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Do you have the feeling that you’re in a “no-win” situation? Think that you’re in a dead end job? Can’t understand why God would have ever put you where you are? Well, know this – no experience is wasted! God doesn’t waste anything. He uses all our experiences – the good, the bad and the ugly – to prepare us.

Moses grew up in a “foster home.” He spent 40 years in Pharaoh’s palace learning the language and ways of the Egyptians. That’s because God was going to use him to lead Israel out of Egypt. What better preparation for understanding your enemy than to be raised among them.

But Moses also needed to learn some personal lessons. So God took him out into the desert for another 40 years to tend sheep. The “grandson” of Pharaoh is now a lowly shepherd. Nothing will humble you more than having to take a job for which you’re overqualified – especially when it’s your own failure that put you there. Those years on the poor side of town taught Moses what it’s like to identify with the hurting.

Finally, at 80, he’s ready to fulfill his calling. God spoke to him personally out of a burning bush, “Moses, Moses!” (Exodus 3:4) It was at this most unlikely place that God revealed to Moses his calling as Israel’s deliverer. And even though he experienced fear, made excuses and raised objections, he ended up doing the job.

The point is this – Moses‘ 80 years of training weren’t wasted. His 40 years in the palace prepared him to deal with Pharaoh. His 40 years as a shepherd prepared him to lead God’s people through the wilderness and into their destiny.

So even though you may be going through a difficult time, rejoice. God never wastes an experience. Never! He’ll use it for your good and His glory!

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 9.20. Live for God, on purpose, for He is preparing you for something great!

Persuaded by the Promise
of the Spirit

Have you ever made a promise? Children will make special promises with each other, called a “pinky promise,” where they will link their pinky fingers while speaking a commitment to each other. Most often, those promises are forgotten. When dating, sometimes teens will make a promise to each other, even wearing a promise ring. Those promises are broken as often as they are kept. In fact, an engagement ring is a type of a promise ring. So is a wedding ring. Unfortunately, especially in the day in which we live, those promises are too often broken.

Anytime people make promises, one to another, there is the distinct possibility that the promise will at sometime be overlooked, forgotten, and eventually broken.

However, God is not man. And when God makes a promise, He never breaks it!

In Joel 2:28-29 we read this prophesy – “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

On the day of Pentecost, we read in Acts 2 that the believers were “all together in one place” and that the heard “a sound like a rushing wind.” They saw “what seemed to be tongues of fire” that came on each of them. And, most remarkably, Acts 2:4 says, “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

The apostle Peter, who had just previously been so backward and ashamed that he denied Christ, then suddenly becomes bold, and tells all who were present that “this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel,” and quotes the very prophecy from Joel 2 we mentioned.

What does this have to do with us today? Everything! Because, you see, this is a promise from God! Peter says in Acts 2:39 that this “promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Each and every one of us is a part of that group of whoever God will call! The promise of the Holy Spirit is for you, my friend! Be sure to join us this Sunday here at WFA as we continue our series of messages on “Persuaded by the Power of God!” with this third message – “Persuaded by the Promise of the Spirit!”

Strengthen Your Mind Through the Scriptures!

Our bodies don’t work too well without adequate exercise; neither do our minds! Ever go back upstairs to remind yourself of why you originally went downstairs? Are names, numbers and appointments you remembered effortlessly in the past becoming increasingly elusive? Do you sometimes wonder if you’re “losing it?” Doctors say that in most cases, mindless hours in front of television, avoiding intellectual stimulation and exertion, result in the shrinking of our mind’s capacity, including our memory.

“Brain fitness” experts assure us that our brains don’t grow old from working too hard, but from hardly working at all. “Brain plasticity” – the capacity of our mind to retain or regain flexibility – is a matter of exercise. When you just let your mind “vegetate” and don’t stretch it with thoughtful reading, rational thinking, intelligent analysis and conversation, it loses plasticity and becomes old at any age. On the other hand, if you challenge your mind regularly, your brain gets younger as you get older (the problem is not how old your brain is, but how old your thinking is).

