Be an EAGLE!

 

Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you will go, just remember how far you have come. Remember everything you’ve faced. All the battles you have won. All the fears you’ve overcome. All the chapters you have written. Remember the moments that came before when you had this same doubt and overcame it. You can go as far as you let yourself go. Let go and you will soar farther that you’ve ever imagined.

We all make mistakes. We all screw up. We all fall short. But in the core of your heart, do you understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus? And based on your everyday lifestyle, do you reflect one? I ask myself these questions everyday. And to be honest, I think we all should. Self-evaluation can make or break your relationship with God. If we can’t admit we need help, we will never gather up the courage to ask for it. God is looking for progression, not perfection. And you can’t find progression unless you have direction.

There’s a scripture in the Bible that says, “In the world you have tribulation and trials” (John 16:33). I believe most people would agree with it. If you read the rest of that verse, you get to the encouraging part where Jesus says we can take heart because He has overcome the world. But the truth is, we all go through hard times and have to learn how to overcome them through Christ. Sometimes God allows or even arranges for us to go through difficulties in this life because it’s during those times that we grow in our faith and develop more of the character of Christ. Trials reveal what we really believe and what’s really inside our hearts. They test us. And until we’re in a situation where we have no choice but to face an issue we need to deal with, we don’t really know what we would do.

James 1:2 says we should “consider it wholly joyful” when we experience a trial or face a temptation. Verse 3 goes on to say that “the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.” That sounds lovely to have endurance, steadfastness and patience during trials, doesn’t it? God loves you so much and He has a great plan for your life. Trust that He’s in control and will work things out for your good when you’re going through a trial. The next time you’re being tested, tell God, “I trust You. This is good for me! It doesn’t feel good, but I know You will work it out for my good.” You’ll get closer to God as you go through the test, and on the other side, you’ll thank Him for using it to make you more like Christ.

 

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A Flourishing Finish

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“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” ~Philippians 1:6

Everyone goes through seasons of disappointment or difficulty. We all have unexpected setbacks. Maybe you’re going through something right now that you don’t understand. Here’s the good news: that disappointment is not the final chapter. God never ends in a negative. If you will keep moving forward with your life, God promises that He will bring you to a flourishing finish. Not a defeated finish, a bankrupt finish, a betrayed finish, or a barely-get-by finish. No, in your future, God has a victorious finish.

That setback, disappointment or betrayal that seems like it’s working against you, God knows how to turn it around and cause it to work for you. The key is that when you’re in difficult times, don’t settle where you are. Don’t put your roots down and think that things are never going to change. No, for every setback, God has already lined up a comeback. For every injustice, He has vindication. For every disappointment, He has restoration. Right now, just begin to thank Him for what He’s going to do. Praise Him for His faithfulness. Rejoice today because He has a plan to bring you into a flourishing finish!

Father, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. I choose to cast my cares on You. I choose to trust even when I don’t understand. I choose to believe that You have a good plan and will bring me to a flourishing finish in Jesus’ name! Amen.

God is with you!

In my quiet time this morning I was led to this scripture and message for everyone to meditate on. Do you believe God is watching over you, smiling and delighting in the fact that you are HIS child as a born-again believer? Close your eyes and picture God watching over you at this moment. No matter what you have done or what has been done to you, God’s love reaches down to hold you in His arms. Bow your head and tilt your heart to listen to Him whisper, “You are precious in my sight and I love you.” (Isaiah. 43:4,) Now rest in the promise that He loves you, He knows your needs, and He’s constantly by your side. “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” ~~Zephaniah 3:17

My friends, our heavenly Father, is watching over you. He calls you His treasured possession, the apple of His eye. There have been times when I have felt as if His hand is upon my head, letting me know that He is watching over me. To be in the loving arms of my ABBA Father is safest place of all. He takes great delight in you, just because you are His son/daughter. When you feel afraid or even a little scared, He will quiet you with His love. He says to you, “Everything is going to be alright. Your ABBA Father is here just for you.” His words are so soothing to me. They bring me peace. He rejoices over us by singing songs of His never-ending love for us. You know, God loves to be with us and watch over us. It’s not because we are doing anything for Him, but simply because we are His. We might have even disappointed Him that day, but it doesn’t change how He feels about us. I sense God wants you to know today that He delights greatly in you my friends. And with His love, He is there today to quiet your fears, concerns, insecurities and doubts. I have a feeling the joy-filled songs He sings over you are written just for you, describing the beautiful person He’s created you to be, while gently leading your heart to know and rely on His love more and more each day.

What a great reminder for times when nothing’s going right; when we feel like the whole world is against us and nobody understands what we’re going through. I hope the next time you have one of those days you’ll imagine Your Heavenly Father loves and delights in you even more then you can imagine!

