Obedience
A - To the degree we are willing to obey, God is willing to reveal His will.
S - "Jesus replied - If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching...." ~ John 14:23
A - As you continue to look at the ACTION you'll choose to take as you respond to your purpose... Accepting, Committing, Trusting and Identifying all may seem easy compared to the next one ~ Obedience!
Obedience is very important to God, as Jesus pointed out in the verse for today. In Psalm 17:4b-5, David confirms a benefit of obeying God (and he knew alot about the consequences of disobeying as well)..."I have kept myself from the ways of the violent. My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped."
Psalm 119 is full of verses about obeying God's laws, ways, precepts, degrees, commands, statutes, etc. v. 2 - Blessed/Happy are those who keep/obey his statues and seek him with all their heart. v. 35 - Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. v. 168 - I obey your precepts and your statutes, for all my ways are known to you. I challenge you to read Psalm 119 (all 176 verses!) to see the importance of obedience.
In Jeremiah 7:23, God is giving the people His own challenge ~ "Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in the ways I command you, that it may go well with you." Sounds like a good deal; easy enough? But what does verse 24 tell us they did...."But they did not listen or pay attention; instead they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward."
I hope today your desire is to move forward; to take the action needed to bring you closer to God and His path to His purposes for your life. Don't be like the stubborn Israelites who missed out on God's blessings and presence in their lives. Recognize that if you are willing to obey, God is willing to show you His will!
P - We all struggle with obedience. For some strange reason, we think we know a better way than God's. We want to try to figure things out on our own first. Don't waste your precious time and energy fighting God...He will ALWAYS win! Confess today areas of your life that are most difficult to follow God in obedience. Be still to hear His voice and then obey what He says!
Next Time.....It's NOT All About You!
Encouragement for Purpose-Full Living!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Identify God as your Guide
A - True freedom is not in choosing your own way but in yielding to God's way.
S - "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." ~ Ps. 119:105
A - Are you ready to identify God as your Guide for the path He has for your life? Or are you still stuggling to give up control and completely surrender, commit and trust Him with your all? Either way, God is there waiting for you to take the first step with Him ~ He won't leave without you!
Often Satan will try to disguise or hide God's path from you. You know the last thing he wants you to be doing is following God and His plans. He might make another way look more appealing and attractive. Maybe it will appear to be an easier path; all downhill, with a smooth and comfortable walking surface. It may be full of beautiful resting places and the surroundings are pleasurable to the senses. But, what waits around the corner? Where does this path lead? How can you tell if it's God or the Enemy leading you?
Our verse, Psalm 119:105, provides the answer. It tells us that His Word is a lamp that guides our feet and a light for our path. You need to know His Word in order to follow it! You need to know His Word in order to hear Him! You need to know His Word in order to know who to follow. Notice that His Word is a lamp, not a spotlight or a beam. It sheds just enough light to keep you depending on/trusting in Him to lead you in the right direction. By not being able to see what's up ahead, you're not tempted to run off on your own.
In Psalm 25:4-5, David is asking his Guide to ~ "Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Another verse I love to cling to is Psalm 32:8 ~ "The Lord says, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." Yea!...I never have to walk alone and neither do you!
P - Are you ready for God to show you, teach you and guide you? Confess any areas where you're still trying to be your own guide. Ask God to take you by the hand and help you walk away from the things that are keeping you from complete acceptance, committment and trust.
Next Time...Obedience :)
A - True freedom is not in choosing your own way but in yielding to God's way.
S - "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." ~ Ps. 119:105
A - Are you ready to identify God as your Guide for the path He has for your life? Or are you still stuggling to give up control and completely surrender, commit and trust Him with your all? Either way, God is there waiting for you to take the first step with Him ~ He won't leave without you!
Often Satan will try to disguise or hide God's path from you. You know the last thing he wants you to be doing is following God and His plans. He might make another way look more appealing and attractive. Maybe it will appear to be an easier path; all downhill, with a smooth and comfortable walking surface. It may be full of beautiful resting places and the surroundings are pleasurable to the senses. But, what waits around the corner? Where does this path lead? How can you tell if it's God or the Enemy leading you?
Our verse, Psalm 119:105, provides the answer. It tells us that His Word is a lamp that guides our feet and a light for our path. You need to know His Word in order to follow it! You need to know His Word in order to hear Him! You need to know His Word in order to know who to follow. Notice that His Word is a lamp, not a spotlight or a beam. It sheds just enough light to keep you depending on/trusting in Him to lead you in the right direction. By not being able to see what's up ahead, you're not tempted to run off on your own.
