Valentine’s day is two weeks away, and candy shape hearts and chocolates surround us as we shop.
Many of us are thinking of special ways to shower our love on those around us. And for others, Valentine’s day is a reminder of loss, resentment, and the opposite of love.
So, what is the opposite of love?
Immediately we think, “well, hatred” – this is a great answer, but hatred is only a fruit of a much deeper issue.
I believe the opposite of love is hostility!
Hostility is the feeling of having enemies. Hostility is built on betrayal, selfishness, and division and always brings destruction.
It starts as an emotion: feelings of unfriendliness, enmity, ill will, and antagonism.
Then it becomes an expression. We are actionable in unfriendliness, antagonism, warfare, acts of war, and ill will.
And lastly, after an expression, it becomes an experience. We build barriers and walls to keep people out.
Ephesians 2:14-16 tell us how Jesus breaks down the walls of hostility through the cross.
What if those who have experienced God’s love help break down barriers by sharing this transformation?
Let’s take advantage of February being the month of love by expressing God’s love to everyone.
But I challenge you not to let it stop there!
Let’s make this an everyday practice!
Ephesians 2:14-16, “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostilityby abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”
Have you put in the work for your relationships and priorities? Are you seeing how that foundation connects to your potential?
Today is the last day on my soap box.
I’m sure you know that so much of life is built on who you know more than what you know. This system can be unfair here on earth, but in the spiritual realm, every one of us has an advantage!
This revelation of knowing your Father brings tremendous access to endless promises from the Word!
So, your relationship with God must be your first priority.
Through your relationship with the Father, you have all wisdom to handle other relationships around you.
Building your relationship with God is simple – like any other relationship, it’s built on the TIME you invest.
Building this relationship can look like prioritizing time to read the Word or pray throughout your day.
Let’s get real. How much TIME have you given God lately?
Remember, no one is perfect. Life happens.
It is easy to get distracted and feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, which brings us back to our priorities. In 24 hours, where do you invest your time, and how much of it goes to God?
Have you allowed yourself to become distracted from what is most important to you?
Use your priorities to get back on track!
We all have goals for where we want to be spiritually and naturally, but we need to stay focused to execute and avoid becoming sidetracked.
You and I have the potential to be on higher levels this year with God, and I want you to reach your full potential!
When 2024 comes, I pray you can reflect with gratitude on how far you have come.
How far you go is left in our hands.
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:12-13
2023 is the year the Holy Spirit will unlock the power of God to come against any challenge in front of you!
God wants to accomplish great things through you for Him this year and will give you the strength to do so.
I have focused heavily on principles and priorities lately because we have a role to play.
We must have the relationships/recourses in our lives and priorities to set an order to help us accomplish what God has for us this year.
Our principles and priorities are what unlock our God-given potential.
You are called in “such a time as this,” but it’s up to you to unlock your potential.
God chose you and called you to be here, in this world, at this time.
We are all leaders, in big or small ways; we have the power to influence those God has placed in our lives.
And the most powerful way to unlock Godly leadership is through your servanthood. We must serve those around us.
2023 is a year to lead, not follow!
Do not follow the things of this world, but lead and be the example of Jesus. Take courage and boldness from the Spirit of God and lead by walking in His guidance.
Things might seem confusing, blurry, or hopeless, but remind yourself that you were made for this moment. God has great things He wants to do through you.
I want to leave you with these questions, “Are your priorities straight? Are your relationships/resources around you founded on Godly principles?”
Your priorities and principles will help you unlock your potential this year.
Esther 4:14, “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Last week I mentioned the phrase, “Principles are the foundation of relationships.”
Did you evaluate the principles that serve as the foundation for your life and relationships?
Your principles determine the strength of your foundation, which is why I concluded last week’s Monday Motivator with the reminder that they must be based on the truths of God’s word.
Today, I want to take this one step further. I want you to discover the step to help you launch into a greater you, relationships, and year.
That is, your priorities!
See, if we give minimum focus to the priorities in our lives, not only will our relationships fail, but the goals we want to accomplish will fail.
To be productive in our relationships and goals for life, we must learn to prioritize. To do that, we must determine the important things that must be done in our daily lives.
After discovering our priorities, we can take the necessary steps to honor those choices.
For example, is family time important to you? If so, while it’s obvious we have other things that need to get done, family time should be prioritized above all else.
To get better at prioritizing based on our principles, I want you to create a daily list of 3 things you need to get done. ONLY THREE! This exercise helps you accomplish those important things each day for the week and gets you one step closer to achieving your larger goals.
Prioritizing can help us create a flow in life like a river. It helps us avoid the time trap many fall into, which feels like a swamp.
We have made it to another year, and I am so thankful!
While everyone is thinking about goal setting, I encourage you to enter January with gratitude.
Consider the following:
1. The past/testimony – Giving God thanks for what He’s already done
2. Thanks for the future– Giving God thanks for what you don’t see yet.
Thanksgiving requires faith.
In the present, I thank God for what He has already done, which we should do continuously. It keeps me focused on the good things that have come into my life because of the blessing of the Lord, but it also requires no faith.
The second part of thanksgiving relates to faith because it requires us to be thankful for what hasn’t happened. We must begin to thank Him for what He will do in 2023 – before it happens!
Understand that in 2023 and every year, God wants to bless you.
Don’t live looking in the rear-view mirror because you’ll end up in a car accident. Instead, live looking forward with hope and faith!
2022 was a great year for me. After recovering from covid and watching God open doors across the world to minister, I believe even more extraordinary awaits.
I want us to thank God in advance for His blessing, love, and power in every situation for 2023.
Start the day with an attitude of thanks!
Get out of bed thanking God for how great He is before the day starts.
God has better and greater things planned for this year!
Psalm 34:1, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah 43:18-19, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
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