Thoughts for Today

"My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,

Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;

For whom the LORD loves He chastens,

And scourges every son whom He receives."

 

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

 

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled

See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

 

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.

 

Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them-those who are mistreated-since you yourselves are in the body also.

 

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say:

 

"The LORD is my helper;

I will not fear.

What can man do to me?"

 

Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

 

The LORD is righteous in all His ways,

Gracious in all His works.

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,

To all who call upon Him in truth.

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;

He also will hear their cry and save them.

My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,

And all flesh shall bless His holy name

Forever and ever.

Joy, Unspeakable Joy.

So, It's been a while. I have been UBER-busy. Went to Disney World for the first time. Flew for the first time. Between work, teenage daughter, and holiday hustle, I am "wo-out". But, "no rest for the weary". And, as I read my devotions this morning, and after listening to Bro. Bo last night (and a little worship music), I have too much to post to just do a Facebook status update....So...

First let's start with Joy!

That is our word from Bro Bo this week. Unspeakable Joy! It started with a song from the Chris Tomlin Christmas CD from last year. It is wonderful by the way, if you have not heard it. But, his rendition of "Joy to the world" is AWESOME. If you don't feel joy after listening to that song, well, I just don't know what will bring it to ya. Then this morning my first devotion was about Contagious Joy. 1 John 1:1-4 ...verses 3&4 say share the fellowship and the JOYS we have with the Father and with Jesus Christ his son. ...then, you too will be full of joy...When you're in love with Jesus, you can't keep to yourself the joy that comes from knowing Him- it just spills over, bearing witness and strengthening other believers.

Next, I read about spiritual harassment. Wow. Never thought about it that way.
"Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8-9).

In the spiritual realm we deal with spiritual harassment from Satan and his legions. The Bible says "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph. 6:12). It is important to recognize when we are coming against these forces. Satan attempts to distract us from our calling and destiny in life. We often trivialize the reality of the spirit realm of evil.
Paul tells us we must set our minds to deal with the spiritual realm of evil when it impacts our lives. "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. (Eph 6:13).
The next time you feel obstacles have been placed in your life designed to distract you from your God-ordained mission, remember Paul's words and stand firm in Christ.
 

OOOH. I liked that. I needed that. We have also been talking about spiritual warfare at church. About how much we are all fighting a spiritual battle, daily. God's speaking to me today!

Then, lastly, as I read my Bible reading for today, all these scriptures jumped out at me. I'm running out of time to elaborate on each one (cuz as always i get inspired right as the clock tells me i should be getting off the computer and get ready for work) . So, I'll just post them and you can elaborate as you want. :)

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 


Ok, gotta go. Hope this helps you today. Hope it inspires somebody to be filled with Unspeakable Joy. 


God Bless you all!

The Little Things

November 16, 2011 As I read this devotion this morning, I feel like I need to share it. Maybe somebody out there needs to hear it. I know there are some people I would like to think need to hear it, but then I have learned in the past the very things I think someone else needs is really only meant for me. So, as I think on this, and realize that I do have some "small things" that have festered inside me, even though I say different, I pray that the Lord will heal those areas. I have friends that have become so distant over such minute discrepancies that now I believe we are not really "friends" at all, just acquaintances. On that note, I do also believe that God allows friends to be in your life for seasons, and that when the season is over you may still be friends just not as close. And there are other people placed in those areas to fill that void. Just sayin'..... Marybeth Whalen

"My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly." Psalm 38:5 (NIV)

It was just a little thing. A small stone or piece of shell I'd stepped on at some point during my walk on the beach. I figured I didn't need to worry about it. Eventually it would work its way out. So I ignored it and went on with life.

But weeks later my plan wasn't working. The little thing hadn't gone away. It had only worked its way deeper into my foot. I was having more and more trouble walking. And my little thing had become harder to ignore.

At my husband's insistence, I finally visited the doctor, who told me that something that could've been handled easily at the beginning had now turned into a much bigger problem. What could've been as simple as removing a splinter now involved cutting into my foot.

I thought of the little things in my life I've ignored, letting them work their way deeper instead of plucking them out while they were still easy to get to. Resentment, anger, jealousy, gossip, unforgiveness and unkind thoughts can be plucked out the moment we realize they're there. But leave them untended and they go deeper.

What could be a matter of prayer and accountability becomes a full blown life issue that controls us and causes pain—not just for us, but for others as well. Ignore the little things and they become big problems; plucking becomes carving. Like our verse today, our sinful folly causes wounds that fester instead of heal.

I didn't take the time to go to the doctor. I didn't want to mess with the inconvenience or the pain of having my little thing dealt with. I thought I could handle it on my own. But I couldn't. I needed a physician to do what I could not. It is the same for those little things in my thought life as well. I need the Great Physician to remove what I can't reach — and do it before it becomes so deep that it's part of who I am.

When I'm struggling with little things, I've learned to ask God to help me see what is going on through His Word and prayer. Then I listen to the Holy Spirit's convictions and seek honesty from friends and family.

As a friend of mine says, "The truth might hurt, but the truth also heals." We must be intentional about being honest with ourselves and do whatever it takes to identify and remove the potentially damaging little things in our hearts and in our thought lives.

Dear Lord, please show me those little things in my life I am ignoring — whether it's a behavior like gossip or a thought like envy. I try to convince myself that there's such a thing as a "little sin" but I know deep down that little things can become big problems if left unchecked. Convict me through Your Holy Spirit and let me respond as You would want. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Why Am I in Such a Hurry?