In Psalm 25:4-5, David is asking his Guide to ~ "Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Another verse I love to cling to is Psalm 32:8 ~ "The Lord says, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." Yea!...I never have to walk alone and neither do you!
P - Are you ready for God to show you, teach you and guide you? Confess any areas where you're still trying to be your own guide. Ask God to take you by the hand and help you walk away from the things that are keeping you from complete acceptance, committment and trust.
Next Time...Obedience :)
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Trust God or Trust Self/Others
A - Even better than to understand God ~ is to trust God!
S - "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. " ~Isaiah 55:8-9
A - Do you struggle with trust? Have you been hurt or betrayed in the past which has caused you to build a wall of protection? Do you have a hard time trusting what people say? The definition of trust is: belief in the reliability, honesty and responsibility of another; hope.
God wants to be trusted. He wants to prove Himself reliable and honest. He wants to give you hope for your hour, your day, your week, your month, your life. The Scripture for today describes one of God's attributes ~ all knowing. He knows what the future holds and it may not be anything close to what you imagined it would look like. But by trusting Him, you can rest assured that it will be an awesome and rewarding experience! Don't miss it by abandoning and giving up on His plans and purposes for you. Stick close to His side and claim Isaiah 26:3-4 - "God will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is the Rock eternal." All your worrying, doubting, questioning, and controlling will not give you the peace of mind and eternal strength that God will give when you trust Him.
The act of trusting God says - "You are God, I am not. Let's do things your way!" Are you able to say that today? If you are struggling with accepting, commiting and trusting God with your life, I want to encourage you to take time today to look up these verses. They will show the benefits of trusting God and the woes of not: Ps. 20:7; Ps. 56:3; Ps. 119:42; Ps. 125:1; Prov 3:5-6; Ps. 118:8; Prov 11:28; Prov 28:26; Jeremiah 7:4, Jer. 9:4; Ps. 28:7; Ps. 32:10; Ps. 34:8; Ps. 84:11-12; Jer. 17:5-6 and Jer. 17:7-8.
P - Responding to God is not easy. It requires you to relinquish control. Cling to today's scripture. Ask God to help you accept that His ways and thoughts are not like yours and thank Him for that! (What a mess we'd be in if they were :) Trust in the hope that His ways and thoughts for you are higher than the heavens ~ beyond anything you could ever hope and dream of!
Next Time....Identify God as your Guide
A - Even better than to understand God ~ is to trust God!
S - "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. " ~Isaiah 55:8-9
A - Do you struggle with trust? Have you been hurt or betrayed in the past which has caused you to build a wall of protection? Do you have a hard time trusting what people say? The definition of trust is: belief in the reliability, honesty and responsibility of another; hope.
God wants to be trusted. He wants to prove Himself reliable and honest. He wants to give you hope for your hour, your day, your week, your month, your life. The Scripture for today describes one of God's attributes ~ all knowing. He knows what the future holds and it may not be anything close to what you imagined it would look like. But by trusting Him, you can rest assured that it will be an awesome and rewarding experience! Don't miss it by abandoning and giving up on His plans and purposes for you. Stick close to His side and claim Isaiah 26:3-4 - "God will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is the Rock eternal." All your worrying, doubting, questioning, and controlling will not give you the peace of mind and eternal strength that God will give when you trust Him.
The act of trusting God says - "You are God, I am not. Let's do things your way!" Are you able to say that today? If you are struggling with accepting, commiting and trusting God with your life, I want to encourage you to take time today to look up these verses. They will show the benefits of trusting God and the woes of not: Ps. 20:7; Ps. 56:3; Ps. 119:42; Ps. 125:1; Prov 3:5-6; Ps. 118:8; Prov 11:28; Prov 28:26; Jeremiah 7:4, Jer. 9:4; Ps. 28:7; Ps. 32:10; Ps. 34:8; Ps. 84:11-12; Jer. 17:5-6 and Jer. 17:7-8.
P - Responding to God is not easy. It requires you to relinquish control. Cling to today's scripture. Ask God to help you accept that His ways and thoughts are not like yours and thank Him for that! (What a mess we'd be in if they were :) Trust in the hope that His ways and thoughts for you are higher than the heavens ~ beyond anything you could ever hope and dream of!
Next Time....Identify God as your Guide
Friday, May 8, 2009
Commit or Compare?
A - Commitment means being willing to allow God to transform you; to mold and shape you into a woman He can use.
S - "We are the clay, and you are the Potter. We all are formed by your hand." ~ Isaiah 64:8
A - Are you ready for the next step in your ACTION plan in responding to your purpose? Are you able to Accept God's ways as best or are you still stuggling with surrendering your will and life to Him? Surrender is not an easy thing~especially for those who like control :) But keep working on it...give up one thing at a time and soon you'll find it easier to release the tight grip you have on your future, your finances, your family, your relationships, your time, your dreams, etc.
Today we look at Commitment. Are you ready to be molded and shaped into a woman God can use? Commitment is not for wimps! Sometimes the shaping is painful. Sometimes the molding requires heat. Sometimes it takes being smashed flat and letting the Potter start over.
Are you thinking this sounds too difficult and unpleasant; not any fun? Perhaps there's an easier way you can still make a difference in the world without having to suffer pain and heat. Maybe you've found yourself comparing God's way to the lives of those who are doing great things to help the world, all without having to surrender and commit themselves to God. Surely, He will bless and reward them for all the good they are doing, right? Proverbs 14:12 tells us that, although "the way seems right to man, in the end it leads to death/destruction." Are you willing to take that risk?
I would rather claim the promise in Proverbs 12:28 - "The way of the godly leads to life; that path does not lead to death."
P - Responding to your purpose is not always easy. God is looking for women who will accept His ways as best (even when we don't understand) and commit ourselves to following His ways (even when other ways seem better). Thank God today for being patient with you as you learn His plans and purposes for your life. Ask Him to strengthen your commitment daily!
Next Time....Trust God or Trust Self/Others
A - Commitment means being willing to allow God to transform you; to mold and shape you into a woman He can use.
S - "We are the clay, and you are the Potter. We all are formed by your hand." ~ Isaiah 64:8
A - Are you ready for the next step in your ACTION plan in responding to your purpose? Are you able to Accept God's ways as best or are you still stuggling with surrendering your will and life to Him? Surrender is not an easy thing~especially for those who like control :) But keep working on it...give up one thing at a time and soon you'll find it easier to release the tight grip you have on your future, your finances, your family, your relationships, your time, your dreams, etc.
Today we look at Commitment. Are you ready to be molded and shaped into a woman God can use? Commitment is not for wimps! Sometimes the shaping is painful. Sometimes the molding requires heat. Sometimes it takes being smashed flat and letting the Potter start over.
Are you thinking this sounds too difficult and unpleasant; not any fun? Perhaps there's an easier way you can still make a difference in the world without having to suffer pain and heat. Maybe you've found yourself comparing God's way to the lives of those who are doing great things to help the world, all without having to surrender and commit themselves to God. Surely, He will bless and reward them for all the good they are doing, right? Proverbs 14:12 tells us that, although "the way seems right to man, in the end it leads to death/destruction." Are you willing to take that risk?
I would rather claim the promise in Proverbs 12:28 - "The way of the godly leads to life; that path does not lead to death."
P - Responding to your purpose is not always easy. God is looking for women who will accept His ways as best (even when we don't understand) and commit ourselves to following His ways (even when other ways seem better). Thank God today for being patient with you as you learn His plans and purposes for your life. Ask Him to strengthen your commitment daily!
Next Time....Trust God or Trust Self/Others
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Responding to Your Purpose
Accept or Abandon?
This is where your path divides. This is where you must make the decision to follow God's way or choose your own. You've spent the last few weeks discovering the special and unique way God created you for a specific purpose...now what are you going to do with that information? What action are you going to take? Are you going to bear right and continue on God's path? This will require you to surrender to His will and plans - even if you don't know and can't see what lies ahead. Or, will you just take the information you've received and head out on your own - blazing your own trail?
A - Direction, not intention, determines destination. ~ Andy Stanley
S - ..."yet, not my will, but yours be done." ~ Luke 22:42
A - To follow God's way is to accept His ways:
1) Accept His gift of salvation ~ "He gave his one and only son..." (John 3:16)
2) Accept the way He created you ~ "We are his workmanship ..." (Eph. 2:10)
3) Accept why He created you ~ "...to act according to his purpose." (Phil 2:13)
Accepting requires a total surrender! Not half surrender and half control. Jesus' willingness to accept His purpose - a cruel death on a cruel cross, is the ultimate example of surrender. What is God asking you to surrender?
