God Takes Hold of Us... We Gain Confidence!

As a childcare worker (a Registered Early Childhood Educator, not a babysitter) & someone involved in Children's Ministry (KidMin), I find myself in the presence of young children frequently. I am a Toddler teacher in my M-F job, and there I teach little minds more about themselves and the world around them. Thankfully, it is also based in my church, so we teach them spiritual truths too!

We are blessed to have our childcare in our church building, as the presence of God follows us up to the 2nd floor where the main part of the childcare is. There are a couple sets of stairs that we have to take daily, either to get outside, or to get to the 'gym'. Some of the Toddlers can do the stairs with ease, some still hesitate and take them slow, whereas some have difficulty & like to hold hands with the educator. On one occasion, last week, a thought came to me inspired by Holy Spirit. The Toddlers can do it on their own, and like to use autonomy and say "I do it!" So we let them hold the railing and walk down the stairs without assistance. But on this day, a little boy was going slow and taking small steps, so I offered him my hand, and he confidently took off down the stairs with a spring in his step and he even jumped from the bottom step to the landing. I reached for the hand of a child behind him, and the same thing transpired. A confidence was built. They put their trust in me, and when they took my hand, they had no fear. They trusted that I would help them down the stairs and not let go. Holy Spirit showed me this is the same with our walk with God. God allows us to 'walk unassisted', but He is still right there with us. But when we allow Him to hold our hand, we can go forth confidently with no fear! 

This led me on a verse search, and I came across one found in Isaiah 41:13 "For I hold you by your right hand -- I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, 'Don't be afraid. I am here to help you'."

Such a simple but true promise that removes fear and brings confidence! If God is holding our hand, nothing can snatch us from His grip.

That leads to the story that I have shared here before... except earlier the lesson had a father and daughter/son, this one has a mom and son.

If we hold onto God, challenges come and we might let go, but if God holds onto us, there will be nothing that can separate us.

Are YOU letting God hold onto your hand? No one is too far out of His grasp. Just reach out today and call on Him, and He will hold you.

No God - Know Fear
Know God - No Fear


Be blessed to be a blessing,

"Beyond Discouragement"

Day #29 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1 NKJV

This is a good follow-up devotion to 'The Gift of Cheerfulness' (click to read if you haven't already)... as we make the choice to be cheerful in whatever circumstance may come our way. When that circumstance leads us to discouragement or disappointment, we still can remain joyful knowing that God is in control, and that He never gives us more than we can handle. (See photo above - 'I know God will not give me anything I can't handle... I just wish He didn't trust me so much.' ~Mother Teresa)

As an example to this, the day that I did this devotional, I was claiming that I was going to have a 'fabulous friday' and I was going to remain cheerful. We are going to choose joy. I told the children in my Preschool class right out. Well, we have had a lot of sickness and disease going through our centre... which is obviously an attack of the devil, as God has created us to be healthy and whole. Yet it is also a test of our faith as our church just finished two of the greatest conferences to start out our year. We are tested in things to grow our faith, and to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit. Anyway, we have been praying for healing and restoration in the centre staff, the children, and their families. Well this last week was supposed to be the END of the sickness plague, yet it was in full swing. We sent children home with fevers, diarrhea, vomitting, and more. We had children complaining of sore ears, heads, tummies, throats, and more. THIS HAS TO STOP, as it is bringing discouragement to the unbelievers in our 'family', and also is difficult for those believers. YET, we also need to remember to stand as 'gate-keepers' for our centre. As Christians we need to take a stand of courage, even when others around might not be standing tall. God gives us the courage we need to go through each and every circumstance that faces us every day. We should not fear man, nor should we fear the attacks of the devil, or the devil himself. We need to STRENGTHEN our FAITH and continue to have hopeful hearts knowing that GOD WILL BRING US THROUGH! So, FDN GOD WILL BRING US THROUGH, WE WILL HAVE THE VICTORY THROUGH HIM! In Jesus' Name! We are covered and cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and we will walk in complete health and wholeness! <3 (Think of these last few sentences when thinking of your own struggles and discouragements - The Lord will bring you through!)

