This Is How You Do It - A Devotion

Joshua 1:8-9 (NLT)
“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Some assembly required should never be discouraging as long as one has the instruction booklet that accompanies that which is being put together. This has long been a source of contingency in our family as some of “us” choose to read the directions BEFORE we attempt to construct something while “others” feel they are purely suggestive and only necessary in the event of an emergency. The picture on the box does not always predict the complexity of process to have the final product. Can I get an “amen”? Your life is under construction, renovation and restoration by God. He has provided a Book of Instruction that is available to you in written form, as well as a 24-hour hotline with a kind and willing associate to assist you through prayer and meditation. It would seem absurd to attempt to put together a 1,000 piece puzzle without some idea of the picture before it unfolds, yet we ask Jesus to come in our life and never take the time to read His Directions much less inquire of His Spirit and then wonder why we do not feel complete lacking nothing as He had promised. We must study His “Book of Instruction” continually as we are a new creation. Obedience is essential to completion for rebellion only delays the process. Living contrary to God’s Word in any way, shape or form will delay your arrival to your destination. However, for those who seek the Lord’s Word, Will and Way every day the journey seems much lighter. ONLY THEN will you prosper and succeed in all that you do. We all desire success in life whether in our job, social circle or even Christian walk. However, seldom do believers invest the time in knowing God, following Jesus and obeying His Word. Truthfully, most Christians have no idea what the Word says much less what it means, yet they expect God to be like Santa Claus and deliver. We are to be strong and courageous as we overcome sin and darkness in this life by the Power of the Blood. There is no need to be afraid or discouraged if you will only follow His Directions – you are promised great success. His Word invites God’s Presence to go wherever you go and prosper everything in your life.

Psalm 119:90-91 (NLT)
Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created. Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans.

Everything in life serves God’s Plan. Everything. If you let that sink in it should bring you great hope as a believer to realize that your faith in the Lord has the potential for goodness in every situation because only good and perfect gifts come from the Father. (James 1:17) The faithfulness of God extends from generation to generation and thanks to Jesus Christ has transcended all the boundaries of humanity to touch the heart of every human being ever created including you. Just because people mess up, get distracted or fail miserably does not mean that they have missed God’s Plan or can never experience the fulfillment of God. It just means that it may be time to disassemble our life to reassemble it according to God’s Word. The good news is that no matter how difficult the process – it will be worth it every time.

Psalm 139:15-17 (NLT)
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

Did you know that you have a purpose? You are not one of a million. You are divinely inspired and miraculously made with great potential and incredible vision. God thought about you before He made you and then focused all of His Attention on bring it all together to create the wonderful you that you are. “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works and that my soul knows very well.” (Psalm 139:14) If only mankind could fully grasp the importance of human life. We would stop killing unborn babies, reach out to orphans, empty prisons of unloved and misguided people, and prosper as people. The trouble is human life has a wasted mentality. There is no such thing as a useless person. We all have a purpose. But you can never fully know and understand who you are and why you are without consulting Your Creator who has provided excellent instruction on fulfillment in His Word and provided a faithful assistant to guide us as we put it all together to reveal God’s Purpose in our person. Every day of my life is pre-recorded. If I want to make the most of every moment, all that I must do is mediate and study God’s Work and consult with His Spirit. God’s thoughts concerning me are too numerous to count so an endless conversation is possible to those who seek to know and understand God’s Word, Will and Way in life. Not a single day is unaccounted for. What a relief! The Lord made everything for His Purpose. (Proverbs 16:3-4) That means every problem, trial and situation that I have faced has the potential to become goodness in my life through the wonder-working Power of the Living God! (Romans 8:28)

Proverbs 15:14-15 (NLT)
A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash. For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.

The Book of Instruction that is the Word of God not only guides us to God’s Best but it nourishes our soul and changes our mind about the Lord and His Intentions. The world would depress people and discourage them with the struggling economy, natural disasters and horrors of the times in which we live. A wise person who is hungry for knowledge will seek the Truth and live by it. However, fools feed on trash. If you will spend just one evening looking for something good and worthwhile on television, you will consume enough “trash” in the commercials to choke a goat. However, millions of believers willingly consume it as a “dog returns to its vomit.” (Proverbs 26:11) Just you are not personally engaging in blatant sin does not mean you will remain unaffected by sin-filled entertainment and demon-fascinated fiction. You are feeding your mind, heart and soul garbage that will inevitable choke out the Spirit. You are what you eat whether you know it or not. It has power over your life. The Lord invites us to taste and see that He is good! (Psalm 34:8) Jesus Christ told the devil when tempted to sin, that people do not live on bread alone but on the words that come from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:3-5, Deuteronomy 8:3) Oh if we could just take hold of God’s Word, digest it and live off the sustenance found there. It would change your life from pitiful to powerful.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT)
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

It is important how we live. Our life should imitate God. We should follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. We definitely live in evil days. Jesus is coming back! Humanity is saturated in darkness. Believers who desire to live as Children of the Light must learn to be the Light of the World. You will never conquer darkness without the Light of God’s Amazing Love. Have you discovered the Lord’s Passionate, All-Consuming Love for you? He has written it in a letter and sent His Spirit to confirm His Intentions and inscribes His Love and Affirmation your heart so that you can live by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:17) and grab hold of the confident hope that will anchor soul (Hebrews 6:19) and allow you to wait for Him to come. Although you have never seen the Lover of your Soul’s Face, you know He is there because His Word tells us so and His Spirit is our guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:22)

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NLT)
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

Day by day our bodies are dying but our spirits are being renewed. Refinement is not pleasant but necessary to increase the parameters of our faith to accept the promise, plan and potential of God for our life. It is so much bigger than what we think or ask. We must be careful to obey God’s Work and seek to know Him more and more to enable this process in our life. When Jesus met Martha after Lazarus had died, her faith stopped at death’s door. She gave the Lord an out for not healing her brother. But Jesus had something much better planned as He called Lazarus from the grave. (John 11:23-27) Jesus does not want us take it easy on Him. He died to give you the very best God has to offer. Asking for anything less much less accepting a compromise or substitute would be quite offensive. Shut the door on doubt. Fortify your Spirit to hold its position until Jesus Christ comes and resurrects all your dead dreams. He wants to perfect your purpose, make you complete lacking nothing, but will your faith allow? His Word opens the door to possibility. Obeying His Word gives you the opportunity to have all of His Promises both now AND forever. What are you waiting for?

Isaiah 38:20 (NLT)
Think of it—the LORD is ready to heal me! I will sing his praises with instruments every day of my life in the Temple of the LORD.

These words came to Hezekiah after he was healed. He promised to sing praises every day of His Life in the Temple of the Lord. The Lord IS ready to heal you from the inside out. Obedience is essential. Hezekiah followed the instructions of Isaiah as given by God and He was healed. Naaman almost missed his healing because his pride was insulted when Elisha didn’t “wave his hand over him” but told him to go bath in dirty water. He almost missed it ready to walk away rather than exchange his pride for humility. But he obeyed God’s Word in desperation and was healed! (2 Kings 5:9-14) God’s Word, Will and Way requires obedience. His Plan for your life encompasses creation to forever. You must embrace the fact that each moment comprises something much greater which puts life in perspective and every moment contained there.

Romans 14:5 (NLT)
In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.

Religion tells us to do this and not do that. It nags us to observe rituals and routines to prove we are God’s People. A relationship with Jesus doesn’t make us do anything but rather we choose to give our heart, mind, body and soul to the Lord as an act of love. He died for us. Jesus has proven a worth lover in His Faithfulness, Mercy and Grace. Keep the Sabbath Day holy was a commandment of God to His People. (Isaiah 58:13) But when Jesus perfected the Law our life became a continual Sabbath as we set it aside moment-by-moment to worship the Lord every day and in every way inviting His Perfection and Purpose to be revealed in our life.

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT)
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Imitate God in everything you do. Live a life pleasing to God enabled by Christ. His Book of Instruction will explain everything. His Spirit will guide you to greater understanding revealing all of His Secrets to those who prove faithful in their relationship with the Lord. Do everything without complaining for it kills good seed and hardens hearts. Hold firmly to the Word of Life, it is our ticket out of here. (Philippians 2:14-16) It is our only means of survival. It makes our life useful!

Today you have the opportunity of a lifetime. God has given you all that you need to have everything. Will you give Him everything? God can only fill the parts of your life surrendered to Him with Goodness, Love and Grace. When we haul our lifeless carcass into the Light of His Love, Resurrection Power takes over. It is this place that we are healed and fully restored to the wonderful new creations the Lord has promised. His Promises will come true. Your Purpose will be revealed. What are you waiting for? Stretch your faith into confident hope and receive EVERYTHING God has planned for you and promised to give you! Give God glory in EVERY aspect of your life. Acknowledge Him! He will direct you to every single thing He has promised. Know, understand and meditate on His Word and you will know His Way – this is how you do it.

Colossians 1:6 (NLT)
This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.