Melinda's Personalized Poetry

July 27, 2006
Press On And Reach Your Goals

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us. NIV

We all have a cloud of witnesses waiting, watching and encouraging us to meet the goals
we have set before us. Watching a friend being faithful and trying to reach their goals is such
an encouragement to me. Lately, I have been struggling to meet a certain goal that I have set
in my life, but without the help of others and special friends, that goal would seem so far away. 
I  have daily struggles, and I'm sure that I am not alone. I do know that whatever I may be
facing day to day, there will always be someone there to help me through it.
I have watched others in my life lately who have run the race and won, and they have created
a witness to me in my determination to win my own race. What an example they are!
The Christian life is full of hard work and anything else worthwhile won't just happen without
putting forth effort! I must be patient and keep my eyes upon Jesus. If I look away, I'm sure I
will stumble and fall, but knowing I have Jesus and others there to help, I know that I too will
WIN THE RACE. We will all face hardships, setbacks and discouragement, but we are not alone.
Try not to lose sight at the BIG picture. Lets all join together helping one another to press on 
reaching our goals making the final VICTORY sweet!

Written by Melinda Tanner

July 13, 2006
Don't Be Anxious Or Worry!

Philippians 4:6-7  Do not be anxious about anything., but in everything,  by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Can you imagine going through life being worry free and never to feel anxious about anything?
It seems like an impossibility. Everyone has worries on the job, with families, with friends, school
and many other things of every day life. God gives us the advice to turn any worries into prayer!
When you are feeling anxious, or worry about anything, just PRAY! Wouldn't you like to worry
less, and have less stress in your life? Then pray more! When you feel worry or anxiety coming on
stop and pray.
We won't find true peace in thinking positively, or in any good feelings we may have. Only true
peace can be found in the assurance of knowing we belong to God and he is in total control!
We CAN have the VICTORY over worry and anxiety because we know God is in total control
of our life! Let God guide you and give you his peace. If we do this, we can take the worry out
of our lives for good!

June 29, 2006

Are You A Good Friend?
Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

What kind of friend are you? Do you love your friends unconditionally? Or do you
only have friends to gain something from them?
There is a lot of difference between just knowing someone well, and being a true friend.
The greatest evidence that someone is your true friend is LOYALTY ( loving them at all
times) A true friend will be there for you during times of need, distress, or personal struggles.
A true friend will be willing to help with anything at anytime. I see all too often, many friends
are only friends when it helps to their advantage, or when it fits their needs only. They stick
around when the friendship helps them, but soon leave when they no longer get what they want.
I encourage everyone to take a look at the friends you have and you make the decision, are you
loyal to them? Are you there when they need you? Are you willing to sacrifice your needs so
you can help them? If so, then you are a true friend!  We should all be the kind of friend we have
in Jesus, and be the true friend the Bible encourages us to be!

June 15, 2006

The Timing Of God

Psalms 75:2
You say, "I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you get impatient and want something and want it NOW?
I have always been a very impatient person and it can be very difficult not getting things I want in the time
frame that I expect. It can be hard for us to grasp to the concept that things are going to happen to us on
God's timeline and not ours.
His timing is not always in tune with my timing. As human beings, we want it and we want it now!
We are unaware that God's timing is always perfect. He always knows best. When HE is ready,
then we will receive what we want only on his timeline. I especially need to understand that God
knows best and knows what is best for me. When God is ready, then will do what needs to be done.
We may be impatient, but we all need to not doubt the wisdom of his timing. Wait, watch, and listen
and God will reveal his plan for us. Don't try to rush things, and never forget that God is in control
and everything will happen on his own timeline.

June 1, 2006

Philippians 4:13

I can do everything through him who gives me
strength.

Have you ever come across something in your life that was so overwhelming
that you felt defeated and didn't think you could accomplish your task?
As children of God, we all will feel this way at times, but he will never put
anything before us that we won't be able to handle. Alway keep your chin
up and have a positive attitude. If you think in your heart that you can do
something, then all things are possible with God's strength!
Can we really do anything? The power we will receive when asking God for
 help is awesome. He is always there to help us face the challenges that are put
before us. He will not grant us superhuman abilities, but he will be there to see
us through everything. As we go through everyday life, we will have troubles,
pressures, and obstacles to overcome. Without God, we are nothing, but with him,
 We can do anything!

