Under Construction...

We're preparing to launch an all new Chosen Ministries, complete with a new website, logo, commercial, location, and image. In order to ensure the launch is presented in the best possible way, I will be discontinuing my email for the next few weeks. Please tune in the last week of June for our first official peek at the new digs. I can't wait to show you what we've been working on...

In the meantime, take the opportunity to allow God to reconstruct some of the things in your own life. Many of you may ask how that is accomplished. Well, it can happen in one of two ways. You can voluntarily begin the much needed renovations of your life, or you can be sent through the extreme makeover called 'trials and afflictions'.

If you have found yourself going through afflictions, just remember that they are only temporary. Once you have endured the pain, you'll realize that you can come out much better on the other side if you have the right attitude going through. Understand that it is not there to destroy you, but simply to mold you into the person who God wants you to be. Like gold that is purified and refined through the fire, we are built up and reconstructed as we endure our momentary afflictions.

So don't give up, press on! Don't give in, reach out! Don't fall short, endure...and once the construction is over, you will experience the glory that awaits you on the other side.

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

~2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)

Celebration!

This Sunday, I have the privilege of taking our ministry to Six Flags Magic Mountain to celebrate all of the wonderful milestones mentioned in last week's email. I'm looking forward to this time that I get to share with my church family. Seldom, do we take enough opportunities to have fun with each other in the Body of Christ. That is why so many people feel like they have to go out and live wild, uninhibited lives before they finally surrender themselves to God. Young people especially feel this way toward Christian living.

I want to debunk that myth today. We as Christians should be living a more joyful and fun-filled life than anyone out in the world! Christ told us in the tenth chapter of the book of John that He came so that we would have, "life, and life abundantly". That sure sounds like something we should be joyful over. Yet, unfortunately, we spend so much time harping over the struggles that we do not see the 'abundant life' that God has placed around us.

From now on, let's take the time to really experience life! There is an abundance of beauty and joy around each and every one of us, and the only way we are going to see it, is if we stop living such busy lives! Slow down long enough to seek God and live life the way Christ intended. If you make time for God in your life, you'll finally find your life and will live it to the fullest!

Until next week...

"A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest."

~John 10:10 (CEV)

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength."

~Proverbs 17:22 (NLT)

Excitement In The Air

Congratulations on completing your 40 day journey through The Purpose Driven Life with Chosen Ministries!

This marks a great accomplishment for you and for our church. In the past 40 days, we have experienced deeper worship, more intimate fellowship, a devotion to discipleship, commitments to serve, and an excitement to share the good news. I am so very proud of all of you who took the time to embark upon this monumental occasion with us. Your hard work and dedication is sure to pay off.

If you didn't get the opportunity to make this 40 day campaign, please stay tuned for our next one entitled S.H.A.P.E., which explores the many things that God uses to shape you for your life mission.

In the next couple of months, Chosen will experience quite a few significant changes. In our attempt to remain as effective and relevant as possible, we have decided to redesign our ministry image. This makeover includes a new logo, website, t-shirts, commercials, and a new worship facility. Unfortunately, I can't give you all of the details right now, but keep you eyes and ears open. We have a lot in store for our ministry.

I'm also excited to say that we'll be appointing a new Deacon and Deaconess as well as our Associate Pastor. Our staff is also growing to include a new Membership and Ministry Director. Wow!!! For a ministry that is only a little over a year old, I must say, we have made some major strides.

With all of the changes and excitement in the air, I can't help but to take out the time to thank all of you for your prayers, support, and well wishes. Please continue to keep us lifted. There's still quite a bit to do! This is just the beginning of a great mission that Chosen has been called to fulfill. So we still need your prayers, love, and support.

If you would like to help us continue to make an impact in our community and the world, please consider planting a seed in this ministry. Your gift will help us in our mission to communicate Christ's compassion to those who need it most.

Until Next Week...

"We saw it, we heard it, and now we're telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!"

~1 John 1:3-4 (MSG)

Don't Get Weary

We're coming to the final weeks in our Purpose Driven Life study, so I would like to use this time to encourage you, "Don't give up...and don't get weary!" Let's remember that as we sow this time into learning about our purpose, it will result in our receiving a reward of a lifetime of meaning, significance, and effectiveness.

I want to also take this time to thank you all for participating in our small groups and our discussion boards. We received several testimonies and breakthroughs from those valuable fellowship tools. Let's keep up the good work!

Please use this time to go back and comment on some of the many discussion questions listed on our group discussion board. Also feel free to post some of the questions you may have come across as you studied the Purpose Driven Life. And finally, tell us what you've learned by going through this process.

Until next week...

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

~Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

It's About Time

My daughters are going through a campaign at school called "No TV Week". During this time, they are to find activities other than watching television in which to engage. They are also encouraged to have their parents participate as well. So, Shaun and I, being the terrific parents that we are, decided to oblige.

Tonight, we had a great time bonding with each other. We started by playing the board game "Sorry". It wasn't that great though (because I didn't win). Afterward, we ate dinner and enjoyed a terrific conversation which entailed plans for when the girls went off to college and eventually got married. It was a very entertaining evening. Once it was time for bed, my youngest daughter said, "We don't ever get to talk like this". Those words really hit home with me.

Are we just going through the motions in life? Do we just do things each day without really taking the time to enjoy the relationships we should be developing? How about our relationship with God? Is He thinking everyday, "We don't ever get to talk like this"?

Time is the most valuable asset we have because you only get a certain amount of it while you are here on this earth. And once it is spent, you will never get it back. Are you spending your most valuable asset on things that do not matter? Let's take the time to invest our time in things that are lasting and significant. Don't allow yourself to come to the end of your life and regret what you've spent your life on. Remember, it's the simple things like board games and conversations that truly make an impact in the lives of others.

Until next week...

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven"

~Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

"So then, we must always aim at those things that bring peace and that help strengthen one another."

~Romans 14:19 (GN)

Spiritual Check-Up

Today, I went to the doctor for my annual physical. While you like to think everything is fine, there's always something that needs a little improvement. I was told some things that I already knew I needed to do, like get more sleep, watch what I eat and exercise. These precautions were given because even though I was doing and feeling well, if I didn't take care of myself in the ways mentioned above, eventually I would feel the effects of neglecting to do those things.

The same is the case when it comes to our spiritual health. How often do we perform a spiritual check-up? Most, if not all, of us are lacking some very important (maybe even life threatening) spiritual maintenance. How many of you are watching what you eat spiritually? What do you let get inside of you from the negative influences of this world? Do you take the time to feed on God's Word? If you're not careful, you'll find yourself overweight on lust, greed, pride, and envy.

How about your spiritual exercise regiment? Are you putting what you learn from God's Word into practice? If not, you'll notice your strength begin to weaken. You'll not have what it takes to resist the temptation thrown at you on a day to day basis. Your endurance levels will be so low that you'll not be able to have patience and grace with your family and your co-workers.

It's important to take the time to meditate and exercise on God's Word. Make sure you are going to church for your spiritual check-ups. Keep yourself in environments that will support your healthy eating habits, and take the time to rest in His arms so you can feel the peace, comfort, and joy the He wants to provide for you. When you ensure these prescriptions are taken, you'll live a Christian life of vitality and radiance that others will want to emulate, and you'll be sure to pass every test that comes your way.

Until next week...

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

~2 Corinthians 13:5

Fellowship Follow-up

We are well into our third week of The Purpose Driven Life. And this week we are learning our second purpose in Christ, which is fellowship. Prior to starting the PDL, God had us studying on fellowship. So instead of recapping, I believe it is more appropriate for me to follow-up on what we have learned and find out what you have been doing to foster Christian fellowship.

As described in the book, we are created by God to belong to a local church family. It's through our relationship with Christ's church that we find our purpose and are given the opportunity to cultivate our gifts and talents. If you are not a part of a local church family, I strongly encourage you to connect with one. No church will be absolutely 'perfect' for you, since we are all imperfect people. However, you should find a place where you can receive God's Word, and grow into maturity by serving your fellow brothers and sisters.

We are told in the book of John that we show ourselves to be Christ's disciples by our love for one another. Pastor Warren points out in his book that the bible uses the phrase 'one another' over 50 times in the New Testament. That means there are a lot of commands we would not be able to follow if we didn't belong to a church family.

What are some of the ways you have forged lasting fellowships? Maybe you've connected with a small group, or you have committed yourself to a new church. Whatever it is, we would love to know. I find it a blessing connecting with all of you via this email, our online blog, and our group discussions each week. And I truly believe that it is building fellowship as we all get to know each other and discuss how to better serve Christ and His family.

Until next week...

So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

~Romans 12:5 (NIV)

True Worship

I would like to first thank all of you who are participating in our online group discussions and our in-home small groups. I have received nothing but great feedback from everyone on how beneficial it has been to all involved. Let's keep up the fellowship.

This week, we have started on our first purpose, which is WORSHIP. If you're following along in The Purpose Driven Life book, you'll recall that worship is an act of surrendering to God. Unfortunately, too many of us are hesitant to really 'let go, and let God!' Although that is a pretty familiar cliche, it's difficult to put it into practice. We can start by being honest with ourselves about what we are keeping from Him.

Jesus had an encounter with a Samaritan woman in the bible who was unwilling to be truthful with Him about her living arrangements (we often forget that God already knows everything there is to know about us). So Jesus began to reveal her life and secrets to her, showing her that He indeed is the Son of God. This caused her to 'let go' of everything she was holding on to. She literally dropped what she was doing and began to tell everyone about her encounter with the Messiah!

What are you holding on to? God wants us to surrender everything to Him...that is True Worship! When we are willing to give Him our whole lives, He will transform us into world changers and our lives will have significance and meaning. Now that's living with Purpose! Why don't you take the time to have a true encounter with Christ. Drop what you're doing that's keeping you from spending time with Him. Stop allowing the things of this world to keep you away from the God of life! Open your heart to Him and start living your life on purpose. Like the Samaritan woman, your life will never be the same.

Until next week...

The time is coming when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, and that time is here already. You see, the Father too is actively seeking such people to worship him.

~John 4:23 (NCV)

40 Days

Sunday was our first official day to start reading the Purpose Driven Life. I hope you have enjoyed your devotional time with God each day. For many of us, this is forming a healthy new habit of setting aside dedicated time for God in our pursuit to grow closer to Him. For others, you are reinforcing a previous commitment you made to Him, and He is well pleased.

Scripture is very clear about the significance of a 40 day journey. A great number of people that God used to change this world and the lives of others had to go through a 40 day transformation. To some, that transformation was seeing the vision of a new land. Others, however, were changed on the inside. They needed a reformation of their attitude, trust in God, and dedication to their purpose.

What will 40 days do for you? Do you need to be reinvigorated by seeing a vision of where God wants you to go? How about renewing your trust in Him and what He plans for your life? Maybe, you need to reform your attitude and begin to see life as peaceful, beautiful, and as joyous as God meant for it to be. Whatever the change may be, let's embrace it over the next 40 day period of our lives.

Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.

~Exodus 34:28-29

If you haven't signed up yet for the online discussion group, please do so by visiting http://groups.google.com/group/allchosen. I look forward to your comments.

Until next week...

Are You Wasting Life?

One of the most fundamental questions of life happens to be, "what is my purpose?" We often ask ourselves that question because we do not want to squander the most valuable asset we have...time. So we continuously analyze our daily 'doings' to realign ourselves with what we believe to be the best use of our time. Yet the question remains..."am I wasting my life?"

The answer can be found only by asking our Creator what He intended for our life to be when He created us. What does God want from your life and what does it take to fulfill it? The short answer to those questions are that He wants your whole life, and it takes discipline in order for you to give it to Him.

Christ is consistent when He asks you to follow Him, and it is impossible for you to call yourself a Christian and disciple if you have not begun to discipline your life to indeed follow Him. Many of us excuse ourselves from following Christ wholly by the statement, "let me first do____ (you fill in the blank)". This is the same thing that many of Christ's early disciples proclaimed (Luke 9:59, 61).

Let's stop making excuses when it comes to following Christ and truly offer our whole lives to Him as a living sacrifice. We can begin by participating in this study. Our group will start to read and discuss the book beginning next week. I pray that you will join us. You can log in to the group discussion by visiting http://groups.google.com/group/allchosen. Feel free to invite your friends and family. This is a journey you will not want to miss!

