Points for the WIN! What the Bible Says About Overcoming in LIFE: Session 3

Happy WINS-DAY, friends!! 

Making final preparations for a speaking event this Friday, and woke up Monday morning with a very sore throat and struggling to talk. Got better, then worse. Today, I sit in a doctor’s office, waiting.

Bronchitis.

Breathing treatment, meds, rest, healing, and trusting the Lord for fully restored health! 

Here’s the thing: this is only a circumstance of the day, today. Tomorrow’s circumstances will be different. I have the opportunity to choose where to place my focus. We cannot allow the day’s circumstances to dictate the day’s outcomes. Our focus needs to remain on the PRIZE, the ULTIMATE GOAL, the GOD-GIVEN, LIFE VISION. 

We cannot allow the day’s circumstances to dictate the day’s outcomes. Click To Tweet

Today’s illness is challenging. I am a speaker and singer, and booked to do both at two separate events this weekend. I need my voice. It is my art’s medium, the tool of my trade, the gadget of my gifting, the device to my duty, the engine to execute my call. You get it. I need my voice!

Similarly, in the account we are following in John 6, the circumstances were challenging. There were multiplied thousands of people who had come to listen to Jesus teach. They wanted to hear from Jesus and learn. All was good, that is, until it was time to eat. Everyone was there. Everyone was ready. The Challenge: No one brought groceries. 

When Jesus received the fish and bread the young boy brought, practiced gratitude to the Father for what He was getting ready to do, then served the people, the circumstances changed. 

As we discussed last week, we can help the circumstances of our lives for the better, simply by looking at them wearing the right attitude. The circumstances themselves may not be different, but our perspective will improve, and we can address the circumstances more effectively, bringing change.

Using what we have, we take action to continue progressing. Today, bronchitis prevents me from being with people. Yet, I can take care of some other things I need to handle in a quiet place. So, here I am in the quiet of my home office, writing to you.

Before I began writing, I went to the pharmacy and picked up my three prescriptions. I opened the bag, retrieved each container, and took the medicine. Actually, before I ingested any of it, I did one other thing. I read the label of each container. 

When Jesus was told about the boy’s basket containing the fish and bread. He told the disciples to have the people sit down. 

In verse ten, the scripture says, “Then Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, so they sat down.” 

Lesson 3 in the account is this: 

Do what is prescribed. Follow the directions. 

When a doctor prescribes a medication, gives the patient clear direction, and the patient follows that protocol, he or she is relatively assured the outcome will be a positive improvement in the health of the patient.

Similarly, yet with absolute certainty, when The Lord directs us to do something, He already knows the outcome! Jesus knew there was plenty of grass for everyone to be seated on its green softness. He knew God was going to reveal His power and abundant provision to the people. He simply needed to prepare them to receive it.

So, Jesus directed the people sit and the disciples had them do so. No doubt, being directed to sit brought a calmness and tranquility to the crowd. Jesus gave thanks and distributed the food to the people. 

The result of listening to the right voice, that of the Lord, then doing what He said, brought abundant blessing to the disciples, and the entire crowd. The same thing will happen for us when we choose to listen to God’s voice and follow His direction. 

God Almighty is The GOD of ABUNDANCE. GOD knows the end from the beginning. When He gives us direction, He already knows the resulting  outcome of our obedience. We will abound in His marvelous presence, and will receive from Him what is needed for that time.  

Listen for Him. Act on His direction. Experience His abundant presence.

You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby! LET’S WIN!!

There was a slogan from the late 1960s and early 1970s spurred by the women’s equality movement that emphatically declared, “You’ve come a long way baby!”  While the movement itself represented both things with which I fully agree as well as things with which I decisively disagree, I can say with clarity, “I have indeed come a long way from where I began! HUGE strides!”

For my WINNING WINS-DAY report, rather than a video, I have chosen to post a photo from 2011.

Leah Fort, January 17, 2011 “Life Lessons on Success”    Women’s Council – Chamber of Commerce, Amarillo, Texas

In this photo I am addressing members of the Women’s Council of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce with the theme Life Lessons on Success. It was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  What a terrific day to share my personal story of how major traumatic incidents in my life did not define me nor prevent me from becoming the woman I am purposed to be.

That day, I shared my signature presentation The VineSweet Connection. In it I reveal the incidents that led to a life riddled with trepidation and the five steps I took which led me out of FEAR into FABULOUS!

Jesus made clear this beautiful connection, The VineSweet Connection, when He said,

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

My WINNING report today is that I have risen as VICTOR this side of those circumstances! My path is defined by my walk with the Lord, Jesus Christ. I am grateful that by placing my trust in Christ, I have grown tremendously and as I walk this path am able to meet with success.

You see, there was a time in my life I would have chosen the unsuspecting corner rather than standing in front of a crowd of two, much less two hundred, five hundred, a thousand, etc.,  making a presentation. Yet here I am, living proof that God can and will change a person from the inside out, make him/her completely new, give him/her a voice for His glory and His Kingdom!

