For better or worse…

For richer or poorer…

In sickness and in health…

But, this is a really good show! Binge watching wasn’t in our vows…

I’ll catch you up tomorrow.❤️

BE BLESSTIFIED!

No matter how many problems you have. No matter how many issues you’re struggling with. No matter how little money, influence or resources you may have. God has still given you the solution to someone else’s problem.

Even if your meal is free, God has equipped you to bring something of value to the table.

It may not have a dollar $ign…

Encouragement…

Inspiration

Entertainment

Education

Strength

Support

A shoulder…

An ear…

A voice…

To the friendship…

To the marriage.

To the team.

To the organization.

To your church.

To a stranger.

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Even if you’re broke, you can be the key to someone’s breakthrough.

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Not only no matter your situation, but BECAUSE of your situation, God is strategically positioning you with the people and places where you can be a blessing.

Remember this…

James 2:5(NKJV)

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Now…Get out there and bless somebody today!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Have you ever noticed what Jesus told the crowd after He fed over 5000 people. He called them out for not valuing the miraculous signs He did and the fact that He was doing the works of the Father. He pointed out that they were just following Him because He fed them. In other words, they valued Him, but only for what they could GET OUT OF HIM. They valued what He could do, not who He was…

John 6:26 (NLT)

²⁶ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.

Think about the people in your life who truly value you and who you are. These are the people who value the ‘INTANGIBLES’ that you bring to the table. Those closest to you; who enjoy quality time with you; those who are genuinely concerned about you; those who truly miss you when you aren’t around. They make your life worth living.

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They are the people who will be there for you whether you’re up or down, through good and bad. They value helping YOU look good…These are the people who VALUE YOU.

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Then there are those people who value the ‘TANGIBLES’ that you bring to the table….

Your skill-set…

Your finances…

Your talents…

Your innovation…

Your muscle…

Your hustle.

They may never even acknowledge that they value you, but they prove it through their actions. However, they ONLY value the ‘tangibles” that you bring to the table.

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These people could care less how you feel. They aren’t genuinely concerned about you, and they don’t want to spend any quality time with you. They value how you make THEM look good. These are the people who VAL-USE YOU.

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Pray for the discernment to distinguish between the people who VALUE you, and those who VAL-USE YOU.

They’re everywhere…

In your family…

On your job…

In your church…

Everywhere.

And, be conscious of the people you may be VAL-USING in your life.

THE BLESSING IN WHEN SOMEONE IS TRYING TO ‘USE YOU’…

BE BLESSTIFED!

Have you ever been caught up in thoughts, behavior, habits, relationships, etc, that you wanted to STOP, but found STOPPING to be an enormous struggle?

Are struggling to STOP doing something right now? Are you fighting that battle between the flesh and the spirit?

The Apostle Paul even admitted to and described this struggle…

Romans 7:18-20  (NKJV)

¹⁸ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. ¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. ²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

Galatians 5:16-17 (NKJV)

¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

Many times, in the heat of this struggle, one might ask God, “Lord, please MAKE me STOP!

Remember this, YOU MAY NOT LIKE THE WAY THAT GOD MAKES YOU STOP!

When you read God’s word, He doesn’t want us to ask Him to make us stop. When we choose sin, we are choosing sin over him. It’s a relationship decision, much like a spouse choosing a rival over his or her spouse. No one wants to make a husband or wife stop choosing someone else over them. A spouse would want their loved one to CHOOSE TO STOP seeing someone else.

God gives us the power, strength and responsibility to STOP ourselves.

Notice where God places the responsibility in these verses…

Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV)

12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, LET US LAY ASIDE every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Ephesians 4:31  (NKJV)

³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking BE PUT AWAY from you, with all malice.

Colossians 3:8  (NKJV)

⁸ But now YOU YOURSELVES ARE TO PUT OFF ALL OF THESE: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

2 Corinthians 7:1  (NKJV)

7 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, LET US CLEANSE OURSELVES from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

It is clear that God does not want us asking Him to make us STOP doing anything that is displeasing to Him.

STOP on your own!

BE BLESSTIFIED!