BLESSED FOR A PURPOSE

'Afterwards they will come out with great possessions.' Genesis 15:14 NIV

When the children of Israel were leaving Egypt, God transferred the wealth from one nation of people to another. And he did it overnight. That's because his people were called to fulfil his purposes in the earth. After 400 years (ten generations) of making bricks, polishing brass and sweeping floors, God said in essence, 'It's payday! All that stuff you've been scrubbing and shining is going to be yours.'

Let's be clear, the Bible teaches that money isn't offensive to God; the misuse of it is! One pastor says: 'Money speaks. It says to land, "I can own you." It says to buildings, "I can build you." It says to vision, "I can fulfil you." It says to a missionary, "I can support you." It says to poverty, "I can feed you." And it says to opportunity, "I can accept you."' Why did Pharaoh pursue the Israelites? To get back the wealth of Egypt. Stop and think about that! The devil doesn't care who gets the money, as long as it doesn't go to God's people or fulfil his purposes. Satan dreads the thought of a generation of prosperous believers committed to reaching the world with the Gospel. And he will keep us enslaved to ignorance if he can.

'But I'm not a slave,' you say. How about slavery to debt, or hopelessness, or fear or old habits? God wants to set you free from anything that keeps you from fulfilling his will. Once you realise that, you'll start to pray in earnest and believe God for the resources to do it!

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

'There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.' Proverbs 18:24 NIV

To fulfil God's plan for your life, you need relationships with the right people, those who stick by you come what may. Remember Jonathan, who loved David even at the cost of his own life? And Ruth, who loved her mother-in-law Naomi and gave her a reason to live again? God can introduce you to such people and help you build a relationship with them. Think about it: he wouldn't say, 'It is not good that man should be alone,' then ask you to live in isolation (Genesis 2:18 NKJV). Sometimes when you're by yourself, you're in the worst possible company!

But you may need to be healed within before you can build healthy relationships and make healthy choices. That means learning to differentiate between 'using' relationships and 'heart ties'. Blood ties don't wear as well as heart ties. Allow God to work on you and when you're ready, he will facilitate the necessary introductions. In the meantime, get to know him better because he's the source of true self-esteem. If your last relationship stripped you of self-worth and drained you spiritually, use this time to get back on your feet. You may never have this opportunity again! Begin to love like God loves. He sees our imperfections, handles our rejection and loves us regardless. Knowing that will help you not to discard a good person because they did a bad thing. Would you throw your car away because of a faulty part? If God forgave you the way you forgive others, could you stand (see Psalm 130:3)?

Ask him today to show you how to build healthy, fulfilling relationships. He will do it!

'STRESS FRACTURES'

'He gives...strength to the weak.' Isaiah 40:29 TLB

Sports Illustrated magazine says, 'Stress fractures begin when the shocks and strains of playing game after game create tiny cracks in outer layers of bone. When those cracks become large enough to cause severe pain, they are known as "stress fractures".' If you've ever had a stress-fractured mind, you can relate. It eats at you by day and keeps you awake at night. And if you try to 'medicate' it with alcohol, or drugs, or an affair, or overeating or a hyperactive lifestyle, it gets worse.

What should you do? (1) Change your focus. 'Come to me...and I will give you rest...Let me teach you...and you will find rest for your souls' (Matthew 11:28-29 NLT). 'He gives power to the tired and worn out, and strength to the weak...they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength' (Isaiah 40:29-31 TLB). Instead of struggling alone with the burden, share it with the burden-bearer and let him strengthen you. (2) Lighten up! 'A merry heart does good, like medicine' (Proverbs 17:22 NKJV). Don't make such a big deal out of everything! Lighten up and laugh more, especially at yourself! Do you even remember the last time you enjoyed a good laugh? Accept your imperfections. Let some stuff go. Stop trying to be Wonder Woman or Superman. Get away for some fun. Yes, you need fun too! Cancel some of your not-so-important meetings.

If you want things to change, you will have to change them. Today talk to God; he knows how to heal stress fractures.