Praise God! We not only made it through another week, but we made it through another year! God is so good!
I am thankful today for everything that I have learned about myself this year. Realizing the true value of my talents and gifts has helped me to pursue my purpose with more conviction. Taking control of those negative areas of my life and working to better myself has helped me to stay humble and brought me closer to my heavenly Father.
I'm also grateful for all of the friends and even associates that are in my life. The Lord has truly blessed me to have such an amazing pool of people surrounding me. Their strive for greatness, goal reaching, honesty, and character has helped encourage me to keep trucking. They inspire me to keep up with them!
I know I've thanked you before, but today I'm thankful for you as well. The fact that you appreciate what is written in this blog means more to me than you'll ever know! I'm happy to share what I glean from my walk with God, and I pray that you continue to be blessed by My Morning Ti.
Next year, I'm looking forward to kicking it up a notch - videos, anyone? - and spreading the Word of God to even more people!
Have a Happy New Year! May God's love and peace be with you continually! See you Monday...
Verse of the Day: It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High... Psalm 92:1
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
God's Peace
As the year is drawing to a close, many of us are reflecting on the time that has gone by and are looking forward with anticipation to the year that’s on its way. With all that’s gone on in my life in 2010, I am truly grateful for God’s peace. Yes, I have struggled, cried, pushed, and fought to get through some challenges. Yet, in every situation, I have had the benefit of God’s unwavering peace in my spirit.
Don’t get me wrong. I still have parts of my pessimistic and sarcastic nature. And I have to battle doubt from time to time. There is still plenty of room for improvement!
However, I can now face circumstances with the quiet reassurance that the God of the Universe is with me and is helping me defeat every roadblock. That Truth has given me a peace that passes all understanding. It has allowed me to sleep more soundly at night, go about my days without needless distraction, and has bolstered my spirit where I otherwise would have gone nuts.
God is faithful and a keeper of His word. Everything He has promised, He will do. We just have to trust our Lord enough to allow Him to do it… on His terms and in His timing. Once I surrendered to this fact, God blessed me with peace beyond measure.
You also have the same God of the Universe in your corner. Let go of fear and grab hold to the Father’s hand. Allow His peace to envelop your soul as well.
Verse of the Day: The LORD will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. Psalm 29:11
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Spritual Rest
Right now there’s a lull in my work office. Things have slowed down, and many people are out on vacation. There is a relaxed air about the place, and people are enjoying the more leisurely pace that the holidays have brought.
I’m not concerned with any work issues (there isn’t much work to have issues with, for one thing), I don’t have any stress with deadlines, and the fewer people in the office means I receive fewer requests for assistance.
It’s times like this that I love. I can collect my thoughts, muse on some creative ideas, and give myself a break from the normal hustle and bustle.
Our spirits need these times of refreshing as well. So often we allow the issues of the day, our fears and concerns, personal struggles, and prayer requests to monopolize our fellowship with the Father.
These things can cause our spirits to be drained and on edge. The constant warfare can cause us to grow weary. Even champions have to take a break from the ring in order to regain their strength.
In order to keep our spirits refreshed, we have to spend time in worship before the Lord. Entering into His presence just to love on Him and allowing Him to love on us, will cause us to experience a ‘vacation’ for our spirits.
Pouring out our adoration for God causes His spirit to show up and fill us up with the strength, assurance, and courage we need to go back into the ring and battle the enemy. Lifting up praises instead of prayer requests causes our ears to catch God’s voice on the matters that are most important to Him for our lives.
So, if you’re feeling weary and worn, draw close to your Heavenly Father in worship and praise. Allow His love to rejuvenate your spirit and refresh your soul. Listen to His words of encouragement and life for you. You’ll be so glad you did!
Verse of the Day: Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort… 2 Corinthians 1:3
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Making Plans...
I’m back, everyone! I took a couple of days off for the holidays. I hope you all enjoyed your festivities as well. We’ve got one more celebration to go! I’m so glad I get another extended weekend. I truly appreciate having some time off.
As 2010 is winding down, I am honing the milestones I’m setting for the coming year. In November, I wrote about how I was planning for my church’s youth group. Now I’m looking at my personal goals.
These plans are a bit harder to pin down. I have so many things I want to do! I have lists of items that I want to experience, implement, and develop. And I think they’re all perfect for where I am right now. The possibilities are so exciting, and I can see myself enjoying every one of them!
