FIVE THINGS TO DO EVERY MORNING

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

We have so much to be grateful for. God has given us more than we'll ever need. With Christmas rapidly following, along with all the blessings of family and festivities that we may experience this time of year, our schedules can become very overloaded. I don't ever want to become so absorbed with the busyness of the season that I forget why I'm here and Who I live for.

Here are five simple things we can do every morning before we start our busy day.

1. Acknowledge God's greatness and thank Him for the miracle of another day.

2. Tell Him that you want to make a difference for His kingdom and that you will purpose to be sensitive to those around you, making the most of every opportunity to share His love with others.

3. Trust Him to meet the needs of your day.

4.Reflect on you life. Confess any known sin and ask Him to reveal anything unknown that needs to be made right. Forgive anyone who has hurt you and depend on the Holy Spirit to keep you from sin.

5. Again, acknowledge God's greatness and thank Him for the miracle of another day.

Blessings to everyone during this engaging time of year!
 

MARK 12:30

"And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength."
                                                                                                                                 Mark 12:30

According to the Bible Knowledge Background Commentary, the definition of this verse goes as follows:

heart - the seat of spiritual life and the inner being; among other things

soul -life itself, which often involves feelings, emotions and desires. It overlaps with the heart.

mind - understanding and intelligence

strength - refers to one's ability or to one's capacity or power to act.


That brings it up a whole new level for me. It challenges me to study and memorize more. It challenges me to keep my quiet time with the highest priority. It reminds me to get involved and press forward. It is all for Him. It is what really matters.

REMEMBER

A couple of months ago, I went on a quest to find out how I can recharge. Through that search, it was revealed to me that I had lost my joy. How could I have lost my joy? This put me on a new chase. I know, as a Christ follower, His joy in our life is essential. It is our strength.

Last blog I shared how joy is not a matter of the ups and downs of life, but rather it is a fruit that is placed within us by the Holy Spirit. It is relational rather than circumstantial. Another way that we can lose our joy is through forgetfulness. We forget what Jesus has done for us. We forget His promises. We forget that earth is not our permanent home and that our real home is in heaven. Sometimes, we can't remember because we simply don't know. In order to know, we must search so we can remember. What is it? What is promised? How do we fit into it?

I challenge myself to memorize God's promises to us. I can't remember them if I don't know them. If I see a book about heaven, I have to devour it. It is our future. It is our joy. In Ephesians 1:18, Paul prays that, "Your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future He has promised to those He has called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance He has given to His people". The Message Bible says He gives us "endless energy and boundless strength". What a joy that awaits us! What promises we have right here and now!

God's goodness is all around us. On Fridays, I try not to request anything of Him. I focus on all the gifts He has blessed us with and glean on His promises. I find myself reminded of the beauty of creation and all that I seem to take for granted that is right under my nose. It is necessary for me to remember. I must choose to learn more about what I should remember. I find a peace and a trust and an anticipation that creates a deep-rooted joy. I find strength. ....... - Remember -

Let's Talk About Joy

If I were to ask you what makes you happy, I'm sure I would get an array of answers. We're all uniquely wired with our own preferences. I also think that I would get a new set of answers on different days of the week. The truth is that happiness is based on our circumstances. Today, I'd like to share about joy and one aspect, although there are many, that can steal that joy away from us.
Joy is easily confused with happiness. But actually, it is very different. Just as sure as happiness is based on our circumstances, joy is based on a relationship.This relationship is established when you become a follower of Christ. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. We can't muster it up ourselves. It is evidence that God is recreating us to be more like Him.
We can be experiencing something very unpleasant, but still have a deep-rooted joy inside.It's a peace that says, "No matter what's going on around me, I know that I'm being held in God's hands." It creates in us the ability to see past our circumstances and into the positives of the situation and others. When our heart is filled with joy, the Holy Spirit can actually help us overlook the negatives as we focus on what is noble and right, pure and lovely, anything admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. (Phil.4:8) We are told to think on these things.
We're choosing to walk in the flesh when we hold a grudge. It will steal the joy right out of us. "Love keeps no record of when it has been wronged." (1 Cor.13:5)
It would be wonderful if this happened overnight. But the more we choose to follow God's words and yield to the Holy Spirit, the more we will know this deep-rooted joy that encourages us and others. We need God's joy to walk victoriously on this journey together. The joy of the Lord is our strength!

Everybody Has Stuff

Everybody has stuff. You know what I'm talking about - things in our life that weigh us down; seemingly permanent complications that set us back. It may come in the form of challenging health, heartache with a family member ... or two ... or three, work related pressures. Whatever it is, none of us are exempt. We all have stuff. Some of us would never want to voice it, but I'd be stating an honest fact when I say that our lives would be easier without it.

We are imperfect people living in an imperfect world. It is going to be that way until the day we die. We have to get the thought out of our heads that life is supposed to be fair. Again - we live in a deficient world. We are all dealt a hand of different cards. The question is, what are we going to do with what we've been dealt? If it is something we cannot change, I would like to encourage you to embrace the challenge, knowing that it's there to make you stronger. Just as the refiner heats gold to temperatures that will melt out the impurities, so our heartaches and trials work as tools to refine our souls, creating sensitivity, dying to ourselves and thus having more genuine love for others. The bible tells us to count it all joy. (James.1:2-4)

If you are a follower of Jesus, the bible also tells us that all things work together for the good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.(Rom. 8:28) If you've never made the decision to live for Christ, there's no time like the present. No matter how good we try to be, none of us can get to heaven on our own. Jesus is the only unblemished person who walked upon the earth. He took the weight of our sin upon Himself, died and rose again to heaven. Those who depend on and have yielded their life to Him are then covered by His grace. They are now adopted into God's family, where one day, we will all be together in that perfect place called heaven. With that said, you too, can have everything working together for the good. Make the decision to become a follower of Christ. It's never too late; no one has ever gone too far. He takes all things and makes them new!

... So what are you going to do with what is on your plate? Many of us would love to jump right into the dessert. The vegetables don't always taste so good and some of us are not very big meat eaters. But without the sometimes dull / sometimes bitter tasting veggies we would not be healthy. And it is so important to regenerate our cells and feed our bones and muscles with protein. We need the bitter with the sweet. We need the meat with the milk.

For many of us, the toughest trials to swallow are the very ones responsible for some of our most life changing victories. Through life's unpleasant situations, we can learn to depend on the faithfulness of our Father. Even though pain may be present, we can expectantly trust in the One who makes all things new and works it out, not only for ourselves, but also for the good of others.

On Guard!

It's a scary thing to lose sight of love. It's happened to me and it will happen again. All perspectives get thrown off course. It's as if we are looking through someone else' eyes and we feel lost.

Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 16:13 to be on guard. What is your "on guard" trigger?

Ego
Perfection
Self - gratitfication
A critical heart
Laziness / complacency
Worry
Fear
Gossip
Comparing

I guess I can go on, but you know what I mean. We all have trigger points that set us off the preferred path. Some, we constantly battle; while others suddenly pop up. That's why it's so important to guard our hearts. We don't want to fuel the negative fire to go any further.

Pastor David mentioned the other night, "Love must surround everything we say and do". I know that's the cry of my heart. To be on guard takes discipline to set our minds on things above .... no matter what the circumstance. God won't give us more than His grace can't handle. It will take courage. It will take strength. But if we keep at it and don't quit, we will be steady on our feet and kept completely whole. (Isaiah 26:3)

So .... "Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. And everything you do must be done with love." (1 Cor. 16:13

The Power of a Smile

Isn't it amazing what a smile will do? It can transform a dark situation into feelings of hope. The power that laughter brings actually heals, at times. "A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing." (Proverbs 17:22a) When you last received a smile from a perfect stranger, didn't it feel good? A smile is free. At this day and age, it's usually hard to find. For some, it's hard to produce. but I find that it overflows in children. Jesus says we must become like children. A smile shines naturally if the heart is actively trusting, forgiving and choosing to love.