Katie Brazelton, in her book, Pathway to Purpose for Women, explains: "You cannot fulfill God's greatest purpose for you without surrendering your will and life to him. Surrender involves first, learning to live for an audience of one ~ God and then letting go of everything that takes a higher priority than God ~ idols. Surrender is one of the greatest challenges of faith you will face, but step by step God will prepare you to be completely his and totally engaged in his purposes for your life." Amen.
P - Are there "idols" in your life that you're not willing to give up? Is there still a part of you that wants some control and say in what your path will be like? Surrender is not a sign of weakness; it's a sign of willingness! Ask God to show you areas of your life you may have a tight grip on. Thank Him that although you may never know where the path will lead, you know you can always trust the Guide.
Next Time.....Commitment
This is where your path divides. This is where you must make the decision to follow God's way or choose your own. You've spent the last few weeks discovering the special and unique way God created you for a specific purpose...now what are you going to do with that information? What action are you going to take? Are you going to bear right and continue on God's path? This will require you to surrender to His will and plans - even if you don't know and can't see what lies ahead. Or, will you just take the information you've received and head out on your own - blazing your own trail?
A - Direction, not intention, determines destination. ~ Andy Stanley
S - ..."yet, not my will, but yours be done." ~ Luke 22:42
A - To follow God's way is to accept His ways:
1) Accept His gift of salvation ~ "He gave his one and only son..." (John 3:16)
2) Accept the way He created you ~ "We are his workmanship ..." (Eph. 2:10)
3) Accept why He created you ~ "...to act according to his purpose." (Phil 2:13)
Accepting requires a total surrender! Not half surrender and half control. Jesus' willingness to accept His purpose - a cruel death on a cruel cross, is the ultimate example of surrender. What is God asking you to surrender?
Katie Brazelton, in her book, Pathway to Purpose for Women, explains: "You cannot fulfill God's greatest purpose for you without surrendering your will and life to him. Surrender involves first, learning to live for an audience of one ~ God and then letting go of everything that takes a higher priority than God ~ idols. Surrender is one of the greatest challenges of faith you will face, but step by step God will prepare you to be completely his and totally engaged in his purposes for your life." Amen.
P - Are there "idols" in your life that you're not willing to give up? Is there still a part of you that wants some control and say in what your path will be like? Surrender is not a sign of weakness; it's a sign of willingness! Ask God to show you areas of your life you may have a tight grip on. Thank Him that although you may never know where the path will lead, you know you can always trust the Guide.
Next Time.....Commitment
Friday, May 1, 2009
Life Gifts
A - "Show me a person who doesn't know his gifts/talents or hasn't developed them for service for others, and I will show you a person who has little sense of purpose, meaning, motivation and value." ~ Tom Paterson
S - Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with the little things I've given you.....Come and share in your master's happiness. ~ Matthew 25:21
A - As we come to the end of discovering your special (Spiritual gifts, Personality, Experiences, Cares, Interests, Abilities and Life gifts ) and unique design, remember there's only one YOU and the Master Architect is proud of His work and you should be as well.
Last time we looked at abilities and defined them as learned skills, stemming from the pursuit of your interests. One learns to be a good cook, seamstress or artist. It takes practice to be an award winning actress, athlete or author.
For sake of definition, your life gifts are talents God gives at birth. They are for you to discover and develop, not leave dormant. You are then to spend your life putting them to use to benefit those along your path and in turn, glorify God.
In his book, You are Talented!, Patrick Kavanaugh states that "If God has given you certain talents (and He has), it is rather likely that they have something to do with your ultimate purpose in life." So, what are you doing with your talents? Are you hiding them from the rest of us? Are they getting rusty from lack of use? Are you using them as a tribute to your Creator? Do you long to hear Him say "Well done, good and faithful servant"?
Sometimes it's difficult to acknowledge your talents. You may consider it bragging or showing off. But it's okay to take a minute to list your God-given talents and see how they are leading you to your ulitmate purpose in life.
I have a SPECIAL Worksheet for you to print off, fill out, and see your unique design begin to take shape.
A - "Show me a person who doesn't know his gifts/talents or hasn't developed them for service for others, and I will show you a person who has little sense of purpose, meaning, motivation and value." ~ Tom Paterson
S - Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with the little things I've given you.....Come and share in your master's happiness. ~ Matthew 25:21
A - As we come to the end of discovering your special (Spiritual gifts, Personality, Experiences, Cares, Interests, Abilities and Life gifts ) and unique design, remember there's only one YOU and the Master Architect is proud of His work and you should be as well.
