Good morning. So your mindset should be, if you look at all of what God’s word says about who you are, that this is indeed a “good” morning and a great start for the week. Today you are taking a step closer to Jesus, to Christ, to God. Today you are going to become a better you by taking action. Wait though, but by my Spirit says the Lord!
Today you are setting out to be a better you (by learning, by exercising, by being in better tune with God, etc.) so you can better serve God in what you are doing. In doing so, reaching and impacting people for His Kingdom through your business, through your work, through your every-day-life.
This is in follow up to last week’s post:
This is why ‘walking in the spirit’ is crucial. This is what I continually refer to as that every-day-walking-around-kind-of-life with Jesus. It’s a mindset. We walk by what the word of God says. We can’t see it, but we walk by faith. Jesus is the word and that’s what we walk by. In other words, we walk with Jesus.
It’s easy to think, to have the mindset, that a desire for God is something that we conjure ourselves. It’s our heart producing those desires and our heart is part of us, therefore, we must be producing the desires ourselves. Scripture, however, paints a different picture.
Ezekiel 36:26a NIV
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;
Does God have Expectations?
God expects us to put our faith into action, which takes effort, it takes strength, it takes heart – that new heart that God gives us.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 NIV
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might;
Mark 14:8 NIV
She has done what she could.
She did what she could with what was at hand – Mark 14:3-9.
James 2:26 NIV
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
As we begin to move, and our heart is in line with God’s heart. God does what we can’t while we do what we can.
Where is your heart? What are your motives?
We must rely on the Lord’s strength, not our own. But we must give Him something to work with. Trust your heart, trust your strengths. Trust that it ‘is’ God. You don’t step out. If you don’t move forward, if you don’t give Him something to work with, you will not see how He will use what you do for His glory. He will not only impact your life, but those in your world that He brings across your path.
It’s about your motives, your mindset, your heart.
James 4:3 NIV
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
So, your motives need to be in line with God’s motives, his heart. And we must also realize that our strength to do what is in our heart, is only because God gives us the sufficiency to do it.
2 Corinthians 3:4–5 NIV
And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.
And…
Ephesians 6:10 NIV
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
For…
Philippians 4:13 NIV
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Challenge of the Week
What does God have in mind for you? Set your mind and your heart on that! Your heart will guide you and God will equip, supply, encourage and support you…because it is in line with His heart and what He has planned for you – trust your heart. So be it!
Please Note: I am technology challenged but slowly gaining ground. Last week Feedspot posted their top 100 Devotional Blog Posts. Your Everyday Life blog post site broke the top 100 and came in at number 65. I am so excited. Thanks for reading and following and helping me get the word out.
Brenda Long says
Thanks for your encouragement, Scott. The Spirit has validated through you. It aligns with my goals for Fall 2021. WALK in a manner worthy. (Ephesians 4:1-3; Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:9-11). Yes, closer.
Scott Ramsey says
Brenda, thanks for the encouraging words. I am inspired by God’s word each day. As we walk in his Word, walk with Jesus, our walk is worthy as it is a blessing to Him, His Kingdom, and those who come across our path.