I pray this email finds you making your journey with the Lord. I often remind myself: the things that influence our life most are the things that are done daily. It is not the phenomenal occurrences that happen from time to time but actually, the small, daily, almost unnoticeable factors that influence us the most.
As you’ve heard me say, most of the natural factors God imprinted into the fabric of mankind are inherently neither good nor evil. It is how we use them that makes them so. For example, desire is neither good nor evil. It is how you seek to fulfill those desires that make them good or evil.
One of the most powerful tools God programmed into our basic makeup is the ability to develop habits. It only takes 21 days to establish a new habit. The question is, “Will I establish good habits or bad habits?” Habits can be one of the most important aspects of renewing your mind. So, this means you can break any destructive habit and replace it with a beneficial habit in just three weeks.
As most of you know, I am 70 years old. This means I am past some of the most challenging parts of life. All my children are adults, I don’t have the expenditures of a young family, but mainly, I am too old for youthful lusts. (2 Tim 2:22) Youthful lusts are not just sexual lusts; they can be ego-driven desires, impatience, a lack of self-control, or any other desire that is exacerbated by youth, petulance.
All that to say, I have more discretionary time at 70 than I did from 21-50. For that reason, I have enjoyed life after 50 more than I ever thought possible. You may be wondering, “What’s the point?” The point is this, as easy as it is to turn everything in your life to personal advantage, having the time and energy to make it happen can be very challenging.
The Book of Daniel contains some of the most precise prophecies in the Bible. It foretold the exact day He would be born, Jesus would declare Himself as the King, when He would be crucified, and when He would be resurrected. This is why the wise men, Herod, and others knew of His birth.
Daniel talks about the days coming on the earth and described what most scholars would call a polarization of good and evil, righteousness and wickedness. He even addresses what will become the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy of the gospel of the Kingdom being preached to the ends of the earth.
The thing about polarization is this; it usually happens very slowly, in small degrees, until it crosses what is called a tipping point. When any event crosses a tipping point, it increases its expansion. When the world crosses the tipping point, most of civilization will be swept away in a flood of iniquity and persecution. Those who are not ready by that time will probably not be able to get ready. So what am I saying…
I am saying continue your walk with God, but don’t think you need a grand effort before you’re able to make any difference. Repentance is the only grand effort you need to make; decide who you choose to be in Jesus, put off the old man, and put on the new man created in the likeness of Jesus. Put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him (Colossians 3:9-11).
Twenty-one days of heart work can transform you in ways you can’t perceive. Fortunately, you don’t have to invest hours per day to realize miraculous transformation… just a little time daily!
While the world is moving toward polarization, you will be working toward the boiling point! This is another terminology used in relation to transformation! Water boils at 212℉. At 200℉, it looks like nothing is happening to the water. At 205℉, it still looks as though there is no change. Even at 210℉, there is very little disturbance in the water. But immediately, at 212℉, it begins to boil. It looks like it was one instantaneous miracle. But it was actually transformation happening one degree at a time.
Most of Jesus’ teaching was about the Kingdom of God. He devoted much of His teaching, specifically about developing our hearts for Kingdom Living! Here’s one of my favorites:
This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain — first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29, NIV.)
Heart work is pretty simple, although people make it incredibly complicated. All it requires is to plant the seed (Word of God), nurture it by thought, consideration, pondering, reflection and meditation, and don’t plant thorns. Then it grows all by itself. One day, the seeds begin to produce; it starts with the stalk and ends with the fruit (of the Holy Spirit). The day that little stalk breaks through the soil is when we cross the boiling point, where everything starts working for us.
Do not say you don’t have enough time or you’re too tired. Invest in your life daily. Plant the kind of seed that will produce the fruit you desire. Those who heed my advice will not be caught unaware or off guard. We will grow more and more in righteousness as the world plunges into iniquity. We will be the light to those around us who desperately need their eyes open.
Thank you for all you do to influence the world with me,
Together we are changing the way the world sees God!
Blessings,
Jim
P.S. If you haven’t yet checked out Ultimate Impact, my personal coaching program, now is the time. We’ve just started our latest workshop: Keys of the Kingdom: Effective Prayer and Absolute Authority. Enrollment will close soon. Go here to check it out and to register today: https://drjimrichards.com/ultimate-impact/ We’d love to have you join us.