I decided to start this blog (2010) because my son, John-Robert gave me a One Year Bible for Christmas, the New Living Translation... reading it has changed my life... I post a daily Bible verse on my Facebook page every day and it has been well received... I thought that this would be a wonderful way to share part of what I read each day!... I hope that you enjoy it.



This Year 2012 I am going to do things a little different... not much...just a little. I am again reading through my One Year Bible (for the 3rd time). But I am also using "The Secret Power of Speaking God's Word" by Joyce Meyer. This book is divided by putting scriptures under different categories so they can be used to speak over our life situations. Each day I will read a category of scripture and pick a scripture in that category to write about.



Hugs

Jeannie







Saturday, June 30, 2012

6.30.12

1 Peter 3:11 (Amplified Bible)  Let him turn away from wickedness and shun it, and let him do right. Let him search for peace (harmony; undisturbedness from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]

My Thoughts
To be at peace with God and others we must love them... we must forgive them their mistakes... we must look for the good in the and overlook their mistakes.  Look at the last line here... it also includes us being peaceful with ourselves... and to be peaceful with ourselves we must love our-self, forgive ourselves our mistakes... look for and find the good in what we do!!  We must pursue harmony and peaceful relationships... we must pursue to love ourselves. Until we totally love ourselves... take time to see ourselves through God's eyes and know that we are worth loving we will have a hard time loving others. 

Love yourself today!!!... Look in that mirror and know that God loves you so much that He gave Jesus to die for you sins... that is how much God loves you... God forgives you.. He throws your mistakes, your sins as far as the east is from the west!!  Take time to notice the good things in yourself..that is what God sees!!!  He loves the good things in us... God nourishes the good!!.. When the devil tries to remind you of what you did wrong... just tell him "God forgave me and I forgive me... and here is a list of what I do right __________, _____________, ___________ and _____________! So just be on your Way!"

God is love.. pure loves comes straight from God!! God makes sure that we know in his word...right here that we are to pursue a peaceful relationship with ourselves!!  Try it!! It is live changing!!

Friday, June 29, 2012

6.29.12

Proverbs 18:4 Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.

My Thoughts
I love this... this is my third time through the Bible... each time I find more!!  It makes me think of the ocean... you look out at it... you see it's power... you see how vast it is.  Just looking at it is almost overwhelming when you stop to take it all in.  That is just the part you can see.  But if you go deep, deep into the ocean there is such peace... there is such beauty... it is calm underneath.. it is powerful underneath the ocean...but a calm power filled with peace and beauty beyond what we can even imagine.

The Bible as a book is like that... you look at it...there are so many pages... you know those pages are powerful... but just looking out on it you can feel overwhelmed.  But if we just pick it and explore its pages... seek after the wisdom found in the words... we become a part of its power...we are surrounded by its amazing strength and calmness...we are captured and entertained by its beauty... our lives become a part of the strength, the joy, the peace, the beauty... we just have to push forward past the surface to be captured up in its strength.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

6.28.12

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

My Thoughts
God gives us free will...He gives us the choice to choose blessing... or we can choose curses.  All that we have to do to have the blessings of God is to obey Him...commit ourselves to Him. Loving God is our key to life.

The more I read God's word...the more it settles down into my heart.. the more I understand just how much God loves me.  What is amazing is that if we obey God our life will just be better... God only wants the best for us!!... But God does not stop at our lives being better... He rewards us for our good behavior!! 

God tells us all the time how to have a good life!!... He tells us if we give to others, He will give back to us pressed down and overflowing.  My visual on that is this... Take a glass and fill it with cotton balls... just put them in there to the top... that is what God ask us to give....now take that same glass... fill it with cotton balls and press them down... keep adding ... press some more...now let go and see how many more cotton balls you have... that is how much God give back...just because we give!! 

If God honors our giving so generously how much more will he honor our loving?!?! 

God is waiting to bless us... He is up in Heaven rooting us on!!  Cheering us on!!... Jesus is constantly praying on our behalf.... God even puts the Holy Spirit inside us to tell us what to do...He gives us His word...and He tells us that if we seek wisdom that wisdom will find us. We don't have to be smart about it...we just have to seek after it.  He puts all this in place for us...then He promises us blessings to go along with being good... It is a privilege just to get to love God...and if we do He is going to add blessing to it!! 

When I was 9 and asked Jesus into my heart... when I believed that He was the Son of God...I got my place in heaven... but my life changed in the most amazing ways when I picked up my Bible and started seeking after God two and a half years ago.   I learned how to truly love God...I have learned how much God truly loves me!  My body actually tingles with joy!...My face glows.... I have peace that I never knew could exist!... Do I have bad days...sure I do ...I am living on this earth where evil is at every corner...and sometimes I get lost in the wrong things...but as soon as I turn my eyes, my heart back to God, his blessing start pouring down from heaven and all is good again!!  And each time I see that change ... I get better and better and going to God sooner when I mess up!  I tell myself you can be miserable or you can praise God!.. Praising God works every time! 

If you are reading this wondering if this really works... imagine me sitting in front of you with your sweet face in my hands... I am looking at you with loving eyes...with tears of joy and a deep sense of wanting you to understand what I am saying!  I am saying "God loves YOU, YOU so much!  He wants nothing but the very best for you!!  There is nothing that God will ask you to do that will not make your life better...even when the world does not see what you have done, God does and He stores up blessing for you!!  God cares! God will make your life better!!  Just pick up that Bible and start reading it!! You may not understand it at first, I didn't!!  But if you seek after God, He will make sure that it comes...He will make sure that you feel His love, that you feel joy, that you feel peace... He will walk with you and be beside you! Choose blessing!!" 



Wednesday, June 27, 2012

6.27.12

1 Peter 3:1-5 In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives. Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands.

My Thoughts
Verse 7 does go on to say... Husband treat your wives good... take care of them... it even says to be sure and be great husbands so your prayers will get through to heaven!!

I love how this verse tells us that we win people over by our actions... by being pure and reverent... it says you do what is right...you do what is good and your actions, your kindness, your love, your love of God will work... you don't need words to change people...there doesn't have to be screaming... or making your point... you just have to go about being loving!!  Think about it...when somebody loves you with all their heart...when they make you feel special just because you walk into a room...when you know that they love you and care about you...there is nothing that you wouldn't do for them!!  If we make our husbands feel like kings...if we love them with all our hearts...if we light up when they walk into a room... if we agree with them..everyone likes somebody to see their side!!  Then they will not be able to help themselves when we have a need or a want...they will want to make sure we are taken care of ...they will want to give us our hearts desire!!  If our face...our actions say to our spouse "Oh there you are!!..I am so excited you came into this room!! I am so glad that you are in my life!" It won't matter if you just woke up...or if you have spent 2 hours getting beautiful...that love in your eyes for him... that total love that comes from the deepest part of you will make you glow! Love makes everything glow!!  If I think about it...if somebody ask me to do something with that love in their eyes...I can't say no!...but if they ask me with selfishness or with that "you better do this for me" attitude I don't want to do it.  Love, pure love glows...it is sweet and understanding... it is unselfish...it wins the hearts of the toughest people...it has the power to move mountains.  Love honors God and is honored by God in our lives.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

6.26.12

2 Chronicles 7:14  I am one of God's chosen people.  I am called by His name. If I humble myself, pray, seek, crave and require of necessity the face of God and turn from my wicked ways, then will God hear from heaven, forgive my sin and heal my land.

My Thoughts
So often we feel powerless... we think, "There is nothing I can do.. our country is going down, down, down." But here, we are told in God's word that there is something we can do!!  We can humble ourselves, pray, seek, crave and require the necessity of the face of God and turn from our wicked ways...then God will hear from heaven and forgive our sin and heal our land.  We have a part...we can make a difference...we can seek after and love God...we can love our neighbor...we can walk in love...then God will take care of the rest.  God has the power to change our circumstance ... God has the power to change the hearts of kings and of presidents. We can go around and complain... we can go around grumbling...we can put our leaders down.. which we are not supposed to do!! Or we can seek after God... do good... turn from sin.... live within our means... watch our words... love each other... be kind to each other... help each other... then God will take over and forgive us and heal our land. He will change the hearts of the people in charge.. God can and will make a difference in our land...but we as children of the Most High God have to do our part!! 

If there had been 10 in Sodom ...just 10 God would have spared Sodom.. Genesis 18:32.  What if all America needs is 10 people that love God?  What if there is only 9? Our actions, our love for God and for others make a difference...not only for us...but for the people around us.... our actions, our love for God, our love for others, can save a nation.  Have you ever wanted to be a hero?  Love God!! 

Monday, June 25, 2012

6.25.12

Acts 16:25-28 Around midnight Paul ans Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundation.  All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!  The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open.. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself.  But Paul shouted to him, "Stop! Don't kill yourself! We are all here."

My Thoughts
Paul and Silas had been badly beaten and thrown into prison...yet they sing praises to God.  There in their pain...in their chains...with open bleeding wounds they sang praises!!  When the earth trembled and the prison doors opened...and the chains were broken... not only were Paul and Silas effected...the men around them that had witnessed their faith in God... these men were freed from their chains too!.. Then the guard..their very enemy..the man sent to guard them was freed from death because they did not run.  This man, the guard, took them home...feed them and bandaged their wounds...he asked what he needed to do to be saved.  All because Paul and Silas did the right thing even in their pain.. even in their captivity.  The next day God rewarded Paul ans Silas by having the officials set them free. If they had ran when their chain were broken they would have not been free in their freedom..they would have been running forever. 

This is a great lesson for us today... when we choose to praise God...to trust God... especially in our grief and pain... in times when we feel under bondage from things of this world... it not only effects us.. it effects the people around us... it even effects the people that seem to be our enemies in profound ways!! Our attitude toward God during our worst days is the greatest witness of our love for God and God's love for us!!  Paul and Silas' actions saved many men that day from the depths of hell. Our actions are our best witness of God's love and power...our very actions have the power to save a person's life. 

A few months ago I watch a You Tube video on this man speak about his 23 minutes in Hell. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv8pLUMDVRc  This video made me know, without doubt that I don't want even my worst enemy to go to such a place.  I pray that my actions..in good times and in bad speak of the love of God in my life!!  I pray that I live in a way that make people want to know and love God....I pray that I can be the example that Paul and Silas were that day when they praised God in their deepest pain.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

6.24.12

2 Kings 6:21-22 When the king of Israel saw them, he shouted to Elisha, "My father, should I kill then? Should I kill them."   "Of course not!" Elisha replied. " Do we kill prisoners of war? Give them food and drink and sent them home again to their master."

My Thoughts
These men had come to kill Elisha... Elisha had ask God to strike them with blindness... so he to them to the King of Israel. Elisha had the power to order their death... to have anything done to them he wanted.  But Elisha, a man of God, had them treated fairly and sent them back home.

We are so often hurt by others... so often we are the ones who hurt others.  When others hurt us... we need to remember their actions are actions cause in a time of war.  The war the devil has waged against God and all his goodness.  When people do hurtful things... evil things... they have become ensnared by the devil himself.  We have been used by the devil for a second in time to tear down.  We need to realize when somebody else does hurtful things... the devil has taken them captive... maybe for just a brief moment in time... Instead of taking revenge we need to act in love... feed those people with hope and love and forgiveness and send them home again.  When we act in any other way we have just stepped into a trap set by the devil...and we have been caught...when we act in love...we have stepped right over that trap and won one more battle against the evil of Satin himself.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

6.23.12

Psalms 141:3-4 Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.  Don't let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don't let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong.

My Thoughts
David...who was considered by God to be a godly man... talked to God all the time... David needed God's help to control his mouth...so do we.  David need God's help so he would not drift toward evil  or take part in acts of wickedness... so do we.  David needed God's help so that he would not be tempted by the nice things of evil people...so do we!

I first noticed the part about God taking control of our words...but the more I read this verse I am drawn to the part about sharing in the delicacies of those who do wrong.  So often we are tempted by what others have, jealous of what they have to the point of putting what we plan to earn in the future on toys for today...just because somebody else has it.  We don't stop and think about how they got it or why they got it..we just want it too. And we want it now!! So instead of saving up for something we rush out and put tomorrow's money down ...without know what tomorrow holds.   God knows what tomorrow holds for us...and He will provide our needs.  But we need to be careful not to make arrogant assumptions about what the future holds for us... we need to wait and save so that we can do what God would have us do.... so that we are not stuck paying for yesterday's goodies to the point of not being able to do what God needs us to do today.  When we get caught up in wanting the delicacies of those who do wrong we loose site of what God wants for our future...and put ourselves in a place of bondage so that we are not free to step out when God ask us to. 

Do we want what God wants for our future? Or do we want to be like our  neighbor  when we have not even taken the time to count the cost?  God cares about the desires or our hearts...and God will make sure that we get some of those... we need to not jump ahead of God... God gives to us with freedom... The devil entices us so that we live in bondage.  Living in freedom is a much happier place to be!!

Friday, June 22, 2012

6.22.12

Acts 14:11-15 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done (healed a crippled man), they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”  Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.  And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.  But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out,  “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

My Thoughts
The people saw Paul and Barnabas as gods.  It saddened them to be thought of that way...they knew that all power comes from God.  It got me to thinking that we so often treat athletes and movie stars like gods...we give them more time than we give God.  Don't get me wrong..I am not saying that going to a football game... or buying a shirt to support you favorite team is a sin... or that watching TV is a sin... I think the sin comes in,  in the way we do it. 

The people could have been thankful for Paul and Barnabas...showed their appreciation for them... but made their sacrifices to God...sent up their thanks to God...they could have given God what God was due for all He done. In the same way we can appreciate our sports teams...and our favorite TV shows... as long as we give God what is due.  For instance God expects 10 percent of our money and probably 10 percent of our time... If we spend the evening watching TV but have not taken time out of our day to spend time with God are we not giving TV stars more time than we give God.. in a way worshiping them... If we spend our money to see a football game...or support our football team with team clothing when we have not given God, His 10 percent...are we not putting athletes ahead of God... making them who we worship? 

God gave us things to get excited about, to enjoy....but our first excitement should be in Him.  He should get the first of our time.. the first of our money...the first of our thoughts...then we are putting Him as our Lord and King.... then we can enjoy the rest...when we put other things ahead of God..we are treating them as gods. We must be very careful to give God his rightful place in our lives.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

6.21.12

Psalms 139:17-18 How precious are you thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up you are still there.
My Thoughts.
Oh I love this... I think of being on the beach and picking up sand in my two cupped hands... there is no way I could begin to count those grains of sand...then I imagine myself looking out across the beach...oh the sand on the beach...it is as far a I can see....then there is the sand under the water that I can't see... and that is just one beach!! God has so many precious thoughts about us that we can't even count them! Those precious thoughts outnumber the grains of sand!! How special are each and every one of us that God would think that many precious things about us!! We matter...we each matter to God...so much so that He is constantly thinking precious thoughts about us!! How special is it to be a child of God!!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

6.20.12

Proverbs 19:11 Good sense makes me restrain my anger, and it is my glory to over look a transgression or an offense.

My Thoughts
Glory is defined as "high renown or honor won by notable achievements." God thinks that we deserve honor...and that we have achieved something noble when we restrain our anger. It does not say here that we won't feel it... it tells us that when we do feel anger and we restrain that anger  that we have achieved something noble!  We store up riches in heaven by our good acts here on earth. When we restrain our anger we are storing up glory in heaven. 

We have all heard that saying "No good deed goes unpunished." The devil loves to make us think just that... he also loves to entice us to anger.  When we do good God always notices even when people don't!  When we feel unnoticed by people we should really get excited that means that our reward for that good deed is stored up in heaven.... the rewards from God, to us for doing something good, must be amazing.

Next time you feel that anger rising up inside you... stop and think "If I don't act on this anger I am acting nobly."  Then turn and walk away, holding your shoulders up high... say "Thank you God that you know when I am doing my best."  Be aware that God does know...that awareness helps us be strong... that awareness helps release God's grace, that helps us to do better, in our lives.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

6.19.12

1 King 21:20 "So, my enemy, you have found me!" Ahab exclaimed to Elijah.  "Yes," Elijah answered, " I have come because you have sold yourself to evil in the Lord's site.

My Thoughts
"You have sold yourself to evil," wow those words sent chills down my spine!!  I know that sin is wrong... I know that it displeases God.  I try not to sin!!... But, I have never thought of it as selling myself to evil!! Have you? If somebody asked me "Would you sell your soul to the devil?" Of course I would say "NO!' We all would!!  The devil is evil... each time we choose to sin..we are doing what Ahab did...we are selling ourselves to evil.  This will make me think long and hard the next time I have a thought like "I should not be saying this!"  and then I keep going... I believe the Holy Spirit instead of saying "don't say it Jeannie"  might just say "Do you really want to sell your soul to evil?"


Monday, June 18, 2012

6.18.12

Proverbs 1:5 The wise will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel.

My Thoughts
We don't have to start out wise...we get to seek wisdom... James 1:5 tell us "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you."  The more we seek after what God wants us to know...the more God drops it down into our spirit making it become a part of who we are.  But we must make the effort...it is up to us to do the seeking...then God does the rest. The more knowledge we have the more understanding we will have...the more skill we will acquire to accomplish what God ask us to do.  The more we live the way God ask the better we get along... in life, with people, at our jobs, with ourselves.  God is all knowing and wants to share that knowledge with us... He wants to  make our lives better... and He will... our part is to seek after wisdom.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

6.17.12

1 John 4:17-19 Love has be perfected in me in this: that I may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so am I in this world.  There is no fear in love: but perfect love cast out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  I love Him because he first loved me.

My Thoughts
This verse made me think of how when we feel guilty we live in such torment... torment creates more fear.   Guilt torments us and often leads to depression and anxiety... stress and health problems.  So many of us feel like we are not sorry if we don't feel guilty...we treat others as if they are not sorry for what they have done to us if they don't feel guilty.  The devil love to perpetuate this in us... when we live in guilt we are stopped in our tracks..we can't move forward.

God is perfect love...and it tells us here that there is no fear in perfect love.  Perfect love cast our fear.  When God forgives us, He also forgets... He throws our sins as far as the east is from the west.  He ask us to feel sorry for our sins, so that we learn in the process and don't keep committing them...then He gives us his forgiveness... forgiveness given in perfect love. That forgiveness frees us from guilt....we are guilty no more.  We don't have to sit and waller in guilt to prove to God that we love Him... We prove to God that we love him by doing better and better and better at obeying Him.  By spending time with Him... by praising Him and thanking Him.  Not by feeling guilty... guilt is a form of torment...and perfect love cast out fear because fear involves torment!!  God would never ever torment us.

When we feel that voice of guilt after we have gone to God for forgiveness...we need to recognize it as Satin himself...and just tell him out loud, "God has forgiven me!! I have been set free from that sin and you can just move on!  I refuse to feel guilty! I choose to live in God's perfect love where I don't have to live in torment! I will not accept the feeling of guilt that you are trying to place on me...so just be on your way!"  then we need to stop and thank God for His complete forgiveness and we need to thank Him for his perfect love!! 

Next time you feel yourself feeling guilty for things in your past... remember that guilt does not come from God... God has cast those sins into the sea of forgetfulness!!  God loves you.. God is proud of you for doing better!!   Jesus accepted those sins and died for them on the cross... they are covered... now you can live in God's perfect love!!  Perfect love that knows no fear!!

Saturday, June 16, 2012

6.16.12

Psalms 145:15-16 My eyes wait for You [looking, watching, and expecting] and You give me food in due season.  You open Your hand and satisfy me with favor.

My Thoughts
We are so blessed in the US... most of us don't go hungry... I know, I know we have all see that billboard, and that commercial that says 1 in 6 Americans go hungry...I researched that!  It was breaking my heart... they leave out the 1 in 6 Americans "that live below the poverty level" go hungry. And it  is up to us to find a way to reach those people...But back to my point for today... We are so blessed in America... We are so blessed that we often forget to notice that God is watching over us and giving  us the food that we have to eat.  The only times I have ever been hungry is when I was so busy enjoying myself that I forgot to eat...then I just got me something to eat.  Why? Because God made sure that I had the means, and the food available.  We are so blessed that there is food enough to waste and most of us don't give it a second thought when we throw out something that didn't get eaten. As much as I pray and talk to God I often forget to tell Him "Thank You God" for my food. 

I remember going through Joshua House at the Holocaust Museum in Washington ...when you started out it showed a Jewish family in the kitchen, much like us today...talking and laughing... the radio was going in the background... they were ignoring the news... talking about the day's soccer game.. eating and laughing and talking.  As you went through  the Germans came and took them away later they lived in a dungeon of a place... torn, dirty clothes... one room to live in... and a turnip in a pot of water was all they had to eat... the kids were talking about being so hungry.  Did they remember to thank God when times were good?  Did they even realize that God had put everything they had to eat on that kitchen table by providing for them the jobs, the ability, the healthy crops?  I don't know. 

I do know that when we love God. When we remember God... when we live the kind of life that God ask us to... God provides for us.  So often God is still providing for us even when we going about our days and not giving God one single thought.  So often God provides for us because of the prayers of our parents or our grandparents. 

In the US today... so, so, so many of us are blessed with more than enough food on our tables.  We need to remember where those blessing came from...and we need to thank God that He loves us so much. Not just with our words... but with our actions.. our time... our resources... our money... we need to make sure to give back to God...by putting Him first.  When we love God and follow his commands... we live under the protections of God..in fact it tells us here that God is  waiting to open His hand and satisfy us with His favor.  Our part, and we always have a part.. is to put God first in our lives..and to do our very best to behave in a manner that is pleasing to Him.

Friday, June 15, 2012

6.15.12

Proverbs 24:6 For by wise counsel you can wage your war, and in an abundance of counselors there is victory and safety.

My Thoughts
This really struck me today.  I thought "People, leaders only wage war if they feel confident that they can win!"  When we study God's word, get it in our hearts... know it...we are able to wage war against the devil and win!!  When we surround ourselves with wise people of God through Bible Study, Church Services, Sunday School.... Good books on God's word...then we are insuring our victory and safety over the devil.

No good King, no good leader goes to battle unprepared... neither should we!!  When we know God's word enough to call on it (we don't have to know the exact book and verse), when we have learned to hear the Holy Spirit directing our actions, when we have gone to God in prayer and seek-ed his council, when we have surrounded ourselves with Godly people ... we have prepared ourselves for a war that we are prepared to win!!

God will give us victory over the devil... we just have to know God, know God's word so well that we are not fooled by the devil himself when he uses God's word to trip us up! (Thank you Pastor David for helping me understand this!)

Every day we wake up to a battle... a battle between good and evil... we need to have every weapon at our disposal to win that war!! Be must be prepared!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

6.14.12

Proverbs 29:25 Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.

My Thoughts
Have you ever did something  you knew you shouldn't because you were a little bit afraid of somebody?  I think that we all have!...I know that I have.  I am a people pleaser.  I can not stand confrontation... I fear somebody being angry at me more than I would fear a beating....and I would fear a beating!! 

But here is tells us that if we trust God we will be safe... God can turn some body's heart around.  If we choose to please God, to trust in God... God will protect us from what we fear.  The more I trust God, the more I choose to make God happy... to be a God pleaser instead of a people pleaser, the easier my life gets.  I am amazed every time that I choose to please God even if it might make somebody upset at me.  I find that I am protected... things do turn out fine.  I find I can say no without explanation.  A couple of times I have been asked to explain...in that way where you just had to say "I just don't feel like God wants me to do that."  Those are powerful words!!  I was careful to put it in a way that God would not want me to do it...and not say anything about what God would want them to do..after all I don't know what God's plans are for them.  I find that when I am pushed to the point of saying "I have to choose to please God." then people just accept my choice and leave me alone about it. 

Often times the fear of people...now what they will actually do is what gets us into trouble.  People will accept no much more often than we think.  And guess what?! They will love us anyway.  Often times they will respect us more because we took a stand and were not a push over.  Fear can be a powerful thing... but God...well God is stronger than anything we face!

God always wants the best for us! Always!!  We can never go wrong by choosing to please God over man...over fear.  We should never think we are missing out on something grand either... if we miss out on something because we choose to do what God would want... you better believe God will reward us with something even more special.  When we love somebody we love doing for them... God's love for us is greater than any love we have ever experienced ... imagine what He wants to do for us!!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

6.13.12

Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken and in due season is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

My Thoughts
Just think what a treasure an apple of gold would be... Imagine an apple of gold...with a stem and leaf set in silver... not overlaid in gold...but an apple of pure gold sitting in your hand!!  Oh the things you could do with that apple... not only would it be amazingly beautiful...but it would be worth so much!!

Our words when they are carefully spoken...when they are fitting to the soul... when they bring love and joy... when they bring encouragement...when they teach us how to become better people... they are treasures... something we hide in our hearts and draw on for strength for years to come!!  The are worth so much...they accomplish so much.... words fitly spoken are like an investment in a person's life.  Wise and loving words can grow a person to the point that they produce much fruit.... to the point that they spread seeds and grow other people. 

Our words are powerful, powerful things.. just like gold is a powerful, powerful motivator.  We should be very careful that we use that power to build up... to grow... to spread love and encouragement.  We should never ever use the power of our words to destroy. 

As long as we have words to speak ...we have power... we should back that power with the Name of Jesus and move mountains. We can move mountains with simple words like "I love you!" "You did a wonderful job!" "You can do anything!"  "You are beautiful."

Anytime we have a positive thought about somebody... we have the power to change their day for the good... by putting that positive thought into words, words that will build that person up and make them stronger, happier, ... words that make them feel loved! 

When we feel loved..when we feel confident...when we feel like other people care about us .. we grow stronger and more capable.  When kind words are spoken  there is stregth in them!  Think about it...have you ever been exausted and somebody come up to you and say something like "You are beautiful!" or "You amaze me!" and all the sudden you have this renewed energy?  We have the power to renew people's energy...to repair broken hearts... to give people the strenght to take one more step... that power is in our words. 

How will you us your words today??


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

6.12.12

Psalms 139:1-4
O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.


You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.


You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.

You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord



My Thoughts
Have you ever had a thought that you didn't want to share with God?... most of us have!!  The thing is... God already knows what we  have thought...in fact God knew we were going to think it before we even had the thought. When we learn to go to God with everything...every thought... when we learn to talk to him about our misspoken words... and bizarre thoughts... when we learn to go to God with our jealous thoughts... our unkind thoughts... God will help us get through them... God will help us sort them out... God will set our minds straight.  God already knows.. if we keep them to ourselves like we are hiding them...we are just robbing ourselves or clarity... of a way to sort things out...we are robbing ourselves of the wisdom of God in that situation.

God so often when I remember to tell him I am jealous or hurt tells me...."Oh Jeannie, silly girl this is how the meant what they said!" ...then my mind is all clear...and I can go back to happy thoughts. When I have a jealous moment and share it with God... God often tells me... "You don't need to be jealous of that... this is what I have given you along with the personality to enjoy what I have given you... you would not even be happy with that."  When I go to God with my thoughts... especially the ones  I want to keep hidden... God makes them all better... God gives me a new way to think. 

God already knows what I am going to think...He knew before it was even the thought in my head...He is just waiting there for me to turn to Him and say... God this was wrong please make it better.  The more I let God clear up my thoughts...the more clear my thoughts become from the beginning.  The more I go to God with everything.. the more I get better at being better.  

Today when you have one of those thoughts...the thoughts that you don't want to share with anybody...especially God... remember that God already knows.... share it with Him...then stop and listen to what He tells your heart... I know what you hear will make you feel better.. it will actually make you smile...and when you do.. say "Thank you God!"



Sunday, June 10, 2012

6.10.12

Psalms 127:1 Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.

My Thoughts
When God is not a part of what we do... we are not protected... our work is not protected. The opposite is true when we live for God, we live under the protection of God.  If the strongest walls and the strongest sentries can't protect something God is not a part of, then no matter how bad we are at something... God can make us successful.

The more I learn about God the more I understand just how much I can depend on Him to love and protect me...to provide for me.  To keep me safe!  The more I understand about how much God loves me...and how much God does for me... the more that I love Him...I just can't help myself!! 

If we keep our eyes on God... if we love God with all our heart and soul and mind... everything else will fall into place. Why? Because God love us so much! 

Saturday, June 9, 2012

6.9.12

1 Kings 3:6 Solomon replied, "You showed faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you.  And you have continued your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne."

My Thoughts
God was faithful to David, God loved David because David was honest and turn and faithful to David...then because David loved God so much God was faithful to David's son Solomon. God gave Solomon so, so much... not just because Solomon loved God..but because David had loved God so much. 

We can do so much for our children by loving God!  By being faithful and honest and true to God.  Our love for God will carry through to the next generation.  I believe that the prayers that we pray for our children  last forever. The most important thing we can do for our children is to love God. The best way to protect our children is to love God. The best way to provide for our children is to love God... Loving God never returns void. 

God's love is amazing... His love for us last here on this earth for generations after we have left it. We have seen what love can make people do for one another ... it is a powerful thing...imagine how much more God's love accomplishes!!

Friday, June 8, 2012

6.8.12

Acts 5:29 But Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than and human authority."

My Thoughts
What freedom we have when we choose to make God happy instead of making people happy!  Have you ever had a decision to make ....and 10 people wanted you to made 10 different choices?  We have all felt that way!  Or sometimes there are just lots of choices that nobody is asking you to make...you just feel conflicted on which one to choose.  What I have learned since I learned to really follow God is this: If I stop and say "What would God want me to do?" my choices are narrowed down sometimes to only one choice...sometimes to just a few.  But they are always narrowed down.  Freeing my brain and my time....and freeing my thoughts after my decision. Keeping me from going over and over in my head "Did I do the right thing?" When I let God lead me...when I make decisions based on God's word and what the Holy Spirit is prompting me to do...that frees my mind to the point of peace. Peace is true freedom.

 I am not always good at it...so often I fall back on what I was use to...but each time that more of God's word drops from my head to my heart I get a little better... I have learned to know that God is happy with us when we move forward.... moving forward, no matter how small our steps are,  is progress!  God wants us to grow so that our lives will be better...God wants us to grow because He love us so much. God wants us to grow so we can be free!!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

6.7.12

Proverbs 16:24 Kind words are like honey--sweet to the soul and healthy to the body.

My Thoughts
Honey... it is so sweet...and it is healthy when we get local honey and use it in our food it will help us fight against allergens.  It is full of vitamin B which give us energy.  Kind words always fill us with energy! I feel the energy rise up in me when somebody is sweet. Don't you?  I bet if there was a study done that watched our brain when people said kind things to us we would find that our brain released some kind of endorphins that cause healing. God's word is true... it says here that kind words are healthy for our bodies. We don't even need a study!  But I so love when God's word is proven true for the world to see!! 

This also tells me that when somebody is sick we need to make sure and call them... visit them... send them cards... facebook them with kind and loving words. Those words will aid in making them well. This is an important part in being God's hands and feet!!

I know that I am feeling better every day....I have been blessed by God to be surrounded by so many sweet people that say wonderfully sweet things to me! I love  each and every one of you!... I thank you all for helping make me healthy!!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

6.6.12

Acts 3:21 For He (Jesus) must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through this holy prophets.

My Thoughts
Jesus will come and restore all things!! What an exciting thought...Imagine the earth like it looked in the Garden of Eden...Imagine all of us restored to perfect health...Imagine being the prettiest you have ever been. Imagine how much everything and everyone will glow in the presence of Jesus!!  Imagine how perfect love will be!! Imagine how much each and every person will love each and every person. Imagine the animals and the people all taking up space together loving each other!  Imagine how beautiful the songs of the birds will be!! This verse says final restoration... which means we won't ever need to be made right again!!  Wow! It is going to be amazing!  All we have to do to be a part of this is Believe Jesus is the son of God, Confess our sins and ask Jesus into our lives! I hope no one that I know or love...or no one that somebody that I know, knows and loves misses out on this wonderful, glorious time that we are going to have with God!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

6.5.12

Psalm 127:2 It is vain for me to rise up early, to take rest late, to eat the bread of [anxious] toil -- for He gives [blessings] to His beloved in sleep.

My Thoughts
I thought I wonder what God does for us in our sleep....so I looked up the benefits of sleep... (http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongenergy/tp/healthy_sleep.htm)  Sleep keeps your heart healthy, sleep may prevent cancer, sleep reduces stress, sleep reduces inflammation, sleep makes you more alert, sleep helps your memory, sleep may help you loose weight and naps make you smarter. These things are not a random consequence...these things are blessings from God. 

How often do you go to bed with something you are trying to solve on your mind and wake up with the solution?  I do this all the time.... I even find that if I pose a question before I go to sleep, God often gives me the answer...I wake up and it is there, the information I need, the solution to my problem.  It doesn't work if I go to bed worried...then I don't get sleep... I miss out on so many benefits of sleep... I miss out on the answer.

I wonder why we think worry helps solve a problem... it is like if we worry enough it will make things all better... we even know it doesn't!!  Not only do we loose the benefits of sleep, when we loose sleep over worry... we add these things to our live:

"Key features of worry are that it is repetitive and non-productive.

Worry can also have negative effects on both your body and your mind. It may cause physical problems such as an upset stomach, headaches, and muscle tension, researchers said.

Researchers say worrying affects our daily life so much that it interferes with the appetite, lifestyle habits, relationships, sleep, and job performance. Many people who worry excessively are so anxiety-ridden that they seek relief in harmful lifestyle habits such as overeating, cigarette smoking, or using alcohol and drugs."

Worry creates problems and stills our joy...and accomplishes nothing (learn from this Jeannie!!) Yet when we turn everything over to God he renews our body in rest making us better able to handle what comes our way... all the while sitting into motion the answers to our problems. God is always ahead of us making life better.  Often our problem is that we think we can handle things better than God can and we go about worrying things better!!.. We can be such silly human beings. 

God tells us here ... get some sleep... let me bless you in that sleep while I go about fixing your life! What do you need to give to God today...so that you can get some much needed sleep... sleep that God will bless in so many ways?

Monday, June 4, 2012

6.4.12

Ephesians 6:11 I will put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavily-armed soldier which God supplies], that I may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and deceits of the devil.

My Thoughts
This says that "I will put on" God's whole armor.  That means that we have to make a choice and do the work it takes to "put on" the armor of God.  Verses 14-16 tells us what this armor is..... Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,    and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.   In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.    Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Truth comes from the Bible, righteousness comes from doing what God ask us to do ...and from asking forgiveness of our sins. Readiness comes from knowing what God's word says. Faith is believing...the more we know the more we believe.  Salvation comes from believing Jesus is the Son of God and asking Him to live in our hearts. The Spirit...the Holy Spirit which Jesus sends to live inside us ... who reminds us of God's word and prompts us to act on what God teaches us.

We have to make the effort to know God's word...we have to learn and study the Bible... we have to know God through prayer... we have to make a conscious decision to live as God would have us live... we have to ask Jesus into our hearts... we have to pay attention to the Holy Spirit. We have to "put on" the armor of God. This takes work!! 

