God has a plan....

 

Ten Ways to Live a Miserable Life

 While spring cleaning [our house and] my laptop, I happened on this.

What a good reminder for me today.....this 2^nd day after Easter Sunday.

It looks like I saved it on: Sat, Nov 4, 2017 at 9:47 PM.

Sorry, I do not remember where I got this in order to give credit, however I felt I really needed to post this to my blog “Collected Thoughts and Things” for someone else to “stumble” upon. I have put the word “stumble” in quotes because I believe in God's Providence.... that nothing “just happens” in life. If you are here reading this then this is a message for you to think on....feel free to save, print out, or share this message because it may lead to a blessing for someone else.

Praise God from whom all blessing flow....V

10 Ways to Live a Miserable Life

1. Focus on the negative. Whine and complain about everything and everyone all the time.

2. Be ungrateful and unappreciated of the relationships, health, and possessions you do have.

3. Constantly criticize others.

4. Expect others to serve you.

5. Be concerned with only yourself and talk about only yourself.

6. Hold others to a higher standard than what you hold yourself to.

7. Expect others to reach out to you first.

8. Have a martyr complex.

9. Blame others and hold a grudge.

10. Expect God to owe you something.

A self-centered life will not lead to living an abundant life, it will just lead to a miserable life.

All of these actions and attitudes are so easy to succumb to because our flesh will naturally default to them. It’s a wise woman who recognizes these ways do not lead to a flourishing life but rather a rotten one.

Laying aside my flesh is hard. And developing Godly virtues are hard. But the effects of living a miserable life is not how I want to be characterized as a woman since a self-centered lifestyle is not pleasing to the Lord. Plus, I don’t want to leave this kind of legacy to my children because they’ll most likely end up emulating me.

Choosing to surrender my self-centered ways is the path that I want to embrace as hard as it might be, therefore I need to dwell on the things that bring life to my soul so God can transform my heart and make it more like His.

By embracing an others-minded mentality and choosing to have a joyful attitude, my life (and yours) will change for the better and so will our relationships! Now, I don’t know about you, but I’d like to have a thriving life and thriving relationships!

Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Phil. 2:4-5

Are you in a place of discouragement today? Do you feel miserable?

If so, dwell on this, my friend…

“Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” ~ Psalm 103:2-5

Live a poured out life for Christ,

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And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ~ Romans 8:28

The Need for Salvation

 

July 20, 2021

The Need for Salvation

Ephesians 2:1-3

Followers of Christ know the importance of being saved, but the world sees no need for rescue. The truth is that those who don’t have a personal relationship with God the Father through His Son Jesus are ...

• Spiritually dead. Spiritual death first occurred in the garden of Eden. Disobedience severed Adam and Eve’s connection to God and caused all of their descendants—including us—to be separated from Him (Rom. 5:12). What this means is that we are born as “dead” people in need of new life. Unfortunately, those who have refused Jesus as Savior at the end of the age will experience another death when they’re cast away from God (Matt. 25:41; Revelation 20:14).

• Living a life of sin. Our nature is to rebel against God, and that is called sin. Over and over we choose what pleases us, not Him, and any efforts we make to free ourselves from sin are in vain (John 8:34).

• Under divine wrath. Sinful man has nothing acceptable to offer holy God; there is no way to earn His approval and escape punishment.

Though our sins deserve His wrath, God made a way for us to escape it. Tomorrow we’ll read about the Savior He sent to take the penalty in our place (Rom. 5:9).

--- daily devotion from InTouch

Ephesians 2:1-3 --- By Grace Through Faith

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Romans 5:12 -- Death in Adam, Life in Christ

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Matthew 25:41

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

Revelation 20:14

14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

John 8:34

34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

Romans 5:9

9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Sunday Message...

 Sometimes we get discouraged and don't see that our lives make a difference to anyone.... I know I have felt this way many times over my 60+ years but I took heart after reading this devotional from "Truth for Life" this morning.  

Yes, the tribe of Dan was last yet also important. God had said who was to be last and His plans are ALWAYS for good.

When ever we begin to doubt our lot in life we must consider that we had no choice in the "how" and "where" we came in to this world, and we need to consider with a thankful heart that we are exactly where God planned for us to be. The place where He has set me down for His good and His glory!!

Yes, some days I feel like a "straggler" just hanging on....yet in the case of the tribe of Dan.... God put them there to be of encouragement and help to others on their faith walk!! 

From this I see that it is good to thank and praise God for right where I am every step of my faith walk. And yes, sometimes I will be in the last straggler bunch but I take comfort that my God is my "rear guard!!"

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Help the Stragglers

They shall set out last, standard by standard. -- Numbers 2:31

The camp of Dan brought up the rear when the armies of Israel were on the march. The Danites occupied the hindmost place, but their position wasn’t unimportant, since they were as truly part of the company as were the foremost tribes. They followed the same fiery cloudy pillar, ate of the same manna, drank of the same spiritual rock, and journeyed to the same inheritance. Come, my heart, cheer up, even though last and least; it is your privilege to be in the army and to fare as they fare who lead the expedition. Someone must be at the rear in honor and esteem, someone must do menial work for Jesus, and why shouldn’t it be me? In a poor village among an ignorant peasantry or in a back street among degraded sinners, I will work on and take my assigned place at the rear.

The Danites occupied a very useful place. Stragglers have to be picked up on the march, and lost property has to be gathered from the field. Fiery spirits may dash forward over untrodden paths to learn fresh truth and win more souls to Jesus; but some of a more conservative spirit may be well engaged in reminding the church of her ancient faith and restoring her fainting sons. Every position has its duties, and the slowly moving children of God will find their peculiar state one in which they may be eminently a blessing to the whole company.

The rear guard is a place of danger. There are foes behind us as well as before us. Attacks may come from any quarter. We read that Amalek fell upon Israel and slew some who were at the rear. The experienced Christian will find much work for his weapons in aiding those poor doubting, desponding, wavering souls who are slowest in faith, knowledge, and joy. These must not be left unaided, and therefore let it be the business of well-taught saints to bear their standards among the rear guard. My soul, watch tenderly to help the stragglers today.

Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg