Living With Margin – Part 7: EXPECT THE BEST AND PLAN FOR THE WORST

You are welcome to the 7th part of our #LivingWithMargin series. We have been shown how to infuse margin in our lives, to get some space for all the good things that God wants to do in our lives. Let us remind ourselves again that - MARGIN is THE SPACE I create between My LOAD and My LIMITS.

Do your best, prepare for the worst— then trust GOD to bring victory. Proverbs21:31(MSG)
In explaining what God says about expecting the best and planning for the worst, the following points will be used:
•
the Best – the Bible calls that FAITH - Faith is expecting that God is working for His best in your life in every circumstance. Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)… Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Having confidence that God is at work in your life, you are expecting the best.

• Planning for the Worst – the Bible calls that WISDOM - God wants to give us wisdom for even the worst that we face in this world. God wants to give you wisdom to even avoid some problems in your life. Proverbs 22:3 (TEV) Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.

Both are needed to be able to expect the best and plan for the worst in order to have good margin in your life. The purpose of margin is that God can do greater things through your life. How do you do both at once?

1. STOP PRETENDING TO BE GOD - You are pretending to be God when you think expecting and planning are all on your shoulders, and you equally find yourself unable to do it. We live in a world of “it’s up to me” kind of thinking and “whatever I set my mind to do I can do it” kind of thinking. It is easier to move/think from expecting God can do anything to expecting you can do anything that you might think; and the great danger in that you can do everything is actually pretending to be God….and this happens because it is the original sin that started everything in the garden. “God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree, you will learn about good and evil and you will be like God!” Genesis 3:5 (NCV). The truth is nothing is impossible for God and it’s impossible for us. God never fails, we often fail and vice versa…. showing that we’ve got to stop pretending to be God.
The answer to this temptation to being like God is the attitude of humility. Matthew 23:12 (NLT). God’s best for your life is found in this choice to humble yourself.

2. BASE YOUR PLANNING ON GOD’S WISDOM - The bible is the oldest manual for life and it’s needed to be used to get the wisdom that you need to face the areas of your life because you need margin, space. You need space for the problems of life, that’s why you need margin… space for money, time, work, health and relationships. God’s wisdom is needed to create the space that you need. Let us examine some of God’s wisdom for margin:

• Invest your MONEY - If you are spending everything that you have, you’ve got no margin for your problems. The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets. Proverbs 21:20 (TLB). God’s wisdom is deeper than our wisdom; it does not only include saving, but also giving. Spending without saving is a bad planning as well as saving without giving is also a bad planning. “Give, and you will receive . . . The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.” Luke 6:38 (NCV).

• Spend your TIME - Spend your time in the right way with the right thing on your mind - the core of all the struggle in this area of margin. The reality is activities take longer than expected. Thus, we need more than our own wisdom in this one; we need God’s wisdom when it comes to the way we handle our time. Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:16 (AMP). Redeeming the time is buying back opportunities.
Spending your minutes in exchange for opportunities to do good.

• Take care of your BODY - God cares about your body and he wants you to care about your body too. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT).

• Be diligent in your WORK - God’s wisdom for margin in this area of work is diligence because he knows that work is often frustrating to us. Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores it provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. Proverbs 6:6-8 (NIV).

• Value your RELATIONSHIPS - God made us for relationships with Him and also with others. Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together. Colossians 3:14 (CEV).

3. TRUST THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL - Trusting God for he is in control is a common statement Christians utter when in different problems like financial problems, broken relationships etc. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. To be honest, it doesn’t seem to solve the problem. This is because you still struggle with a bigger question of what does it mean to trust that God is in control?

We first need to know that the statement goes beyond/against our natural instincts. Trusting in any other thing other than God will ultimately fail us. Only God has the power to be in control of everything. To trust in God is to wait on Him. Lamentations 3:25-26 (TEV) The LORD is good to everyone who trusts in him, so it is best for us to wait in patience – to wait for him to save us. In other to wait, you need to stop.
Stopping is not inaction but inviting God to be Part of the action, to create space for God’s help.

4. BELIEVE THAT GOD IS WORKING FOR YOUR BEST. - God made you. His desire for you is to give you the best and that is why Jesus died. Romans 8:32 (NJB) Since he did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for the sake of all of us, then can we not expect that with him he will freely give us all his gifts? He gave us Jesus Christ to show that he is giving us forgiveness, new life and we can expect him to give us all his good gifts. We are in a world where all things aren’t at its best; that’s why you need to know that someone is working for your best.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Saturday 21st September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Worry and fear are tools of slavery and captivity. Stand above it today, by standing on Gods word.
Psalms 119: 9 16

*Notes/prayers:* Father, I receive the grace to make right decisions. I receive the grace to dwell on your words and not my worries. I receive the wisdom to live a productive life.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Friday 20th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Since nature does not operate in a vacuum, we must walk in the peace that God provides, if we will overcome worry.
Philippians 4:6-7


*Notes/prayers:* I receive Your peace dear Father. I receive Your grace. I walk in faith towards my challenges.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for 19th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Instead of worrying, we need to focus on renewing our minds. Making sure that it is focused on Gods victories on our behalf, and His provisions for our complete salvation.
Romans 12:2


*Notes/prayers:* Dear Father, help me to see the positive side of the challenges I face and help me to grow rightly by them. Help my mind to think right, and to understand that You are greater than all the challenges in the World.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Wednesday 18th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* The alternative to worrying is to cast ALL of our cares on the Lord. The beauty of this is that He never fails.
1Pet5:7

*Notes/prayers:* Gracious Father. I lift all of my burdens, worries, fears, desires, ambition, and all to you. I cast them all on you.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Tuesday 17th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* It is important to know that worrying does not solve any problem; it just aims to deflate the available strength to solve it.
Matthew 6: 25 - 27


*Notes/prayers:* Dear Father help me to overcome the temptation to worry, and to not be deceived that it solves my problems.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Monday 16th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* To effectively overcome worry, I must first search myself to be sure that I am not making series of mistakes or in error.
Ps 138:23-24

*Notes/prayers:*
Search me O God, and know my heart: test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting.

Living With Margin--- Part 6: HOW TO FREE MYSELF FROM THE WEIGHT OF WORRY

Welcome to the 6th part of our #LivingWithMargin series. MARGIN is the space I create between my loads and my limits. Thus, it gives room for thorough reflection and aids growth. Last week we discussed the importance of giving room for the most important thing LOVE. Today, we will be discussing how to free ourselves from the weight of worry.

Definition of worry: To allow ones mind dwell on actual or potential difficulty or troubles. Usually, worry operates in a space between ambition and desire, derailing the mind from focus and productivity. It is essentially negative.

Where did it all start from? The origin of worry can be traced to the fall of Adam and Eve. (Gen 3). The serpent approached Eve, and questioned the divine law that humans lived by, took advantage of ambition, and promised disobedience as the path to fulfilment. The method has not changed, this is why we need the space that margin brings.

Some downsides of worry:
*Worry cannibalizes contentment and margin. Worry cannibalizes the contentment God has in mind for us to experience. You cannot be content while you worry. Worry cannibalizes the ability to live in the margin God wants us to
*Worry shifts our focus from faith to fear. Worry shifts our focus from faith based living to living a life of fear. Fear of what to eat, what to wear and so on.
*Worry weighs us down spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically. Some physical downsides of worry: it weakens immune system, anxiety, panic attack, increased blood pressure, migraine, backaches, extreme fatigue, trouble sleeping and soon.

We are overcome with worry when we think that it is solely our responsibility to make our life a meaningful one. However, we need to understand that right from the beginning our lives did not start because we wanted it to. We existed first as thoughts in Gods mind, then as actual creations carefully, intentionally and consciously deployed at the time we were born. We need to know that we are not alone regardless of what circumstances surround our lives.

The truth is that worry does not have any positives to it, and can be reduced to the barest minimum in our lives if we can just trust God and see ourselves the way He sees us.

How to overcome Worry
*Start by pinpointing my problem areas. Ps 138:23-24
*Remember, worry is worthless. Matt6:25-27
*Know your worth. Ps 139: 14.
*Cast ALL your cares upon Jesus. 1Pet5:7

The issue about worry is that it is a state of the mind, and it is often in direct conflict against faith. We need to live a life of complete, continuous and practical trust in God through Jesus.

How can I practically cast my cares on Him?
Worry is a state of mind so I can change my mindset (Rom. 12: 2)
Walk in the peace He provides Phil4:6-7.
Tell God all you need
Thank Him for all he has done.

Margin allows us to wait, evaluate and re-evaluate issues, see through the charade that worry seeks to create, and maintain a grateful attitude to God.

Quick Tips: The key to peace is not being able to solve all problems; rather it is resting on who God is. When you leave God in control, theres a beautiful promise that he will never leave you nor forsake you.

ACTION: Worrying is worthless; Jesus wants us to cast all our cares on Him for He cares. He wants us to trust him with our fears knowing He is strong, has the best solution to them and cares so much for us.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Saturday 14th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* How present are you when you fellowship with God? Do you allow the busyness of life overwhelm your mind during your time of fellowship?

*Notes/prayers:* Lord Jesus, help me to spend time being present in Your presence as a show of my love for You.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Friday 13th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* How much do you relate with real persons not virtual people? Include this in your schedule as a show of love. Romans 12: 9-10 , NLT

*Notes/prayers:* Lord Jesus, help me to see that You would want me to meet and relate with people to show love to them

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Thursday 12th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Do you find it difficult showing love to certain persons? It may be because you have not allowed God’s love to fill you up.
Eph. 3:18, NLT

*Notes/prayers:* Lord Jesus, fill me with Your love that I may have enough and to give to others.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Wednesday 11th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Work without loving relationships will lead to an unfulfilled life. Let love define your priorities. 1Cor. 14:1

*Notes/prayers:* Lord Jesus, help me to build loving relationships as I set my priorities right.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Tuesday 10th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* God is love and with the Holy Spirit in us, we can begin to love like God does.
Romans 5:5, KJV

*Notes/prayers:* Holy Spirit, help me to yield to you and may the love of God be shed abroad in my heart.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Monday 9th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Living a life of love entails ruminating on and understanding the extent of God’s love as well as showing love to others. John 13:34-‬35, NIV

*Notes/prayers:* Lord Jesus, help me have a deeper understanding of Your love so that I can love You and others better.

SUNDAY OUTLINE 8th of August, 2019

Living With Margin Part 5: HOW TO MAKE ROOM FOR WHAT MATTERS MOST
Welcome to the 5th part of our #LivingWithMargin series. MARGIN is THE SPACE I create between My LOAD and My LIMITS. Margin is not just a tool for becoming more productive, it is also a time management strategy: a tool we employ to help prevent the busyness of life from taking over. It is a management tool that helps us prioritize. The world in recent times has been structured in such a way that we have become driven by activities which distract us from what is really important. Perhaps the problem is we dont know what the most important thing in life is.

What is the Most Important Thing in Life?
Live a Life of Love - One major challenge we face in the world today is that we use the wrong yardstick to measure success. We must come to a point whereby our day is incomplete without: ruminating on Gods love, showing love to others and understanding the extent of Gods love towards us. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second command is this: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. There are no commands more important than these. (Mark 12:30-‬31, NCV)‬. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-‬35, NIV)

Let God define what love is - We humans lack a proper understanding of what love truly entails and so we must let God define what love is, for true love comes from Him, it is in His nature. Love comes from God . . . for God is love. (1 John 4:7-8, NLT).
What is Gods own definition of love? - Love is patient, Love is kind, Love does not envy, Love does not boast, Love is not proud,
Love does not dishonor others, Love is not self-seeking, Love is not easily angered, Love keeps no record of wrongs, Love does not delight in evil, Love rejoices with the truth, Love always protects, Love always trusts, Love always hopes, Love always perseveres, Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-‬8, NIV)‬.
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive God in us. Therefore, since God’s nature is love, he spreads the love. And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (Romans 5:5, KJV). And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16, NIV).
Relationship between Living a Love Lifestyle and Work - The mentality we have about work is discouraging. We most times consider work as an activity we need to survive and so we place it higher above love. However, this was not what God intended it to be like. God himself enjoyed work and had to work for six good days. The story about creation, Adam and Eve explains the significance of a love life in relation to a work life (Genesis 1 and 2).

Let Love Define Your Priorities - Let love be your highest goal (1 Corinthians 14:1). Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Colossians 3:23, NIV). Work is good but it is not the thing that will ultimately fulfill us, loving relationship will. Though the human body is not programmed to love, yet, we have to keep on practicing loving relationship. Whatever you do can become an act of worship, an act of love when it is done with our heart first.
THREE PRACTICAL WAYS WE CAN MAKE SPACE FOR LOVE
Get filled up before you pour out - Many at times we try to express love to others as we have been commanded, but we find it difficult. This is because we attempt to do that on our own power. When we try to love others on our own power it is going to be exhausting. Our own personal love is limited while Gods own love is endless. And may you have the power to understand, as all Gods people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep His love is. (Ephesians 3:18, NLT). The starting place of living a life of love is been loved. We love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19, NIV). Know this: God is not waiting for us to make the first move.
One of the reasons many do not feel loved by God is because we project our own imperfect models of human love towards him. Some of us make reference to our primary relationships to understand how to build love. This is good, but some of our foundational relationships are poor. We need to get to a point where we let God be God and People be People.
How often should we get filled up? The more we consistently get filled up the more we will be able to pour out.

ACTIVITY - Take a couple of cards and write down the verses that have been mentioned today or some others, and then below the verses write down how God loves you. Thereafter, you tuck them into your pocket or paste them at different locations in your home. The whole essence is for you to be constantly reminded of the way God loves you. Try this for a couple of weeks and look out for how this has impacted your show of love to, yourself, others and your ability to love God back.

Focus on faces over screens and voices over texts - “Dont just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (Romans 12:9-10, NLT)
This action might imply; sharing details about your day through conversation with another person and not text it, it may mean instead of settling for virtual socialization in social media go for meeting the person in real life, instead of snapchatting your frustration you can call or meet the person you are frustrated with, instead of scrolling instagram and watching other peoples lives you can invite somebody to hang out, instead of texting for an hour on the couch you can call someone on the phone. To accomplish all these needs courage and only those that are resolute to live a different way will be able to stand against this culture. We need to understand that the fact that something is common does not mean it is normal and is life-giving.

3. Practice Presence Over Productivity - Average lifespan of a human being is 27,375 days. A 25 years old individual has 18, 250 days left, 50-year old individual has 9, 125 days left, 65-year old individual has 3, 650 days left. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12, NIV). “This is our prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more and that you will have knowledge and understanding with love. (Philippians 1:9, NCV). This implies that we need to prioritise our time not necessarily be more productive. A heart of wisdom implies knowing what matters most which is living a life of love. We communicate love to others by spending time and showing commitment. Who do we show love and commitment to? i. God ii. People
Reflection for the week: I will decide to love and value people for who they are. I will take practical and bold steps to talk with people I only chat with. I will take practical steps to love people around me just the same way God demonstrated His love to me.

*I apologise for late posting.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Saturday 7th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Find sufficiency in Christ, invest in that which outlives you, rejoice in season and out or season.

*Notes/prayers:* Dear Lord, help me to find my sufficiency in You alone and to rejoice evermore.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Friday 6th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:*Being content isn’t an excuse to be complacent and laid back about issues of life.

*Notes/prayers:* Lord, save me from any inclination towards complacency and fantasy.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Thursday 5th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Contentment does not sabotage desire. God is committed to granting your heart desires.

*Notes/Prayers:* Father, as I take pleasure in You and in the things of the kingdom, please grant my heart desires. Ps. 37:4

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Wednesday 4th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Never allow your sense of satisfaction and contentment be found in the things you have.

*Notes/Prayers:* Dear Lord, help me to find my satisfaction and happiness in You alone, never in earthly things.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Tuesday 3rd September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Contentment isn’t a gift that’s imparted; it’s a culture and attitude of the mind to be learnt.

*Notes/Prayers:* Spirit of God, help me to learn the art and attitude of contentment as I journey through life.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Monday 2nd September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Contentment is margin for your soul. It mirrors the condition of your heart midst the changing wave of circumstances.

*Notes/Prayers:* Lord, teach my heart to be stayed on You irrespective of the circumstances of life. I choose to lean unto You at all times.

Living With Margin Part 4: LEARNING TO BE CONTENT

You are welcome to the 4th episode of our #LivingWithMargin series MARGIN is THE SPACE I create between My LOAD and My LIMITS. Its creating some reserves so you arent running on empty all the time. Last week we examined how to start your day right. Most of the time hurrying get us in the wrong footing to start our day, but it will make a world of difference when we start up our day slowing down in Gods presence with God speaking to us through his word and we speaking to Him in prayers. Today we shall examine Learning To Be Content and how it can help us to live with margin.


