Happy Saturday,
If you could have someone walk with you on this journey to learn and understand God's recipe for excellent health - would you be interested?
I would be the first to raise my hand. 👍
There are days I just wish I could cook with someone who enjoyed the same foods. Or have someone to sit and chat with, who had the same goals.
Or be able to pray with a close friend.
Or even better, I would love to have someone to ride my bike with, someone who wants to reach new levels.
Does this pull on your heartstrings?
Last week, I was out of town enjoying a week with my grandkids - all 7. We had a good time. But while I was gone, I missed 2 meetings with my Inner Circle. I had that FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) effect. I wanted to know what was being shared, who had achieved new levels, who was struggling.
I am a person who wants to be where God is at work. I don't have to or want to be center stage, I just want to be with people who are living out their progress and seeing change happen. I love to hear God stories and see lives changed.
Well, in the Inner Circle, we do that. But since
most of you are not in the Inner Circle, I thought today I would sit with you and share some truths from this past week's lesson.
We studied Colossians chapter 2. We started with verses 6-7:
Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed and overflowing with gratitude.
To make a change and start achieving our goals to grow in Christ, we see it in three areas:
Beliefs > Behaviors > Blessings
3 Steps to Get Unstuck
These steps FOLLOW: as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Next are the steps for that walk.
1. As we look at the verse, we see our beliefs must be firmly rooted in Truth.
When they are not, when they are sidetracked by false teachings, emotions, past performances or failures - then we are stuck. Paul addresses this in prior verses.
Yet, stuck is not sedentary - it means you are moving away from your desired outcome.
There is no neutral.
We are stepping into the blessings of God's Truths or walking towards the curse of deciding not to discipline for God's greatness.
2. Then
our behavior - we are 'now being built up' and established in our faith. That means we are walking steadfastly in the discipline of Christ Jesus and seeing our heart's desires come to fruition. Now we are talking - praises followed by exclamation points!!!!
If your behavior seems out
of balance, then go back to your beliefs. Challenge your beliefs to see if they are what God would say about you or your circumstance.
3. This leads us to blessings.
Blessings show as better marriage communication, no more binge eating, no more emotional eating, less pain since you gave up the toxic diet soda, less anxiety because you are quoting scripture instead of rehashing thoughts about past mistakes.
You body feels better
and your life is better spiritually.
It all comes together: beliefs lead to behaviors lead to blessings.
In a couple weeks, I
will be speaking at a women's retreat and combining this text with Deuteronomy 30. Deuteronomy 30 says to choose life!
To choose life means, we take every thought - belief and make sure it is in agreement with God's Word.
In the Inner Circle, everyone comes to the table and we share what thoughts are keeping you stuck and we get to celebrate the praises when those thoughts are changed and freedom results.
For today, please write down
what areas of your life are you ready to see freedom?
What beliefs are holding you back?
Now - ask yourself "{{ subscriber.name
}}, what am I believing that I would love to change and see a more blessed outcome?"
Then, pray and search God's Word for the answer.
For the woman at the well, Jesus went out of his way to meet her. He then offered her the gift of living water.
He did not go over all her sins. She brought those to the conversation. He forgives and offers freedom.
The same is true for you, and each belief that is keeping you stuck.
When we willingly bring our beliefs in agreement with God's Word, our behaviors will follow. Then the result is blessings.
The Moody Bible Commentary has this to say about Paul regarding this verse:
For Paul, there was no gap between believing and behaving.
Paul, was sold out to the words of Christ, so much so that he was willing to discipline his life to be an encouragement to others. His behavior matched his beliefs and we can see from his writings that he believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, so he walked in Him. He didn't just write the words; he lived them.
What about you?
Now you see why I don't like to miss any Inner Circle class. On the call, this last Thursday there were breakthroughs in anger, emotional eating, and binge eating.
Everyone needs a group of people they can be real with and not be put down or condemned. There is enough of that in our world today.
I pray someday soon you are also in the Inner Circle. I would love to meet you at the table
and share a cup of tea while we are together to see what God has next for you to discover. (Psst - join the wait list now)
If the Inner Circle is not for you, then I pray to our Heavenly Father that he send someone into your life to be that friend who shares in your same desires and will cook, exercise and study the Word.
But, it you are ready for the Inner Circle - be watching, we open up very soon! And we only open the doors 3 times a year! You will see why it is a FOMO effect when you miss a call.
Be blessed, and may the season of year you are in see new blessings of God's grace.
