Our Seven Day Recap

DAY 7  

In the last seven blog posts, I talked about how to lay a foundation for developing a successful lifestyle. To experience success, we should train our minds to think successfully-- and then be willing to follow the pathway to achieve it.

On DAY ONE we learned that God wants us to think His thoughts so that we can make wise decisions. He will guide us if we let Him.

On DAY  TWO we learned that God wants our lives to function. He is willing to train us to use "good common sense." (Psalms 119:65-72 MSG)

On DAY THREE we learned how to submit our plans to God in order to receive His advice because He has the bigger picture.

On DAY FOUR we learned how to set up a meeting with God so that we can work with Him on a daily basis.

On DAY FIVE we learned that God can be very personal--as personal as we need Him to be.

On DAY SIX we learned how to turn to God in times when our feelings want to overtake us. In doing so we find an anchor for our souls. (Hebrews 6:18-19 NLT)

How about if we end these seven days by intentionally submitting our plans to God and asking Him to help us think His thoughts so we can experience the peace that He has for us? If you haven't established your time and place to meet with God, it's not too late. Here are some suggestions: your dining room table, your bedroom, your office, a coffee shop, a picnic table by the lake, etc. Then find the time that works best for you. In the beginning, you may miss a day here or there but just keep going until you get into a daily rhythm of meeting with God. You will be so glad you did!!

[NOTE: Day 1 is entitled “Developing a Successful Lifestyle.” You’ll find it in the April “archives.”]

An Anchor For The Soul

Hi, everybody! I hope you had an enjoyable Easter. It's always good to reflect on the goodness of God to us!! That never gets old! Well, here is my word of encouragement today from God's Word:

DAY 6

Yesterday I shared a personal experience that took me from a time of sorrow to a time of joy. One word from God will do that for you!! If you have a Bible near you, please pick it up now and say, “God uses this book to speak to me. His promises are ‘yes’ and I say ‘AMEN!!!” The Bible is the most foundational way that He speaks and it’s right there on our coffee table or desk. We can grab it and find peace at anytime”

When things happen—and they do—our emotions want to spin out of control. They want to pull us down to a place we don’t really want to go. We feel like we have been thrown overboard into a sea of discouragement, disappointment and hopelessness. Well, here’s what God says about these times:

Hebrews 6:18-19New Living Translation (NLT)

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.

“Selah”——stop and think about that!!

[If you are new to my blog you can click on Day 1 in the archives to begin this 40 Day devotional. They are short so you can get caught up quickly!!}

Meeting With God

Day 5

[Note: You will benefit most if you go to the Archives and click on “Day 1.” I would love for you to get the most that you can out of these “40 Days” of spending daily time with God.]

Please allow me to give you an example of hearing from God in a personal way. Our family had gone through a year or more of sadness over an event that happened of which we had no control. The result left us all in great sorrow. I was so very glad to have had about twenty years of daily meetings with God at this point because I knew to Whom I could turn.

One morning I was particularly sad. I knew that there were three chapters in Jeremiah that were familiar to me and would always bring me back to a deep inner peace. That particular day I read the following scripture:

They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion and shall flow together and be radiant with joy over the goodness of the Lord….And their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall not sorrow or languish any more at all.”  Jeremiah 31:12 (AMPC)

My heart was so touched by these words. It was like they were personally written for me. I wrote that in my journal and even posted it on the bathroom mirror. I spoke them out loud during my prayer time and sang them out loud in praise to God. I did not want to lose sight of what God was saying. These were the words that would change the trajectory of our lives.

I Corinthians 1: 3 (AMPC)  God gives us His grace to experience His heart peace.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV) God’s promises are “Yes” and we agree by saying “Amen.”

Isaiah 35: 1-2 (AMPC) Our desert shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing.

Hearing God's Voice

Day 4

When God knows you want to spend time with Him, He will take notice and make sure He spends time with you. Many years ago I set my clock for a certain time of the day that was allocated just for Him. I also designed a comfortable place where I could keep a basket of books that I could grab easily. I gathered my laptop, my Bible, my journal and a daily devotional where I could teach myself the scriptures each day.

I began by praying “Father, I commit this time to You. Cause my thoughts to become agreeable to Your will so that I can experience Your peace.” (Taken from Proverbs 16:3 AMPC) I would read my daily devotional and then write down on my journal page what I had learned from a particular scripture. I called these precious times my “meeting with God.” I soon realized how much I enjoyed these times and how much peace I experienced because of them. I have been having "meetings with God" for thirty plus years now. I was teaching myself to hear how God speaks through His written word. 