Do not let discouragement or disappointment get the best of you. Do not allow yourself to even feel the slightest of frustration, as that in itself is not of God either. Eleanor Roosevelt once quoted, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every great experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

Remember, "...the next time you find your courage tested to the limit... You're probably stronger than you think. And remember--with you, your friends, your family and your God all working together, you have nothing to fear." ('A Woman of Faith' Devotional. Day 29. ©2007 Freeman-Smith, LLC. Nashville, TN. 37202)

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

FAITH amidst the STORMS...

F.A.I.T.H. -- Forsaking All I Trust In Him~

Matthew 8:23-27 -- Jesus Calms the Storm

"Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!' He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?'Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!'"

I just finished teaching this lesson to my Preschoolers, who thought the storm was pretty cool. There was wind (coming from the mouths of a teacher and a couple kids), there was waves (4 children who waved a blanket up and down), there was lightning (one child flicked the lights on and off), and there was even rain (one child had a water squirter). It is an interesting Bible story, and it gets you thinking about Faith. I was going to write a devotional this week on Faith and the fact that more of us spend more time HAVING FAITH in the HEALING, then HAVING FAITH in the ONE who HEALS... but Faith amidst the storms is good too.


I think I will be doing a more thorough devotional time on FAITH and increasing our FAITH.  It is a topic of interest and a topic that is being spoken of a lot, and that a lot of people are focusing on in their own lives. I am a woman of FAITH, and I try to trust God in most circumstances. I have learned, and of course am still learning that I should not be dwelling on what I see, or what I feel physically or the circumstances around me. I should be putting my full trust in the Father in Heaven who see and knows everything. We were reminded at church last week that faith/belief sits in our heart more than it sits in our head. Head Knowledge vs. Heart Knowledge is a battle we all face daily. Taking a twist on it, from revelation from the Spirit of course, we are relying too much on head knowledge and what we see and think, than on our heart knowledge which should know what God can and will do. When troubles arise, we should know in our heart, which should tell our head that GOD CAN!


Looking at this story, I feel that as people (Christian and non-Christian) we sometimes put Jesus in a box. We set Him aside, and call on Him when we need Him. When we are in trouble, we pray and ask God (sometimes we hear the prayers of people who pray God, if you are real...) to help us. We should know that God can and will help us. But most of us try to find the answers or solve the problems with our human hands. That of course we know makes our problems worse.


The disciples were with Jesus, watching and listening to all the messages that He was giving. They had seen healings, and knew what He could do. In Matt 4:23-25, they saw and we can read that He healed many. In Matt 6:5-15 He taught them (and us) how to pray to the Father. Still in Matt 6, in v. 25-34 He taught them (and us) that they need not worry about things. In Matt 7:7-12 He taught them (and us) that we just need to ASK, SEEK & KNOCK  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. In Matt 7:24-29 He shared the parable of the 'Wise and Foolish Builders' telling them to keep the faith through the rains and storms. In the beginning of Matt 8 (v.1-16), they saw a man healed from leprosy, and learned of the faith of the Centurion where Jesus healed the man's servant just using His words, and also many more healings. Then just a few verses later, is where this STORM hits. Did the disciples just forget all the miraculous things they just saw and heard? (Obviously its been a few days from Matthew 4 to Matthew 8) But really, could they forget that they were with the God who can heal and save? Jesus told them the power comes from His Father in Heaven. (using Matt 6 above) Did they pray first, or did they just freak out? (Using Matt 7 above) Did they Ask the Father, Seek His help or Knock on His door first? (Using Matt 7 above) Did they actually build their lives on the ROCK, which could stand through any storm of life? (Using Matt 8 above) Did they SPEAK the words of LIFE over there situation in FAITH? Did they even show any signs of FAITH? NOOOOOOO..... they did not (or at least they did not record that they did). (Well I guess except for turning to Jesus in a time of trouble).


