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.

Lonely

Loneliness is real and many people face it every day.  Sometimes, you can be surrounded by a large crowd of people but be extremely lonely.  You can have a schedule packed full to the brim with kids to feed and shuffle to numerous school activities, talking with neighbors and teachers and friends, stay on your cell phone with a line of people everywhere you go, chattering, but deep inside be incredibly lonely.

Psalm 25:16-18 declares,
"Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.  The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.  Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins."

We all face times of distress and deep loneliness.  Surrounded by a crowd of people, we must look to the Lord to conquer loneliness and bring us out of our distress.  Our enemy works against our mind.  The adversary desires that we walk in oppression and dwell on our failures.  But God is our answer to every dilemma.  He is our Rock of Defense in every situation of life.  Cry out to Him and He will "turn to you." 

Get out of your comfort zone and busy yourself doing a good work. Volunteer at your church or local library, school or hospital.  There is always a place to find fulfillment in putting your time to good use in helping others.  And God will take that loneliness and fill your life with wonderful people.

Eagles Soar

Balloon satellites are known to fly high, up to 70,000 feet in the stratosphere.  Birdwatchers are aware that eagles are great birds who know how to soar in altitudes of over 10,000 feet. Commercial jet aircraft also fly up to 38,000 feet high in the altitude daily from coast to coast.

God desires that you accelerate to new heights in the power of God’s spirit but many are weary.  The struggles of the past year may have knocked the wind out of you, but God’s plan for you is to fly high. Stop the fear, remove yourself from the chaos, and place your trust in God. Get back into the Word and ponder its pages. Let God speak to you deep in your Spirit and ask God for His guidance.

Whatever you are praying about, wait on the Lord. Whatever struggle you face, give it to God. He will guide you in this year ahead and give you new strength when you learn to completely trust Him.

The prophet Isaiah declared, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”  (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Disappointment

The next time you are disappointed about something, do not panic or act rashly to remedy your situation. And be mindful to not give up or become discouraged by your happenings. Simply, be patient and let God remind you that He is God and He is still in control of your situation. Often, disappointment is caused by unmet expectations. And God desires that we totally trust Him.  He will work all things together for our good and He knows our future.

Remember Scripture spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "My thoughts are not like your thoughts; your ways are not like my ways. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. So you will go out in joy and be led with peace."

Most of the time, we truly do not understand or see the big picture of what God is doing in our lives. You must trust God that your steps are ordered by Him and He has your life in His control. Let God and let God do a mighty work in your life.

Heaven

Did you realize that you can change your life one day at a time?  This is true. If you do not like your attitude or your habits - work to change them. If you do not like your neighbors and your family - pray for them.  And if you  are tired of your present situation, surrender it totally unto the Lordship of Jesus Christ in sincere prayer and repentance.

One day we will either face heaven or hell. We must make every effort to walk in our faith in Christ.  It is a decision; A choice to follow.  Christ has already paid the price for our sins.

When we think of heaven, I do not believe we can truly fathom the wonder of what God has in store. Scripture even confirms this thought in 2 Corinthians 2:9,  "Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.”

First of all, the City of Heaven will be full of grand splendor; more than we could ever imagine - with streets made of purest gold and a crystal clear river.  A city surrounded by extreme gates of pearl with walls of gorgeous jasper stone. It will be unlike anything we have ever seen in this life before.  It will be a place of worship where the Glory of the Lord radiates and Jesus is the Light of the City.  We will be surrounded by innumerable angels singing and honoring God with resounding voices.

Heaven keeps record of our smallest acts of kindness and love toward others while we are here on earth. "If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." Matthew 10:42

Eternal rewards await us for showing compassion on the needy (Luke 14:13-14) treating our enemies with kindness (Luke 6:35) and giving of our monetary resources to the Lord in tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:10).  Heaven will be a rich reward for the righteous.

Blameless

I am so thankful for justification by faith. "We are not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 2:16) To be justified means to be declared blameless. It is for God to say your sins have been wiped clean, just as if you had never sinned. Christ is the One who places our inquities and sins in the sea of forgetfulness and no longer remembers them. It does not matter where we have been or what we have done, when we come to Christ with a repentive heart and ask forgiveness....He forgives and declares us blameless.

We are not declared blameless simply by doing good works, the works of the law. But we are justified by faith in Christ, in so much that we know that He honored our prayers of repentence and has totally wiped our slate clean of the junk from the past.

If God forgets our past, then we should too. We should live above our past, walk above our past, and live according to the law realizing that it is by our faith in Jesus Christ that we now walk in freedom.

To be guilty of sin and death, and then to experience forgiveness from death's penalty is to understand the love of God that surpasses all human understanding. When we repent, Christ declares us blameless of the penalty we are guilty of receiving and says, "you are justified." God places our sins behind Himself and refuses to remember our iniquities against Him.

Assurance

When we commit our lives to God, He comes to dwell and live within us.  We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and He abides with us.  This means no matter what you face, it should not be overwhelming. No matter how stressful the circumstances of life becomes or what God calls upon you to do, You've Got This!

I like Philippians 4:13 from the Amplified Bible, "I can do all things which He has called me to do through Him who strengthens and empowers me to fulfill His purpose--I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace."

Because you are now God's and God is your sufficiency, anything He calls on you to do is possible simply because of the Spirit of God within you.  It's not you alone, but God in you.  So, I challenge you today to abide in God and remain steadfast and confident in Him.  He will equip you and enable you to do much more than you think because He empowers you with divine strength from heavenly places.