Fantastic Friday #241-Deliverer

Deliverer

¹ I love you, LORD, my strength.

² The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

³ I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-3

This time of year when you order something online you wait anxiously for the deliverer of that item, whether it be the post office or another delivery service. The problem with delivery in today's world is that most of it is either junk, bills, or the occasional thank you or Christmas card. The world has gotten away from the fine art of writing letters with a pen and paper. I can remember how we used to wait patiently to run to the mailbox for that letter delivery. How many of us look to the Lord for delivery of something that we think we need, but only really want. Maybe we aren't seeing the Lord deliver that thing we think we need, because He is not the post office or another delivery service. He is the Deliverer and has already delivered what we need, and that was His Son over 2000 years ago. Look at this Christmas season with an eye out for our True Deliverer of the only package we ever needed.

Fantastic Frida #240- Hands

Hands

¹⁶ May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.

¹⁷ May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:16-17

This time of year brings a multitude of emotions to the forefront. Sometimes I wonder how we keep all the balls in the air juggling with just two hands. Why is this time of the year which is supposed to be a joyous time, such a drain on the physical body? It is amazing to think how we think that our hands are the ones that are doing all the juggling. It is another thing to think that all the work we do is a result of our own effort. It is also amazing to think that the blessings that God has provided us with can be controlled by our own will. In this season of giving, let Him into your heart to guide your hands into the direction He wants them to go. Let Him lead the blessing that you will provide to someone else. Let Him finish the work that He has established for our hands, and have Faith. Don't let your pride get in the way of His Hand on you.

Fantastic Friday #239- Attitude

Attitude

⁴ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:4-6

How many of you dealt with someone that was rude this week? How many of you were able to let that rude attitude flow off your shoulders and you came out as the better person? Well, if any of you are like me, depending on how rude the person was determined your own attitude towards them and how you reacted. Boy this attitude thing is hard sometimes, and I sometimes wonder why there are so many of these people that are out there to attempt to make our lives miserable. Or maybe I am looking at it all wrong, yep I am. God puts these people in our lives to show us and them a few things. Number one, they are there to test our attitude and how we react to them. Number two, they are there because God wants us to show them an attitude of Christ's love. And number three, they are there to allow God to be glorified. Maybe we need to focus on our own attitude before we get to that rude person who needs to see our love of Christ. Show some love this week.

Fantastic Friday #238-Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

¹² Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
¹³ Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name. 1 Chronicles 29:12-13

So many things to be thankful for as we enter this holiday season and you wonder if you take the time to really count your blessings. The Lord places us in the families we are in and with the friends we have to help us grow in Him. The question is,do we really pay enough attention to why He has us in the place He does to give us strength? Through the black Friday specials, the fighting crowds, and all the distractions this world throws in front of us, take a moment to reflect during this weekend of Thanksgiving and give thanks and worship our Lord.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #237-Overcome

Overcome

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

I look back on the last several years of my life and reflect on where I have been. Does anyone else do this? But on this day I do it a little more intentionally than I have in the past. When you view the past, do you see the horrible things first, or do you automatically think of the wonderful things of this life. It is a challenge to look back sometimes because of the pain that you might have experienced at one time or another. I feel it is also a challenge to look back at the good things that might have happened throughout your life. You are probably asking, why it is challenging to think back to both the good and the bad. That thought is most likely due to the unknown future we have before us. I think a lot of times we hold our breath hoping for the best and sometimes experience trouble. So I take this moment to look back at being born into this world of sin and know in my heart that Jesus has already overcome this world for me. Praise God for the blessings he has bestowed on me and my family. Praise God for the peace that He gives me. So, for all of you, take heart because He has Overcome.

Fantastic Friday #236-Battle/Skopeo

Battle/Skopeo

¹ What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. ⁴ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? ⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”James 4:1-6

The battles we fight are not always against your neighbor, friend, or family, a lot of battles you fight are from within. What battle are you fighting now? Is it a battle to be the best at what you are in this world? It is a battle with a particular sin? Maybe it is a battle with the world that is fighting against you and your family unit. I think that we can get swallowed up in what the world tells us to seek out for our own pleasures,and that can make us proud as we chase after that thing that can cause that battle within. Maybe we should take a moment and "skopeo" which is the Greek word for See, Look, Consider and Examine. If we take a moment to "see" what we are pursuing, "look" to what battle it is causing, "Consider" where God wants us to be, and "Examine" our heart to fight the battle within, I think we can become that humble individual and receive what God wants us to have. Remember to avoid the friendship with the world that leads to being an enemy of God, but battle against that friendship to a closer relationship with Him. Skopeo.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #235- Cares

Cares

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1st Peter 5:6-8

Do you ever tell yourself that no one seems to care about anyone these days? Maybe you had a run-in with a friend or a spouse that you feel like you weren't really cared for or they didn't care how you felt. Maybe you feel that distance from God as He is testing your faith in Him, and you ask yourself does He really care about me and my life? How can God care about me when there are so many people in the world that are suffering? The doubt of whether or not God or other people care about you is due to one thing, and that is the enemy lying in wait to slip in and try and separate us from God, our family or friends. So how do we combat the enemy that doesn't care about us but only himself, we begin to care for others and know in our hearts that God cares for us, loves us, and can lift us out of our most desperate times of need.CARE=Compassion Always Rebuffs the Enemy.

Have a great weekend.