Are you a person after God's Own Heart?
God sees us, and He knows our heart.  When we live in obedience to His Will and walk in His Way, He will bless us in His Timing.  Saul was a man chosen as the first King of Israel because of his external appearance. He tried to follow God's Will, but he often chose to do things his way and in his timing.  Partial obedience is still disobedience.  God looks for hearts that are seeking after His Heart.

1 Samuel 13:13-14 - “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
David was a man after God's own heart.  God chose him to be the King of Israel after Saul because God was looking at his heart.  He was the youngest of eight sons of Jesse, and he grew in his relationship with God while he was a young man out in the fields tending sheep.  He fought off lions and bears that came to attack the sheep.  Those encounters prepared him to defeat a giant named Goliath because He trusted in God's strength and not his own.  
David wasn't perfect.  He still had times in his life when he sinned.  Yet, he always repented when he recognized his sin.  Every new day given to us is an opportunity to make a request of God to help us be a person after His heart.
Psalm 139:23-24 - Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

God has known you since before you were even born, and He set a Divine Appointment for you to encounter HIm.  We don't always remember the date or other circumstances, but we usually remember the place.

God set a Divine Appointment for Jesus to meet with a Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well in Sychar in Samaria.  Jesus and His disciples were travelling from Judea to Galilee.  He could have avoided going through Samaria, but God had set up a Divine Appointment that He couldn't miss.  A woman who had gone to the well many times was supposed to be there at the exact same time as Jesus.  The Divine Appointment led to a Divine Encounter.  The normalcy of the well in the past would now forever be a place of remembrance for her.  Because of one woman's encounter with Jesus and her testimony (her willingness to share about Jesus), many more people experienced a Divine Encounter with Jesus.
John 4:39-42 - Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”  So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.  And because of his words many more became believers.  They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
Religious Testimony: A personal, public declaration of faith or a spiritual life experience regarding God's work or grace.
Who needs to hear your testimony?
God might be setting up a Divine Appointment with someone this week who needs to hear your testimony so they can experience a Divine Encounter with Jesus.

The secrets of the Kingdom of God require knowing who is in your heart, what is in your hand, and how your knowledge of those two things can make a difference in your life and in the life of someone else.

When you believe in Jesus and ask Him to forgive you of your sins, His Presence enters into your heart.  A Christian (a believer and follower of Christ) is to imitate His behavior and follow His commands.

Jesus knew He was the Son of God.  Everything in His Divine and human nature acknowledged His faith in God.  He used the gifts, talents, and abilities that He had been given to share God's love and wisdom with everyone He met.  His heart beat to the same rhythm of His Heavenly Father.  He was "The Seed", and He scattered seeds to EVERYONE.  Some seeds fell on good soil while others fell on bad soil.

Christians are called to live on mission to fulfill the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:19-20 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
In our spiritual hands, we hold seeds of faith to plant into the hearts of those who don't yet know Jesus.  The goal is not to see how many seeds we can hold in our hands.  The goal is to empty our hands by planting seeds in others so our hands are ready for God to fill them again.

What's in your hand?Do you have an abundance of old seeds that you haven't planted in anyone yet, or are your hands empty and waiting for God to give you more?

What is the condition of my spiritual heart?  It's a question we should ask ourselves daily, and we should also echo the words of David as he asked God to search him and know his heart.

Psalm 139:23-24 - Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Jesus shared a parable (an earthly story with a heavenly meaning) about the soils of the heart.  In Luke 8:11-15, He explains what the parable means.  He explained that people heard the Word of God, but not every heart received it the same.  For some people, the Word was stolen by the enemy before it even penetrated their heart.  Others initially received the Word with joy, but they fell away when a time of testing came.  There were also some who started out strong growing in the Word, but they allowed the world to take priority over their spiritual life.  

At the end of the parable, we learn that a person with a truly devoted heart hears the Word, allows it to penetrate it, and through understanding and perseverance gains the ability to reproduce.

Luke 8:15 - But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
"We teach what we know, but we reproduce who/what we are." -John C. Maxwell

God is "More than Able".  The words of a song I heard a long time ago echo the Truth of His ability to do anything and everything.  He may not always change our circumstances.  Sometimes, He changes us.

"He Is Able"Greg Ferguson & Rory Noland
He is able, more than ableTo accomplish what concerns me todayHe is able, more than ableTo handle anything that comes my wayHe is able, more than ableTo do much more than I could ever dreamHe is able, more than ableTo make me what He wants me to be
Jesus healed a woman who had a bleeding issue for twelve years.Jesus brought a twelve year old girl back to life.(Mark 5:21-43)
There are times in life when we need to fall to our knees to experience God’s Power!
God’s touch sometimes comes through us reaching out to Him and other times Him reaching out to us.
God’s Will gets done His Way and in His Timing.
Twelve years can seem like such a short time for a young life to be lived.Twelve years can seem like an eternity when we are suffering.
Do you believe God is more than able to take care of what concerns you this week?
Mark 5:36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

The "Seed of Faith" first needs to be planted and watered.  Then, God will make it grow!  When we first come to believe in Jesus, ask for His forgiveness, and surrender to Him, we receive God's Presence into us.  
Romans 10:8-10
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” 
that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim:
 9 If you declare with your mouth, 
“Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified,
and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 
 
It's exciting to know that God's Presence (Holy Spirit) comes to indwell within those who are justified and saved!  It is our responsibility to make sure we are continually infilled with the Holy Spirit by daily seeking God through His Word, prayer, and fellowship with other Christians.  God designed us to grow physically and spiritually from immature babies to mature adults. Has the "Seed of Faith" been planted in your life?  If so, do you remember who planted the seed and do you remember who watered the seed?  We may or may not remember the person or people, but we can know for sure that God is the one who made the seed grow!  Praise Him for the growth and remember to plant and water the "Seed of Faith" in others!
1 Corinthians 3:6-7 - I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.  So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

How do you describe the faithfulness of God?  Without overthinking it, what is the word, words, or phrase that first pops into your head?  Pause for a moment to think of an answer before you read any further.
God's faithfulness is not changed by who we are or about what we think about Him.  He has been, is, and will forever be faithful!

2 Timothy 2:3 - if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot disown himself.
From the very beginning, we humans have been striving for our own way; and God has given us chance after chance to surrender to His Way.  There are times when God will have us face the hard consequences of our unfaithfulness to Him.  Because of His great love, He waits for our return to Him.

Lamentations 3:22-23 - Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
How do you describe the faithfulness of God?  I spoke with a woman at her 100th birthday party this past weekend, and she summed it up in one word that surprised me.  She said, "Overkill".  I looked up the definition, and I think that's a great description of the faithfulness of God!

Overkill - an excess of something (such as a quantity or an action) beyond what is required or suitable for a particular purpose.
The faithfulness of God exceeds and goes beyond way more than we deserve.  Most definitely, "Great is Thy Faithfulness"!

Mondays can be a great time to enter into a new week with a fresh mindset off of God's Word from Sunday!  Entering into a new week with expectancy allows us to keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open to what God will reveal to us.

Expectation can bring disappointment when a desired outcome is not fulfilled.
Expectancy allows us to anticipate and embrace the present moment

Galatians 3:7-9
Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.  
Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,
and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham:
“All nations will be blessed through you.”  
So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Galatians 3:16 - The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Galatians 3:29 - If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Is "The Seed" (Jesus) in you?  
When people see and hear you,
do they see and hear someone living conformed to the world;
or do they see and hear Jesus?
 When "The Seed" (Jesus) is in us, we should no longer be living in sin.

1 John 3:9 - No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.  (Because God's Seed is inside of a Christian, there is an awareness that should cause them to stop and repent)  A true follower of Christ should not return to a lifestyle of sin.

