Principles of Life

I was listening to to old FBC Jax songs on YouTube, which also included listening to FBC Atlanta, same director different location, when I stumbled on "Principles of Life" written by Phil Cross for Charles Stanley's 40th anniversary. In the mist of it Dr. Vines, my old pastor at FBC Jax, had a video montage of some of his (Charles Stanley's) 30 life principles. I became so intrigued as to the what the rest of them were I looked them up, just call me Nancy Drew jacked up on Mountain Dew and migraine medicine.

Where have I been these are so awesome! Well, I know where I have been; I have been trying to control my own life and experiences, I have been learning that I am not in control of anything and that He is and will alway have His will in my life whether it's perfect or permissive, I have been learning either I choose to go willingly or not if it's His will I will go, I have been coming back to the place of perfect peace, rest, trust, happiness, abundance, fullness, satisfaction, understanding, compassion, I can go on even more but as a teacher the excessive use of commas are bothering me.

Yes, I've heard all these time and time again, being that I've been in church sine 9 months before I was born, but never in a complete and concise list. This list will be printed and put into everything that I own for those times that I need a quick reference.

The 30 Life Principles
by Charles Stanley
1. Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives.
2. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
3. God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.
4. The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
5. God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
6. You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.
7. The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.
8. Fight all your battles on your knees and you win every time.
9. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.
10. If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will.
11. God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him.
12. Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God.
13. Listening to God is essential to walking with God.
14. God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
15. Brokenness is God’s requirement for maximum usefulness.
16. Whatever you acquire outside of God’s will eventually turns to ashes.
17. We stand tallest and strongest on our knees.
18. As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances.
19. Anything you hold too tightly, you will lose.
20. Disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice.
21. Obedience always brings blessing.
22. To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit.
23. You can never out give God.
24. To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us.
25. God blesses us so that we might bless others.
26. Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God.
27. Prayer is life’s greatest time saver.
28. No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith.
29. We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops.
30. An eager anticipation of the Lord’s return keeps us living productively.