I apologise to anyone who thought I had disappeared... I have had a sabbatical from writing to indulge in a period of learning and enjoying just being. Visiting friends and loving time with my family and some treasured holiday memories. God's creation is so amazing but the beauty of Italy, Switzerland and France steal my heart.
I have had time to reflect and it made me assess my life's purpose.
How do you live your life?
Does what you do align with what you say?
How would you describe yourself?
Fortune tellers have a clever little ruse... they say...
"Well you are a much nicer person than people think you are"...
On the basis that people who seek a stranger to predict their future probably need to be liked. And maybe feel they do not behave as they would like... or as they wish they were capable of being.
Are you your best self?
What does God expect of us?
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
MICAH 6:8
What is justice?
To treat people fairly.
To be honest.
To call out wrongs.
To act with human dignity and decency and not seek to manipulate or abuse others.
What is mercy?
Helping those who are worse off than you. Spread God's bounty to those who need it.
If you do not help the poor... you do not have mercy.
What is walk humbly with your God?
Accepting that every good thing you do is because of God's grace extended to you. The glory is his, your creator's, not yours. We are but nothing without our Lord's magnificence.
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
PSALM 118:24
Just don't do it.
Stop moaning.
Stop venting.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself.
Stop thinking of yourself.. and start thinking of others.
What energy do you bring into the room?
Do you lift people up? Or drag them down?
It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
MATTHEW 15:11
People who lie about little things lie about big things. People do not trust you or your word. Tis why adultery is so difficult to recover from. Also people know you are lying... they just don't call you out.
Noone gets away with anything... ever.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
PHILIPPIANS 4:8
Only think positive thoughts. How is that possible? Paul did it. How?
Guard your mind. Each though comes from God, Satan or yourself. You can choose to embrace or reject it. If God gives you troubles, seek his comfort and support and trust that he is working on improving you.
Don't wallow in self pity or fear, turn to God not Satan.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
PHILLIPIANS 4:6
Anxiety is a lack of trust in God.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
ROMANS 8:28
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
MATTHEW 12:33-37
You will know them by their fruits.
What does your life say about you?
Do you love others?
Do you use the talents God gave you to the best of your ability?
Do you seek a relationship with God through his word and fellowship with others?
Do you flee from sin?
Do you love GOD?
Let us pray.
FATHER GOD HELP US TO SEEK YOU OUT AND OBEY YOU. HELP US TO SUBMIT TO YOUR WILL AND GIVE OUR LIFE OVER TO YOU. MAY YOU WORK YOUR SUPERNATURAL MAGIC THROUGH US FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS AND YOUR GLORY. IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME WE PRAY. AMEN.