Today’s Word with Joel & Victoria Osteen Ministries

Today’s Scripture
“Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.”
(Joel 2:21, KJV)

He Will Do Great Things
God wants to do great things in your life! Notice this verse starts out by saying “fear not.” Fear is the greatest weapon the enemy uses to try to hold you back. Fear is not from God. It is designed to paralyze you and keep you from God’s blessings. Don’t ever let fear be a factor in the choices you make in life. Overcome fear by meditating on the promises of God’s love and goodness. Perfect love casts out all fear. When you understand the love of God, you have nothing to fear. You know the Lord will do great things! Let that sink down into your spirit today. Meditate on this verse and declare it out loud every day. As you study God’s Word, your faith will grow and fear will be gone from your life. You’ll know His love, and you will experience His goodness in every area of your life!

A Prayer for Today
“Heavenly Father, thank You for goodness and faithfulness. Show me Your perfect love so that I may know You. I choose to rejoice in You and trust that You will do great things in my life! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

Advertisement

Give it all to God By Bobby Schuller

Originally posted here: http://hourofpower.org/give-it-all-to-god/

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

– 2 Corinthians 10:31

When I think about my life before going into ministry and remember the job that I loved the most verses the one I hated, it’s interesting that pay and prestige had absolutely nothing to do with my level of satisfaction!

When I was a 17 year-old young young man, I was employed as a handyman on my Dad’s ranch. I worked for a guy named Tim and he would coach me and teach me how to do things like build staircases and make master keys (because he was a locksmith). Even though I was only getting paid minimum wage and had to be up every day at the crack of dawn, the work that I did there was totally fulfilling and exciting to me. I contrast that with the job I had when I was going to college in Oklahoma — I worked at a Barnes and Noble and it was way less than satisfying! I would make coffee drinks and customers would complain that they didn’t taste good, and then I would do things like sing Frank Sinatra to myself while I was mopping the floor, only to have my manager reprimand me. Believe me, in those days, I really didn’t like going to work; however, it was during that season that I first heard a sermon about my work being worship. Since it was so inspirational to me, I decided that I was going to enjoy my job, even when my boss was being mean to me, or when there was nobody around, or when I had nothing to do! Because of that experience, I am a walking testimony and can assure you that doing your work as unto the Lord is the best possible way, especially if you dislike your job!

Friend, no matter what emotions you feel as you prepare to go to work today, I plead with you to just do it for the Lord. Even if you are faced with tasks that are daunting or less than enjoyable, purpose in your heart to make them acts of worship and watch as doors fly open for you, blessing gets poured out from Heaven to you, and even greater opportunity comes your way. As you do everything with joy, lightheartedness, and a sense of peace, I am confident that people will want to be around you and that the goodness of God will chase you down and surround you! Isn’t that wonderful news?

Prayer
Jesus, thank you for enabling me to worship you in everything you have set before me. I give you each moment and circumstance today, and I receive my calling with joy.

Reflection
Even if you dislike your job, how can you do it with joy, as unto Jesus?

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL By the Canadian National Catholic Broadcasting Council

Wednesday
Third Week of Lent

Matthew 5.17-19

Jesus went up the mountain, and he began to teach his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

“Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You call us to service;
to be your eyes and ears,
hands and voice in this your world.
To open our eyes not only
to the beauty and love which you create,
but the injustice,
hate and suffering that mankind generates.
To open our ears not only
to the chattering of this coming week,
but the searching,
fears and questioning of all whom we shall meet.
To open our hands not only
to those we choose our lives to share,
but in welcome,
love and fellowship to all who you draw near.
To open our mouths not only
to speak platitudes and simple words,
but the truths you lay upon our hearts.
Your Word for this your world.
You call us to service,
to be your eyes and ears,
hands and voice in this your world
http://www.faithandworship.com/liturgy_Lent_3.htm#ixzz5hmlvBIcI

This week – A prayer to Mary

The Memorare
Remember, most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who
fled to your protection, implored your help and sought your intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired with this confidence, I fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, my mother. To you I come; before you I stand. Sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions but in
your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen. St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Today’s Word with Joel & Victoria Osteen Ministries

Today’s Scripture
“There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from her!”
(Luke 10:42, TLB)

Just One Thing
You can learn a lot from the story of Jesus’ visit to the home of Martha and Mary. While Martha busied herself preparing a meal, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening to what He was teaching. When Martha realized that Mary wasn’t helping her, she marched over, interrupted Jesus, and said, “Lord, this isn’t fair. I’m in here doing all the work and she just sits here!” Jesus’ reply must have stunned her: “Martha, you’re stressed out about so many different things. Only one thing really matters, and Mary has chosen what’s best.” In effect, Jesus was telling Martha to slow down and enjoy the moment. He could easily be saying the same thing to you! It’s good to be a hard worker, but it’s important that you know how to put your work aside and enjoy the blessings He’s bringing into your life. If so, look at your schedule today and choose what is best!

A Prayer for Today
“Lord, thank You for wanting to bless me. Give me eyes to see when I should serve and when I should just sit at Your feet and listen. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Many Purposes By Bobby Schuller

Originally posted here: http://hourofpower.org/many-purposes/

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

– 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)

Here is a phrase that I believe you can never hear enough — you were created with a purpose! In fact, you were created with many purposes. Time and time again, I have seen people frustrated and robbed of joy because they feel like they haven’t found their one true purpose in life. However, I want to affirm to you today that you don’t have a singular calling, you have many different callings, and each one is important in a different season. In fact, you were designed to go from purpose to purpose, or as the Bible says, from glory to glory. There is no “perfect” end; each one of your callings sets you up for the one that follows. No matter how different they seem, with every new season, you are leveled, developed, trained, and made better.

