Organizing the Inside 365 Days
Empowering Christian Women To Get Organized and Discover God's Plan for Their LivesArchive for Christian
Organizing the Inside – Day 347 Blind Spots In Our Lives
37Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 38Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 39Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. 40When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say. Mark 14:37-40 (NLT)
Are you ever too tired to watch and pray?
I know you’re embarrassed and just like the disciples you don’t know what to say… I’ve been there before. Through prayer hidden dangers are exposed. Blind spots come in many forms. You know that it’s there, but you may not turn your head to look in that direction until it’s almost too late. While driving, have you ever turned your head just slight enough to realize at the last second that completing your lane change would have caused an accident? You can never assume that because your blind spot was clear the last time you checked, you can safely change lanes minutes later. For this very reason we must maintain a strong prayer life. We never know what kinds of everyday things are lurking in our blind spots. Prayer keeps us alert! Consider these warning signs and don’t let them go unnoticed; avoid a serious collision:
- Being over tired because you don’t get enough rest.
- Bringing home frustration from work that affects your loved ones.
- Not listening to the advice of a trusted friend.
- Ignoring a sermon that really spoke to your heart.
- Taking on too much to please others.
- Choosing to do what you want instead of what God said.
- Not spending your time wisely like too much time on social media.
- Forgetting to keep a close watch on your priorities.
Perhaps you’ve skipped your time with God to save a few extra minutes on a busy day? The super busy life that many Christian women lead can cause serious problems down the road. If you’ve found yourself caught off guard in the past and have allowed some of the more important priorities slip, prayer will get things back in focus. Prayer produces power and when your life lacks prayer you will also lack power. As summer comes to a close and schedules begin to normalize, watch out for hidden dangers that go unnoticed because of prayerlessness. God is our compass guiding us until we reach our ultimate destination. His internal systems will alert us when danger is nearby. No matter what high-ranking items you have lingering on your “To Do” lists keep God first and never slack off in prayer.
Organizing the Inside – Day 336 Through Wisdom She Learned to Avoid False Starts
17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17, 18 (NLT)
False starts lead to unnecessary pressure. When God speaks to your heart and gives you a specific task to carry out remember to practice wisdom in obedience. It’s great to be excited about the gifts and calling of God, but approach each new venture as a humble act of obedience. If you are like many high achievers when you get an idea from God your reaction is to immediately spring into action. Some Christians live in the movers and shakers lane, and if you’re not moving too you may just have to eat some dust. This method of hot pursuit of their God ordained purpose has (I’m sure) at times left a great deal of carnage behind from others who thought they too were onboard with the vision. In other words practicing accelerated obedience at any cost is not necessarily the best option if you want to enlist the help and support others.
There is nothing wrong with planning first. Actually it prevents a lot of headaches. Planning out your course of action is not only prudent, it saves you from the embarrassment that results from false starts. If more go-getters would only make time to set goals and chart a course of action that others can buy into, they would avoid experiencing the all too familiar humiliation that comes from being overzealous. I get it, when the creative juices are flowing so is the adrenaline. It is critical however that we line up our creative energy with God’s will and timing. When God empowers us to move forward it won’t be with a barrage of unrelenting orders for us to hurry up and act. The Spirit won’t rush us into completing any assignment unless all things are in place. He empowers us to move forward, all the while guiding us gently along the way.
Avoid false starts. The next time you have a creative idea that you know came from God, seek Him first, and carefully consider your next steps. Each time you are called into action it won’t necessarily require all engines full speed ahead. There may very well be a period of processing and planning; this is also action. He won’t give you a dream and then leave you on your own to sort it out. God not only equips us, He strengthens us and provides us with all that we will ever need to complete His great work. Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 2 Corinthians 9:10 (NIV) Avoid life’s false starts by seeking God, practicing wisdom and considering others before moving ahead.
Organizing the Inside – Day 329 A Woman Who Practices Resourcefulness Glorifies God
13She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. 14She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar. 15She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. 16She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. 18She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night. 19Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. Proverbs 31:13-19 (NLT)
Being resourceful should be easy in this modern world. It seems there are so many resources and so much information available that tapping into what we need should be pretty straight forward. We can type in a few words and get an answer from Goggle about almost anything, and if he can’t help his buddy Bing will surely answer most any question. Do you agree we need to be careful and consider the source? As wise Christians resourcefulness requires a bit of judgment too. You can’t ask Wikipedia who God is and expect to get an answer that you can believe. God has however given us great examples of resourcefulness and it seems there is much to learn from His creativity. Did He not form man from the clay that was already there? Then when He was at the apex of His creativity He took from Adam’s side and formed a helpmeet that was suitable for him. I’m thinking you can’t be more resourceful than that.
