Do you believe in miracles? Things that happen but seem to be too impossible? Well, isn't that what miracles are all about? Aren't they SUPPOSED to be impossible things that are really happening?
Of course, it sometimes seems that we are battling along from day to day, just wishing that a miracle would really happen to us, that our problems would disappear! Well, did you know that the power of miracles resides in all of us? Yes, it's true!
With God at our side we can achieve ANYTHING! Isn't that just the most amazing message? WE CAN DO IT! All we need to have is faith in God, and faith in ourselves. When you are facing something that seems truly impossible for you to resolve, take your problem to God and have faith! Have faith that God can do - and does do - miracles!
Jesus himself also said this:
"Have faith in God. For, assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain 'be removed and be cast into the sea', and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he has said will come to pass, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you. Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them".
Jesus understood God's promise. God's promise that with Him, ALL things are possible with faith and belief. Jesus understood that God had not only empowered him to perform wonderful things, but all of us. Each one, with God, is capable of anything!
Be blessed today, take your problems to God in prayer, and have faith that with Him at your side you can perform miracles.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
When God answers our prayers
Have you ever experienced the power of God answering your prayers? So many people despair of ever being answered in their troubled times, when they have kneeled before God and asked for His help. It often seems as though God is ignoring us, doesn't it?
But how do you truly know when God is answering your prayers? The thing is, you may not know - at least, not right away. We have all heard the phrase "God works in mysterious ways", and that is true; this is a saying we use to explain away the fact that God sometimes does things we least expect, and when we least expect it, and sometimes the way God answers our prayers are indeed mysterious and strange. But be assured, God NEVER lets a prayer go unanswered. Ever.
Here's a little story I read which illustrates very well what I am trying to say.
God and the Spider
During World War II, a US marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades.
Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he realised that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be found and killed.
As he waited, he prayed: "Lord, if it be your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen."
After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw close. He thought "Well, I guess the Lord isn't going to help me out of this one."
Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave. As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.
"Hah", he thought. "What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humour!" As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realised that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no-one had entered it for quite a while.
"Lord, forgive me", prayed the young man. "I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall."Source unknown
We all face times of great trouble. When we do, it is so easy to forget the victories that God would work in our lives, sometimes in the most surprising ways, if we simply had the faith required to believe that it would be done.
Remember this: Whatever is happening in your life, with God, a mere spider's web can become a brick wall of protection. Believe He is with you always and you will see His great power and love for you.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
But how do you truly know when God is answering your prayers? The thing is, you may not know - at least, not right away. We have all heard the phrase "God works in mysterious ways", and that is true; this is a saying we use to explain away the fact that God sometimes does things we least expect, and when we least expect it, and sometimes the way God answers our prayers are indeed mysterious and strange. But be assured, God NEVER lets a prayer go unanswered. Ever.
Here's a little story I read which illustrates very well what I am trying to say.
God and the Spider
During World War II, a US marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades.
Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he realised that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be found and killed.
As he waited, he prayed: "Lord, if it be your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen."
After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw close. He thought "Well, I guess the Lord isn't going to help me out of this one."
Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave. As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.
"Hah", he thought. "What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humour!" As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realised that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no-one had entered it for quite a while.
"Lord, forgive me", prayed the young man. "I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall."Source unknown
We all face times of great trouble. When we do, it is so easy to forget the victories that God would work in our lives, sometimes in the most surprising ways, if we simply had the faith required to believe that it would be done.
Remember this: Whatever is happening in your life, with God, a mere spider's web can become a brick wall of protection. Believe He is with you always and you will see His great power and love for you.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
A letter from God
Imagine, just for a moment, if God wrote you a letter. What would it say? What would God want to tell you? Do you think that God would want to ask you why you have done things that have disappointed Him? Do you think that He may want to scold you, or chastise you, or warn you that you are failing Him and yourself?
No! God would want to let you know that He loves you, everything about you, that he cares about you and what happens to you. He would want to tell you that you are His precious child, that he is not disappointed in you, and that whatever you have done and whatever you may do in the future, He loves you!
Do you feel at a loss right now? Do you feel that God is not talking to you and that you really need His care and attention right now? Many of us do, and so let us believe for a minute that this is our letter from God:
Dear Child
I just wanted to remind you today of how beautiful you are because there is a father of lies who will try to deceive you.
He will try to tell you that you are not good enough, not attractive enough, not thin enough, not strong enough, not smart enough, not righteous enough, and that you are simply unimportant to me.
He will try to tell you that you have broken one too many promises, that you have fallen one too many times, that you have lived one too many lies, and that you've been going in the wrong direction so long that it is pointless to turn back now.
But guess what?
YOU DO NOT BELONG TO HIM. HE IS NOT YOUR FATHER. I AM.
You see, you are my creation. My workmanship. You have been born of my thought, every part of you placed together by my hands. You have my thumbprint upon you. You are precious, did you know that? You are my child, the child of THE King!
I look at you and see a precious, priceless pearl. There is no ocean I would not swim, no mountain I would not climb, no price I would not pay to have you and to be with you and call you my own.
I already have.
I have done all that I could, given all that there is. I desire to be with you every moment of every day. How I long for you to talk to me every day. My love for you never grows cold. My promises are never broken (contrary to what he might lead you to believe). My character never changes. And you, my child, have been made in my image.
I love you dearly, unconditionally and completely. I understand every emotion that you have. I've been there. I count every tear that you cry. I know every hair on your head. And do you know what?
I even know your weaknesses and your failures and your fears. I know those hidden parts of you that you wish would go away. Those dark corners of your world that you stuff deep down, praying that no one will ever see. I have already seen them and they will not change my love for you.
Nothing will. I love your heart and I desire all of it.
I just wanted to remind you today of how beautiful you are and how precious you are to Me.
With love, God
See Ya Soon, May God bless you today and forever!
No! God would want to let you know that He loves you, everything about you, that he cares about you and what happens to you. He would want to tell you that you are His precious child, that he is not disappointed in you, and that whatever you have done and whatever you may do in the future, He loves you!
Do you feel at a loss right now? Do you feel that God is not talking to you and that you really need His care and attention right now? Many of us do, and so let us believe for a minute that this is our letter from God:
Dear Child
I just wanted to remind you today of how beautiful you are because there is a father of lies who will try to deceive you.
He will try to tell you that you are not good enough, not attractive enough, not thin enough, not strong enough, not smart enough, not righteous enough, and that you are simply unimportant to me.
He will try to tell you that you have broken one too many promises, that you have fallen one too many times, that you have lived one too many lies, and that you've been going in the wrong direction so long that it is pointless to turn back now.
But guess what?
YOU DO NOT BELONG TO HIM. HE IS NOT YOUR FATHER. I AM.
You see, you are my creation. My workmanship. You have been born of my thought, every part of you placed together by my hands. You have my thumbprint upon you. You are precious, did you know that? You are my child, the child of THE King!
I look at you and see a precious, priceless pearl. There is no ocean I would not swim, no mountain I would not climb, no price I would not pay to have you and to be with you and call you my own.
I already have.
I have done all that I could, given all that there is. I desire to be with you every moment of every day. How I long for you to talk to me every day. My love for you never grows cold. My promises are never broken (contrary to what he might lead you to believe). My character never changes. And you, my child, have been made in my image.
I love you dearly, unconditionally and completely. I understand every emotion that you have. I've been there. I count every tear that you cry. I know every hair on your head. And do you know what?
I even know your weaknesses and your failures and your fears. I know those hidden parts of you that you wish would go away. Those dark corners of your world that you stuff deep down, praying that no one will ever see. I have already seen them and they will not change my love for you.
Nothing will. I love your heart and I desire all of it.
I just wanted to remind you today of how beautiful you are and how precious you are to Me.
With love, God
See Ya Soon, May God bless you today and forever!
You have been a helper to others
You have been a helper to others, and you have made feeble hands strong. Recently I personally went through a very hard time in my life. I had lost my job, I was feeling very down, depressed, and even suffered physically as a result of the stress and worry. And yet through it all I heard the voice of God saying "Trust me. I know what is best for you".
I asked God to show me the way I needed to go, to show me what decisions to make, what to do.
And through it all I even felt a little betrayed, a little as if God had let me down. But He never did. Today my problems are largely past. I can now stand before God and say "Thank you. Thank you for giving me the strength to face the trials, and the faith to believe that You knew best."
