Five Steps to Eureka

Do Not Let the Moment Go

A light bulb went on!

You had a Eureka moment and something snapped into place like never before.

When little breakthroughs happen it is important that you write these down, make a video, create a memento of some kind, or otherwise memorialize it.

Why?

Because in the next dark moment of doubt, you will need to pull that moment out and look at it.

Revelations 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” 

Building Up Your Faith

Faith is like an under developed muscle that has to be exercised in order to grow. How do we build up that faith muscle?

We strengthen it little by little, line upon line.

Recently I was reading and meditating on all the things God was showing me when I had my Eureka moment. I immediately began writing it down. But I needed more than just a journal entry. I needed a marker. Like Jacob at the ladder.

So I began making Post Its™ that had a 2 word phrase that meant something to me and I plastered my house with them. 


 In my room, at my computer, on my bathroom mirror, the fridge, the fireplace, all over I posted these markers.

These things will act like faith motivators. I will see them and remember the moment God spoke that thing to my heart. 
 

How Jacob Did It

Jacob was not expecting to go to bed in the middle of nowhere with a rock as a pillow and have an experience with God.

But God will meet you where you are. He has plans for you and in order for you to succeed you need to be on the same page with Him.

That is what Jacob’s dream was all about. God already had a covenant (contract) with Jacob’s dad, but Jacob was being brought in. 


Here are the five steps Jacob took that we can apply to our lives in those Eureka moments.

1 · He needed the dream in order to obtain a vision for his life. (Eureka!)

Without a vision God’s people perish.

2 · He recognized God in that moment.

It wasn’t just the late night pizza and coffee combo. God spoke to him and Jacob knew immediately! (Do Not Doubt!)

3 · He memorialized the moment

Jacob knew that this moment was a pivotal one. He took the stone and made it a pillar. A pillar is more than rock; it holds something greater than itself up. In Jacob’s case, this pillar was his faith in God’s promise.

4 · He named that moment

Jacob knew that giving things a name is a powerful faith tool. He called the place “Beth El” (Bethel) The place God dwells. This is the most prophetic and perfect name. God began his promise with Jacob here, and fulfilled it in Bethlehem with the birth of Jesus (whose name means God with us).

5 · He made a vow to remember

He would return to the place that changed his life forever. He would remember it and know that no matter what circumstanced said his life had meaning. God had a plan.

What about You?

God is not a man, He cannot lie. He has been the same since before time. He makes plans and guess what?

He has a plan for you!

Ask Him to show you. Seek God first above everything. When you least expect it, you will have that Eureka moment. Maybe you already have. Have you memorialized it or did you discount it as a pipe dream?

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

What is one Eureka moment you have had that changed your life forever? 

The 4 Laws of a Happy Marriage

Want a Happy Marriage? 

Then follow the law...

Like anything else; physics, math, a State or a Nation, there are laws for a marriage. Follow the laws and the marriage will have a long happy life. Break the laws and there are consequences.

Genesis 2: 24-25 says: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not shamed. 

LAW 1: LEAVE 

No one wants a mama’s boy. Seriously! Cut the apron strings. If you are place more value and importance on what Mom says, does, or thinks than you do your wife, you are in for a very rocky road. 

We are called to leave mom and dad for a reason. Men, you are called to leave mom and dad because you have to stop being the child and start being a leader. 

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Ephesians 5:23

Woman, you need to let go as well. Your mom is probably an awesome lady, but she does not need to know everything that goes on in your marriage! Your Daddy is a great guy, but you don’t need to let him be the most important man in your life anymore. That should be your spouse. 

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. Ephesians 5:22

Paul said something that I think is applicable to marriage here. In Philippians he said he forgets what is behind and reaches for what is ahead. Do the same thing in your marriage. 

LAW 2: CLEAVE 

Dictionary.com defines cleave as this: to adhere closely; stick; cling (usually followed by to ). to remain faithful 

This is the law of pursuit. Do not stop trying to chase each other. Just because you’re married does not mean you can give up the chase. Your spouse needs to feel valued, needs to feel special. You need to tell your spouse through your actions that if you had the choice, you would pick her/him again. 

Do things together. Get a hobby or pass time that you both enjoy and make a decision to spend that time together. This is a matter of priorities. 

Also, protect one another here. If you are chasing your spouse, that means they are too busy with you to notice the guy at work chasing her, or the woman at church (yes THAT happens) trying to get close to your man! There are people out there who would swoop in to break you up; not because of some Machiavellian scheme, but because Satan hates marriage and will do anything he can to destroy it! 

LAW 3: BECOME ONE FLESH 

This law has 2 parts: the physical and the spiritual. 

Physically, well, that is the fun part. Sex is good. God created it to be in a marriage with one man, one woman, loving one another in a physical and visceral way. 

