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The Devotional Diva - Take the Challenge
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The Devotional Diva - Take the Challenge
By Barbara Gobbs
Executive Assistant and Ministry Partner - Pocket Full of Change Ministries
“Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: “Come, meet me face to face.” II Kings 14:8 (NIV)
Today, I have decided to accept a few challenges. It was grocery day so that made it a perfect time to take the Activia Challenge. Okay I am doing it with Yo’Plait. I hope the rules are the same. After 10 days, I will have a new and improved digestive system. Why didn’t I ever worry about this before?
Today, I also accepted a 30-day challenge to provide specific encouragement to someone very close to me. I’ll get on-line reminders, tips, instructions and devotions to use in this challenge. In 30 days, I should have a happier hubby. I think he is pretty happy right now, but it never hurts to make sure he stays that way!
Today, I decided to skip the Special K challenge, because a girl can only take so much challenge at one time!
If only all challenges were as simple as eating cute little yogurt packets, getting email reminders and deciding which ones we’ll skip. Can we put that on the November ballot?
I’ll go on record stating I am the type of person who seldom reads the instructions until I have a problem putting something together. This is not a good practice. Since challenge seemed to be my word for the day, I thought I’d go on a preemptive strike and see what the Bible said regarding challenges, just in case I get another one.
I did a word search on challenge in the Bible and found only a few places where the word is used. The places were mostly conversation and not instructional, as in the case of II Kings 14:8.
Please don’t mistake this for an exhortation on this verse and the history surrounding it. But I did find something worth repeating. The King of Judah issued a challenge to the King of Israel to meet him face to face.
Without getting into how this worked out for the kings of the day, it certainly pays to meet a challenge face to face. I’ll address this more next week, but wanted to ask you what challenges are you facing today?
Before we can ever face a challenge, it would behoove us to identify it. How big is the real issue? Is the solution as simple as eating yogurt? Is it something less simplistic that will require daily assistance for a while? Could it be a trap to ensnare me, can I just walk away?
These are good questions. The answers will help us know how to move, but we can’t move strategically without meeting the issue face to face. Let’s take that a step farther and once we’ve met the challenge face to face, now we can meet it face to faith.
Never once did God insinuate that we would face anything in life alone. As children of Jehovah God, we are never alone. There are no hidden details or agendas with God. If challenges come, they are to drive us to Him and cause us growth. Okay, sometimes we get growing pains along with the experience, but we are better for it. Sore, but better.
For this week, look over your life and identify the areas of challenge. Define what challenge means to you. What can it do to you and what can it do for you? Next week, we’ll deal with the DNA of facing challenges. Until then, I challenge you to read Joshua chapter 1. It’s a wonderful chapter for success in times of challenge.
Challenging each of us in Christ,
Barbara
Divinely Inspired Victoriously Active
Barbara Gobbs is a ministry partner with and the Executive Assistant of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information, to schedule a speaker for an event, or to request a newsletter, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden, Publicist at 904 316-5462. This ministry is supported by donations. If this ministry helps you or others, and God calls you to help support this work, you can make a donation to Pocket Full of Change Ministry at POB 51205, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32240.
© Pocket Full of Change Ministries
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