There are no accidents when it comes to life

Greetings:
I believe we all were created on purpose. Nothing was an accident when it comes to our lives. Long before we were ever born, God saw us, knew us, and choose us.
Though we may have some wonderful plans for our own life, it is of utmost importance that we find out The Lord’s purpose for our life.
The word purpose is a noun and in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary it is defined as: “The reason why something is done or used; the aim or intention of something; the feeling of being determined to do or achieve something; the aim or goal of a person; what a person is trying to do, become.”
In Psalm 139:15-16, we read: “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be”
God had all of our days written out before we were born. None of us were a mistake or an accident. We haven’t been placed on this earth by chance. Where and when we were born, the parents God gave us, our personality, and everything else about us was orchestrated by God for a specific purpose.
That is a comforting truth to me, a 65 year old adoptee, who has recently connected with my birth mother in a beautiful and miraculous way. God orchestrated it and I am grateful beyond words. Hearing her voice on the phone for the first time about three weeks ago is a moment I will forever cherish.
Her first words were, "Hello, I'm your mother."
That ended a 30 year search.
My Mom and I have talked about this purpose and she affirmed in my heart that God does not make accidents. Nothing just happens. There is a reason and purpose for each life created.
I thank her and God sincerely for the gift of my life.
We all need to talk to The Lord about our individual purpose. God wants us to discover our purpose even more than we do. Our purpose isn’t just about us. It’s about what God wants to do through us. It’s about touching and impacting the lives of others.
Be blessed.

There is always reason to praise

Greetings:
A simple truth this morning is even on a bad day, we can praise God and be thankful.
We read in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight”.
How many of you know God has a way of taking the blinders off and getting our attention focused on the things that really matter. When things are going not so good is not the time to fret and beat ourselves up about our personal shortcomings and woes of the day.
It is time to look forward with hope that there won't be a repeat of such a day.
It is is a time to look at the big picture of things and not focus on this one speck in time when things were not so good. That day is done.  It is time to forget it.
An old proverb states that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Sometimes we make the process more complicated than we need to. We will never make a journey of a thousand miles by fretting about how long it will take or how hard it will be. We make the journey by taking each day step by step and then repeating it again and again until we reach our destination.
We don't worry about the potholes, the cracks and the dips in the road.
As we read about the great people in the Bible who have preceded us, we learn that they too had times of discouragement and sorrow. We learn that they persevered in spite of hardship, in spite of adversity, sometimes even in spite of their own weaknesses.  We learn that they had more than a few bad days, but they continued to press forward, one step after another.
When God is the center of our lives, we can maintain a balance. Those big black clouds that we think are hanging over our heads might still be there, but we can be confident that our loving Father is still carving out his plan for our lives.
Be blessed.

God's ways, His timing and His will

Greetings:
Has your heart ever been been troubled and your mind crowded with many confusing thoughts as you try to sort through life?
Have you wondered how to respond to certain circumstances, wondered what God has in store for your future, wondered what His plan is, wondered how you are supposed to be doing His will?
What does “God's perfect timing” mean?
What does it means to trust God?
As I prayed God showed me a few scriptures that offer comfort and wisdom as I ponder and meditate on God's ways, His will and His timing.
One of my favorites is Proverbs 3:5-6, which states: “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
I take comfort in knowing God loves each of us equally.
God ways are perfect.
God doesn’t make mistakes.
God works all things for good.
God is eternal.
God is forgiving.
God's grace is sufficient.
God cares.
God is kind and wise.
God's provision is all we need.
God is faithful, even when our faith is weak.
God enables us to do all things in His strength.
We all need to trust God to teach us to trust Him fully. It's a process that just takes time.
Be blessed.

Listen to hear His voice

Greetings:
Does God really talk to us?
How do we know what we are hearing is God?
Those are questions that have often crossed my mind as I am praying, listening and wanting to communicate with God.
So many times, I've wanted God to say, “Hello, it's God”.
Of course, we could be one of the lucky ones like Moses, who was walking up the mountain, minding his own business, when he stumbled upon the burning bush.
That would get our attention.
We often doubt if we are hearing from God until we learn to recognize the ways God speaks to us.
John 8:47 says, “He who is of God hears God's words.”
God sometimes speaks to people through dreams, visions, prophecy and even an audible voice. God also speaks through other people. God sometimes speaks through circumstances, opening and closing doors of opportunity. But we are not to be led by people or by circumstances but only by the Holy Spirit.
In 1 Corinthians 2:16 we read, “For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart.”
Most of the time God uses a tiny voice inside us to let us know when we're not on the right path.
When you are not really sure if what you are hearing is from God ask yourself :
•Does it line up with the Holy Bible, the written scriptures?
•Does it lead you into a closer relationship with God, a greater unity with Him?
•Does it lead you into expressing love, which is putting God’s benefit and the benefit of others before your own benefit?
•Does it lead to a dying of yourself and a greater manifestation of Christ life in you?
•Does it cause greater humility in you, and a greater dependence upon God?
Actually hearing from God isn't so much a matter of if he's talking to us, but rather, whether we're listening in the right way.
Be blessed.

Soak in the morning sounds and sights

Greetings:
I enjoy sitting outside during the early morning hours listening to the sounds of nature and simply watching as the day dawns.
This morning, I am sitting on my deck and listening to a chorus of cardinals, robins and mockingbirds. Some are splashing in the bird bath. Others are having a tasty first meal of the day meal from the feeder.
I hear a woodpecker already busy at work on a nearby tree.
I hear the buzz of small hummingbirds, cicadas and mosquitos.
It's a peaceful time. God blessed us with these morning sounds and scenes each day. It is a good time for us to just be still and know He is God.
Many mornings I like to read in my Bible out of Psalms and Proverbs to get my encouragement and boost my faith.
We do not immediately wake up one day and our faith cup is overflowing. It takes time and prayer to boost our faith to a point where it is not easily shaken.
We know that God has already equipped us with the tools to be successful and he has a plan ordained and set out for each of us. We have the insights, the wisdom and the talents to be all we want to be, but too many times our human thinking gets in the way of powerful spiritual thinking. We try to analyze how God is going to do something and while we are thinking about it, the opportunity many times will pass us by.
We have to learn to see things with eyes of faith.
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) tells us, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
We all have to develop faith vision in order to fully tap into the things of God. Faith is not mental delusion, presumption or self-deception, but a work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
In Romans 10:17 (NIV)  we read: "Faith comes by hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."
There is only one way to build or boost our faith and that is by reading and learning the Word of God. We must get it deep in our heart and believe it for our faith to blossom.
Be blessed.

Prayer puts things into perspective

Greetings:
Spending time with God puts everything else in perspective.
We all think we have bad days or unpleasant situations to face. But in our prayer time it all seems okay.
Most of us underestimate the power of prayer so much. Prayer can move mountains if only we would let it. If  you understand just how powerful prayer can be, you would never feel hopeless, at the end of the rope, or ready to give up.
With prayer there is hope, always.
Did you know that no one ever prays alone? God is there and he hears our petitions, our problems, our needs every time.
Realize that nothing is too trivial or too big to pray about.
At times, we are overwhelmed by a situation and feel we can do nothing to help. We can pray.
In recent weeks, I have been in contact through my Facebook daily postings with a number of individuals from all over the world - counties like Kenya, Uganda, Pakistan, Haiti, Germany, England, Australia,  India as well as all parts of the United States – all needing and asking for prayer.
These are brothers and sisters in Christ who recognize and know there is power in prayer and aren't afraid to ask for prayer.
We all need to expand our circle of prayers out from ourselves, our family and friends. We are being called upon to pray for other people – including people in the world whom we have never met.
It's been humbling for me to know that God loves us all so much that he would put us together with individuals thousands of miles apart with one common bond – prayer.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT) we are told, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
In Philippians 4:6-7 we read: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Prayer does put everything into perspective.
Be blessed.