The disciples did what we all do, they cried out in FEAR. They let FEAR overtake them. They let their HEAD knowledge come before their HEART knowledge. They let themselves dwell on the circumstances and what they could see, and the FEAR that they felt. But where was Jesus in all this? Did Jesus let them down, and now they were stuck to face the storm alone? Jesus was sleeping. He was resting in the peace of His Father's arms. Peace amidst the storm. A place where most of us don't allow ourselves to go too often. The disciples were afraid, and I think they felt anger or even subtle bitterness that Jesus was sleeping while they were going through this storm.


Again, we can allow ourselves to feel that Jesus or God is asleep. He doesn't hear our problems, or see our needs and desires. He doesn't really hear our prayers, and that is why He is not answering in the way we want. God does not SLEEP or SLUMBER. Jesus was sleeping in this passage, because He was still a human. He needed time alone with His Father to rest and restore His strength. Because He was focused on God His Father, and on the rest and the peace that He was receiving from Him, He had no need to worry about the circumstances around Him. That is one of our main problems. Like race horses, we need to have blinders on. We need to FOCUS on God, and the things that He has for us, but too often we find ourselves looking to the left or the right and getting distracted by the things around us. These things hinder our run with God to the finish line. These distractions take our focus off of what is important and sometimes we find ourselves running the wrong way. When a problem comes from the right, we run to the left, instead of running straight to the Father.


The disciples ran in fear to the back of the boat where Jesus was to ask for help. Okay, now we all think YAY, Jesus is going to help them. For those of you who know the rest of the story, or who read it in the Scripture above you know Jesus does indeed save the day. But first, let's picture this situation in our heads for a minute. (I am a visual person) -- 13 men are in a boat, Jesus one of the men, retreats to the back of the boat to have a rest. For good reason, as the guy has been busy preaching, teaching, healing, etc. Now picture, a storm comes, the wind and the waves begin to rock the boat, and water is now coming into the boat. They do not want to sink, so they are doing what they can to stay afloat. But... all of a sudden the 12 men race to the back of the boat to get Jesus. Hmmm.... wouldn't that now be putting all the weight in the back of the boat, therefore making the boat more unstable - making their problem much worse than it was...? Just a thought...


Anyway, Jesus awoke to the voices of screaming men, (wouldn't that be a great wake-up call?) and looked at the disciples, and said some interesting words. "YOU OF LITTLE FAITH, why are you so afraid?" Obviously this is happening in a quick span of time, but seriously, what do you think the disciples thought? How did Jesus feel? We can only imagine and try to interpret the answers to those questions, (but after doing Bible Study/Sunday School in Matthew for over a year and a half, we realize the disciples didn't act upon the faith that they had in their heads. They needed to move that faith into their hearts, and truly believe that Jesus was who He said He was, and that God the Father would do what He said He would do. So many times, as was said above, they saw their Master perform miracle after miracle, and they heard him preach and teach time and again.) How can they have these feelings of doubt in a time like this? They were probably in awe/unbelief at what Jesus was saying to them. Why was He lecturing them at a time like this? Didn't He realize they were going to die? Jesus on the other hand, who was just awakened from a peaceful rest, was probably so tired, and frustrated that his followers weren't acting on their faith. Jesus was basically telling them to use their 'common sense'. The common knowledge that they now had revealed to them through the Holy Spirit through things they heard, saw and believed from their Teacher in the supernatural. But for the disciples, these supernatural things were now being overcome by fear, because of things they see and hear in the natural around them. WOW! Just like the 21st century church of believers and followers of Jesus.

Believers today focus a lot on FEAR and circumstances in the natural, and not on FAITH and things that Jesus did and will do in the supernatural. His will is for all to be made whole, and restored. He is our refuge and shelter in a time of storm. This is a promise that we can use to battle against the FEAR that comes against us. The Scripture is found in Psalm 46:1-3 says that "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah"

It says here (in the Scripture found in Matthew - today's lesson) that Lord Jesus spoke, and the wind and the waves obeyed. He has the power over the natural and all things that He created. However, it also says that the disciples were amazed. We as believers need to still be amazed by the works of the Lord. When we fall into complacency, and think that the miracles, and signs and wonders are no longer amazing, we fall into the trap the devil wants us in, no longer believing for the miraculous. Later in the Word, it says that they (and we) have also been given the authority. (Luke 9:1-3 - "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.")  Today we need to walk in that authority, and use the Word against the wiles of the devil. It says in the Word that we shall see these things, and even greater things. Jesus told the disciples and us, "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father." (John 14:11-13 NIV)

But most importantly we need to walk in FAITH! By FAITH we understand...

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for revelation through Your Spirit, and understanding. Help us to live a life of faith, and not fear, doubt and unbelief. When the storms of life come around us, help us to trust in You and Your Word. Encourage us in times of trial to keep on persevering and pressing on to the greater things that you have for us. Help us to seek You, and to still believe in miracles. Help us to have faith to do the things you did, and to do greater things as You have spoken to us. Encourage us along the way to be examples of faith for those around us. Through our faith in you, their lives will be changed as well. We need not have a mountain full of faith, yet we should have enough faith to move those mountains. Be with us and guide us in the ways we should go, and help us understand more about Your authority and power that You have given to us. Thank You Lord Jesus for the example that You gave. Help us to look to You, and not to our circumstances. Help us trust in You the keeper of the stars. Why is it that we can have faith that the stars will not fall from the sky, yet not faith in the little things in our lives? Help us have FAITH in You, the One who is the Healer, and not in the healing itself. Open our eyes to see your supernatural wonders around us daily. Help us seek You and trust You daily for MORE and MORE! May it all be done for Your glory and Your glory alone. It is nothing in the natural that we as mortal men can do, yet it is all that our loving Father in Heaven can supernaturally do. We ask all these things and more, in the Name of Your precious Son Jesus, AMEN!

*Here's a fun sheet to do with the kids, brought to you by http://www.sermons4kids.com/*
Jesus Calms the Storm

Keep the faith!
~Blessings,

Day 27 & 28: October 27th & October 28th, 2009 - - Hosea 4:6

“POINTS TO PONDER” – Day 27 & 28
Written by M. Hall
Please feel free to agree or disagree with points made, and feel free to comment if so desired. If you would like, you could write your own thoughts on the verse of the day, and include that in your own comments below. Thank you and may you be blessed!! =)



Teddy Bear Generator at Comments101.com

“My people will be destroyed, because they have no knowledge. You have refused to learn, so I will refuse to let you be priests to me. You have forgotten the teachings of your God, so I will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6

H1N1 – The flu virus… Recession… how many other negative things can you think of that are disturbing the natural flow of the world and its people? WOW… I will not and cannot give you any medical advice regarding the H1N1, nor can I give you any credible financial advice regarding the recession, yet I do know one thing I can tell you for sure, and I know it’s very medically safe, and very credible financially and will give you the best ‘side effects’ known to man --- FAITH in GOD (the one true God)!

As the verse today says, “My people will be destroyed, because they have no knowledge. You have refused to learn, so I will refuse to let you be priests to me. You have forgotten the teachings of your God, so I will forget your children.” Knowledge is something that we all would like to attain. No one in this world knows everything, except God (the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit). Many people have fought over this issue for years, (looking back to past flu/disease outbreaks) and have stressed, and argued and tried to make their point using opinions and facts. Scientists and medical researchers are on both sides of the fence, and Christian folks are as well. Just ‘Google’ the H1N1, and WOW, see what comes up. I did just that, (for some more insight tonight) and I ‘Google’d “Christian view of H1N1”… interesting reads I must say. Most people are either scared into getting the vaccine, or scared out of getting the vaccine. This seems scary all in itself, yet it should not be… for my Bible and my God says, “For I did not give you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and of a sound mind (self-discipline).” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Flues and diseases will come and go, we had them in the past, and they are certainly present, and will most likely affect our future, but they are ever-changing, and the vaccines and information regarding them are ever-changing, but the Lord our God will stay the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) Our faith in God will be the best preventative measure that we can take right now, because it’s the only thing that is certain, and that will last forever, and not change! God has called us to ‘cry out to Him’ for our family and our friends. We have the POWER and authority over these flues and diseases. We need to PRAY for the people, not PREY on the people. Children and seniors, and pregnant women are among the first who are told to get the vaccine… The world thinks they are attracting the weak first, yet I believe these are really the strongest. Children are the next generation, and seniors have the wisdom that this generation needs. The Bible says, ‘a little child shall lead them.’ Pregnant women are bringing the next generation of leaders into the world, and they are the bearers of life. [I cannot say much more regarding this, and still stay basically objective, stating the facts in the Bible, but after reading both views (for and against the vaccine), and the differing views among each side, I will leave you with that truth to study more for yourself.]

