God Provides...Friday

October 31, 2014

Living paycheck to paycheck most of my adult life, there have been so many times that I have just barely gotten by. The one constant through all of these years is that my God has provided, just as He has always promised since the very beginning of time. 

 Everything that lives 

and moves about will be

 food for you. 

Just as I gave you 

the green plants, 

I now give you everything.

Genesis 9:3  (NIV)

This promise was just proven to me once again as there is currently still quite a bit of month left, but, not so much of the paycheck.  As much as I don’t worry like I used to during these times, it still is an amazing relief when I see how He has provided for me once again.  I find myself smiling and saying, “See, there He goes again, saving me”.   What a truly wonderful truth to live in, to know and be confident in a love from my God who will always, always be holding me up and getting me through all of my moments.

It humbles me and at the same time grows my faith in great mounds knowing the enormous love I have received and will always continue to receive just as my Lord God has promised.  I look back over the years of my life and see how my faith has grown….all because He has proven Himself to me oh so many times.  He has never given up on me, even as I try the same things over and over again getting the same results.  He is always there to pick me up and provide just exactly what it is that I need at that very moment in time.  I am ever so happy to see that I have grown so much more aware of how much He does for me, and knowing this, I am truly a better person which is shown through my actions.  It can be seen on the outside that my inside is so much more at peace due to living my life in such a better spirit of love through Christ.

So, whatever the struggle, whatever the need, always remembers He has and He will forever continue to provide and fill ever need!

 And my God will meet all your needs 

according to the riches of his glory 

in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19   (NIV)

Written by

KELLY DOBYNS

Praise Him...He Is Worthy of All Your Praise...Thursday

10/29/14

The Word of God says that 

God inhabits the praises of His people. 

( Psalm 22:3)

This is a time that we are guaranteed by the Bible that God is with us in a personal way that is different than His usual presence. We can be assured that He not only is with us but also that He is reveling in and enjoying our praise. Based on this it can be assumed that we are pleasing Him immensely. Although there are no absolute rules about pleasing God we should want to do this. In this song the videographer shows that nature by how it is also praises our Creator.Other shows of praise are found in musical instruments, dancing, raising hands, and showing joy together.

This YouTube song written by Mark Houser just makes you want to dance and praise. I hope you enjoy it. Put your computer where you can see and hear it and lose yourself in acts of praise. It feels so good and it pleases Him.

Written by 

Corinne Mustafa

"God Will Make Us Fruitier Through Him!"...Wednesday

10/29/14 

 

God really does want us to be a "Fruity People". 

It says in Galatians 5:22

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, 

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 

Against such there is no law." 

Each one of those fruit are well worth having and is just another example of who He is and the kind of life He wants us to walk out.

 

When we became a believer and lover of God everyone of those fruit Jesus deposited within us richly. Our part is to call upon Him to help us develop each one. Say for example you are wanting to learn more how to walk in His kindness. You can be assured the Lord will put you in situations where He will teach you how to be kind to people. That could be very challenging but you can count on the Lord strengthening your "kindness muscles". The same would be for all the others as well.

 

The Spirit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are all beautiful attributes of who God is and how He wants us to develop those in our lifes. He desires us to be a people that exemplify His nature so that those people that we touch will taste and see that Jesus is ever so good!!!

 

Reach out with your life full of rich fruit and watch those around you be transformed by the Power of Jesus!

 

In His Rich "Fruitiness", 

Sandy Billingham

A song for children and although we
are not children we still are children
of God, and I found this song very
uplifting and joyful.

Thank You for Giving of Yourself...Tuesday

10/28/14

One night Wendy went to sleep and she never woke up. Well, she did wake up, but it was in glory. I am happy to announce that my friend was a believer in Jesus Christ, and, after having many talks with her, I feel confident that Wendy was saved. I believe strongly that she is with her Lord and Savior even as I type.

Wendy’s remembrance service was amazing. Over 450 people attended and many spoke highly of her, sharing memories and other stories. As I sat and listened to people talk, scanning the crowd, I started to think about my own life. I then asked myself these questions - If I were to die, would this many people attend my service? What would they say about me? Have I touched this many people in some positive way?

Of course, when we do unto others we should be doing it as unto the Lord, not expecting any recognition or honor. However, it would be nice to know what kind of impact you’ve had on others while you are still alive.

The day after my friend’s remembrance service I was talking with my son, Brian. Something he said caused me to examine my life even more. Brian said, “It bothers me when a person who claims to be a Christian does someone a favor and expects something in return”. My son went on to say, “I know Christians need to take care of their pastor, but does a pastor need new cars, expensive clothes, a fancy house, and trips to the Bahamas?” 

I thought about what my son said for a while, and I understood the point he was trying to make. There is nothing wrong with having nice things. God wants to bless His children. There is nothing wrong with having a nice home or going on vacation. As a matter of fact, if anyone needs down time once in a while it is probably a pastor. I wonder though, do we as Christians do as much as we could be doing for those in need? Are we willing to share our blessings without asking for anything in return? Do we have the right motives? Are we touching lives in a positive way? These are just a few things to think about.

Hebrews 13:16 says, 

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, 

for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

This week I challenge people to examine their lives and ask yourselves if you could be doing more for the Lord? For those of you who do sacrifice and help the poor, the lost, the sick, and the broken hearted, I want to say thank you. 

Written by

Storm Hendrickson

Of All the Undone Things.........Monday

Thank you, yes you, for reading this devotional. I am so grateful that you take the time every so often to click on a link, and read what's written on any given day. It is a privilege for all of us to take part in this collection of encouragement that we call "Paint God Into Your Day" devotionals.

Do you still receive junk mail in your physical mailbox? I do. Most days I don't receive anything but unsolicited mail. Occasionally a bill, a reminder, or even a card arrives. My email inbox is full of things I had interest in once upon a time, but it has become junk mail to me now. But one of my regular emails is a quote for the day:

 “Feeling gratitude and not expressing
 it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”
― William Arthur Ward 

  

Mr. Ward is one of America's most quoted inspirational authors. These words inspire me to move communicating my gratitude to a place on my to do list. I am full of good intentions. I send a text and think to myself, "Hardly anyone sends a thank you note anymore" or "I will, later" but then I forget until I think it's too late and it seems awkward to send one now.

But I wouldn't do that with a present. Even if it was 3 months later, I would hand you your birthday gift and say, "Sorry for the lateness, but happy day!" Which is exactly what I am going to strive to do with the less tangible gift of thankfulness. This is a perfect time to start as we begin the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. And I am not going to wait for new reasons to say thanks, but when I have a thought of gratitude, I am going to immediately put it on my to do list to send a note. I will jot down their name, and reason I thought of them. Then I will write and send that note!

Which brings me right back to you, our devotional readers. To share how I fumble, stumble, and fall is meant to show how faithful God is to bring me to my senses to get back up again. When I was young and inexperienced I hoped one day to write about my view of God. Now I am grateful to be able to share, through glimpses of my reality, God's view of us.

I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another.

Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another.

By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples,

 if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].

John 13:34-35 AMP

Dear God, thank You for Your faithfulness to show me what I need to be paying attention to. I know I can't do everything, so I appreciate Your reminders of what should be my priorities. Thank You for the nudge to express gratitude specifically and intentionally and in so doing be sharing the love You have poured into my heart- I know that love is not from me because the heart is deceitful above all things (see Jeremiah 17:9), but instead it is Your gift given to me intended to be shared with others. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins 

 Brandon Heath performs "As Long As I'm Here"

REFUGE AND STRENGTH... Sunday

Devotional for 10/26/14

This weekend our church celebrates the Reformation, commemorating when Martin Luther, a monk, challenged the status quo in the church.  He questioned some long term teachings that were entrenched in the life of the church at that time.  It was something with which he had struggled for years. He was not the first to question those things, but he was the first to survive questioning them... others before him had been put to death.  It took a lot of prayer and fortitude to stand on the firm foundation of faith in the Word of God over the familiar traditions.

