Faith when petrified

 Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.    Even though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death…..Have you ever been petrified with fear?   Yesterday I was.   We were hiking on a trail in AZ.   My friend heard a rattle and said, “that sounds like a rattler”.  I yelled out, Bob! There is a snake-by your feet!. He jumped back and the snake slithered away.  He said, “It’s safe the snake is curled up now under the tree.”   I didn’t want  to go close, but decided to trust my friend since he knows the dessert.   When I got close, I heard a huge amount of rattling in the tall grass to the side of the trail.   I yelled out, “ We have to get out of  here!”   We both took off and I stated quoting Psalm 23.   If you are in fear today.  May Psalm 23 comfort you too!

True forgiveness heals

 Matthew 18:35 “This is how my Heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”   Do you have someone you need to forgive?   Forgive from your heart and you will be healed!   

Be strong and Courageous ! For tge Lord your God is with you wherever you go!!

 Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”   Be strong and courageous today!!! The Lord your God is with you!!! Do you know what you need to do, yet lack the courage to address it with your full heart and your full fight?   We are not called to be cowards, we are called to be courageous!!! If you know it’s God’s will … go get it!!   What is the worse that can happen? You have miss read God’s will and it won’t work out the way you hoped.   So what.   You were courageous and God is still with you!!

Getting sucked in?

 Jude 1:16 “These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow thier own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for thier own advantage.”    Do you know these people? Their grumbling, complaining and faultfinding draws you in. They make you feel like you’re a part of their elite group with their flattery.  Be careful.   All of us are sinner and fall short of the glory of God.  We are not to think more highly of ourselves then others.  We are not to judge we are to love!!

Health in our minds verses depravity

 Romans 1:21 “ For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but thier thinking became futile and thier foolish hearts were darkened…….26 Because of this God gave them over to shameful lusts……28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.”    Do you ever feel like you have been given over to a depraved mind?    When I get caught up in the cares of this world and my desires for things that are not of God, I can feel the depravity of my mind take over.    My desires for my own way, out shine my desire to walk in God’s way.  To combat this erroision of my minds health; I will intentionally be thankful for what is from God today!    We dont have to look far to see the many beautiful things we have to be thankful for.  Let’s steer our mind to health!  Let’s fill ourselves with His word, His peace and His truth no matter how tempting it may be to let our mind go to dark places.   Stay in the light!!!

Be the example

 Proverbs 20:7 “ The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him……..22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!  Wait for the Lord and He will deliver you.”

We are examples!!   Our children are watching.   We maybe justified to want to take revenge, but forgiveness leads to peace.   Peace in our own hearts.    Peace for those watching.  May you have His peace today!!

True humility not fear.

 Hebrews 13:5-6 “ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because the Lord said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”   Be content with what we have!   Never will He leave us nor forsake us.   Be content!! Yesterday I was playing with my Grandchildren, the sheer contentment they have in the here and now amazed me.  Jesus said, "unless you humble yourself like a child… "true humility is contentment.  How many moments I have wasted wishing things were different than they are.   I find when I am struggling with contentment it helps me to stop and be thankful for what is.  I need not be afraid thatbI wont get what I want.   If God wants me to have something, aHe will provide.  He is very capable.    We need not be afraid.   Let’s practice contentment, which is practicing humility.