I have so much to write and don’t know where to start! There has been so many changes! God is so good, loving and wonderful to us! I haven’t written in awhile as I’m filled with so much thankfulness, and decided today is the day! How you start the day matters so much! It’s best to start the day before your feet touch the ground, putting on the full armor of God! We need Him to withstand the cares of each day! We need to stand firm unified in truth not turning to the left or the right! With so many distractions in our lives and things to do, we lose focus! We are called to be Holy in all we do as we live our lives for God! However, we need to be sober minded which includes not being overwhelmed with such busyness in our schedules ect. that we lose sight on what truly important! When we overwhelm ourselves to exhaustion, we can’t see, hear or think clearly anymore! 1 Peter 5:8 NIV, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Each day and all day we need to put on the full armor of God! Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”Each day is an opportunity to glorify God and share His love everywhere we go! However, sometimes life happens fast with busy schedules! Time slips through our fingers because we either lost track of time or slept in! My heart is troubled about how little times we actually have! Everyday is a gift and I want to do all I can for God. Lamentation 3:22-23 NIV “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Yesterday, we were in a hurry to get everyone ready to go! I noticed how everyone seemed stressed to get this and that done before they left! Suddenly, as my husband started to leave, I stopped with a strong urgency to pray! We all prayed together and off they went! What can we do if we find ourselves in these situations? In the scrabble to accomplish so much in our day, we can stop anytime to pray and listen! I’m thankful we took the time to listen and pray as He led us through the rest of the day! Shortly afterwards, my husband’s tire blew and the car lost control on the road! They ended up hitting a soft bank of dirt! My boys said, even though they felt like they were going fast, it was a gentle crash! I’m thankful for God’s protection! As we seek God no matter what time it is during the day, it’s never to late to stop, pray and listen to what God has to say! He talks to us through prayer, reading the Bible and our sisters and brothers in Christ. We keep learning and Growing as you experience all God has for us. Matthew 11:28-30 NIV, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
The Bible shows us how to live our lives through life experiences each person had in the Bible! They struggled through how they felt. All through scripture we see how God helps us in every circumstance and struggle. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV, “Rejoice always,pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. He even carries us through storms as we rest safely in His hands! Moses talked with God about everything and asked all kinds of questions!God didn’t hold back and He wants us to talk with Him about everything! God worked through every emotion with Moses. God worked through Moses and Moses mirrored everything God wanted him to do because he trusted God with all his heart! Keep seeking God by asking questions!!! God will strengthen us as we seek His will first in everything! Matthew 6:33 NIV, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” As we live out His Kingdom come and His Will be done on earth as it is in heaven, every day through every circumstance you might be going through, you will grow to know God more! When you seek God, you will find Him, when you seek Him with all your heart! As we all pray for each other we will be stronger together because we are all unified in Christ! John 10:10, NIV: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!” I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Psalms 118:1-3, 5-29 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/psa.118.1-3,5-29.niv
1 Peter 1:13-16 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/1pe.1.13-16.niv
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:1-17 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/col.3.1-17.niv
