We’re on day ten of our inward
journey experience. Did you find
yourself doing a “self-check” like I did all week? If you did that’s good, because it’s a sign
that you are expecting to see some changes in your life this year.Of course you realize that as soon as the Lord reveals something to your spirit that there is sure to be an opportunity to walk it out. With permission I’d like to share a few challenges that came into the lives of some people I know.
This is where “what about A.N.A.” became part of my
thinking as I shared it with others.
Something has to change!
Perhaps you have been trying the
same old things and nothing is working.
You’re praying, giving of your tithes and offerings, going to church or fellowshipping
with other believers, but you still are stuck in your traditional methods. Then, you are like all of us who have been
there hoping something would change … but it doesn’t.
There is a perfectly good
explanation as to why nothing happens.
Our faith isn’t always the issue, but could it be our belief isn’t
belief at all?
This week I saw a post that
someone wrote on Facebook of a quote I heard a pastor say about twenty years
ago. “Change isn’t change until YOU’VE
changed.” That’s pretty good,
but even more it’s true.
Many times we want our
circumstances to change without doing something different than we have always
done in the past. Well, if the things
you are doing aren’t changing your situation, maybe it’s time you did something
differently.
Learning to try new things is
difficult for many people. We like the
way we have done things, they are familiar even if they don’t work. We want to
do things differently, but can’t find a way to do it. Here’s where A.N.A. comes into the picture.
Stepping Back Three
Years
Not needing all the things for
the outfit I put them in the back of my closet and totally forgot about them,
that is until December 28th. In
preparing for the concert I prayed I had something I could wear for this
special event without buying anything.
God heard my prayers and I found
a beautiful fancy scarf still with the tag on it. I snipped it off and put it on a table. When picking up the tag to throw it away I spotted
the word A.N.A., which was no big deal since I’ve worn that designer’s clothing
line for some time. What I never noticed
is what those three letters stood for (I always thought it had to do with the
person’s name), so I took a closer look.
A.N.A. was just what we are in need
of for our journey – A New Approach. It was there all along, but I didn’t take time
to recognize what was in front of my eyes.
If things aren’t working the way
we expect or pray, sometimes God gently leads us into taking a new approach in
looking at our situations.
This is exactly what we are
trying to achieve in our drawing closer to the Lord in 2014.
Stepping Somewhere
…
Hoping to step in the right
direction doesn’t always go as we would like.
Oftentimes we step forward and end up three steps backward without even realizing
it. Then there are times when those of little faith (the lady would say) end up
farther along than we give them credit for when moving toward God. Perhaps the faith as a grain of mustard seed is what I would call it, even though she might question what that was. (Luke 17:6)
“Eye” Can’t Help It
This is a partial conversation
that I had with a woman in her mid-60’s last week as she was trying to
“convince” herself that her vision would be restored after having a second
surgery on her retina. Her session was
almost an hour.
“But I just can’t
help it. My mind keeps going there.”
“Yes you can. Change the way you
are thinking.”
“How?”
“By thinking about something
else.”
“I can’t, what if
it doesn’t work this time? It didn’t
last time. My uncle had this and so did my dad.
I live alone and have always been independent. What about my dog?”
“You know what the Word of God
says about healing right? (she agreed)… haven’t you seen healing when you
prayed for others? (she kept agreeing).
Well, you have to believe you will be healed also. Believe what you asked God for and speak
what you believe. You have to change your confession if you want the
surgery to work this time.”
She understood and said she would
try it. All I could do was remind her of
what she was speaking and not to become anxious or give up on prayer, the rest
was up to her.
“We have to stop looking at what
we see in the natural, and focus on what God says.”
Last week we talked about 5 steps we can do in the
beginning phases of our inward journey.
Until we believe
and trust God nothing will change and we know where that leads – nowhere.
He Took it Back
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| Debt Canceled! |
A few weeks before Christmas a gentleman shared his
delight when a person he owed money to called him into his work office. After discussing an outstanding bill he had
of almost $5,000, the owner of the business took the paper and held it in up
for the man to see.
With a big smile the businessman
proclaimed, “Balance …ZERO! I zeroed out your account.” The man had been faithfully working at paying
down the balance and believed for it to be paid in full. Glory to God, the debt
had been canceled and he couldn’t wait to share the good news with his wife.
Last week the gentleman was telephoned
at home and beckoned to the businessman’s home.
There had been a snow storm and freezing weather caused the pipes in his
wall to burst, resulting in his house being flooded. In a panic he pleaded with the man to come
and help him.
While he was sopping up water and
using his expertise in building to fix the pipes, the businessman made this
statement, “This will take a big chunk
off your bill.”
“What happened to the canceled
balance, the zeroed bill that you forgave?” …the man thought. He didn’t say anything else to the
businessman, but explained the situation to his wife when he got home. By this time it was almost 10:30 pm and he
hadn’t even eaten dinner yet.
