Pass On To Press On

When someone says the word strong what do you think of? Most people think of strength. They think of lifting weights increasing the muscles in your body. Exchanging the fat for that of muscle. For some people to be strong in muscle mass takes years and years to exert great bodily power. It takes hours of working out, weight lifting strength training, sweating day in and day out to increase the physical power. However today when I think of strong I don’t think of the bodily strength. I think of strength of the mind, to be mentally powerful. To have courage, to be brave in all circumstances.

So how can one exert the strength of the mind? The only way that someone can become strong to withstand the storms that blow their way is by having the Lord weather the storm with them. Joshua 1:9 states:

Joshua 1:9

New International Version (NIV)

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

God is with us. He doesn’t want us to fear the unknown that is present in our future. He wants us to understand that He is with us no matter what happens in our lives. The key to success is to rely fully on Him. Mediate on His word, allowing it to calm your spirit and bring you peace.

Focus on God and not your circumstances. As you allow Him to work around you, you will see His presence in every situation. He is the great defender and deliverer, He is in control; there is no need to fear. He’s got this.

I was honored to speak at the FBC ladies luncheon yesterday. Every thing was absolutely wonderful. Different woman decorated each table and they really out did their selves. I wanted to share with you what I spoke on. The theme of the luncheon was “Bloom where you are planted!”

We all bloom differently. At different times, at different rates and for different reasons. You may already be blooming or you may not be blooming yet. So today I am going to share with you what has helped me in my journey of blooming and maybe it will help you reach your full blossoming stage of life.

JUST BE

Be content, have no worries nor fears. They lOrd is there to handle every situation. Embrace the current season you are in. You may be in winter, you may be in spring, you may be in summer or you may be in fall, however we know that in all season of life Christ is able and willing to provide the strength we need to be content.

WITH HIM EMBRACE THE CURRENT SEASON OF YOUR LIFE. IT IS HIS PLAN.

LOVE

With loving comes many things, we must love those that are easy to love and those that are hard to love, we must love ourselves and we must forgive to love. Part of loving is opening up ourselves to get hurt. Jesus forgave many. He forgave the roman soldiers who spit on Him whipped him, beat him. He forgave His enemies. We must love like Christ and follow in his footsteps. As it states in:

1 Peter 2:21

New International Version (NIV)

21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.

Forgiveness is not an option, a lack of forgiveness causes bitterness to plant and take root in our hearts.

Hebrews 12:15

New International Version (NIV)

15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Charles Swindle in his book the seasons of life quoted this; there is no prison more damaging than the bars of bitterness that will not let the battle end. This is something that we can’t do alone, those that have hurt us to the core to the depths of our hearts. The only way to forgive those is with the Lord help. There is no I in team, God is part of our team and with Him we will be able to forgive and love.

We must accept others warts and all, people will disappoint you. We must forgive and not hold grudges or be bitter. For if we hold on to bitterness we will never escape from prison.

FORGIVENESS IS A GIFT YOU GIVE YOURSELF.

THE OTHERS

As in Ephesians 6:11 it is time to get out your armor and put on your armor of God. Have you ever made a snowball? A snowball starts out small but give it a few budges and it gets larger and larger. This is what happens when the OTHER comes creeping into your life. We must remove the OTHER, the distractions, THE OBSTACLES. If we don’t remove them we will become imprisoned by the world.

Romans 6:12 states let go of the things that distract us from our relationship with the Lord.

These distractions can be addictions, strongholds, friends, and family. Remove the distractions in your life. The excess baggage.

When we are on our journey of blooming we come across many flowers, or maybe weeds. And yes we must love even the weeds however we don’t have to be surrounded by them. Sometimes we must weed our garden. We must cut the roots of the weeds so they won’t continue to grow.

So begin today part the red sea, leave Egypt behind and walk into the Promised Land.

IT IS ALL ABOUT FAITH LET GO AND LET GOD!

FOCUS

Do you have a fixed focus or a faulty focus? When you go into your quiet place do you pray or do you listen?

Our mind is a battlefield and Satan is a part of it. He works really hard for us to think bad thoughts, talk us out of things and make ourselves feel worthless. Our thoughts are the hardest to control but the easiest for Satan to use against us. His job is to keep our minds so preoccupied that we can’t hear God.

Do not let anything obscure your view of God. Set your focus on Him and He will open your eyes and our ears.

We struggle and try to solve our own problems when all we need to do is see and hear Him. He may speak to you personally or he may speak to you through something. When we open our ears to hear Him he will lead us to our focus our purpose.

Faith is knowing that He does speak to us, He does answer prayers. When we don’t focus he will throw something at you to have an attitude adjustment.

The closer and more intimate relationship to god the more he will speak to you. God isn’t looking just for sinless people because there are none he is looking for people who are serious about listening to him.

FOCUS ON GOD NOT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND YOU WILL HEAR HIM. HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE PLAN HE HAS FOR YOU.

MOTIVATE

What motivates you? What are your priorities? What do you put before anything else? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT? Who is your #1?Maybe we should change this to who motivates you?

God spoke to Moses from the burning bush. He was sending Moses to rescue the Israelites. Instead of Moses immediately taking on the job, he questioned, who am I?? It goes back to the why questions, why me? We shouldn’t ask this when god has given us a job. He is our #1 he knows what he is doing, He should be our priority. He should motivate us. He is the great I AM, I am had sent Moses, the great I am shows faithfulness to the people, the great I am never changes. We can count on Him. When He speaks we should listen and do. Psalm 46:10 reads be still and know that He is God!

For many years I was a pew warmer. Oh I went to church for years but I warmed the pew and the pew only. I would say I AM, but today I just don’t warm the pew, I am on fire for Christ. It isn’t about who I AM it is about the great I AM. He motivates me. He is my #1. I begin and end everyday with Him. Because of this my days are full of peace. No not absent of adversity, but the acceptance of knowing that I can find peace with Him in the midst of a storm because He motivates me to do so.

IF HE BRINGS ME TO IT HE WILL BRING ME THROUGH IT. MAKE HIM YOUR #1 AND YOU WILL BLOOM.

Today begin your journey into your garden. At times the garden may be light at times you find yourself walking in the darkness. There are many plants among you, some large some small, some blooming, some that refuses to bloom, and there are some that are thriving and some that are diseased. There are some that have thorns. But we must remember while we are on this journey in our garden we may think that the blooming is the most important and it is important for those around us to see our beauty, however the most important is the seed in the bloom. God wants us to reseed sharing His love and His word with others. When we share Gods seeds it will change others, you may change bitterness into forgiveness, you may change motivation and focus onto HIM. You will change someone’s life for the better. While doing this you will change you. Open your faith toolbox and dig out your spiritual gifts and journey into the garden. Go out into your garden and spread your seeds. Plant the seeds of joy, kindness, love, and patience with those around you. Don’t just walk in the wilderness walk in the garden with him.

REMEMBER HE DOESN’T CALL THE EQUIPPED HE EQUIPS THE CALLED. GO OUT INTO THE GARDEN; SPREAD YOUR SEEDS AND BLOOM!