Until next week...

"please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us."

~ 1 Corinthians 6:1 (MSG)

Find Out

We spend a lot of time trying to discover what life is all about. A lot of this time, however, is spent looking in the wrong place. The problem is that while we're growing up, no one really points us in the right direction so we end up stumbling over things we believe will fulfill our life. This is not what God had planned for us. He tells us that He has plans to prosper us, give us hope and a future, but instead we often find ourselves insecure about who we are and where we are going.

But there is hope. You CAN find out who you are and why you are on this earth. God has a plan for you and His plan is the best plan for your life. His plan will open doors to the things you have a desire to fulfill for yourself. The unfortunate thing is that we are hesitant to follow God's plan because we don't really know if it will work. Sometimes we don't even know what it is! I want to urge you to find out!

Find out what your life is all about. Find out where you are and where God wants you to be. Find out how to make the most of your life without sacrificing time going down dead end paths. In the next couple of weeks, we're going to help you find out.

Responses for our study on the Purpose Driven Life have been great! And it's not too late to sign up. If you would like to join us for the online study group, please send an email sharing your interest. Also, if you haven't already done so, please respond to last week's question, "What is your life's purpose?" Click here to see what other's have had to say. I look forward to reading your comments.

Until next week.

It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.

~Ephesians 1:11 (MSG)

Stop Wandering

Have you ever felt like you were wandering through life? No purpose, no plans, and no prospects of where you are going or where you will end up? Well all of that is going to change. We here at Chosen Ministries are about to embark on the journey of our lives. In the next few weeks, we will begin 40 Days of Purpose, a study on the Purpose Driven Life by Pastor Rick Warren. This will help us to answer the question "What on earth am I here for?"

In the Bible, God told the children of Israel to send people to explore the promised land for 40 days and report on their findings. Was this land just as God had promised? The answer, of course, was yes! But the majority of those sent to check it out came back with a report of negativity and doubt instead of joy and anticipation. This caused a ripple effect throughout the community that resulted in them wandering for 40 years - one year for each day they explored.

Let's not allow that to be our fate! Let's stop wandering through life and begin to live life on purpose for God. Join us as we position ourselves to enter into the promise of the life that God has for each one of us by participating in the 40 Days of Purpose with Chosen Ministries. If you're interested, simply reply to this email and I'll explain how you can be a part of this awesome journey. Until then, I'd love to hear your comments on the question, "what is your life's purpose?"

"Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years old or more who came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - not one except Caleb...and Joshua..., for they followed the LORD wholeheartedly."

~Numbers 32:11-12

Where's the Love?

As you know, for the past few weeks, we have been discussing the importance of fellowship in the Body of Christ. You've weighed in by giving me your comments on fellowship and what you think it means. I want to find out more.

What do you think love has to do with the value of fellowship. Can you have true fellowship without having love? Where does love fit in with fellowship? And perhaps the most important question...What is love?

Last Sunday, as we were discussing being connected to one another as a body of believers, we began to touch on this subject of love. No, not the love that you throw around at people so that you can be on their good side, the true love that distinguishes you as a disciple of Christ (1 John 4:12; John 15:8). During our discourse, we began to unravel this complicated 4-letter word and it opened the door to the questions listed above.

This opened my eyes to a great problem within the Church and world...if we do not know what true love is, we can never be in fellowship with each other. So I thought it appropriate to find out what you think love is, and where is the love that should be present in the world today. So please give me your comments. Don't be shy either! Let's get to the bottom of this problem so that more of us can begin to experience the love that Christ commands us to give.

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

~1 John 3:18

Do Something!

Do you see problems in the world and community around you and get frustrated by what is going on? Many of the the things that bother you may not even cross someone else' mind. The reason it concerns you more than others is because you may hold the antidote to that world or community ailment.

I believe that for every problem, there is a solution. And most of the time, we know what those solutions are, especially for our own problems. They just aren't always comfortable to implement. For instance, we know that if we have a financial problem, we may need to be more disciplined. In relationships, we may need to be more compassionate. And if we have a problem at work, we may need to leave! :-)

Well this week I want to urge you to do something. Do something that will push you in the direction of reaching the solution to your problem. It doesn’t matter how big that something is; what matters is that you do it! Then once you do something toward reaching your desired outcome, do something else.

