The sun has not yet raised it's fiery head above the Tetons, this morning. There's stillness and silence, as the world, in my neck of the woods, is still asleep. My phone is not ringing, there is no one knocking at my door ~ the day hasn't yet begun. This is the most precious and important part of my day! A love relationship with the Lord is the most important thing I will ever do in my life!
The quality of my love relationship will determine the outcome of my entire day ~ whether I will choose God's perspective or mine. Will I choose to walk in obedience to His Word or in my own way? It will make a difference in how I value my relationships with others and whether God is seen in me or not. It will impact how I will choose to use my time. I only get one chance at this 24 hour day, it will pass, quickly, and I won't see it again. How will I choose to spend it?
This time with the Lord, isn't about me, but about aligning myself with God, my Father, and His plans and purposes ~ to draw near, to worship and to know what's on His heart, what He's doing today! What I may think is important and may choose to focus on, may not be important at all. God knows all things! If I don't align myself with Him, I may spend the whole day working and planning for something that may never happen!
God speaks to me through His Word, they are instructions for life! When I walk in His commands I find freedom, I reap many blessings by walking in them. I show my love to Him by keeping them and He promises to love me and show Himself to me, because I am obeying them. (John 14:21)
This morning, God's been speaking to me about that place we reach when God has spoken to us, like He did with Joshua at the walls of Jericho, Moses at the burning bush, Gideon at the wine press; it's that place we reach, that turning point, that point of decision, that shows what we believe about God. Let me explain.
Point of decision: Would we have had the faith to tell a whole army to walk around the walls of Jericho and believe they would fall down at the sound of the trumpets? God said it, but then Joshua was brought to a point of decision: Would he believe God and act in faith? Would he give the order?
What about Moses? He had fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian. Now, he's being asked by God to return to Egypt and tell Pharoah that God has instructed me to tell you are to let His people go. Moses had to decide if he believed if God would do all that He said He would. God's plan was to save Israel out of slavery. Moses had to decide if He believed God could do it through him. He struggles with it: "I'm not eloquent." and later in the conversation he begs God to send someone else. Moses wavered, as he contemplated this God size task. He realized it was way over his head, but he did choose to believe God and stepped in faith.
God approached Gideon at the wine press and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" Gideon had to decide if He believed God could use him to save Israel. Gideon even asked, "How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Mannasseh, and I am the least in my family." The Lord answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together." Gideon had a choice to make, was he going to believe God or turn away in disbelief.
We can find many examples throughout scripture. When God speaks to His people and calls us to be a part of what He's doing, we are always going to come to that point of decision, that will show what we believe about God. Do we really believe God will do what He says He will do and do we believe God can use us to be apart of His plan?
What we do next, says more about what we believe about God, than what we believe about ourselves!
Every time God speaks to me, I come up against the decision whether I will believe God and act upon that belief or whether I will doubt and walk away. Will I believe God and take action, the step of faith to obey or will I choose to turn and go my own way in disobedience?
God spoke to Jonah and told him to go to Ninevah. Jonah heard God, clearly, but he turned and ran in the other direction, he sailed for Tarshish. God disciplined Jonah! It took Jonah being swallowed by a big fish to get his attention! What will it take to get ours? Then Jonah obeyed God and went to Ninevah and did all God asked him to do.
Has God spoken to you? Has He asked you to be apart of something He's doing? Maybe you have a call on your life, God spoke to you, but you are avoiding what God asked you to do? Maybe, God asked you to be a part of something that's God sized, bigger than you! What you do next will show what you really believe about God. When God invites us to be apart of something He's doing, it will always be something only He can do. We will realize, that we cannot do what He's asking us to do ourselves. We have to decide if we believe God will show up and do what He says He will through us.
God's invitation to be a part of what He's doing will always test our faith. Faith requires action. Without faith, it is impossible to please God!
If you walked away from God in disbelief, make it right. Ask God's forgiveness and go back to the last thing God asked you to do. God keeps His promises! Take courage, move against the fear and step in faith! I'm praying for you!
These aren't once in a life time decisions, we make them everyday! Ask yourself today, what do your thoughts and actions say about what you believe about God? Do they proclaim His Faithfulness to a lost world or do they proclaim Him unworthy of your trust?
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