Do You Need An Upgrade?

If you look around, almost everything created has an upgraded version.  Televisions, game systems, computers, programs and software, and cell phones all have some upgraded version.  The purpose of the newer version is that it is supposed to be better, likely run faster, smoother, or be easier to operate or maintain. 

The definition of upgrade is to raise to a higher standard, in particular by adding or replacing components to the existing version.  My question is, "Do we need an upgrade?"  Are there some things that we need to remove and/or replace in ourselves so we can raise ourselves to a higher standard?  Maybe we need an upgrade in our attitude. Are we walking around always negative, expecting bad things to happen all the time? If so, we might need an upgrade. What about in our relationships with others? Are we in relationships that are healthy, positive, and fruitful? It may be time to remove yourself from some of these relationships and work on an improvement or rather add something to it to make it better. Sometimes our visions need to be upgraded. We can't always see past what's in front of us.  Enlarge your vision in spite of your circumstances.  Due to different circumstances in our lives, we might need to add or change parts of our vision.  Not that it won't come to pass, it might just take you a little longer to get there.  What about an upgrade in our praise and in our faith? What can I add or remove to make my faith and praise a higher quality, to raise it to a higher standard. To show up and show out for God. You may need to add more prayer and praise and remove the doubt and the fear.

God made us in a version but sometimes we need an upgrade so we can fully function and operate to the best of our ability. We need to raise the standard in our lives.  Maybe we need to let go and remove some things in our lives and maybe we need to add a few things that were missing.  It may come at a cost- friendships, family, pride or ego but maybe we'll find that the upgrade was worth it in the end.

Consult with God to see if there are some things in you that need to be upgraded.  Pray about it and then there's nothing left but to do it.

Hey God, Did You Forget About Me?

Do you ever feel like there are times when God has forgotten about you?  You feel like you are doing all you can to please him but trouble seems to always find their way to your door.

  Every time you try to move forward, something happens to put you three steps back.  You read your Bible, you try to live a Christ centered life, you help others without expecting anything in return, you pay your tithes, you're building that relationship and becoming closer with God, you try to be pure of heart, you're doing everything " thus say the Lord" (Did I cover it all?) but something is always trying to stop you. You feel like you just can't get your blessing.

I feel like this sometimes but it was at it's height about two weeks ago.  It seemed like all the walls had closed in and I had nowhere to go.  I couldn't breathe. 

"Oh, God!"

"What Now!"

 "Lord why me?! 


1 Peter 4:12
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you

Though I'm not surprised, sometimes I'm like God must think I'm a bad mammajamma!

This past year everything has been flipped upside down making me more than nauseous.  Everything wants to tear up at the same time (fridge, car, microwave), family crisis popping up at every corner (drug addiction, mental illness), financial issues (This is about to be a money blog, baby!),  people calling me with their problems ( I can't save anybody), parents need things (we've been caretakers and primary financial supporters for the last 8 years).  I was like what in the devil is going on and I cried.  Now, I think I mentioned I am not a crier.  Excessive crying annoys me.  Heavily.  I'm more of the "You need to dry that up and come on.  We still got things to do." type. 

Well anyway, I was taking a glimpse of the non Christians.  You know how we do it.  Look at so and so over there.  They Ain't trying to live right, Ain't paying they tithes, Ain't Doing NOTHIN' and happy as clown.  It just looks like they don't have any problems. ( Of course, they do)

But why would they.  The enemy got them right where he wants them and I had to remember that God was likely trying to get me right where He wanted me.  Wholely and solely trusting and depending on Him.  He hasn't forsaken me.  He was and is with me the whole time even when I cried. To be honest it felt real good to cry.  That's that broken and contrite spirit.  lol.  The spirit that brings about that spiritual maturity that develops through trials.  I had to remember even through the tears, God has a plan for us. 

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

God knows what's best for us even when we don't. It's a journey but it's not without it's detours and roadblocks.  These obstacles don't mean the journey's over but that we have to wait a while.  We'll get there.  He's shaping, molding, and preparing us for greatness.  Now how long that takes depends on how hard your dough is.  (I couldn't resist)

1Peter5:10
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

My husband had to remind me that although it was hard (the waiting, the being patient, the trying not to bang my head against the wall and scream)  It will all be rewarded in the end.  Your breakthrough is coming.  Your peace is coming.  Your blessing IS coming.  Be patient, be prayerful and be praising Him in the midst of it all.

