What is in me, to come and seek you God? Why do I come to you, almost every day to you?

Is it to seek Your will? Because Jesus wants us to bring up disciples? Why do I go and read my devotional every day?

I am just trying to comprehend WHY I seek your will.

It is because You game me LIFE. You gave me understanding. You made a way for me to learn how to live life according to your ways. 

I should not live on my own authority. Or understanding. Or reason. For I have tried. I have caused destruction under my own hands, just as people has caused destruction in this world. For You bring LIFE not destruction. You give love, not despair. Though You give and take away, we are in your favor. You strengthen, not weaken. You uplift, not put down... those that are in accord with You.

I seek more of Your will in me and I pray that I recognize Your call, Your instruction, Your words, Your way of handling situations. Amen

David's reflection

What a life David lived. His great reverence in God. I can model myself to him. I need to read more about David to learn how he handled his trials and tribulations. 

The great sufferer. Little David. Disrespected. Dishonored. Great turmoil. Yet he reserved in the strength of God to preserve him.

I went through a great turmoil that is not yet comprehended. I do not know much about him, but, he had his wives taken way and his house burned by the Amalekites. IMAGINE THAT! This happened in a time that the gangs today don't even come close to the amount of turmoil that went on long ago.

Upon reading that David exhausted all of his strength, I too have experienced that. Today, I do not have full range or strength in my arm. It it sore. My back is hurting. I am exhausted. From what? From the pain and suffering of my life, my body has not handled it well.

How do I trust you in my circumstance?

Oh God, how do I trust you in my circumstance. How do I surrender it to You if it keeps going on. How do I live in your presence in my time. I want to avoid the despair, to trust in You that you will judge it accordingly. 

I want no more of it God. Give me wisdom to understand how to deal with damaging situations.

Thank you Lord God for your promises and for being here for me. Amen

Artificial Pain, Prince of the Earth

I feel a heavy burden in me. What am I to do. I have looked to the Lord for His help. I surrendered it. But, it is still there. 

But, I will wait for the Lord to deliver me. Does that mean that I still go through this trial? Do I continue to go through this valley? Because I still feel this burden.

Lord, I know that you will reveal me my answer. So, I will continue to wait for You as I go through this valley.

I only say this because God lifted my burden a while ago, but I have gained a new one. But what does this burden effect? Can I simply 'know' that I have a burden, but would my Lord carry the FULL load for me? Can I, if the Lord allows, to let my feelings not be a cornerstone in me. To let me feelings be beside me and not in me. 

I surrender ALL my thoughts. God will direct my thoughts through the Holy Spirit. He will put words in my mouth at that time. Can I simply be a vessel for Him? To be used by Him? Jesus did. Jesus did the work of God, not under His own authority. But Jesus was born just like us. He did feel pain. Anger. But He used it to benefit the glory of God. He suffered, the same as we do, but even more. Imagine when He went through the valley for 40 days and 40 nights. He SUFFERED on His own and without sin. How did He do it? Who did He rely on? What did He do with His pain?

So, my question is, is it possible to harness the pain- to the effect that it does not succumb us. We need to understand the pain, I think. What do we do with that pain so it does not effect us. I imagined that when a boat gets caught in a storm, that it can do nothing but preserve itself and wait it out. So I am waiting out my pain and suffering, relying on the Lord to carry much of the burden, knowing that this will pass and to know that life does not suck.

Does anybody smell VICTORY? The enemy is set to destroy our relationship with the Lord. Trying to divert our hearts to disgust. If I make it through, I WILL KNOW THAT I CAN RELY ON THE LORD AND THAT THIS PAIN IS JUST ARTIFICIAL! That it is just temporary and it will pass. Can I look the enemy in the eye knowing that, I too, can conquer the Prince of the earth.

We are not of this world and are here only for a short time. 

-Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

^-7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

-Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. ¹⁸ And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!

A new mission possible

I have prayed in the past asking the Lord to expand my territory. But in the past, I had never owned a territory. I spoke that prayer with accordance with the bible, but without understanding.

I have begun a mission, a new beginning. To set forth a mission to spread the gospel to those whom have not accepted Jesus into their lives.

My mission has begun with my household. To set forth the rules that God has commanded us to abide by. 

