Are You Attached to The Vine?

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 29th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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Are You Attached to The Vine?


Scripture: John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches ... without me you can do nothing."

Jesus compared Himself to the vine and His followers to branches. The analogy that He was making was that if we want to be able to draw continual strength from Him, we must stay in relationship with Him. To walk in light and maintain life we must abide in Him and allow Him and His words to abide in us. A branch that is separated from the vine or trunk may flourish for a short season, but it will soon dry up and wither away because it is not self-supported. It must stay attached to its source to maintain life. Like the natural branch, God is our life and the source of all of our strength. All the power that we experience comes from God, and God alone. Without Him, we can do nothing.

We must have the same mindset that Peter had in Acts 3:12 when the lame man was healed. Peter recognized that he was simply a vessel of the Holy Spirit. The people tried to attribute the miracle to Peter, but he said, "Don't look on us as though by our own power or holiness that we made this man to walk." Instead, he gave all of the glory to God. (AMEN) Sometimes when we do good blessings , we take all the credit without giving the glory to God. This Is where we lose the blessing.
God could have chosen anyone, but He chose Peter and allowed a miracle to flow through him because Peter was attached to the vine. He had an intimate relationship with Jesus and drew strength from Him daily. Peter was filled with the Spirit of the Living God and was fully aware that God was the one who was responsible for performing the miracle. He dared not take the glory.

It is so easy for us to forget how insignificant we really are when God immediately answers our prayer or does something supernatural in our lives. When God uses us for something, we may forget for a moment and tend to look at ourselves in grandeur. We become like the woodpecker who pecked continuously at the trunk of a tree. Suddenly, lightening struck the tree and split the tree down the middle. The woodpecker declared, "Wow, I didn't know I had that much power in me!" He failed to realize and acknowledge that the act was wrought by God's power. Zechariah 4:6 explains our ability. It says it is "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of Host." We have no might nor power to call our own. Power is held in the hands of the Almighty God, and without Him, we can do nothing!

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

Water Through The Word

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 28th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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Water Through The Word


Scripture: Psalms 1:2 "His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law does he meditate day and night.

"The blessed man is one who does two things concerning God's Word. He delights in God's Word and he continually meditates on it. When one delights in the Word of God, he finds it valuable and he purposely sets about to understand the precepts, meanings, and intents of the words that come from God's heart. The Word brings him pleasure and the fresh insights thrill his soul and bring light and life to his being.

Meditate means to murmur, imagine, study, talk, or make plans in the mind. It means to roll a thought over and over in the mind until it becomes smooth and acceptable. When we read or hear a promise of God, it is important to process that thought by rolling it over in our spirit until it begins to speak to us. Light and revelation will come into our spirits, causing life and fruitfulness. His Word will then take hold of our imaginations and begin to transform our thoughts. We begin to imagine change and then start making plans in our minds to bring about those changes. Because we are conforming to God's Word and His Will, He causes us to prosper like a tree that is planted by rivers of water.

Like Water Through The Word!

We tend to do this process all the time in the negative realm. It is called "worry." For instance, we hear a negative report concerning our health or finances and we begin to roll that thought over and over in our minds until it becomes a reality. Our aches, pains, and lack of funds begin to speak into our minds until we imagine ourselves sick or bankrupt. We start to murmur, complain, and make plans for the worse to happen. We meditate and roll the negative thoughts over in our minds until they become smooth and acceptable to our spirits. These negative thoughts then begin to take life as we enable them to kill, steal, and destroy our faith. The Word of God never tells us to dwell on the negative. In fact Jesus said, "Don't take any anxious thought about the needs for tomorrow." Don't let worry become a habit. James 4:7 tells us to "resist the devil and he will flee." We must resist the negative and meditate on the positive word of God. When we exchange worry for the meditation of God's word, we become like trees that are planted by the rivers of living water and whatever we do will prosper.
Like Water Through The Word


Water Through The Word
By Connie Ciccone
For my dear friend Erin Campbell

Like sand flows through an hour glass, and Gods
Light bestows the day,
The Water Through The Word ,will guide us on our way.

It pours down upon us, like water through a stream,
Passion I never knew before, it’s fruits just overwhelming.

He said the water that I give you, you shall never thirst again,
Because the Water Through The Word was never made by man.

He said to all who believeth in me, shall flow rivers of living water,
The Water Through The Word, he has given to his daughters.

So I’m going to the river, will you come with me to Drink?
We will sit and listen peacefully to Erin Campbell’s Radio Link.

We’ll Pray with all blessings , that Water Through The Word,
Will bring those to salvation through repenting and confessing.

Your Water Through The Word

Please visit my dear friends website
http://www.waterthroughtheword.com/

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

DOES THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART OPEN FROM THE INSIDE?

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 27th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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DOES THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART OPEN FROM THE INSIDE?



Scripture: Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him ..."

When we read this scripture, we often think of the picture that we have seen of Jesus standing and knocking at a door that has no doorknob on the outside. The scene represents the door of our heart, which can only be opened from the inside. It leaves the impression that we must open the door if we want Jesus to come into our lives. We often think of this picture just in terms of our initial salvation and fail to realize that Jesus stands at the door of our heart on a daily basis wanting to commune with us on a personal level.

This section of scripture was addressing not the lost, but those in the church who had become spiritually lukewarm and arrogant. They said, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." They thought that they had it all together, but God saw them as wretched, poor, blind, and naked. So, He personally stood at their door and tried to get their attention. He wanted to come into their lives and make them into overcomers (verse 21). He told them that He would come in if they would respond to Him in two ways; by hearing His voice, and by opening the door. How many doors in your life have you opened? Do you merely walk by those who need a helping hand?

God makes those same promises to us and He desires to experience an intimate fellowship with us. He knocks on our heart's door to summon us to prayer and the study of His word, but many times we don't respond for various reasons. We may be so far away spiritually that we actually don't hear Him, or we may be too distracted with the cares of this life. It may be that we are depending upon others to hear His voice for us. Then again, we may hear His voice, but feel we are just too busy to answer. The bottom line is that we will never be overcomers in this life if we are not attentive to His voice or if we refuse to open the door and allow Him into our lives. He makes His invitation very plain. He says, "I'm standing at the door of your heart and I'm knocking. Do you hear me? Will you open the door? Can we commune with one another?" If you are willing, wait for Him as you would wait for a special friend that you are expecting to come by. Listen for His voice and respond to the knock at your heart's door.
When He knocks, remember the knob is on your side!

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

WILL YOU WALK IN HIGH PLACES WITH GOD?

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 26th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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WILL YOU WALK IN HIGH PLACES WITH GOD?



Scripture: Habakkuk 3:19 "The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me walk upon my high places."

Habakkuk was in fear when he saw the Chaldeans coming to invade the land. In verse sixteen he said, "My whole inner self trembled and my lips quivered at the sound." There was nothing that he could do to prevent the situation as he waited quietly for the day of trouble and distress to come against his people. Yet in the midst of all this turmoil and the uncertainty about the future, Habakkuk put his trust in God and continued to praise Him. He made a bold declaration that God's strength would help him and his people get through the hard and uncertain times that they were facing. He said, "I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. If the fig tree does not blossom and bring fruit; if the product of the olive fails; if the fields yield no food; if there are no flocks; and if there are no cattle in the stalls, I will still rejoice." He made a decision ahead of time to praise God regardless of what the future held for him and his people. He was not going to let the circumstances separate him from God. As he depended upon God for strength and help, he held three secrets in his heart that caused him to be able to continue in praise to God in spite of impending danger.

1) The Lord would be his strength.
2) God would make his feet to be stable

3) God had a personal plan for him and would help him walk in it.

Habakkuk knew that the eternal supernatural God was bigger than any natural circumstance that he would have to face. He also knew that God would sustain him. Even though Habakkuk's own natural resources were failing, he placed his confidence in God, who was his source and strength.
Have you ever been in a place where you knew there was no way out, only to put your Trust In Him?

Like Habakkuk, you can also have this same assurance. Regardless of the trouble or distress that you may be facing, you must stop relying on your own strength and lean upon God. As you begin to depend upon God, He will make your feet like the feet of the deer, strong and sure. As you develop your faith by hearing His word, He will give you the ability to climb your mountain of adversity without fear. You must acknowledge God as your source of strength and praise Him regardless of how bad your circumstances look. As you do, He will then lead you to the places that He has prepared for you and enable you to conquer each cliff, one step at a time. The same God who made Habakkuk's feet stable and allowed him to walk in high places is also there for you.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

Does your knowledge of God change you from a hearing of the ears to a knowing of your heart?

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 25th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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Does your knowledge of God change you from a hearing of the ears to a knowing of your heart?



Scripture: Job 42:5 "I have heard of You only by the hearing of the ear; but now my spiritual eye sees You.

"The book of Job wrestles with the question, "Why do good people suffer?" Job was a man who was morally good and highly respected. He was spiritual and even functioned as a priest and offered burnt offerings for his family. Yet, God removed Job's hedge of protection and allowed Satan to come against him for a season. In an effort to destroy him physically and spiritually, Satan repeatedly used the forces of nature, sickness, and people, but Job continued to trust God. Even death, itself, held no threat in Satan's challenge to destroy Job's faith, for Job said, "Though God slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15).

Several months of testing passed as Job continued to place his confidence in God. When his season of testing finally came to an end, Job had experienced a new relationship with the Lord. He was tested, tried and tortured, but believed that through it all he Faithed It Out! He now recognized the sovereignty of God and his need to acknowledge it. Before he had been afflicted, his words had only been words without knowledge (Job 38:2). But in the midst of his tests, God spoke to Job directly, asking him simple but profound questions. When God began to commune with him, Job's spiritual eyes were opened, and he realized that God was the creator and was still in control. His knowledge of God changed from a hearing of the ears to a knowing of the heart.

