What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. – Henry David Thoreau

God’s design….have you ever taken a moment to think about the inner workings that happens during the various processes and challenges we face in life?  Go back to the quote by Henry Thoreau.  It’s the act of becoming or should I say the process of becoming.  What are we becoming?  Well, that’s Gods divine plan and purpose for you!  Yep, you have a special unique design…purpose…calling.  

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, ” 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.”

Jeremiah 1:5 says, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

And finally, we see in Psalm 139:13 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

You are Gods design!  You have great purpose!  Sometimes the greatest hindrance is ourselves.  Because we have received other people’s negativity, we have lost our true identity.  We have forgotten who we are and to whom we belong.  We have forgotten that from the womb God gave us great purpose.  We settled with what the world had to offer…we settled with what we were able to achieve within ourselves…. WE SETTLED!!!

Now its time to come from out of our mediocrity!  Step into your divine purpose!!

Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”  

When we operate in purpose ALL THINGS….not some things…but ALL THINGS work together for good!  You will have great success!!

Psalm 37:4 tells us, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

So, this scripture is telling us when we make God our priority…our focus, He will bless us with things we desire in our hearts.  Single women reading this…you desire a mighty man of valor as your husband that will love and cherish you as God loves the church, a husband that will cover you and pray for you and encourage you and lead you?  Make your relationship with God your priority…yes, delight yourself in Him!  Then he will give you your heart’s desire and if that’s a husband and family…He will not with hold it from you.

Proverbs 16:3 tells us, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”  

Again, this is making God your priority…the act of committing means to carry out by means of pledge or entrust to a certain course of action.  When you commit your life to God you are saying, everything I do, I do as unto the Lord!  His plans then become your plans because He lays those desires on your heart. Then He establishes it.  Once God establishes something, consider it done!

1 Kings 2:3 tells us, “And keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.”  

This is what most new believers try to avoid.  They think they can receive salvation and still operate in their worldly ways.  Salvation brings change, if you do not allow God to change you from the inside out and hold tight to the things of that you originally came to the Lord to get away from then you become complacent and decide that you can straddle the fence because the enemy has tricked your mind into thinking that it appears that everyone else does it.  Guess what??? That’s a lie from the pit of Hell! 

All throughout scripture God gives us instruction on keeping His statutes…His commandments…His laws.  This wasn’t repetitive because He wanted to fill the book and didn’t have anything else to put in it….God demands obedience.  We see people in the church that pray..pray..pray for the blessings and favor and miracles, and signs and wonders.  But they say…God just do it but don’t ask me for anything in return!  Really???  How dare we!!!

Let me give you a wakeup call…if you’ve been attending church and have not surrendered your heart to God then all you’ve been doing is ATTENDING CHURCH!  When you receive salvation, it is an act of complete surrender, and you are telling God to make you over and to give you, His mindset.  When we receive baptism, and we are asking God to clean us..why would you go back and put on those horrible stained, stinky rags??!!?? 

That is what we do when we come to church and say yes, I surrender with our mouths but not our hearts because the act is from the heart.  Our actions show what our heart is really saying.  If you leave church and get in the car and fall right back into your worldly lifestyle, then you never gave your lift to God to begin with.  

1 John 2:19 tell us, “These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.”  

There are many lost in the churches, and they have been set there by the enemy to bring confusion, strife, and discord in the church.  What is their purpose?? To keep our eyes on them and not on those who are truly walking the walk.  They keep your attention through church gossip, and they use their antichrist gifts to deter you.  You say how does this happen in the church?  Why does God allow it? 

You must remember, the church assembly is like a hospital.  It is a place of revival…it is a place to receive restoration…healing…prayer…encouragement.  People are drawn to the church because they are sick, and they are in search of this God that they have heard about that heals the sick and restores the lame.  If you recall in scripture, wherever Jesus went and preached and healed the devil was in the midst. 

Bringing slander, confusion, and discord to the congregants.  If the church operates under the power of the Holy Spirit, these individuals will not run the church amuck.  Jesus never allowed the enemy to showcase himself because Jesus brought order by the Word of God in which all spiritual forces must come under obedience.  Jesus always combated the enemy with the Word of God.  When He did that the enemy fled. 

What am I saying here?  You pray for God to lead you to a bible teaching spirit filled church.  You then humble yourself to that leadership as your spiritual covering and you keep your eyes on God!  Never the people in the assembly!  Not even the Pastor, you receive instruction, you receive teaching, you receive counsel, but your ultimate source is God.  When you keep yourself in God’s Word then the enemy cannot distract you by those under his influence in the church.  You will be convicted of right from wrong by the Holy Spirit and not be deterred by what you see others in the church doing so you make the assumption that it’s okay to dabble in sin.  Absolutely not! 

Don’t fall into the trap of doing what you see others do, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in all things!  Philippians 2:12 tells us, “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.”  

You are accountable for your own salvation…you cant use the excuse on judgement day that you saw everyone else doing this or that..you though it was okay…God will answer that He provided you with the instruction manual and told you to obey it.  

James 1:17 tells us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”  There is no grey matter in this walk.  

Are you seeking God’s purpose?  First, obey His Word and what you are seeking will be revealed to you.

Meditation verse – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Blessings!!

Keishana