Rev. Denise Glavan Heath
What scares you? The death of a loved one? Illness? Divorce? Loss of a job? Not being in a relationship? The dark? Things that go bump? Scary movies? Or is it something else? All of us have fears. Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat. The question is how you handle your fear, because fear is real! The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out all fear, because fear has not been made perfect in love.” You can let your fear consume and destroy you or you can acknowledge it, deal with it and then let go of it. Fear only has as much control over you as you allow. Today, if you are living in fear go to God, pray, read the Gospels, say the LORD Prayer repeatedly. Focus on God for your mind cannot do two things at once. Thus, by keeping your eyes on God the fear diminishes. Also, if it is all consuming seek counseling—that will help too. It is something to try. Remember focus on God, not your fear, and soon your fear will dissipate or lessen. God Bless. Amen.
Learning to deal with life’s issues can be very hard. Whether it deals with death, illness, abuse, hate, self-hate or substance abuse, if we could, we would save ourselves from the pain or the difficult situation, but we can’t. Sometimes we just want someone to save us from our pain and heartache. It sounds cliché, but the only thing we can do is to learn to let go and let God and trust that God is bigger than the situation. And then pray and pray and pray some more. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Today, whatever you are going through remember God is there. God is the one sure thing in life, so hold on and with God on your side you will make it step by step, moment by moment. God Bless. Amen.
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty we praise Your Holy Name and give thanks for You are King of kings, LORD of lords mighty and wonderful are You. On this day we bow down to You asking for help, guidance, and wisdom as we go about our day. We also ask that You bless us and keep us safe. Put a hedge around us for protection and let no harm come to us. We lift up in prayer our spouse, our children, our stepchildren, our daughters-in-laws, our sons-in-laws, our in-laws, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren, our parents, our siblings, and our friends. We give thanks that they are a part of our lives. O LORD help us to be kind and merciful as you are and let us represent You in all that we do. We love You, LORD, O how we love you. Thank you. O LORD, for all our wonderful things that you manifest in our lives. Thank you for being our God. These things we pray in Christ Name. Amen. God Bless.
My prayer for you today is that you find peace in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the day. Take moments throughout the day to speak with our LORD, where you can renew your spirit. May you feel loved and appreciated for you are special. There is no one like you. You are one of a kind and because of you this world is different—it is a better place. As the day evolves share God’s love with those you come in contact with, be kind and try to do at least 6 random acts of kindness. Smile, laugh, dance as if no one is watching and sing as loud as you want. For this is the first day of the rest of your life. Make it a good day, for there are no re-do’s. Peace I give you go in peace. God Bless. Amen.
Good day. How are things going for you today? Isn’t it a beautiful day? Do you feel blessed? Do you feel loved and appreciated? Are you excited about this day and all the different opportunities there will be? Or is this day just another day in the long and boring life you have? Or could this day be like so many others for you frustrating and difficult? When my father was alive. He was a go getter. He loved life and lived it to the fullest. I really do not think he ever had a bad day. No matter what went on or what life threw his way he made the most of each and every day. He would always say, “I wonder what new adventures I will have today!” He was an amazing man. I want to be like him when I grow up, I am 70. But here is the thing. Each of us can have his attitude on life, at any age of our life. It is a choice. We choose to be happy, mad, sad, glad, rude, angry or whatever. So today choose a positive attitude, choose enjoyment, and choose to look at life as an adventure. Finally choose God’s love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. For the joy of our LORD is our strength. Philippians 4:6-9 reads, “Trust God even within tragedy and choose to dwell on what is good in the person or situation.” Today, choose to make the most out of the situation you are in. For life is too short. God Bless. Amen.
The other day my husband asked me if I heard him laughing in his sleep. I said, “Yes, I did. What were you laughing about?” He told me and we laughed together. I thought, “I wish I laughed in my sleep too. For he does this periodically.” They say laughter is good for the soul. When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? Do you know that a good laugh will create joy, vitality, and resilience. It helps heal resentment and decreases tension. Laughter replenishes our soul. Laughter expresses the inner joy of knowing God is with us on this journey called life. They also say a cheerful heart is good for you, it acts as a natural shield against stress and boosts emotional and physical health. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Job 8:21 tells us, “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouting.” Laughter is a powerful medicine. God knew what He was doing when He designed us with the ability to laugh. For if we only feel just pain, just grief, our life would be out of balance, joy and laughter must be a part of our everyday life. So, if you haven’t laughed in a while your mission is to learn to laugh again. Watch funny movies, learn to laugh at yourself, laugh with your family and friends and soon things will fall into place and your life will have a new direction. Remember “They learned to laugh, and as they did so their whole appearance changed, its darkness was dispelled.” (Victor Hugo) So, laugh, enjoy, smile, give thanks, and laugh some more. For if you really think about it, your life isn’t that bad, there are good times as well! God Bless. Amen.
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37) What do you think of this scripture? How does it make you feel? Does it make you take an inventory of yourself? So, “Do you judge others?” When we judge another person, we make a judgment call. We decide if that person is right or wrong. We form an opinion, often negative, about someone’s character, actions, or choices, usually based on limited information, and potentially implying a sense of superiority or criticism towards that person. We judge from someone driving in their car, someone at the grocery store, a friend, a loved one, a neighbor, or even a stranger. We make comments about the person. I guess we think it is right because we do it daily—all of us! What Luke 6:37 wants us to do is worry about ourselves and whether we are making a good or bad choice, right or wrong choice. We are to judge ourself and our behavior, not others. For the only person who judges our behavior is the Lord God Almighty. Today, if you are trashing someone, or gossiping, or judging another person, to make yourself feel good, think about this scripture. Think about what you are doing. Then ask yourself what would Jesus do this? Maybe if we all stop judging others, our days might be a little better. God Bless. Amen.
Judges 3:31 reads, “And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad; and he also saved Israel.” Shamgar did not give up. He fought and fought until all 600 Philistines were slain. He was a farmer and only used an ox goad, to overcome the Philistines. He didn’t give up nor lose faith. And because of his determination he saved Israel from death. As he fought, he prayed. He prayed, because he was so weary and exhausted from fighting. As he prayed, he got stronger. He knew that God would help him. What in your life are you fighting for that seems too hard to achieve? What in your life do you feel like giving up on? What in your life are you ready to quit because it just seems so impossible to keep going? For Shamgar it was not an option to quit, give up, or to stop fighting, just because the task seemed too difficult or no longer desirable. He trusted God to see him through. He did not give up! As he fought, he prayed; as he prayed, he got stronger; as he got stronger, he did not quit; and because he did not quit, he prevailed. This too can happen in your life. The more you pray the stronger you get, and the stronger you get the more able you are to reach what you thought was impossible to reach. Today, go to God, He will give you the desire to keep going, to keep putting one foot in front of the other and soon you too will prevail. God Bless. Amen.
You make a call to someone, but that person does not call you back. You begin to hypothesize why he/she hasn’t called you back. You wonder what you could have perhaps done. Your imagination begins to get the best of you. You think of all sorts of different possibilities as to why this person hasn’t called you back. You call again and still you do not get an answer. You begin to wonder if there could be some sort of misunderstanding. But what if the reason that person has not called you back is something simple and has nothing to do with you! Isn’t this how we feel when God does not answer our prayers? We begin to doubt and wonder why, fretting and coming to a hasty conclusion. See, we do not see the whole picture, for we function through our understandings, our desires and wants. Today, let go and let God—trust, believe and have faith that it will all work out. Anais Nin says, “We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.” So, before you assume, try asking. Be patient. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:25) God Bless. Amen.
The love of a parent is an amazing thing. It does not matter how old your children get, your love for them is never ending. If fact, you would do anything and everything in your power to help them. Sometime our children disappoint us or let us down, but your love never stops, never waivers, never ends. The love of a child for his or her parent is almost as strong. This love is somewhat different but is just as strong. Sometimes things happen, you become disappointed by your children, or you disappoint your children. This is where love comes in, love binds everything together. Love forgives, believes in, and never ends. Love is patient and kind and does not insist on its own way. Love is an astounding thing. Today, tell those around you just how much you love them, because one day that person will be gone, and you will not have the chance. So show them how much you appreciate them and how very special they are to you. Because life can change in an instant. God Bless. Amen.
Sometimes we struggle with what life throws at us. It seems so unfair at times; all you just want to sit down and say “WAIT” I need a break. We have all felt this at one time or another—life just gets overwhelming. To feel overwhelmed means to experience an intense feeling of being overloaded or unable to cope with the demands placed upon you, often caused by too many responsibilities, stress, or emotions, leading to a sense of being unable to think clearly or function effectively. Today, whatever is transpiring in your life know God is there with you. Holding you up, sustaining you, loving you, so hold on to Him. God will balance you, calm your raging spirit and give you peace. He will also give you the strength and courage, and the wisdom and knowledge you need to best deal with the situation at hand. Psalm 62:1 reads, “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress; I will never be shaken.” So take a deep breath, and breathe. God will calm you, so do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you. Remember that. Hold on. This too will pass. God Bless. Amen.
