Now Thrive
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2019 was all about Level Up! God’s desire was for us to level up in our faith, finances, relationships, attitudes, careers, education, service, witness and walk. It was all about next level living. Building rich relationships. Hearing God’s voice. I am a Church Member. It’s not about me. It’s all about God’s kingdom. True Worshippers. Seeing and worshipping God in every area of your life. And my personal favorite, Winward! When we follow God, every move we make takes us in a winning direction. When I’m moving backwards, I’m winning. When I’m moving sideways, I’m winning. When I standstill and see the salvation of the Lord, I’m winning. Go ahead and look at the scoreboard. When you think I’m losing, I’m winning. The last time that I checked, I’m way too gifted to be broke or broken; depressed or distressed; rejected or restricted. I’m going to use my gift until I break through to the next level and the next level and the next level. I’m gifted and don’t you forget it. Through every song we sang, prayer we prayed, lesson we taught and sermon we preached, God was teaching us how to live on the next level; a new level! Let me be clear. Some of you still need to go back and listen to everything we shared. You didn’t put in the work. Leveling up wasn’t automatic. It wasn’t mechanized. It wasn’t push-button or knee-jerk. Shout MORE! It required more faith in the Father; more devotion to His word, more obedience to His will, more sacrifice for the goal, and more discipline to keep moving forward.
For those who leveled up in 2019, life was no crystal stair. It had tacks in it, and splinters, and boards torn up, and places with no carpet on the floor. Bare. But you kept climbing, reaching landings and turning corners. You fought for every step. That’s why you appreciate waking up in 2020 so much. Because you were faithful, NOW thrive! Because you endured, NOW thrive! Because you trusted God and kept moving, NOW thrive!
2020 is your year. Now thrive! That’s what John was telling his beloved community of Christian believers. He called them sheep. The followers of Christ are the sheep. Christ is the Good Shepherd. John said, “sheep!” They said, “Yes.” He said, “since you followed the Good Shepherd, now thrive.” David said, when you follow the Shepherd, you shall not want. You will lie down in green pastures. You will drink from beside still streams. Your soul will be restored. He will lead you in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Now thrive! There’s a prepared table for you in the presence of your enemies. Now thrive! You’re anointed. Now thrive! Your cup runs over. Now thrive! Goodness and mercy will follow you home, to work, to school, to college, to church, to everywhere you go! Now thrive in God’s presence all the days of your life!
If you’re going to thrive in 2020, you have to let God guide you! John 10:1-6. Get it. We’re the sheep. God is the Good Shepherd. John is teaching us that sheep thrive when they hear the voice of God, the Good Shepherd, and follow Him. Hear. Follow. Thrive! Hear the voice and follow the Good Shepherd. His voice guides the sheep. Like Siri. Like Wayz. God gives turn-by-turn directions that you can hear and see! He guides. As a matter of fact, God you can go ahead and put in the destination for me. Guide me. I get lost in my own city. Guide me. I get lost in my own thoughts. Guide me. I used to hear my granddad, Bo Bo singing, GUIDE me, O thou great Jehovah. Pilgrim through this barren land. I am weak, but Thou art mighty. Hold me with Thy powerful hand. Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more! He was saying guide me, God! We thrive when we let God guide us.
Ok. I have a question. Where is the Good Shepherd guiding the sheep? From green pasture to green pasture. He’s guiding them from one green pasture to the next green pasture. Get this. While the sheep is grazing in this green pasture, the Good Shepherd goes ahead of them and finds the next green, not brown, pasture. It’s green over here. They can thrive over here. He then reverse engineers the best path for them to take. Then He guides them along the best path! Hear. Follow. Thrive!
God guided me. On July 3, 1974, He guided me to Gloria Blash and Jessie Gates. He guided me through John B. Gordon Elementary School. He guided me through ML King Middle School. He guided me through Southside Comprehensive High School. He guided me through Morris Brown College and Ga Tech. He guided me to Corning, NY. He guided me Toi Michelle Walton. He guided us to Destiny Joi. He guided us to Living Waters. He’s guiding Living Waters from the Beam to Brownwood. We’re going to thrive in 2020!
If you’re going to thrive in 2020, you have to let God guide you! Here’s another point. If you’re going to thrive in 2020, you have to let God guard you! He guides and He guards. He protects. He defends. He shelters. He secures. He locks down. He fortifies. He standing guard armed with angel armies ready to defend you. I am the door of the sheep. Notice, John moved from a Good Shepherd that guides to a Good Shepherd Sheep guards. He is the door of the sheep. Verse 8 & 9. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and find pasture. He’s guarding us because there are intruders. John called them thieves and robbers. Thieves. People who steal when you’re not looking. Robbers. People who steal while you’re looking.
