An Exciting Idea!

Timeless Tips Towards A Better Life

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. & while you walk, SMILE.  It is the ultimate antidepressant.
 
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

3. When you wake up in the morning, Pray to ask God’s guidance for your purpose, today.

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food  that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink plenty of water. Eat blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.  Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Remember that life isn’t always fair, but it’s still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Forgive them for everything!

11. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.

14. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’

17. Help the needy, Be generous! Be a ‘Giver’ not a ‘Taker’

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. Time heals everything.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your  friends will. Stay in touch.

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed, Pray to God and Be thankful for what you’ll accomplish, today !

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. Be open and willing to change negative aspects of your life. Do Not be willing or open to negative aspects of life changing you.

God Loves You! Everything else are just details.

The Direction of Your Journey

God Will Direct Your Journey

Psalms 37:23 KJV 
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way".

Growing up in the mountains some of my most enjoyable moments were spent hiking. Every time I would pack up my backpack and set off I felt like I was heading out on some fantastic journey. Without any type of guide I never knew where I might end up.

Sometimes I would go this way and discover an open meadow filled with wild flowers of every color and hue just beyond the tree line. Sometimes I would come to a dead end of nothing more than a sheer rock wall that was impossible to climb. Sometimes I got thirsty because I didn't bring enough water and couldn't find a fresh water source. Sometimes I got a little hungry before I found my way back. Storms come up out of nowhere. You get lost. You get wet. You get cold. You get too hot. All part of starting a journey not knowing where you are going and no one to guide you. Sometimes fun, sometimes scary. Always an adventure.

The Christian life can be likened to a journey. The Holy Spirit is our guide, He leads us daily. And He is always guiding us to what is best for our life. The key to a successful and enjoyable journey is to follow Him.

But what does it mean to follow God?

Basically, it means to obey Him, to follow His lead, and to do what He says.

So many times we get ahead of God. We may think we know the best direction to take or we get impatient with His timing and make a wrong turn because it looks quicker. The problem is, once we realize that road leads to a dead end, we have to go all the way back to where we got off course.

The good news is, God is there, waiting to take the lead again and show us the right way to go.

The Lord has each of our journeys perfectly planned. We need to fully understand that He loves us, that He is good and righteous and that we can trust Him.

We can trust Him to lead us in the direction that is right for us. We can trust Him to correct us when we stray and guide us back to the right place. We can trust Him with others on our path. We can trust Him with our life, period.

Follow the Holy Spirit's lead, because He knows the way and He will always stay with you. Trust Him to lead you into all the good He planned for your life long before you were ever born. And enjoy the journey.

Picture Post

Let Us Love One Another as Christ Loves Us

Practice Peace

Peace In My Soul

Philippians 4:4-7 NKJV
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.


Practice Peace

Living in God's peace is vital to enjoying life. I believe that one of the keys to living with peace in your life is taking small steps toward peace every day. Here are a few tips you can use to develop a more peaceful lifestyle.

1. Be selective with how you spend your time. You may be trying to do too many things and end up doing none of them well. Hurrying is the flesh trying to do more than the Holy Spirit is leading you to do. Be led by the Spirit.

2. Be prepared to say "no" nicely. Sometimes we take on things we shouldn't because we're uncomfortable saying no. Ask God to give you the words to say no when you need to.

3. Resist the spirit of procrastination. God's Word tells us to exercise self-discipline. Do what you know you need to do now so you can fully enjoy your times of rest.

4. Eliminate key distractions. If you know you are prone to certain distractions, such as watching too much TV, spending too much time on the computer, spending too much time reading, etc. set some guidelines for yourself. Allot yourself a time limit or certain times of the day for these things. Though in small increments these things can bring you a measure of peace- in large doses they can be frustrating. TV shows get canceled or go on hiatus, internet services is interrupted by storms or you are in the juicy part of a book and every 5 minutes something else needs your attention. Arrange your time so that you can enjoy these things.

5. Set appropriate boundaries for interruptions. Life is full of interruptions, but you can learn to set boundaries that help you manage them in healthy ways, such as scheduling times when you are "off limits." Schedule time to give yourself a break. It can be used by a power nap or just relaxing in the tub. Make it clear that during the hour of such and such has been designated your "quiet time" and you would very much like to not be disturbed.

