I am Destiny-Focused!

Logos Bible Software Offers Bible College Scholarships

2011-01-25T19:08:00.001-06:00

Going to a Bible College is expensive.

On top of that, finding a scholarship can be really difficult. That's why I was so excited to find the Bible College Scholarship website today.

Not only are they giving away a $1,000.00 scholarship and a digital theological library, all I had to do to apply was watch a short video and answer a few questions! It took less than 15 minutes.

What is best of all is that if you're in Bible College and apply for the Bible College Scholarship, and put my name as the person who referred you, if you win the scholarship, so do I!

We could both get a $1,000.00 scholarship and digital theological library.

So, do us both a favor and go apply for the Bible College Scholarship today.

Day 10: Final 10 Days of 2010!

2010-12-31T12:00:00.051-06:00

<< Back to Day 9 || Start from Day 1 >>

Day 10: Everybody Can't Hang Onto Your Destiny (Part 2 of 2)

Matthew Henry Commentary explains that "Canaan was...a type of heaven". In Exodus 3:8, God refers to this region as "a land flowing with milk and honey..." because its soil was rich, abundant and productive, just like God wanted His people to be. Canaan was the Promised Land. Therefore, when Abram left he "believed that the blessing of the Almighty would make up for all he could lose or leave behind, supply all his wants, and answer and exceed all his desires; and he knew that nothing but misery would follow disobedience" (Matthew Henry, Gen. 12:4,5). The problem is that he had two relatives who wanted in on his blessing: Terah (see Gen. 11:31) and Lot (Gen. 12:4,5).

I know you are probably saying that yes we should be an example to our unsaved and spiritual immature family members. Yet you can't deny that the more time you spent around anyone - family members or friends - who don't share the same values and beliefs as you do, you give satan a prime opportunity to distract you from your destiny (as discussed on Day Two available here). God knew this and unless Abram got away from his family, then he would never receive his spiritual inheritance and we would have never received our spiritual inheritance through Christ Jesus.

One of the reasons that Lot was cared for first by Terah and then Abram was because his father, Haran, had died (see Gen. 11:28). So of course, Terah told Lot under his care and when Terah died, Lot "latched on" to Abram. So, when it was time to head to Canaan, Lot could have easily assumed that that meant he was going too. As the scripture states "Lot went with him" before Abram "took him" (see Gen. 11:4, 5).

Here's where it gets tricky: As a result of Lot's being connected to Abram, he also became rich. He was so rich that the two of them were forced to separate to "keep the peace"(Gen. 13:8-11). Yet in the midst of Lot "acquiring herds and flocks so large that the land was unable to support both", all of that benefits wouldn't last for long because Lot didn't have a "destiny-focused™" mindset. This is evident when Abram gave him of choice in which direction to go:

"And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that is was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah)....Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan....And they separated from each other....Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord" (Gen. 13:10-13 NKJV).

"Lot looked to the goodness of the land; therefore, he doubted not that in such a fruitful soil he should certainly thrive" because he "...little considered the badness of the inhabitants" (Matthew Henry, Gen. 13:10-13). So, when one hangs out with those living lives of destiny that doesn't mean that their life is under the same anointing because it is not!

Fulfilling destiny requires that you too have a relationship with One True God. So, not just anyone can only ride on the coattails of another friend or family member's destiny for very long before they too lose everything just like Lot. There is no such thing as "borrowed destiny".

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:
By 2010 comes to an end, take a lot moments to meditate on Genesis 13:14-18. When you look to the north, south, east and west, what is God showing you regarding entering into 2011? Once you can "see in", then be sure to give Him due praise and worship.

<< Back to Day 9 || Start from Day 1 >>

###

SPECIAL OFFERS (from Jaketha.com):
Have you found yourself at the end of another year failing to accomplish not even one of your hopes and dreams? Learn how to develop a simple plan for a New Year. Click here to join our mailing list and gain immediate access to our FREE REPORT entitled Create Your 2011 Destiny-Focused™ Action Plan!...But don't delay because this FREE report is only available today through the first few weeks of 2011 and then it's gone! Oh yeah! We'll protect your email because we hate spam just like you do! :)

Day 9: Final 10 Days of 2010!

2010-12-30T12:00:00.284-06:00

<< Back to Day 8 || Continue to Day 10 >>

Yesterday we discussed Noah "cursing out" of his son, Ham, for being disrespectful towards him. In case you missed that eye-opening challenge entitled Day 8: Being Imperfect Doesn't Void One's Destiny, click here to access it along with hyperlinks to previous lessons.

***************************

Day 9: Everybody Can't Hang onto Your Destiny! (Part 1 of 2)

The Bible mentions that Noah had three sons: Ham, Shem, and Japheth. In Genesis 9:24-27, Noah proclaimed a curse on Ham's lineage, while the other two sons received blessings. Today, we're going to advance through the lineage of Noah's eldest son, Shem, to reach the family of Terah. If you are unfamiliar with Terah, he was the father of Abram, whom God later renamed Abraham. Terah had three sons named Abram, Nahor and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot. Thus many are familiar with the story of Abram [Abraham] and Lot.

First Timothy 5:8 is just one of many scriptures on taking care of one's family; however, there comes a time when God requires that you "put some space" between you and them as in the case of marriage (see Genesis 2:24). In such cases, the blessings of God is not only for His glory but also to bless you and your descendants (i.e., your children, grandchildren). In Abram's case, God specifically tells him to leave his family behind because He had a Divine blessing in store.

"The LORD said to Abram, "Leave your land, your relatives, and your father's home. Go to the land that I will show you....So Abram left, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. Abram set out for Canaan. He took along his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the servants they had acquired in Haran" (Genesis 12:1, 4, 5 God's Word Translation).

According to the Matthew Henry Commentary, by selecting Abram, God had made a choice and "...singled him out from among his fellow-idolaters, that he might reserve a people for Himself, among whom His true worship might be maintained til the coming of Christ....Abram was tried whether he loved God better than all, and whether he could willingly leave all to go with God. His kindred and his father's house were a constant temptation to him, he could not continue among them without danger of being infected by them" (Genesis 12:1-3).

In Joshua 24:2, we read that Terah, Nahor (Abram's brother) and even Abram had at some point worshiped other gods. Therefore, to receive the blessings of the One True God, Abram would need to stop hanging up with "bad influencers" if he was intent on reaching his destiny. According to the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, "In the ancient near East people assumed that as a a person migrated from one area to another area they would take over the gods and religion of the new area in which they settled." God wanted Abram to worship Him alone and that meant heading for Canaan.

Join us for our final day of the Final 10 Days of 2010 Challenge. Tomorrow, we will go deeper into the meaning of [the land of] Canaan and why just anybody can't hang upon your destiny.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:
Take a moment to consider the people in your life. Are there "bad influencers" who could ultimately distract you from your God-given destiny? Has God called you to "leave them"? If so, then who do you need to "separate from" as you enter into 2011?

<< Back to Day 8 || Continue to Day 10 >>

###

Day 8: Final 10 Days of 2010!

2010-12-29T12:00:00.336-06:00

<< Back to Day 7 || Continue to Day 9 >>

Yesterday, we discussed Noah's first "act of worship" after leaving the ark and emphasized the necessity of giving genuine praise and worship to God, since we, as Christians, were created to glorify Him. In case you missed Day 7: Pursuing Destiny Requires Praise & Worship, click here to access it along with hyperlinks to previous lessons.

***************************

Day 8: Being Imperfect Doesn't Void One's Destiny!

Noah, a farmer, was the first person to plant a vineyard. He drank some wine, got drunk, and lay naked inside his tent. Ham, father of Canaan, saw his father naked. So he went outside and told his two brothers. Shem and Japheth took a blanket and laid it over their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered their father’s naked body. They turned their faces away so that they didn’t see their father naked. "When Noah sobered up, he found out what his youngest son had done to him. So he said, “Canaan is cursed! He will be the lowest slave to his brothers...” (Genesis 9:20-25 God's Word Translation).

Yesterday we said that Noah's first act of holiness after leaving the ark was to give a burnt-offering onto the Lord. Once that was done, he was free to begin reestablishing his life, which includes going back to work. Noah's job was that of a farmer and he was a wealthy farmer [at that] because only wealthy farmers could plant vineyards. So there's no denying that at some point, those grapes were turned into wine and Noah did a little taste testing. In other words, he was up in his tent - getting a "lil tipsy". :) But before we judge him harshly, we should dig for a much deeper meaning.

In lieu of the Flood, it is safe to say that there probably wasn't much, if any "safe drinking water". According to one source, "in countries where pure, uncontaminated water is hard to come by, brewed tea, ale, or wine, have often served as alternatives....[wine was seen as] a central part of the family meal." Furthermore, "vineyards were an important part of the agricultural economy and those who were wealthy enough to be in the possession of them are urged in the Bible to share at least some of their produce." (see Deut. 24:21) (Source: http://m.crossref-it.info/articles/62/Vine,-vineyard)

"The Bible in no instance labels...wine as evil. Jesus provided wine at the wedding feast in Cana, His first public miracle. Paul instructed his disciple Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach's sake and not confine his fluid intake to water only. The Bible does clearly forbid any drinking beyond 'moderation,' that is, drinking to the point of impairment, or drunkenness. The text gives no indication that Noah was taken by surprise, except by his son's [Ham's] behavior" (The Genesis Question by Hugh Ross, p. 180).

"Noah became 'drunk' from the wine of the harvest and slept off his drunkenness 'uncovered' in the privacy of his tent." (The Genesis Question by Hugh Ross, p. 179, emphasis added). Yes, Noah may have had to much to drink and yes he may have been 'uncovered' but take note of where he was - in his own tent. He wasn't on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras; he was in the privacy of his own living quarters.

Tent-dwelling families usually had more than one tent. Therefore, the wealthier and bigger the family, the more "rooms" (or sections) that could and would be added. So, it's safe to say that Ham not only entered a "section" of his father's tent "without knocking" but he also told everything that he saw once he left. As Noah's son, Ham's action were disrespectful and dishonorable.

"In the ancient Near East, sons were expected to protect the honor of their father through caring for him when he was drunk (with no negative judgment being attached to getting drunk). Ham here does the opposite, both looking upon his father naked and telling his brothers about it" (The New Oxford Annotated Bible).

Matthew Henry Commentary explains that "the drunkenness of Noah is recorded in the Bible, with that fairness which is found only in the Scripture, as a case and proof of human weakness and imperfection" (Genesis 9:18-23). The New Oxford Annotated Bible explains that several "major themes from the pre-flood period: farming, nakedness, alienation in the family, curse, and domination" continue to exist after the Flood. Therefore, Noah was no superhero, but a fallen man just like the rest of us!

Nobody ever said that Noah was perfect, he was imperfect. Yet his imperfections had no impact on God showing him favor prior to the Flood, blessing him and his family after the Flood and also establishing a covenant with him (see Gen. 9:1-9). So living a life of destiny, does not make you exempt from weaknesses or sin. As long as we remain in these earthly bodies, we will always fall short of His glory. So, as you pursue a destiny-focused™ life in 2011, do not allow anyone to use past shames, weaknesses or other imperfections to rob you of what God has in store just for you.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Turn everything off and take 15 minutes to meditate on Matthew 10:36, how could you use praise and worship to overcome the shame of a private imperfection that has been made public? Are there any from your past that you need to lay at His feet prior to entering into 2011?

<< Back to Day 7 || Continue to Day 9 >>

###

SPECIAL OFFERS (from Jaketha.com):

- OFFER #1: Have you found yourself at the end of another year failing to accomplish not even one of your hopes and dreams? Learn how to develop a simple plan for a New Year. Click here to join our mailing list and gain immediate access to our FREE REPORT entitled Create Your 2011 Destiny-Focused™ Action Plan!...But don't delay because this FREE report is only available today through the first few weeks of 2011 and then it's gone! Oh yeah! We'll protect your email because we hate spam just like you do! :)

- OFFER #2: Do you want to walk in purpose and destiny, but don't know where to start? Learn how to identify, clarify and strategize for the discovery and fulfillment of your God-given destiny through our forty-day Destiny Challenge Virtual Boot Camp, start by clicking here for more details.

Day 7: Final 10 Days of 2010!

2010-12-28T12:00:00.171-06:00

<< Back to Day 6 || Continue to Day 8 >>

In the past couple of days, I have focused on the life of Noah as it relates to pursuing a destiny-focused™ life. We have examined how Noah walked with God (see Gen. 6:8-12), his faith and obedience in building the ark (see Gen. 6:14-21; 7:5 and Heb. 11:7); as well as, how he and his family was saved from death (see Gen. 8:1). Over the next day or so, we will continue looking his life after the Ark. In case you missed yesterday's challenge entitled Day 6: Actively Waiting on Transition, click here to access it along with hyperlinks to previous lessons.

***************************

Day 7: Pursuing Destiny Requires Praise & Worship

"Do you glorify the things of God more than the things of this world?"

~Andrew Wommack, Author of Discovering the Keys to Staying Full of God

After spending months on an enclosed vessel with his relatives and a slew of animals, the rest of us would have been so glad to break free that we would have run out of the ark doing back flips with a final somersault to kiss the ground. Okay, maybe not quite! :) But at the very least, we would have started the process of figuring out what to do next in this "new" world. However, Noah did something a little bit contrary to modern-day actions because once those doors were opened, he had a moment of "praise and worship" (see Gen. 8:15-20). According to the Matthew Henry Commentary on Genesis 8:20-22, Noah's actions were considered "an act of worship." "Worship was Noah's concern after exiting the ark." (Old Testament Survey Series: The Pentateuch by James E. Smith).

Worship is defined by Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary as "the act or action associated with attributing honor, reverence, or worth to...the triune God [God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit]." It goes on to say that "worship is the human response to the self-revelation of the triune God [including] divine initiation in which God reveals Himself, His purposes, and His will."

Our Heavenly Father's intent in creating us [man] was for His glory, which is confirmed in Isaiah 43:7: "...every last one who bears my name, every man, woman, and child. Whom I created for my glory, yes, personally formed and made each one'" (The Message) Yet, Apostle Paul reminds us that our refusal to worship God is offensive in His sight as explained in Romans 1:21-23 from The Message:

People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand.

Building an altar and presenting a burnt-offering to the Lord was Noah's way of thanking and giving honor to God. His "act of worship" says something about his morals because "...obedient response to God's will is vital to genuine worship" (Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary) and Gen 8:21 confirms that Noah's actions was quite pleasing to God. However, "we are now to express our thankfulness, not by burnt-offerings, but by praise..." (Matthew Henry Commentary, Gen. 8:20-22). To give praise to God is to proclaim His value. Therefore, those who know and do God's Will have a foundation on which to praise and worship Him and Him alone.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:
Starting today and through the remainder of Final 10 Days of 2010 Challenge, make the time every day (even if its only 5 minutes) to stop and honor God. You can praise and worship through prayer, praise, thanksgiving, charity/giving, confession, reading scripture, discipline, but especially by living a holy and destiny-focused™ life.

<< Back to Day 6 || Continue to Day 8 >>

###

SPECIAL OFFERS (from Jaketha.com):
- OFFER #1: Have you found yourself at the end of another year failing to accomplish not even one of your hopes and dreams? Learn how to develop a simple plan for a New Year. Click here to join our mailing list and gain immediate access to our FREE REPORT entitled Create Your 2011 Destiny-Focused™ Action Plan!...But don't delay because this FREE report is only available today through the first few weeks of 2011 and then it's gone! Oh yeah! We'll protect your email because we hate spam just like you do! :)

- OFFER #2: Do you want to walk in purpose and destiny, but don't know where to start? Learn how to identify, clarify and strategize for the discovery and fulfillment of your God-given destiny through our forty-day Destiny Challenge Virtual Boot Camp, start by clicking here for more details.

Day 6: Final 10 Days of 2010!

2010-12-27T00:00:00.258-06:00

<< Back to Day 5 || Continue to Day 7 >>

Yesterday we talked about how Noah did not assume that since God had called him to build the ark that he could come and go in it as he pleased. Yet Noah was different because he was in tuned with God's destiny-focused™ commands regarding when it was time to enter into the ark and when it was time to leave. In case you missed Day 5: Destiny at His Command, click here to access it.

***************************

Day 6: Actively Waiting on Transition

Continuing down the same path as yesterday's lesson. I need to clarify the process associated with "coming into" and "coming out" of a season of transition. As you may recall from previous lessons, 2011 will be a season of transition.

Spiritual transition is a shifting from one level (or dimension) of life to the next. A season of transition is only beneficial to those who are readily prepared to "enter in". <- Read that again because the term "readily" means "in a punctual manner", "without hesitation", and "without unwillingness" (according to WordNetWeb.Princeton.edu and Wiktionary.com). In other words, God is not going to drag us into our destiny. We must choose to "enter in" by learning what needs to be learned and then doing what needs to be done so when the times comes, we are found ready.

If you look back at the events leading up to the Flood, God told Noah how to make the ark. He also told him to gather food for the animals and his family and God even sent the animals to the ark. However, the Bible does not mention other specifics that Noah probably would have like to have known early on, such as, how much food he should collect, how much time he had to build the ark, how long the Flood would last, how often the animals should be fed, what to do if one animal became gravely ill and on and on and on. Without having Internet access or a veterinary degree meant Noah was required to obtain some level of knowledge, wisdom and understanding as he went along. Since so much wasn't revealed to him, he surely had to rely on his faith and obedience in God, but he also had to get up and start building and gathering.

Let me explain it this way. A couple of weeks ago, I had a business trip that involved flying into Las Vegas, NV and then driving a good four hours to Riverside, CA. Luckily, my boss brought along his GPS. So, after programming in our final destination, we felt confident in its ability to lead us to our hotel.

Unless programmed to do so, GPS devices do not take into account stops for restroom use, buying food or refueling. All it is concerned with is getting you to your final destination. So, everytime you detour, it will do what it knows to do and that's "Recalculate" toward getting your back on track.

Just like a GPS, many Christians errorenously believe that God is going to literally give them turn-by-turn instructions for every aspect of their lives. Not true! To many people miss out on their destiny because they are waiting on God to make a move and it isn't His turn yet; it's yours.

Knowing God’s will is sometimes difficult. People want God to tell them specifically what to do—where to work, where to live, whom to marry, etc. God rarely gives people information that direct and specific. God allows us to make choices regarding those things. (Source: GotQuestions.org)

Even though you should be using the last few days of 2010 to "rest in Him", there is no need to rest, if you aren't even prepared to "enter in". Waiting can only be linked to inactivity, when you have already put the "required work". I recently heard Bishop T. D. Jakes say that "Success is intentional. You must purpose to be blessed in 2011." And that means actively preparing yourself for your upcoming "shift" because it's not going to happen any other way.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Turn off everything and take 15 minutes to reflect on Isaiah 48:17. Ask yourself am I readily prepared to enter into 2011? If not, then ask the Holy Spirit to use God's Positioning System (GPS) to discern your current location and to help you assess what you need to do to get ready to enter into your season of transition.

<< Back to Day 5 || Continue to Day 7 >>

###

**CURRENT** TDC OFFER: Do you want to walk in purpose and destiny, but don't know where to start? Learn how to identify, clarify and strategize for the discovery and fulfillment of your God-given destiny through our forty-day Destiny Challenge Virtual Boot Camp, start by clicking here for more details.

Day 5: Final 10 Days of 2010!

2010-12-26T12:00:00.373-06:00

<< Back to Day 4 || Continue to Day 6 >>

Yesterday we looked at the life of Noah prior to the Flood. We discussed how the gift of destiny is not meant just for you but is usually meant to benefit others. We also talked about how one's destiny isn't always an easy task - just ask Noah. In case you missed Day 4: Opening Your Gift of Destiny, click here to access it.

***************************

Day 5: Destiny at His Command

As you may recall, on the first day of this Final 10 Days of 2010 Challenge, I mentioned that in September of this year, I felt the need to "get ready" because I sensed that 2011 would be the year that I would not "go forth" but "come forth" into God's destiny. Well, today, I want to help you to understand that a big part of your destiny requires that you rely on God's timing regarding when to come and go.

"Then the LORD said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation....And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him" (Genesis 7:1, 6 NKJV emphasis added).

"Then God spoke to Noah, "Come out of the ship with your wife, your sons, and your sons' wives....So Noah came out with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives. (Genesis 8:15, 16 GWT emphasis added).

"Come into" is defined by TheFreeDictionary.com as "to acquire" while "come out" means to "to be issued or brought out; to become known." According to my own spiritual promptings over the last several months along with the prophecy shared on Day 1 of this Challenge, 2011 will be a season of transition.

Transitioning into a new level (or dimension) of our lives involves being in tune with His Wills and His Ways. Therefore, I believe that to "come into" means not only to "show up" but also "to get in alignment". One cannot transition into destiny without first having been through Him for direction and guidance followed by obedience. We tend to do just the opposite. We set out, make and implement our own plans then beg God to bless OUR plans. Or we simply won't be obedient to Him and instead go our own way. For Proverbs 16:9 states: "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps" (NLT). So, the key for acquiring your heart's desire is to show up before Him and alignment with what He has instructed you to do.

In Genesis 7, verses 1 and 6, many of us would have assumed that if God called us to build the ark, then that meant that we could come and go as we so pleased. Yet this was not the case. Pay attention to that fact, that even though God told Noah to build the ark, Noah still had to wait on His instructions before any of them come formally "enter in". Listen to Matthew Henry Commentary on Genesis 7:1-12:

The call to Noah is very kind, like that of a tender father to his children to come in-doors when he sees night or a storm coming. Noah did not go into the ark til God bade him, though he knew it was to be his place of refuge. It is very comfortable to see God going before us in every step we take. Noah had taken a great deal of pains to build the ark, and now he was himself kept alive in it. What we do in obedience to the command of God, and in faith, we ourselves shall certainly have the comfort of, first, or last.

If Noah had been impatient and jumped ahead of God, then by the time is was time for all of them to enter in, there likely wouldn't have been enough food or supplies to see them through the Flood.

God desires that we have a more abundant life in this life and in the next - our eternal life. That is why it is vital that we "rest in Him" for direction, guidance, instruction, etc. Yet waiting on Him is tough because it requires our faith and our utmost obedience.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:
Turn off everything and take 15 minutes to reflect on the pros and cons regarding if you waited on God in the fulfillment of your heart's desire versus if you jumped ahead of Him. What would be the outcome either way? If you continue to find yourself struggling with wanting to jump ahead of God, ask the Holy Spirit for patience during your transitional wait. Just remember as you wait that God is faithful and He will do just what He said He would do.

<< Back to Day 4 || Continue to Day 6 >>

###

**NEW** TDC OFFER: Do you want to walk in purpose and destiny, but don't know where to start? Learn how to identify, clarify and strategize for the discovery and fulfillment of your God-given destiny through our forty-day Destiny Challenge Virtual Boot Camp, start by clicking here for more details.

Day 4: Final 10 Days of 2010!

2010-12-25T12:00:00.143-06:00

<< Back to Day 3 || Continue to Day 5 >>

Yesterday's assignment was to sketch a family tree back three or four generations and search for past descendants who were great examples of someone who walked with God, like Enoch (see Genesis 5). I also asked you to examine your own life and ponder whether current and future generations would be able to say that YOU are/were a shining example of someone who walked with God. In case you missed Day 3: You Are Already Equipped with Blessedness, click here to access it.

