Stay on the wheel

Read Jer 18:4 this morning in a devotional. It talked about us being clay and God being the potter. This really stood out .. The Potter will not stop until the job is done. God's job would be simple if we were just inanimate lumps of clay. But we're clay animated by self-will and "we want what we want when we want it". But rather than giving in to us, or giving up on us, the Potter keeps working and reworking the clay, day after day, until we gradually begin to take on a shape He can use for His glory. This sometimes calls for radical action on His part:'But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over'. God is so committed to His objective in your life that He won't quit - even if it means allowing you to be crushed and starting the process over again. So be patient and stay on the wheel; what God has in mind for you is worth it

Do People See Your Faith?

Luke 7:1 Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.
:2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die.
:3 So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him,
:4 and when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving
:5 "for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue."
:6 Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, :Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof.
:7 Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word and my servant will be healed.
:8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go and he goes; and to another, 'Come, and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this, and he does it".
:9 When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"
:10 And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick."

 
Do you have this kind of faith? Or do you have to see the miracle to believe it? If you have to see the proof before believing in a miracle, how do you have faith in Christ, Who you have never seen?

Joy

For the month of November I posted on facebook (as I usually do during November) something every day I was thankful for. On November 13^th when my husband of 40 years fell 6 feet from a crane onto concrete and destroyed his right rotator cuff (he will have reverse shoulder replacement eventually), and fractured his right pelvis in 3 places, you can imagine it got a little harder to find things to be thankful for if you just looked at the surface. So I dug deep and God came through and there was always at least one thing I could find joy in each day.
Are you having a hard time finding joy? There were a few people who posted comments on my posts saying they had nothing to be thankful for. They are Christians! They can be thankful for the same thing every day even if they can't find something else. They can be thankful for their salvation. For what Jesus did on the cross! I did gently try each time to point that out, but some just want to be down. It is a choice. You are awake today. Be thankful God gave you another day to tell your love ones how much you love them. If you still have trouble finding joy let's look at Galations 5:22-23.
Galations 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
:23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
So if you can't find joy, love, peace, etc. my question is do you have the Spirit of God living in you? Then ask Him to show you how to find those things and if you don't have the Spirit of God, leave me a comment and I will pray that you receive it if you would like.
BTW all replies come to my email which I check through out the day. I am always happy to pray for needs.

March 13, 2015

This morning as I was praying and thinking I was reminded that even if you only take one small step, you are still making forward progress.

My husband has been through alot the last few months since his accident. He is making slow but steady progress. That is enough. At least he is moving forward.

Do you ever feel like you are standing still or going backwards? Remember God will give you enough strength and guidance for today. That is all we are to concentrate on. Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone. We can hope for tomorrow, but we need to live today. Don't let the concerns of tomorrow steal the joy you can have in today. If things are going badly today, take joy in the fact that Jesus Christ died for you. No matter how bad today is that won't change. During the first few days after my husbands accident, it was difficult sometimes to not get overwhelmed. Our lives changed completely in the couple seconds it took for him to fall 6 foot off a crane onto concrete. But God was faithful and showed me I could find joy in the fact that my husband lived. And even though there were times I was really scared, really tired, really overwhelmed with all the decisions, I was overjoyed that my husband was alive. The few months since then have been stressful. But we have been together and he is getting better every day. His attitude is amazing! He never says he can't do whatever therapy asks him to try. He tries. Everyone has said his progress is amazing and alot of it has to do with his attitude.

We know people who are very negative. The can never find anything in their lives to be joyful about. If they know Jesus they should find joy in that, but sadly some don't. I pray for them daily that God would show them they are miserable (which most of them admit to) because they choose to not try and look for something, anything to be joyful about. Especially their salvation.

Hab 3:18Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Names

Samuel – heard of God
Benjamin – son of My right hand
Isaiah – the Lord saves
Obadiah – servant of the Lord
Nahum – comfort
Malachi – My messenger
Throughout scripture God calls us:
His treasured possessions
Ex 19:5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
Mal 3:17 "They shall be Mine," says the Lord of hosts, "on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him."
People of His inheritance
Deut 4:20 But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day.
Sons of the living God
Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, "You are not My people, there it shall be said to them, You are sons of the living God."
Friend
Jn 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made know to you.
No matter your name He calls you and you beong to Him
Is 43:1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are Mine."

 

Provisions

Ps 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.
:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.
:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread,
:26 He is ever merciful , and lends; and his descendants are blessed.

 
Ps 63:8 "My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me."
There were a few times over the years money and food were scarce. Those times God sent total strangers to our home with bags or boxes of food, and envelopes with just enough cash to pay for whatever was about to be disconnected.
He cares about us and will provide for us in ways we could never imagine if we just believe and not lose faith.

Character

2 Pet 1:1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
:2 grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
:3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
:4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
:5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
:6 to knowledge self control, to self control, perserverance, to perseverance godliness,
:7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
:8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
:9 For he who lacks these things is short sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble,
:11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 
Virtue – fulfilling God's design for a life with moral excellance.
Knowledge – studying God's Word to gain wisdom to combat falsehood.
Self-control – revering God so much that we choose godly behavior.
Perseverance – having a hopeful attitude even in difficulties, because we're confident in God's character.
Godliness – honoring the Lord in every relationship in life.
Brotherly kindness – displaying warmhearted affection for fellow believers.
Love – sacrificing for the good of others.
Godly exercise is the key to godly character.