Cheerful?

This morning I woke up grumpy. I actually have been grumpy the past few mornings. I am usually a morning person, but the last few days I have not been excited about waking up!

I found it odd that I read about cheerfulness this morning. Right now, I am complete opposite of being cheerful.

Proverbs 15:15, "...a cheerful heart has a continual feast."

My attitude = My personality

I can not always choose my situation, but I can always choose my attitude toward the situation. I believe the NIV Life Application Bible says it best....
(v.15:15) The secret to a cheerful heart is filling our minds with thoughts that are true, pure, and lovely, with thoughts that dwell on the good things in life.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." Philippians 4:8

So, whatever is put into my mind or how I feel is how I can determine my actions.

The question in my devotion today left me feeling guilty. I was asked, "Are you a cheerful Christian?" I plan to ask God to help me be cheerful and overcome how I am feeling (grumpy)!

REEVALUATION!!!

This morning I took the time to reevaluate myself. I stumbled across Galatians 1:10.

"For am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

Am I trying to spend my life pleasing others? Or am I trying to please the Lord? I spent a lot of time thinking about my life this morning. There are many times in my past where I wanted to "fit in" and please others. Yet, God instructs us that we are to please HIM.

The ULTIMATE goal in life is to please GOD! How can I please God?
*Witness to others
*Serve in the community or at church
*Be more Christ-like
*Raise my child in a Christian home/environment
*Work as if I am working for the Lord
*Be joyful
*Praise God more often
*Live by the 10 commandments
...the list could go on!

Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

No matter what purse we have on our shoulder or clothes we wear....what car we drive...where we live...where we work...None of this matters to God! What matters is our WALK with God and how we can PLEASE God!!!

I am praying for you today! Katie-Thank you for your encouragement! I replied to your comment below. Thank you for helping me to stay STRONG while studying God's word.

Embarassed...

A teacher embarrassed me a couple of days ago in front of the class. I know my face turned several shades red, but it was my heart that ached the most. It was all I could do to hold my feelings back. I wanted to be ugly and mean, but something inside of me just helped me to let it go. Yet, I never let it go! I needed to vent and gossip about a person I truly thought a lot of...

This morning "hit home" for me! I read Ephesians 4:29 and I Thessalonians 4:9.

Eph 4:29, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Paul warns us about anger, bad attitudes towards others, & bitterness. I know I am extremely BITTER and it is so hard to forgive this teacher. However, God instructs us to please him with our actions and attitudes.

I Thessalonians 4:9, "Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other."

God's command is to love one another as he has loved us. My challenge today is to forgive the teacher that hurt me and to move on. It will be incredibly hard for me, but I need to do what God is showing me in his word to do!

Continuing on God's Plan and Calling for My Life...

Sometimes I feel as if I am always searching for God's plan for my life. I am looking for what God wants me to do with my life. I feel like I am on the right track, but I am constantly praying for God to guide me in the right direction if I am heading in the wrong direction.
Yesterday, I wrote about finding the gift God has blessed me with (or the talent he has given me).
I read Ephesians 1: 18-19 this morning. "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength."

I know God wants us to use our spiritual gifts and talents for HIM. I need to find out what my specific talents are and start using them. If you recall the first couple of postings---I mentioned about our church having designated hours where members would volunteer service in the community and at church. It is already the middle of March and I have not participated in serving! I know I have a lot going on with a new house and working, but those are just excuses to God.
I pray this morning that God will open my eyes and show me where he wants me to be....and I pray I will SERVE HIM!

My Gift to God....

"What we are is God's gift to us; what we become is our gift to God."
~Eleanor Powell~

I read James 1:17-18 this morning. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

I want to praise God for all the blessings he has given our family. I want to thank God instead of "asking" God this morning. I feel like I always have such a long prayer request list that I feel guilty. I feel like I do not give God enough praise. This morning I just want praise him for all he has done for me!

I also desire to learn how to use my talent or spiritual gift for God. I pray that I will find my gift and use it to glorify HIM.

Are You Excited When Reading God's Word in the Morning?

This morning I read an awesome quote. "Wasted time of which we are later ashamed, temptations we yield to, weaknesses, lethargy in our work, disorder and lack of discipline in our thoughts and in our interaction with others--all these frequently have their root in neglecting prayer in the morning." ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Isaiah 50:4-5
"He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God has opened My ear."

I pray today that I will desire to hear God's word each morning and look forward to reading his word.
Lately, I have not desired reading God's word. I have no idea why. I pray that God will wake me up in the mornings! I pray I will desire his word each day! This morning I tried something a little different to try and encourage me to be excited about reading God's word....it worked! I listened to a song by Chris Tomlin. I have attached the song from YouTube.com below.

Sing, Sing, Sing by Chris Tomlin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGPN2Z-bgS0

40 out of 70....

Good Morning! Well, I have neglected the blog for a whole week! Yes, a WHOLE week! I am embarrassed, but willing to move forward! I have 40 postings out of 70 days, since I started. I need to improve! I have come a long way in my walk with God, but I need to "reevaluate" these last few weeks.
My son was sick all week last week. None of us slept well in the Chandler household....yet, that is just an excuse to God and I know it! I had plenty of time to pray and read God's word.

This morning I reviewed 2 Peter 3:10, 14 and Matthew 24. I read these two chapters earlier in the week....

"But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed....Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found in peace without spot or blemish before Him." 2 Peter 3:10, 14

I also encourage you to read Matthew 24.

I learned that I must live my life as if God were to return today! The question is: Am I ready if the Lord were to return today? I can honestly say no! I feel that I have not witnessed enough. I do not believe God would be happy with the time I have spent on "myself" and not living for HIM. I feel so selfish!

Am I proud of all of my actions? NO! Am I proud of my thoughts, friends/relationships or all of my prayer requests? NO!

These scripture verses have opened my eyes to see that I need to start LIVING for GOD!

I am praying for you today!

Teach Me & Guide Me....

I read Psalm 25 and parts of Psalm 119 this morning. If you are in need of guidance from the Lord, these are great scriptures to read. I only copied parts of Psalm 25, but the entire passage is great!

Psalm 25 1:1-10

1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
2 in you I trust, O my God.

Do not let me be put to shame,

nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one whose hope is in you

will ever be put to shame,

but they will be put to shame

who are treacherous without excuse.
4 Show me your ways, O LORD,

teach me your paths;
5 guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,

for they are from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth

and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

for you are good, O LORD.
8 Good and upright is the LORD;

therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right

and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful

for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

Good or Bad?

Choices....
Good Choices or Bad Choices is the question....Everyone makes choices each day.

I look back over this past week and notice that I made some bad choices. I did well with reading my Bible, but I did not pray like I should have been praying. I did not get on my knees and pour my heart out to God. I quickly (maybe I should say "very quickly") prayed and moved on with the daily routine of work & activities. I can not even tell you what I prayed for this week.

My week was not that great. I did accomplish a goal I have been wanting to accomplish. However, as a whole I was not "complete" and things did not go well. I know we all have "off" weeks, but the sad thing is that I knew deep down that I was not doing what I promised to God as well as to myself. I let both of us down this week.

This morning I was reading Deuteronomy 30: 11-20. (I encourage you to read this passage!) I learned that life is a series of choices. From when we wake up until we go to bed, we make tons of decisions. We make decisions about the things we do with our time, what we choose to say or think, as well as handling our actions/reactions.

These decisions we make on a daily basis determine the outcome of our lives....whether good or bad. Each day is a little puzzle piece which we are working to complete the entire puzzle...the life in which we live. Sometimes I need a little scripture passage to make everything come together and open my eyes. It all makes perfect sense and is even common sense....I just need to see it from the word of God to explain things better.

"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach....No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." Deut. 30:11,14

"I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, love, the Lord your God, obey Him, and remain faithful to Him. For He is your life, and He will prolong your life in the land the Lord swore to give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Deut. 30:19-20

My Best....

Is God getting my best? Lately, I have not been devoting my undivided attention to God. There are many distractions which keep me away from focusing only on God. I feel guilty about the distractions I have. Some mornings I am really into reading God's word and learning more about what the Bible says. Other times, I am thinking about all the things I need to get done before leaving the house.

Sometimes I hope that my scripture readings are short. God can read my mind and my heart, which is embarrassing! Of all the minutes in a day---I sometimes rush the time I have with God.

I need to learn how to put everything to the side and give God my full attention. After all, I know God deserves my best! I know I will pay a price if I do not continue to place my priorities in the right order. I pray today that I will let God's priorities be my priorities!

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you." Matthew 6:33

God's Timing...

It is so easy to go to God when we have problems or need him for a difficult situation. However, God wants us to come to him daily. He does not want us to come to him just when we need something. I have been praying a long time for God's direction and guidance in my life.

I am starting to see why I have not received the answers I want from God. There were many times I would only come to God the week before needing my prayer answered...only to find out weeks later that I did not receive my request. There was one time when I received an answered prayer...so I thought...only to be disappointed because it was not what I expected. However, I am noticing that there are reasons why we do not receive our prayers answered.

First, we must be patient and wait on God's timing. We can not rush God's plan for our lives.

Psalm 27:7 Life Application Study Bible/NIV
We often run to God when we experience difficulties. But David sought God's guiding presence every day. When troubles came his way, he was ALREADY in God's presence and was prepared to handle ANY test! Many of our problems could be avoided or handled far more easily by seeking God's help and direction before the problem.

Second, we must trust God to handle our lives and situation. We can not take on our problems alone.

I hope that I will continue to seek God daily and lift up my thanksgivings as well as requests daily...not just when I need an answered prayer!

Here are some scripture verses I read this morning.........


"Wait for the Lord; be courageous and let your heart be strong. Wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

"Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, Lord, I will seek. " Ps 27:7

"Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors." Ps 27:11

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Ps 27:14

Attitudes....

Good Morning! Well, this morning I thought I would talk about yesterday. I did not have a great day. I know it was because I did not sleep well. Nothing seemed to go right all day! I had a bad attitude and did not want to be around many people. WHY? I did not have a reason. No one did anything to me. I just did not want to smile or be my happy self.

I noticed a poster in a classroom yesterday. I pass by this poster everyday I am at work. It wasn't until yesterday that I took the time to read it. The poster was perfect for me.

"Attitudes are contagious. Is your attitude worth catching?"

WOW! My attitude was definitely not worth catching. I did have a short quiet time yesterday, but I do not believe I was ready to receive what God wanted me to see in the passage. I know God knew that I just really did not care yesterday. We all have days like these, but we should be even more willing to ask God for help! I should have asked God to help make myself "right" yesterday.

The words we speak have the power to do a lot of harm as well as encourage. Each day we either make someones day better or miserable. If we speak words of encouragement we will always lift others up. When we are discouraged or exhausted we can hurt others.

I hope today will be a better day! "So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others." 2 Peter 1:5-7