Retraining

“So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. (Deuteronomy 11:18 NLT)

Our dog Bo, spent the last couple of weeks with family. He's back with us now and we've discovered some areas where he has to be retrained.

For example, he has been trained to walk on our right side. Which may not seem like a big deal, until he (with all of his 90+ pounds) decides to cut to the left right in front of us on a whim without prior warning. Can you say, screeching halt?

Another example, he has been trained to leave slack in the leash during our walks. Again, which may not seem like a big deal until he (with all of his 90+ pounds) has been pulling on my shoulder for over an hour. Can you say, where is the bio freeze?

When he does something that needs correction, I gently tug at his leash and give the correct word (command). We repeat this process for the desired result.

Today, as I was retraining him, I was reminded of God's Word. He gently tugs at us through His Word and shows us areas of correction when needed and gives us guidance. He leads us in a straight path! (Psalm 27:11)

My prayer for every reader today is to wholeheartedly commit to His life giving, life changing Word! And for us to continually be led by His gentle tugging. Thank You for guiding us Jesus!

He Used Me

And the King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Matthew 25:40,NLT)

We purchase all our totes and drawstring bags from Totally Totes. They provide excellent customer service and high quality products. Please check them out at this link.

https://www.facebook.com/totallytotesmissouri

I recently purchased a tote from a line they call, “Jesus Tote”.

While at a restaurant, the LORD drew my attention to a certain woman and said, “Give her the Jesus tote.” My first thought was, “I don’t even know if she is a believer.”

I got up from our table, approached her, and said, “God wants you to have this tote.” She started weeping and said, “My bible bag is so tattered and worn out.” I smiled and said, “Not any more, God just gave you a brand new one.”

Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.  I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me. My bible tote was tattered and worn out and you gave me a beautiful one of the best quality available!

Ok, I added the last part but God is so amazing! She needed her bible bag replaced so her Heavenly Father provided according to His riches in glory!

I'm so thankful He used me!

This is so AWESOME!

This week, I’ve had a few of what I call “mini trials”. I titled the trials of this week as such because when adversity (a condition marked by misfortune, calamity, or distress) comes I have a “placement test” as I quickly assess the situation and assign it properly. In other words, is this a big deal or is this not a big deal?

For example:

1. Is anyone in or headed to the morgue? No. Praise God! Proceed to step two.
2. Is anyone in or headed to the emergency room or operating room? No. Glory to God! Proceed to step three.
3. Are we all (meaning my immediate family), together? In other words, is my family unit still intact (no affair, not separated by natural disaster, fire, robbery, no one is missing, etc.). Yes. Thank You Jesus! Proceed to step four.
4. Are we all safe? Yes. Hallelujah! Proceed to step five.
5. Since we made it to step five, the current adversity is assigned the title of a mini trial; therefore, Psalm 34:19. The only thing I have to do is Matthew 6:33 and 1 Timothy 6:12. He has always and will always do all the rest! Psalm 136!

Every answer I need to every problem I face is found in His Holy Word. His Word is ALIVE! His Word is ACTIVE! His Word changes everything! His Word is absolute truth! This morning, I grabbed my ipad to do my daily bible reading and even though when I was finished with my bible reading last night, I was not in James…today, when I opened up my bible, I was in James. I was going to go to Proverbs and Psalms but I got a check in my spirit to read James. Let’s just see what God has to say to us through James today.

Verily, verily I say unto you! Ok…that’s not James, that’s me! As you can tell, I’m very excited today! God is so good to me!

The title of the scripture and verse I was about to read was entitled, “Profiting from Trials”. I had to do a throw my head back belly laugh! I was so encouraged!

I placed emphasis on the following, please read slowly and absorb every critical word of this passage!

Consider it wholly joyful, (please note it does not say partial joy) my brethren, whenever (please note it does not say, if ever) you (please note that does not say everyone but you) are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]. Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God], And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits. Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. (James 2:12)

GLORY to GOD!

In May of 2008, I heard a life changing message taught by special speaker Dennis Burke at Walk on Water Faith Church in Osage Beach, Missouri (www.faithman.org) He taught on Mark 4:17. Why do adversities come? Adversities come for the Word’s sake. Adversity doesn’t come just to jack up our day; although, if our day gets jacked up it is a side benefit for the enemy. Adversity comes in an attempt to steal the Word.

We must have root! We must count it all joy and seek Him!

Yesterday on Facebook I saw this post by Jesse Duplantis, “What you focus on determines what you live with! So, are you focusing on God or your circumstances?”

As for me and my house, I focus on God! 

As for me and my house, circumstance can take a long walk off a short bridge!

What is your focus today?

How can you take His Word and change your circumstance today?

Count it all joy!