Boxes

"I will walk around in wide-open spaces, because I have pursued your precepts." Psalm 119:45

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of a box? One of the things that everyone associate boxes with is moving! It is the dread of every person to go through the process of packing away what is worth taking.

Boxes are heaven sent! We use them to stow away and protect our valuables, keep us organized and make things easy to transport. Without them, moving or storing would be a logistic nightmare! Although moving can be a pain, we can appreciate its use and how it aids us in making transition easy from one place to another.

As wonderful as the concept of boxes are they can be seen as a major hindrance. We all have heard the expression "out of the box". It encourages exploration, creativity and new ways of thinking. As we assess our lives, we can identify moments where we stayed in the box. Over time we formed mental, social, emotional and spiritual boxes that we constructed for our mind. We packed away our liberty and freedom in exchange for false security. The box we use to protect what we deem valuable is the very box that is confining and preventing us from stepping out and living a purpose driven life. We learned to organize our lives in a confined space by limiting what comes in and out.

Why? Somewhere along the way we experienced trauma in our lives that impacted our belief system. That encounter enabled us to build a customized box for our protection. Whether it was something spoken or done to us that made us retreat to our box, our actions caused us to setup walls.

But the good news is that we don't have to stay there! Jesus Christ by his blood has freed us from the confinement of our guilt, shame, regret, hurt, pain and trauma. He made healing and deliverance available to us to help us break free from the restraints that seek to suffocate our life.

God has enabled us to "walk around in wide-open spaces"...it is not his will for us to be confined by the limitation of our mind or negative experiences. We don't have to live in the box that we create for ourselves, for the ones that others place us in or even the enemy.

So you might be wondering, if this is true, how can I be free? Well, I am glad you asked. God has made a way of escape, the plan is simple... You need a made up mind and a desire to pursue God and his will. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you out!

God wants us to step out and discover the benefits of living free, whole and delivered.

We must believe that he has a plan for our lives and we can't fulfill or walk it out without a renewed mind and a regenerated heart. Today, I pray that the strength of God's right hand pulls you up and out of the confinement of your mind and break the restraints from your heart. May he deliver you into your season of better days and may you experience the joy of his freedom and the peace of true security in him.

"I will walk around in wide-open spaces, because I have pursued your precepts." Psalm 119:45

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of a box? One of the things that everyone associate boxes with is moving! It is the dread of every person to go through the process of packing away what is worth taking.

Boxes are heaven sent! We use them to stow away and protect our valuables, keep us organized and make things easy to transport. Without them, moving or storing would be a logistic nightmare! Although moving can be a pain, we can appreciate its use and how it aids us in making transition easy from one place to another.

As wonderful as the concept of boxes are they can be seen as a major hindrance. We all have heard the expression "out of the box". It encourages exploration, creativity and new ways of thinking. As we assess our lives, we can identify moments where we stayed in the box. Over time we formed mental, social, emotional and spiritual boxes that we constructed for our mind. We packed away our liberty and freedom in exchange for false security. The box we use to protect what we deem valuable is the very box that is confining and preventing us from stepping out and living a purpose driven life. We learned to organize our lives in a confined space by limiting what comes in and out.

Why? Somewhere along the way we experienced trauma in our lives that impacted our belief system. That encounter enabled us to build a customized box for our protection. Whether it was something spoken or done to us that made us retreat to our box, our actions caused us to setup walls.

But the good news is that we don't have to stay there! Jesus Christ by his blood has freed us from the confinement of our guilt, shame, regret, hurt, pain and trauma. He made healing and deliverance available to us to help us break free from the restraints that seek to suffocate our life.

God has enabled us to "walk around in wide-open spaces"...it is not his will for us to be confined by the limitation of our mind or negative experiences. We don't have to live in the box that we create for ourselves, for the ones that others place us in or even the enemy.

So you might be wondering, if this is true, how can I be free? Well, I am glad you asked. God has made a way of escape, the plan is simple... You need a made up mind and a desire to pursue God and his will. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you out!

God wants us to step out and discover the benefits of living free, whole and delivered.

