Guided by God's Spirit

If God is interested in what we eat and drink, (1 Corinthians 10: 31), He is certainly also interested in what we do and when we do it, even it is merely what we eat for dinner.

Following God's will during every decision He calls us to make insures our success in that endeavor. When we finish one task, we pray about what to do next.

Praying without ceasing for God’s direction for each moment of our day allows the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our steps. Then, we can ask His help in whatever He directs us to do.

The Serenity Prayer is very popular among self-help groups, but it is a blue print for walking in the wisdom of Proverbs 3:5-6. It teaches us that we can hear God’s desire for every situation in our life.

It also teaches us that if we cannot deal with our circumstances as they arise, we can put them in God’s capable hands before we go on to the next moment.

This practice keeps us from borrowing trouble from tomorrow ad from worrying about the future. We experience each moment fully and deliberately with thought, prayer and purpose.

If we can do something to change our situation, we do it. If we cannot affect the issues, we turn them completely over to God.

We give everything about the matter over to God, as well as all of the natural consequences of those issues. Then, we go about our day in the peace of God that passes all human understanding.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for giving us the wisdom to know what situations we can change, and which to leave in Your hands. Give us the strength to deal with the issues that You reveal are our responsibility, and help us to turn the rest over to You. We ask You to help us to develop an attitude of acceptance about them.

If we cannot change them, then we will praise You for them, in them, and through them, even for the negative things. By doing this, we will end up walking in complete serenity and in the dynamic power of Your Holy Spirit. We pray that You will fill us through all of our being with all of Your fullness, and that we may have the richest measure of Your presence and become a body, which is completely filled with Your Trinity (Ephesians 3:19, Amplified).

Thought for the Day:

Serenity Prayer: “Father, grant me the patience to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”  

Inching through Life

We can ask God for what we want; and if He wants us to have it, He will give it to us (James 4:3). Yet, it is futile to waste time wanting what we do not have.

If we do, we are telling God that He is a poor provider and He does not have our best interest at heart (1 Peter 5:7). We are exhibiting a lack of faith in His faithfulness and exalting our self over Him.

We are also lacking in gratitude for all that He has already given to us (Philippians 4:6). We are keeping our focus on the temporal aspects of this life and functioning with human understanding.

Jesus died for us all, and rose again - giving us supernatural power so we will not live for our self, but for Him (John 3:16-18; 2 Corinthians 5:15). Jesus is the only way, truth and life; and no one comes to God except through Him (John 14:6).

Our Father God knows best. As we seek His Kingdom first, He provides us with everything we need for our spiritual, physical, emotional and mental well-being (Matthew 6:33). God also gives us wisdom as we ask for it, which guides us in our desires, thoughts and choices.

We stop inching through life as a caterpillar; and instead, we soar like a butterfly on the winds of adversity and trials. We mount up on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31); and rise above the earth as we glide on the air currents that God provides for us.

God gives us the wisdom we need to navigate through life, encourage the downtrodden, reject the devil's temptations to sin, and to make the decisions which affect the rest of our life.

Prayer:

Father God, we do not have to spend one moment longing for anything or anyone but You. We no longer love this world nor the things, which it offers us. If we really need something in our life, which we do not have, You will give it to us. You will move us to another state; or give us a different car, vocation or house; or provide us with a spouse or a child, if it is Your will for us.

Remind us to trust only in You and in Your provision and timing. You have a perfect plan for each one of us and living in the center of Your will is the happiest place on earth. We seek You with all of our heart and we rely on Your wisdom and grace to help us to navigate the decisions in our life.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus is our gift and reward in this life and the next, because He is our all in all. - Colossians 1:17

God's Inner Peace Leads Us

 

God designed us with His perfect will in mind for our life (Ephesians 2:10). It always starts with salvation through Christ, through which we receive eternal life starting at that moment of our true repentance (John 6:40).

Then, He calls us to a life of holiness to exhibit His glory in the earth (1 Peter 1:15). He teaches us patience through the events which we suffer (James 1:4-8). We gain contentment as He fills us with His joy and teaches us to pray without ceasing - full of gratitude for all of His provision (Philippians 4:12; John 14:27).

Slowly but consistently, God's Spirit conforms us to His Son's image, and we join Him as the family of God (Romans 8:29). We grow closer in our union with Him through every difficulty and blessing which He brings our way.

Entering into His will through our faith in Christ Jesus, we continue on His plan for our life through each decision we make. We hear His Spirit direct us in the minutest details of our day; telling us to turn to our right or to our left (Isaiah 30:21).

