Category: Devotions

What are you allowing to shape your faith?

Good FRIDAY!!! I hope that you are having a great day. I look back at this week, and honestly, it’s one of the best I have had in a while. I have some really good lessons to sink in and renew my focus. I hope your week was great too and the next week is better than this one!

Many times in life when difficult situations approach, defensively we look for ways to get out of them. I mean really, who wants to have a hard time? Who wants to be hurt or feel broken? NOBODY! At least I wouldn’t if I had the choice. The truth is, you can make every good choice and still eventually face a difficult situation. The character-defining moments in life are reliant on our reactions and what we do in the midst of these situations.

Do you:
1. sometimes whine first then suck it up and face it?(This is usually my reaction. Well at first I try to pray then in my whining I try to solve the problem and finally I stop and deal with it. I also go to valued Godly counsel–my spiritual mentor or my mom or my assistant pastor) see Proverbs 15:22
2. avoid the problem alltogether? If this is you, please stop! You are going to miss out on so much that God has for you. Nine times out of ten, you really cannot avoid it anyway! This is a temporary situation, a test to pass and move on from. Recite “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phi 4:13 and “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 until you believe it! You are more than a conqueror through Christ! (Romans 8:37)
3. point the finger and blame others? Yes there are situations that may arise over which you had no fault, but where does trying to find someone to blame get you? Nowhere! For a long time after I got sick, I tried to rationalize it in my mind. Why me? Why now? Why not before? I actually had someone I could blame for negligence, but where would that get me? It got me bitter, hurt, betrayed, and depressed from holding on to all the anger. It seemed like God was ignoring my prayers but I had not done my part! It wasnt until I accepted that for the simple fact that we are born into sin that some bad things happen but even more important that we can give it all to God and He Will give you peace! It’s in these points that we have to remember the following: Romans 12:19–Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the scriptures say, “I will take revenge, I will pay them back,” says the Lord. My favorite: Romans 8:28–And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. Lastly Isaiah 26:3–You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you: because he trusts in you. (AKJV)

So what are you allowing to shape your faith? Are you running away in fear–and remember fear is not of God!!(2 Tim 1:7). Are you standing in God’s promises to give your the desires of your heart and to protect you?(Psalm 37:4, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 121:7-8) I don’t know about you but going it alone is not an option for me so I’ll continue to keep quiet and face them head on because I know God has my back!

Love you and be blessed! It’s Friday yay!

http://enterthemindofmarquita.blogspot.com

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

Marquita B. Priester

Die to Self Everyday

“[I assure you] by the pride which I have in you in [your fellowship and union with] Christ Jesus our Lord, that I die daily [I face death every day and die to self].” 1 Cor 15:31 AMP

Hey! Hope today is hot and not rainy. Well not too hot either. I have been reading the Purpose-Driven Life with one of my best friends and I actually recommend anyone who is serious about getting closer to God to read it as well. I recognize a lot of lessons in it that I have learned or am learning and it’s pretty straight-forward reinforcement. Yesterday’s reading talked about surrendering your life to God. More clearly what stuck out was the reference to the verse above. I die daily.

I’m not going to lie and say I like the thought of this but to truly know God and to trust Him in spite of EVERYTHING requires this. I was ANGRY when I read this! I was having a bad day after lunch(some thought had come to mind–yet I didn’t recognize the word that caused it to kill it so I was stuck). Then reading this–yes I needed to read it but that didn’t mean I couldn’t get mad!

Daily death. Kill selfishness, self-centeredness, controlling thoughts, etc. There are simply some things that God did not equip us to do and that’s what He wants us to come to Him for! But this is hard! If you wake up nearly everyday and you choose, “Hmmm, I think I’ll cook my breakfast today. I’ll wear that black shirt or those jeans…” You have “control” and you decide what you want to do in regards to what time to go to work…blah! But those real decisions and choices in life are influenced by who you serve. Do you serve yourself and think selfishly or do you serve God?

Dying to self is a hard thing to do and I think that’s why Paul says he had to do it daily. Remember that your life is not about you. Remember that the choices you make affect those around you. Remember that in the midst of your complaining, God has you at that point for some reason you may or may not know yet, but in the end it will make you better and get you to that place where God can elevate you. All difficulty is only temporary. If no one else you can trust Him. Let it go. Die to self today and give up whatever is on your heart. He will work it out! If you believe that, then what are you afraid of???

http://enterthemindofmarquita.blogspot.com/

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
Marquita B. Priester