Brand New Day

The other day I was driving to work thinking and worrying about all these things that have happened and could happen in my life. I was so focused on all these problems and things that have happened, some of them years ago, that I had worked myself up and was near tears. I had then merged on to a highway when I was suddenly blinded by sunlight from my rear-view mirror. I looked back and saw a magnificent sunrise, a full glowing sun, pink and orange sky. I suddenly forgot what I was even fretting about. I thought about this for a while and I remembered that God gives us a new day, everyday. We have a new opportunity everyday to start fresh, make amends, and give each day our best.  Or.. we can focus on all the things already behind us and cause more turmoil and continue to hold on to things that will weigh us down.  You have a choice everyday... make it wisely....

Heaven and Hell

A woman who had worked all her life to bring about good was granted one wish: "Before I die let me visit both hell and heaven." Her wish was granted.

 

She was whisked off to a great banqueting hall. The tables were piled high with delicious food and drink. Around the tables sat miserable, starving people as wretched as could be. "Why are they like this?" she asked the angel who accompanied her. "Look at their arms," the angel replied. She looked and saw that attached to the people's arms were long chopsticks secured above the elbow. Unable to bend their elbows, the people aimed the chopsticks at the food, missed every time and sat hungry, frustrated and miserable. "Indeed this is hell! Take me away from here!"

 

She was then whisked off to heaven. Again she found herself in a great banqueting hall with tables piled high. Around the tables sat people laughing, contented, joyful. "No chopsticks I suppose," she said. "Oh yes there are. Look - just as in hell they are long and attached above the elbow but look... here people have learned to feed one another".

 

Dont forget the power of helping others, somethimes you get more in return.

Roots

Roots are:

• The organ of the plant body,
•  they absorb nutrients
•  anchor the plant to the ground.

With the right conditions roots can crack foundations, snap water lines, and life sidewalks. The roots of a plant grow in the direction where the correct environment of air, nutrients, and water exists to meet the plants needs. Where are your getting nourishment? Are your roots strong enough to support you when storms come?

Worry

So do not worry, saying 'what shall we eat?', or 'what shall we drink' or 'what shall we wear?' for the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:31-33

 

When we "dwell" in the land and trust God- we will grow in Him and live the better life he has planned for us.

Faith

  So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:6-7

 

Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible.

 

Faith is not a sense, not sight, not reason, but taking God at his Word. -Faith Evans

Fulfilled

Those who Hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on the wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isiah 40:31

 

Lift up your eyes. Your heavenly Father waits to bless you-in inconceivable ways to make you life what you never dreamed it could be. God created us with an overwhelming desire to soar... He designed us to be tremendously productive and "mount up with wings like eagles" realistically dreaming of what He can do with our potential.-Carol Kent

Anger

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. Ephesians 4:31-32

 

 Anger is like the red light that warns you on your cars dashboard. You can either stop and deal with the problem, or you can break the light. The light itself (which represents anger) is not the problem, its just warning you that there is something that you need to stop and deal with.

Whole

Run to me, I'll hold you close, curing your hearts ache with my tender knowing touch, I'll sew us every break, memories and scars fade, like the end of the day when my love my love is planted there, and the pain is washed away.  I am your prince of peace, the lover of your soul, let me in. I'll mend your heart, my love will make you whole.
Luke 4:18

Deeds

  What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. James 2:14-19

Its what we do for Christ here and now, that will make a difference then and there!

Spirit

What does God want? God wants us to be filled up with His spirit:

If we get so filled up with worldly things, we will not have time or room for Jesus >
    Empty yourselves so that you will be filled with the Holy Spirit

Praise

When I think of your faithfulness, I have to sing and and shout, to declare I am 

aware of where you brought me out,
When I think of your kindness I fall to my knees, heart contrite will all 

my might, its you I long to please,
When I think of your Goodness, heart and hands raise, Ill take this chance, 

with you I ll dance and give you all my praise

Psalm 9:1-2

Beauty

God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 7:11

The patterns of our days are always changing...rearranging...and each design for living is unique...graced with its own special beauty.

Everything

I am truth, I am love, I am what you have need of,

give me all, not just part, I will live inside your heart.
Everyday, every worry, every care, all your burdens, I will bear
Just your ashes you can bring, Ill breathe life in everything,
I am everything

Revelation 1:8

Fly

When God leads you to the edge of a cliff, trust him and LET GO! 1 of 2 things will happen: He will catch you or teach you to fly.

Read

From Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 the bible is God revelation of Himself to us. Its how we get to know Him. Its how we learn to become who He wants us the be. its how we learn to live a life for Him, which it so happens, the better life.

 

Read it to be Wise

Believe it to be Safe

Practice it to be Holy

Lamp

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
   don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
   he's the one who will keep you on track.
Proverbs 3: 5-6

When you walk down the path holding the "lamp" it illuminates only your next step or two- just enough to continue down the path. It does not shine off into the distance to reveal your destination or what lies ahead, only where your need to place your next step.

Home Run

Every bat has a sweet spot, if they ball connects with this spot then a home run will most defiantly follow. Same is true with God's will in our life. When we connect with God's will the "sweet spot" of our lives a "home run" always follows.

3 insights on finding the will of God for your life:
1) God's will is more about WHO you are than WHAT you do.  "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's Will IS-- His good pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

2) God's will is more about your relationship with Him, than insight to your future.  "Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lords unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Psalm 32:10

3) God's will has more to do with our character than our comfort. "if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life must lose it, but whoever looses his life for the gospel will save it. Mark 8:34-36

Savior

Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered, happy is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him. Romans 4:7-8

If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator
If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist
If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist
If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an educator,
But our greatest need was forgiveness, so he sent us a SAVIOR.

Tenth Avenue North

These are lyrics from a Tenth Avenue North song called  "You are More". I think that it can reach everyone and it is an amazing song. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwtcwQwgdsA

 

There's a girl in the corner, With tear stains on her eyes, From the places she's wandered, And the shame she can't hide, She says, "How did I get here?, I'm not who I once was, And I'm crippled by the fear, That I've fallen too far to love"

But don't you know who you are, What's been done for you?

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

Well she tries to believe it, That she's been given new life, But she can't shake the feeling, That it's not true tonight, She knows all the answers And she's rehearsed all the lines And so she'll try to do better But then she's too weak to try

But don't you know who you are?

'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to

This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.

Dust

Draw near to God, and he will drawn near to you. James 4:8

 

There was a saying in Jesus' time among the prophets and rabbi's that was said among the followers. (prophets were preachers that were said to have a direct connection in God in which to spread His message to the people).  "May you be covered by the dust of your rabbi." What this saying refers to is the closeness in proximity that one was to "their rabbi." It translates to " may you be so close to your Lord that you are literally covered from the dust off of his sandals from following behind him so closely."

 

So this week may you follow so close to God that you are "covered by His dust"

Ask, search, and knock

Ask and it will be given, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. Matthew 7: 7

 

Asking: Ask in the WILL of God and it will be given to you in the WILL of God

Searching: Thank God that we don't always get what we search for! Never forget your scars, for they are what teach us our greatest lessons.

Knocking: God is holding the door open for us, all He asks is that you walk through it!

Doorway

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him. Isaiah 64:4

Every wall is a door, when the door closes another one opens; But often times we look so long at the closed door, that we don't see the one which has been open for us.

God has prepared alternative routes for lives that are even better than we have ever dreamed of. Don't be blinded but what you have perceived at a loss, instead look ahead on what He has set aside as your greatest gain.

Fruit

But the fruit of the spirit is LOVE, JOY, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, and SELF-CONTROL. Galatians 5;22

 

We all want to be more loving, joyous, have more patience, be more kind, good, faithful, gentle and have more self-control. But its hard, life is trying, there are bigger obstacles, more challenges etc. You are tired and sometimes just flat out sick of trying. But if you work on just one of these than the rest will fall into place, that one thing is LOVE. When you do everything with love you will never have regrets. However, if you work on LOVE the rest will fall into place. It will not be easy and many times you will fail. But think about this if you don't climb the mountain you will never see the view.

To get something you've never had, You have to do something you've never done.

Fire and Brimstone

In 1986, it took 15 hours of recording time to get 1 hour of complete silence, today 2000 hours is what is needed to get just one hour of silence- that equals, 83 days-12 weeks-3 months. That speaks volumes about how our world has changed!.

I Kings 19:3-12 "Go out and stand on the mountain n the presence of he Lord, for the Lord will pass by. Then a Great and powerful wind tore the mountain apart and shattered the rocks, but the Lord wasn't in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord wasn't in the earthquake. After that came a fire, but the Lord wasn't in the fire. And after that came a gentle whisper. God is not in the wind, not in the earthquake, not the fire, but in the gentle and quite whisper.

Are we looking for Him in the wrong places? Are we looking for Him in the fire and brimstone, wind and earthquakes?

