Inspiration from the Internet

Thursday, September 4, 2014

P.O.U.R.

When you Pray, You should

(P)our out your heart

(R)ealize God will answer

(A)lways believe

(Y)ield to what God says…..

Truth Precedes Change

And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. JOHN 8:32

Is there something you'd like to change about yourself or the way you live? Change begins with truth. It's almost impossible to see the need for change or to know how we should change if we don't face the truth about where we are. In the process of change, admitting the truth about ourselves is often the hardest part. We don't need to feel guilty about the way we are, we just need to ask God's forgiveness and be excited about change.

Let me share a practical example of how facing truth and changing has worked in my life. If I'm eating too much and don't want to face the truth about that, I will make excuses. "My metabolism must be slowing down." "The dry cleaners shrank my pants." Excuses can be endless! Excuses, though, are actually reasons stuffed with lies.

Once I decide to stop making excuses, I can admit the truth. "I've been eating too much and that's why I've gained weight." When I say that I am taking responsibility for the problem. That's the truth, and it will set me free.

I have had to face many truths in my past and still do. If we want to change, we have to start with the truth. Ask God to reveal truth to you about you! When he does if it begins to hurt, just realize that the pain you feel is actually a healing pain that is working toward your freedom and increased peace and joy.

Love Yourself Today: "Lord, help me to see and admit the truth about every area in my life, and with your help, make the changes I need to make."

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

LOVE YOURSELF, LAUGH AT YOURSELF

You grow up the day you have the first real laugh at yourself. Ethel Barrymore

-------------------------------

Many of us take our personal faults and mistakes too seriously. We spend too much time opposing ourselves, being our worst enemies. We often judge ourselves more strictly than we judge others and we focus on our faults far too intensely. We should always be serious about our sin and want to improve. But many of the little, everyday things we treat as monumental are really not so terribly important. So give yourself a break!

God knew every flaw and weakness you would have and every mistake you would make when He called you into relationship with Himself. Nothing about you surprises Him.

God knows - and has always known - everything about you. He knows what you will think, do and say every day for the rest of your life on earth. He also knows how He will help you, teach you, correct you, encourage you and give you grace for all your faults and failures. He is always for you, never against you, no matter what you do. This truth should set you free to lighten up, enjoy being who God made you to be, and have a laugh at your own self.

You are who you are. You do what you do, and it's not always perfect. In fact, sometimes you really mess up! That's part of being human. But if you also have God, have a heart to change, and ask Him to help you, then you can relax. God is working on you, changing you every day, helping you grow. God is not mad at you! Enjoy Him, and enjoy yourself even though you are not perfected yet.

Love Yourself Today: Don't be so serious all the time. As often as possible, have a good laugh!

Speak Life - Romans 12:2

Your Original Software

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will."

(Romans 12:2, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Our minds work like a computer. The way you program it is the way it's going to function. You can have the most powerful computer made, but if you put the wrong software in it, it's not going to function like it was designed. We've all had to deal with these computer viruses. All these problems occur not because the computer is defective, but because somebody contaminated the software.

In the same way, when God created you, He stepped back and said, "Another masterpiece." Your hardware is perfect. From the very beginning, He programmed you to be victorious, healthy, strong and creative. He programmed, "Whatever you touch will prosper and succeed." He programmed, "The head and not the tail. Lend and not borrow. Victor and not victim."

That's how your Creator designed you. But the reason we don't always experience this abundant life is because we've allowed viruses to contaminate our software. Because our software is infected, we go around with low self-esteem, negative and doubtful. It's time to reprogram your mind with the Word of God! Meditate on what He says about you, delete the viruses, and get back to your original software!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for making me in Your image. Help me to see any areas where my thinking is contaminated. I choose to meditate on Your Word daily so I can live the life You've prepared for me in Jesus' name. Amen.

Sleepless Nights

Sleepless Nights

Read: Genesis 32:22-32
Jacob named the place Peniel (which means "face of God"), for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared" - Genesis 32:30

-----------------

Sleep. It's one of the most underrated pleasures in life. There's nothing like a good night's rest or napping on a rainy day. My bed feels like a refuge—a small sanctuary from the cares of life.

On some nights, however, sleep is hard to find. In the dark stillness, cares and concerns of all kinds can leave us tossing and turning.

The Bible contains two dramatic accounts of sleepless nights that may offer some guidance for those occasions when sleep eludes us. The first story is found in Genesis. Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, was returning home for the first time in 20 years after having cheated his twin brother Esau out of their father's inheritance (Genesis 27:1-36, Genesis 32:1-12). Alone and afraid of what Esau might do to him, Jacob found himself in an all-night wrestling match with God.

Centuries later, Jesus experienced His own sleepless night. As darkness descended on Jerusalem, Jesus found Himself praying alone in a grove of trees outside of the city. Unlike His disciples who couldn't stay awake, Jesus wrestled and surrendered to the reality that a bloodthirsty mob was coming for Him, and there would be no sleep for Him that night (Mark 14:32-36).

During both nights, Jacob and Jesus wrestled through their cares with God. Jacob pleaded for a personal blessing (Genesis 32:26-30). Jesus asked His heavenly Father to withhold the cup of suffering that was needed to fulfill God's promise to bless all the nations through Israel (Genesis 12:2-3; Mark 14:36). But He surrendered to the Father's perfect will.

Are the cares of life keeping you up? It's okay to pray for sleep to come. But sometimes a sleepless night is God's invitation to wrestle with Him so that our need can meet His grace