The reason this series is called "Putting God First in Mate Hunting," is because it is exceedingly important that we put Him first, especially in finding a mate. This is because God knows us so much better than we even know ourselves. So He is going to know exactly what we need.
My sister described marriage in a way that really helped me. She said, "marriage is like taking two different personalities and cramming them together!"
I think so many times as singles we don't think about the little things we like and dislike that we are just going to get over. I mean when you cram two people together and make them one they aren't the same person, so inevitably there are going to be things that each one has to give up that doesn't match with the other. This is because in marriage you have to get along. You have to agree or your marriage will fall apart. But there is no way you will agree on everything.
So i said all that to say that putting God first in mate hunting is imperative, because He is going to find someone who fits you much better than you'll be able to find with your own little brain and your own little eyes, and it will be much easier to cram your personalities together.
Have you ever seen those "EHarmony" commercials. One day when i was watching one of those I said this (and it's just so clever that i doubt it was me that thought it up but rather the Holy Spirit), "It's too bad that people of the world have to use EHarmony to find their mate. I've got The Highest finding mine." :)
And it's true. He knows exactly what you need, and He has a couple people in mind that could work just fine for you. He can't give one to you though, unless you let Him. He wants to. He wants to start setting things up so your paths will cross, but He can't even begin to work until you let Him. He's got someone in mind for you Right Now! Someone so good (cause everything God gives is Gooood), when you finally meet them you'll just go to sleep every night wiggling your toes at the thought of it.
But He can't bring them unless you let Him. Well, you say, how do I let Him do it? That's a good question. It's what I've been trying to tell you this whole time! You gotta put Him First! We get so caught up in lookin, that we aren't even paying attention to God anymore.
I know in my own experience I wanted a mate so bad that i began to switch my focus to that. I started lookin everywhere i went. Cause you never know where you might meet them, right? No! I was on the hunt for sure. I thought just everyone I saw could be a possibility. Then one day while I was driving the Lord dealt with me. He said, " When you have your focus on your desire for a mate you don't have your focus on Me."
Well, that seems simple enough, but it's true. We need to have our focus on God. Well, why? What's wrong with looking for a mate? Well, nothing if your putting God first, but your spirit will let you know if that's the case or not.
But see the reason why it's sooo important that we keep our focus on God is because, whatever you have your focus on that's what you are relying on as your supply. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that I was looking to my future husband as my supply of happiness, fulfillment, etc... I felt like my life wasn't really going to start until I got married.
But God wants us to enjoy EVERY DAY! Every minute, every second, of our lives! He doesn't want us sitting around just looking at the future waiting for those landmarks in our lives because they will come and go. They will excite you alright. But it will only be for a time. And when that time ends. When you realize that now that you finally got what you wanted, what you had looked forward to for so many years, what you had dreamed of for so long, when you realize that you finally have it and now that your used to it its not exciting anymore. It will break your heart. It will crush you. It's a terrible feeling and too many marriages have been ruined because of peoples false expectations.
So we should find out the right way to conduct our lives before we get someone else involved and mess theirs up too. We need to learn to be focused on God. When we do that we are relying on Him as our source, and He is the only One who could ever fulfill us. Plus He is the only one who knows enough to find the perfect person for us. So why not trust Him?
We need to stop relying on our own ability to find a mate and trust Him to bring one to us. Cause if we are looking and we aren't trusting Him, He is incapable to bring that person into our lives.
I mean come on! He already has them picked out and He is just waiting for the word. He is just waiting for you to say, "Fine, I give up! Lord I'm gona trust you to bring my mate into my life, but not only that. I'm expecting exceedingly, abundantly, above all i could ask or think!"
And you just wait. They'll show up. Not in our timing, and not if we are looking for them. Remember to keep a watch on yourself. If your still looking all over for them and your focused on that then you haven't really given over to the Lord and His hands are still tied.
But they'll come. I'm waiting for mine right now, and I'll tell you my praise report when they show up in the natural. Praise The LORD! God is soooo Good ;)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Putting God First in Mate Hunting- Part 1
Here's one for all of you single folkes out there:
I know how you feel :)
Ever since i was aware of the opposite sex, I wanted one. I wanted a boyfriend so bad that I was putting that before everything else. It was such a big deal to me that it became one of the biggest strongholds that I have had to overcome in my life up to this point.
Now my spirit was always bearing witness with me that there was actually more to life then finding my mate, but for the longest time I just wouldn't listen. I don't remember the exact point when I realized I needed to change, but I think it was when my Pastor (Jay Eberly, best pastor EVER!) did a sermon on the appetites of the flesh. One of the things he said that stuck out to me the most was "Anything that you are putting before God in your life the Devil will use against you to get you off His plan for you; to get you out of His will." Well, we all know that when your in God's will your blessed and when your not...you not. And if you get a chance I strongly encourage you to listen to Keith Moore's series on "The Kingdom of God" (http://archiveserver.morelifenow.org//archives.php?archive_index=TheKingdomOfGod.txt&filetype=vod&seriestitle=1402 ). It will totally change your view about the time you have on this Earth and the importance of fulfilling the plan of God for your life. I implore you, Please listen to it.
Anyway so when my pastor said that, the Holy Spirit was like, "you know what your putting before God." And i was like, "Yes, i do."
So I slowly but surly began to realize just how much of a stronghold that was for me. It took me a long time to finally get it off of me but it was well worth it.
The first major step I took was when I was leaving my friend's house one night. I, as usual, had a crush on some boy and my spirit was letting me know that it wasn't right. All of a sudden I got a revelation, I realized that it wasn't ME (the true me, made Righteous though Christ Jesus, My inner man, my perfected spirit) that wanted to have a crush, but rather it was my flesh. All along I would go back and forth in and out of the will of God for me thinking I was terrible for wanting to do the wrong thing. We have to get that way of thinking out of our heads. You, the Real you is perfect (assuming your born again). The real you wants only what is good and righteous and nothing else. We have to realize that it's really just our flesh that wants that other stuff and our flesh will ALWAYS want the wrong thing.
Romans 7:18- "For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) nothing good dwells..." Your flesh will NEVER desire to do the right thing, so you might as well stop identifying yourself with it. You are a spirit being and you have been made perfect by the sacrifice of Jesus. Don't waste what He did for you by going through your whole life beating yourself up for something He payed for.
So I got revelation of that and all of a sudden I said, "God I know that it's my flesh that wants to have a crush. To tell you the truth I feel like I don't even want to stop wanting to, but I know that my spirit, the real me, wants to do the right thing. But I've tried to do it time and time again, to the point where I've lost all faith in myself. I cant do it. So if You want me to do it You have to help me!" Now I have now doubt that I was inspired to pray that, because even though I knew what was the right thing to do, I didn't want to do it. I didn't even want to want to do it. And I kid you not, that thing began to slowly fall off me. Now it didn't happen overnight but it came off! Praise the Lord!
I had to realize first of all that it wasn't me that wanted to do the wrong thing but my flesh. However, I also had to realize that I couldn't do it. See, I was trying to do what God asked me to though the efforts of the flesh, when all along I could have done it though Gods strength, and it would have just "fallen off of me." I use that term because when I finally got my thinking right all I had to do was ask for help and doing the right thing was pretty effortless. I just stopped wanting to do it.
You can apply this to any stronghold in your life. God never intended us to battle sin by ourselves, because without Him all we have is our flesh which is actually the bad guy in the first place. If we will simply accept His help and stand in faith, we will finally be able to please Him. And you'll know when you're doing things God's way, because when someone asks you how you did it you'll have no other answer than, I didn't do it. God did. And He will get all the Glory :)
I know how you feel :)
Ever since i was aware of the opposite sex, I wanted one. I wanted a boyfriend so bad that I was putting that before everything else. It was such a big deal to me that it became one of the biggest strongholds that I have had to overcome in my life up to this point.
