Missed It?

Have you ever missed an opportunity?  Kicked yourself for letting something (or someone) get by you?  Done something that ruined a chance to move forward or be rewarded?  If so, you aren’t alone.  Let’s take a look at one example from scripture... this one from Moses:

“In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.

There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the Lord’s presence with our brothers!  Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?  Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!”

Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them, and the Lord said to Moses, “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”

   So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the Lord.  Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?”  Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”  This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.”  Numbers 20: 1-13

God wanted Moses to speak to the rock to produce water...

Moses struck it.

Game over.  Moses would never see the land that God had promised.  Opportunity missed.  Never to return. 

Unfair?  Many might think so.  After all, wasn’t the result the same?  Yes, water did pour from the stone... but the end doesn’t justify the means.  Moses blew it... and as a result would miss out on what he had dreamt about for 40 years... the promised land.

A textbook case of disobedience to God.   Moses was told something... had the opportunity to obey and follow through... and chose to do what HE wanted instead.  He  wasn’t the victim of circumstance... or had bad luck... or in the wrong place at the wrong time...  He CHOSE to disobey.  And because of that choice, he lost the opportunity for God to do something truly special through him.  

Do we do the same thing?  Do missed opportunities happen because we aren’t prepared or don’t do what we know we should?   Let’s look at a few scenarios:

What if I meet a man/woman?... What are my standards?  What will I do or not do that will honor God?

If someone I met today asked me how to have a relationship with Jesus... would I be able to explain it clearly?  

What does God want me to do in my family?  Have I shared Christ with all of them (even those hostile to the very thought of “religion”?)

Am I taking care of myself physically so that I can be fit enough to help people in and through my retirement years?  

Do I continually read, study, and grow by studying God’s Word?  What if I am in trouble... will I even know what God wants me to do?  

People pass away, circumstances change, aging happens, spiritual lives grow stagnant... and ultimately...  opportunities are missed forever.   But it doesn’t have to be that way for you.

Here’s are a few quick things I ask myself when figuring out how to not miss an opportunity:

1. Is this something God wants me to do or is it something that I want to do.  God’s requirements always take precedent over my own.  If it is something God wants me to do... I move to step 2.

2. What is God asking of me?   Is it clear what my objectives are?  Do I know what He requires?  I do this through prayer, the counsel of very close Christian friends/family, and my own understanding of scripture.  

3. What do I need to change, give-up, alter, put on hold, or sacrifice in order to do what  He’s asking me to do?  Am I willing to pay the price that obedience requires?

I find that when I run life through this filter, I am able to better seize opportunity and be obedient to God in the process.  I pray that today, when a chance to honor God comes, you will be able to do so.  Regret hurts... guilt lingers... disappointment will swallow you up.  

But those things are preventable.  

Live life... don’t just react to it.  Look for chances to let God shine through you.  Stay in tune to His nudges... and before long you will yourself blessed beyond belief and an expert in making the most of every chance.

Good Choice

The story has been told of a shoe salesman who was sent to Africa.  He was there a couple of weeks and quickly became frustrated.  His first letter back to his company read... “Please bring me home, nobody wears shoes over here.”  So the shoe company did just that.  Soon after, they sent a second salesman.  Same people.  Same situation.  The new salesman wrote a letter too... His said “Please send all the shoes you can, nobody wears shoes over here.”

Spot the difference?

Same situation.  Same shoes.  Different viewpoints.  One saw futility while the other... opportunity.  The first missed out on making a difference and his replacement changed the paradigm.

The second man had a choice and seized his opportunity.  

Have you ever kicked yourself for missing a chance that could have made a difference in life?  One decision that could have altered your course in a positive way?

Jesus’ disciples did.  The night He was betrayed, Christ asked His closest friends to stay awake and stand watch while He prayed... Here’s the result:

“Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, ‘Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour?   Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”  Matthew 26:40-41

They didn’t seize the opportunity that Jesus gave them.  They had a chance to be obedient and slept through it.  

