Commit

Entrust your life to God wholeheartedly. There may be one or two bumps in the road, however, He only has the finest in mind for you.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. 

Proverbs 16:3

We have the reassurance that Jesus has a plan for us, and we are all individually precious to Him.

Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6-7

Need Some Living Water?

A benevolent love is precisely how we should face life. This action was demonstrated by our Savior Jesus Christ who was sent by God to die for our sins. He was the definition of perfection and showed us love by dedicating Himself to our salvation by dying on the cross. This is the ultimate example of what love is.  

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
1 John 4:9-10

How then can we accept this action of love?

In John 4 Jesus was speaking to the women at the well explaining to her the gift He gives all. 

"Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.'...'whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'" 
John 4:10,13

There are two options for us; one is living in the world with an unquenchable thirst, the other receiving our salvation from the Lord that will never run dry. The last option can be rather refreshing.  Care for a sip?

P.S. This paper was inspired by the great Pastor Bob Grinyaaaaaaay's teaching on 10/16/2016 

Walking Towards the Spirit

Walking down the street just walking down the street…

Perhaps this stroll shouldn't be led by "me, myself, and I" but instead a beat given to us from the lovely Word of God. It is the only source for tactics we use to face afflictions. If you believe in Jesus you have the assistance of the Holy Spirit on this hiking path of life.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death...That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4

Find Joy in the Sunshine

Look up for joy, past the lovely clouds to Jesus for He will be your source of joy. Psalms 16:11 says, "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Therefore this emotion never disintegrates no matter the situation, wether it be a trial or a sunshiny day.  

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;

Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;

Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,

Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.

Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,

Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Henry J van Dyke

Every Knee will Bow Before the Lion & the Lamb

 ‘The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, 'behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

John 1:29

Lions are roaring while lambs are bahing. 

These two animals vary abundantly in nature. Lions are very lively and constantly hunting while lambs are less animated, they simply graze in their pasture. 

Normally you would not connect these two creatures together unless you would want to be as strong and powerful as a lion, but also calm and gentle as a lamb. 

When you combine these characteristics you get the description of Jesus. He was willing to die for our sins on the cross, yet powerful enough to defeat death. For Christ was as calm as a lamb being lead to the slaughter, He knew that we needed a sacrifice to cover all our sins. Of course Christ's power could have saved Himself from a painful death. However, He humbly chose to bare the cross so that you and I may be saved and see the joy of Heaven. 

What else is more important than His sacrifice on the cross leading us to peace and safety in the hope of heaven? 

Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah

He's roaring with power and fighting our battles

And every knee will bow before You

Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain

For the sin of the world, His blood breaks the chains

And every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb

Oh every knee will bow before the Lion and Lamb

"The Lion and the Lamb"

Big Daddy Weave

Be the Bumble Bee

Reverse the grumbles as bumble bees do by being humble. This task can be accomplished by simply trusting in our Lord. 

1 Peter 5:6 says "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time" 

God is the way to get humble! If we grasp the concept of going under His hand we see that everything is from the Lord. We will soon become humble and in due time God will exalt us. 

So why should we grumble when we should merely trust wholeheartedly in our Lord?

 Remember, God is in control. 

Getting Buff

Getting our bodies in shape can make us feel like we can take on anything with our powerful arms. Yet we should not get conceited in "me, myself, and I". 

Perhaps people should understand that humans are as small as blue jays compared to the Lord’s strength which is like the eagle. Phillipians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me". This is not talking about your physical therapist but of the more sovereign life therapist, God.

A Rosy Future

Rosiness means to look on the bright side of life, this can also be the definitions of hope. To truly experience this emotion you must find peace with the Lord. Look past the world and set your eyes to something that is forever. 

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart rejoices, and with songs I will praise Him. 

Psalm 28:7

BOO!

  

Being frightened of monsters under the bed are some fears children face from time to time. However, is this emotion a necessary part of life? 

