Wednesday, January 13, 2021 Some material taken from If Only vs Regardless
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it, and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaish 43:19 AMP
Regardless of what our current circumstances are and what has happened in our past, we can live with confidence in the future because we have a God who is always doing a new thing!In his sermon this past Sunday, Brother Van gave us Five admonitions that will under gird a "regardless" approach to life.
A Regardless approach to life:
Forgets what you have done for others and concentrates on what others have done for you. When we get the focus off of ourselves and all we have done for others and focus on what has been given to us and done for us graciously by others, it turns our thinking completely outward instead of inward. When we think we deserve attention, recognition, or repayment for the things we have done for others we have done it for all the wrong reasons. When we do for others, it should be completely selflessly, wanting nothing in return.
Have you stopped to really consider the list of those who have contributed to your happiness, success and peace? Most of us could never repay the kindness that has been shown to us. It will under gird our "next-time"approach to life - to forget what we have done for others, and concentrate on what others have done for us.
Digs a grave and buries negative thoughts so that you might cultivate a garden for positive ideas. Attitude is everything. We can decide how to handle the circumstances of our lives - in a positive way or a negative way. Although feelings of hopelessness do come sometimes, the only choice to move forward is to give those thoughts and feeligs to God and ask for His help in overcoming them. Our attitude may not be able to change our circumstances, but it is our attitude toward our circumstances that shapes our lives. That is what it means to dig a grave to bury our negative thoughts, so that we can plant and cultivate a garden for positive ideas!
Looks beyond the surface of things to the reality of life. There are no quick fixes in this life. As soon as hardship hits us we want a bandaid to fix it as soon as possible. We panic. But if we put a bandaid on the surface, there may not be any fixing the real problem. Life and the issues that come take hard work and time to sort out. Trust God. Leave it in His hands and do what needs to be done on your part. Don’t try to just cover it up, and let Him handle what is His to handle.
Trusts God to meet our needs with His supply. The question you need to ask is, “Am I OK?” We don’t ever feel ok right away in the midst of difficult times. We let our minds race to the future thinking about what could happen, and we always imagine the worst. But we have to get control of ourselves and focus on NOW. If we can look at our situation today and know that we are ok, we can trust him for tomorrow too. Faith overcomes fear, it doesn’t remove it. But we can give our fears to Him and trust Him to do all He promises to do in our lives today and in the future.
Remembers the works of God and Praises Him. Because we remember all God has done for us we can live without fear of the future. There is nothing that dissolves fear faster than praising God. Praise focuses on God and not the circumstance. It will change our perspective, our outlook, and that will change our experience. Turn on the praise music and sing at the top of your lungs because the devil will flee! Remember all God has done in your life. Remember how He has provided, delivered, and restored you in the past and KNOW He will do so in the future.
No matter what happens, no matter what our circumstances, we can affirm with conviction "regardless" because our God is a consuming fire, burning away all the sin and failure of the past; He is a God who is "doing a new thing," making a way in the
wilderness and rivers in the desert. - Van Houser
