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DON'T RE-INVENT YOURSELF! Be who you were created to be! Be your authentic self in looks, style, and vernacular! Failure to do so, shows a lack of self awareness and the absence of peace and contentment!  STAY IN YOUR LANE! Know your strengths!! You will never be successful doing anything you weren't created to do! The quote, "Practice Makes Perfect", only rings true when you have the skill or ability. You can't be what you are not. For example, Don't join the choir if you were not given the ability to sing! You want to be spiritually effective!  HANG AROUND PEOPLE WHO ARE WISER AND SMARTER THAN YOU! There's nothing worse than to get older, yet, remain stagnate in growth. This will result in telling the same stories from yesteryear with no greater insight. Your ability to draw people, and to empower them will be hindered. Always be willing to learn and to expand your thinking. Don't be a 'Stick In The Mud'! If you find that you have out grown your social circle, don't be hesitant or afraid to Move On. Don't hinder yourself from growing simply because you don't want to leave others behind. Remember, people who want you to stick around and follow them, aren't necessarily growing. Pay attention to see if they are. Some won't like it, or feel comfortable when they see that you want to move on.  REMEMBERING THESE 3 THINGS WILL ESSENTIALLY: 1. Improve your life! And 2. Open more doors!
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 It's amazing to see the variety of things men can do! We admire them and enjoy their abilities. Although they weren't born with the level of talent we see, they had enough of what they needed to develop and become successful with it. How much more is expected of us a believers.
I've read about so many skilled individuals in the bible like: 1. David. Before he became a king and leader in Israel, he was an accomplished musician (on the harp). 2. Dorcas was a seamstress who not only met her own needs, but the needs of those who were less fortunate. The widows were provided for by her skill. 3. The Apostle Paul was a tentmaker. Whenever he needed financial help, he would make and sell tents. 4. In the Old Testament, we read about the virtuous woman. She spun fine threads using a spinner, in order to create rich fabrics. She also had a head for business. She used her skills to help her family. 5. In Exodus 35:25, were various women mentioned who spun threads for the making of fabrics. In verses 27-35 are mentioned men who were engravers, weavers, designers in tapestry, jewel inset, etc... 6. In 1Chronicles 25, David assigned Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthan to head up the music ministry. There were 288 musicians with them. There was also Cheneniah who had the expertise in music production. God has made sure that each of His children possess enough ability and skill to serve Him well! What have you and I done with what we've been given? It takes discipline to develop your skill. It takes time, energy, and sometimes getting additional training in order to use it well. Practice makes perfect, but only if you have the ability for what you're doing. We are responsible, before God, to see to it that when He returns, we have not hid and buried that talent He gave us. We have to have something to show for all the years we've had it. Keep developing and learning how to best use your skill/skills. Surround yourself with those who do what you do on a higher level. Learn from them. Discipline yourself daily and use your God given abilities. If you don't use it, you will certainly loose it, and there's certainly no glory for God in that!  "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good." Gen. 50:20 Often, our perspective can be a negative one when it comes to 'Open Doors' vs. 'Closed Doors'. There are different reasons for doors not being open to us. This I know, God always opens the right doors! Sometimes, God doesn't want us involved in certain things and He allows an obstacle to keep us from being a participant. No one has the power or the authority to stand in the way of your God-given gift when it comes to serving the Lord! It may seem as if there are certain individuals standing in the way of an opportunity, but it is allowed by God to reposition you for what He knows will bring Him honor and glory. Then, there are other times when God stops a person from getting in the way of what He has for you. When a door closes to you, take it as from the Lord! It wasn't for you! You were built for something else. God isn't always involved in what 'men' do. Things may be orchestrated with God in mind, but He isn't always with individuals or in agreement with what they have signed His name to. A life that is pleasing to God, will always have open doors to serve Him. You will be able to distinguish His voice from all the other voices, including your own. You can tell when He's in something and when He's not. A closed door isn't a negative thing. It's a good thing the Lord is in control of which doors we walk through! Whether a closed door comes at church, at home, or the job, know that it is usually from the Lord. He has a purpose and a plan. It's always best to leave closed doors, closed. Remember, no one can control your spiritual gifting by simply keeping you out of activities, or opportunities. It is God who gave you the gift, He has every date and opportunity on His calendar for it to be used!  2 Corinthians 1:3-7; 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 ~ Ministry;Trials If you are going to be used by God, he will take you through a multitude of experiences that are not meant for you at all; they are meant to make you useful in his hands. Citation: Oswald Chambers  "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thess. 