Let's have unity in our ministries

Greetings:
No passages in The Bible deal with the fundamental way a church needs to operate more clearly than that of Ephesians 4:1-16.
What Paul writes about is a church that is not what the Christian needs to create, but one which already exists and must be diligently preserved. It is based upon our sharing life in one body - the universal church, which is the body of Christ.
All Christians are sealed, possessed, and filled by the same Spirit and look forward to the same hope. We possess one Lord, one common faith and one baptism.
Unity does not imply uniformity. It does not mean that all Christians will think alike or perform identical ministries. It does imply a common purpose and interdependence within the body of Christ.
Paul writes that every individual within the body of Christ is given a particular capacity for ministry. This capacity is commonly called a ‘spiritual gift.’
Not too many years ago many churches would have virtually stopped at verse 11, thinking that the work of the ministry was the sole work of the clergy. Thank the Lord many churches have had the courage to study and apply the remaining verses of the passage to their church's daily operation.
One may ask how Christians with different beliefs, doctrines, or theologies can claim equal trust in the same Scriptures?
We need to respect and love our Christian brothers no matter what name is hanging over the doorways to their churches.
The answer is found by gaining the understanding that while Christians are united, or have unity of the Spirit based on faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, each individual Christian is given a gift of the Spirit, a ministry that may differ from the gift given to another. But, even though the gifts, or ministries, may differ, they are all for the good of, and the up building of the entire body of Christ, that is, God's church for greater good of The Kingdom.
Be blessed.

Keep the Faith

Greetings:
My thoughts remain focused on the importance of faith in each of our daily lives.
Read Hebrews 11 over and over again and you'll understand how important our faith is. Scripture tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith. That should tell us how important faith must be.
We should never allow our own thinking to persuade us to think that just because we think that something is too hard for us to accomplish that it is also too hard for God. That's where faith comes in.
Faith can move our mountains, if we can just wait on the Lord for his perfect timing.
I can tell you I have experienced this time and time again in my own life. When God moves and puts things into place that could not be done, other than through a move of God, it builds your faith.
Faith gives us the boost when the mountains around us are look to be crumbling. Really they are falling into place.
Faith can't be seen, but it is there every minute of every day, if we believe.
Faith moves those rocks blocking our pathway to  success and to answered prayers.
Faith is bold, strong and mighty all packaged in one.
If we need a boost when we are discouraged and down, we must draw strength from our faith.
Be blessed.

Stepping out for God

Greetings:
Some people will always find fault in our actions, question our motives and criticize us. That is especially true when it comes to doing things for God.
God's plan for us might have us stepping out in faith and doing something that is different, out of our own character. Being obedient to God is want matters.
The key is to pray, learn God's plan for your life and act on it. This may take some faith and stepping out into unknown waters where we can't see the bottom and don't know what lies ahead.
The place to start understanding is reading God's Word. The Bible is a road map, the instruction manual, the fix-it guide, the source that has more answers to your questions than Google, Yahoo or any online search site.
When God calls us out, we might find ourselves in a totally different environment – a place we've never been before,
When God calls us out it might be to a place that we're not used to, a place where we're different or doing something different from everyone around us.
When God calls us out it is to a place where we must depend on Him and no one else or no one else can or is willing to help us.
When God calls us out it might be uncomfortable to our human senses, but spiritually we are right where we need to be.
Be encouraged. God is not calling you out for nothing. God is up to something. God has a plan, and his plan is always for our good.
In Jeremiah 29:11 we read: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
In Hebrews 11 we also read that 'without faith it is impossible to please him'.
So, if we find ourselves in an unfamiliar place, and we don’t know what to do, there’s really only one thing to do – trust God.
Be blessed.

