Livingway News Are you looking for a change in your life? Perhaps you really put forth a valiant effort to change things for yourself in the first month of this year. New Year's resolutions were uppermost in your mind and your determination was strong. But here we are in the middle of the second month, and you have not seen the personal transformation that you desired! Perhaps you are leaning too strongly on your own understanding. Perhaps you are trying to affect a supernatural change by natural means. Perhaps you are trying to do something that only Jesus Christ can do! Please allow me to point you to Him today and remind you that His Word says this ... "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5,6
My testimony is this ... I have been changed! But not by my own strength! Not by my own power! Not by my own designs! Not by my own understanding! I've been changed by the power of the Holy Spirit! If you truly desire real change in your life, open your heart up to the real Savior, Jesus Christ! Invite the very real Holy Spirit to do what only He can do! And your testimony will be as mine ... you will say without a doubt ... I AM CHANGED!
In a society where so many are satisfied to go along with the crowd, to be swayed by the masses, to fall in line with the majority, there is a cry for people to STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT!! Oh, I'm not saying that no one is standing up and speaking out ... it is just my observation that it seems to be people that are diametrically opposed to the Word of God that are both fearless and verbose! You may say, "How much difference can I make if I speak out?" I must be truthful and tell you that I do not have any idea how much of a change you will affect around you when you speak out against the injustice and the ungodliness of this present world. However, there is something that I have noticed in my own life. Standing for what is right changes you! It makes you bolder in Christ! It makes you stronger in your resolve to be the person God called you to be. It develops your backbone so that you become less and less likely to bend to the whims and ways of the world. And when you become that bolder, stronger, more resolute 'you', there is no doubt in my mind that you WILL affect a change in your world! Do not concern yourself with changing THE world until you have changed YOUR world!!
I know it seems like a simple statement, but it is such a phenomenally profound truth ... GOD IS GREATER!! So you ask, "Greater than what?" And I'm glad you asked. God is greater than anything!! Greater than sickness! Greater than disease! Greater than lack! Greater than poverty! Greater than hatred! Greater than prejudice! Greater than depression! Greater than ... well, just fill in the blank with anything that causes you pain, grief, suffering, anxiety, confusion, and so on, and so on, and so on! He's greater than all of that! So when you begin to feel overwhelmed by any or even all of the negatives mentioned above, begin to meditate on the greatness of our God! Open your mouth and begin to praise Him for His greatness! And the next thing you know, you will be consumed by the greatness of His love, His power, His peace, His joy!! Your testimony will indeed be that there is NOBODY GREATER!!!
A new year does not necessarily mean a 'new you'. With a new year comes a fresh start, a blank page, a new beginning. However, if we approach 2012 with the same mindset with which we entered 2011, then we will have the same results.
Every year in January, Livingway begins the year with a Daniel Fast. By starting our year fasting, we prepare ourselves spiritually so that we can receive God's best for us and for our families.
We are currently in the middle of our 21-day fast and God keeps speaking to my spirit, "Clarity of mind, spirit and vision." Moving forward into this year, please make sure that you are spiritually prepared for God's best! When we are prepared, we can truly expect a 'new us'!