Saturday, November 29, 2014 "The Will of God"

The Will of God will never lead you 

where the Grace of God cannot keep you. 

Be not afraid. 

Simply Trust.

Friday, November 28, 2014 "Our Greatest Source of Power"

I never understand why God/church/Bible study/reading the Word/prayer life are always the first things people cease when life gets too busy. Whether we are working long hours or have taken up a second shift, began taking classes, sport's practice, whatever the reasons, it seems as though God gets pushed down the list of priorities. I have said it repeatedly that people think work and their job is a noble excuse for missing church. People believe that family obligations trump the Lord. Friends, we are to love God more than anything or anyone on this planet. I have learned that anything we hold too tightly, we will lose. The truth is the Lord is our single most powerful source of strength. We mustn't turn our back on the One Who has given us it all. 

Thursday, November 27, 2014 "Thankful and Blessed"

On Thanksgiving, people like to reflect on what they are thankful for while others count their blessings. I am thankful for the Lord, for all my blessings come from Him. He is the reason I am so blessed and so happy. 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

Wednesday, November 26, 2014 "At All Times"

Hold your peace at all times. Keep your mind centered on Christ no matter what your circumstances may be. During difficult times, give all praise and  thanks to the Lord Almighty for all He has done and all He will continue to do. Keep the faith. He loves you and will see you through. Never give up!

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1

Tuesday, November 25, 2014 "Bountiful and Endless"

Desire the Lord's will for your life, and He will grant all your heart's desires. When we live in His will, His blessings are bountiful and endless. 

Take delight in the Lord,

    and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

Commit your way to the Lord;

    trust in him and he will do this. Psalm 37:4-5

Monday, November 24, 2014 "Romans 10:9"

I believe in the power of Jesus Christ.

 If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9

Sunday, November 23, 2014 "Simply Believe

Amazing things will happen if you simply believe in Him. 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, 

the conviction of things not seen. 

Hebrews 11:1

Saturday, November 22, 2014 'Stop Blaming God"

"For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints" 

1 Corinthians 14:33

Why do we blame God when things go wrong in our life? Shouldn't we instead take accountability for our own life's choices? The Lord gives us free will to do as we choose. Only when we are in complete submission through full obedience are we under His will for our lives. Too often we miss this truth, and we end up blaming God like it is His fault. I really believe in my heart we would experience less heart ache and stress if we blamed less and examined ourselves more.Amen!  

Friday. November 21, 2014 "He Will Sustain You"

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. 

Psalm 55:22

The Lord is faithful to those that call Him Father. Trust in His Word. Every day, no matter what certain days look like. I always say my worst day as a Christian far exceeds my best day as a sinner. He is worth it. 

Thursday, November 19, 2014 "Lesson I Learned"

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

One of the best ways to distract yourself from your own trials is to focus on someone else. Aside from the death of my parents, when I received the most devastating news of my life, my husband responded by taking me to a local church's car wash event. I volunteered with the kids trying to stir up business at the road and they were just being silly and goofy and having the best day. I actually was able to forget about myself and enjoy the day while trying to raise money for the church. I realized then and there that by taking the focus off of me, I was blessed with His peace. That September day seems so far ago but I remember the lesson learned like it was yesterday. If you want to feel better about things, bless someone else. Trust me on this one. Better yet trust God on it!

Wednesday, November 19, 2014 "My Old Life"

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

He is worth it all. It is not easy living a life of a Christian in today's world. What an easier life it would be to do what we wanted when we wanted. To say and act however we wanted without fear or consequence. The freedom in living for me and me alone. Sounds enticing? Sounds like my old life. And with all that great freedom living in the world came slavery, bondage, sorrow, sadness, betrayal, sin, and an emptiness that was unimaginable. Do I long for my old life? Not for a second. 

Tuesday, November 18, 2014 "Not an Option"

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 1 John 3:16

We are called to love people. We are commanded to pray for our enemies. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. These are some of the toughest commands of the Lord. But they are not optional. We cannot hand select what works for us. John Hagee would call that being a "cafeteria Christian". Our walk with Christ must be consistent, obedient, bold, faithful, and true. Do not be a hypocrite. Examine your heart and rid it of all unholy feelings toward another. Love like God. 

Monday, November 17, 2014 "Not Up For Debate"

If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 1 Peter 4:14

It is hard to take criticism from others when trying to share the gospel. It takes God's grace to accept others for who they are. Like my husband has said for years, "don't hate me because I don't think like you and I won't hate you for not thinking like me." It is not up for debate. I believe in Jesus Christ. He is my Lord and Savior who died for my sins on the Cross, and there is victory in His blood. Put away your charts and maps. I am not interested. I am child of the Utmost High. Period. 

Sunday, November 16, 2014 "He Hears My Voice"

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16

Prayer is my life line. The amazing promise God gives believers is He hears the prayers of the righteous. That makes me cry when I know He hears my voice. Just to know that He hears me comforts me when I am weak. If you are struggling right now and you don't think God is listening, call upon the Lord. If you are not sure that you are saved (for the Bible tells us when we are saved, we become the righteousness of God, because we are in Christ), you can ask the Lord into your heart right where you are. And be assured you are one with Him and always know He will hear you.

Saturday, November 15, 2014 "Storms of Life: How Do You React?"

"and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." Psalm 50:15

When a storm comes, how do you react? When someone you care about hurts you, how do you react? When a disappointment occurs, how do you react? When nothing seems to be going right, how do you react? The answer must always be "with grace and hope". As believers of Christ, we have no other option. When we are tested in our faith we do not want to discount our testimony by reacting poorly or out of the Spirit. We may go through storms, but He won't let us get destroyed completely; however, the destruction that does happen is for cleansing. Parts of us are being chipped away, parts that do not fit into the mold of His character. Therefore rejoice in adversity. Trust Him during the difficult times. And know He is for you. Faith relies on not relying on what you can see. Remember that!

Friday, November 14, 2014 "Hand the Pen to God"

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. 

Isaiah 55:8

As a child of God, we tend to grow impatient when waiting upon the Lord. We often times get in our own way making costly mistakes. My husband often says we don't "count the costs". We begin to make plans and plot our futures. The best advice I read was to write our plans in pencil and hand the pen to God. He can erase any mistakes we make and His mark is always permanent on our hearts. He is our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let us entrust our future only to Him. 

Thursday, November 13, 2014 "Hearing From God"

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

I have learned the importance of praying about everything. I call "birthing it by prayer." My husband and I now know not to make a move or any decision without first seeking the Lord and waiting upon the Spirit to move us. When you are evenly yoked with your spouse what will happen is the Lord will speak through both of you, sometimes to relay a message to the other. So my husband and I depend and rely on the voice of God for guidance and direction. Are you frustrated with God because you do not hear from Him? Maybe you need to quiet down, slow down, and not get ahead of Him. We often pray and pray and pray and we don't quietly wait for Him to speak. I have seen the change in my own relationship with the Lord and how it has deepened. You will also experience the blessed assurance in knowing you are living His will for your life when you wait upon His voice. It is very profound. So amazing. Trust in Him today. 

Wednesday, November 12, 2014 "What is God's Favor?"

"Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man." Proverbs 3:4

What Does Favor of the Lord mean? 

It is being treated much better than we could expect. Of course, every believer is favored to some degree. Therefore, we must understand God's favor in degrees. The more we please God, the more we will be favored by Him. Also, it is important not to think of this favor in material or worldly terms. God's favor most likely will be given in spiritual blessings more than in material blessings. Favor should not be looked upon as some sort of secret formula for getting everything we want. God sometimes takes those He loves through special trials. Job is the primary example but similar instances happen in the lives of many. However, if we continually draw closer to the Lord, we will come to dwell in His favor and in His favor is life. - Donald Reagan

Tuesday, November 11, 2014 "Lord, Save Me!"

When you begin to experience chaos around you, stop and pray. It does not have to be a long prayer. In fact three of the shortest prayers spoken in the Bible were simply. Short prayers are long enough!

“Lord, save me!”
-Matthew 14:30

“Increase our faith!”
-Luke 17:5

“Help my unbelief!”
-Mark 9:24

Monday, November 10, 2014 "Let us Rest"

 And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14 

Too often we are focused on what is wrong in our life. We obsess over the things we don't have, we grow impatient over unanswered prayers. We never just stop and rest in Him. We need to learn how to still in this hectic life and shut out the noise of the world. We need to remember that He is God and He is all sovereign. When our life is in His will there should be no need to worry, plot, or fear. We need to allow the Spirit to guide us and just live life according to His plan, not our own. I ask the Lord to give His children the strength to accept this simple truth and be able to rest in His Word today. Amen and amen. 