***************************

Day 4: Opening Your Gift of Destiny

Today is Christmas. In the midst of all the exchanging of tangible items, I want you to stop and consider one gift that very few Christians knowingly and willingly open - and that's the gift of purpose and destiny over their lives. Let's look at Noah as example of someone who not only walked with God, but also as someone whose life was spared because he "used his gift card" and walk in destiny.

In Genesis 5, Lamech became the father of Noah. Noah's name means "relief" or "rest". Lamech said this of his son (v. 29), "This child will bring us relief from the work and painful labor of our hands since the Lord has cursed the ground" (emphasis added). As you recalled, God cursed the ground twice. Once after the Fall of Man (see Gen. 3:17-19) and again after Cain killed Abel (see Gen. 4:10-12).

So far into our journey of Adam's descendants, only two are indicated as men who "walked with God" - Enoch and Noah (see Gen. 5:21-24; 6:8-9). During Noah's lifetime, God was grieved at the amount of evil in the hearts of men. According to the Matthew Henry Commentary, "God repented that he had made man." While in Genesis Chapter 6 states "The world was corrupt in God's sight and full of violence. God saw the world and how corrupt it was because all people on earth lived evil lives" (emphasis added). In verse 13, "God said to Noah, 'I have decided to put an end to all people because the earth is full of their violence'" (emphasis added).

So, God reveals His plan with Noah to destroy all of mankind but He also shared that Noah would be spared along with those connected to him - his wife, their three sons and their sons' wives. So in verses 14-16, he gives Noah a plan and a strategy because the Flood was due soon.

"God could have secured Noah without putting him to any care, or pains, or trouble; but employed him in making that which was to be the means to preserve him, for the trial of his faith and obedience....God gave Noah particular orders to make the ark, which could not therefore but be well fitted for the purpose. God promised Noah that he and his family should be kept alive in the ark. What we do in obedience to God, we and our families are likely to benefit of" (Matthew Henry Commentary, Genesis 6:12-21).

"He [Noah] was not only honest, but devout; it was his constant care to do the will of God. God looks down upon those with an eye of favour, who sincerely look up to him with an eye of faith. It is easy to be religious when religion is in fashion; but it shows strong faith and resolution, to swim against the stream, and to appear for God when no one else appears for him; Noah did so" (MHC, Genesis 6:8-11).

Here's where destiny steps in: Even though Noah's name meant "rest" or "relief", that relief was not for his benefit, it was for the benefit of future generations. Yes, Noah's destiny required him to but a single ship that's bigger than 18 of the largest ships in our current time. There was the gathering of the animals and caring for them. Can we talk about pressure?

Nobody said that destiny was easy, Noah is proof that "walking with God" and accepting your gift of destiny is "hard work" but it pays off because through Noah's obedience future generations were saved. So, choose today to unwrap your gift all for the glory of God.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:
Before you go to bed tonight, reflect on today's Challenge and ask yourself, Am I truly operating in God's gift of destiny or am I missing the mark? If there is any doubt, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal with You a glance of God's assignment over your life.

<< Back to Day 3 || Continue to Day 5 >>

###

**NEW** TDC OFFER: Do you want to walk in purpose and destiny, but don't know where to start? Learn how to identify, clarify and strategize for the discovery and fulfillment of your God-given destiny through our forty-day Destiny Challenge Virtual Boot Camp, start by clicking here for more details.

Day 3: Final 10 Days of 2010!

2010-12-24T12:00:00.024-06:00

<< Back to Day 2 || Continue to Day 4 >>

Your assignment from yesterday was to identify any "forbidden trees" that satan could use against you. For each "tree", seek one or more scriptures that you can meditate on over the next few days and weeks. So today I want to encourage you that as a believer you are already equipped with everything you need for destiny but you must choose to walk in it. So just in case you missed Day 2: Satan, Shut the H#&! Up! of our Final 10 Days of 2010 Challenge, then you can access right here.

*********

Day 3 of 10: You Are Already Equipped with Blessedness!!!
Within the next 24 hours, many will receive gift cards as Christmas presents. When a gift card is selected in the store, there is no value assigned to it. Every gift card that I have even come across clearly stated on the card itself and/or on its packaging that there is no value associated with this card. Therefore, "value" must added at the nearest cash register.

As a result, the one giving the card takes it to the cash register and pays a price so that value is assigned to it. Through that action, it makes the card worth something to the person(s) who will receive it. Through Jesus, God has done the same thing for us. His birth, death, burial and resurrection was the price paid for our "value in Him". His original intent through Adam and Eve was to bless His people and even after the Fall from grace. Through Jesus, He was able to fulfill this value once and for all.

With that said, why do many of us as believers act as if our lives are worthless? Why do we "mope around" acting as if we have no purpose or destiny? Many have given up on their dreams while others are aimlessly wondering around implementing plans that God has not ordained (see Proverbs 19:21). You cannot reached your destiny apart from God, He won't allow you too. But you can choose to forfeit your destiny. Either way, He still cares about you and still wants what's best for you. Listen to this:

"...When God created humans, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female. He blessed them..." (Genesis 5:1-2, GWT).

The New American Oxford Dictionary defines blessedness as "the state of being blessed with divine favor". To be blessed with means to be "endowed with (a particular quality or attribute)". To endow means to "give or bequeath an income or property to a person" while bequeath means to "leave to a person by a will, pass something on or leave something to someone else." You are already blessed with everything you need for living a more abundant life. If you take the "gift card" that God has provided for you, then you can unlock everything that stored up just for you.

In Genesis 5:3-32, we see a genealogical account of Adam and His descendants. All of them "lived...and then...died." Only one descendant, Enoch, was so extraordinary that the scripture reports that he "lived" for 65 years but after the birth of his son, Methuselah, his life changed and began to "walk with God" for the remainder of his life (see verses 22-24). Your life doesn't need to involve "living and dying" just like everyone else. God has a purpose and a plan for your life. He has something for you to accomplish in Him and that no one else can accomplish. Use your "gift card" in Him and "cash in" on His promises as we prepared to enter 2011.

TODAY'S DESTINY CHALLENGE:

Turn everything off and spend another 15 minutes or so resting in Him as well as reading Genesis 5:1-32 paying attention to Enoch's life. Next, take a piece of paper and sketch the last three or four generations of your family. Check to see if you can find others in your family tree that lived a life that indicates that they too "walked with God". Now examine your own life, will your children or your grandchildren be able to look back over your life and see how you as an example of "walking with God"?

<< Back to Day 2 || Continue to Day 4 >>

###

---------------------------

SPECIAL TDC OFFER: Have you found yourself at the end of another year failing to accomplish not even one of your hopes and dreams? Learn how to develop a simple plan for a New Year. Click here to join our mailing list and gain immediate access to our FREE REPORT entitled Create Your 2011 Destiny-Focused™ Action Plan!...But don't delay because this FREE report is only available today through the first few weeks of 2011 and then it's gone! Oh yeah! We'll protect your email because we hate spam just like you do! :)

Day 2: Final 10 Days of 2010!

2010-12-23T12:00:00.006-06:00

<< Back to Day 1 || Forward to Day 3 >>

Day 2 of 10: Tell Satan to Shut the H#&! Up!!!

On yesterday I shared a prophecy with you regarding 2011 being a season of transition and discussed how during this season we'll will be required to curb our heart's desire for successfully enter into this season. Furthermore, I shared how for the past 11 years, I've made numerous attempts at starting a business - one of my heart's desire. However, in the last several months, I've noticed that 2011 would be my year to "come forth". Lastly, I shared how "time away" from home usually leaves me feeling blue because I feel like the life I left behind just didn't measure up with where I though I should be. So in case you missed Day 1: Curbing Your Heart's Desire of our Final 10 Days of 2010 Challenge, then you can access right here.

Your assignment from yesterday was to identify that one heart's desire that you are now ready to take a brief "rest in Him". The purpose of resting is to allow the Holy Spirit to get you emotionally, spiritually and physically prepared for a new season. So as you continue to "rest in Him", I want to remind you today how our adversity - the devil - is already in the shadows, looking for the right opportunity to distract us from what lies ahead.

While studying the first sin recorded in Genesis 3, I recognized how easy it is for us to become so easily dissuaded by the lies of others. After a short chat with satan, Eve was so easily persuaded that the fruit on the forbidden tree wasn't bad at all. I believed that the only way that we - like Eve - can become so distracted is if deep down, we really don't trust the source of the Truth. We really don't trust in God. In other words, when the lies come, who should stand by God, His Word, and His Will not listen to satan (see John 10:27). Let me use a practical life example to explain this concept.

For the past 14 years, I have worked in technology. My job involves not only installing/configuring and troubleshooting/repairing, but also recommending and testing software and hardware equipment (as necessary). In all of those years, regardless of who I work for, I have found that a batch of coworkers who have a tendency to take technology-related advice from other coworkers, who did not work in the I.T. Department. Now, there are a few staff who are more technology-knowledgeable then others, but they don't go around "representing" the I.T. department.

Now, if I've been hired to fulfill this position, which means I have both the experience and the knowledge, why on Earth would staff go to someone else for "tech advice"? The scary part is that the person they are getting advice will admit that they are self-proclaimed technies, which is a fancy way of saying that they embrace computers as "hobbyist". They couldn't find, get (or keep) a job in this technology field. So more value is assigned to the words of a hobbyist's over a known expert. Yet, when the "know-it-alls" get through destroying everything, then all parties are playing the "blame game" and guess who gets called to clean up the mess? Usually ME!!!

Adam and Eve were no different. God told them that the tree(s) in the middle of the garden was off limits. That means no staring, no touching, no eating, no nothing - Stay Away! But our hobbyist, satan, was more than willing to step in and provide "his interpretation was what God meant".

According to the Matthew Henry Commentary regarding Genesis 3:1-5:

Satan took advantage by finding her [Eve] near the forbidden fruit. They that would not eat the forbidden fruit, must not come near the forbidden tree.

Satan teaches man first to doubt, and then to deny. He promises advantage from eating this fruit. He aims to make them discontented with their present state, as if it were not so good as it might be, and should be.

Just like Adam and Even, satan is going to use this same technique towards you as you rest in Him for this season. He is still playing the "same game". The same game he used on me everytime I go on a business trip or a mini-vacation. He'll try and plant doubt and make me so discontented that when I return, I begin to jump ahead of God and start making bad life decisions that may take me years to recover from.

So in this season of transition, not only do you need to "rest in Him", but you also must be obedient to Him. Whether through His Word, His revelations and confirmations through trusted mentors in the Lord, you must avoid forbidden trees and their fruit, even if they means having to so eloquently tell satan to just shut up!

TODAY'S DESTINY CHALLENGE:
Turn everything off and spend another 15 minutes or so resting in Him as well as reading Genesis 3. Honestly search your heart and identify any "forbidden trees" that satan could use against you to take advantage of you. For each "tree", seek one or more scriptures that you can meditate on over the next few days and weeks. Continue to allow the Holy Spirit pour a peace that surpasses all understanding as you get prepared for your new season.

<< Back to Day 1 || Forward to Day 3 >>

###

---------------------------

SPECIAL TDC OFFER: Have you found yourself at the end of another year failing to accomplish not even one of your hopes and dreams? Learn how to develop a simple plan for a New Year. Click here to join our mailing list and gain immediate access to our FREE REPORT entitled Create Your 2011 Destiny-Focused™ Action Plan!...But don't delay because this FREE report is only available today through the first few weeks of 2011 and then its gone! Oh yeah! We'll protect your email because we hate spam just like you do! :)

Day 1: Final 10 Days of 2010!

2010-12-22T12:00:00.002-06:00

Day 1 of 10: Handing Over Your Heart's Desire!

At first, I thought it was just a coincidence. It started several months ago but I'm not sure of exactly when. Since I have a tendency to remain awake most nights, I'd often find myself looking at the clock. I simply wanted to see how many hours of sleep I had already lost. I wasn't looking for a revelation.

Even in the last few days of 2010, I still glance at one or more of my clocks only to see them displaying 11:11PM. Over the months, there have been a few nights that I missed seeing it, but I was actually relieved during those times because I wasn't sure what it meant (if anything).

Yes, I'll admit, it sounds crazy and you might exit from this blog posting and call my experience "just a coincidence and nothing more." Or maybe its happened to you and you haven't said anything or was dismissed when you did. To that I say, don't value the opinions of others more than you value what God is saying to you.

Why 11:11?

Since I'm a visual learner, what better way for God to get my attention then through a simple repetition occurrence. The number 11 isn't all that significant to me. I wasn't necessary interested in the "numeric meaning" of the number eleven. Yet every time I saw it, I noticed an "inner shift"; something was about to shift in my life but I didn't know what. It was as if I was being spiritually prepared through a peace that surpasses all understanding that humbled me into a daily earnest "heart examination" of my relationship with Him. That meant that "a major transition" was headed my way.

Let me explain! For awhile now, I have been diligently working toward the fulfillment of one of my heart's desire, which is to start a business. To be more specific, it's been over ten years - more like eleven, since I've been researching and executing one plan and strategy after another. Then around September 2010, I felt the need to "get ready" because I sensed that 2011 would be the year that I would not "go forth" but "come forth" into God's destiny for me. There is a difference between going and coming! I'll try and remember to explain that in a later post.

Those eleven years taught me a lot and was necessary for my preparation. And if you are in the same situation, then realized that none of your preparation has been in vain. The reason it hasn't happened, has had everything to do with God's timing. God gave me the desire to become a business owner but He won't allow it if I'm not ready for it or if having it will separate me from Him. In other words, I know that God will bring my heart's desire into reality but it'll be on His terms not mine. Just like me, you must have patience during this time of transition.

So how does this relate to 2011?

A week before Christmas, I took a business trip to the East Coast. Usually when I take trips such as these, I get depressed over the life I left behind. Yet this trip was a first where I returned home with peace regarding where I am in life. No, everything isn't where I hoped it would be, but I returned with a "knowing" that everything will align in due time. That 2011 would be the year that I would not only transition into God's purpose for my life but also reap a visible harvest of "good fruit" as well. In other words, all of my hard work will collide with God's plan and perfect timing and the rest remains to be seen!

Prior to my trip, I was browsing one of a popular prophecy website. I wanted to see if anyone else was sensing a "spiritual transformation". I can across a prophetic posting from Carol Kelley and here's an excerpt:

"2011 will be a season of transition, not just for individuals, but also transition in ministries and churches. I will move My [God's] people to the next level. This will involve a relinquishment of expectations you have set up for yourself. Be open to receive My expectations and directions for you!"

"I will bring the full harvest I promised you. Your job is to obey Me [the Lord], then rest in Me for the results. You can plant seed, but you can't make it grow. You can't provide nutrients for the soil, sunlight to cause growth, or rain to water the crops. I am preparing and nourishing the soil to bring the fullest harvest possible. Trust Me during this time of rest and transition!"

Source: http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/9361

TODAY'S DESTINY CHALLENGE:

Turn off everything and take 15 minutes or so to rest in Him and meditate on Psalm 37:4-5; 46:10. Honestly search your heart and identify that one heart's desire that you have been diligently working on for quite awhile. Now allow the Holy Spirit to show you how you may have "jumped ahead of God" in the fulfillment of those desires, then prayerfully repent and ask for His peace and patience during this new season of transition.

Continue to Day 2 >>

###

---------------------------
SPECIAL TDC OFFER: Have you found yourself at the end of another year failing to accomplish not even one of your hopes and dreams? Learn how to develop a simple plan for a New Year. Click here to join our mailing list and gain immediate access to our FREE REPORT entitled Create Your 2011 Destiny-Focused™ Action Plan! ...But don't delay because this FREE report is only available today through the first few weeks of 2011 and then it's gone! Oh yeah! We'll protect your email because we hate spam just like you do! :)

Are You on the Lord's Side in Economic Times...?

2010-09-16T15:56:00.001-05:00

Are You on The Lord's Side in Tough Economic Times Likes These?

I have noticed that hard times bring out either the best or the worst in people, especially believers. I am shocked at how the current state of our economy has exposed the hardened hearts of many Christians who can't possible understand the power of God in the midst of it all.

Yes, the USA is experiencing some "tough economic times", but I am sickened by the number of Christians who are quick to point fingers and blame the current president and anybody else for the times we are now in. I am not and will never be interested in politics but I wish more Christians would really listen to the negative words that come out of their mouth regarding those who are in authority. Yes, there are things going on that we might not like and that we feel should be handled differently but God did not put us in charge of the leading the United States of America. As Christians, our role is and always will be to both submit and to "pray for our leaders...." Therefore, insulting authority figures whether in the White House or at your home (e.g., husband) is a direct insult to God. Its like saying that God isn't "smart" enough or has little or no control over who was "is in charge". The scripture makes it clear that God is the one who promotes and demotes (see Psalm 75:6-7).

What's even worse, parents are speaking such much negativity in front of their children, teenagers in particular, are picking up on all of the "Obama hate". Who doesn't know that children pick up and repeat bad habits. On that note, I'll close this post with a reference to a letter a Christian mother wrote to her son regarding the presidential election. Her key points are shared below but I would encourage you to read her letter (the link is provided below) and share it with others who need to take their focus off of hating the President and put their eyes back on praying for the needs of this country and praying that God will work through our President regarding current and future decisions to come.

From "A Mother's Letter to Her Son", Dr. Cheryl Taylor shares the following points with her 9-year-old son regarding the presidential election between Barack Obama and John McCain. Needless to say, her son was rooting for John McCain, but she wanted to make sure that he kept the right perspective regardless of who won the election. She instructed him to remember the following:

...God is in control. (see Romans 13:1; Daniel 4:32; Psalm 75:6-7)
...God will direct our next president. (see Proverbs 21:1)
...We are called to submit to our governing authority. (see Romans 13:1)
...We are called to pray for our governing authority. (see 1 Timothy 2:1-3)
...No matter who wins, this is a significant and historical time for America.

As a result of this last electrion, I believe that God is testing and exposing the hearts of many believers. Why? Because God is much more concerned with the state of your heart and whether we are living out the "more abundant life" then your personal views on what the President should or shouldn't be doing. God is concerned about your living a more abundant life, a destiny-focused life that He ordained for you before the beginning of time. If you don't believe me, read Genesis and see how three generations experienced an economic crisis of their time - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Despite the famines experienced in each of their lifetimes, they all walked in the promises of God and sowed and reaped harvests while others around them was struggling and jealously (read Isaac's account in Genesis 26:1-32).

I challenge you in the future to stop and think before you speak negatively about past, present and future U.S. Presidents. Instead, adopt a more "Christian response" as Dr. Taylor shares with her son. Such a response is much more pleasing in the eyes of God.

Click here to read "A Mother's Letter to Her Son" by Dr. Cheryl Taylor in its entirety.

The Unreachable Destiny (Part 2/2)

2010-06-29T17:37:00.013-05:00

Part 1 is available here.

We must also understand that being in the world, but not of it, is necessary if we are to be a light to those who are in spiritual darkness. We are to live in such a way that those outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner and know that there is something “different” about us. Christians who make every effort to live, think and act like those who do not know Christ do Him a great disservice. Even the heathen knows that “by their fruits you shall know them,” and as Christians, we should exhibit the fruit of the Spirit within us. (GotQuestions.org, emphasis added)

About two weeks ago, while attending The Potters House of Dallas, I heard Bishop Noel Jones say two things about our spiritual gifts. First, our gifts are not for us and secondly, our gifts are to provide for you (and that includes money). It really doesn't matter how often you perform "good Christian" duties like going to church as my friend discovered; failing to allow the Holy Spirit to change how you think, how you act and what you do makes you no different than the world.

Without operating in God's Will, you will continue to make wrong life decisions that are not connected to your mission, vision or destiny. For example: I have encountered far too Christian women that have settled in love and thus married the wrong men. Without knowing God's Will, they let their emotions decide who they say "I do!" too. Now, instead of him helping her to alleviate problems, their unequally yoked status has caused continued headaches and even more frustrations.

Without discovering and operating in your gifts and aligning with God's Will, your life will continue to look like everyone else's life. Furthermore, the things you believe God is supposed to bless you with, will continue to allude you. I didn't say that your life would be easy or that everything would just fall into place with little effort on your part. However, when you live a life of destiny based on biblical principles, you are bound to have better results. My final note is this - "If you aren't designing your life around your God-given destiny, then your life is in control your destiny." Just like my old friend, far too Christians are sitting around waiting on God to "hand them" something that they should be taking authority over themselves.

So Why Do Most Christians Never Reach Their Destiny...?

While reading Mark and Patti Virkler's "Fulfilling Your Financial Destiny" (2001), I came across the most empowering paragraph:

"God showed me something in Scripture which I had seen and yet, not seen. It was that spiritual leaders were also financially prosperous. Men like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Boaz, David, Solomon, Joseph of Arimathea, and, of course, God Himself. If it is wrong to be a millionaire, God has a major sin problem because He is the richest Person in the universe!" (p. 15)

2010 is the year of open-heaven. (Listen here to my Internet talk radio program entitled "What is God Saying in 2010?") Yet, the Body of Christ is setting the example that lack is good and prosperity is bad. The reason many Christians never reach their God given destiny is simply due to spiritual ignorance. They are "closed mind believers" operating on outdated beliefs that don't reflect God's True Will for His people.

LISTEN TO ME:

It's time to stop bottlenecking your destiny because of wrong spiritual beliefs about money and anything else connected to your blessings. God owns everything! (see Ps. 24:1) Yet it's your responsible to unlock the blessings and fully received all that God has in store for you. And by the way, today's economic crisis has nothing to do with you if you are walking in God's Divine Will! SELAH!

Click here to continue learning about this topic.

The Unreachable Destiny! (Part 1 of 2)

2010-06-29T13:59:00.013-05:00

As a sidebar to this week's blog theme, I wanted to share what prevents many believers from ever reaching their God-given destiny.

Many years ago, I had a female friend who had a pretty good government job. Unfortunately, she got laid off and had to move back in with her parents. At the time, she was in her early to mid-40s, had never-been-married and had no children. (Ohhhhh! All the single ladies understand the state she was in.)

One of her siblings also lived with her parents; however, I don't think he had ever left. Anyway, she was a Christian but her brother wasn't. From a spiritual perspective, she regularly attended church several times each week and yes, she was a tither. Anyway, she soon find another job. Although she wasn't "happy" living under those conditions, she refused to get an apartment. She really wanted to buy a house, but she simply couldn't afford it.

In all actuality, living with her parents didn't help when it came to saving since her ailments were always costly. To make a long story short, she had taken a spiritual gifts test many, many times, but she never acted on its results. Yet, she constantly complained about God not moving in her life. Outside of being frustrated with nearly everything in her life, one area of extreme frustration involved her brother.

One particular day, before she could "lay in on him", he finally let her have it. By the time he was through, she couldn't do anything but stand there in awe. When she told me, I said, "What kind of example are you setting...?" And she asked me what did I mean. I told her she was talking the talk but not walking the walk. (She was an excessive complainer I might add!)

We know that those "of the world" are not able to spiritually discern the things of God. Thus, they are forced to rely on their humanness. Even without spiritually discernment, they should still be able to see something different when they look at believers, who should be living according to God's Will. THAT'S THE KEY! You must be living according to His Will EVERYDAY, ALL DAY. By doing so, those closest to you will surely begin to see changes in your walk and your talk.

What her brother told her is that her life (mainly her attitude) wasn't lining up with who she "proclaim" to be. He also said that he was totally uninterested in following Jesus as a result of what he saw through her. Ouch!

To Be Continued...

Clarifying Your Mission & Vision: A Teaching

2010-06-29T09:48:00.010-05:00

In case you missed Motivational Mondays -> Get Focused: A Prayer

Before you can write your vision, you must first have an clear understanding of your mission. In Positioning Yourself in the Kingdom (Dec. 2009), I wrote:

MISSION involves a special assignment given to a person and/or a group. Do you know God's mission for your life? Do you know the reason(s) that God specifically birthed you into this world? One way to discover your mission is to evaluate what God has already placed in your heart.... Secondly, it is important that you discover, perfect and operate in your spiritual gift.
A spiritual gift is one or more gifts bestowed upon Christians to expand or strengthen both your local church and the Body of Christ (Source: About.com). Spiritual gifts are mentioned in several places in the Bible: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-14 and Ephesians 4:11.

Your life's mission is connected to your spiritual gifts. Your vision encapsulates your mission. In Casey Treat's Fulfilling Your God-Given Destiny (1999), VISION is defined as "the ability to anticipate, imagine, or foresee experiences and developments that move you along's destiny's course" (p. 2).

In my 40-Day (Destiny) Challenge, I explain that vision "...serves as a pictorial illumination of who you are (in Christ) and what you are moving toward. It’s what lights your way as you journey (by faith) toward the destination that God has in store for you."

CONCLUSION:

And then God answered: "Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time. "Look at that man, bloated by self-importance—full of himself but soul-empty. But the person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive."
~Habakkuk 2:2-4 (The Message)

Both your personal mission and vision must be spiritually discerned. Therefore, you must be a Christian to even have access to the gifts of God. If you have not accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, please click here for "The Sinner's Prayer".

(1) Take some time to reflect and write from the heart what you believe God is calling you to do.

(2) Perform a Google search for a free spiritual gifts test. Compare the results against Question #1.

(3) Based on your answers from Questions #1 and #2, write the vision for the following categories:

spiritual
home/family
physical/health
work/career/ministry/entrepreneurial
friends/social relationships
financial planning and security
mental improvement/attention
fun

(4) Condense your answers from Question #3 into a short paragraph. Now, you have successfully written the vision for your life. So, begin at once!

Farmer, J. "Positioning Yourself in the Kingdom." Divine Inspirations Magazine, Dec. 2009, 14-16.

Treat, C. Fulfilling Your God-Given Destiny. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Get Focused: A Prayer

2010-06-28T10:00:00.009-05:00

Meditative Scripture:

Habakkuk 2:2-3; Phil 3:10-13; 4:13

Lord:

We speak peace and supernatural strength upon those who are anxious, those who fear rejection, those with emotions gone wild, those who are disenchanted, those who are overachievers and those who feel weak.

Help all of us whose visions have become cloudy or foggy. We need clarity to stay focused. We need wisdom to stay focused. We need faith to stay focused. Remind us that we can do all things through the strength provided to us through Christ Jesus and the wisdom provided to us through the Holy Spirit.

This week, Lord, we will prayerfully write the vision and select one minor goal to complete by the week's end. And if we can not finish it, we will not give up or quit. We will stay in this "race" until we have won.

Help all of us to operate in Your Will this week as we set goals, stir up the gifts and pursue our God-given destiny. Lord, some will be setting goals to do what it takes to restore marriage, secure a job or start a new business, make decisions regarding health or physical conditions and so much more. Make the crooked roads straight this week as we all become even more focused on You and the fulfillment of Your Will in our lives - one goal at a time.

In Jesus name...
AMEN!

###

Be sure to check out:
- Clarifying Your Mission & Vision - Read here
- The Unreachable Destiny (Part 1 of 2) - Read here
- The Unreachable Destiny (Part 2 of 2) - Read here.

Temporary Defeat: A Recap

2010-06-25T16:38:00.005-05:00

At the turn of the century, I was so frustrated with the direction of my life that I took a day off from work to petition God for answers. By the end of that day, I walked away with a personal mission statement and over 10 bullet points regarding things I felt God was calling me to fulfill. Did I know how to make any of them happen? No! Yet a decade later, I continue to study, learn and apply toward their fruition. Since that day, I have learned that in the midst of temporary defeat, it takes a strong person to see their destiny through. For many of us, the greater the number of roadblocks; the more likely we will altogether quit.

Temporary defeat is when a task, goal, dream, etc., is halted due to setbacks, roadblocks, dead ends, obstacles or closed doors. In that state, we misdiagnose our circumstances as having bad luck, being punished by God, not being good enough or some other ridiculous notion. In actuality, anything worth pursuing comes with its own share of obstacles. Therefore, the only way to experience victory is to go through the fire.

Since that day so many years ago, the common denominator from my "original list" was my mission statement. It centered on being called to help a certain group of people. In particular, weary and heavy-laden individuals who are trying to overcome the past in hopes of making their dreams, come true. I also knew that I was to accomplish this by creating resources from websites to online courses to books.

Originally, I thought I was to accomplish this mission within my industry. I strongly believed that training was needed and I had a heart for it. So, I earned a second Masters Degree in Training. Two years later, I decided to pursue a third Masters, but God closed the door on that. So, I regrouped, reviewed my plan and headed into the field of counseling.

Off and on for several years, I researched that field and realized that it required a Masters Degree. I already knew that it was not God's Will for me to get anymore “Masters”, so I kept researching. Surely there was a way for me to fulfill my mission in counseling without the need for higher education. I then came across pastoral counseling. Surely, that's it! I could help people find God’s Will for their life. So, I found a certification program in that field. By early 2008, I earned a ministerial license. I thought I was all set then I found out about the legal limitations on pastors and counseling. So, the bits and pieces of the vision for starting a pastoral counseling center was not going too happened either. By this point, I have spent years studying, researching and interviewing people. I just knew that God was calling me to help people overcome their past and make their destiny a reality. So what am I doing wrong? This defeat was the final straw. I walked away from ministry and everything connected to my “original plan”.

Then early last year, I sensed that change was coming. By the last week of April, I heard clearly from God. He was not pleased with my giving up some easily and He challenged me to give Him forty days. He wanted to me stop worrying about my issues and get back to what He had called me to do. He also reminded me that He had already placed inside of me everything I needed for this journey.

Six weeks later, I completed the first 40-Day (Destiny) Challenge. After the second one, I realized that if I could take my journey and turn it into a 40 day experience for others, then I would be fulfilling my mission. By mid-2009, the Challenge was opened to the public. Since then, I have come to realize that my calling could easily “fit” into multiple industries but God was calling me into a mixture of them all. He has showed me that nothing I went through was unnecessary. You see God was really calling me to help people deal with the future in spite of their past. Counseling looks back while coaching looks forward.

God never gives us the full picture, only bits and pieces. He has yet to provide any of us with a multi-volume encyclopedia on how to fulfilling your destiny from A to Z. However, it was through temporary defeat that I was positioned where I am today. Even as I write this, God has yet again showed me that something I have been working on for the past two or three years has only been a "trial run".

So, if you are waiting on life to become smooth, it is not going to happen. If you are waiting on God to take you by the hand and make every decision for the fulfillment of your destiny, He will not do that. His way of helping you is to put you in the battle and help you to learn, grow and advance as a result of it.

The key to overcoming defeat is to remember that it is only temporary. Your strength lies in your ability to hold fast to the dream in your heart and not lose sight of the vision. Because as surely as you start focusing on the reality, the faster you will find yourself misdiagnosing defeat as failure and thereby aborting your God-given position in the Earth. The choice is yours to make and keep.

In case you missed it last week's theme:
- Monday: "Overcoming Temporary Defeat: A Prayer"? read
- Tuesday: "Misdiagnosing Temporary Defeat for Failure: A Short Teaching" read
- Thursday: "The Journey Through Temporary Defeat: A Testimony" read

I'm Boycotting Drama For 6 Months!

2010-06-21T12:09:00.009-05:00

I am getting ready for change. Perhaps you have heard this phrase: "Look to your left, look to your right, one of these people won't be here...." That is exactly what I am hoping for. This past Friday night while attending service at The Potter's House of Dallas, I heard Bishop Noel Jones said "If you can't change the people around you, change the people around you" and that's my new life goal.

So, from friends to family to coworkers, everybody.... As of July 1st, I will embark on a 6-month "No More Drama Sabbatical". I'm not trying to be mean, hateful or spiteful. I'm just sick and tired of messy folks and other people's drama! I'm tired of "grown folks" who have no problem consistently complaining about their lives but when it's time to change, they are full excuses. I am choosing not to deal with these individuals any longer!

Now for those who want prayer, I will pray for you. But for those who have been trying to crawl on my back and stay there while whining and pouting, I'm kicking you to the curb. I simply can't afford to waste anymore of my destiny on dead weight people, places or things!

I believe that God is calling me to focus on writing, life coaching and media production for the remainder of this year. I have many firsts to complete: a book - The House of Jezebel, a new Christian magazine - Predestine Magazine, a new online school - 40 Days of Change, a new Internet TV program and a new company. Cutting the drama in my life will also free me to more regularly write on this blog. You will see a brand new Jaketha on 1/1/2011.

So, please be aware that by the last day of this year, God will be closing some doors on relationships and more. He is going to purge me and position me deeper into His Divine Will. So, for anybody who doesn't like it, then T.T.Y.N.! For everyone else who is apart of God's Will for my life, thank you for your prayers, love and continued support.

I am preparing myself to get busy fulfilling my own destiny.

###

The Journey Through Temporary Defeat: A Testimony

2010-06-17T10:00:00.012-05:00

Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world.
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when one is overtaken by temporary defeat.
~Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich

Several years ago (between 2003 and 2005), I was so frustrated with where my life was headed, I realized that I needed to take a day off from work to petition God and get some answers. That day really changed my life because it set me on the path to destiny. I walked away with a personal mission statement and nearly 20 bullet ideas regarding things I felt God was calling me too. Did I know how to make any of them happen? Well no and years later, I'm still studying, learning and applying. Since that day, I have had to make some decisions and take directions that appear to be leading me down one wrong path after another.

Over the years, my mission statement has changed. Yet there was one thing that relatively stayed the same - I was to help a certain group of people. People who were weary and heavy-laden just like me trying to overcome the past and make their dreams a reality. I also knew that I was to accomplish this by creating resources, one of which would be a book about my life.

Originally, I thought I was to accomplish my mission within my chosen field/industry. So, I went back to school and got a second Masters Degree in Training and Development and later made an attempt at Masters Degree in Librarianship. I thought I was suppose to help the people where I worked but God said "No". So, I regrouped, reviewed my goals and my mission and say, "Ah! Counseling!"

I researched the field for a couple of years and said, "Oh no! I don't need anymore education!" You see, counseling requires a Masters Degree in Social Work or Psychology along with years of on-the-job training and finally an exam to become state licensed. I asked God if this is the route I should take again and He said "No". So, I said, "Christian counseling?!?" and thought surely, that's it!

I found a year-long program to study pastoral counseling which resulted in a ministerial license and I thought I was all set. But then another roadblock, the state laws said "No". The way the laws were set up, a pastor's hands are nearly tired when it comes to counseling their church members. So, the vision of starting a pastoral counseling center that was not connected to a particular church and not ran by state-licensed counselors was totally out of the question, at least according the law. From my research, I realized that even churches with in-house counseling centers were at the very least being directed by state-licensed counselors. So there was no way around that. ANOTHER ROADBLOCK! But this defeat crushed me to the point that I gave up. I let my ministry license lapse for nearly a year and decided to be like everybody else - without a purpose in life.

By May 2009, God gave me a personal Challenge, to spend forty days getting back on track and attuning my ears to my purpose. So, I did. From that came the 40-Day (Destiny) Challenge, which is now open to the public (learn more). Several Challenges later, I am beginning to understand that my calling has many aspects to it. Yet the one that God was calling me to is life coaching and it only require a certification that takes less than 2-6 months to complete. God has a sense of humor. :-)

Just like a picture is worth a thousand words, so it is with one's destiny. God never gives us the full picture, only bits and pieces. He also isn't going to give you an multi-volume encyclopedia revealing how to fulfilling your destiny from A to Z.

You may be wondering why didn't I just wait. Oh I stopped and waited, but I realized that prepping for something is not idle time. The wait time is the best time to get prepared for destiny. In overcoming temporary defeat, you gain more strength to keep at it. Needless to say, I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't asked God for His direction and taken a few wrong steps. I wouldn't have the magnitude of faith and boldness that I have now if I hadn't travel the road of temporary defeat.

So, if you are waiting on life to get easy, it isn't. If you are waiting on God to take you by the hand and make every decision for you, He isn't. His way of helping you is by helping you to grow. You have to come through the winter before summer. Its in the midst of handling and learning from life's many storms that you come out on the other side to enjoy the beauty of the rainbow.

Did you miss this week's...?
- Motivational Mondays: "Overcoming Temporary Defeat: A Prayer"? read
- Teaching Tuesdays: "Misdiagnosing Temporary Defeat for Failure: A Short Teaching" read

The House of Jezebel: A Diary Excerpt

2010-06-16T20:12:00.007-05:00

This is an excerpt from my diary about The House of Jezebel: Fulfilling Your Destiny In Spite of Your Upbringing. This excerpt was written on May 18, 2010 as a freewriting exercise.

What are you so afraid of is one question I continually wonder about every time I realize that I have yet again started and stopped this book. [To be honest] Rejection is one thing...I fear, but rejection by whom? Who do I feel will reject me? I can't surely be concerned with complete strangers rejecting me...I don't know them and they don't know me.

...Maybe...I fear ridicule from other believers, especially other pastors....Its almost like their critical voices have replaced Jezebel....I think my fear is a personal issue since I will need to mentally return to events and places in my mind that frankly I would much rather forget about.

...The bottom line with this book is that I gotta go deep. I have to make the reader understand why this is so important, and what they can do to help themselves or someone they know that's going through this. But, how deep do I go?

...I just feel like I'm fighting a losing battle. But I must keep the faith. I have to use what I have and know and build upon that. I am gonna have to get over my fears in the name of Jesus and get this book written....I can no longer afford to be scared or procrastinate because someone is waiting on me to help them before its too late. This book is apart of my destiny. Everything else will be built upon my ability to be obedient to the voice of God!

Previous "Writing Wednesdays" Posts:
- 4/18/10: Why I'm Writing "The House of Jezebel"?
- 4/6/10: Sample Back Cover

Misdiagnosing Temporary Defeat as Failure: A Short Teaching

2010-06-15T10:00:00.005-05:00

Temporary defeat is when a task, goal, dream or the like is halted due to setbacks, roadblocks, dead ends, obstacles or closed doors. In other words, the greater the number of roadblocks; the more likely we're inclined to give up. From this position, we often misdiagnose our circumstances as operating outside of God's Will, not being good enough for the challenge or some other ridiculous notion. When in actuality, anything worth pursuing comes with its own share of obstacles. Therefore, the only way to experience victory is to go through the fire. There is no other way!

From my experience, there are three primary reasons for temporary defeat:

1. Wrong Timing. Life is all about timing and we must operate according to God's timetable. So, God can and does closed doors on opportunities simply because its not yet time. Think about all the various "things" in life - big and small - that if they come too soon, they will likely not survive or worst, they'll experience unnecessary pain, struggles or burdens due to say deformity.

2. Misappropriated Glory. As Christians pursuing the promises of God, then everything we do should be for His Glory, not our own. So sometimes God allows doors to be closed simply as stern reminders of who is in charge thereby keeping us humble. He wouldn't do that if He didn't love us.

3. Misguided Plans. Sometimes we don't have or know everything that we need to know to make our dreams and hopes a reality, so we must learn. So if your closed door is due to misguided plans, then this is a great time to stop, reexamine our plans (or create some) and finally reposition ourselves. For example: Ask yourself if you are going about this the wrong way? Perhaps you need to conduct more research or conduct informational interviews of others doing what you want to do. Or consider getting a mentor to guide you and keep you on the right track.

The key to overcoming defeat is to remember that it is only temporary. Your strength lies in your ability to hold fast to the dream in your heart and not lose sight of the vision. Because as surely as you start focusing too much on the reality of what hasn't, didn't or shouldn't have happened, you might find yourself misdiagnosing defeat as failure and aborting your destiny. The Bible says, "As a man thinketh, so is he". My favorite author, Napoleon Hill said in Think and Grow Rich, "Thoughts are things." Therefore, whatever you dwell on, has a way of becoming your reality regardless if its a good or bad outcome. So, keep your thoughts on your destiny and not on your current situation.

Unfortunately, many have sat aside their God-given destiny simply because they encountered one too many roadblocks. What they fail to realize is that the more roadblocks, the bigger the blessing. So, don't give up! God has invested LIFE in you. Recognize your royalty in Him and pursue your destiny as only a Divinely-Equipped Son or Daughter of the One True God can. :)

Did you miss this week's prayer on "Overcoming Temporary Defeat"? Read it here!

Overcoming Temporary Defeat: A Prayer

2010-06-14T10:00:00.005-05:00

Lord:

We come before you this week thankful for your active presence in our lives. However, Lord, we want to confess the times when we have forsaken Your Will due to frustration, disappointment and defeat.

This week, Lord, we ask for the removal of misplaced hope and the restoration of lost dreams. We now understand that great failures are really blessings that enable us to reposition ourselves and should not be seen as times to throw up our hands in surrender or defeat. We understand that we no longer need to wait on an "anonymous season" to come before we act, because our very life is our season.

This week, we ask You Father to please remind us of (or help us identify) our purpose, reignite our passion and show us the supernatural strength already within us to see our destiny through. We are grateful, yet humbled by Your Faith in us to bestow us with talents, gifts, resources, skills and more for the expansion of Your Kingdom. Even if we are the only ones who can see your vision for our lives, then we will encourage ourselves, but we will not quit when we encounter temporary defeat.

In Jesus name...AMEN!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES
"You usually have to wait for that which is worth waiting for."

~Craig Bruce

"Life is all about timing...the unreachable become reachable, the unavailable become available, the unattainable...attainable. Have the patience, wait it out. It's all about timing."

~Stacy Charter

Maturity includes the recognition that no one is going to see anything in us that we don't see in ourselves. Stop waiting for a producer. Produce yourself."

~Marianne Williamson

"Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it."

~Jules Renard

"The trick is to make sure you don't die waiting for prosperity to come."

~Lee Iacocca

(40DC) - Our June 2010 FREE Course!

2010-06-06T21:04:00.004-05:00

NOTE: This free course will replace blog postings for week of June 7th - June 11th.

THE RECIPE FOR
DESTINY-FOCUSED LIVING
The 3 Key Characteristics for Cooking Up the
"More Abundant Life" You've Been
Waiting to Feast On!

***Click here to download the one-page lesson handout.***
Be the first to hear about upcoming free courses
by joining the 40DC Mailing List.

Thank you for watching "The Recipe for Destiny-Focused Living"!
*** A Free Video Course From 40DC Online Academy ***

Are You a Tigger (Optimistic), an Eeyore (Pessimistic) or a Little Bit of Both?

2010-06-02T15:46:00.029-05:00

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
— Winston S. Churchill

Since we've all experienced Tigger and Eeyore moments in our lives, I want to clearly state that an occasional low period is apart of life. But when compared again a time-release dose of "woe is me", "life is hard", "why does bad stuff always happen to me?" We can begin to differentiate the optimistic from the pessimistic.

If you have seen the Disney cartoon, Winnie the Pooh, then you are familiar with two of its most popular characters - Eeyore and Tigger. To state that the two of them are different is quite an understatement. Eeyore is chronically pessimistic in that he is always gloomy, depressing, has a low self-esteem along with an even lower expectation of life in general.

On the other hand, Tigger has a bubbly and "bouncing" personality. When life gets him down, he strives to find the silver lining. And when he does, he "bounces for joy" while counting his blessings. Now, that's not to say that Tigger is perfect, because he's far from it. There are plenty of times when he miscalculates, yet he doesn't become a life-long Eeyore about it either.

Unfortunately from my childhood experiences, those with what I'll call "Eeyore Syndrome" were more than likely raised that way. Eeyokes likely had pessimistic parents who taught them life-depriving ways of thinking. For some, this has led to additional physical, emotional and spiritual issues that require a lifetime of being reckoned with.

A pessimistic person deliberately finds the negative in every circumstances. According to them, positive does not exist. Despite the many years it has taken me to overcome pessimism, I am still not "whole". I still have a little of both Tigger and Eeyore in me and maybe you do too.

However, one thing I learned is that "pretending to be a Tigger" just will not do! To become healthy in one's way of thinking, he or she must learn how work out their own salvation and deal with their internal issues. The more productive inner work we do (in alignment with the Holy Spirit), the more we can see the person that God originally created within us.

I can say that I am a much better person then I was ten years ago, three years, or this year alone. I also know that spending time with pessimistic people is only a setup for a setback. I am not exempt from either getting in or being thrown into drama, but I have learned how to recognize it and reposition myself as necessary.

Therefore, in today's Thankful Thursdays post, I want to thank my past, present and future pessimistic friends, family, coworkers and all. It's because of their negativity that I have learned how to find divine opportunities in the spite of life's many storms.

###

Just like in the video above, Eeyore can't pretend to be a Tigger and Tigger can't train Eeyore to be just like him. Yet, Eeyore would need a divine intervention along with some hands-on training to discover who He is in Christ. If you are Christian suffering from Eeyore syndrome and you are willing, able and ready to learn a different approach to life, use the online form at http://www.40daysofchange.com/contact.html to contact us.

Don't Kryptonite Your Destiny... (Pt 2 of 2)

2010-06-02T10:00:00.004-05:00

(Continued from Part 1)

Contrary to Superman, as a Christian, your energy comes from the S-O-N and not the S-U-N. Through the birth, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the way was made for the Holy Spirit. The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary explains that the Holy Spirit is the "three person of the Trinity through when God acts, reveals His Will, empowers individuals, and discloses His presence in the OT and NT."

So, you mean to tell me that your relationship with a negative person is more important than fulfilling God's Will for your life through the pursuit of your God-given destiny. Really began to think about this over the next few days, weeks and months when you find yourself constantly being caught up in the tornadic winds of a negative friend, family member or coworker. Our destinies are ordained by God and we should never forfeit destiny just to keep anyone in my life who doesn't live by or strive for the same standards. Selah!

HERE'S YOUR DESTINY CHALLENGE:
To help you identify negative relationships that are likely "kryptoniting" your destiny, please ponder your answers to the following questions:

(1) How often is your friend, relative or coworker ultra-critical? In other words, how often does this person look for the negative or how often do they find fault in others and not in themselves?

(2) What kind of emotional residue does this person leave on you after being in their presence? (Select one)
[ ] anger, frustration, upset, defeated, depressed...
[ ] happy, cheerful, upbeat, loving, inspiring, enlighten...

