THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM

2014-6-13Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or gather the harvest into barns. Yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add a single hour to your life by worrying? [Matthew 6:26-27 (GW)]

Jesus tells us not to worry and that God will take care of us. He doesn’t, however, tell us to sit back and do nothing.

June was the official start of hurricane season and the Florida newspapers were filled with articles about hurricane preparedness. In fact, several days were even set aside as sales tax holidays on hurricane supplies. Yet, I guarantee that there will be some people who, when the hurricane hits, won’t have the flashlights and batteries, the extra water and the other emergency supplies they should have stock-piled. Are they the ones who simply trust God to provide or are they the ones who have ignored God’s provision because it involved effort on their part?

Yes, God will provide all we require to meet our needs, but let us never make the mistake of thinking there won’t be some work on our part, as well. After all, the robin still has to wake early to get the worm, the egret has to get his feet wet to catch the fish, and the woodpecker has to drill into the bark for bugs.

I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. [Thomas Jefferson]

So don’t ever worry about tomorrow. After all, tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. [Matthew 6:34 (GW)]

LET’S GET OUT OF THE DARK ROOM

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. [Psalm 34:4 (NLT)]

Fear and worry are powerful emotions; they can keep us from living the confident and joy-filled life our Father in Heaven has in mind for us. They lose their power, however, when we trust God. Trusting God doesn’t mean that we will never have difficulties. What it does mean is that, even if our worst fears come true, we will never have to face them alone; God is with us.

Worry is the darkroom in which negatives are developed! [Anonymous bit of bumper sticker wisdom]

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. [1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)]

Will We Rest or Resist?

Who heard God’s voice and was against him? It was all those people Moses led out of Egypt. And with whom was God angry for forty years? He was angry with those who sinned, who died in the desert. And to whom was God talking when he promised that they would never enter his rest? He was talking to those who did not obey him. So we see they were not allowed to enter and have God’s rest, because they did not believe. [Hebrews 3:16-19 (NCV)]

Although we all appreciate a good night’s sleep, the rest we find in God doesn’t come from a Serta mattress or a sleep-number bed. In God’s rest, our frustrations, exhaustion, fears, and doubts are replaced with the comfort of His presence, renewed energy, hope and peace. This rest, however, depends on our willingness to accept God’s will and follow His way. It was recently pointed that the words “rest” and “resist” are similar; the only difference is the letter “i.” As long as I resist giving up my burdens and as long as I resist His will, I will have no rest!

I find rest in God; only he gives me hope. [Psalm 62:5 (NCV)]

The Peace of God is Promised

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)]

When Paul told the Philippians to be sure to present their requests to God in prayer, it’s important to note that he never said they would get exactly what they’d requested. What they would get, he told them, was the peace of God.

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. [Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG)]

 

THERE’S A RIGHT TIME FOR EVERYTHING

There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:
A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.
[Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (MSG)]

Life, like the weather, is seasonal. Some seasons last longer than others and some are more pleasant than others, but each season passes whether we like it or not. Let’s not waste our time looking back at past seasons or worrying about the future ones. Let’s enjoy the season we’re in and make every day count!

MORNING GREETING

2013-5-10

Give your worries to the Lord, and he will care for you. He will never let those who are good be defeated. [Psalm 55:22 (ERV)]

 

Good morning! This is God.
I will be handling all of your problems today.
I will not need your help.
Relax, and have a great day!
By the way, don’t let worry keep you from sleeping tonight.
I’ve got you covered.
I’m up all night anyway!