Get hungry for God

Greetings:
How many of you have ever been hungry?
When you are hungry there is an intense gnawing on the inside of your body that is not content until it is filled. Hunger is something that is active and causes you to seek out the object of your desire that will satisfy your need or crave.
Hunger for God is the longing to encounter him, to be with Him, to be filled with His Spirit and to do his work.
When we are hungry for God, we seek his presence and we will do whatever it takes to get close to Him.
When we are hungry for God we will seek that place of spiritual intimacy, that place where will catch not only the revelation he wants to share with us, but we also will catch the heart of God.
When we are hungry for God we will make the time, take the time and spend the time to quench that hunger.
In Jeremiah 29:13, we read, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Many of us want to be filled with the Spirit, we long to be close to God and see miracles happen in people’s lives.
When we hunger and thirst for God, we will seek Him, and when we seek Him, we will be filled and empowered.
Nothing else will satisfy that hunger other than God's presence.
The lack of true hunger for God is a problem in many churches. There is famine without hunger and dryness without thirst for God.
It's time for the church to wake up and move to the spiritual table of God and create an aching, gnawing hunger in our hearts for God.
We need to do what we can do to stir up the desire within ourselves to do more to get in touch with the precious nourishment provided by the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual hunger is contagious. Get around hungry people and it will spread and the church will grow to serve others and impact our community. When we get hungry for God, good things happen.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” as it says in Psalm 34:8
We need to quit playing church and seek those things we are called to do.
If we have a hunger for God, that will happen.
Be blessed.

Speak faith to boast it

Greetings:
We've all heard the statement, 'seeing is believing'.
For a Christian that might seem to be contrary to faith, but it really isn't.
In Hebrews 11:1 we read: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
It takes faith to bring things from the unseen realm of the spirit into the seen realm — the here and now.
Fear is something I battle with, but as this truth gets down in my heart I am learning to trust God at his Word and believe it more fully. I heard this message nearly a year ago and I have reviewed the notes from that teaching several times since then to increase my faith. It doesn't hurt to review what we have heard to help the learning process.
Our eyes are connected to the brain – our mind.
In physical terms, the eye sends what we see as a message to our brain, which  then processes that message into an image of what we see.
From a spiritual standpoint, we have to see it in our mind, not our eyes to believe by faith.
We have to see that we don’t have to wait to get to heaven to prosper and have our needs met.
We must not agree with what the world that insists and says, 'You could never have that' and don’t say, 'That’s too good to be true!'
If we’re speaking negative words of doubt and unbelief, we have a heart problem.
“For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34, The Amplified Bible).
Through out spiritual eyes we can have the victory.
When Jesus died on the cross, our inheritance was written and stamped 'paid in full'.
Just like Jesus said it takes faith to receive a healing, it takes faith to walk with more.
Be blessed.

Jesus keeps it simple

Greetings:
On this early morning my thoughts are focused on wanting to do the will of God, but a clear picture of that plan remains kind of vague in my natural mind.
I'm asking God, ‘What do You want me to do God? If you just tell me or show me, I’ll do it.'
God wants us to see his plan through our spiritual eyes, with a heart intent on serving him willfully.
In John 6:28-29 (Amplified Bible), we read about the crowds of people questioning Jesus about doing the works of God.
“They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?]  Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger].
The answer Jesus gives is so simple – believe in Him!
These words from Jesus remind me that it’s not what we do, it’s who we are and what we believe in our hearts that is important to God.
The Lord has taught me He doesn’t  necessarily need me to work for Him. He wants me to be faithful in the ‘small’ things, to be content and have a serving heart. Above all, we are all called to love each other and exhibit the love that Christ showed to us during his time on earth.
Be blessed.

