The world won’t change if you stand and stare. It will only change when you stoop and care. Phil
Psalm 142:3-5 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.
I cry to you, Lord; I say, “You are my refuge,my portion in the land of the living.”
David was hiding in a cave when he wrote this psalm. Many of us live in caves. Maybe we live there for a week or a month or a lifetime. In the cave, we wonder if any really care. We block off hands that try to reach. All around us are others living in caves. They won’t put out their heads unless they know we care.
God cares. He cares for you. He is safe. He doesn’t lay traps. You don’t have to live in the cave. You can help others out of their cave.
Prayer: Father, the caves of life are dark and damp and fearful. You are full of light and warmth and care. Your care removes our fear. You allow us to see light in the darkest moments. You warm the coldness of despair. You open hope with care. Give us strength to do the same for others.
Tag Archives: Jesus
Life Can Be Frightening, Friend.
But then, God did not give you a spirit of fear, but of love and power and a sound, well-disciplined mind. The Father dispenses right knowledge and wisdom and equipage to get your life lived with a smile and a dance in your step. He does. Really, He does.
It is frightening to face life without a loving Father’s protection and insight. This morning as I prayed for my friends, my guideline was the book of Ephesians. Yes, I read through the entire letter and prayed. It usually takes about an hour these days, sometimes two hours or more. Martin Luther, the great reformation leader, and others are quoted as saying, “I had so much to do today, I had to start with 3 hours of prayer.” I get it. There is no time to waste. Every minute has to count and prayer puts the power in the punch.
It is frightening to look into tomorrow and realize the threats and opportunities to fail and opportunities to succeed. Failure and success are not distant partners. Each brings an element of pain and cleanup. Each creates a next step that has to be addressed. Plan for success and handle the failure.
It is frightening to go it alone. Living alongside the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is a fearsome task. He really does get things done. Boy, am I glad I don’t work in the kingdom alone. It would be hell. Yes, I believe hell on earth is trying to do the work of living without family and friends and partners in work and ministry and life. When I make a list of co-laborers, I never get to the end. There are thousands. What a blessing.
It is frightening to trust my own hand. Friend, never trust yourself to get it done. When you stretch out with God, you will find yourself in situations that are impossible. They take impossible strength, impossible faith, impossible love, and impossible energy. He has a ready supply of all four.
My prayer for friends.
Father take the hand of my friend and bring impossible strength, impossible faith, impossible love, and impossible energy into the path. As You walk with my friend enable with everything necessary to live abundantly, faithfully, and effectively. Let life be changed. Let fear be put into the street. Let faith shine so bright those around my friend will lose fear and find faith.
Other’s Need – God’s Supply – Your Hand and Heart
Remember to pray for the Community Transformation Initiative and all those that are helping and joining. After taking a few months of prep and collaboration, you would not believe the demands of the next six weeks at the Community Transformation Initiative. We are actively engaged in East OKC, North OKC, Stillwater, Del City, St. Louis, Matamoros, Mexico, and online around the world. Every one of these engagements results in life change. Our goal for 2013 was to impact 1000 families face to face. In the last 30 days, we’ve exceeded 300 and expect to pass that goal in the next six weeks. Much of this is 1-1.In the next six weeks, we will be presenting live for over 60 hours. The average pastor will present 10 hours in the same period. Much of our presentation will be bilingual and all of it will occur outside my personal cultural background. The average pastor/leader never does either of these because they are ten times more exhausting than staying within your personal culture zone or niche. The Community Transformation Initiative is not called to be average. Our aim is transformation.
Our commitment and high level schedule:
General Ministerial Conference – Dallas July 24-26
East Zion Men’s Leadership – July 26th 7pm
Telemundo Radio 33.1 – July 27th Interview on Matamoros outreach 2:30pm to 3pm
Rewrite – Mentoring – Life Church July 31st
Fearless Weekend – Tabitha Baptist East OKC Aug 2,3,4
Fearless Weekend – Regrese de Clase – CAREVI – Matamoros, Mex Aug 8-12
Watch DOG Launch – Back to School – Tulakes NW OKCAug 16
Watch DOG Launch – Epperly Heights – Del City – date tba
Outreach Planters Training – OKC Aug 23-25
Schools of Prayer – West OKC – Aug 7, Sept 4
Dad’s University – Online Fall Semester Aug 20-end of term
Champion Fathers Luncheon and Tourney – SW OKC Sept 16th
Total cost to get this done – $20,000. On hand funds $1500. Faith Commitments $5000. God’s Challenge To Be Met: $13,500
How to support.. <==click it
Impossible faith will see it to completion.
