Reaping a Harvest in the Midst of Famine

In Genesis 26, scripture talks about a time when there was a great famine in the land. There had been a drought for many years, and the people were struggling to survive. God told Isaac to take a step of faith and plant his crops anyway. It didn't make sense. There was no way to water the crops. It looked like it would be a waste of time. Isaac could have said, "God, have You seen the conditions lately? Have You checked the weather report? Do You realize it hasn't rained in years? Nothing is going to grow." Isaac could have looked at things in the natural and talked himself right out of it, but instead, Isaac had a bold obedience. Scripture says, "In the midst of the famine, he sowed a seed in the land."
I can imagine his friends saying, "Isaac, what in the world are you doing? Do you realize nothing is going to grow in a drought?" But Isaac didn't get discouraged. He didn't listen to the naysayers; he just kept planting. What was he doing? He was sowing a radical seed. What happened? He reaped a radical harvest! The scripture says, "In the same year, in the famine, he received a 100-fold return." Now, Isaac could have reasoned things out and held onto those seeds for years waiting for the conditions to be perfect, but nothing would have happened. Isaac understood that the power was not in the seed, the power was in the obedience. When he obeyed, that's when the miracle happen. The conditions don't have to be perfect. The economy doesn't have to be booming for you to be blessed. You don't have to have the most education, the most talent, or live in a certain neighborhood. All the odds can be against you, but when God asks you to do something and you don't argue or make excuses, you just do it, that's when miracles happen. Like Isaac, have the attitude that says, "God, I don't understand it, but I'm going to sow a seed anyway." That's when you'll see a harvest in the midst of the famine. You'll be promoted even though you weren't the most qualified. You'll see dreams come to pass even though the odds were against you. God is looking for people who will have this bold obedience. He's looking for people who will dare to sow a radical seed of faith!

Let Your Obedience Speak!

Have you ever had a time in your life when God did something so amazing that you just stood there and thought, "God, I don't even know how to thank You?" Sometimes words just aren't enough. You try to find it in yourself to say thank you, but what you feel seems so much greater that the words you are saying. I've found myself in this place, standing in awe of something God did and thinking, "I don't have the words to say what I feel." But do you know what God really wants from us? He wants us to be obedient. He said, "If you love Me, you'll obey Me." He doesn't just want to hear our words of thanks. He wants to see our actions of obedience because actions really do speak louder than words. I encourage you today, if you are standing in the place where the words don't seem like they are enough, let your obedience speak for you. There are thousands of ways to show obedience to God and His Word. When we obey Him, blessing always follows. He says when we obey Him in our finances, He will pour out a blessing that we can't even contain. It says when we show honor to our parents, we live a long life. Go to the scripture and learn about God's promises. Look at what He is asking us to do. Show your love and gratitude by following His commands and watch Him open up the windows of heaven

Don't Ignore the Red Flags

One of the most important decisions you can make on the road to your destiny is choosing who you will allow to be a part of your life. The people we spend time with affect our journey. They influence us to move forward and rise higher, or they hold us back and cause us to live in mediocrity. It's important to recognize the right relationships, and when you see that a relationship is unhealthy, you have to be willing to let it go so you can be in the right position to receive what God has for you.
Are you spending too much time with friends who are putting your destiny in jeopardy? Are there influences in your life that you know are not right? Is there a commitment you are about to make in a relationship that you're unsure of? Oftentimes, those little red flags are so subtle. You think, "Oh, maybe it's just me. It's not that big of a deal." But the enemy is so sneaky. He's not going to send someone into your life that's going to try to get you to make a 180 degree turn right away. You'd never do that! No, he's going to get someone who will get you 5 degrees off course. But even if you're only 5 degrees off course, you'll never reach your destination. Your future is too important to sacrifice it for someone else's companionship. If you are seeing those red flags but you're afraid to let go because you don't want to be alone, remember, God will never leave you alone; you are too important to Him. His plan for your life is too important. Don't ignore that still, small voice within. Trust God. Trust that He knows what's best, and He has your best in mind.
Today, if you are in a relationship that is not right for you, don't wrestle with your feelings or try to make excuses for what's going on. I am not talking about the marriage relationship which encounters many challenges as the two become one; I am talking about any relationship outside the commitment of marriage that you know is dragging you down and causing you to fall short of what God intended for you to be. Be willing to recognize if there is a wrong relationship in your life and have the courage to move forward with a new perspective. Today, be open for something bigger and better. Trust Him because He wants you to have healthy relationships and a strong, vibrant future!

"Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'" (1 Corinthians 15:33, NIV)