Declare Those Promises!

In Acts 18 God tells Paul not to worry and to keep on preaching his word because no one will be able to attack or harm him.

Previously Paul has had to leave juat about every place because the people have plotted against him.

As the story goes a group of Jews end up planning an attack on him. He is taken in to the court room and the trial begins. At this point how many of you are thinking 'wait a minute this isn't supposed to happen'? I was! I wonder what Paul was thinking, was he thinking 'Oh great, here we go again... So much for no one will attack or harm me...' Or were his thoughts more along the line of 'Seriously guys? You're wasting my time here. I've got the promise of God, the favor of the Lord!'?

Back to the story. The Jews do all of their talking and right before Paul was about to defend his case the judge tells the Jews that they're wasting his time. He tells them to work it out amongst themselves! Whoa!! Really?! Yes!! Paul didn't even have to say a word!

I think so many times in our lives we get a promise from God, even of we don't understand itat the time. Then here comes Satan, doing all he can do to make it seem like that very promise was nothing but a lie. At that point we give up. We doubt that we ever even heard from God. Then Satan wins. But I'm telling you right now, don't give up! Hold tight to that promise of God! When you're faced with that obstacle declare that promise over your life!!

I can't even count the number of times I've been in tears or angry or udderly confused and having to declare the promises anyway. It's not always easy, most of the time you're ever having to declare those promises it's because a mountain is blocking you from seeing them. Just don't give up! On the other side of that mountain is the victory God has for you!!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

A Mighty God of Days and Moments

24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hand. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring'." Acts 17:24-28

There's a lot of really great things in these 4 verses, but I want us to focus on verse 26, From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.

As I was reading this is the verse that jumped out at me. God made us and everything else, he didn't stop there. His plan is so great that he has orchestrated the time in which we will live, every single minute, and the places! Look at where you are right now, God put you there! This moment you have right now, God gave you. So are you using your moments in your places to do the something that God put you there for or are you calling your own shots?

That is the main thing that slapped me inbthe face: are we calling our own shots?! How many times do we think that we're in control of our days and of our lives? Where we live, what we do and everything else in between... The truth is we're not!

We have free will, but nothing we choose suprises God. He alrwady know the mistakes we're going to make today and he has a backup plan to direct back the way we need to go. So let's stop being so selfish and realize our every breath is ordained by a mighty and holy God! Let's realize the importance of our lives to him and do as his word says (v. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.) and reach out for him!

Have a great day!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford