Christmas is upon us! As this marvelous holiday rolls around, much stress creep into busy households participating in all of the various Christmas activities. Sometimes, the many festivites can distract us from the true reason for the season: Jesus’ birth. With these considerations, to avoid all unessesary hastle and exasperation, it’s vital we intentionally keep pursuing our relationship with Jesus; we must abide in the vine of God this holiday season. Abiding with God in Our Hearts: In John 15:4 (ESV), Jesus proclaims, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”…
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A Cold Heart: Joy Found in the Lord
Yesterday morning, I awoke from an uneasy sleep. My nose was clogged with the makings of a cold, my throat parched from the night air swirling inside my bedroom, and my heart feeling just as sick as my body did. To clarify, it was only the case of a minor cold, but quite unpleasuable just the same. On the other hand, my mind lingered in saddness and irritation, not for any particular reason, but with lack of joy. Funny enough, God had been stirring in my heart during the past few day about finding joy through Him. Now, I really felt His movement amid my soul. In desparation, I opened…
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Proclaim God’s Greatness #HappyThanksgiving!!
“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.” ~1 Chronicles 16:8 NLT We have an amazing God! We did not deserve salvation or rescue, but He graciously allowed us to be saved through His death upon the cross if we choose to believe in Him. Neither are we worthy by any means to be counted righteous before God. “Yet,” as Colossians 1:22-23 (NLT) explains, “now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him…
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Think About… Whatever Is Honorable #Philippians4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ~Philippians 4:8~ Did you realize that God knows you even better then you know yourself? It’s true! Psalm 139:1-2 records David exclaiming, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me!…you discern my thoughts from afar.” Created by God, you are known and loved by Him. Through entrusting your life to Jesus Christ, He redeems you, comes to live in your heart, and leads you to honor Him with everything you do, even with the thoughts you…
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God Is Good Even When You Don’t Feel Good
God is good even when we don’t feel good. Maybe you feel stressed or anxious. Perhaps you’re wrestling with fear or depression. Today, I wish to encourage you to seek after the Lord, even in the midst of the stuggle and heartache. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne…
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Think About… Whatever Is True #Philippians4:8
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” ~Philippians 4:8~ Tricky and misguiding, lies disguise themselves in our lives like chameleons camouflage in a tree. Both of their counterfeit appearances seem reliable, but a trained eye can reveal their true colors. For instance, dishonesty can stealthily weave its way into our belief system about God, about ourselves, or about others without us even knowing. They can warp our thoughts and lead us away from the everlasting Truth. The slightest deception we believe…
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5 Ways to Immediately Refocus Your Thoughts #Jesus
Sometimes, thoughts of worry, guilt, hatred, and more can trap our minds in chaos and anxiety. These thoughts are the result of our sin. Although emotions like anger or fear seem overwhelming, God is bigger than all of them combined. He is mightier than sin, and He is more powerful than death. He even promises to fill our hearts with “power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). I want to share some ways to live that beautiful Truth. Here are 5 ways to immediately refocus your thoughts on Jesus: 5 Ways to Immediately Refocus Your Thoughts: When you struggle with anxiety or dishonoring thoughts, pray about them, first. Ask God to…
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Think About… Directing Our Thoughts On Jesus
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” ~Philippians 4:8~ Are you struggling with anxiety? Is fear, sadness, jealousy, or the like overwhelming you? Thoughts can be a pit of darkness, or they can be a source of light. Philippians 4:8 encourages us to direct our thoughts to the Light, Jesus! His name isn’t written specifically, but His entire personality is a perfect representation of the qualities mentioned. By God’s Spirit, lies can be turned into Truth, anxiety into peace, and fear into hope. Discontentment…
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Fear Erased: Jesus’ Love Covering our Fears
“I am so afraid…” I’ve sobbed to my mom more than once before. Fear, a natural, human emotion, chains us, weakens us, and leads us into a nasty trap. If I were to write all of my fears on a whiteboard, I would be unable to count them. Although there are so many, Jesus can erase all my fears by covering them in His love. He is bigger than all the worries of this world, and He can erase your fears, too. Identifying Fear: Over and over again, people experience fear. Whenever humans sense something that is or will be hurtful to them, worry often invades their minds. Even dogs show…
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A Rainy Reminder: God’s Faithfulness Displayed in My Life
Waking up on a Thursday, the sound of splashing droplets trickled into my ear. All of that cold, gloomy day, it rained. It rained…and rained….and RAINED! On and off, the water sprinkled my backyard. Even into Friday, the weather remained… Can you guess it? The weather remained rainy. (Deep sigh) I never pondered God’s faithfulness during those couple days. I was too focused on my own desires, until the Holy Spirit worked in my heart, opening my eyes and ears. Here’s how it happened: A Surprise Sent From Heaven: Like I mentioned earlier, the rain kept falling. As a desert rat, I disliked the humid air hugging me every time…
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