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SONS AND DAUGHTERS ON ASSIGNMENT

As I recently embarked on a new writing adventure – a fiction piece (not the picture shown here which is my non-fiction book about Abba Father) – I was describing the eternal realm when I had an epiphany. Among the endless differences between heaven and hell, I realized that in the place of eternal death there is no labor, no work, no assignments, no achievements. There is no purpose, no plan.

Some day we will all step out of time and into the eternal, and Scripture says that those who go on to be with the Lord do have assignments. They will sit with the Son, judge angels, and rule nations, and who knows all what else. The very intrinsic nature of God’s vast creation is laced with purpose—trees release oxygen that people need to breathe, bees pollinate flowers so the floral world can reproduce, the sun warms the earth so that life can exist…assignments that give life, sustain life, promote life in some fashion.

From the beginning, God created mankind for His pleasure and with purpose, to be fruitful and have dominion. Mankind was given an assignment for keeping and cultivating the earth with the presence of God, kingdom purpose, spiritual gifts, and with natural and innate abilities unique to each of us. Jesus came with an assignment of redemption. The Holy Spirit has been sent for a purpose of empowering the believer. Angels are sent with assignments of ministering to the heirs of God. The Church has assignments of service in multiple expressions. The Bride of Christ has an assignment to make herself ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

It is not human, but divine, that we search for purpose and significance—the plan of who we are and the works we are created to do. To be Christ-like is to embrace life as a son or daughter on assignment from the Father—a specific work that has global impact, whether we realize or not, no matter how small it seems in our own eyes.

What is your assignment? Do you know? Here are some steps to help bring clarity.

1. What is your temperament and personality? Take some on-line tests if you don’t know. God “wired” you in a particular way for your assignment.

2. What are your God-given abilities and talents that are just waiting for the breath of the Spirit to empower for service? What do you like to do? What peaks your interest, “floats your boat”? Where do you feel energized?

3. What are your spiritual gifts? You can also take on-line tests for these to help show you the strengths that God has put within you.

4. What is the Father saying to you? It may be a re-occurring thought that resonates as a desire to do something, some good in this world. It may come as comments from friends who know you and recognize your abilities. You may recognize His voice in a particular passion or dream.

5. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you, to give you wisdom and understanding about your particular assignment as a son or daughter of God. Ask Jesus to continually fill you with His Spirit—His understanding will guide you.

You are here for a reason. You have been commissioned of God with an assignment that involves a particular work—both natural and spiritual together. And in that unique field of labor, as you go, preach the gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, cleanse the leprous.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven… For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Matt. 5:16; Eph. 2:10)

J. Nicole – Abba’s daughter
www.identitymatterstoday.com

Moving Forward in Life

Nobody likes feeling stuck, whether it’s with a job situation, a rut in a relationship, a stale internal state, or some other personal impasse. We suffer discouragement, boredom, or disheartenment and wonder how we can unclog the clog. Making progress and experiencing growth is how we are wired as human beings – these make us feel energized and that our engagements in life are meaningful. But a halt in momentum can make us feel buried in the sand by the shore rather than being in the flow of a lively river. Fortunately, being stuck doesn’t mean permanent paralysis; it simply shows that it’s time for new dynamics and strategy for a fresh surge of life.

God has a plan for overcoming the impasses in life—one with wisdom that releases us from the past, moves us through our present, and brings us safely into our future. Here are some helpful tips that I’ve found and used in times when I’ve needed that extra push to get me going out of my prison and into my purpose.

1. Acknowledge your feelings – don’t stuff or ignore them. Feelings are handy—they let you know when something is wrong. Find out “what” they are saying then ask the Holy Spirit to show you “why”—what is the root of the “what”. Then you can address “how” to make changes with God’s wisdom.

2. Forgive – grudges, resentment, and unforgiveness are clogs in wheels. They keep us stuck in a dark moment of the past. Be intentional with Christ-like love that sees God who is able to work all things together for good.

3. Exercise – get your creative juices flowing through physical activity like walking, biking, swimming or even dancing. Physical movement is a good de-stressor that helps clear the mind and empower problem-solving ways of thinking.

4. Identify patterns that may signify this is another trip around a familiar mountain. Is there a stronghold (internal negative belief system) that needs to be broken? Are you self-sabotaging with wrong choices? Ask some wise friends for their input. We all have blind spots in our life.

5. Renew your mind with the Word of God. Create a faith-filled environment for the Holy Spirit to speak fresh counsel to you.

6. Expect the answer to come to you that you need and rest in God’s timing. He is the God of hope (expectation of good). He is faithful.

“Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass” (1 Thess. 5:24).

J. Nicole – Abba’s daughter
www.identitymatterstoday.com

The One Hundred Year Vision Plan

I was inspired by a message today on having a vision plan for your life – one that includes a divine plan and strategy for you, your family, business, ministry, and even your region. And not just for the next twenty, thirty, or even forty years, but for the next one hundred.

That kind of thinking isn’t the “norm” for we Christians who have been raised for the rapture – after all, Jesus could come any moment and all those plans would have been for nothing. So as faithful end-time revivalists, we live and labor for the moment and with the thought of souls today. We don’t think of the souls that will live one hundred years from now (our great, great, great, grandchildren and those of our friends and the people we influence today), let alone plan for their wellbeing.

But we should.

We must.

Why? Because God is the God of families…of generations…of regions and nations. When is Jesus coming? I don’t know, but we must think big. We must think beyond – beyond our years, beyond our personal success, beyond our comforts. After all, Jesus does. He thought of you and me before the world began. He thought of us as He sacrificed His life. He thought of our welfare. He thought of our grandchildren, and beyond. Do our choices, plans and vision extend beyond our retirement? Proverbs 13:22 says that a good man or woman leaves an inheritance to their grandchildren – they think and plan generationally, and not just with monetary wealth, but with who they are as a person—their choices, ethics, spiritual walk, and engagement with God in their God-given calling and abilities.

Good kings think long-term—beyond their years and personal sphere. They see their successors and plan. They view the territory entrusted them and plan long-term for its welfare. They war for its wellbeing not just for the moment, but for its enduring prosperity. We are kings and priests—spiritual fathers and mothers not only of natural children, but of spiritual children and of cities, regions, and nations—nations that will one day be eternally defined by the Lord Himself as either sheep or goats. Our plans and engagements today make a difference for tomorrow’s tomorrow.

I have heard many sermons on “legacy,” but none so impactful as the one I heard today in calling us to make a one hundred year vision plan. What would that vision plan look like for you?

J. Nicole – Abba’s daughter
identitymatterstoday.com

End-Time Love

I like to imagine living in a world where everyone is kind and gracious to one another, accepting and encouraging, looking past differences, failures and weakness to see the treasure hidden inside one another. You know, where people work to forgive and overlook offenses rather than memorizing issues and holding on to grudges…I know, I’m a dreamer. And I’m the first to raise my hand and admit that perfect love is a path I’m continually learning to walk. It is a theme that Father consistently rehearses with me. And no wonder – He IS love!

We live in a world where – as a friend so eloquently put it – we bump into one another’s humanity…or perhaps, at times, it’s more like a crash! But we are called to love and love is the most Christ-like we can ever be. In fact, as Jesus prepared for His last earthly events, He told His disciples —"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35). He knew they would bump and crash, but divine love was to be the prevailing mode of their relationships, one that would be as a beacon of light heralding His Kingdom to those in a dark world.

We are all aware of the times we are living in – a time that Jesus described as being marked with increase deception, false leaders, wars, famines, earthquakes, and persecution, and when the love of many people would grow cold. It’s easy to let love grow cold when we’ve been hurt, rejected, betrayed, or ignored, and life is full of these. It’s “natural” to want to shove back when we’ve been pushed or speak out of pain when we’ve experienced loss because of another’s actions. But the Master Himself “came to His own” and wasn’t received by them—yet He loved them. The world crucified the Creator, yet He loved us and poured out forgiveness in the midst of the pain we inflicted—embracing our death so we can receive His wholeness. He loves us unconditionally and we are to love one another with that same love. It doesn’t mean we condone or justify another’s wrong actions, but it does mean we forgive and extend patience, kindness, goodness, and selflessness, instead of pride, arrogance, rudeness, or reciprocating rejection.

And why are we to love? Because to do so is to be like Dad.

After the apostle John had his heavenly encounter on the isle of Patmos (the Book of Revelation), he wrote to the Churches, “…everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love, does not know God; because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). While the love of many may grow cold in the end-times, Jesus is calling His Body to be as He is – to displace disunity and disapproval with divine embrace, to minister His compassion that springs from the presence of the Holy Spirit, rather than the displeasure that seeps from our flesh.

Prov. 4:18 says that the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. Lord, help us to leave the darkness of night where our humanity bumps and bruises with chaotic crashing, and rise together in the light of Your unceasing love!

J Nicole – Abba’s daughter
pic by aha.jokes.com

The Joy of Receiving You!

We hear about the joy of giving, and how it’s better to give than to receive. But Father has been showing me lately the joy of receiving – and specifically the receiving of one another’s gifts.

Ephesians 4:16 says that each child of God has specific gifts that release a supply of the Spirit needed to build-up Christ’s body and to do the work of the Kingdom. The question is: are we warmly receiving each other’s gifts? Too often we look at one another with natural eyes, with personal tastes, and make decisions based on preferences that determine whether or not we will receive the gift of God within another – their words, insights, helps, wisdom, knowledge, gift of healing, miracles, prophecy, etc. When the heavenly treasure within the earthen vessel is overlooked and not received, so is the supply it brings.

I believe that 2012 is a new season of knowing what our gifts are as well as recognizing the gift of God within one another. Abba Father wants us to see His light within our brothers and sisters instead of seeing our differences. It’s time for the divine family to know each other after the Spirit and not by the flesh. And rather than dismissing another’s supply, ignoring it, or overlooking it, we receive it, affirm it, and embrace what the Holy Spirit gives through them. Can you imagine how strong the body of Christ would become if we did that? How much Kingdom dominion would be released on earth as it is in heaven by such unity? And besides that, it’s just plain fun to receive a gift from God through someone!

You are a gift of God and within you is a light and supply that I need, as do others. My prayer is that you see yourself with heavenly eyes to know what He has put within you – and then give what He’s given you. If it’s helps, then help. If it’s a gift of healing – then minister healing! If it’s prophecy, then prophesy! If it’s teaching, then teach! And if it’s encouragement, then practice encouraging everyone you meet. There’s a whole world out there waiting for the gift and supply of the Spirit inside you.

J. Nicole

Your Identity in Christ Matters Today