Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. Philippians 3:13

Ever ask yourself why you are missing out on the joys of the Christian life? You see other Christians that appear full of joy and sound in their relationship with Christ; and wonder how they can have such joy in a world. Yea, my hand is raised.

As I was praying this morning, God laid this scripture on my mind. The truth is we all have a history of good and bad experiences. So often we continue to relive negative experiences from our past that rob us of today’s joys and we miss seeing God’s blessings. Why do we do that? Because its what we know, because we lived thru it. In a weird way it gives us control, because let’s face it, we want to be in the know and oftentimes are fearful of the unknown. So we dwell on the past, which gives us control of our current situation.

So yes, I’m rambling on and wonder if this blog is more for me than anyone reading this. Friend, we’ve got to let go of the past. We have to stop reliving the past in our minds, because the future holds so much more joy and happiness.

The joy of the Lord is our strength. Nehemiah 8:10. One final note. Satan’s goal is to weaken the child of God. If he can rob you of joy, he will zap your strength. Let’s work together to forget the past, look forward to the future and see our fears, failures and disappointments turn to joy and strengthen our walk every day! God bless!  

Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. 1Timothy 4:15

How you start your day sets the tone for how you’ll handle the challenges facing you throughout the day. If you simply wake, shower, get dressed and walk into the day without much thought you’ll most likely struggle to keep focused, and the day will seem long and without purpose.

I have another way of starting the day off right. Through scripture reading, bible study and prayer, you will be more prepared to tackle the day’s events and challenges. God’s word equips you for the challenges by providing encouraging words, wisdom and gives examples on how to live your life as a child of God. Prayer is your way of communicating your needs and concerns to God, allowing Him to fight your battles for you. Prayer is also a way you can express your gratitude for God’s goodness and blessings in your life. Never leave out your appreciation for God.

Want a better day? Start out in prayer, scripture reading and a daily devotional. You’ll be amazed at how the day goes by a little easier and will provide you all the necessary resources to navigate the challenges facing you. It doesn’t have to take long, maybe 10-15 minutes each morning. Your investment of time into God’s word and prayer will result in great returns throughout the day. Give it a try today! God bless!

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. John 4:23

This morning I was reading from a journal my grandmother, Nedra, wrote her thoughts in about spiritual things. One entry read, “Worship demands honesty between God and myself.” When I first read this I thought it very profound and true. I’m still thinking on it and I’m sure more thoughts about worship will go through my mind as the day progresses.

The truth is, worship is between you and God. Yes, the music and sermon at church might enlighten you, but it’s the connection between God and yourself that makes worship matter most. Focusing on Him and not allowing the morning greetings, the catching up with your pew mates, pondering if you wore the right outfit. All of these distract from pure worship and should be put aside for the simple hour and half you attend church.

But worship doesn’t start there. It actually begins at the start of the day. Where your mind goes first is the direction you’ll head towards throughout the day. You must wake up with prayer and focus on God. Pleasing Him, keeping Him front and center and obeying His word makes and world of difference in your worship and dedication to Him.

And let’s not forget, worship isn’t for Sunday and Wednesday nights. Its 24/7. It never ends. How can you worship God on a deeper level? By being honest with yourself to God. Bring what you’ve got to the table of worship, making God a priority each and every day then see how He will bless you richly for your obedience and dedication to worship Him in spirit and truth! God bless!