FROM THE CEO |
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Jonah was spit out of the fish, he didn ' t have any problems doing what God asked. We often say he hit the ground running to accomplish God ' s will. Looking back, we can see that the hard times were when God was molding and shaping us, so we could accomplish more by operating in His anointing and power. Those things come only by the hand of God in what appears to be difficult situations. These breakthroughs often come in the middle of tough situations, and we realize,β Oh yeah, God, now I see what Youβ re doing.β
Maybe in your life right now you ' re thinking,β God, how can this be? God, am I in your will?β I hear people questioning themselves, wondering if they are in God ' s will because things are so difficult. Well, you most likely are in God ' s will, and you will have a breakthrough moment. You didn ' t get to where you are today in your spiritual maturity and growth because everything was easy. You got there because you went through the tests of time and the trying of your faith.
I want to encourage you in the midst of what seems like a battle, or what would be a battle, in a time of stress. Know this: when we give our lives to God, He takes us, and He leads us according to His will and purpose; He takes us from victory to victory. Have you thought about what that means to go from victory to victory? It means you ' re continually being molded, you ' re stretched. And when you accomplish one test and the trying of your faith and one victory, He prepares another victory. And the next victory that He prepares is a step above the last one, and it continues that way. Every victory is built upon a foundation that God has laid, but every victory takes us to a new plateau. We can accomplish more. We can operate more effectively within the calling that God has placed on our life. But itβ s like building muscles; itβ s like runners
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extending their endurance. God does that to us spiritually. Not because He doesn ' t like us, but because He loves us, and He has a plan that ' s far better and far bigger than our individual plans. We realize that when we look back on our life and can then see the handiwork of God. It ' s so hard to realize when you ' re in the midst of the battle. The very thing that may be consuming you right now, today, may be the very thing God is going to use not only to grow and mature you but to change other people ' s lives.
I recently spent a day at a major motorcycling event and noticed many CMA members present. God has mentored and grown us and shown us what He wants us to be. It made me think about the scripture where Jesus said Heβ d leave the ninety-nine and go after the one( Luke 15). That is, in fact, what you and I are doing within the ministry of CMA. I thank God for the church; it ' s a foundation and a place of strengthening. But any church that ' s effective in any ministry is going to the highways and the byways, in essence leaving the ninety-nine and going into the world to reach that one that is lost. That one makes a difference, and God has called you and me to reach out in search of them. We say it a little differently in CMA. We say, changing the world, one heart at a time, but when you think about it, that in essence is exactly what we ' re doing. We ' re leaving the ninety-nine, and going after the one, as our faith is tried. We can become more effective in the Kingdom of God.
I know that in my own life, I ' ve walked through some real tests of time. I ' ve prayed this many times in my life, and probably you have too:β God, give me a break; I can ' t handle any more of this. Please help me.β When all the while God has us cradled in His hand to protect us as He molds us, so we can be more effective for what He ' s
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called us to do. What about the meaning of life? Without understanding the call of God on our lives, without being stretched and molded, without being developed or truly inconvenienced, we might not even know the meaning of life. Yet we can have perfect peace even in the midst of the walk of faith.
Godβ s Word says in John 16:33( NKJV):β These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.β
We ' re overcomers in Christ Jesus. I want to encourage you today. With the difficulties that you ' re walking in, know that God has us in the center of His hand. If we yield to Him, He will accomplish His will for our lives. We may go through some difficult stuff, and we will, but we will see the purpose and the results of lives being touched and changed. None of us within the ministry of CMA who are running the highways and byways will escape going through testing and trials, but in all of that, we ' ll become more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. Be encouraged.
Know that God is faithful, and if we strive to follow Him, He will perfect what He has called us to do. I hope to see you on the road. Mrs. Becky and I will be out and about. We ' re preparing to go to various events. Follow God; trust Him, for through Him we will be victorious. Amen. CMA
John Sr and Becky Ogden, John serves as CEO / Chairman of the Board of Directors.
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