Start

By Charl Human

2Cor.5:17

Isaiah 62:4

Eph.4:22-24

Isaiah 43:18-19

 

Every day we make choices that shape our life story. What would your life look like if you let godly principles guide those choices? Over the next week, we’ll begin to explore seven principles from my Divine Direction book to help you find God’s wisdom for your daily decisions.

If someone asked you to tell your life’s story, what would you say?

You might start with where you were born and how you were raised. You might mention your first love. Maybe you’d talk about the big move your family made or when you left for college. If you’re married, you might describe how you met your spouse. If you’re not married, you might describe why. If you’re a parent, you might scroll through some photos on your phone and show off your family. Or maybe you’d describe your career path. What’s in your story?

Most of us have chapters we’d rather not share with anyone. Maybe you’ve ended up somewhere you never wanted to be. You didn’t mean to blow it, but you did. You made decisions that took you farther than you ever intended to go. You did some things that cost you more than you ever thought you’d have to pay. You hurt people. You compromised your values. You broke promises. You did things you feel like you can’t undo.

Your story is not over. It’s not too late to change the story you’ll tell one day.

There’s good news: your story is not over. It’s not too late to change the story you’ll tell one day. Regardless of what you’ve done (or haven’t done), your future is unwritten. You have more victories to win, more friends to meet, more of a difference to make, more of God’s goodness to experience. Whether or not you like the plot so far, with God’s help, you can transform your story into one you’re proud to share.

Here’s one way to change your story: start something new.

No matter how uncertain, afraid, or stuck you may feel right now, your story continues today. What will you start today? Praying daily with your spouse? Reading a YouVersion Bible Plan every day? Going to counseling to deal with an unresolved issue? Living with greater generosity? Serving at your church or in your community? Now is a good time to jot it down. Open your notes and record your thoughts. Don’t overthink this. But do take a moment to get it on paper. Just a sentence or two.

Ask yourself: What do I need to start doing to move in the direction of the life story I want to tell?

Show up, be present, stay consistent

By Charl Human

Ezekiel 22:30

Micah 6:8

Ps.112:1-3

Prov.31:8

Lev.26:6

Judges 3:11

Our culture faces unprecedented challenges, and the only answer to our troubles is for kingdom men to rise up and make a difference. Now is the time. In every sphere of life, God is calling men to be leaders, not just followers.

Throughout history, God has called men to intervene on behalf of a dying land. Ezekiel 22:30 records it this way, “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.” The land had plenty of males, but God couldn’t find a man. There’s a big difference between being a male and being a kingdom man. You can be one without the other when you refuse to take responsibility under God.

While many of us are waiting on God to fix what is wrong, God is waiting on us to step up and do what is right. He is waiting on men who don’t just talk about faith but who walk in it. These are the men whose actions demonstrate that they believe in the God they claim to worship.

Men, it is our role to seek out the manifestation of justice in the culture we live in. We are to rise up on behalf of those who cannot do so on their own (Micah 6:8; Proverbs 31:8). We do this by ensuring fair treatment and equal opportunities for the meeting of basic human needs such as education and employment. Without opportunity, many people lose hope. And one of the primary problems we are facing today is an increased sense of hopelessness. When a man loses hope, everything has been ripped from him. To take a man’s hope is akin to taking his manhood. 

That’s why we need men who will be committed not only to evangelizing people for heaven but also to improving people’s lives here on earth. The kingdom of God involves both heaven and earth. In many ways, our failure to engage society strategically and spiritually has made us the cause of our own division, devolution, and destruction in our land because we have not taken this call seriously. When we rise up as kingdom men, we can usher in a new season of spiritual calm (see Leviticus 26:6; Judges 3:11).

You have been created by God with a specific post He wants you to fulfill and a purpose He wants you to live out. He has scouted you, pursued you, and drafted you for His kingdom team. God created you for something great. You have been drafted for the purposes of God.

Tom Brady didn’t get drafted until the sixth round of the NFL draft, but he has gone on to win seven Super Bowl championships. His effort and hard work, and passion for the game have made him one of the greatest of all time. 

This principle ought to ring true for kingdom men too. It is your willingness to show up in life day in and day out, be present in relationships, put forth the effort on the job, commit, give, apply diligence, study the Word, invest in others, and the like that will shape your own legacy of distinction.

Show up.

Be present.

Stay consistent.

