March 28,2011 Slow Down To The Speed of Life:

NO TIME FOR GOD? KNOW GOD FOR TIME!

Hi……do you find yourself barely skimming through these words?…. wait a sec….take a breath .….just lean back…. smile…..and now read on after emptying your mind of anything else for the next few minutes…what you are about to read just might change your life!

Scene 1:

Is this you? Jumping out of bed you begin your morning rush to the bathroom ,put on the first thing that you pull out of the cupboard, pick up your briefcase & quickly grab a fruit  to chew on as you race against time to catch your train/bus ,wishing you had just woken up at the first call of your alarm clock?...Reaching your office, you throw your half chewed apple into the trash can, gulp down your morning coffee and walk towards the Conference Room. You enter with a smile, open your briefcase, shuffle your papers, clear your throat and begin the Presentation you had sat up all night drafting…..just a moment….in the midst of the wild rush…Had you spared a few moments to catch your breath and thank the Lord for a fresh morning and ask Him for strength to face the day’s challenges? “NO TIME” ….. I hear you answer….

Think this is any different for the stay at home parent? Yes?...... Well, think again…

Scene 2:

You wake up to the noise of your crying infant… your body doesn’t budge, your mind screams GET UP. You stand up groggily, still tired after barely 5 hours of interrupted sleep. You paste a smile on your face as you carry your two year old and drag your other two kids out of bed greeting them Good Morning. You then begin your morning battles of brushing teeth, dressing them up, searching for matching socks, packing lunchboxes & school bags, filling water bottles, tying shoelaces. You kiss your kids Goodbye and whisper “Lord take care of them” as you watch your kids race each other to the bus stop. The bus arrives and you heave a sigh of relief that they made it just in time. Suddenly you feel a tug, you look down to see your little infant looking up at you in shiny-eyed wonder; you carry him and then begin the routines and rituals of food, play, bath, toilet and sleep. Finally you sneak out quietly stealing a quick kiss from your sleeping angel and rush to attend to the unending duties beckoning you, the pots & pans waiting for their scrub, the clothes waiting to be washed, dried, ironed & folded, the rooms to be tidied up and the soon arriving hungry stomachs you will have to cook healthy meals for. You take a bite into your sandwich as you pick up the toys strewn all over the room. You long for a quiet moment with the Lord, you long for a shower to escape the summer heat and how you long for a few more hours of uninterrupted SLEEP…. but that you cannot afford, the luxury here is time…. as the moments tick by, you look up in anguish at the undone chores on your never ending To Do list…your back aches and you look up to heaven and pray for grace, but your crying infant draws your attention to more immediate needs. His diaper needs to be changed and as you rush to pick him up, your incomplete prayer touches Heaven, any doubt now as to why you have no strength for the day?

This is just a peek into a normal day of most of our lives. Whether at home or at work, we are all running the deadly race against time every part of us wishing that a day had a few more hours to offer, our hearts longing for time with God. What if I tell you that spending time with God will actually save time for you? Eagerly you ask me how….well this is HOW.

This week’s Blog post is NO TIME FOR GOD, KNOW GOD FOR TIME!

Bible mentions in Lev 23:9-14 that Israel was commanded to give God their first fruits. By doing so, they acknowledged that all good things come from God and that everything belongs to God. It was also a way of expressing trust in God's provision; just as He provided the first fruits, so He would provide the rest of the crops that were needed.

The same thing is applicable to us today. When we give God our first fruits, we give Him the best of everything we have to offer. Prov 3:9-10: “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Tithing is a different topic altogether; I am touching here only on how essential it is that we give Lord the first fruits of our time and how that will turn out to be a blessing for our lives. Let me ask you, how much of the first fruits of our 86,400 seconds/day are we able to offer to the Almighty Creator? And we complain that we don’t have time?

We slog & work our heads off ….then why don’t we get the fruits of our labor? That is because all labor is in vain if we don’t have God’s blessing. Psalms 127:1-2: Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat- for He grants sleep to those He loves.  When we give God our time, He gives us supernatural wisdom, undeserved favor, divine connections and He puts us in the right place at the right time so that things just fall into place without any extra effort on our part. People look at us in wonder at how something they have been trying for many years you have easily managed to acquire within a week! Little do they know the truth - that we ourselves look in the mirror and wonder how it all happened! When God takes charge, He never ceases to amaze us with how He causes us to accomplish the impossible with unexplainable ease. We are then always in a position of strength because we are now depending on God who has abundant resources (“The whole world is His”: Psalms 24:1) & unending possibilities (“With God all things are possible”: Mathew 19:26).

10 PRACTICAL WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DAYS!

1)Start Your Day With Prayer:


WHEN TO PRAY?

It is best that you spend time early in the morning to speak to God before speaking to anyone else. Other than a mandatory Quiet Time in the morning, it is also good to look for small pockets of time throughout the day to seek His will and pray for His guidance and protection. The best way for the busiest of people is to make Prayer your life style.

Prayer as A Life Style:  This means to talk to God constantly wherever you are, whatever you are doing & whenever you can: for instance as you sweep the room ask that He sweep away all sin from your life/as you drive to work ask Him to hold the steering wheel of your life/as you cook  food ask Him to flavor your life with His love/when in a difficult position ask for Wisdom /when in a queue/ stuck in traffic pray for patience/when someone hurts you ask God to teach you forgiveness/when you reach home, thank Him for His protection. So you see how easy it is to connect with Him wherever we are. When you see God in the everyday events of your life, life ceases to be drudgery and you will actually look forward to getting up early every morning to spend time with Him. The results will be order, discipline, peace, joy and abundance in every area of your life. There will be no room for stress or worry as you will have laid all the tensions of the day into His hands before they even come to you. You will be healthier and happier!

WHERE TO PRAY?

Look for a personal place which is quiet and comfortable where you will be less likely to be distracted or interrupted. Jesus has advised in Mathew 6:6 “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

 HOW TO PRAY   ?

There is no hard and fast rule for prayer. Prayer is conversation with God. You speak to Him and then listen to what He has to say to you. As C. S. Lewis says, ‘A concentrated mind and sitting body make for better prayer than a kneeling body and a mind half asleep.”It is not how you pray but what you pray and the heart that matters to God.

THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF PRAYER:

The 4 Main Elements of Prayer can be remembered by the Acronym ACTS : Adoration,  Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.

a) Adoration:   This means Praising and Worshipping God for who He is (His Attributes :
Eg. Faithfulness  (Psalms 36:5,2 Tim 2:13), Holiness(Hab 1:13,Rev 15:4), Sovereignty(Isa 46:8-10,Eph 1:11), Love (Jer 31:3,John 3:16) etc and for what He does (His works).You can also sing songs of Praise & Worship.

b) Confession: We then look into our life and see whether there is anything displeasing in the eyes of God and ask Him to forgive us. We then claim the holy blood of Jesus as Atonement and reaffirm our desire to live fully within His will. (Isa 59:1-2, I John 1:9-10)

c) Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving is expressing our gratitude to the Lord for His abundant blessings in our life. A Gratitude Journal (mentioned in my post Attitude of Gratitude) can help you with this.

d) Supplication: refers to our petitions /prayer requests made to God. Intercession means speaking to God about the needs and concerns of others.(1Tim 2:1-3,Heb 5:7) Keeping a written record of prayer requests and ticking them off as the Lord answers them can be a great source of encouragement in our prayer life.

2) Spend Time for Bible Study & Meditation of Scriptures:



For regular study, you may either follow a Read through the Bible in 1 year card/a Daily devotional book or meditate on the Bible portion mentioned for the day. Meditation means reading the verses slowly and trying to understand what God is telling us through that portion. Try and apply the Word received in the situations you encounter that day. That will keep you positive and give you the right perspective and prevent you from wasting minutes worrying about what to do or speaking on the phone about our problems.



3) Keep the Sabbath Holy:
                                             
                                   
 
The Lord commands us to set apart one day for Rest and worship(Exodus 20:10)It is essential that we attend worship and fellowship with believers on this day set apart as it will encourage us in our spiritual walk and gives us the fuel we require for the week.



4) Get Tidy:

It is good to have a place for everything and everything in its place. That way we can avoid wasting the time we spend searching for misplaced things (For instance, having a key stand near the door can save us the many minutes we usually lose in searching for the keys.)   

 


5) Jotters for TO- DO Lists & Post It Notes for Calls & Emails:

 JOTTERS WITH TO DO LISTS, Goals, grocery lists etc are intelligent ways to remember to get things done. Also have telephone numbers & email ids stored in your Address book/Mobile. Don’t forget to keep reminders for appointments and important dates a day or two in advance so that you can plan your Schedule accordingly.

POST IT NOTES FOR SAVING TIME ON PHONE CALLS & EMAILS: 

Instead of picking up the phone and making calls every now and then, keep 3 colored post it notes (say yellow for morning calls/pink for late afternoon calls/blue for evening calls) giving each color a time limit of say twenty minutes. Jot down the telephone numbers you intend to make as you progress during the day. Use the assigned time only for making/ returning calls. Keep conversation to the point, simple and brief. The same applies to checking /replying to emails. This is a very effective Time management technique that can be applied anywhere.

CAUTION! A warning here, especially for highly organized people (and I make this mistake often!) Don’t get so caught up in your To Do List that you forget that the List is made for you and you are not made for the List. In other words remember to Enjoy Life while crossing off the things on your checklist.

6) Prioritize:

 Prioritizing things and Filing on the basis of Urgency & Importance helps in eliminating the unimportant and not urgent and to ensure that the urgent and important get done on time. Use different colored markers/highlighters and label everything so that without opening the File itself you will know what it contains. It is however important to remember that the key is not to prioritize what is on our schedule, but to schedule our priorities. The picture below will well explain this point.

 7) Be Punctual:



PUNCTUALITY is showing esteem for others by doing the right thing at the right time

  Always be on Time. Being punctual tells the other person that you respect their time and expect them to do the same. People usually are careful and try to follow time when meeting a person with a reputation for being on time.

8) Be Prepared:

 (a) Reconfirm Appointments :

As nothing is 100% certain, it is always best to reconfirm appointments and timings.

(b)Try to kill as many birds with a single stone:

Plan to finish all the tasks you can on the way to your destination. For E.g. if you are on the way to the Dentist, shop for Grocery from the Supermarket nearby instead of driving all the way to the usual one.

(c)Always carry an Emergency Kit:

 Be ready for emergencies or unexpected delays by carrying some water, loose change, tissues, hand sanitizer, biscuits, a good book, mobile & charger, plastic packet and of course your Things To Do Jotter and pen.

9) Know your limitations & Learn to Say No:

 It is okay to say “No” when you are sure you cannot fit something into your schedule. People will then trust you when you say you will do something. However Say “No” politely to the project, not the person. Understand that you cannot do everything everyone asks you to do. Always say we will look into the matter later.

10) Ask for help:

When you feel there is someone who can help you with information, ideas or support that will enable you get your task done quicker, never hesitate to approach them. We can never underestimate the power of Team work.

Thus you see how easily you can save the seconds and watch the hours take care of themselves! Always remember it always starts with Knowing God. Mathew 6:33:“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” Next time you find yourself saying “NO Time”, understand that it’s TIME To Know God!

Wish you a blessed week!

Take Care, God bless,

Sparky Laurie

All Rights Reserved ©Copyright Protected

March 23,2011 The 12 T's of LIFE

THE 12 VITAL 'S OF LIFE:

In life, it is not possible to always dot all our I’s and cross all our T’s; however there are at least a dozen primary ‘T’’s that we certainly need to ‘cross’ –( to be very careful about) for lasting success and happiness in life.

What are those 12 VITAL Life changing T’s?

1)   Time: 

If there is one thing every person on this earth has been bestowed with in equality and without partiality, it is the Gift of Time. It is up to each one of us to seize the 86,400 seconds in a day and make the most of them

 “Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day.  Rich people can't buy more hours.  Scientists can't invent new minutes.  And you can't save time to spend it on another day.  Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving.  No matter how much time you've wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow.”-Denis Waitely

2)   Thoughts :

Thoughts are what can either make or break us .We must never make any room for negative thoughts as they rob us of our joy,strength,peace and effectiveness in life.In my previous post I spoke about how THOUGHT CONDITIONERS  help us to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

 3)Tongue:

The Bible is full of Scriptures about being careful about what we speak. There is a Greek proverb, ‘A tongue has no bones, but it can break bones.’ In James 3:3-12 we see a whole passage about the need for Taming Our Tongue. Even though the tongue is a very small member, it has been likened to the spark that causes the forest fire. “Your words are Containers for Power”-Joyce Meyer. We must be very careful with our confessions. “  The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Prov 18:21.

How can we sanctify our Tongue? When we fill our mouth with the Word of God and give praise and thanks to God, evil will flee as it cannot come from the same source.

Psalms 34:1: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Isaiah 50:4: “The Lord has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary…”

Psalms 35:28:“My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praise all day long.”

Proverbs 8:6: “Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.”

THE POWER OF WORDS:

A careless word may kindle strife;

A cruel word may wreck a life.

A bitter word may hate instill;

A brutal word may smite and kill.

A gracious word may smooth the way;

A joyous word may light the day.

A timely word may lessen stress;

A loving word may heal and bless.

-Author Unknown

4) Truth:

Psalms 34:12, 13 says “whoever loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.” A lie may take care of the present, but it has no future. In God’s eyes, there is no half /full truth, just as there are no white /black or big /small lies. “The Lord detests a lying tongue” (Prov 6:17.)Jesus says in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me”. Whenever we lie, we disobey God and thus create a foothold for Satan. Acc to John 8:44 Satan is called the Father of All Lies. It is said that once we tell a lie, we will have to tell another lie to cover it up and thus begins a vicious circle. Sir Walter Scott has put it very nicely when he said “Oh what a tangled web we weave when we first practice to deceive.”Lying fills our life with guilt, remorse and above all, we lose our peace of mind. So it is always best to speak the honest truth no matter what the consequence. TRUTH ALONE TRIUMPHS.

5) Tact:

BCOZ BEING DIRECT IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST WAY TO DELIVER A MESSAGE

I’ve learnt over the years that it is not only what you say but how and when you present it that also matters. As opposed to what many of us believe, being tactful is not being crafty/sly/untruthful. In fact when Jesus said that you must be as wise as serpents, I think what he intended was for us to be tactful in life situations. Hence I looked up the word in the Dictionary and was surprised with what I came up with. Tact is defined as (1) the ability to avoid giving offense : skill in situations in which other people's feelings have to be considered/ (2)discretion : an intuitive sense of what is right or appropriate.

According to this definition, being tactful is actually being considerate of other’s feelings and thus rather than hurt a person by being blunt; it is a virtue if we can say the same thing in a kinder way and at a proper time. It is like rearranging your words to suit the listener to get the desired result. “Tact is the ability to make a person see the lightning without letting him feel the bolt.”

6) Tone:

Tone is the way somebody says something which is actually an indicator of what the person is feeling/thinking. There are different tones like: excited/sarcastic/judgmental/ threatening/encouraging/friendly etc. The same words can be spoken in different tones to mean different things. I think it is best explained in the poem below.

7) Talents:

All of us are made in God’s image-unique & special with very different capacities and capabilities. Just like the five fingers on our hand are different in shape and size, but all are equally needed for us to use our hand properly, same is the case with all of us. Well, you may say I don’t have much- I can’t sing or speak or run or draw or write. That’s okay, God made you & He knows what you can and cannot do. He only expects you to use what you have.

We should be like the little boy in the Bible who placed his lunch box of 5 loaves and two fish into Jesus hands who blessed it and used it to feed the hungry multitude. What if the boy thought “what I have is too little” and ate it himself? Will the miracle have taken place?

What is it that is in your hand? We don’t have to be good at everything to be used by God rather we have to learn to operate from our strengths. Firstly you have to find out what it is that you are good at and enjoy doing, that’s your strength(your natural talent)use that which He has placed in your hands. Don’t bury or let it rust, pray for opportunities to use your talents faithfully, He will bless them and cause them to multiply just like the Master did  in the Parable of Talents in the Bible (Mathew 25:14-30).Never underestimate what God can do with a willing and obedient spirit. Can we say with Erma Bombeck?  “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." 

8) Temper:

All of us have lost our temper sometime or other in our life. Bible teaches us in James 1:19 that “we should be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”This does not mean that we should be spineless doormats who say yes to everything and everyone. Anger in itself is not wrong; it is just like joy/surprise/excitement or any other emotion. In fact the Perfect Jesus Himself got angry on one occasion (Mathew 21:12, 13) where we see a righteous indignation, a Divine Anger. Thus we can see that it is how we deal with this emotion that really matters. Bible says in Eph 4:26 “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” This means that we should learn how to manage Anger. Suppression of anger is not a healthy solution as it will lead to bottling up of pent up emotions which will ultimately lead to bitterness, rage & hatred.

One of the best ways to deal with anger is to be open and confront the matter quickly; definitely when both parties are calm, relaxed and ready to.

It may sometimes be hurt/fatigue/hunger/misunderstanding that comes out as anger. So when you find yourself getting angry, it is better to leave the scene for some time to calm yourself ;maybe go for a walk /take a shower/grab a bite/even take a small nap if possible. Always pray about the matter, think /journal what exactly was the trigger. We seldom think clearly or speak wisely when we are angry. Hence it is best to always avoid making decisions when you have just lost your temper.

 Prov 16:32: “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”

Prov 19:11 “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”

Eccl 7:9 “Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools”

9) Trials:

 I have read somewhere that we should pick our battles wisely or else we will find all of life is a battlefield. We can start by learning to distinguish between trifles (minor irritations) and trials. There is also a saying “do not make mountains out of mole hills”. When we realize our authority in Christ we understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he said in Acts 20:24: “None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” We will then understand how to accept whatever comes to us in life in the full assurance that “He will not let us be tested beyond the point that we can endure.”1 Corin 10:13

10) Team:

Do you know the full form of the acronym TEAM? Together Everyone Achieves More. Just like In any game (Football/Cricket/Basketball), all of the team members have different roles and it is only when they forego their self and play for the team collectively that the team can win. It is their collective effort, cooperation and team spirit which cause the unity in the diversity to become their strength and lead them to success. There are many advantages of working in a team. Some being:

1) Better ideas and quicker solutions as many heads work.

2) Speedier actions and results as many hands work.

11) Thanks:

 There is a quote by Seneca that “there is nothing more honorable than a grateful heart.”We will be happiest when we learn to count our blessings and be grateful for the smallest of blessings. You may refer to my previous post Attitude of Gratitude for some more inputs.

12) Testimony:

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “If all Christians acted like Christ, the whole world would be Christian.” There is a lesson to be learnt there. Our testimony must not be in the words we say but we should be able to reflect the love of God by the way we live. Today, people are tired of hearing Christian messages, what they need today is to see Christ in us. The most effective form of evangelization today is to live as Christ reflecting the fruits of the Spirit and when others see that we are different, they will come to us out of curiosity and we will get our chance to powerfully witness about Christ.

Thus in conclusion, let us strive to cross the above 12 Vital T’s in our life as they definitely will take us a long way in achieving happiness and success!

Take Care, God Bless,

Sparky Laurie

All Rights Reserved ©Copyright Protected

March 17, 2011 A WORD FOR EVERY SEASON, A LORD FOR EVERY REASON:

  

The name of our Lord is ‘Jehovah’.This name is derived from the four letter Hebrew word YHWH meaning “I AM WHO I AM” and “ I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE.”It is the name by which God revealed Himself to Moses in the Burning Bush. “And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you  shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”-Exodus 3:14.

God becomes the Solution to whatever our situation/ need is. He is Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Our Provider),Jehovah Rapha (The Lord Our Healer),Jehovah Shalom(The Lord Our Peace),Jehovah Nissi(The Lord Our Banner/Miracle),Jehovah Shammah (The Lord My Companion),Jehovah Rohi (The Lord Our Shepherd),Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness),Jehovah Mekaddiskem (The Lord who Sanctifies)

  

Everyday each one of us faces different challenges wherever we are.We handle these situations by the way we think.It is said that thoughts are what either make us or break us.We must be very careful about the thoughts that enter our mind.Even if  we get Negative thoughts,we should never dwell on them as they rob us of our joy,strength,peace and happiness in life.The only way we can remove a negative thought is by replacing it with a positive one just as we can defeat darkness not by wrestling with it but by turning on the light switch.The fastest and most effective way to do fill our minds with positive thoughts is to confess the Scriptures corresponding to our particular need and call upon Jehovah Lord to become that which He should to help us.

Proverbs 4:20-22 says, My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”-Hebrews 4:12

Here is how depending on the Living Word of God,we can  successfully turn around the Negative Situations in our life:  Just like Air Conditioners keep the atmosphere of a room fresh and healthy.There’s something new I’d like to Introduce to you today,its called : 

THOUGHT CONDITIONERS

THOUGHT CONDITIONERS help us to experience a Total Spiritual Osmosis resulting in OVERFLOWING JOY,COMPLETE HAPPINESS, PEACE THAT PASSETH UNDERSTANDING,DOUBLE FOLD RESTORATION,DIVINE COMFORT,BOLDNESS,CONFIDENCE,CLARITY OF THOUGHT,PURPOSE IN LIFE,STRENGTH TO ENDURE,WHOLENESS OF MIND AND BODY,UNEXPLAINABLE AND UNMERITED FAVOUR (GRACE),ABUNDANCE AND PROSPERITY, BREAKTHROUGH AND ANSWERS TO EVERY PROBLEM you may Encounter. Results Guaranteed!

Method for Using THOUGHT CONDITIONERS:

Confessing the following God breathed life creating Scriptures in faith and making the promises of the Bible our own,by declaring them aloud and over our lives and situations repeatedly over and over again;irrespective of the change of condition or apparent result will enable us to put things in proper perspective and realize our position and authority as Children of God.

Given below are some of my Favourite THOUGHT CONDITIONERS For 14 Different Life Situations. I suggest you explore the Scriptures and make a Special list of your favourite  THOUGHT CONDITIONERS and keep that as your permanent possession to bless your life.

1)WHEN FEAR/PANIC/ANXIETY STRIKES:

Ø  2 Tim 1:7:“For God has not given me a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Ø  Psalms 27:1:“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Ø  Isa 41:10:“Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you ; I will help you ; I will uphold you  with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Ø  “Psalms 46:1 “God is our Refuge and Strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”

Ø  1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you.”

2) When WEAK/SICK/TIRED; in need of HEALING:

 Ø  Psalms 6:2:“Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint; heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.”

Ø  Psalms 147:3“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”

Ø  Isa 40:29-31:“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”

Ø  Ps. 103:2-3 "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases."

Ø  Is. 53:5 "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed."

Ø  Malachi 4:2:"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up (leap) like calves released from the stall."  

3) When SAD/LONELY/DEPRESSED & Need ENCOURAGEMENT: 

 Ø  Joshua 1:9   “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Ø  John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”

Ø  Isaiah 43:1 “Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name ; you are mine.

Ø  Psalms 34:4-6 “I sought the LORD, and he answered me;  He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;  He saved him out of all his troubles.”

Ø  Psalms 42:11 “Why, my soul, are you downcast?  Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,  for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Ø  John 14:27“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Ø  Isa 51:12 “I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass.”

Ø  Psalms 116:3-6 “The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord.. and he saved me.” 

4) When in SUFFERING/TRIALS/AFFLICTIONS & Need COMFORT:

Ø  Job36:15: “But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering;He speaks to them in their affliction.”

Ø  Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear for I am with you;do not be dismayed for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Ø  Rom 5:3-4:“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Ø  Psalms 34:19:“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.”

Ø  “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”-Heb 4:15,16

Ø  John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

 5)When you require PROVISION/FAVOUR/PROSPERITY/BLESSING:

 Ø  2 Corin 9:10,11 “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

Ø  Psalms 1:3 “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,  That brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

Ø  Psalms 128:1-4 “Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in obedience to him.You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.Yes, this will be the blessing  for the man   who fears the LORD.”

Ø   Luke 6:38:“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

6) When in DANGER & Need PROTECTION/SECURITY:

 Ø  Psalms 91:5-10 “You will not fear the terror of night,nor the arrow that flies by day,nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.”

Ø  Isa 43:2 “When you pass through the waters,I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you.When you walk through the fire,you will not be burned;the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Ø  Psalms 121:5-8 “The Lord watches over you-He is your shade at your right hand;the sun will not harm you during the day,nor the moon by night.The Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life;the Lord will watch over your coming and going now and forever more.”

Ø  2 Tim 4:18 “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly Kingdom..”

Ø  Prov 18:10 “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

7)WHEN YOU FEEL FORGOTTEN/UNWANTED/DOUBTFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE & Need Reassurance:

Ø  Jer 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb,I knew you,before you were born,I set you apart;I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Ø  Jer 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,declares the Lord,plans to prosper you and not to harm you,plans to give you hope and a future.”

Ø  Mathew 14:31 ‘Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him,and said to Him, “O you of little faith,why did you doubt?”

Ø  1 Corin 2:9 “No eye has seen,no ear has heard,no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him..”

Ø  Isa 49:15-16 “Can a mother forget her nursing child,And not have compassion on the son of her womb?Surely they may forget you,yet I will not forget you.See I have engraved your name on the palm of my hands.”

Ø  Isa 43:4 “You are precious and honoured in my Sight.”

8)WHEN YOU FEEL ACCUSED/ GULILTY/CONDEMNED & Need an Advocate :

 Ø  Romans 8:1-3: “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit has set me free from the power of sin and death.For what the Law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the Sinful nature,God did by sending His own Son..”

Ø  1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”

Ø  Isa 54:17 “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.And every tongue which rises against you in judgement.You shall condemn.This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,And their righteousness is from me,says the Lord.”

Ø  Romans 8:15 “For you did not receive a Spirit that makes you a slave again to fear,but you received a spirit of Sonship.And by Him we cry Abba Father.”

Ø  John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”

Ø  1 Peter 5:8 :”Curb every passion, and be on the alert. Your great accuser, the Devil, is going about like a roaring lion to see whom he can devour.”

9) WHEN YOU HAVE SINNED/BACKSLIDDEN& Need Forgiveness:

 Ø  Psalms 51:7 :“Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”

Ø  Isaiah 1:18: "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Ø  Jer 14:7 “Although our sins testify against us, O LORD, do something for the sake of your name. For our backsliding is great; we have sinned against you.”

Ø  Eph 2:8-9 :“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast”.

Ø  Romans 3:23 “For everyone has sinned and fallen short of God's glorious standard”

Ø  Romans 11:29 “For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”

Ø  Luke 19:10 :”For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Ø  John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”

10) WHEN MISTREATED/ANGRY/BITTER/HURT & Need Justice:

Ø  Ephesians 4:26:“Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger”

Ø  Mathew 6:14-15: “ For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Ø  Ephesians 4:31,32 “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, crying and shouting and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice .And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. “

Ø  Col 3:13 “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Ø  Romans 12:17-21 “Do not repay anyone evil for evil…..do not take revenge,vengeance is the Lord’s.On the contrary,”If your enemy is hungry,feed him,if he is thirsty,give him something to drink….do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with God.”

Ø  Mathew 5:11,12 “Blessed are you when people insult you,persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven,for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Ø  Luke 18:7 “And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?”

11) When At Life’s Crossroads and require COUNSEL/WISDOM/  GUIDANCE to make Right Decisions:

Ø  Isa 30:21 “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”

Ø  James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom,he should ask God,who gives generously to all without finding fault,and it will be given to him.”

Ø  Psalms 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

Ø  2 Tim 3:16,17: “ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Ø  Psalms 72:4 “Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory.”

Ø  Prov 3:5-7“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”

12) WHEN OVERWHELMED/STRESSED BY THE DEMANDS OF LIFE & Need Peace:

  

Ø  Romans 8:37-39 “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.For I am convinced that neither death nor life,neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future,neither height nor depth,nor anything else in all creation,will be able to separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ø  Isa 26:3:“Thou wilt keep him  in perfect peace, whose  mind is  stayed on thee:  because he trusteth in thee.”

Ø  Luke 10:41-42 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,but few things are needed—or indeed only one.Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Ø  Mathew 6:25-27,33-34:“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?...... But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Ø  Psalms 127:1-2  “Unless the LORD builds the house,the builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early and stay up late,toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.”

Ø  Mathew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

13)WHEN ANSWERS ARE DELAYED ; LOSING FAITH & Need Hope:

Ø  Isa 30:18 “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”

Ø  Psalms 37:4 “ Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart”

Ø  Habakkuk 2:3 “For the revelation awaits an appointed time, it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”

Ø  Psalms 27:14 :“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”

Ø  1 Corin 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Ø  2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Ø  John 14:13 “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.”

Ø  Mathew 24:35 : “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

14)When you want to shout out His PRAISE IN TIMES OF JOY/ANSWERED PRAYER/ PROSPERITY/ BLESSING:

Ø  Psalms 118:1 “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Ø  Isaiah 63:7 “ I will tell of the LORD's unfailing love. I will praise the LORD for all he has done. I will rejoice in his great goodness to Israel, which he has granted according to his mercy and love.”

Ø  Psalms 103:1-2 :”Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name.Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all His benefits..”

Ø  Psalms 100:1-4 “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving And into His courts with praise.Be thankful to Him and bless His name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Ø  Exodus 15:1-2 : “I will sing to the Lord,for he has triumphed gloriously,the horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.The Lord is my strength and my song;he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him,my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.”

What a Great and Almighty God we serve. Isn’t it a privilege to be His very own?

I invite you if you haven’t yet made Him the Lord of your Life, to do so:

 Accept Jehovah, The All POWERFUL, ALL KNOWING ALL SUFFICIENT GOD and enjoy His Fatherhood for the rest of the days of your life on this earth and for all eternity, for you can be assured of Eternal Life today by the Holy Blood Of Christ Jesus.

 Isa 55:6 “Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.”

Take Care, God Bless,

Sparky Laurie

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