Now my spirit was always bearing witness with me that there was actually more to life then finding my mate, but for the longest time I just wouldn't listen. I don't remember the exact point when I realized I needed to change, but I think it was when my Pastor (Jay Eberly, best pastor EVER!) did a sermon on the appetites of the flesh. One of the things he said that stuck out to me the most was "Anything that you are putting before God in your life the Devil will use against you to get you off His plan for you; to get you out of His will." Well, we all know that when your in God's will your blessed and when your not...you not. And if you get a chance I strongly encourage you to listen to Keith Moore's series on "The Kingdom of God" (http://archiveserver.morelifenow.org//archives.php?archive_index=TheKingdomOfGod.txt&filetype=vod&seriestitle=1402 ). It will totally change your view about the time you have on this Earth and the importance of fulfilling the plan of God for your life. I implore you, Please listen to it.
Anyway so when my pastor said that, the Holy Spirit was like, "you know what your putting before God." And i was like, "Yes, i do."
So I slowly but surly began to realize just how much of a stronghold that was for me. It took me a long time to finally get it off of me but it was well worth it.
The first major step I took was when I was leaving my friend's house one night. I, as usual, had a crush on some boy and my spirit was letting me know that it wasn't right. All of a sudden I got a revelation, I realized that it wasn't ME (the true me, made Righteous though Christ Jesus, My inner man, my perfected spirit) that wanted to have a crush, but rather it was my flesh. All along I would go back and forth in and out of the will of God for me thinking I was terrible for wanting to do the wrong thing. We have to get that way of thinking out of our heads. You, the Real you is perfect (assuming your born again). The real you wants only what is good and righteous and nothing else. We have to realize that it's really just our flesh that wants that other stuff and our flesh will ALWAYS want the wrong thing.
Romans 7:18- "For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) nothing good dwells..." Your flesh will NEVER desire to do the right thing, so you might as well stop identifying yourself with it. You are a spirit being and you have been made perfect by the sacrifice of Jesus. Don't waste what He did for you by going through your whole life beating yourself up for something He payed for.
So I got revelation of that and all of a sudden I said, "God I know that it's my flesh that wants to have a crush. To tell you the truth I feel like I don't even want to stop wanting to, but I know that my spirit, the real me, wants to do the right thing. But I've tried to do it time and time again, to the point where I've lost all faith in myself. I cant do it. So if You want me to do it You have to help me!" Now I have now doubt that I was inspired to pray that, because even though I knew what was the right thing to do, I didn't want to do it. I didn't even want to want to do it. And I kid you not, that thing began to slowly fall off me. Now it didn't happen overnight but it came off! Praise the Lord!
I had to realize first of all that it wasn't me that wanted to do the wrong thing but my flesh. However, I also had to realize that I couldn't do it. See, I was trying to do what God asked me to though the efforts of the flesh, when all along I could have done it though Gods strength, and it would have just "fallen off of me." I use that term because when I finally got my thinking right all I had to do was ask for help and doing the right thing was pretty effortless. I just stopped wanting to do it.
You can apply this to any stronghold in your life. God never intended us to battle sin by ourselves, because without Him all we have is our flesh which is actually the bad guy in the first place. If we will simply accept His help and stand in faith, we will finally be able to please Him. And you'll know when you're doing things God's way, because when someone asks you how you did it you'll have no other answer than, I didn't do it. God did. And He will get all the Glory :)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Keep Your Eyes on the Light
Alright I've got something good for you tonight. God has been blessing me immensely with revelation lately, so I thought i might just share some with you. Now I am aware that this post is long. However, if you're willing persevere for a couple minutes it will really bless you.
