Friday, December 28, 2012

The Principle of "Daily"

"Seek first the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." Matthew 6:33.

The scriptures PRIOR were from Jesus teaching his disciples how their prayers should look like. He is such a great Lord to teach us rather than us having to figure it out on our own. He states in Matthew 6:11 - "Give us this day our daily bread." This also can be found in Luke 11:3.

Recently as the leader of our family, Ben, instituted a family meeting to discuss our vision and goals for 2013. He was thoughtful to mention when it would be and what was to be prepared. He gave me a week and he too took a week - and we prayerfully and thoughtfully wrote out what the Lord was directing. Christmas day - we shared. It was neat to see that everything we both wrote linked up - confirming it was indeed the Lord. (It's the little things, like this confirmation, I consider still His miracles and His nearness. I refuse to become numb to them, but rather rejoice).

As we developed what it would look like if were obedient to the vision for our family in 2013 - we felt it a bit daunting. So for a few days I gave what "we" developed and asked Him to show me what He wanted it to look like. Coming to Him knowing and believing 2 things:

1. That if I "ask anything in His name, he hears us." - 1 John 5:14

2.  Jesus, who only tells the life-giving truth, says, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:30. And I knew what I was feeling with our execution plan felt really weighty and an undertaking and honestly unnecessary. I know "nothing is impossible with God." But what I was feeling and what the Holy Spirit was teaching me seemed to confirm we had ommitted God and His truths with our plan of action but not with our goals and vision.

God was faithful within hours to answer. He had indeed confirmed our goals were of His origin - but our game plan was not. Then I heard it, "What if your life was a accumlation of days lived well."

That was it! God wanted us to not be daunted with the 2013's 365 tomorrows - but rather to be faithful with the today (the only one promised us).

And in return God showed me that if I was:

1. Seeking first His Kingdom daily.
2. Asking for my daily bread.
3. Being fully faithful to be balanced with the day He gave - by walking in the direction and under the guidance and leading of the Holy Spirit.

That my "todays" will achieve my "tomorrow" goals. Just like an equation 1+1=2, God showed me that 1 faithful, God directed, balanced day + 1 faithful, God directed, balanced day (done 365 days) = A year of Goals achieved, Vision recieved, Miracles witnessed, Faith built, Kingdom advanced, Lives changed, Financial freedom conquered, Promises produced!

My only responsibility is to "Seek first - daily." SWEET!

This truth left Ben and I feeling easy and burdenless. It left us feeling empowered. Ironically - Giving God the responsibility to be the "author and finisher of our faith because He already paid the price" (Hebrews 12:2) - it's not up to me to perfect myself - it's His. We were empowered when we were instructed to be stripped of our imposed responsibility. When we gave Him power, authority and responsibility - we soon felt we finally attained power and authority.

We believe that if God tells the truth - He will be faithful to give us our daily bread and our actions will reflect this:

1. We will walk a life that was even GREATER than Jesus because He gave us the Holy Spirit. (John 14:12 - "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I'm going to the Father.") I love that He said "very truly I tell you - as if wanting us to grasp and understand and own the power He is giving us.

2. That we will be guided by the Holy Spirit and not daunted when God commands us to give to the needs He allows us to see. (By no coincidence does God put needs of others into your view). James 2:15 - "Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and DAILY food." Well if God doesn't lie and He says He will most certainly give you your daily bread - yet you are allowed to see the needs of your brothers and sisters (meaning family in Christ). I, without caution believe, God provided YOU your daily bread and equipped you to help what He most definitely allowed you to see or over hear or even sense from the Lord. And if God cannot lie - and He provides all our daily breads and we trust that - then we fear NOT about what we need tomorrow when we are lead to give. Is this preaching to anyone but me?

3. We will represent God well. We will daily walk in the fruits of the Spirit. Lives will most definitely be changed. When everyone around me freaks out about the 'fiscal cliff' and I stand in my authority and the "peace that transcends understanding"(Philippians 4:7) and trust a God who's "ways are Higher than ours" (Isaiah 55:9) - Don't you think people will be "asking about the faith you have in Christ Jesus" and You WILL "be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about this HOPE you have in Christ Jesus." (1 Peter 3:15)

I'm just gonna stop there because my heart is gonna beat out of my chest in excitement! I leave you with this:

Father in Heaven, who gave your Presence to live inside us. Give us peace and understanding in these truths. I pray empowerment and blessings so vast to those who are reading this - that they can't hardly stand it - that they are compelled to fall on their knees in praise at the weight of your goodness. In Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.