Time for Christians to Pray

Good evening friends and welcome to a new month. My hope and prayer is June will be a more gentle and loving month than May seemed to be. We are jumping from the fire of Covid-19 to the frying pan of chaos right now in this country, a frying pan that has no business being used as its main focus is to divide and destroy. So much chaos, so much anger, so much fear and so much destruction even through the smaller towns. We will be under curfew until this meanness goes away and who knows how long that will take. In Davenport last night there were two deaths and 4 injuries. One death was innocent 21 year old bystander buying groceries for a friend at Walmart, such a waste.

In my devotion this morning from My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald made a profound statement that is so relevant for today’s mindset in the USA.

“God’s Spirit continually reveals to His children what human nature is like apart from His grace.” Oswald Chambers

Read that again and understand its meaning. Without God’s control, the devil runs amuck.

The chaos is so far out of control from the original reason of the anger and has swelled to an ideal by those whose purpose is to divide and destroy. It has turned into a chaotic dragon and in my opinion the church on its knees is the only hope of this dragon being lassoed so that God will come back in and control that dragon. And by church I don’t mean the Catholic church or the Baptist church or the Methodist church…I mean God’s church. Those who loved the Lord, His word and follow His teachings.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

It is a fearful time but our faith in God proves who is ultimately in control.

But we must do our part, we must remain strong. We are God’s church, His masterpiece of all things good.

We can help spread God’s light to those who live in the darkness and those who do not understand the power of the darkness as it engulfs them into evil ways.

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So during this time of chaos, be strong in prayer and allow your light of Christ to shine brightly from you.

And even in the midst of chaos, be kind when you can.

The Guiding Spirit

Good morning friends. Hope you are all well this morning. Do you ever have those times where you have understood for a long time meanings of certain scriptures but then you read a verse and a new understanding shows itself…a light bulb moment as it were.

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I think this is how God uses His word to keep us be refreshed and on track, always learning something new…that we already knew one small part of it. Today’s devotion with My Utmost for His Highest was concerning the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. We know the disciples had to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit arrived but the dots for me didn’t fully connect on Jesus having to be Glorified first before that could happen. He even told Mary to not hold him as he had not returned yet to the Father. I have always known Jesus was fully God and fully man and considered him our glorious Lord…but not at this point. The Holy Spirit was not given because Jesus had not ascended and was not yet glorified.

But Paul explained to the people during Pentecost what they were now seeing and hearing. The Holy Spirit was now being given freely to all of those who believed, about 3,000 that day, with growing numbers even today to where God’s love and Spirit covers the world to those who believe. We are reminded in today’s devotion that once the Holy Spirit was let lose into this world, it has remained forever.

Even Isaiah told us this was going to happen nearly 800 years prior to it happening.

“The attitude of receiving and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives is to be the continual attitude of a believer.” Oswald Chambers

Some think that when we die, we then live on in eternity but I think eternity is now and how we need to live day to day with the guiding of the Holy Spirit.

So breathe in today his love and allow the Spirit to guide you as you go.

Remember as you follow this spirit filled direction that God’s love is leading you on, His love for you is strong, so bring in this love and share it with others and always be kind.

The Value and Power of Prayer

Good morning friends. I hope you had a good holiday yesterday. I was glad the rain held off here as I was able to play outside.

My Pastor has been doing a daily devotion on line where he is going over the Lord’s prayer slowly to help us understand the intricate details of its meaning. I want to piggy-back on that slightly as today’s devotion in My Utmost for His Highest was “Thinking of Prayer as Jesus Taught”.

“Our thinking about prayer, whether right or wrong, is based on our own mental conception of it. The correct concept is to think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts. Our blood flows and our breathing continues “without ceasing”; ” Oswald Chambers

Therefore…

pray without ceasing 1 thessalonians 5 17

Prayer is not an exercise, it’s a valuable privileged. A privilege we do not use enough, at least I don’t. We need to be aware of the distractions that get in our way of praying and be fully aware of prayer’s power when released. I think we forget with the business of life, just how much power is in prayer.

There may seem like times when God didn’t answer our prayer but scripture never says anything about unanswered prayer. God answers all prayer, we just may not understand His answer but we must believe in its truth. God sees what is best for us and His love is even stronger than anything we know; He only wants what is best for us.

So feel encouraged today knowing that He listens to every prayer. Even those prayers you can not mutter for the pain you may be feeling. He knows them before we say them. He just wants us to have the courage to ask for His help.

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May you have a blessed day and as always, be kind.

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Evening Peace

I usually do a morning devotion each morning with members of my church but thought I would also do one for the evening to help shelter in the peace we should have before shutting our eyes in sleep.

During the day hours, we tend to focus on our problems instead of focusing on our faith because sometimes we tend to put faith only on things we only see. But scripture reminds us of a different thought pattern concerning Faith.

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Oswald Chamber’s has a devotion book which I enjoy called “My Utmost for His Highest” which is a wonderful devotion book(also online). A lot of people may not know who he was but he was an early twentieth century Scottish Baptist Evangelist that had a profound way of teaching the truth in the scriptures. And he taught a lot about faith, courage, grace and peace wrapped up in the love of God.

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Trusting in a God, that we don’t see takes faith, which builds trust, which produces hope for us to survive anything that may come along our path of life.

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And that process is what brings us Peace.

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May you feel God’s peace tonight as the day winds down and you close the doors of today’s problems in hopes of starting a new day tomorrow with renewed kindness from above.

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Morning Encouragement

Good morning friends. Each morning as I read from my devotion book and the bible I try to follow that lesson I have read for that day. Today’s encouraging message is one that really speaks to me while we are in this time of uncertainty and I thought I would share my thoughts. I find it interesting that if we stop and listen, ignoring all the noise that goes around us daily, God’s scripture will open to us and start to make sense. His word never changes and never gets old and can encourage us differently each time we read it depending on what we are going through at the time.

Paul tell us in Colossians Chapter 2 how he personally struggled but that if we all come

together in love, the love and riches of Christ will be made know to us.

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While some of these treasure may come to us wrapped in the form of a trial, the trial itself is designed to shake us free from our perceived thoughts of how we think we are to be, to help understand His prepared path for you for that day. Although it can be a scary time, it is the key to the hidden treasures He has placed strategically along the way to richly bless us.

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God’s treasures also come in the form of many things we enjoy like sunshine, birds singing, colorful flowers, friendships and answered prayers. He has not abandoned this sin-wracked world, He is strongly present, in every sun rise, every flower, every smile you see and the kindness he shares with you that lifts you up so that you can share kindness with others to lift them up. My hope in sharing this with you today is that you are lifted up knowing He is there with you.

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And regardless of what is on your particular road of life, whether is be bright sunshine or seemingly gray darkness, God never lets go of our hand and will walk safely with you so hold tight to His hand.

May you have a richly treasured day and always try to share kindness. It may be the only kindness a person sees on any given day.

Love Encouraged

“Greater love has no one then this….John 15:13

HE CAME

The creator of this universe, I ask is he really there?

Is He someone you can trust on, or someone to beware?

If trusting is the way to go, do we go all in? Do we dare?

Or do we back off and hide, to not get caught in His snare.

Trusting what you can’t see, seems more a grand dare,

Than trusting what you can see with a chance to be fair.

But the inner hope of all of us in waiting to clear the air,

Would be His eternal promise as one to profoundly care.

Surrounded in His light to the point of brilliant glare,

Lives a love so rich for us, that we could only stare.

Those who know this love, without it, would be the dare,

No other love as perfect as the creator who came to care.

Anita Neal 5/21/2020

Fears, Lies, Trust, Love & Peace

As we traverse these difficult times I am reminded of a passage in Jeremiah, chapter 38, in the how trickery of people’s gossiping and how it can influence those who are weak in God’s teaching and begin to believe those lies. I see this same thing going on today with so much “he said/she said”, this one is lying, that one is lying. Who do we believe and who do we trust. So it is imperative we stay close to God, for He is who we can always trust.

