Post #80(a) - Dream Killers

There will always be somebody who doesn't quite understand why you do what you do. Why you believe the way you do. 

There will always be somebody who is willing to put you down and hurt you because of your dreams and your gifts.

There will always be somebody who is willing to tell you that you can not accomplish your goals or your dreams. 

There will always be dream killers.

But you've got to be bigger than them. You've got to continue to think bigger than them.

You've got to know who you are and who God has called you to be. You've got to be confident enough to ignore the chatter. And be bold enough to continue moving forward toward your dreams and your purpose. 

God is the author of your desires and dreams. He is the one that has blessed you with your various gifts and talents. And He is the only one who can anoint you to use them.

Not your naysayers!

Roman's 8:31 says that if God is for you, who can be against you? 

Nobody! 

And when you obey God despite the opposition, He will bless you. No eyes have seen, and no ears have heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for them that love and obey Him (1 Corinthians 2:9).

So, forget the naysayers. Forget those who say that you can't or you won't. Forget those who don't understand why you go against the norm. Forget those who try to keep you down because they are going nowhere themselves.

Forget the dream killers!

You just keep pushing forward in the way God has led you... and watch Him bless you!

Post #79(b) - Poem: Footprints In the Sand

Footprints 
By: Margaret Fishback Powers

One night I dreamed a dream.
I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to me and one to my Lord.

When the last scene of my life shot before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
There was only one set of footprints.
I realized that this was the lowest
and saddest times of my life.
This always bothered me
and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.

"Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You,
You would walk and talk with me all the way.
But I'm aware that during the most troublesome times of my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I just don't understand why, when I need you most,
You leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you
and I will never leave you, never, ever,
during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."


Poem retrieved from Pinterest.com

Post #79(a) - You're Not Alone

Did you know that you are not the only one going through that? Did you know that others share the same struggles as you?

Sometimes, it feels like we are alone, like no one understands what we are going through. But we all share many of the same tests and trials. 

I was talking to a friend the other day, and she shared with me an ordeal that she has been going through. It was exactly the same thing I had been struggling with. 

I hadn't shared this issue with her. It's a personal situation that I had kept to myself. But, there she was, sharing my struggle word for word - except the struggle was hers!

As my friend finished speaking, I heard God say, "You are not alone." 

In a way, that comforted me. Not because she was dealing with something. But because there was someone who understood. There are people who share our same experiences and problems. People who can relate to what we are going through. 

That's why we should talk about our problems and not hold them in. Held in issues take root and become bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, and hate. Held in issues hold us back from healing and freedom. 

I'm not saying to tell all your problems to everyone. You should find someone you trust. Someone you can talk to in confidence, who will not share your business with others. 

Galatians 6:2 tells us to carry each other's burdens. To help each other out and encourage one another in times of trouble. 

Many people commit suicide or attempt to do so because they feel like they are alone. That no one understands or can relate with them. That no one cares. 

But there are so many people who know EXACTLY what you've been through or are going through. Their testimony can help you. And your testimony can help somebody else.

So, let's not dwell in our sorrows by ourselves. Not only is God always there for us. Never leaving nor forsaking us. But we have each other to look to for love and encouragement. 

We are not alone.

Post #78(b) - Don't Get Distracted

There are so many distractions. So many things that can draw our attention away from what's important. Things that can pull us away from God.

Work, school, family, or just our own selfish desires.

I have struggled with distractions lately. It was difficult to get one thing done before I had to worry about doing something else. Or, I would get caught up in my own thoughts, dreaming about what could be. 

The problem is, I lost focus of what REALLY needed to be done. I fell into the trap of trying to do everything at once, or getting so overwhelmed or sidetracked that nothing got done. This can be dangerous when there are deadlines and expectations, especially when it comes to ministry.

But, no matter what it is, we have to stay focused. No matter what tries to draw our attention, we can't let anything or anyone turn us away from God.

Focusing has been my focus this week. And because I've had to switch my focus back to God and concentrate on other things, I've been unable to devote a lot of my time to writing. 

When God demands our attention, we've got to put all else aside and focus on Him.

And we can't get distracted! 

The enemy will try to make us believe that the works are what's important. That we have to focus on our jobs and different projects and put all of our time into our responsibilities to be most effective. 

But, Colossians 3:2 tells us to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Hebrews 3:1 tells us to fix our thoughts on Jesus.

When we seek and acknowledge the kingdom of God first, above all else, God will give us the tools we need to do the job, to complete the project... and pursue His purpose. He will give us everything we need (Matthew 6:33). 

So, I've been changing my focus. Not solely focusing on the things of God or the work I have to do for God, but on God Himself. God is the creator of the work. He is the reason for it. He is bigger than it.

So, we can't allow ourselves to be distracted by the works of life. But, set our eyes on the One who helps us accomplish them!

Post #78(a) - Can God Trust You?

I have told you many times, and I try to impress upon you, the truth that we will endure trials in this life. We cannot escape them.

There is not a person on this earth who has not endured a trial at some point in life. Trials are always around the corner. We are either about to go through a trial, just coming out of one, or are in a trial right now. It's the reality of life.

An unfortunate reality.

Trials are difficult and hard to navigate. Hard to endure.

But, we CAN endure them!

Romans 5:3-4 tells us to "rejoice...when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation."

Consider Job.

Job was the most righteous man in the land... and the richest. God pointed Job out to Satan, saying that he was "the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

Satan protested saying that Job had reason to fear God. God kept him protected and prospered him in everything he did. And Satan challenged God, telling Him to "reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

God gave the devil permission to test Job. And Satan killed all of his children. All his farmhands and servants died. And all of his animals were either stolen or killed. The bible says that "in all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God."

