TODAY'S SCRIPTURE "And at the same time pray for us also, that God may open a door to us…" (Colossians 4:3, AMP)
TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria In this life, we are blessed with so many opportunities and privileges. In this day and age, we have tools and resources to figure almost anything out. It's easy to just depend on our own natural ability to make things happen. But God wants to be intimately involved in our lives. He wants us to come to Him, depend on Him, and allow Him to show Himself strong on our behalf. He wants to open those doors for you, and He wants you to know that He is the one working behind the scenes on your behalf.
Today, if you are looking for an open door, turn to God. Pray and ask Him to direct your every step. Keep asking, keep knocking, keep believing because God will open those doors before you. He will lead you and guide you into the abundant life He has in store for you!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY "Father God, thank You for ordering and directing my steps. Today I come to You asking for an open door. I know that You will make a way even when there seems to be no way. I choose to trust You with every detail of my life! In Jesus' Name. Amen."
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE "For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries" (I Corinthians 16:9, NKJ)
TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria Are you walking by faith or sight today? In other words, are you choosing to believe God no matter what your circumstances look like, or are you making decisions and focusing your mind on what you can see.
Remember, it's always darkest right before the dawn appears. I believe that you are about to give birth to that promise. The enemy sees the supernatural doors that are opened before you, and he will try his hardest to get you to quit, give up, and settle where you are. But if you'll just keep pressing past that adversity, if you'll keep praising, believing, and confessing God's promises, you'll make it through. You'll come out wiser and stronger, and you'll embrace every good thing God has in store for you!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY "Father God, thank You for the open doors You have prepared for me. I recognize that these challenges have not come to stay; they have come to pass. I choose to stand strong in You, knowing that You have blessing and victory in store for my future. In Jesus' Name. Amen."
In the olden days, if you had a question, you wrote it down and gave it to your local spiritual leader. He answered the question and the paper was returned to you — with your 'prescription'; sometimes a spiritual solution, sometimes a physical assignment to transform the situation.
The great kabbalists like the Baal Shem Tov never looked at a piece of paper. He could look at a paper and tell you everything about the person who wrote it down. He saw into their soul, into the root of their problem, and didn't diagnose and treat that problem. He treated the person.
In the medical world, symptoms present themselves, are diagnosed and treated. In homeopathy, there's often a deeper investigation, but the concept is similar.
In our own lives, and in the lives of those around us, we cannot treat people like pieces of paper and we cannot simply address questions.
We cannot treat the question. We must treat the person.
My mother and teacher, Karen Berg, often says that when a person comes to you with a problem, you cannot help them if you are coming from your perspective. You have to erase yourself — put yourself completely in their shoes and feel where they are coming from, regardless of where you are coming from.
If someone calls you and tells you what they are going through, you cannot listen to the issue. You must listen to the person. If someone says, "I'm angry", the simplest thing is to tell them to meditate or pray on it and let it go. But the question we must ask is, "Why are you angry, and who at?" The line of questions continues and we get to the real problem.
Unfortunately, the way that the world is right now, where there's a problem we look for a bandage. As long as we can stop the bleeding for now, we're good with that.
We need to realize the nature of the problem and make sure the solutions work long term.
If a person has a kidney problem and you give them Vicodin without knowing that they have addictive tendencies, you aren't solving any problems — you're adding to them.
We have to look at the big picture and make the effort to go at the solutions. That's what we are here to do — for ourselves and the world. This week, think about — perhaps even face — the people you're treating as problems, the problems you're not dealing with, and the solutions you know might take more effort, but will create a lasting change.
All the best,
Yehuda
72 Name of the Week I gather the ability to bring forth the powers of observation to see the truth . . . and the courage to handle it!
