Heart in the Matter

Mark Farley August 22, 2023 0 Likes 155 Views

It’s a matter of the heart…

Have you ever heard or used the expressions; “’ You’re all heart, ‘; ‘ She has a lot of heart’ ; or ‘bless his heart’”?

Hopefully, we use and or hear those phrases associated with good thoughts.

They are spiritually based and character driven by design.

The Bible is full of examples and references to our heart and how we should guard it, allow good to flow from it and protect it.

The fact of the matter is that God not only sees our hearts but also knows what fills them and how it fuels our lives.

So, what do you see when you look at your heart?..

Check your experience…

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

Lord, open our hearts to contain good and grace and remove those things that get in the way of our usefulness to You and those You would have us help, AMEN.

“God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

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!

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Keep Walking the Path

Mark Farley August 21, 2023 0 Likes 155 Views

Keep walking the Path….

It seems no matter what the reward is, there is some form of risk involved.

From a child first learning to trust gravity to ride a bike to the risks we take as adults with relationships, finances, employment, and other worldly things, we have to risk something to gain something else.

Risk is part of our Earthly experience and a great exercise for us to build and practice our faith as we seek the reward.

Sometimes we hit bumps in the road but if we keep our hearts and eyes focused on our goal, our risk does not become ruled by fear and our faith carries us through.

Measure your risk with your faith and see how it helps!

As always, don’t take it from me, rather…

Check your experience….

“Faith has to work twenty-four hours a day in and through us, or we perish.” Big Book pg. 16

Lord, let our hearts know that our risk, supported by our faith will carry us through to the reward, AMEN

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” 1Peter 1:6

Have a blessed day Y’all!

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What’s “ON” Your Mind?

Mark Farley August 20, 2023 0 Likes 186 Views

What’s “on” your mind?…

Simple thought today folks.

There is so much competing for our attention these days.

All forms of electronic media as well as print and physical displays compete for our attention.

Our minds can be taken hostage before we even know it.

Have you ever found yourself humming a jingle from a TV commercial, or maybe your eyes are drawn to that cool billboard on the highway as you drive?

Now maybe it’s different for you, but I have finally learned how to at least become aware of this behavior in myself and get a hand up on it.

I have learned that whatever occupies my heart will be “on” my mind.

My daily goal is to fill my mind with good thoughts of family, friends, and blessings.

This helps me to combat the visual and audio chaos trying to take my mind hostage.

Please take a look at what is occupying your heart to see how it affects your mind.

As always….Check your experience…

“Our thought-life will be placed on a much higher plane when our thinking is cleared of wrong motives” Big Book pg. 86

Lord, please let our hearts be filled with the goodness of our family, friends, faith, and Your grace, AMEN.

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” Philippians 4: 8-9

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!

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Fire Test

Mark Farley August 19, 2023 0 Likes 148 Views

Standing the test of fire….

There are many things available to us today that make our lives easier.

For instance, my lovely and brilliant daughter has never used a TV without a remote or a record player.

Her world has always been filled with remotes and electronic assistance.

Those things do make our world better, but what about those things that cause us to miss out on necessary spiritual and mental growth?

If our mental and spiritual growth is stopped, then our work inside us and around us suffers.

We are challenged daily with things and situations that tempt our human will and fleshly desires.

Having a strong spiritual foundation and Godly armor gives us the tools to combat worldly clamors and stand the test of fire...

Check your experience…

“It meant the destruction of self-centeredness. I must turn in all things to the Father of Light who presides over us all.” Big Book pg. 14

Lord, let us build ourselves up spiritually and cover ourselves in Your armor so that we can walk through the daily temptations and slippery spots, AMEN.

“…their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.” 1 Corinthians 3:13

Have a blessed day Y’all!

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

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Listening and Hearing

Mark Farley August 18, 2023 0 Likes 200 Views

Did you hear THAT?..

Have you ever noticed how things we hear with others can sometimes be interpreted differently?

It doesn’t happen all the time, but sometimes what I think I heard was not what others heard or vice versa.

It is not a matter of understanding language, rather it’s what filters in our mind are tuned in that filters what our ears receive.

Now maybe it’s different for you, but I have learned over time that when I am preoccupied, I am not the best listener.

I have had enough negative experiences and consequences to know that I need to be present, focused, and willing to listen in order to hear.

It’s the same with the Holy Spirit residing in our hearts.

When we are tuned into God’s will instead of our own, we can hear what our heart is telling us.

When worldly clamors are distracting us, it’s hard to hear our heart, not to mention what others around us are trying to tell us…

Check your experience…

“But soon the sense of His presence had been blotted out by worldly clamors, mostly those within myself.” Big Book pg. 13

Lord, let us open our hearts and clear our minds to be present and able to listen so we can truly hear, AMEN.

“So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.” Luke 8:18

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!

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How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought?

