"When We Lose Hope"

DAY #100 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional **WEHOO!**
Verse: "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24 NKJV

"Are you a Christian? If you are, how can you be hopeless? Are you depressed by the greatness of your problems that you have given up all hope? Instead of giving up, would you patiently endure? Would you focus on Christ until you are so preoccupied with Him alone that you fall prostrate before Him?" ~ Anne Graham Lotz

...to be continued!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"His Plan for You"

DAY #93 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes." Romans 1:16 NLT

God has BIG plans for you... whether you believe in Him or not. He was, He is, and He always will be! We have the choice to follow His plans, or to follow the desires of our own heart and will. If we choose to go our own way, we will miss out on some pretty GREAT things... yet, if we surrender and choose to live according to His will and His plans for our lives we can be GREAT for Him! In the Bible it says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'." Jeremiah 29:11

'Plans to give [us] hope an a future' -- what a PROMISE that is. How many of us are/were searching for HOPE and to know our FUTURE... how many of us are just seeking to have a FUTURE? God can be the HOPE, and He can and will lead us into a future of greatness. Not in our own self-righteousness, but greatness through Him, the blood of His Son & the power of His Spirit.

We can be thankful that "[God's] love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on [us]..." (JesusCulture - 'One Thing Remains' by Brian Johnson, Jeremy Riddle, Christa Black Gifford)


"...But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSEHOLD, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!" Joshua 24:15 NIV 

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"Restoring Your Hope"

DAY # 76 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy." John 16:24 NCV

Where (or who) do you place your HOPE in? The worldly circumstances, the doctor's diagnosis', the words of friends & family or the Word of God and God Himself? Do you have FAITH in God, that He will do and say all that He promises? Do you have a sincere HOPE for tomorrow? Have you 'asked' God for those desires, sincerely asked in the name of Jesus? We should be continually seeking the face of God, and the plans that He has for us. Our desires and wants, wishes and dreams can be fulfilled if we live according to God's plan, and if they are in His will and desire for us as well. "Genuine heartfelt prayer produces powerful changes in us and in our world." ('A Woman of Faith' Devotional. Day 76. ©2007 Freeman-Smith, LLC. Nashville, TN. 37202)


 When we truly believe with faith, which is truly believing without seeing, than God can and will do a GREAT work in our lives, and in our world.

This 'asking' is just not petitioning for your own self, but for those around you. Think of the world around you, your home, your family, your work/co-workers, your church family, your community, your city, your province, your country, and countries around the world. Are there questions about your future (or theirs) that you cannot answer alone -- needs that you cannot meet (such as the turmoil going on in Japan) -- do you really know what your purpose is? Do you just have simple questions about life? God can and will meet those needs, and answer those questions, if you SEEK Him. "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

Whatever your desire, need, prayer request may be, keep on praying. Pray continuously -- never lose HOPE! Not just saying 'hope' frivolously, as in 'I hope God answers my prayer' or 'I hope I can go to Africa' -- but a true and sincere that is stronger than desire. According to dictionary.com, 'hope' is defined as;

–verb (used with object)

6. to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.

7. to believe, desire, or trust: I hope that my work will be satisfactory.

–verb (used without object)

8. to feel that something desired may happen: We hope for an early spring.

9. Archaic . to place trust; rely (usually followed by in ).

—Idiom

10. hope against hope, to continue to hope, although the outlook does not warrant it: We are hoping against hope for a change in her condition.

The worldly view of 'hope' is just looking forward to with desire & 'reasonable confidence', meaning don't wish too hard, don't believe too much just incase it doesn't happen. A Christian's view of 'hope' should be a totally different outlook. We can look forward to with the confidence and assurance that God will do what He says He will do. We don't put our 'hope', 'trust' and 'faith' in the circumstance or the desire, we put our 'hope, trust and faith' in the God that provides. I've said it before, and I will say it again and again (& I've heard others mention it -and too many mention the opposite, which is why I will write it again), we need to STOP seeking the healing, the provisions, the desires, the revivals, the signs & wonders/moves of the Spirit and we need to START seeking the Healer, the Provider, the Miracle worker, the Reviver, the Spirit himself who is above all, who is GOD. We need to SEEK HIM, and Him alone... don't just seek for the Spirit, or for more of Jesus -- we need GOD as a whole, Father, Son & Spirit. God gives us the Spirit here on earth, so yes we can desire moves of the Spirit, but we have to seek GOD Himself to receive the Spirit, and we need to believe that God sent His Son Jesus and it is His BLOOD that cleanses us and makes us new. We are protected by that blood. We need to stop looking at the circumstances around us because we are basing our faith, hope and trust around them too much. We need to place our faith in the BLOOD of JESUS, the POWER of the SPIRIT and the GREATNESS of GOD! Our God is greater, stronger, higher, awesome in power and He is the Healer, the Provider, the Giver of Life and more. (See 'When I Speak Your Name' devotional here for more.) For more information you can check out, http://www.learnthebible.org/praying-in-the-name-of-jesus.html or just Google "in Jesus' name" or "power in the name of Jesus" or "names of God".

So if you feel as if you have the worldly form of hope, faith and trust -- then SEEK the Lord and ask Him to fill you with His Faith, Hope and Trust -- but then you need to have the faith, hope and trust to believe that He will do what you asked. God is able, actually more than able to answer our requests (if they align with His will) - we just need to ASK! 'A.S.K.' -- Ask, Seek & Knock.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13


BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!



"Your Very Bright Future"

DAY #59 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to me, and I will listen to you." Jeremiah 29:11-12 NKJV

Our future's so bright we gotta wear shades... (I was thinking of this statement before I read the devotional this morning, but it's in there too.) How bright our future is, probably differs from how bright we see our future to be. Do we walk forth in positivity and optimism, trying to think the best; or do we dread a terrible tomorrow? Concentration Camp survivor Corrie Ten Boom had this to say, "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." Super true. God's got it all in His hands, and He knows all that we can and will face, but it depends on the choices we make, as to how it will all turn out. We need to truly trust Him with our futures, not worrying about the day and time Jesus is coming back, but we need to use our future telling people that He is coming back. We need to share the GOSPEL message -- which I hope that I do here on 'Fresh as a Daisy Devotionals & More...'. (Thanks Jer' for the reminder of how important it is)

GOSPEL MESSAGE simplicity - -
We are ALL sinners - Sin results in Death - God loved the world so much, He sent us His Son Jesus - Jesus came to earth to teach, train, equip, and mentor - Jesus did the work of the Father, praying, healing, performing miracles, teaching of His Father's love - Jesus died ONCE & FOR ALL for our sins, so that we didn't have to die - He rose again, to live with His Father in Heaven - Jesus intercedes for us to the Father - We are commissioned to do the work of the Father, trainging, teaching, equipping, praying, healing, performing miracles, but most importantly sharing His story, 'History' not fiction (the gospel) - Jesus will come back for believers - We as believers get to live eternally in Heaven with Him. (If we do not believe, then we will have eternal death, as we haven't accepted the FREE gift of Salvation).

**If you have never prayed the 'salvation prayer' before or experienced the peace that is spoken of above, then here's your chance today. The only thing you are giving up is things that aren't going to last long anyway -- which if you don't give up, will only make your own life not last as long as it could (which is eternally). --- You've already made the first step known - admit to God that you are a sinner, because after all - all of us are sinners. (Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") After that you need to believe that God is God, and that Jesus is His Son. He sent His Son to die for us, so that we as sinners didn't need to be condemned to death. (Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, bu the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.") Then do as we did above, and Confess your sins to Him and ask for forgiveness -- and then confess aloud that JESUS IS LORD. (Romans 10:9-10 "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.") We need to daily ask for forgiveness, because we are human and we will always mess up in some way or another. God is willing and able to forgive us, and welcome YOU into His family. I don't like to write out a prayer anymore to say word for word, as this important step is something that you need to tell God in your own words. Just tell Him what's in your heart - you're a sinner, you want to believe in Him but it may be hard, you want Him to forgive you of what you've done, and you want to choose life with Him through His Son Jesus. It's as simple as that. **


"Yesterday is just experience, but tomorrow is glistening with purpose -- and today is the channel leading from one to the other." ~ Barbara Johnson (author)

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"Wisdom & Hope"

Day #50 (WOW!) - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Know that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off." Proverbs 24:14 NIV

v.13-14 MSG "Eat honey, dear child—it's good for you— and delicacies that melt in your mouth. Likewise knowledge, and wisdom for your soul—Get that and your future's secured, your hope is on solid rock."

Wisdom and hope actually do work together -- if we walk in wisdom, we walk in the true hope that the Father will do and say what He says He will. We need to walk out our lives optimistically, with much hope and faith. We cannot judge by circumstances or appearances around us. To become truly wise, we must seek the wisdom of God. Now, we know that God's thoughts and ways are much higher than ours, but He can give us a little piece of His wisdom so that we may make clear and concise judgements and thoughts.

We must seek after wisdom, for God will gift us with that which we desire, when we trust in Him. God will guide us and direct us in the ways that He sees fit for our lives, but again it's still our choice which way we are going to follow.

There are some deep subjects that require a lot of wisdom on our parts as Christians and believers today. There are things that the world and the government/political/educational systems cannot see or perceive as being right. Such as forgiveness. God's forgiveness goes beyond our worldly view of forgiveness. Unfortunately some people in the world choose to do 'bad' things. They are not 'bad' people... they are 'good people' who choose 'bad' things. Sometimes we get involved in things that we shouldn't have, and sometimes it is before we are saved. When we pay for the 'crime', and accept Jesus, repent, and ask for forgiveness, God sends our sins and iniquities as far from Him as the east is from the west. He remembers them no more, as we have been forgiven, as Jesus paid the debt of our sins once and for ALL. We are 'new creations' (2 Corinthians 5:17). The world however has to 'protect the innocent' (which is good in itself) but then they proceed to use our past faults against us (which is not so good sometimes in the way they do it), even though we have made a fresh new start. Unfortunately, because there are those out there, who are there to manipulate, continue to sin and enjoy it -- the innocent (those who have been made innocent through the Blood) people who are striving to make a 'new beginning' cannot be a part of some of the things that they love to do, or are called to do, due to past mistakes. People making a 'new beginning' to live a CHANGED life, who have criminal records, etc... should be treated equally. If they have truly repented, and are truly changed through the blood, and received pardon from the world's view, they should be able to have a new start --- obviously under strict observation, if they are put into situations that consist of the things that got them into trouble in the first place. (This would be where applied wisdom comes in!) Remember, we ALL have sinned, and ALL fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Before we start 'bashing' someone's good name, we should take a look at the plank in our own eye. People in the media must be careful of this when they write or publicly state public matters with their own (and other's) personal opinions. "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. Don't be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don't reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you're only being cute and inviting sacrilege." (Matthew 7:1-6 MSG)

(Same verse in the NIV translation - "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.")


Wisdom and hope go together - - for we have hope that God will work everything out in His plans, for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes. God does allow trials and tests to come into our lives, as it says in His word, that '...in this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.' (John 16:33 - See yesterday's 'Genuine Peace' devotional here) We also need to play the 'forgiveness' card to those that are judging us (or our friends/family) and saying these things about us. We need to be WISE in our reactions and reciprocations. We should not repay evil with evil.

I really love the way that God works... I have had this devotional since last year, but didn't read it faithfully nor meditate on it as I am doing now with these 'devotional passages' that I am writing. I know that each devotional is for me... yet it is also for you who are reading these. They however are totally matching things that are going on in the world around me... my friends, family, co-workers, etc are having struggles, and these verses remind me of how faithful God is. I can use the words from the Scriptures to help those in need. I truly am blessed with a GREAT God, a great amount of HOPE and FAITH, and even wisdom. God has made me wise in ways I could not imagine. I thank Him, as I even am getting 'choked up' a little thinking of how amazing He is! Continually thank Him for even the little things in life that He does... 'cause yes it is Him that is doing it! "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." (Albert Einstein -The World As We Know It)

So after you are blessed by these words, get out there and use the Scriptures to bless someone in return. That's what I'm gonna' do!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

HOPE Floats... SETTLING Sinks!

(Editor's Note: This is a devotional message that I spoke at our local 'soup kitchen', and I know the message was for them, for other members of our own team, and it is for YOU! So allow the Holy Spirit to speak to YOU and allow Him to move in your life, and continue to build up your HOPE!)

Today we often settle with what we have and we stop striving, whether out of discouragement or just plain laziness. There is a story that is told of a father and his son...

"A father was late getting to his son's baseball game. As he sat down behind the players' bench he asked one of the boys known as a real leader on the team what the score was. 'We're behind 14 to nothing,' he answered with a smile. 'Really!' the Dad replied. 'I am surprised that you don't look very discouraged.' 'Discouraged?' the boy replied with a puzzled look on his face. "Why should we be discouraged? We haven't been up to bat yet.'"

God doesn't want us to settle with even the 'good', when He desires to give us the 'best'!

Don't give up... press in all the more harder. (Like the baseball team above, [we don't know how the story ends], but if the team went out and didn't try, basically settling with their loss, in the end they probably continued to lose. However if they pressed in hard, and tried to win, then may have just won.) We need to STRIVE for the 'win', and the goal that God desires for us. Don't settle for 2nd best!

For example, say you have a desire for TIMMY's (TIM HORTON'S) Coffee (if you are Canadian), and your thirst calls out for it. If I offer you a simple 'instant coffee', you may 'settle' for it, but you still desire the Timmy's... If however I offer you a McDonald's Coffee (which in some cases people like more than Tim's) you would also 'settle' for it, because you are thirsty and that is what is available... NOW, if you wait until the right time to go for your "TIMs" coffee, and I offer you that, obviously you would choose that decision because Tim's Coffee is what you were desiring to have in your heart all along. But... again you say, well the 'instant' is so quick, so it can fill my thirst momentarily (or temporarily). The McDonald's coffee is still good, and I can afford that right now... but there is such a COST to receive the Timmy's... There is also going to be a COST to striving for the 'best', but the cost is certainly worth it all in the end. Your 'thirst' is satisfied by what your heart/spirit/soul desired in the first place (which should be what God desires for you).

God has BIG plans for your life -- He has created you and designed you to be special -- you are worthy! He desires to see YOU become the M.E. that He created you to be.
M.E. = Maximum Effectiveness (your ultimate potential) -- the 'Best You' = 'Youier You!'

ROMANS 8:19 -- "For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are."

WHO are YOU really?

Are YOU a HOPER or a SETTLER?

Definition of 'SETTLE' -- (according to Webster's Dictionary)
- to become fixed or permanent
- to sink to the bottom of a liquid (as sediment settles)

If we 'SETTLE' we become fixed or permanent (or even hard-hearted), and God cannot change or move us as freely as He wants to. We are not 'willing' to move either. Also we can 'sink' to the bottom, and not do what He desires of us. God wants us to rise above and live the life He has for us.


GENESIS 11:27-32
"This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth. Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. Now Sarai was barren; she had no children. Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran."


Terah, Abraham's father 'settled', he did still live a good life, as he died at 205, yet he died in Haran, he never received the full promise from God (the promised land of Canaan). Abraham however did not follow the steps of his father totally... and in Genesis 13 he separated from his nephew Lot, so basically he 'didn't settle for his Lot in life'...
In Genesis 18:1-15, God promises a son and blessings to Abraham and Sarah. Sarah hears that she is to bear a child and she laughs in disbelief. However, in Genesis 21:1-7 Isaac (the promised son) was born to them when Abraham was 100 years old. Sarah now laughed in delight, for God kept and fulfilled His promise to them. They received the 'best' that God was offering them due to their obedience. But... it didn't all happen so easily, Sarah was beginning to 'settle', and she was tired of waiting, she was getting older, she tried to hurry along the process. (She allowed her hand-maiden to bear a child with her husband whom they named Ishmael) This caused even more pain in the end... but instead of settling for the 'good', they strived to receive the 'best'.


God WANTS to fulfill His promises in YOUR lives! Don't 'settle' with what you have - God still wants YOU to be soooo much more!


God IS faithful to keep His promises... IF we are obedient in doing our part, and waiting for His timing, and His desires to be lived out. The Bible says, "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) Our desires will actually become those that He desires, if we are truly living with Him as our guide and source.


Keep the faith! Increase your faith to believe God for sooooo much more!


What is the definition of HOPE... 'desire and expectation of fulfillment' The Bible tells us in Romans 8:24-25, "We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)"


I pray that YOU will become a HOPER... that you will live each day with the desire and expectation of fulfillment of what GOD wants to do in and through you. Don't 'settle' for the good, strive through, press in and receive the 'best'! May your HOPE FLOAT...

In the words of MOTHER TERESA...