Original Blog Post by Lynn Cowell. Copied from Encouragement for Today

"This is how the lampstand was made: It was made of hammered gold—from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern the LORD had shown Moses." Numbers 8:4 (NIV)
During the thirty-minute drive downtown, I felt nothing but irritation. Who has time for driving school? Yes, I had received two tickets in the past three years, but I was going to change. Slowing down was on my agenda!
As soon as I found a seat, my computer-like brain turned on, allowing me to multi-task while sitting in the tiny classroom. Three "mental windows" were running: my to-do list for the day; my to-do list for the upcoming holiday; and my to-do list for a home project.
Honestly, that class could not end fast enough. Finally, when I was free to leave, I rushed out of the building. Looking down at my watch, I realized I had one hour to run to the carpet store, pick out the right color and get to the bus stop before my kids did. The store was almost 30 minutes away, but I knew I could do it.
I found the perfect color carpet and was on my way home in no time. Threw the car into reverse and...BOOM! Looking in my rearview mirror, I discovered my bumper curved around a 15-foot cement store sign. All I could do was lay my head on my steering wheel and cry, "Lord, this can't be the way You want my days to go!"
I was exhausted from the mental and physical pace I'd set for myself. I knew God had a better plan. Around that same time I was reading in Numbers 8:4, and was amazed at how God took time to attend to the details of a simple lampstand. The Bible tells us it was created out of gold with blossoms at the top. God wasn't just concerned about the function of the lampstand but also its beauty.
I knew then that if God cared about these types of details, He cared about the details of my life, too. I also realized I needed to slow down enough to seek His plans for my days, instead of cramming them with everything on my own hurried agenda.
I decided that each morning I would start praying through my schedule. Sometimes He'd show me I had too much I was trying to accomplish in too little time. Other days He'd show me I needed to say "no" to some things so I could enjoy what He had called me to say "yes" to, instead of just flying through it.
Perhaps you too are caught in the frenzy of trying to get everything done. Do you ever lay awake at night wondering if you'll finish the tasks on your list? I want to encourage you to try something that has helped me. Tomorrow, before your feet hit the ground, tell the Lord: "This is Your day, not mine. Whatever You want me to do, I will do. Whatever You don't want me to do, I won't."
Throughout the day, as your desire to get more done in less time moves in, and stress tries to take over, repeat your prayer. Soon you'll discover that handing the details of your day over to God will lead you out of chaos and into His plans for peace and purpose in your life!
By no means is my life perfect now, but most of my days are surrendered to the Lord's plans rather than the busyness of my own. And, I'm learning more and more how to live according to God's beautiful timing and pattern for my life each day.
Dear Lord, every day there seems to be so much that has to get done and so little time. I know that living life stressed and frustrated is not what You created me for. Please help me each day to only do what You want me to do and not try to do more. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Reflections:
This is Your day Jesus, not mine. Whatever You want me to do, I will do. Whatever You don't, I won't.
Power Verses:
Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (NIV)

No Condemnation by Melissa Taylor

This was one of my daily devotions this morning and I enjoyed it so much I thought I should share it.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 (NIV)
Do you ever hear the whispers of condemnation telling you that you're not what you should be, that you're always disappointing someone and that you'll never change?
I do. Unfortunately, self-condemnation is a default for me and, if I let it, it can wipe out my confidence as a woman, wife and mom.
Thankfully, I'm just as familiar with God's promises as I am with Satan's lies. My heart has heard Jesus' gentle reminders of His love and goodness, like His "there is now no condemnation" promise in today's key verse.
However, although I know this truth that He speaks over me, I've learned that it's up to me to pause and respond to it. If I don't keep my ears tuned to His voice and my mind set on His thoughts, I forget His promises.
Condemning thoughts come back in and drown out the confidence I have through Christ.
One morning I was struggling with self-condemning thoughts and God guided me to these words written in my morning devotion: "Do not listen to voices of accusation for they are not from Me."
I opened my journal and responded from my heart:
Hello Lord. You know I often feel disappointed in myself and call myself names. You know my feelings have been hurt by someone's comments. Comments that cut me down and stole my confidence. Instead of feeling worthy, I feel like a loser. I hear You telling me not to listen to voices of accusation. Thank You for this reminder right when I needed it.
The devotion continued, "Pause before responding to people or situations, giving My Spirit space to act through you. Hasty words and actions leave no room for Me."
Again, I reached out to Him:
Lord, You know I spoke unkind words to my friend. Thank You for gently reminding me to "pause before responding." You are so faithful to speak truth to me. Thank You for these words—a reminder of what You want from me. I needed this today, right now.
If left to defend ourselves from self-condemnation or the condemnation of others, we'd be defeated every time. Thankfully we don't have to defend ourselves. In fact, God's Word promises, "the Lord himself will fight for" us. (Exodus 14:13-14, NLT)
We have the greatest defender in God and His Word. His truths re-build confidence that condemnation breaks down.
Our part is to know God's promises, respond to His truth, and believe it! Staying saturated in His Word and taking time to listen to His voice is the only way we can overcome condemnation. Reading devotions, digging into books on our specific area of struggle, participating in Bible studies and talking to Jesus through prayer helps re-build the confidence that is ours in Christ.
As we take the time to listen to Him today, let's ask Him to remind us that He is with us, He loves us, and that it's true: "There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."And, that means you and me!
Dear Lord, when I forget, please remind me that I am not condemned. Help me to keep my eyes and thoughts on You. And to accept Your Word as truth so my confidence stays strong in You. In Jesus Name, Amen.


Application Steps:
When spending time with the Lord, pause and ask Him if there is something He's trying to tell you. Ask Him to help you apply His Word to your life.
Reflections:
Are there condemning thoughts about myself that I believe?
What are some of God's promises I can read, hold onto and believe to replace my accusing thoughts with His affirmations?
Power Verses:
Exodus 14:13-14, "Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm." (NLT)
Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things." (NIV 1984)

Is God enough?

Copied from encouragement for today by melissa Taylor

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 (NIV 1984)

Is God enough? It's a question that my circumstances bring me back to quite often. Over a lifetime I've concluded not only is God enough,but He has to be enough.

It takes effort on my part to make sure my heart is staying in this truth.

As a young child,I didn't realize my need for God,but I did realize I had a need that was not fulfilled. I was sexually abused when I was seven years old. My dad left our family when I was eleven. Both circumstances left me devastated,and I didn't understand how God could bring healing at that time. I spent many years trying to heal myself and make myself feel better.

Nothing was enough to meet my needs. Nothing worked.

As I grew older,I moved from being a Christian who simply believed to becoming a Christian actively seeking and following Jesus. And my life began to change.

Because I was having direct conversations with God and consistently reading His Word,I was challenged. I learned that when the hard knocks came,and they would,I needed to ask one question in order to move on: "Is God enough?"

When a friend betrays me,is God enough?

When I need to forgive what seems unforgivable,is God enough?

When my child has issues out of my control,is God enough?

When my marriage is on the brink of destruction,is God enough?

When I am not forgiven by another,is God enough?

When my mom is dying of cancer,is God enough?

When others don't recognize my value,is God enough?

When I struggle professionally,is God enough?

When someone I love uses words to hurt me,is God enough?

When I am in debt and don't know how I'll pay my bills,is God enough?

When my past haunts me,is God enough?

When my health declines,is God enough?

When I am let down and disappointed in my life,is God enough?

The last time I asked "Is God enough?" I opened a boxof personalized Bible verses someone very special had given me. Reading verse by verse out loud silenced the thoughts paralyzing me with self-doubt.

I discovered the answer I always came to when I asked "Is God enough?" Yes He is.

Nothing here on earth is guaranteed. If I lost everything,I'd be okay because no one can take away my Jesus. Whether I live in a mansion on a hill or a shack in the swamp,I have my Jesus. Whether the world is for me or against me,I have my Jesus. When I am knocked down,I get on my knees and find my Jesus.

When life becomes more than you think you can handle,don't quit. And certainly don't believe the lie God is not enough. Instead,ask yourself,"Is God enough for me? Then plant His Word deep in your heart so you'll always have the ready answer,that yes He is. He is enough for me,for you: "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19)

Dear Lord,help me to realize and remember the secret to being content in all circumstances is You. Help me to be aware of Your presence in my life at all times. In Jesus' Name,Amen.

In the midst

Brutally Honest Okay, can I just be brutally honest about something? Comparisons stink. They do. Just when we think we’ve gotten to a good place in some area of our life, along comes someone else or something else better. And our confidence just shrinks back, takes the hand of doubt and starts ransacking our heart and mind. Yes, there are Scriptures that can help with this. And yes, God can use it for good in our life. But honest to goodness, it’s hard on a girl’s heart. Recently, I was put in a situation where something I feel very vulnerable about was held up to another person’s near perfection. My weakness standing beside their strength. My yuck placed next to their glory. My struggle on display in the shadow of their strength. And in the private space of my most inner thoughts, I cried. And even more than that I found myself feeling so defeated by the reality, this will never be a strength of mine. It just won’t. I could work on this area until the cows come home (whatever that means) but I wasn’t designed for this to be my strength.Oh, I can make progress for sure. And heavens knows I do work on it. And on my good days I see how God is using this all for good. But when comparison sneaks in, it can be hard. Worse than hard. It can just quite simply make me forget all the strengths I do have. And when we forget, our hearts shift. We stop being thankful and instead become consumed by that little thing we don’t have. What a dangerous place to be. I guess I share all this today for two reasons. One, because many of you are coming to She Speaks this weekend and I shutter to think anyone would get caught in this trap and live distracted this weekend. Get prayed up right now. Ask the Lord to absolutely get your focus off others and onto the exciting,thrilling, unique calling He has just for you. When I was struggling recently I wasn’t prayed up. I had not asked God to help my focus. I just found myself wallowing and wallowing isn’t of the Lord. Amen! Amen! But whether you’re coming to She Speaks or not, I share this because you need to know. I struggle. Just like you. I’m on a journey of learning. Just like you. And I desperately need His truth to bump into my weaknesses every single day. Only then can I get out of the shadow of doubt and into the life giving reality of who God has made ME to be. And see it as good. Not perfect. Not even close. But good. And good is good.

I copied this from Lysa TerKeurst 's daily blog. I liked it so much I thought I should share.

From Adversity to Destiny

Copied. 

"The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position" (James 1:9).
Most of us avoid pain. We keep our medicine cabinets loaded with pain relievers. We couldn't imagine major surgery without an anesthetic. We are so averse to pain that we think God must desire that we will experience pain-free lives. After all, a loving God surely wouldn't want us to suffer pain, would He? Although God takes no pleasure in our pain, we have to acknowledge that He sometimes allows painful circumstances to occur in our lives in order to shape us and make us more like Christ. Sometimes our times of despair turn out to be a much needed light into our soul.
I once came across the following poem written by an anonymous Confederate soldier, a devout young man who fought in the American Civil War. The lines of this poem express the soul of a man who has learned to view his times of adversity from a different perspective:
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked God for health, that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among men, most richly blessed.*
Do we trust God to lead us even though we can't see the pathway in front of us? Do we trust Him to be all-knowing, all-loving, and all-powerful? Do we believe He does all things well? As Paul wrote, "Everything that does not come from faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23). That's why God leads us through the dark places.
Only in the darkness do we learn to walk by faith.

Abundant life

John 10:10

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 

I read this devotion that highlighted this scripture with the elaboration on the part about having life more abundantly. Saying life more abundant with everything. Challenges, opportunities, changes, etc. So, think about it. Life is abundant with those things too. Don't be discouraged with the challenges that come your way. Jesus overcame and the same power lives in us. Look at the abundance with eyes that see what our Lord sees. Live fully.  

Today I Will Make a Difference

 Awesome words I found this morning. I love it and thought I should share.

Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.
I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble… . I will get up. It’s OK to fail… . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.

Another good devotion

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways" (Isaiah 55:8-9).
God speaks to his children in many varied ways. God has said that his ways are not our ways. If left to our reasoning, we will fail to fully walk in the full counsel of God, which leads to poor decisions.
Thus, our goal is to avoid being deceived and to develop a listening ear that hears the voice of God with confidence. Our goal is to have such intimacy with God that we can walk in the full blessing of our decisions and to be assured they are not based on our own reasoning alone. This does not mean that we do not use the intellectual and logical skills that He has equipped us with.
A.W. Tozer said that the man or woman who is wholly and joyously surrendered to Christ can't make a wrong choice - any choice will be the right one. J. Oswald Sanders explains his method of receiving guidance from God for decisions; "I try to gather all the information and all the facts that are involved in a decision, and then weigh them up and pray over them in the Lord's presence, and trust the Holy Spirit to sway my mind in the direction of God's will. And God generally guides by presenting reasons to my mind for acting in a certain way."
The apostle Paul said, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (Philippians 2:13). God has equipped us with everything we need to make good decisions. Hearing His voice is the first step toward making right choices in life.
Do you have a decision to make? Submit that decision to the Lord, ask God for clarity. Ask Him to make the desires of your heart the same desires that He has for you in this matter. Await His perfect timing on the matter. Then you can be assured of making the right decisions.

Mean Girls

 After reading this today I felt it needed to be shared. I tried posting it on facebook, but obviously facebook didn't like it because it would not post. So, here it is.

"You're beautiful from head to toe, my dear love, beautiful beyond compare, absolutely flawless." Song of Solomon 4:7b (MSG)
The words on Facebook glared back at her. "You are so ugly! You are fat, annoying and I hate you!"
Lindsay just sat there, staring at the screen, baffled. "What did I say? What did I do?"
Maybe this has happened to one of your children, or in some way they've faced this same type of painful rejection. Maybe you have felt it yourself. I recently spotted a t-shirt at the mall that read "You're no one until someone talks about you." What a sad state of affairs.
Growing up in a world where "Mean Girls" and "Gossip Girl" are movie and TV titles, it comes as no surprise that "mean" defines many females today. How can we guard our hearts against this? As a mom, what can we do when our children's hearts are crushed by meanness?
Feeling unaccepted is nothing new. In Song of Solomon 1:5a, we are introduced to a young girl who felt this way: "Don't look down on me because I am dark..." (MSG). She felt rejected. Those feelings are so opposite of what we and our children want to feel. We long to be accepted.
Matthew Henry concludes about this passage in Song of Solomon that we, as represented by the young girl, are "often base and contemptible in the esteem of others, but excellent in the sight of God." [1]
We can counteract the poison of meanness by remembering who we are in God's eyes. I am excellent in the sight of God and so are you. Song of Solomon 1:5b reveals the tanned girl's acceptance of this truth; she knows full well that her Lord finds her lovely. When I know that I am accepted by the Lord, it puts me exactly where I need to be to slough off insults and to help my child do the same.
When my daughter was in sixth grade, she was 5'10". One day as she got off the school bus, I noticed she was holding back a flood of tears. Once again she had been made fun of for her height.
On that day, her youth pastor wasn't there. Her teacher, counselor and small group leaders weren't there either. But her mom was. I began telling her how her Father saw her. Sharing truths like these:
• "My beloved is mine, and I am His..." (Song of Solomon 2:16a, NKJV).
• "You're beautiful from head to toe, my dear love, beautiful beyond compare, absolutely flawless" (Song of Solomon 4:7b, MSG).
• "The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord" (Psalm 45:11, NIV).
I poured these truths and others into my daughter that day and continue to remind her of them still. I put them everywhere so that together we can read them over and over again. When we feel rejected, these words remind us that we are, in fact, accepted! I pray they will be a sweet reminder for you, and perhaps your daughter, today.
Dear Lord, help me to be purposeful in putting Your truth about who I am into my heart and mind so that am not swayed by the opinions of others. And when the time is right, I can pour Your truth into the hearts and minds of my children and friends. When my child feels rejected, help me remind them that in You they are accepted. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Isaiah 55:1-3
“Come, all you who are thirsty,
   come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
   come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
   without money and without cost.
² Why spend money on what is not bread,
   and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
   and you will delight in the richest of fare.
³ Give ear and come to me;
   listen, that you may live.
 6-9,11
⁶ Seek the LORD while he may be found;
   call on him while he is near.
⁷ Let the wicked forsake their ways
   and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them,
   and to our God, for he will freely pardon.  ⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways,”
            declares the LORD.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
   It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
   and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

 Isaiah 57:15-19

¹⁵ For this is what the high and exalted One says—
   he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place,
   but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
   and to revive the heart of the contrite.
¹⁶ I will not accuse them forever,
   nor will I always be angry,
for then they would faint away because of me—
   the very people I have created.
¹⁷ I was enraged by their sinful greed;
   I punished them, and hid my face in anger,
   yet they kept on in their willful ways.
¹⁸ I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
   I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,
 ¹⁹ creating praise on their lips.
Peace, peace, to those far and near,”
   says the LORD. “And I will heal them.” 

Responses to Adversity

 I read this devotion this morning and needed to share. Hope you all enjoy it. Hope it helps somebody else also.


 Don't let Adversity get you. It's not worth it.

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior" (Hab. 3:17-18).

When we experience adversity, we generally respond in one of three ways: (1) we become angry; (2) we try to gut it out; or (3) we accept it with joy.
Anger
When adversity comes our way, we say, "Why me, Lord?" We become bitter and resentful and blame God and others for our problems. We view ourselves as victims and demand that God answer our accusing questions: "Why don't You love me, Lord? We feel entitled to life, health, wealth, and happiness.
Gutting It Out
Another way we respond to adversity is by adopting a stoic attitude, repressing our emotions. We lie to ourselves and say, "I'm gutting it out. I'm demonstrating endurance." In reality, we are merely isolating ourselves with a shell of false bravado. We don't meditate on God's love, we don't pray, we don't believe God really has anything good planned for us. We simply tell ourselves, "This will soon be over. I'm a survivor." We never receive what God has planned for us if we stay here.
Acceptance with Joy
This is the response God seeks from us. When adversity comes, we rest in His love and trust that He knows best. We realize that nothing can happen to us without His permission. If there is pain in our lives, we know it's because God deems it necessary for our growth or wishes to use our pain to minister to others.
God revealed to the prophet Habakkuk that Israel was soon to be invaded by the Babylonians. Habakkuk knew that Israel was about to suffer intense adversity as part of God's loving discipline of His people. Habakkuk faced the looming national tragedy with an attitude of acceptance with joy.

If Habakkuk could be joyful in the face of a national calamity, then we can rejoice in the Lord no matter what comes our way.

Contentment 2

Necessitites of Life

In most of my prayers I ask God for things I need each day. These are legitimate needs. (I’m not asking God to make me a millionaire, just to help me pay the mortgage.) Is God really concerned about the necessities of my life?
“Give us each day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3).
What is this daily bread Jesus spoke of, tucked inside the Lord’s Prayer? A loaf of warm Italian bread on my doorstep every morning? That would be nice.
Bread is a staple of every culture. From flat bread to yeast-filled loaves, grain has been mixed with water and oil and placed over a fire by every civilization. What’s the first thing a restaurant brings before the meal? Bread. (Okay, maybe Mexican restaurants don’t, but those chips are made from grain. They’re just fried in oil.)
But how about a slight change to the daily menu: “Give us this day our daily mocha chocolate chip ice cream” or “Give us this day our daily beluga whale caviar”?
Those are luxuries, not necessities. Sorry, God does not promise those.
Bread is a valued necessity, tasty and welcomed, but certainly not extravagant.
Jesus tells us to ask for the necessities in life, but does he promise to provide them?
Soon after this plea for daily bread, found also in Matthew 6, Jesus presents his famous “Don’t worry” passage: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” (v. 25). God takes care of birds, flowers, and grass and provides the basics they need to exist (vv. 26–30). Why not us? Aren’t we more important than a barn swallow, a multiflora petunia, and a blade of Bahia grass?
You bet a loaf of sweet sourdough we are.
In that statement comes a promise from God to provide his most important creation on earth with food, clothing, and drink (vv. 25–34). The necessities once again.
Jesus tells us to ask, then promises to give us the basics we need to survive.
So don’t worry; be prayerful. God has something wonderful for us baking in the oven. Can you smell it?

This was my 2nd devotional reading this morning. How about that? 

"...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." Philippians 4:11b (NIV)
Have you ever noticed how over-extending yourself tends to bring unwanted pressure into your life?
Recently God's been showing me that when I constantly want more than He has given me, it reflects a heart that is discontent. It's like I'm telling God, "I'm not satisfied with what You have provided for me. I want more."
In wanting more, I place undo pressure on myself in an attempt to get what God hasn't provided. Naturally, anxiety is the result when I focus on things other than God and His will for my life.
The pressure to have more and do more can lead us down paths we never intended. In our attempt to fill the vacuum of our empty souls, we discover that external luxury is only a cheap substitution for spiritual wholeness.
Finding contentment doesn't mean we have to like our current situation, but it may require an appreciation for it.
the fruit of contentment is developed when we are thankful for what God has provided whether we like it or not. That's because peace isn't the absence of pressure. It's the presence of God and our attitude toward His provision in the midst of our stress.
Being thankful doesn't mean that God will eventually remove us from our situation. He may; He may not. Rather, being appreciative sets us free from the desire to have and lets us rest in the riches of contentment. And when we reach a place of contentment, we don't need earthly riches galore.

I copied some of this from one of my daily devotionals, but  it spoke volumes to me and hit right where I needed it today, so I'm passing it on.


In my line of work, there is feast or famine. Sometimes you're really busy, sometimes you are slow. It always seems like when all the bills hit is in the slow time. And of course in the busy times you don't have time to enjoy the fruit of your labor. Either time, I try to be thankful. I try to be content. I know God will provide a way out in both situations. I know God will provide. Period. It's in the midst that I tend to lose sight of that. I tend to start stressing. New things pop up that steal my joy. Steal my contentment. And I hate to admit, most of my contentment is in those times when everything is smooth sailing. No problems. No worries. So, today I needed this. I "say" I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances, BUT, I want to really be content in whatever the circumstances. So, today I ask God to prop me up on my leanin' side. The side I'm leanin' toward discontent. Thank You, Jesus for all I have been blessed with. You alone are my Rock and my Provider. :)

Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old fellow who always prayed, 'Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side. 'After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently 
He answered, 'Well sir, you see, it's like this... I got an old  barn out back.  It's been there a long time; it's withstood a lot of weather; it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years. It's still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn't fall. Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I've been around a long time.  I've withstood a lot of life's storms. I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, and I'm still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, 'cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times.
Sometimes we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning toward hatred, leaning toward cussing, leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn't . So we need to pray, 'Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side, so we will stand straight and tall again, to glorify the Lord.''

Sunday Morning Setbacks

Does everybody have trouble getting ready for church on Sunday mornings? I have to admit it has definitely gotten better at our house, but, it is still not great. I think God is busy getting everybody (preachers, Sunday school teachers, servants, just general congregation attendees) prepared that day. I think the devil knows we are weak that day and time. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is with us all, we just have to call it in, call on Him, and rely on Him to help us fight the enemy and get ready.
The devil knows we are weak and Sunday mornings are prime time. We are running out of fuel from the last visit to church, which was probably Wednesday nite. And if you're like me, I was serving and not sitting in service being fed. I was fueling up pre-teen, jr. high youth. So anyway, my reserves are pretty low on Sunday morning. That's when I'm weak. So I get aggravated easy. Testy. And it takes until I get into worship and start fueling back up sometimes to get out of that "funk".
We fight amongst our families. We're not happy with what we're wearing, our make-up, hair, etc. And by the time we get to church...Broken.
Lord, I am so thankful for my church - my pastor - the Word - and WORSHIP. Thank you for allowing me to recognize, ask forgiveness, and heal. 