April 20, 2006

Psalms 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and
be glad in it. 
We all have days where the last thing we'd like to do is rejoice. Everything
seems to be going wrong. We may be in a bad mood, or situations seem out
of control, and our sorrows are overwhelming. Eveyone has days like this!
No matter how low we seem to get, we have to realize that God is there and
he is always there for us. We need to take time to talk with him about everything.
Even when we don't feel like rejoicing, let God know how you really feel. You will
find that God will give you a reason then to rejoice. God has given us this day, so
we should rejoice and be glad in it!

April 6, 2006

Do you worry or are you just concerned?

Matthew 6:25 Therefore, I  tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or
drink: or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more important than food,
and the body more important than clothes?

Worrying excessively will cause us all to have so many ill effects. Jesus tells us not to worry
about anything. He is big enough to worry for all of us. God promises to always supply
us with our needs. Worry can damage your health, it can consume your thoughts, it can
disrupt your productivity, it can cause you to treat others in a negative way, it can even
cause you to have distrust in God! Are you worried? Or just dealing with concern? One
way to tell the difference is to ask yourself this question. Am I imobilozied because of the
problem I'm going through? Or am I just concerned and ready to jump into action to do
something about it? If you're in doubt if you're dealing with worry or just concern, ask
yourself this question, and know God will always supply you with your needs! Live one
day at a time and take the worry out of our lives! Instead of worry about tomorrow,
make plans to make tomorrow better! It will be time well spent!

March 23, 2006

Are You Acting Out Of Love?

Ephesians 4:29  Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only
what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

The bible warns us of using unwholesome language, bitterness, improper use of anger, slander
or bad attitudes towards others. Instead of acting in this way, we are to be forgiving, just
as God has forgiven us. Are you pleasing God with your actions and attitudes? We should
all act in love towards your brothers and sisters in Christ, just as God acted in love giving us
his son to die for us.

February 3, 2006

Can We Be Perfect?

Matthew 5:38 Be Perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

How can we be perfect? During our life here, we can never be flawless, but we can
try to be as much like Christ as possible. We need to try and seperate ourselves
from the worlds sinful ways in any way we can. No one will be able to achieve a
Christlike life all at once, but it will become a maturing process in which we will
grow! We will all be at a different level of maturity depending on what stage of
spiritual development we are in. Everyone at any stage of development has
room to grow and we should be sure that our behavior is equal to our
development at our spiritual level. Those of us who strive to be perfect,
will one day be perfect just as Jesus is perfect.

January 26, 2006

Lets Put Our Heads Together

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Have you ever heard the saying " two heads are better than one" ? This verse in
proverbs is basically saying just that. We have a mental sharpness being
around other good people. And with minds such as this putting their heads
together can be mentally sharper than just the one alone. Putting minds
together in discussions will challenge each other and stimulate our thoughts
into a deeper thinking. Two friends who bring together their ideas and thoughts
will help each other to become sharper. Challenge your friends and yourself
when you have a task to accomplish and let someone help. It will help to develop
your abilities and all minds will become better and we'll all have a much better
outcome in the end.

January 12, 2006

Do You Ask With The Right Motives

James 4:3 When you ask you do not receive, because you ask
with the wrong motives; that you may spend what you get on
your own pleasures.

When you talk to God, what things do you talk about ? Do you ask for the
wrong things or with the wrong motives? Do you ask for things only to
satisfy your desires? Do you think God will answer prayers if our motives
are not pure? We all act out of selfishness at times. Even with this in mind,
God still hears our prayers, but if our prayers are centered on ourselves
rathar than on God's purpose, he may refuse to answer in the way we want
him to. There is nothing wrong with wanting to have a pleasurable life but
our prayers will become more powerful if we allow God to change our
desires so that they fit in with his will in our lives. 

 

 

 

December 29, 2005

Don't Just Sit Around!

 

Psalm 37:23 If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes
his steps firm

God's will in our lives is to lead us daily in day to day activities. He
gives us his spirit to help lead us daily! There are a lot of people
who don't realize this. Most people sit and wait for God to expose
his will in their lives. We shouldn't just sit around waiting for God
to show us what he wants us to do. Let him lead you daily in everything.
He will lead you with even the little things that you'd never expect.
Learn to trust God with everything, he'll never lead you down the  wrong
path! He will change your life if  you allow him to, one step at a time!

