Do you ever have those times when it seems like every time you turn around, you're virtually being attacked by the same message? Maybe it is a line in a song. Or a message posted by one of your Facebook friends. Or a particular passage of scripture or message in your devotion guide. Or maybe something in one of those "random" emails that come around occasionally. Coincidence? There are no coincidences when and where God is involved. He is not a God of coincidences, of accidents, of oopses.
So it seems like every time I turn around lately I am tripping over or being attacked by these "random, coincidental" messages. I heard a song yesterday by Christian artist Geoff Moore and here are some of the words:
Take me to a cause
That seems already lost
Where the outlook is grim
Because the odds are so great
And the chances so slim
When the wall seems unclimbable
And the sea is uncrossable
The mountain unmovable
Our God does the impossible.
Come taste and find
The water's turned to wine
And see the truth through the eyes
The eyes that once were blind
When the wall seems unclimbable
And the sea is uncrossable
The mountain unmovable
Our God does the impossible.
I find this in my Facebook news feed this morning: "Today is your day! Set aside everything that’s holding you back so you can jump into what God has for you in this hour. It will take courage, strength and faith to keep this attitude alive in your heart, but God will provide for you and answer your heart’s desire".
Then my friend and former pastor Mike Murphy had this to say: Begin from the end. Whatever you want in your life this year, see yourself having it or being it. See it, feel it, hear it. You will attract it.
Then there was my daily Facebook "Message from God": On this day, God wants you to know
... that there are appropriate times to stand in your power. Power isn't always evil. If you stand tall in the power of goodness, you can have a powerful impact on a situation.
There were also these little nuggets from my daily devotion book. Five days in a row now, basically the same overall message, just worded a little differently.
January 4 Stretch Your Faith
"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, the righteous man shall live by faith". Romans 1:17
Perhaps we have a goal to break a bad habit, to lose some weight, or to pay off our credit cards. At first, we are so excited and we go after it! But over time, we get lazy; we get complacent. Maybe we see a little improvement, but then we get comfortable right where we are. Where we are may not be a bad place, but we know it's not where we're supposed to be. We're not stretching our faith. We're not pursuing the excellence God has place in our hearts.
Maybe you've been coasting lately, thinking that perhaps you've reached your limits. You're not stretching your faith. You aren't believing for an increase. No, don't stop halfway; go on up to the top of your mountain. Believe God for more.
January 5 Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." Hebrews 11:8
People who see their dreams come to pass are people who have some resolve, some backbone; people who refuse to settle for somewhere along the way. Abraham, one of the Old Testament heroes of faith, obeyed God and followed Him all the way to the Promised Land of abundance in Canaan. Abraham's father, however, stopped along the way and settled in Haran (see Genesis 11:31), feeling it was good enough, but missing out on God's best.
Don't fall into a complacency trap. It doesn't take anymore effort to stay filled with faith than it takes to develop a negative attitude. Dare to step out of your comfort zone today. God has so much more in store. Keep pursuing and keep believing.
January 6 Don't Stop Now
"Terah took his son Abram, ...and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there".Genesis 11:31
"Why did Terah stop there? No doubt it was difficult traveling with his flocks, herds, family members and all their possessions four thousand years ago. Finally, Terah said, "I can't go any farther. I know this isn't the Promised Land, but let's just settle here, it's good enough".
Maybe like Abraham's father you've already settled halfway, and you've gotten comfortable where you are. I challenge you to pull up your stakes, pack up your tents, get your belongings, and start moving forward. You are made for more than good enough. Enlarge your vision! You may have had a delay, but that's okay; you can begin again thi very morning.
January 7 Expand Your Horizons
"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord". Psalm 31:24
Perhaps we started with big dreams in our hearts - we're going to excel in our careers, excel as parents, excel in our walks with God. We get started, but then things get difficult, and achieving our goals doesn't happen as quickly as we had hoped. Discouragement sets in, and we start to give up.
Look yourself in the mirror and say, "I am not going to settle for mediocrity. Nothing may be going my way right now, but I am going to trust God to help me expand my horizons and keep believing for all that He has for me. I am going to make it". Focus on your goal, set your course, and have the attitude I'm going to reach my full potential in God. I'm going to start living my best life now!
January 8 Get a New Vision
"Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember"? Mark 8:18
How's your spiritual vision this morning? Are you focusing on your problems, on what you can't do, on what you can't have? The barrier is in your mind. It's not God's lack of resources or your lack of talent that holds you back. It's simply because you are focused on the wrong things.
Your vision of who you are and what you can become has a tremendous impact on your life. You need to start letting God use your imagination to build you up, to help you accomplish your dreams. In other words, keep things in front of you that you want to see come to pass. Take out the paintbrush of faith, hope, and expectancy and begin painting a bright future on the canvas of your heart.
Okay, God, I get it. I get the message. Wow. I can think of at least four areas in my life right now where this overall message could apply. I feel like such a hypocrite for saying I believe and am a person of faith while at the same time growing so complacent and letting my dreams fall by the wayside. Anybody else feel the same way? Now, if you will excuse me, I have some painting to go do (see above).
Jim Chitty
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