This article is from a guest blog post I wrote for Gospel Today Magazine... We all have dreams. I’m not talking about the dreams that you have at night. I’m talking about the thoughts and desires that are so much a part of you, you seemingly can’t get away from them. It’s that hunger and drive inside of you to be something more than what you are right now; to do something far beyond what you have accomplished at this point in your life. It’s the thing that you love to talk about more than anything else. Even if you don’t talk about it much, it’s still got a hold of you more than you have a hold of it. While our life’s dreams should inspire us to be and do more, they often lead to frustration when we don’t know how to transform them into reality. One of the key reasons is that God is often left out of that process. We hear people tell us to “dream big,” but if your big dream is not connected to God plans for your life, your efforts will be futile. Finish reading this article at: http://www.gospeltoday.com/blog/2015/02/15/b-i-g-dreams-require-b-i-g-prayers/#sthash.aJpZlxD3.dpuf Project THRIVE is a collaboration between Redemption and Advancement Alliance and Kinsman Inc., in partnership with Morehouse School of Medicine and Villages at Carver Family YMCA in South Atlanta. Our focus is on empowering men with challenging backgrounds and circumstances to make "Healthy Choices for a Successful Life." Our first event was held on January 24th. We had several session including fitness, nutrition, sexual health, drug and alcohol addiction awareness training, and mental/emotional awareness. From excellent instructors to a professional chef, the 15 attendees had a great time and provided very useful feedback which we'll use to develop our long-term programming. It was a great success and the men provide great feedback with which we'll use to develop a long-term program. Stay tuned for the next event! Learn more at www.redeem-advance.org Leave your comments below... Did you know the manifestation of your dream was meant to be a gift from God that keeps giving to others? On the most recent Sunday night Dream Catalyst Weekly Prayer Call I taught about the Parable of the Ten Minas found in Luke 19. One of the key principles gleaned from this parable - similar to the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25 - is that the most significant reward for our faithfulness is not money. Instead it's responsibility that's connected to influence over people. We must recognize that the dream given to us by God comes with His expectation that through the fulfillment of our dreams our lives will continually be a blessing to others. Click here to listen to the prayer call and download the teaching notes. Have a blessed day! Feel free to write your comments below...
We had another powerful call this week in our continuing series #YourDreamMatters: From Dreaming to Thriving. The specific focus on this call was part 2 of Grace vs. Grind. During the devotional portion I talked about how important it is for us to focusing more on "becoming" rather than "doing" or performing our way into God's grace. When you understand your true identity in Christ you will embrace the fact that you don't have to earn or perform your way into God's grace. In addition to listening to the call I also included some bonus content for you to download. Just click the link below and enjoy! /resource-kit.html As we commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I am reminded of one of his most potent quotes: "If a man hasn't discovered something to die for, he is not fit to live." Click below to watch this special video message and ask yourself if you're willing to die for your dream... It's amazing how many Christian entrepreneurs glory in their grind more than relying upon the grace of God. On this week's prayer call the focus was on the choices that we make to either work based on our own strength or work resting in the strength of God. And according to Mark 4:1-20, our choice and the corresponding harvest (or lack thereof) is based on the condition of our hearts. You will definitely be blessed and challenged by this call (I know because I was challenged as I was in teaching it). Click below to listen to the call and download the teaching notes. You can also access the previous call and notes if you haven't done so already. Also, don't forget to mark your calendar for the continuation of this series, #YourDreamMatters: From Dreaming to Thriving, this Sunday at 8:30 PM Did you know that your spiritual gifts were not just meant for church and could also be used in business? In reality, because we are the church and our spiritual gifts are always with us, they can be used in any environment as we are led by the Spirit of God. Many people miss out on their harvest because they put God and their spiritual gifts in a box and don't realize or embrace using them in the marketplace. Darren Shearer, author of Marketing Like Jesus, recently recorded a great podcast discussing the 3 ways that you can use your spiritual gifts in business. He writes in his blog post: "Certainly, we should offer our spiritual gifts in a way that helps our churches have outstanding services and excellent programs. I believe this is an essential part of transforming our communities. Using your spiritual gifts in business is a great lesson that should be taught in more churches. You can listen to the entire podcast here: http://darrenshearer.com/episode-30-3-ways-use-spiritual-gifts-business/ What are you spiritual gifts? How do you use them in your business? Don't believe the lie that your life doesn't matter or that God has no use for you. His dream for your life is connected to your purpose and people. Your dream matters more than you know! Join me at Prayer Assembly COGIC in Phoenix, AZ on Sunday, December 28th as I share this powerful message. RELATED ARTICLE: #BlackLivesMatter: Why Your Dream Matters "Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies." Romans 8:33 It's Election Day and everybody is talking about the candidates and who they are going to cast their votes for. Here in Georgia we have a small snapshot of Georgia's political legacy, considering those with politically famous names running for office including, Jason Carter (grandson of President Jimmy Carter), Michelle Nunn (daughter of former Senator Sam Nunn), and David Perdue (first cousin of former Governor Sonny Perdue). Those who are not privy to walk in those political circles might tend to feel left out or helpless as it relates to wielding influence or receiving political favor. Fortunately, God doesn't look at last names to determine whether or not you're worthy to receive favors from Him. He is not a respecter of persons, His love is everlasting, and His mercy endures forever! In fact, God voted for you when He chose His son to die on your behalf. And according to Revelation 5:9, you were elected you to the position of king and priest. So, whether you know it or not, as part of God's family you have a lot of royal responsibilities here on the planet (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble." ~ 2 Peter 1:10 Just like politicians are supposed to serve their constituents, your election is connected to an assignment (life purpose) to solve a problem for a specific group of people. God called you to be great and do something that serves others in a significant manner. Your work matters to God and those whom you have been assigned to work with. Peter admonished all Believers to acknowledge and accept our callings so that we would not fall short of the greatness God planned for us. When you embrace what God created you to do you put yourself in position for Him to give you influence to use for His glory. And the kickbacks you get from Him as a result of your obedience can't be compared to anything you could get from anyone else. So no matter who you vote for today, just remember God already voted for you! Please leave your comments below... Did you know that fewer than half of American workers were satisfied with their jobs in 2013, according to a recent survey from the Conference Board? I believe one reason is that too many people have tried to fit their vocation into their occupation. What do I mean by that? The origin of the word vocation is “spiritual calling.” I would venture to say that most people don’t feel very “spiritual” about their 9 to 5. Your vocation goes beyond the job you do everyday. Your true vocation is linked to your life purpose. Unfortunately, not enough people understand their life purpose or do what’s necessary to pursue to a career that becomes a reflection of that. In a perfect world, of course, your occupation by default would be your vocation. But for most people that’s not the case. Many in the workforce are frustrated because they have a deep yet unfulfilled desire to do work they believe exemplifies and flows from their life purpose. Unfortunately, they don’t know how to make that a reality. With a deeper understanding of vocation, you can make the shift from work frustration to fulfillment. If you’re looking for a way to transition from the mundane to the meaningful; from working just for the money to work that is purposeful and fulfilling, click here to learn more about a free resource that would be of great benefit to you. Have you been able to find an occupation that closely aligns with your purpose? How did you do it? Looking forward to your comments. |
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