Happy New Year! I was thinking of you and wanted to give you something to meditate on as we entered 2010. As always, I’m so excited about what lies ahead. And why not be excited, God has already told me what’s going to happen. He plans to prosper you and not to harm you. He’s given you hope and a wonderful future (based on Jeremiah 29:11). Did you know that God has already blessed this year? When I started collecting scriptures for this article, I was lead to Genesis and Revelation (and some points in between)—I saw blessing from beginning to end. Please enjoy reading what the Holy Spirit gave me for you.

You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.
—Psalm 65:11 NIV

Don’t look at what the world is experiencing. The Lord has already crowned this year with bounty! Remember He is the Ancient of Days. He knows all things and holds time in His hand. Everything He created was called good. In order to experience the Blessing all year long, we need to remind ourselves daily of Psalm 118:24 which says, “This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!” That’s 365 blessed days and it equals a year crowned with bounty!

In the beginning God created. What did He create—time, days and seasons for people to enjoy. And, He said it was all good. Genesis 1:31 recounts, “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” So regardless of what the media, politicians or your co workers are saying, THIS YEAR IS GOOD AND WILL BE GOOD BECAUSE GOD CREATED IT. Furthermore, His reason for making it good was and still is for His children to enjoy.

A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.
—Deuteronomy 11:12

His eyes are upon you if you are in covenant with Him. This is included in our Blessing. The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all he has made (Psalm 145:6). And we have biblical proof that anything God makes is bountiful, blessed and flowing with abundance. This should be our experience no matter what year it is or the economic status of our country. As a matter of fact, I believe when the world has lean times, it is a better opportunity for God to show off in our lives. People will want to know why and how our days and years continue to prosper.

Finally I’d also like you to meditate on God ending things the same way He began. Creating. Revelation gives us a glimpse. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone—like jasper as clear as crystal (Revelation 21:1-2, 10-11). This sounds like bounty to me! If none of the other verses convinced you, just focus on these. They will remind you of how the Lord is living and His expectations for you this year and every year until His return. He created it, crowned it and blessed it and He expects you to have a blessed year from beginning to end.

Be blessed friends and have the perfect day everyday!
Psalm 138:8
—Shontta

If you’ve been feeling like your prayer life is stagnate or that your prayers are not being heard, this article is for you. Perhaps your spiritual ears are dull. Maybe you feel like the Holy Spirit hasn’t been guiding you in decision-making. In short, you need a spiritual tune up. We all face times when we feel like we’ve hit the wall so to speak in our prayer lives. But not to worry, I’ve got the answer for you. The following are three simple steps you can take to tune up your spirit any time you feel you’re at an unproductive point in your Christian walk or your prayer life:

Step One: Pray the Word of God

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.—James 5:16 NIV

One thing that almost always hinders our prayer lives is improper forms of prayer. According to this scripture there is a form of prayer that is effective; so, there must also be forms of prayer that are ineffective. The best way to avoid this and know that you’ve succeeded in prayer is to rehearse God’s word back to Him. Two great places to start are Psalms and Proverbs for daily confessions. I suggest reading a Proverb a day; whatever the date is read that Proverb aloud. Some faith-building Psalms to start with are 1, 23, 34, 91, 103, 112,121 and 138. As you grow in this, begin to inject your favorite passages from all over the Bible into your daily confessions. For example, before I teach a fitness class of any kind, I recite Psalm 121. I also attach several other scriptures regarding the tongue. I ask the Lord to guide me with His eye (Psalm 32:8). These are Word-based prayers and I can have full confidence in their effectiveness. To me, praying the Word is the equivalent of taking the purest form of an anecdote. Uncut is the strongest form possible. When you begin to pray this way, your prayers will almost always be aloud. Remember in Mark 11:23 Jesus said that you will have whatever you say.

Step Two: Pray in the Holy Spirit

But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.—Jude 1:20 NIV

The gift of the Spirit with evidence of speaking in other tongues is your secret weapon; it is your sixth sense. Paul said that the one who prays in the Spirit edifies or builds himself up (2 Corinthians 14:4). When you need a spiritual tune up, this is exactly what could be hindering you—your spirit is not built up. Again in my profession as a fitness instructor, I am constantly in contact with people who are strong and well built in their physical bodies. In their spirits and minds however, they are fragile and weak. People are confused and doubtful about their lives—not sure who or what to believe. But Jesus said, “But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future] (John 16:13 AMP).” When we use our prayer language our spiritual sense becomes heightened, we are more aware of people and situations around us and God’s presence is more tangible in our daily lives. By praying in the Spirit, Romans 8 becomes real to you because you are then led by the Spirit.

Step Three: Hear the Word of God

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.—Romans 10:17

The concept is simple, the more you hear (and obey) the Word of God the more you hear God. Your ability to hear the voice of God is directly related to the amount of His word you hear. Jesus told us to be careful how we listen because to the one who has spiritual knowledge would more be given (Luke 8:18 AMP). Here are three ways to hear the Word. One, through your own mouth (see step one). Next, go to a Word-based church at least twice a week and hear the Word preached. And finally, use technology—listen to cds, watch television or internet broadcasts and load up that mp3 player with the Word so you can listen to it while you’re working out or in your car. The difference in your awareness will be amazing. It’s the same concept as tuning up your car so it performs better. You too will perform better by taking these steps to tune up your spirit. And in hearing the Word, remember what James told us. He said in James 1:22 do not just listen to the word and deceive yourself, do what it says.

In these times it is imperative that you as a child of God know, hear and follow His voice. Jesus said in John 10:4-5, “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” This is how you live above the circumstances and experience plenty in a time of famine. Tune up your spirit—pray the Word, pray in the Spirit and hear the Word of God!

Be blessed friends and have the perfect day everyday!

Psalm 138:8

—Shontta

Vocational and financial inflexibility can cause mental and emotional distress. Romans 12:2 in the Amplified reads:

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

The world is external and superficial and we are told here not to conform to it. You may be inflexible emotionally because circumstances have you down. You may not have been taught that you can take authority by speaking and acting on the Word. I encourage you to be flexible and be transformed in your mind and emotions. Don’t allow religious dogma (or any mental negativity) to stifle your growth and pending flexibility. Be willing to change your thoughts by feeding on the Word. Take the old, impure and negative thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:2) — do it verbally. Under emotional pressure, call on God. Be flexible by speaking the Word instead of having a meltdown. Whatever your usual derogatory action, intentionally deflect it with the Word. And remember, all you need is one Word! Know that God has exalted above all things His name and His word (Psalm 138:2; Philippians 2:9-10).

Select one or two scriptures that cover your situation and commit them to memory. Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17).

These actions will relinquish the control of your flesh from your emotions to your spirit. Once you create spiritual flexibility, you are on a collision course with success in life. For it is the Spirit, that guides us into the Truth (John 16:13-15). And if your mind and emotions are not in flex, how can your spirit lead you? Luke 8:18 AMP says that to him who has spiritual knowledge will more be given. Once again, flexibility begets flexibility. Feed your spirit and it will feed you. I trust you were enriched and encouraged by this series of articles. I welcome your feedback.

Be blessed friends and have the perfect day everyday!

Psalm 138:8

— Shontta