How You Feeling My Friend?

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.Psalm 31:24

Mood and feelings come and go. Some days you may feel lazy and have trouble getting started. Others you just sort of want to be at peace and maybe get a cup of tea or coffee and sit and read scripture and talk to God.

As I am writing this we are having a rare occurrence in the high dessert of Idaho…rain! It sounds good, it smells good and it is long overdue and needed after a severe drought curtailed irrigation ditches from running. Soon the colder temperatures will turn it to the fluffy white stuff, a winter sportsmen delight! But it is time to sit, listen, stop striving , and give thanks. 

Let go of burdens, guilt, troubles, wrong thinking, hurts from people in your past and focus on the goodness of the Lord and how he has got the whole world in his hands. You have prayed things burdening your heart and God heard you now he wants you to trust him and rest. Enjoy this day and don’t let fabricated worries and the prodding of Satan steer you off course. You have got this. Keep going! 

PRAYER: Lord I long for peaceful days with no schedules or agendas. I can sit and think of blessings and let go of complaining, harmful thoughts, fears, and just enjoy relaxing in your presence. Use me today once again to shine your light into someone’s heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Walking In The Spirit Not The Flesh

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight.Proverbs 3:5-6


Feelings and emotions can get in the way of your peace and you must be  determined to not let the flesh control you. Things like jealousy, hurt feelings, anger, can easily cause wrong thinking to take over your once peaceful prayerful demeanor. Emotions can get the better of us at times. 

What is on your 'plate' so to speak? This covid season has produced a myriad of emotions and amplified many of them. It is necessary to step back and relax and not overthink too much. You may imagine things that are not even real. Comapring to others is also a no win situation. 

Try to make a list of what you have to be grateful for instead of sitting around throwing a pity party for one. Today's verse says to trust in the Lord with all your heart....give him your concerns and really really trust Him and not cave to fleshly reactions. Say Father I don't like the feelings or emotions I have right now and don't want Satan to win over me help me stay on the right path and not be constantly fretting over things I can do nothing about. Prayer is the journey to be on no matter what the sitiuation is. Can you do that? 

PRAYER: Lord forgive me when I have sat around crying over things that I really can not control. Help me instead to continue to pray and stay focused on helping others and not worrying about myself so much. Guard my heart also so I dont allow the enemy to ensnare me. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Slow Me Down Lord

He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

Years ago my a close Army friend gave me a book for my birthday entitled ‘Slow Me Down Lord’ as even back then in 1975 I guess I needed work on ‘being still’.

How are you in the area of being calm and peaceful? Do you rush through days, even during the slow down in Covid, seemingly on overdrive and fill up every spare moment or can you ever feel no guilt by just sitting down in a chair or a park bench doing nothing?

The fast pace of the Western world is not always a good thing. Being able to make time for important things like friends and family and maybe even doing something ‘old fashioned’ like writing a friend an actual snail mail letter and not constant emails. The days of real letters are sorely missed or the servicemen letters to his wife or family which are cherished mementoes for many. Kind of hard to save electronic memories. Take time today to look at your calendar and make adjustments like how about a few empty spots. Ponder that now go have a blessed day.

PRAYER: Father thank you for making me just like I am. Help me to take care of myself and that means learning to be still occasionally. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Fifty Years...Wow!

Man is like a mere breath; His days are like a passing shadow. Psalm 144:4

I just attended my 50th class reunion and I don’t feel any different but fifty years is a big span of time for we humans. As I watch TV today and see the changes at night in many violent crime shows versus the peaceful happy family shows of the 60’s and early 70’s.

Also in the span of fifty years my home had been torn down as had my grade school and junior high replaced by new modern facilities. Many classmates had passed away even before their 68th birthday.  

Life is a gift from God and God knew exactly when we were to be born. We are here for such a time as this. Are you grateful for your birthdays or bemoan getting older? Be thankful for each year and each breath you take. 

PRAYER: Thanks Lord for the gift of life, and for milestones in life never to dread but to celebrate. Help me use each day of my life to serve you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Very Big Financial Burden On Board

 

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. 5Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court. Psalm 127:4-5

Recently I was at a traffic light when I looked over and a truck has this decal in their window that is my title. The driver was probably trying to be funny referring to their baby on board but it made me sad instead. 

How many people see children as a burden and would be happier with a pet? Truly disheartening in my humble opinion. Yes children cost money but every bit is worth it. Children don’t need spoiled they need cares for and loved and taught to love Jesus. And ALL children are gifts from God no matter how they got here. Adoption is a wonderful choice as remember we are adopted by Jesus into his family. If you have children and grandchildren you are truly blessed. 

PRAYER: Lord children are a gift from God and scripture says ‘the fruit of the womb is His reward’ and I thank you for the gift of life. I pray for hearts to be thankful for life and respect it. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Your Legacy

His descendants will be mighty on earth;The generation of the upright will be blessed.Psalm 112:2

Have you ever given much thought to your legacy? Is it leaving a big house, lots of money, a plot of land? All those are suggested by the worlds’ standards which thinks in terms of only material things.

How is your Christian legacy shaping up? If you died tomorrow and people found your personal effects and your Bible or Bibles would they look like they belonged to someone who was religious or someone who really truly loved the Lord? Ponder that a few moments.

A good name, a Biblical background where you taught your children to live for Jesus and not just attend church. Of course we are to provide for our family and should want to leave our finances and possessions but more importantly is what they will gain if mom or dad truly loved the Lord and you could tell. 

PRAYER: Oh Lord may my words be salt and light around my children, children’s’ children’s and their children. Help my offspring desire you and desire to teach their children to love and serve you. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Verses pertaining to inheritance for further study and reflection:

Joshua 4:6-7

Proverbs 13:22

Ecclesiastes 2:21

Proverbs 3:35

Proverbs 22:1

Proverbs 22:6

Psalm 127:3

2 Timothy 1:5

Psalm 78:6

Click link for song of blessing: 

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?view=detail&mid=54DC1DCB5668C59D74D254DC1DCB5668C59D74D2&q=the blessong on.you tune&shtp=GetUrl&shid=11ab1a70-eab7-4186-9d11-fdb42fd306d2&shtk=VGhlIEJsZXNzaW5nIHdpdGggS2FyaSBKb2JlICYgQ29keSBDYXJuZXMgfCBMaXZlIEZyb20gRWxldmF0aW9uIEJhbGxhbnR5bmUgfCBFbGV2YXRpb24gV29yc2hpcA%3D%3D&shdk=Yg%3D%3D&shhk=9Q5CvQksU1%2BPUeneAVLVQLcAqqAMZKWTzo6fUCFGNX0%3D&form=VDSHOT&shth=OVP.Nt5PC1bKjvkj6yurWm6c0wHgFo

God Can Change Hearts!

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.Psalm 37:1-4

Have you ever caught yourself despairing about something that hasn’t even happened yet and in fact may be a couple years away? Or a seemingly humanly impossible situation that seems like no miracle could ever occur?

Newsflash. I too have to remind myself God is over all situations, all of them, ALL. Fabricating scenarios for the future to make you worry now is a tool of Satan. And thinking God can’t turn around a humanly impossible situation is also wrong cause He still does miracles.

Try to relax and live each and every day with hope and promise. God is in the business of setting captives free and of doing what humans think he can’t! 

PRAYER: Father I thank you for working miracles to show your awesome power. Help me testify to your goodness when something good occurs in my life or a prayer is answered. In Jesus’ name. Amen.