Sunday, November 29, 2015
Learning to Let Go
I
think God leaves me alone to let me find my own strength because no
one else can give it to me. Sometimes it is very lonely. But I know
the lonely times teach me the most. I must let go in order to let
anything in.
Scripture:
So
he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years
now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t
found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
“‘Sir,’
the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig
around it and fertilize it.
If
it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down. Luke
13:7-9 New
International Version (NIV)
This
past year has been a year full of changes and reflection for me. I
had a life altering surgery in December of 2011 and with that surgery
came a new set of rules and regulations. I remained isolated during
my recovery and even after my healing, I chose to remain isolated.
In the beginning, I didn’t know or understand why I chose this path
but it would soon become evident.
I
would soon learn that in order to make certain changes in my life, I
had to remove myself from certain situations in order not to fall
victim to past habits. I would also learn to be still and listen
more intently for the word of God. You see, when we are in constant
motion, we may not be able to hear
Whatever
it is He wants to say to us. I would also learn to become more
observant. I learned be still, watch and to watch and observe. It is not necessary to voice every thought you think.
But
one of the most important lessons I would learn is to listen to the
still small voice inside of me that would help me to see things as
they really are and not as I wished for them to be. There were
things in my life I had been holding onto that were not healthy for
me or my well-being and it was those things, people and situations I
would have to learn to let go. I would learn that it takes more
strength to let certain things go than to hold on to them.
Saints
of God, sometimes we must learn that wanting something
or someone to bear fruit in our lives is not going to happen no
matter how much we want it to be so. We plant those things in our
lives we hope will become a blessing but soon realize that no matter
how much time, energy, or resources we invest in the crop, there will
be no harvest.
We
must learn that in order for good things to come to us, we must let
go of the bad.
Be blessed and be a blessing
Prayer:
Father
God, thank You for the clarity and vision You have given me to see
both the good and bad in my life. Help me learn to accept those
things I cannot change, let them go and to move forward in faith.
Heal the void in my life with Your presence and to know that change
can be painful but change is also necessary if we are to grow and
move forward on this spiritual journey. Thank You Father for fresh
grace and mercy and for favor. Thank you Lord, for Your Son, Jesus
Christ. It is in His name we pray. Amen.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Peeling back the Layers of Life
Life is like an onion: you peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep. ~ Carl Sandburg
Scripture:
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; Ecclesiastes 3:3-4 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines life as the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body. Life is the essence of who we are on this earth and is further defined by our existence in this world. Life is the combined accumulation of our experiences. Life is the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual and can be one or more aspects of the process of living. Life or live, is after all, what we do.
The above scripture from the book of Ecclesiastes has been described as a book of perspectives. It is implied that it was written by King Solomon who was considered a very wise man. King Solomon’s ultimate purpose for writing this book was to give Christians a chance to see the world through the eyes of a person who is trying to find meaning in life.
The writer explores many different kinds of worldly pleasure and none of it gives him a sense of meaning. In the end, the writer comes to accept that faith in God is the only way to find personal meaning. He decides to accept the fact that life is brief and ultimately worthless without God. The writer advises the reader to focus on an eternal God instead of temporary pleasure.
Life teaches us that sometimes we choose things we THINK will make us happy. However, true happiness can only be found when we seek God first.
Be blessed and be a blessing
Prayer:
Father God, far too often we seek pleasure in all the wrong things and in the wrong places. Lord, forgive us when we fail to see that eternal happiness can only be gained by seeking first the kingdom of God. Father, we realize that sometimes we make choices that are selfish and self-serving. We allow worldly things to distract us and to temporarily turn our attention away from You and Your word. Forgive us. Lord, help us to keep You at the forefront of all our decisions. Help us to keep our eyes on the prize of the most high calling. Help us to not be swayed by him who seeks to destroy us. Lord, we love You. We thank You for fresh grace and mercy. We thank You for always allowing us to opportunity to turn away from evil and return home to You. We thank You most of all for Your Son, Jesus Christ. It is in His name that we submit this prayer. Amen.Sunday, November 08, 2015
God's Amazing Grace!
