Do you have the right spirit? (7)

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Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the Lord .
Psalms 4:5 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.4.5.NLT

What are you trusting God for? Are you making any sacrifices? You all know that I have been trying to get pregnant for a while. I have definitely sacrificed a lot of things, time, money, vacations, jobs, my skin. I know all of us have made sacrifices as we attempt to accomplish our dreams.

As you are trusting God and making sacrifices are you doing it in the right spirit? I came across this scripture last night and it was a great reminder. God doesn’t just want our sacrifice, he wants the right attitude as well. Your sacrifice doesn’t mean much if your attitude is not right. Sacrifices suck while you are in the midst but you know everything is for your good. I say that a lot but it’s a good thing to remember while you are working toward a goal. When you get what you have been working toward it will feel much better if you had a good attitude along the way.

How do you know if your spirit is right? Are you complaining about every missed opportunity? Are you jealous of other people who didn’t have to sacrifice as much as you have to get to their goal? Do you only do a half job at one you are trying to do because you are tired of working towards a goal and seeing no results? I have some point have definitely done all of these things. Here is a prayer to help with that.

 

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You can just pray that line and let God change your attitude. He wants to help us and he would rather we admit we need the help to change then grumble our way to accomplishing our hearts desires.

 

Can you have everything? (8)

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In less that a year, one of my friends has gotten married, bought a house, got a new job and had a baby. She is definitely having the best year.She is living her best life. All the things that many women are trying to accomplish she had it happen in no time, so it appears. It looks like she has everything. How many people do you know that have everything? I used to believe that you couldn’t have everything. Life just cannot be that good. Even Paul one of the greatest biblical figures of all time, had a thorn in his side that he prayed that God would take away, and God didn’t.

I wrote before about being happy but not really being able to enjoy it because I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I feel like that is a pattern in my life that I can be really happy but I don’t have everything. I am still wanting for something. I am not wanting like that never satisfied wanting but really truly waiting on God to answer prayer. Although I have never seen God show up like that in my life yet, I now believe you can have 90% of what you want.

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I am not talking about prosperity gospel or any name it and claim stuff. I am just saying that I believe God wants us to be happy on this side of heaven.The bible has lots of scriptures about having an abundant life. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20

I say 90% because I think about Serena Williams who people would consider to have it all, nice husband, daughter, tennis champion but she cried because she missed her daughters first steps because she was out practicing. That Oprah quote really resonates with me. I want as much as God has to offer for me and I want to be in a position to give back to others. That is why we are blessed, not for ourselves but to be a blessing to others. So when we have it “all” we can be in a position to help someone else get their “all”.

 

 

Genie in a bottle (6)

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Do you treat God like a genie in a bottle? Do you expect God to answer your prayers immediately? I think I do sometimes. I don’t set out intentionally to do this. I guess I take this scripture literally sometimes.

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It says everything, so I pray for everything. I believe God cares about the big things as well as the small things. To him everything is small so I don’t feel any issue I have is to small to bring to him. Small could be, help me find a parking spot or my missing keys or a cute outfit for cheap at the mall. I do this all the time as if it were nothing.

I was on vacation in Chicago for the 4th of July and my friend and I got caught in the rain for the second time after the movies and mis-accurately timed our departure so we were just waiting out the rain in the lobby. I was praying like God, can you slow down the rain so we can walk to the car and not get drenched? Then it started really pouring! Raining sideways and I’m like God this is the exact opposite of what I asked you.

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Then I was like God,I apologize you are not my personal genie who answers prayers at my beck and call. That kind of behavior does not show spiritual growth. There should be a balance in our prayers. The expectation should be that God hears our prayers and he cares but he is going to answer in the best way he sees fit. I may not agree with the way he answers my prayers but I can do nothing but respect it. I should not get mad because he didn’t answer in the way I wanted him to, whether what I prayed for was big or small.

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God is awesome so the rain did let up just enough for us to run to her car. If it didn’t though, it would have still been for my good because I would not have went out again without an umbrella or a hoodie or something.

I will still continue to pray for everything, big or small but I will remember that God is sovereign, not me.

The best part of waking up (5)

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When you wake up in the morning what’s the first thing that comes to mind? I used to think about about my to do lists, what I needed to get done at work or at home. I read a devotional that said the first thing you should be thinking about is thanking God. Not thinking about how the day is going to go or what you have to do but just thanking God for waking you up today.

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I am not talking about doing a devotional this is even before you get out of bed. I thought I was doing ok because I got up every morning and did my devotional but sometimes it would take my brain time to slow down from whatever I was laying in the bed plotting about before I started doing my devotional. This way I am in position to receive the word from God. I am not rushing through my devotional as much and it helps me connect more to the material. This literally takes no time but it changes the entire perspective of my day.

Next time you get out of bed, just thank the Lord for waking you up and for new mercies,then go do your devotional or carry on with your morning routine. See if that makes any differences for you. Let me know how it goes.

Dominique

Generational curses (4)

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Do you believe in generational curses? They are rampant in the old testament. God tells the Hebrews over and over again I will punish your children for your bad behavior. That seems a little bogus and contradictory to the character of God that we know. He also says that no one is responsible for anyone else’s debt. So this seems confusing.

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Numbers 14:18 ESV 

‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’

Ezekiel 18:20 ESV 

The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

I have always been interested in generational curses because I couldn’t figure out why the things happening to me where happening. Was I being punished for the sins of my parents or grandparents or great grandparents?

In my research I discovered that wasn’t really the case.

Each person is responsible for his or her actions. It may be harder to not do something if everyone in your family does it but not impossible. You can break the cycle. God says if we repent and come to him we are forgiven and we can start new. It doesn’t matter what my parents did or didn’t do. I don’t have to be like them.

Isn’t that refreshing? You may seem like you are stuck in a endless cycle but it doesn’t have to be that way. You can decide today, right now to do something different. After you decide you then have to be intentional about making those changes. Fight everyday and speak positivity over yourself and your situation. Once you start changing and breaking the cycle you may influence others in your family to change too.

Prayer:

Father help me do the best I can not to pass down bad habits to my future children. Help me be open to changing through you and not my own willpower. Help me a blessing to someone else and stop this curse from impacting anyone else. Break these strongholds the past has on me and my family and show me something different can be done. In Jesus name. Amen.

Research used and further reading:

Are Generational Curses Biblical?

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/family-q-and-a/faith/understanding-the-generational-curse-of-exodus-347

https://www.todayschristianwoman.com/articles/2004/may/beth-moore-breaking-free-generational-curse-sin.html

 

What’s a little while? (3)

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In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
1 Peter 5:10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.5.10.NLT

This was the verse of the day recently and I when I saw it, I immediately understood what it meant. I definitely experienced this. When you are in the midst you don’t know what a little while looks like. It certainly doesn’t feel like a little while, it can feel like years when it may have only been a few months. I wrote a post a while back Putting my suffering on display and I talked about how we don’t suffer for ourselves, God wants to use it not only for our good but for someone else. That’s fair. I feel better knowing that my suffering is not in vain. When I saw this verse I saw a promise. It reminds me that my suffering won’t last forever. One day I will be better and not only that, God will restore, support, strengthen me and put me on firm foundation. That sounds like I will be in a better position than when I started. I just wish my timing was like Gods timing.

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This is bogus, but I get it. God’s timing is not mine. He knows exactly how long I have been in any current situation and he sees the end before I do. I am glad that he is walking along side me as I go through each situation. When the old people say trouble won’t last always we have the proof right there in Gods word and I can appreciate that.

*This would be a good verse to do a SOAP bible study method if you haven’t done one in a while.

Bored with your prayer life? (2)

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If you pray a couple times a day then you may feel like you are using the same prayers over and over. I know I do and I feel bad. I don’t want God to get annoyed because my prayers are routine and flat. I read online a few years ago that one way to add some variety to your prayer time was to use worship songs. It is much easier for me to remember the words to worship songs sometimes than it is to remember scripture. Lots of worship songs have scripture in them anyway. I went back and started copying the lyrics of my favorite worship songs and it has vastly improved my prayer life. I am not as bored doing it and I feel better giving God a little more as well. Sometimes when I am stressed and can’t recall a scripture I think back to those songs and those lyrics help calm me down.

I listen to a lot of worship music so there isn’t any one song or artist that I go too but I do try to find songs that describe how God is and talking about his character. I want God to know I recognize how awesome he is, even though I can’t always find the words to convey that.

These are just some examples if you click on the link the lyrics are scrolling across the screen.

 How Great is our God -Jonathan Nelson
Because of who you are-Vicki Yohe
Nobody Greater-Vashawn Mitchell
Holy is our God- James Fortune

Total Praise-Richard Smallwood

Oh Lord, How Excellent-New Jersey Mass Choir

 

 

31 posts in 31 days (1)

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Hello out there,

Its already July. Can you believe it? I certainly cannot. It feels like the days are just flying by. We are officially over half way through the year. Do you feel like you are accomplishing the things you set out to do this year? I feel decent about my goals. I know there is always more that I could be doing, particularly when it comes to this blog. So I am issuing a challenge to do myself to do 31 posts in 31 days. It may not be 1 post a day because technically I would already be behind. By any means necessary at the end of this month I want to have 31 posts.

This will certainly be a challenge because sometimes I don’t feel like I have content for a post everyday but I would like to try. I won’t ever know, if I don’t try. This will help me expand my writing and give me more practice in general. It will also help me be more intentional about when and what I am writing. It sounded like a good idea in my head, so I am going for it.

Any writers out there that have done a post a day challenge? Any tips on content when you don’t feel inspired? Please leave any good tips in the comments.

Wish me luck,

Dominique

Galatians 5:24

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Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
Galatians 5:24 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/gal.5.24.NLT

This is a another one of my favorites. I just discovered this verse this year but it has been pivotal in my spiritual growth. What part of your sinful nature have you nailed to the cross? What have you decided deserves less of your time? It’s a hard process to look at your actions and say I’m not going to be that way anymore, especially if you have been that way for years and years. When God tells you its time to grow up, it’s time to grow up and that is essentially what happened to me. Things that used to interest me no longer bring me pleasure. I can tell because I would be engaged in those activities and they didnt feel the same. At some point you have to draw the line in the sand and declare who do you belong too? Do you belong to Christ or do you belong to the world?

Job 13:15

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Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.
Job 13:15 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/job.13.15.NIV

This is one of my favorite verses. Many times in my life I thought God was slaying. I didn’t understand what he was doing or why. Sometimes the what would come together but the why would remain elusive. The why doesn’t really matter though. I know I am not going through half the things Job went through and God proved himself faithful then.

I like that I will surely defend my ways to his face. God isn’t afraid of confrontation or our feelings. I like that. It shows that he really wants to be our friend and not just our father. He knows what I am thinking anyway so I might as well get it out.

Things tend to always find a way to come together, better than I thought or could have imagined. God is good All the time.Even when we don’t understand, even when don’t like it, he is good. I’m so glad I have this verse as a reminder. It’s never as bad as I think it is. God won’t play me and he won’t play you either.