Living in the Moment...Friday

November 21, 2014

I am so blessed and happy to be able to be doing so much better about living in the moment.  I have spent so much of my life worrying about the past and the other half of my time worrying about the future.  I am finally training myself to appreciate the present.  Just as the saying states.…

"Yesterday is History, Tomorrow a Mystery,

Today is a Gift, That’s why it's called the Present".

I have heard this for many years now and tried to live by it, but, have not been very successful at it.  These days though, I am having quite a bit more success.  I know the reason for that is God.  Praying, reading my bible, as well as, living my life with the goal of pleasing Him.  This doesn't mean that I live my life perfectly or that I am always staying in the present; however, it does mean that when I find myself going to my old habits and ways.  When my thoughts are getting into the worry zone, I am able to stop myself, pull things back to the present and get to my happy place so much quicker.

I am learning to say yes when invited to things; to be able to allow myself to have fun with my girlfriends, to be spontaneous when invited somewhere.  I am not allowing my negative thoughts to automatically say no, "I can’t."  And guess what has been happening with all of these changes?  I am having such a spirit of joy in my heart!  God has blessed me with so many wonderful lovers of Jesus for friends.  God has totally brought me into such a place of contentment and love of life.  Yes, I still struggle on a daily basis with certain things, but I am able to walk through them and find something that will make me smile.  I have learned that I need my quiet time, but I also really need my fellowship time to bring out the love that God has given me to share with all others. At that same time I get truly blessed by the love I am given by the others that I come in contact with every day of my life.

Make the Most of What God Gives

After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I’ve decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that’s about it. That’s the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It’s useless to brood over how long we might live.Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

 (MSG)

Written by 

Kelly Dobyns

Kelly has picked two songs for this devotional

Making an Impact...Wednesday

11/20/14

When you read this sign it proclaims what our job in life should be...not in topic detail but rather a general outline of how to fit yourself into God's world.

The fact is that God has created us with a role in His creation. There are many ways we can step into this role. The job for us is to seek God and try to discern what He has for you to do.

It can be a work in progress. Some times people do not find out what their destiny is until they are much older. One secular example of this is Grandma Moses who started painting at the age of 78 and painted until her death at the age of 100. There are many examples of slowing arriving at a given place. Others know where they want to head when they are very young. Last night on TV there was a young 15 year old who told her father that she wanted to be an astronaut and go to Mars when she was 3 years old.

The journey can end with a thought and a desire and the route is chosen, or there can be a long journey with many side roads. In this case it could take years to find the right path. If we are unsure we need to observe and feel God's leading.

Whatever the outcome and the particulars we can be sure that God does have a plan, and whatever we end up becoming we should poise ourselves to make an impact  in the world. Not many of us can be a Billy Graham or a Mother Theresa who is known far and wide. Our "world" can be as small as our home, neighborhood, church or city. Everyone can look around and discover the action and scope that we are called to.  We need to remember what is said in Scripture...

For we are co-workers in God’s service; 

you are God’s field, God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3:9

What do you think your God given mission is? I invite you to search your heart and see what God has for you.  As you do this remember that you are not too old or too young to set out on the trip. The song below provides good food for thought about what is happening as you work to find your place of usefulness to God in the world.

Written by
Corinne Mustafa

"Our Helper"...Wednesday

11/18/14

 

I am ever mindful and extremely thankful for our Helper the Holy Spirit. There have been many of times that I was not certain of things and the Holy Spirit showed up at that given moment.

 

God's Word tells us in 

John 14:26 

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father
will send in My name ,
He will teach you all things,
 and bring to your remembrance 

all things that I said to you."

 

I truly love that promise from our Heavenly Father. It is a guarantee that the Holy Spirit will be there to give us understanding and clarity of His Word. When we need help in praying, the Holy Spirit will teach us how. When we can't remember certain verses the Holy Spirit will bring them to our remembrance.

 

The Lord knew we were going to need all that extra help and so thankful He provided the Holy Spirit!

 

In His Glorious Love, 

Sandy Billingham

Greater...Tuesday

11/18/14

Please watch this video. Think about the growth and changes from baby to girl to woman and then to old woman. Then please come back and read my thoughts about the aging process.

As I looked through the emerging drawing of child to woman I was really taken at the beauty that women have as they move through the stages of their lives. Unfortunately many do not see it. We second guess ourselves through our lives as to who we are. Little girls who are younger than ten years old worry about whether or not they are fat, do they need a nose job, are they as cute as some other girl in school with them.

The powers that be bring these doubts and insecurities into the spotlight when magazine photos make an eleven year old look fourteen or a seventeen year old wearing makeup that makes her look twenty one. Women try to look older up until a point and then they work on the other side of the coin...trying to look ten years younger then they are. Exercising is healthy thing to do, but, through constant exercise in extreme is not healthy at all, many women do just that. In the process, all we are trying to do is fit ourselves into a cookie cutter version of beauty, coolness, and whatever we desire that might make us feel more comfortable in our own skin, comfortable in our walking boots, and comfortable in our comparison of ourselves to others.

On top of all of that we are also haunted by what people think and say to and about us. We hunger after the approval of people when we should search God's word for what He thinks of us.  This is what is found about what He does and thinks of us in His word...

For you created my inmost being;

    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

    your works are wonderful,

    I know that full well.

15 

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.
Psalm 139:13-15

Heavenly Father...Help me to remember what a wonder You created when You created Your children. Help me to remember that I am Your child and as such I am wondrous. Help me to discount the lies of the enemy when he is trying to undermine my thinking and my positive self image. Remind me of the beauty we have at every age as we grow older. Help me to appreciate myself as the work of art that You created. Amen

Written by 

Corinne Mustafa

Too Much of Anything......Monday

Some are tall and slim, others are wide and solid, many more are thin and flat, but no matter the size and shape, my cookbooks are full of wonderful possibilities. I enjoy how orderly and set they appear sitting on the shelf above my desk. I look through them for ideas of things I want to try one day.

Piled at least 14 inches high at the other end of the shelf is a different collection. Torn from magazines, cut from newspapers, copied from cookbooks, and printed from websites this stack of recipes is dog-eared and watermarked. These are recipes we have tasted. They are only slightly organized, and finding a favorite requires diligent flipping through the assortment.

When I am looking forward at my plans for my life, I see orderliness like the cookbooks standing in a row. When I look back I see a stack of crumpled and stained pages. Some of those pages were successful and I would like a repeat, others were too salty, or too soupy, so I wish I had a do over so I might do it better next time. 

There's a whole lot of plain recipes that appease our tummies most nights. But there are plenty of exceptions. Take basic mashed potatoes and gravy, add turkey and stuffing and it's the best meal of the year. However, if I a gave in to my kid's pleas for more turkey, and made it every week, our holiday meals would lose their specialness. 

Even though I think I would like my life to be like a beautiful holiday cookbook, smooth and orderly, I am beginning to appreciate all of the messy pages that reflect what my life actually is like. I am grateful that God gave me a life with a little bit of everything, instead of the organized and predictable program of my imagination.

There's a chocolate cream pie recipe in that pile of mine that came out so sweet and rich hardly anyone could eat more than a few bites. A reminder that there really is such a thing as too much of a good thing. 

Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things.

Be relaxed with what you have.

Since God assured us,

“I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,”

we can boldly quote,

God is there, ready to help;

I’m fearless no matter what.

Who or what can get to me?

Hebrews 13:5-6 MSG

Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of a messy life. Please help me to remember that one page doesn't define the entire story of my life or anyone else's. Please help me to be kind and compassionate towards everyone you bring across my path. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins

One Thing Remains performed by Jesus Culture

KNOCKING... Sunday

Devotional for 11/16/14

Revelation 3:20 (The Voice) "Now pay attention; I am standing at the door and knocking. If any of you hear My voice and open the door, then I will come in to visit with you and to share a meal at your table, and you will be with Me."  Jesus.

God is so gracious!  He doesn't wait for us to come to Him, but instead He comes to us, even when we are sinfully rejecting Him or self-deluded in thinking we are good enough without Him.  Jesus knocks on our door.That knock is sometimes soft and slow, while He patiently awaits our answer.  At other times He is banging with all his might to get our attention, because we are asleep or ignoring Him at the time.  Thankfully He is persistent!  We not only have to hear his knock and recognize it is Him, we also have to open the door to let Him in.  He actually gives us the power to answer that knock and open the door. Then He enters to be with us and eat with us. We share a family meal, an intimate gathering of those He loves, in sharing the forgiveness and salvation He has promised for the faithful.

Thank you Lord, Jesus, for coming to me in my weakness and forgiving me, taking care of me, even helping me to receive your assistance and then supplying my every need!  Help me to share this Good News to others of your love and salvation.  In Your name I pray.  Amen. 

Written by Jan Andersen 

NO COINCIDENCES...Saturday

 11/15/14

"There is a time 

for everything, 

and a season 

for every activity 

under heaven..." 

Ecclesiastes 2:20

      As believers in Jesus Christ, I don't believe there have been any coincidences in my life.  I believe my life is in the hands of a loving God who is always with me.  Living with God I have seen many miracles and incidents which have occurred that I know could have been directed only by His hand.

     I have been saved from near accidents.   I have gone in for car repairs when the warranty was about to expire within three days (which I knew nothing about).  I have tried some herbal remedies for my blood pressure which I researched via the internet with much prayer and found some which work well.  I had the privilege of God giving me back my "miracle prayer dog," Nickolas, after the death of my Mother.  He opened the door for my parish nurse position at the perfect time.  When looking for a church home I have been led to the right one for me.      

In short, God has walked through every step of my life and given me direction.  He knows exactly what I need and when I need it and provides for me.  He is never too late.

  

     What about your life?  Have you ever stopped to analyze the coincidences in your life?  I think if you do, you'll discover that as a believer in Jesus Christ that His hand has been upon you.  There is no such thing as coincidences in a Christian's life, thre are only "God-incidences."

Written by

Carol Steficek