STORM DAMAGE

STORM DAMAGE



Isaiah 4:5b-6 – God’s own glory will be like a huge tent that covers everything. 6It will provide shade from the heat of the sun and a place of shelter and protection from storms and rain.




Much like life we all have many storms in our life to go through rather you been in a earthquake or tornado or a loved one died could also be a friend who you where close to

Much like sin, which can enter our hearts and minds (often unexpectedly) – it tears us apart and litters our spirits with the debris of wrong choices and bad-decisions, bringing us into lifestyles that destroy all that is good; anything and everything from large ‘hurt those you love’ sins, to small (seemingly insignificant) wrongs, that together wreak havoc on us and all that we hold dear, taking us on journeys we never imagined could happen to us.
Exodus 18:19 – Listen now to My voice; I’ll give you counsel.. (NKJV)
Isaiah 40:29 – The LORD gives strength to those who are weary. (CEV)
We might not always have the wisdom to live life without error – we after all, are not perfect beings; but we can choose to live differently by striving to be God-driven and Jesus-spirited. He is always ready to assist us and shelter us, if we call upon Him; and our footsteps can be guided by Jesus, Son of God in the everlasting Way.
Prayer: Father let us heed the signs you send when we are considering entering ‘stormy relationships and lifestyles’, gather us up, tidy our thinking and our actions, and let us grow more in Your image, standing erect and strong like a tree freed of all that is broken



As the road ahead seems rugged
And the path is getting steep,
I feel that I can't make it
So my heart begins to weep.

Then I turn to see who's coming
To join me on my way,
I see it is my Lord
And he slowly turns to say

"Lean on me.....
When you have no strength to stand.
When you feel you're going under,
Hold tighter to my hand.

Lean on me.....
When your heart begins to bleed.
When you know I'm all you have,
Then you'll find I'm all you need."

Then when I felt that no one cared
If I lived or died,
And no one bothered asking why
I'd go alone to cry.

When the burden got so heavy
I could barely face the day,
I felt His arms around me
As I gently heard Him say

"Lean on me.....
When you have no strength to stand.
When you feel you're going under,
Hold tighter to my hand.

Lean on me.....
When your heart begins to bleed.
When you come to know I'm all you have,
Then you'll find I'm all you need."

FROM MY HEART

I HAD TO SHARE THIS I GOT THIS FROM A FRIEND

From My Heart
by Mitch Salmon on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 8:17am

What further evidence do we need that we are broken? As I survey this land I see conflicts, wars, droughts, starvation and a deep sadness that has pierced so many hearts. It’s clear that this world is crying out, but do they know who can deliver them? Do they know the One who died on that tree so that we would finally be declared free? Even if the trials of this world were to pass would they know who to thank for the mercy? I ponder these things as I consider Your wondrous love. You traded glory for shame. You left Your perfect kingdom to live amongst us in this broken place. You spared no expense, held nothing back. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” You spoke these words as You considered Your own destiny. You knew the love in Your heart. It is more than we could ever fathom. It is far greater than anything we have ever experienced. Your love alone has the ability to transform a heart. Your love alone can set us free.



Father, I pray that You will reveal Yourself to the hearts of all. I pray that Your great love will be made apparent so that even the cynical, jaded and blind will open their eyes to You. This was where You found me; ashamed and alone even as I was surrounded by this mass of humanity. I hid in plain sight. No one knew my heart. No one knew my brokenness or the deep pit inside me. You replaced my shame with gratitude. If You can draw me unto You I know that You can draw anyone! So, Father, I pray that You will use me as an ambassador in this land. I pray that You will use these hands to type Your words. I pray that You will use the skills and abilities You have already blessed me with to bring glory and honor to Your name. I pray that I will decrease so that You may increase. My heart is full and there is no more space to contain this stream of life that You have poured into me. It must flow not to but through me. Take the weakness in me and use it to exhibit Your strength. I bow before You. You are my Lord, my King and the Author of my salvation! You are the Provider of hope, joy, love and peace. You are the one I searched for all my life even as I was groping in the darkness. Thank You for shining Your brilliant light into my dark heart. Thank You for showing me the way even as I was lost and alone.



