Rev. Denise Glavan Heath
Prayer is a powerful thing. It can move mountains when nothing else can. My prayer for you today is that you find joy and laughter in the midst of the crazy and boring part of the day. May you receive blessings and happiness throughout the day. May you know you are loved and forgiven and that God believes in you and will never give up on you. As you go forth into this day of our LORD do all things in kindness, treating others as you wish to be treated. For this is the first day of the rest of your life, use it for good, do not waste it. For once this day is gone you can never have a re-do. It is what it is, so make the most out of it. Smile, dance, sing, laugh, enjoy! God Bless. Amen.
There are many ways to deal with life when you get overwhelmed, frustrated and irritated and you know not what to do. Some of us talk it over with loved ones or friends. Some might see a doctor, a counselor, or a minister, to seek the help they need. There are those that seek out the scriptures to find the guidance to get through rough times. Romans 15:4 reads, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” There are those who cry out to God asking for help and yes hope. All the while praying and praying and praying. No matter how you seek the help you need, remember God is always there for you. For faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrew 11:1) And with hope we can keep putting one foot in front of the other. Because God gives us hope when nothing else will. Remember God is with you always and forever. God Bless. Amen.
What do you need the LORD to do in your life? When you need something, it is because it is essential or very important. What needs to be manifested today? They say pray and it will be done! Psalms 118:24 reads, “The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.” Here is the thing, we live in a world where bad things happen to good people, where sickness occurs along with good health, where we are born and we die and everything in between. Life happens. What God does for us is to walk with us down whatever journey we are going on, giving us the strength, courage and yes hope to face each moment—step by step. The sad thing about life is sometime life just sucks. So, turn to God—pray and then hold on to Him with all your might. For God is with you, always, no matter what life throws your way! God Bless. Amen.
Sometimes, in our life, someone or something that we have relied on is no longer there. Whether it is a spouse, a parent, a job, a pet or something that seems quite stable is now gone. Where depending upon this person or thing is no longer a part of our life. When this occurs, we feel lost all alone and at times afraid. The one sure thing that will never shift on us is God. Psalm 62:8 tells us, “Trust in him at all times, O people, pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” Exodus 15:2 reads, “The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” Isaiah 26:4 says, “Rely upon the Lord forever. For in God the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.” At times, God is the only thing that keeps us going—so hold on to Him. He will see you through, step by step, moment by moment. For other things will leave you but God never does! God Bless. Amen.
What is your purpose in life? Your purpose in life means having a sense of direction and meaning, where your actions take you in a certain direction both personally, spiritually and physically. It is about finding what motivates and fulfills you and aligning your life with that. I believe, God gave each and everyone of us a purpose. So, what is yours? Is it to be a parent? A help-mate? A care-giver? A rescue person? A law enforcement person? A writer? A singer? A preacher of the word? A person who creates things? A person who plays music or paints or creates beauty? A gardener? A pilot? What is your purpose in life? When you have found your purpose in life it changes your demeanor and how you act and feel about yourself. It gives you confidence. Jeremiah 29:11 reads, “I know the plans I have for you; says the LROD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Psalm 16:11 says, “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Philippians 2:13 tells us, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Finding God’s purpose for you in your life is key! If you haven’t found it yet, maybe it is time for you to start your journey. God Bless. Amen
Compassionate is a feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others. Are you a compassionate person? Do you show kindness, mercy and compassion toward others? Or do you get irritated with other—getting frustrated and angry? When driving in a car if someone is driving recklessly and out of control how do you respond? When walking down a crowded street. Where people are cutting in front of you and pushing you out of the way, how do you respond? When waiting in line and someone cuts in front of you how do you respond? When you are in a grocery store and someone is eating the fruit before paying for it do you confront them? Colossians 3:12 reads, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Sometimes in life we get into situations where we want to say and do things that can and will hurt another person. Just because you think of something does not give you the right to voice your opinion nor act upon it. Because sometimes things are not what you think they are. A person driving fast and reckless could be on the way to the ER. A person walking in a crowded street could be lost. A person who cuts in front of you might not have known you were waiting in line. A person eating fruit in a grocery store could be poor and in need of food. Sometimes things are not what they seem. “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2) It is something to remember. God Bless. Amen.
My prayer for you today is that you find peace, that peace which passes all understanding throughout your day. May laughter and joy fill your spirit and wherever you go may others see the happiness in your life. May you know how much God loves, accepts, and cherishes you. For you are the apple of God’s eye, made in His image. May you forgive yourself as God forgives you and may you forgive others as God forgives you. Now as a beloved child of God go out into the day remembering whom you belong to and whom you serve. Peace, I give you. Go in peace. Amen. God bless.
Our God is an awesome God. He reigns throughout our land. He is with us in all situations and circumstances. Our God is King of kings and LORD of lords mighty and majestic is He. Psalm 73:26 reads, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” This scripture tells us that God is our strength. Which means one finds courage, resilience, and the ability to face life’s challenges through one’s faith and beliefs. It also implies that God provides a source of power and support, especially during times of trouble, acting as a refuge and an ever-present help. The Lord is my portion means that God is the believer’s ultimate inheritance, source of happiness, and security. It signifies that God’s presence, power, and provisions are sufficient and preferable to any earthly possessions or comforts. It also expresses contentment and trust in God as the greatest treasure. All we have to do is turn to Him—trust in Him and believe. Knowing that He will never fail you nor forsake us. So, hold on to Him. He will see you through whatever it is you are going through. But remember be still for it is God’s timing not yours. God Bless. Amen.
On this day of the Lord, let us give thanks, for we woke up to a new day full of all sorts of possibilities. A day that we will never be experienced again. May we use this day for good and not waste it. May there be laughter, beauty and joy. And if by chance, you experience pain and heartache, remember God will help you get though the situation and that He is always with you no matter what happens in your life. Also don’t forget God loves you unconditionally. Remember He is will always love you no matter you do—that is why He sent His only begotten son into this world. So, remember God’s love today. I pray for Jesus’ blood of protection upon you and bind all evil from you. May you feel secure in every moment of your life because our God walks with us in all of life’s moments. May you find peace and happiness throughout the day—remembering that this is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. Be at peace. God is with you. God Bless. Amen
What type of person are you? Take it a step further, how do other people view you? Do they see you as a kind, caring, loving, nice, patient, respectful, trustworthy, honest, hard-working person? Or do they see you as a frustrated, angry, hateful, mean, rude, unreliable, lazy, selfish, inappropriate person? Does the way others see you and the way you see yourself coincide? Sometimes, always, or does it depend on your attitude and the mood you are in? Does your behavior represent God? As believers in God, we are called to act in a God like way all the time. How others see us and how we see ourselves should be the same. We are to represent God in all that we do. Matthew 5:14-16 reads, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Remember you never know who is watching you! God Bless. Amen.
Why do we get down-casted—unhappy, not confident, lack of hope? Why do we become weary—so tired of our situation? Why do we just want to stop and saying enough—let me just sit here for a while! Because life can become frustrating and difficult. Psalms 42:11 says, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” God is the answer to all our “why’s”—to the hard times of life. God is the one sure thing in this thing called life and sometimes when life becomes unfair and painful the only thing that will help is God. He is there. He will help. He will give you the courage, the strength, and the hope you need. So turn to Him. Hold on to Him. He will see you through! God Bless. Amen.
What do you hope for? Good health? More money? A new job? A new car? A good relationship? A loved one to be healed? To hope means a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. What do you hope for? Romans 8:24-25 tells us, “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” Hebrew 11:1 reads, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.” Today, try not to lose hope in the future. Trust God in every situation you are in and remember God is with you always. You just have to believe and trust that He is bigger than what you are hoping for. God Bless. Amen.
