Are You Using Your Influence For Good?

Galatians 6:10
¹⁰ Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
Proverbs 14:21
²¹ It is a sin to belittle one’s neighbor; blessed are those who help the poor.
1 John 3:18
¹⁸ Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
Hebrews 13:2
² Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

This past week I was watching the news, and to my surprise, there was a feel-good story at the end of the broadcast.  I was so blessed by it that my heart is still smiling several days later.

The man who was interviewed plays the piano in an Atlanta Airport. He loves to bring joy to those who are walking through from one destination to the other.   As passengers go through the airport they listen to this wonderful music, that is played by a gentleman who loves making others smile, and is passionate about his craft.

A few days ago a perfect stranger went up to him and started a conversation because he was so impressed with how beautifully he played the piano.   Wow, talking about a divine appointment!  This perfect stranger had no idea that he was about to be used by God in a very significant way, and the Piano Man had no idea that he was about to be blessed beyond his wildest dreams.

During the conversation, the stranger finds out that the Piano Man has been battling a very serious kidney disease.  The musician goes home each evening and does nine hours of dialysis. He then returns to the airport the next day to play the piano for four hours for tips.

It turned out that the stranger is an Instagram Influencer, with several hundred thousand followers.   His heart was so touched by the Piano Man’s story, that he went on to his Social Media Site immediately while he was still in the airport, and asked them to give donations to the Piano Man.  In just a few minutes $10,000. Had been given on the Piano Man’s behalf, and a few days later it had jumped to over $70,000.  Wow! Can you imagine?  Yes, I said it, over $70,000. In just a few days.

Needless to say, when the stranger went back to the Piano Player and told him the news, the Piano Player could not believe it.  He was overcome with joy and gratitude, and probably a bit of disbelief too.  His eyes immediately filled with tears and they embraced one another.  All I could think was what a wonderful heartwarming story this was.  So many will be blessed by this one man’s kindness and generosity.  This story made me want to be a better person and I hope that it has done the same for you!

There were several great lessons that I took away from this story that I would like to share with you:

1.  The power of one!   You may be the only one, but be the one.  Others will follow, and even if they don’t follow, be             the   one anyway.  God doesn’t need a lot to do a lot.  Read Gideon’s story.

2.  Use your influence in a positive way. This stranger had a very large circle of influence, and he got them engaged in something that would make a positive difference in someone else life.  We can all be difference makers, no matter how large or small our circle of influence is.

3.  Use your Social Media platform to encourage, and to do good, not to be negative and tear others down.

4.  Do good when it’s in your power to do good.

5.  Don’t be too busy to invest a few minutes into the life of someone else.

6.  The Piano Player was transparent.  Don’t be ashamed to tell your story. You never know, God may bless you for               sharing.

7.  The Piano Player was extremely grateful and he expressed his gratitude to the stranger. 

8.  The Piano Player loved making others happy, by using the gift that God had blessed him with.

9.  When you bless others you will be blessed.

10. Kindness is contagious.

11. The stranger saw a need, and he did not deliberate, he immediately went into action.

12.  The Piano man never looked sad during this entire interview, he actually was a joyful person.  No one could have             ever looked at him and been able to tell that he was going through a tough time.

Sisters Take A Rest

Genesis 2:1-2
2 So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. ² On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested^[a] from all his work.
Mark 6:31
³¹ Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.
2 Samuel 16:14
¹⁴ The king and all who were with him grew weary along the way, so they rested when they reached the Jordan River.^[a]

June 30th was the end of the fiscal year for the company that I currently work for.  I had set several career goals that I wanted to achieve by the end of June, and by the grace of God I was blessed to achieve them.   I was determined that irregardless to how tired I already was, I would push through until I had accomplished them all.  What I did not take under consideration, was that due to an illness that I have been dealing with recently, my energy level was just not where it once was.

For the twenty-five years that I have been working this particular job, I have not given myself permission as frequently as I should have, to just rest.  I can blame no one but myself, for not taking better care of me.  After all, if I am tired or not feeling well, and I won’t stop to rest or take a breather, how would anyone else know that I am exhausted and need a break.   When people see you running like a chicken with her head cut off over and over again, they start to assume that you are fine, and that’s just the way you like doing life.

Well, I knew I was a bit tired, but I had no idea that I was literally running on fumes.  About two days after the end of the month, I was so tired one morning, that no matter how hard I tried, I could not seem to get out of bed.  I slept almost half the day away.  The next day I also slept a lot longer than usual.  My body was simply saying, you have got to stop, and it did not have to tell me twice.  I had no gas left, and I could not go even if I had wanted to.

After having a few days to assess this situation and I have come to the conclusion that number one, I must take better care of myself.  I am a bit older than I was twenty-five years ago and it is important that I make getting the proper amount of sleep each night a priority.  It is also important that I carve out some days to rest and even have vacation time carved into my schedule.  It is also equally as important for me to eat the foods that will boost my energy level.

In the past when I have taken time off, I have always ended up one way or the other, finding a way back to sneak in some work time.   I have now decided that rest time, will be rest time, and work time, will be work time!  There will be no more commingling of work and rest for me.  I have given myself permission to rest with absolutely no guilt attached and I sincerely hope that if you are overworked and exhausted, that you will give yourself permission to do the same.  

I realize that as women, we frequently put ourselves on the back burner.  If we are going to be our best self for those that we love, we must get our rest.  We must take better care of the one person that the family depends on most, and for sure, in most cases that is usually mom.  I hope that from this day forward, that you will be encouraged, that it’s ok to take a nap and it is ok to take a few moments each day to sit down and curl up with a good book or even to take a bubble bath instead of a five-minute shower.  Trust me, the world will not fall apart if you do, and even if it did, you could deal with it much better if you were well-rested.

 Be blessed my sisters and get some rest!

Below I have listed a few benefits of getting rest:

1.  You feel refreshed.
2.  You have clarity of mind.
3.  You make better decisions.
4.  You are more pleasant to be around. (You are not grouchy)
5.  You have more energy.
6.  Your body heals more quickly when you are sleeping.
7. You won’t look tired.

Psalm 127:2
² It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.

Time Is Precious
Ephesians 5:15-17
¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Psalm 90:12
¹² So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
3 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
²     a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³     a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴     a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶     a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷     a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸     a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Today as I am writing this lesson, it seems as though it was only yesterday that it was Saturday afternoon.  Here it is Saturday again.  How could seven days have possibly flown by so quickly?   It amazes me how fast the weeks, months, and years are flying by.

I remember when I was a little girl, my dad always said, that the older you get, the faster time seems to go by.   None of that really made sense to me at that time, but now that I am older, it all makes perfect sense.
I think that as you get older, you seem to value time more.  Therefore you try to squeeze in as many productive activities as you possibly can in one 24 hour span.  Also, could it be that as we get older, we are moving slower and we just don’t get as much done in a day as we used to?   Don’t get upset, it’s just a thought!

As a child, I remember waiting forever for Christmas, and now it seems that it rolls around every five to six months.  I realize that it’s not actually happening that fast, that’s just what it seems like when your days are full and you are as busy as can be. You look up and wow, Christmas is here again!

Our relationship with time is of the utmost importance.   Like money, it is something that should not be squandered.  It should be valued and appreciated and used wisely.  It is so important, that in the book of Ecclesiastes, an entire chapter was written on time. 

I felt the subject “Time” was important to write on today because I see so many people wasting their precious gift of time.  In most cases, they are not clear on their purpose, and they don’t usually have a passionate goal to keep them moving forward.   I have found that when this is the case, more times than not, time seems not to be so important and therefore squandered.   Wouldn’t it be nice if someone that was not going to use their precious gift of time, could just transfer it to you, to be used as you pleased?  I always feel like I could use more time.  I heard a quote by Bruce Lee that says:  If you love life, don’t waste time, for it is what life is made up of. So may I ask you, are you using your time wisely?  Do you feel like, you are making the best use of your time?

Please be clear, I am not saying don’t take a break or a rest, or even a vacation.  We all know that we have to stop from time to time to refuel and recharge our bodies and minds.  I am merely asking you to be a good steward of your time, if you haven’t been in the past.  Your time is something to be treasured and protected.  Only God knows how much time each of us will be granted.  So make the most of your time, so that when God does call you home, and you meet Him face to face, He can say that you were a good and faithful servant of your time.  Remember to be as faithful in being a good steward over your time, as you are of all the other gifts and talents that He has generously granted you.  Be blessed and keep your eyes on the clock, because it is ticking!

Today as I am writing this lesson, it seems as though it was only yesterday that it was Saturday afternoon.  Here it is Saturday again.  How could seven days have possibly flown by so quickly?   It amazes me how fast the weeks, months, and years are flying by.

I remember when I was a little girl, my dad always said, that the older you get, the faster time seems to go by.   None of that really made sense to me at that time, but now that I am older, it all makes perfect sense.
I think that as you get older, you seem to value time more.  Therefore you try to squeeze in as many productive activities as you possibly can in one 24 hour span.  Also, could it be that as we get older, we are moving slower and we just don’t get as much done in a day as we used to?   Don’t get upset, it’s just a thought!

As a child, I remember waiting forever for Christmas, and now it seems that it rolls around every five to six months.  I realize that it’s not actually happening that fast, that’s just what it seems like when your days are full and you are as busy as can be. You look up and wow, Christmas is here again!

Our relationship with time is of the utmost importance.   Like money, it is something that should not be squandered.  It should be valued and appreciated and used wisely.  It is so important, that in the book of Ecclesiastes, an entire chapter was written on time. 

I felt the subject “Time” was important to write on today because I see so many people wasting their precious gift of time.  In most cases, they are not clear on their purpose, and they don’t usually have a passionate goal to keep them moving forward.   I have found that when this is the case, more times than not, time seems not to be so important and therefore squandered.   Wouldn’t it be nice if someone that was not going to use their precious gift of time, could just transfer it to you, to be used as you pleased?  I always feel like I could use more time.  I heard a quote by Bruce Lee that says:  If you love life, don’t waste time, for it is what life is made up of. So may I ask you, are you using your time wisely?  Do you feel like, you are making the best use of your time?

Please be clear, I am not saying don’t take a break or a rest, or even a vacation.  We all know that we have to stop from time to time to refuel and recharge our bodies and minds.  I am merely asking you to be a good steward of your time if you haven’t been in the past.  Your time is something to be treasured and protected.  Only God knows how much time each of us will be granted.  So make the most of your time, so that when God does call you home, and you meet Him face to face, He can say that you were a good and faithful servant of your time.  Remember to be as faithful in being a good steward over your time, as you are of all the other gifts and talents that He has generously granted you.  Be blessed and keep your eyes on the clock, because it is ticking!

A Good Father

Since Father’s Day is right around the corner, I thought I would share a few scriptures on the role of a good father.

 I hope that you are making special plans, to celebrate and honor the fathers in your life this Father’s Day.  Whether it is your dad, your husband, son, or brother, if they are a good father, they deserve to be celebrated, for the many sacrifices they make on a daily basis.   Good fathers are always working hard to protect, support, and to provide for their families.

Let’s take a few minutes and dive in and see, what the scriptures have to say about the role of a good father.  If this is something that blesses you, and you think that it could be a blessing to a young man who did not have a great role model, please feel free to share it with him.

A Good Father Fears The Lord
Proverbs 20:7
He who walks in his integrity is righteous; happy are his children who follow him.
A Good Father Leads His Children
Joshua 24:15
¹⁵ But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Titus 2:2
² Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

A Good Father Prays for His Children
1st Chronicles 29:19
¹⁹ And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”

A Good Father Protects His Children
Deuteronomy 1:29-31
²⁹ Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. ³⁰ The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, ³¹ and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
Proverbs 14:26
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,  and for their children it will be a refuge.

A Good Father Provides For His Children
Proverb 13:22
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
1 Timothy 5:8
⁸  Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

A Good Father Trains/Teaches His Children
Proverbs 22:6
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
⁶  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Proverbs 1:8
⁸ Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

A Good Father Disciplines His Children
Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
¹² because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.^[a]
Hebrews 12:7
⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?
Proverbs 13:24
Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

A Good Father Encourages His Children
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
¹¹ For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, ¹² encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

A Good Father Has Compassion For Their Children
Psalm 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
Luke 15:20-24
²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

A Good Father Will Not Provoke His Children To Anger
Ephesians 6:4
⁴ Fathers,^[a] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Colossians 3:21
²¹ Fathers,^[a] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
Matthew 18:6
⁶“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

A Good Father Sets A Great Example Of How To Love, By The Way He Loves And Honors His Wife.
Ephesians 5:25-37
²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing^[a] her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body. ³¹ “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”^[b] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
1 Peter 3:7
⁷ Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8…
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.⁸ Love never fails. …..

A Good Father Is Blessed By His Children
Psalm 127:3-5
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.
⁴ Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
⁵ Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
Proverbs 23:24
The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
Psalm 128:3-4
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine   within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
⁴ Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord.
3 John 1:4
⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Are you Connecting The Dots?

Ephesians 6:12
¹² For we^[a] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
¹⁷ Pray without ceasing.
Hebrews 4:16
¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

About three weeks ago, I joined a Tuesday morning Zoom Bible Study.  Well, today is Tuesday, so this morning I got up eager and ready to go.  Although it was quite early by my standards, I got dressed and even had my makeup on pretty early.   I can’t tell you just how excited I am about this study.  There are one hundred and forty like-minded women in my profession, that are in this study.  So, I was ready to hang out with my girls and learn more about Jesus.

Things were rolling along quite well this morning, as I was preparing to get onto the morning Zoom.   My breakfast smoothie was made.  I had my book for the study and my Bible, and I was ready to go.  However little did I know, that my computer had decided to side with the enemy.  No matter how many times I tried,  I could not get the link for the study to work.   After trying several times, my husband decided to try and help me out, and he even got the same results that I had gotten.  I was so frustrated because by this time ten to fifteen minutes of the study had gone by.   I had looked forward to this study for three weeks and here I was missing it.

While all of this was going on, I realized that I didn’t bring anything to the table to write on.  I had a brand new spiral notebook, that I had put to the side just for this study.   Will you please tell me why I couldn’t find it?  Everything was falling apart.   While my husband continued to try to pull the Bible Study up on the computer, I got up and went to my bedroom to look for my spiral notebook.   I didn’t see it anywhere.   All of a sudden I connected the dots.  The enemy was trying his best to block me from participating, and hearing from God through this study.  He wanted no spiritual growth from me.

I even got a text from a friend that I had invited to join, saying that there was something wrong with her link to the study.  Please trust me, when I tell you that Satan was putting up a fight.  Trust me also when I tell you that the devil is a liar.

While I was in my bedroom I started to pray.  I asked God to please help me to find my spiral notebook.  The very next moment He led me to the notebook.  As I was about to go out of my bedroom door, the Holy Spirit prompted me to take my iPad to the table and try it instead of the computer, and WOW, it worked.   All I can say is the power of prayer!   

If God worked through that one short prayer to shut the enemy down, imagine how powerfully He could work in our lives if we prayed without ceasing, as He commands us to do in His word.  Satan is on his job 24/7, therefore we cannot relent, we cannot cease from praying.  We must always be prayed and powered up.  Don’t let your spiritual battery run low.  Stay powered up through prayer and through reading God’s word.

Most importantly connect the dots.  When things like this start to happen, know that it is straight-up spiritual warfare. The resistance is Satan taking a stand against, what is good for you.  Start praying immediately and remember you must fight a spiritual battle, with spiritual weapons, and prayer is the greatest of spiritual weapons.  Pray on my sisters! Pray on!

