ASK FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT!

MAY 27 DAILY READING

“Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

8 Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”

Today's truth can again change your life.

Your circumstances and obstacles are not walls. They're not there to set you back. In reality they're there to set you up!

Your struggles are doors of opportunity to ask for wisdom. Wisdom that will lead you to your destiny by His favor.

Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge. God provided in necessary passageways! You will experience God if you get on your knees and just ask for knowledge and wisdom.

Don't Run Away....

God will give you wisdom for your marriage

God will give you wisdom for your job

God will give you wisdom for your finances

God will give you wisdom for your relationships

God will give you wisdom about your ministry

God will give you wisdom for your dreams

God will give you wisdom for your hurt and shame

God will give you wisdom on how to "LET GO."

The list is endless...What do you need?

ASK MY FRIENDS...ASK

I have seen the hand of God in countless situations and that is my soul purpose for this daily blog. I desire for others to EXPERIENCE the hand of God!

Take this verse today and personalize it for your situation! I promise God will begin to make a way in your wilderness.

Blessings
 

IF YOU...THEN "HE" WILL...

MAY 26 DAILY READING

9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 10 Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”

I challenge you to go back up and read the verse again and take notice of the word "IF."

God explains some conditions that we must follow in order to inherit the greater promises!  

God has called and chosen us all to something GREATER, BIGGER and BETTER!

I challenge you to CONSIDER the power in this verse. Simply read it over and over today...

This is your day to STAND and BE STRONG and move forward in Gods desires, its never to late!

Be Blessed!

MY LIFE IS A MUDDY MESS

MAY 25 DAILY READING

John 9:5-8
5As long as I am in the world, I am the world's Light.

6When He had said this, He spat on the ground and made clay (mud) with His saliva, and He spread it [as ointment] on the man's eyes.
7And He said to him, Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam--which means Sent. So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
8When the neighbors and those who used to know him by sight as a beggar saw him, they said, Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?

A MUDDY MESS

MESSINESS IS NOT FUN....

It sure is MUD season here in Michigan, the rain has turned every bit of dirt into major MUD.

Yesterday we had field day at the kids school and each child was covered in mud from all the puddles in the fields.

Tug of War was the biggest muddy mess yesterday but the kids loved the MUD!

MUD IS WET DIRT

HAVE YOU LOST YOUR WAY IN THE DIRT OF LIFE?

DO YOU FEEL A PASSION TO REGAIN YOUR VISION FOR LIFE'S GOALS?

ARE YOU TIRED OF THE RAINY WET SEASON OF YOUR LIFE?

When we become visually impaired we feel...

 STUCK IN THE MUD

When life gives you MUD, remember God uses those Mud puddles  to bring a Majestic Miracle.

A little dirt, some spit and Gods touch = a Miracle!

God restores the dirty situations in our life by watering us with His spirit. When Gods power touches our dirt it turns into a MAJESTIC TYPE OF MUD!

God uses the Mud to restore our sight

However, mud in the eye can be a huge irritant

ARE YOU IRRITATED BY LIFE'S INTERRUPTIONS?

DO YOU FEEL STUCK IN THE THICK MUD OF MESSINESS?

YOU NEED RESTORED VISION!

VISION does not just come about but are born from our desire to succeed.

We are required to ACT in the Mud in order to realize our DREAMS... but how do we act?

Take the mud and bring it to God for an eye opening miracle.

The Lord will reveal a fresh vision as He opens your eyes.

Jesus will take the mud mixed with His spit and place it over our eyes... asking us to then wash.

Wash in obedience to the Word of God

Wash in the acknowledgement of His presence

The result is eye opening!

God has been at work in your situation long before we scheduled to arrive, He is planning to take the dirt to make Majestic Mud.

Our mud puddles push us into the dreams and visions God has for our lives.

Lets take on the heart of a child and enjoy a game of Tug of War in the mud.

God performs miracles with mud, allow God to show you a miracle with your mess.

I am so grateful for Gods touch and my restored sight.

God has a plan friend, beg Him to touch your dirt today so that he may make the mud to perform the miracle.

Majestic Mud my friend, Majestic Mud!

Blessings

It's Not Your Job!

1 Chronicles 22: 7-10 David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. But the LORD said... ‘You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son... He is the one who will build a house for my Name.’

At first, these verses made me sad. David loved the Lord so much, that he wanted to honor him by building a temple for Him. But, the Lord had other plans. Essentially, God said to David, You are not the right person for that job, your son Solomon is the right one. 

