You Complete Me

Remember the movie Jerry McGuire.  I know most people who think of this movie think of the phrase...'Show me the money!'  The phrase that comes to my mind is...'You complete me.'  I recall so many people, both men and women saying that to their significant other after this movie came out.  I always had a problem with it.  My question was always, "How can two incomplete people complete each other?"  As I look back over my life I recall the times I was looking for someone or something to complete me.  What I learned is that He was there all the time. 

Who am I talking about?  I am talking about Jesus.  Until you truly develop a personal relationship with the Lord you will continue to be incomplete.  I am not talking about a surface relationship. One that only comes out on Sunday morning when you attend church.  But one where He becomes your everything.  My Pastor did a seminar about relationships in which he talked about being single and searching.  You know how we do looking for that person, whether it be a friend or your significant other, to provide you with happiness.  Feeling like you have a void in your life that can only be filled my a man or a woman.  I have been there.  But I learned quickly that when we look to others as the soul source of our happiness we are usually more unhappy than happy because people will let you down.  God can provide for us something much better than happiness.  What is that you ask?  JOY!!!!  Joy is something that even when the world is crashing in all around you, you can still have that confidence that everything is going to be okay because your faith is in God.  This is one of the reasons we are able to stand in the midst of suffering and persecution because God gives us strength to make it through.  Think about Jesus.  Remember what the writer of Hebrews said in Chapter 12...'Who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame. (v2b)  You see, Jesus realized that all this was just temporary.  He had developed the relationship with His Father that resulted in strength to complete His task.  It resulted in joy for His journey. 

I remember sitting in my bedroom after going through my storm and being alone again after something that I thought was supposed to be forever.  I sat there and realized that my hands were not entirely clean in the situation.  I had been looking for someone to make me whole.  They had become the one I looked at to make things right.  That was a mistake.  I realized at the time I had lost who I was.  I recognized that God was right there waiting for me to reach out to Him to satisfy the longing that was in my heart.  And after all that, I was able to rejoice in the true joy of my salvation.  This joy that let me know that through it all I could depend on Him for everything.  When I was lonely.  When people mistreated me and left me to suffer all alone.  When my bank account read zero and sometimes negative.  I had to learn to let the Lord make up the extra, so that I could be whole. 

I know that this is sometimes a difficult thing to do. After all,  it's easier to depend on those we can see everyday.  But when you develop that personal relationship with God, I can testify that you can see Him.  Maybe not in the physical sense that we are used to but you can certainly see Him working in your circumstances.  When you find yourself searching for someone to complete you, remember that it is only God who can make you whole. 

Dear Lord,

Thank you for being there for me in everything even when I didn't see it.  Sometimes I get distracted and start looking to those around me to meet the needs I know that only you can supply.  Help me to come to your first and to pull from your strength when I am weak.  I know that your strength is perfected in my weakness.  I am so grateful to have you as my personal Lord and Saviour.  Lord, you and only you complete me.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen. 

True Love

I have decided that the only way you can truly love someone is with God's help.  I have also discovered that people need you to love them the most when they have done wrong.  I have a picture frame in my house with I Corinthians 13 written on it.  This is another one of those verses that we all know and can probably recite from memory.  But do we really know what it means?  My focus today isn't on the entire thirteen verses, (although I suggest that you read the entire chapter), but just one. Verse 7...'Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres'. 

It is easy to love someone when they are doing everything that you ask them to do, when they agree with everything that you say.  But what about when they mistreat you, lie on you, cheat on you, break your heart, disappoint you, hurt your feelings, are mean to you...should I go on?  When these circumstances occur, showing love is not so easy.  That is because we have been taught that love is all about how we feel on the inside.  Loving someone is about what we receive from someone.  I don't believe that is the type of love these verses talk about.  I believe that they type of love Paul talked about in these verses was a love you give not a love you receive.  I have heard countless people use this verse as guidelines for the scorecard they keep for their friend or their significant other. It's funny to me that we believe someone loves us if they show love that does all these things but we fail to give the same type of love in return.  Now most of y'all reading this know that I am about self-improvement.  That means it's time to throw the scorecard away.  Yes, I said it...throw the scorecard away.  Instead let's do a self-test.  Where would you rate yourself on the type of love you give away?  Is it the type of love that imitates these four characteristics? When I did  my own self-test I came to the conclusion that I am shaky at best.  What about you?

How do we get to the point that we love someone unconditionally? The type of love that God demonstrated for us...'in that while we were yet sinners, He died for us'.  What about the mere fact that 'He so loved us that He gave...' ?  The kind of love that keeps on loving me even now when I continue to sin.  I have come to the conclusion that we can do anything with God's help.  This includes loving the unlovable.  Now I am not saying allowing someone to walk all over you.  I will stand by my statement that God wants what is best for His children.  What I do mean by this is that even when someone mistreats us, don't treat them wrong.  Love never changes. We continue to love them as Christ would love them.  After all, love is about sacrifice.  The type of love that Paul talked about in this chapter is 'agape'.  It is the kind of love that produces the ultimate act of giving up one's own good for the good of someone else.  Do you realize the kind of witness you would be to someone else when you continue to love in spite of what they did or didn't do or how they acted?  What a true testament to the power of God working in your life! As children of God we should be striving daily to be all that God wants us to be.  This should be evident not only in our private lives but in the lives others see everyday.

Dear Lord,

In the past loving someone through everything has not been the easiest thing for me.  When I love hard and when I am hurt I tend to close that love off instead of showing your love to others no matter what.  I want to have a selfless kind of love, one that doesn't depend on anyone else but one that is a direct result of the love you have given me and the change you have made in my life.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen. 

More Than Words

It is so funny how I make plans to talk about something and God moves me in a completely different direction.  I was studying the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit and how much better your life is with it than without it.  I was all set to start writing when I cam across the first few verses of Isaiah 58. (Please take a moment to read the entire chapter.)  I hated to admit that these verses might be describing me.  Every day I am praying, seeking God, thanking Him for what is has done and thanking Him also for what He is going to do.  Somewhere between my morning prayers and my evening prayers, life happens.  And the events of that day I have to say are not always very becoming of a child of God.  This silliest thing about all this is that I act as if God doesn't see it all.  Here I am fussing and complaining because He hasn't answered my prayer. Wondering where is my pat on the back for praying and studying His Word everyday.  I started laughing after reading this because I believe God had to be laughing at me. 

I have been on a personal mission for some time now to get to know God better.  To develop a deeper, more meaningful relationship.  To live my life so that in all things God is glorified.  I am growing, but there are days that it seems none of my prayers are being answered.  I'm saying the right words in my prayers but my heart is full of bitterness and strife. My prayers have become more of a ritual.  It's like the prayers we teach our children to recite at dinner and bedtime.  I am at church every Sunday but my praise is not for real.  After all, I didn't have the best night or morning at home.  But I knew that I had to go to church.  After all, it was Sunday!  As I was reading these verses, I realized that it is never about the ritual or the tradition or the religious practice.  God wants us to be sincere.  He wants honesty.  He wants us to show true compassion for our brother and our sister.  It's not about asking Him for the things listed above and then going about our day as if God doesn't live in our hearts.  Participating in Bible study and a few minutes later fighting with your spouse.  The phone rings and you are on the phone gossiping about your sister.  For that matter, you're doing it while sitting in church, talking about what the person next to you is wearing.  We have some nerve.  But that doesn't stop us from filling up God's request line.  Gimme, gimme, gimme. 

