Have You Allowed Life and The Issues Of Life To Push Into A Place Of Self Preservation?

Have you seen or do you know people that started off for God and somehow got off track and ended up doing things in an of themselves?   Are you one of those people?   Those that  started off pursuing God and highlighting God in all that they were doing and somewhere, somehow, the focus changed and they began to focus on self and self preservation.    

One of the first questions that we must ask ourselves is “do we trust God”.    To trust God means our hope is in Him.   When you trust Him, you believe that He will honor His Word in your life.    Your hope is in Him and what He can do and not in what you can do for yourself. 

It’s time to get back on track.   If for some reason you have allowed life and the issues of life to push you into a place of self preservation, it’s time to get back to the place where you know and understand that there are some things you can’t do for yourself.   After all, it is only because of God we live, breathe, and have our being.   He is the very air we breathe.   He is the giver of life.   If He gives us life, we have to trust and believe that He knows what we need in life. 

With self preservation comes worry and doubt because you are trying to figure out how “you” are going to get things done.    Live your life in a way where you are constantly casting your cares on God and understand, He is well equipped and able to take care of you.  

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION 

Proverbs 19:21 - [There are] many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand

Are You Trying To Open Doors For Yourself or Are You Allowing God To Open The Doors That No Man Can Close For You?

What is it that you need God to do for you that you keep trying to work out and do for yourself?   Are you trying to open up doors for yourself?  The Word says that God is the One who opens up doors that no man can close.   Are you trying to make a way for yourself?   The Word says that God will make a way in the wilderness and bring forth rivers in the desert.

What we tend to do in life is try to figure things out on our own.   We have to remember that God is with us.   We have to trust what He said when He said He will never leave us nor forsake us.   We have to believe that He is God and all things are possible with Him.   

The Bible tells us to lean not to our own understanding.   It tells us to acknowledge God in all of our ways.   It tells us that God is not a respecter of persons.   So what He has done for one, He will do for you too.    

So today let’s make up in our mind that we are moving forward with God.   Let’s let Him take the leading role.   Let’s stop trying to figure things out on our own.   Let’s trust God to do what He has already said in His Word.   In other words, let’s take God at His Word.    

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION 

Isaiah 43:19

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” 

What Do You Do When Life Doesn’t Work Out The Way You Expect It To?

Life doesn’t always work out the way you want it to or even expect it to.  The question is, what do you do when it doesn’t?   What do you do in your times of pain?   What do you do when your healing isn’t manifesting as fast as you want it to?   What do you do when life seems to be handing you lemons (as people say)?   What do you do when you don’t seem to have enough?   Are you turning to God or are you becoming frustrated and failing to walk in faith?

The journey of life takes us in many different directions.    Most of our directions are a matter of choice and we have to be honest, sometimes our choices are not in line with what is best for us.   Have you ever had times in your life where you made decisions based on your emotions at that given moment and then regretted the choice you made?   Sometimes that’s what we do.   We decide based on what our flesh is telling us at that given moment.    We have to stop making decisions based on how we feel.  We have to learn how to make good decisions based on what God said.   We have to remember our decisions not only affect our today, they also set us up for our tomorrow.    Our future is affected by our choices today. 

Take a moment to push pause.   Think about what God has done and what you need God to do.   Think about His goodness, His grace, His love, and His mercy.     Now make up in your mind that you are going to trust Him.   Decide today that you are going to do things God’s way.    

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION 

Psalm 40:1-4 

King James Version (KJV)

40 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.

4 Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Walking In Faith and Casting Down The Fear, The Worry, and The Doubt

What is it you want from God?   Is it provision?   Is it healing?   Is it peace?   Whatever it is, God is well able to give it to you.    Have you surrendered your life to God?   Have you cast your care on Him?   He told us to come to Him, to learn of Him, and to cast our care on Him.   We have to do what He said for us to do.   If not, we are going to continue to carry burdens that we were not built or meant to carry. 

