Finding and Filling the Gaps

In everything we do there are always gaps. The question is what do we fill them with? We go from "Glory to Glory" or mountain top to mountain top. The key is, what we do in the middle is what counts. Between the "Glory...s" is where the gap is found. Call it what you want; valley, gap, desert, or tough times...they only last as long as we let them tarry. The Israelites did not have to stay in the desert for forty years, the journey was not that long. Problem is, during the in-between their actions and decisions prolonged the stay. Glory was waiting, the promised land was still a promise, but the people were not ready for the blessing. We have to prepare ourselves for the great while we wait. WE GROW IN THE WAIT!!! How quickly and how much ground we cover is up to us. As we begin our climb up the next mountain it may seem big and scary, but so did the giants in the promise land. If there aren't giants standing in your way, it probably is not what has been promised! The mountain of glory is your promise and the further away we stand from it the smaller it looks and the bigger our promises seem. So today choose to fill the gaps, the valleys, with His vision for your life. The closer we get to the mountain the bigger it gets, all the while the shrinking issues become so small that standing next to God's promises we can't help but OVERCOME!!!...point blank, I read the end of the Book. God WINS! - Nola -

3 Reasons why you CAN’T succeed

1. Your past is too bad to be effective – The enemy loves to tell us that because of our mistakes of yesterday we will never live up to our purpose today. We no longer have to live in this lie. Jesus came to give us an abundant life! We are warriors! Satan is a counterfeit…period. Revelation 12:11 says we will overcome him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. These are promises of God. God will use the beat down and broken people of this world to make Jesus famous! The first part of Rev 12:11 is done and over with…Jesus has already paid the price and died for our sins. In doing this he snatched the keys of that abundant life off the enemies belt loop and presented them to us! The latter of the verse is one of my favorite parts of scripture in the Bible. We kick Satan in the teeth by testifying of our past. I was, but now I AM! Stop looking at your future through your present circumstances! 2. You lack the ability to accomplish – We have failed for so long that we are now comfortable in this. Side note…Men…stop relying on the women around us to be the spiritual head and example! STAND UP! I’m a firm believer in the fact that when we can’t, God can. He is our source. Doing anything out of self always brings us to a place of incomplete and empty. There is no staying power in self. To get to the place that there is a reliance on Jesus and the POWER of the Holy Spirit to accomplish everything is the first step in hosting His Presence. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” -Philippians 4:13-… Stop telling God how big your problems are and begin to tell your problems how BIG your God is! 3. Your journey is too hard to finish – I love the movie Lion King. I really get so much from it. If you recall, Mufasa sits Simba down on top of Pride Rock and shows his son their kingdom. The king tells the son that everything he can see is his…except the small area covered in shadows. Why is it that when we are given SO MUCH and warned of the so little we automatically want to experience the danger zone? You see, Simba had already received the entire kingdom but he had to walk through his journey before it could truly be gained. Simba chose, through enticement by the very one he spent the most time with (Nala), to just go and visit the shadowed land. Scar, was there with all his cronies with their hearts set on one thing…to destroy the chosen one. King Mufasa gave his life to save his son, the chosen one. Simba, even though going against his dad’s command, could not get away from his fathers love. God will fight for you in the middle of the journey to make sure you make it to the end. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;” – Psalm 23:4 – The desert land is a scary place, but God promises to provide the way of escape. The journey may be long, hard, and sometimes our decision take us through that dark place full of shadows…but here it is…if the Bible is true then Psalm 23:4 is another promise from God. It is only a shadow! -Nola-

