Become a Safe Place

When we are free from the need to judge or condemn, we become a safe place. The more we are rooted in the love of God, we become a healing environment for others. When people realize that we have no hidden agenda or unspoken intentions, and that our desire is for peace, healing and reconciliation, they may find freedom and courage to open their hearts to the miracle that the Lord wants to bring into their lives.

Let Go of Old Hurts

One of the hardest things to let go of in life is old hurts. You may have declared it would not be forgiven or forgotten. You cannot do this, but God can. You cannot experience the fullness of freedom, and at the same time hold on to old wounds. Will you choose this day to allow the Lord to expose and dismantle perpetual unforgiveness in your heart? You are a new creation in Him, and He will renew your heart today.

Momentary Reconciliation

Reconciliation needs to be ongoing. Think of how often our thoughts and feelings are impacted negatively by those different than us. In that moment an enemy appears in the form of a friend, co-worker, family, or a stranger that has a different lifestyle, thinks differently, speaks differently, or just does not act as we like. We need reconciliation in our hearts immediately, to respond in God's love and grace.

"Visionary Advancement Strategies" Weekly Articles December 27th 2009

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We Must First Know Our Reconciliation

To help others towards reconciliation with God, we must let the truth of our own reconciliation with Him permeate every part of our lives. As long as we are not fully and thoroughly convinced that we have been reconciled with God, that we are forgiven, that we have received new hearts, new spirits, new eyes to see, and new ears to hear, we will continue to create divisions because of false expectations. When we know that everything we need is in him, we now are free to set others free in the ministry of reconciliation.

Observations and Ponderings For 2010 By Robert Ricciardelli

Observations and Ponderings For 2010

By Robert Ricciardelli www.vision2advance.com

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I love to ponder the possibilities and creative ways we can please God and serve others. I love to reflect on how things are, and “what if” we changed them. How can we further align ourselves toward His Most Excellent Ways. We only know in part, so it is always good to check what we think that we know often.

These are observations and ponderings can be purposeful to challenge existing paradigms, while firming up Kingdom foundations. Many of these are happening all around us, but what if they were not just the exception, but were consistently happening. What will Father do as His children grow up in becoming more like Him? My prayers are to continually stimulate possibility thoughts towards ways that bring forth His Kingdom through our lives.

Here are my Observations and Ponderings as we move into 2010:

Pray for our leaders rather than complain about who we have or don’t have in office.

God is on the throne and will have His way, regardless of who is in office and we are called to pray for His will and for His purposes to be accomplished for our nation.

Give to Caesar (government) what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is His, which are our very lives.

Jesus was consumed with His Father’s Kingdom being brought to the earth, we must focus on that rather than political processes, and give that burden to Him. Do what you are called to do, and leave the rest to Him.

Governmental systems have many elements behind the scenes that control what laws are passed, and even influence and control leaders. May God's people be aware so they do not look to government for answers but ask God on how they may lead and help others in societies future.

May the Lord begin to raise up new leaders who will stand for righteousness in the realms of government. For the Daniels and the Josephs to be raised up and take their place in leading nations with Fathers influence, presence, and wisdom in governmental offices.

Father is shaking all foundations that are not built upon the Rock of Himself. How are we responding to the shaking all around us?

Be active in using what we do have, and quit wasting time worrying about what we don’t have.

We will not fear any longer, we will not fear life or death, because we are in His hands.

“Stop it, just stop it” in our negative thought patterns. “Stop it, just Stop it”, thinking that way, in Jesus name!

We must understand and activate true repentance in every area of our lives, truly turn away instead of just feeling sorry for our patterns of sin.

We must forgive every wrong committed against us in the past and more swiftly in the days ahead.

We will allow His presence to eradicate bitterness from the depths of our souls.

We must understand and apply His freedom from every deliberate and unintentional wounds from our past.

Choose to never live as victim again, because the revelation of Christ and His grace suffices daily for us. Live as a victor and flee from the victim mindset.

Forgive ourselves, and move on past the shame simply because Jesus has forgiven us, and His work in forgiveness is complete.

We will accept and believe with all of our heart, soul, and mind that Jesus loves us, accepts us, and is for us, every moment of every day.

HE ACCEPTS US AS WE ARE to the point that it overwhelms the fact that we do not accept ourselves sometimes. You are growing but you are also complete in Him NOW.

We will live the way of the cross, knowing persecution and trials will come. We will die more to self, because it is the narrow way He asked us to follow.

As we die to self more, Christ lives through us more, and every single need will be met as our joy is made complete in Him.

Rest in who we are in Christ, rather than running around doing activities He never called us to do. Being rather than doing!

God loves us, and it has nothing to do with our past, or our future performances. Rest in Him daily!

Pastors and leadership teams around the world need to train and release every member of their church into the ministry the Lord has called them to. This training and release goes beyond the four walls of organized church.

We need to pick up our mats and walk in obedience after the Lord’s deliverance, rather than come back for prayer and healing for the same things week after week.

God’s true leaders will seek to always serve beyond ever having to be served.

Leaders will train and lead others in the vision God has for them as individuals, and trust the Holy Spirit to move on them to support community or corporate vision. Manipulation and control must go, while faith arises in leaders.

Leaders must not respond to the fear of rejection and failure. Growth is not about numbers. They must trust the Lord for any perceived growth in numbers they expect to see, or better yet, consider to not look at numbers at all. Look to God, He will do what only He can do for their community.

Citywide transformation can begin to take place when each individual realizes his or her purpose and calling, and are released to fulfill it in every day life.

Church pastors must seek relationship with the other pastors of the community to fulfill a citywide vision beyond their own ministries. They must know that the vision for the city WILL NOT be realized without partnering with others. These concepts of futility must not continue to be perpetuated in our cities.

The Lord owns everything we have and asks us to steward everything He has given us. We must ask Him how much to give and to where, always willing to give 100% if He were to ask that of us.

The orphan spirit in many are looking for fathers who will love them, and disciple them to their Heavenly Father. The Father’s heart will rise up, and we will begin to see kingly & priestly fathers in the order of Melchizedek, in the ways of Christ.

Children of God must understand and operate more fully in the authority that Jesus Christ sacrificed for them to have. It is He that performs it through their lives.

Kingdomized people will continue to bring godly influence and leadership to all the gates of the city. Kings and priests of God need to lead by serving in His wisdom and strength in government, business, healthcare, media, law, and educational jurisdictions of our cities.

Every believer must not settle in how they view themselves, while ever seeking the Father to know the full potential of what He sees in them.

We must accept others and the blessing that they are, rather than being offended by them in their differences.

Choose to see the good in people, pray for the rest in them, and love them regardless if they change in the ways we think they should. Believe for the best in others.

Mammon and control must continue to be exposed and deposed in godly leadership systems. The release of Father’s saints upon the earth will increase as the chains that bind are removed. Accountability through relationship, and the righteous fear of God is far more impactful than ungodly control and manipulation.

We must be willing to serve in every phase of our lives rather than being served.

Every believer must understand the eternal process they are in, and walk without judgment beside those not as far along in the process.

We look at many things as realities that are not. As more exposure comes to false realities, the more we can live in the reality of His eternal Kingdom.

Choose to have an un-offendable heart. When offenses come, let go of them quickly.

Forgive in every situation and not only because the Father said He would not forgive you unless you forgive, but because it is in your heart to love in that way.

Be excited about the uniqueness of each other’s differences, and the value of each expression of God's people.

Spiritual Fathers should have a heart of giving to their spiritual sons that surpass any thoughts of what they would receive in return.

Shepherds, (pastors), must be willing to run after the few of the flock that have been hurt, isolated and in need of life giving expressions of our Saviors love.

God's people should pray and communicate intimately with the Father on a daily basis.

Daily people are gathering both missionally, and relationally in homes, coffee shops, and businesses.

Believers need to be concerned with their own end time, which could end at any moment. If we are more concerned with our own end time rather than THE end times, it will become more productive.