If you haven't already developed consistent times with God, I challenge you to begin today. Find your time and place, gather your materials and expect God to meet you every day. I promise you that you will be totally blessed!!

2 Timothy 2:15 (AMPC)   Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God….

Psalms 119: 127 (AMPC)   I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great spoil…

Proverbs 26:3 (AMPC)   You will...keep him in perfect....peace whose mind....is stayed on You because he commits himself to you....

If having a “meeting with God” sounds good to you, let me know in a comment how you’ve set up your "meeting" place. I’d love to hear from you!

Commit and Trust

Day 3

Here’s our foundational scripture again: 

Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed. Proverbs 16:3 AMPC

I administrated a Christian school for twelve years. I pretty much made my own plans but each week I would meet with my supervisor to have those plans approved. He had the bigger picture of which the school was just a part. I looked to him for his affirmation and/or correction. Sometimes we tweaked my plans and other times we added to or deleted parts of the plan. To me, it was a total freedom because I knew when we were done I had a plan that would lead to success.

God wants us to bring our plans to Him for His approval because He has "the bigger picture." Below are three additional promises that I believe will also bring you freedom. 

Psalms 73: 24  God guides me with His counsel.

Psalms 16:7 The Lord counsels me.

Isaiah 28:28 God is wonderful and His plan is magnificent.

Living Beyond Ourselves

DAY 2
Are there areas of your life that you need help with in order to be successful? Could you use more wisdom, more understanding, more strength, more finances, stronger relationships, a better marriage? The good news is that God wants to supply all of these—and more. He wants your life to function because when it does, you will be empowered with all of God's best so that you have plenty to give away to others. Plenty of wisdom, plenty of understanding, plenty of strength......etc.

God desires to bless you so that you can be a blessing! 

Psalm 119:65-72 (MSG)  Be good to your servant, God; be as good as your Word. Train me in good common sense; I’m thoroughly committed to living your way. Before I learned to answer you, I wandered all over the place, but now I’m in step with your Word. You are good, and the source of good; train me in your goodness…..I focus my attention on what you are saying…

Take the words from the above scripture and write your own personal prayer. Begin each day by praising Him for His goodness and positioning yourself to hear His instructions.

Developing A Successful Life

Day 1 

If you needed some advice, would you ask a successful person or the person who is confused and struggling? Of course, you would ask someone who is experiencing success. 

What if you could be that successful person?

The Bible says that if we ask God, He will cause our thoughts to become agreeable to His will so that we can be established and succeed. (Proverbs 16:3 AMPC) Wouldn’t that be great? Not only will we flourish in our lives but we can be a blessing to others who are in need of godly advice. God helping people—so they can help people. Isn’t that what the Christian life is all about—-having an abundance of wisdom so that we can give it to those who need it?

James 1:5 (NIV)  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Psalm 73:23-24 (NIV)  Yet I am always with you; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward, You will take me into glory.

2 Corinthians 9:11-12  (AMPC)  Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way so that you can be generous…..

It’s not what you can get, but it’s what you have to give.

God's Drawing Board

I titled this post "God's Drawing Board." Let me explain what I mean. One day Dave and I were trying to make a decision where neither one of us knew what to do. I said, "Let's just put that on God's drawing board." That statement has now become an integral part of our Proverbs 16:3 life. 

As I am writing this, Dave and I have a major decision to make. We prayed our Proverbs 16:3 prayer and said, "We are putting this on Your drawing board, God." 

[NOTE: If you want a simple explanation of Proverbs 16:3, click on March 16th in the Archives.]

This morning we rolled our works (our plans) upon the Lord and asking Him to cause us to think like He thinks concerning this decision. We think we have an idea but we are not 100% sure that it is the right thing to do. 

We have found that if we put something on "God's Drawing Board," we can move ahead on it very slowly to see how things are going. If we run into roadblocks, we don't ram them down but instead we turn around and go back to the drawing board. A wrong decision could make our lives very stressful and we certainly do not want that. I'll let you know how it turns out. This afternoon we are going to move ahead on it very slowly.

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, 

says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace 

and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.  

Jeremiah 29:11  (AMPC)

For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), 

recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which 

God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which 

He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them

 [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].  

Ephesians 2:10 (AMPC)

“Peace” is a good thing! “Living the good life that God prearranged for us to live” is a wonderful thing!! Reader, I just want to say God bless your day!!

If you want to jump on board for our “Seven Day Challenge,” you are welcome! It will put you on the journey to a stress-free life that will bring you peace and joy. Click on March 16th and join us through the comments below.