Job continued to be tested by Satan, who took away his health, giving him terrible boils all over his body. But, though Job did not understand his trial and even asked why it had to happen to him, he never let go of his faith in God.

In fact, when Job's wife told him to just curse God and die, Job asked her, "should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?”

That's our biggest problem... expecting only good things from God, and viciously blaming Him when something bad happens. Why do we do this? Why do we expect only good in a broken world?

Job was wise in understanding that both good and bad things happen and that they all come from God. If we accept them, endure them, and maintain our trust in God, He will strengthen and bless us.

In the end, because Job was faithful to the Lord, and trusted God through his trials, God restored Job's riches and blessed him with twice as much as what he had before! Job lived a long, full life and died surrounded by four generations of his children and grandchildren.

Job's immortal words "though he slay me, yet will I trust in him," should be in the hearts and minds of all of us. We should rejoice in our trials! And know that God trusts us to endure them - to trust Him through them.

He has chosen us to endure so that He can strengthen, teach, build, and elevate us. He trusts us in trouble.

And we should trust Him to bring us through!

Post #77(b) - Warriors Unite!

Our spiritual walk is kind of like being in the military. I served in the US Marine Corps, where we learned the importance of teamwork and having each other's backs - especially in combat. 

The concepts of camaraderie and brotherhood were an important part of the Marine Corps culture. Camaraderie promotes esprit de corps, and bonds Marines like brothers, making it easier to work as a team. 

This is what God desires for the church. That we love, bond, and unite with one another. That we fight for and alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ - not against them. 

We must realize that we are either in or preparing for battle. And that we've got to fight together.

So many people in the church are against one another - comparing, competing, judging - and are keeping the church divided.

Jesus prayed in John 17:20-25 that we, as believers, will be unified as one. That we would be one, as He and God are one. He wants us to be unified as witnesses to His love. To the truth and fulfillment of God's love for us.

But, we compete for the spotlight, saying it's God's will and that we are doing it for God. If that were true, we would be lifting our brothers and sisters up with us. Not putting them down because we see them as a threat. Because they have a similar gift as ours.

We are all fighting for the same God and for the same purpose - to advance God's kingdom. We should be fighting together to further this advancement, not tearing the church apart with our jealousy and division.

We are fighting the wrong enemy!!

We, the children of God, should be banding together as soldiers. Showing our love for one another. And fighting for the lives of our brothers on the battlefield.

When we see our brother or sister fall, we must lift them up with encouragement and prayer. When they are overtaken, we must fight to bring them back to Christ. Back to freedom.

We must lay our lives down for our brothers, putting away pride and envy. And realizing how much we need one another. Not thinking of ourselves as better than anyone, and not putting anyone above ourselves. 

Humility is needed. And the understanding that we are fighting a spiritual war. We need to recognize who our real enemy is, and know that it is not each other. Then we must think and act strategically, putting God first in our hearts and minds, and putting away division and hate.

We have to remember that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ... (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

We are at war! And the enemy is trying to corrupt our minds and steal our joy. He is trying to distract us from who we truly are, and who we are to one another. He is trying to destroy the church by keeping us divided, fighting against one another, rather than with and for each other.

We are warriors of God, and it's time we banded together in unity! We must pick up our weapons of prayer and the word of God, and fight the fight of salvation.

Together.

And we must never leave any ONE behind. 

Post #77(a) - The Responsibility of Disobedience

Many believe that God gave us free will so that we can do what we want to do. Well, sort of. But, not in the sense of breaking laws and such... We are expected to do what's right and follow the law of the land.

Free will was given to us so that we can freely decide whether or not we want to accept and follow Christ. 

He doesn't force Himself on us. He doesn't make us serve Him. He gives us the choice.

But, when we serve and obey Him, God takes all the responsibility of our lives off of us and He puts it on Himself. When we follow God and are obedient to His will, He is responsible for our health and healing, our employment and finances, our children, our minds, our relationships, our connections....

God takes responsibility for it all! 

But... when we don't accept Christ and when we are not obedient to His will, we must bear the responsibility ourselves. 

God's will is perfect, and it is exceedingly better than anything we could ever want or do for ourselves. And if we choose not to follow His will, He leaves us to our own devices. He lets us figure it out on our own until we choose to ask Him for His help. 

If we accept His grace and guidance and are obedient to His will, He will take control and responsibility of every area of our lives and bless us abundantly. It's when we are disobedient to God's will and are following our own desires that He leaves the responsibility to us.

We have to fight with health issues and empty bank accounts. We have to ensure our families are provided for and that we have enough to survive. 

God will ensure we have enough. That is one of His basic promises. But, we will have to provide the excess. 

Take it from me, it is hard trying to do it all on your own. God's way is a much easier road. It may sometimes be difficult to understand, but it's easy to follow. God's yoke is easy and His burden is light. 

We are the ones who make life harder for ourselves. Harder than it has to be. We take our lives and our decisions into our own hands. And we are usually the ones to mess them up. 

I gave my life and decisions to God because when I tried to handle them myself, I made them worse. I brought unnecessary trouble and pain. But, God is compassionate, gracious, and all knowing. He knows what is best for us.

I gave it all to God. I submitted it to Him. He worked it out.

And I give it back to Him every time I find myself trying to take it on again. I repent every time I find myself in disobedience and out of the will of God. Wanting and attempting to have it my own way.

My way is long, hard, and treacherous. My way is full of mistakes and mishaps. My way is trouble. 

But, God's way is perfect. His plans for us are perfect. His plans for us are to prosper us and not to harm us. His plans for us are to give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). 

The bible tells us to seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give us everything we need (Matthew 6:33). But, this promise is conditional. We seek Him, He gives. We have no need to worry.

And when we are obedient to His will, He gives us all we need... and more.