Dave’s Monday Blast – November 4, 2014
What a great morning we had on Saturday. We spent time in prayer around our breakfast tables for unsaved loved ones, co-workers, employees and neighbors. We prayed for the forthcoming elections tomorrow and for the persecuted Christian Church around the globe. We finished our morning listening to the inspiring story of Dr. Ken Campbell. Ken is truly a man of intention. He shared how God re-directed and re-purposed his life through a tragic event. That event could have shackled him with bitterness and despair, but he made the INTENTIONALdecision to trust that God had a wonderful plan for his life; one that ultimately exceeded the plans Ken had for himself.
As he recounted for us his story we began to see how God used what appeared to be a tragedy to bring glory to Himself; the good news of Jesus Christ would be shared countless times in the ensuing years because of the events that reshaped Ken’s life. It affirmed what Men of Intention know to be true; God’s will for our lives is to bring Him glory.
His story reminded me of a saying I heard recently: There are two ends to every chain! One end binds us, the other can set us free. It begs the question … are you chained to something that has you shackled…one that is keeping you from making choices that bring honor to him? Is there something that prohibits you from experiencing God’s best for your life? I think of two accounts in Scripture that illustrate this truth, the first is found in Acts 12 and concerns the Apostle Peter shackled and imprisoned through no fault of his own, the second account is found in Acts 16 and recounts the story of the Apostle Paul experiencing the same plight.
In both accounts, these Men of Intention were shackled with no hope of being set free…but God! In the face of overwhelming odds we find the Lord step into their circumstances, grab the other end of the chain and set them free to accomplish His purposes.
As you read these two accounts you will notice something remarkable…both Peter and Paul were not only confident that God had them right where He wanted them, but we find them rejoicing and singing songs of praise. They KNEW that their circumstances were part of God’s plan and He would break those chains in His time and in His way.
Two ends to every chain…there is that end that has you bound, burdened and beholding. That chain is cumbersome and heavy, but if we allow Him…God will grab hold of the other end of that chain and break those bonds setting you free to experience His best for you. Like Ken, we must make that Intentional decision to accept where God has us, trust that He is working out a plan that not only brings glory to Him, but one that is best for us and then….rejoice. Read Habakkuk 3:17-19.
