A Good Marriage - Flexing Our Schedules

In today's fast-paced world, we often discover that our spouse is too busy to make us a priority in their life. We get the left-overs, the dregs, the moments prior to them turning over and instantly snoring through the night.

After a while, we wonder what part we play in this marriage. Are we simply a mule and a paycheck, or free slave labor as chief cook and bottle-washer? We are definitely not a priority on our mate's to-do list.

They take us for granted and show no appreciation for the huge benefits we provide for them. The kids, our vocation, housework, hobbies, civic and church activities all seem to be clamoring for more and more of our time.

 

When we are home, we vegetate in front of the TV and watch sports or Hallmark movies to combat the stress of the day, or we lock our self in our sewing room or garage and create items that we do not really need. The fun goes right out of our relationship, and we grow more distant by the minute.

We spend very little time sharing from our heart. Busyness is public enemy number one in relationships, in our health, in our peace, and in our relationship with Creator God. We often use busyness to fulfill a need to feel accepted, loved, significant, relevant, successful, etc.

We cannot change our spouse, or make them change their priorities. However, we can pray about this, and ask God to change them. As we pray, we can also change our self. We learn to be grateful for what we do have from God and our spouse.

When we stop complaining and live in gratitude for what God gives us, God opens our heart to see His benefits in our life. We find fulfillment in our relationship with Him. This takes the stress out of our attitude, words, actions and thoughts.

We are more grateful for God's benefits in our life, and we focus less on what we do not have. We also learn to focus on the positive that our mate does, rather than on what he/she does not do. This makes us more attractive to our mate and he/she wants to spend more time with us.

Prayer:

Father God, teach us to focus on the positive qualities of our family - those aspects that we take for granted (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Teach us that this attitude helps us to be kinder to them, more sympathetic to their priorities and more compassionate. We always want to thank You for Your marvelous works and for who You are in our life.

Remind us to take note of our spouse's positive character qualities, their tireless work ethic, and their commitment to what they deem important. Show us how our contentment draws our spouse and children to us, so that they want to spend time with us. Our patience with them is contagious, and they make us more of a priority in their life. Our sense of wellbeing with Christ in us, makes us appreciate all that You have already given to us.

Thought for the Day:

When we appreciate what we have, we are more capable of accepting what we do not have; we allow patience to have her perfect work in us, as we wait on God to meet all of our needs according to His glorious riches.

Constant Comfort

Even in the midst of the storm, Jesus was able to lay down in the boat and sleep. He bids us to come to Him when we are weary and heavily laden, so that He can give us this same level of peace and rest (Matthew 11:28).

Mankind relentlessly attempts to create a utopia in which to dwell. We surround our self with fashion, comforts and toys meant to bring joy to our soul. However, we soon tire of them. Life is full of trouble and toil no matter what we do.

Although joyous events do occur, evil eventually comes knocking at our door again. Devastating circumstances soon follow one right after the other. Some of our choices, or the choices that others impose upon us, bring us grief and despair.

The daily news entails multiple accounts of damaging deeds playing out in our life, as well as around the world. Random and senseless shootings, terrorist bombings, human trafficking, abortions, and abuse of all kinds creep into our sphere in this world.

In an effort to keep our self safe, we buy alarm systems for our homes, stockpile guns, purchase dried food that lasts for years, install panic rooms in our house, exchange currency for gold and silver, move to deep mountain homes, etc.

However, God's grace and peace in the midst of our trials are ours as a gift from Him and His precious Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the God of all solace, and the Father of compassion who calms our storms (2 Corinthians 1:2-4).

Our comforts abound because of the penalty Jesus paid for our sins. His provision for us is an example to others of His loving kindness and mercy toward those who trust in Him alone (2 Corinthians 1:5-7).

Prayer:

Father God, our heart breaks with news of tragedy in every corner of the earth, even right here in our own town. We pray for Your soon return, so that You can right the wrongs, which cause all of this suffering. Help us to capture, from the seeds of suffering, all the resources we need to grow spiritually and to inspire others to trust in You alone.

In the midst of our difficulties, You make a way for us to enjoy peace that exceeds all human reasoning. You teach us, that in spite of the whirlwind of chaos around us, we know that Christ is with us and in us, giving us the strength to withstand the cruelty of life and allowing us to enjoy His tranquility and comfort in the peaceful eye of the storm.

Thought for the Day:

Tears often fill our eyes and flow down our cheeks, usually unbidden, yet impossible to quell because we live in a world, which ignores God’s love; Jesus sagely reminds us that we will have tribulation in our lifetime, however, He comforts us with the truths that He already overcame the world and He abides within us.

- John 16:33

God is Our Help and Strength

Many people believe that God tempts us; however, God cannot be tempted by evil, and He does not tempt anyone (James 1:13). We are tempted and enticed by our own evil desires to dwell in darkness, rather than in His Light (James 1:14-15; John 3:19).

God faithfully gives us a way to escape all allurement toward full-blown sin, so that we can stand against the flesh, the world and the devil (1 Corinthians 10:13). He provides for us everything that we need in order to firmly stand our ground (Ephesians 6:13).

Then when we persevere and pass the test, we receive a crown of life from the Lord who loves us, abides within us, walks with us, and is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6; James 1:12).

People also think that 1 Corinthians 10:13 says that God will not test us more than we are able to bear. Then they get angry with God when they experience trials that are too difficult for them, or when a loved one dies.

The opposite is actually true. Jesus promises that in this world we will have tribulation. It is often more than we can bear, but never more than He can bear. We can trust Him, because He abides within us and walks through trials with us.

