Monday, January 23

A New Beginning - With or Without Distractions


Having recorded new beginnings from the time this girl could write, there is quite the repertoire of stories to share about life. In fact, subsequent years have presented an array of additional new beginnings.

Most label these as a New Year's Resolution. Experience has taught that a resolve to do something has an element of procrastination attached. A new beginning is a statement of fact. It is the start of something already in existence. In thought or deed, something has started to move toward the mark of achievement. "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7

This verse is the sum total of why we dream and then why we despair; why we get excited about ideas we would love to see synthesize, yet a year later, or two, or five, or a decade, and our position has not changed. Figuratively, we stare down the dream tunnel, defeated, disarmed, and unproductive.

Have you ever considered that your dreams may be a camouflage for what really is self-gratification? It has its place. After being awake for eighteen hours, self-gratification with sleep is a good thing.

At which point have you or would you invite God, the Author, and Finisher of the Believer’s faith, to mastermind, and in fact, give you the ‘how to’ on living out your dreams? Formed, as we most definitely are, in the image of God, as a visionary, He has imparted dreams and He has the tools that will equip us for success.

In fact, the heart of the problem is more often a problem with the heart.

In the Bible, Genesis is the book of new beginnings. It records the beginning of the heavens, earth, plants, animals, and human life. In addition, it records new beginnings in all human institutions and relationships. Typically, it speaks of the new birth, the new creation, where all was chaos and ruin.

The problem with new beginnings is the problem of man’s sin, as affecting man’s condition on this earth, and his relationship to God. The Divine solutions of that problem, are here in essence. Our behavior is not new. Reflected in the garden long ago, we must acknowledge a propensity to follow our own desires and lusts.

In discipling other women; under the canopy of their strongholds and patterns of thinking, rather than a focus on past failures, with proven principles, they are shown how to shift their thinking onto new beginnings. Do not spin on your tail of regrets. There comes a point at which you must cut the tail off and move on.

A new beginning for 2012 is to read the Bible in three months. A plan devised to reach this goal by achievable increments along the way, will ensure productivity and arrival at the finish line. In order to read your Bible in three months, one must embrace it by reading twelve chapters a day. Having read the Bible many times over, it has always taken a year to do so. This new beginning is exciting! Being fed chunks of Scripture is very nourishing to the soul.

The motive behind this new beginning is a desire for the blessings of God on my life. “Blessed is he that readeth,” Revelation 1:3 this verse is not restricted to Bible prophesies on Christ’s return. It is applicable to our whole lives, that is, in our mind and memory, in our affection and practice, we must adhere to the truth, whatever trials, and temptations it may expose.

In light of what is taught to those under my personal influence, withstanding as I practice and apply these principles to my own life; a move toward righteousness will procure growth in many areas. In addition, when we open the living, breathing Word of God with the purpose of seeking Him and a motive to live a righteous life; we are empowered with the tools of wisdom and understanding; for our marriage, family, business, finances, relationships, and future decisions.

You cannot lose when you live on the winning side.

Upon hearing women say, “I was going so well and now this happened.” Stuff happens. Remain flexible in your attitude to allow diversion however, not to allow distractions to take root and sabotage your goal. Have a motto – “No Excuses!” Then there is this statement, “What’s the use? This will never change!” With that attitude, no it will not.

Change has begun the moment you decide.

If you would allow the use of a metaphor, if you get off track, do not park your truck, and walk away. Flat tires in the form of negative thinking must find a source of fresh air. Pump the Word of God into your thinking and start your engine up. Then get back on the road. If you lose focus for a day, do not revisit it tomorrow. In fear and regret, get with it! This is a new beginning. Do not wait for the motivation to do right. Do right and the motivation will follow.

Remind yourself, you are driving away from old ways in the form of old patterns of thinking and old patterns of negative talk and thoughts. The car is under your control. Keep reading the roadmap, which in case you do not have it yet, is the roadmap for life – God’s Word. It is life changing. Our testimony validates our statements, not the least, what is demonstrated in my own life. There were areas that needed to be changed and that I was very well aware of. There were areas that I was totally unaware of, until God shone the light of truth onto the condition of my heart. The need to align ourselves with God’s ways and thinking is a motion in progress. It never ends!

We are as busy as the next person is and there is no excuse for not making time to read the Bible. Excuses come in many forms. If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always had.

As Christian women, we are to embrace truth and apply it to every area of our lives. Not forgetting, when we have dreams, Satan uses the same strategy to steal the ideal, as he used in the garden with Eve. He does not want what is best for us. In fact, he wants to procure defeat and disgust.

Ideally, when the serpent approached Eve, it would have been in her best interest (and ours), if she were to have turned to her authority and said, “Adam Darling. Did you hear what that jerk said?”

The reality is, that we all have the propensity to get off track and run things in our own steam. Steam has its purpose but it usually runs out. The wrong turns in our life are in the form of these five signposts; distractions, disappointments, despair, dishonesty, and disobedience. Signposts come in many forms but nonetheless, they are diversions.

No one beguiles thoughts, but I. Stop allowing your stinking thinking to cheat you out of achieving your goals. The moment we stop shifting blame and take the steering wheel of our decisions, God will compliment, and in fact, complete what He has begun.

We are all a work in progress. Learn yourself!

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Philippians 1:6

He loves you and believes in you. Moreover, I do!
Deborah


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