Today is a Day of Expectation

Today is a Day of Expectation

This week is spring break for our state. The colleges and the public schools have learned to work together so that everyone is vacationing at the same time. Although the weather is hinting at chilly and rainy it’s got a lot of promise. Having an entire week off is great for both teachers and students. Parents have to juggle schedules and plan ahead to enjoy it but all in all it is a week everyone looks forward to. Great expectations are in a few days of having a different schedule than normal.

Not everyone will take beach trips or travel anywhere, but with a little planning the expectations of no school or work can be realized.  Imagine having to stay in town for the week. Many are doing just that. Not much expectation or excitement in same old same old. But just down the road, within 50 miles of us are several state parks, an Indian artifacts dig, a diamond mine, hiking trails, and more. Anyone can stay home and enjoy every single day. Kind of depends on your expectations. Plan to enjoy and you will. Plan to receive a great opportunity for fun and it will happen.  You can just stay home and enjoy your yard, your house, have the kids ride bikes, read books or tell family stories. Whatever you do, expect and plan to have a great time. It can happen – memories can be made that will take you into your future.

Our life in Christ is a lot like spring break. We look for something wonderful to happen but we don’t often plan on it. Preparation has a lot to do with enjoying our walk with God.  Reading the Bible is no ordinary read. Not a novel or a sonnet or a book of poetry. It’s God breathed. We can expect things to happen when we read the Word. We should expectantly prepare to be challenged in our walk, changed in our thinking and strengthened in our hearts. The believer who reads God’s Word is actually letting God breathe His Spirit written words into their inner man.

God speaks to my heart: You see your life as pretty ordinary. I see it as extraordinary. Every day I want you to live in expectation of something from Me.  I am ready, willing and able. In fact I have already taken great measures to ensure that your life is far from ordinary. Not just at spring break but every single day. When you wake up in the morning I AM there. When you lay your head on your pillow I AM there. When you feel the nausea of sorrow I AM with you. When you wonder what you are going to do today I AM already formulating a plan of expectation for your day that is beyond your wildest dreams. I wish to speak into your life. I wish to take you out of the ordinary and make your day extraordinary. I have plans for you – to live able the level of mundane. My plans are beyond your greatest vacation adventure. In fact where you go I AM there. Sometimes I AM cheering you on. Other times I AM interceding for you. In Christ, I have the greatest day of expectation for you and that day is today.

Oh beloved, you don’t have to wait for a better day. You don’t have to hope that you can get away someday. You don’t have to live locked into ordinary. Jesus has done too much for you to be unbelieving or to live below the level of all that He died to purchase for you. Expect great things! Expect today to be different . Yes, there are hardships, yes there are hurdles, yes, things do go wrong. But God is with you – to walk it out and overcome each and every thing you encounter. Expect Him to speak to your heart. Expect Him to call you to a higher level. Expect Him to take your weakest points and make them strong in His power. Today is your day to expect God to speak, Christ to help, The Spirit to encourage and the day to be beautiful in Him.

God loves you and He’s for you so expectation is your life breath. Ordinary to extraordinary without leaving your house when you open His Love Story, seek His face and change your heart attitude. Rejoice and see what God will do all for you, all for love as you live expecting and worship Him in Spirit and Truth every day of the week.

Psalm 119:131 I pant with expectation, longing for your commands.

I Peter 1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation!

James 2:23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.

Psalm 43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God.

Psalm 89:15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship for they shall live in the Light of Your Presence, O Lord.

Ephesians 3:19-21 [That you may really come] to know [practically, [e]through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!  Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]— To Him be glory…

The New Year is Full of God's Hope

Nothing left under our tree but some loose dry needles. Since we got a live tree again this year it looks like we’re going to have to dispose of it pretty quickly.  Just a month ago it was green and the needles were supple. Freshly cut from the earth, it was gorgeous. Now it’s about done in. We can’t keep it over for another year. Without roots and soil and water it won’t make it. The evidence is there already. It’s done for.

