Recently, after completing a Life Coaching Seminar on Procrastination, I was challenged in more ways than one.  After the

seminar, I set my bag down on a bench to assist my sound guy outside the Communications Building where the seminar was facilitated.  He was struggling carrying some equipment, and rather than take the chance on it being damaged, I assisted him.  When I posed the question, "Who is gonna watch my bag?", the response was, "I gotcha Pastor!"  The sound guy inferred that he was watching the bag.  I assumed he was getting the bag.  You see where this is going right?

After taking him home and going on with the rest of my day, I assumed the bag was in the trunk of my car with some other items that are often placed there after I minister.  THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.  However, I did not even realize that the bag wasn't in there until the next morning on the way to church.  This bag contained my laptop, calendar, Bluetooth device, sermons, billing statements, books, CDs and DVDs of some messages of mine, and so on.  You can understand the seriousness of this loss.

I had to make a choice, right then and there.  Would I get upset and bent out of shape?  Or, would I just go on with the rest of my day in the joy of the Lord?  I mean, even my printed sermon notes were in the bag.  A copy was on my computer at home, but I didn't have that with me.  I chose to be glad and not mad.  I chose to preach without the notes. (It was a good one too!) I went on with my day. Then I went on with my week.  And then I went on the next Sunday, without my laptop and bag.  And then the following week. 

Here's the issue. I REFUSED to buy another laptop. I refused to buy another calendar.  I refused to replace anything in that bag.  I refused to speak negative.  I refused to even talk about to many people, because I believed that God was doing something.

When you have lost something, whether big or small, important or insignificant, a relationship or a friendship, what choices do you make?  How do you respond to the loss?  Do you freak out? Do you automatically concede to defeat and hopelessness?  Do you have faith?  Do you dispatch the angels of the Lord to find the loss item on your behalf?

The divine providence of God is so awesome that since He created the heavens and the earth, and can part the Red Sea and can go into a sick body that a doctor has said is sick unto death and literally cause the cells and body to become healed instantaneously, He can surely dispatch His angels to find and a stolen or lost bag, or whatever your loss or stolen thing is.  As people of God, we must get back to beleiving God for miracles so we can be a demonstration of God in the earth.  If God did it, back in the day, he can do it now!

What are those things that you believed God for but then stopped?  What are the things in your life that have been stolen?  What about the things that were lost? What about the things that you never even gave God a chance to prove himself and His goodness to you? Go back and capture those things. Go back and and begin to believe God for them that they will return or be returned.  Let God exceed your expectations.  God already knows the deal anyway.  I guarantee you, He will blow your mind!

By the way, the bag was returned to my doorstep and placed in my hand by the person who had it with all of its contents two weeks later.

Your Daddy Knows What He Is Doing

This past Sunday I ministered from the subject, "Your Daddy Knows He is Doing".  The scripture text came from Luke 15, the infamous story of the Prodigal Son.  There are some points that I have extracted out of the story that I beleive may help you. 

1- Your Father already has everything for you.(v.12)
Why do we stress out trying to attain things that are not even in the will of God?  Chill out!  When he created you he thoroughly furnished and equipped you with everthing you need to accomplish what he dispatched you to earth for.  Now just find out what He made you for.

2- Your Father will allow you to go where you want to go and do what you want to do. (v.13)
God is so sovereign, that he will let you go so far, but yet not allow you to go so far that you can't get it right. He gives you choices everyday.

3- Your Father wants you to learn a lesson.(v.14-15)
You don't get promoted until you learn the lesson.  Learn the lesson ina situation God will promote you. Now you know why you keep going throught the same stuff over and over again.  Learn the lesson!

4- The son realized who he was and what he had and then he repented. (v.17-21)
"He came to himself" means he got a revelation of who he was and what he had.  Do you know who you are in Christ?  Do you know what you have in Christ?  Repent means to turn away from.  It means to change your mind or change your way of thinking.  Just asking for forgivemess doesn't do it.  You had to change your mind in order not to continue detrimental patterns.

5- Your Father wants to celebrate you, no matter what.(v.22-32)
Even though you may feel like you are unworthy, you Father knows your worth.  It is not solely the good experiences that shows your worth, but rather the bad experiences that extract the the finer qualitites that are not seen.

Even in this time where you have honored your biological father, apply this message not just to him, but to your spiritual father and your heavenly father and don't forget to LEARN THE LESSONS!