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Devotions
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In Your Hour of Need ... Where Are You Turning?
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you
are serving."
(Colossians 3:23-24 NIV)
You may not "love" the situation you are going through right now ... but remember
everything is for a season and for a reason. Think about what you can learn
from this experience, how you can grow from it and keep your eyes and heart open to what God is trying to show you through
it. Remember that ever journey in life is a mission field. Today's sorrow and trials will be tomorrow's
testimony to help someone else. Whatever we go through, there will be someone down the road that the Lord will place
in our path that will need to hear that testimony of Gods Mercy and Grace.
Don't be discouraged. Jesus is near.
Do not worry about anything, but in everything be in much prayer. Jesus hears. He is near.
I hope you all have a great
day. Please continue to pray for our cousin Parrish, as far as I know there has been no changes to his condition. Count
your blessings ... not your worries! Love, Tracy
Turn Your Eyes To Jesus
"Nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon
You." 2 Chronicles 20:12
The
world will one day pass away, but Heaven is eternal, forever, never ending. Look at the world today, I can remember
when I was a teenager rolling my eyes at my parents when they would say, "when I was your age ..." I
cringe now, because I find myself saying it to my son who is 12 and my daughter who is 9 ... when I was your age we had,
1 TV - with no remote control and
we watched whatever Grandpa was watching. If we didn't like it, we left the room and found something else to do.
We played outside during the day until dusk. We knew what time to be home, my Mom did not have to search the neighborhood.
My Mom did not have to entertain us - and we were not under her feet everytime she turned around! When she was with
other adults - that was adult conversation and the kids were out of it.
My goodness
that is a pet peeve of mine! Kids should be kids and they should not be a part of adult conversations. That
is why the innocence is gone. They are not out being kids playing red rover, red rover, hide and seek or mother
may I. Like when we were little. They are watching TV ... reality show after reality show, MTV, VH1 and other
inappropriate television. We've created coach potatoes. Instead of go read, we say go watch TV or go play
playstation, x-box or wii.
As a society today, we
need to search our hearts, seek the Lord for wisdom on how to get back to the basics and give our kids the childhood we had.
Forget about keeping up with the Jones' - make a change, do a 180. It is not too late to start today.
Pray about it, we will build better characters in our children. Let's not be defeated, lets take a stand and say
- no, you are not going to watch those shows anymore or play those games. I'm sorry I let you start, I was wrong.
That is something I believe is pleasing to God - when we can admit to our children and our peers that we made
a mistake.
Turn
your eyes upon Jesus ... Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful
face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace!
The
verses are beautiful reminders that because of God's promises in His Word we can trust and have faith that He is
the answer to what we are seeking! I hope you have a great Tuesday. Please continue to pray for our cousin Parrish.
Love, Tracy
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth
will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors
we are!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things
of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
His Word
shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His
perfect salvation to tell!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful
face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
My goodness that is a pet peeve of mine! Kids should be kids and they should not be a part
of adult conversations. That is why the innocence is gone. They are not out being kids playing red rover,
red rover, hide and seek or mother may I. Like when we were little. They are watching TV ... reality show
after reality show, MTV, VH1 and other inappropriate television. We've created coach potatoes. Instead of
go read, we say go watch TV or go play playstation,
x-box or wii.
As a society today, we need to search our hearts, seek the Lord for wisdom on how to get back to the basics and give our
kids the childhood we had. Forget about keeping up with the Jones' - make a change, do a 180. It is not too
late to start today. Pray about it, we will build better characters in our children. Let's not be defeated,
lets take a stand and say - no, you are not going to watch those shows anymore or play those games. I'm sorry I
let you start, I was wrong. That is something I believe is pleasing to God - when we can admit to our
children and our peers that we made a mistake.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus ... Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and
grace!
The verses are beautiful reminders that because of God's promises in His Word we can trust
and have faith that He is the answer to what we are seeking! I hope you have a great Tuesday. Please continue
to pray for our cousin Parrish. Love, Tracy
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No
light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And
life more abundant and free!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death
into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful
face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His
wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
In Everything Give God The Glory, Honor and Praise
"Be
anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Phillipians 4:6-7 NIV)
I love this verse of scripture, but it is a lot easier to read
it than to live it! Be anxious for nothing! I think it is second nature to some of us that try to be planners
of our own lives instead of putting the Lord at the helm, we try to do everything on our own. Worry is a huge part of
our vocabulary. This verse is a beautiful reminder that all we need to do is pray about everything. Let your requests
be known to the Lord. Jesus knows the needs of our hearts, but His desire is for us to grow closer to Him - what better
way then through prayer? But don't let the desires of your heart overshadow the needs of your heart.
In a devotion I read
by Pastor Greg Laurie, he used this verse, as he writes ... "In
the ACTS acronym for prayer, the last step is supplication. And if we are faithful in the first three steps, the last one
will not degenerate into a spiritual shopping list. As we spend time in adoration, confession, and thanksgiving, our requests
may change because we are aligning ourselves with the will of God.
As we see God, as we think about Him,
as we begin to reexamine things, I think our prayers will begin to change. Earlier we might have prayed, "Lord, those
people who have done this to me, I pray you will judge them." But after we have spent time in the presence of God, we
might pray, "Lord, forgive me for the wrongs that I did to them. Change my heart."
If you want
to see your prayers answered more often in the affirmative, then learn to pray according to the will of God. That is the objective
of effective prayer. Nothing is too big to pray about. And nothing is too small to pray about. There is a place for supplication.
We don't have to feel any shame whatsoever about bringing our needs before the Lord. The Bible says, "Casting all
your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). Bring your cares. Bring your troubles. Bring your problems.
God doesn't promise He will immediately take your problems away. But He will give you His peace in the midst of
your problems."
I personally like that last part. God doesn't promise He will immediately
take your problems away. But He will give you His peace in the midst of your problems. A lot of people get confused
in that area. They might think well, God doesn't hear my prayer because I still have that problem. Or "why
me" The Lord hears us. That is just not His plan for our lives. He sees the grand picture, we need
to just trust that what He has for us is greater than what we have planned for ourselves. Our journey is going to be
a witness to someone else that will face that road. We just have to be open and willing to share the journey.
Giving the all Glory to God for the things He has done, not what we have done. Because we are nothing without Him.
I hope you have a great Monday.
Please remember our cousin Parrish in prayer, he was hit by a car over the weekend. Count your blessings and pray over
your trials!Love, Tracy
Restore Your Walk
"Trust in the Lord Forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock."
"Trust in the Lord Forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock."