5:11 How would you characterize your relationships? Have you grown spiritually over the past years as a result of them? Have you drawn closer to God as a result? This is an important question to ask yourself because we need our relationships with others to motivate us to live in a way that pleases God. We are affected emotionally, and spiritually, by the company we keep. Although we may have our own bibles to read, God has instituted a thing called 'Fellowship'. It is simply engaging with others who share your belief system, and who agree with your lifestyle. As a result, you are able to share the truths and vital conversation that will strengthen your faith in God. If you have ever experienced 'True' fellowship, and the benefits of if, you wouldn't accept anything less. There is a difference between 'Socializing' and 'Fellowship'. Socializing consists of people getting together and having conversations and exchanges, generally speaking. With Fellowship, there's a different element that takes place that merely socializing can't achieve. Fellowship involves exchange about what's important to God. That type of exchange is powerful, and it can have a life changing affect on those involved.  It is so important that we get from one rung of the ladder to the other. Just imagine, if two or more persons fellowshipped with you during the week, how much momentum you could achieve spiritually. The challenges you're facing or the trials of your faith would be easier to bear up under when you are being edified or built up in the faith. This was God's whole idea. Besides reading our own bibles and praying, we need the additional exchange that brings us into the spotlight with one another in a personal and informal way. Fellowship provides the support and encouragement we need to persevere. It helps to reinforce God's word. It strengthens and lifts us up when we're discouraged.  It is easier to remain in a comfort zone when it comes to relationships and easier to just simply socialize and hang out enjoying the laughter and the fun and ease of it all, but your spiritual life needs and deserves so much more! So...question your relationships and interactions with others! Don't be afraid to face the truth about where they rank because it's your own well being at stake. You want to be steadily growing and learning and flourishing as a Christian. Without the proper spiritual growth and expansion, you will become stagnate and you won't have anything to offer to others.   "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he;" Proverbs 23:7 "Our thoughts dictate what we end up with! It is so hard to change one's way of thinking! It's not impossible, but change comes with great difficulty. I have run into so many people with potential that it isn't funny. They dreamt about doing great things and wished to accomplish them, but the problem came in when the opportunity came to do just that, they gave excuses and reasons why it wasn't the time, or they just weren't ready. Feelings of inadequacy is natural and normal within the best of us. There is a healthy dose of apprehension allowed, but never settle for what's mediocre, so so, or anything that suggests that you haven't worked hard enough or lacked training and development. For the person who thinks they can't, absolutely, they can't! For the person who says they won't, undoubtedly, they won't. We are what we think! There are people who are lonely, by choice, because they think that if they let others into their life and heart, they will get burned or hurt, yet again. The Bible clearly states that he who is friendly, will have many friends! Our doubts and fears will dictate for us what the outcome of our lives will be. God gives confidence to all who stand in need of it! If we would simply go to Him with our fears, doubts, bad experiences and our lack of wisdom, He will handle the rest for us. He can be trusted. God has a way of changing our way of thinking. That's why it is important to spend time in His written word, the Bible, because it teaches the best way to judge and assess everything within us and around us. The Holy Spirit joins in to teach and to guide us into the real 'Truth' of things. Does your way of thinking shape and control the outcome of events in your life for the positive or the negative? The way you and I think will certainly impact our lives! |
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