Tag: Encouraging Bible Stories

Be Progressive!

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“And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward,” Exodus 14:15

Have you heard of the phrase “two steps forward, one step back?” What if we could erase that end part? What if we could subtract from the equation the minus one step? What would the total sum of one’s life be if all they ever did was progress? If all they ever did was to add without factoring any negatives?

“Two steps forward, one step back.” It’s a phrase that I have used and I know you have, too. But, in reality, I actually think that we get too comfortable with that kind of mentality. Everything is not always going to go off without a hitch, but it’s almost as if we expect to move back every time we try to advance forward. We are factoring in a negative from the very beginning.

In math, when adding, anytime there is a negative number that is bigger than the positive number it will equal a negative number. A positive number plus a positive number equals a positive, but a positive number plus a bigger negative number will equal a negative. Any time there is doubt in one’s advancement that will almost always sabotage one’s progress, taking away from all that they have done and gone through to move forward. Taking away and overshadowing the positive with that seemingly bigger negative.

Don’t get me wrong. I know that there are many hard trials and circumstances that everyone will face. I will not trivialize the hurt and disappointments that many faces. But, what will happen if while we are on this journey, we try our best to look beyond the circumstances that we are in and move forward toward the promise? What if for once we could factor out the negatives of life instead of factoring them in? Despite the chariots and the enemies pursuing us, we could be more determined to pursue the goals that God has for us.

That is what I really believe God wanted the children of Israel to do. Stop looking for obstacles. To stop making excuses for why they can’t get to where God wants them to go. He had a glorious destiny for them. God had already shown them many, many miracles that led up to their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Yet, as soon as a moment of adversity poked its head around the corner to spy on their progress, they stopped moving. Instead, they stayed in that unproductive state wallowing in self-pity: “Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?” (Exodus 14:11), they cried.

God has a better plan for you than to keep you still, wallowing in the wilderness, in self-pity. That’s why He said, “Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.” Stop crying about it and just go! Move! Make some progress! No more backward! It’s time to go on in Jesus’ name! Move it or lose it!

Looking at the stuff one has been through and the possibility of hardship ahead can be very discouraging, but press on! There is a promised land for you and me to reach. That alone is enough to urge you onward and upward. So, go ahead – be progressive today. Say within yourself, “I’m going to make it this time!”

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.

“God will carry you!”

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God will carry you!

The burdens of this life can be such a struggle sometimes that we feel like we can’t walk through on our own. We need to be lifted up above all the turmoil below and carried to the other side.

It is then we need to hold onto God and pray for Him to carry us through. Isaiah 46:4 says, “And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry and will deliver you.”

Lord, please carry me today!

“When the Father speaks…”

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There is a lot of inner dialogue that goes on and there is a lot of outer dialoguing that goes on.  The inner dialogue comes from the person within.  It talks to oneself sometimes words of encouragement, and that’s okay.  But, when it begins to express doubt, confusion and rehearses hurt repeatedly, it becomes a dangerous voice causing one to lose out on some of the best stuff God has for them.

The outer dialogues we hear daily comes from the voices all around.  Again, sometimes one may hear words of love, but when these voices speak criticism, discouragement, and put-downs, their words need to be silenced and replaced because they are not doing anything to one up or to help along the way.

Any voice, inner or outer, which speaks contrary to the words of the Father, must be made to shut up.  When the Father speaks, His is a heavenly dialogue, and what He has to say far outweighs any word on earth.

When the Father speaks His words are power.  “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God,” (Psalm 62:11).  Every other speech will fail and grow weak when it meets up against the strength of what He has to say.  “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword…” (Hebrews 4:12).

When the Father speaks His words are fulfilling.  “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it,” (Isaiah 55:11).  In the sea of worthless words that drown the hearing of this world, God’s Word can be trusted to do what He said He would do.  It will succeed at everything spoken of it.

When the Father speaks His words are truth.  False speech seems to dominate this world.  Whatever the platform, people are careless and deceitful with the words that they throw around.  But God’s words are dependable and faithful.  They are “truth” (John 17:17) and His words don’t lie (Numbers 23:19).  “For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth,” (Psalm 33:4).

When the Father speaks His words are life.  Jesus said, “…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life,” (John 6:63).  Not only are His words filled with life-giving power in the here and now, but when He speaks they are words of eternal life (John 6:68).  For those who believe in His Word, it will provide them with everything they need to live.

And, when the Father speaks, it is forever.  “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever,” (Isaiah 40:8; see also Matthew 24:35).  There will never be a time when His Word will not be.  All the inner and outer dialogues that take place daily will eventually pass away.  But, everything declared in His Word, shall be forever.  It’s not going anywhere.  Therefore, we can stake our very lives on it, live by it, and hope in it.  Because, when the Father speaks, His Word will always be there for us through it all.

Today, when the Father speaks, let His voice be louder than all others and let His words be the strength for your day.

“The Babe of Bethlehem”

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“And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,  And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.” Matthew 2:5-6

At the writing of Matthew 2:5-6, over 700 years have gone by since the Old Testament prophet Micah told of a Ruler that would be birthed out of this little town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2-3).  While over those centuries of waiting, countless babies have entered this world and linked the beginning of their lives to this motherland, only One’s heritage can connect the dots with those long-ago words that herald the coming of the Savior of the world.

He would be the freedom the world has longingly yearned for.  He would be the peace, souls since the beginning of time, have dreamt about.  He would be the Shepherd who would not lead with a rod or a staff, but with His life.  This blessed Babe of Bethlehem would be the all eternal One, whose days are from everlasting (Micah 5:).  He would be the Babe seen as He “who is, and who was, and which is to come, the Almighty,” (Revelation 1:8), and He would change everything the world once knew.

No wonder hearts were stirred.  No wonder souls were searching with excitement.  No wonder kingdoms were in a ruckus.  The Babe of Bethlehem was no ordinary babe.  He was God incarnate, God in the flesh, “God with us,” (Matthew 1:23).  The imperfect people born in this world would need the help of that perfect Savior born in Bethlehem.

The celebration of Christmas is the celebration of that precious Babe who had finally arrived in the world to bring this long-awaited hope.  He that was born as the prophesied Messiah would lift the judgment of condemnation for those who not only seek Him but find Him.  And, they are no longer content to have Him wrapped in swaddling clothes, but their soul’s desire is to wrap Him in their hearts.

 

“God is with the Generation of the Righteous!”

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“For God is with the generation of the righteous,” Psalm 14:5, NKJV

“With” is a simple four-lettered word we throw in the middle of a sentence to show the togetherness of something or someone.  But, when speaking of our relationship with God, we do have that definition of God being near us wherever we are.  We do have the meaning of Him walking amongst us through the valley lows and the mountain highs.  We do have that basic hint of the word “with,” but we also have so much more.

That word, as general as it is in meaning, not only tells us where God is in conjunction with His people but because of where He is, it also declares a shift in our stance and position in this world.  We are not just the run of the mill ordinary folk you may meet on the street in passing.  We are not the average Joe that people may be used to dealing with.  As we are taking our daily steps and going about our routines, we and they must realize there is so much more to us than what the naked eye may see.  As we sit at our desks to work or do whatever tasks our job requires, our position may look like everybody else’s on the outside – oh but, inside He is there.  God has implanted a part of Himself in the heart of each believer and He has attached Himself to the righteous.

Listen, it may not always feel like it, but when people look at you what they are seeing is just a shadow of what you really got going on with you.  Surrounding you and dwelling in you, through the power of the Holy Spirit is God Almighty.  Today, walk with your head held high knowing that no matter how people perceive you, their view is obscured by whatever bias they carry.  Who you are in God and God with you speaks of so much more.  Your stance and your position now is one of grace, power, holiness, love, and peace that is not only covering your life but is walking with you every step of the way.

Today, Lord, You have chosen to draw near to where Your people are.  You have surrounded us on every side and have taken up residence in the innermost parts of our being.  God, thank You for the gift of You.  Thank You for loving us so much that in spite of Your omnipotent and holy nature, You have attached Yourself to humble creatures such as we, Your people, and You desire to be with us wherever we are.  This is a most priceless gift to us.  Let us not take lightly this preciousness of Your presence with us.  In the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN!

