Portion of Success

A Daily Portion




I was meditating this morning on some doors that God is opening in my life. As I meditated and gave thanks, along with gratefulness and awe at what God will be doing within the next few weeks, I suddenly felt some fear creep up in my spirit! I thought to myself, why am I like this? Why is it that every time I see God's hand in my life and ministry, fear creeps up and tries to steal what He is doing? Well, the answer is obvious and I don't want to dwell on fear and how the devil uses it to distract us and to try to destroy our purpose.  I began to look at Scriptures, feeling led to write about what I was feeling today. I came across Joshua 1:5-9. In this passage, Joshua is about to take Moses' place in leadership. God calls Joshua and tells him to go up over Jordan to the land He has promised them. After forty years in the desert, watching their leader die, I'm sure Joshua was overwhelmed with feelings and I know for a fact that fear was creeping up on him! How are we to have success in our daily life, when fear is constantly reminding us of so many things? Fear tells us we can't, we won't, who are we to try, what makes us think we will this time around, ... so many voices - fear telling us to just give up!  It happened to Joshua too! Read this carefully:

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.  -Joshua 1:5-9

Not only did God tell Joshua what to do, he told him how to do it!  He gave him the "secret to success"! The secret of success is given in verses 5 through 9. GOD says "I will not fail you or forsake you". Joshua accepted Moses’ place of leadership without a single doubt! God’s will for him was his will, and he did not hesitate to do what He was asking. To go “all out” for God was already habitual with him; there was no doubting or second guessing...  and that is the unfailing prerequisite of eternal success! When fear and doubt come into the picture, there is no way we can succeed, not because God fails His promises, but because we are too busy seeing the fear and doubt, that we in turn forget that God's will for us should be our will, His purpose, our purpose and that there IS NO failing with God, for HE will not fail nor forsake us!  Yes, it's that easy!  That's the secret to success; to eternal success!

If we meditate on God's Word, His plans, purpose for us, plans to prosper us and not harm us, as Jeremiah 29:11 says, then that's the fail-proof way! There's no way to fail! He tells Joshua, and He tells us too, if we meditate and do according to all that's written, then we will make our ways prosperous; then we will have good success!  Because He is with us! He tells Joshua (and us) to be strong and courageous, to not be afraid because He is with us wherever we go!  Just reading that Scripture, reading those Words, hearing my Father tell me over and over again that He will never fail me, that He goes with me wherever I go, that is something I am uprooting deep into my heart and spirit. It is something I need to know, understand, believe, and live! It is of utmost importance to me, as I live my life and go about my daily routine, to know this; because then I know that success is mine and that I will prosper wherever I go and in all I do!

If fear and doubt have been getting the better of you, then I encourage you to read this Scripture over and over until it is in you, until you are walking in it and everything you do is based on this eternal success!  I declare all thoughts of fear and doubt gone in Jesus' name; and I speak success and prosperity over all you do! He will not forsake you; He will not fail you, grab hold of His plan for success in your life! Meditate on His Word, speak and do according to what His Word says,  and watch prosperity and favor follow you wherever you go! Now that makes me shout for joy!  HALLELUJAH!!!!

It is my prayer that this reflection be a part of your daily portion.

Love & Blessings,
Michelle

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Lead by example... whether it's through love or offense?

A Daily Portion

Originally written and published August 28, 2009 while I was pastoring and ministering the congregation God had given us at that time.



I wanted to write a little something regarding a topic that I am now seeing more and more in the Body of Christ. I have a very hard time with people who are leading by example in their call, but hurt and offend others with their actions and words... I am talking about sarcasm. It's sad to see how much sarcasm is found in the Body of Christ. Sarcasm may easily be tried to be defined as a literary device, or as a high form of intelligence, but when we look at its root, we find that sarcasm comes from "French or Late Latin; French sarcasme, from Late Latin sarcasmos, from Greek sarkasmos, from sarkazein" and it means "to tear flesh, bite the lips in rage, sneer..." All my life I have come across people who are sarcastic in everything they say, and we are basically told that, 'oh that's just their way of being'... or, 'oh, it's a clever way of telling people truths without them even realizing what you are doing'... the truth of the matter is, there should be no excuse as to why someone would need to use sarcasm to get a message across to someone else. The Bible teaches us that we should: "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." ~Colossians 4:5-7
"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." ~Proverbs 12:18

This leads me to believe that sarcasm lacks wisdom, for if we were wise in the ways the Lord wants us to act and speak, we would do so in authority, in love and to edify, not to tear, pierce, hurt or offend. Why am I writing about this? Because I have had to give this part of my flesh up to the Lord daily. I too, used to be sarcastic, very sarcastic, and was always praised at how "good I was at being sarcastic". I even considered it one of my "strengths". Wow! Now, when I look back, first I realize I need to submit this unto the Lord every day, because the old man would love to come out once in a while... but what I realize even more is that there are many leaders in the Body of Christ who are like this, who speak like this and what's even more scary is that we are training those under our leadership, to speak and act this way!

I just think it's time to reflect on ourselves and consider why we speak the way we do; why we act the way we do; and give it all up to Christ, knowing that when we crucify our flesh, this raw meat of ours that will get us nowhere, we humble ourselves in wanting to be more like Him, like His image! I once read somewhere that we use sarcasm as a defense mechanism due to our own self esteem issues, and when I read that, I got offended. Can you guess why? :) Because it was a truth that hit home... And, as I have become more aware of how sarcasm and hypocrisy work well together, I see it's such a scheming and dangerous spirit that wants to destroy instead of edify and we have allowed it to get into our churches and as teachers and preachers and leaders we are educating our disciples and passing along this negative influence. Instead of just smiling and laughing "with" our leaders who are "aggressive and sarcastic" why don't we begin to lead in example of wisdom and authority we have received through Christ's blood and resurrection on the cross, and through the marvelous power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in each and every one of us? That way we can really begin to be imitators of Christ and be like Him, in His image! I know I have learned my lesson and ask for wisdom every day!

Blessings to all who read this. These are just my thoughts and I hope this serves as a help to others who may be thinking the same as I have.

Pastor Michelle

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
~Ephesians 4:29

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