Where we are right now doesn't have to determine where we end up.  


James 4:14 - "Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes."


God created each of us individually, with a specific, personal and unique plan for our lives.  He gifts each of us with all we need to accomplish His purpose for our lives.

Where are you right now?  Are you in a good place in your Christian walk?  Are you serving God and others around you?


Ask God to prepare you to fulfill the purpose which He has called you.  


God uses all our experiences, whether they were good or bad, to steer His children in the right direction.


Stay on track with God.  Don't lose focus on the creator of the universe.  Wait on God's timing, and while you're waiting, serve Him faithfully.

Matthew 16:24 - "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."


So often Christians find themselves loving the thought of being treasured by God, but are we content that we're His possession?


It's natural to want to be treasured.  But if we're a possession of someone or something, it means that we lay down our lives and become subject to someone or something.  It means that we're giving up control of our lives.  This is where some fall short.  To be a disciple of Christ means we have to turn our lives over to Christ, completely.  Not on Sundays or certain times of the year, but daily.


Let God take possession of your heart; your soul.  God treasures us already as His child.   God deserves our everything.  He deserves our obedience and our daily commitment to serve Him.


Be possessed by God.  It will change your life!

James 4:7 - "Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."


Satan prowls around us, looking to steal our joy, bind us up and deceives our very thoughts.  But, the good news is, if we are in Christ and know who we are in Him, then we can dissolve a lot of these cases from ever evolving.


We must keep our eyes in God's Word and our minds on Him.  Ignorance of God's word is a tool that Satan uses every time.


Guilt will give the enemy room to move in and make you feel worthless.  This will keep you fighting from a defeated position.


Break out of bondage, and look to Jesus for guidance.  You cannot take on this world by yourself.


Don't be caught off guard by Satan.  He's waiting on you to mess up.

I think a lot of people are treating God like a hitch-hiker.  They see God on the side of the road, pick Him up and either put Him in the trunk so they'll have Him if they get into a bind; or they put Him in the backseat, in case they need to ask Him a question, or they might even put Him in the passenger seat so He'll be available to grab in hard times.


God needs to be in the driver's seat of our lives.  He's the One who needs to be guiding us down the highway of life.

Don't treat Him as a passenger, or shut Him away in the trunk.  Bring Him into your life and let Him breathe the breath of life into you. Let Him steer you in the right direction.  After all, God's GPS is already mapped out to Heaven.


Isaiah 30:21 - "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."

God often chooses people to do His work, who are normally simple/inexperienced people who you would never think to put in that role.  He will select these type people to go out and share God's love to a hurting world.  Most times, these people have more in common with those who are hurting, and therefore can be trusted by the world.


John 13:16 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him."


I feel privileged when God chooses me.  I hope to always submit to His authority.  We should be respectful towards God because we fear Him and trust that whatever He asks is within His Will for our lives.


God has a calling on all of our lives.  Submit to His authority as we patiently endure the suffering.  When you face suffering for your faith, ask yourself "how would Jesus face this suffering?"


Keep Jesus' example before us at all times.


Who knows.  God may choose you today!

John 3:5 - "Unless one is born of the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God."


You have to intently focus when you want to make a change in your life and it takes practice.  To make a change in your lifestyle you need to intentionally practice it for a while until it becomes natural to you.

This is how the Holy Spirit works.  If we intently allow the Holy Spirit to fill us, and lead us in our daily lives, then God will automatically fill us up on this fuel so that we can run well throughout the day.


One of the most important ways to recognize the Holy Spirit's guidance is to be familiar with God's Word.  As a Christian, we are to meditate on the scriptures and commit them to memory.  Living this close to God allows Him to reveal His Will for our lives.


The Spirit helps us in our weakness.   If we are truly walking in the Spirit, we will continue to see signs of maturity in our lives, and they will become evident to others as well.


Make this a habit in your life.  Pray and study God's Word and this will allow us to recognize and follow where the Spirit is leading us.

Joel 2:13 - "Rend your heart and not your garments.  Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity."


We are never nearer to God than when we are troubled.  When we're comfortable and life is going well, we easily forget Him.  But, when we get into trouble and we cry out to Him, even though He's always there, sometimes the answer is what we pray for; other times it is 'lean on Me and you will get through this.'


This is why we should never give up on God.  Our bodies are dying every day, but our spirit can be renewed every day.  These present troubles will only last during our time here on earth.  I'm looking forward to the immeasurably great glory that will last forever!


Look for God in each day.  He is always there; whether it is to guide you along the way or comfort you in times of trouble.

Romans 8:36 - Just as it is written, "For your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered."


It says in the bible that we should 'rejoice in the suffering, in order to give God the glory.'  Who have you ever known that is full of joy and laughter when trials come?  Not many. But, as Christians, we need to follow this precedent.  


Every Christian who is serving God and walking in Him should expect persecution, and, don't be surprised when it comes.  This should remind us that we are truly aliens in this world.


To live like Christ, we must take the joys and the sufferings of this life, just as He did.  This should be the hope of every true disciple.  


Our reward will come in His second coming, when He takes us home to be with Him.  


Don't waste the suffering, use it to glorify Him.  Use it to show others how powerful God works in your life.  This life is not about us, but about how we can show Christ to others through us, through our suffering.


God will mold you through these sufferings.  Who will you become through these trials?