If you do those three things, you will leave a legacy of excellence.

Kingdom men need to rise up!

By Charl Human

1 Cor.15:42

1 Tim..3:1-13

Just as the first Adam brought defeat to the human race, the last Adam, Jesus Christ, came to bring victory. It’s time for God’s men, under the lordship of Jesus Christ, to change the trajectory of our culture as we submit ourselves to Him and His kingdom agenda. In my latest book, Kingdom Men Rising, I challenge all of us as men to accept and implement the responsibility handed to us by our Creator. This responsibility involves not only rising to the challenges we face but also influencing a whole generation of men and boys to do the same. If God’s kingdom men decide to rise up to fulfill our calling, we can see Him heal our hearts, our families, our churches, and our land.

It’s time to join a new movement of men who long to see what God will do with the awakening of His kingdom men who lead their families and infiltrate the culture as kingdom citizens. Men who proudly and victoriously wear our crowns and are used by God to crown the next generation with kingdom values.

Our world needs men who are ready to wake up. 

Our families need men who are prepared to stand up.

Our nation needs men who are willing to rise up and be counted.

Are you ready to take your place as a kingdom man and lead others to do the same?

Checkers

Hi everyone!! I’m very excited about this new serious I’m starting!!!!

Hope this will touch you,inspire you and be blessed by it!!!🙌🏽🙌🏽☦️😀

Gen.2:15-22

Mathew 20:25-26

Eph.5:22-33

When you purchase a game of checkers, you’ll notice that on the top each piece is the insignia of a crown. That is because each checker was created to become a king.

Once it is crowned because it has successfully made it to the other side of the board, it will have the right and authority to maneuver and function at a much higher level than it could prior to being crowned. The reality is, however, that most individual checkers will not successfully make it to the other end of the board to be crowned because the opposition will jump them and knock them out of the game. Whether a checker achieves its created goal of being crowned as a king is fully determined by the moves that are made underneath the hand of the one controlling it.

When God created men, He created them with a crown because each man was made to rule under the authority of God. God created the man prior to creating the woman, like pouring a foundation first, because the success or failure of God’s created purpose of building His kingdom in history would be directly related to a man’s relationship with and submission to God’s rule over his life. Foundations don’t have to be fancy or pretty, but they do have to be strong. When a foundation is weak, everything resting on it is at risk. God holds the man ultimately responsible for keeping steady what He has entrusted to his care while simultaneously advancing His kingdom program.

However, as with the first man, Adam, Satan is seeking to “jump” men to keep us from fulfilling our divinely ordained kingdom purposes. He goes to great lengths to remove us from functioning in alignment with God so that our families, churches, communities and nation experience the negative consequences and confusion of men living independently of God.

It is evident that our lack of spiritual energy has kept too many men in a cycle of defeat, discouragement, confusion, rebellion, addiction, and a myriad of other things that have resulted in the spiritual, social, racial, and political chaos we are experiencing today. Far too many men have become either neutered and domesticated or abusive and irresponsible, resulting in a society that is torn, tattered, and in utter dysfunction.

Yet, despite all we see around us, there remains hope. If God can get His men to rise up as the kingdom men He has created us to be—men who pursue an intimate relationship with Him while simultaneously representing Him in all we do, He will reverse the downward spiral of the culture. God is waiting on His kingdom men to rise from our spiritual slumber to accept the responsibility of reversing the decay and disunity that engulf us.

Forward to victory!

By Charl Human

Ps.23:1-5

At the end of the story of David and Goliath, we read, “So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him” (1 Samuel 17:50). In a matter of hours, a shepherd boy armed only with a sling and his faith in God took down a fearsome giant that had been taunting the Israelites for forty days. Your Shepherd, Jesus, will do the same in your life if you allow him (see John 10:11).

In Psalm 23:5, David states of the Lord, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Jesus, your Savior, promises to lead you, guide you, and protect you . . . not in the absence of your foes, but in the very presence of your enemies. As the pressures, the darkness, and the struggles of your giants close in around you, your Shepherd spreads a feast of provision right there in the midst of the battle. He gives you everything you need to not only survive but actually thrive as you navigate the path to freedom.

