“You are my beloved Son. In You I am well-pleased.” (Luke 3:22)

“Hi, my name is Charlie, and I am an accountant.”
“Hello, I’m Charlene, and I am a manager.”
“Friends, please help me welcome Prophetess Seymour.”
“This is Mai Dhas, a prominent businessman. Everything he touches turns to gold.”

Have you noticed how often we identify ourselves by what we do than by who we are?

Social scientists have found that those whose identity is defined solely by what they do for a living are more prone to feeling totally lost when they face a layoff, firing or retirement. This is particularly true of men.

Sad to say this tendency can also affect followers of Jesus. We are labelled (or choose to label ourselves) by our functions, positions and activities within the Body. As a result, when we are asked to give up what we are doing or take on new responsibilities, we often find the transition quite difficult.

A while ago, the Father presented me with a scenario and asked me a rather thought-provoking question that I need to share with you.

He said: “Let’s consider two people who are at opposite ends of the socio-economic spectrum. One is an assistant manager at a fast-food restaurant earning $25,000 a year. Another is the C.E.O of that chain who earns a cool $25 million plus stock options.”

“Each of them decides to enter into the covenant of marriage with their respective partners for life and needs to obtain a marriage licence. When the Commissioner of Oaths asks them to provide proof of who they are, which document do they produce:
Their Birth Certificate or their Business Card?”

No matter what they do for a living, no matter how little or how much they earn, no matter whether they live in a shack or a mansion, no matter whether they drive a Ford Focus or a Ferrari Testerosa, there is only one document that determines who they are.
It is the Birth Certificate, amen?

The Lord went on to say: “If you can grasp this reality in the natural, why can you not get a hold of it in the spiritual realm as well? It is your new birth into the Kingdom, it is your citizenship in Heaven, your membership in my family that determines who you are—my son, my daughter.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I am glad to see what you have accomplished in life. I am delighted that you are using the gifts and talents that I placed within you at creation to great use in the workplace. I am ecstatic about how you are deploying your spiritual gifts to build the Body. You are truly amazing.”

“Yet, your heavenly pedigree is not determined by your earthly degrees.
The entry of your name in the Book of Life is not based on your fame in life.
What you inherit is not a matter of merit.
What you are entitled to is not tied to your title.
You are my child. I am your Father. That is your identity.”

Dear DWOD friend, no matter what your business card says, what your birth certificate says is what really matters. In life. And for eternal life. Amen?

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. (Psalm 34:3)

The Greek word translated “magnify” is “megaluno” which means “to make large.”

The first part of the word “mega” shows up quite regularly in words such as megabucks, megaphone, megamall, megachurch, megalomania and megabytes—all of which describe something that is greater than “normal.”

In the Bible, we see the word “magnify” used with reference to God, as in the aforementioned verse and elsewhere. Here are two examples:

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. (Psalms 69:30)

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, “Let God be magnified!” (Psalms 70:4)

Another well-known use of the word occurs in the Magnificat. And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.” (Luke 1:46)

What does it really mean to magnify the Lord/God? How do you make God any bigger than He really is? Is it even possible?

A helpful analogy would be the way we use a magnifying glass or instrument.

For example, when we study a micro-organism under a microscope, we are not actually making the microbe bigger. We are simply seeing it bigger than it really is.

Using a magnifying glass does not make the words in a newspaper bigger. It only helps us to see them bigger than they are in print.

In a similar vein, when we magnify the Lord, we are not making Him bigger (an impossibility), we are seeing Him bigger than we would otherwise.

So, how can we actually wee God bigger?

The DWOD for April 06, 2013 made reference to “Celebrating God’s goodness” time at Morgan’s Point and Forks Road East United, the two churches I pastor. Every time we gather for worship or study or prayer, we invite anyone who so desires to share how they have experienced God’s goodness in their lives, especially in recent times.

Every time a testimony is shared, it is as though The Magnification Factor kicks in and we begin to see God bigger than He is simply based on our own limited experiences! We are indeed “magnifying the Lord with thanksgiving!”

