Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding
Psalm 118:8
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him
Psalm 32:10
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.
“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:20-21)
When you are a hurting soul and wanting help it is important to remember something. The advice that is given to you can be helpful or hurtful. If the advice you are getting is not focused on what God wants you to do then it may hurt you more than help you.
I read many books that focused on other people as the problems. I could meet someone and within 5 minutes sum up what was wrong with them. I then got busy helping them "fix" themselves. Let's face it, if we are helping someone else fix their problems then we can't or don't have to focus on ourselves. I even read a book on co-dependence and said yeah that is what I got. But until I got serious about fixing ME and letting God fix others, I was doing myself no good!
I learned that I was actually causing a lot of the problems. It sure is amazing when you start to look at things differently the things you are looking at can change. If you want love in your life be lovable. That love starts within yourself. If you want peace in your life, find the peace within you.
The best advice I can give you even if you didn't ask for it :) is to focus on YOU. Don't worry about the people around you. When you start working on you and there are visible changes it will become apparent to the people around you and it might even start a spark in them to change. This is exactly what has happened in my own life.
The advice I give is what has worked for me. What I have read and put into practice and continue putting into practice daily. I am FAR from perfect and I still make plenty of mistakes. The difference is, I now recognize them and ask forgiveness quicker. I am no better than you are. I am just further down the road to reaching my Full Potential. My goal is to help inspire you to join me. Jog if you have to catch up to me. We can walk hand in hand together down the road to reaching our Full Potential together!
It has literally taken me 35 years to get to where I am today. I now can tell you that having Mentors who have walked down the path before you can help shorten that time period. You can keep doing what you are doing and get the same results or you can decide today will be a new day. The choice is yours. I can't make you change...I have learned that lesson the hard way! I am just here telling my story, being bold enough to step out and show you who I really am, where I have really come from and where God is taking me. If you desire the same thing, you can have it! It all starts with listening to the right advice. Godly advice that is from the bible is the best place to start with. It is The Truth. Had I started there, I have no doubt I would be where I am now, many many years ago.
There is a purpose and a reason for my life. The Spirit of God just spoke to me as I typed the last line and he said, had you not walked down the path you had taken, you would not have the experience, knowledge and wisdom to share with the person who is reading this now. Just more proof that God can take the bad things in our life and work them out for his Good! I pray that this message will touch your heart and stir you to examine your own self. God can transform you into a beautiful, loving, caring person. I know because he took my hardened heart and melted it. I now have so much love to share, please take the love and let it transform your life.
In his love,
Debra
---------------------------------------------------
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers. Psalm 1:1
In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley
The Consequences of Poor Advice -- Genesis 16
When we face a challenging situation, it's natural to turn to family and close friends for help. Sometimes, the kind and encouraging words from a loved one prove to be the catalyst that turns us back to God.
It is important, however, that we carefully examine advice offered by those close to us. Their input may be genuine and motivated by love, but if a suggestion is inconsistent with God's Word, we should politely disregard it.
In Genesis 16, Sarai urged Abram to have a child with her servant Hagar. Though this recommendation contradicted the divine promise of a son through Sarai, Abram chose to follow his wife's advice--after waiting so many years for the fulfillment, he probably considered her suggestion reasonable. But because of the unwise decision not to trust God, Abram faced many difficult, painful trials. And today Israel is still experiencing consequences of his poor choice.
Sometimes we may seek advice that we want to hear rather than advice that we need to hear. As we consult our loved ones for help with momentous decisions, it's important to distinguish between our fleshly desires and biblical truth. Wise counsel is always consistent with the Word of God..
Remember Abram's example--not all advice is necessarily good advice. The next time you seek an opinion from friends or family, take a moment to compare their input with Scripture. If there are inconsistencies, trust in the Bible and God's willingness to carry you through any difficult situation you face.
James 1:21
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and
humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
James 4:6-8, 10
6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the
proud but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come
near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you
double-minded. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and
seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and
will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Today's Scripture
Surrender your heart to God, turn to him in prayer, and give up your sins-- even those you do in secret. Then you won't be ashamed; you will be confident and fearless. Job 11:13-15 CEV
Thoughts for Today
People build walls to hide
their feelings and cover up their problems and wrongdoing. We’ve all
done it. We even begin to believe the lies we are telling ourselves and
others. Eventually we may be unable to see the truth at all.
Life-controlling problems are usually accompanied by painful feelings of guilt and shame. This kind of pain is an indication that something is wrong. When pain comes as a result of our sin, we need to humble ourselves, confess our fault, ask forgiveness of God and those we have offended, and right any wrongs we have done. However … sometimes it seems easier just to ignore the pain.
God designed painful feelings to be a warning system. They let us know when we need to pay attention to something in our lives. But too often we bury our feelings and don’t admit, even to ourselves, the problems deep within. These buried feelings may explode to the surface when we least expect them, causing us to do something rash or to hurt someone we care about.
Consider this…
One participant in a Living Free
small group said this about hiding problems: “It’s kind of like trying
to keep an air balloon underwater … it’s hard work. And a person works
hard to keep those feelings down … to keep from facing the real issues.