I imagine the armor of soldiers of long ago was very heavy.. it took time to put on... it took knowledge of just what piece went on first... it too strength to be able to even walk once you had it on. Another words, it wasn't easy to do...but it was necessary in battle. Putting on the Armor of God takes time and effort... takes time and energy...sometimes using it takes strength of soul.... but it is what protects us against all that our enemy, Satin, plots against us! When we know God's word we are better able to fight against our enemy.

A soldier practices the same things over and over and over and over and over until it is so much a part of him, that when he goes into battle,  he can automatically do what it takes to do what he has to do to win. Talking to God, knowing God word is essential in our battle against our enemy. It needs to be so much a part of what we are use to doing that when Satin wages an all out battle against us we automatically talk to God, we automatically call on the scriptures we know that make us strong.  That is how we defeat the devil!!

We can't call on God's word in times of trouble... in times when we need to think fast on our feet.....if it is not a part of our every day lives...we can't hear the Holy Spirit speaking to us while blood is rushing through our ears if we are not use to hearing his voice.... we won't call out to God to help us when we have to think fast if God is not someone we talk to on a regular basis...someone we talk to about everything. To be a good soldier we must be prepared...and being prepared takes work every single day.  If we we rely on God one day out of 7 we are probably only going to think to call on God only 1 out of 7 times we face the enemy.  If we rely on God every day... if we spend time with God every day...then we are more likely to call on God 7 out of 7 times that the enemy comes against us.  I like those odds of winning much better!!

Sunday, June 3, 2012

6:3:12

1 John 3:11 This is the message we have heard for the beginning: We should love one another.

My Thoughts
Love one another is all throughout the Bible.  God is love... God loves us... God ask us to love Him, and to love others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tells us what love is!   Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud  or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

How do we know if we have shown love to another person in any given situation... we ask ourselves ... Was  I being patient?  Was I being kind? Was I being jealous? Was I being boastful? Was I being proud? Was I rude? Was I demanding my own way? Was I irritable? Did I keep a record of being wronged? Did I rejoice in injustice? Did I give up? Did I loose faith? Was I hopeful? Did I endure no matter what?

We can know how to change so much in our lives by asking ourselves these questions at the end of the day.  If our answer shows that we were not loving in any way we can start changing our actions...by making a plan of action, for the next time that situation arises, so that all our answers to all these questions reflect that we acted in love.

Love is not a feeling... love is a way of life.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

6.2.12

Genesis 12:2 I am blessed and I am a blessing to people. I dispense good to others.

My Thoughts
Luke 12:48 says "To whom much is given, much is required."  God expects us to help others.  To do for others. To make others feel loved. We are to go about dispensing hope. We often wonder how to witness to others.  Doing for them out of love, pure love given to someone you don't even know. That is how we are the best witness for God... for God's amazing love. When they ask."Why would you do this for me?"...we can say "God told me to because he loves you so much!" When God blesses our lives He expects us to pay those blessing forward to others.  When we do for others, God does for us. We can not out give God!

I wonder all the time how God wants me to help others.  I want to be a blessing. I want to do what God would have me do.  I love, loving other people. But I am often at a loss at how to go about helping others. Are you?

I believe that maybe I should always, always keep a Wal-Mart gift card in my purse...just for that purpose....an opportunity when I see someone in need to always have something on hand earmarked just for the purpose of being a blessing.

What are you are ideas of being prepared to bless others?  I would love to hear them!!

Friday, June 1, 2012

6.1.12

Proverbs 25:28 I operate in self-control and don't allow my spirit to be unruly.  I refuse to be like a city that is broken down and without walls.  Self-control and discipline add protection to my life.

My Thoughts
Wall in old cities...they not only kept people out that would cause harm to the city.  They also keep the over zealous people in the city.  The people that would rush out to do what they thought was right...who went about in such haste that they caused more harm than good. The people that wanted to make decisions for the city based on their beliefs not on what the king or the people of that city wanted for themselves. These people often cause disaster .... often caused wars.

We can cause disaster in our own loves when we don't have self-control...when we act without thinking of others...when we act without consulting God... all because we have an overzealous moment. Either one of wanting something so bad we don't think things through... or one of self-defence where we think we are just protecting ourselves. When actually we are getting all in the way of God's protection over us. Self control and discipline are as important to our lives as those city wall were to the people of the past.  The keep us safe for others...and they keep us safe from ourselves. 

We need to put step in our thinking process that protect us... that keep us in control.  Those steps will be different for each of us...and for each situation.  We may need never to say yes without 24 hours to think about something because we are too much of a people pleaser (me!!). We may need to stop and take 5 deep breaths before we speak because we often become defensive. We may need to ask ourselves a list of questions before we act to put thing in perspective. 

One thing we always need to do is ask God to be a part of every decision.. great or small that we make.  We need to ask God to to guard our words and our hearts.  We need to remember that the most important person to please is not ourselves, or others... it is God. We need to remember we are doing these things to create self-control and discipline in our lives...and that self-control and discipline add protection to everything we do! 

Walls that only keep people out are not good.  But walls that created an opening that has checks and balances for what comes in our lives...and what comes our of our lives are a good thing... those are the kind of walls that keep us safe for harm...  harming ourselves and harming others and being harmed by others.  Strong solid walls with the purpose of protection are a good thing.