Faith over Fear
Overcoming Challenges
If…then
My Pondering
In this passage we gather a promise message from God to Solomon, God to man. Unfortunately, Solomon disobeyed and wandered off into the abyss and upset the LORD.
Though no one is perfect, God expects us to follow and serve Him. He love is not conditional for He gave Himself unto us by His Son, Jesus Christ. However, His blessing most certainly is.
God’s Word is packed with If…thens. Doubt it? Just word search the Word.
Yes, we can’t earn His love, His mercy, His grace. He loves us because we were created for and by Him; in His image.
And yes, we have free will. It’s our decision to respond appropriately or not. No excuses. We all can muster them but they are insufficient.
God told Solomon this:
IF
If you…
“LISTEN to all that I command”
We must listen to God. Not what the world commands, not what you self thinks, not your spouse, nor your children, nor your boss but what GOD commands and these commands are found primarily in Scripture.
Do yourself a favor and word search Command in the Word.
So first, we are wise LISTEN intently. To learn His Word, to hear His voice, and to pray fervently, to learn and discern.
If you…
“WALK in My ways”
Day by day, step by step we are to walk with God. This includes our entire life; in the routine of it, in the wins, in the losses, in the ups, in the downs and in flats, and in the straight and narrow, in it all…step by step. In sync with God we are move for in Him we live and move and have our being; our flow.
To walk to go wherever God is calling us. There are many good places to go yet there is only one best place and that is where you at now and second, where you are headed. We are to make the most of the present, strive forward to the future, as we learn and discern from the past.
If you…
“DO what is right in my Sight”
No if, and or buts but rather to do what is right. We must execute. We must trust God. We must trust the process; His process. We must stop just talking, just consuming and start doing and finish doing. Talk is cheap, it is action that is dear. Get it done!
Let us not forget that we need to do what is right in His sight, nothing that deviates from what God wants. Some may agree and some disagree. Some is clear and some is foggy. Some is white, some grey, some black. We must always do what is white and avoid the black. This is God’s world. We serve Him as He states, “My servant David”.
If you…
“Keep my Statutes”
It not enough to do it once and get lost. One and done is insufficient. We must keep on keeping on. There is NO ultimate finish line, physical death isn’t the end, it’s the commencement.
We need to treasure God statutes, His principles, His miracles, His precepts, His Word, His Son, His Spirit, His glory, and His ways.
Then
Then I…
“I will BE with you”
Then we we are in sync with God, He will sync with us. It the ultimate flywheel. There is nothing better than to be with God and He with us.
Then I …
“I will BUILD you a lasting dynasty”
God will build it. He will be our GC. Who could have a better partner?
Then I…
“I will GIVE Israel to you”
God gives abundantly to those who honor Him with their whole being, with their first fruits of time, talent and treasure, with their true love.
As Jesus instructed us, Commandments one and two revolve around LOVE. Love God, Love His people.
We can’t out give God but we can live for Him.
Let’s ‘Live Love Joyfully’ by listening, walking, doing and keeping God first and foremost in everything know that He will be, build and give to us.
We are more than conquers, we shall overcome for His glory!
God gave Solomon the promise of Israel. He gives each of us the promise of Jesus.
Amen?
Amen!
Bonus, a warning ⛔️
Distraction, the Enemy of Direction
How could the wisest man in history turn away from God?
How could the leader whose gifts and focus once made him the talk of the world get distracted from his calling?
The temptations that enticed Solomon continue to attack every leader. Once we “arrive,” it becomes easy to stop feeling hungry for growth and excellence. How quickly we become satisfied—and how soon we begin to spiral downward. Note how this process of decay looked for Solomon:
John Maxwell
- Distractions: He deviated from his call to lead and be a light to the nations.
- Adversaries: God raised up adversaries to steer him back to his priorities and call.
- Self-absorption: He became consumed with himself rather than his call.
- Loss of God’s presence: God withdrew His anointing.
- Pursuit of pleasure: He became even more obsessed with his own pleasure.
- Emptiness: He finally grew weary of his pursuits and recognized his emptiness.
If you are alive… Rick Warren
The victim mentality will get you killed.
