Christ said, “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first”. But what does that mean? The first one to give up will be the last one in the Kingdom of Heaven, but the last one who stands and fights for his faith shall be the first one in the Kingdom of Heaven!
Every day we battle LIFE, within our faith, jobs, financial problems, family or relationships. My wise Grandma always used to say, “Pick your battles”. You and I pick our battles. The important thing is that we never give up! There are days where we can take on the world and pity to the foolish mortal that gets in our way. And then there are days where we are on our knees crying and pleading for everything to just go away.
Throughout every battle you learn about yourself and your enemy. You evaluate your strengths and protect your weaknesses. Sometimes we charge right in and attack. And other times we evaluate the situation, wait patiently and then attack! Mistakes are our best educator. We can always learn from our mistakes if we are wise.
Our faith is our best defender. When the world says, “There is no way!” Our faith stands strong and lays waste to everything that opposes us! On those days where we feel we are falling apart and there is no hope in sight, we call out to the Lord.
Do you know what the shortest prayer is? One word, “HELP!” Sometimes we can’t even find the words to express to Him. The important thing is to seek His help and if that is with just one word, THEN USE IT! Sometimes the Lord tests us just so He knows He will hear from us. Don’t waste this time He’s given us to fight and to grow in our faith. We are living in the end time and time is fading fast. But His love and strength will always be there one step ahead of LIFE. Don’t give up, don’t give in! Ask Him for “HELP!” STAND AND FIGHT!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Where is God?
A Sunday school teacher asked the question of her class. “Where is God?” All the children sat quietly and said nothing. The teacher spoke up and said, “God is so big that He created this planet and everything you see. He is so big that He created our solar system and the entire universe. But children, He is small enough to fit into your heart.”
Is God in your heart? Many times when we think of God we think of this powerful figure sitting on His throne looking down at us with a stern look on His face, deciding how He can make our lives miserable. And that most of the time perhaps He is just not even smiling or happy with us. Maybe sometimes we feel He is so far away from us that we don’t even think He knows who we are.
Please consider this. If God made us in His own image don’t you think that sometimes He feels just like we do? He smiles and laughs. He gets angry and disappointed. He gets sad, His heart breaks and He cries, and there are times when He feels hurt too. We are human and we have many emotions. He is our Heavenly Father and He understands every one of our emotions because He gave them to us.
He is the Supreme Parent. If you have children and you see your children are suffering don’t you feel for them? Don’t you agonize with them? Wouldn’t you rather take on what they are carrying so their lives will be better? But you know in your heart that for them to learn they need to experience life, all the good and not so good that life holds. And you can’t interfere. But you can give them a hug, you can listen to them when their heart is broken or they are suffering. And you can tell them how much you love them and that you will always be there for them.
Our Heavenly Father feels everything we feel! He is as close as we will let Him be. But there are times where He cannot interfere. But He is always there to give us a hug, and to listen to us whenever we want to talk with Him. And He will always love us, and He will always be there for us. And if you let Him into your heart He will lovingly help you carry whatever troubles you. But you have to be willing to let Him in.
Where is God now…
Is God in your heart? Many times when we think of God we think of this powerful figure sitting on His throne looking down at us with a stern look on His face, deciding how He can make our lives miserable. And that most of the time perhaps He is just not even smiling or happy with us. Maybe sometimes we feel He is so far away from us that we don’t even think He knows who we are.
Please consider this. If God made us in His own image don’t you think that sometimes He feels just like we do? He smiles and laughs. He gets angry and disappointed. He gets sad, His heart breaks and He cries, and there are times when He feels hurt too. We are human and we have many emotions. He is our Heavenly Father and He understands every one of our emotions because He gave them to us.
He is the Supreme Parent. If you have children and you see your children are suffering don’t you feel for them? Don’t you agonize with them? Wouldn’t you rather take on what they are carrying so their lives will be better? But you know in your heart that for them to learn they need to experience life, all the good and not so good that life holds. And you can’t interfere. But you can give them a hug, you can listen to them when their heart is broken or they are suffering. And you can tell them how much you love them and that you will always be there for them.
Our Heavenly Father feels everything we feel! He is as close as we will let Him be. But there are times where He cannot interfere. But He is always there to give us a hug, and to listen to us whenever we want to talk with Him. And He will always love us, and He will always be there for us. And if you let Him into your heart He will lovingly help you carry whatever troubles you. But you have to be willing to let Him in.
Where is God now…
Thursday, November 26, 2009
To Be Thankful
It is on this Day Thursday, November 26, 2009 that our Nation pauses and we turn our hearts to God and thank Him for all He has done for us in this past year. We spend time perhaps in His house, we bring Him a thank offering. We spend time with family and friends and often reflect upon past Thanksgiving Day celebrations. And we stuff ourselves until we can’t breathe. Ahhhh the holiday’s!
It is not a coincidence that our Nation is so blessed. This country’s principles were built upon our God. Our Forefathers sought after God’s blessing when they formed this great Country. And because Abraham Lincoln’s heart was so moved, he established this day for all of us.
How are we thankful? Do we stop and think today about how truly blessed we are? Do we look into our own hearts and find a true appreciation for all that our “Good Father” has given us? It is very easy to say thank you when everything is going right in our lives. But I propose this to you. How thankful are you when we feel everything is going wrong?
Do we grow angry and distant from our Father? Do we turn our back on Him because we may feel He has done the same to us? Do we stop praying, stop talking to Him completely? Do we feel He is punishing us and therefore we will punish Him by not dealing with Him anymore? Do you have any idea how much His heart breaks when we do this? Yes even God cries!
He tests you and me to show us that we can handle the test. He doesn’t test us so we can prove to Him we can do it. He already knows you can handle it that’s why He is testing you. He NEVER punishes us.
How does a person learn if they are not tested? If you can, while in the tests of your life, find a way to see that He is helping you grow and tell Him, “THANK YOU”, then you have reached a new level of faith. It is in our darkest moments that we shine the brightest because He is with us!
Stop and look at your life in a different way from this day forward. Look at the positive things you have in your life. See how blessed you really are. Look at your bad moments as a growth period and show God how thankful you are by allowing Him to help you grow closer to Him. He’s sees your heart and knows who you are and feels EVERYTHING you feel. His love for you…will always baffle your mind!
It is not a coincidence that our Nation is so blessed. This country’s principles were built upon our God. Our Forefathers sought after God’s blessing when they formed this great Country. And because Abraham Lincoln’s heart was so moved, he established this day for all of us.
How are we thankful? Do we stop and think today about how truly blessed we are? Do we look into our own hearts and find a true appreciation for all that our “Good Father” has given us? It is very easy to say thank you when everything is going right in our lives. But I propose this to you. How thankful are you when we feel everything is going wrong?
Do we grow angry and distant from our Father? Do we turn our back on Him because we may feel He has done the same to us? Do we stop praying, stop talking to Him completely? Do we feel He is punishing us and therefore we will punish Him by not dealing with Him anymore? Do you have any idea how much His heart breaks when we do this? Yes even God cries!
He tests you and me to show us that we can handle the test. He doesn’t test us so we can prove to Him we can do it. He already knows you can handle it that’s why He is testing you. He NEVER punishes us.
How does a person learn if they are not tested? If you can, while in the tests of your life, find a way to see that He is helping you grow and tell Him, “THANK YOU”, then you have reached a new level of faith. It is in our darkest moments that we shine the brightest because He is with us!
Stop and look at your life in a different way from this day forward. Look at the positive things you have in your life. See how blessed you really are. Look at your bad moments as a growth period and show God how thankful you are by allowing Him to help you grow closer to Him. He’s sees your heart and knows who you are and feels EVERYTHING you feel. His love for you…will always baffle your mind!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Offer the Lord a piece of your heart not your wallet!
So many times I hear of certain churches or religions insisting on a specific dollar amount that people need to give to worship in the Lord’s house. Yes, the church needs money to function, but when the main focal point is placed on money instead of a blessing from the Lord then the church is straying off the path.
I will be honest, there is no way anyone can “buy” their way into Heaven. If some has told you if you give this dollar amount you are assured a place in Heaven, they are lying to you. No man has the authority to dictate whom the Lord will allow into His kingdom, no man!
Offering is as personal as faith itself. Some say give 10% or more than 10%. It should be a quiet moment of inward reflection that is born out of the heart. It is not the amount we give that impresses our Father, it is the way we offer to Him. We need to think more about why we are offering, and how we should approach Him with our offering as opposed to how much we are offering.
Do we pick a monetary amount and give it to Him out of fear? Do we give Him some of our pay check because we owe it to Him? Offering goes beyond the sum of money we give, it was born out of the act of “giving” and showing Him our “thankfulness”. The Lord gives you and I so much, our offering is a personal moment between us and our Father when we thank Him for all that he gives us.
Do you ever pause and think about the blessings that He has given you in your life? Do you think about Him and His Son? Do you delve deep into your heart and find a joy, a peace, a confidence, a love that you feel that you would like to express to Him by giving Him something? Or, do you just pick a dollar amount and throw it at Him?
If you paused and thought about WHY you were offering and told Him WHY you were giving Him this amount it would impact your life and your faith more no matter what the dollar amount was. In turn, you would touch His heart too.
Stop offering just your money and what little time you can give to Him and instead, give Him a piece of your heart…
I will be honest, there is no way anyone can “buy” their way into Heaven. If some has told you if you give this dollar amount you are assured a place in Heaven, they are lying to you. No man has the authority to dictate whom the Lord will allow into His kingdom, no man!
Offering is as personal as faith itself. Some say give 10% or more than 10%. It should be a quiet moment of inward reflection that is born out of the heart. It is not the amount we give that impresses our Father, it is the way we offer to Him. We need to think more about why we are offering, and how we should approach Him with our offering as opposed to how much we are offering.
Do we pick a monetary amount and give it to Him out of fear? Do we give Him some of our pay check because we owe it to Him? Offering goes beyond the sum of money we give, it was born out of the act of “giving” and showing Him our “thankfulness”. The Lord gives you and I so much, our offering is a personal moment between us and our Father when we thank Him for all that he gives us.
Do you ever pause and think about the blessings that He has given you in your life? Do you think about Him and His Son? Do you delve deep into your heart and find a joy, a peace, a confidence, a love that you feel that you would like to express to Him by giving Him something? Or, do you just pick a dollar amount and throw it at Him?
If you paused and thought about WHY you were offering and told Him WHY you were giving Him this amount it would impact your life and your faith more no matter what the dollar amount was. In turn, you would touch His heart too.
Stop offering just your money and what little time you can give to Him and instead, give Him a piece of your heart…
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Faith and Battle
A friend of mine recently made this statement to me; “Why is the Christian faith all about battle, when other faiths focus on acceptance?” It caused me to think about nature and the world that we live in.
When a farmer plants a seed in ground he digs a deep hole and places the seed in darkness. Perhaps this seed feels it is all alone and doesn’t realize that there are many other seeds just like it all around. This seed is forced to battle for life, to look for water, to grow, to become strong and burst through the ground seeking after the light that will sustain it and help it get stronger. In time and season it becomes part of a large harvest with others just like it. But not all seeds that are planted grow and become harvested. Would these seeds be better off if after the farmer put them into the ground he made a small hole right above them, to make it easier for them? No, they wouldn’t grow then.
What about a tree?
When the wind blows on a tree is it a detriment to it? Doesn’t the wind cause a tree to sink its roots deeper into the ground so it will become stronger and stand tall? And if the tree doesn’t sink its root then it is toppled over and dies.
If the Lord God doesn’t change and He is always consistent in everything He does then why wouldn’t He expect the same battling from us as he does in nature, in the world He created? We are surrounded by darkness. But we are not alone in this battle. We have other brothers and sisters that surround us. But we all grow at our own pace. Some of us are strong, others are week in their faith and every day we decide if we want to battle on or just give up.
DO NOT GIVE UP! Seek after the light that shines all around us. Seek the Good Father in prayer and feel the light that shines from His smiling face that will warm your heart and cause you to grow closer to him. Seek after the grace of His son Jesus which is just like a gentle rain that falls all around us and nourishes us. And ask the Holy Spirit for comfort which is like a gentle blowing wind that will make us stronger.
When a farmer plants a seed in ground he digs a deep hole and places the seed in darkness. Perhaps this seed feels it is all alone and doesn’t realize that there are many other seeds just like it all around. This seed is forced to battle for life, to look for water, to grow, to become strong and burst through the ground seeking after the light that will sustain it and help it get stronger. In time and season it becomes part of a large harvest with others just like it. But not all seeds that are planted grow and become harvested. Would these seeds be better off if after the farmer put them into the ground he made a small hole right above them, to make it easier for them? No, they wouldn’t grow then.
What about a tree?
When the wind blows on a tree is it a detriment to it? Doesn’t the wind cause a tree to sink its roots deeper into the ground so it will become stronger and stand tall? And if the tree doesn’t sink its root then it is toppled over and dies.
If the Lord God doesn’t change and He is always consistent in everything He does then why wouldn’t He expect the same battling from us as he does in nature, in the world He created? We are surrounded by darkness. But we are not alone in this battle. We have other brothers and sisters that surround us. But we all grow at our own pace. Some of us are strong, others are week in their faith and every day we decide if we want to battle on or just give up.
