Archives for March 2017

Pursuing What’s Uncomfortable

22 Mar

Focus Verse: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (ESV)

A while back I was praying for a new opportunity in my life, I needed a change from what I was used to, what was comfortable to me. But after an opportunity for change presented itself, I started to become skeptical. Yes, this was something that I prayed about, but was I really ready for it? Was I ready to forfeit being comfortable for change? Was I ready to leave what I know behind to pursue something new?

These were all questions that I had to consider. After talking to a friend about it, she made it perfectly clear, “you are forfeiting change for comfortability.” We see the Children of Isreal consistently struggling with this throughout the Old Testament. Their struggle begins in Exodus and does not end until Joshua, when they are actually in the land that God promised them, see Exodus 3:17.

How many of us consistently make decisions based on how comfortable or uncomfortable we will be? How many times have you decided against pursuing something because it’s not what you’re used to or would cause you to operate outside of what you consider safe? Let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with considering what the best option is, as a matter of fact, that’s exactly what should happen. However, when we start making our decisions whether we should pursue something based on how uncomfortable we will be while pursuing it, we also forfeit the blessings that come after that initial pursuit. A blessing that far supersedes the uncomfortable period.

Is there a new job or business opportunity that you have been thinking about pursuing? What about a relationship that God has been speaking to you about pursuing or reconciling? FYI: It didn’t have to take the Children of Israel as long as it did to get to their promise land. How long will it take you?

Prayer: Most gracious Father, thank You so much for this reminder. There are so many dreams and goals that I have, but sometimes, after realizing what it takes to accomplish them, I choose not to pursue them. Please forgive me, Father. Help me to see that the uncomfortable period does not last forever and the blessings that follow will be so great that uncomfortable won’t matter. As I pursue what I know You have called me to, I will give You all the glory. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

Lessons From The Slopes

20 Mar

Focus Verse: For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP)

This past weekend I had the pleasure of skiing for the very first time. This is something that I have always wanted to do be never got around to it. So we got up on Saturday morning and headed out to hit the slopes. Now when we got there we were in for a surprise, there were no instructors that could teach us a beginner lesson AND all the beginner slopes were closed. Only the intermediate and advanced slopes were open, but after having a little self-taught practice in one of the lower graded areas, we were ready for the slopes.

We head towards the lift and ride about 15 or 20 minutes up. Once we got to the top, we realized it wasn’t going to be as easy as we though. For starters, what was taking most people about 7-10 minutes to ski back down, took us over an hour. Also, once we found a place that we considered safe to go down, we did and soon found out we were doing it all wrong.

At one point, we asked a random lady on the hill a question and thankfully she was an instructor. Once she realized it was our first time, she was excited to give us instructions. One of the most important things she shared with us is, you can’t go straight down the hill. Yes, your goal is to get to the bottom, however, the way you do that is by skiing across the mountain, in a “Z” like pattern.

This reminds me of our walk with Christ. Often times, we know where we are, get a good line of sight for a straight shot route to where we want to be, and we take it. But soon we realize God’s route for us is not that straight shot route that we think makes the most sense. He often times takes us on a detour causing our journey to be longer than we anticipated. But as our focus verse reminds us, He knows the plans that He has for us. He knows how long or short the process will be for us. Also, we can’t look at others to determine how long it will take us because everyone’s story is different.

Do you feel like it is taking way too long for you to get to where you know God is leading you,? Do you feel ike you are going in a “Z” like pattern down the hill instead of that straight shot route that you see? I encourage you today to meditate on Jeremiah 29:11.

Prayer: My heavenly Father, what a great leader You are! I thank You for the care and attention You give to my life. Oftentimes, I get discouraged when I see where I should be, but my route doesn’t take me straight there. Help me, Father, to remember that You are in control of my route and You know the plans that You have for me. In Your son, Jesus name, Amen!

The Hard To Reach Places

13 Mar

Focus Verse: And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” Mark 9:28-29 (NKJV)

I was cleaning my shower one day and had to pull out my shower cleaning brush. This brush is not used every time I clean my shower. However, when I need to do a deep clean and get to the hard to reach places in my shower, the places that a towel or regular scrubber can’t reach, I grab my brush. These are the places that are mostly neglected, however, is the home to a lot of the soap scum and germs in our showers; the corners of the shower where two walls meet, under the soap dish, around the knobs of the hot and cold temperature valves. If neglected, bacteria, mold, and other unwanted germs begin to grow.

Our spiritual lives are like our showers. If we neglect to give attention to the hard to reach places in our lives, the corners where our past meets with or future, under our soap dish of issues that we aren’t ready to turn over to Christ yet, and around the knobs of the hot and cold temperature valves where we continue to find ourselves trying to turn sin on and off in our lives.

Just like with our showers, we have to be willing to get to those hard to reach places in our lives. Those places that our regular routine just doesn’t seem to touch. Our focus verse validates this point. There are some things that only happen when we intentionally seek God’s face through prayer and fasting.

We can’t continue to neglect those places that we know God is calling us to give attention to. Much like in our physical bathrooms, when we neglect these places in our spiritual bathrooms, strongholds are formed, deep-rooted generational curses are carried on, and new demons are exposed to our spirit, see Matthew 12:43-45.

Are there places that you know God has been calling you to give attention to in your life, but you have continually overlooked them thinking they will eventually improve over time? I strongly encourage you to consider prayer and fasting.

Prayer: Father, what an amazing God You are! Thank You so much for being so concerned about my spiritual well-being. I know there are places that You want to take me and things that You want to expose me to, but there are still some areas that I need to give attention to in my life. Father, I ask You to forgive me for neglecting those places and give me courage as I begin to give attention to those hard to reach places in my life. As we walk together on this journey, I will give You the glory now, for the testimonies that will come because of it. It is in the mighty name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!

Disclaimer: If you are new to fasting, I strongly encourage you to consult your physical physician before starting any type of dietary fast.