We must believe that he has a plan for our lives and we can't fulfill or walk it out without a renewed mind and a regenerated heart. Today, I pray that the strength of God's right hand pulls you up and out of the confinement of your mind and break the restraints from your heart. May he deliver you into your season of better days and may you experience the joy of his freedom and the peace of true security in him.

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Work the Gift of God

1 Peter 4:10

"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

Everyone has a gift. Some gifts are easily identified while others are hidden. Nevertheless, God has created us for a special purpose. In order to fulfill that purpose he has given us gifts and talents.

Now, we have to realize that our purpose is not about gaining fame or seeking praise. Our ultimate purpose should always aim to please God, minister to those in need and share the gift that he has blessed us with. Believe it or not, you have something extremely valuable that others can glean from. Your gift is all about serving the people and glorifying God.

The truth is our gifts and talents can open many doors for us, but the doors we choose will impact our purpose or steer us off track if we don't seek the counsel of God. The scriptures states in Romans 12:6 "Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly..." Our gifts must be exercised in a godly manner and governed by the Holy Spirit.

It's important to note that we must also begin to work the gift of God in our lives. Many people are still trying to figure out their purpose. I have found that people tend to look outwardly instead of inwardly. When you begin to search your heart, you will find the passion of your purpose. God created us with purpose before we were formed in our mother's womb, we just have to seek him to understand what he placed on the inside of us. It's simple, to one's purpose is to first seek God. He will reveal to you his plan and instruct you on how to fulfill it.

We all have something that we are good at but we don't explore our options because we fail to work that gift. How can our gifts mature if we don't exercise it during its infancy? 1 Timothy 4:14 tells us "Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you..." No matter how uncomfortable or afraid we may be to step out in our gift we are exercising and building it as we go.

Working the gift of God requires us to speak the word, work the word and live by the word every single day. We speak the work because it builds our faith, we work the word by putting into action. We have to graduate from being a hearer to a doer. Finally, we must live the word. Living out the word everyday anchors the gift of God in our lives. When we speak, work and live the word of God, we can flow in the love that work our gift. Remember, our gift is for service and someone needs your gift. Don't neglect it, but be a good steward of the grace God has given you.

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Living on the Word

Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth" Matthew 4:4 MSG

We all can agree that nutrition is important. If we desire to live a healthy life we have to be mindful of what we put into our bodies. Healthy eating is the first step to healthy living. We become more conscious of our habits and we try to implement new strategies to keep us accountable to the life we always envisioned for ourselves. Everyone wants to be able to live a long healthy fulfilled life.

However, today's scripture points us to a very important truth. Taking care of our bodies is one thing but we often forget to take care of our souls and nurture our spirits. Our spirit must be strengthened and given the necessary nutrients to be vibrant and full of life. The word of God is the nutrient for our complete being; it gives us direction, instruction and guidance on how to take care of our bodies, soul and spirit.

When Jesus was approached by the devil in the wilderness after he had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights he was hungry. The enemy thought that it was the perfect time to bring temptation to Jesus because he would be in a vulnerable state. Little did he know that Jesus was ready to stand against any temptation that would be presented to him. Jesus' focus was not on addressing his natural man with food but the point of the fast was to yield to God's will and feast on his word.

Our Savior was able to boldly decline the enemy's offer of turning stones into bread. Jesus made it clear that he relies on the steady stream of God's word. In other words, even though I might be in a vulnerable position, I am not relying on my own strength to overcome whatever state I find myself but I am relying on the word of God.

It is the word of God that sustains our lives. Jesus is the word that was made flesh and dwelt among men. It is because of Jesus that we can lay hold of the truth of his word and not fall into temptation. He is the bread of life that provides everything we can ever need. When we allow the word to get on the inside of us, it begins to fill the void of whatever we are lacking.

So, while we are thinking of how to maintain our physical bodies, it is time to give some tender loving care to our soul and spirit. We need the word of God to minister to us every day. It's necessary to treat the word of God like the very thing we can't live without.

So pray with me: Lord, I want to be filled with your word. May the desire of your word be planted deep within my heart. Father, help me to seek you when I feel vulnerable so I do not fall into the enemy's plan. I asked that you will equip me through the word and your precious Holy Spirit. I want more than anything to live by your words, for they are life to this that finds it. I receive your word in my heart anew in Jesus name. Amen.

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