Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Titus 1:17)

What kind of impact will a victory by Briana Whaley have on Culpeper and Virginia?

In my Oct 23 devotional titled “Training vs. Trying,” [http://www.yourdailyblessing.com/content.cfm?id=2451] I shared how God connected my wife with Briana Whaley, an American Olympic hopeful in the marathon.

At 7 AM on Sunday November 18, Briana will start running the Philadelphia Marathon along with more than 10,000 other competitors. She needs to knock off less than one minute off her best time to qualify for the Olympic trials that take place in April 2008.

Briana’s husband moved his family to Culpeper Virginia in the Spring of 2007 to pastor a local church. Briana quickly received a lot of publicity in our local newspaper. I first met her at the 4th of July 5k run in Culpeper.

To qualify for the upcoming Olympic trials, Briana needs to beat the qualifying mark of 2 hours, 47 minutes. Just two months ago, on September 3, 2007, Briana ran the “Arlington Cooperation Foundation Abebe Bikila Day International Peace Half Marathon” in 1 hour and 21 minutes. The online results [http://www.marathoncharitypartners.org/bikila/20070903.html] state, “Briana Whaley from the hills of Culpeper VA finished about 3 minutes ahead Teyba Naser of Ethiopia to win the women’s race.”

Please join me and many others in praying for Briana’s success. She will give God the glory. Please do what you can to help rapidly spread this message around the globe.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for how You have sovereignly worked in Brian’s life to prepare her for such a great moment and opportunity as this. May Your pillar of cloud go before her, allowing her to run her best race ever in the Philadelphia Marathon. And then may she have numerous opportunities to give you all the glory. Thank You Jesus. Amen and Hallelujah!

Link of the Day
Philadelphia Marathon [www.philadelphiamarathon.com]
Blessings to see God to use Briana to bring his cloud of glory to Virginia!

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19a)

What is your dream?
What people, ideas, and resources do you need to help you achieve that?

In my devotional on November 7 titled “Discerning the Voice of the Lord,” I mentioned that I would be sharing part of a fantastic story that is unfolding. Little did I know that God would quickly add several more chapters to His-story in such a short while.

In the morning on November 8, Jeff Bernstein, my Messianic Jewish friend with a ministry to Jewish people in the New York City metropolitan area, called to ask if he could visit me in Culpeper on his way back home from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. He arrived at our home around 9:30 PM and stayed overnight. This was the first time Jeff stayed at our home.

The next morning after a few hours of delightful conversations, my wife (Julia) and I took Jeff for breakfast in downtown Culpeper. Pranas Rimeikis, the mayor of Culpeper, happened to be eating breakfast at this same restaurant. To my amazement, God opened the door for Jeff to minister to him and begin a faith discussion. This in turn opened the door for me to mention to Pranas that Stephanie Klenzig, the mayor of Elk River Minnesota, was planning to visit Culpeper in February 2008. I told Pranas I’d like our local government officials to meet her and for him to read The Elk River Story book to learn more. I’ve been praying about this for months.

At 7 PM on November 8, Michael Stay and I had a short phone conversation with Ted Baehr. Afterwards we called one another to discuss our impressions and where to go from there.

During our conversation, Michael told me that Ron Paul recently raised $4.2 million in 24 hours from 35,000 people for his Presidential campaign. That quickly got the attention of media leaders, opening the door for Ron Paul to be interviewed on CNN and other major TV networks. I’ve been following Ron Paul for a while and in my professional opinion as an Internet marketing specialist, he is doing the best job by far of any political candidate to use the Internet effectively. His tremendous results demonstrate the power of social (viral) marketing.

Michael also told me that he is going to do a prestige introduction for me to Gary Edmonds, the head of Breakthrough Partners [www.breakthroughpartners.org]. I learned this organization does three things: 1) Catalyze – new initiatives, 2) Connect – people, ideas, and resources, and 3) Coach – churches to wholistically impact their communities. That’s amazing because it’s very similar to what I do.

So what? What does all this have to do with you? Lots. By sharing my journey as God’s story unfolds, it’s my hope that you will better recognize God’s hand in your life, your dream will become clear, you will get connected to people, ideas, and resources to help you achieve that dream, and that you will choose to be coached and coach others.

Prayer Power
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Let the heavens rejoice! Father, thank You for You. Thank You for Your presence and Your favor. Thank You for all these breakthroughs in my life, which come from Your doing, not mine. Inspire my readers to expect and experience many more breakthroughs in their lives. Teach them to catalyze, connect, and coach. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Breakthrough Partners [www.breakthroughpartners.org]

Blessings to catalyze, connect, and coach!

