Lonely Epidemic

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? Romans 8:25

As I sat in a local coffee shop writing one day I noticed an elderly gentleman asleep in one of the chairs. I had seen him here before always alone. Maybe he had no one to hang out with or no where to go. He does not look like a bum, just a lonely old man. No one has said anything to him as he snoozes away in a chair. 

I have witnessed things like this in big cities such as Washington, DC where homeless sleep covered by garbage bags on benches or even just lonely looking people sitting on park benches. They are not begging but simply look sad. Some in fact could be mentally ill but we are not sent to judge but to love. My heart always aches but yet how many times have I approached them. Maybe as a lady alone I am cautious. But look around you today and you are bound to see someone who fits into the category or extreme loneliness. 

Do yourself a favor if you want to feel joyful. Find someone you can bring joy to today. Look around you. Maybe pay for the person behind you in line at a drive through. You never know what they are going through. Smile and say hi to a lonely looking person. Visit a nursing home and sign up to be a buddy to someone. Whatever it is shine the love of God to those the world may have forgotten. 

PRAYER: Dear Lord God I am at fault for sometimes seeing a need but not meeting it. Awaken me to the needs of those I come across and make a way for me to share your love. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Positive Speaking

For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. Matthew 12:37

Do you catch yourself saying any of the following negative speech? 

I am just going to be fat.

          I can't lose weight as I am too old.

I am a worrier.

You know how it is when you get old. 

I  am too old to look for work.

My joints ache cause I am old. 

I hate winter. 

I can never get ahead. 

I hate summer. 

I can't get well. 

They will never hire me.

Okay you see what I  am getting at. Negative speech can become a habit that you may not even be aware you are doing. Positive speaking is what God wants us to do. Don't criticize your self. Don't say you are unable to do something. Satan is the one who puts negativity in your heart. Beat him at his game.

The more you get in the habit of saying positive statements the more you will start to believe them. Why put yourself down by your own words. God is a positive God not a negative one. Do not fall into the trap of digging a hole for yourself by making  'wrong confessions' out of your mouth.

Try this. Get up and say positive things. Call things as not as though they were as it says in Romans 4:17. Try to get negative, derogatory, or unloving speech out of your vocabulary and instead focus on saying things like "something good is going to happen to me today!" 

PRAYER: Lord I have said condemning things before about myself but I know at any age you have good things in store. I know no matter what your plan for me is wonderful and I can do all things with your help. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Christmas 24/7 Challenge

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Christmas may be over, but who says we have to stop that spirit of giving, loving, sharing and being joyful? Why is it necessary to even put away the nativity scene for that matter? Jesus is alive and we are to act like it and show His love the other 364 days.

I challenge you in 2015 to find ways to be joyful, loving, kind, and giving each and every day. Perhaps to the rude store clerk or disgruntled airline employee. Maybe it is to someone who cuts in front of you at a busy fast food restaurant. It even could be a friend or heaven forbid, a unkind spouse, who is saying hurtful words, which you need to return good for evil. Show kindness even when humanly you would rather 'spout off'. Anger causes fights and fights lead to only hurt feelings and broken relationships. Treat a friend to coffee or lunch. Buy an unexpected gift. Purchase a gift card for a restaurant and give it to a homeless or needy person, not just at Christmas but ALL the time. 

Start today and make up your mind the spirit of the Christmas season will live in your heart year round then go do something about it.

PRAYER: Lord I choose this day forward to be kind. When provoked I will hold my tongue and take my issues to you in prayer instead. Show me how to love even those hard to love people, some who may have hurt me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

People At Work

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23

As I sat for a three hour layover recently at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport I observed all sorts of employees doing there jobs. Facilities management emptying trash. Skycaps pushing people in wheelchairs. Customer Service answering confused passengers inquiries. Restaurant workers busily fulfilling orders. People were scurrying about on this busy day working hard at their jobs.

As a believer no matter what we do we need to perform it as if working for the Master Himself because ultimately we are. God does not want us to be slackers but to work hard whether we are a grave digger, store clerk, CEO of billion dollar company, or a mom at home, to name a few. Be an example for the kingdom in every facet of your life

When you are at work or at play take your duties seriously.

PRAYER: I am your servant Lord and I willingly work at each of my jobs in a manner to please you and be an example for your kingdom to non believers. Give me strength to persevere. In Jesus' name. Amen.

I Love That Person, And That Person, And That Person Too!

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. Matthew 7:1

It is easy to look at someone and not know their 'story' and to form an opinion or judgment about them. I have done it and I am trying to stop it with God's help. One solution to it is to go through your day and when you tend to want to be judgmental instead silently say "I love that person" and so on. Try to look at all people through the eyes of Jesus and with compassion. If we are naming the name of Jesus and are to be His hands and feet here on Earth then we certainly do not want to go about our day being silently critical and judging our fellow man. 

Maybe you were brought up in a home where there was a critical spirit. If so recognize that and confess it and then it is time to move beyond that. Do not use the past as an excuse for everything. I know it is hard to be with people who constantly find fault with others and you certainly do not want to be one of those. Maybe you do it and are not even aware of it.

Try to start each day out and make up your mind that nothing bad will come from your mouth, and  that you will control your thought life as well. Satan wants you to be critical and condemn as then you do not make a very good example for Christ. Go into the world today and love others and speak kindly of them. 

PRAYER: I want to be more like you Jesus in what I think, say, and do. Forgive me if I have ever formed judgments against my fellow man. It is not my place to judge but to love. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

My Shepherd Is Great!

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

Typically at a funeral you may hear the 23rd Psalm read. Take time and get your Bible and read it. There are so many good verses to read at funerals but this one brings comfort to the bereaved family and friends. When I lived in Arizona in 1984-85 at Williams AFB, which was a little ways out of the metropolitan area of Phoenix, there were actual shepherds who managed flocks of sheep. It was fun to see them in action. During the summers in the desert it was too hot for the sheep to handle so the shepherd would gently guide his flock up on the mountain to a higher cooler elevation and return them to the valley in the winter months.The sheep knew their shepherd. We live on a cattle farm and the cows recognize my husbands voice too. 

God is our shepherd. A shepherd can also be one who cares for and guides people such as a pastor.  A bible study leader or prayer group leader would be a shepherd of sorts to their 'flock' under their care and need to periodically tend to their spiritual  needs. A shepherd of sheep guides them by still waters and takes them to green pasture. If we follow Jesus, our shepherd and try to not run way from the flock, he will guide us beside still waters as well. This is not to say there won't be some occasional  problems but He will be your guide and take care of you. 

Are you allowing Jesus to be your guide? Is He truly shepherd of your life? 

PRAYER: My Jesus how I need you. When I get away from doing your will and go my own way I can get into the 'briar patches' of life. Thanks for being my constant shepherd. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Love On!

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44

Let's face it. Some people are hard to like, much less love. I have had friends not like me anymore and unfriend me on Facebook. Ouch, that stings, especially for someone who is a people lover. No matter if someone loves, likes, or is kind to us, we still need to press on and love on. God commands it.

I recall a neighbor we had several years ago who used to do mean things and it would irritate my husband. I would in a 'preachy' way quote the scripture above. Never, at this point, feeling the sting of rejection from friends, I pressed on, happy with my life. Then it happened. My personality or something started irking a few people and I had friends not like me. I was sad. I obsessed over it lots. But I knew God was going to get me through this and help me grow as well. Perhaps it was a training ground for my devotion writing. If that is the case I guess I need to thank those who have snubbed or hurt me. If you have been hurt or rejected by friends or family it is painful. But we need to love, keep on living life, and learn to let it go and forgive even if the person never seeks forgiveness for their hurt or ever offers an explanation.

Today if you are experiencing this in any way, give it to God. Do not hate these people but feel sorry for them that they are missing out on a wonderful friend and then just pray for God to bless them. It will make you feel better.

PRAYER:I love you Lord and I thank you for all things in my life as they help me grow and develop as a believer. I give my hurt and pain to you to use however you will. In Jesus' name.Amen.

Strongman

Finally be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. Ephesians 6:10

 At a circus or carnival there is often a strongman displaying feats to astound us such as bending metal bars, lifting huge dumbbells or breaking boards. He is strong, mighty, and powerful. His strength is indeed amazing but there is one stronger yet that can give you strength to stand up to problems in life. His name is Jesus.

 Lifting weights is a good thing. I go to the gym regularly and love to lift weights to stay in shape. Our inner man has to stay strong as well. To build strength inside it is necessary to feed your spirit daily with the word of God and prayer. The word is like a shield to protect us from Satan and give us power to defeat Him. The more you read and memorize His Word, the stronger you become. You may find it hard to discipline yourself to physically work out and thus become flabby and overweight. Likewise when you neglect time with God you become a spiritual weakling. Make up your mind today to be a strongman for God!

 PRAYER: Lord you are good and your mercies endue forever and ever. I love your Word and do not like to neglect my time with You although at times I have. Forgive me Lord. I seek to get stronger each and every day. In Jesus' name.Amen.