James 1:2-4 - "Blessings"

Wow! God is so awesome! Thursday He told me to send a message to a friend I haven't talked to for awhile. The message was "have faith!" I had no idea what he was going through but I was obedient and sent it. I received this reply yesterday, "Thank you for your timely and meaningful text yesterday! I spent most of the day with my son Thursday and it was a blessing to receive your text and have the affirmation from you from the Lord in our behalf! May God continue to bless and keep you and Doc in His Divine care!" Their son has chosen a road that is not of the Lord and it breaks their hearts. The Lord knew they needed encouragement and I am so blessed He used me as the means to provide it. My faith was deepened through this experience and I know their faith was too. I love how the Lord works in and through me. I know it is because I live in His Presence where I not only hear His Voice but I am quick to be obedient to it. I continue to pray for so many friends with prodigals. I pray for their faith to grow stronger as they await the return of their prodigal. I pray for people around them to support them instead of tearing them down. I pray for the soul of their prodigal to be renewed by the Holy Spirit in a way they have never experienced before. Many of these prodigals were raised knowing Jesus' love yet have chosen to rebel against it. May His love shower down upon them in a way they no longer have the desire to rebel against Him. As I think of the prodigals on my list I am saddened to see husbands, fathers, sons and daughters. I am saddened to think of the pain their family is going through yet I am blessed in knowing these families will come out of their circumstances so much stronger in the Lord when they give their prodigal to the Lord. Not only must they give them to the Lord but then they must allow His timing to happen in the process. That is hard in the human flesh but once we live in His Spirit it becomes easier to trust in Him. Once again I go back to the words of James 1:2-4...

I love these words..."perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." Woo hoo! What a wonderful ending to a trial! Knowing when we live out trials of this life in His Spirit we will live with Him for eternity is the icing on the cake! It amazes me how many prodigals on my list have succumbed to sexual sins. The enemy is running rampant in our world trying to entice people in so many ways but sexual sins seem to be the ones he succeeds in so many times. He finds ways to tempt and then goes after people. Sexuality is boasted in today's society through television, magazines, etc. The way many women dress boasts their body instead of being modest. Even clothing of little girls and teens boasts sexuality. Our society is in a sad state in this area and it breaks my heart. Many parents have made the decision to allow girls to choose their own clothing instead of being the adult in their relationship. This also breaks my heart. Those who believe in God need to stand-up for His principles. Believers need to be aware of the enemy so they can be strong against his attacks. The enemy is real and is after as many people as he can gather. He is happy when he gets believers to come over to his ways. He is especially happy when those believers are leaders  of the Church or their family members. Charles G. Finney wrote:

"Worldly desires, appetites, and feelings prevent true Christianity—the human will is, in a sense, enslaved by fleshly and worldly desires. It is therefore necessary for God to awaken people to a sense of guilt and danger and thus produce an opposite excitement or feeling and desire. This counter-feeling breaks the power of worldly desire and leaves the will free to obey God."

This way of thinking is not the way a lot of people believe today. More people must get to the point in their life where they are living in His will. When they do, they will hear His Voice and obey. It may take tough trials to get us to that point but in going through those trials we must be joyful in knowing our faith will deepen in the process. I use to think there was no way possible for joy and trials to be in the same sentence. Not anymore! I have experienced and been blessed by being joyful through C. I know my faith is stronger because of it. Woo hoo! The enemy did not win because I stood steadfast! I know my friends with prodigals will go deeper in their faith as they stand steadfast!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for yesterday! Thank You for today! Thank You for tomorrow! Lord, I don't know where all You will lead me to but I do know You will direct my path in the way You will be glorified through my words, actions and attitude. I pray for more of You to show through me throughout this day. I pray for my friends with prodigals to go deeper in their faith as they pray for their prodigals and await their return. I pray for the wives and parents who are hurting so badly to be blessed by You today in a way that shows them You are still with them. Bless them in abundance with Your love to flow through them toward their prodigals. Father, I can't imagine how the wives feel but I pray they can feel Your strength as they continue to love their husbands. Thank You for being My Director! Amen.