Word of the Week - Resurrection Power - Christ is Risen!!!!!!!!

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.  Romans 8:11For followers of Christ, the death and Resurrection of Jesus over 2000 years ago is by far the most significant event in world history.  Jesus death by crucifixion and His resurrection from the grave are historically recorded events that changed the world.  These facts are most meaningful because of their spiritual significance in that through His death on the cross Jesus bore the sin of all mankind (past, present and future) so we can be saved from the wrath of God through forgiveness of our sins and have eternal life.  ¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.  This is truly Good News for us to embrace by faith and celebrate on this special Easter day.  By accepting and believing in Christ and what He did for us on the cross, we receive the full benefits of the Resurrection.  First and foremost, we receive access to forgiveness of our sins by the blood of the Jesus, the lamb of God who was slain on our behalf.  This is what allows us to be restored to fellowship with God our Father and have eternal salvation.  This is the “Good News” and truly the focus of this day, but there is much more for us to receive in Christ through what transpired on the cross at Calgary.  Through the cross we have access to the same power that allowed Jesus to rise from the dead.  God has empowered us as His sons and daughters to walk out our faith with confidence and trust in Him, which is what activates this power in our day to day lives.The following are 5 additional benefits/opportunities for His resurrection power to come alive within us:

• Resurrect Hope – “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5
• Resurrect Purpose – “ For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared for us in advance” Ephesians 2:10
• Resurrect Faith –  ^“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7
• Resurrect Joy – “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:2  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13
• Resurrect Life – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10  “In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:19

In a world that lacks hope, purpose, faith, joy and life; Easter (Resurrection Day) is a day that reminds us that we have access to God’s power so His life can come alive in each of us.  Jesus is the source of Resurrection.  "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;” John 11:25Have a blessed Easter…-Duane

Word of the Week - Benefits of the Cross

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.  Psalm 103:2-5As we celebrate Palm Sunday and enter into Holy week, I am reminded of what Jesus actually did for us through His crucifixion on the Cross at Calgary.  First and foremost, He gave us Eternal Salvation by taking on our sin and paying our debt so we can have relationship with our heavenly Father.  This is the most meaningful gift ever, but He did not stop there and many Christians miss out on the best things of the Christian life because they don’t step into receiving the full benefits of the power of the Cross that includes:

• Healing in our bodies – “He himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness;  by his wounds we are healed.” 1 Peter 2:24.  Our God is a healer and promises that we have access to physical healing through faith in Jesus.
• Peace of Mind – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”  John 4:27.  The Lord desires that His children have supernatural peace even in the toughest trials of life through Trusting in God and His word.
• Forgiveness of Sins – “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more”.  Hebrews 8:12.  He not only forgives but He forgets our sins so that we can walk in our anointing without any shame or regret.  We are made new in Christ as if the sins of the past did not even happen.
• Restoration of our Hearts – “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalm 147:3.  The Lord desires to take the deepest pains on our hearts and not just heal our wounds but actually use the pains for something good.  He is a redeemer and takes what the enemy meant for bad and turns it into good.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that we will not grow weary and lose heart”.  Hebrews 12:2-3  As we reflect this week on what Jesus did for us on the Cross, the Passion of Christ, I encourage us to see the fullness of His sacrifice for us so that we can truly engage fully in the Benefits of the Cross.  In doing so I pray that we are renewed like eagles and sore to new heights in our walk with Christ.  This is the redemptive power of the Cross.I hope you have an amazing Holy Week in preparation of Easter, the greatest day in history for all mankind.  If you are looking for a live Easter Service next weekend, I would like to encourage you to check out https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/easter/ to find a service time that works for you and your family.  It is sure to be a special Resurrection Celebration.Blessings,-Duane

Word of the Week - Vision - Part 2

Then the Lord answered me, 'Write the vision. Make it clear on tablets so that anyone can read it quickly. Put it in writing, because it is not yet time for it to come true.' But the time is coming quickly, and what I show you will come true. It may seem slow in coming, but wait for it; it will certainly take place, and it will not be delayed. Habakkuk 2:2-3

Power of a written Vision: As discussed last week (see here), having a godly Vision for you and your family is powerful and leads to life, but it is even more powerful if your family Vision is written and shared. Research indicates that if you write down a goal you have a 73% chance of accomplishing the goal even if you forgot you wrote it down. Even more powerful, research indicates that if you write down a goal and share it with someone and ask to be held accountable, there is a 90% chance you will achieve the goal over time. A Vision is simply a long-term goal.  The scripture above from Habakkuk promises us that if we write down our Vision and make it clear, it will come true in God’s timing.The Impact of written Vision and Values on our Family and Heritage: “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9  As leaders of our families we have an amazing opportunity and responsibility to impact not only our immediate family but generations to come through how we lead and steward our families. You will rarely find a good business that does not have a written Vision, Mission and Values, but you may be hard pressed to find many families that have written Vision, Mission and Values. This can truly be the difference maker between your family Heritage (kids, grandkids and great grandkids) living in generational blessing or not. Especially in today’s world where the family is under attack from almost every direction, there has never been a time in history where our families need clarity of identity grounded in Christ. This starts within our families, knowing who we are and what we are about. Having clarity of purpose and knowing what we believe and our values. This gives our kids and grandkids a healthy sense of belonging and security.Family Vision and Values are like a compass (direction), rudder (grounding) and telescope (foresight) for your family: “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1  Where family identity is strong outside influences like culture and peer pressure are weak.  As leaders of our families we cannot control the culture around us but we can influence and impact the culture and sense of identity and security within our families. Healthy interdependent families look inside the family to have their needs met whereas less healthy independent families tend to look outside to the world to find their identity and have their needs met. This can be very dangerous and destructive, especially in their formative years of transitioning from adolescents to adult.  As leaders in our families and homes, we need to work to develop and give clarity on family identity, vision and purpose. This is more caught than taught so we need to actually walk the talk; we must lead by example if we expect our kids and grandkids to follow, but it starts with intentionality and clarity – having written vision and values.Personal application and resources: "I heard and forgot, I saw and remembered, I did and I understood" Bruce Johnston  With the influence and help of several key mentors and advisors in my life to include: my father-in-law, Bill Doré, my pastor, Chris Hodges, my friend and Founder of JH/Outback, Bruce Johnston, my life Coach, Phil Nicaud, and many more that are not named, our family started this process about 8 years ago and it has produced tremendous fruit thus far.  So much so that I founded the Heritage Forum. The Heritage Forum is a ministry platform that is used to equip high capacity leaders with best practices to live out their kingdom purpose by developing a Heritage Vision for themselves and their families. I was recently introduced to Greg Gunn who founded Family ID. Some of the ideas noted above came out of my time with Greg. Greg and his wife Rhonda are passionate about leading families toward developing strong identity through the process of building a godly family Vision, Mission and Values as a foundation for family identity in Christ.“But blessed is the (family) who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. They do not fear when heat comes; their leaves are always green. It they have no worries in a year of drought and they never fails to bear fruit” Jeremiah 17:7-8Be a family with godly vision and enjoy generational blessings in the good times and the times of challenge.-Duane

