THE DIFFERFENCE BETWEEN WORRY AND FAITH

The other night, I watched Life Today television broadcast with Jim and Betty Robison. Beth Moore was the guest speaker, and at the end of her talk, she said she did not want to live a boring, predictable life, but wanted to see the supernatural provision of God. She suggested that we stop playing it safe and start living on the edge because that’s when miracles happen. When we put ourselves in a position to have to depend on God, that’s when He shows up. That profoundly impacted me.

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The Problem

I have been struggling with fear and worry over provision. Don’t get me wrong. I have exactly what I need, and I want for nothing. But I keep looking at the future, and it’s not clear to me how my situation is going to work out, how God is going to make provision for me. I see point A and point B, but I can’t see what’s between the two. However, after Beth said what she said, in an instant, I saw the difference between faith and worry.

What is Faith?

You see, before last night, when I had a need, or I lacked in some area, I saw that as a reason to fear because I wasn’t sure whether God would come through for me. I am just being honest. I know He’s been faithful. I know that I have never lacked for anything. I know that God is powerful. However, the devil had set up a massive stronghold in my mind that had kept me from fully trusting God for years. After I heard Beth speak, a divine paradigm “shift” took place, and I then saw my need as an opportunity, not to fear, but to see God show out. That’s when faith rose up in me.

What is Worry?

At that same moment, I got the revelation that worry is the result of seeing my crisis situation, or need, as an opportunity for God to disappoint or fail me, rather than seeing it as an opportunity for God to show me what He can really do. When you think about it, without  “nail-biting” experiences in life, how would you know that God exists? If you are never in dire straits, you would never have the opportunity to see God supernaturally perform a miracle for you. Therefore, if you want to see the power of God, you must be willing to be put in situations that are proverbial “cliff hangers” and watch God perform His Word. You must dispel worry by expecting Him to kick through with His power.

A New Perspective

Thus, the difference between faith and worry is simply a matter of asking the proverbial question, “Is the glass half-full or half-empty?” I can look at it as an opportunity for God to possibly disappoint me, but His Word says those who hope in Him will not be disappointed (Isaiah 49:23). On the other hand, I can believe and look at it as an opportunity for Him to manifest Himself to me and the world, which will allow me to enter into His rest according to Hebrews 4:3. So from this point on, I intend to view my difficult situations in life from a different perspective, and refuse to let the devil steal my peace. How about you?

Therefore, it’s time for you to start saying, “OK, God, show me what you can do.” Be obedient and do whatever He tells you to do, of course, but after that, relax. Watch and see if He won’t come through for you. Remember, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (II Chronicles 16:9).

What are you expecting God to do for you? Put your faith out there and leave a comment below.

I’d love your help spreading the word about my book, Oasis for My Soul: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual and Personal Growth. Click here to find out ways you can help.

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OWNERSHIP AND POSSESSION ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS

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Jesus said in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” That means that you must believe that you receive what you ask for in the present, and you will have it actually show up physically in the future. My question to God was, how can I receive something in the present and not have it physically in my hand? He relayed that in order to understand this principle, I needed to know the difference between ownership and possession. Then the Lord gave me the analogy of the game show, Let’s Make a Deal, to illustrate.

When you have won cash on the show, sometimes Wayne, the host, tells you that you can trade the cash for what’s behind a curtain. If you decide to do so, then you give him the cash, they open the curtain, and you then see what you have won. It’s a perfect analogy of how faith works:

• You give the cash to Wayne because you believe there is something good behind that curtain. If you didn’t believe that, you would have never given up the cash in the first place. That’s analogous to sowing a seed into a ministry or the Kingdom of God and expecting a harvest.
• Once you give the show host the cash, at that moment, you know you now own what’s behind the curtain, and you wait with anticipation for what is about to be revealed. You have mentally and emotionally taken ownership before you even know what is behind that curtain. In the spirit, that‘s analogous to believing you have received your blessing.
• When the curtain is opened, you see what you have actually won. In spiritual terms, that is when your blessing manifests. It was there all the time, but just not visible. “The evidence of things not seen” has just been revealed as in Hebrews 11.
• On the game show, sometimes you get something of value (maybe a car), and sometimes you get a “zonk,” or something that is worthless. Thank God, In the Kingdom, there is never a “zonk” behind the curtain because regardless of what happens, God works everything for good according to Romans 8:28.

This analogy illustrates that there is a difference between possession and ownership. Ownership is a state of having a thing belong to you.  Possession is a state of having physically acquired a thing. Therefore, you can own something and not have possession. Conversely, you can possess something and not have ownership. That’s called stewardship. We may possess the things we have, but we must remember that God actually owns them all.

The point is this: when you ask God for something, you must believe that you have taken ownership of that thing at that very moment even though you do not have possession as of yet. If you have prayed according to God’s will, you should thank God for that which you prayed right at that moment because it’s yours. Period. You simply are waiting to take possession of the thing in the future when God’s timing permits. If you can grasp that concept, then you will experience continuous joy and peace found in believing (Romans 15:13).

What do you currently have ownership of, but do not have possession? What are you believing God for today? Please leave a comment below.

I’d love your help spreading the word about my book, Oasis for My Soul: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual and Personal Growth. Click here to find out ways you can help.

Would you like to receive your FREE e-chapbook entitled, Your Faith Has Made You Whole: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual Transformation, by Tracey L. Moore? Go to www.traceylmoore.com and subscribe to the email list.

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Take a trip down a spiritually poetic trail, and dare to become your best for Christ.

HAVE FAITH: GOD CAN TAKE YOU FROM POINT A TO POINT B

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Sometimes it’s difficult to have faith when we can’t see how something is going to be done. The dream that God put in your heart is probably so big, you can’t even begin to see how it will be accomplished. But you heard what God promised you. Just because you can’t see the “how” does not mean that God can’t bring it to pass.

A Dream to Illustrate

I remember when I first started working at my job at a major credit union. I couldn’t begin to see how I would meet all of my job requirements. I was completely overwhelmed. One night, I had a dream that I was walking across an old rickety bridge, on my way towards a tall beautiful bridge I had to cross in order to get home. The old raggedy bridge broke down, I fell into the water and then the next thing I knew, I was in my house without remembering that I crossed over the huge beautiful bridge leading to my home. When I woke up, I asked God for the interpretation of the dream. He told me when the bridge broke down, that meant that I was going to go through some perilous times on my job. When I got home without being conscious of crossing the tall, beautiful bridge, that meant that my competency level on my job at the beginning was “Point A,” and being able to handle the job requirements was “Point B,” and I didn’t have to know how I would get from point A to point B. Just believe. When it was all said and done, I was able to handle the job, and at one point, I ended up getting recognition for my performance. God’s grace was necessary and sufficient.

A Biblical Example of Faith

In the first chapter of Luke, when the angel, Gabriel, told Mary, the mother of Jesus, she would bear a son, she asked Him, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” He told her the Holy Spirit would overshadow her and she would conceive, and she told him, “Be it unto me according to thy word.” She didn’t know how it was going to happen, but she trusted God to bring it to pass. She could not see what was between points A and B, but she chose to believe that point B would be her destination. This is prime example of how, even though it’s difficult to see how God will accomplish the work He has promised, we can still have faith and just simply believe.

Only Believe

In the same way, if God puts a dream or vision in your heart that seems ridiculously large, and you can’t see how in the world it will happen based on where you are now, you need to say, “Be it unto me according to thy word.” It’s not up to you to make it happen. Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts.” Just believe that God will get you to “Point B” through the power and grace of His Spirit. Thus, it’s not necessary for you to know how God will accomplish what He said. Leave what’s between points A and B up to Him. That’s His business. Your business is to trust Him. Your job is to do what He tells you to do, when He tells you to do it, and believe that He will eventually bring your dream to pass in His timing. 

 

What do you believe God will do in your life even though, right now, you can’t see how He will do it? Please leave a comment below.

I’d love your help spreading the word about my book, Oasis for My Soul: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual and Personal Growth. Click here to find out ways you can help.

Would you like to receive your FREE e-chapbook entitled, Your Faith Has Made You Whole: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual Transformation, by Tracey L. Moore? Go to www.traceylmoore.com and subscribe to the email list.

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Take a trip down a spiritually poetic trail, and dare to become your best for Christ.

HOW TO DEAL WITH BOREDOM

Have you ever been bored? Now that we have been quarantined and have been ordered by the government to “shelter in place” because of the Coronavirus pandemic, our avenues for entertainment have been effectively shut down. We can’t go to the places we use to go or do what we use to do. We are now gathered together with family members in our residence, or if single and living alone,  maybe isolated from our family and friends all together. One of the by-products of this unprecedented situation we find ourselves in is that we may become bored. I define boredom as being disinterested in what’s going on around us in the current moment. Have you become bored during this shut-in?

If you are currently experiencing boredom, a good question to ask during this time is, “Why am I bored?” Why are some people bored, and others are never bored? I’d like to submit to you that boredom may be a natural by-product of the following life situations:

1)      Lack of Productivity. Therefore, one remedy for boredom is to vigorously go after the dream God put in your heart. Has God told you to do something, and you have failed to act on it? Do you know what gifts God has given you to impact this world for Christ? Have you discovered your purpose and are you actively pursuing it with everything you’ve got? When you do whatever the Master is directing you to do to fulfill the plan and purpose for which He created you (Jeremiah 29:11), boredom can be kept at bay.

2)      Lack of Growth. What is your plan for growth? What will you do to be better than you are by this time next year? You must set a goal for which to aim, and then write down the goal and the strategy you will use to accomplish it. You must be about the business of becoming all you can be in Christ if you want to live a life without boredom.

3)      Lack of meaningful connections to God and/or others. Some people may be saved, but they have little intimacy with God. Others may have lives void of intimate relationships with others. I believe that people who have only superficial relationships crave the richness and emotional depth intimate relationships offer, and the discontent they experience sometimes manifests as boredom. Therefore, if you are battling boredom, seek to improve the intimacy in your relationships with God and others. Spending time with God everyday fellowshipping with Him in the Word is one of the best ways to battle boredom. Seek God for emotional healing if needed, and ask Him to remove whatever is causing you to maintain the emotional walls you may have erected that keep Him and others at an emotional distance.

To summarize, I personally believe boredom is the soul’s expression of utter discontent with a lack of productivity, growth, and/or connection to God and people. If you want to avoid boredom, be productive for the Kingdom. Seek to grow and become the best Christian you can be. Stay connected to God and others in a meaningful way. The Christian life is by no means boring. It’s one of the most exciting lifestyles imaginable when we keep God at the center, follow His instructions, and stay in His will.

How do you combat boredom? Please leave a comment below.

I’d love your help spreading the word about my book, Oasis for My Soul: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual and Personal Growth. Click here to find out ways you can help.

Would you like to receive your FREE e-chapbook entitled, Your Faith Has Made You Whole: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual Transformation, by Tracey L. Moore? Go to www.traceylmoore.com and subscribe to the email list.

Find me on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/TraceyLMoore2012

Follow me on Twitter:  @TraceyLMoore1

Take a trip down a spiritually poetic trail, and dare to become your best for Christ.

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