Gateways to Joy

Pause the music using the instrument provided on the side. Sit back with a warm drink, put your feet up and meditate.  Meditate on the words, on the picture, on Him friend. What a blessings are the gifts that God bestows on each of us! Thank you Ann Voskamp for sharing :-) If you can not see this video, please go here : xo, Angela blog subscription  | twitter | facebook

I n reading the accounts of Jesus' death in Chuck Swindoll's, "The Darkness and the dawn."   I'm horrified at the barbaric way the Romans chose death for their convicted criminals. "How could a soul drive nails in the wrist of another, especially an innocent man, and not be mortified?"  Here God's Son stood in their very midst and they (the many people) missed Him.  Even most of the highly religious leaders missed Him.  How could such a travesty be? In pondering on this I am led to read my bible and open the pages to read these words, "The woman said to the serpent, 'From the fruit of the tress of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.' The serpent said to the woman, 'You surely will not die!  For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing ...

F acing  times of troubles? In my morning devotions I read a conversation between God and Jeremiah where God explained to Him why he was having troublesome days. I'm so sure God's  respond is the same to YOU and ME many times. When we're going through problems troublesome moments can be very useful.  A good way to look at our troubles is to think of them as "Our training."  They're our "training days." I'm convinced that it is in the days of difficulties that we are able to see what kind of character we've developed.  To check your character begin to discern your own actions—learn what they mean.   You can check for things such as: What is your thinking like when you are facing certain troubles? How do you feel within? Are you angry?  Why?  Why not? Are you blaming someone else?  Or have you taken on too much of the blame? How is your relationship with God, now? How is your relationship with...

Sometimes do you feel as though you're not making any progress in your spiritual life regardless of how hard you try? I feel like this a lot at times, thankfully, I'm not feeling like this right now.  For some reason though, I feel compelled to write about it... When I feel this way--stale in my spiritual progression, my mind instantly goes to, Philippians 1:6 " For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." "Is that really true Lord?"  I ask. When I look at my life and the mistakes that I've made, am making, and think about the ones I will make, I wonder will He be able to?  Will I, like Jesus, accomplish what I've come to earth to do? Will you accomplish on earth, like Jesus, what God has sent you here to do? That bothers me and it's constantly on my mind.  I don't want to get close to death "wondering" if I've completed my earthly task....