Sufficiency in God Alone

Sometimes our needs overwhelm us and we must realize that God is our sufficiency. He is everything, all we need. If there is something we desire, we must pray and ask God for it. He desires to give us our heart's desire. He has already promised to meet our needs.

"Therefore, I say unto you, whatsoever things ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Philippians 4:19

We also must have faith to believe that God will provide whatsoever we ask of Him. In Scripture, He teaches that we have not because we ask not. Often, we think we are so smart we do not need God's help. We seem to think we can work it out, we can fix it, we can resolve the issue. But God says, whatever you desire when you pray, have faith and ask God. He desires to give good things to His children, just as an earthly father desires to give good things to his children.

Pray often, asking God for what is on your heart in faith, so that God will grant your petitions. Remember your sufficiency is of God. And He cares about you.

In Control

Life is crazy with quirky people and situations that heighten on every side. People drive outrageously on the road and speak rudely to anyone who gets in their way.  It is sometimes easy to lose your temper over the wacky behavior of others around you. Yikes!

We can also get frustrated with life's negative happenings that pile up on us and we can quickly rage out of control to the very people we love the most. And our words (poorly spoken) can bring hurt to a lot of people. We have all been guilty of putting our foot in our big mouth. But Scripture teaches we should be self-controlled and cool tempered.  It is actually a fruit of the Spirit.

Proverbs 16:32 declares, "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." Wow.  I want to be that person. Let go of the things that troubled you yesterday and this morning and reach forward to be content and happy in the moment God has blessed you with. Don't harbor anger or bitter roots that fester and grow.  Rather, forgive others and choose to be self-controlled in your daily circumstances. Be different from the world.

Hope & Faith

Hope is defined as to wish for something to happen that seems possible, but biblical hope is quite different. This kind of hope is a confident expectation which rests solely on the promises of God. Hope and faith walk hand in hand. They are like Jack and Jill, peanut butter and jelly, salt and pepper. 

Hope is believing that God's Word is true. It's opening the bills when money is short and standing on God's promise to supply all your need. It is the ability to trust in God's word when you were laid off last month and it seems as if you should despair.

Hope is continuing to bring your tithe to God of all your increase even when times are hard. Hope is continuing to pray, even when you do not feel like it. Hope is trusting in God (who is Almighty) for answers because you understand that He is moved by everything that concerns you. And hope is remaining in God's Word, knowing it holds all truth and wisdom and life's answers.

And because hope is anchored in the Word of God, it will stand strong in all that is to come to pass simply because God is an On-Time God. It will give you the courage to be steadfast and immoveable, regardless of what is happening around you. So remain solid in hope today. God is still in control and He knows exactly what He is doing in your life.

I'm Too Busy

During my life, I have come to find that my busyness will rob me of my joy and my sense of purpose. Busyness will overwhelm me and make my life feel out of control. Busyness pokes a hole in me and empties me of daily satisfaction.

The Psalmist makes a declaration in Psalm 139:1-6, "I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me. I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; And my sorrow was stirred up. My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue: "Lord, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah. Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them."

Time is very short (like a vapor) yet we waste it so frivolously. This past year we have all faced difficulty, pain, loss, and sickness. And when we allow the distractions of life to dictate our schedule and do not seek to put God first, we busy ourselves in vain. We are merely moving shadows and all of our busy rushing and hustling ends in nothing. 

According to Scripture, we heap up wealth not even knowing how to spend it or use it for God's Glory. And in the end, we find ourselves void of JOY and living daily with a LACK OF PURPOSE. Choose today to follow a different path. Take time for important things.  Allow God to control your life and watch your JOY increase and your PURPOSE become fulfilled. Determine to let the Word light your path and pay attention where you are walking. God cares for you and sincerely desires to direct your future decisions and bless you with rich reward.

Long Life

Most of us definitely can say we want to live a very long life. My great uncle is about to celebrate his 103rd birthday. He still lives alone and mows his own yard. He plants a garden every year and gives to his neighbors. He attends church every Sunday, loves to read the Word, and enjoys helping with every project he has time for.

Scripture teaches in Proverbs 3:1-2, "My son do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity."  Clearly, most of us today treasure life.  We certainly like living life to its' fullest.  Therefore, it is important to note that God instructs us in Scripture to keep God's commands. And in return for this obedience, God promises you and I a long life.

Did you know that God loves our obedience because this actually confirms our love for Him. When we love someone, we strive to please them. We desire to spend time with them and get to know them better. It's the same when we are in a relationship with God. Our love for Him causes us to do things that please and honor Him. Therefore, those who truly love God will follow the commands found in His Word. Obedience will be a result of our faith.

Another Scripture in Deuteronomy 6:2 declares that when we show we fear the Lord by keeping His commands, we will in return enjoy a long life.  The secret to a long and prosperous life is honoring your parents and following Biblical precepts. God takes care of the rest.

Drop the Bags

Every healthy relationship has endured time to deal with the issues that create havoc between two people. First of all, you must face the music and deal with your baggage. Every relationship is entered into with some sort of old bags that we drag along behind us, refusing to part with.

