Sweeter than the Day Before

When we put our faith in Jesus as our Savior, we stop living for our self and instead live to serve Him in unity and holiness. He gives us a new life, which is so much better than our loneliness and deprivation.

God's Word urges us to live a holy life worthy of His call on our life (Ephesians 4:1). Jesus sets us free from our former bondage to sin (Romans 6:22) and exhorts us to follow Him and to be conformed to His image (Romans 8:29).

We are a new creation and we forsake the meager existence we formerly experienced on this earth (2 Corinthians 5:17). He renews our mind and gives us the mind of Christ, which no longer depends on human reasoning (Romans 12:2).

God fills us with His presence and Spirit and draws us ever closer to His will and ways. He challenges us to give Him our bodies as a living sacrifice, which is holy and pleasing to Him (Romans 12:1).

Daily, we depend on God as we face the obstacles and discouragements of life. We love Him more today than we did the day before. We dedicate to Him our whole heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30).

His Spirit leads and guides us in His will, fills us with His fruit and gives us wisdom to face the questions and perplexities of our day (Galatians 5:22-23).

We take advantage of divine opportunities to share the love of Christ with everyone we meet. We never meet a stranger, but a potential friend and a possible fellow Believer.

We do not shy away from sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with others as God gives us opportunities; and they see the joy of the Lord in our life.

Prayer:

Father God, I trust in You, so never let me be put to shame by my relationship with You. Bow down Your ear to hear me, and deliver me in Your righteousness. From eternal damnation You save me.  You are my rock, my fortress and my refuge in which I dwell continually.

Deliver me from the ruthless, wicked, unrighteous people all around me. You are my hope, my trust and my confidence. You are my benefactor since I was 18 and You even knew me when You formed me in my mother's womb. I love and worship You today and always (Psalm 71).

Thought for the Day:

Walking in the center of God's will for us is the happiest place on earth; His love cascades over us like a waterfall and His grace, mercy and peace are available in every experience we encounter.

I'm Dying to Go to Heaven

We often say, "I'm dying … to go to the mall" (or for some ice cream, or for a new dress, etc). No one ever says, "I'm dying to go to Heaven."

When we are ill, regardless of our age, we spend exorbitant amounts of money and time devoted to living. We applaud one another, saying, "She fought hard to live."

When a person decides to allow their body to die, we say, "Oh, he just gave up" or "She had no more will to live." We view life as the ultimate prize to be battled for above all else.

Yet, death is a Christian's privilege (Philippians 1:21). The death of God's Saints is precious in His sight (Psalm 116:15). We leave this temporal realm and enter into His eternal realm forever.

God made all of the intricate parts of our body, knitting them together in our mother's womb. Our body, soul and spirit are wondrously complex and God's workmanship in us is marvelous (Psalm 139:13-15).

Since God does not dwell in time, He saw us before we were ever born and laid out every moment of our life before we even lived one day of it (Psalm 139:16).

God views the day of our death as better than the day of our birth (Ecclesiastes 7:1). He sends us an angel escort to bring our soul and spirit into His presence (Luke 16:22).

His Saints will never die again, but live eternally in the same respect as the angels. We are children of the Living God, raised from death into true life (Luke 20:36).

God is our guide through death and forever and ever (Psalm 48:14). Even in death, He gives the righteous His refuge (Proverbs 14:32). When we die, our real life is just beginning.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that when we are ill, rather than dreading death or fighting it, our body, soul and spirit can be filled with joy. You do not leave us in the grave. You allow us to experience the joys of life, and then bring us into the peace and joy of Your eternal presence (Psalm 16:9-11).

We can confidently say that when we leave this mortal body, we shall be in Your glorious presence (2 Corinthians 5:8). We simply fold up this earthly tent, and then our soul and spirit go to Your house (2 Corinthians 5:1). Thank You, that at the coming of Your Son, we will leave our corruptible body behind and put on our immortal body to serve You for eternity (1 Corinthians 15:53-54).

Thought for the Day:
God is a refuge for the poor and oppressed in our times of trouble; we trust in Him because He never forsakes anyone who humbly seeks Him, not even in death. - Psalm 9:9-10

Amazing Paradoxes

It is amazing to see what happens when we praise God regardless of our circumstances. Listening to music or singing in our mind can change the most depressing moment into a time of joy. Praising the Lord in our car, at home, at work, in the grocery store and in our quiet times will change our attitude quicker than any other pursuit. Praising puts a smile on our face and a spring in our step! People are drawn to those who are full of the joy of the Lord.

The amazing paradox is that living a life of praise will change everything for us. We can sing our way out of depression and into the courts of our God (Psalm 100). As we look for God’s will in our life, work, exercise, church encounters, volunteerism and hanging out with our friends, He turns everything into a time of ministry for Him, as well as a source of joy for us. We wait on the Lord and move only and always as His Spirit directs us.

If you are home alone, and you start to feel lonely, either get out of the house and work in the yard, or serve a friend or family member, or spend time growing deeper in God. When you feel lonely, put on your praise music and sing at the top of your lungs in worship to God, dance around as you dust, bake a cake and take it to a neighbor, go to the homeless shelter and help out any way you can, or go grocery shopping for an elderly person. Just listen to God’s Spirit and He will direct you.

God has a plan for our good now and in the future. Rejoicing in the Lord one moment at a time keeps our negative thoughts under God’s control (Philippians 4:8). However, we can praise Him even for the negative aspects in our life, because He has a plan for us even in them. Praising God will put Satan in his place and let God work in our behalf. We will feel better, once we stop allowing negative satanic fears, anxieties and desires to torture us. It is a human characteristic to worry about the future, but God has everything in His control (Jeremiah 29:11).

God cares for us even more than for the sparrows and lillies, and He tells us not to be anxious about anything (Matthew 6:19-34). If you praise God for what you have, even the bad things, knowing that God has a plan in it for you, then He will give you everything you need to live victoriously. As we seek the Lord first and fulfill His purpose for us in His Kingdom, then we can rest assured that He will supply all of our needs according to His glorious riches through Christ Jesus who lives within us (Philippians 4:19).

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that we cannot control anything about life. Allowing feelings of unhappiness and loneliness to disturb our peace and the joy in our soul is not trusting in You. It is focusing on what we do not have instead of what we do have. If we spend intimate times with You, Lord, through every waking moment, then we will not be unhappy, because You are our ultimate hope, rest, joy and peace. We are only unhappy and lonely when we think more about temporal things than we do about spending our eternal glory with You.

Thought for the Day:

If God’s will does not include what you want, then you do not want to have it, because you will be out of His will.

Living in Eternity Now

 

God does not want anyone to perish, but for everyone to enjoy eternity with Him (John 3:16). Everyone has faith in something, even if it is faith in oneself. However, faith in Christ is the only faith that saves us. It takes no effort or good works on our part. We simply allow the grace of God to work in our heart (Ephesians 2:8). He transforms our life (2 Corinthians 5:17). We think, act and believe differently than prior to our salvation (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10). God now claims us as His children, His sons and His saints (John 1:12; Romans 8:16,17,27; I John 3:1,2; Galatians 3:16; Ephesians 1:18, 4:12).

Christ is no longer just part of our life, He is our life (Colossians 3:4). Jesus is now the center of our focus, our main emphasis in every day. We are no longer lowly caterpillars crawling around and grubbing for sustenance. God metamorphosed us into butterflies. We are dead to sin and hidden with Jesus in God (Colossians 3:3). We dwell in the Heavenly realm of life now. We no longer follow the evil desires of our flesh. Instead, we entertain an eternal perspective on life and we live in holiness (Romans 12:1; Colossians 1:22).

We never know from one moment to the next what the will of God is for our life. We make decisions and sometimes miss the mark of His will for us. That is why it is advisable not to make plans unless we feel sure that God is in them. We can set tentative goals, but then walk in His will moment by moment (James 4:13-14). We live a life of worship through our thoughts, words and actions, regardless of our circumstances. We are part of God’s family, accepted as His beloved kings and priests, the Body of Christ (Romans 8:1, 12:15, 15:7; Ephesians 1:6; I Peter 2:9-10; Revelation 1:6; I Corinthians 12:13).

We live each moment of life to the fullest, focusing on the positive aspects and turning the negative, even tragic illness and catastrophes, over to God. We may be inconvenienced in our flesh, but our Spirit is still soaring with the eagles regardless of our circumstances (Isaiah 40:31). God has a purpose for everything we experience in life. Therefore, we can compare our present trouble to our eternal blessings in them. Then, we gain His energy and consolation to live through them.

If we do not adopt an eternal perspective on life, our troubles and trials will overwhelm us. We will lose hope and regret the past and fear the future. With an eternal outlook, we realize that our negative circumstances are simply momentary issues (2 Corinthians 4:17). We have concrete faith, which gives us hope for tomorrow (Hebrews 11:1). We remove the roadblocks in our life that hamper our walk with God. As we grow in our knowledge of God and His ways, we develop a more intimate relationship with Him.

Prayer:

Father God, we devote each moment of our life to You, to fulfill Your will for us and to accomplish Your goals and desires in and through us. We hunger and thirst after You (Matthew 5:6). You satisfy our longings and You fill our hungry soul (Psalm 10:9). We want nothing more than to give You joy and to feel Your delight in us (Psalm 147:11). We delight our self in You as You put Your desires within our heart (Psalm 37:4). We rejoice in You always and praise Your Holy Name forever and ever (Philippians 4:4). 

Thought for the Day:

Without Christ, our life is merely short and irrelevant in the overall scheme of eternity.

Living Life Largely

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

Can you give thanks to God the Father for what you do in word and deed? If you cannot perform your current behavior in the name of the Lord Jesus, then do not do it!

 Serenity Prayer

“Father, grant me the patience to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

The Serenity Prayer teaches us that we can hear God’s desire for every situation in our life. We can experience each moment of life fully and deliberately with thought, prayer and purpose. In the Serenity prayer we ask God to give us the wisdom to know what situations in our life that we can change, and which to leave in His hands.

If you cannot change them, then give them to God. No! I mean, REALLY give them to God. Then praise God for them, in them, and through them, even for the negative elements.

God either helps us to deal with the abhorrent emotions and circumstances in our life right now, or He willingly takes the burden of them from us; so that we go on to the next moment of life full of peace and joy. By doing this, we end up walking in complete contentment and in the dynamic fullness of the Spirit of God.

Prayer:
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of ALL the fullness of God.” - Ephesians 3:16-19

Thought for the Day:
Living life consciously, in the present moment, keeps us from taking life for granted.