Word of the Week - Vision - Part 1

Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18

What Is Vision? Vision is the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination, creativity and wisdom. Vision allows us to see a picture of a preferred future, which infuses us with energy, enthusiasm and passion for life. It can truly be the difference maker in our lives that determines if we are flourishing or simply surviving. Unfortunately statistics tell us that most people live with very little personal vision and thus don’t really experience the fullness of the life that God intended.Our Vision Is a Function of Our God Purpose:  If you are alive and breathing then you have a God purpose for being on this earth that I believe can only be discovered and revealed through a personal relationship with our Creator through the person of Jesus. Ephesians 2:10 tells us “That we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance for us to do”. The first step is to acknowledge this reality through a personal and intimate relationship with Christ by surrendering our hearts and life to Him. This is an amazing and life-transforming step that is the eternal difference maker. As amazing as this is for us, this is just the beginning of our eternal journey; there is actually much more that God has for each of us. God’s plan for us during our time on earth is that we live and grow to our full potential in Christ so that we can realize our God purpose and experience the abundant life.Having a God Vision Is the Difference Between Surviving and Thriving: “'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope'” Jeremiah 29:11. I know this sounds great and most everyone desires to hope and a good future but the biggest life question is how do we find our purpose and get a clear Vision for our lives.  First we have to understand that we have an enemy of our soul that is working overtime to keep us from God’s best for our lives and he will use anything he can to distract us from our God purpose because this is where we are most effective.  The main way the enemy keeps us from our purpose is through our pursuit and conforming to the customs of our culture/world.  We are typically so caught up in our day to day lives that we are confused about what is most important or we are constantly playing the comparison game trying to keep up with the Joneses, or we are simply pursuing counterfeit gods that will never be able to satisfy us, this is called idolatry. “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy but I have come so that you may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit living within us, we can overcome the enemy of our soul and live with God Vision and purpose.How Do We Develop Our God Vision? With this in mind, we must intentionally seek after God and pursue Him to know our God purpose and Vision by asking God to reveal it to us. We should also take time to reflect on our lives so we can discern our God-given gifts, talents, passions and values: those innate things that we were born with, because our design reveals our destiny (Vision being lived).  We should also take time to get feedback from those that are closest to us who may be able to see things in us that we cannot see in ourselves.  Self-assessment tools like disc or others like the 2:10 Project can really be helpful. Studying God’s word and knowing His heart will also reveal Vision and purpose in our lives because we are made in His image and thus our life vision and purpose should be aligned with His word and will. We should also look for opportunities and doors that are being opened for us that lead us toward our God purpose. Finally we should pray to hear from God directly through a personal encounter with the Almighty and be willing to step out in faith when we hear from Him. Our faith is activated when we step out of our comfort zone and walk in faith and trust by God’s spirit. This is life that is truly life, the abundant life in Christ.We can confirm if we are hearing from God or something else by testing what we are a hearing against a few simple litmus test. Does our Vison and purpose align with God’s word? Are we being motivated by fear or faith? A godly Vision promotes faith rather than fear. A godly Vision motivates people to action and requires risk-taking. A godly Vision glorifies God, not us. As with everything we do in our lives, we must stay connected to the vine of Christ and keep our eyes focused on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.I pray we will experience the blessing of knowing our personal God Vision and live in our God given destiny; for this is “the life that is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:19.Have a great week.-Duane

Word of the Week - Abiding

I am the vine you are the branches, if you abide in me I will abide in you and you will bare much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing        John 15:5

Abiding in Christ - I truly believe that a daily abiding relationship with the Lord is the single most important thing we can do after we make a decision to follow Christ and receive salvation. This is where our faith becomes active and we receive the power and benefits of our faith. The word Remain is used synonymously with Abide in several translations, simply put it means to stay connected and become one with the Lord. What is interesting about this quote from Jesus, is how He makes it clear that there is a condition for us to stay connected to Him, we must go first and be the initiator/pursuer. He says that if we Abide in Him, then He will reciprocate and Abide in us. God wants to be our first priority. “Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness and all things will be added unto you” Matthew 6:33.  I am convinced that abiding is an active process that manifest in daily actions of pursuing the Lord, which allow us to respond in love to what Jesus did for us on the cross. Abiding is not just an idea or a nice thought or feeling, it is truly a passionate pursuit to engage with the Lord and remain in deep ongoing relationship with Him.What it looks like to Abide - So what does it mean to Abide in the Vine of Christ and how do we actively connect with an invisible God. Similar to connecting with another person, there is no one right way to abide in Christ, the biggest thing is that we make it a priority and daily pursuit. Here are a few examples of how we can abide in Christ:1) talking with the Lord daily and intimately – Prayer, 2) telling Him how great He is and how much we appreciate what He has done for us – Praise & Worship, 3) learning about His very nature and what He cares about – Reading His Word/Bible, 4) making a point to care about what He cares about – loving and serving others, 5) telling people about Him and how great He is – discipleship/evangelism, 6) encouraging each other in our walk of faith – fellowship of believers / church body, and 7) simply thinking about Him and meditating on who He is and who you are in Him.Fruit of Abiding in Christ - The best part of all of this is that the Lord blesses us with amazing fruit/blessings when we stay connected to Him in an abiding relationship. These are fruits/gifts that we cannot manufacture for ourselves, they are simply a byproduct of His very nature at work within us. They include but are not limited to: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.  Who would not want these wonderful gifts that are the fruit of God’s spirit being produced in us so our lives become a blessing that produce Kingdom fruit.  “Therefor by your fruits you will know them” Matthew 7:20. The spiritual fruit of our lives is truly the evidence of God power at work within us.I had the privilege of serving at the Birmingham Outback https://www.jhoutback.com/ this weekend (an amazing family focused ministry that I love and highly recommend), and was reminded of what God has done in my life and my family over the past 20 years since I gave my life to Christ and began abiding.  For the first 33 years of my life, I was not abiding in Christ and I cannot point to any spiritual fruit from that period of my life (nothing).  By the grace of God and being part of great ministries like JH Outback, Church of the Highlands, Heritage Forum and others, God has produced amazing spiritual fruit in my life, family, ministry and business over the last 20 years. There is no doubt in my mind that this is all God’s work and the byproduct of making God a daily priority, and abiding in the vine of Christ.“God will do immeasurably more than you can ever ask or imagine, in and through you, by His power at work within you” Ephesians 3:20, but this only happens if you remain connected to the vine of Christ.Sincerely,Duane