I think we’d be amazed at how many chances per day we get to make effective and Godly decisions.  From what we eat, to how we interact with others, to our attitude when things get difficult.... we are presented with countless occasions to honor God with our choices.  

So many of us want our situation to change.  We try to bargain for miracles... we wish things were different... we hope God will come through.  We want different life results while making the same old decisions.   We want things to be different but we either aren’t ready or can’t execute on the God-given opportunity to make it that way.  

Some make the wrong choices and expect God to do it all.  

“Maybe He will make a deal with me and things will change.  I’ll be good so He will bless me anyway!”

“Maybe if I close my eyes and blow out the candles... God will grant my wish and my reality will change.”

“Maybe God will see that I want to change and hopefully do the work for me.”

Change doesn’t come from any of these... it comes from being ready and choosing to seize opportunity.  In his book, Visioneering, Andy Stanley says, “We don’t need to pray for more miracles, we just need to be more sensitive to the opportunities that God brings our way.”

What does this mean?

We want our friendships to get deeper yet we continue to choose close friends who don’t share our same convictions.  

We want our finances to change but we refuse to move ourselves (through obedience in tithing) to where He is already pouring out His blessings.

We want our children to have integrity but when people call the house we tell them to tell the caller that we aren’t home.

We want our spouse to be the man/woman of our dreams yet refuse to trust, communicate, or honor in the home ourselves.  

We want God to bless us, but when given the opportunity, we aren’t obedient to what He says in His word.

Time and time again, God gives us chances to make good decisions, be obedient, and grow... to change the world... to change ourselves.  

Are we squandering them?  Are we telling God to send us home and we’ll stay the same?  Or send shoes and we can change things?  What opportunity do you have in front of you that you’ve been hesitant to act on?   It may not be the easiest thing to do... but it will impact your life in a positive way... 

What choice can you make right now that will change you and affect the world around you?

A deeper prayer life?

Breaking a habit?

Reading your Bible more?

Getting baptized?

Figure out what opportunity God is giving you... and be bold enough to seize it.   Commit to moving forward in what you know He is leading you to do.  Be a world changer... proactive... growing in your boldness to do what you know you’ve been called to.  

Life is full of choices... I’ll be praying for you as you seek God’s guidance in the opportunities that are in front of you.

Missed Shots

Michael Jordan once said “ I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Has that ever happened to you?  You’ve dropped the ball when someone asked you to carry it.  You’ve missed a shot... Perhaps you feel the sting of failure as a parent... a husband... a wife... a student... or even as a child of God.   You’ve wanted to give up and quit... you’ve wanted to walk away... and you’ve wondered if God knew you were going through any of it.  Today’s verse is just for you. 

God’s word says that we are to run the race of life “with endurance.”  We are to be strong...steadfast...and determined.  Being sure all the while to keep our eyes on He who never failed... Jesus Christ.  Michael Jordan may have missed some baskets, but he wasn’t a failure.  You’ve missed a few things too... but I would define you in the same way.   You aren’t a failure.  People are counting on you to stay on your feet and keep at it.  The race God has for you is specifically yours... your lane... your time.  Run with faith.  Go at it with your head up, your eyes on God, and the thought of permanent failure banned from your vocabulary.  Will you slip up?  Sure.  Learn from it.  Fail forward.  God trusts you with your mission... He has given you potential... live boldly! 

Opportunity

Some years ago at a Resort Area along the East Coast, a small community was having an open town meeting about some financial problems that they were facing.  Among the two dozen or so people was one man no one seemed to know who was apparently visiting in that area & had just dropped in on the meeting.  He started to make a comment once as various projects were considered, but he was interrupted; so for the rest of the time, he kept still, and he left early.

Just as he went out someone arriving late came in, and said breathlessly, “What was he doing here? Is he going to help us?”  The rest of them said, “Who are you talking about? Who was that man?” 

The person who had just arrived said, “You mean you don’t know? That was John D. Rockefeller.  His yacht is in our harbor!  Didn’t you get his help? 

In despair someone said, “No, we didn’t get his help; we didn’t know who he was!”

