Speak God's Word to the Mountain

Speak God's Word to the Mountain 

When Jesus said that we are to speak to the mountain, commanding it to be lifted up and thrown into the sea, He was making a radical statement. 

See, we usually talk about the "mountains," or challenges, in our lives, but God's Word instructs us to talk to them. And when we do, we must respond to them with the Word of God. 

In Luke 4, when Satan was trying to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, the Lord responded to every trial by speaking Scripture. He repeatedly quoted verses that met the lies and deceptions of the devil head-on. 

We have a tendency to try this for awhile, but when we do not see quick results, we stop speaking the Word to our problems and begin once again to speak our feelings. Persistence is a vital link to obtaining victory. 

Constantly speaking the Word is powerful and absolutely necessary in overcoming any problem or negative situation. Know what you believe and be determined to stick with it to the end. 

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, remind me daily to speak the Word to the mountains in my life. Every time I give in to complaining or despair, fill me with Your peace and boldness and prompt me to speak Your will and move mountains!

Surrender

God cannot work His 'magic' in your life if you don't give your life to him. He desires for us to completely trust Him with every part of our life, and surrender it to Him so that He can mold us into a beautiful piece that glorifies Him.
 For example, I have a pen in my pocket. The pen is absolutely surrendered to the work of writing. It must be completely surrendered to my hand if I am to write with it. If someone else also holds the this pen I cannot write properly.

Do you think God can work His work, or His desire in your life, unless you are totally given up to Him? Of course not.

My Prayer: Oh God, I am willing for You to make me willing to surrender my complete life, being, job, relationships, health to You.

Be to Others

 I'm sure we lose a lot of blessings we never even know about simply because we fail to do for others what we would like to have done for us. We always want to be blessed by others, but do we take the initiative to unselfishly bless them first?

Instead of sitting around, focusing on yourself, waiting for blessings to come your way, it's time to actively make sacrifices and serve the people God has placed in your life. Be a servant and make others the focus.

Instead of feeling rejected and ignored, you'll be amazed at how your relationships improve when you treat others the way you want to be treated.

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12 NLT)

God's Timing

God Causes Things to Happen at the Right Time

Are you waiting for the desires of your heart to begin to manifest? Are you praying for bondages to fall off of you so you can see your dreams come to pass? Are you waiting and praying for the salvation of friends and family? Are you trusting God for prosperity, favor, promotion, honor, and all the blessings found in His Word?

Are you tired of waiting for harvest time in your life? Are you frustrated, crying out, "When, God, when?" Then you need to understand that God's timing is often a mystery. He doesn't do things on our timetable. Yet His Word promises that He will not be late, not one single day.

God causes things to happen at exactly the right time! Your job is not to figure out when, but to make up your mind that you won't give up until you cross the finish line and are living in the radical, outrageous blessings of God! The more you trust Jesus and keep your eyes focused on Him, the more life you'll have. Trusting God brings life. Believing brings rest. So stop trying to figure everything out, and let God be God in your life.

Prayer Starter: God, I know that Your timing is perfect, even when I grow tired of waiting. Help me to trust in You and rest in Your plan for me.

Bless the Lord

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

PSALM 103

¹ O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I'll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God,
don't forget a single blessing! ³ He forgives your sins - every one.
He heals your diseases - every one.
He redeems you from hell - saves your life!
He crowns you with love and mercy - a paradise crown.
He wraps you in goodness - beauty eternal.
He renews your youth - you're always young in his presence.

⁶ God makes everything come out right;
he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
not easily angered, he's rich in love.
He doesn't endlessly nag and scold,
nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve,
nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
God feels for those who fear him.
He knows us inside and out,
keeps in mind that we're made of mud.
Men and women don't live very long;
like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
leaving nothing to show they were here.
God's love, though, is ever and always,
eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
as they follow his Covenant ways
and remember to do whatever he said.

¹⁹ God has set his throne in heaven;
he rules over us all. He's the King!
So bless God, you angels,
ready and able to fly at his bidding,
quick to hear and do what he says.
Bless God, all you armies of angels,
alert to respond to whatever he wills.
Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are -
everything and everyone made by God. And you, O my soul, bless God!

Suffering

This verse hit me this morning.  What I get from it is this. It is only thru suffering / death with Him that we also will experience His mighty power. So be encouraged as you walk the road of suffering His power will shine. He raised Christ from the DEAD!

Philippians 3:10 NLT

"I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,"

The Proverbs 31 woman

Proverbs 31:17, 20 NLT

"She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy."

This is my inspiration and goal for my 31 business. My mission is to earn income to share with the less fortunate. 

See it at YouVersion.com:

http://bible.us/Prov31.17.NLT

Rachel Wagler 

Independent Thirty-one Consultant

www.mythirtyone.com/rwagler 

Step out in Faith

In Hebrews it says that "without faith it is impossible to please Him". so how do we grow our faith? Sometimes when we have prayed for a certain situation and we still don't really know what to do we need to 'step out and find out'. It's sorta like standing in front of an automatic door at the grocery store. We can stand there all day and look at it but if we don't step forward and trigger the mechanism; it won't open.  If the step we take is not the right one, God can still use that step to advance our position, because we are trusting Him to lead us.

There are many times in life that we need to step forward to see if God will open a door. Some doors open right away and others will never open, no matter what we do.  When God opens a door, go thru it and if he doesn't,  then be satisfied to go a different direction, but don't let fear trap you into inactivity.

(inspiration taken from Hearing from God each Morning)

Count Your Many Blessings

The lyrics of this song spoke to me last week and I have been pondering over this and found it is so very true. Love this song so much, hope you do too!

Check out this verse on YouVersion.com

Proverbs 3:5 MSG

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this."

See it at YouVersion.com:

http://bible.us/Prov3.5.MSG

Rachel Wagler 

Independent Thirty-one Consultant

www.mythirtyone.com/rwagler 

Give it up already!

Recently I have been thinking about giving up. (my rights, that is) Somehow I know (in my mind) that everything I have and am is God's already, but I sure like to hang on to them as if  I own them. Whether it  is my possessions, my time, my health, my reputation, or my family. The right thing to do is surrender them/it to God, and let go of ownership to them, let Him do with it what He wishes. If it is destroyed/lost then so be it; God is bigger than those things. It is only when I surrender it fully to Him, that God often  will multiply these in our life. God takes good care of his possessions and He is so capable to care for them, but so many times I think I can do it better!

Surrender is hard! But God will not give up on us, He will keep trying us until we are willing to give up. We are in His school. He is teaching us

What examples do we have in the Bible of people giving up their rights and how God showed up and 'blew them away' with blessings!

Noah: surrendered his time building a boat for how many years? People mocked him saying why do you waste your time on building this boat, but of course after the flood he and his family were the only ones who had time! And he lived several hundred years more!

Job, surrendered his possessions and his right to good health: he said "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the Name of the Lord!' even when ALL his possessions were destroyed, and his children died. you know what happened?  In the end of the story Job is twice  as rich as he was before all of this happened.

Joseph: gave up his reputation. Twice. Once with his brothers when they sold him into slavery, and once with Pottifar's wife when she accused him of coming on to her, and he went to prison. But even while in prison Joseph chose to forgive; and gave the best service  he could with a good attitude. God promoted him to become the Prime Minister of the Country.

Esther: surrendered her right to live. As queen, she risked her life to petition the king for the lives of her people the Jews. Her uncle told her that it was possible that God promoted her to this position 'for such a time as this' and he was right. Because of her selfless action the lives of her entire race were preserved!


Paul: gave up his right to health, he learned to rejoice and give thanks in his 'infirmity'. God told him "my grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness," Paul's response; Therefore most gladly, I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Cor 12:9   for when I am weak, then I am strong.  Maybe that is why God used Paul to reach so much of the globe in his time and his work had such far reaching effects even today.

Abraham: gave up the right to choose to where he lived. God said go, and he went; even though he didn't know where he would end up. God blessed him with many possessions.  Then later he surrendered his only son, and now he's the father of many nations.
Ruth: gave up her right to be married.  She chose to care for an old lady and moved to another country. She married the most eligible bachelor in the land, he was rich, handsome, compassionate, He was the prize of Bethlehem.