Something to remember:
Greater is He that’s in you than, than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Romans 12:12
¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Ephesians 6:18
¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Are You Asking For Help?

Have you ever been burdened down, with the weight and stress of something that you were trying to accomplish on your own?   I certainly have.  This past week I was working on a goal that I am trying to accomplish, with a deadline that is drawing near.  I could tell that I was starting to stress over it, and quite honestly starting to worry, and wonder if I could get it done in the allotted time.

Now we all know that to worry is a sin.  Yet, I was headed straight down that sinful path, when the Holy Spirit gently whispered in my ear; “ask for help, let people know what you are trying to accomplish”.  Initially, for a second or two, I resisted the idea.  When I look back on it now, it is crystal clear to me, that I was being prideful in resisting a solution that totally made sense.  When I came to my senses, I realized that it was exactly what I needed to do.  I started the process of contacting people asking if they would be willing to help me reach my goal, and the response was amazing!
I found out that people care, and that they are actually willing to help when they know that you are in need of help.  And the only way that they will know that we need help, is we if ask for it.

The more that I have thought about it, I have come to the conclusion that there are several reasons that we do not ask for help, the first of which of course is pride. Many times, we are embarrassed to let others know that we are in need of help.  For some reason, we think by asking for help, people will think less of us.  Another reason that we may not ask for help,  is that we assume that no one can do the job as well as we can, and that would definitely be considered a pride issue.  In addition, we do not want anyone to think that we are not capable of handling the responsibility of the job, and the list could go on and on.  Remember all of these reasons, and hundreds more are simply traps that the enemy has laid to keep us from moving forward.  Do not fall into his trap.

If you have ever experienced any of the reasons that I have mentioned above, as your reason for not asking for help, remember that God created us not only to need Him but also to need each other.  We were meant to be a community and a family that share one another’s burdens.  We accomplish nothing by trying to be Super Woman.  If you have been playing the Super Woman role, and it has not been working for you,  it is time to take your cape off, and scream for help.  Whether it be at the office, or at home if you need help ask for it.   No one benefits when we are tired, burned out, and worn out.  Be ok with asking for what you want or need.  You will be blessed for asking and others will be blessed for responding to your request, it’s a win-win for everyone.

20 Benefits Of Being A Christian Part 2

Psalm 103
¹ Praise the Lord, my soul;  all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins   and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit  and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
⁶ The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,  his deeds to the people of Israel:
⁸ The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love
⁹ He will not always accuse,  nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
¹³ As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
¹⁵ The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field;
¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,  and its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—
¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

God provides for His children.

Philippians 4:19
¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 23:1 
The Lord is my shepherd;  I have all that I need.

12.  He gives us strength for our journey.

Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
³⁰ Even youths will become weak and tired,  and young men will fall in exhaustion.
³¹ But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

13.  The blessing of living a peaceful life.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Psalm 85:8
I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
But let them not return to their foolish ways.
Proverbs 16:7
When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.
Jeremiah 29:11
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Psalm 4:8
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

14:  Christians experience joy.

Proverbs 10:28
The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.
Psalm 16:11
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.^[a]

15. God helps us.

   Psalm 33:20-22
We put our hope in the Lord.  He is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.
   Psalm 121:1-3
1 I look up to the mountains—  does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord,   who made heaven and earth!
3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.

16.  God protects us.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³  He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation—  so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
Psalm 46:1-3
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
² So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.
³ Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude

17.  God gives his children good things.

Psalm 84:11
For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

18.  God has a purpose for our lives.

Ephesians 2:10
¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

19.  We can pray and bring our petitions to God.

Isaiah 65:24
I will answer them before they even call me. While they are still talking about their needs,
I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
1st John 5:13-14
¹³ I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.
¹⁴ And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.
Matthew 21:22
²² You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
John 9:31
³¹ We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will.

20. We have victory over sin.

Romans 6:13-14
¹³ Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. ¹⁴ Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
1 Corinthians 10:13
¹³ Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. ¹⁴ Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
1 Corinthians 15:57
⁵⁷ But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.Galatians 5:1
5 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
James 4:7
5 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

20 Benefits Of Being A Christian Part 1

Today I would like to share a few of the benefits of being a Christian.
1.  As Christians we have hope for an Eternal Life with God.
 John 3:16
16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
 John 10: 28-30
28  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my
hand.  29  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all [a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  30  I and the Father are one.”
 1 John 2:17
17  The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
.  God will not forsake those that seek Him.
   Psalm 94:14
For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance.
   Deuteronomy  31:8
8  The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor
forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

3.  Christians have access to wisdom for living life.
   Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
   James 1:5
5  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without
finding fault, and it will be given to you.
   Ecclesiastes 2:26
26  To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to
the sinner, he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the
one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, chasing after the wind.

4.  Healing 
   Jeremiah 30:17
But I will restore you to health  and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD, ‘because you
are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’
   Psalm 30:2
LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.
   Exodus 15:26
26  He said, “If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes,
if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you
any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”
5.  Support from fellow Christians and our Church Family.
Galatians 6:10
10  Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those
who belong to the family of believers.
  Galatians 6:2
2  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.
  1 Thessalonians 5:11
11  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are
doing.
  Hebrews10:24-25
24  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good
deeds,  25  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but
encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
6. Guidance from the Holy Spirit
   Acts 13:2
2  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for
me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
 Romans 8:14
14  For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
   Matthew 10:19-20
19  But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that
time you will be given what to say,  20  for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of
your Father speaking through you.

7.  As Christians we have hope.
1 Peter 1:3-6…….
3  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has
given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead,  4  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is
kept in heaven for you,  5  who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the
coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  6  In all this you
greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all
kinds of trials.
    Romans 15:13
13  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you
may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 Romans 5:1
5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we [a]  have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
  Psalm 39:7
“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. 8.  We are never alone.
Deuteronomy 31:8
8  The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor
forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
     Joshua 1:9
9  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
   Psalm 94:14
For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance.
   1 Chronicles 28:20
20  David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do the work. Do
not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God is with you. He will not fail you
or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.

9.  No matter what we face, God will work it for our good.
 Romans 8:28
28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who [a]  have been called according to his purpose.

10.  We can never be separated from God’s love.
Romans 8:38 
38  And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death
nor life, neither angels nor demons, [a]  neither our fears for today nor our worries about
tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

The Blessing Is In The Valley

I was talking to a friend yesterday and the two of us were discussing, some of the difficult things that we had personally experienced in the past year regarding health.  Please be clear, this was definitely not a whining session, it was just two friends sharing their hearts and experiences.

I told her that although I had gone through a very difficult year, I had no complaints.  God has been so incredibly good to me, that I dare not complain.   As we continued talking about our valley experiences, I shared with her,
that it was so interesting to me, how we all want that mountain top experience all of the time.  However, if the truth is known, it is during our most difficult seasons in life, that we experience our most significant spiritual growth.

While we are waiting for God to rescue us from our dark valley, and to lead us to higher ground, amazing things start to happen.   We suddenly start to remember that we really do need God’s help, and we start to reach out to Him more in prayer and through camping out in His word. We also start to realize that we really and truly do have a friend in Jesus.  Most importantly, we start to realize, that we have a loving, caring Father who sustains us in every way. He sustains us spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially, and when we can’t take another step, He picks us up and carries us through our difficult season.

I think our Father’s love becomes more evident to us in the valley because we are already leaning in, waiting to hear from Him regarding our situation.   We start to run to Him each day, seeking comfort and direction.  As we draw nearer to Him, He draws nearer to us and thus the spiritual growth begins.  So the next time you enter your valley season kicking and screaming, remember that although it does not seem like it at the time, God is blessing you because God is the blessing in the valley!

Psalm 23:4
⁴ Even though I walk through the darkest valley,^[a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Micah 7:7
⁷ But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

Isaiah 40:31
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Psalm 62:5
⁵ Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.