Do you have a safety net?

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8 (NIV)

"Encouraging someone else doesn't always mean giving a pep talk or words of wisdom. Sometimes the best kind of encouragement is just sitting in silence - waiting and weeping with a friend."

As a pastor, I see situations daily that nobody should ever have to go through alone. Nobody should ever have to wait in the hospital while a loved one is in life-or-death surgery. No woman should ever have to wait alone for the lab report on a problem pregnancy. Nobody should ever have to wait for news from a battlefield alone. Nobody should ever have to stand at the edge of an open grave alone. Nobody should ever have to spend the first night alone when their spouse has just walked out.

Life's tough times and tragedies are inevitable - each of us will face them. But we don't need to go through them alone. We need God's safety net to help hold us up through these difficult times.

What is God's safety net? It is a group of other believers - a handful of people who are really committed to you. We call this kind of group a community. Here's God's plan for community: "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it" (1 Corinthians 12:26 NIV). Community is God's answer to despair.

Romans 12:15 expresses a similar idea: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" (NIV).

The first part of that verse is easy. When something good happens to someone, it's often easy to join in on the party.

But when someone is having a tough time, it can seem more difficult. But, really, it's simple. When you're going through a crisis, you don't want advice; you just want somebody to be there - to sit with you, hold your hand, put an arm around your shoulder, or cry with you.

As Paul tells us, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up" (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV). Encouraging someone else doesn't always mean giving a pep talk or words of wisdom. Sometimes the best kind of encouragement is just sitting in silence - waiting and weeping with a friend.

Do you have a safety net - a group of fellow Christians you know you can count on in life's toughest times? If not, go out today and begin building those friendships. The hard times in life are inevitable, and only a fool would go into them unprepared.

Memo from God

I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help. If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. It will be addressed in My time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold on to it or remove it. Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem. If it is a situation that you think you are capable of handling, please consult me in prayer to be sure that it is the proper resolution. Because I do not sleep nor do I slumber, there is no need for you to lose any sleep. Rest my child. If you need to contact me, I am only a prayer away.

Be happy with what you have:

Should you find it hard to get to sleep tonight, just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in.

Should you find yourself stuck in traffic, don't despair: There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work, think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone badly, think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend, think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance, think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror, think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking, "What is my purpose?", be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities, remember: things could be worse. You could be them!
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest and bring back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you. He will never give up on you.

Never regret a day in your life.
Good days give you happiness;
bad days give you experiences;
both are essential to life

God made you to work with others

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

"As you walk through life, remember that you're not supposed to do everything on your own. You need other people to walk alongside you, but you also need other people to work alongside you."

God put us on earth to do a certain work that only we can do. Ephesians says that God made us to do good works and that he planned in advance what we would live our lives doing. However, he didn't plan for us to do that work alone. We need people to work with us.

You know the feeling you get when you do too much work on your own. You get exhausted and burned out. Why? Because you're trying to do your work alone, while God never meant for you to go through life working alone.

God tells us in Ecclesiastes 4:9 that "two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together" (NCV). When you work as a team, you get so much more done. Plus, having good teammates alongside you is a whole lot more fun and less tiring!

Picture this: Individually, each of us is like a snowflake; on our own, we can't make a big difference. However, when one fragile snowflake sticks together with a lot of other snowflakes, they can stop traffic. Like snowflakes, we can make a big difference if we work together, each one of us doing only our small part.

Did you know that when we work together here on earth, we're actually practicing for eternity? In heaven, we will all have to work, but each of us will have just a small piece of work, so we'll never get overloaded or tired. Still, though no one will carry a heavy burden as each one of us does our small part, all the work will get done.

As you walk through life, remember that you're not supposed to do everything on your own. You need other people to walk alongside you, but you also need other people to work alongside you. As you share the burden of your work with fellow Christians, you'll find that you actually accomplish more for the glory of God.

Walking with each other

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Colossians 2:6-7 (NLT)

"God hates loneliness, and community is God’s answer to loneliness. When we walk alongside other people, we find a community where we learn how to love. "

The Bible often compares life to a walk, because life is a journey; we’re not sitting still. Throughout the New Testament, we are told to walk in wisdom, love, light, and obedience. We’re told to walk as Jesus walked. We’re also told to walk alongside other people. Here are three reasons to walk with other people:

* It’s safer. Have you ever walked alone at night through a dark alley or down a lonely country road? It’s a little scary. But if you have another person with you, you immediately feel safer.