Last time we looked at abilities and defined them as learned skills, stemming from the pursuit of your interests. One learns to be a good cook, seamstress or artist. It takes practice to be an award winning actress, athlete or author.
For sake of definition, your life gifts are talents God gives at birth. They are for you to discover and develop, not leave dormant. You are then to spend your life putting them to use to benefit those along your path and in turn, glorify God.
In his book, You are Talented!, Patrick Kavanaugh states that "If God has given you certain talents (and He has), it is rather likely that they have something to do with your ultimate purpose in life." So, what are you doing with your talents? Are you hiding them from the rest of us? Are they getting rusty from lack of use? Are you using them as a tribute to your Creator? Do you long to hear Him say "Well done, good and faithful servant"?
Sometimes it's difficult to acknowledge your talents. You may consider it bragging or showing off. But it's okay to take a minute to list your God-given talents and see how they are leading you to your ulitmate purpose in life.
I have a SPECIAL Worksheet for you to print off, fill out, and see your unique design begin to take shape.
P - God knows you're not perfect, but He sure thinks you are special. Acknowledge to Him areas where you feel you just don't measure up. Ask Him to help you develop your strengths, work on your weaknesses and shape you into the woman He can use to accomplish His awesome plan and purposes.
Next Time....Responding to Your Purpose
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Interests & Abilities
A - "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called."
S - May the God of peace...equip you with everything good for doing his will and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. ~ Hebrews 13:20-21
A - Are you beginning to see the hand of God in how you are wired? Are you recognizing just how special of a creation you are to God and others? Today we will look at two more areas of your unique design - your interests and your abilities.
What interests you may not be the same for another person. What your best friend gets excited about, you have a hard time understanding and vice-versa. We all have different interests so that we will pursue them along our path to God's purposes. If you want more information, take an Interest Inventory.
Abilities (and you all have them!) come from investing time and energy in your interests. Romans 12:6a says - "God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well." (NLT) Did you catch that? That verse doesn't say He's given certain people abilities. No, He's given each of us special abilities to complete His purposes.
Think a minute about the things you enjoy doing ~ singing, writing, playing a musical instrument, teaching, computer skills, photography, painting, drawing, sewing, cooking, selling, leading, listening, organizing, cleaning, gardening, entertaining, decorating, mentoring, sports.....the list of abilities is endless; just like God's imagination!
Don't ignore your abilites. It is our responsibility to know what we are good at and do it. "What you are able to do, God wants you to do. The abilities you have are a strong indication of what God wants you to do with your life. They are clues to knowing God's will for you. God doesn't waste abilities; He matches our calling and our capabilites." ~ Rick Warren
A - "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called."
S - May the God of peace...equip you with everything good for doing his will and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. ~ Hebrews 13:20-21
A - Are you beginning to see the hand of God in how you are wired? Are you recognizing just how special of a creation you are to God and others? Today we will look at two more areas of your unique design - your interests and your abilities.
What interests you may not be the same for another person. What your best friend gets excited about, you have a hard time understanding and vice-versa. We all have different interests so that we will pursue them along our path to God's purposes. If you want more information, take an Interest Inventory.
Abilities (and you all have them!) come from investing time and energy in your interests. Romans 12:6a says - "God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well." (NLT) Did you catch that? That verse doesn't say He's given certain people abilities. No, He's given each of us special abilities to complete His purposes.
Think a minute about the things you enjoy doing ~ singing, writing, playing a musical instrument, teaching, computer skills, photography, painting, drawing, sewing, cooking, selling, leading, listening, organizing, cleaning, gardening, entertaining, decorating, mentoring, sports.....the list of abilities is endless; just like God's imagination!
Don't ignore your abilites. It is our responsibility to know what we are good at and do it. "What you are able to do, God wants you to do. The abilities you have are a strong indication of what God wants you to do with your life. They are clues to knowing God's will for you. God doesn't waste abilities; He matches our calling and our capabilites." ~ Rick Warren
P - Begin believing that God doesn't waste anything - your experiences, your cares, your interests and/or your abilities. Ask God to help you put your abilities into action for His service and glory. Remember, He's not looking so much for your ability as much as He is your availability!
Next Time....Life gifts (talents)
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