Psalms 57:1 reads, “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. Refuge means a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble. For example, you sin, you do something wrong, God gives you mercy. But He also gives you a place of refuge from the sin you have committed, until what you have done wrong passes. Thus, you are in the shadow of God’s wings, protected. This is the power of God. This is what God does for us day in and day out of our lives. He grants us mercy and is a refuge in troubled times. Today, no matter what you are going through remember God is with you and forgives the wrongs you have committed. He is the one sure thing in life. So, go to Him, seek mercy and find refuge. God Bless. Amen.
Do you always do your best whether it is in a relationship, at work, at home, or at play? To do your best means try as hard as you can to do it or do it as well as you can. Do you say what you mean and mean what you say? This means you are honest and direct when it comes to communication, expressing your thoughts and feelings without ambiguity or hidden intentions. Are you an honest, trustworthy person who has integrity in all that you do? To have integrity means the quality of being honest, having strong moral principles, and moral uprightness. Is this the type of relationship you have with God? Or is your relationship with God the same as how you live out your life, day by day, moment by moment? Colossians 3:23 tells us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the LORD and not for men.” Here is something to think about, how we live out our daily life results from following God’s ways in every situation we are in: doing good and being true in all areas of our life. It is something to remember. It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
Sometimes we doubt and wonder where is our God? Doubt means a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction. Sometimes we even question the existence of God. To question means raising of a doubt about or objection to something. Sometimes we cannot even imagine that there could be a God with all the evil in this world. We question the presence of God because of the wickedness of the world. Thus, it becomes difficult to comprehend or visualize, or even picture in our mind, God’s existence. What causes us to doubt, question or image that God exists is because of the evil that exists. Evil is a profound immorality and wickedness. Isaiah 45:7 reads, “I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil: I am the Lord, that does all things.” Evil exists because it is part of knowledge. To have knowledge deals with all things; good and evil, life and death, sickness and health, light and darkness. Knowledge encompasses all things. Not just the good and wonderful. Scripture tells us that there is a God and that He is always with us. Romans 8:37-39 tells us, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our LORD.” God is with us in all situations and circumstances, even the yuckiness of life. He is the one sure thing in this life. Believe it. Trust it. God will see you through whatever you are going through. God Bless. Amen.
“Sorrow is sad but there is no greater sorrow than remembrance of good times one once shared.” I do not know who wrote this, I memorized this in the late 1960’s and it has stuck with me all these years. Sometimes life is very sad. You just want to sit down while the emotion consumes you. Sadness is an emotion that is neither good nor bad. It is an emotion that God gave us. What we do with our sadness is our choice. We can let it destroy us, or we can find hope. Life goes on and at times the only way you can keep going is to hold onto God—trusting Him moment by moment, step by step. Scripture tells us in Psalm 34:18 it reads, “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” As we hold onto God we have hope. Romans 15:13 says, “May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.” God is there and where God is there is hope and hope does not disappoint us. For God brings us joy. For the joy of the Lord is our strength. God Bless. Amen.
I love the scripture from Psalms 121:1-2 it reads, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of the heaven and earth.” Where does my help come from! God. Help means to make it easier for someone to do something by offering one’s services or resources. God helps us by providing guidance, wisdom, and knowledge. God helps us by giving us peace, when the storms of life rage. God helps us by providing grace to help us get through difficult situations. God helps us and gives us a way out of temptation. God helps us by revealing the truth to us. God helps us by showing us what true love is. God helps us to have God-esteem, to love ourself as He loves us. God helps us to pursue righteousness verses evil. God helps us to be kind and generous with the gifts He has given us. In any given situation or circumstance God is there and will help us. God is the one sure thing in life, so no matter what is transpiring in your life know that God will see you through all you have to do is go to Him. Trust. Believe. For with God on your side how can you NOT get through the situation you are in! Today, try to keep your eyes upon the LORD and know that somehow—someway it will work out. God Bless. Amen.
My prayer for you today is that you can see and feel the love God has for you, moment by moment. As the day unfolds, may you experience joy with moments of laughter occurring here and there. May you realize that God forgives you and through this understanding may you forgive others and yourself as well. On this day may God grant you peace, that peace that passes understanding. Know that the Lord is with you and helps you in all situations and circumstances and know that this too will pass. Remember God is bigger and mightier than all things full of mercy and grace. For this is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. We praise you O Lord and give thanks. These things we pray in Christ’s name. Amen. God Bless.
Anxiety can overwhelm us. Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. Do you worry, feeling overwhelmed and have anxiety about something? Yes? No? When we worry it can stop us in our tracks, putting us in a stuck mode. Where you are not able to move forward and all the while being consumed by your thoughts and worries. Worry does not, nor will it change the outcome of any situation. Worry does not help the situation in any way. In fact, it just makes you miserable. Scripture tells us not to worry, to give our problems to God, to let go and let God. Psalm 55:22 reads, “Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 94:19 says, “When my anxious inner thoughts become overwhelming, your comfort encourages me.” Finally Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Did you know the more you seek God, keeping your eyes upon the Lord, the less you worry, because you cannot focus on two things at once! So, focus on God. He will see you through your worries. It is something to try—it just might help you. God Bless. Amen.
Psalms 37 1-4 says, “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Trust means a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. Sometimes though, it is hard to trust in the LORD. Because trusting can mean waiting too. It is hard to wait for what you want to happen. It is hard to be patient and know that the LORD is God and He will see you through any situation. Thus, we doubt and lose faith— questioning and asking why! We question. We doubt. We are human. Our faith wavers at times and when it does, we cry out, “Help me, Lord!” Then little by little our faith emerges again. Because it is only by faith that we can get through the situation we are in. For faith is a substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) God is with you, trust, have faith, it will all work out. God Bless. Amen.
Why is change so hard? Why do we resist change so much? Is it because we get stuck in a routine and the routine becomes easy? Is it that changing causes inconvenience and makes life harder? Or is change hard because we fear the unknown? For when there is change in our life, we tend to fight it. It is easy to get discouraged. Here is a deep thought, every morning when we wake up, we have changed. We are older. We get sick. We change jobs or even move. Maybe instead of fighting change we need to look at it as an adventure and see where it takes us! Ecclesiastes 3:1 reads, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” Today, see what adventures God has in store for you! God Bless. Amen..
O give thanks to the LORD for His steadfast love endures forever. O give thanks to the LORD for He is good His steadfast love endures forever. O give thanks to the LORD for He is our God His steadfast love endures forever. Praise the LORD all you people. Praise the LORD, for this is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it! “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the lands! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD is God! It is he that made us, and we are his…” (Psalm 100:1-3a) Thanksgiving is today let us together praise God and give thanks. What are you thankful for? This great country, where we can worship our Lord and be free? Are you thankful for your family, your friends, your pets, your home and the food you eat? Today, is a day to be thankful, what are you thankful for? God Bless. Amen.
When you think about God do you realize that He is with you in all situations and circumstances? That no matter what is going on in your life, God is with you. Some people are told that God doesn’t give you anything you can’t handle. What the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” This statement is not about tribulation and heartache. It is about temptation. What does tempt beyond what you can bear mean? It means that God won’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and that He will always provide a way out. Which is Jesus the Christ. We have free will. We choose to sin or not to sin. At any point in our life, we can say NO to sin. If we fall short of what God has asked us to do and to be, then by confessing our sins we will be and are forgiven. Life is full of temptations, just turn on the TV there are temptations everywhere. The key is God gives us a way out. We can fall into sin, we can make mistakes, we can throw caution to the wind and dive right into sin. The Good News is God helps us to get out of the situations we get into. The sin that is consuming us. God want us to understand is that He is with us in all situations and circumstance. That He will see us through no matter what is happening. Matthew 28:20b reads, “…and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” So today, whatever you are experiencing turn to God, trust God, and know that He is with you. He will see you through. You can handle it, because God gives you the strength and courage you need, for there is nothing you cannot bear with God on your side. God Bless. Amen.
We all see things differently. We all have different perspectives. We all come from different backgrounds. We are different from our nationality to our IQ. Whether we are male or female, we are different. We all think differently and do things differently. We all have different gifts that God has given us. We are not robots on an assembly-line. We are different, each and every one of us. Therefore, it is easy to say we are unique individuals created in God’s image. The one thing we all have in common across the board is God loves us unconditionally and we are all forgiven of the wrongs that we have committed. Today, remember you are special. You are unique and because of who and what you are, the things you say and do, no other person is like you, and because of this the world is blessed by you. 1 Peter 4:10-11 reads, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.” So remember, how very special you are. God Bless. Amen.
O LORD God Almighty, we come to You today asking for grace and mercy. Give each and every one of us the wisdom we need to better function in this day. Where we have a lack of hope give us hope, where we have sadness give us joy, where we have misunderstandings give us forgiveness. Where we have meanness have kindness emerge. Where there is frustration have satisfaction replace it. O LORD, you are our God and ask that you heal our broken hearts and create in us a clean spirit. Thank you for our families and friends. Thank you for this great nation. Thank you for all that you have given us. Thank you O LORD. These things we pray. Amen. God Bless.
