My Message to The Graduates

Over the last few years, we have been able to go to the local high school and share in a Baccalaureate Service. The following is a condensed version of my message to the Class of 2011 from FCHS. May it bring encouragement to your life as well.

"Our nation has a strong heritage of men and women who believed in something greater. Men and women who understood that we were all endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life liberty and pursuit of happiness. They were men and women of great courage, great imaginations, and great resolve. However, with each and every generation there comes a time to pass the baton. Someone else has to take the place of greatness. This generation is poised to take that place."

After giving the class some background into the scripture that we were about to read, I shared with them Joshua 1:1-9. I simply shared a few points with them hoping to help them move into the destiny that God had designed them for.

1) The Promises of the Past Need to Become the Pursuit of the Present (vv.1-3)
- Joshua had heard all of the promises that God had given to Moses. Now it was his turn to pursue these promises in his generation. God's Word also gives us great and wonderful promises for abundant life. Our nation was founded upon the promises that life could become more than what we were currently experiencing. These promises need to fuel our lives.

2) Who You Are is More Important than What You Have Done (vv.5-6)
- Up to this point, Joshua had been in school. Walking with Moses was his training ground. However, he could not live the rest of his life being the understudy of Moses. He had to take his place as the leaders of God's people. For this to happen, he had to understand that God had designed Him for this time and place. I told the class that the time has come where their identity could not be built upon who they were in High School. They, like Joshua, had to discover the identity they had from the Creator.

3) You Cannot Allow the Greatness Before You to be Defeated by the Fear Inside You (7-9)
- God continually encouraged Joshua by saying "Be strong and courageous...be strong and very courageous...do not fear...do not be discouraged." The moment before him was huge but he did not shrink back in fear.

"History is filled with those who achieved greatness. It is also filled with those who never tried. Some people never get over their past while others never move past their fears. I would much rather my life be spent pursuing the greatness that God has created me for rather than settle for just an 'O.K.' life."

I'm thankful for the opportunity I had to share with these graduates. I pray that the next few years of their lives will not be spent trying to discover who they are but that they will find their identity in Christ. I truly believe that we will be amazed at the generation that rises up and chooses to walk in their prophetic purpose in the earth. God will do AMAZING THINGS!!!