Word of the week - Marriage

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. Ephesians 5:31

Sacrament of Marriage – The sacrament of Marriage is a beautiful gift from God; whereby one man and one woman become united as one through the sacrament of holy matrimony. For followers of Christ, this union is the only life-long covenant relationship before God (spirit) and man (law). God established the sacrament of marriage to mirror Christ's relationship with His bride, us the Church. “Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear.” Revelation 19:7-8 (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)Our Most Refining Relationship – The marriage relationship has many benefits and has the potential to produce our greatest blessings in life such as children/family, deep companionship and unconditional love. It also has the potential to produce the most pain and strife if not submitted to the Lordship of Christ. Since it is a God ordained covenant relationship, when we get married we are signing up for a lifetime commitment (covenant) regardless of the circumstances that life throws at us, “until death do us part”. This is pretty intense when you really stop to think about it. I am not sure I really understood this on my wedding day. There is no doubt that God knew exactly what He was doing when He instituted the sacrament of marriage, where two people from different families of origin come together to become one, which in itself can be a major challenge. No matter how much we love our spouse, there is always going to be friction as we die to ourselves to become one and navigate the blessings and challenges of life. This is truly a refining and sanctifying process that either breaks us, or if we allow the spirit of God to work in us, it helps us conform to the image of Christ. I can honestly say that after 30 years of marriage, there is nothing on earth that has challenged and refined me as much as my marriage relationship with my wife, Amy. I know that God has used my marriage to make me a better person in every area of my life; thank you Lord Jesus!  Ephesians 5 is one of the most beautiful chapters in the Bible as it describes our relationship with Christ in the context of the marriage relationship, “and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:2. Paul goes on in Ephesians 5 to give us instructions on our roles in the marriage. First and foremost that we die to ourselves by submitting to Christ and one another, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” Ephesians 5:21.  Specific instruction for wives “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything” Ephesians 5:24, then to husbands, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her” Ephesians 5:25. I think the Lord makes it pretty straightforward for us, but are we willing to trust Him by His word?Marriage Prepares Us for Our Eternal Union with Christ  - God is so good that He designed marriage for our benefit to enjoy the beautiful blessing of covenant companionship and the process of reproducing and building our families so we can have a heritage and legacy that we can pass to future generations, which is a wonderful blessing. That being said, I think His greatest purpose in the sacrament of marriage is to prepare us for our union with Him as the bride of Christ. He gave us a tangible way to experience a small glimpse of what we have to look forward to for eternity and to help prepare us for our great wedding banquet with Christ. I have found over the years of marriage that the most important key to having a good marriage is to stay connected to your spouse. This requires intentional daily pursuit; we have to continue to put logs on the fire to keep the fire burning strong. In other words, we have to make our spouses a top priority to keep a healthy and growing relationship. Our marriage begins with a great ceremony exchanging vows before God and man but only thrives if we stay connected over a lifetime, which is easier said than done. Ask all the great people you know whose marriages did not make it. I believe our marriage relationship resembles our walk with God through our relationship with Jesus. It begins with the day we surrender our hearts to Jesus and commit our lives to Christ but it only survives and thrives if we stay connected to the vine of Christ through our daily abiding walk with Him. In fact Jesus said we can do nothing of the Spirit unless we are connected to the vine of Christ, “I am the vine and you are the branch, if you abide in me I will abide in you, and you will bare much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5As we grow in marriage and unity with our spouse, we must depend upon God to give us what is needed to become a godly spouse and as we abide/connect with Christ, we become more Christ like in preparation for our eternal union with Christ. These things work together to help us become who God called us to be in Him. What an amazing God we serve.If your marriage is struggling and you need some practical biblical insights on how to work on your marriage, I would suggest you watch this sermon from Craig Groeshel on Hope for Hurting Marriages https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/hope-for-hurting-marriages. Sincerely,Duane

Word of the Week - Family

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

Definition of a family - The basic unit in society traditionally consisting of two parents rearing their children: a group of individuals living together under one roof usually under one head: a group of person of common ancestry or blood relationship: a group of people united by certain convictions or common affiliation.Family is a Gift - “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court” Psalm 127:3-5 God is so good that He blessed us with the gift of family. Starting with sacrament of marriage, the union of one man and one woman to become one in Christ. “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh”. Genesis 2:24 This is the one relationship on earth that God compares to His relationship with His bride the church (us). What a beautiful picture and opportunity we have to relate with Christ and become more Christ-like through the sanctifying experience of the marriage relationship. God did not stop with the gift of marriage, He then blessed us with the mandate to procreate and made it an intimate and delightful part of connecting in marriage. God blessed us with the ability to have children to enjoy and raise up in Christ who will pass down our heritage and legacy to the next generations. “God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it'” Genesis 1:28.Responsibility of Leading our Family Well - As followers of Christ, our children are a huge blessing from God but they are also our greatest responsibility as stewards of our blessings. Like all things in life, God desires for us to enjoy and delight in our blessings, but He gives us these blessings so that we will use them for His purpose to be a blessing and build His kingdom. This is most evident in our role as parents and grandparents. First and foremost, it is our utmost privilege and responsibility to ensure that our offspring know God and are trained up in the ways of our faith. As parents and grandparents, we must make it the first priority to share our faith and testimony with our offspring and lead them in the way of God both in word and deed. Generally these things are more caught than taught, so the true test of our faith is how we live. Have we ordered our lives according to God’s values and are we living this way?  Are we abiding in Christ daily and seeing the fruit of God’s spirit being multiplied and passed down to our children and grandchildren? “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the day approaching” Hebrews 10:25.Opportunity and Blessing - “Now therefore that the Lord your God is God; He  is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments” Deuteronomy 7:9. What an amazing blessing and opportunity we have to impact generations through the short life we have on this earth. God makes it very simple: if we make His values our family’s values, we will have generational blessing beyond measure. But if we don’t make God’s values our priorities then the curse and river of mud from our forefathers will continue to be passed down to future generations. God promises us that that our offspring will have an enduring blessing if we pass down a godly heritage. This starts with really assessing our values.  Are our values and the way we live our lives based on the values of the world (money, social status, pursuing self) or God’s values (Christ, family, others)? The great commandment, loving God first and loving others second. I am convinced that if we make God the priority “First Fruits”, we will receive His blessing and our children and their offspring will have everything they need. With divine order comes divine blessing. God does not call us to perfection, but He does call us to a life that makes him the top priority in all things starting with how we live our lives day to day. Living the surrendered life making Christ our lord.Building our Families on the Rock of Christ - “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” Matthew 7:24-27. Are we building the foundation of our house and family on the rock of Christ so we can survive and even thrive through the storms of life?  Blood family relationship is thick but has no comparison to the power of God’s spirit alive and well within our hearts and families. The best family is a family that is one in spirit in Christ. The greatest inheritance we can leave our children is that of a godly heritage submitted to the lordship of Christ. We just completed a weekend together with our kids and grandkids at our farm down in Marengo county where we spent time talking about our family heritage and the opportunity we have to pass down blessings to the next generations. I was so encouraged by this time together as I experienced how God is working in our family through our kids and how God’s values have become our values and are being transferred to our kids and grandkids. This is the biggest blessing and opportunity in life and it is of the Spirit of God.If you want to learn more about building your family on the rock of Christ for generational blessing, I highly recommend this message from Pastor Jimmy Evans on Building a Lasting Family https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/building-a-lasting-family . He shared this last Sunday, and it was one of the most encouraging messages I have ever heard on family and the opportunity we have for influencing our families toward generational blessings.Have a great week.-Duane