Adjusted for inflation... John D. Rockefeller is considered by many to be the richest man (other than King Solomon) who ever lived.  

Have you ever missed an opportunity?  Kicked yourself for letting something (or someone) get by you?  Done something that ruined a chance to move forward or be rewarded?  If so, you aren’t alone.  Let’s take a look at one example from scripture... this one from Moses:

“In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.

There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the Lord’s presence with our brothers!  Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?  Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!”

Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them, and the Lord said to Moses, “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”

   So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the Lord.  Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?”  Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”  This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.”  Numbers 20: 1-13

God wanted Moses to speak to the rock to produce water...

Moses struck it.

Game over.  Moses would never see the land that God had promised.  Opportunity missed.  Never to return. 

Unfair?  Many might think so.  After all, wasn’t the result the same?  Yes, water did pour from the stone... but the end doesn’t justify the means.  Moses blew it... and as a result would miss out on what he had dreamt about for 40 years... the promised land.

A textbook case of disobedience to God.   Moses was told something... had the opportunity to obey and follow through... and chose to do what HE wanted instead.  He  wasn’t the victim of circumstance... or had bad luck... or in the wrong place at the wrong time...  He CHOSE to disobey.  And because of that choice, he lost the opportunity for God to do something truly special through him.  

Do we do the same thing?  Do missed opportunities happen because we aren’t prepared or don’t do what we know we should?   Let’s look at a few scenarios:

What if I meet a man/woman?... What are my standards?  What will I do or not do that will honor God?

If someone I met today asked me how to have a relationship with Jesus... would I be able to explain it clearly?  

What does God want me to do in my family?  Have I shared Christ with all of them (even those hostile to the very thought of “religion”?)

Am I taking care of myself physically so that I can be fit enough to help people in and through my retirement years?  

Do I continually read, study, and grow by studying God’s Word?  What if I am in trouble... will I even know what God wants me to do?  

People pass away, circumstances change, aging happens, spiritual lives grow stagnant... and ultimately...  opportunities are missed forever.   But it doesn’t have to be that way for you.

Here’s are a few quick things I ask myself when figuring out how to not miss an opportunity:

1. Is this something God wants me to do or is it something that I want to do.  God’s requirements always take precedent over my own.  If it is something God wants me to do... I move to step 2.
   
2. What is God asking of me?   Is it clear what my objectives are?  Do I know what He requires?  I do this through prayer, the counsel of very close Christian friends/family, and my own understanding of scripture.
   
3. What do I need to change, give-up, alter, put on hold, or sacrifice in order to do what  He’s asking me to do?  Am I willing to pay the price that obedience requires?

I find that when I run life through this filter, I am able to better seize opportunity and be obedient to God in the process.  I pray that today, when a chance to honor God comes, you will be able to do so.  Regret hurts... guilt lingers... disappointment will swallow you up.  

But those things are preventable.  

Live life... don’t just react to it.  Look for chances to let God shine through you.  Stay in tune to His nudges... and before long you will yourself blessed beyond belief and an expert in making the most of every chance.

Missed?

Some years ago at a Resort Area along the East Coast, a small community was having an open town meeting about some financial problems that they were facing.  Among the two dozen or so people was one man no one seemed to know who was apparently visiting in that area & had just dropped in on the meeting.  He started to make a comment once as various projects were considered, but he was interrupted; so for the rest of the time, he kept still, and he left early.

Just as he went out someone arriving late came in, and said breathlessly, “What was he doing here? Is he going to help us?”  The rest of them said, “Who are you talking about? Who was that man?” 

The person who had just arrived said, “You mean you don’t know? That was John D. Rockefeller.  His yacht is in our harbor!  Didn’t you get his help? 

In despair someone said, “No, we didn’t get his help; we didn’t know who he was!”

Adjusted for inflation... John D. Rockefeller is considered by many to be the richest man (other than King Solomon) who ever lived.  

Have you ever missed an opportunity?  Kicked yourself for letting something (or someone) get by you?  Done something that ruined a chance to move forward or be rewarded?  If so, you aren’t alone.  Let’s take a look at one example from scripture... this one from Moses:

“In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.

