Smarter Kids =)

Jeremiah 33:3

When You Feel Buried

When You Feel Buried Today's Scripture: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." (John 12:24, NKJV). Today's Word: We all face difficulties and challenges in life. But you have to remember, as a believer in Jesus, you have the life-giving seed of Almighty God on the inside of you. When you go through disappointments or tough times, you may feel like you’ve been buried. You may feel like you’re in a dark, lonely place. You may feel like it’s the end; but in reality, it’s only the beginning. The fact is, you haven’t been buried; you have been planted. That means you’re coming back. And not only are you coming back, but you’re coming back in increase, better and stronger than before! In those tough times, you’ve got to draw the line in the sand. Make a declaration, “This difficulty is not going to bury me. This loss, this disappointment, this injustice is not going to cause me to give up on my dreams. I refuse to live in self-pity. I know I am a seed. That means I cannot be buried. I can only be planted. I may be down, but it’s only temporary. I know I’m not only coming back, I’m coming back even better than I was before!” Prayer for Today: Father in heaven, thank You for filling me with Your life-giving seed. I choose today to focus on the potential for my future. I know that I will overcome every obstacle by Your power that is at work in me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

You Don’t Need Someone’s Approval To Be Happy By Rick Warren — May 30, 2014                

“It does not matter! I am happy about it — just so Christ is preached in every way possible, whether from wrong or right motives. And I will continue to be happy.” (Philippians 1:18 TEV)

 

You can be happy no matter what happens in your life if you don’t let others control your attitude.
In Philippians 1:15-17, Paul talks about four kinds of people who were affecting his ministry while he was in prison in Rome. There were some who he considered comrades and who encouraged him in his ministry. Others were criticizing, competing with, or conspiring against his ministry.
“Some of them preach Christ because they are jealous and quarrelsome, but others from genuine good will. These do so from love, because they know that God has given me the work of defending the gospel. The others do not proclaim Christ sincerely, but from a spirit of selfish ambition; they think that they will make more trouble for me while I am in prison” (Philippians 1:15-17 TEV).
Few things rob your happiness faster than being criticized or feeling like others are working against you. Why? Because we all want to be loved. We all want approval. We want everybody to like us.
Yet Paul says in Philippians 1:18, “It does not matter! I am happy about it — just so Christ is preached in every way possible, whether from wrong or right motives. And I will continue to be happy.”
You don’t need other people’s approval to be happy.
You’re as happy as you choose to be! If others are unhappy with you, that’s their choice. If you haven’t got someone’s approval now, you’re probably not going to get it. And you’re going to be miserable if you try to live for the approval of everybody else.
Paul later explains in verses 29 and 30 why you can be happy no matter what: “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it” (NLT).
Paul says it is a privilege to suffer when you’re doing the right thing because you’re most like Jesus when somebody’s nailing you to a cross and trying to get at you.
You can be happy no matter what happens if you look at every problem from God’s viewpoint and never let what other people say or do control your happiness.

Talk It Over

• For whose approval have you been working? Why do you think you need that person’s approval?
• Why is there more freedom in God’s approval than another person’s?
• When you feel most attacked or criticized, how might God be working in you and through you?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpTjqmjXB9Q

5 ways to help the superman in your marriage

Every woman wants a hero. Even if you didn't marry a superhero, here are five ways every woman can help her husband be a superman.