We can also face tribulation cheerfully, because He already overcame anything we could ever experience (John 16:33). God is our strong tower and our mighty fortress during our trials (Psalm 18:2). We can do all things through Him, because He gives us His strength (Philippians 4:13).

Prayer:

Father God, help us to learn to rely only on You at all times. Even though the trials and temptations in this world are stacked up against us, we learn to see things by faith rather than by sight (Hebrews 11:1). Then our faith grows, as we see You work out all things for our eventual good, and You help us to overcome life’s hardships (Romans 8:28).

When we put our trust in You, rather than relying on our own human resources, You help us to see the seed for a miracle that You plant in every trial. Help us to remember that when our life is empty, You fill it; when difficulties overcome us, You deliver us; and when we fall, You still love us and that is all that really matters. 

Thought for the Day:

God is the benevolent Father portrayed in Jesus' parable of the prodigal son; and even when we take Him for granted, or spurn His love for us, He never abandons or neglects us.

- Luke 15:11-32; Hebrews 13:5

De-stressing in the Moment

Stress is a major factor in many illnesses we experience. This negative emotion erodes the cells in our body, and also wreaks havoc in our soul - throughout our thoughts, choices and emotions.

While stressed, we rarely take stock of the moment or consult the Lord for His plans (Proverbs 3:5-6). We focus more on the future and past than the current moment; and we forget to consider the many blessings, with which God drenches our daily life.

We are shamed by our past and overcome with fear of the future, speculating on how our current situation will progress. We worry about how to prepare for tomorrow, how to keep everyone happy with us, and even how political, societal and environmental changes will affect our life.

The only healthy solution to this totally human response to life is to disengage. When we disengage, we follow the advice of the Serenity Prayer, and separate the issues bogging down our mind into two categories:

1.) Those things that we can influence, and we pray for God's direction for us in them.

2.) Those issues we will leave in God's capable hands and trust in His goodness and wisdom.

We also totally rely on the anointing of God's Spirit to keep us on the path that He preordained for us to follow before we were ever born (Ephesians 2:10). We consult the Lord's desire in the current moment, and pay attention to the present details of our circumstances.

We reconnect with important people in our life - forgiving and asking forgiveness when necessary. We make time to have fun with our family and friends, rather than constantly adhering to a strict work schedule at home and in our vocation.

We spend time in God's creation, breathing in the fresh air and drawing inspiration and energy from His natural beauty and order all around us. We absorb the sights, sounds and smells that we notice - completely engaging in each moment of time.

Prayer:

Father God, teach us to pay attention to the inner dialogue of our own soul, and to begin meeting some of our needs that we usually neglect. Remind us that caring about and for our self, in the same way that we care for everyone and everything else in our life that demands our constant attention, is of vital importance to the health of our body, soul and spirit.

Remind us to fully experience each moment of time that You allow us to live in Your service, and to praise You in every one of them - giving You the glory that is due to Your name. We want to enjoy the experiences that You plan for our day, and to embrace our intimacy with You through every trial that we encounter - hearing Your will and embracing Your love through them all.

Thought for the Day:

Fully living in the moment, and following God's will during each one of them, will reduce the stress in our life and give us a healthier future in body, soul and spirit; we set aside our desire to achieve that next step in societal success, and our need to be productive every moment of our day, in order to walk in obedience to God's Spirit and to completely engage and participate in His plans for each moment of our life.

Giving God the Glory

In our spiritual growth, we often strive to perfect an area that only the Holy Spirit is capable of achieving in our lives (Galatians 3:1-3). We do not realize just how entirely God is able to deliver us from our fears, doubts, insecurities and carnal appetites.

We continually struggle to overcome the sins that so easily trip us up. Yet, in spite of our efforts, we still fall into sin (Romans 7). We try to control these acts of the flesh in vain by quoting scripture, praying vigilantly and watching constantly over our feelings and attitudes.

If we were able to succeed, then God would get no glory for our perfection in those areas. If we accomplish any change through our own effort - and chances are, it may not last very long - we tend to want the praise and recognition for our self.

After about 10 years of trying to please God with my good behavior, I realized that my attempts to gain favor with God resulted from my desire to earn God’s love. I feared that God could not love me with all of my imperfections.

We could never be good enough to earn God's love or favor. Clothed in Christ's righteousness, God remembers our sins no more (2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 8:12). If we could perfect our self, we would not need Jesus.

If we could save ourselves, Jesus' sacrifice for us was not unnecessary. Now, when God points out a particular fault to me, I give it back to Him. I ask Him to do His complete work in my life, and He always does (Philippians 1:6).

Prayer:
Father God, I wanted to achieve perfection to make You love me. I forgot that when You look at me, You see Jesus; and therefore, You are already well pleased with me. Even our best behavior falls short of Your mark of perfection. We want to glorify You with our thoughts, words and actions.

Remind us that we deserve no less than the fires of hell for even our best behavior (Isaiah 64:6). In Your mercy, however, and even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Thank You that Jesus gave His life to pay the penalty of our sin.

Thought for the Day:
When God convicts me of a shortcoming, I look up Bible verses about the opposite of that behavior, and I write them down on 3x5 cards and carry them around with me to reread at every available moment; eventually, I start to see Godly behavior and the fruit of God's Spirit manifesting in me instead of my human nature, which used to take control.
- Galatians 5:22-23

Joy Comes in the Morning

Life is full of trouble and trials. Jesus guarantees that it will be like this for all of us, just like it was for Him (Isaiah 53:3-12; John 16:33). His disciples realized the same thing, and they encourage us to find the joy in each negative circumstance (James 1:2-3).