 

 

 

 

December 15, 2005

 

 The Greatest Gift Of All!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he GAVE is only
begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not
perish but have everlasting life.

We have all been given the greatest gift in the world! We were given

God's son. Can you imagine giving up your child in the way God gave
up Jesus so the everyone can have eternal life. I don't know about you,
but I can't imagine giving up one of my children for anyone!
God paid dearly with the life of his son. That is the sacrafice of True Love!
On December 25th, we celebrate Christmas with joyous songs about the
birth of Jesus, and like the wisemen gave gifts to baby Jesus, we give gifts
to our friends and family in celebration of the birth of this special child.
Everyone should all stop and give thanks to God for this special gift he
has given us. Not just at Christmas, but every day of the year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 2, 2005

Conviction Or Condemnation

 

Conviction or condemnation? Do we truly know the difference
between the two ?

John 16:8 When he comes , he will convict the world of guilt in
regard to sin and righteousness and judgement

We must understand the distinction between conviction of the Holy
Spirit and the accusation of the devil.
God will make us aware of our sins by causing us to feel convicted so
we will repent of our sins. The devil will accuse us night and day to
condemn us making us think we have done wrong! We must learn to
know the difference between the two and learn to trust God's word
over what we are feeling. When we do wrong, we need to admit to
it and turn away from any wrong doing! Just remember, Conviction
comes from God, but Condemnation always comes from the devil
and is nothing more than a lie from him. We will never be able to get
away with anything, we'll always be under conviction from God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 16, 2005

 

Have Thanksgiving In Your Heart

 

Psalm 92:1-2 It is good to praise the Lord and make music to
your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning

 and your faithfulness at night

With the Thanksgiving holidays coming up, we focus on our blessings and
we give thanks for all that we have expressing gratitude towards God.
But being thankful shouldn't just come at Thanksgiving. We should give
thanks every day of our lives. We can't say thank you enough to our friends,
family, or leaders and especially to God. When we make thanksgiving an
everyday part of life, we will find that our attitudes will change and will
become more loving and humble. Are you thankful at all times ?

 

 

 

 

 

November 3, 2005

 

Is God Listening?

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always. Pray continually; give
thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Does God hear your prayer ? Is he listening to you when you pray? The answer is YES,
he is always there and always listening! This verse in 1 Thessalonians tells us to give
thanks in everything. The good and the bad, and no matter what our attitude is.
We can't spend every  moment on our knees in prayer, but we should have a prayerful
attitude at all times. If we understand we need to depend on God for everything, then
we will realize to keep an open mind to him at all times. Acknowledging this will help
us to pray more frequently. He never leaves us and always is there to hear our prayers.
It is us, who feels at times he is not there or he isn't listening. Keep a prayerful attitude
at all times. God will bless you for it!

 

 

 

 

 

October 20, 2005

 

Live For God!

1 Peter 4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves
also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is
done with sin.

Physical suffering can seem to be very harsh on us, but can also be very eye opening
in the sense that it can give us a new outlook on life! Things that were once insignificant
can now take on a whole new meaning, while other things lose their values. We will
do almost anything to avoid pain. Even our sinful desires can become less alluring
if we have learned to depend more upon Christ for our needs. When our bodies are
in pain, and our lives are in danger, our real values will show up more clearly and
the sin filled pleasures will be less important to us. As Children of God, we should
be ready and willing to do God's will and be prepared to suffer if necessary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 6, 2005

 

Forgive And Forget

 

Proverbs 17:9 He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever
repeats the matter seperates close friends.

This verse is telling us that we need to be willing to forgive others when they
sin against us. It's tempting, during arguments to bring up all the mistakes
the other person has ever made, but LOVE will help us to keep our mouth
shut and overlook anything they have done.This may be difficult, but we
shouldn't bring things like this into an argument.  We should grow to be
like Christ and have the ability to forgive and forget.

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 22, 2005

 

Bring Up Your Children In God's Word

 

Proverbs 22:6" Train up a child in the way he should go, and
when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Have you ever wondered about the real meaning of this verse in proberbs?
As parents, we are responsible for the rearing of our children. We all want
to make the right choices for our child. It is natural to try and raise all of
our children in the same way for them to be alike, but God didn't intend on
all children being the same. They all have different personalities and will
each go their own way. We should examine each child and recognize the
talents that God has given them and help them to succeed in the area they
are best in. All children have strengths in different areas and should be
praised for their ability to succeed in the talent God has given them. We
should allow them to make that decision. We will know then that they
will remain on the right track, because they made the choice themselves.
Train your children to chose the right paths.

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 8, 2005

 

Free From Fear

 

2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a
spirit of power, of love and of self discipline.

Have you ever found yourself facing something and not sure if you are
strong enough to handle it? Do you ever watch the news and and after
what you see, live in fear? Well don't! Fear is Satan's main weapon that
he uses against us. Children of God should not live out their lives in fear.
In this verse in 2 Timothy, you will see how God gives us the courage to
undertake any task that he asks us to carry out. Faith is obtained by staying
in the word of God, and putting our trust and focus in Jesus. The only time
we develop fear in our lives is when we are focused on Satan and his lies.
Such meditation is what we call WORRY! Don't do it! The word of God is
the only way we can overcome worry and fear. Use it as your tool to fight
off the enemy and keep your life free from fear. Speak words of truth,
and the fear will depart.

 

 

 

August 25, 2005

 

Are You In God's Will?

 

Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to
act according to his good purpose.

Do you ever feel like not obeying God ? At times everyone will feel this way.
But we must know that God has never left us alone in our struggles to do his
will. He wants to come along with us to help us in our daily walk. God will help
us to want to obey him if we will allow him to help. He will also give us the
power to do anything as long as it in in his will. The secret is to submit to
God's control and let him work in our lives. Next time you talk with God,
ask him to help you to want his will in your life.

 

 

 

 

August 11, 2005

 

Do You Thank God ?

 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is
the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

This scripture tells us to give thanks to God for every thing. This means
IN all things, not For all things. If tragedy strikes, we are not to thank God
for it. He is not the author of tragedy. He simply provides a way of escape
for the tragedies that happen. That is what we are to be thankful for! Reading
in the gospels, Jesus never gives thanks for the sickness or death, but to
overcome them with God's power. We should all give thanks in the way
Jesus gave thanks, and thank God for the victory in the end.

 

 

 

 

 

July 28, 2005

 

Living A Blameless Life!

 

 Proverbs 19:1  Better a poor man whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.

Living a blameless life can be much more valuable than living one of wealth,
but most of us don't believe this. We are afraid of not getting what we want
and will do most anything to increase our wealth.
When we know and love God, we realize that a lower standard of living is
a small price to pay for personal integrity.
Do your actions show that you sacrifice your integrity to increase your
wealth? We should sit down and decide what changes can be made in our
life to get our priorities straight.

 

 

 

 

 

July 14, 2005

 

Comfort And Contentment

 

Psalm 23: 1-6 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside
quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of
righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are
with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare
a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my
head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will
follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of
the LORD forever.

 

When we allow God, our shephard to guide us, that is what gives us contentment.
When we choose to sin, that makes us go our own way and take the wrong paths in
life. Our shepherd knows where the "green pastures" are and the "quiet waters" tha
t will restore us. But we can only reach these places by following God obediently
.When we rebell against God's leading, that is rebelling against our best intrests.
We should remember this next time we are tempted to go our own way rather
than our shepherd's way. Life on this earth is uncertain, but God our perfect
shepherd promises to guide and protect us through life to bring us into his
house forever.

 

 

 

June 30 , 2005

 

Going Through Trials And Hard Times

 

James 1: 2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials
of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith
develops perseverance.

 

This verse in James doesn't say if you face trials, but when we face them, because
all of us will go through trials and hard times. We shouldn't pretend to be happy
about facing trials, but should have a positive outlook because of how our trials
are making us grow in Christ. We can take our hardships and turn them around
into a time of learning. Going through tough times can teach us perseverance.
We don't have to be happy when trouble pops up in our lives, but look at the
positive ending it will have and look how it will grow us to become more Christ like.

 

 

June 16, 2005

 

God's Love

1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another , for love
comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of

 God and knows God.

We all think love is important, but we all think of love as a feeling,
but in reality, love is a choice that we have. In this verse in 1 John,
we learn that God is our source of love. He loved us enough to give
us his son. Jesus is a perfect example of what love really is.
Everything he did in his life was loving. God's love privides
us with a choice and our love should be like his. Do you show
your love to others in the choices you make?