This year has flown by. Just yesterday 2013 came upon us with such promise. If you’re like us, there were some great things that happened this year.  And if you’re like us, there were some not so great and unexpected things that happened.  When you open up a new year it holds lots of wonderful plans and hopes and dreams. But you can’t carry that calendar over for another year either. Everything written in it is done. That’s the past. It too must be thrown out with the Christmas tree.

We cannot do one thing about bringing a dead tree back to life.  We can’t do a thing about repurposing a calendar for another year. We can’t do anything about the outcome of the months we’ve spent in our lives.  Even though the tree has died, the year has dwindled and our plans have come and gone, not to be seen again, we can keep the good things for future reference. We can also look to the not so good events as our record of overcoming the odds, staying the course and celebrating the victories. We can pack away the ornaments from the boughs to place them on the new tree, we can catalog those good times, those precious moments to fondly remember in our hearts and we can open up a new calendar with high hopes and bright purpose.

I have a bad habit of keeping broken ornaments. I don’t know why. But God speaks to my heart and tells me to throw out the broken. Discard the past. I cannot relive it. I cannot bring it back to life. I cannot revive the year. It’s been spent. Whether I spent it right or misspent any of it is of no concern now.  God says look to the future.  Even the good things - and there are always good memories, great moments and fond reminiscences – have to be put in their place. We cannot live tomorrow fully if we’re holding onto the used up yesterdays. It just can’t be done.

Oh beloved, rejoice! A new year is approaching.  In a few short days it will be 2014 and the calendars will be brought out with clean spaces signifying the clean slate God gives you each and every day. For you who are dealing with loss, God says this could be the year of redemption, regeneration and renewal. For you who are walking through dark hours, this new year holds lots of hope for better days of health and happiness.  For all of you, it is time to throw out the old and take in the new. It’s a new day. It’s a great time to ask God to give you fresh plans and renewed purpose.

Regardless of your age, your abilities, your education or your pocketbook, God wants you.  He wants to take you into newness of life with Him. He wants you to believe Him. To receive His promises and to live in the light of His Word like never before. It’s a new day God has given you today and it’s a new year ahead to live it with gusto and victory. Your life is full of significance because God loves you and He’s for you!  No man can pronounce you done for. No system can pronounce you obsolete. No religion can say you’re not good enough. Because God says behold I AM doing a new thing with you beloved!

Blessings to you as you seek Him with all your heart for that's where we truly live and move and have our being whether it’s the end of a year or the beginning, He’s with you all the way.

Hebrews 6:18-19 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil…

Acts17:28  For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring. KJV

Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

I Timothy 4:10 With a view to this we toil and strive, [yes and] suffer reproach, because we have [fixed our] hope on the living God, Who is the Savior (Preserver, Maintainer, Deliverer) of all men, especially of those who believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to Him). Amplified

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Open the Gifts of God - Straight from the Father's Heart

At our grandson Blake’s birthday party Sunday, we all had a great time. There was a big crowd of family to friends.  Everyone had so much fun. Everything Blake got was something he really liked. As he was putting some of his toys on the kitchen cabinet before they went out to play he looked at me and asked if we had gotten him a certain gift. I replied yes that’s what Popaw and I got him.  He was tickled because as he said “I’ve always wanted one of those”.  

Later that afternoon he was over at our house with another gift, washable markers and an Iron Man spiral notebook to write and draw in. He looked at me and asked if that was from us too. I told him it was. He responded, “This too? I like it.”

Although he got many different gifts, he was appreciative of each one.  Not only that, he was amazed that his grandparents had gotten him more than one gift that he really liked!  

God speaks to my heart. Aren’t we like that?  We accept the gift of salvation and we’re so appreciative to God for His mercy and grace. It’s just the gift we all are asking for. We all want to be forgiven and have a new start. But there’s more! He doesn’t just give us the security of heaven. He gives us the security of every single day of our lives! Not one thing happens that God is unaware of or unprepared for. No matter how things look in the natural, in the spiritual realm you have the gift of full security in Him.