God has called His Children to a higher standard of living with a Holy calling.  We are to be shaped more and more into the image of His Son (The Seed) every day.

How do we live up to this standard?  We have to die to our selfish desires EVERY day.  It's not an easy task, but it should be the goal to aim for EVERY day.

John 12:23-25 - Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  (This is an example of hyperbole or extreme exaggeration that Jesus often used to show how much our devotion should be to Him)

Dying to self enables us to help multiply God's Kingdom here on earth.  When we have "The Seed" not just with us but WITHIN us, we have the capability to bear fruit by planting "The Seed" in others.

We can't plant what we don't possess.
-If you don't have "The Seed" and want Jesus to be within you, believe in Him.  Then, ask God to forgive you of your sins and ask Jesus to come into your life and lead you in His Ways.
-If God's Seed (Jesus) is in you, in whom will you plant "The Seed" this week?

Mountains and valleys can offer different perspectives of our circumstances.  

Psalm 121:1-2 - I lift up my eyes to the mountains--where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
When we view life from a worldly perspective, we often see pain, trials, and heartache.  When we view life from God's perspective, we can see hope, perseverance, and victory.  

When we truly trust that our help comes from the Lord, we realize God is looking out for the best outcome for us.  Our responsibility is to trust in His Will, Way, and Timing.

Are you a person who views a glass of milk as half full or half empty?  Are you an optimist or a pessimist?

optimist - a person who is inclined to be hopeful and to expect good outcomes
pessimist - a person who is inclined to expect poor outcomes
God will test us to find out the strength of our faith.  It's easy to say, "I trust God", when we're on the mountain.  The strength of our level of faith is proven when in the valley we say, "I trust God".
Do you trust Him today and that His Plans for you are for good?  Lift your eyes to the mountains!  God wants to help you!  
Romans 8:26-28 - 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.  28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Have you ever woken up in the morning and made a decision that you were going to be a "Control Freak"?  You had no other agenda except to do anything and everything your way and you didn't care about God's Way or anyone else's way?  We sometimes want what we want, and we want it done our way and in our timing.  We push for the quick and immediate satisfaction of our actions, but God sees the long term consequences.  When we CHOOSE to be a "control freak", we often become blind to how our actions affect others.

God had promised Abram that he would have offspring as much as the dust of the earth and the stars in the sky.  Ten years later, Abram's wife, Sarai, was done with waiting for the offspring that were promised to Abram so she took matters into her own hands.  

Genesis 17:1-2 - Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”

Her short term actions of trying to fulfill God's Plans her way caused long term consequences that are still being felt today.

Living according to God's Way requires letting go of our personal desires and letting God's Will be done God's Way.  There are times in our lives when we need to choose surrender over control.

If anyone knew of the importance of allowing God's Will to be done God's Way, it was Jesus.  May He be our example this week to live a life that has positive long term consequences from our short term actions.

Luke 9:23 - Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after You 
You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship You 
You alone are my strength, my shield
To you alone, may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship You
The opening words of the song, “As the Deer Pants for the Water”, (written by Martin Nystrom) reflect Psalm 42:1:
 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
They also reflect the words God spoke to Abram in Genesis 15:1:  
After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram.  I am your shield, your very great reward.”  
Abram had just given Melchizedek a tenth of everything.  Abram continued to grow in his relationship with God by becoming more obedient to God’s call on his life and by becoming more trusting of God’s provision. 
Today, is God your shield and your very great reward?  To Him alone does your spirit yield? 
Every day, God gives us “Another Chance” to surrender to Him and live for Him.
When He truly is our EVERYTHING, we have no problem giving Him our everything.  It requires living with open hands.  When we delight in the LORD, we will discover that He is the desire of our heart above and beyond the things of this world.
Here are the last two verses of “As the Deer Pants for the Water”.  They were added after the original writing of the song.
I want You more than gold or silver, only You can satisfy
You alone are the real joy giver, and the apple of my eye
You’re my friend, and You’re my brother, even though you are a King
I love You more than any other, so much more than anything
God is giving you "another chance" to grow in your relationship with Him.  Be sure to spend some time alone with Him this week.  Rest in His Holy Presence with no distractions.  Ask Him to search your heart and mind and to reveal to you how to deepen your relationship with Him.  Do you love Him more than anything?
Remember......wherever you encounter God is Holy Ground.
 

