One-Shot Deal

One-Shot

Definition:
Achieved with a single attempt or action; done, produced, or occurring only once."a one-shot deal"

Our mighty Creator is so powerful and so perfect, it only took Him ONE SINGLE SHOT to make YOU. Because He is that awesome and makes no mistakes, YOU are a “one-shot deal”.  There is only one of you in this world. This was done unmistakably and for an amazing purpose, as God has a reason and a purpose for all His creations.

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." -Psalm 139:14

Sometimes you may catch yourself wondering and trying to figure out what your purpose is or why you are even here on this earth? Difficult circumstances can easily drive you to questioning yourself and your place in this world. Some of you may actually be in a comfortable position, but still have that unsatisfying feeling that maybe you should try to be someone different or achieve something different. 

On a personal note, tons of people look at me and question my position today. Heck, I even sometimes wonder myself what I am doing. As a young female with plenty of God-given abilities and talents, I too wonder if working in the family firearm business is really where I am suppose to be.  I know, I know, I’m unique, right? Thankfully, I do realize that I am unique and I realize God has His purpose. When comments are made by others and self-questioning starts in my head, I simply answer - “God has me exactly where He wants me right now." :) 

To all you readers, I’m here to tell you to rest assured that if you are attempting to follow in His light and let Him be your life “overseer”, you are right where He wants you and He is currently, or will soon be, using you for a divine purpose. Divine purposes give you spiritual fulfillment and spiritual fulfillment always answers your questions of "why?" or "what?" Why am I here? What is my purpose?

God placed you here on this earth and gave you special talents and gifts that can be used for the good of people and purpose of shining His light. Never underestimate the position God has allowed you to be in. Plus, He opens new doors and takes you into a deeper spiritual journey as you continue to trust in Him and His purpose for you.

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world.” -Jeremiah 1:5

God knew you before you were born. He knew all the wonderful and special parts about you. He knew that if you believed in Him and accepted Jesus into your heart, all the special parts He gave you would enable you to shine bright for Him.

Once you choose to let Him live in your heart, you are called to shine His Light in some form or fashion... to be a spokesman for Him - to not be afraid or ashamed of the gospel. You are called to stand out in a positive way and not fall into the ways of the world. If you simply stand out by being a faithful follower of Christ, you are serving your duty. 

 

Whether you chose Jesus earlier or later in life, He is now a part of YOU and Him being a part of you, separates you from being just like the average Jo Blow. You are a more special you than ever before. 

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." -Romans 12:2
~

“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching’”-Romans 12:6-7

No matter what profession or job you may have, God can use you for His glory. Whether you are a missionary, preacher, teacher, salesman, doctor, financial advisor, entertainer, soldier, law-enforcement officer, cook, stay-at-home mom, etc., you have been given the the special talents you possess and the unique personality and heart you have by God, and He expects you to use them to help reach others and shine His light.

If you question your talents and traits you are blessed with, please take a moment and think about all the times you made someone smile or gave just out of the goodness of your heart. There are so many things someone can do or say that simply reflects His love. Big or small, it all counts and it’s the job you have been given by the Master. 

Never underestimate your purpose. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t hurt to aim for a bigger and better one! There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a greater desire, but be sure it’s for God’s glory and not your own. God rewards those who’s hearts are sincere. You never know where He may lead you!

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”-Proverbs 16:3

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” -Ephesians 2:10

“You are diminished if you hide yourself under a bushel, keeping your skills, talents, insights, joy, and pain hidden away from others. God wants you to share yourself. He created you with a uniqueness that enriches the world when you give yourself to the community around you.” -Uknown

Remember, you are a one-shot deal - don’t diminish yourself!

Aside of the positions you are currently in and the roles you play, and if you take anything from this, please remember that you are absolutely made beautifully. No matter your race, no matter your sex, you have been given a special personality, special character traits and special interests that all make you YOU. Always remember to be proud of who you are, because you were fearfully and wonderfully made by an almighty God who loves each and every one of His unique children equally.

God wants you to be who He made you to be. Don’t settle for who others want you to be or expect you to be. Don’t settle for what satisfies the world, settle for what satisfies God. Don’t let the world’s intention for you override God’s original intention for you.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” -Matthew 10:29-31

Another reminder: It’s a slap in God’s face to insult or make fun of His creations. Never insult yourself and never insult someone different than you. Instead, be thankful for your qualities and abilities and appreciate those of others. Leave any judging behind, as that is the Lord’s job.

Important side note: When I say be “you”, I mean be the God-fearing, Christ-following “you” with no shame in your Christian game or in the positive qualities God has blessed you with. Unfortunately, we as humans are born into a sinful nature, so to actually be ourselves is technically not what we should be. Be aware that the ungodly will encourage others to “be themselves” and not care what others think, but it’s important for you to understand the difference between and know if the “you” you are being is the sinful “you” or the God-fearing “you”.  I just wanted to make sure this was clear before I leave you with this final following verse. :)

“To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” -2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

GO IN CONFIDENCE, BE PROUD, AND BE YOUR ONE-SHOT DEAL SELF!

Thank you for taking time to read and I hope it blesses you in the year to come! 

Happy 2016!

