From: "Dwayne Savaya" <godswork...@hotmail.com> God's Work Ministry E-mail
Dear Friend, We should never get down on ourselves when we fall short. Many times we strive for perfection and we do our best to put on a persona that all is well and everything in our life is to our liking. We all know that is not the case. We all have setbacks, we've all fallen short at one time or another and we all need grace in order to stand up again. What we should realize is that it's okay to not be perfect, it's okay to make mistakes, it's okay to fall short, but what is not okay is for us to keep making mistakes and falling short. When we learn from our mistakes, we become wiser so that the same thing won't happen again. When we fail in a certain task, we learn the lesson from that failure and we can rise up stronger for the next task ahead of us. Life is all about learning and becoming better than we were before. We learn the lessons, become better because of them and when we become better, we can help others in areas that we have already learned from. Be encouraged to love yourself no matter your imperfections. Realize how special you are and remember how much you have to offer. No matter your past shortfalls, you can begin again. With God, a second chance is always available to those who seek Him. He is able to cleanse us of all our unrighteousness, create within us a clean heart and lead our life onto the best path as He sees fit. When we surrender our will and ask for His will to be done, great things will begin to take place in our life. Trust the Lord in every area of your life and know that your ending will be much more blessed and fruitful than your beginnings. Believe it for yourself and strive to achieve it all the days of your life. I hope this message encourages and inspires your heart to love yourself no matter your imperfections or past shortfalls. We can all rise up again and do better than we have done before. NOT PERFECT I was looking out on the woods that surround my house today as I walked through the melting snow. It seemed so strange to see how the trees looked in the middle of winter. Their black, gray, and brown trunks were twisted, wet, and gnarled. They were full of chipped bark and dead limbs. They seemed almost ugly and as far from perfect as you could get. Still, I knew that in just a few months they would be alive again with bright, green leaves and in a few months after that they would be full of beautiful colors that would delight the heart and uplift the soul. Thinking about this made me smile and reminded me that you don't have to be perfect in order to live a blessed life. God knows that I am far from perfect myself. I make mistakes every single day of my life. I am still a gnarled, empty, tree trunk much of the time. I do try, however, moment by moment and choice by choice to live a good life. I do try each day to choose and to share love and joy. I do try to grow in oneness with God more and more as I travel the path of life. I think, in fact, one of the best moments in my life was the moment that I decided to stop trying to be perfect and to just live in love and joy while sharing all the gifts that God gave me. We all need to stop trying to be perfect. We all need to stop judging ourselves and just love ourselves. We all need to give up on living a perfect life and enjoy living a good and beautiful life. Anne Frank wrote, "Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" Let us all live the good news within us then. Let us all grow some bright, green leaves of love in our lives. Let us all share the beautiful colors of peace and joy from our hearts and souls with everyone everywhere. We might not be perfect, but we can still bless the world with the best within us and with the gifts God gives us. By Joseph J. Mazzella Read and meditate on these scriptures: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." Jeremiah 32:17-18 "Ah Lord GOD! behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee: Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is His Name." Psalm 37:3-6 "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: GOD KNOWS Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem15.htm Today's Selected Testimony: GOD KNOWS ME Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony128.htm ===================================================== God's Work Ministry E-mail Dear Friend, We should always have a contented heart in life and realize that we don't need everything in order to be happy. The Bible says having food and clothing, let us be content. Being content in life simply mean that we are thankful, appreciative and reflective of the fact that we have enough to be happy right now. We don't have to have the greatest of possessions or the biggest of bank accounts in order to be satisfied with life. Having our family, our friends, our children, our health is enough for us to see how abundantly blessed we already are. The trick of the enemy is to show us what others possess and how we should have the same or even more. He uses envy and jealousy to make us forget the abundance that we possess and wish for what others have. When envy or jealousy takes root in our heart, nothing can fill that endless abyss. We will never have enough in our own minds because someone else will always have more. That is why we should recognize that happiness has nothing to do with the possession, but rather it has everything to do with a state of mind. How we think and how we see ourselves determines on how quickly we will find contentment. If we focus on our blessings, contentment will come quickly, but if we focus on all that we are lacking, then nothing will bring contentment. Be encouraged to have a thankful heart. Appreciate all that you have and recognize how rich you already are. It doesn't have to be monetarily because riches come in all forms. You can be rich in family, in health, in friendship, in wisdom, etc. When you focus on your riches, your