So why should we be resourceful? Practicing resourcefulness will help simplify your life. Use what you have available to get the job done. Let’s be realistic, you can’t use something you don’t have when you need to complete an important project, but you can be creative and think outside the box. The woman in Proverbs 31 was very resourceful and she capitalized on those things that she had access to. She not only used her talents and gifts to make things happen while running a successful business and household; she also tapped into the abilities of those around her. Instead of trying to kill herself by doing it all alone, she had maidservants, organized their work and used other resources she was given. The bible also describes her traveling to out-of-the-way places, but in doing so she was still practicing resourcefulness. I believe much of the fact that her family was secure and well taken care of is contributed to her ability to work, plan and be resourceful.
What needs do you have that requires a bit of creative resourcefulness? Money is not always the answer when a need arises. Sometimes going out to buy something isn’t the best solution. When working with clients to organize their spaces, one of the most important things we look at first is how we can use what they have available. What things can you repurpose to meet a need? What do you have in your arsenal of talents, strengths and resources that you have yet to tap into? Trust me when I say, “Resourcefulness leads to contentment.” A simple, yet challenging way to organize your life and glorify God is to practice resourcefulness.
Organizing the Inside – Day 318 Her Light Does Not Go Out
17She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 18She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. Proverbs 31:17, 18 (NIV)
Are you passionate about God’s gifts and calling? Are you excited to wake up early each day and make progress toward fulfilling God’s plan and purpose for your life? The truth is that many Christian women never live up to their God-given potential in Christ. Many never tap into the drive and commitment it takes to follow their dreams. Oh yes! I believe without a doubt, your dreams, potential, talents, abilities, gifts and skills are each locked in as part of God’s big picture plan for your life.
What keeps your light from going out at night? What drives you? In the still of the night, what does your heart want to know and do? Are you determined to say yes to God’s plan? Are you enthusiastic about the vision He gave? Your light not going out at night is not about exchanging needed sleep for a few more hours of work, not really. Your light not going out at night is more about the desire that keeps you productive as you live out the will of God for your life. Even through the night, the excitement and enthusiasm for God fills your life with hope and direction. Productive and profitable, God wants your work to glorify Him. Starting today, embrace your purpose in a way that keeps your light burning through the night. There is an entire body of believers who need exactly what you have been given to share.
Organizing the Inside – Day 298 Do Your Rules Impede Their Faith?
Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
Galatians 2:16 (NLT)
Simply put! There is nothing that anyone needs to do to be made right with God, except have faith in Jesus Christ. NOTHING!! Christians are constantly putting stipulations on others about how to be made right with God, converting back to the law. We cannot put people under bondage because we know the law. Many principles found in the law work, but doesn’t faith work better? Indeed there is a more excellent way; God’s law is now written on our hearts. Does that mean we shouldn’t learn from the written law? Absolutely not, but false teachers teach the law to manipulate others and they also suggest that by following the law one is made right with God. Those who teach such untrue doctrine will indeed be held accountable for their works and words.
For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, Romans 4:14 (NLT) because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. Romans 4:15 (NIV)
Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” Romans 7:7 (NLT)
We are made FREE in Christ.
If we teach that by obeying the law we are made right with God, what is faith for. Christ came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17) When I first gave my life to Christ I cut up my miniskirts. I took great pride in wearing long-sleeved shirts and high collar necklines. I wanted to please God by obeying someone else’s ideas about how to be made right with Him. I wanted to obey all the “Christian rules that I was supposed to follow” I took my cues from those who preached and the message that their lifestyle brought. Eventually, the notion that I had to do all kinds of “acts” and “good works” in order to please God became overwhelming. 3How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it? Galatians 3:3, 4 (NLT) I knew I had a relationship with God; my faith was strong and He’d answered many prayers. Troubled by the law, (the position it seemed to hold in the church) my faith was perhaps impeded. As years went by with all my errors, poor choices, mistakes and outright disobedience, God never left me and He never once cursed or forsook me. I began to realize that this walk was a walk of faith and not of laws, rules and regulations. I was made the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe… Romans 3:22a (NIV)
I began to distinguish the difference between the Word of God and the traditions of men. I rediscovered my faith, which had never left me; but it was now clear to me that it was (only) through Jesus Christ. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Hebrews 12:2 (KJV) I sometimes wonder if my life, growth and encouragement was slowed down by those who chose to teach the law instead of the message of grace.
17But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. Galatians 2:17-21 (KJV)
For those who are teachers, I understand the desire to have people “act right” and the sincerity of some who only want others to “live right.” We will see clearly and understand this matter also when we see Christ face to face. Meanwhile, as I grow (in my understanding of His love and grace) I go forward. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:12 (NIV)
Be careful those among us who teach following the law as a means of being right with God. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:1 (NIV) If you have ears to hear, then hear what the Spirit is saying to the church!
