Call on the author and creator

Greetings:
I am so thankful that when our cry for help comes from deep within our soul, God is there to heal us, revive us, restore us and renew us.
We serve a mighty and loving God who is able to deliver peace that passes all understanding. Let us be humbled and grateful to our God that he cares enough for each of us to show us compassion not matter what circumstance we face. Too many fail to bring their needs to the altar of God and leave them in the hands of God to work them out.  Instead, they choose to stay in a place of misery, discontent, sickness, addiction, sorrow, mistreatment and hopelessness. Or, they bring their prayers to the altar and ask for God's help and then decide God is too slow to answer and they go ahead and do it their own way.
We must remain strong during those 'faith tests', which will come along. I like words of Isaiah 40:30 in the Amplified Bible. It reads: "But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired."
Patience and faith will allow us to see the fruits of our prayers in God's timing, not ours.
Let faith arise in each of us today and let us believe for answers with expectation.
Too many people who are believers pray and do not really expect in their heart that the prayer they had just prayed will be answered. Pray with boldness, clarity, specifics of the circumstance or the need, then let God go to work for you.
He is more than able to do exceedingly and beyond what we can dream, if we remain steadfast, patient and believe.
No prayer is too large or too small. God is there, if we just call on him.
Be blessed.

Let God be God

Greetings:
Let us take time today to have a conversation with God – meaning we will talk to God and listen to God. God's presence is such a blessing and calling on him is a great uplift to our mind and spirit.
Strive today to understand that God's ways are higher than our ways and many times we don't get to see the whole picture at first. At times, things may look like they are falling apart or spiraling out of control. Actually, these may be the times when things might just be falling into place.
Trusting God means what it says. Trust him and believe what it says in Isaiah 55:9, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts".
We must have faith to see the big picture and the outcome in God's timing.  Walking in faith builds our faith along with our patience. Sometimes, we just need to slow down and let God be God.
Be blessed.

Our walk involves more than taking steps

Gtreetings:
As we begin another day let us pause to listen to God and soak in his love for each of us. Let us strive today to serve God as well as honor God in our actions and words. 
Let us pray for our enemies and ask for forgiveness. Our God is good.
Just as we read in Psalm 71:19, “O God, who is like You?”; let us follow God today. Not people.
God is there in the storm and remains close until the winds subside. He provides the peace to keep walking no matter what the clouds overhead look like.  He calms the storm brewing in our heart. Trust him and remain thankful for his Word and promises.
Remember God’s way for us to grow old is for us to develop a walk with him now - a walk that involves a deep personal knowledge of God, a walk that includes the habits of trust, praise, and hope. It is a walk that involves a lifestyle of ministry for God.
We do not need to take a blind leap of faith because we know his God in a personal, practical, proven way.
Remember God’s way for us to grow old is for us to develop a walk with him - a walk that involves a deep personal knowledge of God, a walk that includes the habits of trust, praise, worship, prayer and hope.
Then, like the psalmist, as long as we have life and breath, we can show, tell and sing of the greatness of our God to the next generation.
Be blessed.

Proverbs provides the road map for living

Greetings:
The Book of Proverbs repeatedly tells us that wisdom will keep us out of trouble.
Though its verses were are encouraged to stay away from dishonesty, impatience, imoralityselfishness and stupidity. We are cautioned not to have a hot temper, and told we can get ourselves in trouble, both in fellowship with others and in the eyes of our heavenly Father  when we run our mouth too much.
Proverbs contains exactly what its name implies. Proverbs are short, concise messages of general truth aimed for correction and instruction.
Proverbs repeatedly tells us that wisdom will keep us out of trouble. Anytime we ignore God’s principles, we eventually suffer the consequences.
It's like the old TV show “Truth or Consequences”. We always reap what we sow. That is a truth. God has given us the freedom to make our choices, but we are not free to choose the consequences of those choices. People often blame God for the natural consequences of their poor judgments and choices or they blame the devil for circumstances that were actually planned by God.
God never tempts us to sin, but he tests our character and faith. The storms in our life can be a trial, a temptation, a trespass, or a troubling consequence.
We must remember that God’s purpose is greater than our problems, our physical pain, our relational strains and hurts and even our sins. We have to admit our shortcomings, repent and move forward. We have to give it to God. This allows us to be both realistic and optimistic, freed from our religious-bound constraints to be relational with God.
One of my favorite pieces of scripture is Romans 8:28-33 (NIV). It reads: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God fore-knew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.  And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.”
Becoming like Jesus means serving, sacrificing, and suffering just as He did. The Bible repeatedly tells us that suffering is often the will of God for our lives. In fact, we sometimes suffer more because we are Christians.
God tells us to consider this a privilege in 2 Timothy 3:12 (The Living Bible), “Yes, and those who decide to please Christ Jesus by living godly lives will suffer at the hands of those who hate him.”
God’s goodness and grace doesn’t mean we'll never be hurt, sad, or unhappy. I don't know why for some, it is greater than for others, but it is.
God allows pain because he is more interested in our character than our comfort. He wants to perfect us not pamper us. His goal for our life is holiness, not happiness. He always values the spiritual over the material, because that is what will last forever. God our Father knows what’s best for us and has our best interest at heart.
In Jeremiah 29:11-12 (The Living Bible), God told Jeremiah, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen.”
When we are facing trouble, don’t ask, “Why me, Lord?”
Instead ask, “What do You want me to learn?”
Be blessed.