Some Scriptures that have been repeated lately

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)

"David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. 'I cannot go in these,' he said to Saul, 'because I am not used to them.' So he took them off." (1 Samuel 17:39).

All these have different areas in point. But, they've all been repeated several times this past week. In church, in my devotionals,  and in my Bible study. Even in my Jr high youth class. So I thought I should pass them along.

New day

Isaiah 54: 4 “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth...
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;...
7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. 8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.
10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you. 15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you...
And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc; 17 no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.

Good stuff to me this morning.

it's been a while

so, i've been super busy and haven't had time to blog. i guess i thought when i started this i would just casually jot notes and publish them. i might. that's more my style. the "leading and teaching" part of me screams and shrinks back when faced with the reality. i do love sharing my experiences in my walk with Jesus. i love testifying about what He does in my life. and that is how i teach and lead. not perfectly of course. always falling, stumbling, and having to pick myself up, dust off, ask forgiveness and start over. but if one person can learn something from me and my mistakes or my "good stuff", then i feel like i did my part in my walk with Jesus by trying to win souls for Him. so, i'm gonna be copying and pasting stuff, cuz when i read my devotionals and think that someone else should hear it ( not anyone in particular ) just that it's good stuff then i want to pass it along. i love the devotionals i get from Lysa TerKeurst. her blog always inspires and speaks to my heart. I have lots to say, just not enough time to sit in front of the computer to type it all out. so, i'm gonna forward along other's.

The Unsaved Christian
Lysa TerKeurst
"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men." Matthew 15:8-9 (NIV)
Devotion:
God wants us to have a relationship with Him. But what does this really mean?
Recently, I met a woman about my age at a conference where I was speaking. I don't know many details about her life but I do know she's been going to church for a long time.
And she's been serving, giving, and doing all the right church stuff.
But, something was missing.
"I never could quite put my finger on it until I heard your message," she whispered. "I never knew what it really meant to have a relationship with Jesus. But hearing you explain it, something clicked. I walked forward today. I gave my heart to Jesus."
I wondered: what part of what I shared made this profound click happen in her soul?
Of course, it was the Holy Spirit moving... but somehow in the midst of me sharing the broken places of my life, things came together in hers.
It got me thinking about us doing life together here through this daily devotion. Each day we spend a few minutes together over the internet learning how to navigate life as Jesus girls. But all that we talk about is for nothing if our hearts stay far from Jesus.
It's not about momentary motivation to make it through today.
It's not about spiffy quotes to ponder and put into practice.
It's not about relationship tactics and turnkey solutions.
It's not about bite-size pieces of peace to make life a little more manageable.
It's not about making our lives look and feel a little better.
It has to be about Jesus. And drawing our hearts into His reality. His grace. His love. His hope. His forgiveness. And most of all the free gift of salvation because of Him.
Have you ever felt like this woman who couldn't put her finger on what was missing? Have you ever felt like you bounce from one religious activity to the next, but your heart feels far from God? Sweet sister, can we chat?
God doesn't want us to have a religion. A religion is where we follow rules hoping to do life right, and serve God out of duty because we think we have to.
God wants us to have a relationship. A relationship where we follow Him. And we serve God not out of duty but out of delight because of the realization of who we are in Him.
For years, I went to church to get a little "God goodness" in my life. But it was like putting fresh paint on rotting wood. I was living just like those talked about in Isaiah 29:13, "The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.'"
I realized I didn't need to be just following the rules; I needed to be following God Himself.
I didn't need a little "God goodness" to rub off on me... I needed God to invade the deepest parts in me.
So, I knelt down in the midst of my messy, chaotic, confused life... and started a relationship with Him by simply saying yes.
Yes, I am a sinner in need of a Savior.
Yes, I acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, sent to die on a cross and be resurrected on the third day to save me from my sins.
Yes, I want Jesus to be the Lord and Master of my life.
Yes, I am now and forever will be a forgiven and saved child of the Almighty God.
Yes, I will follow Jesus today, tomorrow, and every other day I'm blessed with on this earth.
Oh sister, let me quiet the voice of Satan screaming to resist this process. He wants to trip you up by whispering how you won't be able to live this out perfectly. Jesus has never ever asked for us to be perfect. He simply wants us perfectly surrendered. I often pray, "Oh Jesus... I am such a mess, but I am Yours. Show me... help me... forgive me... reassure me... and pour Your tender mercy upon me."
And He does.
And He always will.
My imperfections are safely tucked within the reality of His perfection.
And I simply press on by continuing to say YES moment by imperfect moment... day by imperfect day.
Dear Lord, I am such a mess, but I am Yours. Show me... help me... forgive me... reassure me... and pour Your tender mercy upon me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Good news

Jer. 29:11. 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 & a future....
He knows. He has a plan. Its in His book. PS. 139:16  Prosper in the  future.  Not harm but hope.

138:3 says When I pray, you answer me, and encourage me by giving me strength I need. ..8 says The Lord will work out his plans for my life...Then over in 139: 3. You chart the path ahead of me, and tell me where to stop and rest. Also in verse 14 "Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!" Wow!(He knows how complex I am) 16....scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Everyday is scheduled in ur book.

My eyes are seeing the truth of this.
In the dark his light shines. Lord, Thank you for the light.
No more mully-grubbin'.

Thank you for the fire in my heart.

Deuteronomy 28:13, "The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom."

Sin/consequences

While I was reading yesterday I came across this in my study bible. I thought I would share.

 In the  Bible, David sinned many times. But he was quick to confess his sins. He never took God's forgiveness lightly or his blessings for granted. He experienced the joy of forgiveness even when he had to suffer the consequences of his sins. 

We tend to get these two reversed. We would rather avoid the consequences than experience forgiveness. Even though David sinned greatly, he did not sin repeatedly. He learned from his mistakes because he accepted the suffering they brought. We don't seem to learn form our mistakes or the consequences that result from those mistakes.

