Encouragement & Resources

Let all who are under the yoke as bond servants (employees, students, athletes) esteem their own [personal] masters (employers, teachers, coaches) worthy of honor and fullest respect, so that the name of God and the teaching [about Him] may not be brought into disrepute and blasphemed.
1 Tim 6:1 [AMP]
(words in italics added for clarity)

Slaves (employees), obey your earthly masters (employers) with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.
Eph 6:5-8 [NLT]
(words in italics added for clarity)

Based on John Bevere’s Honor’s Reward

Saw a baseball game at Turner field.  The stadium was packed, the tension rippled through the crowd. It was the bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, and the last batter strode to the plate.  A home run would win the game.

The ball came at him and went by – strike one.  The crowd reacted with restless frustration. The batter took a moment to settle himself & stepped up again. The next pitch sailed by over the plate. Strike two.  The batter became unsettled as the crowd groaned with despair.  This is where America’s economy finds itself today.

My people, the next ball will be a home run and a game winner.  Dream again with Me. Seek My face for your own personal time at the plate facing what seems like an overwhelming task and a game breaking situation.  For if you will seek Me and renew your focus on My kingdom, the ball will connect with your bat, sail high over the stadium and you will find it’s not only a game winner but a life changer.  For you’ll be playing an entirely new game where the rewards are beyond anything you’ve ever experienced before.

Many of you are standing in a hurricane. You’re outside with no shelter, watching this huge storm bear down on you, ripping up cars, shredding houses and tossing people and property as if they were light as a feather. You start to run away from this monster, to seek shelter, but the damage is so extensive that there doesn’t seem to be anything left standing.

Suddenly there appears before you the house of your dreams. You can’t quite fathom why it’s still intact when all around it is gone, but you’re thankful it’s standing strong. Maybe it has a basement in which you can take shelter. You go for the handle of the huge bright red door, but it seems like the storm gets there first. The door is ripped open with an energy equivalent to the storm’s, but somehow different.

Standing there (or rather with His arms providing you with the largest bear hug you’ve ever experienced) is Jesus. You think He has a huge grin of delight on His face, but you only saw His face for a second before you were engulfed in this hug and he called your name in greeting with a delighted shout.

The door closes with the same energy used to open it – joyfully & without slamming. Although the storm is now outside, your natural instinct is to go for the basement, and Jesus guides you to the stairs. (The fact that there is a basement is great news!) As you descend the stairs, you take note of the solid engineering and the lack of windows. Even if the storm rips the house above to shreds, this basement is built from concrete on all sides (including the ceiling), and is completely below ground level. You’re safe here.

After taking a few seconds to catch your breath, you notice an old man asleep & snoring in the corner on one of two recliners. There’s a fire going and you realize you’re shivering. Drawn to the fire’s warmth, you bump something over, and the old man wakes. You realize it’s Father. After greeting you warmly, his smile radiates, and he invites you to sit in the other chair and relax. On a side table you see a set of wood carving knives, and Father picks up a freshly carved cup – it looks like a large coffee cup. Into it he pours a curiously colored liquid that makes you want to ask for a detailed ingredients list, but somehow the words won’t come.

He says, “I been expecting you – carved this cup just for you. Take a long drink and sit here for a while. It’s my own brew. I call it ‘Shalom’.”

You drink and somehow previously undetected levels of tension melt away and you’re enfolded in a peace that you’ve always known must exist but is opposite to your experience to date.

Father says, “Now, tell me all about it.”

As you tell Him, somehow the peace increases, and you realize you’re tired beyond anything you’ve ever known. The fire, this mysterious brew and his presence overwhelm your ability to stay awake, and you sleep as the storm rages above.

Father smiles, presses a little button on the side table, and gives some instructions to those who respond to the button’s silent summon. Father decides to resume his gentle snoring.

When you wake Father explains that he’s changing things. His promises are not changing, but some things you liked will never be the same. He seems delighted at the prospect. Not quite ready to leap to delight, you ask about the impact of the changes. He shows you a detailed picture of what the future holds with & without the changes. The picture is like an artist’s impression of a new building. Suddenly the change is something you want, and now.

Father explains that the storm is the first step of the change – removing that which was in the way of his blessing. The storm is almost over – it’s fury has abated. But it has to complete it’s work. Then will come the rebuilding.

“I just handed the engineers the blueprints, and sent them out to start their work. They’re getting all the materials ready and will start building soon – once the storm is done. Things won’t be the same as before; they’ll be better.” And he says one of the main improvements is that you’ve discovered this place. He says, “You’re always welcome. Just come in the same way you did before – through the red door.”

Text in green italic are my impression of the Lord’s words

I was on my way from home to church and running a little late.  I waited to turn left out of my subdivision onto the road that led to the federal highway.  A few miles south on that highway stood the church building. There was a long line of cars preventing me from turning.

Turn right.

I initially thought “but that is a longer way and I am already late”. At that moment I sensed the Lord wanted to show me something.  After turning right and then left, I travelled down a road parallel to the highway.  It was a new road, sparsely populated with cars and easy going. It had four ways back to the highway. I sensed the Lord indicated the one to take.  The wait at the left turn was a long one, in part because of the timing of the lights, in part because the intersection was under construction, in part because the Lord was seeing if I would complain. It seemed another delay unnecessary. But from then on the way was smooth & fast.

I can bring you to the destination I have chosen for you in many ways.  Don’t assume that delays or alternative routes are a problem. You don’t know if the highway was completely blocked.  What seemed to you to be a delay and a longer way is actually the best way. Let me determine the best way to achieve the vision. To achieve your mission. To achieve the next goal. I will show you the best way, and it will actually be much faster than if you try to get there yourself. The waits along the way are there to see if you want me and my way or you want the destination.  Your level of praise or complaint will tell me which you want more. So go with my way and praise me for my wisdom in getting you there the best and fastest way possible.

My people, I am proud of you. Over the last year, you have become broken, humble and contrite before Me. You have laid aside your own plans and learned to plan with Me. You have learned to seek first My kingdom and let Me take care of the rest.

Now is the time to renew your hope, to dream again, to lift your eyes to Me and renew your vision.

I want to plan again with you. To look to a brighter future, and work with you to envision hope for your mission on earth, your ministry to Me, your families, your careers, your lives. To plan goals and work together daily to give you a future and a hope.

Come, hope, dream & plan with Me.