But so many people were coming and going that Jesus and the apostles did not even have a chance to eat. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go to a place where we can be alone and get some rest.” Mark 6:31 (CEV)

It seems easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of life. When outside stuff becomes too stormy for our senses to handle, even time for a good night’s sleep can be affected. Giving up, moping or grinding on are options, but taking a wholesome rest or time out is a far better strategy.

When we stop for a moment and ponder how wonderfully God has made us, all sorts of energizing thoughts generate. May we capture some of the critical ones and in true faith and hope, thank the Lord for helping us to mature and/or become restored in each of them.

Father in Heaven,

Thank You that I may be Spiritually alive in Christ.

Thank You for my mental alertness.

Thank You for emotional balance.

Thank You for physical well-being.

Thank You for my social adjustment.

Thank You for personal contentment.

Thank You for family influence.

Thank You for economic prosperity.

Thank You for skillful godly wisdom.

As God’s grace is endless, so is any list of elements each of us could produce as vital equipment in our fight as an overcomer. Perhaps you might want to prayerfully ponder a moment and add some godly encouragers of your own.

In doing so, have a restful and wonderful day!

Ps 139:14; Ps 107:29; Prov 3:5-6

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” John 6:63 (NAS)

Plastic fruit has its place, but give me fresh fruit any day! Play money works in the Monopoly board game, but I’ll take the real dinero, thank you very much! Big clothes may help to make me look thinner, but actually being fit is a far better option!

If you are old enough, you remember the famous television show whose hero was introduced with this charged description: “Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.” Of course, it was none other than……SUPERMAN! Well, that entertaining and fictional show, like every other, eventually found its way into a vault of archives, where its only exposure to the light of day now would come in the form of a re-run. As captivating as that series was, there’s something far greater and more enduring that comes from Isaiah 40:31 in the Bible!

This verse says: “Those who wait upon the Lord (who expect, look for, and hope in Him) shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up (close to God) as eagles (mount up to the sun); they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint or become tired.”

A reference like this is so uplifting and encouraging that only the Supernatural Creating Spirit can boast. If the living God says we can have an intimate relationship and perspective in Him, then we can endure the marathon of life. With His inspired energy, we can take on the details of daily activity with a confident diligence and excellence. Bottom line…give me what God’s prophet said in Isaiah 40:31!

Family and friends, no plastic, no games, no imaging, and no science fiction can ever meet the need of the protection, provision, direction, strength and courage that we require in life. The truth and freshness from the script of Almighty God is our practical reliance and will never qualify as a re-run…Please choose to turn Him on today and take His show on the road with you—–LIVE!

Phil 4:13; John 10:10

Editor’s Note: Take HIS show on the road!!

And Jesus said to them, how is it that you sought me? Didn’t you know I must be about my Father’s business? Luke 2:49

We know that without air, water, or food it’s only a matter of time before our life would also come to an end. Even with a flow of fresh air, and abundance of water and food, a wholesome lifestyle remains as an incredible challenge. Among many other critical necessities, we all need cheer leading and wisdom to help us fight the good fight along the way. In that truth and in the spirit of humility, we believe this Message of Hope service exists to make a positive contribution.

We also recognize that any personal experience, emotional appeal, or high level thought on our part regarding anything hopeful would have a limited affect and soon fizzle. So where do we purpose to go for a credible blueprint; a fail-safe source that has an inherent cheer leading, wisdom, and a persevering influence? We choose to go to what some have called the Ultimate Owner’s manual….The Bible!!

The promise remains that our Messages of Hope will always rely upon what God says: Take this awesome scripture in Psalm 71: (14-15) as today’s example: “But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.”

Family and friends, in reflection, we find ourselves concluding that the value of this effort is priceless because, like Jesus, we are about our Father’s business too. How’s that for a Message of Hope and the persevering influence to continue?

