July 30, 2012 Go Against the Flesh by Kylie Davis

Go Against the Flesh:

A Christian is the soldier on the battlefield against Satan who as the enemy wants us to yield to temptation and go with our fleshly desires.  The Christian must be on guard against the “works of the flesh” and faithfully engage in developing & demonstrating the “fruit of the spirit.”

In Romans 7:18-20 Paul says, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me (in other words, the desire to do that which is godly is there inside me); but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would [desire to do] I do not: but the evil which I would not [desire to do], that I do. Now if I do that [which] I would not [desire], it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.”

This is how we all start out in life.  When we are born we are automatically held tight in bondage of Satan’s desires.  He controls every single aspect of our lives and we are immediately battling him from the very start.  It starts very young as we learn the rules of what we should and should not do in life.  The right and the wrong.  As the mom to three children I can tell you teaching them right from wrong is a simple task if you kept them bottled up at home, but stepping out into the world every single day is a difficult task to manage.  Our 19 month old is going through the stages of understanding that when you do something you are not supposed to there are consequences and he doesn’t like it, not one bit.  He retaliates with a stomp or a temper that usually includes throwing his pacifier across the room.  We have to stand firm and usually walk away after stating the rule because giving attention to the tantrum only rewards his negative behavior with our

attention which he loves.  So you can see that at a very young age we start battling with what we should do verses what we want to do.

Our bodies are made up of the following three things:

Soul: mind, heart, will & emotions

Flesh: the body

Spirit: houses the life of God.

Adam & Eve were baited by Satan, the same way he baits us today…

-      We are held hostage to the flesh & don’t even realize it

-      We think we are in control of our own life.

-      When we do sinful things our flesh doesn’t resist.

-      We believe we are the ones carrying out our own life.

-      Sin has us right where it wants us.

-      It seems like we have complete control over ourselves when we sin & when we do not.

Satan has set up a landmark in our lives from the very start.  He jumps on board to those at a very young age, because they are precious and unaware of his evil tactics.  As you grow older you recognize sin, but think it’s not that bad because you do not do it all the time.  Or maybe you don’t recognize your actions as a sin and therefore feel you are doing nothing wrong.  Once you realize what a sin is have you ever tried to stop it?  Trying to stop a sin will show you just how much the devil has you in bondage.  No matter how serious our commitment to change our ways, we for some reason, cannot seem to pull it off.  This is because we are hostage to the flesh and to its agenda. 

This is where God steps in…

Jesus came to make right what our rebellion in the Garden of Eden made wrong.  He came to provide a way for the spirit of man to once again be awakened, and to once again become the dwelling place of the presence of God.  He came to condemn sin in the flesh and move the flesh back to its rightful position, behind the will & purpose of God in our lives.  He came to rule & control the soul of our life, the way he originally intended it to be ruled & controlled.  He came to save us from sin!

Jesus wants us to replace the “flesh of the spirit” with the “fruit of the spirit.” 

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness and Temperance; against such there is no law.” 

Love: It is love that surpasses human understanding and causes a person to be filled with the fullness of God.

Joy: The emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying. Joy gives spiritual strength.

Peace: When our rebellion ends and we are forgiven, then we are at peace.  The spiritual fruit of peace results from being justified by faith.

Longsuffering: Like when someone keeps making you angry or picking on you but just let it go and you maintain control. Longsuffering is love on trial. It enables you to be emotionally strong and forgive others.

Gentleness: Being reasonable, sympathetic; the absence of harshness or sternness.

Goodness: God is the ultimate example of goodness. Goodness is holiness put into practice and results from knowing God. Goodness enables you to do good to those who hate you as well as those of the house of faith.

Faith: Doing what you say you are going to do. Being known as someone people can trust because you are reliable.

Meekness: Humble and patient, your spirit is free from rebellion and pride.

Temperance: Self-control; Moderation or self-restraint in action or statement; It is control over your entire being (body, soul and spirit).

Knowing the fruits and living by them is an amazing start after asking Jesus into your heart, but you must remain aware of Satan and his careful plan to demolish the believers one by one.  Be prepared for the devil in every situation.  Remember that impure minds filled with filthy actions; lustful/out of control behavior is wrong.  Hate, jealousy, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, envy, murder, bickering & fighting are all examples of how the devil will lure you off course. 

Practice Agape love by seeing the highest good of others.  Joy & peace will radiate outward into a dark and dismal world.  Your interactions with others must include: patience, kindness, goodness & gentleness.  Be faithful to God; build your faith by listening carefully to what God has to say in His word, and then actively engage in applying it to your life. 

Simply being aware of the immediate bondage that Satan places over our lives will help you understand we are not in control.  We will be defeated until we take the initiative to cry out to Jesus and let him take control of our life.  We cannot handle this world alone and therefore we NEED Jesus to defeat and conquer the devil who holds onto our souls until Jesus breaks the grips of that bondage.  When the flesh is in the wrong position (twisted/turned) it is sinful, but when the flesh is in its rightful place it becomes a tool of righteousness in the Christian existence.  When the human life is ruled by human existence it leads to ruin, but when the human life is ruled & mastered by the Spirit of God instead of by the flesh, the flesh is silenced and we are led by the most high God.

Have the flesh transformed from sin to acts of righteousness and live by the “fruits of the spirit.” 

It’s not easy; God never promised it would be.  But remember every time you bottle of all of those seeds of doubt or cards of things you have already done in sin, Jesus already checked all of those off when he paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us.  He can clearly sign his name to every sin that we honestly repent of because he died for that reason, that you and I might be free of our sins and live a sin free life displaying all the fruits of the spirit. 

It’s a choice; you make it every single day.  It doesn’t always feel right to go against the flesh, but remember no pain no gain.  If it feels weird it must be God geared, stick with the plan, the benefits will far outweigh the alternatives!!

Have a blessed day,

KDavis

http://thedentedbucket.blogspot.com          dentedbucket@charter.net

God is Enough!

July 24, 2012 Love your Enemies!!!!

Not liking someone is NO excuse for not loving them:

Psalm 62:1 says, "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him." Colossians 3:12-14 tells us, "God has chosen you and made you His holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle & patient. Don't be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you. Together with these things, the most important part of your new life is to LOVE each other. Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity."

Love your enemies! That is a very hard statement to try to comprehend. Why in the world would we want to "love" the people that seem to make our lives the most difficult, who stand in our way of victory? Because Jesus told us to! Let's look back at one of the last things Jesus said to us before he died on the cross. In Matthew 28:20 he says, "Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time." So if Jesus could be this kind after being brutally beaten beyond recognition then how can we not accept His truths and carry on his message?

