Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Remain In Him

“I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, apart from Me you can do nothing”. John 15:5

How simple life would be if we didn’t struggle with releasing ourselves to remain in Him and realize we can do nothing apart from Him. If often is a struggle to release because we don’t see God for who He is, and we put characteristics on Him from our experiences in life.

When we are asked, “Who are you?” our response is usually something like, I’m a wife, a mother, a nurse, a teacher or some other description of what we do. We seem to base our worth in possessions, achievements or jobs. Others see us the way they think we should be based on their opinion of our successes or appearance. Both views are loaded with misconceptions because of our own personal life experience. The person God sees is totally different from the way we see ourselves or others see us.

To God we are uniquely fashioned…made in His Image with His potential in us. Validate this truth about yourself: God says you are precious in His sight. The thoughts you have about your self develop into words and then behavior which will either build up or destroy your self-image.

I encourage you today to put the greatest weight into determining self-worth in what God says about you. Release yourself from “who you are in terms of success” and abide in the vine to begin bearing fruit of God’s spirit asyou remain in Him.

Monday, January 5, 2009

How Do I Find My Destiny

"He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. Isaiah 2:3 (NIV)
In childhood,, most women begin seeking their destiny with Prince Charming, their careers, their homes, and their dreams of success. Our society leads us to believe that destiny's pathway can be carved out, and if we do all the right things we will reach our destiny. As adulthood settles in, we find that our destiny does not always have the fulfillment even though we may have accomplished all of the dreams we aspired toward. Our dreams in reality may leave us with a hollow feeling. On the other hand, we may not have achieved succes in our minds and are unfulfilled.
So, that brings us to the question: "How Do I Find My Destiny?" Destiny does not come through tea leaves or horoscope readings. It comes by following the spiritual pathway that God has set out for us. We were uniquely created to be who we are and where we are today, at this time.
The spiritual pathway is found by first, seeking God and asking for direction and guidance in our lives. Secondly, we surrender everything to Him. When we ask and surrender, God will give us the road map to our Destiny in Him, the life that He created for us to have and the peace that comes in that life. However, the big stumbling block with this road map is that it requires obedience. Some of the crossroad markers on the map this year will be Bible study and prayer, learning to know God as a friend and stepping out in faith to stay on the road.
I made a move to Kentucky in 1997, in direct obedience to God's call. It was such a big step to move so far rom home and familiar surroundings in the western part of the country. I didn't have any idea what would happen, how it would work or how we would survive, but God said to move and we did.
It took a long time for me to come to the point where I could just up-and-move on that kind of a call from God--years of pulling off the spiritual pathway, trying to turn around and go back, kicking and screaming, and trying to hold my own destiny tightly in my hands. There was such a sense of freedom for me in the release of my own ideas and moving into the flow of following those road markers.
This can be an exciting New Year for us and for the women we mentor and lead to learn to recognize the call of God on our lives, leading toward what He has planned for us.