“For sure and Forever”...Friday

May 1, 2015

I am Me and I am sticking to it!

Today I started with a happy heart and then something happened.  On my drive to work I became irritable and grumpy and it stuck with me as I arrived at work.  Every little thing was bothering me.  Well, the light bulb just came on and I realized that the enemy is having his way with me.  Guess what?!!?  This girl is not gonna let that happen!!  Starting from this moment forward I am sticking to being me!  And ME is the person that God created, and that is a very happy and blessed person!  J  As proven by His powerful words below:

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 

the new creation has come:

 The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17 

 (NIV)

I praise you because I am fearfully 
and wonderfully made;

    your works are wonderful,

    I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

    when I was made in the secret place,

    when I was woven together 
in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;

    all the days ordained for me 
were written in your book

    before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:14-16
 (NIV)

Throughout this life on earth there are always going to be people that try to knock us down and insult us, among many other mean things to hurt us, as they are doing the works of the enemy.  Unfortunately, I have spent a lot of my time here living with a lack of confidence and therefore allowing these people to put me down. This lead to my own belief that I need to change to please them, or, in my own unhealthy mind, I was convinced that I needed to change to please others because I was not good enough.  I am so grateful that I now know that to be lies straight from the devil!

My sisters, I ask you to soak in the beautiful words above.  The Lord God created each of us as a unique and special person.  All of us are meant to be here to share and glow in the love of Christ.  We were not made to have a desire to be like any other human.  We are each created individually, each carrying God’s love in our heart. We should use pass on our beauty and surround all others with that beauty making a statement of God’s love for each of us.  The one “For sure and Forever” in this life on earth is His love for us.  Let’s show Him how grateful we are for that!!  Amen!!

Two of my very favorite verses follow:

 Do not conform to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—
His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2
(NIV)

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

(NIV)

Written by 

Kelly Dobyns

Strong Enough...Thursday

4/30/15

A song we sang in Church recently had the following line in it…

“Hold onto hope and take courage again.”

Those words captivated my imagination and attention. Sometimes I get so bogged down that I cannot even bring the word hope to the front of my mind. Courage seems buried deep as well. In the process I am jerked around trying to get to where I know I should be but without the strength to achieve it.

Have you ever watched an ice show where there is a center skater?  She is joined one by one by other skaters who join hands with her as she slowly turns around in the center. The skaters who join the line have to skate faster and faster the farther they are from the center. Often I feel like the last skater on the line. I do not have the strength to skate like crazy to keep up with the line, and I loose heart and courage to continue. This constitutes a loss of hope, and my valor and pluck are nowhere within reach.

As I listened to this song during worship this morning I realized that the concepts in it are ones that I already know and believe. Every challenge I have encountered is handled by God who is our over-comer…pain, sorrow, trouble, tears, failure, fear, heartache, and shame. He leads us to victory while teaching and guiding us to grow through what we encounter on the path. There is no reason to despair or to give up. He is our strength and is always with us. God is always “here” and not only “up there.”

Heavenly Father,
I come before you to praise you for who you are and for how you think. You have only good intentions for me in Your plan. When I get to the place where I feel like the last skater in the line, please help me to remember immediately that you are the overcomer of all my shortcomings as I often see them. Remind me to “hold onto hope and take courage again.” Thank you, Lord.
Amen

Written by
Corinne Mustafa

"Do Not Forget His Benefits"...Wednesday...

 4/29/15

I can never thank our God enough for all that He has done for me. Gratefulness is spilling over from my heart. Becoming His daughter was the most wonderful thing that has happened to me in my entire life!! He has done so much for His people and blessed us continuously.

Let me share in His Word some of the tremendous things He has given us. 

It says in Psalm 103:2-4 

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 

Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases." 

It is HUGE the benefits He has graced us with. All of our past sins and future sins He forgives as we repent and bring those before Him. Not just some but each and every one! I don't know about you... but I have had some major sins in my life and my Heavenly Father has wiped those sins clean! What a weight off my shoulders and the freedom it has brought me!

Then His Word goes on to say that He heals all my diseases. Another HUGE benefit of being His daughter! And there again, He does not just heal some of my diseases but ALL. He leaves nothing on the table but does a complete 180 of Forgiving and Healing.

I am Eternally grateful for my Heavenly Father and all the many, many benefits He bestows upon me and those that belong to Him. I truly have the Best Daddy in the whole, wide world and will Never forget His Benefits!!!

In His Amazing Benefits, 
Sandy Billingham

     

God Sees Us Lovingly...Tuesday

4/28/15

 4 Long ago, even before he made the world, God chose us

 to be His very own through what Christ would do for us; 

He decided then to make us holy in His eyes, without a single fault—
we who stand before Him covered with His love.

Ephesians 1:4

Living Bible

Last Saturday, I tried to settle down and read the Bible after asking God to let me see what He wants me to see in whatever I was going to read. I opened to the table of contents, closed my eyes and pointed. My finger ended up pointing to the gook of Ephesians, and so I read and journaled about the first chapter. Something I thought that seemed to be the point of v. 4 was that as God foreknew before the beginning of time who would be called to Him though Jesus in the fullness of time and built into that was the fact that God chooses to see people as pure and good who have been chosen. I don't think that means overlooking our shortcomings, but rather seeing as we hope to be and who He knows are created to be.  It is known that people are sinful and cannot ever completely leave that, we have a propensity for sin. However, He looks at our overall picture, and as the ultimate loving Parent who loves and accepts us anyhow. Good thing.
God has chosen us even before we were born, because He already knew us.

Jeremiah 1:5 says,
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, 

before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." 

That is pretty powerful. He has given us each gifts and power through His Holy Spirit. We should be utilizing those gifts and power to do His work. Once we became saved, God no longer see us, He only sees the blood of His son covering us.

However, we must continue to walk in the light 

and ask for forgiveness when we fall short.
 

I do not brag, 'tis not my place

They say, "There, but for the Grace of God, go I
By some amazing heavenly drawing
Not by any merit in myself
I have been adopted into eternal life

My stained and flawed soul ore looked

Not for lack of trying to achieve
That which I think God expects of me
Those being my thoughts surely not His
For when called by Jesus Christ to follow Him

It meant that His Father, now my Father
Sees me with loving eyes
As already the person I try so hard to be

Which is my eternal identy

Thoughts on Ephesians 1:4

                                                                   chosen to be holy and blameless in His sight...

Written by

Corinne Mustafa

          with input quoted from                          
                      Storm Hendrickson

          

Turning Thoughts .....Monday

4/27/15

Tapping my foot to the music I sang the first few songs with average interest. Then my mind wandered onto paying some bills, and how was I going to organize everything on my plate for the next few months. Another worship song started but I didn't know the tune so I continued the discussion with myself trying to plan out what else in my life I needed to make sure was covered. 

Then the Pastor joined the worship team on the platform and announced, "Somebody in this sanctuary needs to give praise to God!" Immediately I knew he was talking to me. Yes, he was talking to everyone - because we had all got up this morning and been able to get ourselves to church. A new day of life and the freedom to attend church should not be taken for granted and so we should all thank God for them.

"Dear Lord, I do know I need to thank You and give You all of my praise and worship. There are so many things to thank You for: my health, my strength, my job, my family, and my friends."


None of these things are perfect yet they are all gifts from God. All of the details of life that I was allowing my mind to review kept me distracted from one of the key benefits of being in church: that is to put all of the troubles and issues of this world to the side and turn my thoughts to the One who cares for me.

"This is the day that the Lord has brought about; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

 Psalm 118:24 AMP

 And now, brothers, as I close this letter,

 let me say this one more thing:

Fix your thoughts on what is true
and good and right. 

Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others.
Think about all you can praise God
 for and be glad about.

 Philippians 4:8 TLB

Dear God, thank You for getting my attention when I am distracted and sending Your Word to set my feet and my mind back on the path of life (see Psalm 119:105). In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins 

"We Fall Down" performed by Chris Tomlin

HUNGRY AND THIRSTY... Sunday

Devotional for 4/26/15

There are times when we have all experienced being hungry or thirsty. Sometimes it is just a little "twinge" in our empty stomach.  At other times it is an all-out roaring growl heard across the room!  And they say once you feel thirsty, you are already a bit dehydrated. We can get cranky when we are hungry, and can feel dizzy when dehydrated.  If bad enough, a person can even pass out.  But this is nothing compared to what those who are starving and have next to nothing to eat or drink go through daily.

We eat and we drink to sustain our life.  Yet we still get hungry and thirsty. It takes more than just eating one time or drinking once in our lives to survive. We must take in nutrition and fluids regularly in order to function well and be healthy.   We can fast for a while, some of us longer than others. Granted, some of us could use a few less calories on a regular basis!  But eventually we must break the fast and eat and drink once again.

Sustaining our souls is much like preserving our physical lives with food and water.  We must regularly partake of God's Word in order to not only grow our faith but also to keep it healthy.  If we go on a starvation diet and depart from God and studying His Word, then our faith will starve until it dies.  At some point we must let the Spirit free us from that deathly trap of separating ourselves from God and stop turning away from Him.  Thank God for his forgiveness of our wandering hearts.

Psalm 107:4-9 (NIV)  Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away.  Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their stress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. 

Dear Lord, provider of all good things, feed us with your Word and help us to inwardly digest all that you have to teach us.  Help us to grow spiritually and share your saving grace with others, bringing them to your banquet table.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

written by Jan Andersen

MADE PERFECT

4/25/15                    

"...because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever
those who are being made holy." 

Hebrews 10:14

    

     How do you see yourself?  Are you someone who was criticized by your parents or peers and so feels like a failure?  Do you see yourself as 'a cut above' other people so don't think you're so bad?  Do you see your sins as so bad that you wonder how God can really love you?

     We see ourselves as frail and fallible human beings.  We see our mistakes and weaknesses.  we see how we'd like to be and just never quite reach our goal.

     How does God see us?  If we believe that God's Son, Jesus, is our Savior, God sees us clothed in Christ's righteousness.  YES, like is a process of sanctification by the Holy Spirit as we are being made more and more into the image of Jesus as we live.  We haven't truly reached perfection yet.  We will when we are raised from the dead and are glorified to live in heaven forever.

     I remember a poster with two kittens on it, one saying to the other: "Be patient, God isn't finished with me yet."  Be patient, God is working on you every day.  God already sees the finished product.  We are made perfect in the blood of Christ.

Written by

Carol Steficek

I Need Him...Friday

April 24 2015 

I need God more than I ever have at this moment.  There is always an adjustment period for me after my busy time at work.  This year I did something different and when faced with four beautiful and glorious days off I did a spontaneous road trip to Las Vegas to visit my son.  I had an amazingly blessed time.  Ever since getting in my vehicle to return home I have pretty much had an emotional wreck. 

Is anyone crying for help? 

God is listening, ready to rescue you.Psalm 34:17

(MSG)

I truly need to focus on that scripture and really believe it!  It has been a roller coast for me over the past few years.  I know part of that is who I have always been….getting discouraged easily.  I have periods of being so good at it and then I think I become complacent and forget to live with God in my pocket.  He is always here with me; I am the one that walks away from Him with my lack of patience and discipline.

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; 
he will never leave you
nor forsake you. Do not be afraid;
do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

So, as I write this I am reminded that He will never fail me, there are times that I can’t even lift myself to where I need to be, however, He will always move my feet for me.  He will always put that smile on my face and keep my mind in the sea of hope to set my goals and carry on through this challenge of life on earth.  I may not have gotten the life that I planned, but, I do have the life that He planned for me and with me allowing Him to keep me afloat on earth, I will surely be filled with the happiness and love that I know that I have.

For the director of music.
Of David. A psalm.

 I waited patiently for the Lord;     he turned to me and heard my cry.
 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

Psalm 40:1-3 (NIV)

Written by

Kelly Dobyns

Today I Choose to Be Happy...Thursday

4/23/15

This is a very interesting goal to have for anyone. I had a time a few months ago when I was not feeling healthy and as a result I was not happy. One morning I woke up and laid in my bed awhile realizing that most mornings I woke up and felt like I had nothing to look forward to and was not feeling happy. I would get up and go to the kitchen, make my coffee and drink it with my meds. Sometimes I would read a devotional to my husband and perhaps a chapter of the Bible which we discussed. Some days there were moments that were different...getting together with friends, maybe feeling a moment of success when I accomplished a task. However, things felt kind of a rout behavior, and I felt like I was just trudging through the day.

I realized that something have to give. I knew that my life was often amazing. I thought that I had to develop appreciation of the amazing experiences and friends that I have. The expression, "Today I will choose to be happy," is not an original quote of mine. I had heard it many times, and always thought it to be powerful. Then I would forget it and just plod along as usual. I finally started feeling better, and I began to rethink my thinking. I knew that I had to have a paradigm shift.

I started writing down moments that "floated my boat." I found out that there were a lot of them that had been going unnoticed. There were little things that went unnoticed, but, when I looked at these small accomplishments I became aware of something.  The fact was that my attitude was to blame for my lackluster. 

What I have realized since then is that I never have to feel that there is nothing to look forward to when I wake up. I have been trying to choose daily happiness. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. However, I have come to another paradigm. If I cannot find happiness every minute or every day, I can choose to have joy. Joy is always there no matter the circumstances that might prevent happiness. After all we are saved and the temple where God resides. This is the best reason for joy. So, today I choose to have Joy. 

For because of our faith, he has brought us

 into this place of highest privilege where we now stand,

 and we confidently and joyfully look forward 

to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.
Romans 5:7

Written by
Corinne Mustafa

"Newness From The Lord"...Wednesday

4/21/15

 

We serve a Living God that is always revealing fresh and new things to His people as we seek His face. He is not a "business as usual" God, in which I am thankful. His mercies and His ways are new and crisp every morning! Living for the Lord is exciting and adventurous in so many ways. As we spend time with God He will show us His marvelous ways that we never knew before.

 

His Word tells us in Isaiah 43:19 

"Behold I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

 

The Lord is wanting to bring newness in our life. Where our life in the past has been turbulent and rocky and oppressive, He will make our paths smooth and pour His rivers of living water over us. The old is behind us and newness is springing forth as we walk closely with Him.

 

What great joy to experience "newness" from our Creator each in every day as we lay our lives before Him!! 

In The "Newness" of Christ, 

Sandy Billingham

                                                                                   

Who Am I?...Tuesday

4/21/15

Last weekend our Women's Focus Fifth Annual Retreat happened up in Twain Harte, CA. The focus or the retreat was being "CHANGED." One of the presenters talked about looking at ourselves truthfully and seeing ourselves as God sees us. We should only look to Him to see who we are are and not to judge ourselves by comparisons with others or by what they show they think of us. It reminded me of a poem that I wrote more than ten years ago. I am pasting it below.

Am I who you think I am

Peeking at me through those rose colored glasses

Believing I can do no wrong

Dancing down the roads of my time

To achieve a perfect life?

Or….

Am I who I think you think I am

Watching me fall over and over

Judging that I will never succeed

Hobbling down the unpaved roads

To disembark in failure?

Or….

Am I who I think I am 

Looking at my underbelly

Knowing all the bad choices

Racing down roads traveled in error

To places I should not go?

Or….

Am I who I think I am 

Considering some of my better actions

Aware of what good I have done

Traveling down the higher road sometimes

To where His warmth is felt?

Where is the real me in all of that?

I am all that and more...

I am who my Creator thinks I am

Glancing down from the height of heaven

All knowing of who I try to be

Leading me beside waters still or churning

Toward the safe haven He has offered me.

(c)Corinne H. Mustafa

Always look to God to find out who you are and then keep being it.. He smiles approval on you when you see yourself as He sees you.

Written by 

Corinne Mustafa

The Things We Don't See....Monday

The small hand shovel scrapes across the pebbles and dirt as I remove each wild mushroom. For a minute I think of the children's author, Beatrix Potter (of Peter Rabbit fame). She wouldn't rip these miniature beauties of nature into shreds. Instead, she would sketch them, and tell a story about some nice little mice who live under my shed and use this nook of nature as their playground each morning.

As I daydream a story of mice troubles in my suburban back yard I continue my clean up. I have a curious dog and it is in her best interest that I remove anything that might tempt her and make her sick. The mice may argue, and the dog agree, that I should leave well enough alone because they all know what they are doing. But I know better, and so I remove the soft white bits.

Carrying each shovel full of dirt and mushrooms to the green waste bin to be recycled I wonder if this isn't similar to what God does when He prepares the way for us. There are so many obstacles, challenges, twists, and turns in our lives, that we could be tempted to say He doesn't actually clear the path or make anything easier or safe for us. But there is scripture and testimony to assure us that God does watch out for us.

A person plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:9 ISV

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 

'plans for your welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'

Jeremiah 29:11 NASB

We all know someone who tells about going a different way home one day and missing being a part of a terrible accident. That is not coincidence. That is God. Just a few weeks ago my mother turned her car left instead of right to go to the grocery store. One block from her house was a man fallen on the sidewalk. He was dazed, cut and bleeding. She stopped and helped and a neighbor eventually joined her. She had a plan to go to the grocery store, but God directed her steps.

Dear Lord, please help us to remember to pay attention and be alert as we go through our day. For You are watching over us, and directing our steps for Your good purpose. Please give us eyes to see and hearts to recognize Your plan along the way. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins

Open The Eyes of My Heart performed by Michael W. Smith