Friday, May 11, 2018

Our Thank-Yous Are From The Lord

...we remember, however, that what we do we do unto God,

Remember,

whatever you do unto God

does not require a thank you from man. 

Sometimes we do something for someone and forget about it. Whether it was voluntary or requested, when we remember what we did we may think so-and-so did not thank me for what I did. Maybe the person forgot to thank us, or maybe they were not aware that it was us who did it. Maybe it was done jointly with another person, and that person received a thanks, but we did not. We may feel left out, unappreciated or unacknowledged at the moment we realize that we were not thanked. 

It is nice to receive a thank you from others. It is good to be appreciated, for a job well-done or a gift given, by relatives, friends and others. When we remember, however, that what we do we do unto God, we don't feel so deprived when we are not thanked. When we remind ourselves that we are always aware of the presence of our God, and that he sees what we do with pure hearts, we don't have to solicit thank yous from others.

The Bible, that lamp unto our feet and that light unto our paths, reminds us that:

Whatever you are doing, let your hearts be in your work,
 as a thing done for the Lord and not for men. 

 Colossians 3:23 (WNT)

Whatever you do, do it readily, as to the Lord and not to men;
(BBE)

Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people.
(CEB)

Whatever work you do, put yourself into it,
as those who are serving not merely other people,
but the Lord.
(CJB) 

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men,
(CSB)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,
as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.
(GNT)



 

Thursday, May 10, 2018

POETRY: I Choose Joy



 
I choose to laugh

In the midst of trouble,




And in the midst of sorrow,

I choose joy.

~ SJHolland ~


May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Rom 15:3 NIV





 

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary II

Hope has fled, but we know that hope is our only hope.


I believe that most people are crying out for help, because they pray and pray and don't seem to get any relief about the most important things in their lives. I wrote the first You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary from a heart of understanding, because this has happened to me for so long about many things. Though I can certainly see the hand of God in my everyday life, I am often just tired of various other things.

I know the feeling of not believing that you can go on praying another day. I know how it feels to not feel like praying, when deep inside you know that is your only hope. And what does that say? That hope has fled at that moment. That is when we are between a rock and a hard place. Hope has fled, but we know that hope is our only hope. Only the Spirit of God can untangle that heart condition and send what we already know, the repairing Blood of Jesus, flowing again through our paralyzed consciousness.






Only the Spirit of God can untangle the heart condition.


That is why we must rely on this Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. It is the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ of Nazareth from the dead. It is the same Spirit that resides inside everyone who has accepted Jesus as Savior.  It is the same Spirit that brings The Word, the Bible, to life within us, and brings about the changes that we need to live renewed lives. This is the Spirit that has promised to pray for us when we are just too tired and weary. So don't give up on your prayer life. You have a faithful Helper.

 
God bless you and your entire family today.

May He have mercy and save the souls of each and
every one who does not know Him.

Most of all, may he increase your faith in your prayers
and your desire to pray.

In Jesus' name and according to God's will I pray,
Amen.

Monday, May 7, 2018

A Well-Watered Garden Is Yours



The  Lord will guide you always,

He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land,

And will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

Like a spring whose waters never fail.

Isaiah 58:11 NIV

The Bible tells us the truth about God and what he thinks about us. All you have to do in order for your life to become a well-watered garden is to receive, speak and believe the Word. God makes many promises to us in his Word, and he does not lie. He is a faithful God, one in whose word we can trust. He causes everything dead to live again.

If you will allow him to, he will bring back to glowing life your dead dreams, hopes, abilities, beliefs, possibilities and faith. It is never God's will that you should live in a dead, barren and parched life. He is the life-giver, through his precious Son, who is The Way, The Truth and The Life. 


Watch the sprigs of luscious growth begin to form

as you open to God's way,
receive his word

and believe his promises.



Wednesday, May 2, 2018

How Can I Forgive?

How to forgive when it is so hard.

Forgiveness is in the realm of your possibility.  Yes, you can forgive anyone and everyone by just speaking the words.

How to forgive when I don't feel like it.
You don't have to feel it or understand how you could ever possibly do it. All you have to do is make a decision to speak the words I forgive. Speak them to yourself and God.

How to forgive when I'm still angry or hurt.


Read the Word that says don't repay evil for evil, but overcome evil with good. Forgive those who despitefully use you. Pray for your enemies, and the Word will do the rest in you. 

Matthew 5:44
1 Peter 3:9
Romans 12:21

 

Monday, April 30, 2018

CHRISTIAN CREATIVITY: Susan At Craft N Gift Creations

Ceramic Angel by Susan
Susan is a Christian crafter who creates ceramics through slip molding. This is where liquid clay is poured into plaster-of-Paris molds.

Ceramic Angel Bears by Craft N Gift Creations


This unmolded greenware is then trimmed, detailed and otherwise prepped for the next stages. Firing is where it is placed in a high-temperature clay works oven. Then Susan paints her bisque-ware in a special dry brush technique that produces her desired effects.

Ceramic Eagle by Susan
Ceramic wildlife statue by Craft N Gift Creations



What this talented crafter says about her work: 

Ceramic making is a labor of love. It is both time consuming, dusty and messy. You can easily spend 12-14 hours a day painting a ceramic piece, only to have to continue painting the following day to complete it. Most of the painting I do is called dry brushing, which is a technique of gradually building up the color to get the desired effect. I always admire other fellow ceramists as I know the time and processes that they took to create that beautiful ceramic piece.

Ceramic Wolf With Pup by clay crafter Susan
Ceramic Angel Girl by Etsy shop Craft N Gift Creations

Yellow Duck Ceramic Easter Peep by Christian Crafter Susan






Susan has been painting ceramics since she was a child. She also enjoys crocheting, cross stitch and jewelry making along with other crafts. She also loves gardening, camping, hiking, fishing and metal detecting with her husband, and spending time at home with her kitty and 2 bunnies. 

Craft N Gift Creations Shop

See Susan's lovely ceramic figurines and handmade bead jewelry at her Etsy shop Craft N Gift Creations