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Joshua 14:7, 10-11 - "I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land,….and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today... 11 I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in". NASU
Toby Keith sang a song and the lyrics were "I am not as good as I once was but I am as good once as I ever was". Well, Caleb says he was just as strong now as he was when he was 40 years old. Now that my friends is positive thinking something we all could probably use a little more of in our lives. If you need your batteries charged you can always do what Caleb did and that is set out on a new adventure.
What was it that Caleb was going to do once again? Josh.14:12 -"…give me this hill country about which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the LORD will be with me, and I will drive them out as the LORD has spoken." NASU Caleb wants to do battle with the Anakim. Caleb wants to conquer knew territory. He wants to engage in another fight. Just like he had done many times before and how is he going to win this battle? He is going to win this battle with his faith in the LORD and the execution of a plan that has worked for him before. Caleb believes he can do anything as long as the LORD is with him.
Parents name their children Joshua and Caleb all the time but the 10 negative thinkers you never hear of again and I have never known a parent to name one of their sons after the 10 negative thinkers. There were 10 other spies who didn't believe the Israelites could conquer the land. One thing is for sure you must stay away from those who are negative thinkers because they will suck the life and energy right out of you.
What is the best way to pump new life into your body and mind? You really need to know the answer to that question because from time to time you are going to need to use this knowledge. Anyone can get mentally and physically tired and lose their focus. When this happens you must have a plan in place to get you out of this funk. So when you lose your focus what is your plan to get you back on top of your game? If you have ever watched or participated in high school or collegiate wrestling then you know that they have what is known as an overtime period, aka "sudden victory". Most wrestlers when they enter this period will use a takedown or an escape that they have practiced and executed a gazillion times. Why? Because it is something they know so well they can hit this move even when totally exhausted. So you need to have a move that you can execute to charge your batteries even when you are totally exhausted. Think About These: The plain fact is that most humans are happy when they are striving for something worthwhile. Every accomplishment, great or small, starts with the right decision, "I'll Try." Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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Ps 30:5, 10-12 -
5 Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning… 10 "Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me; O LORD, be my helper." 11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, 12 That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever. NASU
The formula is an easy one: Prepare Yourself Mentally and Trust God Fully. David says, "Weeping may last for the night, BUT a shout of joy comes in the morning…" David is writing this Psalm after he got in trouble with God for numbering the people. He knew he had done wrong and the plague had come upon him and his people because of his actions. He also knows that joy comes in the morning. We must train our minds to think all I have to do is make it until tomorrow because "joy" comes in the morning. We are all 24 hours away from a joyous occasion. When I find myself in tough situations I always tell myself, "I can endure anything for 24 hours. I will get a fresh start tomorrow." It is like a wrestler who needs to get out of bounds and get a fresh start. It is not exactly what you want to do, but sometimes it is what you have to do.
God had informed David that because of his sin (numbering the people, which is the equivalent to taking a census, by doing this David was showing his faith was in the number of people and not in God, this also shows David had an issue with pride) He was going to send a plague. He names three different plagues and allows David to choose which plague he wanted to endure. David chose the plague of falling into God's hands because David knew God's mercies are great. You and I need to know the mercies of God are great. He has His eyes on us and He will not give us more than we can bear. 2 Sam. 24:16 -When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, "It is enough! Now relax your hand!" NASU David was correct when he desired to fall into the hands of the LORD for His mercies are great. In this passage we see God putting a halt to the punishment that was being administered. You and I will do well to trust in the mercies of God for it will be God who will be your helper and turn your mourning into dancing. It will be God who puts a stop to the punishment that is upon you.
Prepare yourself to sing praises to God and give Him thanks forever for it will be God who brings your night of weeping to a close and opens your morning with joy. So remember this formula it is an easy one: Prepare Yourself Mentally and Trust God Fully. Think About These: We learn some things from prosperity, but we learn many things from adversity. When things get rough, remember: It is the rubbing that brings out the shine. Your character is what you have remaining when you have lost everything you can lose. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Matt. 5:41 - "And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two." NASB
I was speaking to a well known college wrestling coach a few years back about one of his National Champions. I asked him this question, "What is the difference between him and your other wrestlers? He said without hesitation, "Oh that is an easy question to answer. He does more than he is asked." "How so?" I inquired. He said, "If I tell the team to do 100 pushups he will do 110. If I tell the team I want 20 laps he runs 25. If I tell them 25 pull ups he will do 30. Everything I ask the team to do he will always add more to it." Jesus taught what this wrestler was doing 2,000 years before he was born. He was going the second mile.
So what is happening in your life right now where you need to make a commitment to go the second mile?
Another wrestler said he visualized his opponents in bed sleeping and he was up training getting the edge over his opponents. I am not sure which type of motivation will work for you, but my recommendation is find the one that works and allow it to catapult you to the next level. Think On These: The world might be improved with less television and more vision. The largest room in the world is the room for improvement. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word I Sam.17:36-37- "Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”
When was the last time you remembered some of your victories that you had with the Lord? This is very important please take some time either now or when you finish this Pump Up and replay some of the victories you and the Lord have shared in your life.
He saw himself defeating this enemy like he had defeated others before. David didn’t fight alone. He knew God was with him when he entered on to the battlefield. When you go into battle do you see the Lord going with you? If you don’t see God traveling with you don’t go. The Lord has helped you defeat other enemies in your life and He will help you as you face these new ones. Be like David and remember how the Lord has helped you in the past and will now help you as you travel into your future.
When I saw that check I was excited for a second, BUT I couldn’t take the check. I personally thought I had preached the worse sermon ever. So I informed the elder I could not accept money for that sermon. I signed the check and gave it back to him. Later that afternoon I got a call from the Boilermaker’s Union Hall to report to Shippingport, PA at the power plant the next morning. When I got my first paycheck it was for $350.00. God gave me 10 times the amount I gave to Him. God had delivered me from that financial crisis and He has delivered me from many different types of crises since then.
Once you have mentally visualized you and God conquering your enemy then it is time to actually fight the fight. Get Going with God! It is the way to success. Think on This: When we let God guide, He will provide. The Lord calls for us to stand, though not always to understand. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Luke 18:38-42 - And he called out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 39 Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, 41 "What do you want Me to do for you?" And he said, "Lord, I want to regain my sight!" 42 And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." NASU
His Faith Led Him To Try Something This blind man was led by his faith to yell out for Jesus to have mercy on him. Where has your faith been leading you? No, seriously, where has your faith been leading you? Have you ever met a person who was really alive? One guy says, "They have passion for something they want to accomplish." I say, "They have faith and are living accordingly. They aren't afraid to try something others would consider crazy." His Faith Was Opposed This man was crying out to Jesus and those who were leading him were sternly telling him to be quiet. Do you understand the ramifications of their advice? If he had listened he would have remained blind. You cannot expect people who don't have the faith you do to support you or even understand what you are trying to accomplish. If your faith is leading you to try something out of the ordinary and others are telling you to "forget about your crazy idea." You are probably on the right path. You need to know your faith in something will many times be opposed by others just like this blind man's faith was opposed. All great plans are opposed and many times from the ones you went to for support. The blind man was "STERNLY" told to be quiet by those who were leading him. The ones who were supposed to know what they were doing and where they were going were 100% wrong. We have probably all read the saying, "The Ark was built by amateurs and the Titanic by professionals." Has Your Faith Led You To Being Threatened Or Ridiculed? The blind man was threatened to "shut up" but that didn't stop him. In 1979 I wanted to go to Bible College and as I shared my idea with other people I could've received more support if I told them I wanted to rob a bank or Fort Knox. I was told this was the craziest idea that I have ever had and that I had a lot of crazy ones, but this was right up at the top. I was informed (as if I didn't know) that I had a family (3 children) and who was going to support my family if I were in college? I was reminded of my past in that I had been out of high school 9 years and if you will remember you weren't that great of a student in high school. Last but not least you have a great job as a union Boilermaker. You are going to throw away a job that some people would love to have to chase after this crazy dream? Faith Is Always Rewarded Well, as some of you know my faith led me to Eastern Christian College in August 1979 and I graduated in 1983 as the Salutatorian of my class and all three of my children survived the experience and pretty much every negative thing that was said to me about going to college NEVER HAPPENED. I do want you to know that my faith was tested while in college, but I kept believing and stuck to my plan. His Faith Was Rewarded The blind man and Jesus have an encounter and Jesus asks him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He says, "Lord, I want to receive my sight!" In other words, his faith has led him here to ask Jesus for help. Have you ever wondered why those who were leading the way wanted him to be quiet? What were they thinking? It really doesn't matter what they were thinking because whatever it was they were wrong. Did you see what Jesus said? "Receive your sight; YOUR FAITH has made you well."His faith was rewarded because he would not listen to the naysayers. His faith was rewarded. Has your faith led you to your reward? What Reward Is Your Faith Going To Bring You? No, I am serious where is your faith going to lead you? We don't just read the Bible and say, "Oh that was nice, good for him or her." The Word of God is for us and it is to challenge us to Step Up and Step Out on Faith. So get your faith in gear and then let me know how and when it was rewarded. I can hardly wait to hear all the great conquests of your faith. Think on These: Mankind needs a faith that will not shrink when washed in the waters of adversity and affliction. Feed your faith and doubt will starve to death. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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