What Is Your Desert?

Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. Deuteronomy 8:2

Often times in life, even life of followers of Jesus, there are desert experiences where you may feel God has abandoned you. Why me Lord? Many times these desert times are proving ground for your faith. Maybe the enemy tries to come into your mind and say “see this walk with God is not good huh” and you answer back “Shut Up Devil” and march on.

Desert experiences could be betrayal by someone close, sudden unexpected death of someone not of the ‘dying age’, loss of a child before or after birth, prodigal child, loss of significant income, divorce, lose custody of your child, child lost to a cult or wrong thinking, and add to that list. These times are not when you need to doubt God is morning but to be positive and know that the Lord hears your prayers and do your part to press in.

Temptation may come to give in but know true strength only comes through trials and maybe some hardship. Perhaps you went through something and can see now how God was with you in those days. Don’t cave to fear from enemy or lack of patience but keep letting Romans 4:17 be your promise “calling things as not as though they were” and charge on for the prize and victory!

PRAYER: I hate trials and there is no one alive who likes them but many times hardship or pain is what we need to help us hear from you. Strengthen me Lord so I can run the race to win even when difficulties come. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Eat, Drink, And Be Merry...Then What?

“He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30

Many here in this country and perhaps others too might have the mentality that nothing is more important than comfort and having fun. Like this is all there is so go for the gusto. Oh contraire to whoever thinks that.

This life you have is not strictly all about your own pleasure. It is almost counter culture to think otherwise  what with selfies and all. Me, Me, Me, look at me. God’s thinking is not popular with the ‘Me first’ mentality crowd.

I get excited when I see young millennials sold out to Jesus and the church I attend has quite a few. It is not thinking of just themselves but what they can do for those around them a ‘dying to self’ attitude. This is not that say you can never have fun but you realize why you are here and seek to find the purpose God has for you while you dwell in your Earthly body. Being self centered was never God’s plan but also he does not want you to not enjoy this Earth just keep things in perspective. I used to be in Officers Christian Fellowship(OCF) and they have two retreat centers one in Pennsylvania and one in Colorado where they advertise ‘vacation with a purpose’ and indeed the couple times we went that was so true and fulfilling.  Are you living your life on purpose?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I want more of you in my life. I want never to shy away from opportunities I have to share your love with a lost and confused world. I choose to listen to your voice and not the voice of the enemy and pray for those I may know who are caught in the trap and bondage to the enemy and don’t even realize it. Set them free. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

I’m Scared

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)

Maybe the kind of fear you have is not of roller coasters, intruders, heights,  and stuff like that but just fear of messing up a relationship somehow, fear of dying, fear of contracting the coronavirus,  or even fear of being alone if you are a widow or widower. Maybe scared of the future or concerned about the world? 

Today’s verse says it pretty clear and that is fear is basically not from God. God wants to help you attack your fears head on. First don’t feed your mind with television news and the ‘what ifs’ of life but instead maybe start yourself a blessing or thanksgiving jar where each day you write down something good. Get in the habit of thinking on good things as it says in Philippians 4:8. When ugly fear rears it’s head say “in the name of Jesus I rebuke this fear and wrong thinking” and then bury it.

Stay in the word. Find yourself a life giving non “religious” church that will lift you up not drag you down. You need to stay positive and uplifted and encouraged. Live life each day with hope, Joy, love, and let go of ugliness and meanness and pray for anyone around you caught up in things dragging them down. Now go have a non scary day. 

PRAYER: The love of the Lord lifts, delivers, and heals. I pray for any who may be in a bad spot right now that the Holy Spirit infill them and direct their path into a peaceful joyful place, and with like minded friends to encourage them and love them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What Is Your Assignment?

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.Colossians 3:17

Have you ever given any thought to where you are right now in life sort of as being your assignment, your mission field so to speak?Let me elaborate.

Let’s say you are going through cancer treatments and maybe you are supposed to interact and share God’s love with the nurses and staff there. Perhaps a job you don't particularly care for is where God has you as someone there needs you to share God’s love as well. Not saying God causes bad junk to happen but that he can indeed use you in so many places on so many ways. 

Maybe you need an attitude check instead of bemoaning your plight to ask God to show you who it is you are supposed to impact for the kingdom of God. Start looking for opportunities to be a blessing no matter how you feel or what is going on in your life. There is always someone out there worse off and maybe that person looking sad simply needs a smile. Give it a try. No go be a blessing!

PRAYER: I love to be able to shine your light Lord so forgive me when I keep it under a basket so to speak. Help me be unashamed of my love for you. I pray for those whose situation in life right now makes them less than jovial to see where they are as opportunity to give praise. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In The Middle Of Darkness...God Is There!!

And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

If you accepted Christ as your savior and asked Him to live in your heart that is just the beginning friend. You are on a great adventure. Everything won’t always be rosy as you  follow Jesus but you can have the assurance that He is with you even in the darkest storms of life. 

I recently passed a car that had a Darwin sticker with feet on the Christian fish symbol. I said a prayer for this young man in the car that he would come to know the truth and would be set free from the lies of the enemy. So many humans think this Earth is all there is. No continuing life, no Hell, just simply poof you are gone. You maybe get that way too when darkness envelopes you. 

The best cure for curing the spiritual dumps as I call it when you feel like running away from your faith is to listen and sing along with a good worship song. God has not abandoned you and wants you to continue pressing in, running your race. Victory is around the corner. 

PRAYER:I am thankful you hear my prayers. I am thankful for the comfort I get from other believers when I reach out to them. Show me someone who needs a touch from Gd today and help me pray fo them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

NOTE: I have attached an awesome song of worship. Take a few moments and listen to it and praise God.Click link to begin. https://youtu.be/cHoGEDQQ67o

Satan Is A Virus, But God!!

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

I am not sure if any body else is sick and tired of the fear mongers in the news media scaring everyone with the outbreak of the Corona virus making it sound like the apocalypse is on the doorstep and death is certain causing the stock market to plunge. Sure you need to take precautions but you don’t need to get scared and lock yourself in a sanitized container.

Once again it gave me a devotion idea. You know who the worst virus is? Satan. The schemer, liar, divider is kind of behind all this too cause the puny little weasel loves to see people scared even better if it is person who claims to be a follower of the Most High God. Everyone can be cautious but you don’t have to feed your mind 24/7 with doomsday reports. That is what sells papers are tragic stories. Purpose in your heart today, you will cover your mouth when you cough, use hand sanitizer but NOT BE FEARFUL! Got it? And turn the radio on to praise and worship music and stop getting yourself scared.

From this day forward know that God is the healer, is in control, has a plan for your life, says no weapon formed against you shall prosper, so let it go for crying out loud. Okie dokie?? It is easy to become disabled due to a fearful scenario but you can start being intentional about feeding your mind with positive thoughts and turn off junk that frightens you and steals your peace. Go spread some joy for Jesus why not?

PRAYER: Fear is not from you Lord. Forgive me when I waste brain cells worrying and caving in to the ploys of the enemy to take me away from faith and trust in you. I choose to do positive uplifting things to stay on track and turn away from negativity. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Click on link and sit back and worship the Lord in song. He is mighty to be praised.hard to have fear when you are praising Jesus!

#biblegatewayblogger

Stay Ready

Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:42-44

When you are expecting company you make sure your home or apartment is picked up and things are put away. You want to be ready for your guests when they arrive. Each and every day as a follower of Christ is a day in waiting. You never know when today is the day. 

Many people probably scoff at the notion of Jesus’ return and go on living and doing just what their flesh wants them to do. Thinking wrong thoughts, saying bad things,  hanging out in not so stellar places, looking at inappropriate material in either magazines and books or on the screen. But there will be an end to the frivolity of this present world and if it happened right now would you be ready and do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you would enter Heaven? 

Being ready doesn’t mean you are a member of a church or have been baptized although those are things you should want to do. It is not how many good deeds you have done although once again your heart should want to help others. First and foremost you need to find a dynamic body of believers where the truth is being preached and where worship is vibrant and alive. The Holy Spirit draws people to the cross. Get plugged in and get excited about being a believer and then a follower. Just ask Jesus to come into your heart and change you, He will. 

PRAYER: Lord God I thank you so very much for loving me even when I act ugly. I thank you for your patience with me when I don’t reach out to help others. Forgive me for being in my own self centered world. I look forward to the day you come again. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Click on link for a song of worship to help you draw closer to the Lord:https://youtu.be/d_24IdbJ0Tw