Will You Choose?

Have you been struggling with depression and negativity?  Sometimes life seems so overwhelming that the thought of getting out of bed in debilitating.  We try and try but our effort seem fruitless and it seems easier to give up.  However, we have a choice not to allow life to consume us!
 

First, choose to follow Christ.  “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). When we believe in God and choose to follow his word, we are promised the light of life which means that we don’t have to live in darkness.  It doesn’t mean that life won’t have its challenges, but it does mean that we have the power to remain in the light that God’s word brings to our life. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). 

Second, choose to abide in God’s word. “If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32).  This is so crucial because the word says that God himself is truth.  So by knowing the word you grow in your relationship with God.  In addition, by knowing the word you are able to fight against the lies and negativity the enemy puts in your mind.
 

When the thoughts come into your mind telling you that: ‘life is too hard’; ‘you can’t balance life’; ‘you can’t accomplish your goals’; ‘you aren’t loved’. Recognize these are all lies and then speak the truth you learned from the word of God.  Tell yourself that you can accomplish “all things through Christ who strengthens you” (Philippians 3:14) and that “His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). 
 

Don’t be a victim of the lies of the enemy; be a victor in the truth of God! Will you choose?

Position Yourselves

The book of 2 Chronicles 20 tells a story about a battle the people of Judah were facing.  Although they were facing a great multitude, the Lord told them not to be afraid because the bathe was His to fight not theirs.  What I found interesting is that in verse 17, the people of Judah are told the following: “You will not need to fight in this battle.  Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you.”

 

 

You may be going through a difficult situation in your life.  Perhaps, you are at a point in where you don’t know what else to do with the situation.  You’ve prayed, you’ve cried, you’ve screamed, you’ve tried to rationalize through things and still don’t see an answer or a solution.  But the Lord is telling you today that His is the battle.  All you have to do is:

 

1.     Position yourself

2.     Stand still

3.     See the salvation

 

So how do we position ourselves? We must follow what Ephesians 6:13-18 says.

 

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”

Having done all of this, wait and see God work in your life and in your situation!

 

Opportunity Arises

Have you ever been out with someone and you see a word, a sign, a symbol, and you know it’s from the Lord? He is giving you the opportunity to open up your mouth and speak; speak to that friend, family member, or co-worker about Him.  It’s happened to me. 

 

 

Many times I’ve been caught up by life or have been too scared to bring up the topic of being a Christian and loving God.  Why is that?  Allow yourself, at that moment, to feel God’s presence, let God direct your path, and ask Him for some wisdom so that when you speak those who are listening to you will hear him.  In Exodus 4:15, it says, “You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.”

 

These are missed opportunities that we let pass by because we are scared or think about the what-if’s.  What if my friendship is lost? What if my co-worker thinks I am weird? God allows these opportunities to happen because at that time there is a need; a need for these lives to hear about His work, His presence and His love.  “My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding” (Psalm 49:3).  Think about it, and be blessed the next time an opportunity arises. 

 

 

Change God’s Mind

Did you know that we can help change God’s mind?  Doesn’t seem feasible, right?  By this, I don’t mean we can manipulate God and control him as if he’s our puppet.  However, with a humble spirit, through prayer and supplication, we can influence God. 

 

 

The book of Jeremiah tells a story about a potter and the clay.  The potter is working at his wheel attempting to make a jar.  However, the jar wasn’t turning out how he had hoped so the potter crushed it, turned it into a lump of clay and started over again.  In this same manner, the Lord is our potter.  He works with us daily (if we allow him) to help mold us and guide us along our walk in life.  He gives us many opportunities to turn from our wrong doings. “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

 

The key is to humble ourselves and fervently seek the Lord.  Moses was a prime example of this.  God was ready to punish Israel for their disobedience yet Moses would not stop pleading to God for them.  It got to the point where God basically told Moses to leave him alone (Exodus 32:10). Yet Moses would not cease and it worked! “The Lord relented from the harm which he said he would do to his people” (Exodus 32:14).

 

Be encouraged today to humble yourselves and plead to the Lord.  Present your petitions onto him and allow him to work in your life.  The bible says that the Lord is good and he seeks to reward us but he does demand obedience.  If we turn away from our wrong doings, he is faithful to forgive us and help us. 

Fellowship

Do you enjoy being around people who are good spirited, who enjoy being around family and friends, and are enthusiastic about spending time with their children?  I know I do. Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

Think about a time in your life where God has allowed you the opportunity to fellowship with a friend, a family member, or a co-worker.  You’ve had the opportunity to meet each other with or without children. In this fellowship, you’ve been able to share recipes, stories or have cooked together to make a meal.  It is a joyful and peaceful opportunity.  These types of opportunities allow us to learn from one another, enjoy each other’s company and be at peace with each other’s spirits.  “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

God also allows these passive opportunities to show how fellowshipping brings a peaceful joy into our lives.  Even with children in this gathering, you can still enjoy the day; enjoy the presence of others, and the positivity in their lives. Take the time to enjoy seeing how the children play, interact and learn from one another. It’s amazing what they come up with!  “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus” (Romans 15:5).

 

 

The True Key to Life!

I find it interesting that humanity is always in a deep search for the key to life.  Always searching for that one diet that is going to give them that great body; the latest piece of technology that is going to simplify their life, or that ‘big break’ that is going to bring them fortune and happiness.  Sound familiar?  Trust me, been there done that! 

