Cultivate and Progress

Pray that God would give you complete knowledge of His will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.  Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit.  All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. – Colossians 1:9-10

 

I kid (half joking) my youngest daughter, 7 year old, just finished 1^st grade,  that I wish she would go back and be in kindergarten forever.  It was a such fun time; that now she is growing up too quick.  She says, “Dad! The seats in Mrs. Starling’s class are too small now!  Plus, God wants me to grow up!”

Doesn’t He want us all!

Are you growing up?

One of the funniest tv shows was the Newlywed Game. It was funny because of how each new spouse to the other believed was true about the other.  And when their answers would be different they would look in shock at each other.

It is funny.  But what wouldn’t be funny is if they had the same people on years later asking the same questions and them still getting them totally wrong.

Well, are you?  Are you growing in knowing God better and better and learning who He is and who you are?

 If those newlywed’s never spent intimate time with each other; if they didn’t observe each other and ask one another questions as the years rolled on, they wouldn’t know each other any more than they did on the show.

 

Just like my little 7 year old, God wants you also to grow up…. in Him.

Are you stuck in kindergarten; spiritually speaking? 

Are you seeking daily to know God more?

Are you reading your Bible daily?

Are you in a small group that reads and discusses the Word?

Do you have someone spiritually more mature than you to ask that which you don’t understand?

Are you part of a church family where other’s gifts can bless you?

Are you consistently in prayer?

 

If not, your walk will cease to a crawl or stop completely.  You will become apathetic to God and believe the world has your satisfaction.  It is a belief built on false teaching.

Who God is – and who you are – is a whole lot more and different than what the world tells you. But you cannot discover that without making the above a part of your lifestyle.

 

God wants so much to show you of Himself and of yourself.  He wants you to have a TRUE perspective of Himself and you.  But you have to have that desire.  Has the ways of the world stripped you of that desire?  If so, ask God to give you a hunger and thirst to know Him more.

 

Intentionally, today……and everyday…make knowing God a priority in your life

Right Where You Are

It is more blessed to give than to receive.  Acts 20:35b

However, it isn’t that you have to travel thousands of miles away from home to contribute to the benevolence of others.(But if you do have the opportunity -GO!)  Rather, each of us should be mindful of various encounters that will present themselves each day, where we are, to make a difference in someone else’s life.  We choose whether to step forward and sacrifice some of ourselves that others may be more complete. Even the smallest gesture of help can bring hope and a smile.

My wife had gone to India as part of a Women’s Christian Leadership team.  She felt the calling – when the opportunity presented itself she took it.  She has a heart for empowering women. And, from my own experience, a foreign mission trip is a great fulfilling experience.

You can easily judge the character of a person by how they treat those who can do nothing for him.  James D. Miles.

Your life always has more worth and deep satisfaction when it is lived interdependent to others.

We are in a position of waking up and having a choice: Do I make the world better today, or do I not bother?  Tom Hanks.

Your choice will affect more people than you know, especially yourself.  CHOOSE TO GIVE. 

Intentionally, Today…and every day…be a blessing, be blessed

The LIFE Abundant

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. – Philippians 4:8

The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.  But I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly – John 10:10

You cannot remedy that which you continue to disparage.

You must change YOUR attitude in order to change the atmosphere, the environment that you desire to be different.

If you woke up today condemning/bemoaning/being victim of, your circumstance or reviling an individual (maybe even yourself) you are only feeding that which you yearn to be changed, in becoming even more solidified.  And the longer it will be so.

God expresses His good will for you each day through His grace and mercy.  However, we can deprive ourselves of actualizing them by continuing to be immersed in negative feelings and destructive mindsets.

You have the power to choose.

Choose to focus and absorb yourself in the goodness of God which dwells within you; LIFE, abundant LIFE

What we have been deceived in doing is allowing ourselves to believe we do not have abundant life because of a circumstance, others or even something else in our lives that we have begun to despise.  We focus on the anthill, and in so doing, we have allowed it to become a mountain.  We have allowed it to set our demeanor for the rest of our living space.  It overwhelms our concentration and we attack it angrily or desperately screaming for it to change. 

It weakens you. 

And it hinders God working through you to bring about what you so desperately want – change.  

Change happens only after YOU change.

Avoid and ignore negativity. God does, and you have come forth from Him; created in His image to have the same mind.  Proactively bring forth positive, encouraging and uplifting thoughts to mind that will lead to your words and actions being directed in the same way that comes in concert with the Holy Spirit.  Focus on all your blessings. You will attract the life giving empowerment that God desires to FLOW to and through you.  But YOU must INTENTIONALLY CHOOSE regardless of feelings, emotions, others, circumstances or situations.

    You cannot control others in their responses but you can influence the atmosphere that can bring change.  Respond godly; thoughts, words and actions.  Being intentional you surely can succeed.

Yes you can.  Yes you should, for your own sake and that of others.

Let God CHAMPION through you the LIFE ABUNDANT.

Intentionally, today……and everyday…take charge of your responses