And there’s even more. He gives us grace to help in time of need. He tore the veil and gave us an open door to contact Him 24/7 in prayer. There’s the gift of strength for the weary, rest for the worried, peace for the storm tossed and hope for the hopeless. He gives each of us various gifts for the body of Christ, all of which are very important. Your gift is outstanding and just for you!  He gives us all a basket full, running over and over of fruit, so that our lives will be healthy in Kingdom living as we share His fruit with others. 

He even gives the right friends at the right time for the right help just when we need them. Each friend is also a gift from God.  He gives us a sound mind! So that we can rightly know what God is saying in His Word, every single one of us! He gives us peace - not the kind the world gives, which is false peace – but the kind that will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.

There are so many gifts that belong to the child of God that it’s like your birthday every day! You are His most favored child and as such He desires you to know Truth in the inner recesses of your heart so that you can call upon that Truth when things look bad, times turn rough or life hands you significant turmoil, trouble or pain.  

There’s more and more and more and each time you open another gift, you are blessed and surprised! This too, Lord? This surprise of blessings gives you a thankful heart and a mouth full of praise. And the gifts flow on from the Father to the Son to you His child and then on to others.

Oh beloved, reach into the Birthday bag of blessings, the Word of God! It’s all yours by reason of being Born Again! The promises to set you free, the promises to help you bless others and the promises to get you to heaven – are all there! Keep reaching in and pulling those gifts out. Keep showing them to others and sharing His bountiful ways with everyone you meet. 

Praise the Lord and thank Him this morning for He is Your Exceedingly Abundant God! He’s the Father of Lights who gives no shadows or mystery or doubt. His Faithfulness to you is Great! His Mercies are new to you each and every day!  Why? Because He loves you and He’s for you and that’s the greatest gift you’ll ever receive!

John 14:27 I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

2 Corinthians 5:18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him.

1 Peter 4:10 God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

2 Peter 1:2-3 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

Wishing or Walking?

I saw two of the largest loads of hay I’ve ever seen while driving to work. Two semis full of huge round bales.

Reminds me of the old wives’ tale my mother used to subscribe to: “Make a wish on a load of hay.” The rule was to make a wish as you passed a load, but if you look back it wouldn’t come true.  If I still believed in that tale I would have been making some HUGE wishes when I saw those two loads of hay. I’d also be full of worry that I might catch a glimpse in the rear view mirror or be tempted to turn around and look back. Then all the wishes would be lost. Great opportunity turned to disaster all because of what I might or might not do.

God is not a load of hay! There’s no wishing and desperation involved with talking to God and letting Him respond to us.   He doesn’t give us one shot at Him to hurry and shoot out a quick request. He is God, the Only True God. He’s not an icon we bow to, an image we polish or a wish we hope for.

Wishing and luck may be fun to think about, but neither of them matter when it comes to a life of faith.  Luck has absolutely nothing to do with it and aren’t you glad? If life in Christ were simply a matter of luck then some would have good luck and others would have bad luck. If wishing were the only way to have blessings then which wishes are best? A penny in the well? Salt behind the back? Loads of hay?

We are not like that! For the one who has accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior we are walking in the divine favor of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! We have been born into blessings as a child of God.  We have the knowledge of the Lord and can increase in that knowledge all the days of our lives. We can live in the light of His Word so that we know how to live, how to be blessed and how to share that life others.

You may be living under a cloud of regret, remorse or misfortune. You may think you are unloved, uncared for, unappreciated and unlucky. The circumstances you’ve dealt with have been hard. God knows the entire situation from the beginning of your life to the present time right now.  His Spirit says to quit living under the cloud and begin to live in praise of the One Who has bought you, redeemed you, lifted you out of the miry clay and set your feet on the Rock! Instead of wishing, look to the Lord – for His Word is full of His promises along with the way to walk in those promises. Stop looking for loads of hay or lucky pennies and run to the Word of God and read – every Word is given, God breathed, into your life and the life of every believer for their good and God’s glory.

Oh beloved, you are not lucky you are blessed! You are not living under a cloud but in the light of the Lord’s presence. Run to His Word and let your heart be strengthened for faith so that whether the sun is shining or things look bad you can know that God loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters.

John 4:24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.

