No fear

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

One thing that I can say about being afraid is knowing that if I have someone that I love with me that I know has my back it makes the fear that I have go away. Knowing that if something goes down that I will not be by myself and have to try and get out alone. No matter what the situation I would be able to make it because I have them with me.

HERE IT IS…

God has not given us the spirit of fear! Also, he has given us perfect love in his son Jesus who died for us. Yet we constantly can operate in fear of situations. I don’t believe that it is the fear of the situation but it is of the reaction and rejection of it. But who has the last say? Who is able to change a No into a yes? Who can calm all of our fears? It is God and God alone and when he is with me there is nothing that I cannot do. Because he has already covered me. He has given me the victory already and I’m going to walk in it.

Your gift

““I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Do you remember the best gift you have ever been given? Do you remember what you asked for and actually received it? Now that gift that was the best gift you received, can you tell me where it is now? A lot of times we ask for a gift that we wanted and once we get it we use it for a while and then we lose interest in it or it breaks or we lose it. This is a gift that would only be temporary and we end up forgetting all about it.

HERE IT IS…

What if I told you that we received a gift that we rarely use. We have been given a gift that is continuous and always is there. We have a gift that we can always have. The gift of peace of mind and heart. Then he tells us that we also have the gift of not being afraid because of who God is to us. Use your gift. Hold on to your gift. This gift won’t break. It won’t be taken from you. Your gift is specifically made for you. Use it!

Will you go?

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

One of the best advice my father gave me before I went into the military was, “Don’t volunteer for any GI parties.” What he was saying was that the party that we was invited to was not actually a party but something that usually included doing some work that was disgusting. I will say that I have always been the person to go and serve if anyone needed to have help. Sometimes we are not so eager to go when God ask.

HERE IT IS…

Will you go and serve when God ask? Will you be willing to follow his word without a physical guide? Will you be willing to stay connected to him even when he is quiet on the next set of instructions? We often times want the full details in order to make the choice of whether we will go or not. Are you willing to volunteer or be volun-told? God is calling your name even when the situation seems to be bleak and non-profitable. Will you go?

No superhero needed

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Action movies are my thing to watch. Most notably the avengers and marvel movies. The one that kicked it off for me was Iron man. The whole movie was amazing and great. But for this instance the end of the movie is what gets me. He had just returned from being recovered from behind enemy lines. Gets to his building and was going through a press conference and they were asking him a lot of questions and the very end he reveals in this statement who he is, “I am Iron Man.”

HERE IT IS…

We don’t have to make a public announcement. We don’t have to hold a press conference about God in our life. We have the assurance in knowing that no matter what happens. If God before me, who can be against me. That is all we need to know and say. When situations arise. When things start to go downhill. When obstacles are in our way we know that if God is for us than none of these things will be able to prosper. You don’t need a superhero because you have God who controls all.

Keep doing it

“if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I know as a parent that when my kids asked for something that was a big or expensive there was something I made them do or I looked at first. My go to was the grades. Next was the chores and then after that was the attitude and the way they responded to things. Some of my children started to prep their request by starting to do some of those things before they asked so that I would see what they were doing before they asked.

HERE IT IS…

We ask God to do a lot. Give us a lot. Remove a lot. Yet we expect him to do it without us showing Him that we are willing to do what he asked. We don’t want to be humble. We pray some times. We seek Him when we want something. We turn from our selfish ways when long enough to get what we want. Then return back to what we were doing. Don’t go back to what you used to do because you may cut off the rest of what he has for you.

Stay connected

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I had this debate with a friend of mine and we did a whole segment of it on our podcast (link below). What condiments should be refrigerated or not. There are certain condiments that people either do refrigerate that don’t have to be. Then don’t refrigerate that does need to be. We all have our own opinions but thats where we mess up. Because the way it’s supposed to be done is already printed in the label.

HERE IT IS…

In order to remain fresh and fruitful and tasting and smelling good you have to be connected to something that keeps you that way. Stay connected to God it won’t matter if it is in season or out of season. In a good place. Or in a bad place. Down or up. Left or right. If you stay connected to the vine and read the directions in the Bible about how to take care of it there will be no questions. Just stay connected.

Share

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I love helping people. I absolutely love it and it makes me feel good that I am able to help someone with the skills and gifts that God has given me. I can admit that sometimes in helping people I can get involved to the point I want to make sure they have everything that they need. However, that’s exactly what this scripture talks about. We (I) had to learn to share the burden and not take ownership of the burden. We can at times get involved so much that the other person involved has nothing to do with it and it becomes our issue and burden.

HERE IT IS…

Share the burden, don’t take ownership of it. Share the burden, don’t make it yours. Share the burden, don’t take it from them. We are to obey the law and way of Christ. Not try to become there Christ. We can’t save them but we can definitely point them in the right direction of the one who can. You were not made to be sacrificed, but to be used because of the sacrifice made for you. Share the burden of your neighbor, friend, family. Don’t take ownership of it.

Your blessed

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8:3-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This passage is so descriptive and honest in its comparison of what God has made. Just take a moment and think about it. Better yet, take a moment and watch the sunrise or set. Look out in the night sky and see how the moon sits and the stars align. Isn’t it wonderful? Look at the beach how the waters could over take us but they move back and forth. How the trees continue to grow and seed the earth. How the clouds that form are never the same. Yet he created us in his image.

HERE IT IS…

The Bible says that he delights in us and we are his greatest creation. Yet when I look around I see so many wonders that are untouched by human hands and are a marvel. Yet we are his greatest creation. He continues to give us a day that we can lift him up. He gives us his name to speak every time we breath. He gives us a heart that beats with out mechanical assistance. He gives us so many things that we don’t see. If your wondering about all the stuff you don’t have. Look around and see what he has given you. You are blessed.

His plan

“There are many devices in a man’s heart; Nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The heart works as two pumps, one on the right and one on the left, working simultaneously. Blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle, and then is pumped to the lungs to receive oxygen. From the lungs, the blood flows to the left atrium, then to the left ventricle. From there it goes into systematic circulation. That’s how the heart works and distributes our blood. While simply explained there is a lot of intricate details at work. Could you imagine having to make a plan to make your heart work?

HERE IT IS…

NLT version says it like this; “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19:21‬ ‭NLT‬‬
We have so many things we want and plan to do and ultimately try to make them work. We have so many different things we have in our minds and hearts that mean a lot to us but seem to miss the mark getting them done the way we want. Just like your heart we would die if we were left to make it beat. But again it’s God whose wonderful and masterful plan that prevails. Follow his plan and allow him to lead you. If we allow him to work like we do our heart and not interfere everything will go smoothly and not miss or skip a beat.

In the midst

“The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”
‭‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I have a handful of friends that I know will go with me to war. I know of a the same handful of friends that will be in the thick of things with me. Even if it’s my fault they will ride with me and get me afterwards. They will celebrate with me. They will cry with me. They will be there with me and protect me and rejoice with me in all that I do. I thank God for these friends that I have.

HERE IT IS…

Out of those handful of friends I only know of one that went to battle for me before I was able to walk. I only know of one friend that sticks closer than a brother. I know of one friend that took my wrong doings and made them white as snow. And even now my friend will be in the midst of all my issues and still love me. Who died for me. His name is Jesus. He has been there for me in everything and in every way. Thank God for Jesus.