mind will quickly find contentment. Keep focusing on your blessings and you will never fall for the trap of the enemy to want what others have. That is the true secret to being content in life. I hope this message inspires and challenges your heart to realize that you have enough right now to be happy in life. You have the many blessings required to be appreciative and thankful to the Lord for your life. THE FISHERMAN KNOWS BEST One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish. About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family. "You aren't going to catch many fish that way," said the businessman to the fisherman, "You should be working rather than lying on the beach!" The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, "And what will my reward be?" "Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!" was the businessman's answer. "And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman, still smiling. The businessman replied, "You will make money and you'll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!" "And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman again. The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman's questions. "You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!" he said. "And then what will my reward be?" repeated the fisherman. The businessman was getting angry. "Don't you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!" Once again the fisherman asked, "And then what will my reward be?" The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, "Don't you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won't have a care in the world!" The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, "And what do you think I'm doing right now?" Contentment is a difficult attitude to learn, but so important. It's easy to get caught in the world's trap of working harder and harder to earn more and more, when we may well already have what can provide us with the greatest possible happiness. May you know true contentment today. "Now Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content." (1 Timothy 6:6-8) Author Unknown Read and meditate on these scriptures: Hebrews 13:5-6 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Psalm 118:24 "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 23:1-4 "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me." Philippians 4:8-9 "Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: TEN RULES FOR A HAPPY DAY Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem133.htm Today's Selected Testimony: HOLLI HESS'S TESTIMONY Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony143.htm ============================================== God's Work Ministry E-mail Dear Friend, No matter the trials and tribulations that we go through in life, we should always stay in faith and remember that God has us securely in the palms of His Hands. No matter how hard the enemy tries to discourage your heart, remind yourself that you are well able to withstand and triumph over every attack that the enemy can bring. The Lord gives us strength, faith and a quiet confidence letting us know that we can overcome every trial that comes our way. We just have to rest in His promise knowing that if God brought us to it, He will also bring us through it. When we pass through that trial, we will be made stronger, wiser and better able to handle more of life's challenges down the road. Every obstacle serves a purpose to teach us lessons, to show us our inner strength, to build our confidence in God and to remind us that nothing is impossible to those who believe. Always remember God's love for you when times of doubt come knocking on your door. Continue to believe in yourself as God believes in you and nothing shall be impossible to you. The Lord who is able to make all grace abound toward you will perform that miracle in your presence to show you that with God impossible means nothing. Raise your confidence in Him and let God know that your eyes will continue to stay focused on the Great I Am. I hope this message encourages your heart to have faith and confidence in God's love for you. The Lord cares for us more than we can ever know, so let us stay faithful to Him all the days of our life. REFINER AND PURIFIER Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver...' This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God... One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: ' He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?' He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.' If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. Author Unknown Read and meditate on these scriptures: Hebrews 12:1-3 "...Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the Joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." Psalm 147:3-7 "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite. The LORD lifteth up the meek: He casteth the wicked down to the ground. Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God." Philippians 4:4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." All scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: GOD ISN'T FAR AWAY Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem110.htm Today's Selected Testimony: TAKING A GOOD LOOK Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony189.htm In Christ's Service, Dwayne Savaya God's Work Ministry Please feel free to visit the Website to read more Encouraging and Inspirational stories, poems and testimonies. Our E-mail Archives are available as well to read the messages that have been sent in the past. You can also send Free E-cards to friends and loved ones with the many choices available. You are also welcome to post your prayer requests in our Prayer Forum. All this and more available at --- http://www.Godswork.org You can also send prayer requests to --- pray...@godswork.org Add your E-mail address if you'd like correspondence with the prayer partners.
