Do the right thing...

James 4 : 2 - 3

² You lust and do not have; so you commit murder.

You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel.

You do not have because you do not ask.

³You ask and do not receive,

because you ask with wrong motives,

so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

   Doing the right thing can be hard at times.. Living right through HIM can be hard at times..  

But where do we draw the line.. When do we give it all to HIM, and when we don’t get our way when do we let it be..

Only HIS plan shall prevail.. Nothing we do to go against that will change things..

In result, we will end up with worse outcomes or something catastrophic happening in your life.

Give it all to HIM.. May God Bless You All J

Speak...

^{1 Peter 3 : 9-11}

⁹ not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead;

for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

¹⁰ For, “THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,
MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.
¹¹ “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD;
HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.

Watching what we speak, good or bad, has a reflection in our daily living.. As well as the way we speak.

You could say something positive, but if your tone is negative then your message comes off as negative.

The way we speak is just as important as what we speak.

I know you all have heard the saying,

“If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all”

or

“Kill them with kindness”

The saying “kill them with kindness” can still coincide with the way you say it..

Speaking kindness in a sarcastic tone is still negative, people.. LOL!!

Try this on for size:

Throughout your day speak nothing but positive attributes..

When you feel the urge to speak of something that is not in HIS nature,

stop yourself and thank HIM for your new found self awareness of positive speaking/thinking!!

At the end of your day, reflect on how your speaking of good changed your day and outlook on life.

I would love to hear some feedback!!

May God Bless You All J

Find Joy...

Proverbs 17 : 22

A joyful heart is good medicine,
But a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Finding joy in stressful situations.. It’s hard, but it can be done.

I’m going to touch a bit on the ones that have left this temporary place setting, to go HOME.

Losing someone is never easy; whether that lost is the physical presence, or the mind of an individual.. In these past two weeks, I have lost one friends physical presence, for he was called HOME.. Two individuals that I know of have gone HOME, and I lost another friend to the streets..

When baby Tripp passed away on Jan. 14^th, I kept thinking of all the great memories that his mother, Courtney, must have and all the joy that she has absorbed from those days.. When my friend, Phil, passed away last Friday I had some of the same thoughts; I can only imagine the stories that his wife, children, siblings, and grandchildren will remember.. My friend Teresa; losing anyone is hard, but I can only imagine the pain/hurt when it is your parent; remember those precious/joyful moments Teresa.. And last but certainly not least, my long lost friend Lindsay; I lost her years ago to the streets, and I continue to pray that she will see the light.

I will always remember the joyful days I had with Phil and Lindsay..

I continue to pray that I will not question HIS will, and keep joy in my heart.

HE is the best medicine out on the market!! May God Bless You All J

Loving the one's you don't care for.....

Luke 6:35

But love your enemies, and do good,

and lend, expecting nothing in return;

and your reward will be great,

and you will be sons of the Most High;

for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

Your mama always told you to treat people the way you want to be treated,

but what happens when those people don’t treat you in a kind manner..

Do you act as they do?

NO NO.. We love them just the same!!

“But Lynette, why would I love someone that doesn’t treat me kindly”, you ask.

Because.. HE doesn’t turn away from you,

or treat you any different when you sin against HIM..

HE continues to love you..

HE continues to bless you..

HE continues to have your back.

Love is not an emotion, it is a choice.. Let’s choose to act as HE does.

Love is an act of HIS will.. May God Bless You All J

Prayer

1 Kings 8:49
then hear their prayer

and their supplication

in heaven Your dwelling place,

and maintain their cause,

What do you indulge in?

When you pray do you find yourself easily distracted?

Your prayer might go something like this:

“Dear Lord, umm please watch over me and my family.. (Self talk) Ohh, I have to remember to call them today.. Oh yeah Lord, and would you protect me with Your covering, Amen”.

When you watch a ball game, or your fave show are you easily distracted at that time?

My guess is probably no!!

Why do we do this?

Our minds never seem to slow down.. The wheels just keep turning.. When in prayer, let your wheels turn towards HIM and stay focused on HIM. One more thing.. Even though your prayer(s) are not answered right then and there, thank HIM at the same time your asking. And one last piece of advice.. HE is more pleased when we pray for others.. Let’s not be selfish!! May God Bless You All J

Follow Through

Acts 20 : 24

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;

my only aim is to finish the race and complete the

task the Lord Jesus has given me—

the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

It always seems whenever the new year comes along, some people make the same resolution every year.. “Ohh, I’m going to lose this weight this year; I’m going to join the gym; I’m going to focus more on my family; I’m going to go back to school.. I’m going, I’m going, I’m going.” Stop going the motions and follow through.. Finish!!

I have to say, I’m one of these people.. I come up with some grand plan, and then never follow through. Why do we do this? I can only speak for myself, but if you find yourself in this same boat ask yourself “WHY”.

HE placed us all here with a purpose/calling for our life.. Follow through.. There are a lot of people that start this life changing journey with HIM, but there are just as many that don’t finish that journey. Be one of those people to FINISH HIS WORK that was set forth for you!!

When your time comes will you be able to say to HIM..

I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave me to do. -John 17 : 4

Insults, Love, and Peace....

1 Peter 2 : 23 - 24

²³ When they hurled their insults at him,

he did not retaliate; when he suffered,

he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted

himself to him who judges justly.

²⁴ “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross,

so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;

“by his wounds you have been healed.”

Insults and criticism can hurt tremendously, but because of who HE is all can be healed.. My focus is on a God fearing family today, and their strength. This family has been going thru a life changing event since 2009, but through all their turmoil they have kept their FAITH and TRUST in HIM.

1 Corinthians 13 : 4 - 7

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

⁶ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

A mother’s love is strong!! When their story was published on ABCnews.com back in December 2011 the family was bombarded by insults and criticism.. Individuals telling her to take her son out of his misery.. This mother’s faith is strong, and willing to follow HIS plan. HE will call Mr. Tripp HOME when it’s time.

Numbers 6 : 25 – 26

²⁵ the LORD make his face shine on you
   and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the LORD turn his face toward you
   and give you peace.”

Grant them PEACE!! Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers J

randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com

Branches & Vines

John 15 : 4 -5

⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you.

No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.

Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches.

If you remain in me and I in you,

you will bear much fruit;

apart from me you can do nothing.

As the storm comes over Louisville today people are beginning to create a frenzy.. But this day was unfolded before it even came about, as was your own. Have you ever stop to reflect on your day after it has come to a end.. Have you asked, “what can I do differently to make my future days go smoothly”? Let me let you in on a little secret, but shhh, you can’t tell anybody.. We are the branches, and HE is the vine.. Okay let me back up.. Think of your veins as the vine, and your body as the branch.. Without your veins (vines) pumping your blood, your body (branch) wouldn’t live.. So without HIM (The VINE) we (The branches) can not function properly.

Food for thought.. May God Bless You All J