But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)

This world isn’t always a friendly or kind place for Christians. All too often it leaves Believers battered and bruised. You can have hope, however, because this is not your final home. You belong to Jesus and you have an eternal promise. Romans 8:16-17 says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”

You will have times of suffering here on earth - Jeusus suffered too. But you can rest assured that you will not suffer forever. God will release you from all of your circumstances; some now, and some one day in heaven. Believe Him when He says that “trouble don’t last always!”

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Blessings,

Joyce

Reading: Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

• Do we ever wonder why a fiery trial comes our way?
• Do we often run the other way in fear or do we try to stand facing this head on in faith?
• Why should we run when the word tells us that we should live by faith, not by sight?
• Is it any wonder that we so very often walk by sight and not by faith?

I am amazed at the revelation of God’s word as we seek Him with a pure heart.

I am astounded at how the Spirit of the Living God falls fresh on us in the morning hours.

He is so gracious to show us truth in His word as we seek Him.

I have found this morning that the fiery trial I am enduring right now is just a happening to bring forth a pure and holy vessel, a vessel without flaw, and a vessel proven by the fire.

His word says; “Beloved, think it not strange the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you partake in Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be with exceeding joy.” (1Peter 4:12-13) It also goes on to say; “that the time has come for the judgment to begin in the house of God” (v.17).

Col 3:13   Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

As I get through my day I begin to realize how many hats women wear in just one day. We adorn hats of many colors, shapes and sizes.  They are the hats adorned with grace, mercy, and compassion. They are hats to include being wives, moms, grandma’s, sisters, friends, aunts, nieces, co- workers, neighbors, mentors and so many others. It seems that at the end of a long hard exhausting day I’ve come to realize the most important hat worn is the hat that exudes the image of Christ.

I must ask myself today, have I worn this hat discreetly? Does my hat have the appearance of Christ, the one that displays love, compassion, friendship, wisdom to name just a few. I must at all times wear the hat of grace and mercy for my fellow man.

Help me Lord today to wear my hat with great prudence, walking in the way you would have me to walk as a woman of virtue. Help me Lord to remember your grace and mercy toward me, so that I might extend it toward others.

Psalm 25:4 Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;

Looming deadlines, unplanned meetings, ringing telephones, overflowing email inboxes, etc. The list of obligations on my to do list just keeps growing and growing with no end in sight. My first response this morning was to go into panic mode -  worrying about how in the world I’d complete everything I needed to do. Then I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit say, “Stop!” And I was all too happy to listen.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about irs own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Worrying was not going to help me first of all, identify the things that were most important and really needed to be done today. Second, if I let it, worry would paralyze me and stop me from moving forward with the things the Lord wanted me to do. Once again, I was reminded to take the focus off me and place it exactly where it belonged - on Jesus.

And so, as I write this post tonight, everything on my to do list is not done. I believe, however, that I’ve done everything the Lord required of me today. That’s the best we all can hope for.

Gentle reminders of years gone by often tug at the strings of my heart. How often do we read a story that hits close to open and reveals the hurt areas of our past? Well this week a story hit close to my heart. There was a young girl’s voice that was changed with another child’s face to sing at the Olympics, because she was deemed not “cute enough.” Why do we so often look to the outer appearance and not look upon the heart. I can only hope and pray that this child is not scarred for life.

I can only speak for myself, because I know as a young girl I was deeply affected by the comment made by a family member and word spoken was; “she is too tall to be in a wedding.” It broke me for years and still stings today when I see this done to children and adults alike in our society. My heart was moved with compassion with this story for this young girl. I would only say we need to really guard our words, there are words that hurt, words that sting, words that bring a person down. What words are we speaking today? Are they life giving? Do they bring healing to another or do they cut them down? I am reminded of the scriptures that say;

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. Proverbs 25:11

A gentle tongue (with its healing power) is a tree of life, but willful contrariness in it breaks down the spirit.Proverbs 15: 4

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV

As children of God, we are faced daily with many choices. What to do, where to go, how to act, what to say…the list goes on and on. In today’s world, even Christians can easily get bogged down, confused and perplexed because of the mixed messages we receive from the media, and other worldly influences. But the Lord our God is so merciful, that He has given us the opportunity to travel through this life as an “open-book test”, where He even gives us the answers!  In today’s Scripture, the Lord lays the choices before His people, and Then, tells them the right choice to make. Even in the face of the most difficult struggles, God is telling us that to choose Him is to choose life - and life is always the right choice. Ask the Lord to help you make the right decision today. Father, we come today asking You to help us to make the right choices. Lord, you know our situation and circumstances, but we know that You are bigger than anything we are facing at this moment. We pray and ask according to Your Word, knowing that Your Word is also Your Will and Your Way. In Jesus name, Amen!

Makeover shows are some of the most popular programs on television. Who hasn’t cried over an episode of Extreme Home Makeover or cringed over the pre-makeover outfits of a What Not to Wear nominee. The truth is, we’re fascinated with these shows and their concept of changing peoples lives for the better by helping them to create a “new you.”

Believe it or not, you are the star of your own makeover show. Second Corinthians 5:17 says that if you are in Christ, you are a new creation. As a Christian, you’ve undergone an extreme makeover.

You are no longer who you used to be.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of rhe ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. (Ephesians 2:1-3 NIV)

Now you can say,

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. . . (Ephesians 2:4-6 NIV)

You are a new creation! Your past has no power over you. You are a child of the one true and living God. Now that’s a makeover to be excited about.

Blessings,

Joyce

Luke 10: 42, 43 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.”

Pondering the hours, minutes and seconds in a day I see where I should learn to be more like Mary. It seems that all too often time is keeping me busy, but as I wait on the Lord today, stopping for a moment to read, pray and reflect upon the needs of those around me. I must learn the valuable lesson that I must seek You Lord, I must wait on You and I must pray.

Teach us Lord to wait on you, teach us to pray without ceasing. May this day be blessed of you with every need and petition brought before your throne of grace, may we come with confidence wait on You Lord Jesus.

May I choose this part today, tomorrow, daily learning to wait upon You.

·        Today I wait!

·        Today I pray!

·        Today I sit!