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1 Chronicles 21: 1-3: Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.  But Joab replied, May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord's subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?

 

I own a business, and when I was younger I was constantly striving. I spent hours upon hours working, developing a marketing plan. I would spend so much time, money, and energy away from my family, neglecting my health, and always had mixed results. When the Lord came into my life, I found that the more I rested in Him, and the more I relied on Him, the less time I had to spend focused on marketing. It would seem that people would just show up at my office. Everything was God ordained. I had friends introduce me to new clients. Clients refer me to their friends and so forth. 

I would go through times that were so busy with business that I could barely keep up.  Then there were times that I was free to rest to spend time with family, exercise, and travel. That was amazing time the Lord gave me, but what ended up happening is the whisper of the enemy would start to make me question what was next for me. Would I have enough money to support my family? How could I be so complacent and enjoying life when I should be marketing? I would run through a list of business that I had going on, and count out how much I would be short if I didn't work out.  Then I would stress about it, and count the business that I had in an attempt to make myself feel better about taking a break. It was madness. It is the opposite of what God wants for us.  When we start to do an accounting of what we have under our own power, we will shut off the flow of power of the Lord. 

David was doing just that when he wanted a census of the fighting men. He was so caught up in what he had that he did not rest in the fact that God the Father was winning every battle for him. David was thinking the Israelites that were fighting men, were his doing, and his control, and he forgot that it was the power of God who did all things to bring victory to him. 

That is the case for us. If you feel like you are in lack in any area, don't start thinking about what you can do. Think of the enormity of what God can do. When you take the limits off of God, everything that you need will multiply. Everything that you want will multiply. Conversely, when we start to think of what it is we can do, things will start to dry up. Fear, striving, and control are all in opposition to God's plan in our lives. Pray, be thankful, and ask the Lord to bring the things that are way beyond what you could ever imagine. Do not shrink back into your own shell and hold on tight to what is in your own grasp.  Instead open up your tight fist into the air to receive the blessing that is beyond possible comprehension. 

 

Father, let us receive Your love today and not forget how much You have given up so that we can be Your children.  Thank You for helping us release control of our lives and our thinking to You so that Your blessings flow into our lives.  Help us to look upon these situations in our lives that seem impossible with eyes of faith that see Your wondrous works.  We praise You for all that You are, and all that You do.  We thank You for leading us and guiding us today to give You control and help us to not take it back from You when things seems like they may be getting rough.  We know You have this, and we know You only want the best for us.  In Jesus name, amen.