What would start happening f we started looking for him in the GENTLE QUIET SILENCE?

Search your Hearts and be silent- Psalm 4:4

Attitude

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.
-Charles Swindoll

Short and Simple

Everyone has two sides : a good and a bad, the one that grows the biggest is the one you feed the most.

Behave like you believe!

Opportunity

If someone prays for PATIENCE, you think God gives them PATIENCE, or does He give them the OPPORTUNITY to be patient?

If someone prays for COURAGE, does God give them COURAGE, or does He give them the OPPORTUNITY to be courageous?

If someone prayed for a family to be closer, do you think that God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them the opportunity to LOVE each other?

 -Evan Almighty

LOVE

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.  Matthew 22:37-39

 

Sometimes we forget the basic message and commandment of God: LOVE! Love God above everything and Love others. God tells us to:

• Love Him Supremely
• Trust Him completely
• Obey Him wholeheartedly
• Praise Him continueally
• Use the abilities that he gave us

People need Love the most when they Deserve it the least!

Faith

Now Faith is being SURE of what we hope for and CERTAIN of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

 

Trusting God means having faith in Him and knowing that he has our best interest in mind at all times. In the verse Paul, the author of Hebrews,  gives us a brief definition of faith as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Our faith is not only what keeps us believing in God but it allows us to trust that God is always watching out for us and although we don't always understand why, God is leading our lives in a certain direction we should keep faith and know that his plan never takes us outside of his grace. - R. Parsons

Island

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the weather, and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky.   The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.   It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.

 Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground---it just may be a smoke signal  that summons the grace of God.

Silver

  'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.'  Malachi 3:3

A woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: ' He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.'She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, ' Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Change

"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." Romans 8:28

 

3 things about change:

1. Change brings stress

2. We seem to focus on what was lost and not gained

3. Blame stress on whoever is "in charge" of the change

 

When we are put in situations that require us to step out of our comfort zone we are stressed due to change in our situation. Focus on what you can gain from the situation not loose. The unknown can overwhelm you, but God is omniscient, which means he knows all things, including the future. He can prepare you for the future in ways you can't prepare yourself, God is the guide who is never surprised.

Grow

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and 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 giving joyful thanks to the Father" Colossians 1:9-12

 

Paul, the author of Colossians, was writing the church to give them inspiration to help them grow in their faith. God made you into the person you are today, but doesn't want you to stop there. He continues to work on us through struggles, celebrations, and our friends and family.

 

Remember: He loves you so much just the way you are... BUT he refuses to leave you that way, He wants you to continue to grow!

The mayo jar

          A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes". The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, " I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life:

• The golf balls are the important things in life. Your family, your children, your health, your beliefs, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
• The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.
• The sand is everything else, the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.  Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

        One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Beautiful

He makes everything beautiful in it's own time- Ecc 3:11

God always has a purpose! He promises to bring you through them to fulfill His purpose He has placed on your life. Just remember just because WE don't understand His timing, doesn't mean that He does not have your best interest in mind. 

Smudge

When you only follow directions "sorta" if begins a wave of consequences.
Like baking a cake, if you smudge a little on one ingredient and a little on
another, and so on, in the end you will have smudged a lot and the so called
cake will not be edible. God has given us instructions to live by, just as
there are directions for baking a cake, don't "smudge" your life. Follow
God's directions and he will lead you to happiness.

Rooted

Therefore as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving- Col 2:6

Are your roots deep enough in Jesus that when the world starts digging you can withstand and stand strong?  God did not promise a calm passage, just a safe landing... Be rooted in thanks to God.

Look...

Let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. Hebrews 12:1-2

 

Look inside, and you may have self pity,

Look down, and you might want to give up,

Look around, and you might grow discouraged

Look up, and you will see the reason to be strong!

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
 and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next.
 Amen

Whisper

If you listen to me whisper now, I wont have to shout later -GOD

 

God talks to us through our conscience, nature, family, friends, and situations. Sometimes we choose to ignore what he wants us to do and eventually he has to 'shout" for us to hear him. Listen.....

Shine like stars

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a crooked generation.”Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.

Philippians 2:14-15

 The best way to ruin a good thing is to complain about all of its imperfections. If you want to make every day the worst day of your life, describe everything that is wrong about it to yourself or someone else. That should do the trick! Rather than complaining about what is wrong, let's remember to thank God for what's right! If there is something you need, PRAY ABOUT IT !! God would much rather listen to your problems through a prayer than to hear you grumble about them to others.

Sinking

"About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.  When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”  But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here! Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.  Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” Matthew 14: 25-31

• Have faith in yourself, God picked you for a reason
• Take his hand and step out of the boat.
• Peter didn't sink because he had no faith in Christ, he sunk because he had no faith in himself.

Be shaken

"Shake the ground I walk on, I want to be dependant on you"

 

If we are never 'shaken' how could be ever learn and grow stronger. If we never have to lean on God for support and help through a circumstance, than what would we need him for?

Going through life's "circumstances" helps build our relationship with God.

 

For when I am weak I am truly strong.

Matthew 6:34

Every time I buy a new bible I like to get them in different translations, I think that you are able to get something different from different translations. Matthew 6:34 is one of my favorite verses it is simple and to the point. 

 

• Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NIV
• Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. ESV 
• Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked us about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. MRMX 
• Dont worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.

Circumstances

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; Persecuted, not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed" 2 Corinthians 4:9

 

Several things to think about with this verse:

• Tough circumstances? Consider this: God dressed up in a man's body, living among those who wanted to kill and torture him, simply because he wanted to save them! This brings light to the saying, " Wherever you've been, He's been there"- He was pressed, persecuted and struck down.
• Perseverance is good, but that alone is not enough, Endurance helps you survive the moment by toughing it out. Surviving is good, however will not last. But you truly prosper when you add trust in God's character and sovereignty. (Sovereignty= Gods supremacy, stating that God is God, and He is the up most high)
• In tough times, you will be tempted to take your eyes off your goals, allowing distraction and discouragement by the difficulties instead of anticipating the possiblities

Anyway

"People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered- LOVE THEM ANYWAY
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives- DO THEM ANYWAY
If you are successful you may win false friends and true enemies- SUCCEED ANYWAY
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow- DO GOOD ANYWAY
Honesty makes you vulnerable- BE HONEST ANYWAY
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight- BUILD ANYWAY
People really need help, but may attack you if you help them- HELP THEM ANYWAY
Give the world your best you have and you may get hurt- GIVE YOUR BEST ANYWAY"
~ Mother Theresa

Rocks

"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it, But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what is ahead, I press on to the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" ~ Philippians 3:13-14

Sometimes we focus on what has happened in the past, so much so that we forget to see what he is doing for us now and in the near future. The past are like rocks weighing us down, if we never drop them they will become so heavy that we will not be able to carry forward for very long.  God offers us a great future, drop your rocks and be thankful for what you have now and look forward to see what he has waiting for you.

Really Matters Most

How different our live are when we really know what is DEEPLY IMPORTANT to us, and keeping that picture in mind, we manage ourselfs EACH day to be and to do was REALLY MATTERS MOST.
Stephen Covey

Mountains

Don't tell your God how BIG your mountains are, tell your mountains how BIG your God is.

 Though the mountains be shaken
   and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
   nor my promise of peace be removed,”
   says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
 Isiah 54:10

Corinthians 13:5-8

 Love never gives up,
Love cares more for others than for self,
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have,
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Isn't always "me first"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end

"Trust Steadily in God,
Hope unswervingly,
Love extravagantly"
1 Corinthians 13:13

God and the Spider

 During WWII, a US marine was separated form his unit. All alone, he could hear enemy soldiers drawing closer. Quickly he found a cave to hide in. He realized that the enemy soldiers were looking for him and soon find him.  He prayed to God, " Lord, if it be your will, please protect me." After praying he noticed a small spider start spinning a web at the entrance of the cave.

Hah' he thought, I need a brick wall and the Lord has sent me a spider web. As the enemy drew closer he waited with his gun out to make his last stand. As they came to the cave opening, they quickly moved on. Suddenly, he realized that the web over the cave made it look like no one had been there.

In God, a spiders web is stronger than any brick wall.

How Far on One Tank?

 Spiritual encouragement is a renewable source. But like backpackers with canteens we can only carry around so much at one time. We run dry. We must return again, and again to the Lord, the never failing source of encouragement to replenish our supply.

Be filled with the spirit. Ephesians 5:18

This world is going to dry you up. Everyday relationships are going to drain you. Pressures of life are going to deplete you. Struggles with sin are going to drag you down.

Bumblebee's

Some bumblebees were taken on a space mission to see the effects of weightlessness. The bees floated around with ease without using their wings. After 3 days the bee's died. Bees were never meant to go through life without using their wings, not having any resistance.

Without opposition or resistance there is no potential for progress. Without the resistance or air an eagle can not soar. Without resistance of water a ship can not float.

Painting

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, Plans to prosper and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord. and I will bring you back from captivity. Jeremiah 24: 11-14

Claude Monet, the famous painter constructed a 3 panel painting in which he named 'Water Lillie's."  The massive feature measuring 6 feet by 57 feet, now hangs panel to panel in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. When you see the painting on the ground floor you are about 4 feet away, and to me, it did not look anything but a bunch of paint splashed on a canvas and smeared around. I remember thinking why and the world would this be one of the main attractions. After going up stairs I noticed a large gathering of people standing on a catwalk, I walked over I looked down and saw the massive painting from several hundred feet away. To say it was breathtaking would be an understatement. From far away you could see that the smeared paint became an intricate painting of flowers and a pond. It was beautiful and you could not walk away.

Your life is like this painting, right now all you see is the close up version of it. But God sees the whole painting. His plan is to make all trials and tribulations beautiful in time. Sometimes we need to take a step back and know that one day we will see what God has orchestrated.

Flowers

Therefore we do not loose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far out weighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not in what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. II Corinthians 4:16-18

Sometimes we focus so much on our troubles that it is hard to see past them, yet when we look back we realize that God has made them into something beautiful. He strengthens us, builds us up, and improves our relationships with not only Him but our friends and family, who we lean on for support.

Rain now, means flowers later!!

Storms

One day HE got into a boat with HIS disciples, and HE said to them, "Let us go across the the other side of the lake." So they put out, and while they were sailing HE fell asleep. A wind storm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling up with water, they were in danger. They went to HIM and woke HIM up shouting "Master, Master, we are perishing!" HE rebuked the wind and the waves. Luke 8:22-24

 

Things to remember while we are going through life's storms:

• Storms give us the opportunity to shine in Gods glory
• Don't forget that Jesus is always in the boat with us
• Storms ALWAYS pass, they do not last forever!!!!

Life is not about waiting for Storms to pass, its about learning to dance in the rain!

Crushed Grapes

More than that we rejoice in our suffereing,

 knowing that suffereing: produces endurance, 

 and endurance produces character, and
character produces hope and  hope produces no shame,
because Gods love has been poured our into our hearts through
the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 5:3-5

If we are ever going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed-- you can not drink grapes.
Grapes become wine only when they have been crushed.

Miracle

GOD came to me one day. I asked him to show me a miracle to prove that we was really GOD. HE then pointed to a tree. I was perplexed, "that's not a miracle" I replied.  Then he simply asked "Can you make one?"

Sometimes we get so caught up in everyday mess that we do not stop to see what God HAS done and made for us. All the miracles he HAS created. But, instead, we focus what we do not have and what we think he has not done for us.

Carrots, Eggs, and Tea

A young woman when to her mother and told her that she could not take it anymore. She was tired of struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. The mother boiled water in three pots. In one she put carrots, one eggs, and the last a tea bag.

After 30 min she took out the carrots, eggs and poured a cup of tea. After examining them her mother showed her the soft carrots, hard egg and sipped the cup of tea. Her mother explained that each of these objects faced the same adversity--boiling water. However, each responded differently...

The carrot when put in the water was strong, hard, and unrelenting, however, when subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became week.

The egg had been fragile. The thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But after sitting through boiling water, its inside became hardened.

Then when the tea grounds were added they were unique. They changed the water.  When the water gets hot, the tea released fragrance and flavor.

When adversity knocks, how will you respond? When things are at there worst, you become stronger and change the situation around you.

Endurance

He makes everything beautiful in its own time Eccl 3:11

ENDURANCE is the ability to keep pressing on without growing weary. It is STAMINA, forbearance, courage, fortitude, durability and the ABILITY to STAND.

Biblical endurance is more than being the last man standing, it is HOPEFUL waiting and the OUTLOOK we maintain while we run the race.  God not only can change my circumstances but he WILL.

Broken

When you fracture or break a bone a calcium ring forms around the afflicted part until it heals. From this point on this is the strongest part of the entire bone.

"It was good that I was afflicted so that I might learn your decrees" Psalm 119:71

Assurance in Gods Purpose

In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose Romans 8:28

Its not "scriptural" to say that " all things are good" some are painful, and hard to bear-- But look at the ingredients of a chocolate cake: sugar-flour-eggs-cocoa- baking soda- etc, If you tasted each ingredient one at a time they would be disgusting, however, mixed and cooked at the right temp, you get something delectable! Just like your life, it will all turn out amazing.