We are told that the great commandment is for us to, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30-31) The question for today is “Do you?” Most of us would say, “Yes I do!” The problem with our relationship with God is finding the time for Him, because life gets in the way. Here is the thing actions always speak louder than words—so what are your actions saying about your relationship with God? It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
Last month when I was getting my eye shot for my wet macular degeneration (AMD) the doctor said, “Be real still and don’t talk.” I said, “I will be good.” For the past month I have been thinking about me saying “I will be good.” I realized I must have said that a lot as a child. I must have given my parents endless days of getting into things and asking questions. Because the statement “I will be good” implies you are not being good. You are causing problems. Can you imagine God saying to us, “Be good!” But you know God does tell us to be good, to do the right thing, to walk the walk, to be the type of person God has called you to be. To be good means acting in ways that are morally right, virtuous, and beneficial to others. It encompasses qualities like kindness, honesty, fairness, and a desire to contribute positively to the world. It is seeing the good in others, not demeaning them or gossiping about them. Being good is avoiding bad actions. Galatians 6:9-10 reads, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Today, let us focus on being good! God Bless. Amen.
Psalms 5:2 reads, “Hearken to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to thee do I pray.” For to you, do I pray. To pray means to express joy, happiness, thankfulness, sorrow, pain, heartache to God. Prayer is our communication to God, often involving expressing gratitude, seeking guidance, or finding comfort. We pray when we want to talk to God. For God is our lifeline. He is our all in all. Today, let us pray for our loved ones: our spouse, our children, our grandchildren, our parents, our siblings, our friends and yes our pets. Let us also pray for our country, our military, our police force, our fire fighter, our government officials, our president. Let us give thanks to our God and all the wonderful things He has done. Let us rejoice, for this is the day that the LORD has made. Praise be to God. God Bless. Amen.
Sometimes life just gets really hard and overwhelming. You want to say, “Can I just sit down for a minute and catch my breath without something else happening?” But that is not life! Sometimes life throws so many lemons your way you just run out of sugar to make lemonade. It is during these hard and frustrating times that the only thing that can help you is the LORD God Almighty, but here is the catch! You might not feel God’s presence, because you feel so alone and lost. Wondering all the while, where is God, in the midst of all this? Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble times…” God is with us even when we do not feel it. Then in Psalms 130:5 it shows us what to do when we feel lost and all alone, “I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.” And that my friends is all any of us really have…hope in the LORD. He will see you through. God Bless. Amen.
Is Jesus the Christ LORD of your life? Does He reign in your life? Is He your all in all? Do you do all things with Him? Or is He someone you call on in times of trouble? When we accept that Jesus is the Christ, our lives are forever changed. We are to follow God’s guidelines in all that we do! The problem is we pick and choose which guidelines to follow and which to ignore. Following in God’s way is hard to do because life get in our way. We get so busy being busy that we lose sight of our LORD. Today try to keep your eyes focused on our LORD. Try to do all things with Him in mind and like the saying goes ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?” If he wouldn’t do it, neither should you! Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” God Bless. Amen.
Ecclesiastes 10:12 says, “Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.” Ephesians 4:29 tells us, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Exodus 23:1 reminds us, “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.” These scriptures remind us how we are to speak when sharing our thoughts. The sad thing about gossip, meanness, and malice is that those who are saying those things want to hurt another person or people. There is never a reason to intentionally hurt another person. When you say things out of meanness and malice it shows others what type of person you really are. Abraham Lincoln said, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” It is better not to speak than to speak and make a fool of yourself. As people of God, we are to be kind and gracious to all people. People see who you really are by your actions and your words. Today, be the person God has called you to be. For there is never a reason to be mean nor spiteful. God bless. Amen.
Scripture reveals to us our understanding of our Lord. In Revelation 4:8b it tells us that our LORD is holy. It says, “’Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” In Hebrews 13:8a it says our LORD is the same yesterday, today and forever. Isaiah 40:28 states, “Have you never heard? Have you never understood: The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.” He is our all in all. Think of these things, for no matter what is going on in your life, God is with you. God is there—hold on to Him and realize “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) Isaiah 40:29 tells us, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Psalm 31:24 says, “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.” God is with you. He is always there. Believe it. Hold on to it. Trust in Him and He will give you the strength and courage you need. God Bless. Amen.
Sometimes life is so hard! Sometimes life is OK. Other times joy fills the air, and you are on cloud 9, life seems wonderful. So how is your day going? Will your day be a good day or not so good? Will this day be the best day ever! Today is the first day of the rest of your life. How do you think it will turn out? Because today you can feel sorry for yourself? Or will you can make the most out of this day, even in the ups and downs? We choose how our day will turn out. We choose to be happy, mad, sad, or glad. Psalm 5:3 reads, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” This scripture emphasizes the practice of early morning prayer and presenting one’s needs to God. I have found when you wake up with God your day goes so much better. So, start your day with God. Tell Him good morning, give thanks, praise Him. And remember this is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. Praise God. God Bless. Amen.
We all make choices; these choices affect those around us. Sometimes the choice we have made is good and positive. Other times, the choice we have made not only hurts us but others as well. In Matthew 1:19-21, 24 it says, “Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her (referring to Mary) to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,” because he will save his people from their sins…When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the LORD commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.” Joseph had a choice—he chose to marry “Mary” and not disgrace her. This story would have ended very differently if Joseph would have divorced Mary. Our lives would be different, our understanding of the birth story and our relationship with God would be different. Joseph’s choice made a profound impact on this world. We all have made choices in life—good ones, bad ones, and even downright horrible choices. We have all hurt people because of our choices in life and have blessed others from our choices. Here is something to think about, the choices you have made, have made you into the person you are today and that is good. Don’t you think! God Bless. Amen.
When you are young you are invincible, you look at life believing there will be a tomorrow. God seems like a magical God; it is a time of learning about Him—questioning and wondering. When you are in your 20’s you are trying new things and figuring out what being an adult means. God is more personal and your relationship with Him is developing and getting stronger. In your 30’s and 40’s you want to accomplish things and accumulate things. You worry about today more than what the future will bring. And for some your relationship with God is strong, for others you are too busy for God even though you still believe in Him. But for some life has not been very kind and your relationship with God grows weaker. In your 50’s and 60’s you know your life span is getting shorter. Your focus is more on relationships and God. It is a time for making amends with your past. In your 70’s and for the rest of your life you enjoy what time you have left—you don’t worry so much about tomorrow—you try to enjoy the day you are in. For some God is a constant friend. For others, anger at the unfairness of life emerges and you blame God for it. In life no matter your age God is with you--always. I believe and I have found that with God you can face each day whether it is a good day or not so good day, for you know God will give you the strength and courage you need to face whatever happens. Today, whatever is going on, whatever your age is remember God is with you. Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” God is with you—always and forever. God Bless. Amen.
So how is your day going? Is it a good day? An ok day? A frustrating day? What kind of day are you having? What makes it a good day, or an ok day, or a frustrating day? Is it our attitude? Does our attitude define our day? I believe it does. Life is life we have moments of unbelievable happiness that are accented by moments of pain and frustration but if your attitude is good then you can make it through any situation you are in. Philippians 4:8 reads, “Finally brothers and sisters, 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.” Proverbs 17:22 tells us, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Philippians 2:14a says, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing…” Our attitude does not have to go hand in hand with what has been occurring throughout the day. Our attitude is a way of thinking or feeling about someone or something. Our attitude is controlled by our thoughts and is expressed by our words and actions. So how is your attitude, because life gets rough and it is our attitude that sees us through. Life is 10%, attitude is 90%. (Charles Swendoll) Does your attitude need an adjustment? God Bless. Amen.
They say actions speak louder than words. I have found this statement to be true. For what a person does is a more reliable indicator of their true intentions, beliefs, or character than what they say. For our actions are more meaningful and carry more weight than mere words. This statement is about judging someone by their behavior rather than their words. Because our behavior reveals who and what we truly are. For example, you say, “I am going to quit cussing, but you never do.” You talk about it, but you never try or quit cussing. Or you say, “I am going to read the Bible daily, but you get so busy you never make time to read the Bible.” Or you tell others, “I going to be a better spouse, but you never work on the issue to make you a better spouse.” Or you tell your boss, “I will work harder and be on the top of my game, but you never put the time in for this to occur.” James 2:17 reads, “So also faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, it dead.” 1 John 3:18 says, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Titus 1:16a tells us, “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works.” Today, let us not live by empty words let our actions coincide with our words. God Bless. Amen.
