Terri's Wellspring

Give it to Him

21 03 2014

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. I Peter 5:7 NIV

God cares about every aspect of our lives. He cares about our thoughts, our decisions, our hopes, dreams, our problems and our concerns. I love the scripture that says that “we can cast all our cares on Him for He cares for us”. It is a powerful assurance that no matter what we are facing, God cares and that we can cast, toss, or give our problems to our Heavenly Father. He cares about the big and little things of our lives. We may have concerns about health, finances, relationships or how a whole range of situations will be resolved. We can thank God for His love and that He knows all about it. We can demonstrate our faith and confidence in Him and turn it over to Him. When we give it to Him, He immerses His love, His power and His healing that transforms any situation. It may be a long-standing concern that has burdened our hearts for months or years but I challenge you today to give it to the Father. We can receive a new outlook through the lenses of His faith and promises concerning His children. We may be waiting on Him but He may be waiting on us to put our whole faith and trust in Him. Give it to Him today.

Give all your worries to Him because He cares for you. I Peter 5:7

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Tags: Give it to Him, I Peter 5:7
Categories : ENCOURAGEMENT, Uncategorized

Spring Cometh

19 03 2014

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Romans 12:12

We crave for warmer days after a persistent hard winter. Record snow falls and low temperatures for weeks at a time can start to weigh on your heart after a while. The winter season is a lesson of perseverance and resiliency when the days are dark and frigid. We have to remind ourselves that winter is in fact a season and that spring indeed will come. Our God is faithful and with each new day and sun rise, we are approaching closer and closer to spring. We have to keep hope in our hearts even if a March snow storm may come to dampen our outlook. We experience both natural and spiritual winters in our lives, when we must stay in the faith and remember that this too shall pass. Warmer days, peace and joy are ahead. It is time of staying in faith and to look for the signs of spring. The promise of spring keeps us grounded in hope and allows us to start planning and anticipating the next season. Even at the darkest hour we are closer than we think if we are steadfast and don’t lose heart. Stay in faith and nurture hope. Spring cometh.

Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Romans 12:11-12MSG

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Tags: Romans 12:12, Spring Cometh
Categories : FAITH, Uncategorized

Lifted Hands

18 03 2014

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. Psalms 63:3-4

With lifted hands, we bless the Lord’s name. We lift our hands in praise and honor for the God of our salvation. He has done marvelous things in our lives and we are thankful. We are grateful for His grace and His mercy that continues to cover us, even though we don’t deserve it. We are thankful to be the recipient of His love and His peace that abides in our hearts, minds and souls. For these gifts, we give the praise of our words and of lifted hands. Our hearts and our hands are extended to God in praise. We are so unworthy of His blessings, He provides healing, deliverance and salvation to those who seek Him. We are thankful. He makes a way for us when things seem impossible. With a grateful heart and with lifted hands, we give Him praise.

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Tags: Lifted Hands, Psalms 63:3-4
Categories : PRAISE, Uncategorized

He is Able

17 03 2014

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

We serve a God who created the earth and the heavens. He is powerful, loving and merciful. We are so thankful for the Gift of His Son Jesus Christ who allows us to be in relationship with Him. We may have prayers and petitions before the Lord. They may be needs and desires that we have no idea how they will be accomplished. Once we put our petitions before the Lord, we can have confidence that He has heard our cry and that He is working our prayers together for our good. You may be praying for things regarding healing, deliverance or salvation for those you love. You may be seeking transformation to take place in our hearts and minds so that we can reach our goals and to be used more of the Lord. Whatever you are seeking, our passage is a reminder that He is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. What a blessing to see the work of His hands working in our lives. Better Health, better devotion and attention to our God –given assignments. He is well able do more than we can ask or think. His response will amaze us and we are thankful.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!

Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!
Ephesians 3:20-21 MSG

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Tags: Ephesians 3:20-21, He is able
Categories : FAITH, Uncategorized

Every Effort

14 03 2014

In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8 NLT

The Lord has blessed us with so much. He has forgiven our sins and allowed us to walk this journey of faith in Him. We are thankful for this ultimate blessing that gives us eternal hope and promise. Our daily living is an opportunity to respond to His goodness with our best effort to live a life that reflects His living inside of us. This passage emphasizes the importance of living with moral excellence, increased knowledge, discipline, patient endurance, godliness and love for one of another. As His children, we can commit to nurturing and developing these qualities in our daily decisions, big and small. These are powerful characteristics that we all can strive to achieve, making every effort to build on our faith. The result is a stronger, more productive and useful child of God that strengthens our lives, our families and our communities exemplifying Him.

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Tags: 2 Peter 1:5-8, Every Effort
Categories : GUIDANCE, Uncategorized

Mustard Seed Faith

12 03 2014

You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. ”I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” Matthew 17:20 NLT

God requires us to put our trust fully in Him. Filling our hearts and minds with His promises of love, protection and provision leaves no space for doubt to take root and to thrive. Our scripture describes faith, even the size of a mustard seed as extremely powerful. I have seen a mustard seed, which is round, yellow and incredibly small. It is also hard and seemingly impenetrable. It is solid. I think about the message of this passage concerning the capacity of the power within us. If we have solid faith, even on a small scale we can have powerful results.

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Tags: Matthew 17:20, Mustard Seed Faith
Categories : FAITH, Uncategorized

First

11 03 2014

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33 NLT

Putting our Heavenly Father first is the key to a blessed life. Making God our first priority in our daily living – His Word, His teachings and His ways – is the compass we need each day. His way is higher ground that will keep us from things that don’t reflect His righteousness or His plan or purpose for our lives. Serving God and His Kingdom is our first priority. Pursuing Him and His will first, organizes our decisions to align with the wonderful journey He has planned for us. Putting Him first is a pathway for receiving everything that we need. We need His peace, His direction and His righteousness to abide in our hearts as we put Him first.

“So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to. Matthew 6:32-33 TLB

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Tags: first, Matthew 6:33
Categories : GUIDANCE, Uncategorized

Pressing

10 03 2014

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12

Your goal is ahead. It is not behind you and it won’t be found on the sidelines of procrastination or weariness. We have to press forward. We can take every experience that has helped us to reach where we are now to muster courage and to take the next step. This is a time of confidence and knowing that God is working all things together for our good. Our faith is steadfast and firm. We believe in God and where He is leading. He is leading us into our purpose. He is empowering our steps today with His direction and His wisdom. He has blessed us with the added gifts of peace and joy along the way. We are thankful and pressing on.

I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. Philippians 3:12-14 MSG

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Tags: Philippians 3:12, Pressing
Categories : ENCOURAGEMENT, Uncategorized

His Goodness

7 03 2014

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:5-6

My heart is full this morning thinking about God’s goodness. Just thinking about God’s mercy and His unconditional love for me gives me such joy and a heart of gratitude. Since I started this journey in relationship with the Father through His son Jesus Christ, my life has been truly blessed. Even when I have fallen short of my best for Him, He has shown me mercy in ways that I could not imagine. At times, I thought I had “problems” but everything is relative. He has turned those problems into stepping stones of my faith. I am thankful.

I have a blessed life. My family is blessed and it is all due to His goodness and mercy toward me. Today, I want to dwell on His eternal blessings on my life and keep His joy in my heart and His praises on my lips.

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Tags: His Goodness, Psalm 23:3-5
Categories : GRATITUDE, Uncategorized

He’s Here

6 03 2014

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never fail you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 RSV

Even when we can’t feel Him, even when we can’t see Him, Our Heavenly Father is here. He is omnipresent. He is in multiple places at one time on behalf of His people. He is present on our perceptions of good, bad and busy days. He is here and we are never alone. He hears our prayers and He knows our heart. He knows all about our petitions, our needs and dreams and the desires of our hearts. He is God. We are not able to add to His knowledge of us and what we are facing. He is all knowing and He loves His children. He desires for us to put our trust in Him. He desires for us to be close and to live in relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ. Our place is to earnestly seek Him, putting Him first in our lives. Our faith and our trust are planted confidently in Him. He gives us the direction and strength to live in our purpose. His love gives us the peace and joy to continue on our path. He is here and we are never alone.

Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote, God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me?
Hebrews 13:5-6

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Tags: He's Here, Hebrews 13:15
Categories : ENCOURAGEMENT, Uncategorized