This is the same process that God takes us through in the seasons of our own life. Throughout our life, we hear of Him with our ears, but when we are challenged like Job, we come to spiritually see or know God with our heart. We may hear of Jesus, the Son of God, but we only know Him as Savior when the Holy Spirit reveals Him to us and convicts us to receive Him into our heart. Likewise, we only come to know Jesus as the healer when we experience healing or to know Him as the provider when we see Him meet our needs. As we encounter the Lord directly, we become persuaded about who He is, and nothing can separate us from that knowledge. In the midst of our afflictions, we discover that God is not just a theory or a thought or someone that we have heard stories about but He is reality and must be experienced. Through this wonderful experience we then receive the Holy Spirit as full acceptance of Him in our Lives daily.
What a Marvelous Day when you too will experience the powerful pleasure of The Holy Spirit!!!

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

DO YOU LOVE HIM?

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 22nd, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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DO YOU LOVE HIM?


Scripture: James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

"Isn't it amazing that the all-sufficient God who created everything, that has everything, and that can do anything desires our love and affection? He simply wants to be loved by us. Our love, praise, and adoration is the only thing that we truly possess that we can give to Him, for all that we are or ever will be is because of His grace on our lives. All of our material goods, gifts, and talents that we can offer to the Lord came to us by His own hands, but our love and praise that we offer up to Him comes from our heart and is our free will gift to Him.

Even though we may feel like we are a long way from God, but the truth is that He is patiently waiting for us to move towards Him. When we make the slightest effort to move in His direction, He responds and moves towards us. It is like a great love affair that is waiting to happen. His word declares that if we seek Him, we will find Him, for He will make Himself known to us. If we knock, He will open the door and fellowship with us. If we talk to Him, He will listen, and if we ask Him questions, He will answer. God is there, all the while waiting for us to approach Him.

One of our basic needs is to be loved. We think that God has no needs, but when we consider that we were created in His image, we must assume that He also has the need to be loved and cherished. What other reason would He have made this His number one commandment? In Mark 11:30, Jesus told us that the first commandment we are to obey is to "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." God wants to be the main interest in our lives. Jesus said that if the praises that men were giving Him were to be held back, "the stones would immediately cry out" (Luke 19:40). The atmosphere of the earth contains the potential for love and praise to God. Let's not allow a stone to take our rightful place in worshiping Him. Let's draw near to God and love Him with all of our heart.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

DO YOU ALLOW GOD TO DIRECT YOUR STEPS?

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 21st, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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DO YOU ALLOW GOD TO DIRECT YOUR STEPS?



Scripture: Proverbs 20:24 (NIV) "A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?"

When we truly believe that God directs our steps, we must put away the notion that the life changing events that happen in our lives are mere accidents. There are many variables that could happen as we journey through life but we must recognize that God is directing our lives according to His sovereign plan and nothing is left to chance. It was no accident that we were at the right place at the right time to meet our spouse or to meet that special lifetime friend. It was no accident when God caused someone to witness to us about Jesus or brought someone along our path who would receive our witness of faith. Neither was it an accident that we were placed on our jobs or given the particular positions that we have, for even though we can't see it or understand it, God is continually working His awesome plan in our lives.

Sometimes it is difficult to understand what God is doing because His ways are far beyond our comprehension. We wonder why we lost our job or why we didn't get the promotion that we worked so hard for. Situations do not work out like we planned and it seems that our prayers are not being answered. When these thoughts come and our circumstances get a little confusing, we need to stop and recognize that things would be a lot easier for us if we just trusted God and allowed Him to lead. We must also understand that there will be times that we are not given any choices. Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his own brothers, could do nothing but follow God into the destiny that was planned for him. Joseph had a dream that he would rule, but his dream was challenged and his hopes shattered by the cruel circumstances that surrounded him. Most likely, Joseph did not understand what was happening in his life. Yet God was directing Joseph's steps and used the evil deeds of his brothers to get him to Egypt where He could cause Joseph's dreams to come to pass and use him as an instrument to save a multitude of people.

When God gave Joseph his dreams, He did not show him the pit, the prisons, or that he would have to endure the separation from his father and family. If Joseph had seen the hardships and cruel bondage that he would suffer on the way to his dream, he probably would not have chosen to follow his dream. God only showed Joseph the glorious end so that he could maintain his hope and God gave him no choices, except to exercise wisdom and be discrete in his actions. We must admit that some of the best decisions that we have made were the ones where we given no opportunity to choose and had to take the only option that was presented to us. Like Joseph, we may not understand what is happening until we get to the end of the journey. But when we have finished the course, we will discover that God always gives us the best when we allow Him to do the choosing. Regardless of what is happening, trust God with your life. Do not lean upon your own understanding but acknowledge that God is God and that He knows what He is doing. God gave Solomon great wisdom, so allow his words to settle your mind, "The Almighty, All Knowing God is directing your steps, so how can you possibly understand your own way?"

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

He will Take care of you from the Shadow of His Wings.

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 20th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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He will Take care of you from the Shadow of His Wings.


Scripture: Psalms 91:4 "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and underHis wings shall thou trust."

Psalms ninety-one gives us many promises of God's protection. It tells us that if we "dwell in the secret place of the most High that we shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." To be in His shadow means that you are in His presence.

Psalms 31:20 speaks of the secret of His presence that hides you. The following story is copied from an unknown source: "

An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a penetrating picture of God's wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage.

One ranger found a eagle bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings.

The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise.

She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live.

