Recently I drove by a junk yard and saw a car sitting on blocks with no wheels. I thought about the “image” it left in my mind. That car could be full of gas and oil and be brand new. It could be equipped with all the modern conveniences–GPS, USB outlet to play iPhones, blue tooth, etc. but, with NO WHEELS the car is going NOWHERE!!!
I don’t know about you, but there was a point when I was much like that car. Recently I spoke to someone in my life who is very, very, very dear to me. Their “Car” (life) is sitting on blocks with no wheels. I so desperately wanted to share with them why their life was “sitting on blocks” and not moving. It is something that I found to be true in my life at one point. So with the thought that others may be where I was and knowing that at least one other person in my life is…I am going to allow God to share through this post…..How to put the wheels on the car of your life and start moving forward.
It starts with the scripture and truth found in Numbers 23:19, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Truth: Plain and simple, God does not lie, and HE keeps his word.
Knowing and trusting this truth, look at John 15:6-7, “I am the vine; you are the branches, if a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers, such branches are picked up thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” These words are in red in the Bible meaning they were words directly from Jesus’ mouth.
Truth: Is your life on “blocks” with no wheels going nowhere?……..It would be the best idea in the world to examine….if you are TRULY CONNECTED TO THE VINE. God says you can do nothing a.k.a. Go NOWHERE……IF YOU ARE NOT CONNECTED. A true connection to God involves wanting and desiring HIS will, not your own. When you align yourself with the vine……YOU WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT….. YOUR LIFE WILL START MOVING….. and your prayers and desires will LINE UP and be connected to God’s design and purpose for your life! Otherwise…..the branches wither and are no good and are thrown in the fire….a.k.a. NO WHEELS….car/life going nowhere .
Now look at Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other gods before me.” If God is second, He might as well be last……..So even if God is high priority…..anything before HIM….is an idol…..person, job, child, success, sport, school…you fill in the blank………………..! Deuteronomy 4:24 states, “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God!” NO wondering about it. If we don’t stay connected to the vine, with nothing in between us and God………HE will burn it up. Are you following this??????? If you are a Christian and you allow anything to come between you and God, a.k.a. the branch and the vine……HE WILL BURN IT UP! There will be NO WHEELS for your life to go anywhere!!!
NO matter where you are in life, no matter what you have or haven’t done….no matter who your father, mother, brother, sister, spouse…. are…..or are not…..no matter what trial or problem you face…….Remember, problems can be used by God to cause us to look to HIM, keep depending on Him and allow us to SEEK HIM. MY LIFE VERSE…..PROVERBS 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with ALL YOUR HEART, lean not on your OWN UNDERSTANDING, in ALL your ways acknowledge HIM and HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT.” BOOM………Here it is….we have to trust, not a little bit here and there, but with ALL OUR HEART, in every situation……we have to acknowledge HIM, not partially, but in ALL OUR WAYS….. then, not only will our paths be straight….but our tires will be NEW and we can move forward.
God’s word is clear. What I found to be true in my own personal life was that I was Not fully obedient to the WHOLE OF SCRIPTURE….to the “ALL’S”, and the word “REMAIN” (I would venture away from the vine….to my own understanding and thoughts)…. God was high on the list. He was second…..I realized second didn’t cut it………I needed to be READING GOD’S WORD. I needed to UNDERSTAND THAT HE DOES NOT LIE. I needed to be doing “PERSONAL GUT CHECKS,” applying the words God uses such as ALL, REMAIN, AND NO OTHER…….Not using my words–ALMOST, SOMETIMES and BUT.
God wants HIS BEST for US. HE is CRYSTAL CLEAR IN HIS WORD ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE………. It is up to us to not replace HIS WORDS with our words and thoughts………That is called PRIDE….which His Word addresses and is simply stated in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before a destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” WE cannot expect to have HEALTHY, AIR-FILLED TIRES IN OUR CARS OF LIFE………IF WE TRY to rewrite, ignore or avoid….His Word while trying to live a LIFE OF SIGNIFICANCE on our own terms.