Life is Precious!

I feel overwhelmed by the needs of God's children. Not just within His church, but those who do not know Him. So many live their lives for the things of this world. We are in a place and time in which the things of this world are quickly fading. People are losing their homes, families are losing hope for their future, feelings of despair hang heavy in the air. We all walk around, passing each other, with blinders on and with a falseness that screams louder than our words. At what point do we surrender? When do we, as God's people do the simple task of reaching out? Not just throwing money to someone, but listening to their story, investing in their lives, surrounding them with God's love and abundance. Only God gives us the ability to do that but if we stifle His voice with everything of this world,  we allow Him to be drowned out. We can not walk in this world and make a difference if we are not willing to be the change that is needed. We have to be different, willing to risk, to be hurt, to simply, and yet, the most difficult, to love. We have to stop passing judgement on others with our piousness. The Bible speaks clearly that we are to love, the most important way to offer hope is by loving and standing beside the hurting and abused, the forgotten and ignored. How can we continue to place so much of who we are into so much of what God is not? I don't believe God wants His words to fall on deaf ears, He wants to save His people! We are the tools to reach the dying and hopeless. How many books have been written, songs sung and sermons preached and yet we are still falling short. Not just locally but globally. Father, give us your eyes to see what we can not see, to feel the hurt and pain of a hurting people but most of all...change our hearts to love with a reckless abandon. Extend our arms to reach around a broken people and quicken the pace of our footsteps so we don't waste one more moment!

Hope

Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God.    Psalm 42:5
 
 Today begins a new day. Not much different than the day before or possibly tomorrow but today is a NEW day!  On the other hand, your new day may be the anticipation of a new life being birthed or at the other end of the spectrum, your asking "how much time do I have?". In all of our circumstances, God has blessed each one of us with Hope. It's not a feeling it's a promise! A promise for new life in Him! Maybe your circumstances tell you differently, maybe you feel overwhelmed with merely existing and the unending pile of debts, the unplanned events that have strained your family. We all face difficult times, times that stretch who we are and why we are here. My answers are no better or any more clear than yours, but I know the God who offers all of us Hope. He will sustain and direct our paths, He will guide us to the road that will lead us to rest in Him.
  The battle lines are drawn everyday by circumstances, another person, or perhaps, we are our own worst enemy. We make choices everyday as to whether we are going to fight the battle with the full armor of Christ or will we allow one more moment to be given to the enemy?
  Everything brought to us to bear has been filtered through the Father's hands, to stretch us and to make us grow in Him. We are created for His Glory! Stand strong and fight, for even though the battle lines have been drawn, you are not alone on the battle field!
  Hebrews 13:5 says Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. God has said," I will never leave you; I will never abandoned you."