A New Creation

 

 

Once we come to Christ for salvation, His Holy Spirit moves into our spirit and begins His sanctifying work in our soul – our thoughts, emotions, and choices. Our former sinful human passions and desires were nailed to the cross with Jesus and crucified there (Galatians 5:15-23). 

 

Now, as we live by God’s Holy Spirit’s direction each moment of our day, we follow His leading in every part of daily life (Galatians 5:24-25). There is no striving and straining to accomplish this effort, because although we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, sanctification is not something we can do for our self (Philippians 2:11-13; Ephesians 2:7-10). 

 

Under the Holy Spirit’s tutelage, we gradually mature spiritually until we mirror the nature of Christ in us and live a righteous and holy life (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10). We are a new creation in Christ and our former lusts are replaced by the fruit of God’s Spirit. 

 

We are no longer slaves to sin, but dead to its temptation. We may falter from time to time, but we do not live in a continuous lifestyle of sinful behavior (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:22-23). As we consider God’s mercy and grace to us, we offer our body as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to Him. 

 

This is only reasonable and our truest form of worship to Him. His Spirit leads us to live a transformed life according to God’s will for each of us (Romans 12:1-2). Aligning our thoughts, words, and behavior according to worldly standards makes us an enemy of God (James 4:4). Allowing God’s Spirit to control them, makes us an adopted child of God.

 

The keys to holy living are to trust God with every fiber of our being, to reject our human thoughts and wisdom, to consult Him for His will for each moment of our life, to shun evil, and to honor God with our thoughts, words, and choices (Proverbs 3:5-7).

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You that Jesus bore our sins in His own body all the way to Calvary’s cross, to give us the desire and power to obey You, and to die to our self-life as we live in Jesus’ righteousness. Thank you also that His wounds healed our sinful nature and united us with Christ in us (1 Peter 2:24). Many in today’s culture continue to live in sin, even after supposedly making a profession of faith. They believe that Your grace covers even their willful sin, and they are ashamed in front of their friends to live a holy life (Mark 8:38). 

 

They do not embrace the reality of the fact that when we pray for forgiveness and for salvation, we are actually baptized into Jesus’ death too (Romans 6:1-6). We are raised to walk in a new life with new ambitions and desires through Your glory. We are dead to sin and no longer slaves to satanic lies and leadings as Your Spirit lives in and through us (Romans 6:8). If temptations arise to gratify our fleshly human desires, help us to resist satanic warfare and clothe our self with Your holy begotten Son (Romans 13:14).

 

Thought for the Day:

God challenges us to give up our former way of living and everything we once held dear in order to follow Jesus and to live as His disciples. For Him to consider us as His disciple, we daily die to self and everything that used to be important to us, and we continually carry His cross to the grave. We grow to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind – which is the greatest commandment for us to follow.

 - Luke 14:27-33; Matthew 10:37, 22:37

Sitting by the Bank of the Mulligrubs River

 

 

The Israelites sat on the banks by the rivers of Babylon and wept over their memories of living in Zion. They were homesick for the familiar and cherished times they experienced there. They had no heart left in them to sing, and they put away their musical instruments – hanging them on the weeping willow trees (Psalm 137:1-4).

 

They were in captivity due to their pride and rebellion against God. He was using these events to discipline them of their sinful behavior and to turn their hearts back to His protective shelter. The circumstances in their life brought them lower than low, and they mourned both day and night. 

 

Finally, their experiences pierced their heart and brought weariness to their bones, so they cried out to God from the overwhelming burden of their sins and repented (Psalm 38:1-5). Feeble and utterly crushed, they cried out for God’s salvation from the anguish of their heart (Psalm 38:6-8).

 

They lifted up their eyes to the mountains of the Lord and admitted that He was their only hope of any help. They proclaimed Him as the Maker of heaven and earth, acknowledged that He alone kept their feet on solid ground, and they realized that He never leaves or forsakes us as He watches over His children (Psalm 121:1-3; Hebrews 13:5). 

 

God, in His mercy, saw their changed attitude toward Him, and He raised them out of the depth of their misery (Psalm 30:1-3). He provided for them everything they needed. He protected them from many adverse situations, and His presence surrounded them with His amazing love, grace, and compassion.

 

God does this for anyone who willingly surrenders total control of their life to Him. If we are happy making our own plans and attempting to control our own life, He gives us over to our free will. However, when we finally abandon our self-life to His control, He quickly comes to our rescue.

 

Prayer:

Father God, You never take a break or fall asleep as You watch over us with Your loving care. You give us cool shade in this parched and weary land in which we live, You make us to lay down in green pastures, and You keep us safe from all irreversible harm. Death holds no sting for Your children because it is our portal into Your very presence (Psalm 23, 121:4-8; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; 2 Corinthians 5:8). 

 

We feel the mulligrubs and the despondency of this uncertain life, which put us in a sullen and ill-tempered mood at times; however, we do not want to sink into the quicksand of the sulking blues and the anxiety of the unknown future as a way of life. We want to rejoice evermore, to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), and to love and trust You with our whole heart (Mark 12:30; Proverbs 3:5-6).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

In the depression of an incident or a challenging time, we can allow our self to feel the deep emotion of the moment, but not to camp out there on the banks of the river of negative emotions. We have a River of Life that flows from the throne of God – Living Water provided to us by Jesus Himself. By drinking freely, our soul will never thirst again, and we will live a fulfilled life with a deeper and deeper intimate union with the Trinity of God abiding within us.

- Revelation 22:1-2; John 7:38-39; Psalm 36:8, 46:4; Ezekiel 47:3-6

 

Gods Plan in Our Losses

 

Living life as a good person does not guarantee our earthly success or our place in eternity (Galatians 3:21). Beliefs founded on humanistic philosophy may change our life and give us temporary relief, but they do not last for eternity. Only the Word and Will of God are entirely righteous and true (Psalm 19:9). 

 

God is patient with our unbelief, because He does not want anyone to die in their sin (2 Peter 3:9). He walks with us through every valley and gives us His joy as our strength (Psalm 23; Nehemiah 8:10). For instance, after 22 years of marriage, the love of my life decided that he could no longer live with my Italian emotionalism. 

 

A wall of constant misunderstandings stood between us, so he determined that there was no option for us but divorce. I was shocked and in disbelief; yet I did not want to live where I was not loved. Even in this, God proved that He always has a perfect plan and purpose for us all (Ephesians 2:10). 

 

He led me to relocate and to attend divorce recovery classes in two different churches in order to heal from my loss of husband, home, family unit, income, and years of friendships. What looked like a mountain of recovery was leveled (Isaiah 40:4), because I learned to trust God and not people, and to maintain my faith in God’s faithfulness. 

 

I learned that God still had plans for me, which did not include my former husband. One day when I least expected it, in a crowded Books-a-Million bookstore, I divinely met a pastor whose wife recently decided to end their union. Now, after 20 years of marriage to this wonderful man, I realize what a husband should be to his wife, one who dwells with her with understanding (1 Peter 3:7).

 

I can see from hindsight that in both of our lives God used these devastating, negative circumstances for our good (Romans 8:28). In this new union together, we appreciate each other's gifts and character as we continue to serve God in the Pastoral ministry. We truly cherish one another, even with all our idiosyncrasies and failings (Ephesians 4:12-16).

 

Prayer: 

Father God, we may be hesitant to put our total faith in You, but You always prove that Your ways will bring us ultimate fulfillment. We are so grateful that we can trust You to work out our good from every circumstance, no matter how devastating it is (Romans 8:28). You help us to grieve the loss of our relationships, health, wealth, and material possessions. Although healing may take some time, Your joy always comes in the morning through a new chapter in our life (Psalm 30:5). 

 

As we trust in You alone, You make a simple person wise, You protect us from temptation, and You keep us from straying from Your protective narrow road (Matthew 6:13). We come boldly to Your throne for mercy and grace because of Jesus’ redemptive work in our life (Hebrews 4:16). We need You, and we thank You for opening our eyes by renewing our spirit to see the wonderful truths in Your Word (Psalm 119:18).

 

Thought for the Day:

God’s Word is perfect, and all His ways are just and true. We can trust in God's timing and ways, even when they do not coincide with our view of the flawless life, because His ways are always perfect, even when we experience trials, heartache, loss, and devastation. 

- Psalm 18:30-36; 2 Samuel 22:31; Deuteronomy 32:4

 

Reacting to Life

 

When we are attacked for our choices and feelings, God calls us to fight with spiritual weapons, not carnal, human ones. Our warfare is not against a person, but against the spiritual powers, which operate behind the scenes and through people. Realizing who the real enemy is enables us to fight with the spiritual weapons the Lord gives us (2 Corinthians 10:4).

 

My father reacted to life as a bipolar, rage-aholic. In my younger years, I compliantly did as I was told; but with age, I copied his behavior and I stood up for myself. I used anger to protect my interests when anyone made a decision that affected me without consulting me, or when they did not listen to my feelings or my needs, discounted or ignored me, or did not take me seriously. 