We must live each days as it is our last day, and continue to build each day for a better tomorrow for future generations.

The perceived rapture could be a long ways off, or not come at all in the timing and ways that some may think. We must not consume ourselves with such thought and seize the day for God and doing His business of establishing His Kingdom upon the earth.

Do not fear dying. In fact, in living for Him, choose to die to self daily. As you do, you will truly live in and through Him in powerful ways.

Live and move and have your being in the Holy Spirit, 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week. Oh what a standard to move towards.

Receive every word or deed with the Father's eyes and with His heart. Then Father can also engage you in a response to life and bring forth words and deeds that bring life to others, and bring Him glory.

Authentic servant leaders will rather have a towel (servant), than a title in leading others. We do not need titles, we need obedience to serve and give as He directs.

We must seek to trash every idol in our life to be free in serving effectively in the army of our Lord.

The greatest idol that we battle is the idol called "self", continue to lay down self and become selfless in our pursuit of Christ and His Kingdom.

Believers must realize that their obedience to all that they do each day is ministry to God and His kingdom.

Housewives’ and mothers are in a valuable full time ministry in keeping the home, and raising the next generation in the pursuit of the will of God.

People of God need to see more fully the ministry the Lord is doing through His daughters. There is a need for further freedom from limited mindsets regarding the Father’s potential and ministry in women. Women have no limits in what the Lord may call them to do, and people must not get in the way of God’s desire for them.

The Kingdom of God is beyond race, gender, or age, but is a diversity of expression in His glorious Kingdom. In the Kingdom male, female, Greek, and Jew can work together in the fullness and likeness of Christ.

Business owners and all workers must realize that in Christ, they are full time ministers in their calling.

For the business owner, people are their greatest resource and they can be an effective pastor for their businesses.

Those in business should look at co-workers, vendors, and customers, as potentially part of their household of faith, or sphere of godly influence.

Christian business owners can look at their businesses as an impact for the community. Churches, homes, businesses, are redeemed and moving in God’s glory throughout the community.

There should be synergy and acceptability in viewing the spirituality of organized church pastors and those who may pastor their homes, businesses, and others in the community.

God speaks in relevance for today beyond the written word in alignment of the written word. In other words, many services and ways that the Father has given us stewardship over is beyond biblical context, but will be in alignment with the Word of God contextualized for today.

So many are operating in the prophetic, as we are a prophetic people. But we are people that can be subjective. Therefore we must find godly ways to enhance prophetic accountability.

When a prophetic people can apologize when they have spoken amiss, God’s glory is revealed. It is okay to make a mistake; it is not okay to cover it up. We must acknowledge equally what we have gotten right and what me may have gotten wrong. This encourages others, and creates an audience that is more willing to listen.

We will worship the foundation of all orders, all systems, all expressions of faith, (Christ Himself), beyond the order or perceived order of things that man has built.

We must have fellowship and connections with others during the week instead of relying on one Sunday Service, which was never designed to meet our ”one anothering” needs.

The earth continues to be filled with the glory of the Lord and He is just waiting for more of us to get involved.

True wealth is measured in what you give away, and not what you keep.

Love as He loves, speak as He speaks, and do what He does, and we can change the world.

Your opinions are okay, because they are your opinions. It would be nice to be loved regardless of how different we all perceive life.

Appreciate the different cultures and expressions in God’s Kingdom, regardless if you understand them, or fancy them.

Understand the commandment to love. Choose to love, even if you do not feel the return of love from others.

Our prayer is that many of these become realities in people's lives, enabling them go out and make a bigger kingdom difference.

Come share on our blog your Ponderings for this year http://vision2advance.blogspot.com

Made By Him and For Him

You have been designed by Almighty God. Not by chance, but by love. He made you, and is wonderfully making you more like Him. There is no one else like you, and He loves and accepts you as you are. His grace covers all of your needs. You are His plan to reveal Himself on earth. You have purpose that is far beyond what you currently can know, and He will guide you to where you should go.

