Today’s Word comes from Philipians 4:19:

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

I came across the following story today; it was so inspiring, I hope it inspires you also:

Grocery List

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store.  She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.  She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.  John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once.

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence.  Louise thanked him and left the store….  The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said; “It was worth every penny of it.  Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs!”

I don’t know if Louise Redden is a real person, but she represents those in the world with the true faith in God’s promises to us.  The Bible says that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we could ever ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)  If we’d only trust Him, we could have all our needs met, and then some.  Today, let’s make an effort to step out on faith.  Pass this story on to others, in faith, and watch God move in our lives.

This prayer also accompanied this story:

I AM CLAIMING THIS FOR YOU

Three things will happen to you this coming week:

(1) You will find favor with someone you don’t expect;

(2) You will be too relevant to be ignored;

(3) You will encounter God and you will never remain the same, Amen.

My prayer for you today:

The eyes beholding this message shall not behold evil, the hands that will send this message to others shall not labor in vain, the mouth saying Amen to this prayer shall laugh forever. Remain in God’s love as you send this prayer to everybody on your list. Have a lovely journey of life! Trust in the Lord with all your heart and He will never fail you because He is Awesome!

Heavenly Father, most Gracious and Loving God, I pray to you that you abundantly bless my family and me. I know that you recognize, that a family is more than just a mother, father, sister, brother, husband and wife, but all who believe and trust in you. Father, I send up a prayer request for blessings for not only the person who sent this to me, but for me and all that I have forwarded this message on to. And that the power of joined prayer by those who believe and trust in you is more powerful than anything. I thank you in advance for your blessings.

Father God, deliver the person reading this right now from debt and debt burdens. Release your Godly wisdom that I may be a good steward over all that You have given me Father, for I know how wonderful and mighty you are and how if we just obey you and walk in your word and have the faith of a mustard seed that you will pour out blessings. I thank you now Lord for the recent blessings I have received and for the blessings yet to come because I know you are not done with me yet. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen

Today’s thought comes from 1 Samuel 15:20-23:

²⁰And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

   ²¹But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

   ²²And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

   ²³For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

God had directed Saul to destroy the nation of the Amalekites, and to not leave anything or anyone alive or in tact.  Instead, Saul allowed the people of Israel to take spoils of the city to sacrifice to God, and he took their king captive. He directly disobeyed God.  Saul thought he was doing the right thing in catering to the Israelites.  After all, he was their first king; God gave him a special responsibility to keep them happy, right?  But his actions showed that he lacked the ability lead the people in obedience to God. 

How many times have we disobeyed instructions trying to do what we honestly felt was right, only to realize that our sacrifice was inevitably in vain?  Nevertheless, we always end up doing what we were told anyway.  In Saul’s case, God rejected him as a result of his actions.  That must have been a hard pill to swallow.  Don’t get confused; God honors our sacrifice, but only according to His instruction.  Remember, to obey is better than sacrifice.

Let’s Pray:

Father God, we thank you for another day.  We thank you that you still watch over us each and every day, even when we make mistakes.  Please forgive us for our sins, and hel us to be patient with others when they do us wrong.  We know that we are imperfect, but that you never make any mistakes.  Help us to trust you with all our hearts, souls, and minds.  Today, we ask that you give us a desire to want to serve you fully with no doubt or fear.  We thank you for what you’ve done and what you’re doing in our lives right now.  Let the rest of this day be blessed and highly favored.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen

God Bless!

16 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Workday*

15. Let there be music.

The right music can take you from a highly tense state to a relaxed state in a very short time. The right music is generally instrumental rather than vocal. Many people find the sounds of nature combined with musical harmonies to be very relaxing.

