I recently found this journal entry of a teaching that continues to stir in my spirit. I will share a portion of it if you think you can handle some truth. I love how the Word cuts right to the bone of the problem giving us solutions if we will indeed have an ear to hear. “You rise up early, you go to bed late, and work hard for your food, all for nothing. For the Lord gives to His loved ones even while they sleep.” Psalm 127:2 NLV

Let me just share how I personally heard this verse. ‘You work from morning to night, full of stress and worry, listening to the news which stresses you out more. You worry about how you’re going to pay your bills, if you’ll keep your job all for nothing, because I the Lord your God, love to provide for you even while you sleep.’

In the King James version it says; bread of sorrow, which can be interpreted vain and non productive or useless things. Proverbs 4:20 says, ” My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.”

Some of us eat more from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil then we spend with the Tree of Life. If we eat poison, we’ll surely die, yet we don’t think this applies to what we partake of on a daily basis. Can I just break it down for you? The more time we spend with Jesus, the more like Him we become. The more time we spend watching secular programing and the news, the more like the world we become.

We need to make better choices with our diets, don’t we. I’m finding that if I keep my mind on Jesus, true to His Word, He leads me into all truth. That when I get up a little earlier and spend time with God, cutivating relationship with Him, I recognize when He walks into the room, when He speaks, I know it. We need to be tuned into the WORD not CNN. We need to read the WORD not the Tampa Tribune. We need to listen to our God, not our president or government.

If we don’t understand His Word, we won’t know if our leaders are leading us astray. It’s not wrong to be aware of what happening in our nation or around the world, but we must prioritize the Word of God and when we sense we’ve heard enough, turn it off and spend time with the Lord. Seeking Him gives us answers the world needs.

Ever Listening,

Sandy G

Jeremiah 6:19 “Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people—The fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heeded My words nor My law, but rejected it.”

This morning as I was journaling, I began to write about Gods Word and how I love thinking on Him and His faithfulness. He led me to look up ‘my thoughts’ and I ran across this verse in Jeremiah. The part that jumped out at me was, ‘The fruit of their thoughts.’ This is what I felt the Lord was saying to me.

Whatever you constantly think on will yield fruit, good or bad. When you magnify My Word and it becomes what you think on and speak about, it may seem strange to the world and they can’t ‘relate’ to you, but the fruit you will bear will speak of Me. It’s easy to think on what you see, the world is ruled by their thoughts, but you must train yourself to think on Me.

John 15:8 says, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” So if our thoughts yield fruit, then perhaps that is why we have what we have. Perhaps you can better relate to the following: ‘What if I lost my home?’, ‘What if there’s disease in my body?’, ‘What if I lost my job?’, ‘What if I never get married?’, ‘What if my house catches on fire?’ We don’t just think these thoughts, we entertain them.

We don’t just entertain them, we play out each scenario until we’re sick with worry. It’s not easy to retrain yourself to think right, but if we want to change the fruit, we must change our thoughts. That is how change begins, one thought at a time.

Paul says in Romans 1:21, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Father, open the eyes of our heart that we may know Your truth, meditate on Your truth and be fruitful to bring You glory.

Changing My Thoughts,

Sandy G

“The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” Genesis 1:2-3

I’ve read this multiple times, memorized it in childrens church when I was young, but something happened when I read it this morning. I realized that when Gods Spirit hovers over any situation and as we speak His Word, His glory causes what’s invisible to be visible.

We long to see the miracles, signs and wonders, but that comes from spending time in His presence, worshipping, reading His Word and then learning to apply that Word to every situation we’re facing. Not just occasionally, but daily.

Have you ever encountered a moment when the Spirit of God fell on you so heavily you were consumed by it? It’s at that moment when you proclaim what the Spirit is prompting you to declare that you’ll see evidence of your faith in His Word. Every Word will come to pass! It simply can’t return to Him empty, its too full of life.

It’s time to sense Holy Spirit is hovering over the surface of your life. Begin calling things that be not as though they are. Deliberately do what God did, speak it and expect it, not in your timing, in His.

Rest in that!

Sandy G

“I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” Psalm 63:6-8 NLT

Hey out there, am I the only one who does this? Is there no one to join their voice with mine to shout for joy to the Lord? You may ask why I get so into this worship thing I do? Let me just say this, the more I think on the Lord and all He’s done for me, I just get slap happy.

Yeah, sometimes I get so happy I just want to slap Walt, but he’s not a morning person and would slap me back! LOL

I just get so happy, so excited. I remember the night before I got married, I lay in bed thinking about it, wondering,(well, wondering if Walt was actually going to show up!) excited, couldn’t wait for my long awaited day to arrive. Well the same thing happens when I wake in the morning and God is on my mind and I begin to think of my life with Him, how exciting it’s going to be today, wondering what His plans hold for me today.

