Who Are Your Friends?

 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.Proverbs 13:20

Friends can make you or break you. Who you hang out with is vitally important. Sure you need to be able to minister to all sorts of people just don’t pick up and run with the wrong crowd. 

Parents of little ones,  now is the time to be making sure you are praying for who your children choose to hang out with since unless you homeschool you won’t really know. Prayer sets the ground work for godly friendships. 

You want to get with friends who do the right thing instead of those that lead you down a path of destruction that takes forever to recover from. You need to be the kind of friend others can trust to keep confidences and be full of integrity. Deep down the little voice convicts you of right and wrong so listen, that is the Holy Spirit. Now go show yourself friendly and make a new friend. 

PRAYER: Father I am super thankful for all my friends and the things I have learned when I have been hurt by friends. I pray for anyone who may be seeking to get away from a toxic friendship. I pray for those who have found themselves in trouble because of friends who led them down the wrong path. I pray you will let me be a friend to one who is lonely. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Spiritual Heart Blockage

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

A person can suffer from a physical heart blockage that results in surgery, medication, or death. But were you aware your spiritual heart can be blocked too?

If you do a word search on the word ‘heart’ in the Bible you come up with many things telling you to keep a guard on your heart. Satan would love to capture your heart or even just a tiny portion of it because if he succeeds you then start compromising evil and things  you know deep down are not right for a child of God. For instance allowing the culture to shape you instead of God’s word.

 So how do you go about guarding your heart? First it needs a good dose of heartfelt scripture in it daily. Only through the word can you defeat the devil and send him packing. Next you need to be careful what things you allow into it such as types of movies you choose to watch, Tv shows, games you may play, books and magazines you read, music you listen to, basically anything that enters the ear gates or eye gates which gets into your soul and spirit. You will be tempted to compromise, make excuses, or blow it off by saying it is entertainment but alas you must be vigilant and aware of the enemies devices to capture your heart. Stand strong my friend!

PRAYER: Father God I come to you on behalf of those I know who may have been tricked into believing lies which have entered their heart and tried to get them on the enemies side. I pray for myself to be aware of Satan’s devices and not be led astray. I want you to have my entire heart pure and holy set apart for you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

How Is Your Gossip Meter?

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6

Is there such a thing as innocent gossip? Of course the answer is NO. Some gossips are addicted to it and others I feel really think what they are saying is not bad or harmful but talking bad about anyone is never good especially if you call yourself a believer.

Have you found yourself there stuck in the middle of a situation where someone starts to speak poorly of another? I have many times. Sometimes it can even be in a Christian setting! Remember those people whose moms said to them “if you can’t say anything good then don’t say anything at all?” Well my friend that is what all of us need to strive for.

Gossip is a sin of the fleshly nature and not sure why we feel compelled to share things that won’t build a person up. Gossips spreads half truths, lies, hurt, causes irreparable damage and truly if we are a believer shouldn’t we be praying for who we are talking poorly of instead of harming them with putting them down in a round about way to others. Instead of talking down about someone’s past faults or things going on in their life why not stop and say a prayer for them and pray you can love them enough to not talk about them behind their backs.

PRAYER: It is so easy to get caught up into talking about why so and so do this or does that but frankly it is not my place. Lord Jesus convict my heart if I am ever tempted to speak poorly of another to stop then and there and sing your praises and lift them up in prayer instead. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Snap Out of That Funk

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Many people might think that a believer never has any down time but is always peppy and perky for the Lord. I wish that were so and that is the ultimate goal but believers have to stay on guard because Satan loves to trip us up, get us in a funk, and disable us for the kingdom. 

When someone asks for prayer stop right there and pray don’t wait lest you forget. The Lord is a shield for us and that shield is the word of God. Sometimes if you get in a real mess and just don’t feel like praising God do it anyway. Turn on praise music. Lift your hands. Talk to the devil and tell him you are covered by the blood of Jesus and no weapon will harm you. 

“But wait Becky my husband has cancer, my child is a prodigal, I just lost my job. My best friend has disowned me. How on earth do you expect me to want to feel like praying with the mess I am in?” I hear you. Been there done that and got the tee shirt as the saying goes. Do it despite the set backs or else you may be in danger of falling away and getting sucked into wrong thinking and far away from God. It is all about faith, not feelings. Hang in there my friend and talk to God. 

PRAYER: I am thankful to live in a nation where I am able to pray freely even with many who are trying to stop religious freedom for Christians. Forgive me when I allow the enemy to mess with me when I have way more power through Christ than that measly little weasel. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What Do You Do?

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

Recently I was in a coffee shop when I struck up a conversation with the gentleman next to me. He asked was I retired? Normally I freeze up starting to feel bad that I never was in a job long enough to retire but then on the other hand I was blessed to be a stay home mom to our two now grown sons so I just said what I did. 

Maybe you have had people ask you what you do and you may practically apologize if you are a stay home mom or even at home without children. Everyone has a purpose on this earth and especially if you are the watching over young babies and toddlers be thankful for getting to be the major impact in their lives. Nothing to apologize for in any way. 

Whatever you are doing do it well as a representative of the Lord. Let you light shine in your office, the public square, the college you attend, the church you go to, or there at home with your family especially those gifts from God. 

PRAYER: Lord I thank you for the place you have me now. Help me to embrace where I am and use opportunities to share your love with all around me as opportunity presents itself. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Inner Man/Woman Renewed Daily

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.2 Corinthians 4:16

As you age many changes take place in your body mostly dreaded after you go beyond age 55 or so. You don’t really pay much attention at ages 20-40 when you have no noticeable age spots, arthritis,  and other signs then poof one day there they are. Billions of dollars are spent on hair color, neck and  facelifts, fade creams,  spot removal, lip injections, tummy tucks and why? So this vessel you reside in can stay as young looking as possible till you ‘check out’ so to speak.

Isn’t it nice to know that these temporary shells we reside in will one day be no more and replaced with a heavenly body? Sure God wants us to take care of our ‘temple’ and not abuse it with eating wrong foods thus getting overweight leading to health issues , or smoking which leads to cancer. Then there is alcohol and drug usage. Yes while here take care of your temple just don’t just obsess over it with cosmetic procedures. Embrace the age you are because many don’t make it to your age whether that is 18, 21, 35, 50, and so forth.

At every age God has a plan to use you if you are still here breathing on this Earth. All his creation young and old are vital for the kingdom of God. You are here to help other people too and that means being kind, respectful, helpful, understanding, and asking that the Lord use you each day in someone’s life you encounter. So don’t bemoan getting older but be thankful for what God has in store. To inwardly be renewed stay in the Word of God and let Him transform you from the inside out.

 PRAYER:Once we are born we begin to die. That is the plan all along and while I am here in their human body help me reach out and share your love with those I encounter. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Like Sheep Without A Shepherd

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36

Hatred, evil, lying, and spreading false information are from the devil. When you look around at people say in the political world you just have to shake your head at times. Also those caught up in the world where they have accepted the culture’s ways above God’s ways. Having no remorse over the killing of innocent babies in the name of a ‘woman’s right to choose’. Definitely many lost wandering sheep out there wouldn’t you say? 

Yes mankind is like a sheep wandering around without a shepherd. Sheep are basically stupid animals and need to be guided by the shepherd to safety so they don’t get caught in barbed wire or fall off a cliff. Today’s verse let’s you know that God has compassion on all wandering souls. Even the ones who disavow any knowledge of Him or are far from Him he still loves and goes after. 

When you see or encounter those hateful souls out there don’t get mad but instead lift them up. In many cases they don’t know Jesus and have no desire to. They are overwhelmed in life with ugliness and sometimes feel there is no way out. Jesus is always the door to the way out to be lifted higher. Keep praying for those who wander. 

PRAYER: I pray for those people I know and don’t know who act ugly, mean, hateful, spiteful and need you in their lives. I pray for the God of truth to open their eyes to see you Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.