Do You Have A Light?

I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would not remain in the darkness.  
(John 12: 46 HCSB)

The unhappy Christian; it sounds like an odd choice of words doesn’t it? Two powerful words when put together that can lead to unhealthy thinking. Yet, it seems to be coming more and more common.  Does the proverbial dark cloud hover over your head? Are you always expecting the worst to happen, seeing the negative, being the ultimate pessimist, instead of putting your faith to the test and being optimistic?

Soon that dark cloud becomes bothersome and before you know it, a whirlpool of despair begins to swirl around and around in our mind, and we become dizzy with pain, a lack of enthusiasm and plain ole negativity takes root.

The bible tells us that we are “the light that gives light to the world.” The bible instructs us how to live in such a way that we can be a witness for Jesus.  How influential is your light?  Is it dull, dim and barely visible? Or is it a bright, vibrant, a blinding beacon that shines vibrantly for Jesus?  

Perhaps rejoicing in the Lord and embracing the simple truth, that we are His, we can find ways to make ourselves happy with our daily existence. Perhaps, just by looking in the mirror, and instead of seeing the reflection we would normally see, we are looking through God’s eyes.  Being an unhappy Christian should be a foreign concept to us.

I grew up in a very negative household. I am sure I am not alone by saying this. I am also sure that I am not alone by guessing that each one of us has a story to tell from personal experience just how negativity, depression, illness, shame or guilt dominated the walls in which we grew up. In some way, negativity has affected our lives at one time or another. Life can be difficult, harsh and hard to understand. Life can suffocate us with negative surroundings.  

Have you ever said this to yourself?   “Lord, I can’t take this anymore. I am overwhelmed with negativity and discouragement.” We can become very discouraged during difficult times in our lives.  If we are merely living each day, under a cloud of negativity, we are not living life to glorify God.

Where is our joy? Where is our peace? Why are we so miserable?

We should be celebrating our progress. I am sure each of us can attest that our faith has been strengthened, by dumping some of the insecurities, letting go of fear that once held us captive and realizing how spiritually beautiful we are in Christ.  

A happy Christian isn’t self-seeking. It’s not about fulfilling one’s personal pleasures. It’s not a superficial feeling. A happy Christian contains a deep- rooted, inner joy and assurance, which give her credibility when she shares her love for Christ. A happy Christian is confident that God is with her all the time, even through the storms and tribulations.

Can we be happy all the time? No.  We are human, with human emotions. We often deal with a roller coaster of emotions depending on the life circumstance. Our minds, body and spirit can easily grow weary due to hardships and disappointments.

However, our walk with God is not intended to be miserable.  He has great plans for you. They are plans we could never imagine. They are plans that should give us hope for the future.

We should expect good things from God.  True happiness has to do with our faith and placing it with Jesus. He is the one true source of our happiness.

God has made us all unique with talents and gifts that we honor Him by sharing with others. The one thing we do have in common is that we have eternal peace. We can stand together as one group, a complete circle, strong and true, sharing our love for Christ.  And to make that bond strong and unbreakable, we have to be in agreement that we will strive for true happiness and grow as a Christian family.   

Are we ready to clear out the clutter and junk that’s keeping us from being the light of the world that God has made us? Are we ready to become who God wants us to be? Are we ready to experience the true joy with a whole new passion? We are all capable.

Let GO!

Let the Lord take this burden of negativity and replace it with goodness and let’s move forward – together – a band of strong Christians leading others to Christ.  Let’s renew our minds and focus on HIS WORD.

Let’s put our HOPE in HIS HANDS and see WHERE it TAKES US.

Let us concentrate on the following verses:

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

(Phil. 4:8)

A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.

(Proverbs 15:13)

 Always be joyful.

(1 Thess 5:16)

With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!

(Isaiah 12:3)

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

(Jer. 29:11)

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. 

(Heb. 11:1)

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (Heb. 11:6)

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

(1 Peter 5:7)

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

(Matthew 6:33)

I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

(John 15:11)

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

(Psalms 37:4)

So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

(Psalms 32:11)

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

(Psalms 118:24)

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

(Romans 12:2)

All Bible scripture : HCSB

Praying? What is This Prayer You Speak Of?

Prayer? What is this Praying You Speak Of?

January 19, 2010

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may Your name be honored.
(Matthew 6:9 HCSB)

Have you ever heard, “When I pray, I lose focus” or “How much time do I need to spend with God?” Or, “Does God really hear my prayers?”

If we are always talking to God, we wouldn't have those questions as the bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-17. “Always be joyful. Pray without ceasing.”

Does this mean we have to be on our knees every minute of the day? With the demands we face in our daily lives, we feel fortunate to spend five minutes with God. However, the context of that verse is with the attitude, not the action. We are to remain joyful for all things and communication with God at all times. It doesn’t mean we have to be a sitting down formally or setting a time limit to be in prayer. It can be while we are sitting in traffic, filing papers at our job, making lunch for our toddler, sitting quietly in an empty house or on our lunch break. We have many opportunities to talk to God.

Prayer is our most personal level of communication with God. We can talk to Him, anytime, anyplace, for as long as we want and in any language. We can reveal our inner most thoughts and fears. We can share our doubts and concerns. We can cry or share a laugh with God. God is open to us. Prayer is our heart talking to God.

On many levels we pray. We pray for our country and our Government. We pray for other places that are being hit by devastation, such as Haiti. We pray for our Pastors and leaders. We pray for our marriage or relationships. We pray for our jobs. We pray for our children, our parents, and our siblings and our extended family. We pray for our positions in life asking God to keep a firm hold on us. We pray that we will pass an exam or the Degree we are working toward comes soon. We pray for a healthy life style, or overcome an illness we may go through. We pray for another person's soul.

We CAN pray without ceasing, always whispering the soft petitions to our Father letting him into our minds and hearts.

Praying is simply communicating with God. We can talk to God just as a child talks with his or her father. There is no certain amount of time, or certain format we must follow. Prayer is not a magic gimmick that will complete our every desire, nor can it force a sudden result to our needs. We pray because we want to be close to God.

What if we are confused and not quite certain what to pray about? The Holy Spirit brings together our prayer so that we are praying according to Will of God. God’s spirit that dwells in us will communicate to our hearts and minds. When we pray we can have confidence that God understands.

How do you pray? Do you have a certain time you set aside each day to spend time with God? Do you whisper prayers all day long, knowing God is hearing your quiet voice? Do you have a prayer group that you attend, joining together as one voice? There are no wrong answers or perfect design to talking with your Father. Just be yourself and talk to Him. He just wants you to be part of Him as He is a part of you. Exercise your privilege and faith and let God know you TRUST Him.

Prayer can be our First Aid. It can heal. It can restore. It can bless. It can protect. It can build. It can bring comfort. It can bring wisdom and encouragement. God is always ready to hear our prayers. This is why we can pray always and always pray.