16. Don’t bring work problems home.

Leave your cares behind at the office.  You will feel better, and you will return to work refreshed, energetic, and more creative.  Saki E. Santorelli, Ed.D. assistant professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, offers these tips: at the end of the work day . . . sit quietly and consciously make the transition from work to home.  When you pull into the driveway or park on the street, take a minute to orient yourself to being with your family members or to entering your home. Try changing out of your work clothes when you get home.  This simple act might help you to make a smoother transition into your next ‘role:”

*Adapted from 16 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Workday distributed by Vibrant Life Magazine www.vibrantlife.com

16 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Workday*

12. Just say “No.”

You don’t have to accept every project, every invitation to become involved, and every opportunity to attend a meeting.  Accept what you need to do and what you want to do, but say “No, thank you to other requests for your time.

13. Make a peace pact with yourself.

As soon as you begin to feel angry, hostile, cynical, skeptical, irritable, or impatient, repeat a word that can offset the negative energy.  Some examples include peace, love, hope, faith, joy, patience, etc.

14. Relive a happy memory.

Tap into the power of your memories.  In a time of stress, look back and remember a pleasant experience or satisfying moment.

*Adapted from 16 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Workday distributed by Vibrant Life Magazine www.vibrantlife.com

16 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Workday*

8. Change your lunch environment.

Get out of the office and enjoy your noon meal in a park.  Use this time to be with nature.  At least once or twice a week, eat by yourself in silence.  Eat slowly. Be thankful for your meal. Enjoy yourself.

9. Walk in someone else’s shoes.

Try to see a conflict or difference of opinion from another person’s point of view.  In most cases, you’ll find your anger slipping away. 

10. Beware about what you drink.

The caffeinated drinks you drink throughout the day can be a mental-health nightmare. Too much caffeine can cause shaky hands, restlessness, and irritability-all of which increase stressful feelings. Try eliminating it from your routine.

11. Concentrate on the task at hand, not the outcome.

This is another way of learning to be less than perfect. If you find yourself fretting about a project, speak gently to yourself, saying: “Here I go again worrying about the future. I’ll just give this my best now.” Then do that.  Remember to leave the future in God’s hands.

*Adapted from 16 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Workday distributed by Vibrant Life Magazine www.vibrantlife.com

16 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Workday*

4. Create peaceful images in your mind.

Several times during your workday, pause briefly to create a peaceful image in your mind. For example, picture yourself gently canoeing on a calm, still lake with the sun shining brilliantly. Or imagine yourself sitting quietly on a hillside where you are completely surrounded by beautiful wildflowers.

5. Practice hospitality.

Maintain an open-door policy in your heart for everyone you will encounter during the day.  Greet everyone with a smile. This will make others feel good about being with you. 

6. Observe your breathing.

When we are relaxed our breathing is slow and even.  However, when we are anxious or upset we tend to breathe irregularly. Pay attention to your breathing. As soon as you not ice yourself becoming stressed say to yourself, “Stop:’ As you breathe out, smile.  As you do this let your shoulders drop and relax your hands. Repeat this technique several times.

7. Take a brisk walk.

Experts note that exercise is effective in burning off the excess adrenaline that fuels feelings of anxiety and stress. Exercise also releases endorphins-the body’s natural chemicals that block anxiety and pain. So take a brisk walk over lunch hour. During office hours, even a brisk walk down the hallway or up a flight of stairs can help.

*Adapted from 16 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Workday distributed by Vibrant Life Magazine www.vibrantlife.com

16 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Workday*

Most people experience less leisure and more daily stress as they juggle work and career, family, and friends. In spite of life’s demands, there are some simple, effective steps that can be taken to ease up on daily pressures.  Here are 16ways to reduce stress during the workday.

1. Begin the day with a brief prayer and meditation.

Rather than jumping out of bed and rushing to start your day, take a few minutes from five to 20-to pray, meditate, read a short inspiring passage, think peaceful thoughts, appreciate God’s gift of a new, fresh day. Beginning this way gives you a sense of peace that will manifest itself all day.

2. Apply the wisdom of Paul to your daily living.

“Whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable . . . think about such things” (Philippians 4:8,NIV).  Those words are a reminder to think positively.  During the day when you face a crisis, think challenge.  When you face an obstacle, think opportunity. Approaching any stressful event positively will boost your energy.

3. Remember, you get to make mistakes.

“Many people start sinking into despair or scolding themselves unmercifully after making a mistake;” observes Charlotte Davis Kasl, PhD, a psychologist and author of Finding Joy. “The important thing to remember is that everyone makes mistakes . . . so ease up on yourself.”

*Adapted from 16 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Workday distributed by Vibrant Life Magazine www.vibrantlife.com

When is the last time you said “thank you” to God?  Was it yesterday?  Today?  A few weeks back?  Some months back?  I asked because when we go through our various situations, some of us are so happy or tired that we forget to tell God “thank you.”

Take, for example, the ten men with leprosy in Luke 17:12-19.  They knew if they could get to Jesus they would be healed.  Because they believed, Jesus came and spoke, and healed their infirmities. When they were healed, nine of the men were so happy and so excited about the miracle God had done for them.  They turned and went away, but never took the time to stop and tell Jesus “thank you” for healing them.  But one man didn’t follow the crowd; he ran back to Jesus and gave him thanks, and glorified God for his healing.

So there is a lesson to be learned from this: when we get so tied up with our problems and God delivers us out of it – be the one to come back, like that man with leprosy, and give God thanks and praise; for He inhabits our praise.  Our praise tells God that we are so grateful that he brought us out of those situations. So if you haven’t given God the thanks for being that healer or deliver or whatever He is to you…..be the one to come back and give God thanks!!!! Come back and say “thank you!”

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With all the hoopla over the upcoming elections,  I’d like everyone to consider the independent candidate, Jesus Christ.  God Bless you all!

Today’s Word comes from Matthew 6:33:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Seek and Ye Shall Find

It is human nature to be visual creatures; therefore at times we tend to look at life in terms of what we can see.  Sight has been compared to being one of the Seven Wonders of the World.  God gave us eyes to protect us and to help us to interact with the rest of the world.  Our eyes are so important to us that, if our sight became severely impaired, it would be hard for most of us to survive. 

The same is true of our spiritual eyes.  We are not always aware of things happening in the spiritual realm, that’s why our faith is so important.  We walk by faith, not by sight.  You see, faith is like a pair of eyeglasses to our spiritual eyes; it’s a light in our time of darkness.  When we can’t see our way out of a situation, we rely on our faith that God’s Word will guide and instruct us.  It’s just like a blind person who has to rely on a guide to help them along.  If you don’t trust your guide, you won’t reach your destination as easily, or worse off, you might not get there at all. 

So set your sight on heavenly things, for the things of this earth will pass away.  So many of us have wandered too long after the temporal things, and haven’t made preparation for the life to come.  Some may not believe there is a heaven or hell.  To those I say, “Do you even want to take the chance that you’ll be wrong, and your soul be lost forever because you doubted God?”  I’m not just telling you what I heard in church.  I’m telling you what I know from personal experience.  Just as this life is real, so is God, and so are Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  Give God a chance, and watch a change come in your life! 

Let’s pray,

Father God, we thank you for this day you’ve given us.  We acknowledge that nobody else could or would do the things you do for us.  You wake us up, you protect us through the day, you provide us with food, clothing, shelter, even entertainment and comfort.  Everything we have is because of you.  And Lord we have doubted you and your power because of fear and doubt of the unknown.  We have not been seeking your face like we should.  Some of us even stopped believing in you.  Please forgive us for our sins.  We are not even worthy of your perfect love.  But we thank you that you give it to us anyway.  Help us to seek your face and your will for our lives.  Let us do great things for you in the world, that the whole earth cannot deny that you are God and God alone.  When evil comes against us, give us the power to withstand and overcome temptation to sin.  Strengthen us and keep our minds in your perfect peace.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.