God gave us the power to PRAY, as I stated above. I quoted the scripture in 2 Timothy 1:7 above regarding God giving us the power. Yet, we may overlook the verse just before that one. It is so powerful for this time… for such a time as this! “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” (2 Timothy 1:6)

WOW! (Say it aloud) WOW! (Now say it backwards) WOW! (Now smile because God is in control). (Thanks P.G.D.!)

The people today need to take that authority over disease, pestilence, and anything else that is coming against them and their families. We have been given the spirit of power, love and a sound mind/self discipline. (Say these words of truth aloud, ‘I have not been given the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind!’) Are we walking around in fear, thinking crazy thoughts, lining up for several hours to get a shot? Or are we walking around in peace, with a sound mind, taking authority over our thoughts and over the diseases coming against us? JUST A THOUGHT…

Am I saying ‘Don’t panic over the H1N1’? Yes! There are much worse things in the world coming against you and your family than the H1N1 (and no I’m not saying it’s the H1N1 vaccine like several other people). The enemy is out to deceive us all, and he is sitting laughing at what the world has become. He is laughing, and we need to silence that laughter, and stomp on him and his plans; he is under our feet, and we need to learn & use the authority we have, and he needs to learn his place. I am saying ‘Don’t panic over the H1N1’, but I am also saying ‘don’t ignore the H1N1’. God has given us a sound mind, which includes common sense (which I know isn’t so common). Use common sense when dealing with you and your family (especially if you have children, seniors or pregnant women in your circle of family & friends)! I believe these truths for three reasons: 1) It is in Scripture, 2) Experience, & 3) Observation.

For the most part, there are everyday steps that can help prevent the spread of germs, or the spread of the influenza bug. According to http://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/ this includes:
* Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. (*My note* - Usually you are told to cough into your elbow or sleeve, which is good for the most part, but your germs stay on your clothing, and if you work with children, and pick them up, congratulations, you just spread the germ anyway.)
* Stay away from people who are sick. (*my note* - please pray for them)
* Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
* If someone in the household is sick, try to keep the sick person in a separate room from others in the household, if possible.
* Keep surfaces like bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
* Throw away tissues and other disposable items used by sick persons in your household in the trash.

I’d like to add;

* If you are really worried, take multiple vitamins, like B and D, and of course C.
* Eat a spoonful of honey… just ‘bee’cause!
* Pray over your meals, pray over your family (& friends), and seek God for protection and peace in this ‘storm’ of life. Plead the blood of Jesus over you and your family – declare the words, ‘No weapon formed against me shall prosper!’ and ‘No evil shall come nigh my dwelling place’ (dwelling place – you are the temple, this includes you, your home, your work, your children’s school or work, etc.)
* Take care of YOU… (The best vitamin for a Christian is B1)
* Pray hard to God regarding the vaccine, if He tells you to get it, then get it. If He wants you to trust in Him fully, and resist the temptation, then don’t get it, and pray all the more! Obedience brings blessings! (either way)
* Don’t let the media or others put the fear of man, fear of disease, or fear of any (non-reverent) kind into you. God is in control! (“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 NIV)

Jesus has the power over everything… humans have messed it up. Adam and Eve were a part of the first sin, and that ensured that humans will always be flawed. No human is perfect, no human has enough wisdom and understanding, or counsel or might, or knowledge. No human fears the Lord to the effect that Jesus did. The Word says, “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; But with righteousness He shall judge…” Isaiah 11:1-4 NKJV

God will give us all that we need, (which may or may not include the vaccine) “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

“Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.” 2 Timothy 2:7 NIV

Put your faith in God, because God is in control… whether you believe it or not, this fact is true! ‘There is no power above or beside Him, we know God is in control.’ (Lyric from God is in Control, sung by Twila Paris)

Quoting the lyrics from the song, “God is in Control”, I conclude;

“This is no time for fear
This is a time for faith and determination
Don't lose the vision here
Carried away by emotion
Hold on to all that you hide in your heart
There is one thing that has always been true
It holds the world together

God is in control
We believe that His children will not be forsaken
God is in control
We will choose to remember and never be shaken
There is no power above or beside Him, we know
God is in control, oh God is in control

History marches on
There is a bottom line drawn across the ages
Culture can make its plan
Oh, but the line never changes
No matter how the deception may fly
There is one thing that has always been true
It will be true forever
He has never let you down
Why start to worry now?
He is still the Lord of all we see
And He is still the loving Father
Watching over you and me

watching over you… watching over me…watching over every things…watching over you… watching over me…every little sparrow…every little things…”

Gods Word will stand forever… “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV

PRAYER: [My heart is breaking and my spirit is crying out for the people of this world (believers and non-believers), and I am praying for us (ALL of us) not to be deceived. I am praying that the Lord will give each of us individually the knowledge and wisdom needed regarding this and other diseases and spirits that may come against us. I plead the blood of Jesus over me and my family (and I hope that you pray the same). I will close with the best prayer known to man, the Lord’s Prayer. In a time like this, we need His words, and not our own.] “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory. Forever and ever, AMEN! (Matthew 6:9-13)

*Here's a video with the song, 'God is in Control'... play it loud, and declare it over your household or workplace today!* May God bless you and keep you, and make His face to shine upon you and give you peace.

Day 17: October 17th, 2009 - - Proverbs 15:13

“POINTS TO PONDER” – Day 17Written by M. Hall
Please feel free to agree or disagree with points made, and feel free to comment if so desired. If you would like, you could write your own thoughts on the verse of the day, and include that in your own comments below. Thank you and may you be blessed!! =)
“Happiness makes a person smile, but sadness can break a person's spirit.” Proverbs 15:13

According to Wikipedia, here is the definition of happiness. ‘Happiness is a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy.’ Did you know that it takes more muscles to frown then it does to smile? Happiness is not just having a smile on your face it’s actually feeling happy and content. How does one feel happy and content in a world of sadness, despair, and discouragement? It’s simple, have the joy of the Lord, for it is your strength. Joy is more than just having happiness though.

“Some people spread happiness wherever they go, and some whenever they go” is an interesting quote by Oscar Wilde. I believe it is a choice. It is definitely a state of mind, but it’s also a mindset. You have to physically and mentally change your mind to happy. Feelings do come, and feelings do go, but in essence, we have to choose how to feel. God has given us all feelings, but to some, he made their hearts more open to other’s feelings. Empathy is seldom found in the world anymore. Putting other’s feelings above your own, and comforting others in their time of need. Some people spread joy and happiness wherever they go. I choose to try and do this. Some people have mentioned to me on several occasions that it’s hard not to smile when I am around. Some family members and friends have called me ‘a breath of fresh air’, which I don’t take lightly or boast about. I am not boasting in saying that I am usually a happy person and like to share that happiness with everyone. I also have the JOY of the Lord in my Spirit, so I can be happy in most circumstances. When I get angry or emotionally stressed, I find myself getting frustrated at myself more than anything, because I allow my heart, mind and spirit to lose that feeling of happiness. But, I never lose the JOY!

