecting him to come. This is the meaning of Bible Hope. Expectation, based on firm evidence, and prior experience.

There is nothing blind at all about bible expectation, or faith.

Faith A Creative Force

Faith is Substance. It's not just belief. It's not mental assent to an idea or concept. It's creative. God used Faith to create the universe. The earth wasn't made from nothing. It was made from an invisible substance called faith. Faith is creative in nature; because, it is based in God's Word. God's Word is creative in it's nature and substance.

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:3 NKJV

By faith, we understand that, the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Romans 4:17

...as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

If God shows up on a Tuesday and calls it Monday, all the forces in the world will combine and snap into alignment to jump forward or backward to make that statement become true. Faith isn't wishing for something to be, it's calling it what you want it to be and expecting it to line up with that word. 

God doesn't look into a dark room and say "It sure is dark in here...". God walks into a dark place and says "Light Be!" and Light Be-es. Genesis Chapter One is the very essence of the nature and function of Faith, in demonstration.

Faith Comes

Only God has faith inside of him unto himself. Only God can call things that be not as though they are and fully expect to have those things come to pass, without having to check with anyone else.

Man is created in the image and likeness of God, and he fully functions the way God functions. So man, too, can call those things that be not as though they are; however, man was not built for those thoughts and ideas to originate from within himself. Man's expectation must have a source.

Romans 10:17 NKJV

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

1. Faith comes by hearing.

2. Hearing comes by the Word of God.

1. Faith comes by hearing. All faith comes by hearing. 

• Faith in the the financial emergency to destroy your life, comes by hearing the news of the emergency, and believing in it's power to do so.
• Faith in the power of God to deliver you from that situation comes by hearing about his promise to deliver you, and believing in His power to do so. 

"Hear" is where my understanding broke down...

2. Hearing comes by the Word of God. 

For so many years I acted like this meant: 

• Hearing comes by being a good little student and knowing a lot about the bible.
• Hearing comes by studying the messages of anointed men and women and knowing them so well you can re-teach them yourself. 
• Hearing comes by knowing everything you can about the bible, bible history, having the right theology and doctrine. 

So now... let's pause (Selah: stop, pause, reflect, ponder, meditate on this)

Be Still - Be Led - Small Voice

*******Stop*******

Take a moment and read these verses.... slowly....

Psalm 46:5-11 
10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

1 Kings 19:7-17 
... the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

John 16:8-18
12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Romans 8:9-19
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."

Do you hear a theology test in there anywhere? Read them again...

Come on, read them again...

One more time, read them again....


*******OK - Continue *********

Faith comes by hearing - hearing comes by the Word of God. 

Not just bible study. Bible study is good, but the Bible is not the Word of God.

What?!

Heretic!

Hold your horses, let me explain...

The Bible contains the Word of God, but the pages, ink, and leather are not the Word of God. It's obvious through observation that many people can take the bible out of context and justify some weird, ungodly things.

Like the story about the woman who was having an affair, and wanted her pastor to bless the divorce and endorse the new relationship. "I was praying, Pastor, and asking God what I should do... and I my bible fell open to Ephesians 4:24 'put on the new man'... so I did!"

No, it's not enough to just read your bible, and be a good student of it. That's good, but that's not going to give you one once of faith more than you had yesterday.

Faith comes when the living, active, present tense, real, voice of God speaks something directly to your heart and you choose to believe that word, instruction, leading... act on it... and see the fruit of that come to pass.

More often than not, God is going to use His written Word in tandem with his spoken Word in that process. It's imperitive that you make the bible a regular part of your spiritual diet. However, if you don't spend at least the same amount of energy and time working on hearing God in your spirit/heart, than you can expect that bible study to continue to be a fairly dry experience over all.

If you don't hear the voice of God in your life, you can't have faith. Period.

So how do you do that?

That's another article. But if you want to get a head start, I put up a short post on being led on my bible study journal site.

By Darrell Wolfe

About This Blog, and Darrell. 

This Weeks Resource:

• Kenneth Copeland Ministries: Free eBook "Tune In To The Voice Of God"
• "Practicing His Presence" Brother Lawrenec and Frank Laubach

Affiliate Disclosure:
I earn commissions off of some of my suggestions. Full Disclaimers (Click Here)
See my Store for more suggestions (Click Here)

And now I leave you with a question:

What are YOUR best practices for hearing God day to day?

To Respond Leave A Comment on This Post

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Church Notes @GatewayPeople SLK 07/12/2014

 +GatewayPeople - @GatewayPople

Saturday - July 12, 2014 - Southlake Campus

Pastor Preston Morrison

Look Again! 

(These are my random notes from the message today at Gateway Church; Listen HERE)

Mark 8:22
22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" 24 He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

I must See and Know God for who He REALLY is! I am made in His image. I cannot be who I should be; until I know who He really is.