This morning's readings gave me insight into waiting. And reading the Word. And just being quiet and knowing God. Being comfortable in His presence is it.
Yesterday I attended a burial service of a great man. A wonderful christian with a beautiful family. A true legacy. In the midst of it I realized how small my trials are. How insignificant. To me they are a lot. But this family had been through hell. And they rejoiced, praised God, and ministered to others in the midst of their battle. How awesome is that. I am on the way up. I am seeing more every day.

Psalm 32:8, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." (NIV)

Jeremiah 29:11, "'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.'" (NIV)

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior" (Isaiah 43 v.2-3a, NIV).

appearance

1 Samuel 16-17
As I'm reading this morning, I notice where Samuel (the prophet) goes to anoint David as king. Samuel has been mourning over Saul (the reigning king) for his disobedience to God. I love this: The Lord said to Samuel, "You have mourned long enough..."
Samuel did as he was told and went to find David. When he got there Jesse (David's father) had 3 other sons. When Samuel saw Eliab, the first, he thought surely this was the one. (Saul was an impressive looking man) Judging by his appearance, Eliab was impressive looking too. But, the Lord says: "Don't judge a man's face or height,...I don't make decisions the way you do! Men judge by outward appearance, but I look at a man's thoughts and intentions."(ch 16 verse 7)
Fortunately, God judges by character. Only God can see the inside. We spend hours maintaining our outward appearance. ( I spend hours maintaining appearances for people for my living.) We should do even more to develop our inner character. Everyone can see your face, only you and God know what your heart really looks like. Which is the more attractive?
This really spoke to me today because of the offenses I have faced recently. I have struggled with that. And have prayed God would show me more about this. And today I got it. I know God knows whats in my heart. Even when people get offended by me when I'm not aware. As Bro. Bo says "People who get offended choose to". I have no evil intentions in my heart. God knows that and I know that. Whether the rest of the world knows it does not matter. God is my only judge. I have to remember that.

P: Patience, persistance, perception, perspective...

Trying to come up with a title for this post...Anyway, I'm in the midst of my fasting.  And while fasting and really drawing in closer to God, the devil will throw more stuff at you to shake you up.  I led the Women's meeting for our church Friday night. I prayed and studied for two weeks trying to come up with a lesson. To no avail. I had a couple of devotions I printed off to read. We never got to them. I prayed God would just lead me by His Holy Spirit and He did. We sat and fellowshipped (is that a word?). And each woman got to give a little of the "lesson". I enjoyed it. It was different than our usual meetings, but good at the same time.
I'm still trying to get "through" my mully-grub. Hate that my situation is bothering me, while I look at what others are going through and my stuff is so trivial. Yet at the same time I am still waiting for God to move. I know He will. I have faith. I believe. In the midst of the battle is where I am. And you know we win, everytime, with God on our side. 
While I'm waiting I'm learning about perspective. And Perception. My perspective on things is not always the same as someone else's. And the way I perceive something is most always not perceived the way someone else sees it. I find that even though I don't intend something to be taken wrong, sometimes it is. Even without me knowing it.
I'm learning that the closer I get to God, the harder the devil tries to take your focus off God. He tries to get you to focus on your problems instead. So, I stand firm and keep my eyes on God and not my problem. I get weary, weepy, and emotional. But, I keep turning to God. I keep turning it over to Him. I keep going back to Him. Trying (really hard) to give it to Him. And trying (really hard) not to pick it back up. 
So, I'm gonna praise Him everyday, all day. I 'm gonna continue to wait. Be persistent. And patient.

He has a hundred different messages to give you during a hundred different dungeon experiences. He knows just the right message at just the right time, and all it takes to receive it is a sensitive, obedient, trusting heart. A heart that says, "Lord God, help me now. Right at this moment. Deliver me from my own prison. Help me to see beyond the darkness, to see Your hand. As I am being crushed, remold me. Help me to see You in this abandonment, this rejection." Pray that prayer. Turn your trial into trust as you look to God to tenderly use that affliction, that dungeon, that abandonment for His purpose.

May He give you the grace to endure.
From Day by Day by Charles Swindoll

a good one.

 Free from Your Critics!
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
God loves you so much that Jesus Christ hung in agony and blood for you.
You are precious to God. You are the object of God’s love. The blood of Jesus Christ was poured out on Calvary for you. Friend, if you know all that, then you can stand up against any criticism. It won’t bother you what others say about you. The cross sets you free. He who died for you now lives in you. He gave Himself for you that He might give Himself to you. When Jesus Christ died for you, He didn’t just take away your sins, He took away your self. You are crucified. So who can harm a dead man?
Have you felt the sting of criticism this week? Remove the stinger and bathe the wound with the balm of Jesus’ love. Give your critic to the Lord. Then ask God to teach you from what happened.

This was so good to me this morning I had to share. Hope someone else appreciates it as well.

Suffering, Building endurance.

The old saying “when it rains it pours” seems to be true sometimes when it comes to the trials we face in life. There are occasions when we seem to be in one trial and get hit with another. That feeling or reality, as the case may be, is not far from what James actually tells us. He lovingly says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (Jas. 1:2).
we have to understand that joy and happiness are two different things. James is not saying be happy in or about your trials. There are some circumstances where it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to be happy.
God gives us emotions for a reason. Of course, we must control our emotions and not let them get the best of us.

heartache is just that: heartache. We can’t always be happy about our circumstances. What James is getting at is joy. Christian joy is the certain knowledge that God is in control and nothing has happened to us that He did not allow for a good purpose in our life; that He loves us more than we could ever imagine; and that we can trust Him to do what is best and right no matter what. We get peace in knowing these things. That’s joy. That helps. But how can we really count our tough times joy? James says we can do that because we know “that the testing of our faith produces endurance.” Part of the reason God allows trials to come into our lives is to test our faith. The second half of that is to produce endurance in us. He tests our faith not so that He will know whether or not we are trusting Him (He knows already), but so that we will know how much or how little we are trusting Him. He tests us for our benefit. In the trial, we really learn where our focus is; we really learn where our hope is; we really learn where our peace, joy, and satisfaction is. If we find our trust is in Him and not ourselves or something else, we get real happiness from that. If we find our trust is in something other than Him, we turn our hearts to Him and find peace in so doing. The test helps us see.
Then, the benefit of being tested is what it ultimately produces in us: endurance. This word in the Greek is also compound and means to bear up under the load. God tests us with trials along the way to produce in us a greater and greater ability to bear up under the load of suffering. That’s important because suffering is simply a part of this life. At the same time, the Bible says that believers must enter the kingdom through much tribulation (Acts 14:22) and that suffering is part of what it means to be a Christian; we participate in the sufferings of Christ (2 Cor. 1:5). But the good news is those sufferings will give way to great reward when we see Christ face to face (2 Cor. 4:17).
We need endurance to make it all the way to the end of life without laying down and dying from depression and without walking away from the Lord Jesus Himself.

Paul says we work for a medal (crown) that’s imperishable (1 Cor. 9:25).We’re told in Hebrews to run the race with endurance. How? By looking unto Jesus, our great reward (Heb. 12:1-2). That’s why James says “Let endurance have its perfect work in you that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (v. 4).

----I really enjoyed this devotion and thought I would share it. I did not write it. I copied & pasted it here. It is on my Bible Study Tools website. Great website.  The devotion was written by Paul Dean. I'm in the midst of praying and fasting. I am studying God's Word. Looking for verses and answers for my trials. God Bless you all.

Random devotional

I'm studying and reading and praying for a message for my "women's meeting". I'm waiting for breakthroughs in areas of my life. I'm looking for guidance to teach my Jr. High youth group. I'm being a wife, mother, friend, housekeeper, and business owner (barber)...What else?
But through it all, I am learning. And while I'm pouring my heart into my study this morning, one of my devotionals touched me and i wanted to share.

Remember Paul and Silas who shouted praise songs through the halls of a dark prison? Your situation depends mostly upon your personal attitude. Perspective is everything. So what has you staring blindly, trapped and immobile? What are you afraid will happen if things change? Pray that God will give you a new perspective to see your problem through his eyes.

Once again, I see "through His eyes". Praying for "eyes to see". And praising - no matter what the situation at hand looks like...dark grungy prison or financial strain or what ever.  And "perspective": do you see the mountain you're staring at as "a mountain or a mole hill"? Do you perceive things getting better? Or worse?


I have so many topics and ideas to blog about. I hope I can keep up. I hope they will touch someone else's life the way they are intended. Not for my glory but for God. He gives me the ideas. I am just the vessel. I give Him the credit and glory.

So keep checking in. I have several more blogs to come. No set days, times, etc. Just random. If I get more organized or by some miracle have more time, I will try to make it certain days or time. 

Tata for now. 
By His Grace. 

Post # 2

Ok. So, as I wind down and get ready to end this day, I'm feeling wonderful. Today was a good day.

Church was great. Pastor out of town. Fill-in was great. Worship was great. Some songs I wasn't familiar with, but all in all worship was great! God showed up.  I have to post some of the scriptures used in the sermon. There were some that really hit me.
The main message was about faith. Having faith to fight the good fight. To overcome trials & tribulations. Perseverance to go THROUGH the trials & tribulations. Magnify God not your problems.
In Mark 11:23. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.  Jesus says "if anyone says to this mountain..."   The mountain is the problem. So, speak to the mountain. Say to your problem "Go, throw yourself in the sea." See the problem as God sees it, not through human eyes. Have faith that God has done His part.  Ask that your eyes be opened.
In Colossians 2
⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. ⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 10

⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
All this is saying to me to be rooted in Christ Jesus, built up by faith in Him and captivate my thoughts so they don't make my problems bigger than Him. I am a human. My trials tend to take forefront of my thought life.

 Lastly 1 Peter 5:6-10
 ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
 ⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
 ¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
So if we will:

• humble ourselves
• cast our anxiety on Him
• be self controlled
• resist the devil

Then, He will restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
And we know there are others going through the same kind of sufferings. And after we have gone through our suffering, we may be able to help someone else out who has to go through a situation like ours.

Well, ok so I got a little lengthy this evening. But this is what was on my mind today. There's so much more. But, it'll have to wait. This is why I chose to do a blog. So, maybe I can help someone else going through something. This allows me to get so much more out than fb status updates or "notes". Then, if you want to keep up, or not it's your prerogative.

Getting started

So, I decided to create a blog. :/ What's a blog, anyway?  We'll see how this works. And see if anyone is interested in my random thoughts. I think facebook gets a little boring sometimes. Mostly I'll probably be posting lots of devotional type stuff, since that is what I mostly read. And if I like this blogging thing (and if I feel like it) I'll probably make one for the shop. This is my trial run.

So, it's soon to be the time of year for me to fast. At my church (Cathedral of Praise) we do a 40 day fast before Easter every year. This year I think my main fast is gonna be from Facebook. And I hope I don't make blogspot more important. The main reason for fasting from facebook is because I find it eats up my bible study time. I'll stay on facebook reading posts until I notice it's time to go get ready for work. Then I haven't spent the time I intended with God. I will fast from a meal during that 40 days too. I haven't decided yet exactly which meal and how many yet. I've been doing this fast for about 4 years now. It is really a spiritual thing. I find that when it starts getting time to fast, that devil starts pulling the rug out from under you. All kinds of craziness starts happening. And during the fasting days....wow, you have to really push through. It gets hard. Once again, that devil will hurl things at you that you would never expect. But, in the long run, at the end, it is/was so well worth it. You will see major breakthroughs in areas. You will get closer to God. You will have faced the devil head on and beat him.

Well, for now I'm gonna go. I'll be praying and fasting. I'll be thinking of what I want to blog about. Hope this is a good thing.