"The Words We Live By"

Reflections4LifeTM  January 24, 2021

"The Words We Live By"

"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21

Scripture Contemplation: Proverbs 18; James 3...

We have so much power yet many fail to see it. We underestimate who we are to God and the impact we can have upon this earth. The power; ability to change lives each and every day. And it all begins with the words we say to ourselves. The words which we come to live by.

I decree this week's Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Let the words that proceed from your lips be seasoned by the word of God hidden in your heart. Speak God's truth. Charge the atmosphere with words of life and begin to see a transformation take place.

For the tongue to be so small it can cause the greatest and most horrific pain ever felt. The words that proceed from our mouths on a daily basis have the ability to shape who we are and how we live. It has the ability to do the same for others, as well; having an influence on countless lives, known and unknown.

How are you living today? What words govern your life? "We are only as good as our word" is a phrase I often heard growing up. It speaks the truth in volumes. We live the words we speak and stand upon. The very words we speak to ourselves openly and in private. We also have the chance to affect others through the words that we speak. Therefore, it is imperative that we learn and understand the power of our tongues. For we will live by the words that continually flow from our lips and into the atmosphere around us.

What words do you live by? What words have governed and impacted your life? What words have changed or challenged your life? Words that you or others may have spoken. There are words that others have spoken over us in judgment or in jest, that have had a profound impact on our lives in negative ways.

Do not bound yourself to unhappiness and restlessness by living by the words of others who do not know you, want to know you, or understand your heart's desires or the call God has on your life. Speak life to yourself daily. Affirm each day who you are and how you will live and walk in this life as ordained by your Creator. You are in charge of your happiness, your destiny, your experiences. Do not allow the frivolous, hurtful, or disrespectful words of another to become your life's mantra or prophesy. No. Firmly stand on the promises of God, allowing His words over your life to become your guiding force, The words that inspire, encourage and give life.

My beloved may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that everything that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you.  Let your tongue be seasoned with the truth of God. Let what He has spoken of you become your truth and the words you live by. You are blessed. Now go...and be a blessing.

©2021. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Do Not Dim Your Light"

 Reflections4LifeTM January 17, 2021

“Do Not Dim Your Light”

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15

Scripture Contemplation: Matthew 4; 5; 6; Luke 8; John 8; Romans 2; Ephesians 5…

How brightly does your light shine? Do you continue to walk in your faith and maintain your relationship with God no matter what you face? Or, have you let your light dim? Often we are overwhelmed by the many different circumstances we face in life. Beloveds do not dim, your light, for anything or anyone.

I pray today’s Reflections brings comfort and peace to your heart and mind. I decree it be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration. Let the light of God shine in you. Let your heart fill with God’s great joy. Spend some quality time in the presence of our Heavenly Father. Give fuel to light that He has placed in you. So that no matter what comes your way—your light will continue to shine brightly.

There is a light within you that you are responsible for keeping lit. A light that sets you apart—that can lead others to the saving grace and knowledge of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You are the light that God has designated to be in this world to lead others back to the way home. Yet, some of you have allowed your light to grow dim, while others have extinguished their light.

It is not hard to understand why so many have let their light dim. There is so much going on in the world. There is so much we are faced with that it can often overwhelm us. Yet, at the same time, we forget that because Christ overcame the world, so can we. We can get through all things. We can allow our light to shine brightly amid pain, heartache, loss, confusion, and hate. It all depends on our relationship with God and how much time we are spending in His presence. He is our source. He is our power. He is the only One who can keep us fueled and charged and ready to shine brightly for Him, keeping the light lit for those who are seeking their home.

Many of us have dimmed our light purposely so that we would not be ridiculed, rejected, set apart, or made to feel uncomfortable for who we are and what we believe. We reject God; reject our faith so that we can fit in. Sorry to break this to you, Beloved: You are not supposed to fit in but to stand out. To be set apart. To walk a righteous path that leads yourself and others to an eternity with our heavenly Father. How can you do that if you dim or extinguish your light just to fit in with the world? To be accepted for a moment in time, when your eternity is on the line?

Let your light shine brightly, Beloved. Do not dim your light. Do not let your light go out. You are a priceless and precious being that God has created in His image. He has nothing but the best for you. The Father has given us a charge—those in a relationship with Him—to let our light brightly shine so that those seeking their way out of darkness will know the way home by our light. How can we lead anyone or help anyone if we are too afraid to be set apart? Afraid to shine? Afraid to stand out? Do not allow your light to dim for a world with no power to give you the blessed eternity God has for you.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Shine brightly for the Lord. Let your light be the beacon that guides others to the path that is home. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing.

©2021. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Step Aside"

 Reflections4LifeTM  January 1o, 2021

"Step Aside"

"For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you the victory!" Deuteronomy 20:4 (TLB)

Scripture Contemplation: Proverbs 21:31; 1 John 5:4; Deuteronomy 20:4-5; Romans 8:31-32

 There is so much that has transpired this past week, and it was only the first full week of the New Year! Lessons were given if anyone was paying attention. We can debate about it for days and still not come to an agreement about who is right and who is wrong. We have allowed our feelings to get in the way of what is godly right. We are fighting battles that God says are His. It is well past time we step aside and let God fight these battles.

I decree that this week's Reflections4life will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Get it in your heart and mind this week, Beloveds. You do not have to fight the battle. The battle is the Lord's. Get intimate with the Father. Spend time in His presence, allowing God to strengthen you and assure you of His plans to not only fight for you but win!

I do not know what it is about us. The human ego is huge. Our mind always complicating things that God says is simple. We often assume we are strong enough, competent enough to overcome the temptations of the world by our own strength. We seldomly stop to ask God, our Creator, to help us! All we have to do is ask God and have faith; believing that Jesus is the Son of God and that whatever we ask God for in Jesus's Name, God will say yes. Too simple? Probably, because the human mind is finite and cannot comprehend the full scope and depths of the love of God for His creation.

The word of God says that EVERY believer will conquer the ways of the world, not maybe conquer. It is truly a matter of our faith and how strong it is, that we can come to the understanding that the battle truly is the Lord's and what He requires of us, is faith and belief in His Son. 

Deuteronomy 20:4 (MSG) "...Don't waiver in resolve. Don't fear. Don't hesitate. Don't panic. God, your God, is right there with yoy, fighting with you against your enemies, fighting to win."

How many more testimonies would we hear, if we all believed that God was right there—in the trenches with us—fighting for us to win? God Himself, is fighting our enemies for us! We can have full confidence in the victory because God is fighting with and for us against our enemies. We have exhausted ourselves needlessly fighting battles that are not ours, but the Lord's. We have not fully believed or had the faith enough to ask God to fight these battles on our behalf. It is time for us, Beloveds, to step aside, stir up our faith, believe what God has spoken, and ask Him to fight these battles for us. I truly believe that this is what God is waiting on for many of us. Just for us to ask Him, so He can move on our behalf.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. God is on your side. Fighting every enemy to be certain that you win, God will destroy nations on your behalf. God sacrificed His only Son for our sins; what will He not do to ensure your safety and win against the enemy? There is nothing you cannot ask Him for. He has given us everything. Learn to seek Him, and step aside, and let Him fight your battles. You are blessed. Now go...and be a blessing!

©2021. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"God Over Everything"

 Reflections4LifeTM  January 3, 2021

"God Over Everything"

 "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4

Scripture Contemplation: 1 John 4; Genesis 39:9; Exodus 18:11; Ezekiel 8:6; Matthew 12; Luke 11

HAPPY NEW YEAR, BELOVEDS! God is great! And He is great to be praised! Yes indeed! We have been blessed to witness another year, and for that, I am not only grateful but also excited! I am looking forward to the promises of God manifesting, and I hope you are, too! My mantra this year is LET'S GET IT DON IN 2021! The only way I see this happening is by making sure that God is over everything that I do and say! Put God first in everything and God will increase you to do get done what needs to be done.

I decree that this week's Reflections4Life will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. It's a brand new year with brand new opportunities and possibilities. Yes. Last year we had expectations that were dashed and overturned due to the devastating pandemic. Yet, God and His mercies towards us, has kept us and blessed us. We are alive! This means that we have been extended mercy and grace to complete the assignments God has placed on our lives. I dare you to put God over everything this week. Lay a strong foundation for the coming year, and see where God takes you.

When we look back over the year that we have had, it may be hard for some to move forward. So much loss and heartache came with 2020. This is all understandable. Yet, you are still here. Alive. In the land of the living, and hopefully believing. Believing that God is still God. That, He has heard and is answering your prayers. You have an opportunity to know God more intimately than at any other time in your life. This is the perfect time to get to know more of God, and in the process, get to know more about yourself.

I am not arrogant enough to believe that I know everything there is to know about God. Personally, I believe that if that were the case, I would not be on this earth, but in Heaven in His presence. I don't think that kind of knowledge and wisdom can be contained in the human vessel in the realm of earth. That kind of revelation—knowing everything of who God is—is too much power and awesomeness for our human mind to hold and comprehend. However, I believe we can get closer each day to knowing God and His ways, and when we yield to Him, He will impart in us more of Himself, and our lives will be irrevocably changed...for the better!

As difficult as 2020 was, we still have some valleys to travel through and some mountains to climb this year. We are not out of the woods and difficult times are still present. Yet, I do believe that with an increased knowledge of who God is, comes a piece of knowledge and wisdom about what to do, and how to navigate this new world in a way that is not only beneficial to self, but to those we love, and those around us.

God must come first in all things. Our relationships, our jobs, and even our worries. God over everything. If we can seek God every day with a sincere heart, wanting to know more about Him without the only motivation being what we can get in return; I believe God will open our minds and our spiritual eyes to see what has been right in front of us all along. The only requirement many of us have been missing was putting God first in our lives above everything else.

The relationship between God and us is not unlike a marriage. This is why I love the Song of Solomon. It is a definite picture of God, the Bridegroom, and the Church(us), His Bride. There is courtship, the first stirrings of love, the devotion, then the trials and tests, and then walking away, and reconciliation. Then the beautiful realization that love is stronger than death and the grave. God's love. And to truly understand this type of love and relationship, we need more of God, And to have more of God, we must learn to sacrifice other things and put God first where He has always desired to be in our hearts. There is no doubt, that if we put God first in all things, we will gain a piece of knowledge and wisdom that we thought we had but never experienced before.  Talk about mind-blowing!

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Put God over everything in this New Year. Determine to know more of El Shaddai, and see what the Father reveals to you and brings too past in your life. God has more for you than you could ever ask for. If you trust Him, He will show you many great things this year. Be confident and seek God wholeheartedly. You are blessed. Now go...and be a blessing!

©2021. Ruthe McDonald.All Rights Reserved.