Sunday, November 9, 2014 "Let us Rejoice"

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! "

Philippians 4:4

The word of the day is "ever forward". Let us live in the present. Let us trust the Lord for our future. Let us give Him our past. And let us rejoice in the gift of today. Happy Sunday!

Saturday, November 8, 2014 "Chains of Bondage"

 "Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1 

There is power in the name of Jesus. As the lyrics go on, "Break every chain, break every chain". The Lord can deliver you from your bondage. Whatever it may be. For me it is my worriment, for others it is anger or pride. Simply ask Him to break the chains of bondage of whatever holds you captive. In the name of Jesus we are delivered. 

Friday, November 7, 2014 "Faith Moves God"

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. " Matthew 17:20

The Lord will uphold you in the palm of His righteous right hand. Do not fear not be dismayed. (Isaiah 41:10) These are the words of the Lord. It is easier said than done, but we must all set our minds to this promise. We are doing ourselves of no good when we fret and worry. When we fear the unknown we are limiting God's power in our lives. Faith  moves God. So let us hold on to Him and keep our faith going. No matter what! Amen and amen. 

Thursday, November 6, 2014 "Many Words"

Sometimes short prayers are long enough. 

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words." Matthew 6:7

Wednesday, November 5, 2014 "He is my Glue"

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16

I think it is good to take inventory of your life and those in it. My circle is very small and very intimate. The truth is I have very few people I turn to for prayer. The reality is it can sadden my heart when I am in the midst of a need, but overall I choose to keep myself guarded and private. The Lord is my Shield and my Protector, and I trust in Him to see me through. Prayer is the bond that keeps my marriage on solid ground. The Lord is the bridge to my closest friends. He is the glue that keeps my life whole. I am beyond grateful for provisions in my life. He is my rock!

Tuesday, November 4, 2014 "The Rainbow Ahead"

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." 1 Peter 5:10

No matter what it is you are facing, you will get through it and be stronger for it. The truth is we grow in faith because of the trials in our life. We learn to depend on the Lord for all things, and His love gets us through. Our endurance comes from the assurance in knowing He is allowing this in our life. Our attitudes must be of faith and hope, not doom and gloom. So trust Him and continue to pray yourself through all life's difficult situations. And remember the rainbow always follows the rain. 

Monday, November 3, 2014 "Thank You for the Cross"

We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 1 John 5:18

Blessed Redeemer. That is who God is. He restores us to wholeness. He is our shield and our protector. We pray every day that evil does not grieve us. We ask the Lord that our shield of faith  protect us against all evil, the enemy and its servants. Spiritual warfare is real. It is all around us. We must prepare for no one is exempt. Thank  you Lord for the cross. 

Sunday, November 2, 2014 "Be a Peacemaker not a Troublemaker"

We are called to be peacemakers. "Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9) So many people cause problems with their tongues. They repeat things they shouldn't. They gossip, they betray, they lie, they omit, they pretend, they create dissension. The truth is when someone comes to you and begins to speak unkind of someone, stop them. Tell them you prefer not to be a part of such an unholy conversation and walk away. I try to say to myself, "if they are talking about them to me, then surely they are speaking unkind of me to them" and it makes it real easy to stop the conversation. None of us are perfect but let us try to bring peace among our relationships (families,friends, co-workers) and not division. Let us try to praise and  uplift one another instead of tearing down and criticizing. Let us love like God does. Amen?!

"Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:8

Saturday, November 1, 2014 "Biblical Myth"

Why do we think that God will not give us more than what we can handle? If that were true than He would be suggesting that He is limited in what He can do in our lives. It would also suggest He expects us to do things on our own. The biblical truths are that He can do anything and/or all things, and that He wants us to totally depend on Him. Therefore there is nothing He cannot handle. 

"Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible." Matthew 19:26

Friday, October 31, 2014 "Celebrate Life and Light"

God is life not death. God is light not darkness. He rose from the dead and He is alive. Let us celebrate life today not the dead. 

"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5

Thursday, October 30, 2014 "Cast Your Cares"

Do you worry a lot? We all have our issues we are dealing with and worriment is certainly mine. I trust in the Lord with all my heart and soul but I definitely can get in my own way. I am thankful for a partner who prays over me and for me each and every day and it helps. It restores my peace and I am able to rest. The Word tells us to "be anxious for nothing" (Phil 4:6)  and we know it is easier said than done. But we must try and we must trust. Faith in the Lord moves His hands over our lives so let us keep the faith. 

Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you;
he will never let    the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22