Hannah: gave up her right to have a child: She gave him back to God. God blessed her with 5 more children. At the end of her life she got him back, he lived with her.

Jesus, the prime example: surrendered His reputation and became a servant. He became the likeness of man and died the death of a criminal on a Roman cross. God highly exalted Him and gave him a Name above all Names. At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow. He has become the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I am here to tell you that just because you surrender your possessions and life to God, does not mean that He will absolutely heal you or make you rich, but He WILL take care of His people. If you surrender everything to Him, you will have such joy and peace. Let Him do your worrying.

Life is Like a Piece of Cake

Sometimes we wonder,
'What did I do to deserve this?' or
'Why did God have to do this to me?'
Here is a wonderful explanation!
A daughter is telling her Mother how everything
is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend
broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.
Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and
asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the
Daughter says, 'Absolutely Mom, I love your cake.'
'Here, have some cooking oil,' her Mother offers.
'Yuck' says her daughter.
'How about a couple raw eggs?' 'Gross, Mom!'
'Would you like some flour then?
Or maybe baking soda?'
'Mom, those are all yucky!'
To which the mother replies :
'Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves.
But when they are put together in the
right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!'
God works the same way. Many times we wonder why
He would let us go through such bad and difficult
times. But God knows that when He puts these things
All in His order, they always work for good! We just
have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all
make something wonderful! 
God is crazy about you.
He sends you flowers every spring and
A sunrise every morning.
Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen.
He can live anywhere in the universe,
And He chose your heart.
If you like this, send this on
to the people you really care about. 
Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are
Here we might as well dance! 

Stress

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]29 Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. 30 For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne. Matthew 11:28-30

    I got this e-mail the other day and realized how true it is. This                                                          scripture confirms that Jesus wants to carry our stress! We are not meant to carry the load. 

A young lady confidently walked around the room while explaining stress management to an audience with a raised glass of water. Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question , 'half empty or half full?'...  She fooled them all .... "How heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile.  Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.  She replied , "The absolute weight doesn't matter.  It depends on how long I hold it.  If I hold it for a minute , that's not a problem.  If I hold it for an hour , I'll have an ache in my right arm.  If I hold it for a day , you'll have to call an ambulance.  In each case it's the same weight , but the longer I hold it , the heavier it becomes." She continued , "and that's the way it is with stress.  If we carry our burdens all the time , sooner or later , as the burden becomes increasingly heavy , we won't be able to carry on."  "As with the glass of water , you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed , we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So , as early in the evening as you can , put all your burdens down.  Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... Pick them up tomorrow.

Without Him

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. John 15: 5-9




It occurs to me again from this Scripture, that without Jesus I can do nothing. It delights Him when I acknowledge that truth. We often wake up and assess our day based on the number of difficulties we face and think 'this is more than I can handle'...God also assesses our day and puts at our disposal the amount of power required. This power that He provides is in direct relation to the level of difficulty we will face. The degree to which He strengthens us in a given day is based mainly on two variables; the difficulty of our circumstances and our willingness to trust/depend on Him for help. Look to Him today for all that you need and watch to see what He does. As your day so will your strength be.

Strength from Weakness

2 Corinthians 12

7 .... I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty!8 At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that,9 and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness.10 Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size-abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

Cry for God to Remember

Today as I sit reading, I think of many who are at this place right now... crying out to God to remember them.  Read  Psalm 38   for yourself and see if this is where you are. God will come and rescue you.

Today's Prayer: I pray Lord today that the Power of Your Name will heal each of us, physically, emotionally, and most of all spiritually! Your Name is Holy and powerful and  Worthy. Thank You Lord for all the answers You have already brought us and for the ones you are working on that we can't even see. We know that You are at work no matter what we can see. We know that You love us. You are the One and Only Healer and  we love you with all our hearts. Thank You Jesus.

(You Are) Someone Worth Dying For

Most of us at one time or another have asked God "What do You see in me that makes me worthy of salvation? What do You see in me that You sent Your only son to die for me?" I'm reminded of Psalms 8:4 - "What is man that You are mindful of him?" Well first of all, God created us. Regardless of the ugliness inside all of us, He only sees beauty. Second, He loves us unconditionally. 

This song by Mikeschair 

Our suffering

I consider our present sufferings insignificant compared to the glory that will soon be revealed to us. Romans 8:18


I have learned that Perspective is everything. No matter what problem I am facing, there is always someone who has it worse than myself. I tend to focus on everyone who has it better than me, but if I just look around, read the newspaper, watch the news...there is ALWAYS someone who is going through something worse than I am. Perspective.
 
Basically it boils down to my attitude. I also have learned that my attitude is a choice, and I can change it if I choose to.
 
Today, be aware of your attitude toward every obstacle that you encounter. You will be surprised how things change when you consciously make an effort to have a good attitude. Give God thanks for your problem(s), they could  be much worse.

My Prayer Today

Oh God you are worthy to be praised, You are great, awsome, powerful and wonderful. You have brought me from the pits of darkness into light! Thank you for the mighty way that you bring about your promises!

Today I give you my health...Thank you for the healing that you have already done and for what you are continuing to do even when I can't see it. I know that today I am one step closer to the final outcome that you have planned for me.

Today I will not live in fear or be motivated by fear because I know that You are with me.

Fill me with your Holy Spirit...I dedicate my entire being to You. Today I offer You my hands, my arms, my mouth, my feet, my eyes, my ears, my abilities, my gifts, my finances, my health and my relationships; to use them to make someone else's life better. Help me to walk in love that You may be glorified.

He is with you

Deuteronomy 31:8 NASB


The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

God Will Take Care of Me

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1Corinthians 10:13

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:19

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Promises

Call to Me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or presecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword:
As it is written: "For your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
Yet in all these things we are mor than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:35-37

Trial vs Opportunity

Exerpts from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

When something in your life or thoughts makes you feel anxious, come to Me and talk about it. Bring Me your prayer and petition with thanksgiving, saying; "Thank you for this opportunity to trust You more." Though the lessons of your trust that I send you come wrapped in difficulties, the benefits far outweigh the cost.
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I am ever so near you, hovering over your shoulder, reading your every thought. People think that thougths are fleeting and worthless, but yours are precious to Me. I smile when you think lovingly of Me. My Spirit, who lives within you, helps you to think My thoughts. As your thinking goes so goes your entire being.

Refueling

Christians are often told they need to reach out to others, to those with needs; whether physical or spiritual needs.

Although this is true, there may be times when you feel like you need to be ministered to. You feel flat, with nothing to give. Be encouraged there is hope for you too! :) Surround yourself with an environment of praise and worship. Fill your house with praise, worship, music that inspires you. Place discs of God's word in your car. Get around family, church friends and people who will make you feel nourished and  encouraged. Ask the Holy Spirit fill you continually from the inside out. I like to read the Psalms in times like this. Whether you need healing, a financial breakthrough, or a relational miracle, remember, our God is able, and He will never leave you or forsake you. Let yourself fall into the safe arms of Jesus and His peace and great joy will fill you.

Psalm 105:1-2  Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His Name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him, talk of all His wondrous works!

Why We Ask 'Why?'

 Mark 9:24 (NASB)  Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief."

Do you ever find yourself in a tragic situation and asked God, 'Why? Why is this happening to me?'

For one moment, let's imagine that God actually answered that question. Would His explanation change anything? The effects of the tragedy would still be with you, and the pain would be just as severe as it was before. What would you have learned?

When we ask God that question, I think the real questions we're asking are: 'God, do You love me? Will You take care of me in my sorrow and pain? You won't leave me alone, will You?' Is it possible that, because we're afraid God doesn't truly care about us, we ask for explanations?

Instead, we must learn to say: 'Lord, I believe. I don't understand, and I'll probably never grasp all the reasons bad things happen, but I know for certain that You love me and are with me, always.'

I believe it often takes more faith to go through something victoriously than to be delivered from it. Put your faith in God and you'll come out stronger on the other side.

Prayer Starter: God, I believe in You, even when circumstances try to fill my mind with doubt. Help me to remember Your love for me and to put my faith in You, no matter what happens.

Devotional by Joyce Meyer

Make Bold Requests

God wants to give us BIG gifts. He loves to bless us. We receive, in direct proportion to our faith. In James it says 'we have not because we ask not'. So how are we asking? What are we asking for? Are we asking God to just get us by or are we boldly asking for Him to go above and beyond.

Psalm 2:8 Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance.
 So stop praying those 'get my by' prayers! Start asking for your biggest dreams. Elisha asked for  a DOUBLE portion of Elijah's spirit! The blind men at the gate did not ask Jesus for conveniences or for help to get around, or for shelter or food; they asked for their sight! Go for the big guns! Start asking God to bless your business so that you can be a blessing to others, ask God for sales and promotions so that you can bless ....a village in Africa...those who are trapped in human trafficking...those who suffer from everyday ailments without access to medical treatments... and the list goes on.


Psalm 81:10 says "open your mouth wide and I will fill it!"

When we ask for little things and just to get by prayers we are not opening very wide. It's like a young girl who asked for prayer to get a 'C' on an upcoming test because the best she ever got in that class was  'C'.  Ridiculous!  you say, why not pray for an 'A'?  She didn't 'open her mouth' wide enough to receive an 'A'. In the same way, start praying for your kids to become great leaders that make a difference in their culture and in their world, instead of  "Lord, just keep them out of trouble",  say "God I want to be free of this illness"; "I know that I  will come through this health issue a better person". Pray, all the while believing that God will keep His promises.

Actively Waiting on God

We spend much of our time waiting. In line at the grocery store, at the car wash, for the coffee to brew, water to boil, the mail to come, at a stop light, on our spouce to get home from work. In each of these waiting situations we are expecting something while we wait. Much like this, we wait for God  to work on our behalf. We must not just sit and wait and do nothing waiting for Him to rescue us, we do what we can while we wait; expecting Him to come through. For example, if we have credit card debt...we need to start putting every extra dollar towards paying off our debt. Maybe I don't have $10,000 to pay it off, but I can put this $5.00 toward the debt today, and maybe $5.00 next week.  If we do what we CAN do, God will do what we cannot do. We take little steps toward the goal having faith that God will take over when we can no longer make progress. God wants us to depend on him.  He is honored when we ask Him to move on the behalf of His children.
    Psalm 62:5&6 says that my hope and expectation are of Him. "I shall not be moved," meaning that I will not give up. God likes when we say "I'm expecting You to keep the promises you made."  Lamentations 3:25&26 says that God is good to those who wait, hopefully. We must expect Him to move. Don't just sit idle and say... 'well, I'm waiting on God'. If we have a need we have the right to expect Him to work on our behalf.
Don't give up...do as much as you can while you wait for Him to complete the job. It is so much fun to watch how God will step in for us. He is so creative.

"Blessings"

 
Does God 'bless' us by NOT giving us what we are asking for? I love this song! Although God does not send suffering into our lives, He does allow Satan to do so. (see the story of Job). The outcome He desires to see from the trials, is that we draw closer to Him and what Satan plans for evil, God uses for good! Everything that happens to us is for OUR good!

Job's example is so rich. When he heard that all his children and all his livestock had been killed, this was his response,   Job 1:20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away.  Praise the name of the Lord!” 22In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.

In the end Job received twice as much as he had to begin with. Job 42:12 God blessed the latter part of Job's life more than his beginning.

4 more thoughts

Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go; try to be who you really are, because life is short, and often only gives one chance to do things.

The really lucky people do not necessarily have the best of everything, They are the ones who make the most best of whatever is thrown at them.


The most splendid future will always depend upon the necessity to release the past. You cannot move forward in life unless you learn from your past mistakes and move on.


When you were born, you were crying while everybody around you was smiling; Always live your life smiling even when other people around you are crying.

3 thoughts for today

In life there are moments when you miss someone so much, you that you wish you could grab them out of your dreams and hug them tight.

When a door closes another one opens, but often we stand there so long looking at the closed door, we don't even see the one that's opened.

Do not look at physical appearances, they can be deceiving. Do not look at riches, for they are only temporary. Look for someone who makes you smile; because sometimes it only takes a smile to brighten up a very dark day. Look for someone who makes your heart sing!

Comforting Grace

"He is Faithful that Promised."
"I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you."—John 14:18.





Blessed Jesus! How thy presence sanctifies trial, takes loneliness from the chamber of sickness, and the sting from the chamber of death! Bright and Morning Star! precious at all times, thou art never so precious as in "the dark and cloudy day!" The bitterness of sorrow is well worth enduring to have thy promised consolations. How well qualified, thou Man of Sorrows, to be my Comforter! How well fitted to dry my tears, Thou who didst shed so many thyself! What are my tears—my sorrows—my crosses—my losses, compared with Thine, who didst shed first Thy tears, and then Thy blood for me! Mine are all deserved, and infinitely more than deserved. How different, O Spotless Lamb of God, those pangs which rent Thy guiltless bosom! How sweet those comforts Thou hast promised to the comfortless, when I think of them as flowing from an Almighty Fellow-Sufferer,—"A brother born for adversity,"—the "Friend that sticketh closer than any brother!"—one who can say, with all the refined sympathies of a holy exalted human nature, "I know your sorrows!" My soul! calm thy griefs! There is not a sorrow thou canst experience, but Jesus, in the treasury of grace, has an exact corresponding solace: "In the multitude of the sorrows I have in my heart, Thy comforts delight my soul!"


"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"


taken from public domain The Faithful Promiser   by John Ross Macduff

P.S. Although this is written in a rather old dialect it is almost poetic and full of truth!

"Praise You In This Storm"

"Praise You In This Storm"

I was sure by now

God You would have reached down

And wiped our tears away

Stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

Casting Crowns



Let Go of Anxiety

Philippians 4:6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.


7And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

The best way to combat fear & anxiety is to have a thankful attitude. Many times we need to CHOOSE to have a grateful spirit, even if we don't FEEL like it. God is with you and for you. Focus on Him, verbalize your trust in Him, allow Him to carry you safely through this day.


2Timothy 1: 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

Fear not, for I am with you. (Isaiah 41:10) I believe God works gently with us to bring us out of bondage and into liberty. If you've been afraid of something and desire to be free, the time will eventually come when you'll have to face your fear and not run away from it. Just take Jesus' hand, acknowledge that He is with you, and do it.

If you're at one a crossroads in your life, let me encourage you to go forward. Don't stand still in terror, but take His hand and go forward. Remember, fear torments and God wants to deliver you from all of your fears

What happened to my Memory!

This is hysterical, I can identify with this! Enjoy a good belly laugh!

I believe it is healthy to have a good laugh, so here is yours for the day!

 

God wants the Glory

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.     John 9:1-3

It’s truly miraculous what can happen. I don’t guarantee it will happen for you this side of heaven, but it’s frequently what God does. His ways are just not our ways. Sometimes it takes 3 months, sometimes 3 years, sometimes it’s 3 decades. Sometimes it’s not this side of heaven. But like the man who was born blind so that God’s glory would be revealed, there is always purpose in our pain, and He doesn’t waste anything.

  13Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. James 5:13-18

 

 

The Teacher

God's Promises

"God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him." Romans 8:28  and in vs 31"If God is for us, who can be against us?"



He doesn't say that all things ARE good, he says all things work together FOR good!

God's promises are incredible, and they are for you! If you are wondering how you can see these promises come to life for you....It's simple....   The way you see God's promises in His Word come to life is by agreeing with them rather than what your circumstances are saying. When I can declare out loud the promises of God, it helps me to believe and re-confirm my beliefs in what He has promised.

examples:
1. "I CAN do all things thru Christ Who strengthens me" Phillipians 4:13
2. "I WILL fear no evil, for God is with me."  Psalm 23:
3. " I CHOOSE to put my trust in God, and BE joyful in Him, for He protects me and surrounds me with favor."  Psalm 5:11-12


You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is the eternal Rock. Isaiah 26:3-4

It is when times are difficult that I rely on God to pull me through. It is that close relationship that I desire most. In fact I have actually prayed for bumps in the road so that I may stay focused on Him.

The Bible says in 1Peter; Why are you surprised, or why do you think it strange that you face these  'firey trials'? Look at it this way,  it is an honor for me 'to be counted worthy to share in Christ's suffering' So that "when His Glory is revealed, I will be glad with exceeding joy." 1Peter 4:13

So rather than saying 'why me', say 'why not me'?


   (Please don't be offended by this post...maybe I don't know how very difficult your situation is or what you are going through but I know the One who can help you through it! It is my desire to have this attitude through tough times of my own.)
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Plans to Prosper You and Give You Hope!

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Today my heart is hurting for each of you who are going through difficult times. Whether you are suffering from health issues, broken relationships, grieving the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, or loss of physical ability to perform a job; OR you have a close family member who is in a difficult situation; it hurts and you just want it to go away!  If I had a magic wand, believe me I would wave it over you and 'voila' everything would be fixed! Now I realize that I cannot change your circumstances, but right now I want to walk through these extremely painful situations with you; be your support, cry with you; pray with you; rejoice with you (for each milestone you overcome). My heart goes out to each of you and I pray that God bring each of you the desires of your hearts!

I encourage you to tell God what your desires are. He wants to see his children happy and he desires to please you. After you tell Him what you desire,  THANK Him for the answer He has already set into motion. He is working already to bring about the answer...even when we can't see that anything is happening. He has a plan. He is Powerful. He is the Healer, and most of all HE LOVES YOU!

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

My prayer for each of you is that God will restore you...So that He will be glorified.

How to Prevent Slipping into Depression

by Joyce Meyer
Does your happiness depend on everything in your life being just right? If you think you can't be happy until all your circumstances are right, you will never be happy. We all experience times in life when we feel down for various reasons, but we can't allow our circumstances to control our emotions. Satan seeks to fill our minds with negative thoughts and emotions that cause us to feel down. He is a discourager, and he pulls us down emotionally, spiritually, financially, and in every way he can. But Jesus is our Encourager, and He came to lift us up. He came to give us righteousness, peace and joy, and all these things cause us to feel up!
Everyone experiences times of frustration and distress over unfulfilled hopes and dreams. When things don't go according to our plans, it is normal to feel disappointment. But we must be careful how we deal with that feeling, because disappointment is the beginning stage of depression. If we remain in a state of disappointment for too long, it can turn into discouragement, despair, and finally depression. Psalm 30:5 tells us that ...Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Things may make us feel sad temporarily, but we must not stay sad. Just as we cannot afford to stay mad very long, neither can we stay sad very long. If we do, Satan takes advantage of the open door and pushes his way further into our lives, bringing more serious problems with him.

Don't Trust Your Thoughts and FeelingsOur number one enemy is emotions. We tend to be led by how we feel, but we must realize that feelings are fickle; they change from day to day! We should be careful not to follow every thought that comes to our mind because our thoughts and feelings don't dictate truth to us. For many years of my life, I experienced regular depression. I would awaken many mornings with a little voice in my head saying, "I feel depressed." I believed this was my own thought, not realizing that it was Satan making suggestions to me through my mind. Later, when God drew me into a closer walk with Him and I began seriously studying His Word, I learned that I didn't have to follow every feeling and thought that I had. I began to speak aloud and say, "I will not be depressed." I learned to put on the garment of praise spoken of in. Isaiah 61:3 We may not always feel like praising, but a victorious person does not have the luxury of living by feelings.
I've learned that staying disappointed can cause me to start feeling discouraged, which is a deeper problem than disappointment. But I've also learned that you can't be hopeful and discouraged at the same time. So as soon as the devil attacks us with disappointment and we start feeling discouraged, we need to turn to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to fill us with hope. A brief period of discouragement may not have a devastating effect, but long-term discouragement can lead to depression—a very serious problem.
Resist the Devil and Rejoice in the Lord! Depression
If you don't let the devil impress you with what he does, then he can't oppress you; and if he can't oppress you, then he can't depress you. So choose to be led by the Holy Spirit and you can have victory over depression. We can choose to keep a hopeful attitude by renewing our minds with the promises found in God's Word. We can claim the promises as our own and stand in faith, believing God to help us overcome our feelings and move forward into better things. We can't control all of our circumstances, but we don't have to let what happens today ruin tomorrow. We can actually turn things around by making a decision to let go of the situations that caused the disappointment and discouragement, and move toward the good things God has planned for our future.
Many people are depressed because they can't face truth, but the Holy Spirit came to reveal truth to us. We can't get past depression until we quit making excuses and blaming everyone else. We must face the truth and take responsibility for our actions. When we do that and ask God to help us, the spirit of heaviness leaves us and we feel light and free. Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:30,...My burden is light and easy to be borne. Being depressed about circumstances does not change them, and it is a total waste of time and a thief of joy. So we must stop letting our feelings, mind, body, and past experiences rule us and allow God to give us a fresh plan, a new idea, a new goal! You can experience victory over your emotions by being led, guided, controlled, and ruled by the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sent to us as our Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener and Standby to remain with us forever (see John 14:16). Thank God, we don't have to be disappointed, discouraged, despondent, depressed or in despair. Jesus is not only the Way, but He is also the way out! Jesus is our healer, our glory, and the lifter of our heads.
This article is taken from Joyce's audio teaching, Understanding and Overcoming Depression is defined in part as "a hollow; being in a low state; a state of sadness; dejection." The real cause of depression is not where we are, but our attitude about where we find ourselves. It is possible to learn to live on the other side of your feelings. We will always have feelings; they will never go away, but we can make our feelings line up with our decisions. That's why God gives us the fruit of self-control. James 4:7 tells us to resist the devil, and we must also resist depression, and anything that resembles it, because it is of the devil. Philippians 4:4 says, Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! If we stay filled with the right thing, the wrong thing has no place.  additional teachings: http://www.joycemeyer.org/Articles/EAArchive.aspx

Give All Your Worries

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." 1Peter 5:7

"Cast your cares upon Lord Jehovah and he will support you, and he will never give terror to his righteous ones." Psalm 55:22

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 4:6-7


"Commit your way to the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37:5

"Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28

Thankfulness

Thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity.
         In EVERYTHING give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1Thessalonians 5:18;  Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2; Giving thanks always for ALL things  to God the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

        If we give thanks to God in all things (regardless of our circumstances) He will bring us joy (regardless of our circumstances). This may seem irrational to some, or even impossible, but to those who choose to obey, God sends blessings even though difficulties may remain. We can choose to do, even when we don't feel like it. In Psalm 146:2   David says, "While I live I will praise the LORD: I will sing praises to my God while I have any being." in Psalm 145:2 "Every day will I bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever."  I love the Psalms. It is where I go when I am feeling sorry for myself, when I am feeling like God is far away, when things are not fair, when I am angry at someone....and the list goes on.  When I thank God for a situation that is difficult or even painful, it's as if a light has been turned on, and I see things from a different perspective.

Today, take time to read Psalm 145 & 146. Make it your own.

The Battle is not yours

v12) "We have no power against this great "multitude"  add your situation  that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You. "

 and the Lord answered them...v15) "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great "multitude" add your situation,   for the battle is not yours but God's" 

v17) "You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you!"

2 Chronicles 20:12, 15, 17

Do not lose heart

 

"Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."2 Corinthians 4:17-18

it may not seem momentary or light; but our affliction, in comparison to  eternity is just that... if I can only remember that. God is shaping me for something big, He sees the whole picture, I can only see what's here and now, one little puzzle peice. I put my trust in Him. that is an action word, PUT, that means I intentionally place my life in His hands. Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved"!   

God has a plan for you! and it is a GOOD plan. 'As long as you focus on Jesus, you are safe. If you gaze too long at the myriad of problems around you, you will sink under the weight of your burdens, when you start to sink, simply call out "Help me, Jesus!" and He will lift you up' from: Jesus Calling by Sarah Young