Don’t know if you have been up to date with the current scams going on out there, but every week hackers and scam artists are crafting ever so creative new ways to scam us all.
It seems every week I get a phone call from the IRS saying they have a warrant for my arrest for unpaid taxes.Or I get an email phishing for personal information impersonating my bank or fake profile friend requests on Facebook.
The hacking and scam attempts have become so heightened to the point the IT Security team at my work sends me a scam of the week email with the new bad guys’ scams.
Just like these online predators, the enemy likes to invade when we least expect it.
With all the new technology and security measures in place, the little thieves in waiting learn how to adapt and discover different ways to break the boundaries of security to rob us of our identities and take everything they can get at our expense!
I appreciate my work emails warning me of the ever-evolving and lingering scams waiting to attack and invade my bank accounts.Their message is know before the scam.If it weren’t for them warning me I may fall victim to even more scams.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we were all warned about the scams and tricks of Satan before the attack?
A Scam of the Week email would be nice right?
These scams remind me of the Bible verse, “Watch out for false prophets.They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”Matthew 7:15
Imagine a wolf lurking around wearing a sheep’s costume.I know this isn’t possible, but just think for a moment what does a wolf gain by pretending to be a sheep?His next meal.
“For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”2 Corinthians 11:14
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Now that school is out summertime can be a busy time of the year. As a working mom, if I’m not intentional with making plans, summer will be over and kids will be back in school before I know it. I’m entering into a new stage of life, where my kids are becoming ‘tweens’ and I have the joy parenting bad attitudes and arguments with their sibling.
I want to make summer fun, but I also want to use it as an opportunity to grow and learn.
5 Things I’m Doing This Summer to Be More Intentional:
1. Making Day Trip/Weekend Getaway Wish Lists: This year I’ve asked the kids what are some fun activities you want to do this summer or some local places you want to visit we would normally not do during the year. We have an RV and want to go on weekend camping trips so we’ve made a list of places we want to visit. We are a military family and never know how long we will be where we live, so we want to visit as many places as we can!
If you live in Colorado, places that have made the list are The Denver Mint, Mt. Princeton Hot Springs, Durango, Estes Park, Aspen, trampoline park, Royal Gorge train, Cave of the Winds, and indoor sky diving.
2. Making a reading list. I love to read. Summer is a great time to catch up on books, I haven’t had time to read. So the kids and I are making a summer reading list of books we would like to read. If you have any recommendations for a 12-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy, Please leave in the comments below.
My kids aren’t the most avid readers so we have to be intentional about making time to read. Their school has a point system where they receive points for reading which goes towards a grade which is a wonderful incentive for them to read more! And also the fun day trips we planned can be a fun incentive.
3. Making a Chore List. Boring, right?!?!? As a parent if I want to help build character in my child, chores are one of the best ways to do it. Doing chores helps us all be a part of a team that helps contribute towards maintaining the household, it’s not just one person’s job to take care of everything. We pick age appropriate chores (and they receive an allowance), and make sure they’re done daily/weekly.
Giving them an allowance also helps teach them how to manage money by saving towards something they want to buy themselves (which they always appreciate more than when something is just given to them).
4. Setting side an intentional time for family games and devotionals. Do you have any fun favorite family games you like to play together? Going camping has definitely got us more motivated to play games together. But at home my favorite game to play is SPOONS.
It’s a card game, where everyone sits in a circle. One person has the deck of cards. Each player has four cards in their hands. The purpose of the game is to get 4 of a kind. Whoever gets 4 of a kind first takes the first spoon until all the spoons in the center are gone. Whoever is left without a spoon gets a letter. Whoever spell the word SPOON first loses. Sometimes this game does not always end well. There may be the occasional fighting and tears, but the more we play, the more we learn it’s not always about winning, but just being together.
Setting side a time to do family devotionals is an ever evolving process. The time that usually works best for us is right before bed. We’ve picked You Version Bible App Bible reading plan we can read together as a family and have meaningful conversations that really work on our hearts. Two Bible reading plans we’ve picked to read together are Compassion: 30 days of heart work and Homegrown: Cultivating Kids in the Fruit of the Spirit.
