Life is about CHOICES

Life is all about choices.
We DON'T get what we deserve. Because of the incredible grace and sacrifice of Jesus. But we DO get what we CHOOSE. I've heard all my life people say, "how could a loving God send people to hell?" He doesn't. It is in their own stubborn will they've chosen to refuse the gift of salvation and grace. Satan had his will and God allowed him that rebellion. He gave Satan over to his own will. So in essence hell is Gods way of respecting human choice. So it is with sin. Our choices either lead us to the feet of Christ. Or away from him. Life is full of choices. There will come moments in your life when you have to choose. He will not force His will on you. He will not ever break fellowship with you. But unlike my grandfather who's love would hold you in a sumo-grip against your will and leave you struggling to get free......the Lords arms are open but He won't force you into them. It is our decisions that will ultimately keep us there or lead us away. Sin is a choice. Hell is a choice. He's given us a chance to choose life. For eternity ---- and from day to day. Our choices will either at the end of the day bring perfect peace and rest in our souls because we've done His will or bring grief and heartache. It's your choice.
Deuteronomy 30:19“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live.
Kings 18:21...... "How long will you go back and forth between two opinions?" How long will you sit on the fence? Either go with GOD or don't. Either you believe Him or don't. Either you surrender ALL and follow Him. Or you don't follow Him at all. Make up your minds here and now." (paraphrased by me for emphasis) Joshua said the same thing to the Israelites in Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. AS FOR ME?------I WILL SERVE THE LORD.

Life Doesn't STOP

Life doesn't stop ..... 

and God doesn't quit moving on your behalf...accomplishing His word and His will for your life. The Kingdom of Heaven is always advancing.
If you find yourself in a less than favorable season.....DON'T STOP. Keep moving with Him.
Don't WAIT until circumstances are in your favor or WAIT till the conditions are just right or WAIT till you can fix what's broken for you to do what God's put in front of you to do.
Run your race with diligence.
...in spite of the conditions. In spite of circumstances. In spite of what's broken.
Do it broken.
Just do it......and leave the broken things to God. In your obedience He will see to the other things. He will bring redemption and restoration. He will fix what's broken. He will also give you the Grace and endurance to do what He's given you to do. He's had a plan in mind from the beginning;).....you do YOUR part!!!......He will do HIS!!!!!....TRUST Him:)

Hebrews 12:3 keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

Doing Life GOD'S way

But what happens when we live God's way?......
He brings GIFTS into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness *permeates* things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
(Gal. 5:22-24 MSG)
Life just *WORKS* when we do it God's way.......

There is LIFE in the Word of God

GOD.....breathed LIFE into darkness with His......WORD.
His WORD is ALIVE. (Hebrews 12) He SPOKE things into EXISTENCE with the power of His word.
Jesus healed the SICK with the POWER of His word. He rebuked Satan with the power and AUTHORITY of His word.
There is LIFE in the Word of God and there is POWER. 
If His word is packed with so much power and life and goodness then I think
it would serve us well to speak it. His words can breathe LIFE into the most hopeless and darkest of moments with HOPE and PEACE and FAITH.
The other day I was in need of peace. My heart was heavy and anxious and I needed to hear from Him desperately. He took me to a particular passage of scripture and I began to read it....slowly....and out LOUD. Before long my anxious thoughts were replaced with peace. My confusion replaced with clarity. My heavy heart was replaced with praise and JOY when I saw what His word did for me in that moment. I don't know why I was surprised. As if God would withhold wisdom from those who ask. Or peace for those with an anxious heart. His word from cover to cover is FULL of life. In every account, every story we can see the heart of God....for those in its pages and for US. There is NO other place you need to go. There is nothing so broken, nothing so far gone that the LIFE and POWER of His word cannot reach it.

Hope Doesn't Disappoint

Psalm 25:3 Those who HOPE in HIM will NOT be put to shame.

I look back over the last few years. On paper there is no *earthly* way we could have ever made ends meet. We made a BOLD move to send our kids to the Christian school the very same year my husband became unemployed. Our decision was backed by the very HOPE that if God called us to it.....HE will make a way. Even against reason and logic from others who said we could never pull it off. He's not confined to move within OUR methods and with OUR means. We've not missed a single bill and our EVERY need has been met. Exceedingly and abundantly BEYOND what we could have ever asked or imagined. SO much so that even in OUR need...in our lack.....there was still provision for us to continue giving. There was provision to give. Beyond our OWN needs. I put ALL my confidence and HOPE in a God who is EVER faithful and TRUE to His WORD and have seen Him work on my behalf in some amazing ways. HOPE doesn't disappoint when you HOPE in His promises and His word. No matter what it LOOKS like. His PROMISES are a SURE thing. You can stake a CLAIM in it. Take it to the BANK and COUNT on it. He will come through EVERY time. That's MY God and I'm *HIS* kid.

Seeing the GOODNESS of God ....

It *IS* possible to embrace heartache and GRIEF if you TRULY *BELIEVE* that God has your BEST interests at the VERY center of HIS heart. He WILL perfect that which CONCERNS you. (Psalms 138:8) He DOES turn ALL things around for YOUR good and HIS glory. (Romans 8:28) He WILL exchange your HEAVY spirit into one of thankful PRAISE. (Isaiah 61) That He is a GOOD God!!! And has such GOOD things stored up for YOU. Weeping may endure for a night but JOY *ALWAYS* comes in the "mourning". (Psalms 30:5) If it's a season of grief for you HOLD on to HOPE and KNOW you WILL see the GOODNESS of GOD in the land of the living. (Psalms 27:13)

God's Love Language

We all have a love language. It's been said there are 5.
Words of affirmation. Gifts. Touch. Quality time. and Acts of Service. 
I think somewhere over the last 37 years of life I've learned I need them all! 
God however operates on a whole different scale.
His love language? OBEDIENCE.
All of our extravagant acts of worship and sacrificial offerings are meaningless without a heart that is willing to LISTEN and OBEY.  

All of our MEANINGFUL worship can only flow from an obedient heart......
Jesus was obedient all the way to the CROSS.  His WILL was the will of the FATHER'S --- no matter the COST.
THAT'S a language he can understand and that satisfies His heart? When we do that....we TOO are satisfied!!!!

Being Influential People

Do you want to be influential in the Kingdom of God? In Revelations 2 God puts the spot light on the church in Ephesus.
He says this to them, "I see your business, your hard work, your patient endurance. You haven't fainted or grown weary. But this one thing I have against you. You have abandoned that first love you had for me.

 [That "no matter the cost" determination to follow me]
come back....return ---or i will remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.

Your level of obedience will determine your level of influence.
If you want to be an influential part of the Kingdom---Get back to the basics.
A right heart ..... in right relationship with God. Being busy DOING isn't going to increase your level of influence. It's in relationship with the Father that He shines the light on our testimony and brings the increase to your service.

In vs. 26 it says "He who obeys--I will give authority and power over nations"

If you want to move with God. In the flow of His anointing and in His blessings. If you want your works to be backed with POWER .... then Get back to the basics.
Be people of CONVICTION and refuse to budge from them. Draw lines in the sand that you just will NOT cross. Get back to what it was like when you FIRST believed. when you first came to know Him....and be in RIGHT relationship with God. So HE can use you to influence and advance the KINGDOM. Then your works will be marked with HIS favor and HIS anointing and you will be far more influential than if you tried to do it without.