Depend on God

This month we’re focusing on Discouragement – or to put it in a positive light – how to be encouraged.

God speaks to us in the Bible over and over again about how to press forward, to keep going, and most of all to depend on Him. God is our rock, our hope and our salvation – He will never leave you nor forsake you. So, trust in Him, read His word and draw Him ever closer to you through prayer.

Psalm 27:14 (NIV) Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 34:4-8 (NIV) I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troublesl The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 34: 17-19 (NIV) The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.

Psalm 55:22 (NIV) Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

John 14:1 (NIV) “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”

John 16:33 (NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

God Bless You!

Words to Encourage You by Sage Buitron

July 2009 Edition

This month we are focusing on Loneliness. The following passages in the Bible will encourage you and help you to know that you are NEVER alone. God says He will never leave you, nor forsake you.

We were not meant to live all tired, down, depressed and alone like the dog pictured here at left! We were meant to live wonderful, blessed lives!

Sometimes when it seems like God is no where to be found, He actually is working the hardest on your behalf behind the scenes. So don't give up. Press forward. God knows your heart and He loves you with all of His heart. God Bless You!



Deuteronomy 31:6-8 Be strong and courageous. "Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Joshua 1:5 "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Proverbs 18:24 "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Matthew 28:20 "...and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

John 15:14 "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."


Keep praying and Keep Believing for Great Things!

A Blessing for Your Finances

June 2009 edition

The following Bible verses are here for you – to bring you help, hope and healing wherever you need it most. Each month, we’ll focus on a different area of life. This month we take a look at Finances. May the following Bible verses be a blessing to you. Where God guides, He also provides. God Bless You.

Finances:

Leviticus 26:3-5
Deuteronomy 15:10
Psalm 34:10
Psalm 84:11
Proverbs 3:9-10
Ezekiel 34:26
Malachi 3:10
2 Corinthians 9:6-11
Ephesians 3:20
Philippians 4:11-13,19

The Lord's Prayer

May 2009 Edition


Jesus’ disciples wanted to know how they should pray and so in Matthew Chapter 6 verses 9-13, (New International Version), Jesus gave us these beautiful words, which today is often called the Lord’s Prayer.

Jesus said, “This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”

Jesus went on to say in Matthew Chapter 6 verses 14 and 15: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Before Jesus spoke the Lord’s prayer he said “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Go to the Lord in prayer, talk to Him all throughout your day and thank Him for providing for all of your needs.

God Bless You!

Triumph Over Trials by Carol DeBlasis

Photo: Writer, Carol DeBlasis

James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

Trials are indeed tough, but this verse tells us that we are blessed when we persevere through difficult times. The definitions of the word persevere are: to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly. The best example of this definition is Jesus Christ when He faced Calvary. Nothing and no one could thwart Him from His purpose or mission. He was determined to redeem His creation, no matter the personal cost! May we all be so determined to persevere through difficult times and to stay focused on God’s faithfulness and His Promises. Because, goodness knows, that our trials can in no way compare to those of Jesus! No one is threatening you or me with beatings, or nails pounded into our feet and hands!

Besides, trials were never intended to dissuade us from following Christ, but instead, they are intended to make us stronger in our faith and in our resolve to carry our own cross. It is only through the difficult times that we see, and participate in God’s divine plan of deliverance. Only when we are powerless, do we witness God’s power and dominion in our lives. Is it scary? Heck yea! I hate to lose control! But it sure is amazing to be still and watch Him “do His thing”! Countless times I have watched Him sweep into my life and rescue me from people, places and circumstances, and every time I stand in amazement at His grace and love for little ole me!

And not only are we rescued and delivered, but we also are rewarded for our determination! Every time we refuse to cave into fear, anxiety, rejection and depression during trials and tribulations, we are promised a Crown of Life by the Father Himself! How cool is that? On that glorious day He will compensate us for every act of faith during times of testing. How amazed we will be as the pile of crowns begins to accumulate at our feet. Times and occurrences of faithful living, long forgotten by us, will be remembered and honored by our amazing Heavenly Father. And you and I, precious saint, will haul all of those beautiful crowns and place them at the feet of the One who made it all possible through His own trial of suffering and death: Jesus Christ, our amazing Lord and King! Hallelujah, I can’t wait!

Step Out by Rick Morange

Ph0to: Rick Morange and his daughter, Mandilee


The purpose of this writing is to hopefully instill a new (and perhaps different), level of responsibility and concern in parents.





Because I am a "DAD," I have some experiences regarding parenting, but do not claim any special knowledge or expertise. Therefore, if this column is a blessing to anyone, then we must give all the glory to God.





My hope and prayer is that some readers will re-think their responsibilities as parents, and possibly prioritize their life a little differently. Who am I to address these issues? Just a father, teacher and coach. One who also happens to be a Christian, and believes that all of us need the Holy Spirit to guide and help us as parents. Enough about me.





What does God say?

In Proverbs 22:6, He says "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."





What a wonderful thought. God gives us a prescription for ultimate success for our children! (Notice he also leaves time for some mistakes along the way to getting "old"!)





Indeed, He loves us so much, that He KNOWS we can't do it alone ---and in this era of single parenting, most of us would acknowledge we need a little help, right?!





So we begin with instilling the love of God into their hearts and souls. Maybe it's just an extra hug, a surprise quick-trip to play their favorite game, or perhaps we just LISTEN to them. (I know I have a long way to go on the last one!). After all, the gift of our TIME means so much more than anything else, and "training" takes time.





Is there more time we can find for our children? Perhaps.

And, do we openly pray with our children? God wants us to do just that! He wants us to let THEM know that He is there in our lives every day---and in theirs! God will teach us these things, as we guide and teach our precious little ones. What a tremendous and wonderful responsiblitiy we have been given!

The Bible also says in I Corinthians 13:2. "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. "





Such strong words from our God--that we could be seen as NOTHING! Yet, that is only possible if we do not LOVE, and certainly when we have Jesus in our heart we MUST love!





The Lord ends I Corintians 13 with the following. "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love."





What a wonderful prescription for ALL of us. The importance of Love cannot be understated. God is perfect love --and He wants to teach us His ways to love. If we are open to the Holy Spirit, and His word, there will become no limit to the ways we can love our children, and demonstrate that love to them. (I love to reflect on ALL of I Corinthians 13, and certainly suggest reading it in it's entirety!)

In closing, please allow me to pray with you.





Heavenly Father, you ARE the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords. Teach us your ways, so that we can spread your amazing love to our children. We are all yours Father God, and we ask you to give us open hearts to hear your word, and your voice, so that our children may live their lives knowing you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.



May God Bless You and have a wonderful day with your greatest earthly "gift" - your children.

Cast Your Net by Carol DeBlasis

Photos: Writer, Carol DeBlasis and Grandpa, Charlie Decker with Carol's cousin, Linda)

Matthew 4:18-21 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

One of my favorite pastimes is watching an expert throw a cast net. My grandfather was quite an expert at this art, and could spread a net better than anyone I have ever seen! With the net gingerly draped over his hands and the line secured between his teeth, he would wade in the inlets and bays of South Florida looking for schools of fish.

When the net would leave his hands and spread wide over the water, I was convinced that it would capture every fish within its vicinity. And it usually did. But this expert ability didn’t come to my grandfather overnight; it took him a while to learn the fine art of properly casting a net. I am sure that he failed on numerous occasions to hit his target or to get the whole net to spread out all the way.

And so it is for us. Casting our Spiritual nets takes practice and determination. Sometimes we think they miss their targets, and sometimes we feel that they were not spread wide open enough to capture the hearts of the intended recipient. Yet Spiritual fishing is guided by God’s Holy Spirit, and once we step into His Living Water, every cast is effective and eternal. Besides, unlike grandpa, it doesn’t matter HOW we throw the net, what matters is that we throw it!

When grandpa would cast his splendid net and pull in its wiggling captives; he would diligently pick through each creature, keep the fish and throw back the things he was not fishing for. Some things were alive, squishy and ugly and I would encourage him to just leave them on the shore to die. But he was always faithful to throw everything back into the water that he was not interested in keeping.

He seemed intrigued by their unusualness and wanted them to live. Thankfully, God has decided to keep us all, no matter how unusual or weird we may be. When His net of love and grace captured us, He was delighted when He hauled us onshore and inspected His catch. He never considered throwing any of us back because we were squishy and ugly. Instead He was enthralled with each of us and called us His kids!

Praise Him for amazing grace!