Then I think about getting started.
It’s overwhelming in some areas and confusing in others. Where do I begin? Which one should come first? Who should I partner with? Which path should I take?
In the past, these questions have stopped me in my tracks to the point where nothing I wanted to do got done. The indecision and fear caused me to miss out on the completion of my goals.
That will not be the story this year! This year everything on my list is getting a thorough editing by my Heavenly Father! Every project, every dream, every step will be scrutinized by the Leader of this mission.
No matter how excited I am, I will submit my will to the will of the Lord. He has the right to make additions and deletions that I may not have considered.
I will follow God’s direction on how to get started, keep motivated, and complete every item on His agenda. With this game plan, I know that I will accomplish every single one of my 2011 goals!
Verse of the Day: Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5
As 2010 is winding down, I am honing the milestones I’m setting for the coming year. In November, I wrote about how I was planning for my church’s youth group. Now I’m looking at my personal goals.
These plans are a bit harder to pin down. I have so many things I want to do! I have lists of items that I want to experience, implement, and develop. And I think they’re all perfect for where I am right now. The possibilities are so exciting, and I can see myself enjoying every one of them!
Then I think about getting started.
It’s overwhelming in some areas and confusing in others. Where do I begin? Which one should come first? Who should I partner with? Which path should I take?
In the past, these questions have stopped me in my tracks to the point where nothing I wanted to do got done. The indecision and fear caused me to miss out on the completion of my goals.
That will not be the story this year! This year everything on my list is getting a thorough editing by my Heavenly Father! Every project, every dream, every step will be scrutinized by the Leader of this mission.
No matter how excited I am, I will submit my will to the will of the Lord. He has the right to make additions and deletions that I may not have considered.
I will follow God’s direction on how to get started, keep motivated, and complete every item on His agenda. With this game plan, I know that I will accomplish every single one of my 2011 goals!
Verse of the Day: Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, Everyone!
I pray you enjoy your holiday, friends, family, and loved ones.
Remember to celebrate our Savior - the REAL reason for the Season! Today, I am thankful that Jesus chose to come to earth, so I can live with Him in heaven for all eternity! He could have easily stayed on His throne allowing me to perish in sin. I deserved to die, but Christ took on my punishment. Hallelujah!
Enjoy your weekend. I'll be back with you all next week.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
More Than Just A Story
As this week is winding down and Christmas is pulling up, I’ll share my last reflection on the real Christmas story.
Birthdays are days when we celebrate a person completing another year of life on the earth. Unless the mother is there reminiscing over her time in the delivery room, the actual birth of the person is rarely discussed. We merely celebrate who that person has become and look forward to what they are still striving to be.
When we celebrate birthdays as holidays we celebrate what made that person notable, the accomplishments they achieved and the lasting changes they performed.
So, why do we always stop with Jesus lying in the manger at Christmas? Why do we still refer to ‘baby Jesus’ like He’s still cooing in Mary’s arms?
Jesus grew up! He became a powerful man who changed the entire world! He died on a cross and rose again so that mankind could be free from the snare of death!
Make sure you take note of that part on Christmas! Don’t just say the Savior was born… Tell the world that He was born, lived, died, and rose victorious!
Yes, Christ’s birth is a miraculous, awe-inspiring, beautiful story. But it’s more than just a story! It’s history! And it does not end at the manger. It didn’t end at the cross. It didn’t end at the grave either. It didn’t even end when Jesus ascended back into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.
Jesus is coming back for His church! He’s coming back to bring His people to heaven with Him to dwell in the glorious presence of the Father.
Make sure you tell the whole Christmas story this season. The Savior that was born fulfilled His mission. We all now can have eternal life because He came.
Verse of the Day: And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Luke 1:31-33
Birthdays are days when we celebrate a person completing another year of life on the earth. Unless the mother is there reminiscing over her time in the delivery room, the actual birth of the person is rarely discussed. We merely celebrate who that person has become and look forward to what they are still striving to be.
When we celebrate birthdays as holidays we celebrate what made that person notable, the accomplishments they achieved and the lasting changes they performed.
So, why do we always stop with Jesus lying in the manger at Christmas? Why do we still refer to ‘baby Jesus’ like He’s still cooing in Mary’s arms?
Jesus grew up! He became a powerful man who changed the entire world! He died on a cross and rose again so that mankind could be free from the snare of death!
Make sure you take note of that part on Christmas! Don’t just say the Savior was born… Tell the world that He was born, lived, died, and rose victorious!
Yes, Christ’s birth is a miraculous, awe-inspiring, beautiful story. But it’s more than just a story! It’s history! And it does not end at the manger. It didn’t end at the cross. It didn’t end at the grave either. It didn’t even end when Jesus ascended back into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.Jesus is coming back for His church! He’s coming back to bring His people to heaven with Him to dwell in the glorious presence of the Father.
Make sure you tell the whole Christmas story this season. The Savior that was born fulfilled His mission. We all now can have eternal life because He came.
Verse of the Day: And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Luke 1:31-33
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Treasured Moments
I love how the Bible takes note of how Mary treasured all the extraordinary things that went on during Jesus’ birth and childhood. The Bible says that she kept them in her heart and pondered over them. (Luke 2:19, 51)
I can imagine her sitting off to herself watching Jesus play and remembering how the shepherds came to the stable and told how angels had appeared to them in the night. I’m sure she watched Jesus closely as he grew and listened for the words of wisdom that echoed His time in the Temple when He conversed with the scholars there.
All of those memories must have been turned over and over in Mary’s mind further underscoring her belief that Jesus was the Messiah. For when it came time for the miraculous to be displayed, Mary was the one who prompted God’s Son into action. (John 2:5)
We all have experienced the greatness and extraordinary experience of Jesus in our personal lives. Whether it was the moment when we first got saved, our first feeling of God’s presence, the miraculous healing of a loved one, or simply an answered prayer, we all have had God Moments.
Do you truly treasure those times? How often do you remind yourself of those occurrences? Can you remember the awe you felt hearing a personal word that you know only God could have spoken? Do you recall the exact details of how God answered your prayers?
As Christians, we have been blessed to experience God’s supernatural love in this natural world. So any time God shows up, we should take special note and treasure those moments. Our remembrance of past glories can help us recognize present opportunities for God to move.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Are You Listening?
The Bible doesn’t say whether Simeon was old or young when the Lord told him this. It doesn’t say whether Simeon had to wait months or years until the promise was fulfilled. It does say that he had been waiting, and once he held Jesus in his arms he exclaimed that he could die in peace. (Luke 2:29) From reading this, I believe some significant time had passed since God first gave the word to Simeon.
What leapt out at me in this account, however, is that Simeon was led by the Holy Ghost to the Temple that day. Simeon’s spiritual ears were open to the Lord to hear His instructions even to the very details as to where he should go.
If Simeon had not been in tune with God’s voice, he would have missed out on receiving his promise that day!
Many of us are waiting to receive a promise from the Lord. We know we heard from God, and we are expecting the manifestation at any moment.
As we wait, we should stay in a spirit of prayer – conversations with God – so that we can hear any instructions that He may have for us. And when we hear those instructions, we should obey!
I can honestly say there have been several times where I know I felt a prompting in my spirit to do or say something, but I ignored the call. Who’s to say what opportunities, blessings, or miracles I missed out on just because I chose to disregard the tug of the Holy Spirit!
So as you continue to stand in faith believing that God is going to fulfill His Word, keep your ear cocked for God’s voice. He may send some instructions your way that are key to the fulfillment of the promise. And when you hear Him, make sure you obey!
Verse of the Day: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me… John 10:27
Monday, December 20, 2010
Whatever You Say, God... I'll Do It!
Well, Everyone, we have reached the final countdown to Christmas! This week I’m going to take a look at some of the points that I find interesting within the story of Christ’s birth.
Did you ever feel that God was calling you to do something outrageous, something unique, something no one’s ever done before? What did you do when God’s request came? Were you excited? Afraid? Did you come up with reasons that the request really wasn’t God or really wasn’t for you?
Mary got hit with one of those requests. She was minding her own business getting ready to be married to a wonderful man, when God stepped in asking to use her womb. This girl had lived a holy life and had never known a man. Yet, here was an angel telling her that she had been chosen to carry the Messiah.
Can you imagine the things that could have ran through her head? She could have been killed for being pregnant out of wedlock! Her fiancé could have left her for someone else – who was really going to believe that God’s Spirit caused her to become pregnant?! Mary’s reputation could have been shattered, and shame could have come upon her family.