And do you know the most amazing thing? When I was at my worst period, when all I could think about were my own problems, I was forced time and again to look around me at other people, at those who are suffering, worried, in trouble, in need, and I realised then that my troubles were a mere nothing in the greater scheme of things, that there are people who more than ever before need MY strength and help, MY guidance. It was almost as if God was saying "Yes, you are suffering, but there are others worse off than you, and I need you to help me to hold those others up. Don't get weak on me now!"
You may ask yourself "How can I help others when I myself am so down, in need of help and guidance"? And the simple answer is that you can, by asking God to give you the strength to do it. But holding out your hand to someone else in need, you are strengthening yourself too, through God's love and support.
It's almost like a circle of strength, each one holding another, and so on in turn. The circle of love, God's love for us, is complete and encompassing. Through one-another we can pass on this love, and so lighten the burden for others, as God would want of us. It needn't be a huge thing; do something today for someone else, even the smallest act of kindness will be magnified by God. Stretch out your hand and lift up someone who is old, weak, sick, in trouble, worried, and you will be sure that God Himself will have His own hand around yours helping you along.
God will not let you fall. God will not let you fail. Be strong in your faith today, and let God use you to bless someone else's life, just as I pray to be able to bless yours.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
I asked God to show me the way I needed to go, to show me what decisions to make, what to do.
And through it all I even felt a little betrayed, a little as if God had let me down. But He never did. Today my problems are largely past. I can now stand before God and say "Thank you. Thank you for giving me the strength to face the trials, and the faith to believe that You knew best."
And do you know the most amazing thing? When I was at my worst period, when all I could think about were my own problems, I was forced time and again to look around me at other people, at those who are suffering, worried, in trouble, in need, and I realised then that my troubles were a mere nothing in the greater scheme of things, that there are people who more than ever before need MY strength and help, MY guidance. It was almost as if God was saying "Yes, you are suffering, but there are others worse off than you, and I need you to help me to hold those others up. Don't get weak on me now!"
You may ask yourself "How can I help others when I myself am so down, in need of help and guidance"? And the simple answer is that you can, by asking God to give you the strength to do it. But holding out your hand to someone else in need, you are strengthening yourself too, through God's love and support.
It's almost like a circle of strength, each one holding another, and so on in turn. The circle of love, God's love for us, is complete and encompassing. Through one-another we can pass on this love, and so lighten the burden for others, as God would want of us. It needn't be a huge thing; do something today for someone else, even the smallest act of kindness will be magnified by God. Stretch out your hand and lift up someone who is old, weak, sick, in trouble, worried, and you will be sure that God Himself will have His own hand around yours helping you along.
God will not let you fall. God will not let you fail. Be strong in your faith today, and let God use you to bless someone else's life, just as I pray to be able to bless yours.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Your promise preserves my life!
Psalm 119:50
My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life!
It is true that people suffer, that there are hardships in this world, and that sometimes we feel abandoned by God. Has He left us alone to face all of this? After all, He is the God of love and goodness, so where does all the hate, evil and suffering come from? From our own hearts, simply.
If we were all able to be God-like, as Jesus was, if we weren't simply human, then we WOULD live in a utopia. We would be in heaven. Where God promises we someday will be. Know this - God does not create the hate, the hurt and the anger, we do.
God does not promise that he will banish all hate, fear, hurt, suffering, anguish - all those things that plague our lives on earth. But God does promise that He will help us through it all, that He will forever be with us in our suffering, feeling the pain with us, guiding and supporting us and helping us up when we fall.
And so the writer of the psalm realises this. He knows that in his suffering there is hope, a promise of help, guidance, release, assistance, love. And it is that promise that comforts him, the same promise that can comfort you - God's promise, that He will never leave you, nor forsake you.
Take comfort and strength from the knowledge that God is watching over you now.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life!
It is true that people suffer, that there are hardships in this world, and that sometimes we feel abandoned by God. Has He left us alone to face all of this? After all, He is the God of love and goodness, so where does all the hate, evil and suffering come from? From our own hearts, simply.
If we were all able to be God-like, as Jesus was, if we weren't simply human, then we WOULD live in a utopia. We would be in heaven. Where God promises we someday will be. Know this - God does not create the hate, the hurt and the anger, we do.
God does not promise that he will banish all hate, fear, hurt, suffering, anguish - all those things that plague our lives on earth. But God does promise that He will help us through it all, that He will forever be with us in our suffering, feeling the pain with us, guiding and supporting us and helping us up when we fall.
And so the writer of the psalm realises this. He knows that in his suffering there is hope, a promise of help, guidance, release, assistance, love. And it is that promise that comforts him, the same promise that can comfort you - God's promise, that He will never leave you, nor forsake you.
Take comfort and strength from the knowledge that God is watching over you now.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
The whole earth is indeed full of His glory!
It is that time of the year when we in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate the glory of Spring, and it is especially in the Spring that we can see, feel, hear, smell, and even taste the glory of God's work in our world!
Beauty surrounds us, even in the most unexpected places, and we only have to look out of our window to see it. It is at this time that we need to be reminded to thank God for all that we have, for no matter our circumstances, no matter our worries and troubles, no matter our concerns, we must be mindful that God is at work in the world.
Do it today; go out into the sunshine, smell the smells, see and appreciate the sights, feel the Glory of God's creation, and you will understand God's love for His world.
And help to open other's eyes, too. Take note of those who are blind to God's glory, and help them to see it. We must remind each other at all times of this, it is our duty; God loves us, and God has prepared this earth for all of us to enjoy. Let us do it, then.
And let us remember to thank God for our blessings, both big and small, for no matter what, we are all blessed in some way.
May you feel the warmth of God's love for you today.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Beauty surrounds us, even in the most unexpected places, and we only have to look out of our window to see it. It is at this time that we need to be reminded to thank God for all that we have, for no matter our circumstances, no matter our worries and troubles, no matter our concerns, we must be mindful that God is at work in the world.
Do it today; go out into the sunshine, smell the smells, see and appreciate the sights, feel the Glory of God's creation, and you will understand God's love for His world.
And help to open other's eyes, too. Take note of those who are blind to God's glory, and help them to see it. We must remind each other at all times of this, it is our duty; God loves us, and God has prepared this earth for all of us to enjoy. Let us do it, then.
And let us remember to thank God for our blessings, both big and small, for no matter what, we are all blessed in some way.
May you feel the warmth of God's love for you today.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
We walk by faith, not by sight.
Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indians rite of passage?It is told that the father of the young man takes his son into the woods, where he blindfolds him and leaves him all alone. The initiate is then required to sit alone on a stump the whole night, not removing the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He may not cry out for help to anyone. Once he has survived the night, he is regarded as a man, his rite of passage complete.
He cannot tell the other boys of his experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own, in his own way, with his own inner strength. The boy is naturally terrified, sitting on that stump. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might wish to do him harm. The wind blows the grass and earth and shakes his stump, but he sits stoically, never removing the blindfold. It is the only way he can become a man!
Finally, after an awful night the sun appears and he removes his blindfold.It is only then that he discovers his father sitting on the stump next to him. He has been silently at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.
And so it is with us. We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him and we can be comforted in our fear and worry, safe in the knowledge that God is protecting and watching out for us.
Remember always, just because you can't see God it doesn't mean He is not there, for we walk by faith, not by sight.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
He cannot tell the other boys of his experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own, in his own way, with his own inner strength. The boy is naturally terrified, sitting on that stump. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might wish to do him harm. The wind blows the grass and earth and shakes his stump, but he sits stoically, never removing the blindfold. It is the only way he can become a man!
Finally, after an awful night the sun appears and he removes his blindfold.It is only then that he discovers his father sitting on the stump next to him. He has been silently at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.
And so it is with us. We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him and we can be comforted in our fear and worry, safe in the knowledge that God is protecting and watching out for us.
Remember always, just because you can't see God it doesn't mean He is not there, for we walk by faith, not by sight.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
He gathers the lambs in His arms
He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to His heart. This passage from Isaiah is part of a larger paragraph which says that God tends his flock like a shepherd, and looks after those who have young. We understand this to mean that God tends his people like a shepherd tends his sheep, but it also means that God tends his creation in this way, all of it. For all of God's creation is special to Him, and all of it deserves His special care and attention.
We also read the passage as meaning that God physically bears us close to Him in times of trouble or need, and indeed it does mean that, but also we need to understand the line " .. carries them close to His heart ...". We understand this to mean that God carries us close to his Love, we are always within his loving influence, as indeed we are.
I recently received a beautiful true story from one of my subscribers living in Parker, Texas, USA, and I want to relay the story to you here because it indicates very well several lessons. It shows that God indeed answers prayers, it shows that God indeed loves and cares for ALL of his creation, and it shows that God can be trusted to come to our aid in the stormiest times of our lives.