I do not understand the mystery of grace--only that it meets us where we are, but does not leave us where it found us. ~ Anne Lamott
Scripture:
to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:6-8 (New International Version)
As I sit here, contemplating the follies of my past, I become consciously aware of the power of God’s amazing grace. Grace protected me when I found myself in places that I shouldn’t have been. Grace covered me when I did things that I shouldn’t have done. Grace was with me when I found myself lost in a far country.
I recognize and realize that I have made some pretty bad choices in my life. But if it had not been for the grace of God, where would I be? I could be lost in a world of degradation, humiliation, and complication. I could have been an unwed mother, junkie living for my next fix, or worst of all, the pawn of satan. The various scenarios of where I could be apposed to where I am, are limitless.
You see, no matter how bad we are, where our lives may be headed, the things we have done or said; God’s grace has unlimited reaching power. When you fall down into the very depths of life’s misery, God’s grace has the ability to reach down, right where you have landed and lift you up. No matter how alone you may feel, God’s grace has the ability to cover you in the comfort and warmth that can only be found in the arms of God Himself.
There is something special about God’s grace. May God’s grace find you wherever you may be.
Be blessed and be a blessing
Prayer:
But for the grace of God, go I. Lord, thank You for Your grace and Your mercy. Thank You Lord, for reaching out and saving a sinner like me. Forgive me Lord, for all the wrong that I have done. Your word tells me that when I have asked for forgiveness, You grant it because You are a God of a second chance. Lord, I thank You for granting me a new beginning with the dawning of each day. May Your loving grace rest, rule and abide within my life each and every day. May goodness, mercy and traveling grace go with each and every one of my brothers and sisters sharing in this prayer. May Your tender mercies continue to rain down upon each of us as we continue to build upon our relationship with You. Thank You Father. Thank You Jesus. It is in Your name that we pray. Amen.
Scripture:
to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:6-8 (New International Version)
As I sit here, contemplating the follies of my past, I become consciously aware of the power of God’s amazing grace. Grace protected me when I found myself in places that I shouldn’t have been. Grace covered me when I did things that I shouldn’t have done. Grace was with me when I found myself lost in a far country.
I recognize and realize that I have made some pretty bad choices in my life. But if it had not been for the grace of God, where would I be? I could be lost in a world of degradation, humiliation, and complication. I could have been an unwed mother, junkie living for my next fix, or worst of all, the pawn of satan. The various scenarios of where I could be apposed to where I am, are limitless.
You see, no matter how bad we are, where our lives may be headed, the things we have done or said; God’s grace has unlimited reaching power. When you fall down into the very depths of life’s misery, God’s grace has the ability to reach down, right where you have landed and lift you up. No matter how alone you may feel, God’s grace has the ability to cover you in the comfort and warmth that can only be found in the arms of God Himself.
There is something special about God’s grace. May God’s grace find you wherever you may be.
Be blessed and be a blessing
Prayer:
But for the grace of God, go I. Lord, thank You for Your grace and Your mercy. Thank You Lord, for reaching out and saving a sinner like me. Forgive me Lord, for all the wrong that I have done. Your word tells me that when I have asked for forgiveness, You grant it because You are a God of a second chance. Lord, I thank You for granting me a new beginning with the dawning of each day. May Your loving grace rest, rule and abide within my life each and every day. May goodness, mercy and traveling grace go with each and every one of my brothers and sisters sharing in this prayer. May Your tender mercies continue to rain down upon each of us as we continue to build upon our relationship with You. Thank You Father. Thank You Jesus. It is in Your name that we pray. Amen.
Sunday, November 01, 2015
Chasing The Wind
People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; Looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plaques them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within. ~ Unknown
Scripture:
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:12-14 (New International Version)
The book of Ecclesiastes teaches that us a life not centered on God is purposeless and meaningless. Today’s lesson is about how some people can begin to put too much emphasis on “stuff.”
Sometimes we are so busy chasing after money, success and concern over what other people think about us, that we start looking for satisfaction in all the wrong places. The things that we begin to believe are the most important things in life, are the very things that we begin to chase after.
