The human heart is much like a container. Throughout life we accumulate experiences and emotions, some good and some not so good. The good times and relationships of life leave us with positive memories and pleasant feelings. They build trust in us, and bring us joy and positive expectations for the future.
The other day I was reminded that it was winter. How? My hands notified me. They had taken on their winterized look and feel — dry, rough, irritated. I did something that I rarely do any other time of the year. I applied some moisturizer to them. And let the record reflect, it was moisturizer especially designed for men! In no time flat, the dehydrated epidermis on my metacarpals was therapeutically transformed. In simpler terms, my hands were healed! I call it the ''moisturizer miracle.''
“I'm not happy with ____________________ . I'm not happy about ____________________ .”
You fill in the blanks. It's highly likely that something readily comes to mind that completes the sentences. Your answers might be: “the weather, my job, my marriage, my boss, my children, my looks … “
We sometimes have needs that require us to ask someone for something. Making the “ask” for aid, assistance or advice isn’t easy for many folks. While there’re people whose first name should be “Ask,” because of the frequency and shamelessness of their requests, there’re many others for whom asking anyone for anything is absolutely excruciating.
See MoreMatthew 2:6 “O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.”
Isaiah 7:14 “… The Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel—‘God is with us.’”
Isaiah 43:19 “For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert!”
Matthew 1:18-21 “Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly. As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’”
Matthew 3:1-2 “In those days John the Baptist began preaching in the Judean wilderness. His message was, ‘Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near.’”
Luke 1:38 "Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.’ And then the angel left.”
Luke 2:8-11 “That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!”
Luke 1:46-49 “Mary responded, ‘Oh, how I praise the Lord. How I rejoice in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me.’”
Luke 2:15-17 “When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ‘Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.”
Matthew 2:11 “They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
Luke 1:39-40 "A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.”
John 1:14 “So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.”
Isaiah 9:2-6 “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light—a light that will shine on all who live in the land where death casts its shadow. Israel will again be great, and its people will rejoice as people rejoice at harvest time. They will shout with joy like warriors dividing the plunder. For God will break the chains that bind his people and the whip that scourges them … For a child is born to us, a son is given to us …”
Matthew 1:23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us).”
Isaiah 12:1-4 “In that day you will sing: ‘Praise the LORD! He was angry with me, but now he comforts me See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.’ With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! In that wonderful day you will sing: ‘Thank the LORD! Praise his name! Tell the world what he has done. Oh, how mighty He is!’”
1 John 1:1 “The one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of life.”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Isaiah 9:6-7 “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this!”
Luke 2:7 “She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.”
Matthew 2:2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him.”
Luke 2:13-14
“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God: ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.’”
Luke 1:45 “You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Matthew 2:10-11 “When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
Luke 1:78-79 “Because of God’s tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”
John 8:12 “Jesus said to the people, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’”
Matthew 1:21 “And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
How's your faith?
The Bible tells us that faith is the key to pleasing God (Hebrews 11:6). It's also one of the keys to a peaceful and productive life. Faith connects us to God and to all the gifts and blessings He wants to give us.
I suppose all of us have found ourselves in situations when we're running short, or perhaps have totally run out of something we desperately need. It could be limited financial resources to meet a pressing bill. It might be the loss of focus, inspiration, energy or motivation to get a job done. It could be the wearing down, or perhaps the complete erosion of love, passion and connection in a relationship. There are times in life when “it's” gone — whatever that “it” might be.
There's a big difference between knowing about someone and really knowing someone. The difference is a personal relationship. We all know lots of things about lots of people, but when it comes to the people we really “know,” our list is much shorter.
There are times when we all need help finding our way. As we navigate life we're faced with decisions, choices, options and opportunities. The steps we take and the turns we make matter. We need to navigate life wisely, and carefully.
Service is a big deal. Restaurants, hotels, companies and corporations are sometimes judged more by their service than by their products. Wise leaders work hard at “improving the serve” of their organization. Why? Because pleasant, responsive, thorough and gracious service is a key to building something great. And according to Jesus, it's one of the keys to building a great life.
The human heart is much like a container. Throughout life we accumulate experiences and emotions, some good and some not so good. The good times and relationships of life leave us with positive memories and pleasant feelings. They build trust in us, and bring us joy and positive expectations for the future.
Each year we’re reminded of a very important part of life — of something that should be deeply ingrained in our character — the value of gratitude.
God has a unique plan and purpose for your life. There's a work He wants you to do that no one can do quite like you.
Attitudes are a big part of life. They affect our feelings, impact our productivity and determine the quality of our relationships. We should never underestimate their power. When attitudes are improved, all parts of our lives improve.
We sometimes have needs that require us to ask someone for something. Making the “ask” for aid, assistance or advice isn’t easy for many folks. While there’re people whose first name should be “Ask,” because of the frequency and shamelessness of their requests, there’re many others for whom asking anyone for anything is absolutely excruciating.
“I'm not happy with ____________________ . I'm not happy about ____________________ .”
You fill in the blanks. It's highly likely that something readily comes to mind that completes the sentences. Your answers might be: “the weather, my job, my marriage, my boss, my children, my looks … “
The other day I was reminded that it was winter. How? My hands notified me. They had taken on their winterized look and feel — dry, rough, irritated. I did something that I rarely do any other time of the year. I applied some moisturizer to them. And let the record reflect, it was moisturizer especially designed for men! In no time flat, the dehydrated epidermis on my metacarpals was therapeutically transformed. In simpler terms, my hands were healed! I call it the ''moisturizer miracle.''
Positive changes happen in us when we know, believe, confess and obey God’s Word. When we agree with what God says about us, our minds are renewed, and our choices and habits improve. In this new book from Pastor Dale O'Shields, you will find 25 biblically-based affirmations that will help you think right about God, yourself, others and the world.