I know at times the enemies may have done some unthinkable acts of selfishness, but it is not our place to judge their hearts or the motives which drive their lives. All we are responsible for is how we as Christians carry out our actions and our lives. God will handle us all individually when we walk through the gates of Heaven. Each person will account for their own sins, so let the enemy stand alone at that time, don't do something negative that will have you standing with them. Luke 6:32 tells us, "If you love only those who love you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners love those who love them!" The word love is so misunderstood is today's society. People think that to love you have to like first and to some degree that is true on an earthy/fleshy level. But God wants us to love with "agape" love, His love. Agape love is NOT a feeling; it does NOT depend on how we feel or how others feel about us. We can express agape love whether the feelings are present or absent, whether they are good or bad. Agape love is an action not a feeling. God will know that we love Him if we keep his commandments.

Think for a moment! Aren't you glad that God's love towards us is not mercy based on a feeling? I mean we all do some silly things at times and how much would God turn away if his love was only a feeling on how we are performing or measuring up? I know I fail daily, I try to do & say the right things, but I stumble, I am imperfect. I am learning & growing in my faith, but all the while God loves me despite my blemishes. If God can love me so much despite my imperfections then how can we put a limit or an amount that we can only love someone else? How can we say I like you, but I don't love you? How would you feel if God said that to you? John 4:16 says "We are capable of loving because He loved us first."

We are all guilty of walking around not liking someone in our life because they have done something, said something or acted a certain way in which WE did not agree. And since we didn't agree with the way they treated us we start "not liking" them. The world which is a sinful place has taught us to get even, to hold grudges, to ignore, to strike back/retaliate, to spread gossip, to talk badly about, but what does this teach us inside? What does this do with the pain that we felt when they hurt us? It does nothing but harbor bad feelings against that person, reflects a negative outlook on our own life and put the other person further away from seeing the reflection of God.

Hollywood makes blockbuster movies with a simple story line-the hero of the movie is hurt or a victim of injustice, and throughout the movie seeks to recover what is rightfully his or hers. And when they finally get to the end, we cheer the hero's revenge, "All right, go for it, that evil person deserves it!" For many of us the definition of an enemy is "a former friend." You were in a relationship with someone that should have been a confident friendship-but they deceived you. And Jesus says here is how I want you to reply to that enemy today-love them! "This does not make sense!" you say. Why should I love them? Look at all the hurt this person caused in my life, and now you just want me to love that person? If this enemy has come to beg for my forgiveness-if they have really changed-I still find it hard to forgive and love them.

But what about the enemy who has not changed-they are still the same evil person that hurt me so deeply? God knows our weaknesses, and He has promised to provide the power we need when we do not have the strength to do what He asks us to do. So the good news is that if you don't know how to love this enemy, God will help you.

When God calls us to do well to those who hate us, it rarely seems logical. But God has a plan bigger than we can see. I cannot guarantee that your act of doing well will bring results immediately. God wants us to do good works whether or not the other person changes. Your job is not to change your enemy. Your job is to follow Jesus, and do what He directs you to do. Jesus made the point that even when we give a cup of cold water to someone in need, God sees this and will reward us. (Matthew 10:42) Remember love is not a feeling, love is an action. Think about this for a second, "we are often unlikeable to God, yet he still loves us!" Whatever we do today, tomorrow or way down in the future, God still loves us. He doesn't give us ultimatums of his love, he says to simply repent, pick up our cross and continue to follow him. When others see that we can love people who are not likable, when they have wronged us, belittled us or spread rumors about us, we will have one of the strongest witnesses of God's grace.

Your worst battle is between what you know and what you feel. Stop feeling & start acting. Actions speak louder than words, and actions can truly show the non-Christian side of you if you let your emotions get carried away. Remember love is from our Father. 1 John 4:8, "GOD IS LOVE." If God is love and we want God to protect, care and provide for our lives, then we must show and share love every single place we go. Love believes in all, conquers all. Love sacrificially! Sacrificial love is not based on a feeling, but a determined act of will, a joyful resolve to put the welfare of others above our own.

So, we all know that our deepest desire is to be loved and accepted. That's what God wants for us too. He does love and accept us, not matter what. But it is still our duty to love and accept other people; to care for them despite what we think. If someone is nasty to me, I don't walk away, I have learned to see their hurt and it only draws me closer. People need love and sometimes they don't realize how they need it. It's up to us to love them the way that they need to be loved (And I don't mean be all mushy). I mean really listen to them and give them what they need (not want) but need. So many people just need to be listened to. That's a way to love them. Don't you want to be listened to?

So how do you bless someone who is cursing you? Instead of planning revenge, offer a simple prayer, "God, please bless this person." Every time this person comes to your mind, use those thoughts to trigger this simple prayer. You may find yourself praying this prayer a hundred times a day-keep doing it!
What does this prayer accomplish? First it frees you from thinking curses back on this person. It also fits closely with God's view of forgiveness-you release to God the full responsibility to punish their sin. This prayer of blessing enables you to be at peace in your heart even though the relationship may not have changed. Blessing those who curse you also speaks to how you talk about this person who has cursed you. Instead of speaking to others about the hurt and how wrong the other person is, you can choose to only speak in a positive way about that person. Do not repeat the curses of this person so the whole world can know how wrong they are; instead choose to speak kind words.

If you can't say anything else, tell others you are praying that God will bless this person who has hurt you. Remember the story of Jonah (Chapters 1-4)? The Lord wanted Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach and turn the town around, but Jonah didn't want to go because they were his enemies. So he fled from the Lord, got on a ship and sailed away. Jonah drifted off to sleep and a huge storm came with waves crashing all around. The men on the ship ran to Jonah and said "why are you sleep and what troubles have you brought with you?" Jonah told the men that he had fled from the Lord and they could throw him into the sea to stop the storm. They threw Jonah over and he was swallowed by a big fish. He spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the fish. He pleaded to the Lord and the fish spit him out on dry land. Jonah was always very selfish and always thinking about himself, but God still protected him. HE wanted to teach Jonah a lesson. Jonah learned that even though some people did evil and wicked things they were still loved by the Lord. So he went to Nineveh and preached. The people turned from their wicked ways and Jonah learned that all men, women & children are ALL precious in the sight of the Lord whether they do good or bad even though they may not know God. Everyone deserves a chance to have, learn about and see God's love in action.

So the next time someone wrongs you, think of Jonah, he was in your very same shoes and he chose the hard way to learn the lesson from God. Try going around the heartache of learning that same lesson and just pray for the person who has wronged you. Pray that God will set them free from whatever bondage they are being held captive to. Pray that whatever is making them hateful or mean is broken down and shattered into a million pieces so that they can no longer carry that pain. Pray that the Lord will bless them abundantly beyond belief and that their old way of thinking is gone and they are now renewed in a fresh spirit of Gods amazing love. Pray that they will see you for the helping hand of God and that you could have made their life much harder, but you chose the high road, the road that leads to eternity. Pray that you can be a blessing in someone's life today. That person that is in front of you at McDonalds that is ordering everything on the menu and making you later by the minute, just chill and don't say unkind thing. That person taking your money at the drive thru window that never says good morning or have a nice day, chill, and be the first to speak. That person who cuts you off in traffic, chill, maybe they have an emergency. That person that is ugly to you at work, chill, they may have a sickness or a loved one going through something very heartbreaking. That spouse that never seems to have understanding, chill, they may need you just to love them unconditionally.

There are a million things we can do every single day to express Gods love more abundantly. The quicker we are to get angry at every single thing that ticks us off is only showing that we drive our race, not God. The slower we are to react and the quiet heart we bring to the table shows patience and a reflection of God's everlasting love. Put no limits on love because God puts no limits on you. Remember thoughts & words are containers or weapons for carrying creative or destructive power. They can be used against Satan & his work or they can actually help him in his plan of destruction. To live in victory you MUST begin by lining up your thoughts with God's word and then carrying out his commandments.

Dr. Martin Luther King: "And this is what Jesus means, I think, in this very passage when he says, "Love your enemy." And it's significant that he does not say, "Like your enemy." Like is a sentimental something, an affectionate something. There are a lot of people that I find it difficult to like. I don't like what they do to me. I don't like what they say about me and other people. I don't like their attitudes. I don't like some of the things they're doing. I don't like them. But Jesus says love them. And love is greater than like. Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so that you love everybody, because God loves them. You refuse to do anything that will defeat an individual, because you have agape in your soul. And here you come to the point that you love the individual who does the evil deed, while hating the deed that the person does. This is what Jesus means when he says, "Love your enemy." This is the way to do it. When the opportunity presents itself when you can defeat your enemy, you must not do it."

 

George Orwell 1984: "We do not merely destroy our enemies, we change them."

Shannon L. Alder:
"Reputation is what others think of us; character is what God knows of us. When you have spent what feels like eternity trying to repair a few moments of time that destroyed the view others once had of you, then you must ask yourself if you have the problem or is it really them? God doesn't make us try so hard…….the enemies do."

 

Richard Nixon: "Remember, always give your best. Never get discouraged. Never be petty. Always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them. And then, you destroy yourself."

 

"The only way love can last a lifetime is if it's unconditional. The truth is this: love is not determined by the one being loved but rather by the one choosing to love." ― Stephen Kendrick, The Love Dare.

 

Keep your mind focused on what is calming, if it burns you up inside or causes you frustration, do NOT react on those feelings, instead put it into love which is an action and make it count! Your actions will be remembered not what you say. When in doubt say nothing, take the silence and pray for guidance and direction.

K. Davis                        http://thedentedbucket.blogspot.com

Blessing and Honor to our God:

July 13th:
Blessing and Honor to our God:
Matthew 7:13-14

"You can enter true life only through the narrow gate.  The gate to hell is very wide, and there is plenty of room on the road that leads there.  Many people go that way, but the gate that opens the way to true life is narrow.  And the road that leads there is hard to follow.  Only a few people find it."

This reminds us that grace does not dismiss discipleship and mercy does not release us from our need to repeatedly repent.  We must accept the grace that is given to us & truly let Jesus be Lord of our lives.  It's not an either-or decision, its an ALL IN decision and a call from God to receive grace & to follow Jesus as Lord.

In contrast to the narrow gate, the wide gate is the easy way.  It rains on the just & the unjust.  We all face problems in life, but the many on the broad way do not connect the dots, they fail to see the unfolding of God's sovereign rule over our lives.  Maybe they are just not interested in bothering with Gods commands and it leads them to destruction.  Don't follow the crowd please way!  Don't wait for the approval of others to do what is right and just in the eyes of the Lord.  IF YOU FIND YOUR COMFORT WITH THE CROWD, THEN YOU WILL FIND YOUR END WITH THEM AS WELL.

There are only two ways to live.  Which way describes your life?

God gives you the freedom to decide, but as you decide, there are a few things you should know about these two options:  One of them works & the other one does NOT.  One of them feels right and the other one does NOT.  One of them is popular and the other one is NOT.

Robert Frost wrote "The Road Not Take" and said "two roads diverged in wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

Jesus is the only way to life, any other path you take will lead to destruction and it will be by your OWN choice.  All other paths lead to death.  Only those who come to Jesus will be saved.

Following Jesus every single day is not easy, but is right.  It will not always feel right because we no longer have complete control over our thoughts, feelings or actions.  We are no longer making instant split second decisions based on comfort.  We now live a life that Jesus governs and would be proud of and that makes the devil very angry.  We now run all our thoughts and concerns through Jesus to make thought out and complete decisions based off of what is right and not what feels good for the moment.  The devil will attack you and try to lure you off course in any way he can.  At times it will seem easier to venture towards what feels okay, but always remember its a trick.  If following Gods way were that simple we would have no destruction.

-Everything you do in life is a choice, that you are in control over, that you make with your own mind.

-Choosing the world means choosing Satan.

-Choosing God's kingdom will mean saying NO to the seduction and enticement of the world & turning AWAY from the temporary pleasure of sin.

-Choosing God's way you will face opposition & persecution, but God always delivers us & promotes us when we trust Him.

-Accept the truth that will give you the power to make a change.

-Make a decision to accept the truth and start removing satan from your life day by day.

-Using others judgment will become confusing.  Believing and relying on Gods word will shed incredible light on every issue.

-When you work with God, he gives you grace to make right decisions & show good judgment.

-Do NOT refuse to give up control to God.

-When faced with day to day life & decisions think about how each option can turn out.  Weigh how God looks at each of those options.  Your brain may not "want" to go straight to what God thinks.  Look at your options not with a human eye but with a biblical eye and ask yourself, "What would Jesus do/say?"

-Choose a path (difficult part) making a good decision actually means making an actual choice.  You may make a mistake and that is okay.  The more we apply these principles to our choices, the better we get at making good decisions that God will be pleased with.

Remember: GOD'S LOVE IS BIGGER THAN OUR MISTAKES
We are all imperfect, sinners, do wrong, screw up and fall off track.

