Moving forward not backward

"... you must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came."

1 Kings 13:17

In order to quit the cycle of hitting dead-ends in your life, you must do things differently; stop repeating the same mistakes over and over.  Instead, take each mistake, put the lesson learned, seek guidance from God, and move forward in a new direction.  LIFE IS WAY TOO SHORT FOR CIRCLES AND DEAD ENDS.

Choose life.

If where you are right now is causing you to live in darkness and defeat, no matter how hard you try for it to be different, then maybe it is time to go.  

My friend, if you aren’t living in joy and peace then walk away.  

Choose life!  Choose love, joy, and peace!  Choose Christ !!

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.“

Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV

God speaks to us in many different ways

“… the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision…”

Genesis 15:1

 God speaks to us in many different ways, so we must keep our hearts and minds open always and to all of the ways God speaks.  We must stay open to the God-possibilities, think outside the world's box, and remember that God is here, speaking into each and every one of us in each and every one of our unique, individualized ways.

Step out! Be different!

Step out! 

Be different! 

Be yourself and live out your dreams and desires and goals.  My friend, you've nothing to lose.

Adapted from Press On. A 5 day devotional from @Jennifer MCAllister

"For I consider [from the stand point of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us." 

-Romans 8:18 AMP

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/05/4e/40/054e40ef636eb7ca09b4073663d6db13--dream-on-dream-come-true.jpg

https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/9185-press-on

Tending to our own lives

It’s God we are answerable to – all the way from life to death and everything in between – not each other.  That’s why Jesus lived and died and then lived again:  so that he could be our Master across the entire range of life and death, and free us from the petty tyrannies of each other. 

Adapted from Romans 14:6-9

Hence: Tend to your life, not everyone else’s.

As well, build relationships by embracing each one in all of its uniqueness and differences, without judgment.  For it is not up to us to judge – God will take care of all that on his own time and in his own way.

Repeating the past is no way to the future.

"... and don't go back the way you came." Then he left by a different road than the one on which he had walked to Bethel." 1 Kings 13:8-10, MSG

If you want your future to be different, and better, than your past, then maybe it is time to try something new - maybe it is time to walk in a direction you never thought of walking before; maybe it is time to try a new path in your life.

The glory of God

"... and the Glory of God appeared to all people..." Leviticus 9:22-24, The Message

The Glory of God is for us all - each of us experiencing His presence in our own unique and different ways - there is no one certain way to experience God.  Therefore, no matter what Christian denomination one practices, all of us need to stand together as one so that we can shine with the glory of God loudly, proudly, and for all the world to see.

This image graciously copied from https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjp9cr6xZXMAhVB92MKHR0tD-cQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwordrevealed.com%2Fthe-glory-of-god%2F&psig=AFQjCNEBIWwcDD4p7xZEXAr_o9fQnIaTWA&ust=1460978171414570

Clean out the clutter and make room for God

"...Repent (think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct)... Prepare the road for the Lord, make His highways straight (level, direct)... " Matthew 3:2, 3 AMP

Clean the clutter, (sin), out of your life!! Take an inventory of your life right now, as a matter of fact, make it a point to consistently take an inventory of your life.  Mark it on your calendar to do it at certain intervals, (monthly, every quarter, every six months, etc.), so that you are continually working on you dark spots, (sin). In a sense, do it in order to make sure that you don't push your own self out of your own life; that you don't push the lightness out and become filled with darkness. I know that some areas are harder than others, but I guarantee that once God sees you sincerely trying to change, He will jump in and help you!  When that happens, your once thought unconquerable sin, will be conquered and left behind in the dust.

Friends, our main goal in life is to be trying to please God by abiding by His Words, worshiping Him inside and out, and letting Him guide every areas of our lives.  We should be trying to become more like Him everyday; loving, kind, considerate, compassionate, helpful, prayerful, honorable, light-filled, faithful, and genuine.  God isn't wanting us to follow Him so He can feel more powerful (as He is all powerful anyway), He wants us to follow Him so we can make a difference in this dark world; become a light for those in darkness, and become a living legacy of blessing to our family and friends and the world around us in general. He wants us to live with an eternal sense of joy and peace, and share it with others.  So, do something to change a dark spot in your life today, and do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, and see if your life doesn't open up; strength fills you, doors of opportunity start opening, lives start changing, and blessings start pouring around, and upon, you.  

Yes, God wants to shower you with so much love, blessing, light, and abundance, so help Him by cleaning out the clutter in your life so He can get through.

Be bold enough to be different!

"But Daniel determined in his heart that he would not defile himself by [eating his portion of] the kings rich and dainty food or by [drinking] the wine which he drank... " Daniel 1:8 AMP

Long time, faithful, followers in Christ know the difference between wrong and right in the sight of God.  However, whether they choose to abide by God's wrongs and rights, is a whole other story.  Sadly, many, too many, don't!  Instead, the choice to fall into temptation has become way too common now-a-days.

So, it is up to you and I to be different, be bold, stand out, and stand up for God! We need to follow the path God has set before us in an honorable, faithful, and joy-filled, way; doing the right things, and holding ourselves accountable when we do fall into sin.  Let's get away from the, so-called, norm and be true - BOLD - Christ followers.  I believe, and can attest, that when we do, favor, honor, blessings, and peace, begin to pour over us. Plus, to make it even better, others suddenly begin to follow suit, for they see the Light that lives in, around, and through us, and they too want to experience the Light - the Light we've come to know and praise and love and honor, Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior.