cup of joe

The Anchor of Purpose. Oh to have a dollar for every book or sermon that has been written or preached on purpose! I even wrote one myself called Dreams2Destiny! Purpose is the motivator for practice. If you play in the game and hold a position on the team, then you have a purpose and that compels you to practice to become all that the team needs you to be: to unlock or tap into your potential. Part of the fun in discovering purpose is the exploring that takes place when you seek it. The realization that God is in control and that you are being guided on a path that will bless you beyond your wildest dreams is pretty cool. Yet, so many feel there is no reason to exist. They have been told things and treated in such a way as to believe that they do not make a difference. Know this...YOU matter to God. And whether you see it or not it or not, there are people that you touch everyday that no one else would have spoken to, no one else would have helped had you not been there. Part of your p

Love…what’s love got to do with it? The answer is everything. When you tie yourself to the anchor of love you learn the art of loving unlovable people. The love that we use as an anchor is unconditional, it is not full of pride and it does not seek self-satisfaction. You can read about so many more of the characteristics in the bible in 1 Corinthians 13, know as the Love Chapter. Love covers a multitude of sins and ultimately, when there is no faith and when hope is not there, love remains. Jesus told us that all of life is summed up in love, love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. When the anchor of love is used, it ties everything together. Proverbs 3:3 says to tie love around your neck like a muffler. Let love filter what you say. Let love filter the things that enter your mind before they drop into your heart. When was the last time you told your parents or your children or spouse that you loved them? Have you shared an act of

HOPE is another anchor for life. Hope is what we should be doing while we let patience have her perfect work. When hope is rejected then the heart is unstable. If you have ever said well there is no way that will happen or told yourself that all hope was gone, then you probably experienced what a sick heart feels like. There’s an old hymn which said “our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.” Our HOPE is in Christ and we have that hope as an anchor for our soul. Christ in you is the hope of glory. When Jesus resides in us, we tie our desires and our hopes to him. And because He is faithful and always just, we know that when we hold out hope with Him everything is going to be alright. Hope in that promotion and you may be disappointed. Hope that people will say and do the right thing and you set yourself up for a fall. Hope in God for your soul to be saved and you have put into place a firm foundation that cannot be shaken. When you H elp O ther P ractice E n

FAITH is one anchor for your life. Without faith we cannot please God and with it we can do the impossible. Faith has allowed me to write and publish 3 books, produce the largest Christian concert in history and start a non-profit organization to help people unlock the dreams they have been given and the purpose they were destined for. Faith is the embodiment of all that we are hoping for and it allows us to see all that has not yet come to pass. It’s stepping out on nothing and just when we get ready to put our weight upon that foot, something solid is there to stand on. We live in a world that must see in order to believe. When we have anchored to FAITH, we believe many things before we actually see them. Sometimes the best way to predict the future is to create it. When we can believe in the dreams and the ideas that have been planted in us by God, we agree with their potential and we acknowledge that we are ready for them to manifest in our lives. It takes the same amount of energy

In Acts 27:29 "they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight" Picture a boat full of prisoners being transported to another place. The apostle Paul was one of them. A furious storm arose and all of them thought they were going to die. In the middle of the turmoil Paul got a Word from God. The word was " stay with the ship ". They were throwing off cargo to lighten the load and some of the men thought about jumping into life rafts to get to the land which was barely visible through the winds and rain. Paul told all of them to hang on and stay in the boat and they would live. He followed through on that divine revelation. How do you stay with the ship when you are at the point of exhaustion, filled with fear and barely able to catch your breath? You drop four anchors and pray for daylight. Anchors are symbolic of stability and whenever you are being tossed to and from, you need to establish some stability. You need to make a decision and then sti

God doesn't always lead you to places that are just for you...it may be for someone else. You may want to run. God says to stand still. You may have to be the one who hurts for a while. But God is on your side. Oftentimes we are able to set aside this time for things that will help us…this like bible study and prayer. Another thing that transforms our lives is suffering and though we do not control when suffering occurs, it can and will alter us emotionally, physically and spiritually. Yet, just like study and prayer, suffering will strengthen us as we move ourselves through it. If you have ever felt like “moving on”, why not decide today to “move through”. To move through you may have to stand still when you feel like running. And if you are patient and enduring, you will see the deliverance of the Lord in your situation.

"There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all" When I read this quote I began to think of my daily schedule. I thought about the people and the meetings and activities. I felt like I was very efficient and being a great steward of my time. What if I was being super great at stuff I should not even be doing? Why did I meet those people? Is this meeting really important? Am I praying about what I will do today? Consider today that not all good ideas are God ideas. God will direct the life and steps of anyone that calls upon Him. You can do the things that He desires while satisfying your own personal desires too! Trust Him. Acknowledge Him. Lean on Him. He will bless your path today!

That it takes two people to have an argument? When people and their unique personalities collide there is the possibility of conflict. When conversations cloaked in conflict occur, the situation often becomes combative. Romans 13:18 says, “ if it is at all possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone .” When you engage in a combative dialogue, you place yourself on the battlefield and become part of the fight. We are called to bring peace not conflict. To resolve not revenge. Imagine that…some of those battles that you are involved in right now actually have nothing to do with you! You just allowed yourself to be pulled into a vortex of rebellion. Wherever you are involved, you have been asked by the apostle Paul to live at peace with EVERYONE. It’s not conditional. Be careful WHAT you engage in. Be careful WHO you engage with. Today you may come upon people involved in a combative banter. Remember this cup of joe that you have enjoyed and choose your battles w

At about 3am, right in the middle of that storm, Jesus comes toward the boat. The disciples see this figure on top of the water and they scream in terror because they cannot tell who it is. Jesus spoke and assured them that it was all right. He said I am here, don’t be afraid. There was a disciple in the boat that was known for his boldness and brazenness. His name was Peter. Peter is that guy that is not afraid to say what he feels. He’s that guy that often hurts your feelings because he is so brutally honest and callous in his presentation. He has passion and wears all of his emotions on his sleeve. And if you try to take the Lord out of his life, he’ll cut your ear off! When the voice of Jesus was heard, Peter said, “Lord, if its really you, tell me to come.” Think about what Peter was really saying. Lord, I can’t see you but I have heard that voice before. And though I cannot SEE you in the middle of this storm, I can hear your voice. I want you to keep speaking so that I can move

What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be an astronaut, a fireman, a pro baseball player and one of the Beatles! I think we all need to have dreams of becoming something. The bible says that people die when they have no dream and no vision. Throughout my life God was allowing me some interesting parallels to what I dreamed I'd be. Let me explain. Like an astronaut I have often gone where no man has gone before...I like shooting for the stars.In many of the jobs I had in younger years I would be required to settle disputes, manage or "put out fires" in the office. I had a very successful baseball career until I stopped in college. And I think I have worn my hair in the style of every one of the Beatles! What I see is that God put something in me years ago that would be ignited when I discovered it and put it to work in my life. I often tell myself what I am going to do. Maybe its so I can hear myself say it. Perhaps it is to agree with the desires God has

Proverbs 19 tells us that "a man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense." Every day we are challenged by people and things that are trying to slow us down and get us off track. The simple lesson of this scripture is that there are times when it is better to not say anything: in other words you don't have to engage in every trouble that challenges you. Wisdom helps you use the patience of God to "overlook" things that may hinder others. A fight, an argument, a conflict are all ways to get you to be combative and fight. Let wisdom help you choose your battles wisely.

What you say will determine what you weigh. It's what the bible says in Proverbs 18:20. Our stomach is filled from the fruit of our mouth...what comes out will determine whether we are spiritual heavy weights or one hit wonders. There is power in professing all that God is and all that He has done. Today, let your words fill your stomach and feed your dreams. The harvest that will come will completely satisfy!

The fall represents my favorite time of year. I like the colors, the cooler temperatures and college football. It started in 1978 for me while I was at Ohio State. To this day I am an avid Buckeye fan and my Saturdays are built around the game of the day. I think everybody needs something or someone to cheer for. It generates enthusiasm and brings people together. There is usually some food, some laughs and some great friendship. Especially if everyone is cheering for the same team. I think church should feel the same way. When I think about my dreams and all that God is doing to help me fulfill them I should want to cheer. I should have some friends around me that are all there for the same team. What's your church experience like? Do your dreams make you stand up and shout? Whose team are you cheering for?