“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.” Matthew 11:28-31 (New Century Version)
I pray that each one of us will enter into 2010 with a purpose. Have a purpose and maintain a purpose. The Amplified says, in verses… 29-30 “Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest and relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.
For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good–not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.”
I can’t think of a better way to begin 2010 than to Come to Jesus and let Him show you the way to walk with purpose in the New Year.
2010 with PURPOSE!
thedailylily.com 
“I can’t think of a better way to begin 2010 than to come to Jesus and let Him show you the way to walk with purpose in the New Year.”
Yes, Sara, you are right. Read with me the following verse and footnotes, from my Bible. (Proverbs 3:6) “Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (footnotes) “To receive God’s guidance, said Solomon, we must seek God’s will in all we do. This means turning every area of life over to him. About a thousand years later, Jesus emphasized this same truth (Matthew 6:33). Examine your values and priorities. What is important to you? In what areas have you not acknowledged him? You may already acknowledge God in many areas of your life, but the areas where you attempt to restrict or ignore him will cause you grief. Make him a vital part of everything you do; then he will guide you because you will be working to accomplish his purposes.”
I agree with your last statement Sara…no better way to begin 2010. I think everyone wants to live with a sense of purpose. I know I do. Knowing God’s purpose for our lives and living daily in such a way as to fulfill it provides structure, meaning, joy, energy, hope and more.
Needles footnotes provide us with some great guidelines.
I like this scripture from Jeremiah 29:11-13 also because it gives encouragement about Sara’s prayer for us:” For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
I just read in Joyce Meyer’s devotional book, ‘Starting Your Day Right’ for December 27 (today) the title, “MOVE FORWARD”. This confirms what Sara got from the Lord to write this blog about. Sara exhorts us to allow Jesus to show us the way to walk with a ‘purpose and maintain a purpose’ for 2010.
Anybody that walks knows that means to MOVE FORWARD.
Joyce Meyer quotes Philippians 3:13-14, “I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.” AMP She then goes on to say: ” God will anoint you to do what He calls you to do. But when His anointing is gone, let it go. Get rid of the things that God’s anointing was on at one time, but not anymore. Don’t keep doing the same thing because people expect you to. I encourage you to prune off activities that fill your day but don’t add to your life. Sometimes we hold onto assignments that God is finished with for us. Ask God for wisdom, then walk away from tasks He no longer is asking you to do. Make room for new life to flourish through the work of your hands.”
Bobby Hogan writes an article entitled “The Road to Destiny” in Gwen Shaw’s most recent newsletter. One of the points in it He makes is: “Other times, God requires us to let go of the old so we can grasp the new. In Genesis 13 God told Abram to separate himself from his family because they had a deadly belief system. After Abram separated himself he received his greatest blessing. And he says if people walk away from you let them walk …’your destiny is never tied to anyone who can walk away’. And he states ‘it doesn’t matter what a person has done for you in the past. That person does not have to be in your life for you to succeed.” Again, this says to me, MOVE FORWARD. Press into the new. Let go of the old. There is distinct and unique purpose ahead.
As Sara wrote, “Have a purpose and maintain a purpose.”
Debi, your comments from both Joyce Meyer’s devotional and Bobby Hogan’s article makes me think of Paul’s writings to the church.
“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” 1 Corinthians 13:11 NKJ
One of the ways we can test our growth chart is from the writings of Paul, Joyce, Bobby, and others. Billy Graham wrote in The Secret of Happiness, “Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears of love shed for others are a sign of strength. I am not as sensitive as I ought to be until I am able to ‘weep o’er the erring one and lift up the fallen. And, until I have learned the value of compassionately sharing others’ sorrow, distress, and misfortune, I cannot know real happiness.”
As Dr. Graham is showing us when we put our gifts to work in the Body of Christ, with Faith, hope and love as our theme we go from childish things to Godly things. I Corinthians 13 gives us the keys to move forward.
Yes, time to grow up and move forward no matter what the age.
I love these wisdom words of Dr Graham. He brings God’s true purpose into focus.
