Author: Mark Farley

Battle of the Thoughts

   March 12, 2023 0 Likes 286 Views
Thought battles… 


Perhaps you don’t experience this type of thought, but this thought still tries to negatively influence me from time to time. 


It’s a thought born of self-will and fueled by fear, and lack of faith. 


The thought comes and tries to convince me that I am not good enough and or I don’t have what it takes.


Thank goodness for the Holy Spirit living in my heart! 


It reminds me that faith overpowers fear and if I just seek God’s will and not my own, it will turn out just fine. 


Guess what? 


It does! 


How do you handle your doubts? 


Are they fueled by fear and self-driven thinking?..


Check your experience…


“I had needed and wanted God. There had been a humble willingness to have Him with me-and He came.” Big Book pg. 12 


Lord thank you for you Holy Spirit residing in our hearts to help us quiet fears and doubt, AMEN.


“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love” 2 Timothy 1:7 


Have a blessed day Y’all! 


Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss 


How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Walk Your Talk

   March 10, 2023 0 Likes 240 Views
Walk your talk… 


In today’s world of social media you can share your every activity with the world on Facebook, post photos of your meals on a host of public sites like Instagram, and even broadcast your workout routines and progress for all to see on MyFitnessPal and other apps. 


What is weird to me is that we all want to look and see! I mean, really, I love my friends and family, but I could really care less what their gourmet healthy salad looks like, or that they are… whatever their current Facebook status is! 


It seems our lives have become broadcast material for all to see. 


In some ways, I feel this is a good thing. 


Leading a transparent life is a Spiritual principle and helps us to be accountable for our actions and deeds. 


 
However, with the ability of social media to show our lives to others instantly, we now must be aware that we live in a fishbowl and others can see our actions and measure them against our words. 


Now more than ever, it’s important for us to walk our talk!.. 


How’s this working out for you?.. 


Check your experience… 


“As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action.” Big Book pg. 87 


Lord, let us live transparently through seeking Your will for us daily, AMEN.


“You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed. You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip, and your true face will be known. You can’t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public;” Luke 12:3 


Have a blessed day y’all! 


Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss 


How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Soul Cleaning

   March 10, 2023 0 Likes 233 Views
Is it time for “Spring Cleaning”?…


January has come and gone, perhaps the “resolutions” we made followed suit too. 


When March arrives thoughts of Spring Cleaning begin to fill our minds. 

Have you ever considered a spiritual spring cleaning? 


Sure we can pray for changes in our life circumstances and trust me, God is ready, able, and willing to bring the needed changes in our lives… 


BUT ..


He cannot bring about these changes until we roll up our sleeves and participate in our own “spring cleaning”. 


We must willingly look at and take action to rid our lives of toxic behaviors, actions, and thoughts…


 Check your experience… 


“There has been a revolutionary change in their way of living and thinking.” Big Book pg 50 


 Lord please help us be willing to provide the needed efforts and actions to bring about the needed changes in our lives, AMEN. 


“So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.” James 1:21 


Have a blessed day y’all! 


What if you had a person who coached and mentored you in building a better life? 


Inspired 365 Life Coaching with Mark Farley!! 


https://www.faiththroughworksfellowship.org/inspired-365-life-coaching 


Want in? 


[email protected]

Are We a Good Tree or a Bad Tree?

   March 9, 2023 0 Likes 304 Views
Are we producing good fruits?..


We are the product of our thoughts, actions, and behaviors. 


Actors play roles and assume traits of the characters they are portraying. 


I think I began to learn this when I realized that the 6 Million Dollar Man was not real when I was young. 


We are who we are and even though we can be tempted to hide behind a work role or a hobby role, God sees and knows us no matter what. 


We become the product of our actions, thoughts, and behaviors. 


If we are full of anger, resentment, and tend spout negative words, we become that angry miserable person that others avoid. 


If we look for the good and continuously focus on helping others then we tend to have the transparent life that others see and trust. 


What kind of fruits are you producing?..


Check your experience…


“He was on a different footing. His roots grasped a new soil.” Big Book pg. 12 


Lord help us to produce your spiritual fruits of kindness, trust, and grace, AMEN. 


“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.” Matthew 12:33 


Have a blessed day Y’all! 


Looking to volunteer or plug into an existing helping opportunity in the Greater Phoenix AZ area? 


Visit Servants Hearts! 


It’s a free site to help connect folks with volunteer and helping opportunities! 


http://aservantsheart.us 

Attractive Heart?

   March 8, 2023 0 Likes 233 Views
Is your heart attractive?..


It was fun living with a teenager. 


When she was younger, watching our daughter spend time attending to her looks made my heart smile to see that she was at that age where she wanted to put her best appearance forward, no matter what the occasion. 


I still did not totally get the outfits but thank goodness her mother did! 


Miss Kai is so appearance conscious that I even get tips on how I can dress better. 


I am glad to know that while it’s good to pay attention to our outward appearance, it’s even more important to pay attention to our internal and spiritual appearance. 


Is our heart attractive and full of good thoughts and God’s will or are we trying to hide our selfish desires there and keep them covered in false words and deeds? 


God can see our hearts and knows us better than we can ever imagine…


Check your experience… 


“Here was something at work in a human heart which had done the impossible.” Big Book pg. 11 


Lord, open our hearts for a spring cleaning to rid us of selfish wants and desires that can guide us away from Your grace and peace, AMEN. 