(Isaiah 26:4 NIV) As we begin to pray, we should do so with an understanding
of the purpose and meaning in our prayers. We need to be aware of the Holy Spirit working in and through us. His loving spirit
works through us restoring our mind and our bodies. He is a beacon of love and light that shines out of us. God will always
be with us, healing our brokenness, we need to turn to Him and seek His help. A prayer in my devotional read like this - "God, you are
always with me as a healing and revealing presence of life and wisdom. My Amen is not an end to my conversation with You;
it is my commitment to bring an awareness of You to every moment of this day." That is really good. Is that your prayer
- to make God a part of your daily life? Or just when He is needed? He loves you and He loves me and wants us to make Him
the center of our lives! I hope you all have a great weekend. Invite someone to church with you this Sunday. If you are
not going to church, pray that the Lord will lead you to a place that stands on the Word of God. Count your blessings
Love, Tracy
Because He Lives - You Can Face Tomorrow
"Then I will ever sing praise to your name and fulfill my vows day after day."
(Psalm 61:8 NIV)
Sometimes
we may feel like the storms in our life are never going to end. We go through trial after trial, valley after valley
and yet never seem to feel like God is there. What is the solution? Where do we turn?
Most of the time, when God is taking us through
a storm it is for more than one reason. Sometimes it might be someone else's storm that we are drawn into to help
up in a situation we did not even know existed to prepare us for another storm that may come in the future or maybe to help
someone else as a testimony to what the Lord has brought us through! He allows us to struggle through it to prepare us for
the future. We
have to realize that God is in control. He knows our needs, we have to fully surrender to Him, pray for His
guidance and He will lead us in the way we need to go. Follow His way. Don't try to handle life valley's
on your own - the journey will seem endless.
Don't fear God's direction for your life, it may not have been your plan for your
life, but He will lead you down a path that will bring you closer to Him. Allow yourself to loosen the reins of control and
give it all to God. We may not know what the future brings ... but we know who holds the future and that is our Lord!
What testimony
will you leave behind? Don't be afraid ~ know that God loves you. Because
He lives, you can face tomorrow! God sent His son,
they called Him, Jesus; He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives! Chorus
Because
He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And
life is worth the living,
Just because He lives! How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and
joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives! Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives! And then one day, I'll cross the river,
I'll
fight life's final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict'ry,
I'll see the lights of glory
and I'll know He lives! Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear
is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
Yes, we will face uncertain days ... but learn
the truths so you will know where to go when your load is heavy. He is speaking to you today. How long will it take us before
it sinks in? Jesus is the answer - He is all we need to have peace within our hearts. God knows our hearts. He knows if we
are real or if we are just going through the motions. Turn your life over to Him today and He will guide your steps.
I pray He touches each of
you today and leads you where Jesus wants you to be. I pray your hear His answers to your cry for help. I pray
you are still and listen for His voice. Have a great Thursday. Love, Tracy
Thanks To Calvary ... I Am Not Who I Used To Be
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us." (Romans 5:8 NIV)
When trials enter our life, we can choose to trust or doubt God.
He has a divine plan for our lives and sometimes when trials come it is hard to believe or maybe even understand that this
was to be the plan for our lives. The decisions we make each and every day affect how we will handle and how we will
face a valley that hits us. Charles Stanley says, trust in the Lord is built upon three essential truths—His love,
His wisdom, and His sovereignty. God’s love for us is:
• Perfect. He always does what is best for us in order
to accomplish His goal, namely, our transformation into the image of His Son Jesus. The apostle Paul compared the Christian
life to a race where we enter into strict training and undergo rigorous discipline. We must remember that optimal preparation
for those who run to win the prize can be painful and even perplexing at times.
• Dependable. God’s love is an
integral part of His nature. (1 John 4:8) To act in an unloving manner would be to go against His character, and He never
contradicts His own being. The Spirit’s presence within each believer confirms the Lord’s caring attitude towards
His children. (John 16:13)
• Consistent. Not only is our Father’s love perfect and dependable; it is also consistently
demonstrated. The actions He performs or permits in our life—even the hardest ones—are all expressions of His
love. This makes no sense to us if we assume that peace and happiness show we have a caring Father but trouble does not.
Scripture teaches us to regard hardships as part of the training process to build us up spiritually. (Hebrews 12:6) Then,
when we are tempted to doubt, remember Calvary. God demonstrated His infinite and loving nature by sending Christ to
die for us. (Romans 5:8).
I loved that
last part. Dr. Stanley puts it plainly and boldly. When in doubt, when faced with temptation to knowingly sin
~ remember Calvary! When you are wondering where God is when you are faced with troubled times ~ remember Calvary.
God is always with us. He never left. Where are we? It is us. We've left. We've gone
our own way ~ we are trying to handle everything alone. "A" (singular) and "lone" (lonely).
We are left wondering where God is because we do not feel His presence. Dr. Stanley has a devotion called Walking
With God Through Hard Times. I highly recommend it. You can go to his web site (www.intouch.org) and listen to it. It is a very good message ~ for anyone. Each one of us will be faced at one point or another
with difficult times. Are we walking with God, or trying to face them alone?
When you are deep in despair ... Remember Calvary. God has not left you, He is with you
always. Matthew 11:28 says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
2 Corthinians 12:9 says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Then one of my favorite verses ... John 16:33 "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!
I have overcome the world." All promises from God that we are not alone! He will be with us.
Finally ... Hebrews 11:1,6 ... "now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see ... and without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must
believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." Are you walking in faith today?
Or are you on your own road? Trust in the Lord to handle it all, don't walk alone today ... remember Calvary.
Have a great Wednesday, I pray that the word of the Lord has
touched your heart and has reminded you what Jesus did for you at Calvary. For you! Have
some quiet one on one time with Him today to thank Him for the sacrifice He made for you. Ask Him to guide your steps
today, because you don't want to face it alone anymore. You don't have to do it alone anymore ... remember Calvary!
Love, Tracy
link
Asking May Mean Waiting
"Ask and it will be given
to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7 NIV)
Most people interpret this scripture
wrong. When a need arises, Matthew 7:7 comes into our minds. Gimme Gimme Gimme. "God, if you'd let this
happen - I'll be a better person. God, if you do this one thing for me -I will go to Church. God, if you prevent
this from happening, I'll stop doing it." The thing is ... God doesn't make deals.
I think most times we will
find out that if we live according to the Will of God, that things fall into place without trying to play let's make
a deal with the Lord. All things happen according to the plan of our Heavenly Father anyway. Nothing happens in this
life by making a deal or just because we want it to happen. Everything we do should be a petition to the Lord.
