Choosing Excellent things...

Read this post today and was so encouraged.
Be blessed and inspired to live differently as a precious treasure of Christ!
You are worth so much.

A summer devotional...

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]. Philippians 4:13, Amplified. 

WHICH ARE YOU?

{author unknown}

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

A young woman went to her mother and told her how things were so hard  for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see?" "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter tasted its rich aroma.

The daughter then asked. "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity-boiling water-but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. After being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do you wilt and become soft and lose your strength? Or are you an egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with

the heat? Do you have a fluid spirit, but after a loved-one's death, a relationship breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have you become hardened and stiff? Does your shell look the same, but on the inside you are bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or are you like a coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If I am like the bean, when things are at their worst, I get better and change the situation around me through Christ-likeness.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level? How do you handle adversity?

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Application! Christians are like carrots, eggs or coffee beans. They don't know how strong their response is until they get into hot water. Which are you?

Question: what is something crazy that has happened to you this week? anything tough you’ve had to endure? how did you respond? The thing to be grateful for is that CHRIST Himself is our strength. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. But with Him, we can do all things! 

Did you notice that God doesn’t always remove the obstacle or trying circumstance, but instead take you through it? Consider it as a classroom - a place where He’s going to grow you. What is God’s ultimate goal? Romans 8:28-29, He works all things together for good to those who love Him... molding us into the image of His Son. It’s for His glory and our good. 

“consider it a great joy... whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” James 1:2-3. Joy is available, even when we’re in the midst of something really trying.

Remember:

God is there (always, Matthew 28:20)

It’s just a season (God does things in seasons, Ecclesiates 3:1,11)

It’s not forever and certainly not for eternity :-)

Don’t be afraid; trust in God (Psalm 112:6-8a)

Give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

God will meet your every need (Philippians 4:19)

Claim the promises!

Psalm 138:3 When I cried out for help, you answered me. You made me bold and energized me (Hebrew: You made me bold with strength in my soul).

Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk]and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!

 Colossians 1:29, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.