Impossible love will keep us motivated.
Impossible strength will bring us to perform.
Impossible energy will make this fun.
Meet Jesus: Conciliation Matthew 5:23
Matthew 5: 23: Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24: Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
To Jesus the issue of treating our brothers with respect was powerful. It wasn’t just a matter of not killing each other and not calling each other names. His outlook was one of resolving differences. Jesus is tough on those issues that divide unnecessarily. Surely, 99% of what divides us today can be resolved with humility and the right approach.
In the verses before and behind this the issue is laid out. Don’t attack or be angry with your brother unless it is super serious. Settle a matter quickly, even if the person has set themselves as an enemy against you. Deal with it.
Workday Conflict: The conflict at work was intense. These two just could not get along. Every meeting was full of asides and stares. What could break the personality impasse? Work was not getting done because decisions could never be trusted.
One of the parties stayed after a meeting. Their demeanor was serious. Slowly, they admitted the problem was real and asked me, their manager, how to address it. Fortunately, they were Christian. The concept of grace was easily appealed to with them. We agreed they would begin to list out frustrations with the individual after every meeting and cross off all the ones that had no substance. Then they would follow up outside the meeting with the person to come to a compromise on ones that did have substance.
Everything did not get better immediately. But it sure made the rest of the week more productive. Maybe the other person would eventually respond to the extension of grace.
Community Clashes: A friend was frustrated as we ate lunch. As he worked with pastors, he noted many of them hated each other. They would make vile comments about other pastors and churches working in the same community and culture. How could this be?
We prayed for pastors and leaders. We agreed we would continue to offer love and acceptance to each one of them. Maybe our extension of acceptance to them could help break the bottleneck of competitive spirit we were finding.
ACT! Call someone who is testy with you. Offer them peace and acceptance.
PRAY! Wow, Father, You are really serious about Your family getting along. Surely, You created us to live together with peace as much as possible. Help me today to be a peaceful person and a peacemaker. Help me to move first toward peace with others. I love You, Father. I am glad You are always on my side for me to grow.
Meet Jesus: Dignity Matthew 5:21
www,examiner.com
Matthew 5: 21″You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Dignity is a key concept in Christ. Jesus did not assault the dignity of any human. There were times He directly challenged people to righteousness. He had no problem calling people to account for hidden agendas and false fronts. He did not attack the person as a person. He never called anyone a fool or an idiot or stupid or any such attack. That standard stands for us.
Interesting is the way Jesus looks at one of the ‘ten commandments’. There is a level beyond the surface to which He takes us. It is the heart intent that is most important. It is the beginning of the action in the depth of the heart that Jesus looks to identify. Lusting leads to adultery. Anger and contempt leads to murder. Stop the action at the point of the seed in the heart. That’s His message.
ACT! Look for any bad seeds in your heart. Take a few moments to sift through your thoughts over the last few days. If you have a mate, is there another besides your mate that has taken time in your thoughts in the wrong direction? Have you been unduly angered and contemptuous with someone? Are you miffed at God over something You think He should have done for you? Have you railed at a government official? Now is the time to uproot the seed before it germinates.
PRAY! Father, I’ve got to admit. There are times I am really upset with people acting out of my pattern. Yes, Father, I have my ways. Help me to not be so quick to call them right and others wrong. Help me to see the person separately from the action. Help me to protect the dignity of each human as precious. Help me to look at others as Your creation with an intention for good. Though they may be demonstrating wrongly, help me to look beyond at potential and design. Let me call out goodness for the lives of others in the midst of pain and problems. Help me to be like You.
Journey Through Self: Nesting In Who I Am.
Psalm 84:1-4
How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
They will still be praising You. Selah
This Dove and Me.
This dove gives me pause for reflection. Well, much of life gives me pause for reflection. A friend asked yesterday, “Phil, what are you doing for a living?” Whew. Surviving was the answer in my heart. My answer surprised me. Quick gut answers in the middle of a challenge reveal a lot. I’ll get to the answer in a minute.
Back to This Dove. This Dove showed up in a flower pot on our front porch. My wife and I took a few days away at the lake cabin. When we came back, This Dove had build a nest, laid an egg (now two), and taken possession of the front porch. Being the kind soul that she is, my wife has blocked the front walk and given the entrance to the house to This Dove. I get the back door and walk around the house. This Dove has disrupted my life. How dare she be who she is.
She is just This Dove being a dove bringing more doves into this world. I like that. She is purposeful without having a little goals card in her wallet. She is purposeful without going to twenty seminars. She is purposeful in just being who she is, This Dove.
Now, my answer to my millionaire business friend was this. “I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do. I’m helping fatherless fathers be good fathers. I’m helping unfathered kids get a better dad. That is my heart and my passion and that is what I am doing. I believe people will see that and support as I need.” Silence.
Maybe he wanted me to come back with some sideline business proposition to reduce his credit card charges or shipping improvement or business development or marketing proposal. Many do. They want me to sell them some service in order to support. When I sell the service, I quit being This Dove. I can do that, but then I’m not This Dove, I’m This Dove with a dark suit. My light grey beautiful feathers become sullied and indistinguishable. That means leaving the flower pot and the two eggs and hoping they will survive on their own.
Some days we need to just be This Dove. Take up residence in a flower pot on a porch. Nestle in the arms of a loving God, who created me to be me. Be who I am and trust that He will let me rest on His most holy altar just like I let This Dove take over my porch and my front door. He will comfort me. He will provide. He will let me be This Dove.
So, This Dove is going to work on bringing healthy, dedicated men into two elementary schools where the kids are 95% unfathered. This Dove is going to work on having a catalyst weekend in a community of 80% fatherless homes in June. This Dove is just going to build the nest in the most unlikely places and trust a good God will let me have some space on His altar at His temple of love and helping others.
Psalm 84:1-4
How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Even This Dove, me in who I am, has found a home,
And This Dove, me in who I am, a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young and fulfill her life’s purpose simply—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house of acceptance and allowance and support;
They will still be praising You. Selah
Meet Jesus : Life’s Flavoring Matthew 5:13
Matthew 5: 13: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.15: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Be Salty: Jesus is a challenge to my life. Meeting Him in the early morning hours means letting Him prod into parts of my life that sometimes I would rather hide. But I know His salt is good and will flavor my life. I know His light is kind and will dispel darkness in my life. Then I become the salt. Then I become the light of Jesus.a
Calling someone salty is not always a compliment. It is a term used to describe a somewhat irritating person with a lean toward sarcasm. That is not the saltiness for us. We need savory salt. The kind that makes a person want more not less.
Shiny Shoes: As I shined my shoes for tomorrow, it reminded me of an encounter on the streets of Chicago. A street vendor came up and buffed my shoes with some concoction. None of that mattered. It just mattered to me to look into his eyes and challenge him to a life more fully lived in Christ. He talked about his upbringing and challenges of living on the streets with a yearning for more. It was a simple conversation and his decisions are his to make. Another vendor had attempted the same in New Orleans some time back, but I had no thought of challenging him at the time. Sometimes, I wonder, “What is the difference?” Why do I speak at one time and hold at another? I’d like to think it is sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, but most times when I don’t speak it is sensitivity to the people around me. My candle gets a bushel plopped on top.
ACT! Spread a little salt today. Talk about Jesus. First, think about Him. What is it that challenges your life that exists in His life?
PRAY! Holy Father of love and light. Flavor my life with Jesus today so that I might flavor the lives of others with Jesus. He is so precious, so kind, so alive. So many times, I fail to acknowledge You to others. So many times I put the bushel over the light. Pierce through me so that salt can’t be masked. Flow through me so that the light comes out through the cracks in my fearful bushel. Teach me, Lord. Let the salt of Your word embed in my makeup.
God Cannot Fill A Full Barn: Enjoy His Grace
25+ pastors from across the city, denominations, and cultures gathered to pray
Working with a benevolent group, they adopted a philosophy of full grace giving. Over the years, a few had been serving a few. 1500 meals a month were being distributed. And food went to waste. What would happen if we emptied the pantry every time we opened the door? Would there be enough for tomorrow?
With the approach and idea that God cannot fill a full barn, the adventure begain. Within three years of making the decision to give all that was given every time we opened the door, the team expanded to 50 people from a few, services were given six days a week instead of one, a full mission location in the heart of the urban population was opened instead of a piece of a church foyer, 20,000 meals a month were served instead of 1500, and 650 families came a week instead of 20-30. All the supply came when grace was given.
Prevenient grace is a concept that there is a certain free availability of strength to be who we are. In His mercy and love for us, God allows us to live mostly unhindered in this world. We certainly do not deserve such a beautiful and majestic existence, but He grants it in hope we would respond and join Him fully. God has given us a wonderful opportunity to enter fully into His family and receive of Him while we continue in our mistakes.
Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
Relational grace communicates that God blesses our world on behalf of those that are united with Him. His family serves Him and serves each other. Those that call out to Him repentant of their mistakes and accepting of His sacrifice and suffering in Christ provide a sort of a bubble around us. Because of them, He withholds an enormous amount of pain and suffering. Wars and famines and disasters are withheld. Surely there are enough that break through as a result of our rebellions. Yet, much more protection is afforded our world than we ever realize.
1 Corinthians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Accepted grace is the most blessed of all. Accepted grace belongs only to those that enter fully into His blessings in Christ Jesus. Through His blood, we are provided a fullness of grace. His eternal life enters us now and forever. His favor enables us. His peace sustains us. His comfort meets us in times of need. His Spirit guides us and shows us paths of blessing. This world still surrounds us. And He rescues us and blesses us.
Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)
Enjoy His grace. Enjoy all forms of His grace
Distributed grace is our opportunity. In the hands and hearts of every believer in Jesus is the opportunity to be givers of grace. In our hands is multiplied blessing. When we give it, God gives us more to be given that He might give us more. It is a principle of living. When we give, we receive.
Romans 16:20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
That philosophy and principle of living permeates PrayerMetro and all of the expressions in prayer and Christian unity and fathering and leadership. Mostly it is just grace received given out. Let not our barns remain full. God cannot fill a full barn. Enjoy His grace in the giving.
- This week at Tulakes (NW OKC) and Epperly Heights (Del City), we opened the doors for Watch D.O.G.S. in the schools so that children might get a vision of dedicated and faithful and healthy men.
- This week DADSUniversity went forward another week at Eagles’ Crest in West OKC.
- This week at the Jesus House, we were honored again through prayer and teaching as chaplaincy to the leadership team that serves so many. Downtown.
- This week many pastors received personal and private prayer and compassion. All over.
- This week a group of ministers from across our city gathered in Spirit-led prayer to bless our metro on Wednesday at First Lutheran. Downtown.
- This week a precious touch of God’s love descended at Tabernaculo De Fe during a time of sharing and prayer. South OKC.
- This week our golf tourney for the Fall was planned and launched.
- This week thousands of blessings were sent out and many legislators responded with thanks. Nationwide.
- This week a sharing of word and prayer and worship with the family at Tabitha was sweet. East OKC
- This week the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assualt met and planned and received me as the Chair. South OKC
And surely, I lived in His grace in all these settings while working a few small contract assignments as God performed great acts of grace.
2 Corinthians 1:12] For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
There is no way my barn is big enough to be able to be in all these places and perform such a variety of acts as group meetings, leading a ministers’ prayer time, ministering in a Latino congregation, ministering in a mission leaders group, ministering over the phone with ministers and email with legislators, writing business articles, advising in marketing for businesses, planning and organizing a golf tournament, fixing bathtubs and house vents, cutting grass, and just being a dad and husband. My barn must be emptied daily that God might fill it again and again. Your life is the same. Life is limitless as long as you are willing to live in grace and give it all away every day.
Prayer: Father, bring great blessing of grace over my friend. Show Your grace is given most when we give the most. Show how huge You are. Bring supply and bring outlets. Let us live in grace.
2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
www.championfatherstourney.org Be a giver. Have some fun. Support kids and fathers.
Meet Jesus: Rewarded Matthew 5:12
Matthew 5: 1: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, … 12: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Connection with Jesus is a connection with reward. The reward is not free. It comes with great price in this world and great blessing in the next. Sometimes we want that formula changed to blessing here and blessing there. There is a time of blessing in this world. There is a time of persecution in this world. Sometimes they are the same item. When we follow Jesus, we must be willing to embrace both and not be deterred by either. To address persecution as blessing is an enigma only those that know the honor of being joined with Christ can understand.
Anne’s Pressure: The press against Ann was intense. She had taken this new position in obedience more than desire. Over the last few years, she had seen the team go from pitiful performers to top class award winners. The team performance was receiving notice from across the company. Ann simply prayed to be faithful and do the right things. God had answered and given her favor and wisdom. The results were good for the company many times over. Now, she had been promoted in place of her director. The rumors in the workplace were heavy. People talked. All she wanted to do was serve faithfully. This was a blessing. This was a persecution.
ACT! The fear of persecution has stopped more than one person from stepping into greatness in God. Is there a fear in you of blessing that leads to success? Are you afraid of the concurrent potential persecution? Put down the fear. Understand that God, Himself is on your side. He will strengthen you in blessing, though it may take all the strength you have in Him to truly enjoy.
