Do Not Be Surprised......

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

DO NOT BE SURPRISED by the fiery attacks on your mind. When you struggle to find Me and to live in My Peace, don't let discouragement set in. You are engaged in massive spiritual warfare. The evil one abhors your closeness to Me, and his demonic underlings are determined to destroy our intimacy. When you find yourself in the thick of battle, call upon My Name: "Jesus, help me!" At that instant, the battle becomes Mine; your role is simply to trust Me as I fight for you.

My Name, properly used, has unlimited Power to bless and protect. At the end of time, every knee will bow (in heaven, on earth, and under the earth), when My Name is proclaimed. People who have used "Jesus" as a shoddy swear word will fall down in terror on that awesome day. But all those who have drawn near Me through trustingly uttering My Name will be filled with inexpressible and glorious Joy. This is your great hope, as you await My return.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In My Presence"

My Focus

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

I really struggle with being a people pleaser.

We all want to be liked, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But if I’m seeking to please the Lord first and foremost, I will ask two questions before agreeing to do something for another person:

First, am I doing this with good motives?

And second, am I doing this for selfish reasons to gain acceptance?

You know, wherever we focus our attention the most, that will become the driving force in our lives.
The more I focus on trying to figure out how to please people, the more of a magnified force people-pleasing will become in my life.

But the more I focus on trying to figure out how to please God, the more of a magnified force He will become in my life. My focus. My choice.

- Lysa TerKeurst - Proverbs 31 Ministries

Sufficient, Sustaining Grace...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

A thorn in the flesh. Such vivid imagery. The sharp end of a thorn pierces the soft skin of life and lodges beneath the surface. Every step is a reminder of the thorn in the flesh. The cancer in the body. The child in rehab. The red ink on the ledger. The tears in the middle of the night. “Take it away,” you’ve pleaded. Not once, twice, or even three times. But you’ve heard the same words the apostle Paul heard in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

Paul is referring to sustaining grace—grace that meets us at our point of need and equips us with courage, wisdom, and strength. Sustaining grace promises not the absence of struggle but the presence of God. We’ve written checks only to see the words “insufficient funds.” Will we offer prayers only to discover insufficient strength? Never!

From God is With You Every Day - Max Lucado