The Abundant Life Blueprint

Here is today's communion meditation.   Hebrews 13:9 says, " Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so." It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace. Recently I heard someone say God's grace is his willingness to use his ability for us even...

Here is today's communion meditation. Yesterday we talked about the 2 connector questions, which are: 1) What energizes, motivates, excites a person? 2) What pushes their buttons... gets them angry, frustrated, weighed down, etc? Something I have observed is that in our relationships we tend to be focused more on the energizing motivating side of these questions or we are more focused on the butto...

Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update.   As we get started with a new year it's a reminder to be continually learning. As we spend time with God, he will help us get clear on his plan and purpose for our life. And we must develop some skills along the way to walk it out, but thankfully God will be our mentor and send us mentors as well.  This is a good time to think about what new skil...

Here is today's communion meditation.   A friend of mine used to lead a fairly large church and he would say that the key to knowing people and connecting with them are the 2 connector questions.  The connector questions are: 1) What energizes, motivates, excites them? 2) What pushes their buttons... gets them angry, frustrated, weighed down, etc?  When we know these two things abou...

Here is today's communion meditation.   The New Year is a reminder of a fresh start and a time to examine ourselves. God has given us purpose and grace in Christ Jesus before time ever began. He has a plan and purpose for our life, and sometimes our desires and motivations can give us a clue as to what God put us here to do. What do you really want to do or are excited to do? These can be clu...

Here is today's communion meditation. Yesterday we looked at the passage in Ephesians 1 that says Jesus is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named. Today we are looking at Ephesians 2:4-7 which says that we have also been raised up with Christ and seated in the heavenly realms with him.  Ephesians 2:4-7   - But because of his great love for...

Here is today's communion meditation. In Ephesians 1 is a prayer that is part of our Daily Prayer. In verses 20-21 it says... That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 God exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21   far above   all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the p...

Here is today's communion meditation.   Yesterday I was reading in John 19 about the crucifixion of Jesus and there is a little detail that says in the place where he was crucified there was a garden(John 19:41). It's very interesting that the Bible starts in a garden with Adam and Eve and that in the place where Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead there was also a garden.  In tod...

Here is today's communion meditation. The other day I was thinking about how John 1 tells us that Jesus was full of grace and truth. Not just grace and not just truth, but the combination of the two.   These two must need to go together.  In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the importance of the combination of grace and truth and to help us walk in a higher level...

Here is today's communion meditation.   The other day we talked about how the God's native language is the truth.   While thinking   about this I was reminded of a section in my book "The 8th Date," about how truth is progressive. Here is the passage: God is orderly and sequential. Truth is no different. Truth is universally true no matter where you are, but truth must start as...

Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update. This year our message is God Saved the Best Until Now. As we get started with a new year remember to find joy in the process. Any new goals are going to require a process and finding joy in the process is our indicator that we are fully present. And presence is what I call the grace table turner that helps all the good things God put within us flow through...

Here is today's communion meditation. The other day I was reading in John 8 where Jesus says that the native language of the Devil is lies, and I began to think about the reciprocal of this which would be that the native language of God is truth. The Bible tells us that all things are possible for God, except one thing... It is impossible for God to lie. Ephesians also tells us that we will be mat...

Here is today's communion meditation.   Recently I was having a conversation with a friend about how some leaders have exceptionally high standards for excellence, but sometimes these high standards can come with a lot of pressure on themselves and others. Having high standards for excellence is a good thing but they must be balanced with a lot of grace to take the pressure off.  God is...

Here is today's communion meditation.   Something I observed while working in gyms for years is that very strong people very rarely test their strength to see what they can do. They usually leave some margin, while people who weren't as strong were always testing their limits.  Proverbs 21:20 says, "There is desirable treasure and olive oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish pers...

Here is today's communion meditation. Psalm 8:5 says God made Jesus a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. Lately I have been thinking about what it means to be crowned with glory and the significance of this for us.  In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the importance of why Jesus was crowned with glory and what it mean...

Here is today's communion meditation.   One of the concepts in our Order Blueprint, is called Rhythm Structures. Rhythm can be used to help us create more structure and order in our lives. The Old Testament temple had a rhythm of things that were to be done on the yearly cycle of feasts, monthly, on the weekly sabbath, and daily. And our bodies are God's temple now. In today's communion we ar...

Happy New Year! In 2022 our message was the Year of the Beautiful Land. Here are a couple of the main learning lessons from 2022. The beautiful land was the promised land, which is a reminder of all of the promises we have in Christ. We have great and precious   promises and no good thing does God withhold from us. If he sent us Jesus to die for our   sins, how would he not gra...

Happy New Year! Here is today's communion meditation. With 2022 ending and the new year starting today I was reminded of a section from my book "The 8th Date," that talks about endings and new beginnings. When we truly understand God's grace it brings us to the end of ourselves, because we learn to rely on and trust in God. But what seems like the end is actually a new beginning.  Today's com...

Here is today's communion meditation. This time of year, between Christmas and New Year's always reminds me of Isaiah 61, which is the passage that Jesus reads from the scroll when he starts his ministry. Part of that passage is that we would be a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand how to display his splendor and to wa...

Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update. A few years ago, I learned that the 12 Days of Christmas officially start on Christmas Day, which makes New Year's Day the 8th day of Christmas. This means that if Jesus was born on December 25th that New Year's Day would have been the day when he was circumcised and given his name.  Circumcision is a reminder of our covenant and partnership with...

Here is today's communion meditation.   One of the most important lessons I have ever learned, and also one of the most challenging, is to give ourselves grace. We often put too much pressure on ourselves, beat ourselves up, and condemn ourselves. And when we do this, it seems to block the flow of God's grace through us.  Symptoms of this are heaviness, pressure, and a lack of peace/joy/...

Here is today's communion meditation.  2 Peter 1:10-11 says, Therefore, brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you practice these things you will never stumble, 11and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.… This verse comes after we are told to add to our faith things like goodness, knowledge, perseve...

Here is today's communion meditation. The other day I was reminded of the gift of God's precious promises to us. 2 Peter 1:3-4 says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine n...

Here is today's communion meditation.   The other day I was reading Psalm 128 and was amazed at some of the promises, especially for our families. In today's communion we are asking God to help us receive these amazing promises. 1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord,  who walk in obedience to him. 2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;  blessings and prosperity will be yours. 3 Your...

Here is today's communion meditation. Every year during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day I like to take a little time to reflect on the year and create my Miracle Year Plan for the next year. For the upcoming year in 2023 I am excited because we have a new workbook/journal planner to put our plans in. For about a decade I have been seeking God for what I call a "Success Indicator," wh...