It's Time to GO!

"You have stayed on this mountain long enough." Deuteronomy 1:6

"You have been here long enough.  It's time to go!"  Do you need to hear that today?  Have you/are you in a situation, relationship, financial or health status that is literally keeping you stuck?  Feeling like you are unable to move? Sick in your body and/or your mind?
 Have you been waiting on the Lord to intervene?  Praying that He will just take over and move in your situation?  Let me share something with you.  The Lord will and wants to move in your situation.  Right now.  But He is saying something to you today:  "It's time to move."

God spoke to the Israelites through Moses at the opening of the book of Deuteronomy, and He says something that I think many of us need to hear today.  
"You have stayed here long enough!"  
The Israelites were stuck because of their continued disobedience. Their possession of the promised land was delayed almost 40 years due to their sin.  They had to wait until a whole generation died off before they could enter into the land God had given them.  
Getting ahead of God at times and defying His instructions also caused them to have to wait.  Deuteronomy 1:46 says, "For this reason you stayed in Kadesh as long as you did."  Referring to the fact that they disobeyed God's command and went up against the Amorites when He told them not to.
How often is this our plight?  Getting ahead of God, arrogantly thinking, "This is a good idea.  I should do this.  I should get involved with this person, spend this money, eat this, take this pill."  Again and again, we get ourselves into situations that cause the great plans of God to be slowed down, and disrupted. Even when our intentions are good.
But here's the great news.  God's plans will still come to pass.  He is faithful and merciful that way.  But the lesson to heed is that we can get there so much quicker, and with so much less pain if we will just listen.  I've heard my husband say this to our kiddos so many times over the years,
 "If you would just listen, life would be so easy!"  
That may be a stretch, but I believe there is some truth to this.  

Some say the journey from Egypt to Canaan should have taken a few weeks, and some say maybe a few months.  One thing we do know is that it should not have taken 40 years. But their sin, complaining, and getting ahead of God kept them stuck.  Is that the case for you today?  Are you stuck?
Thank God His plans for the Israelites still prevailed.  And they will for you and me too.  No matter their sin, no matter their faults and failures, God still loved His people and His desire for them was still to enter a promised land.  They just had to do one thing:  GO!
I believe that God is calling each of us to go in some way today.  And our instructions to inherit our personal promised lands are all the same.  

1. Become a friend of God: James 2:23 says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, and he was called a friend of God."  Those we trust we call our friends.  

God can be trusted over any friend we have.
Trust Him and "GO" where He leads you today.

2. Live EVERYDAY in His Power:  We have access to the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead.  But all too often, we make the choice to walk around in our own flesh.  Much like having a lamp on your desk in a dark room.  Wanting to work, but refusing to plug the lamp into the outlet.  The lamp is good.  It wants to give you light so that you can work.  But YOU must plug it in to access it's power! Plug into the Word of God today.  Fellowship with Him and access His power through prayer and praise.

Get what you need from Him.  
He gives His power freely to all who ask in His name!

3. Allow yourself to be guided by the Holy Spirit:  Being guided by the Holy Spirit means one very important thing.  YOU ARE NOT GUIDED BY EMOTION!  Emotions are fleshly and in our flesh is no good thing.  Friend, if you want to "GO" and inhabit the promised land that God has set before you, seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  

Ask Him for direction, and wisdom.
 "Now if any of you lacks wisdom,
he should ask God who gives to all generously." James 1:5

4. Carry out God's Mission for your Life:  We all have one. Our missions change with the seasons of our lives.  As a mother of small children, your mission is your children.  If you are caring for a sick loved one: your mission is your loved one.  If God has called you to ministry, that is your mission.  
Too often, we attempt to take on too many missions all at one time.  We want to lead a ministry to millions, serve at church, lead small groups, write books, and raise children.  We fear taking time away from our "CALLING", will cause us to lose our opportunity to impact this world.  Friend, that is your flesh talking.  You can't make your "calling" happen on your own any more than you can make it rain.  And what is more important?  Raising up godly men and women from the children God blessed you with?  Caring for an ailing parent or spouse that God blessed you with?  Or running a ministry and/or getting ahead in your career?

Carry out the mission God has for you today!  
Don't get ahead of His plans.

There's no question that God is saying to you today; "GO!"  But taking on too much, not being guided by the Holy Spirit, and getting ahead of God can cause you to be stalled and detoured; not just in your mission but in your health and wellness too.  
And let's face it, when we are struggling in our personal health and wellness what good are we  to anyone around us?
Be blessed to know God is always there to get you back on track.  His Word will lead you directly where you need to go.  So stay close to Him (be His friend.) Live in His power, and be guided by the Holy Spirit to truly understand where your mission is in this very moment.  
SO GO!
But don't forget your roadmap!