EXCHANGE your worries for GOD’s PEACE.

When I sit back and think of all the time that I wasted worrying about circumstances beyond my control, knowing what I know now, I wish I would have just prayed. God’s peace is the sweetest thing I know and every chance that I get, I thank him for it.

There was a time in my life when I worried constantly. I worried about what people thought, worried about how I was going to get things accomplished, worried about other people’s circumstances and to me to worry is truly silent suffering. The definition of the word worry means to “to touch or disturb something repeatedly.” The first thought that comes to mind when I see this definition is a scab. If you continue to touch or disturb it, how will it heal? That is also how I have begun to think about worrying, if you don’t let go and let GOD, how will your circumstances change? How will you get things done? How you will heal?

I know that there are many of your out there that worry and fret over issues, people and situations but I have an answer for all of your problems. God is the best friend that you can have and he is always there to listen to you and he knows your heart. The next time that you begin to worry, I challenge you to talk to God instead. Tell him about that person. Tell him about your circumstance. Tell him about your struggle and you will see that when things happen instead of worrying about small things, you will begin to PRAISE God for the blessings that he has bestowed upon you. As you grow in your faith, you will notice that instead of worrying and complaining about your issues to God, you will begin to tell those people and situations about the POWER of your God. The bible tells us that “No weapon formed against shall prosper, “and with the POWER of prayer (your best weapon) you will see situations and people crumble. That is when the God will bless you with a PEACE that no one will be able to completely understand. I have that PEACE and I know where it comes from. In the last couple of years as I have grown in faith and began to study the word, I handle life obstacles much differently. I pray and ask God to teach me the lesson to be learned and I thank him to taking me through my storms because I now understand that I will be increased and better on the other side of the storm. There is nothing TOO big for my God and as long as he is with me, I am more than willing to go the distance because I know not matter what, I am his.

I want you to take away one thing from this if you do not get anything else, EXCHANGE your worries for GOD’s PEACE.

Questions of the day:
1. What are you worrying about right now?
2. What can you replace that worry with?
3. How will address worry in the future?

Scripture:
Philippians 4:6-7 (Contemporary English Version)
6Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.

My prayer:
Lord, thank you for prayer. Thank you for life's trials and tribulations as it gives us what we need to grow. Thank you for all of the people in my life. Thank you for everything that you have brought me through it is by your grace that I have been spared so many times. Thank you for the readers of this message and I ask that you increase in their lives. Help them come to you in prayer and show them how to talk to you. I know there is someone out there that needs a word from you so as they talk to you, I ask that you talk back and let them know that you are there and that you care. Thank you for the blessings! Thank you for understanding and thank you for PEACE.

Amen

The decision is yours

Yesterday my pastor preached a powerful message on “bad decisions and poor choices.” It was a reflective message, the kind that makes you think about your past, present and future decisions and choices. We all have been faced with tough choices and decisions in our lives, I cannot think of one person that is exempt from this; yet good, sound choices and decisions are a struggle for many. My “ah ha” moment came when the pastor said, “If you know that God forgives us of sins, how do you make better decisions?” There have been times in my life where I have made poor decisions but I never looked at it from the perspective that my pastor presented. I think the difference for most people, me included is that we are not conscious of this… we do not say, Lord I know this is wrong but forgive me any way. We usually make the bad choice or decisions and deal with the fall out or consequence after the fact. It is then that we reach out to God and say, “Please forgive me Lord and see me through this challenge.” However, I challenge each of you to take it a step forward. Along with asking for forgiveness and the strength to get through, ask God to teach you the lesson you are to learn so you do not have to go through these particular struggles again. Will you have other struggles, of course, as Chacon would say, that is a part of “life’s roller coaster ride;” but to not have the SAME struggles over and over again, that is the BLESSING! He also went on to say that you have two things that people look at or measure you by:

1. Image
2. Integrity

I would like to add a third, your WORD.

My dad has told me since I was a itty bitty little girl, it is better to “BE LIKE” then to “LOOK LIKE,” and the pastor said the same in so many words. A lot of times we make decisions based on what we think it will look like to others. How many times have you seen someone drive by in a luxury vehicle and say, “man he or she has it made?” The thing about it is you have no idea what that real circumstances are behind that vehicle. Maybe they are behind on their note, maybe it was a gift or maybe it is a rental. What you see and perceive is an image, but form that image, you cannot create any concrete facts.

INTEGRETY (the quality or state of being complete or undivided : completeness) is a much better measure to get to know a person. What a person stands for is much more valuable than what a person looks like. How they live their life and what they value is a far better measure then the car they drive or the house that they live in.

Lastly, I think a person’s WORD is important. If you say one thing and do another or give your word to someone and do not follow through, people remember that. On the flip side when you give your word and follow through people remember that also. In the bible Jesus told Paul that he would deny him three times and Paul gave his word that he would not. Well as the story continues Paul goes on to deny Christ three times. There is so much Power in your word!

I leave you with the following thought:

When you’re a forced to make a decision, don’t think about what it looks like to others. Instead see that is it pleasing to God and that the decision makes you happy.

Questions of the day:
How can you change the quality of your decision making process to please God?
What are the decisions or choices that you struggle with the most?
Your integrity and your word are usually how people remember you, what kind of decisions and choices are you making to keep these two very instrumental elements of your life intact?
Scripture:

Matthew 7:7 (Amplified Bible)
7[a]Keep on asking and it will be given you; [b] keep on seeking and you will find; [c]keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.

1 Corinthians 11:2 (King James Version)
2Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

My Prayer:
Lord, I first just want to thank you. Thank you for growth and thank you for all things in my life. Encourage those faced with tough decisions and choices. Teach them to come to you first and to live a life of integrity. Bless those that do not know you, your goodness or your mercy. Keep all the readers and their families. Give peace to the restless, courage to the fearful, and love to all. Help I ask for clarity in the mind, body and spirit. Many, many thanks to you Lord.

Amen