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FOUND Part 5 (Driving permit and a Judge)

3/8/2011

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My son turned 15 this past December. He has been so excited about getting his driving permit. He asked me everyday since then. I looked at the Department of Transportation a few times, but I kept putting it off. Everything was different than when we went through the process with his brother. So I just didn't want to mess with it. 

Recently we were hanging out as a family at home, and my son asked me again about his permit (As only a 15 year old can). I got up, stormed to the computer, and began to "get it done!" He came in and said, "Dad you don't have to do this right now," but I wasn't going to let that stop me. I was getting it done NO MATTER WHAT! Obviously my attitude was horrible. I spent a few minutes figuring out what the new guidelines were, printed off the documents, filled them out, wrote the check, and took it to the mailbox IMMEDIATELY! It was 9:30p.m., but that didn't matter! IT WAS DONE! I came back into the kitchen feeling pretty smug, when my wife simply said, "He just wants to start driving, and he just wanted you to do what you said you would." Truth!!  

The final letter in the word FOUND is "D." It stands for Destiny! My son's destiny, getting his permit, was dependent on me doing my part as his father. He was simply asking me to do what I said I would do. He was 15, his grades are good, and he is a great kid!  He did his part, and now I had to do mine. His destiny was attached to me. He had all the other elements in place, and it was time to fulfill his Destiny...to drive!  

There is a great story in the Bible about a persistent widow (Luke 19:1-8). The widow kept asking a judge, who didn't care about God or people, to help her because her rights were being violated. The judge would never give her the time of day. She kept asking over, and over, and over again. Finally the Judge said, "I care nothing about about what God thinks, even less about what people think. But because this widow won't quit badgering me, I'd better do something and see that she gets justice..." The judge finally gave in, albeit belligerently,  just  like me. She needed HIM to get her Destiny fulfilled!  Jesus said something pretty amazing after he shared the story, "Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think that God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help." 

All of us have a God given Destiny. It's His desire to fulfill it, but we fail to Ask. Therefore our Destiny is never achieved. It's not to late...Begin right now! You may feel incredibly lost right now, but you can be FOUND! Put or renew your Faith in Jesus Christ (Rom.10:9-10;13). Believe that you can experience Oneness with Him (John 17:21). Be Undaunted in your approach  (Hebrews 4:16). Choose to live a Noble life (I Peter 1:16), and be persistent with the Father to fulfill your Destiny (Jeremiah 29:11; Philippians 1:16). 

It worked for my son! I mailed off that paperwork because he wouldn't leave me alone. Now pretty soon he'll be driving. Imagine all that God desires to do for us if we are just willing to Ask! 

You can be FOUND!   


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A Baby Monkey, A Pig, & Purpose...You Can Be Found

2/28/2011

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My son's FOUND and shared this amazing video with me a while back. It is a song about a baby monkey riding on a pig. It is amazing! I mean, how can you not like a song and a video about a baby monkey riding on a pig? It really doesn't matter if we like it or not, because over 5,000,000 people sure do!!  

After watching the video, I went to the Youtube channel that posted it. He has songs and videos about cats flushing toilets (5 million views), a boogie woogie hedge hog (3 million views), and the best burrito I've ever eaten (1 million views). All total 12,000,000 +  people have viewed his channel. Pretty incredible! I bet friends of his said he was stupid, crazy, ridiculous, and dare I say "childish." He apparently didn't care...their remarks and criticism didn't stop him from doing what he loved & was meant to do.

The "U" in the word FOUND stands for "Undaunted." What a great word! It means, "Not intimidated or discouraged by difficulty, disappointment, or danger." Whether it's a Youtube Channel, a new business venture, or some other leap of faith, there will always be negative people & circumstances we face in our paths. There are people armed with a mission to discourage, distract, and intimidate you away from your your God given dreams! Your desire to be FOUND and fulfill your purpose in this life, will be met with words & phrases like "that's impossible," "how will you," "I hope you know what you are doing!" We can't let this stop us!

Jesus wasn't distracted, intimidated, or detoured from what He was put on earth to do. The Bible tell us about people who tried to keep Him away from His purpose, but ultimately He knew He was here to do His Father's will, not man's. I'm so thankful He was obedient. Because He was undaunted by people's words and comments, He was able to die and rise again, so that all of us could have the opportunity to believe and be FOUND ourselves. Jesus said, "when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself." (Matthew 12:32)

Satan Himself,
Jesus' closest friends, and many others tried to stop Him, but He chose to fulfill  His purpose in spite of all the negativity He faced. Because he was Undaunted, we can have forgiveness, hope, and life forever.

We need to be Undaunted! We have been given gifts and creative abilities. We each have a purpose & destiny in this life that was prepared for us before time began (Ephesians 2:10). As believers we can  use those gifts & abilities to share this amazing message of faith, hope, and love with our neighbors, co-workers, community, and others we come in contact with day to day. 

Everyone hasn't been called to make up random songs about monkeys riding on a pigs, but what you were designed to do may feel just as crazy to you at times. We need to do it anyway! You never know...there may be 5,000,000 people waiting for you to fulfill your God given destiny, so they can be FOUND too.  


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Iphones, Whataburger, Digging Through the Trash, & Oneness...You can be FOUND

2/28/2011

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I love my Iphone. I love Whataburger. I love Fun Dip. Those three "loves" really have nothing to do with this story. Well, I guess you could say that two out of the three (Iphone and Whataburger) have a little to do with it. 

