Be Who You Are

Be Who You Are

Galatians 5:26 ………………let’s not become irritating to one another.

 

In Galatians 6:4, the apostle Paul exhorts you to grow in the Lord until you come to the point you can have the personal satisfaction and joy of doing something commendable in itself alone without resorting to boastful comparison with other people.

 

Thank God, once you know who you are in Christ, you are set free from the stress of comparison and competition. You know you have worth and value apart from your works and accomplishments. Therefore, you can do your best to glorify God, rather than just trying to be better than someone else. What a glorious, wonderful freedom to be secure in Christ and not have to be controlled by strife, envy, or jealousy. You can be who God created you to be! He does not make mistakes!

 

 

Tame the Tongue...

 

Tame the Tongue can be tamed by no man

 

James 3:4-5, 8

Anything undisciplined will be wild and uncontrollable, always wanting to do its own thing. A child is that way. So is a wild animal. So is an appetite. The human tongue is no different. No man can tame the tongue – not by himself. You need the Holy Spirit’s help, but God will not do it all for you. You must discipline your mouth and take responsibility for what comes out of it.

 

How do you talk about your future? If you are not satisfied with your life and want to see it change, begin speaking over yourself according to God’s Word, Let your words be in agreement with God’s Word and you will be blessed greatly.

Yearnings in the Night

 

 

Yearnings in the Night

Isaiah 26:9 My soul yearns for you O Lord…………….

Nothing can satisfy your longing for God except communion and fellowship with Him. The apostle John wrote, “And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever” (1 John 2:17).

 

The world makes it easy for you to fill your ears with all kinds of things that drown out the voice of God and push Him far into the background of your life. However, the day comes for every person when only God remains. Everything else in life eventually passes away; when it does, God will still be there. Seek God earnestly tonight and He will abide in you.

 

The Perfect Plan...Uncommon Wisdom...Get Off the Treadmill

 

The Perfect Plan

Jeremiah 29:11 ….for I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you…...

God has a perfect plan for all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. His plan is complete in great detail, and it will lead all who follow Him to an abundant life. But only a few ever enjoy the fulfillment of God’s plan because most do not know how to listen to God’s leading and follow Him. Instead they choose (either willfully or ignorantly) to go their own way.

 

You can walk in the perfect will of God if you will learn how to hear from Him and follow His instructions. But listening to Him is your decision. God will not force you to choose His will. However, He will do everything He can to encourage you to say yes to His direction.

 

 

Uncommon Wisdom

James 1:5 if any of you are deficient in wisdom…

Surprisingly, many sophisticated and intelligent people lack wisdom and common sense. Wisdom and common sense are closely linked – wisdom discerns truth in a situation, while common sense provides good judgment regarding what to do about the truth. Wisdom is supernatural – it is not taught by men, it is a gift from God.

 

It is amazing how many people seem to think that common sense is incompatible with being “spiritual”. Spiritual people do not float around all day on clouds of glory, seeing angels and hearing disembodied voices. You live in a real world with real issues and need real answers. You do the seeking and He does the speaking, but He is the Spirit of Wisdom and will not tell you to do things that are unwise. If you need real answers in your life, wisdom and common sense are yours for the asking.

 

Get Off the Treadmill

Romans 4:5-6

If you spend years on the performance treadmill of the world, it is hard to get off. When you are addicted to feeling good about yourself only when you perform well, you are in for a life of misery. It is a cycle of trying and failing, trying harder and failing again, and feeling guilty and rejected.

 

God does not want you on the performance treadmill. He wants you to feel good about yourself whether you perform perfectly or not. He does not want you to be filled with pride, but He certainly did not create you to reject yourself. If you are trapped on the performance treadmill, ask God to break the cycle in your life. Let your confidence be based on who you are in Christ.

 

 4/30

 Spirit, Mind, and Body

 1 Thessalonians 5:23

 Many people do not understand they are a tri-part being: a spirit, soul, and body. You are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live in a             body. God promises to take care of all three parts that make you who you are.

