Are You Ready To Get Started?

Sometimes I wonder, if God is really trying to drive the point home about trusting him in difficult situations. I began to examine the book of Job, and when Satan and God had their conversation, I inserted my name everywhere Job’s name was. I said to myself, could God, have had that conversation about me?

You know, sometimes I’m not so sure that God could have that conversation about me, there are many times where I feel I let him down, disappoint him, disrespect him, and do exactly the opposite of what he requires of me, but then those are normal human feelings.

However in life we may not really be ready to get started. There are so many tasks that lay ahead of us, that we are depending on others to help us do, I think God wants us to realize that we are equipped to do these things ourselves, sometimes we can become so dependent on others that we forget what we are truly made of.  Queen Esther learned that she was equipped also, and has a book named after her in the Bible. The Book of Esther, with only ten chapters is a very unique book in the bible, in that it does not mention God’s name even once, however his power and his method’s for delivering his people can clearly be seen throughout the text of the book of Esther. The only other book in the bible not to mention God’s name is the “Song of Solomon”. However, the book of Esther displays God’s providence in difficult times and that he comes through for his people.  {4:14} {4:16}

The Time Is Now:

I truly believe that God uses each of our situations to show us, what we are truly made of. Often God wants us to take a reality check, there is a difference in relying on God, and being dependent on people. Have you noticed, like me, that it seems God will give you a vision, he will give you a dream, and in the physical many of us don’t feel like we can accomplish them, nor does it seem like we have the resources needed to make them a reality, we know that without God’s help they wont come to pass. Often we focus so much on getting our dreams, goals and visions for our lives to being a reality that we forget about our present, however this is a dangerous thing to do, it is our present that lays the foundation for our future.

What’s Hindering You?

Is it possible that you could be so focused on your future, that you have forgotten to lay down good foundations for your present? Are you waiting on others to help you accomplish what God has already equipped you and given you the tools inside of yourself to do? So, what’s hindering you? Is it a lack of faith, determination, motivation? Every time we don't trust God, we show doubt in him.

Are You Waiting Or Procrastinating?

31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Truly waiting on God, requires action on our part. So are you truly waiting or procrastinating? While we are waiting on God, we are still supposed to be going about the business of our daily lives. While we wait, we are to renew our strength, ,work with haste and not grow so easily tired or burnt out. We should stop to enjoy life, without feeling that we are not making adequate progress. This verse speaks of ACTION, not sitting at a stand still. So whatever excuses you’ve used in the past, they no longer work, go right ahead and toss them out the window with the bath water, God does not need our assistance to make good on his word, it is our responsibility to work, with faith, motivation and determination, trusting that God, who directs the affairs of our lives, will give us the ability and tools required to accomplish everything that’s set before us. So, Are You Ready To Get Started?

~Waiting On The Lord, Means To Have Faith/Confidence In Him, We Are Equipped To Do The Work & Accomplish The Tasks Before Us!~

The Fight Of Your Life!

Imagine yourself in a ring, a boxing ring of sort’s. You don’t know how you got there, but you're there. There’s a crowd watching, your suited up and your opponent is in the corner getting revved up and ready to go. You approach your opponent with some signs of nervousness, wondering what am I doing in this ring? 1,2,3 The Bell rings, and the fight commences.

The fight goes on for sometime, it’s really hard to tell who has the upper hand. You get some hits in,  they got some hits, in and it seemed like the fight dragged on for a while. Your coach in your respective corner, saw that you were getting tired, and called a break.

Your coach mentors you over in the corner, gives you water, gives you a few tips on how to defeat your opponent, then in amazement you look again, and instead of your coach “pep talking”  you, it’s God himself, who is encouraging you, God says, my  child, the race has been rough, the fight has been long and draining, but you're not out for the count. You see my child, the devil your adversary, wishes to destroy you, but the fight is rigged in your favor, I know things are tough, I know at times you have felt like you wanted to give up, throw in the towel and  call it quits, but God says, you must continue, this is “The Fight Of Your Life”, you must get back in the ring, you must continue fighting, now is the time, where you must make every effort to bring your dreams, goals and visions for your life to pass, I will help you, God says to you, you were born to do the things I have planted down in your spirit, no one else can give birth to them, now is the time, and now is the season.

Noticing that your time in the corner is fading away, you ask God, has my living been in vain, and he says no, your living has not been in vain, he says to you, continue fighting for I am with you, continue fighting for out of great struggle comes great victory! God says to you, my child, its time for you to go back into the ring, but remember because I am the greatest power, and I am with you, you shall not be defeated.

You rush back in the ring, to begin the fight, and the scene slowly fades away…..

~Everyone That Is In Your Ring, Is Not In Your Corner~

The Roller Coaster Of Life

Imagine yourself riding an awesome  roller coaster, it’s at the latest and greatest theme park, I have decided to ride with you, although we pick different buggies, you a lover of roller coasters, and me scared to death of them. We approach the ride with trepidation, and excitement. The roller coaster locks, us in, it’s path unknown. The roller coaster hits, bumps, glitches and shakes, shaking us and our confidence in the process. The roller coaster goes over hills and glides through falls, each one, seeming quicker than the other, each turn, curve unexpected takes our breath away. The roller coaster thrills us, excites us, scares us, and frightens us, every time we prepare our nerves, something new, greets us, on a ride in which we cannot stop and seemingly have no control over. Such is Life.

Life takes us along a journey, each new day brings challenges, excitement and elements of fear of the unknown. Often it seems like we are locked in a journey or path and destination, unknown to us. We climb towards mountains, and race toward valleys, our struggles and triumphs seem to fall into a steady rhythm. Life offers us thrills, it greets us, excites us, scares us at times and even frightens us, we prepare ourselves, and often find our preparation for naught, for this new obstacle, this new struggle we could not foresee, it caught us, by surprise.  Such Is Life.

At times we felt alone, at times we questioned why, at times we looked around and wondered why didn’t I die? At times we felt unsure, often wondering “Lord, what have I done to deserve this? At times it seemed like God, offered no reply. At times it felt like time moved too fast, and at other times the wait seemed unbearable, we wondered aloud through our moments of triumph, victory and defeat, when oh, when will this ride end, the ride slowly calmed, peace it seemed in the midst of the storm had finally arrived, we looked around surprised to see Jesus sitting peacefully by our side.

~Playing In The Background, “Just for Who You Are” by Earnest Pugh~

There Is Nothing & No One Like God

There is nothing {no situation}, in our lives that is beyond the reach of God's hand. There is nothing {no issue(s)}, that arise in our lives, that catches God by surprise.

There is nothing {no infirmity}, of which you can't be healed & made whole. Have you forgotten that there is no power on the earth or in the heavens, that is greater than God?

God~Must Be 1st!

I believe that the most difficult thing to do is Praise God when things are not going well, when our backs are against a wall, when all hell seems to be breaking loose in our lives, but those are precisely the times when we should Praise God, even the more, for we owe God a praise. However, so many people are walking around giving God their leftovers, leftover money, leftover talent, leftover prayer life, leftover worship, oh but what if God gave you someone’s leftover breath, do you think you would be able to breath?

6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:6

What if God gave us some leftover sunlight, would it still warm the earth anew? What if God gave us some leftover rain, would it fall from the sky to wash the earth clean? What if God gave us, a leftover anointing, would we be as effective? What if God gave us leftover grace, would we have made it out alive, in a place we knew we should not have been in the first place? What if God gave us left over mercy, would you have still just caught the STD and not the HIV? What if God, Oh What if God, decided to give you leftover salvation, would all your sins, still be washed away? What if God decided to give you leftover sanity, would you still know him as a keeper? What if God, decided to give you leftover time, would you be able to accomplish everything that has been set before you?

33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

God should be first in our lives, not an afterthought, someone we reach out to just when we need him, someone who’s only called on in cases of emergency. I don’t know about you, but I enjoy hearing from God daily.

I put him first in everything I do, for it is in him I move, breath and have my being. Don’t get it twisted, we would be nothing without God, we could do nothing without him.  It  is because of his grace and mercy that we made it through the most difficult parts of our lives,it’s because of his grace and mercy, that we didn’t commit suicide,committing to death everything God had placed within us.

It’s because of his grace and mercy that we didn’t die of a drug overdose, don’t get it twisted, my friends, readers, haters, and family, you didn't get where you are in life on your own. How do I know this, I tried it on my own, I couldn't make it, without God holding my hand.

So if you find yourself, giving God your leftovers, and not putting  God first in your life, I urge you to do so today, he will make a change in your life, and your life will be sweeter with him as your guide.

Read More @ adifferentmeandyou.wordpress.com

Your Next Step……

Every move you make, every single day,every time you pray, every step you take….

Wherever you may happen to be as you read this post, turn to your neighbor, turn to your friend, turn, turn to anybody and say to them with conviction, “My Next Step Is Destiny”!!

Relationship With God 

It is impossible to walk with God, have a relationship with God and your life not be changed, God always inspires us to reach for more, believe in ourselves and our abilities. God loves to remind us that he can do the impossible and that with his help we can achieve the seemingly impossible. 

24And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. Genesis 5:24

The more you walk with God, the more your life will change, often we feel like we are walking thorough life in circles, or a cycle like the children of Israel were when they walked in the desert for forty years.

Repeating Cycle’s/Roadblocks

However, you are not in a repeating cycle, even though you may not think you are making progress, you are.  A cycle is a roadblock, something that frustrates you, such as when people lose their wallet, they search and search and search, with one determined focus, getting their lost or misplaced wallet back.

While walking with God, we fight battles of both spiritual and physical warfare.  It is not enough to just pray in the spiritual, and to conduct spiritual warfare and ignore the reality around you.

How I Conduct Spiritual Warfare

The following is a journal entry I wrote not too long ago, when I was fighting a spiritual battle:  

God, I have been in Spiritual Warfare since I have been sleep last night, the devil knows that I fight on all fronts, and that I’m just positioning myself for victory, my actions, my prayer life, my conversation and my relationships have all been in one direction, totally focused on the battle at hand. I have had people sing, read & even pray for me. I have used everything at my disposal to fight this battle. I refuse to concede defeat, I realize that often I must go through, to get to my breakthrough. God, could I be aiming at too many things at one time, thereby rendering myself ineffective at obtaining the victory over just one thing? Could I have my hands set to do too many things? God how can I regain my focus? How can I give the tasks in front of me 100%.  God I have so many things I want to see you do in my life, I realize that I must wait on your perfect timing, but honestly I am tired of waiting. God, there are so many people close to me who need a breakthrough, need a miracle, they need you to come through for them, or they just won’t make it. God I have faith in the tools you have given me, and I know you will use the tools you have placed in my hand to be effective against the battle at hand. God even I, find myself needing your help and I am totally dependent on you.

!Your Next Step Is Destiny!

Let’s Take A Walk

If I may take the liberty, I want you to imagine yourself walking in a prairie wilderness, with God, all around you are just lush grass, flowers and trees as far as your eyes can see. You can feel his presence beside you, the weather is warm and the sun is shining just right with a slight breeze. As you walk, you begin to tell God all your troubles, all your heartaches, all your struggles. God turns to you and says, my child tell me about where you are now. You begin to tell God how your struggling, you feel like your not going anywhere, your tired of working towards your goals and dreams, you feel like things would be going better for you if you were back home, or if you could just be anywhere else than where you are now. You reflect with regret on some of your past mistakes and choices. God looks at you, with eyes filled with love, and with his still quiet voice, he says,  My child, do you not know that I who created you, had a plan in mind for you before you were born, that I who created you, knew what tasks you would face, knew what battles you would triumph in, I who created you, filled you with creativity and knowledge, filled you with ideas and concepts. I make all things well, as you have been walking down life’s journey, I have been right here beside you, at times you felt alone, you couldn't feel my presence but I was still here, at times you called out to me, in desperation, in despair, in anguish, it hurt me to see you so, but my hand was still here to guide you. You see my child, only you thought things in your life were delayed, only you thought that you were not moving fast enough, you saw everyone else succeed, saw everyone else move ahead in your eyes and you questioned me. You wondered what was taking so long, why were my promises so far off for you, while others around you seemed to get blessed every day, living half the life you live. You see my child, while on the surface it looks as though those around you are really doing well they are not really living, just functioning through life.  My Child, I who have started a work in you, have you just where you need to be, walking with me, you can never go wrong. Each day of your life, you have been walking with me, and I have always guided you where you needed to be, I know what’s best for you, and I made a plan for you before you were born, I considered all the obstacles and trails and tribulations you would face, and I made them all work for your good and according to my plan, and now Your Next Step Is Destiny, That’s only if you choose to continue to walk this journey with me, God then says, Will You?

Have You Ever?

Have you been giving too much of yourself away? Have you ever wondered if your efforts are worth it, when you walk away and no one says thank you? Have you ever slipped a financial gift in someone’s hand, have you ever lifted up a prayer for someone else? Have you ever sacrificed your want to help meet someone else’s need?

Have you ever been an unnamed solider who has marched in someone’s life to make it better, and all that is left is the impact (footprints) of your presence on their life? Have you ever questioned the energy it required to finish a task for someone or something else that was important at the time, only to drain all your energy and not be able to accomplish what you needed to when you arrived at your home? Have you ever invested so much time in something, someone or a particular task, and those hours you poured in seemed to yield little return for your investment? For every act that you think has gone unnoticed, for every good deed that you think has gone under the radar it has not. It will be rewarded.

Unnoticed giving, giving in secret. Expending your time energy and resources, don’t forget emotions with little notice from others. You may seem like your very much underappreciated, you may think your unnoticed or undervalued, but you are not.

So if you happen to find yourself feeling this way, do not despair. Someone sees your efforts and they have not gone unnoticed in his eyes. He (God) is watching every opportunity you’ve seized, every gift you’ve given, every kind word you’ve said, he has taken notice and he will reward you in due time. Isn’t that the best reward worth receiving anyway?

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