Our Task of Reconciliation

Jesus came to reconcile the world back to the Father. As the Father has sent Christ, so Christ has sent us. So our task is reconciliation. Wherever we go we see divisions in families, cities, and nations. Most divisions are the result of being separated from God. So whatever we do in ministry, we must ask ourselves, "Does this bring reconciliation, healing and life to others?"

Christmas is an attitude

Christmas is an attitude. Origin or day matters little. God is what matters. God goes far beyond a time or a season but will use any season we give Him. I see it as a reflection of the hope that is here. I see it as family coming together in celebration. I see it as a party of faith, hope, and love. I see it as good, and I see it as God. I do not worship a tree or a day, but I worship the One who showed us the Way.

His Spirit Working in Me

The more of God's divinity I touch the more I need Him, and the less I rely on self. As I surrender to Him more, self reliance diminishes. I choose to surrender to God every moment of the day in my house, in my business, and in every trial and temptation? My hearts desire is to surrender more fully, but I cannot do this. So it is His Spirit working in me not only to will, but also to carry out His plans for my life.

Absolute Surrender

Absolute surrender is so needed today. Are we living so as to say, "My Lord, my God, according to your word, I declare that all that I am, and all that I have is yours and to be used as you will." Absolute blessing comes as we yield to God, and surrender all to Him. If our hearts are willing for that, there is no limit to what God will do through us, and to the blessing of those we are called to love and serve.

You Are the Light

We often walk through dark places. Pain, suffering, and many things come to us and others we love. It is not a concept, it is reality that God is always with us, and never leaves us during those times. As we walk with certainty in Him, we reflect His light in the midst of darkness. You are His light to the world, no matter the journey. As people observe you as overcomers in life, God's glory is revealed to them.

Be Consumed With Life

Some people cannot wait to get married and have children. Some cannot wait until the children grow up. Some cannot wait for early retirement, or wait for bills to be paid. Many are bound up in the waiting. Do not let waiting consume you, be consumed with life, living each moment as if it were your last, and building for eternity by loving and serving others.

"Visionary Advancement Strategies" Weekly Articles December 20th 2009

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How Then Shall We Live?

We can preach the ways of God, but how are we living in them? We can know the truth, but miss living the truth. When conflict comes, how do we respond? Is it love, or having to be right? Is it grace, or having to have the last word? Are we allowing God to catch our hearts before we hurt one another? Conflict will surely come. As Christ followers, how then shall we live?

Choosing God's Embrace

We are free to choose God's embrace. In His great love, He gives freedom for choice. God takes no pleasure in seeing His creation suffer. God wants to forgive, heal, restore, and show endless mercy. As we choose Him, His Spirit empowers us to move away from the darkness that can so easily beset us. So choose life, and move towards His love and His truth. He will bring clarity, and everything you need for your journey.

Creation Continues to Unfold

Creation continues to unfold. A volcano is exploding forth a possible new Island, 4000 feet below the sea. Another child is born, a new product or service is created. Life is happening, and has continued to happen ever since Father's words of "Let there be light." Are you capturing the sight of life unfolding all around you? Are you engaged in bringing His divine life to others?

Revealers and Not Concealers of God's Glory

God does not require our obedience and service for His glory and greatness, but for our good, and the good of others. His glory is always intact, but He desires for us to be the revealer's of His glory. In our obedience, and doing good through His love, His glory is revealed. When we live in darkness, His glory is concealed. Let's choose righteous and obedient living so we can reveal His glory, and bring many to the revelation of their Heavenly Father.

Living Epistles

True learning comes from experience and not knowledge. Knowledge brings a false sense of really knowing and living in truth. Many live in the false reality of what they preach, and not how they actually live. Teaching others by becoming living epistles is Fathers way. Lord, by your Spirit may we move to the realm of performing what we preach in tangible and transforming ways.

Wealth All Around You

Wealth is so much more than money. To the lonely, wealth is a friend. To the poor, wealth is a daily meal. To a parent, wealth is a child. To the weak, wealth is to have become strong. To the lost, wealth is to become found. There is no greater wealth than Christ Himself, who gave us eternity as children of an Eternal Kingdom. Take time everyday to reflect, and thank God for, the wealth He has placed all around you.