"These tiny chicks experienced the love of their mother.

How much more love has our Almighty Father shown us?

He loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us so that we would not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). And Jesus loved us so much that He willingly left His throne in Heaven, became flesh, endured the shame of the cross, and sacrificed His life for us. Knowing that you are loved this much should make a difference in your life. All you need to do is trust God and climb underneath the shelter of His wings.

He will Take care of you from the Shadow of His Wings.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

A CHOSEN GENERATION

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 19th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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A CHOSEN GENERATION



Scripture: Psalms 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."

There are many gods that are worshiped. Some people worship the gods of nature such as the sun, moon, stars, mountains, and rivers, while others worship gods and idols that are made of silver or gold. Even in today's society, there are men and women who are worshiped. There are titles and positions that are worshiped and some even make their ministry their god. In the Apostle Paul's day, the people didn't want to overlook any of the gods so they created a very unique god to worship and called this god, "The Unknown God" (Acts 17:23). The list of gods is endless because people seek to worship something or someone. Yet, the psalmist said that the nation whose God is the Lord is a nation that will be blessed.

We are a blessed people because we have made the Lord our God. Our God is powerful, always present, and is all knowing. Other gods cannot make this claim but our God is unlike the heathen gods, for He is alive. He is never far from us, but fills our very being and lives within our heart. We can actually have a relationship with our God and commune with Him, for our God speaks to us and listens as we speak to Him. Worshippers of other gods do not enjoy this sweet and wonderful communion. They find their gods strangely quiet. The Word declares that our God is love and He loves us but there is no sense of love that flows from other gods. You never hear anyone say, "Buddha is love" or "Mohammed loves me." Other gods demand sacrifices, but our God loved us so much that He made a great sacrifice for us. He gave His only begotten Son to die in our place. The infrastructure of our entire faith is based on God's covenant of love and His sacrifice for us.

We are truly blessed to have this holy and loving One to be our Lord and Master. God declares that we are "a chosen generation, a holy nation, and a peculiar people" (I Peter 2:9). As His people, we are to show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Jesus' prayer for us was that we would be one as He and the Father are one, so let us join together as believers as we serve and worship Him. Regardless of our race or color or where we live, if we are in Christ, we are God's nation and we are blessed
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

DO YOU REFUSE TO BE DISCOURAGED??

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 18th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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DO YOU REFUSE TO BE DISCOURAGED??


Scripture: Romans 8:18 "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Every item that we enjoy and every object of beauty that we behold has suffered through a time of intense preparation. The olive must be pressed to produce oil and the rose petal must be bruised to bring forth a fragrant perfume. The dough must be kneaded and sent to a hot oven to produce bread and the sculpture or woodcarving must be cut and chipped with a sharp instrument. Precious gold must be heated, melted, and formed and the diamond must be cut. The moth must be imprisoned in a lonely dark cocoon to become a beautiful butterfly and a child is brought forth from the womb through much labor and pain In all of these we see that adversity and suffering produces a glorious result.

Our lives are much the same. The soul that has never known lack can never truly be full, for self sufficiency never appreciates the gift of God's mercy and grace. It is through suffering bruises and pain that we come to know and understand God's marvelous love. It is through our hardships and crushed spirits that a depth of compassion is created within our souls. Afflictions become our personal trainer, for our own sorrows enable us to comfort others in their sorrow. Our lack shows us the importance of sharing with others and our illnesses cause us to know their pain. Our mistakes become revelations that help us to teach others the virtues of wisdom and the importance of waiting for the appropriate time. The disappointments and broken hearts that we experience help us to understand the tears and heartaches of others and give birth to moving songs.

You must never be discouraged or allow your patience to be exhausted in your present suffering, for there will never be a harvest in your life without rain and heat or a birth without pain and labor. The Lord sees your situation and the trying of your faith is very precious in His eyes. You must wait upon Him and allow Him to complete His plan in your life. You can trust God's word and be assured that you will reap if your strength does not fail. And when all the trials are finished, you will discover that your present sufferings were not worthy to be compared to the glory that is destined to be revealed in you.
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie




“ I Refuse To Be Discouraged"

By Connie Ciccone

I refuse to be discouraged,To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted, and here's the reason why . . .

I have a God who's mighty,Who's sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me,and I am on His team.

He is all wise and powerful,Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable,My God remains the same.

My God knows all that's happening;Beginning to the end,
His presence is my comfort,He is my dearest friend.

When sickness comes to weaken me,To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God;Into His arms I go.

When circumstances threatento rob me from my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast,Where all my strivings cease.

And when my heart melts within me,and weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms,He soothes my heart and soul.

The great "I AM" is with me,My life is in His hand,
The "Son of the Lord" is my hope,It's in His strength I stand.

I refuse to be defeated,My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me,as through this life I trod.

I'm looking past all my circumstances,To Heaven's throne above;


Connie Ciccone © May 2004

Do You Give With A Spirit That Is Willing?

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 15th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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Do You Give With A Spirit That Is Willing?



Scripture: Exodus 35:21 "They came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord's offering ..."

