The-Lord-Will-Provide

Happy (early) New Year! This year, I challenge you to experience God personally as a Provider - in your daily life. What do I mean? Many Christians (and I was one of them), experience weak, depressed, fear-filled, and defeated lives because they try to keep God on a shelf. They only take Him down on Sunday at church, if even then! But after the worship service is over, they put Him back on the shelf where He remains Monday-Saturday. So their minds remain unrenewed to God's victorious way of thinking, their hearts remain unchanged to God's desires for them, and they continue acting in the same destructive way the world acts. It's a sad way to live and it is not God's best for his people! My friend, think about this: "Thoughts become actions, actions become habits, habits become character, and character becomes destiny." My whole life changed with a thought back on December 11, 2003. I was standing in my apartment living room with my hand over my chest. I had just experienced a horrendous chest pain and thought I was going to die. I had never been so scared in my life. And in that moment, God spoke to me: "It is not supposed to be this way." Now, I could have rejected that thought. If I had, I would likely still be 240 pounds and a size 22. I would still be compulsively overeating, depressed, and suffering from the host of health problems that come with obesity. But instead, I believed God and my whole life changed. I knew I couldn't change by myself. I had to humble myself under God's mighty hand and allow him to heal me from the inside out. The change process took time; to my impatient mind, it seemed to take forever! Yet, one day I looked in a dressing room mirror and I was able to try on a size 8 dress. And it fit! All of my daily sacrifices had been worth it! My friend, that is the key word to God's provision: Sacrifice. In Sunday School recently, we studied how God tested Abraham's faith by commanding him to offer his beloved son, Issac, as a burnt offering (see Genesis 22:1-18). Just before Abraham was about to obey God, God supplied a ram caught in a bush to be used as a sacrifice instead. Abraham then named the place where he was: "The-Lord-Will-Provide." Many people do not realize that God always supplies at the place of sacrifice. In the case of your health goals, it may be a sacrifice of time: It takes time to exercise and plan healthy meals and snacks. It takes time to study your bible so that your mind is renewed according to God's will and way. You may need to sacrifice your pride. You may need to humble yourself to God and admit that you need help.  You may need to confess your weaknesses to a trusted friend to receive support. Lastly, you may need to sacrifice your flesh. That is a hard one! The world teaches: "If it feels good, do it." But that is not the way Christ's disciples are to live. Our motto is, "If it IS good, do it." Our definition of good is what God's word says is good. That is a totally new mindset that God will teach you this year - if you are willing to make the sacrifice to become His student. So this year, invite God to walk with you on your health journey, every day. Be willing to: "...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (Romans 12:1)." Then you will know by personal experience that The-Lord-Will-Provide everything you need to finish your journey well! Be blessed in health, healing, and wholeness, Kimberly Taylor Author of the 'Take Back Your Temple' ebook https://takebackyourtemple.com P.S. If you don't know God personally or need to re-dedicate yourself to walking with God daily in 2012, you can learn more here: https://www.everystudent.com/features/gettingconnected.html Also, please forward this message via email, share it on Facebook, tweet it, or give it away via every other social networks to which you belong. God's people need to know how The-Lord-Will-Provide in 2012! Happy New Year!