Does your family read devotionals together or a Bible reading plan? Which one do you do?
5. Joining a Bible Study Group. This summer I’ve opened my home to a group of women from my church to complete the on-line Bible study by Kelly Minter “No Other gods,” by Lifeway. This summer Lifeway is offering the videos for “No Other gods,” for free when you sign-up to do the on-line study. It is a great way to connect with other women who I would normally not connect with and we get to complete a Bible Study together! And if you’re schedule is too busy sign up to do the on-line study! Just click on link above or image below.
What Bible study are you working on this summer?
I would love to hear what you are doing this summer and what steps you are taking to be more intentional.
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This week is a guest post from Jen Roland, who is owner/blogger of Faith Fueled Fitness. I love faith and fitness and am excited to have Jen guest post and share her insights of making health simple and easy. Make sure to check out her recipes and fitness workouts! Have a great week!
In Him,
Heather
4 Easy Ways To Simplify Your Health
There are two words that every new mom dreads.
Bathing suit.
While not explicitly stated, when my sister-in-law asked me to be a bridesmaid – in Florida and by the beach – those two words were exactly what I heard. Holding my one-year old on my hip, I envisioned stuffing my post-pregnancy belly into a strapless bridesmaid dress. The mental image was less than flattering.
I needed a way to simplify my health especially with a baby.
But, I was determined. I vowed to lose the rest of the baby weight, get in amazing shape, and do whatever it would take to get my pre-pregnancy body back.
For the next five months, some might say I was a little “obsessed.” I worked out for over an hour a day and followed a strict meal plan. I cut out all refined sugars, eliminated caffeine, and passed on the pizza at parties. When her wedding day arrived, I received lots of compliments about how “amazing” I looked. My husband must have agreed, because I came home from that trip pregnant with baby number three.
Two weeks later, after experiencing heavy bleeding, I was diagnosed with a subchorionic hematoma, deemed a high-risk pregnancy, and directed to halt all physical activity. At 33 weeks, I went into labor, was hospitalized to stop the contractions, and sent home on strict bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy.
When I was given the green light to exercise three months after my son was born, I was starting from ground zero. This time, God showed me that I needed to approach taking care of my health differently. He taught me that if I wanted to change my habits, I would need to start by changing the way I think about them.
It began with renewing my perspective from fitness and nutrition as vehicles to achieve the perfect body to fitness and nutrition as opportunities to glorify God by caring for the body He gifted to me.
As I started to view my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, I began to treat it that way, focusing on life-giving foods that helped me operate at my best without counting every calorie that went into my mouth.
God revealed that in letting my thoughts and actions revolve around when I would work out or what I would eat, I had made my body an idol. I needed to break free from the obsession so I could focus more on Him. As I put Christ at the center of my health journey, it became less about perfecting myself and more about living to please Him.This shift in mindset has had a tremendous impact.
In the words of Beth Moore, “The ultimate goal for most of us, however, is freedom from obsession so that God rather than the body can be glorified. This goal is most often realized through recapturing the lost art of moderation. This means learning to do what we need to do (to keep ourselves healthy) and then getting on with living.”1 When we seek our self-worth, personal fulfillment, or happiness in something other than the Lord our God, we’ve allowed that thing to take an inappropriate position of power in our lives that should be reserved for Him.
We have the “right” to eat anything we want and we have the “right” to exercise. However, while something may be permissible, it may not be beneficial. And while something may be beneficial, it may be unnecessary – even unhealthy – if taken to extremes.
Caring for our health shouldn’t feel like a burden – it should feel “free.” We can choose to let go of the diet mentality and focus on life-giving choices. We can choose to let go of obsessing over every bite of food, becoming slaves to a number on a scale, and constantly chasing perfection. Doing so is an obsession and is actually unhealthy.
4 Easy Ways To Simplify Your Health:
Have a strong WHY for improving your health that is about more than physical appearance. Consider how positive lifestyle habits will allow you to operate at your best so you can give your best to God and others.
Exercise regularly, but not obsessively. Start small with a few minutes a day and build from there (download my FREE GUIDE for short, simple workouts). Focus on progress, not perfection and consistency over performance. As you build new habits, focus on what you will do, not what you cando. Daily wins build momentum and fuel you to keep going!