Also, whenever we take time to worship God and focus on how awesome He is, we “magnify the Lord and exalt His name together,” don’t we?

Two things happen as we keep on magnifying God.

Number one, we see that God is bigger than the enemy. You see, when we focus on the problems sent our way, the enemy appears bigger than he really is, even to the point of obscuring our vision of God.

As Rob Critchley sings, in reality we have a “Great big God” and an “itty bitty devil!”

Secondly, when we magnify God, we are filled with hope that no matter what we face, God will see us through, because He has seen others through in similar situations!

Dear DWOD friend, I pray that you will realize why it is so critical to magnify the Lord on the road to reaching your destiny.

Please share with the rest of us if you are doing this already…if so, how you do it. Would you also share also any testimonies you may have of what happened when you started realizing the benefits of The Magnification Factor? Thanks in advance.

Subscribers who receive the Destiny Word of the Day by e-mail will have noticed that yesterday’s DWOD was rather late in showing up in their inboxes.

The delay was due to a difficulty we experienced in sending it out on time through our autoresponder.

(An autoresponder is a program we use to send out the DWOD daily at a specified time to all who choose to subscribe to our mailing list).

Yours truly, not being the most tech-savvy blogger on the planet, had quite a time figuring out why the post was not sent out at the specified time.

After a while, it dawned on me that the clock on the autoresponder and the one on my laptop were not in sync. You see, we had crossed over into a different time zone when we left Montreal, Quebec on Friday and settled in at a hotel in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

The clock on my laptop had been automatically adjusted to reflect the new time zone, while that on the autoresponder lagged behind by an hour.

Once the clock on the laptop was synced to the autoresponder’s…no problem! The e-mail went through just fine.

This episode reinforced the significance of timing as a key factor in reaching our prophetic destiny.

At a wedding in Cana of Galilee, when Jesus tells his mother Mary that there was a shortage of wine, his answer to her is rather surprising and his seemingly abrupt mannerism rather shocking, especially when you read in The Message:

“Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.”

Yes, Jesus was perfectly capable of meeting the need, but He would not do it according to His mother’s timetable, but His Father’s…and He did.

Many years ago, a business mentor shared a conversation he had with one of his protégés. The young man assured Rex that he had done everything that had been counselled, yet he had not achieved the impressive results he had hoped for.

“Everything?”
“Yes, everything, Rex.”
“You’re sure you didn’t leave anything out?”
“Yes, absolutely sure, Rex.”

He turned to his protégé and said: “You know what, if you’ve done everything I’ve prescribed, there is only one explanation: God’s timing.”

Scripture says very clearly: “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” And again: “God makes everything happen at the right time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11).

When our clocks are not in sync with Heaven’s, we can expect delays. Conversely, when both clocks are synchronized, look out! You will accelerate into your destiny, as described in Amos 9:13–“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes.”

I pray that you will experience these blessings of synchronicity very soon.

No matter how you view the Roman Catholic Church as a whole, one thing is indisputable when you view a magnificent work of art such as Notre Dame Cathedral in Montreal—you are bound to be impressed by the intricacy of the workmanship.

As a matter of fact, it is tough not to be inspired by the commitment of those who worked on it to ensure that the final product was a most worthy offering to the Lord who deserves only the very best that can be produced by human minds and hands.

Research reveals that it took nearly 90 years to complete Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Historians are quick to point out that projects of this magnitude often required a skilled worker such as a stone mason to dedicate his entire working lifespan to building just one cathedral.

Imagine that, eh? Spending your entire lifetime on one project!

Made me wonder about the kind of motivation would inspire that magnitude of devotion to the task.

A story, made popular by Peter Drucker and retold many times by others, comes to mind. Here is the version of Bill von Achen in www.bestpracticesforbusiness.com:

“A man came across three masons who were working at chipping chunks of granite from large blocks. The first seemed unhappy at his job, chipping away and frequently looking at his watch. When the man asked what it was that he was doing, the first mason responded, rather curtly, “I’m hammering this stupid rock, and I can’t wait ’til 5 when I can go home.”