"We just experienced an amazing miracle that I would like to share. We are in the process of rebuilding a new barn after Texas storms flattened ours last week. The storm felled a huge Oak tree across our barn with our 4 horses inside. The destruction was heart and gut wrenching. I didn't believe the horses could survive this accident and prayed that if God intended to take them, please take them fast and not let them suffer a minute longer than they had to. Just when I thought I had lost it all, God performed a miracle.
He must have bubble-wrapped the horses before the tree fell, as two of the horses already had gotten out, and the two that were unable to get out from under the wreckage were rescued without needing one stitch! The Fire Department had to cut them out with chain saws near their heads ..... their wounds were only surface cuts and sore muscles! My vet was TRULY amazed when she examined them. Reflecting on this amazing outcome, I realize there is ALWAYS HOPE in every storm of our lives.
My new barn will be blessed and have a scripture of hope mounted inside.
GOD IS SO GOOD!!"
Sara, Texas.
So, if any of you feel in dispair of something today, if any of you feel worried, concerned about something, in fear of something, or truly need a miracle, then do as Sara did - pray to God, and have FAITH. Have faith that God will hear you, and have faith that God will stand with you, for indeed He will. And when He does, do not hesitate to tell the world about it, shout it to the heavens - GOD IS SO GOOD!
Isaiah 40:11
"He tends his flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those who have young."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
We also read the passage as meaning that God physically bears us close to Him in times of trouble or need, and indeed it does mean that, but also we need to understand the line " .. carries them close to His heart ...". We understand this to mean that God carries us close to his Love, we are always within his loving influence, as indeed we are.
I recently received a beautiful true story from one of my subscribers living in Parker, Texas, USA, and I want to relay the story to you here because it indicates very well several lessons. It shows that God indeed answers prayers, it shows that God indeed loves and cares for ALL of his creation, and it shows that God can be trusted to come to our aid in the stormiest times of our lives.
"We just experienced an amazing miracle that I would like to share. We are in the process of rebuilding a new barn after Texas storms flattened ours last week. The storm felled a huge Oak tree across our barn with our 4 horses inside. The destruction was heart and gut wrenching. I didn't believe the horses could survive this accident and prayed that if God intended to take them, please take them fast and not let them suffer a minute longer than they had to. Just when I thought I had lost it all, God performed a miracle.
He must have bubble-wrapped the horses before the tree fell, as two of the horses already had gotten out, and the two that were unable to get out from under the wreckage were rescued without needing one stitch! The Fire Department had to cut them out with chain saws near their heads ..... their wounds were only surface cuts and sore muscles! My vet was TRULY amazed when she examined them. Reflecting on this amazing outcome, I realize there is ALWAYS HOPE in every storm of our lives.
My new barn will be blessed and have a scripture of hope mounted inside.
GOD IS SO GOOD!!"
Sara, Texas.
So, if any of you feel in dispair of something today, if any of you feel worried, concerned about something, in fear of something, or truly need a miracle, then do as Sara did - pray to God, and have FAITH. Have faith that God will hear you, and have faith that God will stand with you, for indeed He will. And when He does, do not hesitate to tell the world about it, shout it to the heavens - GOD IS SO GOOD!
Isaiah 40:11
"He tends his flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those who have young."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
You will be forgiven. You only need to ask
It is certainly true that each and every one of us has sinned, and many of us are probably even now worrying about that sin, brooding over it, allowing it to rule and control our lives.
Let it go! Do not become a slave to it! Ask God for forgiveness, for as truly as you have sinned, God will forgive. There is nothing, no sin, no good deed, NOTHING that God does not know about you. You will not surprise God by confessing what you have done and asking for forgiveness. And you will be released from it!
Consider this story:
The Duck
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with in the woods. He practiced and practiced but could never hit the target. Becoming somewhat discouraged; he headed back to dinner.
As he was returning, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but said nothing.
After lunch that day, Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today, didn't you, Johnny?" And then she whispered to him, "Remember, the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.
Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper." But Sally smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." And she whispered again, "Remember, the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He went to Grandma and confessed that he had killed her pet duck and asked her forgiveness.
She knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window, and I saw the whole thing. And because I love you, I forgive you. But I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you." - Author unknown
I don't know what's in your past. I don't know what one sin the enemy keeps throwing up in your face. But whatever it is, I want you to know something. Jesus Christ was also standing at the window. And He saw the whole thing.
And because He loves you, He will forgive you if you will but ask. Perhaps He's wondering how long you will let the enemy make a slave out of you.
The great thing about Jesus is that He not only forgives, but He forgets.
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Let it go! Do not become a slave to it! Ask God for forgiveness, for as truly as you have sinned, God will forgive. There is nothing, no sin, no good deed, NOTHING that God does not know about you. You will not surprise God by confessing what you have done and asking for forgiveness. And you will be released from it!
Consider this story:
The Duck
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with in the woods. He practiced and practiced but could never hit the target. Becoming somewhat discouraged; he headed back to dinner.
As he was returning, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but said nothing.
After lunch that day, Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today, didn't you, Johnny?" And then she whispered to him, "Remember, the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.
Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper." But Sally smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." And she whispered again, "Remember, the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He went to Grandma and confessed that he had killed her pet duck and asked her forgiveness.
She knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window, and I saw the whole thing. And because I love you, I forgive you. But I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you." - Author unknown
I don't know what's in your past. I don't know what one sin the enemy keeps throwing up in your face. But whatever it is, I want you to know something. Jesus Christ was also standing at the window. And He saw the whole thing.
And because He loves you, He will forgive you if you will but ask. Perhaps He's wondering how long you will let the enemy make a slave out of you.
The great thing about Jesus is that He not only forgives, but He forgets.
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Nothing is impossible with God
Luke 1:35-37
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
It is once again that time of year when Christians the world around will be celebrating that most wondrous of moments, when their saviour Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary, as foretold by the prophets of old. Unfortunately, it is also a time of great sadness for many people, those who are poor, who are neglected, who are sick, or who have no hope or joy in their lives. But take heart, and read what happens with Mary:
This was the time that the angel Gabriel appeared to her, before she was married to Joseph, and told her that she was blessed amongst women, and would bear a child that would be the saviour of the human race, and he would be called Jesus. You can well imagine Mary's amazement and consternation; she was betrothed to Joseph, yes, but she was still a virgin!
"How can this be, I am yet a virgin" she asked of Gabriel. The angel reassured her, saying that the Holy Spirit would be with her, and that she would bear the child. Then, he tells her "Nothing is impossible with God". Not through God, or by God, but WITH God. He is telling her that with her help and faith, along with God, it will be as He says. That was an invitation from God to work WITH him, an invitation that is subsequently extended to each one of us.
Have faith, God says, and with you and I NOTHING is impossible! Certainly, it takes great faith to believe that our greatest problems will be overcome, and our failing faith is why so many of us seem to forever be troubled. But bear in mind what trouble Mary had believing that she as a virgin would give birth to a son who would be God's son, the saviour that was promised! So what did she do?
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."
I urge you today to be the Lord's servant, and have faith that with God your problems will be resolved.
I hope you will have a blessed Christmas!
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
It is once again that time of year when Christians the world around will be celebrating that most wondrous of moments, when their saviour Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary, as foretold by the prophets of old. Unfortunately, it is also a time of great sadness for many people, those who are poor, who are neglected, who are sick, or who have no hope or joy in their lives. But take heart, and read what happens with Mary:
This was the time that the angel Gabriel appeared to her, before she was married to Joseph, and told her that she was blessed amongst women, and would bear a child that would be the saviour of the human race, and he would be called Jesus. You can well imagine Mary's amazement and consternation; she was betrothed to Joseph, yes, but she was still a virgin!
"How can this be, I am yet a virgin" she asked of Gabriel. The angel reassured her, saying that the Holy Spirit would be with her, and that she would bear the child. Then, he tells her "Nothing is impossible with God". Not through God, or by God, but WITH God. He is telling her that with her help and faith, along with God, it will be as He says. That was an invitation from God to work WITH him, an invitation that is subsequently extended to each one of us.
Have faith, God says, and with you and I NOTHING is impossible! Certainly, it takes great faith to believe that our greatest problems will be overcome, and our failing faith is why so many of us seem to forever be troubled. But bear in mind what trouble Mary had believing that she as a virgin would give birth to a son who would be God's son, the saviour that was promised! So what did she do?
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."
