Day 232 Revived from Discouragement

Leviticus 18: 1-5 NLT

Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say this to your people, the Israelites: I, the LORD, am your God. 3 So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. 4 You must obey all my regulations and be careful to keep my laws, for I, the LORD, am your God. 5 If you obey my laws and regulations, (instructions) you will find life through them. I am the LORD.

Watch this!  The Hebrew meanings for the word “life” are:

to live prosperously

to live with vibrancy

to live free

to  be revived from sickness, fainting, discouragement and even death

Hmmmm.....to be revived from discouragement!  Now there’s something we can all use from time to time.  It all starts with a thought---you know those things that we are to take control of so they don’t run away with us!  If we entertain the wrong thought, it grows into a monster and begins to control our thought-life.  This is where the downward spiral begins.  Do you recognize this scenario?  Like they say:  “Been there--done that!”

As soon as the wrong thought begins to formulate in our mind, we can stop everything and say, “God, what is the truth?”  Yesterday we talked about getting his “instructions.”

GPS (God’s Directions)

• Proverbs 4: 20-22
• II Corinthians 10:5
• John 8: 32

Prayer Focus:

Ask the Lord to show you when you first encounter a wrong thought so you can counteract it with the truth.

Day 231    Follow God’s Instructions

Leviticus 18: 1-5 NLT

Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say this to your people, the Israelites: I, the LORD, am your God. 3 So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. 4 You must obey all my regulations and be careful to keep my laws, for I, the LORD, am your God. 5 If you obey my laws and regulations, you will find life through them. I am the LORD.

My translation of this verse actually uses the word “instructions.”  How many times have you said the the Lord concerning a situation you are facing, “Just tell me what to do and I will do it.”  

In the OT, they had so many laws and rules to follow and they were always covering for their inability to be successful by bringing sacrifices to the altar.  Thank God we do not have to do that.  We can just say to God,  “How do you want me to handle this”  or “What’s up with this,” and He will tell us.

Hmmmm......much simpler!!

GPS  (God’s directions)

• I Corinthians 2:16
• Psalms 1:2  Amplified Bible
• Proverbs 4:1

Prayer Focus:

Ask the Lord for His instructions on your greatest concern.  If you don’t receive them today, ask again tomorrow.  Have an expectant heart....an open heart.....a grateful heart.

What??  I Am The Clay?

Jeremiah 18: 5  New International Version

 ⁵ Then the word of the LORD came to me: ⁶ "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

When we go to God in desperation for our present circumstances to change,  He usually takes a good long look at us and says, “Okay, I'm on it, but there are some changes I want to make in you too!"

Who me??  Wait just a minute!!  I am the way I am.   I like what I like.  I know what I know.  It’s just the way I am. 

As you continue to seek God in your private devotional time, you will find yourself growing and changing.  That’s a good thing!  Don’t think He’s not working on those “circumstances” that you brought to Him, because He is, but He also wants to work on you.

It is good to start each daily time with Him by saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”  That gets “you”  out of the way so He can show you His ways.  It is also  good to say, “Teach me Your ways.”  I can promise you that if you ask, He will!!

GPS  (God’s Direction)

• Matthew 26:39 (your posture)

• Psalms 25:4 (your request)

• Romans 8:28 (your result)

Prayer:

Father, not my will but Yours be done in my life.  Today I defer to You and I trust that You know what is best for me. declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

When we go to God in desperation for our present circumstances to change,  He usually takes a good long look at us and says, “Okay, I'm on it, but there are some changes I want to make in you too!"

Who me??  Wait just a minute!!  I am the way I am.   I like what I like.  I know what I know.  It’s just the way I am. 

As you continue to seek God in your private devotional time, you will find yourself growing and changing.  That’s a good thing!  Don’t think He’s not working on those “circumstances” that you brought to Him, because He is, but He also wants to work on you.

It is good to start each daily time with Him by saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”  That gets “you”  out of the way so He can show you His ways.  It is also  good to say, “Teach me Your ways.”  I can promise you that if you ask, He will!!

GPS  (God’s Direction)

• Matthew 26:39 (your posture)

• Psalms 25:4 (your request)

• Romans 8:28 (your result)

Prayer:

Father, not my will but Yours be done in my life.  Today I defer to You and I trust that You know what is best for me.