People go to college to learn, we send children to school. But, one thing that we do not lay down for people, is the Law. The truth. People get influenced by earthly desires. People become more like those that are around them. The majority of people do not live accordingly and go about their own hearts desires. And that said, it is God's plan for us to live according to His ways, not ours.

I have had my daughter Grace baptized in a dedication that, I, as a parent pledged to raise up Grace in a Christian setting. I will present the Word of God to them and let them read it with their own eyes. I will also provide some guidance in helping them with their relationship with the Lord.

God gives us a little responsibility. When He is assured that we can take care of what He has given us, He will give of more to take care of.

Fasting

Lord, I will fast my gluttonous ways and eat appropriately. I will eat proper portions and not eat by the desires of my heart.

Amen

I am a work in progress

I used to accept that I am who I am and I will never change. Due to the fact that I have tried and tried and tried to be a better person in many ways. I accepted my limits and capabilities for what they were to keep myself from feeling down from failure.

The key words are "USED TO".

Granted, if I didn't look to God's word everyday, I wouldn't have heard Him say that Philippians 1:6 says, "He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

So instead of telling people that I am who I am and I have accepted it, I can now say that "I am a work in progress according to God's ways".

What a resource we have, lets not waste it!

What a waste of good resources that God has given us. Do we even use the resource that we all read? 

Lets apply what God has written, more to our daily life- in EVERY aspect. Lets starve out what the enemy puts in our minds, starve it. Let God fill that void with what ever He thinks we need, He will fill our cup and it will over flow if we let Him have His way in us.

We need to make a list and put on our wall to remind us how we are to live. Or, make a mobile of scriptures. A good foundation that we can rely on. Let be empowered to live God's way, not ours.

I go to church, not for myself, but for God. I do it for God. I present myself before Him, for Him. He wants all of our undivided attention. Lets stand before God to let Him have His way in us. To mold us.

BEAR GOOD FRUIT!

I have made my own words in all of my arguments with various people. ITS TIME TO CHANGE THAT! 

When ever we do things our own way, things usually don't turn out the way that we wanted it to. Arguments tend to get heated after a while after each person thinks that they are correct. And when they get heated, anything is bound to come out of my mouth, as is anyone else. As I look back to my last argument, things did not turn out the way it should have. Feelings got hurt, both sides were not receptive of the other- trying to get their point across. 

I have done it my way, now it is time to try something different. In Proverbs 12:13-22, tells us two defining ways of speech. One of deceit and destruction, and one... God's way. 

According to they way that God wants us to do it, I can definitely see that there could have been a different outcome. One thing that stuck out was- ¹⁵ The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise. "Heeds counsel". Means to heed to the Holy Spirit, whom God uses to communicate to our Spirit. The Holy Spirit will "check" us and point us to God, that He would remind us to act according to His ways.

 IN ALL SITUATIONS, NO MATTER WHAT, IF WE ARE TO BECOME MORE LIKE JESUS- JESUS TEACH THE RIGHT WAY OF LIVING- NOT DESTRUCTION, IF OUR DAILY READING OF OUR DEVOTIONAL IS NOT JUST A READING- BUT THAT WE CAN APPLY WHAT WE READ TO OUR DAILY LIFE. I PICK UP MY BIBLE, THIS IS HOW WE ARE TO LIVE!!! IT TELLS US HOW TO!!! IN EVERY SITUATION!!! QUIT LIVING ACCORDING TO OUR OWN AMBITIONS!!! LIVE THE WAY GOD WANTS US TO!!! IT WILL BE LESS PAINFUL!!!

Sorry, I am just so sick of listening to the enemy on how to live, how to react, living in the ENEMY'S pride. Living according to God's way is NOT PAINFUL. God's word in the bible are not meant to cause pain!

We have all made mistakes, we cannot change the past. I want to put the past aside, I do not want to live in the past anymore. I want to build my relationships. I look forward to my next argument, or shall I say discussion- to do it with the genuine love that God has granted me. I want to flourish and bear good fruit. BEAR GOOD FRUIT!

