A presentation by T M "Tim" Stafford.

http://www.tmstaffordllc.com

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The more I grow in my relationship with God then more I realize what I don't know. Have you ever felt like that? Proverbs says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and in so many ways I always feel like I am just beginning to understand who God is and who I am to Him. That is probably the hardest thing for me to understand because it just baffles my mine when I think about the fact that God wants to use ME even though He is perfectly able to create whatever He WANTS and He doesn't NEED anything.

Through out the course of my life, however, what I have determined about God I have been able to do so based on the history I have with Him. A good practice for ANY Christian at ANY place in their walk with God is to simply take some time and look back and see all of the footprints and fingerprints of God and how they were so intricately entwined with the other "goings on" of your life.

It is simply amazing! And it is one of the ONLY ways to really see an accurate picture of how much God is with you and how His plans for your future are secure.

So having said that, I believe that there are 5 things that everyone should know about God and anyone can understand and look for these things in their past as well as use them to establish hope for the future.

Don't you agree that "but" is one of the most dysfunctional words in the English language? It IMMEDIATELY counteracts whatever is in front of it

• I wish I could be a dancer, BUT I am too short.
• I love your new haircut, BUT I think you paid too much.
• I love you, BUT I am tired of your mess!

See what I mean, it immediately counteracts the encouragement and wipes it out.

This is NOT the case with GOD.

God loves us regardless of where we find ourselves, if our hair is right or if we are a mess. He still loves us and His love is unconditional - NO BUT'S

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Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

We love, because He first loved us.

If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. (1 John 4:7-21 NASB)

Recently I was traveling in the car and my daughter was asking my wife, what the plans were.

As much as my wife tried to appease the question, my daughter wanted to know the details.

Finally my wife said to her, "You are just going to have to trust me that the plans are in place. Meanwhile enjoy the ride!"

Now THAT will PREACH! God has a plan for me, Jeremiah 1:4-8 says that even before we are conceived

He knew us and had a plan for us and so we need to learn just how to enjoy the ride!

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Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations."

Then I said, "Alas, Lord G od ! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth."

But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. "Do not be afraid of them,

For I am with you to deliver you," declares the Lord.

Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

"See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant." (Jeremiah 1:4-10 NASB)

For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NASB)

Talking to God is not like talking to a friend because His way of communicating with us can be so varied.

From a strong feeling to the encouragement of a friend (or even a stranger), from a conviction to a breathtaking sunset, from a burning bush to a donkey,

God has communicated with humans in a variety of ways, but the point is HE IS COMMUNICATING WITH YOU!

Stop, be silent and listen!

Here is a side note - His voice will not be the loudest one that you hear is will be still and soft.

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I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the Lord.

How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You.

If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.

Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened; Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.

Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart."

I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O Lord, You know.

I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.

For evils beyond number have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my heart has failed me.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; Make haste, O Lord, to help me.

Let those be ashamed and humiliated together Who seek my life to destroy it; Let those be turned back and dishonored Who delight in my hurt.

Let those be appalled because of their shame Who say to me, "Aha, aha!" Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually, "The Lord be magnified!"

Since I am afflicted and needy, Let the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God. (Psalms 40:1-17 NASB)

There used to be a sign in the church choir room that said, "Does God Seem Far Away? Guess Who Moved?"

It's true.

We often find ourselves feeling like God left us, but He didn't. He is right here doing what we need Him to do, working on our behalf.

Our responsibility is to make sure that we stay connected and focused on Him so that we do not isolate ourselves from Him, even if we don't mean to.

Fact is though, even if we do find ourselves isolated and away from Him, we can always find Him, He is right where he has always been!

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But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:16-20 NASB)

Here is the deal - If we can't always trust God then we can really never trust God, because if God is not 100% trustworthy, then He is not trustworthy at all because HE, by definition, is not God. So then how do we trust God in practice?

Proverbs 3:5-6 gives us a great road map

Trust God with everything is us (our whole heart, our whole being)

Do not even try to understand why things are happening the way that they are happening.

Acknowledge God in everything that happens and is happening, even if you are not totally sure that God is really involved.

God will then direct you - follow that, even if that means doing what is counterintuitive to you.

Don't Be Afraid To Allow God To Love You, Lead You, or Leverage Your Life for His Will!

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My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you.

Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones.

Honor the Lord from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.

My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord Or loathe His reproof, For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. By His knowledge the deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew. My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck.

Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it, " When you have it with you.

Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you. Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.

Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways. For the devious are an abomination to the Lord; But He is intimate with the upright. The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted. The wise will inherit honor, But fools display dishonor. (Proverbs 3:1-35 NASB)

If you would like to connect, please do not hesitate!

Here is where you can find me:

blog: www.desperatelyseekingfusion.com
email: tmstaffordllc@gmail.com
face: www.facebook.com/ruinstitute
twit: www.twitter.com/ruinstitute

cell: 321-202-8820