Now I'm not saying that a deeper, more meaningful relationship is not necessary.  We should all desire to have one and God is more than willing to give it to us.  What I am saying is that cannot and should not turn on and off our Christianity.  Our worship and praise should not be as unto man.  As God is working in you, transforming you, your life should reflect that change.  I'm sure none of us have a problem saying the right thing.  However, I am here to tell you that God is more concerned with our actions.  If you really want God to show up in your life than let your words and actions become one.  Let God be your guide.  There is so much He wants to do in your life.  He wants you to listen to Him and let Him be your guide.  He is always there to guide you (v.11)   He has everything that you need. 

Dear Lord, 

I am a little bruised right now because of what I just read in your Word.  It caused me to do a self-evaluation and I realize that my heart has not always been sincere.  I have ignored your direction and the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  I know that I have the power within me to make good choices and live a life that is pleasing in Your sight.  I confess that I have not always done that.  I'm not making excuses. I just want to say that I'm sorry.  Now that I know, I want to do better.  I know that I can with your help.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.

Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah!

Reflection is definitely good for the soul.  I was just sitting here today and thinking about decisions I have made in my life.  Sad to say, not many of them were led by the Holy Spirit.  Most of the time I made the decision and then when it didn't go as planned I asked God to straighten out my mess.  And because the Lord is faithful to His Word, He did just that.  But now I am trying to do things a little smarter and that means following the direction of the Holy Spirit and waiting to hear what He has to say before I make a move. 


Psalms 143:10 says, 'Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; let your good Spirit lead me into a level country and into the land of uprightness'.

Psalms 25:5 says, 'Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long'. 

Isaiah 58:11 says, ' The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail'.

Not once, not twice, but three times we see what the results can be if we simply consult Him for guidance and there are many other verses in the Bible on the same subject.  I encourage you to take some time this week and see what else the Bible has to say on this.  I know the reason I usually move ahead with my plans instead of waiting on God.  Patience.  My nature is such that I want what I want when I want it.  Ask my husband and my children.  If someone is taking too long, I usually just do it myself.  Then I become upset because they didn't do it fast enough. (I'm working on that...especially since God keeps tapping me on the wrist about it.)  Needless to say, I now see how many obstacles I could have avoided if I had just waited patiently.  Instead what do I do, I go talk to someone else about it and then when they give me their advice, I tell myself that God was speaking through them and I move ahead.  Before you start to argue with me, let me say that yes, that does happen sometimes.  God does use people to show us things.  But sometimes we don't know for sure and we run with it.  At least I do.  Should I take this job? Is this the right time for me to go back school?  Lord, I'm picking up some warning signs, should I continue to date this man or this woman?  The preacher made me mad so I'm not going to that church anymore.  I'm just going to move over here. 

We have to make decisions everyday.  I believe that if we develop a lifestyle of prayer and remain in communion with God all day then we come to recognize His voice and He then guides us into all truth.  I also believe that the Word is here to guide us.  I have prayed about something before and wasn't sure of the answer but when I opened up His Word, what I read was as clear as the nose on my face.  He also left us His Holy Spirit, who urges us daily on what direction to go.  It's not that we don't have what we need.  It's more a matter of being in tune and listening.  God is always there...are you listening?

Dear Lord, 

I have been praying for a while about what to do about this situation.  (Be specific)  As of today, I still don't know what to do.  But I am going to wait on you.  I don't want to find myself in a situation of my own design. I need your guidance.  Hear my prayer, O Lord.   In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray. Amen.

Share the Load

My heart is heavy right now, not because of anything that I am going through but for my brothers and sisters around me who are in there very own storm right now.  It is very easy to become so consumed with what is going on in our own life that we fail to take a moment and look around us and see the pain the person sitting right next to us is going through.  Heaven forbid, we fail to see what someone is going through in our very own home.  I sat in choir rehearsal and listened to prayer request after prayer request and silently began to pray in my spirit.  You just never know what someone is going through.  What amazed me even more is that these individuals were still at choir rehearsal singing praises to God.  That in itself was a testimony to who God is, in and of itself.

As I drove home Galatians 6:2 kept playing in my mind.  "Carry each other's burdens, and in this very way you will fulfill the law of Christ."  The word “burden” in this verse can refer to failures, temptations, testings, trials, sorrows or suffering, as well as work loads.  I can only imagine that if everyone in the choir stand had an opportunity to talk we would have been overloaded.  Family members sick with cancer, children at war in a foreign country, skin diseases, bleeding on the brain, hearing problems, children moving out on their own, diabetes, death, personal storms and struggles.  It was just too much for me.  But as I continued to drive home, my mind begin to settle.  A peace came over my spirit.  I begin to meditate on God's Word.  You see, because even though it may have been too much for me, it wasn't close to being too much for the God we serve.  That is why every one of the individuals who uttered prayer request were still there singing.  Because they believe in the God that they were singing about.  And even more than that they knew that there were other saints of God in that choir stand who believe in Him too and when they opened their mouths to share the burden they were carrying that those saints would take the time to pray for  them. 

That is what it is about y'all.  We all need someone.  Yes, we serve a mighty God and He can handle anything.  But I believe that there are some angels here on earth.  They hear a need and they begin to pray. Some of them don't need to hear about the need, they see the need.  They don't just pray once but several times.  They have seen God deliver and make a way out of no way.  It's not even that everything is fine at their own homes but something in their spirit says PRAY.  It made me think about when my entire world was crumbling underneath me and the weight was too heavy to bear.  I just wanted to give up and for a brief moment I almost did.  I remember waking up from about an hour of sleep feeling strange.  It wasn't a bad feeling.  I felt like the weight had shifted.  When I look back on that day I believe that some prayer warriors had asked God to let them carry my load just to give me a little more strength and each day that load got lighter and my strength increased a little bit more.  Maybe that's why my heart was heavy driving home because I could relate.  No matter what you may be going through right now, there is someone whose situation may be even worse.  So take the time to show compassion, empathize and more importantly pray.  By doing this you fulfill the law of Christ...which is to love.

Dear Lord,

It's not me standing in the need of prayer right now but it's my sister (my brother).  They are in need.  The situation is not one that I can do anything physically to change but I can pray.  Lord, I know that you are able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all I could ever ask or imagine.  I know that you were wounded for our transgression and bruised for our iniquity; the chastisement of our peace was upon you and with your stripes we are healed.  I don't know what your plan is for my sister's (brother's) life, but I do know that you are able to provide a peace that surpasses all understanding.  I know that you can give joy in the very midst of their suffering.  So that is what I am asking right now...for a calm in the midst of the storm.  I know that You can.  I believe that You will.  In Your most wonderful name I pray  Amen. 

Search My Heart

No matter how much it may appear that I am growing spiritually, I am not foolish enough to every think that I am completely where I need to be.  There is a prayer that I pray that I want to share with you today. I have said once before that most of my prayers are taken directly from the scriptures and this one is no different.  It is found in the 139th chapter of Psalms, verses 23-24. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  This is a very serious prayer.  It is not a prayer that you pray if you are not ready for God to go to work.  I do believe, however, that it is a prayer that all Christians should pray and not just once but regularly. 

