He Has Only Begun To Show His Greatness

As I sit here on May 17th and think back on where God has led us, I can only thank Him for all of the sovereign protection and victories He has given us as a family through the many hardships and circumstances faced.  From the countless times I thought that Sarah and I would never make it being married, to Josiah being 8 weeks premature to him literally having to be revived twice in the NICU, to at the beginning of our sixteen year marriage having months at a time jobless which created enormous financial distress.  


And through ALL of that here we sit.  On the eve of launching Church at Hampton Roads in a few months having seen Gods provision and power through the whole process.  The love I have for God NEVER gets old, because I have seen His hand and His faithfulness in our lives.  His grace and mercy got us from where we were, to where we are, even though we do NOT deserve it!


If you feel like you are out in the middle of the wilderness and God has forgotten you I want to tell you He has NOT.  Moses was leading the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan (the promised land) and God led them by a route and timeframe they were not ready for.  But it was for a specific purpose.  To see if they were going to trust.  But more importantly to GIVE them on opportunity to trust.  God only does this so that He can confirm to you that He is who He says He is.  He does this through the miraculous that comes from our faith in a time of distress. From our praise and thanksgiving in a time of turmoil. 


But what I love about Moses's story is that he says in Deuteronomy chapter 3 verse 24,


"You have only begun to show Your greatness and the strength of Your hand to me..."


Really?  This was towards the end of Moses's life and he makes this statement?  He had seen God deliver Israel from Egypt by 10 amazing plagues and then parted the Red Sea for them.  He had sustained them for over 30 years in the desert and God has only begun to show His greatness and His strength??????


I feel a stirring when I read these words!  I want to tell you that no matter where you are in life there is a God that wants to move POWERFULLY on your behalf.  He wants to be faithful to you.  He wants to bless you and prosper you.  But in the end it is all about trust. Just as it was for the Israelites.  You see if we get up, leave our house and get to work before we acknowledge we have not even spoken a word to God, we really do not see our need for Him.  Although we saw a tremendous need for underwear and clothes because we realize the things that could happen if we did not physically get dressed.


We have to come to the place where we realize what happens when we do not get spiritually dressed.  God can not move on our behalf due to our lack of faith and trust.  Along with that, we need to recognize the root of why we have not stopped and recognized Him, pride.


NOTHING exists without God.  It is His mercy that allows us to breath. At times we deny Him with the very intelligence we would not have if He did not first give it to us.  What arrogance.  What would happen if we put Him in His rightful place?  If we trusted Him like we trust the food we eat?  What would happen if we desired to clothe ourselves with our relationship with Him like we desire to clothe ourselves with Banana Republic or Nordstroms?  We would see victory.  We would see provision.  We would begin to hear Him speak to us!  Because humility has now entered the picture, we have truly put God in His place, we have learned to place our trust and our hope in the Creator of ALL things.


Today, I challenge you to stir your expectancy and faith.  To make an intentional decision to clothe yourself with your personal relationship and hope in Jesus, the God above ALL gods.  To trust Him MORE than the food you eat.  This puts you in the position to see Him fight for you. That's an incredible thought because when God fights HE WINS!  And at the time in your life when you have begun to see the many incredible things He has done you will find yourself realizing that He desires to do extravagantly more for you than you could even think.  Why?  Because you have loved Him.  You will find yourself realizing that He has only begun to show you His greatness and the strength of His right hand!


Trust Him today.  He wants to fight for you!




Joel

The Greatest Sign of Expectation is Preparation

Last night was our first Launch Team Meeting in which Sarah and I were actually physically present for the meeting and not joining in via the Internet.  It was an amazing feeling.  We had wondered off and on when we would finally get to plant our feet on Virginian soil seeing how we have been in transition over a year at this point and we were still in Northwest Arkansas.


Well, April 28th of 2012 we arrived in Chesapeake VA!  7 years after arriving at Keypoint Church and helping them plant, 7 years after purchasing our home in Bella Vista and 7 months after God speaking in September that we were to plant a church our feet finally touched our newly leased home in Chesapeake...