I'll start with an illustration. The way God put it too me was like this: Imagine yourself on a utterly dark landscape. This is the earth. Now it is totally dark so there is no way to see where we are going, right? Well the bible says:
Psalm 119:105- "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
So despite that we are in a dark world God has set a light just before our feet. So if we keep our eyes on the light we can have a surety that we are going the right direction.
Too many times however the devil tries to get us off by attacking us with tests and trials. He is trying to get our eyes off God.
James 1:14- "But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions)."
The devil tries to draw us away from the light. Now if we were keen on the Spiritual Realm we would clearly see the devil and his tactics, but he is a crafty deceiver. See when you have your eyes on the light that is a metaphor for having your focus on God. Keeping your eyes one Him. Living your life for Him. Walking in His will, on the paths He has set out for you.
But when we get off or get distracted or we try to find our own way we are groping in the dark. Because the whole Earth is dark. If we stop looking at the light all that is left is darkness. And we can try as hard as we want to find our way in the dark, but without fail we will stumble time and time again. We will fall, we will get lost, we will lose precious things, we wont know for sure that anything we do will work.
It is a terrible way to go, and it doesn't make any since, right? I mean why trust yourself to try to find the way when you can't see if you have a light right in front of you coming from The ONLY One who can see? When you look at it from that perspective it seems very foolish.
So why DO we stop looking at the light? Well i was wondering the same thing! But Praise God the Holy Spirit has the answers!
See the devil trips us up with making us think that when we step away from that light that we are getting our way. I don't know about you, but many times I've felt like if I really committed to God that i would be losing all the stuff i like to do. But that's A LIE! The devil doesn't want you to know, but if you really decide to go with God, and follow that light, those things will fall off you. You wont even have to give them up. You just wont desire them anymore. It's weird i know, but I've experienced it myself and I feel the most wonderful peace and freedom to finally have those things off of me :)
That's another sermon... Anyway so the devil gets us off by telling us we are getting our way by taking our focus off the light. Like lets say you wanted to watch a movie and the Holy Spirit was saying that you need to pray something out. Well the devil is going to try to tell you that not only is that prayer going to be no fun but you are really getting what you really want if you watch the movie. But that's not true. In reality if you don't do what God is asking you to do you are doing what the devil wants you to. You are walking out his plan for your life. But he wants you to think your actually getting your way. Really your just giving into your flesh and taking your eyes off the light God has set before you.
When you realize what we are really choosing between it will help you beyond measure. You are choosing between the plan of God for your life or the plan of the devil for you life.
Deuteronomy 30:19 -"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;"
If you chose what the devil wants you to do you are choosing the path of the one who steals, kills, and destroys, the path of death. But if you chose Gods will you are choosing the path that leads to Life and not only that but life more abundantly (blessed life) and full of joy! Praise the Lord!
Isaiah 42:16- "And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
I'll start with an illustration. The way God put it too me was like this: Imagine yourself on a utterly dark landscape. This is the earth. Now it is totally dark so there is no way to see where we are going, right? Well the bible says:
Psalm 119:105- "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
So despite that we are in a dark world God has set a light just before our feet. So if we keep our eyes on the light we can have a surety that we are going the right direction.
Too many times however the devil tries to get us off by attacking us with tests and trials. He is trying to get our eyes off God.
James 1:14- "But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions)."
The devil tries to draw us away from the light. Now if we were keen on the Spiritual Realm we would clearly see the devil and his tactics, but he is a crafty deceiver. See when you have your eyes on the light that is a metaphor for having your focus on God. Keeping your eyes one Him. Living your life for Him. Walking in His will, on the paths He has set out for you.
But when we get off or get distracted or we try to find our own way we are groping in the dark. Because the whole Earth is dark. If we stop looking at the light all that is left is darkness. And we can try as hard as we want to find our way in the dark, but without fail we will stumble time and time again. We will fall, we will get lost, we will lose precious things, we wont know for sure that anything we do will work.