(3) In what way would your thoughts and actions become more positive if you limited contact with this person(s)?

(4) Is this person someone who possesses positive qualities that you are striving for?

(5) Does this person have a life mission or vision?

A FINAL WORD:

If you are not striving for anything in life, then even after answering these questions, you will likely find a reason to keep negative influences in your life. Yet, don't be surprised when you life develops a bitter taste as a result of prolong exposure to negativity. Again, change your environment and your influences and you can change your life for the successful fulfillment of your God-given destiny.

###

Don't Kryptonite Your Destiny Thru Negative Relationships! (Pt 1 of 2)

2010-06-01T10:00:00.002-05:00

I'm sure you remember the popular comic book and animated movie character, Superman. Despite his "supernatural abilities", even he had at least one weakness - KRYPTONITE. This real but "imaginary chemical" was so detrimental to Superman's well-being that anybody who brought Kryptonite around him knew exactly how it would negatively impact him.

And Superman wasn't oblivious to Kryptonite's effect on him either. He knew that if he came in contact with it, that it would make him extremely weak. So he wasn't overly-religious by carrying this stuff around with him just to remind himself of his weaknesses. He knew that he couldn't be around it and still operate effectively! No one could be rescued when Superman was exposed to kryptonite. Furthermore, prolonged exposure would only result in his death.

One source explains that Superman got his powers from the (yellow) sun much like solar power panels attached to the roof of a house extract the sun's rays and convert it into electricity that ultimately heats and cools your whole home. Kryptonite interfered with the cells in Superman's body. These cells got their energy from the sun, but Kryptonite drained him of the energy that fueled his ability to be even walk in his destiny as a superhero. In other words, Kryptonite soaked the life out of him and the same goes for negative folks in your life.

In recent weeks, I have come to realize the magnitude of negative people in our lives is just as detrimental as kryptonite was for Superman. Whether that person (or persons) are friends, relatives, or coworkers, the world is full of more negative then positive people and all of them have the ability to influence us as we pursue our destinies. So, I say to you that if you want to know whether or not you are on track for destiny, then take a long look at the negative people in your life. Someone once said, "Show me your friends and I will show you your future." I say, "You can't fulfill your God-given destiny building and maintaining relationships with undestiny-focused individuals." The question you should now ask yourself is "Who is influencing who?"

Deciding who you do and don't associate with is an important part of your journey towards achieving your dreams. Whether you like it or not, the people you associate with have a deep effect on your thinking and your life! (Source)

(Read Part 2)

A Week of Combatting Negative Folks!!!

2010-05-31T10:00:00.007-05:00

Meditative Scriptures: Proverbs 13:20, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Psalm 1

Lord, someone somewhere is struggling in a negative relationship with a family member, friend, or even a coworker. We come before you today asking for Your continued blessings over these unhappy souls. Lord, they need you and don't even realize it! Please show them how to be less critical. Help them to become optimistic about their circumstances and situations as opposed to always looking for the negative and thus resorting to being angry, complaintive, hostile....

Lord give us strength. In the case of coworkers, sometimes we can't distance ourselves from them. Yet at the same time, we don't want or need to be tainted by their excessive discontent.

This week (and forever more) Lord, shield us from negative folks! If you have not called us to be an example for them or called us to directly influence their lives, then Lord shield us from their fiery darts.

Close the door on friendships and associations that are not pleasing in Your sight. Show us ways in which we can distance ourselves from negative people that keep us from doing our jobs, living our lives and reaching our destiny.

Show us Your Will and Your Ways for OUR lives. Replace the negative folks with positive and productive people that can support, encourage and uplift us. Please make a way of exit for people who bring our spirits down with just a few moments of being in the presence.

Lord, we understand that sometimes You place people in our lives to help us grow, but sometimes we connect with people who are not apart of Your Will for our lives. So, please help discern the difference and give us strength and wisdom in severing ungodly connections!

Lord, we thank you and love you for all that you have done and will continue to do in our lives!

In Jesus name, we pray...

Amen!

This Week's Postings: (include but are not limited to)
- Don't Kryptonite Your Destiny Thru Negative Relationships! (Teaching Tuesdays)
- Are You Ready for the Next Level? (40DC Special Announcement)
- Have You Seen (or Hear About)...? (40DC Video Premiere)

Have You Seen (or Hear About)...?

2010-05-30T21:13:00.010-05:00

The 40 Days of Change Online Academy has released its first promotional video. After watching it, we would love your comments and hope that you would share this with a friend.

CLICK ONCE TO START VIDEO...

Please turn on your speakers. This is an audio-enabled show.

Thank you for watching "Are You Ready to Become Destiny Focused?"

Be sure to join our mailing list and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter

INTERESTED IN RECEIVING **FREE** TRAINING WITH US?

That's right! If you want to try us out before you commit to the first level (mentioned here). You will soon be able to do take free courses right here on The Destiny Challenge blog.

Be on the lookout for destiny-focused training courses in the next month. Since you don't want to miss anything, connect with us today by joining our mailing list as well as become a follower of T.D.C. Blog today!

###

Stay Motivated Work Quotes

2010-05-17T05:00:00.009-05:00

In Part 2 of Motivational Mondays, here some motivational quotes. Find one that touches your heart, write it down and carry it with you and refer to it as needed.

If you have any particular scriptures that help you through workplace drama or any life drama, please share them with us as comments to this blog postings. We would love to hear from you. Also, if you missed this week's prayer on workplace drama, click here to access it.

WORK QUOTES

Lena Horne

"I believe you are your work. Don't trade the stuff of your life, time, for nothing more than dollars. That's a rotten bargain."
Rita Mae Brown

“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.”
St. Augustine

"Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing."
Thomas Alva Edison

"What we do matters to us. Work may not be the most important thing in our lives or the only thing. We may work because we must, but we still want to love, to feel pride in, to respect ourselves for what we do and to make a difference."
Sara Ann Friedman

"The truth is, when I got started in this business, it wasn't because I had a full understanding of the importance of the business, but because I thought it was fun. I found it exciting. It fulfilled me, whatever it was that I was looking for."
Sam Donaldson

"Don't waste life in doubts and fears; spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour's duties will be the best preparation for the hours and ages that will follow it."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Work while you have the light. You are responsible for the talent that has been entrusted to you."
Henri-Frederic Amiel

"It is your work in life that is the ultimate seduction."
Pablo Picasso

"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."
Sam Ewing

"Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits."
Thomas A. Edison

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
Albert Einstein

“May you - Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, dance like no-one is watching, screw like it's being filmed, and drink like a true Irishman.”
Anonymous

“Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.”
Francesca Reigler

###"Always be smarter than the people who hire you."

Are You Dreading Going to Work in the Morning?

2010-05-16T18:30:00.005-05:00

Mediatitive Scripture: Psalm 30:5, 75:6-7; Phil. 4:7; Luke 9:3-5

Abba Father:

Through our tears and heavy hearts, oh God, hear our heartfelt prayers tonight! Many of us are so weary and depressed as we lay our heads down to sleep later tonight. And even though, our weekend may have been filled with cheer, Monday is a different kind of day. It's a day that many (of us) dread because we have to go back to work. It shouldn't be like this Lord, so we boldly approach Your throne with heavy hearts, laying out our worries, cares, and fears at Your feet.

Please God, hear us when we say that we ever so thankful to have jobs that supply us with the ability to provide for our physical needs, but oh Lord, we are so tired of the drama. This job is costing us in other areas of our lives. We are lacking in peace of mind and the stress is affecting our bodies. Yes, our jobs are both a blessing and a curse and we need your strength. We need your peace! We need direction! We really don't want to waste our lives away working someplace where we are tolerated and not appreciated for all that we do. We are tired, Lord! Direct us and restore us! Keep our minds from the drama and the gossip and the backbiting and the lying that goes on around us! Cover us and protect us! Guard our tongue so that we are not drawn into the drama, gossip, backbiting, liars... Help us to keep our minds on You despite our hostile work environments.

As we lay down to sleep tonight, go into our workplaces before us and allow the Holy Spirit to hover there. We want peaceful work weeks ahead. And yes, as we are working on our destinies in the background and even if we are not, show us how we can redefine our time so we can plant the right seeds TODAY that we will spring up and set us on our paths to destiny TOMORROW. We declare that we want peace and harmony and that You make any changes that need to be made to make this happen, including demoting, firing, hiring and/or correcting leadership and others who exercise favoritism, who are managerial incompetent, suffered from mentally-disturbed, drama-queens (and kings) syndromes, those make major decisions without consulting the proper authorities.... Lord, we plead the blood of Jesus over our workplaces and declare that the workplace drama will no longer have rein over our lives.

In Jesus name...AMEN!!!!

Be sure to check out:
- Stay Motivated: Food for Thought Quotes - Read Now

This is Your Year to Get in Alignment!

2010-04-27T07:00:00.007-05:00

Several years after my mother died, there were two questions I found myself repeatedly asking God. Of course, the first one was "Why?" and the second was "What are Earth was she here for?" Now, the latter one bothered me for the longest. It wasn't until I turned the question around three years later that I finally realizing that I was the one who needed to answer that question.

Therefore, that is a very important question that as Christians, we should know the answer. Most people spent all of their days never bothering to consider such a question until it is too late to do anything about it. So as Christians, it is our God-given duty to not only know what we are here for but to also "be about our Father's business" while we are here.

This past Sunday, Bishop T. D. Jakes asked that the entire church (The Potters House of Dallas) spent this week praying for DIVINE ALIGNMENT. Thus, this will be our Teaching Tuesdays topic.

***********************
In Ecclesiastes 3:1, it reads: "To everything there is a season, a time for everything under heaven" (NKJV). Biblically speaking, the term, season, is defined as:

An indefinite but somewhat extended period of time.

A regularly scheduled, recurring time.

A particular part of a year.

An indefinite part of a day.

The proper time for an action. <-- My favorite!

Timing is key when we speak of seasons. Frankly, time is of no benefit to God because He sits outside of time. As one source states: "God...created and ordained time. God Himself is timeless and external, not bound by space or time. On the other hand, God is not removed from time. Through...Jesus Christ, God enters into time without being limited [by] the constraints of time." Therefore, time is for our benefit. The connection between times and seasons is very important.

I recently heard Bishop Noel Jones say that "Your season starts the day you are born and ends the day you die." So, YOUR LIFE is YOUR SEASON and YOUR SEASON is YOUR LIFE! So, if this be true, then what happens in between? That depends on how you choose to live your life. For those who are destiny-focused, then what happens is called kairos and since it isn't a regular, everyday kind of occurence, the time between kairos is "prep time" or time spent preparing for it.

Kairos is a Greek term which means a "divinely appointed time" associated with the "spiritual significance of an era". This term is used in the New Testament and it means "the right or opportune moment; the crucial time; the appointed time in the purposes of God; it is the time when God acts and moves". Think back to creation, where we see God acting and moving and as a result, The Earth becomes into alignment with His Will. That's DIVINE ALIGNMENT!

The same source states: "Sometimes are divinely appointed, especially in the carrying out [of] God's Will for a specific mission at a specific time or in events appropriate to each season of life." Think about the birth, death, burial and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Perfect example of kairos! We too have kairos in our own lives, but it is our responsibility to be in tuned with God in the discerning of the days and times for those divinely appointed moments.

Another term for DIVINE ALIGNMENT is SPIRITUAL ALIGNMENT. One Internet source states that spiritual alignment is associated with "the fire of God's glory." It further states that there are four purposes for this HEAVENLY FIRE:

Desire to walk in the Will of God in all circumstances.

Desire to minister to others.

Desire for supernatural power to operate in one's spiritual gifts.

Desire for the burning of unrighteous behavior.

So, Bishop's clarion call isn't for everybody. As a matter of fact, there are somethings that you need to be aware of.

-- Become aware of what God has called you to do. In other words, discover your spiritual gifts.

-- Learn about and operate in your spiritual gifts. In other words, stir up the gifts.

-- Present your heart to God for healing and restoration. A clean heart is need when ministering to others. In other words, get your emotional house in order.

-- Stay humble and be an example! In other words, you don't know who is looking at you, so let your light so that God is glorified through you.

***********************
SEATS ARE STILL AVAILABLE in the Spring 2010: 40-Day Destiny Challenge. If you would like one-on-one assistance in discovering God's Will for your life, don't delay. Go ahead and join the Challenge TODAY! Click here to register and for additional details.

Click play here to listen to my Feb. 15th Internet talk radio entitled "What is God Saying in 2010?" In this episode, Minister Jaketha shares a teaching on the significance of our times along with a list of 2010 prophecies from many anointed and appointed men and women of God, including but not limited to Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dr. Chuck Pierce, Prophetess Sandie Freed and many more.

A Week of Divine Alignment

2010-04-26T06:00:00.003-05:00

Meditative Scripture:
Romans 8:17-18
----------------------------------------------

Father God,

We are so excited in spirit today because we come boldly before your throne believing that this is our year; that this is our month and that THIS IS OUR WEEK for DIVINE ALIGNMENT!!!

THIS WEEK is our week of DESTINY REVEALED; the week when we see ourselves in the future. Therefore Lord, in the HOURS AND DAYS ahead, we are believing that You, Father God, will reveal Your Will for our lives -- THIS WEEK!

Lord Jesus, we have praying and waiting and wondering how much longer until you reveal Your Will. Some of us have been praying, waiting and wondering for years, others for months and yet others for just a few days or hours. Yet, we have all have been knocking and awaiting answers regarding our questions, our concerns, our hopes AND our dreams.

THIS WEEK LORD, we have attuned our ears and our faith and we are EXPECTING to HEAR from You. Not only are we expecting to HEAR from You, we are also expecting to SEE THIS WEEK. To SEE You, God, move in our lives like never before. We believe that THIS IS THIS WEEK we will be positioned for greatness and strategic set on the path of destiny. We accept our role as heirs and we take authority RIGHT NOW! We are so ready to walk in destiny TODAY, TOMORROW AND FOREVER MORE.

In Jesus name...AMEN!

----------------------------------------------
Click here to watch to "It's Your Time! by Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers!

Yep, I'm Thankful for Being Tired!?!

2010-04-22T22:14:00.006-05:00

In a good way, the last couple of weeks have been exhausting and rewarding all at the same time. I know that might not make much sense but its true. During this time, I really know that *MY* destiny is quite tiring.

For those who don't know, destiny is not a "get rich quick" scheme. Just like taking on an athletic workout in hopes of losing a few pounds or getting in shape is hard work, so is destiny. It requires learning about the right techniques, avoiding the wrong ones, then strengthening existing "mental muscles" and discovering other muscles you didn't know you had. And all of that boils down to "No pain, no gain!"

So, all of this "stress" has help me to understand why *WE* can't afford (or attempt) to carry anyone else's destiny for them. If someone needs to be carried, let Jesus carry them not you! Your destiny (any my destiny) is more than enough for *US* to carry. I know I don't have the energy, the time or the resources to carry other folks around and make their dreams true for them unless that's my occupation but it isn't.

Also, destiny isn't a one-size-fits-all process. Each of us has our own dreams, goals, hopes, ambitions and the like to accomplish in this lifetime. For some, it happens overnight, while for others, the process is a little long and drawn out. Just hang in there, no matter how the circumstances appear. I know you're tired, so am I. Just keep in mind that when you start down the path of destiny, it is long, tedious and lonely. But in the end:

"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

###
Get 10% off of the Spring 2010: Destiny Challenge now through 4/26/2010. So, don't delay! Click here to take advantage of this limited-time offer.

Why I'm Writing "The House of Jezebel"?

2010-04-21T05:00:00.016-05:00

As I stated several weeks ago, my forthcoming book is being fashioned into a part memoir and part self-help/inspirational read. As a result of attending the East Texas Christian Writers Conference the second weekend of April, I came across a much-needed book entitled The Power of Memoir: How to Write Your Healing Story.

In today's Writing Wednesdays post, I will answer one of the writing exercises found at the end of chapter one. These exercises were targeted at helping memoirists identify their reasons for sharing their life stories with the world. The writing exercise I am going to tackle here is "Name ten reasons why you want to write a memoir." I can't promise I'll list ten, so I'll start with listing only three reasons for now.

First and foremost, I am not writing this book because I am angry at anyone or because I seek revenge. God has already proclaimed in His Word that "Vengeance is mine, I will repay." So, I have no need to gain a spotlight due to the misfortunate actions, beliefs and habits of my family members. However, I will share with you my reasons for writing this book and believe me, I don't take this task lightly. For over a decade, I have tried to coerce God into letting someone else do this. But as you can see, I'm the one holding the "losing hand" and I'm actually thankful for such a "bad hand" because with it, I am able to play my "cards of destiny" in hopes of changing the lives of those who are still victims of Jezebel.

******************************************
1. I am writing "The House of Jezebel" in memory of my mother.
In the years since her death, I did not realize how much her story was mine too. After her death back in 2000, I felt cheated and robbed of the relationship we were finally allowed to build. But also, I wondered if her life was in vain. I wondered, "What was her purpose?" and "Did she fulfill it?" As I wondered about her life, I also begin searching for meaning in my own.

2. I am writing "The House of Jezebel" to be a guiding light for others like me.
Over the years, I have noticed that there are far too many Christian women in their 30s, 40s and 50s, who are still bowing down to Jezebel. It doesn't matter who their Jezebel is, whether its their biological mother, adopted mother, grandmother, aunt, a male relative, etc., they are continuing to not utilize their power and authority in Christ Jesus. Why? One of the primary reasons is no one has had the courage to come forth and say, "Yes, I went through it and here's what I had to do to get free." There is great deliverance in sharing one's testimony but someone has to be willing to step up to the plate and swing like there's no tomorrow.

Therefore, when you are a victim of Jezebel as a child, once you become an adult, you have to be taught that you have an identity separate from Jezebel. You have to be taught, what boundaries are and how they work. You have to be taught that not everyone will like your newfound boundaries and that's okay because they will get over it.

Furthermore, women (and men) who have been victimized by a Jezebel have to be taught that they do not have to spend their adult lives running around still trying to earn the affections of Jezebel. They have to be taught that Jezebel is not the one in control of their destinies. They must taught that it is Jehovah who holds the key to each of our destinies and it is through Him we can have a more abundant life.

3. I am writing "The House of Jezebel" to allow myself the freedom to heal from injustices, abuse and the like.
This story isn't all about Jezebel. Its also about the people around her. Those who dare not attempt to strip Jezebel's power. When one was raised in Jezebel's house, its usually because there were no Elijahs or Jehus around. Nothing but eunuchs and other servants of Jezebel. So, in this book, I address the people who let a little kid down.

A little kid with a mother that never connected with her until that kid was a 20-something college student and by then mom was on her deathbed. To a little kid who didn't had any real male role models that weren't weak, angry, bitter or perverted. To a little kid who didn't have a clue who her father was or what having a daddy was all about. To growing up into a 30-something young woman without a family of her own, still wondering if any man will ever truly love her and all her emotional scars.

Like I said earlier, I don't seek revenge. I seek deliverance and freedom for myself and for others who are ready to exchange a childhood with Jezebel for an adult life of destiny and purpose.

---------------------------------
NOTE: If you or someone you know has a family member exhibiting strong Jezebel qualities, please share your story with us by joining our Yahoo! Group called Overcoming Jezebel. With your permission, some stories may be shared in "The House of Jezebel". Click here to join the Overcoming Jezebel Yahoo! Group right now! Thank you and God bless!

###

Get 10% off of the Spring 2010: Destiny Challenge now through 4/26/2010. So, don't delay! Click here to take advantage of this limited-time offer.

In Destiny, There is No Boredom!

2010-04-20T05:00:00.002-05:00

The phrase, "I'm bored!", "I'm bored out of my mind" or "I'm bored to death!" has taken on a less empowering meaning for me in the last two weeks or so. In that timeframe, I have been so busy working on all my destiny-focused projects in the midst of working full time that I feel like I don't have enough hours in the day or days in the week to get everything done. So, of course, it bothers me when others interrupt me simply because they are bored.

You would think that phrase would be common to children and teenagers. But now, there are more 30, 40, 50 and 60-year-olds sitting around proclaiming the same thing: "I'm bored!" Add technology to that and now it's easy to include every family member, friend, coworker and associate on how bored you are with a text message, email or status update via Facebook or Twitter.

Since I've heard "I'm bored", so much in the past two weeks, I decided to investigate what exactly is boredom and how does it fit into living a destiny-focused life? So for today's Teaching Tuesday, let's be bored together, shall we?

According to the Wikipedia, boredom is defined as:

"An emotional state experienced during periods lacking activity or when individuals are uninterested in the opportunities surrounding them."

"Lack of activity" is a sure way to find yourself in a statement of boredom. This past weekend, I received an "I'm bored" text message. Since it was from a family member, I decided to "be courtesy" and see if I could help them through this before I set off on my next project. By the conclusion of the conversation, it was obvious, this person had something to do, but didn't want to do it. According to my research, this leads to a scientific link between boredom and learned helplessness.

Learned helplessness is a condition in which a human being has learned to behave helplessly, even when the conditions for activity are made available. It is a time when he or she will not take advance of the "right conditions" even if it will help them avoid the same state of boredom in the near future. In other words, from my conversation, it didn't matter what solution I offered, this person had no intention of acting on any of them even if it would rid them of their boredom. As a matter of fact, at the end of the conversation, they informed me that they were being lazy this weekend and that they actually had something to do. Interesting! But wait, there's one more take on being bored, we will to look at.

A second source defined bored as "tired of the world" or "tired of life." Wow! Now think back to all of the times you have said, "I'm bored!" Doesn't that make you rethink the use of that phrase?

Seriously, is your life that unfulfilled that you are tired of the world, tried of your own life? In Proverbs 18:12, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue!" When you utter "I'm bored!", you are proclaiming over yourself that the life God gave you is not worth the effort to get up and doing something productively. You're proclaiming that your present circumstance is so unbearable that you have concluded that life is not worth actively being involved in. The devil is a lie! Get up right now and get a life! God has invested to much in you for you to lay around being bored all the time. Get up!

What I have come to realize that many who are always bored, are usually those who don't understand why God put them here in the first place. Your life is not your own; it is a by-product of your relationship with God. Stop relying on outside circumstances to change before you can get on with life. When one truly understand what God has put them here for, they see their "short lifespan" as a means to help others overcome issues and be productive for destiny's sake. So the next time, you say or even think, "I'm bored" or if you overhear someone else say that they are bored, meditate on 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT):

³By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
⁴And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

It's time to claim your promises! So, get up and get moving! In Jesus name...

###

Get 10% off of the Spring 2010: Destiny Challenge now through 4/26/2010. So, don't delay! Click here to take advantage of this limited-time offer.

"Being Good Stewards of Our Time"

2010-04-19T05:00:00.005-05:00

Meditative Scripture:
Ecclessiastes 3:1-11
Romans 8:28-31

Thank you, Lord for another week. We come before you today, Father God, acknowledging who You are and in all of Your infinite wisdom and power. Lord, we know that our time here on Earth is "borrowed time" and that You have place us here for an destiny-focused assignment.

Lord, to all of the destiny seekers and achievers reading this prayer right now, please direct their paths and help them to rightly discern their time here on Planet Earth. Lord, forgive us for wasting time and show us where we are being wasteful as opposed to being good stewards of our time.

