My favorite scripture verse is Ephesians 3:20: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond anything you could ask or think, according to the power that works within us.” This scripture always challenges me to remember that God is capable of doing far more in and through my life than I could ever imagine. My challenge is to continually ask myself, “What has been happening in my life that far exceeds what I could have imagined?” The world around us continually pressures us to become complacent and satisfied with mediocrity. You have to continually resist this pressure to keep yourself from settling in to being a lukewarm, plateaued Christian.

In January I will have a new book come out. I am very excited about it because it contains the message that has been resonating within me for the last while. It is entitled: Unlimiting God: Increasing Your Capacity to Experience the Divine. It addresses the fact that we serve an infinite God. The possibilities for what He can do in and through our lives is limitless. However, most Christians do not experience God doing the miraculous or exercising His infinite love and power to the degree He would like to. The reason is that we limit what we will believe Him to do in our lives. Why is it that some people see God regularly doing incredible things in their life and ministry while others rarely do? God is equally powerful for both people. God loves them both equally. Yet God works powerfully through one person and not through another. It is because people limit what God does in their lives. In this new book, I look at five areas in the Christian’s life where we tend to most often limit God. I hope you can read it and I pray you will be challenged by the message to allow God to take your walk with Him to an entirely new level.

Speaking

November was another full and rewarding month. I began by speaking at the “Broken Before the Throne” prayer conference in West Virginia. It was a special time to be with God’s people as they were challenged to prepare themselves and their churches for revival. I also spoke at the Alabama Baptist Convention’s annual meeting. They have adopted a new convention theme for the next three years on being spiritual leaders. I was asked to address the top priority of leaders: connecting with God. It was a wonderful time, especially to see the altar filled with people seeking to connect with God at a deeper level than they had before. My father and I also led a conference at Hot Springs Baptist Church in Arkansas. People came from all around and we had a special time of walking with people as they encountered the Lord. Finally, my father and I spoke at a conference in northeastern North Carolina on revival. I have been so encouraged to find people in every corner of North America who are eager to have their walk with God elevated to a place where God would be pleased to use their lives in revival. God is at work. I hope that whatever else you may be experiencing, that you are also seeing God at work among His people.

Reading

Due to all the travel I did in November, I had the opportunity to read several great books. A biography I read was Peter Krass, Carnegie. It chronicles the life of Andrew Carnegie, the famous steel tycoon. Carnegie is known for his massive philanthropy, giving away millions of dollars to charitable causes. He came to believe it would be a sin for him to die rich. Sadly, he was not a Christian and his life was filled with contradictions. While he was extremely generous in his donations, he amassed much of his wealth by being tightfisted and dictatorial with his employees. He was a man who wanted his life to make a difference and he tried to do it through the use of money. Reading his life account made me realize that the best way to have a life that impacts the world is to invest your life in God’s kingdom.

I read two other books that had a profound impact on my life and I would strongly urge you to pick them both up and to read through them carefully. The first was by Henry Scougal, entitled, The Life of God in the Soul of Man. It was written in 1741. Scougal examines what happens when almighty God takes up residence in a believer’s life. He rightly observes that most of us live our lives far short of our potential when we have infinite God living within us. The second book is by Octavius Winslow entitled, Personal Declension and Revival of Religion in the Soul. Winslow wrote this in 1841. He discusses the sad reality that despite relating to an all-loving and all-powerful God, we tend to depart from Him. I found myself being thoroughly challenged by his writing. He offered insights into scripture and the Christian life I had never seen before. I strongly urge you to pick up both books (I ordered mine from Amazon but there are several Online bookstores who carry them), and then read them slowly.

This past month the Lord reminded me that I cannot become complacent in my walk with Him or in my service for Him. There is too much at stake for me to be satisfied with my current walk with Him! I pray the Lord will continue to create within your life a holy dissatisfaction with the current status quo of your spiritual life. Isn’t it exciting to know that when you walk with the Lord, there is always another spiritual height, to which God wants to take you?

Posted by Richard Blackaby at 9:16 am