Feeling So Lonely

For his anger lasts only a moment,but his favor lasts a lifetime;weeping may stay for the night,but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

This the time of year that people can start to feel lonely. The expectations of having a 'perfect family Christmas' can create stress and also cause unmet expectations. Also those who have recently experienced a loss may be less than merry.The time of year set about to be "merry and bright" can often turn into a sad struggle. Even other times of the year loneliness can abound but this time of year it seems to be on 'steroids' so to speak.

If you are feeling lonely, first of all know that God loves you. Try to not entertain thoughts of doubt, fear, condemnation, comparison and basically do a mental practice of focusing on good and positive thoughts. Even talk out loud to yourself things like the following:

I am a child of God!

Jesus loves me!

Joy comes in the morning!

No weapon formed against me will prosper!

I am the head and not the tail!

You Lord have good plans for me!

I refuse to listen to Satan's lies!

You can probably add a few of your own. Loneliness can be quite disabling though. One of the BEST cures is doing something for someone else and what better time of year is there to do that but this time when giving is overemphasized. My friend, God does not want you to be lonely. Run to Him. Talk to Him in prayer and get busy and get out and find someway to help someone else. I guarantee it will make you feel better. 

PRAYER: I am very grateful for the gift of family and friends and do not take these relationships for granted. Show me how to be a good friend and awesome family member. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click link below for a song of praise and hope:

http://youtu.be/YYRc0JeQuC0

Up To 60% Off

But in keeping with His promise look forward to a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:13

On Cyber Monday I had big visions of doing some Christmas shopping, but quickly gave up as the email notices I received touting huge discounts turned out in many cases to be a trick to get you to certain websites and then did not get a huge discount after all. 

I am thinking , God is not like that. He makes promises and doesn't say "up to 60% forgiveness offered" but his promises are complete and true and sure.  There are promises of God throughout the Bible we can stand on. It is like the old hymn 'Standing On The Promises' says. We are indeed standing on God's promises. He offers good things to those who love Him and follow Him. No sale needed. No special day to do this on. No gimmicks.

Do you want what God has to offer? Eternal Life. Pretty good deal I would say. By asking Him into your heart to be Lord and savior you can have this promise. Once you do ask Him in though, don't forget about Him. He waits for you to give Him your love and attention each and every day. Now go stand on His promises!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I love you and I am thankful I can stand on your promises which are true and just. You have good things prepared for those who love you. I can't wait. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Pray Like You Mean It!

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Matthew 6:7

For whatever reason there are some Christians who don't pray or feel they don't know how. Maybe being raised in a certain church made them feel they had to change their tone of voice or say 'thee' or 'thou' and the whole thing intimidated them. Prayer is simply talking to God. No special degree required. No different speech patterns. It is just pouring out your heart to God.

Maybe you grew up saying only "God is great" prayers or "now I lay me down to sleep" and have never really poured out your heart to God.   Perhaps now you have fallen into a pattern of not praying at all. The devil loves that because through prayer is where you have the power to defeat him. If you have been lulled into complacency when it comes to prayer, now is the time to turn that around. Prayer gives us power to defeat the schemes of the enemy. I know people who have been turned off by prayer saying it does not work. We are to pray and pray some more and never lose heart.

I challenge you to not just pray memorized prayers but pray from your heart. Just talk to God. He hears you and He listens. Make prayer a part of each day.

PRAYER: There have been times I have not gone to you in prayer. Forgive me Lord.  I choose to not rush into my day unarmed. I want your power in my life and with prayer I have it. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Go Forward!

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19

Have you ever attempted to drive your car backwards for any length of time? It would be very stressful  and tiring focusing backwards over your shoulder, trying to maintain a normal speed and staying on the road.

Life should be lived going 'forward' not in reverse. Often times people want to go back to the past and try to 'fix' something but the past is gone, forever. God intends for us to look ahead for the glory which is to come. Looking back serves no useful purpose.

Is there a situation in your life you've been having a hard time forgetting and moving on?  Now is the time to ask God to help you and focus on today. 

PRAYER:  At times Lord it is so hard to forget something. It does me no good to dig up the past. Help me have strength to live for today! In Jesus' name. Amen.

I Pledge Thee My Troth

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. Ecclesiastes 5:4

In our wedding vows 37 years ago part of it said "I pledge thee my troth" and we laughed about it as it sounded like I was giving a stable away. But the troth means faithfulness or truthfulness. The word 'pledge' itself means "a solemn binding promise". It is a vow and should not be taken lightly.

Pledges are part of everyday life in America. Take the 'Pledge of Allegiance' for example. It is a serious promise you make when you recite this pledge or promise. Say it to yourself and think what it means. In Christian circles many make a 'pledge' to donate money to a radio station, ministry or a missionary. This pledge should be taken seriously as it is a promise and ministries count on your faithfulness. I will be the first to admit there have been times I forgot and felt ashamed of myself. When I was in college I 'pledged' to a sorority or joined it and pledged to be faithful as a 'sister'. Pledges are important. 

Have you made pledges you have not kept? God can forgive you so do not beat up on yourself but purpose in your heart you will not allow breaking pledges to become a habit. If you  pledge allegiance to America and don't follow it you may be guilty of treason. A pledge is a trust, a promise. If you are committing to something you want to be faithful. This is between you and God. Start today and ask God to help you keep that which you have promised.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I want to be faithful to my promises and pledges. This is an honorable thing to do and Christian thing to do. Help me not make excuses but to fulfill my pledges. In Jesus' name. Amen.

That New Car Smell

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Revelation 2:4

For anyone fortunate and blessed enough to ever have a brand new car right from the factory assembly line, you can attest to that wonderful new car smell. Friends often want to get in to see the car and smell the new smell. Just like with anything new eventually you do not smell it anymore. Perhaps because it is no longer new and we are not  taking care of it like we used to. The smell is intermingled with smells of gym bags, grocery bags, trash, and other odds and ends. You once parked far away from others as to not 'ding' your car doors but after awhile you take the car for granted and park it anywhere.

Relationships with people, be it friends or a spouse, can be this way as well. You treat them kind and put them first when the relationship is in its' infancy or when you are trying to impress but then you sort of slip, maybe not meaning to, and take this blessing for granted. Perhaps you are not treating the person as kind as you used to or making the time for them like you should.

Well Jesus is no exception. Many give their heart to Him but then other priorities get in the way and squeeze Jesus out of their day. Sure you mean well and you still claim to be a Christian but you rarely,if ever, do more than Sunday morningto check that block for the week. If this describes you what are you going to do about it? Jesus wants to be first place, really first,not just saying you love Him and not showing Him. Just like you give your spouse flowers for no reason it is time maybe you give Jesus' the 'flowers' of quality time each day spent with Him.

PRAYER: I love you Lord and I know there are many days I sure do not act like it. Forgive me. Just like a mother would not forget her crying baby,Lord I do not want to forget you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Hardy Har

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.  Proverbs 17:22

I have a sensitive nature at times and when it comes to people kidding me about being hyper they say things like "Have you had enough coffee?" After awhile I have a good cry then move on with it. God made me 'high energy' and I am thankful but when jokes or cruel comments come I have to blow it off. Those who do it probably thought they were being funny and I need to move on and get over it. Being funny is a good thing as long as it is not at the expense of others.

It is good to laugh and have fun but never to intentionally make fun of people. Laughter  is like medicine for our souls. I think of the movie 'Patch Adams' starring the late Robin Williams, about a doctor who used laughter with his patients to help them heal. A rotten spirit  can make you sick. To laugh and smile is to be lifted up above your problems. A good clean joke is always a good thing.

When you laugh exhibit joy and God loves a joyful heart. Find a person who needs a smile today and be a friend. What usually follows a smile is a chuckle. Do you part to make others happy and joyful in the name of Jesus!

PRAYER: I thank you Lord for the gift of laughter. Help me not tell jokes to belittle others and help me be able to share your joy with others. In Jesus' name. Amen.