Pour out the blessings!

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my temple.  If you do, “says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,” I will open the windows of Heaven for you.  I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in!  Try it!  Put me to the test! – Malachi 3:10

I’m on this weight loss journey and have been for a while.  Just recently, I joined a program and I’m eating healthier and exercising regularly and it really feels good!  I was talking to a person who’s been on the program for a while and she was saying that initially the weight may take a while to begin to disappear but in a short while things will begin to change so rapidly that you won’t even be prepared to receive the changes!  That has stuck with me for many reasons since that conversation.

That conversation has resonated with me not just on a weight loss level but on so many other levels where I am challenged in life.  As many people do, I pray daily, all through the day about things I know I can’t change on my own.  Things I am forced to wait on God to supply!  Things that are completely out of my control!  Sometimes, I pray so hard that words stop coming out and all I can do is cry until the tears stop flowing.  At those times, I rely on the Holy Spirit to intercede on my behalf as it mentions in the bible.  But in all of this, I do believe that God will come through for me; He will answer my prayers (I just wish I knew the date and timeJ).  The words spoken to me were absolutely right though, from past experience I know that God works so swiftly when he is finally ready to answer you that it often makes you think or say “What just happened?”  When God moves, He doesn’t wait for you to get the house cleaned or get a new dress, He just moves in ways that are supernatural and unexplainable! 

I am a tither but I know that not everyone is.  Maybe you’re thinking about starting today and that’s a decision that’s between you and God but this scripture came into mind for me this week and God has made a clear promise here; He even went as far as to say “Put me to the test!”  The bible says “God is not a man that He should lie” so I know the blessings are described in this scripture are on their way!  I don’t know about you but I’m ready for Him to pour them all over me!  “Try it!”  Put Him to the test!

Song to listen to:    “Lift Him Up!” – Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin and Mary Mary

Don't Give Up!

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.  For at the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” – Galatians 6:9

As I look around at people that I’ve known my whole life I wonder how some have thrived even in the face of adversity while others have remained stagnant.  I wonder why even those who I know have hurt others deliberately; those who have never tried to do what is right and those who seem totally selfish have managed to progress and are alive today to tell the story of how they used to be.

I’ve often sat back and wondered how this whole life and growth thing really works.  Just recently a thought hit me.  The thought was “don’t give up.”  I know in my life I go through the motions whether in one situation or another when I just feel in my heart that I just want to give up!  Sometimes it feels as though I just can’t make it another day!  There have been times when I got into bed at night completely done with life and all of its ups and downs but I’ve realized that even in those times when I awake the next morning I choose to begin again and push forward.

I have people in my life who have though, given up.  I can’t knock them because life can be really really difficult to face each day!  Thankfully, they haven’t given up in the sense of physically taking their lives but they’ve given up hope; given up trust and given up the determination to keep moving until they see a change!  They’ve decided to settle in where they are and just wait to die.  That’s a pretty sad way to live but there are many people on this earth that have decided to do just that.

Although I find myself wavering over there from time to time, I’ve always managed to find my way back to my mustard seed sized faith; that little glimpse of hope; that tiny amount of belief that as long as there’s a God things can turn around.  There’s a saying that I’ve heard since I was a child and I haven’t found it in the bible yet but it goes “God helps those who help themselves.”  There is a similar scripture that says “faith without works is dead.”  To me, both of these sayings means the same thing, we each have a role to play in God moving and turning our situations around.  We can’t give up no matter how hard things seem!  God can change things in an instant but I truly believe that we have to push past hurt and discouragement to meet God halfway.  If we give up, I believe He’ll still keep us alive but the question is do you just want to be alive or do you want to live?  And live abundantly?  It’s not easy to hear or to say this because this is my struggle as well but we got to find the drive to continue to do our part.  God knows we can’t do it all and He wants us to rely on him when we’ve done all we can do, but it’s not pleasing to him when we decide we’ll just lie down and die.  There are so many people who’ve done just that, they look like they’re alive but inside their hearts and minds they’ve died.  Make a choice with me today to never ever give up!  There’s too much to lose and too much to gain!  Don’t give up!

