Organizing the Inside 365 Days
Empowering Christian Women To Get Organized and Discover God's Plan for Their LivesArchive for HolySpirit
Organizing the Inside – 337 Power To Be Decisive
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. 1 Kings 18:21 (KJV)
Have you ever been silent when you should have spoken up for what was right?
Have you ever been more fearful of what people would think and remained silent about sin? Ahab had over four hundred of Baal’s prophets. Elijah was the only one standing for the Lord, yet He stood boldly knowing that God was with him. Although it appeared that Elijah was outnumbered by unbelievers, he served the only true and living God, which made him a majority.
As servants of the Most High, we are never outnumbered. God wants you and me to be willing to stand up against evil. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can have the courage to stand against evil. Jesus told the early church to wait until the Comforter came. He said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NIV)
God wants to fill you with the power to stand firm in your beliefs. If you find that you don’t have the boldness you really want, and at times you are not standing up for the truth, help will come. If in your heart you really are for God, but sometimes you are reluctant to let others know, you’re not alone. Tarry; spend time in prayer specifically seeking the power of the Holy Spirit. God will not withhold from you the strength and power to be a witness. Ask Him for the power to choose; the power to choose what is right in His eyes and forget about what the masses have to say. (also read Psalm 84:11, Luke 11:11-13 and Acts 2)
Organizing the Inside – Day 297 Shouldn’t We Just Ignore the Critics?
Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth? Galatians 4:16 (NLT)
I’ve always been a firm believer of not listening to the critics. Then something I read gave me great pause and caused me to realize that all criticism is not bad (I just never liked it). If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored. Proverbs 13:18 (NLT)
We call it constructive criticism and every once in a while a good step-on-my-toes-you-need-to-change piece of advice is just what I need to get my act together. The flesh doesn’t like it, not one bit. Accepting criticism is not always easy especially when it exposes something you’d just assume not to deal with. So how can you tell when criticism is constructive and not destructive? It will take a bit of discernment, but by applying these questions you should be able to tell if the criticism you received is helpful. The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out. Proverbs 18:15 (NLT)
Discerning which criticism is worth listening to:
- If you heed to this advice it will change your life in a positive way.
- (My personal favorite) God has already told you and you kind of put off fixing the problem.
- If you heed to this advice it will help you maximize your potential by challenging you to dig deeper and stretch yourself.
- At first you may feel offended, but when you take time to honestly weigh the advice you realize heeding will likely make things better.
- Regardless of how you feel about the source, you know this is something that will help bring better balance in your life.
- By heeding to the advice, those around you will be blessed and this change is definitely a means of increasing the use of your gifts or talents.
- This advice fits appropriately into the vision that God has put on your heart.
Accept the truth gracefully.
Sometimes criticism is a type of forewarning that something in your life needs to change. The Holy Spirit will show you more clearly which type of criticism someone is giving. Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool. Ecclesiastes 7:5 (NLT) Having tough skin is an essential element if you ever intend to grow. The criticism needed to help you become who God has called you to be won’t always be easy to accept. There are certain vitamins that I take daily to supplement the nutrition I receive from my diet. Some of them are huge (the fish oil) and really hard to swallow. Nevertheless, since I want to reap the benefit of those costly clear pills, I grab some water, say a prayer and fight back the fear of it getting stuck in my throat and swallow.
Weigh the matter.
The next time you receive constructive criticism; don’t be afraid to let your guard down long enough to consider the information. Should you conclude the criticism is negative or an attack on your character or positive outlook, simply drop it and move on. Criticism that is invalid and undeserving should be considered like a curse upon the innocent. Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim. Proverbs 26:2 (NLT) Don’t miss the opportunity to move closer to being the person God wants you to be, because advice came from an unlikely source. If God can use a donkey, He can certainly use Aunt Susie to get His point across. Weigh the matter, if it’s for you to receive then God will give you peace. Seize every opportunity to grow in your vision and the work you do for the kingdom of God. The change you need most may come by way of constructive criticism. If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. Proverbs 15:31 (NLT)
Organizing the Inside – Day 292 God-given Goals Lead to Success
Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house. Proverbs 24:27 (ESV)
Goals support your faith. Goals will help you carry out God’s plan for your life. Goal setting, when done right will propel you toward accomplishing things you never thought possible. Don’t be discouraged if your goals are so huge that they seem far far away. When you trust in God’s ability and not your own you can accomplish what may seem to some as “impossible.” Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible, but not with God. Everything is possible with God.” Mark 10:27 (NLT) The power of your faith, when coupled with patience, creates a clear path to success that many never find. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:3, 4 (KJV)
Stay focused and stay of track. Once you set goals follow through. If you miss the mark, adjust your plans, learn from your mistakes and move forward. It won’t be easy, but be willing to stretch yourself and grow. Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 (NLT) Whatever the Lord has spoken to you about you must stay focused and follow though.
Write down what God tells you. When God speaks to your heart, write it down immediately. We have a way of putting off plans, ideas and dreams that come straight from God. In His gentleness He will not bombard you with shouts of disapproval like, “Didn’t I tell you to…” Unless you have developed the discipline to respond immediately and act upon the initial prompting of the Holy Spirit, you must at least write it down. The excitement, passion and determination may fade as you allow God’s goal to become another one of your back burner projects. By writing it down with the heading “GOD TOLD ME TO DO!” or “GOD SPOKE TO ME ABOUT THIS!” weeks later you will still be able to recall the passion and promise you felt when you first received God’s plan. This will also help you combat doubt and fear, both of which may try to take you off course later. You’ll be reminded that when God spoke to your heart, you knew you were hearing from God, and without a doubt this lined up with His will for you.
CAUTION: This is not a way of deferring obedience, but until you develop more discipline it will help you follow through and fulfill God’s plans for your life. Simple, small acts of obedience will lead to a productive and fulfilled life.
Yes, the Holy Spirit is spontaneous. He also leads us in other ways as well, and one of those ways is by prompting us to make plans. God often speaks to us far in advance of a particular challenge or event to prepare us. God knows what resources, tools and gifts are needed to carry out His will. Surely He won’t leave you and me in the dark, having no clue about how to get ready. Remember, “That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. Luke 12:47 (NIV) God will prepare us for what is ahead. The Holy Spirit is your teacher and the Word of God is your guide. Trust the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truths. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. John 14:17 (NLT)
Here is a FREE printable to organize your goals.
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 229 The Truth About Our Environment
1The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” 4So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed…
Genesis 12:1-4a (NLT)
Upgrade your environment.
God told Abram to leave his native land, perhaps because He knew that Abram’s relationship with Him would be influenced negatively by family and friends. God had plans to upgrade Abram’s environment. Abram obeyed, by leaving his father’s household as God had instructed him. I often wonder how my life is affected by family and friends. I’m inclined to think in a positive way for the most part. As I consider my relationship with God and the things and people around me I pause. Is there a need for some things to change in my environment?
Perhaps it’s time to decontaminate your environment.
When you consider the things around you each day, ask yourself if you need to make a few adjustments. What are the environmental influences surrounding you? Now we can’t leave the world completely. Jesus prayed that we would be in the world, but kept from the world. 15I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. John 17:15-17 (NLT) We are made holy by the truth of God’s Word that sanctifies us. But we must receive it, if we reject the truth how is it able to change us? No one is suggesting you live in a holy bubble, just be open to the Holy Spirit.
Something to consider
What things in your environment are polluting your relationship with God? Are there things that you need to remove from your environment? Or perhaps there are things that you need to bring into your environment. If God is speaking to you about making some very serious changes; then do what He is leading you to do. Start by considering what you do in your down time.
- What are you watching on television?
- Where do you go online?
- What are you listening to?
- Who are you listening to?
- What are you reading?
- What spiritual food are you eating?
It’s our own responsibility to make certain the things in our environment are things that will help strengthen and encourage us in our relationship with the Lord. The people you spend time with, whether you want to admit it or not, influence your life. Strong positive friends who don’t compromise in living the word of truth are a source of encouragement. As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17 (NLT) People, who are lazy, lack-luster, and slothful in the things they do will certainly not
Organizing the Inside – Day 220 Nurturing The Seed
22The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. Matthew 13:22 (NLT)
The seed parable warns us of the dangers of living a disorganized life. When we run around pursuing one thing after another, while trying to get it all done, the Word is choked out. Those things that need our attention, those competing priorities take our focus off living the Word.
Do you remember the Word that was recently planted in your heart? Slow down today, set aside time in your busy schedule to nurture the Word. Allow God to speak to your heart through His word. The Holy Spirit will bring to your remembrance all that you have been taught. Nurturing the Word that is in you will restore calm and order to your life and enable you to bear fruit that endures.
Also read Matthew 13:3-8
Organizing the Inside – Day 209 His Grace Is So Amazing!
22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:22-24 (NIV)
Can a product hold more potential than the source from which it is derived?
