A Changed Life

 

Would you like to have your life changed? As a Born Again Believer, we have the Holy Spirit present in us to fill us with all the fullness of God. This is the key to walking in Serenity.

We fall to our knees and pray to our Father God, the Creator of everything in Heaven and on earth. We pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources that He will empower us with inner strength through His Spirit.

This allows Jesus Christ to make His home in our heart as we totally trust in Him. Our roots grow deeper in God's love and this keeps us strong in body, soul and spirit.

We empty our self of the inner clutter caused by our overly committed lives. We can journal until we are totally void of self and totally filled with all the fullness of God ^{(Ephesians 3:14).}

He gives us the power to understand the root of the issues in our life as well as the wisdom of His Word. We bask in the width, length, depth and heights of His love for us.

We experience the love of Christ, although it is hard for us to fathom how He can love us so completely and deeply, even in the minutest details of our life.

God fills our spirit and soul to the brim with His life, wisdom and power. We can dwell in this inner sanctum within His divine presence in us all through the day.

We no longer feel the need to worry and stress over the issues in this world, because we are not really part of it any more. We are hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

Prayer:

Father God, our mind is quick to fill with worry and clutter with each sunrise. Thank You for helping us not to allow the pressures and distractions of this world to monopolize our attention. We no longer want to run full speed ahead all day long and then fall into bed at night too exhausted to spend time with You or in reading Your Word.

Yet, Your mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), and we can learn to access them in Your presence within us. Draw us close to You and keep us in the center of Your will. Remove any Satanic strongholds that prevent us from growing in Your grace and keep us safely tucked under the shadow of Your wings until we come to spend eternity with You.

Thought for the Day:

At times the cacophony of life prevents us from hearing the voice of our beloved, Jesus Christ; but God wants to fill us through all of our being with all of His fullness, so that we can experience for our self the richest measure of His presence and become a body wholly filled with God Himself.

- Ephesians 3:19 Amplified Bible

A Good Marriage - The Little Foxes that Spoil the Vine

Over the years of marriage, we recognize who our partner is and what they are not. We also develop a better understanding of our self and why we respond to people and events the way we do.

We come to identify what triggers negative reactions in one another, so we can avoid these issues whenever possible. We make concentrated efforts on working together to find mutually acceptable plans when our original personal preferences conflict.

We also fearlessly attack our personal issues and give the Holy Spirit full reign in our life, so that He can transform us with the mind of Christ. One way to recognize our faults is to pay attention to what our spouse complains about - do we procrastinate, withhold affection, watch too much TV, neglect to help one another with projects or daily chores?

Small adjustments in our schedule or habits will make a big difference in marital bliss and harmony. We can learn one another's love language and show each other love in ways that will fulfill our mate's needs and allow them to feel nurtured and cherished.

This will erase the small irritations which eventually erupt into major disharmony - the little foxes that spoil the vine (Song of Solomon 2:15). Do we expect too much from one another, forgetting that we are only human?

Do we greet one another as we would our best friend, or do we take one another for granted? We all appreciate being greeted with enthusiasm as someone who is highly cherished.

Do we agree to disagree or do we always feel like we are right and our partner is wrong? Do we need to have the last word, or do we stop talking when we have made our point?

No one likes to live with condemnation, condescension, griping or constant belittlement. It is so good and pleasant when we dwell together in harmony (Psalm 133:1). This unity draws us closer to one another and makes us want to spend more time together. 

Prayer:

Father God, teach us to recap once we calm down after a disagreement. Help us to honestly relate how we felt during the "fight" and what thoughts were going through our mind that we did not take the time to articulate. These thoughts fueled our emotional response during our discussion, and our spouse deserves to understand why we reacted as we did to their comment, behavior or reply.

Remind us to seek You in all of our decisions and discussions; not to rely on our own understanding, but to allow You to direction our thoughts, words and actions. Help us to be led by Your Spirit rather than to react in our flesh; but if we do act carnally, encourage us to ask for forgiveness from one another and to calmly discuss the situation until we find an equitable solution.

Thought for the Day:

Looking into each other's eyes during a discussion enables us to see within the windows of each other's soul; speaking honestly about how our partner's words and actions make us feel will help us to understand one another better too and to make our interactions more intimate and productive. - Matthew 6:22-23

The Father's Comfort

 

When we focus on God through life's issues, He gives us refuge and never leaves our soul destitute (Psalm 141:8; Deuteronomy 31:6; Isaiah 41:10). There is no reason to fear what life may throw at us, because He will help us (Isaiah 41:13).

God's love for us is unconditional and everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3). We did nothing to earn it, and we can do nothing to lose it. It is perpetually ours (Malachi 3:6; Matthew 28:20).

As authentic Believers, we enjoy continual fellowship with God's Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who abides within us by His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:9).

I am not a great fan of darkness. I like street lights outside my window at night, or a nightlight on in the bathroom. I am not afraid of the dark, but I am a fan of seeing what is around me at all times.

When the sky is cloudy and hides the stars; when the moon is in the dark new moon phase of its cycle; and when there is no electricity all at the same time, I feel like I am blind and I feel stuck in my body with no way to escape.

However, God gives us the treasure of His Holy Spirit within us, even in the darkness. His riches, which He hides in secret places, are always ours to enjoy - even when days are dark and hope is waning (Isaiah 45:3).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You that Jesus is the light of the world, and there is no darkness as we walk in Your ways (John 8:12). Joshua is a good example to us of listening to Your direction. The walls of Jericho posed an impossible obstacle. As Joshua obeyed Your instructions, the walls fell straight down. Even archeology proves the accuracy of this Biblical account.

Joshua did not use human reasoning to capture the city; but He followed Your will for seven days, and then the city fell before his eyes (Hebrews 11:30). The wisdom of man is foolish when compared to Your ways (1 Corinthians 3:19). Teach us to acknowledge You in all of our thoughts, words and deeds (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Thought for the Day:

With Christ in us, we are also the light of the world; as we rest our soul in Christ and bask in the mercies and comfort of God, He uses us to bring His truth and comfort to our world. 

- Matthew 5:14-16, 11:28; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4