Pastor Jason Anderson

"... that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:17-18 NKJV)

The saints here are you and the people around you. Treasure is sitting in the seat next to you, in front of you, behind you. I know you have great friends at work and in your neighborhood, but for me, the most significant relationships have always been found and cultivated in the church.

"Now David was greatly distressed... but David strengthened himself in the LORD his God." (1 Samuel 30:6 NKJV)

If you've been struggling, I want you to know your second wind is coming. There are places you want to go in your marriage, family, health, and finances, and God built you to win—not to end where you started, but to take that promised land.

"He made him ride in the heights of the earth, that he might eat the produce of the fields; He made him draw honey from the rock..." (Deuteronomy 32:13 NKJV)

God is hiding goodness among the difficulties. The riches, the goodness, the best pleasures—the promises of God—are honey, but the honey is in the rock. The best of the produce will come from the hardest of places.

What's the solution to overcoming temptation in your life? Here it is. Don't take what Satan brings you. The enemy is a liar; sometimes, the deception is so great that we make a treaty with it. We keep it around like it's a part of us, like it's serving us, but don't do that... it's a trap.

"Away with you, Satan!" (Matthew 4:10 NKJV)

In the Word, there is often an assignment attached to a breakthrough. In John 2, Jesus tells the servants at the wedding feast to "fill the jars with water." If they hadn't, they wouldn't have seen a miracle. The Israelites... if they don't cross the Jordan, they don't get a miracle; if they don't circle Jericho seven times, they don't receive their breakthrough. "Do whatever He tells you." (John 2:5)

Too many believers are walking around with the power of Christ pent up inside, waiting for Jesus to fix everything. I know sometimes we have to wait on the Lord, but today I want you to know that sometimes the Lord is waiting on you. Let's talk about three Bible stories where each initiated a miracle: Mary, Peter, and the Blind Bartimaeus. See God's hand in your life; take the initiative and unleash the power of God into your world.

"Then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain." (Isaiah 4:5-6 NKJV)

We are citizens of the Kingdom of God, and Isaiah describes those planted in God's house—a people positioned above the mess unaffected by the storm. There may be trouble, noise, and despair in the land, but in the assembly, there is shelter. It's a place of refuge and rest, a place you can flourish and be blessed, even when the land is a mess.

"Then He brought him outside and said, 'Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.' And He said to him, 'So shall your descendants be.'" (Genesis 15:5 NKJV) It's time to look up at the stars and remember what God said. When you remember what He has promised, you get back into hope, into faith. You release the hand of God, and the power of His word will explode into your life!

At the cross, Jesus purchased every promise for us, including restoration. So, no matter what you have lost, according to His Word, you can believe God for restoration. And the thing about our God is that He doesn't only restore you; He brings you more—His promise is a double portion.

"Instead of your shame, you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace, you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours." (Isaiah 61:7 NIV)

Everything is fighting for your resources, maybe now more than ever. The news, politics, gas prices, social media, Netflix... they're all loud, and they all want your attention. But my Bible says, "Do not be conformed to this world." It's all just noise—weeds—fighting for your resources.

"Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things, come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful." (Mark 4:18-19)