The most important thing for me is having a relationship with God. To know that the owner, the creator of the universe loves you, sent His Son to die for your sins; that’s very empowering. Knowing Him and knowing that He loves me gives me encouragement and confidence to move forward.
Ben Carson
MAKE THAT CHANGE
“This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.” Joshua 1:8 AMP
The key to having good success is to know what to focus on. Once you know your focus your next step is to create a step-by-step plan that will lead you to the place where you want to go. I pray that these three admonitions will inspire you change your outlook in the upcoming year.
CREATE A MISSION STATEMENT.
Start your mission statement with a statement of your faith. What it is that you believe and why. Then base the rest of your mission statement on that belief. What is it that you want to accomplish? What can you do improve upon that mission? When should you start? Who or what can hold you accountable? How long should it take you to complete your mission statement? That depends on how comprehensive you want it to be. Here are some resources to help you on your journey: Personal/family mission statement, lifehack.org, 16personalities.com.
FIND A MENTOR
Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
I SAMUEL 2:30
Does your life honor God? Do the people you follow life honor Him? God wants us to do things for His glory. The things of men are “lightly esteemed” by Him. However, they are highly esteemed by people of the world. God is not impressed with the traditions and philosophies of men and neither should we be impressed by them. It does us no good to honor God with our lips when our hearts are far from Him (Isaiah 29:13). We will be held accountable for our deeds done in these bodies and we alone will be judged based upon what we did with what God has given us to steward. So if the people that you have been following have led you into a ditch, you need to find some new influencers that will help you to achieve the mission that you have stated above. Make your statement of faith. Let people know where you stand. (Deuteronomy 30:19, Numbers 16). Change your inner circle of influence so that you will be encouraged in the way of righteousness because walking in deception will not be an excuse in the day of judgment.
BE A BLESSING TO SOMEONE ELSE
God has gifted you with gifts and callings. If you do not yet know what those are, then stay focused on the the first and second steps and do what you can. We all can pray. We all can give whether it’s of our time, finances or some other resource. And yet we were all created to give God glory through our natural abilities. This, to me is the highest form of living. Giving. When our family was out in the mission field, it was hard. It was epic! We had to use our faith to survive. And let me tell you. God never failed. He won’t fail you either. If He has put something in your heart to do, He has already equipped you to do it. Yes, it is scary. But God did not give you a spirit of fear (that’s from the other side). When you take that leap of faith, everything changes. CHANGE YOUR MINDSET. DISCOVER YOUR MISSION. MANIFEST YOUR DESTINY.
And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.
If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind.
JAMES 1:4-6
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
JAMES 4:2
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
I PETER 5:10
Grace and Peace to you!
