Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Eight Gifts that Do Not Cost A Cent
THE GIFT OF LISTENING But you must REALLY listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just listening.
THE GIFT OF AFFECTION be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses,
pats on the back, and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love
you have for family and friends.
THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny
stories. Your gift will say, “I love to laugh with you.”
THE GIFT OF A WRITTEN NOTE it can be a simple “Thanks for the
help” note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a
lifetime, and may even change a life.
THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT A simple and sincere, You look
great in red,” “You did a super job,” or “That was a wonderful meal “can make
someone’s day.
THE GIFT OF A FAVOR Every day, go out of your way to do
something kind.
THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE There are times when we want nothing
better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of
solitude to others.
THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION The easiest way to feel
good is to extend a kind word to someone. Really, it’s not that hard to say, Hello
or Thank You.
Tuesday, March 30, 2021
God Always Answers
We ask God to give us what we think we want and need. Sometimes, God says "No." However, in God's answer, there is love. God does not always do what we want or give us our requests. The Lord knows better about what we need than we do. We may pray every day for our request to be answered as we want. However, when we go to the heart of God, He sometimes says we cannot have what we want. When God says "No," beneath the surface, His answer may seem harsh. However, His answer is not harsh because in answering us He reveals Himself to us in love. The Lord may never be willing to give us what we want because of factors we must not know about until we see Him. When we receive the Lord's "No" answer, we must learn to trust Him. When we receive a "No" from God we must then invest our whole heart in Him. When we receive a "No" from God we must be patient as we do His will each day. Receiving a negative answer from God is not easy because we have so many expectations about Him. However, when we trust the Lord, His negative answer to us may hurt us when we receive the answer, but we have a degree of peace living with what the Lord wants for us
Monday, March 29, 2021
Our Ever Faithful God
You are never by yourself in life unless you have turned away from God. To win out over the many daily obstacles we face, we must think ahead about the strategies we will use and how we will use them. Of course, if we do not have faith in God, we do not want to hear there is a connection between faith in God and what happens to us in our life. If you hold the belief you can deal with circumstances so victory is assured, no matter what you face, victory is assured. In the uncontrollable and unknowable circumstances of life, faith is the answer, faith is the hope, and faith is the future.
Sunday, March 28, 2021
Christ Can Erase Mistakes
Christ always listens to your prayers, your petitions, and the pleas of your heart. We need to rest our hearts in the Lord's love. With the Lord's help, in His will, the broken fences of our past can be mended, new relationships built, and old relationships reborn. God has given you truly incredible gifts. We are all mistake-ridden sinners. However, Christ erases all our mistakes if we repent and accept Him as Lord of our life.
Saturday, March 27, 2021
ALL THINGS NEW
We live in a hostile world. Our great defender and protector is Christ our Lord. Have you ever been deserted? In our life, we all have moments when we are alone. However, we live under deception if we ever think we are alone because Christ is always with us. In ultimate maturity, we count every burden as a joyful opportunity to serve our Lord. The person who has fancy cars, clothes, and houses may be smothered in debt and buried in misery. God created a way for each of us to have a new life, a new beginning, a new day, a new hope, a new dream, and a new way to serve Him. The way is Jesus.
Friday, March 26, 2021
His Transforming Power
Christ called your name so you would show others His love. Christ called your name so you would beam His love into their heart. Love can be the substance of your every moment. Love makes every moment worth living. In living your life of faith, there are many circumstances and events you cannot control. What you can control is whether you have Christ in every moment. Commitment produces great fruit in God's kingdom. When your new life in Christ begins, your old life goes away under His transforming power.
Thursday, March 25, 2021
Love Is Kind
Love within the human heart has a way of touching persons with a power quelling their inner rage. Love within your heart does not take advantage of the fallen or broken person. Instead, love reaches down and helps the fallen and broken person recover. Love within your heart does not use others to any advantage. Love sacrifices personal advantage to advance the lives of others. Love is a gentle expression of an encompassing comfort healing every hurt. Love can grieve so much at the hurt in others the grief can become a spring of life flowing into the heart of the grieving. Love does not make fun of or ridicule others but places shelter over those who are made fun of or who are ridiculed. Love defends the defenseless. Love shelters children and adults of every faith, whether there is a disagreement over issues or not. Love delights and rejoices in the success of others; even at the expense of one's success. Love burning within one's spirit reaches out to help and to heal the broken.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Only You Can Choose
You can choose…To put your energy to use rather than letting it evaporate. You can choose…To rise in controlled anger at injustice rather than looking the other way. You can choose…To seek answers instead of avoiding them. You can choose…To take action when you face anxiety rather than shrink back. You can choose…To ask questions rather than keep silent. You can choose…To give beauty rather than ugliness. You can choose…To give blessings and be a blessing rather than give curses and be a curse. You can choose…To share the Bread of Life rather than trying to hoard it and keep it all to yourself. You can choose…To care about others rather than caring about only yourself
Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Our Sure Victory
In Christ's power, you shall always win the victory as your humility destroys your ego. You shall always be a conqueror in the Lord when your gentleness destroys your rough, rude, and crude behavior. You shall achieve for the Lord when your patience outlasts your impatience. You shall glorify the Lord when you hold your tongue as you are patient with others in Christ's love rather than finding fault. You shall make Christ's love reality when you share the burdens of others rather than wanting others to tend to you and tend to your burdens.
Monday, March 22, 2021
Living In Hope
Christ did not bring you into the world so you would always look down in hopelessness and dejection. Christ brought you into the world to live in His power of hope and promise for eternity. There may be no time in your life that seems to look the darkest than the time just before your death. However, you are often deceived by appearances because the time just before your death is a time full of eternal hope and eternal promise. In the times of your life when it seems, there is no hope for anything good to happen to you or for you, total goodness and joy await you as if time did not exist. In Christ and because of Christ, the times when you have no hope are times when there is for you hope eternal. In the times when you have no joy, there is already joy waiting to be poured out upon your heart for all eternity. Christ came to give you hope for every second you are alive. Christ walked away from death in the grave to give you hope. Christ is alive today and calls you to live in hope. Christ walks and talks with you every second you are alive to get you to look beyond the way things are…to a time when all things will be made new. Christ calls you to look forward to a time when every hope will be realized in His eternal stream of love and grace. For all of this, give Christ praise, honor, and glory.
Sunday, March 21, 2021
No Excuses Sunday
A "NO EXCUSES" SUNDAY A certain church made the following announcement in their magazine: "To make it possible for everyone to attend worship next Sunday, we are having a special "No Excuses" Sunday: "Beds will be placed in the aisles for all those who say, "Sunday is the only day I'm able to sleep in late. " "Eye drops will be provided for all those who watch TV too late on Saturday night. "Steel helmets will be handed out to all those who say, "The roof will fall in if I ever come to church!" "Blankets will be provided for all those who say, "The church is too cold," and fans for those who say "It's too hot. " "We will have hearing aids for all those who say, "The minister speaks too softly," and earplugs for those who say, "The organist plays too loudly. " "Scorecards will be available for all those who wish to keep a record of the hypocrites present. "There will be TV dinners for all those who find it difficult to attend church and prepare the Sunday lunch at the same time. "One section of the church will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to see God in nature.” Finally, the church will be decorated with Christmas decorations and Easter flowers for those who have never seen the church without them!"
Saturday, March 20, 2021
Darkness Or Light The Choice Is Yours
Every second we make choices. Every second we choose between God or Satan. Too often we do not realize we make choices. Too often we live in ignorance about our choices. However, we do make a choice every second between God or Satan. If we want to find the road to heaven we must look at emptying ourselves. We must always walk the road where we are never to be selfish. We must remember we are always under attack by Satan because Satan tries to make us selfish. For this reason, whatever pain or misery we might be in at any moment must be taken to God. Whatever worries we have must be taken to God. Whatever hopelessness we have must be taken to God. When we take our darkness to God, God is light and His light will surely blip away our darkness. The road to heaven begins when we reject ourselves and connect to God and others. The road to hell begins when we are puffed up in our ego and selfishness as we try to handle the darkness alone. We become the tool of the darkness when we believe we are all-powerful and do not need God or we do not believe God loves us.
Friday, March 19, 2021
The Wisdom Of God
Praise Jesus for trusting you enough to give you His wisdom. Praise Jesus for giving you His wisdom to a fuller and better life. In His love and His grace, Christ enables you to use all He has given you for His glory. He enables you to live a life blessing others. He enables you to live a life blessing Him and His work upon the earth. When you have doubts about what Jesus wants you to do, He will remind you of what He has already told you. When you have difficult days and want to quit, He will push you onward and upward by showing you His wisdom and truth. In His love, Christ will show you the present trouble and pain of your life overflows with His meaning and His purpose. In His will, Christ will show you how His meaning and purpose in all things can lead to a glorification of His love on earth.
Thursday, March 18, 2021
Being To Busy
In the rush and crush of our day, are we too busy to listen to God's voice? In the rush and crush of our day, are we too stressed or in too much pain to hear our Lord? Of course, the answer to both of these questions is "No."The truth is…God loves you. He speaks to you day and night, without stopping. God's love is continually pouring down into your heart. To hear more of His voice requires a softer heart. To hear more of His voice requires you to stop for just a moment, relax a little, and let the door of your heart open up to Him. Our Lord is continually calling you, speaking to you, leading you, nudging you, pulling you, and urging you. You know these things are true.
At this
moment…
If you are
too busy…
Or too
stressed…
Or in too
much pain…
Or too
tempted…
Rest for
about ten seconds, open your heart and listen.
You hear
Him, don't you?
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Thinking You Are Not Good Enough
Many of us feel we do not measure up. Many of us feel we are not quite good enough. Realistically, no one can be the best at everything. No one can "measure up" in every part of life. All of us have deficiencies and faults. However, should we carry a burden on our back because we feel we are not quite good enough? No, we should not carry such a burden. The reason we should not carry this kind of dark burden is that in Christ's eyes we ARE good enough. In Christ's eyes, we were good enough He was willing to die for us. In Christ's eyes, His destination for us in the world and heaven is such a glorious destination, the idea of your not being quite good enough is ridiculous to Him. As a child of God, you are more than worthy. As a child of God, you can exceed all expectations of what the world expects a person to be. To think about your trying to measure up to a defective yardstick the world creates is total foolishness. In Christ, you measure up. In Christ, you are called one of His own.
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Seeing Love
In the hatred and venom of the world, Christ lets you see love. Instead of the self-interest and selfishness of the world, you will see how Christ's love totally changes all things. Christ's love can be seen. Christ will show you how His love makes all things new. You will see Christ's love, the same love working even in the heart of the person running away and rebelling. In your heart and life, be an instrument of Christ's love. Be a witness of Christ to the person running away and rebelling. Be an instrument of Christ's love as you minister to the person full of sadness. In Christ's will and grace, He will help you help others. Christ will help you raise and care for little children so the children can live in peace, comfort, and joy because others love them. Look and you will see the love between couples with wrinkled hands and gray hair who have shared decades together. Be an affirmation for those couples who have spent decades together. Be a help and comfort to those who are alone but whose eyes light up when they talk of days gone by. Let the Lord touch your heart as you show love by giving hours of worry and dedication to others. Look and you will see Christ, the full embodiment of love, dying on the cross to give you eternal life.
