How Thankful Are We

Although God is discussed by most people, they fail to learn the significance of how to embrace Him, yet the importance of the power of hope, seem to overcome them by bitterness and cynicism. What we pray for indicates our spiritual maturity. David, in Psalm 27:4 NLB, “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.” David sought the presence of God in his life. God’s presence will give everything we need, read Matthew 6:33. Philippians 1:9, Paul prayed the church would walk in love, and he also prayed in Ephesians 3:16 that we would be spiritually strong. Listening to our prayers will tell us what is important to us not God. If we are praying for stuff and not an ever lasting relationship with God and staying in His presence, we rob ourselves of the practice of His love and becoming spiritually strong. A writer once wrote, “Thankfulness depends on what is in our heart, not what is in our hand.” Our situation may seem hopeless sometimes, but whatever we are going through it is God’s will that we thank Him for all things and getting us through the tough times. Let us rise every morning to thank and praise God for another day of opportunity to serve Him, because in Him we move and have our being. We are His most prized possession. Be thankful no matter what and see how God will move on our behalf. Step by step we all get to where God need us whether it is to give or receive, if we let Him lead!

Happiness

I had a man ask me this question, “how can a person be happy when there is so much negative stuff going on?” “People always want you to be happy but doesn’t tell you how.” Happiness is a choice. Paul wrote in Philippians 4: 8, 9, Living Bible – “Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.” Being unhappy is a form of loneliness, which is oppressive. At one time in our life we go through some form of depression and that seems to be the darkest times of all. When this happens you face unknown territory. In this spiritual realm, you will experience fear, anger, pain, (physical and mental), and loneliness. This is the best time to get to know God, and let Him show you who He says you are to Him. Don’t stay where you are now, take the word of God and hide yourself in it. Take one daily step at a time. God speaks to us in our loneliness. God may even allow loneliness as an invitation to seek Him, draw near to Him. God reveals Himself in many ways. Loneliness is not a time of dissolution or desertion; it is a time to encounter a new level of life that only God can bring you through. That empty place in your heart, that dry and barren emotion, gets God’s attention. God yearns to fill our hearts with Himself. Too often we try to fill the desires of our hearts with things of this world hoping they will make us happy. These attempts to replace God only put us in a deeper state of depression and confusion, and we become even lonelier than before. When you find yourself facing loneliness, make this an opportunity to make Jesus your best friend. John 15: 15 NIV – “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” If you don’t know this Jesus, all you have to do is believe He is the true Son of God, and ask Him to forgive you of all sin in your life and be the Lord and Savior of your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to come and stay with you, teach you God’s word, and help you walk in the presence of God all day, everyday. AMEN Glynnis Whitwer wrote, “God has a purpose for loneliness. If we can learn from it, rather than resent it, I believe we will find a life-long Friend who will never leave us lonely." Therefore, I am asking you to spend at least five minutes sitting in the presence of God. Invite Him to be real to you, and listen for His voice. What will you do to be a better friend to God? Matthew 6:33 NIV – “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Do not wait until you are feeling desperate and feeling worthless before you try Him, start today. When you start to inch your way toward Him, all the time He is running to you. His word lets you know you are His pride and joy, you are the head and not the tail. He sent Jesus to die so that we may have life and have it more abundantly. You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood. We all face problems, but that is our spiritual journey to gain wisdom, knowledge, and spiritual strength. Shalom!