There are times when we also need to make changes that are difficult.  Even if we don't believe we are at risk of losing our lives, we resist change or cringe at the thought of rocking the boat.  We get comfortable with the old patterns, whether they are healthy or not.  Though we may see danger in remaining in the same rut and begin to think about moving in a different direction, we slip back into that old familiar deadly groove.  Sometimes the banks of that road are so steep and high that we cannot see what is better beyond them. Sounds are blocked out by the earthen walls of that trench, so we can't hear the promise of something greater.  Nor can we smell the flowering trees that will go begging to be harvested.  If only we could climb out of the furrow we've dug for ourselves in the old ways that falsely provide comfort and safety. Eventually we might even become buried alive there.

The good news is that God is always just over the ridge, ready to pull us out of that rut if we let him. Even if the oceans rise, flooding the road and eroding the earth from under our feet, God will provide a way out for us.  Though we may repeatedly try to stand back up on our own only to fall again, we can turn to God for forgiveness and for the power to move forward in his direction.  We can stand firm on his foundation.  He is our refuge and strength at all times!

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."  Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV)

written by Jan Andersen

HOW WE ACT...Saturday

 10/25/14

"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

     People are watching us every day.  Are our words and actions a reflection of who you are as a child of God?

     All of us who make up the church of Jesus Christ need to remember we represent Him to the world.

   

  We need to serve our friends and neighbors and strangers as if we are serving Jesus.  We need to respect everyone, show them love, help them through their times of suffering and help bear their burdens.  This is the essence of who we are as God's people.  We serve rather than be served.  We love rather than worry about being loved.     

God loves us with an everlasting love.  God so loved the world that He sent His only Son to be our way of salvation.  The world won't know much about Jesus unless we tell them -- and more importantly, show them by how we act.

Written by

Carol Steficek

His Way...Friday

October 24, 2014

Today I am just so in love with my God.  Plain and simple, He is where it is at, and I am so happy.   There are so very many blessings that I am so grateful for.  These are all gifts of life that I have received via God’s way.  Not the way I had thought they needed to be done in my life.  I have spent way too much time wallowing in self-pity and sadness blaming myself for the life I had been “dealt”.   Wondering why…why….why??  I could have kept on living that life of fear and doubt and worry, but, instead I turned those whys over to my faithful, loving, and ever so compassionate heavenly Father.  His way is to never let me live in misery.  He loves me too much for that.

Cast your cares on the Lord

    and he will sustain you;
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 55:22 

 (NIV)

Knowing the tremendous depth of His love just fills my heart with joy!!  Feeling this change in me is just incredible.  The change can be felt throughout my whole body, as I am not constantly carrying around the heavy burden of “my way” that I had taken upon myself to carry.  It is not for me to keep myself burdened in such a way.  God sent His son, our wonderfully beautiful, Jesus Christ, to take away all of our burdens, so that we may live a peaceful and happy life on earth. 

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom 

for those who were in distress…..

Isaiah 9:1   

(NIV) 

The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;…..

Isaiah 9:2-3 

  (NIV)

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Isaiah 9:6  

 (NIV)

Yes, indeed…Jesus is my joy and my light.  I am going to allow my life to continue in His way…..by my Jesus Light shining through my joy of life, and in return…sharing His way with all others that I encounter throughout each moment of each day.  I truly love being a happy moment in others’ lives as they try to do life in their way.  I hope that my joy will have some of them saying….I want the same light in my life!  Please, tell me how to get that.

Written by 

Kelly Dobyns  

Are you a "Like-Alcoholic?"...Thursday

10/23/14

Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; 

he directs it to whatever ends he chooses.

Proverbs 21:1

Are you a "Like-Alcoholic" I have to confess that at times I am.

You probably gave never heard of that phrase. No? This is not surprising; I had never heard of it until earlier this week either.

Would you like a definition? I am going to give you some examples.

Ann is a very giving woman. She comes alongside to help others. She can be found driving people to doctor's appointments, cooking an extra dinner for someone in need. These examples are all good things for a person to do. However, she is an insecure person most of the time. She derives great feelings of comfort when others praise her for the good works she does. Ann is a "Like-Alcoholic."

