The Futility of Wealth

As a country, we have become complacent and greedy. So have our people. We have long enjoyed "The American Dream." People from other countries have sought their dreams by coming to America. Many have succeeded. Crime rates have grown. Some believe they shouldn't have to work to have the dream and they seek to rob others so that they might live in luxury.

I prefer to seek happiness in the simple things. God provides what I need when I need it. I walk in faith knowing He walks with me. He doesn't promise our path won't be strewn with rocks, or an occasional mountain, but He never abandons me.

Ecclesiastes 5:8-12 (New Living Translation, The Holy Bible)

"Don't be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For eery official isunder orders from highter up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. Even the king milks the land for his own profit! Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth--except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night's sleep."

Laughter is God's Gift for a Happy Soul

God doesn't promise that we won't have trouble in our life. But He promises that if we love and follow Him, we will have joy and everlasting life.

The secret to facing each new day is to look at the positive things rather than the negative. Find joy in the small gifts...sunshine, flowers, children, family, pets, friends, and so much more. Start each day with a smile and laugh often.

It is a proven fact that those who laugh often life longer. Laughter is healthy, it is calorie free, and it lifts spirits. Take pleasure and enjoy life--the life God has given.

Negativity breeds negativity. Laughter breeds laughter. Both are contagious. Which would you rather have in your life?

Try smiling and laughing. Tell the devil to remove himself from your life. Tell him OUT LOUD. Then thank God for being with you and go into the day with a smile on your face.

God bless you and may your day be filled with much laughter and many smiles.

Choices at the Fork in the Path

My life has followed many paths and I've had to make choices when confronted with a fork. Which way to go? Many times I chose without first asking God for direction. God knows the complete path of our life. He placed it before us on the day we were born.

I'm now faced with a fork in the road that I once thought clearly defined. There are two different paths branching before me. For the past two years, I've prayed and have heard God answer me directing me to go one way. As the time draws near, many obstacles are being placed along the way. Are these obstacles the devil trying to lead me astray, or are they being given to me by God showing me I've misread His instructions?

I'm troubled and fearful. As I stand here at the fork in the road, undecided, I am praying for God to show me HIs will. With all the devil's handiwork abundant in the world, the noise is so loud that it's difficult to hear God's words. I must be still and turn my ears and my heart to Him.

I share this for others who might be facing similar decisions. Before you run down the wrong fork, take time to pray and then to be still and listen for God. He will provide you guidance if you give your heart and soul to Him.

Dressing for God

This morning I have been thinking about what to wear to work. Usually I pick out an outfit before I go to bed, which I failed to do last night. I sat at the computer and opened the blog and bowed my head asking God to bless my hands and words. Still unsure of what I would write, I picked up my Bible and it opened at this page.

I Peter 3:3-4 "Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."

God is always with us. He sees our struggles, even the little ones. And he speaks to us through the words of His precious legacy.

Disappointed by God? Unanswered Prayers?

Have you ever felt disappointed by God? Have you ever felt He isn't listening when you pray? Have you ever felt angry and disheartened because you feel He has abandoned you?

What about Jesus? When he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, he asked God to take the cup of suffering away from him. But Jesus went one step further and prayed, "Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."

How often when you pray, do you add these all important words?

We Christians live in a world filled with temptations. If we turn on the television, we are bombarded with ads for things that promise to enrich our lives. Unfortunately, many of us turn to idolizing things which are meaningless. We pray for God to give us what we crave. And, when we don't receive, we feel disappointed or angry because God wasn't listening--He didn't answer the prayer.

God is always listening. We just have this one-sided belief. A belief that we can achieve what we want if we just ask God to provide. But, God asks us to walk in faith, not in sight.

If you are disappointed or feeling abandoned by God for unanswered prayers, look at what God has given you. He always answers prayers, but not always with the outcome we prayed for.

Romans 5:3-5 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Prayer for today: Lord, if it be Your will, I pray that You will bless each person who reads this and that You will help them see how You have answered their prayers. I thank You Lord for the gift of Your son, so that we can find our way to You through the cross. Amen.