 

You are to work with the Holy Spirit to carry out the plan that began to operate in you when you accepted Jesus as your Lord and                 Savior. Your new birth begins in your spirit, is carried out through your soul (mind, will, and emotions), and is finally visible to other             people through a demonstration of His glory in your physical life. God is working in you as long as you believe. He has begun a good         work and He will also finish it.

 

The Written Word

 

The Written Word

 

Psalm 119:105

The Bible is written as a personal letter to you. God speaks to you, ministers to your needs, and directs you in the way you should go in His written Word. He tells you what you should do and how you should live.

 

It is a mistake to think we can hear clearly from God without spending time in the Word. Knowing the written Word protects you from deception. Listening for God's voice without being dedicated to spending time in the Word on a regular basis opens you up to hearing voices that are not from God. Tonight, spend time reading a portion of God's personal letter to you and allow Him to speak to your heart. God's Word is one of the most precious gifts we have. Treasure it.

 

 

All Day With God

All Day With God

Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18
Pray without ceasing. -1 Thessalonians 5:17

Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 1-3

Brother Lawrence (1614-1691) felt intimately close to God as he humbly scrubbed pots and pans in the monastery kitchen. Certainly Brother Lawrence practiced specific times of devotional prayer. But what he found more life-transforming was prayer during the workday. In his devotional classic Practicing the Presence of God, he says, "It is a great delusion to think our times of prayer ought to differ from other times. We are as strictly obliged to cleave to God by action in the time of action as by prayer in the season of prayer." In short, he advocated that we "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17).
That's a helpful reminder, because sometimes we tend to compartmentalize our lives. Perhaps we pray only during church worship, small-group Bible study, family devotions, and personal quiet times. But what about during our workday? To pray on the job does not mean we have to fall to our knees with clasped hands and pray aloud. But it does mean that work decisions and relationships can be brought to God throughout the day.
Wherever we are and whatever we're doing, God wants to be a part of it. When prayer enters every aspect of our lives, who knows what God might do for His glory! - Dennis Fisher

Let's always keep the prayer lines open,
Knowing God is always there;
For we upon His name may call
Anytime and anywhere. -D. De Haan

True prayer is a way of life, not an emergency detour!

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway." ~ Mother Teresa

The Sword of the Spirit...

 

 

4/23

The Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6:14-17 Stand therefore (hold your ground)

Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God, and having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.   POWERFUL!!!!!

 

This passage instructs you to wear armor that serves as protection against the principalities and powers of the enemy. You have defensive armor and a powerful offensive weapon - the sword of the Spirit. A sword kept in the sheath has no value. It must be wielded – taken from the sheath and used. The Word of God is your sword. When Satan attacks your mind say, "It is written" and quote a Scripture that opposes his lie.

 

 

 

 

From Pit to Palace

Sent from my Windows® phone.

From Pit to Palace

Genesis 37:23-24……………….. Joseph was cast into a well like pit

When Joseph's brothers threw him in the pit to die, God had other plans. Scripture says that even though Joseph was sold as a slave, he did not have a slave mentality. He still believed he could do great things. Ultimately, he ended up second in command to Pharaoh, the ruler over all Egypt. How did Joseph get from the pit to the palace? It was by remaining positive, refusing to be bitter, being confident, and trusting God.

Make up your mind right now to do something great for God. No matter where you started, you can have a great finish. If people have mistreated you, do not waste your time trying to get revenge – leave them in God's hands and trust Him to bring justice in your life.

4/21

The Stress –Free Life

Matthew 11:28…………… burdened and heavy laden…...I will give you rest…………..

Many people today are stressed out beyond anything a human being was ever meant to endure. Every person is very different, uniquely created by God's design. What is complicated for one may be simple for another. Do not compare yourself with other people. But when faced with a problem or difficult circumstance you must ask yourself, "What would Jesus have me do in this situation? How would He handle it?"