Word of the Week - Life

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16

Life is a gift  - “Life – A precious gift from God” Psalm 139:14. Every day that we have on this earth is a gift from God and having that perspective is truly a blessing. This is the principal of a “Heart of Gratitude”, and it is a godly perspective that brings life. If we really think about it, the fact that we are alive and breathing is a gift from God, and we should rejoice and be thankful. Life is fragile and can be taken in an instant so count each day as a blessing and a gift. This in itself is enough, but God is so good that he blesses us with so much more such as our family, friends and the opportunities to live and enjoy life through relationship with Him and others in our ministry, life, work and recreation.Count your blessings - I am celebrating my 53^rd year on earth today, and as I reflect on my life this morning, I am almost overwhelmed by the amazing blessings I have been given from God. From a heart of gratitude with thanksgiving to the Lord, I would like to acknowledge just a few of my blessing to include: My dear wife Amy who loves me after 30 years of marriage and is excited about growing old together. My 3 amazing daughters Mary Kathryn, Saige and Isabella who love God and are walking with Him. My four precious grandkids: Selah, John Michael, Lilly and Hazel who are the joy of my heart like sunshine on a clear spring morning. My two godly sons-in-law JD and Blake who are great husbands, fathers and providers for our daughters and grandkids, and my favorite duck hunting padnahs. My loving and supportive dad who is still active at 82 years old along with my wonderful sister Leslie and brother Mike and their families, who I love dearly and treasure spending time with. My band of brothers/close friends, too many to name, who have stood with me through the challenges of life and whom I have shared many great times, laughing and enjoying life together, especially at Heritage Farms. My church family led by my friend and pastor, Chris Hodges, who led me to Christ and is a spiritual father to me. Our growing business, Founders Advisors, co-led with my two great and godly partners, Wesley Legg and Zane Tarence, along with an amazing team I feel privileged to lead. And the list goes on and on. I surely don’t deserve any of this, but I am tremendously grateful for every blessing and want to make the most if it for God’s kingdom and glory.Making the most of life  - “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12  There is a saying I heard at JH Ranch, “We only live once, but if we live well, once is enough”. I believe that this is true if we live our lives in Christ and ask for His wisdom to direct us in our daily lives. I believe the key to living this way is to understanding that our lives and our blessings are not our own; they are gifts from God that we get to steward while we are on this earth. This changes our perspective and gives us a more eternal God perspective that is truly a game changer. The paradox of giving to receive: “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses life for me will find it”. Matthew 16:25  The way we make the most of life and get our lives ordered towards God’s priorities is through abiding in Christ. His spirit leads us and directs us along the way. “I am the vine and you are the branches, if you abide in me I will abide in you and your will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing” John 15:5.  I love this scripture in 1 Timothy 6 (1 Chuck Scott YL) about making the most of our blessings and having an eternal perspective, “Command those who are rich in this present world (which is all of us) not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”Living the abundant life in Christ – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10. Out of all the abundant blessings I have experienced in my 53 years on this earth, I can truly say that the most precious blessing I have experienced to date was coming to know Jesus in a personal way almost 20 years ago. It was truly a game changer that has allowed me to grow and flourish in every area of my life. I was truly born of the Spirit and my eyes were opened to whole new way, God’s way. I cannot properly articulate in words what I experienced but I can relate with the blind man in John 9:25, “He replied, 'whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see!'"  The one thing I do know is that I found the abundant life by surrendering my life to Christ, and I have to continue to do this over and over again because my human nature (flesh) continues to want to take back control. What I also discovered in this process of experiencing the abundant life is that God’s plan for us is much better than our plans for us, but we must take the step of faith to trust Him before we see or know what it is. “God will do immeasurably and abundantly more than we can ever hope or imagine by His power at work within us” Ephesians 3:20.  I love this verse and truly feel like this is the life God has blessed me with through my knowing Him.Life is a gift, so let’s live life to the full by being renewed in Christ day by day. This is the abundant life!You are a blessing to me,-Duane

Word of the Week - Excellence

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent. Philippians 1:9-10 (NKJV)

We Serve a God of Excellence - Our God is a God of Excellence at His very core. He has created all things with Excellence (very good of its kind; eminently good; first class). As His children He desires for us to receive His spirit of Excellence and reproduce it. I believe a spirit of Excellence is a godly attitude that is demonstrated by how we live. Just like many other godly fruits/attributes such as love, joy and patience, a spirit of Excellence is a byproduct of what God is doing on the inside of us as we are discipled in Christ and allow Him to impart His nature within our soul and spirit. If we understand who God really is, we cannot help but want to represent Him well as we engage all things with purpose, passion and Excellence.Bring Your Very Best to All You Do - "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." Col 3:23-24  I love this verse because it exudes the spirit of Excellence for those who are in Christ. Whether we are doing full time ministry, working in the marketplace, serving in the community, raising and disciplining our children or hosting a party, we should do everything as unto the Lord and thus with a Spirit of Excellence. The difference between good and great is a spirit of Excellence. God does not require us to be perfect, but He does call us to have an attitude and posture of Excellence.Excellence in the Marketplace - Rather than displaying a Christian fish symbol on all our marketing materials, if we simply conduct our lives and run our businesses with excellence and integrity the world around us cannot help but stop and take notice. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the Excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into the marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 So what does it look like to be excellent in business:  1) having an attitude of service, 2) being honest and transparent in all of your dealings, 3) striving to exceed expectations, 4) being willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, 5) taking responsibility when you make mistakes and being candid and timely in addressing any issues and 7) being proactive and taking ownership. All of these things work together to create a spirit of excellence. Walking in Excellence consistently over time will result in being a positive witness for the Gospel of Jesus. This creates opportunity for us to share our faith and influence others for the Kingdom.Have a great week, and take every opportunity to live in a godly spirit of Excellence.Godspeed,

Word of the Week - Scripture (Bible)

For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Scripture is Alive and Active:  The Word of God is a mysterious and powerful force that encompasses so many dimensions. It points us toward the will of God (Galatians 1:4), the truth of God (John 17:17), the decrees of God (Jeremiah 22:29), the commandments of God (Exodus 20:2-17), the good news of Jesus Christ (John 3:16) and the list goes on. The word is living and eternal. It has the same power and relevance today that it had 2000 years ago and will continue to have forever thus it is timeless. It is profoundly deep yet simple and practical. It is filled with spiritual truths and principals that serve as a true north for God’s people giving us direction as we navigate through this complex and confusing world. Since it is a spiritual book, some of scripture does not seem to make practical sense to us and thus requires childlike faith and trust to come alive and be activated in our lives. Read in faith, God’s Word begins to read us and transform our nature into God’s nature. Scripture is truly an amazing gift that God gave us so that we would know Him at the deepest level and be able to flourish as His children on this earth. I can personally attest to the power of Scripture and how it has impacted my perspective on God and every aspect of life. I make a point to read God’s word daily, and it is usually one of the first things I do each morning. It is the rock that I stand on for protection, peace and life. There is not doubt in my mind that it is alive!Scripture is Jesus:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 This verse is so powerful because it makes it clear that Jesus is synonymous with the Word of God (the Bible). We know from Scripture that God created mankind for the purpose of companionship through personal relationship with Jesus. The Bible is the primary source for us to have relationship with Jesus and grow in our intimacy with Him. Therefore, we should see the Bible not only as a key to finding salvation but also as God’s manifestation on earth and our way to know God at the deepest level and grow closer to Him through the physical Word (Bible) and the Spirit (Holy Spirit). I have found that the more I abide in Christ through reading and studying His word, the more I know God and feel closer to Him, which continues to transform my very nature to becoming more godly. This is the transformational power of filling ourselves with the Word of God and Jesus.The Bible helps us know who we are:  “The spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  The spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” Romans 8:15-17 In Christ we gain our new and true identity as sons and daughters of the living God, which is quite amazing. The Bible is the living manual that gives us clarity on our new identity in Christ and continues to reinforce this truth, which is sometimes hard to comprehend.  As we live in God’s Word, we begin to truly receive this truth and reality that is reinforced throughout scripture. The Word of God also provides a loving but powerful way for us to know ourselves in light of Christ. This helps us see who we really are in terms of our thoughts, attitudes and postures and where we need adjustments. If we truly want to grow and become all God has called us to be, we will allow God’s word to penetrate our souls and do its sanctifying work within us.I encourage you to make scripture and reading God’s word a part of your daily rhythm in pursing deeper relationship with Christ. When you read God’s word in faith, you are communing with Christ and being renewed and transformed into the person you were meant to be in Christ and this is perfectly pleasing to God. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2Have a great week…-Duane