1 John 4:8, "God is Love!"

The enemy will put you in situations to make us doubt the love of God for us:
-Disappointments
-Financial Hardships
-Unanswered Prayers
-Sickness
-Death
-Loss/Grief
-Sadness/Depression

Remember satan is a LIAR!!!

Whatever you face should not be enough, and must be allowed to make you doubt the love of God for you - not even for a second.  Just because things are not smooth sailing does not mean that God has forgotten you or stopped loving you.  His love is Everlasting!!

Jeremiah 31:3 “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness."

-Accept Gods love
-Believe It
-Receive It
-Claim It
-Get Past This Trial
-Wait for His Timing
-Receive His Blessings
-Receive His Peace
-Find His Joy
-Believe in Him
-Trust in Him

Even though you may have to put boards around your heart to get past the storm of life, you will eventually see the sun again.  When the winds are too fast to carry yourself, let God carry you through.  The best comfort and decision you can give yourself is the free gift of Gods love.  To take all the pain & sorrow of the world off your back and simple trust & follow God.

James 1:2-4
My brothers and sisters, you will have many kinds of trouble. But this gives you a reason to be very happy. ³ You know that when your faith is tested, you learn to be patient in suffering. ⁴ If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be."

CHOOSE THE PATH THAT BELIEVES IN YOU NOT THE PATH THAT IS SELF-SEEKING.

--Kylie

UPDATE ON THE DAVIS FAMILY

UPDATE ON THE DAVIS FAMILY:

Bray is going into the 5th grade, I cannot believe she will be in her last year of elementary school!!  Bray loves Glee, do not know if that is always appropriate for her age, but she is very mature for her age and talks to me about anything.  She is the "little momma" of the house, age 10 going on 35.  She is so bright, but very nosey for 10, maybe that is normal!!

Hunter is going into 2nd grade is doing amazing with his reading.  He is still very much into skateboarding and baseball!!  He loves spending time playing PS3 with his Dad, its their quality time!!

Rex is growing like a little weed.  He is 18 months old and still doesn't say very much, but is very smart and knows how to do a lot of things!  He is such a sweet little addition to our family and I cannot even imagine him not being here!!  He loves getting into the dishwasher and taking everything out and throwing baseballs at you when you are not looking! 

Robbie is doing really well, still working full force!  Getting alot of swimming in for exercise and has successfully accomplished the double flip off the diving board at the pool at age 32!!  He is such a joy in my life!  I definitely married my soul mate, and we have had some rough patches, but by the grace of God, we are doing stronger than ever!

I am doing well, at Focus a medical office for kids/adolescents with ADHD.  I am the office manager and loving every minute of it.  I love reading and writing in my spare time, but have been spending alot of my quality and spare time with my husband and kids lately.  Putting what is most important into the spotlight! 

Bless the Lord oh my Soul,

July 12th: BLESS THE LORD:

Psalm 103: "A Song of David"

Verses 8-12:

Psalm 103:8-12

⁸ The LORD is kind and merciful.
    He is patient and full of love.
⁹ He does not always criticize.
    He does not stay angry with us forever.
¹⁰ We sinned against him,
    but he didn’t give us the punishment we deserved.
¹¹ His love for his followers is
    as high above us as heaven is above the earth.
¹² And he has taken our sins
    as far away from us as the east is from the west.

--It's very difficult to maintain a positive attitude every single day.  I know with 3 kids and being married its almost an hourly struggle to keep my mind flowing in a positive direction, but that's where I have to step back and think, "God is telling me I am trying to do TOO much."  I let my mind get filled with too many distractions of things I either cannot control or do not need to spend my time worrying about.  Letting go of things I cannot control or things that just need to be in Gods hands is something I find very difficult. 

It seems my mind starts wondering off on its own course and I honestly believe that when this happens the devil is trying to take control.  I have found when I let my mind continue on that course that negativity and worrying/fear start moving in and before I know it, doubt has set up camp inside my mind.  So whenever I can grasp my sight around my mind going in that direction I try to just stop, breathe deeply for a few moments and say a short prayer to God that I am trying very hard to believe, but I am feeling overwhelmed. 

Life is very difficult to maintain a steady course with God.  It's a battle that the devil does NOT want us to fight.  The devil would rather us give up, throw our hands in the air and just go along with him.  I am not for that road, but I am human and I do slip into that course sometimes.  All I can do is pick myself up, pray to God for a new direction and start over.  I have realized throughout the last month that I am very strong, and anything is possible with God in our main view.  I however still have a huge problem letting go and just letting God direct me.  For some reason my brain is geared toward "control" and I don't know why.  I don't necessarily "like" being in full control, but I also do not like unorganized life events.  I don't like being hit by surprise by things I could have controlled.  So I have a lot of work to do.  Baby steps, one day at a time and remembering that we are not guaranteed tomorrow, and that tomorrow will have worries of its own.

.......Kylie

MOMMA BRAYS SUMMER EXTRAVAGANZA!!!

MAMA BRAYS SUMMER CHALLENGE!!!

DAY 1 OF ME AND BRAY GETTING HEALTHY!!

My daughter and I are going to kick off our "GET HEALTHY AND FIT" summer extravaganza!!!!!

The kids these days are growing bigger too quick due to all the hormones in the foods around every single corner and the quick stops us parents have to make due to being on an overloaded schedule.  I am very guilty of swinging through a drive thru to grab 3 happy meals when I am just too worn out to cook.  Being a mom and having 3 kids age 10 and under and being married to a local law enforcement officer is tough, but add in the fact that I work full time makes it even more tiring. 

SO......... with all that said, Bray & I are gonna do this togther not so much for weight loss because I do NOT want to encourage dieting in my 10 year old daughter, but more of a life change that will carry throughout her life and help her to live longer & more healthy.

AND WE ARE OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So here we go!

DAY 1:
Taking it slow to start!!
Glass of Water every 30 minutes throughout the day!!
Breakfast:  small bowl of grits, one plain pancake and milk
Snack: Banana
Lunch: tuna and crackers (small portion)

I am BACK

Well I have definitely been gone long enough.  I took a little break from writing to focus on things in my life that needed direct attention.   Although I do not have everything in my life in order, it still allows time for God to change & mold me.  So one day at a time.  I have recently started a new job as Office Manager of Focus, a new evidence based ADHD medical clinic, which I absolutely love.  The family is doing wonderful and just really trying to get through this summer heat.  I will be back to writing my weekly devotions this week.  I cannot committ to daily due to being a full time employee/mom with 3 youngins and having my dear husband who deserves as much of me as I can give him.  So you will just have to get over it! ha

 

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer, doing some fun and exciting things!

