What a difference a day makes, yesterday was a struggle for most of the day. I functioned, but not at my best or even close to it. I “had a lot on my mind”. I prayed, tried to praise and worship, but everything seamed to hit the ceiling and bounce back. Some days just start out that way.

Here’s where we have a part in how the day will end. We can chose to “cave in” to our feelings or continue to do what we can do and trust that God will show himself strong on our behalf. As my day continued, I just did the best I could. People were asking me if I was feeling ok. I gave them the usual “I’m ok” response.

The change came in mid afternoon as I was sitting across the table from my youngest son. We began to share things God was speaking to us and things in the ministry. The “juices” began to flow again and I began to get a better perspective on things. The rest of the day continued on the upswing.

I kept the TV off until 10pm Sports Center. All in all it was a good day.

I’m sharing all of this to encourage you (and me). There are going to be days that are more difficult than others. I want to encourage you to “stay the course”, continue to do the best you can do and watch God show up somewhere in the day and “give you a hug and tell you it will be better”. He’s just that way you know.

I'm not afraid

      when you walk at my side.

You revive my drooping head;

      my cup brims with blessing. (Psa 23 msg) 

Here’s a great word for us. A promise of victory. God is so good! Help is on it’s way.

Psalm 20 (New Living Translation)

 1 In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.

      May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.

 2 May he send you help from his sanctuary

      and strengthen you from Jerusalem.^[a^]

 3 May he remember all your gifts

      and look favorably on your burnt offerings.

                         Interlude

 4 May he grant your heart’s desires
      and make all your plans succeed.
 5 May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory
      and raise a victory banner in the name of our God.
   May the Lord answer all your prayers.

Blessings

PMT

For Such A Time As This!

Many of you may be familiar with this statement of Queen Esther from the Bible. A statement of her position, and the opportunity to be a notable part of history. It is followed by her commitment statement; “If I die; I die. She went on to risk her life to save her people from genocide. Few, if any of us will go down in history for our decisions, but every decision we make effects not only us but others.

Each of us have the ability by the grace of God to impact others by the simplest of acts on our part. A smile, a hug, a kind word can help someone. The most obvious of these opportunities that we have before us today, is to share His Love with someone. To declare how good God is. To take a “risk” and reach out of our comfort zone to help someone, to love someone, to care for someone.

Mark Twain said it well. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do, than the ones you did do.

You, like Esther, have been born for such a time as this. Look for opportunities to make a difference in other peoples lives. It may not be dramatic, but it can be impactful. Take a risk today, be a blessing to someone. See yourself as significant, because you are. You are a part of an amazing master plan. 

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

There is an old song by this title. Some of the lyrics go like this.

Something beautiful, something good

All my confusion He understood

All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife

But he made something beautiful of my life

Isn’t God amazing? He took you and me and is making something beautiful out of our lives. What a wonderful God.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11 nlt

Have a Beautiful day

PMT

LOVING GOD WITH ALL YOUR MIND.

This past weekend I shared on “Loving God With All Your Mind”. I found the breadth of this both interesting and challenging.

TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF OUR MIND IS TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF OUR:

  THOUGHTS

  PERCEPTION 

  MEMORY

  EMOTION

  WILL

  IMMAGINATION

With over 70,000 thoughts coming to us every day, this is a significant task. The grace of God is so amazing. If we will just do our part and purpose to love God, his grace will enable us to fulfill this command.

 Don’t just capture the negative thoughts today, but capture those awesome creative thoughts and present them to God. You will be amazed at what will happen.

 His plans are so good and so great. To live life to it’s fullest is to love God to it’s fullest. Try it, I think you will love it as you love life and love him.  

 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, ALL YOUR MIND, and all your strength. Mark 12:30 ncv

The pursuit of truth will not only develop your mind, it will in fact cause you to “get out of your mind”. It will cause you to get into faith, to trust God. It will cause you to gain some understanding of his love for you and his plan for you. He loves it when you discover “new” things about him and the wonderful life He has planned for you. It’s like a treasure hunt, new discoveries, new pleasures. Discovering all that He is and all that He has planned.

Loving God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength starts with the discovery and acceptance of His greatest gift to us. The greatest treasure we could ever discover.