aking risks (Psalm 18:29)... To successfully deal with transition in your life, you must consciously become comfortable with being in a state of flux...of going with the flow...of growing and stretching. Change is good and transition is a necessary part of life, so embrace it without the fear of the unknown, believing that God will perfect that which concerns you!
eaching forward (Philippians 3:13, 14)... Embrace the fact that this may be the best time for you to let go of things you’ve been needing to release, so that you may move on to the next wave...to the new current in the river of your life. God only brings you out of something in order to take you into something better.
ccepting change (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)...Dare to think differently than you’ve thought before, so that you can be different than you have been before. You can change and you can change for the good! It is never too late for you to become everything that God has ordained for you to be!
eeding more (Isaiah 54:2, 3)... Always be in the moment and enjoy what you have while you have it. Don’t ask for more than your daily bread. But if your godly contentment has devolved into a sense of complacency, it may be time to admit that you really do need more in your life. And if that requires a shaking up of things, then so be it!
eeing opportunities (Romans 8:28)...Meditate on what Jesus meant when He said that he who loses his life shall save it. Humble yourself before Him and offer your body as a living sacrifice, which is your reasonable service. But when you perceive that you have lost something, decide to see your loss as a new opportunity for growth.
ncreasing vision (Proverb 29:18)...Celebrate being a new creation and do not mourn the passage of old things. Be fully mobile in Christ and, as you keep your eyes on Him, you will see an increase in vision. The KJV says, “Where there is no vision the people perish,” but a better translation of that verse is something like, “Where there is no prophetic revelation, the people cast off restraint.” In other words, your vision and goal will help you discipline yourself through your time of transition.
rying again (Proverb 24:16)... Transition offers you the chance to try again.
magining possibilities (Ephesians 3:20)... You are in charge of your life but, ultimately, your future is in God’s hands, and there may be a reason why He’s moving things around in your world right now. Remember that the Scriptures say “In Him we live and in Him we MOVE!” But if you see change as a way for Him to do more than you can ask or think, you will be able to imagine God-possibilities within everything that happens around you.
utlasting difficulties (Matthew 7:24-27)... It’s an old cliché, but it’s true: TOUGH TIMES DON’T LAST, BUT TOUGH PEOPLE DO. Successful transition involves just hanging in there, taking it a day at a time.
ever quitting (Ephesians 6:10-13)... Remember that if you respond to it appropriately, the transition in your life will take you from glory to glory, so that ultimately you can and will be transformed into His image; so don’t ever quit, and don’t ever give up! And all of us, as with unveiled face are CONSTANTLY BEING TRANSFIGURED into His very own image...from one degree of glory to another . . . (2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP).
9 comments:
Thank you Bishop for re-posting this, and your FB comment today. Very timely for me.
The last 2 Sunday’s service have just been wonderful. Yesterday (030710), Thank you for being such a Pastor in calling for all of us to press in during the Praise & Worship.
For me, it was on and off. In The Spirit, and then out of it, trying to keep in the flow, then out. Your call to press in was perfect timing for me, and gave me the boost to get in and stay in the Spirit.
Transition has been something I admit I have resisted in the last few months. In the last few weeks, it has pressed in. It is good. My mom has come to live with me, which is good.
One of the interesting things was emptying the apartment she has lived in for almost 40 years, and I lived in for 12 years (until I left for college) was eye opening. That small place had been most of my childhood home. Even though I did not consider it such for so many years, seeing it empty, and actually emptying it, I realized how dear it was to me.
The tiny kitchen I taught myself how to cook, the small space that so many things in my life happened. The earliest years through the medium and high school years until I left, and how hard I worked to leave.
As I emptied it, I remembered what a blessing it was when we left Detroit in 1971. It was a blessing to me to be there, removed from inner city Detroit to this pleasant, Indiana wooded area where doors could be unlocked, and you could ride your bike and go to school without any real concern. And all that followed, culminating in the birth of my son.
I learned from my mom on the drive from Ft. Wayne to Conyers, with the small amount of items she wanted to move (mostly artwork of my dad’s and her books) the move to Ft Wayne 40 years ago, was actually a mistake with her employer.
Somehow (God working) they never meant to transfer her, but hire someone locally and maybe have her train. She was looking to get out of Detroit, and somehow, the transfer was made, all expenses paid, and apartment found. Only afterward, once it was done did the company question how it happened,
But it was too late, more expensive to make the change than go with what had already been spent. That company later failed, but we were there. We were rather poor, but (God bless Detroit) . Being poor in Ft Wayne IN was very different than poor in inner city Detroit (Woodward and 6 mile).
This was the first time I knew that it was some administrative error that I was whisked away on a plane from the challenges of inner city Detroit to what was a safe, child friendly place with good schooling and room to roam. I had already been used to gunshots, this was indeed a salvation.
There is other transition now, but I rambled and received the blessing in writing of these Sundays and of my reminiscence. Amen for today.
Bishop, allow me to say how phenomenal it is when The Cathedral of HS is with us and especially how it is when you and Pastor D.E. are together it is so excellent.
Last Sunday 022810 was so perfect, from the beginning if Praise and Worship with the sing ‘We are Remembered’ through the message you both shared. Excellent. Oh yeah, the song re God’s extravagant love this last Sunday that is Pastor Jimmie’s, right?
Back to Sunday 0228, I Thanked God so much for it. I love that there is such a place and exchange that I always knew existed. (as I have many times for CITN) . It is different when you and DE are together.
I understand The Cathedral of The HS need their own space, time, and that CITN is itself. But when we are together – When we kiss – Fire.
I am just saying what I experience. However it all works out, is what it should be. But when it is, it is HOT in every way.
One last note, wisdom from ‘My name is Earl’ show -- Being generous to those who have slighted/wronged you is an act of love, which is really more important than anything else.
So it goes as it always has. Isn’t cool how God changed the stiff necked, stone hearted , rock of Paul into Manna, so called ‘bread’ for all of us? For the world that we are.
Amen.
Yes, Bish, a timely re-posting for me, as well.
Living in Transition these days, myself, and "it is well." Yes, it's different, yes, it's sometimes tough, yes, it's new and I pray doesn't last long. It IS transition.
Went to the tax man yesterday, first time since "my transition" and he said, "Oh, things are real different for you financially now...(transition again) and I have to tell you, you will NOT BE GETTING ANYTHING from your donations, tithes, and ministry work this year".
OH how I begged to differ. I most CERTAINLY WILL "get" something, but not from the state, not from the federal, but from HIM, to whom it all belongs and it is all given for !
I accept my Transition days with the moving from Glory to Glory. HE is preparing the way for my next place and I BELIEVE ~
Peace,
Northern Light
p.s. Erik.. c'mon man, I LOVE IT ~ as always. To us and our various Transitions....Peace
Larry Usher saud...
Always a good one! I always visualize cutting the ball & chain to bad past experiences & regrets & pull myself forcefully into my future. When the regrets are gone & the future is sure & constructed on the Rock, time has a way of slowing down in the possession of the glorious present.
I'm not saying I have "attained", but for the most part trusting change is in me.
Still, like Erik and NL, this re-post was timely...to the very moment, actually...and reminded me of several things that I had forgotten. Thank you, Bishop.
Yes, Larry, constructed on the Rock.
Just saying hello and wanted to say that my wife's family and mine who are in Chile are having the best of things in the worst of times right now...the goodness of life itself!
God bless them all in their transitions...and I thank you all for your prayers. Have a great day of finished races and the perseverance to complete the ones you're in.
Love,
Karl
Karl,
Thank you for the word on finished races and perseverance.
Bishop,
Great message last night...thank you...got a lot out of it.
Right now, I'll be on Facebook once again seeking to make contact with family in Chile after this morning's 7.2 there. Both of us also have family and friends around the Santiago, Vina, Valparaiso areas. I don't know what to say about it right now, but thanks for prayers of peace, strength and protection. Thank you.
This is definately a word in season in my life. Im going to spend time in prayer and thought about these things...because my mind, soul and spirit are "all over the place". Thankyou for posting this.
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