No strings attached to God's love

Greetings:
This morning I am reminded of God's love for each of us. The love is beyond any human description or real comprehension.
God's love comes without any strings attached.
We are all disciples of Christ. No theology degree is needed to fill that important role. We only need to be willing to follow God's Word.
God’s Word is the mirror to our soul, and as we look into it with humble hearts, God will reveal places of error and fault. Just as a person looks at himself in the mirror and doesn’t present himself publicly until all the blemishes are covered and everything is just as it should be, so too are we to present ourselves spiritually.
Romans 12:1 says that we need to present our bodies as living and holy sacrifices unto God.
We cannot do this unless we look into the mirror of God's Word so that we know where we need to change. Identifying where we need to change is no more complicated than being in God’s Word and humbly yielding to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Change is as simple as confessing our sin, repenting of it, and by faith walking in the Spirit in obedience. Satan battles us and tries to tempt us and destroy our faith. He taunts us, talks down to us and belittles us at every opportunity.
For those who ignore what they see in the mirror, Satan already has won his victory. Yet, Christ in us is able to strengthen us to stand against the wiles and plots of the devil. Our willpower alone won’t enable us to resist temptation. We need the grace of God and the faith to believe.
There is no doubting that Christ provides our sufficiency. Our ability to be sustained in holiness and obedience is dependent upon our faith in Christ’s power, grace, and faithfulness. May God give us grace to believe the truth of Scripture and the strength to walk in it.
Be blessed.

Revival starts in the heart, not a tent meeting

Greetings:
Oh Lord, send us revival.
Psalm 85:6-9 (NIV) talks about revival.
It reads: “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation. I will listen to what God the Lord says;  he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants — but let them not turn to folly. Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land."
Revival is a time of cleansing, awakening, repentance, commitment, personal soul-searching and joy.
We should be glad and thankful that God revives us, charges us and inspires us.
Revival is about prayer and having a burden for the lost, the prodigals who have drifted away and the church washing itself in a bath of praise and worship.
In a true revival, Christians are brought under conviction and will turn from sin.
In revival, Christians have their faith renewed and become more equipped to serve their communities in the works of God – saving souls, feeding the hungry, clothing those in need, giving hope to the hopeless.
We get good instruction about revival in 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 (Amplified Bible), which reads: “If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer offered in this place.”
That should make us all shout 'Amen'.
Be blessed.

Proverbs offers an edge in being wise

Greetings:
The book of Proverbs reads like a handbook of practical principles geared for effective living. 
In many ways the book of Proverbs mirrors the rest of the Bible with the aim that we may know real wisdom and put it into practice. 
Proverbs 3:19, 20 (NIV) says, “By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds were formed from a drop the dew.
In this verse Proverbs there are three terms we need to look at - knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
Knowledge is the gathering or research of information. Understanding is our ability to apply that information. Wisdom helps us to know when and in what way to apply that understanding.
The first seven verses lay the groundwork for our understanding of wisdom. Then we see in Proverbs 9:10 that ,"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
That sums it up pretty clearly.
The Bible teaches that the goodness of God is incurred by fearing God. It promises that and protection is ever-present for those who fear Hi;m. There are promises that God's 'eye' looks upon the God-fearing individual. There are promises of divine provision for God-fearers. Fearing God prompts his mercy. There are also promises of physical health; help and protection; and fulfilled desires.
The book of Proverbs promises a place of refuge; departure from death; satisfaction; power over evil; riches; honor; and life.
Wisdom is a complicated term, but the answers are there if we seek them. Proverbs is a good place to start.
Be blessed.

I get my help from God

Greetings:
In Psalm 121, the question, 'Where does my help come from?' is addressed by the psalmist.
His answer to the question is an emphatic, "My help comes from The Lord".
This is not wishful thinking, but a sincere confidence in God's help.
To understand and believe this we have to get down in our hearts that God is bigger than our troubles, and God cares about our troubles.n verse 2, the Psalmist is convinced that there is help in God because he is the Maker of heaven and earth. With the Maker himself on our side there is no need to fear anything that has been made. Nothing is beyond God's reach and control.
No matter how big the thing is that we are worried about, remember that God is bigger — much, much bigger. 
The phrase is "watches over" or "The Lord watches over you" is written six times in verse 3-8 in the New International Version of the Bible.
The Hebrew word for "watches over" means "to keep"; "to guard"; or "to protect".
The psalmist repeatedly uses the word "you" for a reason.
He is not so much interested in teaching that "God takes care of people" in general. Rather he wants us to know that God watches over each one of us individually.
The Lord's care is constant. Verse 3 says, "He will not let your foot slip, he who watches over you will not slumber". God is never asleep, never distracted, never day-dreaming, never too busy, never inattentive.
"We can sleep safely because our God is ever awake", the Psalm states.
The Lord's care continues each day.
Be blessed.