Actions Over Words

Mark Farley August 17, 2023 0 Likes 161 Views

Actions speak louder than words …

Action is the difference between resolving to do something and the change that occurs from doing it.

Think about it.

While our words are important, actions create the necessary change as well as the experiences that we remember.

There is a big difference between telling folks what we are “gonna do” versus providing our own actions and actually doing it.

What actions do you need to take?..

Check your experience…

“There is action and more action. “Faith without works is dead.” Big Book pg. 88

Lord, let us provide the necessary willingness and actions to bring about the needed changes in our lives, AMEN.

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” 1 John 3:18

Have a blessed day Y’all!

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Watchwords

Mark Farley August 16, 2023 0 Likes 174 Views

Words can help or harm….

Have you ever noticed that the folks you tend to listen to are the same folks that you respect?

These are the folks that you have built up a trust in over a period of time and our respect comes from our experiences with them.

When bad news needs to be delivered, we tend to not only accept the news from them but also take the necessary actions needed on our part to correct or change.

These folks tend to know how to talk to us in a manner that not only gets our attention but also allows our minds and hearts to receive and accept what they are saying.

They use their words to build us up and not tear us down.

How do we use our words when we communicate with others?

Are we using supportive encouraging words or are we using negative words that tear others down?…

Check your experience…

“Patience, tolerance, understanding, and love are the watchwords.” Big Book pg. 118

Lord, let us use our words to build bridges of trust and create supportive conversations, AMEN.

“When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do well to those who listen to you.” Ephesians 4:29

Have a blessed day Y’all!

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Walk in Their Shoes

Mark Farley August 15, 2023 0 Likes 159 Views

Walking in another’s shoes…

Unless we are sharing a life with another person, it’s very hard to totally understand not only why they act and speak the way they do,
but also the experiences that have formed from their interactions with others.

I know there is a lot of stuff available through the internet today, but I have yet to see a product that really lets us read other folk’s minds or know them inside and out.

Isn’t it frustrating or deflating when others who do not really know you, treat you with ambivalence or just plain ignore your circumstances?

It’s a spiritual principle that we should treat others like we wish to be treated.

Part of the 12 Step favored St. Francis Prayer shares that we should seek to understand before seeking to be understood.

Think about it.

Who truly knows you inside and out?..

Check your experience….

“We cannot be helpful to all people, but at least God will show us how to take a kindly and tolerant view of each and everyone.” Big Book pg. 67

Lord, let us first seek to understand others before we ask to be understood. Let us treat others the way we wish to be treated, AMEN.

“Look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own.” 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!

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In the Grip

Mark Farley August 14, 2023 0 Likes 169 Views

In the grip…

We catch colds, come down with the flu, and get hit with allergies.

It seems we are a target for many things!

Luckily we have remedies and medications that help us to overcome these setbacks.

What about life’s twists, turns, trials, tests, and temptations that influence our thoughts, behaviors, and actions?

What or where do we get the remedies to escape these?

Now my 12 Step friends know how we handle our addictions, but what about those other things that we continually let dominate our thoughts and lives?

There is a Spiritual solution … BUT…

we have to provide the willingness and effort to escape the grip of those things that are holding us down…

Check your experience…

“…in the grip…” Big Book pg. 30

Lord, let us open our hearts and become willing to seek Your will in order to escape the things that are holding us back, AMEN.

“It shall not fasten its grip on me.” Psalm 101:3

Have a blessed day Y’all!

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

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Want a one-on-one coach to get you out of where you are?

Email today and let’s chat to see if we can make up a plan for you to get you to where you want to be!

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Is Your Battery Charged?

Mark Farley August 13, 2023 0 Likes 157 Views

Is your battery fully charged?..

20 plus years ago when cell phones were new, they were an oddity and not something viewed as a necessity, just an expensive “toy” if you will.

Nowadays they are in everyone’s hands.

They are our timekeepers, and personal assistants, and sadly in ever-growing numbers, our main form of communication and connection with others.

What is funny to me is that with all this technology in our hands, we are now a society dependent on electrical outlets!

Tour any airport for the best example of this!

We are reduced to depending on the electrical outlet to give us the power we need to run our lives electronically.

I am sure this will change in a few years but it’s a great example of where our dependence on power rests.

What about our spiritual lives?

How and where are we drawing our power from?

Red Bulls are great but I am not receiving the spiritual boost I need from the little metal can.

Self-help books are great supplements, but alone by themselves, the needed power is not there.

God is our power source when it comes to spiritual things and especially when we face life’s trials, tests, twists, and temptations in our daily lives.

Plug into His Word and Promises and recharge! …

Check your experience…

“Much has already been said about receiving strength, inspiration, and direction from Him who has all knowledge and power.” Big Book pg. 85

Lord, thank you for being our never-ending source of power, energy, and life, AMEN.

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29

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?

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