We learn in God's Word how to survive, with peace and joy in our heart, all of the harsh issues of life (Philippians 4:9). So many Saints before us lived a righteous life and consulted God each moment of the day (Hebrews 12:1; Proverbs 3:5-6).

Their testimonies teach us to throw aside every hindrance to God's will that we encounter, and to persistently run the race that God set for us before we were ever born. We focus our efforts on Jesus' example and praise Him as He sits at the right hand of God (Hebrews 12:2; Ephesians 2:10).

We gain our strength to endure negative issues by focusing on Jesus, so that we do not lose heart and grow weary (Hebrews 12:2-3). Even when God sees a need to rebuke us, we draw encouragement from the fact that He loves us enough to discipline us (Hebrews 12:4-7).

If God does not discipline us, we are not His children, but children of Satan and of this world (Hebrews 12:7-9). Therefore, we embrace His correction with gratitude in our heart and humility in our soul (Hebrews 12:10-11).

Paul encourages us from his experience of persecution and steadfast ministry for the Lord, even while imprisoned for his stance as a follower of Jesus (Philippians). He reminds us that Jesus began and will complete His perfecting work in us (Philippians 1:6).

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that for us to live on this earth is our privilege in Christ, but to die is our reward for serving You with our life (Philippians 1:21). Thank You for working in us, and giving us the power of Jesus' resurrection to live for Your purpose (Philippians 2:13, 3:10).

Forgetting about the past, we press forward to attain the prize that You prepared for those who love you (Philippians 3:13-14). Help us to relinquish into Your safe keeping all worries and stress about anything, and to live in Your peace, because we know that You work out everything for our eventual good (Philippians 4:6, 9; Romans 8:28).

Thought for the Day:

Since Jesus abides in us by His Spirit, we can accomplish God's purpose for our life, because Christ gives us His strength and contentment through it all (Philippians 4:13); loving God with our whole body, soul and spirit produces a joy-filled life.

We Have Not, because We Ask Not

God is a faithful Father, and His love and goodness increase our faith as we daily receive all of His benefits (Psalm 103:2). He grows our faith by walking with us and in us through life's trials. He gives us opportunities to mature spiritually.

Daily, we watch His abundant goodness work miracles in our life. Asking God for help is a vital part of healing. When we do not ask, we often suffer needlessly. For instance, I was in a car accident where a huge van t-boned my little compact car.

Seat-belted in place, I received 11 broken ribs, a broken little finger, a concussion, half a face full of glass shards, and a punctured lung. Yet, due to intense prayer from all of my prayer warriors, God granted that I never felt pain, and I never had to take one pain pill.

I was back to work as a financial secretary in one week. My amazed doctor said that people who only break a few ribs are sometimes hospitalized for days, due to the pain.

Another time, I dislocated my shoulder. In intense pain, I followed Daddy God's direction to ice the shoulder to reduce the swelling, so my husband could gently maneuver the joint back in place. As we prayed, God reduced the pain incrementally until the procedure resulted in success.

Recently, I lost my balance and fell flat on my face. I broke my glasses and had multiple scrapes and abrasions on my thumb, nose and knee. I suffer for days with nagging pain in the area of the thumb and knee wounds.

One day, during my prayer time, I said, "Daddy God, it is strange to me that you took away the pain of broken ribs and dislocated shoulder, but something as minor as a scraped knee could cause me so much pain for such a long time."

He immediately responded, "Well, you did not ask me to remove the pain in your current wound like you did in your previous ones."

Oh my! I immediately asked for removal of the nagging pain, and a few hours later, I realized that the pain was gone, never to return. Our good, good Father graciously answered prayer again. He delights in caring for and blessing His children.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for reminding us in Your Word that, although You know our needs better than we do, and although You often meet our need while we are still praying, You love it when we humble our self and make our requests known to You (James 4:10-11; Philippians 4:6-8). You are our good, good Father, and You never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

You delight in meeting our needs and caring for us through every trial that we will ever experience (1 Peter 5:7). You supply everything that we need through Your glorious riches (Philippians 4:19). We give You all of the praise and glory for all of the benefits we receive as Your child.

Thought for the Day:

We often grow weary in our trials, and feel hurt that God does not miraculously intervene for us in them; yet, we often do not have our needs met, because we forget to ask; we expect to suffer, and so we do; the lesson here is to remember to ask, so that God will abundantly supply everything that we need in His own timing and way.

Serving the Living God

We serve the living God who always endures (Daniel 6:26). He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). There is nothing that is too hard for Him (Jeremiah 32:17, 27). In Christ all things are possible for us - His servants who serve Him (Matthew 19:26).

I am so thankful for a husband who consults the Lord in all things, and who does not rely on his human resources and natural wisdom. He makes every effort to follow God's Spirit, even when that goes against his natural inclinations or desires.

Daniel was a man of conviction as well (Daniel 6:22-26). This often caused him to suffer jail time, or separation from his family and friends; but he never backed down. He knew that God planted a seed for a miracle in every trial he faced.

Daniel's work ethic and respectful submission to authority, even when falsely accused and jailed, earned him favor in the eyes of the authority figures of the kingdom in which he lived. God used him as a witness to an entire nation.

God also has individual plans for each of us. Plans to bless us and to care for us and to provide for all of our needs - large and small (Jeremiah 29:11). He makes it clear in His Word that obedience to His directives is more important to Him than all of our sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22).