I can’t go back to sleep, I just want to jump up and tell someone, “Look, it’s gonna be an AWESOME day cause GOD is in it!” It doesn’t matter what I face! I’m under the shadow of His Wing. That ugly devil can’t touch this! If he tries, my Father will slap him silly!

David saw each day as a choice. A choice to trust the God he knew and had built relationship with. He wasn’t oblivious to the fact that the giant he faced was bigger than he was, but He knew who created that giant and that the Creator was with him. He knew there was no one bigger than God.

We have to trust God! He has a plan and we’re in it! Don’t worry about your life, your health, your finances, your children or your job. Don’t worry about corruption or agendas in our nation or our cities. Put your trust in God, He’s got this!

Hold your hands in front of you, palms up. Now offer what looms before you to the Lord. Say, “Here’s what’s bothering me and it’s so silly for both of us to carry it. I trust you!” Then begin to remind Him of all He’s done in the past for you. It’s time to get happy and worship Him.

I don’t know about you, but He’s my life, my light, my joy, my help, my healer, my deliverer, my strong tower, my keeper, the lifter of my head, my glory and my God. Do you sense His presence? The more you talk of His greatness, it’s like cranking up the power to a light bulb, it just gets brighter and brighter and brighter.

I’m bursting, God. Your goodness is overwhelming!

Sandy G

Then Jesus said, “Be brave and don’t be afraid. I am here!”

Peter shouted out, “Lord, if it’s really you, then have me join you on the water!”

“Come and join me,” Jesus replied.

So Peter stepped out onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus.  But when he realized how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he cried out. Matthew 14:27-30 TPT

Peter had the right focus when he stepped out of the boat and began walking toward Jesus on the water. But then, his focus changed to the high seas and he began to sink. It made me think of the many times I’ve jumped out of the boat and began to run with the vision only to be distracted by situations that overwhelmed me.

There’s an old song that came to me this morning, “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.”

All I need is the grace of God to do what He’s called me to do. II Corinth 12:9 Phillips version says it so well, “My grace is enough for you: for where there is weakness, my power is shown the more completely.”

And isn’t that what its all about? Hidden in him, we decrease so He is more visible? Our obedience, His power. Father, in the middle of my storm when the waves are breaking over me, I will close my eyes so I can see You in all your glory. May that vision be enough to carry me through. I love You. I trust You. You are all I need.

Decreasing,

Sandy G

“It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24

Don’t ever think for a moment that God doesn’t see you in your trouble and hear you when you call out to Him. He knows the exact amount of hairs on your head (even those who have a small count!). Over and over in His Word, we see how much God loves and cares for us, yet our thinking is always so far from Him, it’s on the problems we face.

After Jesus had fed the multitudes with some kids snack and they had taken up 12 baskets of leftovers, Jesus told the disciples to get in the boat and go to the other side, that He’d catch up with them later. So they get out in the middle of the lake and a storm came up and they look and see Jesus walking on the water. I ask you, why were they freaked out by the storm? Jesus said to get in and go to the other side. If He had intended for the waves to take them, He wouldn’t have told them the end result, which was to go to the other side!

I submit to you, my friends, even the disciples who took up the 12 baskets of leftovers had their mind on the wrong things. Lets get our mind off the waves and on to the 12 baskets of leftovers. Lets tell of His great provision for every need we have.

I remember when we had nothing left in our cupboard and someone brought us 5 bags of groceries. I remember when our freezer was empty and someone filled it up. I remember when we had no money to pay rent and our landlord asked if we wanted to paint the house for 3 months free rent. That was only one season in our lives, we’ve had many more like that and yet we choose to focus not on what we lack, but what we have.

If He did it for us than, He’ll do it now. He wants us talking of His goodness, not staring at our brokenness. Lets not be like the Israelites who God did miracle after miracle to prove His mighty power to deliver, only to put up with a bunch of whiny, ungrateful people. They did not realize who they were; a holy and chosen people. Let’s not forget who we are and that our God hears our cry for help. Our God has heard and help is on the way!

We’re all familiar with Abraham, right? Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.” Genesis 22:1-2

So without question, he went, and true to Gods character, He provided a better sacrifice and Isaacs life was spared.

Abraham could have said no. He could have argued with God, questioned the validity of what God was asking, but he didn’t.

Have you ever had God ask you to do something and when you obeyed, the door slammed shut in your face. Did you hear wrong? No. Its been my experience that before God opens big doors, He first tests you to see if you’re willing.

God’s probably not going to uproot your life and send you here, there and everywhere. He’s merely defining your level of willingness to be what He needs you to be. He may be leading you to take vacation in a place you’ve never been just so you can speak into one persons life. Are you willing?

Perhaps it’s stopping at a different gas station so that you can meet someone who needs an encouraging word, stop a suicide, save a life. Are you willing?

We must first learn to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and be used where we are before He moves you to your chosen mission field in timbucktoo. Be faithful where you are, in your local church, in your current job. Stop looking for something better or bigger and start listening to that still, small voice where you are.

He may first hit your pocketbook and tell you to give beyond your level of comfort, out of your need. He’ll check your obedience first in the area that’s hardest for you to yield in before He opens bigger doors for you. Obedience is the act or practice of obeying, the dutiful or submissive compliance.

Father, I’m so thankful for your voice. Help me to always be quick to obey, no matter how small or large. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6 NLT

” ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. 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.” Isaiah 41:9b-10

Someone reading this needs to know that God is madly in love with you. He wants you focused on Him this morning and not the problem that looms large and angry before you. Speak this verse out loud and declare it to your spirit. Personalize it: God has chosen me! I won’t be afraid! He is with me! I won’t be discouraged! He is my God! He will give me strength and help me! He will hold me up with his victorious right hand!

Take that, devil! No weapon formed against me will prosper and every tongue that rises in judgement will be put down. It’s my heritage! You can’t take that from me!

My dear friend, as you go about your day, continue to speak this and remember, there is no problem bigger than your God. He is not just able, but He is willing to help you and deliver you. You can take that to the bank!

Be Encouraged,

Sandy G

God’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you—Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke. God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always. Ps 121:5-8 MSG

According to dictionary.com, this word guardian, is a person who guards, protects, or preserves. That’s what God is to you. He’s all around you, above you, beneath you, in you, there is absolutely no way to get away from the fact that God is all about taking care of you. There is absolutely no reason for you to think you’re ever alone, because He’s there.

I don’t know how we as Christians ever thought that by being a child of God’s, we would live a magical life of everything going our way, never having problems or battles. Jesus made it very clear when He said that we would have tribulations, but if we live in Him, we share His victory in conquering this world. It’s our stance in our position that assures us victory over our enemies.

You simply can’t go by how you feel. The more you focus on feelings the less time you focus on God. The devil will always try to distract you from your purpose, but you must shake it off, God’s got this! Place it in His very capable hands and renew your mind in the Word. Begin to speak it outloud. Declare it to the mountain, “God has this! He’s my Guardian! My steps are ordered so back off devil! I will watch as my Guardian wipes the floor with you!”

Remember who you are and whose you are. You’re a child of a mighty Guardian God. If that doesn’t empower you, I don’t know what will.

This Is How I Fight My Battles,

Sandy G

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

In other words, what you say is what you get!

We used to do a little exercise where we’d have someone extend their arm out at their side and have them repeat the words, ‘I am strong, I am strong, I am very, very strong’ 5 times and then try to push their arm down and you couldn’t do it. Then we’d have them say, ‘I am weak, I am weak, I am very very weak!’ the same amount of times and push on their arm and it would go down. No tricks! Even the skeptics were amazed at the results.

So often we think that it really doesn’t matter what we say. ‘I’m just kidding!’ doesn’t negate the fact that the words you speak are out there doing what you sent them to do. You see, we were made in the image and likeness of God and He’s the Master Creator.

Jesus was very clear in Matthew 12:36 when he stated, “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.” Again in Matthew 15:11, “It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

Toxic words come out of our mouth everyday and we get all bent out of shape because of the things that happen in our life and the life of our families. We play the blame game, wagging a finger at God, asking why? But really? Remember the time you damned your children because of something they did? Why should you be surprised at how they act now? Or the times you yelled, “I HATE THIS JOB!” then became upset when the business went under and you lost your job? REALLY? It’s because we pay no attention to our words.

We place no value on the things we speak. If you want to change things in your life you must make consistent changes to the words you speak! How? By training yourself to think right thoughts and speak right words. How? If I have a glass of tea and keep refilling the glass with tea, what will I get? Tea, right? But what if I start putting water in the glass, then what happens? It changes to water. It may take a little while for all the tea to be gone, but eventually, it will be a nice glass of water. So when I fill my mind with the Word of God and learn to speak like He does, love like He does, bless like He does, I become…….yeah, God like.

My prayer today is found in Psalm 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

Breaking Bad Habits,

Sandy G