Satan is the accuser of the brethren, this is not our role. We are not to condemn and accuse anyone in Christ, but are to reconcile others to Christ. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 2 Corinthians 5:18 (NIV) God knows those who are for Him. He also knows and understands far more than any of us the place which His law truly holds in today’s modern church.
In conclusion, God knows and He sees all hearts. His Word is able to penetrate and discern the motives of men. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)
May the message of God’s Word and our faith in Him through Jesus Christ be the overriding theme we live by. May no other foundation be built again, may no other gospel be preached to men. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters and he lives in all of us. Colossians 3:11 (NLT)
Organizing the Inside – Day 276 What A Blessing To Be Hungry
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6 (NIV)
Can hunger be a blessing?
God promises that those of us who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. Being hungry for righteousness begins with the realization that God is sovereign and it is He alone who can meet your needs. Is there any food that can satisfy the hungry soul? Food is what we each need for survival and without it we cannot live. Jesus is the bread of life. Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:36 (NLT) When we are hungry for Him we have a sincere desire to be filled with His truth and righteousness.
God fills our hunger through fellowship with Him. If you truly hunger and thirst after righteousness, take time to organize yourself internally. Make fellowship with God a top priority. By having daily communion with the Holy One, your strength renewed. Arranging that special place where you connect with the Lord is an intentional act of love. 1As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. 2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalm 42:1, 2 (NIV)
Fellowship draws you closer.
You cannot have fellowship with someone you do not know. True fellowship comes out of spending quality time together. Fellowship with God is a lifestyle. Setting aside a special time and place to meet with Him is a big part of experiencing fellowship, but it’s also important that our conduct does not grieve the Spirit. I believe that fellowship only happens when we answer the call: Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8 (NIV) Fellowship doesn’t have a lot to do with rules and regulations about how we conduct ourselves as a Christians. Fellowship really comes down to who God is to you. When your love for God supersedes your love for the world a sincere desire to walk humbly, live righteously and seek holiness will come about. To God be the glory, for He alone fills our hunger and thirst for righteousness. What do you hunger for?
Organizing the Inside – Day 274 Knowing God Intimately
“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (NLT)
Prepare for service by knowing God intimately.
David gave his son instructions to prepare him for the work that he was charged with. David knew that the huge project that was before Solomon would require the right frame of mind. Solomon would be responsible for the building the Temple of God. If you are a leader and servant of God knowing Him intimately is essential for success. The opposition, jealousy and resentment that you’ll have to face from others must be met with a heart of love.
God sees far beyond our outward appearance.
He considers the condition of our heart, and He never stops loving us. As Christians do we honor God with our work, but have hearts that are far from His purpose? Are we truly committed to the work that God has placed before us, or do we complain because we have grown weary and our heart is no longer in it? Decide today to know God more intimately and you will find that His plans will become your plans as you discover the true meaning of joyful devotion. God hears our internal conversations; He knows exactly what we’re thinking when we put our hands to do His work. By connecting with God on an intimate level, you will experience freedom in worship and service. When you raise your hands in worship your mind will not hinder your honest praise, because your praise comes from a heart of love. God wants your heart, your mind, your hands, and your all.
But the time is coming–indeed it’s here now–when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. John 4:23 (NLT)
Are you ready to worship and serve God with your whole heart and a willing mind?
Organizing the Inside – Day 270 Give Away Your Broken Pieces
Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. Daniel 12:3 (NLT)
Wisdom is applied knowledge.
When you have built a relationship with knowledge and have accepted truth, only then can you apply your knowledge. We must first be partakers of God’s Holy Word to establish wisdom. The wisdom that comes from your life experiences is meant to be shared. God didn’t charge you anything for your salvation and healing. Freely you have received and freely you must give. Let your light shine as it will light the way by encouraging others to be in right standing with God.
Your broken pieces are worth more than you know.
Everyone has had brokenness before. We’ve all had something in life that was broken. Something somewhere along your path and mine has been broken. Maybe it was a dream, a broken marriage, a broken friendship, or a broken heart. Dealing with brokenness is not easy, but it does have to be dealt with. Your victory over brokenness can help bring healing to someone else.
Let God end your brokenness and bring your healing first.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 (NIV) When God mends our hearts and saves us from our brokenness; we must be willing to then give to others. The wisdom that comes from having “gone through,” is unlike the results we only read about. Once you have walked through something with God, your broken pieces become a tool to help others, but only if you let it.