”A second mason, seemingly more interested in his work, was hammering diligently and when asked what it was that he was doing, answered, “Well, I’m moulding this block of rock so that it can be used with others to construct a wall. It’s not bad work, but I’ll sure be glad when it’s done.”

”A third mason was hammering at his block fervently, taking time to stand back and admire his work. He chipped off small pieces until he was satisfied that it was the best he could do. When he was questioned about his work he stopped, gazed skyward and proudly proclaimed, “I am building a cathedral!”

Uncommon commitment to a cause puts common tasks in their proper perspective, does it not?

We are not just changing diapers. We are raising a world changer!

We are not just doing volunteer work. We are being equipped for servant leadership!

We are not just preparing for a test. We are being groomed to be problem solvers!

We are not just spending money on our children’s education. We are investing in the future of our nation!

We are not just teaching Sunday School. We are raising an army of Christian soldiers.

We are not just sharing the gospel. We are populating heaven and emptying hell!

We are not just discipling a new believer. We are raising disciplers who will produce disciplers who will reproduce disciplers…and so on and so forth!

We are not just receiving healing of the heart ministry for ourselves. We are sparing generations yet unborn the deadly effects of the “sins of the fathers.”

Get the picture?

Dear friend, what is the cathedral you are building as you chip and chisel and hammer away at granite blocks in your daily grind?

Please share your addition(s) to this list with the rest of your DWOD family in the comments section that follows.

For the past few days the Sam Family has been blessed to connect with friends in Montreal. The bonus has been the opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of this lively city and the pleasure of tasting fine foods for which Montreal is famous–poutine, smoked meat and crepes—to name a few.

Naturally, we asked our hosts to offer their recommendations of restaurants in the city which offered the best of these culinary concoctions.  Julie directed us to La Banquise for poutine, Schwartz’s for smoked meat and Chez Suzette for crepes.

She added a word of caution before we left, though: “Be prepared for line-ups when you get there.” She paused. Then she said: “But, that’s Ok…because that is part of the experience of eating at these places.”

Sure enough, we were forced to wait at the first two establishments.  Both had established such a great reputation for offering the finest in their specific categories that no one minded waiting in line for the pleasure of tasting the food, or paying premium prices for the privilege!

While we were waiting in line, the Lord brought to mind first hand accounts of those who were part of the mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit at what was then the Toronto Airport Vineyard Church.

They shared how people would line up hours ahead of the meetings. No one ever complained about having to wait in line. They could not wait to get inside and taste the new wine that was flowing in copious quantities!

The DWOD for April 21 made reference to the sick and demonized who thronged the streets of Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts 5:15-16. They did not mind one bit having to wait until Peter walked by so that his shadow might fall on them and bring healing and deliverance.

The gospels record how crowds waited for Jesus to show up (Mark 6:33) prior to the feeding of the five thousand.

The Lord then asked me: “Why are the crowds not waiting in line at churches around the globe today?”

As I pondered that question in silence, I recalled a quote attributed to John Wesley: “Set yourself on fire and people will come from miles to simply watch you burn!”
(By the way, I sense that is the Christian version of the Law of Attraction!)

There is something about the Presence of the Lord, the Power of the Holy Spirit and the overflowing Love of the Father that is so attractive, even addictive, that people do not mind waiting in line for a long time simply to experience Him!

I could not help but wonder whether the answer to the Lord’s question lies in the fact that we have not established our reputation as places where one can come and taste the goodness of the Lord.

All I could say was: “Lord, forgive us if we have been offering anything other than what is on your menu.”

Dear DWOD friend, when you become a carrier of the Lord’s Presence, a cannonball of Holy Spirit power and a container brimming with the Father’s Love, you will become so attractive that others will wait in line to see God alive in you and active through you…and your church.

Would you make this your number one priority on the journey to your destiny?

Did you hear about the lumberjack who bought himself a chainsaw? He had heard that it would help him cut down more trees than he could with his axe.

Three days later he was back at the hardware store in a foul mood demanding his money back. “This chainsaw has not helped me cut down more trees like it’s supposed to!” he complained.