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10, NIV)

What good works did God prepare in advance for you to do?

As mentioned in yesterday devotional, God led Julia and me to Hosanna Lutheran Church in Minneapolis on October 21, 2007 as guests of Larry and Annette Lotzer. Derek Rust, the preacher for that day and a good friend of the Lotzer’s, shared a super message about learning to serve like Jesus.

The following message comes from Derek’s outline for Week #4 of the “Be a Miracle series. While today’s message is short, it is packed with powerful truths.

Everybody is normal until you get to know them. Self- esteem comes through service. Personal giftedness and character need to go hand-in-hand.

1) Serving like Jesus means being available. Three barriers to being available are self-centeredness (Phillipians 2:4), busyness (Ecclesiastes 11:4), and materialism (Luke 16:13).

2) Serving like Jesus means being grateful (John 11:39-42). Barriers to being grateful include comparing, criticism, and wrong motives.

3) Serving like Jesus means being faithful. To serve Jesus, it’s important to know the difference between prominence and significance. (1 Cor 15:58)

4) Serving like Jesus means recognizing “God sightings.” Are there really such things as coincidences or are they really “God winks” in disguise?
 
Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to earth to die for me and my sins so that I might have eternal life and in return serve You. Guide my steps by keeping me available, grateful, and faithful. Grant me eyes to see and ears to hear You working around me throughout each day. Bless my readers likewise. Thank You Jesus. Amen.
 
Link of the Day
Hosanna Lutheran Church [www.hosannalc.org]

Blessings to do the good works which God prepared in advance for you to do!

“He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.” (2 Corinthians, 1:3-5, The Message)

Who has God brought into your life at key times to pay it forward to you?
Are you in a major slump in your life? If so, how can you get out?
What things of value do you have to share others?
Who is God asking you to pay it forward to?

At 4:30 AM in the morning on October 15, the same day that Sharon Graham received her two bouquets of flowers, Nick Chaconas sent a daily devotional titled “Pay it Forward” on behalf of Jeff and Jill Williams, co-founders of Grace and Truth Relationship Education.

Apparently, Jeff and Jill asked Nick for help in writing the October 15 devotional because they were away at a weekend retreat for life coaches sponsored by Tony Stolzfus on October 12-14. Incidentally, I learned about this from Jerry and Sharon Graham, who were also at that retreat. I’ve never met Nick and didn’t know anything about him until talking to Jerry.

Diane Peck, my sister-in-law, was the first person to encourage me to watch the movie Pay it Forward. After renting the movie on DVD about 1-2 years after it came out, I ended up buying my own DVD and watching the movie several more times with various friends. The principle of paying it forward – multiplication through uncommon generosity – subsequently became a guiding principle for me in being a catalyst to expand God’s Kingdom.

In his outstanding and transparent message, Nick shares the history of the phrase and principle “pay it forward.” He also shares a transparent message about a major personal slump he was in last year and how God delivered him from that. Visit today’s Link of the Day to read Nick’s message.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for Nick Chaconas and his wonderful message. Bless him, his family, and his marketplace ministry. Thank You all the people You have brought into my life to help me through difficult challenges or slumps. Thank You for each and every person who has payed in forward to me. Forgive me for the times I have sorry for myself or have been focused on my own advancement instead of Yours. Bless my readers to be people who pay it forward. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Pay it Forward – outstanding message by Nick Chaconas  [http://www.yourdailyblessing.com/content.cfm?id=2443]

Blessing to live a life paying if forward and enjoying the fruit form that!
 
From: Jeff Williams [mailto:jeff@graceandtruthrelationship.com]
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 4:30 AM
To: randypeck@gmail.com
Subject: Pay It Forward [Daily Grace & Truth]

Purpose
The purpose of this devotional is to catalyze reflection and action to strengthen and heal marriage, family, social, ministry and work relationships.

Highlighted Resource
The New Rebellion Handbook, by Jerome Daley, is a wealth of resources to awake a generation to its heavenly destiny. It addresses 24 real world, cutting-edge themes of life with fresh ideas, biblical insights, and life applications.

Devotional Author’s Bio
Nick Chaconas – married with 3 boys, serves vocationally as a realtor in greater Washington, D.C. His avocation is to sharing his faith and relationship/business principles and skills that are helping him to enjoy meaning, pleasure and success in all endeavors.
 
Pay It Forward

A recent TV commercial for a national insurance company portrays a series of good deeds witnessed by different men and women, who in turn are prompted to perform good deeds for others. This ongoing series of doing for others as it has been done for them has been described as, “Paying it Forward.”
 
