Never Scared

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

Fear paralyzes. Don’t let it paralyze you.

God bless,
J.W.

Live!

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." ~ Matthew 6:34

A few days ago, a friend of Michele and mine lost a loved one. It hit close to home because her loved one was also a friend. He had just been in our home about a month prior.

Reflecting on his untimely death, as well as that of Troy Davis last night, I was reminded, once again, how short my time is here on earth. It sounds cliché, but we truly aren’t promised tomorrow. That’s why God told us not to worry about tomorrow, but to live for today (Matthew 6:25-31).

So, if you ever feel down or depressed, or just feeling like life isn’t worth living, just think about all those people who didn’t get the opportunity to see another day or spend another 24 hours with their loved ones. Think about how truly are blessed you are to have the opportunity to live, love, and learn.

Appreciate your opportunity today!

God bless,
J.W.

Peace In The Midst

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." ~ John 14:27

If you continually face the same trials and tribulations, heartbreaks and failures, you may want to check your life for sin. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and while God is quick to forgive, many times we bring ill into our lives because of unchecked sin.

That is not to say that every time we go through hardship, it’s because we’ve done something wrong. But there’s a difference between temporary hardships and storms and continual heartache and depression. God never promised us that we wouldn’t face difficulties. But he did promise us that he’d give us peace in the midst of our storms. If you continually lack peace in your life, it may be because of unchecked sin.

God bless,
J.W.

Crucify The Flesh

"And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." ~ Galatians 5:24-26

Our flesh can be deceiving. Often, we think our fleshly desires are what are natural to us. We say things like "follow your gut" and "listen to your body."

But the Bible tells us to crucify our flesh. That means to control it by not giving in to its wishes and desires.

God calls us to walk by faith, and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Thus, to live according to His will, we must learn to control our emotions and fleshly desires by crucifying them. Don't let them control you.

God bless,
J.W.

Love The Way You Lie

"When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." ~ John 8:44

In the garden of Eden, Satan provoked Adam and Eve to sin, not by telling an outright lie, but rather by deceiving them through truth. He told Eve that if she were to eat the forbidden fruit, she would "be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). That was true.

What he didn't tell Eve was that she was already like God (Genesis 1:26), but that eating the fruit would make her less like God. In fact, it would kill her and her entire family (Genesis 2:17).

As you go through your daily trials, don't expect Satan to tell you outright lies. No. Deception is best executed when disguised as truth.

God bless,
J.W.

"In Spite Of" God

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over." ~ Psalm 23:4-5

Over the years, I've come to realize that God is an "in spite of" God.

In spite of my circumstances, I have victory in Him. In spite of the evil surrounding me, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. In spite of what I've done, God still loves me unconditionally.

What about you? Have you experienced his "in spite of" love today?

God bless,
J.W.

So Emotional

"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me." ~ Psalm 51:5

Often times, as humans, we think that because something feels natural to us, that it’s the right thing to do. We say things like, “follow your first instinct,” “whatever feels right to you,” or “if it feels right, do it,” as a way to facilitate this philosophy.

But the Bible says that we were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. Our natural state is sinful.

Emotions can be fleeting and feelings can change, but the Word is always consistent. That’s why we need to look to the Bible and God’s Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in the right direction we ought to go.

Wouldn’t you rather base life’s decision on something solid and stable rather than something that changes with the wind? I know I would.

God bless,
J.W.

What do you think? Was this helpful? Is there something to be said about a woman’s intuition or a gut feeling? Am I totally wrong? Let me know what you think – I love to hear from my readers. And please share this message with others if you think it will help them. Thanks so much and God bless!