Don't Rain on My Parade!

Do you ever feel as though you should be doing something and God has gifted you to do it and called you to do it, but..........Here comes the rain, and that rain is designed to cause the parade to be canceled? If you represent the rain, you are in bad company because there will always be those who want to bring the rain of doubt, denial, and put the brakes on that person pursuing the vision. As a minister, it has always been my desire to equip people so they can find themselves in God's vision for their lives. In Ephesians 4:11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Paul was a challenger and an equipper, and that is why the churches he established remained strong and followed the right vision. God's vision!!

What can stop a person from following God's vision for their life? Dead people, or as I call them, "rainy people." They wait till the parade gets going and then they rain down on it in an attempt to keep it from finishing, and even happening. What should have been an awesome transition from a dead Christian into a live Christian is "rained out." The question is "Who can stop the rain?" Alas, God intervenes. His divine plan of attack is to enable the called person to grow in the righteousness provided, and that growth will not only not sit well with others, but also put a target on the back of the one committed to doing it. Part of the equipping is providing a plan of attack for the one called to be able to handle "rain man, or woman!"

Those "rain people" are all serving the one who roars like a lion, but is already defeated, and that is satan. Peter knew about the rain maker, and he says in 1 Peter 5:8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. God enables us to fight the fight, even though it may be with the ones who are closest to us. Luke 14:25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

Get yourself under clearer skies and realize the full extent of your call, and God will do great things in the clear air. Don't worry about the clouds, live in the light of His presence, and He will keep the rainy days away. If you are one of the rainy people, get out of the way of God and let Him do His FULL work in the called person's life, and you will be blessed also.

Today's Message,

David Warren