This is the key to accomplishment…commitment and consistency. Once you have decided to go forward (commitment), do it all the time (consistency). Before you know it, you’ll be at your destination. Your financial problems will be solved, your relationship issues will be gone, and you’ll have made peace with work!

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

~James 2:14, 18

What is it that you know you need to do? What have you been putting off, that if done, would put you on track to reach your goals? I'd love to hear your comments...

What is Fellowship?

Being a part of the family of God means that you must share in fellowship with one another. After all, we are a body of believers and a body would not function properly if all of its parts were not working together. The disappointing realization is that we as Christians do not experience true fellowship often enough. Part of the problem is due to the fact that we do not know what fellowship really means. Despite popular opinion, fellowship is not merely meeting for Sunday morning worship, or sharing a meal in the Fellowship Hall. True fellowship is much, much more!

What do you think true fellowship means? I decided to find out by asking people out and about on the streets of Burbank. Take a look at their response...

What does it mean to you? Have you ever really experienced true fellowship? The bible says that the first church was 'one in heart and mind'. Do you feel that way about the church you belong to? Is it a place where you feel free to share all of your possessions, your thoughts, your feelings?

I'd like to hear from each of you. Please comment by posting your response to the questions above. We at Chosen Ministries are striving to be an Acts 4:32 church and we're on a quest to find other parts of the body to share in that experience. It's not until we realize that we cannot function as God intended us to function without being in true fellowship, only then we will finally experience the joy, peace, and stability this Christian life has to offer.

Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

~Ephesians 4:15-16

Love or Lies?

With Valentine's day just around the corner, there's no doubt that you are being inundated with commercials tempting you to buy flowers, chocolates, and gifts for your significant other. You may also be getting hints from them letting you know what that 'special something' is, that will affirm your undying love for them. Oh, yes...love is in the air! Or is it?

Many believers do not place enough emphasis on showing love to other believers. The Bible is clear in stating that we are to 'love one another'. However, our love is more often relegated to self love instead of one another love. This is evidenced by how we as Christians would rather worry about our own life and success than expend the energy to look after someone else's needs.

This is the exact opposite of how the family of God should act. In the first church, we are told that they were 'one in heart and mind'. They cared about each other's needs. The bible even goes so far as to say that 'no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, they shared everything they had (Acts 4:32)'. Now that's love! That scripture illustrates the fact that we can do much more together than we could ever do apart.

I had an opportunity to see an outpouring of love this past Sunday at church. It was such a privilege to see a community of believers pledge themselves to be involved in each other's lives. By making that vow, we expressed that we truly care for one another's needs. I urge you to do the same. Get involved with a local church and make a sincere connection with other believers. When you do, you'll find love greater than any flower, chocolate, or gift could ever buy.

"If we say we love God and don't love each other, we are liars."

~1 John 4:20 (CEV)

We Are Family

The biggest complaint I hear about church is that the people are hypocritical. Unfortunately, the reason many people feel that way is because they see someone one way on Sunday, and find out that they are a completely different person throughout the week. My question to you is, "wouldn't you like to come to church and just be you?"

Hopefully, your answer to that question is yes! But for too many people is isn't, mainly because they feel like they would be unfairly judged if they came to service 'just as they are'. The sad part about this whole situation is that church is supposed to be the place where we can be who God created us to be. And instead of donning a mask every week, we should feel comfortable enough to open ourselves up among those who are supposed to be our spiritual family.

Families are unique, because no matter how much your sister embarrasses you, or how goofy your dad acts, they are still your family. There is nothing you can do to get rid of them, nor do you want to. We need to realize that fact among our Christian brothers and sisters. We are family! We have to stop being embarrassed to come to each other for help, or too ashamed to seek wise counsel. All of us have fallen short of God's best in our lives, and we all have needed to be comforted by those who had been in the same position.

So the next time we are getting ready for service, let's leave the masks at home and come with a spirit of love and fellowship, not gossip and slander. Let's open up our arms and our hearts and receive each other with acceptance and humility...after all, We Are Family!

