Starving Bakers

Satan uses temptations to tear you down

God uses trials to build you up

Have a Spirit-led day!

Starving Bakers…

I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry. (John 6:35)

Imagine finding a new bakery. You love going there because the baker creates new recipes, better than any you've ever tasted. Soon word gets out and crowds start coming. The baker doesn't have enough help and ends up trying to serve all the customers himself. Gradually you see a change. He's getting thin. Very thin!

What's up? You decide to sit and observe. Suddenly the problem becomes obvious. He's busy serving everyone else but never stops long enough to feed himself. With food all around him, he's starving!

Can you relate? A lot of us, particularly leaders, fail to take care of ourselves Spiritually, emotionally and intellectually, and eventually we end up being unable to take care of others. And when we do read our Bible or listen to CDs, it's always for others. And what's the result? We end up busy but barren, going through the motions without taking time to feed our souls on the bread of life. And we keep promising ourselves to do better: "when the children are raised... when I go on holiday... when things slow down... when I retire."

Solomon wrote: "They made me caretaker of the vineyards, but I have not taken care of my own" (Song of Songs 1:6). The only way things are going to change - is if you change them! Otherwise you'll simply exchange one set of demands for another. Learn to walk away!

Jesus did: "After He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray" (Matthew 14:23).

Start doing what Jesus did, otherwise you'll soon end up like the starving baker! Take time to recharge your batteries - ourselves Spiritually, Emotionally and Intellectually.

It will result in a better, happier YOU!

(by Irma Raymond)

Quote for the day

Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase. - Anonymous

School of Hard Knocks

No chastening seems to be joyful for the present...; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. - Hebrews 12:11

Of all my childhood memories, one stands out above the others. While I have no idea what my teacher said, I clearly remember telling her to "shut up". She sent me home, so I got up and left my kindergarten class to walk the half-block home. Walking down the sidewalk, I saw my mother weeding in the garden behind our house. I was now faced with a strategic decision - continue on my way and tell my mother why I was home early from school, or turn around and go back to face my teacher.

When I returned to the classroom, I was immediately escorted to the restroom where my teacher washed my mouth out with soap. That kind of discipline probably wouldn't happen today, but take it from me, it was effective! To this day I am acutely sensitive about the impact of my words.

God is passionately interested in our positive growth as His children. At times He needs to confront us with unpleasant circumstances to catch our attention and reorient our lives to more consistently produce the "peaceable fruit of righteousness" (Heb 12:11).

Don't resist God's corrective hand. Respond to His reproofs with thankfulness that He loves you enough to care about what kind of a person you are becoming.

(by Joe Stowell)

Because our Father's heart is grieved

Each time we go astray

He lifts His chastening hand in love

To help us to His way. - D. De Haan

God's correction is our hope for a better life.

When You Are Left Alone

Worry is the darkroom in which "negatives" are developed.

Stop worrying and have a Positive day!

When You Are Left Alone… Depend On God…

Jacob was left alone. (Genesis 32:24)

Like Jacob in the bible, many of us know how it feels to be "left alone".

When a loved one dies or a friend leaves, or you walk through the fire of separation and divorce, no matter how 'spiritual' you are it still hurts!

Emotional pain is to the soul what physical pain is to the body; it tells you something's wrong; that you need God to guide you through the challenges and upheavals of realigning your life to cope with what has happened. And the struggle doesn't begin in earnest while you're surrounded by people, it starts when you've been left alone!

The fact is you can survive without others, but you can't survive without God. That's why He sometimes strips away everything that makes us dependent on people. He sends certain individuals into your life to help build your faith and develop your character, and when they're gone, to leave you with the assurance that God's in control.

The loss of loved ones

(a) develops our Spiritual muscle;

(b) tests our resilience;

(c) shows us the scope of God's power.

When Moses died and Joshua was left in charge, God told him, "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you" (Joshua 1:5). That's something Joshua could never have learned while Moses was in the picture. And it's a lesson you can't learn while you're looking to other human beings for all your answers. In Mark 4:39 when Jesus "ordered the wind and waves to be quiet" the Bible says "everything was calm". In the midst of your storm, ask Him to come and stand in the bow of your boat, and to speak peace to the things that are upsetting you.

He'll do it!

(by Irma Raymond)

Your Value...

The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.

Read: 1 John 4:4

Have a Great day!

We have believed the love that God has for us. (1 John 4:16)

A gem dealer was strolling through the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show when he noticed a blue-violet stone the size of a potato. The seller, thinking the rock wasn't as pretty as others in the bin, sold it to him for ten dollars. That ugly stone was later certified as a 1,905-carat natural star sapphire, appraised at 2.8 million dollars.

It took a lover of stones to recognize its worth. And it took the lover of souls to recognize your worth. Do you realize how much God loves you? If not, look at the cross. Perhaps you're disappointed because you've asked God for something and He didn't do what you thought He should have done. Before you feel unloved, take a moment and look back.

Hasn't He blessed you and held you steady through rough places? It's been a long ride, but He's still holding you, right? Don't act as if your heavenly Father doesn't love you because He doesn't always cater to you. Our society has spent so much time criticizing differences that it fails to see God in diversity. Because you're different, doesn't mean you're 'less than' - just different!

If God hadn't made you as He did, you wouldn't have been able to persevere as you have. You're uniquely equipped to be a blessing to those around you. Remember, people are blessed because you're sincere and available - not perfect.

So next time you feel worthless, stop and remind yourself, 'God loves and values me!'

I am a gem of great value!

(by Irma Raymond)

Strength and... Courage

It takes strength to be firm,
It takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to stand guard,
It takes courage to let down your guard.

It takes strength to conquer,
It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain,
It takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in,
It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend's pain,
It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to hide your own pains,
It takes courage to show them.

It takes strength to endure abuse,
It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone,
It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love,
It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive,
It takes courage to live.

May you be blessed with courage today!

(by Irma Raymond)