Samantha does lots of things for people. Still she is insecure about who she is and her value to others. The thing that pleases her most is when she gets a note or an email from a friend that tells her how awesome she is and how wonderful  the things she does are. No note or no word of praise after she has gone our of her way to be helpful or to perform an act of mercy leaves her needy and feeling unappreciated. Samantha is a "Like-Alcoholic."

Penny is a person who looks to others for affirmation for the things she does. Very often she looks to friends when she is unsure of her thinking or feeling unsure of how she should handle a situation. When someone affirms her or praises here she can temporarily relax until the next problem she faces, Penny is a "Like-Alcoholic,"

Do you get the picture? Getting a good feeling when you are praised is not what makes you a  "Like-Alcoholic." Everyone enjoys words of appreciation and affirmation. When it goes askew and out of control is when you are left feeling empty without it. The email you receive praising you, the comment you get from another of what an amazing person you are because of (something you did), or your need to check out every thought with others to confirm that you are thinking correctly is where it becomes an addiction. This is an addiction as much as doing drugs or gambling. When you live for others admiration you are doing things that make you  a "Like-Alcoholic"...a person who lives for the approval of others.  

So, what is wrong with this picture? People are sometimes the bearer of words that God wants you to hear. It is fine to take their words and think that God has wanted you to hear them. The problem is that when we use people for our feelings or well being and as the ultimate counselor to go to for advice. The truth is that God is the ultimate authority on what to do and the the qualified one to bring approval and insight into our choices.

God is the first and foremost adviser...our go to person in times of need. This includes both the need to know what direction towards which we should head and the need to feel good about our choices in life. You do not have to discard a valuable friend. We just need to go to God first, foremost, and the majority of times. Let Him be the ultimate authority for all our needs.  

Written by 
Corinne Mustafa

"Jesus' Face Shine Upon You"...Wednesday

10/22/14

One of my all time favorite verses in God's Word 

is out of Numbers 6:24-26 which says, 

"The Lord bless you
and keep you; 

The Lord make His face
shine upon you, 

And be gracious to you; 

The Lord lift up
His countenance 

upon you, 

And give you peace."

Those verses are loaded with God's love for His children! In the scriptures it is referring to the Priestly Blessing but in all actuality this is God's heart for each one of us in His Glorious ways!

Our Precious Jesus desires to bless us with all Spiritual Blessings and particularly with His redeeming grace. He has granted us His excellent promises along with rich, vast prosperity in Him. Daily He turns His face towards us to show us His boundless favor. He will continually keep us from the evil one and extol His great peace upon us.

Christ's blessings are limitless and I am ecstatic to be His daughter all my days!

In His Boundless Grace, Love and Peace, 

Sandy Billingham

       

Expectations...Tuesday

10/21/14

Do you ever go some where to tour, to shop, or to try a new restaurant. Instead of the fun you planned, you find yourself disappointed. The tour bus broke down and you missed one full day that the brochure offered. The store does not meet your standards of quality, and you realize that the reason the advertisement had such low prices was due to the substandard items they were selling.  The anticipated fare at the restaurant was disappointing...meat tough, no seasonings, poor service.

On a personal level do you ever plan and plan for a happening or event that means a lot to you? You start off searching for ideas for a theme and how to decorate. You peruse your cook books for the perfect food. You spend days straightening and cleaning your house. You are grumpy with anyone living in the house who dares to get in your way, mess up what is already cleaned, or is not willing to help when you ask. 

Different issues are involved if you are planning an event (outside your home) for your church or a group to which you belong. Yes the challenges are different, but the total consumption of your time and thoughts is the same as home events. Then to your dismay the event does not turn out as you had envisioned, and your anticipation of perfection fall far short in reality of what you have designed in your plans.  

We feel let down, and often we see it as a failure. We see where we failed, but we also see where the others involved in  preparing the activity or attending it did not come up to par. We wonder why those around us do not seem to be able to get with the program. our expectations to satisfaction about our intention have not met our "expectations" at all

Here is a scripture to ponder on...

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

You may be asking yourself what that has to do with expectations.

• I see the word "plans" which was what your
  effort started off with. 
• Then "plans to prosper you" comes next.
• You never wanted to hurt anyone so "not to
   harm you" is an appropriate synopsis of your intentions.
• If your project was far reaching enough you also
  wanted to give those involved "a hope and a future."

What is more the people who come with the plans for good results from the occasion that they are involved in as well.

My dear friends, I have learned for the hundredth+ time that expectations can kill your joy...especially if the expectations do not represent reality. When we put our expectations on other human beings who genuinely try, but sometimes fall short it is unfair to them and to 

yourself. 

Please reread the scripture and think that that is the plan that God has for us to offer us perfect fulfillment of our expectations. It is mind boggling to think that God offers this to us, and we do not measure up to the expectation His plans offer.

Heavenly Father, Thank you for the fact that You are forgiving of us in our shortcomings with regard to what You give us. Help us to remember that You are the only one we can totally depend on to meet our expectations. Show us also how to pass on Your brand of compassion to others who do not meet up to our expectations as well.               

 Amen

Written by

Corinne Mustafa

Computer Issues....Monday

Do you work on a computer at your job or at home? Have you ever been frustrated because you can't get it to do today what it did yesterday? I certainly have! Or, I am pretty sure there is an easier way to do what I am doing, but I can't figure it out.

Speaking of frustration and "Can't figure it out"-that's the scenario I face with myself everyday! The right and good things I want to do-I don't. The things I don't want to do-I do. I am comforted that Paul tells us clearly in the scripture that this is a problem that is common to all of us (see Romans 7:15 and 1st Corinthians 10:13).

What if the same way computers stop functioning well because there's 'stuff' clogging up the programming I am a big mess inside? Do I need to have my own 'disks cleaned' in my heart and mind? 


Is there is a virus in my mind? I see the negative and anticipate the worst. Do I let my mind wander to and fro? Am I so distracted that my mind cannot settle or focus on those things that are pure, good, excellent, and worthy of praise? I try to figure out the answers to the problems in my life-and when I can't find a solution, then I pray but I still worry. But what can be done to help any of us overcome our issues?

1. Strengthen our Faith- read God's Word, obey what we know.

2. Renew our mind- exercise our brain by focusing on God's truth, tell every negative thought "No!"

3. Keep good company-do not be fooled, bad company corrupts good character.

4. Do not worry-pray about everything.

5. Have a grateful attitude-thank God for everything He's already done, and everything He is doing.

6. Trust Him - speak to the doubts in our heads: "My God can deliver me from anything, but even if He doesn't, I will trust Him!"  

Stay with God!

    Take heart. Don’t quit.

I'll say it again:

Stay with God.

Psalm 27:14 MSG

Dear Lord, thank You for showing me that I cannot succeed by continuing on a wrong path because it will somehow come out right in the end. I am choosing to set aside my way of doing things, and thought by thought, turn my focus from me to You. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by 
Mary M Wilkins

"Greater is He" performed by Sixteen Cities

COCOON OF ANGEL WINGS... Sunday

Devotional for 10/19/14

Have you ever felt that things have become so difficult that you just want to run away and hide?  Remember you can always run into God's arms for protection!

All that is actually required is that you remain faithful.  Even if you don't know which way to run or what to ask God to do, He will protect you.  And just like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, it requires a certain amount of time in the cocoon to develop.  If someone tries to pull the cocoon open too soon, the butterfly with never develop fully and will die.  So you must remain patient through the trials as you grow in your faith, allowing God to handle it.  Let God encircle you like a cocoon or a hedge of protection with his holy angels so that even Satan cannot touch you, just like Job!  

“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied.  “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land."   Job 1:9-10 (NIV)

Dear Lord, thank you for sending your angels to carry me through my trials, even when I feel so overwhelmed I don't know what to do.  Help me to remain faithful and forgive me when I stumble and fall.  Pick me up again and help me brush myself off and move on, in your name.  Amen.

written by Jan Andersen