He came to comfort, restore, and rebuild.

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 30th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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He came to comfort, restore, and rebuild.

Scripture: Matthew 16:18 " ... upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."

Jesus had just asked Peter, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter answered Jesus saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Flesh and blood did not reveal this knowledge to Peter. God the Father opened Peter's heart, enlightened his spiritual eyes, and granted him the revelation that Jesus was His Son, the promised Messiah. This revelation is the foundation for the Church of the Living God and it is the rock that we build our own personal faith upon. Many recognize Jesus as the Christmas babe in the manger or Jesus on the cross. Yet they never come to know Him as Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God or discover that He is the rock of their salvation.

The revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One of God, opens a whole new spiritual dimension in our lives. This knowledge enlarges the borders of our heart and increases our personal influence on others. Jesus becomes the foundation that we place our faith upon and we find that He is endless, His power is boundless, and His love is without measure. As we continue to look into the chambers of His heart, we see His goodness, His mercy, and His grace. In His presence, we experience His joy and His peace, and in each heartache and pain, we come to know His compassion. The more intimate we become with Him, the more we realize that our relationship is not about what we have done or can do for Him, but it is about who He is, what He has done, and what He will do for us in the future. He is the Messiah of our lives.

Often, however, we develop a Messiah syndrome by taking the weight of the world and our problems upon our own shoulders. We allow ourselves to become bound by the enemy of our souls because we do not lean upon the Holy One of God or draw from His mercy and grace. Our attempts to work ourselves and others free create frustration when all we really needed to do was simply call upon Jesus. As our Messiah, Isaiah chapter sixty-one declares that Jesus came to take our burdens and set us free from all bondage. He came to comfort, restore, and rebuild. He does the work in our individual lives by the anointing of the Holy Spirit and when He does it, it is remains eternal. When we recognize that Jesus is our Messiah, the Son of the Living God, the gates of Hell cannot prevail against this revelation.
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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"The Lord is with us!."

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 29th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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"The Lord is with us!."
This is our answer.


Scripture: Judges 6:13 "If the Lord is with us ..."


Have these two questions ever crossed your mind as you faced life's challenges? We know the scriptures declare that Jesus is a miracle worker and that He is the same today as He was yesterday. He doesn't change and we believe that He can still heal, provide, and deliver. We also know that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. Psalms twenty-three tells us that the Lord is our Shepherd and that we shall not want for any good thing. He will cause us to lie down in green pastures and will lead us beside still waters. He will even restore our soul and anoint our head with oil in the presence of our enemies. He will calm the raging seas and speak peace to all of our storms. We have nothing to fear because Jesus is our keeper. These truths fill our heart, yet when things are not working out the way they should for us, the same questions that Gideon asked come to our mind. "If the Lord is with me, why is this happening? If He is my provider, why don't I have enough money to pay my bills? If the Lord is leading me beside still waters, why do I have all of this turmoil going on in my life? Why won't my car start or why did the tires go flat? If the Lord is with me, where are all of His miracles? If Jesus is my healer, why is my body wracked with pain or why did my love one die instead of being healed?"

We can all agree that life does offer some discouraging moments. Fear does attack. Hardships do come. Grief and sorrow happen to the best of us and things do not always work out as we had hoped or planned. There are times when we can't feel God's presence even though He is very near. There are days of darkness as well as days of light and there are seasons of sadness as well as times of great joy. To be sure there are times of confusion, and although we do not always have the answer to all of the questions in our life, we must trust God and believe His word.

In midst of Gideon's fearful situation, the Lord promised him peace and life (Verse 23). But God also told him to go into battle against the enemy and tear down their idols of worship. Gideon still had fear in his soul when he chose to believe and receive the word of the Lord. Yet in the midst of everything that was going on, Gideon built an altar and called it Jehovah-Shalom, which means the God of peace. He stopped everything that he was doing and worshiped the Lord. He laid his fear and insecurities at the feet of the God of peace. This is our answer. We don't have to know why adversity is challenging our life or where our deliverance is at the moment. All that we must do is lay our fears and insecurities on the altar of Jehovah-Shalom, our God of peace, for He is good and He is faithful all of the time. He has a good plan for our lives and we have nothing to fear. We should never question, "If the Lord is with us", but to believe His words and confess in faith,

"The Lord is with us!."

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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You Changed Me

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 27th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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You Changed Me
Please visit my dear friends website below it’s great!
http://www.hechangedme.com/

Scripture: Matthew 7:24 "Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock."

In this story Jesus said that there are two foundations that we can build our life upon, the shifting sand or the solid rock. Those who build upon the rock are the ones who hear God's words and then, in faith, act upon those words. Everyone wants to be able to endure the raging storms of life and remain intact. Yet, many times we choose the shifting sand and fail to realize the weakness of our structure until the rains come and we find ourselves in jeopardy.

It is easy to get into this situation in all areas of life and build our faith upon the shifting sands. We may look to our jobs or our financial portfolio as our source and security. This foundation is built upon the shifting sand, for the market can fail and riches can very quickly come to an end. Financial security is only found when we trust in the Lord God, who has promised to supply all of our needs according His riches. He said that He would never forsake the righteous and that their seed would never have to beg for bread. It is also wonderful to know that we have national security, but if that is where our trust is, we are misguided and not resting upon a sure foundation. For total protection, we must abide under the shadow of the Almighty and find shelter under His wings (Psalms 91). He alone must be our fortress and only He can keep us safe in all of our ways. Nothing is forever except the foundation of God's love, mercy, and grace. Relationships will fail, but the Lord will stick closer than a brother. Fame and honor will cease, but God will always be there.

The angel spoke to the church in Revelation 3:17 and said, " You say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." This church was lukewarm; neither hot, nor cold. They thought that they were doing fine, but the angel said that they didn't know that they were really wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Their foundation was not upon a solid rock, for it was based upon the material things that they had collected. They were blind to their apparent lack. They didn't realize that their material goods left them wretched and miserable and that the nakedness of their spiritual life was exposed. They weren't aware that a raging storm could sweep their security away in a moment's time. The Lord shares these words with us, not to frighten us, but to impart His truths to us. We must never give ourselves over to the thought that we have need of nothing, for we need God just as much in the good times as we do when things are going bad. We must build the foundations of our faith upon Him and obey His every command. He is the Rock of our salvation and if we place our trust and confidence in Him, our lives will not collapse in the midst of the storms.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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A LOVE AND A HUG FROM JESUS

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 26th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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In Memory of My Sweet Lillian



Scripture: I Corinthians 13:13 "... the greatest of these is love."

We know that without faith it is impossible to please God and we are told to hope in Him and His word. Yet, Paul says that love is greater than both faith and hope. Love will cause a man and a woman to give up their own individual lives to join together in unity for life. Love will cause a mother and a father to sacrifice themselves to nurture and provide for their children and love will cause children to become caretakers for their elderly parents. Love will cause pastors to lay down their lives for their sheep and love will cause sheep to serve their pastors faithfully. Love will cause brothers and sisters to fight for one another and love will bond friendships that cannot be broken. Love caused our Father God to give His only begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16).

About 9 years ago I met a women who was the wife of one of my husband’s golf friends. She called late one night to tell us her dear husband Frank had died due to a sudden heart attack. I had never met this women before, but as my husband was speaking to her I heard Jesus
speak to me. From my heart I could hear him say go to her in obedience of me.

She was all alone, no family in town. She was waiting for her husband’s family to come from Boston to help her. We sat with her, until the long hours of the night until their arrival.

After his funeral the family called us and asked if we would pick her up from the airport. For 8/12 years I became her caretaker. Loving her as if she was my own mother.

Her family neglected her. No one would call or come see her.

As I sat by her bed 1 year ago today and watch her fly into the arms of our loving Savior. I cannot help but remember what a precious sight, to see her through. To go back home into His loving arms. Now there were many times when the road got tough.

Many times I cried unto my Father for strength to endure to be obedient to His word in caring for her as she struggle until her last breathe. But as I look back, I cry in thankfulness that I was able to be her daughter in Spirit, a hug when needed, or a smile to replace her loneliness.
So today I give thanks. In her sweet memory.

If you know someone today, that God is speaking to your heart right now and He is telling you, from your Spirit. Pick up that phone, get in your car, go to that person today with a
Love and a Hug From Jesus.



May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

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


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When is the Last time you spent some time with Jesus?

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 23rd, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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When is the Last time you spent some time with Jesus?



Scripture: Matthew 14:23 "Jesus went up into a mountain apart to pray."

This scripture is sandwiched in between two mighty miracles.
In the first miracle, Jesus fed over 5000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fish.
Within just a few hours, He preformed another miracle by walking on the water.
Could we say as the people did in Matthew 13:54, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?"
Jesus answers this question in John 5:19-20 when He says, "The Son can do nothing by Himself;
He can do only what He sees His Father doing ... For the Father loves the Son and will show Him what He is doing."

Even though Jesus was God the Son, when He came to Earth He was the "Word made flesh" (John 1:14).
He emptied Himself and took on the form of a mere man and could only do what the Spirit of God anointed Him to do (Philippians 2:6-8).
Jesus did not take advantage of His divine nature, but instead He completely abandoned Himself into the hands of God.
He depended on God the Father to show Him what to do and to anoint Him to do it.
Acts 10:38 says, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power,
Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil: for God was with Him."

