COMPLETE SUFFICIENCY IN JESUS CHRIST

COMPLETE SUFFICIENCY IN JESUS CHRIST

Christ is enough - He's all we need. Everything else will just fade away. He remains the same yesterday, today and forever. And His Kingdom has no end. Jesus Christ is all we need. Nothing and no one else can redeem us from our sins. No one else died a horrendous death on the cross to forgive us ours sins. No ritualistic teaching, submission to legalistic rules or human based commands will ever get us to the saving power of Jesus Christ. He is the Alpha, Omega - He's the beginning and He's the end. There is no other. He is all we need. 

He is "I AM"

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else,and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church,which is his body. He is the beginning,supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross." Colossians 1:15-20 NLT

WAIT ON THE HOLY SPIRIT

There's a reason Jesus told his disciples to wait for the promise His Father was going to send to them.  They needed the covering of the Holy Spirit before they would receive the power to do the things God called them to do.  "And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:49 ESV

Had they not waited, all their efforts would have been in vein simply because they would have been acting in their own strength and not that of the Holy Spirit.  But they obeyed and waited.  Yet so many times when God tells us to wait, we aimlessly forge ahead, determined to have things our way. In Luke 24:52-53 ESV, we are told that while they waited, "they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God." 

We would do good to learn from the apostles if we wait joyfully and continually praising God. Then we will have His peace as we wait expecting the Holy Spirit to lead and direct our path.  His promises ALWAYS come to pass. He never fails.

Wait on the Holy Spirit.

Be blessed my family and friends.  Praying continually that the Lord will pour out His complete favor and blessings upon you as you continue to draw closer to Him.

Love you all!

Cyndy

THE MASTER'S LINK: SEIZE THE MOMENT!

THE MASTER'S LINK: SEIZE THE MOMENT!: As believers, we need to seize the moment God ordains to reach those around us. Jesus' encounter at the well with the Samaritan woman i...

SEIZE THE MOMENT!

As believers, we need to seize the moment God ordains to reach those around us. Jesus' encounter at the well with the Samaritan woman is a good example. There is nothing in the Bible indicating Jesus knew ahead of time He would be talking with this woman.  He was simply tired from His journey and He sat down at the well to rest. But notice....although He was tired, He didn't miss the opportunity to witness to this woman at the time God ordained it. And by seizing this moment, not only did the Samaritan woman believe in Him, but we are told others also had the opportunity to hear and believe.

Look around you.  What opportunities has God ordained for you? Have you seized the moment to reach out to those He puts in your path? Or did you simply look the other way?  

Jesus' words in John 4:34-38 NLT are clear where He explains, "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.” 

So let me encourage you!

SEIZE THE MOMENT!  Someone around you doesn't know Jesus. Share what was freely given to you. Don't put it off. Tomorrow could be too late.

Blessings my family & friends! Praying you continue to draw close to The Lord; trusting in His timing for all things and not leaning on your own understanding. His timing is perfect and He is never late! Praying His total favor surrounds you as you continue to draw close to Him.

Love you all!

Cyndy

DON'T RUN FROM THE LORD; RUN TO HIM!

Paul says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength."  Many would take this scripture to mean Paul could do whatever he wanted and God would give him strength.  But my family & friends, that's not the heart of Paul's message.  The heart of his message is that he learned to be content whatever his present circumstances were at any given time.

In other words, Paul did not allow any situation; good or bad to dictate his relationship with The Lord. Bottom line - Paul tells us he draws his strength through The Lord; which is only done by drawing closer to The Lord.

So like the Apostle Paul, we need to learn how to lean on The Lord and be content REGARDLESS of our situation.  Don't run from The Lord; run to Him!  Then, and only then, REGARDLESS of our present circumstance, can we say with confidence, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:10-13 NIV

"I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:10-13 NIV

Be blessed my family & friends! As you continue to seek The Lord and His understanding, may He pour out His total favor over each and everyone of you!

Love you all!
Cyndy

A FAITHFUL, SENSIBLE SERVANT

We (Christians) need to remember to keep our eyes on our present life while we stay spiritually aware of the future and our eternity.  In other words - while we are here on earth...we have a job to do. That job is to witness to those around us in hopes they will come to accept and understand the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Personally....when our Lord returns, I hope He finds me working the fields for His harvest.   What about you? Allow the Holy Spirit to use you right where He has you planted. Don't be spiritually lazy.

"A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.  I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.  But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,  and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 24:45-51 (NLT)

I pray as the Lord gives opportunity to reach the lost and hurting, we would take our servanthood seriously as we continue to plow forward; being affective for the Kingdom of God.

And remember -
All we need to do is share the gospel....It's up to the Holy Spirit to convince the lost to believe.

Now as you continue to serve Him, do it with a joyful heart and you will experience His total blessings & favor in ways you never expected.

Love you all!
Cyndy

A BIT OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE!

As I pulled into the Spotted Cow, a local ice-cream shop, the drive thru window was packed with a line-up of cars...and of course I entered thru the wrong drive. Determined to get my orange/vanilla swirl cone, I tried to inch my way into line, but the black car already in line forced itself ahead. But then I noticed the next car stopped to let me in line. As I got in line I said, "Lord, bless that person!" And without missing a beat, The Lord said, "YOU BLESS HER." My response was out of the norm because anyone that knows me knows I LOVE blessing others. But feeling way out of my comfort zone since I was in a drive thru for ice-cream, I quietly said, "But Lord, I have no idea who that person is and she may think I'm a bit whacked." And The Lord said again, "Bless her." Knowing my Lord's voice, I quickly said I would. But as I watched time tick away, I started getting a bit antsy and the thought kept whispering, "head home”, which was completely contrary to my Lord saying "Bless her." I quickly determined I was staying and was now on a mission to bless that lady and to obey God.

FINALLY!!! It was my time to order so I proceeded ahead. All I could think about was getting up to the window to pay for that lady's order. When I went to pay, I asked them to add that lady's bill with mine. When both bills were totaled, they looked at me, smiled and said, "You get $5.00 off your bill because your birthday is this month. Your total bill is $1.94." I was stunned!!!! I thanked them and asked them to tell that lady to have a blessed evening and the Lord blesses her. And I headed home....feeling blessed by The Lord simply because I obeyed His voice.

My point in all this is not to say, "Hey, look at me! I bought someone ice-cream!" But merely to say, if you know the Lord's voice, obey Him quickly! Don't disobey and sell The Lord short of a $5.00 ice-cream treat and risk missing out on the blessing He wants to pour out on you!

Oh and by the way...my birthday isn't for a couple weeks yet...so let's not age me before my time!

And just as a side note....
Being so excited to obey The Lord and bless that lady, I ordered the wrong thing for myself. I ordered an orange sherbet in a waffle cone....but I must say....it was indeed Moo-Moo-Lidious my family & friends! Simply Moo-Moo-Lidious!

Remember - We need to follow Jesus' example. He was the first One to give. And folks, He gave His all.

So I encourage you to "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children." Ephesians 5:1 NLT

It's simple! "We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  Hebrews 12:2 NLT

Don’t know about you, but I look forward to hearing my Heavenly Father say to me one day, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master."  Matthew 25:23 ESV

I pray the Lord enlightens you, as you continue to seek His face for wisdom, knowledge and understanding. I trust He will pour out His complete favor and blessings; reminding you of His love and goodness towards all His people.

Love you all!

Cyndy

 

 

DON'T BE FOOLED!

If we believe people, money or materialistic things will make us happy and fulfilled, we are only kidding ourselves. Making anyone or anything else priority in our lives, instead of The Lord, will eventually leave an empty void in our lives that only He can fill!  All other replacements are just a temporary counterfeit. DON'T BE FOOLED!

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13 NLT

And remember.....Be encouraged, be blessed and walk in God's total favor as you continue to draw close to Him!

Love you all,
Cyndy

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STAY FOCUSED, STAY PRAYED UP and PRESS ON

THE KEY TO PRESSING ON DURING TRIALS is making sure we are prayed up at all times. In other words, make sure we have a DAILY personal relationship with The Lord and not a relationship we just call on in our hour of need.  Being prayed up doesn't necessarily mean the trials won't be challenging and it does not guarantee the outcome will go the way we want it too.....BUT.....Being prayed up does keep us in tune with our Heavenly Father and gives us peace and assurance HE IS STILL IN CONTROL.

BOTTOM LINE.....

Our circumstance does not come as a surprise to God. He has a purpose and a plan. 

STAY FOCUSED; STAY PRAYED UP and PRESS ON FOLKS!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."  Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

And remember -
My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. Psalm 62:7 NLT

Be encouraged, be blessed and walk in God's total favor!
Love you all,

Cyndy

Check out Bible Gateway and know the scriptures.
http://www.biblegateway.com/

I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!!!

Ever have those times when you wish you could pick up a phone and call someone no longer with us on earth? Well, I've been thinking about my Dad a lot lately, wishing I could call and get some of his great "Fatherly" advice. As I thought about certain doors closing in my life, I started to grab ahold of the fact that in reality, it is God who controls my destiny, not man. The more I thought about it, the more reality smacked me in the face. With tear filled eyes, I looked up and began to literally yell...."I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!!! I'VE BEEN FAITHFUL IN ALL AREAS OF MY LIFE!!!!! I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!!

And in a still small voice (and very calmly I might add) I heard The Lord say, "Really? You're going to throw a tantrum?" Ouch!!! Believe it or not, it was enough to stop me in my tracks. And then I realized what I had done. I yelled at God. And yes, I was throwing a tantrum just like a child with a parent. Filled with instant remorse, all I could do is cry all the more saying, "Oh God! It's YOU I’m angry with. Please forgive me!" He started reminding me of times my Dad would tell me no about something I wanted when I was young. Yet as I got older, I realized Dad was right all along. Being older and wiser, he knew what was best for his daughter; especially when I could not grasp beyond that moment. And in fact, doesn't the same hold true even more when it comes to our Heavenly Father? After all, He’s always available to talk to and He knows exactly what's up ahead.

As His peace flooded my soul and I sat quietly in His presence, the thought went thru my mind, “But, Lord, I still don’t understand.” And the Lord said, “You don’t need to understand. You just need to trust Me.” And then He reminded me of Jeremiah29:11 NLT, “For I know the plans I have for you,”says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Bottom line –

Do I now understand what lies ahead for my future? YES! GOD is in control and all I have to do is TRUST HIM! That my family & friends is all I need to understand. And the same holds true for you too! All you need to do is trust Him. Is it easy? NO, not always. But one thing’s for sure. Our Lord will not lie and His Word will not come back void.

Grab ahold of this folks and don't let it go!

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT

“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it."  Isaiah 55:11 NLT

And so, my family & friends, I pray the Lord strengthens you and gives you peace; regardless of your present circumstance. I pray you trust Him as you continue to seek His face for wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Allow His peace to overshadow you this very hour as He pours out His complete blessings and favor to overflowing.

Remember, He is in control.

Love you all!
Cyndy

Check out Bible Gateway and know the scriptures.
http://www.biblegateway.com/

WILLING TO SAY GOODBYE

At the age of 18, my Mom boarded a ship as she said goodbye to living in Italy, a place she used to call home. Coming to America, Mom had to prepare herself to learn a new language and adjust to another country; different culture and different ways of living. She also had to do one more thing before becoming a US Citizen. She had to learn and understand about our government and what was expected of her.

Bottom line…

Mom had to agree to follow the laws of our land and take an oath to be faithful to America.  And I can say with certainty, my Mom has remained faithful as a US Citizen.

Well the same holds true when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  In essence, we are saying, "Yes, Lord.  I'm letting go of worldly ways and I'm going to follow You."  But to do this, we must be willing to say goodbye to the sinful ways of this world and grab ahold of the things of God instead. Does this mean we have to say goodbye to enjoying life?  Not at all. But it does mean we need to say goodbye to our sinful desires; things not pleasing to God; lust, greed, envy, drunkenness, sexual immorality and even strife.   My family & friends, clearly these things don't please Him.   

So today, if you’ve decided to follow Jesus, remember Philippians 3:20-21 NLT, where it says, "But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under His control." 

 

Bottom line…

We just have to be willing to say goodbye.

 

And with this, I pray the Lord enlightens you, as you continue to seek His face for wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  I trust He will pour out His complete favor and blessings; reminding you of His love and goodness towards all His people.

Love you all!

Cyndy

 

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