My Pondering
While out to sea, a large boat became shipwrecked and there was only a single survivor. This man prayed and asked God to save his life. Soon thereafter, another boat came by and offered the man some help.
“No thanks,” he said. “I’m waiting for God to save me.”
The men on the boat shrugged their shoulders and continued. As the man became more deeply concerned, another boat came by. Again, the people aboard offered this man some help, and again he politely decline. “I’m waiting for God to save me,” he said again.
After some time, the man began to lose his faith, and soon after that he died. Upon reaching Heaven, he had a chance to speak with God briefly.
“Why did you let me die? Why didn’t you answer my prayers?”
“Dummy, I sent you two boats!” 🛥️ 🚤
God helps those who help others most. He also seems to help them who help themselves. And sometimes He even helps those who don’t help anyone because He is God.
FAIL, END, NO
My Pondering
One of America’s best citizen’s captured this sentiment better than any other: as Honest Abe epitomized enduring and overcoming so well.
He was indeed a positive thinker with a witty sense of humor.
No amount of guilt can change…
The only courage that matters…
A life spent making mistakes… George Bernard Shaw
10 Don’ts to become mentally un-breakable!
- Don’t fear being alone–“It’s better to be alone than in bad company” – George Washington.
- Don’t get stuck in the muck of the past–everything is built from the present.
- Don’t think life is always fair–become vulnerable; set expectations
- Don’t worry about what people think–be courageously you
- Don’t feel sorry for yourself–embrace the suck and be better, not bitter
- Don’t worry about things you can’t control–control your response. ‘Let go and let God’
- Don’t resent others successes–celebrate and learn from others
- Don’t shirk responsibility–the price of greatness is responsibility
- Don’t give up–keep on keeping on, pivot & rest as beneficial
- Don’t fear hard work–if it was all easy, you wouldn’t be necessary yet if it’s all hard, you are doing something wrong
Since repetition is the mother of learning:
- Don’t Fear Being Alone
Solitude is a superpower.
Leverage your time alone to:
- Tame your thoughts
- Control your emotions
- Become comfortable with silence
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” ― Buddha
- Don’t get ‘stuck in the muck’ of the past
Everything is built from the present.
“If you are depressed you are living in the past.
If you are anxious you are living in the future.
If you are at peace you are living in the present.” – Lao Tzu
Be in the here and now.
- Don’t Think Life Is Always Fair
You become vulnerable when you set expectations.
Root yourself in a brutal world:
- Earn each day
- Prove your worth
- Never let comfort conquer you
Appreciate what you have, but never expect it to be constant.
- Don’t Worry About What People Think
Never seek others’ ‘approval’.
Be courageously you.
Focus on being the best version of yourself, and the score takes care of itself.
- Don’t Feel Sorry for Yourself
Embrace the suck.
Feeling sorry for yourself:
- Builds a habit of self-pity
- Prevents you from taking action
- Leads you to expect negative outcomes
It’s simple. If you’ve chosen the wrong road, turn around.
- Don’t Worry About Things You Can’t Control
When faced with obstacles, ask yourself 3 things:
- Is this essential?
- Can I control this?
- What are 2-3 actions I can take now?
Control your response to events.
That is where your power lies.
- Don’t Resent Other People’s Successes
There are:
- 32.5 million small businesses
- 22 million millionaires
- 607 unicorns
… in the US alone.
It’s a positive-sum world out there.
Not just for wealth, but for:
- Health
- Growth
- Happiness
8. Don’t Shirk Responsibility
Walking towards responsibility is the fastest path to progress.
Build a mindset to:
- Drive change as a leader
- Assume extreme ownership
“The price of greatness is responsibility.”
- Don’t Give Up
Most people give up too early.
As a founder, you learn that your product is never dead.
Learn to experiment with:
- New pricing models
- New acquisition strategies
Giving up builds a crack in your resilience that will cave in crucial moments.
- Don’t Fear Hard Things
Never adopt an assumption that a task is “hard.”
Frame your thinking around the topic as being simple:
- You got this
- You’re a warrior
- You’re a great problem solver
My motto:
“This is easy work.”
– Matt Gray
If the world seems cold to you,… – Lucy Larcom
