Enjoy the Ride

Psalm 92: ¹¹ My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries;
    my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.

¹² The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
¹³ planted in the house of the Lord,
    they will flourish in the courts of our God.
¹⁴ They will still bear fruit in old age,
    they will stay fresh and green,
¹⁵ proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
    he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

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“May I be successful” was my prayer and I was thrust into a whirlwind of huge successes. But then life became very distracting and soon I had little time for GOD. I had too many worries I had to attend to and the pressures of life didn’t seem to afford quality time to spend with GOD.

• Sometimes my trials are caused by my expectations.
• Sometimes my trials are caused by my desires.
• Sometimes my trials are caused by something I asked for.

Finally I decided to put my trust in GOD for a change. I mean I decided to go out and “street-witness” for the first time in my life. This was met with trials as well but I asked GOD to remove the barriers and people responded to our message. I realized that GOD will defeat my adversaries when I sincerely focus on HIS kingdom.

• GOD wants me to be wildly successful while spreading HIS kingdom.
• GOD wants me to understand what true success looks like.
• GOD wants me to seek HIS kingdom first and all ‘these” things will be added.

When I seek my kingdom first it seems to be a road that quickly forgets GOD but when I seek HIS kingdom first I have to depend on HIM and HIS sovereignty. I become weak and HE is made strong in my life. I can then watch HIS power unfold before me for HE is my ROCK.

• Are you waiting for the trial to end?
• Do you think you have the answer to your trial so you constantly pray for “your” answer?
• Can you ask GOD “What do YOU want me to do in the middle of this trial?”
• Will you let GOD go before you, defeating enemies and allow HIM to raise you up in HIS time?
• Can you let go and enjoy the ride?

Too Busy to Think

Psalm 63: ⁶ On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.
⁷ Because you are my help,
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.
⁸ I cling to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

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Sitting in a hotel room I hung up the phone from my wake up call. I had no idea what city I was in. Sounds like amnesia or craziness doesn’t it? This particular week was a heavy travel week and I had been in three cities in as many days and I had more to visit. The schedule started early and ended late. This was my group I carted around the nation and I was in charge of the trip. “I better get my thoughts together to manage this day!” I thought to myself.

• Sometimes I get extremely busy.
• Sometimes I take on a lot of work.
• Sometimes I have a pile of thoughts racing a mile a minute.

“Too busy to think” is a phrase I use when I am doing so much that I have no down time. I mean I can’t sit and process because my schedule will not allow time. I get so busy that I don’t have time to think of GOD. I don’t even have a thought if HE would mind or not if I didn’t acknowledge HIM or the things HE is doing for me. BUT GOD wants different.

• GOD wants me to spend time with HIM each and every day in order to listen to HIS direction.
• GOD wants me to “Seek HIS kingdom first” each day in order to keep my focus on what truly matters.
• GOD wants me to quiet down each day because the roaring sounds of life may cause me to worry.

GOD knows this world is full of turmoil and HE cares for me deeply. HE is the one who cursed the earth and knows exactly what I will go through. HE knows the barrage of sin coupled with blind ambition will cause me to forget HIM. HE simply wants me to slow down each day to acknowledge HIS presence. HE wants me to hear what HE has to say no matter how strange the request. Strange being HE may want me to do something that aligns with HIS word that I am too busy for.

GOD wants my time. HE even made an entire day for me to rest and it seems difficult to simply sit still and take a timeout. GOD wants me to hear HIM so I can get inside HIS shelter.

• Are you running fast?
• Are you extremely busy?
• Have you asked yourself “How is this furthering GOD’s kingdom” lately, whatever ‘this” is?
• Will you take time today to ask GOD to take your worries of “this” day away from you and stop looking at the future, which GOD owns?