Adopt an abundance mindset that is focused on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, such as more energy, decreased chance of disease, a closer relationship with God, and improved quality of life. Shifting our focus to what we are gaining and our health as an opportunity to glorify Him sets a foundation for sustainable change.
As we begin to make small steps toward a healthier lifestyle, we must not neglect the importance of regular quiet time for our emotional and spiritual well-being. (Check the Resource Guide in my 7-Day Jump Start Plan for some suggestions to get started.) We can commit our plans to the Lord, asking Him for the strength to keep going when we’re lacking in motivation. Then we place our eating, exercising, and everything we do before God as an offering, honoring Him through caring for the body He has given each of us.
Properly fueling our body, mind, and spirit is a means to live with purpose to pursue God’s plan for our lives. When we keep that perspective, we can rest in the fact that our priorities are well-aligned. We can stop obsessing over things this world says make us happy and focus on the one thing that brings true fulfillment.
Call to Action: Download 12 Strategies to Simplify Your Health. Choose one habit that is doable in your current season of life and which would have the greatest impact on your health. Share it below or in our private Facebook group, along with your WHY. Why is this habit important to you? How will it allow you to operate at your best so you can give your best to God and others?
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After years of marriage, we can go on auto-pilot. You pick up the dry cleaning, and I’ll pick up the kids. It is Taco Tuesday and church on Sunday, and one day you wake up and realize you have just been going through the motions. This happens to couples all the time. Their once hot and heavy romance turns into a situation where they are more like roommates than lovers. Or maybe your husband works long hours and you stay home with the kids. By the time he comes home, he is looking for love and all you want to do is collapse when it comes time for bed. There are millions of other possible scenarios, but the bottom line is God has SO MUCH more for our marriages. When Christ is the center of your life, the connection you have with Jesus overflows into every aspect of your life, including your marriage. When we walk in the fullness of Jesus it changes our hearts, our marriages and it changes us.
Enter Amanda Davison. Sometime last year Amanda had a big God-sized dream to help wives thrive in their marriage through community. Amanda formed the non-profit ministry A Wife Like Me and developed an online space to gather wives in community. She assembled a team of authors from across the country to help her implement the vision that God gave her to start a community and a movement of wives. Women who were committed to growing in relationship to Jesus and their husbands by practicing Biblical principles in their marriages. The A Wife Like Me team has written its first book in response to the needs of women through our gathering space and feedback from the blog.
Dear Wife: 10 Minute Invitations to Practice Connection with Your Husband
We have a fantastic team of contributors at A Wife Like Me team who have come together to contribute monthly blog posts and provide Biblical resources for wives. We’ve had the best time coming together under Amanda’s leadership to dream, plan and pray how to best serve wives. And thus Dear Wife was born. Dear Wife is written by seventeen different contributors from the A Wife Like Me team. All the contributors who wrote this book are accomplished authors, speakers, and Christian leaders who have walked through fire in their marriages and have lived to tell about it.
Dear Wife Contributor Team
Dear Wife begins with a sweet invitation to draw near your Savior Jesus Christ and contains 26 invitations, with ten-minute practices, to grow in your connection with your husband by growing closer to Jesus. Each invitation includes scripture from the life of Jesus and a devotional application, and thought-provoking reflection questions to grow closer in connection to The Father and to your husband.
My two invitations in the book are the third invitation entitled What We Really Need and the final invitation Surrendered Service.
Dear Wife: 10 Minute Invitations to Practice Connection with Your Husband
Do you wish you had more alone time with your husband? Do you find yourself going through the day-to-day busy routine of life while your marriage is on cruise control, without intentional time together spent connecting? Do you desire deeper intimacy and love with your husband?
Being married is great, but being married and feeling intimately connected is what every wife desires.
Dear Wife provides you with twenty-six heart-changing invitations to discover how Christ desires connection with you and how through connection with Christ, you’ll develop deeper connection with your husband.
