Even when we feel as though we cannot go on God promises to be our strength ( See Psalm 73:25 -28) Ask God to draw you nearer to Himself , so you can experience His goodness and strength more fully . We are more than conquers through God see Romans 8:37
John 15:5
'For apart from Me you can do nothing.' - When we get separated from God, we are truly lost. - We need Him in every aspect and every area of our lives. - Don't try to do it all on your own. - Live a life of dependence and hope in Him. PRAYER: Lord, forgive me for often trying to do my own thing in my own way. I choose Your way and Your purpose for my life. Amen. A Good Reason to Pray With Others God multiplies the results when we unite! When two or more people pray together, their prayer power is not only added together but also multiplied. In medicine, a drug reaction called "synergism" parallels this principle. Some medicines by themselves are ineffective against certain diseases, but when combined with another medicine, they accomplish much more than either could alone. C. Peter Wagner tells that when he was young he attended "horse pulls."
One of the strongest horses could pull 7,000 pounds and another an amazing 9,000 pounds. But when the two horses were hitched together, they could pull 33,000 pounds. Many light bulbs shining together make a bright light; but if they are concentrated into one light beam, they illuminate much greater distances. Think of your agreeing in prayer as focusing your light into a laser beam that God can use to reach those "inaccessible" situations. "Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand" (Lev. 26:8). This Old Testament promise to those fighting battles also applies to prayer. Jesus is attracted to unity. He values our uniting so much that He says if we are united in asking for His will, He will reward us. Our prayers will become synergistic! "If two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, together make a symphony) about anything and everything - whatever they all ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven" (Matthew 18:19 Amplified Bible). Thank You, Jesus, for giving us a powerful reason to be united with others. Some people grumble because the roses have thorns instead of being grateful that the thorns have roses. ***** We must learn from the mistakes of others because we won't live long enough to make them all ourselves. ***** Don't look down on another person unless you are leaning over to help them up. ***** What a different world this would be if people would magnify their blessings the way they do their troubles. ***** The largest room in the world is the room for improvement. ***** Winners - people who tell you what they did and not people who tell you what they think you ought to do. And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Acts 6:15 Stephen was in great danger. The church was growing, but it was encountering severe opposition. However, the opponents of the early church could not find fault with Stephen’s teachings or with his character, so they hired false witnesses to testify against him. In this treacherous way Stephen was condemned. When a person has to face these kinds of circumstances, his true character is revealed. The natural reaction for someone in Stephen’s position would have been to become bitter and discouraged. How is it possible to prove your innocence if lies are being portrayed as the truth? The scripture declare, “Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among people” (Acts 6:8). He had a strong inner conviction that he belonged to God and he knew that whatever happened to him would be part of God’s master plan for his life. He was completely fearless because he lived according to God’s will. He possessed the peace, joy, wisdom and power that is born from unity with the heavenly Father. Stephen’s experience can become part of the lives of all those who love and seek to serve Christ through faith. In whatever situation you might find yourself, always seek to determine the will of God first. This will stabilize your thoughts and give you inner peace so that, no matter how big your problems, you will know that God’s presence is always with you. 2 Timothy 1:12
For I know the One in whom I trust, and I am sure (convinced) that He is able to guard and keep what I have entrusted to Him. - We carry so many things that we were not designed to carry. - There are some things we can do nothing about. - Let us do the possible and let's leave the impossible to God. - God will intervene and take care of what has been entrusted to Him. PRAYER: Lord, thank You that I can bring my concerns and fears to You. You know the things I am concerned about and I give them to You, trusting You in all things. Amen. Earl C. Willer tells the story of two men who grew up best friends;
Through Jim was just a little older than Phillip and often assumed the role of leader, they did everything together. They even went to high school and college together. After college they joined the Marines. By a unique series of circumstances they were sent to Germany together where they fought side by side in one of history’s ugliest wars. One sweltering day during a fierce battle, amid heavy gunfire, bombing, and close-quarters combat, they were given the command to retreat. As the men were running back, Jim noticed that Phillip had not returned with the others. Panic gripped his heart. Jim knew if Phillip was not back in another minute or two, then he wouldn't make it. Jim begged his commanding officer to let him go after his friend, but the officer forbade the request, saying it would be suicide. Risking his own life, Jim disobeyed and went after Phillip. His heart pounding he ran into the gunfire calling out for his friend. A short time later his platoon saw him hobbling across the field carrying a limp body in his arms. Jim’s commanding officer upbraided him, shouting that it was a foolish waste of time and an outrageous risk. Your friend is dead, he added, and there is nothing you could do. "No sir, you are wrong," Jim replied. "I got there just in time. Before he died, his last words were ‘I knew you would come.’" ------------------------------------------------------------------ Think of it friends. Someday, we'll be together in Heaven and I'm certain that we'll be rejoicing and saying pretty much the same thing. Jesus, I knew you would come back for me. He is the epitome of Loyalty. His love was so great for us that He gave up His life on the cross. He said that He would come back and take his Church back to Heaven to spend eternity with Him. You can count on that! I don't believe that it's a long time off in the future either. Be ready. Colonel Sanders went to more than 1,000 places trying to sell his chicken recipe before he found an interested buyer. The fact that we can buy Kentucky Fried Chicken today attests to his perseverance. Thomas Edison tried almost 10,000 times before he succeeded in creating the electric light. If he had given up, you would be reading this in the dark! The original business plan for what was to become Federal Express was given a failing grade on Fred Smith¹s college exam. And, in the early days, their employees would cash their paychecks at retail stores, rather than banks. This meant it would take longer for the money to clear, thereby giving Fed Ex more time to cover their payroll. Sylvester Stallone had been turned down a thousand times by agents and was down to his last $600 before he found a company that would produce Rocky. The rest is history! To truly succeed requires a total commitment to your goal. Too many people make the mistake of quitting just short of success. Keep going no matter what. If you really believe in what you are doing, give it all you've got and don't give up. You will succeed. There is no such thing as failure. Every action produces an outcome. It may not always be the outcome you are looking for, but it is an outcome nonetheless. If you monitor the results of your actions and keep correcting what is not working, you will eventually produce the outcome you are looking for. Be Persistent . As was said about President Calvin Coolidge: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with great talent. Genius will not. Un-rewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” Don’t quit before the miracle happens! To let go doesn't mean to stop caring; It means I can't do it for someone else. To let go is not to cut myself off... It's the realization that I can't control another... To let go is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences. To let go is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands. To let go is not to try and change or blame another, I can only change myself. To let go is not to care for, but to care about. To let go is not to fix, but to be supportive. |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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