Pull Up Your Stakes and Press On

Pull Up Your Stakes and Press On Today's Scripture: "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14, ESV). Today's Word: Are there some tent stakes in your life that you need to pull up so you can press forward? Maybe you’ve stopped in a temporary place, and it’s time to keep going. Maybe you’ve gotten comfortable and decided that your dreams are never going to come to pass. Your health is never going to improve. I’m asking you to pack up your tent, gather up your belongings and start moving forward. You may have taken a temporary delay, but that’s okay. That didn’t stop your destiny. Today can be your new beginning. God is breathing new life into your spirit. He has greater victories in front of you! Remember, the first place we lose the battle is in our own thinking. If you don’t think you can be successful, then you never will be. If you don’t think you can overcome the past, meet the right person or accomplish your dreams, then you’ll get stuck right where you are. You’ve got to change your thinking. God said no good thing would He withhold because you walk uprightly. Get rid of a negative, defeated mentality. Make room in your thinking for the new thing God wants to do, pull up your stakes and let God lead you in to your promised land! Prayer for Today: Father, thank You for empowering me to pick up from this temporary place and move forward toward the dreams and goals You have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uar1ld6YyeU   God: Never in a Hurry; Always On Time                     by Rick Warren “Don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed.” (James 1:4b MSG)   Be patient with God and with yourself. One of life’s frustrations is that God’s timetable is rarely the same as ours. We are often in a hurry when God isn’t. You may feel frustrated with the seemingly slow progress you’re making in life. Remember that God is never in a hurry, but he is always on time. He will use your entire lifetime to prepare you for your role in eternity. The Bible is filled with examples of how God uses a long process to develop character, especially in leaders. He took 80 years to prepare Moses, including 40 in the wilderness. For 14,600 days Moses kept waiting and wondering, “Is it time yet?” But God kept saying, “Not yet.” Contrary to popular book titles, there are no “Easy Steps to Maturity” or “Secrets of Instant Sainthood.” When God wants to make a giant oak, he takes a hundred years, but when he wants to make a mushroom, he does it overnight. Great souls are grown through struggles and storms and seasons of suffering. Be patient with the process. James advised, “Don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed” (James 1:4b MSG). Don’t get discouraged. When Habakkuk became depressed because he didn’t think God was acting quickly enough, God had this to say: “These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!” (Habakkuk 2:3 LB) A delay is not a denial from God! Remember how far you’ve come, not just how far you have to go. You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. Years ago people wore a popular button with the letters PBPGINFWMY. It stood for “Please Be Patient, God Is Not Finished With Me Yet.” God isn’t finished with you, either, so keep on moving forward. Even the snail reached the ark by persevering! Talk It Over How is God using a season of struggle in your life to develop your character? Why is it so hard for us to be patient, even when we believe God is at work? What promises from God or experiences from your past can you remember that encourage you as you wait on God’s timing?