Today’s verse says, ‘Sadness can break a person’s spirit’. Anger and sadness try to creep their little selves into our minds, spirits and hearts. When we allow them to creep in and ‘make a home’, that’s when things like depression set in as well. There is a verse in the Bible that talks about demons, and when anger & sadness get a hold of you, they are a form of demonic power that satan has over your life, and it brings more trouble like depression, and then that brings more trouble. "When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it travels through dry places, looking for a place to rest, but it doesn't find it. So the spirit says, 'I will go back to the house I left.' When the spirit comes back, it finds the house still empty, swept clean, and made neat. Then the evil spirit goes out and brings seven other spirits even more evil than it is, and they go in and live there. So the person has even more trouble than before. It is the same way with the evil people who live today." (Matthew 12:43-45 NCV) I stated above that I lose the feeling of happiness, because it is that, just a feeling. But I never lose the JOY, because I still have Jesus in my heart, and He is my peace. His joy is truly my strength, and I can use that supernatural strength to push away those feelings of stress, anger, sadness, frustration & defeat. The verse above found in Matthew, says just that, when you allow anger and sadness to live in your heart, and then ‘clean house’ and you get rid of them. You need to fill that ‘empty clean house’ with something else, like Jesus. He is the only thing that can fill that God-shaped void. It’s good to make your heart, and life ‘clean and neat’, but if you leave it empty, then those evil spirits can come back, and see it empty and go get more spirits to come and fill you. Who wants a life like that? Not me!

Are you experiencing sadness right now? Anger? Jealousy? Depression? Do you find it breaking your spirit? Take a stand! Get strength to fight! Not of your own power, but supernatural power that can help you achieve victory over your situations! If you have a relationship with Jesus, then it’s a little easier for you to grab a hold of that power. However, if you do not have that JOY that I spoke of, then you have just an additional step. ASK HIM IN TODAY! He is standing at your heart’s door, just waiting to come in, and help you ‘clean house’. He will fill that empty God-shaped void that’s inside. There is another quote that comes to mind about having faith in God, and the door to your heart. “Fear knocked. Faith answered. No one was there.” WOW! Powerful quote eh? I just read on a blog, that FEAR can be summed up into an acronym, F.E.A.R. - 'False Evidence Appearing Real'. So cool! WOW! God is sooooo amazing! We truly need to take Him at His Word. His Words will never return void. The words to a song are now coming to mind, 'I Walk by Faith' from my youth group days. (see YOU TUBE videos following the prayer below)

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, the giver of JOY and happiness, we thank you for your love and faithfulness. We need only walk in faith to believe that You will do the things You say You will do. God, I thank you that You are healing us as we read/say this prayer, and ‘cleaning house’. Father, I accept that I am a sinner, and know that I have done, and will do more wrongs in my life. However I believe that You sent Your Son Jesus into this world to die for our sins. I believe that He rose again, and sits with You in Heavenly places, and that He will return one day for His bride. God I also believe in the Holy Spirit and the power He gives, which also gives me JOY. I thank you that the JOY of the Lord is my strength. Help us be over-comers today! Lord, I thank you that You are who You say You are, and You will and can do exceedingly and abundantly more than we think or ask. Jesus, come in and fill the God-shaped void in my life, and help me to have the faith to scare off the devil when he knocks at my door. I pray a blessing on each person who is praying/reading this right now. In JESUS’ name, AMEN!

Here's a YOU TUBE video of the song by Maranatha singers... 'No weapon formed against me shall prosper... If my God is for me, tell me who can be against me.'




Here's another "walk by faith" song by Jeremy Camp! AWESOME!! =) 'I will walk by faith, even when I cannot see'.

Be blessed, and be a blessing!

Day 2: October 2, 2009 -- Proverbs 29:25

Written by Mitzi Hall

Please feel free to agree or disagree with points made, and feel free to comment if so desired. If you would like, you could write your own thoughts on the verse of the day, and include that in your comments below. Thank you and may you be Blessed!! =)
“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.”- Proverbs 29:25
The Lord will keep you safe. Amen and Amen. WOW! After just returning a week ago from my very first “across the ocean” mission trip, I can truly say that whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Different times on the plane, just looking out the window, I thanked the Lord for carrying our plane under His wings and protecting us. What favour you can have living as a Christ-follower, but as in our last “points to Ponder”, we know that it’s not all roses and daisies because life throws it’s curveballs at us. It can be those persecutions and failures that make us fear man, and not want to fully pursue the life that God has planned for us.

