Chosen

Have you ever taken a moment to think that of all the people all across the world that could be doing what you are doing that God chose you? Maybe you are not like me, but many people didn't pick me. So often I was the one looked over but in Ephesians 1:4 (amp) says that God actually handpicked me out. I am the one that He picked. I didn't choose Him I was just responding to something that He had already done. I was just catching up to the place where He had been waiting for me all that time. I don't ever want to cease to be amazed that God wanted me. That He loves me right where I am and chose to put a label on me that says...Chosen. That means I am no suprise to God! He knew what he was getting and chose me anyway. That is something that will give you a confidence you have never known.

Every person in the Bible that did anything great for God first had to realize that they had been chosen. Joseph in a dream. David out in a field keeping some sheep. Abraham in a tent. Joshua out where no one even knew where they were God knew and showed up to let him know he was chosen. Rahab in her house before a city was destroyed. Mary at her house laying asleep in her bed when an angel showed up. Saul on the road going to murder some people. God has a way of showing up and putting a label on you of chosen. The moment that you realize that you are chosen is the moment that changes everything from that point forward. Ohhh if the world could only get that they are indeed chosen. That their life is so much more than the 8-5 work schedule. If you could grab hold of a vision that is larger than life that is bigger than where you are that vision would change everything that is now written of you from this point forward.

You see when God shows up you can't stay the same. When He marks you now all of a sudden the life that once seemed boring and just another day, becomes a day of unexplored potential.

Click here to find out how you are chosen

On the way to where you are going....

This morning my kids were in the mood for some chicken nuggets from McDonald's. They were about to go see some friends so as any "good mom" would I picked up happy meals for all the kids that would be where we were going.

(Side note since when did McDonald's stop doing the box for the happy meal? That is like fundamental memory all children should have! Ha! Now back to the blog)

I go up to the first window to pay. The girl working stops what she was doing and tears up looking at me. I think bless her heart she has had a hard day.

She then asks me "Do you speak?"

I am thinking hmmmm do I speak...well I did order four happy meals just a moment ago.

She quickly corrects herself and says "Do you preach?"

I tell her "Yes I do". I must say at this point I am totally puzzled as to where this is going exactly.

She then tells me how she was one of the girls that was at the school when I came and preached at the High School this year. She began to talk about how it changed her life. She talks about how she is going to school in the fall and working at McDonald's for the summer to save up money.....

I began to think about how some of the best blessings in life come on the way to where you are going....

I remember the first time I preached at the school to a group of about 50 teenage girls that looked at me like I was crazy the whole time while I poured my heart out about the love that Jesus has for them. They sat there straight faced the whole time. I was wondering should I even have come? Then at the end there was much weeping and ministry where girls lives were changed. Through the last 4 years I have gotten to go to various schools and minister to teens of all ages amongst other women events.

I was talking to a girl a few months ago that wants to start preaching to women. I asked her if she had stepped out and spoke at any ladies events yet. She said "Well you see the only offers I have received are ones to minister to groups of 20 people or so. So I have turned them all down. God has called me to preach to thousands."

I must say my heart broke as I heard those words come out of her mouth. She turned down a chance to change 20 people's lives because it was too small. What if Jesus would have said "12 disciples really God? I am called to save the world and you only give me 12 to minister to?"

As I pulled out of McDonald's I was overwhelmed with emotion as I thought of how one girl's life was changed because someone wasn't more caught up in the size of a crowd or the response of the people. I was just willing to go through a door God opened. Do I believe that I will one day preach to crowds of thousands...Yes I have seen it in my heart.

Although I don't know that will be the day I receive the blessings from God...Some of the biggest things God has done is right now....On the way to where I am going.....

In my life I have been forced to ask the question.

"God what do you do when you have given me everything I have asked for?"

As a young girl growing up I just wanted a happy family. A wonderful hubby that would love me take care of me. I wanted to be a mom and stay at home with my babies. I wanted parents that served the Lord with a passionate heart. I look over each Sunday morning and cry each time as I see them hands raised praising Jesus. As I got older I developed a passion to preach the Gospel of Jesus. My husband and I took over a youth group of literally on a good night 2 kids and now in that youth group we have 100+. I live in a wonderful home. All my needs are met. So what do you do when God gives you everything?

This is such a good picture to show where I am standing right now in my life...

Looking out at vast amounts of uncharted waters not knowing what is to come yet at the same time knowing that the possibilities are just like the sky is endless...It is time to take the next step...Steps that will lead to new places and new things.

God is always calling us deeper. Always wanting to stretch us into new uncharted areas of our faith.

Luke 5:4-6

When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.

Simon here had to make a decision to be happy with what he had or to go out to the place where Jesus was taking him.

Jesus is always calling us to go out to deeper waters. He desires us to ask and believe for things that are bigger than we are. Jesus wants nothing more then for you to step out into a place where when He moves you will know it was Him, because you were so over your head there is no way you could take credit.

Notice here Jesus said that they would get "a catch". Then when you read on they caught a great number of fish and their net was breaking. Jesus had promised them they would catch some. As Bryan says Jesus' "some" is more than you can handle!!

So here I am. Standing looking over vast opportunities. Not knowing what may be out there. I know God is about big things and that He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it...

So I leave with this as where to go from here:

Luke 1:38

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”

Confidence level=Life happiness level

Hebrews 10:35-36 Therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

I was reading this the other day. It tells us not to cast away what? Our confidence....Why not because it is the determiner of our great reward.....hmmmmmmmm

So you mean it isn't me being "good" or "perfect". It is my confidence in God to bring to pass what He said He would do. That really rocks everything you thought about obtaining your goals huh? Being confident in the things of God is for sure the number one thing I watch people slip up in and then everything else starts falling in around them. I never quiet understood why it works like that until I read this. Our confidence in God has everything to do with us receiving the promises of God. So I must ask....where is your confidence?

Out of our confidence comes our endurance is what it talks about in verse 16. The devil wants to attack your confidence in God through attacking your children, finances, health, situations, job etc. These things will make people waiver in their confidence which then makes them loose the endurance to finish their race. In the message translation verse 16 finishes by saying it is our promised completion. God promises our finish you determine weather you have the endurance to get there.

So how is your confidence in the things of God in your life. Are you led by your circumstances or by the word....That my friends is a question that only you can answer.