Thursday, June 27, 2013

The Real Pain Reliever!

Thought for today....

"The Real Pain Reliever"

(James 4:8 NLT) Come close to God, and God will come close to you.

When we experience a loss, separation...divorce or any other kind of pain, we often close ourselves off from God "the total opposite of what we should do." He is our only source of true comfort, instead we withdraw within ourselves. Sometimes we look for other people to "fix" things...we seek advice from others...be it a counselor, a friend, a family member or even a work partner. We might seek escape through excessive work, play, or even turn to food, alcohol or drugs to ease the pain....we refuse to face it.

Running from God won't fix the problem. Our only answer is to come close to Him. He can meet every need...and He wants to. Come close to God by spending time in his Word.

(Psalm 119:114) You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.

Friday, June 21, 2013

God's Will

Psalm 16:11 NIV

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

We may not realize or understand God's plan for us, but I assure you He has one. If we seek God’s will earnestly and prayerfully...He will make His plans known to us in His own time and in His own way.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Financial "Net Worth or "Life Worth"....What Really Matters?

Ecclesiastes 6:9 NLT

Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

1 Peter 1:18-19 NCV

You know that in the past you were living in a worthless way, a way passed down from the people who lived before you. But you were saved from that useless life. You were bought, not with something that ruins like gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Christ, who was like a pure and perfect lamb.

Most of us have been caught up in the stress and worry about our net worth...trying to increase our financial status...having that prestigious career...feeling that the more money and possessions we have is the most important thing in life and it will make us worth more.
For example: How much is my house worth? Well it's worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it...that’s what it’s worth. Same goes for our life worth....Our worth is exactly what someone is willing to pay our life. The Bible says that you and I were purchased with a tremendous price...the purchase price was paid so we could have a relationship with God...it did not include money...gold and silver,rather...it was the blood of Jesus, the Son of God...who gave His life freely for you and for me to show us how much we’re worth...if we open our heart and our mind to this truth...if we live our life with this present awareness that we are the beloved of immeasurable value...it will change everything about our life...maybe then we can stop worrying about what really doesn't matter and focus on what does.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

For Nothing is Impossible with God.

Luke 1:37 NLT

Sometimes...because of our limited faith and limited understanding...we wrongly assume that God cannot or will not intervene in what's going on in our life. Such assumptions are simply wrong.

God’s Holy Word makes it clear........... absolutely nothing is impossible for the Lord. The Bible means what it says and we can be comforted to know that God can do miraculous things in our own life and in the lives of our loved ones. Our challenge...as a believer...is to take God at His word...and to expect the miraculous.

Friday, June 14, 2013

God Cares about the Attitude of Our Heart!

Amos 5:14-15 CEVDCUS06

If you really want to live, you must stop doing wrong and start doing right. I, the Lord God All-Powerful, will then be on your side, just as you claim I am.  Choose good instead of evil! See that justice is done. Maybe I, the Lord All-Powerful, will be kind to what's left of your people.

When life is going great, we become prosperous and everything seems to be just right in our lives, that's when we really need to be careful! We can become complacent and be setting ourselves up for a downfall. We begin feeling less need for God and family in our lives...this can verily easily happen to any of us. We wind up hurting and blocking out the ones that are really the most important to us, without even realizing it. We pretend that everything is just right in our lives, while trying to satisfy our boss, self, friends, etc.

God created us with a need for a relationship with Him and our family....not isolation. He can see through our false appearances, even when others don't. God is more concerned with what our heart looks like on the inside and truly I believe our family does too, rather than our outward appearance to others. Maybe it's time we take a real close look at our situation, reconcile and make restitutions with the ones that we have hurt and neglected, along the way.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

A Big Heart or a Big Head?

God uses the Bible to transform us...not just to inform us.

Rick Warren makes a good point, when he answered the question, what translation of The Bible is best...Rick answered,  "when you translate it into your life."

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

James 1:22 NLT

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

We All Can Use A Little Help Sometimes!

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

Our choice of who accompanies us in life’s journey can make all the difference in the world!

We all have times in our lives when we start feeling out of control, falling into sin, temptation, and trouble....that's why it's important for us to have relationships with others such as "our spouse, pastor, family member or a true Christian friend"....who can help guide us when our lives begin to spin out of control.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Forgiveness...Yes, Difficult, but Possible

Forgiveness...yes, seems difficult at times...maybe this will help, it did for me.

Matthew 18:21-22 NIRV

Peter came to Jesus. He asked, "Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"  Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but 77 times.

When we need to ask forgiveness from someone, we need to ask the Lord to give us a humble heart and a spirit willing to change. If we are being asked to forgive, we should ask the Lord to help us look to Him to help restore the person back in our heart without bitterness. The Lord will help us. He is on both sides. Let us pray that we keep His focus and His heart during the conflicts, and not our own.

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Suffering? Remember God's Unfailing Love

No one is exempt from suffering. The people we think deserve it the least are often the ones faced with it. Whatever the situation or whenever our heart is breaking, God wants us to give our grief and sorrow to Him. He’s the one who mends broken hearts.

Jeremiah....known as the weeping prophet...watched as his nation was taken captive and almost completely destroyed, because of it's refusal to surrender to God. He cried out these words....as it took place.

Lamentations 3:18-20 NLT

I cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!” The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.

Lamentations 3:21-23 NLT

Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

We all get in to feeling sorry for ourselves. But before we stay there, we must remember our hope: God’s love is unfailing....and it never ends!

Friday, June 7, 2013

Grown Men Do Cry and It's Ok

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27

Grief is the process that helps us release our pain and losses to God. In our grief, we come to terms with our past and we find freedom to live in the reality of the present. On the other side of grief, we’ll find hope for the future.
The prophet Jeremiah shared his grief and tears with God. So in his grief, he wrote the Old Testament book, Lamentations. When we read it, we find that Jeremiah didn’t mince his words or hide his pain. He weeps openly and fully, releasing his emotions to God. It’s a great example for us when we grieve our own losses.
 
Lamentations doesn’t provide pat answers for the suffering we’ll experience. When we read it, we discover that it’s all right to be real, to be angry, to be disappointed with life, and to be concerned about what tomorrow holds for us.

Monday, June 3, 2013

If Only........

3 John 1:4 NIV

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

I don't know about you...but I feel like I have had a blessed life. God has blessed me with a great family thst I love so much five super children and a beautiful granddaughter! He blessed me with an overall sucessfull career, etc. There are some things though in my life that "if only" I could go back and do differently. ..I would.

“If only......” is a haunting phrase. It implies that you failed and that you wish you could go back and do things differently.

When we dare to see the truth and accept responsibility for our life, we may feel sad and ashamed. We may regret our irresponsibility and destructive behavior, and wish to erase our past. The Bible is full of stories of regret. This Bible shows us how many of our troubles are a direct consequence of our irresponsibility.

When we are irresponsible in our relationship with God and others, our situation will grow progressively worse. The process of our spiritual renewal may start out painfully. When we confess the truth about ourself...it hurts. But as we begin to see the truth, speak the truth, and accept responsibility for our life...we’ll discover the great relief and hope that God offers.

When you are irresponsible in your relationship with God and others, your situation will grow progressively worse. The process of your spiritual renewal may start out painfully. When you confess the truth about yourself, it hurts. But as you begin to see the truth, speak the truth, and accept responsibility for your life, you’ll discover the great relief and hope that God offers.
 
“My one regret in life is that I’m not someone else.” -Woody Allen (1935-    ) Quote taken from a Daily New Life