Who Can Help You

"I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope."

Have you figured out yet, that you are your own worst enemy?  It’s your own reactions, your own fears, your own inadequacies that cause you to act in foolish ways. I know that’s true for me.

I need to be saved from myself because there are things I don’t like about me, things I wish I had done differently, things I’d like to change. But I can’t change them, not on my own power. . 

You may be saying, “I can change.” I hate to say this, but you can’t.

In January, you’re going to make a list of New Year’s resolutions. By the end of January, that list will be in the dumpster. Why? Because you can’t change on your own; you need God’s power. You need a Savior. 

God never wastes energy. He doesn’t waste effort on things that are unnecessary. In other words, if you didn’t need a Savior, he wouldn’t have sent one. 

If you are honest about it, sometimes you feel like your life is out of control. That’s a common feeling. Welcome to the human race! 

The apostle Paul felt that way 2,000 years ago. He says in the Bible: “I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there one who can do anything for me? The answer is Jesus can and does” (Romans 7:24-25 MSG).

You may be looking for salvation in the wrong places; that’s why you’re frustrated.

You’re looking for that one thing that’s going to give you fulfillment and meaning and peace in life.  Some of us think that if we could just get married, get a certain job or promotion, attain a certain level of wealth, possession and status in life, have a baby, they grow up and graduate — things would be great.  You’re looking in the wrong places. 

A lot of people are looking for salvation in a self-help book. They’re looking for it in therapy or in a fad or diet. They’re looking for it in a vacation: “If I could just escape to Tahiti, everything would be great.” The problem is that if you go to Tahiti, you’re taking you with you.

The answer is not in a place, program or a pill. The answer is a person: Jesus. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life is never going to make sense.

How would your life change if you fully accepted your dependence upon Jesus?
What would a “fully accepting” faith look like?

- J. Walker

Are You Wise or Foolish?

We know the “three-wish stories” occur in almost every culture, all have similar theme.

A benefactor appears and offers to grant three wishes to an unsuspecting beneficiary. The stories so often suggest we all want something we cannot get on our own.

There’s even a “wish story” in the Bible. It happened one night when the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said to him, “Ask! What shall I give you?” 1 kings 3:5

Solomon could have asked for riches, honor, fame, or power.  But he asked for none of these things. He requested “an understanding heart” or a “hearing heart".  A humble heart to listen and learn.

The young, inexperienced king, weighed down with the responsibilities of ruling a vast nation, needed the Lord’s wisdom to govern well.

Am I that wise? If God asked what He could do for me, what would I ask for? 

Would I ask for health, wealth, youth, power, or prestige?
Or would I ask for wisdom, holiness, and love?

Would I be wise or foolish?

Suppose God asked you what He could give to you. What would you ask for?

God’s wisdom is given to those who humbly ask Him for it.

- ODB

 

Eagle & Storm

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching?

The eagle will fly to a high spot and wait for the winds to come. When it hits, it sets its wings so the wind will pick it up and lift it above. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.

The eagle doesn't escape the storm. It simply uses its wings to lift it higher.

God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above it.

It's not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it's how we handle them.

Just A Though

I think one of the things that most people miss is, to look for the good in people. 

You could have 10 good things but as soon as you make 1 mistake, that's all they see.

What happened to forgiveness/second chance?

The good news and the good thing about Life is,  it goes on.

Have a great day :-)

- Charo

Emotion: An Ego

Another dimension to the ego: Emotion.

This is not to say all thinking and all emotion are of the ego.  They turn into ego only when you identify with them and they take you over completely… when they become “I”.

It can respond to an actual situation or event,  seen through the filter of mental interpretation or thought....that is to say, through mental concept of good and bad, like and dislike, me and mine.

For example, it is likely you won’t feel any emotion when you are told that someone’s car has been stolen, but when it is your car, you will probably feel upset. 

It’s amazing how much emotion a little mental concept like “my” can generate.

- E. Tolle

Words of Encouragement

Every time you think anything good about anyone, verbalize it. People cannot read your mind.

Your thoughts have power and may affect other's confidence level in a minor way, but your words can really lift them up and encourage them.

All people need affirmation, especially those who have been emotionally wounded or hurt by someone. We have more power than we realize we do. We can help people!  The right words spoken at the right time can heal.  It is good for others and good for us. We experience joy in building others up.

We are created by God to be a blessing. He told Abraham, "I will bless you and make you a blessing."

We are blessed in being a blessing.  Start being what you were made to be and you will start receiving what you are meant to receive.

- J. Meyer

Character Creates Courage

A legend tells about a mouse who was terrified of cats until a magician agrees to transform him into a cat.  That resolved his fear… until he met a dog, so he was changed to a dog. 

The mouse-turned-cat-turned-dog was content until he met a tiger – so once again, he was turned into what he feared.  But when a tiger went complaining that he had met a hunter, the magician refused to help.

 “I will make you into a mouse again, for though you have the body of a tiger, you still have the heart of the mouse”

How many people do you know who have built a formidable exterior, only to tremble inside with fear?

We face fear with force… or… we stockpile wealth. We seek security in things. We cultivate fame and seek status.

But do these approaches work?

Courage is an outgrowth of who we are.

Exterior support may temporarily sustain, but only inward character creates courage.

- M. Lucado

“Have faith in the Lord your God, and you will stand strong”

- 2 Chronicles 20:20

  

Positive Power

Nathaniel Hawthorne came home heartbroken for being let go from his job. His wife, rather than responding with anxiety, surprised him with joy and said, "Now you can write a book!".

He wasn't so positive and said "what shall we live on while I'm writing".  

·    To his amazement, the wife opened a drawer and revealed a wad of money she saved out of her housekeeping budget.  "I've always knew you were a man of genius and that you will write a masterpience",  she said.

·    She believed in her husband. And because she did, he wrote.  And because he wrote, most libraries in the world has a copy of "The Scarlet Letter". 

·    Everyone has the power to change someone's life simply by the words you speak.

- M. Lucado

"What you say can mean life or death"

- Proverbs 18:21

Tongue has power 

The Starfish Story

While walking along a beach, an elderly man saw someone in the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer, he noticed that the young man picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back into the water.

He came closer and called out, "Good morning! "May I ask what it is that you're doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean"

The old man smiled, and said, "I must ask, why are you doing that?"

The young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out.
If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

  

The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another starfish, threw it back into the ocean past the breaking waves and said, "I made a difference to that one."

- Unknown

Wonderful

Don't Give Up When Times Get Tough

God is more interested in what you are becoming than what you've accomplished. Why do bad things happen? Why is life so difficult sometimes? Don’t be surprised if God is using tough times in your life to test your faithfulness. Faithful people keep on keeping on when other people want to give up. Faithful people are diligent and determined. They are persistent. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul says you need to get the right perspective when you are going through a problem. Don’t look at the temporary problem; look at the long-term reward. Don’t look at the temporary pain; look at the long-term gain. Don’t look at it with the short-term view, “What’s happening to me right now?” Instead, look at the character that you are building because you haven’t given up. You’re hanging in there. If you are facing difficult times right now, I want to challenge you to write this verse on a 3x5 card and memorize:  “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9 NLT). I pray it will encourage you to keep going.  - Rick Warren Determination