~Lindsey Gray

Kill. Steal. Destroy.

KILL. STILL. DESTROY.

Do you ever feel like life is just bringing you down? The smallest things happen that just ruin your whole attitude and outlook on everything? These feelings my friend, come from a fellow with the name of Satan, better knows as “the devil” - God’s biggest enemy - OUR biggest enemy. He comes to KILL, STEAL, and DESTROY. Whether it’s a small thing in life, or big thing, Satan is always watching and ready to take advantage of any and all situations, especially unfortunate situations, so that he can bring us down and as far away from God as possible.

Whether our struggle is physical, mental, or spiritual, Satan is ready to take us down and bring us to our lowest. He knows where we are the weakest and he knows the easiest areas to get to us. He watches everything happen in our lives, waiting for the right opportunities. Whether it’s a relationship, financial struggle, health issue, etc., Satan throws thoughts in our heads in order to attack our emotions to make us struggle more than what we have to.

Have you ever been told you were exaggerating about something? Well, Satan causes you to exaggerate your problems. You’re problem may be huge or even life threatening, or it may me something small but that affects you greatly. I’m here to tell you NOTHING is too big for God. Satan only wants us to exaggerate our problems, which can cause us to dwell on them. This can easily suck the life and joy we have in Jesus out of us! He uses these tactics to distract you from the fact that God is mighty and in control, and is the only one who can bring joy when and where it is hard to find.

Satan comes to STEAL your joy, KILL your spirit, and DESTROY your hope, trust and faith in the one true God. 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” -John 10:10

Many times, it is evident when you find yourself feeling brought down that it could be Satan just trying to make you see things in a negative way or trying to kill your positive spirit. These times, my friends, are the times you must verbally, out loud, tell Satan to back off and that God is fighting this battle for you and you have NOTHING to worry about.

Have you watched the movie War Room yet? If not, you are missing out on an AMAZING spiritual, life lesson. A mother/wife yells out to Satan something along the lines of “Get out of my house!” “You are no longer welcome!” “This is God’s territory now!” After that specific demand took place, boy did God work miracles in that home! You MUST resist the devil and turn to God if you want your joy back! He WILL flea when you use the power of the Holy Spirit in your heart to fight him off. God is the ultimate ruler and He always conquers.

Aside of the times when you know that it’s the enemy trying to attack you, there are other times he can be more sneaky. Ever heard of the phrase “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”? This is EXACTLY how Satan tries to sneak around and deceive you. He makes people/things/situations appear to be something they are not.

“No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” -2 Corinthinans 11:14

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” -2 Corinthians 11:3

More times than not, Satan comes dressed as what you would think to be good, God or a “God sign”. This can be the most confusing and frustrating thing you face when making decisions in life. You may think it’s God giving you His sign to do something or the Holy Spirit giving you comfort in a decision you’ve made or are about to make, when unfortunately, it could merely be Satan trying to steer you in the wrong and opposite direction God wants you to go. This happens a lot when you are being tempted to sin as well. The sin will sound justifiable while Satan is putting it into your head, but really, it’s not. No sin is justifiable. A sin is a sin and a sin is wrong. Period. (As a Christian, we know we are humans and will always have a sinful nature, however; it’s our job to do our best at recognizing a sin and controlling ourselves before we fall under it’s temptation.)

ANYWAY, the big question is, how do you know if it’s God or if it’s the enemy? The best answer I can provide is a fairly simple answer. It’s the only answer I have been given. Look at every single aspect of the situation/person/thing you are contemplating or considering and ask yourself if they line up with the Word of God and His teachings? Is it something God would be proud of and would it bring earthly blessings and Heavenly rewards to your table? If it is still unclear and to the point where the wolf could be disguised too well, take a deep look inside your heart and ask the Holy Spirit to give you a specific gut feeling of what’s right and what’s wrong. (If you spend time letting your lips and heart be silent, and simply allow God to speak to you, you will learn how to easily hear the Spirit whispering the right thing into your heart.) At the same time, during a time like this, answers may not come quickly and decisions may be postponed, but that’s why it is SO important for us to trust in the Lord and be PATIENT for His timing and His perfect plan. 

See, Satan is the opposite of God. God only brings goodness, comfort, and joy to our lives. Satan’s goal is to steal from you the joy and comfort that God provides and deceive you into following him instead. Unfortunately, allowing Satan to rule your life can only lead to negativity. He can completely destroy your life if you allow him.

Below are of few verses from God’s Word that reflect and reiterate that our Heavenly Father is loving and on your side, wants you to depend on Him, and is always there to fight for you when the enemy attempts to attack.

“But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” - 2 Thessalonians 3:3

God is Good

"Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way." -Psalm 25:8

"For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You." -Psalm 86:5

In order to allow God to fight your battles, you must learn the differences between God's ways and Satan’s ways and you must discover the tactics given through His Word to help you withstand the tempting and trying times.

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” -Ephesians 6:11

The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-18

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powersof this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Thanks so much for taking time to read this lengthy note. I hope and pray it’s a message to you from God. Without a doubt, if you allow one spiritual seed to be planted in your life, God will give it the rain and sunshine you need in order to grow in your walk with Him.

~ Lindsey Gray