Category: Truth

What is Fear

Annette CoffeyLeave a comment

“Fear the Lord your God and serve Him.” Deuteronomy 10:20. NIV
The only thing we should fear is the Lord our God. Fear and respect.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6. NIV
God wants us to trust Him.
Fear is a lack of trust in God. If we trust Him completely we will understand that He is always in control. Our lives are not left up to chance. He orchestrates every detail of our lives for our good. He promises that in His word. If you have read very much of His word you know His character. He never lies. He always does what he says. With God all things are possible. So trudge forward and dream big. Ask God for what He wants to do in your life. Ask Him what you can do for Him. You will be amazed to find out all He thinks you can do. God has more faith in you than you do. He knows just how great your life can be if you just seek Him. So live big. Realize God always has your back.
“You need not fear when destruction comes.” Job 5:21. NIV
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; i will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10. NIV
We are not to be afraid of God, some I have known misunderstand what the fear of God means. We aren’t afraid of God but highly respect and esteem him. He is the wisest most awesome and loving EVER. He is so awesome, omnipotent, omnipresent. Nothing is impossible with God.
What is the worst fear you have? If it’s death, just realize where you will be when you open your eyes. If you do trust in God and believe in his son Jesus Christ you will open your eyes to the most perfect place ever. No pain, no tears, completely perfect.
Maybe you fear pain of a tragic accident. That was a big fear of mine prior to my stroke. It was a very serious stroke but I was in and out for most of it. When I came to I was surprised but knew God could handle it so why should I worry, just relax. I knew he would give me the strength I needed day to day and He did.

It’s not like God is ever surprised about how our life pans out.  He doesn’t say: ‘Gee I didn’t known that would happen.’  He knows every minute of our life before we were ever born.  He doesn’t make mistakes. He knows the exact minute you will die.  You can not die till it’s time.  Nothing you do can change that it is predestined. Everyone dies at the moment He has planned for us to die, not before. So trust Him.

Having A Great Day

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Having a really great day full of joy and success. Accomplishing great things for the Lord. Controlling your tongue and mind. These are all things we desire but they don’t just happen. We all are imperfect people doing our best. We all have the same twenty four hours to work with. It takes real persistence and focus to make it spectacular.
It starts before we ever get up. The first thoughts in my head. Positive or negative thoughts can make a drastic difference in how the day plays out. Let’s leave yesterday behind, it’s gone anyway. Today is a great day to have a great day. God has given you a brand new day to spend with Him. Give the day over to Him from the beginning. He has already planned this day out for you and He knows how it will go. Good or bad is for your best. He’s got your back.
Starting the day talking to God is an awesome way to begin. This is the day the Lord has made and I will choose to be glad and rejoice in it. I personally always start with the Lord’s Prayer. Saying it helps me focus on Him and how awesome He is. It’s all about Him and not me anyway. I want the best day He has for me and I need His help.
My Father who art in heaven…. think of Him ruling and reigning from His throne, in all His glory.

Hallowed be your name… think how powerful and mighty he is

Your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven… think how everything he wants can happen in heaven, we should want that for our lives here on earth. Full and abundant lives.

Give me this day my daily bread… He knows just what I need and wants that for me.

And forgive me my debts as I forgive my debtors…. do you have bad feelings for anyone? Let them go. Start with a clean slate. Look on everyone with Christ’s eyes full of love and compassion.

Lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil…. give me wisdom and help me see the enemy coming and help me resist.

These are all things He wishes to give me. I spend time talking with Him about everything of importance to me. Thanking Him for all He does for me every day. Just think of all the generations past, present and future He is involved with.
Talk to Him ask Him to help you. What things do you need to accomplish this day. He always puts things in my head. Today is a present to be unwrapped together.
The first real task of my day is always to spend time in His word. It really isn’t the amount of time or how much we read. It’s focusing on what He has to say and applying it to our lives. We need to do the right thing on purpose even if we don’t really want to. God will enable us to do His will. It will help us be happier better people.
I then feel free to do what I choose to. Keeping in mind all the things that I really need to get done and making sure I have time to get them done. Sometimes it’s better to just get them over with for peace of mind. Throughout the day I am always asking God to help me do things his way all the way.
When the day is done I can slip into bed knowing I have done my best. This helps me to feel good. I always sleep better when I know i’ve done my best.

Something Great is Going to Happen

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We all go through trying times of stress, things that weigh us down and take away our joy. As christians we know that God promised us trials of many kinds. Look at all Jesus went through. Its not that God is mad or upset with us. If we are seeking all we can of our savior he is purifying us as in the fire so we come out as gold, righteous. 
It really comes down to our outlook. How are we handling the fire. First thing to do when down is pray for strength. God says don’t worry but pray about everything instead. He cares for us and wants us to have a great life. He is going to give us His very best, He has promised. Trust Him, He has never failed yet. Tell yourself positive things.
I know my Jesus loves me, Gods got my back, good or bad He works all for good, his plans are good for me . I talk to myself throughout the day. I’m my best cheerleader. But I’m also listening for Him. He knows I will do anything he asks me. One Saturday morning in my nursing home we were waiting for breakfast and God told me to get everyone water, so l did. They loved it.
Back to trials- I had a massive brain stem bleed and almost died. They even asked me if I chose to live or not. They did not give much hope. I could move nothing. And I could not speak or even open my mouth. But I lived and came through the fire. I’m happier now than ever.
Four years ago I started having leg spasms continually after a couple years I found some relief but they came back harder than ever. You saw my health update after surgery they are gone, Amen.
 “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice.” Phillipians 4:4. ASV
We are to rejoice in the Lord always even in trials . My cramps were so bad that at times it was ridiculous and I would start laughing. I got tired of crying. I would tease God and say boy you must be up to something awesome. Knowing he always comes through. The worse the pain the greater the reward.
Something good always comes after the trials so 

just press on graduation is coming with new blessings. Remember God never fails.   