 

Check back soon!!

SHAMELESS PERSISTENCE

LUKE 11:8
But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.


WHILE DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING I WAS PRAYING A LITTLE ON WHAT MY DEVOTION FOR TODAY WOULD BE ON.  I WAS LISTENING TO MY JOEL OSTEEN SERMON AND HE KEPT TALKING ABOUT BEING PERSISTENT WITH PRAYER AND BEING SHAMELESS WHILE PRAYING.  I KEPT LISTENING ALL THE WAY AND FINALLY GOT TO WORK, PULLED IN AND THE SERMON ENDED.  I TURNED OFF MY PHONE AND GOT OUT MY BIBLE.  I TURNED TO TODAY’S DAILY DEVOTION FOR APRIL AND I STARTED READING.  THE DEVOTION FOR THE DAY WAS EXACTLY WHAT JOEL OSTEEN HAD PREACHED ON AND EVEN INCLUDED A VERSE FROM LUKE THAT REFERENCED “SHAMELESS PERSISTENCE.”  I KNEW IN A SKINNY MINUTE THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT FOR THE DAY. 

Psalms 88:13


O Lord, I cry out to you.  I will keep on pleading day by day.
WHAT IS “SHAMELESS PERSISTENCE?”  SHAMELESS MEANS WITHOUT SHAME AND PERSISTENCE MEANS CONTINUED EFFORT.  PRAYING WITH “SHAMELESS PERSISTENCE” SIMPLY MEANS “WITHOUT SHAME & CONTINUED EFFORT.”  WHY DO YOU THINK WE NEED TO BE PERSISTENT WITH OUR PRAYERS?  DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER AND YOU WOULD SAY THE FOLLOWING PRAYER, “NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP, I PRAY THE LORD MY SOUL TO KEEP….?”  WE PRAYED THAT SWEET LITTLE PRAYER EVERY SINGLE NIGHT JUST BEFORE WE DOZED OFF TO SEE HOW MANY WHITE SHEEP WERE BOUNCING ON FLUFFY WHITE CLOUDS!! 



MATTHEW 7:11


So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?


BUT DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT IS ALL GOD WANTS TO HEAR, IS THAT THE ONLY TIME GOD WANTS US TO TALK TO HIM OR SHOW HIM WE CARE?  I THINK NOT!  IT IS MERELY AN AWARENESS OF PRAYER FOR A YOUNGSTER ON HOW TO START TALKING TO GOD, BUT DON’T LEAVE IT THERE.  CHILDREN ARE VERY CURIOUS AND THEY ARE VERY REPETITIVE.  IF THEY SEE YOU TALKING TO YOURSELF OVER AND OVER THEY ARE GOING TO ASK, “WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?”  THEY ARE VERY CURIOUS AND INQUISITIVE.  TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO, GOD, AND TELL THEM WHY AND HOW YOU TALK TO HIM.  LET THEM PRACTICE!  ASK THEM WHAT IS BOTHERING THEM AND TELL THEM TO TALK TO GOD AS IF HE WERE SITTING RIGHT BESIDE THEM. 



HEBREWS 11:6


And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.


MY DAUGHTER HAS A STUFFED BABY DOLL THAT SHE GOT WHEN SHE WAS BORN, MY DAD AND STEPMOM GAVE IT TO HER AND SHE STILL CARRIES IT EVERYWHERE TO THIS DAY, ALMOST 10 YEARS LATER.  SHE HAS LEARNED FROM ME WRITING DEVOTIONS AND READING THEM HERSELF THE IMPORTANCE OF CHATTING WITH GOD QUITE FREQUENTLY, BUT ESPECIALLY AT BEDTIME TO HINDER ALL THE BOOGIE MONSTERS AWAY.  ONE DAY SHE APPROACHED ME AND SAID, “MOM I FEEL ODD TALKING TO SOMEONE I CANNOT SEE.”  I TOLD HER I KNEW EXACTLY HOW SHE FELT AND WHEN I DRIVE I PRAY, BUT SOMETIMES I DON’T WANT TO LOOK FOOLISH SO I WILL HOLD MY CELL PHONE TO MY EAR AS IF I AM ON A PHONE CALL, BUT IN REALITY I AM TALKING TO GOD.   WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP THE COMMUNICATION OPEN BETWEEN YOU AND GOD ON A CONSTANT BASIS!!  SO MY DAUGHTER NAMED HER BABY “GOD BABY” AND SHE SITS HER UP ON THE PILLOW AT NIGHT AND GETS SO EXCITED TO HAVE HER CHAT WITH GOD.  ONE NIGHT I WALKED IN AND SHE SAID “LISTEN TO ME PRAY MOM!”  SO I SAT DOWN AND LISTENED FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE FOREVER AS SHE MERELY WENT DOWN THE ENTIRE LIST OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON SHE KNOWS “I PRAY FOR MOM, I PRAY FOR DAD, I PRAY FOR GAMMY, I PRAY FOR REX, I PRAY FOR HUNTER, OVER & OVER.”  I STOPPED HER AND I SAID, “BRAY THAT IS AWESOME BUT GOD ALREADY KNOWS YOU ARE THANKFUL FOR THESE PEOPLE, HE KNOWS YOUR HEART, WHY DON’T YOU TALK TO GOD ABOUT YOUR MOUNTAINS, THE THINGS THAT BOTHER YOU, OR CAUSE YOU TO BE UPSET OR WORRY.”  I TOLD HER THAT PRAYING FOR PEOPLE IN ANY WAY WAS AMAZING AND I ENCOURAGED THAT, BUT TO HAVE MORE OF A CONVERSATION WITH GOD RATHER THAN A REHEARSED “NOW I LAY ME” PSALM.  SHE IS DOING AMAZING NOW AND SAID SHE SLEEPS LIKE A BABY.  GOD ALWAYS CALMS OUR HEARTS AFTER WE PRAY. 

1 JOHN 5:14-15


And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.