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Tiffany Fletcher

Jul 19, 2013   |   5,268 views   |   98 shares

• Every man wants to be a superhero. What woman wouldn’t want to be married to one? I imagine the theme song, “I need a hero,” with the lyrics, “It’s going to take a superman to sweep me off my feet,” is something every woman may have hoped to experience. If you find yourself married to someone a little more human, don’t get discouraged. Just try these five simple suggestions and you might find that you really are married to a superman, after all.
  Here are 10 Compliments Your Husband Needs To Hear
  

  1. Don’t expose him to his weaknesses

  Every superhero has his weaknesses. Being married to a superhero makes it easy to pinpoint those weaknesses. Don’t use your knowledge of his weaknesses against him. Lift up your superman rather than dragging him down. As the wife of a superhero, it is important to love, honor, and support the man you married rather than bring him down by constantly introducing his weaknesses into the picture. Can you imagine how difficult it would be for Superman to be the hero he needed to be if he had a wife who carried kryptonite around in her pocket and took it out to use it against him every time he frustrated her? Bringing up your husband’s faults and weaknesses to use against him is no different. If you want to be married to a superman, then treat your husband with respect; like a superhero should be treated.
  

  2. Give him someone worth fighting for

  Do you ever notice that most superheroes have a muse? They have women of strength and courage for whom they are willing to fight to the death. In your marriage, try to be the kind of woman your husband would fight for. I am not talking about being a beauty queen. But I am talking about taking care of yourself both inside and out. Try to eat well and encourage him to do the same. Exercise, even if it’s just going on a short walk with the kids. Put on fresh clothes and do your hair each day rather than wearing sweats and yesterday’s ponytail. Read good books so you can talk to your superhero about interesting things. Learn about his likes so you can have a conversation with him on his interests. Commit each day to improving yourself so that you are just a little bit better than you were the day before. You will find that as you do, not only will you become a woman of strength and courage for your husband, it will become a strength to your marriage.
  

  3. Don’t become his super-villain

  There’s enough evil in this world that your superhero will have to fight daily without having to come home and fight you, as well. Try your best to resolve concerns with your superman without getting angry and becoming the bad guy. As two grown adults, you should be able to resolve concerns as grown-ups without resorting to name calling and threats. If an issue needs to be resolved, use good old-fashioned communication. Express your concerns by both of you sharing your feelings and resolving to work at fixing the problem. That is how peace talks work. Super-villains don’t talk they go straight to fighting. Don’t fall into the trap of a super-villain. Choose the way of peace, it makes all the difference.
  

  4. Learn to be his sidekick

  Sometimes, you may be called upon to be a sidekick to your superhero. A "sidekick" is someone who a superhero can rely on to have his back and help him through the difficult situations he may find himself in. There will come times in your marriage when your superhero will find himself backed up against a wall, not knowing what to do. Make sure you have his back and that you are always there to support him. Help him know that you are there for him, no matter what, and that he can rely on you for encouragement and support. It is good for every superhero to know that someone has got his back. It will allow him to have courage and confidence when he is called upon to do hard things.
  

  5. Make a comfortable hideout

  After a long day of crime fighting, a superhero wants nothing more than to come home and relax. Try to make your home a place where your superhero wants to be. Make it a place where happiness and peace are present, where laughter can be heard, and joy can be felt. When he comes home, try to have the house clean, and try not to unload all the unpleasant things of the day.
  Read our 10 Marriage Commandments
  Every night, when our children were very young, my husband would come home from work, and I would tell him all of the naughty things the kids had done that made the day difficult for me. One day, my husband asked me if the kids ever did anything positive. I realized that they absolutely did positive things, but the negative things seemed so overwhelming to me that I forgot them. My husband was only seeing our children in a negative light because of the way I painted them each night. I began to keep a journal of all the positive things they did throughout the day. As a result, I was so focused on the positive that the negative didn’t seem so bad anymore. Each night my husband started looking forward to hearing the good little antidotes about our children and we would laugh together. It was a wonderful experience. Make your home a place of laughter, a place of love, and a place of peace.
  You may not have married Superman, but every man can be a superman if he is treated like a superhero. By applying these five simple suggestions to your marriage, you may find that the man you married isn’t too far off from the superhero you require.

isang makabuluhang bakasyon =)

akala ko ganun kadali ang lahat... mahirap pala

 

mom you're truly the best! =)

 

5 ways to be an awesome dad

Being a good dad is the most important accomplishment in a man’s life. Here are a few ideas to help move you along from “good” to “awesome” in the eyes of your children.

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Gary and Joy Lundberg

May 28, 2014   |   9,296 views   |   324 shares

• Remembering an awesome dad can be very rewarding. Becoming an awesome dad, even better. What does it take to be one of those, you may ask. You’d be surprised how simple it just might be. Does it take time? Oh yeah. But not a lot. Just a few well-placed moments with your kids when they are absolutely certain you are there for them. So here are a few tips to help make awesomeness happen.
  

  1. Greet them with love

  When you walk in the door after a long day of work, no matter what, take a few minutes and hug those little folks who came into the world because of you. When a daddy swoops up his little girl and gives her hugs and kisses, she’ll giggle with delight. That’s when you say, “How’s my little princess?” and “Do you know how much Daddy loves you?” Same with your little guy with a few tickled ribs added to the mix. And don’t forget, “How’s my little man?” and, “I love you to infinity and beyond!” They’ll eat it up, and then run off and play. Knowing how much their daddy loves them gives them a glow like nothing else can.
  How about those adolescent kids? They may not show it, but they need your attention, too. Even if they resist. Just ignore those gotta-act-cool attitudes and go for it. Hug your daughter and tell her how pretty she is, and how lucky you are to be her dad. Forget that she was totally disgusted in her behavior yesterday. It’s now that matters. Let her feel your love. It's the same with your teenage son. He’s yearning for approval from you, but he’ll never let you know. So just give it to him anyway with a side hug, or a fist bump and say, “How you doing, dude?” and “I sure do love you, son.” It will sink into his heart in a way he’ll never forget.
  

  2. Take them with you on an errand

  This works best if you do it one child at a time so he or she can be your total focus. It can be as simple as going for a piece of pipe at the local hardware store. That’s also a time when you can teach your child what you’re doing with the item you buy. Learning a few handyman tricks can be valuable information for their future.
  Even more than that, as you ride along, listen to your child. Be willing to let them rattle on about anything they want to without criticism. These types of occasions create a loving bond. Besides that, they will feel spoiled, and that’s a good feeling. Don’t forget to throw in a little treat along the way sometimes. That’ll make it even more memorable. Make the drive fun. This video will show you how one dad accomplished this with his teenage daughter.
  

  3. Tell them stories about your life

  Start young and they’ll grow up loving it. But if they are older, start now. Just do it. Kids feel a greater connection with not only Dad, but the whole family when stories about your childhood are shared. Tell about the time you went hunting with your dad and almost got a 10 point buck. If something funny happened, tell it with all the animation and fun you can muster. If you or your father served in the military, tell them about that. Let them know what it takes to preserve freedom. Just share your life with them. Show them pictures if you have some. If not, describe a situation in detail so they can imagine it. Do it in increments, making it short and to the point so they’ll want more.
  

  4. Teach them how to work

  This won’t happen in one fell swoop. It needs to happen a little at a time as they grow. Don’t just tell your son or daughter to “go mow the lawn.” Show them how it’s done. Let them walk alongside you as you explain what constitutes a job well done. As they learn, allow them to make a few mistakes without a verbal beating when it’s not quite like you showed them. Be loving as you teach, but don’t let them get away with not doing their jobs and learning how to do them well. Life is full of doing jobs. The sooner a child learns how to work, the happier and more productive they’ll be in their own lives. In a recent interview, a successful athlete told how his dad taught him to stick with it and do the hard things in his life. He said it made all the difference.
  

  5. Pray with them

  When children see their father praying, it helps build their own faith in God. Behavior specialist, Wayne Parker, said“Helping a son be grounded spiritually is an important role for a father... As a young man gets in tune with nature, God and himself, he will have a pattern in his life that will help him endure hardship and thrive personally.” This, of course, applies to your daughters, as well.
  Do these five things with your children and you cannot help but be among the fathers whose kids call them “awesome.”

A good life =)

You are actually living a good life by recognizing these 25 signs:
1. Your relationships are less dramatic than they use to be.
2. You may not have as much money as you want but you live a rich life.
3. You're not afraid to ask for help and support.
4. Where you live feels like home.
5. You’ve raised your standards.
6. You let go of things that don’t make you feel good.
7. You have moments where you appreciate who you see in the mirror.
8. You're working on limiting your inner critic and consciously choosing more positive thoughts.
9. You’ve learned that setbacks and failure are part of self-growth.
10. You have a support system that includes people who would do anything for you.
11. You hear “I love you” often, from friends, family or a partner.
12. You've accepted what you can’t change, but change what you can’t accept.
13. You don’t complain much, but instead focus on solutions.
14. You don’t blame your parents, and accept them for who they are.
15. You stopped caring about what others think of you.
16. You're happy for your exes when they move on.
17. You can celebrate others' successes.
18. You allow yourself to feel your feelings and are comfortable sharing them.
19. You have passions that you pursue.
20. You're able to accept compliments without deflecting.
21. You have things to look forward to.
22. You have goals that have come true.
23. You have empathy for others.
24. You feel connected to your work.
25. You love deeply and open yourself up to be loved by others.

21 Kids Brilliantly Outsmarted Their Tests =)

Most adults wouldn’t be able to think of responses that are this witty or clever. Even though these are the wrong answers, I would have given theses kids an A+.

1.) An understandable solution to the formula.

2.) Give them points for creativity. C’MON.

3.) A valid possibility.

4.) BOOM.

5.) Clever girl.

6.) What a straight shooter.

7.) … she isn’t WRONG.

8.) Accurate!

 

9.) Someone has Katniss Everdeen on the brain.

10.) It’s still a “beer law.”

11.) ALSO ACCURATE.

12.) Oh how I hope they got credit for this…

13.) TOTALLY, dude.

14.) LOL.

15.) You were all thinking it.

16.) And you marked it WRONG?

17.) This kid knows his stuff.

18.) Yikes.

19.) The flair stars add credibility.

20.) Bruce Willis would get the job done.

21.) I hope he followed that answer with a mic drop.

Joshua 23:14

Handling Adversity

Handling Adversity Today's Scripture: "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation." (Romans 5:3-4, NLT). Today's Word: The way you handle adversities has a huge impact on your success in life? If you shrink back, choose to get bitter and lose your enthusiasm, then you are allowing the difficulties of life to bury you. You are allowing hardship to keep you from your God-given destiny. But if you choose to keep pressing forward with a smile on your face, rejoicing even in the hard times, you are allowing God’s character to be developed inside of you. You are setting yourself up for promotion. Think about this: the only difference between a piece of black coal and a priceless diamond is the amount of pressure that it’s endured. When you stand strong in the midst of the trials and difficulties in life, when you allow God to shape and mold your character, it’s like going from a piece of coal to a priceless diamond. Those difficulties are going to give way to new growth, new potential, new talent, new friendships, new opportunities, new vision. You’re going to see your life blossom in ways that you’ve never even dreamed! Prayer for Today: Father in heaven, thank You for giving me strength to overcome every obstacle in life. I choose to rejoice no matter what may come against me. I know You are working all things together for my good in Jesus’ name! Amen.

Happy People See God’s Bigger Picture By Rick Warren — May 29, 2014               

“I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News” (Philippians 1:12 NLT)

 

If you want to be a happy person, you need to look at every problem from God’s viewpoint. Happy people have a larger perspective. They see the big picture. When you don’t see things from God’s point of view, you get discouraged, frustrated, and unhappy.
No matter what’s going on in your life — the good, the bad, and the ugly, God is working out a plan. Paul knew this. He says in Philippians 1:12, “I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News” (NLT).
Ever since Paul became a Christian on the road to Damascus, he had dreamed one great dream: He wanted to preach in Rome, the center of the universe at the time. His dream was to preach the Gospel in the most important city in the world.
But God had another idea. Instead of sending Paul to Rome to preach crusades, God made him a royal prisoner of Caesar, who was at that time Nero. Nero was about as wicked and as bad as you can get.
As a royal prisoner, Paul was chained to a royal guard 24 hours a day for two years, and the guard was changed every four hours. Over two years in prison, he witnessed to 4,380 guards. Who’s the real prisoner here? Who had the captive audience?
This wasn’t Paul’s plan, but it was God’s all along. There were two results of it that we know for sure.
Philippians 4 says that within two years, some of Nero’s own family had become believers because of Paul’s witness in the royal court in Rome.
Secondly, it’s kind of hard to get a guy like Paul to stop moving. In prison, he was forced to be still and, as a result, wrote most of the New Testament. I wonder which had a bigger impact: his preaching in the Colosseum or the books he wrote, such as Romans, First and Second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. These seven books have revealed Jesus to millions of people over the years?
Paul knew that God had a bigger plan, and he could be happy because he saw what God was doing through his problem.
Any time you have a problem that’s starting to get you down, you need to do what Paul did — learn to see it from God’s point of view. Ask, “What is God doing here? What’s the bigger picture? What’s the bigger perspective?” Then you’ll be able to face the problem in faith.

Talk It Over

• Think of a problem that has you discouraged. How might your discouragement change if you look at it with God’s bigger perspective?

• How have you seen God work in the midst of a difficult situation in your past?

• Why do you think God is allowing you to struggle through a hard time?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duLQ6d_BpLs

Father's Best =)

Deuteronomy 28:8

Don't Let Others Control You

Don't Let Others Control You Today's Scripture: "It is an honor for a man to cease from strife and keep aloof from it, but every fool will quarrel." (Proverbs 20:3, AMP). Today's Word: Did you know that when you allow someone else’s words or actions to upset you, you’re allowing them to control you? When you say, “You make me so mad,” you’re really just admitting that their actions have power over you. As long as that person knows they can push your buttons, as long as you keep responding the same way, you are giving them exactly what they want. Sure, people have a right to say and do things that are upsetting, but we also have a right to not get offended. We have a right to overlook their actions. In fact, the Bible says that it’s an honor for a man to keep “aloof” from strife. In other words, we have to remove ourselves, either physically or emotionally, from strife and offense. It’s not easy, but we can choose to let it roll off of us like water off a duck’s back! Remember, you don’t need everyone to agree with you all the time. You don’t have to have the approval of others in order to be approved by God. Your job is to be the person God made you to be. Overlook offenses and let go of strife so you can live in peace and victory all the days of your life! Prayer for Today: Father, thank You for loving, accepting and approving me just as I am. I know You are doing a work in my life, and I ask for the strength and confidence to overlook offense so that I can honor You in everything I do in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Positive Prayer Makes Strong Relationships By Rick Warren — May 28, 2014              

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:9-11 NIV)

 

I want you to think of somebody who irritates you — maybe somebody you’ve got a strained relationship with or who just rubs you the wrong way. I have two questions for you: One, do you pray for that person? Or do you just complain and grumble and nag and nitpick? If you prayed more, you’d have a lot less to grumble, complain, nag, and nitpick about. It’s your decision.
Does nagging work? No. Does prayer work? Yes. So why do you do more of the thing that doesn’t work than does?
Paul says in Philippians 1:4, “Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy” (NLT).
Paul didn’t just pray for people in his life; he prayed with joy!
There are things in other people’s lives that you’d like to change. You don’t want to change yourself; you want them to change. We always want to change other people. But you can’t!
You can, however, pray, and let God do his work in other people.
Positive praying is more effective than positive thinking. All the positive thinking in the world isn’t going to change your husband or your wife or your child or your friend or your situation. Positive thinking can change you, but it won’t change somebody else. But positive prayer can make a difference in someone else.
Do you want to know the quickest way to change a bad relationship to a good one? Start praying for the other person! It will change you, and it can change the other person.
Paul even told us how to pray for others: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11 NIV).
From these verses, we can learn to pray for the people in our lives in four ways:
Pray that they will grow in love: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.”
Pray that they will make wise choices: “... so that you may be able to discern what is best ...”
Pray that they will live with integrity: “... and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ ...”
Pray that they will become like Jesus: “... filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God.”
Pray these for yourself and anyone else in your life, and watch how God turns around the relationship you thought had no hope or that needed to be revived.

Talk It Over

• Who are the people in your life with whom you have a strained relationship and for whom you need to pray these four things?

• How does positive prayer change you and not just the person for whom you are praying?

• What is the “fruit of righteousness” that comes through Jesus Christ (see Galatians 5:22-23)?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH8bV7rUVaU

Good Sense

Good Sense Today's Scripture: "Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense." (Proverbs 19:11, AMP). Today's Word: Every day, we have opportunities to get upset, frustrated or offended. Maybe you had plans that didn’t work out, or someone was rude to you at the office. Maybe you were doing something that should have taken one hour and ended up taking three. Life is full of inconveniences. Even though we can’t always control our circumstances, we can control our reaction. They say, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond.” We should always go out each day with a positive attitude, full of hope and expecting God’s favor. But at the same time, we should recognize that most days are not going to go exactly as we planned. However, we are created to live in peace. Peace is our position of power. If you get stressed because you got off schedule, or upset because your child wouldn’t eat his breakfast, or frustrated because somebody offended you, you are giving away your power. Instead, use good sense! Make the decision to release those offenses and disappointments so you live in peace. Overlook offense, release offense and move forward in the power and victory the Lord has for you! Prayer for Today: Father, today I release every care, concern, offense and disappointment to You. I choose to keep the peace that You have given me knowing that with You, my best days are ahead in Jesus’ name! Amen.

PS... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiTl6FqrBx0

Selective Memory: Focus on the Good Times By Rick Warren — May 27, 2014        

        

“I thank God for the help you gave me.” (Philippians 1:5a NCV)

Developing an attitude of gratitude does not come naturally. We are not by nature grateful people. We are by nature discontented. We always want more or something different.
In the book of Philippians, Paul was writing to the church that he started in Philippi, where a woman named Lydia opened up her home and, along with others, welcomed Paul to the city. The Philippian church even helped fund Paul’s missionary journeys. In Philippians 1:5, Paul says, “I thank God for the help you gave me” (NCV).
The thing is, Paul didn’t have a good time in Philippi. In fact, it was one of his roughest churches to get started. When Paul went to this city to start a church, he was beaten, whipped, humiliated, falsely arrested, thrown into prison, and survived an earthquake. Then, he was politely asked by the city leaders to leave town.
Yet Paul told the believers, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God” (Philippians 1:3 NLT).
What is Paul doing there? He is choosing selective memory. Philippi was not a happy place for Paul, and he endured a lot of persecution and suffering during his time in that city. But he chose not to dwell on painful memories and instead expressed his gratitude for the good things that had been done for him and through him.
The longer you know someone, the more likely you are to take that person for granted and to look for faults and remember the bad things instead of the good things.
Are you still living some painful memories with some people in your life? You’ve never let them off the hook, and you can’t enjoy the relationship because you’re still holding on to the past.
You need to understand that memories are a choice. I heard a story one time about two friends who were talking. One of them asked the other, “Don’t you remember that time when your husband did this?” Her friend replied, “I distinctly remember forgetting that.”
Your memories are a choice. If you want to hold on to your painful memories, go right ahead. But you’re not going to be happy! Paul had a lot of reasons to have painful memories of Philippi. Instead, he made the choice to be grateful for the people in his life and the work God was doing in and through them. When you do the same, God will bless your relationships far beyond your expectations.
Talk It Over

• Why is it sometimes easier to hold on to painful memories than replace them with good ones?
• How does focusing on good memories change your expectations for the future?

Exodus 33:14

Scatter Your Enemies

Scatter Your Enemies Today's Scripture: "Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered…" (Psalm 68:1, NKJV). Today's Word: What are you letting arise in your life? In other words, what are you focusing your words, energy and thoughts on? You might say, “Oh, it’s just so hard right now. My finances are tight.” “My health doesn’t look good.” “Somebody walked out on me.” No, you’re focusing on the wrong things. You’re letting defeat, discouragement and self-pity rise up. Why don’t you turn that around and say, “God is still in control. Somebody may have walked out on me, but I know God is going to bring me somebody better.” “I may be hurting right now, but I know God is the restorer of my soul.” “I may have an unexpected debt, but I know God is my provider. He is supplying all of my needs. He is fighting my battles.” When you give God glory and let Him arise in your life, you can’t stay defeated. No foe can stand against you in the presence of Almighty God. Your enemies will be scattered! They will tremble at your words of faith! Let God arise and embrace the blessing and victory He has prepared for you! Prayer for Today: Father, right now I release any negative, self-defeating thoughts or attitudes. Instead, I choose to let God arise in my life. I declare that You are worthy, You are holy, and You are the center of my joy, peace and strength in Jesus’ name. Amen.

PS... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbQ5a6Q9tQw

 

Baby laughs =)

You were there =)

 

He Opens and Closes Doors

He Opens and Closes Doors Today's Scripture: I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Revelation 3:8, ESV. Today's Word: God opens doors of opportunity before us that no one is able to shut. But we have to realize, sometimes He also closes doors because He has something better in store. We may see a logical opportunity, but just because it’s the logical way doesn’t mean that it’s God’s way. Just because it happened that way before doesn’t mean it’s going to happen that way next time. That’s why you have to stay open and keep trusting in God. If you’re narrow-minded and only look at the door that’s been closed, you may miss the door He has opened behind you! Friend, when you are able to let go of your own agenda and trust God, He’ll make sure you see those open doors. Scripture says His Word is what lights our path. Our attitude should always be, “God, I surrender all to You. Have Your way in my life. I trust Your timing. God, I trust You to do it Your way.” Then, step back and see the open door He has prepared for you! Prayer for Today: Father, thank You for ordering and directing my steps. I choose to trust You even when doors close before me. I believe that You have my best interest at heart. I am ready and available. I stand looking for the open door You have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Do Your Work Well, and Don’t Compare

                         

by Rick Warren

“Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of.
But don’t compare yourself with others.” (Galatians 6:4 CEV)

Satan will try to steal your joy of service in two ways: by tempting you to compare your ministry with others and by tempting you to conform your ministry to the expectations of others. Both are deadly traps that will distract you from serving in the ways God intended.
The Bible warns us never to compare ourselves with others: “Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don’t compare yourself with others” (Galatians 6:4 CEV).
There are two reasons why you should never compare your SHAPE, your ministry, or the results of your ministry with anyone else:

• First, you will always be able to find someone who seems to be doing a better job than you, and you will become discouraged.
• Second, you will always be able to find someone who doesn’t seem as effective as you and you will become full of pride.

Either attitude will take you out of service and rob you of your joy.
Paul said it is foolish to compare ourselves with others. He said, “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12 NIV).
The Message paraphrase says, “In all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point” (2 Corinthians 10:12b).
You will find that people who do not understand your shape for ministry will criticize you and try to get you to conform to what they think you should be doing. Ignore them!
Paul often had to deal with critics who misunderstood and maligned his service. His response was always the same: Avoid comparisons, resist exaggerations, and seek only God’s commendation.
One of the reasons Paul was used so greatly by God was that he refused to be distracted by criticism or by comparing his ministry with others or by being drawn into fruitless debates about his ministry.
John Bunyan, the author of “Pilgrims Progress,” said, “If my life is fruitless, it doesn’t matter who praises me, and if my life is fruitful, it doesn’t matter who criticizes me.”
Talk It Over

• How have you seen people in the church compare and even compete with their gifts? What has been the effect?
   
• How do you think God wants church members to resolve differences about ministry?
   
• Do you feel like your ministry is slow or is taking a long time to bear fruit? Ask God for perseverance and for the wisdom to stay focus on what God wants you to do.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUoS3MLZHiU

God's Value System

God's Value System Today's Scripture: Keep me as the apple of your eye… Psalm 17:8, NIV. Today's Word: In this day and age, people are considered to be important for so many different reasons—titles, position, possessions, where you go, what you drive. But God’s value system is very different from the value system of the world. God cherishes and values you so much simply because He made you. You are His beloved creation—the apple of His eye; the center of His world! If you’ve ever thought that God has too many other important things on His plate to be concerned with you and your life, know this today—you are God’s number one priority. And, there’s nothing you can do to be more important or less important to Him. He values you today, and your value will never change. You are significant. Your life is significant. The things that concern you, concern God. He carefully watches over every detail of your life, and there is nothing too big or too small for His attention. Today, find peace and security in God’s love for you. Don’t be afraid to take your concerns and cares to Him. He loves it when you come to Him, and He’s ready to receive you with open arms because you are the apple of His eye! Prayer for Today: Father in heaven, thank You for loving me today. Thank You for keeping me the apple of Your eye. I open my heart and mind to You and cast every care on You. I receive Your love for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Power of a Praying Mother

Posted by Joel Osteen on 5/9/2014

A while back, I heard a story about a young mother in the 1960's. She and her family moved to New York City from Puerto Rico. They were very poor. They lived in a rough neighborhood in government housing with drugs, gangs and violence all around. At the age of nine, her young son, Victor, was recruited by a gang. By the time he was twelve, he was hooked on heroine. He had already been arrested, involved in robbing, stealing, killing and all kinds of illegal activity.

His mother was so heartbroken. She couldn't control her son. She was a very small woman. She only spoke Spanish, but she was very feisty. One thing this mother knew how to do was pray. Every day, seven days a week and twice on Sundays, she would go up to the little storefront church in the projects with her sister and they would pray for her son, Victor. She didn't just pray for God to keep him out of trouble. This mother knew how to pray God-sized prayers. She said, "God, I'm asking You to make my son a minister. Use him to touch people all over the world."

Twelve years old, Victor would come home at 3 o'clock in the morning totally stoned. This mother would be in the kitchen waiting for him with her arms held open. She would give him a hug and say, "Victor, God's hand is on your life. You have a destiny to fulfill. God is not only going to save you, He is going to make you a minister." She spoke words of faith over him. The more she prayed it seemed like the worse he got. His teacher at school told the mother, "Your son is going to end up in the electric chair."

She let those words go in one ear and out the other. She kept praying month after month. It didn't look like anything was happening, but what she couldn't see is that while she was praying, God was moving on a young man in another state by the name of David Wilkerson, calling him to come to the roughest streets in New York City and share the Good News. One day, Victor ran into this new, young, street preacher. Right there on the corner, God touched Victor's heart. He knelt down and gave his life to Christ. God set him free from the drugs, from the gangs, from the violence.

Today, Victor Torres is not only clean and sober, but he is the pastor of a great church in Virginia. They have amazing outreaches to drug addicts and gang members. He goes all over the world telling what God has done for him.

I can't help but wonder, "Where would Victor be if his mother had not dared to pray these God-sized prayers?" Maybe David Wilkerson would not have ever shown up. Maybe he'd be in the penitentiary or even dead. It looked impossible, the odds were against her, and every voice told her, "You are wasting your time. Your son is too far gone. He's never going to amount to anything." But, she dug her heels in and said, "God, You said as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. God, You promised it, and like David, I'm bold enough to ask You to bring it to pass."
 

PS... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uCRKtWeWPU