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Make Your Choices

God’s promises are full of life. Evergreen. They invite us to choose life daily (De 30:19, Pr 18:21). And increasingly so, because God is a builder.

King David said in Psalm 119 to “Place your hands of strength and favor upon me, for I’ve made my choice to follow your ways” (verse 173 TPT). “Truth’s shining light guides me in my choices and decisions; the revelation of your Word makes my pathway clear” (verse 105 TPT).

So, we must receive God’s Word and be definitive in our choices to stay on course for destiny purposes. We must firmly decide and stand on God’s faithful promises to deliver (redeem) us. His truth will set us free, and we can move forward joyfully.

Acts 2:28 NIV tells us that “You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.”

God has big plans for us. Plans He made before we were ever born. They are better than we can imagine, and they will happen in ways we do not fully know yet.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 NIV reminds us by saying, “‘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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back from captivity…'”

It is joyous to choose our Savior—to exalt Him over sin’s separation (He 12:1). Trust and obedience in our Lord is our best “yes” that will lead to expressions of ultimate victory and honor.

To be sure, God has ways of getting us there when our hearts are inclined toward Him.

For me, an everyday action item turned unusual a few weeks before Christmas. Like countless others, I had made an online purchase, hoping it would be delivered intact and without delay. But about the time I expected the package to arrive, I received a phone call instead. Caller ID revealed the retailer from whom I had made the purchase. I had a sense they were calling because an issue arose. Sure enough, the polite woman on the other end was a supervisor, who explained that the package had taken a different route by mistake. I had prayed over the package from the beginning, as the contents were rare and no longer manufactured. The delay wasn’t a big issue for me, and I realized I had to trust God to help it arrive intact after taking a detour. The supervisor graciously offered to express mail the package to me and also include a $50 gift card toward a future purchase.

Sometimes, the unexpected is part of our total package as we follow Him. Sometimes, God makes situations better than they would have been.

God has taught me that we can settle for the faithful provision of Isaac, or we can expect His unexpected provision through Boaz—an add-on gift that God sees and knows and waits for the right time or season to release.

Sovereign God’s greater blessings are out front, up ahead and right before us. As we choose to do life His way, we will come into His greater blessings. We will receive them when God knows we are ready and when He is ready, according to His timing and way. God’s expressions of increase that were once hidden will be revealed. Until then, He tests our will and our loyalty to Him, even in our thoughts, attitudes and works.

We must be secure in knowing our true riches are found in Christ alone. He is our greatest Treasure, and we are His chosen treasure (1 Pe 2:9). All else is less, including our own ways. Let’s remember this as we go into 2022 with our eyes wide open to Him, seeking Him first as we faithfully step into what’s ahead. Let’s believe Him for all else to be added to us rightly by His Spirit, while we serve Him (Matt 6:33).

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your supernatural serendipity. May I be more like You reflected through Your daughter, Ruth. May I always be led by Your Holy Spirit and glean increasing blessings Your way so that my joy may be full and Your overflow can work through me to bless others. Thank You for growing me in faith, truth and love. Rid me of anything that tries to stand between us. Thank You for perfecting my path (2 Sa 22:33). Thank You for building and expanding me for Your glory. I trust in Your hand that strengthens me as part of Your body of Christ to be the light of the world.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

Note: Ultimately, I did receive the package in record time with the contents intact, along with the $50 gift card, which was emailed to me right away. Praise God!

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Promised Destiny

My husband and I have someone new to shop for this year, and it has been such a joy. We consider her young life and her growth in character and deed as we select each gift.

Even though we’re busier this time of year, it can be easy to remember our promised Savior, who Himself had a powerful destiny to fulfill on earth. Everywhere I look, I see either an expression of Him or a need for Him.

I love how, even now, as His eternal destiny of life lives inside of us, He continues to work on our behalf, guiding us ever toward Him, and making the world a better place.

To be sure, we serve an intimate and powerful God, who never leaves or forsakes us. This is good news as so much happens in the world today, even in our own little worlds. Because of Him, we can remain victorious in Christ no matter what (1 Jn 5:5 NLT).

He is our constant hope who came down to help us, as we remember Him (Jo 8:13).

God’s Word says in 2 Corinthians 5:5 TPT that “this is no empty hope, for God himself is the one who has prepared us for this wonderful destiny. And to confirm this promise, he has given us the Holy Spirit, like an engagement ring, as a guarantee.”

So, His promise won’t be broken, because God is faithful.

Proverbs 3:6 TPT instructs us to “Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go.”

This is easy to do when we believe He, as Love, is for us.

