Last year around Christmas time I was in a similar situation that I am in now. Prayer is what got me out of it and supported me from not falling apart. I shared with you all how my husband had a girlfriend and was doing drugs and I got him to leave. God conforted me while I mourned. God showed me all the prommises He has for me and lifted me up everytime I came to Him.
I had a Job and a Car soon after that because God moved on making the connections that I needed in order to answer my prayers tangibly.
I don't know about you but I think that it is easier for people who are seeking first the kingdom for your prayers to be answered.
Not that you have to work for it at all but, When you are making connections by seeking God first:
1. Your going to meet people 2. Your going to love people and people will love you 3. Your going to answer their prayers 4. Your going to mature 5. Your going to learn how to be responsible 6. Your going to learn how to be committed 7. Your going to have a humbleness & boldness about you 8. You are more able to counsel - because of your experience 9. Your submission level will be high 10. You practice commitment a lot
When God puts the idea in someones head to bless you they are going to be least likely to say no or dismiss the thought if they know you to be all of the above things. (when I got my prayers answered the people said that I needed those things to accomplish the things that God is trusting me to do I NEEDED them! and was already being faithful even without and they knew I would put the blessings to good use) They (the people answering) know that it is going to benefit God's kingdom that you are blessed then they will give to your request and with a cheerful heart.
Now God is God and if He says to give to someone/anyone we should do it no matter what...
But how many of those prayers are answered above and beyond what was asked for and by the best of the best!
How many people do you have in your church family that you would answer the call for?
I know that every person in my small group I would give anything I could for and if I didn't have it I would be on the hunt for it keeping my eyes and ears peeled! with prayer and talking about it to others that maybe have it to give/get rid....
What I have found to be true is that ANYTHING is possible for God's kingdom/will! And the way he does that is, most of the time (not all the time) is with the connections you have cultivated in seeking His will (AKA Serving/Seeking Him/Fellowshipping with Him where He would be if He were here, Parties, the streets, church?) and the connections that your connections have.
Have you seen that movie with Jennifer Lopez Maid in Manhattan. In the movie the maid falls for a candidate for senator while she was trying on some expensive clothes in a room she was cleaning. The senator comes through the door and invites her on a mini date and she goes posing as the person stying in the room and not the maid she really was.... He asks her out to this fine benefit dinner and she declined to go but her friend accepts if for her. She didnt want to go because she doesn't have anything to wear.....
Her other maid friends say. "Don't worry about it Honey, its not about what you've got its about who you know and what they've got!" The connections that she had made were hair stylist, jewelers, dress shop, all these things were handed over to her for her use while she went and broke up with the guy and lived the dream for them all maids.
You don't wanna know what happened after that BUT!
Matthew 6:
32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
The point is... is that the seeking first God's kingdom is going to expand your world! It's going to test you more, Your love for God is going to be more evident! Your going to gain fresh new experiences of your own! AND!!!!!! Not to mention the wonderful blessings that you get stored in Heaven.
So how are you seeking first the Kingdom in your offline time? Where is God calling you to go everyday! Do you wake up and spend time with Him to get your to do list from Him? What does He have you do and are you doing it with all you heart and laying down your own issues and leaving them for God He knows what they are before you ask Asking not what God can do for you but what You can do for God. I know if I had a friend that only came to me when they needed something and just gave me a list and took off I wouldn't think too highly of that friendship I wouldn't invest/entrust very much in that one. But someone who comes to me and asks me what they can do to make me happy, help me accomplish my dreams, goals or work? That is a friendship I am going to invest in......... These are just the thoughts that have been in my head for a while now and I wanted to see if I could get them out in an organized fashion. I hope you see my heart and not that I am condemning anyone.....
If you are a new Christian your job is only to fall in love with God. But the rest of us who have been in this for a while are different we have a job to do.
The dreams that God has given you are not impossible. Resurrect them they are possible when you seek God's kingdom first all these things are added to you and you will become what you were supposed to become. Prayer accomplishes much when it is for the kingdom sake.... So when we pray we should pray in a way that seeks the benefit of others and reason with God. Dialogue with Him about the reasons of the petition. When I worked at Probation anytime I asked for anything from the office max catalogue I had to give a reason on my form.
Let's Argue This Out
Isaiah 1:18 (The Message) 18-20"Come. Sit down. Let's argue this out." This is God's Message: "If your sins are blood-red, they'll be snow-white. If they're red like crimson, they'll be like wool. If you'll willingly obey, you'll feast like kings. But if you're willful and stubborn, you'll die like dogs." That's right. God says so.
We should also not be so quick to get rid of trials. I have decided to use the spirit inside of me to discern if a trial is going to benefit me-embrace it- or from the enemy to -rebuke it-. I love that Pastor Ron My pastor is talking about this now.
A lot of the time it is my fault why I got into the mess in the first place. I am not going to blame the enemy for my poor choices and use every trial as a learning experience and accept responsibility and seek God for guidance and wisdom in everything. God will Romans 8:28 everything anyway!
12Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer.
Romans 12:12 AMP
I have shared this video a lot but It bears repeating..
I quit my Job yesterday so i need some real down time with God so i know where to turn for a career that will last because the last Job i was at was draining the life out of me. I know God will provide but i really just need discernment right now!! Great blog god bless Mark!!
Laura, Bless your heart you must practice patience a lot with dial up. It was killing me using dial up at my friends house the other day. I wanted to pull my hair out!!! I have issues....LOL
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in Manhattan. In the movie the maid falls for a candidate for senator while she was trying on some expensive clothes in a room she was cleaning. The senator comes through the door and invites her on a mini date and she goes posing as the person stying in the room and not the maid she really was....