For we know that as good stewards who plant seeds in the right soil, at the right time, and thus we will reap a harvest that benefits the advancement of Your Kingdom. So, we strive to plant seeds that restore and reconcile those whom you foreknew and predestined. Help us Lord, to stay focused on Your Will and Your Ways for our lives. To know when to pursue leisure and when to pursue purpose and destiny. In Jesus name, we pray...AMEN!!!

I'm Thankful for a Still Small Voice...

2010-04-15T20:57:00.007-05:00

Have you ever heard a still small voice?

Long before I ever gave my life to Christ, I would quietly call on God. As an only child, I spent a number of hours alone many days. So when things weren't going right or something was happening that I just didn't understand, I would whisper it to God in my mind.

I remember the first time I clearly heard *THAT* voice. By then, I was in college. It scared me so bad and I almost jumped out of my seat. I was actually at work on the second floor in the Reference department. It was like a ghost town up there and so I took the time to ask a few questions about something that happened at church the night before. You see, without realizing it, I had developed the right foundation for a relationship with Him. Then, He spoke to me. It was like someone walked up beside me, pulled up a seat, leaned over a little and answered the thoughts that were racing through my head. In a short sentence, He spoke to me. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I turned in the direction of the voice but there was no one there. But that voice was just as clear as if I was sitting and talking with a best friend.

It's a beautiful thing when you have that type of relationship with Him. To be in communion with His Spirit is a wonderful and peaceful feeling. Now, He doesn't talk to me all the time. As a matter of fact, He has been talking to me more in the last year or so, then ever before. The only problem is that I have to be in tuned with Him not the other way around. There have been times when He was talking to me, but I just "wrote it off". Thinking, "that's all in my head", but sure enough, whatever he was telling me came to light in due time.

God hasn't scared me like that since that day. :-) But I just realized today how much He speaks to me and I am so thankful. Such a connection makes you want to strive everyday to never take a divine relationship like this for granted. Believe me, there will be times will I will fall short of His glory, but as long as I come back to Him and sit for a spell. I will once again be able to hear *THAT* voice. Have you heard a still, small voice lately?

Highlights from My First Writers Conference...

2010-04-14T15:45:00.009-05:00

I am still excited after attending last weekend's East Texas Christian Writers Conference held annually at East Texas Baptist University (ETBU) in Marshall. That was my first-time attending a writers conference. So, I wanted to share some tidbits of information in this belated Writing Wednesdays post. My hope is that through Writing Wednesdays, I am able to inspire a new or aspiring writer to stop procrastinating and make that dream of becoming an established author a reality. Amen!?!

On the first day, I attended a two-part preconference entitled "Writing Book Camp: The Basics for a Beginner" taught by Andrea Chevalier. Of course, I went into the class with preconceived notions of what I thought it was cover. But actually it was full of bit-sized, practical chucks on how we can make the overall writing process a lot easier. I won't share everything here by no means, but I will share things that we as writers should strongly implement. As an FYI, my comments are in blockquotes below each statement.

1. Read anything in your genre.

Now, that's seems obvious enough, but are you doing it? Because as Andrea said, "Serious writers are serious readers!" She also said to "Read fiction!" Since I'm so focused on writing nonfiction, I would never have thought to read fiction. As a matter of fact, the weekend before, God had laid on my heart to reread a fictional book entitled Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews. That's not a Christian book. As a matter of fact, its a book about child abuse/neglect, incest, etc.. So it's pretty heavy topic. Just in the first couple of pages, I have been inspired and I learning how to articulate the painful issues that I will need to address in my own book, "The House of Jezebel: Fulfilling Destiny In Spite of Your Upbringing". So, thank you Andrea for making that statement!

2. Go to several writing conferences each year.
3. Speak on what you are writing about and vice versa.

Not only do you need to read a lot, you also need to be around like-minded people. So, get around other writers! They are truly inspiring! The best place to meet other Christian writers is by attending a Christian writers conference. However, you should be selective in which ones you attend. Ask around or always be sure to look over their conference schedule to see if they are offering generic writing classes or genre-specific workshops. Analyze what you need to learn from others and attend conferences that are in alignment with your needs.

Writing the book is only half the job. The other half is marketing. We usually get that twisted and think "If I write it, they will come a-buying!!!" Nope! That's not being realistic. Take speaking classes if you need them. Join Toastmasters, but be ready, willing and able to give lots of presentations to promote your book.

****************************
My final thoughts: "Writing is a not an event, it is a journey." I always thought it was silly to spend years working on one book, but it really isn't. Realize this is a journey, learn all that you can about what you've come from, where you are [presently], and where you are going. It's all important to the end result. Happy Writing!

****************************
NOTE: For next several weeks for Writing Wednesdays, I will highly a few more overall points from this preconference and other workshops I attended, particularly "Tips for Shooting Digital Photographs for Publication" by Mary Darden, "Using an Electronic Library for Research" by John Barry, Editor-in-Chief of Bible Study Magazine, and "So You Think You Can't Write a Book, Writing for the Non-Writer" by Viola Palmer.

Are You Rushing or Pondering Your Destiny?

2010-04-13T05:00:00.008-05:00

As I was preparing for today's posting, I noticed the following tweet: "Fools rush in, the wise ponder their way" (@TonyGaskins). How suiting for this week's blogging theme. When I think of situations where people sometimes don't pay attention due to hurriedness, I can't help but be reminded of past participants from my Christian education program called the 40-Day (Destiny) Challenge.

In the Challenge, students are required to log in weekdays (including Sundays) to read and post the daily or weekend lessons. As a forty-calendar day program, the lessons are released the day before they are due. Therefore, students are rarely given the opportunity to repeat missed exercises. So, it is vital that they make the time EVERY DAY to read, pray, reflect, post and reflect and post some more if need be. But that's not always the case for many of them since we are a society conditioned to wanting everything YESTERDAY. Amen!?!

During the first week of the Challenge, participants can hardly contain themselves. They are so excited! But it doesn't take long for that "glow" to wear off. As a matter of fact, I tell them that it will "wear off" as soon as the Day 2 lesson! :-) And when it does happen, it's obvious to me, that they are trying to "juggle" far too many things at one time. When I bring it to their attention, one or two might become offended and make up excuses. But in the end, if they heed my wisdom, they begin to understand that some of the things, including people, that they have been juggling, need to be handled a lot differently.

One of the primary reasons that students are required to log in and complete exercises EVERY DAY is simple - "If they are not willing to make room for destiny NOW, then they can't expect to obtain it LATER." Destiny doesn't just fall in our laps. It requires much effort, much patience and most importantly, it requires much ATTENTION! Destiny is a process. Not only do we need to start, we also need to stay committed.

At the end, participants indicate in their post-course evaluations, that they should have spent more time in prayer, meditation/reflection and even rereading lessons before attempting to complete them. Many have also said that they didn't realize the impact the Challenge would have on their lives until after they had completed it. The same concept is true in other areas of our lives. Yet not every situation in life will afford us the opportunity to come back and "Try it again, Sam!" So, it's vital that we learn NOW how to interconnect (or balance) our natural and spiritual senses. So, we won't confuse rushing for pondering and pondering for rushing.

Simply put, some problems are natural life problems and thus be dealt within the natural. So, don't spiritualize them! While other issues have spiritual roots that must be discerned and handle in the spirit realm and can't be rushed or narrowed down in the nature. One area when we don't want to have regrets is when it comes to our destinies. Many who take the Challenge have delayed destiny because time has been made for all the wrong things and now it's time to make it right. Once we understand the significance of OUR destinies, we became to understand why the concepts of prayer, meditation/reflection (or pondering) are so important?

One source defines ponder: "chew over: reflect deeply on a subject". Another source: "To wonder, to think of deeply; To consider (something) carefully and thoroughly; to chew over, to mull over." On the other hand, one definition of rush means "to urge [or move] into an unnatural sense." Taking a destiny assignment and not thoroughly pondering it in the spiritual, results in a rushed activity. Making the time to ponder our direction, our decisions, and the like right now, is the essence of a destiny worth fulfilling.

So, when it comes to OUR destinies, we must pay attention to our goals. And we need to set aside time EVERY DAY to reflect on where we are and where we are headed on the path to destiny. By failing to pay attention now, we might find ourselves at the end of our race too tired to realize that in all of our rushing, we have ended up missing out on every DIVINE opportunity because we were neglecting giving it our full attention. So, are you rushing or pondering your destiny?

**************************

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:
Ponder on the last few days/weeks or on the year, 2010 and ask yourself, am I rushing or pondering my destiny? Then ask your, what can I do differently startng RIGHT NOW?

We Will Pay Attention, Lord!

2010-04-12T04:00:00.003-05:00

MEDITATION SCRIPTURES: 1 Kings 10:24, Psalm 119:34, 133 & Proverbs 4:7

Dear Lord:

Thank You for blessing us to complete one more week and enter into a new one. We are thankful to have Your Son Jesus die for us as well as leave us with a Wonderful Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who is available to us for direction and correction.

Lord, we believe that this week is vital to our continued success in You. This could be the week that doors are open that will sat us on the path of destiny like never before. But God, help us to maintain our focus. Help us to discern what is and isn't Your Will for our lives. Help us to pay attention to the still small voice (or the umption) that lets us know when things are not right in circumstances and situations and in our dealings with other people. Lord, help us to stop ignoring things now that become bigger problems later. God, help us because we don't want to miss out on what You have for us. We don't want to miss another destiny opportunity.

Just as You anointed Solomon with wisdom, so to, we ask that You bless us with wisdom, knowledge and understanding in our undertakings this week and beyond. We don't want to miss out on any pre-ordained opportunities that You have in store for us. Yet, we do not wish to be taken advantage of either because we didn't pay attention to the realities around us. We Thank You for ordering our steps and we praise You for being such a loving and care Father each and every day. We love Lord! In Jesus name, I pray, "AMEN!"

"Order My Steps" - FLORIDA AMU MARCHING BAND

I'm Thankful, I Walked Away...

2010-04-08T04:00:00.005-05:00

All this week, I have been posting on the topics of stress and distractions. For my first Thanksgiving Thursday, I am going to flip the script. I'm going to share some gratitude that you may or may not be comfortable with.

Normally, when you ask people to list what they are thankful for, they don't really put a lot of thought (or heart) into what they list. It's just so "common" to put one's good health, secure job, and happy family on your gratitude list, but stop and think - How often are you thankful for the "bad stuff"? In other words, how often are you thankful for the things that didn't work out, for the doors that closed in your face, for the person who mistreated you, etc.

In the past seven days, I have had some lows like I haven't experienced in very long awhile. As a result, these experiences have left me stressed and distracted. Yet, I have been trying to see the "silver lining" in the midst of all of this. As a result, I want to share what I am thankful for this week.

**********************

I am grateful for the ability to walk away from "opportunities" initiated by vision-less Christians.

**********************In the past 24 hours, one blessed woman of God (@gapmin) posted on Twitter, the following statements:

"If the vision is not plain to you, don't expect anyone else to run with it!

"Dreaming big is just the beginning....the execution has to match the dream to realize manifestation."

"Some things are just distractions...They have an assignment and that assignment is to get us off focus---STAY FOCUSED!

In other words, I can't run with you (or even run alongside you), if you don't have a vision for where *YOU* are trying to go. For those who don't know me, I am not the type of person that walks away easily when I have offered to help someone fulfill their purpose/destiny. However, I cannot work with anyone who is notorious for conjuring up a slew of wonderful ideas, yet has no vision, no plan or strategy to make any of it happen. Even worse, they don't have a "teachable spirit" to even learn the right way to do it and that's what breaks my heart.

People always talk about don't burn bridges. Well, two days of helping someone without a vision is not a bridge that you want to keep open away, now is it? Two days of expending my time, energy and resources helping the wrong person has resulted in lost focus on my projects, for which I *DO* have a vision in the form of written plans. The problem is the other person wanted to operate non-stop in the Spirit (as they handled these matters) without exercising any common sense to understand that they really didn't understand what they needed to do in the natural. So, I had to bounce! Despite all of that, I am thankful.

I am thankful that it was only two days and not two years. I am thankful that God used this situation to show me not everybody that has a will has a way. I am thankful God showed me that He has blessed me with the willingness, capability and readiness to do what it takes to fulfill His vision for my life. I can only hope that this other person can one day learn and do the same.

**********************

ASSIGNMENT: Now, it's your turn. In the past week or so, what "bad stuff" are your thankful for? In other words, how has a bad situation (or circumstance) turned out to be something you shouldn't be sad (or mad) about anymore but something to be thankful for?

**********************

Sample Back Cover: "The House of Jezebel"

2010-04-07T02:00:00.002-05:00

“Your worst enemies will be in your own family.”
Matthew 10:36 CEV
Your survival as a victim of Jezebel whether as a child or as an adult is no accident. At this point in your life, it is imperative that you both acknowledge and move past the anger, the pain, the bitterness and the frustration you may still feel toward yourself and toward Jezebel! WHY? Because your inability to do so has likely produced a life where you have settled, compromised and denied yourself of certain needs, hopes and aspirations. You see, that is a common lesson taught in the house of Jezebel - Everyone else's needs come first. And you are likely still living this way even now.

But God is saying to you, right here and right now, "ENOUGH! Come to Me for I long to heal and release you into your destiny!" Yes! God has a purpose for your life and the house of Jezebel was your basic training in spiritual warfare. In The House of Jezebel: Fulfilling Destiny In Spite of Your Upbringing, you will learn that there was a reason for your living with (or near) Jezebel. I am going to share my testimony as well as show you how your time with Jezebel has been preparing you for a life beyond your wildest dreams.

Part spiritual memoir and part self-help, The House of Jezebel presents one woman’s story of triumph through a common thread of scars, experiences, hurts, wounds and broken hearts shared by all who are or have been affected by a Jezebel family member. This book will expose the “Jezebel personality” in the home and in the local community, as well as aid fellow and former victims as they take the long journey toward healing and deliverance.

Written by Minister Jaketha Farmer, whose encounter with a full-fledged Jezebel last for nearly 30 years, The House of Jezebel is not a book full of theology but a down-to-earth read filled with her own real-life experiences. This book is a much-needed attempt to share the side of Jezebel that no one cares to discuss - What it’s like to live (and leave) the house of Jezebel.

**************************
We want to hear from you about this back cover summary. Positive feedback is helpful and aids us in making improvements as we produce an effective product that those to whom this is intended.

Also, this is our second attempt at writing a back cover. My first attempt is posted here. As a matter of fact, this weekend, I will be attending a Christian Writers Conference in Texas. So, as I learn, I'll make improvements, but in the meantime, we need your positive feedback. Thank you for your support!

Recognizing "Derailment Schemes" Against You & Your Destiny

2010-04-06T02:00:00.000-05:00

In most action-packed movies, the plot is the same. The good guys have a mission to complete and the bad guys are suppose to derail them at any cost. For nearly two hours, we'll stay glued to a big or small screen, watching them "duke it out" until the end. We know that somebody must win and usually, it's the good guy that comes out ahead.

The same is true of the demonic forces in our lives. For those of us, who are destiny-focused, we should realize that satan is just as focused at derailing us, as we are at fulfilling our God-given destiny. As we move toward new heights and new dimensions, both in life and in our relationships with God, satan and his little helpers have stepped up their game against us, too. How do I know? I been there and done that. As a matter of fact, this past weekend, God allowed satan to attack me for two days through another Christian.

satan is good at moving those closest to you from a position of supporter, to a "double agent" role. In a Mary J. Blige song called Keep it Moving, she talks about "...agents working on both sides." So don't be surprised if satan uses your best friend or family member to kicked you off track. If you don't have any friends or family, that's okay because to him, people are like pawns in a chess game. They are to be move the next available derailment position.

Now, the good side to all of this is your ability to recognize a "derailment scheme" against you. In short, its called a subtle form of spiritual warfare. The sooner you recognize it, the better are at either avoiding it or bouncing back from it a lot quicker.

With the exception of the Home Alone movies, the good guy knows better than to spend the entire movie trying to get back at the bad guys. If your mission isn't to distract, then focusing on the bad guys too much means you will never fulfill your destiny. In other words, you can only afford to do things that slow the enemy down (i.e., praise, gratitude) not stop and fighting him for the rest of the movie [your life]. If you can detect a "destiny derailment scheme" early enough, it doesn't get a chance to take root and ultimately become spiritual cancer. How do you know when you are being derailed? satan attacks your mind. Your mind is his battlefield.

In the early stages of spiritual cancer, it becomes hard to concentrate on the things of God, all of a sudden, you're easily distracted especially with things that you have already overcome. Also, when you complete goals and other milestones, all of a sudden, there's no joy in your success. All of a sudden, you feel empty or you feel like you're wasting your time on all of this "destiny crap". You are always busy, but you're busy doing "much of nothing". From the emotional (Psyche), the attack become evident in the physical. Now, you're tired all the time. Now, you have not energy to get things done. You've been hit head-on with weariness. Do you see where I'm going with this?

Jesus called out the weary and heavy-laden and told them to come to Him. So when satan pushes you in the direction of a derailment, you have a choice. You can choose to continue off-track and down that mountain at full speed ahead or you can cry out to Jesus, who is fully aware of the terrain (ups and downs) you're facing. Jesus is also aware of the current weather conditions (highs and lows) and the future outcome (what lies ahead). All it requires is that you not lose sight of His Destiny-Focused Plan for Your Life, that you continue to trust Him, and that you keep the faith despite what life and satan may throw at you along the way. Godspeed!

THE CHALLENGE:

(1) In the past six months, name the top three people, things or situations that satan has used to distract you from your destiny pursuits.

(2) Identify the top three scheming ways that these people, things or situations are being used.

(3) For each scheme, identify at least one way that you can counter-attack (again satan).

(c)2010 Jaketha. All rights reserved. If you can to use this lesson or any other of our postings from this blog, please contact us first. Click here to do so now. Furthermore, the lyrics to Keep It Moving by Mary J. Blige are property of and copyrighted by its respective owners.

Stress & Distractions

2010-04-05T02:00:00.007-05:00

MEDITATION SCRIPTURES: Isaiah 54:17, Hebrews 13:5, Phil. 4:13

Dear Lord:

We come boldly before your throne today nearly beat down and burdened by the pressures of life. Spiritually, we know that even if we sometimes unknowingly push you away, that you will never leave us or forsake us.

Lord, give us strength to endure the burdens, the obstacles and the distractions used by satan to keep us from pursuing your Will in our lives. We take authority over our bodies, our home, our families, our jobs, our __________, and we declare that no weapon formed against us shall prosper.

We declare that as long as we keep our hand in your Hand Lord, that we can do all things despite satan's attempts and despite our own shortcomings. God, we praise you for holding our hand and when we feel like we can't go on for carrying us through the storm.

We thank you for protecting us as we enter into a new work week.

Lord, we praise you for the death, burial and resurrection of your Son Jesus for our sins. Lord, thank you for second chances and new mercies each and every day. Lord, we love you and need you today, tomorrow and forever more. In Destiny, we say "AMEN!"

"How I Got Over" by Vickie Winans

Discussion: Who You Calling a Jezebel?

2010-03-28T22:44:00.006-05:00

For those who don't know, I am working on my first book entitled The House of Jezebel: Fulfilling Destiny In Spite of Your Upbringing. My intent with this book is for it to be a down-to-earth read that's geared toward Christian women with secret holes in their hearts that originated from negative experiences in their youth.

As a result of these past experiences, many Christian women are not healed and thus are living lives that do not truly reflect the Will of God for their lives. Therefore, they are missing out on opportunities that they find themselves regretting later in life. So since I am actively working on the book proposal RIGHT NOW, I wanted to stop and get some real, honest feedback from both my Twitter and Facebook family. So, here's are my questions:

1. Under what real-world circumstances, would you consider a male or female as acting like a Jezebel?

2. Under what circumstances, do you believe people are sometimes mistakenly labeled a Jezebel?

Please feel free to answer the question in any way you see fit. However, I do ask that you are respectful to me and to each other in your postings. If you wish to answer this question within Twitter (@Jaketha) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/Jaketha1), then feel free to do so. Thanks and I can't wait to read your answers.

Distractions + An Unfocused, Unbalanced & Unproductive Life = No Destiny

2010-03-08T14:16:00.016-06:00

"Excellence is in the details. Give attention to the details and excellence will come." ~Perry Paxton

"99% of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses." ~George Washington Carver

"A life of purpose is not only a true expression of who you really are, it is your gift to the world." ~Jack Canfield

Last week, I had a student ask me how they were progressing in the destiny course called The 40-Day (Destiny) Challenge. This weekend, I got a chance to answer that question by briefly referencing the impact of not properly handling distractions. Here's an excerpt:

...One of the things I am having to learn is that satan will use even God's own children to distract you. Think about it how long it takes us to regroup after we have gotten off track. Life will throw enough at us to distract us but satan throws unnecessary distractions our way [on a regular basis]. So I say this to myself and to you, the quality of our work is shown by how focused we are at accomplishing it....[So] stay focused...!

As a workforce trainer and a "life application" bible teacher, it's easy for me to tell when I am dealing with someone who is distracted. Distracted people are unfocused. They jump from one issue to the next without ever actually finishing anything. They then wait until the last minute before a project or an assignment is due because by then "its down to the wire!" Even on occasion, I guilty of that. Aren't you?

These type of students in a destiny-focused course bother me simply because they limit how I can help them. They turn in assignments that are so incoherent I'm ashamed for them as I try and decode whatever it is that they are trying to say. I can't understand why an adult would turn in destiny-focused work of such poor caliber. "Excellence is in the details...." But that's the thing: You have to be thriving toward excellence and not striving for excellence. There's a big difference between thriving and striving!

"To strive" for something involves struggle and fighting, while "to thrive" for something involves growing fast and staying on track all at the same time. Striving is fruitless and thriving is fruitful. The key to which path you are on has everything to do with the condition of your heart and mind. If you are committed to becoming destiny-focused, then that's thriving. Again, it's all an attitude of your heart! How bad do you want this?

If the answer is "Not much", then that will show up in the quality of your work. Even if you say, "Well, yes, I want it but...", stop right there! You have to make a decision for destiny, PERIOD! To be destiny-focused requires that you think long and hard and make some hard decisions about what you will and won't do from this day forward. The Destiny Challenge teaches about letting go of not only the past but also letting go of people and stuff. The Challenge encourages you to set goals and even delegate some processes to others. So of course, it bothers me when I'm dealing with an adult who has great capacity, who can deliver great results yet they consistently (choose to) fall short even in the midst of working on their own God-given destiny. I mean - go figure!

What makes it even worse is the excuses that come pouring out mouth. Let's see there is "The dog needed to go to the vet...", "The kids had soccer practice...", "I'm going out of town for three days and I won't....", "The hubby needed his socks ironed..." and so on and so forth.

So, let me give you my excuse: "What had happened was...you are doing so much in areas that don't even matter because in the midst of all your super busyness, all you have to show for it is an unfocused, unbalanced and unproductive life that's robbing you of destiny." Keep in mind that Superman and Wonder Woman were cartoon characters not reflections of real people. So, if you know your life is unbalanced, unfocused, or unproductive, you are the only one who has the power to take charge. It's time to pay attention to the "maximum (emotional) loads" wired into our makeup.

