She Believes 3
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Marico Early

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With God,You Are Enough

With God, You Are Enough

Have you ever felt inadequate, or like you were just not good enough to accomplish the assignment that God had put before you?   Let me assure you that you are correct, in and of ourselves we are not enough!  However, there is hope for us all.  When we have accepted God as the authority in our lives, and we surrender our will to His, miraculous things can happen.

There are a few examples of this in the Bible, but today I would like to share Gideon’s experience.

The Midianites had ruled over Israel for seven years and were very cruel to them.  God sent an angel to visit Gideon to let him know that he was to go and rescue Israel.

Gideon instantly had doubts as to whether or not he could accomplish this assignment.  He asked God for a sign three different times to be sure this was what God wanted Him to do.  Because God knew that Gideon had doubts and that he was afraid, God in His merciful grace indulged Him each time, so that he would be clear that the request was from Him.

I am sure that we all have thought at one time or another, “Why me” when God has directed us to do something that was clearly out of our comfort zone.

What we must remember though is that God never set His children up for failure.  When He asks us to do something, a plan for success is already in place, and it will be accomplished in a way that He will receive all of the glory.  Our job is just to be obedient and move forward.

God’s plan for Gideon, was that He was going to achieve a great victory with a small army.   When you do the math, it does not make sense that such a small army of men could be victorious over all of the Midianites.  But God does supernatural math.   Gideon started out with an army of 32,000 men and God had him to streamline it down to 10,000 and then on down to 300 men.  These 300 men fought a battle against 135,000 Midianites, and with God as their general, they literally wiped them out!
Can you say, “But God”?

When I tell you that you plus God is more than enough to conquer any mountain, believe me, because it is true!   I don’t know what your mountain is today, but if God called you to climb it, you are enough for the journey, because He will go before you, he will give you the wisdom, the strength, and yes even the courage to get it done. So go be great! You have His permission.
Because with God you are enough!

Judges 7:1-7
7 Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ 3 Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

4 But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” 6 Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

7 The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”

Judges 8:4-12
4 Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. 5 He said to the men of Sukkoth, “Give my troops some bread; they are worn out, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

6 But the officials of Sukkoth said, “Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread to your troops?”7 Then Gideon replied, “Just for that when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers.”

8 From there he went up to Peniel[a] and made the same request of them, but they answered as the men of Sukkoth had. 9 So he said to the men of Peniel, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower.”

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with a force of about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of the armies of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen. 11 Gideon went up by the route of the nomads east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked the unsuspecting army. 12 Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, fled, but he pursued them and captured them, routing their entire army.
2 Corinthians 3:5
5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

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Faith

Divine Appointments

Divine Appointments

14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Esther 4:16
16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Esther 7:3
3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request.

Today I would like to visit with you about divine appointments.  So many times, we go through life on autopilot, not really paying attention to what’s going on around us.  I would like to encourage you to start paying attention to what God is doing.  I have heard people at times mistakenly refer to a divine appointment as a coincidence.   As Christians, we know that there are no coincidences.

You may be blessed with a divine appointment in a grocery store, at a ball game, on a plane, or even at some event. Wherever you are, know that if you are walking with God, He wants to use you to share Him with others. We are his ambassadors created for divine assignments.   Divine assignments are always orchestrated by God, not us. We are simply His hands and feet carrying out His plan in order to touch the lives of others who needed His help.

As I look back over the years, not only has God used others to orchestrate a divine appointment with me, but He has also used me to carry out divine appointments that He orchestrated for the benefit of others.

One of the examples that instantly comes to mind for me, is the day that I decided to go into a local restaurant here in town to get a bagel.

As I was paying for my food, I struck up a conversation with the cashier that was waiting on me.  She mentioned to me that she really wanted to go back to school, but she didn’t know how she would make it to work, and children.  If I remember correctly, she was a single mom.

I encouraged her, and I told her that she could do it.  I also told her that it would be so worth the sacrifice.

Fast forward about a year to a year and a half later, she showed up at a business event that I was hosting.  To be quite honest, I did not recognize her right at first.  It was not until she approached me and thanked me for encouraging her to go back to school that I realized who she was.  She told me how much my words meant to her that day and how they inspired her to go for her dream of completing her degree.

That my friends were a divine appointment.  God used me to help steer her in the direction that He wanted her to go in.  I became her nudge.  My divine purpose in this situation was to give her a nudge and to help her feel confident that with God’s help, she had everything it took to complete her schooling.

