Sunday, January 8

INTENTIONAL IN MY WALK WITH CHRIST!

I can't believe that we are already into the second week of a brand new year and my calendar is getting very full!!!  What about you?  It seems the older I get, the busier I become and the faster time seems to fly.  The one danger with that busyness is our lack of time with God in devotions and prayer time daily.  I am determined in 2012 I am going to dig deeper in Christ.  I am reading a book which I highly recommend called The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.  If you don't have this book you need to get a copy today!  It is inspiring and just what I need at the beginning of this new year.

How often does the enemy mess with your mind? You are aware that feelings of insecurity, inferiority, discouragement and many other negatives in our lives comes directly from the pits of hell! And, when we are tired and weary the doors are sometimes opened wider for these feelings in our lives to come in like a flood.

"The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act."
~ Rick Warren ~

When I read this statement I can't help to think about all the "sad" Christians who are walking around our workplace, neighborhoods and churches, which are constantly dragging their lips across the carpet. Why? Because they have become overburdened with the cares of the world and life has become overwhelming to them. They have lost their joy in the Lord. Even pastor’s wives and ministry women sometimes experience these same feelings. Is that YOU today?

If we think insecure thoughts, we will feel insecure and those around us will recognize our insecurities. If we think we are losers, we will feel like losers and those around us will recognize us as losers. If we think we are defeated, we will feel like we are defeated and those around us will recognize us as being defeated. If we think we are secure in Jesus Christ, saved by the blood of the lamb, pressing towards the prize of heaven, we will feel encouraged and those around us will see us as encourager's. Our attitudes will become contagious and people will want what we have. You are what you think.........

My God is not a loser. He is bigger than anything this world can place upon us. He is our hope. He is our future. He is our encourager and He loves us. He cares about us and He is available to us 24/7. When we feel alone in the middle of the night, God is there. When the enemy speaks words of discouragement into our thoughts, God is there to assure us that we are special. We are His creation and He doesn't make mistakes nor does He make junk?

I know I am nothing without Christ. He has made me who I am today. Each day, part of my prayer to Him is, "Lord, may I decrease and you increase." I want to be a light in this dark and hopeless world. The key to our victory in Christ is spending alone time with our Heavenly Father. We all know that. We preach that to our churches but many times the busyness in our lives crowds out the most important thing we need to do.

Be INTENTIONAL about your TIME with the Lord. The doctor prescribed blood pressure medication for me and I know in order to remain healthy I must take those meds daily. If we desire to remain healthy spiritually, we must take our meds daily. Those meds are spending alone time with Jesus Christ. Studying His Word, meditating on His Word, filling our soul with God’s Word and praying to our God.

Have an incredible and blessed Sunday and an awesome week!

You are loved and appreciated,
Debbie