Stepping Forward
Last week we talked about 5 steps we can do in the
beginning phases of our inward journey.
Our inward journey focused on
these things: A spirit of calmness; Avoid contention; Positive confessions; say
I won’t quit; Pray to receive transformation.
With the examples that I gave,
how do you think they played out for the individuals?
“Eye can’t see” began with baby steps in her faith.
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| I can do it. I can believe! |
Each day for a week
she would catch herself falling back into the same pattern. She even laughed recognizing
she was doing it. The difference was
that when she started saying how bad the situation was, she changed her
confession and focused on something else.
Most of the time when this lady
started thinking on how things didn’t work out in the past, she turned to
thinking about her dog and his current needs.
A few days later when she saw my husband she
kidded him on how I wouldn’t let up on her positive confession over the
situation. It helped her redirect her
usual thought pattern and transformed her confession into one that believed
God.
When she went in for her examination a week
later, the doctor’s diagnosis matched her confession. The surgery worked and she was full of
joy. Her situation changed from the previous
one, because she believed God would do what she asked. Things changed when her confession and belief
changed. Inward change caused an outward change. She took a new approach and it worked.
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| I will trust God. This too will change! |
“He took it back” came home with distressing news that he knew would set
his wife’s emotions on edge. That’s
exactly what happened, at first. When
she learned that the bill was no longer canceled, tears welled up and
immediately fear started to creep into her thoughts.
Even though the debt was
reinstated, something happened. The man
was sitting in the kitchen when he gave this information to his wife. He noticed that she was about to cry, and
instead of giving in to her tears he made this statement:
“It’s alright. God will work it out. He is our source. Don’t get upset by
this. He (meaning the businessman) will
have to answer for what he did.”
As soon as her husband made that
comment she responded with a passage from the Bible that came to her mind. It was from Matthew 18, where the King had
forgiven an enormous debt to a man. He
was elated and rejoiced about not having to pay the bill, but wasn’t as eager
to forgive someone who owed him around $20.00 or less.
When the King found out about it, he threw
him in debtor’s jail for not showing mercy to the man that owed him a few
dollars. (Matthew 18:23-34 KJV)
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| Mind, you will not go there ... |
It looked like
they were right back where they were in the first place, owing that businessman
money, but they weren’t. This time they
changed their confession and began believing God. Normally the man would have gotten angry or
contentious and his wife be-lined into an anxiety tale-spin of worry. They both took a new approach.
The couple didn’t quit on God
even though man changed his mind. They remained in a spirit of calmness and
their attitude was transformed, while their confession focused on God’s word
and not their situation.
“You will keep in
perfect peace all who trust in You (God), all whose thoughts are fixed on You.”
(Isaiah 26:3 NLT) (Reference)
Yesterday the gentleman told me
how he now had lots of work to do on the businessman’s home due to the
storms. I know God didn’t cause the
problem, but He is sure making a way for the debt to be canceled for good this
time … with the man’s own money!
Would you say that God bestowed
His favor on these people even though they had completely different cases?
“Trust in the LORD with
all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show
you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT) (Reference)
Required Walking
Until we believe
and trust God nothing will change and we know where that leads – nowhere.
If our new approach on the inward
journey is to make a lasting effect, we have to trust God by faith along the
way. In other words, we have to walk by
faith and not by sight in order to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
My inward journey this week has
been much like the two I’ve mentioned here.
Some things were easier to believe God for, while other’s I’m still
making positive confessions over waiting for manifestation of what I’ve prayed.
I can attest to this, the more I
confess God’s Word over a situation, the faster I have seen results. My anxiety levels have been in check and I’m
trying new approaches to some things on my “faith bucket list.”
“I sought the Lord and He answered me; He
delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4
Knowing that there are hundreds of
people (so far) that have taken on this challenge facilitates my focus. Giving God first moments of the day, praying
for others that have taken on this journey with me and spending time in the
Word is another aspect that has invigorated my faith walk.
“O LORD, hear me as I
pray; pay attention to my meditation (groaning). Listen to my cry for help, my
KING and my God, for I pray to no one but You. Listen to my voice in the
morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my
requests to You and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:1-3 NLT) (Reference)
If you’re having a bit of
difficulty over something, simply pray, “Holy Spirit, show me A.N.A.”
Part of our inward
journey back to God may necessitate our taking a new approach to the way we
used to handle a situation. This
includes trusting Him completely by
faith and believing He won’t let us
down.
As God leads He will also equip
us to make the necessary changes so that we will be transformed from the inside
out. (Isaiah 58:11)
God’s mercy, grace, blessings and
favor are upon us. The Lord keeps His
promises, so hold fast to your confession without wavering. (Hebrews 10:23)
It’s time to get excited. A new approach has been given to each of us
with fresh ideas, concepts and ways to do things.
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| I've taped this to my computer! |
Until next time, favor a new approach.
What's New this week: What Are You Afraid Of?
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you don’t know the Living God that I know, but would like to have this kind of
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