Scripture tells us that no matter what our circumstances might be, we should be content.  That statement might appear to be impossible given that some people are dealing with poverty, sickness, divorce, joblessness and even death.  Those kinds of situations can easily rob us of our joy.  Yet, Believers do have the ability to find contentment in life because God is the strength of their heart (Psalm 73:26).

Contentment is the secret of living a successful life, but a life without God cannot, and will not, offer the level of peace that every one seeks.  Over the course of your journey with God, you will find that God is with you at all times.  Thus, you will never feel alone  Repeatedly, you will find that God will make a way for you when there seems to be no way.  God will guide you and perfect the things that concern you, so much so that your love for Him will evolve into the most precious thing in your life.  You will find that His mercies are new every morning.  Therefore, you will have hope in the midst of the storms that come your way.

Contentment is not based on material possessions or on any relationship.  Contentment is an attitude of the heart that causes you to live a life in humility and thankfulness for every blessing God has bestowed upon you.  You realize that every good and perfect gift comes from above and because of the Lord Jesus Christ, the greatest gift is the gift of salvation and the pardon of your sins.  That fullness of that gift will be given to you when your transition from this life into eternal life with your heavenly Father.  Salvation is available to every one and the best part of salvation is it is free.  You need only to confess the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and believe that He died and rose again and He will give you the power of the Spirit of God to be an overcomer and not be overcome by worldly values.

Contentment is learned over a lifetime.  It is a skill that will serve you well, and it will show the world that you possess something powerful that they do not.  Contentment is real and worth achieving. So learn it and put it into practice.

The Bible tells us that when we are happy we are to sing praises.  It’s a wonder that God had to remind us to do that.  We have no problem seeking God when we are going through difficult times.  Unfortunately, people forget to seek God when they are not facing trouble.  Why most there be a need before praise?

King David showed us what it should be like when we are in a time of peace and rest from trouble.  He danced before the Lord with all of his might.  He laid aside his title and position and gave Almighty God the glory and honor that He is due.  Rejoicing should be as much a part of our lives as prayer.  Many people pray only when they have to; but prayer is not to be considered a spare wheel.  Prayer is the steering wheel that guides us every day of our lives.  Prayer and praise is the fuel that carries us through the good times and the hard times, and our relationship with our heavenly Father should be consistent and not on again – off again according to what emotional state we find ourselves in. Ask yourself how you would feel if you had a friend that only contacted you when they needed something from you.  It would break your heart and we should not treat God in the same manner.

Purpose in your heart that you will praise God continuously and not let circumstances dictate your praise.  God deserves to be honored and glorified solely because of who He is and not only for what He does for you.  God is holy and worthy of all praise!

To every man who has children, or who serves in the role as a ‘father’ figure in someone’s life – Happy Father’s Day!

Mothers have their special place in their children’s lives, but fathers are just as important and have an enormous influence on their children’s lives as well.  Statistics prove that a child who does not have a father or father figure in their lives during their developing years,can be hindered in their maturity as an adult. Fathers have a purpose and a place in the home that cannot de denied and should be recognized.

If you are in a home with a father and feel loved, safe and secure, you are truly blessed, but many people live far different lives.  Some children are abused in one way or another and do not know what the love of a father is.  If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, it is not too late to know the love of a Father.  God’s love for His children is unconditional and ever-lasting.  Even when we sin and come short of the glory of God, God does not give up on us.  He allows us to make our choices but He also allows us to suffer the consequences of our mistakes just like any good father does.  God knows all about every one of us and He wants us to live a life that is safe and secure.

Thank God today if you have a wonderful father who is there for you.  Give thanks if your father did his best to raise you and make you the person who you are today but he is no longer here with you.  If you are looking for a father to love you, to guide you and to protect you, look to Jesus.  Ask Him into your heart today and let His Father become your Father and He will fill that hole in your heart with a love that cannot be compared to anything you have ever known.

The Bible tells us that God has a plan for every one of us.  His plan is not an evil one but it will bring us peace, and if we have the patience and courage to follow His plan, we will find the success and happiness that has been ear marked just for us.

Being in the will of God, and staying there, is a life long process whereby we totally surrender our will to the will of God.  We will have to master the art of obedience and refrain from getting ahead of God.  God knows everything about us.  He even knows the number of hairs on our head.  That alone should give us the confidence to persevere especially during the difficult times in our lives.

It’s amazing to know that of all the millions of people who have lived on this earth before this time and the millions living now and those yet to come, all are unique.  No two people are alike and God’s plan for our lives has been designed with our specific personalities and gifts in mind.  No one can steal the future God has for you.  Each person has a path that was pre-destined.  Scripture tells us that even while we were in our mother’s womb God knew us.  God knows our strengths and weaknesses.  God knows our past and our future.  It is up to us to find out from our heavenly Father what His plan is for us.  Don’t assume you know.  Take the time to ask and as promised, when we seek God with all of our heart, we will find Him.

Live your life on purpose.  Live with a dream that honors God and commit your ways to Him and He shall direct your path.  Together, you and God are a team of two that will accomplish whatever you set your heart on.

When Jonah disobeyed God by not going to Nineveh and got on a boat going to Tarshish, God showed His displeasure by causing a great storm to arise.  Jonah knew immediately that he was the cause of the storm so he shared his story with the others on the boat and told them that he was running from the presence of God.  Jonah instructed the men to throw him over-board.  As soon as he was thrown over-board the ranging storm ceased and calmness prevailed.  God caused a whale to open his mouth and consume Jonah.  God put Jonah in a position where he had the time to think about the mistake he had made.  Jonah then spent three days inside the whale but the end result was Jonah repented and did what God had previously told him to do.

One of the hardest things we must learn to do is to surrender our will to the will of God.  When we do, we receive the strength to do what God has asked us to do and the end result will be peace and calmness in our lives.  It is a blessing to trust that whatever God tells you to do, it is the best thing for everyone involved.  You will not have peace until you align your will to God’s.  Fear prevents a lot of people from obeying the commandments of God but obedience is what gets God’s attention.  We honor God when we submit to His will.  There is no place where you can run away from God or get beyond His reach.  It is best to let faith conquer your feelings and allow God to take control.

Jonah found that being in the will of God brings calmness.  No one should live a life of turmoil.  Trust God enough to submit and surrender and you will have the abundant life that Jesus Christ promised.