I suspect not, particularly when the product doesn’t contain the source as a primary component. Although Jesus said we would do even greater works than He did, our potential could never surpass that of an omnipotent God. Nevertheless if we would dare approach His plan for our lives with one small fraction of the love and commitment that Christ did, the results would be phenomenal. During my most recent trip to New York, I considered great structures like the Brooklyn Bridge or the Empire State Building and realize that many of these things were done by men who were without God. Surely God is the giver of all life, and energy, but many men have gone on to do some pretty spectacular things without having a committed relationship with Him – I’m sure you’d agree. If so many physical structures can be built apart from the inner working of the Holy Spirit, can you imagine what kind of results man could have when working with God’s supernatural power? With God’s power, purpose and potential at work on the inside, instructing, directing, and perfecting us in spiritual matters the possibilities are immeasurable.
When Christians agree in love, and unity God’s products are produced.
To be in Christ is not just something to aspire to become one day. It’s about yielding to the Spirit of God to use you any way He chooses. What a great dispensation of GRACE. NO matter what we’ve done wrong, we can find forgiveness and honor in Christ. No matter how many times we mess up or feel like to giving up, God’s love and compassion toward us never dies. It is only by being connected with Christ that we can really help build His church. Can a man lead someone to Christ when he is walking in darkness? How effective can we be when it comes to sharing things of eternal value if our own eternity has yet to be secured by grace through faith? Making a difference where it really matters can only happen when we work together in the unity of love, and fellowship with Him.
Want to improve your productivity?
Then work on improving your acceptance of God’s grace. It will give you the encouragement you need to realize your goals can be reached. He made us worthy and gave us the ability to bear much fruit, and not just any fruit, but fruit that endures. As long as we acknowledge our total reliance upon the grace of God, we’ll make great strides in touching the hearts and lives of others. Yes, God bestows upon us favor that enables us to become fishers of men.
Organizing the Inside – Day 200 Following A Different Gospel
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
Caught in the false gospel of materialism?
Shoe collections, handbag collections, designer boots, sunglasses collections, gowns, jewelry and big houses yes even women of faith seek after these things. We turn on the television and “Housewives” all over the country are springing up, making headlines as they parade foolish ungodliness before countless millions. You watch as these “Housewives” with egos bigger than the devil himself clamor and quarrel about much of nothing. Oh Lord, Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. Psalm 119:37 (NLT) No one can tell me that the Lord didn’t foreknow what many Christian women would be wasting time doing when He wrote that scripture.
How much do they think I’m worth?
Everywhere you turn, whether it’s magazines, television, stores, books, the internet, movies, or just walking down the street it seems that everyone is trying to get more stuff for themselves. This false gospel is bombarding us from every end; telling you that material things answers one of life’s deepest questions. What am I worth? There are some who refuse to take a vacation, by a new car, move into a new home or for that matter by a new pair of shoes without posting it on Facebook, tweeting about it or sending out a blast email. It would require a huge suspension of disbelief to accept that these wonderful people only want to share with all their friends and followers, the lovely time they’re having with their latest material acquisition. Many people who have bought into this false gospel have their entire self-worth tied up in how much money they make and how many material possessions they have acquired. This notion that if you wear the right clothes, have the right car, and buy a big enough house, people will know how great you are is a foolish myth. The sad truth is that many Christians have bought into this way of thinking and need to repent.
While we all are influenced by cultural expectations, we don’t have to be regulated by them. The Word of God must be our biggest influence and we must allow the Holy Spirit to bring us balance in a world of massive chaos. God promised to give us rest from all the stress and confusion of trying to get more stuff. I believe He wants His children to be distinctively different. Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. 2 Corinthians 6:17 (NLT) Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 1John 2:15 (NLT) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:14 (KJV)
Have a healthy perspective.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with having things. I’d be the first to admit I like shopping. Here’s the point, as Christian women we don’t seek status and prestige by the acquirement of material possessions. We find our self-worth through our relationship with God, and it ends there. Placing aside what our husbands, friends, teachers or mirrors might say…they are all subject to change. What will never change is the Word of God and when we find our self-worth in Christ, we will find ourselves on a firm and solid foundation. Then we can offer help to other women who have yet to realize that, her worth is far above rubies. Proverbs 31:10b Before you can have a healthy perspective on material wealth you must do the inner work of yielding your self-image and self-worth to God. Becoming one with His Word is not an impossible feat; with Christ’s we are content and can show His true character. Reflecting on the image we see in His Word is the perfect place to start.
Organizing the Inside 365 Days 