The customer service person checked the blade, decided that it was sharp enough. So he pulled the starting cord to see if the motor was fine.

That’s when the lumber jack yelled: “Hey, what’s that noise?”

That story came to mind when I realized that I had been using the Proglide on manual mode, when it actually came with a battery and power.

Once I found the switch, it was amazing what a difference it made! Now it really felt more like a glide than a shave!

Yes, there are times when you’ve got the power…you just don’ t know you’ve got it!

Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday. We celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit as described in Acts 2:1-21 with rushing wind and tongues of fire.

The miracle of people who were there from all over the world hearing the disciples speak in their native tongues, the fiery sermon that Peter preached, the conviction of the Holy Spirit that drove people to ask: “What must we do?”, the 3000 who were baptized that day…WOW! What a meeting that was!

The aftermath was even more incredible.
“Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need…And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:43-45, 47)

Amazing demonstrations of Holy Spirit Power, would you agree? How did they get it?

According to Peter, when we repent of our sins and turn to God, and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, then we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

Despite receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit at their conversion, why is it that many Christians even today live lives that are not characterized by His power?

Could it be because they have not learned how to release the power that already resides in them as the early church did?

Yes, the chainsaw has incredible power, but someone has to pull the cord first. The Proglide had a battery installed, but someone had to press the power button, amen?

Can you relate? I can. I’ve been there. As you may have read in the May 09 DWOD, it was only when I stepped out in faith that I realized that Holy Spirit was more than willing to manifest His power in healing.

Dear DWOD friend, may I encourage you to also follow suit?

You’ve got the Power, the power of “the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead.” (Romans 8:11). Now simply release what you have received.

Step out. Lay hands on the sick. Release prophetic words over others. Let His Power flow through you into people dealing with pain, disease, hopelessness and weakness.

As He comes through for you, you too will discover that life in the power of the Holy Spirit is indeed a Pro-Glide!

The decision to switch to a Proglide Fusion Power Razor has not been without controversy.

Some who heard the news have wondered how a Canadian pastor serving two rural congregations in the Niagara region of Ontario, driving a Buick with 300,000+ km could opt for such an opulent shaving machine.

The answer, dear DWOD subscriber, is simple: The price was right.

You see, Gillette made an offer that was exceedingly difficult to turn down. They offered the razor for free. Gratis. No strings attached. Just a cartridge.

How could a cost-conscious consumer resist, eh?

It was as though Gillette said: “You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by trying it out.”

It is a principle that has worked very well in other areas as well.

Virtually every car purchase begins with a test-drive, doesn’t it? “Just take it for a spin.”

“See for yourself.” “Check it out.” “Try it on for size.” “You never know till you try it.”

These are irresistible offers that the mavens of marketing have pitched over the years with great success.

Jesus was not into marketing the Christian way of living. Nonetheless he makes an offer to two disciples of John the Baptist that they could not turn down.

When they get curious about what following Him might look like, He simply says: “Come…and see.” (John 1:39)

They check it (Him) out. It was a successful test drive. One of them, Andrew, decides to follow Jesus as a result.

Later on in the same chapter we read that Jesus calls Philip to follow him. Philip, in turn, sings Jesus’ praises to his friend Nathaniel, who is not convinced. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Notice how Philip responds to this skeptic. No arguments. No counter-punch. No convincing apologetics needed.

He simply says: “Come and see.”

Nathaniel falls for the line, hook and sinker. He makes a move toward Jesus which leads to an encounter with Him. Another life is changed forever.

Although we live 2000+ years later, some things are still the same, aren’t they?

Even today, there are those who, like Philip, hear the gospel and choose to follow Jesus instantly.

There are those who need to hear the information and receive the invitation repeatedly before making that choice.

And then, there are those who need a test-drive, an irresistible offer.

Rather than rush someone into making a decision or worse pressure them into it, we too would be wise to follow the example of both Jesus and Philip in John 1.

It is indeed a time-tested method that the Lord uses to add members to His family with regularity.

