Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
I am “CHOOSING” to share this little snippet from Lucado for perhaps the second or third time on the OFH.
Why?
In the last month during our intense Hope over Heroin season I have encountered so many folks who believe “they have no choice”.
They believe they can’t choose anything but the addiction, the affliction. Just in the last 72 hours in Cincinnati more than 70 folks who believed they had no choice overdosed. Two lost their lives. More will.
One did in our little town on Wednesday.
The Ohio 2015 overdose statistics were released yesterday. Over 3000 overdose deaths were recorded easily outpacing auto fatality. Over 1000 of those “OD’s” were due to something that was designed for chemotherapy and chronic pain sufferers, fentanyl. I know these folks at the time of that last snort or injection believed they HAD NO CHOICE.
Too much sickness, too much pain, too much hurt, too much “whatever”.
My heart grieves.
That is why I want all of us to remember today that we DO have a choice and Max does a wonderful job of laying some of them out in this little excerpt below.
READ this OVER YOURSELF today.
Be INTENTIONAL.
CHOOSE to!
CHOOSE to believe!
CHOOSE to believe that your life has value, that this day has value, that even in the darkest of times and days, we can ALWAYS CHOOSE CHRIST!
…do (CHOOSE) what the Lord your God tells you to do. You must obey his commands and follow the rules that are written in this Book of Teachings. You must obey the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Then…good things will happen to you. Deuteronomy 30:9-10 (ERV)
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“I Choose Love...
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I Choose Joy...
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I Choose Peace...
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so I may live.
I Choose Patience...
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so, Rather complain that the wait is to long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clenching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I Choose Kindness...
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for that is how God has treated me.
I Choose Goodness...
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I accuse. I choose goodness.
I Choose Faithfulness...
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My friends will not question my word. And my family will not question my love.
I Choose Gentleness...
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it only be in praise. If I clench my fist, may it only be in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
I Choose Self-Control...
I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace. And then when this day is done I will place my head on my pillow and rest.”
― Max Lucado
I love you ALL!
Have a great day and weekend.
Pray for our lost.
Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)
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