Come to His throne with a sincere heart.
There is another passage of scripture in Matthew (Matt. 6:8) "For your Father in Heaven
knows the things you have need of before you ask Him" (paraphrased). God knows our thoughts, but He responds to
our prayers. Sometimes we think God has not heard us or that He has not answered our prayer. He has - perhaps
just not the way we expected or wanted it to be answered. I heard a quote once ... without God, we can't do it.
Without us, God won't do it! We need to pray continuously to the Lord, something's are just not going to happen
unless we pray. Continuously.
Make prayer a part of your daily life. I don't know how anyone can get through a day
without first turning to the Lord. Praise God in all times good and bad. People want someone to "explain"
things like Sept. 11th, or the devastation of the hurricanes. Those things did not come as a surprise to God.
He did not want people to die. He allowed things to happen those days and I think He got the nations attention.
For that moment. But where are we now? Are you still wondering what we can do? Share the Gospel. Our
mission in this life is to be a vessel. Are you willing? It is to encourage those around us to grow closer to
and gain knowledge about the sacrifice Jesus made on Calvary. To grow closer to Him and to serve Him daily.
I hope we never lose sight
of evil in the world and don't just slip back into our routines. We need to just pray for people around us that
are growing cold and stale in their relationship with the Lord. Pray for people who try to hinder our walk with
the Lord that God will heal their hearts. I pray His Word has touched your heart today. I hope that your
prayer is a desire for a closer walk with Jesus and to do something about it. Set a goal to be an example before your
peers. People are watching. What do they see when they see you and me? Have a great day today, count your many blessings! Love, Tracy
Be All That You Can Be
"Teach
me to your will, for you are my God: may your good Spirit lead me on level ground." (Psalm 143:10 NIV) "Teach
me to your will, for you are my God: may your good Spirit lead me on level ground." (Psalm 143:10 NIV)
"Then
Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything
I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age'."
(Matthew 28:18-20 NIV) (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)
Years ago, (probably too many to think about), The US Army had a commercial that came on that had a catchy jingle
... "Be all that you can be ... in the Army" That is what I think of when I read these verses. Being all I
can be, a good wife, a good Mother, a good friend, a good Christian, etc. All of them take our constant attention.
BUT, the rewards are endless. If we want to spread hope, share joy, and want people
to know and have a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, let's stop faking who we are. What makes
a Christians different from the rest of the world? We know that one day we made a decision to turn from our lonely
lives and asked Jesus to be Lord over our lives. We know that without Him we have nothing. Our problems are no
less tragic, our lives no less complicated, our burdens no less heavy. But we have somewhere to turn, we have someone
to go to.
For most people, life is mostly a struggle
to keep our weight down and out spirits up! Ask God to keep you genuine is all your relationships. You may be the person that
He is going to use to reach that stranger for Jesus! I think most people take each other for granted. They assume
that everyone knows that Jesus is the way to Heaven. You would be surprised to know that most people think as long as
they are a good and a kind person, when they die they will go to Heaven. That is simply not true. The Bible
tells us the way to Heaven in only through Jesus. So, what are you doing to share the Good News? What are you
doing to teach others the way? Now that you know ... who will you tell?
Are you praying for your family and your friends that have lost their way? Merely going to Church is not the
answer. We need that fellowship and we need that spiritual food, but we also need to be in God's Word each day.
How do we expect our Children and Grandchildren to know the way and to set aside time for the Lord if we are not that example
for them? I hope you all have a great Monday. Be all that you think Jesus desires you to be today
- for His Glory! Count your many blessings and encourage someone in the name of Jesus. Love Tracy
Listen For The Voice of Truth
"But as for me, my prayer is unto thee,
O. LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. Deliver
me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let
not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. Hear
me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. And hide not
thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver
me because of mine enemies. Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all
before thee. Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but
there was none; and for comforters, but I found none." (Psalm 69:13-20 NIV)
What a beautiful prayer for
so many that feel so low in the valley. The Lord is near. Place all your trust in Him and watch as the power of
His love sweeps over you. Encouraging words to lift your spirit are found all through the Bible. Start with
the Book of John and alternate with a Psalm each day. If you do not have a Bible, you can go to www.biblegateway.com and you can view the Bible in any translation. They have made viewing this web site very easy, you can print out a
book at a time or just view the scripture of the day.
Encourage one anther today, lift each other up, tell someone you love them and let them feel
the love of Jesus! I pray that the Lord touches you today, especially those that are in a valley. I know when
you can't see a way out that things seem hopeless. BUT KNOW that with the Lord there is
only HOPE! He is our everything. Isaiah 9:6-7 says that "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son
is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful,
Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government
and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment
and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." No matter what
time of year it is, when I read this scripture it makes me think of Christmas and songs we sing at Christmas. His name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace, The Lord of Lord, The King of Kings ... He is ... Jesus!!!!
He is all of this and much, much more!
Whenever my valley is so low, and I see no end in sight, the Lord just reminds me of Mark 9:23-24; "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to
him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out,
and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."
I believe Lord .... but help my unbelief! Help me when
my inner self takes over and tries to control my spirit. Help me understand Father that I am not in this alone
and you are my Prince of Peace, King of ings, Lord of Lords, Mighty Couselor! Pray to Him and trust in Him today dear
friends. Look up ... give it all to your Heavenly Father and He will strengthen your spirit and bring you from the valley.
I pray that someone is placed in your path today that you can be an encouragement too or someone that will encourage you and
lift you up. Stand in the gap today for a friends. Lift their prayer needs up to the Lord. Pray for
them. I hope you all have a great weekend. Invite someone to church with you this Sunday, if you don't go
to church pray that the Lord will lead you to a Church that preaches the Word of God. Please pray for my friends
son he is going through a hard time right now and is troubled. The Lord knows who he is. Please pray that someone
is placed in his path that will be a positive influence and that will encourage him in these troubled times. Please
also pray for his parents that the Lord will give them patience and give them wisdom dealing with this situation.
May Gods peace fall upon you
and may you have a blessed day. Love, Tracy
Turn To Jesus
"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say,
on the LORD." (Psalm 27:13-14 NIV)
I woke up to a song by the group Third Day.
The words in the song are so comforting to anyone who has experienced loss. Whether it be physical, emotional, job related,
etc... The words so clear - Cry Out To Jesus! What we want for the Lord's reply to be and
what His reply is going to be may be two different things. But open your heart and listen for His gentle
guidance. Psalm 28:6-7 says, "Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth;
and with my song will I praise him."
