Daily Inspiration: True Obedience & Love

This entire passage was compiled by Jeff Lawton:

True, genuine obedience is an act born out of love. It flows from a desire to show our Lord and Savior our respect and worship by submitting our lives to Him.

Moses, like us, had to learn the lessons of obedience. And like us, often he did not pass with flying colors the first time. Because of uncontrolled anger, he had to flee Egypt. But God would later ask Moses to return to deliver the Israelites from bondage.

At first Moses did not want to obey. He had all kinds of excuses, such as not being qualified for the task and not being a good speaker. In the wilderness, Moses continued his education in the school of obedience. Some lessons he passed right away; others he failed and had to repeat.

Sound familiar? Do you feel like you are learning the same lesson over and over because you have not quite grasped it? Are you still holding on to your insecurities, fears, and uncertainties? Are you obedient in some areas and rebellious in others?

You can't rely on your own strength to graduate from the school of obedience. Instead, place your trust in the great Teacher. If you are willing to surrender your will, God will change your life. Your submission to Him will be a demonstration of your love and devotion. The most precarious thing is to try to live without being obedient to the Lord.

1 John 2:5

5 Those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.

Thanks for reading! God Bless < 3

 

**LM

Daily Inspiration: Use God As Your Shield

This entire passage was compiled by Jeff Lawton:

How did Moses respond to the criticism of Aaron and Miriam? He exhibited a forgiving spirit. He could have lashed out and said things that would have been justified. He could have accused them of hypocrisy. He could have defended himself.

Sometimes it is necessary to defend ourselves, but in this case Moses did not. He remembered that Miriam was part of God's plan in saving him from a watery grave as a child. He did not forget that Miriam sang the song of praise after they crossed the Red Sea. He thought of Aaron standing with him against Pharaoh.

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Do you know the reason why people try to tear someone else down? To build themselves up. If we remember that God has a purpose and a plan for each of us, then we do not need to be negative and critical toward others. In His eyes we are all equal.

Not only does God choose to use us for His purpose, He also stands between us and those who would seek to slander and harm us. While it may seem like a long time before God acts, He will.

How do you respond to criticism born out of jealousy and envy? Pray for opportunities to minister to the person. Instead of being glad Miriam was punished with leprosy, Moses cried out to God to heal her. God responded to Moses's prayer even though He did not heal Miriam instantly. God taught Israel that you could not make false accusations without consequences.

Are you a critical person? Or are you suffering from unjust criticism? Take your requests to the Lord today. Let Him deal with the one criticizing you, or your own critical spirit.

Numbers 12:2

2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn't he also spoken through us?”

 

Thanks for reading! I love all you guys!

xO* LM

 

Daily Inspiration: Always Look To Christ

This entire passage was compiled by Jeff Lawton:

The person who reacts to life based on sheer human nature is often fickle. When the Israelites were waist deep in Egyptian mud with the whips of the slave masters on their backs, they wanted to be free. They cried out to God. He heard and answered their plea.

Then, the moment they faced the slightest problem, they criticized Moses, whom God had used to deliver them from slavery. The people complained and grumbled to Moses even though he did everything for their own good. When they would get in trouble, he would intercede before God on their behalf.



Courtesy: Pinterest

Do you ever feel like Moses? You know you are doing the right thing—but, for certain people, it is not good enough. Is there someone in your life who is critical of you no matter what?

Constructive criticism can be helpful. When someone tells you in sincerity something beneficial to you, accept it in the spirit in which it is given. However, do not accept or dwell on the unjust criticism of those who seek to tear you down out of their fear.

Moses was patient with those who criticized him. He did not respond in anger or hate. He did not stop interceding for them. Today, some would say he kept a Christ-like attitude.

Learn to be someone who recognizes the difference between right and wrong criticism. With God's help, you can respond with an attitude of grace and forgiveness to those who may unjustly criticize you. Be careful not to fall into the act of criticizing others. The Bible instructs us to love others as we would like to be loved (Mark 12:31).

Exodus 15:24

24 Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded.

Thanks for reading & God Bless!

xo* LM

Daily Inspriation: Patiently Waiting For God

We are taught from the time we are able to play board games that it is not right to cheat. But people cheat every day, in many different ways.
 

Just think about what you hear in the media—politicians, athletes, teachers, pastors who cheat on their families, destroying the lives of children, husbands and wives – all for other selfish reasons.

You see cheating in the workplace and in school; a person’s character and integrity gone to waste all because of not wanting to work hard.

But what is won or accomplished when something is done by cheating? Nothing at all, it’s completely empty.

As someone who follows Christ, there are no shortcuts to the end. We cannot cheat God out of life’s hardships in order to receive his blessings in a more convenient way.

When the prophet Samuel anointed David as the next king of Israel, he had no idea what to expect. But even when King Saul relentlessly pursued him and tried to kill him… David never attempted to change God’s plan for his life. Think about it! David could have decided God’s way was ridiculous and he could have killed Saul and take over as King of Israel. But David patiently waited for God’s timing because he knew it would be much more meaningful for God to place him in power.

“The end of a matter is better than its beginning and patience is better than pride.” Ecclesiastes 7:8

Thanks for reading and God Bless!

Xo* LM

Resources: Jeff Lawton

 

 

 

Daily Inspiration: The True Champion

This entire passage was compiled by Jeff Lawton:

Courtesy: Pinterest

Everyone loves to pull for the underdog. Whether in sports, business, or the movies, we always like to see the character with the most obstacles overcome them.

There seems to be one consistent trait that moves even the weakest person on to triumph, and that is true focus. The men and women in the Bible who accomplished great things for God's Kingdom had great focus. Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, and many more trained their eyes to stay put on the Lord.

Taking your eyes off God can result in failure, just like keeping your eyes firmly fixed on Him can bring some of the greatest victories you will ever know.

In your weakest moments, ask yourself if you are focused on God or on your situation. Whenever self-pity sets in, know that failure is lurking nearby.  Confidence in God can vanish when you try to solve your problems apart from Him.

Keeping our focus on the Lord keeps us from repeating past failures. As we realize that He is the One who leads us through impossible situations, we rely less and less upon our own strength and more on His.

Trusting Him for direction and confidently following His lead are marks of a champion—a champion who is focused firmly upon Him.

Hebrews 12:2

2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

As always, thank you for reading & God bless!

Xo* LM

 

 

A Special Post...



Happy anniversary baby! I will never stop thanking God for putting you in my life. You are truly an amazing man of God and words will never be able to explain how much I love you.

 XOXO -  Laura

Daily Inspiration: Repent & Seek God's Forgiveness

This entire passage was compiled by Jeff Lawton:

Courtesy: Pinterest

We all have done something that we knew we should not have done. When confronted with our actions, how did we respond? Aaron's reaction, when Moses confronted him about making the golden calf, was one of rationalization.

He did not deny his wrong, but merely explained it away. He said to Moses: "You know how prone these people are to evil. They said to me, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.' So I told them, 'Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.' Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf" (Exodus 32:22-24).

How many times have we had our backs against the wall and come up with a ridiculous reason for our actions? It would be so much better to confess our wrongdoing and repent.

The Bible is full of examples of those who denied their wrongdoing, and those who confessed and repented.
Adam, after eating the forbidden fruit, tried to pass the blame onto Eve. In contrast, David repented when confronted with his sin with Bathsheba and God forgave him. However, his action was not without consequences. Repentance restores our relationship with the Lord but does not remove the consequences of our actions.

God wants us to honor and obey Him. When we do the wrong thing, we should confess our sin, and seek His forgiveness.

Exodus 32:30

30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a terrible sin, but I will go back up to the Lord on the mountain. Perhaps I will be able to obtain forgiveness for your sin.”

Thanks for reading & God bless!

- LM

Stay At Home OR Run a Marathon?

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK GOOD THIS SUMMER... GOOD NEWS, YOU CAN STAY AT HOME!

New research says cleaning burns more calories than running a marathon!

 A marathontypically burns between 2,500 and 3,500 calories.

Experts say homeowners typically burn more than 3, 600 calories each year just by cleaning and tidying their homes in time for the summer.