That’s why you can’t follow the voice of a stranger; the message in your DM; the voice on your video games. They might be thieves and robbers. They want to steal from you. They aren’t trying to lead you from one thriving place to the next. They steal sheep because of the wool on the sheep. They steal the sheep to steal the wool. They sell the stolen wool. The value is in the wool. It’s your covering. They steal the sheep to sell what’s covering the sheep. The wool. That’s why the enemy is always trying to steal from you. He wants what’s all over you. He wants your wool. He wants your anointing. He want’s your favor. He wants your grace. He wants your covering. He wants your gifts. He wants your vision. He wants your passion. He wants your purpose. He wants your power. He wants to steal your covering. Aren’t you glad God is standing by you like a Bodyguard? Aren’t you glad God is watching over you like Ring? Aren’t you glad God is watching over you like Norton and McAfee anti-virus. He’s running in the background. Making sure you don’t get infected by a virus. Aren’t you glad God is guarding you like the Secret Service? There are times when you can’t see Him, but He’s always there guarding your life!
I think of the life of Joseph, the dreamer. He had a coat of many colors. His brothers hated him. When they wanted to get rid of him, they stripped him of his coat. They stripped him of his covering. But I love God! You can take my coat, but you can’t take my covering! God covered him in the pit. God covered him in the palace. God covered him in prison. God covered him so he could thrive!
In 2020, God is going to guard you so you can thrive! Guard my mind. Guard my heart. Guard my faith. Guard my spouse and kids. Guard my mouth and money. Guard my school and college. Guard my Living Waters and community. Guard faith, family and friends. Guard my business and career. Guard every area of my life.
God has been guiding and guarding me. That’s why I’m thriving! He knows where He wants me and He knows who to keep from me.
Verse 10. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. Listen. I came that they might have life and have it abundantly. God gifted us Jesus and Jesus provides life for us! He provides life and life more abundantly! Life. Alive. And life more abundantly. Thrive! You’re alive so you can thrive! The thief takes. God provides. If you’re going to thrive in 2020, you have to let God provide for you!
Recently, FBI agents arrested 29 year-old Arlando Henderson for allegedly stealing more than $88,000 in cash while he worked at Wells Fargo Bank in Charlotte. On at least 18 accounts in 2019, Henderson stole cash from the vault then later deposited the money into his own account. He then destroyed certain documents and falsified entries in the banks books to cover up the theft. Here’s how they caught him. He had pics on his social media account of him holding large stacks of cash. He put down a large sum of cash on a 2019 Benz. He didn’t have to steal. You don’t have to steal.
God is always providing for us! You don’t have to steal what God is willing to provide for you.
Phil 4:19. And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. God provides so you can thrive! Ps 81:10. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. God provides so you can thrive! Mt. 6:33. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. God provides so you can thrive! Mt. 21:22. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. 2 Cor. 9:8. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. God provides all grace so you can thrive in all good works! If I have enough grace, I can get the job done!
I’m done. We can’t help but thrive in 2020. God is guiding us, guarding us and providing for us every step of the way! Now THRIVE! The I am that I am, God, provided the I am, Jesus for us! The I am that I am pinched off some of His I am-ness and gave us Jesus. John described Him as the I am!
John 6:35. I am the bread of life. John 8:12. I am the light of the world. John 10:7. I am the door of the sheep. John 11:25. I am the resurrection and the life. John 10:11. I am the Good Shepherd. John 14:6. I am the way, the truth and the life. John 15:1. I am the true vine.
I’m thriving! I’m prospering! I’m enjoying more than enough because He’s providing! The great I am provides for me! I have everything I need! You’re my strength when I am weak. You’re money when my bills are due. You’re medicine when my body is sick. You’re direction when I’m lost. You’re light when I’m in the dark. You’re love when I’m feeling lonely. You’re hope when I’m feeling despair. You’re my everything!
Kevin Hart. One year to make it. Holy Bible. Everything he needed! Kevin Hart tells the story of how he got started. He went to his mom and told her he wanted to be a comedian. He didn’t want to go to school. She told him she would support him for one year. He packed up. Before he left, she gave him a Holy Bible. She said when things get rough, read your Bible. When money gets tight, read your Bible. He grabbed the Bible and off he went. After a few months, thing got tough. He called him mom. Mom, I can’t pay my bills. Can you send me some rent money? She said, “Kevin, have you read your Bible?” He was agitated. Can you just send me the money? She said, go read your Bible. He picked it up. She said, “turn to the 23 Psalms”. There was a check for his rent. Turn to Matt 6:33. There was money for food. Everything you needed to make it was in God’s word! Now Thrive!
In 2020, everything you need to make it is in God’s word! Love is in His word! Joy is in His word! Peace is in His word. Prosperity is in His word. Growth is in His word. Promotion is in His word. Now Thrive!