Organizing the Inside 365 Days
Empowering Christian Women To Get Organized and Discover God's Plan for Their LivesArchive for Passion
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 203 Putting Fear In Its Place
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. Luke 5:5-11 (NLT)
This post is a continuation from yesterday – Day 202. If you missed yesterday’s post, I invite you to go back and read it to get the full concept of what I’ve written.
Taking a stand against fear is the best way to put it in its place.
Decide now that if Daniel can go into the lion’s den, and come out untouched you too have the protection you need to stand for what is right. If Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego can come out of the fiery furnace without as much as the scent of smoke on their clothing, then surely you are fully capable of victoriously facing anything that is before you. If you are confident that your dream is from God and it is what He has given you a passion for, then you must go-for-it.
Jesus prayed, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.”
God’s will is to be done on earth, in our hearts and lives as it is in heaven. The Kingdom of God is set up within every believer who would dare to forsake their own selfish ambitions and follow Christ. The disciples walked away from everything (Luke 5:11). They were focused on one thing, obeying Christ and doing God’s will. When we are committed to following Christ, He tells us that He will give us the desires of our hearts. May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4 (NLT) Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Psalm 37:4 (NLT) Why would He do such a thing? When we put God first and follow Him, our desires, dreams and passions are for the things of God, they fit perfectly into His will for our lives. No longer are you concerned with impressing others with your status among men, you are concerned with God’s kingdom coming. In His kingdom there is only true love. There is no room for pride, jealousy, selfishness, or greed in the heart of one who has allowed God’s Kingdom to set up there.
Jesus told us many times in the scriptures not to be afraid.
Fear holds us back. Here is the key, when you allow His kingdom to come and be established in your heart and life you have overcome fear. Why? “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18 (NIV) When God’s kingdom comes into your heart, I mean – you have completely yielded and your life is completely about doing His will, something happens on the inside and all fear is gone. I believe this is a supernatural occurrence orchestrated by the Holy Spirit when God has a vessel that is totally yielded to His will. We understand this, God’s kingdom is already established in heaven. In heaven there is no disobedience, fear, or selfishness it just doesn’t exist there. What Jesus was praying for was that while we are here, God’s kingdom would come in our hearts and lives. That means DOING WHAT GOD PUT IN YOUR HEART TO DO. Really it is that simple, obeying God and agreeing with Him. When Simon and the disciples were ready to leave everything to follow Jesus they did so for a reason; they were pursuing their purpose. Jesus immediately told Simon two things:
- “Don’t be afraid.”
- “From now on, you will be fishing for people.”
The key to overcoming your fear is doing God’s will.
Move out of the problem and into the solution. By following your dream, you will find yourself directly in the center of the Will of God. Your brilliant zone is there (in God’s Will) the place where your talents, abilities, gifts and skills work best. Ask God for help today, the answers you’re looking for are not hidden. If you don’t know your purpose, He will show you. If you are not sure about your vision, He will clarify it. God wants His children to be filled with love, Perfect love drives out fear 1 John 4:18 and God is Love 1 John 4:16.
May God’s Kingdom come and may His will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Organizing the Inside – Day 202 Breaking the Thread of Fear
5“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
8When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” 9For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.
Luke 5:5-11 (NLT)
The risk of not being completely successful will never go away, at least not in this life.
Who has ever charted a path that didn’t contain a few stones? There will always be obstacles and those obstacles often pose risks. But, as Christian women we trust God even when there are obstacles. 11For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11,12 (NIV) It’s your tolerance for risks that will give you the endurance to press on.
To move forward you must be willing to trust God.
What He put inside of you – the vision, the passion, along with your (TAGS) talents, abilities, gifts and skills will always be challenged by fear. Fear is like a silk thread that is woven throughout every negative thought of failure. Sometimes you can see fear, sometimes you can’t. But if you worry that you won’t have enough resources, or that you didn’t correctly hear from God, or especially that you may fail, fear is not far. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) The simple truth is fear is only an illusion. Yes, fear is there, but it is not real. It is false always contrary to the Word of God, fear is completely untrue. Fear is that common thread that runs through every excuse you have ever used not to do what God said. Fear goes beyond laziness, and is at the heart of your inability to move forward. Fear runs through every reason you never pursued your passion, or never finished writing your book, or never tried to obey God with all your heart. Many Christians are afraid of what they may have to give up, and others are afraid of what they might gain…either way FEAR is at the root of whatever is holding you back.
What are you afraid of?
Organizing the inside is about recognizing who God is, the Creator of the universe. The earth is His footstool. His greatness is too wonderful for us to understand. Now He is the One who has your back. Next you must realize who you are in Him. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 (NLT) You are His offspring. In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. Romans 9:8 (NIV) You are a child of, “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God,” 1 Timothy 1:17(JKV) What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31
Putting fear in its place.
Tomorrow, if the Lord is willing, we look at how to, put fear in its place, once and for all. Learning to trust God is a process, but the Holy Spirit will see you through. Jesus prayed, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 Day 203 we will look at what passion and fear has to do with what Jesus prayed.
Organizing the Inside 365 Days 