  

Song to listen to: “You Shall Reap” –Dewayne Woods

For "My" Good

“All things work together for good, of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose” – Romans 8:28

Everyday we talk to people.  We work with people, ride the train and bus with people, call people, and make eye contact with people.  We encounter so many people throughout each day of our lives that it’s impossible to count.  Some of these people we know, or think we know and some we’ll never have the chance to really learn about.  Though we will never be able to know them, God knows each one, inside and out.  Often, I find myself complaining about my life, my situations, my trials but usually it doesn’t take long for me to talk with someone and see that things could be worse!

Today, I thought about the scripture above.  I was listening to a song and the singer said “I don’t know your story.”  That line struck me and I couldn’t get it out of my head.  Everyone has their own unique story.  Of course some parts of some stories may remind you of your life or someone’s life that you know about, but no two stories will ever be exactly the same. 

This week, I’ve been thinking about how much God is doing in my life behind the scenes.  The battles He’s fighting to keep me alive; the doors He’s opening to promote me; the people He’s creating to show me favor; and the plans He’s laying out for each and every one of my tomorrows.  That’s a lot! And he’s not just doing that for me, but He’s doing that for everyone we know and don’t know.  All I can say is WOW! 

Even in the midst of all that God is doing, we still live with heartache and pain; we still become discouraged and disappointed when things don’t go our way; we still yearn for things and people to change and be what we want them to be.  I often try to remember this scripture and the fact that my journey, my story, and my testimony will not be like anyone else’s.  When I wonder why someone’s life seems better than mine in ways or why someone’s promotion has come before mine, I have to begin to remember that it’s because that’s the path and timeline God has carefully set for them and mine is different because I’m different.   There’s a specific and perfect plan for me and me alone!  I’m definitely working on accepting and embracing that truth today. 

Song to listen to:  “My Testimony” – Marvin Sapp

TRUST

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" - Proverbs 3:5

Trusting God would not be so difficult if we didn't have eyes; didn't have ears; and didn't have hearts.  If we didn't have eyes, we wouldn't be able to see others around us seemingly reeping all the benefits of our hard work and tears.  If we didn't have ears, we wouldn't hear people talk about how great their lives are and how everything just continues to fall into place for them.  If we didn't have hearts, we wouldn't feel the sting of pain as we get on our knees every night, begging God to answer our most desired prayers and awake the next day with the burden of that one prayer still unanswered.

I've struggled alot with trusting God, I'll admit it.  I know it's easy to trust God when all is well; when things are going smooth, when you're employed; when everyone in the family is healthy; when your relationships are going good; when there's money in your pockets; and when things look like they're moving in the right direction.  It's not so easy when your health is failing you; when the person you love has walked out on you; and when you just can't seem to find peace anywhere you go! 

I'm struggling even today with life, with unanswered prayers, with questions that noone can answer for me.  Life is hard!  After you make the decision that you're going to keep living until God says it's your time to close your eyes for good, you have to make the choice to trust God!  It doesn't feel good to trust when your eyes and ears and heart are telling you to give up!  It doesn't feel good when good things seem to happen to  people who are doing all the wrong things.  It doesn't feel good when you've prayed and cried and cried and prayed for years for your dreams to come to life, yet you still can't see them.  But one thing that is getting me through each day even now is that I do believe that God is in control.  I do believe that God has my best interest at heart.  I do believe that God is working on my behalf behind the scenes!  I do believe that God rewards those who diligently seek him!  Even though I get mad at the world and mad at God, I always find myself back on my knees, apologizing to God for doubting him and confessing with my mouth that I trust him.  Even when my heart is breaking, there's one little piece of it that reminds me that if I just keep trusting God things will begin to turn around.

Song to listen to: "I Trust You" - James Fortune & Fiya