Prayer is great! Read Gods word too

 Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, " plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."    Yesterday a met a few young men on the ski hill.  One was wearing a sweatshirt that said,”Y’all need Jesus!”.   I commented on the sweatshirt and the three of them with huge smiles professed their sincere believe in Jesus.  It was so fun for me to see that.  Then I asked, “What church do you go to?”  They responded we aren’t going to church right now just mostly praying and sometimes reading the Bible, but mostly just praying and trusting Jesus.   I told them praying is great!!  Trusting Jesus is paramount!  Reading the Word of God is also very important so you can know the words God has for you.  If we only pray it’s a one sided conversation.   God speaks to us through the Bible. Specific Bible verses give me solid ground to stand on.  Psalm 46:10 “ Be still and know that I am God.” Is one I have to use a lot.  Jeremiah 29:11 is one I wanted to give those boys too.   “ For I know the plans I have for you,”declares the Lord. “ Plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future.”  Knowing Gods word helps us grow in our faith.   This life is sometimes very hard.  In those tough times I need to hold unto hope.   I need to remember that Jesus can see the forest through the trees and in the middle of what ever mess I am going through, I can trust in His plans for me.   This is a verse I would want those young men to know.    Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble, Fear Not! I have overcome the world!”   Hope!!! You will never regret having hope.   Hope for me is ignited when I read the promises of God in the Bible.   Be inspired to pray and read the word of God.  It’s also so wonderful to have fellowship with other Bible believing and reading Christians.  Ecclesiastes 4:12 reminds us that a three fold cord is not quickly broken. Two people with Jesus is a great three fold cord team!

What are you giving birth to?

Isaiah 26:18 "We were with child, we withered in pain, but we gave birth to the wind.  We have not brought salvation to the earth; we have not given birth to people of the world."   When I read “ We were with child, I’m thinking of the things that I am growing in my mind, sometimes my thoughts go unchecked and I can think on things that are not of God and I let them grow.  When I focus on getting fulfillment from things of this world it truly only causes me pain.  And if I get my worldly desire it’s like giving birth to the wind.  Today, may each of our desires, be first God, and Trust for His ways in our lives.

Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is the Rock eternal.”

Good Morning God!

 Psalm 4:2 "How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?   How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?  3 Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself, the Lord will hear when I call to Him. 4 In your anger do not sin, when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.  5 Offer right sacrifices and TRUST in the Lord.”

How long will I love delusions and seek false gods?  One of my dear friends said to me she wakes up and says, “Good morning God!”   When she said that to me, I was ecstatic! I said, “I do that too!”    That was true at that time.  Lately my mind has been filled with other thoughts besides praising God first thing in the morning.   The things that are occupying my mind are distracting me from honoring God in all I think sat and do.   Psalm 4:4 “In your anger do not sin, when you are on your beds, search  your hearts and be silent.”   When I am in my bed it is easier for me to search my heart and be silent.   I need to train my mind to be quiet and seek God first. I often squirrel off in my thoughts, even when I’m praying and stop focusing on God and His Word.  To focus on Him it takes training.  Psalm 5 “ Offer right sacrifices and TRUST in the Lord.”   Today I’m going to try to sacrifice the things that are occupying my mind ahead of God.    I am going to try to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.    Our health and wellness begins in our thinking and in our hearts, today let’s start out with, Good morning God!! Everything else will fall into place!😇🙏❤️

Tossing and turning?

1Thessalonians5:8. “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”  Faith and hope are how I keep going when I struggle.  

Last night I had a restless night.   I usually sleep well and my sleep is usually sweet but I am dealing with something out of my control and I can’t seem to sincerely TRUST God in it.  I keep worrying about it and trying to figure out what to do.  I get myself so anxious because I am convinced the outcome I want,  is the only one I want and I am kicking and screaming at God to give it to me. But for what ever reason it’s not what I’m getting.  Last night I couldn’t stop my mind from going round and round.  Finally, I meditated on this prayer, “ God, heal me and I will be healed, save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise!”  I needed God to heal and save me from my own deterioration of faith and hope.  It is said, when we lose hope we loose our will to live.   There is always, always hope in Jesus Christ.  Put your faith and hope in Him today, no matter how fast your mind may be racing in the wrong direction. STOP, quiet your mind and give HOPE in Jesus your full attention.   I promise you, you’ll experience His peace no matter what your situation.😇🙏❤️He can see the forest through the trees, we often can’t.

Get off the well worn path of hurt

Colossians 3:12-14. "Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  13 Bear with each other and forgive what ever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bear with each other and forgive as Jesus forgives us.   Are we acting this way?   As I read this I am thinking of how I let myself feel hurt when someone doesn’t meet my expectations.  When I feel hurt I can replay the feeling over and over again in my mind tell it becomes such a well worn path I can’t see the glory of God I can only feel the pain of unmet expectations. The well worn path of stinking thinking is very familiar to me.  In order to quit drinking I had to intentionally change my first thought toward alcohol.  If I want to truly be well in my life I need to take every thought captive and make them obedient to Christ Jesus.    God tells us we are loved and we are to love Him and love others.  If we perseverate on unmet expectations we are looking at the lack in our  lives and not the fullness of God.   Today.  Put on true compassion, kindness, humility gentleness,patience and forgiveness; if I’m truly walking in these qualities I can love people where they are at and not expecting them to be where I want them to be.      This is not easy for me to do on my own. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”  Be encouraged to Be the love of Jesus today to all people without exceptions.   😇❤️🙏

Be careful in giving and receiving council

Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others,  you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  3 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  4 How can you say to your brother, "let me take the speck out of your eye", when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite!  First take the plank out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."      Do you ever try to give advise to people when you are suffering with the same issues?   If so be transparent, tell each other the truth about life struggles and what works and what doesn't.   God word always works!!!  If we give each other, “our opinions”, that's all we get.   We are all a bit messed up!! We all suffer with sin!! We all have a planks in our own eyes!! Find out what the word of God says about a situation and council each other with it.   Be truthful and honest about how you have tried to do what’s in God word, what has hindered you and what has helped you.    Today be encouraged to be good council by using the Bible as  your foundational truth. 

When you need council , be careful.... make sure your councilor doesn't have a plank hanging out of his/her eye, which they are pretending isn't there.   God word, it's the best mirror and council we will ever find!! Let's support each other in that today!!😇🙏❤️

Not “Feeling it”?

 2Corinthians 4:4 "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord,and ourselves as your servants for Jesus sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness, made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."   A friend of mine said, he has tried to believe but just can’t.  He claims to be spiritual but not religious. He said he has tried the Catholic and Baptist churches but “it”, just did resonate with his soul.   He doesn’t  “feel it”.   I  often don’t “feel it”, but I always try my best to TRUST it!   Sometimes my prayer is, “Father, I believe, help me with my unbelief.”   My life has been a a rollar coaster ride with Jesus, feeling it and not feeling it.  What helps me stay in faith is keeping my eyes on God and His word the Bible.  I have to be reading the Bible and meditating on what it says for me to be actively putting God first not the god of this world first.  The god of this world for me can be things like fitness, relationships, worry, control, adventure.....   I can seek these things more than I seek God.  Today, look at what your deepest desire is.

If it’s anything beside Gods will for your life you will be on a rollar coaster ride with Jesus.  Get on the narrow road.  Let His light shine in the darkness

In the waiting not peace not action time

 Lamentations 3:22 "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him."  His mercies are new every morning!!! Sometimes I get so upset when my plans, hopes and dreams are not coming to be.   I have plans, and life doesn’t go according to my plans.  My expectations can turn into deep disappointments. . Why I let myself get so upset when things go the wrong direction (in my opinion) is beyond me.   True peace is TRUSTING Gods plan and waiting patiently for it to unfold.   In the waiting my mind can come up with all kinds of tricks to get my way.   When I instigate these maneuvers I just go further down the pit.  

.........55 I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit.  56 You heard my plea: " Do not close your ears to my cry for relief." 57 You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear."  Perfect Love casts out fear!!! Today, let’s be inspired to TRUST in Gods perfect love for us.  Let’s TRUST Him in the waiting without fear!!   Yes, waiting, not peace not action time, the waiting!!  This is a beautiful truth the waiting can be peace when we do fully TRUST in His plan.    😇🙏❤️

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you ", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

True Love

  1Corinthians 13:4 " Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  5 It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth.  7 it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  8 Love never fails........13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.   But the greatest of these is love.   As I read 1 Corinthians 13 I am evaluating whether or not I am really acting in love.   It's a say to say I love someone, but unless I act in love what good is saying, "I love you"?   Today, I will try to treat the people I say I love, with a 1 Corinthians 13 adherence. 😇🙏❤️

Embrace your thorns.