Jesus was not stressed out or burned out. He was not controlled by circumstances or the demands of other people. In John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the Way." His way is the right way – the way that will lead you into righteousness, peace, and joy. Jesus prayed that His enjoyment would fill your soul, and it will when you learn to take His approach to life and its many different challenges.

4/22

No Condemnation

John 3:18 …he who believes in Him……………there is no condemnation, no rejection

The Holy Spirit works to convict you of sin and convince you of righteousness (see John 16:7-11). His conviction is intended to convince you to repent, which means to turn around and go in the right direction.

It is normal to feel guilty when you are initially convicted of sin; but to keep feeling guilty after you have repented is not healthy, nor is it God's will. Conviction is entirely different from condemnation. Condemnation presses you down and puts you under a burden of guilt, but conviction is meant to lift you out of something, to help you move up higher in God's plan for your life. If you are suffering under a burden of condemnation, lay your guilt before the throne of God tonight and receive His forgiveness and mercy.

 

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From: Johnson, Robin <Robin_Johnson@rge.com>
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2012 9:39 AM
Subject: SYDR

Sufficient Grace

      4/13

Sufficient Grace

2 Corinthians 12:9 ………….my grace is sufficient …

Do you ever wonder why God does not always deliver you from your bondage and problems immediately? The reason is because only the Lord knows everything that needs to be done in the lives of His children – and the perfect timing for it to be done.

You are not always delivered from your distress at the precise moment you call on the name of the Lord. Sometimes you must endure for a while, be patient, and continue in faith. Thank God, during those times in which the Lord decides or whatever reason not to deliver you right away, He always gives the grace and strength you need to press on toward eventual victory.

4/14

Great Expectations

Isaiah 30:18 the Lord waits for you, looking to be gracious and lifts himself up to you…

What a wonderful promise. God is earnestly looking for someone to be good to – but there is one requirement. You must be expecting, looking, and longing for God's goodness.

Hebrews 6:19 says, hope is the anchor of the soul. Hope is the force that keeps you steady in a time of trial. Do not ever stop hoping. Things may not always turn out the way you want them to, but even in disappointing times, there is still reason to hope. Expect a miracle in your life. Expect good things!

4/15

Peculiar Treasure

Exodus 19:5-6 …obey My voice…you shall be my peculiar possession and treasure – how beautiful

Self-rejection and self-hatred can almost seem pious in a sense. They can become a way of punishing yourself for your mistakes, failures, and inabilities. People cannot be perfect, so they sometimes reject and despise themselves.

Do you lack appreciation for your own worth and value? You may not feel treasured or even acceptable, but you are. In Ephesians 1:6, Paul says that all who believe in Christ have been "accepted in the beloved." What joyous and amazing affirmation! Surely you are valuable; otherwise your heavenly Father would not have paid such a heavy price for your redemption.

 

Small beginnings

4-17

Small Beginnings

Zechariah 4:10 ……………who despises the day of small things?

You are probably believing God for something to come to pass in your life. If you look, you will find evidence of a small beginning. God gives you seed – perhaps only a little, tiny seed – something that causes you to hope. Rejoice over that seed. It is a sign of greater things to come.

When you despise something, you regard it lightly. You count it as nothing and do not take care of it. But if you do not take care of what God gives you, you will lose it. You need to be content during the small things. You know the Lord is the Author and the Finisher (see Hebrews 12:2). What He begins, He completes (see Philippians 1:6). Do not curse your seed by complaining or proclaiming negative things over it. Instead say, "Lord, this is only a little thing, but thank You for giving me some hope, something to hold on to. Thank You, Lord for a beginning."

 

Confidence in Christ

4/16

Confidence in Christ

Hebrews 10:35-36 do not fling away your fearless confidence…

What is confidence? It has been defined as the quality of assurance that leads one to undertake something; the belief that one is able and acceptable; the certainty that causes one to be bold, open, and plain.

The devil begins his assault on personal confidence wherever he can find an opening, especially during the vulnerable years of childhood. His goal is to undermine the person because an individual without confidence will never fulfill the plan of God for his life.

Christ is in you, ready to help with everything you do for Him. Jesus can restore your confidence and give you the strength, power, and boldness to do what you could never do on your own. Be confident – it is part of your spiritual inheritance!

 

Hear and Obey

4/12

Hear and Obey

Psalm 40:6 you have given me the capacity to hear and obey

God delights in your obedience. Naturally, it does not do Him any good to speak to you if you are not going to listen and obey. For many years, I wanted God to talk to me, but

I wanted to pick and choose what to obey. I wanted to do what He said if I thought it was a good idea. If I did not like what I was hearing, I would act like it was not from God.

Some of what God says will be exciting. Some things might not be so thrilling to hear.  But that does not mean what He tells you will not work out for good if you will just do it His way. God does not require a higher sacrifice than obedience.

 

Hope you had a great holiday.

Hope you had a great holiday. 

Back from a much needed vacation.  It is such a blessing when you can travel afar and return to find your home in the same manner in which you left it.  I could only thank God for that. 

A Strong Fortress

A Strong Fortress

Psalm 91:2, 5-6 ………….. He is my refuge and my fortress; on Him I lean and rely…

You need to remember you are ready for anything through Christ who infuses inner strength into you. Paul prayed for the Church at Ephesus to have strengthened power in the inner man (see Ephesians 3:16). He knew if they stayed strong inwardly, they would be able to handle whatever came against them.

When you trust God, you do not have to be afraid of the devil’s sudden surprises that stalk you. He is your strong fortress. No matter what may come against you, you will not be defeated.

 

These Perilous Times...Praying His Will

These Perilous Times

Timothy 3:1-2 in the last days will come perilous times

Just as Paul predicted long ago, these are perilous times. There has now arisen a new generation of people, many of whom have not been taught anything about God in school, nor have they been taught to pray at home. They have seen some sad examples of spiritual leaders who have publicly fallen, and having no solid foundation, it is easy for them to conclude that “religion” is a bunch of junk.

As a Believer, you must strive to be different from the world. Be a good example. Walk in love, being honorable in all your conduct. People are watching you. Show them that Christ lives in you.

Why Worry

Psalms 37:8 …fret not yourself

Anxiety and worry are both attacks on the mind intended to keep you from serving the Lord. The enemy uses these weapons to press your faith down so you cannot live in victory. Many people are worriers but do not even realize it. They may call it something else - but it is still worry. In addition to telling you to “fret not”, other passages warn you to “take no thought” (Matthew 6:25), “be careful for nothing” (Philippians 4:6), and “cast ….all your care” (1 Peter).

Matthew 6:27 says, “And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add on unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life?” The obvious point is that worry is useless. It does not accomplish any good thing. In that case, why worry and why be so anxious?

Praying His Will

John 14:14 …...whatever you ask in My Name

Some Christians read this passage and take its meaning out of context. What a statement! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this gave, you license to have anything and everything you want? But the name of Jesus is not simply a “magic work” to tack on at the end of your wish list.

You must realize that all effective prayer involves praying the will of God, not the will of man. There are many things in the Word that clearly reveals God’s will, and these you may certainly ask for boldly without any hesitation or concern about whether you should have them. Yet there are many other times you should pray that His perfect will be done and not your own.

Seek the Truth

4/2

Seek the Truth

Mark 4:14-15 ……………….the sower sows the Word

If you hear or study the Word, the devil will immediately attempt to steal it from you. He does not want the Word to take root in you heart and begin to produce good fruit in your life. When you learn the truth, deception is uncovered and you are set free. Satan hates and fears the Word. He will do anything possible to prevent you from learning God’s Word.

 

The reason Satan works so hard to keep you from the Word is simple: he knows the Word of God is a powerful weapon against him. It assures his defeat! That is why it is imperative that you learn to wield the spiritual sword. Reading, hearing, believing, meditating on, and confessing the Word cancels Satan’s evil plan. Tonight, determine to make the Word of God a priority in your life.