 

After I surrendered my life to Christ, I still used anger to make people take me seriously. What I did not realize is that anger is not God's way (James 1:20). Anger manipulated me into acting as a tool of the devil. He discouraged and wounded people through my outbursts of anger. The root of any issue goes deeper than human decisions, personalities, schedules, and life choices. 

 

With time, I learned to gain the person's undivided attention and to express very firmly that my needs are either not negotiable, or that an alternate decision needs to be made with which I am comfortable. This is an effective method if the other person is spirit-led and listens to my needs, does not discount or ignore me, and takes me seriously. 

 

Otherwise, I make it very clear, without anger, that I am upset about the decision being made; and I will make alternative decisions, which will provide for my needs. Divorce is rarely necessary or an option, and quitting a job before securing another one is not advisable. 

 

However, we can protect our self from another person's upsetting decisions and behavior, by journaling, by getting counseling, and by using a time of separation to work out the opposing issues needing reconciliation. As we bathe this unacceptable decision in prayer, God intervenes for us or shows us and our spouse how to find a third alternative that is acceptable to both of us (Genesis 20:2-120.

 

Prayer: 

Father God, remind us that we are all living in spiritual warfare (1 Peter 5:8). If Satan can use some decision to split a relationship, he will do it. Your Word tells us to turn the other cheek and to go the extra mile (Matthew 5:39); but after we do this, we often need to take a stand. Help us to journal our feelings to reduce their intensity, to pray about the situation, and to ask You to intervene on our behalf.

 

Then remind us that we can try to communicate our needs once again. Help us to see that a period of separation for the purpose of reconciliation may allow both parties to live apart for a time, to get counseling, and to find a way to resolve the issue which is causing us grief. There is usual not a right and wrong way, just personal preferences. Therefore, seeking You together about any matter causing discord will more easily resolve the disagreement and set our feet on the same path.

 

Thought for the Day:

Put the devil to flight and preserve your marriage and other relationships by preferring one another, never insisting on your own way, laying down both sets of preferences and finding a third alternative with which you can both live happily. God always has a perfect plan for every decision we ever have to make, so waiting on His direction is always preferable.

- James 4:7

 

A Good Marriage - Longevity Counts

 

 

Have you ever had an argument with yourself? That is caused by the three “ego states” in our soul having a disagreement. If we, being one person, have a difference of opinions with our self, imagine what happens when you add another person to the mix. There are now six “ego states” involved in decisions and in everyday life.

 

That makes it virtually impossible to live a day, a week, or a month without some sort of dispute in our marriage. There is nothing wrong with this conundrum, simply the inevitable interactions of life. We can expect to agree to disagree from time to time, rather than to insist on always getting along without any conflict at all.

 

Differences make life interesting, help us to expand our horizons, put color in the humdrum of everyday existence, and teach us to prefer one another and to cooperate with each other. Years of togetherness day-in and day-out may become boring or tempt us to take each other for granted.

 

We originally met through our similar circumstances, such as at work, through family, a church service, or a community event. Then we unite into a world of diverse interests and hobbies. A loving couple will take an interest in their mate’s pastimes, and either participate, encourage, or support each other’s pursuits. 

 

We may even develop an aptitude in one another’s hobbies. We share in our growing family, in solving issues together in a joint effort of cooperation, and by developing compassion and patience toward differences. We make sacrifices that prove to each other that our love is available for the long-haul of a lifetime of togetherness.

 

Prayer:

Father God, Your Word is full of advice on melding together into one flesh in our marital relationship and in living as an example of Jesus and His Bride. Teach us how to exhibit unconditional love over a lifetime of sacrifices and tolerance, of enduring trials together and making one another stronger through it all. Help us to rely on each other’s strengths, to learn to accept and even appreciate our differences, to respect and honor our mate, and to actually love each other second only to You. 

 

Our union with You is the solid foundation on which we base the rest of our life. Your agape love teaches us to anticipate each other’s needs and to meet them, to love our mate as we love our own self, to honor each other throughout the longevity of our history together, and to ask each other if there is any way we can serve our spouse during the hours of that day. You remind us that honest communication is imperative in any good marriage, and you encourage us to share with each other in love when we have a need, concern, or misgiving about something in our life together. 

 

Thoughts for the Day:

The longevity of our relationship plays an important role in our love for our mate. Our love for God influences our love for our spouse, and it helps us to hear His Spirit’s guidance for each moment of our day together. We go our separate ways at times for our vocations, our children’s activities, our spiritual ministries, and our separate interests, but we do so with the blessing and support of our mate.

