BeyondSeeLevel

Many of us don’t even realize the fact that we are slaves to our own personal desires. We stand in the way of our own purpose in God for our lives because what we want for our lives supersedes what God wants and has purposed for our lives. God didn’t create us or save us to be about our own business. He created and saved us to be about His business. He created us for His good pleasure. When we live life in light of eternity, our focus changes from “How much pleasure am I getting out of life?” to “How much pleasure is God getting out of my life?”  God wants us to worship Him. Worship is not a part of our lives; it is our life. When we live a life of worship, God’s expectations are the beginning, middle and end of everything that we do. This means that He’s sought before we go. He’s sought as we go. And He’s sought as we arrive–not just His presence or His blessings; but we seek His approval and His guidance. Our lives are saturated with the Holy Spirit of God. But too often, God doesn’t have our minds/hearts. And because He doesn’t have our hearts,  He’ll never really have the rest of us. We will have a form of godliness but deny the power of godliness. Many of us have consumed our efforts trying to remove any obstacle we feel is in the way of us having what we desire in this life. But the truth is, most of us simply need to realize that we are our biggest obstacle. We need to learn that it’s not about us; but it’s about the One that purposed us, created us and positioned us in this life for His glory; not for our own. The Word teaches us to deny ourselves in order to follow Christ. When we fail to deny ourselves, we deny Him. And because we’re denying Him by failing to deny ourselves, we can not follow Him. When we fail to have a lifestyle of worship, we fail to walk in our purpose. We need to ask God to help us get out of our own way of the purpose HE has for our lives.  Ask Him to help us die daily so that He can live in and through us daily-walk in our purpose not our pleasure. Pleasure can be very deceptive.  It’s deceptive because it has the ability to minimize any sense of urgency we should have to stay connected to God and our purpose in Him. It’s very possible to live a pleasurable life without living a purposeful life. I’m sure many will say that God wants us to experience the abundant pleasures of life and that we don’t have to choose between our purpose and or pleasure.  We can walk in our purpose and have pleasure at the same time. Well….Jesus was faced with the same decision.  He chose purpose. Not My will (my pleasure) be done,  but Thy will be done.  And like Jesus,  we will be faced with choosing between our pleasures and our God given purpose.  Which will you choose?

*Tressa Jo

Most of us have sought to accomplish something, to acquire something or to go somewhere in our lives.  And we pray or wonder are we doing the right thing. Are we headed in the right direction? We prepare ourselves for the task at hand and feel good about where we’re going.  But then, here comes the road blocks and detours. Is this the enemy trying to keep me away from my destiny? I’d much rather believe this because I really do want what I’m pursuing.  Or could this detour or road block actually be a Divine warning to let you know you’re chasing the wrong thing?

Most of us believe that if we ask God for something,  He’s going to give it to us.  He tells us in His word that we have not because we ask not.  So what’s with all the detours and road blocks?! We’ve asked. We’ve prayed.  We’ve pursued. We should be receiving!

Well…..consider this.  God says that He will give us the desires of our heart ACCORDING TO HIS WILL AND PURPOSE for our lives.  Could it be that what you desire for your life isn’t what God desires for your life?  Could it be that you and God are not on the same page when it comes to the course of your life?

Sometimes the detours and road blocks are Divinely orchestrated by God to protect us, guide us and even purpose us.  Purpose us? We have three agendas in life: our agenda for our lives; other people’s agendas for our lives;  and God’s agenda for our lives.  Any time our agenda or other people’s agendas supersede God’s agenda for our lives,  we are out of order and headed in the wrong direction.  God saves us for His good pleasure,  not our own.  Therefore,  sometimes the detours and road blocks are strategically positioned to warn us that we are actually about to step outside our purpose going after whatever it is we’re going after. Just because it has the potential to bring us pleasure doesn’t mean it’s in God’s plan for us.

There’s a man in the bible named Balaam that had the same problem we do.  He wanted something that was outside of God’s will for him.  And like Balaam,  we go for it at all cost and usually don’t realize the purpose of the road blocks until it’s too late or until much damage has been done.

Numbers 22:22-34
22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.

WARNING #1:

The 1st warning was mild. It gave Balaam much room to maneuver and still put him in a position to comfortably, make his own decision and choice. It was to get his attention. This opposition is not a delay. It’s a Divinely orchestrated detour. Pay attention! God will position, promote, push and prepare you for what He approves of.

Numbers 22:24-25
24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

WARNING #2:

The 2nd warning was a little more bold; a little more “in your face”. As Balaam purposed to do his own thing (instead of God’s), he had to put forth more of an effort to accomplish what he wanted to do. He resisted God even more. There were now, stumbling blocks in his way. When we want what we want, we will find ways to do or get what it is that we want (even if God doesn’t want the same thing for us). In addition, Balaam’s foot was crushed against the wall by the donkey. How often do we sustain injury (emotional, mental, physical or spiritual) or acquire additional hardship, as we pursue what God has not purposed for us? Money problems; relationship problems; health problems; problems on the job; etc.  Sometimes, we still go limping and in pain, dissatisfaction and distress. We even convince ourselves, that “the Devil is just trying to block my blessing.” No! God never intended that for you in the 1st place! Some of us are so consumed with listening for God to say “YES”, that we can’t even her Him when He says “NO”.

Numbers 22:26-27

26 Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff.

WARNING #3:

Sometimes, God will eliminate your choices all together. Access denied! God will be merciful enough to shut and lock doors we refuse to take our hands off of and accept the fact that it’s just not His will for our lives. Did you forget that it’s not in us to direct our own steps? He knows best. Pay attention when your donkey lies down and refuses to get back up.

Stumbling blocks and detours aren’t designed to grieve or worry us. They’re designed to warn us. And if we humble ourselves and take heed to God’s merciful warnings (particularly before we even get started in our pursuit), they will actually, save us from lots of grief and even save our lives. A crushed foot is better than a dead soul.

*Tressa Jo