Rejoice for the Lord brings comfort and healing to all that believe in Him, that trust
Him as their Savior and that place all their faith in Him. Don't be overwhelmed by the circumstances in your life.
Be consumed by the love that Jesus offers you today. No matter what we are facing, we do not have to face it alone.
Cry out to Jesus! You might say, I have. He didn't hear my cries. Keep listening my friend. Get
on your knees, confess the burdens of your heart, seek forgiveness for any wrong doing in your life and listen for the sweet
direction on Jesus. Repentance for me is daily. Our prayer today should be Psalm 51:10-12 "Create in
me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence;
and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with
thy free spirit."
Do you have a daily prayer life? This is a good place to start. (Psalm 51:10-12) "Create
in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me! Keep me close O Lord. Restore my joy. My
hope. My faith. My love. My trust in You Lord. Be my Rock dear Jesus."
I hope you all have a great
Thursday. I hope that you desire a closer walk with Jesus each day and I pray that you will feel the presence of
Jesus in your life TODAY. Because today is your day.
Today, is the day of Salvation. Make things right. Set a straight path and hear His word for
you. Please lift up a prayer for my friends sister (Becky), she is having surgery today for her cancer. Also,
please pray for Andrea and Todd, they are the parents of the little girl Riley that passed away 6 weeks ago. I was thinking
about them this morning, I am sure that as the weeks pass their visitors are coming less and the phone calls have slowed down
a little. I am sure that these days are difficult for them. Count your blessings dear friends and may God Bless
you. Love, Tracy
Cry Out To Jesus
Third Day To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days
you had were not enough
when you said good-bye
And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping
you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus
For
the marriage that's struggling just to hang on
They lost all of their faith in love
They've done all they
can to make it right again
Still it's not enough
For the ones who can't break the addictions and
chains
You try to give up but you come back again
Just remember that you're not alone in your shame
And
your suffering
When your lonely
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach
out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
To the widow who suffers with being alone
Wiping the tears
from her eyes
For the children around the world without a home
Say a prayer tonight
Cry out to Jesus, Cry Out to Jesus
Always Be Ready ... To Share God's Word
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For
he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh,
but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the
reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:7-10 NIV)
I heard a quote by my pastor one time, he
said, "most people do not want to read the Bible because the Bible shows us who we really are." That
is so true. Most mornings when I sit and have my quiet time I have to pick my feet up off the floor because my toes
are being stepped on! I am so thankful that the Lord reveals to me who I really am and that I am nothing without Him.
I'd have nothing, I'd be desperate all the time. I'd be searching for something all the time. With
each morning that comes, I am drawn closer to Him - I want to know more about what His Word says. It always amazes me
that time and time again we can mess up and Jesus will show us and convict us. Not so we are constantly putting ourselves
down thinking we are worthless. But so we can see right from wrong and we can see that we need to change. So we
can be rightly related to Him and grow closer to Him, using those circumstances to help others come closer to Him and others
be drawn to Christ.
Last night I was talking to two football Moms. Somehow we got onto the subject of Heaven and Hell.
One of the Mom, who has gone to just about every Church said, "I believe Heaven will be just like it is here."
After she finished talking, I said, "oh I disagree. Heaven will be nothing at all like here. The
Bible says we will only know joy in Heaven, no more sorrow. There is nothing so much pain and suffering here.
The Bible tells us there will be no more pain and suffering in Heaven. No more sadness. And not
every one here will be in Heaven. It won't be anything like here and I am so thankful." I don't
think she agreed with me. But honestly, it is not my opinion - it is what the Word of God says. If you don't
believe it, you are saying you don't believe the Word of God. You believe the "world's" view.
The Bible says, "Wide is the gate, but narrow is the way and only few will find it." Are you going to enter
through the world's wide gate or the Lord's narrow gate?
How many apples are you going to be tempted with each day?
Where do you turn for help? Jesus paid our sin debt. All we need to do is turn to Him. He will guide you
down the right path. Any valley we face is an uphill climb, be careful not to spiral downward. Turn to Jesus,
call upon His name and He will cleanse your heart. He loves you. Seek Him today to guide and to direct you
each and every day. Count each blessing you have because today's trial is going to be tomorrow's testimony. Love, Tracy
If You Have a Need ... I Know The Answer
"He hath shewed thee, O man, what
is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8 NIV)
This verse jumped out and grabbed me this morning. Many of us place unrealistic expectations on ourselves.
We try too hard to be "perfect." There is no one that meets that -- except for Jesus of course. God
does not expect us to be perfect, His expectations are plain and they are actually pretty simple ... Love the Lord with all
your heart, mind, body, and soul. When we love the Lord, our actions change. Our hearts change. Our desires
change. Yes, sometimes we fall into temptation. But walking with the Lord daily -- anything wrong in our lives
is revealed to us and we have a burden in our heart to change. Do you feel the burden? Can you feel the Lord showing
you circumstances in your life that need change? What better day to make changes in your life ... than to start today? Today is what?
Today is the day of salvation! John 16:8 says (in regard to the work of the Holy Spirit), "When He comes, He will
convict the worked of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." When you have Christ in your heart
and in your life, the desire of your heart changes. Your desire is to please Him more and your personal needs less. One of my favorite songs is Holy Ground
... I especially love the 2nd verse - In His presence
there is joy beyond measure
And at his feet peace of mind can still be found
If you have a need, I know He has the
answer
Reach out and claim it for we are standing
On holy ground
Oh, when you
just let yourself into the presence of the Lord ... stop and rest in His arms and feel His gentle presence -- your life can
change! No matter what we have done -- seeking the Lord and repenting and asking Him to be Lord and of our lives is
the ONLY solution. God will lead -- will we follow? I often think about the two thieves on the cross, one
on each side of Jesus, what a retched life they lived, but even in the last hours of their lives, one realized Jesus was real
and all he needed to do was seek forgiveness and what was Jesus' reply ... today, you will be with me in paradise! It
is not too late to make a change ... a change for Him.
I hope you all have a great day today. One day we will come face to face with our Savior,
what a glorious day that will be. Not a day to fear, but a day we await in anticipation. One day we truly
be Standing on Holy Ground! God Bless you today and always. Love, Tracy HOLY GROUND
As I walked through the door I sensed his presence
And I knew this was
a place where love abounds
For this is the temple, Jehovah God abides here
And we are standing in his presence
On holy ground
We are standing on holy ground
And I know there
are angels all around
Let us praise Jesus now
We are standing in his presence
On holy ground
In his presence there is joy beyond measure
And at his feet peace of mind can still
be found
If you have a need, I know He has the answer
Reach out and claim it for we are standing
On holy ground
We are standing on holy ground
And I know there
are angels all around
Let us praise, Jesus now
Weee, are standing in his presence
On holy ground
We are standing on holy ground
And
I know there are angels all around
Let us praise, Jesus now
Weee, are standing in his presence
Weee,
are standing in his presence
Weee, are standing in his presence
On holy ground
Whatever It Takes "I say to you, he who believes in Me, greater works than these he will do,
because I go to My Father." (John 14:12
NIV)
Each morning I try to read My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers,
it is called a one-minute devotion book. This was today's verse of scripture followed by these words ... "Wherever God has placed you and whatever your circumstances, you should
pray, continually offering up prayers to Him. When you labor
at prayer, from God's perspective there are always results." For many of us, when we don't get
the results that we may want, we think that God has not answered us. Everything happens in the Lord's timing ...
perhaps what we are seeking in not His plan for our lives. But pray continually, because this just might not be
the timing for that particular thing.
Philippines 4:4 says "Rejoice in the Lord always:
and again I say, rejoice!" and in Philippines 4:7 it says, "And
the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Our lives should have one
ultimate goal ... to glorify God in all circumstances! No matter what we do or where we are, we need reminders that
God is in control! Nothing happens by chance. We make decisions and choices in our lives, sometimes they are good
and sometimes they are not. But when we make the ones that are not - we need to ask our selves, did I really seek guidance
from God on this or was I out there on my own? Most of the time in those circumstances I believe we may have acted alone.
BUT ... in those times, if we really reflect on the situation God can still use that for His glory as a testimony as to how
He brought me through it.
Whatever you do ... wherever you are today - seek God. Know that He is in control. Know that
His love for you is unconditional and that whatever you are going through - He understands and He wants you to surrender all
to Him.
I pray that you feel God love in all you do today. I hope that it is your prayer to seek God in all circumstances
and to learn and grow in Him from your circumstances. I hope that you have a great Monday. Count your blessings
... for you and I are greatly blessed!!! Love, Tracy
Fill My Cup Lord!
"Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The entrance of your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple."
(Psalm 119:129-120 NIV) When you think about
your testimony, what comes to your mind? Can you see the mountain tops through your valley's? Are others encouraged
by you and your testimony? Have you ever shared what Jesus has done for you? I don't know how someone can get through a day without
Jesus at the center of it. Without reading His Word and taking in His promises. Each day we start out the day so
full, as our day goes on the things of the world can literally drain us. Time for a refill. Get back in Gods Word ~
immediate refill. Stay full of His Word. He will fill any need, any void and any circumstance in your life. I
was reading John
4:14
"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst;
but the water that I shall
give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." It reminds me of the song "Fill
My Cup Lord"
Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For
things that could not satisfy:
And then I heard my Savior speaking:
"Draw from my well that never shall run
dry".
Chorus
Fill my cup Lord,
I lift it up,
Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more
Fill my cup,
fill it up and make me whole!
There are millions in this world who
are craving
The pleasures earthly things afford;
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus
Christ my Lord.
Chorus
Fill my cup Lord,
I lift
it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more
Fill my
cup, fill it up and make me whole!
Nothing ... no thing, will
fill you up like the love of Jesus! May His well never run dry in my life and I pray if I stray from His desires and
plans for my life that I am drawn back like never before!!! Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend. Invite
someone to church with you this Sunday.
If you do not go to Church, pray and ask the Lord to guide and direct you where you need to be! You will be Blessed.
Love, Tracy
Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy:
And then I heard my Savior speaking:
"Draw from my well that never shall run dry".
Chorus
Fill my cup Lord,
I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me
till I want no more
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
There are millions in this world who are craving
The pleasures earthly things afford;
But none can match the wondrous
treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.
Chorus
Fill my cup Lord,
I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me
till I want no more
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
Nothing ... no thing, will fill you up like the love of Jesus! May His well never run dry in my life and I pray if
I stray from His desires and plans for my life that I am drawn back like never before!!! Have a great Friday and a wonderful
weekend. Invite someone to church with you this Sunday. If you do not go to Church, pray and ask the Lord to guide and direct you where you need
to be! You will be Blessed. Love, Tracy
We Do Not Know The Day or Hour
"May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13 NIV)
The other day as I traveled to a work shop with some co-workers, we got to talking about
the music that was on the radio and how surprised I was at her taste in music. I guess I am just getting old, but I
can't stand the music that is on some of these stations. Vulgar or filth as my Mother used to say. I can hear
her now. Many days when I am feeling low or in a valley I turn to Christian
music to encourage me and lift me up.
I can remember one of my Mother in laws favorite hymns. The song was written
by Natalie A. Sleeth. I read on her web page that the reason
she wrote the hymn was because she was thinking about the death of her friend.
Thinking about life, death and the resurrection. She was pondering the seasons - winter and spring (seeming
opposites), and a T. S. Eliot poem which had the phrase, ‘In
our end is our beginning.’ These seemingly contradictory ‘pairs’
led to the thesis of the song and the hopeful message that out of one will come the other whenever
God chooses to bring that about.
Hymn of Promise
In
the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season, something God
alone can see.
There’s a song
in every silence, seeking word and melody;
There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.
From
the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed
until its season, something God alone can see.
I think most people at some point think about life and of death, especially as we get older
and we are more effected by it. While the resurrection of someone's body to heaven is a beautiful thing, for
those of us left behind (my own thought) it is a weird thing. One minute they are here and the next they are gone.
Last night I was speaking to a friend, he and his wife still have both their parents. He said I know I am blessed.
My kids are so fortunate. I said yes you are. I would give anything to have my Mother and Father here again.
As long as they were not sick that is. But it was their time. The Bible says, absent from the body - is to be
present with the Lord, for those who know Him. I love the last line to that song ... Unrevealed until its season, something
God alone can see. Only God knows our appointed time. It remains unrevealed, even to someone who has a terminal
illness. So what we do during the seasons is so important. The Lord has given us opportunity after opportunity
let's not waste them.
Trust His guiding hand today, do not
follow your own path. But the path that He has set out for your life. We may not always understand the road we
will travel, but when all is said and done, don't you desire to hear ... well done, my good and my faithful servant?
I do. Please continue to pray for my friends sister Becky who has breast cancer, she will be having surgery next Thursday. I hope you all have a great Thursday.
