Be A #Blessing ~ And Be Blessed! ~

Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household (2 Kings 7:9)~~ Four leprous men sat at the city gate, dying of starvation. Asking themselves, “Why do we wait here until we die?” they took a great risk and approached the enemy camp of the Arameans, praying for grace. God was more than gracious when he made the footsteps of these four lepers to sound like a mighty approaching army, causing the Aramean’s to flee in fear. The lepers had the camp to themselves! As they enjoyed the feast before them they realized that the city which had been besieged needed to know about this work of the Lord. The city was in such great famine that its citizens were resorting to cannibalism. These four brave lepers decided, “We are not doing right…we are keeping silent”.

God has done an equally great work in our lives! As we were lost without Him, He sent Jesus to redeem us through His perfect life, sinless death, and empowered resurrection. If you have confessed Jesus as your Lord and you believe God has raised Him from the dead, you are saved! In your life, God’s mercies are new every morning (Lam 3:22-23) and His blessings are indeed so abundant in your life it’s no wonder that your ‘cup runneth over’ (Ps 23:5). But too many times, “we are not doing right…we are keeping silent.” We get selfish and try to put a saucer under that cup as it ‘runneth’ over so that we can catch and keep our own overflow. We’d rather keep the glory of God in our lives to ourselves than share the Word He puts in us. Psalm 1:3 describes those of us that find delight in the Lord: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. That fruit we bear is an abundance to feed others with what God has placed in us…by Him we bear those fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) and those who are hungry for God will partake in those fruits we bear…and when they taste and see that the Lord is Good, they will be so inspired to seek their own ‘planting’ in Him. Friend, don’t try to harvest all of your fruit to your own greed and satisfaction – You will not be at a loss if you share the fruits God has given you. Even today God will give you opportunity to do the right thing and make the Good News known. THAT’s how you get blessed…. TELL SOMEBODY about God in your life…share and share alike. You’re getting yours and God is looking to use you to inspire others to theirs… When God gets other people blessings through you, He continues sending blessings TO you!

Be Blessed…Be a Blessing!

And I Know He Watches Over Me! #GodCares ~

The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked (Prov 10:3); I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread (Ps 37:25)~

By man’s standards righteousness is about being a certain kind of person and what you do to live a good life; and only certain people are even eligible to be considered righteous; but by God’s standards righteousness is about who He is! It is not possible by man except for that which comes about to all by accepting the life of Christ to live in and through you by faith rather than the weight of your good deeds. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference (Rom 3:22). So as we are IN HIM we are made righteous in His sight and are His children.

Now God takes care of the most minute of His creatures, and we, His children are of much greater value than many for we are created in His own image. He will never forsake His own. And when He blesses, there is no limit. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matt 6:26). Do you obey God? Is His kingdom and righteousness your life ambition? Do you walk and talk with Him daily, hating evil and loving righteousness? Again, even in doing all these ‘righteous’ things, we are not righteous except in His sight by our own doing! It is by His grace! It’s about His life in us!

Do you accept and have faith to releasing “your life” for the life of Christ to live in and through you? Then you may presume God will put a hedge around you and bless the work of your hands like He did Job (Job 1:1-3,10). God’s got your back and will see to it that you are taken care of.

He’s Got You!

If You Hold Your Composure, It Will Change! #SelfControl ~

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression (Prov 19:11); Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil (Eph 4:26-27); For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God (James 1:20); The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace (Ex 14:14)~~ how many times has someone or something just gotten under your skin and really ticked you off…to the point that you reacted with a full head of steam…full of passion and anger…and then said or worse..did something you most likely regretted? Some people seem to have a mission in life to make you mad. Some of US, however, seem to have a mission in life to BE mad. We walk around with a chip on our shoulder as if we have a God given right to have a bad attitude (but let’s stay on topic).

