When not engaged directly in ministry related activities, I function in the business world as a business owner. In that capacity I am exposed to many stories of entrepreneurs who have experienced quick and impressive success - particularly financially. Every once in a while, I find myself dealing with a twinge of what I can only call jealousy.

I hesitate to call it that, because I'm not really jealous, certainly not enough to even consider changing my focus to increase my own business activity in order to generate greater wealth.  I have no interest in changing my focus.  But a twinge usually assails me, a sense of what might be possible financially if I did change my focus.  Instead of focusing the bulk of my time, talent and efforts to being the best Christian witness for Christ that I can be.

One thing I remind myself of, is that I"m not in my 20's anymore, and my need for a higher income just isn't there.  My needs are met, I have a home, comfortable furnishings, my bills are paid on time and there's some left over for being generous toward the need of others I come in contact with.

Then again this morning I read an account of another young entrepreneur who went from huge student debt to multi-millionaire in less than a year.  "Clever soul" was my first thought, and what a pleasant surprise for me that instead of the usual twinge of jealousy, I thought "I wonder if they know Jesus as their Lord and Savior?"

Two thoughts piggy-backed that thought, and a third leaped into action as well.

1. Proof I'm still growing in Christian maturity, jealousy replaced by joy
2. How wonderful to be content with what God has blessed me with
3.  I should pray the gospel is preached to that person, because that's what they need most if they don't already know Him.  (Which is in itself proof of Christian maturity, so I'm thankful for that, too!)
   

 The Apostle Paul tells us that godliness with contentment is great gain.  1Timothy 6:6

I'm really seeing the full extent of truth in that statement.  What a sense of peace is mine when I am content with what I have and not coveting what someone else has.  What joy to experience maturity in Christ in action in my life; it inspires me to continue to grow, to renew my mind to the word of God and to yield myself to the work of the Holy Spirit in me.  What a wonderful gain to my own life and heart and the people around me, since they are affected by my actions, words and heart attitudes.

Wherever you may be in your walk with Christ; just beginning, experiencing a period of great growth or struggling to move forward allow me to encourage you to KEEP GOING!

There is so much to gain and nothing worth keeping to lose when you yield, obey and grow in the grace of God.  

Please be sure to fill out the prayer request form in the upper left of the home page and we will pray for you!  If you' aren't participating in a bible study group that is digging deep into the principle's of the bible and how to apply them to your everyday life, we encourage you to seek out such a group or get one started yourself!  Need help to get started?  Contact us: turnthetideministry@gmail.com

When I'm not sure what to do....

When I'm not sure what to do, I get on my knees and ask God for guidance.

I'd really love to tell you that He answers, immediately and decisively, and I get up off my knees and obediently and immediately do what He has answered and get on with life and everything is simple and straightforward and even, easy.

But....

That is very often NOT how that goes.

Most often, my emotions interfere with getting to the point where I get on my knees and ask God for guidance without an agenda already existing in my heart.  So I'm not on my knees asking, so much as I'm on my knees telling.  Telling God to do this or do that, or do it this way or within these boundaries....etc etc

My feelings have to be dealt with, so even if I've made it to my knees, having gotten beyond my selfish need to control the asking and outcome of why I'm there, when I get up I find I still have deal with how I feel, and push past that in order to CHOOSE obedience sometimes in spite of my feelings.

As I've said before, a great deal of prayer isn't that it changes the situations around us.
It's that it changes us!  Which causes us to treat the situations around us differently, which then changes those situations.

I'm so thankful that God considers our hearts - He concerns Himself with our DESIRE to obey, not the often inability of our flesh to obey.  He works with us, challenges us to grow, and gives us opportunity to learn and get it right.  He never gives up on us.  He never walks away from us.  He never leaves us or forsakes us.
Every time we get on our knees before Him (or sit or stand or lay down or whatever position you are in for prayer) He is there, ready to meet us at our point of need and bring us up to His standard.

So go ahead.  Get on your knees.  As often as you need to until your heart and your flesh are both lined up with Gods perfect will.  He is infinitely patient.  And He isn't keeping score on how long it takes you or how many tries.  He just wants you to keep walking with Him and growing with Him and letting Him have His way in your heart and life.

Thank you Jesus!

Dreams & Visions

When we pray, do we REALLY believe God will answer us?

Then why are so often surprised when He does?

I recently talked about examining our own hearts; an exhortation Paul makes:

2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

Reading that one morning now too long ago, I asked God to help me examine my heart, and reveal if anything needed attention, repentance and change.

Interestingly enough, I had a couple of dreams in the next two weeks that appeared significant, as they stayed with me through the next day.  

Again, I sought the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Who leads us into all truth, and discovered to my surprise, then joy, that indeed I did have two specific areas that required further address. 

I also felt my surprise needed addressing!  When we pray in Faith, we certainly should expect to get an answer, don't you agree?

The Lord often speaks to us in dreams and visions.  It's one of the few times, I think, we're actually quiet enough to LISTEN!

I pray you, too, will find your faith increasing as you experience answer to your prayers!

When you pray....

Have you ever prayed - and nothing happened?  Then sometime later - answer to your prayer is received, but you may have forgotten you even prayed and so you don't notice?

I know that sounds odd, but I recently realized that actually has happened to me.  I thought it may have happened to others as well.  We think God hasn't heard us, hasn't answered us.  Life, our daily ups and downs and minor drama's continues and we forget prayers we prayed that seemed like a big deal at the time we prayed them, but now other concerns have crowded our hearts and minds for attention and we don't remember.

God's timing for answer comes and God hasn't forgotten.

In the Gospel of John I was reading chapter 7 this morning when verse 6 leapt out at me.

John 7: 6  Then Jesus said to them "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready."

His timing isn't always OUR TIMING.  We want everything now, now, NOW!  Yet God always knows when the exact right time is.

Some who keep prayer journals have probably, like myself, gone back to read over what they've prayed in the past and suddenly seen that a prayer they forgot about was answered by the Lord.... in His perfect timing and not according to our timetables.

Our God is faithful... and He never forgets!

Lift your voice in prayer and put your trust in the One who loves you unconditionally.
Bless you today, in Jesus name!