Work- God Rests. Pray- God Works

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Every single day, we face situations and 'challenges' that triggers our emotions. These situations causes our brain to think ahead of something that 'have not' or 'may not' happen; but 'may' or 'may not' result badly - that my friend is called worry. We worry if we're gonna be late for a meeting, we worry if our co-workers likes us, we worry if our child can go to school next year, we worry if we will have food on our table for the rest of our days. 

And this 'thinking ahead' brings a very close friend named anxiety and her buddy: stress. Stress makes our mood -sour, and may drastically affect a person we love, even if we dont intend it to. 

PROMISE: Cast our cares on Jesus, because HE cared so much that He gave HIS own life to give us a full life. (Matt 6:25-34) 

PRAY. And great things happen, TRUST will give us peace beyond our understanding!!! When we Work, God rests. when we pray, God works. ;)

COMMAND: Do NOT worry, just PRAY and THANK God.

WARNING: Worrying does not add a single day in our life

I am a perfect example for this. My personality being a melancholy-choleric makes me want to interfere with about anything, because I felt they 'need' my help they're just too afraid to ask, and I can do that better because I am a perfectionist (the melancholy speaking). The choleric side will be bossy, and push my decisions to theirs. And it caused confusions, frustrations, 'i told you so's', stress; because I will be thinking of their worries, and because I worry that their worries will happen, yet i have my own worries, and BOOM!!! I donre even want to name what happens next  ;)

So this year, LORD help us to enjoy life -to see the beautiful people you have put, to make it the best possible life there is. Help us to even appreciate the people that may cause us to frown, for YOU have put them so we can learn from them and be wiser. Teach us to number our days right, and live to the fullest by teaching us not to worry but instead pray, and put everything into YOUR hand. For you even cared about the birds in the air and their chicks, the wildflowers in the fields that will die the next day; how much more your people whom YOU gave up Your life on? 

Memory Lane

RHEMA VERSE: Forget what is behind and strain towards what is ahead, let's press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenwards in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13b-14

MESSAGE: Our brain is a powerful tool intricately designed by God. It holds tons of memories from certain events that can be triggered and put us to the same place or feeling it experienced from the past. Some memories makes us smile, and 'some' or many times, it  can make us frown or even sad. This new year, Apostle Paul is telling us a precious message: 

forget what is behind: our past mistakes, people who let us down along the way, the problems, our former glories- and look ahead for the bright and great future the Lord has prepared. 

Press on towards the goal: what God started (a dream, vision, a process, an opportunity) He will not put in vain, He will remain faithful until He completes it- that's HIS promise (Phil 1:6) A good athlete runs even with a sprain or a bruise- we may think that our challenges is taking the best part of our life but if we continue to run the race, though we may be beaten or broken down, GOD will give us inner strength to finish the race.

And when we came to that goal, only to realize that 'those' that happened in the past was also God's design, for us to be able to come to the great future. What a great joy to serve our God!

PROMISE: For. I know the plans I have for you, a plan to prosper you and not to harm you, a plan to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

COMMAND: Press on!

WARNING: Looking behind will make us miss the great future ahead.

APPLICATION:  Lord, teach me to always rely on You. To seek you first and foremost about anything and about everything. To consult You before my decisions and not after my confusions. Give us directions for this year, give us strength, wisdom and favor. Help us enjoy every moment be it a challenge or success. Thank you Lord for another year with You. Bless every lives we touch, may we cause them joy and be a testimony of Your great love and grace.