Our destinies are fueled by the grace of eternal life received and worked out by faith as we submit to His lead.

To be destined is to be appointed (Strong’s #2749). Just like Jesus was appointed to come here to earth to save us, each of us has an appointment, a time and specific role in the body of Christ to help others. Each has a unique destiny on earth that will glorify God (Ro 12:4).

Also, we are anointed for our appointments. Since God is with us, we don’t have to fear.

Isaiah 41:10 NLT says, “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.”

So, even when we go through a dark night of the soul, God is with us, bringing us into His light. We need only to trust Him, His ways and timing to receive His deliverance; because He is all about redemption, and He is faithful.

As we move by faith in His grace of redeeming love, we are made stronger in our Lord, becoming a greater blessing to do greater exploits with Him. As God makes us great in Him, He expands us through blessing others.

God’s truth is that the one who blesses is greater than the one who condemns. The one who blesses shares invitations of greater hope of redemption.

Living in God’s promises is where we experience rest, because there is peace in His promises. It’s where He carries us, our dreams and others in our hearts, such as our loved ones and our ancestors—to continue legacy and bring fulfillment. It’s where we become rooted and established, enriched and expanded for His glory and our good.

1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT assures us that “…the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.”

This kind of power (Strong’s #1411) is mighty, miraculous strength that makes us able, like God is able, as He shares His Kingdom with us, His bride (Mk 6:23).

So, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for being loyal and trustworthy. Thank You for sending Your Son to save me. Thank You that Your blessing is upon me wherever I go and that You make all things new as I continue to reconcile with You. Thank You that Your gifts in me will make room for me and even produce blessed breakpoints of new beginnings for myself and others (Ge 41:15-16 AMPC). Thank You for making me better and for bringing me into Your best multiplicity of promises fulfilled that will return to my descendants as their new beginnings (Ex 12:35-36). Help me to continue to align with Your truth, love and wisdom and to share Your goodness from my heart fearlessly. Thank You, Lord, that You will deliver and establish me fully prepared (Ge 41:32 AMPC). Thank You for leading me to a new place of honor as You produce honor in and through me.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Great Value

Our Lord is making a way for us to see and apprehend, more fully, our great value of identity in Him and blessings from Him to be a blessing like Him. Our Pearl of Great Price, is revealing that it’s time to more fully believe, or buy into, Him and His ways of redemption for destiny.

Matthew 13:46 NLT says of the merchant that “When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!”

So, like this merchant, we must see Jesus as adding value to our lives. We must come to realize, even more, our value in Him and make room for Him.

The written Word of God tells us that:

We are His chosen and blessed beloved.

We are His treasures, His masterpieces, created by Him.

His victorious saints, the body of Christ.

We are forgiven and redeemed.

Where we have valued lesser things in the past, whether it was in our youth or in young adulthood or even in middle age, it’s time to grow in God’s redemption so we can go long and high and wide with Him in this abundant life of Heaven on earth.

Ephesians 3:18-19 TPT reveal that, when faith to believe God’s truth rises, “Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!”

This is how we grow in faith and holiness to know and own our greater value of identity as we live it out in honor of our Pearl of Great Price, who came to save us.

Colossians 2:10 TPT tells us that “…our own completeness is now found in him. We are completely filled with God as Christ’s fullness overflows within us. He is the Head of every kingdom and authority in the universe!”

So, God is straightening our paths. He is settling some matters in His light of Christ to bring wholeness. He is helping us readjust our values, so we can live in greater oneness of integrity and honor to Him.

God is dealing with the root of broken places. He is exiling the enemy of our souls from old areas of sin that hindered us. He is shutting the old mouth of accusation and re-balancing the scales of liberty and justice on our behalf (Pr 16:11 NLT). Where lesser things once ruled over us, God is now overruling those lies and obstacles, so we can take hold of His true justice and live more justly forward.

In this process, falsehoods that plagued His beloved must be pulled up and replaced by Jesus as our hope, so new life can rise.

Holy Spirit may even convict us to confess a past mistake to those we hurt, so we can be set free to move into greater exploits. In this case, we can expect God to make a time and a way for our true confessions, like He did through Joseph concerning his brothers (Ge 45). We can expect that it won’t be as hard as we may think and that the outcome will be life-changing as our King of Grace, who goes before us, will be there to help us. We can expect that, since this is His will, we’ll see more of His goodness poured into our lives if we don’t shrink back.

It’s time to let go of sorrowful things and for great joy to rise as God more firmly roots us in His light of truth, so “…the life of Christ” can “be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love” can more fully “become the very source and root of your life” (Ep 3:17).