He left us with the same power His Father Anointed Him with (The Holy Spirit). He found comfort alone in Prayer.
When is the Last time you spent some time with Jesus?
Could all the things in the worlds turmoil be overcome if we all made an effort each day in prayer.
Prayer can move mountains, Stop and help Our world move mountains to those who are suffering.
Pray for discernment and wisdom for our leaders.

Too often we find ourselves too busy to spend time with God.
We begin to experience a great lack in our study of God's word and prayer time
and then find ourselves trying to rely on yesterday's revelation and yesterday's anointing.
We must recall the secret that Jesus held.
He found wisdom and power in the solitary place called prayer.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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Are You Following Him?

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 21st, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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Are You Following Him?


Scripture: John 12:26 "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me."

Jesus makes it plain in these words that if we are going to serve Him, we must follow Him. It is a simple choice and we can't have it both ways. We can't live the way of the world while we have the mark of His cross upon our lives any more than we can serve two masters. When we are truly devoted to the Lord's call, we will follow Him wherever He leads and do whatever He asks. We will put to death our hopes in order to follow His will and crucify our own desires so that He can fulfill His purposes in our lives. We will allow our lives to die as a seed in the ground so that His fruit can come forth (Verse 24).

These two simple words from the lips of Jesus, "Follow Me" offer us a wonderful life in His presence. When we choose Christ, we choose a personal relationship with Him. When we follow Him, we go where He goes and we see what He sees. We bond together with Him through our mutual experiences, whether good or bad. From the time that we accept His call and then throughout eternity, we have an assurance that we will be guided by the One who has more wisdom and knowledge than we do. He becomes our Shepherd and we take on the identity of His sheep. We recognize His voice and do not follow another. We are aware that there is something very special about belonging to Him. The world doesn't understand our relationship, but we know Him and we know that He knows us.

It is apparent that in your heart you truly want to serve the Lord or you would not be spending time right now reading this message and following after the things of God. Yet, we all encounter distractions and things that attempt to lead us away from following the Shepherd. There are trials, victories, heartbreaks, and even fears as we journey through life with Jesus, but with every event along our path, we learn more about Him. When Jesus says, "Follow Me," He calls us to be dependent upon Him and to allow Him to be in control of our lives. He continually calls us to new levels and wants us to serve Him. It is not just a place of destination, but it is also a journey. He goes before us and leads us each step of the way. Our obedience in following Him gives us the opportunity to trust Him in a new way and to show our devotion to His call. If we want to serve Him, we must allow Him to be the Lord of our life and follow Him.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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I seek My Father for Wisdom

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 20th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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I seek My Father for wisdom


Scripture: I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
This promise from God's word does not give us a license to sin, but an assurance that if we do sin, God will always be faithful to forgive us.
His love and grace will prevail in every situation if we will humbly confess and freely admit to Him that we have sinned.
Often, however, to keep from admitting our sins, we label them as faults or group them together and ask God to forgive us of all of our wrongs.
It's really hard for us to admit that we have sinned and to call our sins out, naming them one by one.
Yet, this is the way to true repentance and cleansing, for when we confess our sins, the blood of Jesus washes away every trace of unrighteousness.God desires that we look at our thoughts and actions and then measure them against His word and His standard.
There are no little sins or big sins. He looks at the intents and motives of our heart, for our heart attitude is just as important as our actions.
Matthew 5:28 teaches us this principle as Jesus said that one who entertains lust and evil desires in his heart is the same as the one who commits the sin.
All sin, outward and inward, must be confessed if we want to be able to experience God's will and purpose in our lives.
I must admit there are times like now whether I have sinned against my family or confused at times what God will’s for me to do.
Many of us have family members who have drained us financially or emotionally.
We then make decisions not to Engage in their behaviors any longer, to obtain our own Peace and Joy in our lives.
But then a big decision comes along, and they become desperate in need of your help. What do you do?
As I sift among my own current emotions, I ask for pray about this situation.
I seek My Father for wisdom and ask Do I open that door again?
I Prayed to Him the mighty one before and heard him say not to Engage close the door.
However now in my most confusing Giving heart, I ask to hear from Him Now!
So Please Pray For Me.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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Moment To Moment Choices

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 19th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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http://www.mtmchoices.org/index.php

Moment To Moment Choices

Scripture: I Corinthians 10:23 "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient."