Our God is an awesome God. He is always with us no matter what is going on in our lives. He is and was and will always be. He is LORD of our lives, majestic, and wonder. He is our all in all. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Today, as you go forth remember whom you belong to—remember your identity and connection is to God, so represent Him in all that you. As you go about your business know that with God all things are possible and with God on our side how can we fail? (Psalm 108:13) Thus, be sure to represent God in all situations, have fun, laugh, dance, sing at the top of your lungs, smile, do random acts of kindness and remember this is the first day of the rest of your life. Make today a great day. It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
As believers in God, our relationship is manifest in our belief in the LORD God Almighty. Some of us talk to Him daily, others speak with God now and then, some visit with Him only at church, and then there are others who talk to God when they need something, then there are some who had a relationship with Him when they were younger and that seem good enough for them. The wonderful thing about God is He is always there for you no matter how often you visit with Him, for God is the one sure thing in this life of ours. He never gives up on you nor will He leave you. Sometimes we just forget about God and He takes a back seat in our lives. Deuteronomy 31:8 reads, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Today, no matter what is going on in your life—whether you acknowledge God or not remember God is there, God is with you. He will give you the strength and courage you need all you need to do is turn to Him. Today might be a good day for doing that. God Bless. Amen.
To be mean is to act in a way that is intentionally hurtful or unkind to someone, often involving malicious or selfish behavior. To be rude means being offensively impolite or ill-mannered. To be hurtful means causing distress to someone’s feelings. Have you ever said something mean, rude or hurtful to someone, to someone you love? Of course you have we all have. The problem with the words we speak once said you can never erase them from being spoken. You can never take them back. Words hurt! My mother used to say, “If you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all.” Period. Today think before you speak, because words are powerful, they can either build up or they can hurt and damage another person. Proverbs 18:21a reminds us of this, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue...” It is something to think about. Amen.
Has anyone one ever wronged you? Has anyone ever hurt your feelings? Have you ever wanted a re-do on a situation that haunts you? If we are honest, we all have been hurt, wronged and want a re-do if we could. But re-dos are not possible and trying to change the outcome of a situation is nearly impossible. The Good News is Jesus came to offer us all forgiveness, to heal our hurts and to calm our raging spirits. All we must do is to turn to Him, ask for forgiveness and then forgive those who have wronged us. It sounds so simple but learning to do this can at times be hard to do. Something to remember if you want to be forgiven of your wrongs, forgive others of the wrongs they have done unto you. To forgive means stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for an offense, flaw, or mistake. Colossians 3:13 reads, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone, forgive as the LORD forgave you.” Matthew 6:14-15 tells us, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Finally, Ephesians 4:31-32 reads, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” It is something to think about. They say to err is human, to forgive is divine. Forgiveness is a virtuous act! It is something to try. God Bless. Amen.
A stronghold is a place that has been fortified to protect against attacks. It is a place of security or survival. Psalms 27:1 reads, “The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Sometimes, in life we forget this. Sometimes, we feel all alone, not knowing where to turn or whom to turn to! When we rely on God to be our stronghold it is a place we go for safety, protection, or refuge on days when we feel forsaken and desolate. During these moments—moments of fear and anxiety, unbelief and doubt, pride and arrogance, unforgiveness and bitterness, selfishness and self-centeredness, lust and sexual immorality, greed and materialism, anger and unforgiving spirit, is when we cry out to the LORD, asking for help! This scripture reminds us that in all things our God is with us. He is the stronghold of our life. So, hold onto Him. He will see you through whatever you are going through. God Bless. Amen.
We have all sinned. We have all made mistakes. We have all wronged someone. And when we sin, we want to be forgiven. We also do not want others to know our sin nor do we want to get caught in our sin! As Christians, we know that through Jesus we are forgiven. God forgives. In John 8 it reads, “The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, (him referring to Jesus) “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such a women…Jesus said to them, “You who are without sin be the first to cast a stone. One by one from the eldest to the youngest they departed…and Jesus said to her, “Has anyone condemned you? She said, “No my LORD.” Jesus said, neither do I, go and sin no more.” Powerful words! So, is it only we get caught in our sin, that we confess our sin? Think about it. My prayer is that we learn to forgive as our LORD forgives us, for wouldn’t it be sad if we didn’t extend forgiveness as our LORD does, not only to ourselves but to others as well. It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
We are each unique individuals and each of us have gifts that God has given unto us. Some of our gifts are singing, drawing, painting, gardening, care-giver, creator of things, the gift to teach or preach, the gift of listening or the gift of laughter, joy, and encouragement to name just a few. What is sad is when an individual does not use the gifts God has given us. James 1:17 reads, “Every good and perfect gift is from above…” 1 Peter 4:10 tells us, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” You are special and have gifts that God has blessed you with and because of you and your gifts this world is forever changed. You have influenced all those whom you have come in contact with. You are important. It is something to think about and remember. God Bless. Amen.
“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him…” (Lamentations 3:25) God is good in so many ways: He is kind and generous, He guides us and sustains us, He loves us unconditionally always and forever. He continues to show us love, grace, mercy, and favor even when we do not deserve it. God’s goodness is all powerful, all mighty, He was and is and will always be. For the LORD is good, His steadfast love endures forever and ever. Sometimes we forget how good our God is. So let us give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1) Doesn’t this realization make you want to praise God and give thanks? God Bless. Amen.
When you look back over your life what kind of life have you led so far? A life of integrity and honesty, a life of selfishness and self-centeredness, a life filled with joy and happiness. Do you think your life has been unfair, where you are the victim? Is your life filled with unhappiness and frustration? Or is your life a good life, filled with adventure, excitement, joy and love? Life is life. Everyone experiences good things, bad things and not so good things. Your attitude is what is essential as to how you view your life. So how do you view your life? Nehemiah 8:10 reads, “The joy of the LORD is my strength.” God gives us strength when we are weak. God give us hope when we doubt. God gives us forbearance when we are impatient and irritated. God calms our raging spirit. God changes our attitude to see our life in a better way. Because when you have God, you see life differently. You understand that God is with you in all situations and circumstances. Remember when God is a part of your daily life—life goes so much better. And you look back over your life, and you say, “Life is good. I am blessed.” God Bless. Amen.
This is the day of our LORD. It is the first day of the rest of your life. How are you going to use this day? For once this day is gone you will never get a re-do on it! Are you going to use it for good or waste the day away? Are you going to be selfish or put others before you? Will you choose to be happy, mad, sad, or glad? For this day, is the only day you will ever have like it! You do not know what the future will bring, so use this day wisely. Psalm 37:4 reads, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” It is something to strive for. Make this day the best day ever! God Bless. Amen.
When we were very young, we all believed in a magical God, a God who did things for us. We believed this God did everything we wanted when we wanted. Then as we grew older, we began to understand who and what God is and is about. As our understanding of God grew. We found that God is a God of relationship. Thus, as our relationship grew, we understood God more. We wanted to spend more time with Him, and this is manifested through prayer. Yes, God answers prayers, but He is not a magical God. The one sure thing you learn is that God is with you in all situations and circumstance. And sometime what you ask for occurs in God’s way, not our way, in God’s time not our time. And sometimes an unanswered prayer is the right answer. Today, whatever it is you want God to do—remember God works on God’s time and God is never late. 1 John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” God Bless. Amen.
I was upset the other day. I had the house all to myself. I had been praying and praying to God, talking about the situation I was dealing with. I turned on Christian music listening to it, praying, and cleaning. I clean when I am upset. Pretty soon I was no longer thinking about myself but focusing on God. The problem seemed to have dissipated. John 3:30 reads, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” When you pray, when you listen to Christian music, when you read the Bible, when you meditate it gets your eyes off of yourself and helps you to keep your focus upon God. When we keep our eyes upon God our day will go much smoother. God Bless. Amen.
