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“What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.” – Mother Theresa
“What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.” – Mother Theresa
Build it anyway! I love it. Many of us worry too much about all the what if’s of life. If stuff is going to happen, it’s going to happen whether we build or not; whether we worry or not. So, pick up now and start building. Let God work out all the what if’s. Just step out in faith today.
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34, NASB
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Give God the opportunity to work on your behalf!
GIVE GOD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON YOUR BEHALF: Sometimes being still and taking your hands off the situation and giving it to God can be hard. But, when we purposely cast our cares on Him we are giving God the opportunity to work on our behalf; to show us what He can do for the life that trusts Him enough to let Him have our worries. Believe me, He can handle it much better than we can and the results are far better than we could have ever imagined.
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God’s Promises Never Fail | Words to Live By
God’s promises never fail!
” . . .There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised . . .” – 1 Kings 8:56, NKJV
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“It Only Takes a Moment” – Word For Life Says
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
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“Purposing the Heart”
Reformations on the outside don’t always equal change on the inside. It has been proven time and again throughout history, and even throughout the Bible. A great leader can rise up and make the necessary plans and put programs into place that should foster positive growth in a specified area. But, if those toward whom the program was geared to serve don’t have a true heart for change, then what we see is a lot of outer stuff being switched around without any real inner transformation taking place.
Jehoshaphat was such a leader. Jehoshaphat reinvigorated the spirit of worship toward God once more for the people of Judah. He, himself, “sought the God of his fathers, and walked in His commandments,” (2 Chronicles 17:4, NKJV). And as such, he was compelled to make the “Book of the Law” available to anyone who would hear. So he sent leaders throughout the region to teach God’s Word (2 Chronicles 17:7-9).
Another area of reformation that saw positive changes was with the judges. Men who judge honestly and not take bribes. Men who would “act in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a loyal heart,” (2 Chronicles 19:9, NKJV).
After many ups and downs during his reign, and even a miraculous victory that was won just through praise (2 Chronicles 20), when it came time for Jehoshaphat’s reign to end and he was noted as “doing what was right in the sight of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 20:32, NKJV)), the very next verse tells us the status of the people. “Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers,” (2 Chronicles 20:33, NKJV).
Leaders are just that – leaders. They can go out in front of the pack and try to lay the course for the best plan of action but it is up to the individual to let the compass of his/her heart to be guided in the right direction. There is a personal responsibility to have a purposeful heart that will intentionally pursue one’s own relationship with God.
How we get on in our relationship with God cannot be put off on another. We can’t shun the charge to follow wholeheartedly after Him and claim that it’s the fault of others for why we didn’t follow through.
The reason for lack of follow-through lies literally at the center of one’s heart. A heart that is not fully devoted to God is a heart that won’t be inclined to continue to live for Him when those people who bring that positive influence are no longer in our lives. We have to want God for ourselves. Our hearts have to be intentional in our daily living for Him.
How do we do that? What does that look like?
A purposeful heart will diligently seek after God. Seek Him through prayer. Seek Him in the Word. Seek Him in times of worship. A heart that loves the Lord will want to know more about Him and these avenues can help turn one in the right direction. The psalmist said, “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee,” (Psalm 119:10-11).
“I sought thee . . .”
“I hid” the word in my heart . . .
“I” denotes it is one’s personal obligation to charter the course of their own heart; to fill it with the purpose of God; to choose “the way of truth,” (Psalm 119:30).
Leaders can lead but we must make it up in our own minds and hearts to want all of Him as our own. We must have a purposeful heart that steps closer to Him and not turns away (Proverbs 4:26-27).
David, a man after God’s own heart, became knowns as such because his desire, his goal, the purpose of his own heart was totally for God. He is quoted as saying, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple,” (Psalm 27:4). All the days of his life he wanted his heart directed toward God.
Purposing the heart is being intentional in going after God for one’s self. Nobody else can do it for you.
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Limiting God
Almost everybody wants to see a mighty move of God in their life. But often there are things that get in God’s way; obstacles that act as barriers to blessings. There are two very specific items I want to deal with in this article that the Bible clearly shows us to be things that limit God’s power to work in an individual’s or a people’s life.