When Moses instructed the congregation of the Israelites to bring offerings for the tabernacle he gave them two criteria to meet in their giving. He said, "Your own heart must stir you to give and your own spirit must make you willing to give." There is no gift that is too small for the Lord to receive, but the only gift that is acceptable to God is the one that comes from a willing heart. God despises our works of kindness when we do them grudgingly only because our heart saw a need or when we were pressured to give because everyone else was giving. He emphasized that when we do feel stirred to give, He also wants our hearts to be willing, for He hates to hear us complain about our own personal sacrifice when we are doing a good deed or giving an offering to Him.

I saw an elderly lady who was walking in the drizzling rain and carrying packages. I assumed that she lived in my neighborhood so I stopped to offer her a ride even though I was in a terrible hurry because I had an appointment to meet. She smiled with relief as she got into the dry car, but my thoughts of "doing a good deed for Jesus" suddenly changed to "I am already late, what on earth was I thinking." As it turned out, she did not live in my neighborhood and could only speak a few words of English. Furthermore, she did not want to be taken to her home nearby, she wanted to go to the bus station and said that she would direct me on how to get there. The problem was that the path she wanted me to take was not accessible for auto traffic. What I had thought would only take a few minutes had turned into a nightmare and time was getting short. I followed her directions as she pointed, and after going around several of the businesses and hotel parking lots I was finally able to get her close enough that she could walk across the grass to the bus station.

While I was trying to make my way through the maze of this dilemma, the Lord began to show me something. The lady could see me smiling on the outside but God could hear my complaining heart on the inside. God let me know that even though my heart had been stirred to give this lady a ride, my spirit was only willing to cooperate if it was convenient. My good deed for Him was being rejected because my spirit was not right. He didn't want me to just give, but to give with a cheerful heart. Through the Lord's tender rebuke, I discovered that it was more important for me to do His will regardless of the cost, than it was for me to be on time for an insignificant event. We are very eager to commit our hearts to God and to love and serve Him. Yet, we must understand that we cannot offer God our hearts without giving Him eyes to see the needs of others, our hands to help them do what needs to be done, our feet to go where He leads, and our mouths to speak words of encouragement. The Lord requests an offering from us, but He not only wants it delivered with a heart that is stirred to give but also a spirit that is willing.
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

"He Knows You By Your Name"

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 14th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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"He Knows You By Your Name"


Scripture: Psalms 147:4 (Amplified) "He determines and counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names."

I must confess to you that one of my biggest weaknesses is not being able to remember people's names. When I meet a person for the first time I give them my undivided attention and think surely I will be able to remember their name. I concentrate and make a conscious effort and even try to enhance my memory by writing their names on a list. But regardless of how diligently I try, when I meet them again their name often escapes me.

Our Father God, who is eternal and has no beginning or end, does not have this problem. Even though He has to manage the whole world, nothing escapes Him. He is omniscient and His knowledge is not only vast, it is also very specific and personal. The psalmist declared that the Lord's memory is so inexhaustible and boundless that He can remember the names of all of the stars. He knows exactly how many He has created, and calls each one of them by their own individual and personal names. Even though there are billions of stars in the sky, He doesn't need a list and His mind never goes blank when He tries to recall their names.

As far as we are concerned, God knows everything about us. He not only knows our name, but He also knows the exact number of hairs that we have on our heads. (Matthew 10:30). He knew us before we were ever formed in our mother's womb and He also knows what our eternity will be. We don't have to worry about our future because God has already been there and seen the end before our beginning. Neither do we have to worry about the present, for if God keeps track of the number of hairs on our head, He is surely watching every other detail of our life. He knows every triumph and also every discouraging thing that is happening in our life and He is there to celebrate with us as well as to comfort us. Whatever your challenges are today, be encouraged because God knew this day was coming and He has been working on the solution to your problem before it ever got here. The Lord has made a covenant with you and just as He knows the names of the stars, He knows your name and He will never forget it.




"He Knows You By Your Name"
Written for my special friend Erin

By Connie Ciccone

When you are having problemsAnd feel there's No help around;Take one step forward,And get to higher ground.


If you think that God does not hear you,Then that Really Is a shame;He Not only hears your every word;But .... "He Knows You By Your Name"


For it will not matter where you are in life.When you call upon the Lord;He will listen with a well-tuned ear
and Harkens angels to each and Every Chord.


Be ready to listen to what He has to SayAs He tells Your Spirit what to do.For His Will be In InstructionBecause His word will be Your Food.


Thank Him For all His kindness,Because He Is always standing By.
Tell him That You Love Him
and give him Glory when you Cry.
Even though you have made many mistakes.His Love will not Place blame.


Now, you are fully forgiven.But Remember .... "He Knows You By Your Name"


Connie Ciccone ©

One Pathway You Must Choose

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 12th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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(One Pathway You Must Choose)

Scripture: Psalms 23:2 (Amplified) "He leads me beside still and restful waters."

Life's journey takes us down many paths and unfortunately not all of them are pleasant. One pathway may present dangers, threatening foes, or diseases, which seek to overwhelm our hearts with fear. Another road may lead us through dark valleys where the shadows of doubt attack our minds with confusion. There may be dark tunnels that we pass through where there is not even a shadow that is visible. There will certainly be days where there is a veil over our future and all we can do is walk towards our destiny in faith. Yet in all of these circumstances, we have an assurance that our loving Shepherd will guide us each step of the way and will always refresh us with the still and restful waters of His Spirit.

We do not have to be anxious about anything when the Lord our Shepherd is leading us. He does not follow behind us, but is always before us. He goes through everything before we even get there so He understands every challenge that will greet us on our journey. He has experienced the pitfalls and the hurdles that are before us and makes sure that there is nothing that we cannot handle. He is always there to help us and give us rest. When we are obedient to follow Him, He will be faithful to lead us to the place where there is refreshing water for our souls. He is our Shepherd and He said that we shall not want.

When things are upside down in your life and you are at the edge of turbulent waters, think about this promise in God's word. For you are the sheep of His pasture and you belong to Him. He is concerned about your situation and your problems. He wants to lead you to a better place and deliver you from the worry and torment that you struggle with. He seeks to rid you of every evil foreboding thought because He wants you to enjoy life. But you must choose to allow Him to be the Shepherd of your soul. You must follow Him wherever He leads and trust Him to take care of every detail of your life. When you have needs, you must tell the Lord very plainly that you need money to pay your debts, that your need healing for your body, that you need courage for your soul, that you need restoration for the personal relationships that you are involved in, and that you need precise direction for your life and future. As you allow Him to become the Shepherd that He desires to be in your life, He will meet your needs and lead you beside the still and restful waters.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

Are You Covered In Love?

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 11th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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Are You Covered In Love?

Scripture: Colossians 3:14 (NIV) "Above all these virtues put on love."

As followers and disciples of Christ, our lives should be very different from those who do not profess to know or have a personal relationship with the Lord. In everything that we do or that we say, we should be reflecting the virtues of Christ. Each day before we meet the world that we live in, we should clothe ourselves with His characteristics, which are holiness, humility, kindness, mercy, and forgiveness, and above all of these virtues, the Apostle Paul told us to put on love. Without love we are not fully dressed.

Paul said that love is the most important attribute that we must have in our lives because it binds everything together in harmony. All of the other virtues and faith, itself, are set in motion and work because of love. When love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, it brings God's holiness into our lives. Because of our great love for God, we do not want to do evil against Him, and because we love others we do not want to harm them in any way. Love causes us to perform pure acts of kindness, show mercy, and extend forgiveness. You cannot express love and be unkind or impatience at the same time. Neither can hate and bitterness dwell in the same vessel where there is love. It just will not work, for when there is love, it will rule supreme.

Love goes beyond human comprehension and can't be explained or ignored. You can never admonish others for the love that is in their hearts because love is a commandment from God. He told us to love Him with all of our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves. There were to be no exceptions, not even for our enemies or those who did evil against us. Love was designed by God to make the greatest sacrifices and cover a multitude of sin. We are told to put on love because it is a matter of choice and conscious effort. Love matches everything and is always appropriate and essential in every situation. We are to wear it as our outside garment everywhere we go. The first thing that others should see as we approach them is our covering of love. Jesus said, "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another" (John 13:35). As you look yourself in the mirror before you start each day, remember to check your spiritual garments and above all make sure that you have put on love.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

We Shall Reap If We Faint Not

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 8th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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We Shall Reap If We Faint Not



Scripture: Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

"We all would like to be "well doers" who reap rewards. Yet rewards are only promised to those who do not faint in the middle of the season. Look at the farmer who plants his fields. From the very beginning, he has to cope with each challenge that comes his way. First, through much labor, the ground has to be cleared and turned with a plow. Then fertilizer has to be shoveled and mixed with the dirt, which is not the most pleasant project. This is just the beginning of his work, for the seeds have to be planted and continually watered and weeded. After this, the tender shoots and crops have to be protected from the frost and animals. The farmer cannot relax in any of his efforts or put off any project during this entire season.The farmer not only experiences a lot of hard work in the physical, but must also extend a lot of emotional effort. He begins his process in faith that his seeds will produce, that God will send rain from heaven, that the sun will shine, and that the harvest will come forth. He doesn't concentrate on the negative but believes for the best and understands the principal that he will reap only what he sows, and regardless of how weary he becomes or how hot the season gets, he doesn't neglect his fields. He knows that for his crops to mature, he must endure and not faint in his labors. He also labors with patience; for there is no way that he can rush the season regardless of how much he needs the harvest.It's easy for us to get discouraged when we are sowing in God's fields. We often want immediate results as we witness and try to draw others into the kingdom of God. We also become frustrated because we can't understand why those in the kingdom can't see the light and change their attitudes. The enemy continually tries to steal our seeds, and we wonder if we will ever reap the promised harvest. Often, we become tired and begin to faint along the way and our purpose and conviction weakens. We begin to lose our spiritual strength and vigor and if we are not careful, we forfeit our harvest just before due season.

