The Miraculous

As Christians, we often wonder how to tell when we’re really hearing from God. We get so frustrated trying to figure out whether we’re really in His will or just acting on our own accord.

Well, the key lies in just how miraculous the feat is. God will never do something that man can do on his own. God is about showing the miraculous! He’s about proving to both you and others that he is God and no one is like Him. He’s about showing that we need Him and that we can’t do the miraculous on our own.

So, if you’re always taking the easy way out, always doing whatever makes sense to YOU, chances are you are not acting in the Lord’s will. It’s when you’re forced to step out of the boat and stand on faith that God is able to step up, show, and prove.

God bless,
J.W.

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" ~ Matthew 19:26

Running From God

Have you ever found yourself running from God?

Have you ever found yourself so scared of what He might say or think about your behavior that you constantly try to avoid Him. You read, watch TV, hang out with friends, surf the net - anything, to avoid quiet time alone with Him.

It's like when you were a child, and you got sent to the principal's office. You knew he or she would eventually tell your parents about your behavior. So, what did you do? You'd try to avoid going home and facing them for as long as you possibly could.

The thing about God, though, is that you can never really run from Him. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, He's still going to be there, chasing you down.

The great thing about having a relationship with God, though, is that no matter what you do, think, or say, you can always face Him and expect no condemnation.

See, God knows who you are and sees everything you do, so nothing is a shock for Him. Despite who you are and the bad things you do, He says I love you anyway - in spite of your shortcomings. That's the type of God we serve - one who lovingly opens His arms to you no matter what you do.

He's waiting to have a real, honest, and truthful conversation with you. All you have to do is stop running, open your heart, and let Him in. He'll do the rest.

God bless,
J.W.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." ~ Romans 8:1

Pass It On

Do you know that when God blesses us, it’s often times not actually designed for us? When God gives to us, it’s not just a gift for us, but rather a gift for someone else. He desires for us to pass our gift on to another.

Likewise, the same can be said for our tests and trials. Many times, they’re not about just punishing us or making our lives more miserable. Rather, they are designed to give us a testimony that might help someone else going through the same situation.

See, as much as we like to think that the world revolves around us, often times God has something bigger in mind. He uses us to bless other people.

So, the next time you’re in a situation – be it positive or negative – remember that God has a bigger plan than the one you see. He’s looking to accomplish bigger things in and through you.

God bless,
J.W.

"The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped." ~ Proverbs 11:25 (The Message)

Waiting

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” ~ Isaiah 40:31

Waiting is often the most difficult part about being a believer.

Whenever God promises us something, He often delays its manifestation.

For instance, over 10 years ago, God gave me a vision for a fledging entertainment company. He told me that it would touch millions of lives and that I’d have influence over large amounts of people. But, it’s only after years of waiting, of starts and stops, of periods of success and failure that I can now see the plan starting to come together.

Over 4 years ago, God initially gave Michele and I a vision to write a script based on our lives. He told us that it would touch over 15 million people and be a huge success. But it’s only after years of waiting, of drafts and edits, of visions and revisions, of idleness and lulls that we now have an opportunity to show it to larger audiences.

The point is that, as Christians, at some point along the line, we will have to wait. There’s absolutely no way around it.

The question really is, “how well will we handle our periods of waiting?”

Will we get impatient and do things our own way? Or will we trust God to bring about the plan in His own time?

The key is to seek God, for He promises to renew our strength… if we wait on Him.

See, God knows that our times of waiting are really periods of testing; and by testing us, He makes us better Christians; through trials and tribulations, He builds character in us; and in delay, He increases our faith.

In a world full of instant gratification, God knows that we will only appreciate those things that He makes us wait for.

So what are you waiting for today? Seek God in your periods of waiting and watch as He renews your strength.

God bless,
J.W.

Religion vs. Relationship

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." ~ Galatians 5:1

Recently, my family and I have been reading The Shack by William P. Young. It’s a story about a man dealing with a bout of depression as a result of his youngest child being abducted and murder by a serial killer. The man then receives an anonymous invitation from an unknown source to return to the scene of the crime, where he experiences a life-changing encounter with God.

I won’t give away the whole story, but I do want to address what I consider the book’s primary and most powerful point – and that is the difference between religion and relationship.

As Christians, many of us live our lives in religion. We feel a duty or obligation to go to church every week, to pray before we eat and go to bed, to read our Bible every night, to attend Bible study on a weekly basis. And all that stuff is good.

But without relationship, it means nothing. It certainly won’t bring you salvation or freedom. Rather, religion without relationship will bind you. It’ll handcuff you to laws and rituals and not allow you to experience all that God has to offer.

See, God doesn’t want our allegiance based out of fear or obligation. He wants a relationship based in love and freedom.

It’s only when we focus more on relationship and less on religion that we will truly experience God’s love for us in its fullness.

If you haven’t read The Shack yet, I encourage you to do so. It’ll change your life.

God bless,
J.W.