Who can turn down an invitation to simply check out who Jesus is and what the Christian life is all about? All they have to do is hang around Him and Christians, little Christs, to see what it is like.

If they like it, they choose to follow Jesus. If not, they walk away.

All we need to do is issue the invitation. “You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

“Come, see.” Some saw…and followed Jesus.

How did you become a follower of Jesus? Did you need to check Him out first? Was there an irresistible offer? Please share your experiences with the rest of you DWOD family by adding your comments below.

It is a decision that every clean-shaven man must make from time to time: Which razor do I buy?

Faced with a plethora of options, for the most part, yours truly has only permitted “pull-type” manual razors to remove the stubble, with disposables being the preferred sub-category.

There has been great diversity among these chosen few as well—razors with pivoting heads and no pivots, varying number of blades, brands ranging from nonames to industry leaders. One cannot be accused of prejudice.

With such a clean reputation at stake, it should not surprise you to hear that a relatively unknown brand known as “Selection” made the cut not that long ago.

The delight of trying out a hitherto unknown razor turned to dismay shortly after the first use, though. It was painfully obvious that this brand would not measure up to the standards of its predecessors.

Should they be returned for a refund or endured till the bitter end? That was the moral dilemma. Mercy triumphed over judgment, if only by a close shave 🙂

The main consequence of this choice was learning how to cope with the unpredictability of every razor.

Would it result in a cut if I applied a few more ergs of force to remove stubborn stubble on the chin today…or not?
Would it take the skin off my face today as it did yesterday…or leave it intact as it did two days ago?
Would this one last a week as did the one from last week or just a few days as did the one three weeks ago?

You get the picture? I simply could not shave with confidence. These razors seemed to put me on the, er, edge.

Enter the Gillette Proglide Fusion with Power. Five blades “with thinner, finer edges and advanced low-resistance coating, enabling the blades to cut effortlessly through hair with less tug and pull.”
Microchip on the handle. Battery power. Lubricating strip.
You name it. It had it.

Quite a stark contrast to the NoName Noglide, wouldn’t you say?

From the very first shave, it was rather evident that this was one special specimen. I could let it glide effortlessly all over the contours of my face with impunity.
No fear of cuts, scrapes and/or bruises. No skin off any part of the human anatomy.

The confidence of holding this hair-removing machine in my hand was incredible compared to the antsy anxiety aroused by the NoName Noglide.

One of the greatest hindrances to advancing into our destiny is lack of confidence. In God. In ourselves. In others.

More often than not the lack of confidence stems from previous experiences which have produced mental hurt, physical harm, emotional pain, abandonment or some other undesirable consequence.

Then comes an encounter with God—as a loving Father who can be trusted always, as the Risen Son who has overcome every obstacle including death, as Holy Spirit pulsating with power to heal, deliver, restore.

That gives rise to a Proglide confidence, such as that expressed by the apostle Paul in I Timothy 1:12: “Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.”

When you begin to understand that your confidence is from Christ alone, the road to destiny turns Proglide.

You are raring to go, eager to risk, ready to plow through anything that is in your path.

Dear DWOD friend, how would you rate your confidence level today?
Noglide? Proglide? Somewhere in between?

I pray that as you sing along with this powerful song, you will allow Jesus to crescendo your confidence level. (The lyrics are available here).

(Note from Pastor Jeeva: This is an excerpt from Darren Canning’s book Fire Script. As I read this riveting account of Pastor Darren’s attempted suicide, I was deeply moved by his mother Judy’s faith…I know you will be too!)

“Finally one night I called my mother, who was living in St. John’s, Newfoundland. I started to cry as I told her that my life was at an end and the only alternative I saw was to kill myself.

I was very serious with her. I told her that I was calling her to say goodbye and for her to forgive me and try to understand why I was making the decision that I was making.

My mother tells the story that when she heard this, she saw two alternatives: one was that she could call the police and try to have them get there before I died. Or she could turn to God and ask Him to deliver me.

