GIVE GOD YOUR PAINTBRUSH

Did you know that before one stroke of color is applied to a painting the canvas must be prepared and made ready for the process?  First - it must be stretched, pulled, hammered, and stapled to fit securely over a frame; a difficult process for the beginner and master alike.  Next, a sizing is applied as a sealant to protect and preserve the material to stand the test of time.  Last, a coat of ground is then spread over the surface to provide a uniform texture, color, and level of absorbency for the paints being used.  If any of these essential elements are skipped, or applied out of sequence, the finished product will crack, flake, and peel rendering a poor result.

This New Year each of us has the opportunity to begin again as a blank canvas in God's hands, ready to be made new.  

Maybe for you, last year stretched you to your breaking point, pounding your life with one problem after another, and you don't see much hope for your future.  If that describes you, your in the best place of your life!  Yes. God stretches us. "Consider yourself fortunate when all kinds of trouble and trials come your way, for when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure."  God knows we can not grow and mature without developing perseverance to carry us through the many storms we all eventually face in life.  His plan is to make us perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  He strengthens us so we don't crumble and fall away in the process.

Think of Jesus as the sizing that protects you when fear and discouragement are beating down your door.  "Do not be afraid I am with you!  I am your God let nothing terrify you!"  Jesus promises to make us strong and to help us.  "I will protect you and save you."  We don't have to depend on ourselves or rely on what we think we know. When we invite Jesus into our everyday lives he shows us the right path and leads us into his best for our future.  The Holy Spirit is like the ground...giving comfort, guidance and hope to face each challenge that comes into our lives.  "A disciple may have many problems, but the Lord saves him from them all."

 Like an artist, our Heavenly Father is preparing you as His masterpiece.  He does not want bad things to happen to you, but when they do, He uses the bad things to build greatness within you.  None of us can grow into the people we were meant to be if we only experience good times and success.  Our greatest struggles can be our greatest triumphs when we allow God to be God.  Trust his brush strokes.  Thank Him for the bad and the good.  His plan for your future is bigger and better then anything you can imagine, or any resolutions you make for the coming year.  Give God your paint brush and expect miracles.  Nothing is impossible for God.

Heavenly Father,
Let me be like a sheet of new canvas in your hands.  I  know you want the best for me. Whatever comes my way, I will trust You to make this year my best year yet.  Amen

Scripture Reading:
Psalms 34: 18-19
Proverbs 3: 4-6
Isaiah 41:10
1 Peter 5:7-10

 All scripture verses used from (GNT)  

BONE DRY

Images of skeletons, like those pictured above, are meant to represent only one thing...DEATH.

Yet, in God's book, this Valley of Dry Bones was not an omen of doom but a demonstration of His power to transform, renew and resurrect nations and individuals. The story unfolds as God commands the prophet Ezekiel to speak to the bones and say 'Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord' and I will cause you to breathe and come to life. The young sage did as God commanded and the bones began to rise up and fit together, rattling as they rejoined each other. Tendons grew over the bones, and flesh over that, but there was still no breath in them.  God said to Ezekiel "O mortal man! Say to the breath and spirit: 'Thus said the Lord God: Come, O breath from the four winds, and breathe into those slain that they may breathe again." The entire valley, stood before him, a vast multitude.

Sometimes our own lives can seem like a vast valley of dead dreams, past mistakes or lost opportunities.  God's question to us is the same as it was to the prophet. "Can these bones live?" or in modern terms, 'can anything be done with this mess I've made of my life?"  God's idea of resurrection is not just referring to an "after life" experience.  His ultimate desire, no matter how dry and worthless you feel, or how dead in sin, He wants to breathe life into you.  How does he manage that today?  The same way he resurrected the army of dry bones thousands of years ago.  Speaking the word of the Lord over your life will make you rise up and conquer whatever situation you are facing today.

God's word is full of power and when he speaks, powerful things begin to happen.  You can find God's voice in the pages of His book, the bible.  Open your mouth and speak to the dry, dead, and brittle areas of your life about all God promised you and watch your life come together. 

Beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise that heals a heavy, burdened heart. 







   

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

September is the month that foreshadows the promise of waiting in expectant faith.  Unlike January that urges us to make unreasonable resolutions, the autumn season carries in the air the excitement of a life full of hope.

In September we begin to look forward to the arrival of chilly nights, the aroma of burning leaves, hot cocoa and our favorite hoodie, knowing in a matter of weeks, the days will get shorter and nights longer as autumn begins her yearly harvest.

Since nature declares the glory of God, maybe September can teach us something about faith.  The Apostle Paul explains it this way..."What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen.  It is believing that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead." Hebrews 11:1 (Living Bible)   

Instead of stressing about how and when God is going to answer your requests, start believing.  Get excited! Faith is your direct connect to our heavenly father.  Let's take our Que from this spectacular season and remember before any evidence of falling leaves, or apple trees loaded with fruit, and fields dotted with pumpkins we can anticipate (with total assurance) the miraculous changing landscape. When we operate in faith the thing we hope for, even though we cannot see it, is waiting up ahead.

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11: 1-6

IDENTITY THEFT

For the past decade, Japanese farmers have been  growing square watermelons.

They say the process to alter the shape of fruit is simple. When the melons are small on the vine, a square acrylic box is placed around it.  It simply adjusts to its environment and takes on the unnatural shape of the box.

If you think about it, many of us put ourselves inside a box. Disappointment, failure, and past mistakes tend to make us wilt and take cover in the security of a false identity.  We often build our self esteem around our defects forcing our lives to be manipulated from its intended purpose.

This is not how God wants you to live.  He created us wired to grow, blossom, thrive, and change.  Scripture tells us that God shaped us before we were born so our lives would broadcast His praises. Each one of us has special gifts and abilities placed within us for a God ordained purpose. While the Master Architect created you He decided what role you would play on the earth and equipped you for the task.  The thing is-in his great love for us- he never forces His design on anyone.

No matter how many times we say no to His purpose or miss the mark, His plan for our success never changes. God's blueprints for us are HUGE and He gives us plenty of room to grow into the masterpiece He intended us to become.  Don't give anyone or anything from your past the power to steal your identity . Your perfect shape for the future is walking with Jesus, one step at a time.

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43; 21
                                Ephesians 2: 8-10

KEEP HOLDING ON

In my opinion, there are two types of people in the world.  The first group learns life's lessons the first time around -no problem-  then there are those who go through the same door over and over again.  I'm part of the second group.

Don't be smug. We all have our share of strengths and weaknesses. First on  my Top 10 Nerve Busters Chart is writers insecurity.  I've had to hold onto the the promise in Habakkuk 2:2 that tells me to, "Write His answer on a billboard, large and clear, so that anyone can read it at a glance and rush to tell the others." (TLB)  Sometimes it's easy to believe I'm called to write but then there are times I feel stale and boring.  Usually these feeling come when I'm "forced" out of my comfort zone and have to send out Query Letters to editors along with a 15 page synopsis of my novel... double spaced. 

 Jesus keeps encouraging me to move forward but its at this time holding on  gets really tricky.  My enemies, fear and intimidation, try to sneak into the Battlefield of my mind and make me doubt the Word. If I fall into unbelief, it will take me away from God's best and farther from my destiny.  I've been through this door before and know the drill.  The Bible tells me to "Walk by faith, not by sight or appearance." Feelings can steal our faith more than any other single influence.  We need to search our hearts, where faith abides, and live from there.

Don't worry about your weakness; its the Word that does the work, not the one holding onto it.  It will bring victory to anyone who will believe.  Are you waiting for healing? Let the Word do its work.  A job offer...a broken relationship....a wayward child to come home?  Fill your mind with one of God's many promises and wait and hope in the Lord.

Scripture Reading:  Psalm 25

VISION QUEST

An insightful Peter Marshal once said, "give us clear vision so we know what to stand for. Unless we stand for something, we will fall for anything."

The new year is in full swing and the entire world is facing serious issues from social unrest and injustice, to nuclear war.  Historians tell us that history has a way of repeating itself. What we watch daily on the news and read in the paper is nothing new.  Centuries ago, during days much like we face in 2014, the prophets encouraged the people to listen to the voice of God.

Unfortunately, many of us tend to think God is rigid and unyielding and will tell us to follow a strict set of rules and regulations that are impossible to keep.  In reality, his requirements have a lot to do with how we view our world and treat our fellow man.  According to Micah 6:8, in times of great hardship and unrest, God has a word for all men who decide to listen.

"Hear, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you....

"*live justly."    Because God is just, he asks us to stand up for the rights of others, and when it's needed go the extra mile and attend to their physical needs.

"*love kindness and mercy,"    We need more kindness in the world; people do not need to be pressured to perform perfectly to receive God's love and acceptance.  On the contrary, it is His goodness that He wants us to demonstrate to our fellow man.

"*humble yourself and walk humbly with your God."    We do not have all the answers to life's many problems but we serve a God who is mighty to save.

Like handwriting on the wall, a day is coming when God will avenge the world of injustice and violence. As we wait for that day, let us hear His voice and give him what he requires.  Not a set of blind acts of conformity to man made rules.  Let us strive to give God what he truly desires of us; to do what is just, to love mercy and kindness, and walk humbly with him.  

   

NAUGHTY OR NICE

Some people have the idea that God carries around a list, like Santa, giving him a blow by blow description of everything they have done wrong in their lives. Maybe you are one of those people who believe its only the church goers who get their prayers answered; not some runaway sinner like you.  You imagine if you keep off the radar, God will forget about you and shoot that lighting bolt of vengeance in some other poor souls direction. Somewhere along the line you were told that God gets glory when you suffer in silence and accept your lot in life.

WHAT A LIE! The Bible tells us God gets glory when the lame walk and the blind see!

God sent his son into this dark, hurting world to seek and save the lost.  Jesus was born on our harsh planet not to condemn humanity but to forgive sin,  heal your diseases, deliver you from all your hurts and disappointments, and to set you free from every type of bondage so you can live with hope and joy.

As you approach this Christmas and New Year, realize one thing... when you ask for forgiveness, Jesus keeps no record of wrongs. Instead of running away, go to the manger just as you are. Don't be afraid to tell Him what you need.  Our problems and failures seem huge to us but "nothing is impossible with God." Let this be the year you begin to believe He cares for the naughty and nice.

Luke 19:10  "For Jesus came to save that which was lost."
Salvation is just the beginning of all God has in store for those who trust Jesus.  He intends to save us from our sins, and everything that tries to ruin our lives.

John 3:17 (MSG) "For God gave his son, his one and only son. and this is why; so that no one need be destroyed. By believing in him, anyone  can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all this trouble merely to point an accusing finger, telling us how bad we are, he came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in Jesus is acquitted, anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why ? Because of that persons failure to believe that Jesus, the son of God, was not sent into the world in order to pass sentence on people, but that humanity might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him." 

Jesus is the gift we need to receive this Christmas. Ask him into your heart. It will be the best decision of your life.