Thank you, Jesus, that You would leave Your home in glory to make this world Your home for a time. Thank you for Your life of servanthood and for setting self aside for us. Your sacrifice did not begin on that tree. It began on the day that You opened Your human eyes. You never forsook those who sought You. You never turned down a plea for physical or spiritual healing. You were not murdered. You laid Your life down willingly. You endured agony and bore the burden of the cross for me! Love is Your prescription for this world and it is healing one heart at a time. So many have been transformed by this love already and yet I pray that there will be MANY more. Hear my cries, oh Lord! Hear me pleas for this world! We are all searching for the same things and yet so many do not know this love that changes hearts and lives. I pray that You will reveal Yourself to them just as You revealed Yourself to me. If they only knew the truth of Your love! Reveal it to them! Pour it down on every man, woman and child! We don’t have to live in brokenness! We don’t have to live in shame! We don’t have to be who we have been, we are called to be who You say we are. This identity can only be found in Your Son, Christ Jesus!



Father, it is in Your precious Son’s name that I pray. I am affectionately and gratefully Yours always. Love, me

Thoughts for Today - Set us Free part 2

Thoughts for Today - Set us Free part 2






Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word” (Psalm 119:37).

Thoughts for today
A simple change of habit can do wonders in keeping you from temptation. For example, if you are most tempted when you spend time on the computer after your spouse has gone to bed, then make a commitment to stay off of the computer during that time. If you know that a certain street you drive down causes you to lust due to certain establishments on it, or prostitutes that hang around, or alluring billboards, you would be wise to travel a different route.
Remember that God loves you, no matter what kind of sin and selfishness you have immersed yourself in, no matter what your destruction your sin has produced. Confess your sin, and admit the gravity of it. Understand that it is impossible to overcome sin totally on your own. Depend on God's help, and seek the support of others. Saturate your mind with God's Word. Pray often. Create barriers to reduce your exposure to temptation. Confess your sin to another Christian (preferably of the same sex), and ask them to pray regularly for you and hold you accountable. Continue to read and learn about your addiction. Seek professional help, especially if the problem is severe and your life has been shattered. Get to work on rebuilding your life, now
Stephen Arterburn in his book Every Man's Battle talks about retraining the eyes to “bounce away” from visual things that stimulate lust in you. For men, this might mean you need to look away as soon as you see a scantily dressed female jogger. Don't fuel your lust. Avert your eyes from temptations, and don't look back.
The same applies to visual temptations on magazines at the grocery store checkout line, or billboards, television programming and commercials. A good habit can be formed in around two weeks. Keep bouncing your gaze away, and remarkable improvement can be noticed rather quickly.

Destroy all pornographic materials in your possession—magazines, books, videos, and computer files. Make no provision for your flesh (Romans 13:14). If you can't control yourself, then you must then get rid of every possible access to pornographic material in your life (Internet, cable TV, etc.). Stop feeding the fire.
If some friendships cause too much temptation, severe those relationships.


MY QUOTE FOR TODAY IS
Each of us is accountable to God for our personal holiness. At the same time, God never intended that we should battle sin single-handedly… Is it sometimes hard to confess my need and ask for help? Absolutely! It requires that I humble myself and acknowledge that I don’t have it all together. The very pride that keeps you from taking off your mask and getting real is the same pride that will cause you to fall into sin. Humbling yourself by letting others into your life and allowing them to help you and hold you accountable will release the sanctifying, transforming grace of God in your life.



