Category: Keep The Faith News

 

ARE THERE DOUBTS OR FEARS HOLDING YOU BACK?

ACTS 18:9-10
“Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you.”

Prior to the printing of “Affairs of the Heart,” I heard God say that one day I would be speaking in front of a group of people … and to remember they will not be coming to see me … they will be coming to hear Him speak through me.

As my 33 year vocation at that time was in the landscaping profession, the thought of this message seemed foreign and unsettling. I felt nervous and afraid to face the future if I would have to speak in front of a group.

As the time did come for me to share my faith-based journey through speaking, I realized I could only do what God instructed through faith, trust and surrender to Him.

Do you know what God is calling you to do in your life for the praise and glory of His name?  Are there doubts or fears holding you back?  If so, evaluate if you are allowing the Lord to lead you. Only when we let go of control and surrender our trust in Him can we accomplish things we never thought possible.

Remember … God repeatedly appeared to Paul to strengthen and encourage him. Allow the Lord the same opportunity with you.

Have a blessed, trusting, faith-filled day with the Lord.

IS THE GOD YOU WORSHIP THE GOD OF THE BIBLE?

 

Luke 4:8
And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get you behind me, Satan: for it is written you shall worship the Lord your God.”

During this 40-day period of Lent, let us consider Jesus being led by the Holy Spirit on His 40 day journey in the wilderness. Think of the struggles He endured and the temptations He rejected.

May we strive to emulate his dedication to prayer, fasting and reflection in order to strengthen ourselves against the temptations we face on a daily basis. May we be fortified and strengthened by our daily prayers and spiritual reflections in order to stay focused on worshipping the true God … the God of the Bible, not the material images many fall prey to worshipping.

May our efforts of these 40 days become habit, learning to resist our egos of pride and greed. May we silence selfishness and magnify selflessness as we journey with God in a prayerful and meaningful way.

God bless!

WHAT TYPE OF NOURISHMENT ARE YOU IN NEED OF?

John 6:35
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Hunger and thirst are basic human needs that are appeased with food and drink.  At times, no matter what or how much we take in, our hunger is still not satisfied. Our bellies are full, and yet we still feel empty.

Perhaps this may be an indication for us to change our focus and decipher if it is our soul that is lacking in nourishment. Spiritually speaking, there is a hunger and thirst for God that often is not recognized for what it is. Perhaps that empty feeling is a sense of longing or loneliness, and we are masking the pangs of hunger within.

In this broken world we need to remember more than ever that in addition to the Lord providing us with bodily nourishment, He is calling us to feed our souls on a daily basis. He wants to satisfy our deepest longings and desires, nourishing us with His love and compassion, so we may never hunger or thirst again.

As much as we may search to satisfy our physical desires in this lifetime, in the end it is only God who can fulfill us … and who we should be longing for.

Have a blessed day!

WHAT IF MARY HAD SAID “NO” ?

Luke 1: 38
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”  Then the angel left her.

In Luke 1:38 an angel of God descended upon Mary to inform her of the wondrous gift God was going to bestow upon her. Although she was overwhelmed by the greatness of this experience, she did not doubt nor deny God the opportunity of using her as His vessel.

We all know in the depths of our hearts when God is calling us to do great things; yet, how many times do we reject His requests? God calls us to do great things, to be great people, to be the best versions of ourselves. Perhaps during this advent season as we await the gift, the birth of Christ, we should reevaluate the personal requests we denied God of fulfilling.

May we use this time to not only anticipate the birth of our Lord, but to allow God to use us as a vessel for His and our greatest good. After all, what if Mary had said “no “?

Wishing you and your families a blessed, joyous, healthy Christmas. May God bless us all!

IF YOU COULD PROCLAIM YOUR LOVE, WOULD YOU CLIMB A MOUNTAIN TO SHOW IT?

Psalm 95:4
“In whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also.”

Recently, I saw this cross boldly painted far up the side of a steep mountain in California. I could not imagine all that it would take for a person to traverse the rough terraine to such heights, no less carrying the paint and tools used to boldly proclaim their love of the Lord.

Although we all may not be equipped to climb mountains, we all have the ability to display our love of God through our daily actions. Our constant expression of faith shouts out our love to the Lord and prevails over the fears of uncertainty in this world.

