Essentially, we have to begin somewhere.
So, let’s begin right here.
It’s a long daily journey to change, but, it begins with the reality that WE MUST make a move and begin somewhere. Day 1 of the Daily Selfie Series, OUTLOOK, is all about having a plan of action. Seeing some targets and making things happen is what growth hinges upon.
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2 Samuel 12:22-24 – And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. And David comforted Bath–sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him.
Our disposition determines our direction; how that, the next move is generally a direct correlation to the way we respond to our current situation. At times, The Lord tests our resolve. How will we react to his decision? Will we still praise and worship Him even in disappointment? after we’ve prayed fervently, and the answer of the Lord is no, The resilience we show in the face of loss serves as proof of our continued Faith and dedication to The Lord. We must never forget that the Lord is ABLE to build wonderful things, even from those pieces we consider broken.
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Selfie - Roadmap
Consider this; until we know, we’ll simply wander, unable to find any real peace and stability. We must take the time to know truth. And, when we know, we’ll know. And, knowing will mean that doubt will no longer imprison us; nor will discontentment or sorrow, hurt, pain or tragedy. When we finally know truth, we can then be free from jealousy and envy, choosing instead to focus on the Goodness of The Lord and his mercy given freely to us. And, Because knowing truth increases our sense of self-worth and value, when we possess and have applied it to our lives, no one can then fool us into accepting less than what we deserve. take the time to know and be made free.
We’ll spend hours googling information until we feel comfortable with an answer; we’ll hire lawyers to ensure that the fine print doesn’t work against us; we’ll look under the hood and kick the tires; we’ll reach out to experts in an attempt to know more about a subject matter. It is intriguing the extreme amount of time and energy we’ll spend researching the things of this world that we deem important. But, what about our mind and soul? Understand, this is our life; we must take ownership of it. Therefore, it’s time to act accordingly. It’s time to require that the things we profess a belief in are proven. It’s time to hold tighter to the things we know are good in our life and not be easily swayed otherwise. It’s time to be more than hearers; it’s time to investigate. It’s time to wake up and take Care of the things concerning your soul. It’s time to STUDY.
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In a world where we are constantly inundated with the barrage of news on the absolute worst things, and where we stand in desperate need of encouragement, we start with Twenty one consecutive days of prayer and meditation on the best things; faith, hope, and love. The format is straightforward. There’s a planner that incorporates a daily meditation and prayer list, as well as space for self assessment. In addition, there are sections for daily reflections and a 21-day reading plan.
The purpose is simply to make prayer and meditation a real factor in our daily life, and there are no greater ideals to focus on than Faith, Hope, and Love. While we often use a lack of time as the excuse for why we cannot establish a practice of prayer, reading, and meditation, hopefully the journal will serve as the impetus for change.
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James 2:17 (ESV) – So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Noah could have said no to building the Ark; Abraham could have remained in the comforts of his home land; David could have kept silent when the word went out searching for someone to face goliath; Peter, seeing the boisterous winds, could have stayed on the boat with the other disciples; the three hebrew boys, when faced with the king’s order, could have bowed to the golden image; the woman with the issue of blood, seeing the massive crowd she’d have to navigate, could have simply decided to continue enduring illness. In the end, they’re all remembered for taking action, each deciding that they would do more than settle for “could have.” When we look back on this journey, perhaps we’ll find our greatest joy came in ensuring that the things we could have done were supplanted by those we actually did.
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Take the next step – Download the New Rules Action Planner.
It’s interesting how we will exhaust all outside possibilities, consult friends, family and even neighbors, proceed through bouts of frustration and depression and never once think to pray. The confidence to know He will hear and answer according to His will is important; remembering that prayer should be our first option is even more important. Have you thought to Pray first?
DOWNLOAD – Prayer and Meditation Journal
Ecclesiastes 5:5 – Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Remember how it was just the start of the new year and you said this was going to be your season? You said this time would be different and no one would get in the way of your goals. Remember the euphoria you felt in finally deciding to take action and not allowing others to dictate what you could and could not accomplish? People might’ve mocked the idea of you making personal declarations of change, yet you assured them that you’d defy the odds; you told them to watch and see. So, Keep your promise. You have to make good on your vows. A vow made is a service owed. If you didn’t count all costs before making the commitment, well, your bad; But, it Doesn’t negate your duty to honor it.
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Proverbs 23:4 (NIV) – Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.
Do the work. Have a vision, develop a game plan, learn the requisite skills, apply the knowledge you’ve gained, build the necessary connections with the people who can help you achieve your desired outcome, and commit yourself. And then, allow the Lord to do what the Lord does. Because, it’s not about us hustling our way to wealth, spending endless days and sleepless nights trying to achieve our vision of success. It’s not our might that is going to take us to the places we most want to be. It’s not that we are somehow going to will our way to business success, outsmarting those around us; rather, it’s the Lord that is going to allow us the benefit of physical prosperity. And yes, there are many who very boldly take the other path, who work to the point of illness to get what they desire; but, why?
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Luke 9:62 – And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
We might have to adjust our pace. feeling overwhelmed, we might have to pull to the side of the road on this journey as we await the renewal of strength. There are moments of doubt and distress and times where we can find no comfort in those around us. Our vision gets blurry and, rather often, there is seemingly no shortage of people to discourage us. Yet, as disciples, even as we face an uneven path, we must never turn around. We must never allow ourselves to think that going backwards is the solution to any of our current troubles. This journey is one where we must constantly move forward. We might find ourselves slowed at times; but, don’t turn around. Don’t look back.
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1 John 5:14-15 – And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
As disciples, How much emphasis have we placed on having a strong prayer life? It’s interesting how we will exhaust all outside possibilities, consult our friends, family, and even neighbors, experience bouts of frustration and depression and never once think to pray. Having The confidence to know that He will hear and answer according to His will is important; but, we also have to remember that prayer should be our first option, and not our last resort. Before all of the anxiety, ask yourself – did I think to Pray first?
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