Jonah 2:9 – But as for me, with the voice of thanksgiving I will sacrifice to you what I have vowed, I will pay. Salvation belongs to Jehovah.
The preparation season of your life will also require a sacrifice. The things you would readily do may have to be rescheduled. You will miss out on some fun activities because God is drawing you nearer to His Presence for further instructions.
You will sometimes have to sacrifice relationships. Some of your current friendships will not have the right ingredient to last in the next level of your destiny. You will have to leave some relationships behind because not everyone will understand your sacrifice, as you prepare.
Some people will tell you that it does not require “all that” to do what God has called you to do. They will not understand your dedication to the process or your willingness to give your time to it.
Others will not be able to understand, agree, or even comprehend your destiny and the plans you have to attain it. In the back of their minds, there will always be the thought that they knew you “back then.” Since they have witnessed many of your mistakes and failures, they will not believe that God is speaking to you about the great destiny He has in store for you. If you are not careful, and do not have a willingness to let go of these relationships, you can become discouraged from pursuing God and His plans for you.
It truly requires a sacrifice to go all the way with God. It is called a living sacrifice.
Please ponder and meditate on this?
How willing are you to sacrifice what is necessary to fulfill your destiny?
Friday, May 22, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Living Sacrifice
Romans 12:1 – Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual act of worship.
To present a living sacrifice of our lives to God means that we willing give Him all that we are in exchange for all that He is. It also means that we can no longer gratify our flesh with what we say and do. We must subject our flesh to the guidance of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Our spirits were created to have control over our entire life. The flesh was not designed to rule us, but because of sin many of us are controlled by our fleshly desires.
In the preparation process, you learn how to subject your flesh to your spirit by doing what is necessary and required. Preparation causes you to suppress what you would normally do so you can accomplish what is set before you.
Each time you say “No” to the flesh and its desires, you are saying “Yes” to God and His will for you. As you sacrifice time on the phone, watching the television, and letting go of some unhealthy relationships so you can draw nearer to God, He will draw near to you and fill you with more of Himself.
There is a sacrifice for everything that is worth attaining and it requires dying to self. When we get self out of the way God then has clearance to work in us and though us as He desires to.
Make it your prayer that the Lord will teach you how to crucify your flesh so your spirit can rule and govern every single decision that you make.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
Am I willing to offer my life to God as a living sacrifice?
To present a living sacrifice of our lives to God means that we willing give Him all that we are in exchange for all that He is. It also means that we can no longer gratify our flesh with what we say and do. We must subject our flesh to the guidance of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Our spirits were created to have control over our entire life. The flesh was not designed to rule us, but because of sin many of us are controlled by our fleshly desires.
In the preparation process, you learn how to subject your flesh to your spirit by doing what is necessary and required. Preparation causes you to suppress what you would normally do so you can accomplish what is set before you.
Each time you say “No” to the flesh and its desires, you are saying “Yes” to God and His will for you. As you sacrifice time on the phone, watching the television, and letting go of some unhealthy relationships so you can draw nearer to God, He will draw near to you and fill you with more of Himself.
There is a sacrifice for everything that is worth attaining and it requires dying to self. When we get self out of the way God then has clearance to work in us and though us as He desires to.
Make it your prayer that the Lord will teach you how to crucify your flesh so your spirit can rule and govern every single decision that you make.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
Am I willing to offer my life to God as a living sacrifice?
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Study Time
II Timothy 2:15 – Study to show thyself approved unto to God, a worker who do not need to be ashamed, correctly dividing the word of truth.
Second Timothy tells you to study to show yourself approved unto God. You study to develop an intimate relationship with God. You study to know Him and to understand His will and His ways. You study so you can be an imitator of Him and live the life He has destined for you.
As you study, you gain knowledge and are able to share that knowledge with others. When you know what God would do in any situation, you are able to pattern yourself after Him and give hope to others.
It has been said that people do not often listen to what is being said, but they watch what you do and model that. In this preparation season, you must study to demonstrate for others what God is revealing to you.
When you fill your heart with the Word of God and fill your mind with thoughts of Him, you can effectively share what you have learned with those He puts in your path.
You do not study to boast about what you know but to get to know God in all of His glory. You carve out time to study because you want to spend time with God and give Him pleasure. It is pleasing to God when you daily set time aside to spend with Him.
He has given you His Word so that you can study to know His will and plan for your destiny. Each time you open the pages of His Word, you encounter Him in a new and fresh way.
The Bible is alive and powerful and every word was designed to bring hope and healing to the believer. As you read and apply the principles that are contained in the Word of God, you are guaranteed a life of blessings, fullness, and prosperity.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
Do I daily take time to study the Word of God?
Second Timothy tells you to study to show yourself approved unto God. You study to develop an intimate relationship with God. You study to know Him and to understand His will and His ways. You study so you can be an imitator of Him and live the life He has destined for you.
As you study, you gain knowledge and are able to share that knowledge with others. When you know what God would do in any situation, you are able to pattern yourself after Him and give hope to others.
It has been said that people do not often listen to what is being said, but they watch what you do and model that. In this preparation season, you must study to demonstrate for others what God is revealing to you.
When you fill your heart with the Word of God and fill your mind with thoughts of Him, you can effectively share what you have learned with those He puts in your path.
You do not study to boast about what you know but to get to know God in all of His glory. You carve out time to study because you want to spend time with God and give Him pleasure. It is pleasing to God when you daily set time aside to spend with Him.
He has given you His Word so that you can study to know His will and plan for your destiny. Each time you open the pages of His Word, you encounter Him in a new and fresh way.
The Bible is alive and powerful and every word was designed to bring hope and healing to the believer. As you read and apply the principles that are contained in the Word of God, you are guaranteed a life of blessings, fullness, and prosperity.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
Do I daily take time to study the Word of God?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Time Alone
1 Thessalonians 2:19 - 20 – For who is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.
Each of you must have time alone to think and process the things that God is speaking to your spirit. This is time spent in the presence of God to ascertain what He has for you to do and to obtain a plan of action from Him.
In your “alone” time, you will pray, read the Word, and wait in the presence of God -- listening for His instructions. Each time you get before the Lord and petition Him, He will answer you.
You often miss hearing His answer because you do not wait long enough in His presence for Him to speak. You can become impatient, if He does not speak in the first two minutes, and walk away without an answer from Him. I have been guilty of this and then wondered why God has not spoken to me. It is not that He has not spoken. It is that you are too busy to be still and hear His voice.
The Bible tells you that the Holy Spirit speaks in a still, small voice. He will not yell over the ringing of the phone, the noise of the television, or even the roar of normal conversations. I have not experienced many times in my life when the Holy Spirit has yelled or shouted to get my attention. The few times He has done so were to give me a warning of impending danger.
When God speaks to your heart, you need time to ponder and reflect on what you have heard and to wait for further instructions. A key to your success as you spend time alone with God is to know that His anointing is on the instructions that you hear, receive, and obey.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
How often do I spend time alone with God?
Monday, May 18, 2009
Time Commitment
Mark 13:33 – Keep looking, keep awake, for you do not know when the appointed time is.
Your destiny requires time to plan and to prepare. In your time commitment, you should have seasons when you cannot be reached by phone. Often the phone keeps you distracted when you should be focusing on the task before you.
I cannot begin to tell you how often the phone would ring the moment I sat down to spend time with God or to begin working on a project that would lead to my destiny. I finally learned that ignoring it was not the key because the ringing would still disturb me. So I began turning it off during times of study and preparation so my mind and my heart could become focused on what was before me.
You have to decide how you will commit your time. Will you spend hours on the phone or in front of the television, when you have projects that need your attention?
The television is a distraction for many of you. You can spend hours of unproductive time watching it and living out other people’s dreams instead of pursuing your own dreams.
You have to develop a schedule and a plan of action about how you will use your time. Remember, each day God has given you enough grace and time to accomplish what He has for you to do. If you use this time wisely, you will not miss a step in the preparation process.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
What have I committed my time to?
Your destiny requires time to plan and to prepare. In your time commitment, you should have seasons when you cannot be reached by phone. Often the phone keeps you distracted when you should be focusing on the task before you.
I cannot begin to tell you how often the phone would ring the moment I sat down to spend time with God or to begin working on a project that would lead to my destiny. I finally learned that ignoring it was not the key because the ringing would still disturb me. So I began turning it off during times of study and preparation so my mind and my heart could become focused on what was before me.
You have to decide how you will commit your time. Will you spend hours on the phone or in front of the television, when you have projects that need your attention?
The television is a distraction for many of you. You can spend hours of unproductive time watching it and living out other people’s dreams instead of pursuing your own dreams.