Nancy Leigh DeMoss
PRAYER
Here's how to pray, each and every day…
Confess all known sin
Read: Psalm 51 | Mark 7:20-23 | 1 John 1:7-10
Renounce conformity to the world
Read: Romans 12:2, 6:13-14
Ardently seek an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. He will give you a richer, more meaningful life.
Read: John 10:10, 15:5-12 | Ephesians 3:14-19 | Philippians 3:10-14
Offer your body as a “living sacrifice” to God
See: Romans 12:1-2 | 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Worship God
Read: John 4:23-24 | Philippians 3:3
Thank and praise God. Thank Him for his grace and mercy, praise Him, and keep seeking His mercy. Thank God for answered prayer.
Read: What should we thank God for, and how should we praise Him? | Thanksgiving, do the right thing | Are you thankful to God? | Philippians 4:6-7 | Colossians 4:2
Ask God for help in living a pure and loving life
See: Philippians 4:6-7 | Hebrews 4:16

Thoughts for today - Set us Free Part 1

Subject: Thoughts for today - Set us Free Part 1




"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 8:28)
THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
There are many ways that we humans sin and fall short—lying, greed, stealing, adultery, taking the Lord's name in vain, and many other selfish acts. All sins are equally serious before our Holy God.
"But, I am saved" - If there is no doubt that you have already committed your life to Jesus Christ and are relying on His sin-covering blood for your salvation, then do not let your sin cause you to doubt your salvation. Instead, deal with your sin. Confess it, and rededicate your life to Christ. Don't hold back any part of your life from Him. Humble yourself totally before God. Surrender it all. Ask Him to help you live a life of purity and true love. Accept your own failure and inadequacy. Admit that you cannot overcome sin on your ownThe apostle Paul understood the frustration and terrible hold that our inherited sin has on all descendants of Adam and Eve "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. …I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing.
Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?"
--Romans 7:15-24 (NIV)

Admit your weakness, seek God's help

All humans are selfish and sinful; it is our nature. Addiction to pornography and other sexual sins are particularly potent in their effect, similar to a seductive and powerful drug. Once it has a hold on you, it is very difficult to resist. In fact, it is virtually impossible to overcome on your own. You must have God's help.
God cannot work with you if you are still trying to overcome sin on your own; it is a form of pridefulness. You are, in effect, saying to God "I can take care of this myself." Consider these verses:
"The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God…" (Psalm 10:4). "Pride goes before destruction…" (Proverbs 16:18). "When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom" (Proverbs 11:2).
"You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You" (Isa 26:3, NKJV).

MY QUOTE FOR TODAY
What about cravings? The Bible understands them well. It refers to them as temptations. The Bible recognizes that people with years of sobriety often still struggle with huge temptations. Sometimes this is just a normal part of the slow process of change. Sometimes it is simply a consequence of being reminded of something we once loved. But at other times it can be a result of mentally cherishing and nurturing the addiction while physically abstaining from it. Instead of asking God for a desire to hate sin at its roots, some people cling to the pleasant memories associated with their addiction. They remember that they once had a potent escape, whereas now they experience the pain of facing daily problems.

Edward T. Welch
DEAR GOD IN JESUS NAME SET US FREE ..LORD IT IS EASY TO GET OFF TRACK IN THIS LIFE HELP US AND SEEK US WHEN WE GO ASTRAY GIVE UP THE EYES TO SEE WHAT THINGS IN OUR LIFE ISNT PLEASING TO YOU AND BRING US TO THE EVERLASTING WAY OF PEACE IN JESUS NAME AMEN

Thoughts For Today ...Why Hide?

The Message (MSG)


Psalm 139
A David Psalm
1-6 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand.
I'm an open book to you;
even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
I'm never out of your sight.
You know everything I'm going to say
before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you're there,
then up ahead and you're there, too—
your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
I can't take it all in!

7-12 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?
to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you're there!
If I go underground, you're there!
If I flew on morning's wings
to the far western horizon,
You'd find me in a minute—
you're already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, "Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
At night I'm immersed in the light!"
It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you;
night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you.

13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I'd even lived one day.

17-22 Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
God, I'll never comprehend them!
I couldn't even begin to count them—
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!
And please, God, do away with wickedness for good!
And you murderers—out of here!—
all the men and women who belittle you, God,
infatuated with cheap god-imitations.
See how I hate those who hate you, God,
see how I loathe all this godless arrogance;
I hate it with pure, unadulterated hatred.
Your enemies are my enemies!

