​-Drew Blackston


This is the third blog of a three part miniseries within the Back to Basics series on How to Know the Will of GOD. We believe that this topic is too encompassing to limit to one blog post within the Back to Basics series. Click here to read part 1 & 2 of this miniseries. 

The sport of baseball has always held a close place in my heart. My closest grandfather played professionally and then coached high school baseball, so around our house, baseball was king. I was blessed to be able to play growing up and all through college and learned a lot of life lessons from just being on the diamond. One of those life lessons was practice. In my twenty plus years of playing baseball, I practiced more than I actually played in a game. Whether that was with the team or individually, practice is what dominated 90% of my athletic career. I specifically remember my senior year of high school and how important this concept of practice was. I had just come off a terrible season the year before and my batting average was somewhere in the low 100’s (That’s not very good for you non baseball readers). My dream of playing in college looked like a nightmare and even the coaches didn’t have much faith in me. I only had one option: get better or ride the bench my last season of high school ball. That winter I dedicated myself to getting better. I set up a batting cage in my families garage and banged ball after ball until my hands were filled with callouses and the walls filled with holes. What happened that following season was remarkable to the coaches, but to me it was expected. My average went up by 200 points, I won the starting job back, and towards the end of my senior year, I received an offer from a college to play baseball. How did this happen? Was it good luck or an accident? No. It was practice. Practice, practice, and more practice. Finding the will of GOD for your life works the same way. With scripture, prayer, and practice, we are constantly moving towards GOD’s purpose, plan, and destiny for our life. Paul writing to the Romans put it this way:

“Instead, passionately answer God’s call to keep yielding your body to him as one who has now experienced resurrection life! You live now for his pleasure, ready to be used for his noble purpose.” Romans 6:13 TPT

Yield in this verse is what sticks out to me. In agricultural terms yield means what the land or crop can produce. For example: The land yields corn. How does the land produce the crops? Does it magically appear? No, the farmer has to sow the seed in order for the crops to be yielded. When the farmer puts the seed into the ground, he doesn’t see anything for quite some time, but does that mean the seed isn’t producing anything. If we could go beneath the surface and see the seed in action, we would watch how the seed slowly opens and finally pokes through the ground. How long does it take? Sometimes weeks or months. Practice finding the will of GOD works just like the seed that is planted into the ground. Sometimes we don’t always see the fruit of what we are doing, but beneath the surface (or in the spiritual realm) our seeds are beginning to take root. 1 John 3:7 describes this process as practice: 

“Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” I John 3:7 NKJV

How do we become just like Jesus? Practice righteousness. How do we know the will of GOD for our life? Practice righteousness. What is righteousness? Just doing what the word of GOD says.  Jesus made a distinction between practicing good and bad in Matthew 7:21-23:

“But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” Matthew 7:23 NLT

The New King James Version uses the phrase, “you who practice.” So, if we can practice breaking GOD’s laws, surely we can practice walking in the will of GOD. I know practice isn’t very fun sometimes, but the Bible is clear that knowing the will of GOD is not some instantaneous action, but it is a walk of practice. And we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Just like the farmer who plants a seed or me banging baseballs in the garage, knowing the will of GOD for our life is a walk in faith. Our prayer for you is that you will allow GOD to direct your steps as you practice knowing Him more and learn to walk in His ways. Remember, your walk starts with scriptures, it’s solidified in prayer, and then it’s walked out in practice. 



​

Part 2

This is the second of a three part miniseries within the Back to Basics series on How to Know the Will of GOD. We believe that this topic is too encompassing to limit to one blog post within the Back to Basics series. Click here to read part 1 of this miniseries. 

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.”
Luke 11:2-4 KJV

I love the poetic way the King James Version translates the Lord’s Prayer and the circumstances surrounding Jesus teaching His disciples to pray. At this point in Jesus’ ministry, He had healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, faced down Satan in the wilderness, calmed storms, and walked on water—and through all those miracles, what did the disciples what to learn? They could’ve asked Jesus anything—“teach us to heal the sick” or “Show us that walking on water thing again”—but instead of miracles, the disciples asked, “Teach us to pray.” Why? Because they saw that the power in Jesus miracles were first directed and established in prayer. Before Jesus took 2 loaves and 3 fish and fed 5,000, He prayed over the food. Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He prayed to the Father. Before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed in the garden. What is the pattern we see from Jesus? It’s more than just that he prayed, but it's that Jesus prayed before He did anything. I believe He was following what Solomon wrote in Proverbs 3:6:

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:6 KJV

How did Jesus know the will of GOD for His life? It started with prayer. In our last blog post, we talked about finding scriptures in the Bible that speaks directly to your future (Click here for that post) and Jesus being the ‘Word made flesh’, knew what the scriptures said and now He was praying over those scriptures to allow GOD to lead Him on those paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3). Our prayers and communion with GOD are the gateway that lead us onto those paths that have been designed for us. In the Proverb referenced above, the word “acknowledge” in the Hebrew literally means to know or learn to know. When we dig down into the original language it changes the whole dynamic of what the writer is trying to say. It’s not, “GOD I acknowledge as I make these paths,” its more like, “GOD I want to know you more and through knowing you I am moving along the right paths.” Another scripture puts it this way: 

“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NLT

We can try and establish our own path and our own destiny, but it is ultimately GOD who makes the final determination on where and what we should be doing in this life. Whether or not we follow in that path is up to our communion and fellowship with the Creator of our destiny. And how do we come to know or learn to know the Creator more? Prayer. It’s that open communication and dialogue with the One who made everything from the grass to your beating heart. Jesus understood this principal and that is why He walked in such power and purpose. Yes, He was GOD’s son, but He was also fully man. Your power, your purpose, your direction, is found through the same door Jesus used—Prayer.
Now lets put the first blog post and this post together. If you are wondering what GOD’s will for your life is, start with finding scriptures that define what His purpose for you is. Next, use those same scriptures in prayer and read them aloud to GOD. You’re not reminding Him, but you are declaring those over yourself. 

If you wonder how to start, pray this prayer:

Dear Father,

I come to you in the name of Jesus and just want to say thank you for creating me and giving me a purpose. Your word says that, “you lead me on paths of righteousness for your names sake,” and I am thankful that you are leading me on those paths. Father, I know that you have given me the mind of Christ and because of that, I know that I have wisdom for today and for my future. Continue guiding my steps and establishing my paths. My will is to do your will. In Jesus mighty name, Amen. 

​This is the first of a three part miniseries within the Back to Basics series on How to Know the Will of GOD. We believe that this topic is too encompassing to limit to one blog post within the Back to Basics series. 

“How do I know the will of GOD for my life?” I feel like we all ask this question at sometime or another. Oftentimes, we ask this question when we are in transitions in our life—graduating college, loss of a job, moving from one city to another—transition creates questions and this question is life changing. I remember asking myself this same question when I was younger. Am I following where GOD wants me to go? Did I go to the right college? Did I pick the right major? Am I dating the right girl? The list goes on and on and on. Today, I have the same questions, but in a different context: Am I in the right career? Am I being the best husband and father that I can be? What more does GOD have for me? Is Anchor Movement making an impact? How do we grow our ministry in integrity and purpose? All great question, but all needing specific answers. I’m sure that your list doesn’t look very different from mine. What’s amazing about GOD’s desire for your life is that it never ends. No matter your age, occupation, or situation, GOD is passionate about seeing you become everything He created you to be. What I have found for me is that GOD uses three simple ways of revealing what His will is for my life and that is what I want to share with you today starting with the first.      

                                                You find GOD’s  will through His word

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Psalms 119:105 NLT


The word of GOD is the first place we should all begin when we are searching for the will of GOD in our life. The Psalmist said in the scripture above that GOD’s word is a lamp that guides our feet and a light to show us the way.  GOD has given us His word so that we can “find” our way through the stories and scriptures woven throughout from Genesis to Revelation. When I was injured playing football in junior high, I looked for every scripture and story on healing that I could find in the Bible. What was I doing? I was finding the lamp that would guide my feet and light my path. When you question what GOD’s will for your life is, start by looking for scriptures that speak promises into your future. One of my favorites is Jeremiah 29:11:


“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT


Another great promise for your future is found in Psalm 23:


“He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” Psalms 23:2-3 NLT


Jesus speaks directly to your future in John 10:10:


“My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10 NLT


What do all three of these scriptures have in common? They are promises directly spoken over your life and your future. What GOD has done in the past, He will do again. GOD did not forget about your life among the millions of others who are longing to know what His will is for them as well. GOD has a specific purpose, destiny, and assignment for your life and the scriptures illuminate this in Psalms 139:16:


'You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.' Psalms 139:16


GOD has already laid out for you days that fulfill His exact purpose for your life. The Bible speaks of things you can do to shorten your life (Psalm 55:23) and things you can do to lengthen your life (Proverbs 10:27), but before you were born, GOD had the exact perfect purpose laid out for you. The problem is, we as humans mess up the plan. We try to do things our way or we veer away from GOD for a certain season of our life or we run away from GOD until our life is complete mess. But GOD is merciful and He is always calling us back into that original purpose that He laid out before we were ever born. 


