Something Worth Remembering...

Is Your Mind Stayed On God?

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because He trusts in You."

Isaiah 26:3

Is your mind stayed on God or is it starved? Starvation of the mind, caused by neglect, is one of the chief sources of exhaustion and weakness in a servant's life. If you have never used your mind to place yourself before God, begin to do it now. There is no reason to wait for God to come to you. You must turn your thoughts and your eyes away from the face of idols and look to Him and be saved (Isaiah 45:22).

Your mind is the greatest gift God has given you and it ought to be devoted entirely to Him. You should seek to be 'bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..." (2 Corinthians 10:5). This will be one of the greatest assets of your faith when a time of trial comes, because then your faith and the Spirit of God will work together. When you have thoughts and ideas that are worthy of credit to God, learn to compare and associate them with all that happens in nature- the rising and the setting of the sun, the shining of the moon and the stars, and the changing of the seasons. You will begin to see that your thoughts are from God as well, and your mind will no longer be at the mercy of your impulsive thinking, but always be used in service to God.

"We have sinned with our fathers...[and]... did not remember..." (Psalm 106:6-7). Then PROD YOUR MEMORY and WAKE UP IMMEDIATELY. Don't say to yourself, "But God is not talking to me right now." He ought to be. Remember whose you are and whom you serve. Encourage yourself to remember, and your affection for God will increase tenfold. Your mind will no longer be starved, but will be quick and enthusiastic, and your hope will be inexpressibly bright.

- Oswald Chambers,

"My Utmost for His Highest"

All in All

I am not always who I want to be, heck, sometimes I'm not even who I should be... but I do not let those thoughts bring me down. We are all works in progress. The Master is not yet done with us. If I look at Him I take heart because I know the completion of who I am does not depend on me. He is the one that does the work... All I have to do is abide in Him- and even then He is the One who gives me the strength to do so.

There is nothing and no one that compares to Him. If you let Him, if you invite Him, He can and wants to be your all in all.

God bless you today my friend :)

Whatever it is that you are going through today... Whatever it is that you are struggling with... it is not too hard for Him to handle... It is not too dark or awful for Him to reject you. He loves you. He wants to be with you! He knows about it and He is hurting with you... Let Him come in to your life, He cares. You are important to Him. His word is truth and He won't let you down... even if some of His children have :/ His children are not perfect, but He is. Trust Him!

He says: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love..."

If you would like someone to pray for you please feel free to send your request to: God.listens.always@gmail.com

**Prayer Request are strictly confidential**

Leave a Message at the BEEP...

A couple of months ago, I got this intense prompting to pray for girls in/in danger of sex trafficking. Specifically, that they would not be touched, defiled. I prayed fervently but in my prayers I remember thinking: "why am I praying for this? isn't it a bit of an empty prayer? isn't it like praying for world hunger to end or to have world peace? isn't this request to broad/not specific enough? aren't I wasting my time? How would I even KNOW if it gets answered? Isn't this just going into God's answering machine?"

Things like these happen to me every so often. As I spend time with God and pray He will put things in my heart to pray for... and sometimes they are very random requests.

As I prayed for this girl (s), I really wanted God to do something. I want all these girls to be saved from the clutches of darkness. I needed to know God could interpose Himself between the girl(s) and those who wanted to hurt them. I am not talking about restoring them (He can/ wants do that too) but I was praying for divine intervention that they would not have to go through the pain and the suffering... the devastation. I was praying for a conservation of innocence.

I remember finishing praying with my heart still wrung for this girl(s), whispering under my breath: "God, please! I know you can do this! I know you can avoid this tragedy that happens everyday!" But at the same time thinking: "Will I ever know if my prayer has been answered? Is it worth praying for things one might not see an answer to whether they came to pass or not?"

Months went by and I got a newsletter from Agape International Missions (AIM), a ministry that reaches out to women and children involved in human trafficking. As I opened the letter and started to read I couldn't believe my eyes. The letter told the story of a little girl who's virginity was about to be sold by her aunt but was rescued by AIM instead; and how the parties involved in scheming such grotesque plans were arrested and prosecuted. The little girl was not touched and is now at their safe house, experiencing God's love and safety.

:)

I was in awe... I almost couldn't breath... all I kept thinking was: "WHAT?!"

"I heard you", that was His reply...... that's all He needed to say.

So take heart my dear friend! Take heart at His promises. Take heart that He hears your prayers and answers your requests, even if you can't see the answer. God is listening to you. He is listening to you right now! Every word you say, every thought you think. He cares about you beyond your expectations. He is great!

God is GOOD!!! And He loves YOU!

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If you want to learn more about the work that God is doing through Agape International Missions, visit their website www.aim4asia.org

Christmas...

{:For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son to condemn the world,

but that the world through Him might be saved:}

John 3:16-17

Love Jesus

I was in Sarasota this weekend at a friend's wedding. I was talking to one of the groomsmen, who is doing a ministry/discipleship program in northern California, about what he would like to do when he finishes and goes back to England. Suddenly he turns the question on me and says: "What do you want to do?" I was a bit stunned by his question. I am frequently asked what my plans are but not many people ask what I want to do. I spoke about my desire to disciple young adults and the passion I have for encouraging people in their walks of faith but somehow my words felt shallow. I kept thinking about his question in the back of my mind feeling I hadn't answered it in a satisfactory way (at least not satisfactory to me).

Last night as I was laying in bed, everything being so quiet, reviewing in my head everything that had happened during the weekend I thought: "All I want to do is love Jesus!!" Sure there are works that He has for me to do, and things I am excited about doing but I want to love Jesus more than anything else... that's the cake! Works is the frosting/icing.

I think that's what God has liked the most this year. I had forgotten about being His above all else. He has been claiming my affections again, as the loving Husband and Father He is.

"'Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her... And it shall be, in that day', says the Lord, 'that you will call Me 'My Husband,' and no longer call Me 'My Master,' I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord.'" Hosea 2:14,16,19,20

Let Us Rejoice!

"For the Lord HIMSELF will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Therefore COMFORT ONE ANOTHER WITH THESE WORDS."

-Paul, 1 Thess 4:16-18

Only dogs can hear...

The door closed. So I walked away.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't slightly relieved.

It is one of those things.

It is dark...

Or maybe it is too bright...

Either way I cannot see.

I can't seem to open my eyes.

I can't seem to come out of this dream.

Can a bird fly again whose wings have been cut?

I'm told they can.

In time they can.