We love to carry around old, dusty bags filled with hurts and wounds from past relationships that can hinder and squelch a new, vibrant healthy relationship. So deal with the past and get over it. Do not hold your  partner or friend responsible for someone else's mistakes. Remember it is bitter roots that defile. Hebrews 12:14-15 speaks of bitter roots that can spring up in our relationships, if we refuse to deal with the hurts of our past.

Learn to forgive and forget. The truth is you have failed many times and so has the other people in your life. They are not perfect and you are not either. They often say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing, and respond the wrong way. And sometimes, so do we.

We botch things up in our selfishness and pride, we react in the wrong manner and fail to say the right thing. We must strive to maintain the love of Christ with the spirit of forgiveness. When we hold grudges, everyone gets hurt and no one benefits. No one wins!

Therefore, we must endeavor to forgive and forget the bad, the ugly, the wrong and start a new habit of thinking on the good report, the positive, the lovely, and the best of times. Let us pause and learn to cherish and respect our marriage and our other relationships with honor and trustworthiness. Drop the baggage and do not pick it up again.

Habits

Do you realize that sometimes we walk in a path out of habit? We do things, say things and really do not understand clearly that we are only walking in thoughtless, habitual paths.  We are doing what we are doing simply because we've always done it that way. Walking in circles is definitely not where God wants you to be. We seem to be resistant to change but sometimes change is exactly what you need. God desires to change your heart and often change your direction. He has great big plans for you and they are to climb high, not circle.  

If you find yourself in a spiritual drought, dry, parched and stuck in a desert place...remember who God is.  Scripture reveals that Christ is the Living Water and any who drink shall never thirst again.  The Psalmist declared, "The river of God is full of water" and "there is a river whose streams make glad the city of our God."  When you find yourself in a dry and weary place, be refreshed by the Spirit of God. 

Stop circling the mountain of drought in an endless routine doing the same thing, the same way.  If you expect different results you must stop your routine circling and stop doing things the way they've always been done before. This is insanity. 

Realize there must be a change in your endless circling.  Start to spend time with God and let Him restore you with spiritual water. Take time today to talk with Him and listen as you receive guidance from His Word. Be encouraged by the Spirit of God.   You will find His refreshment is real and everlasting.  Be open minded to change and follow God's direction.

Juicing

Some say that juicing will boost your mood and make you feel better. Others say their doctor recommended SuperBeets chews and now they  feel like new. There's lots of so-called cures out there.

But did you know that laughter is like medicine that works deep on the inside? It soothes the hurt and shattered heart. It dries up the tears and loneliness.  If you are weary or discouraged, look for a way to laugh. If you find yourself in depression with your present circumstances - locate a means of laughing out loud, and then laugh some more. It will heal your heart and broken spirit.

There have been devastating times in my life when I wanted to weep and wail, but a Scripture welled up in my heart. Proverbs 17:22 declares, "A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones." Find a way to press through the shattered pieces of your broken heart and just laugh. It will brighten your day and also everyone around you. You will inspire others instead of pulling down their day. Do not complain about today and definitely not yesterday. Find joy in your circumstances and share that joy with others.

Your attitude can make the difference deep on the inside. A positive and cheerful attitude often will change the atmosphere of everyone in the room. And laughter is good like a medicine. Trust me, you will feel better in no time and the situation that looked bleak will then have hope.

The Journey

When we set out to travel from one season to another, we really do not expect a twisted journey.  We are more positive to believe everything will work out perfectly.  We believe the path we travel will be happy and safe, taking us smoothly to our intended destination.

Sometimes along the course of life, we come face to face with unanticipated tosses and turns.  This can be described as times of bumpy jolts that catapult us into a twisted turn of events.  It may also cause sudden and unexpected fear to arise due to the violent condition of our journey.

Scripture teaches in 1 John 4: 18 - "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."

But unfortunately, we live in a fallen world and there will be periods of poor health, difficult relationships, hardship, and even disappointments.  God has promised that He will uphold the righteous and give guidance and direction every step of the way.  He has also promised peace and He assures us that He remains in control.

Dealing with people and relationships will sometimes place us in unforeseen circumstances.  The relationship may start perfectly with pleasant and enjoyable interaction, making memories, walking in harmony, and sharing day to day happenings when something strange happens. 

The warning signals go off and you realize that you trusted too quickly in circumstances instead of people, and in people instead of God. When we walk in the perfect love of the Father - He eliminates fear and casts it far from us. Because of our relationship with God we can build a relationship of trust with others and not walk in fear of failure, fear of rejection, or fear that something will displace our peaceful journey.

His Fight

When your enemy works against you and nothing seems to go right remember who is fighting for you. You do not stand alone. God reminds us that our battle is His Fight. And He is Fighting For you!

What we must do is focus on maintaining a heart of hope and thanksgiving. When you focus on your praise, God will step into the situation and fight for you. Keep your mind fixed on how mighty God is. He will take care of the rest.

In 2 Chronicles 20:22, Scripture declares, "And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mt. Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten."

Praise always precedes victory. Singing and rejoicing is an act of faith. This praise ushers in the powerful presence of God that enables mountains of great stature to move. So when there is a fight going on against you, rejoice & sing. When trouble comes into your life, Praise! 

It is in these times that you will see Almighty God step in and bring reinforcements. God has promised to fight for you and that your enemies will be scattered. And He always keeps His Word. He is fighting for you.