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You Can Have Help Navigating Through Life – The BEST Help

Gary Keesee • Oct 02, 2019

“Alright, WHO ARE YOU ?” she asked me.

I had preached at a conference in California and was taking a red-eye flight back to Ohio. I knew the weekend would be busy with three services to preach when I got home, and I was already tired.

As I was heading to the airport, I was talking to Drenda on the phone. She said, “Let’s agree that you can fly home first class.” I agreed, and we prayed.

I very rarely fly first class, but sometimes, if I really know I need rest, I will upgrade my seat.

But when I got to the airport, it was clear that an upgrade wasn’t happening. All of the first class seats were taken, and there was a list of at least 20 people ahead of me that were waiting for one, too.

As I sat down on the plane, there was a small commotion in front of me as a man voiced his complaint about not being able to sit with his wife. No one wanted to switch him seats. After a few moments, I offered to give up my aisle seat and take a middle seat so they could sit together. The flight attendants were very thankful that I had helped make the couple comfortable.

I had access to help I forgot I had access to.

It was about 30 minutes into the flight, when I could small the meal being served to the first class people. The flight attendants started to serve those of us in the economy seats the normal drinks and peanuts.

Then it happened.

One of the flight attendants was in front of me in the aisle with a full first-class tray in her hands.

She had walked all the way back to me in row 27.

“I thought you might be hungry,” she said.

Uh, most definitely!

But the story gets even better.

About an hour after the meal, one of the attendants brought me a full snack tray.

Remember, this was only happening for ME, not anyone else in ALL of the economy seat-area of the plane.

Up until that point, the people around me had been acting pretty normal.

But then the flight attendant brought me something that changed everything.

A hot chocolate chip cookie and a drink.

That was the last straw for many of the people around me. And that’s when the lady next to me asked, “Alright, WHO ARE YOU ?”

I enjoyed the privileges of a first-class seat even while I was in coach.

You have the clear advantage.

Why did I share that story with you?

Because that story is a perfect illustration of what life should be like FOR YOU as a believer.

Everyone else may be surviving on the proverbial peanuts, but not you.

You should have the hot chocolate chip cookies.

You should have the upgrade…the advantage…the favor.

Favor means “standing in a place of advantage.”

Years ago, my family went to Long Island, New York for a vacation. I was out in the water and on the beach just enjoying the sun and water. Since the sun was so bright, I wore my sunglasses out into the water. I wasn’t going far out. In fact, I was only in waist-high water so I thought nothing about wearing my expensive sunglasses.

But out of nowhere came a huge wave that washed entirely over me.

My sunglasses were gone.

Those sunglasses were my favorite pair and I didn’t want to lose them. I immediately cried out, “No! In the name of Jesus, I will not lose those glasses! Holy Spirit, show me where they are!”

I then asked my two daughters who were with me to help me find them. We walked all around the spot and felt the sand with our feet. For about 20 minutes, we looked and felt around, and felt around some more.

We couldn’t find them.

I went back up to the shore and sat down with Drenda, telling her what had happened and that I was NOT going to lose those sunglasses. My plan was to go back out and look for them again, but Drenda suggested that we go for a walk first and then she would help me search.

We walked down the beach about 3/4 of a mile. Just as we were about to turn around and head back, a wave rolled in.

With my sunglasses on top.

Not only that, my sunglasses came sliding in and skidded to a stop at my feet!

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Drenda and I just looked at each other, probably with our mouths hanging open in shock.

Favor will change your life.

“But those things only happen to you, Gary, because you’re a pastor.”

Here’s the thing you have to understand—there’s a whole bunch of room in God’s house.

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” – John 1:12

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” – John 15:15

You’re not a servant to God. You’re His child and His friend. A servant doesn’t know the master’s business, but children and friends do. We’re not servants in God’s house. We’re part of the family. We can ask questions about the family business. We can know what God is doing.

You can have the favor…the advantage…the inside scoop.

John 14:16 tells us that the Holy Spirit will teach us ALL things.

Talk about favor! God Himself is on your side!

You have access to secret, inside information! God will help you live life before the devil even knows you’re there.

You can have wisdom in every situation.

When Polly, our fourth child, was pregnant with her first child, we won a trip to Costa Rica through one of our business vendors.

The trip was scheduled for the same week as Polly’s due date.

We needed to know what to do. There was no way we were going to miss the birth of Polly’s baby.

So we were praying about what to do.

One day, I was out riding my bike, and the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, The baby will not be born on the due date. The baby will be born two days after you come home from your trip. 

  So I went home and told Drenda to get packed.

And, Ivory, Polly’s daughter was born two days after we returned from that trip.

God can give you the wisdom you need for any situation, too.

In Matthew 13:11, Jesus said the knowledge of the secrets , or mysteries , of the Kingdom of heaven has been given to US, but not to them.