Ephesians 1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.  For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Romans 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” (NAS)

I John 5:3-5 For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous). For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith.  Who is it that is victorious over [that conquers] the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on that fact]? (Amplified)

What I Live For

Today I’m taking part in "What I Live For", an online event organized by author Satya Robyn. People like me all over the world will be sharing what gives their lives meaning.  I've read a little of what others have said they live for.

Well, here goes:

What do I Live For?

I've tried living for people, places and things.  I loved my parents and I was extremely close to my mother all of my life. She passed away at age 83 and I did not want her to go.  I love my wonderful husband and I know that life would be extremely hard without him. We are true soul mates. We are thick as thieves and could live alone on an island together. I absolutely adore my children and my grandchildren. Each of these human beings I hold so dear to my heart are but a vapor, just as I am. I cannot live for them. I cannot make them the object of all my devotion.

I love my house. I have lots of plans for it. When I am weary or heartsick about other things I find great solace inside it's walls. As comforting as it is I cannot cling to it. It's just wood and stone and brick and mortar. Nothing about it is lasting. A wind can come and blow it away. A flash of fire and it would be burned to the ground. You can't predict what might happen, but you sure can't expect a mere object like a building to be the thing you live for.

There have even been times I tried to live for self. I put me first. I sang opera (mememe). I strummed my own fiddle, had my cake and ate it too. Said, pfhhh to people and yes to me. It turned out royally wrong.  I am flawed. I am fickle. I am imperfect. 

There are some old and dear objects in my home that I love. The old pump organ that my mother saved from an old barn over 40 years ago. Great enjoyment all these years has come from playing it's keys and pressing the bellows. There's the pictures of grandparents on the wall. I see parts of myself in those features. Old jewelry and books and greeting cards from ancestors - great, but just stuff.  Stuff will never give me the security I am looking for.  Not really. I can't live for stuff, for I cannot take one of those things with me when I leave this earth.

So what on earth can I hope to live for? I mean really, if you want to live for something you really want to make sure you aren't wasting your time or spinning your wheels. What is there that might transcend time, be more valuable than things and comfort you when all the things of earth give way to time, decay, rust and ruin?

Here is what I live for. I live for the Lord of Heaven and Earth. I am thankful that Jesus paid the price for me to live with true purpose. I pray everyday that I learn to live more and more in the light of His Word, so that I can share the Truth about Him - that He loves each one of us completely and that He has a wonderful plan for our lives. He knew us before we were formed in our mothers' wombs. He had a plan for us before the foundation of the world. He is the only true God and yet He scoops down to our level and gives us something to live for!

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, they are plans for good, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)


He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiastes 3: 11


Oh beloved, I hope that you will consider living for the Lord. He alone is worthy of all our worship, our time, our efforts and our hopes and joys. He loves you and He's for you and that's all that really matters.




 

Being Attacked by the Why's of Life?

Some things about kids never change. One of those eternal things is asking  “Why?”  You ask a child to come inside and they will ask why. Tell them to get ready for bed they will ask why. Tell them to put on their coat, and you get a why. Even explaining everyday things like the sun, the moon, the stars – you get a why. Kids just naturally want to know why. My own children asked it all the time and now I hear my grandchildren asking the same question.

We want to know why.  Irritations occur like being cut off in traffic and we hit our hands on the steering wheel and say why.  We have a flat on the way to work and wonder why. It rains and we forget our umbrella and wonder why. Most of our whys are a bit self-centered – just wishing we could have freedom from those little irritations of life that are inevitable.

Some of our why’s come when hard things enter our lives. Someone rejects us and we want to know why. We get passed over for a job and we ask why.  Young kids rebel and grown kids don’t live the way they were raised and again we wonder why.  A spouse walks away, a friend betrays you, someone passes way and again the why’s come up. These why’s are heartfelt – the pain is strong and we cry out to the heavens for some sort of explanation.

We blame ourselves with why’s as well.  Why did I do that? Why don’t they like me? Why have I gotten into this mess? If we only look to ourselves and our circumstances we’ll be done in. Eventually something irritating will happen to everyone. Eventually, something hard and extremely hurtful will enter into our world. If we just look to ourselves, to our own devices, we can become bitter, angry, frustrated, depressed, dejected and doomed.

