WISE WORDS!

WEEKEND WISDOM!

Wise Words.

5 words or FEWER. Here they are....count them.

Look for the BIG meaning! (Citations don't count)

• Be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:9)
• Seek the Lord's strength; (1 Chronicles 16:11)
• Joy of Lord is strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) 
• God is my heart's strength. (Psalm 73:26)
• Quietness and trust is strength. (Isaiah 30:15)

What's the focus for each set of "5 or FEWER"?

Strength of course!

IT'S A GREAT DAY!

I know it's a Great Day!

"My" Molly's day #2 Great Day fridge pad showed me. It even included a silver metallic Sharpie.Why? Because she is watchful & knew I needed one!

More to come--as I post pic of Day 1 with it's well-researched gift needed to add joy to my life along with day 3 gift which I am looking forward to seeing myself!

OOPS--tough times kept me "off kilter" a bit so day 3 pic is on Day 6 or 7! Are you confused????????????????? Welcome to my world.

It's a great day because God is not confused!

FOOD & FAMILY & FAITH!!!

Food but not just any food. 

Spiritual food. Think God's Word.

Family--all people in God's family......i.e. fellowship! (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) who stand with others in the faith. A caring community which builds a "culture of caring" through all generations. (Mickey Bowden)

Faith---a gracious and merciful God, who sent His only Son to redeem those who accept Him as Savior to have eternal life with Him. (Nehemiah 9:31)

FOOD. FAMILY. FAITH. 

                FOUNDATIONAL SOURCE OF SUPPORT!

FRIDAY FIVE!

My five words for focusing on this FRIDAY are so needed!

WITH GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

AMEN!

FORECAST FOR COASTER OF EMOTIONS!

This past week my emotions have run the gamut....medical tests that involve a degree of risk in facing the unknowns. Wait Time of many unknowns yet to be revealed. Machine broken. 

Fears and heart flutterings. Longer than usual time for results to be procured. Favored results not received. 

Insurance hold ups to obtain further testing. 

Feelings fluctuate. But God in His love and mercy has been present.....

.....the "Feels Like Forecast" has the ups and downs of a Memphis thermometer in August. But God is there! The heat index is keeping us on our toes and God is there. Sometimes we anticipate the worst. Fear feels hot. But God is there. One of the worst days had me numb, as if not only unable to face consequences but unable to feel anything or even make decisions of where God's way will take me. Numbness is nuts for a Christian!

But God's Presence and the prayers of his people are the best Hope RX! 

Emotions now encouraged even though circumstances have not changed---I have, with His help & reminder from a dear friend to "choose joy."

Regardless of the forecast, "Weeping may tarry for the night, but

joy comes with the morning. (Psalm 30:5, ESV)

CHOICE TO REJOICE!

Sometimes it's in the depth of our suffering that we can truly find the light of the One who is the light. Lately, it's been seeing the deep suffering of dear ones that has stolen my joy. Severe mercy can be difficult to witness. 

SNIPPETS of joy that have come to mind..........

• Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.
• Surrender and trust.
• Use fertilizer on my joyful heart, NOT round up.
• Give up performance-based living and people pleasing.
• After repentance comes refreshment.
• Refresh my spirit O Lord & renew my joy as I serve others!

Click here Hum along with Zach Williams.

"There ain't nothing gonna still my joy."

Rejoice.....it's the right choice.

JOURNEY OF LIFE!

FRIDAY. MAY 10, 2024---momentous day for our oldest grand & soon to come, a kindergarten “participation” diploma for our youngest grandson!

Whether shaking hands and whooping or smiling in delight, may both choose joy in the next steps of their journey as both continue in academics!

FLOUNDERING FORTITUDE!

STRENGTH diminishing! Why? What's the Source.....other than age or too much "me"?

Is it discouragement? Disappointment? Depression? Disease? Irritable-heart 

syndrome? 

Acceptance is the key.

This morning, the mirror on my chest clearly reminded me. "In my Face!"

Then, Scotty Smith's words for today re-emphasized the truth God already had  for me.

“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 my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Two “I Am’s” + Three “I Will’s” = Deep Peace

NAMES OF GOD!

Seeking to renew my prayer life during this hard time of loss, I am crying out to the LORD!

Tony Evans says, "WHEN LIFE GETS TOO HARD TO STAND, KNEEL."

I add to that, "When your aging body makes kneeling difficult, bow in your heart."

Call out to the LORD who can meet you at your point of need.

Allow God to be your Light, Jehovah Ori, (1 John 1:5), your Joy, El Simchath Gill, (Psalm 16:11), your Strength, Jehovah Uzzi, (Nehemiah 8:10), and your Peace Jehovah Shalom, (2 Thessalonians 3;16).

Psalm 29:11, states, "The LORD gives strength to His people; the LORD blesses his people with peace." 

Praises to Yahweh, our King, who gives us both strength and peace during our time of need.

FRIDAY FOCUS

FRIDAY FOCUS...........

• “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”(Jeremiah 29:13) 
• "Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live." (Isaiah 55:3) 
• "God is our refuge and strength:" (Psalm 46:1)
• The joy of the Lord is your strength: (Nehemiah 8:10)

FRIDAY FOCUS....NEEDS TO BE A DAILY FOCUS FOR ME!!

May I be steadfast in this focus the rest of the month! (Psalm 36:1

JOY! JOY!! JOY!!!

JOY to the World! How about JOY in the world!

Where does JOY begin? Years ago I learned that true JOY begins with Jesus. The Lord is our cup of blessing as He is always with us. JOY continues as we serve others well...as God loves us, by putting others before self. Self is last in the recipe for JOY. True JOY comes to us as we put Jesus and others first.

This acrostic has helped me remember that.

Jesus

Others

  Yourself

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

ETCHED IN STONE

Sometimes great reminders are right at your feet.

DON'T POSTPONE JOY!

• Romans 15:13. ... May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Nehemiah 8:10. ... the joy of the Lord is your strength.
• Isaiah 35:10.....Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
• Psalm 16:11. ... You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
• Psalm 27:6. ... I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
• Psalm 28:7...The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him 
• Psalm 126:2-3. ...The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

CHOOSE JOY--ETCH IT IN STONE! 

BETTER YET, WRITE IT ON YOUR HEART!

CHOOSE: TO PASS THE "LOVE" TEST

Most all of us know the answers to the "love' test......but it takes enact of the will to live them.

Spiritual telepathy from Katherine Abraham----the perfect LOVE card to be a title for the "test."

Deuteronomy 13:3 says that "God gives us tests." 

The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.

LOVE TEST--Pray and proceed.

1. Do you know Jesus? The answer can be found in John 3:16 & 1 John 5:1.
2. How is your walk? Does it reflect your love of the LORD?The answer can be found in Galatians 5:16 & & Ephesians 5:8.
3. Do you worship Him and Him only?The answer can be found in Deuteronomy 5:7, Psalm 16:2 & Psalm 27:4.
4. Do you have fellowship with other believers? The answer can be found in Psalm 55:14, Acts 4:42, 1 John 1:7 & Hebrews 10:25.
5. Is all your joy in Him? The answer can be found in Nehemiah 8:10 & Psalm 16:11 & John 15:11.
6. Is the LORD your refuge? The answer can be found in Psalm 46:1, Psalm 62:8 & Psalm 91:2.
7. Is the LORD your hope? The answer can be found in  & Romans 15:13 .

Why 7 questions you ask. See what God's word says the number 7 represents.

I choose to pass the test and hope that's your choice as well.

S-TEA-rength

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, NASB)

So many scriptures deal with the availability of God's strength---so why do I forget to appropriate it immediately? Why do I exhaust my own strength and then consider Him? Why is it sometimes hard to cry out to Him? Do I need to tattoo, "in my weakness, He is strong" on my forehead?

God's Word clearly says that His strength is there for the taking---maybe accepting is a better word choice.

His strength is offered.....

• every morning (Isaiah 33:2) 
• for renewal (Isaiah 40:31) 
• for the weak (Isaiah 40:29) 
• for help in trouble (Psalm 46:1) 
• to the weary soul (Psalm 119:28) 
• and is sufficient to handle insults, hardships, persecutions & difficulties (2 Corinthians 9:10) 
• through his Spirit for one's inner being (Ephesians 3:16) 
• along with His power (Ephesians 6:10) 
• for everything (Philippians 4:13) 

In everything, He's there (Phil. 4:19)....including strength---
---which friend Ann can certainly attest to
these last six months.

I need to sip a cuppa HIS s-TEA-rength daily. Certainly, casing to strive in my own strength will enhance my joy in Him. (Nehemiah 8:10)

"Invincibili-TEA

"....the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10, KJV)

How grateful I am to Oswald Chambers for serving up a cuppa invincibili-TEA for me today in his My Utmost For His Highest entry. His reminder that the only way to know the strength of God is to give up complaining and take up the yoke of Jesus and "learn from Him." (Matthew 11:29)

We are "burden bearers" with Him. Hopefully others see peace and the joy of the Lord in our lives, for those two emotions are proof positive that a burden is there as well.

The burden that God places on us squeezes the grapes in our lives and produces the wine, but most of us see only the wine and not the burden. .....the Spirit of God within the human spirit, creates that inner invincibility! (My Utmost, 4/14)

Chambers goes on to say, "If your life is producing only a whine, instead of the wine, then ruthlessly kick it out." (My Utmost, 4/14) What a great pithy grabber that is!

Don't you love it?  No whine, just wine.

Want to find the perfect cuppa to begin your day with Him??? Expore your options---you have a choice of accepting "God-placed burden bearing" that will produce the best wine in your life.

A cuppa inner invincibili-TEA is just what one needs to "sip" during a "Tea With Thee" morning time.