John 16:33
I  have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

Hold on.  Change is coming!  Remember when praises go up, blessings come down.  And if you haven't heard that, try this. 

Just throw your hands up!..........And they stay there!

citilife.com

 

 

 

* Laughter is good medicine*

Having Hope During The Storm

Well I've been meaning to write this one for a while, mainly because we always seem to be going through a storm.  So if you are going through one, coming out of one or about to go in one, there is hope.

Having hope during the storm can bring you closer to God.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Jeremiah 29:11

I've been holding fast to this scripture.  It seems like every time I turn around, Hell is trying to break loose.  Depression and defeat keep trying to knock on our doors and creep through our windows, but I'm shutting it out.  I won't fall at the feet of the enemy and allow him to steal the hope and belief that I have that Jesus will deliver me.  When it seems like so much is going on and there is so much on your plate, don't give up.  Have hope.  Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction, be persistent in prayer.  (Romans 12:12) 

I really believe that prayer changes things and it's also like a form of medicine.  I feel so much better when I pray.  My problems don't bother me as much and I always come away from prayer with a renewed hope.  Psalm 71 says "For you are my hope, Lord God, my confidence from my youth."  God is my hope.  If I look at everything how it is, I don't think I could go on.  But I've chosen to put my trust and hope in my God.  My Healer, Protector, Provider, Deliver, my All.  

Everything may not go according to our own plans but they are according to the Master Plan.  Trust in the Lord and put your hope, faith and belief in Him and things will work out for the greater good.  No matter how long it seems like the winds blow, the rain pours or the thunder roars, remember the storm doesn't last forever.

Just Believe

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh - Is there anything too hard for me?
Jeremiah 32:26-27

We serve a powerful, almighty God who can do all things. We just have to believe in Him and know that there is nothing that He cannot do. You may be going through situations and have given up hope that your circumstance will get better. But God does not stray from His promises. He is able to make a way out of no way. Everything that is destined for you shall come to pass. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (John 6:37) Go to God in every situation, regardless of how big or small you think it might be. Believe and trust in the Lord and know that he is a faithful and capable God. The Lord still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them. (Isaiah 30:18)

I'm choosing to trust and believe in God regardless of the situations that fall on me, regardless of the way the enemy tries to steal my joy, regardless of the way the situation might look.  I believe that the best is yet to come.  I believe that victory is mine.  I believe that my God has already worked it out.  I am the head and not the tail.  I am above and not beneath.  I will prosper and prevail by the grace of God.  Everything is possible for him who believes.  (Mark 9:23)

Having Vision

Where there is no vision, the people perish. - Proverbs 29:18

This morning, Joel Osteen talked about keeping the vision in front of you.  Sometimes it's hard to keep your eyes on the vision when everything around you seems to be and go in a complete contradiction of what you are trying to envision.  We have a tendency to look at things with our naked eye, but looking this way can lead us to feeling helpless, hopeless and discouraged.  We can't see the vision this way. 

Vision is simply being able to see farther than where we are right now.  We neglect to accomplish, grow and achieve many things in our life because we fail to have a vision for them.  We can't possibly see ourselves in a certain position or situation.  Instead of looking at things with our naked eye we need to be looking at things with our spiritual eyes. When we look at things with our spiritual eyes it will bring forth faith and assurance of God's promise for our lives.

I wrote a piece about a month ago entitled "Because I Could Not See The Vision."   It talks about how life seems to appear when we lose sight and begin to doubt that God can do all things.  Therefore, our vision is usually impaired by our lack of faith.  Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the convictions of things not seen."  We have to believe that we can even when everything is telling us that we can't.  But more importantly, we need to believe and know that God can regardless of how the circumstances may look.

The piece then starts showing what life can be "when you finally see the vision" and how our vision and faith grows when we finally allow it to.  We can accomplish and achieve so much when we allow God into our lives and trust and believe in him.  Romans 10:17 says," So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  The more we study the word of God, the more our faith in him grows.  And the more our faith grows, so does our belief that we can, are and will be.  And once we have established that vision, we are unstoppable.  Because Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."