WHEN WE ARE PERSISTENT WITH OUR PRAYERS WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY COMING BACK TO GOD FOR ALL THE AREAS IN OUR LIFE WE NEED HELP OR BLESSINGS WITH.  WE CANNOT JUST COME TO GOD WITH PRAYERS AFTER WE HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OUR OWN EFFORTS.  GOD CANNOT BE THE LAST RESORT, THE LAST STOP ON YOUR TRIP.  WE CANNOT COMPLETELY LOSE ALL THE AREAS OF CONTROL WITHIN OUR LIVES AND THEN SUDDENLY FALL ON OUR FACE AND EXPECT GOD TO START ANSWERING PRAYERS.  WE CAN HOWEVER EXHAUST ALL OUR EFFORTS AND COME CRAWLING TO GOD FOR FORGIVENESS.  ONCE WE BECOME A CHILD OF GODS, THEN OUR PRAYERS NEED TO BE CONSTANT, NOT JUST ABOUT OUR NEEDS, BUT ABOUT OUR PRAISES AS WELL.  GOD DOES EVERYTHING IN HIS TIMING, NO OUR OWN.  PRAYER IS NOT A WAY OF EXTORTING BLESSINGS FROM UNWILLING FINGERS.  GOD WANTS TO ANSWER AND GRANT YOUR PRAYER REQUEST, BUT HE WANTS YOU TO BE IN THE PERFECT PLACE PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY TO RECEIVE THEM.  HE WANTS YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE BLESSING COULD ONLY COME FROM HIM AND WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE BLESSING FEEL THE URGE TO SHOUT IT FROM THE MOUNTAINTOPS! 



MATTHEW 21:21-22


Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”


PERSISTENT PRAYER IS A DEMONSTRATION OF FAITH IN GOD, WHO, WHILE AT TIMES MAY DELAY HIS ANSWERS, WILL ALWAYS ACT DECISIVELY & JUSTLY WITH RESPECT TO HIS PEOPLE!  IF YOU PRAY AND FEEL LIKE THE SKIES ARE NOT OPENING UP WITH A RAINBOW OF BLESSINGS BE PATIENT.  GOD HAS HEARD YOUR PRAYER SO THERE IS NO NEED TO REPEAT YOUR PRAYER OVER AND OVER UNTIL YOU SEE ACTION.  YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CONTINUE TO PRAY, BUT JUST KNOW THAT YOUR PRAYERS SHOULD BE DIFFERENT EACH TIME TO ALLOW GOD TO WORK IN MULTIPLE AREAS OF YOUR LIFE.  REMEMBER PRAYING TO GOD DOESN’T NEED TO JUST BE YOUR “HAIL MARY,” MAKE IT A CONSTANT PLAY IN YOUR LIFE.  FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW WHAT A HAIL MARY IS, IT IS THE LAST RESULT TO MAKE A TOUCHDOWN IN FOOTBALL WHEN THE QUARTERBACK LAUNCHES A BALL AS HIGH AND FAR AS HE CAN HOPING IT WILL BE CAUGHT IN THE END ZONE RESULTING IN A GAME WINNING TOUCHDOWN.  IT IS AFTER ALL SCHEDULED PLAYS HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED AND ACTS AS A LAST RESORT OPPORTUNITY.



1 Thessalonians 5:17


Never stop praying.


REASONS WHY PERSISTENCE IS NEEDED:


1.      We may be praying about something and not being completely honest.  We must seek God openly and honestly with all our hearts.
2.      We may have selfish needs.  Selfish motivation halts our prayers.
3.      We may be unwilling to face the facts or the signs that God has already given us and he may want us to see the clear signs he has already provided, first!
4.      We may be on the wrong path that God has for our lives and He may have bigger plans that he is creating.
5.      We may be too independent, forgetting that God is the reason for everything.


Deuteronomy 8:17-18


He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.



FAITH WORKS TOWARDS WHAT IT ASKS FOR, WHILE IT WAITS!  WE HAVE TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO LIVE RIGHT AND TRUST IN GOD TO PROVIDE ALL OUR ANSWERED PRAYERS AND BLESSINGS.  IF YOU ASK GOD FOR SOMETHING BE WILLING TO GO OUT OF YOUR WAY FOR GOD’S WORD. 


IF YOU ASK FOR:


FAITH: THEN START LOVING OTHERS
JOY: START FILLING YOURSELF AND OTHERS UP POSITIVELY
FORGIVENESS: START LOVING YOUR ENEMIES
JOB: START PREPARING YOURSELF FOR THE POSITION YOU WANT, SEE YOURSELF THERE
HEALTH: GET OFF THE COUCH AND EXERCISE (IF YOU CAN!)
PATIENCE: 1ST GET READY TO BE TESTED BY FAITH AND 2ND HOLD ON!



Remember when you are praying for a major blessing and you see no instant gratification, the walls of Jericho didn’t automatically fall down.  It had to be circled 13 times and then shouted down with faith.  Sometimes we need to take the same approach and boost our faith to new levels to show God we are ready and willing to take on new challenges. 
SHOUT THE FAITH!! 


OUR FAITH IS GROWING EVERY SINGLE TIME WE YIELD TO GOD IN PRAYER.  BE A PALM TREE THAT IS ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE GREATEST OF WIND WITHOUT EVER FALLING DOWN AND REGAINING MORE STRENGTH WITH EVERY SINGLE SWAY.


GOD BLESS,


KD


Blog: http://thedentedbucket.blogspot.com     


Email: dentedbucket@charter.net

INTERSECTIONS OF LIFE

INTERSECTIONS OF LIFE

Jeremiah 6:16

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.

In all areas of your life you will be brought too many intersections where a choice is to be made.  How will you address the choices of life?  Will you see the intersection as a good or bad thing?  Will you huff and puff at the stop sign God has brought you to in your life or will you embrace change with a positive Christian attitude?  Will you be happy throughout the struggle and see God’s way as the right way? 

Job 23:10

I can’t find him because he knows the road I take.  When he tests me, I’ll come out as pure as gold.

We are all happy when life is soaring straight through with no bumps in the road, but the moment a bump comes up and throws us off course we start distressing.  We reach intersections in our life almost daily, but sometimes we choose not to see them and often times avoid them at all cost.  The intersections of life are put in place by God to cause us to stop and pay attention to a number of things; a warning sign of a sin we might be making, a chance to catch our breath and regroup or maybe just a message from God that you need to be doing something different.  Whatever the reason for God bringing you to an intersection in your life, accept that he has your best interest at heart and His way is the right way!  Don’t get too ahead of yourself or think negatively about the intersections of life, they will always be there.  They are not a bad thing although the circumstances may seem hard to overcome at the time.  They are merely put there by God as a way to interconnect with you.  Embrace all the intersections of life head on with prayer, and God will direct your steps.

Malachi 3:1

“I’m going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way ahead of me. Then the Lord you are looking for will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the promise[a] will come. He is the one you want,” says the Lord of Armies.

