4GIVEN

When you feel like giving up, you are missing out on what God has to offer. There are so many things that demand our attention and while it may be good to leave behind unhealthy relationships, jobs, and habits, it’s also important to keep fighting for what is good and right. Fight for marriage, fight for your kids, fight for your health – don’t give up! Know that you are not alone, and know that we are in the hands of God- He will provide us with strength (2 Chron 15:7) and rest (Matt 11:28) in our time of need. Not giving up is simply facing uncertainty, adversity, danger, or suffering with faith-fueled hope that God will always see us through. I Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” This innate desire to plot out the course of our life stems from our desire to be in control of our life. However, Proverbs 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, BUT the Lord determines his steps.” Beloved of God, you were chosen before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), to walk with God along the paths He uniquely designed for you! The goal is to concentrate on aligning your plans with God’s plans, will, and purpose. When we trust in God’s plan then we can truly embrace the promise taught in Jeremiah 29:11. The good news is our hope and future is deeply rooted in heaven, where eternal ecstasy awaits us and NOTHING can rob us of this inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14). Remember this, planning always begins with humility. James 4:13-14 says, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” The Bible teaches against two extremes: never setting goals and setting goals with no thought of God. The balanced alternative is found in James 4:15: “Instead you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” It is good to make plans, as long as we leave room for God to change our plans. His goals undoubtedly take precedence over ours.

With so much going on it’s easy to slip into a pit of negativity. However, we got to stay positive. Solomon said in Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up bones.” Believe it or not things are never as bad as it seems and laughters lightens your load and lifts your heart into heavenly places. Laughter blends with angelic melodies of praise. So stop trying to shoulder the burdens of life rather, turn everything over to God. Matthew 11:29-30, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Father God, I declare that today I hear, receive, understand, embrace, and am committed to Your oracles. Father God, speak to me, and I will listen and follow Your commands. I decree and declare that there is a clear and direct conduit between heaven and me. I hunger for the meat of Your Word because it brings me life and in this life, I choose to follow You and to love others as I love myself. THANK YOU FATHER for all that YOU do, in Jesus’, amen.

This hit me like a ton of bricks this morning. It’s in our genetic DNA to believe that if we understand the ‘why’, this will bring us peace. WRONG! Earthly understanding will never gives us spiritual peace because the relief is short-lived. We all possess an insatiable appetite for trying to figure things out in order to inadvertently gain mastery over our lives. However, the goal of every Christian is not attain mastery rather it is to seek our Master. Solomon succumbed to the will of his wives due to the illusion of mastery. This is why he wrote Proverbs 3:5-6; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understandings….” God’s peace is not elusive nor is hidden at the center of some complicated maze. Romans 5:1 says we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. So don’t get caught up trying to be your own master, trust God with every thing and as Charles F. Stanley says, “Leave the consequences to Him.”

If God told you to ask for anything what would you ask for?! Solomon was asked this question and his response was recorded 2 Chron 1:10. He said, “Give me wisdom and knowledge.” Perhaps Solomon understood God because his daddy taught him about God. David said in Psalm 27:4, “I’m asking GOD for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet.” Lastly, Jesus confirms why we should keep our focus on the main thing in John 6:33. He said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” 
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A mustard seed of faith was deposited in each of us and everyday God gives us opportunities to develop our faith. Through test, trials, ups, downs, highs and lows God is really saying, “Do you trust Me?” When things get difficult and we call on God through faith a.) it pleases God and b.) our seed of faith increases. IOW, trusting God is pleasing to God! Hebrews 10:38 says, “The just shall live by faith. And I take no pleasure in one that turns back.” Hebrews 11:6 of the MSG paraphrased this fundamental precept well, “By an act of faith, Enoch skipped death completely. “They looked all over and couldn’t find him because God had taken him.” We know on the basis of reliable testimony that before he was taken “he pleased God.” It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that He exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.” Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety, or by the handle of faith. We may not skip death but if Enoch chose the latter, so can we!

“God will not just give us what we want; He will make us desire what He wants—give us His desires—so that following Him is that much more joyful and fulfilling. Some things will fall away as we pray for them because we realize they were never right for us in the first place. To put it simply, the more you hang out with God, the more He rubs off on you—and the more He will rub off on how you do your work, how you relate to your family members and friends, and how you make your decisions. Spend enough time with Him, and suddenly your desires start to look a lot like His.” Cindy Trimm