What is in Your Hand?

God asked Moses, “What is in your hand?”

Then Moses answered [the LORD] and said, “What if they will not believe me or take seriously what I say? For they may say, 'The LORD has not appeared to you.’” And the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.” Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So Moses threw it on the ground, and it became a [living] serpent [like the royal symbol on the crown of Pharaoh]; and Moses ran from it. But the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and grasp it by the tail.” So he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand-- [“You shall do this,” said the LORD,] “so that the elders may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has [most certainly] appeared to you.”

God cannot use what you will not give Him

& He will not ask you to use what He has not given you

Lance Walnau teaches the incredible lessons of the 7 mountains of influence. It is powerful and life-changing. I am so glad that I learned this, even before I ever knew I could paint.

Here they are:

Family
Religion
Education
Media
Entertainment
Business
Government

THE CLIMB

Once you can figure out what it is that you are passionate about, what you love to do, or what it is that's in your hand…it is ok to realize you may be at the bottom of that mountain. And to get to the top, it will be a climb, and it will be a journey. You will come up to steep cliff faces, and obstacles that may make you want to turn back. But at every turn you can call on the Lord and He will be near to you and teach you in that moment. You will learn that when you fail…which you will, The Lord will teach you to fail forward. And your failures will teach you your greatest lessons for your future.
Getting to the top of that mountain is the goal, but the journey along the way is the most important part of it. Making the climb will give you influence. As you refine your gifts and talents and overcome great obstacles along the way, your walk will touch lives and inspire others. And the experience that you gain from the journey is probably more rich with treasure than your talent or gift can ever be on its own. The Lord will have made His work known in your life to others because of the partnership with Him that is so evident in your life in the ups and the downs.

James 1:17 - Amplified Bible

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow [a]cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].

The Mountain Top

For far too long have we as Christians been complacent and scared, comfortable and complacent. And in that time we have allowed for the media, Hollywood and for the world to take these places of influence in our society and culture. We washed our hands of taking ground and discipling Nations. Those days are gone. If we want to make a difference in this day and age, we must take responsibly and take the mountain that God has called us to. And along the way we must help others to make the climb as well.