She said the second alternative hit her spirit so hard. She began to dance and sing to the Lord: “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”

My mom is a radical believer in God. She had many dreams and visions from the Lord confirming that He had a plan for her life, for her children’s lives and for her grandchildren’s lives.

As she danced that night, I believe God heard her prayer. What occurred next was the answer to her prayers.

I had thought of many ways to end it, but the one that had concluded upon was to hang myself within my closet. I found some old wired cable that is used for cable TV. I found a strong beam within the closet that I wrapped the cord around. I tested to see if it would hold my weight…

I got down on my knees, put the cord around my neck and started to lean forward. I remember starting to black out and I could see stars.

But in that dark place, I heard God’s most glorious voice speak to me on the inside. He said: “What are you doing? I have a plan for your life.”

Now let me emphasize something to you for a moment. I didn’t believe in God. I was an atheist/agnostic who didn’t believe in a loving God, but here was this voice speaking to me with the greatest of compassion.

This confused me, but I was resolved to die, so I started to lean forward on the cord again. I started to black out again and the same voice spoke saying, “What are you doing? I have a plan for your life.”

In this last moment of my life when I had completely given up on God, He chose to speak to me.”

We praise God for your life and your example, Judy Hodge-Collins. You are one radical mama!

(To read the rest of Pastor Darren’s incredible life story, please pick up a copy of Fire Script here)

“How do I get comfortable with the idea of leaving my baby with sitters — family members as well as qualified strangers? I’m okay when she’s with my husband; anyone else and I’m a wreck. This isn’t great for my peace of mind, plus I’m sure it’s VERY annoying for the sitters, as I’m calling home practically every half-hour to make sure the baby is still breathing.”

This question, asked by a new mother on an online forum, brought back memories of the day when Leone Simington, our neighbour in Kincaid, Saskatchewan, offered to look after Priya, our firstborn, so Sulojana and I could enjoy chicken wings in nearby Meyronne.

We were horrified at the thought of leaving our little bundle of joy with her, even though she was a certified practising grandma! Off we went, baby in tow.

Several years down the road, when Sulojana would drop Sathiya off at Play School, he would cry and cry. Then he would stand between the blinds and the window and continue crying as she drove off.

It was tough not to let his separation anxiety affect her.

(Later on, we would learn that as soon as Sulojana left, he would stop crying and start participating in the activities of the day…the stinker!)

A few years later, Sulojana and I were at a Conference in Orlando, Florida, when we received word that Jaya had to be hospitalized for an attack of the rota virus. Do we get on a plane and fly right back?

“No” said the attending doctor. “He’ll be fine. Just enjoy the rest of your time there.”

It wasn’t easy to stay on for three more days, but we did…and he was indeed fine.

Over the years, we have met many mothers who have had great difficulty letting their children out of their reach. Some, being gripped by fear of what could happen in their absence, turned out to be overbearing moms who ended up creating emotional problems for themselves and their children.

The Bible records how Samuel’s mother Hannah fulfilled a vow she had made before his birth by leaving him with Eli at the temple. Scholars suggest that he was no more than three when this separation took place.

How were you able to do this, Hannah? Here is her answer:

“I have dedicated him to God. He’s dedicated to God for life.” (I Samuel 1:28)

In Hannah’s words lies the key to overcoming separating anxiety. She simply surrenders her son to God’s purposes for his life. Now she can be at peace.

Sharon Wetzel, a DWOD subscriber, talks about how one of her sons once left home under stressful circumstances. No one had any idea where he was.

While his siblings tried frantically to find him, she simply prayed: “God, he is yours.”

That simple prayer of surrender helped her stay calm until he came home.

Just a few short years ago, Priya ran into a very stressful situation while teaching English in South Korea. I was contemplating the possibility flying there to get her out of the country.

The Lord told us to simply declare Psalm 91over her. That would be our act of surrender.

Sure enough, her circumstances changed. She would go on to spend another four years there before coming home for good earlier this week.

Yes, separation anxiety is a battle that all mothers face, but it is not limited to mothers, amen?

No matter what it is, we too would do well to follow Hannah’s example and simply turn our “babies” over to God. Amen?