Think about this... just cleaning out and stocking cupboards burns over 900 cals.

 So there you have it.... quit the gym... and stay at home!


Resources: dailymail.com

Daily Inspiration: Your Treasure

This entire passage was compiled by Jeff Lawton:

Courtesy: Pinterest

Once the Israelites were set free from bondage through the miraculous escape from Egypt provided by the Lord, they traveled across the desert. In the desert, they lived in tents. During these Old Testament days, the tents where God's people dwelt were near the large tent of the Lord.

Every time the people looked outside, they were reminded of the presence of Jehovah and His constant care and provision. God supplied their every need, just as He does for us.

Through Moses, the Lord communicated His laws and decrees for the people to live by, including specific instructions for the sacrifices, burnt offerings, special gifts, and tithes God desired of His people.

Tithing is a starting point in our giving back to the Lord, but it should never be done with an ungrateful heart or wrong motive. Jesus revealed the heart of the issue when He said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21).

There is no more certain way for us to demonstrate our obedience and loyalty to the Lord than through our giving. What kind of Christians would we be if we did not present anything to the Lord, while we received His abundant blessing and provision repeatedly? Giving to God is a demonstration of His Lordship in our lives and of our surrender to His will. It is a way of showing that we place our trust and faith in Him.

Whether we have a little or a lot, God is interested in the attitude of our hearts. He wants more than an act of giving born of obligation. He desires us to willfully and joyfully give of our talents, abilities, time, energy, and devotion.

Leviticus 27:30

30 “One-tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy.

 

 

Thanks for reading & God Bless!

 

- LM

Daily Inspiration: John 21:15-17 Do You Truly Love Jesus?

In this passage, Jesus asks Peter THREE times if he loves Him. I couldn’t exactly figure out why this question was being asked at first.

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I thought, of course Peter loved Jesus – like Peter said “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” I thought much like Peter, Jesus who knows everything, would know if Peter truly loved Him. So then why does He ask?

Jesus asked Peter this because a true love for Christ is absolutely necessary to being a Christian.

Loving Jesus means putting Him first, before our wants and needs…before this world.

Simply being a “good” Christian or even a GREAT Christian by going to church, going to bible study, participating in church functions, not swearing and so on…doesn’t mean anything to God if we don’t really love Jesus with all our heart and soul.  

¹⁵When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

¹⁶ Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17)

The reason Jesus asks Peter to care for the flock is because true LOVE is accompanied by ACTION.

Think about this: would your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, ANYONE … think you really care about them if you never DID anything to show your love to them? I don’t think so. Someone who truly loves you DESIRES to show you.

That’s what Jesus wanted from Peter and that’s want He wants from us.

So do you truly LOVE Jesus?

The very first part of being a Christian is loving Jesus. Without loving Jesus we are tied to sin. We can do anything with the love of Jesus  but we can do nothing without it.

God Bless

- LM

Resources: carm.org

Daily Inspiration: Luke 17:3

“Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” Luke 17:3

In the 1950’s you would have never seen a woman and a man sleep together on television….but today that would hardly be true.  We look at what’s on TV, in the movie theatres, playing on the radio and we wonder why children are getting caught in sexual escapades, drugs, and alcoholism at younger ages than ever before.

There is a lack of accountability in society it seems. Kids are being raised without the church, without parental guidance and without strong morals.

Jesus is the only one who can and will redeem our society, our country and our world. 

This scripture shows Jesus telling is disciples to “rebuke” each other for their sins.

The reason:  sin is no good to anyone. It doesn’t rise up; it just keeps bringing you down.

If you truly love like Jesus tells us too love – you will try confronting your brothers and steering them into God’s arms.

Have you had an opportunity to share your testimony with a friend – or has God put it in your heart to proclaim the gospel to someone in particular? Pray that God will give you opportunity to do so and keep praying because He will.

Daily Inspiration: The Lord Will Always Prevail

“Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack. My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride. When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” (Psalm 56:1-4)



Courtesy: Pinterest

Where do you go when you feel like the whole world is against you? Do you turn to God?

