Confidence

• The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. ~Isaiah 32:17

Do you ever wish you felt more sure of yourself? More confident? Maybe you decide to do something about it and get a little more assertive—yours friends notice that you’ve started sportin’ a little attitude. Problem solved? Not really. You see that kind of confidence— talking louder and trying to get noticed—is just on the outside and it doesn’t last. Real confidence comes from righteousness—Gods righteousness—at work in your heart. Real confidence comes from depending on him and not on you. And nothing can take that kind of confidence away—it’s yours forever.

Love Cassandra Falun

Bits and Pieces

A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.

Comfort

• Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. ~2 Corinthians 1:3-5

You may wonder why God has allowed certain difficulties into your life. Instead of asking why, ask him to comfort you. God comforts us in our troubles so that we can, in turn, comfort others. Think about it. It’s the people who’ve been through the same pain who can really comfort us when we go through something similar. What hard times has God allowed you to go through? Your parents divorced? A problem at work? A poor self image? Get comfort and strength from God, then share that with someone else who’s in a similar situation.

Love Cassandra Falun

Bits and Pieces

Two Chinese Christians were led to torture and death. One quoted Jesus’ words, “It is finished,” in a whisper. His brother answered, No, that’s not what Jesus said when he suffered. He said, “It is accomplished.”

Faith

• The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, oh LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands. ~Psalm 138:8

Are you a dreamer or drifter? Do you dream big dreams for your future, or are you just drifting along through life? Either way, it’s reassuring to know that God does have a purpose for you and he will fulfill it! You may have a lot of questions about your life right now. The future may seem mysterious, and you may wish that God would just give you a few clues. Well, claim this promise. You may not know the future, but God does. And because he’s all-powerful, you can trust him. He’ll take care if the rest. Really.

Bits and Pieces

Even the best of Christians are troubled by the question, “Why does an almighty God send, or at least allow, suffering?” When you are nagged by thoughts like this, say to yourself, “I am still in elementary school. When I graduate from the university of Christian life, I will understand His ways better and doubts will cease.

• Richard Wurmbrand- imprisoned for a total of 14 years, Romania in 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s.

Gratitude

• Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure. ~Psalm 16:5-9

When life is humming along pretty well, when you feel like you’re in a good place in life, be sure to be thankful, thank God. Even if you have your share of troubles like David did, you probably still have lots to be thankful for. Maybe your “boundary lines” are pretty pleasant, too—a loving family, a solid church, a place to call home. Those are gifts from God, so don’t feel guilty about them, but do be thankful for them. Start Praising God!

Bits and Pieces

Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow.

Repentance

• If you return to the LORD, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the LORD you God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him. ~ 2 Chronicles 30:9

Let us say a friend lied to you and then said she was sorry. Would you think she was sorry if she turned around and lied to you again? No way, right? You know when someone’s really sorry about something. Genuine repentance is more than just saying, “I am sorry.” It means to be willing to turn from lying, cheating, or whatever to go in another direction—God’s. That’s what king Hezekiah wanted the Israelites to do. Repentance doesn’t mean that you’re suddenly perfect. Nobody is!! But it does mean that you are back on track with God.

Our Saviour lives, our Saviour loves, our Saviour is always there for us.

Bits and Pieces

God uses a number of ways to get us to recognize and listen to him. What will it take for you to humble yourself and follow God?

Merry Christmas

Wishing you sparkle wishing you cheer for a bright and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love-- Cassandra Falun

P.S. I will start writing again at about the first of January wish you all the best.

Evangelism

This goes along with my post from yesterday.

• The wise men were surprise guests at Jesus’ house, they weren’t expected at all. They were surprised that they knew who Jesus even was for he was just born, let alone come and worship him. But our God specializes in the unexpected. Celebrities and the homeless, prostitutes and socialites, little old lady’s and tiny children, the cool and the hopelessly out-of-touch – Jesus reveals himself to people from all walks of life, The magi remind us of that.
• Do you tend to share the gospel only with certain kinds of people? – Or the ones you think are most likely to accept it? Brand out! You’ll be surprised at who comes to worship Jesus.

-- “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel” –which means, “God with us.” ~Matthew 1:23

• In order for us to get with it, God needed to get with us… literally. So scratch out that picture of a God far, far away. He’s already come as your Immanuel.
  

Bits and Pieces

What do you say to a two year old when he asks, "Where is Jesus in the tree?".