Welcome to my happy thoughtful spot! Here you can get a good solid word that will encourage you and lift you up! Here are some great devotionals that will help you live life!
Friday, September 3, 2010
True Happiness
For you see, true happiness and contentment can never be found in people--your spouse, friend or anyone else. It is only found in walking closely to the Lord Jesus Christ and receiving all that His grace has already provided. That is truly what living an abundant life is all about!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
True Security Is Found In Our Yielding
We all want to be loved, appreciated and accepted. Because of what Jesus did for us at the cross in His death, burial, and resurrection, we are the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Through our accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are a new creation. All of that being said, many of us struggle with insecurities due to our not accepting all that was done for us through the work at the cross. Bottom line is that we need to not just have "fellowship" with the Lord, but we need to have a strong "relationship" with Him. We do that through reading His Word, worship and praise, spending time in prayer on a consistent basis. It's called devotional time! It's vital to our daily walk to have that "relationship" strong! Think about it like this, if you are insecure in your relationship with God, how can you be secure in your relationship with others?
True security is found in our yielding. We need to yield to all that He has provided for us and have a true "relationship" with Him. Anybody can have "fellowship" with anyone, even from afar. Relationship is up close and personal. Let me ask you a question. If you keep living and doing what you are doing right now, in ten years will you be closer to Him or further away? Makes me want to grab a coffee and my Bible and draw close to Him. I know He always draws close to me when I do (James 4:8).
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
"Don't ever doubt in darkness what God has shown you in the light."
Luke 11:34
When you are in a completely dark room, one match can greatly enhance the atmosphere of that room in an instant. What is really amazing is the fact that you see things even more closely because you’re straining to see clearly.
When light is shone on something, you notice imperfections, and you start seeing things that you would like to change. They say that hindsight is 20/20. Looking back at ourselves can give us opportunities to make adjustments to push us to new heights. When we look in the mirror, not only should we see ourselves, but also we should have a vision for the way that God sees our lives. His Word tells us that He sees you as a new creation. He sees you whole. He sees you victorious, and He sees you as being righteous!
What is truly tragic is that many people cannot look in the mirror with the truth of the Word as their reflection. When they look in the mirror, they only see someone who, in their eyes, is unloved, not liked, incompetent, unworthy, has no sense of belongingness, is inadequate, and the list can go on and on.
Many Christians live with those feelings each and every day. They have heard the truth, but they doubt. In their eyes they cannot help the way that they feel. In the darkness of their lives, they focus on their imperfections as a crutch for their self-pity instead of letting the light of the Word change them.
Jesus died so that we can feel competent, walk worthy, and have a true sense of belongingness in life. We are joint heirs with Christ! His blood was shed so that we could live and walk free from the bondages of sin and oppression.
We cannot continue to doubt in our own self-created darkness when we know the truth of the Word, which is our light! Romans 12:2 tells us to RENEW our minds. We should not be shaped by the world’s influence, but instead, by our leaning on the Word of God and our new way of thinking.
We can stay in the dark and cry, or we can dance with joy in the light. Luke 11:34 says, “Your eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye (your conscience) is sound and fulfilling its office, your whole body is full of light; but when it is not sound and is not fulfilling its office, your body is full of darkness.”
When we look back to our old self and our old ways we lose our soundness and our ability to fulfill our days in His victory. We allow the old man to creep in, and we put ourselves back in the dark room when we know good and well what’s been done for us so that we can see clearly and walk victoriously.
You will do what you really want to do. You will live the way you really want to live. When it comes to walking in the true light of the Word of God, we tend to pick and choose what we will believe and walk in. I choose to believe the good Word of God. Sometimes it might not be comfortable to your flesh when you look in that mirror, but you know that you need to change so that you will quit doubting in darkness what you know in the light!
Prayer: Lord, help me to realize the truth of Your Word so that it is a reality to my personal self-image. Thank You for helping me to walk in Your light, the light and knowledge of Your Word each and every day of my life. Thank you. Amen.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Being Refreshed Always!
In 2 Timothy 4:2-7 , “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But YOU be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Paul is giving Timothy, a young pastor, some wise instruction here. This is instruction that we should all follow, and in doing so we will stay refreshed always. Paul tells Timothy to preach the Word, stay true to it. We should all stay true to the Word. As James 1:22 says, “…be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” The last part of that verse should ring clear that you can get deceived by not being a doer of the Word. Times come when things can be a challenge. When you're not a doer of the Word staying true to it, you won't respond according to the Word, you'll respond according to the flesh. Paul is telling young Timothy to watch out for things that will pull him down. What pulls you down? Watch out for it by staying true to the Word. The Word of God is your power source, your lamp and your light.
