"BE SPIRITUALLY ALIVE"

Good Evening to All!

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2 NKJV)

I truly believe that we can get so wrapped up in trying to keep all of the laws of religion, we lose sight of our main purpose of following them in the first place. John 14:15-17 says "If you love Me, keep My commandments. (16) And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever (the Holy Spirit)--(17) the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

If people would just read and study God's Word all the way through rather than "picking and choosing" what they want to preach, what will get people in the pews and read what sounds good to them and obey what sounds easy to do, They would see that it's not as hard as it sounds or looks. Especially if they have received the Holy Ghost (or Spirit). That is the whole purpose of Him coming back to live within us, to help us learn to live our lives according to the way God wants us to so that we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven when it is time.

If we will pray, and listen to what the Spirit is tell our spirit, and abide by it, we won't go wrong.

That is not to say we won't fall. Even in God's Word it says we all fall short of the glory of God, but we get back up, REPENT, (turn away from our old ways) and try again. It's when we deliberately keep doing the same thing over and over again that we will have to worry about it, because in that situation, if we keep ignoring the Holy Spirit's guidance, we will get to the point where we don't hear Him talking to us, and then we will be in trouble.

The more we rely on God's guidance, the more we pray to Him and study His Word, He sees that we are serious about wanting to get to know Him and live for Him.

The more we listen to what the Holy Ghost is saying to our spirit, the more we obey what He tells us to do the easier it becomes and the happier we become.

The closer we come to God the easier it is to live for Him because His desires become our desires.

I've heard people say "but you have to give up so much". This isn't so. I used to love to dance, now I may not go out to clubs to party and dance, but I dance for the Lord. I don't drink anymore, but that has helped me to feel better healthwise and helped me realize I didn't have to drink or get drunk to have fun. I don't smoke anymore, but that means I have more money to spend on other things. God has been so good to me to deliver me from all of these vices. I couldn't have done it on my own. (the smoking and drinking). I asked Him for help and He gave me the strength to do it. It was my choice to stop doing these things I didn't have anything or anyone standing over me saying "YOU HAVE TO STOP, THIS AND THAT".

All I'm trying to say is that when you love someone doing things for them is not a sacrifice, it is a joy. That is the way I look at living for God. It is a joy.

The answers to the Bible Challenge are as follows:

Old Testament
1. Abel (Genesis 4:2)
2. c) judge (Judges 3:31)
3. c) Nimrod (Genesis 10:9)
4. an Israelite (judge (Judges 4:4)
5. a) shepherd (1 Samuel 16:11)

New Testament
1. a) priest (Luke 1:8)
2. c) fisherman in the Sea of Galilee
(Matthew 4:18)
3. d) doctor (Colossians 4:14)
4. b) religious leader (John 3:1)
5. b) beggar (Mark 10:46)

Good Night to All and May God Bless!

"HELP!"

Good Evening to All!

I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you! (Isaiah 4:13 AMP.)

No matter how well we think we have our lives under control, no matter how independent we are or how mature we are, we will ALWAYS need help with everything whether we realize it or not. God must have realized this or He would not have sent us the Holy Spirit (or comforter).

Unfortunately, for some people it takes longer than others. We are all guilty of enjoying the thought of independence and the maturity or ability to do whatever needs to be done on our own without needing help. We have long been the victims of our own ego trips, or pride. Instead of asking for help and getting whatever done right and expediently the first time, often turns into hours of difficulty or wrong decisions only to cause us to have to start over again or regret decisions we have made.

There are many references to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. It talks about how He guides us into All Truth. It says how He teaches us about living for God. It states that He is our comforter. It also says that we have an advocate with the Father. 1 John 2:1-3 says My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
²And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. ³And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

I stated all three verses, because it speaks of Him taking on the "whole world's sins". He did not do this until He was crucified, and "giving up the ghost." Which ascended into heaven and came back to earth as the Holy Spirit to leave within us, but He is also our advocate with the Father. He intercedes on our behalf. He being the Holy Spirit guides us and teaches us how to live for God, which brings me to the last verse about knowing Him IF we keep His commandments.