It seemed to me, at the time, that grandpa always strolled along the most remote sections of shoreline that he could find. He never gathered with other cast net fisherman, but preferred the isolated inlets. There in the glowing moonlight, he would swirl his net high above the still waters and always pull in a hearty abundance of fish. Maybe that’s what we need to do beloved. Perhaps we need to leave the comfort of the Church and go to the isolated places and try casting our nets of grace. There are so many lost souls who are hungry from God’s Good News!

We must not let the enemy convince us that our nets are not strong enough or our faith is not big enough to advance upon the darkness! At the office, in the grocery store and even within our own families, The Spirit will assist us in launching our nets high above mankind and pulling in a soul or two for the glory of God! It’s really great fun: God gets all the credit and we get the grand pleasure of discipling a wiggly, squishy, excited new Christian!

Your Personal Relationship With God by Carol DeBlasis

Philippians 3:7-11 "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (NIV - New International Version)

Have you ever thought about how privileged we are to be acquainted with the Son of God? I mean, think about it: we did nothing to deserve this divine relationship, yet, just because we believed - Jesus Christ came to live in our hearts.

Considering all He did to allow us this right, it seems like a small price to pay for His presence! For us as believers, no other relationship, or material possession in our lives can compare to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord!

The amazing young man that delivered folks from demons, raised the dead, healed the sick and preached the Kingdom of God is our Brother! What an amazing blessing! So what’s holding us back from diving headfirst into this miraculous kinship?

Perhaps it is the busyness of life, the desire to make a fortune, a feeling of unworthiness, or that no one has ever taught us that we were allowed to be intimate with our Lord. But whatever the reason, we must be like Paul and cast every excuse aside and press into this divine romance! Over and over again He has invited us to take His yoke, taste His goodness and receive His Light. He’s willing, are we?

We should be so willing, in fact, that we are ready to count everything a loss compared to gaining Christ and to be found in Him! Our relationship to Him needs to be prioritized over our possessions and our relationship with husbands, wives, children, parents, siblings, friends and even Pastors!

Because when we give Him first place, all of our other relationships fall under the same grace, love and acceptance that we experience with Jesus! We become better stewards, spouses, parents, grandparents, employees and church members.

And when you think about it, He is the only One who will be left when money, husbands, wives, children, parents, siblings, friends and Pastors are no longer around! So why not spend the majority of our lives investing in Jesus, since He will be the only One waiting for us at the end of this long, long road?

With arms held open wide, He is the only true friend we will ever have. He knows the most disgusting secrets of our lives and loves us anyway. He is always available and immediately on the scene when we call on His Name. What other “pitiful issue” in our lives can take precedence over our relationship with this gracious Lord?

We should want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings. Our desire should be to become like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Worldly possessions and distractions should be cast aside in our pursuit of Christ’s power, love and humility! Oh to flow in the earth as He did: laying hands on the sick, loving the unlovable and sorrowing over the lost.

May we too glorify the Father at every opportunity and shine bright as the siblings of Christ!

We should be more than willing to do whatever it takes to know Him more and to be used to advance His Kingdom. After all, isn’t that what we promised when we originally invited Him to be the Lord of our lives? Didn’t we say “use me for Your glory”? Well, He’s here now to take you up on your offer. All He requires is to be the delight of your life and the very reason for your existence. Which is little to ask, considering that is exactly how He feels about you!

God Offers a Fresh Start Each Day

It’s January 2009 and it’s a great time to focus on the new year, new beginnings and making a fresh start.

As I discussed in this month’s Positively Sage column, God’s mercies are new each day. When we wake up in the morning, we have a clean slate for that day. God is a God of second chances.

Ezekiel Chapter 36 verses 24 through 27: “For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all our idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (NIV)

What does this mean? Here is what the NIV Life Application Study Bible says about these verses.

“God promised to restore Israel not only physically, but spiritually. To accomplish this, God would give them a new heart for following him and put his Spirit within them to transform them and empower them to do his will. Again the new covenant was promised ultimately to be fulfilled in Christ. No matter how impure your life is right now, God offers you a fresh start. You can have your sins washed away, receive a new heart for God, and have his Spirit within you – if you accept God’s promise. Why try to patch up your old life when you can have a new one?”

If you are ready to receive the Lord, will you pray with me?

Dear Jesus, I ask you to come into my heart, forgive me of my sins and allow me to feel your Holy Spirit. Lord, I ask you to make all things new. I receive you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Friend, God wants to make all things new for you. God bless you now and always!

Sage Buitron
Founder
www.positive-talk.com