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.

“Rise Out of the Shadows of What Others Think”

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Shadowing living is not for the people of God unless they are living under His shadow (see Psalms 91:1).  And, constantly living, ordering, and covering your life by what others think is a trap.  It is not up to you to change people’s minds about you or to constantly seek their approval for this or that.  If you are living for Christ, then you are living to be approved by Him and not to win a positive vote from others (see Galatians 1:10).  Recognize that some people will never look at you in a positive light no matter what you do to “prove” yourself worthy to them.  Some people take very long or will never get over your past or your mistakes and will tend to look at you with eyes of suspicion and mistrust and categorize you as such in their thoughts.  At the same time, there are others who will keep their thoughts focused on what they see as lack and short-comings in your life, and to them, you just don’t measure up.

That’s why the Bible tells us, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe,” (Proverbs 29:25).  The job of the Christian, who knows Christ bore the worst part of us and our sins on the cross, and that it is He and His Spirit that is empowering us, is not to live life like cowering dogs with tails tucked in because of people.  It’s not to let oneself continually carry the burden of guilt, shame, or misgivings of your abilities that others try to force on you when Jesus already paid it all, gave it all, and supplied it all.  That kind of life is a trap and it is dangerous because one will always be consumed by what others think.  And, when one is so worried about what others think, they are less focused on what God thinks.

But, God said, “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds,” (Jeremiah 17:10, NASB).  God is the only judge whose standards of living we need to be concerned about because He holds the results and the rewards.  He knows our every move in life and even our innermost thoughts (Psalm 139:2).  He knows the works we do (Isaiah 66:18).  He knows the secrets we hold (Psalm 44:21).  He knows the plans we make (Proverbs 16:9).  He knows everything about us and He also knows that Jesus Christ has freed each one of us, that is found in Him, to rise out of the shadows of the thoughts of others that you might live fully in Him and completely for Him.  Trust more in what God thinks as opposed to what people think and choose to live freely in Him today!

“3 Things to Remember When Rising Above the Accusers of Your Anointing!”

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Jesus was perfect in every way.  There was no fault found in Him.  He always had peoples best interest at heart in anything He did.  He never sidestepped the will or the purpose of God.  He never compromised or fudged the truth.  He never sought to hurt, harm, or destroy others.  Yet, despite His flawless nature, there were those who still sat in wait and watched Him suspiciously.  What did they watch for?  “They watched him . . . that they might accuse him,” (Mark 3:2).

Jesus was above sin in every way but He was still susceptible to the flapping tongues of people who didn’t believe in His ministry.  He had to deal with people who shunned the very idea that He was the Son of God.  He had to deal with people who didn’t believe He was anointed to do what He did.

Know this, just because you’re anointed, doesn’t mean people won’t try to find fault in what you do to accuse you.  If anything, they will look all the more.

So, Jesus had these men watching Him for the sole purpose of seeing what they can say against Him.  Nonetheless, Jesus could care less about their verbal attacks and suspicious thinking.  What He cared about was the soul standing in front of Him.  He cared about doing what He was anointed to do.

At that time there was a man in the synagogue with a withered hand who needed to be healed.  The problem the accusers had with this is it was the Sabbath day.  Therefore, they watched.  They purposely looked for a reason to talk about Him and to try to discredit His ministry.

No one is above the scheming knick picking of the naysayers.  If they sought to attack and accuse Jesus, what more will they do to His followers?

But, Jesus didn’t let it deter Him from His purpose.  First, He asked, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?” (Mark 3:4).  When they refused to answer He knew they were motivated by nothing but the “hardness of their hearts,” (Mark 3:5).  When your anointing is attacked you have to keep peoples possible motives into proper perspective (Jesus wasn’t the problem, it was the hardness of their hearts.)

Next, Jesus spoke to the man who needed to be healed and said, “Stretch forth thine hand,” (Mark 3:5).  The rest of that verse tells us when he did, “his hand was restored whole as the other.”  Jesus was anointed to heal this man.  In Luke 4:18 Jesus read and proclaimed, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.”  He was walking in the ministry God set apart for His life.

