Bible Reading: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV)

I was done, over it, ready to move on! I had been at that job for a few years and had enjoyed it, but now it was getting less and less enjoyable. It seemed like every day there was something new that annoyed me and solidified my desire to leave. And today was the last straw. “It’s time for me to move on,” I remember saying to myself.

During my break, I went to my car to pray. As I was reading over Psalm 5 and asking God for guidance for my next move, I could not get Psalm 139:23-24 out of my mind.

I turned to the passage and immediately began to feel peace.

This definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. Things had started to get crazy there, and I was ready to move on, and I THOUGHT God was ready for me to move on too. This wasn’t the first time I had shared with Him things that were wrong with that job. Along with some of the people working there. Much to my surprise, God led me to check myself and the condition of my heart.

As I was preparing to go back inside to the same craziness, I was just ready to walk out on a few minutes earlier; I had a newfound peace.

When we pray, and God gives us an answer, although it may not be the answer we were hoping for, there is comfort in knowing that He still hears and answers our prayers.

Prayer: Most Gracious Father, thank You for Your peace that surpasses all understanding. Although I may not understand all of Your ways, I thank You that there is peace in Your answer, no matter what it is. It may not always be what I want, but it will always be what I need, and for that, I am grateful. Additionally, allow me to always be aware of the condition of my heart, so I remain in right standings with You. I pray this prayer in Your Son, Jesus’ name, Amen!

Focus Verse: In fact, I don’t understand why I act the way I do. I don’t do what I know is right. I do the things I hate. Romans 7:15 (CEV)

“What is wong with me? I’m just not feeling it!”

My clothes were starting to fit a bit snug and I knew what that meant. It’s time for me to get serious about working out again.

Some people can eat whatever they want, have no knowledge of what a kettle bell is, let alone how to use it, and remain the same size their entire life.

Unfortunately that’s not me, I have always had to work on maintaining a healthy weight. And latey, I hadn’t been doing much of that work. Life happened, schedules changed and before I knew it, what was once a daily routine became a mere afterthought based on how I felt that day.

I knew I needed to get back into my routine, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Nothing about “workout” has me NASCAR racing to be the first person in the parking lot when they open. Once I get there though, I’m good. I’m reminded that I do actually enjoy the time and it gives me encouragement to go again.

My relationship with the gym, reminds me a lot of my relationship with spending alone time with God. I don’t always feel like it, but I know it’s good for me. Once I get there, in the company of Christ, I’m reminded how much I enjoy it and I am encouraged to meet with Him again.

We can’t base our decisions to do things on how we feel. Our feelings are ever-changing. We may not feel the way we felt yesterday and vice versa. Our decisions in life, as well as on our Christian journey, can’t be based solely on our feelings. If our decision to go to work was solely based on how we felt, from day to day, some of us would never get there. And if we base building our relationship with Christ on how we feel some of us would never pray, read our word, or participate in corporate worship!

Let’s make a declaration today that we aren’t going to let our feelings govern our decision-making. But instead we will walk in maturity and do what we know is best for us.

Prayer: Father thank You for that great reminder. So many times I can get caught up in how I feel. And although you created me to have feelings for a reason, in the past I have abused it and just used it as an excuse to be lazy, please forgive me. I declare on today, I will make my decisions based on what I know pleases You. And help me to remember this declaration, in times when I just don’t feel like it. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!

Bible Reading: Revelation 5: 11-14

Focus Verse: And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Revelation 5:13 (NKJV)

I was recently talking to a friend and I confessed that I had to ask God for forgiveness. Lately, I haven’t been giving God the proper praise for the amazing things He has been doing in my life. Don’t get me wrong, I would thank Him, but it was nowhere near the thanks I knew He deserved.

My expression of gratitude was limited because I had been so focused on what I didn’t have and where I wasn’t. Because of this, I couldn’t praise Him for what I did have and where He had been taking me. I had been so caught up in my own selfishness and self-centeredness that I had been blinded, and couldn’t see the amazing things God was doing in my life. And He has been doing some pretty dope things in my life!

How could I be so spoiled? In a funk and internally complaining about what I don’t have all while God has just blessed me with another year of life, has been faithful with providing some amazing opportunities for BWT and has done some great things in my life financially. But all I could focus on was want I wanted and didn’t have.

As much as I would like to be able to blame it on the devil for not allowing me to give God praise, I can’t. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 26:3 that God will keep up in perfect peace when we keep our minds focused on Him. The problem was my mind hadn’t been focused on Him, it had been focused on me. So I wasn’t proclaiming His goodness and reflecting His glory back to Him. Which resulted in me not having joy and contentment but instead unhappiness and discontentment.

Have you ever been there? Where, unlike the angels in Revelation 5, you couldn’t properly declare blessings and honor, glory and power to the only true living God. Have you ever been so focused on yourself that it kept you from glorifying God for what you do have and what He has blessed you with?

Prayer: Most gracious and almighty God, thank You! Thank You for being all powerful. Thank You for being worthy of all the Glory and the praise. I haven’t always given You the praise that You deserve and I ask You to forgive me. As I continue to walk with You, I ask You to help me to remember to keep my mind focused on You, and I will praise You forever and ever. In the might name of Jesus, Amen!

Bible Reading: For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)

In a recent Breakfast Bite we talked about God’s love for us, even when we sin. Today we will continue with practical steps to recover from sin and the conviction that comes along with it.

The Word of God tells us in Isaiah 59:2 that sin is what separates us from God. As Christians, we have to accept the fact that while we are living on this earth, we will never be sinless, but we can strive to sin less. In those times that we are faced with sin, here are 3 steps we can take to get back in fellowship with Christ after we have sinned.