Life is life…there are moments of fun and excitement that are accented by times of frustration and pain. Life has its ups and downs. During the rough periods of our life, we at times compare our life to others. We reason in our minds that the other person’s life seems so much easier and better than ours. But if we were to take a closer look at that person’s life, we would see that their life has its ups and downs too. There is a saying that says, “You have no idea what I am going through because you haven’t walked in my shoes.” We all have good days and bad. And we never really know what another person is going through. Maybe we need to remember that and be kind and more forgiving, showing mercy to all people in all situations. James 2:13 tells us, “Judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy.” It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
Sometimes you forget that you are a beloved child of God, created in His image. You are precious in His eyes—you are loved and accepted just as you are. You are forgiven. God loves you! The key is learning to accept God’s love. Then as you learn to accept God’s love for you, you learn to love yourself? A way to learn to love yourself is to write down 20 things that you like about yourself. For example, “I love myself. I am intelligent. I am kind. I am happy. I love my life. I am healthy. I am a great friend. I am a great mother. I am a great spouse. I am caring. I am a hard worker. I am nice. I enjoy life. I am forgiven. I can forgive others. I find the good in life. I am positive. I am honest. I am trustworthy. I am polite. I am beautiful. I am loved. I am… Then repeat them four times daily for the next 6 weeks. See it take 6 weeks to form a habit and 1 day to break it. If you do this for 6 weeks you change your perspective of yourself. You start seeing yourself through God’s eyes. You start to believe and understand just how special and precious you are. Try it, you will be amazed. Psalm 139:14 reminds us, “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” God Bless. Amen.
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 says, “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Sometimes we forget this. Sometimes in our humanness we do not act as God has called us to act, to think, and to speak. So, if there is someone you want to pay back for a wrong that they have committed against you, don’t. As the day unfolds pray, pray as if your life depends on it, because it does—whether you are at a stop light, during a commercial on TV, or walking down the street. Always do everything in kindness—for if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all—just be kind, it is not that hard! Do not forget, the joy of the LORD is our strength, so whatever happens in life, remember you and God got this. Finally, give thanks in all things, for this is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. God Bless. Amen.
What makes you feel uncertain or insecure? What do you do when you feel like this? Do you get frustrated and yell? Do you go inward and become quiet? Do you find someone to talk about your feelings? Do you see a counselor? Do you go to your minister? How about do you go to the LORD God Almighty asking for help to overcome your insecurities and uncertainty? God gave us feelings; they are neither good nor bad—they just are. Learning to deal with your feelings, in a healthy manner, is the key to feeling confident and secure. When you feel good about yourself you do not need to question your abilities or your talents. Your insecurities fall away. I call it God-esteem. Learning to see yourself through God’s eyes. Remember you are a beloved child of God, created in God’s image! Philippians 1:6 reads, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” It is something to remember. God Bless. Amen.
May the LORD guide you and sustain you on this day. May you be filled with the Spirit and find joy and laughter in the midst of your day. May you find that peace that passes all understanding as you go forth and may you be a vessel for the LORD today. Let your hands, be His hands. Your feet, be His feet. Your mouth, be His mouth and your thoughts and actions be His throughout the day. Where there is hate sew love, where there is frustration may you extend delight. Where there is evil may you bind it from your life. Where there is worry be peace. On this day may God Bless you and keep you may you always keep your eyes upon the LORD. For this is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. These things we pray. God Bless. Amen.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life! How are you going to use this day? Are you going to use it for good or are you going to waste it? Are you going to find beauty or the ugliness of life? Are you going to find joy moment by moment or are you going to be sad and feel sorry for yourself? You choose to either make the most of the day or you can wall in self-pity. The choice is yours, what will you choose? Sometimes, we take life for granted, forgetting that once this day is gone you can never get it back. There are no re-do’s. I hope you choose joy and laughter, peace and happiness, kindness and forgiveness. So that you will have a good day. Charles Swindoll says, “Life is 10%, attitude is 90%.” Psalm 37:4 tells us, “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Isaiah 12:3 reads, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” Nehemiah 8:10 reads, “…for the joy of the LORD is my strength.” It is something to remember. God Bless. Amen.
Who are the people that you trust in your life? Is it your spouse, your parents, your children, stepchildren, daughters-in-laws, in-laws, grandchildren, your siblings, a close friend? Is it one person or a few? Trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something, it is having confidence, belief, or faith in a person or thing. If this definition is true, who is it that you really trust in your life? I have found that we can lose our trust with people, but one thing is for sure, God will see us through the situation at hand. God is the one sure thing in this thing called life. Psalm 9:10 reads, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Sometimes, all we can do is go to God, pour out our hearts, cling to Him, and pray and pray. Then, trust Him to see us through the situation we are in. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Sometimes that is all we can do—trust! Remember this too will pass. God Bless. Amen.
Good morning. It is a beautiful day, but for some it is not. Because life changed in a moment. It is always shocking how you are going along; everything is fine and dandy, and then suddenly, your life is forever changed. All you can do is sit down to try and catch your breath. As you are aware, life is life, there are moment of joy and sorrow, happiness and pain, health and sickness, life and death. As people of God, we turn to the LORD to see us through life’s struggles and heartache. Scripture tells us in Romans 12:12, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” I believe prayer helps us to deal with life and life’s difficulties. So, when life throws you lemons, go to God in prayer. When life bombards you with pain, go to God in prayer. When life fills you with sorrow, go to God in prayer. When life hits you below the belt, go to God in prayer. He will give you the strength and courage you need to get through the situation you are in. For He is there. He will help. Go to Him. God bless. Amen.
My prayer for you today is that the Lord be with you. May His face shine upon you. May you feel deeply loved for indeed you are. May you remember that God loves you unconditionally always and forever. May you learn to forgive as God has forgiven you and may God help you to learn to forgive yourself. May you find joy and happiness throughout the day. And may laughter fill this day. Remember to smile, dance, sing, and laugh, for life is short, make the most of this day and remember this is the day of our Lord’s. As you go forth into this day treat others with kindness, be polite and courteous, and know that God is with you. Remember you are a beloved child of God. You are a representative of God, so be it. Be the best you can be! God Bless. Amen.
Holy, Holy, Holy LORD God Almighty. Who is and was and will always be King of kings LORD of lords, mighty and powerful is His name. We come before You on this day praising Your name—giving thanks for all the wonderful things You are doing in and through our lives. Today, grant us blessings and hope, fill us with Your presence so that we know You are with us. Guide us and sustain us throughout this day and give us the peace that passes all understand. Calm us in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the day and may we remember the joy of the LORD is our strength. For the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalms 19:1) And we proclaim the mighty and wonderful things You do and have done across the ages. Praise be to God. God Bless. Amen.
What are you thankful for? Think about 5 things you are thankful for. 1. My spouse. 2. My children and step-children. 3. My daughters-in-laws. 4. My grandchildren. 5. My great-grand-child. 6. My in-laws. 7. My siblings. 8. My husband’s relatives. 9. My friends. 10. My God. 12. Living in a country where I can worship God without fear. 12. My dog. Ok I named 12 different things, and I could go on my health, my families’ health, living in the greatest country in the world and so on and so forth. So, what are you thankful for? Sometimes we forget to be thankful. Psalm 9:1 reads, “I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” Today, let us give thanks. God Bless. Amen.
John 8:7 reads, “When they kept on questioning him (referring to Jesus), he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” From this scripture we come to understand that we all sin. We all make mistakes, and we all fall short of God’s glory. Sin is anything that separates us from God. Sin is an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law. But there is another aspect that goes with sin, it has to do with forgiveness. After we acknowledge that we sin, we must then go to God and ask for forgiveness. Which means confess your sin/s to God. Confession is a formal statement admitting that one is guilty of a crime, transgression, or ashamed about an act that you have committed. We all are called to go before God and ask for forgiveness. God’s forgiveness means that God removes the guilt, punishment of sin, and declares that the person is freed from the consequences of their sin. When God forgives us, He no longer holds our sin/s against us. He no longer condemns us. We are free from our sin and are told go and sin no more. John 8: 10-11 reads, “When Jesus had lifted himself up, and saw no one but the woman was there, he said unto her, Woman, where are those who accused you? Has no one condemned you? She said, “No, my Lord.” And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more.” We are forgiven. But first, we must go before God and confess our sin! The question is, “What do you need to confess?” Today, get right with God! God Bless. Amen.
