happy.blessed.contented. loved.saved

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Soldiers in f the light You’ve heard the saying: “It is always darkest before the dawn!” Our world can be a dark place. And as the years pass, it appears to be getting darker. Our culture is less moral. Violence and hatred are increasing. It feels hopeless that pushing back against this darkness will do any good at all. But, if the saying is true, the fact that the world is getting darker should actually fill us with hope. Because the darker it gets, the closer we are to the new day appearing. Christ is closer to us now that the previous day, the previous minute. The light of His reign comes closer with each moral code that’s abandoned, with every increase in violence and hatred. The more the enemy rears his head in victory, the closer to his demise we come. So, how then should we live? Without hope? Giving in? No. We should rise as one does before the dawn and prepare for this new day. With every inch of territory the darkness takes, we should respond as soldiers of the light. Whether we want to admit it or not, the darkness is a reason to hope. Rise up and declare the coming of the dawn.

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Satisfied with your portion Solomon asked God for wisdom. God, impressed with his humble request, gave Solomon every worldly good as well. Solomon’s experience with wealth, possessions and honor make him the likely author of Ecclesiastes. He philosophizes about life and offers his advice as the infamous star, the beloved leader, the wise man on the hill. He’s had it all, done it all, and been it all. Toward the end of his reign he writes “Outside of God, all is meaningless.” He has learned that life, even the “good life” is empty, without reverence for God’s ways. To turn his statement around, “the best of life is within reach of anyone who is God fearing, God following, and Jesus loving.” The simple things in life, eating, drinking and enjoying your daily duties are the basics for good living. That is all. That, is all! The stretch for fame, for fortune, for acquiring things, they are an empty plate, an unsatisfying, over-priced, over-hyped meal. Don’t waste your limited time. Enjoy the portion God has given you. Thank Him for it. A satisfied heart is a happy heart. Isn’t joy what we are after anyway? Satisfaction will fend off the grey hairs of stress, the illnesses that come from overwork, the strain on friendships that fame and even fortune create. Wherever you are in life, stop and be satisfied. God in His wisdom will give you more than you’ve asked for!

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Now is a Miracle Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is uncertain. Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present. Do not make the past hold you, go forwards. Make Jesus’ future as yours. Live now with Jesus, because with Him each moment of life is a miracle. Now is the time to fulfill your dream. Now is the time to let your loved ones know how much you care. Say or text, “I love you" to them today. Leave each day as if it were your last and let Jesus make it a miracle. Do not wait for ‘just right time’ to start living your life for Jesus. The right time is NOW. Jesus accepts you as you are in order to make you all God created you to be. Letting God work in and through your life makes you a person who uses their time to share God’s love and peace with everyone around you.

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Is Jesus the tender Shepherd? Yes. Is He the humble Servant? Of course. Is Jesus our friend and guide? He is. But, Jesus is also Lord. And not just a supervisor or administrative authority. He is God the Son, the Lord Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. While thankfully, Jesus is full of understanding compassion and care for our lives, He is also our Lord and Master, the Judge over all creation. No one comes to the Father, but through Jesus. And one day, Jesus will judge the world for how they viewed Him or didn’t view Him, how they responded to His call for salvation or how they didn’t respond. And for what they did with His gift of salvation once they had it. We will all have to answer for whether we made the choice to believe in Jesus as Lord and Master and live our lives for Him. How you live for Jesus depends on how you see Him. Live for Him as our humble Shepherd and friend. But, also live for Him as Lord and Master.

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GOD REALLY LISTENS TO YOUR PRAYERS

This is Jesus’ words—a promise you can hold on to. It’s a promise I have been holding on to since I was ten years old. It is a promise I have seen fulfilled in many miraculous and not-so-miraculous ways. It is a promise that has resulted in blessings of my own and a promise that has allowed me to see other people experience blessings from God in their lives.

So when you are in trouble, cry out to God. Make your requests known to Him. He listens intently to every word on your heart and on your lips. When you are lying down, sitting, walking, standing, or crouched down in fear…God is listening.

But God doesn’t just listen. God answers every prayer. When you pray you will receive what you sincerely pray for based on the promises of the Bible.

Your prayers may be inaudible to any person, but they cannot disappear into silence, nor can they be lost in the busy-ness of life. Nothing can drown out your voice from the heavenly Father.

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A Habit of Giving Today’s verse encourages us to develop a habit of giving what we have to those in need.  The widow and her son had only a small portion of flour and oil—enough for one final meal. This didn’t stop her from sharing it with Elijah. She shared having faith that God would repay her generosity by being generous with her. And He did by making sure she never ran out of flour and oil. .  You may say, “I have nothing to give.” But this simply isn’t true. We all have something to give. Even if it is nothing more than a smile, words of encouragement, a complement, prayers on their behalf, or your time, it is a gift.  Getting into the habit of giving is part of loving others as Jesus loves us. When you give, God will give to you. He will not leave you in need. 

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A famous tightrope walker explained to someone how it was he could perform so easily. The secret, he said, is to keep his eyes fixed on where he is going. Where his eyes go his body follows. So if he were to look down, he would fall. This same principle will work your life now. Don’t look down, living in self-pity, and complaining that life is not fair. Keep your eyes on where you are going—the higher level Jesus wants you to be. Think of what you want to accomplish with all powerful God on your side. Tell how He did great wonders for your salvation. Say how you will reach far greater dreams with God. Never focus on where you are now; instead, focus on your life time goals as if you already reached those. And claim every promise and blessing of God in the Bible. I recommend Jesus’ way highly to you. That is to get your eyes off your problems and onto Jesus who can do everything for you.

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I enjoyed reading this book, I was like a 5 or 6 reading her favorite storybook I can’t stop reading when I’m not yet done with the story. This book has lots of stories and parables. This book will make your heart stop a bit, make you laugh, smile and even hold your breathe seriously. Even the greatest love story ever told was inside this book. In fact the history of trust and why women don’t easily trust men are here. Curious about those stories and facts? Well, let’s talk. 😊☺️

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Have you ever experienced a fresh start?

Perhaps you decided it was time to exercise and eat better. Or perhaps you began again with a close relationship. You hurt your loved one, but were offered forgiveness. It was time to begin again.

In Ezra’s time, Israel was being offered a fresh start. They spent decades in exile for worshipping other gods. But, they were forgiven, and God allowed them to return to Jerusalem to start a new. But, some had already forgotten the lessons of the past and married women from different religions. So, Ezra’s first act was to send these wives away, restoring a purity of worship throughout Israel.

We should be grateful for our fresh starts. But with every fresh start, there’s also a responsibility — to remember our past errors, to not compromise in even the smallest ways, and to rely on God above all others for the strength to succeed.

With the gift of His Son, God saved us from all of our sins. Let us rejoice in this, but let us also take seriously the task of rebuilding our lives in Him. And let us rely on God in everything we do.