I Have Never Seen A Storm Last Forever,

In life we may feel shipwrecked, we may feel that our storm resembles a tornado, earthquake or hurricane. We are tossed and turned in every direction and it seem like our whole world has fallen apart in a pile of mess and debris surrounded by the stress and demands of everyday life. Remember you can reach the port if you weather the storm. No one is exempt from the turbulence, bumps & discomfort that come with the storms of life. Your best stories will come from your struggles. I have never seen a storm last forever, keep standing. "Sometimes God calms the storm, but sometimes God lets the storm rage and calms His child". When it's all over, you are still standing because when God see that your storms are raging and tossing high, He will say "Peace Be Still" in the midst of your storm, He will carry you through.

You Cannot Possess The Fruits of the Spirit If You have No Roots! Check Your Soil.

You cannot possess the fruits of the spirit if you have no roots! check your soil.  Is your soil rich, poor, fertile or infertile soil,  do you hear the word, accept it, show God's love and produce followers of Christ?  Soil texture and soil structure are both unique properties of the soil that will have a profound effect on the behavior of the soil. The same is with the fruits of the spirit.  If you apply the fruits of the spirit to your everyday life it will have a profound effect on your behavior and others. If the fruits of the spirit are not present, then how can the Holy Spirit be present?  A person must have a willing heart to change in order for God to use them. Before you can bear the fruit of the Spirit, you must first have the LIFE of the Spirit. When you find yourself in Christ Jesus, you have found your life.
Galatians 5:22.

Finding A Church That Is "A Perfect" Fit.

Every church has something that's not quite right.  Too short.  Too long. Too big. Too small, Too tight. Too loose. These words describe most of the clothes I try on. Finding the perfect fit seems impossible.  Finding a church that is a "perfect fit " poses similar problems. Our gifts aren't recognized.  Our talents aren't appreciated. Our sense of humor is misunderstood.  Certain attitudes, beliefs, people, or programs makes us uncomfortable.  We feel as if we don't fit.  We struggle to find our place.  We know, however, that God wants us to fit together with one another, for there to be no divisions in His church. This means that we, the building blocks are to be "perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Corinthians 1:10). No church will be a perfect fit, but we can all work at fitting together more perfectly.
Christ's love creates unity in the midst of diversity.

Christ, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.  Ephesians 2:21

When Facing A Crisis, This Is What God Ask Us To Do

God didn't ask us to try and figure out anything, what He did say is "Trust Him" in everything.  When facing a crisis, trust God and move forward. God's dawn of deliverance often comes when the hour of trial is darkest. Every season needs faith to get us through it and every crisis need us to rely on God to carry us through. We do a disservice to ourselves and others when we portray the Christian life as peaceful and happy all the time.  Instead, the Bible portrays the believers life as consisting of seasons of ups and downs. There will be crisis in and out of season but there God will be all the time; TRUST HIM.

 

Solomon's father, David, was called a "man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22).  Yet David's life illustrates how life is filled with seasons of ups and downs.  David wept over Bathsheba's first child who was fatally ill (2nd Samuel 12:22).  Yet he wrote songs of praise and joyous laughter. Psalm 126:1-3).

Blessings

J.P. Olson

What If Everyone Worked With God In Mind?

Work as if you were serving the Lord, not as if
you were serving only men and women.
                -Ephesians 6:7

What if everyone worked with God in mind? 
Suppose no one worked to satisfy self or please
the bottom line but everyone worked to please
God. 

Many occupations would instantly cease:  drug
trafficking, thievery, prostitution, nightclub
and casino management.  Certain careers, by
their nature, cannot please God.  These would
cease. 

Certain behaviors would cases as well.  If I’m
repairing a car for God, I’m not going to
overcharge his children.  If I’m painting a wall
for God, you think I’m going to use paint
thinner? 

Imagine if everyone worked for the audience of
One.  Every nurse, thoughtful.  Every officer,
careful.  Every professor, insightful.  Every
salesperson, delightful.  Every teacher,
hopeful.  Every lawyer, skillful.
Impossible?  Not entirely.

How To Communicate With God

When we have a deep and heartfelt conversation with another person, we very often come away from that experience saying, I have a much better understanding of him and his problems, needs, and concerns.The same is true when we communicate intentionally with God. We know Him more fully, understand Him better, feel more at home in His presence, find cause to praise Him more, and have a deeper relationship with Him.

Talking to God doesn’t build relationship. Communicating with God does—both speaking and listening.  Nobody knows you like God knows you. Nobody loves you like God loves you. Nobody desires good for your life more than God. In prayer, you will soon discover not only more about God, but more about yourself as God’s beloved child.

Prayer is the key to a relationship with God. Intentional dialogue with God ultimately establishes and deepens our relationship with Him. The purpose of prayer is that we might know God better, experience more of His love, and have an abiding awareness of His work in our lives.

There is no more exciting or enriching experience!  A relationship with God, of course, is very personal. In fact, it’s the most intimate relationship you can ever know.

Blessings

Don't Let The Devil Ride

Wherever you are going, Christ has already been there and paved the way for you.
Satan will surely try to stop you while on your journey.  Don't let the devil ride, if you let him ride, he'll want to drive, don't give him the keys, he will promise you a joy ride & will wreck your life in the process.  His mission and motive is to kill you in the fast lane. Take heed and listen to God's word.  Satan is the enemy and he know there are many in the world who wants a joy ride in the fast lane.  It is not worth it to compromise your life for a quick fix with the devil.  Satan comes to kill, steal and destroy; you are at a serious high risk and you are destined for a fatal collision when you let the devil ride.

Walking and talking with God is a ride you will never want to end. God is always there, always faithful, and always right. Remember to “fasten your seat-belts”,  because life is going to get bumpy, full of turbulence, there will be roadblocks and detours, God will guide you around them if you just allow Him to lead you. We have to strap ourselves into His word and trust in His faithfulness, and not give Satan the keys to drive us crazy & destroy us.  Don't let the devil ride. No matter your situation, God will perform miracles in your life. So when tragedy knocks at your door, remember to stay focused, placing your faith in God. When we trust in Him, all is well.

God wants to take all the happiness, joy and peace of heaven along with all the disasters, messes, pain, and heartache that we have endured and forge them together, blending them into a story of grace fulfilling His purpose in your life. When crisis strikes in our lives, He covers us and shelters us, providing us comfort to withstand it all by His grace. In our every moment of joy or hardship, He is there.  When we find that we are broken, stressed out, hurt or in pain is the time to cast our cares upon the Lord. When everything is falling apart, we must call on Him for strength. When we lean on Him, we can endure anything and trust that the difficulties will pave a way for renewed success.

As we journey through life, we will get beaten up- we will get hurt and bruised along the way. Scarred memories mark our journey like markers on a highway.  There are times of joy and bliss that we savor, but sometimes it seems that they get lost in our journey and that's when Satan offer to give us a smoother ride through deception. We all wonder what tomorrow will bring; a better life; a better situation; a more prosperous job; or a happy marriage. It is in God that we can find the hope for our future not by falling prey to the devil's schemes and tricks.
God want each of us to live a life full of joy, love and abundance; not Satan's way; but the only way which is through our heavenly Father.  So when the devil wants to get into your car (life) pass him by; let him continue to hitch hike on down the road, because he won't give up or give in until he gets the next victim.  At all times keep Jesus in the car of life with you, you are at no risk, you will have a safe journey and a safe arrival with Jesus at the wheel; for He has already paved the way.

If we put our hope in God, there will be no surprising ending in our lives. Only in Christ we can bypass that fatal collision, remember when the devil wants to ride with you kick him to the curb. God tells us to cast our fears upon Him and trust in Him to direct our path. He is our constant Rock and Eternal Anchor – He never changes. 
Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/psalms/46-1-compare.html


J.P. Olson