LIST

Have you ever had to make a list?  I’m sure you have.  Lately my life has been consumed with different lists.  It is a never ending decision and a question that I ask, who do I put on what list and whom do I not forget?  I have obsessed over these lists for weeks and I just can’t worry about them anymore. 

While thinking of lists I think of Santa and his naughty and nice list.  What a decision and how is it determined who gets put on what list?  Remember as a small child not wanting to be on the bad list and trying to do right or make up for bad decisions when Christmas was drawing near?  Do you think the Lord has lists?  What does it take for us to be on His good list?

All through the bible you can find God’s promises of blessings and if we stay committed to His calling He blesses us by being on His list.  Reference to God’s list is written in scripture.  Verses explain how books were opened and our deeds were recorded in the book of life.  If anyone’s name was not found in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelations 20)  There is only one person who can write our name on God’s list and that is God and He writes it there by His terms alone. 

God gives us terms in a straightforward manner, simply saying to worship Him and His cross.  The cross is that, which writes your name on His list.  The cross is God’s love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness.  The cross is a great quill dipped in the blood of His only begotten son.  It is the only item worthy enough to inscribe your name on Gods list. 

Go to the cross, ask for forgiveness, worship Him, and follow His will for your life.  When you do this He will place your name on His list forever. 

IMMUNITY

Immunity, what is immunity?  Immunity is the balanced state of having adequate biological defenses to fight infection, disease, or other unwanted biological invasion, while having adequate tolerance to avoid inflammation, allergy, and autoimmune disease (and no I didn’t write that I found that definition on Wikipedia).  We may be immune to certain things in life, but something’s we are not immune to. 

One of Laurens friends, 24 years old, was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Cancer is one of those things that we are NOT immune to, however Jessica has chosen to use serving others through love to enable her to build back her immune system.   Yes her body has been affected by cancer, but it will not destroy her.   Serving and loving others is her antidote to help her move through her days accompanied with the nasty cancer germs.  Her blog is filled with how she is building up her immunity to cancer through recipes and sharing experiences.  (servewlove.wordpress.com)

The scripture that Jessica presses forward through this journey is Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV13 you, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh [a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b]) 

When we contract a disease we can’t lose sight of our strength, our strength found through loving and serving others.  Let the Holy Spirit give you the immunity you need to love, even when loving is difficult.  Through loving and serving we can press forward through any situation that ventures into our life, even if it is a dreaded disease that fills our days with medications and sickness. 

Love and serve others; love yourself and love life that is what God wants us to do.  As we love we build up our immunity.  We may not build our immunity to cancer, but we build up our immunity to not let cancer destroy our life.   LIVE & LOVE!

Love you Jess, praying for you daily! TTF

https://servewlove.wordpress.com/about/

GAIN

Baby bear went for his 2-week check up yesterday.  Many babies will lose some weight and then get back to their birth weight, but not our little bundle.  He had gained almost a pound and grew ¾ of an inch in length.  He is a growing little boy.  I can’t wait for him to have little rolls on his legs.  It is a blessing that he is gaining and growing strong.

We probably don’t want anyone to be glad if we gain weight, but it would be great to gain in spirit and increase our faith.  Just like babies have formula or breast milk for growing; we have a formula to increase our faith.  We must feed our faith.

How do we feed our faith?  We feed our faith with the word.  We gain faith by listening to God, studying the word, and then applying it.  Immersing ourselves with scripture we learn about Gods love, mercy and grace.  Our relationship with Him will grow, much like that of a growing baby. 

By living in Gods’ promises our faith will grow exceedingly.  Romans 10:17 tells us faith comes from hearing through the word of God.  Feed yourself with His word and you will gain so much faith you will be off the charts. 

WORRY

When I go to bed I love to read, so last night I decided to catch up on Bible study reading for today.  However, I can’t find my book.  I looked where it usually is and in my baskets and bags, but didn’t find “The Best Yes” anywhere.  I could have stayed up and worried, but I chose not too.  Nothing I can do about it but hopefully find it tomorrow. 

The old me would have worried and stewed and not been able to sleep over the lost book.  But I go back to the quote that I love, “Worrying is like a rocking chair it gives you something to do but gets you nowhere.”  Worrying will never change the outcome; it will only steal your joy.

While reading about worry I came across an article written by Joyce Meyer, “The Cause and Cure of Worry.”  Joyce says, “That when we worry, we torment ourselves doing the devils job for him.”  It is our human nature to worry, no one is immune to worrying.  We must be careful and learn how to change our fear and worry.  Worry is the opposite of faith; it steals our peace and will physically wear us out.  (The Cause and Cure For Worry, Joyce Meyer, joycemeyer.org)  We can even make ourselves sick with worry. 

The only way to live our life is the way God wants us to.  He tells us not to worry, but to cast all anxieties upon Him.  There will always be situations in our lives that can cause us worry, but we must make the choice to let go and have peace.  When we are able to do this it will change our lives.  Paul gave us instructions in Philippians 4:6-7 to not be anxious about anything.  When we stay in God’s peace we will not be brought down by worry and fear.  Pray more and worry less.  It is a simple prescription for peace.  When we give our anxiety to Him he will handle it. 

Quit rocking with worry, you are going nowhere.  Give it to God in prayer and you will live a life of peace.  You will be able to enjoy the abundant life He has planned for you.  The Best Yes for me - do not worry!

Philippians 4:6-7 New International Version (NIV)

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  (biblegateway.com)

FORGET

When Katie was in labor she was walking around in pain.  I’m sure that many of you can remember that feeling.  She didn’t want to be a baby and receive her epidural too soon.  While we were visiting I told her, “In a week after all of this is over and you are holding that precious bundle you won’t remember the pain.  That part will be forgotten.”

Forgotten, do you sometimes feel forgotten?  It is good sometimes to not remember, but something’s are hard to forget.  Just as in Katie’s situation it is wonderful to fail to recall all the events of birth, but other things we shouldn’t inadvertently neglect to remember. 

When you feel forgotten remember God remembers you.  God won’t overlook you, neglect you or forget you.  My mind goes to the picture of the sparrows lined up on the line.  God doesn’t forget even one tiny sparrow.  (Luke 12:6 NIV Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet God forgets not one of them.)  All of God’s creations are valuable to Him.  He has made us to complete His will on this earth, so of course He isn’t going to forget us. 

God is on the job 24/7.  Even if we feel he has forgotten He hasn’t.  God intervenes as we yield to Him and at His timing.  We must stay focused through the process while He does His work. 

Don’t worry, just as God see’s all the little birds, all creatures’ great and small, He is watching you.  He is on the job all day and night.  He has an everlasting love that lasts a lifetime.  He never forgets you.