God cautions us not to allow the good decisions in life to overwhelm us, and to keep us from serving Him in the best choices. Busyness is not a sign of holiness, only walking in the Spirit will help us to achieve that status (Galatians 5:15-25).

Prayer:

Father God, even though our circumstances may be less than desirable, remind us that people are watching our reactions. Help us to draw strength from the example of people like Daniel, as well as from Your Holy Spirit within us. We want to serve You with our whole heart. Use us as salt and light in this dying world all around us (Matthew 5:13-14).

Help us to remain on the straight and narrow path even when those around us take the wide and easy road (Matthew 7:13-14). Teach us how to live up to Your Biblical standards on a daily basis, and to bless You with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). Thank You for continually providing for all of our needs from Your abundant and glorious riches (Philippians 4:19).

Thought for the Day:

God blesses us far above anything we could ever ask for or imagine; therefore, regardless of our current situation, we will determine to live for God with infinite integrity, committed conviction, and dedicated devotion.

- Ephesians 3:20

Secure Rest in God

Coverings are very useful. A hat keeps the sun from scorching our head. An umbrella protects us from the drenching rain. A scarf prevents wind from blowing in our ears and down our neck. A snow suit keeps us warm.

Our security in God comes from the covering He provides for us through His Spirit and His ways (1 Corinthians 11:10-16). For Believers, the Lord is our covering, and He puts safeguards in place for us.  

A covering is very handy in this world of trials and sorrows. Walking under God's covering keeps us sheltered from life.

He shields us all day long, we snuggle on His lap and live in peace, regardless of our circumstances (Deuteronomy 33:12).

When we are sorrowful and distressed, the angel of God's presence saves us. In His love and mercy, He redeems us, lifts us up, and carries us in His arms each and every day (Isaiah 63:91). We rest securely in Him.

In our rebellious living, we lose so much by removing our self from under God’s perfect covering. God is the covering for the man, and He made man the covering for the woman. God planned that a husband would shield his wife from adversity.

It is easy for a wife to submit to a man who deeply cares for her.  A husband's prayers conceal her spirit and soul from Satan’s fiery darts. He protects her from the stress and pressures of life. Providing care for her physical needs, he ensures that she has a refuge for her body.

As we follow God's Biblical precepts, we are protected and assured. He seeks us out when we stray from the straight and narrow road (Matthew 7:14), and He carries us on His shoulders safely back to the fold (Luke 15:4-5).

Prayer:

Father God, You cover us with Your feathers in order to protect us from harm, conceal us from Satan’s detection, and shield us from the circumstances of life (Psalm 91). You carry us close to Your heart and gently lead us (Isaiah 40:11). Like the eagle that stirs up her nest, and then flutters over her young to protect them as they learn to fly, You spread Your wings wide and carry us to safety on Your pinions (Deuteronomy 32:11).

Even in our old age, You sustain us. You made us and You transport us all through life's trials and temptations. You rescue us and sustains us each and every time we call out to You (Isaiah 46:4). You even command that Your angels guard us, and keep us in all of our ways; they lift us up in their hands, so that we do not even bash our foot on a stone (Psalm 91:11-12).

Thought for the Day:

When we are weak, God carries us like a father carries his child, He fights our battles for us, and He sustains us with His goodness (Deuteronomy 1:31); He holds us by our right hand as He comforts us with the knowledge that He is our constant help, and we never have to be afraid (Isaiah 41:13).

Be Angry, but do not Sin

How is it possible to be angry without sinning? God's Word makes it very clear that if we look on someone with lust, we commit sexual immorality; and if we hate, we have already committed murder. God does not differentiate between venial - minor; and mortal - deadly sins.

Sin is all the same to Him. It is missing the mark of His true perfection, like missing the bullseye in marksmanship. He does give us clues in His Word, however, on how to escape the clutches of temptation that flirt with our feelings and tickle the imagination of our mind (1 Corinthians 10:13).

As an Italian, I grew up in a home well-acquainted with anger. Rage was a common denominator in our household. As an adult, I could not understand why I got so angry about stupid things, until God made it very clear that I subconsciously allowed my negative emotions to build up into a volcano.

Also, though I was slow to anger and to speak, I was not quick to listen. I did not produce the righteousness that God desires from us (James 1:19). I stuffed my feelings all day long, not forgiving and moving on, but burying them in my subconscious mind in an attempt not to nag or harass others.

Then, at the "last straw", I blew up; and my feelings erupted all over the unsuspecting victim of my wrath. The emotion of past incidents from my subconscious mind added to the expression of my current anger.

I did not curse, or belittle or attack; I simply screamed out my feelings at the top of my lungs. People could no longer ignore me, because the meek and mild servant transformed into a raging animal.

My former husband says he could no longer deal with my outbursts, and that is why he insisted that we get a divorce. My current husband felt the same way; however, he brainstormed with me to uncover the reasons behind my outbursts.

We discovered two key principles that helped to solve this problem. The first was for me to fully gain the attention of the hearer and to help them to seriously consider my feelings and needs before they made decisions that affected me, even if they did not agree with me or see any significance in the importance of my concerns.

The second was for me to gain all the facts about issues that bothered me, rather than jumping to conclusions and getting hurt or angry needlessly. It took much prayer and journaling and asking questions, but eventually my tirades diminished.

Now, I either understand the real reason behind the other person's words or behavior, and I feel compassion; or I get their attention and insist that they take me seriously before making any decisions that affect me. Then, there was no reason for me to explode.

Anger is a God-given emotion to protect us, not to use to attack other people. God wants our anger to come from righteousness, not selfishness, and He helps us to cope with our feelings as we learn the difference.

