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A Date With Destiny

Rejecting Violence: Embracing Integrity and Authenticity

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Happy Birthday March 31
Happy Birthday March 31

Proverbs 3:31

“Don’t be jealous of people who use violence and don’t choose to be like them.”

Knowing that evil comes in many forms, you trust the Spirit to guide your intuition.

Maintaining a firm sense of right and wrong, you reject the evil presence of hatred and prejudice. You shun pride and arrogance. You see through deception and prefer to surround yourself with people who are authentic.

You avoid paths that lead to drama and chaos. Your sense of self is deeply rooted in your desire to do the right thing. You live by a set of standards which are aligned with God’s will and your own personal integrity.

Without judgment, repulsion or excuse, you simply detach yourself from people who exhibit little concern for the pain they cause, or the negative impact they have on their fellow humans.

You do not join in with others who belittle or diminish another’s worth. You remove yourself from environments which are darkened by oppression, hate, prejudice, and intolerance.

Evil offends you deeply. You don’t understand why people are so cruel to each other.  In times of conflict, you seek God’s protection, so you don’t fall prey to this temptation yourself.

In quiet times, as you vent to God in heartfelt prayers, He hears and understands. This evil that grieves you, grieves Him too.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Overcoming Trials: The Promotion After the Fire

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Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the area of Babylon. Daniel 3:30

You have the ability to stand up for what you believe and for whom you believe in. This is true of your loyalty toward friends and family as well as your loyalty to God.

You do not allow others to dictate your values or coerce you into an uncomfortable position of questionable ethics.

As the three Hebrew boys risked their entire future in order to remain true to their own sense of values, you too, are sometimes called upon to stand when everyone around you bows.

The temptation to accommodate powerful people, not matter how disgraceful, may be great, but as you maintain your stance and walk through the fire, you will find there is honor and promotion waiting on the other side.

You may sometimes be alone in your convictions, but you can count on Jesus to be at your side.

When you emerge from the fiery trial, you will discover that the burning shame did not touch you, and not even a hint of humiliation remains.

The promotion that you receive after walking through the fire may come from the same source who attempted to destroy you. This is an act of God, on your behalf. It is His pleasure to see His children promoted.

God has the power to change the heart of any authority figure, and He will happily do so, in order to place good people like you in positions of power.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Creating Safe Spaces: A Call to Protect and Restore

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Zadok rebuilt the wall in front of his house. Samaiah, who protected the East Gate, rebuilt the section after that. Nehemiah 3:29

You have a persistent drive to repair and protect. Whether the source of disorder is a structure, a landscape, or a person, you recognize evidence of original design buried beneath the messy surface.

You have been given the gift of spiritual perception which sees past the damage and identifies true hidden value.

You understand that each child of God is a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. You possess a unique level of expertise in which you can clearly assess damages and identify appropriate steps to restore original beauty and brilliance, reflecting the Designer’s intent.

Many seek you out for your advice and input.  Your natural ability to accept people in their current state, and not shy away from dysfunctional behaviors, places you in a position of great influence.

Much like the experts who made repairs to the destroyed walls in Nehemiah’s day, you work to reconstruct the protective boundaries for God’s lost children who have been demolished by addiction, tragedy and poor choices.

With your relaxed demeanor and casual sense of humor, you build bridges for communication. With your commitment to stability and safety, you offer support to those who are feeling unsteady.

As you open your heart to those who are vulnerable and at risk, you are guarding the gate from the enemy intruders of lies and deception. 

You maintain secure boundaries. You dedicate your time and talents  to creating safe spaces and developing a secure sense of community.

learn more about march 29
A Date With Destiny

The Power of Forgiveness: Finding Strength in Mercy

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“I tell you the truth. All sins that people do can be forgiven.” Mark 3:28

Forgiveness is an attribute which comes easily for you. You have been blessed by both giving and receiving forgiveness. You understand the forgiveness of God because you have received it abundantly.

While you may sometimes fail to make the right choice, your decision to accept God’s forgiveness for the wrong ones, is always the right choice.

You are grateful for the opportunities to offer forgiveness to others.

While it is human nature to be concerned about the risks of being merciful, you believe there is a much greater risk to the human soul when one opts to become merciless.

You are grateful for the mercy of God which provides healing and restoration. Not only does He show mercy to the offender, but He also offers forgiveness for the wrong and cancelation of the debt.

Like your Creator, you do not keep score. The mercy and forgiveness you learned from Him, enables you to wipe the slate clean and give everyone a fresh start.

Your appreciation for the forgiveness you have received is best displayed by your willingness to offer it to others.

You are a merciful person and for that reason, as Jesus reported in the Sermon on the Mount, you are blessed and will receive mercy.

It has been said that the word blessed, could be best defined by the phrase, empowered to succeed.

You are successful because you show mercy and because mercy is shown to you.

Whether or not you do everything perfectly, is not what determines your success.

It is your gift of mercy which creates a firm foundation for successful relationships.  It is also the defining force of your Christian walk.

For only those who give and receive mercy will ever truly know the heart of God. 

A Date With Destiny

3/27 Be a Rebel: Embrace Your Inner Trailblazer

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Daniel 3:27: “When they came out, the fire had not harmed them. Their hair and clothes were not burned and they didn’t even smell like smoke.“

There are times when you are called upon to take a stand, just like the three Hebrew boys in the book of Daniel. You may be urged by the Spirit to go against the masses and follow your conscience, rather than the demands of a narcissistic bully.

As Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the flames for following their divine direction, you too, will sometimes walk through fire as the result of your convictions.

In the same manner that Jesus appeared in the fiery furnace with those boys, He also appears to you when going through the fiery trials of your own faith.

