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Odds stacked against us :: Monday E-Devotion

Our Chase the Lion series began at The Community Fellowship this weekend, and it is off to an awesome chase.  We talked about defying the odds.  Have you ever felt like the odds were against you?  Been there.  Don't that.
 
In Sunday's sermon we talked about several men in the Bible who were not favored in the events they faced.  David as he went against the giant, Goliath ( 1 Samuel 17).  Benaiah who three situations including cornering a lion and killing it (2 Samuel 23:20-23 and the one our study is named for).  And Gideon who had is army taken from 30,000 to 300 in order to defeat 32,000 from Midia.
 
Here is the gist of the message:
 
Often we ask God to remove the risk in our lives rather than seize the opportunities...we would rather run from situations due to the odds rather than face them...our problems seem big when we perceive our God as being little...
 
Each of those notes reminds me that God has big stuff in store for His kids, you and me.  Yet when we try to avoid risk and stress, we will most likely miss the best that God has for us.
 
Here are two questions I asked (you've heard them before):
 
What would you attempt for God if you knew you couldn't fail?  What would you do in ministry to serve others and lead them to Jesus if money was no problem?
 
Lots of answers.  God has huge things for us.  Lets not miss the opportunities, the results and blessings or the adventure just because it looks like the odds are stacked against us.
 
Ephesians 3:20 (nlt) --- Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
 
Isaiah 55:8-9 (nlt) --- My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the L ord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.  For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,  so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
 
So, join me and The Community Church family as we follow God and become lion chasers.  Here is the Lion Chaser's Manifesto to get your week going with:
 
Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshipping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away. Chase the lion!

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