The Bible states that Jesus is not only your Good Shepherd but also the Lion of Judah (see Revelation 5:5). His roar rules the nations. His voice shatters the enemy. But for a short while, Satan has been allowed to prowl and look for cracks through which he can insert himself into your mind. If you don’t stop him, then he will be the one sitting at the table. And if he’s at your table, then he will work to erode your confidence in God. He will try to tell you that you are all alone in the fight and that you have no chance of seeing your giants fall.

At such times you need to agree with David, who—in spite of witnessing plenty of adversity in his life—could state with confidence, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4). David knew God had everything under control. He recognized during the dark times that God was on his side, walking through the valley with him. You can have that same trust, but only if you refuse to allow the enemy a seat at the table.

This is because if the enemy is at your table, he will try to convince you that you will not make it. He will work to spin your head around and remind you that you’re surrounded and everyone is out to get you. He will tempt you with thoughts that there’s something better at another table and that God is holding out on you. You have to choose instead to believe that your Shepherd promised to lead you through the valley, that he is always with you, that he knows what is best for you, and that you are his beloved child.

So today, take a seat at God’s great table. Sit down, be still, and just enjoy the presence of your heavenly Father. Go to him whenever you are weary and heavy-laden, for he has promised to give you rest (see Matthew 11:28). Focus less on the enemies who are surrounding you and more on the fact that he is there with you. Move forward into the victory that he has for you—and watch as one by one all the giants in your life fall.

Respond

What barriers keep you from moving forward into victory? How do you look at Jesus’ place in your battles?

How has Satan attempted to work his way into your heart and your thinking? How does this affect your view of your circumstances?

How has Jesus provided for you during difficult struggles? How can keeping your focus on Jesus help you overcome the giants surrounding you?

Addiction must fall!

By Charl Human

1Cor.10:12-13

When David volunteered to fight Goliath, King Saul told him, “you are not able” (1 Samuel 17:33). He went on to explain that David was no match for the giant because he had “been a warrior from his youth.” When David failed to be persuaded not to fight, Saul attempted to cover him up with his own armor. He wanted David to suit up so he would look stronger and more protected than he really was.

We do the same in our own lives. We feel powerless in a broken world and wide open to attack, so we put on false armor and hide in addictions. The sad reality is that we are an addicted generation. We may not think of ourselves as addicted, but the truth of the matter is most of have something in our lives that we feel we can’t live without—whether it’s alcohol, relationships, shopping, accomplishments, drugs, adrenaline, or even social media. We’re enslaved to that thing and can’t break the habit of going to it when we feel vulnerabilities surface.

The giant of addiction can rob you of God’s best for you. It can lead you down a never-ending path to a never-fulfilled promise. In the end, it will stand over you, ridiculing you and dimming the fame and glory of God in your life. So, how can you realize Jesus’ victory over this giant?

The key is to look past the symptoms of the addiction and focus on the cause. Ask yourself questions such as, “What is the source of the chaos in my life? Why do I feel so inadequate? Why do I fear being known? Where is the pain coming from?” Unless you’re willing to look for what is causing your problems, the giant of addiction is not going to fall.

Most of us follow a pattern where, when we feel vulnerable to attack, it makes us feel weak. This weakness, in turn, compels us to cover up and cope. And when we try to cover up and cope, we run to an addiction. Fortunately, there is a solution. Instead of running to an addiction when you feel the need to cover up, run to Jesus. Know that whatever vulnerability you are feeling, Jesus won’t push you away. He accepts you in his love and infuses you with his life. He exchanges your weakness for his strength. When you are vulnerable, Jesus is ABLE.

Perhaps the greatest lie when facing your addictions is that you can wage the battle on your own, hidden from view. Always remember that freedom happens in the light. Jesus is the Light of the World, and he works most powerfully in you when you bring your brokenness and hurt into the light of his grace. You are free in Christ the instant you place your trust in him. But it may be that you need to call on those standing close by to help unravel the layers. Do whatever is necessary to weave your life into a system of openness, honesty, and accountability.

In the end, David refused to be covered in Saul’s armor. He put aside all the trappings that Saul tried to weigh him down with and chose instead to rely only on the Lord. He went out to fight the giant armed with only his sling, his rod, and his God—and he took Goliath down. This is the template for our living, and as we look only to God for strength in our vulnerabilities, the giant of addiction will fall in our lives.

Respond

What are some situations that tempt you to put on false armor to protect your vulnerability? Why is it so attractive to deal with pain and vulnerability through an addiction?