Here’s a great way to strengthen your mind: “Study... present yourself to God approved, a workman who has no cause to be ashamed... accurately dividing the Word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) The word “study” in Greek text means to exert yourself mentally, to push your mind to study God’s Word. Like a “workman,” make it work! God promises that if you meditate on His Word daily you’ll become “...like a tree planted by streams of water... which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” (Psalms 1:3).

Don’t let your mind “wither;” exercise and strengthen it by studying the Scriptures!

A Reservoir of Power

by Jim Burns

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” — Acts 1:8

I heard a story a few years ago about a farmer in the panhandle of Texas. This farmer and his wife had eked out a meager living in the dusty panhandle for 30 years when an impeccably dressed man in a three-piece suit driving a fancy car came to their door. He told the farmer that he had good reason to believe there was a reservoir of oil underneath his property. If the farmer would allow the gentleman the right to drill, perhaps the farmer would become a wealthy man. The farmer stated emphatically that he didn’t want anyone messing up his property and asked the gentleman to leave. The next year about the same time the gentleman returned again with his nice clothes and another fancy car. The oilman pleaded with the farmer, and again the farmer said no. This same experience went on for the next eight years. During those eight years the farmer and his wife really struggled to make ends meet. Nine years after the first visit from the oilman, the farmer came down with a disease that put him in the hospital. When the gentleman arrived to plead his case for oil he spoke to the farmer’s wife. Reluctantly she gave permission to drill.

Within a week huge oil rigs were beginning the process of drilling for oil. The first day nothing happened. The second day was filled with only disappointment and dust. But on the third day, right about noon, black bubbly liquid began to squirt up in the air. The oilman had found “black gold,” and the farmer and his wife were instantly millionaires.

You have a reservoir of power in your life. If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit works in your life. You can tap into His power and live your life with resurrection power. The Holy Spirit will empower you to live life on a greater level, but you’ve got to tap into His power source just like the farmer needed to drill for oil. The Bible says to “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18) and to “live by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16). People are searching for the power to change their lives when in fact the power is already dwelling within them in the form of God’s Holy Spirit. Tap into His reservoir of power!

as seen in “Today’s HomeWord,” a daily devotional with Jim Burns. Visit them online at www.homeword.com

Stop Gunky Buildup

I saw this sign at a gas station while I was traveling... “Stop Gunky Buildup.” It made me think about instances when I’ve had to deal with “gunky build-up” in my life. For me, gunky build-up occurs when I let less important stuff squeeze out the real priorities in my life. Maybe you’ve experienced it too:

• Sometimes I believe the lie that I can’t afford to take a break and rest. The reality is that I’m far less effective in my family and leadership roles when I’m tired and grumpy.

• Sometimes I believe the lie that I’ll spend quality time with my wife at the end of the day after everything else is done. The reality is that the last things on my priority list rarely get done.

• Sometimes I believe the lie that I’ll get to the next big projects after I knock out the more routine tasks. The reality is that there will always be other routine tasks to complete.

• Sometimes I believe the lie that the more I do, the more valuable I am to the team. The reality is that I’m not being effective if I’m busy doing the wrong things.

• Sometimes I believe the lie that the little problem I have isn’t jeopardizing my leadership. The reality is that most times everyone else is already being impacted by my little problem.

• Sometimes I believe the lie that I need to correct every false statement and negative comment. The reality is that many times those faint voices become a distraction when I draw attention and make them loud.

• Sometimes I believe the lie that goals will be accomplished without a plan if I’m just patient and faithful. The reality is that most goals worth pursuing require counsel and strategy and hard work and commitment.

• Sometimes I believe the lie that I need to jump at a good opportunity. The reality is that someone will always have a good opportunity for me to pursue, and many times those good opportunities squeeze out time and energy needed to fulfill a greater mission and calling.