Some will try to tell you what’s best, and condemn you for standing your ground. At times, you may be criticized for doing what you know is right, by those who are more comfortable taking the path of least resistance.

Lots of Hebrews bowed the knee to the golden statue because they were told to do so. Some of them were friends and family members of the three rebels who refused.

Those who bowed were not named. God did not reject them, or send fire from heaven to consume them. They simply bowed to the golden statue, and went on to live their lives of quiet desperation.

Those who bowed missed out on having a conversation with the Son of God in a fiery furnace. Those who bowed never had their names listed in Sacred Text. Those who bowed never became part of a story which would be told for thousands of years to come.

From this passage, you conclude there are two types of people: those who bow and those who stand.

Bowers are compliant. Standers are defiant. You have been called to be a stander.

Not everyone is called to be a rebel and a renegade. You are.

You go on high alert when you can right a wrong, stand up to a bully, or defend the defenseless.

You are a rebel at heart.  You are wild and adventurous. You do not take the path of least resistance. You find that path boring and dull.

You are a trailblazer. You create paths which never existed and inspire others to follow your lead.

Long after you are gone from this planet, your imprint will remain on those trails. Your courage will call to future generations, inviting them to join the rebel cause and reject the status quo. The echo of your voice from a faraway dimension will call to those select few, willing to risk it all for a chance to come up higher.

Learn more about March 27

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Help My Unbelief

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Pastor Marc explores the powerful story from Mark 9:14-24, where a desperate father cries out to Jesus, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

It’s a reminder that belief and faith aren’t the same — belief acknowledges truth, but faith acts on it.

When doubt creeps in, we’re invited to turn that uncertainty into trust, one prayer and one step at a time. No matter what you face, God’s power still works miracles. Pray it today: “Lord, help my unbelief.”

A Date With Destiny

Embracing Struggles: Discovering God’s Presence in Adversity

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The Lord cares deeply about you and comes to your rescue whenever you ask for His help.

God sees that some of the things you go through are difficult. You know that help is required if you are going to be able to withstand the pressure and come through to the other side, unscathed.

With the calm reassurance of angels at your side, these struggles do not leave you weakened. Instead, you emerge from difficult predicaments with a newfound awareness of your position in God’s family.

You sense His presence of with greater intensity during times when you are down and finding it impossible to stand on your own.  Because of this, you have learned to be grateful for your struggles, because they generate a new level of intimacy between you and your Creator.

Because you know He is there to carry the heaviness you feel after having been wronged, He enables you to move freely into forgiveness where healing can be found. 

Assured that the Creator of the Universe is interested in what happens to you, and is willing to help whenever you ask, your confidence is solid and no earthly problem can shake it.

learn more about march 25
Tetelestai Recovery

Forgiveness and Healing: Submitting Our Claims to God

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We are damaged humans who have been damaged by other humans. Our only hope of recovery is to submit our claims to God and wait for Him to reimburse us for our loss.

We finally understand that when Jesus instructs us to forgive, He is not telling us we must sustain damage and accept it as okay. He also isn’t telling us that we don’t have a valid claim. In fact, He is stating the exact opposite.

The fact that forgiveness is necessary, means an injury or loss has occurred. Jesus is not denying our claims. He is validating our losses and confirming their legitimacy.

He doesn’t suggest we just get over it. He doesn’t instruct us to ignore it and congratulate ourselves on taking the high road.

 He instructs us to forgive because he wants us to gain access to His full coverage comprehensive plan. Jesus is telling us, “Submit your claim to me, and I will take care of all repairs and injuries.” He knows that the process is too exhausting and emotionally charged for us to deal with on our own. He also knows that when two humans try to settle up, they rarely get it right and they seldom get it done. 

(Tetelestai Recovery – Our New Normal pp 113)

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A Date With Destiny

Living as a Citizen of Heaven: Embrace Your Dual Reality

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1 Peter 3:22…”Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God. All the angels and powers accept his authority.”

You are becoming more and more enlightened about who Jesus is, where He came from, and where He is now, preparing a place for you.

While it is true that your physical body is aging, your mind is being renewed every day. Each step of the way, the Holy Spirit is taking you to new heights of enlightenment.

Fueled by living water springing up from within you, your spirit rushes like a river, creating the power and energy needed to carry your physical form into each next heavenly assignment.

Partnered with the Spirit of God, supernatural energy is infusing you with a heavenly mindset.  As you focus your attention on heavenly pursuits, you are simultaneously improving the natural world in which you reside. 

In this way, you are living in two realms at once. You are a citizen of heaven, and an ambassador of Christ. Your heart is set on things above, and your days are filled with bringing heaven to earth.

Maintaining a heavenly focus creates melody in your mind and harmony in your heart. This music of heaven shifts your gaze away from your human struggles and toward the throne room of heaven.

Experiencing the power of Christ in this dual reality, His Kingdom is as real to you as the world in which you live.

Learn more about march 22

A Date With Destiny

3/21 Finding Freedom in God’s Grace: Letting Go of Guilt

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1 John 3:21…”Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.”

You lead a carefree life because you release your mistakes and weaknesses into the safe grace of God.

When regret or guilt trouble you, they immediately become the next topic of conversation with God. You talk with your Heavenly Father throughout the day about the issues which plague your thoughts. As you share your memories with God, you find a sense of release. Your thoughts are turned toward His forgiveness and mercy, rather than your own failures and remorse.

You receive clemency from Christ, which wipes the slate clean. You understand this is not a once-in-a-life-time free pass, but it is a gift of grace, providing you with a fresh start whenever you need one, throughout your entire life.

When you talk things out with God, regrets are resolved, and guilt is eliminated.

Knowing that Christ has liberated you from any past mistakes, you are overwhelmed with gratitude rather than guilt.

learn more about march 21