"From now on you are not strangers and people who are not citizens. You are citizens together with those who belong to God. You belong in God's family."

~Ephesians 2:19 (NLV)

Where Are You Going?

Do you ever find yourself lying in bed wondering what the next day might hold? Those are the times when I find myself questioning whether the time I spent checking things off of my to do list are really the things that are most important in my life. Many of us have embarked upon a journey to accomplish our dreams, and that is a fantastic road in which to travel. Yet my question to you is, "Where will you be, when you get where you're going?" Are you following the path that will lead you to the destination that God has for you, or will you end up at an unknown destination wondering where you made that wrong turn?

I'm not usually one to stop and ask for directions. Instead, I stumble through finding a new location by going in countless circles refusing to believe that I am lost. More times than not, I end up getting further and further off the path because I am too stubborn to turn around and ask for help. Even though my wife attempts to convince me to stop and seek wise counsel, I neglect taking her advice only to end up wasting valuable time, gas, and resources. This is how most of us live as Christians. We go through our lives wasting valuable time because we refuse to stop and seek God for His plan for our life.

Many of us do not want to believe that we are lost. Mainly because we have come a long way in life and have achieved quite a bit, and it's difficult to admit that we may be on the wrong path. But when you find yourself going in circles and deep down inside you know that there must be another way, you need to stop and ask for directions. I have learned that In order for us to find true fulfillment, we have to get on the path that God has created for us. Let's stop wasting our lives because we don't want to turn around.

So, where are you going? Hopefully it's where God is leading you to go.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

~Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Wake Up!

Prior to my moving to beautiful Burbank, California to start my ministry, I was working for a company in Dallas, Texas dreaming about how God was going to use me in a fantastic way. I recall one day sitting in my cubicle hearing God whisper the words "wake up!" in my spirit. Before I had the opportunity to question the meaning behind these words, I realized what God was telling me. At some point in our Christian journey we need to quit dreaming about what we are to accomplish and wake up to do the work of our calling.

Most of us are waiting for the conditions to be just right in order for us to begin to move on what God has created us to do. When we do that, our enemy will make sure that things are never going our way. What we need to realize is that our mission in life is generally going to be developed through the trials of our journey. In other words, it's not until we face the hardships of our lives that we realize the purpose of our life. We have to wake up from the dream state in order to live out our dream.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. epitomized this concept. He realized very early in his life that the only way change would come was if someone would face the danger it took to provoke change to happen. We now live in the wake of his dream, and may of us do not realize the potential we have inside of us to live in the wake of our own dreams. So my word to you today is the same as that which was uttered to me just a few years back...WAKE UP, because your dream is waiting.

"Do this because we live in an important time. It is now time for you to wake up from your sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed."

~Romans 13:11 (NCV)

Dream Big!

This past Sunday, I had a discussion about having an expanded vision for your future. I found out that too many Christians have a limited view of where they believe God wants them to be. Unfortunately, this is a very debilitating problem within the Body of Christ, because God wants us to dream big!

All throughout Scripture we are told, "nothing is impossible with God, greater works you will do, and God can do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that you can ask or think." As a matter of fact, the only limitations that God has are the ones we place on Him. He will never go beyond where you allow Him to go in your life. That goes against your free will. But He does want us to move past the limitations we have placed in our own minds.

The problem we have with dreaming big is that we think we have to accomplish everything on our own. We forget that we have Power living within us that gives us access to all the creativity we need. That Power is the Holy Spirit. An example of this is detailed in the life of Joseph. Joseph had a big dream! And although he was placed in some desperate situations, he prospered because "the Lord gave him success in whatever he did."

So the next time you find yourself limiting what you believe can be accomplished in your life, stop, take a step back, tell the mountain to get out of your way, and take hold of your Big Dream!

So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?" Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you."

~Genesis 41:38-40 (NIV)

Happy New Year!

The New Year is here! It's a time for fresh starts and new beginnings. Take this opportunity to revive your relationship with Christ and experience His peace, love, and joy in 2008 and forevermore.

Expect a Prosperous New Year,

Pastor AJ Golden
Chosen Ministries, Inc.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

~2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)