23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I'm about;
See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life.

MY THOUGHTS

I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A KID IF I DONE SOMETHING WRONG I WOULD HIDE UNDER THE BED HOPING KNOW ONE WILL FIND ME BUT RATHER IT WAS MY UNCLE OR MY GRANDMOTHER THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO FIND ME UNDER THE BED ....I REMEMBER MANY TIMES I WAS AFRAID AND FEARFUL BECAUSE OF MY GRANDMOTHER FOUND ME SHE HAD A BELT THAT STING AND MY UNCLE WOULD HIT ME KNEES WITH HIS FIST ...BUT IT WAS NOT ABOUT BEING PUNISH IT WAS I THOUGHT I COULD HIDE FROM THEM AT TIMES ..ISN'T THAT IS WITH HOW WE RELATE TO GOD OUR FATHER ..WHEN WE FEEL ASHAMED WE DO NOT CONFESS OUR FALTS TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE LORD AND WE HIDE KNOWING IF I DID NOT CONFESS KNOW ONE WILL EVER KNOW BUT GOD KNOWS EVERTHING ABOUT US ....DAVID IN PSALMS 139 KNEW HE COULD NOT HIDE FROM GOD BECAUSE GOD IS EVERYWHERE AND KNOWS EVERTHING WE DO IN SECRET BUT GOD IS ALSO HAS GRACE AND LOVE TO FORGIVE US OUR WRONG DOINGS, SO WHY HIDE?

MY QUOTE FOR TODAY IS
Properly remembering our past sins with shame will deter us from repeating them and help us receive God's saving grace. When we recall our failures through the lens of Christ's mercy, God produces in us ongoing repentance and deepening humility.

BY ROBERT JONES

PRAYER FOR TODAY

GOD SOMETIMES I FEEL SO ASHAMED OF THE THINGS I DO AND WRONG AND I NEED YOUR HELP TO BE HONEST TO YOU TO OTHERS AND MYSELF THAT THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO TO SEPARATE US FROM YOUR LOVE ..GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO GO FOWARD AND BE STRONG AND GIVE US YOUR STRENGTH BECAUSE IT ONLY COMES FROM YOU IN JESUS NAME AMEN

Unconditional Love

Unconditional Love



TODAY'S VERSE "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love" John 15:9 (NIV)
TODAY'S THOUGHT I have had Christians chide me for my passion over the unconditional love of God. What about the Holiness of God, the part of God that hates sin? And yes, I understand that God is Holy and that He doesn't have to love us at all - but He does. He chooses to. He sees my sin and then He sees the sacrifice of His son. Jesus Himself said it, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you." How much does the Holy Father love His only begotten? Can we fathom it? And Jesus makes only one request. That we understand it? That we rationalize it? That we argue over it? No, He asks us to remain in His love. Like myself, Brennan Manning taught for years about the love of God without personally understanding its depths. Manning speaks of his own awakening in his book, Abba's Child. He writes, "Unwittingly I had projected onto God my feelings about myself. I felt safe with Him only when I saw myself as noble, generous, and loving, without scars, fears, or tears. Perfect! But on that day in Colorado I came out of hiding. Jesus removed the shroud of perfectionist performance and now, forgiven and free, I ran home. For I knew someone was there for me. -- I finally felt all the words I have written and spoken about stubborn, unrelenting love. That morning I understood that the words are but straw compared to the reality. I leaped from simply being the teacher of God's love to becoming Abba's delight." Today, you too can leap from reading to reality. Quit trying to earn His love and accept the unconditional love He has for you.
Romans 8:1 is one of the most important verses in all of Scripture, from both a theological and a psychological point of view. Theologically, this verse makes crystal clear the fact of our forgiveness in Christ. God has done through Christ that which we could never do, setting us free from the power of sin and death. Thus if we “belong to Christ Jesus,” the Greek reads literally, “if we are in Christ Jesus,” then we know that God does not condemn us. By his grace in Christ, we are forgiven, justified, and welcomed into relationship with him.
Romans 8:1 proclaims truth that touches our souls, or in New Testament Greek, our psyches. Thus it has powerful psychological implications. Many people struggle with a deep sense of their own inadequacy. We feel ashamed because of what we have done and even because of who we are. No matter what we might say about God’s love, in the depth of our hearts, we feel as if God stands against us in angry judgment. Though we are right to see and hate our sin, we are wrong in our estimation of God’s stance. If we belong to Christ by putting our faith in him, then there is no condemnation for us. Thus we can be free to approach God, knowing that he loves and forgives us. Though we rightly confess our sins to him, we see ourselves, not as dirty sinners but as forgiven sinners beloved by God, being renewed through his Spirit.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Do you ever struggle with the thought that God stands in judgment against you? Do you question God’s grace in your life? How might the truth of Romans 8:1 permeate your soul?






