Continue Taking Steps of Obedience

At the moment, there is a very difficult home situation that I am dealing with. Something happened that I thought I knew what my reaction would be; what I would do and say; in fact, my whole family thought the same, but when the situation arose, I reacted in totally the opposite way. This shocked everyone, and most of all it shocked me. So why did I go against what I naturally would have done? Obedience. I simply felt led to react in a different way and so I am, but I tell you what.. it is NOT easy!

I don’t know why God is asking me to choose this path, but what I do know is that He requires obedience. I may not be able to see the end, but He knows and that is good enough for me.

I read Joyce Meyer’s online daily devotional and it happened to be on obedience today, so I thought I would share it. I hope it encourages you!

Whatever He says to you, do it. —John 2:5

Jesus' first recorded miracle took place while He was attending a wedding celebration. When the marriage couple ran out of wine to serve their guests, Mary asked her Son to do something about the situation, telling the servants, "Whatever He tells you to do, do it." Jesus ordered them to fill up several huge water pots. When they had done so, He directed them to draw out of the vessels the water which by then had been miraculously changed into wine (see John 2:1-11). Because of their obedience to Him, the physical needs of many were met that day.

If you are looking for a miracle in your life, make sure you are sowing seeds of obedience, because the Lord has promised us that if we do so in patient confidence and trust in Him, we will eventually reap: And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint (Galatians 6:9).

Sometimes when things are not working out the way we think they should or we are not receiving the answers to our prayers as quickly as we would like, we get the idea, "Well, since God's not doing anything, why should I? Why should I be obedient if it isn't producing results?" In such times we must realize that God is always working. We just may not be able to see it, because He usually works in secret.

{From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer}

Blessings!

Ronell x

Joyce Meyer: Experience True Joy

I read this post from Joyce Meyer’s daily online devotional today and was really encouraged, so I thought I would share it:

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection]. 
—1 John 4:18

Under-confidence is a condition; it might even be considered a sickness. And just like many other sicknesses, under-confidence is caused by a deficiency of one thing (confidence) and too much of another—fear. I refer to fear as an emotional virus because it begins as a thought, then affects your emotions and behaviors—just like a flu virus might invade your body via a handshake or a sneeze and then make you feel miserable all over.

Fear is a dangerous virus, because a fearful person has no confidence and can never reach her potential in life. She won’t step out of her comfort zone to do anything—especially something new or different. Fear is a cruel ruler, and its subjects live in constant torment.

It breaks my heart when I see people living fearfully, because without confidence, people can never know and experience true joy. The Holy Spirit of God Himself is grieved, because He has been sent into our lives to help us fulfill our God-ordained destinies.

Lord, I am sick and tired of living in fear and all of its repercussions in my life. I welcome the Holy Spirit to come into my life and equip me to fulfill my destiny. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

Blessings!

Ronell x

Joyce Meyer: blessing and encouragement

Today’s post is a bit of inspiration for anyone who is feeling discouraged and in need of a blessing! I have taken it from Joyce Meyer’s online daily devotional. I hope that it blesses and encourages you- Enjoy!

Expect the Blessings of God

by Joyce Meyer - posted January 19, 2013

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. —Psalm 27:14

Sometimes you may feel discouraged, miserable, and depressed. In those times you need to take a close look at what’s been going on in your mind. Isaiah 26:3 tells you when you keep your mind on the Lord you will have “perfect and constant peace.”

By focusing on the goodness of God and waiting, hoping, and expecting Him to encourage you and fill you with His peace and joy, you can overcome negative thoughts that drag you down.

Think and speak positively. Begin believing right now that you are about to see God’s goodness in your life. Wait, hope, and expect His blessings to be abundant in your life.

From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2004 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Blessings!

Ronell x

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” {Ralph Waldo Emerson}