I urge you today to be the Lord's servant, and have faith that with God your problems will be resolved.
I hope you will have a blessed Christmas!
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
God is your rock and refuge
Psalm 18:2
"You are my mighty rock, my fortress, my protector, the rock where I am safe, my shield, my powerful weapon, and my place of shelter"
Even the very strong and fit need a rest from time to time, a break from the battle, a refuge in times of trouble. Sports teams welcome the blast of the half-time whistle, animals on the hunt take refuge in the shade when tired, and even the mighty King David of Israel needed a respite.
It is very likely that he penned this psalm, showing that in his time of stress he looked towards God as his rock of safety, his place of shelter. If the greatest of Israel's kings admitted weakness at times, and accepted God as his refuge, why can't we?
Why can't we kneel in the heat of our battle and ask God to give us shelter and peace? We can. And we should, because no matter what our troubles are, no matter how bad our situation is, God loves us and will care for us.
God follows your every step. He knows where you are at all times, he is ready to help. Remember what Jesus said?
"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father's knowledge. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."
How much more does God care for you then? And why would he refuse you comfort and shelter when He knows your troubles?
Do just as King David did. By all means look to your friends and family for guidance, love, support and strength; after all God has given those gifts to us for that purpose. But always look to find the greatest rock of them all, your God. And allow Him to be your rock of safety and shelter.
I hope and pray that God will give you comfort today.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
"You are my mighty rock, my fortress, my protector, the rock where I am safe, my shield, my powerful weapon, and my place of shelter"
Even the very strong and fit need a rest from time to time, a break from the battle, a refuge in times of trouble. Sports teams welcome the blast of the half-time whistle, animals on the hunt take refuge in the shade when tired, and even the mighty King David of Israel needed a respite.
It is very likely that he penned this psalm, showing that in his time of stress he looked towards God as his rock of safety, his place of shelter. If the greatest of Israel's kings admitted weakness at times, and accepted God as his refuge, why can't we?
Why can't we kneel in the heat of our battle and ask God to give us shelter and peace? We can. And we should, because no matter what our troubles are, no matter how bad our situation is, God loves us and will care for us.
God follows your every step. He knows where you are at all times, he is ready to help. Remember what Jesus said?
"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father's knowledge. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."
How much more does God care for you then? And why would he refuse you comfort and shelter when He knows your troubles?
Do just as King David did. By all means look to your friends and family for guidance, love, support and strength; after all God has given those gifts to us for that purpose. But always look to find the greatest rock of them all, your God. And allow Him to be your rock of safety and shelter.
I hope and pray that God will give you comfort today.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
His angels to guard you
So many times we hear stories of how people are rescued or helped in difficult situations by complete strangers, someone who simply pops up unexpectedly in the midst of chaos to distill calm assistance. And when we hear those stories, we say lightly "Now there's proof that angels do exist!".
Some would say "Well, that's proof that good people exist in this world". Well, that's true - undoubtedly good people DO exist in this world, people who would never hesitate to help a complete stranger in trouble. But who's to say that this was not God's plan all along?
Think about how true that is, though. God did promise us that we would be guarded by his angels, He promised us that his angels would be there to catch us when we fall.
And he didn't mean fall in the literal sense only - he meant 'fall' in every sense; fall in fear, fall in cowardice (which is not the same thing), fall from grace, fall from our faith - fall in EVERY sense. He promised that with faith, his angels would be there to help us.
So when we cry to God in anguish, or fear, or in our trouble, we should never be surprised if God truly does send an angel to help! The hand of God will reach us in the most unexpected ways.
Psalm 91:11-12
"For he will give his angels charge over you, to guard you in all your ways.
They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won't dash your foot against a stone."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Some would say "Well, that's proof that good people exist in this world". Well, that's true - undoubtedly good people DO exist in this world, people who would never hesitate to help a complete stranger in trouble. But who's to say that this was not God's plan all along?
Think about how true that is, though. God did promise us that we would be guarded by his angels, He promised us that his angels would be there to catch us when we fall.
And he didn't mean fall in the literal sense only - he meant 'fall' in every sense; fall in fear, fall in cowardice (which is not the same thing), fall from grace, fall from our faith - fall in EVERY sense. He promised that with faith, his angels would be there to help us.
So when we cry to God in anguish, or fear, or in our trouble, we should never be surprised if God truly does send an angel to help! The hand of God will reach us in the most unexpected ways.
Psalm 91:11-12
"For he will give his angels charge over you, to guard you in all your ways.
They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won't dash your foot against a stone."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Monday, September 27, 2010
God will NOT give up on you
How often have you cried out to God in times of need and desperation only to feel that you aren't being answered? Do you get the feeling that God is somehow ignoring you?
That He maybe is not even listening to you? Perhaps you feel that way right now, perhaps you feel that your prayers are all in vain and that you are tiring of waiting for God to answer. Never fear, friend. God has heard you. God has heard, and whatever you feel inside right now, believe that God has an answer to your problem.
There is no doubt about that. God has promised to hear us, and we must have faith in His promise. We must continue to hold our heads high and believe that God will intervene, for surely He will.
Sometimes it will happen that the answer God gives, or seems to give, is not the answer we were looking for, not the answer we were maybe hoping for. But whatever you believe, remember that we cannot second-guess God. We cannot even begin to understand how the omnipotent mind of our God works. All we need to have is faith, faith in God's answer, and a firm belief that God knows better.
So, if you feel that your prayers are not being answered and that your problems are seemingly impossible to resolve, do yourself a favour: Thank God for what He has already done, thank God for your blessings, and ask God to renew and strengthen your faith in His promise. The promise that whatever happens, God will NOT GIVE UP ON YOU!
Try this simple task. FInd a quiet place where you can speak quietly to God. Then say:
God, I want to thank You for what you have already done.
I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed, I am thanking you right now.
I am thanking you because I am alive.
I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties.
I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.
I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.
And I'm thanking you because Father, you haven't given up on me.
I hope that God will bless you today in more ways that you may imagine possible.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
That He maybe is not even listening to you? Perhaps you feel that way right now, perhaps you feel that your prayers are all in vain and that you are tiring of waiting for God to answer. Never fear, friend. God has heard you. God has heard, and whatever you feel inside right now, believe that God has an answer to your problem.
There is no doubt about that. God has promised to hear us, and we must have faith in His promise. We must continue to hold our heads high and believe that God will intervene, for surely He will.
Sometimes it will happen that the answer God gives, or seems to give, is not the answer we were looking for, not the answer we were maybe hoping for. But whatever you believe, remember that we cannot second-guess God. We cannot even begin to understand how the omnipotent mind of our God works. All we need to have is faith, faith in God's answer, and a firm belief that God knows better.
So, if you feel that your prayers are not being answered and that your problems are seemingly impossible to resolve, do yourself a favour: Thank God for what He has already done, thank God for your blessings, and ask God to renew and strengthen your faith in His promise. The promise that whatever happens, God will NOT GIVE UP ON YOU!
Try this simple task. FInd a quiet place where you can speak quietly to God. Then say:
God, I want to thank You for what you have already done.
I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed, I am thanking you right now.
I am thanking you because I am alive.
I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties.
I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.
I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.
And I'm thanking you because Father, you haven't given up on me.
I hope that God will bless you today in more ways that you may imagine possible.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Only God has all the answers
So often in our lives we get the feeling of being constantly under pressure, bombarded with problems and stresses, feeling unable to cope. How often have you been so close to tears when unable to accomplish a task?
How often have you felt desperately alone and unloved? How often have you felt the weight of your problems suffocating you? How often have you been afraid? How often have you felt tired, too weary to carry on?
It happens to everyone at some time or another, but how many of us stop to ask God for the answer? Most of the time we don't realise that God truly has the answers to ALL of our questions, we only need to ask! And what's more, God has already issued us with a user-manual, a guideline that we can use to research answers to our problems. It's called the Bible.
Reflect for a moment on these questions, and answers from the Bible:
.................................................
When you say "I can't solve this"
God says "I will direct your path" ~ Prov 3:5-6
When you say "It's impossible"
God says "Everything is possible" ~ Luke 18:27
When you say "I feel all alone"
God says "Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you" ~ Hebrews 13:5
When you say "I can't do it"
God says "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" ~ Phil 4:13
When you say "I don't deserve forgiveness"
God says "I have forgiven you" ~ 1 John 1:9, Romans 8:1
When you say "I am afraid"
God says "Do not fear, for I am with you; I will strengthen you and help you" ~ Isaiah 41:10
When you say "I am tired"
God says "Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" ~ Matt 11:28-30
When you say "No-one really loves me"
God says "I love you" ~ John 3:16, John 13:34
When you say "I don't know how to go on"
God says "I will show you the path" ~
When you say "What path does God have for me?"