Acts 11:23; Jer 29:11; Prov 19:21

Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Cor 3:16

When a carpenter builds a house, the house builds the carpenter too. Along with the obvious construction of the building, there is a payback to the carpenter for his or her diligent efforts. Measuring, visualizing, strength, time management, physical coordination, cooperation, accountability and financial responsibility are just a sample of the ways a carpenter can grow from experience and laboring relationship. At the other extreme, cutting corners in responsibility and accountability and lacking integrity in the building materials used by the same carpenter would negatively affect their character building as well.

When we qualify in our mind as a rugged individual or strong willed type, then the choices we make become simple. If we build a house, a personal relationship, or bank account, then we just do it in our own perfection; payback, of course …… always guaranteed! If on the other hand, we have a sense of doubt about our ability to go it alone or create anything with perfect results, then please consider this….

If we are able to admit that we are part of creation and not the Creator, then being open to the possibility that we are God’s workmanship (Spiritual buildings) must follow. Scripture (The Creator’s Word) provides two statements that serve as hopeful blueprints we can access this week. In Psalm 127:1 it says. “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. In Romans 8:28, it complements with,”We know that (God being a partner in their labor) all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His design and purpose.”

What’s been stirring in me and what I crave to share with you today is this: I have joyful resolution to a personal debate that I’ve had with myself for over four decades. For that time frame, I believed in myself and yes, labored totally in vain. I was a rugged and strong willed individual; a creation deceived, righteously self-appointed, and living in denial of the Creator.

Go it alone, or place God’s blueprints in the inner tool box of our heart is our choice. God has revealed the potential and peace in His promise to build me and my character as His personal project. It allows me to clearly focus and motivates me enough to pray His hopeful promise splashes on you, yes you, too. Let’s trust Him as our builder. We’ll stand strong if we do!!

Prov 3:5&6; 1 Cor 6:19

People look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

Inspiration and real hope come to me when I think of the Biblical character David and how God’s referenced him as “a man after His own heart.”  Sure, David was the towering subject who killed a lion and a bear, slew mighty Goliath, and reigned as the greatest of kings.  The part that brings encouragement and lively hope is not so much his special feats, but rather the things God chose to forgive in His ultimate assessment of the man.

All things being equal, an adulterer and a murderer do not fit into a wholesome relationship that God would endorse or memorialize.  The fact that David had an affair with a married woman, Bathsheba, and subsequently masterminded a plot to have her husband Uriah killed in battle as part of a cover-up made him guilty of both crimes.  As you read the story of David, on a human level, serious consequences of these acts did follow David all the days of his life.  But God….

In today’s message, we’d like to focus on the repentant response that David genuinely exhibited when the prophet Nathan confronted him about what he had done.  The light of God’s reality hit David in a dramatically resurrecting way, which was the direct opposite of what David’s stone had produced in the ill-fated Goliath.  “Oh my God, I have sinned against You,” was David’s heartfelt conviction.  He had let down the One who had birthed him and developed him as the psalmist-warrior-king.  His flesh had ruled and reigned in God’s place. For that, his heart cried—not in simple remorse but in shame and sorrow.

There are numerous scriptures that share the idea that God’s Kingdom is one of the heart.  Three favorites are found in proverbs:  As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he (23:7); Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life (4:23); Trust in the Lord with all your heart and in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will direct your path (3:5-6). 

Family and friends, none of us is King David or ever will be.  What we can be, however, is a man or woman after God’s own heart.  The privilege of pursuing him and worshipping Him in Spirit and truth is ours and the choice we make in that regard is ours as well.  The Spiritual oasis available to us requires a thirsty and burning heart for fellowship with the Lord; the I AM who created us, the One who gives us a second chance, The Holy Spirit who lives about and in us, and the awesome rewarder of eternal life. 

An earnest prayer from this writer:  Father God, in Jesus’ name, please purify my heart and enlighten me to join King David.  My desire is to be known by You as a man after Your own heart! 

Psalm 51; 1 Cor 10:31 

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” (2 Cor 5:17)

There are many books written that offer keys for enjoying a healthy life right now. Chapters after chapters run the gamut of how we behave in our spiritual, personal, and social relationships, in the way we think, visualize and feel, and the way we exercise and take care of our physical bodies. In total, these resources offer a comprehensive analysis of the vital departments of our life and undoubtedly carry doable and wholesome suggestions for improvement. In the spirit of saving time to decipher the many sources and voices available, there is one key we recommend you give personal focus.

In Joyce Meyer’s book, Look Great Feel Great, she too offers keys to enjoying a healthy life right now and concludes with the most crucial key of all, Taking Responsibility for Your Life. Her book ends with her encouragement for us to do so and she offers a practical request for the reader to take a moment of privacy, to breathe a deep breath, and repeat this personal phrase:

“I am responsible for my own life. No one can take charge of it but me. If I am unhappy or unhealthy, I know I have the power to change that. I have all the help and knowledge I need, and with God’s hand today I start becoming the person of excellence I have always known I could be.”

The key to Joyce Myer’s final key is with God’s hand. So family and friends, in today’s message, may we go to the promise of God and pray to Him directly for His hand to be activated in our lives. Please take time to meditate and renew the Spirit of your mind as you read and apply this following prayer to your own life. Doing so goes to the very source of our inspiration for all things being new in the first place:

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify me (set me aside for His purpose) completely; and may my whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thes 5:23)

So family and friends, for any lock serving as a stronghold against our will or choice to be responsible and accountable for our life, let’s call upon the transforming Lord to be our Key.

James 1:22; Eph 4:23; Phil 4:13; 1 Tim 4:8

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Heb 11:6 (NAS)

If we really stopped to think of how awesome Almighty God is, we’d probably be left shouting in appreciation or simply standing in quiet awe. His majesty, mercy, and grace are matchless and beyond our highest comprehension. This Supreme Being, who designed our human brain among all else, is in a league by Himself. He is the fullness of love—the One who literally gave His all to connect with us through a simple and brilliant little thing called faith.

Even though we were born with a sinful (rebellious) nature, God’s graceful plan gives everyone the challenge and opportunity to recover. In normal physical development, we start as a fully dependant baby at birth. With time, we eventually start to crawl, sit, walk and even run by practicing greater balance and appropriateness. We learn and grow in our mental, emotional, social, and economic areas of our lives as well. Hopefully, when all is said and done, we go from being an ill-equipped and reliant baby to a well-rounded and respected interdependent citizen of the community in which we live.

The Bible says the source of our imbalance and rebellion is sin, which is our spiritual disconnect from God. Faith-based recovery from a Christian perspective requires a personal focus on what motivates us and where our ultimate hope resides. We believe that the awesome Almighty Father God sent His Son to die for our sins (John 3:16). He chose us to love and has promised never to leave us or forsake us. Giving our heart and life to Him heals us from being imbalanced and sinfully lost and assures us of a new divine nature. His stabilizing inner presence helps us to learn and grow in what it is to carry out His plan for our lives. This is what brings us to the place of becoming a well-rounded and respected interdependent citizen of God’s heavenly community. Without question, there is nothing more worthy of our faith!

Family and friends, whether we choose to shout or stand in silence, God’s way to our recovery is simply AWESOME!

Jer 1:5; John 15:16; Hebrews 13:5

I am more than a conqueror! Through Christ Jesus, Who loves me, I win! Romans 8:37

When we stop for a moment and ponder how wonderfully God has made us, all sorts of encouraging thoughts generate. In today’s message, may we capture some of the critical ones and in true faith, hope and scriptural reference, thank the Lord for helping us to mature and/or become restored in each of them.

Father in Heaven,

Thank You that I may be Spiritually alive in You. Eph 2:1-5

Thank You for mental alertness. 1 Pet 1:13

Thank You for emotional balance. Col 3:15

Thank You for physical well being. 3 Jn 1:2

Thank You for social adjustment. Rom 12:1-2

Thank You for personal contentment. Phil 4:11-12

Thank You for family influence. 2 Tim 3:15-17

Thank You for economic prosperity. Phil 4:19

Thank You for skillful godly wisdom. James 1:5

As God’s grace is endless, this list is not inexhaustible, and there are so many other elements one could add to it.  Perhaps you might want to ponder a moment and add some items or confident expectations based on the work that God is currently doing in your own life.

In doing so, look up, cheer up, and gear up because the best for us is yet to come!

Psalm 139:13-14; Gal 2:20; Rom 8:28; Jer 29:11

For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 ESV

I was looking over some notes from a three session seminar for new agents in the Real Estate business I was privileged to present several years ago. The title of our time together was “Up and Running in 30 Days and …Still Standing After 30 Years.” Among a host of items presented, there were four essentials necessary to endure as a REALTOR. Truth be told, these same components are pertinent to life in general.

May this message serve as a wholesome reminder to us that life is not only a blessing and an adventure; it’s a challenge saturated with responsibility, perseverance, and accountability as a prerequisite to fulfillment.

Here are the four essentials that were discussed: 1. Purpose 2. Vision 3. Competency 4. Virtue.

Purpose: Why real estate? What is an agent’s primary motive? Is it to make money, to have a job, to sound good in your working title, or to help someone in their real estate pursuits, etc?

Vision: How does an agent see him or herself? Do you see yourself in designer clothing driving a fancy car? Sitting at a desk receiving million dollar calls? Counting money? Sitting at a closing with a satisfied Seller and expectant Buyer? Something else?

Competency: Is one willing to grow as a life-long learner and problem solver in a dynamic industry that’s wrought with situations requiring knowledge, understanding, and skillful wisdom? Is continuing education and time-consuming experience more of a root canal than a personal investment?

Virtue: Real estate agents are sales people without need of a store, factory, or warehouse. The product is in the property of the Seller or in the trust of the Buyer. Along with competency, virtuous behavior is a conduct real estate agents cannot deny. Agree or disagree?

Transitioning away from the real estate focus, these four essentials can be examined from a grander perspective. This is where the seminar becomes sacred and the Director holds the most majestic title. It goes something like this:

Lord, Please tell me why I am here (His Purpose). Please show me Your way for me. (His Vision). Please help me to develop into the person who pleases You. (His Competence). Please allow me to be your child and friend by doing what You command (His Virtue).

Just a final thought. The title and results of any seminar with God is more immediate than 30 days and way beyond 30 years!!

Psalm 37: 5-6; Colossians 3:23-24;1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Proverbs 29:18

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matt 5:16

Thomas Edison, one of the most famous inventors, conducted thousands of experiments before his first light bulb ever lit up. At one critical point, his entire lab burned down causing him to start all over again.

There are many obvious qualities of Thomas Edison’s character displayed during the process of his notable invention. Persistence, focus, genius, time management, and his attitude in overcoming failure would only be a start. There’s an additional aspect to the Edison story that I believe can inspire us this week to operate with a greater measure of victory. Consider this….

Thomas Edison was never called or expected to create light. Light was already on the scene. When God said, “Let there be light,” He didn’t call Mr. Edison for his input or the CEO of General Electric for that matter. Light just manifested in obedience to the Creator’s command!! What Mr. Edison did was use his wonderful and God-given talents, gifts, and abilities to fashion a tool (light bulb) to help others see physically. His accomplishment in helping others see is what made him so famous.

None of us can create light. Thanks to Mr. Edison, we no longer need to invent a light bulb either. What we can do this week, however, is recognize the wonderful talents, gifts and abilities within us and plug in to the amazing truth that we ourselves are God’s gifted invention; designed and spiritually powered from on high to shed his love, life, and light in the darkened places of others.

So, enjoy your own experimenting this week. Remember, even if your lab burns down–Don’t quit! GO forward and expect God’s love and life to “enlighten” your way!

2 Peter 1:19; John 8:12; 1 John 1:7; James 1:17