Debi,
Thanks for reminding me of the scripture in Jeremiah. Read with me the footnotes for this verse: “We’re all encouraged by a leader who stirs us to move ahead, someone who believes we can do the task he has given and who will be with us all the way. God is that kind of leader. He knows the future, and his plans for us are good and full of hope. As long as God, who knows the future, provides our agenda and goes with us as we fulfill his mission, we can have boundless hope. This does not mean that we will be spared pain, suffering, or hardship, but that God will see us through to a glorious conclusion.”
Yes, Hooray! I love that scripture from Jeremiah and it is our answer for today and into 2010. It bears repeating over and over again: ” For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (read Needles above footnotes) It makes me sing with Ivan Parker, “I can’t even walk without You holding my hand,…”
Today, I wait, I pray, I hope and I sing as I expect to hear reports from a number of people awaiting Doctor’s reports. As I awoke today I had expectancy knowing our lives are in the Hands of The Almighty God. Yet as Needles wrote from the footnotes,” it doesn’t mean we will be spared pain, suffering, or hardship, but that God will see us through to a glorious conclusion.”
Finding others that care, love and pray right here with words of encouragement makes God’s Word from Matthew tattoo Hope right in the middle of one’s heart. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
My dear beloved friends of The Daily Lily and church, your light has been shining so bright from your good works that Our Father surely is feeling the honor due Him.
Amen as we join in these prayers. What encouragement is served to us in Sara sharing, ‘As I awoke today I had expectancy knowing our lives are in the Hands of The Almighty God.’ This reaffirms to us what Sara said in her Nov 12 blog, “Hope for the Holidays”: “When I live in a state of Expectancy good things begin to happen.”
And Needles as I read Joyce Meyer’s devotional for today, Dec 28th it aligned with the footnotes you shared… particularly, “As long as God, who knows the future, provides our agenda and goes with us as we fulfill his mission, we can have boundless hope.”
Joyce Meyer confirms with the title for today “Let God Set Your Agenda” and her scripture for today from Jeremiah 7:23: “But this thing I did command them: Listen to and obey My voice, and I will be your God and you will be My people; and walk in the whole way that I command you, that it may be well with you.”
My purpose for 2010 is to continue to enjoy the Beauty of Prayer. This is my passion. I have great Joy in the privilege of prayer and praying together with others.
I use the scripture found in 1 Timothy 2, to remind and encourage me daily” to pray for big change in Washington, DC and The Nations!”
” Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2) for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life …
This is a great scripture that should spur us on to prayer…God directing us to pray gives us much purpose. James 5:16 says “…the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Avail: to be of use, advantage, profit, or assistance (to). That to me says helps to change things.
As I reread some of our comments this morning….. I began to ask myself: “What is prayer?” I thought, what a silly question to ask myself. I know that it is conversation, with the Lord. Then I began to read His word, on prayer. I saw prayer as a commandment, in 2Chronicles 7:14, and I know there is a scripture that tells us to “pray without ceasing”, but I can’t seem to find it now. In Matthew 6: 5-13, I saw how we are suppose to pray. Over in Mark 11: 24-25 it says we can pray for anything, but we must forgive anyone we have a grudge against, first. Debi, has written the scripture in James that instructs us that “fervent prayer of a righteous man”, essentially……”gets it done”. I know there are many other verses that teach us about prayer, but I am seeing that it must be the key, for moving forward in “2010 with a purpose.” Thank you, Sara, for posting this blog.
Thanks for sharing those scriptures on prayer Needles. Reading all the shared scriptures helps us see clearly and understand how vital prayer is and just how to pray.
I believe the scripture you were looking for ‘pray with out ceasing’ is found in I Thessalonians 5:17.
Thanks Debi, now read with me the footnotes for verses 16-18 in 1 Thessalonians 5. “Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings. Obeying these three commands–be joyful, never stop praying, and be thankful–often goes against our natural inclinations. When we make a conscious decision to do what God says, however, we will begin to see people in a new perspective. When we do God’s will, we will find it easier to be joyful and thankful.”
Wow! Now this is a lesson!
Debi and Needles, thank you for your encouragement.
I was having a ‘communicate’ with a beloved friend today and I was trying to encourage both she and I to do what I felt the right thing was based on the Word of God. We neither felt very good about doing the right thing. And, she even questioned me by asking if we did the right thing according to how I saw it would it not be a lie according to our feelings? I felt no, no lie. Why? Because obeying God is the highest form of truth.