* It’s supportive. Life is not a fifty-yard dash; it’s a marathon. Walking with other people gives you the energy to keep on going until the end.

* It’s smarter. You learn more by walking with others than by walking alone. If you’re walking alone in the wrong direction, you may never realize it. But if you have a friend alongside you, one of you is likely to recognize you’ve veered off the path and need to find the right direction.

We also learn some important lessons when we walk alongside other people. We learn how to get along with others, how to cooperate.

We also learn how to love. Genesis 2:18 tells us, “It is not good for the man to be alone”(NIV). God hates loneliness, and community is God’s answer to loneliness. When we walk alongside other people, we find a community where we learn how to love.
.
Walking alongside other people also teaches us hospitality. 1 Peter 4:9 says, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling”(NIV). What’s your grumble? What’s your excuse for not opening your home to friends?

Maybe you’ve said, “My home is dirty!”

Well, clean it up!

Or perhaps your excuse is: “My home isn’t big enough.”

Can you put three people in it? Jesus says, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20 NIV).

Everybody has a longing for belonging because God made us for relationships. When we walk alongside other Christians in community, we find that longing satisfied.

Servants serve with what they have

If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NLT)

"At Saddleback Church, we practice the “good enough” principle: It doesn’t have to be perfect for God to use and bless it. We would rather involve thousands of regular folks in ministry than have a perfect church run by a few elites."

Real servants do their best with what they have. Servants don’t make excuses, procrastinate, or wait for better circumstances. Servants never say, “One of these days” or “When the time is right.” They just do what needs to be done.

The Bible says, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done” (Ecclesiastes 11:4 NLT).

God expects you to do what you can, with what you have, wherever you are. Less-than-perfect service is always better than the best intention.

One reason many people never serve is that they fear they are not good enough to serve. They have believed the lie that serving God is only for superstars. Some churches have fostered this myth by making “excellence” an idol, which makes people of average talent hesitant to get involved.

You may have heard it said, “If it can’t be done with excellence, don’t do it.” Well, Jesus never said that! The truth is, almost everything we do is done poorly when we first start doing it — that’s how we learn.

At Saddleback Church, we practice the “good enough” principle: It doesn’t have to be perfect for God to use and bless it. We would rather involve thousands of regular folks in ministry than have a perfect church run by a few elites.

God is real, no matter how you feel

The Lord has hidden himself from his people, but I trust him and place my hope in him. Isaiah 8:17

"To mature your friendship, God will test it with periods of seeming separation—times when it feels as if he has abandoned or forgotten you."

It is easy to worship God when things are going great in your life—when he has provided food, friends, family, health, and happy situations. But circumstances are not always pleasant. How do you worship God then? What do you do when God seems a million miles away?

The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of pain, thanking God during a trial, trusting him when tempted, surrendering while suffering, and loving him when he seems distant.

Friendships are often tested by separation and silence; you are divided by physical distance or you are unable to talk. In your friendship with God, you won't always feel close to him.

Philip Yancey has wisely noted, "Any relationship involves times of closeness and times of distance, and in a relationship with God, no matter how intimate, the pendulum will swing from one side to the other." (Reaching for the Invisible God; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000, 242)

That's when worship gets difficult.

To mature your friendship, God will test it with periods of seeming separation—times when it feels as if he has abandoned or forgotten you. God feels a million miles away. St. John of the Cross referred to these days of spiritual dryness, doubt, and estrangement from God as "the dark night of the soul." Henri Nouwen called them "the ministry of absence." A. W. Tozer called them "the ministry of the night." Others refer to "the winter of the heart."