When we yield ourselves to God’s will and His timing and purpose, He can do amazing things through us.  Remember, there are no coincidences, only Divine Appointments.

 

 

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She Believes 3 Devotion

Hear God, Obey God, And Be Blessed By God

Isaiah 30:21
21 Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.

John 14:26
26 But the [a]Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Mark 4:24
24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.

This week I had a really powerful experience straight from God.  My husband and I were recording a video for my business.  After the third take, we finally were at a point where we thought we had the perfect video for me to release to my team.   Because I had so much to do that day, I was ready for this little project to be over, so that we could move on to something else that really needed to be done.

Afterward, I was standing in my kitchen and the Holy Spirit whispered, “You should make a video to your customers”.   We had just turned off the lights and put things back in place when this happened.
I was so happy to complete the first video, that I could not have imagined doing another one so quickly.   I immediately told my husband what I heard, and he was on board.  It all happened so fast that I didn’t even have time to think or resist what the Holy Spirit was guiding me to do. There was absolutely no pushback on my part, I just jumped into action.
When we were recording the new video, I immediately started to send it out to my customers, friends, and relatives.  I must say that the results have been amazing!  My customers’ reactions to the video, have been worth it all.   They have absolutely loved it and, I must add that God gets all the glory, because it was certainly His idea,
I wondered how many times in the past, I thought that something was just a passing idea when it was the Holy Spirit trying to guide me and I missed it.
I learned 5 valuable lessons this week.
  1. I need to pay close attention when God is speaking to me. I should never ignore or dismiss His voice.
  2. I need to immediately respond to Him in obedience. I don’t need to question Him; He is God, and He knows what He is doing.
  3. I don’t need to be so wrapped up in my own agenda that I miss His plan for my life, which is always the best plan.
  4. There are always blessings on the other side of obedience.
  5. God guides us because He wants us to be successful

I encourage you today to listen for His voice. It is pure and it is right, and it is perfect!

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Faith

Life is Hard But God is Good!

Recently I have had several friends, share some of the difficult things that they are going through right now.  One of the ladies feels that what she is going through, is just too much for her to bear.

I personally know that life really can be hard at times.   We have lost several family members in the last two years, and some were in the prime of their lives, or so we thought.  As I have tried to wrap my head around these unexpected deaths, I have come to the conclusion each time, that no matter what happens, God is still good, God is still sovereign and God’s will, shall be done in heaven and on earth. We must remember that His ways are higher than our ways and so are His thoughts.  Our timing is not His timing.

We must also remember that hard stuff happens to everyone.  It’s called life!  There is an enemy that works day and night to discourage us.  His attacks can be a lot at times, but we have a God who will carry us through those hard times if we just turn to Him for help and strength.  There are times that we will go through difficult seasons, so that God can prune us into a better person.  He is more interested in our character becoming what it should be, than our circumstances changing.

We all have been tempted to ask the question; Why Lord?   Let me encourage you to trust that your hard time will be a time of spiritual growth if you dare to trust God with a completely surrendered heart.

Have faith in the One who loves you most, because even though life is hard, God is still good, and He will only allow what’s best for you.  So maybe instead of why, we should be asking what.  Lord, what is the lesson that you want me to learn from this difficult experience?  Keep going, don’t give up! Your hard time is not forever, but it is for you! 

Psalm 46:10
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;  I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
1 Peter 5:7
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Psalm 46:1-3
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.[c]
James 1:2-4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

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She Believes 3 Devotion

Don’t Panic, Trust God

Don’t Panic, Trust God

Approximately seven years ago I went through a very traumatic divorce.  As a result of the divorce, I was left struggling financially.  I had an Interior Design business that I had started prior to my divorce, and I simply could not let my dream of having my own Design Business die. I had prepared well for it, by majoring in Interior Design in college and I had even gone through two different internships.

I had wanted this as a career since my 10th-grade year in High School. I just knew that it was a career for me. Unfortunately, there is a price to pay when you are starting your own business, such as long hard work days and many financial sacrifices, not to mention a few sleepless nights here and there.

During the process of my divorce, I moved to another city approximately an hour and a half from where I was living. I got a small 1 bedroom apartment because I knew that I would have to really watch my budget since I had not fully established a clientele yet.

