Tag: Salvation

Operate in Excellence

Author, Nicole L. Ross1 Comment

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Everyone is at different levels in life.  It is easy to say that women mature quicker than men, or men work harder than women but in actuality these are all generalizations we make about people that may not be true. Some men mature very quickly and there are several women that would outwork a man any day.  Nevertheless, we must be mindful of generalizations and not getting caught up in what this person is or is not doing.  I feel like we would be so much farther in life if we did not allow our self to get over-involved in other people’s life.  In order to move ahead in life, get on your level and stay there.  Whatever your level is, work it to the very best of your ability.  Do you.  Mind your own business.   Focus in on where you are and what you are doing.  Operating in excellence where you are now will have a direct impact on your future.

As children of God, we are also on different levels spiritually.  We all have a special level of closeness to God.  The closer you are to Him, the more spiritually mature you will be.  Know where you are in your relationship with Christ.  Know your level and I will say it again, when you know your level operate in excellence on that level.  If you know you are an intercessor, do not attempt to pray like other people.  Pray whatever God has placed inside of you the best way you know how and do so with excellence. If you are needed to clean bathrooms or cut the grass, do so with excellence.  If you are on the praise and worship team, study the words so you can know the words and open up your mouth to sing them.

When you operate in excellence, you are honoring God.  Everything you do, whether it is for the church or on your job or in your home you must do it to the glory of God.  I know first hand how easy it is to get caught up in the people around us.  The moment they do or say something to cut you down you are ready to walk away.  You have to put this into perspective though because it is really God that you are walking away from.  If you keep your focus on Him and not man, you are showing God how much you love Him and how much you are truly committed to serving Him and living out His word.  Don’t allow the enemy to make you lose focus.

Excellence does not come by mistake.  It is a habit. It is something we make a conscious effort to strive for.  We have to do it on a consistent basis, relentlessly striving for more and better until it becomes second nature.  As you complete the duties of everyday life, do so with excellence and make your Heavenly Father proud.  #iDeclare #operateinexcellence

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Prayer:

Father God in the name of Jesus, I thank you for giving me a spirit of excellence.  I decree and declare that I will work hard and give my all to everything I do.  I will honor you on my job, in my home, at church and wherever else you need me to be.  I will not allow the enemy to make me lose focus.  I love you Lord and thank you for showing me that when I operate in excellence, I honor you.  My desire is to honor you and please you each and every day of my life.  In Jesus Name, Amen.  

 

Scripture Readings:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works.”

Colossians 3:22-24 KJV “servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men; Knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for you serve the Lord Christ.”

 

Don’t Quit!

Author, Nicole L. RossLeave a comment

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This time of year, all of the world there are many marathon’s that take place.  Although I’ve never participated in a marathon I always find them to be quite interesting.  Most sporting events, people are in it to compete and win.  With marathons however, there are hundreds, sometimes even thousands of people who participate.  I’m pretty sure that when 95% of the people that sign up for the marathon aren’t signing up to win.  They are probably participating as a personal goal or maybe they may even want to support someone else.  Automatically this lets me know they are in it and plan to finish the race completely.  Sounds good in theory, but when the actual race begins things may play out a little differently.  Some people run it gracefully all the way through, and others have physical ailments that come up to try and hinder them from completing the race (cramps, dehydration, etc.).  I want to talk about those hindrances.  You may not be in an actual marathon race right now, but your life certainly feels like one.  There are moments that go by effortlessly.  All is well, no set backs just smooth sailing.  Then as the season in your life changes, here come those obstacles and stumbling blocks.  They come to stop you in your tracks and cause you to give up.

I’m here today to tell you, don’t quit.  Endurance is essential if you really want to get all that you can out of life.  You have to possess the ability deep down inside to keep running.  If you can’t run, keep walking and if you can’t walk get down and crawl.  Whatever you do, you have to keep moving.  Many times the enemy will send disruption in our life to cause us to stop.  Remember that’s his job (to kill, steal and destroy).  Unfortunately, sometimes his ploys and tactics work because we allow our flesh to take over, instead of allowing our spirit man to rise up on the inside of us.  This is why the Bible tells us that we are to kill our flesh daily.

Are you tired of starting over in life?  Well, stop quitting.  Stop allowing things (people, situations, circumstances) to cause you to lose focus of what God has ahead of you.  When I talk about endurance I always think about when Moses brought the people of Israel out of Egypt.  The place where God was taking them to was between 200 – 400 miles away.  If you do 10 miles a day, which is very possible, they could have been there in 40 days.  Some people say it could have been even quicker than that.  Instead however, the voyage took 40 years.  Here’s why. During their journey they decided to murmur, complain, they even stopped walking and what’s even worse is they continued to look back on what was and what used to be.  Doing so caused them to literally miss what was right ahead of them.  Stop giving your past so much attention.  Leave your past behind you, it’s there for a reason.  Learn from it and keep it moving.