Oh beloved, this morning you may be surrounded with the why’s of life. You may be blaming yourself, blaming others, blaming fate. You’ve grown tired of the struggle and you’re ready to pitch in the towel. You know you messed up. You know you deserve better. You know that you’re the only one in this hard, rough place with no sign of help.

But beloved! You can make it! Because God Himself is with you! For the believer, even in hard times, even in frustrating moments, even in rejection and fear and longings of the heart no one sees – God is with you! When you put your trust in the Name of Jesus Christ for your salvation, you can be sure that while you don’t see immediate reasons for life’s hardships, you can know that God is with you! Why? Because His Word is His Bond. His Cross is His reason. His empty grave is His proof. God loves you. He loves you when you mess up and wonder why. He loves you when friends quit you, spouses pass away, jobs play out and money gets tight. He loves you when your children disappoint you, when life gives you lemons, when no one else comes to your assistance. And because He loves you, beloved one, He is with you always – He will never leave you, He will never quit you, He will never turn away. He is with you on the side of the road when you have a flat, He is with you at the hospital bed when you have a loved one going home with Him. He is with you!

Rejoice this morning that you are loved and treasured and valued beyond any other creation. Rejoice that He knows your name and your days are written in His loving hand. Rejoice that all the why’s are not important because you know WHO is with you all the days of your life!

1 John 4:9 God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him.

Psalm 42:11 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again— my Savior and my God!

Psalm 62:5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.

God Wants to Warm Your Heart!

The wind is howling outside my window this morning. From the balmy day yesterday to the blustery movement of a cold front makes for huge changes in the weather. I prefer balmy, it helps me to be able to move in and out of the car while finishing up Christmas without having to brace for the cold.  The noise of the elements makes one want to stay inside and just cuddle up.

Even though it’s only 5 days until Christmas, the Christmas spirit isn’t showing up everywhere. For some, their hearts have grown cold because of a change in their circumstances overnight.  People we loved are suddenly taken from us, tragedies of all kinds abound, people don’t keep their promises and jobs don’t last.  We hope against hope that all things will work out, but some are wondering if it’s really going to happen.

Will there be another warm sunny day? Or is life going to continue to howl it’s cold winds through your life? Is there anywhere to find the warmth you so desire, or are you destined to let your heart grow as cold as the day?

Oh beloved, let God warm your heart! He knows your troubles, your trials, your sorrows and your hopes and dreams. He loves you! His plan for you is good, in spite of the present situation.  There will be a warmer day. There will be a brighter sunrise.   In the meantime, it’s best to stay very close to the warmth of His mercy, love and grace. He will keep you safe, never leave you, always guide you and give you the grace to make it. All you have to do is lean on Him. His shoulders are as eternal as His Word and His Word is the only Truth and Light you will ever need for the dark cold days. 

He loves you, oh beloved one, and He’s for you all the way to heaven and that’s worth staying close by His side now isn’t it?  

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (KJV)

Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Micah 7:7  As for me, I look to the LORD for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.

Have You Wandered? Look to Jesus for He's Always with You!

Our wanderer, Caleb, has been at it again. As soon as we arrived home from our trip last weekend, we heard the story. Caleb had disappeared and his parents were looking for him everywhere. Finally, it was his mother who found him – down below the house in the woods at the edge of a pond. He was standing there with a stick in the water. Calmly, though you know fear raged through her, she asked him what he was doing.  He replied, “I catch pish.” She noted he was missing a shoe. He said he threw his shoe in the pond to catch a “pish”. She took him in her arms and said that this was very dangerous.  It was then that he looked around and said, “It’s scary”.  He had not noticed anything about his surroundings because he was on a mission to catch fish. We pray often for Caleb, for we know that he has no fear. After all, his name is Caleb! I truly believe he has the spirit of Caleb in the Old Testament. That being a side note, he is a little boy, not yet three and he had gone through the woods to a pond full of snakes in a neighborhood that has seen a bear and packs of coyotes and more! Someone was obviously watching out for him.

We too are on a mission. Every one of us.  For believers, it’s a mission of faith, hope and love. Like Caleb we are fishermen as well. We share the Gospel with others and God reels them in. As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus and our hearts fully centered on Him, we won’t notice other things. But get our eyes off Jesus and we find ourselves surrounded with fear, worry, endangerment, despair and more.

Oh beloved! I know, I really do, that times are hard. I know that jobs can play out, groceries can get low and the pickings can be slim. Right now you may have realized that in the scurry for worldly things, you’ve wandered off into the woods of life, looking for the very things you left behind long ago. The Lord says to you this morning, I AM with you. I always look after My own and I keep My eyes on you all the days of your life.  I AM your keeper and I will always call you back to Myself. I AM the one who will readjust your thinking and get you back on track. As long as you look full in My wonderful Face! Your job is to stay as close to Me as possible so that you fully experience the faith, hope and love that I have in full supply for you. 

Run to His Word this morning and read His plans and take them in fresh and new in your heart! He has promised and what He’s promised He will perform! Just look at Jesus and He will get you back safely to where you need to be. He loves you so much that He’s come after you this morning. He’s on your side so much that He’s refused to leave you helpless in the thickets. And this Savior of your soul is worth shouting Blessings and Honor unto His Name! And that’s what it’s all about!

1 Corinthians 13:13  Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

2 Corinthians 5:18  And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him.

Psalm 91:13 For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.

Psalm 34:5  Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

Psalm 119:176  I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten Your commands.

Psalm 107:4-9 Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless. Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died.  “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and He rescued them from their distress.  He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live.   Let them praise the Lord for His great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them.  For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Do You Need a Fresh Start? You can have One!

It’s the first day of school and many households are re-learning getting up and getting going. Summer break is over and children are putting on new clothes, new shoes and donning backpacks. Some are riding the bus and others are being carried in the family car.  Old friends will be hugged and new friends will be made. Some students will cry, some mothers will cry.  The cafeterias will be baking and the playground equipment will be full. It’s a fresh start kind of morning.

Oh beloved, do you need a fresh start? Is it time for a change? In your attitude, in your demeanor, in your outlook? Today, like school children all across America, you can have that change. You can put on a new look and walk a different walk. I know things have been bad for a long time. Maybe someone’s tried to help point the way for you but you’ve rejected all help. You may be angry, tired, frustrated, hopeless, dejected, miserable.  There is One Who will pick you up and take you where you’ve never been. It’s never too late to let God teach you in His School. Run to Him this morning and open His Study Guide. It’s more than a book – it’s God Breathed! God’s Word is True and it’s written just for you. Because He loves you He can take all your misery, all your mistakes, all your futility and restore your faith, your joy and your hope. Try Him today! He loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that matters.

 Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.

Jeremiah 17:14  O LORD, if you heal me, I will be truly healed; if you save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for you alone!

Psalm 6:2  Have compassion on me, LORD, for I am weak. Heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.

Lamentations 3:22-23 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.

Because times are hard, people are looking for all kinds of ways to make ends meet. Many are also looking for a quick fix, a windfall. In Arkansas, as in many states, we now have a lottery. Obviously by the sales of tickets, many people feel that there’s a chance at winning.We all laugh about it – “If we could just win the lottery…” Surely a huge payout would make everything so much easier.Of cour...se, with more of anything comes more responsibility. And, often we read in the news that people win millions and run through it like water.

Oh beloved, maybe you’ve been looking for ways to make things easier for yourself. You’re tired of the rat race, tired of making ends meet, tired of waiting for better things to happen. There’s Good News! For those who are In Christ, we have won more than the lottery! We have a promise! Our Father in Heaven, who is in charge of all our needs, has given us everything we could ever desire. No need to wait for the lottery, for the dictionary says the antonym for lottery is certainty and that’s what we have in Christ! Run to Him this morning and let Him show you from His Word just how rich you truly are! And don’t forget to thank Him for His provision as you go through your day recharged, reenergized and prepared!




Micah 7:7As for me, I look to the LORD for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.

Matthew 6:30And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

Philippians 4:19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.