Why is it often so hard to turn to Jesus in our weakness rather than to an addiction?

Why is it essential to tell trusted individuals about your addiction and get their support in breaking free? How would you know if someone was a safe person to confide in about an addiction? What are the character qualities of a safe person?

Anger must fall!

By Charl Human

James 1:19-20

In the story of David and Goliath, we don’t see a lot of anger coming from David. What we do see is a lot of angry people around him. One such individual, as we have seen, was his older brother, who “burned with anger at him” (1 Samuel 17:28). Eliab should have been supportive of David when he arrived at the battlefront. But the anger in heart had been simmering for some time, waiting for the opportunity to erupt. And erupt it did.

Anger isn’t necessarily wrong in and of itself. The Bible reveals that there is a time to be angry and a time to rightly express your anger (see James 1:19). Jesus even felt anger at times (see Mark 3:5). However, anger becomes a giant when it works its way into your life and simmers under the surface, just as Eliab’s simmered under the surface.

One way to know this is happening is if you feel angry about something that never happened. Maybe you thought a friend did something against you, but in reality he or she never did. Your anger was wrongly felt. Or perhaps you have a genuine reason to be angry but express it in the wrong ways. Like Eliab, your pent-up anger rages out and damages people. Or perhaps you have rightly felt anger but fail to express it. Repressing your anger poses huge health risks and is truly one of the most destructive things you can do.

So, how do you overcome this giant called anger? How do you experience the victory that Jesus has already won over it? It begins by recognizing lasting change seldom arrives instantaneously. More often, God morphs your life little by little. The key to real change in your spiritual life is to consistently fill yourself up with faith—and continually link up with what Jesus is doing within you. Read God’s Word and substitute your anger with the truths you find there. Replace the angry conversations you are having in your mind with prayers for the people who have wronged you. Align yourself with God’s will and invite Jesus to have full reign in your heart.

It helps in this regard to remind yourself that you aren’t perfect. God forgave you, so you can forgive others. God made peace with you through Jesus on the cross, so when you are angry, rally back around the cross. Understand that God is your avenger, and he has freed you to make peace with others. Recognize that what he did for you is greater than what anyone could ever do against you. By Christ’s power, it is possible to forgive those with whom you are angry—and release the pain that has been poisoning your life.

It is also important to remember you are a son or daughter of God. Remind yourself of this fact daily. You may have been rejected by others and made to feel insignificant, but in God’s eyes you are loved, safe, secure, and significant. Let Jesus’ voice speak above the other voices that are trying to be heard in your life.

In the end, taking down the giant of anger is really about letting go of control. So do as David did and focus on God rather than the people who have wronged you. As you do, you will be freed to move forward in God’s power and do what he has called you to do.

Respond

What would you say is a healthy way of dealing with your anger? What is your usual way of dealing with anger? (Note that if you’re never angry, that’s a way of dealing with it!)

What helps you know that you are a loved son or daughter of God? What does it mean to think of God as your avenger? How does this help you not hold a wrong against another person?

Comfort must fall!

By Charl Human

Mark 8:34-35

It may seem odd to think of comfort as a giant—as something that taunts us and hurts our lives. We all desire to provide a safe environment for our family. We like to kick back at the end of the day with our shoes off and watch a fun show on TV. We like things to be orderly in our lives, not chaotic. None of these things are deadly in and of themselves. The trouble only arises when the desire for safety and security becomes the dominant theme of our lives.

In the story of David and Goliath, we see how this desire stymied the nation of Israel. The Israelites issued their battle cry every day. They got suited up and went to the front lines. They had God on their side. But for forty days they were prevented from moving forward by the lure of ease. Goliath would come out each morning, and the Israelites would say, “Not today. Too dangerous. Let’s stay in the tents where it’s safe.”

The picture we miss in the story is that David came on the scene and did in one day what the army of Israel hadn’t been able to do for a month and a half. Every day they had been wavering. Every day their comfort held them back. Every day the giant kept coming and coming and coming. Then David showed up and said, “This is nuts. This is going to end today.”

God wants you to see beyond comfort and recognize there is something of eternal significance for you to contend against. He is calling you to a greater purpose than what mere comfort can provide. He wants to give you real influence. He wants you to walk in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. He wants you to step out in obedience to his will. He is inviting you today to gear up, rally around his battle cry, and engage the enemy.