Do you ever feel envious or jealous of someone? You wish you could have some of the things this person has—their lifestyle—their talent—their job—their car or truck—the clothes they wear—the way that person looks—their spouse—their child? When you get wrapped up in jealousy, it is a never-ending cycle, that can cause you heartache, frustration, and self-doubt. This mind set, will put you in a constant state of struggle. By wishing your life was different, which will cause you to think. how unfair your life is. You lose sight of what you have and what you have to offer others with your gifts and talents. You also lose sight of all the possibilities that God has given you. Proverbs 14:30 reads, “A heart a peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Being jealous means, you are not satisfied with what you have nor with what God has given you. Instead of being jealous or envious of someone else, we need to learn to be happy in our life and what we have accomplished. Then you can be happy for others and their achievements, but more importantly you are happy with who and what you are. It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
Here is a question for you to think about, “Why do we see the bad or the negative in a person verse seeing the good and the wonderful things that person has done?” Why is it, we focus on the yucky things in life versus the beautiful things in life? Today try to see the good in others, try seeing others the way God sees them as a beloved child of God. Better yet try seeing yourself as a beloved child of God. If you can see yourself that way maybe, then you will be able to see the good in others. Matthew 3:17 reads, “…and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” God loves you just as you are—always and forever, as you feel this love share it with others, and then extend it toward others. Because there is no need to demean or say yucky things about others. God Bless. Amen.
Are you praying for a miracle? Are you hoping your life turns around? Do you want something that you just don’t know if it will or can happen? Do you feel that God isn’t answering your prayers the way you think they should be answered? Do you beg God for things? Hoping and praying that your prayer will be answered? The Bible tells us to pray, to ask, to have faith and believe. But when we want something so bad and it doesn’t happen the way we want it to, then it is hard, at times, to keep our faith. Scripture tells us in Hebrews 13:8 that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” What this means is God does not change, that God is always with us, no matter what is going on in our life. The key is to learn to trust God in all situations and circumstance and believe that it will work out for “…we know that in everything God works for good for those that love Him.” (Romans 8:28) So trust God, have faith and as Garth Brooks says, “sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers.” God Bless. Amen.
What do you do when stress is ruling your life? How do you handle stress when it seems to control your every move? Who do you turn to when stress knocks you down? Things that can cause stress, usually comes from an outside force, but it only enters your being if you let it. When stress rules your life, your personal happiness is affected, and you can respond to situations in a very overblown way. If you let it, stress can and will cause problems in every area of your life—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Philippians 4:6 reads, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Proverbs 12:25a says, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down...” Sometimes, what we need to do is separate ourselves from others for a few minutes. Try exercising, meditating, reading the Bible, journaling, and listening to Christian music, even a drive in your car can help. But most importantly, talk to God, then trust Him to see you through every moment of the day. Remember, this too will pass. It is not the end of the world keep your eyes upon the LORD. Praise Him. It is something to try. God Bless. Amen.
Oh LORD God Almighty, we ask that You be with us on this day. As we go forth into the day, may we feel Your presence in all that you do. Help us to be Your vessel today. Let our words be Your words, our hands be Your hand, our Heart be Your heart. Help us to extend love and kindness to those around us, so that others see what a great and mighty God we serve. And Lord, show us who we need to forgive, then help us to forgive. Create in us a clean and noble heart. Help us not to be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving and praise upon our lips. O Lord God Almighty, help us to remember that this is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. We give thanks and praise Your Holy Name. God Bless. Amen.
1 Chronicles 16:34 tells us, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 29:13 says, “And now we thank you, Our God, and praise your glorious name.” God has blessed us. And we give thanks. Giving thanks to our Lord is simply an expression of gratitude for the blessings God has bestowed upon us. Psalm 136:1-2 reads, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Let us give thanks. Prayers were answered. God has redeemed us. We are a nation under God once again. Praise be to God.
Wisdom is the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise. To be wise is having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgment. It is being able to respond sensibly to a particular situation. Making sound judgment and not being swayed by false words or teachings. Ephesians 5:15-16 reads, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Psalms 37:30 says, “The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.” Colossians 4:5-6 tells us, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Right now, we need to be careful with our words, deeds and actions. We need to think before we speak and do all things through kindness, mercy and grace. Let us hold onto wisdom and good sense. (Proverbs 3:21) Let us be the people God has called us to be. Let us stand united in God and prayer. For God and God alone, giving us the wisdom we need will get us through this day. For with God on our side how can we fail? God Bless. Amen.
Do you know that God loves you? I mean do you really know and understand how much God loves you. What I am saying is God loves you unconditionally always and forever. There is nothing you could ever say or do that God would give up on you and STOP loving you. The problem that occurs is, we do not love our “self” thus we do not think God could love us, because we know what we have done and what we are really like. Scripture tells us, “…and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19) Then from Romans 8:37-39 it tells us, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our LORD.” God loves you! Believe it. Know it. Accept it. Live it. And now through God’s eyes love yourself the way God loves you. God Bless. Amen.
My prayer for you today is that the LORD fills you will peace—that peace that passes all understanding. That you find joy in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life. Also, when you come in contact with others, my prayer for you, is that your words and actions reveal how great our God is. May you remember to do random acts of kindness, smile, open a door for someone, say please and thank you. May you know that God loves you, forgives you, and will never give up on you. If you are going through rough times, know that God is with you always and forever. He will give you the strength and courage you need. Keep in mind, this is the day of our Lord. He has given you another day, one to remember, so let us rejoice and be glad in it. For there are no re-do’s in this life of ours. Make it the best day ever. And let us not forget to praise God in all things and give thanks. God Bless. These things we pray. Amen.
Life is life. You are going along, life seems pretty good, suddenly life hits you in the gut and you stop. You sit down for a moment to catch your breath. Wondering what happened? Confusing, fear, and panic begin to overwhelm you. And you wonder, “What am I going to do?” You begin to pray and pray, but you don’t know what to pray for, all you can say is, “Help me LORD! Help me!” So you sit in the silence of your thoughts all alone crying out to God. Then you are reminded of Psalm 121, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” And there is God. Lifting you up, calming your fears. Filling you with that peace that passes all understanding. Giving you the strength and courage to get up, so you can deal with the situation that is at hand. Sometimes that is all you can do to get through, with what, life throws your way! God Bless. Amen.
“…and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5) Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. We all hope that our future will be good—we hope things will work out—we hope that life will get better—we hope for good health—we hope our loved ones will be safe and have good health—we hope. When we hope, we place our trust in the LORD God Almighty. Trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. So, when it comes to trusting God, that means believing in His reliability, His Word, His ability, and His strength. Psalm 28:7 reads, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trust, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him.” Today, whatever you are going through know that God is with you and that no matter what you are going through He will see you through. God Bless. Amen.
Today, let us praise the LORD! But what does praise the LORD mean? To praise the Lord is an expression that means to give God recognition, honor, and glory for who He is and what He has done. It refers to lifting God up. It is the joyful recounting of what God done for us. As you Praise the Lord you also give Thanks. Praise and Thanksgiving go hand in hand as you thank God you also offer appreciation for who He is. For God is worthy of praise. (Ps 18:3) Throughout the day, let us Praise God and give Thanks. For this is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it! Rejoice! Praise God.! Give Thanks! Rejoice, for our God is Lord of Lords mighty and wonderful is He. Ps 136:1-2a tells us, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods.” Psalms 71:15-17 says, “My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long—though I know not how to relate them all. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.” Praise the LORD! God Bless. Have a wonderful day! Amen.
Do you realize how many wonderful people are around you, that support you, love you, and are there for you if you need them. The problem, at times, is we do not ask for help when we are in need. Maybe it is pride, or we think we can handle the situation, or we just do not want to impose upon another person. But sometimes for us to get through a situation we need to ask for help. I have found this holds true for God too. Sometimes we just don’t ask for help from God. Dwight L Moody said, “Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant coming and asking. The way to trouble God is not to come at all and ask.” Isaiah 30:18-19 reads, “So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help…He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.” So ask. God is there waiting. He will see you through any situation or circumstance. God Bless. Amen.
Part of learning, growing, becoming who and what you are is about who and what you surround yourself with. If you spend time with gossipers, self-centered individuals, or people who only want to play and have fun, you may never fulfill the full richness of who you are meant to be. My father always said, “Who you hang around with is how other people see you.” Now if you associate with people who want more out of life. People who think of others before themselves. People who are interested in learning, that inspire and intrigue you, you will become more excited and more apt to reach your full potential. Sometimes we forget this, and the journey to becoming who God has called us to be is never manifested! Philippians 1:6 says, “God wants you to become the best version of yourself.” Proverbs 27:17 reads, “To become a better person, replace bad influences with good ones.” Matthew 7:26 tells us, “People will know you belong to the Lord based on your actions.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 states, “Choose your surroundings and friends wisely.” Today, is a great day to start reassessing your life—how you can become the best YOU possible. God Bless. Amen.