Now. I've have gone through all of that detail to remind you that God wants to be part of our lives. He wants to be included, to help us in our everyday endeavors. He must be invited. Don't expect him to just "butt into you life like unwanted advice from your in-laws". He is a gentleman is just waiting to be asked and invited in. We must take a step back and realize that there is none better to give advice than the Holy Spirit He knows us better than we know ourselves and He knows the outcome of things so He is in a much better position to give us advice and the correct decisions.

If we rely on God for our help, in EVERY aspect of our life, every decision we make from small decisions like what to wear to important decisions like the way to live our life and who to marry, our lives will be so much richer and fulfilled.

The Bible directly tells us to Not lean unto our own understanding. He tells us that for a reason. We are "spiritual beings", but because we also live in the flesh, our spirit and flesh are constantly at war with each other. Therefore, if we will keep hold on God's Word, constantly look to Him for help, and listen for His still, small voice within our spirit, and do according to what He says, then we will be able to get through any trouble or trials that come our way.

We seem not to realize that we need help until a loved one passes away, we are in financial turmoil, or we or someone in our family is very ill, then we cry out for Him to help us. That's all well and good. He wants to help us then also, but we need to recognize that we can do NOTHING, not even breathe without His help.

If we want to live life the way God intended, filled with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, ( Romans 14:17) we have to admit that we need help and we have to receive it from the Holy Spirit, the One God sent to help us.

We must also remember that not admitting that we need help is considered "pride" and pride is considered a sin by God.

I know that after reading my devotional today, I will need to keep a check on my "pride-ometer"and ask the Lord for help and guidance every day.

Good Night to All And May God Bless!

"HIS GENTLE LEADING" & Challenge Answers

Good Evening to All!

He will feed His flock like a shepherd: He will gather the lambs in his arm, He will carry them in His bosom and will gently lead those with young.
(Isaiah 40:11 KJV)

Pictured at right: God raining manna from heaven.

I don't know about the majority of y'all out there, but I KNOW I can be pretty dense sometimes. I have unfortunately never been one to take a "subtle" hint. I cannot count the times when I have made the statement when speaking about God's "still, small voice, that I wish He would hit me over the head with something! Kind of like my post the other night about being hit upside the head with a BRICK! LOL! Yes, my hubby thinks so too.

Anyway, God does not work that way, so we must be on our toes. We have to learn to listen to our spirits and sometimes that is easier said than done. I am a VERY impulsive person. I usually wait until the last minute for everything. As for my blog, I will "start out early trying to think about what God wants me to "bring forth", but it may change 10 times before it gets typed.

I have done that many times also. I will sit down at my computer, already having prayed for God to show me something and will start going through my books to see if a topic nudges my spirit. I have gone as far as to type 2 or 3 paragraphs on a subject, and all of a sudden, get the feeling that this isn't the subject God wants to talk about, so I'll look some more and repeat the process. Like I say I have done this 2 or 3 times in one evening try to figure out what God is wanting me to write about and finally it happens. Everything falls into place, the words start flowing and I feel a "peace" in my spirit about what I need to write.

The thing is, if God would HIT me over the head with what He wants to get across, it would be a much simpler process. This is God's blog and I am just the writer. I don't want to put words in His mouth, or take them away, so I really try and get it right. That is why it takes me anywhere from two to four hours to do my posts. I am praying and researching scriptures and lastly looking for the illustrations to go with the post.

