Your Life!

When we seek to please “self”, we open ourselves up to uncontrolled emotions, soulish thoughts and selfish desires.
*”…for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain.”Ezekiel 33:31
*Jonah was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, and as a result fled from the Lord’s will.
Jonah 1:3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
“Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” James 3:11
*We cannot show forth God’s Life and self-life at the same time.

*******Don’t Waste Your Life?

You see, even under grace it does matter what you do with your life. Don’t waste your life is the message of God to us.
We need to be gripped by the reality that choices we make have consequences both now and for eternity.

Martin Luther lived by a motto he often repeated:
“I have but two days in my calendar – Today, and the Day I stand before Christ.”

Christ’s coming simply reveals what people have been all the time. For us as believers, Paul tells us that when we stand before Christ “each man’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it” (1 Corinthians 3:13).

Remember, the One who has planned the End from the Beginning has told us what will happen in the days ahead, and this is His Plan for History.

Daniel 4:3 How great are His signs, and how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation.
*The book of Daniel is a great example of a man who was proactive is his faith. As you read the book of Daniel you will find the following proactive nature of Daniel.
1) Daniel spent time with God regularly. This gave him a better understanding of who God is and what pleases God.

2) Daniel made decisions that pleased God. He was not concerned with earthly treasure but rather with the blessings of God.

3) Daniel’s testimony of God through the way he lived and the decisions he made, always pointed people toward God.

The problem with most Christians today is that WE are reactive in our decision making and our understanding of God. ***Our knowledge of God’s word is limited because we choose to spend small amounts of time reading and studying His word.( Hosea 4:6 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me.)

Daniel chose to spend time with God. Moses always set up a tent while he was in the desert where he would meet with God.

We need to spend time with God more. So we can get to know Him, His likes and His dislikes, the way He thinks and what is important to Him. We need to set up our own ‘tent.’ away from the distractions of this world, where we spend time focusing on God and His word.

For years I walked in my own strength of “I can do it,” but God brought me to His strength and the knowledge that “He can do it in me.”

He has brought me out of my own power, which is so limited and flawed, to being dependent on the infilling power of His Spirit.
Confidence in myself has very limited power, whereas confidence in Him brings limitless possibilities.

I know that I’ll still have days of struggle with confidence, but my rebuilt and renewed sense of confidence is now firmly in Christ. It’s a beautiful place to be.
“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them….” Exodus 13:21
*How are you at waiting on God?
*How do you determine if God is giving you the green light to move forward?

Many  believers make the mistake of adding up all the pluses and then concluding that God has given them the green light.
Several factors go into making a decision from the Lord.

Through experience I believe it is important to do a couple of things before you make a decision on a matter.
* First, you should gather facts.
Fact gathering allows you to determine all the realities of a given situation. However, this does not ultimately drive your decision, but it can put a stop to it.
For instance, if you were planning to build a shopping center and you knew the only way to lease the space was to rent to a porn shop, your decision would be made. God would NOT lead you to enter into unrighteous ventures.

*Second, is the Holy Spirit guiding you in your decision?
“If the Lord delights in a man’s way, He makes his steps firm” (Ps. 37:23).
God puts hedges around us, but many times we bull our way through the hedges under the guise of tenacity and perseverance.
*This too is unrighteousness. One wise workplace believer stated that the greatest success one can have in business is to know when it is time to pull the plug rather than keep forcing a situation. Not all businesses last forever.

*Third, has your decision been confirmed?
God has placed others around us to be used as instruments in our lives to confirm decisions and keep us from the deceit of our own heart.

“Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (2 Cor. 13:1b).
This is God’s way of keeping us within the hedge of His protection.

“Write your plans in pencil and give God the eraser!!! (Read Hab. 2:2-)

Refuse to be offended or take what other people say as a personal attack against you.  The enemy would have you respond in ways that will open the door to a greater assault.
* Forgive quickly and move on.
* Don’t dwell on the things that have gone wrong, but rather take the time to be thankful. It is of vital importance that you keep your focus on things that really matter.

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.

Dear Lord,I ask that you continue to renew my mind. Help me to think positive, think and view others the way you view them. I understand that the mind is a very powerful tool, so I ask that I will use it to please you and bring life to others. Help me to die to myself so that I would be a pure vessel. A vessel that only fresh and living water flows from me into others. By me dieing to myself, I would be able to help lead my brothers and sisters to their Living Father. I have depended on myself so many times and fallen short. My confidence has been shaken many times. Rebuild me daily Lord by helping me to put my FULL confidence in You and what You have said and continue to say through your perfect absolute truth in your Word.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.