First Choice/Best Choice

Ever consider that David was not God's first choice for King? Saul was the first one chosen. Regardless of what people say about Saul, he was sent by God to Samuel as an answer to the prayer of God's people. YOU also are an answer to somebody's prayer. David wasn't the first choice - but he was the BEST choice.

If you are serving under someone else, "whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as TO THE LORD, and not unto men." (Col 3:22) work as if you were working for Jesus because the Lord see's your effort and "you shall receive the reward of your inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." 

David was a man after God's heart and that is why he ended up in the role that Saul was originally given. He was a man after- in pursuit of - God's heart. Your ROLE changes but your PURPOSE doesn't. If your passion is God's presence and you stay focused on fulfilling your present assignment, you will discover that what you are doing now is actually preparing you for what your NEXT ROLE is going to be.

Esther was not the Kings first choice - she ended up replacing Queen Vashti.

You may feel like you are running LAST but the last are often FIRST before the story is over. The "first born" in the family were the ones with the Birthright and the Inheritance. However....

Isaac was second to Ishmael.

Jacob was second to Esau.

Joseph was 11th out of 12 and anything but the first choice of his brothers.

Moses was not the people's choice for a deliverer - they drove him into a dessert.

Jeremiah was not Israel's first choice for a Prophet, but he was Gods.

Peter and the rest of the disciples in Galilee were not the local Rabbi's first choice. All young men went to Hebrew school, but by 13 were either encouraged to continue with the Rabbi and be further trained or were told to "go learn the trade of your father." When Jesus saw Peter, James, Andrew and John they were doing like the Rabbi said - working in their fathers fishing business.

NOW the CRAZIEST of all overlooks in history....Jesus of Nazareth was overlooked by the local Rabbi as a qualified recruit for the ministry.

Stay faithful to your present call, stay passionate about His presence and stay OPEN to the providential way's that God open's door's because YOU are an answer to someone's prayer and your gift's are a solution to someone's problem. Be an expert problem solver and you accelerate your positioning...it's just a mater of time.

Dry Time

I must admit the last couple weeks I have been going through a dry time spiritually.  It seems that God is distant and uninvolved.   I know these are my emotions lying.  The truth is He is closer than ever!

Psalm 139, "O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me....How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You." (Psalm 139:1-10 & 17-18)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N__3NYLygIY  Healing our Image of God and Ourselves

Don't give up we'll get through this dry time!

"Awake My Soul"
(with Lecrae)

[Chris Tomlin:]
Breathe on me, breath of God, breathe on me
Breathe on me, breath of God, breathe on me
I come alive, I’m alive when you breathe on me
I come alive, I’m alive when you breathe on me

[Chorus:]
Awake, awake, awake my soul,
God resurrect these bones
From death to life, through you alone
Awake my soul

Speak to me, word of God, speak to me
Speak to me, word of God, speak to me
I come alive, I’m alive when you speak to me
I come alive, I’m alive when you speak to me

[Chorus:]
Awake, awake, awake my soul,
God resurrect these bones
From death to life, through you alone
Awake my soul

[Lecrae:]
Then He said to me,
Prophesy to these bones and say to them,
Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!
This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones,
I will make breath enter you,
And you will come to life.
So I prophesied as I was commanded.
As I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound,
And the bones came together, bone to bone.
And I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them,
And skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
Then He said to me,
Prophesy to the breath,
Prophesy, son of man, and say to it,
Conjure the four winds of breath and breathe.

[Chorus:]
Awake, awake, awake my soul,
God resurrect these bones
From death to life, through you alone
Awake my soul

Awake, awake, awake my soul,
God resurrect these bones
From death to life, through you alone
Awake my soul

[Lecrae:]
Yeah, I’m not alone, I realize
I breathe out, I come alive
Your word gives life to my dry bones
Your breath tells death it can ride on
Awake me, make me a living stone,
A testament to your throne, I
I’m nothing without you, I’m on my own
The only one who satisfies my soul

Peace, Be Still!

How many of us are guilty of not slowing down?  Not letting go and letting God?  I know I am.  I burnt myself out last month "trying to fit everything in" and neglected what was really important, my relationship with God and my own personal care (exercise, eating right, sleeping etc.)  Well no more, it's time to have boundaries and say no once in a while.  (very hard thing to do for us social people pleaser's)  Even Jesus took time out for rest and rejuvenation at friends (Lazarus, Mary and Martha) and especially with His Father.  You may be asking yourself is it okay as a Christian to say no.  Well consider the following verses.

Matthew 5:1

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,

Mark 6:30-31

³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

When God told us to rest He was also concerned about our beasts of burden and employees!  

Exodus 23:12

¹² “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.

The hard part is finding balance between rest and work.  God's plan is not that we should become couch potatoes.

Numbers 8:23-26

²³ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting, ²⁵ but at the age of fifty, they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. ²⁶ They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work. This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.

And although we should prepare for the future we don't want to be like the rich man who worked and stored up goods only for himself then dropped dead before he could enjoy it!

Luke 12:20-21

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’²¹ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

1 Timothy 6:17-19

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸ Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.¹⁹ In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

In this crazy busy go go go world how many of us take time to rest?  So it's no wonder how many times in scripture God tells us to be still, quiet, or be at peace. They may not be written in those exact words but here are some of the verses I found pertaining to rest.  Take some time and meditate on them and find your peace.   

Psalm 46:10 

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Psalm 37:7 

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Exodus 14:14 

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Mark 4:39

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Psalm 23:1-6 

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...

Psalm 62:5 

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

Psalm 131:2

But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Psalm 91:1-16 

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, ...

.

Job 6:24 

“Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray.

1 Peter 3:4

But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

Lamentations 3:24-26 

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Isaiah 32:17 

And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.

1 Kings 19:11-13 

And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

1 Thessalonians 4:11 

And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,

 Friend have you reached the right balance in life? Do you have ample, but not too much, rest? If not, join me in praying that God will  assist us in moving towards that right balance.