Welcome to the new Life Is For Living for 2009. We are excited about the Life Is For Living blog and hope you are too! Each month we will be posting a new Life Is For Living Blog for you to enjoy. We believe that the Lord created each human being with a purpose, a destiny, and a future. It is important to remember to trust the Lord and to put our hope in Him. As we place our faith in Jesus Christ and believe in His promises for our lives, we can have hope for the future and for a brighter tomorrow. When you go throughout your day and walk out the busyness of your life try to remember to stop, thank God for His many blessings, and enjoy God's beautiful creation! Remember that "Life Is For Living!"
Daily Bread- In today’s day and age times are very tough for many people. There are those that are losing their jobs, homes, and life savings. It can be very difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel and to keep believing for a better day. Whatever you may be facing in your life, there is good news! In Christ there is hope for a brighter tomorrow.
The Bible teaches that the Lord is a present help in a time of need (Psalm 46:1); and that no matter what circumstances you may be facing in your life, be it good or bad, God is a merciful and gracious God, ready and able to meet your needs, and willing to pull you out of every trying and painful circumstance. The Bible reveals to us that God can turn what the devil meant for evil for His good (Romans 8:28). This means that no matter what you are walking through in your life, God can turn your circumstance around and good can come from your pain, sorrow, and suffering.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) says; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” As you place your trust in Jesus Christ and lean upon Him, you can find comfort and strength knowing that your life is in His hand; and that He is present to supply all of your needs.
In Matthew 14:13-21 (NIV) the scripture says; "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to Him and said, 'This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.' Jesus replied, 'They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.' 'We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,' they answered. 'Bring them here to me,' He said. And He directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children."
This passage of scripture displays three very important truths. One, in this passage it reveals the Lord’s willingness to take care of His people. The disciples came to Jesus suggesting that He send the people away to go get food. Jesus replied by telling the disciples that the people could stay and be fed right where they were. Jesus could have told the crowd to leave and get food for themselves; but Jesus did not do this. He provided for the people and made sure that they were well taken care of.
Second, this passage of scripture reveals the Lord’s ability to take care of His people. Jesus healed the individuals there who were sick and had ailments; in addition to feeding the individuals who were hungry and in need of food. Although there were only two fish and five loaves of bread available, it did not prevent Jesus from working a miracle and providing for a crowd of more than 5,000 individuals. He fed the people until they were full and satisfied, having some left over as well.
Third, this passage of scripture reveals the importance of believing and trusting in the Lord to supply your needs. The people in attendance that day received from God’s hand because they chose to believe and they chose to put their faith in Jesus Christ. The people could have left the meeting and gone to seek out food elsewhere. The people could have chosen not to believe that the Lord could bring forth a miracle and provide for their needs. The individuals in attendance made a decision to have faith, to wait upon the Lord, and to partake in God’s divine blessings. They received their miracle that day.
It is important in your Christian walk to remember that you have an important role to play. Your part is to have faith, to believe, and to choose to receive from the hand of your Master. When you come to the Lord with a willing spirit and an open heart, filled with faith and expectancy for your miracle, you position yourself to enter into all of the many blessings that He has in store for your life. The Bible says; “All things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23) NAS
No matter what your needs may be the Lord Jesus can meet every single one of them. I encourage you to open your heart to the Lord and all of the many blessings He desires to bestow upon your life. I encourage you to seek the Lord; and to spend time praying and asking God for what you have need of. I encourage you to cry out to Him and share with Him your heart, your sufferings, your grievances, and your hopes for the future and for your life. The Lord Jesus Christ loves you more than you could ever know. He is listening and He is waiting for you today.
You can start by praying this prayer aloud to the Lord;
Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. Forgive me Lord for any unbelief or anger in my heart. I give You my life, my finances, my marriage, my hopes, my dreams, and my desires. I ask You to fill my heart with Your presence and Your peace; and I ask You to meet all of my needs. I ask for a miracle from heaven. I ask for You to supply all my needs financially, emotionally, physically, and mentally. I pray that You would watch over me Lord; and I pray that You would keep me and my family, and that You would be the head of my life and in the midst of my circumstance Oh Lord. I thank You that You have heard my prayer this day and that You will answer. I believe and so I receive this day. I thank You Lord. In Jesus Name, Amen. Amen. And Amen!
Date Idea of the Month- Take your spouse or loved one out for coffee. While you’re sitting and sipping coffee, tell your loved one how much they mean to you. Also, spend time talking and sharing with one another. Share about your day, your feelings, and your hopes and dreams. It’s important to make time for the one you love and to communicate with them what’s on your heart. This small gesture can really mean a great deal to your loved one!
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31) NIV
Movie Must See- “Rudy”
"Rudy" is an account of the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger who had the dream of playing football at the University of Notre Dame. He grew up in a steel mill town where most people ended up working out of high school, but he wanted to play football and go to college. He had just a few hurdles to overcome; his grades were a little low, his athletic skills were sub-par, he was only half the size of the other players, and no one believed in him. But he had drive, spirit, and determination and set his sights upon joining the team. Despite these significant obstacles he achieved his dream and proved that we should never give up, but press on until we achieve our goals. 
Music Must Hear- Crystal Lewis (Hymns) My Life
You can download this album on iTunes or purchase Crystal’s music at http://www.crystallewis.com/
Bible Verse of the Month- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) NIV