No matter what is going on around you make it up in your mind that you are going to endure to the very end.  You have to get that down in your spirit.  Build yourself up, so when the devil tries to tear you down, that’s all he can do is try.  God has so much in store for you.  He loves you more than you love yourself.  Don’t give up.  Don’t quit.  You got this, cause God got you! #iDeclare #DontQuit

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Prayer:

Father God in the name of Jesus, I thank you for giving me the endurance I need to make it.  I decree and declare that I will not allow any plots, plans, or schemes of the enemy to cause me to stop moving forward.  I will not quit.  I will stay focused at all times.  Thank you Jesus for loving me and for teaching me more and more each day about your perfect will for my life.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Scripture Reference:

Matthew 24:13 NLT “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

James 1:2-4 NLT “ Dear brothers and sisters,when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

Hebrews 12:1 KJV “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”

Clean Up! Clean Up! Everybody Do Your Share!

Author, Nicole L. RossLeave a comment

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One of the most dreadful things on my regular to do list is clean up.  I don’t know why, it just seems like I could be spending my time doing a whole lot of other stuff.  Stuff that in my opinion is a lot more fun.  Then of course, when I do get up and start cleaning I am happy that I did because I am able to organize a little more, free up space, get rid of stuff we don’t use, and just straighten up.  Just like your physical home requires cleaning, so does your spiritual home.

It may be time for you to go on a cleaning spree within yourself.  Time to really do a self-evaluation and get rid of any bondage or strongholds that have been lingering over your life.  Throw away all trash and the junk that is cluttering your life.  Divest yourself of anything that is preventing you from operating in your full potential.  If you want to be delivered from bondage, strongholds, traps, or any other ploys of the enemy you have to say so.  Do not listen to satan and the negative things he has planted in your spirit.  Counteract his lies by opening up your mouth and saying, “I will not be oppressed, repressed, depressed and I will not be discouraged.”  Whatever he is trying to hold you hostage with, you make a declaration of the exact opposite.  Tell the devil he is a liar. When you are cleaning, the first thing you have to do is identify whatever it is you need to throw away.  If you don’t recognize the junk, whether it’s in front of you or hidden behind the couch, it will stay put right where it is.  Therefore, once you acknowledge what the enemy is doing and put him on front street, he has no choice but to back off because now you have called him out.   Once you put him in his place, this is where true purification and cleansing begins.

If you have other old baggage such as unforgiveness and bitterness, you have to let that go also.  Any form of sin can weigh you down, but bitterness and unforgiveness are two strongholds that are similar to old boxes in the basement you just can’t seem to throw away.  You have become so familiar with it sometimes you don’t even realize how it is hindering your life.  I am talking to myself on this one, because I can honestly say I have overcome a lot during my spiritual journey but this is one area that seems to be a bit more difficult than others to overcome.  That being said, the beautiful thing about having a relationship with God and hearing from Him is that He never intended for us to make any of these changes on our own.  We cannot clean ourselves, even if we tried.  God will do the cleansing for us, if and only if we make our request known to Him.

When we draw close to God, study the word of God, spend time in prayer, fast and do all we can to be near Him our bodies and hearts will go through a spiritual makeover.  As the relationship develops there are positive consequences that come along with it.  Your mind begins to change, the way you talk begins to change, the way you think begins to change.  So, as you clean up your spirit man, be excited for the change that is bound to come with it.  Aint nobody gone be mad but the devil.  Now it’s time to clean up, clean up, everybody do your share!  #iDeclare #cleanupcleanupeverybodydoyourshare

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Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank you know the cleansing process.  I come humbly before your throne to say I want to be clean God.  I want to be purified.  I know that I cannot do anything without you, so please God cleanse me.  Make me whole God.  Take out anything in my life that is not like you.  I decree and declare that I want more of you God.  I want to walk like you, talk like you, think like you Father.  If there is any baggage that I am not even aware of, please reveal it to me so I can get rid of it.  No longer will I allow the enemy to hold me down in bondage.  No longer will I allow the enemy to put negative thoughts in my head or cause me to do or say things that are not pleasing in your sight God.  Make me over Lord Jesus.  I want to be just like YOU. I want to be the child that You created me to be.  I will be the child that You created me to be.  In Jesus Name, Amen. 

 

Scripture Reference:

Psalms 51:10 KJV “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Luke 6:45 NLT “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.”