Power Of The Tongue!

Far too often we forget the power of our tongue. We forget that the words we use shape our world. The Bible says it this way : "Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit (Pro. 18:21)." We have the ability to speak life to those around us or to curse them. Far too often we have used our words to tear people down instead of build them up. I believe that God has blessed us with this ability so that we would use it to encourage and bring life to those around us. I think we should begin to look for opportunities to encourage those around us with a kind word. The Bible also says: "A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word [spoken] in due season, how good [it is]!" Lets look for those opportunities to speak life to those around us. 
Be Blessed!!!

Your the only you in this world

You see it's important you understand this. It is important because the church, and ultimately the world needs you to understand this so that you can fulfill your God given purpose on this earth.  God created you specifically for this time. 1 Corithians 12 tells us that God created you with a specific gift that is needed in order for the church to operate properly. He likened us to a body; we are all parts of this body each with a different function but all needed in order for the body to function properly. The more time we spend trying to be something we're not the more time the body will be deformed, unable to operate properly. Too often we think that our part doesn't matter. That we aren't gifted enough to make a difference. That we just weren't given enough talent to really change anything. This in part is true, we in ourselves cannot truly cause change but as we see ourselves as He sees us (truly relying upon His strength and not our own) the sky is the limit. This is where He wants us to place our reliance, upon Him. "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" Phil 1:6. As we gain this confidence in knowing that He is at work in us so that He can work through us; We will gain the confidence needed to be who God created us to be. Uniquely you! We will also then approach life with a sense of urgency in becoming who God created us to be so that the body can truly function to its full potential. Approach today with the understanding that your needed by the world to be you. Because there is no other you in this world!! Be Blessed!!

safe place

I'm strengthened by Psalms 91. It encourages me because all to often as I walk through this imperfect world I need a place of refuge. A place that I can find rest and regain my strength. A true safe place where I can come comfortable to be myself and be protected. This chapter in the bible, for me, paints a perfect picture of who my heavenly Father is: He is my protector, He is my shield, He is my rock, He is my fortress, in Him I can trust. He will be there when I call upon Him and He will deliver me from my enemies. He will be with me in times of trouble and He will keep me from evil. He is the one constant in an always changing world. And I don't know about you, but I desperately need Him. I would encourage you when life gets overwhelming to reflect upon this chapter and to remember how good our God is. Be blessed!!

Don't Stop Dreaming

Never give up on the dreams God has given you. In the right season He will bring them to pass, just stay the course. Look at Joseph; he had a dream and after sharing his dream not only was he rebuked by his father, his brothers plotted destruction against him and sold him off to slavery. I'm sure at some point Joseph (as he got further and further away from his dream) had to question the validity of his dreams; questioning if they were truly God or not. But he continued to believe in his dream and no matter what his circumstances said he stayed the course. And in the right season God brought his dreams to fruition. Even though it seems that your dreams are far from reach, continue to believe because in due season God will bring it about. I'm reminded of this scripture; "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Galatians 6:9 NKJV). The trials we face develop the character needed to walk out our dreams. Never give up!
Be blessed

Greatness.

God has purposed you for great things. I think often times we take this too lightly. we get caught going through the motions and never really understanding why. Just barely making it, barely surviving, laking in love, laking in relationships, laking in the fullness He destined for everyone of us. I think the problem we run into is in our definition of what fullness is. We think that fullness must mean we have all the money in the world, that we lack in nothing. I do believe that God wants us lacking in nothing, but when our view point is defined by the worlds standard and not by Gods word we will always think we are lacking. I would challenge you that fullness is when we empty ourselves of us and fill in every void with Him. Allowing Him to define what relationship is in our life, allowing Him to define what wealth is in our life, allowing Him to define what greatness is in our life. I'm not saying lower your expectations, I'm saying allow God to define what your expectations should be. When our approach to life is filtered through Gods word we will live in greatness, we will fulfill all that God has called us to do, we will live in fullness. Allow God to define what greatness is in your life not those around you. Be blessed.

Storms of life

Sometimes I think we forget the power that comes with Jesus being in our hearts. I think we forget that the reason we asked Him into our lives is because we saw our weakness and realized we have a need for an all knowing and all powerful God in our lives. Its important we are reminded of this because of the times we live in. We are surrounded by an ever increasing darkness and the chaos and storms of life seem to be getting more and more difficult to walk through. So it's important we remember whose we are and who lives on the inside of us. When we become more aware of this and our focus turns more to Him for strength we will begin to see ourselves walking through the chaos and storms without getting shaken. I'm reminded of Matthew 8 where Jesus was asleep on that boat in the midst of that storm when His disciples woke Him up in a frenzy worried that the storm was going to overtake them. Jesus than woke up and commanded the winds to cease and brought calm to storm. I'm encouraged because this same Jesus that commanded the chaos to cease and brought calm to the storm now lives on the inside of us. And as our focus is on Him and not the surrounding chaos of this world He will give us the ability to walk through the middle of the storm with the calm and confidence that He will carry us through. And remember that just as Peter was able to walk on the water as long as his focus was on Jesus, we can walk on the waters of the trials and storms of this life as long as our focus remains on Jesus. And just as when Peter took his focus off of Jesus and started to focus on the storm that surrounded him he found himself sinking. This is a reminder to us that when we feel that the storms of life are overtaking us and we feel that we are beginning to sink, somewhere along the line our focus turned from Jesus onto the trials of life. And it is as simple as refocusing our gaze upon Him to find that strength we need to get through whatever the storms of this life bring. Be blessed!!  

Our Focus

I wonder how much we could change our situation by simply changing our focus. Easier said than done right ? I know, it's very easy for someone outside of your life to sit back and say just focus on the good in life when everything in there life appears to be going good. But is that the case? Are we really truly able to accurately be the judge of what others are struggling with or is that just another excuse to keep the focus off of our own struggles? The reason I ask is because there always seems to be a pretty valid reason in our lives to keep us from thinking upon those things that bring us joy and life. And I wonder if that's not the enemies way of keeping us in our junk, keeping us from ever getting our heads above water. I wonder how much we could change our situation by simply forcing ourselves to focus on those things that bring us life. I say forcing because when we are constantly surrounding by a world that thrives on negativity and drama we literally have to force ourselves from the drama and force ourselves to find the good things in life to focus on. Reflecting upon God word always brings life and continually gives us wisdom on how to change our situation. I find much encouragement from Phil 4:8 and find when I spend my time meditating on this scripture my attitude towards the difficulties in life begin to change. Than before I know it those things don't seem so tough anymore and I realize that what once seemed to be such a difficulty in my life isn't even a situation anymore. Be encouraged in knowing that in Gods word is the power to change whatever difficulty your facing today.

Seasons of life

There's this idea in life that life would be better if we just had more. It's the constant driving force of the world we live in. Always looking for the next best thing, never truly being satisfied with what we have. We seem to never allow the process we are in to take its full coarse because we are always in a hurry to experience the next thing. I think King Solomon put it best when he said "its all vanity." While I believe it's important to be ambitious and have personal drive; I also believe there's a delicate balance between being driven and being satisfied. Being satisfied is knowing that God has you in a season, no matter how horrendous that season is, and being content in it. Content with the fact that our loving God has only brought you to this season because He knows that there's something to be gained in that season. Something that will draw you closer to Him. I think Paul put it best when he said "I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Its being in a place of realizing that no matter where you are in life, if your heart is surrendered to God, He will give you the strength to get through whatever season your in. Be strengthened in knowing today that God has you in the palm of His hand and although at times we have to walk through the fire its His hand that will always keep us from getting burned. Be Blessed!!

Need For God

I've begun to realize my need for God. I seem to go these long periods of time thinking that I can take on any situation I face all the while masking it as Gods strength. Making these claims that God is in control but in myself never giving up all control. I say ALL because I believe that there has been seasons of relinquishing some control but never All. That true abandonment of self. The Scripture from John 3:30 has become so true in my life, I must decrease so that He may increase. I'm realizing the more I begin to decrease, relinquish control over my life, the more room it leaves for Him to increase in me. To truly have Him as director over ALL the areas of my life. And I believe that it is in this state that true peace can be embraced, An understanding that as long as God is in control, no matter what comes my way He'll bring me through it.