Word of the Week - Perseverance

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything. James 1:2-4

Definition of Perseverance: Continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure or opposition: steadfastness; overcome.The power of our faith is realized through Perseverance: I love this verse because it is so encouraging in the promises of God and the reality of life. God is very clear throughout scripture that as believers we do have an adversary that will work to discourage us, especially as we face the trials of life, and there is not doubt that we will all face trials as Jesus told us in John. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. The good news and promise is that ultimately we win; we overcome by our faith in Jesus through the cross and the power of our testimony in Christ. The only way we can fully understand and know the power of our faith in God is by the testing of our faith through the trials of life. This process produces in us the amazing characteristic of Perseverance, the power and ability to keep going when we are facing opposition and want to quit, which allows us to become mature and complete in Christ. What an awesome and encouraging truth and reality. Since James personally experienced this reality, he was able to share this truth with great conviction. I can personally attest to this truth in my own walk of faith over the past 20 years as I have Persevered by faith through many challenging trials. I have experienced the reality of this verse. These trials have produced in me new levels of faith and maturity that I would have never attained without the trials, so I do consider them a blessing even though it did not feel like a blessing while I was enduring through them.The benefits of Persevering through trials by faith: Just a reminder, we don’t earn our salvation; it is truly a gift from God that comes by a decision to put our hope in Christ through faith. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast”  Ephesians 2:8-9. That being said, once we make a decision to follow Christ we are responsible for our growth and maturity in faith as followers of Christ. If we want to live to the full and experience the full benefits of our faith, we must be fully committed (see last week’s word of the week from 1/17/21) and remain committed. This will require us to develop the characteristic of Perseverance, which can only be developed through fire and testing. “Not only so, but we glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5: 3-5  Like most things in life, there is a great return on our investment if we are willing to play the long game and remain consistent, persistent and determined in our pursuits and convictions, especially when it comes to things of faith. Our reward is growing and maturing to reach our full God-given potential, this process of sanctification produces in us and through us increased faith and spiritual fruits such as love, joy, peace, patience to name a few, and ultimately gives us influence to help build and multiply God’s Kingdom.What does it look like to Persevere?: Walking through trials with a godly attitude and an eternal perspective. Truly believing and understanding that the trials of life are opportunities for growing and maturing. Protecting our hearts so they don’t grow bitter by taking our thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).  Staying connected to a body of believers through small groups, spiritual friendships or accountability partners who know what you are going through so they can help encourage you and pray for you. Staying connected to the vine of Christ daily: “I am the vine and you are the branches, if you abide in me I will abide and  you and you will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing” John 15:5. By reading God’s word and praying for wisdom and protection so that our hearts remain open to hear, see and receive from the Lord. Constantly asking the Lord to give us perspective and eyes to see and ears to hear what He is trying to teach us through the trials we are enduring, “Ears to hear and eyes to see – both are gifts from the Lord” Proverbs 20:12. Not blaming others or pointing fingers but taking responsibility for ourselves and what we are doing. Understanding that we cannot control others, but we can allow God to do a work in us and trials are His process of doing a refining work in us. We must remember that God is good and faithful and has our best interest at heart. As our loving Father, He is more interested in building our godly character than our comfort. The truth is that this life is simply the refining process of become mature and complete in Christ so what we are prepared to dwell in the house of the Lord in fellowship with Jesus for eternity.So be encouraged in any trials you are facing and step into faith in God so you can Persevere in Christ and become mature and complete, not lacking in anything.Have a great week.-Duane

Word of the Week - Commitment

The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully Committed to Him 1 Chronicles 16:9

You will never get the best of God for your life without being fully Committed. I think we would all agree that the first step in beginning anything of value is making a decision and a Commitment. Whether it be a new routine, job, friendship, business venture or spiritual discipline, any new pursuit towards something meaningful begins with a decision to do something then a Commitment to follow through. In today's digital age of instant gratification and having more flexibility/options available coupled with an emphasis “feeling” good and pursuing happiness, there seems to be a resistance toward Commitment. It is almost as if Commitment is a negative word. The truth is that the best things in life come out of making Commitments and being Committed. One of the best examples is the Marriage relationship. This is a legal covenant relationship before God, which is the highest form of Commitment. Even though marriage can be tough and is one of the most challenging things I have experienced in life, I have never heard anyone say they regret staying married. I have heard numerous people who have been through divorce say that it was a terrible experience and if they had to do it over again they would have tried to work it out. I am not condemning divorce, I am simply making the case for being Committed through the good times and the bad. There are certain situations that make it nearly impossible to stay married because ultimately you cannot control your spouse's decisions or behaviors but you can remain Committed nonetheless.God is fully Committed to us/you, “God shows His love (Commitment) to us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 This verse says it all in that God loves us so much that He came to Earth as a man and died for us while we still rejected Him. This is the utmost form of love and Commitment that God gave His life for us before we accepted Him. If we grasp this reality and its implications, we are compelled to respond by receiving this truth and loving God by fully Committing/devoting our lives to Him and making Him a priority. How we live our lives really demonstrates what we are Committed to. Does your life and how you live express Commitment to God?God wants you to be fully Committed to Him so He can bless you, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this;  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:4  Since God is the source of all good things, the best things of God come through our relationship with Him. The foundation of relationship is trust and Commitment. The response to trust is Commitment. We must trust and Commit to get all the good things God has for us. Some of the best things in life come through delayed gratification and God’s ways typically involve perseverance and “waiting upon the Lord”. Commitment over time is truly the test of our hearts and demonstrate the degree of our love.Being fully Committed is the only way we realize our full potential, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all things and He will direct your path and keep them straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6  According to this passage we only get the best things of God if we are fully Committed to Him. As a child of God He has an awesome plan an assignment for each of us individually, which is our full potential in Christ. We can only know and realize this potential if we are Committed to Him and making Him by making Him the top priority “first fruits” in our lives. We show our Commitment by how we live and pursue God. Putting God first in our thoughts, conversations, actions, daily/weekly routines, finances is how we demonstrate our Commitment to Him. This also demonstrates to others our love for God and we become a light for Christ in a dark and broken world.As we begin 2021, I encourage you to decide and Commit everything to God and watch what He does in your life. “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act” Psalm 37:5Have a great week...- Duane

Word of the Week - Everything "New"

He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true' Revelation 21:5

As we begin 2021, we have the opportunity to start fresh and begin a “New” chapter of our lives, especially in our walk of faith. I love this about God and our faith as Christians; as foundational as God is in the fact that He has been around since the beginning of time, He is the same today as He was in the beginning, He is a God of New. He desires for us to be born anew in His spirit so that we can experience the abundant life He promises us. He also desires for us to be renewed and refreshed in Him so we can continue to experience the fresh life of God and have the capacity to minister this hope to others.  In the Spirit of God there is always life and Newness and He calls us to pursue New things in Christ so we can flourish and rejoice in this amazing life giving truth.New Life in Christ, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 The New life in Christ, which is the abundant life that He speaks about in John 10:10, comes to us when we surrender our hearts and lives to Christ and are born afresh of His spirit. In order to experience the New things of God we have to get ourselves out of the way by letting go of the old self, and allow Jesus to do a new work within us by surrendering our hearts and lives to Christ. This is where salvation and New life begins and we literally become New persons in Christ. I experienced this rebirth nearly 20 years ago at the age of 33 and it changed everything. I was given a New identity in Christ and it awakened in me a New perspective that has truly been the biggest blessing of my life and made me a New person with New priorities, values, interest, disciplines, hopes and dreams. It is never too early or too late to become New in Christ.New daily perspective, disciplines and rhythms, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins: otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins: but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.” Mark 2:22 It is hard to get new outcomes from old habits; therefore, we need to constantly be working toward being renewed in the things of God. Routines and rhythms of life are key to growing and realizing our full potential but they must be frequently evaluated to ensure they are still working toward the original intent. Many times we start a new routine or form a habit that initially had a good purpose but over time for varying reasons become less relevant our outdated in achieving their initial purpose/objective. Routines become habits and habits can create ruts if we are not careful and conscious. We must take time to reflect, evaluate and assess. We should never do something just because it is the way we have been doing it. I am all about traditions, systems and rhythms and have built my entire business and life around these principals, but I know that we must keep ourselves fresh and not grow stale in “our ways”.Be Re “newed” in Christ daily, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 According to this passage in God’s word, the key to living a healthy life is that we allow God to renew us each day by connecting to the vine of Christ, which provides the sustenance that we need to stay strong and faithful within our inner spirit man. This is what gives us the strength to press on through the challenges of life with strength, faith and hope. To maintain a healthy perspective we must have daily disciplines and rhythms that keep us in connection with the Lord. Investing focused time each day with the Lord by talking with Him about life and our challenges (prayer), receiving guidance and instruction from Him (reading His word), and telling Him how much we love Him while gaining love and encouragement from Him (praise and worship), are some of the basic disciplines and rhythms of our faith that are key to having intimacy with the Lord and experiencing New things in Christ.As we begin the new year, I pray we will take inventory and make adjustments to our lives so we can experience the Newness and Goodness of God. You can’t put new ideas into old mind-sets and you don’t typically get new results with old behaviors. But God can renew your mind and with him all things are possible. . “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13.  Make your relationship with the Lord the priority and experience newness like never before. Since it is the most important relationship in our lives, I would submit that it requires the most focus and attention.I pray the you will experience God in a New and Fresh way in 2021…-Duane

Word of the Week - First Love

"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.  Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.  If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Revelation 21:4-5

Christ – Our First Love – I think it is human nature to allow life and the things of this world to come into our lives and compete with our most important relationships. If we are not careful and intentional, this can easily happen in relationships with our spouse, family members and friends. Our relationship with Jesus/God can be especially challenged since God is spirit and not a physical person we see day-to-day. I remember when I first came to Christ and was born of the spirit, I was so in love and excited about my newfound relationship with Christ that it was all I could think about and mostly what I wanted to talk about, similar to being a newly-wed. In fact, my wife Amy and I just celebrated our 30^th wedding anniversary; I am thankful to the Lord that we are still happily married and believe the best is yet to come! I can remember our wedding day and how easy it was to be madly in love with my new bride at the young age of 22. But as to be expected, life has thrown us lots of curve balls causing times of distance and strain on our relationship. We have decided that our love is deeper than the things of this world that try to break us apart, so we continue to pursue and intentionally invest in our relationship to keep the flame burning by having committed date nights each week, praying together daily, taking romantic trips, writing each other notes/letters, doing marriage retreats/intensives, working with an amazing couple who does marriage enhancement/coaching and the list goes on. No matter how much you love someone, it is not realistic to think that a relationship will be sustained without investing in the relationship. Our relationship with Christ Jesus is very similar, we must continue to renew our love for God by investing in our relationship with Him through doing the things we did at first like: praising and worshipping God, talking to God through prayer, reading God’s word and memorizing scripture, fasting, giving and serving and simply pursuing your relationship with God.Return to Christ – As we begin this New Year, I pray we will take inventory and make adjustments to our lives so we can experience the fullness of our relationship with Jesus our First Love. If you have never experienced the fullness of God by being born anew of the Spirit, there is no better time than now to surrender your life and start afresh in 2021. The following is a link to a sermon that is one of the best I have ever heard on salvation: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/do-you-love-me1. Praying the prayer of salvation and making Jesus your Lord and savior is the best decision you will ever make. For those who have already surrendered their hearts and are pursuing God, there is no better time than now to assess, adjust and recommit to our daily disciplines in pursing an abiding relationship with Christ. This is the process of returning to Christ your First Love. My friend John Maxwell says “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret to your success is found in your daily routine.” Like any relationship, our relationship with the Lord is something that requires daily focus and attention. Since it is the most important relationship in our lives, I would submit that it requires the most focus and attention.Make Christ our First Fruits – The principal of First Fruits is very simple and straightforward: God desires to be the priority in our lives and He wants us to honor Him by giving Him our first and best. He loves us so much that He is jealous for our love and attention and does not want to compete for the top position in our lives. He will not tolerate being second. This concept is emphasized throughout scripture beginning with the 1^st Commandment that states, “You shall have no other gods before me” Exodus 20:2. He simply wants us to put Him first above all things. He promises that with divine order comes divine blessings: “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the Firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine” Proverbs 3:9-10. I love this spiritual principal because it is a tangible way to love and honor God. This principal not only pertains to our money/resources but to every aspect of our lives to include our time, energy and pursuits. Jesus desires to be first in our day, week, month and year. There is amazing power, peace and protection in the simple act of placing God first.As we begin 2021, I encourage you to return to your First Love, Jesus, and test the Lord in this principal of First Fruits. Our pastor at Church of the Highlands has lead us for the last 20 years in making the Lord first by starting each year with 21 days of prayer and fasting to put our focus on God and declare our dependence on the Lord. I would encourage you to join us for the next 21 days as we pray and seek the Lord together. You can learn more or join the prayer service virtually each day by clicking on https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/. I hope you will join us; I guarantee it will be a life changing experience for you and this new year.Happy New Year and blessings in 2021,-Duane

Word of the Week - Immanuel (God with us)

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means "God with us"). Matthew 1:23

This is the true gift of Christmas – Christ! It is amazing to me that God sent His only begotten son, Jesus, down to earth to be the ultimate sacrifice so we can have eternal salvation and live the “life that is truly life” with Him, but He did not stop there. Jesus came to this earth to be “with us” in the flesh, and He remains “with us” in spirit. As we journey through this brief time we have on earth, our God is with us through the good times and challenges of life. Not only is He “with us” but if we invite Him, He lives “within us”, and we can experience the manifest presence of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, our great Comforter. Under the new covenant established through Jesus birth, death and resurrection, we as followers of Christ are the temple of God’s Spirit.Oh come, Oh come Immanuel!!!!!!! Let’s rejoice because God is “with us” and “within us”. This is definitely a reason to rejoice and give thanks to God during this special season that we celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus. I pray you would experience the true comfort of Immanuel during this season and throughout the year.Merry Christmas and happy Holidays,-Duane

Word of the Week - Christmas (the true meaning of this day/season)

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Have you ever taken time to think about the impact that Christ’s birth had on our world? Beginning with the celebration of Christ birth on December 25^th, which has culminated in the holiday of Christmas that is recognized and celebrated by most everyone around the world. It is by far the most celebrated holiday in the western world and has an unrivaled impact on our world both economically, relationally and spiritually.  Further, our entire world calendar is based upon this event!!! We actually measure time BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini, Latin for “in the year of the Lord”) by this single event. Today is Dec 20, 2020 which is 2020 years and 355 days since the death of Jesus. This was obviously a major historical event that changed the world forever, yet it was such a simple and humble happening: a child being born in a stable amongst a handful of people. The most amazing part of the Christmas story is that God sent Jesus “Unto us” you and me, as the gift of all gifts. This is truly the reason for the season of Christmas, to celebrate the amazing gift of Christ unto us, all of humanity. Anyone who wants to receive this gift has access through a relationship with the person of Jesus. Jesus came as God in the flesh, and He is known as the great “I am” everything we need He desires to be for us. He is also “Immanuel” God with us who promises to never leave or forsake us. Jesus is both awesome and magnificent (the great I am) but personal and intimate (Immanuel, God with us), which makes Him our God, our friend, our comforter. 740 years before Christ, Isaiah prophesied the birth of Christ and many of the awesome characteristics of Christ:Wonderful and Mighty  – In His awesome and eternal power, Jesus is King of all the heavens and the earth. He is beyond our ability to understand, which makes Him our wonderful and magnificent God almighty. His power is endless; He has been given authority over all things and literally sits at the right hand of God our Father and intercedes (advocates) for us. We will ultimately stand before Him, and He will have the final say as it relates to our eternal destiny. If we “know Him” then we will enjoy eternity with Him. “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22-23  He will ultimately return to Earth in His second coming as a mighty King with a legion of angels with a mission to reconcile the world. Whether we choose relationship with Jesus or not, ultimately we will acknowledge who He is. “It is written, 'As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God'" Romans 14:11Everlasting Father – We all desire to have a loving and caring Father in our lives to be there for us in the ups and downs of life. There is nothing like the presence of a loving father when we are struggling and need strength and encouragement.  It is also a blessing to have a father who can share in our victories and success in life and who has our back no matter what the circumstance.  This is who Jesus is for us, He gives us access to Father God through the Trinity and desires to be our loving “Abba” father in all circumstances of life. Regardless of the status of our earthly fathers, who are also a very important to us and our wellbeing, Jesus is there to be our connection to our everlasting heavenly father. “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'”Counselor and Prince of Peace – As our Counselor, the Lord desires to be our friend and confidant in times of need. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 The death and resurrection of Jesus gave us access to the Holy Spirit who comes as the great Comforter to give us what we need in times of trouble. As the Prince of Peace, the Lord offers us the ability to stand in peace even during the most trying times of life. One of the names of Christ is Jehovah Shalom, the giver of Peace. We all desire to have peace in our lives but it is not something we can produce in our own strength, but we can surely find peace in Christ our Prince of Peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27I pray the Lord’s grace over each of us to receive the true blessings of Christmas in Christ and remember the reason for this holiday season. “For unto us (you & me) a Child is Born”.Have a blessed and Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!-Duane