Jesus Calling devotion books reminds us this morning that God is not careless. He allows difficult times to come to equip us for other things in the future. I love the saying that “Sometimes God calms the storm and sometimes he allows the storms to rage but calms our hearts.” This world is definitely in a storm but we must breathe in and relax in God and trust in His strength and counsel to keep us above water. So this morning let’s trust in His unfailing love.

He is a mighty God and nothing is too difficult for Him. So do not fear from our seemed weakness. Lean on God’s possibilities.

Our weakness is designed to show his strength, so don’t let your presumed limitations measure the wall that is before you. Stay connected to God and He will show you how to climb that wall.

As we stay connected with God, we are encouraged by His love we for we know He is always walking with us.

So just remember to talk with Him and then listen while he guides you through every challenging situation.

As you feel the comfort of His love and peace, remember to share the peace and kindness with others. Now more than ever kindness is needed to spread across this world to bring us all a bit of peace.

Value of Encouragement & Kindness

Can you put a value on kindness or encouragement. Not really, but when it is done from the heart, value is created. Today I received the sweetest card, not expecting one, but it really made me smile.

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Where I was trying to be an encourager, I myself was encouraged. Thank you back, Miss Dotti.

During this time of added stress of our lives, it is all the more reason to be kind and encourage others to hang on. This will pass and while things may be different forever, maybe we will be stronger for it. I am encouraged by a picture I have seen that zooms through the internet to remind us that God has our back and with that we are ever strong.

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So I remind you to relax and breathe in the Love of God and he will hold you in His hand and shine on you with shower’s of with peace.

Prayer Numbers

So I encourage you to spread kindness and encouragement as much as you can. You never know just how one small drop of kindness can create a ripple effect that goes around the world.

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Trusting God in Crisis

Good morning friends. Hope you are doing well. Today looks to be a beautiful day, so lets see what God brings our way. I write this Words of Encouragement each morning for my church family to help lift their spirits through this time of trial where we are staying at home and thought today’s message may help others feel God’s peace.

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Trust...what a hard word. When I think of trust, I think of things that I am certain will benefit me or that I know fully what will happen. Today we are fighting over the trust of political issues, concern of trusting our own instincts over daily situations, trusting we will be safe going to the grocery store…and trusting that God sees all, knows all and loves all. And guess what…He does, He is our rock of trust with which to stand firm.

I love some of the pictures I have seen on Facebook with Satan yelling at Jesus in how this pandemic closed the churches and Jesus quietly replies that the church is not the building but is in my people and that His church is ever strong. When we look around at how through technology we are spreading the love of Christ and how people who never bothered to pray before are now praying. The church is alive and well.

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God will use whatever situation we find ourselves in to accomplish his goal. He will continue to patiently wait to see what direction we chose at the fork in the road and then guide us to benefit us and His kingdom.

Jesus Calling devotion this morning reminds us that if we trust God…really trust God with our entire being, then nothing can separate us from His peace. This is how we foil evil, by growing in grace through the very adversities meant to bring us harm.

So do not fear any day as it comes your way but relax in His sovereignty knowing that he is holding your hand and will bring good out of every situation you will encounter.

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As you begin to trust, remember to be kind to those who are still trying to trust.

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His Presence, His Perspective

Good Sunday morning friends. After a couple of dreary days here in the midwest, today promises to be bright and beautiful. And like the dreariness of these past two day, we ourselves can become dreary with self pity if we focus on this current obstacle surround the entire world. With each passing day it gets harder as our thoughts dwell on ‘will this ever end?’ and I promise you it will. Sometimes we need to change our perspective of how things seem to be and lift our heads to His light and let the light of His presence engulf us and bring us peace.

2 Corinthians 4 reminds us not to lose heart,

and to focus on what is not seen. And what is not seen is more beautiful than we can imagine. We have been taught that God always has us in His hand and while He does not cause difficult situations, He will use those situations to show us His infinite power and love. So I challenge you today to

relax in the brightness of His Presence