After thinking and praying, I decided to get a part-time job to tide me over until I got paid for some of my design jobs.  And oh, did I mention that during this time I had to end up purchasing a new vehicle also.  Have you ever heard that when it rains, it pours?  Well, I was soaking wet by the time it stopped raining on me!

In my new job, I was blessed to meet some real sweet people, who became my new friends.  I was starting to adjust to my new life really well.  One of the guys at my new job invited me to attend his church one Sunday and after several visits, I placed my membership there.

Things were starting to look up so I thought.  The design connections were starting to happen, but very slowly.  I had flyers made, and every day I would drive miles and miles going into the new subdivisions, meeting builders, and putting flyers on brand-new homes to advertise my business. I was definitely putting in the hard work, but the money was not rolling in yet, and what I was making at my part-time job was not as much as I really needed to make ends meet.  I had depleted my savings making the move, and making payments on my new car. By the way, this was not a brand-new car, but it was new to me, and in mint condition so I was very thankful.

After a few months, I found myself running late in making my monthly rent payment.  I was told that if I could not pay it by a certain date, I would receive an eviction notice.   Oh my goodness!  I cannot tell you how that felt, because, in my heart, I just knew I was supposed to pursue Interior Design.   I remember praying daily asking God to help me find a way to pay my rent.  I kept thinking I would be ok if I can just make it through this month.
God did provide my rent, and guess what?  He did it in a way that I could do nothing but give Him the glory.

One night very late and actually about my bedtime, someone knocked on my door.  I could not imagine who would be coming to my door at that hour.  I was not expecting anyone so it was a bit scary.  When I went to answer the door it was my mom and dad who lived six hours away making a surprise visit.   My dad said that I had really been on his mind for several days, and he thought that they should just get in the car and come to see if I was ok.  I must say that I was surprised and happy all at the same time.

As we sat there talking after quite some time, my mom said “Oh, by the way, as we were leaving your Aunt Jimmie came by and asked me to give this to you”.   She pulled a white envelope out of her purse and handed it to me.   When I opened the envelope it had $400.00 dollars in it, the exact amount that I needed to pay my rent. Look at God!  Needless to say, I was so overwhelmed with gratitude that I burst into tears.  Only God could have orchestrated this, and may I add that His timing is always perfect.   After I pulled myself together, I explained to my parents what was going on.   I am thankful that I was blessed to have a dad and mom who walked close enough to God that when He whispered to them, they knew to be obedient and not delay.

Suppose I had panicked and decided to give up on my Interior Design career because life got hard. I would have missed out on what became a very successful twenty-year career.  My point in sharing my story is to encourage you that if you are currently struggling in some area, don’t panic.  Pray and hold on.   Know that God hears your prayers and he sees every tear that falls from your face.  When the time is absolutely perfect for you, He will work out the details, and He will show up in ways that you can’t even imagine.   It may not be in the time frame that you would like, but He will be right on time.  Remember His ways are higher than our ways.   He knows what He is doing and it is always what is best for us.
  So don’t panic, just pray and trust God. It will be ok!

28 “for in Him we live and move and have our being..”
Acts 17:28
 Psalm 112:7
7 They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Hebrews 13:6
6 So we say with confidence,“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.[a]
Psalm 91:1-6
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you  from the fowler’s snare  and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
Psalm 112:7
7 They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Hebrews 13:6
6 So we say with confidence,“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.[a]
Psalm 91:1-6
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you  from the fowler’s snare  and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
Dedicated to Leading Women to Live Victoriously by Empowering them to Step into Greatness.

 

 

 

 

 

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Prayers

Until I Became A Mother

Until I Became A Mother

Isaiah 49:15
15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
Proverbs 31:28
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
Exodus 20:12
12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Until I became a mother I could not fully comprehend the sacrifices that my mother made for me, without reservation each and every day.
Until I became a mother I couldn’t fully appreciate the late nights that my mother sat up, waiting for me to get home from a ballgame or a date.
Until I became a mother I never realized how many prayers must have gone up on my behalf.
Until I became a mother I never realized how many days my mother must have stood in the kitchen exhausting what little energy she had left that day, to prepare a meal for our family.

Until I became a mother I never realized the depth of love that my mother had for each one of her children.
Until I became a mother I never realized that there were times when my mother might have wanted a new dress for herself, or a new pair of shoes, but she always made sure that I looked nice first.
Until I became a mother I never realized how many nights my mother must have stayed up with me, weary from exhaustion as I lay in bed sick.
Until I became a mother I never realized that my mother may have had dreams that she put on hold to make sure that my dreams were possible.