 

 

 

 

 

June 2, 2005

 

Be Submissive

 

Ephesians 5:21-23 Submit to one another out of revrence for
Christ. Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord, for the
husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the
church, his body , of which he is the Savior.

 

Being submissive is often misunderstood. It doesn't mean to become a
doormat to anyone. Christ submitted his self to the Father and we are to
honor Christ by following his example. Submitting ourselves to God means
to become more willing to obey his commands. Both husband and wife are
asked to submit. The wife should follow the leadership of her  husband in
Christ. The husband is to put aside his own intrests in order to care for his wife.
Are you submissive? We all need to follow in the footsteps of Christ and be submissive!

 

 

 

May 19, 2005

Love One Another

 Do you truly love others? Or do you just pretend.
Romans 12: 9-10 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; Cling
to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
Honor one another above yourselves.

Most of us have learned how to pretend loving others- how to speak kindly
avoiding hurting someones felings and appearing to have intrest in them.
But God has called us to real and sincere love that goes far beyond just
being polite. Sincere love requires effort. It means we must help others
to become better people, requiring our intrest and personal involvement.
No one person has the ability to express their love to a whole community,
but together as a church body gives us the ability. Look around for people
who may need your love and look for ways to help them out. There are many
ways to show love to others. But as christians we should want to honor people
because they were created in Gods image, and they are our brothers and
sisters in christ.
Why not show love and honor to others by putting them first. If we do this,
we will receive a great blessing!

 

 

 

May 5, 2005

Honor Your Parents

 Deuteronomy 5:16 Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord
your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that
it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Obeying our parents is one of the main tasks for us when we are young. But
honoring them should go far beyond just being young, and should continue
even after their death.
Have you ever asked yourself, "Do I honor my parents"? In what ways do you
give honor to your father and mother today? One way may be to help them
out in financial situations when they are no longer able to help themselves,
or maybe helping them out when ill. In my opinion, one of the best ways to
honor your parents is to pass down Godly values they gave you, passing
them down to your own children. To honor your parents involves everything
we do with our lives, including the way we talk, the way we act home and at work,
and the values and morals we believe in and carry on to our own children.
Are you showing respect to your parents as we speak? Are you bringing honor to them?
There are many ways for us to bring honor to our parents! Remember, one of the ten
commandments " Honor your father and your mother". Give your parents the
honor they deserve! 

 

 

 

April 21, 2005

Be Cheerful

Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but
the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Are you cheerful? Do you have a positive attitude? Our attitude decides
our whole personality. We can't always choose what will happen to us,
but we can choose what attitude we will have in each situation. The secret
to a cheerful heart is filling our minds with thoughts that are true, pure,
and wonderful, while we dwell on the good things life has to offer!

 

 

 

April 7, 2005

Don't Be Afraid!

Psalm 91:1-3 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will
rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord,
"He is my refuge and my fortress, my God is whom I trust.
" Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from
the deadly pestilence.

We all from time to time are afraid, but God tells us that he is our refuge
when we get frightened.
Is it possible to live from fear in this unpredictable world? God promises
protection to those who abide in him. To abide, means to live in union with
God, keeping his word and obeying him! If we abide in the Lord, then we
should have no fear! Knowing we will be protected by God doesn't mean
satan will leave us alone, but it means that God will give us a route to escape
when the devil throws something at us. If you're feeling afraid of something,
then spend more time in the word of God and in prayer, until your trust in
God overcomes your fear. Draw close to God and your fears will start to ease!
By trusting ourselves to Gods protection and devoting ourselves to him we
will be kept safe.

 

 

 

March 24, 2005

Win The Race!

 1 Corinthians 9:24-25  Do you not know that in a race all the runners
run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a
crown that will last forever.

Winning a race requires discipline. The christian life requires hard work, and
preparation. As christians, we are all working toward our heavenly reward.
Our self discipline of prayer, bible study, and worship helps us to run the race
of daily life. Don't just sit there and watch others run the race, go join them!
Train yourself daily getting ready for the big race. Your spiritual progress will
depend on your training! Don't become discouraged and give up! Run like you
want to win the race, denying yourself anything harmful as you discipline your
body in training. Waiting after the race will be a crown that will last forever! 

 

 

 

March 17, 2005

Be Content

Are you happy with what you have, or are you always wanting more?
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content
with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you:
Never will I forsake you."