But you know that balloon will pop – that’s why you have emotional
outbursts … There’s something buried there.”
Is there a balloon in your life that you are trying to hold underwater? Today’s scripture urges us to surrender to God, giving it all to Him … even our secrets.
Prayer
Lord, I’ve worked very hard to keep this secret buried. But I’m worn out. I know I need to surrender it to you.
Please forgive me, and help me change. I no longer want to be ashamed.
I desire the peace and confidence that you promise. In Jesus’ name …
These thoughts were drawn from…
Living Free. This group will help you learn to ...
Understand life-controlling issues - how they develop and the impact they have on individuals and families.
Prevent life-controlling problems or deal with them in your own life.
Help others with life-controlling issues. If you decide to become a facilitator of a Living Free small group, this training will help equip you to lead a small group effectively.
A FRESH START
Remember when you were a child and you were playing games and you said, "overs"? You got a second chance and was able to try again. Well, guess what, you can say overs today and start brand new! You can have a new life. You can be renewed. You can start again with the one who made you in control. The day that Jesus forgave me for all my sins was the beginning of my fresh start. There was a weight lifted off of my shoulders and he began a new work in me. Today can be your day. Surrender....Give it Up and Move on up with God! The below devotional touched my heart and is something I can personally relate to, I pray it helps you too.
Debra
In Touch Daily Devotional
A personal history marked by shame and pain may lead us
to heap criticism on our own heads, but it does not earn God's
condemnation. The Father looks at us with love and a desire to forgive.
When we trust in His promise of redemption, we receive a second chance
at a life free from old hurts.
In today's Scripture passage, John recounts the
Lord's forgiving approach to the woman caught in adultery. Though Jesus
rescued her from a threatened stoning, she did not "get away" with sin.
John didn't detail everything that happened between her and the Savior,
but I believe they must have looked into each other's eyes. There, she
would have seen love, mercy, and pardon--nothing like the disdain in
her accusers' eyes. She saw Christ for who He was and called Him Lord (John
8:11). And Jesus, who understands all people perfectly, could see her
genuine regret and repentance. That is why He did not condemn her.
Jesus knew He was the Lamb sent as a sacrifice for
the sin of the adulteress. Therefore, He did not compromise with regard
to her wrongdoing. Instead, He conquered the woman's sin by forgiving
her of it. Imagine how hope must have burst forth in her heart. Having
been caught in adultery, she was as good as dead (Leviticus 20:10), but
the Lord gave her a second chance. God is willing to make over the most hopeless sinner
into a saint. No matter what we have done or experienced, He doesn't
condemn us. Our Father forgives and cleanses so we have the privilege
of starting anew and walking in His grace.
by Dr. Charles Stanley
October 3, 2007 -- The Offer of a Second Chance -- John 8:1-11
Fresh Start
Today's Scripture
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).
Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
Do you need a fresh start today? Even as believers in Jesus, we all make mistakes and wrong choices. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But the good news is that we don’t have to stay separated from God in our sin. God wants us to come to Him so He can forgive and cleanse us and give us a fresh start. No matter what happened yesterday, or even five minutes ago, God is waiting for you with open arms. Don’t let the enemy condemn you and lie to you today. God is not mad at you. He loves you and longs to restore everything in your life. Confess your sins to God and allow Him to cleanse you today. Choose to forgive others so that you can receive God’s forgiveness. Ask the Holy Spirit to keep you close so that you can live a life pleasing to Him. As you draw close to God, He will draw close to you and show His great love and blessing all the days of your life!
A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, thank You for receiving me just as I am. Today I confess my sins to You and ask You to cleanse me. I choose to forgive others so that You can forgive me. Keep me close so that I can live a life that is pleasing to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
In Touch Daily Devotional
John Newton worked in one of the vilest businesses of
his day--slave trading. But later, after receiving Jesus as his Savior,
he penned the now-familiar words to "Amazing Grace" as well as these
lines: "In evil long I took delight, unawed by shame or fear; 'til a
new object met my sight and stopped my wild career." Faith in Christ
separated Newton from his dark past. The hope of a bright future is
also ours if we accept God's offer of a new beginning.
No sin is so great that God will not forgive.
Certainly some sins wreak havoc on our life as the consequences are
played out. We will have to deal with whatever fallout our wrong
choices bring, but we do not have to live with guilt and shame. And
when there are repercussions, we don't have to face them alone.
First, we must accept responsibility for our sin.
Confession and repentance mean we must drop our guilt burden at the
foot of the cross. Only when we are willing to lay aside the sin and
its accompanying shame can we take the second step--accepting
forgiveness. We could never do enough to earn God's pardon, so He
freely offers mercy to anyone who will receive it. Christ's death at
Calvary bought every person a life free from the weight and wages of
sin, but each individual must accept that salvation gift for him- or
herself.
Our newfound liberty is maintained by taking a
final step--believing we have a new life in Christ. If we will face our
sin, accept forgiveness, and look toward the future, we cannot be
weighed down by wrongs of the past.
by Dr. Charles Stanley
October 4, 2007 -- Letting Go of the Past - 2 Corinthians 5:17-19
