It is God who works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure. Phil 2:13

Here we see what almost everyone would initially imagine as a large gnarled tree branch ready for the dump or to be burned as firewood. The gifted eye of the artist, however, saw something valuable within the wooden form that is now obvious to the reader. This process is similar to when Michelangelo sculpted the statue of King David from a chunk of marble in his Renaissance masterpiece back in the early 1500’s. So, we have a majestic bird and a king…What about us and our potential?

How often do we assess ourselves or others as gnarled, beyond help, or ready for the dumpster? If an image of a wise old owl can be salvaged from a mere piece of wood, then what is possible for an even greater image to be manifested in us? If God is within, and He is a Spirit, and the fruit of His Spirit is love, then we can expect behavioral fruit like the scripture says and become more Christ-like as we individually grow in wisdom and stature.

The title “It’s in There!” is a way to describe not only our natural sculpture but the encouragement and strength we all need to recognize the Master’s Hand working supernaturally within ourselves and those around us.

The late best-selling author, Dr. Myles Monroe in his book Maximizing Your Potential – The Keys to Dying Empty says the choice is ours. We are responsible to understand, release, and maximize our potential. He goes on to declare that everything God created is equipped with the potential or ability to fulfill its God-given purpose.

Let’s remember family and friends that we are God’s Crown of Creation and we need to purposefully renew our mind to say and mean this:

• I was never junk in my past, I am not junk now, and I will never be junk in my future.
• I am all God says I am, I can do all He says I can do, and I can have all He says I can have.
• I am who I am, no matter where I am, or who I am with.
• From this day forward, I am a proponent of “Maximizing Potential” as part of my lifestyle.

Have a great and potential-releasing week—it’s in there!

Romans 12:1-2; Gal 5:22; James 1:5; Phil 1:6; Phil 4:13; Gal 2:20