What is it God has called you to do?  Are we afraid to move into that area because of what people might say?  Please know, if they weren’t afraid to talk about Jesus, they will not be afraid to talk about you either.  Instead of letting it get Him down, Jesus continued doing what He was anointed to do.  He healed the man in spite of it all.  He knew their motives weren’t justified against Him.  He knew they were literally just looking for a reason to talk, Mark 3:2.  Does that mean we stop doing what God has called us to do?

Nay!  We are to rise above the accusers as Christ did and work the calling of God on your life. Jesus didn’t seek to justify Himself before their eyes, He just did what He was anointed to do.  More often than not one’s actions speaks volumes more than their words.

Does it mean it will stop them from talking and accusing?  No.  It goes with the territory.  It means in spite of what they say you do what God says.

I’m not going to say it doesn’t hurt when people talk about you, put you down, and speak against your ministry –  because it does.  No matter what they say about sticks and stones: words do hurt.  But Jesus even encouraged us in this area by letting us know, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you,” (Matthew 5:11-12).

Anybody who has done anything significant for His Kingdom gets talked about and attacked (see Daniel 6:4-5 and Acts 23:28-29).  Our job as individuals is to rise above the naysayers and accusers and do what God says; to be about our heavenly Father’s business no matter what. 

SO REMEMBER, if you are walking in the will of God, just keep these three things in mind when your anointing is under attack:

  1. JUST because you’re anointed doesn’t mean you won’t be attacked.
  2. KEEP their possible motives in perspective.  Often the problem isn’t you.
  3. DOING what God anointed you to do is what matters most, regardless of the accusers.

Therefore, it all boils down to one sure-fire way to rise above the accusers of your anointing:

JUST KEEP DOING!

“…But Lord, I Thank You!” – Word For Life Says

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Job 1:20-22 “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”

Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Job 19:25-27 “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”

Anytime we see a “…” in a sentence it expresses a train of thought and direction or a transition if you will.  That “…” is very important to this message.

Times of transition can be good and bad.  When one is engrossed in unpleasant circumstances a nice change of pace can be just what the doctor ordered.  It breathes new life into you and lifts your spirits high making you feel as if you are on cloud nine.  At the same time, when one is entering times of affliction, lack of any sort of substandard anything compared to what they are used to, the feelings of dread and just suffering through take over.

There are different seasons that everyone goes through in life.  There are times of joy and there are times of pain.  While we don’t mind dealing with the seasons of joy and happiness that come our way, a whole other story could be told for the times of pain and suffering we encounter.

There are seasons, even for the Christian, that come that are not too pleasant.  There are times when the people of God had to endure trials and tribulations.  There are episodes of turmoil that have wiggled their way into our families, our lives, our jobs, and our finances.

Sometimes difficult and new stuff pops up out of nowhere, things you weren’t looking to happen in this season of life, and it has blindsided you and caught you off guard.  There may be things that surprised you and now you just don’t know which way you are going.  The road hasn’t always been easy to travel.  We are looking for the new.  We need a transition.  We are in need of a “…” moment.

It’s time to move from the victim mentality and don a praise mentality.  It’s time to move from the feeling defeated mentality to no matter what’s going in my life, “…Lord, I just want to thank You” mentality.

A praise mentality says no matter the situation we are going through I still have a reason to worship.  We still have a reason to lift our hands in utter adoration!  We still have a reason to fall to our knees in prayer!  We still have a reason to believe His grace and mercy is at work in our lives!  I still have a reason to say, “Thank You!”

Job is one of the most figurative Bible characters who we surmise as suffering outside of Jesus Christ our Savior.  So, I figured if anybody can teach us how to be thankful despite what we’re going through it could be Job.

Job was a man whom God describes in the Bible as being upright and perfect, Job 1:8.  He is known for turning himself away from the path of evil, not giving it a foothold in his life.  Yet, in his righteous living, he was still susceptible to being tested in some of the worse ways possible.  He lost everything from possessions down to the very people he loved the most in life.