Besides Jesus, David probably had the closest friendship with God of anyone. God took pleasure in calling him "a man after my own heart." (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22)

Yet David frequently complained of God's apparent absence:

* "Lord, why are you standing aloof and far away? Why do you hide when I need you the most?" (Psalm 10:1, LB)

* "Why have you forsaken me? Why do you remain so distant? Why do you ignore my cries for help?" (Psalm 22:1, NLT)

* "Why have you abandoned me?" (Psalm 43:2, TEV; see also Psalms 44:23, TEV; 74:11, TEV; Psalms 88:14, Msg; Psalms 89:49, LB)

Of course, God hadn't really left David, and he doesn't leave you. He has promised repeatedly, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

(Deuteronomy 31:8; Psalm 37:28; John 14:16-18; Hebrews 13:5)

Red Marbles

During the waning years of the depression in a small southeastern Idaho community, I used to stop by Brother Miller's roadside stand for farm fresh produce as the season made it available. Food and money were still extremely scarce and bartering was used extensively.

One particular day Brother Miller was bagging some new potatoes for me. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Brother Miller and the ragged boy next to me. "Hello Barry, how are you today?" "H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas.....sure look good." "They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?" "Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time." "Good.

Anything I can help you with?" "No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas." "Would you like to take some home?" "No, Sir. Got nuthin ' to pay for 'em with." "Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?" "All I got's my prize marble here." "Is that right? Let me see it". " Here 'tis." " She's a dandy. I can see that. Hmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?" "Not 'zackley.....but, almost." "Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble." "Sure will."

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said: "There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, perhaps."

I left the stand, smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Utah but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys and their bartering.

Several years went by each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Brother Miller had died. They were having his viewing that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them.

Upon our arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts ...very professional looking.

They approached Mrs. Miller, standing smiling and composed, by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary, awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and mentioned the story she had told me about the marbles. Eyes glistening she took my hand and led me to the casket. "Those three young men, that just left, were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them.

Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size...they came to pay their debt. "We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world," she confided, "but, right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho."

With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three, magnificently shiny, red marbles.

We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds.

Thriving Every Day

"...I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance, to the full, till it overflows" (John 10:10 AMP).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

God doesn't want you to live with a "barely-get-by" attitude. He has new seasons of increase in front of you. He wants you to thrive, to live an abundant, overflowing life. Sometimes when things seem difficult, it's easy to slip into a "survival mode." When times get tough, it's tempting to just hunker down and settle where you are. If you're not careful, you'll develop a survival mentality that will keep you from growing and releasing your faith. You'll be happy just to "break even." But as God's children, we're not supposed to just break even; we're supposed to break through to a new level! We're supposed to believe for more of God's favor, increase, and promotion no matter what is happening in the world around us. Make up your mind today that no matter how difficult things seem, you are going to thrive every day! Take hold of God's promises and declare that you are rising higher. As you continue to expect His favor and increase, you'll see His hand of blessing in your life, and you will thrive and live in victory all the days of your life.

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, thank You for giving me life. I choose today to agree with Your Word which says I can thrive and enjoy my life to the full. Help me see Your hand at work more and more each day. I bless You and give You praise. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Camouflage

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Hebrews 4:13

We were on the back porch. A holiday morning, not much stirring yet. I was slowly waking, cradling my steaming coffee mug, when my husband asked, "Do you see what's in the tree there?"

I strained to look, and all I saw was healthy, green fronds. I noticed how tall the coconut palm was getting. But I didn't see what he was talking about.

"Sit here", he said. "There's something blocking your view over there."

Perfectly camouflaged, the iguana lay draped over a top branch. I zoomed in the lens, and was once-again amazed, at the mimic, nature can come up with.

"He's so concealed by his coloring and marks", I thought. However, Ben saw him, then I did as well. Sometimes I cover things up, put a smokescreen over them. But nothing in all of this world, including my heart, is hidden from God. Our very thoughts are known to Him, and they are not even a surprise.

He doesn't say, "Hmmmm, imagine that, what she's thinking"... .or, "Gee, look what he just did!" No news to the Lord, who knew us before we were even born (Psalm 139).

And, He loves us anyway. You may have heard this, and it is true: there is nothing you could ever do that would make God love you more, and there is nothing you could ever do that would make God love you less. He loves you. Period. Forever. Unconditionally. Just as you are. Forever and ever. That is definitely good news.

