Guest Blog: Mike Oliver
Mike and his wife, Shari, pastor Coastal Community Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Mike is one of my mentors, and he also cooks my favorite peas whenever I visit.
Sharing with a friend last night, I reminded him of something we all know but fail to rest in way too often. After hearing his circumstances, I remembered what I tell myself from time to time and reminded him this simple truth… “God is your source”.
We tend to lean on what we do and what we know. We become secure in our ability to be “self-sufficient “. The difficult part of self-sufficiency is the word “self”. It may just be me, but too many times our friend “self” shines like a rock star then suddenly shows up INsufficient.
God reminded us through this passage in Isaiah:
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD. Isaiah 31:1
When we are making the cash and rolling at work and home, we get this independent feeling and false sense of security that WE have done it all! Here lies the foundation for two ugly emotions to roll. One is pride. We get this haughtiness and sense of accomplishment. The other ugly emotion is the bookend of this play. After you have placed confidence in your self-sufficiency and hit the inevitable wall of lack, fear comes in and puts demands on your “self.” And, in the end our “self” is found wanting!
Don’t get me wrong, God places gifts in our lives to have success in life, and if we are smart, we use our talents and time to honor Him and live in fruitfulness. But we are thinking best when we know there is only one who is all sufficient. This thinking gives us two better bookends of emotion. One is humility, always thanking God for fruitfulness. And, the other is trust, giving us an anchor in times of need.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8
DustyTakle.com 
Well worth a second read (and a third, fourth, etc.)
Thanks, Mike (and Dusty for letting him share).
RonJon
That verse is going up on my bathroom mirror! Thanks Mike. May God richly bless CCC!
how familiar I am with this realization since trying to be a “grown-up”. finding myself at the beginning of my career and starting my own family, I realize more than ever before, I must seek and ask before acting upon my own will and desires. I want Him to be my desire giver. talk about hard! I so easily forget where my source and strength comes from. I know the answer is to abide in Him. I’m excited to see what’s going to happen by “putting feet” to that word!
p.s. the peas are de. lish.