Your Daily Reminder
From personal experience it is very easy to begin following other people, ministries, and other things even unintentionally that will pull you away and distract you from Jesus instead of actually closer to Him. The enemy is sneaky. If we are not careful, we can easily form idols in our lives even if we don't mean to. Our main goal and focus should be to just seek Jesus and Jesus only daily and remain in His word and trust that He will give the increase when He wants to give it, He will grow the gift when He wants it grown, He will close the doors and open doors when its right for us instead of us forcing them to close or to open. It's not about the numbers, It's not about the size of the building or even the location, it's not about promotion or demotion, it's not about the money, or the title. What matters is are we content with just Jesus and Jesus only and are we being obedient to Him or are we serving self. I am the world's worst at wanting to be in control. This is just me being honest. If we are feeling or experiencing certain things that cause us to be in fear or miserable, we want to take the reins and change it (fix it). That was never our job to begin with. Yes we are responsible for our actions and for ourselves but some things we just cannot control. It is in those times we need to give it to God and let Him handle it the way that He wants it handled. One thing I heard recently was until the lessons are learned you will continue to walk in the wilderness. This is so very true. I don't know about you, but I don't want to keep walking in the wilderness. Not long ago I heard the Holy Spirit say, "go back to the basics". I feel there are many of us that have unintentionally gotten off track and it's time to just simply "follow Jesus" and get back on the path of walking it with Him. Not ahead of Him or behind Him but beside Him. It's time to come back to our first love. So if you are feeling overwhelmed, unsure, restless, and tired than stop where you are at and take some time back just to simply spend it with the Lord. As you spend time with Him He will revive you, restrengthen you, and heal the areas of you that need to be healed. He is the equipper, the promoter, the provider, the sustainer, the supporter, and whatever else you need Him to be. Many of the things we tend to seek out in others, in environments, in communities, and in other things is really what we are needing from Him. And yes this post was for me too
REVELATION 2 (TPT)
Christ’s Letter to Ephesus
1Write the following to the messenger of the congregation in Ephesus. For these are the words of the one who holds the seven stars firmly in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands:2 I know all that you’ve done for me—you have worked hard and persevered. I know that you don’t tolerate evil. You have tested those who claimed to be apostles and proved they are not, for they were imposters. 3I also know how you have bravely endured trials and persecutions because of my name, yet you have not become discouraged. 4But I have this against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for me at the beginning. 5Think about how far you have fallen! Repent and do the works of love you did at first. I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place of influence if you do not repent. 6Although, to your credit, you despise the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also despise. 7The one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying now to all the churches. To the one who overcomes I will give access to feast on the fruit of the Tree of Life that is found in the paradise of God.
©THEJOURNEYWITHBRIDGETMARCUS