But, before I move any further in this article I want to clarify a few things. 1) Just because one may be in the waiting process, it doesn’t mean these items that are going to be discussed apply to that individual or their situation. Sometimes, for His own wise reasons, God just has us waiting for His right time to move. And, 2) The two items that are going to be listed here are not the only things that form themselves as a blockade to one’s blessings. A truly seeking heart will prayerfully peel back the layers of self for a close-up examination of the inner man to see if there is anything else that may be getting in the way.
As I was reading my Bible, I came across Psalm 78:41 which states, “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.” This psalm is reciting Israel’s history and it highlights several of their rebellious moments. Particularly, God’s deliverance of them from Egypt, and their provocation of Him in the wilderness, through sin. The verse above brings out those same disobedient actions as limiting God. Their sin made a mark or drew a line prohibiting them from the fullness of God and what He had to offer. Rather, they ended up provoking Him to anger.
Disobedience is one thing that will definitely limit God’s ability to work in you, through you, and for you. Disobedience evicted Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-11) when God’s blessing was for them to live in paradise. Disobedience turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:17, 26) when God’s blessings wanted to deliver them from that city of sin. Disobedience caused Jonah to end up in the belly of a fish (Jonah 1:3, 15-17) when God’s blessing was for him to be a great witness to a great city. And, there are oodles of more cases noted in the Bible. Disobedience will always forfeit God’s best in one’s life.
As I was pondering this verse in Psalm about limiting God, I was reminded of a time when Jesus wasn’t able to do great works in Nazareth, His hometown. Matthew 13:58 tells us, “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” He was limited by their unbelief.
Now, we all know by now Jesus’ ability to do absolutely anything. One thing He won’t do is infringe, encroach upon, or overstep one’s belief. Mankind is a creature made with free will. It is His hope and desire that one would fully believe who He is and all that He says He can do. But, it is a choice that every individual must make, by faith, for his, or herself.
The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms that, “Without faith it is impossible to please him:” (or, to agree with Him), “for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him,” (Hebrews 11:6).
God is the God of all possibilities, but a lack of faith and belief will hinder those possibilities. Unbelief caused the first group that attempted to enter into the Promised Land to be made to turn back (Hebrews 3:19). God’s best wasn’t for them to wander in the wilderness for forty years. His blessing was for them to go in and possess it at that time. Their own unbelief refused the blessing for them. Going back to Psalm 78 in the recitation of their history, there are other noted instances where the unbelief of the people came to the forefront (Psalm 78:22, 32).
In the New Testament, if it had not been for Jesus on the boat with His disciples they may have perished in the storm. Jesus had already done miracles and even taught many powerful parables, but when the storm blew, they freaked out and asked Jesus, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38). But after Jesus stilled the storm He asked them this one question: “How is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). Faith matters.
Back to Jesus’ experience in Nazareth, in parallel verses found in Mark, the Bible tells us, “He marvelled because of their unbelief,” (Mark 6:6).
God, throughout the Bible, wants the best for His people. God would rather add blessings to our account rather than subtract them. If God blesses and takes care of the birds of the air and the grass in the field (Matthew 6:25-29), “shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith,” (Matthew 6:30).
But He says in Matthew, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you,” (Matthew 6:33; emphasis added). Go after a life of obedience and faith! Reject those hindrances to the blessings. The things that stand in one’s way and limit God’s moving in their life have to be put down so that He can raise His people higher.
We hear a lot of inspirational messages dealing with the subject of “No Limits.” And, that’s wonderful! But, in order to have a life of no limits one needs to make sure God isn’t being limited in their life through disobedience and unbelief.
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.
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“Decorated in Glory”
Being called to the front of the assembly to receive awards of excellence was one of my greatest joys in my private elementary school. One year I excelled in every category, so instead of receiving multiple name calls of recognition – I was given one all-encompassing award. I remember not liking it one bit. An over-all award meant specifics were not being named in front of my peers and others, and I didn’t have the pleasure of playing the role of jack-in-the-box in my seat with my constant popping up and down to receive individual accomplishments.
As we get older in life we realize every achievement does not need to come with applause or recognition (at least, not here on earth anyway). But, in heaven, your works are going to be rewarded. You and I are going to be decorated in glory. These rags of humanity will be replaced with robes of righteousness. As a soldier being medaled for victories, we shall be adorned and dressed in the finest of the heavenlies, telling our story of overcoming. We made it through and now He speaks, “My reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be,” Revelation 22:12.
Take heart. What you do today may escape the notice of man but the eye of the Lord sees it all. And, when we get to that heavenly city we will have all the recognition we will ever need. For it is there we receive the greatest thing no earthly prize can give: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord,” Matthew 25:21, 23.
And, that’s all the glory one needs to be decorated with.
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Why do you believe?
“Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.” John 12:9-11
What is your personal testimony that draws you to Jesus? How, when, and what circumstances did He touch your heart to convince you He is Lord?
We all have a beginning of our faith. Even if you were raised in church from the cradle there has to be a time when you interacted with Jesus on a personal level and welcomed Him into your life as Savior.
As days go by and hardships intrude upon the peace that drew us to believe in Him, space opens up and that initial faith that was once strong may take a blow, making one feel disparaged and weaker than before. What then?
If you will allow me, let me draw your mind back to that beginning faith. There’s an old song that says,
“Take me back, Take me back dear Lord
To the place where I first received You
Take me back, Take me back dear Lord where I
first believed” (Andrae Crouch/Take Me Back Lyrics/Lyricsmode.com)
Every once in a while our faith needs a spiritual tune-up. We need to remember why we believe. We need our personal revelation of heart to center us anew on our Savior.
Lazarus’ raising from the dead may have encouraged some to embrace the way of this faith in his day, but what swayed you? Through the trials and storms remember why you believe. Remember what He has done for you before and let those sweet memories pick your heart up and carry you closer to Jesus today.
Blessings.
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“Leave a Legacy!”
Don’t you love going on trips? Especially those trips that take you on unfamiliar roads that allow you to take in the scenery you would have otherwise missed? Recently we went on such a trip and along the way, we were able to see mountains, rivers, and farms that we don’t get to see on our daily route. Passing by these farms made me wonder about the people who lived there. I thought about their children and how they were probably being raised and taught how to run that farm once their parents are no longer here. The thought was beautiful.
It was beautiful because for one to have a working farm takes . . . well, lots of work. Usually, the children are being established at a young age about what their futures will look like. This kind of care and attention that it takes to first, build the farm, and secondly, instill the work ethic in the children to keep it going is a special part of their heritage these parents are passing on.
The thought of building up to pass it on is a beautiful concept to me. It gives the idea that these young people will have a heads up in life that others do not. One day my youngest daughter and I were sitting across the coffee table opposite each other. Our two laptops were stationed back to back. She was playing a game and I was working on mine. I remember as I peered across, all I can see was her little eyes darting back and forth following objects on the screen. She was sick at that time so her eyes are a little droopy; nonetheless, as I looked into her eyes I wondered what does her future hold. Will there be something tangible for her and her siblings to hold on to that her father and I have left behind?
Proverbs 13:22 speaks of leaving such an inheritance behind. It says, “A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children…” One that even the grandbabies can participate in. Of course, it doesn’t have to be farm work. Rather, any real and tangible thing that will help our children build their future; something that those coming after us can positively say, “I get that from my dad or mom,” or something to that effect. When they can say, “Thanks to the legacy they left behind, they set forth this foundation for me to build my life on.” That deals with the material side of life.
Then, we have the spiritual side of life. 2 Corinthians 12:14 specifically deals with this. Paul says, “For I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.” As their spiritual father, Paul was not worried about their possessions or personal gain in life. He was more focused on the harvest they would reap after they pass from this world. He wanted to leave a legacy that would draw his spiritual children nearer to Christ no matter the work and effort he himself had to put into it. He said, “I will very gladly spend and be spent for you…” (2 Corinthians 12:15).
As a parent, we do feel spent sometimes for the sake of our children, both materialistically and spiritually. But, since I believe in the Word of God I believe there is going to be good growth that comes out of it. Nope, everything is not all peachy-keen all the time, but as the one who wants to leave a legacy, I believe God will bless.
The foundation of wanting to “lay up” for our children started with Him. “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise,” (Colossians 3:29). We are heirs, and as heirs, we inherit what our Father has willed to us. How nice would it be if our children can look back and say, “If my dad or mom did that or accomplished this then there’s no telling what I could do.” This works on both a spiritual level as well as a material one. I have always been taught that God gives us two gifts: one for this life to sustain us and earn our living, and a spiritual gift that will store up for our eternal future. How blessed would it be for our children to see us moving forth in both? And, how blessed would it be for us to see our children operating in that which we have laid up for them? Today, I definitely want to work on leaving a legacy. It’s not too late! Start today!
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.
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