Jesus gave us a clue as to how to keep from giving up and how to see the results through to the end. He told a parable concerning a widow who troubled a judge until she obtained results. She did not become weary, but instead she wearied the judge by her persistence until he finally gave in. Jesus said, "men ought always to pray and not to faint" (Luke 18:1). Prayer brings strength and is Jesus' antidote to weariness and weakness. If you don't faint or become weary, you will eventually reap your harvest. Your loved ones will be saved, relationships restored, bodies healed, and finances replenished. Today, begin to look to the Lord of the harvest and pray, for your due season is near!!!
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

TOTAL SURRENDER

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 7th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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TOTAL SURRENDER



Scripture: Luke 5:5 "At thy word I will."

Jesus led Peter, step by step, into a place of total surrender. As the people pressed in upon Jesus to hear the word of God, He asked Peter if He could use his boat for a platform to teach the people. Peter and his men were very exhausted and discouraged. They had fished all night long and caught nothing. Dragging heavy nets is not an easy job and they just wanted to finish washing their nets, go home, and rest so that they could go out again in a few hours. The last thing they may have wanted to do was to sit there and listen to Jesus teach. Peter could have told the Lord that he was too tired and too discouraged to let Him use his boat. How many of us would go to church the morning after we had worked all night? Yet, despite his tiredness, Peter responded to the Lord's request and allowed Him to use his boat. We see the results of Peter's submission as he forgot his own worries and fatigue and sowed his boat back into the Lord's work. Peter reaped more than he sowed, for God gave back to him a miraculous haul of fish in a very short time.

Peter's boat was his business and the source of his income. It also represented his life. God requires no less from us. He wants us to show Him that He is first place in our lives by submitting all that we have to Him for His use. Most of us do not own a boat but we do have other assets that represent our lives such as our businesses, our homes, or our finances. Everything we have came to us because of the grace of God and belongs to Him. We are only the stewards of those blessings. We usually don't mind lending these things to the Lord when it is convenient, but how would we respond if we had been out all night working and God decided that He wanted to use our home or business to minister to others? Would we tell the Lord that we were too tired and try to postpone His plan? Would we refuse His request because we were discouraged, as things were not going well for us?

Jesus used Peter's business in a unique way and at a most inconvenient time for Peter and his men. God usually moves in our lives in the same way. When He calls us to do something for Him, it seems that His thoughts and His plans never coincide with ours. Yet most of us have learned from experience that His ways are always better than our ways, and His plans are higher than our plans. We must be ready at all times to submit everything that we are and everything that we have to God. As we do, we will discover that we are God's link to the world. And like Peter, we will find that when we seek to take care of God's business, God will take care of ours.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

WHAT BLESSINGS ARE LEFT IN YOUR STOREROOM?

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 6th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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WHAT BLESSINGS ARE LEFT IN YOUR STOREROOM?


Scripture: Proverbs 10:22 (Amplified) "The blessings of the Lord, it makes (truly) rich, and He adds no sorrow with it."

Isaiah 30:18 (Amplified) “Therefore the Lord {earnestly} waits {expecting, looking, and longing} to be gracious to you,
and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may show mercy on you, and show loving kindness to you”


There is a tremendous difference in the blessings that come from God and the luck we think that just happens in our lives.
Without exception, blessings that come from the Lord are good and they make us truly rich,
for He knows exactly what to give us and what to hold back.
There is no such thing as Luck all blessings come from the Lord.
And there are no coincidences in life.
Our lives have been planned by the Almighty one!
Just as He knew every hair on our heads, He knows what will happen today, tomorrow and yesterday.
HE IS IN CONTROL…
He knows our needs better than we do, and His plans for us are for good and not evil to give us a good future and a hope.
There is never any grief or sorrow that comes with God's blessings and for that reason you never hear the expression "bad blessing."
With luck, as some think, It is like the pendulum of a clock that swings back and forth, for it can go either way most usually no way!
If you choose to believe that your life is governed by luck, you may never receive the blessings in your storeroom in heaven.
When we get to that heavenly home, do not you want to see your storeroom empty?
That is why prayer is essentially important , for All things come from Jesus,

A man in a local community won thirteen million dollars in the lotto a few years back.
At first glance, we would have called this win a blessing, but the world would have labeled him a lucky man.
Yet, at the end of the matter, things did not turn out good for this individual, for there were no blessings attached for him personally.
In fact there was only devastation, for within two years of winning this enormous amount of money,
he was divorced, lost his home and family, and ended up taking his own life because of the grief and sorrow that surrounded him.

We're crying out for the wonderful, unlimited goodness that only God has the power to give to us.
We ask for a supernatural blessing and we leave it in the hands of our sovereign God.
We need to present ourselves to God and look to Him for blessings rather than look to fate for luck.
We have God and He is all that we need to help us make it through life.

Ephesians 1:3-7 tells us that God has already blessed us with spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
He has chosen us to be holy before Him, adopted us, and made us accepted in the beloved.
Through the Lord Jesus, we have redemption and through His blood we have the forgiveness of sin.

We must then to begin to agree that we are truly blessed and begin to BELIEVE whatever we ask for will be given.

Is Your Storeroom in heaven full?
Let God and your FAITH in Him
Empty It!!

“Climb Until All Your Dream Comes True”
by Connie Ciccone


Often your tasks will be many,

and more than you think you can do

Often the road will be rugged,

and the hills insurmountable, too!

