Jesus Calling!

"In the Gospel reading from Mark 10 last week, Jesus has an encounter with Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, who begins crying out, "Son of David, have pity on me!"

The crowd kept trying to silence him, but he persisted. "Son of David, have pity on me!"

Jesus stops and tells the disciples to "Call him."

The disciples go to Bartimaeus and say,

"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."

He gets up, goes to speak with Jesus and receives his sight.

What a great story!

Of course, any theologian worth his or her salt will tell us that Bartimaeus represents all of us.

We are all blind in one way or another.

And we can only be healed, receive our sight, if we go to Jesus and ask him to heal us.

If someone walked up to you today and said, "Jesus is calling you!", how would you react?

Would you blow them off as some kind of religious nut?

What if someone wrote you a note to that effect?

Well, then, prepare to blow me off.

Because I'm telling you.

Jesus is calling you!!!

He wants to heal you of your blindness, heal all of your infirmities.

The problem is, of course, that we don't think we're blind.

But that's OK! Jesus is still calling you!

Father, help us to realize our blindness, our woundedness. Open our ears so that we can hear that Jesus is calling us! Amen."

From Gus Lloyd and his "60 Second Reflections" at www.guslloyd.com

Thankful in ALL Circumstances

A couple of great, quick, and memorable  reminders of what has been asked all of us on this challenging and adventurous journey together! 

And following this lead results in tremendous peace and joy in our lives!

It is a Promise and a Gift!  We just need to accept it.

Have a Terrific and Safe Holiday Weekend and Stay Strong!

God Bless...  :)

"Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins.

Be hospitable to one another without complaining.

As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace.

Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God;

Whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies,
so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever.
Amen."
    - 1 Peter 4:7-11

"Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy.

Encourage those who are timid.

Take tender care of those who are weak.

Be patient with everyone.

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

Always be joyful.

Never stop praying.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

— Thessalonians 5

Ready When You Call

"Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
   - MATTHEW 6: 8

Jesus asked the paralyzed man who'd come to the pool of Bethesda to be healed, "Do you want to get well?"

The man responded, "Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool…. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me"(John 5: 6 –7).

The man was focused on what he lacked.

He lacked a friend to help him.

Lacked the strength to do it on his own.

But while he focused on what he didn't have, he overlooked the fact that Jesus was standing right there!

Do you want to get well?

What's your excuse for lying down on your responsibilities?

For limping in an inconsistent walk?

Is it lack of faith?

Will power?

Encouragement?

If you truly want to be made whole, then look to Jesus.

Lean on Jesus.

He is right there, ready to help when you call."

O my Jesus, you have said:

"Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you."

Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of…

(Mention your Intention Here)

O my Jesus, you have said:

"Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you."

Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of…

(Mention your Intention Here)

Stay Strong! :)

For I Am Your Refuge

COME TO ME.

Come to Me.

Come to Me.

This is My continual invitation to you, proclaimed in holy whispers.

Unfortunately, you're often distracted by the noise of your worries and the clamor of the world.

I want to help you remember My inviting Presence even when you're too flustered to hear My Love-whispers.

My children so often need help in remembering.

They consistently forget Me and the great works I have done on their behalf.

For instance, I made a dry path through the Red Sea for the Israelites, saving them from the pursuing Egyptians.

Yet many of those former slaves remembered the tasty food they had eaten in Egypt better than they recalled My miraculous deeds to set them free.

Do not let trivial matters distract you from Me.

Remember that My sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection shed Light on each moment of your life.

I want you to live vibrantly in this Light, increasingly aware of My nearness.

To help in your endeavor to remember, think of Me as the Lover of your soul: the One who delights in you now and forevermore.

View yourself first and foremost as My beloved, since that is your ultimate identity.

Fill your mind with biblical truth about My perfect Love for you.

Come to Me at all times, My loved one.

Pour out your heart to Me, for I am your Refuge.

From " Jesus Lives " by Sarah Young

Stay Strong!

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. MATTHEW 11:28

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. EXODUS 14:21–22

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
PSALM 62:8

Strength Needed?

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
(Isaiah 40:31, NIV)

Finding Strength

Do you need strength for today?

The scripture tells us that when we hope in the Lord, that's exactly what we will get—strength!