This Thanksgiving season, let us etch the cross in our hearts and display it’s presence boldly through our actions, deeds and words. Climb to the heights of your own personal mountain and make your proclamation to God.

Someone climbed a mountain in California to paint a Cross … what is your goal today?

Many blessings to you and your families for a healthy and joyous Thanksgiving.

ARE YOU FEELING WEIGHED DOWN WITH BURDENS?

MATTHEW 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Yesterday, while at my gym, I accumulated several hand weights. One by one, exercise by exercise, they were easy enough to handle. However, when it was time to put them back I encountered a problem. As I began to walk with them tucked under my arms and in my hands, I realized I needed help as one of the weights began to slip. I knew I would ask the next person I passed to take some of the weights from me before they all fell to the floor.

Suddenly I realized that this is exactly what Jesus wants us to ask of Him. He wants us to hand our troubles to Him one by one before they become so heavy that we are feeling weighed down. The Lord extends an open invitation for us to bring our weighty burdensome troubles to him – so why do we delay asking the Lord “will you take this from me?”

Have a blessed unencumbered day.

HOW INSPIRING Matthew 13:31-32

HOW ARE YOU GROWING YOUR FAITH?

Matthew 13:31-32
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

When I was about 6 years old I wanted to surprise my mother with a good deed, so I pulled the weeds in her garden. My anticipation of her joy turned into a cry of “oh no, you pulled out all my mums!”  Uh-oh …I felt terrible. I didn’t realize the “weeds” would grow and bloom into flowers because I didn’t see any buds. My mom explained that she had planted the mums from seedlings, knowing that with proper care she would have an abundance of flowers in their season.

This reflection made me wonder … how are we preparing our spiritual garden? Are we planting enough seeds of faith to choke out the weeds of sin? Are we nurturing our garden with the sunshine of God’s love, and watering it by quenching our thirst for the Lord?

May we continue our walk with God by preparing our hearts with prayer, and planting seeds of faith. May we maintain the right spiritual conditions for the Holy Spirit to grow within us so we may have a plentiful harvest and fertile soil for the next generation to flourish. May we always have a deep-rooted faith and produce abundantly so that we continuously reflect the beauty of God.

Are You Ready To Bridge the Gap?

Ezekiel 22:30
“I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.”

There was no gap between God and His plans for His creation, earth, until Adam and Eve’s sin caused the separation. Since then, God has been interceding to bridge the gap and keep us from falling into Satan’s abyss.

Just as God chose Moses to stand in the gap between His people and Pharaoh; He also chose Esther and Daniel to pray for God’s protection of His people … and ultimately sent His son, Jesus, to bridge the gap by dying for our sins.

We, as well, have the power to intercede, or bridge the gap, for the Lord by being prayerful friends, parents and grandparents in order to protect future generations from falling into the gap of sin.

 

God is calling us to intercede; to help Him restore unity within our families, churches, schools and work places … to build up the wall and stand in the gap. Are you ready to be that person?

 

 

DO YOU KNOW WHO YOUR ENEMY IS?

Ephesians 6:11-12

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”.

As July 4th approached, the media issued warnings to be on high alert for enemy attacks. I began to wonder why we don’t put the same emphasis on spiritual attacks.

Just as guns are used as weapons against a physical adversary, God’s full armor is our weapon in spiritual battle … the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. The closer we get to God, the devil will try to discourage and deceive us with obstacles and adversaries. As Paul tells us in this passage, we must be strong in the Lord and stand firm.

May we remember daily to be on high alert by putting on God’s full armor and joining His army of obedience … do not be afraid when we are in tribulation, because Jesus has already overcome the world (John 16:33).

“This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The words in Joshua 1:9 ‘strong’ and ‘courageous’ remind me of what a father is thought to be … as well as the protector, so we need ‘not be afraid or discouraged’.

In light of Father’s Day, I’d like honor and thank God, our Father, for the strength and courage He has instilled in me; as well as protecting me when I’m fearful or discouraged.

When I look at the above photo, I feel it is exactly how our Father wants us to walk with Him … under His fearless protection, paving the way for our growth and safety.

This Father’s Day, I thank our Heavenly Father for all His blessings. I thank those dads that have passed before us, for all they did or tried to do; and I pray that all earthly fathers allow the Holy Spirit to guide them so they may be a reflection of God.