The Psalmist said it so beautifully “I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from where comes my help, my help comes from the Lord.”  It is comforting to know that our Helper never slumbers or sleeps, and He has promised never to leave or forsake us.  It is our Helper who gives us strength from day to day.  Another promise of our Helper was “I the Lord your God, will hold your right hand and say to thee ‘fear not for I will help you.”

Often, people make God the last person they go to when they need help, but God should be the first person you go to in time of need.  God knows the beginning from the end; He even knows more about your problem than you do, so what better person to go to?  There is nothing impossible with God, and that should motivate you to lift up your eyes to the one who is waiting to help you at all times.

Individuals even make the mistake of worshipping the creature more than the Creator.  It is God who has blessed you with everything you have and He is due all the honor and praise.  God has told us to have no other gods before Him and you need to be certain that you have your priorities in the correct order.  Instead of putting your hope, and sometimes impossible demands on a family member or a friend, trust your heavenly Father to perfect those things that concern you.  Make sure that you know for a certain where your help comes from and then you will have no reason to fear.

Have you ever been in a situation where you knew that only God could get you out of it?  In times like these, the first thing you should do is seek the Lord, and be prepared to fast if you are desperate enough.  The Bible tells us that if we seek the Lord with our whole heart, we will find Him, and who else has the power to make a way for you when there appears to be no way?  God is all powerful and there is nothing too difficult for Him.

While you are waiting on the Lord for direction, delight yourself in the Lord by remembering what God has already done for you.  It was God that has brought you this far, and by His grace, He will lead you on.  Stand firm, hold your position and you will see the salvation of the Lord.  Worship Him and thank Him before you are delivered because the battle is not yours – it is His.  Seeking the Lord and worshipping Him is evidence that you trust God and you believe in your heart that He loves you and that He will perfect those things that concern you.

Pray about your problems or worry about them but do not do both.  Worry says you don’t believe that God cares or that He will help you; whereas prayer says that you are turning your problems over to the one person capable of handling whatever you put into His hands.  What will you choose to do today – pray or worry?

The next time you are discouraged because you made a mistake or you said something that you wish you had never said read the story of Jeremiah.  Jeremiah was a tender hearted prophet who loved God but became discouraged when the children of Israel would not heed his call to repentance and turn back to God.  Jeremiah assumed that they could not be helped; he believed that they were a lost cause. God wanted to set the record straight with him.  He told Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house and there he would hear from the Lord.  When he got there, he saw that when the potter did not get the results he expected with his clay, instead of throwing away the spoiled clay, all he did was put the clay back on the potter’s wheel and he began to reshape and mold it into another form – a form that he could use.

Jeremiah learned first hand that God does not discard people when they disobey Him.  He puts them back on the potter’s wheel to mold and shape them into something that would be fit for the master’s use.  The potter is in charge and knows exactly what he wants the end result to be.  The clay can’t say I don’t want to be shaped like that.  The clay must yield and that is what God expects of His children – obedience.  All of our life experiences are designed to make us more like our Lord and Savior, and if God sees something within us that needs to come out, He will deal with us until we look like what He expected.  We are all under the hand of the Lord, and if we will be obedient and do what God tells us to do, we will be fit for the kingdom of God.  However, we do have a choice.  We can choose to remain as we are but then we become useless and we will miss out on all that God has planned.  The Bible tells us that our eyes have not yet seen the destiny God has for those who love and trust in Him.

Today is a good day to get back on the potter’s wheel and let God have His way with you.  It doesn’t matter what you did yesterday.  What matters is that you have an open heart and a teachable spirit.  Seek God.  He is waiting for you.  After all, who knows you better than the One who created you?

Have you ever watched a caterpillar go through metamorphism?  The caterpillar has to go through quite a struggle to get out of that cocoon.  As a result of this struggle, the excess fluid in its body is shed and its wings get strong enough to enable the new butterfly to fly.  Without the metamorphism, the caterpillar can never become what it is destined to be nor do what it was created to do.

So it is with Christians.  The struggles in life are what make you into the person  God has created you to be.  The Lord told us that in this world we would have struggles, but we are not to become discouraged because Jesus Christ has overcome the world.  Yet, many find it difficult to endure their hardships but the only way out is to go through them.   There are no shortcuts.  The life lessons you learn are not only for you, but they are yours to share with others so that you can help them along their way.  We all need to be comforted from time to time, and your experiences could go a long way to pull someone else up who is having a difficult time in getting up on their own.