It has been said that in the Bible the number 7 represents the number of completion.  For our family, April has definitely been the completion of an incredible season.  It is said the number 8 in the Bible represents the number of new beginnings.  The month of May is definitely that for us since it is the eighth month since the vision for Church at Hampton Roads was conceived.  We are truly excited for what is to come.


I believe no matter what season you or I are in we need to be expecting.  Expecting God to move, expecting the impossible to become possible, expecting God to be faithful to His word and His promises.  But how do we know whether or not our expectancy or our faith has been worn down, depleted or robbed?


I believe the test is to look at our calendar.  Just like a checkbook reveals what is important to us because it shows us where our money is going, our calendar will also let us know what we perceive to be on the horizon for our lives because it shows us where our time is going.  If we are not daily preparing it is safe to say our expectancy has been plundered.  We have had our dreams and hopes dashed and all that is left is routine, mediocrity and we are merely just trying not to loose any more ground.


My encouragement today is PREPARE.  Prepare for greatness!  God has NOT called you to be ordinary.  He creates extraordinary things! And you are His creation...realize the enemy has stolen from you.  Get mad that you have allowed yourself to be robbed of something more precious than money!  To the level you are preparing is the level you are expecting.  The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6,

"Without faith it is impossible to please God..."

I would say without expectancy we may not see anything, ever.  Do not go another day without looking in the mirror and asking yourself, "What am I expecting?"  Paint the picture of faith!  Paint the picture of expectation!  You will see your daily routine begin to change, your passions renewed and a new level of fresh air invade your life. Remember, 

"The greatest sign of expectation is preparation..."

Intentionally Trapped by God

One of the things I recently rediscovered has to do with how God will intentionally place you somewhere where your only recourse is Him alone. It is normally a place that most find to be incredibly uncomfortable.


As most all of us remember, Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt and became trapped in between the Red Sea and Pharaoh.  My memory at one time was that Moses had left Egypt and as he was attempting to guide the people he somehow happened to find himself due to timing and geography in a bad position.  But was that truly the case?  Let's read the following verses together.  Exodus 14:1-4,

Then the Lord spoke to Moses:  "Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea:  you must camp in front of Baal-zephon, facing it by the sea.  Pharaoh  will say of the Israelites:  They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in.  I will harden Pharaoh's heart so he will pursue them (moses and the Israelites)."

WHAT?  God told Moses to take all of His (God's) people and put them in a compromised position????


Trapped.  And by the God they were trusting in.  But why would God do that?


You see, in life, God will intentionally put you in a position that is VERY uncomfortable and has no known remedy.  I am convinced that when God parted the Red Sea and did what only He could do that He ALONE received the glory.  And when Pharaoh and all of His men were in pursuit of the Israelites and were destroyed by the Red Sea closing back up, again God is the only one who could have possibly received the praise.  


By now we must come to the point where we recognize that ALL of life is a display for all to see.  From Genesis to Revelation and Adam and Eve to Jesus second return.  We must realize that all breath and all history is about God and who He is.  It is His story.  It is a few thousand years of human existence to see who will love and receive their Creator and who will not.  Who will take Him at His word and believe He is who He says He is and who will not.  That, my friend, is the big picture.


Today God may have intentionally put you in a place where you are crying out in agony and distress over the outcome.  First, I would say the outcome is NOT your responsibility.  It's God's.  Secondly, the place of peace for you is to follow the words that Moses spoke to the Israelites right before God parted the sea.  Moses said,


"Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and see the salvation of your God.  He will provide for you today......the Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet...."  Exodus 14:13


It is not that God is cruel, it is that He is desperately in love with humanity and is communicating the way He wants to about who He is. About what He wants to be and how much power He has ready to be shown on the behalf of those who will trust Him.  You and I have been invited to enter a love relationship with the God of all things.  But just like in physical human relationships we only learn about one another by walking through things together.  I believe that the God of Heaven is going to fight for you today, as Moses said, we must be quiet and trust.




Father,  I am desperately in love with you.  With Your ways and Your sovereignty.  You alone know why you allow us to go through certain moments.  However, I for one, choose today not to be afraid.  To stand patiently and eagerly by faith in order to see what incredible things You have in store for me.  I Iove you.


Joel

Success

Would you like to make that face at the end of your life?  I would!


I sit here thinking about success and what it takes to see it.  I can not help but conclude that true success comes to those who are intentional about one quality, relentlessness.


Often times the only difference between success and failure is trying some more.  But the issue is some of us get tired, fatigued and burned out and we ultimately quit.  Could one of the most important qualities in all of life be relentlessness?  


If we were to define "relentlessness" we would see words like:

 rigid, unbending, adamant, inflexible and unyielding ....

What if today we stirred ourselves to be relentless?  What if we gut checked ourselves and said "why not"?  The only thing keeping us from achieving what God has called us to is us.  It is taking Jesus at His word.  If we find the ability today to be tenacious, we might just get to the end and get to taste the sweet taste of success because we never gave up.  2 Peter 1:3 says, 

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him (Jesus) who called us by His own glory and goodness..."

Do you believe that?  I today have had to reaffirm my commitment to seeing my life through to the end.  To reaffirm my desire to be relentless and to believe again that He HAS given me ALL I need. To believe again that I am lacking NOTHING.  I for one am not going to get to the end of my life and be filled with regret.  Join with me today and gut check your life.  Pick yourself up off of the mat, look your opposition right in the eye and re-engage with ferocity because the God of the universe, the One who told the Sun to rise HAS equipped you better than you might know.  Today will you join me in being intentional to making one of the qualities of your life relentlessness?  Only you can answer that question for yourself......below is the prayer that is in my heart for myself today...you can pray it to if you would like...

Jesus, today I choose to attempt what I may think is impossible, but with you is closer than ever.  Forgive me where I have doubted and failed.  I love you passionately even through my weakness.  And I am thankful for Your goodness and mercy and I commit to leaving all my energy and passion on the field.  I will give you ALL I have for as long as You give me breath.......You are my All in All... 

Joel

Stay in the Boat...

I just finished the Bible last week and have restarted in Genesis and it is AMAZING how God continues to speak fresh things through His word.  Especially after you know you have read it before.  With that being said, here we go.


Genesis chapter eight verse one, after Noah had been on the Ark 150 days it says, "God remembered Noah..."    


I am convinced the time on the Ark was long, dismal and emotionally exhausting.  If you and I had to sit on a boat and watch it rain for 40 days straight and then look at nothing but water after that?  I do not know about you but I would be exhausted of that situation.  But here is the kicker, total time on the Ark was one year two months and twenty seven days!!  Can you say a LONG process???


The first thing I love about this portion of the Bible is that it says, "God remembered Noah."  And for me that means that I may be in a situation that is long and dismal but I can be reassured that God sees me and He remembers me!  The same goes for you.  Be patient.  Don't freak out, endure the process God has you in knowing He is working for your good and for His glory.  


The next thing I see is at the year mark Noah sees the earth, and it was drying.  Can you say a feeling of relief!  Noah saw land!  But here is the interesting thing, Noah stayed on the Ark.  Verse fourteen says, "By the twenty seventh day of the second month (the following year) the earth was dry."  What speaks more to me is that the following sentence does not say that Noah and his family came out of the Ark.  I would have probably ran out once I saw it was dry! But the next sentence says, "Then God spoke to Noah, come out of the Ark..."


Noah waited until God spoke even though he could have gotten out of the Ark sooner on his own.  But He declared God's worth (he worshiped God) by waiting and listening.  Obedience. What an amazing picture of love for God.  It goes on to say the first thing Noah did upon exiting the Ark was he built an altar.  Another act of worship.  Then he took some of the animals and offered them as a sacrifice.  Everything Noah did, from waiting to hear when to get off the Ark to building the altar and sacrificing the animals was to honor God and declare Him worthy of all praise.  


I want to be transparent.  The Brown's are in a boat right now, our family has been in transition for over a year now.  I would love for God to speed up the process of getting our family moved to Chesapeake Virginia.  As most of you know we are on the eve of seeing Church at Hampton Roads being birthed in the Hampton Roads area.  But a solemn calmness and peace now fills my heart, because today God has reminded me that He remembers me.  And that I exist only to know Him and trust Him.  He is responsible for whatever He would like to do through me.  The Brown's will stay in the boat of transition as long as it takes.  God WILL speak soon.  Our job is not to move ahead of His plans or His will.


Conclusion:


Your boat (situation) in life might be dismal, it may be long and exhausting but remember this, GOD REMEMBERS YOU!  1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds us that God WILL NOT put us in a situation that we can not handle.  Trust Him, do not try to jump out of the boat prematurely!  Wait for God to speak.  This is our ultimate worship (declaration of worth) to God, obedience.


Thank you Jesus You remember us!  You are King and You are sovereign.  There is NONE like You.  We wait on You.  We trust You. Take our lives and paint a beautiful picture of Your faithfulness.  YOU ARE OUR HOPE.


Joel

Morning of March 6th, 2012 "The Power of Agreement"

Michael Hiett (a member of our launch team for Church at Hampton Roads) and I have just make the 22 hour drive to Chesapeake.  We did this in order to look at lease locations for the church plant, meet with contacts and encourage the rest of the launch team that has already moved out here as of a couple of weeks ago.


I woke up this morning and was reading through Hebrews and was encouraged by the following thought in chapter 10 verses 35 and 36.  It says, 

"Do NOT throw away your confidence, which has great reward.  For you need endurance, so that after you have done God's will, you may receive what was promised."

I love the first words of this verse!  DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE!!!!!


Our confidence will wane when


        1)  our perspective of who God is becomes lost 
        2)  we loose sight of what He has said or has spoken to us


Today if you are reading this and have had your confidence stolen I want you to get angry!  Not at God but at the Devil because he has sucked the life out of you through his lies.  Satan has NO power over us, all he can do is LIE and then we are the ones that make that lie powerful by AGREEING with him!


Today you and I need to make a choice, to agree with God and what He has said.  Agreement is where the power lies.  Either to hold us in bondage or to enable us to overcome through faith.  It is not the lie or the Devil that has power, it is when we hear the lie and say, "Yea, that is true, I will never be any different....."  


You and I CAN access the power of God by refusing to believe the lies (which in order to do we MUST know the word of God....our Bible) and agree with God and His words which is faith and then and only then will we walk in more peace and in more power than we ever have before. Faith is believing God.  Hebrew's 11:6 says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God."  He so earnestly desires us to know him and TRUST Him!  And it is through faith that God works on our behalf.


Today let's watch out and be vigilant in regards to who we are and who we are agreeing with. Let us definitely take note of what God is saying today,

"DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE."

Jesus, today I commit to remind myself of Your nature, Your character and Your word.  Thank You for reminding me today not to throw away my confidence.  You are the Creator of ALL I see, touch, taste and smell.  The earth is Yours and EVERYTHING in it.  I.  Will not.  Doubt You.

  

Joel

        

Blown Away! Journey to CHR Launch Day!

Yesterday as we are in month 6 of the preparation process to launch Church at Hampton Roads in Chesapeake Virginia I get this text from my wife Sarah.  It included a picture of a card and a check for the church plant.  


It was an amazing reminder that God is the one driving this thing and not us!  The check was for thousands of dollars.  The card basically said, 

 ...we (the people that gave the check) had been talking about what we were going to be doing for vacation with the money we had saved prior to going to bed last night, whether to go to the beach or skiing.  But I (the wife) woke up last night and God told me to give the money to you instead.....God has big plans.....love xxxxxxxxxxxxx

I sobbed.  It was a powerful moment where God gently reminded me again in this journey that saying, "yes" is where the power, the provision and the peace is.  It is in obedience to Him, which is true worship, that all we could ever hope for or imagine awaits us and all who submit to Him, His plans, His desires.

God You are truly faithful, constant and devoted to those who truly aligned with You.......and I love you regardless of what I could ever receive just because you are worthy of it....

Joel