Until I became a mother I never realized, that being a mother is the hardest job on earth, but also the most rewarding job.  I am convinced that only God could create in mother’s the capacity to love so deeply and freely.

This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day, a time set aside to honor mothers.  If you are blessed to still have your mom, I encourage you to let her know how special she is to you.  Thank God for her daily, after all, no one other than God will ever love you like your mother.–

28 “For in Him we live and move and have our being..“Acts 17:28

Dedicated to Leading Women to Live Victoriously by Empowering Them to Step into Greatness.

 

 

 

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Fruit of the Spirit

Clarity And Direction

Clarity And Direction

Are you sacrificing peace, clarity, and direction for comfort and ease?   Last week I came to the realization that I had been doing exactly that.

For over forty-seven years now, I have been writing my prayers and journaling.  At one time when I was really seeking to hear from God for direction and guidance, I was rising at 5:00 AM to pray, and to journal.  I was amazed at how I would receive downloads from God for my day.

This 5:00 AM appointment time with God all started during a really challenging qualification period that I was going through in my career.  God laid it on my heart during that time to rise at 5:00 AM to spend time with Him.

I continued this 5:00 AM meeting time for a while, and then I eased back into a time that was most convenient for me.  You see I am not what you would consider a morning person at all.  I usually wake up moving in slo-mo.

Although I continued reading my Bible and praying in the mornings, I just found that it more was more convenient for me, to write in the evenings right before bedtime.

I am currently in qualification for another big goal in my career, and God has laid it on my heart to start writing in the mornings again.  Thank goodness He has not urged or prompted me to do 5:00 AM again. I am twenty years older than I was when He instructed me to do that the first time.  And honestly, it would be quite the challenge at this stage in my life, considering other things that I am currently going through.  However what I do know for sure, is that if He calls me to it, He will give me the strength for it.

So this past week I got up early one morning, read my Bible and prayed as usual and added my writing back into my morning routine.  Boy did I see God show up!  It is absolutely amazing what blessings come from being obedient.  God started to give me downloads and ideas for my day.  I recognized some things that I had never caught before. Talk about clarity it was definitely happening.   Just because I did as God had asked me to do.

He revealed to me that I needed a new tracking board for my business and that I needed to create a whole new Goal poster.   I created the tracking board and the Goal poster and I was absolutely amazed, that even my penmanship appeared clearer.  This whole process was a really neat experience.  God revealed Himself to me through something this simple.  I have now been prompted to pray for strategy.  Wow! God will even help us to know what to pray for.

Needless to say, it made me wonder, how many God wink moments like this that I have missed because I wanted to be obedient, but obedient my way.   May I encourage you today to learn from my mistake?  Don’t sacrifice peace, clarity, and direction for comfort and ease.  It will make your journey a lot longer and not nearly as enjoyable. Do it God’s way to experience His perfect peace and blessings.

28 “for in Him we live and move and have our being..
“Acts 17:28
Dedicated to Leading Women to Live Victoriously by Empowering them to Step into Greatness.
Psalm 63[a]
 You, God, are my God,  earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Psalm 143:8-10
7-10 Hurry with your answer, God!  I’m nearly at the end of my rope.
Don’t turn away; don’t ignore me!  That would be certain death.
If you wake me each morning with the sound of your loving voice,
I’ll go to sleep each night trusting in you.
Point out the road I must travel; I’m all ears, all eyes before you.
Save me from my enemies, God—   you’re my only hope!
Teach me how to live to please you,  because you’re my God.
Lead me by your blessed Spirit into cleared and level pastureland.
Psalm 37:23-24
23 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,  for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

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Fruit of the Spirit

Are You Headed For The Ditch?

Are You Headed For The Ditch?

When I was a little girl approximately 4 years old, my mom and I were about to leave home, when she realized that she needed to run back into the house for something.   When she jumped out of the car to go back into the house,  I quickly jumped into the driver’s seat of our new salmon-colored Ford car.  I put the car in drive and headed straight for the ditch, barely missing our mailbox while gripping the steering wheel as though I knew what I was doing.

I probably had seen my mom and dad do this at least a hundred times or more, so I decided that I could do it too.  Needless to say when my mom came out of the house, she was in total shock, and thankful all at the same time that I was alive.   I think the only reason I didn’t get a spanking for my little escapade that day, was that my mom was so relieved that I was still all in one piece.

