GOING THROUGH

If God takes you through something that you prayed not to go through, you still have to believe that God has a greater purpose for sending you through it. He will be with you and take you through it. It's always for our benefit and well-being even though it may not feel good.

When you are going through your worst, you are probably closest to your breakthrough. If you give up, you will have to go back to the starting point of your test.

It doesn't mean God is mad at you. Sometimes when you ask God to bless you, you have no idea what it takes to get the blessing. You may have to go through trials and tribulations to receive your blessing.

God is Always Watching

Look beyond my circumstances to the One who controls all things. God is always watching. Weaving all these jumbled, seemingly random events together into a purposeful, beautiful whole. And just when I think evil really has won, God orchestrates the ultimate plot twist!

THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK

HELP ME THINK TWICE BEFORE SPEAKING ONCE.

HELP ME PRAISE TWICE BEFORE CRITICIZING.

HELP ME TELL THE TRUTH ALWAYS AND TRUST THAT YOU WILL BLESS ME EVEN IF THE TRUTH MAKES ME LOOK BAD.

~Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.

HAVE FAITH? DO SOMETHING!

FAITH IS AN ACTION WORD. IT REQUIRES YOU TO DO SOMETHING! HAVING FAITH IN GOD REQUIRES YOU TO TRUST HIM, CAST ALL YOUR CARES ON HIM AND KNOW AND BELIEVE THAT HE WILL PROVIDE ALL YOUR NEEDS. THE MORE YOU PUT YOUR FAITH IN GOD, ON PURPOSE, THE MORE FAITHFUL YOU BECOME. 

BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE A LIFE THAT IS UNAFFECTED BY OTHER PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR, ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY. PEOPLE HELP SHAPE OUR PERSPECTIVES AND INFLUENCE OUR DECISIONS. WHEN A PERSON POSITIVELY AFFECTS ANOTHER'S LIFE IT IS GREAT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY OTHERS.


I REMEMBER AS A CHILD AND YOUNG ADULT MY MOM TRYING TO KEEP ME AWAY FROM "BAD PEOPLE." THEY WERE THE PEOPLE SHE THOUGHT WERE OR WOULD INFLUENCE MY BEHAVIOR NEGATIVELY. NOW, AS AN ADULT, HAVING ENOUGH DISCERNMENT TO SEE PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY ARE AT THIS POINT IN THEIR LIVES CAN SAVE YOU A LOT OF HEADACHE. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES IT IS EASIER TO SEE IN HINDSIGHT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SWAYED BY THE BAD INFLUENCES OF OTHERS.

YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOUR ASSOCIATIONS, AFFECT WHO YOU ARE?

YOU BELIEVE THAT BAD FRIENDS WON'T CHANGE YOU?

EVEN A MAN AS WISE AS PAUL KNEW THAT WE CAN FALL INTO THIS MISCONCEPTION. THIS IS WHY HE SAID TO THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH:

DO NOT BE MISLED: BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER." (I CORINTHIANS 15:33)

A VERY SHORT PERSONAL STORY IS:
One of the "friends" I had as a young adult, contacted me as an adult. I was surprised to hear from this person and after a long catch-up talk, I discovered that we had a lot of similarities in our current situations. Since this was a "friend" that I was warned about from my mom early in life, and that I soon found out was a bad influence back then, I was curious to see that things had changed. Unfortunately, I found out that things had only changed in circumstances and not the character of the person. I found out after I had been deceived back into some situations that were not beneficial to me; that were downright bad for me. After the Lord revealed to me the changes in me since I had been back in contact with this person, I removed myself from them, repented, and prayed for that person.

It is a lie of Satan's that you can romp around in the mud and not get dirty. So, "take heed" to the words of Paul, "lest you fall." (I Corinthians 10:12)

BEAR FRUITS WORTHY OF REPENTANCE

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO

BEAR FRUITS WORTHY OF REPENTANCE?

-MY LIFE SHOULD REFLECT A LIFESTYLE, ACTION, AND CHOICES WHICH ARE CONSISTENT WITH HAVING REPENTED OF SIN - THAT IS - WITH HAVING MADE A DECLARATION AGAINST THE DESTRUCTIVE THINGS OF THIS WORLD IN FAVOR OF ALIGNING MYSELF WITH THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.


Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don't just say to each other, 'We're safe, for we are descendants of Abraham'! That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.
Luke 3:8


TURN FROM THAT WHICH IS DESTROYING US TO THAT WHICH SAVES US!


LORD, BE THE RULER OF MY HEART AND THE MASTER OF MY HOME. MAY THERE BE NOTHING IN MY LIFE THAT IS NOT UNDER YOUR LORDSHIP."

SAVING GRACE

WHAT GOD HAS SAVED ME FOR IS SO MUCH GREATER THAN WHAT HE HAS SAVED ME FROM.

REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE -- DON'T LOOK BACK!