Friday, January 27, 2017

Fantastic Friday #560 - Lane

Lane

11 Teach me your way, Lord;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.

13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:11-14

Have you ever thought while you are driving why we have lanes to drive in, especially when you see the people flying around you crossing this way and that way to get to their destination more quickly? My thought is that we have lanes to keep order. When we have order, there will be a smoother process for us to get to our destination. The same thought process applies to our path to our Lord. If we stay straight in our lane and not focus on the desire of the enemy, we can remain confident that God will keep us in our lane. We can't get antsy and expect the Lord to help us find the quickest way to our destination, but we can count on His goodness to help us find the straightest path to Him. So take a moment to realize that it is better to stay in your lane than be tempted to what appears to be a faster lane.

Have a great weekend.

Friday, January 20, 2017

Fantastic Friday #559 - Shattered

Shattered

21 “His eyes are on the ways of mortals;
he sees their every step.
22 There is no deep shadow, no utter darkness,
where evildoers can hide.
23 God has no need to examine people further,
that they should come before him for judgment.
24 Without inquiry he shatters the mighty
and sets up others in their place.
25 Because he takes note of their deeds,
he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. Job 34:23-25
Do you sometimes feel like everything is shattering around you? Do you think that you can't pick up the pieces and move on? There are people in this world that live through evil to gain what they want with no regard for others, and they typically don't care who it impacts or hurts. This week I saw where a police officer was killed in the line of duty. This officer had four children that I believe ranged in age from 22 down to just a few months old. When I see things like this happen, I don't think the incidents that I deal with in my life are really shattering my livelihood, but they are just a setback where I can easily pick the pieces up. While Job talks about the evil and how God crushes those, the other part of the scripture says while he shatters the mighty, he sets up others in their place. So, do you think God sets you in your place and where you are in your life? God allows these setbacks to occur, not to shatter us, but to remind us of who He is in our life. Don't feel shattered and unfix-able, but recognize that God can put you back together with his special glue.

Have a great weekend.

Friday, January 13, 2017

Fantastic Friday #558 - Challenged

Challenged

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”

14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. John 8:12-14

Do you sometimes feel challenged? Maybe it is something someone has said to you that is bothering you or maybe it is some decision someone has made that makes you wonder why they even consider you a friend. We all see challenges to overcome in our life, but it is how we overcome those challenges which is the true test. If we allow the challenge to eat away at us, it can be our worst enemy. That enemy can beat us up and down in an accusatory tone, and we can succumb to the challenge by being defeated. Or, we can be like Christ when the Pharisees challenged him, He was bold and strong with those who challenged Him and He didn't allow those words to defeat Him. We need to be strong and courageous, and know that we can be a light in this world. We should relish the challenges knowing that God can guide us if we allow Him to walk ahead of us. Don't succumb to the challengers, but overcome them with strength.

Have a great weekend.

Friday, January 6, 2017

Fantastic Friday #557 - Patience

Patience

11 A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 19:11

Before this holiday I was entirely impatient with several things going on in my life, and it was pulling on me and my health. Over the break I worked on a one-thousand piece puzzle. This gave a true test of patience to me, but it also tested what I have learned in my life. With so many colors and shapes, I struggled at times to see what I was trying to put together. When I would walk away to take a break and a deep breath, I could usually come back and find several pieces that fit within the puzzle. I was finding that I could rely on what I learned previously about color and shade and not so much the shape of the puzzle piece. This can be applied to our own lives, by not focusing so much on the minute details but to look at the overall picture. This focus can build patience with others and yourself. Turn to wisdom to build that patience.

Have a great weekend.