Those words must have been difficult for David to hear and obey. David had a dream in his heart and God told him “no”. 

But, then I started to think about it a little more. David accomplished great things for the Lord. He conquered enemies and he was a great warrior. God had filled David with the abilities that he needed to be a great leader, plan intricate war strategies and win battles. God did not fill David with the qualities needed to plan and build a temple.

What if David hadn’t listened when God said, “no”?

1. David would have been taking his son’s purpose away from him. God filled Solomon with the attention to detail, the peaceful spirit and the wisdom to plan and build the temple. If Solomon wasn’t allowed to fulfill his purpose, he would have lived a life without knowing that sense of accomplishment.

2. David would have been taking a learning experience away from his son. There were things that God wanted to teach Solomon during the building of the temple. It was a time for Solomon to rely on God and his leading. It was a huge task, and Solomon would need God’s guidance throughout the project. If Solomon wasn’t allowed to build the temple he would not have known God so well.

3. If David had put his time and energy into the temple, he may have missed out on blessings that God had planned for him, because he was occupied with something he wasn’t supposed to be doing. David may have experienced frustration in building the temple, because he wasn’t gifted for that specific task.

Questions to consider from David and Solomon:

Are we spending time on things that God never intended for us to do?

Are we taking someone else’s purpose away from them?

Are we allowing God to grow close to others or are we standing in His way?

Father God, thank you for sending Your Son Jesus so that I can talk with you and know what you want me to accomplish. I confess that I don’t always ask  you before I take on a new task. Please remind me to slow down and ask you prior to taking on any new responsibilities. Show me where I am using my energy on a job that belongs to someone else and help me to give it over to them. I want to do everything according to Your perfect plan. Amen.

PAY THE PRICE, DEPEND ON GOD

MAY 23 DAILY READING

Yesterday I had the privilege to minister to a large auditorium full of inmates.
Women that will be paying the price for life, some for several short years others  for very long years and a handful due to be out soon.
Each lady received a certain punishment according to their failure.
I wanted to reach deep into their heart and soul for the 45 minutes I was given.

It was the BEST 45 minutes friends...

45 minutes to convince them of their heavenly vision.

In today's reading in the old testament 1 Chronicles 21:1-17 we discover how David had to pay the price and depend on God.

David made a MAJOR mistake. His choice to count his soldiers revealed he was beginning to place more confidence in his troops then in the power of God. Fortunately, he placed himself in the hands of the Lord when he chose punishment---once again demonstrating the divine dependency  that got him to the top once before.

Many times in life we all choose to listen to Satan's lies and then stop trusting in God.  Satan wants us to all fail miserably and he tricks us by causing us to misplace our trust and beliefs.

Placing us in personal prisons as the end result.

Davids willingness to take responsibility for his foolish action demonstrates his depth of character.
 He was tired of Satan's provoking schemes. David REPENTED and ACCEPTED punishment from the hand of God.

Its very important to not hide failures, blame others or run from God.

Admit and REPENT.
God has a heavenly vision for every life. I am thankful that God does not draw a line to whom He extends His grace and light!

God wants us to RESTORE our relationship and do whatever it takes to minimize the consequences of our failures so they do not affect the lives of others around us.

The women yesterday learned to RELEASE and RECEIVE many things!
 I told them to allow their "NATURAL" to accept what the "SUPER" is doing around them. God sure had a SUPERNATURAL encounter with each lady! What an honor to have a front row seat in God's work!

I was humbled at all the letters handed to me at the end. Pens where writing frantically on paper at the end because so many women wanted to tell me their story, they wanted me to know their failures and how they desired God to touch and RESTORE their personal prisons.


God desires our DIVINE DEPENDENCY and when we choose to trust, He will strengthen us to stand and rise above all the SET BACKS caused from our personal failures.


God has a plan and if we continue to IGNORE the "divine" we will continue to FAIL MISERABLY.

Allow God's grace, light and wisdom to reach into your personal prisons today friends.

He my friends has a plan past the pain....

Now set your heart and your soul to SEEK the Lord your God

Blessings

He my fr

WHAT IS HOLDING YOUR SANDWICH TOGETHER?

MAY 19th DAILY READING

BREAD...Something I used to make homemade french toast with this morning!

BREAD...Something that holds the main part of the sandwich together!

Today I want you to pretend you're a SANDWICH!

Without the bread of a GOOD SANDWICH every detail of the layer is a broken mess.

JOHN 6:35 "Jesus says, "I am the BREAD of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst."

