Suffering and pain are real.  People that are affected by tragedies are real people; they have real pain, and real tears.


Tragedy originated as sin.  When?  In the garden of Eden, and it is still present today.  None of us are exempt from the tribulations and natural disasters that come upon the world.


You'll hear some say that out of tragedy comes hope, something purposeful.  But, like me, if it's you that are going through the tragedy, it's hard to find purpose, even hope.


A friend of mine was recently murdered and it's hard for me to find the answers to all this. It's easy to be angry and ask why.   She was a Christian and a good person, but somehow this happened.  There is so much evil in this world.  Jesus warns us that in the end times, it will get worse.  


But, as a Christian I can remember my sister in Christ, who is now in Heaven and have hope that I will see her again.


The biggest challenge will be for her family and friends that will miss seeing her here on earth.


God is always near; don't ever forget that.  He can heal the broken hearted, the abandoned, the lost.  


Psalm 34:18 - "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

The definition of intentional is deliberate, calculated, conscious, intended, etc.  


Most of us intentional in our every day lives, but to what?  Are you intentional on your daily tasks?  Are you intentional with your family?  What about God?  Are you living with a premeditated purpose in loving and obeying Jesus?

When you're basing your life on anything other than living intentionally for God, you cannot live life to the fullness.  God created us to be in fellowship with Him.  When we do not have that relationship with God and are not living the way that He wants us to live, our lives are out of sync with reality.  Our desire should be to please God by doing what He wants us to do.

Be intentional today.  It should be every Christian's desire to live actively and intentionally for Jesus.  Be the best representative of Jesus that you can be.  He is worthy to be worshiped.

2 Corinthians 12:9 - "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Encouragement is necessary to our walk of faith.  Without encouragement, hardships become meaningless.  Life can be difficult at times.  People all around us are fighting depression and discouragement daily.  It is sometimes impossible to recognize that there is meaning in things that seem next to impossible to grasp.  Without encouragement, we feel unloved.


Encourage each other; remind each other that God loves us and will never leave us.  


Encouragement is like oxygen in the life of a church.  It keeps hearts beating and hands inspired to serve.


This life is but a glimpse of the life to come if you are a Christian.  We have so much to be thankful for, so encourage those around you today!


1 Thessalonians 5:11 - "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

There are hundreds of Christians being persecuted around the world, this very minute, for proclaiming that they know Jesus.  Could we do that?  If someone pointed a gun to your head and asked if you believed in Jesus, what would you do?


That is a little extreme for our country, but others around the world are going through this every day.


Be ready, every day, to stand up for Jesus.  He hung on the cross for you, died for you, and rose on the third day, all for you.  What are you willing to sacrifice for Christ?  It may not be to lose our lives, but it could be to stand up and tell your neighbor, co-worker, someone on the bus or plane, about Jesus, and what' He's done for you.


Don't be ashamed of our God!


Luke 9:26 - "For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words, of Him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory and the glory of the father and of the holy angels."

We've all been there....times when God doesn't meet our expectations.  What do you do?  Do you challenge God and think to yourself (well, I could find a faster resolution, or I'll just figure it out on my own)?  Or, do you trust Him?  Truly, trust Him?


God's Will won't always make sense to us.  Sometimes we even wonder if He's listening to our cries.  Be encouraged, friends.  We may not understand why now, but someday we will.


Let go and let God take over.  Trust Him, don't challenge Him.


Psalm 27:5 - "For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will lift me high upon a rock."

Wouldn't it be nice if we never felt tempted to do wrong things?  That will never happen.  The Bible says that temptation must come.  We need to already have the faith in God so that when temptation comes, we'll be ready.  Pray ahead of your troubles.  Pray before you even get into a situation you're not comfortable in.  


Don't forget that God has promised us strength, but we have to ask for it first!


Sad, but many people only recognize their need for God when things begin to fall apart.


It's not too late. Pray up.  Be ready.  Trust God to fight your battles!


Luke 22:40 - "When He came to the place, He said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation."

When your circumstances are not looking good, God's purpose always is.


There will be times in your life when nothing seems to be going right.  You seem stagnant, nothing is moving in the pace you want it to.  So, what do you do?  Do you stomp your feet and pout, and shut God out?  Or, do you give it to God, and have peace in knowing that He will take care of all things, in His timing?


Galatians 6:9 - "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."


Most times we will find that if we wait upon God, we then understand His purpose in having us wait.  Is it easy to wait?  No, but that's what God requires from each one of His children.


Wait, even when things look bleak!

I know I've talked about weeds before, but weeds are inevitable in a garden; and weeds (sins) are inevitable in life.


You can't plant a garden without weeds, nor can you go through life without trouble/problems.  Such is life.


Weeds can literally choke a fully developed plant in any garden.  You have to be on the lookout for them.  You can't go very long without checking to see if any have popped up.


This is the way sin creeps into our lives.  It starts out small, insignificant.  Then, before we know it, it's strangling us.  Fear, doubt and anxiety come with it.  


What's distracting you from Jesus today?  What are you letting creep into your life right now?  Are you merely existing in the garden of life, or are you putting on your righteous gloves everyday and pulling out those weeds/sins before they even take root?


Matthew 13:24-30 
Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. "But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. "But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also."


Sew some good seeds today.  Let them take root in your life.  Be alert and aware of the weeds that are ready to take control.


Keep weeds away before they get the chance to sprout!