I don't know much about operations other than what I see on television.  One thing that I have learned is that many people have operations to remove something that is hindering a particular organ from operating properly.  Over a period of time there is gunk that has built up that has caused the organs dysfunction.  This is especially bad for the heart.  Medically speaking, the human heart has four chambers, two superior atria and two inferior ventricles. The atria are the receiving chambers and the ventricles are the discharging chambers. The right ventricle discharges into the lungs to oxygenate the blood. The left ventricle discharges its blood toward the rest of the body via the aorta. (I know...you did not come here for a science lesson.)  But I told you this to make a point.  As hard as we try to watch what we take in, we are not always going to receive what is good for us.  Every now and then a little gossip slips in, a little vulgarity slips in, some sexual immorality, a little bitterness, some strife...and on and on and on.  Now if all these things are received through are atria, then what are we discharging out through our ventricles?  That is why God must perform a divine operation.  He must rid us of all these things that are not good for us.  That is why in Proverbs 4:23 we are told to 'guard our heart with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life'.  You can't afford to take any chances.  Think about the damage a bad heart can do to your witness for the Lord.

Now for me, this prayer is sometimes a scary thing.  Especially when I am seemingly on the right track. Listen to what David said.  He asked the Lord to search his heart but then also to try him and test him and even examine his thoughts.  I don't know about you, but on some days my actions are fine but my thoughts are far from Godly.  That's real talk ya'll.  I may not say it out loud but I would hate for that person who did me wrong to hear what I am thinking in my head.  That is why I must pray.  Because when I would do good, evil is always present.  I must give it all to God and let him take it out of me. By any means necessary.  And as I said before this isn't a prayer I can only pray once. I must continuously pray this prayer.  Remember it is about growth, my brother and my sister.  When we are witnessing for Him, people can see through the facade and we want our ministry to be effective.  It must be sincere and true and from the heart. 

My challenge today is simple.  Will you pray this prayer with me?

Dear Lord,

My prayer today is simple. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.

The Power of God

No matter where I am if given the opportunity, I love to talk about the goodness of the Lord. In fact, I pray that God give me opportunities daily to be a witness for Him.  It's just like Paul said in Romans 1:16, 'For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Truth be told, it is all I know.  In fact, every believer should know about the good news. What good news am I talking about?  That Jesus died, was buried and rose again!  Why is that good news?  Because the belief in that good news gives us the right to salvation. Before these things happened there was only the law.  I don't know about you but I couldn't trust myself to keep the law all the time.  After thirty-six years I have become very familiar with my own sinful nature.  It was definitely going to take something or someone greater than myself to change me power to save me and I wanted to be changed. 

They say the definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over again and achieving the same results.  Now you may be thinking, what foolish person would do that?  My response to you would be, both you and I.  I am not even talking about before I was saved. I'm talking about since I have been saved.  How many times have I had to repeat the same lesson over and over again because I refused to die to self so that I might live the life that God purposed for me? Too many times to count.  And there I was stuck in my ways.  Instead of being slow to anger...I continued to be quick.  Instead of forgiving...my heart became hardened.  Instead of listening to the urgings of the Holy Spirit... I turned a deaf ear.  Insanity!!! And only the power of the blood could wash away my sins and help me change my behavior.  That same power that would help me fight that old sinful nature that kept trying to creep in every day at different points in time.  That same power could soften my heart and open my deaf ears.  That same power helped me to see the good in everyone.  That same power helps me to pray for my enemies.  I can take no credit. All these things come from the God who lives inside of me.  All because I believed in the good news.  There are many authors out there who acknowledge that Jesus lived and many more who acknowledge that He lived and He died. There are just as many who fail to acknowledge that He rose again.  Now this same power that has changed my life is available to change theirs but they must believe.  They must confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, then they can be saved. 

Most of our lives will be spent searching for something.  Most of us, if we are honest with ourselves, are looking for security.  Unfortunately, many of us will never find it because we are looking for it here on earth in our job, in our spouse, in our home, in our bank account.  The believer's sense of security is eternal.  So while you are here on earth, spend your time wisely.  Not storing up earthly treasures where moth and rust destroy, but store up treasures in heaven.  To do that change is necessary.  First you have to admit that you cannot change yourself.  Only God can bring about the type of change necessary to do the work that He has for you as His child.  Submit to Him.  And when you do, stand boldly and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.  It is definitely news worth sharing!


Dear Lord,

I want to start by declaring that I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation.  I finally get it. I can change but only with your help.  I don't have to continue with the same behaviors.  The power that you possess is able to change even my old stubborn ways. I admit that I have been looking for security in all the wrong places when I should have been more concerned with kingdom business.  Lord, wherever I go, I want to be a witness for you.  I want people to see the difference you have made in my life.  Not for self-edification but so that you can my glorified.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray.  Amen.

Grace

Today I was reminded of a very simple fact....'all have sinned and come short of the glory of God'.  If it had not been for the grace of God where would I be.  Grace used to be a very confusing concept for me.  It is not that I didn't know what it meant. Grace is God's unmerited, unearned favor.  The confusing part for me was how could God just give me grace.  It seemed more logical that grace should be something that one has to earn.  In fact I remember a time when I tried to earn God's grace by what I did. But that is when I had to step aside and put on my divine thinking cap and meditate on who God is.  If grace could only be earned by what I did then what would happen when I decided to stop doing those works.  What would happen when my old sinful nature crept in and I did something that was not very becoming of a child of God.  Would God then stop providing grace to me?  That is when things finally clicked.  I figured out that we are saved by grace through faith, not as a result of works, but "to" works.  Good works should be a result of our salvation. 

God did not save me just for me to sit over in my little corner of the world and not be a witness for Him. That is why I write. It is never about me. It is always about the God in me. I am but a filthy rag, so full of sin I disgust myself. But one day I heard about a man named Jesus. He touched me to my soul and I made the decision to accept Him as my personal Lord and Saviour. At that moment sin did not just up and leave my body. However, it was at that moment I had options. Before Christ, I was condemned to die a horrible death. I had no one to help me through my problems. That is why I serve Him. Really....do you have any idea where your life would be without God. I hate to even think about it. Yet there are some of us who brag and boast as if it is all about us. I like the way John MacArthur put it when he said that 'human achievement has no place in the divine working of God's saving grace'. We are who we are because God SO loved us.  Grace is God's provision. That provision should take us to our place of purpose in preparation to meet our Saviour face to face.  This gift of grace is better than any gift you will ever receive.  It's better than any gift of money, diamond ring or fancy car.  All those things will fade away. 

Every day I take a good look in the mirror and I ask myself do I like what I see?  I'm not talking about my outward appearance.  It is about more than that.  It is time out for playing church and just talking the talk.  We say all the time...if He never does anything else, He's already done enough.  That statement is more true than you think.  When God saved us and gave us the gift of grace, He did so much. He didn't hand us a checklist and say once you have completed these things then I will save you.  He just did it.  We shouldn't let a day go by that we don't thank God for saving us.  God stooped down for us and yet we sit down on Him.  It's time out for that. God wants to take us to a level of usability.  He did His part when He sent His Son.  Now will you do yours?  There is no excuse. 

Dear Lord,

Thank you for your grace.  I especially thank you because you designed it so that I don't have to earn it. You gave it to me as a gift.  I confess that I have taken my gift for granted and even had the nerve to talk about how good of a person I am.  I know now that it is not I but the Christ who lives in me.  My life has not always been a reflection of the change you have made in my life, the fact that your blood washed away my sins.  But no more.  Lord for the rest of my life, I'm going to serve you in everything that I do.  Never again do I want to take my gift for granted.  I am so grateful for your gift of grace.  Help me to be the person you want me to be of service for You. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen. 

Are You My Friend?

I have learned over the years that I have no better friend than Jesus.  This doesn't mean that I don't have some great friends because I do but when it comes right down to it, Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than any brother. All of us have been hurt at some point in time by someone who we called our friend. They may have shared your secrets with someone else. They may have lied on you.  They may have neglected to be there when you needed them most.  There are many reasons friends part ways. But I don't want to focus on the one that may have hurt you.  My focus today is on you or should I say ME.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 18: 24...."A man that hath friends must show himself friendly."  One of the things the Lord is teaching me is that it is not always about the other person.  The other person won't be standing before God during the judgment speaking on my behalf.  I am accountable for me. So I need to learn the things that God requires of me.  I truly believe that part of the reason for some of my failed relationships was because I put too much faith in man. My faith is in God.  I counted on them to be there for me in situations where only God could really be there for me.  He was the only one who could do anything about the situation.  I hadn't really given the situation over to God in prayer and instead of Godly wisdom I was seeking earthly wisdom from individuals who had their own issues. Another thing I have a tendency to do when I am hurt is to isolate myself.  I take on the attitude that I don't need anybody.  I had to learn that I could not be a friend in isolation.  I also tend to lump everyone into the same category when it may have just been one or two individuals who had done me wrong. I build up a wall around myself.  When I take on this type of behavior, I am not showing myself friendly.  I am also not allowing anyone to be a friend to me.  Another thing I have done is retaliate.  Take on the attitude...'I'll show you."  Let me show you how I can walk right by you and not say anything to you.  But is that being Christ-like and furthermore, what does that prove? 

The best example I could find of a true friend was Jesus Christ himself.  After all, we are told to be imitators of Christ.  Remember in John 15: 15 when He said, 'I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I have learned from my Father I have made known to you'.  Jesus thought enough of me to share what He learned from God the Father in order to make me a better person.  Therefore, as a friend I should help to make you better.  I should be able to share the truth in love, even though it might hurt at first.  As a friend I should lift you up when you are down. Not use your storm as a way to make myself look better or make me seem more popular by spreading your business to others.  And the best thing I can do for you is to pray for you. At the end of the day, I believe that this verse means that friendship between two individuals is only as good as you make it.  Friends should be like-minded. Friends should be able to say they are sorry when they have done wrong.  We may never be called upon to lay down our life for a friend as Jesus did for us because He loved us just that much. We should, however, cherish our friendships and be the friend that we want others to be to us. 

Dear Lord,

As I reflect over my relationships I can see that I have not always been the best friend that I could have been.  I have been selfish and sometimes talked to much.  I have shut down and not allowed others to be my friend as well.  I need your help today to be the type of friend to others that you would have me to be. Give me the wisdom to see people, as just that people.  We all have faults.  Give me the discernment to know those individuals that are good for me and those that are not.  Help me to pray for them all and to represent you in love. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen. 

Pray For Me

What am I asking when I ask my brother or my sister to pray for me?  Is that request just mere words or am I truly in need of someone to pray for me? I remember early on in my walk with God people would ask for me to pray for them and sometimes I would and sometimes I wouldn't.  It wasn't that I was being mean, it was just that I would forget and sometimes I just didn't know what to say.  As I began to grow, it wasn't that I forgot. I didn't pray because I would become frustrated because they had not been specific in what they wanted me to pray for.  I didn't want to pray for the wrong thing.  My prayer life wasn't all that and I didn't feel worthy to go before the Father praying for someone else.  Over the years, this has changed.  Now when someone asks me to pray I pray immediately.  Another thing that helped me was developing a better prayer life myself.  But that didn't stop the question in my mind of what I should pray when someone asks me to pray for them.  So I searched the scriptures and came across some guidelines in the book of Colossians.  In the first chapter, verses 9 - 12, Paul wrote these words. 

'For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.  And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 

I know. I am still in the book of Colossians and not to far from where I was on yesterday.  The words above are a prayer and I believe with these words you cannot go wrong.  Praying that someone know God's will for their life is essential.  Our lives are filled with both good times and bad, valleys and mountaintops and the better you understand the will of God and His purpose for your life, the better you will be able to handle what is going on.  Someone may be on the verge of making a major decision in their life and so another thing you can pray for is that they live to please God in everything that they do.  I don't know about you but when I am really going through, I am weak.  A prayer for strength is necessary.  And with that strength you need endurance and patience.  I can recall many times during the storm I felt like giving up and throwing in the towel.  You have often heard me say that it was the prayers of my friends and family that kept me going.  See how all these things tie together.  When you know His will through knowledge and understanding you can ask for strength because you realize the power of the God you serve.  You know that there isn't anything that He can't handle.  When you know His purpose for your life, you understand that He is just using this situation to make you better so that you can be a testimony for Him. 

And finally, pray that they never lose their joy, even in the most distressing times.  Pray that they always give thanks to the Father, because it is in Him that we live and move and have our being.  Thanksgiving is a part of prayer.  It is a part of the confidence we develop through the knowledge we obtain.  Circumstances may not change but you can feel yourself getting stronger. That's God. Thank Him!  As Christians we must never forget the God we serve and our faith in Him lets us know that this won't last always.  The next time someone asks you to pray for them, please pray. It is part of our Christian responsibility. And when you don't know the words to say or have any idea what is going on you can always pray the Word.  This is just one example. There are more.  Search the scriptures and find them and please don't forget to pray for me. 

Dear Lord,

Thank you for your guidance.  I have often times forgotten to pray when someone has asked me to pray and I know that is wrong. I have been on the other side and in need of prayer and it has taken alot of courage for me to even ask.  Father, help me to do better and bear my sister or my brothers burdens by taking them to you in prayer. And when I can't find the words to say help me to continue to look to your word for the direction I need.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen. 

You Know Better

One of the things I say to my children quite often is...You know better.  Why do they know better?  Because I taught them better.  In the book of Colossians Chapter 1, Paul wrote to the church at Colosse.  What caught my eye in this particular chapter was the prayer he prayed for them in verse nine.  'For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom'. 

As Christians we should desire to be filled with the knowledge of the Word of God.  We have it at our disposal.  There are over 30 translations.  You can find it on the internet.  I have the Bible application on my phone.  They make it on CDs to play in your car.  I am not for sure if you can get it on iTunes yet as an mp3, but I would almost bet that you can.  My point is that it is available to us.  There is never a need to say that you don't know or even that someone gave you the wrong information because you can read it for yourself. 

There are several good things about the knowledge that comes from the Word of God. First of all, it helps us to develop a closer relationship with God.  I have said time and time again in order to get to know someone truly, you must spend time with them.  And secondly with the true knowledge that comes from the Word you gain wisdom.  This is the type of knowledge that holds practical value.  It is the kind that is readily available for all situations.  When you study His Word and really know who He is, then there are some things you don't worry about.  You hold the right medicine for every illness.  Take Romans 8:28.  That verse applies to every situation.  When you know the meaning behind the words written in Psalms 23 and Psalms 91, then you can go to sleep at night.  The knowledge from the Word of God provides wisdom well beyond your years. 

Paul then goes on in verse 10 to talk about the type of knowledge that pleases the Lord, that bears good fruit.  It was his prayer that as they gained this knowledge, they would then use this knowledge to do the right thing. This is the part I was talking about at the beginning. It doesn't do any good to have this knowledge and then decide not to do better.  Yes, I did say decide.  What do you expect the results to be from this decision? It is as though you are laughing in God's face. At least that's how I take it when my children decide to do something that they have the knowledge not to do.  I take it as disrespect and then they sow the results of that decision.  And after all that God has done for us and all the promises that He has in store for us, we continue to take the knowledge we have received from His Word and put it in the storage bin of our mind and continue to do what we want.  Even as I am writing this, I just started shaking my head, thinking about how many times I have been just like my children with God.  He could have turned His back on me a long time ago.  But that's where my knowledge kicks in, knowing that He will never leave me nor forsake me.  That knowledge that tells me that 'He that has began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus'.  That tells me that I am a work in progress.  Bottom line...I know better.  And because I know better, I should do better.  I should use the knowledge that I have obtained to glorify God's kingdom.  I should be that light that shines in the midst of darkness. 

