Moving Forward Devotional

Last week I had an “aha” moment with God. After having the Holy Ghost for forty-seven years, I never dreamed that in this stage of my spiritual life I would grow with such a leap. I thought that was just for new converts or baby Christians. But we never stop growing in God. Each day brings fresh anointing and I’m frequently reminded that every day is “new” and exciting along this journey with God.

Moving Forward by Gayla Baughman
KYCC Devotional 11-12-08

Luke 9:62
But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

I’m not a farmer, but I’ve seen pictures of the old-fashioned plowing with an ox or horse. The one behind the animal has to concentrate on giving the animal direction to stay on course. If he stops, the horse stops, or worse heads for the barn or feeding trough. To take his mind off the rows he is plowing and look where he has come, is taking the risk of getting off course and eventually having to stop altogether to fix the mess he has made.

God is a God of the living. He is a progressional God. When Jesus walked on this earth he was post-modern. God’s ways are always going to be post-modern because he exists in eternity. His ideas and plan will be far above ours simply because of his omnipotence, all –knowing power. He sees the beginning from the end. He is alive and moving.

We must keep the course. We must constantly take inventory and see that we are moving ahead. If we are not making progress, if we are stagnated in our relationship with Him, it will seem that we are backsliding because he is moving. If he is moving and we are not, the distance between us becomes a chasm. Do you wonder why you can’t feel God? Do you wonder why you keep making the same mistakes? Could it be because you are not moving…living…allowing Him to perfect Himself in you?

Walk in the spirit. To walk is to move. It may not be flying, or running, but it is consistent and it is mobile. The Holy Bible quotes a letter Paul wrote to the Galatian church to help them outline the attributes of one who walks in the Spirit. This is what is says:

Galatians 5:16-25 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 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. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

There is a song by Free Chapel that I love. The condensed lyrics are:

But a moment you have brought me to
Such a freedom I have found in you
You’re the healer who makes all things new
You have risen With all power in your hands
You have given me A second chance
Hallelujah Hallelujah
I’m not going back, I’m moving ahead
I’m here to declare to you My past is over
In you all things are made new
Surrendered my life to Christ
I’m moving, moving forward

Dear Lord, I don’t want to stay the same. Every time I step into Your presence whether it is in a church service, or during my private time of prayer, I want to be changed. I want to forever be progressing, moving, and changing to be like You.

Determination

I woke up this morning and said
As soon as I got out of bed,
"I'm so ugly and I'm so fat,
But today I'm going to do something about that!"

I'll eat dry toast and cut my starch,
I'll up my fiber and down my carbs.
I'll drink my water and watch my weight.
I'll walk a mile from my front gate.

Tonight when I lay the fat me down
I'll have the comfort I'm smaller now.
Determined with a mischief grin
I've started another diet again.