“Many people mistakenly believe the phrase “pay it forward” as a moral philosophy first appeared in Catherine Ryan Hyde’s novel Pay It Forward, which in 2000 was adapted into the film, Pay It Forward. Science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein, however, used the phrase in Between Planets, a book published in 1951, almost 50 years before Ryan Hyde’s novel.”*
 
Paying it Forward was recommended much earlier than 1951. The Apostle Paul wrote about it in his second letter to the Corinthians: 
 
“He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.” (2 Corinthians, 1:3-5, The Message)
 
There was a time last year that I was going through some difficult times both personally and professionally. I often struggled to just make it through the day. Helping others wasn’t on my mind. It took every ounce of energy to focus on myself, I wasn’t interested in helping anyone else, and even if I did want to help – I resigned myself to the belief that I could not be helpful to anyone else. 
 
Have similar thoughts or questions gone through your mind?
• I don’t have anything of value to share with anyone else.
• I’ve got my own issues – who would want my input/support?
• I’ve done too much harm to too many people to warrant helping someone else.
• I don’t have it figured all out – who can I help?

As I continue to recover from my struggles, I have been stunned by the number of opportunities to support and encourage friends going through hard times. Once it meant being available to listen and act as a sounding board. Recently I’ve been investing time to disciple a friend to develop and strengthen his love for Christ.
 
It is humbling, surprising, rewarding and right to give to others. Sometimes I don’t feel qualified, but I now believe that this is God’s plan for me; that I should live a life of continually “paying it forward”, and that I am to selflessly give to others out of what I have received from Him.
 
How have others come alongside you? What have you learned in difficulties that you might not have learned otherwise? How are you “paying it forward”?
 
Zig Ziglar, a well known contemporary motivational speaker says, “You don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.”
 
Can you start simply by holding a door open for someone at the office? How about doing the dishes or folding the laundry for your spouse?
 
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for your Son. Thank you for the trials and tribulations of our lives. I recently heard someone say “if the mountain were smooth, you couldn’t climb it”. Father, I pray that you would open my eyes and my heart to be increasingly more aware of opportunities to pay it forward, to give back a portion of what I have received. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
 
*Website Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_it_forward
 

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)

What simple thing can you do every day at work or home to share God’s love?

One of my greatest delights is preparing these devotionals. When I first started these on July 1, 2006, about 280 people were receiving them daily. By January 1, 2007, this number had increased to 353 and now it’s up to 454. More significantly, they have inspired at least ten people to launch there own daily reflections. As a result, about 4,000 life-changing messages are going out daily.

That’s more than a ten fold (1,000%) increase – with God’s children reaching out to bless people in their own sphere of influence. The power of compounding is enormous. Even the difference between a 10% and 20% annual growth rate becomes enormous after ten years.

I’m especially thrilled to see the quality of the messages being sent by my web clients and prospects. Recently, I read a reflection by Jerry and Sharon Graham titled “An Uncommon Blessing.” In that, they share a link to a short video with a true story about a grocery store bagger with Down’s Syndrome who changed many lives and the success of his store with simple acts of love and kindness.

To be greatly inspired by what one person can do through simple acts of love, watch the short PowerPoint movie at today’s Link of the Day

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for Johnny and his modeling of a simple acts of love that had a profound impact. Multiply this message about simple truths of service around the world. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
The Simple Truths of Service – inspired by Johnny the Bagger – [http://www.stservicemovie.com]

Blessings to be a “Johnny” in your own unique way!

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to God (Philippians 1:3)

What gift can I give my pastor in October to have a lasting benefit?
What choice will I make to catapult my pastor to a new level of effectiveness?

October is National Pastor Appreciation Month. Pastors are a lot like physicians in that they have high stress jobs dealing with life and death matters (eternal life and spiritual death). A big difference, however, is their income, often a fraction of that of most physicians.

As a token of my appreciation, I can either choose to give my pastor a fish (e.g. cash, coupon for dinner) or to teach him to be a better fisherman. In my devotional on October 5, I shared about the impact that lifeforming leadership coaching has had on me.

As The Pastor’s Coach, Jerry Graham’s coaching specialty is helping God’s shepherds be all that He has destined them to be. He coaches pastors to reach goals they’ve set for them selves as well as for their churches. Do they want to grow their churches numerically? Grow your congregations spiritually? Do you want to change the focus of their ministry? Are they looking to deepen their relationships with their wives, their children, or the Lord?  

Surveys show that the majority of pastors feel unappreciated, regularly battle loneliness, and have no close friends or confidants that they can share these kinds of concerns with.  The Pastor’s Coach can help you successfully examine, evaluate, and deal with the difficult issues that come from daily “pouring yourself out” for others.