Gaining the victory over the giant of comfort means answering this call. It means refusing to wait for “all the pieces to line up” before making a move. It means being willing to go in a direction that doesn’t feel familiar at first. It means understanding that what matters most is moving in God’s strength instead of your own. As soon as you grasp that, you’re ready for the battle. You’re ready to be put in the place where you can witness God’s deliverance.

Remember that faith thrives in discomfort. The cross brought pain to Jesus in the same breath that it brought freedom to you. It’s often easy to just sit back and decide to follow the example of another person’s life—to let someone else who is “called” to go and take the risk. But the reality is that God hasn’t called any of us to avoid the dangers of a lost and dying world. Instead, he has called us to enter into it with the sword of the Spirit in our hands. He wants us to say, “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work” (John 9:4 NLT).

Your life on this earth is short . . . but God is big. So focus on matters of eternal significance while you are here. You live on a planet with billions of people who’ve never heard of Jesus. As a follower of Christ, you have hope. You have the truth. You have the life. You have Jesus. That’s what matters: letting Jesus be known. So step into the fight in the name of Jesus!

Respond

On a scale of 0 to 5, how important is comfort to you? Why did you answer the way you did? How does your desire for comfort play itself out in your daily life?

Can you see any areas in which your desire for comfort is limiting what you might do for God? If so, what are those areas?

What might it look like for you to get out of your comfort zone to serve God in some way? How do you feel about that? How can you proclaim Jesus with your life?

Rejection must fall!

By Charl Human

Good morning! 

Romans 8:15-16

David was just a teenager when he arrived at battle between the Israelites and Philistines. He wasn’t a member of the army, but was just delivering supplies to his brothers. As he got to the camp, he heard Goliath’s taunting—and asked who was going to take him down. His brother didn’t appreciate his inquisitiveness. Note the text: “When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, ‘Why have you come down here?’” (1 Samuel 17:28).

This response isn’t surprising if we know the rest of the story. In 1 Samuel 16, we learn that when the prophet Samuel came to Jesse’s house to anoint a new king for Israel, Jesse started with the oldest, Eliab. Eliab was the biggest, oldest, and strongest of the brothers. Surely he was going to be the new king. But God said, “Nope. Not him.” Undoubtedly, Eliab felt spurned. The system seemed upside down. He wasn’t chosen as king. Instead, the youngest brother was—the kid who wasn’t even in the lineup. Eliab felt rejected, and rejected people reject people.

None of us like to feel we aren’t good enough. Or smart enough. Or wanted enough. As much as we wish it weren’t so, the opinions of others matter. A word of rejection, even something small that wasn’t aimed to hurt us, can stick and sting. A tiny seed of rejection can take root and wreak havoc in seasons to come. Before long, we forget God miraculously created us for a purpose and a plan. We forget that he doesn’t ask us to compare ourselves to others or run someone else’s race. We lose sight of our miraculous beginning and our re-creation in the person of Christ. Before long, we find ourselves tormented by this giant of rejection.

Experiencing Jesus’ victory over the giant of rejection comes from seeing yourself the way that your heavenly father sees you—as his dearly and loved child. As Paul wrote, “If we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17). God did not accept you because of anything you had done, but just because he loved you (see 1 John 4:19). What’s more, God loved you so much that he was willing to pay an enormous cost to bring you close to him: the death of his own Son, Jesus, on the cross.

Imagine Jesus today whispering in your ear, “I really, really love you. I am already pleased with you!” It might feel crazy to think the God of heaven—the creator of the universe—knows you so personally. Many of us freak out when we get thirty likes on a social media post. Yet the God of the universe is mindful of you (see Psalm 8)! He has pursued you (see Luke 15:3–7).

Before you were even conceived, God went on record and said, “I choose you as my own.” That truth should cultivate a sense of acceptance within you. Your worth isn’t wrapped up in what you achieve but is forever anchored in the fact that Jesus was given for you. You were made to be accepted and embraced by your heavenly Father. You were made to be loved, for free. You live from his acceptance, not for the acceptance of others. As you come to realize this, the giant of rejection will fall in your life.

Respond

What reasons do you have for feeling deeply accepted by God? Which of them are already prominent in your thoughts? Which are not?

In what sense can you say, “God chose me”? What does this mean to you? Why is it so important?

What’s the difference between living for acceptance and living from it? How can you put this into practice?