Scary movies and I do not get along. If a scary part of the movie comes up. I am the one jumping up and screaming. I have scared an entire movie theater before, with my fear. One time when the movie Jaws first came out. My three boys and I were watching it. The shark was about to bite. I jumped up screaming and took some of my oldest son’s skin with me. I was terrified. Fear was raging through me. I scratched my son in my fear! Yikes! The definition of fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat. We all have experienced fear at one time or another. When fear sets in it can immobilize us, whether it is for a loved one, a job, finances, or even our own health. The fear I am talking about does not cause harm to you or others. The fear I am talking about is internal and can come in many different forms. Some of these fears are stronger than others. One way to overcome fear, whether it is imaginary or not. Is to focus on the LORD God Almighty. For when we focus upon the LORD, we are filled peace, calmness and the assurance that with God on our side we can make it through any situation. Psalm 34:4 says, “I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” I have even said The Lord’s Prayer over and over again, until my fear subsides. It is something to remember when fear takes over. God Bless. Amen.
Scripture comforts us when nothing else will. It also imparts wisdom and knowledge. It is good reading and helps you to understand people, but most importantly God. As you read the words from the Bible, God becomes alive, filled with wonder, power, and mystery. You learn forgiveness, love, and also hope. Soon you begin to memorize scripture and know where your favorite scriptures are. Here are some of mine. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit with in me.” (Psalms 51:10) “Praise the LORD! O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures for ever! (Psalms 106:1) “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalms 46:10) “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God.” (Psalms 42:1) “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security.” (Psalm 37:3) “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” (Psalm 34:2) Today, let us praise the LORD and give thanks for our God is an awesome God. He is King of kings Lord of lords. And if you have time, open your Bible and read how magnificent our God is and all the wonderful things He has done! And continues to do even today! God Bless. Amen.
Is there any need to be honest and decent in this life of ours? Honesty is the quality of being honest. It implies a refusal to lie, steal, or deceive in any way. To be a decent person means to be marked by moral integrity, kindness, and goodwill; hard-working, being respected, and having good moral behavior. There has always been corruption in this world. Money can buy you anything you want, but it cannot buy you decency and honesty. Romans 13:13 reads, “Let us walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy.” 1 Corinthians 14:40 says, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” We choose to be honest and decent. Let that sink in. We choose to be honest and decent. What will you choose? Being decent and honest promotes personal growth. It helps us take responsibility for our actions, our words, and yes, our thoughts. It empowers us to make positive choices. It creates confidence, strengthens our faith, empowers our willpower and represents us in the best way for others to see and witness our example. We become a light to this corrupt and evil world. Good overcomes evil! God Bless. Amen.
Being JOYFUL means feeling, expressing, or causing great pleasure and happiness. HOPE means a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. We are told to be joyful in hope. PATIENT means being able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. AFFLICTION means something that causes pain or suffering. Scripture tells us we are to be patient in affliction. Being FAITHFUL means to remain loyal and steadfast in all things. PRAYER means a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God. The Bible tells us to be faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” This scripture sums up how we are to walk with God daily. For we know that all things work together for those who love the Lord. (Romans 8:28) God Bless. Amen.
How did you sleep last night? Did you wake up refreshed? Or are you tired and run down? Do you need to sit down and gather your thought to get going? Do you want to go back to bed and avoid life’s difficulties? Or is life too busy and there is no time for rest? Sometimes in life we are tired, other times we are full of energy and raring to go. Yet there are other times when life is so hard, it is amazing we can keep putting one foot in front of the other and not quit and give up. What do you do when life throws you lemons? Scripture tells us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give your rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Sometimes in life all we can do is hold on to our LORD—stretch out our arms and hold on to Him—receiving the strength and stamina we need to keep going. Thus, go to God, where you can go to find strength when you feel weak? Isaiah 40:29 reads, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” God Bless. Amen
Have you ever noticed that we have a tendency to want things that we do not have. For example, on a hot summer day we can wish for cooler days. During the work week we wish that Friday would hurry and get here. When we were younger, we could hardly wait for the years to go by so we would get older. We have even come up with a saying, “The grass is greener on the other side of the fence!” So how do we learn to be content with what we have? Or should we? Should we continue to believe that something else is better than what we have? Learning to be grateful in the moment you are in, is the key to happiness. For if you constantly believe that something else is better than what you have at this very moment you will never have a chance at happiness. Making the most out of each moment you are in—being grateful for what you have creates happiness, for you will never be happy about anything if you are not content with what you have. Ecclesiastes 6:9 reads, “Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have.” It is something to ponder. God Bless. Amen.
God is with you! God is with you! God is with you! Now let that sink in. God is with you! God is always with you. Even when you do not feel that God is there—God is there. God is in all situations and circumstances. God is the one sure thing in this life that you can depend upon. So, no matter what is transpiring in your life remember God is with you. Scripture even reminds us of this. In Isaiah 43:2 it reads, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” God is with you! It is something to remember. God Bless. Amen.
Sometimes not taking an opportunity is the right thing to do. Sometimes saying no is what needs to happen. Sometimes backing down will help the situation. Sometimes being quiet needs to transpire and just keeping your mouth shut. Sometimes in life not saying what you think can and will help the situation. When I was growing up my mother always said, “If you can’t say anything nice do not say anything at all.” This is still true today. Ephesians 4:29 reads, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ecclesiastes 5:5-6a tells us, “It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. Don’t let your mouth make you sin.” It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
There is a difference between want and need. I want many things I only need food, clothing and shelter to survive. Sometimes we get these two words confused in our daily lives. What we need to learn to do is appreciate what we have. Yes, strive for more but be content and feel blessed for the things you do have. 1 Timothy 6:7-8 says, “…for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” The writer of this book, which is found in the New Testament, is trying to help those who are consumed by possessions to understand, how to appreciate life daily. That what you have is far greater than being consumed with the things you do not have. This can be done by counting one’s blessings. When you learn to appreciate what you have, it helps you look at life differently. If you are honest, you probably have everything you need, NOT everything you want. Today, let us give thanks. Tell those around you how much you appreciate them, learn to enjoy the moment you are in—give thanks and count your blessings! For life is too short, not to be thankful for what you have. God Bless. Amen.
Life is short and it passes very quickly. As you get older you remember younger days—your youth, your siblings, your parents, your children, and your friends. You begin to really see what is important and what is not. I have found that everything changes so quickly that if you do not enjoy the moment you are in, you will never enjoy, for life happens. Ecclesiastes 3:1-10 says, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time…” Today, enjoy those around you—laugh—give a hug—call someone—tell those you love how much they mean to you—dance—sing—and laugh some more. For this is the first day of the rest of your life, how are you going to use it? Make it a good one. For once this day is gone you will never get it back! God Bless. Amen.
Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. Psalm 31:14 reads, “But I trust in you, LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’” In life, sometimes the only thing we can do is to trust God to get us through the situation we are in. Today, no matter what you are going through know that God is with you. You can TRUST God. “…blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8) God is with you—so trust Him! God Bless. Amen.
My prayer for you on this day is that you feel joy and happiness throughout the day. That you feel deeply loved for indeed you are, remember you are a beloved child of God created in His image, loved, cherished, and forgiven always. As the day unfolds, do everything with God. Thus, you are better able to extend God’s love with everyone you come in contact with. Laugh, smile and maybe dance just a bit, for once this day is gone you can never get it back, there are no re-do’s. And remember, we only die once, but we live every day, so focus on the moment you are in and live that moment to its fullest. God Bless. Have a great day. Amen.
The Bible tells us how to act, speak, and to react to different situations. It also has guidelines to follow. For example, the two Great Commandments are to love our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and spirit and to love our neighbor as our self. (Matthew 22:35-40) The Golden Rule, “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,” (Matthew 7:12) We are also told not to gossip. “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” (James1:26) The 10 great Commandment say, “I am the LORD thy God, thou shall not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain, remember to keep holy the Sabbath day, honor thy father and mother, thou shalt not kill, thou shall not commit adultery, thou shall not steal, thou shall not bear false witness, thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s wife, thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s goods.” (Exodus 20) The Bible is full of many different guidelines. My question is, “Why do we pick and choose what we want to do? When we already know what is right and true!” It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
We all make choices in life. Some of the choices we make are good and true, leading us down a good path. Other choices we make are not so good, which causes us to go down the wrong path in life. For every choice we make there are consequences which we must live with. That is why staying on the right path is so important, for the choices we make stay with us throughout our life. Galatians 6:7 reads, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Choices we made do and will affect us. Our choices will shape our actions, and our actions will determine our results. Our choices not only affect us today but affect our abilities and our choices in the future. (Sam Silverstein) Remember we become our choices. Today, choose wisely, it is something to remember. God Bless. Amen.
Holy, Holy, Holy LORD God Almighty, we praise Your Holy Name and give thanks for all the blessings You have given unto us. For You are mighty and wonderful, all powerful, and majestic. You alone are our God, and we bow down before You, giving thanks. Fill us with the Holy Spirit, guide us and sustain us in all things and help us to be the people You have called us to be. We come before you on this day filled with hope. Bless us and give us peace—that peace which passes all understanding. Help us to extend love and kindness wherever we go and if someone is in need, may we help that person. Let us remember, this is the first day of the rest of our life, so may we use this day for good and not waste it for once this day is gone we can never get it back. We love You LORD, we know You are with us in all things, be with us on this day. Thank you, Lord. These things we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. God Bless.
Many aspects of your life have been difficult, regretful, frustrating and worrisome. Many aspects of your life have been beautiful, fun, inspirational, and a blessing. Some aspects of your life have been good and wonderful accented by times of undeniable pain and heartache and not much regret. Each one of these statements are true. Life is life. Each one of us has a different perspective on how we view our life. What perspective you choose, to look at our life, is your choice. You can choose to dwell on the bad and hard times—feeling sorry for yourself. Or you choose to make the most out of your life trusting God. Ecclesiastes 3:11a reads, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Today, try to focus on the good, not the bad. Understanding that you cannot change the past—it is called the past for a reason. You do not know what the future will bring—thus you have no control over it—it has not happened. All you have is today, this very moment in time. So, make the most of today. And if you are going through a difficult period of time, remember this too will pass. For all things work together for good for those who love the LORD.” (Romans 8:28) God Bless. Amen.
The Book of Lamentations is in the Old Testament. This book is about the hard times of the Israelite Nation. This book expresses the pain and heartache of God’s chosen people as they cry out to the LORD God Almighty. Lamentations 1:16 tells us, “This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears. No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed.” Who hasn’t cried out to God? For we all experience pain and heartache in our daily lives and sometimes our lives can be unbearable. And we hope for better times to come. Hope means a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. In the Biblical sense hope is the confident affirmation that God is faithful, that He will complete what He has begun. As the author of Lamentations continues to write, as the pain and heartache begin to subsides he says, “The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him…” (Lamentations 3:25) Today, no matter what you are going through turn to God. Place your hope and trust in Him and He who created all things will see you through. For to hope in God means to bind God’s promise to ourselves. Hope intentionally wraps God’s words and truth around our heart, mind, and life. Thus, we are able to keep putting one foot in front of the other. God Bless. Amen.
The definition of being polite is having or showing behavior that is respectful and considerate of others. Anyone can be polite, because being polite does not cost anything nor does it require a special degree. Being polite is showing good manners toward others, as in behavior or speech. It is being courteous and civil. A person who is polite has good manners and behaves in a way that is never rude toward others. The Bible gives us direction when it comes to what flows from our mouth and how to act. Titus 3:2 tells us, “Speak no evil about anyone, to live in peace, and be gentle and polite to all people.” Proverbs 15:4 says, “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” Colossians 4:6 reads, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” As Christians, we should not knowingly be rude to others, for you never know who is watching you and what impact your presence will have upon them. Kindness and being polite should aways be a part of our daily life. For you get more from honey than vinegar. Philippians 4:8 reminds us, “Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Let us be the people God has called us to be! People with integrity and honor. God Bless. Amen.
Do you think you are a good communicator, for the power of good communication can open many doors. Do you think you are a good listener, for the power of a good listener can heal many souls. Why do I ask these two questions because a good communicator and a good listener are fundamental to any healthy relationship? When you do not have these two skills, miscommunication occurs and sometimes a falling-out in one’s relationships. A good communicator speaks in the “I” and shares how one feels. A good listener keeps his or her mouth shut—not thinking of what to say next—but listens until the other person is done talking. Scripture tells us in James 1:18 reads, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Colossians 4:6, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Proverbs 18:13 tells us, “To answer before listening—there is folly and shame.” Think before you speak and listen before you speak. It is something to remember. God Bless. Amen.
Do you wish your life was easier? Do you wish that things were different? Do you wish that you could just get a break? Life is life. Sometimes our life is easy and going our way then in a moment life changes, and it seems as if you can barely put one foot in front of the other. God never promised us that life would be easy and smooth sailing. What God promised is that He would be with us in all situations and circumstances. That He would give us the strength and courage to handle anything that comes our way. Psalm 46:1 reads, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in times of trouble.” Habakkuk 3:19 tells us, “The Sovereign LORD is my strength, He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go onto higher grounds.” Joshua 1:9 reminds us, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” What these scriptures tell us is that God is with us, always. Here is the thing, did our LORD ever say that life would be easy or fair? No, He said He would be with us. It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
O LORD God Almighty, on this day let us feel your presence moving in and through us. Let us know that You are our God. That You, O Lord, will help us in all situations and circumstance. Sometimes we feel so alone, lost in the midst of the day and do not know where to turn or what to do. It is in these moments, that we need to know you are there. And we cry out, “Where are you, Lord?” So, we sit in the stillness of the moment waiting and praying. Then something happens and Your spirit moves within us—comforting us and giving us strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other. O Lord, on this day, we come to You for guidance and for You to sustain us and show us the way. Help us to remember that You are with us, so there is nothing to fear—that You got this. All we have to do is trust You. Even if we do not feel Your presence. For You are King of kings Lord of lords mighty and wonderful are You. We give thanks for this is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. O Lord, we draw comfort from know that You are always with us. God bless. Amen.
Have you ever been afraid? Afraid means feeling fear or anxiety—being frightened. We can be afraid of failure. We can be afraid to succeed. We can be afraid to taking a chance. We can be afraid of the unknown. We can be afraid to live for fear of getting hurt. We can be afraid to love. We can be afraid to try. These different types of fear can cause us to get stuck in life. We will never know, nor experience the adventures in life, because of the fear. 1 John 4:18 reads, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear.” God is love and when we love God—God calms our fears. Hebrews 13:6 says, “The LORD is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?” Sometimes in life, you just need to keep putting one foot in front of the other and try, even when you are afraid. Believing God will help—believing God will see you through whatever you are experiencing. Knowing and understanding with God on your side how can you fail. God helps us overcome our fears! God calms the fearful spirit. God Bless. Amen.
Oh LORD God Almighty You are our God. And we bow down unto You and worship You. We give thanks for our lives and the many blessings that are manifested each day. Today, let us be a vessel for You to use. Let us show others what a great and awesome God You are. Let us share Your love with everyone we encounter—giving words of encouragement and hope. Help us try to always be kind and to forgive one another. Where there is hate, let us show love, where there is meanness, let us show kindness, where there is dissension, let us show harmony. Today, let us make the most of this day, for this is the day of our LORD, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Praise the LORD. God Bless. Amen.
Who do you hold a grudge against? Who in your life are you unable to forgive? Who in your life do you resent because of what that person did to you? Life is life. We get hurt by others. Things happen. And there are different perspectives on what transpired and why it is hard for us to forgive that person. Scripture tells us in Matthew 18:21, “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” Wow! That scripture tells us do not hold a grudge. Forgive! Think about this, does forgiveness have to do with PRIDE? Is that why you do not forgive? Here is the thing, God does not give up on anyone—ever. God believes in us, hopes in us, and wants us all to live our lives as believers in God and that means to forgive. God does not hold grudges. God always forgives no matter what we have done. We have all hurt someone and we all have been hurt by someone. Shouldn’t we do as God does and forgive those who have wronged us? It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
Gossip is a conversation that can be light and informal, or mean and intense and usually about other people’s business. It can be fun to gossip about others, but no one wants to be the subject of gossip. You can find people just about anywhere who gossip and tell the latest rumors about someone. Gossip can be casual or unconstrained conversation, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true. A lot of times people gossip to build themselves up, by trying to tear the other person down that they are gossiping about. We are told in the Bible that gossip is wrong, and we are to refrain from gossiping about others. If it is done with full knowledge and deliberate consent, the action then becomes a sin. Gossip is a far more serious matter than most of us like to consider. James 1:26 reads, “If you claim to be religious but do not control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.” Leviticus 19:16 says, “Do not go about spreading slander among your people.” Psalm 34:13 states, “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” Today, let us let us decline from gossiping about others. Let us be the people God has called us to be. Truth be told none of us want to be gossiped about, thus let us not gossip about others. For if you cannot say anything nice, do not say anything at all. God Bless. Amen.
How do you deal with the pressures, anxiety, frustration, worry in life? What do you do to help reduce the everyday stresses of life? Do you exercise? Paint? Work in your yard. Go for a drive? Talk it over with someone? Do you make things? Do you sing and sing, trying to forget about your worries? Do you read the Bible and listen to Christian music? Do you pray and give it over to God? Or do you internalize your stress, and it comes out through different health issues? How do you deal with life’s stresses? I think, probably the best way is a combination of all the above, most importantly, going to God in prayer, then letting go and letting God. For worrying never changed the situation, it only makes it worse. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Stress, we all have it, let us learn to take care of ourselves. For life is too short. God Bless. Amen.