THE GREAT I AM

With the GREAT I AM nothing will be IMPOSSIBLE.

I M POSSIBLE

It is IMPOSSIBLE to make a good sandwich without the bread!

God has a plan perfectly planned for your life.

The plan is like  the middle part of a sandwich that is arranged perfectly with great detail, layer upon layer. BUT it's only held together with the BREAD.

John 6:35 "I am the Bread of Life"

I am the light
I am the way, the truth and life
I am the true vine
I am the door
I am the good shepherd
I am the Resurrection and life

My life would fall apart if I did not take in the BREAD which holds everything together. The bread is my supernatural vitamin.

My NATURAL plus His SUPER = THE SUPERNATURAL.

When I do my Daily reading, God has a way of supernaturally filling me up.
The Word is my BREAD OF LIFE.

Filling up my insecurities
Filling up my doubt
Filling up my weakness
Filling up my visions
Filling up my heart
Filling up my concerns
Filling up my attitude

I am FULL and SATISFIED after I receive my daily bread

We need to learn to discipline ourselves to HEAR and OBEY the word.
When we develop a priority and passion to FILL UP on the word, GOD  FILLS up our inner being with His strength.

We GROW up spiritually and live in the DESTINY God created.

There are many WRONG VOICES in today's world that can manipulate your thoughts to believe outside of your destiny. Do not be DECEIVED.
Remember, Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:13-14

Wrong voices lead you away to wrong choices and your sandwich falls apart, leaving your life a PILED UP mess.

  "Come to Him"
          and
  "Believe in Him"

Believe means to entrust and put one's Faith in God.

TASTE the living bread friends.

How is your bible reading? Christian fellowship? Corporate worship? Relationship with God?
Prayer life?

These are things to be sought as often as possible.

I welcome you to continue to join me daily as we BREAK BREAD together. I always provide a simple devotion to stir hearts on a certain piece of scripture . I encourage you to subscribe by simply filling out the box on the right. Be sure to activate the link from FEEDBLITZ that will appear shortly in your email box.

Share with a friend, I promise the Word will nourish your soul and hold your sandwich together!

BLESSINGS,

 

ENLARGE MY TERRITORY

CLICK FOR TODAYS READING! MAY 18

For the past year my son has struggled with the idea that "There Must Be Something More".

This week he has been brought to the edge of his comfort zone.
I know God moves and relocates individuals to prepare us for Bigger and Better things!
It always involves risks which requires FAITH.
Jesus has certainly called Bens talents and gifts to a new place, new territory.

 Lets take a personal look at a person in the bible that can help us relate to Change in order to experience more!

JABEZ is his name

He stood out in scripture and was popular because he was...

HONORABLE, INTENSE, ZEALOUS, SINCERE and VERY DETERMINED.

Jabez directed a prayer that many know in 1 Chronicles 4:10...

"Oh that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, and that I may not cause pain!"

So God granted him what he requested.

Jabez trusted in the dependence of everything that he needed from the one true GOD. He understood the verse "Be anxious for nothing, but in prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

Jabez requested a personal blessing.
He desired some divine favor and asked God to... ENLARGE HIS TERRITORY! 

Let me encourage your dreams today friends. If you honor God with your life, the right doors will open. God has someone to promote you and bring you into the Bigger that God has for you. 

ONE TOUCH OF GODS FAVOR CAN THRUST YOU RIGHT INTO YOUR PREFERRED DESTINY. GOD WILL PROVIDE, ENLARGE, GUIDE, PRESERVE and DELIVER!


Therefore, we can trust Him to answer our prayers for the Bigger and Better. He will provide what He knows best and it will be in harmony with His will, just as He did with Jabez.

ONLY...if you are doing business Gods way! Please, repeat the last sentence.

Its not only ok to ask God for more but He is waiting for you to ask.

For what purpose do you want God to enlarge your territory?

What is your intent?

If your intent is to be used by God in bigger and more influential way? 

Lets take a survey right now on our territory!

I had my son Benjamin examine his territory in the last few months because I knew deep inside he was sruggling with the feeling of having something more. He is currently a freshmen in highschool and enjoying the basic, robotic program of everyday living. But recently he said that he felt that his artistic side and desires felt trapped and that he wanted to do more. God put so many people in our pathway to help us examine other territories or programs to challenge and motivate his  passions.
Going to school, playing sports, making friends is all good but Ben felt a huge VOID in the area of his music and artistic side.
Yesterday God opened doors that Ben walked through and explored. Ben loved what he seen and felt behind these new doors. This now means he will transfer high schools.  This takes alot of faith to transfer your sophmore year and start over especially for a teenager in high school.