Maybe that is why God is so gentle in His leading. He wants us to take time. He wants to spend time with us, and He knows the way the world is today, with everyone being so busy with their earthly lives ( work, school, sports, hobbies, and just general busyness), that as unfortunate as it is we tend to put Him last. Almost like an after thought. I "can't go to church on Wednesday night, I'm too tired when I get home from work". I'll tell you a little secret! I love going on Wednesdays! It energizes me! Yes, that is the day I clean a "LARGE house" and then come home take a bath, cook supper and get ready for church. Yes, my back usually hurts, and I'm exhausted. When I get to church and I start worshiping the Lord, all that goes away. I'm completely focused on God and He energizes me so that I can stand and praise Him like He deserves to be praised. It's wonderful!

The key is to listen for His leading in your spirit. What does it tell you? Is your spirit telling you you need to take your Bible off the shelf and dust it off so you can read it? I love the still quiet mornings when I can get up and just sit in my chair with my coffee and think about the wonders of God. It's like we are having a coffee break together. Me just sitting there sipping my coffee and feeling my spirit well up inside of me while He talks.

Is your spirit telling you to pray more? That You have not, because you ask not?
Is your spirit telling you you need to quit making excuses like "I don't have nice enough clothes to wear to church. I don't want people looking at me", and go to church? I used to think that way, and finally decided I don't go to church for other people, I go to church to learn about and worship God. As long as I am dressed modestly, with everything that should be covered, covered, and I'm neat and clean, that's what matters. If people look at you in a judgmental way, just think to yourself "go ahead and judge, cause God's watching you". I don't mean that to sound "catty", but I have seen people leave the church for that reason, and it really upsets me. The very people who are suppose to be "Christian" become stumbling blocks for new people right in the very beginning by the way they come across to the visitors or new people. Unfortunately, that happens far too often, so I always tell people "ignore them and just care what God thinks. He's happy you're here and so am I. That seems to put them at ease.

We all need to pay more attention to what our spirit is telling us. God knows what He's doing. I think I kind of reminds me of an example of a dad that screams all the time and one that is firm but soft spoken. When someone screams all the time, it gets to the point where kids do their best to tune them out. If the parent is firm but soft spoken it seems to make more of an impact. Maybe that's what God is thinking also. If we have to listen more closely, maybe we will think about what He is telling us more intensely.

Proverbs 3:6 says: In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct they paths. What this says to me is if we will listen to Him and heed what He says, obey His Word and His wishes, then He will guide us. If He does the leading, we can't go wrong. God knows everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen. Therefore, He will do what is best for us in the long run, not just at that point and time.

We need to let God know how much we care about Him and His opinion. Actually, opinion is probably the wrong word, because everything God knows or says is actual fact, not just "what He thinks.

He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. He knows all and sees all and we belong to Him. We are just "borrowing these bodies" for a short time. He paid a price for us with His life, so we owe it to Him to listen to Him and to obey Him.

The next time you feel a nudge in your spirit to do something, even if it is something you would normally not do, do it. A lot of times God tells us to do things out of the ordinary to get us out of our comfort zones and to see how much we love Him. If you feel uneasy about what you are feeling, be sure and look it up in the Bible. If it doesn't line up with the Word Of God, DON'T DO IT.

Listen for that gentle voice, pay attention to that gentle nudge, and obey, you will get a blessing!

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The answers to the Bible Challenge "Kinfolk of the Old Testament" are as follows:

1. a) Seth (Genesis 4:25)
2. b) grandfather (Genesis 5:25-29)
3. Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:24-26)
4. c) daughter-in-law (Genesis 38:6)
5. Reuben (Genesis 27:21-22)
6. Mahlon and Kilion (Ruth 1:1-2)
7. c) daughter-in-law (Ruth 1:1-4)
8. 7 (1 Samuel 16:10-11)
9. a) nephew (1 Chronicles 2:15-16)
10. b) 42 (Matthew 1:17)

Reference: Challenge taken from "Bible Challenge -Small Facts from the Big Book" by Daniel E. Harmon


Good Night to All and May God Bless!

"GOD SPEAKS SO HE CAN HELP US"

Good Evening to All!

And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. Isaiah 10:27 KJV

The New King James Version is almost identical with the exception of it ending with "the anointing oil".

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Have you ever heard a little voice inside your head or a feeling in your spirit that you feel is nudging you to do something, not to do something, or to try something new? Have you ever had an issue with something or about something that you kept feeling like you needed to deal with, but didn't, so that feeling just kept bugging you? Well, that was more than likely God speaking to your spirit wanting you to deal with that issue.

When this happens, you shouldn't delay. You shouldn't put it off. If you have the in-filling of the Holy Spirit within you, you have a power like none other. The power of the Holy Spirit (or anointing) is a gift from God according to Acts 2:38, when you repent (from your sins-by asking God for forgiveness, and turning your life around away from those old sinful ways and toward God), being baptized in Jesus' name for the remission of your sins, and you SHALL receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost (or Spirit) guides us into All Truths, and teaches us God's ways. It empowers us to be able to be strong witnesses for God and to overcome obstacles. That we couldn't do on our own.

We need to allow God to do things in His time. We often make a mess of things because of "timing". If we will pray about things and ask God to show us what to do when, we won't struggle nearly as much or as often. A lot of times there are steps that need to be taken before we deal with certain obstacles, such as if we are dealing with something having to do with other people, God may need to prepare or soften their hearts a bit before you come in contact with them. If it's a job interview, pray about it and let God guide you. This may not be the right job, or God may have something better in store for you.

If we have issues with another person, it is always good to wait and pray about it. This way God can deal with your heart so you won't be angry and as my mom used to say "go off half-cocked" , blow up and say things you will regret or that will get you in trouble. Also by praying and waiting for God to say "when", it will give Him time to work on the other person's heart. Who knows they might come to you and make things right, or at least apologize first. We need to Give God A Chance.

When God convicts us of something that needs to change in our lives, this means that He has prepared us to face whatever it may be. WE may not feel that we are ready or able, but we can trust Him to know better. He knows everything about us. After all He did create us. We always know that His timing is perfect. He is an "on-time God". The Holy Spirit is always there to "break the yoke (or hindrance) and give us freedom.

We must be willing and obedient to Him when He talks to us because it is for our GOOD. The more we step out in faith and obedience to Him to deal with our issues, we will find that the wisdom, grace, power, and ability to handle these obstacles are in us through the Holy Spirit.

Remember delaying what God says to do is just another word for disobedience to Him.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!

"HIS DWELLING PLACE"

Image by kelsey_lovefusionphoto via Flickr

Good Evening to All!

Do you not discern and understand that you ...are God's temple (His sanctuary), and that God's Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)

It truly amazes me when I thinking about what a blessing the Holy Spirit is to me. He teaches me, He nudges me to make the right decisions for my life, (whether I acknowledge those nudges is up to me). If I am smart I will. He gives us the power for all tasks which God wants us to undertake, and He stays in close contact with us never leaving or forsaking us. He is with us always.

This thought should be on our minds constantly until it becomes second nature to us to automatically ask God what He wants for us and from us. We should be listening to that inner voice at all times. If we would do this, we would never be helpless, hopeless, or powerless. The Holy Spirit or Jesus dwelling inside of us promises to be with us, to speak to us , give us strength and empower us. We will never be without our "friend who sticks "closer than a brother", or without His direction. He promises us that He will lead us and go with us in ever thing we do.

As long as we listen to the Holy Spirit's guidance we will always be ok. If we stray and start listening to our flesh or our own decisions that is when things will start to go awry.


This is not to say that Satan won't try and deceive you, but that is where studying God's Word and prayer come into play. We must all keep our guard up and know what is in God's Word, because the devil will twist things around, just like he did on Eve. What he said "sounded" right to her, but Satan had twisted around what God had said just enough to make her think he was repeating what was said but you know what happened. We must not let that happen to us. we must know God's Word well enough to be able to tell if someone is twisting it around or not.

