“And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.” {Mark 10:18 KJV} Getting Rid of Unrealistic Expectations Unrealistic expectations can quickly steal our peace and joy. We usually visualize a perfect day, with perfect people, and ourselves being perfectly happy in our perfect little world, but we all know that isn’t reality. In reality, only God is perfect and the rest of us are under construction. The devil knows what steals our peace and he sets us up to get… upset when our unrealistic expectations fall apart. After years of letting the devil steal my peace, I finally got it: Life is not perfect, and things are going to happen that we did not plan for and would rather not go through. My new attitude has become, “Oh well, that’s life!” I have discovered that if I don’t let those things impress me, then they can’t depress me. Everyone has to deal with inconveniences, but we can deal with them and avoid a bad attitude. Remember today that only God is perfect and trust in Him. He can always lead you past disappointing circumstances, strengthening you and helping you to hold on to your peace. Prayer Starter: God, only You are perfect. I am so glad that even when people and circumstances fail, You never do. Instead of putting my hope in things that will disappoint, I choose a life of peace that only comes from putting my hope in You. ~~Joyce Meyer: Promises For Your Everyday...

James 4:11-12 “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? James speaks here about something the Pharisees do all the time throughout the New Testament: judging others. Believers should not speak evil in judgment against other believers. There is a perfect Judge who has earned the right to judge every single person that has ever lived on this earth, once and for all. That Judge, Jesus, sees perfectly the hearts of all men and women, and in His rich mercy and grace is the only one qualified to “save, or destroy”. However right we think we are, the “right” belongs to Christ. We should stick to, “speaking the truth in love”. Verse/Commentary courtesy of ‘Verse-A-Day’...

“The elevation or deterioration of the future of society will be determined by the manners and morals of the youth growing up around us. As the youth are educated, and as their characters are molded in their childhood to virtuous habits, self-control, and temperance, so will their influence be upon society. If they are left unenlightened and uncontrolled, and as the result become self-willed, intemperate in appetite and passion, so will be their future influence in molding society. The company which the young now keep, the habits they now form, and the principles they now adopt are the index to the state of society for years to come. 2Pacific Health Journal, June, 1890 Ellen G White: Adventist...

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (Psalms 1:1 KJV) Choose God’s Standards, Not the World’s Living above society’s moral decline involves the choices we make regarding our conversations, the way we dress, what we read, and the TV shows and movies we watch. It also has to do with the level of integrity with which we live our personal lives, interact with other people and conduct ourselves in our businesses or professions. As Christians, we need to encourage one another to live by godly standards and resist the pull of the world. A well-known quote offers some good advice: ‘Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.’ One of God’s great gifts to mankind is the power of choice. If we want to enjoy the blessings He has for us, we need to make lifestyle choices that align with His Word and are consistent with the values of His Word, not choices reflecting the constantly eroding values of the world. I urge you to make a decision to serve God wholly, putting Him first in everything you do. Prayer Starter: God, I don’t want to live by the world’s standards. I put You first in my life, because I know that Your ways are the best.~~Joyce Meyer: Promises For Your Everyday...

Isaiah 53:7-9 “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.” Isaiah proclaims the coming of the Lamb of God; that is, Jesus.  This prophecy is exactly correct, and anything less would invalidate the integrity of the Word of God.  This is one of many prophecies not only in the book of Isaiah, but in the Old Testament, that reveal and confirm that God always had plans to rescue us from sin and death.  God has perfectly revealed Himself throughout History and especially in Jesus Christ, God the Son come in the flesh to reconcile us with God and deal with the problem of sin.  We cannot be Jesus Christ, but we can seek to be like Him, and remain in Him. Verse/Commentary courtesy of ‘Verse-A-Day’ app....

“And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.” (KJV) ( Luke 5:27 ) When we choose to follow Jesus, little do we realize that we are embarking on an adventure. We will be stepping outside of our comfort zone and we are never the same again. Our Guide provides all of our needs along the way. We just need to be ready and willing when He calls us to follow wherever He leads us. If you feel led to step outside of your comfort zone, but you are hesitating, take a step of faith. Jesus will lead and provide for you....