When we don’t get our way!

We make our plans, sometimes offering the token prayer but really never considering Him or seeking where He wants us to go and then we pursue those plans with all our heart. And when we’re thwarted we throw a temper tantrum because we don’t get our way, never realizing that it is the Hand of God protecting us from harm. Does that sound like a familiar situation? We have to come to realization that it’s what God’s plan is not ours that matters. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Do you believe that? Why do you question that God doesn’t have your best interest at heart when He laid down His life for you and I? Do you ever get angry or frustrated because God isn’t giving you what you want? Are you mad because He isn’t giving you what you think you need? But what we WANT isn’t always what we NEED! In some distorted way, many people feel that God owes us something. That if we’re living our lives to please Him, He should give us what we want and when we don’t get it, we get mad and throw a fit. And sometimes, people even walk away! But what we want isn’t always what we need. And God is not in the business of making us comfortable. He is about molding and shaping us to be more like Him.

Let God Transform you into a New Person by Changing the way you Think!

When we choose to disobey God’s will because we are busy satisfying our own, we may reap unintended consequences. Perhaps you have said or heard someone else make a declaration to this effect: I never intended this or that to happen. All I wanted was to… When I speak of “this,” it usually involves the person who is making the statement, but “that” generally refers to someone else who was adversely affected by the one making the statement, The unintended victim of the decision.” Either way, there are usually regrets. 

 

“And so, dear brothers and sisters I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” ~~Romans 12:1-2

 

Even though God calls and equips us to serve His purpose in the earth, He knows that we still have the freedom of choice. We can either choose to obey God’s will, or ignore it because something else has captured our attention. If believers decide to ignore the “calling of God” on their lives in order to fulfill their own desires, then there will be unintended consequences. For example, Jonah didn’t want to obey God’s command to go to Nineveh. Consequently, he got swallowed by a fish. While in the belly of the fish, he died, and his soul descended into Sheol, or hell. Fortunately, God had mercy on Jonah and caused the fish to vomit him up on the shore. 

 

It seems easy for some people to say “no” to God when He deals with their hearts about fulfilling the calling on their lives. They may live for years and never give any time or attention to God’s call. However, once He has placed them in an individual’s heart, God’s gifts and His calling are irrevocable; consequently, if anyone disobeys the Lord by not submitting to them, they will have to live with the regret and shame. 

 

This message is specifically directed with the heart of someone who is running from their calling. He wants to warn you of the fallout that will occur if you continually say “NO” to His instructions. He wants you to repent before you go too far and miss your hour of visitation from the Lord… or you wait until it’s too late in life to fulfill God’s call. If this is God’s word to you, and the Holy Spirit has convicted you, I pray you have a change of heart.

 

God is faithful.

God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand!

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” ~1 Corinthians 10:13

Hear this point clearly. If Satan can’t get your soul, his next goal is to at least keep you so busy fighting personal battles. The more time you spend fighting personal battles, the less time you have to serve God. That is why overcoming temptation is so important.  The Bible clearly teaches us that evil comes from our heart. The actual progression is that it starts in our heart, moves to our mind, and is manifested in our actions. That is why “creating a clean heart” is so important. That is why it is important to stay in that deep, intimate, daily contact with the Lord so that what flows from our heart is pure and clean…since that is what dictates our actions. Temptations flow from the sin and evil still in our heart, and then goes into our mind. It is in our mind that the temptation finds fertile ground to grow. That is why is it so important to “renew our mind”, how important what we put into our mind on a daily basis is. It is in our mind that temptation grows and ultimately manifests itself in our actual conduct.

This scripture is one of God’s special promises. God tells us that He will always provide us a path of escape. That path of escape occurs while the temptation is still in our mind. THAT IS THE TIME WE MUST OVERCOME TEMPTATION. Once we allow it to live in our mind, the die is cast and will ultimately result in our rebellious behavior.  There is not one person reading this that can say God didn’t give you a path of escape. The problem is, you chose to ignore it. Many times, He gives us many chances to escape, but we choose to keep going right through the stop sign, right through the red light, right through the barriers….and then wonder how we could have gotten into such a mess. To overcome temptation, you MUST use the path of escape God gives you while that temptation is still in your mind. Once you decide not to use that path of escape, it is only a matter of time before that temptation actually results in rebellious conduct. I love you and care about you. I know so many of you are fighting the battles of life each day. You are in very difficult situations. My goal is not only to help you overcome those difficult situations, but help you to avoid getting yourself in those circumstances in the future. Jesus loves you so much. Having walked this earth, He understands your weaknesses and has promised to help you to avoid the temptations of this life.

Your intimate daily contact with Him strengthens you, and your love and desire to live for Him give you the motivation to take that path of escape He offers and overcome temptation. You can count on my prayers, that you recognize each day the temptations this life offers and use the tools God has given you to live victoriously.

