POSITIVE THOUGHTS

What do you find yourself thinking about most of the time? Work? School? Home? Family? Or even church activities? Are your thoughts negative or positive? Many of our thoughts are good, some bad.

A thought crosses you mind. What are you going to do with it? Dwell on it or let go and let God lead you in a positive manner. When we practice reaching out to God, the good has a way of overcoming the bad.

Sometimes discernment can mean the difference between our perception of what people really say and how we interpret what is said. Don’t beat up yourself over trivial conversations. Ask the Lord to forgive you for a wrong perception people.

We all like to think of ourselves as good. Sometimes we get caught up by bad moods or negative thoughts. This reminds me of a hymn long ago.  “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” (Helen H. Lemmel)

Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. (Colossians 3:13a NLT)

Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:7b NLT)

Have a glory filled day.

Lanell

Light Gives Life

If you are living in a dark place of your life, there is a way that will light your way and give you hope for light to come into your life. 

The light of the sun gives us day to work and be productive. Light gives life to mankind. Light gives hope to a dark world. Get out in the sun and see your day become brighter.

My house was build in the 1970’s when having fewer windows was the way of conserving energy. Today in the 21^st Century the thought is to use the sun to light a room for conserving energy. We use the sun’s light to run an air-conditioning unit or even outdoor lighting.

I saw what energy the light can give when I went to Florida for a few days last summer. I came home refreshed and with a new outlook on life. It gave me a lighter pep in my step and desire to do more and go more places and see more people.

People can light up your life as I can testify as a former recluse in the 1990’s. People can give you hope for a brighter day and get your mind off yourself and your own problems. Focusing on others and just enjoy being with them can light up their day and yours. Laughter is hard to come by. You can give people a smile or laughter and make their day brighter.

My sister and I heard about a movie called, “You Light Up My Life.” We see Jesus as the one who will light up your life and give you hope to carry on when life gets tough. When the movie came out we were disappointed with what Hollywood had done to the theme. They made it a movie about the love of a man for a woman, not the love Jesus has for mankind. It’s a beautiful song by Debbie Boone and the chorus goes like this:

“You light up my life,

You give me hope to carry on.

You light up my days

And fill my nights with song.”

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 KJV)

Singing With Joy

There’s nothing like a song in your heart to identify with others. Songs mean so much to so many people. Songs give us a channel by which to communicate all sorts of feelings and adventures.

When I am down in the dumps nothing helps revive me like reading the Bible and talking to Jesus. Like Tennessee Ernie Ford sang,  “I’m gonna have a little talk with Jesus” (by and by.)

Many years ago there was a song sang by Debby Boone called, “You Light Up My Life.” My sister and I were naïve enough to think the movie industry would follow our thoughts and give the movie a religious spin. We gave up hope and were sorely disappointed when the movie came out.  It was a kind of love a boy has for a girl.

By the world standards it’s love of people above all else. Yes, love in life is important, but love in faith is so much more.

Who else can give us hope and light up our lives more than Jesus? Through the day and through the night we have hope in Jesus. When we lose hope Jesus gives us a freshness and newness to life that no one can give.

King David sang to his sheep, and his people, in The Twenty-third Psalm. There are so many songs David sang in the book of Psalms. David sang about God who would comfort him in times he felt alone. David sang to King Saul, by doing so relieved the king of his headaches. He sang and danced with joy when the Ark of the Covenant was finally brought to Jerusalem.

Solomon sang to his wife, a shepherdess, who, in turn, sadly sang about the love of her life who was a shepherd boy. All the jewels and royal robes could not replace the love of her life.

Paul admonishes us in the New Testament to sing songs of Praise to the Jesus. Pastors and the Bible tell us to sing songs of praise to Jesus as a part of worship.

So whomever you sing to or about; spread a little joy today. Sing, sing, sing.

by Lanell Stuart

YOU WERE BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

Who hasn’t heard the story of Queen Esther in the Bible?

Well, to recap: King Xerxes had de-throned Queen Vashti because she had refused to parade herself in front of the King’s pals. (One of the first women’s lib’s, you might say.) Then he sought the kingdom for a new bride. He wanted the most beautiful, sexiest women in the kingdom. So after careful taking away all the single, young women his men could find, he chose Queen Esther. (the rest of women he confined as his harem)

Meanwhile the King’s captain, Haman, decided everyone should bow down to him but Queen Esther’s uncle Mardecai refused to worship Haman. Haman burning with revenge, found a way to make the King Xerxes make a law destroying Mardecai and the whole of the Jewish community.

Mardecai found a way to message Esther that the whole Nation of Jews would be destroyed unless she approached the King and asked for royal favor. Esther replied that it was not time for her to approach the king. Mardecai sent another message back that she could die at the hands of others even if she were spared for a while and sent this massage also: “…And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NIV)

Queen Esther went on to approach the King and saved herself and the Jewish Nation from death.

The thing we learn from Esther’s response to Mordecai in these versed is what Edward Burke is quoted as saying, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

Therefore my word for you today is that

                         
                                  you were born for such a time as this.

Do something, not nothing. Stop hiding behind whatever it is that’s stopping you from doing what is in your heart. Stop hiding behind some notion that some person, somewhere, might disapprove of what you are doing. It does not matter what age you are. God didn’t put you here for nothing. There’s still some mileage left in those thoughts and actions that only you have to offer your family, friends and even strangers.

Eyes to See, Ears To Hear, A heart For God

Seeing God in all that we do and think. Seeing God in our lives to spread God’s word. Seeing God’s word so that we may bless others with for prayers and praise until we thank God for his presence in our life. See means experience or witness, to discern and understand to realize all things are for the purpose of God.

To see a vision means the ability to think about the future with imagination or wisdom and a mental image to view the idealistic and wise. To see means to inspire, motivate and encourage and to stimulate to activity. It means to energize others to learn and have a lasting relationship with God.

Ears to hear the word of God from those who are learned through experience and through the message of others. We should also be able to listen to hear from God and tell others of that experience. Then we will learn to have a heart for God until the room is filled with his glory.

Are we listening to hear or listening to respond? It is good to talk and it is good to listen.  Both are good but listening to the still small voice of Jesus in all that God’s children are saying is rewarding.  Listen to the scripture to see and understand what God has for us to do today.

Ears to hear and eyes to seed—the Lord has made them both. (Proverbs 20:12 NIV)

To all of my followers and those who have kindly looked in on my blog

Dear Ones Who Have kept up with me theses last few months:

Thank you for looking in on my blog.
I apologize for the delay in writing.
The Lord has been dealing with me greatly.

I have found a peace that I have not had for a long time.
I hope to get back to writing on this blog.
I have been growing in the Lord and I hope you have also.
My prayer is for you to be encouraged and built up for the Lord.

Thank you again for being faithful to look for me.
God Bless you and keep you in his loving arms.

Lanell

P. S. There is a new post below. Please read and enjoy!

Finding The Dignity

February 17, 2018

There is a dignity with coming to know Christ. It is not pride but a fulfillment of the Holy Spirit that resides in us.

“Be dressed and ready for service, keep your lamps burning,” (Luke 12:35 NIV) for the day of the Lord will come sooner than you expect.

“Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom.” (Luke 9:62 NIV) We can’t keep looking over our shoulders, wondering, “Where did things go wrong?” Jesus wants us to look ahead and to the possibilities of the greatness of his kingdom.

Will he find me lacking in faith to allow the Holy Spirit to lead me in a loving attitude? Or will I be found moaning and groaning? Will he find me in peacefulness that only he can lead me to; or will I be found in fearfulness of the enemy? I should have faith to believe that I will reap if I faint not and continue studying his Word to show myself a workman that needs not be ashamed.

Life can be challenging in the day to day living for Jesus. Live wholeheartedly for him. We are admonished not to be slothful servants. The Bible tells us to be bold in teaching the principles Jesus taught and they are found in Paul’s teachings as well. The lessons of fruitfulness: “rid yourself of all malice, slander; put on the new self of compassion kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:8, & 10 (my paraphrase).

So keep Jesus in your heart and on your mind and you will have a dignity to stand for Christ when the time comes. And my prayer for you today is to look forward not backward. Keep looking for Jesus to return in his glory, so he can say, “Well done thy good and faithful servant.”

By Lanell Stuart