Preparing For Your Calling Series: “God’s Blessingsâ€
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
—2 Timothy 2:20
This is the fifth message in my series on preparing for your calling. Follow this link to read previous posts in this series. Last week, I talked about renewing our minds to the mind of Christ. This week, we will focus our minds on God’s blessings. Thinking God wants us to continually suffer is a wrong mindset that can keep us from following God’s plan for our lives. When we see all the persecution and suffering Jesus and His disciples faced, we can often become fearful from following God’s will.
I read a message recently. A woman was complaining to God about her trials when she heard Him say, “Don’t give the devil glory. Give me the glory.†The devil throws a lot at us, but his attacks are nothing compared to all the glory and blessings God provides for those who follow Him with all their hearts.
I recently wrote a timeline of my life, detailing all the major events that took place from birth until now. As I was writing, I was amazed that God’s blessings were by far greater than the devil’s destructive influence in my life.
May the LORD, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!
Deuteronomy 1:11
The disciples understand that God’s power was so much greater than the devil’s. They were full of joy, despite the suffering they experienced because of the gospel. Paul said their light afflictions were momentary and nothing compared to the everlasting glory they would see (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Paul’s “light†afflictions were:
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open seas, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
2 Corinthians 11:24-28
Even though Paul faced hardships, the Lord not only rescued him from ALL of them (2 Timothy 3:11), but He also gave Paul “surpassingly great revelations†(2 Corinthians 12:7).
God’s blessings are greater than our trials. When I am starting to feel down in my spirit I will often ask God to bless me to remind me that He is greater. It helps take my attention away from my problems and keeps me looking expectantly to God. Just last week, I was starting to get down about my finances. My husband’s hours were cut short recently and our bills were higher. I asked God one morning to send us a blessing. Later that day, my husband received a note from his boss informing him that he would be receiving a bonus in his check. Then a couple days later, he was informed that he would also be receiving a pay raise.
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:11
In the two years it took me to write my first book I experience many trials and opposition. As it started to weigh down on me, I asked God to send me a special gift to refresh my spirit. Since my birthday was coming up, I asked Him to send me a message on my birthday through someone I didn’t know. I asked Him to answer a specific question and to give me confirmation that I was in His will and going in the right direction.
On my birthday, I was answering emails when I accepted a friend request on a social network from a man I didn’t know. I sent him a general thank you for adding me as a friend. He replied that he didn’t know how he found me, but when he sent me a request he strongly heard a message from the Lord that he was supposed to give to me. At first, I was a little skeptical, but as I read the message I knew right away it was from God. It was exactly what I had asked for. It was so personally directed to me that no one could have known except God.
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?â€
John 11:40
I can sit here for days sharing all the wonderful blessings God has worked in my life. God is faithful, even when we don’t see it right away. I have prayed for years for God to answer a specific prayer about a person who is very dear to me. Just this past week, I have seen an amazing transformation take place in this loved one. Just when I’m about to lose hope and give up, God shows me how faithful He is. God’s glory is greater than we can ever imagine. No matter what trial you are experiencing today, give God the glory, not the devil. God who is in you is greater than the devil who is in the world (1 John 4:4)!
The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.â€
Isaiah 35:1-4
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Prayer For The Week:
Heavenly Father,
I praise You for Your faithfulness. You will never leave me or forsake me. Thank you for sending Jesus to redeem me. Pour out Your blessings and display Your glory in me. Keep my mind focused on You and not my trials. I look expectantly to You. I praise You that You will do above and beyond what I can ever imagine according to Your power working in me. I want to give You all the glory, not the devil!
In Jesus’ name I praise You! Amen!
Verses To Meditate On:
2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Romans 8:28-32
Have a blessed Christmas celebrating God’s greatest blessing to us, Jesus!!
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*Come back next Monday as the series continues.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
Posted in Monday's Blogs, Preparing For Your Calling Series and tagged Blessings, Discipleship, God, God's blessings, Holy Spirit, Jesus by Amanda Beth with
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Preparing For Your Calling Series: “Single Mindedâ€
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
—2 Timothy 2:20
This is the fourth message in my series on preparing for your calling. Follow this link to read previous posts in this series. Last week, I talked about God taking us through the wilderness to empty us and fill us with His Word, so we can be equipped to walk in faith until Jesus returns. When we are going through times of intense testing, it’s important to remember God’s faithfulness and keep our minds focused on Him. Whenever the Israelites saw God perform a miracle, they believed and praised Him. But the moment they were in need they quickly doubted His faithfulness.
The Bible says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does†(James 1:2-8).
My greatest weakness used to be doubt. I was extremely double-minded. My husband would often ask me how I could have so much faith one moment, but when circumstances changed I’d quickly lose it. It was easy to believe God when I saw Him bless me. But just like the Israelites, I’d quickly return to doubting God the moment I was in need.
I didn’t understand why I struggled with doubt so much. In my heart I believed God was who He said He was. I believed His Word was true. I felt like the father that cried out to Jesus, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief†(Mark 9:24). It didn’t make sense to me. How could I believe and have unbelief?
I didn’t understand that my carnal mind that I operated in before I knew Jesus was defiled with unbelief. “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled†(Titus 1:15). I was double-minded because I was still used to operating in my carnal mind. My mind needed to be transformed and renewed into my new Spiritual mind, the mind of Christ.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:16, KJV
Whenever a storm suddenly arose, I’d naturally default to my carnal mind because that was dominant in me. I believe that’s why the disciples quickly lost faith when they were hit with a storm soon after following Jesus in Matthew 8:23-26. It takes time to put off our old thinking and start operating in the Spirit.
… if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Ephesians 4:21-24, NASB
The Israelites wouldn’t lay aside their carnal mind. They often complained that they would’ve been better off in Egypt. They kept their minds focused on what they left behind. If they would’ve kept their minds on God, and allowed Him to change their thinking, they wouldn’t have wandered around for forty years and died in the wilderness.
This is why Satan attacks our minds. That’s where our spiritual battle takes place (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). Satan knows if he can get us to keep our minds off the Spirit, then we won’t follow the Spirit. God leads us into the wilderness. But He doesn’t force us to follow Him. We can turn back any time we want. Satan knows once we accept Christ, it is a critical time to hinder us from following Christ to the end. Satan and his army go full force trying to get us to turn back and return to captivity. We must not give him the glory by letting him succeed.
I spent many years struggling in the wilderness. Once I learned the importance of renewing my mind, I committed myself to being in the Word daily. Within only five months of seeking God daily I saw my life take a dramatic turn. I was able to quit the job I had been praying to leave for many years and take the first step into God’s calling for my life.
The Bible says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will†(Romans 12:1-2).Â
If things aren’t going well in your life right now, don’t give up seeking God and His Word daily. In due season, you will reap a bountiful harvest if you continue to persevere. God is faithful. Praise Him and speak His Word out loud to help keep your mind focused on Him. Don’t let your mind think about your problems. Change directions by shifting your focus to God’s faithfulness in His Word.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Â He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3
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For our prayer this week, I want to close with a psalm David wrote when he was in the Desert of Judah (Psalm 63:1-8).
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
In Jesus name, I lift my voice in praise!
Verses To Meditate On:
Joshua 7:13; Daniel 10:12; Hebrews 11
*If you’d like to learn more about renewing your mind, follow this link to a post I shared on renovating my mind using the example in Nehemiah of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
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*Come back next Monday as the series continues.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
Posted in Monday's Blogs, Preparing For Your Calling Series and tagged Disciple, Discipleship, Holy Spirit, Renewing Your mind by Amanda Beth with
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Preparing For Your Calling Series: “Emptying and Fillingâ€
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
—2 Timothy 2:20
This is the third message in my series on preparing for your calling. Follow this link to read previous posts. Last week I talked about how Simon, Peter, James and John dropped everything to follow Jesus. Once they made that choice, Jesus began to teach them and perform miracles in their sight.
“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.â€
Matthew 4:23
After witnessing those miracles and hearing Jesus’ longest recorded teaching (Matthew 5-7), the disciples’ were then suddenly overtaken by a storm.
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!†He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?†Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
Matthew 8:23-26
We seem to have great faith when we first start following Christ and see the wonderful miracles He works in us. Things were amazing when I first started following Christ. I still remember that feeling. Life was wonderful! I remember my baptism. I was beaming ear to ear as I stood up in front of my church and family and confessed Jesus was my Lord. I thought nothing in the world could bring me down.
I wish someone would have informed me what to expect next. Right after baptism I was thrown into a storm as I was led into a spiritual wilderness. The Bible explains why God led the Israelites into the wilderness, which I believe is the same reason He leads us into it spiritually.
“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and revering him.
… He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you.
Deuteronomy 8:2-6, 15-16
God leads us into a spiritual wilderness to empty us and fill us with His Word so that we can be equipped to live by faith. We believed God for salvation and when He first poured out His blessings on us. But will we believe Him with the rest of our lives? Will we believe His Word when the devil starts throwing his fiery darts at us? Will we believe Him when people come against us? Will we stand on His Word when our flesh wants to give into temptation? Will we stand believing Him to persevere when everything in us wants to give up and call it quits?
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6-7, KJV
Our spiritual wilderness is necessary to strengthen our faith and prepare us for victory in the battles that lie ahead. Without these times of testing, we wouldn’t have the strength to stand in faith until Jesus returns. I didn’t understand this when God started disciplining (instructing, training) me. For many years I thought He was punishing me. I remember constantly apologizing even when I wouldn’t do anything wrong, just in case I missed something. I constantly thought He was mad at me. I envisioned Him sitting there doing nothing while I struggled from one pit to the next. I didn’t understand that God was trying to empty me to weaken my flesh and fill me with His Word to strengthen my spirit.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 3:30, KJV
A couple years ago, I was trying to teach my daughter something in her homeschool curriculum. She was so negative that I couldn’t teach her what I wanted to. She prevented herself from learning because she was insistent that she would never be able to get it. One day, I had enough of her resistance and I shouted, “Will you stop fighting me and just let me teach you!!!†As I shouted those words out, I thought how many times God’s said that to me.