Pain is Comfort

I tend to want to walk around with the entire world on my shoulders. Whatever storm is raging in my life seems “comfortable”. Instead of passing it off to the One who created it all I just stumble through the day…I’ll just put on my raincoat and sit in the thunderstorm. This is crazy talk I know, but I’m just being honest. So why?... Change is difficult, painful at times. We drive a certain direction to work or have a certain routine to our day, then all of a sudden the carpet is pulled out from under us and that road is being repaved. The whole day is ruined because our daily frappe routine went out the window. Change is difficult. These dudes are trying to navigate a fifteen passenger boat through a massive hurricane and they are freaking out. Water is filling the vessel so they put on their wetsuits and just sat in it. “Hopefully we will make it through this. Who knows, this could be it for us. I guess we just have to endure the storm.” The whole time the answer to the problem is in their midst. These fishermen had dealt with adversity before and seen the answer deliver them many times. They already KNEW the Answer! But…why not deal with it in their own power this time. The way I see the story is that eventually one of them had an epiphany (revelation beyond all revelation...haha). “Let’s ask the One who created this all for help!...I mean, he’s downstairs sleeping in the bottom of the boat.” They woke him up freaking out. Hommie has his pants on as a shirt, his socks are on top of his shoes, he forgot to brush his teeth. Jesus is all calm and collected like He always is. One word from our Creater and the madness in our minds, life, and circumstances are stilled. Jesus spoke to the storm and it stopped. Finally they gave up and let God. Quit telling God how big your problems are and begin speaking to the problems about how BIG your God is!!!! Heaviness in our life destroys the daily fruit of our purpose. So the Bible gives us clear direction of how to step out of the boat of destruction and onto the calm waters of freedom…trade in a spirit of heaviness for a garment of praise! In the middle of the hurricane praise Jesus anyway…”consider it pure joy” (James 1:2). We have to take off the rain jacket and wrap ourselves in the One who created the rain. Just let GO! Ask Him to be our comforter. When the times are toughest we have to praise Him anyways! There is something about worship. Our worship ushers in His Holy Presence and God responds with FREEDOM! So let’s try something new…rip the Band-Aid of comfortable off and let change revolutionize our lives! He wants me to help those in Zion who are filled with sorrow. I will put beautiful crowns on their heads in place of ashes. I will anoint them with oil to give them gladness instead of sorrow. I will give them a spirit of praise in place of a spirit of sadness. They will be like oak trees that are strong and straight. The Lord himself will plant them in the land. That will show how glorious he is. <>< Isaiah 61:3 ><> -Nola-

All my wrong Decisions, Mistakes, and the Miracles that follow

Is there really such thing as a mistake? If God really is who He said He was then I'm coming to the conclusion that a mistake is nothing less than a GRAND OPPORTUNITY! So ya, I was set free from drugs and all the junk that comes with that. I was given my hearts desires of a beautiful amazing wife, great job, and all the other "things" that can make me "happy"...but I made some mistakes. Let me be transparent for a minute. I am now a 28 year old divorced man living in a mission. WHAT!!! I know what your thinking...no, not you(haha). Here is the really really really really cool thing that I not only think, but know. Jesus did not come for the Holy, well put together, World-smashing (little p) popes of yesterday, today, or tomorrow. HE came for the broken, lost, and down-n-out end-of-the-line nothing-but-HIM warriors of the generations! He just wants an open vessel. Hey God...use me. Hey God...I'm available. Alright, catch this...What if we (CEO's, homeless people, parents, families, Pastors, teens,) all said, "why not me? I'm available". Here comes the beautiful exchange...the ashes for beauty if you will. When an offended heart shifts to a submitted heart all the desires of that heart become alive again. Our ministry, purpose, job, and even ex-wife go from "ours" to "HIS". I tend to be on the side of the fence that believes God is THE RESTORER of our FAITH. I kinda think that what the enemy has taken away, God will put back better than before. Our thinking goes from horizontal to vertical, from inward to outward, from backwards to onward! We finally understand that "faith of a mustard seed". Why?...because we have spent time with the Lord and have a track record with Him. We have seen Him do things before and know that he will do them again. Faith is.... So the crux of it all is pretty simple. God has a plan. As we take our own path for a hot minute and make all kinds of "mistakes" God is re-routing the path to GREATNESS! I honestly don't think there is any other option than the highest calling. So ya, WHY NOT ME! WHY NOT US! WHY NOT THIS GENERATION! The first will be last and the last will be first, for many are called but few are chosen...the chosen just answer the call and allow their mistakes to turn into miracles! -Nola-