Job’s experiences can be summed up in that one word: suffering. Job knew suffering.  Job knew what it was like to love and lose; to have and to have not.  What’s more is he lost everything at the same time, piling traumatic event after traumatic event on till he thought his heart couldn’t take any more (read Job 1-2 for greater detail).

Sitting in a pile of ashes with seemingly nothing left, could he at least find comfort in the good word of a friend? Will they speak encouragement to help him carry the weight of his burdensome troubles?

The answer sadly is, “No.”  His friends started out with good intentions but by the time they reach chapter 4, Job’s friends became what is known as “miserable comforters.”  They decided to chime in with their opinions of what was right and wrong.  This was where their attempts at comfort went downhill.  They berated Job and blamed him for all that he was going through.

Job literally had no one and the weight of the world was upon his shoulders, but his response to his trials is what blew my mind away.  When things first began to unravel for him, in the verses we read in chapter 1 he shaved his head, fell down on his face and he worshipped.

The words that came out of his mouth were of praise and thanks.  He said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD!

That word “blessed” is synonymous with celebrating God with praise in spite of.  That word blessed is acknowledging God is good no matter what the circumstances around me say.  That word blessed is also translated in the New and Old Testament to give thanks!  “Blessed be the name of the LORD!”  Job, with his shaved head of sorrow and humble spirit, gave God thanks amid the sorrow he was going through!

His response reminds me of Psalm 34:1 where the psalmist proclaimed, “I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall continually be in my mouth!”  I will thank God always and I will never stop celebrating His goodness!  I will show God gratitude always and I will never stop lifting Him up.  I will appreciate God even in this and I will never stop recognizing that He and He only is God of my life.

Ephesians 5:20 says, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  My always for all things may not look the way I want it to right now, but Lord I thank You, is what he’s saying!  I am not saying thank you because I like problems, but I am saying thank You because I know the God I serve.  I am saying thank you because He is working on the inside to change things on the outside.  I am saying thank you because God is setting us up for a future that is glorious in Him!  Therefore, “…Lord, I just want to thank You!”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  I am in Christ; therefore I give thanks!  I have been washed by the blood, therefore I give thanks.  Yes, life hurts sometimes and yes, the walls come crashing down sometimes, but I owe God a praise.  I thank God for seeing me through every trouble, every storm that blows my way!  “…Lord, I just want to thank You!”

Job’s response went even further than this.  In Job 19, he said, “For I know that my Redeemer lives.”  Things were not exactly turning in his favor.  At that time, his today didn’t look any better than his yesterday.  His friends are still in his face challenging him with their accusations.  But, despite his personal persecutions, he emphatically declares, “I know . . .”

Knowing speaks of assurance. A declaration of knowing tells doubt there is no place here for you. “Know” is certain that this is what it is. And, what he is certain of is “my redeemer liveth.” God is alive and will always be alive. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty,” (Revelation 1:8).

“He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.”  Job knew that God was and is the end-all of all authority, victory and power. Standing upon anything denotes mastery and dominion of said object.  Job knew where his trust lies.  In God who is victorious: “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him,” (Psalm 68:1).  Paul, speaking of Christ said He, “hath put all things under his feet…,” (Ephesians 1:22).  Even this.

“And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.”  There is hope beyond the here and now. Physically, it didn’t look good for Job. He had “sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown,” (Job 2:7).  He, in dealing with the pain of his body and the pain of his heart must have thought there is not that much more time left. At one point of desperation, things had gotten so bad, Job prayed for death (see Job 6:8-9).

Despite it all, he knew that there was a better day beyond the corruption of his flesh.  His body, when the time came, would lie in the ground and the worms would have their way with him, but he looked forward to another glorious time when “in my flesh shall I see God.”  Things were hard for Job, but in his speech, you can still see his faith alive and active in what he believes: and he believes GOD!  Therefore, “I bless God!  I give God thanks!”

Job teaches us how to respond to God in midst of trials and troubles.  He may have been down, especially when his friends attacked him, but he still recognized God for who He is.  He basically transitioned his mentality to shift his focus from what was before him to the God who can save Him.

Yes, he grew weary and even questioned why he was going through what he was going through.  Who wouldn’t?  But, through it all you still see his faith in God come to the forefront in the midst of his story.

In the end, Job was blessed with a double portion of blessings.  God testified of Job to his friends.  God spoke up for Job and said, “My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath,” (Job 42:7).

It’s not too late for God to turn it around and to testify on your behalf.  The week of Thanksgiving is here, and this year is not over yet.  There is still room for a blessing.  And, even if not – if God never does another thing for us, can we say, “Lord, I thank You?”

At the end of the day, as hard as it may be sometimes, we must transition our thinking and say “… But Lord, I thank YOU!”

 

“Today is a good day for reflection” – Word For Life Says

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“Remember the days of old…,” Deuteronomy 32:7.

Today is a  good day for reflection.  It may be Monday and the beginning of the week, but if we just take a moment to think on His goodness and where He has brought us from already, oh, the impact that would have at the start of this day and this week!  The remembrance of His holy protection and love that has carried us so far could ignite a fire of passion inside us to do more, to be more, to come up to where He wants us more.

The status quo goes into the day business as usual.  We can enter in with a refreshed spirit and with a new mindset because our past has already testified that He has been there for us.  So far, we have survived everything that we have been through and it’s because of His power, His grace, His mercy that is directing and covering us.  No, the path wasn’t always easy.  But, we are here today because of the love of God at work in our lives and the belief that He has so much more in store for us.

There’s an old song that says, “When I think of the goodness of Jesus, And all He’s done for me, My soul, my soul cries out, Hallelu, hallelujah, I thank God for saving me,” (GMWA Youth Mass Choir/Lyrics Source: Allgospellyrics.com).  Reflection would reassure my soul that no matter what I am facing today, God is still faithful.  Taking a look back at the days from of old reminds me, He didn’t bring me this far to leave me.  Remembering His goodness tells me if He did it once, He’ll do it again.  The mindset is my God is able, He has before and He will again be there for me through it all.

Today has just started but because of God, we can see a victorious end.  This week might be brand new, but it’s not new to Him.  He has our days numbered.  We are in His thoughts.  He knows all about us and in Him we rest and believe for so much more.  The journey of our soul will keep pushing ahead because we believe God has held us so far and He will hold us through today as well.

“It Only Takes a Moment” – Word For Life Says

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Have you ever had one of those moments when you realize God is teaching you something significant?  Where every current scene that plays out in your life you spiritually awaken to the idea of God’s guiding presence in a new way; His hand steering you this way and that?

I have had some of those revelation moments lately.  God is cracking old perceptions I once held of myself and He is pulling me into new areas of trust.  In this area where I am being drawn, I readily admit I don’t know what I am doing.  My human frailty comes to the forefront but God is showing me Him.  He is showing me more of His heart, more of His care, and more of His heavenly abilities to work it all out.

Oh, His ability to do it all has always been there, but there were certain areas of my life where there were still scales on my eyes, shielding me from seeing the bigger picture; from seeing God fully at work in it all.

I was awakened on the inside and became more aware that there is so much more to me than me.  God has me on His radar and He is orchestrating my life in a unique and special way.  No, I don’t have all the answers, nor do I know what tomorrow looks like or how this will all end up, but by faith, I want Him to take the lead while I just step out and follow.

It requires not only a moment of revelation but a life of trust.  It’s purposely declaring every day and with every step, “I don’t know it all, but I choose to follow the One who does.”  It’s a time when we let that one moment of believing God is the fullness of His promises defines the makeup of our future.  It’s when we permit the wonder of all that He is to overshadow any doubt or discrepancies that we might feel within ourselves, realizing what He has made us for and ordained us to do never depended on us in the first place.

Is there an area of your life where God wants to give you that ah-ha moment of revelation?  Or, are there still scales blocking your full vision of Him?

Father God, remove the scales from our eyes that we might see the full vision of You.  We are praying against every hindrance that tries to blind Your people and obstruct their view from the wonderful works You want to do through them.  Amen!

I pray for your moment of connection with God.  I pray that you would trust in God more, and focus on Him more than whatever you think you can’t do.  It only takes a moment of sincere trust and total abandon to Him to change your course in history forever.

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” Jeremiah 17:7