Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen. 1 Peter 4:11 NLT

 

Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting my wife’s cousin and his wife. They both have ties to employment with a nationwide food chain. We discussed the success of the company and one of the elements that keeps the business doing so well; its employees. The employees are treated well and taught to treat each customer with respect, have a friendly smile, and oftentimes go out of their way, exceeding the customer’s expectation. Its no wonder this chain has been so successful and it all started with the original founder and his work ethic, which is carried on through its family of employees.

 

As Christians, God provides each of us talents to serve Him and bless others. You might already be aware of your talents and gifts and hopefully are using them. Unfortunately, many Christians don’t recognize their gifts or use them in their daily life. If the world is going to see their need for God, they need to see Him living through you and every other child of God. Non-Christians have no view of God or understanding of His unconditional love. By using your talents and gifts, they will catch a glimpse of our awesome God and hopefully want to be a part of His family too.

 

Pray and ask God to reveal the gifts He’s given you, then ask for Him to open the door of opportunity to serve Him.  Trust me, blessings will follow when you serve on behalf of our Heavenly Father! Use your talents today! God bless!  

 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.                   2 Corinthians 3:5

 

Do you ever feel inadequate about something in your life? Maybe it’s a specific task at work that seems overwhelming, a health condition that has controlled every aspect of your life or maybe a financial burden that you have no idea how it will ever be lifted. I think we’ve all faced times in life when things seem to overpower us and our strength is diminished because of our inadequacy.

 

Today’s verse is a great reminder that our help comes from the Lord Psalm 121:2. As humans we have limitations to our strength, emotional stability and financial resources. Once we’ve reached our limit, we can become discouraged, depressed and even resort to drastic measures to either cope with our situation or try to compensate by irrational means. This is not what God wants for His children.

 

I can tell you from personal experience, when you ask God for His help, He works with your limitations and adds His strength, wisdom and love into the equation and the results take you further, much further, than you ever expected. He loves you and desires to bless you, you just have to come in obedience to Him, willing to receive His help, and He will provide beyond your own limited ability to work through whatever your face.

 

You must acknowledge, “Without Me you can do nothing” John 15:5. Until you rely on God for help, your successes will be measured by your limitations. Trust God and see how He can multiply your limitations to accomplish much for His kingdom and bring blessings into your life! God bless!

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

Whenever there is a change in something, it usually means there is a new way of doing things. Change can be good as it keeps you from falling prey to a routine that is no longer effective and positive in your life.

 

Today’s verse is a prime example of change in the life of a Christian. If a person has truly accepted Christ, there should be a change in his or her life. Priorities should focus on the Lord’s plan and purpose for their life, things like selfishness, greed and pride should be put aside and replaced with humbleness and obedience. But it doesn’t happen over-night.

 

Change takes time and the Lord is available to help weed out the old ways and begin a new and fresh start in your life. Prayer and bible study are essential to make that change happen. Day by day, prayer by prayer, making decisions with God the priority will result in a changed person from the inside out.

 

As a Christian, maybe you find your attitudes and behavior similar to how you were prior to accepting Christ. Make today a start of newness in your life by asking God to transform your heart and mind into a new vessel that He can use for His glory and bless you along the way. Trust me, God blesses obedience and He is ready to help you make a change today, one step at a time! God bless!

God's gift to us

 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” Matthew 25: 5-6

I got up early this morning and stood outside, praying, as the sun came up on this crisp Easter morning. As Christians, we have the confidence in our Savior who paid our sin debt. Regardless of the sin's severity, He covered them all. Because of that guarantee we should all commit each day to living the life Jesus has called us to live. 

Let this Easter day of celebration continue with you, every day forward, as you commit to Him who has written your name in the book of life with His blood. He is risen. Celebrate today this glorious gift from God. Blessings. 

 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. 1 Corinthians 10:13 

 

As I passed by a local high school, on my way to work, I looked up at the top floor of the gymnasium and saw a little red “Exit” sign shining in the darkness of the building. It stood out, even from the roadway and today’s passage came to mind.

 

How many times have you committed a sin and afterwards wished you had avoided the temptation in the first place? If you are truthful, you will agree the lure of sin can take your focus off trying to do the right thing. Satan is the master of deception and the longer you contemplate the temptation, the more he convinces you its ok to follow through with your pursuit in that pleasure.

 

Today’s verse provides hope for God’s children. First, “no temptation has seized you except what is common to man.” The temptations you encounter are not foreign to God. He Himself was tempted many times during His 33 years on earth. Secondly, “He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” God filters out everything that comes into your life. Trust me when I say this, He wont allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. Finally, “He will also provide an escape.” No temptation you encounter comes without an “EXIT”! The choice is yours weather to pursue it or turn from it.

 

You know your weaknesses. The best thing you can do is plan your escape route in advance for the next time Satan lures you in. Shut off the TV, avoid certain places, keep your eyes focused away from the poison….there are many ways to escape, you just need to determine your escape route and stick to it. God will bless you for your obedience and faithfulness to Him! God bless  

 Now when Jesus had com into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. Matthew 8:14-15

 

Yesterday Lori an I had the privilege of working with our brothers and sisters in Christ by serving up bbq plates and witnessing to those who came up to receive the free food. I can tell you God provided perfect weather and a good crowd of people who stopped by and received the message of Salvation.

 

I asked one young lady if she died today, would she be Heaven bound. Without hesitation she responded “yes”. I asked why she knew this to be true. She told me months ago she was in a horrible car wreck and actually died several times while they worked on her. When she awoke, she was told by doctors that she’d never walk again. During this difficult time, she said that she encountered Jesus, face to face, and He completely healed her. Through all of this she put her faith and trust in the Lord. Before she left, I prayed with her. As I prayed, God spoke to me, through my prayer, to encourage her to share her remarkable story of healing and the awesome encounter with Jesus.

 

God sometimes allows the most horrific situations to come into our life to put us in a place to serve Him. As with this young lady, she had a powerful story to tell about Her Savior’s healing hand and assurance that upon death, she would stand in the presence of the Lord. Amen!

 

What has God done in your life to bring healing to you or bring you through a difficult situation? You have a story to share with others. God wants to use you to bring others to Himself. You can help in that ministry through sharing your own personal experiences. It’s that easy. Go and share the good news of what Jesus has done in your life and see others come to Christ because of His plan and purpose in your life! God bless!

 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:17b

 

Growing up in a Christian home helped shape me into the person I am today. Far from perfect, yet I have a set of beliefs that are the foundation of how I try to live my life on a daily basis. I need to give much credit to those who have prayed for me over the years, specifically my grandmother, Nedra Baldridge.

 

Grandma E, as I called her, was a very spiritual woman, who was devoted to studying God’s word on a daily basis and prayed like no other person I have ever known. We always use to say Grandma had a “hotline” to Heaven. Whenever we were in need, we requested she pray for us, and she faithfully did…which oftentimes resulted in a specific response from God. Her prayers were powerful and God listened when she called for His help.

 

So where am I going with today’s blog? I want to encourage you, when you find yourself in need of God’s help, pray, and ask others to pray on your behalf. Not just anyone, seek out those who you know will actually pray and have a commitment to continue in prayer. I’ve lived 55 years and I can tell you prayer changes things, it changes people’s behavior, it orchestrates actions and plans to align with God’s will.

 

As a child of God, He has your best interest at heart. I know this because He provides us His Holy Spirit. Even His Holy Spirit prays on our behalf. Romans 8:26  When we seek His help, He is going to listen and respond. Having the prayer support of other believers covers you with more of God’s blessings and He will provide a purposeful response to your request. I can’t tell you how many times I have actually seen His response perfectly align with my request, it is almost scary at times. So, be careful what you ask of God.

 

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Ask others to pray for you when you need God’s help, and I promise you He will provide the best response possible when you earnestly seek after Him. God bless!