Think of the incredible peace, joy, and abundance this life can be when we are living for Him, serving Him, and not constantly wrapped up in those personal battles. May you be committed today to take that path of escape he offers the next time you face temptation, and live in the victory Christ won on Calvary!

Waiting in Faith!

In this verse God is showing us what faith is. Today I hope and pray this message encourages you in your faith. Some of you are seeing this year pass by without those things, those promises which you have been given, that you have been hanging on to, not yet manifest. Many of you are shaking your heads in agreement while reading this.  “When Lord, when?” are your cries that echo up into the Throne Room of the Most High. Again I pray this message encourages you that even though you may have to wait for awhile to see what God has in store for you. Yes, the wait maybe a long one but it will be worth it.

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen. It gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”~ Hebrews 11:1

Faith is putting your trust in what God says when everything around you says otherwise. Of course, you may well find it difficult to do, because distracting influences are pulling your focus from what God’s Word says. But it is a decision you have to take; believe what God has placed in your heart through His Word, even though you may have to wait awhile for the promise.

Throughout my last 6 years in Christ, there were many times faith would become the thing I had to depend on. It was the hope that God would, in fact, do as He promised. You see, I believe God had some changes He needed to make in me, and He didn’t tell me how long I would have to wait. And so I waited because I knew in my heart of hearts that God spoke. When God speaks, it is done, and even though I haven’t received one of the promises He made that He would bring me my wife I know it’s already done and I just wait on His perfect timing and that makes me have the biggest smile on my face. 😉

I have learned that without waiting, the satisfaction is not the same. It seems as though I appreciate God’s gifts so much more when I’ve had to wait for them. It seems I am more relieved, more grateful and more willing to praise Him. I have also realized that during times of waiting, once I get over my feeling of rejection and frustration with God (as if He owes me anything) that my relationship with Him grows. I spend more time on my knees, not so much pleading, but seeking. I find that during my waiting, my desires change. I begin to want what God’s plan is instead of my own. During the wait, God changes me every time.

As I thought about this verse today, I realized that faith would not be necessary if I never had to wait. If God gave us everything we asked for, when we asked for it then we would not need faith. We would not have to believe. We would not have to hope. God would be at my disposal giving me whatever we wanted. We would still be as selfish as we ever were. We would not be any more like Christ than the first day I chose to follow Him. Waiting and having faith are the tools God has used to draw me closer to Him. I guess I should be thankful for waiting. After all, anything of importance that has come into my life I have had to wait for. And I have to admit, all of it was worth the wait!

Lord, help us to have faith in Your promises while we wait.

Strength you need each day!

God will provide the strength you need each and every day. Instead of assessing your energy level and wondering about what’s on the road ahead, concentrate on staying in touch with Him. His power flows freely into you through our open communication. Refuse to waste energy worrying, and you will have strength to spare. “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me.”~ Psalm 56:3-4

Whenever you start to worry and feel afraid, remember that He is your Shield. His Presence watches over you continually, protecting you from both known and unknown dangers. Entrust your self to His watch and care, which is the best security system available. He is with you and will watch over you wherever you go.

It is so wonderful that the Lord has everything already planned out for us! That He will be there through it all and will never leave us!! Such wonderful promises from our Father!! With Him I can do anything!! We need to stand strong on that and not be so inclined to worry so much because He will never leave us! He will take care of us and only wants the best for us. Trusting in our Father is the best thing! He does protect, provide and love us so!!!

In times of floods…

Sometimes we feel like the people of Noah’s day must have~ Overwhelmed when they saw the flood come when there have never been rain before. When we feel like our lives look like a flood and we are overwhelmed…. we must do what those people did not do~ Turn to God!

We sometimes feel like saying “God take this flood away!” But God is saying to us, “Hold on to me, this flood is going to take you where you need to be!”

When we put God first and when He is the center of our lives, this will open the doors that we need and close the doors to things we don’t need. When we focus on Him through our flood, He will take care of us and direct us through this flood. He will provide and see us through it.

Today is the day!

If your name is not in the God’s Book of Lambs yet, Today is your day! He is not willing to let anyone perish, but gives us the opportunity to repent and live with Him forever. If you want joy in your heart like nothing in this world can ever provide then invite Jesus into your heart…. Take his hand and say this:

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for loving me enough that you would send your only son, Jesus, to die on the cross for all of my sins. Thank you for raising him from the dead that I may I receive your salvation and forgiveness today. Please forgive me for my sins and please come live in my heart. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and please place my name in your book and again, Lord, I thank you for loving me and saving me this day. Give me a clean heart today! Guide me and direct my steps from this moment on! I give my life to you!
In Jesus name, I pray. Amen