In this book, you will:
Replace boring and busy with building deep intimacy and love
Swap ongoing complacency with intentional connection
Spend guided alone time with your husband and God
Experience more depth in your marriage relationship
Restore and build connection with God and with your husband
Dear Wife is available for preorder now and releases 5/1. Dearwifebook.com #dearwifebook
Misty Phillip is passionate about helping women overcome challenges in life by seeking Jesus, studying the Word and growing in grace. She is the author of The Struggle is Real: But so is God Bible Study, Founder and host of the By His Grace Podcast, sought after speaker at MistyPhillip.com and contributor to both Dear Wife and to A Wife Like Me.
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I would love to hear from you! Leave your comments below. Have a Blessed Week! In Him,
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If you are apart of a family most likely you know where they are. Nowadays there are apps to locate loved ones or smart homes to let you know when they arrive home. I am one that is not so technologically advanced and have to rely on my kids or youtube to help me with certain tasks on the phone.
One app our family downloaded, is the Life 360 app which can tell me the exact location of my family. I simply click on the app and pictures of my family pop up on the map of where they are located. The app comes in handy when I’m at work and it’s not my day to carpool. I know when the kids arrive at school because the app alerts me, they arrived! The app also tells me how much battery life each family member’s phone has to let me know if their phone is about to die in case I’m not able to get ahold of them.
Isn’t it nice to know the location of your family and they are safe?
Knowing the location of our families isn’t just important in the physical sense, knowing where they are spiritually is just as important. We need to keep track, so we where they are and if they are safe.
3 Ways to Pray for Your Family With CONFIDENCE:
1. Know Where They Are. Can you confidently say 100% my loved one is going to heaven? This is one of the most important questions to ask yet we shy away from it, why? Because we’re afraid we might hurt feelings or don’t want to offend anyone? Not asking you’re loved one where they are spiritually is a greater loss than asking them–Do they believe? Knowing where they are spiritually can give you a better idea of how to pray for them. Pray for opportunities to share Jesus in a non-confrontational way, pray for doors to be opened for you or others to speak truth and grace into their lives, for them to receive the love of Jesus.
“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:2-4
2. Know Where They Are Going. More than anything I want to confidently say all MY Family is going to heaven. More than anything I want to say I will see them there one day. In the above verses, Jesus is speaking to Thomas and at this point he’s confused and asks Jesus, “We don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:5 ESV). Jesus then responds………..
Praying for our family’s eternal salvation is one of the most important life changing prayers we can pray. I have been praying for family members my whole life that one day they will accept Jesus and go to heaven. Don’t give up, keep praying you never know how God will work.
3. Know Where They’ve Been. I’m not talking about in a creepy stalker way, I’m saying in a loving concerned way. Can you say with confidence I know where my kids/family have been, what they’re doing, who they’ve been hanging out with? Can you confidently say I know what they’ve been exposed to, for how long and if they are in safe situations? We all slip up and make mistakes. But allowing consistent patterns of losing track of where they are can create new paths of not knowing where they will be going.
We want to train up our children to be the ones that transform the world not be transformed by the world. Pray you will stay alert, ask the right questions, that you’re loved one will open up to you and be honest. Pray for opportunities to have good/hard conversations. Pray you will have the right words to say and your loved one will be open to listen.
And above all seek wisdom and obedience. A surrendered heart accepts the will of God better than any disobedient heart.
More than anything, I want to confidently say my family is safe and I know where they are going. If you haven’t had that conversation with your loved, ask yourself why not? What’s holding you back from asking?
God has planned a place for us. He has planned a way for us to get there–through Jesus. And He plans to come back to get us. Will you and you’re family be ready?
“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure” (Ephesians 1:4-5 NLT).
When we believe in Jesus and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we are all apart of one big family. How amazing will it be when we are reunited again with our loved ones? How amazing will it be to know we are all in the same place?
Just as our phones can’t operate without being charged our physical lives can’t operate without sleep and nourishment, as our spiritual lives can’t survive without a relationship with God. Staying in prayer, staying in His word, not only gives us the spiritual strength we need but also transforms our hearts and lives. There is a Bible app that can help refill our spiritual lives that has lots of info of the place God has prepared for us.
We don’t have to have it all together to follow Jesus, in fact Jesus loves broken people. He loves everyone no matter who they are. When Jesus comes back he’s not going to ask us, “Do you believe everything the Bible says?” He’s going to ask, “Do you believe I sent my son to die for you?”
If you are a believer, you become my sister or brother in Christ. Nothing brings me more joy than to know my brothers and sisters are going to heaven. We become apart of the same lineage, adopted into the same family. If you’re struggling, it’s okay to wrestle with God and question why? I promise you He has the answer to your pain, your heartache and struggle–His love. God loves you more than anything.
Do you believe?
Can you confidently say all my family is going to heaven? If not start praying with confidence!
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Have you ever gone Christmas shopping and had a hard time finding a perfect gift for someone who has everything they could ever want? They are someone special in your life so you want to find that unique gift, that something special, to let them know how much you care. What do you give to the one who has it all?
The One whom I’m thinking of is God. He is the Maker and Creator of all things, has all the riches He could ever need, has the largest house and kingdom anyone could ever imagine, and yet there is something He desires more than anything–YOU.
Why would the One who has it all want anything to do with our undeserving, sinful selves?
Because He loves YOU.
This Christmas as we focus on what the meaning of what Christmas is all about, the birth of Jesus, I’m taken back to one Bible verse that says it all.
John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
I am in awe that God could have chosen to live anywhere in the world, but He chose to become one of us and DWELL among us. Not to sound funny, but if I were God I would have just stayed in heaven. He doesn’t need us. There is nothing we can offer Him that He doesn’t already have, yet He wants us.
There is something so amazing about the places God dwells. God has made his dwelling place in the light (1 John 1:7), in heaven (Psalms 123:1), in his church (Psalm 9:11), on earth (John 1:14), but his permanent residence where He dwells is within our hearts! (Ephesians 3:17-19).
I still can’t believe He chooses US to be His dwelling place! Something happens when we become God’s dwelling place. He becomes our refuge and our umbrella of protection from the evil one. He becomes our light, our hope, our joy, and freedom.
Psalm 91:9-10 “Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place–the Most High, who is my refuge–no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.”
Maybe you are going through a tough time right now. Maybe this holiday season doesn’t seem very festive because you lost a loved one, your job or aren’t near family. Maybe you received a new diagnosis you’re still processing. Maybe you’ve been distant from God for a long time and don’t know how to get back to Him.
Every day God invites us into His presence. Whether we enter into His presence or not, a door is opened for us to enter. When we come to Him in prayer we step closer into His presence. When we praise Him in our storms of life and thank Him despite our struggles we step further through the doorway. When we open up God’s Word, we allow an opportunity for His Words to dwell richly in us, to plant seeds and grow within us (Colossians 3:16).
Did you enjoy this blog post? Please share with others! Want more encouraging messages sent right to your inbox? Subscribe to my blog and receive a FREE E-book and a weekly Monday Message or like my Author Facebook page to catch the latest posts. Have a blessed week!
I would love to hear from you! Leave your comments below! Would you like to know more about the Christmas story! Join me next Monday as we learn more about what the Christmas story means to you.
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Are you getting ready for Christmas? I don’t know about you, but every year I get caught off guard with all the preparation to get ready for Christmas! It seems no matter how much I plan, there is always something to get ready for.
The busyness of Christmas can be distracting and overwhelming to our hearts because of all the extra stress the holidays add to our plates. Then before we know it we are missing out on the very reason why we celebrate Christmas.
A prophet named Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (God with us)” (Isa. 7:13-14).
I Love how God Uses the Unlikely to Carry out His Almighty Plan.
In the verse above, the Prophet Isaiah was preparing our hearts for the arrival of Jesus.
Luke 1:26-35….”God sent the angel…to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary….
Mary was just a young peasant girl who was about to be married. Why would God choose her? The angel Gabriel tells Mary, “Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God” (Luke 1:30). The Greek word for highly favored is chariswhich means grace. God had found favor in Mary and bestowed a special honor on her. God sent an angel to prepare Mary’s heart for God’s greater plan.
Gabriel, the angel prepares Mary’s heart, that she will be with child and his name will be Jesus.
Gabriel goes even further and tells Mary five things about her future son.
1. He will be great. Luke 1:32
2. He will be called the Son of the Most High. Luke 1:32
3. He will be given the throne of His father David. Luke 1:32
4. He will reign in the house of Jacob forever. Luke 1:33
5. His kingdom will never end. Luke 1:33
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34). This is what I love about Mary. She doesn’t question the fact that the Messiah is coming, but rather that she would be used as a vessel for his arrival, a young virgin peasant girl. She didn’t doubt or question God’s plan but how will this even be possible since she is a virgin?
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…” (Luke 1:35).
I don’t know about you, but I want a heart like Mary’s. A heart that is ready to trust and receive God’s promises. Mary’s heart welcomed the angel’s message, by submitting her heart almost immediately after hearing his message! She didn’t let her doubts or fears get in the way of God’s plan. She allowed for God’s greater plan to happen through her by submitting her heart to God. How wise was Mary’s heart to recognize this message could have only come from God Himself.
Mary heard the message of God’s promise, and her heart of faith was reassured by the words, “For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). She even uttered the words, “I am the Lord’s servant, May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). No wonder God found favor with Mary. God already knew Mary’s heart before He chose her.
I want a heart like Mary’s.
Can you imagine if Mary didn’t allow for God’s greater plan to happen and allowed her doubts and fears to get in the way instead?
Have you ever allowed your doubts and fears get in the way of God’s greater plan?
This Christmas before we allow busyness and distractions to take us away from the true meaning of Christmas, let’s stop and allow God to prepare our hearts for His greater plan. There is a fullness of joy when we stay present in the presence of Jesus. We can rest assured—that His peace will fill our hearts and joy will fill our souls when we allow for God’s greater plan to happen through us.
Have you allowed God to Prepare your heart to receive His Promises this Christmas?
If God sent an angel to you with a message, “Do not be afraid.” Would you go where God was asking you to go?
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you God for your greater plan. Thank you God for Jesus and preparing a place in heaven for us. We pray we will have a heart like Mary’s, one that is obedient, faithful and trusting of your plan even when we don’t understand. Prepare our hearts Lord for your greater promises. We pray we will not get in the way of your plan but allow your greater plan to happen through us. We pray for your will and ways to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Help us not be afraid like Mary and allow for your greater promises to fill our hearts. Help us stay present in your presence this Christmas and focus on the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus. In Jesus name, Amen.
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I would love to hear from you! Leave your comments below! Would you like to know more about the Christmas story! Join me next Monday as we learn more about what the Christmas story means to you.
Martin, J. A. (1985). Luke. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 205). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
Contentment. Let’s face it we are human. Especially in my family, not all of us are content all the time at the same time! It’s important to be reminded and focused on what is the source of our contentment. Contentment can be found in a lot of places. But not all places can provide us with a source of contentment that eternally fulfills and satisfies.
There will always be someone who has more than us, has a bigger house, nicer car, nicer clothes or who is thinner. Where does that leave us? To be constantly trying to keep up, comparing ourselves to an unattainable measure? Where is the hope and satisfaction in the never-ending race for more? When is enough, enough?
Contentment isn’t always about what’s in front of us, or waiting until we have the next best thing, but what’s in our hearts and in God’s plans for us. Being content is accepting God’s truth in who he says we are and allowing it to be enough.
When God’s truth and love are the sources of our Joy and Contentment we will be abundantly filled and eternally satisfied. May God’s truth and love fill every crevice of your heart, filling you beyond measure so your cup runneth over.
Here are 10 reminders when discontentment gets the best of you. I pray you will hold onto these verses when you feel your heart and mind are drifting to a place of discontent.
We will Always Find Contentment when…….
1. Our Treasures are Stored in our Hearts- “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
2. When God Provides for our Needs. “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8, Philippians 4:19
3. When God is the Source of our Riches. “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, not to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Timothy 6:17-19.
4. When God is the Source of our Love. What gives you love? Can money love you back?
“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He, Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5
4. We are Thankful in our Circumstances. There is Contentment in Thankfulness. A thankful heart is a happy heart (Proverbs 15:13). “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” Philippians 4:11
5. We Trust in God’s Plans. There is Contentment when you trust in God’s plans. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5, Jeremiah 29:11 (For I know the Plans for you).
6. When God is the Source of our Provision and Peace. “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Matthew 6:25-26
7. When we Seek Him First. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
8. When God is the Source of our Strength. You can rejoice and be content in trials when God is your source of strength. “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10
9. When our Hearts are Filled with God’s Desires. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” 1 Timothy 6:10-11, Proverbs 19:21
10. When we Rejoice in Him and Stand in His Presence. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24). “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11).
I pray these verses will provide encouragement, comfort and be a reminder when discontent starts to settle in.
Prayer- Dear God, I pray that I will keep my eyes and heart focused on you to keep me within the boundaries of your love. I pray I will seek you always, trust in your plans for me, be patient for your timing, be content with what I have. I pray my discontent will be a warning sign to be still with you and present in your presence and trust in you. I pray these verses will be a reminder of what you have in store for me, your truth will fill me and protect me from the shouts of the world. You provide for all my needs, You are Enough. Thank you, Lord, for your provision and for thinking so highly of me to make a plan for me. I praise you, in Jesus name, Amen.
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I would love to hear from you and all that God is doing in your hearts! I pray that you will be filled with God’s truth and love which leads to eternal contentment!
http://www.heathergillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/heather-gillis-logo.png00Heather Gillishttp://www.heathergillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/heather-gillis-logo.pngHeather Gillis2018-01-26 02:00:232018-01-15 08:27:1510 Ways to Always Be Content
Most Everyone has seen the movie Hunger Games. The Most highlighted sentence on Kindle in the Hunger Game series of books is, “How can we expect to go in this world prepared if we are not equipped with what we need?”
Exactly.
It all comes down to, Preparedness; being equipped with the right tools to be in a position of readiness. Having the right tools will make us go from not just being a Survivor or a Victim but becoming a Victor. Nothing Tells the story of Preparedness better than David and Goliath.
In the story of David and Goliath, a war had come upon Israel. For 4o days a giant named Goliath came out in full armor, to fight the Israelites. No one would fight him because they were afraid. One day David came from the fields where he was tending sheep to bring his brothers’ lunch. David wondered why was no one fighting? David was just a teenager at the time, the youngest of all his brothers. He told King Saul he would fight the giant.
Can you imagine what everyone was thinking, how can a boy defeat a giant?
David then went out wearing no armor just his tunic, carrying only his rock sling and a bag of 5 small smooth rocks. Doesn’t sound like he was very prepared does it? David swung his sling around with one rock in it and flung it exactly to the only exposed area on Goliath’s forehead. Goliath fell to the ground and the rest is history.
David didn’t become another Victim he became a Victor.
Not everyone can slay a giant and become a hero like David did. The reason David was a Victor and not a Victim, because God Equipped and Prepared him. He made him ready for battle. He gave David everything he needed to win.
David had
A Willing obedient heart from God
God’s strength
People encouraging him
The Plan God gave him
Courageous Faith
David didn’t have any military training, he didn’t have a sword, armor or any other battle equipment to defeat Goliath, he just had what God intended him to use; His sling and His Faith. The rock sling seemed to be an unlikely choice to slay a giant, but sometimes God’s plans don’t always make sense.
5 Ways God Equips Us to go From Victim to Victor: 1. Knowledge– Proverbs 2:6 “For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”Knowledge is Power. The More we learn the more we grow.Seek the Experts for Advice. There is no one better expert than God. He has provided us with the most powerful resource in the world; The Bible. Staying in the Word, reading our Bible daily, equips and provides for all of our needs. Ask God, ‘please equip me with the knowledge to have a heart of understanding and wisdom to make good choices for 2018.’
2. Strength– 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My strength is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.” Our weakness is God’s opportunity to display his strength. We grow in our weaknesses. When we step out in faith, even in our weakness, God will use it to transform it into His strength. God will use our trials and struggles, to develop more perseverance and endurance. Ask God, ‘help me to trust in you and step out in faith even in my weakness.’ He will use our struggles for something better, I promise.
3. Encouragers– Thessalonians 5:11 “Encourage one another and build each other up.” Everyone needs someone to motivate them, push them to their upper limits. No pain no gain. Ask God to be surrounded with encouragers who can help motivate and help reach your goals. God is your biggest fan you can always turn to him.
4. A Plan– Every adequately prepared person has a plan. Good thing God is in the plan making business. When we live in the plan God has for our life, we are living in the best plan ever. How to Make a Successful Plan for 2018
5. Prayer– Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God.” Pray for God for help to equip you with the knowledge you need, for strength, encouraging people and to live in the plan God desires for you.
We may feel like we are facing a giant. For 40 days no one stood up to fight Goliath because they were fearful. They were fearful of his size, fearful of losing and fearful they may die. The difference between the Israelites and David is he had Faith.
When we allow God to equip us with the right tools so we will be prepared for the plan he has for us. I promise, when we allow for God’s plans we will always be victorious. Our goals will never be achieved if we are not prepared. We wouldn’t jump off a boat in the middle of the ocean without a preserver just like we wouldn’t take a test without studying.
God has designed us to be VICTORIOUS! For us to be a Victor and not a Victim!
How are you Preparing Yourself for the New Year?
Will you continue to allow your Giants to bully you?
Or Will You Allow God’s Plan to be your Plan for Your New Year?
We don’t always have to understand God’s plan, we just need faith like David, so God can carry out his plan through us. You are loved!
“For 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
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May your New Year be Filled Abundantly more with God’s Blessings of Love, Joy, Peace and Freedom! I would love to hear from you! Leave Your Comments Below.
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I will never forget the first time I attended my first Bible study in 2012. I had been a Christian my whole life, went to church, read the Bible, but never attended a formal Bible study. I could name a million reasons why I didn’t attend before then; busy with motherhood, I worked during the week, I had to take care of the house, etc. It’s funny how God has a way to always point you in the right direction.
I was at a point in my relationship with God where I knew He wanted me to take the next step towards a deeper relationship with him; but I didn’t know how. One day I was standing in the preschool parking lot talking with a friend, pouring out my heart to her. I had just started to attend the same church as her. As she was listening to me, she had opened the door to something bigger than I could have ever imagined. She invited me to a Women’s Bible Study at the new church I was attending. I immediately accepted the invitation. I was excited, because I knew God had used her that day not only to invite me, but to point me in the right direction towards what He had desired for me.
The day I stepped foot into my first Bible Study, I was hooked and I never looked back. Once I started, I couldn’t get enough. I wanted more. Her invitation to Bible study changed my life. I never knew how much I was missing until I entered into God’s presence, opened up the Scriptures and allowed God’s truth into my heart. My friend was faithful in listening to God, to invite me that day. I only had to enter through the open door, God did the rest.
God used my friend in a big way that day. I am so glad she listened to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to invite me that day. Her invitation changed my life. God’s words are what transforms our hearts, nourishes our souls, and gives life to our spirits. God’s love is not meant to be hidden, but shared with everyone.
Just imagine if the three wise men never accepted God’s invitation to see the birth of baby Jesus. They would have missed out on seeing the birth of their king.
Just imagine if Paul didn’t accept God’s invitation that day on the road to Damascus when he was blinded by the light. We would have never seen God’s ability to transform Paul’s heart, from someone who persecuted Christians to someone who risked His life to save them.
Imagine if the Disciples and the Apostles never accepted God’s invitation to become followers of Christ. We would have missed out on the greatest message ever told. We would have never seen God’s ability through the Holy Spirit to grow the church.
We are merely vessels God uses to carry out His greater plan. We are all apart of God’s great amazing story of the gospel. If we never shared it with anyone, imagine how many people miss out on the beautiful message of the gospel.
The worse thing a person can say is ‘No.’ God will continue to pursue their hearts. You only need to be faithful in prayer of how God can use you.
There will always be 101 things keeping us away from studying the Bible. Not one of those reasons are ever good enough to keep us away from spending time with God. When we give God the time He has given us, He will provide all the time we need to get everything else accomplished that He desires for us.
Have you been prompted to invite someone to church or Bible study? You never know how God will use you to impact the life of someone else. Your invitation might be the very thing a person needs to take their next step.
Have you ever accepted an invitation that changed your life?
How has Bible Study impacted your life?
To learn more about why studying the Bible is so importantClick Here.
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