Yet with all of the issues that could have happened, Mary still chose to go with God’s plan. As a result, she brought the Savior of mankind into the world.
Often when God brings to us His plans and directions for our lives, we like to come up with excuses and reasons why we can’t follow His lead. At times we struggle against the gentle tug of the Holy Spirit and turn a blind eye to God’s will simply because we’ve never heard of what God is saying or we’ve never seen something like that done before.
We should all take on Mary’s attitude and fully embrace God’s direction even if we don’t understand it totally. Who knows? This world’s future could hang on your obedience to God’s will.
Verse of the Day: And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. Luke 1:38a
Did you ever feel that God was calling you to do something outrageous, something unique, something no one’s ever done before? What did you do when God’s request came? Were you excited? Afraid? Did you come up with reasons that the request really wasn’t God or really wasn’t for you?Mary got hit with one of those requests. She was minding her own business getting ready to be married to a wonderful man, when God stepped in asking to use her womb. This girl had lived a holy life and had never known a man. Yet, here was an angel telling her that she had been chosen to carry the Messiah.
Can you imagine the things that could have ran through her head? She could have been killed for being pregnant out of wedlock! Her fiancé could have left her for someone else – who was really going to believe that God’s Spirit caused her to become pregnant?! Mary’s reputation could have been shattered, and shame could have come upon her family.
Yet with all of the issues that could have happened, Mary still chose to go with God’s plan. As a result, she brought the Savior of mankind into the world.
Often when God brings to us His plans and directions for our lives, we like to come up with excuses and reasons why we can’t follow His lead. At times we struggle against the gentle tug of the Holy Spirit and turn a blind eye to God’s will simply because we’ve never heard of what God is saying or we’ve never seen something like that done before.
We should all take on Mary’s attitude and fully embrace God’s direction even if we don’t understand it totally. Who knows? This world’s future could hang on your obedience to God’s will.
Verse of the Day: And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. Luke 1:38a
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Keep it Up!
As this year is coming to close, I have been in a mood of reflection and assessment. I give God praise for the writing gift He has given me, and I am happy that I started blogging this year.
I did have my period of silence towards the middle, but I was able to get back on it! I am grateful that I have stayed consistent and kept up with posting these past couple of months.
Consistency is a trait that in the past I have struggled to maintain. (Did you catch those words of faith?) I came up with such great ideas, started out with vigor, and only wound up dropping my plans after a period of time. I was aware of my fickle behavior, and I would sometimes avoid starting projects out of fear that I would never finish them.
Not any more! I have officially taken on the Faithful Spirit!
When I restarted blogging, I went to the Lord and prayed for His help. I let my friends and family know what I was working on to hold myself accountable. I pushed past laziness and adapted to change in order to stay faithful to the cause. And, look, here I am still blogging today! (If you all really knew, you’d be shouting right now with me.)
I am now going to take this approach with all of the plans I feel the Lord is calling me to take on. No more half-done dreams!
We all have areas where God is calling us to be faithful. Whether it’s on the job, in ministry, at home, or just in our relationship to our Father, we each have individual areas where we must keep up consistency.
Faithfulness is a trait that requires constant care and upkeep. It’s easy to throw in the towel and give up when things grow difficult or inconvenient. Yet it’s when we choose to press through and do the hard thing that we reap the better reward.
Think about it. Some of our greatest joys came from places where we dug in our heels and remained faithful and consistent to the goal. So, keep it up! Hang in there! Remain faithful in the face of adversity (or your own frustration). You’ll feel so much better if you finish strong.
Verse of the Day: A faithful man shall abound with blessings… Proverbs 28:20a
I did have my period of silence towards the middle, but I was able to get back on it! I am grateful that I have stayed consistent and kept up with posting these past couple of months.
Consistency is a trait that in the past I have struggled to maintain. (Did you catch those words of faith?) I came up with such great ideas, started out with vigor, and only wound up dropping my plans after a period of time. I was aware of my fickle behavior, and I would sometimes avoid starting projects out of fear that I would never finish them.
Not any more! I have officially taken on the Faithful Spirit!
When I restarted blogging, I went to the Lord and prayed for His help. I let my friends and family know what I was working on to hold myself accountable. I pushed past laziness and adapted to change in order to stay faithful to the cause. And, look, here I am still blogging today! (If you all really knew, you’d be shouting right now with me.)
I am now going to take this approach with all of the plans I feel the Lord is calling me to take on. No more half-done dreams!
We all have areas where God is calling us to be faithful. Whether it’s on the job, in ministry, at home, or just in our relationship to our Father, we each have individual areas where we must keep up consistency.
Faithfulness is a trait that requires constant care and upkeep. It’s easy to throw in the towel and give up when things grow difficult or inconvenient. Yet it’s when we choose to press through and do the hard thing that we reap the better reward.
Think about it. Some of our greatest joys came from places where we dug in our heels and remained faithful and consistent to the goal. So, keep it up! Hang in there! Remain faithful in the face of adversity (or your own frustration). You’ll feel so much better if you finish strong.
Verse of the Day: A faithful man shall abound with blessings… Proverbs 28:20a
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Guidance for Life
Joshua had Moses. Elisha walked with Elijah. Esther heeded the voice of Mordecai. The disciples followed Jesus. Timothy trained under Paul. In the Bible we can find countless examples of people who were brought into greatness by following the leadership of a great mentor.Society is being geared to be more self-sufficient, self-discovering, and self-teaching. We like to be independent and figure things out on our own. If we don’t know something, we google it. If we have issues, we research possible solutions on our own. We want to have the credit for our success alone.
However, I believe that the mentor-mentee relationship is still relevant today. There are countless things that other people can show us that can help us to succeed in our endeavors. Someone has already been down the path that we are trying to embark on. There is something in another person's experience that can't be relayed in Wikipedia. Even if God has blessed us with something entirely new, something no one's ever done, there is still wisdom that one can glean from another human being.
All of us have the call of God on our lives, and we all want to please Him in fulfilling that mandate. Still, we should take some time to pray and ask the Lord to send us mentors who can help us to develop in our gifts and evade some mistakes we might otherwise make.
In the same manner, don’t be so selfish with all the knowledge that you’ve got inside of you! Open up your mouth, give up a little bit of your time, seek out someone who’s in need, and be a mentor yourself. We all have an experience, and from that experience we’ve gained some knowledge.
Give back to someone who’s coming up behind you. Open up to the one in front of you. And we all can help each other to become better people in this world.
Verse of the Day: Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Proverbs 2:2-4
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Fruit Trees
Ever been around someone who left a bad taste in your mouth? Have you ever walked away from a person with a sour mood when before you interacted with them you were happy?

That, my friends, was evidence of some bad trees. The Bible says that a tree is known by its fruit. (Luke 6:44) Good trees produce good fruit, and bad trees produce bad fruit.
When we go about life, we put out our fruit as we intermingle with each other. Whether or not that fruit is helpful or harmful is contingent on our relationship to God.
We all can profess Christ, but it’s what comes out of us that really tells if the love of God is our motivator. When we let God’s spirit get down on the inside of us and change our mindsets, we began to exude the fruit of the spirit.
God’s fruit is love, joy, peace, and patience. His bounty consists of meekness, kindness, and gentleness. God’s harvest includes faith and self control. When those characteristics are evidenced in our lifestyle, the people around us can be well nourished and benefit from what we offer.
In the same manner, when we give out negativity, we are causing the people around us to walk away with that negativity in their spirits. As Christians, we are to build up, not tear down. We are supposed to light up the world, not cause it to be downtrodden.
As you go about your day today, remember that you are a fruit bearing tree for the Kingdom. Make sure you cause someone to have a healthy bite today!
Verse of the Day: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:16-20

That, my friends, was evidence of some bad trees. The Bible says that a tree is known by its fruit. (Luke 6:44) Good trees produce good fruit, and bad trees produce bad fruit.
When we go about life, we put out our fruit as we intermingle with each other. Whether or not that fruit is helpful or harmful is contingent on our relationship to God.
We all can profess Christ, but it’s what comes out of us that really tells if the love of God is our motivator. When we let God’s spirit get down on the inside of us and change our mindsets, we began to exude the fruit of the spirit.
God’s fruit is love, joy, peace, and patience. His bounty consists of meekness, kindness, and gentleness. God’s harvest includes faith and self control. When those characteristics are evidenced in our lifestyle, the people around us can be well nourished and benefit from what we offer.
In the same manner, when we give out negativity, we are causing the people around us to walk away with that negativity in their spirits. As Christians, we are to build up, not tear down. We are supposed to light up the world, not cause it to be downtrodden.
