Why Wait? : The Gratitude of a Patient Heart

 Why Wait?: The Gratitude of a              Patient Heart 

          Jessica Sunday 

Let’s be honest. Most people hate the process of waiting. We live in a generation where we want immediate satisfaction. If a little child sees his favorite candy bar on the shelf at the grocery store, he may beg his mother to buy him that candy bar. If she says, “No maybe next time,” her son may decide to throw a tantrum. Why? Because he wants immediate satisfaction. He does not want to wait. Okay, so the candy bar illustration just did not do it for you. What about seeing a laptop, toolbox, car, or outfit at the designated store and buying it with no questions asked. You wanted it, so you bought it, right? Again, your lust for immediate satisfaction was fulfilled. I mean  is that not why some people jump into a relationship with the first person who looks their way? Here are some reasons why you should be gratified with having a patient heart.

Maybe you have heard someone say, “Step back, and look at the big picture.” Although it seems simple to do, sometimes it is the last thing on our mind to do – especially when you want immediate satisfaction. Have you ever thought that if everything would go your way that your life would be perfect? That sounds wonderful, right? However, if your “perfect” scenario sounds good to you, just close your eyes and imagine God’s PERFECT plan for your life. I Corinthians 2:9 says, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Ephesians 3:20 goes on to read,  “Not unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,.” I honestly do not think we can fully comprehend these verses. IF we could, we would live like God’s thoughts are above our thoughts and that His ways are higher than our ways.

Part of looking at the big picture is understanding the sowing and reaping effect. If a farmer sows corn seeds, he is not going to reap tomatoes; he is going to reap corn. Obviously! You can sow seeds of love, joy, patience, etc. and expect to reap a worthwhile harvest, or you can sow seeds of hate, doubt, or impatience and reap a life of regrets. Ultimately it is your choice. However, realize that not only do you reap what you sow, but also that you reap more than what you sow. If you sow bad seeds, your consequences are going to be great. Before you rush into an irrational decision such as a relationship, think about the effects it can have on your future. How you prepare for your future now WILL eventually affect the rest of your life. So, how about it? Will your harvest reap effective or destructive “crops?”

Before you take pleasure in immediate satisfaction, remember God has an amazing plan for you far greater than you could ever fathom. Immediate satisfaction is temporary and can lead to a lifelong road of regrets. So, why wait? Because if you let God work His perfect will in your life and remember what you reap is ultimately what you sow, than you will truly grasp that there is nothing far more rewardable than the gratitude of a patient heart.

               

How To Overcome the Insecurity of Misconception

                                                                  

  How To Overcome the      Insecurity of Misconception

          Jessica Sunday

Dealing With People Who Have Misconceptions: 

Have you ever fallen victim to someone who has spread rumors about you? I have. Maybe you were oblivious about the things that were said. All you knew was that people who once talked to you stopped.  People who were once friends with you on social media unfriended you.  And, sadly, you realize these people have a misconception of you. It would be a lot easier if they were strangers, right? But now it is awkward when you pass each other in the hall, grocery store, or church. A question lingers within you. What was said about me?  You want to know the truth because after all, you want everyone to like you. And if they did not have this misconception of you – they would. You not only become victim to the talebearer, but you fall prey to the insecurity that goes along with the misconceptions. Here are some ways to overcome misconception.

Overcoming Misconception # 1:

• Pray for the talebearer to stop and to make things right. Proverbs 26:20 says, "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth."

Overcoming Misconception # 2:      

• Pray for the deceived people to gain discretion and understanding. "Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:" -Proverbs 2:11

Overcoming Misconception # 3:

• Pray for the truth to be revealed. It may take awhile, but eventually the truth WILL be found out. Consider some truths from this story: In Acts 28, Paul and some others were shipwrecked, but a group of barbarous people showed kindness and helped them. They thought highly of Paul at first. Then when a viper fastened on his hand, they decided he must be a murderer. They waited for him to die the death he deserved. "Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds..." (Acts 28:6). I see three things that we can glean from this passage. 1. When people have misconceptions, they think ill of you. The barbarous people in Acts 28 showed Paul support at first, but when the viper fastened onto his hand, they quickly jumped to the wrong conclusion. Isn't it sad when the people who once supported you can so quickly turn their backs because of a misconception? 2. When people have a misconception of you, they look a great while. Have you ever noticed that the people who have misconceptions pay more attention to you? They literally watch your every move. So give them something worth watching.  I Timothy 4:12 says, "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." 3. When people have a misconception of you, they can choose to change their minds. After the deceived people look a great while at your life and cannot find blame in you, they have the choice to change their minds. The barbarous people changed their minds about Paul after they looked a great while and saw no harm done to him by the viper. It may take days, weeks, months, or years for them to come to the realization that they were deceived, but once the truth is made known, the only choice they have is to change their minds. Even if they don't want to admit it to you because of their pride, they know the truth themselves.

Overcoming Misconception # 4:

• Don't forget that the truth sets free! If you know the truth and God knows the truth, what else matters? Examine the following verses: John 8: 23:  "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Proverbs 12:19: "The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment." II Chronicles 16:9: "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect [or made complete] toward him." 


Another reassuring passage is Genesis 39: Potiphar's wife caught Joseph by his garment because she wanted to sleep with Joseph. Because Joseph was a man of God and a man of integrity, he quickly fled, leaving his garment behind. In this story, Potiphar's wife was the talebearer. She lied about the situation, making Potiphar believe that Joseph had forced her to sleep with him. Potiphar immediately threw Joseph in prison, and ultimately Potiphar is deceived by his wife's lies. Genesis 39:21 says, "But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison." Although this unfortunate event took place in Joseph's life, he didn't let it bother him because he knew the truth, and he knew the Lord knew the truth.

Overcoming Misconception # 5:

• Last, remember the people who love you and support you. I found in my own life that there are far more people who are for me than who are against me, most importantly God. "If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). Christ desires for you to live an abundant life, so decide in your heart right now to let go of the insecurity brought on by other people’s misconceptions.  Don't let deceived people steal your joy. Don't be held captive by what other people falsely perceive you to be. Let go, and let God take over the situation.

Who You Are: A Message To All Women

The Man who Pursued you First

       

The Man who Pursued you First 

Jessica Sunday 

   Most women have a desire to be pursed, cherished, and valued by a man, and most men have a desire to be accepted, adored, and valued by a woman. The simple truth is that you want this special place filled, and you want it filled right now. Patience is no longer an option. Furthermore, maybe you already have this place filled by the man or woman of your dreams. Whatever the case, it is important to understand the very first relationship we all should be pursing now whether single or taken – which is, Jesus Christ.

         Okay, so maybe I have lost a handful of people right now from typing “Jesus Christ.” The truth of the matter is if you do not develop a genuine relationship with the first man to ever pursue you, your future relationships will crumble if Christ is not the center of them.

        The Bible says in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” The wonderful news is that He is pursing you! God sent His only Son to be born to die for everyone’s sins and to rise again three days after His brutal death. Jesus died and rose again so that you can have a relationship with Him and can spend eternity in Heaven with Him when you die.

         If you are ready to develop a relationship with the Man who is pursuing you, you must receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. The first thing you must realize is that you are a sinner. The Bible says in Romans 3:10, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Sin entered the world when Adam ate of the fruit that the Lord told Adam and Eve not to eat. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Because of our sin, we fall short of God’s glory resulting in a broken relationship. The Bible teaches us that our payment for sin is death in Hell. Romans 6:23a says, “For the wages of sin is death;” Nobody wants to hear this bad news, but praise the Lord that this verse does not end here. See, God wants the broken relationship to be restored; therefore, Romans 6:23b continues to say, “… but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” God offers us eternal life in Heaven with Him but only through Him. Did you hear me? It is only offered through Him! No matter how good of a person you are, no matter how you were baptized, no matter how much you attend church, and no matter how much money you give to charities, you cannot obtain salvation through these things.
        After you admit you are a sinner in need of a Savior, you need to believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and rose again. Lastly, you must ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and call upon Him to save you. Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” It is that simple! It is having child-like faith. So, what will your decision be?

       If you decided to accept Jesus as your Savior, praise the Lord! He desires for you to develop a relationship with Him before He blesses you with the man or woman He has chosen for you. The more you run hard towards God, the more He will see your genuine devotion to Him. Eventually, He will bless you with a godly man or woman, and both of you will be ready to serve the Lord together in your relationship. For now, keep pursuing the Man who pursued you first.