Monday, September 14, 2015

The Most Important Thing to Decide Today

THE SPIRIT of God has been reminding me lately that the most important thing to decide each day is to follow Jesus — to turn back to God.
This may seem basic to you, but it’s my very equilibrium that depends on such a decision. I’m not ashamed to say it: I’m addicted to Jesus — but this addiction is different to typical addictions in that I don’t always go directly to my ‘fix’ in order to get fixed. I often forget I should do that, and I find my way back to my fix indirectly, and sometimes that isn’t just a problem for me; it can become a problem for others, too. (Yes, we never want that.)
The most important thing to decide today is to repent — to turn back to God — to follow Jesus — even as we get out of bed and rub the sleep from our eyes. First we need to say in faith, “It’s okay; everything’s going to be alright.”
Here, below, is an acronym to remember and apply each morning:
Review the previous day — change from it or more of the same?
Entreat God by prayers of confession, adoration, thanksgiving and supplication (CATS). I believe I need to get my heart right first before God (confession) before I can adore him.
Participate in silence. The word participation suggests there is more than one party. Many of us pray as if it were only us; as if God cannot communicate. God communicates in silence, and we will surely hear him if we are silent within.
Enter a pledge of allegiance. Solemnly swear, afresh, to follow the Lord’s will and way.
Nullify the enemy — during the day, and even early on, the enemy of God may try to trip us up. All we need to do is keep seeking to follow Jesus; no turning back.
Take the first step by faith — then the next, and the next, and so forth. Faith requires within us patience at times, and courage at other times. Sometimes faith is simply remembering all the good things God has already done.
Our best hope of having a good day is to start it in a positive fashion. Bad things may still happen, and then we discovered it was our attitude that commanded the direction we would head in — a good one or a bad one.
So, once again:
Review the previous day.
Entreat God by prayer.
Participate in silence.
Enter a pledge of allegiance.
Nullify the enemy.
Take the first step by faith.
Start the day how you hope to end it: full of calm and tranquil with hope.

© 2015 Steve Wickham.

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