God Knows Best

“Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful.” – Proverbs 16:20 NLT

“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” – Joshua 1:8 NLT

You may have heard by now, but last week a woman went behind an enclosure to take a selfie with a jaguar at an Arizona zoo – despite the warning signs prohibiting moving beyond the barrier. Although caged, the Jaguar was able to reach through the bars, embedded its claws into the woman’s arm, and severely injured her.

When I heard the story, I was immediately struck by our tendencies, as humans, to break the rules or outright ignore warning signs. The need to live outside the boundaries is not anything new. From Adam and Eve’s first bite of the forbidden fruit, we have tempted fate and ignored the boundaries and rules that God placed before us. However, here is the thing, protections and boundaries are not to prohibit us from fully living life or restrict us. Instead, they are in place for our good.

Our rebellious nature will often have us believe otherwise; that life is better outside the boundaries instead of living within the parameters set forth. However, what if true freedom IS within the boundaries set forth? What if God, all-knowing and creator of all, knows the traps that lie outside the boundaries, the hurt that can come from ignoring the rules, or the disappointments that await when things do not turn out as we expected. God knows and desires for us to live a life of abundance and freedom, but those boundaries and instructions are in His word. They aren’t intended to stifle us, but to liberate us.

Use the living Word of God as a guide and instruction for living, not as a rule book given to restrict. As we see in Joshua 1:8 and even in the beginning in Genesis, His Word shows the way to live life freely, and have it abundantly.

Walk with Him,

Shaniqua Rischer

Published by Shaniqua Rischer

Passionate, Loving, Loyal, Engaging, Obedient, and Direct are words often used to describe Shaniqua Rischer. However, the words she loves to be known for the most are Christian and daughter of the Most High God. Shaniqua has always been the type of person to ask why. She learned to never rely solely on the answer given, but to delve deeper and to question what she was told and taught. She approached her relationship with Christ as she would any person she met – she started talking and asking why. Through intimate prayer and conversations with God, she gained a clearer understanding of the struggles many Christians face. The struggles include the responsibility of being called Christian; knowing what we are supposed to do, but too afraid to act or not knowing how to break free of the bondage that holds us captive. She has discovered a love unlike anything she has ever known, experienced favor that can only come from the Lord, and discovered what it means to finally let her guard down and let God be the center of her life. The result has been the metamorphosis of a person that dares to be extraordinary and move beyond fear to faith. While on a mission trip to Kenya in 2009, her global vision was formed to impact others. As a result, At The Cross Global Ministries, a para-ministry whose focus in on local and global outreach, was founded. Shaniqua shares her experiences and lessons of faith in a direct and open manner, full of compassion, challenge, and optimism. She dedicates her life to being the hands and feet of Christ, and to date, she has led and served on seven global mission teams. She is a sought after speaker and has published two books, “Living A Fake Life For A Real God” and “God-Morning! Sixty Mornings With God”; she is currently working on her third book to be published summer 2019. Additgionally, she is a licensed minister and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts Degree in Christian Education from Dallas Baptist University. View more posts