Taking the first part of the verse, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare”, so many times we let FEAR take hold of our life, and that’s not the way that our loving Father created us. It says in the Word, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV) In other words, according to “The Message” Translation, ‘God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.’ Also in another verse God refers to us as His children, “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of son ship. And by him we cry, "Abba Father." (Romans 8:15 NIV) Do you want to be known as a “slave to fear”? Not me!

So many people can feel ‘trapped’ by fear… ‘But there are so many things in the world to fear’, you might be saying. Yes, but phobias and fears, can leave damaging effects on your body, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. Simple daily occurrences like spiders, snakes, elevators, clowns, certain numbers, certain colours, and even people, can freak some people right out, and make them stay in their homes and not live the life God has for them. Other ‘fears’ are man-made, like superstitions. Walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, walking past a black cat, the #13, and more are just things you allow into your mind, and come to believe. Why is it soooooooo easy to believe that bad luck will come if a black cat walks past you, yet so difficult to believe that there is a good Father who loves you very much and wants to fill your life with blessings? Yes, it all sits in your mind (as was stated).

Your mind is a powerful tool, and your conscious and sub-conscious have a lot of power. One of the teachers at our church reminded us about having a positive mind-set last Sunday night. Having a different mind-set can make a whole different outcome. If you hear from the doctors that you have a disease, maybe a life-threatening one, it’s so easy to have the negative mindset, thinking your life is over, so why bother. But on the flip-side, so many have been healed just by the power of positive thinking (and of course prayer). Do YOU have the FEAR of MAN?? Take a stand now, and CHANGE YOUR MIND-SET. TRUST in the LORD! Fear Him alone. Not fear as in timidity or being scared of, but fear as in respect and revere who He is. When we trust in the Lord, great things will happen. Spiders and snakes for example may still bother us, but we don’t have to have a deathly fear of them anymore. Trust in the Lord and He will keep you safe.

That brings us to the second part of the verse, “but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe”. This is one of the many promises that God has given us, in His word, if only we trust in Him. Another is one of my favourite verses found in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” How easy is it to trust? Once again, we have let fear come in, and sometimes we are not able to trust people so easily, and that makes it tough to trust in God. We feel that we cannot trust people which we can see, so how can we be expected to trust in God, whom we can’t see. But an old saying comes to mind that I heard when I was in youth group…

“NO GOD, KNOW FEAR. – KNOW GOD, NO FEAR”

‘No Fear’ was a big saying back then, I can’t remember what the product was that it was advertising, but Christians changed it to the above statement. WOW! A change in mind-set, changes the outcome!

Don’t let fear trap you, or become a game, like Fear Factor… it is good to face your fears, but not for fame, glory or money. Allow the Holy Spirit to move in your life, and free you from being a “slave to fear”. Let God receive the glory for the work He will do in and through you.

In closing, I found a sermon illustration which shows how simple it can be to fix the problem of fear;

He Cut the Legs Off My Bed
The story is told of a man who lived for years in fear of strange, hideous animals who would hide under his bed and come out at night to prowl the room. One day the man told a friend, 'My brother finally solved my problem."
'Oh, is he a psychiatrist?" the friend asked.
'No, a carpenter. He cut the legs off my bed."
Source unknown

PRAYER: Father God, & thank you for choosing me to be one that can call you “Abba Father”, I thank you for the freedom you give us when we trust in you. Help me to overcome my fears (if I have any, consciously or subconsciously) through Your power, and Yours alone. Guard my mind and help me change my mind-set to the way that You would have me to think. Thank you for loving me so much that you sent Holy Spirit as a comforter and guide for me. Bless my life, and help me be a blessing in the lives of others. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.