There’s obviously nothing wrong with wanting more out of life and seeking to progress.  In fact, the Bible says in John 10:10 that “the thief [enemy], does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I [Jesus] have come that they [humanity] may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” So we are destined for greatness without a doubt.  The key, though, is that our focus cannot be on that abundance.  Our focus has to be on the one who created the abundance, Jesus!

 

So how can we switch our focus? It’s simple.  “You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life!” (Deuteronomy 30:20). If we focus on the creator, he will help us achieve those things that are good and beneficial for us.  Stop wasting your energy on life's many gambles and deposit your faith on the Lord.

 

Will you make the choice?

 

Aha Moment

There comes a time in a woman’s life in where we mature. By this I don’t mean going through the rights of passage of life, but a time where we stand back to reflect on our lives and say, “this is what I truly want for my life.”  At this point in time, we realize that some of the people we’ve been around are not best to fit in our lives, and that some of the actions we’ve been accustomed to should no longer be in our lives.  We have come to realize, “I am going to live for me and what I stand for and that is that.”  It’s like the AHA moment in our lives. 

 

This “Aha moment” doesn’t mean that we don’t care about anyone else in our lives, but it basically means that we are going to stop taking everyone else’s misconceptions and start living for us.  As women, we become independent to a certain extent and learn when enough is enough.  “It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.  For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God” (1 Corinthians 11:10-12). With this maturity we gain a new understanding and meaning for our lives.  We focus on the importance of life and seeking more of the Lord. We learn to stop gossiping with our friends about our life, and begin to enjoy being ourselves, and allowing others to learn and in turn, accept us for who we are. 

 

We want to be worthy of who we are and have others find that worthiness we deserve in their lives.  “[Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ ] As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1). We have learned to value, respect, and love ourselves and we should receive the same from others.  We are done feeling guilty for what we do and don’t do and have moved on to accepting the fact that if I can do these things great and if they don’t get done then great.  It’s not necessarily a mind frame of not caring, but it’s a mind frame of what can I do in the time I have and how can I value myself and my time better.  It’s okay to live out your AHA moment.  It will make your life worth wild.

Seeking comfort?

How many of you have cried your sorrows away accompanied with a pint of ice-cream, a pack of cookies or any other variety of junk food?  Perhaps, you’ve sought comfort in other addictions. Whatever your weakness, we know that there’s only one way to find true comfort. 

Don’t you feel horrible when you scarf down a pack of cookies because you are angry, stressed or depressed?  Remember the feeling of emptiness and disgust that comes afterwards?  How did emotionally eating help your problem? It didn’t! In fact, chances are that it made it worse because now you are feeling down about yourself and your body, in addition, to the problem you had to begin with. 

 

Candace Cameron Bure said in her book, Reshaping It All, that “each time you let your passions rule your choice, you are letting them rule over you.” So how can we fight against these emotional impulses?  Psalm 121:2 says “my help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

1. We need to recognize that we need the help of the Lord.  James 3:7 says “therefore submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
2. We need to submit our desires onto the Lord and allow him to help us overcome the temptations that come our way.
3. We need to understand the situations that are driving our impulses and accept that we need the refreshing of the Lord. “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

 The next time you are stressed, run to the altar, not the fridge.  Find true comfort in the Lord, not the cookies. 

So Sorry

Apologies, apologies, apologies, what do they really mean?  Are we being truthful in apologizing?  Is our apology meaningful?   Let’s think about the times that we apologize in a day, why do we apologize and what for?  To say “I am sorry” means that you are remorseful or regret what you have done.  An apology is the action/expression of the regret.  I myself have had many experiences where I have said “I am sorry” just to say it because at that point in time that’s what I thought the person needed to hear, but was I being truthful? Perhaps I wasn’t so why say it?  Sometimes the “I am sorry” doesn’t really have a meaning, and it could just be said over the silliest things. 

 

 

 

There are many of us that tend to say I am sorry for everything.  There’s no need to say I am sorry unless you truly regret what is happening.  If you have not done anything wrong and know for a fact you are not in the wrong, then don’t say the words “I am sorry.”  It can be taken out of context and in turn you are making yourself feel weak or look weak.  That’s not something God wants from us.  “Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one” (2 Corinthians 7:2).  Never feel like you have to apologize for being yourself or seeking some comfort in a time of need.  Reflect on these words:

 

SORRY DOESN'T HELP - MORRISSEY
"YEARS OF REFUSAL" (2008)

 

Sorries pour out of you
All wide-eyed simple smiles
Certain to see you through
Like a QC full of fake humility

You say:
"Oh, please forgive..."
You say:
"Oh, live and let live..."
But sorry doesn't help us
And sorry will not save us
And sorry will not bring my teen years back to me (any time soon)

Forced back, it springs right out
Seasoned, you have no doubts
You lied about the lies that you told
Which is the full extent of what being you is all about

You say:
"Oh, please forgive..."
You say:
"Oh, live and let live..."

But sorry doesn't help us
Sorry will not save us
Sorry will not bring my love into my arms (as far as I know...)
Sorry doesn't help us
Sorry will not save us
Sorry is just a word you find so easy to say... so you say it anyway
Sorry doesn't help us
Sorry won't protect us
Sorry won't undo all the good gone wrong, my love