There are all kinds of advertisements that guarantee this or that to a quick, fast, easy way for ________ (you fill in the blank). You can even find "advertisements" that guarantee _______ (you fill in the blank) if you give _________ (you fill in the blank). In essence "SHORTCUTS" are advertised. What is a shortcut anyway?
Wikipedia:
· · File
shortcut, a file that contains only the
location of another file in the computer
o
To save time
and keystrokes you can create a shortcut for programs used often.
o
The icon
will be placed on your desktop for quick access
·
Keyboard shortcuts, a combination of keystrokes
that provides easier access to a command or operation
o Your cursor is in the middle of a sentence on
your laptop; you want to get to the far left.
You can hold the LEFT arrow key down until the cursor gets there; OR
o You can press the HOME key once.
·
Shortcut
(road), a minor-road alternative to a
signposted route
Webster:
· Shortcut: a shorter or quicker way; a method,
procedure, policy, etc., that reduces
the time or
energy needed to
accomplish something.
o I traveled one of the nation’s busiest
highways since we purchased our home in the “burbs” over two decades ago.
o I have figured out some shortcuts which allow
me to bypass certain extremely busy sections of the highway, however, other
motorists have discovered those them as well.
There are times when they are just as busy as the highway.
o
Imagine how frustrating it is to take my “shortcut” which has a
sight line of the busy highway, only to see vehicles that were caught in the
maze of traffic I exited, now zipping past me on the highway with no stop
lights or signs.
The Bible (Word):
·
Shortcut to healthy
lifestyle, victory, success: It does not exist.
1 Tania 2:24 (MYO -- My Own Words)
And you know what, it’s not
entirely your fault. We live in
microwave society which demands everything quick, fast, in a hurry,
yesterday. It’s amazing how we run
around like everything is an emergency (yes, sometimes I do to).
- How many times have you rushed your children to get up, get dressed, and eat (if they get any food at all), so you can rush them off at school or day care in order for you to hurry up and wait -- in traffic?
- How many times have you been irritated with a senior citizen ahead of you that is taking forever (like three minutes) to unload their cart and then they pull out a check for payment!!!
- How many times have you prayed for God to do XY and Z and if after waiting a full two days get no answer. You then “help” God since He’s probably busy?
o
Now you have
a huge mess on your hands and you’re too shame to repent and ask for help so
you try to fix it yourself and make an even bigger mess?
o
Your
solution is to call everyone you know and complain about how the devil is
attacking you. Seriously?
o
You can’t
sleep. You’re up attacking the Fridge
and surfing channels. You ask God for a
sign and you “happen” to turn to channel 77.
The televangelist yells at you, I mean prophecies that if “you” send him
$144.00 for the next SEVEN (7) months God will perform SEVEN (7) miracles, but
if you make the “pledge” within SEVEN (7) minutes he will send you SEVEN (7)
anointed paper towels to expedite the miracles.
·
Ma’am, Sir, really. Let me break it to you gently. You have been duped, bamboozled, hoodwinked,
tricked, punked, played – I’m just saying?
God will allow things to happen
that literally stop us in our tracks to get our attention and redirect our poor
thinking. Understand this, your
priorities are not God’s emergencies (or anybody else’s for that matter). You can cry, snot, scream, pout and/or give
all your money away to the people that tell you to jump up and down SEVEN (7)
times, touch the ceiling, sit down and roll over, or send this text message to
SEVEN people and back to me and watch God work.
That is not supported by the word of God.
OK Tania, I get it, but what
about me? I didn’t get fired, I got
laid off; or I have never smoked but I have a spot on my lung; or I have done
everything that I knew for my children and their lives are completely opposite
of what they were taught. I have been
dealing with these challenges for several years now with seemingly no end in
sight.
In order to fully capitalize on
the Process, Preparation and Promise we have to learn the art of Patience (waiting). Does that mean you just sit around and watch
grass grow? No, you wait while you wait. But what does that mean? It means that you continue. Continue what? Whatever you doing before you began to wait
for the manifestation of your prayers.
If you were studying the Word; continue.
If you were serving in some capacity; continue. If you were an attentive mom; continue; If
you were teaching a group; continue. If
you were on the 6:00 am Victory call; continue.
Yes, you may start off uncomfortable, but it won’t stay that way because
God will give you the grace to endure.
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. (1 Peter 5:10 NKJV)
The opposite of shortcut is patience:
For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:10-12 (NKJV)
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose]. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (AMP)
In His
Humble Excellence
Tan
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