I’m trying something new called: CONSISTENCY. I was in a holding pattern waiting for the crazy warfare to end and to feel completely…. something. A break was absolutely needed! But after I’ve rested, some, now I see for myself life will always be in motion. Storms will rage. Perfect times never come. You just have to keep going, keep fulfilling the mandate. Oh and balance, definitely balance. The Word says keep FOCUSED with STEADY and ACTIVE persistence.
You never really understand a scripture until you have to actively walk it out (experience over mere knowledge). I know why Peter started looking at the storm while He was walking on water. It was HUGE and LOUD and EASY to do so! Oh, it’s COMPLETELY unproductive to stare at the storm, just saying I understand is all.
Sometimes it keeps raging only because we give attention to it. I know Jesus is into storm-rebuking (Mark 4:35-40). He’s ALWAYS bigger and greater than the storm, but what we give attention will SEEM greater. He seemed to always mention FAITH during storm situations in the Word, so we know what these situations require.
Not many have discussed the personal storms. I think there’s previously been faux smiles and “behind closed doors stuff” in ministry (me too). Struggles and fears and mistakes HIDDEN. But now I see the tides turning and God calling for AUTHENTICITY from leadership. Paul himself confessed to the Roman church about his struggles with the sinful nature (side note: don’t you just love Paul; Romans 7:14-25). TIME TO GET REAL.
Now it’s eyes back on Jesus and time for productivity. If I can encourage someone to get back at it, and not allow the enemy’s tactics to throw you completely off and have you ALL THE WAY UNDER the boat, then today’s blog has done what it was intended to do.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for the gifts You have given us to edify and encourage Your body. I pray that we would have a sense of urgency concerning the things You have called us to do. Help us to keep our eyes on You and remember our enemy is defeated and deserves no attention. May we not exalt our problems, making them seem bigger than Your power! Establish the work of our hands. Be glorified now and forever!
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“Let your eyes look right on [with fixed purpose], and let your gaze be straight before you. Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright.”
Proverbs 4:25-26 AMPC
“Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].”
COLOSSIANS 3:1-2 AMP
“Say to God, How awesome and fearfully glorious are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power shall Your enemies submit themselves to You [with feigned and reluctant obedience].”
Psalm 66:3 AMPC
“THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [Ps. 110:1.]”
Hebrews 12:1-2 AMPC
“So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.”
Romans 7:14-25 NLT
“As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
Mark 4:35-40 NLT
“About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here! ” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.”
Matthew 14:25-32 NLT
Learning Free! 