Always remember, the hills ahead

Are never as steep as they seem,

And with faith in your heart start upward

And climb 'till you reach your dream…

Nothing in life that is worthy

Is ever too hard to achieve,

If you have the courage to try it

And you have the faith to believe..

Faith is a force that is greater

Than knowledge or power or skill,

And many defeats turn to triumph

If you trust in God's wisdom and will.

Faith is a mover of mountains,

There's nothing that God cannot do!!!

So start out today with faith in your heart

AND

“Climb Until ALL Your Dream Comes True"

Connie Ciccone © August 2008



May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 5th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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GOD WILL NOT FORGET YOUR WORK OR LABOR OF LOVE

Scripture: Hebrews 6:10 "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love

God does not overlook any of the deeds or labors of love that you show when you minister in His name.
He sees each time that you meet the needs of others and promises not to forget it.
His word says that when you give to the poor you lend to the Lord and He will repay.
It also says that whatever you give will be given back to you in greater measure.
God is righteous and there is no way that you can out give the Lord,
for He pays good interest rates on what He borrows from you.

Love is not a big, red, heart-shaped box full of chocolate candy, a dozen red roses, or a special card with cupids.
Neither is love a mushy feeling or goose bumps.
These are all neat expressions of love but true love has actions.
Love sets its own desires aside to take care of the needs of others.
It does not look inward but forgets about its own discomfort.
We see this unselfish love manifested in the love a parent has for their children
or in the love that a child has for an elderly parent.
We see it when a married couple live out the words of their wedding vows, "to love in sickness as well as in health".
We also see it when the saints minister to the needs of the other saints,
when pastors sacrifice their own agendas for their sheep, or when a missionary leaves all to go to the foreign field.
Love always can be seen by its actions
and endures all things, without fail.

For The Giver God Will Bless
by Connie Ciccone

Do you know a heart that hungers
For a word of love and cheer?
There are many such about us
that one may be oh! so near.

Look around you, if you find it
Speak Gods word that's needed so,
Your own heart may be strengthened
By the help that you bestow.

Never think kind words are wasted,
Bread on waters cast are they.
And one day we will find them
Coming back to us, some day.

Coming back when sorely needed,
In a time of such distress,
So, my friend, let's give them freely;
For The Giver God Will Bless.
Connie Ciccone ©October 2006
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

How To Achieve Rest In The Midst Of Labor

Faith Filled Thoughts
August 4th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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How To Achieve Rest In The Midst Of Labor

Scripture: Matthew 11:29 "Come unto Me ... learn of Me."

Jesus speaks to those of us who are weary and heavy laden and tells us that we don't have to stay in that condition. He tells us that all that we need to do is to come to Him and

He will show us how to achieve rest in the midst
of labor.

This means mental and emotional rest as well as physical rest. The Lord doesn't want us to be stressed in any area, whether it is in trying to meet our job requirements or experiencing the undue weariness that comes in doing the work of the ministry. He invites us to take His yoke upon ourselves so that we can enjoy life and find rest for our souls.

Jesus says, "Learn of Me." This was a part of His great remedy for our fatigue, our stress, and ridding ourselves of heavy burdens. He is our wonderful counselor, but how could His few words, "Learn of Me," solve our many problems? We must look at the examples of His life and listen to the words that He speaks. He declared that He was meek and lowly. Being meek meant that He kept His emotions intact and disciplined Himself to be gentle. He didn't rant and rave about everything that went wrong in His life or allow the petty accusations of the religious leaders to wear on His emotions. He kept His mind on His mission and went about doing good and serving others. He also remained lowly or humbly submitted to God the Father. Jesus never tried to prove that He was the Son of God even when He was tempted of the devil. He stood steadfast in the knowledge of who God said that He was and did not put Himself in a bind by acting presumptuously. Instead, He only did what the Father showed Him. That in itself released Him from much pressure and responsibility. Jesus was simply obedient and left the results to Almighty God.

Jesus studied the scriptures from an early age so that He could understand the will of God and also be able to come against the strategies of the devil. He was challenged with feeding the multitudes but He never got under the burden that Martha did who found herself anxious about serving her guest. Like Mary, Jesus had chosen the good part and had spent much time sitting in the presence of His Father. When it came time to feed the thousands, Jesus trusted the same God who had provided manna every day for forty years in the wilderness for Moses and the millions of Israelites. Jesus didn't get uptight or face defeat when it became necessary to confront the demon possessed man because He had prepared Himself by prayer and fasting long before the incident occurred.

Jesus also showed us some natural things that will ease our burdens and renew our strength. He took time to be totally alone so that He could rest physically and regenerate His own spirit and encouraged His disciples to do the same. If Jesus needed physical and mental rest, we surely do. We can't wait until we have time, we must take time to follow His example. Jesus could perform miracles but didn't try to do all the work of the ministry by Himself. Instead, He surrounded Himself with twelve close friends, disciples, and allowed them to help Him carry His load. He was never threatened or became jealous when others tried to do what He was doing. Jesus was truly unique. We must become meek and lowly in heart as He was and learn all that we can from Him. As we do, we will be able to escape the weariness and anxiety that life creates.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie