Have you ever been in a situation that you were not comfortable operating in because of where someone else wanted to place you?

•  Or maybe your supervisor wanted you to do something that would be compromising of your position.
• Or maybe someone wanted you to do something that was compromising of your beliefs?
• Perhaps a friend is giving an opinion of someone else but you do not agree with the opinion. What would you do? Would you just go along with it? Or would you say something?

I work on the corporate side of America and I am thinking about when I have to address a group of people and how in my head I go through apprehension of trying to find a way to relate to them but then the Lord whispers to me do what has been proven to you. So I do what is comfortable to me and before you know it- there is a peace and all is well. I don’t attempt to address the group as someone else would or do what works for someone else.  There is a thought in the few verses above that I want to talk about, if that is alright.

David could not go in the armor that Saul wanted him to fight in because it was not what he was comfortable with. He had not tested or attempted to fight in it. Saul attempted to make David do as everyone else was doing on the battlefield by putting the armor on but David recognized that he was proven by the Father and that which he was going to fight in was what he had been comfortable in.  The armor was what everyone else was doing but that was not for him. Christ needs us to be willing to be different and not be afraid to be different. People may try to make you fit their plan but stay focused on that which God has given you to do and why you are there.

It reminds me that the atmosphere does not dictate you – you are the atmosphere changer.  Family, we don’t have to feel intimidated by our environment because we are that which should change it, let it not change us. I just want you to stop and get that in your spirit, you are an “atmosphere changer“.  I say this but I too have to realize that I must be uncompromising with my walk and who God created me to be.

I would be remissed if I acted as if I have it all together and at times I question whether my worth or actions exemplify this of the Father at all. Just sitting here saddened and humbled by how I do not act in this manner in all circumstances.  I am asking the Lord to give me the boldness to look beyond what I see in the natural and recognize my purpose and you too!! Atmosphere changer we must be uncompromising.

One more thing I want to say about this scripture that is significant to me… instead of the armor, David picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them in his shepherd’s bag. His weapon of choice was that which was comfortable in his environment as a sheep herder- because the enemy did not matter and he understood they would fall the same as anything he had confronted before.   Here he is about to face a giant (that he has not even seen yet) remember he is still talking to Saul but he was not intimidated by that which he had not seen. It does not matter what is before you if you have the Lord with you. 

I know sometimes when I have tried to face something in my own way and not that which has been proven it never turns out good. Whether it is in a disagreement, misunderstanding concerned about my sons or a situation they are in- when I confront it in a manner different than what I know works -may not be five smooth stones but with the Lords help all things we can be uncompromising.   That is good to me because that which is before us does not matter if you have the uncompromising King of Kings on your side and fighting with and for you.

Be blessed family…

The old saying goes, If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Benjamin Franklin supposedly once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”  Sir Winston Churchill is credited with another, oft repeated, saying: “Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.”   The saying is true, none of us decide to fail but if we do not implement a plan in place the outcome more times than not is just that. However, that is just part of it, if we do not plan and the Lord is not guiding the planning there can still be issues but I will get to that in a minute.

Doesn’t it feel good when your plan comes together and you have a sense of peace when you follow the plan? I know for me when I have a plan in place my days seems to go smoother. Even if I just write a list out of the things I need to prioritize -it helps me to follow through and hold myself accountable to what task need to be completed.  That is something that my mother use to do when getting ready to run errands on the weekends. She would always have her list of things to do.

Some of you husbands on here have “honey do list” that your wife expects or hopes that you will complete for her and the best way to do it is by writing it down.  Not against the honey do list (that is not the point) but I think that it is important to have a plan to direct our steps. Whether it is for prioritization or just to stay on task- there are many benefits to them. I am a witness that I can get off track easily and go in another direction and before I know my plan is all over the place. I am just talking about me so if you are reading this and this is you also. (Don’t leave me out here by myself let me know by sending me a comment that you are in the same boat. )

In the text, David is imparting A PLAN to his son Solomon (who is to build the temple to God) about principles to live by that will keep him on task. There are six that I want to address quickly with you to help decipher “the perfect plan” to navigate in life.  King David takes them directly from the Lord.

1. Get to know God personally– David told Solomon to learn God and the only way to do that is to spend time intimately with him. Just like in a relationship you have to get to know someone by spending quality time with them. Intimacy means “IN TO ME SEE”
2. Learn God’s command and discover what he wants you to do –  Only way to learn what God wants is to study his Word daily- and meditate on it throughout the day. We have to chew on it like a straw over and over again until it softens enough where it is pliable (means bendable) in our lives. *Do not know the plan if you have not written it down and read it.
3. Worship God with wholehearted devotion– That means we allow ourselves to love unconditionally the God we serve. You cant worship that which you do not respect- you cannot respect that which you do not know.  Make the commitment to learn about our Lord- some of us do not have commitment unless we see the benefit from the beginning. Not always the case. But too have wholehearted devotion means – you are ALL IN no matter what.
4. Serve God with a willing mind – If our mind does not conform to that which our heart has there will always be division.  We must be willing to walk in humility and know that it is for His purposes.
5. Be Faithful – We must be faithful to the plan that is established for us and know that it is all part of the perfect plan.  Our faithfulness to the Lords plan protects us from the hangups and hardships that may be ahead.
6. Don’t become discouraged – Plans are created to be followed, however, sometimes there are unforeseen things that can cause us to question or even get frustrated with where we are. This is just to remind us that the plan is already ordered by the Lord all we have to do is rest and stay the course with the Perfect plan.

Be blessed family…