Just sayin'.....DECISIONS...DECISIONS!

Just sayin'.....DECISIONS...DECISIONS!

From the thinking about what's happening in the Middle East....to just the everyday happenings in our lives here at home....referring to "His Word" can help us in making the "RIGHT" decision.

1 Timothy 5:13 CEVDCUS06

Besides, they will become lazy and get into the habit of going from house to house. Next, they will start gossiping and become busybodies, talking about things that are none of their business.

Proverbs 26:17 CEVDCUS06

It's better to take hold of a mad dog by the ears than to take part in someone else's argument.

Some things in life just aren’t our business...and it’s not our place to meddle or get involved. It can be very tempting to try to solve other people’s problems...as though we don't have enough of our own. Dont get me wrong...God does want us to help other people in some cases of need...but as Christians...our outreach needs to be led by God’s Spirit...not by a “busybody spirit.” Sometimes God wants us to steer clear and not interfere with what’s going on. Rather, we ought to entrust its resolution to the appropriate people.

No Second Class!

Remember this......there are no "second‐class" members of God’s family. God still wants to give us His best. And as we seek Him together, He will!

Jeremiah 31:34 NIV

No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord ,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord . “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Doing God's Work...Without excuses.

Jeremiah 1:6-7
Then said I: "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth." But the LORD said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak."
NKJV

God choses us not because of what we want to do, but because of what He can do through us.
How many times have we thought this? "Lord, I know You want me to do this but...? "How can we say "Lord" and "but" in the same sentence? You can't, my friend. It's one or the other. Either He is Lord of your life or He isn't. If you are throwing out excuses not to do what God has asked you to do, maybe you need to consider just who is Lord of your life? Just think about that... Makes sense doesn't it?

Our Heavenly Rewards

Matthew 16:27 NKJV

For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Our Heavenly Rewards

Salvation is free and comes when we trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. Accepting Jesus Christ as Savior is the most important thing that we can do during the short time that we have here on earth "our temporary home."  Once we accept Christ as Savior, the Bible also tells us of God rewarding those who served Him during their life here on earth. We serve our King because He is worthy of our service. We show love to others because we love Him. Yet, we also serve Him in great expectation of the rewards He has prepared for us. I think everybody likes receiving rewards...I know I do. It might be an A for having worked hard at school, a trophy for our achievements, be it in a sport or other activity, or the bonus check that we receive for having met or exceeded our goals at our job. It would also be even greater to have some rewards waiting for us in Heaven "our eternal home," presented to us by God. Think about this...we have all eternity to enjoy our rewards in heaven, but only a short lifetime to enjoy our earthly ones. Time is also short for the earning of our Heavenly rewards, that will be waiting for us when we get there. I think there's nothing wrong with receiving earthly rewards, but I know that our Heavenly rewards will be greater! It's either rewards or regrets...we get to decide now.

Looking for PEACE?

Looking for PEACE?

John 16:33 NLT

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

Looking for PEACE....here it is...in this message...it is plain and clear. Be at ease....we know how it's all going to turn out and who is VICTORIOUS!

Some Good Out of the Bad

Matthew 6:34 NLT

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

The older I have gotten "I'm not going to claim...wiser" : ) I have realized the saying "just take one day at the time" is not as stupid of a philosophy, as I once thought!

I would venture to say that we have "all" found ourselves in some kinds of very humiliating situations, in times in our life. Some we never thought would ever end or could ever be any good to come out of them. Let me share this with you:
Whatever the situation...whatever the circumstances might be...... GOD CAN REDEEM IT! He will make the best come out of the worst, if you’ll trust him to do so.

The Bible tells a story about a man named Joseph, he was imprisoned for more than 13 years because of false accusations "you know the story." 13 years was a huge chunk of his life, but it must have been the chunk that prepared him to later be in charge of the entire nation.  
 
In more recent times...there was a man named Chuck Colson. While Chuck was imprisoned for crimes committed during the Watergate scandal, he came to trust in God. When Chuck was released from prison, he founded what has now grown into an international prison ministry, that has touched the lives of thousands upon thousands of prisoners...leading many to Christ. I would imagine this would had not ever happened, if it wasn't for his humiliating situation, that he found himself in. Think about it........

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

5-30-2013 Just thinking......

This scripture really made me think as I read it over and over tonight..

2 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Though none of us will ever be perfect and we all struggle to live according to the moral and ethical teachings found throughout the Bible. We sometimes neglect what's truely important in life. I know that we will be forgiven for our sins and wrong doings...but once we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior shouldn't we repent "change" from our old ways and strive to do what's right according to God's Word. It doesn't take a college degree to know the difference between right and wrong. I don't remember how old I was when I realized the difference, but it was early in life...and that still did not stop me from doing a lot of wrong either...I realize it takes strength and God's help to overcome the temptation to do wrong...I don't know about you, but I still have a lot of right still left to do to even balance the scales.

On the day we stand before God, we’ll be judged based on what we did with Christ...then we’ll be rewarded for the works we have done in the flesh. So in this life, we need to take responsibility for our actions and stand up for and do what’s right.

I pray that God will give us a strong sense of personal responsibility to do what’s right when we are tempted to do wrong.As an individual...as parents...as a family...as a neighbor and as a nation.

3 Years New...At 48

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10

There are so many excuses that I can use to hold back and not serve God, but none of them are good enough to miss God’s best.

I have heard it said..."John Warren, he's the last person that I would have ever thought that I would see posting scripture on FB or anywhere else."

All I can say to that is....The Holy Spirit is Powerful! Anything is possible through God!

Because I have failed in so many ways, God gets all the glory for anything that comes out of my life that’s worth mentioning. So no matter what comes my way, if God can still use me, as embarrassing and humbling as it might be, I want to be used for Him.

Don't ever feel that you have made too many mistakes or wrong decisions in your life to serve God.
Don't feel that it's too late in your life to begin serving God.
Don't feel like you have to be perfect to serve God.
Don't think you will be perfect when you begin serving God.
Don't feel that you won't make a difference in your life or in the the life of someone else when you begin serving God.

You don't have to take my word for it...just read God's Word. Read about Peter, Solomon and David, just to name a few. They were human beings, struggling just like you and me.

”Mishaps are like knives, that either serve us or cut us, as we grasp them by the blade or the handle.” - James Russell Lowell

Our Wants...Never Satisfied?

Psalm 78:20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? Can he provide flesh for his people.

God wants us to truly appreciate what we have before we go asking for more. He gives good things to His children, and He is willing to give abundantly, but He desires us to learn the real meaning of thankfulness.