You may not be able to control what happens, but you can choose your ATTITUDE, MINDSET, and RESPONSE!

To Theophilus, the lover of God. I write to you again, my dear friend, to give you further details about the life of our Lord Jesus and all the things that he did and taught.

What Jesus has done FOR US should be reflected in what he does THROUGH US

Just before he ascended into heaven, he left instructions for the apostles he had chosen by the Holy Spirit.

2.1. If God could use them, he can use anyone!

2.2. They faced some massive unexpected changes, and obstacles, yet they came through it!

With God's help they made the shift from being Skeptical | Small Minded | Stalled to Bold Conviction | Big Vision | Brave Pioneers and they MOVED FORWARD and impacted the world

1. SHIFT: SKEPTICAL TO BOLD CONVICTION (ATTITUDE)

After the sufferings of his cross, Jesus appeared alive many times to these same apostles over a forty-day period. Jesus proved to them with many convincing signs that he had been resurrected. During these encounters, he taught them the truths of God’s kingdom realm 4 and shared meals with them.

Jesus patiently teaches and convinces as they wrestle with their doubt.

Q: What are you battling to believe?

1st cause of emotional problems among Christians: failure to understand, receive and live out God's unconditional grace and forgiveness - David Seamands

Whatever it is, God doesn't want you to stay a skeptic. Don’t be gullible, but dive in ask. Wrestle. Grow. Settle the yesterdays. Be teachable. Be Willing to learn.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 8:38-39 (NIV)

To MOVE FORWARD, you need to find a BOLD CONVICTION!

2. SHIFT: SMALL MINDED TO BIG VISION (MINDSET)

Every time they were gathered together, they asked Jesus, “Lord, is it the time now for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He answered, “The Father is the one who sets the fixed dates and the times of their fulfillment. You are not permitted to know the timing of all that he has prepared by his own authority. 8 But I promise you this—the Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will be filled with power. And you will be my messengers to Jerusalem, throughout Judea, the distant provinces—even to the remotest places on earth!”

Repeated question. Details. Time. Self-focus. Narrow minded. Same question = no growth

Jesus masterfully shifts their focus with a promise of a bigger story.

2nd major cause of emotional problems among Christians: failure to give out that unconditional love and grace to other people. - David Seamands

Q: What is on your prayer list?

They may not be wrong, but here is the invitation, God by grace chooses to use anyone to work though and bring hope healing to others!

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

To MOVE FORWARD, you need to see a BIG VISION

3. SHIFT: STALLED TO BRAVE PIONEERS (RESPONSE)

Right after he spoke those words, the disciples saw Jesus lifted into the sky and disappear into a cloud! 10 As they stared into the sky, watching Jesus ascend, two men in white robes suddenly appeared beside them. 11 They told the startled disciples, “Galileans, why are you staring up into the sky? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but he will come back the same way that you saw him ascend. The disciples left the Mount of Olives and returned to Jerusalem, less than a mile away.”

Stalled. Staring at what was. Perhaps wondering, "What now?"

GOD: Supernaturally nudges them into the next

Q: What are you focusing on?

Maybe something unexpected has happened, you can't believe it. Something taken.

I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead.

To MOVE FORWARD, you need to BRAVELY PIONEER

- Bold conviction: A sign post of things to come

- Big vision: Target2020. Ends of the earth. Digital.

- Brave pioneers: we are not going to stare at what was, but trust

the supernatural nudging into the next