6. Modify your life. Ask God to show you out-of-the-box ways to save time and trouble. For instance, when I know that I won't have time to do the dishes on a certain day, I use paper plates and cups. I have a list of daily chores that I want to see accomplished before I go to bed and I stick with my list. Instead of trying to do every single piece of housework that needs to be done all in just one day I break it up into manageable bits spread out over the course of the week. This frees me up to spend time with my family and with God and still maintain a clean house that I wouldn't be embarrassed for 'drop in' company to see.

7. Pray and listen. If you can see that your plan is not producing peace, go back to God, pray for peace in the now, and for the wisdom to make changes that will benefit your life and the life of your family. We may be Christians but we are still human which makes us prone to go running off into left field doing things our way or the way we want the direction of our lives to go. Our way doesn't always line up with what God wants for us and when we start hitting bumps in the road then it's time to go back to the drawing board and ask God for a better way.

The bottom line is to make peace a priority, take practical steps toward it. They say that it takes 30 days of doing the same thing continually to make a habit that then becomes a natural part of your life. Start today in forming a habit of peace. You'll thank yourself later for it. Let God lead you every day into His perfect peace that passes all understanding.

Father God,
Gently lead me into Your peace that passes all understanding. Show me the daily steps I can take to walk in Your peace for me. In this; both I and my family give thanks in advance. Help me to stick to this practice of peace until it becomes as natural to me as breathing air. It is in Your Holy Name that I ask for this and say Amen and Amen!

Living Life Through Love

Knowing God Through Love

1 John 4:7-21 NKJV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who
loves is born of God and knows God.
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Seeing God Through Love

12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

The Consummation of Love

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
19 We love Him because He first loved us.

Obedience by Faith

20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God
whom he has not seen?
21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.


Jesus; Our Example

Love is something that can be seen. It is seen in the fruit of the Spirit working in our lives, in our behavior and how we treat people. Love has many facets, or different ways we can see it. For example, when a diamond ring is held up to the light, it can sparkle in various ways depending on which way it is turned in the light. I believe love also sparkles in different ways depending on how we look at it.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 gives us examples of the many facets of love:

Love endures long, it has the ability to put up with stuff for a long time.

Love is never envious, it doesn't want what it doesn't have.

Love is not boastful or vainglorious, it doesn't call attention to itself.

Love is not conceited or rude.

Love doesn't insist on its own way.

Love pays no attention to a suffered wrong.

Love never gives up!

These are just a few ways we're supposed to love others...and it's also the way God loves us. First John 4:8 says that "God is love." He loves us and has saved us, so now we can share His love with others. Obviously; at some point in our lives we are going to happen upon some people that just make it difficult to love them. They are going to wrong us, gossip about us, say things that are not true or just be mean for the sake of being mean. Still; we must love them and be an example to them of what living a life of love is all about. In other words; we have to be the bigger person.

To imitate God, we have to look at Jesus, a perfect representation of God who lived out all of the descriptions of love in 1 Corinthians 13. He always acted in love in every situation, even when people came against Him. He always showed loving kindness towards everyone but He was not their doormat. He showed them the example of treating people with love, with respect, with dignity and with grace and then He moved on.

Colossians 3:12-14 says to "clothe yourselves therefore, as God's own chosen ones.... And [put on] love"....

Like Jesus, let's clothe ourselves in love and choose to follow His example, bringing honor and glory to God. People may not always respond in kind to the love you have shown them but at least you can move through life knowing that you set the example of how they should be living. Plant the seed of love in others. Then leave the watering and tending to God. Amen?

Living Life In the Vine

A Life of Weeds and Roses

“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.  It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing…” Isaiah 35:1-2

God says that your wilderness will blossom, and not just blossom, but it will blossom “abundantly.”  Can you claim and receive into your spirit this Word today from the Book of Isaiah?

If so, but you really are not seeing the evidence of it in your life, then dig around a little in your rose garden and see if you have believed any lies about yourself or lies about those around you. Lies from the enemy will stunt your growth. A lack of peace and a stunted spiritual growth are symptoms that nasty little weed lies have been embraced; rooted and have allowed to grow. And we can not have that; can we?

Just as a natural rose garden must be cleared of the weeds and debris, the heart needs to be cleared of any lies we have believed. Lies we have believed about ourselves and lies we have believed about others.

Did you know that every thought that you have is not your own?

Thoughts like: “I’m worthless”, “I can’t do anything right”, “I’m not good enough,” or "he'll never change" are not from God, they are from the enemy. The enemy plants thoughts like these into our minds and we embrace them fully as if they were  the truth. If you believe his lies, they can choke out the truth; much like weeds choke out the life in the garden. Believing lies will utterly destroy your life. Lies will kill your life. Lies will steal your life. Lies just plain make you miserable. 

These weeds in your garden must be pulled out so the roses can grow. But not just grow but flourish in abundance. To break out in joy and song.

Look to your own garden. What is growing in it, roses or weeds? If your life is not in full bloom, clear out every the lie you have believed and you will soon blossom abundantly.

Faith Living

Living By Faith Alone


Abraham is held up to us as an example of a righteous man who was justified before God; but, Abraham merely did what all men must do. He believed God.


"2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (4:2-3).


Plain old ordinary Christians are expected to "live by the faith of the Son of God" (Galatians 2:20), to provide for them-- body, soul, and spirit. "25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (6:25-34).



Briefly, what is living by faith?


First, faith must be in God, not man. "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man" (Psalm 118:8).


Second, the Father has specifically appointed His Son as the object of our faith. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life" (John 3:16).


Third, faith is the voluntary confiding in and trusting of the LORD Jesus Christ, Whose "Name is called The Word of God" (Revelation 19:13).


Fourth, faith is a product of the Word of God and the Spirit of God, working in a willing heart. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17). "And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My Statutes, and ye shall keep My Judgments, and do them" (Ezekiel 36:27).


Fifth, living by faith is necessary for those who desire to please God. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).


Sixth, living by faith is in contrast to allowing yourself to be controlled by simply what your physical eyes see. "We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).


And, finally, since faith is the substantial controlling element of every aspect of the Christian life, no part of life can be divorced from its overriding influence. "1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report" (Hebrews 11:1-2).


Those who realize their need to live by faith must read, meditate upon, and study much the Word of God. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).


It can be seen that every Saint throughout the ages has had the responsibility and privilege to trust God and live by faith. "The just shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4).


Whenever we find ourselves making decisions and judgments without asking the Spirit, "What saith the Scripture?" (Romans 4:3), or consulting the Father through prayer, then we are walking like the world, and "not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8). "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, [the Holy Spirit] saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left" (Isaiah 30:21).


Recognizing that God is able to direct our thoughts, we are to consciously choose out "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:8) with the understanding that this is walking by faith.


This is thinking God's thoughts after Him. "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work" (John 5:17). This then is discerning the pattern of action that best corresponds to our understanding of His Word. "I being in the way, the LORD led me" (Genesis 24:27).



In addition to the supremacy of the Word of God and a continual attitude of praying "without ceasing" (1Thessalonians 5:17), to those who walk by faith, many other factors need to be considered:


(1) The LORD Jesus Christ is the sum total of all-- moral, physical, material, and spiritual-- the supply of what we need to walk by faith. "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).


(2) Our moral agency should work in concert with God's sovereignty and not get in the way, if we seek Him first. "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33).


(3) A confession and hatred of personal sin, so that we walk in no known sin, must be the rule of those who walk by faith. "23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way Everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).


(4) God's Providence in our circumstances and in current events must and will guide us, if we are looking for His guidance of our walk of faith. "Seek, and ye shall find" (Matthew 7:7).


(5) Patience will be necessary in our walk of faith, the "trying of your faith worketh patience" (James 1:3), because we are not aware of all the factors that God must manage in the performance of His promises. "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD" (Exodus 14:13).


(6) Communion with God, where we continually converse with the Most High One That Inhabiteth Eternity in the consciousness of our mind, keeps our purpose fixed to live by faith. "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him... for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5).


(7) Stepping away from the World-- "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the LORD, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (2 Corinthians 6:17)-- stepping away from the day to day influences of the world is necessary, if we are to live by faith.


(8) Ensuring that we allow our physical bodies to do no more than make suggestions to us of our physical needs - pain, hunger, thirst, and pleasure, we must not allow ourselves, as the world is, to be dominated by them, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (1 John 2:16), if we would live by faith. "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Corinthians 9:27).


(9) We must ask for and desire earnestly the protection under the shadow of the Wings of the Almighty against the temptations and assaults of the Devil, if we expect to live by faith. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you... Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren" (James 4:7; 1Peter 5:9). And,


(10) an expectancy of the imminent return of the LORD Jesus Christ, "and the LORD, Whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His Temple" (Malachi 3:1), to Rapture and Resurrect His Saints, and to judge the world for its impenitent sins, will be our hope and encouragement for sanctified living and service, in our present distress, because we are living by faith. "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Amen, and Amen.


Well; at least that is my understanding of "Living by Faith"


Maranatha!