Do you daily surrender all?  In this question, I'm talking about surrendering to God 100% EVERY day.  There are only two responses that can answer this question.  It's either "yes" or "no".  If we're honest with ourselves, most of us will respond, "no".  Surrendering "ALL" means EVERYTHING.  

Let's ask ourselves these questions (me included):
When I woke up this morning did I put God first?
Did I spend time in God's Presence  in at least one way today (praying, reading the Bible, listening to an audio track, doing a devotion, etc)?
Did I ask God to plan my day, or did I plan it myself?
Did I think of anyone else today, or did I just think of myself?

The list can go on and on, and I admit sometimes it's a struggle to daily surrender "ALL".  Some days, the answers to these questions might all be "yes".  Some days, the answers might all be "no".  Other days, there might be a mix of "yes" and "no" responses.  It seems that somewhere along the line, someone or something will be neglected as we pursue a lifestyle of surrender, but the goal is to aim for a "yes" rather than a "no".  God deserves and desires our surrender.
Let's think of this question.  Did I do my best today to surrender "ALL" to God?

I believe God knows our hearts and minds, and He sees our efforts to live for Him.  When God looked upon Noah with favor, he wasn't perfect.  When God chose Abram and told him to go into the promised land, Abram sometimes struggled with total obedience and being truthful.  God was able to use Noah and Abram despite their imperfections.

Psalm 139:23-24 - Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Jesus knows what is within us.  He may not be able to entrust Himself to us, but we can entrust ourselves to Him.  

John 2:24-25 - But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.  He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
A VIP in God's Kingdom is a person who possesses valor, desires innocence, and maintains perseverance.

Valor - moral strength, courage, character, and excellenceInnocence - a state of moral purity, freedom from guilt, and a blameless lifestylePerseverance - it’s a steadfast, active determination to maintain faith, obey God, and do good despite trials, suffering, or opposition.
God knows we won't be perfect in this world, but we can make progress as we press on toward the goal!
Philippians 3:14 - I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Obedience to God starts by spending time in His Presence and diving deep into His Holy Word. Reading, remembering, and reciting His Word is more than just knowledge and eloquent words. We cannot just honor Him with our lips while our hearts are far from Him (Mark 7:6). It is through a relationship with our Divine Creator that we draw closer to Him and live in obedience to His Word. The blessing of God’s Word is that He uses it to teach, rebuke, correct, and train all who listen to it and put it into practice.

Matthew 7:24 - “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

James 1:22 - Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Abram was obedient to go when God told him to go. It’s hard to live in obedience to someone you don’t know. If you know God and are in a relationship with Him, remember to be obedient to Him this week.

The focus of obedience is not to be about ourselves. When God blesses us, we are to be obedient to be a blessing back to Him and to others.

Where will God send you this week and to whom will He send you to this week?

1. Humble obedience aligns us with God’s Will. (Matthew 26:39)
2. Submissive obedience surrenders to God’s Way. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
3. Total obedience requires trusting God’s Timing. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Men have been given the responsibility to care for their families.  They are to love their wives as Christ loves the church, and they are to care for their children in the same way God cares for all of His children.  Our world has become a place where selfishness often comes before selflessness.  Jesus came to this earth to show us the way to love, live, and forgive.  We shouldn't compare ourselves with one another, but we should do our best to follow the example of Jesus.

It's not about the title men wear as a father, grandfather, uncle, mentor, or spiritual leader.  All men have been given the responsibility to lead and love just as our Heavenly Father does.  As men strive to be more like Jesus, may they remember that their wives, children, and others need these things from them.

  1.  Presence
  2.  Protection
  3.  Provision
  4.  Prayers
  5.  Patience
  6.  Praise
  7.  Principles
  8.  Playfulness
  9.  Partnership
10.  Perspective (Eternal)
*Clarence L. Hayes, Jr. (The Pursuit of Purpose)

Ephesians 5:25 - Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
Ephesians 6:4 - Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Ladies and children, we also have responsibilities that surround those scriptures.  We ALL need to follow the example of Jesus in pleasing our Heavenly Father and choose selflessness over selfishness.

God established a covenant long ago that encompasses all people and all living creatures.  It is an everlasting covenant.  God made a covenant with Noah that is still true for current generations and future generations.  He will never again send a global flood to destroy all life.  He is the only Promise Maker who is always a Promise Keeper.

Genesis 9:12-15 - 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
God set his rainbow in the clouds as a reminder for all of us that He loves us, and He keeps His promises.  Children learn the colors of the rainbow through the acronym ROYGBIV.  Let us remember the promise through those same letters.

RememberOur YahwehGives BlessingsIn Variety
What blessing will he give to you this week?  Your blessing may be different from someone else's blessing.  Remember to thank Yahweh (The Self-Existent One) for His blessing.  He is the only One True God, and He loves you!

The strength of our faith is often seen, tested, and grown in the valleys of life. When things in our life aren't what we consider good or perfect, what is our attitude? Do we express an attitude of gratitude or an attitude of indifference, despair, or defiance? Amidst all of the wickedness and evil in the world, who are the ones who find favor in God's eyes and are righteous and blameless among the people of our time? It has always been and still is those who walk with God.
Take a look at the genealogy of Noah. His great grandfather, Enoch, walked with God. When you examine the scriptures, you'll see that Enoch wasn't alive on this earth when Noah was born. Yet, his legacy of faith and trust in God must have been passed down through his son and grandson. (Read Genesis 5:21-29)

Hebrews 11:5-7 - By faith, Enoch was taken from this life so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

After God sent the flood, he spared the lives of Noah and his wife and their three sons and their wives. We are all descendants of Noah.

On top of Mt. Ararat, new life began.

Where are you today in living and leaving a legacy of faith?

On this Memorial Day, may we remember to remember those who sacrificed themselves for us to have freedom.  I think of those who died on Mount Suribachi 81 years ago.  During one of the bloodiest battles in US Marine history, almost 7,000 marines died at the hands of Japanese soldiers.  During that battle, the American flag was raised on Mount Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945 to encourage and strengthen the US troops.  

Today, my mind also goes to one man, Jesus, who suffered at the hands of His enemies on Mount Calvary.  He didn't just die for one nation, He died for people of all nations.  He gave His all so that we may all have freedom from sin and the enemy.  We can all look at the cross for encouragement and strength.

This earth doesn't belong to any one person or one nation.  War will continue on this earth until the end of time until we all come to the realization that the earth belongs to God.

Psalm 24:1-2 - The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.
Are you wrestling today with the enemy of your soul, or with someone you think is your enemy in this world?  

We need to remember to remember that God still has the power to restore peace.  We aren't to hold grudges against any person or any nation.  My mother-in-law was born in Okinawa on January 24, 1946.  It was less than a year after the battle of Iwo Jima.  We must remember that the struggle isn't against flesh and blood.  My father-in-law was a Marine, and he married a woman from Okinawa.  Today, I'm celebrating Memorial Day with my husband (who is Asian American), our three children, and my son-in-law.  Our God is a God of reconciliation and restoration!

Ephesians 6:12 - For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  

Have you ever needed to be reminded to “Focus Forward”? In the military, we were sometimes given the command, “Eyes or Ready Front”. After a command to turn our heads 45 degrees to the right for acknowledgement and a salute, we were reminded to return our eyes to the forward position. In the same way, God wants our gaze to be upon what is in front of us. “Eyes Right” is a temporary term. There is a song that reminds us to “Turn Our Eyes Upon Jesus” as we let the things of earth grow strangely dim. Another song says, “Let Me See Jesus Only” because only He can satisfy.

Remember, although Jesus had a “Focus Forward”, He didn’t ignore those in His peripheral vision. He took time to temporarily turn His “Eyes Right” but He always returned to “Eyes (Ready) Front.”

Are your eyes on Jesus? Are your ears attentive to His Voice and His Commands? He is the Shepherd and we are His sheep. He will lead us when we acknowledge and submit to HIm.

John 10:27 - My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

“Focusing Forward” requires keeping our eyes, ears, heart, and mind focused on Jesus. Make sure you follow where He leads you this week! May He use you for the praise of His glory, for the building up of His Church, and for the growth of His Kingdom here on earth and into Heaven.

To "Grow in Grace", we not only need a new mindset; we also need a new heartset.  The best growth will occur when we allow change to happen.

Grace is a blessing from God that shows His love for us.  We don't deserve it, but He gives it to us anyway.  We often refer to it as "Amazing Grace".

What God has given to us, we are also to give to others.  Is there someone in your life that you need to show grace to this week by forgiving them?  We have all been wronged in life at one time or another.  If we're honest with ourselves, we at one point in time (or maybe even still now) have wronged God or someone else.

God has shown us and given us His grace through Jesus.  May we follow His example, and show His grace to others by forgiving them or being patient with them.  If you need God's forgiveness today, ask Him for it.  His love and compassion never fail.

"Grow in Grace" this week!  Even just one tiny thought, word, or action in the right direction is progress!

Lamentations 3:22-23 - Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Romans 3:23-24 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Monday mornings can be a great time to enter into a new week with a fresh mindset off of God's Word from Sunday!  Entering into a new week with expectancy allows us to keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open to what God will reveal to us.

Expectation can bring disappointment when a desired outcome is not fulfilled.Expectancy allows us to anticipate and embrace the present moment.
"Maintain Availability" with each new day God gives you and be willing to follow Him whenever and wherever He directs you to go.  Those who follow Christ are called to be fishers of men.  This also includes women and children.  If each person caught one fish, imagine the growth of God's Kingdom!

Where will God call you to follow Him this week?  Who will He lead you to share His love with this week?  "Maintain Availability" and be open to allow God to use you for the praise of His glory, the building up of His church, and the growth of His Kingdom on this earth and into Heaven!


1. When Jesus calls us to follow Him, we need to follow Him!
-Matthew 4:18-20, Mark 1:16-20, Luke 5:8-11; John 1:41-42

2. God has designed each one of us for His Divine Purpose.
-Jeremiah 1:5
-Psalm 139:13-16

3. When we follow Jesus and maintain availability to Him, God will do miraculous things in us and through us.
-John 21:15-22; Acts 2:40-41

1 Corinthians 2:9
"However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him."

Be blessed this week and "maintain availability" to God knowing He's still working on you, in you, and through you!  He's not finished yet!

Monday mornings can be a great time to enter into a new week with a fresh mindset off of God's Word from Sunday!  Entering into a new week with expectancy allows us to keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open to what God will reveal to us.

"Allow Transformation" with each new day God gives you and remember:

Expectation can bring disappointment when a desired outcome is not fulfilled.Expectancy allows us to anticipate and embrace the present moment.
Romans 12:1-3(The Need for Faith in Daily Life) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—
this is your true and proper worship.
  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought,
but rather think of yourself with sober judgment,
in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Galatians 2:20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here!

1.  Living with expectancy requires letting go of our expectations and will.     (We need to stop kicking against the goads)
2.  Righteousness doesn't come through the law.  It comes through faith in Jesus.3.  God has the power and authority to turn sinners into saints and wretches into wise men.4.  When we are reconciled to God through Jesus, we become His ambassadors.
I hope you have a great week believing, trusting, and knowing God loves you; and He wants HIS very best for you!