God says "My beloved son, Jesus Christ" ~ 1 Timothy 2:5, Acts 4:2, John 3:16
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
How often have you felt desperately alone and unloved? How often have you felt the weight of your problems suffocating you? How often have you been afraid? How often have you felt tired, too weary to carry on?
It happens to everyone at some time or another, but how many of us stop to ask God for the answer? Most of the time we don't realise that God truly has the answers to ALL of our questions, we only need to ask! And what's more, God has already issued us with a user-manual, a guideline that we can use to research answers to our problems. It's called the Bible.
Reflect for a moment on these questions, and answers from the Bible:
.................................................
When you say "I can't solve this"
God says "I will direct your path" ~ Prov 3:5-6
When you say "It's impossible"
God says "Everything is possible" ~ Luke 18:27
When you say "I feel all alone"
God says "Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you" ~ Hebrews 13:5
When you say "I can't do it"
God says "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" ~ Phil 4:13
When you say "I don't deserve forgiveness"
God says "I have forgiven you" ~ 1 John 1:9, Romans 8:1
When you say "I am afraid"
God says "Do not fear, for I am with you; I will strengthen you and help you" ~ Isaiah 41:10
When you say "I am tired"
God says "Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" ~ Matt 11:28-30
When you say "No-one really loves me"
God says "I love you" ~ John 3:16, John 13:34
When you say "I don't know how to go on"
God says "I will show you the path" ~
When you say "What path does God have for me?"
God says "My beloved son, Jesus Christ" ~ 1 Timothy 2:5, Acts 4:2, John 3:16
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Humble yourself before God
Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives we fail to see the significance of God's might and glory. We may remember to pray to God, especially in our times of trouble, and we may remember to thank God for the blessings we daily receive. But do we ever make acknowledgment of how humble we are before the might of God? Do we ever kneel, really kneel, before God and say "God, you humble me in your glory and magnificence"?
Because we should.
Just take a moment to think about how little we actually know about our own world. We understandably have just the vaguest idea about our own solar system, let alone the universe. We have so little understanding about the sub-atomic world, the structure of our own existence. We don't even understand very much about where we came from, and how we exist. And yet God himself is the master of all those things and more, the builder of all we see and understand, and the builder of all that we cannot see or understand. Even our world's most advance intellects fail to understand or conceive of it all. God is truly magnificent, and we are humbled!
We should tell God that we are thankful for the blessings received, for the help and assistance and guidance, for the answers to our prayers, but just as importantly, we should tell God that we know we are humbled before Him.
Allow yourself to feel the glory of God when you kneel before Him next, and remember to say "You humble me, Lord".
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Because we should.
Just take a moment to think about how little we actually know about our own world. We understandably have just the vaguest idea about our own solar system, let alone the universe. We have so little understanding about the sub-atomic world, the structure of our own existence. We don't even understand very much about where we came from, and how we exist. And yet God himself is the master of all those things and more, the builder of all we see and understand, and the builder of all that we cannot see or understand. Even our world's most advance intellects fail to understand or conceive of it all. God is truly magnificent, and we are humbled!
We should tell God that we are thankful for the blessings received, for the help and assistance and guidance, for the answers to our prayers, but just as importantly, we should tell God that we know we are humbled before Him.
Allow yourself to feel the glory of God when you kneel before Him next, and remember to say "You humble me, Lord".
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Be calm, you are not alone
Worry is an old man with a bent head, carrying a load of feathers he thinks is lead.It is a simple fact of our human lives that every one of us will grapple with worry and concern over the trials and tribulations of our daily affairs.
That is being human. And because it happens so often, daily at least, that we worry or concern ourselves about something, it means that daily, at least, we need to hand back these worries and concerns to God. Find a little quiet time in your busy day to tell God about your concerns, to ask God to take them from you - because worry comes from trying to handle things that are the concern of God - or ought to be. Remember that worry does not solve your issues for tomorrow, it removes your strength and resolve today.
And isn't it just so, that often we worry about things that eventually turn out to be of no concern, inconsequential things, a load of feathers that we think are lead?
Someone once said "Nothing in the affairs of man is worthy of great anxiety." And that truly is so. Absolutely nothing is beyond the power of our God to handle, absolutely nothing is worthy of worry.
Billy Graham explained this very well:
"Worrying about what might happen makes even the smallest trouble seem huge. Nervously anticipating troubles that may never happen can crush our spirit. Instead of 'borrowing trouble' by constantly worrying about the future, listen instead to Jesus' promise:
'Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.' John 14:27.
Whatever is worrying you right now, give it to Jesus and trust Him to take care of it. Let His peace replace your worry."
God understands this. God knows that you are human, with human frailties, and so when you are struggling with fear, worry, concern, anxiety, look to these words that He gave us:
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
Psalm 27:1
"The Lord is my light and my salvation - so why should I be afraid? The Lord protects me from danger - so why should I tremble?"
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
That is being human. And because it happens so often, daily at least, that we worry or concern ourselves about something, it means that daily, at least, we need to hand back these worries and concerns to God. Find a little quiet time in your busy day to tell God about your concerns, to ask God to take them from you - because worry comes from trying to handle things that are the concern of God - or ought to be. Remember that worry does not solve your issues for tomorrow, it removes your strength and resolve today.
And isn't it just so, that often we worry about things that eventually turn out to be of no concern, inconsequential things, a load of feathers that we think are lead?
Someone once said "Nothing in the affairs of man is worthy of great anxiety." And that truly is so. Absolutely nothing is beyond the power of our God to handle, absolutely nothing is worthy of worry.
Billy Graham explained this very well:
"Worrying about what might happen makes even the smallest trouble seem huge. Nervously anticipating troubles that may never happen can crush our spirit. Instead of 'borrowing trouble' by constantly worrying about the future, listen instead to Jesus' promise:
'Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.' John 14:27.
Whatever is worrying you right now, give it to Jesus and trust Him to take care of it. Let His peace replace your worry."
God understands this. God knows that you are human, with human frailties, and so when you are struggling with fear, worry, concern, anxiety, look to these words that He gave us:
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
Psalm 27:1
"The Lord is my light and my salvation - so why should I be afraid? The Lord protects me from danger - so why should I tremble?"
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
A time of new beginnings
Easter is a very special time of the year for us, a time when we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Of all the aspects of Christianity, this event is perhaps the hardest for us to understand or explain.
Why did Jesus have to die? Why did God have Him killed in such a way only to raise Him up again? Therein lies the mystery of our faith. This was the story told by a Sunday School teacher to her children one day in an attempt to explain this mystery:
Two soldiers were involved in a very intense battle one day, where many men were killed and wounded. One of the men had been badly wounded and he and his compatriot both knew that he was going to die. The other soldier was distressed, and tried to sooth the injured man's fears as best he could, but the dying soldier turned to him and said:
"My friend, don't concern yourself over my death. I have made peace with God, and I know that it is my turn to die. Worry more about your own future."
He then told the man that he knew of a plan that some officers had to court-martial him for something he had done. If convicted, the soldier could be killed or imprisoned for life. The dying man said "Please, as my last gift to you I want you to take my identity. Take my name, my papers, my whole past and swap it with your own, so that when they find my body they will think it is you. You will then be free, completely free to live your life. All your sins and past crimes will be wiped out, and no-one will know anything more of them."
And that is why Jesus had to die for us, to release us from our past and set us once again on the road to freedom, to give us a new life free from our previous sins and troubles. A new beginning, a rebirth, and a new life. Let us thank God for this most precious gift that He gave to us, and let us grasp it with both hands, turn our faces back to God and say "God, help me to use this new beginning you have given me, help me to remain steadfast in my faith, help me to grow always in your love, help me to stand true in the face of my troubles, but mostly, Lord, help me to do whatever I can to assist others in their own troubles."
In this way we can strengthen each other for the road ahead.
May God bless you today and forever.
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son to be killed, so that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have everlasting life."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Why did Jesus have to die? Why did God have Him killed in such a way only to raise Him up again? Therein lies the mystery of our faith. This was the story told by a Sunday School teacher to her children one day in an attempt to explain this mystery:
Two soldiers were involved in a very intense battle one day, where many men were killed and wounded. One of the men had been badly wounded and he and his compatriot both knew that he was going to die. The other soldier was distressed, and tried to sooth the injured man's fears as best he could, but the dying soldier turned to him and said:
"My friend, don't concern yourself over my death. I have made peace with God, and I know that it is my turn to die. Worry more about your own future."
He then told the man that he knew of a plan that some officers had to court-martial him for something he had done. If convicted, the soldier could be killed or imprisoned for life. The dying man said "Please, as my last gift to you I want you to take my identity. Take my name, my papers, my whole past and swap it with your own, so that when they find my body they will think it is you. You will then be free, completely free to live your life. All your sins and past crimes will be wiped out, and no-one will know anything more of them."
And that is why Jesus had to die for us, to release us from our past and set us once again on the road to freedom, to give us a new life free from our previous sins and troubles. A new beginning, a rebirth, and a new life. Let us thank God for this most precious gift that He gave to us, and let us grasp it with both hands, turn our faces back to God and say "God, help me to use this new beginning you have given me, help me to remain steadfast in my faith, help me to grow always in your love, help me to stand true in the face of my troubles, but mostly, Lord, help me to do whatever I can to assist others in their own troubles."
In this way we can strengthen each other for the road ahead.
May God bless you today and forever.
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son to be killed, so that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have everlasting life."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Let God's peace and love wash over you
The love of our creator never fails us. It is constant in our lives, always there, whether we care to accept it or not. For every moment we live, for every breath we breathe, waves of love are constantly flowing out from our Father.
Our problem is that we are always pushing it away, never allowing it to wash over and into us, calming and cleaning us. But why should we? Because this love has enormous power, it has the power to relieve us, to heal us, to calm us. And all we need to do is accept it, allow it into ourselves.
Try this - find a quiet place where you can relax a little. Close your eyes and quietly ask God to pour down his spirit upon you. Allow yourself to feel the waves of love come over you, feel the spirit of calmness and power running into you. Then, thank God. Thank God for all the support, love, joy, privileges and good things you have experienced in your life. Thank God for all the times you have been down and He has helped you up, for even though you may not remember them, God was always there. He has heard your cries and He has come to your side. Acknowledge that fact, and God will reward you. That is His promise.
"May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and Love of Jesus Christ"
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Our problem is that we are always pushing it away, never allowing it to wash over and into us, calming and cleaning us. But why should we? Because this love has enormous power, it has the power to relieve us, to heal us, to calm us. And all we need to do is accept it, allow it into ourselves.
Try this - find a quiet place where you can relax a little. Close your eyes and quietly ask God to pour down his spirit upon you. Allow yourself to feel the waves of love come over you, feel the spirit of calmness and power running into you. Then, thank God. Thank God for all the support, love, joy, privileges and good things you have experienced in your life. Thank God for all the times you have been down and He has helped you up, for even though you may not remember them, God was always there. He has heard your cries and He has come to your side. Acknowledge that fact, and God will reward you. That is His promise.
"May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and Love of Jesus Christ"
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
When the darkness overcomes
I'm certain we all have childhood memories of being afraid of the dark, of being left alone in the darkness. And when that darkness oppressed us, overcame us, what appeared to save us, to rescue us from our fear? Usually our parents, or an older friend or sibling, or simply a light shining - a light we could focus on and move towards. Always the light appeared to represent safety and refuge.
And although as we grow older our minds become more rational and we are able to ask ourselves "What are we afraid of? The darkness itself? Surely the darkness cannot harm us?", we nevertheless, even as adults, sometimes find ourselves once again plagued by an irrational fear of the dark, or, using darkness as a metaphor, perhaps a fear of the unknown.
This is the time when we need once again to search for the light, for the outstretched hand of our Father. Always God's light will shine through our darkest times, always God's hand is stretched out to comfort and hold us. We only need to look for it. Remember that God's light will never fade, and will always be visible if you seek it. And God's hand will always be outstretched, ready to hold you, no matter how dark your night might seem.
So if you are experiencing a particularly dark period in your life, if you are feeling fear in the blackness of your concerns and worries, look around you for God's light, focus on it and move towards it. Reach out and let God take your hand to guide you through the night.
I pray that you will see God's welcoming light shining through your darkness today.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
And although as we grow older our minds become more rational and we are able to ask ourselves "What are we afraid of? The darkness itself? Surely the darkness cannot harm us?", we nevertheless, even as adults, sometimes find ourselves once again plagued by an irrational fear of the dark, or, using darkness as a metaphor, perhaps a fear of the unknown.
This is the time when we need once again to search for the light, for the outstretched hand of our Father. Always God's light will shine through our darkest times, always God's hand is stretched out to comfort and hold us. We only need to look for it. Remember that God's light will never fade, and will always be visible if you seek it. And God's hand will always be outstretched, ready to hold you, no matter how dark your night might seem.
So if you are experiencing a particularly dark period in your life, if you are feeling fear in the blackness of your concerns and worries, look around you for God's light, focus on it and move towards it. Reach out and let God take your hand to guide you through the night.
I pray that you will see God's welcoming light shining through your darkness today.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
They struck me when I was down
How often is it that when are at our lowest, when we are down and out, that others seem to want to inflict more and more suffering on us? When we are utterly unable to defend ourselves any further, when we have finally fallen, it sometimes feels as though some people wish to make sure we never rise again. And it may well be that way with you right now - perhaps you feel abandoned by someone you were relying on, perhaps you feel betrayed by someone you trusted.
It doesn't matter though - it is important only to remember that at these times you are never alone - God is with you. When you are in trouble, abandoned and alone, you need someone to stand by you. God will be the one. When you need the love and strength of someone by your side, God will be the one. When you need someone to take your hand and guide you, God will be the one. When you need someone to fight at your side against seemingly overwhelming odds, God will be the one.
Look up and stretch out your hand, hold on to God - for always, God will surely hold on to you.
Psalm 18:18
"They struck me when I was down, but God stayed with me."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
It doesn't matter though - it is important only to remember that at these times you are never alone - God is with you. When you are in trouble, abandoned and alone, you need someone to stand by you. God will be the one. When you need the love and strength of someone by your side, God will be the one. When you need someone to take your hand and guide you, God will be the one. When you need someone to fight at your side against seemingly overwhelming odds, God will be the one.
Look up and stretch out your hand, hold on to God - for always, God will surely hold on to you.
Psalm 18:18
"They struck me when I was down, but God stayed with me."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Bread cast upon the water will be returned to you
One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.
Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water! She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"
"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "My mother has taught us never to accept payment for a kindness."
He said "Then I thank you from my heart."
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.
Many years later that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.
Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won.
Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words ...
"Paid in full with one glass of milk"
(Signed)
Dr. Howard Kelly
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands."
There's a saying which goes something like this:
Bread cast on the waters comes back to you. The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again at least you will have made the world a better place.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water! She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"
"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "My mother has taught us never to accept payment for a kindness."
He said "Then I thank you from my heart."
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.
Many years later that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.
Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won.
Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words ...
"Paid in full with one glass of milk"
(Signed)
Dr. Howard Kelly
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands."
There's a saying which goes something like this:
Bread cast on the waters comes back to you. The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again at least you will have made the world a better place.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Let God guide your year!
Welcome to this year! If you're anything like the rest of us, you have most likely already resolved to do better this year, to live better, healthier lives, to be better partners, parents and friends, and to work harder.
It is that time of the year when we reflect on how we have lived the last twelve months, and promise ourselves that we will change the way we live, the way we work, and the way we behave. You probably have already started your exercise regime, probably already thrown away your cigarettes.
But have we resolved to be more God-like? Have we promised ourselves that we will strive to live cleaner, more dedicated lives for God? That seems infinitely more difficult, doesn't it?
Still, whatever you have promised yourself, or even promised God, remember that with His strength these resolutions CAN be attained, and we can live better lives. Allow God to help you make your promises, and allow God to help you keep them.
Remember to keep your promises in mind when you pray, and ask God continually to strengthen your resolve - you will find keeping your resolutions a whole lot easier!
May God bless your year, may He fill your lives with happiness and health, and may all your dreams and wishes come true!
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
It is that time of the year when we reflect on how we have lived the last twelve months, and promise ourselves that we will change the way we live, the way we work, and the way we behave. You probably have already started your exercise regime, probably already thrown away your cigarettes.
But have we resolved to be more God-like? Have we promised ourselves that we will strive to live cleaner, more dedicated lives for God? That seems infinitely more difficult, doesn't it?
Still, whatever you have promised yourself, or even promised God, remember that with His strength these resolutions CAN be attained, and we can live better lives. Allow God to help you make your promises, and allow God to help you keep them.
