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Exchange Your Goods

Posted on March 13, 2011 by Jared Meredith

Revelation 3:19-20 – As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

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I observe more often than not the fact that people will try to live with more burdens in their life than they have to. There are things that we have to learn to turn over to God, learning to put full trust in Him. We can kid ourselves with the “I’ve got this” and “I don’t need anyone” perspectives, but one day the void of loneliness or the true weight of the burden will hit us.

It can be noticed with someone very quickly if you take the time to pay attention to their personal behavior. On the same token, if you take the time to look at all the things that may be upon your mind there very well may be behavior traits you notice as well! I know even as you read this you might be thinking (or trying to persuade yourself) that “there is nothing wrong with me”. I’m here to burst your bubble via the bible and remind each and every one of us that even at our best that our righteousness is as filthy rags. So when we consider that even at our best that we still need God, consider the next thing to do: put God first!

Consider making a trade-in on the “junky” stuff that would weigh you down for quality goods from God, and have a better life by coming to the realization of who He truly is. Doing this gives you more than I could write in a few sentences! It does more than words could say! Coming in to the fullness of a spiritually fulfilling life also gives you the fruits that you may bear of things that will not rust or corrupt or let you down in the long run!

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Put Into Practice:

It’s always easier to start with objects when you can, so find something that you know that takes your focus off of God and put it into a box lay it in a room that you seldom go into. Leave it in there for at least a week and begin to pray that God would give you the ability to overcome any holds that it would have upon you.

If this object is something you still feel like that you need even after a week, leave it in the box. This is usually a good way to identify things that we are bound to. We cannot do this with the things that hold us in mental bondage, but there is no need to fear; for God is more than able to help you with each and every problem you have. Get yourself with a good group of faith believing spirit-filled prayer warriors and ask them to participate in 5-7 days of evening prayer meetings, where you begin to focus on 1 thing for each and every person that needs to have help from something.

Just remember if you are bold enough to believe, God is bold enough to do it!

Sometimes Tears Are Necessary

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Jared Meredith

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 – To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

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Prayer is definitely an essential part of your life, and truthfully a time to cry out to God, no doubt. However, sometimes God places people on your mind that might humble you or make you feel less than happy. I’m here to tell you that sometimes it’s good to feel the burdens of others. It often reminds me that life is not always just about ME. That is God trying to let you know he needs you to cry out for them today. Say a prayer for someone else today, and let the tears flow for someone else’s need.

I cannot guarantee that when you get down praying today (or when you decide to) that you are going to rise up feeling as good as you did when you began. There have been times in the past that when I started praying that the burdens for others began to remind me that the call on my life is far greater than me. In that moment my selfishness really showed up and demonstrated just how much my love for others was.

When you decide to really be honest with yourself, you will allow yourself to cry, jump, scream, or any form of expression as long as you know it is what God is requiring of your life. As for me personally (even as a man), sometimes tears are needed. It gets me past all of my “I got this” and “I do not need you” attitudes and makes me realize just how much I need God.

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Put Into Practice:

Allow yourself to be humble before God. Find a quiet place (and if you cannot ask for one or make one if you must) and begin to meditate upon the Lord. Focus upon allowing yourself to be humble and to recognize the parts of you that “cannot do this alone” and “have no control over this”. You fill in the blank on whatever “this” may be to you. Remember, this is of no benefit unless you give it a legitimate shot! It is just you and God at the end of the day, so go for it!

Humble your spirit so that your faith can begin to grow in you each day. Personally, I would say that out of everything that I did out of the entire book that this may have been one of the most difficult. You can almost find yourself simply out of habit finishing sentences with what I would like to call the “prepositions of defeat”. Stop speaking things that would simply make you think “there is no way” or “that would be impossible” Remember, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. We are starting right out of the gate believing in something that we are hoping for, so start hoping!