Sally I. Kennedy, (c)2008

You are An Example

"Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

You are God's representative in this earth. When you follow the Word of God and allow Him to work in your life, you are letting your light shine. When you are good to people and show them kindness, even when they don't deserve it, you are shining your light. When you smile and keep a good attitude, even when things don't go your way, you are setting an example so that people will glorify God in heaven. Notice this scripture says, "they will see your good works..." People aren't impressed by our knowledge or what we say, people are drawn to God by our good works. Ask the Lord to show you ways to share His goodness with others. Look for opportunities to let your light shine everywhere you go - at home, at work, in the grocery store, at the gym. There's always an opportunity to be an example of God's goodness. As you do, it will bring honor and glory to God; and when you honor Him, He always honors you. He will continue to pour out His abundant blessing in every area of your life.

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, thank You for trusting me to be Your representative in the earth. Show me ways to reflect Your goodness to others. Use me today everywhere I go for Your glory. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Cast Your Cares

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you" (I Peter 5:7).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

God cares so much about you today. Not only does He love and care about you, He cares about the things that concern you as well. If you have concerns, worry or anxiety about something in your life today; finances, relationships, your job or anything else, know that your Heavenly Father already has a plan to take care of those things for you. It’s a good plan, and He wants to show Himself strong on your behalf. The scripture reminds us that the lilies of the field and the birds of the air are cared for, how much more will your Heavenly Father take care of you? Make the decision today to cast all of your anxiety on Him by choosing to trust that He is going to take care of you. Refuse to dwell on your problems and don’t allow them to steal your peace and joy any longer. Instead, choose to meditate on His Word and confess God’s promises over your life. As you cast your cares on Him, you’ll experience His peace and joy, and you will live the life of blessing He has in store for you.

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, thank You for caring for me. I choose today to cast my cares on You and trust that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf. I bless and magnify You today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Receive His Mercy

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. – Psalm 136:1

God's mercy endures forever! His willingness to act on man's behalf is still operating in the earth. His mercy never runs out. Neither has it abated or weakened.

"Praise the Lord! His mercy endureth forever!" Mighty and powerful things happened when Israel said these words. They are words of praise and adoration to God.

When Solomon finished building the house of the Lord, the trumpeters and singers lifted their voices as one, and with trumpets, cymbals, and instruments of music, they praised the Lord saying, "For He is good: for His mercy endureth forever."

Jehoshaphat appointed singers unto the Lord to go before the army and say, "Praise the Lord! For His mercy endureth forever."

It has been thousands of years since the Lord said His mercy extended to a thousand generations, and His mercy continues to reach you day after day. He is still plenteous in mercy unto them that call upon Him. With your spirit, dare to stretch your faith to take in the boundless mercy of God. And say with your mouth, "The Lord He is good and His mercy endureth forever. His mercy surrounds me even today!"

Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 5:1-14

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Avoid Strife

“ It is an honor for a man to cease from strife ” (Proverbs 20:3)

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Strife is a very destructive force. It can creep into relationships by starting small, maybe through a comment or a wrong look from someone, and can then escalate into something much bigger. But when you choose to cease from strife and overlook an offense, you are acting honorably, and you are honoring God. How do you avoid strife? The Bible tells us that love covers over many offenses. It means that you give people the benefit of the doubt. You consider what they may be going through over how they reacted to you. Maybe someone was short with you at the office, but they may have a loved one in the hospital, or they may have some other concern. Instead of getting upset, walk in love—be patient, be kind to them. Choose to avoid strife. Look for ways to walk in unity with the people in your life. The Bible says that He has commanded the blessing when we walk and live in unity. Choose unity today and watch the hand of the Lord move mightily on your behalf!

A Prayer for Today

Father God, today I choose Your ways. I invite Your plan to unfold in my life. Help me to avoid strife so I can walk in peace and unity and honor you all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

He Meets Your Needs

"God will supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Aren't you glad we serve a God who promises to supply all our needs! When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and follow His commands, you have access to God and everything He is; peace, provision, protection and more. That means no matter what is happening in the world today, as you obey God's Word, your needs will be met. No matter what is going on with the economy, gas prices, or housing market, God is still your Source; and if your Source is okay, then you are okay, too. Rest assured there is no lack in heaven. Not only is God able to meet your needs, He wants to meet your needs. It gives Him great pleasure to bless and prosper you. Begin to expect that God is working behind the scenes on your behalf. Look for His hand of provision in your life and praise Him for His faithfulness. As you do your part, God will do His part. He will open the windows of heaven and pour out His abundant blessing on every area of your life.

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, thank You for Your provision in my life. Thank You for loving me and guiding me. I trust that You are meeting every one of my needs today. Help me to follow Your commands that I may honor You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Strong On Your Behalf

"The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal toward Him" (II Chronicles 16:9).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

God wants to show Himself strong on your behalf! He's looking for hearts that are faithful to Him. He wants to amaze you with His goodness, and make you an example of His faithfulness—especially when everything around you seems difficult. It's not much of a stretch to believe for blessing and promotion when everyone is being blessed. When everything is going great around you, it's easy for people to look at your life and say, "Oh, that's just because the economy is strong and we live in a land of abundance." But when things don't look so good and you prosper anyway, that's a greater testimony to the world. People will know that it makes a difference to serve the Most High God! Keep your heart turned toward God and expect increase even if things look difficult. Remember, God wants to show Himself strong on your behalf. He is building a testimony in you. He wants to pour out His abundant blessing and fulfill every dream and desire in your heart to His glory!

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, thank You for Your goodness and desire to show Yourself strong on my behalf. I invite You to work in my life. Keep my heart and mind close to You always. I bless Your Holy Name. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Let It Flow

Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. – John 4:14

Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Gentleness. Goodness. Faith. Meekness. Temperance. Powerful forces the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit. They're the character traits of God Himself and when the Holy Spirit came to dwell in you, He brought them with Him, so they could become your character traits too.

They're designed to bubble up inside you, to gush forth like a powerful stream constantly protecting and cleansing you from the inside out.

Have you ever noticed that you can't put any trash in the mouth of a flowing fountain? When it's shooting that water up, the force of its own outflow protects it and keeps it clear of any impurities from the outside. Well, the spiritual fountain within you works the same way. When you're allowing the forces of love and joy and peace and gentleness and all the others to flow out, the devil can't get any of his junk in.

How do you keep the Spirit flowing? You pump your heart so full of the Word of God that the forces of eternal life start bubbling out. Just a little at first...and then stronger and higher.

Choose to keep those forces streaming out of the fountain of your heart. Refuse to let selfishness and sin stop the flow. You have a fountain filled with unbeatable LIFE forces inside you and it's ready to come forth. Let it flow!

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 17:7-13

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Completely Satisfied

“Blessed, fortunate, happy and spiritually prosperous…are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, uprightness and right standing with God, for they shall be completely satisfied” (Matthew 5:6 AMP).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

God longs to pour out his abundant blessing on every area of your life. He wants you to live completely satisfied. When you hunger and thirst for righteousness--God’s way of doing things--then you will live in complete satisfaction. You direct your hunger by choosing what you focus on. For example, if you focus on your favorite food, if you start thinking about it early in the morning, and all throughout the day, chances are, by the end of the day you’ll be eating it! What you give your attention to, you will desire. In the same way, the more you give your attention to God and His Word, the more you will hunger for Him. Just like the scripture promises, when you hunger for righteousness, you will be completely satisfied. The world offers so many things for you to give your attention to, but they aren’t things that will satisfy. You might think you want a particular car, or certain clothes, or live in a particular neighborhood. There’s nothing wrong with those things, but understand that “things” won’t ever satisfy you. Recognize that only God will satisfy you. As you hunger for Him, you’ll live in peace and blessing and live completely satisfied all the days of your life!

A Prayer for Today

Father in Heaven, I come to You today, I ask for forgiveness for allowing anything to capture my heart and attention more than You. I choose today to give You top priority, and choose to hunger for Your righteousness. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The Power of Peace

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

No matter what may be going on all around you today, you can still live in peace. The scripture encourages us to not let our hearts be troubled. In other words, don’t meditate on all the negative things in this world to the point that it steals your peace. If you have fear, worry or anxiety about anything, recognize that those feelings aren’t from God because He has promised to give you a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. There is tremendous power in peace. When you are at peace internally, you can think more clearly. You can hear the voice of God more easily. You’ll make better decisions. Even your physical body responds to peace. The enemy knows this, and his goal is to steal your peace. He tries to set you up to get upset. But when you choose to receive God’s peace, then no weapon formed against you shall prosper. You can live in peace, you can live in joy, and you can live the abundant life God has for you.

A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gift of peace in my life. I choose to receive Your peace in my heart and hold it close to me always. I receive Your Word as truth and life to my soul. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Rest for Your Soul

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

God wants to give you rest. He wants to refresh and restore your soul, which is your mind, will and emotions. It’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life, and before long, your mind, will and emotions are so “spun up” that you can barely think straight! But even among the hustle of life, you can find rest, ease and relaxation. God wants you to enjoy your life. That’s why He tells us to come to Him. When you understand that God wants to take care of everything that concerns you, you will be able to find rest. Imagine that someone came up to you today and said, “Give me all your monthly bills, I’m going to pay them.” You’d get pretty excited, wouldn’t you? But it wouldn’t happen until you did your part to give that person your bills. They couldn’t pay them for you if you never release them. In the same way, when we release our cares and concerns to God, He promises to take care of them. Choose today to release your cares to the Lord. As you do, you’ll find that rest that He promises, and you’ll live the abundant life He has for you!

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, today I humbly come to you. I choose to cast my cares on You so that I can live in Your rest. Thank You for Your goodness to me. Help me find ways to share Your goodness with those around me today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The Benefits of Being in God’s Family

Since you are his child, everything he has belongs to you - Galatians 4:7 (NLT)

The moment you were spiritually born into God’s family, you were given some astounding birthday gifts : the family name, the family likeness, family privileges, family intimate access, and the family inheritance!

The New Testament gives great emphasis to our rich “inheritance.” It tells us, “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NIV). As children of God we get to share in the family fortune. Here on earth we are given the riches of his grace, kindness, patience, glory, wisdom, power, and mercy.

But in eternity we will inherit even more.

Paul said, “I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people” (Ephesians 1:18 NLT). What exactly does that inheritance include?

· First, we will get to be with God forever.

· Second, we will completely change to be like Christ.

· Third, we will be freed from all pain, death, and suffering.

· Fourth, we will be rewarded and reassigned positions of service.

· Fifth, we will get to share in Christ’s glory.

What an inheritance! You are far richer than you realize.

The Bible says, “God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay” (1 Peter 1:4 NLT).

This means that your eternal inheritance is priceless, pure, permanent, and protected. No one can take it from you; it can’t be destroyed by war, a poor economy, or a natural disaster.

This eternal inheritance, not retirement, is what you should be looking forward to and working for. Paul says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward” (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV).

A Word From Billy Graham ?

The Bible says, "All we like sheep have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6). Man is like sheep. We wander around blind; we get lost. We're lost from God. We've strayed from God.

Jesus tells a story of a lost sheep. This farmer had 99 sheep that were safe, but one had wandered away. He was lost. So this shepherd decided that he was going to go after the one lost sheep. After much searching, he found the sheep. And he called all of his friends together, and they rejoiced because he had found the sheep (Luke 15:4-6). Are you that one lost sheep? Jesus Christ would have died on the cross if no one had been lost but you. God loves you and He's searching for you.

The shepherd lives with his sheep. He gives them food and protection and security. Jesus said, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). Whatever happens, however sick you may get—you may lose a child, you may lose a father or a mother—Jesus is with you. You're the sheep; He's the shepherd. He loves you, and He gave His life for you. When He died on the cross, God took all of our sins and laid them on Him.

Devotional Prayer:
Lord, we thank You for sending Jesus to find us when we had wandered far from You. Help us to stay close to you as we seek out those who are still lost and need to hear of the salvation that you offer them through Christ. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

God often lets problems become impossibilities

"At that time we were completely overwhelmed, the burden was more than we could bear, in fact we told ourselves that this was the end. Yet we believe now that we had this experience of coming to the end of our tether that we might learn to trust, not in ourselves, but in God who can raise the dead." 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (PH)

"When you face a dead end, you may start asking, "What's going on, God? Did I miss your will?" Keep in mind that dead ends are part of God's plan for you."

When the pursuit of your dream deteriorates from difficult to impossible; when the situation looks hopeless, congratulations! You're in good company.

Even Paul went through dead ends: "At that time we were completely overwhelmed, the burden was more than we could bear, in fact we told ourselves that this was the end. Yet we believe now that we had this experience of coming to the end of our tether that we might learn to trust, not in ourselves, but in God who can raise the dead." (2 Corinthians 1:8-9 PH)

If God can raise people physically, he can raise people who are dead emotionally. He can raise a dead marriage. He can resurrect a dead career. He can resurrect you from a health problem. If God can raise the dead, he can do anything.

In Abraham's situation, God said, "I want you to become the father of a nation," but then Abraham had to wait until he was ninety-nine years old before he had his first child. The Bible shows Abraham's situation going from difficult to impossible. He looks at his body and says, "No way!" Then he looks at his wife and says, "Double no way!"

But Sarah got pregnant and they laughed about it. When the baby was born, they named him Isaac, which means laughter.

God often lets problems become impossibilities. The disciples planned to follow Jesus. They thought he was the Messiah, but then the next thing they know Jesus is hanging on the cross, dying. Was this a dead end for the disciples? For three days it seemed that way, but then Jesus walked out of the tomb.

When you face a dead end, you may start asking, "What's going on, God? Did I miss your will? Your plan? Have I missed your vision?" Keep in mind that dead ends are part of God's plan for you.

What's the best response to a dead end? "He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and He will deliver us; we have placed our hope in Him that He will deliver us again." (2 Corinthians 1:10 HCSB)

Watch and Pray

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." – Matthew 26:41

Have you ever been frustrated with the weaknesses of your flesh? Have you ever resolved never more to yield to a particular sin, yet when the temptation came, you fell right back into it?

It's happened to all of us. Even the disciple Peter. He swore he would never deny Jesus...but he did it anyway, time and time and time again.

There is, however, something we can do to keep from falling prey to temptations like that. We can "watch and pray." That's what Jesus told Peter and the other disciples to do in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew they were about to be tempted, and He knew that the weakness of their flesh would overcome them if they didn't strengthen their spirits through prayer.

That's true for you and me too. That's why in Jude 20 and 21, God tells us much the same thing that Jesus told the disciples that night. He says, "But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith... praying in the Holy Spirit: Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God" (The Amplified Bible). God knows even better than we do that our flesh has been trained to flow with the world's stream. He knows that even though our born again spirits are reaching for God, our untrained flesh will always have a tendency to fall into sin.

So, He's given us the ability to pray in other tongues, to strengthen our spirit and build it up until it takes ascendancy over our flesh. As we pray in the Spirit, Romans 8:26 tells us, the "(Holy) Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf" (The Amplified Bible).

Is it any wonder the Apostle Paul said, "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all!" (1 Cor. 14:18). It is one of the most powerful tools God has given us.

So don't neglect to use it. Follow the instruction in Ephesians 6:18 and pray "always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit...watching thereunto with all perseverance."

Don't make the mistake that Peter made. When temptation comes to your door, don't let it catch you sleeping. Be prepared. Make sure your spirit is strong enough to rise above it.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:30-44

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

God will not fulfill your dream immediately

"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!" Habakkuk 2:3 (LB)

"We all have to go through these waiting periods. Even Jesus waited for thirty years in the carpenter's shop before setting out on his public ministry. "

Even as you make a decision to follow the dream God places in your heart, you can expect a delay. God will not fulfill your dream immediately because this is another step toward building your faith.

In Habakkuk 2, God says, "These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled."

In this step of faith-building you will most likely start asking the question, "When, Lord? When are you going to answer my prayer?"

And we hate to wait. We don't like to wait in a doctor's office, or in traffic jams, or at restaurants, or for Christmas presents, or for anything else. But what we hate worst of all is waiting on God.

Have you ever been in a hurry when God wasn't? It's so irritating! You're ready, but God isn't. God wants to work on you before he works on the project. Every believer must go through the University of Learning to Wait (ULW). Some of us are still working on our degrees from ULW!

* Noah waited 120 years from the time he started building the ark until it began to rain.
* Abraham was told he would be the father of a great nation and didn't have a child until he was ninety-nine.
* God told Moses he would be the leader to lead his people out of four hundred years of slavery, but then made him wait in the desert forty years.
* Joseph spent years in prison before God raised him up and he became the ruler God wanted him to be.
* God had David anointed as king, but then David waited for years until he actually got to be king.

We all have to go through these waiting periods. Even Jesus waited for thirty years in the carpenter's shop before setting out on his public ministry.