TODAY'S PRAYERGracious God, in some ways, this verse is so familiar to me. I’ve read it a hundred times. I’ve taught it, preached it, and written on it. It’s old news to me Father, dear Father. How long have I felt unworthy of your affection? How long have I strived trying to win Your approval? But today I quit. Today I quit trying to earn Your love. Today I surrender. I surrender to Your word and accept the love that You freely have for me. Thank you Father for Your unconditional love.

Thoughts for Today - Trapped?

TRAPPED?


Is anything too hard for the Lord? - Genesis 18:14a.
Nicholas White had a long, long weekend. He was trapped at work from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. Nicholas went out for a little cigarette break and the elevator stalled after a fraction of a second voltage drop. No one noticed Nicholas was gone. Probably thought he had left for home a little early. No one noticed until Sunday afternoon when he was spotted on a security camera. It’s not like he didn’t try to gain some attention. He screamed, he banged on the walls, he pushed every button, and he tried to climb through the ceiling of the elevator. After his release he said he was relieved and a little shaky. He refused medical attention and said he just wanted to go home.
Have you ever been trapped? Not in an elevator but by life? Many people feel as though they are trapped by life. It may be financial, or it may be their health, or it may be their marriage, or their job, or family, or an addiction, or so many things that seem to get in the way of the enjoyment of life. 40 hours seems like a slight inconvenience compared to the lives which some are living year after year. We may very well feel like Nicholas. We bang on the walls of heaven, we scream, we push every button we can find, we try to climb out but no one seems to notice; not even God.
What can we do? How do we escape? Somehow our focus must go beyond our situation. We must look beyond our temporary circumstances of this world to the eternal circumstances of the Kingdom of God. Abraham and Sarah were trapped in their old bodies of 100 and 90 years of age. But God said they would have the promised child. Sarah laughed at the possibility. We would have laughed too. The spiritual reality, however, was that there was nothing too hard for the Lord. We must put our focus on and our trust in Jesus (Hebrews 12:3). We must deposit our fears, worries, cares, anxieties, situations, circumstances all upon God (1 Peter 5:7). When we do that we will find through the power of God we have been translated from our prison of circumstances into the freedom of eternal life.
QUOTE FOR TODAY Every person in the world, including yourself, will encounter various trials throughout life. Satan seeks to defeat you by tempting you to trust your own wisdom, to live according to your self-centered feelings, and to gratify the desires of your flesh. In contrast, God’s will is for you to be an overwhelming conqueror in all of these tests for His honor and glory.

Biblical Counseling Foundation
PRAYER FOR TODAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME HELP US NOT TO FEEL TRAPPED IN OUR CURCUMSTANCES OF ADDICTIONS , TROUBLES AND TRIALS OF LIFE BUT HELP US TO KNOW THE TRUTH BECAUSE THE TRUTH HELPS US TO BE SET FREE FROM THE CHAINS WE ARE SO USE TO LIVING TOO .
FATHER IT CAN BE SCARY SOMETIMES ..PLEASE LORD GIVE US STRENGTH FOR WITH YOU ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE IN JESUS NAME AMEN