MANY POSSIBILITIES FOR 2015

GET READY

I love all the Christmas decorations.  I hate to take them down, but I know the day is approaching when all of the glitter, color and shine will have to be packed away in the appropriate tubs for next year.  Every piece has its place so that it will be protected for the next 350 or so days.  The 2014 holiday season is quickly coming to a close and the hopeful new year of 2015 is immediately approaching.

With this being said it is time to pack away all of the disappointments and shortcomings of 2014.  Anything that has brought you challenges should be packed away in the plastic tub and the lid should be placed on tightly closed not just for the next holiday season but forever. Your future holiday seasons are much brighter than the ones in the past.  New brilliant decorations of life are waiting for you in the next year. 

The Lord is already venturing into our next seasons of 2015 making a way for us that is full of courage, confidence and peace.  If 2014 has left you discouraged close the lid and snap it shut.  Your Red Sea is parting and you are getting ready to walk into the best moments of your life. 

GOD GIVES US WISDOM

WISDOM

I sat down this morning to read my “Best Yes” book and to think on what to write.  The chapter reminded me of my nephew.  You see he is a spunky kid, one that is on the go all the time.  At times he will have fabulous manners, say yes mam no mam, open the car door for the girls, but at times he may have a brain fog and do something crazy.  His main goal for the past two years was to go to college, however his ACT scores weren’t high enough.  Being a reading specialists I got the job of raising his reading scores.  We literally started at the bottom.  He had to raise his score 7 points.  At first he wasn’t as serious, but the rise in scores a few points made him understand that when you show up for practice it pays off.  He studied and studied.  I’m sure you know what the outcome was?  He got the best YES answer he raised his scores! 

We all want to gain wisdom.  We want to live our days on this earth learning so that our outcome will score us the most points.  The bible tells us that wisdom takes practice.  It takes hard work.   We can’t be lazy.  It takes continues showing up everyday and following through. Some days we may have challenges that set us back, however we can’t quit we must try again.  It may be a slow process it may take days months years, but the end result is worth the work. 

Proverbs 2:1-11 NIV 

My son, if you accept my words
 and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom
 and applying your heart to understanding—

3 indeed, if you call out for insight
 and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver
 and search for it as for hidden treasure,

5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
 and find the knowledge of God.6 For the Lord gives wisdom; 
 from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He holds success in store for the upright, 
 he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,8 for he guards the course of the just
 and protects the way of his faithful ones.9 Then you will understand what is right and just
 and fair—every good path.

10 For wisdom will enter your heart, 
 and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

11 Discretion will protect you, 
 and understanding will guard you.

Wisdoms starting point is God and His revealed word.  It is the source of knowledge and understanding.  Wisdom is Gods gift to us.  He gives it to those who earnestly seek it.  It takes effort to find it and use it.  The pathway to wisdom is strenuous; it is a constant process of growing. 

Keep your purpose in life clearly in mind and God will lead the way with His wisdom. You will raise your score with God!

(The Best Yes, Lysa Terkeurst, Chapter 9-Showing Up to Pracitce)

HIS STAR SHINES BRIGHT

OUR STAR

As I sat this morning pondering on what to write I gazed up at the Christmas tree and saw one little tiny light that flickered.  I thought, “that light cannot already go out, those are brand new lights.”  It flickered and dimmed over and over again. I knew if I turned the lights off to investigate I would never be able to distinguish which light it was.  It was far up on the tree and there were so many lights. 

This led me to thinking about the wise men and how they followed the twinkling north star to find the wonderful baby Jesus.  Matthew recorded in Matthew 2:9 that the birth of Jesus was accompanied by an extraordinary celestial event; a star led the “wise men” to Jesus.  The star “went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.”  This star didn’t fail, it didn’t flicker, it didn’t burn completely out it gave a continuous light for those who needed direction. 

Our star, the Lord God, is shining brightly everyday for us to follow.  He will never fail us or shut out His light.  He will never grow dim or disappear.  He is always present leading the way.  He is even there to carry us when we need it.

Whenever you feel that God’s light has gone dim think again.  His light is always shining for us, leading us, guiding us, loving us, and providing for us.  All we must do is look for His light, be open to Him and trust Him with every situation that we encounter.  Receive by faith what He has for us. 

No matter what is going on in your life, no fear your star is always here!  God goes where you go always and forever.  His light is shining for you.

MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT

THE GIFT OF GRACE

2 Corinthians 12:9New International Version (NIV)

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Many mornings I am led to a scripture.  This is the one I landed on today.  What is so odd about this one is that when I was searching for explanations the one word that kept popping up was gift.  It was strange to me because the last several days of my writing I have been running into the word “gift.”  I thought to myself maybe the Lord is trying to tell me something.

We have all been given the magnificent gift of grace.  The beginning of this scripture states, “My grace is sufficient for you.”  This is the gift that the Lord is trying to get across to us over and over again.  This is all we need.  This Greek word is used over 155 times in the Bible and means a favor bestowed, it means a generous gift given.  God has given us the gift of grace when we are totally undeserving and unworthy.  Every benefit in life is God’s grace to us.  God uses everything around us to make us what He wants us to be.  Your circumstances may not change, you may be weak, but you have the power of Christ’s grace and that is all you need. 

As you unwrap gifts this Christmas remember the precious most magnificent gifts will never have to be unwrapped.  They are given to us as long as we go to Him. Receive the gift of His grace. Not just grace but sufficient grace. This is the best gift of all.

BE FILLED WITH SONG

HAVE A SONG IN YOUR HEART

I woke up this morning singing.  I defiantly had a song in my heart.  It made me think of how many songs we sing in choir that brings reference to this.  So this got my mind to wondering, what exactly does it mean if we have a song in our heart?

When we have a song in our hearts we are filled with the Holy Spirit.  Paul tells us in Ephesian 5:18 “Be filled with the Spirit.”  From the time we decide that we believe and that we are repenting, we become consume by the Holy Spirit.  When we are living with the Spirit we don’t need any outside force to place a song in our heart.  The Holy Spirit is consciously filling us with song and we must yield moment by moment to the Spirit.  Doing this we are constantly allowing Him to fill us with song.  The Spirit should dominate us He should have full control. 

When we are filled with song we will permeate an attitude of joy, thankfulness to God and encouragement to others.   Begin everyday with a new song in your heart.  Sing so that others can hear Him through you.