Why do we wait? It teaches us to trust in God. We learn that his timing is perfect. One of the facts we have to learn is this: God's delay never destroys his purpose.

A delay is not a denial. Children must learn the difference between "no" and "not yet," and so must we. Many times we think God is saying, "No," but he is saying, "Not yet."

God builds your faith by giving you a dream

"Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes." Ephesians 3:20 (LB)

"If a dream comes from God, it will be so big in your life that you can't do it on your own. If you could do it on your own, you wouldn't need faith."

Faith is like a muscle: it can be strengthened. It can be weak or it can be strong, depending on how much you use it.

How does God build your faith? He uses a very predictable pattern that we will look at this week; and, if you understand it, you can cooperate with him in developing greater faith. It's like when the father, seeking help from Jesus for his son, said, "Have pity on us and help us, if you possibly can!" (Mark 9:22 TEV)

Jesus replied, "What do you mean, 'If I can'? . . . Anything is possible if a person believes." (Mark 9:23 NLT)

The first thing God does to build your faith is give you a dream. When God wants to work in your life, he'll always gives you a dream—about yourself, about what he wants you to do, about how he's going to use your life to impact the world.

There are many examples in the Bible of this.

* God gave Noah the dream of building an ark.
* God gave Abraham the dream of being the father of a great nation.
* God gave Joseph the dream of being a leader that would save his people.
* God gave Nehemiah the dream of building the wall around Jerusalem.

How do you know when a dream is from God or when it's just something you've thought up yourself? The Bible tells us that God, "by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes." (Ephesians 3:20 LB)

In other words, if a dream comes from God, it will be so big in your life that you can't do it on your own. If you could do it on your own, you wouldn't need faith. And if you don't have faith you're not pleasing God, because the Bible says whatever is not of faith is sin. (Roman 14:23)

God starts to build your faith by giving you a dream. He may be speaking to you now, but you just don't recognize it for what it is. That dream you have—the idea, the concept —that thing you've been thinking about doing that would be of real benefit to other people, where do you think that idea came from?

God will never tell you to do something that contradicts his truth. In other words, he won't give you a dream of leaving your family and kids and moving to Hollywood to be a movie star. If you've got that dream, then you can know it is not from God.

God starts with a dream as he works within your life to build faith.

A God-Fashioned Life

Take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. Ephesians 4:22-24 (MSG)

"God's ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone. "

Many religions and New Age philosophies promote the old lie that we are divine or can become gods. Let me be absolutely clear: you will never become God, or even a god.

That prideful lie is Satan's oldest temptation. Satan promised Adam and Eve that if they followed his advice, "you shall be as gods." (Genesis 3:5 KJV)

This desire to be a god shows up every time we try to control our circumstances, our future, and people around us. But as creatures, we will never be the Creator. God doesn't want you to become a god; he wants you to become godly, taking on his values, attitudes, and character. We are meant to "take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you." (Ephesians 4:22-24 MSG)

God's ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone.

God created your uniqueness, so he certainly doesn't want to destroy it. Christlikeness is all about transforming your character, not your personality.

God wants you to develop the kind of character described in the Beatitudes of Jesus, the fruit of the Spirit, Paul's great chapter on love, and Peter's list of the characteristics of an effective and productive life. (Matthew 5:1-12; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13; 2 Peter 1:5-8)

Every time you forget that character is one of God's purposes for your life, you will become frustrated by your circumstances. You'll wonder, "Why is this happening to me? Why am I having such a difficult time?" One answer is that life is supposed to be difficult! It's what enables us to grow. Remember, earth is not heaven!

Many Christians misinterpret Jesus' promise of the "abundant life" (John 10:10) to mean perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, full realization of your dreams, and instant relief from problems through faith and prayer.

In a word, they expect the Christian life to be easy. They expect heaven on earth.

This self-absorbed perspective treats God as a genie who simply exists to serve you in your selfish pursuit of personal fulfillment. But God is not your servant, and if you fall for the idea that life is supposed to be easy, either you will become severely disillusioned or you will live in denial of reality.

Never forget that life is not about you! You exist for God's purposes, not vice versa. Why would God provide heaven on earth when he's planned the real thing for you in eternity? God gives us our time on earth to build and strengthen our character for heaven.