Our lives are full of choices every single day.  We all have choices to do or say the right thing, to lend a hand to someone in need or maybe the choice to make changes in our own lives.  Whatever the choice is that you are facing, whatever the encounter, God is already standing at the crossroads of your life.  We have to get to a place where we know that everything will be passable as long as we are letting God direct our path.  He wants us to grow more and more into the type of person that imitates His love in every action we take.  To grow and develop our faith, crossroads and intersections are needed as reality checks not only for God to talk to us and guide us, but for us to stop running the race full speed.  Life is sooo chaotic, the worldly disorder from day to day is enough to bring any human to their knees, but the strong Christian is equipped by the Lord to withstand the biggest falls.  As long as we put our faith in God and lean on His understanding any meddling in our life will be handled with the greatest precaution. 

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

When we know deep down inside that no matter what we face today or tomorrow that God is already there and knows the conclusion, we start building trust.  When trust is built to the maximum level you comprehend that God is ultimately in control and no matter how hard you sway to the right or the left His perfect will is going to happen.  There is no sense in getting all anxious and disturbed over the intersection of life and the choices you have to make today, for your God has already seen this struggle and equipped you with the right choices.  When you lean on His understanding it takes the pressure off of your own shoulders and tension starts to release, you start feeling a sense of composure.  When the intersection seems pompous and you feel like just giving up remember Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord (HE ALREADY KNOWS YOUR LIFE).  They are plans for peace and not disaster (HE HAS ZERO PLANS FOR YOU TO FAIL OR BE HARMED), plans to give you a future filled with hope (HE WANTS YOU TO SUCCEED NOT FAIL).

Jeremiah 29:11

I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.

God does not lead you into crossroads of your life without first equipping you with the tools needed to flourish.  He lays all the pertinent information out there in His word for you to read anytime you need to.  He shows you how to live right, what to do in times of struggle and how to grip adversity.  He never expects you to go into an encounter unarmed, that is why he gives you the protect armor of his word to cover every aspect of your life.  I have been to many crossroads in my life, intersections where I literally felt I was going to just fall over.  These choice making opportunities may arise in the middle of an already problematic day and make you feel overwhelmed, but here is what I have learned.  God doesn’t send the crossroads into our life to trip us up on an already overloaded day; he sends them to us to slow us down, to regain our focus on what is right and just.  He sends us into a resting period where we have many things to think about and ponder as a means to slow us down from making hasty decisions.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.

 In everything we do or say we need to go to our Heavenly Father for leadership and direction.  When we start making fly by the seat decisions without first consulting our Heavenly Father in prayer we send the message that we can handle our own life.  God knows that we unquestionably one hundred percent “cannot” handle our own life and therefore intervenes with crossroads as a means to slow down the selfish decision making. 

Hebrews 12:1

Since we are surrounded by so many examples of faith, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up.

Psalms 37:23

A person’s steps are directed by the Lord, and the Lord delights in his way.

Three main things to remember when you are faced with a crossroad in your life; the process is where GOD is working, don’t get so caught up in the destination and God is an eternal God. 

He sees our yesterdays and our tomorrows as He sees our todays.

No matter where you have been or where you are going God is there.  He controls where the steps of yesterday led you and where the steps of today will take you.  Crossroads are God’s way of getting our attention for something astounding.  If you do not know God as your Savior this very crossroad of your life may be pushing you to know him more, to trust in him and get yourself saved. 

Maybe you’re at a crossroad and you have no idea where to go from here or what resolutions to make.  This is a perfect time to release the grips of your own life, give all areas of your life to God and let him take over.  The crossroad may be merely an attempt for you to trust God more with your life.  Letting go of our own life a very scary thing because we all want instant gratification, but that is simply the way of the world.  Following the world will not get you into the kingdom of Heaven.  Make all your choices with Gods guiding light, if he is first in your life and ahead of every single decision you make YOU WILL NEVER LOSE YOUR DIRECTION.

God Bless you ALL,

KD

Blog: http://thedentedbucket.blogspot.com      Email: dentedbucket@charter.net

Good Advice!!!

ACTIVATE YOUR DREAMS

ACTIVATE YOUR DREAMS

Sorry no devotions last week, I had surgery last Monday and have really tried to follow the doctors’ orders and just rest.  So I am back, running full speed and ready for God to catch me up on all the blessings he has in store for your life and mine.  So YEAH, I’m back!! 

Today I want to talk to you about ACTIVATING YOUR DREAMS!  If you want something for your life and you believe deep down in your soul that God has this same goal for you, then make it happen.  You say, “Well how can I make something happen like that?”  You get into an agreement with God, living for His word and His will for your life daily and you start activating your dreams.  You have to see yourself living in those dreams already.  If you want that fantastic job with endless opportunities, then see yourself sitting in that office, getting ready for that job, working hard.  If you want that nice new house, then see yourself building that house, picking out the colors for the walls or buying the furniture.  If you want to find your soul mate and get married, then visualize that soul mate, picture their image, dream about your wedding day.  If you want to be a parent then picture yourself being that parent, dream about that first step or that first word.  When you dream about things that you want for your life you dig deep inside of yourself and you boost your attitude to “I CAN,” instead of “Can I?”  You have to enlarge your vision and dream of something too big for you to accomplish yourself, make sure God has to have a hand in it.  Don’t limit yourself, stay stuck in a rut, or settle.  Believe that God has an amazing plan and he desires to bless you beyond your belief.  He constantly surrounds you with His favor.

Colossians 2:7

Sink your roots in him and build on him. Be strengthened by the faith that you were taught, and overflow with thanksgiving.

You have to activate the supernatural blessings from God:

·         Believe in what you cannot see

·         Believe in what you cannot change

·         Believe in what you cannot heal

·         Believe in where you cannot go

·         Believe in what you cannot create

·         Boost yourself to a level where God has to intervene to finish the plan

·         Lean on God to move the mountains.

Isaiah 55:11

My word, which comes from my mouth, is like the rain and snow.  It will not come back to me without results, but it will accomplish whatever I want and achieve whatever I send it to do.”

We have to make sure we are not limiting our ability to accomplish our dreams.  We cannot be limited by our own circumstances.  We have to know deep down inside of us we are here for a plan and God has amazing and spectacular things planned out for your life.  If you can dream it, God can bring it.  He always fulfills His promises to us, but only during His exact timing.  So if you dream and you don’t see a door open, keep dreaming.  Don’t get frustrated or change your plans just because your answer wasn’t instant or exact.  Sometimes God has an alternative route to get you to your dream.  What you think would be the best dream may just be a drop in the bucket compared to what God has planned for you.  Don’t settle for just the dreams that you can create only inside our mind let your faith dream as well.  Our mind is able to do remarkable things with dreaming, but it is limited to how we can actually achieve our goals.  The point is that God has a plan for your life and I truly believe that God gives us gifts before we were born that help to ponder up those dreams.  We all have a unique way to help another in some degree with passion or creativity.  That gift is directly embedded in you from your Heavenly Father.  He knows that you are just the right candidate for that next promotion, that next new home, that next break in hardships.  Let God finish the job he started.  If the dreams you have always envisioned yourself doing don’t work out, then brush it off and know inside your heart, God has something greater and enhanced in store for you.

