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.