Surrender my pride to the cross

One problem that I have is living on earth and living in the sight of God. I am at the point that life of the earth continues to expose problems. In that, what I mean is that God is showing me my reactions on how I deal with situations. I continue discerning my actions, that I can identify and God will tell me how to correct them. Therefore walk in His righteousness, which is having patience, correcting the opposition with gentleness, applying what I have learned in my daily devotional. 

I have had a tendency to react with a defensive pride, to cause destruction and strife. It is said that what ever is in the heart will come out of the mouth, and God is revealing to me what is in my heart. But, being handcuffed by His teachings, He is guiding me in His righteousness. 

What a relief it is to look to God in my problems that I have living on this earth. The next thing that I gotta do is make right all that I have made wrong. To admit my wrong-doing to those I have trespassed. There is other scripture that I can meditate on, that I can apply to my daily life, so I can respond according to the way that God wants us to.

I need a dependancy!

I feel the urge for a dependancy to kill the pain that I endure.

If I was a drug addict, I can see myself shooting up or whatever. And I am so thankful that I am not in that state. I did drink and smoke cigars, but I have been delivered and forgiven from it. I was going to cave and have a beer at dinner, but I was going to do it out of ulterior  reasons. 

I got to the restaurant of choice, but I wasn't even remotely interested in drinking. I had a soda. I started thinking of this urge and pain inside, to define what it meant to me. It stared me in the face and determined that I NEED a dependancy. Then I thought about my past trials and how the Lord wants us to depend on Him (funny how depend and dependancy mean the same thing).

At that time, I made a choice of my dependancy that I need to numb the pain....

...qualities of increasing measure...

2 Peter 201:5-8

Pretty important and helpful scripture on how to become more like Him. Needs more meditation...

Shipwrecked

2 Corintians 5:9-10

Despite the failing of my trials and attempts to leave my Lord because of them, todays scripture is helpful and supportive of why I love the Lord. I go through trials by God and sometimes fail and get angry @ Him and I tell myself that I am better off w/out Him. That is the enemy at hand, telling me what he wants- separation from my Lord.

My trials are exactly like a storm. They come with courageous turbulence like that of the ocean. I have not been able to weather God's storm and give up on Him. I can say that I have gone through many trials, and I am tired of them. God is REALLY trying to tone me up for something. I believe that He is preparing me for a promotion in His ranks.

After the storm has been succumbed by God's grace, I realize what direction I was headed to and redirected myself to Him. I will continue to be tried, to be conditioned to sustain the enemy's onslaught until I pass this test by God.

How far can I trust Him

Question: If I trust God to be my provider, how do I know where He wants me to go to work. 

He is in control. I depend on Him to basically live my life. I don't want to go on my own plan or choices.

Being an insurance salesman is/can be risky. It is unsecured income. Can it be secured by God in this time of recession? I believe that if I go, that my work would be blessed- I think. 

I think that I depend on Him too much. I expect Him to show me where to go, to provide my footsteps for this day. 

God, please tell me what to do, please.

The Lead Dog

...The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.    John 14:10

Lord Jesus did not speak for Himself as I may have thought. He did not EVEN speak on His OWN authority! We are here for the father to do the works, not us.

If we are to become more like Jesus, then the scripture applies to us as well. God will put words in our mouth, if we know how to listen. Confronting people to spread to word is special, for it is not us speaking to someone, but our father. That means that we have to surrender ourselves completely! God is preparing our footsteps, so be prepared to be a vessel for Him, let yourself be available to Him to minister to other people. We cannot do anything on our own- it took me a long time to realize that all the stuff I wanted to do for God that it was my own ambition. I am like a dog on a dog team... I wanna get out there and witness, jumping up and down, tugging at the reigns. But I can do nothing until the musher says its time to go. And if I am to be a good lead dog, then the musher will tell me where to go, when to stop.

I too have been in a situation that I thought was wrong, I didn't want to participate in the activity. I didn't know how to explain why. But words came to me and I surrendered my thoughts, listened, and relayed the words- of which provided a perfect explanation of what I believed in- living in Christ without sin.

Held in captivity

Paul was held in captivity, put in jail for his faith in Jesus.

I sometimes imagine what it would be like if I were in his place, but maybe I am and don't even realize it.

Sometimes I feel like I am being held in captivity- having no feeling of being free in my mind as I go though trials. Being captive in my trials by the enemy. Being captive by those who trespass me- human emotional feeling like I have been cheated and can't let go of it.

