Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. Proverbs3:9-10 (NKJV)
We are going through a devotional series titled, "The two types ofStorms." These are storms - times of testing - that we will all face inour lives. Even though there is many ways that these storms can bemanifested, they will all fall into two categories, and they are:
a) Storms of Correction These are the tough times where we go through trials and tests because we have unconfessed sin in our life - and we are going in a way that is not in the will of God.
b) Storms of Perfection These are those times where we go through trials and tests because God loves us and He is transforming us to be more like Jesus.
In today's devotional we will start to look at:
12-Ways to deal with a "Storm."
1. We need to get on our hands and knees in prayer and ask God to reveal any un-repented sin in our lives.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms 139:23-24 (NKJV)
We can see how the Psalmist clearly goes before God and asks Him to discern the motives and actions of his own heart as he was being persecuted with accusations from evil people. He knew that God would let him know if he was wrong - he also knew that God would guide him through it if he were wrong. And so it is with us during the storms - we need to go before God and ask Him,"Lord, search my heart and show me if there is any wicked way within me that I need to repent of."
The second way to deal with storms is:
2. We need to give our lives to the Lord fully and wholly surrendering our will to Him - seeking His perfect will instead.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)
This is a big one for us, because we want to be in control of our decisions and be able to follow our own will for each situation. Truth be told, we are in control of the choice for our will, we just need to freely choose to make our will the same as God's perfect will. We can only do that by reading His Word, and allowing it to shape our thoughts and decisions. Being "Conformed to this world," means following the trends and the ways of this world - even if they are in opposition to God's Word. Let me give you an example:
Look at the financial distress that our nation is in right now. There are many who are really suffering economically and as a result, they are unable to pay their bills, including their home mortgages. As a result, there are many who are losing their homes as they are being foreclosed on - this in itself is either a "Storm of Correction," or a "Storm of Perfection."
Because of this large trend, many government programs have been put forth to help these people keep their homes. Some of these programs can lesson the total principle owed upon the property, and lower the interest rate as well - drastically lowering their monthly debt. This is a good thing!
But I have also seen several people (Christians included) take advantage of this situation, and even though they still are working and making enough money to pay their bills, they see that their house isn't worth what is owed on it and so they choose not to fulfill their commitment to purchase it. This shouldn't be happening - it is not in God's will, and therefore is sin - it's being conformed to this world.
I want to encourage you today, if you are going through financial problems right now then seek God through prayer, and in reading His Word "daily." If you have been a poor steward of the financial provisions that God has given you, then confess that to Him and repent - He will guide you through this "Storm of Correction." If you have been a good steward of your resources but are still being affected greatly, then this is a "Storm of Perfection." Don't fret or be anxious, but in prayer and supplication seek God and ask for His guidance - praise Him in the storm.
In our next devotional, we will continue to look at the 12-ways to deal with a "Storm."
STUDY QUESTION: What can we learn with respect to our bodies and possessions by the Scriptures contained within this devotional?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you being a good steward of the things that God has given you?
APPLICATION: Acknowledge that everything you have is God's. Now ask Him to guide you and to give you wisdom and discernment with how you should use or invest them.
We are going through a devotional series titled, "The two types ofStorms." These are storms - times of testing - that we will all face inour lives. Even though there is many ways that these storms can bemanifested, they will all fall into two categories, and they are:
a) Storms of Correction These are the tough times where we go through trials and tests because we have unconfessed sin in our life - and we are going in a way that is not in the will of God.
b) Storms of Perfection These are those times where we go through trials and tests because God loves us and He is transforming us to be more like Jesus.
In today's devotional we will start to look at:
12-Ways to deal with a "Storm."
1. We need to get on our hands and knees in prayer and ask God to reveal any un-repented sin in our lives.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms 139:23-24 (NKJV)
We can see how the Psalmist clearly goes before God and asks Him to discern the motives and actions of his own heart as he was being persecuted with accusations from evil people. He knew that God would let him know if he was wrong - he also knew that God would guide him through it if he were wrong. And so it is with us during the storms - we need to go before God and ask Him,"Lord, search my heart and show me if there is any wicked way within me that I need to repent of."
The second way to deal with storms is:
2. We need to give our lives to the Lord fully and wholly surrendering our will to Him - seeking His perfect will instead.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)
This is a big one for us, because we want to be in control of our decisions and be able to follow our own will for each situation. Truth be told, we are in control of the choice for our will, we just need to freely choose to make our will the same as God's perfect will. We can only do that by reading His Word, and allowing it to shape our thoughts and decisions. Being "Conformed to this world," means following the trends and the ways of this world - even if they are in opposition to God's Word. Let me give you an example:
Look at the financial distress that our nation is in right now. There are many who are really suffering economically and as a result, they are unable to pay their bills, including their home mortgages. As a result, there are many who are losing their homes as they are being foreclosed on - this in itself is either a "Storm of Correction," or a "Storm of Perfection."
Because of this large trend, many government programs have been put forth to help these people keep their homes. Some of these programs can lesson the total principle owed upon the property, and lower the interest rate as well - drastically lowering their monthly debt. This is a good thing!
But I have also seen several people (Christians included) take advantage of this situation, and even though they still are working and making enough money to pay their bills, they see that their house isn't worth what is owed on it and so they choose not to fulfill their commitment to purchase it. This shouldn't be happening - it is not in God's will, and therefore is sin - it's being conformed to this world.
I want to encourage you today, if you are going through financial problems right now then seek God through prayer, and in reading His Word "daily." If you have been a poor steward of the financial provisions that God has given you, then confess that to Him and repent - He will guide you through this "Storm of Correction." If you have been a good steward of your resources but are still being affected greatly, then this is a "Storm of Perfection." Don't fret or be anxious, but in prayer and supplication seek God and ask for His guidance - praise Him in the storm.
In our next devotional, we will continue to look at the 12-ways to deal with a "Storm."
STUDY QUESTION: What can we learn with respect to our bodies and possessions by the Scriptures contained within this devotional?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you being a good steward of the things that God has given you?
APPLICATION: Acknowledge that everything you have is God's. Now ask Him to guide you and to give you wisdom and discernment with how you should use or invest them.
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