It’s time to live in our full identity to live out more of the fullness of God’s blessings.

So, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for inviting me to come closer to You. Thank You for bringing me into greater authenticity of who I am in You. Thank You for uprooting falsehoods from my heart and restoring me to Your roots of love. If there is anything in my heart I need to repent of or confess to others, please reveal it to me. I trust Your faithfulness, Your righteousness and Your justice on my behalf. Thank You for establishing my soul more in You. May I receive all the life You have for me. Help me keep my heart set on You to “feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill” my “thoughts with heavenly realities.” (Co 3:2 TPT). Thank You for going before me and for being with me all the way.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Lift Them

God revealed to me that it’s time to rise, do the work that He assigned to us and be lifted above irritants that were obstacles to keep us in place for a long season. By His astounding grace, He is now turning up the show lights for all to see Him through us. It’s our time to shine His light brightly!

It’s time to realize more that His grace is greater than our sin and that we had to come into more of His truth before our dreams could come true (Ez 23:27 AMP). It’s time to humbly lift up the unrealized dreams of our youth to God and acknowledge that He alone can bring them to outward fruition. It’s time to invite His powerful grace to do precisely this His way.

God has been and still is in the midst of our dreams, and nothing is impossible for Him. He meets us there to lift us into His prevailing peace by His gracious power, above dreams yet to be fully realized while He makes them happen. So, we can rest in Him, even while we lift others.

Lifting Others

We all need Him, and we all need to ask Him for what we need. To be sure, prayer is His valuable gift to us that we can give to others. It is a best practice and an amazing support for one to pray for another.

Ecclesiastes 4:10 AMP says, “for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up.”

So, it’s not just about us. We need the power of God and the help of many to fulfill our divine purposes on earth and finish our races well, while we help others along the way.

God has taught me and continues to teach me to not hold on too tightly to anyone or anything as I lift others to Him. He teaches me to keep my grip firmly on His hand, remaining close to Him. It’s where God calls all of us to be as we love one another. In this way, we choose a cycle of life that pours from Him through us, then returns a blessing to us and back to Him.

The Journey

Our realities can be God’s peace for the journey when we don’t fall away for enemy lies but hold onto His truth; because one dead thing cannot help another.

Proper tethers give way to the extraordinary weight of sinking vessels. So, we don’t have to go down with the ship of ungodliness. We can will and choose to remain afloat under the weight of God’s Glory-Presence as we continue to point others to Christ. We can abide in Him for true life as death slips beneath us (2 Sa 12:20, 23).

It isn’t haughty to let go and live like this. It’s humility to live in submission to God and honor Him and His ways as righteous and just above all else.

We can know Him as our gracious Provider of life in all circumstances by the measure of faith God gives us when we break past the foolish fear that tries to limit us and open our minds to His renewal.

We must know His protective wisdom, illuminated by Holy Spirit, based on the full counsel of His Word, and apply it appropriately to our situations (Ja 3:17).

We must hear from God and agree with Him to live life to the fullest measure of His abundance for us.

We are called to prosper, to live out His divine purposes, to be fountains of life. So, don’t let the enemy of your soul bury you alive beneath heavy yokes of any kind. Shake off the dead weight, and break free to life with Christ, who leads us gently with bonds of love, eases our yokes and bends down to feed us, even as we worship Him (Ho 11:4).

God has a way of helping us by removing false desires of our hearts that can potentially take us down and by opening our eyes to see Him as higher and better in every way. He works to establish His eternal life more into our souls, and even into our bodies, beyond the bondage of our sin when we agree with His ways by faith above lesser things (Ro 8:11).

His Grace is Bigger

God’s Spirit is more powerful than any sin in us or around us. His righteousness and justice are pillars of His throne in our lives.

1 Samuel 2:8 AMP says, “He raises up the poor from the dust, He lifts up the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor and glory; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the land on them.”

So, let’s lift our heads and keep our eyes on Jesus to live a Heavenly life on earth. Let’s ask and believe God for the impossible above our circumstances and come into a new place, where His covenant blessings prove to reflect His light in our lives. Let’s believe Him at His Word above any past or present reality to experience His new reality for us. Let’s actively agree with Psalm 24:9 AMP, which says, “Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in.”

So, pray with me, if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for helping us to live in Your strength to overcome any situation. May we be overcome by Your goodness, not our circumstances. May we see and receive more of You well into our souls by faith. May You fill us with Your hope for abundant life and help us live it out. Lord, give us Your wisdom for life in the journey. Thank You that Your heart of rich mercy triumphs victoriously beyond our sin that reaps judgment (Ja 2:13). We choose to trust Your love, truth and faithfulness to us. We invite You to make our dreams come true for Your glory.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Private Selection

In mid-November, when I ask Holy Spirit to reveal what was on His heart to share, I saw, “Trust God for Private Selection.”

As I began to seek Him more and dig into this encouraging message, this is what I believe He would like for us to know:

Divinely Purposed

His key verse is Ephesians 1:11 TPT, which says, “Through our union with Christ we too have been claimed by God as his own inheritance. Before we were even born, he gave us our destiny; that we would fulfill the plan of God who always accomplishes every purpose and plan in his heart.”

So, we have been privately selected. Hand-picked. Carefully chosen. Especially gifted. And anointed to fulfill God’s callings and specific assignments with Him.

1 Peter 2:9 TPT reminds us of His identity and purpose for us, which is that we “…are God’s chosen treasure-—priests who are kings, a spiritual ‘nation’ set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world.”

Therefore, we are to see and believe in ourselves as God does, in what He has put in us to accomplish, empowered by His grace. We are to trust Him in this and choose Him and His way for the entire race.

Private Selection Defined

In regards to “private selection,” according to Strong’s Concordance, the word private (#2398) means something just for you. Something uniquely one’s own that is due. It can even refer to a home or a business. The word selection (Strong’s #1980) means to look upon, to inspect, to examine, to choose, to employ and to provide.

Just as God has chosen us and align us privately in the secret place, He will bring forth the outward blessings—beginning with us as individuals, having been made a greater blessing to others. God will even reveal to us others who are full of His Spirit and wisdom and are fit to handle responsibilities forward as builders (Ac 6:3). Therefore, we are to go forth by faith in what God has chosen, including faith in ourselves as individuals, the unique path onto which He has called us and His choice of those who will accompany us (Jn 15:16).

Realize to Carry On

We must realize that what God carried us through previously, He will carry on through us, to do good works as we finish our course with Him (2 Co 9:8). Therefore, we must have faith for God’s entire plan.

We must also come into the awareness that what God enables us to do does not originate with us, but with Him, who works in parallels and cycles that are bigger than we know. Therefore, there is a level of respect and honor due to our King as we fulfill His purpose with Him (2 Sa 9:6).

We must realize that God gives us His power of authority as we submit to Him and His ways and as we respect others along the way. We must understand that, regardless of circumstance, God’s true authority will ultimately prevail.

Mephibosheth

Our Biblical example of this joyous reward is that of Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, in regards to being chosen by King David to sit and eat at his table as a son (2 Sa 9:11). God worked on Mephibosheth’s behalf privately, even before David received his coronation or table. Even though Mephibosheth was Saul’s grandson, he was still privately selected. His selection was sealed in David’s heart when he made a private covenant with Jonathan (1 Sa 18:3-4, 23:18). As king, David looked upon Mephibosheth and sought him out to join him in his abundance as family, even though, for a time, envious Saul kept David from his family. David’s official invitation was just for Mephibosheth, a kind of lone prodigal by default, who had been carried through so much. It was time to officially feast at the king’s table to celebrate oneness (Ga 5:22-23).

This is an example of a manifest expression of God’s strength of kindness (1 Sa 23:16) and of Mephibosheth as an example of Isaiah 60:3 TPT, which says, “Nations will be attracted to your radiant light and kings to the sunrise-glory of your new day.

Your Blessed Feast

Friends, we feast at our King’s table as we align with Him by invitation. Just as God had a new day for Mephibosheth, He has a new-day table-story for each of us. One that is a perfect fit put into place by God. One to lift our status officially (2 Sa 9:12). One in which God will demonstrate His strength of kindness to us uniquely (2 Sa 9:1).

With old enemies held accountable and behind us now, He will place us in our seats alongside Him as He restores honor in families and in the land of our forefathers (1 Sa 18:2, 2 Sa 9:7, 1 Sa 20:16, Is 35:4). God will demonstrate His oneness, especially for those who have felt held back, less than and forgotten (1 Sa 19:1-2).

As kings and priests, He will extend us favor and expect us to extend it to others (1 Sa 23:16, 2 Sa 9:7). Therefore, expect God’s manifest best. Put your faith fully in His promises. Our costly seats are already reserved. It’s time to sit and sup with Him as family in a grand new way and place to us. It’s time to live a beautiful and satisfying life (Ro 12:2 TPT).

So, “…be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous…” (Ps 27:14 TPT)!

God has destined “you to become a beacon light for the nations and release salvation to the ends of the earth” (Ac 13:47 TPT)!

To God be all glory, honor and praise.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.