I am proud that he is following his number one passion and desire. God will grow this gift inside him in his future NEW environment!

Below is a great way to examine the territory you may be currently in and then determine if this territory is the BEST for all you can and should be!  

1. Discover exactly what your territory looks like
    now?

Territory=a region marked off for other purposes.
               an area of knowledge or interest.

2. What is the territory of your work, school or 
    homelife?  Can you define it?

3. In that territory what makes up for your passions
    for life? what areas of your giftedness are being 
    used?

4. What really captures your imagination in that 
    territory?

5. What is the "territory" of your passions in
    life that you'd ask God to grow?

6. KEEP awareness of your specific territory at all
    times, Don't settle for Voids and please don't
    ignore your primary gifts or talents.

7 Be open to see things in a New way, be guarding
   knowing Gods will and purpose for your life.

LIVE LARGE FOR GOD FRIEND

If again you can say its your driving ambition to find something more  then by all means ask God he could relocate you and drive you toward your purpose and passions!

Be prepared for Him to bring new challenges, new adventures and new opened doors as He delightfully ENLARGES YOUR TERRITORY!

ITS NEVER TO LATE!

May you grow in exciting ways and allow the CHALLENGING work God has in mind for you to enter in!

HE IS GETTING READY TO EXPAND

BELIEVE and RECEIVE

I LOVE see my son Benjamin stand on the edge with much courage believing and asking God to touch my his life and bless him in the seasons to come.

I encourage you all to stop and make the prayer of Jabez your own today! 

Blessings,

Those who hear will live!

John 5:25-30 : I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.

As I was reading today, this verse really stood out to me. Not only because I have been praying for my ears to be opened, but also because the message at church this week was all about hearing God.

There have been so many times in my spiritual journey that I wished I could just call God on the phone and have a conversation with Him. It would be so much easier, at times, if we could hear His voice in the same way we hear our children, our spouse, or a friend. 

This weekend, our Pastor explained that the way that God speaks most clearly is through His Word. If we are not reading the Word, or learning it, or taking the time to listen, we are going to have trouble recognizing His voice when He speaks to us. We need to learn His language before we can hear Him. There are so many voices that would love to detour us from the path that God has laid before us. But, if we know His character and the way He speaks, we will be prepared to discern a fake from the real thing.

God doesn’t want us to guess or struggle. He wants to speak to us and He wants us to hear. We have to be willing to put the time into the relationship and slow down enough so that He can speak through all of the clutter and noise around us.

I recently had a conversation with my daughter about hearing from God. We started a charm bracelet for her three years ago. Last week, she decided to wear it to school and then decided it was bothering her. She took it off and threw it in her backpack. We haven’t seen it since. She was very upset when she discovered that it was missing. We sat down and immediately prayed about the loss. A while later, as she was still frantically looking, she started crying about the fact that God was not speaking to her. This disappointment only added to the loss that she was already dealing with. I explained to her that God does not speak to us in the same way that I was speaking to her. She felt as if there was something wrong with her. I explained that, just like any good relationship, it takes practice and it takes time, but the payoff is huge. I also promised that God would not disappoint her.

According to John W. Ritenbaugh, “His enabling of us to "hear" is what begins to sweep away the spiritual blindness that has kept us ignorant of the purpose He is working out here below. This miracle of hearing gives rise to truly effective faith. It makes God's Word truly logical and believable, making commitment in obedience to His purpose possible.”

Lord, please open my ears to hear you. I believe that you are speaking and that you have a lot to share with me. I confess that I am not always patient enough or dedicated enough when it comes to spending time in Your Word and listening for Your voice. Please teach me to slow down. Please teach me to hear You clearly. Please open my ears and my heart to Your voice, in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

Visit Lynnette's Blog

If you want to learn more practical steps about hearing from God, I suggest this website by Mark Virkler.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

CLICK HERE for May 16th Reading

God wants to Stir up the waters of your situation so you may POSSESS YOUR POSSESSIONS!


I was so touched by today's reading.
Many of us are sitting by our personal pools of DESPAIR,
        W A I T I N G
               for the moving of water.

In the midst of brokenness, I want you to know that I'm thinking and praying for you today. Your heartbreak is felt by God.

 However...God has a SPECIAL word for you today.

 Please read John chapter 5:1-24 and then return and read today's Devotional. You can click on the date above for a quick reference...