PRAY! Father, deliver me from the fear of greatness. Deliver me from the evil that would avoid victory because of the attendant persecution. Break loud in my soul the blessing of Your assignment. Teach me to fearlessly embrace the victorious living in Christ. Teach me that persecution is the greatest blessing when it finds me because of faithfulness to Your name and Your assignment for my life.
Meet Jesus: Ill Will Matthew 5:11
Matthew 5: 1: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, … 11: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Reviled, persecuted, falsely accused, and discussed with cussedness is the condition of a follower of Jesus. Now, that was His condition. And, now, that is our condition. It is a strange communion with Christ that we desire. We want to be like Him in every way except this one. Sure, we would like to be gracious and kind and merciful and full of miracles. But, do we want the accompaniment? Jesus was conditioned to being treated this way every place He went. Are we?
During the televangelist season of failure in the 1980s, a co-worker approached me on break. This had been a hard time as many personal failures of Christian leaders were in the media and being talked about in congregations. Jimmy Swaggart was one of those in the news regularly. This co-worker made a crude comment about the minister and the accusations in the papers. True or not, I had no idea. My retort was to encourage them to find truth before repeating the news lest they find themselves against God. Even if it was true, why would they wish ill will to the man? Over years, he had been used of God to bless many. Now there was a reported failure. Wouldn’t we want him to be restored? Wouldn’t we want him to enjoy family for the remaining years of life? Wouldn’t we want repentance and continued good works? The co-worker really wasn’t attacking Jimmy Swaggart. They were attacking the cause of Christ and possible hypocrisy. That is a dangerous game to play. Who wants to be one to accuse Christ of inconsistency?
ACT! Have you ever verbally wished ill will to another Christian? Did you do it out of envy? Have you ever heard someone else do this? Did you participate by listening? The next time you hear an accusation against a brother or sister in Christ, rise to their defense. Bless them in your prayers and bless them in the hearing of others. Don’t entertain the ill will.
PRAY! Father, this kingdom of heaven is a strange life. We find ourselves continually beset with accusations when we do good and needing to bless others in the same. In the kingdom, we are joined in Christ to the same body. In the kingdom, what affects one affects the other. Teach us to be blessors, especially when others in Christ are attacked. Teach us to turn what the enemy means for ill will into something of blessing. Teach us to walk in the kingdom.
If we can pray for you regarding anything in your life, please let us know. Our greatest blessing is to bless others in prayer. . www.prayermetro.com Phil@shepherdok.com
Meet Jesus: Discerning Kingdom Matthew 5:10again
Matthew 5: 1: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2: And he o
pened his mouth, and taught them, saying, … 10: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Marks of Honor: Being a joint-heir with Jesus is a great honor. With that honor comes challenge, persecution, problems, and pain. Those four lead us to discern the kingdom of heaven. As Jesus walked this earth, His life was full of all four of these semi-pessimistic issues. Man tends to get trapped in the pain of the issues instead of seeing the possibilities. Jesus never became trapped. At the high point at which all four converged on the cross, He was still looking to the joy that was set before Him. He was still pointing a man to paradise. He was still persisting in taking care of family and friends. He was still speaking of salvation available. He was still talking to the Father. He was still submitting to the will of God for His life and living. He was discerning of the kingdom behind the scene.
Kingdom Sink Holes: The realization that kingdom living includes all of the items listed above must sink in to our souls. It is a kingdom of challenge, persecution, problems, pain, possibility, joy, righteousness, peace, paradise, family, friends, care, salvation, encouragement, conversation, submission, service, and more. This kingdom in which we are called to live today and tomorrow and beyond is not as super simple as we want it to be. It is fulfilling. It is live to the max. It is a joy unspeakable in the middle of pain indescribable.
Robert’s Doubling Day Dilemma: The complex issues pushing against Robert’s heart stymied progress on his studies. For two years he had been in this MBA program. Now he was beginning to doubt he could finish. His teenagers were struggling through issues that needed his time and counsel. Betty, Robert’s wife, faced a rocky middle life every day that rattled her emotions and body. She needed him. Sales were down as he needed time to do the studies. That meant less income as his eldest daughter completed her last year at the university. Men from his study group at church were calling for time and a merciful ear. This morning, Robert knew he was involved in all the right places. Now he needed strength to go forward. His prayer was soft and intense at once. “God, I need help.”
ACT! What the mix of your life in the kingdom? Are you moving forward? Have the normal problems pushed you out of the path you seek? Take inventory of the mix. What is going right? What is going wrong? What are you doing in the middle? Make sure you are doing the right things not those that are most pressing.
Energy For Your Life and Health 