The wisdom that comes out of our broken pieces must be shared. Too many Christian women choose to wallow in sorrow, never accomplishing anything more than mastering the art of a pity party. The time comes when you must allow God to mend the broken pieces and restore your will to do even greater things than before. Now you are stronger, not weaker; you are wiser and better. Sharing means giving, and you can surely give your way out of sorrow and sadness. Giving out of love and compassion always comes back to you in the form of rich rewards. The fulfillment that comes from giving in service to others will amazingly bring about healing in your life.
Where are your broken pieces?
If you’ve been carrying them around, perhaps God Is saying lay them down. Maybe you feel you have a right to carry this load. The only revenge you can find is to hold on tight to your brokenness. I believe God wants to give you a new dream and a new promise. Let go of all the broken pieces at once and let God place in your life something new. Be willing to give God everything, even your broken pieces.
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Organizing the Inside – Day 251 When Your “Purr” Turns Into A “Rumble”
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Romans 12:11 (NIV)
My truck “Lizzy” was acting weird and didn’t seem to have the quick acceleration that she once did. At first I just said, “hum?” and kept driving it. Day after day, I started to notice a change. The engine seemed to make a strange sound when I started her up in the morning. That lovely purr I’d become so fond of was quickly being replaced by a growl and I was no longer getting the same great mileage either. Finally I started to notice when I’d come to a sudden stop, Lizzy would rumble just a bit. Surely there was something affecting her performance; she just didn’t respond on the road the way I was use to her responding. Lizzy’s problems were not uncommon. Lizzy was sluggish and just not operating at her peak performance any more. As I thought about it, Lizzy’s change reminded me of many Christian women who keep going and doing, and running and working without ever stopping for a much-needed tune-up.
Are you feeling especially sluggish or slothful?
Are you exhausted? Are your emotions on edge regardless of the time of month? If so, perhaps it’s time you check in (your prayer closet) for servicing with the greatest certified spiritual mechanic known to mankind, Jesus Christ the Righteous. Let Him put you up on the lift and run a diagnostic test (quiet time with the Lord). Once you are connected to the truth indicator, (Word of God) everything that is slowing you down can be corrected. If your system is not operating at its maximum efficiency you need to take care of those few small concerns. Left unattended those minor issues may eventually turn into something major.
Christ will renew your strength.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit you will again start to operate at the apex of your performance capacity. By faith, through prayer, commit all your issues, concerns and malfunctioning parts to God. Once you take time, better yet, make time to get before His presence; He will meet you there. He will replenish all your spiritual fluids, inflate tires, check fuel lines, and replace spark plugs too. Whatever is needed, Jesus is there to give you that spiritual tune-up, which only He can do. It’s truly not until we make time to spend with our creator that any of us can run each day at our peak performance levels.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NIV)
Organizing the Inside – Day 243 Keeping a Clear Focus On the Truth
1I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: 2Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. 3For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4They will reject the truth and chase after myths. 5But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you. 2 Timothy 4:1-4 (NLT)
Will we have to give an account for our work?
Paul urges Timothy to be ready to preach the Word whether it was a convenient time or not. As Christians in today’s modern world we have that same responsibility. While exercising patience with new Christians or unbelievers it is important to share the truth. This should be the goal of every Christian. We are living in a time when the plain simple truth is just not what many people want to hear. Many are anxiously waiting, itching to hear something that will make them feel good about the lifestyle they’d rather live. I’m convinced that many are far more in love with the world than God. It saddens me to see buildings filled with would-be worshipers who’d rather hear a message of prosperity than holiness. Paul shares how he had to deal with this in his last words to Timothy. Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. 2 Timothy 4:10 (NLT)
God wants our minds to stay clear.
Keeping a clear mind comes from a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t override the message that comes to your heart from the Holy Spirit. The Word of God gives us a road map to live by. Our lives are guided by the principles of truth we find there. Paul urged Timothy to use the Word to correct, rebuke and encourage others. Jesus is the Word, and when we have a relationship with Him, the inner work of the Holy Spirit keeps us from going astray.
Here’s my personal temperature check.
Each time I recall this verse it puts things in proper perspective for me. This is my frequent, yet personal reality check, which keeps my heart focused. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15 (KJV) I love how this verse speaks to my heart, perhaps a tap upside the head to say, “Hey, what’s really important?” If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to find your own reality check to keep you focused.
The church (body of Christ) needs believers who refuse to compromise the truth.
Are you fully carrying out the ministry God has given you?
Are you willing to take a less popular road and proclaim God’s righteous truth?
How much are you willing to suffer for the sake of the gospel?
What if everyone around you deserted you, would you still share the truth?
Organizing the Inside 365 Days 