Be an encouragement to someone today. Love, Tracy
Pray Before You Speak
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight,
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer." (Psalm 19:14 NIV)
If you are a parent have you ever just listened
to your children when they are talking? As we were driving down the road last night, I had to tell Jenna (she is
9) to put her seatbelt on three or four times. I finally in a firm voice said JENNA. To which
she replied (in a firmer voice), I AM MOMMY. I said don't you talk to me like that. But as
I sat there, I thought well Tracy, she is only repeating what she hears. Our tone and our words describe everything
about us! I read a sign outside a church once. It said, "People will not listen to what you say, but
people will do what you do." It reminded me of my children, Do what I say ... not what I do. Isn't that
how most of us parent? Sometimes that is true though, we've been down some roads that we don't want our children
to go, so then, that saying would apply. Well, maybe, do as I say, not as I did! Sometimes we let our "fleshly"
attitudes shine through. We are not a good example to others.
Last night I officially
became one of "those" parents. I have let frustration build up about a situation on my son's
football team and my sideline chatter has not been good. My tone described me. After the game I was going to the
team huddle to hear what the coaches were saying to the kids after they lost their game. But as I approached, the talk
was over and the kids were going on their way. Somehow - this was not planned in my mind I just walked up to one of
the coaches and said, "I was just wondering ..." honestly I said nothing out of line or nothing that I was ashamed
to say, but I did catch this man off guard and I do feel bad for that. Perhaps since it was not planned it was a good
thing because the words came from my heart and not from my attitude.
We need to just be honest with others instead of bottling up emotions.
The Lord wants us to be a shinning light for Him and sometimes we just let our own lights shine.
I hope if you are in a situation today where you feel hopeless, that you turn to the Lord for strength and guidance.
Let the words that come from your mouth ... be acceptable to God! Be an encouragement to others. I hope you all
have a great Wednesday. Love, Tracy
Through It All ...
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded
you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20 NIV)
I was cleaning my house last Sunday and came
across a stack of my prayer journals. It has been a few years since I have written in a journal because we have moved
into a new home and I had everything boxed up. I love to reread old journals. It reminds me of the journey I was
on that seemed so long ago. That is the thing about certain trials, we feel like we are never going to make it, then
all of a sudden it is 2 or 3 years later and we sit and think ... I made it!
As I looked
through some of these pages, I was reflecting on my life since I moved to Charlotte (and then Rock Hill). I thought about
my children someday finding these journals and reading them. I hope that they will find comfort in some of the
things I thought and wrote about. I was reminded there
were a lot of peaks and valleys we faced as a family ... but through it all - Jesus is by our side!
Jenna
(my daughter) and I love this song and sometimes we have it on repeat all the way to her school. It is called
Through It All. This particular version is by Selah. It is a reminder that through it all - Jesus is there!
He will never, ever, ever, leave us! Here are the words. If you know it I hope the tune sticks with you all day.
I hope that you can set 10 minutes aside during your morning routine to write in a prayer journal. Something where you
can just pour your heart out to God.
Through It All
Words and music by Andrae Crouch
I've had many tears and sorrows
I've had questions for tomorrow
There've been times I didn't know right from wrong
But in every situation
God gave blessed consolation
That my trials only come to make
me strong
I've
been a lot of places
And I've seen so many faces
But there've been times I've felt so all alone
But in that lonely hour
In that precious, lonely hour
Jesus let me know I was His own
Through it all
Through it all
I've learned to trust in Jesus
I've learned to trust in God
Through it all
Through it all
I've learned to depend upon His Word
So I thank God for the mountains
And
I thank Him for the valleys
I thank Him for the storms He's brought me through
Cause if I never had a problem
I wouldn't know that He could solve them
I wouldn't know what faith in His Word could do
Through it all
Through it all
I've learned to trust in Jesus
I've learned to trust in God
Through it all
Through it all
I've learned to depend upon His Word
Yes, I've learned to depend upon His Word
I've
learned to depend upon His Word
So, thank Him
for the mountains, but also thank Him for the valley's! I love that verse and I cry every time I hear it.
I don't think I thank Him enough for the trials in my life. Remember that the trials will make you stronger, it
may be a taste of your faith, but our Lord Jesus will bring us through it. I pray that you have a blessed day today
and are drawn closer to the Lord through someone that touches your life today. There are so many ways you can encourage
a friend today! Count your blessings dear friends and family! Love,
Tracy
Learning On The Way Through The Valley
"Then Jesus told him, because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed
are those
who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29 NIV paraphrased)
We had a special guest speaker at our
church last night that recited the Sermon on the Mount. It was amazing. He said, almost 4 chapters of scripture
... without even looking at a Bible. It touched me. I could only imagine how the people felt sitting up on
a hill listening and hanging on every word that Jesus was saying! It was amazing.
A few weeks ago Scott and I had dinner
with friends, one of our conversations has bothered since. More so because I just sat there and listened instead
of chiming in. Sometimes we can be intimidated in a conversation debating in our own mind how to say something and how
someone will receive it. One of our friends said they left a church because the preacher never made them feel good
enough or worthy enough to be a Christian. But that is our life, really we are not good enough. Isn't
that what keeps us closer and closer to Jesus? If we were good enough, we might just decide that we don't need Jesus.
We might think we can handle everything by ourselves.
I personally
know a lot of people that struggle with this verse. Yes, it is hard to believe in something we can't physically
see - that is why it is called blind faith. Because that is our Christian walk ... until we pass from this earth we will not physically see Jesus. A lot of people have trouble putting their
trust in something they cannot physically see. But honestly, if we are true to our calling and we are in the Word of
God each day, then there are many ways though that we do see Him. Sometimes don't you feel like the blind man in
scripture? We hear and see Him through His Word. We can see Him in the actions of others around
us. We see Him in the small miracles we receive each day. We see His promises
in a rainbow after a storm.
There
are so many people that have nothing to cling to because they don't believe. They can't SEE Jesus. They have not surrendered
all that they are to Him. Many people say they love and trust God, but if they are honest with themselves, they want
to handle everything alone. But, we can't handle problems without turning to Jesus. So, when life is hard,
when we just don't know what to do, when we ask why this is happening? We wonder where we went wrong.
This verse tells us to go out and share His love. Tell others about
the love of Christ. Because there are people who still don't know that Jesus died on a cross at Calvary so that we,
those who believe in Him, those that receive His Mercy and His Grace, those that serve Him, will have eternal life with
Him. There will be those separated from God forever if when there time comes they have not repented of their sin to
Jesus. Not only repenting but changing our hearts. If we are honest, all of us do sin and we will fall
short when it comes to pleasing God. Not even a Christian escapes that. But the key is recognizing sin
for what it is, repenting to the Lord, asking Him to forgive you and asking Him to change your heart and moving on.
God does not expect us to beat ourselves up for our mistakes. He expects us to learn from them and don't do it
again.
To me, the valley's we face are a means to our future. I'd never be where I am today
if I had not traveled through the valley's. I've learned many life lessons in my valley's. I hope
that I noticed that because my path in life went through that - that those times ended up being a tool or a testimony to help
others that had experienced a valley. I honestly believe that God will use things we experience to not only help
others, but help us again and again in life. Always remember the valley. After you are plucked from it, remember
to thank the Lord for it.
I hope you have a great day today. I pray that this verse and the words that followed it have
in someway encouraged you today to seek the direction that God has for your life, by opening the Bible. Pray first for
the Lord to reveal to you any unconfessed sin in your life, confess it, ask the Lord to forgive you and move on.
A part of the process is also forgiving yourself so you are not constantly thinking about it. Start each day asking
God to direct your path. He will. Listen for God's voice through His Word, even though you can't physically
see Him, you will see Him. Because ... not seeing ... but trusting blindly ... is believing and above all, count
your Blessings!!!! Love, Tracy
Seeking To Change
"The acts of a sinful nature are obvious ... but the fruit
of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."
(Galatians 5:19 and 23 NIV paraphrased)
This verse always reminds me of my Mom.
Most children don't appreciate their parents until they become adults, and even then, some people still don't. What
do they know? As we become adults our selves, we see our parents knew more than we thought they did. There
is no one there each day say good job Mom. Good job Dad. You doing a great job raising that child. Most of us
Moms don't have someone on the sidelines saying, you're doing a great job. As a parent we need to just lead
them and guide them the best with can, seek council from the Lord (His Word) and pray that they will travel down the right
path. And if they stray, pray that the Lord will send someone in their path that will draw them back.
It can be a challenge - even as
a Christian (or maybe especially if you are a Christian) to live by the fruit
of the spirit daily. Especially when I relate this to myself being a mother. It is not always easy to be
loving, to express joy, to display peace, to possess patience, to show kindness, or to have goodness etc ... when
the "me factor" takes over unfortunately there might not be much self-control. The answer ... Pray!
When we remove "me"
and allow God to be the center - to control every direction, it is amazing how peace and gentleness show up. Somedays
it makes me so sad that I don't have my Mom here helping me be a mother. She was not perfect, but she was a
true example of a Godly wife and Mother, she was a person who lived and walked daily by the fruit of the spirit ... she
was loving, she knew how to express joy, she always helped keep the peace, whoa, did she possess patience -
with 9 children, 7 of which were girls. She was so kind and possessed goodness to anyone she met. If my mother
were alive today she would not see herself this way. She'd probably say, I hope I am that way, I want to be that
way ... she was a humble woman. Never boastful.
I think this verse is something positive God gives us to strive
for each day. Even if your own parents did not live by this example, why can't
it start with you? As adults we mold lives, whether it be our own children or other children around us. I know
many people that have influenced my life that were just passing through my life for a season. I will never forget them.
What are you doing today to build your relationship with Christ? Is it stale and just there. You go to church,
read a devotion every now and then, but there is no fruit?
Turn your eyes upon Jesus ... Look full in His wonderful face ... And the things of earth will
grow strangely dim ... In the light of His glory and grace.
Share the fruit of the spirit today. Be more understanding, ask the Lord
to grant you peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness
and self-control. Ask each morning, not just once. God will show you. That is my prayer today, Lord help
me, show me, guide me, direct me. Take the "me factor" out of this situation and let it all be about you Lord.
Helping encourage people for your Glory Lord. Thank you for another day to serve and worship and praise you Lord Jesus.
I pray that through these words someone will start today to display the fruit
of the spirit without hesitation, so people can see a change in them and they will give you all the Glory for
it Jesus. Amen!
I hope you all have a great weekend. Invite someone to church with you this Sunday. If you have
not found a church home, pray that God will guide you to where you need to be. Encourage one another in His name.
Love, Tracy
link
Taking Nothing For Granted
"I know the thoughts that I think toward you," says the Lord, "thoughts of peace and not of
evil, to give you a future and a hope."
(Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)
Every
detail, every plan and every step we take has already been mapped out by the Lord. He knows when we will stray from
His plan for our lives, He knows when we will face a valley, when we will stand and when we will fall. It is by His
Grace that He is right there with us. In a devotional book I have titled, How Do You Live the Christian Life?
There is a short chapter in it called, "No One Said It Would Be Easy." This is a paragraph from
it. A new believer might say "I give up." And a mature Christian might say "The further I
go, the more I become of my rebellious nature." The apostle Paul might have said "What I want to do, I don't
do; and what I don't want to do, that's what I end up doing!" The apostle Peter would say "The devil
is after us" But here is what Jesus would say, "The spirit is willing - but the flesh
is weak!"
I think we are all mostly like Paul ... if we are honest with ourselves.
What I want to do and should do - I don't. But what I don't want to do, and should not do, I end up doing!
Someone once said, "the sooner we understand that life is
hard, things will get easier." That is an odd statement, yet understandable! The author of this devotional
says this, "God wants us to be victors, not victims; to soar; not to sink; to overcome, not to be overwhelmed!" Jesus
does not want us to be consumed by circumstance! He wants us to rely fully on His love and His strength to endure
and make it through the valley's! Yet, we can feel so overwhelmed with life's problems and circumstances
that we try to face it alone. We say I love Jesus, yet we never turn our hearts over to Him. Why? Why do
we want to face it alone?
I read this quick POWER acrostic in an old devotion - cut it out and keep it
as a reminder to renew your faith and your hope and your love of Jesus Christ.
P-
Pray. A Christian who wants to grow, communicates with God through prayer. He expresses his gratitude to
Him, confesses his sins, and comes to Him with his requests for himself and for others. God Promises to be near to all
who come to Him in prayer (Ps. 145:18)
O- Obey. In John 14, Jesus said that our
obedience to His commands is an indicator of our love for Him (vs 15,21,23). We can't do it in our own strength.
W- Worship. A Christian's devotion to God is to be continuous. Privately he should
worship God in his thoughts and prayers (Ps. 34:1). Publicly, he should unite with fellow believers in a local assembly
to bring praise and honor to God (Ps. 111:1: Heb 10:24-25)
E- Evangelize. The
good news of the Gospel is to be shared! As we tell others what Christ has done for us, we will find ourselves growing
by spiritual leaps and bounds! (Mt. 28:19-20)
R- Read.
The most direct source of Christian's spiritual growth is the Bible. It must be read regularly because it
is his milk and strong meat (1 Peter 2:2; Heb 5:12-14) It tells us how to live (Ps. 119:105). It is God's
Word to us today!
This is an awesome reminder for us each day, the power of His love, it reminds
us of the power of being saved. Fully relying on the strength of the Lord. Turning to Jesus in all circumstances,
not just when we are so far in the valley we can't see the Light. I hope this devotion has helped you see
today. I pray that it has opened your heart to see what the Lord wants to say - just to you! Have
a great Thursday ... count your blessings. Please continue to pray for my friends sister, Becky (breast cancer).
Please also pray for my friends Steve and Sandra (Craven), Saturday night is the 1 year anniversary of Lindsay's
car accident - Sunday's date marks one year since she passed away. Please pray for them as they get through this weekend.
Also, for Pressley Melton as she continues to heal each day from this accident. Something like this is just a reminder
each day that lift is purely a gift ... treasure it and count your blessings take nothing for granted! Love, Tracy
Knowing
That You Need Him
"Trust
in the Lord Forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock." (Isaiah 26:4 NIV)
I love to read in the book
of Isaiah. When we pray, we have to have a purpose and meaning in our prayers. We need to be aware of the Holy
Spirit working in us and through us. His loving spirit works through us to restore our mind and our bodies. He is love
and the light that should shine out of us and to be seen by others. God will always be with us, healing our brokenness,
we need to turn to Him and not only seek His help, but receive His love and forgiveness. Sometimes we may find that hard
to do. I have a few friends that have taken a different path in their lives then I took in mine. But when they
came to know that Jesus loved them unconditionally, their heart changed immediately. Their thoughts and wants changed.
Sometimes they still struggle with the feeling of disbelief that someone could love them after the life they led. But
when Jesus sees a person who wants to change and who is making a change ~ He helps guide us to where we need to be.
A read this prayer in a devotional
I have - "God, you are always with me as a healing and revealing presence of life and wisdom. My Amen is not an end to
my conversation with You; it is my commitment to bring an awareness of You to every moment of this day."
I love that prayer. A lot of times the Amen is the end of the
conversation until the next day or until the next crisis! Don't you want to make that your prayer today?
We need to start making God a part of our daily life! Not just when He is needed in a crisis or when we are
in a state of panic, but 24/7. He loves us and His desire is for our desire to want Jesus to be the center of our lives! To wake up each day with the desire to know Him more, to study His Word more and to help others in this direction
too. To wake up each day with the desire to know Him more, to study His
Word more and to help others in this direction too.
I hope you all have a great Thursday ... pray for rain! Jesus bring the rain! Count your blessings and
know that you are blessed indeed! Love, Tracy
Are You A Doer or A Sayer?
"And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and
heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged
deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not
shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation
built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that
house was great." (Luke 6:46-49 KJV)
I reread this devotion in my notes this morning. I was thinking about the title, "Are You A Doer or Are
You A Sayer?" I thought about that. I could answer almost immediately, a sayer most of the time where
I should be a doer! I was thinking about my children this morning. Don't we all have hopes and dreams for
our children? My son is in 6th grade. He is on a football team, I'd say he plays on a football team, but that
would not necessarily be true. When his team is ahead he will get playing time, but as I found out last night, when
it is a close game, only the best will do. So much politics in sports it is unreal. What are we teaching our kids?
Anyway, that was my frustration sidebar, now that I got that out of the way ... Just as I have hopes and dreams for my children
and you for yours, the Lord has a plan for our lives.
As I reread this verse, I can think about a number of times that the Lord has spoke directly to my heart and
I have ignored what He was saying to me. We don't always like what He has to say - do we? But deep down, most
of us understand that the direction the Lord takes us in is for a reason. We don't always understand the path we
are taking - but if it is directed by the Lord and we are following His direction in the end it is all good and for His Glory.
When we call upon His name and then we don't hear a response - maybe
it was because it really was just not what we wanted to hear! Just because I want things in life does not mean that
God is going to give them to me and just because I am not given these things it is not necessarily because of something I
did. It is only because only God knows the outcome of any situation and He knows and sees the big picture
that we cannot see. Blind Faith. Trusting that unseen hand! Trust Him in all your ways - lean not on your
own understanding - because let's face it - 99% of the time we probably don't understand the valley. It may
be years before the truth will be revealed - but trust in Him. Why? Because He loves you!
No matter what the adversity is that you face. He will be with you in that valley.
Lift your eyes unto the hills and praise
Him in the storm! Please pray for Becky as she is waiting for biopsy results.
I hope you have a great Tuesday. Count your blessings and know that you are blessed! Love, Tracy
Finding Unconditional Love "Love one another
as I have also loved you." (John
15:12 NIV)
Do you ever just sit
and wonder how God could just love you so much? Do you ever imagine and wonder that God loves me and He loves you -
because that is who He is. Not because of who we are! I was thinking about that this morning. Most of use love
each other because of who we are and what we mean to each other, but the Lord loves us, not because of who we are - but because
of who He is! There is nothing we can do to make it happen. It already has. Without God, without what Jesus has
already done for us, we're not lovable. We may disappoint people and we may ourselves be disappointed by others,
but that is apart of life. People will disappoint us. But because of Jesus - I am loved with a love that
will last forever. It's a gift. Pure gift! All we have to do is turn from our ways and live for Him each day.
The Lord never disappoints in a plan that happens according to His Will. We may be disappointed in circumstances and
wonder "why God?" But in those disappointing moments, the Lord always has a different blessing planned.
I am sure in your circle of
friends, family and acquaintances there are many who feel isolated or depressed at times. Maybe we even long to live an honest,
transparent life before others and before God. If you have been through the valley, perhaps God has taken you there and has
anointed you to reach out to others that are in that valley now. To help them through the trials of their lives.
Show them the love that Jesus has shown you. To help them and to encourage them for His Glory. We may say "why
God" - but are we listening to His direction?
I can think of two reasons why we go through valleys in life. One is to grow in the Lord
and another is to help others that will go there after us. Even when we think God isn't listening, He is there. We need
to be reminded and encouraged by each other each and every day. I hope you pass along His Word each today to encourage
someone.
I love you
all and I pray that His Word has touched your heart and that you will have a desire to love and encourage others! Have
a great Monday. Love, Tracy I love you all and I pray
that His Word has touched your heart and that you will have a desire to love and encourage others! Have a great Monday.
Love, Tracy
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| Devotions |
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| by Tracy Beckham |
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