The Word says, love covers a multitude of sins. When we are at odds with the way the world does things and we have the courage to do the right thing even thought feelings scream, not fair plus other verbiage we have allowed the love of God to cover our sins. Joy to pursue, gratitude excel and feelings expelled.
Great truths for overcoming when applied to the wound of raw feelings. Let’s keep 2010 on track for purpose.
Sara there is such freedom in your statement: ‘Because obeying God is the highest form of truth.’ It reminds me of the scripture from John 8:31, 32: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” I think this reinforces what Needles was saying, “When we do God’s will, we will find it easier to be joyful and thankful.” And that’s back to your blog about taking the yoke of Jesus on us, ‘The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.” There’s freedom in being constrained by the Lord’s yoke because it enables us to walk side by side with Him right where He wants us to go and what greater joy can that bring!
After reading all the blog entries I read Joel Osteen’s Book – IT’S YOUR TIME, Chapter Bold Prayers. He encourages each Christian person to pray boldly. One such prayer for 2010, “God I’m asking You not to just supply my needs but to bless me so much that I can be a blessing to others!” Here is another from Joel Osteen’s book: “God, I’m asking that my child(ren) become ‘mighty in the land,’ a leader and fulfilled of his (their) God-given destiny!” He says ask him for:
* hidden dreams planted in your heart
*inner promises to come to pass
*restore broken ties to family members and other loved ones
*life free of illness
*full blossoming of talents
*fulfill your highest hopes and dreams
*want for everything God created me to be – a big break, a good idea, a profitable opportunity, a person who’ll change your life, chance to benefit others with your talents.
*bless us so we can support orphanages, build clinics, (churches), help others
He goes on to say that like the Prayer of Jabez “not only ‘bless me,’ but also ‘God, enlarge my territory.’ He (Jabez) was saying, ‘God, go beyond the norm. Go beyond my borders. Give me extraordinary favor, God, let me see abundance in my life.”
Let us pray bold prayers for 2010.
Thank you for this blog and all the encouraging words that were written. As I sit here and ponder on the year 2009, I think about the times I was used as God’s vessel and I think of all the times my vessel was filled with flesh.I think, does God’s vessel out number my flesh vessel or do my flesh vessel out number God’s vessel. Am I in the positive or negative. What do I need to do to improve me being used as God’s vessel. As Debi quoted Joyce Meyers:MOVE FORWARD Billy Graham: Time to grow up and move forward no matter what the age… As we watch 2009 move to the past tense and 2010 move to the present tense we must move forward. We must grow up and move forward. We must not continue to live in 2009, but learn, grow, apply what was learned and move forward. If Moses didn’t move forward, the Israelites would never have gotten out of Egypt. If Jesus didn’t move forward we would never be saved from our sins. We need to move forward. Move forward with prayer and guidance from our Lord. Move forward as the Lord’s vessel. So let’s welcome 2010 on our knees, praise God for what was, and is and is to come. Thank you Lord for all you are.
Chickenfarmer, I remember how last July a group of us ‘lilies’ were attending The Daily Lily Retreat ’09, led by Sara where we studied her book, “Dressing for His Glory”. We were sitting under a beautiful umbrella outside at a round table eating a delightful lunch and discussing our ‘Mid-Term Exam’ from the Lesson. The exam focused on questions from an anonymous poem, “Earthen Vessels (or The Watered Lilies)”. We agreed what vital importance it is to remain constantly God’s available vessel so He can fill us and use us to water drooping heads of other ‘lilies and flowers’…those in need of His ministry.
It seems God always tests us after He teaches us. Sitting there that day we probably had no idea how each one would be tested and used since that day. I’m sure we all have accounts to tell…times we remained ‘Close to His feet on the pathway’ where He picked us up, filled us and used us though we were only, ‘Empty, and frail, and small’…and times when we wandered from His feet and missed an opportunity we can never regain.
I am thankful we can move forward in 2010 and continue to learn from and apply the mighty principles of our Mid-Term Exam,
” Earthern Vessels.”
The Master stood in His garden,
Among the lilies fair,
Which His own right hand had planted,
And trained with tend’rest care.
He looked at their snowy blossoms,
And marked with observant eye
That the flowers were sadly drooping,
For their leaves were parched and dry.