“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 


Have a blessed day Y’all! 


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Heart of the Matter

   March 7, 2023 0 Likes 325 Views
The heart of the matter… 


It’s always nice to get encouragement from others. 


Maybe it’s different for you, but it gives me strength and confidence to carry on. 


What about those times when either no one seems to notice, or no one is around to notice? 


Self-talk is good, and it can get you through a difficult time or unfamiliar moment, but what about those giant internal struggles of fear, worry, and negativity that no one else can see or feel that our head tries to convince us of daily? 


Over the years I have finally learned that those giants will always be there and they are invisible for a reason, because THEY ARE NOT REAL! 


The Holy Spirit living in my heart tells me daily that those giants can stay tucked away in the library of my mind and I have no need to allow them to influence my day. 


This is the encouragement that comes from my heart and never goes away. 


How are you facing those giants?.. 


Check your experience… 


“We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions.” Big Book pg. 88 


Lord, let us look in our hearts daily and allow the Holy Spirit to give us the courage to defeat the giants of fear, worry, and negativity, AMEN. 


“My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart” Colossians 2:2 


Have a blessed day Y’all! 


Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss 


 How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought?

What Are You Wearing?

   March 6, 2023 0 Likes 311 Views
What style of clothing do you wear?.. 


We have gear for all types of weather, events, sports, hobbies, and seasons. 


I just learned, and pardon my fashion backwardness, that there are even special shoes just for driving your car! 


While it’s nice to have all of these choices to clothe ourselves properly according to weather, activity, and such….


How are we covering, preparing, and protecting our Spirit for all situations we encounter? 


Our Bible teaches us to clothe ourselves in love which covers all things. 


While I’ll admit that sometimes that this is really hard to put on for certain situations, it generally goes much better when I do…


Check your experience… 


 “…asking each morning in meditation that our Creator show us the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love.” Big Book pg. 83


 Lord. Let us clothe ourselves in love to handle all people, places, and things that we encounter, AMEN. 


 “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:14 


Have a blessed day Y’all! 

What if you had a person who coached and mentored you in building a better life? 


 Inspired 365 Life Coaching with Mark Farley!! 


https://www.faiththroughworksfellowship.org/inspired-365-life-coaching 


Want in? 


[email protected]

Truth Sources

   March 5, 2023 0 Likes 334 Views
So, if it’s on the Internet it must be true…


Hopefully, you know that statement is not correct. 


We can find “information” on just about anything we want with many sources of information instantly available to us in many ways telling us many things. 


The danger is that if we are not careful, we could be filling our minds with junk information much like our tendency to fill up on junk food. 


We should always check the source of our information. 


I will never call myself an expert, but I do rely on the Bible as well as the AA Big Book for the information I need to guide my life… 


Check your experience… 


“Well, that’s exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem.” Big Book pg. 45 


Lord let us look to Your Word for truth and the light we need for our souls, AMEN. 


“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 


Have a blessed day Y’all! 


Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss 


How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought?

Work Your Faith

   March 4, 2023 0 Likes 248 Views
We gotta supply the mustard…


There is a good story about prayer I learned long ago. 


It’s a reflective question and goes something like this; 


If you sit in a dark closet all alone and pray for a hot dog, will God bring you one? 


Now unless you live under a rock you know the obvious answer is no. 


Hopefully your prayers give you the willingness to get up and provide your own action to go and get the hot dog. 


This concept is applicable to other things in our lives. 


Prayer opens our heart to provide the actions and efforts on our part needed to bring about the changes we are seeking. 


When my actions and efforts match what I am praying for, good things happen… 


Check your experience… . 


“Faith without works is dead.” Big Book pg. 88 


Lord, please remind us that You can and will answer prayers, but we must supply the willingness in our efforts and actions, AMEN. 


“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2: 14-17 


Have a blessed day Y’all! 


What if you had a person who coached and mentored you in building a better life? 


Inspired 365 Life Coaching with Mark Farley!! 


https://www.faiththroughworksfellowship.org/inspired-365-life-coaching 


Want in? 


[email protected]

Looking Away or Looking to Help?

   March 3, 2023 0 Likes 286 Views
Looking away or looking to help…. 


Sometimes when we see uncomfortable or unpleasant things, we divert our eyes away so our mind won’t focus and our hearts won’t feel the situation. 


I used to do this every time I walked by my teenager’s room. 


I am sure it’s a well-organized myriad of clothing, books, and life pertinent items to her, but it looked like remnants of a hurricane to her mother and me. 

It’s easier to just look away and move on. 


What about those times when we are at work or out and about with a group of friends and we see someone noticeably upset or hurting. 


Hopefully it’s our natural reaction to seek to learn the situation, offer comfort, and help if possible. 


Now what about when we see that out of place person trying to deal with something that is obviously unfamiliar for them? 


I know that it’s easier to look away and pretend we don’t see that older person in the store trying to figure out how to lift that case of water. 


Or its “better to ignore” the dirty looking person on the street with the shopping cart full of weird stuff. 


I am not suggesting we stop and try to change their whole life, but what about looking them in the eye and saying hello? 


What would Jesus do? 


Check your experience…


“Helping others is the foundation stone of our recovery.” Big Book pg. 97 


Lord, let us open the eyes of our heart to see where You would have us offer compassion and help, AMEN. 


“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” Philippians 2:4 


Have a blessed day Y’all! 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss 


 How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought?