Tomorrow I'll be traveling to Israel; a place I've dreamed about for years.  I'm excited and anxious about what God is already doing in my life, and I think this trip will not only strengthen my faith, but draw me closer to God than I've ever been in my Christian walk.


I'm ready to experience the land where Jesus walked and taught while He was here on earth, the land which faces the entrance of the spiritual world.


In reality, I should be thinking of my own  hometown, my own neighborhood, as God's land, God's neighborhood.  We are commanded to spread the news of Jesus, no matter where we are living.  


I'm looking forward to a powerful trip, full of the Holy Spirit in extreme abundance. 


Acts 7:33 - "But the Lord said to him, "Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."


This may be my last post until I return on October 20th.  Thanks for those of you following me, and I look forward to sharing my experiences of Israel with you soon.


Blessings,
Dianne

Disappointment is something we all have faced and is one of the hardest reactions to deal with.  While it's almost impossible to avoid disappointment we can effectively handle disappointment when we have the right mindset.


Jesus tells us that we not 'might' have disappointments, but we WILL have trouble in this world.  We are not protected from disappointment, but we are encouraged to trust God and His promises to us.


When we seek Him, we will lack nothing, meaning, God will give it to us, if it's good for us.


The Bible also tells us that when we face disappointment to focus on the good and that good can only be found in Jesus.

Do you have the faith that it takes to overcome disappointment today?


Trust in Him; have faith that God's got this.


Matthew 21:21 - "And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. "

We have a choice every day to give God thanks.  Even when we're in the midst of heartache, loneliness or anger, our obedience can make a lasting difference in our lives.


When we thank God in difficult times, God doesn't just work to change our situation and help us through our problem, He does so much more.  He changes our heart.


Acknowledging that God is in control gets our eyes off ourselves and helps us to focus back on God.  And, having a grateful heart leaves no room for complaining.


God loves to give good gifts to His children.  It gives Him great joy in our thankfulness and He pours out His Spirit and favor over those who give honor and gratitude to Him.


I hope today finds you with a grateful heart!




Psalm 95:1-3 - "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 

2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods."      

This is so true in the life of a Christian.  You would think it would be the opposite.  You might imagine after becoming a Christian that life is going to be so much better now.  This couldn't be more further from the truth.


When God tests His children, His purpose is to prove that our faith is real.  It's not to see if we can handle the test or how much we can take.  God is testing us to prove that no trial will overcome our faith in Him.


And, without a test, what kind of testimony would you have?  Few want to hear about how easy your life is and about how you have no problems.  No, many want to know, as a Christian, that we have battles too, and that along with God, how we overcome many obstacles.


Expect to be tested and afterwards tell others of what God did in your life.


James 1:2-4 - "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. "

God understands us perfectly and loves us eternally.  This should make you smile.  Knowing that the Creator of the universe, who flung the stars in the sky, knows the number of hairs on our head; knows every heartache and every victory.


God is not shaken when our life takes a hard blow; He's not moved when our world is falling apart.  Just the opposite.  He's right there with you. 


God comforts us in our affliction in order that we may comfort those afflicted after us.  Being comforted by God, equips us to comfort others around us.

God understands exactly what you're going through today.  He's just a breath away, waiting for you to respond to Him.


John 6:35 - Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."

It's not a question of will we have trouble in this world, it's when.  


Many of our trials that we go through will have no clear explanation.  Troubles concern us because as Christians spiritual temptations can come from hard times.


Face it, we live in a fallen world.  It is just the common lot of mankind because sin is in the world.  We can't escape it, but we do have hope.  We have a Savior that died on a cross, that took our place, that bore our sins so that we may live.  Jesus didn't say that He died for us so that we would be sin free.  But, He did give us the choice to follow Him and that no matter what comes our way, He will make a way out.  He is the beginning and the end.


To spend an eternity with Jesus is worth any adversity I face today.  


I don't wake up wondering if I'm going to face problems every day.  I wake up thanking Jesus that I'll not be facing them alone.


John 16:33 - "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world."

In happy moments, praise God.  In the difficult moments, seek God.  In the quiet moments, trust God.  In every moment, thank God.


Love that quote.  The fact is, God is always nearby.  He never takes vacation.  He never sleeps in.  He never forgets about us, for one minute.  So, take time to thank Him when you're reveling in happiness.  Take time to seek Him, really seek Him in those difficult moments.  When you're going through quiet moments, trust that God is there.  And in every moment of every day, thank God for your life.


We're only here on this earth but for a moment.  Don't waste another one without recognizing God!


Psalm 136:26 - "Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. "

We all have experienced anxiety about a situation, worry about a loved one or just rattled emotionally.  God knows all about these times of stress.  


There has been anxiety and fear since the beginning of mankind, in the garden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God.


The good news is we don't have to live in anxiety, fear or even shame.  Through God's grace and love and His written Word, we can have peace and joy.


But it's not only His love and grace, it's trusting Him with the outcome, no matter how bleak it looks.


I choose to trust God with my worry of a loved one today. God's got this!  It's a peace that passes all understanding from man.


What about you?  Are you trusting God with the outcome today?


Philippians 4:6-8 - "6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."