Up or Down

Psalm 13:2 how long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Psalm 13:5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

Dear Friend:

I want to tell you a story about a young man who lived at home and worked hard for his dad. He helped a lot around the house. He had 7 older brothers, who really did not like him and gave him a hard time. His mother was very busy with her life; she loved him, but had many things to do for this big family. The dad was hard on him expecting him to work hard for him. One day the brothers went into their community center to have a meeting. The community was looking for a solution to a problem they were having that was affecting everyone. The young man’s dad sent him to bring lunch and check on the brothers at this community meeting. When he arrived in town he overheard the problem and got to thinking that he has a solution. In fact he thought to himself that his whole life he had this training to solve the problem for the people. He had this confidence and courage that no one knew about. He always had this secret in him that he was born with and never told anyone. Not one of his family members considered him for the solution. In fact when his brother saw him in town he said in front of everybody “you are conceited and evil. “ Here was a young man that minded his own business and did what his dad told him and now his brother is picking on him. He didn’t deserve this treatment at all. But at the same time the problem at hand needed to be resolved quickly and so with all of his own determination that he was born with he went to the leader and said he wants to help.

Stop!

This is as far as I am going to go with this story. It is a bible story and I want you to guess who the young man is.
It is the story of David. David goes on to be a King and is in the direct bloodline of Christ. When David was about 25 years old God was looking for a man after His own heart. He selected David. Why David? Because he created him before he was even thought up by his own parents. God wanted David to be born. His family did not know this. When Samuel was sent by God to anoint someone from the house of Jesse to be King of Israel, Jesse sent all of his 7 sons except David. David was overlooked in the family often. But that overlooking caused him to fill his loneliness with God. God became his focus and it was God who trained David to be a warrior and shepherd. He killed lions, tiger, bears with the strength and confidence of God. God began a work in David and David gave God his full attention. David never felt alone. This training was David’s secret and David bubbled over with enthusiasm when it was time to release the truth of what was inside him. David killed Goliath, the giant. He goes on to be a great warrior to win many battles for God.
Is your life like David’s filled with loneliness, rejection, false accusations, being misunderstood, having talents in you that no one understands, being picked on, overlooked and others may be jealous of you? Maybe you have one or two of the above that you can connect with? Do you take the frustrations named above and become angry and bitter? David decided to let go and let God be his all and all. Where others failed to love, God had unfailing love. You can go down or up! David went up! He wrote the most beautiful Psalms. Words expressed that are amazing. It is so cool! He frequently starts writing going down and he ends his writings going up.
Which way will you go?

Let’s pray: Father in heaven I confess that I do not go to you enough with my thoughts. Lord I give you permission to reveal the healing that needs to be done in me. I declare and receive the rest I need in your unfailing love. I choose to go up. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Up,
Elaine

Mission Statement

Acts 26:18 (New International Version)(Jesus speaking to Paul) 18 open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.

Dear Friend:

Do you have a mission statement for your life? This passage of scripture was Paul speaking to King Agrippa and a whole courtroom of people. Jesus blinded Paul on the road to Damascus and he tells Paul, “I am sending you to open the eyes of the Jews and Gentiles.” He blinds Paul, then he tells Paul his mission will be to help others see. We know by the story that Paul does get his sight back, but I find it interesting that many great ministries are born out of people’s own trails in life. That follows scripture that we will comfort others with the comfort we received. We don’t want others to suffer as we did. Jesus spoke the above mission statement. With Paul’s great authority he boldly claims this mission to the court. I have never seen in any other religion where the follower of God proclaims forgiveness of sin. You see there is no other God that addresses the real matter that is right at the heart. All people have a condition of sin and are in need of a Savior. Paul got that message loud and clear and was set free and he goes on to suffer to make sure he lives out his mission statement.
What is the greatest epic decision you or anyone you know has in life? Paul learned the answer that day on the road to Damascus. You can pray for others using the above scripture that they too will come to this understanding and need of a Savior.

Pray like this: I pray that ____________open her/his eyes and turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that he/she may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Praying,
Elaine

Quiet Life

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Dear Friend:
It is so hard to live a “Quiet Life”, isn’t it? This verse is a great reminder of how to live a quiet life. We choose daily whether we will complicate it or make it simple. God wants you to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, mind our own business and work so others will respect you and see the Jesus in you.
If you keep living in the past and remembering how others have hurt you, that keeps your mind in a place to remain a victim. You are expecting others to make you happy. That means you are people dependent rather than God dependent.
Today, try and make it your ambition to move forward and lead a quiet life independent of others. I think that is a really healthy way to live.
Let’s pray: Father in heaven, help me to make it my ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind my own business and to work with my hands, just as you have told me. I want my daily life to win the respect of outsiders. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME!
Keeping it simple,
Elaine

Pause for 4.2 seconds

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (Amplified Bible)13And we also [especially] thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God [which you heard] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe (exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it].
Dear Friend:
Can you pause for 4.2 seconds to receive this effective word? These few seconds God wants to remind you that he is working in your life right now! WOW!
Let’s pray: Father in heaven thank you for continually giving me a message and helping me to welcome it into my life. Truly Lord I am a follower of you and I am aware that you are exercising the words in me and giving me superhuman power. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Pausing,
Elaine