I am held in captivity until I am set free from it, set free from it by the glory of God. How important is it to depend on Him?

No Pain, No Gain

I am familiar with the verse of 'No Pain, No Gain'. Having been an athlete in my youth, one of the sports I played was hockey. There was a new season, a new beginning every year. Often, I was out of shape. But it was a goal of being physically fit to achieve my best. And that meant being pushed by our coach to get us into shape. The body muscles get tested and begin to hurt- must I say it hurt a lot! My teammates and I would be pushed to the limits of our bodies. After several weeks of pain, our body would begin to build and strengthen muscle. After a while, the pain would go away. Hence the phrase- 'No Pain, No Gain'. You don't gain any muscle or strength with out enduring the phase of the muscles go through. 

God also puts us through pain. I go through pain- manifested by the enemy in my thoughts. I get put down, demoralized, betrayed by my thoughts. I begin to even want to despise life and God.

But... I believe God is putting me through a trial, continuing to strengthen me to focus on Lord through every trial. It has taken me a while to realize to look to the Lord. I may have not read my daily devotional.

A devotional is essential!!! It is a portal of which God uses to speak to me. He may show you, in the devotional, what or why you are going through at the moment.

God puts us through pain to gain. To gain what or how He wants to build you up. To strengthen you in the area where you need it.

No matter what happens in your life, look to the Lord !!! He wants us to DEPEND ON HIM !!! 

Patiently waiting, but with faith?

How hard is it for me to trust in God, to be my provider. To provide a job for me. Thoughts constantly come into my mind that my job history is a detriment to my prospective employer. 

It just is very hard looking for work. I think that there are jobs available, but I haven't even gotten an interview.

It is humanly hard and demoralizing, waiting for an employment opportunity. Then I think if I have enough faith in myself to wait for God. I think that He could be testing my patience in Him.

These are just mere thoughts, and I thought that I would just jot them down. I love my God and I look forward to the day that I can glorify Him.

Am I listening???

If I keep on telling myself, I am bound to listen.

God is in control of my trials. He is testing me. 

If I begin to realize that He is putting me through trials, He must be trying to teach me... how to identify trials, how to listen to Him. The Holy Spirit will point us to the Lord, we must surrender OUR THOUGHTS, for our ways are not His ways. He will be with us through the valley and He will bring us though it.

This is fun actually!

Funny how I can remember God's scriptures when needed! Am I listening???

Job and Peter Pickett

I have read the book of Job. I read it because I came across some scripture that interested me in his life. In my life, I lost everything also. I lost my wife, partially my children, endured the pain and confusion of why daddy wasn't at home. I lost my home. I was stricken with depression that would not allow me to work.

Wow.

Let me continue. As I have written before, God is thriving in my life and I can't comprehend how He did it! Do I care? All I know is that after all the calling out for the Lord's help, I received it. I lived with my parents for several week, NOW I am reconciled with my wife. I used to live w/out my wife because she worked nights, so the children and I would be w/out her presence, NOW she just completed her first week on her new job during the day. There was a house guest that was staying in Palmer for the school year that was not easy to deal with, NOW that guest is gone. My children only could be with one parent, NOW they have full-time access to both of us in our family. I used to be depressed. NOW I am revived. 

What happened in Jobs life was amazing. Gods multiplied his life, more that what he had. He prospered because he valued God's favor for Him and because of his faith. 

What a tough trial I have endured. Life isn't easy. The world is ruled by the Prince of the earth, but he can only do what the Lord allows him to do. God seems to always get the last word.

Compromising my faith

God deserves our respect.

How do we, as parents, not appreciate when our kids show disrespect? We don't appreciate that at all and should not tolerate it, right? How do we monitor our own respect for others?

I had the opportunity to get upset @ God and felt like sinning. I didn't get my way and thought that I would tell God that I could sin against Him. What type of respect was I going to exemplify? I was gonna compromise my faith and scrap everything that I had invested. Then I thought of all the hard work that I put in and what I was actually considering.

God can do some amazing things. Prayers sometimes don't get answered, but God is still in control. I was praying for Grace, who is sick, and she ended up throwing up- she wanted me to pray for her.

As I meditated on the actions I wanted to do, I thought- what else could God be telling me about this situation. I have had a history of throwing a "tantrum" when I didn't get my way w/ God.

I thought I didn't need God- but I had been there before, living is despair. When I wasn't thriving in God, I wish I was. Then I thought about my devotion to Him and how important it is to me. I have been in this place before, calling out against God, and I need to treat Him with respect- as opposed to disrespect. Its one or the other! 

I think God was- Noooo, I KNOW God was testing my loyalty to Him. I chose not to sin and hold steadfast in my faith. I could not throw away all my hard work and dedication that I have put in my relationship w/ the Lord.

Who I am in Christ

I belong to God. My Lord calls me friend. I thank Him for my trials. I am in His favor. I am weak- therefore I am blessed- because I rely on Jesus to help me. I submit in prayer all my needs. I do not worry about tomorrow. My Lord is my provider. He is here amongst us! I take time to recognize His presence. I talk to Him. He talks to me. He loves me and I love Him. I am here to serve Him. I am not of this world, but only here for a short while. I claim the blood of Jesus. I claim the name of Jesus. Through Christ I can do all things.

Lord God, I pray that you change me for Your will be done. Prune me. I submit myself to be a vessel. I am a carrier of the flame. Fill my cup and let it overflow. Change me, that people will not recognize me. That people would see the face of Jesus instead of mine. That you would expand my territory. That I would be a bold witness and servant to thee. That You would reach others through me. 

Amen.

"I forgive you for what you have done to me."

"I forgive you for what you have done to me." This is what we should say to those who trespass us. Although it appears to be a nearly impossible thing to do, it is worth meditating on. Due to the fact that it is unnatural for us to forgive immediately, we must learn to do so. The Lord says that if we cannot forgive those that cause wrong against us, then He cannot forgive us. So, it is very important to learn and understand what it MEANS to forgive. 

Here is the concept. How do I let someone get off scott-free and tell them that you forgive them? I recall learning not to judge people because the Lord is the one that will judge. There are consequences for all sin, and ultimately, God is the only one to dish out the consequences. We cannot boast about ones consequences either. God knows what has happened and that He will deal with it in His perfect timing. 

How do I go about forgiving someone and simply say "I forgive you". Can I do it? I think this something that will take some practice and prayer. I certainly have my conflicts with other people that still needs some dealing with. How do I deal with that situation in a forgiving way, but still address their actions. 

Sometimes we feel like we have been taken advantage of and turn to our protective side and hold a grudge. I am guilty of this- I think. (In my situation, as a parent, there are rules that we set that we feel that are important. Some of those rules that I have placed have been compromised and have not been addressed. So, I think my grudge is that I have not dealt with the situation that needs correction).

I am certainly not exempt from God's consequences either, nor anyone one the face of the planet- or space. For this matter, I fear my Lord-God for all of my wrong doings, knowing that I have disobeyed His commands. I just cannot let my sins go untethered and let them go, I must deal with them. God will remind you of all your sins, at that time, I must repent and ask for forgiveness- don't let it slip by, ask for forgiveness when it comes to your mind.

We are designed to be sinners. And we will sin tomorrow. We sin without really knowing it. In the old testament, the penalty for sin was death. Jesus came to be our SAVIOR from death. Jesus came and He suffered and experienced all temptations and NEVER SINNED! He conquered all of Satan's fiery darts. And He conquered death, He was risen after three days in His grave. The enemy is here for a purpose as well, according to God's plan. Satan's plan is to destroy, to steal, to divert our relationship w/ our Lord. But when Christ died on the cross and was risen, we can submit our sins to Him because he conquered them all. We can ask for forgiveness and repent and be cleansed through the blood of Jesus Christ- for He paid for all sins through His blood that was shed.

Forgiving is an essential part in our Faith. We must learn to forgive, knowing that God will deal with what is wrong. Can I simply not accept the what the enemy is telling me in the name of Jesus??? YES! Can I object to the trespasses against me in the name of Jesus??? I think that is what we need to do. This will need more meditation and prayer.

... Christ is OK.

