29 September 2011

God Has Plans for You

I haven't updated this in a while so this might be a tad short, but I need to express what the Lord has laid on my heart recently.

The Lord has plans for you. He has made plans to help you prosper and not to harm you.The Bible says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6). This means that the Lord can control your life if you let Him. He can show you where you need to go.

What's interesting is in this passage, the Greek words are much more expressive than the English translation could ever hope to be (as is usually the case). See it says "He shall make your paths straight." That's not just saying that he will guide you and help you move toward His direction, in the Greek, it means he will level everything in your way. He will literally make a clearing so prominent it would be almost impossible to miss it. He will literally come in and wipe everything out so that you can go in His direction and toward Him.

We think about the majesty of this and the wonder. And we simply praise God for the many things he has done in our lives, for good reason. We know "all things work together for good for those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28). However, we must not forget that everything has two sides. As much as we pray and give thanks and song to the Lord, we must realize that Satan is more than readily lurking behind every corner.

See, as many plans as God has for us to prosper, Satan has tenfold to makes us fail. To drop us off of God's path for us. While God comes and levels what's in front of us, to make it clear what path is meant to be taken, Satan not only clears the immediate path, he entices toward his path. He coaxes us onto his side so that he can trap us in negative thoughts, in distrust, in an overwhelming depression that's like Hell to get out of.

Through all of this, God is watching us. He is with, He will help us. God doesn't want us to fail, but he allows it. How many times have you failed at a task? Each attempt to try again becomes more and more fervent at succeeding. Without failing, we don't learn what if feels like to lose sight of God. As humans, we need to be reminded that we will fail, and that we must try again. It is this free will, this undeniable loss that compels us to becomes increasingly more fervent toward God.

God doesn't want harm to come to us, and each day we stray from the path He has leveled for us, becomes a day we fall closer to Satan's harmful track. Robert Frost says, "I took the road less traveled, and that has made all the difference." I use this here, in this context, to say that we must understand that God's road for us may not necessarily be easy - there will be days full of trouble - but we must overcome these days and reach toward a dawn of possible impossibilities with the Lord.

For, God's plans aren't to harm, but to allow the chance to prosper. So, please, look for God's guidance in everyday situations. When they don't turn out the way you want, don't lose sight of what may be the bigger picture.



For all of life's problems, ask God.

26 January 2011

The Light of the World

Today someone came up and said, "I didn't know you were a Christian." My response was simply, "Yes, I am." But, after I thought about it I realized how sad this was that He didn't know I was a Christian, that he couldn't tell that I was a Christian. I started to think, why didn't he know? How could he not tell? And the only clear answer was that I wasn't living the way I should be. I wasn't living my life in a Christian manner. Now, I don't mean that I need to change the way I walk, or necessarily the way I talk in everyday life. However, I do need to learn to proclaim Jesus everyday. I need to learn to witness for Him all the time! After all, Matthew 5:14-16 says:
You are the light of the world, a city on a hill cannot be hidden. Men do not light a candle and put it under a bowl, instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before men so that they may see your good deeds and worship your father in Heaven!

23 January 2011

I'm Meant for Something Big

God calls us all to be followers. He intends for all of us to follow His guidance. In John 21, we hear the story of Peter and 6 other disciples fishing. The have cast their nets time and time again and have caught no fish. Jesus appeared to them and said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they obey Christ, they bring in a bountiful catch.

Jesus shows us over and over that He will always help us. He will always guide us. He is there for us. However, we must take the time to follow Him; to obey Him. Later in the chapter, it goes on to say that Jesus asked Peter, 3 times if Peter loved Him. Every time Peter said, Yes, Lord you know that I love you." Jesus tells Peter follow Him. To tend His flock. Look after them.

All of us are meant to follow Christ. However, the Lord does call some of those followers to lead. But, what can we lead what we have not followed ourselves? Do schools hire teachers that haven't had to follow education? Do businesses hire managers that haven't had to follow the path to supervisor? No. It is meant for us to follow Christ. And, from that He will lead us to our purpose.

For years, I've known that I'm meant for something big. I meant to do something. And, for years, I've been searching for it. If I'm meant to do it, surely I'll find it. But, no. I'm meant to follow Christ. I'm meant to follow. He will lead me to what I'm meant to do. Whatever that may be.

So, I will follow Christ. He will lead me, and help me. He will guide me, and protect me. I will follow.