Don't be discouraged...GOD IS WITH YOU ALWAYS

Good morning everyone!!! Yes, a wonderful day to be alive in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!! Did you tell someone about Jesus Yesterday??

We should not be discouraged??? Why??? Because God is with us, HE will not leave us, and HE will see us through. Family.....what better family than to be in God's family. Family should stick together, see things through, and not abandon. Is this always true? I dare say not!! Why, because we live in the world, temptations come, temptation lead us astray, we may return, yet the fact is we have strayed.

Does God stray?? Does God pick up strays??? He brings them back. We should be encouraged because we have a LIVING GOD. Think about this....we did not carve an image our of wood, marble, steel, and then worship it. We worship a LIVING GOD!!! HOW AWESOME!!!

Deuteronomy 31:8 "Do not be afraid or discourage, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you, he will neither fail you nor abandon you." WOW!! How strong is that?!?!?!

Joshua 1:9 "This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD you GOD is with you wherever you go."

1 Chronicles 28:20 "Then David continued, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD GOD, my GOD, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the LORD is finished correctly."

Here David advised Solomon not to be frightened about the size of his task as king and builder of the Temple. Fear can stop us dead in our tracks. We look at the size of the job, all the risks, or the pressure of getting it done. We may freeze solid in our tracks and then do nothing.

We need to refocus...not on the fear of the task.....but on the task itself. Break it down, look at the parts, focus on the work at hand. Sometimes the most frightening part of a task is just getting started.

We need to focus!!! At LCUMC we are in a building project...we need to focus.....we need to encourage and support our church staff. If the new building is or was not of GOD, we would never have started. Pray for the pastors, administration, and staff as we focus on the work at hand.

Isaiah 41:10 "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."

God has a relationship with us, HE will strengthen and help!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???? Go out boldly, with GOD as your strength, and tackle the task at hand. Remember - F O C U S ! Thank you all for reading today. Love you all. May you be encouraged and focus on your task or job at hand.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Are you praying in the spirit???

   Good morning everyone!!!  I trust this will be a great day in the Lord
Jesus Christ!!!  Did you tell anyone about Jesus yesterday??  We are to
go forth and share the good news of Jesus Christ, who still lives, yet
died for our sins!  I am not trying to belabor the tongues issue,
however, it seems I have not really heard/seen what Paul is saying in 1
Corinthians before.

    1 Corinthians 14:13-15 "So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray
also for the ability to interpret what has been said. For if I pray in
tongues,my spirit is praying, but I don't understand what I am saying.
(15) Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will
also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit and I will
also sing in words I understand."

  So, what is being said?  If you speak in tongues we should pray for
the ability to interpret. When we pray we should be in the spirit. If
we don't have the gift of tongues does that mean we are not praying
in the spirit? No, it does not.  Tongues is simply a gift, but not
the greatest of gifts.

  When we pray or sing praises, or even study the word our mind and our
spirit are to be fully engaged. Most people can recite the Lord's
prayer, but how many really say the words with meaning and understand
what they are saying????  I can, you can, anyone can pray and say the
right things at the right time for the right people. BUT, is this
really praying in the spirit or is it just pleasing to man???

 When I am driving and have my Open the Eyes of my Heart praise tape in
I often feel that I am in the spirit both physically and mentally. 
There are times my mind wanders, yet the same praise tape is playing. 
Take time, let your spirit go, close out everything, focus on God,
turn off the radio, the t.v., the whatever and focus. See how your
"visit with God" goes. Let me know. I am going to do this as I hit the
send button.

 Thank you for listening....uh....reading today. Satan is alive and
moving  - keep your spirit right....let God and the angels fight the
spiritual battle to slay the demons.  Love you all!!

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Where are you focused?????

Good morning all! yes, a wonderful day to be alive in Jesus!!!! I have some unspoken prayer requests, God knows, God heals, thank you. God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!!
Where is your faith?? When tested where will you turn?? How deep is your faith??? Right now, today???? Matthew 14:27-31 "But Jesus spoke to them at once, 'Dont be afraid,' he said. 'Take courage, I am here!' Then Peter called to him, 'Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come toyou, walking on the water.' 'Yes, come,' Jesus said. So peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. 'Save me, Lord!' he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. 'You have so little faith,' Jesus said, 'Why did you doubt me?'"
Peter was not putting Jesus to the test, he was the only one in the boat to react in faith. His impulsive request led him to experience a rather unusual demonstration of God's power.
Peter started to sink because he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the high waves around him. His faith wavered when he realized what he was doing. We may not walk on water, butwe may walk through though situations. If we focus on the waves of difficult circumstances around us without faith in Jesus to help, we may worry and sink. We need to focus on Jesus' power rather than on our own weaknesses.
We can start out with good intentions and sometimes our faith may falter. When Peter's faith faltered he reached out to Christ, the only one who could help. He was afraid, but he still looked to Christ.
Christ is always with us, and when you start to worry or question something just think back to Jesus. HE IS ALWAYS WITH YOU!!! Thank you for reading. Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny