Tag Archive | encouragement

Good Deeds or Distractions?

Mar9

pie-in-the-skyThere’s so much to be said about “destiny”. So many people think it’s “pie in the sky” or just “hopeful thinking”. But in truth…it’s so much more.

God doesn’t call everyone to be a preacher or have a huge congregation. No, God calls some to be a plumber, an electrician, a writer, a singer, a songwriter, a classroom teacher, an accountant, a construction worker and on, and on, and on.

When you truly know what God calls you to do, you quickly realize that even if it’s a small part in the big scheme of things, it brings you so much joy that it’s undeniable that you are where you are meant to be. Now at the time, you might not realize how many people you have impacted by your daily work. However, your love, smiles and joy could be the very thing that impacted them the most. You might not have ever spoken a single “Biblical” word but your impact was far greater than if you did.

I see so many Christians these days running every which direction, being so stressed out, thinking that they are doing good by participating in everything. But in all reality, they are missing their true calling. Now don’t get me wrong, we are all supposed to be loving, helpful and making a difference. But if you have over committed in too many places or in too many activities than your joy will be diminished and not as effective.

What’s worse is seeing Christians compare themselves to others. I’ve seen pastors wonder what in the world is wrong with them when their congregation only has 100 people while someone else has 5,000 each Sunday. First and foremost, never compare. God works in all of us differently and it doesn’t matter if you have one person or 10,000…it’s God who makes the difference and you might have impacted that one person far greater than the other pastor did with the 10,000.

See, when you become stressed because you’re doing “good deeds” every night of the week, how can you possibly be taking time for a deep-committed relationship with Jesus? The answer is…you can’t. You’ll be too busy thinking about all the things that need to be done in order to be here or there. You’ll be wondering how in the world you’ll get it all accomplished. You’ll wonder how you’re going to get your own laundry done or go to the grocery store. At this point, these are no longer “good deeds” but have become “distractions”.

Being overly committed is not God’s design. He wants us living balanced lives, not chaotic ones. When you are so committed to all the external works, you will not have time to work on your own “true destiny”. Your true destiny comes in many forms as outlined before. God may ask you to help out in a specific church function or become a choir singer or participate in a charity event. And that’s okay. If God leads you to participate then by all means, walk out in faith and follow God’s guidance. However, the sole purpose of this writing is to say…walk in your destiny not in “good deeds”. There is a huge difference.

If you are overly committed, the real question is why? Are you truly walking out your calling or are you trying to fill a void that only God can fill?

Christian illustrations for the whole family“The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever”

(Isaiah 32:17)

Your destiny has a real sense of purpose. It’s not just to be busy or being a good person or doing good things. Start questioning the true motives of all your “good deeds”. Take a real hard look at why you are filling your day with so many activities. Begin to listen to your still small voice and then make your decisions. As you start listening to the deep peace within, you’ll begin to declutter your life and things will become more balanced.

God wants you to be successful and walking into your destiny. Let God guide you every step of the way. Learn to say “No” to the distractions and say “YES” to God! For when you do, you will know you’re on His right path and you’ll accomplish much more than you ever dreamed possible.

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Tip The Scale

Mar7

dont-quitHave you found yourself up against insurmountable odds? Do you look back and find yourself wondering if the good fight of faith is really worth it? Have you found yourself wondering if things will ever get better?

Well friends, I think we could all answer with a resounding “YES”! We all have had times in our lives that make us wonder what the heck is going on. We have all faced difficulties that seemed so overwhelming that the stress of it all weighs so heavily that we really think about quitting. Today, there are so many believers facing their toughest challenges. However, the biggest challenge of it all is how will you respond to it?

When we face trials, it is so easy for us to throw up our hands and say “I quit”. It’s those times where you don’t feel like praying, don’t feel like getting out of bed, don’t feel like dealing with anything and just allow yourself to fall into a pity party. But the problem with quitting is that it allows depression to set in. It gives your enemies and situations total control over you.  You ultimately give them the power to determine your outcome. If they are doing terrible things or saying hurtful things about you, why would you want to allow them to control your path and outcome?

There are numerous instances in the Bible about opposition, impossible situations and feelings of hopelessness. Just read about Jonah, Job and David to name a few. They all found themselves in impossible situations where it didn’t look like things were ever going to change. You read about them going through stress, worry, hopelessness, sadness, anger and grief. Jonah even ran away from God completely. Atleast he tried to. How many of us are in these type of situations right now?

In times like these, you really need to dig in and “Tip The Scale”.

See, God works in steps. Most of us have no clue what God’s ultimate plan is for our lives. God usually gives us one step at a time and at each step, we find ourselves in some sort of a battle. But what God really wants to see is if we will continue through the trial and trust Him to work it out for our good. God told us that we would face many trials in this world but He also promises to restore and establish us through His grace.

1 Peter 5:10 ESV “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

So what do we need to do in order to “Tip The Scale”?

James 1:12 ESV “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

God promises to work it all out for our good. You don’t have to understand the circumstances. You don’t have to ask the “why me” questions. You don’t have to wonder how in the world you are going to get out of your situation. God will make a way when there aren’t any. God will turn things around and restore your life far greater than you could ever imagine. So be of good cheer when you are facing a trial because God must be closer than you think to “Tipping the Scales” in your favor. Pray, rejoice and sing to the Lord for impossible odds set the stage for God’s amazing miracles to happen!

Blessing

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And Action

Mar6

did-you-knowDid you know that faith and healing remain mysteries to most believers? They read their Bible, they press through fears and trials, they push through when most would have given up…but believers need to know the deep meaning of faith and act upon it no matter what is happening around them.

Most miss the “ACTION” part of faith. Sure it’s great to say you have faith, it’s wonderful to think everything is going to be alright…but what happens when you’re missing the most important part of the equation? Most often than not, nothing happens or things get worse; leaving you perplexed about what you aren’t doing right or what are you missing.

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

First and foremost, we cannot please God without Faith! For us to receive anything from the Kingdom, including salvation, we need faith. The best part of it is…faith is believing in Jesus and what He did upon the cross for each and every one of us.

Okay, so that part is easy. Most of us can claim Jesus is in our hearts and we believe who He is. So we check the box that says we have faith.

But what are you doing with that faith? How are you using it?hope-quotes

Faith is not a mental checkbox. It is an action based on the fact that Jesus “FINISHED IT” on the cross. When you know that you know Jesus did everything already, then you start walking in that faith and acting that everything you need has already been accomplished. It means that you walk in your healing before you ever see it. You walk through situations knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt, you already have what you need before you see it!

Jesus paid a very high price for us to experience divine health and wholeness. He never intended any of us to lack, stress, or worry.

God is a rewarder to all of those who seek Him. He wants you walking in peace, love, joy, happiness, healing, and much more. Everything Jesus did in the Bible shows us that he went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.

Spend your day walking in His truth. Know that you know everything is going to be alright. Put your faith into action and walk into your new normal filled with healing, restoration, goodness, and more than enough.

Today is your day to discover God’s normal! Today is your day to walk into your victory. You may not see it yet, you may not feel healed, your checkbook might be laughing at you…but today is your new day to experience God’s healing power in every area of your life. IT IS FINISHED! Now walk in that truth and see your situations turn upside down into your favor!

faith-in-action

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It’s Time

Mar3

analog-clock-faceWe are coming into an amazing timeframe on God’s calendar. In March, Purim is celebrated. It’s a time where God was never even mentioned in the Book of Esther. Yet it’s filled with many nuggets of great encouragement, preparation, and sudden transformation. It appeared God was silent and was preparing Esther for something great, even though she had no idea what was going to happen.

The Jews were about to be killed as evil appeared to be winning. The whole Jewish nation hung on Esther’s shoulders. She had no idea what to do. She had no idea God called her for this specific time to save an entire nation. It was a very difficult time filled with hostility, uncertainty, and evil.

Esther should not have even been a candidate under the natural circumstances of that time. She was an orphan and a Jew. People like her would have been looked down upon, not given the opportunity of being a queen.

It appeared all was lost. There was no hope left. God was silent. And yet against all odds, Esther was willing to go against protocols with the possibility of death. She was willing to lay her life on the line while holding onto her faith. She was willing to believe God was working behind the scenes even though she couldn’t see or feel it.

Because she was willing to do what it took and was willing to step out in faith, she found favor with God. He supernaturally worked in her life. She ended up saving a nation, being queen, and found deep love with her king. Not to mention that she now had her “more than enough” as queen. Her turnaround came. Her life was suddenly changed. She was given supernatural favor. Favor with her people, with the King, and in life as a whole.

The book of Esther is a very short book in the Bible but is filled with such supernatural wonder, that it’s definitely worth the read. It will give you amazing encouragement through the trials of your own life.

My question for you today is…What has God called you to do? Do you find yourself wondering how to turn things around? Have you found yourself in an impossible situation?

You may not know what God has called you for. You may not understand why the difficulties are happening. You may not understand why God seems silent. You may feel like you’re only one person and wondering how you could possibly make a difference. But if you stay in faith and continue to prepare yourself during this amazing season, God will supernaturally intervene. He knows what you need and when to make it happen. He knows what He called you to do and how to make it come to pass. Be strong and courageous like Esther…and SEE WHAT GOD WILL DO! It will be far greater than you could ever imagine! When God’s supernatural touches your circumstances, everything will fall into place and be more incredible than you ever dreamed.

This is a time for great preparation, sudden favor, and your complete turnaround. Read the Book of Esther and understand what time it is. Even though things might look bleak or you have no idea what to do or you don’t have the funds to make things happen…cry out to God even though He may be silent. One small touch is all it takes. It’s time to hold fast to His word and know that it will not return void. Your sudden turnaround is here. Grab hold and let God be God. His perfect timing is upon you. Your not enough is about to become more than enough! Look up for your new beginnings are here!

suddenly

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