Do you know what I’m talking about? Have you dealt with similar cases of gunky build-up? I’m still trying to learn how to deal with this, but along the way I’ve also learned some preventive maintenance that helps clean up my engine. Here are some things I’ve learned I need to do to “de-gunk” my life:

• Schedule my week in advance, including scheduling time to work on major projects.

• Prioritize time with my wife.

• Surround myself with friends who will push back when needed.

• Stay disciplined about my faith, my exercise, and my eating habits.

• Learn to say no.

• Decide in advance what I hope to accomplish.

So, is it time for you to stop the gunky build-up in your life? Now is the time to do something about it. Don’t delay.

as seen in Mike Benson’s devotional “KneEmail” at http://www.forthright.net/kneemail

Were Not Our Hearts Burning Within Us

In Luke 24:32, the apostles spoke to each other, and said, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

That’s the problem!

We can have the privilege of listening to the best sermons, “sit under” the best Bible teachers and scholars and still “miss it”. They even “missed it” with Jesus!

It was afterwards, that they admitted that they had experienced an awesome time! Their hearts were too heavy.

Often we go to Church for the wrong reasons, or get absorbed in the presentation and miss the message. They had Jesus – today, we have the Holy Spirit, and yet both of us “miss it”.

Jesus was giving a Bible Study all about Himself and they still didn’t recognize Him. Today, the Holy Spirit’s role, according to Jesus in John 16:14 is “to bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you”. In other words, to make Jesus known to us. But we miss it.

So often, we seek the gifts and not the Giver. So often we seek the experience and He wants to give us reality. So often we seek the supernatural and He desires that we move naturally in the supernatural!

So often we sense the Holy Spirit’s presence – a thought in our mind, a rising of the pulse rate, a tear falling down our cheeks uninitiated, a warmth, a calmness, a peace – and yet we let it pass without a response.

Or maybe we experience a special event, or someone shares about a certain situation, and we know within us that God has been speaking to us or He has shown something to us about it, but we hold back and keep quiet.

We say to ourselves afterwards – didn’t my heartburn within me when that happened.

What tremendous release there would have been, had we “stepped out in faith” and shared what God revealed, or been obedient to His voice.

The antidote to a burning heart disappointment is to “recognize” Jesus and the Holy Spirit when they share something with you, and act upon it!

as seen in Sold Out For Jesus, a free ministry of Salt and Light Ministries http://www.saltandlightministries.net/

Battle Hymns

A battle arose between the Pastor and the Choir Director of Grace Church.

The first hint of trouble came when the Pastor preached on “dedicating yourselves to service” and the Choir Director chose to sing: “I Shall Not Be Moved.”

Trying to believe it was a coincidence, the Pastor put the incident behind him. The next Sunday he preached on “giving.” Afterwards, the choir squirmed as the director led them in the hymn: “Jesus Paid It All.”

By this time, the Pastor was losing his temper. Sunday Morning attendance swelled as the tension between the two built. A large crowd showed up the next week to hear his sermon on “The sins of Gossiping.” Would you believe the Choir Director selected “I Love To Tell The Story?”

There was no turning back. The following Sunday the Pastor told the congregation that unless something changed, he was considering resignation. The entire church gasped when the Choir Director led them in “Why Not Tonight?”

Truthfully, no one was surprised when the Pastor resigned a week later, explaining that Jesus had led him there and Jesus was leading him away. The Choir Director could not resist “What A Friend We Have In Jesus.”

The Last Impression

A woman meant to call a record store, but dialed the wrong number and got a private home instead. “Do you have ‘Eyes of Blue‘ and ‘A Love Supreme?’” she asked.

“Well, no,” answered the puzzled homeowner. “But I have a wife and eleven children.”

“Is that a record?” she inquired, puzzled in her turn.

“I don’t think so,” replied the man, “but it’s as close as I want to get.”

I am eagerly looking forward to this Sunday here at WFA! We will be having a water baptismal service, as folks obey the command of the Lord to follow him in baptism. And, I will be continuing my series of messages on “Persuaded by the Power of God!” It will be a fantastic day in the house of the Lord! Don’t miss it!