 2 Corinthians 12:7 "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given to me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it from me.  9 But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. “.  Do you ever feel like you have a thorn in your flesh?   Do you feel like you are tormented by a sin that you can’t shake?   Do you ever have destructive thought patterns and pray they would go away , but they raise their ugly heads over  and over again?   I struggle with these types of things.  I am thankful for Paul’s thorn in his flesh. It makes me understand there is a reason for the thorn in mine.   In the song, “Yes, Jesus loves me”.  The lyrics say, “ They are weak but He is strong! Yes, Jesus loves me !”   We are not perfect, we all struggle with something.   We are weak but He is strong!!   His grace is sufficient for us.  Our weakness is made perfect in His power.  Today, instead of looking at the thorn in our flesh let's look to the hope we have in Jesus even if He never takes away the thorn.

Some of the thorns I've been given have lead to some of the most amazing gifts God can give.    An example of this is; I have the thorn of alcoholism.  Because of it, I realized my need for a Savior.    I needed to rely on His strength not my own.  I'm very thankful for that, I am not sure I would have been able to be humble enough to let Jesus be my Lord, if I didn't have it.   Be inspired to praise God for your thorns and let His grace be sufficient!! Let His strength be made perfect in your weakness!

Who’s attention are you seeking?

 2Corinthians 10:18 "For it is not the man that commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends."    Am I doing Gods work with a pure heart?  Are you?   When I read this verse today I am evaluating if I’m seeking man’s approval or Gods.  I am someone who has often sought attention.   A freind of mine asked me “why do you care about winning so much”?      As I look back at my life I think it’s because winners get attention. Today I’m questioning how much am I seeking the attention of God verses the attention of man.  This is a bit silly because God is always paying attention.   He rewards us the way He does it.    We are to do things with a pure heart in secret.   What we do in secret He rewards us opening.    He loves a cheerful giver!!!    I don’t have the finances to be giving a lot that way, what I do have is 24 hours a day.   I pray that today I can cheerfully, fully give Him those hours.    I pray you can cheerfully do it too!!!😇🙏❤️

Christ Esteem verse self esteem

 Colossians 3:3 "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.    

....8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips.   9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator."

2Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"    Self esteem is and has been a “Hot Topic”.  Our culture seems to promote the idea of having high self esteem to the point of giving everyone a trophy win or loose.  Rewarding sub standard behavior only promotes sub standard behavior.     When we have poor behavior in our minds, hearts and actions our self esteem suffers.   We first hand know all the things we do, we wish we wouldn’t do.  We also know all the things we want to do, that we don’t do.   This plague of the human condition rages constant havoc with our feelings of self worth.    We ALL have a sin problem!   Good News; Jesus takes our sins and removes them as far as the East is from the West and remembers them NO MORE!   In exchange He gives us His righteousness! He gives us His right standing with God.   He gives each of us credit for all of His goodness!!     Yes,  we ALL continue to sin and sin messes with our self worth.   We need not suffer with low self worth because of our sin.  We have been set free by the powerful gift of Jesus!   Give Him all your sins today, ask Him to help you rid yourself of desiring them and doing them.   Accept the forgiveness He died to give you.   And Walk with your chin up knowing you are the righteousness of Jesus Christ!    You are not the sum of your sins or sum of your personal faults. You are the Righteousness of Jesus Christ!!! Put on Christ Esteem today!  Let go of the self esteem, we can never be good enough no matter how hard we try or no matter how many participation trophy’s we own.   We ALL have a sin problem.    Put on Christ esteem, be beaming from the inside and it’ll show up authentically on the outside too!!   People will see this in you and want what you have and you can share the good news of Jesus Chrsit!

Sinful thought or sinful action?

 2Corinthians 10:5 "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete."   Have you ever noticed that once you commit your ways to the Lord you don't get away with the same level of disobedience as you used to?  Personally I get convicted in my heart of things I never used to think twice about.  In addition, it seems I suffer more consequences too.  All my disobedience starts with my thoughts.  I spend a lot of time  myself, during this time I have to make sure the things I think are things pleasing to God.   If I let my thoughts go down a negative spiral  hopeless kicks in.  If hopelessness gets a foothold, sin gets a strong hold!   I have found verbalizing thankfulness to God helps me.  It helps me remember when I prayed for the things I have now.    God didn’t bring us this far to drop us now.    Let’s be inspired to take every thought captive and make those thoughts obedient to God.    It’s way easier to deal with a single sinful thought than the consequences of a sinful action.     Be careful what you think!! 

Do what’s right even if no one will ever notice

 Philippians 2:12 "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."   Obey, with purity of heart, do what is right, when no one is looking!   I am a recovering Alcoholic.   I used to be a closet drinker. I spent a lot of years hiding my alcohol.      In the AA program, we have a saying; “ Our secrets keep us sick.”   If I am secretly grumbling and complaining to someone, or secretly eating an extra portion of ice cream  I’m not taking full responsibility for my actions.   Therefore  I am more likely to repeat my unwanted behaviors.   Today, be encouraged to  go the extra mile, even if no one else will notice.    Be encouraged to do what is right even if it’s the most difficult.    Live in purity of heart and actions!   Don't just desire to do good, do good because you desire to!!  We are saved by the grace of God our salvation is a gift.   Doing good is a gift to ourselves and others 😇🙏✝️

Try again

Philippians 2:12 "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."   Obey, with purity of heart, do what is right, when no one is looking!   I am a recovering Alcoholic.   I used to be a closet drinker. I spent a lot of years hiding my alcohol.      In the "l p program, we have a saying; “ Our secrets keep us sick.”   If I am secretly grumbling and complaining to someone, or secretly eating an extra portion of ice cream  I’m not taking full responsibility for my actions and therefore I am more likely to repeat my unwanted behavior.   Today be encouraged to face life on life’s terms.

Give with a generous spirit even if you give from lack

 2Corinthians 9:7 "Each  man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."   Giving should be out of purity in heart.   Have a truly generous spirit.  I do better with this when I remember all that I have belongs to God anyway.     A dear friend of mine used to say, “It’s just Jesus money!”  She was not a women of means, but she lived with a generous spirit.  She  had a tremendous influence on my life and many others.    She gave generously of her time and talents.  She inspired many to do the same.   Sometimes I am excited to give and then I rethink it.  I may still give, but then with a reluctant spirit.   This type of giving is not of a generous heart.   Today, I pray that each of us can give away, the gifts God has given us with a sincere, loving, kind generous heart.    If we feel the spirit of reluctance and selfishness creep in, let’s remember; it’s all God’s anyway!  I like the saying,”Life of earth is soon to pass only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Inspire life! Help other be filled!

 John 7:37 " On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from him."   Streams of living water will flow from him!    When we are filled with the Spirit of the Lord we are filled to over flowing and those streams of living water give life to those around us.  If we are empty inside we can be a "life suck" to those around us.     Back when I was drinking I would try to fill myself with alcohol to fill the emptiness inside. Although for a moment, I would be numb, in the long run it created a bigger vacuum.   Whenever I look to be filled from something other than the Spirit of God it is never enough!!  If I look to another person to fill me then I am putting my expectations on a person and they are sure to disappoint, simply because no one aside from Jesus can ever fill us to the full.  It's not humanly possible!!!   Today, this New Year, let's make a commitment to be filled to overflowing with the love of Jesus, so we can positively affect those around us!   😇🙏❤️✝️

Let go of the lie, walk in the TRUTH!

 2Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

....21 "God has made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."  The old is gone the new is here!!   The sin has been removed and we inherit the righteousness of Jesus Christ!!   What an amazing gift!!!   This is the “Powerful Gift of Jesus!!”  We are no longer defined by the sum of our mistakes we are defined by the right standing of Jesus!   It has been a life journey for me to accept this.   I know the depravity of my own heart.  I know the many, many  times I put my personal desires ahead of my desire to relate to God.   Through it all He loves me and offered His perfect gift of salvation.   Day by day He delivers us from our sinful natures and lets us walk in His Spirit of TRUTH.    Today when we feel the temptation to tell  “just a white lie”, or not be completely sincere with someone.  Let’s renounce our old ways and walk in His TRUTH!   It’s not easy in the moment.   Easy isn’t always best!!   Truth is; we are not our sin we are His truth and righteousness.  Today, be inspired to walk in that!!😇🙏❤️✝️

Happy Joyful New Year!

Happy New Year!!  Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   We can make big plans for 2025, but the best laid plans are from Our Lord!!  My constant prayer, is your way God not mine.    Yet immediately after praying that very prayer I boldly seek my desires and not His.    Eve desired to eat from the tree, can you imagine the plans God had for her and Adam if they would have desired His fellowship over the passing of the serpent?   God promises He has plans for us!! Plans to prosper us and not to harm us plans to give us hope and a future.   Today as we enter 2025; let’s try our best to walk in the plans of the Lord.  Let’s try our best to seek Him first and let His gifts be given to us.   The simple act of being able to TRUST God in all things and TRUST His ways are better than ours is a great place to start, so we can live in His health and wellness in 2025.   May you have a  joyous, blessed and Happy New Year!