It is Really Very Simple

 

Jesus is the words to the music in our heart. He alone is also the harmony and the melody – the main tune and all the synchronization and balance and blending of the various parts to make one beautiful song. We let our praises to Him ring from the housetops to the streets below, from the mountains to the valleys in between.

 

Together with God and His Spirit, Jesus is our mighty God, imaginative Creator, the Prince of our peace, our Refuge and our Redeemer, the Lord of all lords, and the King of all kings. God’s Spirit is our Guide, Intercessor, Sanctifier, and Teacher. God’s Trinity is our everything and abides within us (Colossians 3:3-4). He is all we need (Psalm 18:2).

 

The easiest way for me to understand our triune God, is to think about my husband. He is a son, a father, and a grandfather; yet he is only one person. He has three distinct roles that he relates through when he is with his father, his children, and his grandchildren. God is one God; yet He also has three distinct roles.

 

Trusting in God with our whole heart, not getting misled by our human thoughts and feelings, consulting Him in every decision, and loving Him with our every waking thought is our key to a successful Christ-centered, Spirit-led life (Proverbs 3:5-6). When we live life for Him according to His perfect plans for us, we experience success even in the most mundane aspect of our life (Ephesians 2:10).

 

Prayer:

Father God, Jesus is all together lovely and all together fair. In all heaven and creation, there is none that can compare with Him. His name is above all names, and He is our beautiful Savior, glorious Lord, and our Emmanuel – our God with us, as well as our blessed Redeemer, Provider, and King. You always speedily hear us when we cry out to You, especially when our spirit is weak and threatens to fail us. We thank You for all You are, all that You do for us each moment of every day, and for all that we are going to be. 

 

Your strength sustains us, Your power inspires us, Your wisdom leads us, and Your love and divine nature fills us through our entire being. You stretch out Your hands to us when our soul is parched and weary in this dry and thirsty land (Psalm 143:6; Ephesians 3:16-19). You never hide Your face from us, but You are our constant companion. Your salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary’s cross keeps us from sinking into the pit of eternal destruction (Psalm 143:7).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

In God’s Word He admonishes us to keep His commandments if we love Him. That sounds like a daunting decree; however, if we look at His commandments, we see that they are really very simple, because He created them to protect us.

1^st- We recognize that He is our Lord and our God, which keeps us on His straight and narrow path, rather than on the wide road to destruction by worshipping idols and man-made gods.

2^nd- If we use His name as profanity, we trample it under our feet, rather than realizing the real power and anointing behind His name.

3^rd- We rest on the Sabbath day and use it to remember all His benefits with which He inundates our life.

4^th- We honor our parents because most of them give up so much of themselves, their goals, dreams, and ideals to provide for us an abundant life to the best of their ability.

5^th- We do not allow our anger to drive us to murder another human being, because that would scar so many for a lifetime and imprison us in our body and soul. God even instructs us that to hate another person is the same as committing murder – the negative emotions that hang out with hate are also devastating to our soul.

6^th- We do not commit adultery, because to join our self in an unholy “soul tie” is detrimental to our mental and emotional health and destroys what could be God’s perfect union for our life.

7^th- We do not steal or take what does not belong to us. Easily gotten illegal gain does not build Jesus’ divine character in our soul, and we diminish our esteem for our self and our fellow humans on this earth.

8^th- We do not lie, because liars are not allowed into God’s Kingdom. When we give a false testimony about someone else, we destroy their life and weaken our standing in our own eyes and in our community.

9^th & 10^th- When we covet what does not belong to us, we lose our contentment, and we set up our self to fall into Satan’s trap to use our greediness against us.

Trust Versus Worry

 

When we trust in the Lord and hope in Him alone, we turn over every anxious thought to Him, and He abundantly blesses us (Jeremiah 17:7; Job 13:15; Psalm 2:12). We embrace His love for us, and we prove our love for Him by keeping His commandments (John 14:15; Psalm 4:5).

 

His commandments are not a burden for us, because they keep us on His safe and narrow road to eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14). He helps us to overcome our sin and the temptations of this world. Our faith in Christ, who abides within us, helps us to choose righteously rather than carnally (1 John 5:3-4). 

 

Only those who believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God have the Spirit of God residing within them and are given eternal life through Jesus’ shed blood and powerful name (1 John 5:5,10-11; Psalm 9:10). God never forsakes those who seek Him. We live a life of praise, and we are fulfilled by His joy, because God is our all in all (Psalm 5:11; Ephesians 4:1).