God wants you to rise above (fly) everything that you will face.  He does not want you to give in or give up.  It will not be easy, but if you do not grow weary in well doing, you will receive the reward that you worked so hard to attain.

The Bible tells us that Christians are to walk by faith and not by sight.  As I look back over the years, I have come to one conclusion, and that is I’ve come this far by faith.  Many times I’ve had to lean on the Lord and trust in His holy word and I know for certain that I would not be here today if it had not been for the Lord.

It’s so easy to look at things we see and think that those things are real; but if you live by  faith, you will acknowledge the Lord in all of your ways and He will direct your path.  Almighty God can take something that appears negative and turn it into something positive.  God’s word is true and if you base your life on what God says, your life will be much different than someone who doesn’t believe.

If you look at the current events in our world today, you have cause to become fearful, anxious and stressful.  It looks like we are on a downward spiral with no hope in sight; but believers will always have hope.  God has a specific plan for your life and His plans for you are to give you a good future, to prosper you and to keep you from evil.  Believers have a friend that will stick closer to them than a brother.  The Lord Jesus Christ has promised never to leave you or forsake you and how wonderful it is to know that even when you leave this world, your eternal life is just beginning.

Take a moment to think back over all the things that you have had to go through in your life and you will come to realize that the only reason you are here is that God’s purpose for your life has not yet been completed.  Faith brought you to this point and your faith will lead you on.  God has never failed you and He never will as long as you believe.

Hoorah! 2012 is behind us and now it is time to forget those things in 2012 that had a negative impact on us and believe with all of our heart that 2013 will be the best year that we have ever had.  God makes all things new, and if you are alive today you have a lot to be thankful for.  Why?  Because you overcame everything that you were faced with in 2012 and you are still here.  Not everyone can say that; not everyone that saw the beginning of 2012 is here today but you are.

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has plans for each of us; He wants to keep us from evil and He wants to give us hope and a future.  That is a precious promise and you should hold onto that every day of 2013.  If you have dreams that were not fulfilled or if you have unanswered prayers from 2012, continue to have faith in God.  Without faith it is impossible to please God, and a lot of people don’t truly understand how important faith is.  Your level of faith is what determines your peace.  In this world we will have trouble, but remember that the Lord Jesus Christ has overcome the world.  So, if God be for you, who can be against you?  You must have faith and confidence that God is with you always and that He is working out everything in your life for your good.  Even if you are unable to see the good right now, continue to trust God, for with God all things are possible to you.

Faith without works is dead, so do your part in obeying what God’s Word tells you to do.  Don’t be afraid to stretch your faith.  Believe that you can walk on water at God’s bidding. Next, be sure to wait upon the Lord to move in His time and He will then give you the strength that you need to have victory.  It is the Lord that goes before you and there is nothing new under the sun – it might be new to you but there is nothing new with the Lord God Almighty.  Fear not and don’t let anything stop you from believing in yourself and believing in Jesus Christ.  Go as far as your dreams take you and walk by faith and not by sight.  2013 is a new year for a new level of faith.  Enjoy it!

Have you ever unintentionally said something that hurt someone’s feelings and you wished that you had never said it?  Words are like squeezing toothpaste into a plate and then trying to put the toothpaste you poured out back into the tube – you can’t do it.  Once words are spoken, you have released into the air something that is either a blessing or a curse.  The Bible tells us that the power of life and death are in our tongue and that is so true.  What you speak to someone will either bless them or it will curse them so that is why we must put a muzzle over our mouth and pay attention to what we say to others.

We should always speak with grace, and that is hard to do because many times our feelings get in the way and we respond to people in the same way we are feeling at that moment.  We must remember that each person in our lives have been created by God and they were put into our lives for a purpose.  It is not our option to abuse or hurt them with our words because if we hurt them, we are also hurting our heavenly Father.  We should always think before we speak, and if we do, we will avoid the regret we will experience if we speak out of anger instead of love and respect.

I’m sure you have been on the receiving end of harsh words and I’m also sure you have been the one who has spoken harsh words.  Words are like arrows – they can pierce the heart and wound someone we care deeply about and, unfortunately, a spoken word is irretrievable.  Apologies have their merit, but an apology cannot erase the pain that has entered the heart of another person.