As children of God, we are not exempt from things upsetting us and we certainly are not immune to emotions getting the best of us. But AS CHILDREN OF GOD, we are also progressive in our growth. We walk this life and through our relationship with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit sent back as our ‘comforter’ (John 14:16), become different in how we handle ourselves in those moments in time. We have come to learn that if we hold our response, it most likely will change…and after all is done, we realize that our cooler head prevailed and we were glad to have reconsidered our reaction. We realize that just because we feel wronged, we don’t create the “right” by responding with wrong. We have learned to take heed of anger and ungoverned passions.

If there is just occasion to express displeasure at what is wrong, and to reprove, we must see that it be without sin. We give place to the devil, when the first motions of sin are not grievous to our souls; when we consent to them; and when we repeat an evil deed. The wrath of man does not bring about the righteousness of God. Responding in anger, bitterness and wrath masks all rationality and annihilates that fruit of the Spirit we so much need..self-control! Give NO place to the devil- but In faith and prayer, let God have the vengeance that belongs to Him, and He will calm you and keep you in His perfect peace as you stay your mind on Him and trust in Him, in all things!

Be blessed!

O Lord How Excellent Is Your Name! #Praise –

Let them praise the name of the LORD: for His name alone is excellent; His glory above the earth and heaven (Psa 148:13)~ Throughout Scripture God reveals Himself to us through His names. When we study these names that He reveals to us in the Bible, we will better understand who God really is. The meanings behind God’s names reveal the central personality and nature of the One who bears them. God’s name is of the utmost importance, therefore we ought to reserve it a position of utmost significance in our minds and hearts. We must be careful not to make God into just an “it” or a “thing” to which we pray. We should never take His name lightly but always rejoice in it and think deeply upon its true meaning. To hallow the name of God is to regard Him with complete devotion and loving admiration. He is the Most High God, All sufficient One, Master, Lord of Peace, the Lord Who Will Provide! He is our Father! How excellent is His name in all the earth!! God knows us by our name, and we should know Him by His! He is our Jehovah Raah, the Lord our Shepherd, who unceasingly watches over us. Think for a moment on who God is to you…and rejoice, again I say rejoice!

Our Father which art in Heaven… Hallowed be thy name!

Mean, Angry, Bitter, Hateful, Hurtful, Rude, NASTY! We Treat Each Other So Bad!! #DontBeToxic –

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers (Eph 4:29)~~ People have always been rude, some will tell you that’s just human nature. But rudeness has gone to a whole new level especially since the advent of social media! What people seemed ashamed to say to someone’s face can now be easily posted on Facebook, or tweeted, or typed anonymously on a blog or web forum.

Why are people so mean today? Maybe we have watched too many reality TV slugfests; listened to too many politically charged sparring sessions on talk radio; found entertainment on all of the gossip shows on television or read too many hateful comments online. It certainly seems that all this toxic dialogue has desensitized us, and we just don’t care about or just don’t know how to bite our lips and say anything kind. And while I’d love to say that Christians are immune to this epidemic of harsh conversation, that’s just not the case. Sometimes we are just as mean as everyone else, even if we don’t drop F-bombs as often.

Many of us used to hear from parents and grandparents the old adage “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all!”. Yes, there used to be rules for arguing, but today— the gloves are off, all verbal, written, texted, tweeted posted, snap-chatted and tik-tok’ed weapons are allowed and there are no referees. It’s an all-out free-for-all!

What we need is a restoration of the qualities of the great commandments of our Savior – “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Matt 22:37,39); What we need is a revival of genuine love.

So many of us need to let go of unforgiveness. The main reason people have anger seething under the surface of their hearts is they have not forgiven people who hurt them. Holding resentment in your heart is not only unhealthy for you (it can cause stress and lead to different forms of disease); it is also toxic for those around you, because they are subjected to your bitter venom when you speak. Forgive people quickly and allow the sweetness of God’s love to neutralize the poison. People today need to get healing from past abuse in order to stop the abuse they dish out. Many people are verbal abusers because they were abused, bullied, rejected or judged in the past. If that was your story, you can break the cycle through the power of Christ. Let Him teach you how to love people, even if you or no one in your past knew how. Also, seek the wise counsel of a mature mentor who can model Christian love to you, and take the risk of building healthy friendships.