To be thankful is to express gratitude and relief. It is being, pleased with an outcome. It is being, joyful and happy because things are good. It shows appreciation toward something or someone. So, what are you thankful for? Your spouse, your children, stepchildren, your daughters-in-law, your sons-in-law, your in-laws, your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren, your parents, your siblings, your friends, your pets, the house you live in, the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the vehicles you drive, how about GOD? For our God is King of kings, Lord of lords, mighty and wonderful is He. He is our sustainer, redeemer, comforter, and provider. He is our source of unfailing love and our strength. He is holy, merciful, and good. God’s unwavering faithfulness keeps us going and gives us hope. Being thankful of God, is recognizing all the things He does for us, whether big or small. Hebrews 12:28 reminds us, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” Psalms 107:1 tells us, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever.” Then Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Today, let us give thanks for all that we have and let us praise His Holy Name, for our God is an awesome God He reigns. Praise God for this is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it, for the joy of the LORD is our strength. God Bless. Amen.
Do you wish your life was easier? Do you wish that things were different? Do you wish that you could just get a break? Life is life. Sometimes our life is easy and going our way then in a moment life changes, and it seems as if you can barely put one foot in front of the other. God never promised us that life would be easy and smooth sailing. What God promised is that He would be with us in all situations and circumstances. That He would give us the strength and courage we need to handle anything that comes our way. Psalm 46:1 reads, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in times of trouble.” Habakkuk 3:19 tells us, “The Sovereign LORD is my strength, He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go onto higher grounds.” Joshua 1:9 reminds us, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” On the other hand, we can blame God because we feel life is so unfair. The choice is ours, but here is the thing, did our LORD ever say that life would be easy or fair? No, He said He would be with us. It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
Praise the Lord. Give thanks. For our God is an awesome God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is our all in all and when troubles occur our God is with us to see us through whatever is transpiring in our life. Our God is mighty and wonderful. He is our sustainer at every moment of our day. He gives us hope when we feel like we are lost and know not what to do. He gives us peace when life is out of control. He calms our raging spirit. Isaiah 41:13 reads, “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.” This is all we really need to remember in life. God is with us! God Bless. Amen.
Do you like yourself? Do you love yourself? Are you proud of what you have accomplished in your life? See, we are who we are from our past experiences—the good—the bad and yes, the ugly and because of those experiences you are who you are. Therefore, we can say each experience in life builds upon the other and no matter what happens in your life you can use those experiences to glorify God. Today, try embracing all of you. Try to see yourself through God’s eyes, that you are a beloved child of God created in His image, that you are loved and accepted just as you are—all of you, even the ugly parts of your life. Psalm 36:7 reads, “Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.” Jeremiah 31:3 says, “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness.” God loves you. Always! He will never give up on you. Our quest is to learn to love ourselves as God does! God Bless. Amen.
To give praise is to express warm approval or admiration for someone or something. In the Bible, praise is a conscious act of expressing admiration, gratitude, and reverence for God, acknowledging His sovereignty, goodness, and mercy. It is a way of proclaiming God’s worth and love for Him. Often through vocal expressions like singing and declarations of His greatness. Praising God can also be done in the stillness of the moment through prayer. “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” (Psalm 145:1-3) “I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” (Psalm 18:3) “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His Holy Name.” (Psalm 103:1) Today, let us praise the LORD; for His steadfast love endures forever. Great is our LORD and worthy is His name! God Bless. Amen.
Do you worry? Some people worry more than others, while others just let things go and are not worriers. But most people worry. Some people worry about their finances, others a relationship, still others about what affects them daily. When you worry you forget about God and focus upon yourself. When you worry you focus on yourself not God! See, the thing to remember is no matter what is going on in life worrying will not change it. Scripture tells us, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life…and which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life…therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.” (Matthew 6:25, 28, 34) We need to learn to trust God to see us through. We just must learn to let go and let God, because worrying will not change the outcome! It is something for us remember. God Bless. Amen.
Life is life. It is filled with tribulations, heartache, and pain. Life is also filled with moments of undeniable joy, laughter, and fun. In life we experience many things, sometimes good things and sometimes not so good things, but through it all no matter what happens our LORD is there. So, whether things are going good or things are going bad should we not give things to our Lord for He is the one sure thing in this life of ours. Scripture tells us this. In Habakkuk 3:17-18 it reads, “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.” Today, no matter what is transpiring in your life remember God, give thanks, and praise His Holy Name. For no matter what is happening our God is with us in all situations and circumstances always and forever. And that is why we should always give thanks. God Bless. Amen.
The 2 Great Commandments are, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31) These two commandments tell us of the importance of love and extending love towards others, but also of loving oneself. Love is an intense feeling of deep affection that you share with others. Love of self is an appreciation of your worth and well-being, encompassing actions that support your growth and happiness. It involves accepting yourself, treating yourself with kindness and respect. See, how when you learn to love yourself you are better able to extend love toward others. That is why the 2 Great Commandments include learning to love yourself a God does is so important. Today, try to do all things in love. Tell God how much you love Him, love yourself and be kind to yourself, share that love with others. Maybe, just maybe, because of how you are treating those around you, their lives will be better for it. God Bless. Amen.
We all sin. We all make mistakes and fall short of God’s Glory. Sometimes, in life, we do not even care when we are doing something wrong. Other times, we just are oblivious to the sin we are committing. Then there are times, when we say things like, “I will just do this one more time and then I will quit.” Regardless of how or when we commit a sin—sin is sin, and it is wrong. Today, if you know you have committed a sin confess your sin to the LORD God Almighty. Then stop doing the very thing you know you should not do. Romans 3:23 says, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Psalm 119:133 reads, “Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.” Then Psalm 51:1-2 says, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen
My prayer for you today is that you know that God loves you unconditionally. And remember He is with you always—in all situations and circumstances. I pray for Jesus’ blood of protection upon you and bind all evil from you. May you feel secure in every moment of your life because our God walks with us in all of life’s moments. May you find peace and happiness throughout the day—remembering that this is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. God Bless. Amen.
Sometimes we just need a refuge to go to, a place where we feel safe and secure, a place where you are not judge nor demean. Refuge is a condition of being safe or something providing shelter from pursuit, danger, or trouble. This is what God does for us—for God is our refuge in times of trouble. For God provides a place for us when we are afraid or in trouble. God is a source of strength and help when we need it. Psalms 119:114 reads, “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.” Then Psalms 91:1-2 says, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.’” Today, no matter what you are going through know that the LORD God Almighty is with you—hold on to Him for He is your refuge. Nahum 1:7 reads, “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him…” God Bless. Amen.
Our God is an amazing God. He is with you in times of trouble. He will sustain you when nothing else will. He will guide you in all things, giving you the wisdom you need to get through life’s difficulties. He will forgive you and love you no matter what. He will give you the peace you need and will calm you raging spirit. He is our all in all. “He guards our hearts and minds and leads us into paths of righteousness.” (Psalm 23:3) “He gives us confidence when we’re uncertain and satisfies our longing souls.” (Philippians 1:6) Today, no matter what is going on in your life know that God is there. He is the one sure thing in this thing called life. So, hold onto Him and together you will get through the situation you are in. God Bless. Amen.
Isaiah 41:13 states, “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.” Sometimes in life we just need to hear that! Today, whatever you are going through remember God is there. That God is the one sure thing in your life. He is our lifeline. He is our all in all. For God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He turns our darkest hours into hope and hope does not disappoint us. So, trust, believe, and know that God is bigger than any situation! Now Hold on to Him, He will see you through the situation you are in. And remember this too will pass. God Bless. Amen.
Does it matter what other people think of you? Let’s be honest “YES” it sort of does. Why, because we want others to approve of us—we have wanted this since we were young. So, when someone doesn’t approve of us or doesn’t like us it bothers us. The other side to this is if we are doing the right thing, if we are honest and do all things with integrity and if we truly live the Christian life then we need not worry what others think. All we need to do is answer to God. For the only approval we really need is from God. Galatians 1:10 says, “Am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?” 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us, “Do your best to present yourself to God for his approval; be a worker who is not ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” Proverbs 11:3 reads, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” So, whose approval do you seek? It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that something or someone is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat to our wellbeing. When we are fearful, we tend to react to a situation—instead of responding to the situation at hand. Fear can also stop us in our tracks, keeping us from thinking clearly. When we are in a state of fear it is hard to be reasoned with let alone trying to calm down our fearful spirit. Lamentations 3:57 reads, “You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.” Psalm 34:4 tells us, “I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” Hebrews 13:6 says, “The LORD is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?” Today, if you are struggling with fear go to a safe place, pray (say the Lord’s prayer over and over), read the Bible, listen to Christian music, be still, know that the LORD is God, He is there with you. God gave you coping skills, no matter what life throws your way—even fear. God can and will give you the peace and clarity of mind you need to face the situation at hand. Remember fear that controls or limits your life can rob you of the moment you are in and God’s amazing grace. God’s word offers us solutions to our problems and assurance from a loving God. God Bless. Amen.
What does it mean to judge someone? It means to form an opinion, often a negative one, about a person’s character, actions, or behavior. As you judge the person you evaluate the person and make a decision about their worthiness or faultiness, which can be based on subjective feelings, personal biases, a lack of understanding, or even non-truths. This is what our society has become. All you have to do is listen to people and their bias comes out. How has this happened? Scripture tells us “Judge not and you will not be judged…Take the log out of your own eye before you take the speck out of someone else’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1, 4) Are we no longer afraid of God’s judgment upon us? For we all judge others by the way a person thinks, looks, acts, talks or even eats. I wonder what would happen if we all stopped judging and instead focus on our issues, our flaws, our shortcomings. And worry about how God views us? It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
When you die what do you want others to remember about you? Your good looks. The money you made. Your anger? Your meanness. Your compassion and kindness. Your love of life. Your relationship with God. Your ability to sing. Your ability to paint. The way you write. Your cooking. That you were grumpy. Or what a sweetheart you were. What will you be remembered for? Think about it, what do you want people to remember you by? Because of your words, actions, and behavior people will remember you by something when you are gone. Life is short, how we act and what we do does have an impact on others. “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” (Maximus Declimus Meridius) Romans 14:12-13 reads, “Each of us will give an account of himself to God. Try to live in such a way that you will never make your brother stumble by letting him see you doing something that he thinks is wrong.” Today, take an inventory of how you act and the words you speak maybe you need to reassess how you are acting and the words you are speaking. It is something to think about! God Bless. Amen.
To give thanks means to express gratitude or appreciation, typically for something good or kind that has been done or for someone’s kindness. It can also refer to the act of being grateful or the feeling of thankfulness. The Bible tells us to be thankful in all situations and circumstances. Psalms 107:1 reads, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.” “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5”18) “Give thanks to the God of heaven. For His lovingkindness, graciousness, mercy, compassion endures forever.” (Psalms 106:1) “The LORD is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him.” (Psalm 28:7) Today, let us give thanks to the LORD God Almighty, for He is King of kings and LORD of lords. He is our all in all. Therefore let us rejoice and be glad in it. Praise the LORD! Give thanks! Rejoice! God Bless. Amen.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) Faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. It is a strong belief in God based on the unexplained rather than proof. Our faith is what helps us get through our daily lives, our struggles, and yes, those moments where we know not what to do. So, we can say that our faith does not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:5) Today, whatever it is you are going through rest assured that God is with you giving you hope. For hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen—a feeling of trust. So, trust in the LORD and remember this too with pass. God Bless. Amen.
Prayer is a form of communication with God. A prayer request is asking God for something. It can be as insignificant as asking for a parking place close to the front door or a big as a miracle to heal a loved one. Philippians 4:6 reads, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believer that you have received it, and it will be yours.” 1 John 5:14 tells us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” From these scriptures we find that it doesn’t matter how big or how small the prayer request is—God listens to us and hears our prayers. All we have to do is ask but remember we do not know or understand why all our prayer request are not answered the way we want them to be answered. We just have to trust that God is bigger than the situation we are in. So ask, pray and know that God is listening and trust in the LORD. He will see you through whatever it is you are going through. He hears you. God Bless. Amen.
1Thessalonians 5:15 reads, “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.” Wrong means not correct or true; incorrect—unjust, dishonest, illegal, or immoral. Let me ask you this: If you are wronged, do you become a tit-for-tat kind of person? For example, when driving in your car and you get cut off by a person, do you show them the finger—honk—scream at the person? Or do you just waive and say, “I’m sorry!” How do you handle the situation? Is road rage a part of how you respond? Or you respond with goodness and politeness? Where you kill people with kindness and you do what is right? Maybe we all might need to take inventory on this one. How we respond to frustrating situations! God Bless. Amen.
Have you ever been told, “It is not your problem.” Sometime, in life, we see a loved one or someone close to us who is not making good choices. We see this person has a problem, or an issue and we want to step in and fix it for that person. We reason in our mind that we are helping the other person. That we can change the person for the better. All the while this person has not asked for our help, nor asked for us to fix the problem. See, out of our love we want to help a person get through those difficult times—but we can’t save anyone. Only the person, with God’s help, can save him or herself—not us. Learning to let go and let God is one of the hardest things to learn in life. Because we know what can happen to this person. We know how dangerous drugs are, alcohol is, gambling is, uncontrolled spending, overeating, bad relationship are. Psalm 46:19 reads, “Be still, and know that I am God.” So, we pray and pray. Setting limits and boundaries. All the while letting this person know we are there for them. Sometimes that is all we can do! God Bless. Amen.
What do you need to turn over to God and trust Him to see you through? Trust means the firm belief in the reliability, the truth, the ability, or the strength of someone or something. That said, can you or better yet, will you trust God in this circumstance? Trusting and believing that God is bigger than the situation you are in. Jeremiah 17:7 reads, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD whose confidence is in Him.” Psalm 31:14 says, “But I trust in you, LORD; I say, “You are my God.”” Then Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Trust! Trust in the LORD! He will see you through this situation. God Bless. Amen.
In a time where life has become topsy turvy—where things are confusing and disordered, evil and wrong seem right, and where things seem so upside down. We need to revisit God’s goodness and God in our lives. Goodness is the quality of being morally good or virtuous. It is knowing and understanding right from wrong. It is the firm and persistent resistance of all moral evil and chooses to follow in God’s ways and understanding. For God’s ways are always good The goodness of God refers to His benevolent and positive attributes, encompassing everything He is, does, or will ever do. It includes many things: His love, mercy, justice, grace, forgiveness, and the overall impact He has on all things. God’s goodness comes through God’s actions and character because God is righteous, holy, and benevolent. This implies that God is the ultimate standard of goodness and that all His ways are worthy. God wants us to strive to be good people. So, when someone is rude, respond in kindness. When someone is hateful, respond in love. When someone wants to do wrong, respond in strength and virtue. When someone is mean, respond in forgiveness. When others are following society’s ways, respond in God’s ways. Be a follower of God not society. It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
There are situations in our life that can cause us pain and heartache. These situations can bring the worse out in us. Because when we are in pain, it seems as if we want others to be in pain too. In fact, there are times when we want to scream and shout at the unfairness of life. But that really does not get us anywhere nor solve the problem. As believers in God, we know that God is our source of strength. Even when life gets difficult and hard, we must remember life is life, there are moments of joy that are accented by times of undeniable pain and heartache. What God promises is that He will be with us in all situations and circumstance. Psalm 125:2 reads, “As mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forevermore.” God is our shield and guards us with his providential hand, God does not leave us nor forsake us but guides us in all our ways. When you’re worried you can remember that God is surrounding you on all sides! And that is all we really need to know in life! For life will always get in the way. And for that reason, we must always strive to make the most out of every situation we are in. While holding on to God to see us through! God Bless. Amen.
Does your life feel a little shaky—out of control? Are you worried about something? Maybe fretting about a situation, you are in? Are you fearful of the future and what the future will bring? Sometimes, in life, the darkness of life becomes so overwhelming, you wonder how in the world will I ever get through this situation. But remember it is always the darkest before the light emerges. Soon things will change, soon things will get better for it always does. When life is dark and overwhelming, we need to remember to place our trust in the LORD God Almighty. And realize, that He is with us in all situations and circumstances. He is the one sure thing in this life of uncertainty. Take a deep breath, pray, trust and settle yourself down, place your hope in the LORD. Psalm 33:20-22 tells us, “We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone.” Remember this, when things are getting a little too shaky. God Bless. Amen.