Oh, it's easy to smile when all is well. There was a day, almost eight years ago, I was very busy running from place to place, trying to get everything done that needed to be taken care of for the big night I had planned. I noticed that people were exceptionally happy that day. Everywhere I went strangers were not only smiling at me, but they were flashing their pearly whites to the point that I almost needed to keep my sunglasses on indoors. Finally, my last stop - I needed to run into the grocery store. I made a quick entrance into the restroom just to make sure that I wasn't the cause for the world's entertainment of the day. Were people laughing at me? And then I looked into the mirror. Oh my goodness - I was contagious!! You see, that evening I was going to marry the most wonderful gift that God has ever given me; and I was sharing that joy with everyone through my smile. Strangers were basically responding back to what I was giving them.

A smile is a free gift from God. Sometimes, as in my wedding story, it comes easy and is simply an over-abundance of the heart. But there are days when just smiling is a true effort. King David used to tell his soul to "take joy". In taking joy, we are placing our day into God's hands. Smiling, then, is an action of faith. It is trusting God in His sovereignty. It pleases Him and is a form of worship to Him. It is coming out of ourselves and being "others - focused".

I challenge you, as well as myself, to be contagious and welcoming with our smile. It is our first impression to others and it can lead to an open door to building God's kingdom. Let's grow down and out and up together.

Experiencing God's Presence in Worship

When we come together at church, our first priority is to worship and exalt God. We are created for something bigger than ourselves. We serve a God Who is all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere at once. He was here before creation and He lives forever. He formed the terrain of the earth and everything on it. What an imagination, to bring into being all the different species of animals. What an Artist, to design the beauty of each delicate flower complete with its own signature fragrance. His canvas gives birth every morning. He hugs us when evening comes with the setting sun and secures us with the starry lights of the heavens. He has chosen to reveal Himself by wrapping us in His beauty. And yes - this great God of the universe gave His life for us. He desires us to be with Him for eternity.

He offers a glimpse of that each time we gather together for corporate worship. The bible tells us that, "Where two or more are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them." Are we expecting to connect with Him? He is waiting. Are we preparing ourselves before we get to church so that we can be more intimately acquainted with this marvelous God?

He offers Himself to us; but we have to want it. We must be watchful for Him. There will be distractions. The enemy doesn't want us to experience God's presence. He would rather have us involved in conversation with each other while the worship is taking place. I fear that this breaks God's heart. In James, it says that "God desires to draw near to us as we draw near to Him." We must make a conscious decision to draw near to Him. He is sitting among us every time we gather. Are we actively desiring to encounter Him? He is waiting for us to get serious.

The next time we gather, let's be deliberate in our focus. To be pro-active in our worship is to anticipate meeting with God. Pray the songs, rather than just singing the lyrics. Commune inwardly, rather than conversing with the person next to you. There is plenty of time for fellowship before and after the service. This will also help others to focus in as well. Expect nothing ... and receive nothing. Expect much ... and receive more than you can conceive. Worshiping God is an action that no one else can do for you. Everyone has to learn how to do it for themselves. Let's be of one mind and welcome Him - eager to expect Him to meet with us in a special way.

Royal Ambassadors

Have you ever crammed for a test, and to your satisfaction, aced it? However, when it came back up for review before the final exam, you found that you had to study all over again. The sleepless night of filling your brain was just that - filling your brain. It wasn't chewed upon and digested. You didn't acquaint yourself with it. You didn't get to know it. It was merely information placed in your brain until you moved on to the next cramming session.

Our relationship with Christ can be played out the same way. At times we may find ourselves cramming scripture into our heads until the next big challenge arises. My problem is that I move too quickly to the next challenge at hand and fill my arsenal with more scripture and ..... uh oh ....."scripture overload".
Suddenly, I can't remember any of them.

The plan of action is correct. The speed at which I'm running could be slowed down a few notches. If we want it to be a part of us, we have to slow down and stay awhile with it. We need to get to know it. The scripture has to be allowed to travel from my head to my heart. And there, once it's been ingrained in my heart, the Holy Spirit can bring it to mind when it's needed. It's OK to graze on a certain passage. There's plenty of time to move on; but take as much time as you need to really get to know it. Make it a part of you - not only your thinking, but who you are.

We are God's children soiled by a dark world. We've got to get to know and embrace the characteristics of our Father. As we get to know them, they begin to change us to look more like Him. We will be living a life that would be identified as royalty and resemble His ambassadors on this earth.
"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us." (2 Cor.5:20a)

As His representatives, we will dress ourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We will make allowance for each other's faults and forgive when offended. We will wear love. It is what binds us together in perfect harmony. As members of His family we must allow Christ's peace to rule in our hearts. And as ambassadors, we are to always be thankful. (Col. 3:12-15)

So, if we will slow down and stay a while and allow the richness of His words to dwell in our hearts, it will make us wise. And the words that we speak will teach and counsel each other. We will be able to sing with thankful hearts. And then, whatever we do or say, we will look more like the representatives of Jesus Christ that we have been created to be. (Col. 3:16-17)

Love is the Greatest

     As the worship leader at Clay Community Church, time alone with God has to be a priority in my life. If my relationship isn't right with Him, I won't be sensitive to choosing the correct songs or hearing the encouragement He wants to share with us. I could sing and encourage until I'm blue in the face. If I don't do it out of the love I have for God, then He won't be in it. It would be useless and ineffective for His kingdom.
      God deserves our very best. To love Him through our singing, pleases Him. There is no question about that. If we are genuine in our love for Him, then the Holy Spirit will compel us to take it a step higher to worship Him through loving others as well.
     Love is a fruit of the Spirit. Without it, we are nothing. We live our lives for ourselves. When we practice love, our whole world changes. It doesn't always guarantee a "feel good" emotion, but it is a conscious act. It is something we "do". It would be easy if we could pick and choose who to love .... but then what about the unlovely? We are commanded to love one another. That means those we like and those we don't like so much. God didn't say that we have to like others. He says we are to love others. One is a feeling. The other is a decision to take action. We are to love people even if we don't think they deserve it. Since Jesus doesn't physically live on this earth anymore, He desires to use our varied personalities and giftings to love others through us. We are His representatives. We can also receive love in the same manner.
     I am not an expert on love by any means. I am a work in progress. I fall short of the call many times a day. But we must always work towards godliness. In 2 Peter 1:5-7, we are told that godliness leads to love for other Christians. Godliness just doesn't suddenly appear. It is through a process of maturity that the Holy Spirit guides us.
It seems easier for me when I write out the unfolding this way:

1. We must allow faith to produce a life of moral excellence, which leads to
2. Knowing God better, which gives us the ability to
3. Exercise self-control, which leads us to
4. Patient endurance, resulting in
5. Godliness. Once we have godliness we are able to develop
6. Love for other Christians, (which will keep us from getting spiritually dull and indifferent - Heb.6:10-12 NLT)  and finally .....
7. We will grow to have genuine love for everyone.

That's loving God by loving people. That's worship in action. It sounds like a tall order, but I'm in it for the long haul. How about you? It's definitely worth it.