If you want to know what the will of GOD is for your life, you have to know what the Bible says about your future. More than just going to Heaven when you die, there are scriptures throughout the Bible that speak directly to your past, present, and future. In prayer one time, I questioned GOD about his pick of Matthew as a disciple. Don’t get me wrong, I like Matthew, but in ancient days tax collectors were seen as some of the scummiest people in Judea and Matthew was a tax collector. When Jesus called him to be a disciple, Matthew didn’t hesitate for one second; he immediately followed Jesus and left behind his business of collecting taxes. When I asked GOD about this He said, “I’m not into looking at past, but I’m into looking at potential.” GOD is the GOD of potential. Your life is not defined by where you are today or where you’ve been, but it’s defined in the potential that awaits you in the future. GOD’s will for your life looks different from everybody else because you are uniquely different. Don’t give up just because you see somebody else on top of the mountain and you feel like you’re in the valley. Hebrews 13:5 from The Passion Translation puts it like this:

For hasn’t he promised you, “I will never leave you alone, never! And I will not loosen my grip on your life!” Hebrews 13:5 TPT


GOD hasn’t given up on your life nor has He forgotten about your life. As we will discover in parts 2 and 3 of this miniseries, GOD wants to see you develop into your calling; first through His word and then through prayer and practice. The first step begins with searching out scriptures that define what GOD says about your future and then believing what GOD says. Our prayer for you today is that GOD will illuminate in His word the many promises that define your future. Allow those scripture to penetrate deep into your heart and be the firm foundation in your search and engagement in GOD’s will for your life.

-Drew Blackston

I loathe moving. It’s not that I’m not excited about a new home or a new neighborhood, but it’s the whole packing and unpacking experience. It’s the finding boxes the right size, making sure we have enough tape, and then the actual day of loading and then unloading everything off that very same truck that gets me. I wish I could just snap my fingers and the whole process be over. With 2 kids, 2 dogs, a full time job, and other normal responsibilities, my wife and I are exhausted. If we aren’t packing a box then we are discussing furniture placement, curtain rods, closet space, or another important detail to our new beginning. Daily we are going through our current home and throwing into boxes everything that can be packed inside a 4x4 cardboard carrier and with a large blue sharpie labeling that box either “New Home” or “Donation.” What I found interesting about this whole experience is that some of the stuff that we have labeled “Donation” had a purpose and a place in our old house, but now that we are moving to a new house, that same stuff doesn’t have the same purpose and place. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says it this way about our own life: 


Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he has become an entirely new person. All that is related to the old order has vanished. Behold, everything is fresh and new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 TPT


I like the Passion Translation of this verse because it says, “entirely new person.” It’s like we have moved out of the old person and moved into the new person, but there are still some boxes lying around from the old person that need to be dealt with. See, when you became a Christian, your spirit, or your inner person, is who got initially transformed. Your outer person, the one you see in the mirror everyday, is still dealing with the same issues as before except now it has the power of Jesus living on the inside. Jesus is your friend who is going to come over and help you pack those boxes up for your move. He’s going to hold things up for you and say “Donation” or “New Home.” He’s even going to give you suggestions on what should stay and what should go. 2 Corinthians 3:18 shows us how:


We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.


When you become a Christian and begin to allow GOD to transform every area of your life, He is going show you some boxes that are better left behind and not carried into your new life. It’s not an easy process. Often times it’s certain relationships that GOD is going to ask you to give up for a certain period of time or even remove that relationship completely. Maybe in your life it’s not relationships, but its certain habits, addictions, or ways of thinking that GOD is going to pack neatly in a box and write in big blue sharpie, “DONATION.” Its your choice what to do next. You can either put those “Donation” boxes on your moving truck and take them to your new home or you can leave them behind and begin to allow GOD to transform those empty parts of your life into abundantly filled in Him. Proverbs 24:3-4 puts it like this:


Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 24:3-4 NLT


The word for riches in the original language is translated “wealth, riches, substance, and enough.” I personally like the word “enough” in that translation. GOD is enough. He is more than enough. When you build or establish your house with His direction, guidance, and help, your life is filled with enough. Many people see this verse from a financial point of view and I agree with that, but finances don’t make every area of our life “enough.” Only GOD can fill every room of our new life with enough. He is enough in our relationships, He is enough in our finances, He is enough in our job, — He is enough.  My prayer for you is that GOD will fill every room of your house with enough. That you will allow Him to pack up some of your junk that has been lying around too long and put that in the donation pile. Whether you are a brand new Christian or you’ve been saved for 30 years, GOD is always standing there, cardboard boxes in one hand, blue sharpie in the other asking, “Donation” or “New Home?” The answer is left up to you. 


