Search Results That Will Knock Your Socks Off

What are you really searching for?

Matt. 6:33 says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and all things things will be given to you.”

My word for 2016 is Decrease. I explain my primary focus verse here, but today’s verse works along with that.

I must decrease. He must increase. So my daily search must be to further His Kingdom and not my own.

How do I do that?

• Prayer – I guess you’d expect me to start there with a blog named 13Prayers. But seriously, 1 person’s prayers on ANYTHING may just be the one prayer needed to make big things happen. How full is your prayer bowl?
• Daily work – Whether you’re in an office cubicle somewhere or flipping burgers, do your best work with a joyful heart and people will notice. Greet that impossible customer with kindness. Tame your temper’s fuse.
• Tithe – I know. It’s not a popular notion to talk to people about money. I’ll get off your toes in a minute. First, I strongly recommend that you have a church home and that you support it financially. Tithing (giving 1/10th of your income) is a Biblical concept. Hubby and I have learned that when we tithe, we have more money. It seems counter-intuitive, but it’s true.
• Give – Give above and beyond the tithe. Yep. That’s me. Still on your toes. A while back I made God a ridiculous promise: if I had what I considered a specific and huge amount of “spare” money, I’d donate it to a special project my home church was working on. I looked at my finances and didn’t expect to have to follow through – unless God blessed me. (And as a 2 teacher income family in Oklahoma, I didn’t really see it happening.) Fast forward almost a year. Through a strange combination of events – which included paying off both vehicles and a credit card 6 months before my calculations – I had that specific amount. Plus $7. With a big gulp, I told Hubby what I’d promised. He just grinned and said, “Then you’d better write a check.” Could I have used that money for other things? Sure. But I was faithful in my little, and God remains faithful in EVERYTHING.
• Use your gifts & passions – Yes, one last trip across your toes. If God has blessed you with a gift and you’re not using it, SHAME ON YOU. If you are passionate about something and you’re not doing something about it, DITTO. God gave you specific gifts and passions so you can further His Kingdom. So, sing. Write. Organize to the glory of God. Bake a cake for a shut in. Sit by a friend’s hospital bed. Be open to be used wherever God needs you.

Action Plan: Start each day for the next week with this simple prayer- “Father God, I am here to honestly seek Your Kingdom today. Place before me opportunities to be at work with You. Open my eyes to these special Kingdom moments, so I can jump in and do my part. Thank you for the blessings that are coming my way today. Amen.” Just one week. See what happens. Let me know how it goes!

Thanks for reading. I prayed over you today. God bless!

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