2 Peter 1:4

Through his glory and integrity he has given us his promises that are of the highest value. Through these promises you will share in the divine nature because you have escaped the corruption that sinful desires cause in the world.

You say “well I am a believer, why do I not see my dreams happen?”  Let me be real honest right now!!  You can be a believer and not fully activate the blessings that God has for your life.  You have to get your life right with God, bow before him and humbly admit you are a sinner and that you are drained of living that life.  Once you denounce your sinful life, it’s time to pick up your cross and follow God.  Start the process of activating your blessings with the first step, RECEIVE YOUR BLESSINGS!  Do what it right, believe in what is right and help others to learn what is right.  Do your best daily to avoid sins, but when you do sin, repent and refuse to go back to that sin.  You have to search within your soul where God resides and receive the blessings.  John 3:21 says; “People who do what is true come to the light so that the things they do for God may be clearly seen.”  When we take off the old self and replace it with our Godly body we activate the belief in the blessing. 

Next we must BE A SERVANT TO THE BLESSING!  Do more than God requires of you to receive a greater reward in this life.  Go out of your way for another person, be kind at all times and let go of all selfish vanity.  Ask daily not what your God can do to bless you, but ways that God can use you to be a blessing to others.  Colossians 3:12 tells us; “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness & patience.”  Ephesians 2:10 says it best, “For we are HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared BEFOREHAND, that we should walk in them.”  Reach out to others that may not know God in the way you do or trust him, and let them journey with you.  Show them through a compassionate heart & kindness that those that follow God leave no man behind. 

Thirdly, GIVE A BLESSING!  Give of your time, money, prayers and Godly wisdom to help boost another’s level of faith in God.  You say, “Well I don’t have time or money to help anyone.”  Everything you do have is of God.  Without God you would not have a thing or a dime.  Even if you have only 10 minutes to spare, use it to help someone.  Even if you only have two dollars spare change, give it to that lady struggling with three children at the grocery store.  Pay it forward when you go through a drive thru line, pay for the car behind you.  Open a door for someone, tell someone God Bless YOU!  Do the small things that take only moments off your day but could visibly boost someone into a greater faith than they currently have.  Show others that believing and trusting in God for all the guidance and direction in your life is not something to be ashamed of or feel bad about, it is the absolute most amazing blessing that will take you to new levels of your life.  Remember God made you, counted the hairs on your head while you were in your mother’s womb.  He gave you the life, the air you breathe and the gifts you receive.  Why then would you ever be ashamed to embrace the one person who is always there, constantly believes in you and can take you into your dreams.  Be there for others; share God with others, whether it be time, money or prayers, DO FOR OTHERS.  Do you want God to bless your life????  Then read Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you.  Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.  For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”  That is God’s way of saying, “do this for me and I will bless you even greater than you can fathom.” 

Finally the 4^th step in Activating Your Blessings, WALK BY FAITH!  Realize right now before you even move forward that you do NOT need to see the path that God has laid the foundation for in your life.  Trust that when you are obedient to Him, the doors of blessings & opportunities will pour down on you.  Do NOT ever give up on your faith.  To reach your blessings that God has in store for your life, you have got to have amazing, unwavering faith.  You cannot be tossed by the sea of defeat or the wave of life.  You will encounter hardships and trials, you have to know this.  It’s like when the new kid on the block shows up and all the kids of the neighborhood want to see what they are like and how they act.  You will always have someone in the group that will start causing trouble the minute you step into new territory.  The devil is the same way, when you release the sin filled nature of this world out of your hands and open them up towards God, you show the devil you are not scared nor running your own life.  No matter what you do to make things better the devil is going to follow you much closer than if you just didn’t believe at all.  The ones that do not believe or live a life of Gods amazing blessings are seated exactly at a comfort level for the devil.  When we jump out of the comfort level not only do we activate a Godly power within ourselves, but we leave the devil stranded.  He becomes infuriated and comes after you like a thief in the night.  He doesn’t want us making a life changes, he wants us to remain.  To achieve your life blessings and to fully activate the blessings that God has in store for your life you CANNOT REMAIN!

2 Corinthians 5:7

Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight.

Believe in God’s Blessings for your life, be obedient to Him and all that he asks of you, Give his blessings to others and never ever, no matter what happens lose sight of your faith.  You can boost yourself to new levels within your walk for Christ, but it all starts with you.  God will not force you to do this; it’s a step of faith that we all must start ourselves.  It comes from a hidden spot deep within us that needs God, believes in God and desires to know more about God.  It’s embedded in us, but to activate the full potential and power of God’s amazing blessings, you have to MAKE THAT FIRST STEP.  And once you make that first step you keep on stepping!  You keep on believing, make changes for the better, leading by example and living your life in a way that God would be proud.  Give up the crowd, because a follower of Christ doesn’t need a human support group to find their destiny.  A follower of God needs only one person and that is God himself.  If the crowd shuns you for making a difference in your life by activating your faith, then understand, “better to walk alone than never walk at all, better to trust in Him who never lets you fall; to stand with faith and start to move, it’s a life long journey between God & YOU.”  I wrote that the other day when I was trying to think of ways to let you see that following a crowd that doesn’t believe may be great in numbers, but not satisfying in needs.  You need your God and if the group is not willing to see that, then walk away.

Activate your Blessings, let God Bless you abundantly.  I am living proof that if you wait and believe in your miracle, God will sand all the edges.  God has delivered me the blessings that I have prayed for.  It took almost 4 years, but God has placed me into that divine destiny, the place where I am supposed to be.  Guess what???  It’s everything I have envisioned for many years, and guess what else, its GODS WILL!  I am sorry, but you can’t get any better than that!

If God created all of this for you and me, then at least let God be a part of your life.  You can’t get groceries for free; someone has to stock the shelves.  Just like you cannot get peace and eternity for free, Jesus paid the price.  All you have to do is look around you at the amazing blessings that God has created and that should be enough for you to see what faith can do.

God Bless you ALL,

KD

Blog: http://thedentedbucket.blogspot.com      Email: dentedbucket@charter.net