I can't help but to feel like I can share my faith, hopefully I am doing it with boldness, with genuine Love and gentleness. To wear my faith on my sleave. I have the feeling that I would like people to see that a relationship w/ Christ is OK. That this weak person is getting by with a little help from above.

Practice makes perfect

Practice makes perfect. Isn't that always what we hear from our parents when we are trying something new and at first we struggle at whatever it is we are trying to do. Even though we may not achieve perfection, we try and learn from our mistakes and from that we improve on our task at hand.

When I joined youth hockey, we got together several times a week to hone our skills. We practiced our skating, stick handling, our slap-shot. At the beginning, we were not very unified. We got to know each other more and more as the season went by. We listened to our coach and tried to do what he wanted us to do. In games, we took what we learned in practice and applied it to the games. There was success and failures. When we got penalized, we went to what can be referred to the "sin bin". When we went to the sin bin, our team would skate with one less player on the ice- we were short handed, leaving our teammates to fend for them selves. WHILE in the sin bin, you sit there with some shame in front of everyone for two minutes- sometimes longer depending on your penalty. Upon the passing of the two minutes, you anxiously wait to get out on the ice and hustle back to help your team and continue the match.

Being a christian is not easy. The more we get to know Christ, the tougher the enemy get as well. We are to pick up our cross and follow Him. Meaning that, we too, will suffer, endure tough challenges. We cannot do this on our own. I am weak, a failure in many aspects, a slow thinker... but I am blessed because I rely on Jesus to help me achieve my goals. Christ wants us to rely on Him for EVERYTHING. I am merely a co-pilot, and I rely on the pilot to direct where I go. I suffer, but Christ is there to carry much of the burden, to help me carry my cross everywhere I go.

Prayer IS essential to living and existing here on earth. To live according to the word requires prayer. We need to submit our needs in prayer and supplication to the Lord. We can often take for granted all that is around us, all of what God is doing. He is around us. If you try and hide, He is... hiding with you. God is here. God is there. God makes the clouds. Try looking at life through God's perspective and acknowledge what He is doing in this world. Often people complain about the weather, but this is the day that the Lord has made. Praise Him for beautiful weather, for wonderful sunsets. 

I always wondered why I was and accomplished hockey player, why me? Why was I good? But, always thankful for playing a great sport, I realize that it was for God's glory. God can use my past for His glory so I can tell stories or scenarios of what I went through.

Testing of my Faith

Testing of my Faith 

Seems like I am being tested. A test that has no power to pass my Shield of Faith. As my Shield is deflecting the fiery darts of the enemy, I do realize that they are attempts to compromise my relationship w/ my Lord. 

But I am different this time. Here are the following trials that are tempting me:

 -Adultery- why not do it myself?

 -My aching back

 -Itches

 -Anger

These things are meant to disrupt my relationship w/ Jesus. But, I can see before me, what is happening and how I react to them. But I hold fast and think of What Would Jesus Do?

I explained to my wife that when I identify a problem, I am now thinking of productive ways to handle the situation @ hand. Rather than reacting the way that I used to.

We are to become more like Christ. How we handle certain problems that arise. We need to act w/ gentleness. We are to become w/out faults, iniquity, living accordingly to the example of how Jesus lived here.

I am different this time

I am different this time 

I am different this time (let me soak this in a while).

I am different, w/ more patience, maybe more understanding (not sure of what at this time), but I am different. 

Something inside of me is more solidified, more solidified in Christ.

Where do I stand on ... what used to be earthly desires, revenge, wanting to strike back for the wrong that has been caused. I find myself praying for my enemies!!!

God is tethering to me is some way. As if I am going to... like my cup is about to over flow. When I spend quiet time w/ Him, like now, it seems like He is building me up inside and that maybe I will super-nova at His perfect timing.

Todays devotional means so much to me, knowing how God is guiding me along.

Living By Faith (Charles Stanley's Daily Devotional)

READ | Romans 1:16-17

In Scripture, we read that strong faith is essential for facing life’s uncertainties. It prompts us to look beyond our trials to the One who’s promised to guide and sustain us.

As trust in the Lord increases, obedience becomes a higher priority than pleasure or profit. Moses’ life illustrates this—he chose to forsake the advantage of Egyptian royalty in order to be identified with God’s people. Placing his future in the Almighty’s hands, he became the Israelites’ leader and gave precedence to the Lord’s interests over his own.

