Greed and Self Preservation.

Who doesn't like a nice 'SCORE' once in a while?

Especially if it involves chocolate?!

Jackpot!  It is the small wins in life.
That's right, I scored with chocolate!

Man, I made a great score at work.  

The bags of Ghiardelli chocolate were like $1~

I bought 11 bags.

There was not much left for anyone else.

When everyone else found out, they all wanted it.
But is was MINE, ALL MINE!

But then, the voice............

"Does this glorify Me........   or is it selfish and greedy?"

"Aw, Man, come on!!!   One little score?!!    
FINE, I will give some away."

I gave some away.   In my mind I was wincing and was screaming, "NO!!!"

The voice.
"Not with that attitude."

"GAH!   COME ON!!!?!   Really?   I am giving away my CHOCOLATE!"

I made it down the store, gave away almost a third of my haul.   Almost a third of my chocolate score!

"Hey," three folks yelled out-   "You got chocolate?   We want some!"

GAH!   NO NO NO.
I made it out of the store....with some of my goodies still intact.

Whew, made it to my vehicle.
Grabbed a bag and went back into the store.

 Oh, yay (sarcasm)  
All three of the folks who wanted some chocolate were still there.

I handed them the bag.

I argued with myself all the way home.   Really?   You had to give over a third of what you had?  
Really?

But today You said to me.

Really.
Give abundantly.   
Feel that you are rich.   
This glorifies Me.
Have no mean thought in your heart. 
 (Like -why do I have to give them my chocolate)
Of love, of thought, of all you have,
GIVE, give, give.
You are the follower of the world's greatest giver.
Give of time, personal ease and comfort, of rest, of fame, of healing, of power, of sympathy, 
of all these and many more.
Learn this leasson, and you will become a great power to help others and do mighty things. -God Calling

Jackpot!  
It is the small wins in life.
That's right, I scored with chocolate!

But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

"Say My name, and know I am with you."

"He saved us, not because of any good works that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy by the cleansing and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.   He did it so that we would be justified by His grace, wholly undeserved."

  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.    -Psalm 66:18 

Take away the pointing finger!

God's love is a firm commitment, but I choose whether to abide in it's abundance or walk after immorality, strife, jealousy, outburst of anger, disputes, drunkenness, carousing.   Gal. 5:19-20

Return to your first love.  

"I pray for you constantly, asking God to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding so that you might grow in your knowledge of Him."    Ephesians  1:16-17

Do not fear.

"They serve Him continually can be said of all who love Me.   
With love there is continuous service in every action.
Take this as the beginning of a new life consecrated to My service.
A life of power and joy."

And whatever you do,
do it as unto God, and not unto men.    Col. 3:23

True love is an unconditional commitment to an imperfect person.
The perfect person and perfect conditions won't ever be found.
Lord help us to turn to You as our Rock.

"The human spirit on its own is not strong enough, long enough, 
to keep it's security afloat in the shark infested waters of our current society."

Lord, when we feel attacked or confronted,
give us the right words to say.
Show us what to do.

OCD much?

Ever have those days where you feel OCD?    Your exhausted but
..... you cannot sleep?

Please calm my soul, Lord.
Calm my thoughts.
They are speeding!

In returning and in rest shall you be saved.
In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.  -Isaiah 30:15

You are the one who makes us feel cool, significant, loving, alive.
You applaud our character, and yet You are the one that makes our character worth applauding.

Do not be overcome by evil.
But overcome evil with good.  -Romans 12:21

Do not weary of doing good.

Focus:
Think clearly and exercise self control.   1 Peter 1:13

Finally, rejoice in the Lord.
When all else is gone.
God is still left.
Nothing changes Him.
He is the same.
When you find your joy in bringing glory to Him, you will not waver.

Jesus shows us the loving, merciful face of God.
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." -Luke 23:34

Don't Give Up!

Grand children.

I have heard it said that grandchildren
keep you young.   

They are portayed as the ultimate arrival in life.   

Now, I am not going to lie, 

there is absolutely something about a grandchild that makes a person feel at peace and satisfied.   

They are beautiful to experience and love.   

Absolutely.  A true blessing and joy that is indescribable.

But that is WAY too much of an expectation and demand to put on any human being!
No person could ever live up to that type of expectation!
Never mind, a beautiful little child!

I have found that the only one who keeps me young is God.  

He gives me the desire to be unselfish.   

He gives me the courage to be brave.   

He gives me the hope for a path that is not a dead end.   

He gives me life where I was stagnant.  

He gives me forgiveness when I act selfishly and self centered.
He gives me vision for the future, 
and excitement for the present, (no matter how mundane the present may be)!
And He gives me a reason to forgive and not hold a grudge.

Look to me and be saved.   -Is. 45:22

Look to no other for salvation.

Look to no other for supply.

Regard Me as your only supply.

You in your turn shall save many from poverty and distress.

What ever danger threatens look to Me.

What ever you need, look to Me.

Claim all from My storehouse.

Remember I fed my children with Manna sent from heaven.

I made a way through the Red Sea for them.

I led them throught the wilderness of having very little.

Difficulty, discipline.   

I led them into the land of Milk and Honey.

So trust.

So be led. -God Calling

In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your Paths.   -Proverbs. 3:6

In quietness and confidence will be your strength.   

"The sunlight of My presence is on your paths.   Trust and go forward unafraid.

Directly put your affairs, their confusion, their difficuties, into My hands.   I will give a cure of all the disharmoney and disorder.   You must know that I shall cause you no more pain in the doing of it than a physician who plans and knows he can effect a cure, would cause his patient.   

I will do all as tenderly as possible.  Trust Me in this."   -God Calling

With the eye of faith we look into Your face and know that nothing stands between us.

DO NOT GIVE UP.

And do not weary in doing good.  -Gal. 6

Now we do good works, not so that people will think good of us,

but in the hope that maybe we can reflect the love of God and point others to Him.  

Are you a weak placating wishy-washy people-pleasing lamb?

God says,
Do not fear.
Fear is evil's ally.

Ever feel weak?   That you were vulnerable to attack?

Worth repeating:

"We have little or no strength against evil if we are unstable and allow our circumstances to determine our joy."

"He who dwells in the secret place of God will remain stable and fixed, 
under the shadow of the Almighty....
Whose power no foe can withstand."  -Psalm 91

"Come before Me and stay for awhile in My presence this must strengthen and help you.
Think much of Me.   Speak much of Me.
See others as I see them. 
Never lonely with Me,  I am infinitely tender and strong.
I will walk with you." -God Calling

Help us to be clearly confident of Your presence.

I need to concentrate on God, not what the enemy is doing.

I am not a fan of confrontation.
Although it seems it is necessary, to be all that God has called me to be.
Otherwise I end up just being a weak placating wishy washy people pleasing lamb
or MIA.

"The importance of discipline -
No discipline seems pleasant at the time.   
Later on however, it produces a harvest of 
righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."      - Hebrews 12:11
It is ok for me to disagree with someone or them to disagree with me, 
as long as it is done respectfully, still honoring the other as a person.

Marriage and intimacy.   

Leading in Marriage is
ARM IN ARM,
facing problems TOGETHER.








Not by control or manipulation.






Go forward fearlessly.   
Do not think about the Red Sea that lies ahead.   
Be very sure that when you come to it, 

the waters will part and 
you will pass over to the promised land of freedom.  -God Calling

The cowardly Lion.

We tend to be self preserving and cowardly.
You are not.
Shine in my weakness.

I am your deliverer.   Trust in Me absolutely.   Know that I will do the very best for You.   Be ready and willing for My will to be done.   Know that with Me all things are possible.   Cling joyfully to that truth.    Say many times, "All things are possible with My Master, My Lord, My Friend.

For I know the plans I have for you,
plans of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope. -Jeremiah 29:11

The loving thoughts of God direct and perfect all that concerns us.

No complaining.  No pointing at others.  Be at Peace.   Do not Fear.  Do not inspire fear.  Peace does not mean leisure.   Guard your thoughts.   Pray.  Obey.   Give thanks.   Give.   .

"He who dwells in the secret place of the most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the almighty."   Psalm 91:1

We will have little or no strength against the devil if we are unstable 
and allow our circumstances to determine our joy.

There is a void people feel when they don't spend enough time in God's presence and with His word.

Submit yourself to God. Obey Him. Seek first God's kindom and all else will be added.

Whatever we concentrate on in life is the thing that will seem biggest to us.
We need to magnify God, concentrate on God,
not on what the enemy is doing.

The still small Voice.

Help us to Know and love You.

Thank You for peace.

"Don't concentrate on the small trials and aggravations of each day, 

see the one purpose and plan to which they are all leading.

You have entered on a mountain climb

Steep steps upward, but your power to help others will be truly marvelous.

Not alone will you rise.

All towards whom you now send loving,

pitying thoughts will be helped upward by you.

Look to Me and all your thoughts will be God inspired.

Act on them and you will be led on.

They are not your own impulses but the movement of My Spirit and obeyed

will bring the answer to your prayers.

Love and trust.

Let no unkind thoughts of any dwell in your hearts.

Give Me the morning blossoms of your time,

not the faded off leaves later in the day.

Count your blessings.

At all costs obey.

Do not fear.

I am a Wall of Protection around you.

I will do miracles again." -God Calling

Elijah hears God,

not in the earthquake, or the wind, 
but in the still small voice.  -1Kings 18/19:12-13

Pray for the world's leaders!

Lord, I lift up the leaders of our world.
It seems the world has become so angry and hostile.
Have mercy on those being persecuted,
those doing the persecution, turn their hearts to You as You did Paul the apostle.
Let our leaders turn their hearts and eyes to You.
Please have mercy on us!

Open our eyes to see You,
to see You at work through the day.

"The horror, the horror!"
In the classic, the Heart of Darkness, we see our own heart of darkness
and sinfulness.  Please help us not to get overwhelmed with our own sinfulness.

Free us from 
Pointing the finger at others,
Fear,
Anxiety,
Cowardice.

We don't need to impose our thinking upon others, or attempt to force them to agree with our
conclusions of faith, we simply need to let them see You as we cooperate with Your leading.

Help us to know You, see You,
and share Your workings in our lives.

Help us to encourage each other to seek You.
Help us encourage each other to good works.

Do not be afraid.
Pray.

Greater is He that is inside of you, than he who is living in the world.

RECKLESS

Reading about the horrors of the ISIS and their angry persecutions and acts of pure brutality,
I think of the old testament,
and even about Paul.
"Still drawing his breath hard from threatening and murderous desire against the disciples....Saul (Paul) shamefully treated and laid waste the church with cruelty and violence, and entering house after house, he dragged out men and women .......and committed them to prison...   - Acts 8

But eventually, He was transformed from the inside out by God.  

It occurs to me that there is nothing more important that we can do than to run to our private place with God and be praying for those being persecuted and those doing the persecuting.  We need to be praying for our leaders as well!

And when I ask, Lord, teach me to pray, show me to pray.......

"But I tell you.   Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.         -Matthew 5:44 

Go into your room, privately.    
Close the door. 
Pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father, will reward you in the open.   
......Pray like this:

 Our Father in heaven: May your holy name be honored; may your Kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today the food we need.  Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.  Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One.'   -Matthew 6:9-13

Throw away all that is not important.   Cast aside all the hindrances, the past imperfections of others, the sense of failure.   If you have resent, ask for God to help rid you of it.

When we gossip, are busy bodies, saying things we should not say and talking of things we should not mention, then we give those who don't believe in God more occasion for slander or reproach, further reason not to believe.   1 Tim. 5:13-14.   

If you forgive people their RECKLESS and willful sins and give up resent against them, Your Father will also forgive you.          Matthew 6:14

Which leads me to this thought.

There is a new T.V. show out now,

On one of the episodes, several times one person encourages another person to fulfill their lust by saying,
"No one will ever have to know!"

"No one will ever have to know." 
This sentence churned up all kinds of emotions in me when I heard it.
The deceit, the lie, how many have fallen to those words!!

Nothing is hidden.   The big lie, "No one will ever have to know."

Don't be duped.   If you think what you do and say is hidden.
It WILL come to light.

All deeds, 
whether good or bad, 
are evident, 
and even when they are not, 
they cannot remain hidden.   -1 Tim 5

Quit Complaining!

In everything you do,
stay away from complaining and arguing.  phil.  2:14

"All of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord.   And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory ever more.   2 Cor. 3:18


If we experience God, we should be different.  

"Instantly, something like scales fell from his eyes."

Paul the apostle....He changed.  He obeyed.   He wanted others to experience what he had.

Choose your words carefully, words are seeds.    
They produce good harvest or bad harvest in your life and the lives of the ones you know.

I am baffled by the events in our world.
I don't understand any of it....

Spend time with Him.

Fly to the closet of your heart,
and earnestly implore divine assistance.   Matthew

"For Joshua and the children of Israel were deceived because they did not first consult the Lord.   But too easily they gave credit to others words and they were deluded with counterfeit peity."   Joshua 9:15

"For the deciding of all doubts and questions,
flee to the help of prayer against all the dangers and wickedness of men.
Enter like Moses, into the place with God, to consult with Him,
you will sometimes hear a divine answer and come out instructed in many things,
present and to come.

In every place, in every action, or job, be inwardly free so that all things will be under you and you not under them." -Thomas A Kempis

Kindness -August 17

Kindness takes a lot of different forms.
One is showing an interest in things that matter to your spouse.
Showing an interest is another way to build an intimate marriage.

Lord help me to be kind,
especially by taking an interest in things that are important to my spouse.

What unspoken, unwritten expectations are you bringing into your marriage?   Instead of arguing and living with unspoken expectations, try to begin with the conversation of who is responsible for what.


Lord, forgive us for our constant bent towards selfishness.
I don't want to miss a thing You have for us.
You have called us to accept Your divine interruptions in our day that that we can participate in Your everyday miracles.

All our heroes are only shadows of God.

"Have you ever had a friend whom you loved so much that you wanted to be with them all the time and get to know them better every day?   Has their presence lit up your life?    You felt energized just being close?    Have you watched them so closely and followed them so much that you have almost become like them?   God wants you to know Him better by reading His words and talking to Him.   He wants you to spend so much time together that you become like Him!"   -Florence Littauer   

Be alert.   When you get that 'not good feeling"...  stop and ask God what triggered your thoughts, look to His word to replace any lies that may have filled your heart with doubt.

"The soul was made to stand in awe of a person.
The only person worthy of awe.
All heroes are shadows of God.
We love to admire their excellence.
 How much more will we be satisfied by the one Person who conceived all excellence and embodies all skill, all talent, a strength, and brilliance and goodness.   God loves us by liberating us from the bondage of self so that we can enjoy knowing and admiring Him forever.

He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him".     - Don't Waste Your Life.

.How come it is hard to give without resent and bitterness?

"I lay my life down willingly and not from compulsion."

“No man takes it from me; I am laying it down of my own will, for I am authorized to lay it down, and I am authorized to receive it again; this commandment I have received from my Father.”  -John 10:18

"Kindness is not genuine when strings are attached, and never does it call attention to itself.   Be kind to one another, tenderhearted."   Ephesians 4:3  

True kindness springs from a heart softened by God's love.    Many times we do the right thing, but without the tenderness of a caring and kind heart.   The gifts then feel like obligations and a duty.  How can we learn to give without resent and bitterness?    How can we give without feeling used?

Take my words, revealed to you at the beginning of each day and do all things as I say.

Caring for others, especially my loved ones, then becomes natural and not forced, a privilege and not a duty.   I get resentful sometimes after serving?   Why because the kindness was not only not acknowledged, but I start to feel exploited.   A demanding person may become even more demanding, so it seems.   What do I do then, Lord?   When I don't feel valued, but feel like a slave, that is when I become resentful.   Just when I thought I had the whole personal boundaries thing figured out.

We will burn out if we try to seize every opportunity before us.   It all goes back to staying in step and engaged with God, and doing only that which He calls us to do.   Never fail to keep your prayer time because you are not aware of your own desparate need for Him.   Give what you have and God will do what He does.   Keep your ear tuned for His voice.   Do only what He gives you to do.   See the difference between selfish ambition and a God appointed desire. -Susie Larson

Lord, build our relationships according to Your blueprint.

Guide my steps by Your word, so I will not be overcome by any evil.  Psalm 119: 133

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

ALL IS WELL.
My keeping power is never at fault, only your realization of it.   

Thank You for the blessings.

An unexpected blessing comes.   I start thinking:
Thank you Lord!  We are going to be able to pay the bills on time!

But then......HOW does this next thing happen???

I let myself tumble in an accelerated downhill anxiety attack of, but what about tomorrow??!!   What about two years from now, ten years from now??!!   How will we pay the bills, the medical, food, ?   It is never enough!  I lose my focus.   SERIOUSLY???   How did I just go from enjoying a sweet, kind blessing to an anxiety attack??!!

It is not whether I can provide a shelter in the storm but your failure to be sure of the security of it.   Trust Me.  Practice saying, "All is Well."   Say it until you know it, and believe it.  -God Calling 

"All we can say can be reduced to this, I feel drawn to write, to read, to question.   I obey.   If we have abandoned ourselves there is only one rule for us, the duty of the present moment.   

We must stop all imaginings about the future, keeping our attention on what is happening now and not bother about anything that has gone before or what may follow."  -Abandonment to Divine Providence.

There are times when we lose sight of our target, which is to joy in the glory of God.   The world is too much.   Tears blur our vision.   Unexplained tragedy  makes us question that which cannot be answered and shakes our faith to its foundations.  Keep your position. The best deal you will ever get offered is God's promise of abundant life, His promise that even though we are weak, He makes us strong and can use our weakness to help us!   Claim your deal now!    You won't get a better offer.  

Thank You for the blessings.

Worried about what other people will say about you?

Ever not do something because you were afraid of what other people may think?
Especially if it comes to talking about God?

Guess what?   You might as well do it, because people are always going to have their opinions.
And...
Guess what again....
They are not always going to agree with you.

"Rest more with Me.  Refilling with My Spirit is a need.   That dwelling apart, shutting yourself away in the very secret place of your being- alone with Me.   From these times you come forth in power to heal and bless."   - God Calling  

But sometimes we are afraid to let others know that we love You.   Why?   Because we know we will mess up.   We know we will fall short of being a sign of Your Presence.  We talk about You, and dimly know how we are to behave.   Yet so much of our worldly nature still comes through us.  

Please help us to know and love each other.  
Please help us, even though we can see each other's failings,
help us to encourage each other in our strengths.

Help us not to turn on each other when we see each other's faults.
But help us to remember the strengths and the good.

Help us to to point to the giftedness in each other, not the sinfulness and weakness.  

Help us to build each other up and not point fingers and tear each other down.

If you ever feel in your faith walk that you have failed or fallen, or have been taken by surprise,
there is hope that we will be wiser and more humble in the future. -Abandonment to Divine Providence

When we feel like we fall, get knocked off of our feet, it doesn't have to be the end.
We can get up and walk with Him to guide us-
We can walk in the humility of knowing that only He is perfect.

"All of you together are His, and each one of you is necessary."    1 Cor. 12:27

Emotions can make us look cray-cray. (CRAZY!)

Let someone know that although you don't have it all together, you find comfort and hope in the Lord.