“My lilies need to be watered,”
The Heavenly Master said;
“Wherein shall I draw it for them,
And raise each drooping head?”
Close to His feet on the pathway,
Empty, and frail, and small,
An earthen vessel was lying,
Which seemed no use at all;
But the Master saw, and raised it
From the dust in which it lay,
And smiled, as He gently whispered,
“This shall do My work today.”
“It is but an ‘earthen’ vessel,
But it lay so close to Me;
It is small, but it is empty-
That is all it needs to be.”
So to the fountain He took it,
And filled it full to the brim;
How glad was the earthen vessel
To be of some use to Him!
He poured forth the living water
Over His lilies fair,
Until the vessel was empty,
And again He filled it there.
He watered the drooping lilies
Until they revived again;
And the Master saw with pleasure.
That His labor had not been vain.
His own hand had drawn the water
Which refreshed the thirsty flowers;
But He used the earthen vessel
To convey the living showers.
And to itself it whispered,
As He laid it aside once more,
“Still will I lie in His pathway,
Just where I did before.
“Close would I keep to the Master,
Empty would I remain,
And perhaps some day He may use me
To water His flowers again.”
Anonymous
New Year’s Eve is a great time to talk with the Lord about all these many things. I just pray that we don’t get up and walk away and not obey. Many times forgetting before the ‘drop of the ball.’
I am here in florida visiting with my family. I thought it quite interesting that as we were sitting around talking after dinner yesterday, my sister-in-law who is a pastor & teacher, commented,” we just have to live our lives with expectancy …being ready for Christ’s immenent return.” That was like a confirmation and/agreement as to what Sara has been writing and teaching in the last few months.
I agree MG.’being ready’ gives me the thought of what I want to do in 2010, live 2010 with purpose! “Looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2), seems to be the secret of living life to the fullest.
Thinking about the above comments, ‘living with expectency’, ‘looking to Jesus’ and ‘being ready’ say to me that purpose involves work.
Work is vital to God’s plans and purposes. We have been given a window of opportunity to work to fulfill our destiny and influence the eternal destiny of many.
“Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” John 5:17
“As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” John 9:4
In 2010, I want the minutes I punch on my time clock to be committed to, planned in conjunction with, and approved by the Lord.
“Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3
I was skimming through a magazine today and ran across an article for the New Year on how to be happy. And, look what #1 was:
“A new way to be happy would be based on the following new principles:
1. Life has a purpose. When you live up to that purpose, inner happiness develops.”
Like I said, “Live 2010 with a purpose.”
Already the seventh day into 2010 and as I awake to a new day I am thinking about how God recorded His journal of seven days. And, on the seventh day, God said, Rest. When we read Genesis 1,2 and think about how much God accomplished in a six days and then said Rest, on the 7th, think it is! I look back at my journal and see how much I have accomplished and how good it is? OOPS! Maybe too much resting. Sometimes my journal may look at though I have rested 6 and worked 1. Not sure my odds are going to be that good if I don’t do some thinking.
I am understanding more and more how boundaries start in the mind. Get the things that either infiltrate or try to infiltrate the mind in prospective. Give the thoughts that could turn into actions that should not a swift kick out the door. And, shovel like icy snow the actions that have no real purpose in my journal.
God left his journal of 7 days for us to read for a purpose. Do you have a seven day journal of creative success to share that might inspire some of us to purpose!
By the way keep reading chapter two of Genesis, because the greater work starts there. He needed a masterpiece and He got it with you and me!
These comments are most thought provoking. I read a quote from Thomas Carlyle that says, “The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder…a waif…a nothing, a no man.” And Proverbs 16:4 says, “The Lord has made EVERYTHING for His own purposes.” James 3:18 says, “You can develop a healthy, robust commuity that lives right with God and enjoy its results only IF YOU DO THE HARD WORK of getting along with each other…”
To live life with purpose is to discover God’s purpose for us at this time and place and then commit to it, to HIM and to one another, so that in the community of believers we may labor together like modern-day Esthers, to attain the purpose with which HE has commissioned us “for such a time as this”
Reading Sara’s comment and Gen 1, 2 challenges me want to take a hard look at the ‘work’ I do…time waster or productive for Him? Also what screening device do I have in place to detect infiltrators?
And on ‘boundaries’….thinking we must get to that 7th day of rest once we obediently learn to do His work for 6.
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:9-11
Debi, what screening device do you use? And, on boundaries how to you set them in your mind and kick out the ones that have no real purpose? I see purpose as ones motivation. What motives do I have for the things I do?
MG mentioned purpose of Esther. She surely had purpose and motivation. I believe we all do but have we filtered it so it shows and works. God sure had one when He created the heavens and the earth and then us. Identify and stick with it. Make it better them Elmer’s glue.
‘…what screening device do you use? And, on boundaries how to you set them in your mind and kick out the ones that have no real purpose?’
One thing perhaps I can identify is related to how I process when I have a task/assignment for the day to do/give/help with that I believe God is asking to me to accomplish. I try to: first ask the Holy Spirit to help and direct; I then prioritize by placing it at the top of my to do/think on list and put other planned things either on hold; I try to exclude distractive thoughts or actions that don’t align with or support the task (no admittance); and when thoughts come to try to tell me that I am too tired, too weak, too busy, etc, I try to counter them by speaking aloud with a scripture and keep moving in a forward direction to complete the assignment (keep moving forward is very important to me in this screening process). From what I currently understand about myself, the motivation that gives me purpose is to give to Him this way and to be obedient to do my small part to help the whole in the ministry He placed me under.
Debi, you have given us some great tips to overcome frazzle and accomplish our purpose.
I am sure we all remember, Frazzle, the Muppet monster intended to be “scary” in the children’s television series ‘Sesame Street’ due to his creepy annoying appearance. Frazzle was often put on lawns to scare children away. I think so often our frazzle with our long list of frazzle work we say we have to do scares many away from Faith. Why? At times we may be deceiving others by telling them how busy we are when really we are just making excuses why we need another rest hour, day, another movie, tv Muppet show, or a trip and seemly the best rest for many of us is spend money or no frazzle and if no frazzle no purpose.
Contentment will give us thermal springs to bathe our frazzle. I learn this from the Apostle Paul….
Wow…seems we have a lot of ‘monsters’ showing up on the scene lately causing distractions, hindrances, etc…anything to prevent us reaching goals. Why, just the other day, Dec 31, 2009, to be exact, the Green eyed Monster showed up on the Daily Lily. We were immediately alerted!… “Have you seen it? Felt it? Know it?” … (Jealousy-Talking Points
December 31st, 2009)
These thought came to me after re-reading the original topic quote on this particular Talking point…Matthew 11:28-31 that Sara posted. ( and I will paraphrase , also with thoughts from this blog).
“Come to Me all you who are heavy-laden…you with credit card debt, maxed out cards. All you whose treasure is in your clothes closet and your wardrobe; all you who sit in the throes of traffic, 10 minute red lights and 14 degree wind chill. Come to Me all you who are concerned over heating bills, water bills, car repair bills, sick family members, disobedient children. All you who fight addiction to the computer, to the Television, to the movie houses. Come to Me! I want to take you under My wing, as a mother hen gathers her chicks. Would you allow Me to do that? Would you be NOT like the ones in MY hometown who would not permit Me or who would not trust, believe in and come to Me for comfort and solace? My yoke is easy-fitting, not harsh or chafing and My burden is pleasing and not cumbersome at all. You will find rest in Me, heart peace and quiet joy. I have a plan and a purpose for your life. It was all thought out millennia before you were born. Let Me show you, Come to Me. Come! I will show you great and marvelous things you have neither thought of nor conceived of.
Let Me show you your grand purpose that i have planned out for you for this journey on the earth. Plans for your good and not for harm. You will be astonished.”
The Bridegroom awaits. COME!
MG, great reminders of things that weight us down and keep us from running the race of obedience. When we know the right thing and even admit we know the right thing and keep on doing just the wrong thing……
The Apostle Paul said, “And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven.”Acts 26 19 Most interesting story to read in Acts 26. It is a sobering thought to think on how many people and things we obeyed rather than the vision from heaven?
What a legacy to aspire for and to leave….that we would have obeyed the vision, plan, purpose God had for us.
It seems obedience locks the yoke of purpose in place securely and we feel the load lifted and a joy and spring comes into our step.