That is my challenge to you today.  Take the time to gain the knowledge.  Don't just rely on your Pastor or your Sunday School teacher to provide your information. Study to show thyself approved unto God.  Once you have obtained that knowledge then use it to glorify the Father.

Dear Lord,

I know better.  I know that I continue to do things I shouldn't do and I still am not studying your Word enough. If I am honest with myself, I am just not ready to give them up.  But I am giving it to you. Lord, please take away my desire.  Remove it from me.  I want to to do Your will.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen. 

Contentment

I have decided that I do not want to know the secret to success.  I want to know the secret to contentment.  To be like Paul who said...'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 well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (Philippians 4:11-12)

Once again I must remind you that Paul's life was not the best when he wrote the book of Philippians.  In fact, he was in prison.  Now I have never been to prison, but I can only imagine that it was probably not the most opportune spot to be proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ.  However, Paul learned what we all need to learn...the secret to contentment.  What is the secret?  This world is not our home. We are simply passing through.  Once you accepted Jesus into your heart you became a visitor on this earth.  Your life became a vessel to be used by God.  He has purposed your life so that He can get the glory.  Bottom line...you will suffer.  But our Heavenly Father does not leave you out there on a ledge all by yourself.  He is with you.  You have a leaning post.  Stop walking around wallowing in self-pity, asking everybody "Why is this happening to me?"  When are you finally going to get it?  Yes, we would all like to be well off, but that is not going to happen for some of us.  Yes, we would all like to be disease free, but some of us are going to get sick, maybe even with  terminal illness.  Yes, we would all like to keep our hearts in one piece instead of having them broken by this person and that person over and over again.  But a broken heart helps you appreciate the unconditional love of God even more. 

Whatever the circumstance!  That is a mighty powerful statement.  We can all have the same type of outlook on life. How?  Remember that it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Once again I am here to remind you stop focusing on your problem and start pulling from God's strength.  The Lord will make a way!  He can and He will.  And when you need just a little something to pull from, when you have that day when it seems like the world is falling in  around you, tell yourself 'I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength'.  It is by His strength that we can make it through every storm, through every test, through every trial.  A lot of us have been looking at this thing all wrong.  It's not about moving up that corporate ladder of success.  It's about moving on up to glory.  I might not have that deluxe apartment in the sky but I do have a mansion in heaven with my name on it.  I might not drive the most expensive car but I do know that in heaven the streets are paved with gold and the best that I could imagine still does not compare to what is waiting for me in glory.

Dear Lord,

Take my life and use it in any way you see fit. I haven't always understood your purpose or your plan for my life but one thing I am sure of and that is you will never leave me along and as long as I have you, I know that I can make it through anything.  I am looking forward to the day when I will see your face and thank you for thinking enough about me to not leave me in the condition that I was in.  Thank you Lord. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.

Mind Control

'Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things'.  Philippians 4:8

I tried so hard to move away from this thing of dealing with the mind but God wouldn't let me.  I sat today and thought of all the things that I allow to take up space in my mind.  All of the things that are not close to being true, noble, right, lovely and admirable.  Some of the things I am thinking of were definitely not excellent or praiseworthy.  I thought about the times I sat and allowed one sister to gossip about another sister, never saying a word and listening as if in agreement.  Mind you, we were all supposed to be friends.  I recall the times I repeated things that I had no idea if they were true or not.  I remember the times I was angry and had revengeful thoughts.  So many other things that will remain between me and God.  I have since had to ask for forgiveness from God and the individual.  This is just my personal story.  The point I am trying to make is that we should always guard our minds.  You know the saying...You are what you eat. This kind of works the same way.  All things should be done to glorify the kingdom of God.

You are in control of what you take in.  No one else but you.  So...what is true?  What is noble?  What is right?  What is pure?  What is lovely?  What is admirable?  I know one thing that fits the bill for all of these things and that is the Word of God!  You can't go wrong there.  Am I saying only read the Bible or only listen to Christian music or only read Christian authors.  Not at all.  But think about it.  If your ratio is 20:80...with the 20 percent being the things listed above and the 80 percent being junk, what is the result going to be?  It's about mind control.  If the only time you open your Bible is church on Sunday, you might have a hard time thinking pure thoughts the other six days of the week.  There are so many things that are distractions to the Christian and we are quick to fill up our schedule with them.  But when we do this are we letting our light shine so that others might see Jesus through us?  If our thoughts are filled with the Word and wisdom from the Father, are we as quick to fly of the handle when someone upsets us.  Don't get me wrong, I know this is a process.  But it should be 'perfect progress'.  We should always be moving forward.  Not looking back.  As we draw closer to God, He draws near to us.  We begin to look more like Him.  Is that your desire?  Truth be told, there are many Christians who will be happy with doing the bare minimum.  It doesn't bother them much when they make a mistake or disappoint God but I pray that those of you who read this today are not one of them.  My prayer is that you want a closer walk with God, that you desire to be  more like Him.  That you can say the things I used to do, I don't do anymore.  My Pastor preached a sermon many years ago that I still listen to frequently that was titled...'IT IS POSSIBLE!' That is what I want to say to you today, my brother and my sister.  It is possible!  You can make the decision to guard your mind and think on the things Paul talked about in the fourth chapter of Philippians.  Just as I tell my children whenever they tell me something is hard or they can't do something.  I ask them what does the Bible say about that.  And there response is...I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  So can you!

Dear Lord,

Mind control has not been my strong point.  I am guilty of letting all kinds of things into my mind.  I am declaring today...NO MORE!  Lord,  I want my thoughts to be filled with whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and whatever is admirable.  No longer will I allow my mind to be filled with gossip, jealousy, rage (fill in the blank with your own).  I want to have the mind of Christ.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.

Don't Become A Slave of the Past!

Once again I was faced with a situation where I was disappointed with myself.  Ugghhh!  I am tired of letting my mind along with my mouth get me into trouble.  I sat for way too long and let my thoughts get the best of me.  Then I let my mouth get me into even more trouble.  I didn't have on my 'helmet of salvation'.  We talk alot about the other parts of the 'whole armor of God' but we don't talk alot about the 'helmet of salvation'.  I did a little research and found out the part of the responsibility of the 'helmet of salvation' is to guard our minds.  And we guard out minds with our salvation. 

I don't know about you but Satan attacks my mind alot.  He would just love for me to have a defeatest attitude.  He would have loved it even more if I would have let this setback, this mistake keep me from doing what it is God has for me to do.  However, because of my salvation, I know that I can ask God to forgive me and continue to work out my salvation.  I also know that I can say like Paul said in the book of Philippians 3:12...'Not that I have already obtained all of this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  He went on to say...'Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus'.  (13-14)

I don't have time to waste dwelling on my past.  I just have to keep moving forward.  And I must remember to keep my 'helmet of salvation' on at all times.  Why did the writer chose to say SALVATION?  Now this is just the word according to Ramona, but growing up I remember my Pastor saying that salvation was a gift.  Gifts are usually decorated beautifully and what better place for others to take notice than place this gift on your head.  That way even when I do mess up I can still move forward as a representative of Jesus Christ.  Once again, working out my salvation.  Letting others see the God who lives in me.

