HOW TO DO ANYTHING

1 Corinthians 1:30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. ...

We were listening to Joseph Prince preaching on the fact that Jesus is our wisdom, that if we need wisdom for anything He is the one to go to and call on.

Later in the day we received a text to say our new fridge freezer was going to be delivered next day so we had to move the old freezer out to make room for the new one. Now if you have vinyl flooring you know it can rip so whatever you move across it has to be done gently and carefully! (I speak from past ripping experiences!)

The old fridge freezer is a big thing and we were struggling to move it, trying to work out how to slide it on bits of cardboard etc. to protect the floor. It was proving really difficult but the preaching about Jesus being our wisdom came to mind so we prayed and asked Jesus for His wisdom in this situation for the best solution. Within a few moments the Holy Spirit gave us the answer just like that, it just popped into my head, and we'd been trying to move it for quite a while! We moved it easily and everything was all right. 

The reason I told you all that is because God wants to encourage us to make our Christian walk practical, to help each one of us to remember to not only commit what we do to the Lord first but also to ask for His wisdom and insight even in the most everyday affairs of life. 

God is interested in all areas of our lives and He can make things so much easier for us if we'll just ask and believe for the answer to be given.

So what have you got to do today? Need some help? Why not have a chat with God about it first and ask Him for the best way to go about it? He can tell us how to do anything because He made Jesus to be wisdom for us. I'm sure you wont regret it.😊

WHERE TO FIND NEW STRENGTH

Isaiah 40:29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. v.31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Some days we are stronger than others and it's on the 'other' days that we need to know this verse! It's good to remember that when we go to the Lord in faith and ask Him to renew our strength He will do just that, both spiritually and physically. So often we just struggle on in our own efforts!

The Apostle Paul knew extreme weakness and he'd learned to call on the grace of God to be everything he needed to recover and be strengthened. (2 Corinthians 12:9) God's grace does cover everything, every circumstance, every weakness and He's already given it to us.

God doesn't want us to be anxious when we seem to have run out of steam, when we're worn out by doing too much, when our emotions have drained us, when we feel like fainting, when we don't even have the energy to put one foot in front of the other, because today's verse and others tell us what to do.

So next time you feel like any of the above just go to the Lord, stand on His promises, call on His grace and declare by faith: 

"Lord I'm trusting You, relying on You and asking You for Your strength and energy to flow into me again. Thank You Lord You're helping me to walk and not faint, to run and not be weary. Thank You Lord You're helping me mount up with wings like an eagle above the weariness and weakness and I 'see' by faith your energy pouring into me all through the day. Every day, in every way by faith, I'm getting stronger and stronger and healthier, because Your grace is more than enough for me. Thank You Lord Amen."

Be strong in Him today.😊

GOD IS THINKING LOVELY THOUGHTS ABOUT YOU

Psalm 139:17-18 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. v.18 I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

I hope those verses bless you as much as they blessed me this morning. 

How often do we think that God thinks we're not up to much, or not doing too well? Ever thought like that?  Well verse 17 says the opposite. 'How precious are your thoughts about me, O God'.  When we think precious thoughts about a loved one, are they horrible thoughts? No, of course not, precious thoughts are when we're dwelling on all the things we love about them aren't they? That's what God is doing when He thinks about you and me! 

The Psalmist goes on to say He's thinking so many thoughts like that about us he can't even count them, they're more than the grains of sand on the seashore. We've probably all been to the seashore at some time and remember sand running through our fingers. Let it remind you that God is thinking His countless lovely precious thoughts about you all the time. When we let that soak down into our hearts we'll feel a lot better. 

When God thinks about you they're warm, full of love, wonderful thoughts, not 'oh dear' thoughts!

Just think, when you woke up this morning God was still with you. When you wake up tomorrow morning God will still be with you. And you know what, if you were to wake up tomorrow morning in heaven instead of on earth, then God will still be with you and wherever you are God is thinking the most lovely thoughts about you. Amen.

Have a blessed day everyone. 

GOD'S GUARANTEE

2 Corinthians 1:22 (Nlt) and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

We were buying a new fridge freezer recently and the one we chose had a big sign saying 10 year guarantee.  When we went to pay for it the young man said the guarantee had been reduced to 2 years! What a let down!

With God however, there is never any let down. He uses no get out clauses, no excuses why He can't fulfil His promises. God can't lie and what He says He does (Numbers 23:19) and not one of God's promises has ever failed. (Joshua 21:45).

God is giving us total assurance that everything He's promised us in His word is guaranteed by giving us His Holy Spirit because Jesus went to the cross for us, and gave us His gift of righteousness.

God has given us not only a life time guarantee but also an eternity guarantee! How wonderful is that?! We're totally safe for ever in Jesus because we're in Him. 

Did you know you've also been sealed? Ephesians 1:13-14 says 'you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise....who is the guarantee of our inheritance.' God has sealed us in. Have you ever seen those official envelopes with the red wax seals stamped on the back? That's us! We're sealed with the red seal of Jesus' shed blood, by God putting His Holy Spirit in us.

He wants us all to relax into that truth. We can heave a sigh of relief - no matter what trials we face in the here and now, which is very fleeting, we're safe for all eternity and there's even better still to come. Hallelujah!

Have a great holiday weekend everyone, blessed going out and blessed coming in, surrounded by the favour of our great God and all because of Jesus.  Praise His lovely name.

BEHIND US IS ALMIGHTY GOD!

Ephesians 6:13 -14 Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. v.14 Stand your ground...

I saw a video recently of a family in Russia who had gone on a picnic in the woods and they'd taken their cat along with them when suddenly they saw a huge grizzly bear coming towards them through the trees. Apparently cats are very territorial and when their pet cat saw the bear, he arched his back, his tail went up and every hair on his body stood on end as he faced off this huge bear! He hissed and spat and every time the bear tried to come closer to his family he hissed and spat even more and stood his ground. He never gave that bear an inch. Amazingly the bear backed off and the cat won the day!

That cat is a picture of how we should be when our enemy comes with anything to threaten, kill or destroy us or our families whether it's through illness or any other means. We've probably all worried  and wrung our hands in fear at some point but that wont win our battles! There is a better way; resisting, standing our ground, and spitting out God's word at him will cause him to flee! (James 4:7 So be subject to God. Resist the devil (stand firm against him) and he will flee from you.)

I think we could all do with constantly being reminded that standing behind us is God Almighty and his host of angels. Inside us is the Holy Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead and He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world! (1 John 4:4) We may feel as small as that cat when we face the attacks of the enemy but he is actually no match for our God and His Word, and he knows it. 

So let's stand your ground, defend what is ours and know that the God of Heaven is backing us up, and as we declare His word He is actively watching over it and will perform it, like we read yesterday.  Let's put God's Word to work and believe it!

GOD'S WORD DOES THINGS!

Isaiah 55:11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

God's word does things! Whatever He wants it to do and whoever He wants it to reach He's declared it will produce fruit and prosper. I'm believing that for this blog, that as His word goes out it will accomplish whatever He wants it to and help in the lives of those who read it. So if ever it helps you do please feel free to pass it on.

So can I encourage you to share God's Word with others in whatever form you give it, whether it's by word of mouth, or writing a text message, email or snail mail, or sharing this or other Bible blogs. Maybe send a card with a text card in it they can pin up somewhere. But send God's word out somehow to bless others and do it in faith knowing that it will prosper and do what God wants it to do.

Jeremiah 1:12 Then the Lord said to me, "You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My Word."

We can be confident as we read that verse because God is watching over His Word to perform it in each of our lives. It's not a dead word, it's a living Word and however we give it to people let's believe God is bringing it alive to them to help and rescue them. God says it will bear fruit, so we can believe what He says and know that it's not in vain. 

People need hope and we know it's to be found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is our hope for a world that's confused and fearful and it's God's word that will change their lives. 

Let's be a Word sender, Word sharer, Word spreader as much as we can in the coming days so God has the opportunity to perform it in their lives and our own too. Amen.

SHAKE IT OFF!

Acts 28:4-5 The people of the island saw it (a poisonous snake) hanging from his hand and said to each other, "A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live." v.5 But  Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.

It's not every day you get bitten by a snake especially after you've just been battered by a tempest and  shipwrecked on an island! That is exactly what happened to the Apostle Paul when he was gathering wood for a fire.

He and the sailors on board had all been through a terrible storm at sea which had gone on and on, being beaten relentlessly by the gale force winds day and night so much so that the sailors had despaired of surviving. But God had told Paul they would all survive.

Have you been through some storms lately, which have gone on and on and made you feel like despairing as well? Maybe you've survived but now you feel like you've been bitten by something else and you feel like enough is enough!! 

If so, can I encourage you to be like the Apostle Paul, who refused to let himself get rattled by this latest attack. He shook it off into the fire and he didn't suffer any bad effects from it and neither will you.

There are times we have to learn to shake things off that are trying to come on us.  It may not be easy but with God's help we can learn to put our foot down and say "'NO!' I am not receiving this, I take authority over it and tell it to loose it's hold on me. It has no right to my body. I refuse to fear it and I refuse to allow it to take a hold. I'm a child of God and He's given me authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm me. (Luke 10:19)  I resist it and it has to flee in the name of Jesus!" 

James 4:7 So be subject to God. Resist the devil (stand firm against him) and he will flee from you. God has told us very clearly we have to do the resisting. It doesn't say He'll do it for us. Sometimes the enemy tests us to see if we'll bother to resist him or not and my prayer is that we stand our ground and tell him to go in Jesus' name. Amen.

KIND AND PLEASANT WORDS

Proverbs 16:24 Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body (Nlt)

Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. (Nkjv)

Our verse today tells us pleasant and kind words bring healing to our souls, our bodies and bones. I'm sure we can all agree that kind words make us feel good whereas unkind words can make us feel bad. But another verse goes even further by saying that the Word of God itself brings healing. Proverbs 4:22 for they (God's words) bring life to those who find them and healing to their whole body.  In the original language it says God's words are like medicine to our flesh.

It's amazing the power words have!  There's an old saying that words can never hurt me but that's not true according to Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue. That's a very strong statement! Words can destroy or they can bring life, a curse or a blessing. 

So when we put God's words in our mouths they can be God's literal medicine to our bodies and we can't overdose on it!  Then as we speak encouraging or kind words they will help us and others enormously because they help build us up, restore us, (Prov. 16:24) and bring forgiveness as well.

Do you ever wonder why you feel bad after you've watched a programme where there has been anger, discord and arguing? They're not kind or pleasant words and they don't bring health or sweetness with them! They make us feel ill at ease, disgruntled and sometimes bad tempered ourselves! So let's think twice about what we're watching. How much better we feel when we've listened to pleasant, uplifting, life affirming words. It's because God made us that way. He didn't make us for strife but for peace, righteousness and joy. (Romans 14:27)

So today, let's be life carriers, help restore damaged souls, let's bring healing by our kind and pleasant words to people we meet. Let's tell them they're doing well, that they look good, that God loves them. Our words may be the only kind and pleasant words they hear all day.

Let the power of life be in our mouths today, not only to others, but to ourselves as well which is very important too.  Let's share God's love and kindness wherever we go. 😊

LOOK FOR THE GOOD

Proverbs 11:27 If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you. (Nlt)

It's lovely when you meet people who are looking for the good in others and in situations.  They're positive, upbeat in their outlook and attitudes, and a pleasure to be with because they lift our spirits as well.

Unfortunately, some of us may have been raised in a less positive environment and were taught to expect the worst or be doom and gloom merchants. We all know people who tend to zoom in on the not so good things in people instead of looking for the best in them, either that, or they look for all the things that could go wrong. I fall into that trap myself sometimes! The trouble is negative attitudes are like a magnet and they draw negative things to us. Thankfully, positive attitudes will draw positive things to us.

It's actually a bible based principle, in fact it's the faith principle at work, and Jesus' words explain it in Matthew 8:13 ...it will be done for you as you have believed.... which can actually work both negatively and positively. I have to keep asking myself  'Am I believing for the good to happen in this situation or am I believing for it to go wrong?'

God is saying in our verse to search for the good, seek it out, dwell on it rather than on the not so good because then we're expecting God's favour and His blessing.  Expect the best from people too because if you do that you will draw the best out of them. Isn't that a lovely thought that we can help to draw the best out of people we work with or meet from day to day by our attitude!

So as we start this new week let's look for and expect the best in situations and people and if they disappoint us, well keep searching, because they're made in God's image and there will be some good in there somewhere.😊 

Have a blessed week, believe for the best and experience God's favour.😊

GOD KNEW YOU BEFORE YOU WERE BORN

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you;...

No matter the circumstances of our conception or who we were born to, the wonderful news is it was God who formed us in the womb and He knew us even before that. What a mind boggling thought!

That means none of us were a mistake or not wanted because God Himself wanted us to be here, in this day and age, for such a time as this. He had, and still has a plan for each of our lives and He set us apart for Him even before we were born. He chose us.  

Maybe you remember being at school and those awful moments if we weren't chosen for the team straight away. Well there is none of that with God. He chose us before we even got here! You could say He was waiting in the wings for us to be born just so we could be on His team. You are chosen and called. Woohoo!  He's thinking about you all of the time and not only that He has great plans for your life. 

I hope that makes you feel special today because you are. You were planned by God, wanted by God and you've been set apart for Him especially because He wanted you to be with Him for all eternity to be loved by Him and for you to love Him in return.

Next time you look in the mirror remind yourself "I'm special because God says so, He chose me, called me, and knew me even before I was formed and He wanted me to be set apart for Him because He loves me so. God wants me. Hallelujah, thank you Jesus."

YOU ARE LOVED BEYOND MEASURE

Ephesians 3:18-19 ....How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding - this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God! (The Passion Translation)

Have you ever read the book ""Guess How Much I Love You"? It has a rabbit on the cover with his arms stretched wide to describe the bunny's love. Or have you heard the expression "I love you to the moon and back"?

Those are all lovely warm sentiments that make us feel good but they're limited. But may I remind each one of us of the One who loved us so much that Jesus stretched out His arms for us and says "I loved you to the Cross and back". His love knows no limits.

If ever we've felt God's not listening, God doesn't care, God doesn't love me, then just look to the Cross because that is how much He loves and cares for you and me. In fact, our verse says His love is so big it just can't be measured!

I once received a slip of paper from my daughter which looked just like a ruler and on it were the words:

'You are loved beyond measure...' Ephesians 3:19

I have it pinned on my mirror so every morning I read it and it reminds me that God's love for me is so wide, high, deep and long that it just goes beyond every measurement known to man. 

Let me encourage you to know no matter how low we get, or what high we're experiencing, no matter how far away we go, or how wide the gap seems to be between God and us, the truth is His love is deeper, higher, longer and wider than anything that can ever happen to us and it'll find us and bring us close to Him, and wrap us up in His loving arms.

I hope you receive that today, so that you'd don't have to 'guess' or wonder, but know for certain 'how much He loves you'.

Have a great weekend everyone.

GOD'S RECIPE BOOK

Malachi 3:6 I am the Lord, and I do not change.

I'm so thankful for that! Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He healed the sick then and still heals us now. He spent a lot of time teaching then (Mark4:1) and He still loves to teach us now. The question is, are we teachable and do we want to learn?

Sometimes we can be a bit stubborn and we dig our heels in. There's a temptation to think 'Well I've always believed it this way, or always done it that way and you can't teach old dogs new tricks!'

But what if God has something to say in scripture that corrects us, or goes contrary to what we were taught or had handed down to us? Will we humble ourselves and go with scripture and let Jesus teach us what's right or will we be like an old dog! The reason I say that is this verse:

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

It says 'it teaches us' which means we obviously have a lot still to learn! Then it says it corrects us when we're wrong! Sometimes we may have got it wrong and only the Holy Spirit can show us that, and how to put it right, which is good news. 

My brother has had to learn to cook for himself from scratch and he's really good now, so I rang him up for some advice on cooking something, which made us chuckle because although I've been cooking for ages I'm only an average, 'ok' sort of cook, so I'll take all the advice I can get! He was asking me, now I'm asking him.😊

I hope we all want to be teachable, to learn, to be corrected, to take all the help we can get.  Scripture is our rock solid reference point. It's our recipe book for life and it's God Himself speaking to us through the Holy Spirit. John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, .... he will teach you all things... let's read the recipe book and listen and learn.

Holy Spirit help us to always be teachable, show us what we need to know, and correct us where we've got it wrong. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

VISIONS AND DREAMS

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

I used to read my children a story called  'Andy Pandy and The Willow Tree' which made me wish for a beautiful tree for myself one day, like the one illustrated. About 25 years passed by and we bought a house which did indeed have a 70 foot high beautiful willow tree you could sit and picnic and play under - a daydream come true! I sat under it and remembered that little book and thought, how amazing is that, God has blessed me with the very tree I'd dreamed of having all those years ago!

The reason I'm telling you all that is because God knows our secret dreams, even our daydreams, and He cares about us and them. I don't believe it was a coincidence, I think it was an 'incidence' of the kindness of God - a Godincidence! No doubt you've had some of those too.

God wants us all to have visions and dreams for our lives whether we're young or older. And He says when we delight in Him our hearts desires will show up, even willow trees!

Habakkuk 2:2-3 And the Lord answered me: "Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end - it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

Has God ever given you a vision or a dream for your life? A dream of being healed maybe? Or your loved ones all being saved? Or have you ever thought of 'doing something' but discarded it as too big, or too 'out there'? I believe God wants you to dust it off again and not just vision or dream it, but to write it down, in black and white for you to see. Pin it on your fridge door so every time you pass it by you read it and believe it..... He says it will surely come.  

So can I encourage you to let God resurrect your dreams and bring new life to them so He takes your breath away. He's the God of the impossible and He uses the weak things of this world, not the ones who've got it all together, so never feel you don't qualify.

And if you don't have a dream then why not ask Him to give you a new one today. 😊Amen.

WORRY OR PRAY!

Proverbs 12:25 Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Has someone or something been piling worry on you lately? Are worries weighing you down?  Sometimes we receive a text with bad news about a family member and we start to worry, or we watch something on the news and we lose our peace, we let worry enter in. It happens to all of us and we all have to deal with it. 

I had a text this week saying my niece had been taken to hospital in an ambulance while on holiday, please pray. It didn't say 'please worry!' It said please pray and that's the key. 

If we're praying in faith we'll release the worry to God and trust Him for a good outcome. If we're praying in fear then the worry will stick with us.

Worry is fear based and the only thing that casts out fear is faith. So what are we to have faith in?  Our faith is in the truth that God is for us and not against us, that nothing can separate us from His great love for us. Faith believes He wants the best for us. Faith believes that God is protecting us and He goes before us and is our rearguard, that He's providing for us and that all things are possible with Him. 

Maybe we're worried about our unsaved family.  Jesus said faith will move any mountain, and that all things are also possible to him who believes.  

Now, who are we believing - Jesus or our worries? Let's be honest with ourselves!

Our job is to believe for their salvation, that no one is too far gone to be put right with God. We can pray they get a revelation that God has already forgiven them and loves them. We can pray the scales will fall off their eyes where they're deceived by the enemy's lies and deceits. We can thank God He's actively chasing them down and softening their hearts. We can praise Him for their salvation in advance. Worry won't save them but believing faith in a merciful God will!

Let's stop worrying and come back to believing.

FURTHER CLUES IN THE TREASURE HUNT

If you've ever wished you were wiser then it's worth spending some time reading the book of Proverbs because one of the first things it says is 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

Then Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:30 that Christ Jesus has been made to be wisdom for our benefit so our attention is back on Jesus. He is the source of our wisdom. He is wisdom itself and if you know Jesus then His wisdom is available to you 24/7. All we have to do is ask.

So as we ask God for more of His wisdom each day, it may amaze us to read a list of just a few of the things that Wisdom will do for us or bring us (these are the gist of the verses but trust you will read the whole thing):

Proverbs 1:33 those who listen to wisdom will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.

Proverbs 2:

Knowledge and understanding v.6

Common sense to the honest v.7

A shield to those who walk with integrity. v.7

Guard the path of the just and protect the faithful v.8

You'll find the right way to go. v.9

Wisdom and knowledge will fill you with joy. v.10

You'll make wise choices and understanding will keep you safe. v.11

Wisdom will save you from evil people v.12

Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman (or man) v.16

Proverbs 3:

Healing for your body and strength for your bones. v.8

Guide you down delightful paths. v.17

Bring you happiness. v.18

Help you sleep soundly and safely v.24

After reading all that who wouldn't want more wisdom which is found in knowing Jesus and His Word? 

So to round off today, our last verse shows us how wisdom behaves which is also very helpful.

James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. (Nlt) That sounds just like Jesus don't you think?

I do hope that has whetted your appetite to keep hunting for more 'hidden treasures' in the Book of Proverbs and elsewhere as there is so much more. Happy treasure hunting as you grow in wisdom and as you get to know God Himself in His Word. 😊 

HIDDEN TREASURES!

Proverbs 2:3-5 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. v.4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. 

I've always loved treasure hunts and it can be a lot of fun working out the clues, then having the 'ta-da' moment as you find the treasure! Who doesn't like the idea of  'X'  marks the spot and finding buried treasure!?

God likens His wisdom, understanding and knowledge of God Himself as the greatest treasure we can ever look for and find.  Proverbs says it's greater than being given rubies. (Proverbs 3:15)  I used to work with precious jewels so I know how valuable they are, but scripture says they're nothing compared to the wisdom of knowing God! 

Some people are seeking after wealth, or seeking promotion up the career ladder so they work long hours, or maybe they're seeking recognition for all they do. It's good sometimes to stop and take stock of our daily lives and ask 'what am I seeking after? What is my focus on more than anything else?'

Much of what we seek is necessary and legitimate if it's not the 'main' thing. But God says to make the 'main thing' seeking after Him, seeking after the hidden treasure of Wisdom found only in His Word and spending time in His presence. Let's be honest, it takes effort and time, but God says it will bring a huge reward; it will be like finding buried treasure! Treasure hunters don't mind searching when they know the treasure is worth it!

James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. All my adult life I've been asking the Lord for wisdom because I need it so very much. How about you? 

So let me encourage you this week to go on a treasure hunt, spend some time and seek after the 'main thing' - God's wisdom, insight and understanding,  which will bring you buried treasures which are greater than rubies! 

Tomorrow we'll find out how to find it and what wisdom will bring us. 

Have a wisdom inspired week.  Oh, and if you read yesterday's Blog, don't forget to go and have a God hug before you begin.😊

GOD'S HUG

Luke 15:20 So he got up and went to his father. "While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. His father ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him. (Common English Bible)

I recently saw a man caring for a tribe of goats and their many little baby kids. He picked up each kid and hugged it close to his chest for several moments, then he picked up the next one and the next one, and did the same thing through the whole tribe. Each one was hugged and loved individually. It was a lovely picture of a good shepherd.

We all have a Good Shepherd and His name is Jesus. Now, may I ask if we've been to our Shepherd today to receive His love and His hug and dare I say His kiss? (Our verse says the father hugged and kissed his son.) Somehow we don't hear that mentioned much that God not only wraps His loving arms round us but also kisses us. It's quite a thought isn't it?

Maybe we'd all feel a lot better if we went and had our hug with Him at the start and end of every day, or at any point in our day or night when we need a loving hug.

Let Him draw you close and feel Him wrap His arms of love around you and hear Him whisper how much He loves you and know that all will be well, because God really does love you with an everlasting love.

Just relax and rest in His arms for a while today. Lean into Him and enjoy His hug and being loved by the One Who loves you so.😊

GOD LOVES TO HEAR YOUR VOICE

Psalm 66:20 ...but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!"

Sometimes we pick up the phone and the voice on the other end makes us smile because it's someone we just love to talk to, we love to hear their voice.  Well, may I tell you that is how God feels about each one of His children. He loves to hear your voice too. Like any good father He enjoys talking to you and listening to what you have to say and share, whether it's our funny moments or our difficult ones.

Thinking about it, that's the essence of prayer isn't it? It's talking to God out of the good relationship He has with us because of Jesus. God is listening and He is ready to answer.

Jeremiah 29:12-13 ...Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you....

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, ..

We need never doubt He's listening to us because His Word says He is. We all know we can bring our troubles to God but does God want to share our funny lighter moments too? Absolutely He does, just as much as our sighs. God just wants to hear all about our day, our ups and our downs. God is interested in all we do and think. And if He needs to help us to think differently about anything He'll come along side and do that too!

Do you ever ring someone up just to tell them about something funny that happened, to share a laugh with them?  Of course you do because it spreads the joy of the moment and you relive it as you retell it. Well it can be no different with our Heavenly Father. He'd like to hear our laughter just as much as He cares to hear our troubles but so often we only go to talk to Him about our troubles! 

Next time you have a giggle or  laugh about something why not share it with your Heavenly Dad and give Him the pleasure of sharing in your joy as you tell Him all about it.  After all, the God who made a kitten or a puppy has a sense of humour too!😊

WE DO KNOW WHAT GOD WILL DO

Psalm 91:2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."v.3 Surely He shall.....

I've heard people say "Well, you never know what God will do" but actually His Word does tell us what He will do. He just asks us to use our faith to believe it, but sometimes when we're in difficult circumstances we're tempted to 'hope so' instead of 'believe so'. We have to remind ourselves that 'all things are possible to him who believes.' Mark 9:23

For example, in Psalm 91 when we declare that the Lord is our God and we're trusting Him He has promised to then do His part and explains what we can know for sure He will do. v.3 Surely He will...

He will deliver you from every trap.

He will deliver you from deadly disease.

He will cover you with His feathers and give you refuge under His wings.

He will give His angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways.

He will rescue those who love Him

He will protect those who trust in His name..

He will answer us.

He will be with us in trouble

He will reward us with a long life and show us His salvation.

That's only a few of God's "I wills", so we know what He will do.  

Psalm 23 goes on to say 'He will renew our strength, guide us along right paths, He will be close beside us through the darkest valley, He will make our cup overflow with blessings.' Hebrews 13:5 tells us 'He will never leave us or forsake us.' No doubt we could find lots more!😊

We really do know what God will do and it's wonderful! Praise His wonderful Name for all His goodness and kindness to us.

HOW TO STAY ANCHORED

Hebrews 2:11 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.

The writer to the Hebrews is warning us to pay great attention to all we've learned spiritually, all we've been taught by the Holy Spirit about faith and how to withstand the enemy; how to rejoice and be glad for all the wonderful things God has done, is doing and will do for us; how to be thankful and believe God's promises are for us personally.

He says we may drift away from all we know and believe, not least because of all the troubles the world has been hit with in the last 18 months, if we aren't anchored to the Rock of Jesus and His Word. 

Drifting implies a gentle wandering off. It's not a rebellious, deliberate 'I'm off' attitude. No, it's just a going with the flow of life and letting it take you where it wants with it's circumstances, which we don't actually want!

If you've ever played Pooh Sticks, where you drop sticks off the bridge to see which stick appears first in the stream on the other side, then you'll know how easy it is for the sticks to drift away, because there's nothing to stop them. But praise God we have an anchor to stop us drifting and His name is Jesus. We have a God Who holds us firmly by the right hand but we have our part to play. We are to keep our eyes fixed on Him and pay attention to His Word.

We've all probably heard the analogy of a piece of coal burning brightly with great heat while it's in the middle of the fireplace or barbecue, but as soon as you take it out of the fire and rest it on the side the coal grows cold. We can't afford to grow cold! 

Can I encourage us all today to stay in the fire of the Word of God, keep going over the things we've learned. If the Blogs have helped at all in the past year then please read them over again and refer to the verses again; or listen to anointed teaching and preaching but let's guard against being distracted by the enemy. 

God never moves away from us, but if you're anything like me, we can so easily think of twenty other things I need to be doing instead of the 'one' thing' which will stop me drifting which is spending time with God. Let's not drift but keep anchored to Him.

GOD'S LIONS!

Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion. 

Earlier this week we looked at caterpillars and butterflies but today we're going to look at lions! 

God is always reminding us we are the righteousness of God in Christ and that we have so many blessings and benefits because we are.  

He tells us here that the righteous are as bold as a lion! To be bold here means to be confident, secure and sure. Now you may not feel very lionish but that doesn't change the truth that God says we are! So next time we're tempted to feel a bit 'mousey', we can put our shoulders back and remind ourselves "God says I'm as bold, confident, secure and sure as a lion to deal with life today, so I am and with His help I'm going to behave like one!"

We all know the verse that says your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8) but the good news is he's not a lion, all he can do is sound like one whereas God says we are as bold as a lion.  We don't need to feel intimidated by our enemy no matter what tricks he tries to pull. God has made us bold as a lion so we can turn on the devil and tell him he may not devour us or any member of our family, we resist him and he has to flee!

Now, one last lion to consider. I saved the best till last....

Revelation 5:5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."

Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and one day, maybe soon, He will be returning at His Second Coming as the all conquering King who has triumphed over satan and all his works. 

When Jesus stands and roars, the whole universe will know and tremble and bow before Him. And the wonderful part is He will be roaring for us to come up and be with Him, His righteous ones, who He has declared are as bold as a lion because of Him. What a thought that is!

Glory to God. I hope that thrills you today. 

LET GOD ARISE TODAY

Psalm 68:1 Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered;...(Nkjv)

Today we're looking at the 'arise' and as I was thinking about our verse I remembered I once asked a lady, who sold her cakes at a Country Market, what her secret was to make such lovely light sponges and buns. She explained that she added a dessertspoonful of cold water to the mixture which evaporated in the heat of the oven which helped to make them 'arise'! Useful tip I always use now! 

Now there are ways to make a cake rise and there are ways to overcome our enemies and one of them is in our verse. It says God will arise and scatter our enemies but it's interesting it says 'Let God'.

It's like the verse 'Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid' (John 14:27). We have to 'let it' happen or 'not let it' happen for us as individuals. For instance have you ever felt miserable and someone comes to try to cheer you up but you don't 'want' to be cheered up? We're enjoying being miserable and feeling sorry for ourselves! We wont 'let' them help us. We are 'letting ourselves' be pressed down, depressed, by satan.

It's the same principle with 'let God arise'. The opposite of depressed is lifted up, letting joy arise. What are we 'letting arise' in our thinking and in our attitudes? Are we letting God's Word and His thoughts rise up and be uppermost, letting His great love wrap round us, knowing and believing He's affectionately caring for us? Or are we letting negative stuff arise?

So may I ask what enemies are pressing in on you today? No doubt you might list a few! Remember your enemies are God's enemies and He wants to scatter them. So, may I encourage us all to remember to let God arise and agree with Him...

Lord You said 'no weapon formed against me would prosper'. You said 'by Jesus wounds I am healed', You said 'we are blessed coming in and going out', You said 'Your grace is more than enough to get me through this day in victory'. You said 'I can call on You and You'll help me so I call on You now and let You arise in my life and trust You to scatter my enemies before me. I praise You for You are mighty to rescue me from whatever is trying to discourage or defeat me. Thank You Lord so much. Amen.

YOU ARE GLORIOUS!

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

If you were feeling a bit like a caterpillar this morning when you woke up, take heart because the Holy Spirit is in the process of changing you into a beautiful butterfly with wings that will be able to make you soar and fly to places you never thought possible.😊

When the caterpillar is in his cocoon, he's in a dark place for quite a while, probably not realising how he's being prepared and changed to become the amazing creature God has designed him to be.

You and I are a bit like that caterpillar, sometimes going through a dark place, can't see the way out or forward, just letting God do His work in us, believing His promises to make us more and more like Jesus every day, like the Son of God Himself.  Just think about that for a minute....when it says we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory.

Is Jesus glorious?  Absolutely! Then you and I are being changed into the same image, that's part of what being glorious means. How amazingly wonderful is that! The difference is like the contrast from the ground creeping caterpillar compared to the beauty of a butterfly, some of which can fly up to 100 miles in a day and can reach a speed of nearly 30 miles an hour. Some difference to a caterpillar!

Jesus said, And the glory You gave me I have given them, .... (John17:22)  Jesus has not only made us glorious, but He is constantly transforming us into the next stage of glorious to become more and like Him. We're a work in progress.

I do hope that raises your spirits this morning as you start the new week because we are 'in Christ' and the glorious light of Jesus' presence is shining in us and on us! Woohoo! Thank You Lord.

Have a great week!

HOLDING THINGS LIGHTLY

1 Corinthians 7:31 Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.

It's so easy to become attached to things because they have strong 'sentimental value' or maybe because we worked long and hard to buy them and they 'count' for something in our lives. 

All of that sounds very plausible but Apostle Paul warns us not to become attached to stuff because in an instant it could all be swept away. I heard of one couple who had their house and everything in it literally blown away by a hurricane. All they had worked for was gone and they only had the clothes they stood up in. He even lost his job as it was also affected by the hurricane.The good news is they moved to another area and began life again and God very kindly built their lives back up and they ended up better off than they were before. 

Thankfully we don't all experience trauma like that but it helps us see how the 'things' we hold so dear can be replaced and the memories which they represent are still inside us so we haven't really lost them.

Is it possible we're holding on to stuff so tightly that our hands are full and we can't then reach out for what God wants to give us today because we're holding on to yesterday? 

Philippians 3:13 ...but I focus on this one thing; Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. 

We can praise and thank God for all that the 'things' represent. Maybe you think God is not very understanding telling us to not hold on to the past, but He wants us to be constantly remembering this life is not all there is and it is indeed passing away. 

Have a look around you for a minute and be honest with yourself. Have you become too attached to things?  

Help us Lord to obey Your word and hold things lightly and not become attached to them. And if we have, then help us to let them go knowing You have something new and better for us, not just in this life, but in the life to come. Amen.

GOD HAS MOVED IN WITH US

1 Corinthians 6:17 But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

Wow, that is one big statement! You and  are actually joined to the Lord and we are one spirit with the Almighty, ever living God, who rules and reigns on high. He has actually come and joined His Spirit with ours! That's quite mind boggling isn't it?

Romans 8:9-11 says the Spirit of God comes to live in us. This is the same Spirit that raised Lazarus from the dead, that raised Jesus from hell and the grave, the same spirit that opens blind eyes, heals all diseases and casts out demons. It's the same Spirit of God who holds the stars in place and makes the sun rise every day, who knows how many hairs you have on your head. That's Who we are joined to!!  I don't know about you, but I need to remember that, especially when I feel discouraged!

He's actually living inside you and me because we surrendered to Jesus and made Him the Lord of our lives. He made us new beings in Christ (2 Cor.5:17) 

We are in Jesus, in God, and God and Christ are in us (John 17:23). It's like when you take tea leaves or coffee grounds and add hot water, they become infused with each other. You can't separate them out again, they have become one and give off a lovely fragrance.

That's what we're like. We've become infused with the Spirit of God Himself and He is permeating every part of us. He's changing us to be like God, so we can give off a lovely fragrance too. (Ephesians 4:23-24) 

Wherever we go the Spirit of God goes. Whatever we do the Spirit of God is there with us. We can't turn Him off or leave Him behind, He is just with us!

It really is the 'Holy Spirit and Me', the 'Holy Spirit and You'!  It certainly puts the enemy in his place because he doesn't stand a chance when we really know Whose we are and Who is in us. We are more than Conquerors through Christ.  Thank You Lord.

LET GOD'S PEACE FLOW AGAIN

2 Peter 3:14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

So what do we do when things seem to conspire against us? We know we're supposed to be full of peace and joy and instead we can feel like we want to go off pop with sheer frustration at so many things; like the systems the world has in place that wont let us talk to a real human being but just an automated machine when you want to buy something or your central heating system needs repairing! I expect you know what I mean! 

We probably all have weeks where one thing leads to another and you just feel the pressure rising like steam in a kettle.  It helps to recognise the warning signals and not ignore them but take some time to ask the Lord for help to calm down again. Don't wait till you go off pop!

The trouble is we very often ignore the signs and get more and more frustrated or upset. So if things have been 'getting' to you at all, I hope the following may help to diffuse your kettle!  

Psalm 34:14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Peace is something we're told to seek and pursue. In other words we have our part to play. We have to choose to go after it and say 'No' to whatever is trying to get us so upset by nipping it in the bud as soon as it starts..  Jesus gives us His peace as a gift (John 14:27) but we have to consciously receive it which is the seeking and pursuing.

When we focus on the problems we lose our peace but when we focus on God and the promises in His word His peace will begin to flow again. We need to allow Jesus' peace in! 

I know we just want to have a rant and rave about things but believe me it's not the way to go! I tried that and it made things worse! So we can choose frustration or we can choose peace.

2 Peter 3:14 In this verse the Amplified Bible describes peace as being in serene confidence, free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts. So next time you find yourself  getting all agitated, with the steam levels rising, and feeling anything but serene(!) just take a deep breath and call on the Holy Spirit for His help to let it go and bring you back to that place of calm. We can't do it on our own but with His help we can.

Let's allow Jesus to bring His supernatural peace back into our hearts today.

GOD HAS TWO GIFTS WE REALLY NEED

Romans 5:17 ...much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One Jesus Christ.

When we give someone a gift we love to watch them open it. (A friend recently gave me an present of a lovely little sheep which I really enjoy looking at because it's so cute but I had to receive it before I could enjoy it.)  In this verse God is saying He's not only given us one gift, but two!  Let's bring joy to Him and receive them gladly. 

Our verse tells us He wants us to reign in life and that we don't need to struggle when He's told us the way to live successfully is by receiving both of these gifts. So what are they?

They both go hand in hand, but the first one is to receive the abundance of His grace (His undeserved kindness). I hope you've been and received some abundance today because it's there for each one of us and I'm beginning to get revelation that I need to go and receive it more and more, all through the day if necessary! How about you?

Let's make it practical. Do you need more energy and strength? Then go to the Lord and receive it by faith. If not that, then what do you need? Be honest with God and go and receive His grace to meet it. Grace is God providing whatever we need and it's not in the sweet by and by. It's now we need His grace and He's made it freely available to us and I'm so grateful for it.

His second gift is His righteousness and when we receive it, we're reminding ourselves that we're receiving God's approval and right standing with Him, and His righteousness qualifies us to receive the abundance of His grace.  Abundance is overflow and it reminds me of what Jesus said "I have come that they might have life, to the full, till it overflows." John 10:10  How lovely is that? 

Be encouraged; when we come to receive His grace and righteousness He sees our faith and we can come to Him about anything that troubles us.

All He asks us to do is receive His two gifts and enjoy them (like me with the sheep). Jesus is full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) 

 It's all because of Jesus and He wants us to reign in life much more. Thank You Lord.

DON'T LISTEN TO THE FEAR!

Isaiah 41:13 For I hold you by your right hand - I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, "Don't be afraid, I am here to help you......"

Do you have a hiding place for precious things?  Before going on holiday I had hidden a purse along with something else in safe places. Well we returned and I couldn't remember where I'd put the jolly things for safe keeping! I had all the family searching the house but I'd hidden them too well. We pulled out cupboards, looked under mattresses, we tried everywhere! It was getting ridiculous and bear in mind I'd been looking for one of the things for weeks!

The enemy knows how to press the buttons which will bring the most distress doesn't he?  I was beginning to have a melt down as he was telling me I was getting forgetful and that began to bother me. Have you ever felt like that? You know your own 'pressure points' for sure! 

He was pressuring me with fear and I wasn't doing too well in countering him.  Although on the inside I was thinking  'I will not fear getting forgetful, Lord help us find these things', but on the outside I was getting upset. 

Then suddenly we heard a shout 'Found it' and sure enough there was my grand daughter, grinning from ear to ear, holding my purse! I was so thankful, and literally moments later I found the other thing I'd hidden somewhere else.

So what did I learn from all that? Keep listening to the inner voice of your spirit, not the one that's pressuring you with how you feel because that changes in seconds as I found out when I heard 'I found it'!

I learned that God heard all my prayers and was answering them already but I was being too impatient. I wanted it now! Because I was getting over into fear it began to affect my faith.  I was beginning to believe the enemy instead of the Lord. If that's ever happened to you please read on.

I want to encourage you to hang on to your faith and not give in to fear in any shape or form. I don't care what it looks like or feels like. Stand your ground and tell the enemy to back off. God is answering your prayers. Just be patient!  

Fear contaminates our faith and that's what happened to me. I began to tolerate and listen to the fear and my faith was affected, and we know it's our faith that overcomes the world. The enemy is after our faith so don't let him have it!

The enemy is a deceiver and a liar, so whatever he's trying to pressure you with at the minute, know for sure it's a lie and don't tolerate it!

God has said we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) Is Christ's mind forgetful, fearful or confused? Absolutely not, so by faith I'm laying hold of the promises afresh "I do have the mind of Christ, I am united with Christ, and I will not fear because God is helping me and holding my right hand and strengthening me."  Whatever fear you are facing remember Apostle Paul tells us to fight the good fight of faith and it's a good fight because faith wins! 

How about you, will you join with me and fight the good fight of faith against any fear that's pressuring you? Remember God is with us helping us. We will not fear!  Amen.

OUR REDEEMER IS ALIVE

Job 19:25 But as for me; I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.

Psalm 78:35 Then they remembered that God was their rock, that God most high was their redeemer.

It's good to remember God is our Redeemer! We are His because He paid the ransom note so we could belong to Him and we're now part of His redeemed family if Jesus is our Lord and Saviour.

Why is it important that our Redeemer lives?  Because Jesus still has a job to do. He is interceding on our behalf with the Father all the time (Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him, since He lives forever  to intercede with God on their behalf.) and because one day He will stand upon the earth again and His rule and reign will never end. When we know Jesus is alive then we can relax and have total confidence He's got us covered for now and eternity!

Our verses tell us that He's not only alive but He's our Rock so whatever we face or have to do, He'll hold us steady. He's not a part time Redeemer either who's about to go off somewhere or leave us on our own to struggle through all on our own.

He is our constant reference point, our total security, the Rock we can place our confidence and trust in. Nor is God a wobbly rock like when we try to cross a stream and we tentatively try to step on rocks that wont wobble and tip us over. Rather we can cross a raging torrent if need be because God is the Rock we're standing on.

So next time you have to do something that's difficult or challenging just grab God's hand and know He's holding you steady and safe no matter what it is.

Remember the enemy has no control over you any more because Jesus redeemed you out from under that. (Psalm 107:2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,). Jesus bought you with His own blood because you are of such great value to God.  Your Redeemer is interceding for you night and day and He's got you in a safe hold!

Thank You Lord, Our Redeemer is alive, we are the redeemed of the Lord. and we say so! Hallelujah!

GOD'S ANGELS ARE PROTECTING YOU

Psalm 31:20 You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.

Corrie Ten Boom recounts the story of when God made her invisible to the guards during the time she had to go the Nazi concentration camp in Ravensbruck, in her book 'A Prisoner and Yet'. (well worth a read). She wanted to smuggle her bible into the camp but knew if the guards saw it bulging under her dress they would forcibly take it from her. She prayed for angels to make her invisible and twice the women queued up for searches and twice the guards never even saw her as she walked past them! God's angels had hidden her as she asked. All the other women had everything taken away but Corrie was untouched.

That story gives me goose bumps and is so practical in the way she had such confidence and simple trust in her God to protect her in very difficult and frightening circumstances. 

Now we may or may not experience danger on that scale, but every day we do need God's wonderful protection from any number of things, not least virus infections.  Who knows how many times the Lord has already protected us during our lives from possible tragedies, accidents on the roads or other dangers we were never even aware of at the time. 

God is so merciful to us and it just makes you so thankful, doesn't it, that He hides us in the shelter of His presence (literally 'In Christ' as we looked at last week) and He's given us His angels to protect us wherever we go. (Psalm 91:11 For He will order His angels to protect you wherever you go.)  

So as you go about your days in this coming week, rest in the certain knowledge that God has ordered His angels to protect you too, so you don't need to fear anything wherever you go, or whatever you're called to do. 

Declare God's protection by faith afresh this morning. Remember faith speaks, so we declare it. This is His fresh manna today.

Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of victory. (God and His angels are singing songs of deliverance over us. What a thought!)

Have you declared it out loud yet?😊 Thank You Lord. Glory to Your Name.

(See also Psalm 31:19 Nlt) Have a blessed, protected week. 

THE 'BEE' VERSES IN FULL

I thought we all might find it helpful to have the verses written out for our easy reference when we need them. Some are in the New Living Translation and some are In the New King James version. 

Be still and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world. (Psalm 46:10 Nlt)

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10 Nlt)

This is my command - Be strong and courageous! do not be afraid, or discouraged.  For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9 Nlt)

For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught. (Proverbs 3:26 Nkjv)

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God..... (Romans 12:2 Nkjv)

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John v.2 Nkjv)

Instead, be kind to each another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32 Nlt)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 Nkjv)

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must be quick to listen,  slow to speak, and slow to get angry. (James 1:19 Nkjv)

Be hospitable  to one another without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9 Nkjv)

And so do not be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18 Nlt)

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.(James 1:22 Nkjv)

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.  For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. (Colossians 3:15 Nlt)

Trust this might help.x

GOD'S BEES!

I was sitting thinking the other day and some verses came to mind which all had the word 'Be' in them and it made me smile because I thought of them as God's 'Bees'.  

Honey bees are known to work together to produce their honey, they're constantly on the job. So if you want to get a bit of a 'buzz' listen to yourself read these out loud as often as you need to, let them work together in your heart and I'm sure they'll produce some honey in your life!😊

Be still and know that I am God... (Psalm 46:10)

Be strong in the Lord...  (Ephesians 6:10)

Be strong and of good courage;... (Joshua 1:9)

For the Lord will be your confidence... (Proverbs 3:26)

... be transformed by the renewing of your mind, ...(Romans 12:2)

 be in health just as your soul prospers. (3 John 1:2)

Be kind to one another. (Ephesians 4:32)

Be anxious for nothing, ... (Philippians 4:6)

... be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; (James 1:19)

Be hospitable to one another ... (1 Peter 4:9)

... be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)

...be doers of the word, ...(James 1:22)

...and be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)

As you can see they cover all areas of our lives and I'm sure you'll think of lots more which you can add to the list.  Maybe it would be good to look them up as I've only given you part of the verse and read through them at the beginning of your day, or when you stop for a coffee. Or how about taking a different one each night and going to sleep on it?  Then you'll 'Zzzzzz' soundly. (Sorry, couldn't resist).

In the meantime 'Bee' Happy as you work with God's 'bees'. 😊