WHAT THEN ??

An old man was in serious discussion with a younger man about life and his plans for his life. The young man said he was going to work hard and accumulate a lot of wealth. What then the old man ask? With all of my wealth I will get noticed in the community and workplace and standout. What then the old man ask ? After I have all of the things in life that I need I will retire and take it easy for a long time. What then the old man ask ? Well I guess I will grow old and someday die. Sounds like you have a plan replied the old man. But what then ????
Money, stocks, bonds, jewels are just a few of the things that will not make it into heaven. The word of God is eternal and it will be the only thing that we take with us when we leave this earth. Whenever anything gets in between us and God, the thing that is in the middle will disappear sooner or later. You may not lose what you accumulate but you may lose something far more important. Do you ever find yourself giving God a timetable to answer a certain prayer ?
It never works out giving the creator of time a timetable to work on. God will target whatever comes in between us and him.
What about the couple that started going to church every Sunday, giving to the church and setting on the front row. There life was going great, they were financially blessed and everything was going as planned. After a while they started moving further and further back in the church, they eventually ended up on the back row. Finally they were out of the door and never returned. There life was so blessed that they bought a luxury weekend get away and the best time for a weekend get away is Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They took God out of their life, they no longer had time for him. So What Then ?? Well after losing the weekend get away, they eventually lost there primary residence as well. Their were trillions of dollars lost in the crisis of 2008. God got the attention of a lot of people who had put all of there trust and security in there money and possessions. God will remove whatever it is that comes between us and him. So What Then ??????????????????

Heavenly Father, I put you first and I know that you will align everything in my life according your order and time table, not mine.

Image reference;Brokentelegraph.com

G.Z.

HOLDING THE SIGN

Have you ever stopped to think about the person that you seen holding the; Will Work For Food sign. Most people try real hard not to make eye contact or help them in any way. They get called names, laughed at and made fun of. God has been working on me for a long time now about the homeless. No one ever stops to think about the person, there childhood, there life, the events in there life that has brought them to the place of holding a sign on the street corner. We seem to be able to sense people who have gone thru or are going thru some type of problems or addictions. This too is from the Lord! We go thru things in life to be there for others who are in need.
We once went on a fishing trip out of Port A and the first thing I noticed was one of the deckhands. I knew he had a drinking problem, although he was sober at the time he had a story that I wanted to know. On the way back in I asked the captain about him and he told me that the man was a former surgeon from Houston who’s entire family was killed in an auto accident and he was never able to pull himself out of the loss. These are the people called street people. Each and every person has a story and you will never know it until you know the person. We now seek out the so called street people more than ever.
I choose to walk up and get to know the person. The first time I went up to a homeless man on the street and introduced myself and reached my hand out, he reached back with a long over due hand shake. We talked, prayed and I gave him a gift card with a little cash. Before I left he asked me if he could shake my hand again. That hand shake and conversation meant the world to Roy who stands on the corner most evenings by Wal-Mart and Jack-in-box. The other day I gave him his first Bible ever, and Roy is not young. There is also another man who pushes a shopping cart around with all of his possessions inside, his name is Joe. Amazing isn’t it, these people have real names, just like me and you.
The first time I visited with Joe, I shook his hand, we talked, prayed and I left him with a Bible and some cash inside, I seen him today and guess what he was reading !!! People always say never give money to the homeless, and I say it’s there life, they can live it as they choose and I can do what I want with my money. As long as we are able we will give !!
My wife and I are going to meet these two men at least once a week where they live, on the streets. I feel as if God is going to put many more in our path. I pray that people will look at these street people a little different. After all they are just like me and you, besides for having some serious blows along the road of life. It is totally amazing what a kind word, a hand shake and some conversation can do to the spirit of a person.
Wealth, luxury, and ease can make people feel confident, satisfied, and complacent, but no matter how much you possess or how much money you make, you have nothing if you don’t have a vital relationship with Christ. How does your current level of wealth affect your spiritual desire ???
They are called street people, holding signs, but we are all alike in Christ and Christ calls on us to help one another!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you intentionally keep his life-changing presence and power on the other side of the door ???

Image reference; voices.washingtonpost.com

G.Z.

INSTANT ACCESS

We live in a world to where we have everything we want instantly. If you need money, check your mailbox. I’m sure there is one or two credit card offers just waiting for you to take advantage of. It just depends on what you want, it’s there. If you want a home you can get a home with little or no money down and a job seems to be optional. There are so many people living in houses that they can’t afford, driving cars that they have no business driving and they are so hopelessly in debt that they have to reach up just to touch the ground. We have instant food, instant communication, instant photos you name it, we have it. Are we doing what God wants us to do, how far can we push the envelope. We all have needs in life, if you need prayer, pray for someone else. If your concerned about your job, continue to give to your church, give more. If you need forgiveness, forgive someone else. If you need help, help someone in need. God presents opportunities for us everyday to bless others. It’s up to us to be watchful. According to your faith, let it be you. Be steadfast; be strong in your faith, when we have endured the test, we will receive the crown of life.


God is more eager to answer than we are to ask.

Image reference; bestprospect4u.com

G.Z.

Survival Under Pressure

In the deep of the ocean it is impossible for a man to walk on the floor of the ocean without a special pressurized suit. Have you ever wondered how the fish are able to swim even deeper than man is able to go with a special suit. Simply put, the fish have the same pressure inside as out. Sometimes the pressures of daily life can buildup inside until we feel as if we are about to blow up. We feel as if we have no way to vent or let off steam. Sometimes when the pressure builds and people vent it can turn into a real bad situation.
If we attempt to meet life’s challenges with human effort alone, we will find the pressures and temptations around us too great to resist. We might feel such great pressure in one area of our life that nothing else seems to matter and we lose our perspective. How easy it is to give in to the crowd and let ourselves be pressured into doing wrong. Don’t get in a situation where it will be too embarrassing to do what is right. Determine to do what is right, no matter how embarrassing or painful it may be. Getting through that short term pressure-filled moment is often the most difficult part of overcoming a temptation. Standing firm to the end is not a way to be saved but the evidence that a person is really committed to Jesus.


You will never have a need or situation come up in life that God is not prepared for.

image reference; 122 emerging.org

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HELLISH THIRST

There are so many people that are trapped with the Hellish Thirst of some type of addiction. Sex, drugs, alcohol, tempers, physical and mental abuse, gambling and the list goes on and on. I feel as if there is a time in a persons life when they get weak and there walk with the Lord has became distant, even though he is right beside them. There is a break in the shell and when that happens the devil slips in and straps on the hindering crutches of addiction. How long that Hellish Thirst last depends on how long you distance yourself from God. Some people go through things for years before they cry out to Jesus for help. They must come to Christ who will provide new appetites. The closer we get to God , the further away we realize that we have been. We must break the unbroken pattern of bondage in families. If you shine a light in the middle of the day no one will notice, but when you shine a light into total darkness, people will notice and become aware. The headlights on a car are pretty much for the driver, but the streetlights are for everyone to see. The Hellish Thirst of Addictions cannot be hidden forever, they will surface sooner or later. The power of Love, a smile and a hug can be contagious and along with prayer have been know to break through the bondage of hell.



Worship is a human response to a divine intervention !!!!!!!!


G.Z.@

image reference;darvsmith.com

Gossip

The word hisses with the sound of a snake, coiled and ready to strike. Spreading poisoness venom as soon as it leaves the lips. I am anxious to spread painful, false words just because that is who I am. My name is Gossip and I am nobody’s friend. Making up or spreading false reports are strictly forbidden by God. Gossip, slander and false witnessing will undermine families, strain neighborhood relationships and make chaos of trustworthy systems.
Destructive gossip causes problems on all levels of daily life. Even if you do not initiate a lie, you become responsible if you pass it along..Rumors and hearsay are tantalizing, exciting to hear, and make us feel as insiders. But they tear people down. Don’t circulate rumors, squelch them !!
At times, we may be surrounded by people who gossip about us or criticize us. Verbal cruelty can damage us as badly as physical abuse. Rather than answering with hateful words, we can talk with God about the problem.


When faith is greater than fear, faith wins !!!!!!!

Image reference; scientificamerican.com



G.Z.@

THE ANCHOR THAT HOLDS

So often you see the massive ships that are anchored at port and the only thing holding them in place is there anchors. You wonder how the anchors have enough strength to hold the huge ship in place, but they do. Even during a massive storm as the ship gets battered and tossed, the anchors hold. What strength, what dedication !!! We can compare our strength with that of the mighty anchor in our walk with the Lord. Is your strength in the Lord enough to with stand the storms of life? We have all experienced some sort storm in our life, if you haven’t you will. It is a natural part of life. No one goes through life without trials and test, some more than others.
Even the strongest people get tired at times, but God’s power and strength never diminish. He is never to tired or to busy to help and listen. His strength is our source of strength. When you feel all of life crushing you and cannot go another step, remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength. When God sets the anchor in our life, we will not drift off course. When caught in the storms of life, it is easy to think that God has lost control and that we’re at the mercy of the winds of fate. In reality, God is sovereign. He controls the history of the world as well as our personal destinies. Just as Jesus calmed the waves, he can calm whatever storms you face.


If you are going to believe in God in a deeper level, you are going to have to go thru a deeper situation !!!!!!!!!

Image Reference; churchleaderinsights.com


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