Wed, Aug 22nd - 12:21PM

God's love is everlasting, and His patience endures forever.  If you have to cry out for God's help two hundred time a day to defeat a particular temptation, He will still be eager to give mercy and grace, so come boldly  ...  Ask Him for the power to do the right thing and then expect Him to provide it.  Temptations keep us dependent upon God... When you stumble--which you will--it is not fatal.  Instead of giving in or giving up,  look up to God, expect Him to help you, and remember the reward that is waiting for you: "When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy.  After they have proved their faith, God will reward them with life forever" James 1:12

~~Rick Warren~~

Tue, Aug 21st - 11:59AM

Stepping Stones or Road Blocks?

God develops real peace within us, not by making things go the way we planned, but by allowing times of chaos and confusion.  Anyone can be peaceful watching a beautiful sunset or relaxing on vacation.  We learn real peace by choosing to trust God in circumstances in which we are tempted to worry or be afraid.  Understanding how temptation works is, in itself helpful, but there are specific steps you need to take to overcome it.  Refuse to be intimidated ... Recognize your pattern of temptation and be prepared for it .... Request God's help.  Heaven has a twenty-four-hour emergency hot line.  God wants you to ask him for assistance in overcoming temptation, He says, "Call on me in times of trouble.  I will rescue you, and you will honor Me" (Psalm 50:15).  It is not a sin to be tempted.  Jesus was tempted, yet He never sinned.  Temtation only becomes a sin when you give in to it.  Martin Luther said, "You cannot keep birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair." You can't keep the Devil from suggesting thoughts, but you can choose not to dwell or act on them.  Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.  On the path to spiritual maturity, even temptation becomes a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block when you realize that it is just as much an occasion to do the right thing as it is to do the wrong thing.  Temptation simply provides the choice.

Excerpted from Rick Warrens "Forty Days of Purpose"

"TalkerCat

Thu, Aug 9th - 2:05AM

What Builds Character?

Every problem is a character-building opportunity, and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fiber.  Paul said, "We know that these troubles produce patience.  And patience produces character"  (Romans 5:3-4)  What happens outwardly in your life is not as important as what happens inside you.  Your circumstances are temporary, but your character will last foreveer.  I call my writings "Narrow is the Way" because, being a sinner I know how difficult it can be to remain focused on faith ... one can easily be swayed into stepping onto a wider road.    God's plan for your life involves all that happens to you--including your mistakes, your sins, and your hurts.  It includes illness, debts, disasters, divorce and death of loved ones. 

God can bring good out of the evil.  He did at Calvary!  

Blessings ~ TalkerCat ~

Sat, Aug 4th - 12:40AM

Every knee shall bow

God uses problems to draw you closer to Himself.  The Bible says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those who are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18).  Your most profound and intimate experiences of worship will likely be in your darkest days-when your heart is broken, when you feel abandoned, when you're out of options, when the pain is great--and you turn to God alone......

"TalkerCat"