Life presents us with many choices. These choices determine our future and create our past. They cause us to become who we are in character and also establish our reputation in the eyes of others. Choices are made because of our hopes and desires, but they also determine our failures. As we follow our choices, they take us down many trails and the options we choose leave behind us a path that others will follow. Sometimes the examples that we provide for others are good but other times we mistakenly lead them down the wrong paths. At the time, our choice may have been acceptable and lawful for us personally because our motives were pure, but they may have caused problems for those within the circle of our influence who may not have known the entire situation.

The Apostle Paul addressed this issue by saying, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient." In other words, all things that we could do may not edify or build up those around us. In fact, some things that are lawful in the eyes of God will actually hinder our witness and possibly destroy the faith of those who look to us as examples. It may even hinder God's destiny for our lives. In chapter twenty-five of I Samuel, David was so provoked by an evil man named Nabal that David vowed to destroy Nabal and everything that pertained to him. This act of vengeance would have been lawful for David, but it was not expedient. David was destined to become the King of Israel and this act would have been a major blemish in his character and damaged his reputation before others. So David refused to avenge himself or to shed innocent blood in order that this dreadful act would not become an offense in his own heart and also ultimately hinder God's plan for his life.

When we know God and His ways, it is very easy to discern which choices are morally and ethically right and which ones are wrong. Yet, we must remember Paul's words that even though things may be lawful for us, not all things are expedient. If we speak lawful words of truth or speak with the tongues of angels and have not love, we are as a tinkling cymbal. If we prophesy without love, we are nothing. We must follow the pattern of Christ and choose to do those things that edify and give a worthy testimony to the world about us. Choices in life are very hard to make , many of us act upon our Choices to quickly. Take time to think WWJD and you are sure to come out with the right Choice. Often we are in such a hurry in this fast paced world to make decisions for ourselves without thinking, How this would affect the outcome and the others we are witnessing too. Our mouths and words are probably the most important actions in our lives today. They make our character. So I pray that we will stop and think before acting upon our decisions and words.
Sometimes no words or suggestions are needed, a simple hug and smile goes a long way!

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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Choices

By Connie Ciccone

This is a story about Choices

The moment to moment ones made;

Choices made without thought

And the Ultimate Price that is Paid.

The last glass of wine that I drank

before I had entered my car;

Did not allow me to stop or to think

of the Lives it would damage or scar.

As I woke from a daze in the hospital

not knowing what I had done;

The looks on the faces of my loved ones

were of shock, sorrow, and stun.

I cried from the pit of my soul

when at last the worst was revealed;

Two precious souls that were lost

and my moment of Choices was then sealed.

I reached for the hand of my Father

I cried Please take me not them;

His Choice in that moment of Love

transformed me

and my witness for Him then began.

There are many Choices of Tragedy

the moment to moment ones made;

will you sacrifice your life for another

Before you enter your car in that way?

I Pray my story of Choices

The moment to moment ones made;

will reach inside the soul of your heart

and each Choice you make will be weighed.

For this Is a Story Of Choices

The moment to moment ones made;

Choices made without thought

And the Ultimate Price that Is Paid.

Connie Ciccone © June 2007

http://www.mtmchoices.org/index.php

Let The Spirit Of Intercession Work For The Good

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 16th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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Let The Spirit Of Intercession Work For The Good


Scripture: Romans 8:27-28 "... the Spirit makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good ..."

Life offers surprises to all of us and many times we do not know what to think or say in the middle of the ordeals that come our way. We believe that God will come to our rescue so we definitely want to keep our faith and not complain or make negative confessions about our situation. Yet, we don't want to have false hope and offer untrue statements either. So how can we express our faith and trust in God until our promise of hope is fulfilled?

We must understand that God is never taken by surprise. He not only knows the beginning from the end, He also has a plan to bring it all together for our good. He is able to take the lemons in our lives, add some sweetness, and make lemonade. When things seem impossible, He is able to take the crooked circumstances and make them straight for our benefit. He Hears every prayer SPOKEN! Even when people work against us, they can't stop the plan and blessings of God that are upon our lives. Our hope is no different than that of Joseph, whose brothers sold him into slavery. Everything worked together for Joseph's good because he loved God and was called according to God's purposes. Joseph told his brothers, "You thought evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20).

God's word doesn't say that all things are good, but it declares that all things will work together and turn out for our good in the end. We must realized that maturity is developed in the midst of adversity, strength is gained in pain, and a spirit of hope and faith is birthed in the midst of desperation. Every trial of faith that we endure deepens our trust in the Lord. Every experience that we go through causes us to grow and teaches us that all things are working together for our good. Therefore, when others question us about the disease that is attacking our body, our confession should be, "According to Romans 8:27-28, The Spirit is making intercession for me according to the will of God and all things will work together for good." When we are financially challenged, we can boldly declare, "The Spirit is making intercession for me according to the will of God and all things will work together for good." When our relationships are strained, we should find refuge in this same thought, "The Spirit is making intercession for me according to the will of God and all things will work together for good." This confession also holds true when we are facing any of the other storms of life. It is God's word for us and we can trust Him to bring it about in His time.

Start saying today ALOUD!!!
"The Spirit is making intercession for me according to the will of God and all things will work together for good."

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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God’s Grand Destiny For Our Lives

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 14th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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God’s Grand Destiny For Our Lives

Scripture: Psalms 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."

God is not interested in our great intellectual knowledge. Nor is He interested in our personal agendas and great achievements. He desires a personal relationship with us, and His main interest is that we know Him and realize that He is God. When we come to understand that God is God, we realize that He is in control of every situation in our life. He is God over the big things and God over the small things. He is God in the good times and God in the bad times. He is God when things are easy and God when things are hard. He is God on the mountains of joy and He is God in the valleys of the shadow of death.

When we come to recognize that God is sovereign, we begin to grasp the meaning of Romans 8:28. No matter what happens to us, if we love God and are called according to His purpose, all things, good or bad, are going to work together for our good. We then stop focusing on the immediate adverse circumstances and begin to see that there is a much bigger picture for our life. We come to know that God's grand destiny for our life is much more than we can comprehend with our finite mind. We concentrate on the enlarged territories that we believe God has for us and pray to that effect, knowing that His thoughts towards us are for good and not evil and that He will give us a future and a hope.

Your future may seem uncertain at this point, but you have an assurance that God has brought you to His kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). God has placed you in this life at this particular time to fulfill His particular purpose. God doesn't measure you by someone else's ability and opportunity but by that which He individually affords to you. You must surrender your all to Him by placing your life totally in His hands. If the enemy comes in like a flood, you can be assured that God is still God and that He will raise up a banner against the forces of darkness. God is in charge and He is about to do a great thing in your life. Get away from the turmoil and quiet yourself from all anxiety. Take time to be still and listen to His still quite voice and know that God is God and……..
He always will be God.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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Don’t Give Up On Your Prayers

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 13th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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Don’t Give Up On Your Prayers


Scripture: James 5:18 "And he prayed again."

Elijah prayed earnestly and asked God to send rain. Six times, nothing happened, but on the seventh time, the heavens opened and the rain began to pour. Elijah could have given up on the sixth time that he prayed, but he didn't because he was determined to pray until an answer came. What if Elijah had stopped praying after his first prayer because he felt that true faith doesn't pray a second time? What if he questioned himself after the second prayer by wondering if he was righteous enough to go before God? What would have happened after the third prayer if he thought his request may be considered selfish in the eyes of God? After the fourth prayer, what would have happened if he had stopped praying because he felt ridiculous praying about the elements of nature? Surely, he had doubts after the fifth time that he bowed himself before God with the same petition, for the scriptures record that he was a man of like passions just like you and me. When he prayed the sixth time, he may have wondered if God was even listening at all. Yet Elijah didn't give up, and when he went boldly before God's throne of grace on the seventh time, he received his answer.

Powerful and effective prayer doesn't just happen. Sometimes you must stand at length before God's throne before you see any results. You must ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, and knock and keep on knocking until God answers. Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah several times and Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord all night before he received his blessing. He wrestled so long and so hard with God that his hip was thrown out of place and he walked with a limp for the rest of life. Jesus, Himself, prayed for a blind man twice before the blind man's sight was totally restored, and He also went to God three times for Himself and asked that the cup of suffering be removed from Him.

The tenacity of prayer and faith is illustrated in the definition given by three boys. The first boy said, "It is taking hold of Christ"; the second said, "It is keeping hold of Christ"; and the third said, "It is not letting go of Christ!" We are not to simply skirt around on the outside of God's presence, but instead take time to venture deep into the Spirit. We must reach beyond our simple petition and go boldly before God's throne of grace in our time of need. We should not let go but approach God as many times as we need, without any reservations. We must always remain submitted to the Father's will, but never take no for an answer until God says no. Until the answer comes, we must pray and pray again. I feel there is someone out there that is saying to themselves Why Pray? God does not hear me. But he does my sweet friend,
There are many prayer groups out here that will pray on your request.

You are never alone.
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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It Is Not Never Broke God Can Fix It!

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 12th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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It Is Not Never Broke God Can Fix It!


Scripture: II Chronicles 20:12 (Amplified) "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."