What do you like most about yourself? Not just your looks, but what is inside you. What is it that you offer to others? Are you a kind, caring, loving, generous, gracious person? Are you a person with integrity, honest and trustworthy? Are you a hard-working person who always does their best and never gives up? Or are you self-center, conceited, proud, arrogant or pompous person. Are you dishonest, mean, angry or hateful. Or are you rude and saying mean things about others? How would you describe yourself? Some of these qualities are good, some not so good, and others are just wrong. We choose how we will respond to life. We choose the type of person we will be. So, what type of person are you? Did you know that God is capable of using anyone and everything for His good but what He wants are people with character. He wants His servants to be people of a pure heart and a clean mind. But most importantly God wants us to love Him. “And you shall love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30) If we do this, we learn to love ourself and others as well. We learn to like who we are, as much as what we are. Our journey is learning to love our Lord. Then everything else falls into place. God Bless. Amen.
My prayer for you today, on this day of our LORD is that you find peace—that peace which passes all understanding. May you also find joy—for the joy of the LORD is our strength. May all you meet, see through your actions and your words what a great and wonderful God you serve. May you find time to tell those you love just how important and special they are to you. As the day unfolds try to do at least 6 random acts of kindness. Now as you go forth into the day serve your LORD with gladness. Enjoy, for this is the first day of the rest of your life. Laugh, enjoy, sing and dance. And may peace and understand, compassion and love be a part of every moment of the day! God Bless. Amen.
Have you ever been told to count to 10 before you speak when angry? Anger can be very harmful, not only to you, but toward the other person as well. Anger is a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. It is an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has done you wrong. There is an old Indian tradition that when someone was angry, that person must leave the village. That person goes to a certain tree outside the village. It is called the anger tree. Then the angry person yells, scream, and shout at that one specific tree. They say that the tree becomes stunted in growth, never flourishes as the other trees around it. I think this is what happens to us when someone yells at us. It hurts us. Ecclesiastes 7:9 reads, “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.” Sometimes counting to 10 is the best course of action. God Bless. Amen.
What is something you do not want to happen to you? What is something that you want to avoid? What is something that you dread? Dread is the fear that something bad will happen, dread can also be the desire to avoid something at all costs. For dread is the anticipation of a negative event or a feeling of unease about the future. When you are dreading something, fear sets in, making you feel apprehensive and distressed long before the actual event. Where a person feels and experiences persistent feelings of impending doom. For example, dreading the loss of a loved one. Dread of losing your job, financial problems, or impending divorce. Sometimes we forget God, when we are in this mode. God seems to take a back seat, for we are consumed with impending doom. I believe, when we ask God to take away the thing/s we dread in life—that the peace which passes all understanding transpires. Isaiah 26:3 reads, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” God is there—turn to Him. He will help. He will calm your spirit of dread! God Bless. Amen.
We all want to receive a blessing from our parents. We want our parents’ approval. We want them to acknowledge that we are succeeding in life and are doing well. In the Old Testament Esau said to his father after Jacob stole his blessing he said, “So you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!” Then Esau wept aloud.” (Genesis 27:38) To have a blessing means the act or words of one that blesses someone else. It also shows God’s favor and protection. But sometimes that just doesn’t happen, a parent or our parents do not give us a blessing. Nor acknowledge us. And our need to receive one can get in the way of life. So, we go out of our way to get their approval, but the blessing just doesn’t come. One thing we all need to remember if we cannot get the blessing we want from someone we love, remember God gives us blessings. Psalm 90:17 reads, “Let the favor of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands…” Ephesians 1:3 says, Blessed be the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Then Corinthians 9:8 tells us, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” God loves you and wants you to be the best you can be. He believes in you. Blessed be our LORD and may you feel God’s blessings manifesting in your life on this day. God Bless. Amen.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Let that sink in. There will never be a day like this day. There will be good things that happen, not so good and maybe a little bit of bad. But once this day is gone it can never be repeated—it is gone. So, choose to enjoy it. Make the most out of it. Have fun, laugh, dance and sing at the top of your lungs. And most importantly, give thanks. For it is a day to give thanks and rejoice in the Lord God Almighty. For He is our God there is none like Him. He makes all our days worth living. Psalm 100 reads, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD all the lands! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD is God! It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” Let us give thanks and praise our LORD. And make this day a day to remember. God Bless. Amen.
As people of God, we want what is best not only for ourselves but for everyone. We love because through God we understand the importance of love. 1 Corinthians 13:6-7 reads, “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Sometimes we lose sight of “always persevering.” Persevere means to continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success. Thus, in life as we persevere through life’s difficulties, we learn to trust God to see us through the situation we are in. Today, remember no matter what you are going through God is with you. God loves you and so whatever happens know that God will walk with you, giving you the strength and courage you need. So, hold on to Him. Trust Him for He will get you through—moment by moment—step by step—breath by breath. God Bless. Amen.
James 2:17 reads, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” So here is the question what do your actions reveal about your faith? Action means the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim. So as a believer in God is your aim to show others your belief in God? Or is your aim to demonstrate to God how you feel about Him? Are your daily actions revealing that you are a faithful person, a person of God? Or do your actions only sometimes express your faithfulness in God? Maybe your actions make known that you really do not believe in the LORD God Almighty! Occasionally we need to assess our life, take inventory and maybe just maybe head in a different direction: such as getting a little closer to God! It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
Every night I pray for a list of people—government officials, family, friends, and acquaintances. This is called intercessory prayer—the act of praying to God on behalf of others. It involves lifting up the needs, challenges, and joys of others before God. There are different types of prayer. Intercessory is just one type of prayer. Prayer is how we communicate with God Has anyone ever said to you, “I am praying for yo. u.” It feels good and comforting. We all like to hear that someone is praying for us. Throughout the Bible we find that someone is praying, or we are told to pray. For example in Matthew 6:7a it reads, “And when you pray…” Today, pray for 10 people. Lift them up to God. If you want, you can tell the person you said a prayer for them today. It just might make that person’s day. Remember there is power in prayer. God Bless. Amen.
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17) “Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to You. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. Riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of everything. Power and might are in Your hand, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11-12) “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36) Sometimes, we need to be reminded what a great and awesome God we serve. Praise be to God the creator and sustainer of all live. He is mighty and wonderful. He is our all in all. God Bless. Amen.
When you were young did you ever say, “I’m not playing with you anymore!” “I don’t like you.” “You’re mean.” “I’m going home.” I think we all have. When we didn’t feel appreciated or liked, we left. As an adult, we do not do that. We stick it out. We turn the other check. We buck-up, shake it off, and move on. We adult. We don’t act like a child. Can you imagine, God acting like a child saying, “I don’t like what you are doing. You are mean, rude, hateful, sinning people. I am going back to where I came from. I am done with you.” When we act like a child, when we sin, when we fall short of what God has called us to do and to be, God never stops believing in us. Never does He stop loving us. Never does He quit forgiving us. Our God is all-powerful, almighty, full of love and compassion always and forever. God never gives up on us. Jeremiah 31:3 declares God’s love is everlasting. It states, “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: ’I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with lovingkindness.’” Psalm 136 tells us, “His love endures forever.” So, keep in mind, no matter what you do, how you act, or what you say God’s love is never ending! And if you have wronged someone, or made a mistake, or sinned go to God in prayer. He is there. He is always there. Waiting. He never gives up on us. He loves us! God Bless. Amen.
Life happens. We wake up to a new day. The sun is shining, birds are singing, and joy fills the air. Then something happens, life becomes hard and discouraging, filled with pain and heartache. And we don’t know what to do, where to turn, so we sit down to catch our breath, and we pray. We pray and pray and pray, for when life get hard and we know not what to do, we turn to God, because God is the one sure thing when life is filled with undeniable pain and heartache. Psalms 5:1-2 reads, “Listen to my words, LORD, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.” Today, know that God is with you. He will comfort you and sustain you and He will give you the strength and courage you need. And the hope to carry on. For you are not alone as you face life’s problems. God Bless. Amen.