When we chase after fame, fortune and the opinions of others we are essentially saying that we have total control of our lives and that we don’t trust in the plans that God has for us. This is not to say that obtaining certain things in life is wrong or that we should feel guilty about it, but rather realizing that the collecting of things notoriety an fame will not necessarily lead them to the road of happiness. Recognizing what is really important; God, family, and friends are more important than things.
Learning to embrace where you are in life, is sometimes more important than embracing the things that fill our lives. Recognizing where you are in your spiritual walk is often more important than the journey. Learning to enjoy who you are is more important than trying to impress others.
Saints of God, having things is not the most important thing in life. Having God and people who love you is far more important than any material thing that you could ever have. Having peace of mind, body and spirit is something that you will be able to keep with you always.
The most important lesson that any of us could ever learn, is to put God first in everything and He becomes our windbreaker.
Be blessed and be a blessing
Prayer:
Father God, we come before the throne of grace with praise and thanksgiving on our tongues and in our hearts. We come asking Lord, for peace that passes all understanding. We come asking for strength to stand in the face of adversity. But most of all, we come asking with humbled hearts and minds, that You would hear our prayers and our petitions. Master, we need You to speak to the winds of adversity that are blowing against us, peace be still. We come asking that You hold on to our hands and the storms of life toss us about. We come asking that You would hide us under the wings of Your salvation as the roaring lions draws near in an effort to devour us. Lord, we ask that You would keep all of our families, friends, co-workers and brothers and sisters in perfect peace this and everyday. Bless us right now in the name of Jesus. Our prayers are not complete until we let You know just how much we love You. Our prayers on not complete until we sing songs of praise to You alone. Lord, we lift Your name on high, we give You all of our love, all of our praise and sing songs of praise all the day long. Thank You Lord for one more day. Bless You Lord. Hallelujah, Praise God thank You Jesus, Amen.
Scripture:
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:12-14 (New International Version)
The book of Ecclesiastes teaches that us a life not centered on God is purposeless and meaningless. Today’s lesson is about how some people can begin to put too much emphasis on “stuff.”
Sometimes we are so busy chasing after money, success and concern over what other people think about us, that we start looking for satisfaction in all the wrong places. The things that we begin to believe are the most important things in life, are the very things that we begin to chase after.
When we chase after fame, fortune and the opinions of others we are essentially saying that we have total control of our lives and that we don’t trust in the plans that God has for us. This is not to say that obtaining certain things in life is wrong or that we should feel guilty about it, but rather realizing that the collecting of things notoriety an fame will not necessarily lead them to the road of happiness. Recognizing what is really important; God, family, and friends are more important than things.
Learning to embrace where you are in life, is sometimes more important than embracing the things that fill our lives. Recognizing where you are in your spiritual walk is often more important than the journey. Learning to enjoy who you are is more important than trying to impress others.
Saints of God, having things is not the most important thing in life. Having God and people who love you is far more important than any material thing that you could ever have. Having peace of mind, body and spirit is something that you will be able to keep with you always.
The most important lesson that any of us could ever learn, is to put God first in everything and He becomes our windbreaker.
Be blessed and be a blessing
Prayer:
Father God, we come before the throne of grace with praise and thanksgiving on our tongues and in our hearts. We come asking Lord, for peace that passes all understanding. We come asking for strength to stand in the face of adversity. But most of all, we come asking with humbled hearts and minds, that You would hear our prayers and our petitions. Master, we need You to speak to the winds of adversity that are blowing against us, peace be still. We come asking that You hold on to our hands and the storms of life toss us about. We come asking that You would hide us under the wings of Your salvation as the roaring lions draws near in an effort to devour us. Lord, we ask that You would keep all of our families, friends, co-workers and brothers and sisters in perfect peace this and everyday. Bless us right now in the name of Jesus. Our prayers are not complete until we let You know just how much we love You. Our prayers on not complete until we sing songs of praise to You alone. Lord, we lift Your name on high, we give You all of our love, all of our praise and sing songs of praise all the day long. Thank You Lord for one more day. Bless You Lord. Hallelujah, Praise God thank You Jesus, Amen.