You see even as adults if left to our own devices we would drive our lives straight into the ditch.  So many times we want to do just as I did as a child. We want God to get out of the driver’s seat so that we can take over. Trust me, when I tell you,  that the safest thing that we can do, is ask Jesus to take the wheel.  Not only should we ask Him to take the wheel, but also to keep the wheel, because He can see a lot further down the road than we can. He knows where the potholes are, the curves as well as the detours and He knows our destination and we don’t.

What I am saying to you today, is to trust God with your life. He knows what He is doing, and He knows your purpose for coming to this planet.  Allow Him the space and time to reveal those things to you, as He sees that you are ready to handle them.  Then and only then will you get to experience all that He has in store for you. He’s the ultimate chauffeur. Stress less and enjoy the ride, you are headed for a safe arrival.–

28 “for in Him we live and move and have our being..“Acts 17:28
Dedicated to Leading Women to Live Victoriously by Empowering  them to Step into Greatness.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart  and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,  and he will make your paths straight.[a
Psalm 62:8
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;  pour out your hearts to him,  for God is our refuge.
Jeremiah 17:7
7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,  whose confidence is in him.
Psalm 37:23-24
23 The Lord makes firm the steps   of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,   for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
Isaiah 30:21
21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Isaiah 58:11
11 The Lord will guide you always;   he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden,  like a spring whose waters never fail.
Psalm 32:8
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;   I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

 

 

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Fruit of the Spirit

Knowing When And How To Be Content

Knowing When And How To Be Content
Philippians 4:11-13
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.

Today’s lesson is about contentment.  I would like to first ask you a few questions that will help you to determine your level of contentment.

1.  Do you struggle to have peace in your life?

2.  Are you always reaching for bigger and better, or are you satisfied with what God has provided for you?

3.  Do you often think when this happens or when I get this I will be happy?

4.  Do you find yourself complaining a lot?

5.  Are you jealous of what others have?

If you are answering yes to any or all of these questions, you are not living in a place of contentment.

In the society that we live in today, there is always the pressure to have more and to be more.  Please hear my heart on this.  It is a good thing for us to strive to be the best that we can be.  There is nothing wrong with having goals that will take you to the next level in your life.  However, when this quest for more causes us to sin, by worrying or being jealous of others, or grumbling and complaining, it means that we are starting to be ungrateful for what God has already blessed us with.  Ingratitude causes discontentment.

May I be transparent for a minute?  Years ago I had a career as an Interior Designer.  I was blessed to go in some of the most beautiful homes imaginable.   I remember starting to crave the lifestyles that I was constantly seeing.  I became discontent with what I had already been blessed with.  I wanted the big house and the luxury cars and the designer bags and the clothes too, that went with it all.   As I have matured in my walk with God, I now realize that I wanted success for all of the wrong reasons.  It wasn’t about anyone but me.  I even remember being a bit jealous of those who were living the life that I dreamed of.  How sad it must have made God, to see me so ungrateful when He had already blessed me with so much.

So you may be asking, what did I do to go from discontentment to contentment and live a life of total peace?   To answer your question, for many years now I have been keeping a gratitude journal.   At the end of each day, I write down the things that I am most grateful, for that day.  This habit has literally changed my life.

My focus has shifted from the frustration of what I don’t have to be grateful for what I do have.  It has helped me to even be more appreciative of the very small things.  I now look to see the blessing as well as the lesson in everything, and that even includes the things that most would consider difficult or unfair.   It has been amazing to see that when I stopped worrying about many of these things, God blessed me with them anyway.    Through spending time with God, reading His word, and journaling, I can honestly say I am no longer the same person that I was years ago, and I praise God for that!   So today if you are not in a place of contentment, stop looking at the person in the mirror, and start looking up.  When you start to focus on God, peace will flood in like a river, and all of a sudden your perspective will start to shift and your dreams will start to align with God’s will for your life.  Don’t forget, look up!

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Luke 12:15
15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
2 Corinthians 12:10
10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Proverbs 30:8-9
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches,  but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal,  and so dishonor the name of my God.
Psalm 23:1
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

 

 

 

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She Believes 3 Devotion

Because He Lives

Originally posted April 16, 2017
Mark 16:1-6
1 Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside.
5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, 6 but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!…

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