My friend, ask God to renew your heart – “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Ps 51:10). God wants to put His very heart inside you, but He can’t until you make room by getting rid of every hateful attitude. Open your heart wide, and let His love invade the places you have closed. His fervent love can change a bitter, angry, cynical critic into a kind, gentle, affectionate lover of people. Finally, go on a fast from negativity!! Be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom 12:2); Take every thought captive (2 Cor 10:5) – choose to love. Many Christians fast at the beginning of each year to ask God for personal revival. But you can fast from anything you want and still be spiritually unchanged if you are complaining, grumbling, criticizing or spewing hateful words from your mouth every day. Ask God to set a guard over your mouth to instantly convict you of unkind words and actions that quench the Holy Spirit – Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips (Ps 141:3)!

Heart, Mind, Mouth and Thumbs – Be Happy – Be Blessed – Be a Blessing!

We have forgotten how to watch our words! #WordsMatter ~

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh (Luke 6:45)~ Just like The tree is known by its fruits; what the mouth “commonly” speaks, (and nowadays, what the thumbs post or tweet) generally agrees with what is most in the heart. If you ever want to really know a person, listen to them when they “really” speak (post or tweet). We are so full of unruly evil in our tongues that we have to script ourselves and write down our conversations to make sure we say what sounds good for the situation. But the truth will be revealed when we are just “being ourselves” and the words that come out will be spoken from the heart. That which is in the heart is sometimes so strong, even our own minds can’t control that which heads toward our mouths or thumbs! The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell (James 3:6).

Words we speak are one of the most powerful but also the most dangerous weapons we have. Remember, with words God created the universe but with words He also destroyed the earth by flood. The courses of life and death were spoken of Him and we who are in His image have the same power in our tongues. But unlike God, we aren’t perfect and shouldn’t even pretend to be. We are human just like the next person. We make mistakes, exhibit attitudes, let our pride get in the way and sometimes act like children, just like other humans. So our lesson here is that we have to give each other the benefit of these imperfections and be willing to take ownership of what we bring with our mouths that causes our relationships destruction and do the opposite.

Rather than purposely destroy each other with the sharpness of our tongues, let us make that effort to intentionally uplift each other and make peace. Words have so much power – they can bring a person in the best of spirits to the point of depression – and they can bring a suicidal person down off the ledge and and have THEM motivating others to love life! So like grandmother used to say – if you don’t have anything nice to say…then… DON’T SAY ANYTHING! May the “Word” of Christ be so grafted in our hearts, that we may be fruitful in every good work…and life-giving in – Every – Word!

Spoken – Written – Posted… Words Matter!

Getting TO that new season means going THROUGH this one! #Endurance ~

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? (Jer 12:5)~ How often we find ourselves complaining about our discomforts and pain; Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me…O my God, my soul is cast down within me (Ps 42:5,6). We pray to God to move us on into the next season as a way of getting us out of these trials and pain. Pain is inevitable but we must not become disoriented by it.

Our trials, even in our places of comfort are designed to propel us toward our place of destiny. In order to go TO the next season, you must go THROUGH this one – no one is going to just ‘walk’ into the next season. Like the elements of nature, that change from one season to the next with turbulent and sometimes violent clashes in the weather, we must go THROUGH challenging circumstances and impacts of our perspective as we move from one season in life to the next.

What’s more the new season may not necessarily be the ‘due’ season that so many of us expect. Don’t misunderstand in thinking that the new season will not have trials because it’s very possible that the season you go into may be even MORE challenging. Remember, God is preparing you for the next level; but your “destiny” may be a little further off… still. If you think you can’t handle what you’re going through today, what makes you think tomorrow will be ‘easier’? In fact, it may be ‘harder’!

But my confidence is in the Creator! Your blessing comes in perseverance. HOPE thou in God: praise Him for the help of His countenance. Now faith is the substance of things HOPED for, the evidence of things not seen. For if we HOPE for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance! We can HOPE in God because He has planned for us to have a hope: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a HOPE” (Jer 29:11) . And that promise, we can depend on for God is not a man that He would lie; nor the son of man that He would repent; hath He said, and shall He not do it; or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good? (Num 23:19). So if God promised it, it’s sure to be done because He not only won’t fail; but He won’t turn away from that which He has spoken. But your perseverance is a must, in THIS season; because if you can’t handle the little things of today, how will you handle tomorrow? Trust Him even in the trials of today; God is preparing you. Be faithful over these few things and He will make you a ruler over many to come!!

Endure It – Be Blessed Through It!

What’s Your #Story ? ~

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men (2 Cor 3:2)~ we are the 67th Book of the Bible. The Holy Scriptures consist of sixty-six books. So what’s the 67th you ask? That’s the one you write by the way you live your life everyday!

In the flesh, Jesus’ life story was one of love, faithfulness, compassion, patience, goodness and kindness. His presence is on each page from Genesis to Revelation. His influence is written in between each line of world history. Now is our time to influence the world with our story. Psalms 45:1 says: “Your tongue is as the pen as a ready writer.” So write an epistle worth reading. Proclaim the saving grace and power of God through your lifestyle. And as you author your life story, is your tongue (with the power of life and death) uttering words fit to print? Does your attitude provide a chapter of hope for people desperate for love and salvation? Do people read about a true overcomer; who doesn’t claim perfection, but sometimes falters, even faints, yet doesn’t give in? That may stumble but gets back up? Is your book that best-seller that tells of a believer whose words match their walk? That walk that so moves and impresses the curious unbelievers, that they are compelled to run to God in search of salvation?

Write a great story my friend, you are the only Bible some people will ever read.

Fear Not! God’s #GotYou ~

Fear Not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand—Isaiah 41:10

You know when you’re in the thick of it—facing tough financial circumstances, or maybe a problem with work or a relationship, or a health issue or an addiction? You know that “I just don’t know what to do” feeling? Most of us do, maybe all of us. The thing is, we actually do know what to do—we know exactly what to do. It’s just hard, in those moments, to remember … to have faith . . . and to trust.

But we must remember, have faith in and trust our Father God. He sees and He knows . . . and sometimes He allows. We must not be “surprised at the fiery trial,” therefore, “as though something strange were happening” (1 Peter 4:12). When He allows hardship, though, it’s always for good—even if that’s not, at first, very obvious (James 1:2-4; Hebrews 12:1-11; Romans 8:28).

And we must remember, have faith in and trust our King, Jesus Christ. He is truth. He teaches us what to do in any ordeal. He knows like no other. “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17-18).

And we must remember, have faith in and trust our God the Holy Spirit. He’s always with us, in every moment (John 14:16). And he can help and strengthen us, whatever the hardship. The “Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead” exists within us, and can certainly bring new life to our circumstances too (Romans 8:11).

If you’re in the thick of it now, trust that God has a plan; follow your King, as He knows the plan and knows the way; and ask the Holy Spirit for help.

Fear not, for He is with you!

#TheStruggleIsReal – But It Won’t Always Be Like This! ~

I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth – Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord (Ps 40:1-3)~~

Friends and even family may forsake us. Enemies seem to prosper over us. Life might kick us in the “butt”! We may lose much for the Lord, but we shall not lose any thing by Him. Whether the Lord gives us health and temporal blessings or not, if we patiently suffer according to his will, in the end we shall be happy. This struggle is real but it’s only temporary. Every single day you get a new beginning, with new mercies and new blessings. You just have to trust in God and Persevere the process! No matter what it looks like, seek His direction.

Let this be your strength: “So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning” (Job 42:12). Yes my friend It WILL get better! Your Faith WILL pay off! You have to just keep living; keep trusting God. Yes, this struggle is real – and often we ask How Long must it be this way.. as Habakkuk did (Hab 1:2-4). Now if you continue reading from that verse, God’s answer tells Habakkuk and us … Not Long!! —-> “Look among the nations and watch — Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you (Hab 1:5).

The arc of the moral universe is long… but it bends toward justice!