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Dream On

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I don’t know if you ever had a “spiritual” dream…the type of dream that you know was from the Lord to provide you some insight into what you were doing or going through.  I remember about a year ago having such a dream. It was around the story in Luke 5 and Peter launching out into uncharted waters.  He would learn how to hear and listen and obey and see a miracle. I began to see that there is so much power in what I say to myself. For example, I used to walk around my neighborhood declaring  “I am a pastor” long before I became one. The fact is I desired to be a pastor, I worked and prayed towards that and spoke as if I was already operating in that calling. In this dream I felt like God was bringing me to my own uncharted waters to show me more about myself than anything else. He knows I believe in Him and now he wants me to believe in me. Let me share today what this dream taught me. Perhaps it will resonate with you as well.
1-I wondered how many times we often put things away to…
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Endurance

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One of the characteristics of a mature believer is endurance. Great endurance and patience will be evident in the life of one that trusts in the Lord. Take a closer look at that word: endurance...U R right in the middle of it! When I think about endurance, I think about sports. If I want to run a long race I have to build up my endurance. I have to begin running. As I get stronger and can endure more, I add distance to my run. Weight training is the same. I start with lighter weights and increase my repetitions until I am able to handle that weight easily. Then I add weight if I am trying to build muscle.
As believers we should be able to endure difficulties. There are many things that we may never get over but we can endure. I think about Jesus and the cross; the bible says that "for the joy set before Him He endured the cross..." It was hurtful and it was difficult. But He focused on the future  in order to endure the pain.
You will never understand what you are not willin…
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Are You Happy Where You Are?

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It seems like a lot of the quotes I see these days have to do with happiness...finding it and being saturated by it. Maybe you have even been asked the question, "Are you happy where you are?" In the Bible, 1 Timothy 1:12 says,"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service." There is a lot to take in from that verse. It starts with thankfulness. Thankfulness ushers in strength: God's strength. That strength enables you to remain faithful and serve Him with all of your heart.
When we are fully invested in living for the Lord, we can believe that our steps are being divinely ordered by Him. We contribute to His causes, we pray, we may even fast and then we expect that God will help guide us to the places we should be and to meet the people we should meet. And the incredible thing is that He does! You find yourself in the right place at the right time and for the right reasons which will alw…
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God Loves a Cheerful Giver

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1 John 3:17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be that person? To realize how much John relied and fastened upon the teachings of Jesus is inspiring to me. One lesson he talked about is this one in verse 17 of chapter 3. Have you ever seen someone in need and even though you had the means to meet the need you walked around it? I would guess we all have. At some time in our lives we have seen or heard about something that needed attention and turned a deaf ear. To have what you need, see a brother or sister in a desperate situation and then do nothing is a tragedy, but it also reveals a harmful heart condition. This is not the way that God set up His church. This is not the love of God. The love of God sees a need, feels the pain, and responds with hope AND help. We know that God loves cheerful givers. Cheerful, not careful:) Open your heart along with your eyes and perhaps even your wallets this week a…
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Praise is Beautiful

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Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous ones; praise from the upright is beautiful. PS 33:1
Some of the most memorable moments I have enjoyed are seeing my children in productions where they act, sing or play an instrument. Whether it was an elementary school function or a church worship service, the feeling was always the same...a proud father with a huge smile on his face loving what he was seeing on the faces of his children.
This scripture out of the psalms tells us something that we must never forget...praise looks good on you! There is nothing more beautiful than watching a room filled with true worshippers.
I can imagine my heavenly Father watching from heaven and seeing my face and hearing my voice as I exalt His name and sing His praises. I believe that just as I felt proud and grinned from ear to ear watching my children praise, so too He smiles and loves the way that the praise looks on me!
The Bible tells us that when we are overwhelmed, when we are under heavy stress and anxie…
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Mind Your Own Business

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Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.  For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:4-5 It's easy at times to compare yourself to someone else. Often we look at what we are doing and how well we do it by holding our efforts up against another person's achievements. People today often feel like they don't match up because they see themselves as they relate to things that are not real. By comparing ourselves we fall short. We think we aren't pretty enough, tall enough, rich enough, smart enough and so on. Scripture encourages us to pay attention to our own work. In other words, mind our own business. You can only feel completely satisfied when you know that you have done your best for the Lord and not for anyone else. We are accountable for what WE do and what WE say. Pay careful attention to your own work!

Whatever you do, do it for the Lord an…
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Remember.

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May the comfort of the Holy Spirit continue to heal hurts and hearts, and may the grace of God always be sufficient in our time of need. #NeverForget
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