Unusual Kindness

Today we finish up the book of ACTs on a Kind note...In verse 2 of chapter 28 we are told that after safely landing on the island of Malta, the islanders there showed Paul and the rest of 276 persons with him UNUSUAL KINDNESS. I started to wonder about that, it make me think of the name of the website that the Lord inspired me and guided me through building, "Unexpected Delights". One of main focuses of that site is to encourage people to reach out to others with random acts of kindness where they are least expected. It is obvious that the writer of this verse certainly did not expect these islanders to be as kind as they were. I have not researched the island of Malta and the people who dwelled there, but I have a strong suscpicion that the Lord placed that unusual kindness within their hearts. Unusual Kindness comes from the Lord's heart...

As I was reflecting on the attributes that should be a natural part of our faith because of the Fathers heart being meshed with ours, it made me wonder how many hearts out there are truly meshed with His. There are nine attributes that should be as natural to a born again spirit filled believer as the air we breath.

Love-Do you do everything whether liked or disliked from a heart of love?

Joy-Does your faith bring joy to you and to those around you? Your joy should be contagious and fun. Speaking of fun, if your faith seems more like gloom and doom and Do not's, a red flag should be hoisted...walking with and knowing the Lord is FUN...

Peace-regardless of what turmoil is going on in the world, do you have a sense a peace that can not be explained?

Patience-a sure way to tell if you are operating from a heart of love is to notice your patience level during the task...

Kindness-do you give of yourself from a heart that expects nothing in return?

Goodness-is your natural reaction to life to do good?

Faithfulness-Just as the Lord is faithful to all His promises, are you faithful to yours?

Gentleness-Proverbs 15:1 says that a gentle answer turns away wrath. Are you gentle with the choice of words and tone you use to answer and interact with others?

Self-Control- Are you able to maintain self control  and be clear minded?

Reflect on these today. They are the fruit of the spirit. They are the very heart and core of our Lord.

God Bless your heart with His today...Lord in your name I ask and believe

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Proclaim It!!!

I often pray for a steadfast heart. Today as I was reading Psalm 57, the 7th verse stood out to me. "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music." Sometimes we pray for the same things over and over. What hit  me today is that spoken words are powerful. Reflecting on the verse, I thought to myself then said in a loud voice, "My heart is Steadfast, I will sing and make music." David proclaimed his heart was steadfast, he didn't ask for one, he proclaimed he already had one and was praising God for it.

I praise Him today that I have a steadfast heart...
I praise Him today for souls that were lost and are now found...


What have you been praying for? Stand on God's promises and proclaim whatever it is with a loud voice then praise Him for it...

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Humbleness

In the 24th chapter of ACTs, Paul makes the following statement before the Govenor, "I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." As I reflect on that statement, I think of the millions of choices that we have to make during our lives. Keeping the conscience clear is a part of every choice we make.  In Paul's statement it is clear that in all his choices he also chose to keep his conscience clear in all that he did before God and before man.

There have been times in my own life when what I chose to do bothered my conscience greatly. It is quite an uncomfortable feeling. The only thing that I have ever found that can clear and lift the weight of a quilty conscience is going before God and asking him to forgive me and then to guide me into making things right with the choice I made. Because of human pride, it takes humility and humbleness to go before God and man to tell them you have made a wrong choice. 

God's word to us in 1 Peter 5:5  is this ,"All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

In Paul's statement we see that keeping a clear conscience is a continual thing we have to work at. We are not perfect and because of this we have to always walk in humbleness and don the cloak of humility towards each other.

During the typing of this post I heard the following over and over.
"I am your everlasting arm dear, holding you up in heavenly places."

It is through His strength and not our own that we are able to accomplish kingdom work...we can not get to heavenly places without His strong arm holding us up... Humbleness

Walk in humbleness today and the Lord will hold you up and give you  grace...

Lord, I humbly come before you and ask you to remove any hint of pride that I am blind to that may  have attached itself to me, and forgive me. If there has been or is anything that I may have said or done that is not pleasing to you, reveal it and forgive me and guide me through making it right. Help me Lord to always strive as Paul did to keep my conscience clear before You and before man. I thank you & praise you for your grace. I  thank you for your everlasting arm that holds me up. I thank you for allowing me to see heavenly places as I am held up by the strength of your arm. It is in your name alone, Yeshua, that I ask and I believe...

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Hand off the Load

I was blessed this morning in the reading of Psalm 55.Verse 22 tells us to cast our cares on the Lord and He will sustain us and never let us fall. Sometimes I feel like a heavy load has taken up residence on my soul. There is no doubt that if we are carrying too much, there is a chance of stumbling, thank God that He is there to catch us before we hit the ground. We all have so many things going on in our lives that we becomed bogged down and run down. The Lord does not want that for us. If you have been carrying a heavy load, take a "time out" today to sit with the Lord. Envision yourself handing each care off to him. Name them off to Him one by one. It is the same concept as journaling or making a list, you have placed those "thoughts" or "list of things to do" somewhere and it lightens the load of the heart and mind, you have handed them off...

Lord, I thank you today for the times you have caught me before falling. I am so thankful for all the times that I have been able to unload my cares and place them in your strong hands. I pray for those who are carrying a heavy load today Lord, may they see that you are standing there waiting for them to hand off the Load. In your name I ask and I believe....

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A Teachable Spirit

Yesterday in ACTs chapter 18 we read an account  of a man named Apollos. The scriptures say he was a learned man with thourough knowledge of the scriptures and that he taught accurately. It sounds like he knew quite a lot already, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him teach they invited him to their home to explain to him the way of God more adequately. What I see here is a humble, teachable spirit in Apollos. I for one want to maintain that sort of spirit within my own life... How about you? Do you have a humble, teachable spirit?

Lord forgive me for times when I may have ignored a time of teaching. Create in me O God a pure heart and steadfast spirit that is humble and always teachable...In your name I ask and Believe

The Hand of Hope

My heart is heavy today for those who feel they have lost all hope.

Dear one please know that there is a hand reaching down from heaven waiting for you to take hold of it. It has always been there. Once you reach for it , peace will invade your soul. Not peace like the world knows, this is peace that comes from heavens gates and no one can explain it or completely understand it. Trust Him today, reach up, and take His hand.

Lord, your sweet touch is the medicine that clears away all sense of hopelessness. Give this one a strong dose today. Thank You. In your name I ask and believe

A Flourishing Tree

How is your faith today? Would you consider it to be like an olive tree fourishing in God's house?
Do you trust whole heartedly in God's unfailing love? Do you praise Him for the things he has done? Does your hope remain in His name?

Psalms 52:8-9

Please feel free to comment on other passages of todays readings under this post...
ACTs 15-16
Proverbs 21, Psalms 52
Leviticus 13-14