4GIVEN

God’s plan will always be more beautiful, exciting, and more rewarding than your disappointments. Deut 31:6 of the MSG paraphrase reminds us to, “Be strong [and to] take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because GOD, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.” Therefore, while you’re waiting for God’s promises to manifest in your situation choose to be patient, faithful, and expecting! Lastly, don’t grow weary in doing what you know you needs to be done because at the appointed time you will harvest a multiplicity of God’s unfolding blessings if you don’t give up (Galatians 6:9)!

You can’t open a door shut by God. Revelation 3:8 reminds us,”…..the Holy One, the True One, He Who has the key of David, Who opens and no one shall shut, Who shuts and no one shall open.” Now, lets tell the truth and shame the devil…we don’t like it when God shuts a door that we believe we have the keys (power) to access. Perhaps the harshest word we ever hear growing up is also one of the shortest: “No.” “No” is a small word that packs an enormous amount of power. It has the ability to both prevent and protect. Growing up, we almost singularly see the prevention side of this command, seeing “no” as merely a barrier hemming us in, but in fact, “no” is more like a gateway to better living. “No, do not touch that electrical outlet.” “No, do not touch that hot stove.” “No, do not play in the middle of the street,” etc. Youthful ignorance and curiosity sometimes see only the prevention and not the protection! Do you remember when David wanted to build God’s temple? God said, “No” (1 Chron.17:4)!! It’s tough hearing God’s “no,” especially when it doesn’t sound like protection, only prevention. Fact is God closes doors because He knows we need a few more seasons of meekness and humility under our belts. I say this for my tenacious saints: When God closes a door, he doesn’t always open a window.!! Sometimes he just wants you to be content in the room you’re in. So if you’re standing in front of a shut door, pray to be content with God’s denial, knowing that His deliverance of you is secure forever by the merits of His Son. He might have said “no” to you in this occurrence, but for everything else, is “yes” in Christ and so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. (2 Cor 1:20)!!

Do you believe that HOPE is just as real as your last HEARTBEAT? Without HOPE – FAITH would be incomplete. One definition for hope is: to look forward with confidence or expectation. We must believe in the Word of God with all its hope even when we are hopeless. When we believe in hope we breathe life into our ‘right now’ situations. Hope is more than just asking God for something we so badly need; we must expect our miracle to manifest and in the midst of asking, believing, and expecting God to answer, we will find what we are looking for is already in front of us. David said, “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living”(Psalm 27:13). Throughout scripture you’ll read words like “be strong, take courage, wait reverently and worshipfully fear God, tarry for the hope, wait patiently for it, and be joyful in hope. These are all action words that come alive in your heart as you speak the word of over yourself and situation. Paul said, “But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Romans 8:24). So today, Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Remember that if it’s not right God will make it right because God is righteous in all that he does and what he allows!

Abba Father, creator of heaven, earth, and galaxies. I humbly stand before you only to ask that you lead me because I can’t do life on my own. Big or small, I need you in every aspect of my life. When I feel weak in my flesh and my Spirit is low, flood my heart and spirit with your strength, ambition, perseverance, and fortitude. Holy Spirit, I need you, in every area of my life. Soften me, inspire me, teach me, comfort me, protect me, rest in me, and direct me today. Psalm 46:1 reminds me that You are my refuge and strength and Psalm 91:1 says that, “ He who abides in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty!” Thank you and Hallelujah O’God!! I choose to dwell in you and rest in your shadow. Now unto my King eternal, immortal, and invisible be honor, and glory forever and ever. In Jesus’ life restoring, preserving, and victorious name! Amen!

I love the Msg Bible paraphrase of Psalm 139:13-16, “Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.” Contrary to public opinion, our value comes from God, the Creator, and not from our own appearance and it’s certainly not based on what people think. Trust me when I say, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” God creates masterpieces not garbage and Ephesians 2:10 backs me up! Paul said, “ For we are God’s masterpiece….” Though we ARE different, we serve the one True God not made with human hands. We worship the Creator of all things and especially US. We strive to obey and live for Him who saved us and called us with His holy calling. We march to a different drum. We tread on the road less traveled. We are God’s masterpiece and we were not created for man’s glory, but to glorify God.