It is a terrible way to go, and it doesn't make any since, right? I mean why trust yourself to try to find the way when you can't see if you have a light right in front of you coming from The ONLY One who can see? When you look at it from that perspective it seems very foolish.
So why DO we stop looking at the light? Well i was wondering the same thing! But Praise God the Holy Spirit has the answers!
See the devil trips us up with making us think that when we step away from that light that we are getting our way. I don't know about you, but many times I've felt like if I really committed to God that i would be losing all the stuff i like to do. But that's A LIE! The devil doesn't want you to know, but if you really decide to go with God, and follow that light, those things will fall off you. You wont even have to give them up. You just wont desire them anymore. It's weird i know, but I've experienced it myself and I feel the most wonderful peace and freedom to finally have those things off of me :)
That's another sermon... Anyway so the devil gets us off by telling us we are getting our way by taking our focus off the light. Like lets say you wanted to watch a movie and the Holy Spirit was saying that you need to pray something out. Well the devil is going to try to tell you that not only is that prayer going to be no fun but you are really getting what you really want if you watch the movie. But that's not true. In reality if you don't do what God is asking you to do you are doing what the devil wants you to. You are walking out his plan for your life. But he wants you to think your actually getting your way. Really your just giving into your flesh and taking your eyes off the light God has set before you.
When you realize what we are really choosing between it will help you beyond measure. You are choosing between the plan of God for your life or the plan of the devil for you life.
Deuteronomy 30:19 -"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;"
If you chose what the devil wants you to do you are choosing the path of the one who steals, kills, and destroys, the path of death. But if you chose Gods will you are choosing the path that leads to Life and not only that but life more abundantly (blessed life) and full of joy! Praise the Lord!
Isaiah 42:16- "And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Any Questions?
Well I started this Blog with all the good intentions of writing on it each day. However, I've tried a few different subjects, and I just can't seem to get anything out.
I really want to help and bless my readers, and I know that God has anointed and equipped me to speak into peoples lives.
SO! If you have any questions feel free to ask me. It can be concerning anything your dealing with in your life. If I don't have the answer the Holy Spirit will reveal it too me.
And, of course, I'm not asking you to trust my answers by any means. I am still growing in the things of God. I'm only in my preparation time for ministry. So don't accept anything I say unless it lines up with the Word and it bares witness with your spirit.
2 Corinthians 13
"1This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."
I really want to help and bless my readers, and I know that God has anointed and equipped me to speak into peoples lives.
SO! If you have any questions feel free to ask me. It can be concerning anything your dealing with in your life. If I don't have the answer the Holy Spirit will reveal it too me.
And, of course, I'm not asking you to trust my answers by any means. I am still growing in the things of God. I'm only in my preparation time for ministry. So don't accept anything I say unless it lines up with the Word and it bares witness with your spirit.
2 Corinthians 13
"1This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Short Introduction
Well as I'm sure is common in blogging I will start by introducing myself.
My name is Mary, and I am super crazy about God. I am soo crazy about Him in fact that I decided I wanted to live my whole life for Him. I've come to find that the most important thing to me in life is to hear "Well done" when I get to heaven. Ironically enough I also have a call of God on my life to the full time ministry that I am currently pursuing.
Part of that pursuit is practice, so I plan to use this blog to talk about things that God has given me revelation on. I want to bless people through helping them to understand God and His awesome Word in deeper ways.
So Read and Enjoy :)
My name is Mary, and I am super crazy about God. I am soo crazy about Him in fact that I decided I wanted to live my whole life for Him. I've come to find that the most important thing to me in life is to hear "Well done" when I get to heaven. Ironically enough I also have a call of God on my life to the full time ministry that I am currently pursuing.
Part of that pursuit is practice, so I plan to use this blog to talk about things that God has given me revelation on. I want to bless people through helping them to understand God and His awesome Word in deeper ways.
So Read and Enjoy :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