Prayer:

Father God, help us, when we are displeased with a situation, to gain all the facts of the issue rather than to jump to conclusions, and to listen carefully and not to make assumptions. Help us to take deep breaths and to relax our negative emotions before we discuss any conflicts. We want to turn to You to help us to keep our relationships healthy and whole.  

Our tongue is difficult to tame (James 3:8); so remind us that without You, we can do nothing worthwhile (John 15:5), and that we are a ship without a sail and rudder, totally lost at sea. Help us to learn to allow patience to have her perfect work in our soul, so that we will be complete, lacking nothing that we need (James 1:4). You give us eternal blessings and make us glad with the joy of Your presence within us (Psalm 21:6).

Thought for the Day:

Dealing with negative emotions is easier when we permit the feelings to simmer for a while, and to give our self time to journal our thoughts and emotions first, in order to discover what is actually bothering us; this also allows us to give other people the benefit of the doubt, and to take our negative feelings to God in prayer for His clarity and wisdom.

In Due Season

It is so easy to get discouraged in this sinful world of ours; however God's Word encourages us that we shall reap, if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9). We draw our strength from the well-springs of living water within us, and triumph victoriously as we walk in God's Truth (John 4:14; Romans 8:37).

Many people reject God's Truth. This breaks our heart for them, since they must continue to face life without His presence in their life and without His help in their times of trouble. They must rely on their own resources to survive.

This is one reason that we grow weary - carrying that heavy burden around for so long. We grow weary and lose hope when we see laws being passed to kill babies into the last trimester, an increase in senseless murders, ridiculing of the Gospel and Bible, rioting and looting, callous behavior between individuals, society calling righteousness bigotry and sin as a normal human right, etc.

Yet, we continue to live out each moment of our day in integrity, and through God's wisdom rather than through flattery, enticements and manipulation of others. We do not want the praise of human beings, but of our Father God alone (1 Thessalonians 2:4-6).

God entrusts us to share His Gospel of Jesus Christ with whomever will listen to us. Their decision is not our responsibility, only our faithfulness to share His Truth. We do not attempt to please people, but to faithfully serve God, who tests our motives and attitude.

Hearing our friends, relatives, acquaintances and neighbors say that they want to trust Jesus with their life, just like we do, is all of the praise that we need. We rejoice as we witness God's truth changing them from one stage of glory to the next.

We remind our self not to grow weary, but to continue to share God's truth. Then, when we arrive in Heaven, a host of Believers will welcome us, some of whom we have never met before that day.

Prayer:

Father God, bring us laborers to help with the harvest in Your perfect timing. There is no need for us to struggle or strain, because the battle is Yours (2 Chronicles 20:15). You are the Lord of the Harvest (Matthew 9:38). We plow, we sow, we water, and we trust that Your seed of Truth will eventually bear fruit.

Therefore, remind us to always point people toward Jesus, the One who loves them more than His own life. Teach us that we may win one person who will eventually win a multitude, just because we took a moment to share a testimony of what You did in our life.

Thought for the Day:

We look forward to standing in God's presence and seeing the full impact of our service to Him; therefore, we ask God to use us now to share a smile, a hug, an understanding word, a listening ear, and the word of our testimony in Jesus' precious name.

Hope Restored

When we count on a certain person or event in order to fulfill our joy, and they let us down, or our dream never comes true, then our hope disintegrates, and our heart feels sick (Proverbs 13:12). We want to give up, and we struggle with depression.

As we feel our hope crumble, our heart sinks into the quagmire of despair. A lost job, a failed relationship, a wayward teen, a child lost to tragedy, frustration with our government, the deterioration of the earth’s environment, the failing economy, disillusionment in the church’s leadership, and so many other life events that contribute to our mood.

We know there is hope in Jesus, but sometimes we just cannot sense God’s direction for our life. We struggle to reconnect, yet we think that He remains aloof. We can follow the Psalmist’s example by encouraging our soul (Psalm 42:5).  

God knows when there are worst gales of adversity just ahead for us, and He draws us closer to His presence in us. Like the tree planted by the water, we sink our roots deeper into Him. Then, we are able to weather any storm.

The Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our Father God never leave us, never fail us, and never change (Hebrews 13:5, 8; 1 Corinthians 13:8). The Trinity loves us unconditionally, and He knows what is best for us in His timing and way.

If we listen, God continually gives us internal reassurance and hope, which never let us down. His love encourages our heart, strengthens us in every area of our life, and enables us to accomplish His goals for our words and actions (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; Philippians 2:12-13).

Prayer:

Father God, only under the shadow of Your wings do we find true and lasting peace. Our only secure hope is in You. We continually praise You - regardless of our circumstances, because You alone are the source of our comfort and joy.

Help us to remember that happy are they who have You, the God of eternity, as our Provider, if we will maintain our trust and faith in Your faithfulness. We put our hopes and dreams in Your hands, because we know they are safe there.

Thought for the Day:

Sometimes, God will not answer our prayers right away, because He wants us to run after Him like the deer who pants for the water brook (Psalm 42:1); yet, He is always listening, always cares, and never stops watching over us.

Hearing God's Voice

Many of us go along in life, merrily following our own plans, dreams and goals. Then when we reach a fork in the road, hit a boulder we can't get around or over, or fall off a precipice without a parachute, we turn to God.

Then, it is hard to hear His voice. We think He is ignoring us or does not care. We know that His plans are better than ours, and we do want to follow His will; but we are so used to following our human understanding that we cannot readily hear His direction (Proverbs 3:5-6).

We want to know and follow His truth, yet it seems that He is aloof and disconnected from us. We feel frustrated, and even angry or resentful. We vehemently cry out to him over and over, and quote scripture at Him in an attempt to force Him to immediately come to our rescue.

We eventually get tired of demanding; then, we get still, and we acknowledge that He is God. When we quiet our soul and spirit, we can hear His voice, and we think, "Finally!" Yet, it is not God who changes, it is us.

He never leaves or forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5). He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is constantly watching over each one of us, and sees every moment of our life before it even happens (Psalm 139:16).

Our goal is to walk in this serenity every moment of the day. We stop relying on our human resources, and consulted Him for His will with every breath we take, not just when we have some emergency (Proverbs 3:5-6).

God always speaks clearly. We eventually learn to hear His voice, and to stop allowing the chaos of life and our own thoughts and reasoning to drown out His directives and guidance. We even learn to enjoy His presence and the moments of companionable silence that we share.

Our life runs more smoothly, we experience fewer catastrophes, we recognize that He plants a seed for a miracle in every trial, and we feel His presence and His love pouring over us like a waterfall every moment of every day.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that the human cliché, "God helps those that help themselves" is a lie from the pit of hell that Satan fashioned to keep us from walking in Your will every single moment of our day. I heard a preacher say, "If you do not start the car, you will never get out of the driveway." That principle is not found in Your Word.

Practically, it may sound true, but it is not a Biblical concept, nor is it Your will for our life. Teach us to wait on You, trust in You with our whole heart, and not to rely on our human perception (Proverbs 3:5-6). We are the sheep of Your pasture, and You are our good Shepherd. We only learn to hear Your voice and follow it, when we consult You every moment of the day (Psalm 100:3).

Thought of the Day:

As we spend each moment of our day praising our Daddy God, meditating on His Word, and journaling our thoughts, desires and emotions in order to keep the thoughts of our heart from drowning out His quiet, firm voice, we live in the center of His will - continually hearing His direction, and walking in His ways.

-1 Kings 19:9-12

Living in Harmony

We can dance around the root cause of our issues for years, taking pills and getting counseling for the symptoms, but never truly healing from the trauma that changed the course of our life. Exhaustion from our overly busy schedule may prevent the success of these search and rescue efforts.

These attempts to find healing are often frustrating, unfulfilling and basically useless therapy. Rather than using a bandage to stop the flow of "blood", we can go to the actual root, and find out why we are slowly bleeding inside.

We may blame one another as the root cause of the problems, when there is an entirely different cause and effect. As we scrutinize our decisions and why we made them, we can uncover the hidden issues that are draining our personal life and our relationships from much needed unity and cohesiveness.

When we analyze the facts of an unpleasant issue, trace the emotion that it incites, and honestly face facts about our past and current situations, we can address and eradicate the real source of haunting negative circumstances.

We can also make changes in our life to adjust to one another's viewpoint. We start by making a schedule that we can agree on and sticking to it, possibly laying aside something that we personally deem is necessary as an opportunity to reach a more important and realistic goal for everyone, etc.

God is always ready to speak His truth and to dispel Satan's lies. Then, we can remove the source of the wound and heal the issue once and for all time. As we seek the Lord, and uncover the reason behind our distress, we simply follow His advice to solve this cause.

Our choices change our outlook on past experiences, and their effect on our life. This always involves discovering the root of our current problem, changing our perspective about the past as well as our current priorities, and asking God for His plans about our issues one at a time.

Prayer:

Father God, help us not to fall into the blame-game, and not to view each other as the enemy. Help us to join forces to discover the real root cause of our issues, and to solve them together with consideration for everyone's needs. Teach us that there is no need to fight to the finish to prove that we are right, or to get our way, when we can work together to find a third option on which we can all agree.

Remind us that You joined us together to complement one another, to use our differences to our mutual advantage, and to support each other's weaknesses with our strengths. This will improve our environment at work, home, church, community, etc. Our confidence in and commitment to You enables us to dwell together in unity (Psalm 133:1).

Thought for the Day:

As parents, spouses, best friends, co-workers, members of God's family, etc. we can enhance our life by working together for our common good in every circumstance; preferring one another without neglecting our own needs, and finding the root cause of our disagreements or personal issues, so that we can solve them together.

- Hebrews 10:24

Our Godly Example

Sometimes, we feel like our failures are too severe for God to forgive. We wallow in despair and ward off hopelessness with every ounce of determination we can assemble. We valiantly attempt to pull our self up by our boot straps and to get on with life.

An abortion, murder by drunk driving, infidelity, theft, divorce, etc. are not too big for God to forgive. His mercy is everlasting (Psalm 103:17). He views our indiscretions as failings, not failures. They are temporary lapses in judgment initiated by our self-effort in life.

There is no circumstance that pushes us away from God that is too far for Him to draw us back. If we soar into the ecstasies of life, descend into the darkest hell of grief and trauma, fly high in our successes, are about to drown in the sea of circumstances, or find our self in the darkest night, He is always there with us and in us.

God's hand guides us and holds us securely, and He makes the darkness shine like day. He knit us together in our mother's womb, and He has perfect plans for our life (Psalm 139:7-14; Jeremiah 29:11). Our Father sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, to die for us, so He could adopt us into His family (John 3:16-17).

God's love covers our multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). He eagerly waits for us to call on Jesus' name to be saved (Romans 10:13). A simple, honest confession of our sins restores our relationship with our heavenly Father. He rejoices over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17; Luke 15:7, 10).

There are many examples in the Bible where people repented of their sins and made restitution for their selfish callousness. We are free to pay reimbursements as well, which may restore our fellowship with those we wronged, as it cements our relationship with God.

Willingly relinquishing the strangle-hold that shame has on our life, we remember that in Christ we have no condemnation (Romans 8:1). We thirst for God like the deer that pants after the water brook (Psalm 42:1). We want nothing more than to decrease so that He may increase (John 3:30).

Prayer:

Father God, help us to restore our relationship with You, as well as with those we sinned against during our lifetime. Give us Your wisdom on how to resolve conflicts, which we caused. Help our apology to heal the wounds we knowingly or unwittingly inflicted on others. We want to effectively clear up any mistakes, and to reconcile with those whom we negatively impacted by our words and behavior.

Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right attitude in our motives and character (Psalm 17:3, 51:10-19). We want to rid our life of the bondage that keeps us from maturing spiritually, and from gaining a deeper intimacy with You. We know that complete surrender to Your will and way is our pathway to Your peace and joy.

Thought for the Day:

True intimacy with God comes from our willingness to lay down every weight that so easily sidetracks us from living in the center of His will; to put aside our own goals, dreams and vision for our life in preference to His will for us; and to totally abandon our humanistic worldview as we adopt a Biblical viewpoint instead.

Leaning In

There is a popular concept today that I have fallen in love with: "Lean In". We automatically lean in when the wind blows so fiercely that we are in danger of falling over. A sailor leans in to the wind, so that the breeze will fill the sails of the boat and propel it through the water.

This term denotes embracing the moment, and paying attention to the detail in body language, words, behavior and attitude, etc. in those around us. We lean in to each moment of our day and listen to God's Spirit as we follow His directives, embracing what occurs.

We can learn from, grow, and effect even negative circumstances in our life when we lean in to them rather than running away from, complaining about or ignoring them. We stand on God's Word in the power of His Spirit, and embrace each issue as it arises.

Looking for possibilities, we trust God in what appears to be impossibilities. We courageously seize the challenge rather than shirking from it, and we successfully accomplish all that God calls us to do in each moment of our life.

For instance, I noticed my neighbor struggling to start a machine he wanted to use. He pulled the cord repeatedly without success. I "leaned in" to his frustration, and prayed that God would allow his next tug on the cord to start the appliance. Immediately that leaf blower sparked into life.

At a restaurant, our server was grouchy and touchy and had a distant look in her eye. I leaned in to her distress, and I told her, "I just want you to know that God loves you and has a perfect plan for your life."

She burst into tears, and allowed us to pray with her right then and there. She started attending our church, and attentively listened to each sermon; daily, she read the Bible that we gave her.

We can fearlessly lean in to each challenge we face in life, knowing that God has a perfect plan for us through each one of them. Rather than focusing on the negative aspects of the trial, we use the Serenity Prayer (see below) to guide us, as we utilize God's supernatural gifts to overcome the issues ahead of us.

Prayer:

Father God, You recommend that we stop leaning on our own human resources, and instead consult You and lean in to You before we do anything (Proverbs 3:5-6). If we follow Your plans for us and walk in Your Spirit, our intimacy with You and our faith in Your faithfulness grow. We learn to step out and fearlessly trust You in the circumstances of our life.

Remind us that sports figures lean in to the waves, snow slope, ball pitch, etc. by shifting their weight toward the opposing forces they experience, and we can do the same thing with our circumstances. We lean in to You, embracing Your wisdom, direction, and power to accomplish Your plans for the moments of our life. We love You eternally; and daily, we snuggle into the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 91).

Thought for the Day:

God is just waiting for His beloved adopted children, the Bride of Christ, His Body to trust Him in every area of our life; as we lean in to each moment of the day, and embrace the possibilities in all of them, He will lead us through a lifetime of many divine appointments and victories.

Serenity Prayer:
God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.

God's Example for Us

Compassion is a complex emotion. Without love, there is no compassion; and without compassion, there is no true love. Compassion is the most important ingredient in a successful relationship with friends, relatives, associates and neighbors.

When someone reaps what they sow, it is very easy to feel like they earned their misery, and we have trouble showing them much compassion. If someone mistreats us or abuses us, we withhold love from them until we view their actions with the eyes of compassion.

Having compassion helps us to rise above our feelings, and to give God's Agape love to our offenders. As God's adopted children, we walk in holiness and humility with kindness, gentleness and patience at the core of our compassion for others (Colossians 3:12).

God gives us His example of showing mercy and kindness to us and others, and having compassion toward us (Exodus 33:19). He comforts us and has compassion on the afflicted (Isaiah 49:13). We cannot help but praise Him for His goodness (Isaiah 63:7).

When we persevere through the trials of life, God blesses us with more than we ever lost, because of His unfailing love and mercy (James 5:11; Lamentations 3:32; Psalm 103:13). God blots out our transgressions, and shows us His grace and truth (Psalm 51:1, 116:5).

Jesus desires from us compassion for sinners more than sacrificial offerings (Matthew 9:13). His plans for us are our delight, and His compassion enables us to live a fulfilled life (Psalm 119:77, 156). He is good to all those who trust in and honor Him (Psalm 145:9).

We teach our soul to praise God's holy name by remembering the blessings He bestows on us every moment of every day: He forgives our sins, heals our diseases, satisfies us with good things, redeems our life from the pit of hell, and crowns us with love and compassion (Psalm 103:1-5).