That means you aren’t supposed to just stumble through life hoping things will work out.

God wants to show you the secrets , or mysteries, of the Kingdom, so you can advance and win in life.

One of those secrets—a KEY secret, or mystery—is the POWER OF STRATEGY.

I talk often about the Power of Strategy (like here , here , and here ).

It’s critically important information you need to know.

Because making decisions in life can be difficult. But they don’t have to be.

You can have help navigating through life.

In fact, you can have THE BEST help possible.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of God’s help in my life.

If you’re anything like me, and want to know as much as you can about how God works undercover using the Holy Spirit, I’ve got great news for you! I wrote an entire book about it. It’s called, Your Financial Revolution: The Power of STRATEGY .

I’m SO EXCITED to get this book in your hands!

Understanding how God works undercover using THE POWER OF STRATEGY is one of the single greatest keys to your success and victory in life.

It’s critical that you understand this if you want to capture the opportunities God has for you.

No more missing out on the great things God has for you!

 

By Gary Keesee 13 Mar, 2024
Reading Time 2 mins 34 secs – How can you make sure you’re equipped for the growth coming your way this year? Here are my 10 steps to posture yourself for opportunity and success. 1. Ask yourself how you’re handling your current responsibilities. Don’t run from your responsibilities. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, you should be a success. People will still see the evidence of God even if you think you’re in the wrong spot. 2. Detox your life of the things that keep you from having time to think. We live in a fast-paced world. There are plenty of things that can keep you distracted. But it’s in the moments that you stop to think that you’ll find ways to solve problems, and that’s where the opportunities are. So figure out what is consuming your time. Start saying no to some things. Find time to think. 3. Don’t hang around people who are always losing. I know people hit rough spots, but if the people in your life are chronically losing, it’s time to expand your circle. Hang around people who are better than you are, who don’t see things as impossible, and who have vision. It may be uncomfortable for you, but their influence will cause you to think differently. 4. Write down EVERY idea that you have, no matter how strange it seems. Most people filter opportunities and ideas through what they perceive their ability to be. This means most people discard ideas by the dozens because they don’t think they can do them. But God isn’t limited to what you know how to do. The ideas He gives you might seem so weird to you that you can’t process them fully. Write them down so you have time to think about them. 5. Research. Research. Repeat. You don’t need to know how to do something; you need to know how to learn how to do it. Research until you find what you’re looking for. 6. Count the cost before you jump. A lot of Christians hear God and jump out too soon, resulting in catastrophe. There are seasons for everything. God will prepare you for where He wants you to go. Be patient. 7. Always be in agreement with your spouse. Never, ever march out into battle without your spouse being in total agreement and your faith aligned. 8. Ask God for direction. Ask Him to help you, to show you where to go, and what to do. And always remember that prophecy from other people shouldn’t lead you; it should only confirm what God has already said to you. 9. Commit to never quit. Quitting is not an option. Once you’ve moved, don’t move again until God speaks to you. Stay with it. Walk it out. Don’t quit. So many people have so much potential, but they get uncomfortable and they quit. If you want to win, you should always be stretching. 10. Get ready to embrace bigger things. Your ability to see the big picture will keep growing as you change and grow on the inside. You’ll pick up on even more opportunities. For more principles, check out this FREE video on success.
By Drenda Keesee 14 Feb, 2024
Reading Time 2 mins 59 secs – A stuffed toy laid in the road at the scene of the accident. As we passed, the Lord spoke to me, “ Okay, this is your last warning. Are you going to continue this? You know you are opening the door to the enemy.” Gary and I had had a disagreement just before we had left the house for our family road trip. And there we were six hours in and we’d barely said a word to one another. Six hours. You think driving from Ohio to Tennessee is a long stretch of highway? Try doing it while giving someone the silent treatment. One word: torture. Then we passed the accident. Gary and I both felt the same conviction when we passed it, especially because it clearly involved children. But... pride. We knew what we were doing wasn’t good. (What kind of example is it to your children to ignore each other?) But neither of us wanted to lay down our pride. I kept hearing the voice of the Lord, and I’d think, No, I’m not going to fix this thing, because then I’ll have to talk to him. It was almost a competition to see who could hold our grudge for the longest. But strife is dangerous stuff. What is strife? Drama, conflict, friction, disagreement, bickering, arguing, bad blood, disputes… whichever words you use to describe it, it’s dangerous. Whether it’s between you and your spouse, you and your child, you and a friend, you and a family member, or you and a coworker, you don’t want to let strife remain in your life. The Bible says that where there is strife, there is confusion and there is every evil work (James 3:16). Our small argument between Gary and I had gone unchecked and had escalated, and neither one of us were listening to the voice of the Lord. And there were consequences for our strife and outright disobedience. About an hour after we passed the accident, a car pulled out in front of our vehicle, and we were in what could have been a very serious car accident. I started