Psalms 127 1-2
“1. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 

2. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.”

Romans 12 :2

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

We are living in exciting times. God is maneuvering his people into the place he needs them to be. Every triumph and failure you have experienced on your journey has worked to get you where you are now. It is not a coincidence that you are in this place today. Your presence has been divinely ordered.

God is speaking – always. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit is saying to the church. God has been dealing with us, and it is time to move. But everything must be do decently and in order.

We are not to move without him. We are not to move without instruction. We are not to go beyond his word to us.

• Many of us have moved based on a good idea, but no real leading from God.
• Many of us hear what God has spoken in our spirit, but we moved prematurely.
• Many of us do not trust God enough so we do not let him be God of the situation.

All of these situations leave the believer in a state of great frustration – wondering “God, where are you?

We find ourselves spending many years trying to dig ourselves out of situations where our lack of faith, and inability to trust God, as lead use.

“Let God Be God!” 

***When the Lord builds – he gives you everything you need. 

When we build, we begin using limit vision, we build short sightedly. Our vision is finite.

When we build, we want to use our physical muscles. We use our own logic and understanding. We try to mingle this with a little faith and call this allowing God to lead us.

Trust is a firm belief in the reliability, character, truth, ability or strength of God.

Trust takes practice! The idea of trust is learned when we become believers. The reality of trust in God is something that we hone, perfect, as we walk with him.

When God births something in our spirit, we are to step out on faith – and watch God move. But when we get to the point where the next step is not clear, we are to pray for direction, and not move until God shows us the way.

Romans 12:2 to us not to be conformed to this world.

We do not operate the same way the world does.

Instead, we are transformed because our minds are to be renewed by the word of God. Why, so we can be found in the will of God. It is our choice …

Good will of God – to be desire or approved, having qualities required for a particular role.
Acceptable will of God – suitable, able to be tolerated or allowed. Adequate, satisfactory.

Perfect will of God – completely free from faults or defects, or as close to such a condition as possible.

Even the world encourages us to work smarter, not harder.

It is your choice, trust God, and let him build the house? Or continue to walk in the flesh, and only experience little to no success. Good, acceptable or perfect will of God.

“Let God Be God.”

We are mid way through the first month of the year, and many have had trouble sticking with changes (I refuse to say New Years Resolutions) they want to make.

DON’T GIVE UP!!   Keep plugging away, stick to your plan/time table. It is said that after 21 days of doing something over and over, it becomes a habit.

It is okay to start over again if you have messed up already. Begin again, practice your new behavior everyday, it will eventually become a habit and you will have successfully made a change. 

This is a year of new beginnings. Do not get discouraged. If you have messed up already. Forgive yourself, repent to God, and begin again. Real change takes practice. That means you will mess up from time to time, just don’t stay there. REFUSE to settle for the same ole, same ole. Go after (with all you’ve got) the things that God has for you. Do not let the devil steel your victory or your future. 

I John 4:4

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Be encouraged, God has your back. However, you must trust him enough to keep fighting the good fight of faith.
*** I hope this post has encouraged your heart, and blessed your soul. I look forward to hearing from you. Your comments are welcomed. God bless. 

Matthew9:20-22

“20. And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

21. For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

22. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.”

Luke 8:43-44

“43. And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 

44. Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.”

Many of the topics that we have discussed lately are focused around faith and change. Today is no exception.

Looking at the woman with the issue of blood is a perfect study when recognizing the need for change. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to trust God and seek his direction in all of our ways. However, most of us are like the woman with the issue of blood. She first did everything within her own power to seek her own deliverance (spent her money on Doctor after Doctor. None could help). When everything was gone, and they had done all they could do (to no avail), she then turned to God. 

At the point of her desperation, her thoughts turned to God. Desperation caused her to acknowledge God and seek his deliverance.

Most of us are the same way. We trust in our own strength, income, knowledge, and other resources to accomplish our goals. If we are successful, we might give God the praise. If we are not, we keep going in this same direction until we hit a brick wall which we cannot scale. At this point, we too, will turn to God for help.

What God wants his people to do is to trust him from the beginning of our situations, not only at the end of our rope. 

Imagine if this woman had turned to God earlier, what pain and anguished she could have spared herself. Not to mention the money she could have saved. Likewise we ourselves, If we trust God at the beginning of our situations. Choosing rather to discuss them with God in fasting and prayer. Imagine how great an outcome we can have? We would save ourselves many failures and heartache. 

We must choose to do things differently to achieve a different result. Change is possible. We must be willing to change the way we approach difficult situations. This may sound challenging if not impossible, but start on smaller decisions. Then work your way up to the big ones. Practice makes perfect. Real change is a practiced behavior. Over time it becomes your standard behavior. 

This is a new year, and I have decided to make it my best year. This is the year I walk into the vision God has given me. I want to encourage you to do the same. Go after, whole heartedly, the things God has placed in your spirit. Accomplish the things he has given you to do. Your triumph is assured, but you must first take that leap of faith. Begin the journey, seeking his guidance all the way.

*** I hope this has blessed you. I encourage you to study the scriptures referenced above and seek God. He has a plan for you – get it accomplished! As always, your comments are welcomed. God bless.

Philippians 3:13-14

“13. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

The New Year brings wonderful opportunity to leave  behind the old, and to embrace the new. 

I want to encourage you not to be afraid to do things differently than you have done before. Change is necessary to obtain a different outcome. The problem with change is that many people are afraid to make them. Fear of the unknown will keep you stuck in a rut – chained to an unending cycle of mediocrity or failure. 

The scriptures encourage to forget the things behind us and to boldly press toward the future, which is a high calling in Jesus.

Failures will happen. Learn from them, make the necessary changes, and move forward. Your growth should be constant – unending.

Do not let your failures make you afraid to stretch out your faith. Try God – press forward.  Forget the past, concentrate on the present, and prepare yourself for the future – in Christ.

Happy New Year – make it a blessed, successful 2016!

*** I hope your are blessed by the word of God. As always your comments are welcomed.