The Do You Have Faith?

Annette CoffeyLeave a comment

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6. NIV
“He replied: if you have faith as small as a mustard seed , you can say to this mulberry tree, be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it will obey you.” Luke 17:6. NIV
I recently heard a wonderful talk on faith. Faith is not having all the answers. It’s just knowing who does and being ok with that. That is faith. Everyone has faith in one thing or another. Those who believe in a master craftsman who designed this well thought out planet and everything that goes along with it, or even the atheist who believes in the Big Bang theory or evolution has to have faith.
Just to walk outside and not worry about falling off the earth takes faith. Gravity is not something we can see or feel but we know from early on in life that when we stand up we will not float away. Or when daddy throws us up in the air we will come safely back into his arms.
We don’t believe everything we hear but some things just feel right. You have to decide what to believe. Like which came first the chicken or the egg. Scientists might say the egg. You can’t have a chicken without an egg. How can a lonely chick survive in this big ole world all by itself. Who will show it how to eat, keep it from being eaten, and how to fly. So many questions.
The theory that an all knowing master designer, who knew exactly what he was doing, who created everything starts to make sense. I don’t know about you but I have more faith for that. Just happening or coming from an ape is harder for me to stomach.
I like to watch the animal shows. What makes them do the things they do? They are made so perfectly to adapt to their surroundings. How they instinctively know how to survive. Not only survive but even thrive and relate to those around them. Man is also so intricately made. Doctors have learned so much about the human body, but they still don’t have all the answers. Someone has got to know how.
I would rather believe in a supreme being who has all the answers. Someone who loves me and always does what is best for me. It frees me up. Less to worry about. A master creator that has it all under control.
When you have enough faith fear will leave you. Because when you realize that the one who truly loves you has worked everything in your life out ahead of time for your very best. Every day of your life whether good or bad is beautifully orchestrated to work out for your best. Sometimes when I have really messed up or am having a rough day I ask God, well how are you going to fix this one. But he always does so completely.
I look back over my life at how richly I have been blessed and every year it gives me more faith.
“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, whose hope is in his unfailing love,” Psalms 33:18. NIV
-Annette-

Then She Spoke

Ever since I can remember I have been quiet and introspective I take in everything around me holding it in my heart.

Annette CoffeyLeave a comment

Ever since I can remember I have been quiet and introspective I take in everything around me holding it in my heart. I have had a wonderfully blessed life full of positive things. I once thought that was normal but now that I am older I can see so much hurt and pain in the world. All my life I have been soaking in things in my life that now have made me a very strong person. I was always quiet as a child and as I grew I found it hard to talk to just anybody. I had to get to know you pretty well before the real me came out. Then I was silly and goofy, the class clown, just trying hard to get people to like me. Even after I was married my husband was a good talker so I let him do the talking. So I kind of lived through his conversations never saying much myself. While working people saw me as stuck up and to good for them just because I seldom spoke to anyone. I found a profession that I was really good at. I was a realtor. When working I found that I knew just what to say to get the job done, but still no chit chat or light talk. My business partner saw this happening and tried to draw me out. I knew him well and could talk to him as we worked, easily. Not too long after that I had a massive stroke. Immediately I couldn’t speak. No voice, and I couldn’t move. Before anyone knew what was wrong with me they thought I had passed out but I was wide awake and totally aware of everything going on around me.  They were trying to figure out what to do and I was screaming out in my head call 911. That’s about when they realized that this was serious and they should do just that. I was then in a hospital unable to speak or even move and they were trying to take care of me.  My husband was again my voice telling everyone what I would want. I couldn’t even open my mouth let alone get anything out. I did learn to point to an alphabet board to speak my most urgent needs. I got real fast at spelling my needs but it was hard to keep up with me.  I would get frustrated easily and cry a lot. This got me labeled as a behavior problem in the nursing home I was in. I finally got my computer back and tried to tell people what was going on but by then I was already labeled a problem so no one listened. I lived seven years of basically being mute because I was getting little air in my lungs I could get very little volume out and most people couldn’t hear me, or didn’t want to hear, or just didn’t understand my speech. I went through several speech therapists trying to get me to speak and if you listened real carefully you could make out what I was saying. In a crowded nursing home full of older people and people with mentał issues I was mute. After seven years and a miracle one morning I got the air back in my lungs I could talk, not perfectly, but enough for the nurses and aides to understand me if they took the time to listen. Still I couldn’t communicate with the majority so I still did not talk much. I had so much to say but to who, so I became a really good listener. I found out so much about everyone by just listening around me. I always had good hearing. I was always writing about everything that happened to me from the stroke on. Which made for some good books. I enjoyed getting heard.

– Annette Coffey