yelling the name of Jesus, and God supernaturally protected our entire family. Initially, it looked as though there were going to be serious issues. They told us our son’s spleen might rupture. I was pregnant, and the doctors worried that I might lose the baby. Through all of these things, we stood on the Word of God, and we all came out unharmed, including the young preacher’s son who had pulled out in front of us (he was in disobedience at that moment too). Even in the midst of this difficult situation, through our prayers, standing on God’s Word, and our children’s words to the medical personnel, we had opportunities to minister and impact the little county hospital we had to visit. The enemy tried to take us out, but he lost. We were responsible for opening the door to the enemy. But the name of Jesus is more powerful than our mistakes and circumstances, and that is what kept us protected. You MUST stay on guard and not allow strife in your life, with anyone. How? Here are just three quick tips: Bite your tongue. You don’t have to say everything you think. Don’t lash out or give the silent treatment. Work on communicating with others in a healthy way. Repent quickly and forgive quickly. Take responsibility; admit when you’re wrong. Say you’re sorry and ask for forgiveness. Don’t hold onto hurts. Forgive as you’ve been forgiven by Jesus.
By Faith Life Now 10 Jan, 2024
Reading Time 4 mins 7 secs – Are you saved? Have you forgotten how that happened? Think about it. Did someone preach hellfire and brimstone to you, or did someone show you they loved you? Did they hand you a Bible and send you on your way, or did they spend some time with you? Did their example make you want to run or make you want what they had? Which of these people are YOU for other people? It’s easy to forget that WE have what the world needs. It’s easy to get focused on ourselves, on our busy lives, and on just doing life and church. It’s very easy to forget what we’re here for. As “The Church,” we’re called to live lives of worship and of service and to show Jesus to others. We were made to glorify God, know Him, be involved with others in the church, and to go out into the lost and dying world, sharing the love of Jesus, and making a difference. I talk about “marketplace ministry” often, because God didn’t create everyone to work and do ministry in a literal church building. No, He created each of us to minister to others in the marketplace—in places like our jobs, our businesses, our neighborhoods, and our schools. Look at Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus is talking to His disciples. He had spent three and a half years investing in their lives, and He had something important to say. He told them to GO and make disciples of all the nations. He told them to reach OUT. That’s the same directive you have as a modern-day disciple of Jesus. That makes a lot of Christians uncomfortable. After all, we’re not all evangelists, right? Studies tell us that only 2-3% of the body of Christ are actually evangelists. And the Bible only mentions it twice. So, most of us aren’t evangelists. But there is a difference between a gift and a role . The gift of an evangelist is a gift from God where you’re anointed to be and do something, but we’re ALL called to fulfill the role of evangelism. So, how do we do it? How do we avoid all the uncomfortable, awkward moments? It’s very simple. You invest your time and you invite . Invest your time in people. Spend time with them. Invite them to have a cookout or get coffee. Invite them to come to church. Invite them to join a small group. Invite them to meet you at the playground with their kids or to bring their kids to VBS at your church. Investing in someone else takes intentionality and effort. We’ve got to invest some time in people’s lives. Sure, cold turkey evangelism works some of the time, but what works ALL of the time is when people find genuine love and concern. Think about it. What might happen if you began to invest in those relationships that you already have and reach the people you already know? What might happen if you started to really pay attention to the people where you live, shop, play, and eat? When was the last time you invited someone to church? When was the last time you sat down with someone that doesn’t go to church and had a coffee and mentioned God? Do you even know anyone who doesn’t go to church? (Are you starting to sweat?) Friend, we HAVE to show people that they matter, and we HAVE to show people that we’re normal. We’re here building families, doing life, and overcoming struggles by the grace of God, and people need to see it. Otherwise, they’re completely entitled to think Christians are weird. Seriously. Most people out there in the world think that we’re nuts. They think we don’t have any answers. There’s usually one quack “Christian” out there at their school, their job, or in their family—somebody that’s crazy, that doesn’t honor God, or love people—and that’s the only example they’ve seen. The world needs to see Jesus. The woman at the well knew this. After she talked to Jesus, she went back to the city and told the men to come and see the man who told her everything she ever did. She told the guys, and they headed to see Jesus. At the same time, the disciples were talking to Jesus. He told the disciples to lift up their eyes and look because the harvest was white right now. It was ready, and He wanted them to stop waiting. Right then, a flood of men with white turbans on their heads was coming out of the city. They were coming to see Jesus. They were the harvest. But they were Samaritans—they didn’t get along with the Jews. The disciples saw them as problems. Who do you see as a problem? See, too often, we’re blind to the harvest. That’s why Jesus said, “ Lift up your eyes. ” Don’t live blind to the harvest, or focused on yourself, or too busy, or just “doing” church. Lift up your eyes. SEE the overlooked, underappreciated, hurting, rejected people around you. And get busy investing and inviting.
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