Remember to keep your promises in mind when you pray, and ask God continually to strengthen your resolve - you will find keeping your resolutions a whole lot easier!
May God bless your year, may He fill your lives with happiness and health, and may all your dreams and wishes come true!
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Jesus is our hope and inspiration
Christ Jesus was the promise made by God to us for our hope of eternal life, for our inspiration and guidance. At this time we Christians celebrate that incredible gift, the birth of our Lord. And yet, it seems that we mostly have forgotten - or choose to ignore - the real reason for Christmas.
To most of us it remains a time of celebration of other things: family reunions, the giving of gifts, the bringing to a close of a year of toil. And these are good things, things we should be happy about, things we should celebrate. But still we relegate to second place the real reason for Christmas - the birth of our Lord Jesus, the opening chapter of God's promise of salvation. We choose to ignore the plight of other, poorer people while we eat and drink, replete and happy with our successes.
All the while God looks down upon us, expecting us to be better examples of His love and inspiration, expecting and hoping that we will bring to the fore the remembrance of His greatest gift, the offer of salvation through His son Jesus.
Let's be happy. Let's celebrate and be joyful in the presence of our friends and family. But let us never forget the reason we celebrate Christmas - The birth of Jesus and the offer from God of salvation, happiness, joy, love and eternal life.
I pray for God's rich blessings on you and your family today.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
To most of us it remains a time of celebration of other things: family reunions, the giving of gifts, the bringing to a close of a year of toil. And these are good things, things we should be happy about, things we should celebrate. But still we relegate to second place the real reason for Christmas - the birth of our Lord Jesus, the opening chapter of God's promise of salvation. We choose to ignore the plight of other, poorer people while we eat and drink, replete and happy with our successes.
All the while God looks down upon us, expecting us to be better examples of His love and inspiration, expecting and hoping that we will bring to the fore the remembrance of His greatest gift, the offer of salvation through His son Jesus.
Let's be happy. Let's celebrate and be joyful in the presence of our friends and family. But let us never forget the reason we celebrate Christmas - The birth of Jesus and the offer from God of salvation, happiness, joy, love and eternal life.
I pray for God's rich blessings on you and your family today.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
TRUST GOD!
TRUST GOD!
Trust God through Jesus Christ, for no man has or will walk in your shoes again.
LET NO MAN STAND IN THE WAY OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST!
Salvation is free for the asking...God's Love is beyond words...Jesus Christ rose from the dead!!!
May God's Light shine on you and through you
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Trust God through Jesus Christ, for no man has or will walk in your shoes again.
LET NO MAN STAND IN THE WAY OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST!
Salvation is free for the asking...God's Love is beyond words...Jesus Christ rose from the dead!!!
May God's Light shine on you and through you
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Believe in the power of prayer!
Prayer to God is the single most powerful force in existence, and yet we rarely bother to use it, and even then for many of the wrong reasons. Prayer must become a daily pleasure for us, a means of communicating our feelings, worries and concerns to God, and a means of expressing hope, gratefulness and thanks for the blessings we receive. Prayer is powerful, and it works! Jesus used it - use it yourself!
Sonny Carroll once commented:
"In some of my darkest, most painful and frightening hours, I have prayed, not for the answers to my prayers or for material things, but for my God to help me find the strength, confidence and courage to persevere; to face each day and do what I must do.
Remember this: You are an expression of the Almighty. The spirit of God resides within you and moves through you. Open your heart, speak to that spirit and it will heal and empower you. My God has never failed me."
I pray that God blesses you abundantly today!
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Sonny Carroll once commented:
"In some of my darkest, most painful and frightening hours, I have prayed, not for the answers to my prayers or for material things, but for my God to help me find the strength, confidence and courage to persevere; to face each day and do what I must do.
Remember this: You are an expression of the Almighty. The spirit of God resides within you and moves through you. Open your heart, speak to that spirit and it will heal and empower you. My God has never failed me."
I pray that God blesses you abundantly today!
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Never, never, never give up
One day I decided to quit. I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality. I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I asked, "can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me.
"Look around you", He said, "do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern grew quickly from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the earth. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But, I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But, I did not quit on the bamboo", He said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four again there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit", He said.
"Then, in the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just six months later the bamboo rose to over one hundred feet tall.
It had spent five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He asked me, "Do you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.
Don't compare yourself to others", He said.
"The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come", God said to me, "You will rise high".
"How high should I rise?" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?", I questioned.
"Yes", He said. "Give me glory by rising as high as you can".
I left the forest and brought back this story. I hope that these words can help you see that God will NEVER give up on you.
Never, never, never give up.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
"God", I asked, "can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me.
"Look around you", He said, "do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern grew quickly from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the earth. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But, I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But, I did not quit on the bamboo", He said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four again there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit", He said.
"Then, in the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just six months later the bamboo rose to over one hundred feet tall.
It had spent five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He asked me, "Do you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.
Don't compare yourself to others", He said.
"The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come", God said to me, "You will rise high".
"How high should I rise?" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?", I questioned.
"Yes", He said. "Give me glory by rising as high as you can".
I left the forest and brought back this story. I hope that these words can help you see that God will NEVER give up on you.
Never, never, never give up.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
To Him be power and authority!
And now into him who is able to keep us from falling and lift us from dark valley of despair to the bright mountains of hope,from midnight of desperation to daybreak of joy; To Him be power and authority! Martin Luther King
We ask God, in our most desperate times, to remember us, to stand by us, to love us, and indeed we expect Him to do all that and more. However, do we remember to thank Him, to praise and glorify Him, to magnify His holy name? Do we even remember to thank him for the multitude of blessings already bestowed on us? More than likely not, it is a human failing that we don't. Nevertheless, God will not fail you. He will always be there to lift us from the dark valley of despair, from the midnight of desperation up to the daybreak of joy!
To Him be power and authority, for ever and ever!
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
We ask God, in our most desperate times, to remember us, to stand by us, to love us, and indeed we expect Him to do all that and more. However, do we remember to thank Him, to praise and glorify Him, to magnify His holy name? Do we even remember to thank him for the multitude of blessings already bestowed on us? More than likely not, it is a human failing that we don't. Nevertheless, God will not fail you. He will always be there to lift us from the dark valley of despair, from the midnight of desperation up to the daybreak of joy!
To Him be power and authority, for ever and ever!
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Be calm, you are not alone
You are loved! Beyond any measurement, beyond any human capacity, God LOVES you. Whatever your inner troubles, whatever your sin, you remain His child, and you are LOVED. When you are in pain, God is in pain, when you are in tears, God cries for you. He has shown this in the sacrificing of His own son, Jesus, who in his pain and suffering called out to his father, "Lord, if it is your will, take this cup of suffering away from me". Despite this, God still led His son to the cross, to be scourged and killed for you and I, so that we can be released from our own sin. God did this for US, in His great love for us, for you and I, and Jesus for the same reasons submitted himself to the will of his Father.
If you are a parent yourself you will know the incredible capacity for love we have for our children. How much greater then is God's love for you?
Never despair, you are loved!
Phil 2:1
"His love comforts you"
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
If you are a parent yourself you will know the incredible capacity for love we have for our children. How much greater then is God's love for you?
Never despair, you are loved!
Phil 2:1
"His love comforts you"
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Plant a 'trouble tree' today
I hired a workman to help me restore an old house. He had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tyre had made him lose an hour of work, and his electric drill broke. Then his ancient one-tonne truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence.
On arriving home he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked towards the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching his hands to the tips. When opening the door of his home, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles, and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. Afterwords he walked with me to the car.
We passed by the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.
"Oh, That's my trouble tree" he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again. Funny thing is", he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before".
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
On arriving home he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked towards the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching his hands to the tips. When opening the door of his home, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles, and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. Afterwords he walked with me to the car.
We passed by the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.
"Oh, That's my trouble tree" he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again. Funny thing is", he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before".
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
God will lift your troubles from you
There is an old adage, "a problem shared is a problem halved", meaning that by asking for help, or sharing a problem with someone else, the burden is lightened. With God, though, the adage is more like "a problem shared is a problem SOLVED", because if you care to humble yourself and ask God, He will take your burdens upon Himself. Sometimes in our fear and worry we fail to remember that God can carry our troubles. All our fears and trials can be lifted from our shoulders, all the darkness can be taken from our hearts. All it takes is for you to ask, and it will be done. Remember that even Jesus, born as a perfect man, asked God his father for help when he needed it, and like Jesus, we would do well to know that to kneel in prayer before God is the answer.
Take your troubles and concerns to God, and let Him carry them for you. He has promised to do that.