This man in scripture was Sitting for 38 years lame and WAITING for the moving of water.

Many of us are sitting bound by circumstances. We feel blind, lame and paralyzed. We are STUCK in one place for a long time and PARALYZED from the situations in life.

WE WAIT for something.
There are those who go to church WAITING for a great emotion to engulf them so they can be sure they're in Gods presence.

There are those who are waiting and have eyes on the business for something to happen and they cannot make it happen quick enough.

There are those who are WAITING for something that has happened to an individual they know to happen to them also.

There are those who have not truly given their lives to Christ and yet WAITING for a great movement of God.

To many of us are not making any PROGRESS in life because we are
                 WAITING  WAITING  WAITING

 we need to MOVE out in FAITH and TRUST only on the one who has called us and has the "plan" for our lives. 

What are you WAITING for?
Who are you WAITING for? 

Remember...WAITING around will not solve this mans issues, He as been WAITING 38 years! 


Do you really want to get out of poverty?

Do you really want to see the BIGGER and BETTER things in life?


Jesus is asking today because He knows that many of us have not fully considered these questions in light of our "GOD" potential.

Jesus is wondering why you are waiting in despair for Him to solve the problems when He already solved it 2,000 years ago.

He went to the CROSS to give you SOLID GROUND living in life!


Lets decide today to stop sitting by our pool of DESPAIR.

A question I had to ask myself was... DO I WANT TO BE MADE WHOLE?

I desired to begin to live my potential and not below, waiting for others to bail me out.

RISE AND TAKE UP YOUR BED,(situation) AND WALK!


John 5:8 "Jesus said to him, "Rise take up your bed and walk."

Remember, God will send the Angel  down into your situation so start walking and be ready to RECEIVE!
The Angel is  stirring your waters friend....look at verse John 5:4

BE BLESSED TODAY

A BLOWING LIKE THE WIND

May 12th Reading

Last night a Storm rolled in about 2am. The LOAD, BLUSTERY and WILD GUSTS of wind woke me from a DEEP sleep.I rushed downstairs and out on the deck to check it all out. I love storms and the excitement of something strange moving in.
I always think of the Power of Gods spirit when I listen to the wind blow. I cannot see the wind but I can see everything else moving from its power.

I was reminded last night in the very late hours that God's activity is like the wind. When He is ready, He will blow and move powerfully.  However, I really wish things would blow in order soon from a mighty Holy Ghost storm! I have been patiently waiting for new challenges to move forward. I feel like I need the blowing of Gods GUSTY spirit in my ministry life.

A simple prayer last night was let out in the night hour..."Lord, blow over my life like a mighty wind, I am ready to discover the bigger things of God for my next season. I know I cannot see YOU but I will hear the sounds and see the movements your workings. Please blow over my Life Lord!

The wind blows (breathes) where it wills; and though you hear its sound, yet you neither know where it comes from nor where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
John 3:8

   Take some time in the next storm and ponder the movement of God in your life....You may be only a prayer away from a powerful Holy Ghost Storm!

Blessings

DO NOT QUIT

LYSA TERKEURST ...Shared a word with me through her amazing blog yesterday and it is certainly WORTHY to share with all of you!!!! This is exactly what I needed because I have been writing a powerful  book/bible study called "Run Like You Mean It." However, I have doubt on some days. I feel like Noah when he was building the ark for the future flood but Noah has never seen rain. Noah was obeying God and doing the work for what was ahead. I know God is delighting my heart to write this study but on some days I really want God to EXPLAIN what is ahead so that I may be fueled to continue writing and DREAMING REALLY BIG!
It's very hard on some days! I know God has BIG plans for my personal ministry and speaking but I want to see the future better!
Thanks Lysa for fueling me back up! 

Enjoy and please leave a comment below to let me and others know how this has FUELED you back up!

DO NOT QUIT!

We all have those times in life where we wish the voice of God would audibly speak so loudly there’s no way we could miss it, “THIS IS THE DIRECTION I WANT YOU TO GO.”  Then we’d know whether to stay the course or quit and head off in a new direction.  Have you ever wished for this kind of supernatural interaction with God?
I have.
We want to know what to do.
Sometimes we stay in a place too long.
But I think the greater loss happens in those times we quit too soon.  And we live with this nagging sense of what if.

 What if I’d persevered one more year, one more month, one more day.

