Living for the Good To Experiencing God's Best
Succeeding in life ... Succeeding in your calling
Living for what matters in the world ... Living for what matters to God
Drawing up your own plans ... Embracing his plans
Seeing your dreams come true ... Living beyond your wildest dreams
Using your potential ... Exceeding your potential through him
Enjoying a good life ... Experiencing the best life
There are good-intentioned people doing "good" things for God while they're missing out on God's very best for them. Stop settling for good and miss out on the best. Ask God if what you are doing is what God made you to do.
"I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of"
(John 10:10)
This kind of relationship with the Lord will quench your thirst FOREVER.... yes, I said forever.
I thought God would take away everything I asked for. I asked him what he wanted for my life, and I am starting to go in the right direction. Ask. Don't ever be afraid to ask him questions. God knows what he is doing!
Thirst quencher #1 = SURRENDER!
Surrendering doesn't meaning all you value in your life will disappear! You won't lose anything. You will gain everything!
Write down the goals you have for the next five years. If you could design the perfect future, what would it look like?
Thirst quencher #2 = BELIEVE!
There is a better tomorrow with a life in Christ. Satan is so good at selling you lies. He wants you to believe that the past, whether it's your choices or those of someone close to you, will keep you from experiencing success in living out God's plan for you life. Don't believe that. Take God at his word EVERYDAY!
"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 29:11)
God doesn't say in Jeremiah that he has a plan for you unless you've blown it, does he? God has a plan for you - NO MATTER WHAT!!! How wonderful is that?!
Lets try to absorb this:
God has a plan for you.
This means that
no matter where you've been,
no matter what you've done,
no matter what your home life is like,
no matter what others think of you,
no matter what you think of yourself,
no matter what your past is like,
and no matter what's happening in the present...
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU!
wow. *sigh* I mean... wow.
Thirst quencher #3 = TRUST
Who made you? Do you really believe God made you? ( I do.)
If you do believe God created you, then doesn't it make sense that the God who created you probably know what is best for you? And then doesn't it also make sense that if God created you and knows what is best for you, then you'll feel most fulfilled when you fully surrender your life to him?
"The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."
(2 Chornicles 16:9)
Trust him and he will do amazing things with your life.
Thirst quencher #4: OBEY
He will lavish you with good things.
He will bless your work.
Jesus going to the cross didn't make much sense to the disciples. Obedience isn't always about what makes sense. I may not make sense, but it is SO IMPORTANT. If you really trust God, and love him with all your heart, I think it makes sense to be loyal and obedient.
We obey our parents. We obey our teachers. We obey and remain loyal to our friends. God is the Father, and as his children, we should obey. God is a teacher of life itself. He created the earth. God can give, and God will take away. He teaches us to be strong. And God is a friend that will never leave you, always listen to you, and always care about you. To have a friend like that is incredible! I will obey and sit in this amazement I feel.
Thirst quencher #5: LISTEN
A good quote:
" Relationships are a two-way street - - - talking and listening. There are a lot of Christians who are really good at talking to God, but stink to high heaven at listening to him. And most of the time, the noise of their life is so loud they never slow down, unplug the life pod, removed the headphones and simply listen"
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me"
(John 10:27)
There are many noises and voices competing for your listening ear. You have to filter out the noise if you want to hear God's voice.
HOW TO LISTEN TO GOD
- make an effort to spend time with him
- after praying, sit quietly and listen
- slow down and give him a chance to get your attention
- take off your headphones
He will speak into your heart and challenge you to think in ways you've never thought.
Heads up tho - God's voice isn't going to boom from a burning bush like it did with Moses or send down a dove as he did when Jesus was baptized. It just doesn't work that way. He will speak to your heart. He has countless ways to speak to us through his Spirit. He will give you a feeling to make the right choices... the same feeling I got today.
GOD CAN SPEAK TO YOU
- in your thoughts
- through a song
- in the stillness of the moment
- through his word
- through a friend
AND MANY MORE WAYS IF YOU LET HIM!
He wants us to listen, to train our ears, hearts, and minds to hear him.
Pray to God: You do all the talking.
(vs)
Communicate with God: You talk. He listens. He talks. You listen.
Satan wants you to believe that GOd should never look your way, that you aren't good enough to have God's full attention. Satan is a liar. God wants to give you all of him. He knows your past and understands your weaknesses; he looks past mistakes and sees potential. Only he can give you the best for your life. Only he can make you complete.
God will take extreme measures to get your attention. But he doesn't do this to condemn you. He does it because he loves you. He does it because he wants you to have his best. He does it so you can have all the water that'll quench your thirst forever.
So drink up! :)
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