I pray that your burdens are lifted from you today.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Take your troubles and concerns to God, and let Him carry them for you. He has promised to do that.
I pray that your burdens are lifted from you today.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Friends are God's way of taking care of us
I was driving home from a meeting this evening at about 5, stuck in the traffic on Colorado Blvd., when my car started to choke and splutter and die. Cursing, I barely managed to coast into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over. Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the Quick Mart building, and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell against a gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay.
When I got there it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up and gave it to her. It was a nickel.
At that moment everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient suburban crammed full of stuff with three kids in the back, and the gas pump reading $4.95
I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying "I don't want my kids to see me crying", so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said that she was driving to California, and that things were very hard for her right now. I asked "And were you praying?". That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person, and said "He heard you, and He sent me".
I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so that she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fueling, I walked to the next door McDonalds and bought two big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the car, who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.
She told me her name and that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend left two months ago, and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she would not have any money to pay the rent come January 1st., and in desperation she had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about five years. They lived in California, and they said she could come and live with them and try to get back on her feet there.
So she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they were going to California for Christmas, but not that they were going to live there.
I gave her my gloves, a little hug, and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?"
This definitely made me cry. I said "Sweetie, this time of year the angels are really busy, so sometimes God makes use of regular people". It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got back into my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.
Courtesy of (Metro Denver Hospice Physician)
Psalm 55:22
"Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never suffer the righteous to be moved"
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
When I got there it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up and gave it to her. It was a nickel.
At that moment everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient suburban crammed full of stuff with three kids in the back, and the gas pump reading $4.95
I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying "I don't want my kids to see me crying", so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said that she was driving to California, and that things were very hard for her right now. I asked "And were you praying?". That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person, and said "He heard you, and He sent me".
I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so that she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fueling, I walked to the next door McDonalds and bought two big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the car, who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.
She told me her name and that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend left two months ago, and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she would not have any money to pay the rent come January 1st., and in desperation she had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about five years. They lived in California, and they said she could come and live with them and try to get back on her feet there.
So she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they were going to California for Christmas, but not that they were going to live there.
I gave her my gloves, a little hug, and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?"
This definitely made me cry. I said "Sweetie, this time of year the angels are really busy, so sometimes God makes use of regular people". It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got back into my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.
Courtesy of (Metro Denver Hospice Physician)
Psalm 55:22
"Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never suffer the righteous to be moved"
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?
Lift your eyes to God.
The writers of the Psalms knew it even then. In times of deepest despair, when all others avenues appear to have failed, the one source of rescue that would always work was to turn to God, the maker of heaven and earth, for whom nothing is impossible. And so, in your own time of trouble, despite all of your own efforts, when you are tired of the struggle, and when you are weary from the fight, lift your own eyes to the hills and seek the glory of God Almighty to come to your aid.
God will not fail you.
May God look down upon you today and strengthen you in your troubles.
Psalm 132
"I Lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord who made the heaven and the earth."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
The writers of the Psalms knew it even then. In times of deepest despair, when all others avenues appear to have failed, the one source of rescue that would always work was to turn to God, the maker of heaven and earth, for whom nothing is impossible. And so, in your own time of trouble, despite all of your own efforts, when you are tired of the struggle, and when you are weary from the fight, lift your own eyes to the hills and seek the glory of God Almighty to come to your aid.
God will not fail you.
May God look down upon you today and strengthen you in your troubles.
Psalm 132
"I Lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord who made the heaven and the earth."
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
God is in charge
God is in charge, and everything is as it should be. Sometimes, in this chaotic and busy world, it is difficult to remember that God is in control and that all is happening is according to His will. And especially in our own difficulties it may be hard to understand the will of God, hard to understand or interpret what God has planned for us. Nevertheless, we must be humble before Him, and submit to His path, whatever that may be. Whatever burdens you are carrying, be sure not to try carrying them on your own. Kneel before God and ask that He will take them from you, have faith, and you may be sure that it will be done.
God bless you.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
God bless you.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Be calm, you are not alone.
It is human nature to be afraid of being alone, and sometimes in our most troubled times we feel deserted by our family and closest friends. It is at times like these that we most need the companionship and love of those close to us. Perhaps we are carrying burdens that we don't wish to discuss with someone else, or maybe we don't wish to offload our own troubles and sorrows on someone else.
Here's the thing though. God will NEVER leave you alone. He has promised to be always with us, and when we are at our lowest point, He picks us up and carries us. Never fear, you are always close to the companionship and love of God, no matter who you are or what you have done. Do not be afraid to ask God to help you. Do not be afraid to ask God to stand by you. Kneel before Him and feel His presence in your darkest times.
Be calm, you are not alone.
May God bless and strengthen you.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
Here's the thing though. God will NEVER leave you alone. He has promised to be always with us, and when we are at our lowest point, He picks us up and carries us. Never fear, you are always close to the companionship and love of God, no matter who you are or what you have done. Do not be afraid to ask God to help you. Do not be afraid to ask God to stand by you. Kneel before Him and feel His presence in your darkest times.
Be calm, you are not alone.
May God bless and strengthen you.
See Ya Soon,
May God bless you today and forever!
The Messages of Hope,Inspiration and Motivational
"I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope".
Romans 15:13
Welcome to my God with us;Inspired by the Bible Experience blog here mostly i will deal with the Messages of Hope,Inspiration and Motivation.
In life we all are blessed with different talents and abilities, and it is my belief that God intends for us to use those where we can to His honour and glory. It is with this in mind that I run this blog. There are so many millions of people in this world who, for whatever reason, are desperately crying for help, lost in a sea of worries and concerns, and yet unaware of the great release that can be granted by submitting their problems to God. It is primarily to these people that I am aiming these messages, simple and short though they may be. The messages are varied in their content, but mostly are messages of hope in dark times, simple spiritual messages of guidance, inspiration,motivation and hope, messages of guidance to those who are worried or afraid.
The messages are also emailed out on a fairly regular basis, and if you would like to receive these from me in future, be sure to add your name to my blog.
I am constantly amazed with the power of the Internet. With this technology I am trying to extend God's work to as many people as I can. The number of daily visitors we receive at the blog is rich evidence of God's blessing on this work.
Please feel free to redistribute these messages as you wish, because it is through the amazing medium of email and the internet that we can reach so many people who are thirsting for God's guidance, or whose faith in God is tested. If you would like to contribute any message to this blog,can be a Messages of Hope and Inspiration ,and even motivation feel free to leave it on as comment. My desire is to see the power of technology used for God's work.
I am not affiliated in any way to any church or religious organisation, and I am not a trained or ordained minister of religion. Any inspiration for this work is received by the grace of God, and I ask you to pray for its continuance.
There is no charge at all for viewing these messages, nor for receiving them. I ask for no reward for this work, other than knowing that I do God's will.
"I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope".
Romans 15:13
May God bless you today and forever!
Romans 15:13
Welcome to my God with us;Inspired by the Bible Experience blog here mostly i will deal with the Messages of Hope,Inspiration and Motivation.
In life we all are blessed with different talents and abilities, and it is my belief that God intends for us to use those where we can to His honour and glory. It is with this in mind that I run this blog. There are so many millions of people in this world who, for whatever reason, are desperately crying for help, lost in a sea of worries and concerns, and yet unaware of the great release that can be granted by submitting their problems to God. It is primarily to these people that I am aiming these messages, simple and short though they may be. The messages are varied in their content, but mostly are messages of hope in dark times, simple spiritual messages of guidance, inspiration,motivation and hope, messages of guidance to those who are worried or afraid.
The messages are also emailed out on a fairly regular basis, and if you would like to receive these from me in future, be sure to add your name to my blog.
I am constantly amazed with the power of the Internet. With this technology I am trying to extend God's work to as many people as I can. The number of daily visitors we receive at the blog is rich evidence of God's blessing on this work.
Please feel free to redistribute these messages as you wish, because it is through the amazing medium of email and the internet that we can reach so many people who are thirsting for God's guidance, or whose faith in God is tested. If you would like to contribute any message to this blog,can be a Messages of Hope and Inspiration ,and even motivation feel free to leave it on as comment. My desire is to see the power of technology used for God's work.
I am not affiliated in any way to any church or religious organisation, and I am not a trained or ordained minister of religion. Any inspiration for this work is received by the grace of God, and I ask you to pray for its continuance.
There is no charge at all for viewing these messages, nor for receiving them. I ask for no reward for this work, other than knowing that I do God's will.
"I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope".
Romans 15:13
May God bless you today and forever!
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