Word of the Week - Security

This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence (Security) on the day of judgement: In this world we are like Jesus.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.  For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.  We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:17-19

Security is defined as the state of being safe and free from danger or threats.  This is one of our greatest needs as human beings to maintain health; we have a deep desire to feel physically safe and secure, which is why I am so grateful for law enforcement workers who work to keep law and order within our communities and for our military service men and women who risk their lives to keep us safe from domestic and foreign threats.  I hope we all make an effort to show our appreciation for these people who serve us so faithfully.  Physical safety is very important but having emotional and relational Security is paramount to our health and ability to thrive in this world.  Since we live in a fallen and broken sin filled world, it is very hard to find the degree of relational security we need and desire without God.  As much as we desire to receive this type of love from family and friends, it is typically not achievable in its fullness due to the reality of our humanity.  That being said, we surely experience degrees of love and security through our relationships with others when we have relationships with people who love us and accept us completely, which makes us feel safe and secure.  Every relationship is unique, but healthy relationships are generally based on trust, loyalty and commitment and allow us to be ourselves and still feel loved and accepted.  The greatest security we can ever experience is that of true unconditional love, which is not based on our performance or a condition.  This is love at the deepest level and we all desire and need this love and “God demonstrates His own love for us in this; While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (me and you)” Romans 5:8Importance of Security to living healthy lives.  We all know instinctively how important it is to our health and development to find Security through love and acceptance, especially for children and teens as they are developing.  Fostering health and Security through encouragement and affirming words, good will and unconditional love reassures us that we are loved and protected.  When we experience love in this way we are able to be more transparent, which serves to deepen our relationships and allows us to develop, grow and thrive.  On the other hand, we all have an enemy of our soul that is constantly trying to undermine and threaten our Security to make us feel unworthy, insecure and less than as we search to find our identity and compare ourselves to those around us.  As social beings we typically care too much about what others think about us.  We live in a world that constantly bombards us through media with messaging that undermines our Security and tries to make us feel insecure. “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety” Proverbs 29:25.  Even those of us who are fortunate enough to have grown up in more healthy, loving and secure environments will experience vulnerabilities that create insecurity.  I grew up in a wonderful home where I knew deep down that my parents loved me unconditionally, in hindsight I realize that I struggled with insecurity issues throughout my teen and early adult years.  Much of my insecurity was founded in my uncertainty about who I really was and my true place and purpose as a young man trying to find my way.  Like most of us, I had an identity crisis. By the grace of God, this crisis was substantially resolved when I surrendered my life to Christ at the age of 33 and life has never been the same since. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he/she is a new creation: The old has gone and the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17Security in Christ is powerful and life changing.  No matter how Secure or insecure we may feel in our human relationships, nothing can compare to the Security that is found in Christ when we truly receive His love in fullness and experience being born of His spirit.  I will never forget how profound it was for me when I experienced and accepted the full love of Christ and became alive in the spirit and my faith became real, alive and powerful. For the first time in my life I felt fully accepted for who I was in Christ who created me and truly loved me and was pleased with me as His son.  By the way, God does not make anyone that is not worthy; He is our creator and we are made in His image.  Up until that point I never felt like I could do enough or be good enough to be worthy of the unconditional love of God.  I had a skewed perspective that had me convinced that God could only love and accept me if I performed a certain way or became more religious.  This is not true, God’s word tells us that “We are saved by grace, through faith – and it is not from ourselves, it is a gift from God – not by works, so that no one can boast” Ephesians 2:8-9  This is truly the good news of the gospel that brings amazing Security, if we truly believe on Him and surrender our lives to Him as our Lord, we will experience the miracle of being born anew and receiving this amazing gift of eternal salvation.  This radically changes our perspective and gives us an eternal Security in Christ Jesus that makes us new and different.Our Security in Christ gives us confidence to trust God and remain connected to Him, even when life is difficult.  In our abiding Secure relationship with Christ, God gives us everything we need to live godly and Secure lives.  Even though we still experience trouble and challenges in this life, we are overcomers through Him “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace (Security).  In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33  If we are Secure in Christ, God uses the difficulties of life to help refine us as we grow to become more Christ-like, this is the process of sanctification.  God promises us that He will always be with us as we walk through the difficulties of life.  “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you: He will never leave or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 3:16God deeply desires for us find our identity and Security through Him so we can live emboldened and courageous lives to be all that God has called us to be in Him.  Without this profound truth we are handicapped.  My friend Coach Tom Mullins Coach Mullins, who I got to hang out with this past week down in the marshes of South Louisiana at Beau Blake’s Island, shared an encouraging word with our Legendary Leaders Group Legendary Leaders .  The following is a quote that summarizes the essence of his powerful word.“We cannot be who we need to be in this world until we are Secure in who we are in God’s Love”

Coach Tom Mullen

I hope you have a great week and truly find yourself encouraged and Secure in the love of God.-Duane

Word of the Week - Resilience

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.  James 1:2-4.

Resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.  Psychologist define Resilience as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress – such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors.  As much as Resilience involves “bouncing back” from difficult life experiences, having Resilience can be key to helping us grow and realize our full potential in life.  It is typically the adversity and challenges in life that create the biggest opportunities for growth and development.  The apostle Paul showed tremendous Resilience in his life, which led to him penning near 2/3 of the New Testament.  I love this verse that demonstrates Paul’s resolve toward Resilience. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body”.  2 Corinthians 4:8-9This past week I had the opportunity to participate in an amazing conference event with some extraordinary people.  Our firm, Founders Advisors, was privileged to be the title sponsor of this years Impact Leadership Conference presented by Highlands College Highlands College.  The topic of the conference was “Resilience”.  We had an amazing line up of world class speakers that featured John Maxwell, Alan Mullaly, Bonnie St. John and Chris Hodges (click on names of each speaker for bio and background information).  Each of these speakers shared valuable wisdom on the topic of Resilience from their own life experiences. Given the times we are living in, along with the many challenges we have faced in 2020 as a result of COVID and national political disunity, the principles shared at the conference were enormously relevant, encouraging and timely.The following are a few nuggets from each of the 4 primary speakers that I wanted to share with you.  As a gift from me and our team at Founders Advisors, you can click on the following link to get the full content of each speaker from the Impact Conference On-Demand Content, which will be available until Friday, December 18, at 11:59 CST.Principles of Resilience:

• Bonnie St. John  –  How to build a community of Champions within our organization by putting the team above self with an attitude of Resilience.  “We must get up and not give up”.  This is the true mark of a champion.  Bonnie shared an amazing life story from her years training for the para Olympics as the first black woman to win a metal at these events.  She also shared the nugget of having a psychological “first aid” kit prepared for the days when you don’t feel it and need encouragement to overcome and walk with Resilience.
• Alan Mullaly – How to build world class sustainable organizations by having the right processes in place and working the processes daily within a culture of transparency and accountability.  Our people must know that they matter most and that they are loved and valued.  Look for places you can include people and their perspectives to accelerate your business?  Focus on PGA – Profitable Growth for All.  Make it very clear on how everyone wins.  Leaders must lead by example, walk the walk.  “Expect the unexpected and trust the process” this gives us daily Resilience in the midst of the daily challenges we face.
• Chris Hodges – Pastor Chris gave us a framework for staying healthy and being Resilient and used the analogy of a building structure. 1) The foundation is relationships and your connectedness to key relationships. Consider your top three relationships, do these people really know what is going on with you?  Your challenges and the issues you are facing?  Are you emotionally transparent? 2) The framing of our lives is about having purpose and routines/rhythms.  “We reboot our emotions by establishing new routines”.  How do we spend the first part of our day.  Are we intentional about how we spend our time and do we have healthy and productive daily routines that are aligned with our purpose? 3) The finishes are related to trust and self-control.  Do we trust God and others or are we trying to control everything in our own strength?  Do we pray and believe the serenity prayer?
• John Maxwell  – “Take the tour of the detour because success is about how we overcome adversity”.  John shared 5 values of Resilience to include: 1) Life is difficult and was never meant to be easy.  Leaders are made for hard and we are made complete in the process of hard.  Success is made through the day to day of gritting and grinding over time.  2) Resilience provides opportunity for us to become better.  Get through the problem to see the opportunity.  3) Resilience is about keeping focused on what we can do today and showing up each day with a can do attitude. Stay in the moment. 4) Resilience demands creativity and pushes us to find new ways of doing things, which is the blessing that comes through the pain of challenge.  5) Resilience highlights our values and character. Values are revealed and tested during hard times.  This is our opportunity to shine and show our true colors, the mark of a true leader.

I would encourage you to take time to view the Impact Conference to hear each of the speakers by clicking this link On-Demand Content. You can also click on the conference Discussion Guide for more detailed information from each of the talks.  You can also Sign up to receive additional leadership content from Highlands College.We know that during the journey of life we will all face adverse events that are painful and difficult.  The great news is that if we have a strong faith and confidence in the Lord God we can look to our trust in Christ as a strength to find Resilience so the struggles or our live don’t define us but refine us to become all we were created to be.  Resilience underpinned with faith is a winning recipe for life, which allows us to be overcomers and grow to all that God has called us to be in Christ Jesus.“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”  Hebrews 12:1Stay Resilient in Christ,-Duane 

Word of the Week - Guard your Heart

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” Proverbs 4:23

The condition of our heart is vital to our health both physically and spiritually.  Physically, our heart is the most important organ that sustains life by pumping blood throughout the body supplying oxygen and nutrients to sustain life.  If our heart stops pumping then we die.  If our heart is not healthy it can greatly impact our quality of life by limiting what we can do physically.  If we are wise, we will incorporate disciplines in our lives such as exercising and eating well to keep our hearts healthy and well-conditioned to prevent heart disease, which is quite prevalent in our world. In fact, cardiovascular (heart) disease is by far the largest cause of death in the U.S. and the world, 2 times greater than deaths caused by cancer.Even more importantly, our heart is at the center of our spiritual condition.  The heart represents the central wisdom of feeling and being as opposed to the head-wisdom of reason and rationalizing.  The heart represents our ability to give and receive love giving us the capacity to experience compassion, empathy and joy.  It is the universal symbol for love.  All that being said, it would make sense why God tells us in His word to “guard our hearts” with vigilance to keep them pure and healthy.  All of life both physically and spiritually flows from the heart, the wellspring of life.So how do we guard our hearts and love well:

• Stay in God’s word and seek God’s Truth – If we feed our hearts and minds the junk of this world then our hearts will be perverted and not be pure.  The simple principle of garbage in equals garbage out.  If we feed our hearts a daily portion of God’s word also known as the “bread of life” we will stay healthy and pure.  When we let our guard down and forget the things of God we become vulnerable to the attacks of the evil one who desires to damage our hearts.  “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” Psalm 51:10
• Protect yourself from negative influences, toxic people and ungodly living – Even though we live in this world and need to remain connected and relevant, we are not of this world.  As Christ followers, we are born of the spirit and must be wise about who and where we spend our time.  Pursuing God and His word as noted above is an offensive strategy but we also need to have a defensive strategy and shield ourselves from the things of this world that can cause our hearts to be negatively affected.  This begins with the friends we hang out with and the character of the people we keep company with.  I also relates to the media we consume and the places we hang out.  “How can a young man keep his way pure?  By guarding it according to your word.  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:9-11
• Forgive freely and don’t let any bitter root take hold – If we have a heart for God and for people then we will love often and well.  In doing so our hearts will be hurt by people, whether intentional or unintentional.  We must recognize that this is the reality of life as we live in a fallen and broken world.  The key is that we do not take offense and allow the pain of the wound to take deep root in our hearts.  The antidote to bitterness is grace and forgiveness.  “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”.  Ephesians 4:31-32

As we enter the Christmas season, I encourage us to prepare our hearts so we can enjoy the reason for the season and share the love of Christ.God is so good that He promises if we “Delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart” Psalm 37:4Guard your heart,-Duane

Word of the Week - Thanksgiving

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:1,8-9

Thanksgiving defined by Webster is; the act of giving thanks; a prayer expressing gratitude; a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness.  I love Thanksgiving and the fact that we as a nation set aside a day to give thanks and acknowledge our blessings both individually, as a family and as a country.  It is by far my favorite holiday, a time to slow down to “express gratitude and acknowledge and celebrate divine goodness”.With all that is going on in the world, especially in 2020, it is easy to focus our energy and attention on all the challenges of life.  This is our natural inclination but not necessarily God’s will for us.  By focusing on the challenging issues of life, which will always be here this side of heaven, we often lose perspective on the blessings of life and God’s goodness towards us, which can easily lead to the trap of negativity, despair, bitterness, envy, depression etc, this is bad thinking.  Or, we can choose the Lord’s way, which is to “Give Thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16.  This approach leads to peace, hope, joy, encouragement etc., a life giving perspective.The benefits of a grateful heart:  

• It gets our eyes off ourselves, and helps us to focus back on God.
• It reminds us we're not in control, but that we serve a Mighty God who is.
• It takes our attention off of our problems and helps us instead to reflect on, to remember, the goodness of His many blessings.
• A grateful heart reminds us that ultimately God is our Provider, that all blessings and gifts are graciously given to us by His hand.
• A heart of gratitude leaves no room for complaining. For it is impossible to be truly thankful and filled with negativity and ungratefulness at the same time.
• It makes the enemy flee. The forces of darkness can't stand to be around hearts that give thanks and honor to God. Our praise and thanksgiving will make them flee.
• It opens up the door for continued blessings. It invites His presence. Our spirits are refreshed and renewed in Him.

This is a simple and powerful spiritual principle.  There is no question that we will reap what we sow in this very important area of life.  Therefore, I challenge you this week to begin each day (First Fruits/Priority) by acknowledging God’s goodness by counting your blessings and giving thanks to Him.  Before you put your feet on the floor each morning think of something you are grateful for and give Thanks.  No matter how bad things are we can always find something to be Thankful for.  God loves it when we enter His presence with praise and thanksgiving, it blesses Him but it also really blesses Us.  “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name” Psalm 100:4I am thankful for each of you and pray you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving.Thanks,-Duane