For just $900, Jerry will coach a pastor to help achieve his destiny. What is included in this price? Nine coaching sessions (3 per month) spread out over a 3 month period. How much of a time commitment will this be for the pastor? Probably less than six hours per month.

$900 is a lot for most people to give. So, how can I make this more affordable? Perhaps I can join with 8 other families in my church to split the fee. What other possibilities exist? What if my pastor resists or isn’t interested? What can I do to better educate him about this opportunity?

How much of a difference does Jerry’s coaching make? Read what some of Jerry’s former clients have to say at today’s Link of the Day.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for our pastors who lay down their lives for the sake of Your flocks. Bless and encourage them, particularly during this month of October. I pray that many people who read this message will seize this opportunity to bless their pastors with the precious gift of lifeforming leadership coaching. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Testimonies from people who have received coaching by Dr. Jerry Graham
[www.thecoachingpair.com/meet/jerry-graham-ph.d.-d.min.html]

Blessings to help your pastor catapult to a new level of effectiveness? 

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7-8)

How will you respond to God’s call?

On June 2, I went to bed at 9 p.m. Around 1 a.m., the Holy Spirit woke me up. I strongly sensed that God wanted to meet with me. So I immediately went to My Secret Place, bowed down on my face, and asked God to forgive me for some recent mistakes. After humbling myself, I sang to God with all my heart.

Then I went to our family room intending to watch a few episodes of “Managing Our Finances God’s Way” on DVD. However, God had other plans. When I turned on the TV, the channel was set to a station showing the wild world of wrestling. When I switched the station to TBN, I was immediately captivated by the true surfing story of Daniel Rice, an actor in the movie “Refined.” He was being interviewed by Ivan Van Vuuren with Xtreme Life TV.

I learned that Daniel grew up in Hawaii and loved to surf. He confessed that when he was 17 years old, he started meddling with alcohol and drugs. As Daniel did so, his life began spiraling out of control. As he was getting psyched for a major surfing competition, a young lady stopped by his home to give him two things – a flier about a Christian concert and a Jesus video. After she left, Daniel tossed the video on the sofa, intending not to watch it. However, when his roommate came home and began watching the video, Daniel chose to join him. For the first time, this Jesus guy began making sense.

Soon after this, Daniel was involved in a near fatal drowning accident during the major surfing competition. As he was being revived, Daniel knew God had given him a second chance and he surrendered his life to Jesus. The rest is history and Daniel is now a member of “Eternal Riders.”

A new and young generation is arising that is tired of religion, tired of hypocrisy, tired of the boring lives their parents are living. They want the real deal. They want to live an Xtreme life. In the process, they’re finding Jesus and becoming radically on fire for Him. As they do, they’re igniting other young people for Jesus. Soon this blaze of young people will be unstoppable. Jesus is coming back very soon.

As the song “Me and Jesus” states “Someone loves you, even when you don’t think so. Don’t you know, you’ve got me and Jesus by your side through the fight.”

Jesus is calling you today. No matter what You are doing or even if you’ve turned your back on Him. God is calling you to Him just as you are.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, I sense that some of the people reading this message feel very lonely and that You’re far away. Let them know clearly that You love them. For those who have turned their backs on You, bless them to come running back to Your open arms as did the prodigal son. Thank You Jesus for loving us the way we are. Thank You for second and third chances. Thank You that Your tender mercies are new each and every day. Refine us in Your holy fire. May we bless You Jesus and praise Your holy name all the days of our lives. Amen.

Link of the Day
Xtreme Life Television [www.xtremelife.tv] – “Sports with a message” – Be sure to watch some of the outstanding short videos.

Blessing to allow yourself be refined in God’s holy fire!
 

Jesus said “I AM the bread of life … I AM the light of the world … I AM the gate … I AM the good shepherd … I AM the resurrection and the life … I AM the way, the truth, and the life … I AM truth.” (John 6, 10, 11, 14, and 15)

What is the key to fulfilling the Great Commission?

Today marks the first day of Spring in the northern hemisphere. Spring is the season of new life when flowers and trees are blooming. With people, new life begins the moment we invite Jesus into our hearts. While we are born spiritually dead, each of us has the opportunity to be reborn spiritually through Jesus. He is the gate, the way, the truth, and the life.

Last week, Sheriff Lee Hart was the subject of Pray Culpeper’s weekly prayer focus article in the Culpeper News. While our prayer team was praying for Sheriff Hart, Ed Lyons prayed a prayer that really touched my heart. During his prayer, Ed stated that just like the Sheriff’s Department has its own “most wanted” list, so does God. His most wanted are the lost – those who don’t know Him. Blessing Israel is the key to fulfilling the Great Commission.