Preston says there are three things that most people think about God that are NOT true:

1. You think God is boring.
2. You think God is distant.
3. You think God is angry.

God is omni-present, not so that he can catch you doing wrong, but so that he doesn't miss one moment of your life. He is the proud parent taking photo's of baby's first steps, times infinity! Not only is he the kind of Father that doesn't want to miss one of your games, He's the kind of Father that doesn't want to miss one-single-moment of your game/life!

This is the most important formula you will ever learn.

A+B=C
A: 1 John 4:7 God is Love
B: Psalms 139:7-10 God is everywhere
C: God's Love Is Everywhere You Turn!

Are you more concerned with who isn't noticing you, than who IS? God is watching you with great interest and passion.

Like the blind man Jesus healed. If you can't see clearly, look again. Look at the one who is standing there in front of you. Look at Jesus!

If you can't see clearly, look to Jesus! How do you do that? #BeStillBeLed! Tweet That!

See God in your situation! #BeStillBeLed!

Stop staring at what you don't know, don't have, can't do... start staring at the One who has all answers, all possession, all power to do: exceedingly above and beyond all you can ask or think! Eph3:20


By Darrell Wolfe

How about you? You see anything to add to this? Want to share what examples you have seen or experience in yourself or others? Comment below. 

I call you empowered 2 prosper with good success!

Bible Study Blog: http://empoweredtooprosper.blogspot.com/
Facebook: Facebook.Com/DarrellGWolfe
Twitter: @DarrellWolfe
Personal Blog: www.DarrellWolfe.Com

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A Life Of Being Led: The Key To Good Success!

Follow The Light By Damien Gorza

Be Led! 

As I went through my day today, in various times of prayer, and while I studied the Word at lunch, one idea kept rising to the top of my heart: "Be Led"

When God says: "Be" watch-out! Light BE! Be Healed! Be it done unto me as you have said! "BE" is a powerful word. If God said "Three Headed Dog: BE!" Even if you've never seen a three headed dog, you are about to! God cannot say BE without causing that BE to come to pass!

Over and over this idea of "Be Led", "Being Led", came up in my heart. I thought of Jesus and how he spoke of only doing the things he saw His Father do, and only saying the things He heard his Father say.

So I looked it up, it's interesting to note how often Jesus refers to his words and actions being those that the Father told him to do/say.

John 5:19New American Standard Bible Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

John 8:28New American Standard Bible So Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

John 12:49New American Standard Bible "For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.

Jesus was the very essence of: Being Led. Matthew 4:1 refers to Jesus starting his ministry "Being led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil..." Everything Jesus did, He did by being led.

So then I pondered my life verse: 

Joshua 1:8

English Standard VersionThis Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Holman Christian Standard BibleThis book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

What does it mean to not let something depart your mouth? It means to keep speaking about it all the time, like a raving sports fan who can speak of nothing but his favorite team.

What does it mean to meditate on something day and night? Meditate: to chew, ponder, murmur, repeat to one's self, recite over and over, like an actor trying to get into his role, and internalize his lines. One should not just do this in the morning, not just at night, but starting in the morning and continue throughout the day.

What does it mean to observe to do? It's not good enough to speak about it, it's not good enough to ponder it, memorize it, recite it... this is just the start. As you ponder the Word of God, you will find revelation knowledge. God will reveal to you the things you need to know and do. You must be sure to observe what God is saying/doing, then DO what God says do, and say what God says say.

ONLY when you are responding to the things you are seeing and hearing, will you make your way prosperous, and have good success! Aha! It's back to that again! It's back to Bring Led! Joshua 1:8 is the OT version of "I only do what I see my Father do, I only say what I hear my Father say..."

By Darrell Wolfe

How about you? You see anything to add to this? Want to share what examples you have seen or experience in yourself or others? Comment below. 

I call you empowered 2 prosper with good success!

Bible Study Blog: http://empoweredtooprosper.blogspot.com/
Facebook: Facebook.Com/DarrellGWolfe
Twitter: @DarrellWolfe
Personal Blog: www.DarrellWolfe.Com

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God Uses Batman To Say I Love You!

Batman Means: "I Love You!"

Attribution: DarrellWolfe.Com 

Batman Hiding In The Soundboard:

Some time ago I was working on the Digico SD7 sound board @+GatewayPeople Church, in Southlake TX.  As we went over all the settings for the set list that night, it occurred to me that the setting on one of the Cajon mics looked like.... Batman!

My oldest has really been into Batman, so I brought the picture home to show him, and he really enjoyed it! Some might call this random.

I See God. 

I don't believe in random. There is no such thing as luck, ever.

There are three forces at play in this world, and none of them are random.

• God's Kingdom: (always brings good/blessing). 
• Satan's kingdom: (always brings theft, killing, and destruction). 
• Man's Free Will: (the most random element of the three, responds to these).

When these three come crashing down on each other things go flying in different directions.

Yet in the midst of it all... GRACE is there.

I See Opportunity

Grace gave me the gift of Batman to bring home to my son. Grace gave my son a gift, not just of Batman, but a moment with his father to laugh and smile. That moment may, or may not, ever become a conscious memory for him; however, it will be an impression on his heart/spirit. As those impressions build they will create in him a force which will propel him into his future.

I was reminded today that my son doesn't belong to me, he belongs to God! Tweet That!

I am but his steward, his shepherd.

I am here to tend to him, feed him, train him, keep him safe, provide an environment where he can grow up to hear God for himself. I am to train him in the Spirit, so that by the time he is old enough to make his own choices in the world, he is a force to be reckoned with. The Kingdom of God will be so strong in him, that darkness cannot stand in his presence, or in the presence of his generation.

If I never minister to another single person, he (and my wife, my other son, and any other kids to come) are to be, and remain, my first priority. They are to be the first ones to receive any good thing the Father has put in me. Only when they are prospering through my ministry to them, can I minister to others in any meaningful way.

I See Love and Grace

I choose today, to stop... and smell the roses.

I choose to be less hurried. I choose to get up a little earlier and spend time waiting on God.

Being STILL, and knowing He is God! 

I choose to see the patterns that others miss.

When I see God doing something I'll be sensitive to it, and listen to Him for it, and see what He is doing for me, to me, through me. I'll see what He wants to say, or how I can participate.

God might be sending me a ground breaking message to take to Africa today... OR... he might just be showing me Batman, to demonstrate a message to a little boy:

He loves you... just like you are!

By Darrell Wolfe

About This Blog, and Darrell. 

This Weeks Resource:

• The Ministry Of: Dean Sikes is a true inspiration to experience. He specializes in ministering to youth one single message, one clarion call: YOU MATTER! 

Affiliate Disclosure:
I earn commissions off of some of my suggestions. Full Disclaimers (Click Here)
See my Store for more suggestions (Click Here)

And now I leave you with a question:

What Pattern Has God Been Showing You Lately? 

To Respond Leave A Comment on This Post

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The 2014 Journal Template

I've drafted a new routine for my mornings. 

It has been helpful in the past, and I got off it. I'm returning to it now because I need that routine. I thought I'd share it with you so that you could use it. You won't see me using it here often, because I will use it in my private journal. But I'll put down the routine here first so you can see how it fits, and then the blank template I use after that, based on the routine.

Routine: All in one journal entry

• BE STILL: It must start with BE STILL before going to writing, bible devotional, or other things. Prayer will be involved, but it will be listening, not speaking. 
• PRAYER: This is the time I do some talking, but still listening also. 
• Prayers, Petitions, and Thanksgivings be made on behalf of: FIRSTLY>
• For all people
• Then Kings, Leaders, Those in Authority
• SO THAT we may lead a tranquil and quite life in all godliness and dignity. 
• God desires all men to:
• Be saved


• Come to the knowledge of the Truth. 
• 1 Timothy 2
• 1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.

• BIBLE: Instead of a bible devotional, I'm going to do a bible study. Take one of Kenneth's study notes from the front of my bible and do those.

• JOURNAL entry will include all of the above, and anything else on my mind at the time. Take a moment to jot down:
• How you are feeling:
• How you are believing:
• What's happening in your life right now:

I created a template from this. I'll use it tomorrow!

Daily Routine:

BE STILL: Just Listen, write down what He tells you. 

What did God say today?

God Said: (write down anything you here God say today)

PRAYER: This is the time I do some talking, but still listening also.

These are to be made on behalf of: 

• FIRST for all people, then Kings, Leaders, those in Authority, then you would be included in all men, so your family, kin folk, etc. 
• God desires all men to: Be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth.

1 Timothy 2

1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.

Entreaties (specific felt need),

Prayers (exchange of desires/wishes), 

Petitions/Intersessions (Intersection of heaven and earth, hit the bullseye, request something specific of a King. Technical/Civil term: VERY specific requests that meet an exact need!). 

Thanksgivings ( Lit: giving thanks for God's grace! Gratitude, Thankfulness)

Pray scriptures that are on your heart and all of the things listed above. 

Did anything else come up in prayer that should be notated? 

BIBLE: Instead of a bible devotional, I'm going to do a bible study. 

Take one of Kenneth's study notes from the front of my bible and do those.

JOURNAL entry will include all of the above, and anything else on my mind at the time. Any other study you have access to would be fine too.

Take a moment to jot down anything that you need to:

JOURNAL: What's Up Today? 

How you are feeling:

How you are believing:

What's happening in your life right now:

The End Of The Journal Today... 

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