Sometimes, I choose the lower road of selfish reaction.

Have you said your prayers?
No.
Why not?
Because  there is nothing I want.

Our time of reflecting on God's word is a chance to get away from our own words and thoughts to receive God's thoughts, to learn from Him.   In prayer we open ourselves to "a transformation of conscience and conciousness with all that can lead to.    One's life will never be the same again"  - Basil Pennington

Our time of prayer may lead us to see ourselves or others in a  whole new light.
We may receive a new insight or peace of mind,
or a call to a specific aciton.
Sometimes it may seem that we receive nothing from our time of prayer.
That is all right too.
Sometimes it is enough just to be close to God,
just because we love Him.

Lord you know me, and you know my reactions, my heart, my thoughts.
I know I am not God.
Please protect my relationships.

Sometimes, I choose my emotions at the expense of my relationships.
Instead of rising above my feelings and seeking the higher ground of Godly virtue,
I chose the lower road of selfish reaction.

If we want to lay hold of the life God promised us, we simply cannot take our cues from our emotional reactions to life circumstances.   We lose ground every time we allow our emotional whims or selfish desires to win the day.

Help me to lean on You,
not myself.

Interruptions keep getting in the way?

"Never be satisfied with a comparison with those around you.   Make it a practice to review your character - take it in relation to life.  To your dear ones, your household, friends, acquaintances, your country, your work, see where I in the same relationship or circumstance or situation would act differently.   Pray to as  how such a fault can be eradicated or sin, mistake, or omission be avoided. "
  -God Calling

"Growing in the Lord is not complicated.  
We don't have to be theologians to be mighty in God.  
We just need to be present with Him,  
Engaged in His purposes for us.  
Flexible in our plans,
Receptive to His divine interruptions.  
He invites us to walk in His Presence as we live here on earth.  Psalm  116:9  
When we walk intimately with Him,
We will have purpose in every step and we will get to where we need to go.  
Awaken me again to the preciousness and power of Your presence.  
Draw me close to you and rekindle my prayer life once again."   -Your Beautiful Purpose   

Belittling others, making them feel less then.........

Stay close to God, mastery doesn't come by stopping the process.  Don't give up!

How do we tell people about You?   What do we tell them about You?

Rule the world.
Live in a large sense, live to serve.   You may never go beyond one room, and yet you may become of of the most powerful forces for good in your country, in the world!   You may never see the mighty work you do.   -God Calling

Stay on the path that the Lord has told you to follow.
Then you will live long and prosperous in the land you are about to enter and occupy.  - Deut. 5:33

Look at your life.
What has God asked you to do?
Do it.

God, help us to follow you and to walk in Your will.

Fear Nothing.

So many of us have such unrealistic expectations of what life, marriage, and relationships are really about.

We are infused with tales of happily ever afters in big mansions with no more struggles.

Our homes are filled with things we don't really need, yet we go and buy more.   We don't even have enough space in our closets.   We suffer from depression and anxiety because we don't have 'that job' or live in 'that neighborhood'.

We suffer from pride, arrogance, fear, and the illusion of self sufficiency.   We need each other but are too proud, or under too many illusions of what success means.   We have bought the pipe dream that marriage is always super blissful, we should be able to retire at 50 and travel endlessly with no worries. We believe that we should have some high paying, high profile job.  

And then reality sets in.

Dear Lord, help us to give up unrealistic notions and expectations about intimacy, marriage, life, jobs.

"The world's notion of supermarital bliss, status, and financial success,  is only going to create chronic bitterness, depression, and frustration."    -Intimate Moments

Stay close to Him for real peace.
Not as the world gives.
Not as the world says it should be.

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.- New American Standard Version (1995)

Be quite certain that He is guiding you.  There is no other way but to stay close to Him.

My Guardianship is wonderful.   Expect not one miracle but many.  You are Mine.    I watch over you to bless and care for you.   Remember that out of darkness to light, out of unrest to rest, out of disorder to order.    Out of faults and failure to perfection.   Trust Me wholly.   FEAR NOTHING. Hope ever.    Look ever up to Me and I will be your sure aid.   I can bring peace out of your chaos.   Your affairs are Mine.   Your affairs will be ordered by Me.   -God Calling

Jealous? Selfish?

