Have you ever said. . .I just wasn’t in the right place at the right time?

Perhaps you said. . .my timing always seems to be wrong. . .I can’t catch a break.

Well, things didn’t work out the way we wanted. . .we were hoping for a different result.

John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach at UCLA, once said:

“Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out.”

How can you make the best out of the way things turn out?

Here are seven keys to help you position yourself for the desired result.

1) Look at Every Day As A Potential Day for Miracles.

We serve a right now God. . .wanting to manifest His power TODAY.

Yes, we should stir our faith and the faith of others by the recounting of our Lord's miracles.  But, we must be expecting miracles "in the moment"...this moment. . .our defining moment.

Acts 5:12 in the New King James Version says:

You’re Going Do What?

            Was there a moment. . .a particular point in time when you wanted to be somebody special. . .do something bold, daring or humanitarian. . .go places where others could only wish. . .achieve your greatest dream?

            What was it?  What was your dream?

            My first dream career was to be an archeologist.  This was long before Indiana Jones (not too long, I’m not that old). . .though Indiana would have been certainly more inspiring than the real source of my motivation.

            The original source was “The Mummy” and I don’t mean the one of the past ten years.   During my childhood I watched the movie with Christopher Lee and Boris Karloff.  It was a time when horror movies used real suspense and not the gory mess of today.  The idea of finding the tombs of hidden Pharaohs intrigued me.

            But that dream gave way to my determination to be a professional baseball player. . .I was going to play first base for the New York Yankees.  Then, a back surgery ended that dream.

            Next, it was to be the youngest United States Senator ever elected from North Carolina. . .when I was in high school, I made a list of the 19 steps it would take me to make that dream come true.  I had completed 16 of them when things changed rather dramatically in my life.

            My dream. . .my goal, my passion, my vision for the past 29 years has been to get the Body of Christ out of debt and into God’s abundant provision.  It’s a dream that I’ve been able to realize some success.

But let’s get this blog back where it belongs. . .on YOU

            First, what is a dream?

If a quarterback's timing is off...he's going to have a bad day with more interceptions than touchdowns.  

If a basketball player, whether high school, college or professional, has his timing off. . .he won't be able to pass or connect with the basket no matter how big the rim is.

If life. . .if your timing is off. . .you can miss possibilities. . .and opportunities for success.

Timing is important in life.

Something can be a good idea. . .it can be a great idea. . .it can be a God idea but for it to be successful it must be in God's timing. 

Here are seven facts you ought to know about His timing.

1.      The Holy Spirit gives you the timing.

Have you ever wondered if it was the right time to make a career change. . .to ask someone to marry you. . .to present your ideas to your supervisors?

Knowing when to speak. . .is equally important to what you’re going to say.

Acts 1:7-8 in the Message Bible says:

I can tell you without hesitation there is something that God wants each of us to get in

1 Corinthians 15:20-22.  Here’s what it says;

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

You can’t enjoy the rich and satisfying life He has in mind for us. . .by just going along . . . to get along . . . so you can just get by.  That’s not what being “alive” means to your Lord and Savior.

Here are seven things God expects of those who are really alive.

1.  Mentally alert.

I feel led to share three scriptures with you on how to be mentally alert.  Then I’m going to share a scripture that will make you shout for joy.

Ephesians 6:18 in the Amplified Bible says:

“Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).”

Prayer keeps you alert and focused on your purpose.

1 Peter 1:13 in the Amplified Bible says:

Some years ago (22 to be exact), there was a movie entitled “Jerry McGuire.”

Truthfully, I’ve never watched the entire movie. . .however, I did see part of the Oscar –winning performance by Cuba Gooding, Jr., as an athlete seeking a more lucrative financial contract.

Throughout the movie, Gooding would say to Tom Cruise his agent “Show me the money” which became an immediate pop culture sensation.

The phrase “Show me the money” was then repeated for some time by celebrities and normal people like you and me.

A few days ago, I was doing a search on money. . .when I came across that phrase “show me the money.”

I smiled and did an immediate search on “show me.”  The result of which. . .is this teaching on ‘seven show me’s’ God wants to show us.

1.         Show me the way.

There are actual people who live the words of the Hank Williams, Sr. song which goes like this.

“I’ve wandered so aimless, life filled with sin

I wouldn't let my dear Savior in

Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night

Praise the Lord, I saw the light