TODAY'S THOUGHT:

DISCOURAGEMENT

Face it, there are just some days that putting one foot in front of the other is a struggle. I can muster up my own discouragement without the help of others. And on those days that I am feeling totally unable, unusable, unfit - that is NOT the day that I need someone else to come alongside me and kick me when I'm down.

Discouragement; some days we just don't see the full picture, the grey area becomes solid black and God? - He seems far off and in the distance.

I know I am not the only one who feels this way sometimes, in fact, David who wrote the Psalms faced days, even years, like this in his own life. The book of Psalms are full of verses that express his own despair and feeling of abandonment.

Yet, it is here, in the book of Psalms, that I find the encouragement to live my life victoriously despite the dark periods in my life:

"Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations. Your established the earth, and it stands." (Psalm 119:89,90)

The thing about the circumstances in our life is this: they may change us, but our circumstances NEVER change God. God is the same today as He was on creation day when He created the stars, the moon and the sky. He is the same as the day that He led the Israelites through the Red Sea. God is the same as the day He fed 5,000 with just 5 fish. Our circumstances may change, but God never does!

It perplexes me still, that people, including close family and friends will choose to bring discouragement unto others. The words they speak, the actions they choose cause me to think that they do not see the full picture either. How can they? If their words tear down, how can they see the good God is doing?

Life brings enough troubles on its own, I would like to encourage you this day that if you feel discouraged because of something someone said or did, or you just feel unworthy in some area of your life; look to God, see His faithfulness and trust Him with your circumstances. Trust me, no matter what your circumstances look like, God isn't surprised and He wont change His mind about you because of it.

BLESSINGS. Laurie

Stumbling Blocks

Stumbling Blocks

Have you ever stumbled over something? I have. In that moment when our feet won't work right and they get entangled and we fall on our face, what can we do?

The first thing I would do is look around and see if anyone witnessed my fall. I've stumbled before and have heard people chuckle at my klutziness. But have you ever tripped someone accidentally and caused them to fall? Not as funny, is it?

Stumbling blocks. No one wants to be one or have them in their life.

Before we can avoid stumbling blocks, we must first recognize them. Many people will say if you do this or do that (insert your own do or don't), it will cause someone to stumble. While that may be true, because it could, let me insert a thought here:

Someone else's guilt or belief cannot be put on you as wrong unless, UNLESS, it goes against God's Word.

In other words if your friend thinks it's wrong to go to the beach with mixed company, it doesn't make it wrong per say, because face it, there isn't an 11th commandment: "Thou shalt not go to the beach with the opposite sex."

That is simply the opinion of one person. A stumbling block as referenced in the Bible is talking about avoiding those things in our life that serve as an obstacle to our relationship with Christ. Anything that would serve as a snare, a temptation or a means to come between you and the Lord.

The phrase “stumbling block” is actually used 14 times in various translations of the Bible. Now that we understand "what" a stumbling block can be, "who" can be one?

Anyone can be one, even those doing great things for the Lord can at times present stumbling blocks to us. Look at Peter.

Jesus called Peter a stumbling block after Peter rebuked the Lord for confessing that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priest and the teachers of the law. When Jesus said that He must be killed but on the third day He would be raised to life, Peter insisted that such a thing would never happen. Selfishness was at the root of Peter’s words and Jesus recognized it for what it was...

“Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns’” (Matthew 16:23, NIV).

Peter was more concerned about himself than the plan of God, and therefore he presented a stumbling block.

Jesus was perfect. We are not. But how often has someone, even with good intentions, discouraged us from following the will God has for our life?

Jesus was quick to recognize the stumbling blocks along the way and He was quick to confront them and press on.

You and I must learn to do the same. Stumbling is not funny, not to God, not when someone spiritually stumbles and falls. May we all consider one another and if someone believes it's wrong to go to the beach with mixed company; put your toes in the sand at another time, so your friend will not be offended, so they may not fall into sin or stumble at your expense.

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S DAILY...two is better than one!

Whenever you think you can go it alone, think again. Everyone needs someone.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, it even suggests that two are better than one...

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; if one falls down, his friend can help." (Ecc. 4:9)

Too many times in my own life when things hit me hard, I hesitate to ask for help. In my own mind and heart I think flying solo is best.

But I am wrong.

God never meant for us to go thru life alone. Nothing could be more truer than the statement of "two is better than one" when it comes to spiritual matters in our life.

The enemy may easily overpower the one that stands alone, but two can stick together and defend themselves more easily. Think about the young sheep who gets away from the flock, it becomes the target of easy prey; but when the young sheep is surrounded by other sheep the enemy will stay back afraid of being ambushed.

The writer of Ecclesiastes says it even more eloquently...

"A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." (Verse 12)

If you find yourself feeling alone today, I urge you, first of all, know that you are NOT alone because God is with you but secondly, you do NOT need to go thru discouragement, struggles and life alone.

I need you. You need me. And we all need God. Together, we can stand together because two IS better than one!

BLESSINGS. Laurie

DAILY DEVO...watch the roosters in your life

TODAY'S DAILY...
Peter's denial of Jesus did not happen slowly, but within an hour. An hour had passed from the time the first person said, "You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean," to the time Peter made his second denial.

"A curse on me if I'm lying, I do not know that man!" And immediately the rooster crowed." (Matthew 26:74)

He had ample opportunity to hightail it out of there, but Peter chose to remain in this situation. This reminds me of how no one is safe from temptation, except the one who chooses to run from it. Peter should have ran.

Jesus had warned Peter, if he had listened he would have steered clear of any and all roosters after Jesus had mentioned one. Too many people have compromised their standards by standing too close to a rooster.

People like Solomon. And Samson. Even David. They all found out the hard way. Roosters come in different shapes and sizes, we all need to be careful and heed the warning that God gives:

"Bad company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33)

Peter found himself to be around people who were dragging him down spiritually. Are you in a similar situation today? Are you finding yourself compromising your faith and beliefs because of the influence of others?

Be careful who you allow to influence you. Stand watch and flee if necessary; before the rooster crows.

BLESSINGS. Laurie

DAILY DEVO...why do bad things happen to good people?

As Pastors, I would say that the #1 question we are asked is, "why do bad things happen to good people?"

If you are experiencing some bad things in your life, it does not mean you are not a good person! Just yesterday I received 3 messages from 3 different people asking for prayer over bad situations in their life.

Bad things happen. Believe me if any of us could choose, none of us would include in our day a flat tire, or getting sick or a terrible crisis in our family. Oh no, instead we would choose promotions at work, no traffic jams, green lights all the way, no problems, no worries...just clear sailing.

But it just so happens that we are not in charge. Oh sure we can choose when to leave the house and where to eat lunch but God is in charge of everything in-between.

I love what Jeremiah once admitted to the Lord...

"O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps." (Jeremiah 10:23)

Jeremiah recognized that his steps were not ordered by man but by God. I do not know why God allows the so called "bad stuff" to happen in our lives but I do know that for me, the significant life lessons usually don't come from the mountaintop. Instead, the greatest lessons come from heartache, pain and difficulties.

Today if you are surrounded by bad things, I want to remind you that these are not just some random things; these are specific times and events that God wants to use to strengthen us and perhaps stretch us to lean upon Him.

We are weak but He is strong! Lean upon God and watch how He turns your bad into something good.

BLESSINGS. Laurie

DAY DEVO..making the right choice

Every day we hear about people who make a wrong choice. Just turn on the local news and hear about fraud, murder, and deception. It's really sad that so many people have lost their way and seem to have lost the idea of what the right thing is.

Often, doing the right thing is not always the easiest or most popular thing to do. Society suggests it’s okay to tell little white lies, fudge the numbers, and break commitments. While these actions may make life easier, they lead to the breaking of our integrity.

Doing the right thing is not limited to Christianity. We all were taught right from wrong at a very early age. Doing what is right is within all of us. But something in-between then and now has gone wrong.

So what can we do when doing the right thing is not applauded by others? DO THE RIGHT THING.

"For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ." (Galatians 1:10)

What others do should not be our standard. What others say should not be our standard. Our standard is Jesus!

Jesus did the right thing with tons of naysayers looking on. When He was brought before Pilate, Jesus could easily of denied who He was but instead He faced the consequences of death.

And for what? For our sin!

His grace and His example is what strengthens us to do right. Do the right thing to please God, not man.

Even when others don't do right; you do! Because you can never go wrong by doing the right thing.

BLESSINGS. Laurie

DAILY DEVO...your life is a story!

Have you ever considered that your life is a story, a story worth telling others about?

I enjoy writing. If I were to write about my life, the general points would probably bore you to death. Sure, being married to my high school sweetheart for 35 years is worthy to mention and being a mom, a daughter and a sister could generate a few stories, but is that all there is to tell?

Our life story cannot just be made up of cliff notes; where we work, where we live and who we marry. All of that is important but the stories of our life come from everything that is entangled around those things.

The pain. The joy. The disappointments. The ups. The downs. And all the in betweens.

"Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story-- those He redeemed from the hand of the foe." (Psalm 107:2)

Perhaps somewhere along the course of your life, someone made you feel like your story didn't matter. I assure you for each season, for every chapter lived, God has been penning your wonderful, unique story to be told.

When I see someone who is disgruntled, sad or over the top giddy, I think to myself, "they must have a story".  Everyone has a story to tell, who knows, you and I just might be sitting on the next best seller!

Like any great story, it's only a good read if the reader can connect with the writer. God wants to use all of your story: the joy, the pain, and all the pages in between. So find the essence of your story and share it with someone.

I'm confident it will be a good read.

BLESSINGS. Laurie