There is holiness to it, a joy in it, and it should not be a task, a job, or a chore ladies. This is a fun, explorative, and exciting time that should not be shared with anyone other than your spouse. (The cleave law sneaks back in) 

Now for the spiritual part of this law: 

Spiritually unity is a must in a marriage. The two of you must be on the same page. I have already talked about how Satan wants to destroy the marriage. This is the reason why. When two people are in agreement and God is the focus of their marriage, then there is nothing they cannot withstand. 

Ecclesiastes 4:2 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 

LAW 4: NO SHAME 

More on sex so let me break this down: 

1. There should be only you and your mate in the bed. 

2. There should be no porn in your marriage. 

3. There should only be exalting and exhortation of one another in the bedroom NO UGLY WORDS NEEDED! 

(If you want a frank discourse on what should go on in the marriage bed, I highly recommend The Good Girls Guild to Great Sex by Shelia Wray Gregorie. ) 

Sex is an announcement physically, spiritually, and emotionally, that you belong to one another. Why would you mistreat one another in this intimate time? Why does she have to say dirty words, or why are you calling her a female dog? What is romantic, special or sacred about that? NOTHING! 

Treat your marriage bed with the respect it deserves. It, like the temple in the bible your spouse’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Would you defile the temple of God? Would you shout profanities at the Holy Spirit to make your next few moments more intense? 

1 Corinthians 3:16-17(KJV) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 

These laws are God’s design for marriage. Like the law of gravity these laws just are. I did not make them up. Here they are in the bible for all to see. They are there because God designed us to not be alone: we are stronger together. 

Join the Conversation: 

In a wedding ceremony I have heard it read like this: “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother” , so I ask you, is your marriage a “cause” worth fighting for?

How to Discover Your Purpose No Matter the Season

My daughter Sarah Beth

She is so young, only sixteen.

She thinks she has the world figured out.

My heart is heavy because I know how much she still has to learn. She is my daughter and I love her.

I want what is best for her. I have dreams and plans for her: a close personal relationship with God, college, a healthy and happy marriage, a successful art career and so much more, but it is her life, and she has to want the same things.

I by no means think it is my job is to micro-manage my children, but the Bible says “train up a child in the way they should go”. I have a desire to send her out into the world with her purpose firmly before her. That, above all is my desire: that she know what she was meant to do.

When we understand that God has plans for us, that we have a purpose, we are more focused, more patient and more effective.


More Focused-

Jeremiah 29:11 says God does have plans for you. They are plans full of peace and hope for a future. Plans to prosper you and not harm you.

In the book of Esther a young woman has been plucked out of her life, and placed in the palace. Here she becomes a wife, a queen, and a hero to the Nation of Israel. When she faced the reality that her life was not as important as the life of God’s people, she knew she was placed in the palace for a reason: “for such a time as this.”

God not only protected Esther, through her He delivered an entire nation from being destroyed.

More Patient-

Isaiah 40:31:

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”


When we know that God has a plan we can rest. We can pull into a “spiritual gas station” and refill our tanks. We can keep going when circumstances would tell anyone else to stop. Because we know God is taking us toward our destination, we can relinquish control and soar in the wind. We can ride on the current above the storm clouds.

When things don’t seem to go according to our plans, we know that as long as we are in His plan, (His good, acceptable and perfect plans) we are okay.

Romans 8:28:

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”

Seasons come and go in life. When we surrender to the God who makes the seasons, who made the stars and is writing our story, then we can be assured He will be faithful to complete the work He started.

More Effective-

Esther 4:15-16:

“Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.”

Circumstances cannot sway us when we know what God’s purpose for us is. Esther’s uncle told her the choice to obey or not was hers. He knew that if Esther chose not to obey, that God would deliver His children, but her life might be cut short because of her disobedience. She was born for “Such a time as this”.

Knowing who we are and why we are where we are, whether the circumstances are good or bad, is the crux of being effective. This discernment will allow you to see ways to overcome circumstance, to effect change and to become influential in ways you never would have been before.

Daniel had endured captivity. He had served faithfully a pagan king while never compromising his faith. Now Daniel’s faithfulness brings him before a king once more. When he read the writing on the wall he discerned the time. He saw what God wanted from him and he acted on it without fear. Though that king died that night, Daniel still found favor with the new king, Darius, because he never altered who he was and pursued his purpose no matter what.

Still not sure what your purpose is? That is okay. Just know this: God knows. His ultimate plan is the redemption of man. His individual plans for us may vary, but they will always be in line with His ultimate plan. Trust Him and remember this:

Matthew 6:33:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Serve God where you are, no matter the season, and you will be in His will for your life.

Question: How can you be more effective where you are right now?