2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Over my life, I have known and walked with some amazing people. They are people who have grit, boldness and live intentionally as they have faced cancer, job loss, divorce, single-parenting, abuse, mental illness, and more. They have purposefully leaned into God and, with confidence, have pressed on. Their stories inspire me, not only as I face difficulty or adversity or hardships, but also just in life. Their faith in God, even when they don’t understand the difficulty before them, shows a trust of God over their understanding. If they can have grit, boldness and live intentionally, so can I.
Psalms 27:14 Wait for the Lord;be strong, and let your heart take courage;wait for the Lord!
To ‘wait’ is to place our trust in, to lean in, to fuel our hope on the great character and promises of God. For God is all-powerful Jeremiah 32:17, Matthew 19:26, caring 1 Peter 5:7, will not abandon us Deuteronomy 31:6, and gives us strength Psalm 138:3. Trusting, waiting on God, gives us courage to live intentionally.
There are all kinds of ways to live intentionally. Let me suggest three ways: The first is to Love Intentionally.
John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
Love is not just a feeling to feel but a choice to make. Love is choosing to act in a loving way. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 gives us some great examples. Intentional, active love in caring for others, forgiving, helping, and showing kindness is just what our world, your world, needs.
Another way to choose to be intentional is to take Intentional Action.
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Taking intentional action is to go after and seek to achieve your God-given aspirations. It will take strength and courage. The current of mediocrity in our culture and the pull of not taking the initiative is great. To be intention is step out, take some risks and try… and if we fall, get up and keep trying. God is with us.
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
The third area to choose to be intentional is be Intentional with God. Get to know Him better; remember He is with you.
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Church is a great place to learn to be empowered, emboldened and intentional in faith and life. If you do not already have a church you attend, we would like to invite you to view or visit Neighborhood Church. We are a fun, welcoming church that loves God and seeks to live life His way. Each Sunday we study the Bible and have a great time together. We would love for you to join us. Our website has all the information you need for times and locations of all our gatherings. You can also find us online at neighborhoodchurch.com. As well, if you would like to view any of our past worship gatherings or videos, visit our YouTube channel, or just search Neighborhood Church Cypress or Neighborhood Church Los Alamitos on their YouTube site.
Seeking to live intentionally along with you,
Messages From Mike 