Take time to be grateful

Greetings:
I've been drawn to the simplicity of the message in Psalm 65 on this beautiful morning as it relates to God's awesome creation of earth.
Look at verses 8-13 in the Amplified Bible and see what I mean.
It reads, "So that those who dwell in earth’s farthest parts are afraid of [nature’s] signs of Your presence. You make the places where morning and evening have birth to shout for joy.
You visit the earth and saturate it with water; You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide them with grain when You have so prepared the earth.
You water the field’s furrows abundantly, You settle the ridges of it; You make the soil soft with showers, blessing the sprouting of its vegetation.
You crown the year with Your bounty and goodness, and the tracks of Your [chariot wheels] drip with fatness.
The [luxuriant] pastures in the uncultivated country drip [with moisture], and the hills gird themselves with joy.
The meadows are clothed with flocks, the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy and sing together."
What a great description of the world we live in. We should be on our knees thanking God for all we have around us - a free gift from our heavenly Creator.
When we don't thank God we cheat Him from the blessings of our praise and worship.
Many of us have difficulty receiving gifts or compliments from others. When we are unable to receive the good things that others offer us, we cheat ourselves, and we cheat them.
When we are able to say 'thank you' for gifts received, we are able to take the gift in, enjoy it and engage in a real personal way with the giver of the gift.
In the same way, when we express gratitude to God, we enter into a realm of joyful communion with him. We take in His love, feel a deeper connection with him and experience joy.
Be blessed.

God is always ready to help

Greetings:
I love to start the day reading the Psalms.
Many of the Psalms provide me with an instant uplift, a boost in my spirit and gives the the energy to tackle the rest of the day, no matter what I'm facing or whatever darts comes my way.
In Psalm 46 (NIV), we are given confidence that God is with us always. It also says God is a powerful God who is able to do what he says he can do.
The psalm reads, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Do we actually believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is all He says He is?
I take comfort in the reference in the psalm to the The City of God, Zion, whose streams are not intermittent, but ever flowing with grace and favor.
There are rivers of life and joy, supplying all of our needs, bringing life and refreshing.
God is the strength and shield for His church - the born-again believers. Let us understand this and tap into that power and peace.
Be blessed.

Are we hearing the voice of God?

Greetings:
How many of us know it's sometimes hard to take directions, suggestions and promptings in our lives, even when it comes from God?
Too many times we take direction with our own human conditions attached to them in the form of grumbling and complaining. We want to see the end result before we take that step of faith.
In Philippines 7:14 there is some very specific instruction about grumbling and complaining.
The passage reads in the Amplified Bible version: “Do all things without grumbling and fault-finding and complaining (against God) and questioning and doubting (amongst yourselves).”
We're not talking about mentally challenged stuff where we are hearing strange voices in our minds to direct us to so something crazy, bizarre, unlawful, immoral or anything that violates God's instruction and laws for our lives.
We are talking about first knowing God's voice and knowing when he speaks to us in a gentle small voice.
The ability to hear God's voice comes through personal prayer, knowing what God says in the Bible, quiet reflective time and plenty of prayer.
When God speaks to us, we need step back and put what we feel away, put what we think away and put the whys away and pray and get alone with God.
The key is hearing and knowing it's God's Word and God's will that ability to know we are listening too is putting our own human nature aside and let God direct our steps just as David did in Psalm 119:135 when he declared, "Direct my footsteps according to your word..."
God will never tell us to do anything that conflicts with scripture. That should be our first place to go to see if it is God we are hearing. Ultimately, it takes time in our prayer room to know what God is really saying to us.
Be blessed.

Boost your faith daily

Greetings:
This morning I am going to share with you a sampling of some of my list of 'faith builders included in my new book, "Faith Now".
•Faith gives you bright sunshine in your soul when life’s storm clouds are moving over you.
•Faith helps our tears of disappointment wash their way to praise and joy.
•Faith opens the sky and pours out sweet healing rain
•When we feel caged in and think there is no hope, we trust in our faith to bring us though our hard time. Then true joy will come.
•Have you ever felt like you were in sinking sand? God and faith are the only way out.
•We want to put God in control, but we won't leave it all at the altar.
• There is nothing too hard for God. We need to believe it, pray fervently and wait for God to move in a great and mighty way.
•The end of each day begins a new chance to offer up praise.
•Many of us are always trying to analyze things in our own mind rather than just taking a step of faith and believing.
•It is hard to take direction from God on some days and in some things without our own human conditions attached to it. That is where faith comes in.
•When God speaks to us, we need to step back and put what we feel away, put what we think away and put the whys away and just do it.
•You know it's God's direction if you have peace in your heart, even when your carnal mind might be telling you something different.
•We run from our hurts. When we run from our hurts, we carry the hurt with us. We might appear calm on the outside but hurting on the inside no matter where we go. People run from their hurts to alcohol, drugs, sex, overeating and so on.
•Hiding our hurts won't heal them.
•Let God lead us to quiet waters, so he can refresh our soul.
To read more of these 'faith builders' and much more, see my book, "Faith Now", available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
Be blessed.

Worry does not accomplish a thing

Greetings:
Worrying accomplishes absolutely nothing.
Worrying won't help solve a single problem or bring about a solution.
In Matthew 6:27-29 we read, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.”
I've come to understand that worrying is destructive in many ways. It becomes a mental burden like a heavy weight around our necks that can cause us to actually become physically sick.
Look what Proverbs 12:25 says about worry. It reads: “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.”
Worry destroys faith or at the least a faith crippler and is the opposite of trusting God.
The time and energy that we spend worrying can be put to much better use in prayer.
What does it say about prayer in Philippians 4:6-7?
“Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
There is no doubt that worrying sidetracks our focus in the wrong direction.
When we keep our eyes focused on God, we remember his perfect agape love for us and we realize we really have nothing to worry about. Even in the difficult times, when it seems like God doesn't care or doesn't hear us, we can put our trust in the Lord.
There are still some days of worry, concern, even crisis. However, those days are tolerable when I seek God first, present my needs, thank God in advance for answering that prayer and just breath in God's peace.
Be blessed.

Plenty of reasons to be thankful

Greetings:
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we read that God tells us to always be thankful.
It reads: “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
God redeems us from our mistakes and forgives us of our sins through the shed blood of his son, Jesus Christ. For that, I am thankful.
God breathed life into each of us. For that, I am thankful.
God teaches us wisdom through his Holy Spirit and study. For that, I am thankful.
God promises to bring us through adversity, life's fires, disappointments and our own failures. For that, I am thankful.
God provides us with the divine Word of God - the Bible -  to use as a guide and a source of how to live, and how to treat others. For that, I am thankful.
God has blessed me with a wonderful wife, a loving family, and special friends. For that, I am thankful.
God still heals. For that, I am thankful.
God provides us with our needs, a roof over our heads and daily provisions. For that, I am thankful.
God is there in the good times and the bad, providing encouragement and comfort in the perfect dose in the perfect time, in the perfect way. For that, I am thankful.
God gives us freedom, laughter, and passion. For that, I am thankful.
God gives us life that may not always go according to our ideal, but God has His hand on the wheel so there is no need to be cranky and grumble our way through it all. For that I am thankful.
God provides each of us with unique and special talents. For that, I am thankful.
The list could go on and on, as we each have our own reasons to be thankful.
Giving thanks means to be thankful for your best days and on the worst days, especially the days when your eyes aren't seeing a whole lot to be thankful about.
Let us strive to be thankful for every breath we take every second, every minute, every day of our lives.
God is worthy of our thankful heart, our gratitude, and appreciation.
Be blessed.