In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success. Proverbs 3:6

What are the results of my WINS?  Because of my changed life, one HUGE win for me is the many opportunities I have to share my story and help overwhelmed people grow personally, triumph over past experiences, and find true success.

I would be remiss if I ever fail to bring glory and honor to the Lord for ALL the wonders He has performed in my life.

Through Him, therefore, let us [ME!] constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. Hebrews 13:15 (AMP)

ENERGY = LIFE
LIFE = JESUS CHRIST, The VINE
You + LIFE = POWER
This is the VineSweet Connection

Join me as we Connect to The Vine!

2018 GOD with US!

Another cold and glorious morning! I am ALIVE!

The question for all us living, breathing folks is simple: How do I make this world a better place because of my life?

The only way for each of us to make this world better is for each person to fulfill their own place.

And how do you do that? Simply, be YOU!

YOU are unique. No one else can fill YOUR place and YOU cannot fill anyone else’s place.  So…

Seek The Lord. Call on Him.

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. ~ Isaiah 55:6

The great thing is that the Lord is always near because He dwells in us through the power and presence of His Holy Spirit.  God’s Spirit is the very essence of who He is and He wants to fill each of us with His presence!  The truth of this is vastly beyond my ability to fully comprehend, yet I know it is the truth!  How?  Because I experience the joy of His presence in my life every single day!

This truth is the reality of what we just celebrated at Christmas.

Jesus left the splendor and majesty of Heaven to come to earth. God Incarnate. He was born as a baby–fully human and fully divine. Jesus  came as Emmanuel–God with us.  He grew up, lived his life, had siblings and worked. He began ministering to people. He selected His disciples; a group of regular people, much like you and me. He walked, talked, taught, ate and slept. He healed the sick and delivered the afflicted. He also prayed, wept and mourned over the condition of mankind. Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.

He gave Himself. He is the only One worthy–completely free of sin, spot or blemish–to be offered as The Sacrifice on our behalf. He died. He was buried. He rose from the dead. His disciples saw Him as the resurrected, risen Savior. Before He ascended to Heaven, He made a promise to send a Comforter. That Comforter is the very essence of Himself, His Holy Spirit, who dwells within us.

Jesus, through the power and presence of His Holy Spirit, is still Emmanuel, God with us because He dwells within us!! Click To Tweet

What’s more is that I(we) did not have to ask Him to make this sacrifice. He chose to give Himself before I knew I needed Him.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit–fruit that will last–and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.        ~John 15:16

He promises to be near to us, to reveal His presence to us when we ask.  We are taught this from the apostle James when he stated, ”Come near to God and he will come near to you.”  He goes on to tell us we can be clean before the Lord when we, through the blood of Jesus, “Wash our [your] hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8)

When I seek Him and draw myself near to Him;

He will draw near to me and direct my path.

He will show me His will and purpose for my life.

He will enable be to produce the fruit that will last. Love.Joy.Peace. Patience.Kindness.Goodness.Gentleness.Faithfulness.Self-control. (Galatians 5:22)

He will inspire me to move forward to fulfill that purpose.

It’s time. Let’s go!!

 

Destiny~One Step at a Time

I had the most wonderful conversation with my friend, Ellen, this morning.  When we first connected, we became walking buddies.  Each walk required added distance and steps to the previous because we needed more time to visit.
From the moment of our first meeting, Ellen and I knew we shared a kindred spirit (Thank you, Janis, for connecting us!).  We can talk over anything we are dealing with or struggling through, and feed encouragement to one another over every aspect of our lives.
Today, we met at a local coffee spot, Urbana Coffee Works (BTW, if you’re in the Amarillo, Texas area and haven’t been, you need to try it!)  It had been quite a while since Ellen and I had conversed more than an occasional text or Facebook greeting, so we were overdue a good heart-to-heart conversation.
While enjoying our delicious hot beverages, we talked for more than two hours about recent occurrences in our personal lives, the discipline of prayer and Bible study, the work of ministry, and the direction the Lord is leading each of us.
Although we both are taking on new adventures, personally and professionally, Ellen’s life will also take her to a new residence nearly 1,400 miles from me.  Still, our kindred friendship will remain heart-to-heart.
 
Isn’t it interesting when our plan meets with God’s, it rarely takes us where we thought we were headed?
We have an idea of what our life’s direction will be. Then as we place our lives and our trust in the Lord, He moves upon our hearts, directs our thoughts, molds us more and more into His image, and orders our steps, directing us toward the destiny He has planned and purposed for us.
 
I will miss the walks and coffee meetings with Ellen and am thankful for airplanes and good roadways!  I also know this:  Our GOD is good, merciful, gracious, and kind. HE NEVER takes us in the wrong direction!
 
“A man’s steps are established by the LORD, and He takes pleasure in his way.” Psalm 37:23
“A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
Blessings to my friend as she traverses new ground prepared for her by our AWESOME GOD!~~Leah