"An anxious word weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up."   -Prov. 12:25

Emotions can make us appear so crazy!   Ever been mean to someone because you missed them?    And you felt that they no longer cared about you?   You have sadness regarding them, but instead of telling them you lash out in anger!    Wierd, huh?

Or someone gets recognition for doing a good job and instead of being happy for them, we react in jealousy and resent!    We act as if their accomplishment diminishes our self worth!   We are so silly!!  So silly and insecure!

If you have an idea, a dream or a future that you feel is failing, turn your eyes back to where you can get real help, hope and inspiration!  God says, "WIN ME and WIN ALL!"

So how do we get this hope from God?    By worship.   What is worship?    Worship is voluntary preoccupation.   People bow under the weight of anger and unforgiveness, insecurity, jealousy, fear, anxiety. We are preoccupied with our money, our status, our food, our figure, our health, our relationships.   We obsess about others and turn our focus, our preoccupation, our worship to the things around us.

In Beth Moore's words, she was talking about how we view men, "They are neither gods, nor devils."    But I say this about everyone!    Other people (no matter what sex)  are neither gods, nor devils.

Beth says, "Insecurity is every where, it's epidemic.  We all have just enough meanness in us to occasionally enjoy a peck or two at somebody we know to be weak.   Maybe we are in a mischievous or terse mood or maybe just tired of tiptoeing around a person.   Let's take a good, long look in the mirror and make absolutely sure we don't see a mean woman staring back at us.   We need to encourage one another's security.   Not enable one another's insecurity.   Catch yourself making comparisons and stop!   Personalize the other person who feels threatening to you.   Our goal in our relationships should be to encourage one another's security.  Let's deal with our insecurities and cravings for attention in ways that don't minimize those around us!

When we work from an activated mentality of God given security, we are fully capable of thinking another woman is beautiful without concluding that we are ugly.   We can esteem another persons achievements without feeling like an idiot.   We can admire another persons terrific shape without feeling like a slob.   Where on earth did we come up with the idea that we have to subtract value from ourselves in order to give credit to someone else?  It is our insecurity that makes us constantly draw wrong conclusions.

You were made to be God's dwelling place.  

"How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord!"

You, beloved, were created to be exceptional.  
You can come to love God more than any other living soul on the planet."  -Beth Moore

If we can refocus we can win peace and kindness, and forgiveness.

THE VERY DAY I STOP PRAYING,  
THE TOXINS RETURN TO MY EMOTIONS 
-Beth Moore

Feel off balance?

Ever feel off balance?

Seek by constant contact to know Me more and more.   Make Me the one abiding Presence of your day of which you are conscious all the time.

Choose which relationships are most valuable and make time for them.   Which people in your life replenish and strengthen you?   Do you treat your spouse as the most special person in the world?   Or are you more polite to the neighbors?    We teach our children to be polite, but how polite are we to their father/mother?Are you listening?

 Be fast to listen and hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.   -James 1:19

Do you feel like a loser?

Be watchful to hear My Voice and instantly obey.   Obedience is your sign of faith.   Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, but do not do the things I say to do?  I am not talking about the sermon on the Mount, keeping My commandments and 'being good', I mean the following, in all, the Inner Guiding that I give.

The steadfast secure life of My disciples is not built in a moment, but is laid by acts of obedience, daily following out of My wishes, the loving doing of My Will.   The House of Obedience is the truest expression of a disciple's adoration and worship - it is there that I dwell.

How poor the understanding of the one who thinks that money to be used in this good work or that is the great gift to offer.   Above all I desire Love, true, warm, childlike Love, the trusting understanding love, and then the gift I prize next is the gift of the moments, all of the moments.     What it means to give Me the moments.   The little things you planned to do, given up gladly at My suggestion, the little services, joyfully rendered.   See Me in all .   -God Calling  

Ever look at other group pictures, people's pictures and lives and feel like you are 'less than'?  -You know that feeling.    You see groups that maybe you feel like you should be a part of...  but you are not in them.   You feel like an outsider.   You feel like you don't measure up, are not successful enough, just aren't showing any "wow" factors like everyone else.   Maybe feeling a bit like a loser.