There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the Lord’s presence with our brothers!  Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?  Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!”

Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them, and the Lord said to Moses, “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”

   So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the Lord.  Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?”  Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”  This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.”  Numbers 20: 1-13

God wanted Moses to speak to the rock to produce water...

Moses struck it.

Game over.  Moses would never see the land that God had promised.  Opportunity missed.  Never to return. 

Unfair?  Many might think so.  After all, wasn’t the result the same?  Yes, water did pour from the stone... but the end doesn’t justify the means.  Moses blew it... and as a result would miss out on what he had dreamt about for 40 years... the promised land.

A textbook case of disobedience to God.   Moses was told something... had the opportunity to obey and follow through... and chose to do what HE wanted instead.  He  wasn’t the victim of circumstance... or had bad luck... or in the wrong place at the wrong time...  He CHOSE to disobey.  And because of that choice, he lost the opportunity for God to do something truly special through him.  

Do we do the same thing?  Do missed opportunities happen because we aren’t prepared or don’t do what we know we should?   Let’s look at a few scenarios:

What if I meet a man/woman?... What are my standards?  What will I do or not do that will honor God?

If someone I met today asked me how to have a relationship with Jesus... would I be able to explain it clearly?  

What does God want me to do in my family?  Have I shared Christ with all of them (even those hostile to the very thought of “religion”?)

Am I taking care of myself physically so that I can be fit enough to help people in and through my retirement years?  

Do I continually read, study, and grow by studying God’s Word?  What if I am in trouble... will I even know what God wants me to do?  

People pass away, circumstances change, aging happens, spiritual lives grow stagnant... and ultimately...  opportunities are missed forever.   But it doesn’t have to be that way for you.

Here’s are a few quick things I ask myself when figuring out how to not miss an opportunity:

Is this something God wants me to do or is it something that I want to do.  God’s requirements always take precedent over my own.  If it is something God wants me to do... I move to step 2.

What is God asking of me?   Is it clear what my objectives are?  Do I know what He requires?  I do this through prayer, the counsel of very close Christian friends/family, and my own understanding of scripture.  

What do I need to change, give-up, alter, put on hold, or sacrifice in order to do what  He’s asking me to do?  Am I willing to pay the price that obedience requires?

I find that when I run life through this filter, I am able to better seize opportunity and be obedient to God in the process.  I pray that today, when a chance to honor God comes, you will be able to do so.  Regret hurts... guilt lingers... disappointment will swallow you up.  

But those things are preventable.  

Live life... don’t just react to it.  Look for chances to let God shine through you.  Stay in tune to His nudges... and before long you will yourself blessed beyond belief and an expert in making the most of every chance.

Walls or Windows?

Today is exactly 86,400 seconds long.... and it will go by in the blink of an eye.

Look at your day so far... you’re awake... maybe you’ve made some coffee... or a lunch appointment for later.  Maybe you’ve already checked your email, scanned twitter, and clicked the bookmark to join us here on my Facebook page.   Or perhaps it’s much later in your day and you’ve chatted with a client at lunch...or it’s night and you just put the kids to bed.

In any case... time hasn’t stopped or slowed down.  Not even once.  The sun blazed it’s path across the sky at the same rate it always does (except that once in Joshua 10:13).  

My point?  Today’s 86,400 seconds represent more than just things that happen to you. Your day is about more than handshakes, heartbreaks, and YouTube.  Your day was created special... by the Master Day-maker... by the One who cares more about you than anyone... by God.

Just for you.

Nobody on this whole planet has a day like you do.  The faces you’ll see... the words you will say... all unique to you.  Each experience hand-crafted to teach you something, remind you that you are loved, or present you with something that only you can grow from. 

What’s that “something”?  Opportunity.  What will you do with your opportunity today?

Make the most of life?

“Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.”  - Colossians 4:5

Do good for others?

“Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” Galatians 6:10

Be positive?  Teach someone something? Comfort a friend?  Confront someone lovingly?  Cease a relationship?  Start a new one?  Launch a business?  Take a class?  

