Can You Change your Destiny?

Romans 8:29-30 " For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His son, that He might be the first born among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified He also glorified."

Have you ever heard someone say or even thought yourself, "I cannot change what happens in my life, good or bad, because God already planned everything out. What is meant to be will be"? Well your thoughts are not necessarily correct.

God knew us all before birth (Jeremiah 1:5). Therefore, 'those He foreknew' applies to all of us. In turn, because He knew all of us before creation, He also set in all of our destinies to be born again and take on the full body of Christ.

However, the catch comes when He calls you. He has called us all, but in calling, you give someone a chance to make a choice. God did not take us, grab us, or enslave us to His destiny for us. He called us to it.  It is at the point of calling that we as humans get to decide whether we will live out the destiny God predestined for us or walk out our own plan. Know that when you answer "yes" to His call and come to obey His commands, He then justifies you. In justifying you, He puts you in rightstanding with Himself and you share in His glory. It is only when you obey Him that what is meant be will actually be.

Though God has a predestined plan for your life, it is your choice to go along with that plan. So ask yourself, will you choose to follow the designed and desired plan God has for you or will you attempt to make your own plan and stumble.

Even if you've fallen out of His plan, God can get you back on track. Just say "yes" to His call and come.

Better is One Day in Your Courts

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." Pslam 84:10

If I have to give up a whole life of sinful pleasure seeking, and only receive one day with God in return, it was worth it.

Have you ever imagined yourself in His presence? Have you thought about what you would do if you saw Him? Would you cry, sing, dance, run, or fall to your knees?

But even more, what if you were not invited in His courts? What if you knocked and He didn't answer for you? What if He summoned you to leave His presence and said "I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws." (Matt 7:22-23)?

That's what He says to those who do not believe in His son and to those who profess Christinaity yet disobey His commands.

Think about your life today and where you are. Analyze your commitment to God's Will and your obedience to His commands. If He came back today would He welcome you into His courts saying, "Well done, my good and faithful servant," (Matt 25:23), or will He cast you away and say He never knew you?

You Chart My Path

"You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment You know where I am" Psalm 139:3

God is a great instructor.

My best friends and I went on this crazy kayaking trip  in Puerto Rico this summer. We were traveling within a caravan of kayacks in a pitch dark,  narrow river path with mangrove trees surrounding us.  There were 2 people per kayak. The only thing guiding you was the kayak directly in front of you that had a small flourescent light attached to its rear. If the kayak in front of you hit a tree, you followed them into that same tree.  The boats furthest from the guide did the worse and lagged behind. And every time you ran into a tree you drifted further and further away from the guide and became weaker. My kayak partner and I ended up in the back of the caravan. Soon it was just the two of us. The blind leading the blind. We argued, became frustrated, and would have given up if it wasn't for the constant fear of snakes, alligators, and other living creatures we didn't want to meet. We made it to our destination 2 minutes behind everyone else and even docked at the wrong point. It would have been if we could have stuck close to the guide.

Christ is our guide in life. He is making a path for us in the dark places. He is telling us when to turn, when to stop, and when to take a break. He always knows where we are, but the further we are from Him the harder it becomes for us to know where He is. We start following other people's paths and they may be going the wrong way and leading you directly into a tree.

Today, God is asking you to come up to the front of the caravan and get as close to the guide as you can. Reach out to Christ so you can hear Him when He is showing you the safest route. He is trying to keep you from hitting the trees.

When you're out in the wilderness He will chart your path.

Deut 33:27a "The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms."

Women often love to cuddle with their husbands in what Kerry from Sex-In-The City calls "the nook" on their chest. But oh how much more safe and secure is God's "nook". We can just rest in His arms that stretch so wide they carry all of our burdens. God's arms stretch far and wide. We can hide in them.  Cuddle with Jesus tonight. His protection is everlasting and eternal. You're safe in His arms.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine ... to Him be the glory."
Ephesians 3:20 NIV

Imagine being in a world with people who have no eyes and someone coming to try to explain to those people what seeing is. It would be quite difficult. That is because humans can often only imagine within the limits of what they  have seen or heard before.

But instead imagine yourself having faith beyond what you've seen or heard.

I love how this verse is written in the NIV version. It's a reminder that God's way is immeasurable. His blessings have no end. His imagination has no box. Do not limit what God can do because His ability has no limits.  This is the God that created light, darkness, heaven, earth, and sea out of nothing. Many of us fail to reach our full potential because we limit what God can do to our own imaginations. But God's imagination is immeasurable and limitless. Think outside of the box.

John 8:31-32 "To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

 "The truth shall set you free!"

This is a quote we've been hearing our entire lives. And whether any of knew it or not (I didn't, until recently) it is a Bible verse. The ruth we frivously refer to when we speak this verse as an old adage is normally our own truth or the truth of another. However, God, the author of this quote, was referring to His Truth. It is His Truth, His Word, His Law that sets us free. It gives us the ability to walk without sin. It allows us to walk in righteousness. And gives us purpose for our lives. It is freedom. His Word, His Law, the Bible = FREEDOM. I don't know anyone elses truth that can do that. And through this passionate devotional blog, I pray you are set FREE!