We should not be afraid of what this world experiences, for it says, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you..." Isaiah 41:10

Therefore the fears that children experience while growing up (or day to day ones we experience now) are rather unnecessary, for the Lord's hands will assist us through all.

Find Strength in the Bible, Not the Gym

^{I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.} 

^{Philippians 4:12-13}

Contrary to allowing depression to overshadow our thoughts we must attain the peace given to us from Christ. This tranquility can be found by being intrigued by the Word and following Paul's example by staying in prayer continually. Being engulfed with the Scripture with an open heart, and living life how the Bible wants you to live.

Remove the Crown of Gold

Perishable verses imperishable. 

Observing the physical realm we see that all matter is simply perishable, but there is something that withstands this decaying state. This gift is bestowed to each of us by our God, the gift of hope in heaven which is from the Lord Jesus Christ’s death on the cross.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 says, "Don't you realize that everyone who runs in a race runs to win, but only one runner gets the prize? Run like them, so that you can win. Everyone who enters an athletic contest goes into strict training. They do it to win a temporary crown, but we do it to win one that will be permanent."

Therefore, you and I should have our eyes not placed on the monotonous crowns of the deteriorating world, but onto an everlasting heavenly crown attained in heaven.

One Way Flight

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything be in prayer." Phillipians 4:6 

Being riveted in a disagreeable state leaves us in a distasteful mood. We need to find a place that brings us joy. It’s not running a triathlon or going to a facility where you spend an abundance of money for attire or jewelry. It is contrary to temporary physical happiness, it's a task you are able to do at any place or any time.  

To obtain this true peace you must relinquish all the desire "to go big or go home" in this world. Rather you must grasp the concept of faith by conveying your thoughts and feelings to our heavenly Father in prayer. 

Don’t be trapped in this melancholy world by being obsessed by your own thoughts. Merely send them on a plane to our Lord in Heaven. 

I wonder how much that would be, a plane to heaven. It is free to the believers, just accepting Jesus and you’ve purchased your ticket to heaven. Awful pricey... hard to believe we can afford it. Since He has welcomed us to heaven, of course it just makes sense God wants to speak with us down here in prayer.

"In my distress I called out to the Lord;

I cried to my God for help.

From his temple He heard my voice;

my cry came before Him, into His ears."

Psalm 18:6

Put on New Clothes

Instead of expressing every hint of rage, follow the Lord’s advice; walk at His pace step by step.

Colossians 3:7-10 says “You used to behave like them as you lived among them. But now you must also get rid of anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene speech, and all such sins. Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old nature with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new nature, which is being renewed in full knowledge, consistent with the image of the one who created it."

People will notice that you are different, that your life stays aligned with Scripture.  When you put on the new clothing from Christ, your spirit is changed. It takes time and practice to break away from our old nature, however, with the Lord’s help we can accomplish the goal.

Pray to Jesus for help with flares of anger or any other sins, and He will lovingly assist you. 

Take Off the Cone of Shame

Do not roam down the road of the World, instead trust in God.

Proverbs 29:25 says, "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." The definition of snare is a trap for catching birds or animals.* The world can entrap you with fear and angst, where no contentment is found.

Being afraid of this fragile realm is fruitless for God is in control.  

If you continue to live in anxiety of the outcomes of elections, health issues, or money, you will never find true joy. The only course towards happiness is found in God. 

So don't put on the cone of shame and only see the fear of the World, rather trust in the Lord. 

*http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snare

Storm Clouds

http://all-free-download.com/free-photos/download/storm_cloud_sky_240628_download.html

Contrary to endlessly complaining about how it's cloud out with a bounty of thunder, simply remember it is short term.

There is a single investment in life for you to reap the benefits from, merely put your faith and trust in our God to see the results. Proverbs 29:25 says, "fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." Therefore, trusting in our ever powerful Lord will surpass this intermittent world, for God will not cease to exist.

This quite beneficial thought was delivered by the ever brilliant Pastor Mike Buford's teaching. It is odd for we are like two peas in a pod, we both jest and get along and are way too similar...far from ornery and mischievous. 

P&P: Prayer & Pie

Care for some pie?

A path to roam to avoid all these full cabinets of depression is to consume yourself in prayer. 

While chatting, eating pie, and jesting with others are good for the soul, you should also occupy your time with praying to the Lord. For there is nothing more pleasing to the heart than a conversation with our Abba Father.

Doing this helps breakthrough the bounty of things that weigh us down, seeing that the Lord (as our Heavenly Father) merely aspires the best for you and I.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11 

Submerge into Prayer

http://worldartsme.com/images/mixing-bowl-clipart-1.jpg

There are two ingredients to whisk yourself out of discouragement. The first is to sip a nice cup of coffee, the second is to engulf yourself in prayer. 

Perhaps sadness and self pity are exercised in our lives to frequently. If people simply took their minds off themselves and plunged into prayer, maybe depression wouldn't be so prominent. 

Incognito Mode

Merely depending on your own intellect will simply lead you into a debacle. 

However, there is a simple route to travel to avoid this problem, take your minds off this ever failing Earth. 

The World attempts to find happiness without the communication with our Heavenly Father. However, they don't realize that the only true way to find peace is when you submit to prayer.

Joy can be found in the Creator. 

Speak with Him and you will find this happiness.  He does not have a loud thunderous voice as God does in all the movies, but instead a quiet restful tone. 

Instead of looking down in depression look up in prayer.

"We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito."

C.S. Lewis 

The More You Sow, the More You Grow

How blessed is the person,
    who does not take the advice of the wicked,
who does not stand on the path with sinners,
    and who does not sit in the seat of mockers.
But he delights in the Lord’s instruction,
    and meditates in his instruction day and night.

Psalm 1:1-2

Those who flourish in God's Word will gain a great benefit for they will perceive that there is a point to life. 

Look from the vantage point of flowers. When they receive water they are given the ability to grow. This occurs similarly to humans grasping contact with the Lord's guidance. They will prosper and grow spiritually in the engulfment of love and not hatred. 

Lions Are Roaring

via:http://www.freenaturepictures.com/lion-pictures.php

Birds are soaring while lions are roaring and God is restoring.

Whether it be the sun a rising or the moon a shining, billowing clouds a drifting. 
Mighty is our God and majestic is our atmosphere.
-Katherine Emily Gray

 My ferocious feline friend inspired this post. 

Unchanging

Neighbors are perpetually on a changing cycle. Say one day you have a neighbor with a pug and mini cooper, then a few years pass and you have a new neighbor with a truck and a great dane. 

Though there might be a constant adjustment in life, there is a single entity that is unchanging, and this is our Lord and Father.

Certainly life evolves, however, God is unceasingly them same.

You established the earth long ago;
    the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish,
    but you will remain;
and they all will become worn out, like a garment.
    You will change them like clothing,
        and they will pass away.
But you remain the same;
    your years never end.

Psalm 102:25-27

Replace Ruckus with Love

The purity of love should engross this ruckus filled world.

Our lives should reflect what this verse states:

"Dear friends, if this is the way God loved us, we must also love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us."

1 John 4:11-12

The Lord is the ultimate role model for this virtue by sacrificing His Son for us. A way we can reflect the attribute to others is by bearing the "breastplate of love" (1 Thessalonians 5:8).  

Want Ketchup with That?

Slow down, what’s the rush? The french fries at Mcdonalds will still be available. Do not fret! 

An example of how you should slow down is seen in the old tale of the tortoise and the hare. Of course the hare made the tortoise look like it was taking a cat nap because he was passing the unhurried turtle. Yet even after the rabbit surpassed him, the slow creature was determined to simply finish, even if he was last.  

We need to simply be in an undying race mode, merely having the capability of slowing our quick pace and let the Lord’s hand control our speed. 

This encouraging assessment was delivered from Pastor Mike Buford...it is not very often your Pastor calls you a tortoise. Thanks a lot. 

I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly call in the Messiah Jesus.

Philipppians 3:14 

The Good, the Bad, and the Joy

When God calls you, joy and contentment will be cultivated in your heart.

As advertised by Job, who lost it all and was afflicted with illness, he continued praising the Lord. He exhibited that the key to joyousness is staying strong in God. And that no matter what the affliction is, never curse or turn against the Father.

But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job 2:10

Serenity Now!

“God can’t give us peace and happiness apart from Himself because there is no such thing” -C.S. Lewis.

The word peace is so abundantly used, however, are we all really aware of where this trait comes from?

The world sets different paths before you to find perfect harmony, yet, God is the single path for true tranquility.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heaven burdens, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

A way we can accomplish finding peace is asking our Lord to fill each of our hearts with it and use this virtue to take out the discomforts of life. 

“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul”

It is Well With My Soul

Horatio Spafford

The Wise Man and the Fool

Anger.

The whole world encourages us to let it all out and simply say what we feel.

However, standing up against this powerful emotion would make you appear a touch particular even though this is a Biblically suggested way to live.

Do not merely rant and rave your feelings even though the world’s contrary view of anger supports it. 

Anger only drifts you from the Lord’s viewpoint.

Hold it in, don’t say what you feel, withhold from releasing all your feelings. Be more abundantly encouraged by our Lord and Father.            

The fool vents all his feelings,

but the wise person keeps them to himself.

Proverbs 29:11

Finding the Proper Residence

Find residence in prayer.

"Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart."

Luke 18:1

Jesus told His disciples this parable to encourage them. If we are perpetually speaking to the Almighty we will not see our problems, but be more sensitive in perceiving the Lord's will.

In such an ocean of ruckus you will find consistently peaceful waters when you have faith in Jesus, for there is calmness in prayer. 

We need to focus on following the Lord's will, which we can find when we speak to the Father.

"And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine"

Oceans (Where My Feet May Fall)

Hillsong United

Contamination

A cup of coffee looks delightful placed in front of you. However, a neighbor takes a vial of vulgar toilet water and drips tiny droplets into your freshly brewed coffee, polluting the entire cup.

Looking at this presentation we can see a little dose of water from the ‘John’ defiles the coffee, in the same manner this applies to our lives. 

For if we sustain even a minute amount of sin, it contaminates our whole body and spirit.

"A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough."

Galatians 5:9

And this great thought did not come from my titanium head, but from the great Pastor Mike.

Feast or Famine

Ring ring, the phone is ringing.

You answer and are presented with a question. 

Would you care to live a life as a humming bird, feeding off Jesus Christ with peace at hand.

Or would you prefer to continually browse around as vultures on the quest for the dead. They do nothing but fly around with no power to catch their own feasts, just scavenging for the deceased. 

There is a a simpler life than you having to zoom about searching for contentment. You can be a hummingbird and rest with the power of God, for you can find a never ending supply of nectar with the Lord.    

Not Your Typical Berry

Generally fruit grows on trees and branches, however, humans have a much stronger fruit. With the days given to us from our Lord, all our lives should be rooted in the presence of Jesus. Our core should be strengthened with love, with the same sense of love found in the fruits of the spirit. 

There is a children’s song that you can hum, "The fruits of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Meditate on this when you feel yourself digressing.

Your spirit is not a two story home, you can only chose to be on one level. Either go upstairs where the fruits of the spirits rest or mozy down stairs where you can do whatever you would like with the world.

Our souls are built as a single story house, where we are perpetually called to carry on with our lives bearing the fruits of the spirit. Nevertheless, there is also a face we can not divert from. The bright glowing face of our Lord Jesus Christ, who made it through all this with flying colors.

This face is what your eyes must rest on. 

Love makes its way through to touch each of your hearts, giving you access to these fruits. Not fruits as cherries or berries, but much more prominent one in our lives.

 ^"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Now those who belong to the Messiah Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also be guided."

Galatians 5:22-25