1. Go to God immediately and repent.
   • One of Satan’s greatest tactics is to convince you that God will never forgive you because your sin is too great to forgive. His desire is to keep you from going to God so you stay in a state of condemnation and never have to opportunity to know the love of God through forgiveness.
   • It is important that we know, when we become believers, we are no longer subjected to condemnation according to Romans 8:1. But we have the gift of forgiveness according to 1 John 1:9.
2. Make The Decision to NOT give in to temptation.
   • A sin less life is lived one decision at a time. And those decisions have to be made beforehand. Honestly, often times, it’s too late to decide you won’t give in to temptation when you are already in a compromising situation. However, when you do find yourself in one of those situations and God provides a way of escape according to 1 Corinthians 10:13, you are more likely to remember the decision you made and take the way out.
3. Develop a Plan To Move Forward
   • After you have decided that you are not giving in to temptation any longer, a plan of action needs to be put into place to ensure you don’t find yourself tempted again. Every decision must be followed up with a plan of action. If I desire to lose weight, I have to implement a plan involving eating healthy and working out. If I desire to improve my financial state, I have to implement a plan that will involve developing a budget to monitor my financial resources. And if I want to conquer sin, I have to develop a plan that is conducive of doing so. This could include
     • setting boundaries and limitations in the area of your life that you struggle.
     • implementing accountability partners.

When we keep these practices consistent in our life during those times that we have given into temptation, we can be assured that our fellowship with Christ will be restored and we will be able to begin to hear Him clear again.

Prayer: Father, You are such a faithful God.  Thank You so much for being so forgiving and understanding. Help me to understand that I will never be able to not sin, but when I am walking in fellowship with You, those times can happen less frequently. And I ask that You help me adopt these principles in my life to ensure sin is less frequent in my life. All I desire to do is please You with my entire life. It is in the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

Bible Reading: For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)

“So what has your relationship with Christ been like since then? What have you been hearing from Him regarding what it is He desires for you to do?”

I was talking to someone who was in a state of remorse and needed encouragement. And I could relate to their response:

“I know that I let Him down and He is mad at me, so He isn’t talking to me.”

I gave out a heavy sigh because this couldn’t be farthest from the truth.

Earlier in my walk with Christ, I remember having these same sentiments. I believed, when I did something that displeased God and felt convicted about it, that I just needed to give Him some time to “blow off some steam” and get over His anger. I also believed that I needed to tread lightly and lay low during that time, just for a couple of days, while He was getting over my actions. And after about a few days, then I could go to Him after His anger had surpassed. What a deceiving and condemning game the enemy plays with us!

“Jesus is a far greater Savior than you are a sinner!” This was shared at an Outcry worship experience I was a part of a while back. It was this statement that helped me to understand God’s grace and that His love for me has nothing to do with how I behaved toward Him, but everything to do with His commitment to His purpose.

On tomorrow, we will continue on this topic, with healthy steps to recover from conviction.

Prayer: Dear Lord, what a loving God You are! Thank You for loving me past my faults. I know that I consistently do things that aren’t pleasing to You, please forgive me. As I continue to walk with You, help me to comprehend the width and length and depth and height of Your love for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Focus Verse: Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 (CEB)

Freedom. One of the definitions Google gives for freedom is:

• the state of not being subject to or affected by (a particular undesirable thing)

This definition causes me the think about the encounter Jesus had as He was revealing who His betrayer would be in John 13. Although I’m pretty certain Jesus was filled with all kinds of emotion at the time, after announcing the knowledge of his betrayer, He reminded His disciples of the ultimate goal, for the Father to be glorified. See John 13:31-32. In the days leading up to the betrayal, Jesus didn’t go around with an attitude, complaining about what was about to happen. Even when He was requested by John to know who His betrayer was, He didn’t make a scene or act contrary to who He is. Why? Because He knew the truth. And according to our focus verse, knowing the truth gives us freedom.

Freedom is when a coworker tries to publically embarrass you in front of the entire office and you choose not to stoop to their level and do the same. Why? Because you know their actions hold no real weight and you refuse to grant someone else power over you, causing yourself to act in a way contrary of who God created you to be.

Freedom is when your spouse is not operating at their full potential or character that you know God created them to, but instead of pointing out their faults you love them and continue to intercede to the Father on their behalf.

Freedom is when you apply for a job, only to learn that it was granted to someone less qualified than you. However, you choose not to allow your emotions affect your future work ethic.

True freedom is when you choose not to be subjected to or affected by those undesirable things in your life. Will you be free today?

Prayer: Father, thank You for the truth in Your word that tells me, when I am in You, I will know the truth and be made free in it. There are times that I have not always operated in the freedom that You granted me through Your Son, Jesus Christ, please forgive me. As I continue this journey with You, help me to remember the freedom You have already granted me so that I choose it and not the bondage of this world. In Your Son, Jesus’ name, Amen!

Focus Verse: But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV)

I was having lunch with one of my friends and her newborn baby. As we were preparing to leave, and she was putting him in the car seat, he began to cry. That was one of his least favorite places to be. While he was crying, she started to comfort him, as any mother would do when her child is expressing unsatisfaction. But what she said next caused me to stop and think.

“I’m doing this to protect you.”

My friend was doing what she knew she had to do to protect her son from the potential dangers he knew nothing about. God is the same way. He places us in situations and allows us to stay where, if we are honest with ourselves, there is no pain or harm, only personal dissatisfaction. The baby wasn’t in pain or hurting, he just didn’t want to be there.

How many times have you been in a place that was unsatisfying to you; you whined and complained, expressing your dissatisfaction, only to find out later, God was only protecting you?

Prayer: Father, thank You so much for Your protection. So many times I have complained about being in places that weren’t harmful to me, I just didn’t want to be there. Please forgive me. I may never know all the things You protect me from. Thank You for Your sovereignty that keeps me safe daily.  In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!