I was in High School; it was early morning. I was out riding my horse with my dear childhood friend Debbie. We were heading for the prairie to enjoy a morning ride. We rode often together. She taught me about horses and the love of riding. We were heading northeast, and the most glorious sunrise was forming in the sky. We stopped riding and just looked at the pinks, reds, and golds within a bright, breathe taking, star like sunrise, that filled the sky. I had never seen anything so beautiful. I looked at Debbie saying, “That is what I think God would look like.” She said, “Isn’t it amazing!” As we both described what we saw. Watching in wonder and awe. If you were to describe God to another person, what would you tell the person? That our God is amazing, all powerful, all knowing, kind, merciful, compassionate, all loving and forgiving. He is our all in all. Would you say He is King of kings, Lord of lords, mighty and wonderful. Creator of all things. Savior, sustainer, redeemer, exalted, and deliverer of all life. How would you describe the most important part of your life, our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Psalm 147:5 reads, “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Today, let us give thanks and praise God, for He is our God and there is none like Him. God Bless. Amen.
If you could do anything today, what would it be? Would you meet a famous person? Drive a race car? Travel to the moon. Go skydiving? Climb the highest mountain? Would you win the lottery? Get a book you wrote published? Graduate from school? What would you do? Any of these things are possible, but you have to strive to obtain them. Sometimes we want things, and we make a big-to-do about them, yet we go about getting them in the wrong way. Maybe we need to reassess our priorities. For life is not about what we can do or obtain or want. Life is about appreciating and enjoying what we have. For if push came to shove wouldn’t you say our relationships are the most important thing we have? Maybe we need to focus more on putting God first, then family and friends, then self. Philippians 4:11-13 reads, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether will fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
Shame is a horrible thing to carry around with you. To have shame means a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. Who hasn’t done something foolish or wrong? Thus, shame emerges. Shame can cause us to get stuck in life because we feel so bad, so embarrassed, that we think we do not deserve to be forgiven. Thus, we carry our shame with us. That burden no one needs to carry. Yet we do. The hardest person to forgive is your SELF! God forgives you. PERIOD!!!! The journey we need to take is to learn how to forgive ourselves. We all make mistakes. We all do dumb things. We all sin. That does not mean we are a bad person, it means we are human. Today, hear these words, “God loves you. God believes in you. God forgives you. God will never give up on you.” Now focus on those words. Chant them over and over again. As you do this you will reprogram your thinking and soon you will get rid of the shame and come to realize just how special you are. Luke 12:7 reads, “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than the sparrows.” Believe it. God Bless. Amen.
At times, we get so worried about someone we love, we want to save them. We would do anything to save them, but they have no desire to be saved. We plea, beg and bargain with them but to no avail. We get frustrated with them because they do not understand nor see the journey they are taking and just how hard and dangerous it can be. So, in our humanness we pray for them, begging God for help. As people of God, we know life is filled with troubles and tribulations. And we know that sometimes all we can do is pray. So, we pray for those we are concerned about. Hoping and praying that this person will see the light. Romans 8:26-27 reads, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he searches the hearts of men and knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Today, whatever you are going through know and remember God is listening, God is there, and with God there is hope. So, continue to pray, for there is power in prayer. God Bless. Amen.
If you had $2,000,000, what would you do with it? Buy a house, a new car, clothes, jewelry, and a boat? Would you travel? Would you save a million to live on? How would you send your money—remember you have to pay taxes on the money so you will have to set some money aside for taxes. Do you think this money would solve all your problems? It might help for a little while. But after you have bought everything you wanted, your problems will still be there. Money is fine and dandy, but it does not solve your problems. No matter if you are young or old, male or female, intelligent or not, rich or poor money does not solve your problems! We think it might, but it doesn’t. People are people, problems are problems. In life you have to learn to deal with your problems. Sure, money can help, but life is filled with bad times, accented by times of joy and laughter. Life is life. How you choose to handle life’s difficulties is the key and with God on your side, He will help you can get through any situation you are in. You just have to turn to God for the strength and courage you need. Deuteronomy 31:6 tells us, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” It is something to remember when dealing with life! God Bless. Amen.
We all sin and fall short of God’s Glory. We all have reoccurring sins. For me it is cussing. For someone else it is gossiping. For another it is pride. Some people horde, others are slothful. Some are envious, others will not forgive which turns into pride. While others lust, or are greedy, or envy what another person has. We all have sins that we seem to cling to. We know we should give them up, but we don’t. People continue to sin for a variety of reasons, including the inherent human tendency towards sin. We are pleasure seeking creatures who have a tendency to think only of ourselves, thus throwing ourselves into sin. Sin can also occur from the lack of consideration for the consequences of our actions. 1 John 3:6 says, “No one who abides in him (referring to our Lord) keeps on sinning, no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.” Ouch! Is this true? James 4:17 tells us, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” Sin, separates us from God! So back to my question. Why do we keep doing reoccurring sin? It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
Ever since I was young this scripture has meant a lot to me. It comes from Philippians 4:8-10, it says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” To me this scripture is about how we are to live out our lives—how to act—how to speak to one another—how to be. Today, take an inventory of how you are acting and treating others. Do you need to change some things? Do you need to forgive and let go and let God? It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
I remember as a child my father would say, “If you hang around bad people, that is how others will look at you.” I said, “But I am not doing anything wrong!” My dad said, “You are guilty by association.” I said, “That is not fair!” My father’s words are true. 1 Corinthians 15:33 read, “Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character.” In life we have to make choices. The choices we make reflect what we do, say, or how we act, even whom we hang around with. When you do something wrong or hang around those who do what is wrong, people think that is who and what you are. You get a shady reputation. Today, think about what you are doing, is that the image you want to convey to others? Are you acting like a person of God? Are the words you speak Godly words? Are your actions something God would do? Are your thoughts Godly? It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
We forgive others because, we, as Christian are told to forgive as our Lord forgives us. We forgive because the Bible tells us that we are not supposed to go to sleep without forgiving the other person. We forgive others for our own well-being, which promotes healing and peace of mind. Forgiveness can and does release emotional burdens and leads to healthier relationships. For when you forgive someone, you forgive yourself for holding that grudge. For bearing a grudge against someone who has hurt you is not just about what they have done to you. Forgiveness gets you out of being a victim and doing what God has called you to do and to be. Because forgiveness frees you to take back your power. You are no longer the victim. You are following God’s way. You are able you move on in a positive way, no longer a victim of life’s circumstances. Mark 11:25 says, “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Matthew 18:21-22 tells us, “Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” As Christian, people who walk in faith, brothers and sisters of our Lord, let us live by the words of our Lord and Savior let us forgive one another. Not just some, but all. God Bless. Amen.
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD. Serve the LORD with gladness. Enter His gates with thanksgiving. Give thanks to the LORD for He is good. Praise Him in all that you do and continually put your hope in our LORD. For there is none like our God and in Him let us put our trust! For our God is King of kings and LORD of lords mighty and wonderful is our Lord. Therefore, let us rejoice for this is the day that the LORD has made. Let us praise the LORD and give thanks. Remember this is the first day of the rest of your life use it for good and not bad, do all things with an open heart and give God the glory. Praise the LORD. God Bless. Amen.
Titus 3:4-7 says, “but when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared; he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” God loves us unconditionally always and forever. We do nothing to receive God’s love, His grace, His mercy. When we sin, we confess our sins and are forgiven, always. God loves us so much He gave up his only begotten son. There is no greater gift than this. Sometimes we forget what God has done for us. Today, remember whom you belong to and who loves you unconditionally. God! God loves you and pours out His mercy upon you every moment of every day. Remember love does not come with conditions, rules, stipulations, agendas, or codes—it is not forced nor is it prevented. Love is freely given. You are loved! God loves you! God Bless. Amen.
During our struggles and tough times in life, we can learn from the situation and grow from it or we can let the situation destroy us. Here is something to think about our past creates who we are today—the good, the bad, or the sideways parts of life. And don’t you like and love who you are today? Remember in all situations and circumstance God can use hard and difficult times to glorify His name. Life is life. Learning to trust God is the key. Trust is the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. God is our all in all. I believe, it is only through God’s help that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, that we can keep putting one step in front of the other. That we can continue to take the next breath and the next. Romans 8:28 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.” It is something for us to remember. Let go and trust God! God Bless. Amen.