As you go about your day today, remember that you are a fruit bearing tree for the Kingdom. Make sure you cause someone to have a healthy bite today!
Verse of the Day: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:16-20
Monday, December 13, 2010
Pray for the Jews and for Israel
Hmmm… Normally each morning I pray and ask God what He would want me to share on my blog. This morning when I prayed, I felt God was telling me to remind you to pray for the Jews and the nation of Israel. Now praying for Israel is not one of my regular practices by any means, so I am paying special attention to the voice of the Lord. I will also be adding them to my regular rotation of prayer subjects. We all have things we have to get right sometimes.
It is important to remember that the Jews are God’s chosen people. They are the ones whose history we read in order to strengthen and fortify our own faith. It is their struggles and victories that we identify with in relation to our everyday walk.
Their Jehovah is our Jehovah. It is sad that a majority of them have not realized that our Messiah is their Messiah too.
We see a lot about Israel in relation to their struggle to maintain the borders and land that they feel is rightfully theirs. We see how they are fighting and dying for what they believe in overseas. God’s chosen people have constantly been in the midst of war.
As believers, we should be interceding for them on a regular basis. We should be covering the country of Israel with prayers of faith and protection. We should be lifting up their leaders to the Lord asking Him to give them wisdom to direct their people.
We should ultimately be praying for the Jews that are around the world to come to the realization that Jesus Christ is the true Messiah. We should be crying out to God for their eyes to be opened to the fact that their Savior has already come.Please take some time to say a prayer for the Jews and the nation of Israel today. Thanks.
Verse of the Day: Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thanksgiving Friday!
Praise the Lord, Saints! God is so good, and I thank Him for blessing me with another fruitful week. This week I have grown and realized some things about myself. God is consistently working on me, and I will continue to strive to get better.
This week I am thankful for Love. There are always so many ways that people show it, and I have been blessed to both give and receive unexpected love on this week. Can I tell you that I was more excited to give the love than get it? It was like Christmas came early! I was so filled with joy to be able to sow into someone else's life. Thank you, Jesus, for allowing me to be a giver!I am also appreciative of the gifts of support God has placed in my life. I am thankful for all of you - my supportive readers and followers. Thanks so much for logging on and taking part in the word that God gives to me on a daily basis. I may not see the comments, but the stats don't lie. You guys are tuning in!
There are also so many people who give me encouraging words, and inspire me to keep going with what God has given me. Thank you, Lord, for people who build me up in Christ!
Today, make sure you offer up some thanksgiving and praise to your Heavenly Father as well. I trust that He's been blessing you just as much, if not more than myself.
I pray all of you have a blessed day and weekend.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Tick Tock!
Whether we’d like to admit it or not, we all have fallen culprit to The Clock. You know, that little counter in your head that ticks off the months, weeks days, and hours that it’s taking for God to answer your prayers. Most of us also added the accessory of The Deadline to give ourselves parameters for when God has to come through for us.We go about our lives continuing to pray, and claim that we are trusting God to come through for us. The reality is we only can trust God for so long. We keep meticulous maintenance of how much time is left on The Clock and how much closer we’re getting to The Deadline.
Tick-tock…We’ve been praying for that mate for so many years… If they don't show up by our deadline, we’re going to go ahead and take matters into our own hands. Tick-tock… We’ve been believing God for a financial breakthrough… If we don’t get that increase, next month we are just going to have to cut back on our tithes and offerings. Tick-tock… Feel free to insert your own Deadline here. Tick-Tock!
We all need to take out our mental mallets and Kill The Clock! Pull out your mental erasers and eradicate The Deadline! We claim to trust in Almighty God. How can He be mighty when we’ve installed a backup agenda?
Imagine what might have happened if the Hebrew boys had kept up with The Clock. 'Oh, we’ll trust God as far as the doors of the furnace, but if He doesn’t come through, we’ll just have to bow down.' If the boys had tried to save their three lives, the Lord would not have been able to show out and save a nation!
So no matter what you are facing or how long you’ve been facing it, continue to stand firm in the power and wisdom of God. Trust Him to lead and guide you according to His will and with His timing.
If you can’t really bring yourself to let go of your own agenda, you need to reevaluate why you’re a Christian at all.