FIRST LOVE

I remember when I first became a Christ follower. Everything was new. There was a reborn life within me that oozed an attitude of being able to conquer the world with love. This contagious manner was embraced by many just from what was going on inside of me. People saw a difference and wanted what I had. I evaporated God's Word as a thirsty sponge absorbs water. I prepared myself before every service, anticipating God's presence through worship. I would rise earlier than my "normal - early" and found myself staying up later, just to meet with Him. I had an insatiable desire to know Jesus more. Many were affected by the animation that was witnessed through my new life.
Presently, I ask myself, "What happened? Is it possible that people can still see Jesus just by observing my manner?"
We know, as in a marriage relationship, that the honeymoon period doesn't last forever; if it did, we'd get nothing else done. We would spend all of our time on ourselves. It would be a very "us" world. But, we live in a very "others" world, where our mission is to share our lives with those around us. Just as a marriage relationship transforms into a deeper understanding of our partner, so do we grow deeper in Christ, resulting in being more others-oriented. Our relationship matures. We may not be as expressive as when we first believed, but if we are spiritually healthy, we will produce a deeper love, real joy, profound peace, patience produced from self-control, kindness, gentleness and goodness toward others, and a multiplied amount of faith. I didn't posses these fruits when I began this journey.
So, I came to the conclusion that I am not as exuberant on the surface as when I began, but inside I am able to understand and genuinely love others with a strength that I know I can't produce on my own. I still expectantly prepare my soul for worship gatherings. I anticipate God to speak every time we come together. I hunger to be with like-minded people. God's Word is still my love letter. I admit, there are times when I get distracted and give Him second place after my schedule, a dead line, my own time or an array of other pulls that tug at me. I lose my fervor for Him and notice that the urgency has dimmed. That's when I stop and ask forgiveness. I pray that He brings me back to my first love -
...... and He always does-
.............He always will.

Giving Our All

Is what I'm doing just "good enough for church"?
What if it was part of my job description at work and it was a reflection on whether or not I get my raise? What then? Would I go the extra mile? Would I be more conscientious on my performance?
If God has given you a gift, He has graciously donated it to you for the benefit of the body. He delights when you stretch yourself. It's not the measure of the gift itself; rather, it's the attitude of the heart as you give that gift back. God has given us all different levels of talent and ability. We are all unique. There is no one exactly like you who can contribute exactly the way you do.
So, are we giving just enough to get by? God looks at our faithfulness in what we do with that which He has bestowed on us.
Has He blessed you with much? .....Give much.
Has He blessed you with little? .......Give much. 
Pour your heart and soul into what He has placed within you.
Today is a new day.God's mercies begin new every morning. Today, let's give God our very best with what He has entrusted to us.

God Is Our Source

There are people or things that we are drawn to, or we go after, in life. Many times they are not healthy or good for us. If all we want is to seek after the truth, then why do we find ourselves again and again in the same situation?
We are all on different journeys to the same destination. We may not be experiencing the same conditions as another; but whatever our struggle - whether financial, emotional, health related ... you name it - God is the source for all our need. He is the One Who comforts an aching heart. He is the One Who fulfills a longing soul. It is because of His great love that your material needs are met. I bet you thought your paycheck took care of that. That is true, but God is the bottom line reason why you have a job in the first place. It's by His grace that we eat and breathe and live. Once we establish the fact that God is the provider of the tiniest detail that our life might require, we have no reason to get anxious anymore. That reality has to travel  from our head to our heart.
Oh, it will take discipline and a determination to rest in Him. He has given us His Holy Spirit to help us. We must set our minds, (and keep them set), on things of Him. In 2 Timothy 1:7 it says, "God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline." He has given us a sound mind. Our only true hope is in Him. We can expect Him to renew and change us to make us like Him.  
"But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings of eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31
God is our source.

Time Alone With God

We are all distracted. In a world of non-stop communication and sensory stimulation, we have got to deliberately take time daily to shut it all out and spend time in the silence. God is patiently waiting for our undivided attention. If you've chosen to read this, then you have the time. Why put it off? Stop right now - even if it's only 10 minutes. Turn everything off and give yourself totally to Him. God is crazy about you and desires to talk with you, one on One. Go ..... I think He's calling your name.

"Come near to God and He will come near to you."   (James 4:8)