Promises, Promises

I've made them; I've broken them. I've also just plain forgotten them. I've been disappointed by broken promises made by family, friends, coworkers and those I barely know. Yet, most people sincerely intend to keep the promises they make (don't they?!). We're successful at times and other times, we're incapable of coming through before we even make the vow.

God's been reminding me of some of His promises lately. Isn't it so comforting to know that He keeps His promises...all of them. His word is chock full of them but let's examine a few:

#1 Philippians 4:6,7

"Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be know unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

God promises us when we pray and give thanks we can expect His peace. We don't have to understand it, just expect it. His peace is something I've come to value more and more the older I get. Boy, do I love that one!

#2 Romans 8:38, 39

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Did you hear that??!! Do you get that???!! His love is so great for you, for me, that NOTHING can separate us from that love! Whew, what a promise!

and #3 Philippians 4:13

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

That one is both encouraging and convicting. When I want to give up; when I think I just can't do it...He whispers or shouts (whatever is needed at the moment) that one to me. I can't do it on my own. I can do nothing without Him. AAAHHHH, but with Him there's nothing He's ordained for me that I can't accomplish.

We'll take a look at some others in upcoming posts, but in the meantime, I challenge you to pull out a few promises from His word and really dwell in them. Ask the Lord to remind you of one of His promises each time a friend, family member or coworker makes you a promise. Write them down on an index card and post on your mirror or daytimer. Ask Him to pour a little more cement on your footer of belief through His promises. You'll feel more solid in your knowledge of Him. You won't be disappointed!

Just Do It!

In my previous post I shared that God was not so gently nudging me to "get off the couch" on some areas of belief, to get active. He's really been challenging me to do the next thing with regard to some things I'm believing for, things I know He put in my heart.

When my mentor sent me scripture references for "active belief", James 1:22 was an obvious connect..."But be ye doers of the word and not hearers". Another reference she sent to me was a word the Jewish Sagesgave for our word proactive. The word "Zerizus" can be translated as enthusiastic diligence, joyful willpower. I have needed some "zerizus" in a few areas, how about you?

In today's post, I'm posing some questions to us all:

* What has God been nudging you to do?

* Who has He been asking you to forgive?

* What has He been daring you to dream and what's the first step He wants you to take toward that dream?

* What's He been asking you to lay down?

* Has He been asking you to trust Him with your finances through beginning to tithe?

* Has he laid a person on your heart who needs salvation?

* Who's He be leading you to ask to church?

* What old wound has he been wanting to heal but you won't look at?

Whatever it is, JUST DO IT!!

In our country right now, you can't turn on the tv or read an article without the word CHANGE coming up. What's God calling you to change so that you may experience a new level of closeness to Him; a new level of peace, a new level of joy, a new level of freedom. Change is almost never comfortable. Much like starting a new exercise program, you get stretching and pulled in unfamiliar directions. Most of the time, to get to the next level of where God is leading us, it requires some discomfort. I don't know about you, but I sure am ready for that next level.

"NIKE" is literally the greek word for action. So, let's borrow the tagline from the famous commercials, and JUST DO IT!

No More Couch Potato Belief

After the holidays, I asked God to direct me in setting goals for the New Year. I felt Him lead me to set several goals for work, for home, for the family and for finances. Of course spiritually, I wanted to deepen my relationship with Jesus, to spend more time in prayer, to read the Bible more and become a better servant. However, the phrase I felt like God kept giving me was "ACTIVE BELIEF". The word "action" kept coming up in my thoughts and prayer time again and again. When I began imagining a Rambo-esque, spiritual action hero, crawling through the muck with a fish sign dangling from his bandanna, a dog tag embossed with a cross and a bedazzled spiritual bowie knife, I knew it was time to rein in the imagination and get on my knees to ask God what He meant.

I must admit though, I asked for some help from my mentor in searching out some scriptural references for active belief before going to God on this. I had done a few google searches here & there and kept coming up empty based on what I was typing in. My mentor is an incredible Bible scholar & very quickly had returned tons of information to me via email (she was being a great example of the word). Tomorrow we'll really dive into some of the things she sent me. Anyway, on the way home tonight, I asked God to just spell it out for me. This is what I sensed... now it not the time for couch potato belief; now is the time to believe for the things that I have put in your heart and ACT on them.

Okay, that seems fairly clear. Hear what God is saying & do it...pretty simple huh? Not quite so simple. I believe we're in a time where we cannot just be satisfied with praying the same old prayers, half-heartedly expecting God may or may not show up. I believe He longs to move and He is awaiting His people to position themselves for Him to do so. For me that means digging deeper into His word, committing to a time everyday where I listen to Him instead of talking - even if I don't hear anything specific. It means acting immediately when the Holy Spirit prompts me; it means getting outside of my spiritual comfort zone and allowing God to reveal Himself to me any way He would like. It means applying my time & talents in a very focused direction toward expanding the kingdom as Holy Spirit directs. It means even when it's not convenient, even when I don't feel like it, I hear Him, Believe Him and ACT!

So, here's the drill...

Step 1: Get off the couch.

Step 2: Get on your knees.

Step 3: Get up & do it!!!

ACTIVE BELIEF - Couch potatoes arise and put on your spiritual NIKE's - just do it.