Tag Archive | Jesus

Shakened Confidence?

Angry_God's PromiseHave you ever notice that when you choose to follow Jesus…instead of finding life like a bed of roses, you seem to encounter some of the most difficult times in your lives? Is it coincidence or something else?

This year alone, two very special people in my life were called home to heaven. First, my amazing grandbaby. My son had just surprised my mom and I with an unexpected visit. His purpose was to visit mom (aka grams), pray over her and just spend some quality time with us. We had all just started getting ready for bed when his cellphone rang. The next thing I knew, we were rushing him to the airport as my daughter-in-law had been hospitalized. Unfortunately my first grandbaby, Christopher Lamar Tovar was not going to get a chance to live his wonderful life as he was called to be with the Lord instead. Within a few months, my mom was rushed to the hospital on Mother’s Day. To add insult to injury, she too was called to heaven. She had battled cancer for four very long years. She wasn’t going down without a fight. She had a warrior spirit within her that gave her courage, strength and much love through it all. She was the epitome of “fighting the good fight of faith”. But none the less, God chose to call her home.

It’s during times like these, we are reminded how valuable and special life really is. However, it’s also a time when you find yourself battling to remain rooted in faith. It’s the ultimate battle of the mind where you feel your confidence shaken to its very core? It’s about all the “why’s” in life that seem to go unanswered? It’s when doubt creeps in and you can’t seem to find stability or grasp the reasoning.

Life is a very precious commodity and none of us know how long God has us planned on this earth. It is during the unpleasant and heartbreaking situations that we can find our confidence shaken. Not just in ourselves but also in the Lord. You find yourself wondering why God did not miraculously heal them or why He didn’t show up when you expected and in the way you expected.

It’s easy to believe God is a good when everything is going our way. It’s when your faith and confidence is shaken so badly you truly find out what you believe. You will either believe He is truly there no matter what you face, or you will believe that you must being doing something wrong because things aren’t working out, or worse…you will begin to wonder if God really exists.

We will have trials and tribulations in our lives. Good and evil happen to us all. However, our God is a loving and caring God. He wants our lives filled with love, kindness, happiness and wholeness. He wants the absolute best for you; actually more than you can imagine. We might not understand why bad things happen…BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS…when you find yourself in battles that are beyond your comprehension…you have someone who understands it even when you don’t. You have someone that will provide you the strength and perseverance to get through it when you’re struggling to get your head off the bed.

God’s plan is bigger and higher than we can imagine. We don’t have to understand it. We don’t have to go through it alone. Instead, we can tell God exactly how we feel and He will understand. He wants you to enjoy life. Stop trying to figure it all out! Some things we may not understand until we find ourselves in heaven. Our loved ones will be waiting for us. They have been blessed to be called home sooner than we are. They have completed their course no matter how big or small their time was here on Earth. They no longer have the cares of this world. Instead they are with the Creator of the Universe and that’s a pretty amazing thing, isn’t it?

We must choose every day if we are going to believe every word of the Bible or just pick and choose scripture that we like. Will you follow God’s lead and choose to walk it out no matter what you face? Will you be bold against all odds? Will you be like David, Job, Joseph, Paul or Ester who went through difficult times yet found the strength to overcome? Just because things don’t seem to be working out like you thought, it doesn’t mean God has turned His back on you. Don’t fall into the negativity traps of the mind. Your faith is a necessary component to manifesting and healing. Choose your path wisely and choose to stand on the Word of God. You are more powerful than you think! There is always a time to mourn, to dance, to love, to care, and most importantly, a time to fulfill your destiny. Be an overcomer today! You are a child of the Most High!  Your confidence is not in your circumstances but in the Lord Almighty!

Confidence-in-character-of-God.jpg-500x375

 

Hebrews 10:35-36 “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

1 Corinthians 2:3-5 “And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

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Enemies Don’t Stand A Chance

abuse-clipart-verbalabuseLast week, we discussed what to do when you’re facing insurmountable odds and tipping the scale into your favor. Well, I would like to expand on it a bit this week as this topic isn’t discussed enough in my opinion yet it affects us all!

When people mistreat you, what’s the first thing you do? If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us immediately get angry and want revenge. Anger tends to linger until you are so full of rage that the situation is the only thing you can think about. If festering is allowed, it will affect your mind, thoughts, and temperament. This in turn, could easily lead to depression and sickness.

If we allow anger to fester, it is giving the person total control over your life. They don’t deserve that control and you don’t deserve the pain and suffering they’ve caused. So, how do we turn these situations around?

I know most people are going to cringe when I say this…but…PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMY! I know, I know, I know…how dare I say that, right?!?!?

We all have things happen that we don’t understand or things that make us so angry where you just want to punch them out. And yes, that’s not very Christian to think but hey, we are human and there are many times in our lives that we either think or feel un-Christianly. Let’s get real, we are human and those are human traits. Even Jesus got angry in the temple and against heresy. Having those feelings are normal. However, how we react to the feelings determines your future path. Do you give into those feelings or do you follow God’s way of doing things? Now that is the real question, isn’t it?

As we discussed last week, we will encounter trials in this world. We will come up against evil in the craziest of times. That is a part of life. But God gives us such a profound outlook as to how we are to deal with the pain and anger. Let’s see…

Matthew 5:43-45: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.…”

Romans 12:19-21: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

From these passages, you get a real feel for what God says. He tells us to love and pray for our enemies. He knows that isn’t the typical humanly response. So why does He tell us to do it? Because He wants to take care of it for you. He wants us to focus on Him and not the unfair situation. PERIOD!!!!

See, our true battle isn’t the situation or the person. Our true battle lies in how we react to the unfair situation and what we will focus upon. We must strive to keep our eyes on the Lord at all times. If we can do that, then it gives God free reign to help us in all situations. So today, I ask that you begin praying and doing good towards your enemies and watch God resolve the issues into your favor!

HAMG-IN-THERE

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Experience Real Happiness

joy-the grinchWho do you listen to? Do you listen to the world’s perspective of happiness? Do you listen to all the commercials saying buy this or buy that, while the actor or actress is showing you fun, excitement, happiness, joy? Do you listen to pastors or religious leaders who tell you “if you send $1,000 today and stand on “blah, blah, blah scripture”, God will make all your problems go away in the next 30 days?

Sorry everybody but God doesn’t work that way. Now He may guide you to purchase something, He may guide you to give that $1,000 because He has something in store for you, He may guide you to do something out of the ordinary to get something extraordinary. HOWEVER…God wants you living a life of pure happiness all the time, not just a one time deal!

When you see things from God’s perspective, your feelings must bend to your faith. You won’t need to purchase something to be happy. Your circumstances don’t need to change before you can be happy. No…God wants us living in perfect peace and harmony all the time; no matter what your circumstances look like.

The world wants us to believe that if you buy this…you’ll look better, feel better, be happier; but happiness…TRUE HAPPINESS…can’t be bought. Real deep-piercing, gut-giddy happiness can only come from your Heavenly Father.

“The joy of the Lord is my strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 28:7)

No matter what your circumstances are, no matter what your feelings feel, no matter what you have to endure to get through the day…you can experience joy every step of the way! The key to your happiness is not buying things or pleading more…the real key is keeping your eyes fixed on the Lord. When you experience and have real deep knowledge of what the Lord experienced, what the Lord accomplished by His death and resurrection; you will undoubtedly know that you know whatever comes against you will never succeed. For Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly. He wants you complete, whole, happy and living in peace no matter what you face. Because the truth and the whole truth is very simple…the more you can see what Jesus accomplished, the more you spend time to learn about Him, the more you build your faith and lean on Him…the more joy you will experience.

When Paul and Silas was thrown into the deepest and darkest prison, they didn’t think about their circumstances. They didn’t let their bad day stop them from experiencing joy. They had every right to feel sorry for themselves. They had every right to feel angry, depressed or let their feelings get the best of them. But they turned a bad situation into a praise-a-thon!

“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25)

So the next time you have something go wrong or you feel angry or someone says something bad about you or you wish your circumstances would change…do what Paul and Silas did…start singing and worshiping the Lord. Make your situation and feelings bow to the Lord. He will make a way when there isn’t one. He will fill you with peace that surpasses understanding. He will be your strength and most importantly…He will be your joy no matter what you face today!

For your real-deep-giddy happiness lies with the Lord Himself. Don’t let another day pass you by without having the true happiness He wishes you to have!

joy-happiness is choice

It’s a choice you must make everyday!

Choose to Praise Up and Be Happy Today!

 

 

 

 

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Second Chances

MiraclesHave you ever wanted a second chance to do things over, right a wrong or make a different decision that would have altered your life in a completely different direction? Does it seem like the obstacles in your life are so big that things will never change unless God intervenes? Are you hoping and praying that your life has a new beginning that turns your frown upside down?

God has given each one of us many hopes and dreams within our hearts. He wants to make every single one of them come true. Up till now, all of your life experiences (good and bad) have been preparing you for your future. Today, right now can be your new beginning.

No matter what you are facing, God truly has a plan to work it out for your good and His glory!

Isaiah 43:19 (KJV): “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

Whether you fight depression, sickness, poverty, abandonment, anger, frustration or any other ailment that is plaguing you…God can and will turn it around. He hasn’t forgotten what your dreams are. He wasn’t taken by surprise when these things came against you. He has seen all the turmoil since the very beginning and knows how to spring forth your turnaround. No matter how your life seems or just how much wilderness you’ve encountered up till now…there is absolutely nothing too hard for Him. He wants you happy and whole with nothing missing and nothing broken. He wants you to realize your full potential; making a huge impact in the lives of those around you.

So let today be your new beginning. Start thanking Him for working behind the scenes. Start thanking Him for your restoration. Start thanking Him for bringing your hopes and dreams into your reality. He promises to make it happen. Let your dreams get bigger in your mind and heart today. Let your dreams seem so out of touch that they couldn’t possibly happen unless God intervenes. Dream Bigger! Hope and Pray Bigger! And let God be God!

Mark 10:27 “And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”

For today is a new day and all things are possible to those whom believe!

dreambig

 

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