You have to develop a schedule and a plan of action about how you will use your time. Remember, each day God has given you enough grace and time to accomplish what He has for you to do. If you use this time wisely, you will not miss a step in the preparation process.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
What have I committed my time to?
Friday, May 15, 2009
The Cost of Preparation
II Timothy 2:15 (KJV) - Study to show yourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
To be successful in life you will often pay a price for your success. The preparation that is required for your success can come with a heavy price tag. This is not to scare you, but to let you know that you have to determine in your heart that you are prepared to go all the way with God so you can succeed.
You must determine that there is nothing too difficult that will prevent you from persevering till you attain your destiny. As I think back over the four years I spent in college, I can truly say that it was a great expense for me.
Since I was responsible for the entire bill, I had to work; I found a job in a retail store. I went to class from seven in the morning to twelve noon on Mondays through Thursdays. I then worked from one in the afternoon to nine in the evenings. When I arrived home from work, I studied and prepared for the next day.
During that four-year period, I slept only five hours a night. Many of you can tell the same story. There was a cost, a sacrifice, to attain the things that you have thus far accomplished with your life. You willingly paid the price because you had a goal in mind.
There is a cost to prepare yourself for what God has in store for you. Preparation is required so that you can be effective in your assignments.
Please ponder and meditate on this?
What is the price of my preparation?
To be successful in life you will often pay a price for your success. The preparation that is required for your success can come with a heavy price tag. This is not to scare you, but to let you know that you have to determine in your heart that you are prepared to go all the way with God so you can succeed.
You must determine that there is nothing too difficult that will prevent you from persevering till you attain your destiny. As I think back over the four years I spent in college, I can truly say that it was a great expense for me.
Since I was responsible for the entire bill, I had to work; I found a job in a retail store. I went to class from seven in the morning to twelve noon on Mondays through Thursdays. I then worked from one in the afternoon to nine in the evenings. When I arrived home from work, I studied and prepared for the next day.
During that four-year period, I slept only five hours a night. Many of you can tell the same story. There was a cost, a sacrifice, to attain the things that you have thus far accomplished with your life. You willingly paid the price because you had a goal in mind.
There is a cost to prepare yourself for what God has in store for you. Preparation is required so that you can be effective in your assignments.
Please ponder and meditate on this?
What is the price of my preparation?
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Time Commitment
Proverbs 6:10-11 - A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, and your poverty will come like a robber; your need, like a bandit.
Your destiny requires time to plan and to prepare. In your time commitment, you should have seasons when you cannot be reached by phone. Often the phone keeps you distracted when you should be focusing on the task before you.
I cannot begin to tell you how often the phone would ring the moment I sat down to spend time with God or to begin working on a project that would lead to my destiny. I finally learned that ignoring it was not the key because the ringing would still disturb me. So I began turning it off during times of study and preparation so my mind and my heart could become focused on what was before me.
You have to decide how you will commit your time. Will you spend hours on the phone or in front of the television, when you have projects that need your attention?
The television is a distraction for many of you. You can spend hours of unproductive time watching it and living out other people’s dreams instead of pursuing your own dreams.
You have to develop a schedule and a plan of action about how you will use your time. This will enable you to commit your time to that which will produce a harvest in your life.
In your time commitment, you will come to understand that nothing is as vital as the time you spend hearing from God and receiving the instructions He has for your life and the fulfillment of your destiny. Plan and prepare so you will not miss what God has for you.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
What has been taking up the majority of my time?
Your destiny requires time to plan and to prepare. In your time commitment, you should have seasons when you cannot be reached by phone. Often the phone keeps you distracted when you should be focusing on the task before you.
I cannot begin to tell you how often the phone would ring the moment I sat down to spend time with God or to begin working on a project that would lead to my destiny. I finally learned that ignoring it was not the key because the ringing would still disturb me. So I began turning it off during times of study and preparation so my mind and my heart could become focused on what was before me.
You have to decide how you will commit your time. Will you spend hours on the phone or in front of the television, when you have projects that need your attention?
The television is a distraction for many of you. You can spend hours of unproductive time watching it and living out other people’s dreams instead of pursuing your own dreams.
You have to develop a schedule and a plan of action about how you will use your time. This will enable you to commit your time to that which will produce a harvest in your life.
In your time commitment, you will come to understand that nothing is as vital as the time you spend hearing from God and receiving the instructions He has for your life and the fulfillment of your destiny. Plan and prepare so you will not miss what God has for you.
Please ponder and meditate on this:
What has been taking up the majority of my time?
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