Good Morning Garden

APPROACH THIS DAY WITH AWARENESS OF WHO IS BOSS. As you make plans for the day, remember that it is I who orchestrated the events of your life. On days when things go smoothly, according to your plans, you may be unaware of My sovereign Presence. On days when your plans are thwarted, be on the lookout for Me! I may be doing something important in your life, something quite different from what you expected. 

It is essential at such times to stay in communication with Me, accepting My way as better than yours. Don’t try to figure out what is happening. Simply trust Me and thank Me in advance for the good that will come out of it all. I know the plans I have for you, and they are good.

Jeremiah 29:11      “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

I will sing to my Lord as long as I live, I will sing

praise to my God while I have my being.

Even on the worst of days, when faced with tragedy and loss, God has plans for us that are good. His plan is to prosper us; not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. Tomorrow will be one of those days. Our family will celebrate the life of our #4 brother with a memorial and homecoming. 

In this tragedy one thing is clear. If we trust God’s promise, the day will bring more joy than sorrow, more hope than despair and God’s presence will bring unfathomable blessings  from our pain. The verse above will be read because it was his favorite. How fitting that God is already working his miracles to relieve our hurts and replace them with hopes.

Thanking and trusting God,

Stan

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YOU CAN ACHIEVE THE VICTORIOUS LIFE through living in deep dependence on Me. People usually associate victory with success: not falling or stumbling, not making mistakes. But those who are successful in their own strength tend to get their own way, forgetting about Me. It is always through problems and failure, weakness and neediness that you learn to rely on Me.

True dependence is not simply asking Me to bless what you have decided to do. It is coming to Me with an open mind and heart, inviting Me to plant My desires within you. I may infuse within you a dream that seems far beyond your reach. You know that in yourself you cannot achieve such a goal. Thus begins your journey of profound reliance on Me. It is a faith-walk, taken one step at a time, leaning on Me as much as you need. This is not a path of continual success but of multiple failures. However, each failure is followed by a growth spurt, nourished by increased reliance on Me. Enjoy the blessedness of a victorious life, through deepening your dependence on Me.

Psalm 34:17-18      The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

I will sing to my Lord as long as I live, I will sing

praise to my God while I have my

It seems so contradictory to view failure as means to victory, but that is the way we must travel our path. Human nature tends to ignore God when things are going well, and then we raise ourselves to a place of pride and self-reliance. This is the source of our true failures and blinds us to God’s plan for ultimate victory.

The path to that victory is not filled with a string of self-perpetuated success and greater comfort. It is only assured by taking the rocky and narrow path of self-denial and reliance on God. It is often a rough road, but remember this. The road to failure is wide, flat and easy is the way. Thus so many take this path that leads to darkness. Take the road to the light, and endure all it brings with trust, hope and reliance on God. Then and only then will true victory be assured.

Rocky road anyone?

Peace,

Z gardener

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REST IN THE DEEP ASSURANCE of My unfailing Love. Let your body, mind, and spirit relax in My Presence. Release into My care anything that is troubling you, so that you can focus your full attention on Me. Be awed by the vast dimensions of My Love for you: wider, longer, higher, and deeper than anything you know. Rejoice that this marvelous Love is yours forever!

The best response to this glorious gift is a life steeped in thankfulness. Every time you thank Me, you acknowledge that I am your Lord and Provider. This is the proper stance for a child of God; receiving with thanksgiving. Bring Me the sacrifice of gratitude, and watch to see how much I bless you.

1 Peter 5:17   Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

I will sing to my Lord as long as I live, I will sing

praise to my God while I have my being.

“How can I rest with all these issues I need to resolve?” we may ask. The answer is first to give thanks and be grateful for all our blessings. Then, once reminded of God’s power manifested in our blessings, we may confidently release all problems to God and let our bodie, minds and spirits rest.

Be grateful and rest,

Z gardener

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A THANKFUL ATTITUDE opens windows of heaven. Spiritual blessings fall freely onto you through those openings into eternity.  Moreover, as you look up with a grateful heart, you get glimpses of Glory through those windows. You cannot yet live in heaven, but you can experience foretastes of your ultimate home. Such samples of heavenly fare revive your hope. Thankfulness opens you up to these experiences, which then provide further reasons to be grateful. Thus, your path becomes an upward spiral: ever increasing in gladness.

Thankfulness is not some sort of magic formula; it is the language of love, which enables you to communicate intimately with Me. A thankful mind-set does not entail a denial of reality with its plethora of problems. Instead, it rejoices in Me, your Savior, in the midst of trials and tribulations. I am your refuge and strength, an ever-present and well-proved help in trouble.

Habakkuk 3:17-18        Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Psalm 46:1 AMP   God is our Refuge and Strength {mighty and impenetrable to temptation}, a very present and well-proved help in trouble.

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

I will sing to my Lord as long as I live, I will sing

praise to my God while I have my being.