I know that it is easy to get caught up in our pasts.  I'm not even talking about years ago. I'm talking about just yesterday or even minutes ago, especially when you are working so hard to be more like Christ.  Let me tell you, that is the time that the devil comes hard against you trying to keep you from letting God use you.  But I'm hear to pray with you and for you and encourage you not to let him win.  You are victorious.  No matter what you have done, God can use it for His glory.  Don't become a slave to your mind.  Put on your 'helmet of salvation'.  Remember that you are saved!  God is at work in your life and He has great things in store for you.  Forget the past....press on!!!

Dear Lord,

Here I am again praying about the same thing.  Please forgive me.  Thank you for your forgiveness.  Now Lord, I am asking you to replace these negative thoughts in my mind with the thoughts that you have for me.  Help me to remember that I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus.  Thank you Lord for saving me.  If it had not been for you, I don't know where I would be.  Help me to no longer be a slave to the thoughts in my mind.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen. 

A Blank Check

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7

I remember this verse being taught in a bible study one time where the preacher referred to it as a 'blank check'.  He was talking about receiving the blessings of the Lord.  I found it odd, even then, that he only discussed part B of the verse. But once again I am drawn to the if...then statements I talked about once before.  According to the way I was taught you cannot just skip to the end without doing the beginning.  Now there are many shortcuts in life to many things, but my experience has taught me that shortcuts are sometimes costly.  So let's talk a little while about the A part of the verse and then we will move on to part B.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you....what is this saying?  How do we remain connected to our Heavenly Father? It is through His Word that was left to guide and teach us.  If we are not being led by His Word then we are not following the correct path.  So the more time we spend in His Word the closer we are to Him.  The more He becomes part of us.  The more we start to look like Him.  That should be our desire.  I thought about all the reasons I don't spend time in God's Word.  My children.  My husband.  Family responsibilities.  School.  Even church.  Not to mention the computer.  I cannot tell you how many times I have sat down to write and instead I check my email or my Facebook account, not to mention many other things.  I have gotten better but I could do more.  I have my favorite shows on television...The Closer, Hawthorne, Law and Order.  I have to watch them but what if during the hour they were on I actually read my Bible instead.  The point I am trying to make is that there is always time to read the Bible and study His Word.  The question is do we make the time?  Part A of this verse clearly tells us that His Word should abide in us.  That means it should be hidden in our hearts.  It doesn't help to have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who calls scriptures to our remembrance when we need them, if we don't take the time to read and store it up.  You can't expect the blessings of God if you only want to do part of what He says.

Furthermore, how can you know what His will is for your life if you don't read His Word.  We maintain communion with God through prayer.  So if we are abiding in His Word then when we pray we will not be tempted to pray amiss.  We will pray what is in line with His Word.  Have you ever had those moments when you don't know what to pray?  I have.  And it was during those times I begin to pray the scriptures.  I knew that I couldn't go wrong.  Verses like...'create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me'.....or 'I am dwelling in the secret place of the Most High. I am abiding under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Him will I trust.'   This is so not about God just giving us a blank check.  In fact, I am glad that He didn't give me everything I have asked for.  I know some of the things that I have asked for were not in accordance with His will.  I prefer to let Him have the final say in what happens in my life. 

Now here is where the challenge comes in. If you are anything like me there have been times I was angry with the Lord for not giving me what I asked for.  I know that I was not abiding in Word.  I was barely even communicating with Him.  Now that I am a little bit better in abiding in His Word there are still times that I am not praying His Word, therefore, not His will.  So once again my prayers went unanswered.  I take that back.  They didn't always go unanswered.  Sometimes it was a flat out NO!  The challenge is...are you ready to step up to the plate and start abiding in His Word?  That means putting His Word above some of the other things in your daily schedule.  Then and only then will you be able to do part B of the verse above.  The decision is yours. 

Dear Lord,

I must confess that so many things come ahead of reading Your Word on my list of priorities. None of which compare to the necessity of knowing Your Word.   I have to do better.  I want to do better. Please help me.  I am sorry that I have become angry and blamed you for not answering my prayer.  Thank you for bringing this to my attention.  I now realize the importance of abiding in You.  Thank you Lord.  In Jesus' Name Amen.

Who Is This God?

Have you ever stopped to think about 'who it is who hears our prayers'?  I mean really stopped to reflect on who God is and just worship Him.  He is Immanuel, God with us.  Jehovah-Jireh, our provider.  Jehovah-Rapha, our healer.  Jehovah-Shalom, our peace.  Each of us my have a long list of concerns and request to take to the Lord and He definitely wants us to bring them to Him. But stop a moment and reread the words above about who God is.  So what are your worrying about?!?!?! There is not anything that is going on in your life that God doesn't already know about.  There is no problem too big that God can't solve.  I am not telling you what I heard...I am telling you what I know. 

Now let's bring it down on personal note.  The Bible tells us in Psalms 139...'Everything I do is familiar to You. You know what I'm going to say even before I say it, and you protect me from every side.  How can I even begin to understand how wonderful you are!.  Where can I go from Your Spirit, O Lord?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there too.  Those are some mighty, powerful words.  You see, we really cannot even begin to imagine how wonderful God is!  He knows there will be days we will do the wrong thing.  Say the wrong thing.  Yet He protects us.  He knows your innermost thoughts. Those things you are afraid to tell anyone, not you spouse, your parents or your best friend.  He knows and He keeps those things in confidence and walks right beside you to help you work through those things.  We can't hide from Him.  Whether we are living right and serving Him or if we think we are taking a mini vacation away from it all, He is still right there.  There is no mountain to high and no valley to low.  Doesn't that just make you want to worship Him?  The next time you are faced with a problem that you think is too difficult, turn it over to God.  Think about who He really is!  Not only is He all the things I mentioned above, but He is also so much more.  The God we serve can handle it.  Give it over to Him and then praise Him!

Dear Lord,

I stand in awe of who You are!  You are just so awesome and so wonderful.  I realize that I insult you by continuing to worry about things as if you do not have the power to work it out for me. You are a mighty and powerful God. One who knows what I need even before I ask.  I just want to take a moment to say "Thank You!"  I praise you and I worship you just for who you are!  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.

A Heart Condition - Unforgiveness

For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6: 14

Forgiving someone is sometimes one of the most difficult things to do.  I may be able to forgive someone the first time but when they continue the same behavior it becomes even more difficult for me to forgive them.  That was until I truly saw forgiveness for what it is.  Forgiveness is typically defined as the process of concluding resentment, indignation or anger as a result of a perceived offense, difference or mistake, and/or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution.  I remember one day sitting at home and just getting angry over something someone had done and after all I had done for that person.  All of the hurt I felt just came rushing over me and I just cried and cried.  I knew that the right thing to do was forgive but I just wasn't ready.  At first I tried to say that I had forgiven but I realized that my actions were still demanding punishment or some form of restitution.  I was not even close to forgiving.  Later on that day I came across this verse and just kept rereading what it said.  The Bible was instructing me to forgive my brother and to forgive my sister and then God would forgive me.  My spirit was arrested.  I couldn't help but think about my many mistakes and then compare them to all that God had done for me.  And how He could easily sit around and wait for me to show Him that I deserved His forgiveness.  But that is not how the Lord works.  We are told that 'if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness'.  That doesn't mean that we sin just because...but it does mean that God's Word is true and if we ask Him He will forgive us. 

I used to make all kinds of excuses.  I would say things like "I am not God."  "It's not that easy."  "I am not going to continue to look like a fool."  I soon learned that forgiveness was not really about the other person.   You see, holding on to that pain had become my safety net.  I thought it shielded me from being hurt again. Once I learned how to forgive, it actually released a heavy burden off my shoulders.  Freeing me up from always looking back and expecting the worse. Realizing that I am accountable for me and my behavior and not someone else's.  And the thing that really helped me with this concept of forgiving others was that I did not want to tie God's hands from the blessings He had in store for me.  I was tired of being stuck in that same rut....not able to move forward and always looking back.  So I prayed about that thing and gave it over to God and asked him to soften my hardened heart.  I didn't like the person I had become.  I had always been a loving person and now I was skeptical of everyone.  And let me tell you that He did.  At the same time I was free to receive the blessings God had for my life. 

If your heart has hardened against your brother or your sister, I tell you to turn it over to God.  Ask Him to help you.  I am a witness that He will.  And if you continue to struggle with this issue just think about how many times God has forgiven you.  That ought to be enough to change your mind.

Dear Lord,

I know that your Word tells me that I am to forgive my brother and my sister but I confess to you today that it is hard.  Every time I think about what was done I get so upset.  So I am asking you to 'create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me'.  I know that my unforgiveness is a heart problem and only you can change me.  I am giving it to you and leaving it with you.  Thank you for helping me. I love you Lord. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.

Reflecting on the Goodness of the Lord

I just have to pause for a moment and say "Thank you Lord for everything you have done for me." 

Have you ever had a moment where you just had to stop because you were so overwhelmed with the goodness of the Lord?  When you just sit back and think about all the things He has protected you from and all the things He has blessed you with.  I know, as people, we are always so quick to talk about what we don't have and what we want.  I was just having this conversation with my children about how all their needs are provided for and yet and still they are quick to complain about something or stick their lips out when I ask them to do something around the house and I get so tired of it.  But then I am quickly reminded that is how I do the Lord because I am always wanting more.  I don't stop first to look around me and thank Him for that which He has already done.  As Christians we say things that have become so cliche, it's like we take them for granted.  Things like, He has protected us from dangers seen and unseen.  Sometimes we can see Satan coming a mile off.  Other times He is behind us or on the side of us in our blind spot and we don't see him as clear.  That's when those angels that are protecting us daily step in.  We say things like "Thank you for the air I breathe."  But do we actually stop to realize that someone didn't get up that very morning.  What about the fact that He causes the sun, moon and stars to shine.  He could have decided to keep us in darkness.  I know He gets frustrated when we don't follow His direction.  Not following the Lord's direction is walking around as though we are in darkness.  Think about what He said in John 8:12, "I am the Light of the world.  So if you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path."  Now those are just a few things we say in our prayers or in our talks with others.  But what about the days we get up and don't tell Him thank you at all.  We might mumble through a quick prayer but we don't truly take the time to give Him the praise He so rightly deserves.  I don't know about you, but I know I could be worse off.  He could have chosen not to send His son to save us.  He could have just left us in our sin.  But PRAISE GOD He didn't!!!!  Yes, we could all find something to complain about.  Yes, there are days we feel like this is too much.  Why does it seem like I'm always struggling or something is always happening.  But what good would that do?  We all have to bear our cross.  Remember...no cross, no crown.  Why not make the decision today to take a good look around you and thank him daily for His blessings.  Every time you start to complain, take a deep breath, look outside, look in your refrigerator.  Check on the internet for the unemployment rates.  Look at the obituary section of the newspaper.  We are blessed!! That is why I serve Him.  That is why I strive daily to be better in my walk not just my talk.  It's all in vain if my walk doesn't match my talk.  Let's replace our complaining with praise!  God delights in the praises of His people. 

Dear Lord,

Thank you!  You are so worthy of my praise.  You have done so much for me.  Even when I am in the midst of the storm you never stop protecting me, looking out for me and providing for me.  I know that I always have my hand out.  Most of the time I am looking for you to do more but Lord if you never do anything else, you have already done enough.  I love you Lord and I praise you!  In Jesus' Name Amen.

A Way of Escape

Do you realize how many times you are tempted throughout your day?  Every day, several times a day we are tempted to sin.  You see, even though we are saved, we must remember that we are sinners saved by grace.  Doing the right thing in different situations is a choice we make.  But the scripture tells us that “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1Corinthians 10:13)  And once again we are shown that God has not left us out there all by ourselves. 

Sinning comes natural for us.  We were born into sin but as Christians our decisions should be different.  I remember sending my son off to middle school and I always used to tell him when I would leave to go to work...'make good choices'.  As a parent I had instilled in him what was necessary for him to know right from wrong but the final decision was up to him.  I could not be there with him every minute of the day but I had taught him.  God, on the other hand, has left His Holy Spirit to be with us every minute of the day.  He is that small voice that tells you, "Let it go.  Don't cuss him out." "Tell the truth."  "Yes he/she is fine but you are not married."  Those are just a few things.  I am sure that you have your own list. 

So how do we combat the temptation we face?  The scripture above tells us that God gives an escape method along with the temptation.  What is that escape method?  It is the Word of God.  Remember when Satan tempted Jesus, what was His response.  He fought back with the Word.  That is why it is important to hide His Word in your heart.  Psalms 119:11 talks about this very thing.  We are all taught to pray but how much more effective would our prayers be if we prayed the scripture.  I have heard some preachers say that this is using God's word against Him.  I don't believe that is the correct way of looking at that.  When we pray His Word we are headed in the same direction as God.  The better way to say it is that this is using God's Word in conjunction with Him.  He wants us to know the Word.  It should be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  But we don't spend nearly enough time in the Word. If you are like me it's more about my favorite television shows, Facebook, the internet in general, the Wii.  I am not saying that any of this things are bad but if they keep you from spending time in the Word and with God then there is a problem with priorities. 

I have learned that the decisions that we make affect not only our today but our tomorrow.  Just think about it.  That lie you told or that man or woman you slept with,  those cuss words you said around your children who just repeated you, those times you missed church because you partied too hard the night before. What about the time you spend on the computer instead of in the Word, what about the times you chose your love of money over common decency by stepping on your co-workers toes to get that promotion or to kiss up to your boss.  Temptation comes in various forms.  Let me break this down for you.  Let's look at the definition of the word 'tempt'.  To try to get (someone) to do wrong, especially by a promise of reward. 2. To be inviting or attractive to.  You see sin looks good.  It comes in the very form that will get you.  My temptation may not be your temptation, but we are all tempted. The question of the day is how will you handle the next time you are tempted.  Will you pull from God's resources to help you or will you give in? My prayer is that you allow God to lead you away from whatever is tempting you. 

Dear Lord, 

Every where I turn there are things of this world that tempt me.  I have to be honest when I say some of these things feel good at the moment and are so attractive to my human eye.  I read in Your Word that you have made a way of escape for me.  I need to use that escape route more and look to you when I am tempted.  Please help me.  I know that I can do it because you have given me the wherewithal to do it.  Thank you once again for caring enough about me not to leave me in my sinful condition and giving me what is necessary to stay away from that sinful nature.  I am eternally grateful.  In Jesus' Name Amen. 

With Knowledge Comes Confidence!

