IT’S ABOUT THAT TIME BLOG

“IT’S ABOUT THAT TIME”

Time is of the Essence!

What Time Is It!

What Time Is It in Your Life

Have you been doing the same things you were doing five, ten, twenty, thirty….years ago (Same ole same ole)? How is that working out for you? Have you done a little honest self -reflection lately and thought about the outcomes? Are your outcomes positive or negative. I hope you are experiencing positive outcomes. Let’s talk about how you are trending in these six areas of your life. Now, when I say, you, that means me included.

If you Journal this would be a really good topic Self-Reflection in these arears. I probably would need a 5 subject college ruled notebook for Relationships and maybe an index card or sticky note for Social Life. Lol.

The thing about Outcomes is how do you measure the outcome. For example, what are you going to base the outcome on? What will you measure the outcome up against. What determines if the outcome is really good or really bad. Each person’s view on the outcome can be different. In order to get an accurate measurement of the outcome we need a standard. A predetermined, across the board, standard.

If we are going to do this the right way we need a foundation. A measuring tool based on the truth. We wouldn’t want to use a tape measure that measures we need a dress size 8 when we know we’ve been forcing ourselves into a size 18, Right? Right. And brothers, would you want to wear a size 10 shoe when you know you wear a size 12? Right. Exactly. So, let’s all start out on the same page using the same measuring tool, the same standard, same foundation. The Word of God. Now these areas are like a whole 6 week course but we are just going to skim the surface for now.

1. Relationships
2. Career/Business/Finance/Income
3. Health
4. Personal Development
5. Social Life
6. Spiritual Growth and Development ( I saved the best for last)

Have you been consistent? Consistency is a good thing right? I’m referring to consistency as in regularity or steady continuity; free from variation. We all have patterns and cycles if you stop and think about it. Repeating the same cycles. Are you satisfied with your results, with the outcome of your decisions? Have you accomplished the things you wanted to or planned on accomplishing in your life? I know, I do ask a lot of questions.

Does any of this sound familiar: Here are some common phrases (Yes, I am guilty of maybe a few of these). No cheating if you didn’t say it out loud, did you think it. (This is the flesh. Galatians 5:24 tells us to Crucify the flesh, deliberately put it to death, lay it to rest. Gal. 5:16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.). Our prayer and desire is Father your will be done.

• “I’m Doing Me Right Now” (Oh, this was my favorite)
• “Just Let Me Do Me”
• “I know what I’m doing” “I like to do things my way…”
• “One thing about me, I’m consistent”
• “People need to stay out of my business”

Now, let’s look at the six areas of self-reflection. We can start with Relationships. Take it slow. Just breathe. Nice slow deep Inhale, pinch your lips like blowing out a birthday candle nice slow Exhale. Repeat as needed. It’s gone be okay. We will get through this together just stay calm. Focus. Lol. RELATIONSHIPS- Relationships include all types of relationships. Of course our most important relationship is with God, our Heavenly Father and all other relationships should spring from that.

Let’s think about our relationship with others such as relationship with family members, friends/neighbors, church family, coworkers, spouse, romantic relationships, leaders and authority, etc. Did you notice how I said, “let’s think about” our relationship in the last sentence. Not talk about, Think about, because sometimes we can talk our way out of dealing with the true outcomes and the things that are really on our heart. You know self-talk can be both good and not so good.

We transform our lives by renewing our mind. We train our thoughts by the things we focus on the most. When we speak, our words carry a lot of power and we will eat the fruit of our words. Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Let me set the stage, create an atmosphere. Put on some nice calming Instrumental Worship music (I like Dappy Keys—YouTube). Take a few minutes of quiet reflection on Jesus, thinking about the absolute love of God, knowing that you are accepted, that God will never leave you or forsake you, He is your very present help when you need Him in a time of trouble or distress, God wants your attention and loves to spend time with you, you are the apple of God’s eye, and He wants to pour his love out on you. God wants to build you up, strengthen you, prepare you for your assignment and use you, your life for His glory. His plans for you are all good.

Prayer: Father in the name of Jesus, we thank you, we praise you and give you all the glory. As we self-reflect, Holy Spirit we ask you to lead us and guide us into all truth. We partner with you Holy Spirit as you shine your glorious light on any areas that we need to change. We thank you God for the wisdom to make the change, to repent, and to Decree Your Word over our lives. We Declare Acts 10:38 over our lives “ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him”. Father we thank you that you are with us and for your perfect love; we ask you to show yourself strong and mighty on our behalf. In the name of Jesus we pray.

Quick recap:

• What time is it in your individual life, how are things progressing for you
• Self-Reflection of Outcomes in 6 areas
• Common Phrases you may have thought or said about the 6 Areas of Self-Reflection

Let’s dive in:

What does the Bible say about Relationships:

• Ephesians 6:1-3 Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Remember, that you are a child to your elderly parents as well. (As parents, we lead our children by example. We set the stage as we honor God)
• Proverbs 22:16 Parents “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”
• 2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? (Do not be unequally yoked).

• Proverbs 18:24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
• 1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
• Ephesians 5: Instructions for Christian Households. 21- 23 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 25- Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. 28. In the same way, husband’s ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 33. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

• Matthew 22: 36-40 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
• Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you (Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God.)
• Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
• Proverb 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
• Proverbs 13:20 Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
• 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’.
• Amos 3:3 How can two walk together unless they are agreed?
• For siblings and all other relationships I would like to use Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Now concerning relationship, you may feel some resistance to think about and self-reflect on some relationships and prefer to focus on others. I want to challenge you to zoom in on the relationships where you feel the tug, the resistance. This takes time. It is not something that you race through. Particularly think of a relationship area where you desire to see God move. Are you ready?

Remember this is self-reflection, thinking it over, kind of rolling it around in your head so to speak. Get the particular relationship area in your mind. It can be a past or current relationship, this is just a learning exercise. Close your eyes and literally picture it.

I’m choosing to self reflect on the marriage relationship as an example but you choose your particular area. Can you picture it? Great.

What was or is the outcome, as of today, how is it progressing (Be honest with yourself, not how you pray it will be one day but how it actually is as of right now, today). You are strong, face it like David faced Goliath. Face it if you are weak and trembling in the knees. Good or not so good, positively or negatively, peaceful or turmoil, safety or fearful, healthy or unhealthy, joyful or sorrowful?

With the Relationship, have you ever spoken any of the common phrases above or similar statements? It’s good to go back to the beginning or foundation of the relationship. Foundation is key.

So, now that we have a particular relationship in mind let’s begin our journey. We are thinking about the foundation of that relationship, how did it begin. What are some of the things we spoke about the relationship in and throughout the duration. This is good, are y’all having fun yet?

With my example of a marriage relationship-the foundation, In the beginning (Let’s Go)

Common Phrases:

• I know what I’m doing
• I’m doing me right now
• People need to stay out of my business
• I don’t need anyone’s advice

Foundation (It’s okay if you have to think back some years. The point is to get to the foundation. Philippians 3:13 says Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. Forgetting what’s behind means it’s okay to reflect back but it’s not okay to return to an old way of thinking, it’s not okay to get stuck in the past to the degree that you can’t progress forward. It’s not okay to passively allow yourself to be hindered, oppressed, or bound. Pastor Bertha Girty would say, “Let every experience be a learning experience”.)

What does the Bible say relating to my self-reflection?

• 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’.
• 2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? (Do not be unequally yoked).
• Amos 3:3 How can two walk together unless they are agreed?
• 1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
• Ephesians 5: Instructions for Christian Households. 21- Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Side Bar: Oh my, this is powerful. The Holy Spirit is all over this. Each time I attempt to say, What does the Bible say relating to my self -reflection—I say What does the Bible say relating to my self-deception. This is what happens when you partner with the Holy Spirit, the revealer of deep hidden things. Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows 8. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction, whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

This part was not planned or a part of my intended lesson but Yes Lord. I receive this word. God I thank you. Thank you God! Father I repent of leaning to my own understanding and doing things my way instead of your way. I repent of only seeing the fault of others and of setting aside your precepts during my decision making. Father sanctify us through your word for your word is true. Let God be true and every man a liar. Thank you God. Thank you for your forgiveness. You are a loving Father, full of grace and compassion, Thank you God for your new mercies. Even right now. Thank you God. Thank you for your indwelling Holy Spirit leading and guiding me into all truth. In the name of Jesus, Yes God.

Shift:

If upon this time of self-reflection you recognize that you have a pattern of consistently doing things your way and rejecting the truth of God’s Word, Stop. Do not deceive your own self. Yes, there is a way that may seem right to us, but if that way opposes the Truth of the Word of God, it will not lead to a good outcome. To get the desired Outcomes we must build our lives on the foundation of God’s Word.

It’s Time to Build. So, we have our foundation now we need a Blueprint, to start building from today moving forward. It’s blueprint time. It is Time to build using a blueprint. The Holy Spirit is our blueprint. The Spirit of Truth is our blueprint. Now the foundation of the Foundation that we Build upon is Salvation. You must be born again. Do you believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Romans 10:9 If you say with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead you will be saved.

Prayer of Salvation

“Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for saving me and for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

IT’S THAT TIME

Holy Spirit Time. Time to step out of the old. Step into a fresh Encounter with the Living Jesus. Holy Spirit Time. Time to shift, time to advance, time to accelerate, time to get Lifted, and time to propel. Time to Build. God has so much more for you. He wants to build you up; have your light shining bright, not dim, no flickering, not dull but bright. God wants to give you beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; God calls you trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified. Self-Reflect, “For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them” (Isaiah 61). Build yourself up on your most Holy faith. God has more for you. Build. Build. Build.

Do you believe that where you are now is all there is to your life in Christ? (The totality of your faith). Oh yes! You know, what you know; BUT God always has more.

God has new levels for you, new realms, new dimensions, new realities, new opportunities, new relationships, and fresh new revelations. “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” 1 Cor. 2:10.

Study and renew your mind about the benefits of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit inside of us gives us an advantage. Imagine, you have a great job with an excellent benefit package but you never bother to consider your benefit package. You don’t even open it up. You have all these untapped benefits waiting for you to Build up your life with.

John 16:12-13 Jesus said, ” I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now”. However, when He, the Spirit of Truth (Holy Spirit), has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He (Holy Spirit) will show you things to come.

What time is it……Time to Build with Holy Spirit.

Time to move in the Spirit of God, Spirit of Truth and build yourself on a solid foundation

Acts 7:51 Don’t resist Holy Spirit

1Thess. 5:19 Don’t quench Holy Spirit

Ephesians 4:30 Don’t grieve Holy Spirit

Do Receive the fullness of God.

Do tap in and respect Holy Spirit as Blueprint

Do Receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit

Do Invite & Welcome Holy Spirit

Do listen to Holy Spirit

Do make time for Holy Spirit

Study Study Study the Word

I love you . Now let’s go and Build. You Build Your life on a firm foundation, take the hammer (Word) and tear down what needs to be torn down. Open your mouth and Build. “Is not my word like fire? declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” Is there anything that is too hard for God? No. All things are possible you need only to believe. It is time to Build.