I know sometimes, when I am weak and my word feels like it’s falling apart; I don’t seek God’s help. Sometimes I go hide in my room, take a nap, bake or do laundry. I do anything that will take my mind off a stressful situation. I do anything I can to feel safe and secure.

David wrote this Psalm when the Philistines caught him in Gath. These Philistines hated the Israelites.

Some historians believe they never forgave David for killing Goliath.

When David wrote this Psalm I wonder if he was thinking back to the time when God gave him the power to defeat the giant (Goliath)? Remember he only had five stones and a sling. But what he had to kill Goliath didn’t matter; he could have had anything…because when he called on God to deliver him, the Lord did just that.

“Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.  So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.” (1 Samuel 17: 49-50)

So I challenge you the next time you need refuge…run to God. David is a perfect example of how much God loves us and wants to save us. All we have to do is call on Him.

-LM

Resources: Daily Wisdom for Women, Practical Biblical Insight for Today's Woman

Daily Inspiration: Jesus Loves Those Who Doubt


"Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

My Sunday school class studied this passage this weekend.



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A lot of the time we skim through parts of the bible that don’t stick out as monumental moments.

But it’s so important to remember that every word of the bible was written for a specific reason.

Personally, I never took the time to think about what Jesus was doing with Thomas in John 20.

I use to think… who would want to be recorded throughout history for doubting God?

But the way God uses Thomas is so beautiful here. Jesus uses Thomas to show that we will doubt and although we will Jesus won’t stop loving us.

Doubting Thomas is proof of this. Not once did Jesus condemn Thomas for his doubt. Jesus knew that Thomas needed to see Him to believe.

Thomas is encouragement to all of God’s people. God knows we aren’t perfect and our mind will lose faith but the Holy Spirit will always push us to know better.

When Jesus said, ““Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Can you see how truly blessed we are by our Savior? Of course, it would have been incredible to have been able to see Jesus resurrected…but what God gives us now is even greater.

He gives us the free will to show him we love him, to choose him over everything else… so that we can spend eternity with him by having true faith in his living Word.  

- LM

Daily Inspiration: Trusting God Will Never Fail

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This entire passage was written by Jeff Lawton - very inspirational.

Imagine being asked to do a job and then not being given the support you need to get the work done. In fact, instead of hearing words of encouragement, you only hear one discouraging report after another.

The Israelites longed to be free from Egyptian bondage. They had prayed for this. In fact, Scripture indicates that they had cried out to God for years, seeking freedom from Egyptian enslavement.

Moses was chose for the job of deliver, but from the beginning, things did not go well for Moses. Even before the plagues began, his approval ratings took a nosedive. After being told they would be forced to make brinks without straw, the Israelite overseers met Moses with these words,

“May the Lord look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” Exodus 5:21

Pharaoh’s anger frightened the people and they turned on Moses. Even after they were released from bondage, their criticism of God’s leader continued. By the time they reached the shoreline of the Red Sea, the Israelites were furious with Moses and Aaron and shouted, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?” Exodus 14:11

While the words of the Israelites may have given occasion for weariness, Moses did not give up – instead, he chose to trust God. If you are the target of someone’s criticism because of your obedience to God’s plan, take heart – you are in good company. Jesus endured the cruelty of others, too. Guard your heart and take care that you do not become critical in the process.

God Bless  - LM

Resources: Jeff Lawton

Daily Inspiration: God's Great Power, Mercy & Love

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"[God] made the wheels of their chariots wobble so that they drove them with difficulty. The Egyptians said, "Let's flee from Israel because the LORD is fighting for them and against us. Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.” Exodus 14:25, 27-28

This passage demonstrates how when believers allow God to take over and have faith in His power…He will never fail.

Pharaoh is an example of a person with a hardened heart. Pharaoh wanted to play God to his people and the nation of Egypt paid for it. The nation suffered through horrible plagues and still didn’t come to God.

As you can see from Exodus 14 the nation of Egypt was destroyed by God.

This is the reason Jesus Christ died for us. Now when we run from God and fail Him we still receive His love and mercy.  

God knows we too can become like the nation of Egypt. At times we also choose other Gods and/or Idols over our true Lord.

Because of our fallen nature we have to constantly trust in the Lord with all of our heart. We must not allow Satan to shift our focus off God and on to the fleshly desires of man.

Man will always fail. God never will.

As followers of God, every day we must set aside want we want  so we can be of service to God.

When we leave ourselves available for God to minister to…we can and will experience His power, mercy and love.

God Bless - LM

Resources: biblegateway.com, Jeff Lawton

Daily inspiration: Colossians 3

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”Colossians 3:12-14

I had a small bible study with my boyfriend this weekend on these verses and I truly felt encouraged by God after reading them.



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We are all called by God to love and obey His commands because of what He has done for us. He loved us so much that He sent His one and only son – Jesus Christ-- to this earth so we could all have the chance to follow Him and spend eternity with Him.

This verse proves that we must die to our fleshly desires and clothe ourselves in all things good “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Sometimes it is so hard to love your neighbor or to pray for your enemies. But this passage shows that because God loves and forgave us for everything (with Christ as the ultimate sacrifice) we must see that we are just as guilty as anyone else.

Showing the world love through grace and forgiveness will free us from any strongholds that Satan puts in our lives.

If we allow the Holy Spirit to consume us, shown by the way we live our lives, we will allow God to use us in ways we never imagined. 

If we strive to put Christ at the center of our daily thoughts we will be more apt to follow Gods will for our lives because the Holy Spirit will be directing us.

So I challenge you to take off whatever clothes might be preventing you from furthering your relationship with God and clothe yourself in the fruits of the spirit “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control….” Galatians 5:22.

God Bless - LM


Resources: Pinterest, Intothyword.org,

NEW STUDY: Lip Gloss Not So Poppin’ Thee Days

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Ladies you might want to pass on the lipstick and lip gloss...and stick to plain old ChapStick.

Researchers tested 32 commonly sold lip glosses and lipsticks for toxic metals.

Three quarters of the ones tested had a lead concentration lower than acceptable daily in-take levels.

Researchers say for an average user this shouldn't be an issue.

But for anyone who is a heavy on the lip products...You may want to cut back.

 - LM

Resources: medicalnewstoday.com

Daily Inspiration: An Open Invitation

  One of the books I'm reading right now is  Captivating by John Eldredge.

       Yesterday I got through Chapter 12 and this struck me as something I needed to share.  At least to the women who read my blog!

       I have always been in love with fairytales - especially having grown up with Disney World in my backyard!

       In Chapter 12 of Captivating the author uses Cinderella, my all-time favorite Disney princess, to help readers understand the irreplaceable role of a woman.   

      I promise it makes a lot of sense.

      The story of Cinderella is one we all know and love. But what does the fate of Cinderella’s life rest on?

      An invitation to a ball.

      Here’s what John Eldredge had to say on this idea:

      Then, word from the Prince arrives – an invitation to a ball. It is at that point that all hell breaks loose. Her longings are awakened. Her enemies become enraged. And her life is never the same. As a woman, you don’t need to strive or arrange; you don’t need to make it happen. You only need to respond. Cinderella wanted to go. But it took courage not to abandon all hope even after she danced with the Prince. But she became the woman she was born to be, and the kingdom was never the same. It is a beautiful parable.

 

      The same holds true for Mary, the mother of Jesus – only it’s far, far more weighty. The angel came as the courier of the King. But still, she needed to say yes. He would not force the whole thing upon her. Her heart needed to be willing. She would need her heart through all that followed. Mary needed a steadfastness of heart to keep saying “Yes” to God. But she became the woman she was born to be, and the Kingdom was never the same. It all started with an invitation.

 

            How beautiful is that? Could you imagine if Mary would have said no to God?  Or if Cinderella would have said no to the ball?

            All of these questions made me think about the times I have said “No God. Not right now.” 

             I urge those reading this to think about the invitations God has presented to you.

             Have you said no to any of them? If so, think about why and open your heart to God.

             Pray that the next invitation that comes from Him you will open in pure joy!

             I think once we see how God is using us to further His kingdom – we will run to Him with a willing and grateful heart.

- LM

Resources: Captivating by John Eldredge