I am still eating from yesterday's message. There were so many good nuggets. If you didn't get a chance to read it, I encourage you to do so. This morning I want to talk about one of the nuggets from yesterday regarding short cuts.
We have become a people who like things NOW. I too, am included. Why wait two hours for something to cook when I can pop something in the microwave that can be done in 5 mins! Why would I take the long route if there is a shorter route? Duh!
Shortcuts are always short-sighted. They distract you from getting where you need to go and from what God wants you to do in your life.
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
God will often put you in situations so that you can become mature in your faith. God knows when you take the short cut chances are you will miss out on the opportunity to walk in the fruits of the spirit.
Longsuffering says: "For God I live for God I die!"
Faithfulness says: "He is able!"
Self Control says: ""Get back demon!"
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| Premature |
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| Mature |
God promised Sarah that she would have a baby. At 80-years-old, she made up her mind that God was taking too long. She decided to take a shortcut. She told Abraham (her husband) to get her maid pregnant. She had things all planned out. She was going to build her family through her slave. So she gave her slave Hagar to her husband, to be his wife. (SHORT CUTS WILL MAKE YOU LOSE FOCUS. IT'LL HAVE YOU DOING FOOLISH THINGS) When Hagar got pregnant she started feeling some sort of way about Sarah. Sarah begins to blame her husband for their beef. (SHORT CUTS WILL STIR UP PROBLEMS IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS) At this point, these two women are at war. Sarah mistreats Hagar and Hagar despise Sarah. Bottom line is, God did give Sarah her own baby. However, her short cut caused problems that lasted for generations. (Genesis 16). (SHORT CUTS USUALLY LEAD TO MORE PROBLEMS IN THE END)
What about Jesus? He too was tempted to take a short cut.
The devil told Jesus to jump from the top of the temple and, when the angels caught him, it would prove to everyone he was the Son of God. He said all would worship him. (SHORT CUTS USUALLY LEAD TO YOU GETTING GLORY NOT GOD) Jesus did not get sidetracked, he followed God's plan. The devil tried to trip him up to stop his purpose. Jesus was meant to die on the cross, not jump off a temple. God's plan was that Jesus would be glorified through suffering, not through showing off.
To reach your dreams and goals and to be who God has called you to be means you cannot cut corners. When you take short cuts what you are saying to God is, "I don't trust your plans for my life. I need to do things my way because my plans are better."
Coming out of God's test prematurely means taking the risk of losing it all.
Right now I am experiencing a mighty trial; a test. I know that after this season is done, my life will be changed. I will step into who I am called to be, my destiny. I have been in this season for what seems like forever! Some days I get through easy and some days I barely make it. But at the end of the day, I have come too far. I cannot afford to produce a premature destiny. I do not want to face or risk complications. I do not want to have my future, my goals, my dreams in the Intensive Care Unit hoping to survive. As long as God continues to give me strength, I will not take the short cut. When this test is over, I will step into my destiny healthy and fully mature giving God ALL the glory.
Short cuts steal the victories that God has prepared for you.
James 1:4 NIV- Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Enjoy your day,
Baya...that Godly Diva
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