How is it possible to learn how to be content? We need to learn to live with less
rather than always wanting more. If we have an abundance, give it out rather
than accumulating more. Be thankful of everything you have and not resent the
fact that you don't have more. Having pretty clothes and driving a nice car will
not make anyone content. Having Jesus is the only way to have true contentment.
Riches will never make us content. God will provide us with what we need.
Money and possessions will one day pass away, but Jesus will remain with us forever.
Do you now ask, how do I become content? Being content requires knowing that
God will supply anything we need. Sometimes we may think that God can't take
care of us in the ways we want, therefore we become insecure. So when we are
not feeling content with what we have, or always wanting more, remember God
will supply our needs and we need to be secure in Jesus, and be content with
what he gives us. 

 

 

 

March 10, 2005

Do You Have Strength Through Trials?

We all feel at times like satan is attacking us in everything we do. Whether it be
through struggles of our own, or through our friends or loved ones, but we
can all have assurance in Phillippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who
gives me strength. Can we really do everything ? Of course we can, as long as
it is in God's will. The power we receive through Christ is sufficient to carry on
God's will and to face any challenges that may be put before us. God don't give
us super human abilities to accomplish things, but gives us strength through him
to do the things we need to do. Everyone will face troubles, sickness, pressures
and trials. As they come, just ask God to strengthen you. When something happens
in our lives, remember that God is in ultimate control of every situation put before us.
Next time you feel your world is crashing down before you and can't handle anymore,
remember that God is in control of everything and you will have strength through him
to face it. All we have to do is seek God and he will help us with the rest. 

 

 

March 3, 2005
Submit Yourselves To God

Conflicts and disputes among believers can be very harmful.
James 4:1-3 What causes fights and quarrels among you? You want something
but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You
quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask ,
you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may
spend what you get on your pleasures.

This scripture from James explains that our quarrels result from evil desires that are
within us. We want more than what we have, more possessions, more money, higher
status, more recognition. When we want these things badly enough, we fight in order
to get them. Instead of fighting to get what we want, we should submit ourselves to
God asking him to help us get rid of any selfish desires, trusting God to give us what
we really need. The most common problems in prayer, is that we don't ask, or either
we ask for the wrong things, or for the wrong reasons. Do you ever talk to God at all ?
When you do, what do you talk about ? Do you ask to only satisfy your own desires?
Are you looking for approval from God? Your prayers will become so powerful if you
will allow God to change the desires of your heart to go along with the will of god in your life.
Wanting a pleasurable life isn't wrong ! We all receive gifts from God that he wants us to
enjoy. Pleasures that keep us from doing what God wants is sinful. But pleasures from
 God which are received because we are in his will are wonderful! 

 

 

 

February 24, 2005
Does God Know You?

Sometimes we don't let people get to know us completely because we are afraid there
is something about us they won't like. But God already knows everything about us,
he knows every word we will say and even the number of hairs on our head.
Psalm 139:1-3 O Lord, you have searched me and know me. You know when
I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my
going out and my lying down: You are familiar with all my ways.

Although God knowing every little detail about us, he still loves us and accepts us.
He loves us so much that he will be with us through every situation, through every
trial, always protecting, always loving and guiding us with each step that we take.
He knows, and loves us completely.! God is omnipresent - He is everywhere.
Because of this, we can never be last to his spirit. Isn't it wonderful to know
that someone loves you unconditionally, no matter what we do or where we go.
We will never be apart from God's comforting presence! Take this time to read
psalms 139: 4-24 , when God created us, he made each and every one of us with
his character. If you ever feel worthless and begin to doubt yourself, remember
that the spirit of God is ready and willing to work within you. We should have the
same respect for ourselves as God has for us, because God is omnipresent and
knows every detail of our life! 

 

 

 

February 17, 2005
What Kind Of Friend Are You?

Have you ever asked yourself, "What kind of friend am I ?"
Gods word sets high standards for friendships. David and Jonathan are a good
example of true biblical friends. Looking at their relationship, we will see what
" true friends" really are. There are certain qualities in their friendship that will
define what true friends should be. Knowing what these qualities are will help
us to become better friends to others and make us strive to have a better friendship.
True friends LOVE each other.
True friends speak HIGHLY of each other.
Lastly, true friends are FAITHFUL to one another.
Our friendships sometimes fall short of what God wants it to be.
Proverbs 18:24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is
a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
When we find a friend like this, we have found a friend for life!
Developing friendships isn't always easy, but God has given us the things in his
word to be that true friend. He has allowed us to develop godly friendships, and
wants us to enjoy the blessings of having a true friend for life.
Proverbs 17:17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
True friends loves at all times. There is no such thing as having a friend with strings
attached or having a real friend who is selfish. If this is the case, the friendship lasts
only till their need is filled. A real friend will love you at all times no matter what and
stick with you through the good and bad times, no matter what the circumstances.
If we are to be a true friend, then we must do the same.
Are you a real friend ? 

 

 

 

February 10, 2005
Have Confidence!

If we keep a clear conscience, then we can go to God without fear and be confident
that our requests will be heard.
1 John 3:21-22 If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before
God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands
and do what pleases him.
Jesus promises that whatever we ask for will be given to us. Matthew 7:7 Ask and
it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be
opened to you. We will receive if we obey and do what is pleasing to God as long as
it is in line with his will. This does not mean that we will get anything our heart desires,
such as instant riches, but if we are truly seeking the will of God then we know some
request such as riches we will not make. This does not mean that we must be perfect.
Jesus was the only perfect being to walk this earth. We will make mistakes.
Christians aren't perfect, but forgiven! But we should walk our daily lives in obedience.
We need to take time to listen and be responsive to what God is telling us to do.
When he says do something, then we should do it and not argue or find excuses not to.
JUST DO IT! As we learn to listen to what God is telling us, then our confidence will
rise up within us. Instead of us being consumed with doubts that God's word isn't going
to work, we'll find ourselves filled with faith and confidence. That will bring us to a
resting place and then will have peace in our lives. Don't let condemnation within
ourselves cut down on our confidence. Do what is pleasing to God and walk tall
with confidence. 

 

 

 

 

February 3, 2005
Don't Worry

The Bible tells us that God is very much against worry, so much that Jesus even
preached against it. The whole bible is against worry because it was designed by
satan to produce stress, strain, and even death in our lives. So what are you supposed
to do with all the concerns about problems that lead up to worry?
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Carrying your worries, stresses, and daily struggles by yourself shows that you have
not trusted God fully with your life. It takes humility to recognize that God cares, to
admit your need, and to let your friends and family help you. When we turn to God,
he will bear the weight of our struggles. Let God have your anxieties. Don't submit to
circumstances, but to God who is in complete control of all circumstances. If satan
brings a thought of worry to your mind, just tell him to talk to God about it. It's now
in his hands, not yours. Remember, God will not take your cares away from you.
You have to give them to him. Then replace the worries you have with God's word.
It's up to you to keep your thoughts under control. You can do it!
Matthew 6:31 So do not worry 

 

 

January 27, 2005
What Is Your Purpose In Life?

 Have you ever asked the question, "God, why am I here, what is my purpose in life"?
As a purpose driven christian, you have the glorious task of being His "bridge" in
today's society. No matter what your profession, Jesus has called all of us to know
our purpose, by his power to carry on in todays world. Our soul purpose is not
about making money, or finding fame, but rather, it's an act of kindness and love
that we offer to other people, simply because that is what God want's us to do.
We should want to please him in everything that we do.
Colossians 1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaaven
and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers
or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
Your being created by God was no accident. If you are unsure of your purpose
in life, then start with God, and ask him, " What am I here for"? It is only when you
understand that you were made by God, and for God, that you can know what
your purpose is on this earth! 

 

 

 

January 17, 2005
Are You Too Busy For God?

Are you too busy for God? It is because of God's loving kindness and mercy that
we are not consumed. His compassion will never fail us. He is a kind and loving
God who shows true compassion for all walks of life. For this reason we are able
to awake each morning with a brand new day, and abundant is our stability and
faithfulness. Are we too busy for God? If we fall in this category, then we are only
asking for a disaster to happen in our lives. We should ask God to reveal any things
in our life that we need to get rid of, that are not bearing fruit!
John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and
I in him, he will bear much fruit: apart from me you can do nothing.
God wants us to come to him with everything, not just when things are going wrong,
but with the good and the bad. God wants so desperately for us to be strong and live
an abundant life in the power of his might, and to be filled with the holy spirit. 

 

 

 

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