We talked yesterday about the fact that Jesus spent the majority of His time on earth working with His Hands, and I want you to know that that season of His life honored God just as much as His preaching and teaching did. The Father didn’t consider it a waste of time that His Son was “merely a carpenter,” and the same is true for you!

Friend, even though what you are doing in this season may look mundane in the world’s eyes, God is pleased with you; He has you right where you are for a reason! Unlike the monetary measures used by society, your Heavenly Father sees your heart, and He loves humility. Jesus’ purposes for your life are important, and as long as you are doing your work unto Him, it has eternal value. Wherever you are today, I encourage you to relax and meditate on the truth that all of the Lord’s plans for you are good!

Prayer
Jesus, thank you for giving my life many purposes and for faithfully leading me to each one in its proper season.

Reflection
How does your current calling bring glory to God? Do you believe He has you where you are for a reason?

The Gratitude of Friendship

A Glorious Moment of Life

My Joyous Feature

A glorious mind can accept that pure knowledge at a complete moment. Something beyond that glorious reaction can balance out some honest feelings into the next stage of life. Holding it against that pure empowerment. Bringing a moment where there can be some peace and joy out there. Like there’s that stronger feeling to be carried away.

Glorious can carry that power of life. Allowing the sun rises through. Cherish the mountains at that highest point. Greeting that pure moment when a powering movement that can have something a lot stronger rising in.

Live through that harmony of life. Make something that can be glorious against that mind of power. Putting a spiritual reaction at total ease. Learning to live within that pure shadow. Feels more like a guardian angel.

Freedom shines through that magnificent moment. Finding that total achievement for it. Getting to something that’s goes across from it…

View original post 30 more words

Her Vision of Thoughts

My Joyous Feature

In her true reaction there’s something that she can understand. More like finding that true passion for it. Knowledge shall power through her inner essence. Seeing it more like an open, thought of mind. Caring for those true feelings inside and out.

There’s that sudden change in her that she can carry it through. More like a potential beginning to cherish the moment throughout that lifespan of herself. Receiving the knowledge to find that caring situation. Like there’s some pure guidance for her.

Her true mind can balance that soul through wisdom. Feels like she can think about a poetic moment that can lift her up. Getting that balance through an emotional state of mind. Seeing the goodness in her. Bringing it in that spirit of power.

View original post

Patron Saint of Autism Missionary Thought for the Week of March 25, 2019: What’s in our control? By Aimee O’Connell

The Annotated Catechism for Autistic Thinking:

Originally posted here: https://www.mission-of-saint-thorlak.com/mission-activities

Is our soul’s care completely in our control,
or is it affected by outside forces?

Before we attempt a question this big, let us please keep in mind our reason for asking in the first place. We are looking at this section in the Baltimore Catechism:

Q: Why must we take more care of our soul than our body?
A: In losing our soul, we lose God and everlasting happiness.

Now the variables of control come into play. Is the soul interconnected with body and mind, or is it separate? Recall our graphic from a few weeks back:

By proportion, the importance placed on body and mind should be less than that placed on the soul. This is because body and mind are the components of ourselves which are enlivened and given identity by the soul, which is our core identity. The body and mind are those parts of us which interact with the outside, and the soul is that which dwells on the inside. We might say that body and mind are influenced by the soul from the inside, and by forces beyond our control from the outside. As such, any consideration of outside forces begins with body and mind… and, if we want to go even further, we can consider body and mind as outside forces unto themselves!

But, first, what do we mean by “in our control”? The choices we make? How can we ever know if anything is purely “in our control”? Even our behavior, which originates in the body, can be arguably influenced by factors beyond our control, both from outside ourselves and far within, on the molecular level. We did not start our own hearts beating, after all!

Let’s hurry up and define some of these things before we get too far out of hand. Outside of high philosophical and theological circles, we think the following definitions will suffice:

IN OUR CONTROL: Things we freely choose

AFFECTED BY OUTSIDE FORCES: How far our actions stray from our intentions

All this, and we haven’t even answered the question yet. Is our soul’s care completely in our control, or is it affected by outside forces?

The care we give to our soul is the sum total of the intentions we formulate (which are in our control) and the choices we make in the context of both things we can and cannot control.

We cannot control the majority of forces which act upon us. But our intentions are solely ours, and so the choices we make are often like arrows shot in wind, fog and all sorts of tricky circumstances. The important point to remember is that intentions count in the equation. We are not purely victims of circumstances, nor are we masters of our own fate. We are conscious beings in between, and the God who put us here knows that we are not always able to act without influence and interference. If we keep God in our intentions, our souls will not be lost. The more we keep God in our intentions, the more our souls will stay on the path God imagined for us. And the more we focus on outside forces, the more easily we will find ourselves disoriented.

Today’s Word with Joel & Victoria Osteen Ministries

Today’s Scripture
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
(Matthew 11:29, NIV)

Find Rest

Sometimes the pressures of life can cause unnecessary stress. So many people these days lose sleep worrying about things or people in their lives, but God wants us to live a life of rest and peace. When Jesus walked on this earth, He took time away from the crowds. He spent time with the Father. He found rest. He was gentle and humble in heart. Do you ever notice that when you are stressed out or worrying about something, you’re less tolerant of the people around you? You’re more likely to say something you don’t really mean. God wants you to cast your cares on Him so that you can live with a gentle and humble attitude toward others. When you learn to release your burdens and follow the example that Jesus gave, you will be refreshed and find rest for your soul and peace in your heart.

A Prayer for Today
“Heavenly Father, today I choose to cast my cares on You. Teach me, Holy Spirit, to have a gentle and humble attitude. Help me find rest for my soul so that I can love others the way You love me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”