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear their prayer from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country.
-2 Chronicles 7:14

I will draw you closer to Me.   Strive for a deeper relationship with Me.   It is not about popularity or mens words.    It is about relationship with Me and how that relationship is a beacon of love to those around.

We are weak, we all have an achilles heel..  Lord, You know where I am particularly vulnerable.

"For straying, there is no cure except to keep so close to Me, that nothing, no interest, not temptation, no other can come between us.   Come sit with Me.   I hasten to meet you."   

Concentrate on thanks.

Always for everything giving thanks in the name of God.  - Ep. 5:20

For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom, such things are earthly.   Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.   -James 3:15-16

God has had it with the proud, but takes delight in just ordinary people.   
So be content with who you are and don't put on airs.   
God's strong hand is on you, He will promote you at the right time.   
Live free of care before Him.   
He is careful with you.

Swift recognition of the selfish.

I am Your Shield.   No buffets of the world can harm you.   Feel that beween you and all scorn and indignity is a strong shield.   Practice feeling this until nothing has the power to spoil the inward peace.

Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.   -James 1:19
Choose words that are edifying instead of angry.

Drive out fear, depression, despair and and a sense of failure with Praise.
Just go on along the way of obedience and persistence and you will be rewarded as you come to the glad spring of water.   Joy in Me and shed joy on all around you.  

Turn your eyes to look at Me.    
Look away from the imperfections in yourself and those around you.  
In your unrest, see My calm.  
In your impatience - see My unfailing patience.
In your lack and limitation, see My perfection.
Looking at Me you will grow like Me, 
until people will say too, that you have been with Me.
Have a swift recognition of the selfish in your desires and motives, actions, words, and thoughts, and turn instantly to appeal to Me to eradicate that.   
Shortcomings you had hardly realized or 
at least for which you had no sense of sorrow now cause you trouble and dismay.   
As you see the slow progress you make, 
you will gain a divine patience with others whose imperfections trouble you.   
As I share your troubles, failures, difficulties, heartaches, 
you too, share My patience, and My strength.   -God Calling


He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.
Moses overcame insecurities by meeting with God regularly.

Boaz saw Ruth's heart for God and others.... Do your actions reveal your heart?
A kind hearted woman gains respect.   -Proverbs 11:16

SEEK ME EARLY

"Seek Me early, that is the way to find Me.   
Early before I get crowded out by life's troubles and difficulites and pleasures.  
Don't get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.   Be kind to everyone.   Choose peace, Choose love, keep Me as your primary focus.  Trust Me to meet your supply, empty your vessel, I will fill it, you must live as I tell you.   Depend on Me."  -God Calling 

"Even when we are physically present in today's tasks, our minds tend to live in tomorrow's troubles, don't they?   Before we know it, our concerns can consume us.  Too often, instead of talking to God, I think a lot of times we just start talking to ourselves in our heads until our accumulation of concerns become worries.   Yet God invites us to come and talk to Him.   He promises a resting place for our restless hearts.   He says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matt 11:28

Do you ever wonder if God notices and cares about things that are concerning you- how will you get everything done, how will you pay the bills, how will your children handle you going back to work and not spending as much time with them?  God notices and He cares.

Worry also robs us of peace in our relationships with others.   'Martha, Martha,' the Lord said, 'You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed or indeed only one.   Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'  Luke 10:38-42     Not only was Martha questioning God, she was mad at her sister!   Overwhelmed by all of my responsibilities and efforts, I can get frustrated with people closest to me.   I have said to my husband, 'Don't you care?   Don't you notice all I am doing?   Why don't you help me?  

I have to shift my focus to the only place I can find the security and strength I need.     My relationship with God.

Mary sat at His feet, listening to what He said, but Martha didn't.    Instead of going to God with a listening heart, Martha went to Him with a list!  The difference is we give Him our lists and our hearts, saying, "Lord this is what's on my mind.   This is what I am worried about."   But instead of telling Him what to do, we stop and ask, "Lord what is on Your heart?   What are Your thoughts toward me?  What are Your thoughts about this situation?"   And then we listen! "   - A Confident Heart 

God doesn't promise that we will understand, but He promises peace in the midst of not understanding.    His nearness can be our good, and finding a refuge of peace in Him can be our goal.   Ps. 73:28

"Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything.   Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.   Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.   His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Him.    Phil. 4:6-7