Refuge is a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble it also provides shelter. Scripture tells us that God is our refuge. Psalm 46:1 is a good example of this, “God is our refuge and strength.” This scripture reminds us that when we are faced with trouble our God is there. He is our refuge! During the rough periods of our life, all we can do is hold on, clinging to God, hoping and praying that we can get through the situation we are in. Psalms 7:1a says, “Lord my God, I take refuge in you...” For taking refuge in God is like taking shelter in the Most High. Psalm 91:2 shows us this, “I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress. My God, in whom I trust!’” Therefore, when we are confronted with one tragedy after another. And the problems seem to mount up one upon the other, and we become weary and in need of shelter. Turn to God. Find refuge in God. Go to Him. Pray, mediate, listen to Christian music, and read the Bible. Jeremiah 16:19a reminds us, “O LORD, my strength and my stronghold. And my refuge in the day of distress.” God Bless. Amen.
On this day my God bless you and keep you safe. May there be a hedge of protection around you so that no evil can come near you. May you be filled with joy and laughter throughout the day. May you know and believe that God loves you unconditionally always. May random acts of kindness occur throughout your day. May all those who come in contact with you see what a great God you serve. Now as you go forth be filled with the Holy Spirit and may the joy of the LORD be your strength. God Bless. Amen.
Sometimes, life is going so well you just have to pinch yourself. Other times, life can be so overwhelming that you just want to stop and get off the merry-go-round of life. The one thing I know for sure is that everything changes. There will be the good times, the bad times, and the not so good times that occur in our life. The problem is that sometimes getting through the difficult times is so hard it can seem impossible. This is where God comes in. You just have to place your hope and trust in God. Then let go and let God, remembering with God on your side you can make it through any situation you are in. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reads, “There is time for everything, and a season for every matter under heaven.” So whatever you are going through just hold on and know that this too will pass—it always does. For God is there. He will give you the strength, the courage, the hope you need to get through the situation you are in. God Bless. Amen.
The unknown can be a scary place, because in the unknown, your imagination can and probably will run wild. You think of all the possibilities that can happen. This mind of ours and its imagination can make up a lot of things and most of the things are not good. Learning to trust God and not let your imagination run wild can at times be very hard to do. Psalm 31:14 reads, “But I trust in you, LORD, I say, you are my God.” Psalm 56:3 tells us, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” Proverbs 3:5-6 states, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” If we can learn to focus on God. Keep our eyes upon the Lord. Then our mind is not apt to run wild when we are dealing with the unknown. Ways to do this is through prayer, meditation, reading the Bible, listening to Christian music. Today, no matter what you are facing remember God is with you, place your trust in Him. And if your imagination starts to run wild. Just focus on the LORD God Almighty—believe—for it will work out. God Bless. Amen.
We are told that there is beauty all around us. Look out the window or go outside, look around what do you see? The landscape, the mountains, the ocean, a lake or a river—the beauty of it. What do you see? Look to the sky do you see the beauty of it—the blue, blue sky and the white clouds? What about the flock of birds sitting on the pond as they frolic in the water? Beauty is there. If we have the eye to see, we can see beauty all around us. When we go to a museum, we can see the beauty of the splendor of the master’s as they painted their pictures. Beauty is there. Beauty is seeing an ancient building and appreciating the craftmanship, the architecture and wondering how is that possible. Psalm 19:1 reminds us, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 reads, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” They say beauty is in the eyes of the person and that is true. Today, look around you. What do you see? The beauty of God’s creation! God Bless. Amen.
What is one thing you want to do in life? This thing is something that really means a lot to you—but for some reason you just have not done it yet. The one thing I wanted was to have an adult birthday party. When I was young my parents would have birthday parties, but as an adult I didn’t. I said to my husband, “I have never had a birthday party I am turning 70 this year. Could we have one?” “Of course.” He said. He went all out, and I am having my birthday party tonight. This past week he has blessed and spoiled me. It has meant so much to me. I am so blessed. Being blessed, you feel lucky to have something. It is a special favor, mercy, or benefit. God too blesses us. When God blesses us, it is a favor or gift bestowed by God, it brings happiness and joy. Blessings occur in many different ways and forms. By God loving us we are blessed. Ephesians 1:3 reads, “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.” Sometimes we forget how blessed we really are. Today, count your blessings. Give thanks and appreciate those around you. God Bless. Amen.
When life does not go your way. When you experience a series of problems, heartaches, or disappointments, it is easy to feel like the world is against you. When life is going your way, it is easy to feel on top of the world and that nothing can or will go wrong. Life is life. Life is filled with wonderful moments, and then there are times that it is almost impossible to keep putting one foot in front of the other. How you handle life’s difficulties is the key. When you let life get in the way it can create a mood of hopelessness, helplessness, and despair. What you need to do when life is difficult is to go to God. Keep your eyes focus on God through prayer, meditation, reading the scriptures, and listening to Christian music. Because you cannot worry while focusing on God. So, focus upon the LORD. Philippians 3:15 reads “So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision – you’ll see it yet!” God is there. He will give you the strength, courage, and yes hope to keep putting one foot in front of the other. And with God on our side how can we fail. It is something to remember. God Bless. Amen.
I have been known to be gullible or naïve. Which means easily persuaded to believe something, credulous. I have been made fun of and the joke of the party because I am so gullible. And most of the time I think it is as funny as everyone else does. So we laugh and laugh. Laughter is good! Having fun is good! Having a good sense of humor can help any situation you are in, whether you are having a good time or are struggling with life. I was with a very dear friend of mine the other day. She has major health issues, so it was so good to see her. As we talked and reminisced, we laughed and laughed at our silliness over the years. It was good and refreshing. And the laughter helped her I think, as well as myself. Today, no matter what you are going through remember to laugh a little and enjoy the moment you are—do not let the evil one steal your joy! Life is too short. So make lemonade when life throws you lemons and add lots and lots of sugar. Remember the joy of the LORD is our strength! (Nehemiah 8:10) God Bless. Amen.
Give thanks with an open heart; give thanks with all your heart, give thanks for all the wonderful things in your life. When we give thanks it means thankfulness, praise, and offering. When we give thanks in the truest sense of the biblical word, we offer God our praises and acknowledge Him for He is the Giver of all things. Therefore, let us give thanks to the LORD, for He is King of kings, Lord of lords mighty and wonderful is He. For God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. He is our all in all. Praise His name, for it is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to His name. For our LORD is whom we take refuge in He is our shield, and the horn of our salvation, our stronghold. Let us call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised. And let us be still and know that the LORD is God it is He that has made us and given us life. How blessed we are, so let us glorify our LORD and praise His holy name. Praise the LORD. Give thanks. God Bless. Amen.
On this day may our prayer be for the Holy Spirit, to come into our hearts. Fill us with His presence, guide us and sustain us. Oh Lord God Almighty we need guidance and wisdom on how best to deal with others. In the hustle and bustle of life, in the chaos of everyday living, we need help. Our world has become topsy-turvy—a world of confusion and disorder. It is upside down and crazy. People are saying and doing and believing things that are wrong. It is like they are sheep being led to the slaughter, never questioning or thinking for themselves. Cover us with Jesus’ blood, encircle us with God’s strength and anoint us with Your wisdom. Oh Lord our God we need you. Oh how we need you. These things we pray. Amen. God Bless.
I was talking to my husband the other day. We were reminiscing about our childhood days. Laughing, teasing, and remembering. Some of our memories are the same, because we have known each other since birth. As we were talking, “I said you know what I used to say to Jeremy, Nathan, Luke, then Alysa and Nick, “To cherish your childhood—being a child—for you are only a child for a short time. The rest of your life you are an adult.” Sometimes we want to grow up too quickly. We forget to enjoy the moment we are in and sometimes as an adult we want to go back to our childhood days. Because we believe they were the good old days. We want to quit adulting for a day or two. Too much responsibility. But as adults, quitting adulting is not a choice! Maybe what we should be taught or teach people is to make the most out of each moment you are in. To laugh more, smile, be kind, be considerate, sing at the top of your lungs, and dance as if no one is watching. To stop and smell the roses, watch a sunrise or sunset. Have dinner with family and friends. Sit on the porch and enjoy the scenery. And laugh at the times to come, by making the most out of each day. Ephesians 5:1a reads, “Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days.” We can’t change the past, we do not know what the future will bring, all we have is today—this very moment we are in—so enjoy it. For once this day is gone you can never get it back. Remember, today is the first day of the rest of your life. God Bless. Amen.
Faith means having complete trust or confidence in something. It is a strong belief in God based on spiritual rather than proof. It is a belief and trust in and loyalty to God, the Almighty. But faith is so much more. Faith is a very personal thing. Faith is based on facts unseen. Faith is our belief in our LORD. Faith sustains us when nothing else will. As people of God, we walk in faith, believing that all things work for good for those who love the Lord. 1 Peter 1:8 reads, “Though you have not seen him, you love him, and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy…” Faith and faith alone is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen! Today, no matter what you are going through know that God is with you. Even if you do not feel Him, trust that the LORD God Almighty is with you step by step moment by moment. Isaiah 41:10 reminds us, “For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”” Now walk by faith! God Bless. Amen.
In different parts of the New Testament false prophets are spoken of as deceitful spirits” who advocate doctrines of demons, lies, and untruth’s. A false prophet is someone who tries to lead you astray. Someone who preys upon you, hoping you will not question what they say and will be blindly led off course. Matthew 7:15 tells us, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” If someone tells you something and you are not sure of the content, look it up to verify the truth, whether from the Bible, history books, or a reliable place on the internet. The Bible is the living word of God. It is relevant today as it was back them. There are so many false prophets out there, just as it was in Jesus’ time, we have got to start thinking for ourselves. Just because someone says something does not mean that it is true. Scripture reveals the truth and history repeats itself! It is something to remember. God Bless. Amen.
Gossip is to have casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true. We all gossip. We reason in our minds that if we say something negative or untrue about a person—it is not going to hurt anyone. But words do hurt. Gossip is like a fire burning, and the more fuel you add to it, the stronger it burns. We gossip, I know for a fact we all gossip. Such as: She looks horrible in that dress. Can you believe how rude he is? Have you met Mr. and Mrs. Smith? They act like snobs, don’t they? You get the picture. In fact, just turn on the TV, listen to the news. A bunch of people gossiping and spreading lies. I have been told and have read in Psychology books that when you put a person down, you are trying to build yourself up. Boy, we all must have some poor self-esteem, because there is a lot of gossip going on. Ephesians 4:29 reads, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Here is something to think about, instead of believing everything you hear find out for yourself, research, and see if it is true. For you truly cannot believe everything you hear. It is something to think about. God Bless. Amen.
Life is fleeting, it goes by so quickly. One minute you are young and enjoying life to its fullest and the next thing you know you are in the last quarter of your life. When we are young, we believe that we have all the time in the world, but that is not true for you never know what will happen. So, make the most of each day. If God were here today, no matter what age you are, what do you think He would tell you? I believe He would tell you about the importance of loving one another. The 2 Great Commandment—to love your God with all your heart, mind, and soul and to love your neighbor as yourself. I believe He would talk about forgiveness. That you need to forgive others as God forgives you. I also believe He would tell you to enjoy life, see the beauty around you. For God gave us life so that we might enjoy all things. God would also tell you don’t worry so much. For you cannot change the past. You do not know what the future holds, but you have today. This very moment, so make the most of it. Then He would say, “No matter what happens I am with you. It will work out. It always does. And if you go through tribulation and heartache know that I will be with you. Holding you up.” Ephesians 5:15-17 reads, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.” We do not know what lies ahead, but one thing I am sure of is that those who walk with the Lord know that with God on our side we will persevere. God Bless. Amen.
Wait! Waiting can be a very hard thing to do at times. We are not inclined to wait, are we? Wait means to stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or until something else happens. So, what thing or situation are you waiting for? How long have you been waiting? The Bible tells us in Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” I have found that I can become impatient while I wait for the LORD, for as human being we want what we want when we want it—so waiting can become difficult. When we wait for the Lord we have faith, hope, and trust in God to help us. The thing to remember is that praying helps calm your nerves as you wait. The other thing to remember is it is not our timing but God’s timing that is the key in life. So, release whatever you need to wait on to the LORD God Almighty and remember, “wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord…” (Psalm 103:5) It is something to keep in mind while you are waiting for the LORD. God Bless. Amen.
What does it mean to be secure in the Lord? To feel secure in the Lord means you feel safe, even when life is hard and unsure. To feel secure in the Lord means you feel stable, because you know you and God have this. You also are free from fear and anxiety because you know that God’s faithfulness is unwavering. When you feel secure in the Lord, you are able to understand that God provides and protects us in ways we cannot comprehend. Being secure in the Lord is trusting God to see you through every situation that comes your way. For it is in God we find security. We are secure in our grief, our pain, our questions, and our suffering. We are secure because our security is based not on our wavering faith, but on the unwavering faithfulness of our Lord God. Psalm 91:1-2, 4-5 reads, “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God , in whom I trust.” He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” Remember God is our all in all. He is our life support in this world of ours. God Bless. Amen.
My prayer for you today is that you are filled with peace—that peace which passes all understanding. As the day goes by, and you accomplish the different tasks, may you find joy and laughter in the little things. Smile, for life is too short, make the most of the moment you are in. May you feel God’s presence and may God show you, His glory. Look and see all the beautiful things He has created that are around you: listen to the birds sing, notice the flowers blooming, and look up into the sky, for God is everywhere and is in everything. May God bless you and keep you safe. May you feel God’s love for you are deeply loved. Share this love with those around you, be kind, show mercy and grant grace. Remember you belong to God so act accordingly. Because you never know who is watching you and observing your faith through your actions. So, enjoy this day to its fullest and remember this is the first day of the rest of your life, use it for good, don’t waste it for once this day is gone you can never get it back. There are no re-do’s! Give thanks. Praise the LORD. These things we pray in Christ’s name. Amen. God Bless.
Throughout history there have been laws to abide by. They keep society in a functioning mode, where vandalism, stealing, murder, or rape do not occur. Rules and regulations are a part of our everyday life. They keep people safe. We have guidelines. These rules for our society are important to follow, for if we do not follow what is right and true consequences occur. There is a saying from the Bible what you sow is what you reap—this is cause and effect. If you do something wrong a punishment will occur. Maybe we need to revisit what God has called us to do and to be. Joshua 22:5 reads, “But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” I think if more people would follow this, life would be better. It is something to remember. God Bless. Amen.
God is with you. God will sustain you. God will help you. God will give you strength. God will give you courage. God will give you peace. God will comfort you. God will give you knowledge. God will give you wisdom. God will give you hope. God is with you in all things. God is our all in all. Psalms 121:1-3 reads, “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber…” Sometimes we just need to know that God is there. That God is with us—always and forever. That God is the one sure thing in life. And when life knocks the wind out of you, God is with you. Today, no matter what you are going through know, God is there—so turn to Him. He will give you what you need to get through whatever it is that is bringing you down. God Bless. Amen.
We all have been sick. We all have had health issues at one time or another. In fact, for some being sick is the norm and having a good day seems like a miracle. Sometimes, people do not even realize you are sick, because on the outside you look healthy as a horse, but on the inside the storm is raging. The sickness is taking its course upon your body. So, you pray for a miracle that your health will and would improve, but sometimes it doesn’t. And all you can do is to keep on keeping on, praying all the while. Hoping for a miracle. Wondering all the while, why some people are cured and others not! Scripture tells us to cast our cares upon the LORD. Psalms 55:22 reads, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” And maybe just maybe that is the miracle in and of itself. That God is giving you the strength to experience another day. Remember, you really do not know what a person is going through, so be kind and supportive, for that is all any of us really want. God Bless. Amen.
In the late 90’s early 2000’s this prayer became a very popular prayer to pray. It is a request prayer and a very beautiful prayer. The author of this prayer comes from the Old Testament. We only hear from Jabez, the author this one time in the Bible, but it does say this man was an honorable man. The prayer comes from 1 Chronicles 4:10 and reads, “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.” As people of God, we all want this prayer to be manifested in our lives. We want God to bless us and let no harm come into our lives. We want to live a life free of pain. Thus, we turn to God praying and praying and asking for mercy and grace. Today, no matter what you are going through remember that God is with you in all situations and circumstance. He is the one sure thing in this life of ours. Turn to Him, say this prayer, in fact, repeat it a couple of times daily and see the power of the LORD God Almighty working in and through your life. You want to know why? Because you are spending time alone with God. Thus, God’s power is manifested! God Bless. Amen.
Holy, Holy, Holy LORD God Almighty we come before You, asking for guidance, wisdom, and hope. Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of life we lose sight of who and what You are. Our Lord! In its place our focus shifts to the bad and not the good, we complain, and feel sorry for ourselves—instead of trusting in You. We lose sight, and forget that You are bigger than any situation. Why is that? For you are King of kings Lord of lords mighty and wonderful are You. So on this day, help us to center ourselves upon You, help us to trust You and help us to remember all things are possible with You on our side. We love You, LORD. We give thanks and praise your Holy Name. Proverbs 86:12 reads, “I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.” God Bless. Amen.
“She seems like such a nice person. But when you truly look at who she is you see that she is truly dishonest and unreliable.” “He seems like such a kind person. But you find out that he is a pedophile.” “I trusted her with my parents. But she stole thousands of dollars from them.” “He seemed so good at investing our money. But it was a scam, those who invested with him lost everything.” These stories are true. Sometimes we are fooled by others. We want to believe they are honest. We want to believe what they say is true. We want it so badly that we do not let ourselves see what is truly happening. Because we want to trust others. Learning to have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the wisdom to discern is key. Matthew 7:15 says, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Words of Jesus, scary words, but very true words and these words are still very important to us today. Then later in Matthew 16:23, “Jesus turned and said to Peter,” Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” See anyone can cause you to stumble and fall short of God’s Glory. Anyone! Today, pay attention, research and find out what is really happening. Do not believe something just because the TV says it is true or another person says it is true. Find out for yourself! Investigate the facts. Then do not forget to do all thing in alliance to God’s will and stay true to what you know is right, good and be humble. God Bless. Amen.