DO NOT GIVE UP! Seek after the light that shines all around us. Seek the Good Father in prayer and feel the light that shines from His smiling face that will warm your heart and cause you to grow closer to him. Seek after the grace of His son Jesus which is just like a gentle rain that falls all around us and nourishes us. And ask the Holy Spirit for comfort which is like a gentle blowing wind that will make us stronger.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Peace
I have a favorite poem that a student from one of my meditation classes gave me. I keep it on my refrigerator.
Peace.
It does not mean to be in a place
where there is no noise, trouble
or hard work. It means to be in
the midst of those things and still
be calm in your heart.
(unknown)
Peace is not the absence of war. Peace does not come from an outside source. Rather it is born and held from within the soul.
It does not mean to be in a place
where there is no noise, trouble
or hard work. It means to be in
the midst of those things and still
be calm in your heart.
(unknown)
Peace is not the absence of war. Peace does not come from an outside source. Rather it is born and held from within the soul.
Jesus Christ said; “peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” (John 14:27) KJV.
Peace is something that you and I can choose. We decide how we will react to any situation. We have peace within us. We just need to tap into it. How do we do that? With prayer! We can ask the Lord God to open our heart, and we can ask Him to also give us more peace.
So often I hear people say; “I have been robbed of my peace!” In actuality they were not robbed they chose to give it away. No one can take our peace away from us if we are always mindful that it is ours to hold and cherish. Peace is like a precious jewel that should be treasured and guarded against.
I submit to you a challenge, the next time you feel anger swelling, stop and chose peace. Life is full of choices, good choices and bad choices.
What will you chose?
Friday, October 30, 2009
When does God get to talk to you?
What is grace?
Grace can be defined by “favor or good will”. I define it by “undeserved love”. It is the Lord God who grants grace daily. He said; “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious”.
I speak with so many people that tell me they belong to a faith but they don’t attend services. Many tell me they don’t need to go to church because they talk to God all the time. I tell them that is good, but when does God get a chance to talk to you?
Others tell me they feel too guilty to go because they haven’t gone for a long time. Some seem to only go to church when they are going through a tough time. They only pray when they need something. They can’t seem to face Him. They feel as though He won’t help them.
I ask them, if they are parents, if your children walked away from you, or hurt you in some way would you stop loving them? Would you turn them away if they asked you for help? Of course not! Love goes beyond all human understanding. Magnify the love you have for your children or family a million times over and you will still not be able to comprehend the love God has for you.
He doesn’t hold grudges, He is incapable of hating. And, most importantly, you can’t fool Him. He is not ignorant. He knows what you need and hopes you will pray and ask anything of Him. He waits for you to come to Him. He hopes you will come to church so He can strengthen you. Why? Because faith comes from hearing the word of God. If you don’t feel you are being fed in the church you haven’t gone to for a while then find another one.
I belong to the New Apostolic Church and I can tell you I am always fed, strengthen and my faith is renewed every time I go there. If you want to know more go to http://www.nak.org/ and find out for yourself. Stop making excuses and go back! It’s still not too late to hear what God wants to say to you. He holds all of your answers in His hand. And His son is coming very soon…
Grace can be defined by “favor or good will”. I define it by “undeserved love”. It is the Lord God who grants grace daily. He said; “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious”.
I speak with so many people that tell me they belong to a faith but they don’t attend services. Many tell me they don’t need to go to church because they talk to God all the time. I tell them that is good, but when does God get a chance to talk to you?
Others tell me they feel too guilty to go because they haven’t gone for a long time. Some seem to only go to church when they are going through a tough time. They only pray when they need something. They can’t seem to face Him. They feel as though He won’t help them.
I ask them, if they are parents, if your children walked away from you, or hurt you in some way would you stop loving them? Would you turn them away if they asked you for help? Of course not! Love goes beyond all human understanding. Magnify the love you have for your children or family a million times over and you will still not be able to comprehend the love God has for you.
He doesn’t hold grudges, He is incapable of hating. And, most importantly, you can’t fool Him. He is not ignorant. He knows what you need and hopes you will pray and ask anything of Him. He waits for you to come to Him. He hopes you will come to church so He can strengthen you. Why? Because faith comes from hearing the word of God. If you don’t feel you are being fed in the church you haven’t gone to for a while then find another one.
I belong to the New Apostolic Church and I can tell you I am always fed, strengthen and my faith is renewed every time I go there. If you want to know more go to http://www.nak.org/ and find out for yourself. Stop making excuses and go back! It’s still not too late to hear what God wants to say to you. He holds all of your answers in His hand. And His son is coming very soon…
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