Know Your Assignment

It does not matter WHERE you fulfill your assignment as much as that you KNOW your assignment. Father has manifested His name through your life to the people whom He has given you to serve and relate with. We often speak of our efforts to glorify God. Jesus knew exactly what was needed to accomplish that. We have the same general call to reconcile the world back to the Father. But you will fulfill it in the way He has designed specifically for you.

Trust God while He Empowers You

It is evident that we cannot rely on institutions for changes to community or nation. We have only one we can rely on, and that is God Himself. He has chosen to change the world through people. You are that people. Everything you do in love, honor, and in service to Him and the people around you, impacts your community, your nation, and the world. Are you seeing yourself as a change agent on planet earth? God does.

Feast of Peace

Keep your eyes on the Prince of Peace. He can be found in weaknesses, doubts, and when lives seem the most broken. In relinquishing control and self sufficiency, we turn only to Him for peace beyond what the world can give. He will give you a feast of peace in the midst of your enemies. Embrace His peace, and cling to Him, while healing comes, circumstances change, and the next steps unfold for the journey ahead.

"Visionary Advancement Strategies" Weekly Articles December 13th 2009

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Seek Self Reflection

There can be no repentance in the things we do not know about self, but glory comes when we search out the hidden things. As Christ followers, self reflection is so necessary. We must sincerely inquire of God to reveal to us the areas of our lives that need to be changed into His likeness. Love will compel us to change, and Father will help us to further reveal more of His glory.

Oh How He Loves YOU!

Father had YOU in mind before you were formed. He foreknew all of your choices and encounters, and through it all, His love endures. He chose YOU. He designed YOU for His purposes and glory. YOU are forever precious to Him regardless of your self-thoughts, and what you have done or neglected to do. He desires for you to see yourself as He sees you. YOU are His expressed will being done on earth as it is in heaven.

Real Agape Living

People are tired of living in the ideas of mankind, and desire only the Way, the Truth, that establishes reality Life. In agape life, what we do happens because of who we are in Him, powered by His Spirit led presence. Being a child of God while increasingly being captured by His love is foundational as ambassadors to the world of His eternal Kingdom.

What Do We Really Know?

We have all learned so much through the years. So much information has produced information overload in most of us. So many things we have been taught that we must do and yet we do not do them. Much information does not mean we know much. When we have a deep knowing, there is often a response to that knowing. To know and to not do, is to truly not know.

Rearranged for His Glory

It does not matter if you are in a sowing, reaping, or waiting season. Glean from it all. Every season is a season to cling to the Father and hold everything else loosely. He will come to you and rearrange the furniture of your life. He will insert the stuff you need, and take away things that just needs to go away as the next season approaches. Be eagerly expecting His glory to come upon this transitional time.

Just Outlast The Season

Seasons are temporary and change. The length of a season is in the Fathers hands. You will never be stuck in a permanent unchanging season, and that is a promise from the Lord. The lie is that things won’t change, and the truth is that they absolutely will change. Stand strong in the Lord, and He will guide you and prepare you for the next season. There will be another season, and you just need to outlast this current season, and with God, it will surely come to pass.

First Choice For Lovers

There is but one choice that all humanity was designed to choose. That choice was the very purpose for creation. We were created by Love, and for love. We are to be living expressions of God's love which is unconditional, without agenda, the foundation for every good work. Before you choose any response in life, will first choose love? Will you join the tribe of lovers, who love for Love?

This is Not Trivial Pursuit

Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness! The only way way to pursue Fathers nature is the way of humility. The death of ego must progressively come to inherit the treasures and power of heaven. The dying produces the fruits of the Kingdom such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. May this be our pursuit.

Children of Life

When you choose a life in darkness, you become enslaved to that darkness. A slave does not remain in the house forever, but a son does. When we choose living in Christ, we choose the way of life and of sonship. As sons and daughters of the Eternal King and Kingdom, we are children of life, and not slaves to sin. We now remain in His house forever.