The key in this walk is to make time to listen to God's Spirit within us, to repent of any sin He reveals in us, and not to ignore or argue with His direction for our day. Our Heavenly Father knows best.

This requires that we slow down the busyness of our schedule and to listen to His peaceful, quiet voice within us (Isaiah 30:15). Fulfillment is our reward when we seek the prize of the high calling of God, and purpose to do His will with our life rather than our own (Philippians 3:14).

Prayer:

Father God, Your Holy Spirit beckons us to follow Your will and to accomplish Your works with our life in this world (Ephesians 2:10). We often stray from Your perfect plan - drawn away by enticing situations and emergencies which compete for our attention (James 1:14).

Remind us to follow Your peace in every situation, regardless of the analytical, human thoughts in our mind (Proverbs 3:5-6). Help us to establish a daily quiet time, with continual spurts of attention given to Your direction all day long. When we follow Your advice on which way to turn, we never take the wrong road (Isaiah 30:21).

Thought for the Day:

God's guiding voice calls to us each moment of our day, but we can only hear it as we quiet the voices of the flesh, the world and the devil within us, and acknowledge God's will for every moment of our day. - Proverbs 3:5-6

Your Life Matters

 

As we grow up, we tend to put away childish things. As adults, we take on too many responsibilities and we neglect our self. Eventually we have a break down.

We may physically run away from our responsibilities or our soul may make our body sick in order to escape the pressures of daily life. There is a much more effective way to stop the feelings of being overwhelmed by life.

We can simplify our life by removing any activity or responsibility that is not necessary for the well-being of our self or our family. Also, be sure to make time for play in the midst of the daily grind.

We often have our children in too many activities. Simplify by enrolling them in just one extra activity other than school. They do not need sports and dance and music classes all at one time. See what they are really interested in and just do one class.

A birthday party does not need to be a momentous event involving elaborate decorations, special themes and their whole class. It can be a few of their closest friends and a simple cake, ice cream and juice.

Are we too involved at work, going the extra mile to impress our boss, working late or extra shifts in order to get that promotion, raise or coveted praise? Simplify by maintaining the required hours and then going home.

Do we function in too many ministries at church? We all have a place to serve, but none of us can do it all. Pick just one thing that you are passionate about and serve in that ministry. You can always change to another ministry later on if you have more than one passion.

Maybe we feel abused, misunderstood, unappreciated, neglected, insecure or fearful. These are valid feelings and we can acknowledge them as such and validate that we are a person too and that we matter.

Do not allow negative self-talk to belittle or to criticize your feelings. Your feelings are real and deserve to be validated as valuable and important. What is stressing out your soul right now? What is causing the negative emotions currently plaguing your soul?

Spend some time getting to know your inner soul - your thoughts, feelings and choices. Journal and write uncensored thoughts about how you are feeling, what you are thinking and why you are making your current choices.

Follow the Serenity Prayer and correct anything in your power to change, accept those things you cannot change by changing your focus about them, and trust God to change or to empower you to face those impossible challenges in your life.

Give yourself little breaks during the day to prop up your feet, have a soda or cup of tea, take a walk in nature, rock or swing on the porch or at the park, sit in the sun for a few moments and soak up those healing rays, do some deep breathing exercises, listen to your favorite music, watch a movie or read a novel just for fun.

Start a new hobby that gives you time for yourself, but make sure that it does not add to your already stressful schedule. Just something simple like a craft, an adult coloring book, needlework, walking, swimming, gourmet cooking class or baking a special dessert and sharing it with those you love.

Climb a tree, jump rope, learn to paint or play an instrument, cuddle a stuffed toy, pet the cat, make a batch of cookies or jam, frame photos of yourself as a child and hang them on the wall with your other photos, wrap up in your favorite blanket or quilt and take a short nap.

Grieve your losses, no matter what they are - big or small they are all important. Give yourself permission to cry; tears are healing and they wash away our grief. They also help us to relieve pent up stress and emotion.

Prayer:

Father God, help us to treat our self as a human being rather than as a machine. Remind us that the good thing in life often become the enemy of the best things. You have a special plan for each life, so help us to walk in it. Give us wisdom in making our decisions, prevent us from overly scheduling our day with too many activities. Help us to take breaks and to give our self a little treat or to take time to breathe in Your Spirit and to give You praise.

We want to honor You with our life and to stop allowing the good things to rob us of walking by Your Spirit and fulfilling Your plan for our life. Teach us to care for our own needs as well as everyone else's and prevent us from being so busy we cannot enjoy our time with family, friends and especially with You.

Thought for the Day:

Never fill your life so full of activities that you actually feel overwhelmed by all of the responsibilities that you have accepted as your own.