As devotion deepens, a second outcome is spiritual discernment—believers develop an ability to look beyond the external appearance to see things as God does. The attractiveness of sin will decrease, and its offer of satisfaction will be recognized as false. At the same time, eternal matters will become more valuable to us. Moses left his livelihood of 40 years to become God’s appointed leader. Pursuing the Lord’s plan became more important than anything else in his life. Despite his misgivings and sense of inadequacy, he placed trust in his heavenly Father.

Finally, a growing faith will not permit misunderstandings and criticisms to deter us from pursuing God’s plan. The Hebrew slaves didn’t make it easy for Moses to lead, but his beliefs enabled him to move forward.

The Hebrew leader’s faith became the defining quality of his life. The Lord wants the same to be true of you. By trusting God deeply, you, like Moses, will be able to meet each day’s challenges with courage and determination.

Trusting in Faith

Trusting in Faith

Do I have as much faith in God as I used to? I don't know. But, I yield to Him. I yield to Him because he has promise for me. He is in favor of me. He is in favor of being my provider. Providing me MY life. Providing restoration of what satan has destroyed. In my situation, things happen for His glory. I yielded even though my earthly thoughts seen it as IMPOSSIBLE. Before me was a mountain that impassable. I seen no way that it could be fixed. My only hope was in God. I see signs around town that say nothing is impossible to God.

I often wondered how can I fix my family relationship. I was with out understanding, quick to anger, to defend, to take hold of my pride that has conditioned me by life. God opened my eyes. I gained and seen His hope that He had in me. This came from a guy that despised God.Though I knew that I was wrong, did I humble myself to succumb to His grace?

It was impossible for me to fix my situation. So I prayed, people also prayed for me. "Don't fight these hands that are holding you"- This comes from a song that I recently heard. God carries us when we trust Him. I succumbed to His plan, His will, that He has for me. So I let God take over and asked Him to fix my life. 

I will live and stay in the word and He will make my path for me. Often, I go through trials. Then read my devotional to scripture and my answer is right there! God is making my path and then showing me what I have learned and how to deal with what I went through. What He does with all of us who humble ourselves before Him is He is pruning us. Pruning our branches much like a gardner does. Cuts off the week limbs so the other limbs can grow stronger. 

It can be hard to wait for God. People often wonder what the heck am I waiting for. But I have not told them that I am waiting for God to move for me. He tells us not to worry about tomorrow and that He will provide for us.

I love my Lord and Savior so much. I wish I could feel Him myself. But there will be a day when that comes for we are only here for a short while. We won't have to deal with Satan's fiery darts. No more pain.

But to get back to what I am intending to write about, is to trust everything in your life to God. Read your devotional. If you are feeling down, read the bible. God will bring light into you darkness. Look to God in every situation because there is a reason why your are going through this (what ever it is), and He will reveal the answer to you.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for your wisdom and understanding in showing me what you can do in ones life. I pray that more people get chosen and that you would use them to be a witness for You. I praise you and trust you to restore what was taken down. For what ever is taken down by the enemy will be restored to be stronger and never waiver again. Amen.

Pruning our branches

God will prune our branches or put us through trials to help us learn what His will is.P

Be kind, respond in a humble spirit. 

He will always point you to Me. Yield to the work of the Holy Spirit.

Trust Him. 

Get blasted away. 

Lord, express your life through me by the power of the Holy Spirit in the response to this.

Live the life of Christ through us.

Your joy isn't how they treat you, but how you live in Christ.

Be good in return.

Faithfully you can be called to do what God wants you to do.

Love, they won't know what to do w/ it.

How much do you trust God in difficult times.

How do we learn - by trial and error adn by stumbling at times- its a maturing process. We all make mistakes.

 - also by reading the word.

Often when I think of what happened to me in Nome, I feel sooo very betrayed. And I wonder why? 

I have my faith in the Lord. I don't want ownership to all the stuff that happened to me in Nome. But I cannot deny that what happened, was the worst pain that I have ever endured. 

Have I forgiven my wife? I am not sure, for the fact that I still get angry when I think of incidences from the past.

I cannot change the past. I cannot fix what problems that my wife and I have. So, I gotta focus on what the future has to promise. I need God's help. I go to my Father much like my children come to me when they want me to fix something for them. I go to my Father and ask Him to fix my situation for me. I humbly say "Here you go Father, I need your help, I got something broken. Can you fix it for me?".

But, I write today confused. I am not sure why or how the pain from the past still causes pain.

"Yet those who wait for the LORD..." Is 40:31

God felt the need to save me from my misery. He pulled me up out of the sludge of muck, covered in a black thick slury of earth. Yet my feet are still in the grasp of the powerless turmoil(this is my situation that I am going through).

In whatever reason He pulled me up, it was 'MY' choice to get into that situation to begin with. I left God, and the foundation of my feet began to change. Instead of a solid foundation in God, my foundation began to turn into a black, quick-sand like slury that was bottomless. I was lost. I was lost wandering as the Isralites journeyed in the the desert for 40 years for thier sin. It was as if God was absent from me. My body began to rot in pain and suffering.

Despite conforming to the ways of the world, which was influencing ME, I always had a place in my heart for my Lord even though I did not trust Him. I cried out to Him on my chair at times wondering how much longer my painfull situation was going to last, much like how David cried out to God.

You see, once you accept God into your life, He will never leave you nor foresake you, but that does not mean that you will not be put through trials. I found this out by seeking council from the church, as the bible tells us so. I told him that I repented of my sins and had asked God to come BACK into my life. But, as I was told, God never left me and that God is still with me. What a PROMIS that we all can have in our relationship with God. He is ALWAYS willing to accept us back if we want Him.

The world is very influential and we desire things that this world has to offer. Some things are outside of God's "basketball court"- God's rules. I was drinking, smoking cigars frequently and enjoying every minute of it. But I went outside the boundary of God's basketball court, seeking my own pleasure. But it was my choice to focus on God.

We have our desires, one is to do things of the flesh. The other is to do things according to how God intended for us to live. Think of it in terms of a team. You are playing a sport and you are on God's team, doing your daily devotional, praying, staying in the Word. But you desire the flesh and begin to sin- Satan's team. At one point, the two teams will have to play against each other. So you can't play on both, you have to make a choice. Your choice to either play on God's team or Satan's team will be determined on which you DESIRE most.

Influence HAS power, it sways people, intices people, inspires people. Are you willing to let the world of the flesh influence you ... or, are you willing to influence the world, being a witness of God.

Depression

I copied/pasted these verses from the Charles Stanley web site.

"For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning."Psalms 30:5

"The righteous cry, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles."Psalms 34:17

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."Psalms 147:3

"Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."Isaiah 40:31

"So the ransomed of the LORD will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away."Isaiah 51:11

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."Romans 8:38-39

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation."1 Peter 4:12-13

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."1 Peter 5:6-7

Armour of God

The Armor of God

10Finally, (A)be strong in the Lord and in (B)the strength of His might.
11(C)Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the (D)schemes of the devil.
12For our (E)struggle is not against (F)flesh and blood, but (G)against the rulers, against the powers, against the (H)world forces of this (I)darkness, against the (J)spiritual forces of wickedness in (K)the heavenly places.
13Therefore, take up (L)the full armor of God, so that you will be able to (M)resist in (N)the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
14Stand firm therefore,

(O)HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH,
and HAVING (P)PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
15and having (Q)shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;
16in addition to all, taking up the (R)shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the (S)flaming arrows of (T)the evil one.
17And take (U)THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the (V)sword of the Spirit, which is (W)the word of God.

18With all (X)prayer and petition (Y)pray at all times (Z)in the Spirit, and with this in view, (AA)be on the alert with all (AB)perseverance and (AC)petition for all the saints,
19and (AD)pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me (AE)in the opening of my mouth, to make known with (AF)boldness (AG)the mystery of the gospel,
20for which I am an (AH)ambassador (AI)in chains; that [a]in proclaiming it I may speak (AJ)boldly, (AK)as I ought to speak.
21(AL)But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, (AM)Tychicus, (AN)the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.
22(AO)I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may (AP)comfort your hearts.
23(AQ)Peace be to the brethren, and (AR)love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
24Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.

God, make my way of foot steps this day.