What if David had been so put off by his Dad’s brush off, that he refused to come in from the field and see Samuel?  (1 Samuel 16)
What if David had assessed whether or not to face Goliath based on the shadow of his opponent rather than the shadow of the Almighty?  (1 Samuel 17)
What if Abigail’s pride or fear had stopped her a few steps shy of bowing low before David?  (1 Samuel 25)

Knowing when to stop and when to keep on keeping on is a crucial life lesson.  One I want to learn well.
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus encourages us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
I used to get so frustrated when I heard this verse because I thought, I don’t want rest.  I want reassurance!  I’m burdened by this decision I have to make.   I don’t want to mess up my life by missing a cue from you, God.

But the gift of the rest Jesus is offering here is not a spiritual Ambien. 
The Greek word for this kind of rest is Anapauo which has as one of its definitions: “of calm and patient expectation.” 

But how?

My friend Jennifer Rothschild does this enlightening exercise at some of her conferences.  She tells the audience to imagine her writing two different words on a large chalkboard.  She then speaks the letters as she draws the first word into the air… R-E-S-T.  She does the same for the second word… R-E-S-I-S-T.
 
Then she asks what’s the difference?
The difference is, of course, “I.”

I don’t know what to do.  I can’t figure this out.  I’m worn out.  I’ve tried everything I know to do.  I’ve given all I have to give. 
I’m familiar with these “I” statements because I’ve said them myself.
We can only find Anapauo rest- fresh hope- as we stop running ragged and simply take on the next assignment Jesus gives

In verse 29 of Matthew 11 Jesus gives us this assignment- take on his yoke and learn from Him.  Ask Jesus to show you just the next step.  Not ten steps.  Not the whole path.  Not the Google map with the highlighted route. Just the next step.
Complete that step with excellence and an open, humble heart.  Listen and look for all Jesus wants to teach you in this next step.
This is your part of the equation.
But after the assignment, comes the reassurance in verse 30, “my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  We don’t have to have all the answers.   We just have to stay connected to the One who does.  Where our strength ends is the exact point where His will begin.
This is God’s part of the equation.
I must do all I can do.  Then God will do what only He can do.  My pastor, Steven Furtick, says, “You bring the natural.  God will then bring the super.  And that’s what creates supernatural.”
Should I stay?  Should I go?  Maybe the better question is, “God, what is the next step I’m to take today?  I’m going to do my part.  And trust the rest with You.”

KEEP THE FAITH FRIENDS and RUN LIKE YOU MEAN IT!

Remove the high places!

As I was reading today, I was amazed by the number of times the people repeated the same sins. The high places were not removed. The pagan people lived among of the children of God. The Israelites were reminded not to follow the pagans in their worship or their gods. The children of God would follow most of Gods commands, but not whole heartedly or completely. The cycle continued from generation to generation. The people would partially comply, do better for a while and then fall back into the bad choices because they were so easy to access.

I wonder how many times God has felt the same thing about me. The never ending cycle of bad choices I make, or my repeated stumbling over the same sin. I wonder if I am listening whole heartedly or only partially to the direction He is giving me.

But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul - Joshua 22:5

Obedience: to comply with someones wishes or orders or acknowledgement of their authority. Submission to a law or rule.

Hold fast: to hang on firmly or attach. Of friends, close and loyal. 

All: used to refer to the whole quantity or extent of a particular group or thing.

Heart: regarded as the center of a person's thoughts and emotions, esp. love or compassion 

Soul: the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.

We are supposed to submit completely to each of His directions, hold tightly on to Him with both hands and serve him with all that we are. 

It sounds like a tall order, but there is more:

We may not always know why God is giving us instructions. The Bible tells us that He will work everything out for our good if we follow Him. If we turn to Him when we don’t understand and have faith that He is up to something good, we will not be disappointed. 

We may not always have the strength, but God said He would provide that too! We cannot fight temptation on our own, but if we ask for help, He will give it to us.

We must be willing to listen and follow each of His directions. God only wants the best for us, so if He is moving us away from something it is because He has a better way in mind.

Maybe if I was completely obedient the first time, I wouldn’t keep stumbling over the same obstacles. Maybe if I turned to Jesus instead of fighting on my own, the stumbling blocks would actually become stepping stones.

Lord, I know you want the best for me. I want to be an obedient child, but I confess there are times that I listen to my emotions rather than following You and Your Commands. Teach me how to follow the rules the first time, rather than repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Help me to move forward and grow rather than repeating and never learning. Please help me to be more like Jesus today. Amen.

Read more by Lynnette at her blog.