If you've grown weary and tired, overwhelmed by the cares of this world, it's a clear sign that you need to change what you're putting your hope in.

Are you putting your hope in your job?

The government?

The economy?

Another person?

All of these things will change.

But when you hope in the Lord, you are investing in the Rock of Ages.

He never changes!

He is the only solid foundation for your soul.

Today, find strength by simply putting your hope in Him.

Declare out loud, "God, I place my hope in You. I trust that You are working behind the scenes in my life. I choose to rest in You."

Then, feed your hope and faith by meditating daily on the scriptures.

As you renew your mind with the Word of God, you'll find Strength, you'll find Hope, and you'll find His Victory all the days of your life!

A Prayer for Today
"Father, thank You for renewing my strength as I put my hope in You. I declare today that I love You and trust You. I know that You are working behind the scenes in my life. Fill me with Your peace and joy as I wait on You in Jesus' name.
Amen."

Stay Strong!

Relieve Your Sorrows and Refresh Your Soul

TRUST IN ME AT ALL TIMES.

I know the pain and sorrow you are feeling, and I want you to pour out your heart in My Presence.

You need to release all those emotions in a safe place.

Demonstrate your trust in Me by opening your heart to Me; as you do so, I promise to keep you safe.

Remember that I am a Man of sorrows, fully acquainted with grief.

Because of all I suffered, I can empathize with you and share your pain.

As you pour out your emotions in My Presence, your heavy burden grows lighter.

You no longer carry your sorrows alone.

You release them to Me, and I then relieve and refresh your soul.

Moreover, as your heavy heart grows lighter, you are freed to learn more of Me: who I really am.

Come to Me and get to know Me in ever-increasing depth and breadth.

You will find that I am indeed a Refuge—a safe place flooded with eternal Love.

Linger a while in My Presence, letting My Love soak into your soul.

From "Jesus Lives" by Sarah Young

Stay Strong!

"Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us."
-PSALM 62:8 NKJV

"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe."
-PROVERBS 29:25

"He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him."
-ISAIAH 53:3 NASB

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls."
-MATTHEW 11:28 AMP

Bring Me All Your Fears, Your Shelter

THOUGH YOU MAY NOT BE MUCH OF A RISK TAKER, BE WILLING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB WITH ME.

If that is where I am leading you, it is the safest place to be.

I want you to follow wherever I lead— even if it's out of your comfort zone.

I will help you learn to follow me confidently rather than fearfully.

Bring all your fears to Me.

Fears that are not dealt with tend to magnify themselves.

Expose them to the revealing Light of My Presence, and they will shrink to manageable proportions.

Some of them may even appear comical in this Light.

As fearfulness loosens its grip on you, you are freed to follow Me.

Grasp My hand tightly as we edge our way out onto the limb.

Since I go before you in this adventure, you can keep your eyes on Me as you step out in faith.

Soon we will get to a resting place, and then you can look back and see how far you've already come.

While gripping My hand to steady yourself, dare to venture a look toward the horizon; enjoy the view from this new perspective!

You are actually safer here—out on this limb with Me— than you would be on the ground.

In this new, challenging environment you stay alert: communicating with Me continually, holding My hand for support.

Overly familiar surroundings may feel more secure, but they can lull you into sleepy self-reliance.

That is when you tend to forget about Me; it's also when you are most likely to fall.

Follow Me confidently wherever I lead, and the Shelter of My Presence will keep you safe.

From " Jesus Lives " by Sarah Young

Stay Strong!

"If the Lord delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand." 
PSALM 37:23–24

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." HEBREWS 12:2

"In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues."
PSALM 31:20

Help in Times of Weakness, Need, and "Unbelief"

Today's Gospel reading tells of a man who asks some of the Apostles to cleanse his son of a demon.

The Apostles were unable to accomplish this so the man asked Jesus to do this for him - "if you can".

Jesus responds "If you can'? Everything is possible to one who has faith."

The man's reply is something we find ourselves saying often- albeit if only to ourselves"

"I do believe - help my UNBELIEF"

The Holy Spirit was sent to us for just this "help" and we ought to take advantage of the offer every minute if each day.

Stay Strong!

AS THE HOLY SPIRIT CONTROLS YOUR MIND AND ACTIONS MORE FULLY, YOU BECOME FREE IN ME.

You are increasingly released to become the one I created you to be.

Freedom through surrender sounds like a contradiction, doesn't it?

Yet when My Spirit is controlling your thinking and behavior, you feel more alive, more real, more content!

I encourage you to pray,

"Holy Spirit, think through me,
live through me,
love through me."

This is a prayer of surrender.

Nonetheless, even though you may pray this way, your desire to be in control can sabotage you.

In My kingdom freedom comes from yielding to My perfect will.

Because I am infinite and you are not, My will may appear to be anything but perfect.

Still, I want you to trust Me, even when you cannot understand what I'm doing.

The Holy Spirit will help you in this as you invite Him to control your thinking.

He lives in the depths of your spirit and knows you better than you know yourself.

His work in you can liberate you to become more completely the one I designed you to be.

I am pleased when you ask My Spirit to live and love through you.

This is the collaborative way of living I had in mind when I created mankind.

The more you collaborate with Him, the freer you become: free to live exuberantly, to love extravagantly, to know Me in ever-increasing intimacy!

From " Jesus Lives " by Sarah Young

Stay Strong!

"The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace."
ROMANS 8:6

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
ROMANS 12:2

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." ROMANS 8:26–27

Please Read..if only this one...

Happy Pentecost Sunday!

As we celebrate the birth of our Church today and reflect in the fulfillment of Christ's Promise to send "a helper" to the Apostles and all of us in his physical absence, I was moved by this reflection below from an extraordinary, and without question, truly inspirational woman.

Please take a moment to read the passage and I am certain you will gain some Strength, some Courage and some inner Power to carry on during any trials or strife you may be currently undergoing.  :)

She reminds us what exactly this gift and promise we are blessed to have been given should mean to all of us.

Stay Strong!

"After my little one died, I begged His direction.

Head bowed low, I waited on him to do what, in my own strength, I could not.

In this sense, I feel His Apostles' longing for specific direction when they discovered that what they had thought would be was actually not.

I wonder if it was because of their hearts urge to flee to the comfort of what they knew and the life that they had left that "he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak." (ACTS 1:4)

They are instructed to wait.

In their waiting, Scripture is fulfilled and the truth of His provision revealed.

A helper, The Same Spirit that descended like a dove before his beloved's baptism, is sent.

It is only then, when filled with his grace, that the disciples speak in tongues, heal the sick, raise the dead, and establish the Church.

He sends the Spirit, not because of our ability, but because of our LACK of it.

It is because of the Spirit we can Proclaim, "I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me." (Phil 4:13)

The father gives His gift freely to accepting hearts and makes possible what is seemingly impossible.

It is His grace revealed through a quiet whisper that reminds me to stand in confidence when the urge is to flee.

It is God's grace that fills me with the Strength to lift my face to the Sun, Courage to defy the enemy, and Hope in the miracle that awaits.

- Jennifer Hubbard resides in Newtown, CT. The younger of her two children, Catherine Violet, was a victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

The Power of Prayer - 2000 years ago and Today

Tomorrow will mark the birth of the Catholic Church - Pentecost Sunday - when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles who had been praying for nine straight days since Jesus had ascended into Heaven to sit at the Right Hand of God.

What the Apostles did in those nine days of crisis and anxiety between the Ascension and Pentecost is remarkable and essentially set the structure of how we as the Faithful are to react and handle our own trials, troubles and challenges.

Jesus departed from them physically that Sunday and left them all in a panic as to what was to come next for them.

What did they do in the face of this crisis and uncertainty??

They locked themselves in their room and they prayed!

They prayed continuously for nine days.

They prayed for the promise Jesus gave them up in His departure - for the Holy Spirit to come upon them in Jesus' absence.

They prayed to the Holy Spirit.

They asked for amd enlisted the Blessed Mother to help them in these prayers.

They prayed and they waited and they persevered in this prayer - hopeful, faithful, believing and trusting!

Thankfully for us, not much has changed for over 2000 years has it?

In our times of great challenge and trial what are we to do?

Panic?  Lament and give up?

No - in these inevitable times of strife and despair, perhaps we can remember what the Apostles did for those nine, long, painful days when their Savior once again left them physically, leading up to the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

They retreated to a quiet place.

They prayed to the Holy Spirit to come upon them - for nine days.

They asked for the help of the Blessed Mother in their prayers - whom Jesus too gave to them (and to us) on that Hill on Good Friday - a promise that endures to this very day for all of us!

And they PERSEVERED - in hope, faith and in trust-  until their prayers were answered.

They didn't quit.

They didn't stop praying in despair or fear.

They didn't focus or worry about all the other thoughts and fears that can overwhelm one.

We can learn a lot from their actions and apply these principles not only in times of crisis and storms, but we can apply them immediately in our daily prayer life and achieve the same peace and joy and power that the blessed Apostles did on that Sunday!

That is the Promise! ;)  And it is available for us all this very day if we but accept it!

Have a tremendous weekend!

Stay Strong!

Doug

Bring Them All to Me

Happy Weekend All! :)

Stay Strong!

LAY YOUR REQUESTS BEFORE ME AND WAIT IN EXPECTATION.

Waiting and trusting are ever so closely connected.

The more you trust Me, the more you can wait with a positive attitude.

Meeting with Me each morning is a profound demonstration of trust.

This practice helps you begin the day with a thankful heart— receiving it as a precious gift from Me.

Waiting in My Presence has beneficial "side effects," so don't be overly focused on getting the answers you seek.

In My holy Light you relate to Me as creature to Creator, as clay to Potter.

This humbles you and helps you worship Me as I truly am.

Many people create in their minds a convenient god who suits their goals and lifestyle.

They may call this god by My Name, but they are actually practicing idolatry.

You need to search the Scriptures to protect yourself from this tragic deception.

As you read My Word, ask the Holy Spirit to illumine your mind so you can see Me more clearly—without distortions.

Feel free to bring Me many requests, because your world is brimming with neediness—as are you.

While you watch and wait in My Presence, look trustingly up to Me. I speak graciously to your heart, assuring you of My unfailing Love.

From " Jesus Lives " by Sarah Young

Stay Strong!

"In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation." PSALM 5:3

"Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand."
ISAIAH 64:8

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him."
JOHN 4:23 NKJV

"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation."
PSALM 13:5

Two Fer Thursday - in case you need it Today....

PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT

"But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him."
1 JOHN 2: 5

The prayer in Psalm 139: 1 –2 says,

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar."

What a relief that Jesus knows who we are.

In fact, He knows us so well He understands that apart from Him, we can do nothing.

You don't have to prove yourself to Him.

You don't have to worry about disappointing Him.

You don't have to earn His respect.

You don't have to work hard to be accepted.

You don't have to produce a quota.

You don't even have to be successful.

God says, "You are precious and honored in my sight, and …I love you"(Isaiah 43: 4).

God loves you!

God loves you!

You are precious to Him. And nothing can ever separate you from His love. Nothing—not even yourself!

From " Fixing My Eyes on Jesus " by Anne Graham Lotz

WHEN THE JOURNEY YOU ARE ON FEELS OVERWHELMING, THE VERY BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS CLING TO ME.

At such times the future seems unreal—unreachable—and the past feels remote, but this can actually be a blessing.

My followers tend to waste vast quantities of time and energy thinking about past and future matters.

Thus they neglect the present—where they actually live—and My Presence, though I am always near.

When adverse circumstances surround you and seem to be closing in on you, it is still possible to be joyful in Me, your Savior.

Since you cannot find a way out of your circumstances, accept the situation and search for Me in the midst of it.

Sometimes you may feel as if you can hold on to Me no longer.

I remind you, though, that you have been able to cling to Me to this day.

You have powerful backup because the Holy Spirit lives in you.

He can give you supernatural strength, far beyond your own.

In addition to this, My hand has an eternal grip on yours.

Though your strength to keep holding on may run out, Mine never will.

From " Jesus Lives " by Sarah Young

Stay Strong!

"So do not fear, for I—your God—am with you. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. But cling to the Lord your God as you have done to this day."
JOSHUA 23:8 AMP

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."
HABAKKUK 3:17–18

"My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me."
PSALM 63:8

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
ISAIAH 41:10

It Has Already Begun

"My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help..."
(Psalm 56:9, NLT)

The Moment We Pray

Are you believing God to do something specific in your life?

Be encouraged because God is already working behind the scenes on your behalf.

Just because you don't see anything happening doesn't mean that God isn't working.

The moment we pray, God sets the miracle into motion.

The thing we have to remember is that God doesn't say, "I'll deliver you in one hour, or next week, or Tuesday at 5:00 p.m."

No, He doesn't put a time frame on it.

That's where trust comes in.

We have to know that our enemies retreat as soon as we call on Him for help.

We have to choose the place of peace knowing that He is working things out.

Today, shake off the temptation to get discouraged during the waiting process.

Shake off offense, shake off discouragement.

Remember, all it takes is one touch of God's favor to take you years ahead.

Keep standing, keep believing, keep hoping because the answer is on its way the moment we pray!

A Prayer for Today
"Father, thank You for hearing me the moment I pray. Today I choose to trust that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf no matter what I see in the natural. I will praise You always because You are faithful. I love You and bless You in Jesus' name.
Amen."

Stay Strong!

The Danger is Giving Up...

FORGET THE FORMER THINGS; DO NOT DWELL ON THE PAST.

See, I am doing a new thing!

I am a God of surprises—infinitely more creative than you can imagine.

The universe displays some of My creativity, but there is more—much more.

I am making a new heaven and a new earth.

Moreover, I am preparing My people—all around the world—to live there with Me in endless ecstasy.

Let this eternal perspective strengthen and encourage you.

As you journey along your life-path with Me, refuse to let the past define you or your expectations of what lies ahead.

You may feel as if the road you are on is tiresome or even a dead end.

That is because you're projecting the past into the future.

The roadblock you are straining to see up ahead is really just an illusion.

The future is in My hands, and I can do surprising things with it!

Your gravest danger is giving up: ceasing to believe I can still do wondrous new things in you and your world.

Your assignment is to keep moving forward in trusting dependence on Me.

Stop focusing on obstacles you might encounter, and concentrate on staying in touch with Me.

As you continue taking steps of trust, expect the path before you to open up in refreshing newness.

I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

From " Jesus Lives " by Sarah Young

Stay Strong! 

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."
ISAIAH 43:18–19

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine . . . "
EPHESIANS 3:20

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea."
REVELATION 21:1

"Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths."
PSALM 25:4 NKJV

Relax...Trust.....It is Underway

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise..."
(2 Peter 3:9, NIV)

Quicker than You Think

Do you realize that as a believer in Jesus, you have a tremendous advantage in life?

The Creator of the universe is not only fighting your battles, but He is lining up the right people, the right breaks, and the right opportunities to move you forward.

You may be facing a situation right now that looks like it's never going to turn around, but I believe that you're going to see some changes quicker than you think.

You're going to come out of debt quicker than you think.

You're going to accomplish your goals much quicker than you think.

That relationship is going to be restored quicker than you think!

Remember, God is not slow in keeping His promise.

I believe we are entering into a decade where we're going to see the hand of God move like never before.

He is going to open up doors that no man can shut.

He is going to turn impossible situations around and take you places that you never dreamed.

It's time to get ready for more of God's favor because that breakthrough is going to happen quicker than you think!

A Prayer for Today

"Father, thank You for being faithful to Your Word. I trust that You will complete the work You've begun in me. Help me keep my heart and mind focused on You as I stand strong in faith to see Your promises come to pass in my life in Jesus' name.

Amen."

Stay Strong!

The Promise in Times of Challenge

I AM AN AWESOME GOD!

Who but I could be everywhere at every time, ceaselessly working on your behalf?

It amazes you that One so great as I would care about the many details of your life.

Yet I do!

When you ponder these glorious truths, you feel safe, knowing you are never alone.

When you don't keep these truths before you, you fall back into your default mode: straining and striving as if outcomes were totally up to you.

What you really need is to keep Me always before you—not just truths about Me.

It's so easy for My children to confuse knowledge of Me with knowing Me experientially.

The apostle Paul understood this distinction:

He wrote about needing Power, through My Spirit, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is My Love—Love that surpasses knowledge!

Knowing Me is so much more than an activity of the mind.

It is largely a matter of trusting Me.

Sometimes you are keenly aware of My Presence; at other times, this awareness is minimal—or even absent.

When you feel alone, you need to rely on your trust in Me.

Continue to live and communicate as if I am with you, because I am!

I have promised I will never leave you or forsake you.

Instead of running after other gods when you feel needy, concentrate on coming nearer to Me.

No matter what is happening, trusting Me and drawing close to Me are your best strategies for coping with life and living well.

From " Jesus Lives " by Sarah Young

Stay Strong!

I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
PSALM 16:8

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
EPHESIANS 3:16–19

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." HEBREWS 13:5

Ask Anything...and Receive It

A WORLD OF PRIVILEGE

"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
JOHN 14: 14

When you come to God through prayer, believing in Jesus'name, you enter a world of privilege!

Doors open, mountains move, doubts disappear, and fears fade.

Jesus says in John 15: 16, "The Father will give you whatever you ask in my name."

The God of the universe bends down to hear what you have to say.

And He answers.

You don't have to go through a religious leader.

You don't have to check with a secretary.

You don't have to be in church.

You don't have to make a donation.

And God isn't concerned with where you live or how much money you make or how brilliant or eloquent you are.

Prayer is as simple as talking to God —in Jesus'name!

From " Fixing My Eyes on Jesus by Anne Graham Lotz

Stay Strong!

Do Not Lose Heart

WHEN LIFE GETS REALLY DIFFICULT, DON'T JUMP TO THE CONCLUSION THAT I'M NOT ON THE JOB.

Instead, be glad you are in the thick of what I experienced.

Accept your ordeal as a spiritual refining process, with Glory just around the corner.

There are many ways to suffer for Me.

The most obvious one is to experience persecution for presenting the gospel to others.

However, when you endure any kind of adversity in a Christ-like way because of your love for Me, I view this as suffering for Me.

So do not lose heart when the trials you are going through seem endless

You can even rejoice that you are sharing in what I experienced as a Man of sorrows, familiar with suffering.

Invite Me into your struggles.

I understand them better than anyone else, and I want to help you with them.

When your suffering is prolonged, the greatest temptation you face is escapism—trying to get away from your problems at all costs, even irresponsibly.

If you endure life's blows in trusting dependence on Me, I can bring much good out of them.

I make all things work together for good to those who love Me.

Consider your trials a part of your education: a spiritual refining process.

Since you are My follower, your suffering will definitely end someday.

To help you persevere, keep focusing on the reward—Glory just around the corner!

From "Jesus Lives " by Sarah Young

Stay Strong!

"Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner."
1 PETER 4:12–13 MSG

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not."
ISAIAH 53:3

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
ROMANS 8:28 NKJV

Please Pray this Today... and Ask.... :)

Mary, Beloved Mother, channel of all grace, I return to You today my heart, recognizing that I am a sinner in need of your help.

I entrust into Your hands this knot [mention your request here] which keeps me from reflecting the glory of God.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exist in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exists in my life. 

You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am bound by these knots.

Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of his children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life.

No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care.

In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone.

Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot.

[Mention your request here]

I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once and for all.

You are my hope.

O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution, and, with Christ, the freedom from my chains.


Hear my plea.


Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Amen.

Stay Strong!

The Battle Armor of Peace

I AM THE LORD OF PEACE, THE ONLY SOURCE OF GENUINE PEACE.

I give you this gift, not as something separate from Myself, but as part of My core essence.

As you open your heart and mind to Me, My Peace is present—readily available to you.

However, this glorious gift is not something you can grab on the run.

You need to take time to focus on Me and enjoy My Presence, putting everything else aside for a while.

You live in the midst of intense spiritual battles, and My Peace is an essential part of the armor I provide for you.

To stay on your feet during combat, you need to wear sturdy warfare boots—the Gospel of Peace.

This good news assures you that I love you and I am for you: I am on your side.

Many of My followers forfeit Peace because they view Me as someone who is constantly scrutinizing their lives—peering at them through critical eyes.

On the contrary, I gaze at you through eyes of perfect Love.

When you are feeling like a failure, talk to yourself and tell yourself the truth: My death on the cross covers all your sins.

I love you regardless of how well or poorly you perform—simply because you are Mine.

From "Jesus Lives " by Sarah Young

Stay Strong!

"Rejoice in this Gospel- Peace; it is yours to enjoy at all times and in every way.
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."
2 THESSALONIANS 3:16

"And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace . . . "
EPHESIANS 6:15 AMP

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" ROMANS 8:31 NKJV