You have 86,400 seconds a day to make the most of the opportunities that God has placed on your heart.  Some you will know are coming and you can prepare for... others you will be forced to handle on the spot.  In either case, your decision will move you closer to your God-potential or draw you further away... There are no neutral choices.  

The challenge with opportunity is that we think we have to wait for it to arrive... We’re ready for the thing we think is best for us... standing at the dock waiting for that ship to come in!  Unfortunately...many times while we wait for that ship, opportunity arrives on a plane at the airport.  

And we have to adjust.  And we think we miss it.  And life doesn’t go as we want it to.  And we aren’t ready.  And we think God’s mad at us.  And we think we deserve it.  

God doesn’t see it that way.

Tomorrow morning, God is going to reset the timer and you’re going to get another 86,400 seconds to love, protect, trust, obey, serve, give, cheer, be brave, dive in, high-five, cry, laugh, defend, and follow through.  There might be someone in your path that needs to hear about Christ... or someone who needs to see it modeled in your behavior.  Maybe what you’ve been praying for will come to fruition...or maybe it’s another day when God tells you to patiently wait because He has something better for you.  

Tomorrow you may get the opportunity to break the cycle and be the dad you didn’t have... or you’ll spend your seconds being both mom and dad to your kids.   I don’t know what opportunity you’ll have when God wakes you up in the morning... or even the ones He has planned out for the rest of your today...

What I do know is that you’ll have them... and that 95% of your success in those opportunities... the way you can truly honor God with the way you handle them... is in your perspective.  Winston Churchill said it this way:

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”  

What do you see ahead?   Walls or windows?  Challenges or chances?   A way to feel sorry for yourself or a way to trust God because you don’t understand?  Sometimes we want to see life-events as punishment for our sins when all God means them to be are chances to grow.  The way we view what happened or what will happen to us can dramatically alter the way we see the size of our God.  

God is NEVER small.  He is all-powerful.  He is all-knowing.  He is everywhere at one time.  

And He has put together a day of chances and challenges that can draw you closer to Him and His will for your life.  It just takes the right perspective and an unflinching focus on loving Christ and loving those He has put in our path.  

The clock is ticking.   Make every second (and every opportunity) count.

Every Moment

Christian writer Philip Yancey once wrote ““If you can live through a moment, you can live through a day, and how you live a day is eventually how you live your life.“  Quite a true statement.  Life is made up of little decisions... roads not taken and paths that are... choices, challenges, and chances... all leading us somewhere.

Today, you’ll have hundreds of opportunities.  What will you fill them with?  In the book of Ephesians, Paul tells us to “make the most of every opportunity” ...  some philosophers tell us to “seize the day”... why?  Because we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow.  God has kept our heart beating and our lungs taking in air for a reason... to bring Him glory... to serve others... and be the best that we can be.  

This Sunday will be one of those opportunities to seize.  A chance to be a part of something that will strengthen your walk with Christ… This Sunday, all of Potential Church’s South Florida campuses will come together as one.  Worshiping, praying, learning, growing, and connecting… one time in one place.  If you are in the area and can make it… we’d love to see you there.  10AM - BB&T Center - Sunrise, Florida.

Want another chance to seize the day?  Why not seize two?  Join thousands of people this weekend at the Xtreme Music Conference… worshiping with such bands as Switchfoot and Hillsong United.  This Saturday and Sunday evening… BB&T Center in Sunrise.

I am excited to see what God is going to do through both the concerts and our church services.  Not only the service at the BB&T, but in those all over the world at our other campuses.  The team and I have been praying for breakthrough… for life-change… for strength for each and every person that steps through the doors.  It’s our prayer that people would come to know Christ as their Savior… that what held them down up till now would be left behind…and they would live free for the first time in Christ.  Will you join us in this prayer?  Will you pray with us that thousands would come…and experience much more than they ever expected?   

I can’t wait to experience this with you.  Let’s make the most of every moment and give God the glory for what He does in and through those that come.