Verse of the Day: Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him… Job 13:15
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Peace of God
This morning in my meditation time I reflected on the greatness of God’s peace. I remembered the story of Jesus when He calmed the sea during a storm. (Luke 8:22-25) Jesus was sleeping soundly as the disciples ran about the boat certain that they were about to die. When they woke Jesus up, He didn’t rush into a panic with them. He didn’t even pay attention to the water that had built up in the boat, or the waves that were crashing all around. He simply spoke to the winds and the waves, and everything calmed down.
Often when storms arise in our lives, we tend to react like the disciples. We look at the storms and the winds that are blowing around us, and we allow the chaos to cause us to grow panicked and distressed.
Yet we have the authority to influence the storm. We have the power to speak peace to the disturbances that try to arise in our lives. It’s up to us to utilize our authority.
Allowing God’s peace to reign in our lives will give us the clarity and the wisdom to remain calm in a crisis. It’s hard to fly off the handle when God’s peace rules your countenance.
We can obtain this peace through a lifestyle of prayer. Constant communication with our Heavenly Father will keep our mind constantly focused on the goodness and greatness of Him. Hearing His will and purpose for our lives on a daily basis will allow us to be assured that He has our back and is walking with us in everything.
It’s hard to get flustered when you know that the King of the Universe has a personal vested interest in your well being.
So today, take some time to fellowship with the Father. Allow His spirit to minister to your heart and reveal His plans for you. Take comfort and know that nothing will be able to stop you from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. No matter what obstacle arises, grab hold of God’s peace knowing that you will make it through to the other side.
Verse of the Day: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6, 7
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The Right Way
You all already know that I’m a political junkie. I love to keep track of what’s going on in our American government. Lately, I have been so disgusted, disappointed, and frustrated with our elected officials.Right now America is suffering through one of the worst recessions in our history. Our greedy behavior got us into a huge mess, and we are all hurting from the results. Now our elected officials have the task of navigating our country out of this debacle.
They know the solutions needed to help us right ourselves, but our leaders cannot seem to make the hard decisions. They are so afraid of the possibility of hurting their chances of staying in office that they are refusing to implement correct change.
Although we all can point fingers and analyze their behavior, some of us Christians act the same way. We know that some of our own behavior has gotten us into some messes. We see that our lives are not lining up with the plan that God has ordained for us. Yet we continue on in our ways because we see God’s way as too hard or asking too much from us.
So many lives are mired in mediocrity because people don’t want to choose to embark on the difficult journey…even though they know the difficult way is the right way!
Remember the phrase: No pain, no gain? A lot of us have not gained anything in life because we refuse to go through the temporary pain of leaving our comfort zones to enter into unfamiliar territory.
God has so many great things that He wants to impart to us! He’s just waiting on us to take the step in His direction.
Abraham had to leave his family. Moses had to face Pharaoh. David stared down a giant. Esther risked her life to see the king. Peter stepped out of the boat.
All of these people chose to do the hard thing and were blessed because of it. What blessing is waiting on you? Come on, take that step. Make the choice to do the hard thing and watch what God does for you.
Verse of the Day: Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29
Monday, December 6, 2010
Everyone Loves Gifts!
Hey, Guys! I’m so glad to be back. I feel refreshed and rejuvenated from my vacation. I praise God that I was able to sit back for a second and take a breath. Now, it’s back to the grindstone.As the holidays spring upon us, a lot of us will be taking trips to the mall and scouring the internet in order to purchase gifts for our family and friends. We will endure packed stores and long lines just for the joy of showing someone love.
Our Heavenly Father also has given us gifts. We like to talk about the Best Gift He offered in His Son, but God has also blessed everyone with individual gifts as well. We all have talents that are unique to ourselves. Each one of us has something to offer the world that only we can do. It’s so amazing to me that as we continue to grow and mature, we still discover hidden gifts and talents that we didn’t even know we had!
If you’re someone who thinks they have no special gifts – you’re wrong! Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what gifts you got. You weren’t left out.
Take a moment to think about those special gifts and talents that God has given you. Give Him praise for making you unique! I would encourage you to figure out a way to offer those gifts back to God.
If you can sing, sing a song of praise and worship to Him. If you write, write a poem or story highlighting His goodness. If you are a giver, find a way to give to His Kingdom. If you are an encourager, find someone to encourage in the Lord. The best way to thank God for His gifts is to use them for His glory.
Verse of the Day: I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14
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