I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
“But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me.  So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels.
 “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him, But their fate would endure forever.
 He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.
Psalm 81:10-16
If I would’ve understood what God was trying to teach me, I wouldn’t have resisted Him and wasted so many years going around the same mountain. If you feel stuck right now, and it looks like you’re never leaving this place, stop beating yourself up and let God teach you. I heard a preacher recently say that being down on ourselves is being self-centered and prideful. God has to humble us first before He can work in us. He has to empty us before He can fill us. The faster we humble ourselves the faster God can work in us, and the faster we’ll reach our calling. Open your mouth wide and let Him fill you up!
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Prayer For The Week:
Heavenly Father,
I praise You for leading me into a spiritual wilderness so that I will be fully equipped to live out my calling. Help me not to resist the work You are doing in me. Empty me and weaken my flesh. Fill me with Your Word and strengthen my spirit so I can live by faith until Jesus returns. Â
In Jesus’ name, I pray! Amen!
Verses To Meditate On:
Galatians 3:1-13; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Psalm 16:7-11
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 *Come back next Monday as the series continues.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
Posted in Monday's Blogs, Preparing For Your Calling Series by Amanda Beth with
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Preparing For Your Calling Series: “Loving God More Than The Worldâ€
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
—2 Timothy 2:20
This is the second message in my series on preparing for your calling. If you missed last week’s message about being called to be Jesus’ disciples follow this link. This week we will focus on the first step in discipleship, learning to love God more than the world. When Jesus called his first disciples they immediately left everything to follow Him.
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,†Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.†At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-21
What made these men drop everything and immediately follow Jesus? The first disciples were lowly fisherman. They were unschooled, ordinary men (Acts 4:13). I imagine the world wasn’t working well in their favor. When Jesus came, in my opinion, they saw a wonderful opportunity for change.
By the time my eyes were opened to see the truth about Jesus, I was desperate for change. It wasn’t hard for me to follow Jesus. I already despised the things of the world because I witnessed and experienced many of the evil consequences of sin by then.
I witnessed the evil behind drugs and alcohol as I watched it destroyed close family members and friends. I witnessed the evil behind unforgiveness and bitterness as I watched it separate and destroy many relationships. I witnessed the evil behind sexual immorality as it stole my innocence and robbed me of my childhood. Â I witnessed the evil behind flirting with worldly lusts as it tore apart my marriage and family.
Looking back now, I know the devil used the evil consequences of sin to try and keep me away from God. But it did the opposite. It sent me running into the arms of Jesus. By the time He came to me, I was ready to leave everything and follow Him. I had despised sin so much that I knew God’s road had to be better.
My past that I once despised turned into the greatest blessing for me. If I had not experienced those things, I wouldn’t have hated sin because I wouldn’t have known how evil it really is. If I had enjoyed the pleasures of this world, I wouldn’t have seen a need to follow Jesus.
I was talking to an atheist once. I was explaining why we need God’s love and protection, and he replied that everything was working well for him. He never had a problem that didn’t work itself out. He was getting by just fine in life without God. He didn’t see a need to follow God because the world was working for him. He hadn’t yet come face to face with the evil demons behind sin.
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.â€
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only .’â€
Luke 4:5-8
The pleasures of this world—the great deception of the devil to keep people from following Jesus. Sadly there are many Christians who also fall into this deception. They may have received Jesus’ atonement for sin to keep them out of hell, but they see no need to live for Him here. The world works well for them. They haven’t experienced the destructive power of sin yet.
Revelation 3:15-16 says “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.â€
This is a harsh statement. But it’s the truth. We can’t love God and love the sinful pleasures of this world. We can’t follow God’s calling on our lives while walking in the dark. Jesus said, “The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going†(John 12:35). He also said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.†(John 8:12).Â
Though my experiences with sin were at times extremely painful, they gave me an awareness that made it easy for me to lay things down once I started following Jesus. I started laying anything down that I felt would feed my flesh instead of His spirit in me. I got rid of the trashy television shows, movies, and books, and started reading the Bible, joining Bible studies and watching things that would help me grow in my relationship with the Lord.
Each time I’d lay something down, God would open my eyes and I’d see those things in a new light—His light of truth. He showed me the danger behind those things so that I wouldn’t want to pick them up again. As I saw how much God loved me and wanted to protect me I began to fall deeper in love with Him.
Even though I’ve fallen many times in my walk with God, I can honestly say I have never enjoyed living in sin. I despise it so deeply that my heart aches when I see sin and the things of this world glorified over God.
Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Jude 1:17-23
If your life hasn’t been terribly affected by the sinful nature of this world, and you are having a hard time following Jesus with all your heart, I encourage you to pray and ask God to help you. You don’t have to have something bad happen to you for God to show you the truth. He is faithful to lead you into His will and fill your heart with His love. As He shows you what to turn away from, you’ll begin to see the destructive influence behind those things. And you’ll start to desire to follow Christ with all your heart.
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Prayer For The Week:
Heavenly Father,
I praise You for showing me the destructive power of sin that leads to death. Thank You for sending Jesus to set me free from it, and giving me life here on earth and eternally in Heaven with You. Help me lay everything down that is hindering me from following Jesus with all my heart. Prepare me and teach me so that I can be fully equipped to do what You have called me to do. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!
Verses To Meditate On:
Ephesians 2:1-10; Ephesians 4:17-24; 2 Corinthians 5:17
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*Come back next Monday as the series continues.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
**I’m going to be interviewed by author Deborah H. Bateman this evening at 9pm EST doing a live teleseminar. Follow this link for info to call in and talk with us about ministry and publishing.
Posted in Monday's Blogs, Preparing For Your Calling Series and tagged Disciple of Jesus Christ, Discipleship, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Sin, Your Calling by Amanda Beth with
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Monday’s Blog: New Series “Preparing For Your Calling”
I am starting a new series today on preparing for your calling. I’m going to use a similar format that I used in my recently published devotional “The LOVE Walk.†I am including a prayer and verses to look up and meditate on to encourage you to study with the Lord as He prepares you for your calling.
The Bible says, “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work†(2 Timothy 2:20).
When I started following Christ twelve years ago, I didn’t know God had more planned for me than everlasting life. I remembering hearing messages about heaven and thinking “Heaven is great, but what about now? Surely, there has to be a purpose for me here.†I didn’t know God had a specific plan for my life. I thought it was my choice to choose my path in life. I thought that was His plan, to give me control.
By the time I came to know Christ, I didn’t want to be in control. I had tried every path imaginable, and each one led me to a dead end. I wanted to know there was something more in life. I wanted God to be in control. I wanted to know He had a plan. God eventually revealed to me that He did have a plan for me. However, I didn’t see that plan start to manifest until about four years ago. I didn’t know it at the time, but the eight years in between were the most significant. God was preparing me and Jesus was teaching me.
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.â€
Matthew 11:25-30
When we accept Jesus’ atonement for our sins, we are then called to be His disciples. A disciple is a pupil. A pupil is to be taught by his teacher. Why would we need Jesus to be our teacher if there wasn’t a job God wanted us to do? When you go to college, you are there to learn and prepare for the job you are going to do when you graduate. Our discipleship with Christ is similar. We are being taught by Him to prepare us for the job God has planned for us in life.
When Jesus was on earth, He taught His disciples and then sent them out to do what He had been doing. Matthew 10:1-2 says, “He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles …†(Matthew 10:1-2).
Notice they were called “disciples†(original Greek: pupils), but when Jesus sent them out they were called “apostles†(original Greek: a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders).
Christ is our teacher and commanding officer. There will come a time when He will say, “Now go and teach others what I have taught you.â€
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.â€
Matthew 28:19-20
You, my friend, have a calling on your life! Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.†As I share the lessons God’s taught me, and continues to teach me, in preparation for my calling, my prayer is to encourage you to follow the Lord with all your heart and seek His perfect calling for your life. I guarantee you will not be sorry when you exchange your plans for His. His thoughts are not our thoughts. And His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). His plan is much greater than anything this world has to offer. Choose His calling over your own!
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
2 Timothy 2:1-7
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Prayer For The Week:
Heavenly Father,
I praise You for not leaving me to control my own life. Help me through this series to surrender my life to You. I am hopeless without You. Teach me to understand the hope of my calling. Prepare me for the ministry You have ordained for me. And lead me into Your perfect plan for my life. Â
In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Verses To Meditate On:
Ephesians 1:18-23; Ephesians 4:1-16; Psalm 139:1-24
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*Come back next Monday as the series continues.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
Posted in Monday's Blogs, Preparing For Your Calling Series and tagged Disciple of Jesus Christ, Discipleship, Your Calling by Amanda Beth with
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Monday’s Guest Blog: “I’ve Got To Be Strong” By Larry Buxton
Sorry I haven’t been posting my normal messages. Now that my book is published, I have more time to focus on blogging. Next Monday, I will be starting a new series titled “Preparing for our calling.” Looking over the last twelve years since I started following Christ, I can now understand the reasons why God had me do certain things and abstain from certain things. Every lesson He’s taught me, and continues to teach me, has been in preparation for my calling. I’m looking forward to this series and sharing the lessons God’s taught me to prepare me for His perfect plan.
Today, I want to share a message I read last week that really ministered to me. With Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and Christmas coming up, this is the busiest time of year for many. This time of year can be overwhelming when you already have so much on your plate. I pray this message by Larry ministers to you and encourages you that you don’t have to have it all together. We were not meant to do it all!
I’ve Got To Be Strong
By Larry Buxton
“Who do you THINK you are?!!â€
“I’m Hub McCann. I’ve fought in two World Wars and countless smaller ones on three continents. I led thousands of men into battle with everything from horses and swords to artillery and tanks. I’ve seen the headwaters of the Nile, and tribes of natives no white man had ever seen before. I’ve won and lost a dozen fortunes, KILLED MANY MEN and loved only one woman with a passion a FLEA like you could never begin to understand. That’s who I am!â€
That is one of my favorite scenes from the movie “Second Hand Lions.†Walter, Garth, and Hub are sitting in a diner/grocery store eating lunch when a group of hooligans come in and start trouble.  One of the teenagers tries to take Hub’s lunch and Hub knocks his hand away. The surprised teen asks “who do you think you are?† Hub puts him in his place physically and TELLS the teen WHO he is.
Satan uses many lies in attempt to rob us of our identity in Christ.  The most common lie that Satan wants us to believe is that we have to be strong. We have to hold it all together.  If it’s going to be, it’s going to be up to me. That we have got to pull ourselves up by our boot straps, that we have to work harder, that we have to perform and that we’ve got to produce.
No matter how strong you are, your strength is limited.  Eventually, you will run out of steam.  If you could be completely honest, you might admit this is a predicament in which you currently find yourself.  You feel life is throwing more at you than you can handle.  The expectations are overwhelming. You’ve got too much going on.  And, you just don’t know how you’re going to accomplish it all.
The TRUTH is YOU can’t get it all done because you are not created by God to have all the ability in your own strength.  Your strength is intentionally limited.  God’s strength is UN-limited, and that’s why God wants us not to depend on our own limited abilities, but to do life empowered by His unlimited spiritual power.
Far too many of us are ‘doing life’ out of our own limited strength, and we end up frustrated, worn out, and simply unable to get anything done.  The prophet Isaiah said in chapter 40:30-31:
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Scripture assures us we will soar like eagles! But, unfortunately, most men I know fly more like humming birds.  Watch a humming bird in flight.  The tiny creature flaps its wings 40-80 times per second while rushing from one flower to the next. We often resemble hummingbirds in our day to day lives:  Got to do this…(rush) got to pay the bills…(rush) Got to get the project done…(rush) got to study for my test…(rush) I can’t get it all done…(rush) You’re making me mad…(rush) I know I’ve got to be strong…(rush)
On the other hand, set your gaze on an eagle in flight. Watch it soar. Scripture says those who hope in the Lord ‘soar.’  There’s no anxiety-ridden effort and frustration in ‘soaring.’  The wind of the Spirit does the lifting.
The lie is ‘we have to be strong.’  But the truth is, “You have to be weak, broken, vulnerable, and dependent.â€
2 Corinthians 12:9-10:  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.†Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
You must embrace that you will NEVER get it all done. Â God is able to do more through your weakness than he ever could through your strengths.
Who do you think you are?
 You can read more messages by Larry at his blog: http://secondmilem3n.blogspot.
Who is Larry Buxton?
Larry Buxton epitomizes the all American guy who works like a mad man, loves his wife & family, and is passionate about sharing the good news of Christ’s love from whatever platform God gives him.
With a unique teaching style. Larry is able to communicate a story by targeting his message effectively to a variety of listeners or readers. His style is simple and straightforward, littered (yes, littered) with his own experiences, but full of teaching grounded in the Word, sometimes uncomfortably.
Larry’s ministry experience over the last dozen years includes pastoring a small baptist congregation, serving as a youth pastor, and ministering to students who are into one of his personal passions, skateboarding, through a ministry he calls Sk8fusion. Countless kids have come to know Jesus by attending ‘skate church’ or other skate events organized by Larry.
He and his family currently attend Newspring Family Church in Jenks, Oklahoma where he writes a weekly mens’ devotional through his blog Second Mile Men. His day job is as owner of Buxton Electric, LLC.
*Thank you, Larry, for allowing me to repost your inspiring message!
Posted in Guest Bloggers, Monday's Blogs and tagged God, Jesus, Larry Buxton, Strength by Amanda Beth with
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Monday’s Blog: Ask and You Shall Receive!
Since I talked about prayer last week, and started a “Praying the Word Wednesdays†on my Facebook page, I wanted to share this post on prayer I wrote when I started my blog two years ago. I pray it inspires us to seek God in everything!
Ask and You Shall Receive!
I was talking to a woman once. She said she was shopping one day and having a hard time finding something in the grocery store. She thought about asking God to help her, but quickly changed her mind and thought, “Why would I bother God for that when I can find it myself?â€
It’s funny how we think we’re bothering God when we have a request. Do we think God is too busy to take the time to help us find something in the grocery store? Do we think God is inconvenienced by us when we have a need? On the contrary, God wants us to seek Him and depend on Him for everything!
