Archive for August, 2015
Facing Your Future Boldly: A Challenge Not Only to Pastors, but to Everyone
Every pastor is concerned about his future. Some of this concern is due to a deep desire to be where God can use us greatly. At other times, our concern is motivated by fear.
Regardless if one is the pastor of a local church or a committed Christ-follower, the future is always unknown. We are intrigued about the future and always want to know as much as we can about it.
Scripture teaches us that when we come to the end of ourselves, God is ready to step in powerfully and supernaturally with spiritual breakthroughs. This reality gives us boldness, even in uncertain and troubling times. How can you face your future boldly?
Facing the Future with Humility
1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time” (italics added). This call from God concerning humility means that we are to lay ourselves low before God, to become insignificant and weak before God. Within the context of the entire Scripture, I believe we do that through prayer and fasting. A decision to fast is a decision to humble yourself before God. If you want to face your future boldly, nothing creates holy, humble boldness more than prayer and fasting.
Facing the Future in Desperation
Ezra 8:21–23 says, “I proclaimed a fast by the Ahava River, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us, our children, and all our possessions… So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and He granted our request” (italics added). Desperation is not bad. In fact, I believe God creates it at times within our hearts and lives. I want to challenge you to face your future with desperation for God to work in your life. I believe God will meet you at the point of your desperation for Him.
Facing the Future against All Odds
The drama recorded in 2 Chronicles 20 speaks of how King Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast so the people would seek the Lord for guidance, direction, and, most of all, protection. They were surrounded by their enemies but against all odds, they prayed and fasted, requesting God to move miraculously. God answered their prayer and saved them by His mighty power. They needed a breakthrough and God gave them one! When you are up against all odds, pray and fast. Do not shy away when the circumstances seem hopeless. That is exactly the kind of situation God loves to move in among us.
Facing the Future with Good Company
King David fasted. God filled him with hope. Jonah fasted. God gave Nineveh a revival. John the Baptist fasted. He preached with power and fire! Jesus fasted. Everywhere He went and everyone He touched were never same. The apostle Paul fasted. No one, other than Jesus, had a greater influence on the church of Jesus Christ not only in his generation but in the generations following. What more do I need to say? If fasting and prayer were good enough for these men, how can you walk away from them? You cannot dismiss prayer and fasting. God calls everyone to practice prayer and fasting, often in different ways and for different times. The issues are not how long, or should I, but when. God wants us to pray and fast.
Facing the Future with Power
In Matthew 17, Jesus told His disciples that if they wanted to move mountains, they would have to believe. Then He shared with them that demonic forces and major obstacles cannot be overcome without prayer and fasting! What an incredible statement. Special power for a specific need comes only through prayer and fasting. What a superb statement and reality taught to us through Jesus’ life. Therefore, when we pray and fast, we face the future with supernatural power! I challenge you right now: face your future with God’s power! Practice it. Do it! When you pray and fast, the powerful presence of God will accompany you and wake up in you like never before.
Now What?
It is more than obvious that God wants you to face your future boldly. In my book The Power of Prayer and Fasting, I share how you can face the future boldly with God.
Whether you read my book or not is not important. But reading God’s book, the Bible, is imperative. You best walk toward your future when you have a Word from God in your heart and a prayer proceeding out of your mouth that stands on this eternal Word of God. This is called faith.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
See You in St. Louis: Southern Baptist Convention, June 14-15, 2016 #SBC16
Coming off our largest convention meeting since 2012 in New Orleans, our Southern Baptist Family begins to dream and cast the vision for our next gathering in 2016 in St. Louis, Missouri. More importantly than the size of our gathering in Columbus, our great and mighty God met with us powerfully. If you haven’t already, take a few moments to watch the recap video. We are building on what God started in Columbus, Ohio, last year as we continue to call daily and continually for the next Great Awakening in America.
Save the Date: June 14-15, 2016
Will I see you in St. Louis on June 14-15, 2016, for our Southern Baptist Convention? Please mark your calendar now for this upcoming and dynamic experience with our Southern Baptist Family.
Pastors and church leaders, set your calendars now for this gathering. Make these dates non-negotiable and decide now to be in St. Louis for our 2016 Southern Baptist Convention and bring people with you.
See the Vision: Get Metro St. Louis on Your Heart
Metropolitan St. Louis needs the saving message of Jesus Christ. Our nearly 2,000 Southern Baptist churches in Missouri need the encouragement of our greater Southern Baptist Family.
Why should we see the vision of metro St. Louis?
- 2.73 million people live in metro St. Louis
- 1 out of 7 Missourians live in metro St. Louis
- 50.9% of the population is unaffiliated with any religious body
- Only 17.9% of the population of metro St. Louis is affiliated with an evangelical church
- St. Louis is one of our SEND Cities. Watch this to learn more.
Southern Baptists, how do we not go and make a difference in metro St. Louis? You see, when we speak of metro St. Louis, we are also talking about East St. Louis, Illinois. Two states will be impacted by our gathering next year.
How can your church participate in Crossover St. Louis a few days ahead of our convention? They will be able to assist new church plants or help established churches. This all leads up to the major Crossover event on Saturday, June 11. Then, your church members can stay and attend our convention on June 14-15. Please strongly consider this.
Stand Together With Us to Reach the World
When you fly or drive into St. Louis, you will notice the Gateway Arch as you enter the city. It stands 630 feet wide and 630 feet tall. This remarkable structure has been known historically as America’s gateway to the West, with St. Louis the Gateway City.
In 2016, Southern Baptists need to converge on this city from all over the world and see it as our gateway to reach the world for Jesus Christ. Stand with us!
Seven Reasons to Come to St. Louis on June 14-15, 2016
- We need to be with our family, our Southern Baptist Family.
- We need to be inspired to believe again that God can give us the next Great Awakening so we can be the generation that reaches the world for Christ.
- We need to hear the Word of God proclaimed, pray and worship together by the thousands, and have our spiritual lives set on fire again.
- We need to hear the wonderful testimonies and reports about what God is doing across America and the world through our work together.
- We need to hear how our church’s financial investment in the Cooperative Program and Mission Offerings is being used to share the gospel.
- We need to be encouraged to know that when we are together and working together there is hope in America and this world.
- We need to join together by the thousands as we pray for our nation at this critical time, calling out to God to revive His church and bestow upon us the next Great Spiritual Awakening so we can reach the world for Christ.
Now is the time for Southern Baptists to lead. Let these words encourage your life today, as you lead others into the future:
“An awakening can bring about the evangelization of the world in our generation.” (Dr. Billy Graham)
“The one who mobilizes the Christian church to pray, will make the greatest contribution to world evangelization in history.” (Andrew Murray)
God is not finished with Southern Baptists, America, or the world.
See You in St. Louis!
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, Southern Baptist Convention
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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is currently serving as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Southern Baptist Convention is America’s largest Protestant denomination with more than 15.7 million members in over 46,000 churches nationwide.
To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.
Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.