Don't get me wrong! We all become distracted. Currently, I work full-time in as a technology manager so my job is overflowing with distractions (and interruptions), but I'm still destiny-focused before, during and after work. Because when I go home, I know that I need to buckle down and operate with my compass pointing in the direction of destiny. So, what's your excuse again...? Oh, you don't have one anymore. Now, you got it! =)

Love & Destiny: Can Two Walk Together...? (Part 1)

2010-03-07T20:24:00.008-06:00

From March through May in The 40-Day Challenge Community, we are focusing on a new challenge - this time for "all the single ladies" and it's called the "Lady-in-Waiting" program. It's geared toward preparing single adult Christian women who strongly believe that marriage is apart of their destinies and thus are serious enough to begin actively preparing themselves for it.

Unfortunately, many of us want to be married but few have the faith to actively prepare for sharing our lives with a husband. Many are us are still waiting on a "Prince Charming" or a "Mr. Right" to fall out of the sky or to bump into us at the corner market. I hate to tell you ladies but you're not little girls anymore and life is not a fairy tale.

For those who are prepared, it has already been prophesied that this year (2010), new godly marriages are going to take place. This is the season for reaping harvest from seeds sown now and from years past. This is the time for destiny-focused single women who "see marriage in their future" to get ready, get prepared because Boaz is waiting (and preparing) for you too.

What?!? I Don't Need to Work on Anything?

Yes, you do! Yes, I do! We all have something that we can be working on to better equip ourselves for marriage, whether it's working on our attitude, learning some new "wifey" skills, getting ourselves of debt or something similar. By admitting and thus working on our own faults right now, we better position ourselves for after "I do."

The last thing you want to do is arrive into a marriage only to realize that there was so much you should have worked on before you got married. 'Cause by that time, it's too late sista! With the divorce rate the way it is now, you don't want to find yourself in a marriage totally unprepared. If you want marriage then want it bad enough to get ready for it long before you even meet him. You don't want to be like the five foolish virgins, who only brought just enough oil for one night's stay but fail to prepare for some possible "overtime".

In the Lady-in-Waiting Challenge, I have assigned a different book for Challengers to read each month. For the month of March, we are reading "How To Be Found By the Man You've Been Looking For" by Michelle McKinney Hammond. I am halfway through the book and I wanted to share what have struck me so far and it is this - As single Christian women, we *MUST* know our own destinies first! In Genesis 2:18 KJV, we are called to be our husband's "help meet".

The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003) defines a "help meet" as a "woman...precisely adapted to man"; "helper as his partner" or as "a suitable companion" (p. 749).

"To help" or to be a helper does not imply that she is to be a man's slave or to be his subordinate or his punching bag. She is to be his queen, his partner, his companion, his life team member, etc. "To meet" means she is the only one with whom he can "enjoy full fellowship and partnership in humanity's God-given task of rule and dominion" (Holman, 2003, p. 749).

In Genesis 1:26-28:

God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth."

God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God's nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth." (The Message)

Here's your Love & Destiny Challenge ...

If you don't know what God has put you here for, how can you help him? You simply can't! So if you are one of those single sistas (like me) who is near or well over 40, then I challenge you to discover your destiny first. Failure to do could result in a marriage in which you find yourself unequally connected with someone who doesn't even fit where you are going in life. So, discover your destiny, please!

In this posting, I'm challenging you to set aside at least two hours of your time. In the first hour, I want you to listen to you a special episode of my Internet radio show entitled, Wake Up! Your Destiny is Calling! (posted below). In the second hour, I want you to prayerfully write out what you are believing God for in your own destiny-focused life (that's the "without-a-man" list) then get started. As my pastor, Bishop T. D. Jakes, loves to say, "The best is yet to come!"

Godspeed!
~Minister Jaketha

"Wake Up! Your Destiny is Calling" by Minister Jaketha
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gotish-oos

Spring Cleaning for Destiny

2010-03-06T12:07:00.005-06:00

A new season is upon us. For many, spring is the best time to clean our homes. From top to bottom, we clean on, under and around every piece of furniture, sometimes relocating pieces for ambiance. We sort, weed and store clothes for keeps or for giving away to charities or needy families. We transition from winter boots, overcoats, scarves, hats and gloves to Capri pants, shorts, sandals, flip flops, tees and swimwear.

In addition to thoroughly cleaning our earthly homes, this is an excellent time for a little spiritual spring cleaning. All it requires is that we put on our spiritual eyes for a moment and take a supernatural look within and around us in search of areas that are below par according to God’s standards. And when found, it is those areas that must be submitted to the Holy Spirit for cleansing and/or purging, which is a necessary requirement if we want to start or continue producing the right fruit in our Christian walk. From a destiny perspective, this is the time to transition from a winter season of rest, restoration and reflection into a spring season of new life, new growth and new beginnings. Are you getting ready for destiny?

Seasons and Times
Aside from certain times of the year, season is biblically defined as “the proper time for action.” In the New Testament, time is indicated by the Greek word, kairos, which means “a divinely appointed time.” It also means "the right or opportune moment; the crucial time; the appointed time in the [fulfillment of the] purposes of God; it is the time when God acts and moves." It is a time when destiny is fulfilled.

To get ready for such a time, we need our spiritual eyes so that we are able to rightly discern the significance of the times and the seasons. Think about this: You and I arrived into 2010 with a special God-given assignment. To fulfill that assignment, it will require traveling the path of destiny. Are you spiritual cleaning for destiny?

Spring is a time of planting, sowing, and reaping and so it is in 2010. Aside from the natural occurrence of seasons, spiritually speaking, 2010 is a new season. So, as we spring clean our homes, let us also spring clean our hearts because the Spirit of the Lord is saying that our “opportune moment” is upon us, but we must be ready, willing and able to seize this moment right here, right now.

Thus Says the Lord
Last month on my Internet radio show, I discussed “What is God Saying in 2010?” Near the end of the hour, I shared ten prophecies highlighted below. As you read them, please utilize your spiritual senses to discern the heart of God concerning this current season.

- 2010 is a year of “great expectation; a year of divine measurement.” ~Prophetess Sandie Freed
- In 2010, “you are either in or out." “This is the year to get up now! Stop procrastinating…” ~Prophetess Gwen Spinks
- “2010 is a year of double dimension; your year to go in.” ~Bishop T.D. Jakes
- “In 2010, the fruit you have been waiting to see will come forth in abundance.” ~Barbie Breathitt
- 2010 is the year that "God wants to empower the dreamers." “There will be a lot of new growth - new businesses, new ministries, new relationships, new marriages, new art and new music will…emerge." ~John Belt
- In 2010, God is going to position you to “…bless your enemies.” ~Dr. Chuck Pierce

Choose today to not let this season go by without making at least one of your greatest dreams or hopes come true. I challenge you this month to search your hearts and write one MAJOR GOAL that you are ready, willing and able to spend the remainder of 2010 making “it” a reality.

This Month's Challenge
To expedite your “spiritual” spring cleaning, download or listen online to “What is God Saying in 2010?” (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gotish-oos)

(c) 2010 Jaketha Farmer. All rights reserved. The article "Spring Cleaning for Destiny" was written by Jaketha Farmer for The Destiny Challenge column in the March 2010 edition of Divine Inspirations Magazine. Click here to look inside of this month's edition.

A Prophetic Word Regarding Haiti...

2010-02-17T12:51:00.005-06:00

NOTE: Below is an excerpt of God's heart given to me on January 14th (two days after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti). Read this prophecy and then listen to my latest BlogTalkRadio episode entitled "What is God Saying in 2010?" and compare this prophecy to the many many words of wisdom, knowledge and prophecies shared during the show. Godspeed all!

An earthquake is associated with the disturbance of the alignment of the Earth's layers. Google defines earthquake as "shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane or from volcanic activity." You have probably also heard about "fault planes" (a.k.a. "fault lines"). Fault lines are "breaks in the Earth's crest where pressure is created as two sides of the break rub against each other." While researching the spiritual dimension of earthquakes, I came across this Internet quote regarding Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in that "Hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters are expressions of Divine purpose, as the forces of nature are always in alignment with God’s will...That’s why meteorologists can’t accurately predict the hurricane’s path or strength, and why geologists can’t predict the date or exact epicenter of earthquakes."

HERE'S MY PROPHETIC WORD: In 2010, the same thing that applied to the earthquake in Haiti is going to happen in the spirit realm worldwide. Things will begin to sudden shaken exposing (the hearts of) some while leaving others in spiritual ruin because God is looking for the righteous. I believe that in 2010, God is going to shake up the world, especially the Christian community, to see who and what is going to fall out. I heard three prophets say yesterday that 2010 is a year of justice and a year of righteousness and that justice and righteousness will work together to result in what - an ALIGNMENT! This is the year that God is going to allow demonic forces to expose what's in our hearts that doesn't align with His Will. In other words, if there is anything in our hearts (any hidden actions and behaviors in our lives) that doesn't line up with His Word, Will, Ways, etc., then we are at risk for living a life in the flesh instead of living a life of faith. This is the year to pray and grow spiritually like never before because no amount of money is going to help any of us in light of the forthcoming events. Therefore, this is not the year to semi live for God in some areas and live like the world in other (areas). You should assuredly be striving for holiness through and through STARTING RIGHT NOW!

Choices, Grudges & Missed Opportunities...

2010-02-12T11:20:00.007-06:00

What could anyone possibly say to you that would hurt your feelings so much that you would give up on ever accomplishing a particular dream or goal? Really stop and think about that question. Whether in the past or at this point in your life, what could your parent or your spouse or even your child say to you that would make you give up on a dream or a hope completely? What about finishing college, asking for a raise/promotion, or starting a business? What words would cause you to just give up and walk away? Any?

If you are the type who knows how to "shake off" pain and despair, then you are truly blessed of the Lord. Unfortunately, there are far too many adult Christians who do not understand God's Will for their lives and who would give up on their own destiny simply because "times are hard" or because she/he "hurt my feelings..." As a fluent destiny seeker and an up-and-coming destiny achiever, it really "grinds my gears" that even a well-seasoned Christian, would give anyone so much power to allow their words to turn any one of us away from destiny because of how we felt about a person or a situation. For many, this is their reality but to me, that's just crazy to even think/talk about. Yet far too many Christians just throw up their hands and turn away from what God has for them because they don't want to deal with any more pain or despair. Unfortunately, pain and despair is a part of life and there's no moral way around that.

I know there are some people who are overly-sensitive in this world because I use to be one of them. But you know what? I realized that I had to grow up because the older I got, I learned how to shake off the negative words and comments of others and just keep going. Does that mean that nothing bothers me? Well no! But I am not going to carry a grudge about it either. I wouldn't and neither should you. Know why? - The more opportunities we miss, the more likely we are to hold a grudge about each and every offense. So, how many grudges are you carrying?

Just yesterday, I encountered another person carrying around a 10, 20 or 30-year-old grudge about what somebody said to them. One of the biggest reasons that opportunities are missed is because we made a choice that resulted in our passing up or giving up far too quick on something or someone. Even if someone went out of their way to block you from your destiny, then act like a bull and back up, assess the situation and go at it from a different direction, but at no time should you just give up or cave into sin or spend your life letting your emotions dictate the direction you will or won't take.

I have been through so much in my short life include various forms of abuse and I be doggone if I going to allow satan working through anybody to keep me from my God-given destiny. I am not a quitter and neither are you. Don't get me wrong because yes, we have all been discouraged at some point in life and thought that something would never be over or waited wondering if something good would ever happen but "giving up" or "throwing in the towel"...Oh no! That should never be a solution for you! Remember: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13).

While sharing my concerns with a friend, she told me to I should check out her daily devotional. As I read, a couple of things stuck out. First of all, the today's devotional title was entitled "Move On". Here are some highlights:

"Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I understand the importance of continuing on the path and not letting anything or anyone prevent me from pursuing my purpose. I will PROCESS THE PAIN FROM MY PAST by forgiving, letting go, and realizing that everything that has happened to me has worked together for my good...

I will DIRECT MY DESIRES TOWARD MY DESTINY. I will not waste my time on unimportant things that are contrary to the fulfillment of God's plan for my life...

I consider myself free indeed today (italics added).

Swilley, J. (2002). A Year in the Now. Conyers, GA: Church in the Now Publishing.
Click here to read or purchase this devotional!

Food for Thought:
- "Holding a grudge is letting someone live rent free in your head." ~Anon
- "Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice." ~William J. Bryan
- "You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage him." ~Anon
- "You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment." ~Thoreau

The Cost of Destiny

2010-02-03T17:22:00.002-06:00

There are three different types of people in the world – those who think, those who talk and those who do. In the pursuit of a life of destiny, all three must be properly assembled in our lives if we want to be “fully” utilized for God's glory. The question is – “Are we truly ready, willing and able to think, talk and do what He requires of us?”

Consider a three-dimensional (3D) object like a box. It has length, depth and height. It is best utilized when all sides are properly and firmly connected and it is in good working condition. Once it is fully assembled, only then can it be used as it was intended.

Take a sheet of notebook paper, which is a two-dimensional (2D) object. A single sheet of paper could never be used to replace a box. As a matter of fact, paper can only handle lightweight markings and few attachments before it buckles under pressure. So, 2D means it has length and height but is void of depth.

Now, imagine a straight line, which is considered one-dimensional (1D). It has length but it is without height or depth and thus could never be used in the same way as a box or a sheet of paper.

Each of these dimensions has its purpose and its limitations. So consider this: the higher one’s dimension, the greater their capacity to achieve a life of destiny.
At the very least, destiny is 3D, which is why God wants each of us to think, speak and live a life beyond our capacities. It is written in His Word that He is able to do excessively, abundantly and above all that we may ask or think. But many times, we have not because we either fail to ask in the first place, do not believe that we will receive it, or we ask with the wrong motives, such as asking for things that are completely outside of His Will for us (see James 4:2-3).

Destiny requires that you think the right thoughts, speak at the right time to the right people and act on those thoughts in proper alignment with God's Will. It sounds complicated but really, it is not. We must listen to and obey the Holy Spirit, crucify the flesh and change negative attitudes and beliefs and in the midst of the process, a life of destiny will slowly emerge.

Unfortunately, many Christians fall in a single category. Some live 1D lives; while others live 2D lives and few if any target the third dimension. Think of it this way: a life without destiny is a limited-capacity life. In other words, excessive thinking without follow-through results in an unfinished life; while talking to any and everyone about what we are thinking and doing is unfulfilling especially if our words return void. Just as acting without properly planning and strategizing is pointless too.

The Price of Destiny

In economics, price is defined as the cost at which something is obtained. Spiritually speaking, Jesus is the price tag for our salvation. Through His birth, death, burial and resurrection, the price for the remission of our sins was paid. So, are we devaluing destiny because we do not understand the price He paid?

The Value of Destiny

As commonly quoted by William Buffett, “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” In economics, value is considered the extent to which something is deemed valuable or desirable. Many Christians value a seat in heaven in the “next life”, but few if any actually desire much of anything in this life. So, are we missing the mark of destiny because we do not understand its value in our lives right now?

The Total Cost of Destiny

The Bible says that we should “count the cost” to ensure that we have what it takes to start and finish (see Luke 14:28-30). So, how much does a 3D life cost us?

First of all, there is nothing we can do to earn destiny. As the Bible indicates, those that God foreknew, He also predestined (see Romans 8:29). So, our life of destiny is already assembled and waiting on us to unwrap it. But, it is up to us to take that step.

Therefore, the total cost of destiny includes but is not limited to complete obedience, wisdom in planning, periods of trying and testing of our faith (see James 1:2-4) and sacrifice. Each of these is not optional but required.

The hardest part is being tried and tested. Many would prefer a "zap" from God for the lives they desire with little if any work on their part, which is considered 1D thinking. Those with 3D mindsets understand that God has given us everything we need (see 2 Peter 1:3-9) but all of us were willing to pay the cost for a 3D life.

NOTE: This copyrighted article excerpt was originally published in "The Destiny Challenge" column of the February 2010 of Divine Inspirations Magazine.

The Cost of Destiny by Jaketha Farmer.
(c) 2010. All rights reserved.

Three Reasons to Join 40DC...

2010-01-09T11:58:00.006-06:00

In 2010, many new things will be taking place within the 40-Day Challenge community. Below are highlights of events going on January through March.

1. Monthly Prayer Calls:

Starting in January, we will host monthly 30-minute, open-forum prayer calls focused on spiritual rejuvenation as we fulfill God's Will for our lives in 2010. Prayer calls are scheduled from 8:30pm-9:30pm (CST) every 3rd Sunday of the month. More details will be posted in the 40DC community and you do not need to be a community member to participate.

2. 40-Day Challenge:

The first Challenge for 2010 - Winter 2009 session - is scheduled for February 8th through March 19. Challenges are designed to help you discover, strategize and ultimately fulfill your God-given purpose and destiny. They are held in a private discussion room in 40DC and you must become a community member to participate. Register concludes on Jan. 18th and our New Year's special tuition plus workbook is only $40 - that's a dollar a day. For more details, watch the "40DC News" video posted on the 40DC home page.

3. Destiny-Focused Webinar:

Lastly for this quarter is a first-ever webinar entitled "What is God Saying in 2010?", which is scheduled for February 15th from 7pm-8pm (CST). This free teaching seminar will present a compilation of prophecies from anointed men and women of God. Only 20 seats are available and they are on a first-come first-serve basis. Online registration will began after February 1, 2010 for non-community members and the registration link will be posted on the 40DC home page.

We hope to "see" you at one of our 40DC events in the near future. Or better yet, just join us for members-only benefits as well. So what are you waiting on? Click here to join us now!

NOTE: 40-Day Challenge is a service of 40 Days of Change (40DC) Ministries. 40DC is a chartered organization of Our Daily Bread Missions, Ministries and Bible Institute of Redmond, Oregon.

Making Your Season a Reality in 2010 (copyrighted article)

2010-01-09T10:15:00.004-06:00

Come on now and let’s be honest. Year after year, many Christians utter these four words: “This is my season!”

Surely you have heard someone say this and you have probably said it yourself. I know I have perhaps a gazillion times but what exactly does it really mean? Is it an overused or underrated statement? Or is it something that we as Christians should seriously and literally take to heart?

Biblically speaking, the word SEASON is defined in many ways. But it is commonly used when referencing “an indefinite but somewhat extended period of time.” In addition, it is sometimes referred to as “a regularly scheduled recurring time” or as a “time appointed by God.”

When one says, it’s their season, it usually implies that he or she is either waiting on God to “do something” or to “make something happen” for them. Now, that version of SEASON sounds like a lot of waiting and proclaiming but little action on our part. So, is that what seasons are all about?

Waiting vs. Moving

The prophetic word for the year 2009 was “the year of birthing and breakthroughs.” Its significance is that one involves conception while the other involves deliverance. Therefore, if you have not conceived, then you cannot deliver. Furthermore, if you have not been under trials and tribulations, then you have no need for breakthrough.

Now in 2010, many will continue to proclaim it’s their season without having conceived God’s Will for their lives. The same goes for breakthrough, there is no need for God to share His Will let alone provide any relief if you are not operating in His Will.

So proclaiming it’s your season this year, next year or any other time without clear identification of your current SEASON is not FAITH but wishful thinking.

A Year of Life or Death

As I heard one prophetess say, in 2010, you are either in or out. In other words, she was saying that 2010 is the year of life or death as it pertains to your dreams, hopes and visions. Although the things of God are always available to you in the spirit realm, there is a time element (or an expiration date) for when certain things must come to be. This is where – “This is my season!” should take on a whole new meaning.

In normal childbirth, it takes approximately nine months for a baby to form in its mother’s womb. After that, it is birthing time and in proceeding years, the baby is expected to advance into a new and higher level of personhood. At each level, the child should obtain new knowledge, more independence and some accountability until he or she reaches adulthood.

This same concept applies to the spirit realm. For many reading this article, if you have any dreams, hopes and visions, then your eyes will open to the expiration dates placed on them in 2010. In all honesty, those dates have always been there, whether you realized them or not. So now that you know, let me share my story with you and then I will give you a new definition for SEASON.

Back in the year 2000, I lost my mother. Yet before she died, she knew that I wanted to start a business. In what, I did not know because that did not matter just as long as I knew that one day I would be my own boss. So, it was easy for me to say as I was graduating from college, “Surely God does not want me to do this right now.” Well, that was ten years ago and now in 2010, God is saying, “The time is now!” Am I scared? Well yes! Am I 100% prepared? Well, no! Am I going to be missing this move of God over my life? I think not and neither should you.

Travel back in your mind: In the last 10 years or so, what has God laid on your heart? Dig deep and look inside your heart and prayerfully ask, “God what is it that you will have me do in 2010 because I do not want to miss my season.”

By failing to get serious about this right now, you might find your dreams, visions or hopes with a 12/31/2010 expiration date because after that it might just be a vague memory instead of your reality. So, if you are ready? Your new definition for SEASON in 2010 is “the proper time for action” and so in this New Year, I challenge you to get up and get moving!

References:
----. (2003). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, TN: Holman.

********************************************************

NOTE: This copyrighted article excerpt was originally published in "The Destiny Challenge" column of the January 2010 of Divine Inspirations Magazine.

Making Your Season a Reality in 2010...
(C)2010 Jaketha Farmer

Are Your New Year's Resolutions Just an ACT?

2009-12-31T21:14:00.014-06:00

In a few short hours, it will be 2010. Ironically, I have been planning since Oct 2009 for the New Year, while the average person has only thought about their New Year's "resolutions" in the last day or so. I mean, come on, how many times have you made a resolution and that was as far as that went? I mean seriously. Let's get real with ourselves in 2010, shall we? Here's why we need to stop lying to ourselves.

Webster defines resolution as "the act of determining"; "the act of resolving"; or "the act of answering : solving". The key word is ACT. Ironically, the word "act" can be defined in two ways: noun or verb.

As a noun, ACT means to "the doing of a thing" or "the process of doing: action." As a transitive verb, ACT means to "animate" or to "impersonate". Hum! Now that's interesting! When you make your New Year's resolutions, which "act" is it? Are you acting like you are going to change or are you actually following through with change?

In 2010, you should renew your mind in that you will DO what it takes to CHANGE your life. It means that you will follow-through on what God has called you to do and if you don't know what that is then you have something to DO - DISCOVER YOUR DESTINY! As I heard one prophetess say: "In 2010, get off your 'blessed assurance' and get moving." If you don't know what that means - that's a nice way of saying go off your behind. :)

Note: If you need help discovering your destiny, JOIN US RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE! We are waiting on you!

What's the Strength of Your Faith?

2009-12-18T21:58:00.007-06:00

Night before last while watching an episode of "Praise the Lord" hosted by Donnie McClurkin, one of his guest, Pastor Paula White, said something that connected with my spirit. She talked about the transformation or transitioning that is going on in the spirit realm right now and how some in the Body of Christ can sense that something is happening but that's about as far as they will go. Many don't know where to go from there and in my opinion that's a problem because of the prophetic word that's out right now about destiny fulfillment.

