Love Fiercely

'If you don't see God IN it, He's probably working ON it." - Keela Craft Ambrose

The focus of this message is found in (HEBREWS 11) - additional content covered in the message was found in the book of Esther, Romans, Proverbs, as well as the book of Matthew and Ezekiel. 

This message was spoken at Elevate Life Church on May 4, 2021.

There are times going through life that we can think that we're not making progress in fact we can think that we Are actually going backward… But I want to encourage you with a verse, 

PSALM 37:23 - A person’s steps are directed by the Lord, & the Lord delights in his way.

· We ask God to help us GET OUT of something… Get out of Debt, pain, trouble, hard times, a ticket…

· But what if instead of just focusing on getting out, we INVITED GOD into our situations…

· Sometimes the miracle is not in GETTING OUT of the situation, what if the miracle God has for you is INSIDE of where you are trying to GET OUT.

· What if we started praying, instead – ASK GOD COME IN TO… Come into this hospital room, my job, my anxiety, my marriage…

· God is oftentimes trying to do something in the MIDDLE of the difficulty, Miracles are only miracles because GOD moved IN adversity. It was only a miracle because it was impossible.

Your influence goes beyond a bloodline, your family is the MOST important place to have & to build a legacy, but it also has a greater reach beyond you – for good & bad.

YOUR CHOICE TO LIVE THE LEGACY YOU WANT TO LEAVE – BRINGS LIGHT WHERE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN DARKNESS!

YOUR LEGACY STARTS WITH YOU!

People say - "Give it to God..." but that is a lot easier said than done. It is not easy to give things to God, it can seem like such an elusive thing to do that in our daily lives... I wanted to give you a practical way of thinking about giving things to God and encourage you in this season to let God take care of the things that we cannot change personally. We always have a part to play in change - but there are certain things that we just really need God to step in & help us! 

God does not create us or save us so we can just sit, He wants us to move to the next level & USE WHAT HE HAS GIVEN US IN THE KINGDOM – TO serve.

It is interesting to me that we have this natural desire to be great, but we naturally do not want to do what it takes to get there. It can be so tempting to say, “well I just don’t know where to start…” – but we have so many examples to follow, main one being JESUS!

• If it has no value or no purpose… it doesn’t matter.
• What purpose do you serve?: Your income (money) - Your time (influence) - Your talent (ability)
• You are serving a purpose… does it matter? Does it have a meaning that is greater than you alone?

MATTHEW 23:11-12

The greatest among you will be the one who always serves others from the heart. Remember this: If you have a lofty opinion of yourself & seek to be honored, you will be humbled. But if you have a modest opinion of yourself & choose to humble yourself, you will be honored.

• The greatest servant was Jesus. He didn’t come to rule. He came to serve.
• The greatest among you is the servant

So often in life we think that a SET UP is a negative thing... like there is always something around the corner that is going to ruin it all. But while the enemy tries to get us thinking that things are happening TO US, God is trying to show us that things are actually happening FOR US! God is setting you up to win! Through the life story of Joseph, I hope to encourage you as we step into 2020 & into our greatness - like never before!

Often, we are looking for the BIG things to happen… BIGGER IS BETTER RIGHT? We look for our dreams to come true, for our prayers to be answered, for our miracle to happen. But one of the biggest mistakes we can make, is to overlook the small. God can do anything all at once, but often – He does His best work in the small. We get impatient with God, & we do not think He is doing enough in us & for us. God often does small things – so that He can bring us along with us… If God gave you all your dreams & gave you everything He intends to bring into your life – you would not be capable of receiving it. We want the big thing, but we are not capable of seeing the GIFT OF THE SMALL. In the season that we are in now!

ZECHARIAH 4:10 - Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…

GOD DOES BIG THINGS IN SMALL WAYS!

MATTHEW 13:31-32 - …Heaven’s kingdom can be compared to the tiny mustard seed that a man takes & plants in his field. Although the smallest of all the seeds, it eventually grows into the greatest of garden plants, becoming a tree for birds to come & build their nests in its branches.

God told Adam & Eve they could eat from all the trees of the garden except one. So, what did the enemy do – he tried to get them to focus on the one they couldn’t have instead of all the ones God had given them. God has called us to an abundance mindset– to see all that we have, while the enemy tries to get us focused on only what we lack.

NEVER ALLOW THE GOOD TO BE ROBBER OF THE BEST. - Family Motto

· The start is to know good from bad.

· Then when you mature – you can discern what is good & best.

WE ASK GOD TO REFINE US – BUT THEN WHEN HE TURNS UP THE HEAT, WE BEG HIM TO STOP.

· God allows everything into our lives for one of two purposes—either to bring us into a relationship with himself or, if we already know him, to make us more like his Son.

· The longer you wait for something, the greater the possibility of disappointment. As you wait, you begin to think about how good things will be when your dream finally comes true. And if you wait long enough, your expectations will be so high that you will almost inevitably be disappointed because nothing could ever be that good.

GOOD HAS TO BE LEFT BEHIND IN ORDER FOR YOU TO HAVE THE BEST.

· This means that some good things have to go in order that better things may come.

o This touches so many areas of life—how we spend our time, our habits & the relationships we have.

o Some things may not be wrong, but they just aren’t good for us. & some relationships may not be bad, but they keep pulling us in the wrong direction.

YOU HAVE A CHOICE IN HOW YOU THINK ABOUT LIFE:

1. VICTIM MINDSET: WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?

2. VICTORY MINDSET: WHAT IS THIS TEACHING ME?

I had the opportunity to sit down with world renowned psychologist Dr. Robi Sonderegger to talk about his BEST self HEALTH advice for people. He helps people deal with trauma & is able to lead people in a practical & applicable way. In this episode, we discuss the 3 P's - (Priority, Perspective, & Permission.)

In this episode, I want to help you understand HOW TO KILL FEAR! We all feel fearful at times and that is normal as a human... But God doesn't want you to STAY there! The opposite of fear is not faith - it is love! God wants you to understand WHO He is & how much He loves you... 

1 JOHN 4:18 - There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

Did you know, an estimated 8.7 percent of Americans, or 19.2 million people, suffer from a specific phobia? Why is it that we so often name our fears & know them often better than the character & power of our God!?!

One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do. - Henry Ford

· Fear is a feeling induced by perceived danger or threat that causes a change in metabolic & organ functions & ultimately a change in behavior, such as fleeing, hiding, or freezing from the perceived traumatic events.

ISAIAH 43:1 - Don't fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.

• God actually commands us not to fear or worry.

• The phrase “fear not” is used at least 80 times in the Bible, most likely because He knows the enemy uses fear to decrease our hope and limit our victories.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6-9 - Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need & thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts & minds as you live in Christ Jesus. & now, dear brothers & sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, & honorable, & right, & pure, & lovely, & admirable. Think about things that are excellent & worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned & received from me—everything you heard from me & saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

I had the opportunity to sit down with world renowned psychologist Dr. Robi Sonderegger to talk about how you can get past your past & not take it into your future. 

We have a part to play in the promises of God - BELIEF. If you can get there on your own, WHY DO YOU NEED GOD?!? He will make a way when there seems to be no way. Sometimes we water down the promise of God, so that it makes sense to us. We bring the level down so that we can feel good about what is possible. BUT GOD DOESN’T WORK OR EXIST OR WANT US TO LIVE IN WHAT IS POSSIBLE. HE LIVES IN IMPOSSIBILITY.  We look at life at a natural viewpoint, but God doesn’t exist in the natural. GOD IS NOT LIMITED BY WHAT LIMITS US. Your belief is either empowering or limiting.

This message was spoken on: 9/24/2019 @ Elevate Life Young Adults 

Just a lesson from the Bachelorette...
Having values is not judgment… You should have values, it is The very thing that makes you more valuable. Values also help you know what to value and align with. You can love somebody and accept them & still not align with what they do. Your values actually help you you make better decisions… So get some for yourself!!

We have been given the power of God to overcome the enemy! He has no power in our lives - that we do not give him!! God wants you to take hold of what you have been given & live in the authority of His power!

This message was spoken at Storm Conf. (A youth Conference at The Believers Center in Albuquerque New Mexico - on June 24-25th 2019)

I always want to grow & get better... but how do you get from where you are - to where you want to be?!? It can be so frustrating to have dreams & goals for yourself that do not seem to be panning out, when I would like for them to... This is something that God is teaching me about this currently! I hope you enjoy!

XOXO :) 

I am Judas. How many times have I betrayed Jesus… pledging my loyalty to Him in one moment & then in the next selling Him out for the sake of what I want in the moment? 

• How many times have I plotted for my way & chose to not surrender to God – I was selling out for what I wanted more than Jesus? 
• How many times have I rejected Him? How many times have I betrayed Him? - The answer is daily.
• I know what He has done for me, & yet the list of ways I sell out is long. 
• I consciously resort to my way of thinking, acting, & being - I choose anger, or envy, or I hold grudges. I knowingly choose to turn toward (MY WAY) - sin & away from Jesus.
• & I wonder how Jesus could still love Judas & I wonder how He could still love me.

Judas’ sin was betraying Jesus. Judas knew of Jesus’ great love, he knew of his power & compassion, & yet Judas betrayed Jesus, & caused his death. & I am Judas. In fact, you are Judas, too.

• Every time we fail to love as Jesus has loved us, we betray him. I am Judas. 
• Every time we allow people to suffer, we betray him. I am Judas. 
• Every time we choose our self-interests & pride instead of the good of everyone around us, we betray him. I am Judas. 
• Every time we react in anger & hatred, we betray him. I am Judas.

He knew that I would choose myself/my way over Him… throughout my life & He chose to love me even still. 

There is something right now that God has for you, there is something right now that God is developing inside of you - there is something right now that God wants you to see... & if we are so focused on what’s next, if were are too focused on what is ahead, & if we're so focused on what we want that is not happening in the moment - you’re never going to get the opportunity to receive from what’s happening & what possibilities you have right now. God wants you to make the most of every moment because He is doing something in every single moment of your life.

Have you ever thought or said, “I just can’t get over it...” me too!!! Haha, I am so good at holding on to things. I want to share some thoughts & experiences I’ve had on this topic - I hope they encourage you!

Focusing on your problems comes naturally to us. It takes a conscious choice to be focused on what God can do through them. Sometimes it can be very hard to see or perceive how things are not only going to “work out” - but how a problem could ever be something you look back on & see it as something good or beneficial in your life. But with God - even your worst moments can become your best... :) REMEMBER, Jesus owns your problems!

It is so easy to stay focused & even find problems... it is however not common to be a solutions minded person. I believe that often we are submitted to our issues & problems & we trust in them - even over God at times. God wants more for us... He wants us to have a life that is founded on His power - not colored with our problems. 

This message was spoken at Elevate Life Young Adults on March 12th 2019.

Vulnerability signifies value. Valuable things are usually vulnerable. Thieves do not break into empty houses… You are carrying something good inside… If you didn’t have anything good, you would be left alone. When you shut down vulnerability, you shut down opportunity.  Most of us need to stop listening to the facts of your situation, and begin to speak Gods truth over it!

This message was spoken at Elevate Life Church Young Adults on 2/19/19.

God doesn't want us to stay hurt or wounded. He wants to turn our pain into purpose & our wounds into wisdom. Don't let yourself stay stuck in what was... allow God to mature your emotions & show you what He can do with what you choose to trust Him with... lay you weakness at the feet of Jesus & let Him exchange what isn't working for something that is useful in the Kingdom.

"Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her." (Proverbs 3:15)

“Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you." (Proverbs 4:6)

"If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you." (Proverbs 4:8)

"Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you score wisdom, you will be the one to suffer." (Proverbs 9:11-12)

"To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper."

(Proverbs 19:8) "Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people." (Luke 2:52)

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." (James 1:5)