After an A Day Of Disaster concert (our boys' band at the time), we stopped at Whataburger to grab a burger and chill before heading home.  I had just purchased my first Iphone, and I was pretty dang excited about it!  Somehow, in all the excitement and "love" of  burgers and phones, and obviously  unknown at the time to me, the Iphone ended up in the trash! 

When I arrived home I realized exactly what  had happened,  so I panicked!  I called Whataburger., and the girl on the phone said she looked, but that it wasn't in the trash. I knew she probably DIDN'T LOOK so I took off! I knew I would find it!  It was as if I was "ONE" with my Iphone! I went in the restaurant, walked right up to the large gray dumpster, and (with a borrowed phone) called my number. There it was! I could see something  glowing in the bottom of the trash bag! I ripped the bag open, wiped off the ketchup, pickles, and gravy, and walked out of Whataburger victorious!  My Iphone was lost, and now it was FOUND!  

The "O" in the word FOUND stands for "Oneness." Oneness is a great word! I recently read this quote, "Let there be such Oneness that when one cries the other tastes the salt." That's close! Jesus Christ prayed in John 17 "I pray also for those who will believe in me through THEIR message, that all of them may be One, Father, just as you are in me and I am in You. May we also be in them so that the world may believe that  You have sent me."

Jesus' desire and prayer was that people would believe and be FOUND. His desire becomes reality when believers, that know what it feels like to be FOUND, display Oneness with Christ and one another. If you have been FOUND, as I have, Oneness should be the prayer and attitude of our hearts. Jealousy, competition, bitterness, resentment, judgement, and division are enemies of that prayer. There are people around you today that need to be FOUND! The lack of Oneness in your life will never draw people to you, and in turn they won't find Jesus through your life.

If you are still searching I want you to know that the Words Jesus prayed 2000 years ago still reverberate through time. The desire is still the same. That you would believe. Make this declaration today, "Jesus I believe in You. I have been so lost, and I want desperately to be FOUND. Find me today and forgive me as I put my faith in You." 

Take a minute and look around you today. I know there is someone in a cubicle beside you, in an office across the hall, or on the job site with you that was lost and now they are FOUND too. They can help you know what to do and where to go next. Feel free to send us an e-mail through our contact link. Donna and I can now experience this Oneness that Jesus was talking about with you. We'd  love to send you some information about what to do next, and help you find a place where you can connect with other believers.

It's so awesome to be FOUND!

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August Rush, A Man Named Wizard, Faith...You can be FOUND!  

2/25/2011

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If you are lost don't lose hope...you can be FOUND! 

I love the movie "August Rush." My wife and kids introduced it to me a few weeks back, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried like a baby! It was AWESOME! The story is about a young boy who is a musical prodigy. He grows up in an orphanage believing all the while that one day he will be FOUND by his true parents. He hears music all around him, and believes that the music is guiding him home. He ignores the ridicule of others in the orphanage and continues to believe that one day he will be reunited with his parents. Does he? You'll have to get the movie to find out!  

In one scene Evan, the boy from the orphanage, is with a man named Wizard. Wizard asks him, "What do you want to be in the whole world? I mean the whole  world. What do you want to be? Now close your eyes and think about that." August closes his eyes and thinks for a few seconds and then replies, "FOUND!"  

The letter "F" in the word "FOUND" stands for "FAITH!" "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance in what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1) 

Evan had faith that he would be found. All he had was hope, but when hope is in the right Source it always sees results. His faith weathered disappointments, setbacks, and struggles, but he never stopped believing that what he hoped for would become reality. He saw and felt that hope in every moment that came his way.  He heard hope in the wind, saw hope in the sky, and was determined to see it in every circumstance he faced, both good and bad. His faith was unwavering and his hope undeterred. 

In James1:2-8 it tells us that we will face tough times in life. Why? Verse 3 in the message says it is because under pressure our "faith-life is forced out into the open and shows it's true colors." We tend  to base our hope on what we can see, feel, experience, and get now. We get scared, quit, or find something to sooth our fear (compulsive behavior, addiction, or escape), and miss out on the fulfillment of the dream. True faith doesn't waver just because things don't happen as quickly as we'd like or because someone else doesn't believe in what we are doing. True Faith waits with anticipation, patience, and perseverance until what God promised becomes reality. 

Evan dreamed of being found. Nothing and no one was going to change what he believed. Like Evan we all dream of being found. We desire to find our true purpose in this life. Not the purpose others dictate for us, but the purpose God intended we live out.

Our lives obviously aren't a movie. We will waver, stumble, doubt,  and become discouraged. We  may even come to a place where we think "Is this even worth it?"  I've thought that recently myself. But we have to believe what we are pursuing is a God given assignment and PRESS ON!

Take a minute &
go outside. Look around. Breathe in deeply and listen. Recall the promises of God to us through His Word. Recall all the times He's been faithful Listen  and hear His voice. The voice that called all of what you hear and see into existence. His presence, IN YOU, will assure you that faith in Him through His Son Jesus Christ will, both now and for all eternity, be reality! You can be FOUND! 
(Hebrews 11; James 1:1-8; Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 8:28;Philippians 1:16)

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    Steven & Donna Carroll are 26 year veterans of student ministry, people development, and conference production & speaking. They are called to awaken others to the truth as they are awakened themselves by the Holy Spirit! 

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