|
devote yourself to your community around you & devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning. mitch albom   in the words of the legend, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR, "everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. you don't have to have a college degree to serve. you don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. you only need a heart full of grace. a soul generated by love."
today we honor his memory...his legacy. "darkness can't drive out darkness; only light can do that. hatred can't drive out hatred; only LOVE can do that." #mlk #mlkday  "let us feed the hungry, house the homeless, stop the killing, and provide medicine for the sick. when we have accomplished that, we can sit around and argue religion." #feedthehungry #loveyourneighbor #priorities #dowhatsright
we are always touched by the number of pastors and missionaries we meet that want to follow Christ's teachings and example...His compassionate, loving and healing encounters with people in need (i.e; everyone). He fed the hungry, physically and spiritually...healed the sick...showed us how to love...forgive...give...live... and He loved ALL. Ironically...when He did speak harshly or words of rebuke it was for the "religious" leaders...the ones that were caught up in religion and distracted from what it really means to BE a Christian. So while we encourage everyone to read the word...to study theology...to take it all in...please remember the most important commands of all: "Jesus answered, 'love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' this is the greatest and most important commandment. the second most important commandment is like it: 'love your neighbor as you love yourself." matthew 22.37-39 we live in a messed up desperate world. a world that needs more love...healing...food...clothing and shelter. Jesus asked us to make that our priority...to put HIM first...and to love others second...above all else. let's do our part as Christians...as human beings...as neighbors simply caring for each other. we must be ready to learn from one another...not claiming that we alone possess all the truth and that somehow we have a corner on GOD. desmond tutu #desmondtutu   KEEP CALM and HAVE FAITH
#KEEPCALM #FAITHOVERFEAR love & hate are beasts & the one that grows is the one you feed! #thinkonthesethings 
6 “The kind of fasting I want is this: Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. 7 Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.
8 “Then my favor will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quickly healed. I will always be with you to save you; my presence will protect you on every side. 9 When you pray, I will answer you. When you call to me, I will respond. “If you put an end to oppression, to every gesture of contempt, and to every evil word; 10 if you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon. 11 And I will always guide you and satisfy you with good things. I will keep you strong and well. You will be like a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring of water that never goes dry. 12 Your people will rebuild what has long been in ruins, building again on the old foundations. You will be known as the people who rebuilt the walls, who restored the ruined houses.” be careful how you think. your life is shaped by your thoughts! proverbs 4.23   try to do the nicest thing you can think of for the rudest person you know. that's love JESUS style.
my friends...don't let your words speak louder than your actions...don't let them contradict how you live! what good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? can that faith save him? if a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? so also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. but someone will say, “you have faith and i have works.” show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. james 2.14-18   STAY FOCUSED. stop getting distracted by things that have nothing to do with your goals.
the only thing we can control is our own attitude. life is 10% what happens to you & 90% how you respond. joel osteen   your dream may look impossible. but GOD said blessings will chase you down. ask big. take the limits off of GOD!
joel osteen  giving up on your goal because of one setback is like slashing your other three tires because you got a flat.
 your greatness is not what you have...it is what you give. #BetterToGiveThanToReceive
 so letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. but letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. romans 8.6
i've read that one can not feel faith and fear at the same time...and that we choose one or the other. well...first...i have two points: 1. i have tested this often...and actually i think that one can feel both faith and fear at the same time...at least in life & death situations. but it's choosing MORE faith than fear that tips the balance towards a more faith-filled positive life. with the ordinary stresses of life, one must choose to stay in faith by not allowing thoughts of anxiety, anger, resentment, regret, fear, or basically any negative thoughts, to infiltrate your faith-filled thoughts. 2. most people don't consciously decide what they feel...that is they don't intentionally decide what they choose to think about or envision in the future, and consequently what they feel is a product of their thoughts. and there it is...the source of the problem. most of us kinda float through our day...following routines...listening to the news or the conversations around us...and our mood or our feelings seem to bounce off whatever is happening around us. whether it's traffic or the weather...or something more serious like arguing with your spouse or your kids, your thoughts are setting your feelings...changing your mood...and actually setting the direction of your day. if you are not accustomed to checking on your feelings regularly try this for a day: write down - at regular intervals... such as every hour - your primary thoughts or feelings. what were your first thoughts when you woke up? what were you thinking about while you were getting ready for the day...while eating breakfast...while driving to work? you get the idea. when writing your thoughts down...analyze what the majority of your thoughts & feelings were since the last time you wrote them down. at the end of the day...review and check your tipping point. were most of your thoughts faith-filled and positive, or were they negative or filled with fear? if you find you need to shift your tipping point to a more faith-filled positive frame of mind...no worries. in our fear-based culture it's the new normal. but it's easier than you might think to make the shift! in luke 17.6 the apostles asked the Lord to increase their faith...so can we! remember the recurring theme you will see in this blog: ask...believe...receive! ask for the Lord to increase your faith...to turn your mind, your thoughts and your feelings toward Him and to the hope of Him in every situation. you can start by simple affirmations of faith in general...such as: thank you Lord that i have a roof over my head, that i have food to eat, that i have clothes to wear, that i am forgiven, i am your child, i am loved. if you are concerned about a specific situation, start by praising God for the best possible outcome...such as: thank you Lord that my boss will see my value, thank you that my good intentions will be made clear, that you will speak through me today, that others will see me differently today and wonder why. thank you that you have the perfect solution and place for me to be, and i just have to wait on you...staying in faith that you will work it out. thank you Lord that i don't have to figure it out for you...my job is to trust you...the CREATOR of the universe! thank you for giving me peace over my situation...thank you giving me the hope that my situation will improve. every time your thoughts start heading down a negative direction...repeat your positive thoughts. repeat again...and again...until you FEEL hopeful. until you feel thankful. until you believe. then there it is: ask...believe...receive. stay in the faith that God's got your back...cuz he does! |
ACTION |
FYI |
|