If you have said something that has hurt another person, ask God to give you the grace to go to that person and ask for forgiveness.  If you have been hurt by what another person has said to you, ask God to give you the grace to forgive and not try to retaliate against them.  We all make mistakes and we all know what it feels like to be hurt by words.  Pray that God will help you to speak to others as you would have them speak to you before you cause pain to someone else.  Remember, once you say it you can’t take it back!

I’m sure that you have noticed that society is doing its best to take Jesus out of Christmas.  The media is replacing ‘Merry Christmas’ with ‘Happy Holidays,’ but for Christians, without Jesus there is no holiday.  Jesus truly is the reason for the season.  Jesus is God’s gift to man, and He is the only gift that will change your life and give you hope and a future.

It is good to spend quality time with your family and friends and to give and receive gifts as a token of love, but with Jesus comes peace, joy and a love that is so amazing that you will never want to be separated from it.  Jesus is also a friend that will stick closer to you than a brother.  Jesus will never leave nor forsake you.  Jesus is with you now and He will be with you when you enter eternity.  You can’t ask for anything more.

Do not eliminate Jesus from your life no matter what the world does.  When Jesus came to this world, there wasn’t room for Him even then.  Jesus was born in a stable beneath the shining shars; but to those of you who answered His call and have asked Him to be your Lord and Savior, make sure that your heart stays open to Him all year round.   To those of you who have not yet welcomed Jesus into your heart, today is the day to do so.  God loves you and He wants you to share in the blessings that He has given to all of His children – the gift of Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas to all!

Do you know that God has promised us that He will give us the strength that we need at the exact time that we need it – not before.  When you hear of people suffering horrific challenges in their lives, you tell yourself that you would never be able to get through that experience if it had happened to you.  You ask ‘how will they get through that?’  We must remember that God’s grace is sufficient and it is.  If you are not going through a crisis at the moment, you do not possess what it will take to get through it so you can’t sense how you would feel, but rest assured that when you need it, it will be there for you.  All you have to do is reach down deep within and feel the Spirit of God covering you.  God provides the strengh when we need it.  We can’t receive it now and then store it up for later.  It comes when it is time.  Jesus even taught us to pray ‘give us our daily bread.’  So don’t live in fear wondering how you will endure something that may happen in the future. God has also promised us that He will give us a way of escape through every trial that we face, and the comfort of His Spirit is one way of escape.  When we are weak, He is strong and that is why we must depend on God, who is omnipotent and omnipresent.

It is vital that every Christian maintain their prayer life.  For it is in prayer that we empty ourselves of all of our fears and we hold on to the hope that we find in our Lord Jesus Christ.  If God promised it – He will do it.  People can make promises to you and break them all of the time, but if God has given you a promise, He will keep it.  So pray about everything and every one in your life.  Trust God to provide and protect you and them and when you need Him most, you will find Him right there with you, providing the support you need.

The world we live in is full of so many problems that it is no wonder that many people suffer from depression and other illnesses.  It is not easy to know exactly what you should do when pressure hits your life, but God has given us a guide book that provides us with answers – answers that have been proven by that great cloud of witnesses.  Unfortunately, many people look to their family and friends for answers, but every human being on this earth is limited to some degree.  No one knows it all or has all of the answers, but for those who have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, there is good news.

Our heavenly Father can do all things, therefore, there is nothing impossible for Him, and God has told us how to handle the pressures of life.  We are to do the following:

• Trust in the Lord
• Lean not to our own understanding
• Acknowledge God in all of our ways
• Be patient
• Be positive

We must trust God’s plan and purpose for our lives and believe that God will work out everything for our good.  Knowing that, we then can invite God into our daily lives and let Him control the outcome.  God will not ask for our permission nor does He want our opinion on how He chooses to work in our lives.  It is our responsibility to take our burdens to the Lord and leave them there and then be patient and positive.  God has never failed and we must live our lives putting our faith in the One who created Heaven and earth.  God will order our steps; we must obey and follow where He leads us.

If you are to live your life in peace regardless of what the crisis are in the world or in your life, you must be able to survive anything and everything that comes your way.  You can’t do it on your own but you can do it with the Lord’s help.  Seek God with your whole heart and remember that He is the one you turn to first for instruction, protection and provision.  No one loves you more than the one who knew you while you were yet in your mother’s womb.  Trust Him – your life depends on it!