Jesus was 100% Jewish. So were all his disciples. Except for Luke, all the writers of the New Testament were Jewish. Jesus’ mission was simple “to seek and save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Last year, Jeff Bernstein, my Messianic Jewish friend, told me “When your city (Culpeper) gets a heart for a God’s city (Jerusalem), then God will get a heart for your city.” That was a real eye opener for me. A few months later, the Holy Spirit told me “When your state (Virginia) gets a heart for God’s nation (Israel), then God will get a heart for your state.”

Then about a month ago when I was driving to Fredericksburg Virginia to hear In One Accord play and sing at Grace Church during the 21 days of prayer, fasting, and worship, the Holy Spirit told me “When In One Accord gets a heart for God’s nation (Israel), then God will get a heart for In One Accord.”

I shared this revelation with the In One Accord praise team. Now Vickie Pittman and Tim Smith, both who sing for In One Accord, are joining me on the upcoming trip to Israel. All three of us are members of Soul Purpose Church. We leave on March 25 and return on April 4. On April 2, which begins Passover, our team will be blessed to visit the spring of Moses and then follow in Moses’ footsteps to Biblical Mount Nebo for a unique and prophetic Passover banquet. Our historic Seder will be led by Hebrew roots teacher Michael Cohen. Then we will stay overnight in Jordan’s capital, Amman.

When I first talked to Patti May, she asked me “How can you say you love Israel if you have never been there?” That question speaks volumes. What are some practical ways you can bless Israel even if you can’t go there?

1) Bless those who are going to Israel with gifts or finances to leave in Israel
2) Pray daily for a Jewish person you know and reach out to bless him/her
3) Bless Jeff Bernstein and Gates of Zion [www.gatesofzion.net] to open the eyes of Jewish people world-wide to the light of the Messiah

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, the Jewish people and Israel are the apple of Your eye. Open the eyes of understanding of Jewish people world-wide to the light of the Messiah. Thank You for all the people and organizations reaching out to bless Israel. Bless our Battalion of Deborah team with uncommon favor during our visit to Israel this Passover. Clear away whatever obstacles there may be. In the name of Yeshua Messiah I pray. Amen.

Link of the Day
Itinerary for Israel and Jordan Tour & Jerusalem Knesset Conference
[http://www.battalionofdeborah.org/blog/_archives/2006/11/27/2531008.html]

Blessings to reach out to bless Israel in a practical way!

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Peter 3:8)

What one thing is Jesus calling you to do?

Life is funny. Just when we think we have things figured out, we’re thrown a curve ball. I started this year with wonderful plans of what I was going to do in the first month during my 21 day fast. Well, it’s March now and I’m only 3 months behind. Are you laughing yet?

A few years ago, Michael Stay taught me about the power of focus. Since then, I’ve frequently told others about this. Maybe I share this so often so it will sink into my own head.

Recently I’ve been thinking about what I would do to reach the world for Jesus if I was allowed to do just one thing. The answer has become crystal clear. I would do these devotionals. Why? By spending 60-90 minutes of quality quiet time meditating on God’s Word and composing a devotional, God gives me the opportunity to use His supernatural highway of communication to touch the lives of about 370 people directly and possibly thousands or even millions of people indirectly.

Recently I was talking to a marketing person for a non-profit Christian organization I’m quite familiar with. I learned that organization has about 30,000 people in its database, about 12,000 of which are mailed monthly newsletters. It has about 3,500 emails in its database of supporters.

This marketer’s job is to grow the organization’s network and build strong relationships. When I asked him “What is the hub of your marketing strategy?”, he didn’t have a clear answer. He did tell me that people were most likely to support the organization when he was able to share photos and stories about the needy people being ministered to.

I asked the marketer how long it would take him to personally contact the 3,500 people on their email list. Obviously he didn’t have an answer. Just imagine the number of people who would be impacted on a regular basis if he spent an average of 90 minutes five days a week composing a Holy Spirit inspired email with a short story of changed lives along with a prayer. What will happen when hundreds or thousands of people agree daily in prayer?

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for the uncommon revelation that a daily email with short stories of changed lives and a prayer is the best way to grow a network and build strong relationships. Thank You for the opportunity and time to do my own daily e-prayer devotionals. Open the eyes of understanding of ministry leaders who read this message to the power of this revelation. Thank You Jesus. You are my all in all. Amen.

Link of the Day
ePrayerConnect [http://yourdailyblessing.com/blog/?p=515 The instructions you follow determine the future you create.

Link of the Day
You Know You’re a Missionary Kid When… [http://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/msnews3.html]

Blessings to have a heart for missionary work!