 

When we trust in the Lord, we live a virtuous life and delight our self in Him. He provides for us and puts His desires in our heart (Psalm 37:4). We commit to Him every moment of our day, and He brings us fulfillment in each one of them (Psalm 37:3-5). We make the Lord our trust, and do not follow the lies of the devil, the world, or our own human understanding (Psalm 40:4).

 

The secret to this serene life is to trust God with our whole heart and to exalt Him as the only wise God. Then, we tell others in our sphere of influence about His great and mighty love and power (Psalm 46:10). There may be days where our circumstances make us weary, but at these times we put our trust in the Lord and our fear and anxiety dissolve (Psalm 56:33-4, 11; Matthew 6:34; John 14:27).

 

Prayer:

Father God, when we trust You at all times, we can pour out our heart to You, and You are our strong tower, refuge, strength, and deliverer (Psalm 62:8, 144:2). You give us Your peace to guide us because it erases all our confusion (Psalm 71:1, 119:165). Our life is much more even-keeled, and we drift over calm waters when we trust in You, rather than putting our confidence in people, places, or things (Psalm 118:8; Proverbs 3:5-6).

 

Your Word instructs us to fear You (Psalm 115:11), but not out of trepidation. Instead, the original language for the word “fear” is to realize our insignificance in comparison to Your greatness, as well as Your wonderful works in creation and for all mankind. You are our only source of eternal salvation, and You are our strength and song (Isaiah 12:2). Thank You that Your peace rises above our human understanding and protects our thoughts and emotions (Philippians 4:7).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

God keeps us in perfect peace, when we keep our focus on and trust in Him the whole day long. He works out even the most horrific trial for our ultimate good, using it to strengthen our faith in His faithfulness and to chisel away our rough edges.

- Romans 8:28; Isaiah 26:3-4

 

 

Prayer and Praise

 

 

Prayer has more to do with praise and thanksgiving than with making our requests known to God. If our prayer time is filled with asking God to bless us, our plans, and to provide us with our desires, we are simply wasting our time. God loves for us to begin our prayer time by praising Him for who He is, and for what He has already done for us (John 15:7).

 

Who is God? He has mercy and compassion on the whole world regardless of race, creed, or skin color (John 3:16-17), knows the end from the beginning of time (Isaiah 46:10), keeps His covenants through every generation (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 105:8), and makes any sinner a righteous Saint who is humble enough to believe in Jesus’ sacrifice for us on Calvary’s cross (Luke 23:33).

 

We start our prayer time by praising Him for His eternal salvation, protection, principles, provision, and presence in us. Then we praise Him for times He showed us mercy when we deserved judgment. Our prayers are faith-filled, Spirit-led, and worship-based (Romans 8:26-30; Hebrews 11:6; Psalm 27:48).

 

When we sincerely pray for His pardon for our failure to keep His commandments, God turns His fury away from us (John 14:15-21). He shines His face on us, and He rejoices over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17; Numbers 6:24-26). He helps us to understand His Word and His desires for us, and He helps us to forgive the unforgivable horrors perpetrated on us in our lifetime.

 

We are His beloved, and He is our cherished Savior, so He covers us with His love (Romans 5:8; Song of Solomon 2:4-6). We are His treasured possession, and His adopted children (Deuteronomy 14:2; Ephesians 1:5; Galatians 4:5). Through Christ, we are more than conquerors, and more than enough to live for Him and to walk in His will (Romans 8:37-39). 

 

We are no longer a citizen of this world (Philippians 3:20-21), but a child of the Almighty, and joint-heirs with the King of all kings – the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:16-18). Spiritual maturity and advancement only come by doing spiritual warfare in our prayer life, by always trusting only in God, and by proving our love for Him by keeping His commandments.

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for rescuing us from the mirey mud and quick-sand of this world that attempts to swallow us whole. Your love covers a multitude of our failings (1 Peter 4:8), and Your Word and Truth wash away our carnal thoughts and desires. Teach us to depend totally on You and to submit to Your Spirit’s direction in our personal life, our church ministries, and our community outreach and service. 

 

Rather than to live independently and to pursue our own dreams and goals for our life and ministries, remind us to seek Your face and to depend solely on You. When You are in control of our life, we see supernatural intervention and appointments that bear fruit for Your Kingdom. Help us to see the power in praying without ceasing through each moment of our day (1 Thessalonians 5:16-28) and to experience Your victory in every one of them, so Your will shall be done on earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6:10-13).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Disappointment invades our soul when we realize we cannot live up to the advice, requirements, and expectations of the devil’s lies, our own imagination, or the standards of the world and those closest to us. However, when we realize who we are in Christ, our loneliness, despair, discouragement, and weariness decrease, and our security, strength, sense of worth, and eternal salvation increases. 

 

Our Relationship with God

 

 

Moment by moment of every day, we have our Living Lord abiding within us by His Spirit and giving us guidance and an intimate union with Him. God wants us to love Him with ALL our heart, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30). That takes a daily commitment and singleness of focus, but it also gives us such a blessed life once achieved.

 

God is looking for a converted life, not just conviction that we are sinners accompanied by a quick prayer of repentance, or good works in His name, or church attendance, or living a good life, or pursuing spirituality. Conviction is the first step, but only total surrender to Him and conversion through His Spirit will bring about an intimate union with God. 

 

No eye has ever seen, nor ear has ever heard what God has in store for His children (1 Corinthians 2:9). He rarely gives us what we want, but always gives us what we need. Even when we are disappointed in Him due to our selfish mindset, He knows what is best for us and thankfully blesses us only with His perfect plans for our life (Jeremiah 29:11).

 

We develop a relationship with others by spending time with them, talking to them, sharing activities with them, relying on them, caring about each other, preferring one another, etc. We deepen our union with the Trinity of God within us by these same methods. This takes a commitment to pray without ceasing – not on our knees the whole time, but throughout our day.

 

As we talk to God through prayer and we listen to His guidance for each moment of our day, we follow His peace in our heart that leads us in His will, we rely on His joy which is our strength rather than seeking happiness in this world, we read and meditate on the wisdom and direction of His Biblical instructions, and we gain our fulfillment by learning from the example of the life of Jesus and the lives of God’s Saints chronicled for us in His Word. 

 

Prayer: 

Father God, thank You 

for continually encouraging us through the trials of life, 

·      for exhorting us not to feel worry, anxiety, or fear (Deuteronomy 31:6; Luke 12:27), 

·      for advising us to trust in You alone (Proverbs 3:5-6), 

·      for calling us to meditate on Your Word all day long, 

·      for encouraging us to obey Your precepts (John 14:15, 21), 

·      and for inspiring us to sing praises to Your name for who You are 

·      and encouraging us to feel gratitude in our heart for all You do and have done for us (Philippians 4:6-8; Psalm 138).

 

Our committed relationship with You is our only means for true fulfillment in this life, as well as a guarantee of Your presence with us both now and throughout eternity. Teach us to center our focus on Your will for us each moment of the day. Help us to experience Your presence within us (Galatians 2:20), to abide in Your rest, and to wait on You and Your timing before venturing out into our day. We only want to live in Your will for us, and to follow Your peace that guides us, rather than to depend on our human resources or the wisdom and dictates of this world.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

God abides within His converted children, and He will never, ever leave or forsake us. He knows the end of all things from the beginning, and He really, really enjoys our times of companionable silence with Him. He has good things in store for those who love Him and who have walked away from willful sin and have entered into a personal relationship with Him alone. 

- Matthew 7:22-24; John 15:4-5; Luke 10:27; Psalm 46:10-11; Colossians 1:27; Deuteronomy 6:5 ALL; Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28

 

 

Evidence of Gods Perfect Plans

 

For years, I have been reading about the way that the microbes in our gut influence every part of our existence. There are many benefits to increasing healthy microbes. These tiny elements even regulate our inclination toward obesity. Our diet also determines the type of bacteria in our gastroenterological organs.

 

These microbes then influence the progress or damage in our brain and our neurological functions. They do this by the production of molecules and hormones that influence our immune system and affect our body and our soul – our thoughts, emotions, and choices. 

 

The microbes help to break down complex carbohydrates in order to produce the needed fatty acid butyrate that affects the strength of our blood-brain-microbe connection, or that contribute to certain diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, autism disorders, neurodevelopment in the young, health of our fatty sheathing that insulates our nerve fibers, dry eye syndrome, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, alopecia hair loss, lupus, and many other issues.

 

Caring for the temple of God’s Spirit, which is our body (1 Corinthians 6:19), allows us to function in better physical health as well as optimal psychological function. In our world, building a healthy meal is difficult because we need to alter our diet to only eating whole, healthy foods; however, the effort pays off in better health and fewer medical and medication bills.

 

God created our body to respond to chemical-free foods and to heal itself in many cases when we rid our lifestyle of the toxicity which overwhelms our organs and bodily functions and causes illnesses. Functional Medical Doctors are amazingly discovering that the sources of many illnesses start with our gastroenterological system; therefore, keeping that in balance helps the rest of our body to flourish in health.

 

Prayer:

Father God, scientists for centuries attempt to create human life in their laboratory. However, in spite of the advances in technology and highly intelligent people, these efforts fail time and time again. Many atheists and agnostics adhere to theories such as evolution, which still, after all these years, has a missing link. They are so prideful and rebellious that they mindlessly determine that there is no God by clinging to their belief that some unknown gas resulted in the origin of life. 

 

These failed attempts demonstrate that You, our Higher Power, are responsible for the origin of life on planet earth. Although scientists constantly discover evidence of the phenomenon of Your intricate weaving of all the details of the universe to support life, atheists and agnostics refuse to consider this practical proof of Your existence (Psalm 104:26; Genesis 1:31). They seal the doom of their eternal destination by their unbelief (John 3:18). Thank You for leading so many humble hearts on the road of reality to meet You and to enjoy Your blessings, protection, principles, provision, and presence as reality.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Many modern scientists today are embracing the truth of God’s existence based on the research done by noted Christian scientists and researchers. They claim that since the universe had a beginning and a cause, and has such detailed symmetry and order, that this implies that the “Intelligent Designer” of the universe is a comprehensive and steady force, which the Bible calls God.

- Genesis 1:1; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 40:28; Job 38-41; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17; Hebrews 13:8

Praying Bible Verses

 

 

I recently attended a Leadership Seminar for Pastors and their wife, and in one of the breakout groups I learned the important discovery of praying Bible verses. I have prayed scripture for myself, but I never thought about praying for others in this manner.

 

A few days after this seminar, I woke up with a scripture prayer in my mind, and I was praying for our adult children with one of my favorite verses that I use as a prayer for myself. I felt like I was being led by God’s Spirit while I slept to intercede for our children with these anointed words:

 

“Cause our children to hear Your loving kindness in the morning and teach them to trust in You: Cause them to know which way to walk and to lift up their soul to You.

 

Deliver them, O Lord, from any tempting thoughts, words and emotions as well as people and trials that come against them. Help them to run to You to hide them.

 

Teach them to do Your will, because You are their God: allow Your Spirit to lead them in Your perfect plans for their life.

 

Convict them, O Lord, for Your name’s sake and for Your righteousness’ sake and bring their soul out of troubling circumstances.” (Psalm 143:8-11)

 

Of course, as I prayed for our children, I actually felt like I was touching the throne of God in my intercession. I always pray for our children, but I never before this day used Bible verses as I prayed for them. I am going to use God’s anointed Word in my prayers for others more often.

 

Prayer:

Father God, Your Word is perfect, and all Your ways are just and true (Psalm 18:30-36). As we trust in You alone, You make a simple person wise, You protect us from temptation, and from straying from Your protective narrow road (Matthew 6:13). We come boldly to Your throne for mercy and grace because of Jesus’ redemptive work in our life (Hebrews 4:16). We need You and we thank You for opening our eyes by renewing our spirit to see the wonderful truths in Your Word (Psalm 119:18). 

 

Thank You for sharing the whole earth with us because it and everything on it is Yours. Help us to understand the depth of Your love for us (Psalm 24:1). You have saved us and called us to live a holy life. You did this, not because we deserved it, but because it was your plan from before the beginning of time to show everyone Your grace through Jesus Christ in our life (2 Timothy 1:9).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

We can come boldly to God’s throne, because we always need His mercy and grace in our life (Hebrews 4:16). We all need Him to open our eyes to see the wonderful truths of His instructions and to embrace Jesus’ offer of eternal salvation now and forevermore (Psalm 119:18).

 

A Good Marriage – Our Cherished Treasure

 

 

Humans can be overly emotional, unpredictably perplexing, grouchy, and irritable as well as irrational and confusing at times. God’s Word declares that if a husband mistreats his wife and/or does not show her the understanding, respect, and consideration as his co-heir of God’s merciful gift of eternal life, that the answers to his prayers will actually be hindered (1 Peter 3:7). 

 

A good marriage is one where both spouses schedule their mate as their priority, second only to God in their plans, interests, goals, and consideration. This includes our church work and pursuits as well as our hobbies and activities apart from our family. This thoughtfulness gives proof to our loved ones of our profession of love.

 

Marriage partners dwell with their spouse with understanding and attention (1 Peter 3:7). Acceptance of one another and a peaceful and secure home environment gives the couple an assurance of security and love. We also feel love in our mate’s voice inflection, tenderness in their facial expressions, caring caresses, physical affection, and time well spent in each other’s company.

 

We often love others as we desire to be loved. We think the recipient of our loving expressions should be thrilled and blessed by our overt actions. However, if our mate’s, child’s, or grandchild’s love language is not the same as ours, then they will not be impressed by our declarations of affection toward them. 

 

Some people enjoy gifts and others prefer physical touch, quality time, acts of service, and/or words of affirmation. Wise are those who make the effort to understand our mate’s love language and train our self to give them these expressions often. Loving them “in our own way” is never fulfilling to them, and makes them feel unloved, neglected, and rejected.

- http://www.5lovelanguages.com 

 

Prayer: 

Father God, remind us that You created marriage (Genesis 2:22). We dishonor You when we allow Satan to destroy the love You place in our hearts for one another. In today’s easy divorce society, we are not expected to work through the hard times and communicate with one another about what we really need and how we really feel. Remind us to lay our life down for each other as Christ did for us. Teach us to nurture our romantic urges and to express them to our mate often. 

 

This is not a stilted requirement, but a spontaneous expression of our love and devotion when it is least expected. Remind us that giving our loved ones the blessings of continual expressions of our love and attention throughout the day assures them of our affection and devotion to them alone. This keeps the devil at bay and provides us with a solid foundation for a fulfilling and joyful relationship. Teach us to serve one another with our whole heart and to make one another our priority in our life, second only to You.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Many couples have a date night, which is admirable and something to look forward to; however, a wise spouse does not limit our time together to once a week. Spending little increments of time together throughout the day bears huge benefits for both of us. Some examples are a shared lunch, family playtime after a dinner eaten together, a gift for no reason at all, a compliment for a job well done, a 15-minute snuggle, a walk in the park, a repair of that leaky faucet, a note tucked away in an obvious nook, a bike ride to a favorite place, taking her car to get it serviced, spending a few hours together walking on the beach, a quick phone call at lunchtime, etc. The possibilities are actually limitless. 

 

Living a Fulfilled Life

 

 

Once we repent of our ungodly ways and walk in the Spirit instead (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), the spiritual truth of dying daily to our own desires and pursuits is that if we want to save our life, we first lose it in Him. When we do, we actually save our life. A paradox, but true nonetheless. 

 

We all get rattled and discouraged when we read the Biblical idea of denying our flesh, goals, dreams, and aspiration in order to take up our cross every single day and follow the leading of God’s Spirit (Luke 9:23). However, this practice allows us to serve as temples of God’s Holy Spirit who abides within us (1 Corinthians 6:15-20).

 

A whole new world opens up to us in the spiritual realm that is so much more fulfilling than living in the finite, carnal world full of fleshly desires (Luke 9:24-25). God tells us in His Word that if we remain stuck in our human pursuits, we are not worthy of Him (Matthew 10:38; Mark 8:38).

 

Another spiritual principle that has hard values to uphold for many in the simple list of God's Will for us (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18): 

·      Continually rejoicing 

·      Constantly praying  

·      Eternal gratitude for the good times and even the horrid events 

This allows us to honor God with our whole life (Mark 12:30). 

 

However, this is only half of the secret of a fulfilled life. The second half is to:

·      Trust in the Lord with our whole heart 

·      Consult God is every decision 

·      Submit to Him as He takes the kinks out of our road

·      Honor the Lord in everything we think, say, and do

·      Turn our back on evil temptations 

·      And then, the most important ingredient of them all…

Not relying on our human understanding and resources or being wise in our own eyes. 

 

Even in the mundane aspects of life, for instance what we eat and drink and whatever we do, we accomplish it for God’s glory and take no credit for our self (1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17). Those who belong to Christ Jesus are maturing spiritually and losing our desire to give credence to the passions and desires of our flesh. The things of the flesh no longer hold any appeal for us (Galatians 5:24).

 

Prayer:

Father God, help us to take up our cross and to follow You every moment of the day, so we will be worthy of You (Matthew 10:38). We do not want to attempt to save this finite, carnal way of living and in the process lose our eternal life. Instead, we want to lose this temporal, earthly way of thinking for Your sake, for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and for freedom for our own soul (Mark 8:35).

 

Teach us how to consider our self dead to ungodly ways, and to realize instead that we are alive to You through Christ Jesus (Romans 6:8). We want to live with Jesus as our whole life, because we died to our flesh and our life is now hidden with Christ in You (Colossians 3:3-4). We want to live the reality that we are dead to sin, which no longer rules our body and soul, and instead we are alive to You in Jesus, our Brother, Lord, and King (Romans 6:11-14).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

In Christ we are debtors not to the dictates of carnality and self-centeredness, but to Jesus for His sacrifice to pay our sin debt for us, as well as to His Spirit who leads and guides us each moment of every day. This removes us from the devastation we used to reap as a result of our fleshly desires, and it allows us to bask continually in the blessings of our Father God.

- Romans 8:12-13