My brain seems to be working over-time on this topic, but what it is wanting me to say, I feel is not my place. I am not anyone's Pastor or preacher. It's just that as for the verse above there is more to it, speaking of defiling the temple, so I think I will leave that portion of the scripture up to the Pastors and preachers and stick to the "inspirational part" of listening to the Holy Spirit.

I know this post seems "short and sweet", but what I had originally planned for tonight's post fell through because I can't figure out how to copy an e-mail to my blog. Anyway, I will find out by Thursday and hopefully be able to post it. It is a VERY INFORMATIVE Subject.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!

Challenge Answers and "I Want To Be More Like You"

Good Evening to All!

The answers to last night's Bible Challenge "Prayer" are as follows:

1. c) Enos' (Genesis 4:26)
2. b) Abraham (Genesis 18:23-33)
3. d) because Moses was stalling when he should have been taking action (Exodus 14:15)
4. d) 51
5. c) Solomon (2 Chronicles 7:14)
6. d) dedication of the temple in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 6-7)
7. c) vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7)
8. Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:1-4
9. a) three (2 Corinthians 12:8)
10. d) My grace is sufficient for thee (2 Corinthians 12:9)

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We have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. (1 Corinthians 2:16 AMP)

When we invite Jesus to come into our hearts, the Holy Spirit makes His home in us.

He indwells in our hearts which are the very centers of our beings. The Holy Spirit begins cleansing our souls ( our minds, wills, and emotions), but only if we allow Him to do so.

Before we filled with the Holy Ghost or the "indwelling of Jesus" in our hearts, we
think with our carnal or "natural" mind. We can't know what or how God thinks. Once we have the Holy Spirit within us, He will teach us and guide us in the ways of God. This is not to say it happens automatically. It is a process. Just as though we are in school. We have to learn how to think in the manner of God. What would He do in this situation, how would He deal with the situation at hand, or what was said.

Our emotions tell us how we feel in the natural sense, not what God feels about our situations, people we associate with or the decisions we make. The only way to know how He feels is to know His will, and the only way to do that is by being guided by the Holy Spirit within us and by studying His Word. The more we study His Word and Pray, the better we get to know Him because His Spirit will speak to our hearts and tell us. What it all boils down to is that He wants us to take on as many of His characteristics as possible. This is why the "Fruits of the Spirit" are so important to achieve. They are all attributes of Christ. He does not expect us to change by ourselves. That is impossible. If we ask God for strength, He will give it to us.

Our wills, or "what we want" also must change. In time, after spending time with God in His Word, under His guidance from the Holy Spirit, and prayer, we will find that our desires have changed. We will find ourselves desires more in line with what God wants for us. We can still desire natural things, houses, cars, good jobs, the normal things of life. The difference being they won't be on a whim. They will be in line with God's will for us. Also, God will provide us with more than we could ever dream of.

We will find ourselves asking Him for more spiritual things and things about our person such as asking Him for understanding, knowledge, or generosity. Our motives for wanting things will change. We will ask for things of normality such as a job with better hours, not so we can have more time to party, but better hours in the sense so they will line up with our church schedule so we won't miss church. We will ask for a better paying job, not because we want more money to buy a "fancier house or sports car, but so we can provide for our family better and give more tithes to God. (After all, He provided us with the money in the first place by getting us the job).

The more we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, and the more we accept and heed His direction, the more mature we become in Christ. The more mature we become, the more like Him we will become, which is our goal.

We will NEVER be perfect as He is until we are caught up with Him in the sky and taken to heaven to live with Him forever (when our bodies become incorruptible), but His Word says to strive to be like Him, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit is the only way to accomplish this feat.

There is a beautiful little chorus which we used to sing at church a lot, and I feel that it is so appropriate here. It 's called "I Want To Be More Like You".

I want to be more like You, Jesus , I want to be more like You.
I want to be a vessel You work through, I want to more like You.

We cannot be more like Him if we don't have the Holy Spirit guiding us.

With God's Help, you can manage your emotions instead of letting them manage you.

Good Night And May God Bless!

The Good Shepherd

Image by Astrid Photography.(busy with a new home) via Flickr

Good Evening to All!

Jesus said, "The watchman opens the gate for the shepherd, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and
his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice. ...I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd." John 10:3-5, 16

The New King James Version Reference explains it this way:

John 10:3-5: The doorkeeper or watchman refers to the under-shepherd. "Calls" expresses personal address rather than a general or authoritative invitation. "By name: The name of sheep was an ancient practice (see Ps. 147:4, Is. 40:26) This was good practice for the under-shepherd who has been given the charge of a portion of God's flock. (see 1 Pet. 5:2) (4) Brought out is a translation is a translation of the same Greek word used in 9:34, 35 of the Pharisees casting out the man born blind. The false shepherds put out the sheep to rid themselves of trouble. The true shepherd puts out the sheep in order to feed them. The sheep know the voice of the true shepherd. (5) A stranger is anyone whom the sheep do not know, not necessarily a thief and a robber. Sheep would not follow a stranger';s voice even if ye used the shepherds call and imitated his tone. (16) The other sheep were not Jews in heathen lads, but Gentiles. The Jewish people had asked if Jesus would go and teach the Gentiles (7:35). Jesus now declared that He had sheep among the despised heathen. One flock anticipates the salvation of the Gentiles and the formation of the church in which converted Jews and Gentiles would form one spiritual body. (see 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:16).

Discerning God's Voice

How many times have you thought you felt the nudge from God, or heard His still small voice in your spirit only to second guess yourself and convince yourself that it was your imagination or it was you saying what you heard in your mind? The only way any of us are going to get over that problem is to study God's Word. Get it into our heart so that when we hear that voice again, we will know that it is God speaking to us and no one else. Get to know His Word so that we cannot be deceived, because the devil is very subtle and can whisper just enough of God's Word then add a bunch of His own to make it look and sound like you are hearing God's voice in your spirit. The devil's ONLY purpose is to kill, steal and destroy, and in the time he's been out of God's kingdom, he's had a lot of time to perfect Him s means to an end. He is a master at deception, and can more than likely mirror God's "still small voice just enough to lull us into a false sense of security even with the embedded lies.

So be careful and be watchful. Read the Word and hide it in your heart.
People ask, "How can I be sure I am hearing from God?" As believers, hearing God speak to us is our right and our privilege. The Word says that we can know His voice and distinguish it from others; He give us discernment to identify His voice over voices of deception. In John 20:3-5, He parallels this discernment with the instinctive nature of sheep that recognize the voice of their shepherd.

We can discern the difference between God's voice and the voice of deception if we truly know God's character, nature, and the history of how He has led others before us. We will know that what we have heard is something that is in His nature to say. We will know that what He has said does not contradict His Word, wisdom, or common sense.

If we truly belong to God, He will give us discernment to know if what we are hearing is truly from Him or not. He will enable us to distinguish His voice from the deceptive spirit of error. Then we can have confidence that we are following God's direction, whether He is leading us to go forward or telling us to wait.

To hear God and avoid the spirit of error, it is important to look into God's Word and spend time with Him there. The more we study and learn the word, the more we will let its power flow through our lives and the better we will be able to hear, discern and obey God's voice.

Good Night and May God Bless!

Reference materials used: New International Version (Bible)
New King James Version
The Everyday Life Bible ( Amplified Version) with some commentaries by Joyce Meyer and Myself.

Leaning Hard

Trust in the Lord and the Holy Spirit will guide you into ALL truth.

Good Evening to All!

Today's Seed: "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture." Psalm 37:3 I have to say again I definitely prefer the KJV. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

This tells me to trust in God, stand fast, watch and wait, and He will take care of me. Don't lose faith. An excellent example is when Peter started to walk toward Jesus on the water, and then started to doubt. Then and only then he started to sink. As long as we keep our eyes upon God, we will not sink.
Throughout the Bible we are told to trust in the Lord. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, "How do I trust in the Lord?" Interestingly enough, we find it easy to trust many things everyday. We trust that the chair in which we sit is going to hold us. We trust that the food we eat will nourish us. But we find it difficult to trust in the Lord.

That may be because we have found, the hard way, that it is easier to trust things than it is to trust people. We get our disappointments with other people mixed up with our relationship with the Lord. Time and again we have been disappointed. Our expectations have not been realized. Sometimes even our expectations of what God would do have not come to pass. Our trust has been undermined--perhaps because we we have misunderstood what God means when he asks us to trust him.


Dig Deeper: Trust means to turn from independence to total dependence. It is taking God at His word. It is leaning hard on Him and depending on Him to be able to hold our weight.

Whenever we start trusting in ourselves, our own abilities, more than God, that is when we get into trouble. Next time things don't go as you had planned, stop and think back. Did I pray about this? Did I include God in my decision-making? If not, that is where the problem lies. God is interested in everything we do. Not just the big things. I have actually heard people say "it wasn't important enough to pray about." They couldn't be more wrong. Even something as insignificant as losing your car keys. I can't count the times I have laid my keys down and forgot where. Unfortunately, sometimes I don't practice what I preach and I look and look for them, and am usually late for where I'm suppose to be. Other times I lose them, and right off the bat I say ok God, I know you are looking at my keys right now, you saw where I put them lead me to them so I won't be late. He puts it in my heart where they are and I go right to them. We have a mighty God that cares about the number of hairs on our head, so we should trust Him with everything about our lives as well.

Background Bulb: In mark 9:21-24, we read about the man who came to Jesus. His son was possessed by an evil spirit since childhood. The father pleaded with Jesus to help them if he could. Jesus responded, "Everything is possible for him who believes."

The boy's father cried out, "I do believe: help me overcome my unbelief!"

Doubts and unbelief aren't new. The disciples had tried to heal the boy but failed. So the man's faith had been tested. No doubt he had already done everything humanly possible to help his son. Jesus was his last resort. His faith was frail, but he did not give up.

Weed & Water: It is easy to tell others to trust God. Why is it so hard for us? Fear often intervenes in our ability to trust--fear that God may not see things as we do or want what we want. We want to believe God's plans are best, but the enemy assaults us with doubts and fears.

First John 4:28, Living Bible reminds us : "We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; his perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what he might do to us. If we are afraid, it is for fear of what he might do to us and shows that we are not fully convinced that he really loves us." In the midst of doubts and fears, remember this man's actions and prayer: "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Typing this blog has helped me so much. As I said earlier, I sometimes do not practice what I preach, and I am one of those who are always saying to trust God, God is in Control, He knows us better than we know ourselves and on and on. Then when it comes to me having to put my trust in Him I catch myself saying "I trust God, but I better do this just in case!" Right there, I showed God that I didn't have trust in Him. I'm getting a lot better since I started this blog 6 months ago. I am trusting Him more, and I pray and ask for help from HIM a lot more.

Don't get me wrong. I have been a devout, Holy Ghost-filled Christian for 10 years, but since I started my blog, it has strengthened me on so many levels, and I hope it has done the same for you.


Think about it:
What has happened in your past that keeps you from trusting God?

What do you fear about turning from independence to total dependence on God?

what can you do to lean hard, putting your total trust in God



Prayer Pot: Dear God, help me to understand your wonderful love for me and to trust you for....

Take -Away Idea: Fear not! God can be trusted!


Good Night to All and May God Bless!

Showing Us the Way

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Good Evening to All!

Tonight's post is an inspirational story taken from Robert Strand's "especially for Moms" book. A story about a Basketball Star and His family.

SHOWING US THE WAY

When Atlanta Hawks center Theo Ratliff was growing up, his mother, Camillia, provided the everyday lesson on perseverance. Daily, after the hour-long commute from her factory job to home in Demopolis, a small rural town in Alabama, she took her books and studied late into the night working on a college degree.

She was an influence by showing us the way, not just telling us," says Theo who has two brothers, Thad and Tim. "Getting her degree was something she was dedicated to doing. That's the type of lesson she gave: if you want it enough, you can get it done no matter what."

Theo kept that lesson in mind as he relentlessly practiced his basketball growing up. The example of mom helped him to become an NBA ( National Basketball Association) All-Star, a good father and a responsible, generous citizen.

To raise her three sons, Camillia held down as many as four jobs at once. Obviously, the family didn't have much but their focus was never on the material things of life...rather it was centered on the wealth of a longing family. Camillia said, "We were rich. Sometimes you wish for bigger, better, more. But sometimes coming up the rough side of the mountain isn't so bad."

The boys took part in every activity they could fit into a busy growing-up life...Key Club, honor society, museum visits, plays, church functions and sports. They did it all and kept up good grades, too. "Without that type of influence from within their families, a lot of our friends went astray," Theo says.

He worked hard at his hoops...sometimes angering mother's wrath by skipping the chores posted on the refrigerator door. "She always would say, 'Whatever it is you choose to do in life, try to be the best at it, '" he says. "That's how I've approached my game and being a parent."

Because of his life principles, learned form mom, he was awarded a scholarship to Wyoming University. He almost quit basketball after his second year but Camillia told him, "Winners never quit, and quitters never win." That was the turning point...from that moment on, Theo excelled. Detroit selected him in the first round of the 1995 NBA draft/

The rest is history...Theo is an All-Star, he and his wife Kristina, have two daughters; he's involved in community events which give back; Camillia has her college degree and manages elder-car programs in ten Alabama counties@ Yes, mother Knows best!

Today's Quote: "Camillia might not have taught Theo anything about jump shots or blocked shots. But what he learned form her has as much to do with his success as anything a coach ever said." Brad Young


Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith...(Hebrews 12:1-2a)

MY TAKE ON THINGS

It never amazes me the good that positive reinforcement can do. A person can quote scriptures, or proverbs from the Bible, they can quote wise sayings that have been handed down through the years, but when it comes right down to it "Actions speak MUCH louder than words. The old cliche "do as I say, not as I do does not help much. I never have believed that statement did anything but "waste breath".

One example I have is a precious friend who babysits her "step daughter." The child is only going on 4 years old, and I think she has to be one of the most polite people I have ever met. I have never heard Lenette raise her voice to the little one, but she teaches her through example. I have heard her say "yes ma'am, or no thank you, or please ...and so forth to this small child. In turn, this child uses the same polite manner to Lynette and others who talk to her. I'm sure as she gets older the lessons which she will be taught will be valuable because they will have been taught through not only words, but actions.

In the same token, the opposite can be said for others whom I have seen My parents for one, Who were the "do as I say not as I do " type of teachers, and if I didn't abide by their rules, I got in LOADS of trouble. That did not teach me anything, except to have low self-esteem and to be a "people-pleaser at any cost" which is not a good thing. It made me lose my own identity and to cower down even when I think I'm right.

So you young parents out there, PLEASE take a page from this old girl's playbook. Teach your children life-lessons with love, understanding and by example. Not with an iron hand, and harsh words.

I am not saying children should not be spanked. It tells us in the Bible to do so, with love. Spanking and Beating are two different things. That's why God gave us padding on our rear-ends, and you don't have to leave marks to make your point. However, sometimes grounding, or taking a child's prized possessions away for an extended amount of time sometimes works better.

Anyway, to get back to life's lessons. Show your children how to get ahead by Example, with Love and Encouragement. You will gain a lot more ground of positivity by doing it that way, and the lessons will last a life time in comparison to hurtful lessons which have a negative effect, and will also last a life time and continue through generations. Unfortunately, it seems that the negative things in life tend to be handed down through generations quicker than positive ones. So we need to make it a point to hand down much more positive habits and ideas than negative ones.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!