Over the next several weeks and months, Anchor Movement is going to focus on a series called “Back to the Basics” where we answer and define what it actually means to be a Christian. We want to answer some of the questions that new and old believers have in their walk of faith. Some examples include, “How to study the Bible,” and “Why should I go to church.” If you have a question you’d like us to answer or explore on the blog, go to our connect page and leave your response or visit our Instagram page here and leave your response in the comments.  ​

​

If you’ve ever stood in the line at Starbucks you know what it’s like to be labeled. The coffee giant labels each one of its white and green cups with the specific order of each coffee consumer. Some are as simple as, “coffee, black” others can be as complicated as, “grande, iced, sugar-free, vanilla latte with soy milk.” Both are essentially coffee drinks, but both are very different in their taste, appearance, and label. My Starbucks order is pretty simple, “grande, cafe latte, with soy or almond milk.” You can read more about my Starbucks experiences and  orders in a previous blog post here. When it comes to coffee labels things can get complicated and in the same way when you mention the term Christian, things can get as easily complicated. Between denominations—baptist, lutheran, pentecostal, methodist, church of Christ, Catholic, worship styles—hymns, contemporary, hands raised, hands down, choir, live band, and Bible translations—King James Version, New Living, The Message, New International, Amplified, and my personal favorite New King James Version—things can get pretty sticky when it comes to being a Christian. But what does it really mean to be a Christian? When you dig down to the foundation of all Christianity, what holds the church together and what does a person who calls themself a Christian actually look like? This post is not about church attire, worship styles, or even your preferred Bible version, but more about what the core of Christianity is. 


When I was 9 years old I gave my life to Jesus. I remember the little church we attended and being asked one straightforward question, “Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of GOD and that He died for your sins?” With my simple “yes” I was welcomed into the world of Christianity and all its different traditions, denominations, and unfortunately arguments. But through all the noise of doctrinal disputes, hermeneutical interpretations, and theological examinations, what being a Christian actually means is having a real intimate relationship with Jesus. That is the only label that truly matters and its the only label that we should allow to stick. Jesus is the reason we came to be a Christian. Romans 5:8 says, “But GOD demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That is why we are Christians and that is why we want to have an intimate relationship with the One who gave everything for us. One of the most famous scriptures in all the world sums it up like this, “For GOD so loved the world (thats me and you!) that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16. For GOD so loved you, before you cleaned yourself up, before you had your act together, before you knew you needed a Savior He loved you in the before. And He gave everything for you. Can you imagine sacrificing one of your children for someone else? How about your only child? I know I couldn't!  But that is what GOD did and that is why today, more than 2.2 billion people around the globe declare that they are Christian. But here is another reality check for you: our planets population is 7.53 billion individuals. That means that more than 5 billion people are destined for an eternity separated from GOD if we don’t do something about it. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 


There is no other way to GOD except through Jesus and as Christians we have the answer that the world is looking for. Since the beginning of time, people have been looking for the secret to everlasting life. During the time of the conquistadors, they searched for “The Fountain of Youth.” Today, researchers look for it in medical advances and artificial technology. Why such interest among people who don’t know GOD? Because deep down they fear what happens after death, but that is why Jesus came. The writer of Hebrews says this about Jesus, “That He, by the grace of GOD, might taste death for everyone.” Jesus has already experienced, tasted, and defeated death for all 7.53 billion people living on the planet today and the billions more to come. With one simple answer, each one of those individuals, no matter what they have done in the past, or where they were born, or how they grew up, or even how old they are now, can make that decision to give their life to Jesus Christ. The question is, “Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of GOD and that He died for your sins?” 


If you’d like to make Jesus the Lord of your life, click here to learn how to do that and pray a simple prayer with Drew. If you made that decision today or recently and would like us to pray for you, click here to connect with Valerie and Drew.

Over the next several weeks and months, Anchor Movement is going to focus on a series called “Back to the Basics” where we answer and define what it actually means to be a Christian. We want to answer some of the questions that new and old believers have in their walk of faith. Some examples include, “How to study the Bible,” and “Why should I go to church.” If you have a question you’d like us to answer or explore on the blog, go to our connect page and leave your response or visit our Instagram page here and leave your response in the comments.