I heard something interesting today while looking up the definition of a word online.  Out of no where comes this voice that said....With knowledge comes confidence!  That is so very true. I was studying I Peter Chapter 5, verse 10 which says, 'And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast'.  Now the word I happen to be looking up was steadfast.  I grew up singing songs about being steadfast and hearing the preacher talk about being steadfast and I actually thought it was something I accomplished on my own. Silly me!  I thought it was something that I had to work at.  But as I read this verse I noticed that it is God himself who will restore me and make me not only strong and firm, but also steadfast.  This might seem like a minor thing to you but let me see if I can change your mind on the importance of this scripture.  Let me tell you the definition of steadfast.  It means 'a firmly fixed place; not subject to change'.  What does that mean for me?  That means through all my suffering, my tests and my trials God is watching me and after I have suffered just a little while He himself will strengthen me, help me to stand firm in my faith and then make it to where I am not swayed by every little blow of the wind.  Bring on the tornado!  Come on hurricane! I am fixed in a firm place.  My soul is anchored.  My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.  As my five year old daughter says,  Momma we have the house that was built with bricks.  The devil can huff all he wants, the winds can blow but the house isn't coming down! (Out of the mouths of babes I tell ya!) 

The first time I read this verse I was more focused on the 'little while' part.  I thought this meant that each trial I faced would only last a short while.  But I have come to see that this is not the case because His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  Our time and God's time are not one in the same.  But we now have the knowledge that He hasn't left us out there all by ourselves.  And with this knowledge....we can be confident.  Doubt has no place in the believer's mind.  I know you feel like this pain will never end but hold on.  Trust God!  He is faithful! 

Dear Lord,

Let me say "Thank you" because you didn't leave me out here all by myself.  You cared enough about me to know when I am suffering and when it's time for the suffering to end.  And then you tell me in Your Word that suffering brings about positive results.  You make me strong, firm and steadfast.  I don't have to worry.  I can stand confidently on Your Word.  That is such good news!  And whether my deliverance comes here on earth or over in glory, I can shout now knowing in the end I will be in a place where there will be no more suffering. I can suffer a little while so that your name will be glorified!  Thank you Lord!  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen. 

To Live Is Christ!

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Phillippians 1:22

What powerful words with such great meaning!  There are millions of quotes out there today but I have to say this is one of my favorite.  Even though I am striving to be like Jesus there are many people, both dead and alive who are great Christian role models.  Paul is one of them.  He summed up his life in these twelve words.

You see, Paul believed that serving God was the most important thing in his life.  It didn't matter what was going on in his life at the time. At the time he wrote this verse, he was in prison.  But he never forgot about God.  He didn't feel sorry for himself or blame God for where he was.  Instead he stayed on course.  He continued writing to the church, preaching the Good News of Jesus.  I applaud Paul because I know when I was going through there were a few Sundays I didn't think about church.  I was still praying sometimes but I had become so disillusioned with 'church folk'.  I eventually came to the realization my attention was misplaced.  I had started focusing on the people instead of focusing on God and there were some mean people out there.  The more I prayed, however, the more God begin to speak to my spirit reminding me that it was all about Him.  I remember praying that God would just take me on up to heaven to be with Him.  I was tired of life.  It was at this moment I was reminded of my purpose...serving Him.  My life (the good, the bad and the ugly) was to be used to glorify God and I needed to remember that.  Even though I was aware of what was prepared for me in heaven, God still had work for me to do.  It wasn't up to me to determine how and when He used me.  And at this time in my life I realized that God could even use my pain. 

I have said this many times.  Our human nature is such that we are people watchers.  It is nice to have the Bible and all the heroes of faith but it is even better to see God's power in someone we can actually sit down and talk to and ask them how they made it.  To see that person still serving God and praising His name.  When you know what it is that they have been through, it does something to your faith.  It let's you know that you can make it.  I believe that every Christian needs to find their gift.  There is not one of us that God does not want to use.  And our service is not just on Sunday morning it is in our every day life.  It's when life beats you down and tries to knock you out.  It is in those moments when we still need to stand.  Now don't get me wrong, I am not telling you to become disillusioned and not recognize your pain. What I am saying to you is to realize God's power.  'For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure'. Philippians 2:13  Bottom line...He has it all under control.  The question of the day is...Will you serve Him through everything?  We all want to get to heaven some day but there is know need to rush it.  Why not make the most of our journey by serving God in everything we do?  A lot of people want to be known for many different things. I want to be known as a child of God, one who did all she could towards glorifying His kingdom. What about you?

Dear Lord,

Every day I am learning the importance of serving you.  I am learning to put self aside and following the leading of the Holy Spirit.  I know that I am not all that I should be but I am striving to be all that you would have me to be.  Help me not to look at people but to keep my eyes focused on you.  Help me to always remember that my reward is in heaven and not here on earth so while I am here my purpose should be to glorify your kingdom.  In Jesus' Name Amen. 

I love the sincerity and honesty of the Word of God!  I love the way it gets to the heart of the issue and shows us what we need in order to become better...that is if we let it.  Ya'll know I have some pet peeves and I am asking God to deliver me from them.  I am also asking Him to deliver me from those people who only seem to hear or read half the Bible.  They only read the part that talks about blessings and what God can do for them or the part that justifies their actions. Some how they miss the part that talks about what they need to do so they can get better.  Now don't get me wrong I like to hear about the blessings that God has in store for me but I am not naive enough to think that there aren't things that I still need to improve.  In other words, I haven't arrived yet. God still has to work on my heart.  He has to bridle my tongue on some days.  He has to humble me when I get too proud.  He has to remind me where my blessings come from. And His methods are not always ones that I would have chosen.  There are times He allows me to suffer.  He does what He pleases to bring about His desired result.  And because of this, I am very grateful.

How can I be grateful for suffering?  Because as I look back over my life and think about the way I used to be before I went through some things, I have to be honest with myself and say that I didn't like what I saw when I looked in the mirror.  My attitude was bad.  I was spoiled and always wanted my way.  I couldn't take any bit of pain.  I was always whining.  My mouth always got me into trouble. (Sometimes it still does...but I'm working on that.)   Now I try to see the lesson in everything that I go through.  I have no doubt that I will be better when it is all over.  I have learned the true meaning of the scripture in Hebrews 13:5 that God will never leave me nor forsake me.  Then the scripture goes on to say in verse 6, 'So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"  It is about having the confidence that God alone is sufficicient to care for all our needs.  And those needs are not all material.  Remember that prayer you prayed for peace and God showed you what it was like to live in total chaos, all stressed out and worried so that He could show you that He was the only one that could give you true peace and calm that storm.  You thought you were happy and then God had to take some things away from you to show you that you could, in fact, live on less and still have joy on the inside.  You prayed for patience and He took you through something that showed you how to wait.  That's the kind of God we serve.  You see, we don't always know what we need but He does and He knows how to get us to that end result.  The question of the day is will you take the long road or the short road.  The long road is you coming along kicking and screaming, bucking against God, repeating the same test over and over again.   Complaining and whining the entire time...WHY ME?  Why not you?  You accepted Him as your Personal Savior.  You said that you wanted to serve Him.  If you already knew how to get there why did you need God?  You could have just continued down the path you were on.  Instead you recognized that you needed someone to help you.  Nothing you had tried before could quite fill that void.  Since you know this then why not take the short road.  Instead of kicking and screaming, ask God for strength while in the storm.  Ask Him to show you the lesson you need to learn because when it is all over you will be closer to being like the Lord. 

Dear Lord,

Thank you for your Word. Thank you you for showing me the things that I need to change in my life so that I am a better servant for you.  Help me not to whine and moan through every little thing that comes my way.  I know you have my best interest at heart.  Thank you for caring enough about me not to leave me the way I am. I love you Lord.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.