Today is a new day.   Why not give your all to God?   Why not walk in faith and cast down the fear, the worry, and the doubt?   Why not walk in expectancy for what God has said that He would do for you?    If you are going the wrong way in life, why not do an about face and change the direction you have been going in?   Why not?   What is keeping you and holding you back from giving God your all?   

As you think on these things, think about what God has done for you.   He sacrificed His Son for you.    His love for you is unending.   His love is not conditional.   He has an unconditional love for YOU!    Open up your heart to Him and let Him in.   Let Him lead you, guide you, direct you, and make a way for you.   Let Him show you how much He cares for you.   You are not alone.   God is with you and He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you.    

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION 

Deuteronomy 31:6-8 

King James Version (KJV)

6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.

8 And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, 

Are You Living Your Life In A Way That Encourages Others To Lean On, Trust In, and Believe God?

Have you ever looked at someone else’s life and been encouraged?  Have you looked at their walk and listened to their testimony and said that is what I want to do or even asked God to do that for you too?    Understand, that is how God wants your life to be.   He wants your life to be one that others can look at and draw strength from.   Strength to walk in faith and to move forward in life. 

God wants our lives to be living epistles.   Open books to be read by others.   He wants our tests to become testimonies that will encourage others to stand strong and to trust Him through the process.   He wants our words to be words of encouragement to others and not discouraging words about why things didn’t work out the way we wanted them to.   

We have to understand, nothing happens by chance in our lives.   God knows all and He sees all.   He directs our footsteps and He causes us to encounter others on our road called destiny.   So as we go through life, we not only need to be encouraged by others, we should be an encouragement to others as well.   

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION 

Matthew 5:16 

King James Version (KJV)

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Are You Seeking Alternatives or Are You Resting In The Fact That God’s Grace Is Sufficient?

Do you realize that God’s grace is sufficient for your life?   Do you understand that God’s love is more than enough?   Do you understand that He is well able to meet every need you have or are you still seeking and searching for someone or something to do what only God has the power to do for you, in you, and through you.   

So often in life we seek alternatives.   An alternative is something that is available as another possibility.   When we say we need another possibility, we are not truly believing and trusting in the fact that God can do the impossible.   What we tend to do is live our lives based on what we can see instead of standing on what God has already said.    

We have to trust and believe that God’s grace is sufficient.   We have to trust and believe that He sees all, knows all, and can do all things.   We have to trust and believe that He is truly working everything in our lives together for our God.   We have to stay in faith and cast down everything in our hearts and minds that will cause us to walk in fear. 

God is faithful and He can be trusted.   What He has said, He will do.   When you live your life for Him, He will cause His Word to come to pass in your life.    So don’t seek alternatives while you are waiting on God.   Just be still and know that HE IS GOD!    

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION

2 Corinthians 12:9 

King James Version (KJV)

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

What Words Are You Allowing To Impact and Influence Your Life?

What words are you taking to heart?   Are you living based on God’s Word or people’s words?   People have a lot to say.   They can say words to encourage you or they can say words that break you down.    What words are you allowing to impact your actions and your reactions. 

One of the things we must first understand is the fact that there is power in words.    God used words to create the world.   It is His Word that is comprised of His Words that we should be living by.   Words are powerful and we have to fully understand the impact we can make by just speaking God’s Word. 

So often in life we take people at that word.    We allow what people say to influence our actions and to cause us to react.   What a person says can make us happy or it can make us sad.   It can cause us to be calm but it can also bring about anxiety and feelings of anger.   Words influence us.   We just have to make sure we are being influenced in the right way.

Take a moment to think about what you have said to others today.    Have you spoken life to their lives?   Are you encouraging them or discouraging them?   Are you telling them they can do all things through Christ that strengthens them or are you leaving them to feel like they are a failure?   Are you telling them about the beauty they possess inside or are you looking at the outside and telling them how bad they are?    

God has given us the power to bring about change.   He wants us to pray and He wants us to speak life to our lives and the lives of others.   Will you do it?   Will you allow your mouth to be a tool that God uses to impact and to bring about a Godly change to those around you?

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION 

Psalm 45:1 

King James Version (KJV)

45 My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.