A DEFINITION OF CONTENTMENT - Contentment is MARGIN for your soul. Contentment is seen as happiness irrespective of happenings.
Its healthy to be content, but envy can eat you up. Proverbs 14:30 (CEV)

LEARNING THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)
Take note of the word learnedcontentment is something we learn, we are not born with itbut we have to acquire it.

THREE TRUTHS ABOUT CONTENTMENT
1. Contentment isnt found in what I HAVE
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. Philippians 4:12a (NIV)
From time to time we will always find ourselves in various needand at such time we just need to be thankful.
2. Contentment isnt found in what HAPPENS TO ME
Any contentment we seems to get in life circumstances or events is going to be short lived. You may have a temporary contentment but in a short while you will start searching for more.
I have learned the secret in being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:12b (NIV)
To get better understanding in the statement that contentment is not found in what happens to me is to take note of this two words:
Two key words: HERE and THERE
The “here” is your present, where you presently are and the “there” is your future, where you want to be.
We must find contentment both in Here and There
Appreciate and make the most of the present and you plan and project into the future.
Contentment does not destroy desire. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 (ESV)
Dont confuse contentment with COMPLACENCY
When you have contentment that does not mean you became laid back, but you enjoy where you are as you push forward to change your world.
3. Contentment isnt found in comparing myself with OTHERS
We do not dare classify or compare ourselves . . . It is not wise. 2 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)
People compare a lot of things house, cloth, car, shoes, etc
Why God dont want us to compare ourselves
1. It brings stress to your life 2. It denies our uniqueness 3. It distract us from pursing Gods original purpose for our life
4. It robs you of your joy 5. It is a foolish thing to do

Three Boats We Board That Take Us To Comparison
COMMUNITY Circle people you do life with. Family, friends, neighbor, colleagues, etc

SOCIAL Circle people we meet on day to day basis. Much wider than our community. It is both physical and digital. The social media has become one of the major tools of comparison. To free yourself from this -
1 use social media to promote and build up others and not just projecting yourself. 2 be yourselfdo not try to impress people
3 evaluate yourself by Gods standard.
F.O.M.O. FEAR OF MISSING OUT

FIVE KEY ACTIONS FOR FINDING CONTENTMENT - Enrolling in the School of Contentment
1. Put your hope in GOD Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is uncertain, but to put their hope in God. 1 Timothy 6:17a (NIV)
2. FOCUS on what you have and not on what you dont have. If you focus on what you dont have, you become discontented and when you focus on what you have will make you thankful. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
3. Enjoy what you HAVE (God), who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17b (NIV). Anything you have, enjoy it.
4. Invest in what lasts FOREVER Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:18-19 (NIV) Pay attention to what will outlast every other thing. Reach out to help others.
5. Find your sufficiency in CHRIST - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
The secret of contentment is not in a program, but in a person the person of Jesus Christ.
REMEMBER: God is with YOU!

Reflection for the week: No matter the level or situation I find myself, I will learn to be content and enjoy the moment as I thank God for where I am and have faith in him to take me to where I want to be.

Happy New Month people. This month is preserved and blessed for your sakes. Soar.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Saturday 31st August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* God desires that you have a peaceful and productive life. Acknowledge God and start your day with Him.

*Notes/Prayers:* Dear Lord, help me to maintain a healthy relationship with You amidst life’s ups and downs. I choose to start my day with You.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Friday 30th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Reading the Bible is not a race, it is an exploration. Read for depth and not for length.

*Notes/Prayers:* Lord, teach me to cherish and enjoy moments spent with You. Help me never to be in a hurry.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Thursday 29th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Don’t be afraid to engage your emotions when you pray. Remember you are not out to impress God with your prayers.

*Notes/Prayers:* Father, help me to be real with You in my prayers. Help me to understand You and Your will for my life per time.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Wednesday 28th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* God speaks to us in diverse way. He speaks through His word, His creation and His still small voice.

*Notes/Prayers:* Dear Lord, teach me to be sensitive and discerning of Your voice however way it comes to me.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Tuesday 27th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* God’s word is an integral part of your life. Prioritize it and let it inspire your day to day decision making process.

*Notes/Prayers:* Spirit of God, help me to fellowship with You daily in Your word and be quiet to hear You speak to me.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Monday 26th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* There is no better way to start your day than to have a quiet moment with God.

*Notes/Prayers:* Lord, teach me to honor You by seeking moments to speak and hear from You daily.

Living With Margin – Part 3: STARTING YOUR DAY RIGHT

You are welcome to the 3rd part of our #LivingWithMargin series… MARGIN is
THE SPACE I create between My LOAD and My LIMITS . It’s creating some reserves so you aren’t running on empty all the time.
Last week we also examined how learning to say “NO” and taking a weekly Sabbath (rest) can help us to live with margin and we discussed in our Life Connect Group (Small Group chat) why this can be difficult sometimes).
Today we will examine “starting our day right” and how it can help us to live with margin.

There is no better way to start your day than a brief quiet moment with God. When you start your day rushed, you may go through your day rushed. A quiet time with God is God’s idea. If God doesn’t want to speak with you, He wouldn’t give you His word –the Bible. If God doesn’t want to hear from you, He will not ask you to pray. God wants to talk to you, He has something to say to you every day.

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE IN STARTING YOUR DAY RIGHT IS: SLOW DOWN God is not in a hurry…you have to slow down
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”
Matthew 11:28-29 (MSG)

• SLOW DOWN TO READ GOD’S WORD
You can’t live your life without the word of God. You should not just have Bible in your house but you should have it in your heart . “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” 2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT). When you read and think about the Bible, its like breathing God’s breath.

Bible reading and prayer are not TWO SEPARATE ACTIVITIES , They are TWO PARTS OF A CONVERSATION
“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.” Matthew 6:6 (MSG)
Read for DEPTH not for DISTANCE. Reading the Bible should be a deep long gaze not a quick glance. Don’t read the Bible as if you are on a deadline. Reading the Bible is not a race it is an exploration. “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.”
James 1:25 (NIV)

Bible meditation is filling your mind with the word of God. Having a pen is essential in your quiet time.
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

• SLOW DOWN TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE
Tell God to speak to you. Ask him questions.
“He awakens me morning by morning, he awakens my ear to listen as a disciple.”
Isaiah 50:4 (NASB)
Don’t let the busy of your day drown God’s voice.

THREE WAYS GOD SPEAKS TO US
1. God speaks through his WORD. God’s voice can’t contradict God’s word. “The Word of God is alive and active. It is sharper than the sharpest two edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
2. God speaks through his CREATION
“What can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes –his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse” Romans 1:19-20 (NET)
3. God speaks through his STILL SMALL VOICE
Don’t try to look out for God’s voice through “amazing ways” it could come in simple ways you never thought of.
“. . . And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD
was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NKJV)

• SLOW DOWN TO RESPOND IN PRAYER
Don’t be in a hurry when you pray and don’t be afraid to engage your emotions when you pray.
Your prayer don’t have to be fancy…its not about eloquence… you are not trying to impress God.
“Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.”
Psalm 5:1-2 (NIV)

The ultimate objective is not to STUDY ABOUT CHRIST, but to SPEND TIME WITH HIM

15 MINUTES ALONE WITH GOD
1. RELAX – before you open your Bible, open your heart (1 Minute) “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
2. READ - Read the Bible…(4 Minutes)
“Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word.” Psalm 119:18 (TLB)
3. REFLECT – Think about (meditation) what you read and how it applies to you. (4 Minutes) “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” Psalm 119:97 (NIV)
4. RECORD – write out all the applications, lessons and tots (2 Minutes)
“Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord.” Psalm 102:18 (NIV)
5. REQUEST – This is your prayer time (4 Minutes) “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask
anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5:14 (NIV)

Reflection for the week: God is so interested with us # LivingWithMargin , so we can lower our stress and increase our peace of mind and productivity. He has all the answers to the challenge of life, hence our best bet is to start our day right by spending some time with him. This week decide to initiate the daily “15 MINUTES ALONE WITH GOD”

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Saturday 24th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Gods love abounds in your heart by the Holy Spirit. Let it be a guiding compass in your decision making process.

*Notes/Prayers:* Dear Lord, let your love be the motivation for all I do. Help me to love you more, to love myself and others alike.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Friday 23rd August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* God is never too late. Learn to trust Him and His timing against all odds.

*Notes/Prayers:* Spirit of God, help me to put all of my trust in You and to rest upon all of your promises.