When an army of great magnitude came against God's people, they began to seek the Lord with diligence. They acknowledged their lack because they knew that by themselves, they were no match against their enemy. They told the Lord that they had no might, no strength, and no power, but declared their trust in Him by saying, "Our eyes are upon You." They recognized where their strength would come from and who would give them victory in the battle. As they prayed, God gave them a simple plan, which was to go into the battle praising Him. As they obeyed His word, He gave them a glorious victory.

My nephew, who was a little over two years old, was fascinated with cars and trucks. Even though he doesn't understand how they run, he knows that the cars and trucks make things work. One evening he began to rearrange the trucks on the racetrack my husband had built for him. He had already tried the on/off switch but could not get the cars to work. He worked diligently but had no success because he didn't know that the main power switch had to be turned on at the outlet. He finally declared, "It boke," which translates into "It is broken." This was the only conclusion that made sense to him because he could not get the trucks and cars to work.

Many times our faith is "broken" in the same fashion. All the trucks and cars are there and we say and do the right things, but nothing works because we do not stop and recognize where our power and strength comes from. We try to work out a sensible solution on our own, when all the time, the power of God's presence and His wisdom is within our reach. James 1:5-6 says, "If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God ... but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." There is no lack when God's presence and wisdom is with us. In the midst of our trials, we just need to call out to Jesus and say, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." His plan may be as simple as give praise in the midst of the battle, stand still and see My salvation, or it may be a magnificent plan to confront the enemy. Whatever the solution, we can be sure that when we stop trying to figure out all the cars and trucks and begin to focus are eyes upon Him, our efforts will not be wasted. We must believe that He is the source of our strength and as we connect directly with Him, He will infuse us with the power that we need to obtain the victory.
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

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Will You Be My Witness?

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 9th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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Will You Be My Witness?



Scripture: Acts 1:8 "You shall be witnesses unto Me."

We often make witnessing about Jesus such a big ordeal when in reality it is just talking about Him. It is so easy to tell others about a movie that we've seen and describe the main characters and all of their attributes. We may even quote a few lines that they said and be able to convince our listener that the main character was either good or bad. Witnessing about Jesus and the things of God should come just as easy and natural if we truly know Him. We should be able to talk about Him as a person, and in a simple way tell the facts about His life. God's Word should be so alive to us that we are able to quote our favorite lines that Jesus said or other scriptures pertaining to Him.

Witnesses who take the stand in a court of law are only required to tell the facts they know. They do not have to know and understand everything about the circumstances. They only have to reveal the truth as they know it. In Luke 7:20-22 the disciples of John came to Jesus and asked if He was the Messiah that should come or should they look for another. Jesus replied and said, "Go tell John what things you have seen and heard; how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor." When you give witness of the things Jesus has done for you, the facts will speak for themselves and your experience will make your words come alive.

Psalms 105:1-5 gives us some instructions about how to witness. The psalmist said in part to give thanks to the Lord and sing. There is a great witness that goes forth when you simply give praise to God and sing songs that honor Him. You are also to remember and make known His deeds among the people and talk of all His wondrous works, giving glory to His Holy Name. Your witnessing is not just a formula that you have been taught in evangelism class. It should never be burdensome but should just generate spontaneously from your heart. Jesus said, "You shall be My witnesses." Your message is a real person and that person is Jesus.


May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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Will You Have Your God Call Me?

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 8th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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Will You Have Your God Call Me?
Written for My dear Sweet Bonnie


Scripture: Micah 7:8 "When I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light to me."


This scripture speaks hope to our heart when we are in distress or in darkness. It deals with the times when we can help ourselves and it deals with situations that we can't do anything about. There are times in our lives when we make mistakes and fall. It may be in our finances, relationships, bad decisions, or other areas. We simply make an error in judgment and create massive problems for ourselves. We then find ourselves suffering the consequences of that error. I have a sister who asked me will you have your God Call me? Like a lost child trying to find her way back home, God is there walking right beside her. Yet, like a physical fall, if we turn to God and get His wisdom and follow His directions, we can remedy the situation. It may be a struggle, but we can get up. If our fall has caused great injury in our lives, it may require a season of healing, but if we are determined, we can make it through the difficult situation and rise above it.

There are other times in our lives when we have no control over the circumstances and no resources to help ourselves. We are in a place of spiritual darkness and can't find our way out. It seems as though the enemy took a brush of black paint and covered the canvas of our heart. Inwardly we can't locate ourselves and outwardly we can't find direction. We sit in darkness and are unable to see any light. Depression, oppression, and discouragement make their presence known because we have no answers and feel hopeless to help ourselves. In this place of darkness, we come to understand that we cannot create light. These are the places where we must turn to the Lord, for He is the source of light. We must depend upon Him for deliverance, and allow Him to do the entire work.

It doesn't matter which place you find yourself in today. You may have taken a hard fall or may be sitting in darkness. You may have gone through a season of loss and be dealing with a spirit of hopelessness. Wherever you are, you must be determined to find your way out. The Lord is your answer and He is hope. God is merciful and full of grace. He will give you the strength to rise above the difficulty and He will shine His light in your darkness. You will be amazed at His deliverance, for nothing is too hard for Him. All you have to do is to call upon Him, for He cares for you. There is no burden that He will not bear for you regardless of how it came about in your life. Decide today to take Micah's words for yourself and declare, "When I fall, I shall arise and when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light to me."

I Come to ask for pray for my dear sister, let’s storm heaven with blessings upon her.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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Do You Know My Father?

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 7th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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Do You Know My Father?



Scriptures: Luke 11:1 "Lord, teach us to pray.

"When Jesus had finished praying, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray." The disciples knew that Jesus got results when He talked with the Father, and they wanted to know His secret. It was customary in that day and time for famous rabbis to compose special prayers, but the disciples weren't interested in a prayer to recite. Instead, they wanted Jesus to teach them how to pray or how to communicate with God in a personal way like He did. They had witnessed mighty answers to the prayers that Jesus prayed and had come to the conclusion that their words alone had no purpose unless they reached the ears and heart of God.

As Jesus began this model prayer, which we know as The Lord's Prayer, His first two words were "Our Father." There is a lot of weight that is attached to those first two words. The word "our" meant that Jesus was including us with Him. Although Jesus was the only begotten Son of the Father, He wanted us to understand that we have the same relationship to the Father as He does. God is creator of all mankind, but He is only Father to all who have received Jesus as Savior and Lord because His Son's eternal blood flows through their veins. Because of this sacred relationship, Romans 8:17 says that we are "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ," meaning that we possess the same rights and privileges that Jesus has and can approach God as our personal Father.

Second, Jesus said that we are to address the Almighty God as "Father." By doing this, Jesus established that God is a real person, and like our earthly father, our Heavenly Father has real feelings and He loves us. He cares for us and desires to provide for all of our needs. Like most parents, He watches over us constantly and never slumbers nor sleeps. He is there all the time. He experiences joy when we are fulfilling His plan and doing those things that please Him. He also grieves over us when we stray down the wrong path, and like the father of the prodigal son, He patiently waits for our return. As our Father, He wants us to love Him and fellowship with Him on a regular basis, not just run to Him every time that we have a problem. He cherishes our honor and adoration. The greatest honor that we can bestow upon God the Father is to believe His words and trust in Him. God has identified Himself by many names throughout the scriptures, but Jesus shared the name that is dearest to God's heart, which is Father. Other religions do not have a personal relationship with their god, nor do they call their god "father." So, recognize your position as God's child when you pray. Your love and tender thoughts will be precious to Him.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
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"Call Unto Me."

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 6th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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"Call Unto Me."



Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know."

God tells us through Jeremiah, the prophet, two very important things about getting our prayers answered. First He says, "Call." Prayer needs to be voiced, otherwise it may only be a meditation of the heart. For instance, how many times in our lives do we face circumstances that require answers? We tell everyone that we are praying about the situation, when in reality we are merely thinking, meditating on the circumstances, and trying to figure out the solution in our own minds. We haven't uttered one word to God, verbally or in our spirit, yet we call it prayer.

God wants us to speak out verbally to Him. God knows our thoughts and our hearts, but He wants to actually hear our voices. James 4:2 tells us that "we have not because we ask not." We merely think the thought in our mind, but never express it with our voice. God knows the meditations of our heart but He hears our cries and listens for ours words. Throughout the scriptures, prayers often began with phrases like, "Hear my prayer, O Lord," "Attend unto my cry," and "I lift up my voice to You." We get God's attention when we make our voices heard.

Second, God says, "Call unto Me." In the original Hebrew language, the use of the word "call" in this scripture means to address by name. Names are personal and powerful. Even in a crowded room, you are called to attention when someone mentions your own name. You become very interested in what they are saying because your name is involved. However, if your name were never mentioned, you may be disinterested in the person's thoughts. And if their needs were never verbalize, you would not know how you could meet those needs. God is the same way. He responds to His name and focuses His attention on the one calling upon His name. God says, "Call to Me. When you speak to me then I will answer you and I will show you great and mighty things which you have never known before."

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

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God Is Your Refuge And Your Strength

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 5th, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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God Is Your Refuge And Your Strength
Scripture: Psalms 91:2 "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him I will trust."

