"DO YOU KNOW?"

I am thinking of a song again...it is a song that asks a big question. "Do you know where your going to? It is the "Theme from Mahogany" sung by Diana Ross (also others) and written by song writers Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser.The words to the chorus are as follows:

"Do you know where your going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to? Do you Know?
"Do you get what your hoping for? When you look behind you there's no open door..What are you hoping for ? Do you know?"

Where has life led you? Are you someone whose definition of success and of what "life is all about"(after having followed your well-made plans toward that end) has left you still searching for "something?"  
Do you have special abilities/gifts that you have dreamed of using to chart a course for what you see as a successful life? Perhaps you have tried to walk through a few doors but they either haven't opened or they have led you back to the place you were before. To "Square one, still hoping and also wondering where you fit."
Lastly,has dissatisfaction associated with your plans or unrealized dreams kept you in a place of struggle, causing you to wonder why you are in this place and if it will ever be different?
"It seems to me that all these things can affect our ability to know and focus on our true purpose and direction! 
Said differently,I believe that for a long time (possibly forever?), mankind has been caught up in trying to live life in a way in which they believe fulfills the reason for their existence. Making plans based on a false purpose. I believe lack of truth has increased our difficulties. A lack of truth that comes from truly not knowing or from choosing not to believe.  
I believe the truth is this: 
"When we begin to live in the light of the truth of "Who we are because of Whose we are",then our true purpose will be revealed and our direction will be a whole lot clearer! The direction for which we were created!"
If you have never considered "Whose and Who you are" or if you are in a place of needing to be reminded, I pray and believe you will be encouraged today.
We need to know, live and operate in the truth that: "WE ARE WHO WE ARE BECAUSE OF WHOSE WE ARE!" And I believe that the Holy Bible, from beginning to end, tells us from whence we came, who we are and the place that our Creator wants us to go!

Whose are we?
The first words of the bible tell us.."In the beginning GOD CREATED the HEAVENS and the EARTH....." (Genesis 1 nkjv)
It goes on to open up to our "understanding",
the unfolding of the magnificence, the wonder of creation. The Spirit of God hovered over the darkness and the waters..there was light and darkness, day and night..He brought forth the mountains, oceans,and set the stars, sun and moon in place.God also made the beasts of the field.
Genesis 1:26-2:25:(nkjv)
"God said let us make man in our image, according to our likeness..." 
His word tells us that He made man from the dust and He, God, breathed life into His nostrils giving man life. God created a beautiful Garden for man (Adam) to tend and live in. And God created a woman (Eve)to be his companion. Genesis 1:9: God made"every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food."
God told Adam that he could eat of every tree in the garden..EXCEPT..the tree "of the knowledge of good and evil."...because if he did, he would die. (Genesis 2:17 nkjv)
In chapter three (3:1- we read how the serpent was cunning..he caused Eve to question if God had really told them "not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil"..the serpent insinuated that God was trying to keep something from her..so Eve fell prey to the serpents deception and she ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and so did Adam.
God created the heavens and the earth. This same Almighty God, Almighty Creator, created man in His own image..God made a beautiful garden for man to dwell in with Him..God provided what man needed..but..man chose to disobey God's direction for living in His garden. 
In reality, they chose not to believe God anymore. Man was cast out of the Garden to make his own way, a way that would be a lot more difficult than their Creator intended. When God told Adam that he would die if he ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, I believe He was talking about a spiritual separation occurring between man and his creator. 
"Truth of whose we are, His plans for us, would become harder for mankind to see and know."
All through the Old Testament, there can be found story after story of mans decisions not to trust God's leading. Instead they chose "go their own way", and it caused great difficulties and often catastrophic results. God has never stopped wanting to show us the way!
Proverbs 14:12 (nkjv
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but it's end is the way of death."
As I said earlier, I believe that the death that Adam and Eve experienced, when they chose to not believe and obey God's word to them, was a spiritual one..a separation from the truth. Whenever we choose not to believe in God, His ways..we die a little...we separate from Him a little more..
In Proverbs 3:5-6 (nkjv) we find the true way:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and
lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path." 
Here is a very encouraging truth from His word:
Jeremiah 29:11(nkjv)
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
From the very beginning, man was intended to be part of God's amazing creation...He wanted to share Himself with us. He wanted to have a personal relationship with us. He made a safe place for and provided what man needed. Even though we rebelled against Him and made choices based on what we wanted, God has never stopped working to bring us back into a close relationship with Him. 
He had a plan in the person of Jesus Christ, His only begotten son.
John 3:16(nkjv)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
God gave His son to die on Calvary's tree to lead us back to our Heavenly Father..Jesus paid the debt for our sins that we would be able to answer the call of our Father..Come Home..
Jesus is "The Door" that we need to walk through.
John 10:9(nkjv)
"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."
Additionally, John 6:44 (nkjv) says:
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent Me, draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day."
Whose are we?
"We are children of the Creator of the World, Creator of all things..We belong to Him."
Who are we?
"We are children of the Creator of the World, the Creator of all things and we are made in His image. He loves us so much that He gave us His greatest gift, His Son, Jesus Christ."
"He wants us home with Him, back in the garden, receiving all the goodness He has for us..Trusting and Believing that what He has for us  is Truth and that His plans for us are ones to prosper us. 
So bring Him your disappointments and all of your frustrations. Bring Him your dreams. Place your hope in Him. Come back to Him..Come home to Him for the first time and stay!
Psalm 34:10 (nkjv)
"The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing." 
Receive His gift of life today..Press into Him and find out His plans for you..Join Him back in the Garden..He is waiting to walk and talk with you. Today is the day, we don't have to wait..
From the very beginning, God created us for Himself..to share His creation...Everything He created was good..and His desire was to give us the best of what we needed. It is all about a relationship with God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. 
"HE IS OUR FATHER, WE ARE HIS CHILDREN."
blessings in Jesus name,
Drema