God knows that we don't have it altogether, but as we embrace our imperfections and acknowledge we are weak, we gain the ability to become strong.   It is to our advantage to know we have a selfish bent, wanting our way.  He knows our insecurities, our jealousies, our obsessions.   He takes our weaknesses and turns them into strength.

God is watching you.  Know that SOMEONE is watching you.   Your efforts are not in vain.   Someone DOES care if you do good or bad. Others ARE affected by your decisions.

You think you are ordinary, but by uniting to God, by walking with Him, you have linked yourself up to the most powerful, of most integrity, most holy force.   We are transformed into holy and powerful people.  

Remember Him.  

He makes us someone.   He makes us to prosper in what we do.  He makes us fearless.

He accepts and loves us.

WE BELONG TO HIS GROUP, 
HIS FAMILY, 
we are in His pictures.

Coincidence or Divine Appointment? -August 2, 2014

Lord we look for You
and in gaining You we gain blessing.

Why does it take so long for us to get here?

We think, I would be better off with another job, different people.
But people really are the same everywhere.

I will magnify Him as I respond to His great love.
My desire is to make knowing and enjoying God the passionate pursuit of my life.

We can be a thermometer or a thermostat.
Thermometers go up and down depending on the circumstances of the weather.
But themostats set the climate.   Instead of riding an emotional roller coaster,
set a course of stability- choose faith not fear. -Corrie Ten Boom

When darkness overtakes you, light will come bursting in.
You do not have to fear bad news, trust confidently in the Lord to care for you.
Be confident and fearless and you can face your foes triumphantly   -Psalm 112

Coincidences or divine appointments?
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly.   He delights in every detail of their life  -Psalm 37

Dear God, I did not like You.

Hide Your word in My heart, that I might fully enjoy You and Your abundance.

I will never leave you or forsake you.    There is no bond of union on earth to compare with the union between a soul that loves Me and Me. Priceless beyond all earth's imaginings is that friendship.  
In the merging of heart and mind and will, oneness results that only those who experience it can even dimly realize.  I came to show you how to live life and live it abundantly. -God Calling

I was raised Catholic.
When I was growing up, I thought that the purpose of my life was to be a martyr.
I thought that was an honorable goal for an individual who wanted to love God.
I believed that following  God is inherently dangerous.
That proclaiming God is deadly.
So, then I decided.

God, I did not like You.
And....
I did not want to be a marytr.
I wanted to survive.

Then, I survived.
I realized, surviving is not enough.
Surviving is like being alive, but dead.

Then,
I turned toward You again,
I realized then that,
I wanted to live.
I wanted to be fully alive....

Then,
I found You more.

And,
then I found out that my PURPOSE is not to suffer for Your Name,
but to find joy in loving You and glorifying You.

I find that the only place to get abiding peace is in spending time with You.
I run to You.
You are the only one who can anchor me.
Without You, living is still like death, and death is the end.

I hear in my heart,
I hear You say.
"Come sit with Me. Live in My Presence, protection, and guidance.
Know what real joy is. "

I am learning that yes, there is evil bent on destroying goodness and good deeds.
But in this journey, I find that I am, we are,  not alone.  We are not without a powerful Ally.
The goal of my life is not to be destroyed by evil so that eventually in some twisted way this will bring glory to God.
The goal of my life is to live in relationship with God and to be anchored in Him when times are good, or hard.
The goal of my life is to be so 'twitter-pated' by my relationship with Him that nothing else matters.
To be so in love with Him, that as a result, His Presence is felt by those around me.
They are drawn to Him as a result.

I know I have a long way to go, so many personal sins, imperfections, and flaws.
Please forgive me folks when I mess up.
At least now, I know, I can share with you which way I am going.

Put a dream in my heart.
Show me what a liar that enemy is and reveal to me my next place of promise.