As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Being a Christian for two decades means I have heard this phrase, A LOT! This phrase is said by pastors wanting to encourage their congregations and Christians who are determined to raise their children in the Lord. Yet, lately, the Lord has been challenging me on what it really means to serve the Lord. I think on the surface, we see this as following the Ten Commandments, going to church every once in a while, and being a good person. But, the Lord is challenging me to not just to say He is the Lord of my life BUT to act like it.
Truly serving the Lord requires action!
Truly serving the Lord should compel you to want to do His will.
Truly serving the Lord leads you to speak and act in ways that bring Him honor.
And for my life, the Lord has been revealing to me that I must serve Him by being obedient to ALL He has asked me to do.
And if I am honest, this is where things get a bit tricky. My heart desires to do it all but…the exhaustion of being a mom of little ones, the responsibility of being a pastor’s wife, my career of being a professor, and wanting to simply rest here and there often takes precedence. I believe that I am not alone. At times when it comes to following God’s will I feel a bit like Paul when he describes his battle with sin, “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Roman 7:19). In this new year, I am determined to no longer live this life of wanting to do God’s will but creating excuses to get out of being obedient. I really want to go into heaven knowing that I completed all of what God desired, how about you?
With that said, I want to empower you to start this year off strong.
1.) Set aside intentional time with the Lord EVERY DAY. I love how Jesus lived His time on Earth. Spending time with His father was the most important aspect of His days. May we look to our Heavenly Father the same.
Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Mark 1:35 NLT
2.) Ask the Lord for a verse or word of the year! This is a suggestion to find something to focus on, especially when days get difficult. Memorize your verse and put it in places where you can remember for when times get tough. I will share my word and verse at the end of this posting.
3.) Seek the Lord for what He has called YOU to do this month. Yes, you heard that right, THIS MONTH! If you can find consistency for this month in obedience, you will be more likely to continue forth in the future months. What I have learned is we often get overwhelmed with one-year goals, five-year goals, and ten-year goals. But, my friend THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE! My challenge to you is to be present THIS month and ask the Lord what He wants you to do this month. Don’t overwhelm yourself with checking the boxes, follow His will daily and you will be off to a great start.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:34
4.) Make a challenge to share your testimony with at least ONE person this week! Sharing your testimony will help someone else keep going. I double dare you to pray for them as well! Let your victory speak every chance you get.
Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. Psalm 66:16
5.) Ask the Lord if there’s a sin whether it's complaining, an addiction, or gossiping that you need to finally get rid of once and for all. Let’s serve Him by honoring His commands. When in doubt, the Lord can give you strength to overcome anything!
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. James 4:17
Let’s make the choice to really serve God this year with obedience. And with that said, I want to share with you how I will be walking in obedience and serving the Lord in action this year.
Starting Monday, January 6th at 8:30 EST I want to invite you to watch on Facebook Live as we “Take A Moment” to reflect on a biblical truth, what God has done and is doing in your life, and how you can live a life of joy and victory! I believe this is my version of walking in obedience and speaking victory over anyone willing to listen. I encourage you to FOLLOW ME HERE, so you don’t miss it!
Until then, let’s pray for an amazing year!
Today, I pray that the Lord bless you as you walk in full obedience to His call. I pray that the work of your hands be blessed and that He gives you witty ideas to reach those in need of the Lord. I pray that your heart is full of joy and peace. May He show you who He has called you to be and how you can walk it out with grace. I pray that good health is your portion and that no sickness and disease befall you or your dwelling place. I pray that your mind is at peace and you find rest. May you be able to decipher the truth of God’s word from the lies of the enemy. I pray the Lord grant you victory in your life and in your relationships. May this year be one of your complete surrender and trust in Him. In Jesus Name, Amen!
And without further ado…my word of the year is DWELL. My prayer for you and I is that we are intentional about dwelling and abiding in His presence. The more we dwell in His presence the more we see the fruit of our labor!
And my verse,
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13
DROP YOUR VERSE OR WORD BELOW!
As you await our first “Take A Moment” time, I invite you to purchase my new book Warrior Mother: Equipping Your Heart To Fight For Your Family's Faith or the Victory Walk: A 21 Day Devotional on Amazon today by clicking here. While you await your new book, head over to itunes, Spotify, Youtube or Amazon Music and sing out your victory with my latest single, "God Has Not Forgotten You."
Don't forget to follow me on Facebook to catch our first live this Monday at 8:30 AM and on Instagram @myvictoryspeaks for weekly inspiration!
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