Why struggle doing things ourselves when we can have God helping us? He knows everything. So why not seek Him first in everything? Asking for God’s help and guidance doesn’t mean we’re lazy and shifting our responsibilities off on Him. It means we’re relying on Him to help us do what we need to do.
If I lose something and ask God to help me find it, I don’t just sit there and wait for it to appear out of nowhere. I still look for it. But I rely on God to direct me to the right spot. God created us to be dependent on Him. We still have our responsibilities, but we depend on Him to help and guide us in those responsibilities.
A man told me recently that he started asking God for wisdom in his job. He has a job where he has to troubleshoot and come up with new ideas. He said it’s often difficult and stressful for him. As he started asking God for direction and wisdom, he noticed a dramatic change in his ability. He was coming up with great ideas and solutions to help his company. He said he knows that wisdom is coming from God and is not his own. This man still has to think and do the work, but God supernaturally supplies the ideas.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
Proverbs 16:3
God’s wisdom is so far beyond our own that we should gladly accept it over our own wisdom. Even the areas we think we’re smart in and don’t need any help, God is smarter and His ways are greater.
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:9
When I first started walking with God I knew I could come to Him with everything. However, I had a hard time putting my trust in Him because I struggled with patience. I needed to see it happen right away. Otherwise, I’d lose faith and try to handle it on my own. This led me to make many wrong decisions.
One example was with my finances. Every time my husband and I were hit with something, I’d stress out trying to figure out how to come up with enough money to make ends meet. I would ask God first, but I wouldn’t even wait for the answer. I would immediately search for my own solution. Most of the time, my solution would be extreme and something I would end up regretting. At one point, I was seriously considering selling everything in our house to pay our bills.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
James 1:6-8
God kept nudging me to receive His help. He kept encouraging me to give my worries over to Him in exchange for His wisdom, His guidance, and His help. God showed me that my way wasn’t getting us anywhere except deeper in debt and leaving me stressed out.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29
Once I handed our finances over to God, and trusted Him without doubt, my faith grew to see His provisions. By seeing that God provides, it helped me become more dependent on Him. I look back to all the days I wasted trying to figure everything out on my own, only to find myself frustrated and burdened greatly. Now I enjoy giving everything over to God and seeking His help. I enjoy the peace He gives me in exchange for my worries. I also enjoy seeing how He works everything out. It becomes exciting depending on God. You never know when and how God will show up.
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:8
This doesn’t mean God gives us whatever we want, whenever we want. It obviously has to be in His will and timing. But as God works in us, our desires start to change into His desires. Then, we start asking for things that He puts in our hearts, which line up with His will. Once we become dependent on God, His desires will become a reality in our lives.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
Isaiah 40:28
Heavenly Father,
We praise You that we can come to You for everything we need. You are never tired or too busy for us. Help us to seek You in everything we do. Help us to put our trust in You and look expectantly to You. We praise You that You will out do our expectations when all our expectations are in You.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
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*I have started “Praying the Word Wednesdays†on my Facebook page. Every Wednesday, post your prayer request on my Facebook wall. I’ll post a relevant verse and pray the Word of God over your request. There is great power in believing God and His Word!
“‘If you can’?†said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.â€
Mark 9:23
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.â€
Isaiah 55:11, KJV
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Posted in Monday's Blogs, Prayer and tagged God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer by Amanda Beth with
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Monday’s Blog: Stop, Drop, and Pray!
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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.â€
Matthew 11:28-30
Over the summer, God kept bringing these verses to my attention. The load I carry can get heavy. I have four children. I’m potty training one. I homeschool the other three. Most of the household and family responsibilities are on me due to my husband’s work hours. I take my kids to and from all their activities. I teach at my kid’s homeschool co-op class. I lead a weekly Bible study in my home. I write blogs every week. I am writing and publishing several books. I am involved in many groups and social media outlets online. And somewhere in between I manage to get a few hours of sleep at night.
I’m learning that when I start to feel overwhelmed, I am trying to carry that load on my own. I can only carry it for so long before it weighs down on me.
The original Greek word the NIV translated as “easy†in Matthew 11:30 above is pronounced “khrase-tos,†which means: fit for use, virtuous, manageable, mild, pleasant.
Even if our loads are heavy, when we rely on Jesus to carry them for us, they will be manageable and pleasant for us to bear. When I start to not enjoy what I am doing, and it’s more of a burden than a blessing, I need to stop what I’m doing, drop my load, pray, and leave my burdens at the feet of Jesus.
A couple weeks ago, my kids were overly irritating one another. Every time one would aggravate the other, they’d come running to me yelling, “MOM! He did this! MOM! She did that!†Feeling overwhelmed, I dropped to my knees and started praying. As my kids stood above me screaming “MOM,†wondering why I wasn’t answering them, I felt a peace come over me and the overwhelming feeling went away instantly. I was then able to peacefully manage and train my children accordingly.
I ignored the screaming and fighting for a moment and ran to the feet of Jesus to drop off my burden. When I got up, my load was light because I was only carrying His peace.
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Luke 18:1, KJV
In Luke 10:38-42, Martha opened her home to Jesus, but then became overwhelmed by the preparations that needed to be made. If Martha had stopped, dropped to her knees, and laid down her burdens at the feet of Jesus, as Mary did, she would’ve had the peace she needed to joyfully manage all the preparations.
Martha, Martha,†the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.â€
Luke 10:41-42
As God’s been speaking to me the last few months to lay my burdens down and learn from Jesus, I’ve been paying close attention to my prayer life. I am amazed how many decisions I make without asking God first. One of the reasons God led me to take a four month break offline was because I overloaded myself with too many commitments. God is not obligated to help us carry a load that He hasn’t laid upon us.
Since writing and being online, I’ve gotten a lot of requests. In the last year, I’ve accepted many requests without praying first. At one point, I was reading four books at a time, and posting on other people’s blogs more than my own. I realized it was not in God’s plan when it became an unpleasant burden. If I would have prayed before committing to those things, I wouldn’t have burnt myself out and neglected the work God had prepared for me to do.
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10
I encourage you today if you are feeling overwhelmed, stop what you’re doing, drop to your knees, and pray. Leave your heavy load at the feet of Jesus. Ask God to show you what He has prepared for you to do, and lay everything else down that is not in His will. Receive Jesus’ peace and strength, so you can pleasantly manage everything God’s called you to do.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7
Heavenly Father,
We praise You that we don’t have to carry our burdens on our own. Help us to drop to our knees each day, lay down our loads at the feet of Jesus, and joyfully manage all that you’ve called us to do. Teach us and lead us into Your will.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
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*Dr. Linda Travelute has a wonderful article titled “How to Give God Your Heavy Load & Grab a Lighter One Instead.†Follow this link to read it.
I have started “Praying the Word Wednesdays†on my Facebook page. Every Wednesday, post your prayer request on my Facebook wall. I’ll post a relevant verse and pray the Word of God over your request. There is great power in believing God and His Word!
 “‘If you can’?†said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.â€
Mark 9:23
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.â€
Isaiah 55:11, KJV
Posted in Monday's Blogs, Prayer and tagged God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, pray, Righteous living by Amanda Beth with
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Monday’s Blog: God Loves YOU!
To celebrate the two year anniversary of this blog, I wanted to share the first post God spoke to me to write. I pray this post is a fresh reminder of how much God loves you!
God Loves YOU!
You have probably heard this over and over, that it no longer penetrates into your heart. It’s hard to be moved by something when you don’t feel it. There are moments when hearing isn’t always enough. Sometimes you need to see it to believe it. I want to take you deeper in the knowledge of God’s love for you, beyond just hearing the words “God loves you.â€
I have four children and through the years God’s often used my relationship with them to reveal a greater depth of His love for me. I had an incident awhile back as I was getting ready to bathe my infant. As I was preparing the bathtub, our water valve malfunctioned unbeknownst to me and the tub filled with scalding hot water.
While I was cooling the water, my son proceeded to try to find a way to climb into the bathtub. He was so determined that I had to do everything I could to keep him from jumping in and getting burned. As he was screaming at me, he managed to pull away from me. I was able to catch him by his legs just as he was heading face first into the water.
God used this incident to reveal how great His love is for us. He showed me that we are just like my infant. We often want to plow right through Him and jump into things that only end up hurting us. God tries everything He can to stop us, deter us, warn us, and hold us back, but we plow right through Him with determination to get to what we think we need or want.
God holds us back from certain things and warns us for our protection. It’s not to keep us from what we want. It’s to keep us safe. These things may not be so obvious to us, but God knows the danger that is behind the things that we just don’t see. Just like my baby, I wanted to protect him, though he didn’t understand why I was holding him back. God loves us so much that He wants to protect us from everything that is harmful to us.
When we refuse God, and do not listen to Him, we not only hurt ourselves but we hurt Him as well. God said in Jeremiah 13:17, “But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the LORD’s flock will be taken captive.” Just as I would’ve been in tears if my son had fallen into that water and gotten burned, God even more so weeps for us when we fall into things that are destructive to us.
If God made us in His image and He knows how many hairs are on our very head (Genesis 1:27, Matthew 10:30), then how valuable and precious we must be to Him! Because my children came from me, I deeply love them from my heart. If I could love my children so deeply, then how much more could the God who created us love us!
We see the greatest display of God’s love in Jesus. I wouldn’t even think of giving my children’s lives for anyone. Yet, God’s love is so great that He gave the ultimate sacrifice, His only Son, in order to save us because He deeply loves us.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10
Though Jesus was sinless, He paid the price for ALL our sins, so we who would receive Him would be made holy. Then our Holy God could come and live in us and be close with us, as He originally intended. When we receive Jesus, we receive God’s love for us.
As we spend time talking to God, studying His word, and relying on Him to help us obey what He teaches us, we start to see how vast His love really is. The more I get to know God, the more I fall deeper in love with Him, because He continues unveiling my eyes to see an even greater depth of His love for me.
But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom).
2 Corinthians 3:16-17, AMP
I pray that you would allow God to remove the veil over your heart by receiving Jesus, the only One who can unveil God’s true love for you. Give your heart undividedly over to the One who knows what is best for you because He deeply cares for you.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:16-19
Posted in Monday's Blogs, SALVATION and tagged God loves you, Jesus, Salvation by Amanda Beth with
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Monday’s Blog: Pursuing Godliness “The Path of Least Resistance”
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
1 Timothy 4:7-8
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This is the last blog in our series on “Pursuing Godliness.†Today we will close with choosing the narrow path, rather than the path of least resistance. When we choose to follow God and His will, we will face resistance. Revelation 12:17 says that Satan wages war against those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
I shared in the last blog that I am hosting a powerful study in my home titled: “Believing God†by Beth Moore. We have only just begun the study and have already had much resistance. I could fill up this blog with all that has happened in the last few weeks. I’ve led many Bible studies in the past, but never one as powerful as this one. I’ve never had so many women plan to come to a study and not show up because of all the resistance this study has brought.
Matthew 7:13-14 says: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
When we want to pursue the things of God, Satan and those who are opposed to God will try to stop us. I can understand why many give up and only a few find the life God intended. It’s hard to press on through difficulties to continue pursuing the things of God. But the difficulties we experience on the narrow path are nothing compared to the glory we will see God work in and through us along the way.
Romans 5:3-4 says, “Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation†(AMP).
When I am experiencing a lot of opposition and trials, I have learned that I have two choices. I can give up and let those trials drag me down deeper into sin. Or I can press on and allow God to use those trials to bring me out of sin, and develop and mature His fruit in me.
Paul told Timothy, “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of… (2 Timothy 3:10-14).
It’s very tempting to take the easier road in life, the road of least resistance. But knowing the easy road is the road that leads to our destruction, and the narrow road is the road that leads to the life Christ died to give us, should motivate us to resist that temptation at all cost. As you see in the verses above, even though Paul faced many persecutions, God delivered him from them all.
1 John 4:4 says, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.â€
We shouldn’t be fearful of opposition. We should face each trial with confidence, knowing God is doing an amazing work through us. Satan can’t win. He can irritate us and throw a bunch of roadblocks in front of us. But when we press on, God will turn every one of those roadblocks into a blessing. We won’t find those special blessings on the broad road of least resistance.
This is what the LORD says: Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask which paths are the old, reliable paths. Ask which way leads to blessings. Live that way, and find a resting place for yourselves. But you said that you wouldn’t live that way.
Jeremiah 6:16, GW
This probably isn’t the greatest example, but it should help illustrate my point. My kids and I belong to a weekly homeschool co-op group where each parent volunteers to teach or assist in teaching classes. My sister-in-law and I volunteered to teach two classes of twenty-six 3 and 4-year-olds. We volunteered because my three-year-old son and her three-year-old twin boys are so attached to us, we can’t leave them with anyone.
Raising my four children has never been easy for me. Every one of them was difficult from the time they were born through toddler-hood. I’ve never had easy babies like many moms I knew. I’ve never been able to leave them in nursery at church without them crying. I can count on my fingers the amount of times I sat through a full church service without having my infant or toddler’s number pop up on the screen to be picked up.
I recently came home from my co-op class and jokingly told my husband I expelled our son from my class. He got into a fight with a kid, and he spit at and hit the teacher (me)! I expressed to my husband, “Can’t anything with our kids be easy!â€
The following week, my husband tempted me with the offer to keep our son at home with him for the rest of the year while I taught the class. It would be the easiest way for me, but I knew it wouldn’t be the best way. My son had to learn how to get along with other children, and respect me as his mother and as his teacher. With a prayer and some determination I took him with me the following week.
He played with the other kids, obeyed me and even did all the activities we had planned! I never imagined he would improve so much in one week. I was amazed! If I wouldn’t have tried one more week, I wouldn’t have seen such a wonderful change take place in him. I thought, “How many times are we one step away from our blessings?†If we would just press on through the opposition, instead of giving up and taking the road of least resistance, we would find our breakthroughs and blessings we’ve been waiting for.
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.†But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
Hebrews 10:35-39
Heavenly Father,
We praise You for giving us victory over all those who are opposed to You. Help us not back down in fear of opposition. Help us to press on and take hold of the life Jesus died to give us. We rejoice in our trials, knowing You are maturing us in Christ, and Your glory will be revealed in and through us.
In Jesus name, Amen!
Have a blessed week walking on God’s road!
If you missed any blogs in this series, follow these links:
Retaining The Word In Our Hearts
Posted in Monday's Blogs, Pursuing Godliness Series and tagged 1 Timothy 4:7-8, Christ, Christianity, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, narrow road, path of least resistance, Righteous living by Amanda Beth with
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