Tag: hope

Jesus is the Reason for the Season

Because of the Cross

Beginning with Thanksgiving, this is the season most get excited about. However, as we venture deeper into the season for Christmas, let us remember those who are feeling lonely and desperate. We cannot fix their problems. However, we can let those close to us know that we care about them and are there for them. The tricky part is to remember that we are not able to fix everything wrong in their but to help with the loneliness. Sometimes, being present is the key to helping others get through this time of the year. There is always hope.

God’s mercy and grace is renewed every morning. Today there is a cloud but tomorrow the sun will shine. Our hope is in Jesus. I would like to encourage all those feeling lonely that God is for you and with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Have you accepted Christ?

Romans 10:9-10 – 9)If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10)For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you saved.”

It is good to know that when family and friends are no longer there for you, God is and will always be. I am a believer and truly know that God is real in my life. I believe He will change your life. It is your choice. Choose this day whom you will serve.

Joshua 24:15b – “But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Happy holidays to all and remember Jesus is the reason for the season!

Today’s Thoughts…Jehovah-Jireh

20160423_174620Spent most of the afternoon enjoying the writings of my blogging community. I so enjoy reminders of faith, hope and love. As well, the various tips and information that help and encourage along this spiritual and writing journey. I have included some of the posts here for you to have your own reading pleasure.

Regurgitated Church

Fairy Tale Endings

Moments of True Blessing

A short walk with my Canon

Calibrating the Mind

There is a lot going on in the world today, from the death of the iconic artists to the crazy presidential race. In the midst of it all, I did take time to be grateful for the small things. The image above is one of those things. I absolutely love the beauty of nature and this image was one that gave me pleasure. I took the image at a customer’s home, with her permission, of course. Taking a minute or two from my driving to capture nature’s beauty.

In having to make a decision on a second job inside or outside, I chose the outside. It is a second driving job and though it has the pros as well as the cons, I realized that I do not want to give up my writing or photography. I would not have the opportunity to capture as many of the beautiful images that I see on an inside job for most of the day. It was a challenging decision in that I have to wait a little longer and I do have some urgency for additional finances. In the grand scheme of things, wisdom in decision-making is considering the long-term as well as the short-term results of our decisions.

Trusting God as my provider means that I can make a decision based on Him and not my circumstances. I trust Him to take care of me and provide even when I can’t see how. I’m still here, aren’t I? That means God has provided.

I also thought about my commitment to my writing. There are sacrifices for what God has called me to do. I do notice also that in the transforming of my mind to the things of God, the anxiety is lessening to nil. When it rises, I immediately see that my flesh wants to take control but it doesn’t have to. Transforming my mind means, to me, that I am trusting Him for the unseen things for my life. That I am trusting Him for what He has given me and honoring Him with it. And, that I am standing on who He is in my life, Jehovah-Jireh, my provider.

Everything Changes

Daily Post Prompt: Everything Changes

Strolling to the next shop to sightsee, I see a folded piece of paper that looks inviting. Maybe the fact that it wasn’t dirty caught my attention. This meant that the paper hadn’t been there that long. I speed up a little just to make sure no one else reaches it before me. Approaching the paper, I reach down and pick it up. Excitement building for some unknown reason about this piece of paper that everyone else seemed to miss. Could this be a message just for me?
Keep Reading!

Faith that Grows

Devotion – John 4:46-54 (NLT)

Faith is a gift that grows as we use it.  How do we recognize if we are walking in faith?  We say we believe, but our actions of anxiety do not portray the faith we say we have. (Phil. 4:6 – “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you  need, and thank Him for all He has done.”  Do we believe God enough (the faith of a mustard seed) to “prepare our field for rain”  or to “move the mountain?”  (Matt. 17:20 – “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard see, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move.  Nothing would be impossible.”)

This devotion speaks about the father who believed Jesus for his son’s healing. Before he even made it home, his son was healed because of his trust in the words that Jesus spoke to him.  Verse 50 says “Then Jesus told him, ‘Go back home.  Your son will live.” How much do we believe Jesus for our children’s healing?  I believe that because there is so much emotional disorder in our society today, our children are suffering in such a major way.  Do we really believe Jesus for their healing?

As I walk through my own journey of emotional disorder in my family, I must say there are days I am challenged. But as I write today, I am challenged to stand on the Word of God; to practice this faith I have in reality.  As this father did, trust in the Words of Jesus.  We mature or grow in this walk of faith as we  practice it, trusting and praising.

Praises are evidence of trust.  Why?  Because praise reveals confidence, hope, believing that God is not only willing but able to meet our every need.  He is worthy to be praised!

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible New Living Translation, copyright  1965, 2004.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189.

Tuesday – Psalm 78:5-8

5) “For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children. 6) That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, 7) That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments; 8) And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.”

As a parent, I try to do the best that I can for my children, and sometimes it just doesn’t seem to be good enough.  When I stop long enough to realize that I really don’t have enough in me to do all and give all that they need, I humbly repent.  This culture makes it so difficult for us to show our children who God is.  The Scripture above says that we should arise and make known to our children the Word of God, that they may have hope in God, not forget his works but set their spirit faithful to God.  As I read, it seems to  me that we have a choice to set our hope in God.  God is faithful and He does answer prayer.  I praise God, I thank God, and do speak the wonderful works of God to my children.  Sometimes I pray that they hear and listen to what they hear by choosing to do what the Word says.  Parents are not perfect but I do sometimes think they get a bad rap when they choose to serve the Lord and deny to their children some of the destructive things the world has to offer.  I look back at a simpler time and it seems that the heart of our parents may have been the same, just a different dressing.  Less toys and distractions.  However prayer still works and the Word is the same yesterday, today and forever.  There is hope in God!