Prayer:                                                     

Father God, Jesus is Your only begotten Son through Your union between Your Spirit and Mary, and we are so grateful that we are Your adopted children. You are the Father of compassion and comfort in all of our troubles (2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Matthew 1:18). United with Christ in us, we have encouragement, are comforted by Your love, and share Your Spirit with Jesus.

In this world, tenderness and compassion make our joy complete as we dwell in like-minded unity of love, spirit and doctrine - not doing anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, we value one another in Your Body, our church family, above our self (Philippians 2:1-3). Give us Jesus' compassion for the sick, the harassed and helpless (Matthew 9:35-36).

Thought for the Day:

God enables us to show one another - especially our spouse - compassion, patience, mercy, love, attentiveness, honor and respect - even if we do not relate to what they share with us, or if we fail to see the value or concern in what they need us to affirm and validate.

- Luke 6:31

Complete in Christ

At times, we feel as if we are schizophrenic - divided, split, disconnected from our self and our world. We wear so many different masks, that we no longer recognize, or even know our true self, because we lost so many parts of our self throughout our lifetime.

Each trauma we experience displaces more of our self, and we leave that part behind - wounded, and oppressed by Satan's lies. Overwhelmed and depressed, we choose to abandon these parts of our self in the past, because rescuing them seems hopeless.

At times, somber thoughts will trigger tears to flow - sometimes slow and unbidden; however often in huge torrents of heart-rending pleas for help. We have no idea how to help our self to heal, so that we can live a fulfilled life.

We go to self-help groups, counselors, psychiatrists for prescriptions to dull the pain of our bottomless well of internal grief, etc. but we receive no lasting help. Our soul - our thoughts, feelings and choices - is shredded and bleeding; we slap bandages on the wounds, but this does nothing to heal us.

When medication fails us, we attempt to heal through exercise, nature walks, new hobbies, star gazing or bird watching, relaxation techniques, mingling with strangers in local bars, or hiding under the thick blankets on our bed, etc.

The Good News is that God took on the form of a human being and died a horrendous crucifixion in our place to set us free from this sin-cursed world, as well as the trauma we buried deep in our subconscious mind.

Spending quiet time in His presence allows Him to reveal to us these hidden places that affect our words, emotions, and actions every single day. We heal by focusing on the emotion, listening to the words associated with this current pain, and asking God for His perspective on these satanic lies.

( https://www.transformationprayer.org/preparing-journey-introduction/ )

Prayer:
Father God, You are our peace, and You have broken down every wall that we built in our soul in order to protect our self from future pain, as well as to attempt to separate our self from the pain of our past. Jesus is our only Hope, our Shield, our Strength, our Wisdom and our Freedom into the spiritual reality of life.

Jesus allowed Himself to be broken and spilled out for our healing, and He wants to abide within us now and for eternity. Remind us that His presence in us is just a prayer away. Help us to take the first step of a prayer of repentance for the sins we inherited from our forefather, the sins that we committed throughout our past, and the sins we allow to govern our life even now.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to God, except through Him" (John 14:6), and as we open our spirit for Jesus to come abide within us and to cleanse us, we can sit quietly in His presence and receive His help in recovering each abandoned piece of our soul that we left behind; we are set free from our past, completely healed of our emotional wounds, and drenched in peace, joy and hope for our future.

A Good Marriage - Forging Deeper Bonds

Working together in our marriage as partners, rather than pulling apart as adversaries, allows us to forge deeper bonds that bring fulfillment to our relationship. Even the most devoted couple experiences conflicts now and then.

Ignoring the issue allows it to remain unresolved, especially if we never discuss it. Give up your ideas and his, and pray together to find a third alternative that you both agree with. If all else fails, a Christian marriage counselor is very helpful in resolving an impasse and preventing barriers between us.

Spending time together in serving God is also very nourishing to our relationship. A few nurturing ideas are: choosing a ministry in which we can serve together; learning in a Bible study class together; going on mission trips together; volunteering together in the community; hosting a dinner party with Christian friends, etc.

Have fun together. Go for walks and chat, take a picnic to a local scenic place, go to a café and drink hot cocoa on a cold night, start a campfire in the back yard and make s'mores, ride bikes around the neighborhood, help an older couple do their yardwork, etc.

There is an endless list of free possibilities to spend some quality time together. We married our mate, so that we could have and hold each other for the rest of our life; so remember to spend time snuggling, laughing and chatting each day too.

When one is sick, the other can warm a can of soup, play board games together, read the same book and share impressions about what is read, listen to the Bible online and discuss the verses, watch the same TV show, etc.

If we work too much, or fill our schedule with too many separate hobbies and activities, this will cause our mate to feel neglected, undesirable, stressed, unappreciated and lonely. It is vitally important to make time for one another, and not to allow our children's schedules to get too full either.

Prayer:

Father God, Your Word teaches us that a happy marriage is one made of a couple willing to sacrifice some of their own desires for one another's happiness and fulfillment. Remind us that a marriage that involves a committed couple is like a tree planted by a stream; its roots are not covered with grass and dirt so that it can breathe (Psalm 1:1-3).

Remind us to stop to notice and to enjoy the beauties of new life during each new spring. We want to do more than to co-exist; we want to blossom as a couple and as parents. Teach us that our marriage will flourish with fruit in the growing seasons, and it will survive the coldest winters, by sending our roots deeper into Christ and His Word.

Thought for the Day:

If we allow our self to get too embroiled in too many worthwhile activities that separate us, we stand the chance of smothering the roots of our love; short times apart are healthy for any relationship, but our "together" time should be just that…together.