Isaiah 59:1-2 "Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" (NIV).
Last time, we looked at the first of just a few lessons I have learned in my wilderness wanderings, that even in the wilderness, God provides and guides. Today, let's look at the second lesson I have learned. It is a lesson that is crucial.
Lesson #2 is that sin will stop the flow of God's provision to you. Sin is a problem. It separates you from God, the very One who can provide for your needs as you're in the wilderness.
Sin creates a barrier. God will not look at sin, and He turns a deaf ear to the prayers of those living in unconfessed sin. What sin is worth living without the help of Almighty God?
What this has to do with weight loss: When the weight-loss journey begins to feel like a wilderness wandering, when you have asked God to help you but the answers just don't seem to come, it is helpful to take stock of your life. See if there is unconfessed sin that may be keeping the Lord from blessing your weight-loss journey. If there is, take care of it.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, it is good to remind myself that sin is a barrier to Your provision, to Your willingness to intervene in my life. My desire is to keep a clean slate with You, every day. May I be so spiritually sensitive, that the second I even think of sinning, my conscience is pricked. I don't want anything to keep me from a close walk with You. I want to be a person You can bless. In Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, living a life God can bless.
Showing posts with label weight-loss wilderness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight-loss wilderness. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Life Plan Devotion #151 [Even in the wilderness]
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go" (NIV).
We have been looking briefly at the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel, as they were led out of Egypt (the land of bondage) to Canaan (the land of promise). For the next few days, let's look at what it all means for you, right here, today.
Perhaps you are smack in the middle of your own wilderness wandering, right now. Perhaps you will find yourself in one in the future. Perhaps you have been in one in the past, and you've learned a few things. Allow me to share some of the lessons I learned, from my own wilderness wanderings.
I want you to know, fellow believer, lesson #1, that even in the wilderness, God provides and guides. The fact that you're in the wilderness does not mean He has abandoned you. Look to Him to guide you through the wilderness. He will do it. Look to Him to provide for you while in the the wilderness. He will be faithful to do that, as you trust Him.
What this has to do with weight loss: I'll be honest. I want this weight-loss journey to be easy, to be effortless. I want each day to be like it was right after surgery, when no matter what I did or didn't do, I lost weight. It was exciting to get on the scale, to lose a pound or more nearly every day, it seemed, for months. Well, it isn't like that anymore. Now, the scale certainly shows what I've done or not done, and, frankly, some days it feels like I'm in some weight-loss wilderness, and it's difficult to walk it. Maybe you're there, too. Let us remind ourselves that even if it feels like it, we are not alone. We have each other, and, more importantly, we have the Lord who provides and guides, as we look to and trust Him.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me today that I can be strong and courageous, and that You do not want me to be afraid or discouraged. Thank You that the reason is that You have promised to be with me, wherever I go, even when I am in a wilderness. Thank You for your faithful provision and guidance through the most difficult of circumstances, the times when the path is strewn with stones, for I know that with You on my side, I will make it to the land of promise. Remind me, if I forget, Father. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, encouraged, knowing that God is with you wherever you go.
We have been looking briefly at the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel, as they were led out of Egypt (the land of bondage) to Canaan (the land of promise). For the next few days, let's look at what it all means for you, right here, today.
Perhaps you are smack in the middle of your own wilderness wandering, right now. Perhaps you will find yourself in one in the future. Perhaps you have been in one in the past, and you've learned a few things. Allow me to share some of the lessons I learned, from my own wilderness wanderings.
I want you to know, fellow believer, lesson #1, that even in the wilderness, God provides and guides. The fact that you're in the wilderness does not mean He has abandoned you. Look to Him to guide you through the wilderness. He will do it. Look to Him to provide for you while in the the wilderness. He will be faithful to do that, as you trust Him.
What this has to do with weight loss: I'll be honest. I want this weight-loss journey to be easy, to be effortless. I want each day to be like it was right after surgery, when no matter what I did or didn't do, I lost weight. It was exciting to get on the scale, to lose a pound or more nearly every day, it seemed, for months. Well, it isn't like that anymore. Now, the scale certainly shows what I've done or not done, and, frankly, some days it feels like I'm in some weight-loss wilderness, and it's difficult to walk it. Maybe you're there, too. Let us remind ourselves that even if it feels like it, we are not alone. We have each other, and, more importantly, we have the Lord who provides and guides, as we look to and trust Him.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me today that I can be strong and courageous, and that You do not want me to be afraid or discouraged. Thank You that the reason is that You have promised to be with me, wherever I go, even when I am in a wilderness. Thank You for your faithful provision and guidance through the most difficult of circumstances, the times when the path is strewn with stones, for I know that with You on my side, I will make it to the land of promise. Remind me, if I forget, Father. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, encouraged, knowing that God is with you wherever you go.
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