Iron Sharpens Iron...

As we approach the transition into a new year, many of us have already begun to reflect back on 2012 to do an inspection of what went well and what didn't; what goals did we achieve and which ones we didn't; what people are still in our lives and which aren't.  So friendship is where I've decided to share my thoughts today.

2012 was a difficult year for many people!  If not a difficult year just personally, it was a difficult year for our nation and I'm sure there are many more difficult days ahead.  This is why your "close" associations are so imperative going forward.  You can think you are the strongest person in the world, but someone is going to impact you; someone is going to make you feel a certain way; someone is going to influence you; someone is going to motivate you...

• Proverbs 27:17... Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
• Ecclesiastes 4:9... Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
• Luke 6:39...And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

It's time for you to take a stand and make decisions for your own betterment.  You know who is good for you and who is not.  If you don't, you need to pray and ask God to show you.  With all that we have to face ahead, we need people around us who not only believe in prayer, but who pray fervantly.  We need people around us who are not just hearers of the word, but are doers of the word.  It's not enough anymore to just say you believe in God; it's time for your life, your fruits and your actions to show it.  Reflect back on my post titled, "Friends with Benefits," posted on August 12, 2012.  These are the people you want in your corner.  You want someone who will challenge you to fast and pray; who will challenge you to be positive rather than negative; who will challenge you to seek God rather than complain; who will love you past your pain.

Iron Sharpens Iron...

Anointed Passion...

We've all been passionate about something at one time or another in our lives, but have you ever asked God to anoint your passion?

Passion is a very strong feeling or a powerful/intense emotion.  Strong
convictions.

I've been passionate about my career and my education, but if I don't ask God to
anoint them, I won't be able to see the full manifestation of His glory through
my abilities.  I believe that God makes us passionate people because whatever
the passion is, that's the area where we can make the most influence.  I also
believe that some passions can jade our perception and cause us to veer away
from the right path.  Many passionate people may have started out with focus,
but lost their sense of direction along the way when that passion became
untamed.  Just look at the many singers that started out in the church choir,
but are now not good representatives of righteousness. 

Whatever you're passionate about, ask God to anoint that passion.  If it's His
desire and will for your life - He will make a way for you to flourish in it so
that He might receive all glory.  Because after all, it is our desire to be used
by and for God.

Simple Obedience…

Yesterday morning I woke up at 2 a.m. and I was mad.  I wanted to go back to sleep, but I couldn’t; I was wide awake.  As I prepared for bed last night I knew for sure that I’d sleep all the way through until my alarm clock went off, but nope!  2:57 a.m., my eyes popped open.  Wide awake again.  I tried to reason with God as to why I needed more sleep, seeing as how I didn’t get much the night before.  LOL – it didn’t work!  I should have learned my lesson from the last time this happened to me that God wanted to talk.  The last time this happened I woke up every day for a week the same time every morning before I finally decided to be obedient.  He doesn’t always pick times that are convenient for us when He wants to have a chat.  So out of bed I rolled and onto my knees, stopping to turn on some music to help my mind get right.

I began to just worship God.  Knowing there was a reason for Him waking me up this early two days in a row, I simply began to ask Him to show me what He wanted me to see.  “Make it plain to me God; tell me what I need to know.  Give me direction.  What message are you trying to get across to me?”  You know what?  He gave me exactly what I asked for.  So, as I got up off my knees and opened my Bible, I began to read and it was like a light bulb went off in my head.  My only response was, “Lord I’ll obey.”  1 Samuel 15:22…”To obey is better than sacrifice.”

What message is God trying to get across to you today?  What signs might you be ignoring?  Is there something that keeps coming up, like me being awaken in the wee hours of the morning consistently?  Simple obedience...

1 Samuel 15:22…”To obey is better than sacrifice.”

A Fresh Start...

Lamentations 3:21-23..."This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."

Because of this very scripture, I think it's an insult to God when we fail to acknowledge the abundance of grace that He shows to each of us, everyday.  I know that hurtful things have happened to us all, but to dwell there in that moment, is where we go wrong. 

"Don't rehearse the pains of your past so much so until you ignore the bountiful blessings right before you!"

Memories we will always have, but what we can't allow is for them to control where we are right now.  I watch this show called Hoarders and it's about people who literally live in filth and most often than not, they've experienced a painful event in their life and they got stuck.  The fear crippled them; it took over their lives.  Did you know that you can be a hoarder too?  You might not have an over abundance of items, cluttering up your home, but you might be hoarding feelings regret, unforgiveness, hate, pain and/or confusion, which in turn have you stuck and unable to move forward.

God's word reminds us that His mercies and compassion are new every morning, so guess what?!?!? - You now have a Fresh Start.  Be blessed today and remember, "Great is the Lord's faithfulness."

Prayer Request

Let us all pray for the victims and families involved in the tragic school shooting in CT today.

Am I Still in The Way?

God calls and you do not hear, for you are preoccupied with your own voice.

-A Course in Miracles

Most days I send out a thought for the day to my team at work and then I forward it on to a few others.  Well, back in late October I sent out this quote and it just made me stop and think for a moment.  This one didn’t cause me to have a quick response or reaction, but it prompted me to stop and just think.  It didn’t make me think of anyone else – just me.  As much as I love God and try to be obedient to His leading – I have to ask myself, how much of my own voice am I still relying on?  How much of my own logic am I still relying on?  How many times do I tell myself, “well the last time this happened, that happened?”

When I listen to my own voice, some of the following things most likely happen:

Ø  I am easily angered.

Ø  I am easily offended.

Ø  I complain.

Ø  I dwell on the negative.

Ø  I have a back up plan.

Ø  I consult others before I consult God.

Ø  I vent to others before I pray.

Ø  Fear easily grips me.

John 10:27 – 30…”My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.” 

Jeremiah 29:11 – 13…”For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” 

If I’ve been preoccupied with my own voice, how much have I missed?  Whose life didn’t I touch because I didn’t hear God?  What prayer didn’t I pray?  What offering didn’t I give? What difficult situation was extended because I didn’t hear?  How many times did I disappoint God?  How many excuses have I made?