“How, in God’s name?” you might ask, can one give thanks for things that hurt us. The answer is contained in the question. Without God’s help, we wouldn’t. Yet, when we give thanks in God’s name for all things, the windows of Heaven open. Then, all the power and majesty of God comes to our aid and showers us with glory and grace.

In the shower,

Z gardener

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THERE IS A TIME OF ABUNDANCE in your life. Your cup  runneth over with blessings. After plodding uphill for many weeks, you are now traipsing through lush meadows drenched in warm sunshine. I want you to enjoy to the fullest this time of ease and refreshment. I delight in providing it for you.

Sometimes My children hesitate to receive My good gifts with open hands. Feelings of false guilt creep in, telling them they don’t deserve to be so richly blessed. This is nonsense-thinking, because no one deserves anything from Me. My kingdom is not about earning and deserving; it’s about believing and receiving.

When a child of Mine balks at accepting My gifts, I am deeply grieved. When you receive My abundant blessings with a grateful heart, I rejoice. My pleasure in giving and your pleasure in receiving flow together in joyous harmony.

Psalm 23:5 KJV    Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

I will sing to my Lord as long as I live, I will sing

praise to my God while I have my being.

We can not earn, create or duplicate God’s gifts. The good news is that all we have to do is believe and receive. But even this is not easy. The world around us presents a false illusion of separation from God. We must overcome this through faith and following God’s will. Then we can fully enjoy God’s gift as we live in the Eden God created for us.

Just believe,

Stan

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THANK ME THROUGHOUT THIS DAY for My Presence and My Peace. These are gifts of supernatural proportions. Ever since the resurrection, I have comforted My followers with these messages: Peace be with you, and I am with you always. Listen as I offer you My Peace and Presence in full measure. The best way to receive these glorious gifts is to thank Me for them.

It is impossible to spend too much time thanking and praising Me. I created you first and foremost to glorify Me. Thanksgiving and praise put your in proper relationship with Me, opening the way for My riches to flow into you. As you thank Me for My Presence and Peace, you appropriate my richest gifts.

Matthew 28:20      “In teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

I will sing to my Lord as long as I live, I will sing

praise to my God while I have my being.

A grateful heart, a listening ear and a willingness to follow God are among our greatest blessings. They  are gateways that unlock all the other blessings in life. For what we all truly want is peace. Herein lies peace and the power of God’s omnipotent presence.

Thankfully listening and following,

Z gardener

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BE PREPARED TO SUFFER FOR ME, in My Name. All suffering has meaning in My kingdom. Pain and problems are opportunities to demonstrate your trust in Me. Bearing your circumstances bravely–even thanking Me for them–is one of the highest forms of praise. This sacrifice of thanksgiving rings golden-toned bells of joy throughout heavenly realms. On earth also, your patient suffering sends out ripples of good tidings in ever-widening circles.

When suffering strikes, remember that I am sovereign and that I can bring good out of everything. Do not try to run from pain or hide from problems. Instead, accept adversity in My Name, offering it up to Me for My purposes. thus, your suffering gains meaning and draws you closer to Me. Joy emerges from the ashes of adversity through your trust and thankfulness.

James 1:2-4    Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

We will all experience pain. Those who turn it over to God will likely find the blessing hidden therein. Those who don’t, will seldom find any good coming from pain. So, the choice is clear. Turn the pain into a blessing or live with it as a curse.

Looking for blessings,

Z gardener

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WALK WITH ME along paths of trust. The most direct route between point A and point B on your life-journey is the path of unwavering trust in Me. When your faith falters, you choose a trail that meanders and takes you well out of your way. You will get to point B eventually, but you will have lost precious time and energy. As soon as you realize you have wandered from your trust-path, look to Me and whisper, “I trust You, Jesus.” This affirmation will help you get back on track.

The farther you roam along paths of unbelief, the harder it is to remember that I am with you. Anxious thoughts branch off in all directions, taking you farther and farther from awareness of My Presence. You need to voice your trust in Me frequently. This simple act of faith will keep you walking along straight paths with Me. Trust in Me with all your heart, and I will make your paths straight.

Scriptures to read: Isaiah 26:4; Psalm 9:10; Psalm 25:4-5; Proverbs 3:5-6

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

I will sing to my Lord as long as I live, I will sing

praise to my God while I have my being.

How does one walk with God? We must decide to take the paths God walks and would have us walk. This means we need to learn God’s way and will. Then we need to choose the paths in life that keep us closest to God’s way.

When we decide to take a path other than the one God proscribes, we experience the false illusion of separation from God. While we can never be truly separated from God, our self-induced blindness makes us feel and act as if we are in the dark, alone and apart from God.

This illusion, while false does cause us to live in an illusory world we create, rather than the real Eden which surrounds us and was created for us. All we need is “just a closer walk with thee”.

Tracking with trust,

Z gardener

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