Easter Sunday American Idol paid tributed to our Lord and Savior through singing Christian music. Singer after singer, song after song was devoted to how God touched their lives. Luke Bryan’s song was about when his children were younger, he told them about Jesus and now he tells Jesus about his children, touched hearts across TV land. At the end of the show Carrie Underwood sang “How Great Thy Art” And God’s power reigned down. It was so inspirational, so heartfelt, and had such an overwhelming feeling of God, that goosebumps occurred, praising God was on everyone’s lips and tears flowed. Today and throughout the day let us acknowledge God. Let us praise God and give thanks. Let us remember what a wonderful and mighty God we serve and how great our God is. “Oh Lord, my God, when I, in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, how great Thou art, how great Thou art, then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, how great Thou art, how great Thou art.” God Bless. Amen.
Tragedies have come and gone since the beginning of time. Joy and happiness occur daily. Life happens and if we do not seize the day, we will wake up one day and our life will have passed us by. We each, have to be intentional about making the most of each day and to give God the glory. Scripture tells us “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23) Sometimes, we just need to remember, this too will pass. God Bless. Amen.
Deuteronomy 30:20a reads, “…and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life…” Here is my question for you today, “Is the LORD your life?” When the LORD is your life, His life is your life, your life dwells within Him. You are aware of Him in all situations and circumstances. You serve and represent Him in all that you do. So, do you put God first? Second? Third? Or you don’t even think about Him except on Sundays, or is it Easter and Christmas only? Is the Lord your life? What does it mean for the LORD to be your life? It means spending time alone with God daily, through prayer, meditation, reading His word, listening to Christian music, being still and listening to that still small voice. It is making God a part of your everyday life. Maybe having the LORD your life is something we need to focus on more! It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
My prayer for you today is that you find happiness in each moment of the day. That you also have peace, even in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. May you experience many blessings throughout the day. May there be forgiveness of your SELF, but also of others as well. May you extend kindness in all that you do, sprinkled with acts of love. Remember you are a beloved child of God created in His image so act accordingly. Now go forth into this day, make the most of it—for the joy of the LORD is your strength. God Bless. Amen.
When you call upon the Lord, you are seeking God’s presence and guidance through prayer and worship. It consists of trusting in God and seeking His help, often in times of need or trouble. It can also mean letting go of something and trusting God to see you through. “O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.” (Psalms 30:2) “I will call on the LORD, who is worthy of my praise and he saved me from my enemies.” (Psalm 18”31) “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.” (Psalm 62:2) Sometimes, we just need to focus on God to get us through a tough situation. Sometimes, prayer and worship are all we can do. Sometimes letting go and trusting God is our course of action. Today, may God guide all your steps and give you strength and hope. God Bless. Amen.
What is one thing that you want to do? What is one thing that you want to accomplish? What is one thing you want to happen in your life? Now are these wants achievable or are these wants unachievable? For some of things we want, it will probably never happen, such as winning a million dollars. I want you to think about something though, to say something is achievable or not is for the person who wants something, it is their choice, their desire! My father used to say, “You can do anything you set your mind to you just have to first try.” Then he would say, “I believe in you. You can do this.” Great words! Today, whatever it is that you need to do, accomplish, or have happen in your life remember, “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) God is with you. You can do it. You got this. Believe. God Bless. Amen.
The wind blows, but you cannot see it, except as the trees sway back and forth or the movement of the leaves dancing to and fro! You breathe, but you cannot see the air, yet the very breath you breathe gives you life! Your heart beats between 60 to 100 times a minute, but you are not aware of every beat it beats. While your heart beats it pumps blood throughout the body, delivering oxygen and nutrients while removing waste products. Sometimes we cannot see something, yet we know that it is there. That is how God is. We cannot see God, but God is there! God is always there. Joshua 1:8b reads, “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you…” Today whatever you are going through remember GOD IS WITH YOU—Always. He will help you! He will sustain you, even if you do not see Him or feel Him! God Bless. Amen.
“I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalms 16:8) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5) “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) “Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD God is an everlasting rock.” (Isaiah 26:4) “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jeremiah 33:3) Scripture's tell us how our God is with us in all situations and circumstances all we have to do is turn to Him—then trust our LORD to see us through. Sometimes we just need to be reminded of this. God Bless. Amen.
What do you want? What do you wish you could achieve? What is one thing that you dream of? You know the dreams of a child who believes so hard that it will come true, the magical hoping and wishing? Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Maybe you need to take that hope—that dream—that you wished for as a child, with an unchallengeable belief that it truly is possible to God. Sometimes we need to step out of what we think can and will happen and learn to trust God with an absurd faith—believing that no matter what transpires God is with you and will see you through. Genesis 18:14a reads, “Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” Jeremiah 32:17 says, “Ah LORD GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.” Sometimes we just need to let go, trust God, and let God work. It is something to think about! God Bless. Amen.
“May the LORD Mighty God bless and keep you forever. Grant you peace, perfect peace, courage in every endeavor. Lift up your eyes and see His Face and His grace forever. May the LORD Mighty God bless and keep you forever.” When I was in my 20’s this was the last song, we would sing each Sunday before church let out. It is a beautiful song and words we need to remember daily. So, on this special day of the Lord, may God bless you and keep you; may His grace shine upon you. May this day give you courage and peace and may the joy of the Lord be your strength. God Bless. Amen.
All of us get tired and weary of what is going on in our lives. You want to say, “Could I just have a break, please. I am tired, oh so tired.” You go through the motions of life, and you try to stay positive, but good gravy it is hard to do at times. So, you keep putting one foot in front of the other hoping and hoping that things will smooth out. Then out of desperation you pray and pray and pray. Not really knowing what you are praying for but all you know is that maybe just maybe God can and will give you the strength, courage and willingness to keep going. Isaiah 40:31 tells us, “…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Then Matthew 11:28-30 reminds us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Sometimes we forget that no matter what is going on in our life, God is there. God will see you through all situations and circumstances. He will give you strength when you are weary, hope when you are desperate, wisdom when folly and foolishness is all around you, and peace when life is chaotic. So, trust in the Lord. It will work out and remember this too will pass. For God is our strength! God Bless. Amen.
We are all works in progress. We must remember that we are always evolving, no matter what our age. Every day if we want, we can learn something new and hopefully with age we gain experience. I remember when I was young my parents would say, “Respect your elders.” It was ingrained into my being. Sure, at any age there are people who are wise beyond their years and vice versa! But usually wisdom comes with experience and age. Job 12:12 reads, “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Sometimes we need to listen, research, find out the facts before we speak. For wisdom is the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement and understanding. Ephesians 5:15-17 tells us, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the LORD is.” Wisdom is the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement, the quality of being wise. Wisdom involves not just knowing facts but also applying that knowledge practically and ethically. Wisdom is something we all need to strive for! God Bless. Amen.
They say to forgive is divine and if you are in conflict with someone forgive that person and you are on the road to internal peace. However, forgiveness can be very hard to do, especially because of the injustices that have been done to you. To forgive means to cease holding resentment or anger towards someone who has wronged you, and to release yourself from the burden of those negative emotions. Forgiveness involves making a conscious choice to release feeling of anger, bitterness, and the desire for revenge. Forgiveness does not mean condoning or excusing the actions that caused harm, but rather choosing to move on without being controlled by those feelings. Scripture even tells us, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew6:14-15) So here is the question if we know this is true why don’t we forgive others the wrongs they have inflicted upon us? It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
What is one good thing you did yesterday? Did you help a person in need? Did you visit someone who was sick, or someone in the hospital, or a person in prison? Did you open a door for a stranger, pay someone’s toll, or buy someone coffee who is behind you in the drive through. Or did you give your waiter an extra tip? What is one good thing you did yesterday? Now think about one bad thing you did yesterday. Did you talk trash about someone, or take your frustrations out on someone, or cut someone off while you were driving. Did you flip someone off, or think ill-will of someone? Did you make fun of someone, or bully your neighbor, or did you kick your dog? What is one bad thing you did yesterday? Today, try to be a better person than you were yesterday. Put others before your needs. Put God first, family and friends second, and yourself third. Philippians 2:3-4 reads, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Do not look to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of others.” It is something to try! You just might have a better day than you did yesterday! God Bless. Amen.