Monday, March 15, 2021
Peace and Security
Knowing our ultimate destination in life gives us ultimate security. When we know where we will be at the end of our life's journey, then all other things, events, and persons in our life take on a new perspective. Knowing for sure we will be in Heaven when we die, gives us the security to deal with all of our temporary day-to-day problems. In truth, none of us will be on this earth forever. All of us are on the earth for just a little while. There are peace and security in knowing no matter what happens to us today, we will inherit an imperishable body in heaven. We will live in peace and joy if we have accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord.
Sunday, March 14, 2021
THE CHOICE
Many things we don't know about hell. But Jesus and the New Testament writers used every image in their power to tell us that hell is real, it's terrible, it's something to be feared, and something to avoid. In his description of the last judgment, Jesus taught that some would go to eternal punishment, some to eternal life (Matt. 25:46). In other words, hell will be as real and as lasting as heaven. The horror of hell is not physical pain. After all, the Bible tells us hell was "prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41), and they're not physical beings. Rather the fire and outer darkness and the thirst depict spiritual separation from God, moral remorse, the consciousness that one deserves what he's getting. Hell is disintegration the eternal loss of being a real person. In hell, the mathematician who lived for his science can't add two and two. The concert pianist who worshiped himself through his art can't play a simple scale. The man who lived for sex goes on in eternal lust, with nobody to exploit. The woman who made a god out of fashion has a thousand dresses but no mirror! Hell is eternal desire eternally unfulfilled. But there's another side. G.K. Chesterton once remarked, "Hell is God's great compliment to the reality of human freedom and the dignity of human personality." Hell, a compliment? Yes, because God is saying to us, "You are significant. I take you seriously. Choose to reject me choose hell if you will. I will let you go." The Choice is YOURS!
Saturday, March 13, 2021
How God Wants To Change Your Life
If God took you out of your present circumstances and He gave you a new place to live, He gave you a new job, He gave you a new family, and He gave you a new part of the world in which to walk, you would still be the same old you. You would still see others with the same old eyes, you would still walk in the same old shoes, you would still have the same old mind and old heart you have now. Perhaps for a time, all things would be different for you. However, your world is made up of more than things, people, or places. Your world is also made up of your perceptions, your ideas, your opinions, your knowledge, your attitudes, and especially your past experiences, no matter what your past experiences might have been. The fact is, you can totally change the exterior part of your life, including the people, places, and things, but you would still be the same old you on the inside. God wants to change your life, not by changing the outside conditions of your life, but by changing the inside conditions of your life. Of all the miracles God does in the world, changing a person's life on the inside is one of His greatest miracles. No matter who you are or where you are, no matter what conditions you must live in or face, God can change your inner life this instant. God can change your inner life this instant if you return His love for you by accepting Christ into your heart as your Savior and Lord.
Friday, March 12, 2021
The Blood Of The Lamb
Revelation 12:11 is the last reference in the Bible to the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ; here it is the overcoming blood, enabling believers to withstand the deceptions and accusations of Satan. There are at least 43 references to the blood of Christ in the New Testament, all testifying its great importance in the salvation and daily life of the believer. Judas the betrayer spoke of it as "innocent blood in Matthew 27:4 and Peter called it "the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and spot" in I Peter 1:9. It is the cleansing blood in I John 1:7 and the washing blood in Rev. 1:5, stressing that it removes the guilt of our sins. Thank God For His Precious Blood.
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Keeping Your Eyes On Christ
When you think your life is over and you think you are going to taste the defeat of death. The Lord will show you a vision of His victory over death so you may reign in victory with Christ forever and ever. When you are downhearted and low in spirit. The Lord will show you a vision of His great ascension so you may be lifted into the clouds. When you think you have given all there is to give and you think you have nothing left within you. The Lord will show you a vision of His sacrifice for you on the cross. When all things seem to go against you and you have lost hope. The Lord will show you a vision of the stone being rolled back and His emergence from the tomb. When you are lost and alone, the Lord will show you a vision of His outstretched arms waiting to welcome you home so you can see each other face to face.
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Who You Serve
Have you ever tried to burn the candle at both ends? You can get by with it for a while. The trouble comes when the candle begins to burn down to the middle. Eventually, you are squeezed in and then you are the one burning, instead of the candle. Jesus was telling us in this verse we cannot serve two masters. He used money as an example because money is a fearsome taskmaster. The love and desire for money have enslaved millions and toppled the lives of people for thousands of years. This verse is about more than how you regard money. This verse is about where you put God in your life and where you put God in your heart. Who do you serve every day? Do you serve your job, your boss, your family, your dreams, your goals, or your ambition to succeed? All of us give service to others or ideas in some fashion. However, the real question is who or what is Number One. Is your daily life dedicated to serving God in all possible ways? If you have made this commitment then God pours out His form of riches into your heart. With these kinds of riches living within you, then you are richer than the wealthiest person on earth.
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
The Wealth Of Christ's Love
In your heart, Christ's love will fill you. His love will shine out in your life. Whenever you want things your way, Christ will touch you with His love so you are not selfish. Whenever you feel sad from grief or loss, Christ will pick up your spirit with His love. Whenever you are in pain, Christ will touch you with His love so you will feel His comfort. Whenever you see sadness or pain in others, Christ will touch your heart so you can reach out to others in His name.
Monday, March 8, 2021
Don’t Ever Run Out Of Hope
We kill our doubt and keep our hope alive by understanding with God all things are possible, all the time, for every person. We understand all things become certain beyond our last moment on earth. The point of having hope in life is to always have a better life regardless of how long your life might be. The greatest grandest hope on earth is realized in the fullness of life eternal. To build the kingdom of God we must sacrifice our physical bodies, our mind, our heart, our wants, and our needs as we sacrifice our all for Christ. Like the wind, the will of God is a power and a force you can use. To use the power of God, build a windmill in your mind and heart. The reason so many people feel helpless in the face of adversity is that they run out of hope.
Sunday, March 7, 2021
Don’t Ever Give Up
There are times when we all want to give up. There are times when we all want to quit. However, we achieve absolutely nothing when we give up. As much as you might want to take the easy way out and take the smooth road when difficulties come, no one is given a promise of ease in life at birth. Everyone experiences difficulty in life. However, it is never the difficulty we face, it is how we handle the difficulty that means the most to God. If you give up in times of difficulty, then the difficulty has won out over you. In the history of Christianity, if the early Christians had given up in the face of their difficulties, there would be no Christian faith today. Until the very end, you must never quit because victory in the Christian life comes only when we never quit fighting against temptation, when we never quit loving others, when we never quit being humble, and when never quit praying as we kneel at the foot of His Cross.
Saturday, March 6, 2021
We Have A Choice To Make
We may think we cannot do many things when we are burdened down and in great pain. We may think we have no choices. We may think there is no end to our plight. We may think we cannot deal with things as they are. However, when we are in the deepest darkness, we must be willing to admit we can be wrong and we must be willing to admit we can be deceived. When we think we have no choice, we must be honest. For when we have Christ alive within us, He gives us the power to do many things we cannot normally do when we are burdened down. When we have Christ in our life, our pain may not stop, but our victory over the pain can still be achieved. When we have Christ in our life, we have many more choices than we think we have if we are honest about how things are and what we have done and not done. When we have Christ in our life, there is for us a great and victorious end to our plight. In Christ, there are victories to be won every minute. In Christ, there are triumphant moments every moment. In Christ, we have won even when we seem to have been pounded down in utter defeat. In Christ, the trials and heartaches of this life grow dim as we come to Him seeking His healing love. In our life, there is more to life than the reality of our trauma and tragedy. In our life, we have a mountain of great power where we can go and kneel in prayer. In our life, our mountain of great power is a place called Calvary. On Calvary, a place where Christ suffered more than we have suffered or will suffer, our victory over every moment of our trauma and tragedy was won. On Calvary, Christ died to set us free forever.
Friday, March 5, 2021
Being Connected To God
At the root of everything meaningful in life is your connection to God. You can say your connection or non-connection to God does not matter. However, being connected to God is what matters most. Whether you are super rich or whether you are super poor, once you have your basic needs met, you need a connection to God. You can try to fill your consciousness with all kinds of thoughts and ideas. However, your consciousness is like a vacuum drawing in ideas and thoughts. However, your consciousness is never full. No idea or thought in life will ever fill the infinite vacuum of your soul. The only idea and the only entity in the universe able to fill the infinite vacuum of your soul is the infinite love of God through Christ. While you are on the earth, you can get a glimpse of a full connection to God when you open your heart, mind, and soul to His love for you.
Thursday, March 4, 2021
Victory In Jesus
In Christ, there is victory. God's love knows no end in the battle leading to victory in your heart and life. God's love in victory seeks to banish your every weakness. At those times when your limbs and spirit begin to fail, Christ Jesus will push you on. When your knees begin to weaken and your hands begin to tremble, your Lord God will steady you. When your eyes begin to dim, Christ will show you His Light. When your soul grows tired and you have lost all energy, Christ will supply you with new energy and new power. When your heart begins to falter, He will inspire you anew with His mercy. When you shrink back as you think about giving up, Christ will keep you keeping on. God will give you a most powerful vision of a world needing your touch through Him, all you have to do is ask. When it seems you are whipped and beaten by the foe, Christ will pour His spirit into your heart. If you are willing, the Holy Spirit will conquer every foe and defeat every evil in your life. In your hour of tribulation, Christ will show you His Cross, then He will show you His empty tomb where victory was won.
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Finding God
And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
To find God
use your heart. Use all your heart. No half-hearted effort is permissible if
you want to find Him. In your search, you must all of your heart. You cannot
have half a heart to find God. In your search, do not make things harder or
more difficult than they already are. Keep things simple. Finding the love of
God is not a complex thing. Be childlike. Use your simple faith. Use your heart
and trust that He loves you. Believe that He cares so much about you that He
died for you and you will not be far from Him.
Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Do You Think You Are Not Good Enough?
Many of us feel we do not measure up. Many of us feel we are not quite good enough. Realistically, no one can be the best at everything. No one can "measure up" in every part of life. All of us have deficiencies and faults. However, should we carry a burden on our back because we feel we are not quite good enough? No, we should not carry such a burden. The reason we should not carry this kind of dark burden is that in Christ's eyes we ARE good enough. In Christ's eyes, we were good enough He was willing to die for us. In Christ's eyes, His destination for us in the world and heaven is such a glorious destination, the idea of your not being quite good enough is ridiculous to Him. As a child of God, you are more than worthy. As a child of God, you can exceed all expectations of what the world expects a person to be. To think about your trying to measure up to a defective yardstick the world creates is total foolishness. In Christ, you measure up. In Christ, you are called one of His own.
Monday, March 1, 2021
Choices Are Made Daily
Every second we make choices. Every second we choose between God or Satan. Too often we do not realize we make choices. Too often we live in ignorance about our choices. However, we do make a choice every second between God or Satan. If we want to find the road to heaven we must look at emptying ourselves. We must always walk the road where we are never to be selfish. We must remember we are always under attack by Satan because Satan tries to make us selfish. For this reason, whatever pain or misery we might be in at any moment must be taken to God. Whatever worries we have must be taken to God. Whatever hopelessness we have must be taken to God. When we take our darkness to God, God is light and His light will surely blip away our darkness. The road to heaven begins when we reject ourselves and connect to God and others. The road to hell begins when we are puffed up in our ego and selfishness as we try to handle the darkness alone. We become the tool of the darkness when we believe we are all-powerful and do not need God or we do not believe God loves us.
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