questions...with a quick swift answer ><>

Right now, in this moment, I am having to walk out all I have learned, been trained in, and claim to believe. Can I share something?....it is a LOT easier to talk about it than to have to actually do...to come from where i was, to where i am, in such a short period of time was a mind blowing miracle of God! It is great, but the thing is life didn't just become a cake walk and all...it is still very very very tough. In the past 8 months I have had everything I could ever imagine, lost some, and gained more. I've been in a relationship with a beautiful woman of God, worked in ministry, been prepared and ready to start back in college, and asked to speak all the time. Now, all of a sudden, i am single (hello ladies..hahaha), waiting tables, and hardly get to speak to more than a group of friends hanging out. WHAT THE HECK is going on? Why God? What did i do? Where are you? Am I in trouble? Did i miss something? Do You have something better? These are all question i find myself asking Jesus. Most of them are humorous if you actually think about them, but I'm just being real with you guys. In my past when things would have gotten "bad" like this i would have given up and quit. The difference is i know my God. I trust Him even when i don't want to. I believe His promises. All I'm hearing Him say is "Philip, GET BACK UP...get UP son." See all the things i mentioned early about having 8 months ago are great...but Jesus is better. I believe He wanted to show me quickly the blessing He had for me. God gave me all these things so quick b/c He loves me and knew i needed to see Him at work in my life b/c i was growing in Him. Now comes the hard, but oh so rewarding part....working on my fruit (long suffering seems to be the main one right now....) Though i have made mistakes none of them are the reasons for the "things I've lost" recently. This is just life. We as Christians have to work everyday on knowing Jesus better and walking this life out with Him. Though most of the changes haven't been life shattering, I have learned and grown so much from them it is crazy. God is showing out in my life every time i take the time to look. Every promise He makes are true! He is ALWAYS FAITHFUL! Now in this moment, season, period of my life I am stepping out of the boat, standing on the water, and trusting God for everything. He is always GOOD! I'm slowly learning to trust God in every area of my life. He knows whats best. He has had it planned out from the beginning. God is the compass that keeps me strait. Knowing Him more and seeing Jesus made famous is my mission. Nothing is allowed to get in the way...I have PURPOSE!...in Jesus. My plans aren't always God's plans. My vision must shift to match His. My steps must match the ones Jesus laid out for me LONG LONG LONG ago. I know this..I have a God, a Daddy, who loves me unconditionally. We don't earn, nor lose, His love. It just is! Quite yourselves and listen for His voice. He wants to speak to us tonight! Psalm 37:7 is what I'm sticking to right now. I want to encourage everyone to read the entire chapter if you will ;)...haha...i guess through all of this I'm trying to say that..."Jesus loves me just the way I am...and nothing can fill the place of Him." Things are good, but Jesus is better!!!!

WATER ><>

Surrounded by emptiness
Lost is the world of man
I cry out Your name in the desert
You reach out and grab my hand

I'm drowning in the river around me
There is no footing to stand
This water I'm drinking is Jesus
My one and only true friend

I push through and press in when I'm lonely
To praise when i don't think i can
Holy Fire come down and consume me
You have given me power over this land

Why is it so easy
To go down the wrong road
I choose a temporary fix
Instead of letting Jesus help me grow

This world of chaos and disillusion
Can sure bring a child down
I bind the spirit of confusion
God is placing my feet on solid ground!

LOST

I'm so lost i can't see or hear
The darkness is so bright, but i have no fear
A feeling that surpasses all understanding
I'm sucked in deep, there is no hideing

I can't get away, trust me I tried
I'm so lost that I can't find my pride
where is the comfort I've lived with for so long
There is no norm, it's vanished, it's gone

Every moment is fresh in this new place I found
I can't figure this out, but I'm on solid ground
I've never met these people but I see their faces
There must be a purpose for the filling of empty spaces

It's not so bad being lost in here
It's as if my world has become so clear
That it! I know! Everything I've heard is true
I know where I am...I'm lost in YOU!