Our God will never waste anything that has happened in our lives! Romans 8:28 reminds us that, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” God is the greatest surgeon of all times! He is able to take our cuts, scrapes, bruises, wounds, and our shattered-brokenness to create something beautiful. So, if you ever felt like you’re not worthy to be used by God, let alone loved by him, just remember that Jesus used a bunch of flawed people (Moses, Noah, Peter, and Paul…) to share hope to a flawed, shattered, and broken world. In God, we find renewal, mending, healing, and purpose. Jesus didn’t call the equipped, He equipped the called. Therefore, no matter what you’ve been through in life, remember that the same power that conquered the grave lives and reigns within you. Despite what the devil says, you are worthy of life. You are worthy of God’s love. You are worthy of joy. You are worthy of a fulfilling purpose that will take you places beyond your wildest dreams. Never forget that when you view your life from an outside perspective, you will see that it doesn’t matter where you’re from, nor what you’ve done, or who you use to be; Jesus desires to use you for the glory of his will, plan, and purpose!

RULE #4 Be patient while running your kingdom race! The G.O.A.T. (aka) Jesus ran the race flawlessly and the Message paraphrase of Hebrews 12:1 summed up his performance perfectly, “Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” While patiently enduring earthly trials, our faith is strengthened.

And when our faith becomes weak, we should take time to read all of God’s promises to heal and deliver us. In our long-suffering, we can take confidence in the hope of the future before us and get back up when we stumble and keep running the race with grit, patience and faith because God will see you to and at the finish line—the Kingdom of God.

RULE #3: Trust God with everything. Why do we think we can pull wool over God’s omniscient eyes? We typically trust God to come through for us on small matters but when it comes to bigger circumstances; hmmmm not so much! Proverbs 3:5 encourages to, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” In contrast Proverbs 28:26 admonitions, “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” We have to remind ourselves that what’s true on the mountaintop is also true in the valley. So what’s our common denominator? GOD’S PROMISES DON’T CHANGE BECAUSE OF OUR SITUATION!! 2 Corinthian 1:20 guarantees that, “All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” Lastly, one of the most prominent themes of scripture is to trust in God, especially in times when it becomes difficult to do so. While we will experience unexpected hardships in our lives, it is crucial for our spiritual health that we continue trusting God as the Bible encourages and commands. Although not an easy feat, to trust in God could save you from an irredeemable decision you may make in anger or sadness that could adversely impact God’s plan for your life. In closing, my prayer is that, “The God of hope fills us with all joy and peace in believing [trusting], so that by the power of the Holy Spirit may abound in our hope” (Romans 15:13).

RULE #2: Let go and let #GOD! This is the perfect sentiment in the midst of overwhelming, challenging circumstances, right? It’s kind of Zen-like. Release all your struggles. Let them melt away. Allow them to dissolve into the almighty power of God. Scripture clearly points out times when it really #IS appropriate to let go and let God handle everything (Matthew 6:34). But there are instances when we are called to do certain things. We are also called to be #ACTIVE in the midst of trials, challenges, and heart-rending circumstances (Phil 4:6). In this sense, I must NOT only let go and let God. I must run hard to God and wrestle in prayer and grapple with his promises. I must fight against my sinful tendency to worry and seek to put to death my sinful desire for control. Charles Spurgeon said, “You believe in God for your soul. Believe in him about your property. Believe in God about your sick wife or your dying child. Believe in God about your losses and bad debts and declining business.” My suggestion is to embrace this spiritual paradox and note that scripture never attempts to reconcile the two. However, it does motivate us to be encouraged by the work God has promised to do while at the same time, we work hard in our pursuit of God. This is a parallel precept and it was never intended to be an either/or selection! It’s both!!

RULE #1: Put GOD at the center of everything! Why? Well, because, “The Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd you; He will guide you to springs of living waters, and God will wipe away every tear from your eyes.” Revelation 7:17 Putting God first in our lives simplifies our life-challenges and will turn bitter waters into springs of living waters! Now doesn’t that sound refreshing?! You must remember it doesn’t matter whether or not you feel God to be at the center of your life! His omnipresence is not experienced through our feeling rather by activating our faith. It’s incumbent on us to acknowledge that God doesn’t break His promises, and that Jesus says, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no way cast out.” (John 6:37) BOTTOM LINE is that God will never force his way into your life. We are all free moral agents and because God didn’t create robots, He has given us the power of choice! So what do you choose? God wants to be at the center of your life and He deserves to be at the center of your life! So if anything else is taking up lease space, I invite to serve whatever that is squatting in God’s position a writ of eviction today! We have been called out by God from this world, before the worlds were even formed (Ephesians 1:4) to be His own possession and, therefore, He is at the center of our lives as long as we trust Him over and above our life-circumstances or anyone or anything else! Jesus ain’t got to take the steering wheel, if He is already commandeering the vehicle (you)!!