The World and it's System

With a broken heart I write: The Recession is forcing more and more people on the streets; companies in effort to keep their cost down and executive salaries a float; have forced the non-ranking employees out of work to avoid decent wages, the high cost of medical coverage and to avoid paying unemployment insurance. People who used to earn a six figure income are force to work for $7.25 to $14.00 per hour, and that’s just to keep food in the house. Most have taken on a second job in an attempt to pay their mortgage and transportation back and forth to work. Then there are some people who have taken lower paying jobs, and have given up their cars to use the public transit system to get to back and forth to work, some even car pool if possible. Those who have lost their homes live in their vehicles, abandoned sheds, some even put their belongings in storage and make enough room for living space, and when the storage business office has left for the day they go back and stay in their storage space for the night. The soup lines are getting longer and longer. Churches are being stopped from serving breakfast or any meal for that matter to those who are bussed in or walk in for a hot meal. These churches not only serve a hot meal but offer hot showers and a change of clothes. One gentleman was quoted from a news interview, “We don’t want those people in our neighborhood. We live in million dollar homes and we want to keep our neighborhood clean, we don’t want these people walking around here. We don’t feel safe; let the Salvation Army feed them.” Therefore, this man and his neighbors got a court order to stop not just the church in his neighborhood from serving food, but other churches as well. People I know are getting payday loans, title loans on their cars to pay rent and help buy food. The loan sharks are making bank on the desperate needs of those who feel they have no other recourse. Several friends of mine are facing eviction. One couple facing eviction has a son in junior college and a daughter in grade school. The husband who was making a six figure income is now working for less than 30 thousand dollars a year to help make ends meet, his wife went to work and now her hours have been cut to 20 hours a week, so she took on a second job while her husband is working on getting his degree. They feel the only way they can get ahead is for him to get a higher education. This family has always been frugal with their money and helping those who had a need, they went to their local church and they offered them $50.00 to help pay their rent. My other friend is a single female who works with people who have physical, mental or both disabilities. She worked for an agency who would send her and others to various locations that needed someone to stay with their family members, and when the agency’s customers had to cut back, so did the agency. Therefore, leaving her without a job and causing her to lose her apartment; she now lives in a friend’s garage. There is a couple who are very close friends of mine, whose husband is out of work. They are three months behind in their rent and have given their car back, and are facing eviction. Having to give up the vehicle has forced the wife to catch rides to and from work. And again, these people went to their local church and either they could do nothing, or they offered them $50.00, and were given a phone number to contact a community referral service for help. Now if you read James 2:14-17 below, you will see that this is not how we should operate as Kingdom Citizens. It is not just our faith, but also our good deeds and works. James 2: 14-17 The Living Bible 14 Dear brothers, what’s the use of saying that you have faith and you are Christians if you aren’t proving it by helping others? Will that kind of faith save anyone? 15 If you have a friend who is in need of food and clothing, 16 And you say to him, “well, good bye and God bless you; stay warm eat hearty, “and then don’t give him clothes or food, what good does that do? 17 so you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have it. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good works is no faith at all-it is dead and useless. For so long we have talked about using our faith, when in reality working our faith gives us results. Faith without works is dead. Is it not enough that those who have very little, should be judged about not tithing or giving enough? That’s not to say we shouldn’t tithe, for the widow’s mite gave all she had, and I put emphasis on all she had. Which means she gave everything, there was nothing left to give. We can not despise those who have given all they have, Jesus didn’t that is why the widow was acknowledge for what she could give. However, Churches have used tithing as a way to determine who should receive assistant and who should not. When asked if they have a Benevolent Fund to help their people, they all but laugh in your face, and with a haughty spirit will tell you that if you don’t give you get nothing, funny how they did not shun you when you were able to give. So giving five, ten, or twenty dollars now does not matter, but Jesus mentioned the widow when she gave all she had. When these people went to their church and ask for help, they felt as though they were being judged and made to feel they no longer were of any value. I say it is time we all stand up and help one another and no longer depend on the government and our churches to meet the physical needs of the people. God is our source, yes, but we are the resource in helping each other. Will you help? What is God speaking to your heart?

Encouraged

Isaiah 55:12 (Amplified Bible) 12For you shall go out [from the spiritual exile caused by sin and evil into the homeland] with joy and be led forth [by your Leader, the Lord Himself, and His word] with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Ephesians 6:13Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].

There are so many things in our lives whch cause us to almost be distracted when we are leaning on God to answer our prayers. We know that the warfare we are in has nothing to do with man but the wicked things in high places, the dark sprits that serve satan and his kingdom. But those of us who rely on God and the power of His word are like trees planted by the water, we shall not be moved. We may be shaken by the winds of life, but we will stand firm and praise God during the time of shaking! We shal be like the trees of the field, and clap our hands

Today again I walk by faith. My husband has been out of work and my paycheck is the only income except for my husbands handyman income, which does not cover all the bills especially the rent. Our landlord told us we have until this Friday November 6, 2009 to move. The amount needed is $2,600.00 and we are still believing God. We have no other choice but to wait for God's direction to either lead us to someone who has a willing heart and has been praying to God to direct them to someone in need or to another place to live. I am a 61 year lady who can do nothing but trust God. I know He has not forsaken us. My husband has a tumor in his back and cannot lift heavy items. All look hopeless, but my God can do anything but fail. Therefore, I praise Him in my valley just like I have praised Him from my mountain tops. I know He has and will supply our need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus. I thank God in the name of Jesus that all our needs are met, we are out of debt by faith. I thank God will take the limits off release to accomplish what we have promised Him. Release me, no boundaries, I see increase all around me, strength forth, break forth, release me, Lord I that you for increasing my territories. No Limits! Increase in our walk and in our finances. Tank the limits off! Thank you Jesus!