Month: July 2024

Unexpected

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God said, “For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Famed mentor and motivator Samuel Chand once wrote a book called, “Who moved my ladder?” The premise being that we climb ladders in life only to find out that when we reach the top of our ladder it’s not where we wanted to go.

The Unexpected Shakes Hands With Everyone.

As time passes I have found myself spending less time trying to craft long term plans and more time waiting on the Lord. Every day is a day to celebrate what God has planned, even when we don’t know exactly what those plans mean for us, or how we fit into them. We just have to trust God’s promise that His loving plans for us are just what we need, right when we need them.

New

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“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19

Change is a word we simply do not like. Oh we will speak glowingly about it when the change that is happening is exactly what we want, but if you really stop to think about it, how often is that really the case? Nothing changes exactly like we wanted, or planned, or hoped for. However, what if we began to think of change in a new way?

What If We Trusted God?

Jesus said in Matthew 6:10 that we should pray, “Thy will be done”, meaning ‘God, have it Your way’. What would happen if we trusted God with our daily needs, our future, our jobs, our living conditions, our health, our relationships and so forth ? Do you really think that the same God who created the heavens and the earth and daisies and roses and puppies and pandas would choose to respond to your trust by bringing you strife and turmoil? We already do that to ourselves. Why not let God have His way with your life. I’m believing the “new” He brings to you will be breathtaking.

Covering

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“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1

Picture a day in your life. You feel as through you are standing in a field while rocks and boulders are being hurled in your direction. As you fight them off, a second and third line of attack comes at you from your left and from your right. There is just seemingly no way to fend off the all-consuming onslaught.

Enter The Secret Place

Psalm 91 makes us a promise. If we dwell with God, entering His presence in prayer, praying and then trusting His protection over our lives, we shall then find rest simply being in His shadow. When God provides cover for you, the problems you face soon begin to pale in comparison. This is not theoretical, this is a commanded blessing directly from scripture that you can receive each and every day of your life. Life works when you place your trust in Almighty God.

Appetizing

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“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalm 34:8

David, the author of the Psalms, creates for us an appetizing word play in understanding God’s amazing goodness. He uses our very physical senses, in this case the sense of taste, which is arguably the most powerful of our five senses. There is something about taste that is completely satisfying. Our very emotions are affected through a sip of coffee or bite of warm bread. Yet, however amazing we imagine these to be, they

Pale In Comparison To God’s Blessings.

David’s challenge to us is to taste for ourselves, for once you’ve experienced the goodness and overwhelming love of God in your life, you will never forget it. In fact, you will come back day after day after day wanting more.

The Giver

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“If you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:11

Giving is in our nature, and even when our supply is limited we give what we can and we love to do it! Now, I have some good news for you.

God’s Supply Is Not Limited.

God’s supply is actually endless, and guess what, according to Matthew 7, He loves to give to those who ask of Him! So, what are you waiting for? It does not matter how young or how old you are, start a conversation with God today. “Lord, what should I be asking you for? What amazing things do you want for my life? Whatever that is, bring it forth in abundance! I want what you want for me!”

Unlimited Blessings

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““Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.” Deuteronomy 28:6

Care to guarantee unlimited blessings in your life? I’ll let you in on a little secret. You can find the recipe by reading one of the most powerful of God’s promises in the Bible. Live it and

Watch Your Blessings Multiply.

Deuteronomy 28 says, “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.“

Blessings

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“He (God) refreshes my soul.” Psalm 23:3

God has a wonderful way of providing just what we need, right when we need it. It may be through a phone call or hug from a loved one or furry friend, or through His still small voice encouraging us when no one else can. You see, God can and will use any means possible to refresh us, and those many means are

A Thousand Little Miracles.

The next time you are convinced that God’s not paying attention your needs, perhaps you should take a breath and start to realize the thousand and one ways God blesses you every single day. The time has come to say “thank you.” Thank you God for your blessings, even when I don’t recognize them.

Speed Of Light

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“Wherever Jesus entered into, cities or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment.” Mark 6:56

I’m fascinated at the speed with which news travels around our world. Now go back just a hundred years and imagine the snails pace at which news traveled, or a thousand years ago it was probably even slower. Yet in Jesus day everywhere He went people clamored to be around Him. Every village He entered they had already heard stories of this miracle worker.

Miracle News Travels At The Speed Of Light.

Are you ready for a miracle? The same Jesus that people clamored to touch over two thousand years ago is alive and well and ready to bless you. If you are reading these words know that I’ve already prayed for you. I don’t have to see your face or know your name to do that because Jesus knows exactly who you are, and what your circumstances are. I just have to care enough about you to to say, Jesus, bless this dear soul reading these words with a miracle touch from You today.

Tomorrow

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“being confident of this, that He (Jesus) who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” Philippians 1:6

The musical “Annie” took broadway by storm in 1977. After all, who could resist an inspiring little orphan girl singing, “tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you’re only a day away!” Thankfully,

God Has All Your Tomorrow’s In His Hands”

Paul tells is in Philippians 1:6 that what Jesus has started in your life He will carry through to completion. Translation: when you put your life in Jesus hands He forgives your past so yesterday is indeed gone, He is carrying you today so you can open your eyes and see things in a different way, and He has a plan for your future so just think what tomorrow will bring! You have a beautiful tomorrow on store, you have a Savior who loves you.

Trust

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“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Author and pastor Max Lucado once said, “The meaning of life. The wasted years of life. The poor choices of life. God answers the mess of life with one word: Grace”.

“God’s Grace Is Sufficient.”

God is saying to us stop toiling and spinning over this problem or that, and hand them all to Me. We have to understand that while we are weak, He is strong. Strong enough to deal with whatever mess you find yourself in. Hand your issues to God and say “Lord, I trust you.” then be content with how He works it out. His solution may not be your solution, and that’s where the trust factor comes in. Trust in God.