In recent weeks, I have even wondered how in the world can I be so "gung ho" about my own destiny while other Christians have a lukewarm "Whatever", a "Oh yeah that!?!", or an "excuse filled" mentality about the reason God put them here. After listening to what Pastor Paula said last night, I have figured out, the difference between where I am spiritually (as I pursue my destiny) and where the next person is (who doesn't know or isn't sure about their destiny) all boils down to the STRENGTH OF ONE'S FAITH, which has a lot to do with DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST? Christians that are weak in their faith cannot handle the storms that come with destiny discovery or destiny fulfillment because as soon as TOO MUCH FALLS ON THEM, they crumble under the pressure and they go back to the LIFESTYLE that they are familiar with - doing nothing in life or being insane. (Insanity means doing the same [wrong] thing over and over again and expecting different results.)

One author defines WEAK FAITH as "someone who has never been touched by God" or who has not experienced a real touch from God in a very long time to the point that he/she has become complacent or indifferent in their Christian walk (and in their life). WEAK FAITH will kill your chances of ever discovering let along fulfilling your God-given destiny which results in a wasted life. God did not waste His time to create a unique you and place you into the Earth realm only for you to sit back or sit around and say, "Oh! I need to get myself together..." or "Oh! I know I should do this or that but..."

The lives of those who operate in WEAK FAITH always revolve around "things of this world." WEAK FAITH Christians are more concerned with what they can see going on in their life, as opposed to having STRONG FAITH which is "...hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". So, guess what, STRONG FAITH and a life of destiny are built on what you CAN'T see and not on what you CAN....

If this is you, then I am going to spend the next third or four months on a new study called the STRONG FAITH SERIES, where I will help those ACTIVELY CONNECTED to this COMMUNITY to increase their faith so you can stop living a wasted life built on things that simply do not matter. If you suffer from WEAK FAITH, then you are in no position to be concerned with destiny; however, that is NO EXCUSE for you to wallow in your troubles and use the "I'm waiting on God" excuse because you are only lying to yourself. Get this: God strengthens our FAITH through TRIALS and TRIBULATIONS so unless you are waiting on God to STOP TRYING to help you GROW UP spiritually speaking, then all you are doing is WASTING TIME and guess what - TIME IS RUNNING OUT. For everyday that you are not pursuing your destiny, that means you are another day closer to DEATH. The longer you lie to youself and say "YOU ARE WAITING ON GOD", "I'M TOO OLD!", or "I'VE GOT PLENTY OF TIME!", then you have made a decision to live a "purpose-less" life and in that case, this community is surely not the place for you. Now, am I lying to you?

Last night, Pastor Paula said that the problem is that many that are sensing this move of God and don't know what to do are those WHO DO NOT KNOW WHO THEY ARE in Christ. To that I add, WEAK FAITH Christians do not know who they are and so they can't pursue a life of destiny. Remember, destiny requires STRONG FAITH.

I hate to keep going on and on about this but I got to tell you what I'm sensing in my own spirit.

WEAK FAITH Christians are so easy to spot because they fill their lives with other WEAK FAITH FOLKS. Then when God starts to GROW THEM UP, it's too hard for them to separate from other WEAK FAITH family members and WEAK FAITH friends. As some point, you have to realize and move past the fact that you can't pursue destiny AND maintain relationships with WEAK FAITH FOLKS until you have FAITH that's STRONG enough to keep them from "drowning you." The Bible calls these type of relationships as "being unequally yoked."

STRONG FAITH is the foundation on which the CHANGE & DESTINY you seek for your life is built on, But you have got to realize - that pull you are sensing within You is God saying: "Get up and get moving BEFORE your time on Earth is over! I have a purpose and a plan for your life but you have got to let me help you GROW so you can receive the things that I have for you."

As far as this community is concerned, one should never even attempt to discover their destiny while operating off of WEAK FAITH. When you have weak faith, it's so easy for you to have "the best of intentions" but in the end, you have "no real fruit" to show for your actions and according to the Bible, "Faith without works is dead." When you operate in WEAK FAITH, you are the first one to fall in the hole of having a "routine walk with God". The bottom line is this - trying to discover and walk in your purpose with WEAK FAITH is like not knowing how to swim but jumping in the water anyway without a lifeguard nearby. This type of approach increases your chances of dying before fulfilling your destiny and is not the most effective means for developing STRONG FAITH or for living in a life of DESTINY.

Think about the strength of your faith.

Is your FAITH where it needs to be for this destiny journey?

Is your FAITH WEAK to the point that you have found yourself distracted from DESTINY and more focused on a "purpose-less" life?

Do you see a need to strengthen your FAITH?

Just one "YES" means it's time from some STRONG FAITH training.

ARE YOU GAME?

NOTE: This article is the first in a new series called "STRONG FAITH" being discussed right now in "The 40-Day Challenge" (http://40daychallenge.ning.com/). Membership in this community is required to continue in this study.

New Monthly Magazine Column...

2009-12-17T14:27:00.004-06:00

NOTE: An excerpt of our December 2009 article is posted here and entitled, "Positioning Yourself in the Kingdom". Please visit Divine Inspirations Magazine for the full article including the Dec challenge exercise.

Positioning Yourself in the Kingdom - copyrighted article

2009-12-09T21:41:00.002-06:00

Several months ago, I heard that “2009 is the year of birthing and breakthroughs.” After reading that, I can see some of you shaking your head and saying, “But it’s too late for me, it’s December!” What seems likes an outdated statement could leave many feeling like they have once again missed a move of God. But guess what, that belief is not true!

Such a proclamation has always been in the spiritual realm. Regardless of the calendar year, what God has for you is still waiting for you. As believers, birthing and breakthrough have always been ours for the asking. Yes, that DREAM (or VISION) is still there, waiting for you. Right along with that BREAKTHROUGH too. So, now you should be wondering, “What must I do to receive it?” Well, I am glad you asked…

The Way to Breakthrough

What would you say if I were to ask, “What is the purpose of life?” Of course, that is a rather vague question. However, your answer will determine where you are on the path to experiencing a breakthrough or birthing a dream.

Believers typically answer such a question with rather general responses like “To love our neighbors,” “To be a servant to others” or “To obey the commandments.” All of these answers are wonderful, yet they do not fully address the question. Perhaps, I should rephrase it:

“What does God say is YOUR purpose in life?”

By changing the question, a different answer should begin to form in your mind. An answer that helps you come into the realization that God has a PURPOSE for each of us that demands ACTION. Yes, I say it! God has SOMETHING for you TO DO that will release your breakthroughs and birth your dreams!

Yet, without a good understanding of their PURPOSE, many will continue to find themselves disappointed in their progress in life and continuously waiting on something that they should be ACTING ON. Many waste their lives away hoping that this Sunday will be the day that God will GIVE THEM that financial breakthrough or GIVE THEM that physical healing or GIVE THEM that - whatever it is they are waiting on. Yet, for the majority of us, BREAKTHROUGHS and DREAMS will neither come that easily nor will it be that simple.

Many times we are waiting on God when truthfully God is waiting on us. Many have heard and used the scripture, “But those who wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength…” (Isaiah 40:31, NKJV). What does the word, “wait”, really mean? Does it mean that we go ahead and ACT on FAITH as we continue to go about our lives? Or does “wait” mean to live a life of habits, traditions and routines hoping that things will get better on their own, which leads to a life of MISSED OPPORTUNITIES.

In a recent sermon by Bishop T.D. Jakes entitled “Use Everything You Got”, he references the need to not only pray in the spirit but also to do what it takes in the natural realm. Bishop Jakes was saying that we need to operate on both levels – physical and spiritual – if we want to reap a harvest in our lives.

So, what should we do IN THE MEANTIME? The answer is to MAKE SURE that we are operating in the WILL of GOD for OUR LIVES. When we take on the WILL OF GOD, our focus is no longer on what God can do for us, but on what we can do to glorify Him. The key is in discovering or clarifying the SPECIFIC purpose that He had in mind for each of us. By fulfilling HIS WILL, we let the SPIRITUAL REALM know that we mean business when it comes to PROACTIVELY WAITING for our blessings, breakthroughs, dreams and more.

God has two PURPOSES for us. The first is our purpose as it relates to the Body of Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:18) and secondly, we each have individual missions. Your PERSONAL MISSION directly connects with HIS PURPOSE for the Church. So, what is mission?

Discovering Your Mission

MISSION involves a special assignment given to a person and/or a group. Do you know the MISSION of God for YOUR life? Do you know the reason(s) that God specifically BIRTHED you into this WORLD?

One way to DISCOVER your MISSION is to evaluate what God has already placed in your heart from the beginning of time. Secondly, it is important that you discover, perfect and operate in your SPIRITUAL GIFT.

A spiritual gift is one or more gifts bestowed upon Christians to expand or strengthen both your local church and the Body of Christ (About.com). Spiritual gifts are mentioned in several places in the Bible: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-14 and Ephesians 4:11.

Although you can only have ONE MAJOR mission in life, you can have SEVERAL spiritual gifts. In addition, it is always best to re-test yourself every three to five years for validity.

********************************************************
References:
Johnson, T. (2009). Your Purpose vs. Your Destiny. Accessed Oct. 19, 2009, from http://www.voicesofchrist.org/.
Treat, C. (1995). Fulfilling Your God-Given Destiny. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

********************************************************
NOTE: This copyrighted article excerpt was originally published in "The Destiny Challenge" column of the December 2009 edition of Divine Inspirations Magazine (http://www.divineinspirationsmagazine.org). For a free PDF version of the magazine, email Minister Jaketha at divine@jaketha.com.

Next 40-Day Challenge Rescheduled...

2009-12-09T21:31:00.002-06:00

During our last show, "Wake Up! Your Destiny is Waiting!", we indicated that the next 40-Day Challenge would begin on January 4, 2010.

However, due to editing and printing delays for our new challenge workbook, the *NEW* start date for the next 40-Day Challenge is set for February 8, 2010 thru March 19, 2010.

All 40-Day Challenges are conducted online via the 40 Days of Change online community (http://40daychallenge.ning.com). Therefore, participants must have a home computer and be willing and able to logon daily to complete challenge exercises when enrolled in a 40-Day Challenge.

The deadline to register for the 40-Day Challenge is January 31st but tuition fees (valued at $150) will be waived for early birds who complete registration guidelines by Dec. 31st. Please note that early birds will still need to purchase their own workbooks since only tuition fees will be waived if you register by Dec 31st.

To register, send a blank email from your primary email account to 40days@jaketha.com. To learn more about the Community and the Challenges, please visit our promotional site at http://www.jaketha.com/40days/.

NOTE: We value your privacy and will not sell or share your email address without any third-party. Your email address is required for membership in the "40 Days of Change" online community.

Overcoming Disappointments in Destiny Fulfillment…

2009-10-24T14:46:00.005-05:00

NOTE: This article was originally posted on the "40 Days of Change" Online Community on October 24, 2009. If you are interested in becoming a God-ordained destiny seeker, send an email to 40days@jaketha.com for community membership details.

*********************************************************************************

Just last week, I had a destiny setback and for a few minutes I was quite disappointed in myself. For a few minutes, I revert back to my own way of thinking and living and started condemning myself. But God! I thank the Holy Spirit for stepping in and reminding me that once we as Christians repent, that God has thrown that in the “sea of forgetfulness” so don’t swim out to it, to bring it back to shore, just so we can beat ourselves over the head any again. That’s called insane! Amen!?! So I repented, I haven’t looked back.

You too have probably find yourself disappointed in your own actions, in some else’s actions or even in God. Many times as we struggle to overcome “imperfections” – which may or maybe sin-related, we become disappointed in progress. We sometimes feel like she should be further along then we are. We sometimes feel like we are going backwards instead of forward. Eventually, we become disappointed in ourselves every single time we “fall short”.

For the average believer, deliverance is not instantaneous but is a long process. The problem who fail give up and throw in the towel because there standards are don’t include God in the deliverance process, but not destiny seekers. Yes, we become disappointed and sometimes we need a moment to get back on track, but we always get back up again, don’t we?!?

If you have found yourself disappointment in some area of your life, don’t look at it as a defeat. Instead, know that God had a reason (this time) for not allowing whatever it is to happen. Know that although whatever it was didn’t work out, God has sometime else in store for you.

As long as God has called you into His fold and you love Him like no other, then His Will is still at work in your life. So, keep the faith! Be encouraged! God said that He would never leave you nor forsake you. Remember, God is still in control even in the midst of our disappointments!

Keeping our lives available to God may mean we will not be able to do everything we would like to do, or even what others would like us to do. Jobs will come and go; doors will open and close; opportunities will be presented or withdrawn. God is neither surprised nor caught off guard by such situations. He will continue to honor our willingness to be used in other ways. For what recent ‘disappointment’ do you need to remind yourself that God is in complete control? (Wilson, “October 22nd”).

Meditative Scripture:
Romans 7:14-25 The Message | NKJV | Amplified

Source:
Wilson, N. (1997). The One Year™: Life Lessons from the Bible. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House.

Holding onto Purpose & Destiny When Life/Work Stresses You Out!

2009-10-21T11:32:00.005-05:00

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
(Romans 8:28-30 NLT)

I realized today that twice in the past couple of months, I have experienced some hard days. You see, back in August, I participated in Bishop T. D. Jakes’ The Birthing Place Conference in West Virginia then this past weekend I attended, Woman Thou Art Loosed 2009 (WTAL) plus I got an “extra dose” at The Potter’s House Sunday service.

But it’s always that Monday after when I return to reality that I find myself “vexed” to the limit. For me that day is what I called my “Faith Check Day”. It’s that day when I can clearly see the difference between being under the covering of continuous spiritual teaching (“a full spirit”) versus the daily impact of my traditional job (“a vexed spirit”). It’s the day when I realize just how hungry I am for the things of God. It gives me a sense of urgency while at the same time leaves me with a sense of disappointment, frustration and confusion as I hurriedly transition from “just jobbing” to “working full-time in ‘the things of God’”.

On the Saturday afternoon after WTAL, I was so full and I wanted to be spiritually fed even more and I was really looking forward to Sunday morning service. My entire four days in Dallas weren’t stressful (unlike when I’m “here”). I didn’t have any worries that that God didn’t address in a timely manner (unlike when I’m “here”). I had peaceful days (unlike when I’m “here”). WTAL renewed my strength confirming that God has great things in store for me and that I need to “keep the faith” and “stay the course”. Sounds good, huh?!? But then, guess what? I had to come back to reality, which meant going back to work and that’s when my “hard days” made its encore.

In reality, we all spend the majority of our waking hours at work. So, I need to explain that the “here” I speak of is my job. Now, don’t get me wrong! A job is a blessing and the Bible says that if you don’t work, you don’t eat. So, my words regarding my job should not be “heard” as complaining or bashing. I am thankful to be able to take care of myself right now through my job. However, WTAL afforded me the ability to realized that “a job” is just that “a job”. It’s not your ultimate purpose as mentioned in Romans 8:28 and it alone is not your God-given destiny. In other words, it’s always “the day after” when I realized just how much my “faith is tied and tried” through my job. So the Monday after returning from Dallas and having to go back to WTAL left me “feeling blue”. It was a time when doubt started creeping back in…

Temporary, occasional doubts are normal in the Christian life. They can even be a good thing if they motivate us to search harder for God. It is only when we languish in unbelief that we displease the Lord. If you are struggling with doubts today, ask God to give you a fresh glimpse of Jesus…” (Wilson, 1996).

CONTINUE READING...

SOURCE:
Wilson, N. (1997). The One Year: Life Lessons from the Bible. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House.

Don't You Want to a Better Life? Yes! Well keep reading...

2009-08-20T14:48:00.026-05:00

ATTENTION:

You and I know that you didn't reach this page by accident. I proclaim that there's a life of destiny that's waiting to be discovered, so it's time for you to identify your destiny and spend the rest of your life walking on the waters of destiny! It's what God put you here for. So go ahead and email me RIGHT NOW!

To join the "40 Days of Change" community, send a blank email from your primary email account to 40days@jaketha.com and I'll email the info back to you.

KEEP READING........

>>> The NEXT 40-Day Challenge takes place in the "40 Days of Change" online community and begins on Monday, February 8, 2010 and ends Friday, March 19, 2010. If you join 40DC by 12.31.2009, you'll get a *BIG* discount on that Challenge.

WHAT IS THE 40-DAY CHALLENGE?

The 40-Day Change Challenge was birthed on the night of Thursday, April 30, 2009. The following day, the 1st challenge began as a "mandate from God" to perform this simple task:

"To spend the next 40 days not worrying about my job, home, car and family issues but rather focus my time 'hitting the ground running' toward select goals that He has had in place for me."

To assist you in discovering your destiny-focused goals, during the 40-Day Challenge we focus on six areas:

Week 1: Your Will vs. God's Will

Week 2: Assessing Your Spiritual DNA

Week 3: Discovering Your Destiny

Week 4: Strategizing for Destiny

Week 5: The Company You Keep

Week 6: The Purpose of Seasons

WHAT IS 40 Days of Change ONLINE?

A NEW & PRIVATE social networking community has been established for current/future 40-Day Challenge participants but MEMBERSHIP IS BY YOUR REQUEST ONLY!!!

The Community officially opened on Saturday, August 29, 2009 and the DEADLINE to join in time for the 4th 40-Day Challenge in February 2010 is RIGHT NOW!!! REMEMBER, the next challenge begins on Monday, February 8, 2010. If you join the Community by Dec. 31, 2009, you will receive a *BIG* discount on that Challenge, so don't delay. Seats in the Challenges are first-come, first served.

Come and join me in a quest for CHANGE toward a life of DESTINY! Godspeed to all!

P.S. To learn more about ME, please visit my website at http://www.jaketha.com/.
###

Small Beginnings Tour

2009-08-19T15:51:00.008-05:00

Last week, I attended The Birthing Place Conference hosted by Bishop T.D. Jakes and held in Charleston, West Virginia, where Bishop Jakes was born and raised.

During the conference, I participated in Small Beginnings, which was a tour of the Charleston, West Virginia area along with visiting former churches attending and/or pastured by Bishop Jakes. The scanned image to the left is the actual flyer provided for all pre-registered tour participants.

Here is an overview of the tour:

The middle picture on the first row shows Vandalia Baptist Church. This is the church Bishop Jakes attended as a teenager and was heavily involved in their young adult ministry (i.e., playing the piano, singing in the choir).

The last picture in the first column shows Temple of Faith , which is the first church started by Bishop Jakes. It is depicted as an artist rendering. This was a one-room church with no windows or HVAC. It opened in 1981. Today, this building houses the local newspaper, the Montgomery Herald (Montgomery, West Virginia).

Due to growth, Bethel Church located in Smithers, WV opened in 1984 and was the Bishop's second church location shown above the signature. Before being turned into a church, it was an abandoned and condemned theatre. It is considered a mini-version of The Potter's House. Bishop Jakes remained at this building for eight years.

The third church location was moved to South Charleston in 1992, to a storefront which included two office downstairs and one office upstairs and a small storage room. This is the place where the Bishop started his Woman, Thou Art Loosed Sunday School class. This place is now an indoor mini-storage facility.

Temple of Faith located in the Cross Lanes area, is the fourth church location after moving from the storefront. This building was originally a bank that was redesigned into a church edifice. This church is still in operation. From this church, the Bishop and his wife relocated to Dallas, Texas.

On Jakes Street, Bishop Jakes mother own several rental houses, one of which he and new wife, First Lady Serita Jakes, lived there in an upstairs apartment. The home was owned by his mother, Mrs. Odith Jakes.

###

P.S. Stay tuned for conference notes from speakers, such as Bishop T.D. Jakes, Bishop Noel Jones, Pastor Sheryl Brady and Bishop Glen Staples.

Church, Where R U When It Comes to Domestic Violence?

2009-08-04T17:20:00.004-05:00

On the evening of Saturday, August 1st, I recorded a Blog Talk Radio episode called "Behind Closed Doors: A Look at Domestic Violence" on my Internet talk radio program called "GOT ISH-OOS?" The show was geared toward pastors and unabused Christians challenging the Church to develop a heart to learn, relate and properly assist victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence is happening everywhere - victims are showing up everywhere - even in your congregations and in your community.

Three different written testimonies are shared on this show: One about a Christian woman being attacked by her husband right at church only to be "killed" the next morning, another testimony is an example of three different women of various ages who are Christians and victims of domestic violence and the last one is a testimony from an actual abuser who talks about his past and how going to jail changed his life.

I encourage Christians to listen to this hour long show. It was very hard for me to do, so you might hear me stumble over my words because this topic is so serious and heart-wrenching. If you care to listen to the show, the link is found at the end of this message. Thank you for reading this message and taking an active role in helping abused victims!

Here are some statistics about domestic violence:

In the United States:

* 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men are victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives.

* A woman is beaten every 12 seconds by her spouse or significant other.

* 1 in 3 women are murdered by their husband or boyfriend daily.

* The United States has a rate of crimes against women that is higher than any other country: four (4) times higher than West Germany, thirteen (13) times higher than Great Britain, and twenty (20) times higher than Japan.

* 74% of all murders of women of domestic violence occurs after the women has left the relationship, filed for divorce, received a divorce or filed an order of protection against her abuser. So the longer a woman stays in an abusive relationship, the greater the violence against her once she leaves an abusive relationship.

ARE YOU BEING ABUSED?

* Every day over 600 families called the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If someone you know is the victim of domestic violence, one place they can go to seek help is by calling the NDVH at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Abuse was never a part of God's plan for our lives or our relationships. Please seek help today if you are being abused!

To listen to my podcast:

Please visit my show page at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gotish-oos (click on the "Play" button). Or visit http://gotish-oos.blogspot.com/ or visit http://www.ish-oos.org/.

SHOW REVIEWS:
“Excellent show! Very insightful, informative, and educational! Everyone needs to hear this broadcast and I hope people will take the time to listen.” Owner, Faith Talk Community (http://faithtalkcommunity.ning.com/)

**************************

FINAL NOTE: Clergy interested in learning more about how they can truly help in domestic violence should contact their local United Way agency or their local domestic violence abuse shelter.

P.S. Please forward this notice to anyone that you believe needs to hear it/would benefit from it. Thank you!

Lessons in Change

2009-07-20T19:12:00.007-05:00

In 2002, I attended the God's Leading Lady Conference at The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas. While returning to the hotel after the first night of service, God taught me a valuable lesson about changes in direction.

The lesson was that "You can't always go, the same way you came and expect to get to where you're going". As I was leaving the church that first night returning to my hotel in Irving, I thought I could just "wing it". In other words, I thought I knew it all. Instead of bringing along my driving directions for returning to the hotel --(this was before GPS devices - OKAY!) -- I just assume that the directions would tell me to go back the way you came. WRONG ASSUMPTION!!!!!

When I went "the same way" as I had originally come, I got so lost that it took me nearly two hours to find I-20. It was 11:30 before I made it back to my hotel room that night. Once I arrived, I pulled out the directions. As I looked at them, I realized that I didn't understand the area well enough to know where I had gone wrong. So I told myself, "Tomorrow, use the directions!"

So, the next night I knew that I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. So before I left my hotel room, I made sure that I had them with me. At the end of service, I pulled out my directions and lo and below, they were pointing me in the opposite direction. In other words, I was suppose to turn right not left when I got back on the interstate. I was like, "Wait a minute! I'm going in the opposite direction! Is this right?" But rest assured, just a few exits down was, guess what? My hotel!!! Yes Lord!

Although it took longer to get from the hotel to the church (about 20 minutes) and the route was even shorter from the church back to the hotel (like 5 minutes), I was going in a completely different direction (or so it seemed). Isn't this true with our walk with Christ? We erroneously think that the number of years we have been following God is more than enough for this Christian walk. In other words, we say to ourselves, "I got this! I know exactly where the Lord is taking me..." Only to find out later, that if we had use the directions (His Word) all along, we wouldn't be somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

It's Day 15 of the 40-Day Challenge, we are now five days away from the half-way point. I encourage you to open your hearts and ears and don't be afraid to ask God "Am I going in the right direction for the change You have in store for me?" And certainly don't be afraid to refer back to the directions (the Holy Bible) as much as you needed to.

Godspeed!
~Ms. J

Faith in the Midst of Family MessJune 14, 2009 Show Highlights

2009-07-20T16:59:00.005-05:00

SHOW OBJECTIVES:
* Develop a sense of compassion...
* Get a sense of conviction, repentance and a little deliverance...
* Gain some understanding and hopefully some coping skills...

DIRECT SHOW QUOTE:

My hope is that everyone will gain some wisdom from today's show that you can put in your spiritual toolkit for future use. As Christians, we never know when someone might befriend us who is going through their own family mess and wanting comfort and support. Who knows? Their decision for Christ might be determined by what they see you do and how they see you act.

Heart of the Issue DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

(1) Who is the primary troublemaker in your family situation?
(2) List three keywords - just three - that describe the emotions that this person has caused you.
(3) List no more than three strategies that your primary troublemaker uses to get under your skin.
(4) As a Christian, list one or two specific behaviors that you exhibit when encounter this person. What do you do?

FAMILY MESS DEFINED:
Adapted from the definition of "family drama" from UrbanDictionary.com:

"Drama that is started and created unnecessary by a family member that has to do with some aspect of your (or someone else's household).

Notice the word "household". Compare the use of that word with its use in Matthew 10:34:

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come 'to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a mans enemies will be those in his own household'" (The Message). What does "household" mean as it is used here?

USING YOUR FAITH TO COMBAT FAMILY MESS:

(1) Connect with the basic concept of what active faith is.
(2) PRAY!
(3) Develop a healthy set of boundaries for minimizing family drama.
(4) WAIT!

SIX COPING TIPS:
Adapted from the article, "Five Tips for Coping with Family Mess" posted at AssociatedContent.com:

(1) Stay out of sidebar conversations!
(2) Be aware of who the current troublemaker is in your family.
(3) Don't start or jump into family drama!
(4) Take "time outs".
(5) Have some compassion for the troublemaker.
(6) Refrain from "shouting matches".

***To listen to the show in its entirety, please visit http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gotish-oos and search for "Faith in the Midst of Family Mess" recorded June 14, 2009.

40-Day Challenge Goals: 7/6- 8/15/09

2009-07-09T12:50:00.002-05:00

MY GOALS:

(1) Create and produce a new episode of "Got ISH-OOS?" Internet Talk Radio on domestic violence.

(2) Research and compile all business plans and book proposals. Attempt an initial meeting with the local SBDC along with takinga few final drafts to Bishop T. D. Jakes', "The Birthing Place" conference, Aug. 13th-15th.

(3) Start a new hobby - learn to play chess.

(4) Fast and pray about joining a partners ministry vs. attending the Ministry Technology Institute and/or the Christian Leadership University.

(5) Complete face-to-face seminar, "Faith in the Midst of Family Mess", for the Thompson/Gayden 2009 Family Reunion, July 31st-August 2nd in southwest Mississippi. REUNION CANCELLED

2nd 40-Day Challenge Begins July 6th

2009-07-05T20:14:00.015-05:00

This is the second go-round for the 40-Day Challenge! Why don't you consider joining me this time? It could change your life. SERIOUSLY!!!

On a personal note, there were things that got accomplished in the 1st 40-Day Challenge that I would not have completed in my own strength! So, this will work, if you work it!

**********************************************************************

KEY SCRIPTURE:

"Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

(Matthew 6:33-34, The Message)

**********************************************************************

40-DAY CHALLENGE BACKGROUND:

The first challenge started on Friday, May 1st but the "mandate from God" came on the night of Thursday, April 30th. God gave me a rather simple task:

"To spend the next 40 days not worrying about my job, home, car and family issues but rather focus my time 'hitting the ground running' toward select goals that He has had in place for me."

**********************************************************************

HOW IT WORKS/PURPOSE:

It starts with pray about the changes you need to make. Next, ask, seek and knock (Matt. 7:7-8) to found out the will of God for your life (if you don't already know). Everyone has a God-given purpose that only you can fulfill, the purpose for these 40 days is to attentively focus on the things that God has called you to do. You know those things that you have been putting off....

Many times we sit back and say we are waiting on God when really and truthfully, He is waiting on us. So, the Challenge requires you to set goals that ultimately bring about a positive change in you and watch how it brings change to those around you. Just set those positive and productive goals then diligently working toward them over the next 40 days.

**********************************************************************

40-DAY GUIDELINES:

Only set goals that you can reach in the next 40 days. Goals can come a wide range of areas, such as spiritual, entrepreneurial or extracurricular. But be prepared if God makes changes to your changes. :-)

That's it! It isn't complicated at all! All it requires is commitment to a process.

****************************************************************

I hope to hear from you regarding your accomplishments in the next 40 days. Feel free to follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jteva/. To contact me, send a direct message via Twitter or email me about the Challenge at "40day at jaketha dot com".

ttyl, Godspeed!
~Ms. J

Brainstorming New Goals for a New Challenge...

2009-06-24T19:38:00.004-05:00

On Monday, July 6th, I will begin a second 40-Day spiritual adventure called "It's Time for a Change in My Life" Challenge.

The first 40-Day Challenge begin around May 4th and concluded June 10th. Since it was so good the first time, I decided to give it another try. Anything that launchs/propels me toward the Next Level is something that I want to stay in it and go higher and higher. Hello somebody!?!

Now, this time around I'm going to limit my goals to no more than five (5) and I encourage you to do the same. As of June 20th, I have established three goals - one of which is a little too personal to share (at least for now), while another might be cancelled before the end of this month. So, that leaves only one and I don't mind sharing it:

Create business plans/proposals for startup divisions: publishing, entertainment, spiritual training.... For the past ten years or so, I've always wanted to start a business, so I purposed that I will wait no longer. This year, 2009, has got to be my year and this year, I've decided that I am not going to get in my own way.
Just this one goal by itself will be a handful and what's so significant about it - is that it has a surprise ending. This 2nd Challenge will end the third weekend in August which is the same weekend as Bishop T.D. Jakes' "The Birthing Place" conference. I have already made arrangements to attend and I believe that is was God who led me to even want to go. So, I will be taking with me to West Virginia, all of my completed plans and proposals. I hope to get further direction, clarification and strength to put my plans in actions upon returning to Louisiana.

So if you missed the first 40-Day Challenge, it was quite exciting and I encourage you to join me for this second Challenge. You most definitely don't want to miss what God has been waiting to do in your life and if only you would just let Him do this that!

ttyl,
GodSpeed!

Next 40-Day Challenge Begins...

2009-06-17T11:32:00.003-05:00

July 6 - August 15, 2009

The next 40-Day Challenge will run from July 6th through August 15th.

For me, this means this 2nd Challenge will end while I am attending Bishop T.D. Jakes conference, The Birthing Place.

You have plenty of time to join me if you like. You can either post comments here or send me an email at 40day@jaketha.com. For previous details about the first challenge and how it works, just review blog entries from May of this year. Thanks!

ttyl
~Ms. J

Since my 1st 40-Day Challenge...

2009-06-17T11:15:00.005-05:00

Well the last week and a half of my 40-day challenge was somewhat of a blur but like I said in my last post. I completed the following:

Goal #1 - my personal website available at http://www.jaketha.com/

Goal #2 - I completed only one episode of "Got ISH-OOS?" the player for the show is in the right hand column of this blog. Or you could visit our show page at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gotish-oos/

Goal #3 - The show and my seminar draft kind of went hand in hand. However, I will need to make changes to the actual draft prior to deliver. Basically, I still need to compare my show notes against the actual seminar notes and workout all of the bugs that way.

Goal #4 & #5 - I do not get a chance to work on my book proposal, but I have purposed to complete it prior to attending "The Birthing Place" Conference. The incorporation papers for my publishing business are contigent on completing the book proposal along with a business plan (I'm thinking).

Goal #6 - Never got a chance to play around with that stupid heart monitor from the YRG Fitness, but I haven't forgotten about it though.

Goal #7 - Having to do this around my work schedule was interesting because despite the issues, I still had God on my mind.

Goal #8 - Although I don't always get a chance to read my daily devotional at the beginning of the day, I am getting use to reading during the day. I am learning some really simple things that are keeping me grounded. If you need a good devotional, consider purchasing The One Year: Life Lessons from the Bible by Neil Wilson. I purchased my copy from Lifeway Christian Books.

Goal #9 - I have gotten myself in the habit of watch the Sunday service for Bishop T.D. Jakes church every Sunday. Now, I see the importance of it. I am still waiting on God to direct me to a local church, but in the meantime, this is better than nothing.

NEXT CHALLENGE: Begins July 6th through August 15th, which means it will end while I am attending Bishop T.D. Jakes conference, The Birthing Place conference. In that case, now I know that God is up to something. Yes He is!!!

Ttyl,
~Ms. J

A Goodnight's Rest Requires Surrender...

2009-05-24T11:47:00.006-05:00

If I recall correctly, the last time that I got a goodnight's sleep was Monday, July 10, 2000. Yes, the year 2000 is correct. It isn't a misprint. It's been about 9 years since I had "sweet dreams".

I'm 33 and I've always had problems sleeping. I usually don't fall asleep until around midnight, sometimes later, but rarely earlier. During the week, my alarm clock is set for 7am, but I usually don't get up until 7:30 or 7:45 or 8:00 or 8:15. Did I mention I gotta be at work at 9am?!? Yeah, I think you see my point now!

Going to bed earlier doesn't work because if I am not sleepy, laying there only relaxes my body, but not my mind. Reading doesn't necessary work, nor do medicines. It's hard to explain this to others, especially bosses, because many think the problem is that either you need "something to help you sleep" or you just need to develop "an earlier bedtime", but this isn't the case.

When looked at through spiritual eyes, this whole inability to sleep at night, might make a little sense. Think about! What better time for God to get your attention then when you are trying to rest?

God has brought me back to this bottom line before and He's brought me back to it again and again that "I must relinquish my will for His Will". In other words, the change I seek is just on the other side of His Will.

That's why, some nights, my mind literally won't "shut up". As Bishop T. D. Jakes said in his sermon today, "Struggles don't have to be physical to be real....It's possible to sleep and not get any rest. It's because your mind is struggling with something as you sleep" ("The Power of Surrender", May 23, 2009) and that is so true for me!

Just like Jacob, I was borned into a fight. My mother became pregnant with me at a time when pregnancy outside of marriage signified shame for the family. The "child with child" was always shipped away until the baby was borned. Not to mention, the fighting between my mother and her mother and my father and my mom's mother, that led to my not being raised by my mother, and my never meeting my father until I was 32 years. Growing up in a bitter and cold home and a family of people fighting long before I was ever thought of, isn't the best environment for any child to be raised, wouldn't you say?

As a result of this "birthing experience", the remainder of my life has always been a fight. Without a father providing a spiritual covering and without a mother to provide nurturing, I have spent my whole life looking out for myself. The only problem is that this form of survival always backfires and makes you become your own worse enemy. Even worse, you mistake everyone else as a enemy, even God, so if emotionally fighting is where I am and have alwasy been, then that's where God is willing to go to get your attention. Thus, why I don't sleep good. He has to get your attention even if it means "picking a fight" for your attention as He did with Jacob.

Well, he got my attention. It's not ironic that at this "attention getting time", I have been seeking Him about my future (see "40-day Challenge" posting).

I could go on and on about this, but I won't. What I will say, is that God only wants the best for His children. He knows your struggles; he knows your weaknesses and all He wants to do is give you rest. Learn how to let Him be the God of your live. Surrender [to Him] and you're have goodnights for the remainder of your days.

ttyl, Godspeed!

40-Day Challenge Update

2009-05-23T21:05:00.003-05:00

On May 1st, I started a 40-day challenge that will come to an end on June 11th, so this post is to provide an update on how its going.

(1) Get my website up and running. Well, I hope to be able to complete this goal as this Memorial Day weekend. The web link is http://www.jaketha.com/ so be sure to check out!

(2) Create at least 2 episodes of my podcast program called "Got ISH-OOS?" Although I haven't scheduled any shows, I hope to complete at least one epsiode before this holiday weekend is up. The web link is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gotish-oos so be sure to check it out as well!

(3) Create a full draft of a faith-based seminar for an upcoming family reunion. This is the hardest one of all. Ironically, I am wavering in my own faith on what to discuss. Although I am beginning to believe that the research materials itself won't change but the title might. Perhaps it will change to something like "Uncompromising Faith..." I don't know. Now, I hear God talking to me about "time" as it relates to faith... I'll keep you posted!

(4) Complete my book proposal. Honestly, I haven't worked on this. I have been spending so much time on the first three items, I haven't had time to even look at this one....

(5) Complete/submit incorporation papers for publishing business. Just like the last item, I haven't worked on this either but I haven't forgotten either one of them. So for these two, there is still some time left.

(6) Get toned and in shape with YRG... I received this program in the mail last weekend. However, I haven't been able to figure out how this stupid heart monitor works. So, I will try and see if I can get this thing to work within the next week.

(7) Fast and pray for 8 hours... Well, the first two weeks or so, I missed the mark on this one. So far, I have completed about 3/4 of this timeframe.

(8) Find/start a daily Bible study program. Since Day One, I've been reading everyday from "The One Year: Life Lessons from the Bible" by Neil Wilson. I purchased it at Lifeway Christian Books. Everyday a different Bible person is covered. It's pretty interesting and its helping me to see real issues that we are facing even today!

(9) Watch two hours of religious programming every Sunday.... I got this one! I get up every Sunday and watch Bishop T. D. Jakes' 8 or 11 o'clock service. It's really making a difference in my spiritual life. I have already made arrangements to attend "The Birthing Place" in Charleston, SC and I can't wait to go on the tour and see what God has in store for me now and forever more.

ttyl, Godspeed!

Be Considerate on Mother's Day and Similar Holidays...

2009-05-10T11:51:00.005-05:00

It's Mother's Day and in all honesty, I never would have realized it was Mother's Day unless someone from work hadn't reminded me of it. Oh yes! I would have remembered once the weekend arrived, but it was far from my mind prior that.

It's not that I hate this holiday - by no means, it's just not a big part of my life. My biological mother died nearly 9 years ago after spenting over six years battling cancer, so I don't have a need to celebrate this particular holiday. Personally, I celebrate her memory in other ways, but this entry is not about me. Its about those who are bothered by this day for various reasons, such as their mother is still alive but gravely ill or they have lost their mothers due to untimely deaths or they simply never really had great relationships with "dear ole mom", so please just be consider of their feelings. Ask them first about mom before you put your foot in your mouth! Just have a heart about this particular issue for those who are more so hurt by this holiday, then happy. For them, today is a reminder of bad memories!

You see, there are many young adults who have lost their mothers and many times people will say to them, like a woman at the bank said to me this past Friday, "Make sure you tell your mother 'Happy Mother's Day'". That comment didn't bother me at all except I wonder what she would have said if I had told her my mother was dead. She probably would have said something stupid because people don't think about that.

Just remember, that there are many for which Mother's Day brings up bad memories. So, please be care to whom you say "Happy Mother's Day".

40-Day "It's Time for a Change in My Life" Challenge

2009-05-01T10:45:00.009-05:00

This past Thursday night, God gave me a rather simple challenge: To spend the next 40 days not worrying about my job (and the difficulties therein) or family issues but rather spending that time 'hitting the ground running' toward some set goals that range from spiritual to entrepreneurial. Here's how it works:

40-DAY PURPOSE: To see how much positive change I can bring about in my own life, simply by setting positive and productive goals and diligently working toward them for the next 40 days.

40-DAY OBJECTIVE: Only set goals that you can reach in the next 40 days. For me, Day 1 is May 1st and Day 40 is June 10th. For you, your dates may be different.

That's it! It isn't complicated at all!

So, here are my goals:

1. Get http://www.jaketha.com/ up and running.

2. Create and produce at least 2 but no more than 3 episodes of my "Got ISH-OOS?" Internet talk radio program (see http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gotish-oos). The episodes shall be in a series format and based on the topic, "Faith in the Midst of Family Mess".

3. Create a full draft of "Faith in the Midst of Family Mess" as a face-to-face seminar for the Thompson/Gayden 2009 Family Reunion in late-July. (Waiting on verification that I am still doing "a faith-based seminar").

4. Complete my book proposal for "Overcoming the House of Jezebel" (see http://thehouseofjezebel.blogspot.com/ for more details).

5. Complete and submit state incorporation papers for my publishing business.

6. Get toned and in shape using the YRG Fitness Program (see http://www.yrgfitness.com).

7. Fast and pray for 8 hours a month, which is a minimum of 2 hours per week.

8. Find and start a daily Bible study program or read a daily devotional or read a self-help book.

9. Every Sunday watch via Internet or TV, at least a half-hour but no more than two hours of religious programming. For example: Watch "The Potter's Touch" by Bishop T.D. Jakes.

Don't fret if any of your goals have to be adjusted or it they are deleted due to forces beyond your control. Just do want you can!

I hope to hear from you regarding your accomplishments in the next 40 days. Feel free to add your comments to this posting or send me a direct message via twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jteva/ or email me at "40day at jaketha.com".

Godspeed!

How to Move on in 2009...

2009-02-11T17:12:00.007-06:00

In this first entry for our new Heart of the Issue weekly column, we'll share eight tips for emotional and spiritual success in the New Year.

1. If you're in the wrong, put yourself in check, then apologize (if necessary) and MOVE ON.

2. If someone else has wronged you, don't set around waiting on an apology that might never come, evaluate the relationship and if it's worth saving, then make up. If not, then MOVE ON without them.

3. If your heart has been broken, before you blame the other person for the failed relationship or resort to stalking or harassing them, evaluate your role, learn from your mistakes, begin to heal then MOVE ON.

4. If you meet someone of a different faith, don't be so quick to judge. Listen and learn!!! You might have more in common with them then you realize. So take what you've learned, MOVE ON and share more truths then wrongs with others as you go.

5. If you meet someone of a different lifestyle, especially if you don't understand or don't agree, don't resort to disrespecting or condemning them. Simply show them respect and compassion and then pray for them in private then MOVE ON. Remember, God is not a respecter of persons and He looks at one's heart.

6. If you've been mistreated on your job, don't become a victim and shout it to the mountaintops, become a survivor by developing an attitude that shows "no failure". In other words, MOVE ON by giving your organization the best of you (and your work) that you have to offer and let God do the rest. Remember, ultimately it is God who handles promotions and demotions.

7. If you're lonely or alone, don't seek out a new bad habit, MOVE ON by simply calling (or making) a new friend, developing a new hobby, or reading a good motivation book.

8. Most importantly, if you're Christian, don't hang out in God's kingdom acting like a bystander, seek out your personal God-given purpose, get the necessary training needed in that area and then MOVE ON by walking it out all the days of your life.

Until next week....Godspeed!

I am Destiny-Focused!

Logos Bible Software Offers Bible College Scholarships

Day 10: Final 10 Days of 2010!

Day 9: Final 10 Days of 2010!

Day 8: Final 10 Days of 2010!

Day 7: Final 10 Days of 2010!

Day 6: Final 10 Days of 2010!

Day 5: Final 10 Days of 2010!

Day 4: Final 10 Days of 2010!

Day 3: Final 10 Days of 2010!

Day 2: Final 10 Days of 2010!

Day 1: Final 10 Days of 2010!

Are You on the Lord's Side in Economic Times...?

The Unreachable Destiny (Part 2/2)

The Unreachable Destiny! (Part 1 of 2)

Clarifying Your Mission & Vision: A Teaching

Get Focused: A Prayer

Temporary Defeat: A Recap

I'm Boycotting Drama For 6 Months!

###

The Journey Through Temporary Defeat: A Testimony

The House of Jezebel: A Diary Excerpt

Misdiagnosing Temporary Defeat as Failure: A Short Teaching

Overcoming Temporary Defeat: A Prayer

(40DC) - Our June 2010 *FREE* Course!

Are You a Tigger (Optimistic), an Eeyore (Pessimistic) or a Little Bit of Both?

###

Don't Kryptonite Your Destiny... (Pt 2 of 2)

###

Don't Kryptonite Your Destiny Thru Negative Relationships! (Pt 1 of 2)

A Week of Combatting Negative Folks!!!

Amen!

Have You Seen (or Hear About)...?

###

Stay Motivated Work Quotes

WORK QUOTES

Are You Dreading Going to Work in the Morning?

This is Your Year to Get in Alignment!

A Week of Divine Alignment

Yep, I'm Thankful for Being Tired!?!

Why I'm Writing "The House of Jezebel"?

In Destiny, There is No Boredom!

"Being Good Stewards of Our Time"

I'm Thankful for a Still Small Voice...

Highlights from My First Writers Conference...

Are You Rushing or Pondering Your Destiny?

We Will Pay Attention, Lord!

I'm Thankful, I Walked Away...

Sample Back Cover: "The House of Jezebel"

Recognizing "Derailment Schemes" Against You & Your Destiny

Stress & Distractions

Discussion: Who You Calling a Jezebel?

Distractions + An Unfocused, Unbalanced & Unproductive Life = No Destiny

Love & Destiny: Can Two Walk Together...? (Part 1)

Spring Cleaning for Destiny

A Prophetic Word Regarding Haiti...

Choices, Grudges & Missed Opportunities...

The Cost of Destiny

Three Reasons to Join 40DC...

Making Your Season a Reality in 2010 (copyrighted article)

Are Your New Year's Resolutions Just an ACT?

What's the Strength of Your Faith?

New Monthly Magazine Column...

Positioning Yourself in the Kingdom - copyrighted article

Next 40-Day Challenge Rescheduled...

Overcoming Disappointments in Destiny Fulfillment…

Holding onto Purpose & Destiny When Life/Work Stresses You Out!

Don't You Want to a Better Life? Yes! Well keep reading...

Small Beginnings Tour

Church, Where R U When It Comes to Domestic Violence?

Lessons in Change

Faith in the Midst of Family MessJune 14, 2009 Show Highlights

40-Day Challenge Goals: 7/6- 8/15/09

2nd 40-Day Challenge Begins July 6th

Brainstorming New Goals for a New Challenge...

Next 40-Day Challenge Begins...

Since my 1st 40-Day Challenge...

A Goodnight's Rest Requires Surrender...

40-Day Challenge Update

Be Considerate on Mother's Day and Similar Holidays...

(40DC) - Our June 2010 FREE Course!