His Bucket List for Me

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Good morning.

I am currently determined to get exactly where the Lord intends for me to be. We sings song like ‘I Surrender All’, but do we have the faintest idea what such surrender will require from us. I’ve had a calling on my life for a long time, but I basically wanted to call the shots and determine the terms of the ‘agreement’. I looked toward people for approval and when I didn’t get it I would not consider it worth doing. The Lord, however, stayed interested and silently in the background turned on the heat so I could learn a few lessons and burn my fingers more than a number of times. If the Lord could write a book ‘The Stubborn Child’ He would certainly use me as an example - I was willing, yet stubborn.

He then allowed me to go through such hardship that I would get desperate to really surrender. All the while He sent people on my way to prophesy His intentions, so I could maintain His vision for me in my heart. The latest advice the Holy Spirit gave me towards entering His perfect plan for my life is the ‘Tick List’ or ‘His Bucket List for me’. I started to write down things I knew still needed to change in my life for me to be holy - really set apart for the Lord. The cleaner the vessel, the more useful it is to the Lord. The more in line we are with God’s will, the more efficient we would be. Jonah was a prophet and since he had the ability to preach the word of the Lord, he probably could have preached it anywhere, but because He wasn’t where the Lord wanted him to be he was practically sulking and useless. We need to get where the Lord wants us to be and therefore we need to “to work out our salvation with fear and trembling,” (Philippians 2:12 personalised).

So I started my list. The idea was to tick off what I’ve learned and managed to accomplish. Then the exams began and I get tested on my commitments, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose,” (Philippians 2:13). If you’re serious about surrender and change and not only sing empty words in church, the Lord is going to take it up seriously. One of the lessons I’ve learned long ago, was put to the test yesterday. I’ve learned to automatically forgive and bless the person who offended me. It was a hard lesson that time but the fruit was sweet until a new enemy walked into my work yesterday. The person spends a day there about once a month and since the first day the person was being critical about everything. Yesterday was about the worst ever. On top of it someone else made false accusations about me earlier the morning and I was tested in a dual way. Was I going to forgive, love and pray for my enemies? If I forgave them, am I going to treat them lovingly as if nothing happened?

The second issue I was tested on was whether I’m going to ponder about all these issues all day long, allowing the devil to torment my thoughts with unhappiness and bitterness or was I going to praise the Lord and continue with prayer and intercession as usual. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight,” (Proverbs 3:5, 6).

It’s not the popular people of God or the mighty people of God that are going to enter His presence, but the loving and obedient (Matthew 7:21-23 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7:21-23&version=NIV1984).

How about you?

Lord, help me start your bucket list for me.

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