As believers we have to “watch out” for stuff that can pull us away from our personal relationship with the Lord. We have to stay fresh before God and not let the “stuff” of this life pull us down. We must be careful not to allow the “stuff” to zap our enthusiasm and zeal and pull us back to “B.C.” (Before Christ!). Our walk with Jesus needs to stay fresh each and every day! If God put into you how much you put into Him, how much of God would you be really walking in? Daily, our relationship with the Lord needs to be fresh.
We need to always be a living example of what we believe. That's not always easy. We must strive to consistently put the Word to work in our lives, put it into our hearts so that we are being that beacon of truth and righteousness among those with whom we associate and especially to those who are passing by. Jesus was “followable”! We need to have “followable” lifestyles. “Follow Me!” He wasn't some mystic something. No, multitudes followed Him, the disciples dropped what they were doing, left, and followed Him. Our lives both public and private should be “followable”. Paul was giving some strong instruction to young Timothy to help keep him strong and keep him on track. Here are some simple points to keep you strong.
Three Things To Keep Yourself Refreshed Always.
1. Have The Right Emphasis.
Put The Word First! There is a lot of stuff out there that pulls you away from the truth of the Word of God. As you put the Word first, your faith will grow and strengthen. Romans 10:17, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” The more you know the more your relationship will grow with the Lord. James 4:8 tells us to draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to you. Let go of whatever makes you stop getting into the Word of God. Let it go! Have the right emphasis and put the Word first in your life. D.L. Moody once said, “God never made a promise that was too good to be true.” The man who puts God and His Word first will find God with him always! Proverbs 3:6 says, “In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” (The Living Bible)
You'll keep your peace, joy, and victory if you put the Word first. You won't give up control of your peace, joy, and victory when stuff comes at you because the Word that you've put inside will speak first and keep you strong and always refreshed.
2. Stir Up The Gift of God In You.
Don't wait for your Pastor to stir you up or some guest speaker, or some song. No you have got to stir yourself up! Not only do you need to take the responsibility for stirring yourself up but you need to be consistent about it too! 2 Timothy 1:6 says, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you…” Paul told Timothy that he needed to stir himself up. Paul said basically, “YOU DO IT!” When there is a weather bulletin about possible snow or ice, the milk and bread at the stores are the first to be gone. Nobody wants to be without the necessities! You cannot walk strong if you don't have the overflow. Your overflow always keeps you walking in victory in everyday situations of life.
John 7:38 says, “Out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Rivers that refresh and renew! Jude verse 20 says, “Building up yourself on your most Holy faith by praying in the Holy Ghost.” Rivers flow when you pray in the Spirit. You build yourself up on the inside when you pray in the Holy Spirit! 1 Corinthians 2:9-12 tells us that we might know the things that are freely given! How do we know? By stirring up the gift of God inside of you and me, praying in the Holy Spirit. You don't have to have wildfire to be on fire! You just have to keep yourself stirred up!
We must be careful that the affairs of life don't rob us of our time with God. We've got to think “conversion”. Our wealth lies in our ability to convert “downtime” to “God's Time”! If you want to always stay fresh, stir up the gift of God on the inside of you and you will be always refreshed! And lastly, number three…
3. Keep Yourself Right!
1 Timothy 5:22 says, “Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, not share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure.” It is so very important to keep yourself right in life. This verse says to keep yourself pure. God may use you mightily, but you cannot get to a place where you don't have control over you and over your actions. We've all spent time with some folks who walked in many gray areas in their personal life and think there is nothing wrong with what they continuously do. They will be one way in public and another in private. And they'll wonder why things keep happening to them and they'll struggle but they refuse to look in the mirror due to their own selfish pride. They will blame others first and never look inward. Pride always keeps you deceived. Pride will always keep you in bondage. Proverbs 22:1 tells us that a good name is rather to be had than riches. Don't talk one way and act another. It will show up somewhere and affect your bottom line. It's hard to swim to the shore when you're far away. Get back to the Word and keep yourself right.
Avoid the appearance of evil. Keep a lid on your flesh. Pay attention to what you watch, listen to, and partake of. Bad habits can consume your thinking. Good habits can keep you focused and on the right path. Romans 13:14 says to make no provision for the flesh. It also says to “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Just like a coat, put His life on yours. Keep a teachable spirit about your life. Have a sweet attitude. Be willing to change things when you realize that you need to. If you mess up, fess up! The greatest message in life is the road sign that says “Keep Right”. If you will “Keep Right” you will be always refreshed.
Prayer: Father, I choose to be always refreshed. Help me to realize my depth of heart in regard to my relationships or the shallowness that I may be showing and not seeing. May my conversation be pleasing and my steps be sure. You alone are my strength and my song. I commit to lean on and trust in You and Your Word. I will put Your Word first in my daily life, stir up Your Spirit inside of me, and keep my heart right. Amen.
Pastor James Farmer
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Fall 2008 • Praise & Worship: Going Beyond The Natural
Since it’s that holiday time of the year, I thought I would share some thoughts on being thankful. Through all the years of my Christian walk, the most important part of my life is my personal devotional time with the Lord. The time that I spend worshiping Him is so vital to my daily walk. I want to take this time to share with you some specifics about that personal time, and praise and worship, that are important. You see, worship is a result; it’s not a cause. It’s the result of what you’ve been doing all week long.
John 4:22-24 says, “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
The supernatural is not enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is being excited, but that doesn’t make it supernatural. Excitement can sometimes be a by-product, reaction, or response to our being in a supernatural moment. Sometimes our emotions respond to the anointing, but that‘s not necessarily spiritual. Enthusiasm is not what shows your devotion to the Lord. What shows your devotion to the Lord, and one of the keys to your devotion to the Lord, is your private time with God. Your personal devotional time is what feeds you on a personal level.
The degree of power that you have in your life depends on your degree of personal commitment to your fellowship time with the Lord. You can say it like this: you’ll only praise Him to the degree that you know Him. You know Him by spending quality time with Him in fellowship and praise. Personal praise and worship time with the Lord will truly change your life.
Jesus never promoted His own agenda. Whose did He promote? His Father’s! The key lesson here is that if you promote God, He’ll promote you. That’s a key in leadership and in the lives of those who have great vision for their lives. Promote God and He will promote you. One of the ways you can promote God in your personal life and have a supernatural walk with the Lord is through praise and worship.
Praise and worship will draw or pull you into His presence and bring you great strength and joy! The Bible says in Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is our strength.” Psalm 16:11 says, “In His presence is fullness of joy.”
Psalm 150:6 says, “Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, Hallelujah!”
Psalm 22:3 “But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.”
When you praise God, you open up a realm in your life, a supernatural realm of His presence.
I was recently reading from Oswald Chamber’s book, “My Utmost For His Highest”. He said some powerful things about praise and worship and it’s effect on our personal lives. He wrote that: praise breaks personal ego, self-centeredness, defensiveness, hostility, and aggressive anti-social behavior. Praise is vital because it takes your eyes off of your self and places the attention upon Jesus.
In Luke 9:24 Jesus said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. “ Mr. Chambers continued saying that one cannot truly praise without letting go of self. When praise becomes a way of life, the infinitely loving God becomes the center of worship rather than our bankrupt self. “Amen” or “Oh me!”
Worship is the fire of our communication with the Lord. True praise brings the manifested presence of God into our lives on a personal and powerful level. As the body of Christ, we have the responsibility to worship the Lord. It is a vital part of our fellowship and communion with the Lord. When you praise and worship the Lord, you set an atmosphere that is conducive to the Holy Spirit of God. The first part of Acts 13 tells us that as they worshiped, the Holy Spirit spoke. Worship truly opens a door for the supernatural in our lives.
Worship is you and the Lord in communion and fellowship together. Sometimes in my devotional time of fellowship in the Word and in praise, I just don’t feel like it. I’m like you, I get tired and want to sleep a little longer or feel I’m just too busy. Notice what Leviticus 22:29 says, “And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will.”
Hebrews 13:15 says, “By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name.” The Amplified Bible reads, “Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of our lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His Name.”
While grocery shopping, driving, mowing the lawn, or just walking, you can praise God! If we want to draw closer in our walk with God we must live a life of praise and worship. With thanksgiving we give Him praise. Be thankful! It’s the fruit of YOUR LIPS giving thanks to His Name!
Based on what we’ve just discussed, here are some things that will take place when you praise God.
1. I It will cost you something…. Yourself!
2. It is something that is of your own free will.
It’s when you don’t feel like it sometimes.
4. It’s continual.
Know that attitude is a bodily action, which is the reflex of a person’s mind or mood. Give God glory and praise and you’ll receive an attitude adjustment! Amen!
Prayer: Father, I choose to daily give You Praise! I will let the fruit of my lips glorify You always. Even when it is a sacrifice, I will choose to magnify You! Amen.