As I'm sitting under the hair dryer this morning prior to waking up everyone in the house on Sunday morning to get them fed and dressed for church, instead of going to my favorite game app on my smartphone, I went to my Bible app (which there are free Bible apps for smartphones, if you've downloaded every other app but not a Bible one, perhaps you should do that now). As I pray each morning on what direction God will have my day go in, I listen to his voice and flip to Judges 1: 27. The historical theme of Judges is God's faithfulness to the Israelites, though they were disobedient. The tribes of Israel after Joshua had died, neglected to raise their children in the ways of God (which is for another blog entry). Starting at verse 27 through the first 6 verses of chapter 2 we see the incomplete conquest to possess the land which God had promised to Israel. Once the promise land was divided into sections for the various tribes of Israel, it was up to the tribes to go in and possess the land. The tribe of Judah (which means "Praise"), who was the tribe where Caleb came from (one of the 12 spies originally sent out by Moses to see what the promise land looked like, and one of two who returned and gave a good report, and the only one who quieted the people and said we can take the inhabitants) were the only tribe who obeyed God's instructions to the letter. The rest of the tribes did not see the land promised to them because they attempted to slide in and dwell with the inhabitants.
How does this relate to us today?
We are sitting waiting for God to bring about the things he has promised to us, yet we are chillin' with the very people he told us to separate from. We are hanging on to that piece of a job because we are fearful of starting our own businesses. We are clinging to those relationships God has told us to leave because we have a fear of being alone. If you are trying to get the promise to come, then you can't compromise (come promise = no compromise). How can you expect to be a leader attempting to quietly sit in the back of the room? Those of us who are called to great leadership, often have the problem of still being singled out, even when we are attempting to stay low key. The tribes who decided to disregard the instructions that may have taken them out of their comfort zone (most of us do not seek out confrontation or a fight) did not see the full benefits of their promise. The inhabitants became a thorn to them. Some of us work with some people we can not stand, because we are attempting to befriend the inhabitants instead of realizing this isn't a merger, this is a hostile takeover. I don't want to settle for doing okay in business, my vision has always included the words "premier provider" of certain student services. In order to stay in position to receive the promise God has given you, you must be willing to look crazy pursuing your dreams. As a commercial George and I like said, you can't settle for just "Keeping up with the Joneses", you have to chase them (or us) down. Get off your excuses, and realize this is a hostile takeover!!!! GET 'R DONE!!!
How does this relate to us today?
We are sitting waiting for God to bring about the things he has promised to us, yet we are chillin' with the very people he told us to separate from. We are hanging on to that piece of a job because we are fearful of starting our own businesses. We are clinging to those relationships God has told us to leave because we have a fear of being alone. If you are trying to get the promise to come, then you can't compromise (come promise = no compromise). How can you expect to be a leader attempting to quietly sit in the back of the room? Those of us who are called to great leadership, often have the problem of still being singled out, even when we are attempting to stay low key. The tribes who decided to disregard the instructions that may have taken them out of their comfort zone (most of us do not seek out confrontation or a fight) did not see the full benefits of their promise. The inhabitants became a thorn to them. Some of us work with some people we can not stand, because we are attempting to befriend the inhabitants instead of realizing this isn't a merger, this is a hostile takeover. I don't want to settle for doing okay in business, my vision has always included the words "premier provider" of certain student services. In order to stay in position to receive the promise God has given you, you must be willing to look crazy pursuing your dreams. As a commercial George and I like said, you can't settle for just "Keeping up with the Joneses", you have to chase them (or us) down. Get off your excuses, and realize this is a hostile takeover!!!! GET 'R DONE!!!
Thank you for this. I believe this word with my whole heart. I have often told friends and loved ones "pray for direction, have faith God heard you, then follow your gut." I understand we can be afraid of moving in the wrong direction, but if I do as Proverbs 3:6 says: "In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct [my] path", I must trust that even if I turn to step in the wrong direction, God will turn me around. People nowadays are so devastated by the word "no", or so afraid of failure, or dare I say, "struggle" that they are paralyzed into stagnancy. Fear of the unknown or fear of responsibility (this used to be my issue), also can cause us to be slow in stepping into destiny. there is an answer to this as well in Proverbs 3:5, but I will refrain from quoting in hopes that curiosity will cause someone to research this scripture. I love to believe that when I take one step, He takes three. I know I have enough to answer for as it is, I don't want to have to explain why I didn't do what I was already empowered to do on top of all else, including summer of 2009, (whew, thank God for forgiveness).
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Yes, Nish! Thank God for forgiveness. LOL We often fail to look at what we've already been equipped with. He wouldn't call us to something he hasn't equipped us to handle. His method has been this way since the creation of man. He didn't create Adam until he already created his provision. Each day we must make a mental decision followed by an action to follow the path that He has laid out for us.
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