In this verse, the psalmist says four things about the Lord.
1) The Lord is his refuge.
2) The Lord is his fortress.
3) The Lord is his God.
4) The Lord can be trusted.

The psalmist had great confidence in God. He not only believed that God could deliver him, but trusted and believed that God would. He felt that he could turn to God in any situation and find help and relief. Like the cities of refuge that provided escape from the avenger in Moses' day, the psalmist depended upon God to be his escape. Not only was God a place for him to run to in the times of trouble and danger, but once there, God was his mighty fortress, providing him with protection and shelter.

Webster's Dictionary defines "fortress" as a "large and permanent military stronghold." It is a city fortified with weapons. Psalms 46:1-3 says that it doesn't matter if the earth is removed and the mountains are cast into the seas. There is nothing to fear because God is our refuge and is present to help us. God is permanent and will never leave us or forsake us. As our refuge and fortress, God provides amazing grace for us when we face difficult situations. The refuge God gives us is so amazing that it causes us to be a wonder to many (Psalms 71:7). Even our own friends can't comprehend how we are able to endure the duress of our season of pain and hardship. Yet, God's grace disallows the adversity in our life to bring us shame and confusion. Instead, He uses it to infuse us with greater strength and understanding.

Review your life for a moment, and remember some of the places where you found God as your refuge and fortress. Look back at the times that you ran to God and He protected you or showed Himself as your provider and met your needs in a way that only He could. Think about the hard places, the dark valleys, and the dry deserts that you've passed through. And recall the love you experienced from the Gentle Shepherd in the midst of your tears and fears. Then for today's trouble and anxieties, focus upon God. He is there if you will call on Him. God is your refuge and your strength. He is your city of security. See Him as your mighty fortress and let the promise of His deliverance be your peace. He is your God. He can be trusted.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

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Resolution or Revelation?

Faith Filled Thoughts
January 2nd, 2009
By Connie Ciccone
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Resolution or Revelation?

Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of prophecy, and keep those things which are written therin:
for the time is at hand.

God has always been a God of new things. He has never been a hand me down God and doesn't like to settle into the old or become stagnant in His works. Everything God creates is fresh. Each mountain, river, and ocean is distinctly different, as is all of His other works of nature. He is a master artist and every day He creates a new sunrise and a new sunset that is never to be repeated. God's work is glorious and profound, and like He said in Genesis, "It is always good.

"God makes a wonderful promise through Isaiah, the prophet, to do a new thing for His people. He promised to make a way in the wilderness and create streams in the desert places for them. He also promised to give them a path in the mighty waters. He declared that He was their Lord, their Holy One, their Creator, and King. He was all that they needed and all they would ever need. God also promised new things for us. When we receive Jesus into our hearts, we become a new creature with a new covenant and He gives us a new name (Revelations 2:17). He creates within us a new heart and imparts a new Spirit into our lives (Ezekiel 36:26). He instructs us to put on the new man (Ephesians 4:24) and gives us a new commandment and a new song (Psalm 40:3). When He touches our lives with these new things we are totally transformed.

As you face the New Year, believe God to do new things in your life. Remember that He is still your Creator. “I’m convinced more and more that what we need are not our own New Year’s “Resolutions”, but New Year “Revelations” from God. It’s not about us. It’s about Him. Instead of pronouncing our own resolutions, let’s ask Him what He has to reveal to us this year. What do you have for me this year, Lord? In what ways will you restore life in me? What purpose will you draw out of my heart? What fires will you stoke?"

Regardless of whether you are faced with a wilderness place or a dry barren desert, God has the answer. He will make a way, create a stream, or do whatever is necessary to help you through your dilemma and correct your situation. Trust in Him with all of your heart and don't lean upon your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Don't base today's answer on yesterday's solutions, for God is doing a new thing in your life.

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie

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Resolution or Revelation
By Connie Ciccone
Written for my friend
'Dr C.K.McClinton'

As the New Year began
the whole world in song,
many making a Resolution
without committing for How Long?

Many promises were sworn
each different in generation
could it not be a Resolution?
but perhaps a Revelation?

Each year we make decisions
to satisfy our inner man,
without giving one precious thought
does this all fit with God’s plans?

Have we forgot our lives were
already drawn in the sand,
Written in The Book Of Life
by our own Father’s Hands.

There’s a new time upon us
to look for discernment,
and realize our promises
really needs God’s confirmment.

This Year I commit
no Resolutions for me,
I’ll look in God’s Word
for Revelations to see.

Like wisdom and knowledge
for caring and giving,
loving and sharing
and forever forgiving.

Christians let’s start
A Revival Foundation
No more Resolutions
Just God’s sound Revelations!

Connie Ciccone ©January 2009