When you think you’re at the end of your rope, when you can’t see how things could possibly work out, when you feel empty and alone, know this: God is working behind the scenes to make this trial a blessing. Hold this thought: One day, that trial that makes you want to pull the covers over your head, will turn out to be your greatest blessing! Romans 8:28 says “and we KNOW that all things work together for good to those that love God and are the called according to His purpose”. Hold on today and KNOW He’s working…even when you can’t see Him or feel Him, He’s still there working on your behalf!

When David killed Goliath, he finished the job! Never settle for half-way defeating the enemy. If you’ve lost all but 10 pounds, don’t settle! If you stop anywhere along the way, the enemy has time to re-group and suck you into a place you can’t resist. Nobody wants a half-way healing…but when we feel just a little better, we let down on our prayer life and boom! We opened a door to the enemy again. Give the devil an inch and he will become your ruler!! So the next time you decide to let down your guard or stop somewhere on your journey before you have the full victory, think again!!

Mindy…that was her name. She was standing in the cold weather with a hand made sign that said ” Anything will help”. Her eyes were sad, her heart seemed hopeless. As we passed her on an exit ramp somewhere in Ohio, my friend Kathy saw her first and the Spirit of God moved on her heart both to pray and to “do”. She bought the young woman something to eat and as we moved back to the spot where we’d seen her, Kathy went up and began to speak with her, the things God had laid o…n her heart…she spoke hope and prayed for this girl. As I looked on, the young woman began to cry. She said she was waiting for her mother to come the next day to pick her up. I’m not sure that was true. As we drove off, we prayed for Mindy throughout the day and this past week. Mindy is just one of thousands of young people who have lost their way. Please don’t pass them by. It’s so dangerous out there…and they are somebody’s daughter, sister, friend….ask God what He wants you to do.

A river cuts through a rock not because of its power but its persistence. That applies to rivers but it also applies to us. So many things in our lives require that same persistence. God tells us that He’s fighting with us and for us…We can be persistent because we KNOW that we are operating with the push of the Holy Spirit. Do you know that you’re unstoppable! Do you know that victory is right around the corner? Never give up…just keep moving forward.

When Jesus came, Martha met him outside of Bethany and said that Lazarus had died. Jesus told her that he would rise again. Martha responded back that she knew that he would rise again at the end of time. At this time, many Jews believed that the soul hovered around the body for 3 days after death and you weren’t really dead until you were dead for 4 days. Martha still had hope, but it was a future hope. Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. Martha couldn’t see how anything good could come from this. In her present circumstances all hope was gone. Then Jesus resurrected Lazarus.   The same thing for many of us. We have hope, but that hope is a future hope. We tell ourselves that things are going to get better, that GOD has a plan and we will see it one day, that we are going to a place where none of this matters. In our present circumstances, hope is lost. Just like Lazarus, Jesus comes and stands outside our tombs and speaks life to us and resurrects us from our graves. (Jeremy Mitchell)  

  “Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil…no point!” Oh this is so true! Jesus came that we could have life and have it MORE abundantly. Don’t settle for anything less. Without God we are drifting without purpose, without a plan. But WITH God, all things are possible. There’s no stopping you!