Are You Reacting or Responding To The Situations In Your Life?

How do you respond to the actions and reactions of others?   When something or someone catches you off guard what do you do?   Do you stop, think about it, and let God tell you how to respond or do you just react in accordance to how your flesh is feeling?    We have to learn how to respond even when we feel like reacting. 

To react means to act in a particular way as a direct result of something happening.   A reaction is usually quick and it is usually done without much thought.   Whereas, a response is thought out.   It is still a reply or answer to what has happened but it is one that has been thought out and it doesn’t have to be (all though it still can be) based on emotion.    

We have to learn how to respond to not only people but to life and the situations that come up in life.   How are you responding to what we are going through in the world today?   Are you reacting emotionally and failing to respond spiritually?   Our spiritual response has to be based on God and His Word.    We have to know that God said that He will never leave us nor forsake us.   We have to know that He is watching over His Word to perform it in our lives.   We have to know that if we are born of God and have faith, we have the victory.    We have to know that it is the Lord God who is the Healer. 

Understand, the first step to knowing how to respond in life is knowing what God has said about our lives.   

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION 

1 John 5:3-4

King James Version 

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Are You Seeking Cleansing and Healing or Are You Seeking Wholeness In The Land? Make Sure You Are Giving God Thanks No Matter What Situation You Find Yourself In?

Have you given thanks?   A lot of people are asking God for things but how many of those people have given God thanks for anything?    Along with asking, we must give thanks.   No matter what situation we find ourselves in, we need to be thankful knowing that we are not alone because God is with us and He has promised to take care of us. 

Have you thanked God for this new day?   This day filled with HIs mercy, love, and grace or are you stuck on telling Him what you need Him to do today without a heart filled with gratitude?   It’s easy to get stuck on the need because that is what rises up before you.  It’s in your face.   You see clearly see what you think you need but thanksgiving has to rise up “out” of you.   It has to press beyond what you see as a need so that you can give thanks for what you have and for what God has already done.    

God is a good God.  He is loving, kind, and gracious.   He is merciful and He has extended His mercy to us over and over again.   Even when we didn’t deserve it, God was merciful to us.   God is giving and people lean on the graciousness of God.   He is all powerful and He is all knowing and He wants us to come to Him and to ask of Him but He also wants us to have a heart filled with gratitude and He wants us to give thanks.    

So make it a point to not just ask God for things.    Make it a point to thank God for everything.   Give thanks in advance for what you need Him to do and after He has done it … GIVE THANKS AGAIN.   If you think about the story in Luke where Jesus “cleansed” the 10 lepers and only one came back and gave thanks and at the point Jesus said to him that his faith had made him whole.   Understand, with thanksgiving comes wholeness and that is what we need in the land today.   We need not only cleansing and healing, we need wholeness.     

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION 

Luke 17:11-19

King James Version 

11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

What Will You Do After The Storm? Have You Learned How To Trust God No Matter What Is Happening In This World and In Your Life (that means good days and bad)?

Are you going back to what you know instead of utilizing what you have learned.   We have been living like we have never lived before and we have been calling on God more than we ever have before.   Will you continue?   When the world decides to go back to life as usual, what will you do?   Will you still call on and lean on God?   Will you come out of our current situation utilizing the knowledge that you have learned.   That knowledge being that we can do nothing and be nothing without God.   God is the source of life.   Jesus is our Savior.   Money can’t save us.   Jobs can’t save us.   All the doctors in the world can make us comfortable, but they can’t save us.   Life is full of lessons and one thing this pandemic has taught us is the importance of knowing God and knowing that there is life after death and we need to be living our lives here on earth in a way that secures how we will spend our eternal life.    

God is a good God and He is faithful.   He wants us to love Him and to trust Him not just today but every day.   He wants us to live this life that He has given us for Him.   It is His desire that we be living epistles here on the earth.   Are you an open book that is filled with faith that is showing others how to trust God in the midst of the storms of life?   Are you speaking words of faith and allowing people to read your life in a way that teaches them how to live by faith?    

We’ve gone through a lot in the world over the past few weeks.   Life has been shut down as we know it but now the world is ready to try to go back to life as usual.    For many that means the life and the lifestyle that does not trust or depend on God.   The life and the lifestyle that is dependent on mans way of doing things and ignoring God’s way of living.   We have to walk in wisdom.   We have to know the importance of being still and letting God be God.   We have to make sure we are following God and not man and we have to trust God to supply our every need even as this world’s economy opens back up.    

So today I want to say to you to use wisdom and don’t ignore the signs God has put in place.   Follow God’s leading and not mans.   Make sure you are still talking to God, leaning on God, and trusting God with every aspect of your life.    

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION 

Matthew 8:23-27

King James Version 

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed Him.

24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but He was asleep.

25 And his disciples came to Him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

26 And He saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him!

What Spam From The World Are You Letting Take Root In The Inbox/Ground Of Your Heart?

What are you letting into the inbox of your heart?   What is the devil sending as “spam” to get you off track in order to redirect your attention?    When you think about what spam is, you understand that online it is an irrelevant or inappropriate message that is sent to a large number of recipients.    What message is the devil sending to everyone in hopes that they will act, react, or redirect their attention? 

As we look at everything that is happening in the world today, we can see that we are in a fight for our faith.   We are in a place where we have to stand on what we know.   We are in a time where we have been asked to be socially distant.   God said where 2 or more are gathered in His name, He is in the midst.    We know that there is power in unity and the one thing the enemy does not want us to do is operate in the power we have been given.    What we have to understand is that the power is in us as well.   God’s Holy Spirit dwells on the inside of us and we have to know that we are still a mighty force in the earth.   Yes the Bible says that two can put 10,000 to flight but what you also have to understand that until you can connect with someone else, you are still able to chase 1,000.  So don’t sit idle and let the enemy cause you to believe that you are helpless alone.    God’s power is at work in you.   

So no matter what is going on in the world right now, you have to cast down the fear that is trying to come along with it.   Don’t allow fear to take root in your heart.   Don’t allow the “spam” that is coming by the news of the world to cause you to lose your hope, your strength, or your joy. 

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION 

Romans 15:13

King James Version 

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.