MOTIVATIONS
YourFire
Just Average? I Don't Think So.
A sickening feeling washed over him as Josh stood in front of his high school class. He nervously fumbled through a few white 3 x 5 index cards as he gave a required 11th grade class presentation. His heart beat louder than the slow ticking clock on the wall and he hoped he never, ever had to do anyting like this again in his life.
Who knew that only few short years later he would become a pastor and stand before hundreds, courageously speaking words that burned like fire in his heart?
As a teenager Josh lived a pretty average life. He didn't excel at sports, wasn't the most popular, and got middle-of-the-road grades. He was tempted to drop out of school, drove a rusty Buick Park Avenue that he bought for $500, flipped hamburgers at fast food restaurants and gave his parents rent money to help pay the bills.
His mom and dad brought him to church every week where he scoped out cute girls and hung out with friends. Outside of church no one really knew he was a Christian and he was fine with that.
Then one Sunday night an encounter came. At church the pastor had an altar call, and something stirred in Josh’s heart compelling him to make a decision. He realized that he desperately needed a change and as he got up from his chair and headeded toward the front heavy tears fell from his eyes. He prayed a prayer and small flame ignited. That was all it took.
Over the next few months Josh began to transform. Youth group all of a sudden became exciting and the bible exploded with life. He joined a teen discipleship group and quickly became the group leader. He volunteered on the church parking team, attended youth conferences, and went on mission trips. He began dating a Godly girl and he enrolled in the church’s ministry school. He wrote Christian rap music and did concerts with his group all over the city all the while meditating on the Word of God, applying it to his life. Although he wasn’t perfect he was changing into a new person - a person that definitely wasn’t average anymore. The flame was turning into a holy raging fire. A few years later he was married to the girl he had started dating and involved deeply in ministry with a passion and a hunger for more and more of God.
When he was 23 another encounter came and God’s Spirit powerfully gripped his heart, revealing that it was time for him to go to the next level. He wanted him to become a pastor. God opened up the doors and Josh became a minister in training at his church and then enrolled in college.
This young man who feared speeches and had no interest in school found himself ordained as a pastor and receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Ministry.
Josh is my husband, and now he pastors a church of his own and looks back on his life in total amazement. God took a very average teenage boy and ignited his heart with a flame that would take him on a journey that would rock his world.
Just like Josh we all have a unique flame and today God wants to remind you of yours. It's the flame of salvation and purpose. God's heart beats with the passion of mighty drums for you knowing that if you would just put your hand in His He will bring you to a place you never dreamed. Not only does He want to work in you, He wants to work through you so that you can set the world on fire with the flame that is unique to you.
Today, draw close to God and I guarantee you will catch His fire. You can't remain in God's presence long without getting singed by his glory. It's His absolute delight to make something out of what isn't and to turn ordinary into an explosion of salvation, purpose and holy influence.
Put your faith in God today and then reach for the unreachable, dream the unachievable and believe the unbelievable, and when you see it unfold in your life be sure to give God all the praise as your life glows with the flame of His fiery glory.
Let the Fire Burn
Listen to the drumming, it rises in the night
There’s a flame I see it coming, sacred fire, holy light
A multitude is following, a flame in every hand
With thunder in their footsteps they spread across the land
Generations marching, they’re heading straight to me
Their fire lights the darkness, I’m in awe by what I see
One by one the brilliance of the fire lights their face
Patriarchs of glory are standing in this place
Abraham, the son of Terah, with fire in his eyes
Immovable are Isaac and Jacob by his side
I see mighty kings of conquest as glory shines about
And Noah in all righteousness - the man who didn’t doubt
Enoch, Methuselah, the Levites in their robes
Moses, and Judah, Ishmael and Job
David, Daniel, Boaz, Ruth, Elijah, Aaron, Saul
Gideon, Joseph, Esther, John the Baptist and Paul
But there’s one in blazing splendor, to lead them in the night
The ancient one of Judah, his name is Jesus Christ
Their arms extend the fire that is burning in their hand
To make this declaration, it is time to reach your land
We’ve run with holy fire, and time has brought your turn
Take the ancient purpose and let your fire burn!
I’ll take the flame of glory, I’ll join the holy ones
Spirit rise within me with the passion of their drums
I’ll rise I will not waver, ignite a firestorm in me
Proclaim your truth and power to everyone I see
I’ll join the sacred purpose of the warriors of old
My life cannot contain this fire that I hold
I’ll declare to every nation that now it is my turn
I won’t deny His calling, I will let my fire burn
Surpass my expectations, set my life apart
To awake a generation as your fire lights the dark
Marching with the drumming of the warriors of old
Forever I am running with this fire that I hold
Kristine Perez Copyright 2010
Because I love Zion, I will not keep still. Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn and her salvation blazes like a burning torch. The nations will see your righteousness. World leaders will be blinded by your glory. And you will be given a new name by the Lord's own mouth. The Lord will hold you in hi shand for all to see- a splended crown in the hand of God. Isaiah 62:1-3
3-Minute Motivation
Josh Perez, Tony Perez, Seth J. Elbe, Tom Falco in youth group, 1993
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MOTIVATIONS
Josh Perez, Lead Pastor Livewire Church
