Take Time to Listen

Mark Farley June 23, 2024 0 Likes 21 Views

Take time to listen before waiting to speak…

Have you ever caught yourself on “auto-pilot” in a conversation?

For me, it usually happens during a familiar conversation or recurring situation.

My mind tells me the answer before the other person even asks or finishes!

Now maybe it’s different for you, but I catch myself going into an auto-pilot mode when I start deciding what must be done even before I have really listened and or HEARD what the other person is trying to say.

OK, so this is part of the standard fare for raising kids under 5 when it comes to junk food and unsafe toys, we DO know the answers before they form the question,

but this type of listening hurts us in all other aspects of our lives.

Think about it.

We like to be listened to, heard, and feel that we have been understood.

It’s a spiritual principle that we need to treat others in the same way that we wish to be treated.

So maybe this is the 3rd time Aunt Mabel has told you the story about her trip to the grocery with the wrong coupons.

Perhaps by actively listening to her and building conversation around her story, she may finally feel heard and stop telling you the same story.

How do you listen?

Does the solution noise in your head drown out what the other person is trying to say? …

Check your own experience and…

Take time to listen instead of waiting to speak.

“We never gave the spiritual side of life a fair hearing.” Big Book pg. 50

Lord, let us listen with our hearts and hear with You Holy Spirit that resides in us all, AMEN.

“To answer before listening– that is folly and shame. Proverbs 18:13

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?

Praying Motives

Mark Farley June 22, 2024 0 Likes 17 Views

What’s your motive?…

This was given to me years ago as I was learning how to pray and I still use it to this very day.

The suggestion is to pray to WANT what I GET and not to GET what I WANT.

I can’t tell you how many times over the years I have become confused and have prayed

TELLING God about a desired specific outcome with great detail, based on my thoughts, emotions, and motives
on getting that specific result

instead of becoming open and willing to learn God’s will for me and the lesson I need to learn for the situation causing me to pray.

When I pray for understanding and wisdom, things go well.

When I pray for specific things focusing only on how those things will make me feel, well,…

I am still waiting…

Think about that for a moment and please… check your experience…

“…praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.” Big Book pg 59

Lord, let us pray to understand Your will for us in the requests we make instead of demanding our own way, AMEN.

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:3

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 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!

[email protected]

Where is Your Treasure?

Mark Farley June 21, 2024 0 Likes 17 Views

“For wherever your treasure is, there will be your heart also.” Luke 12:34

I enjoy this verse because it brings me instant perspective along with a truthful reminder to watch my motives and efforts.

When I am struggling, frustrated, stressed, and just plain mad, reflecting on this verse gives me the path I need to take to find happiness and let go of whatever it is that is causing these negative emotions and feelings inside of me.

Do I WANT to look at myself at times like this?

Heck no!

I like to sit in anger and resentment and focus on the wrongs that I perceive being done to me!

I have learned that I must look in order to restore order to my mind and peace to my soul.

I look at my motives first. I ask myself what I am trying to gain, get, or avoid through my actions, attitudes, desires, and behaviors.

I next look at my efforts.

Am I sitting in the negativity of the situation?

Am I refusing to see the other side?

Am I willing to accept this person, place, thing, or situation exactly as it is for this moment and refocus my mind toward the positive attitude I need to move on?

This is when I learn first-hand where my “treasure” is.

When I look at my motives and efforts, I can see where my heart is!

“As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter.” Big Book pg 63

Lord let us fill our hearts with the treasures of Your Truth, Grace, and Love, AMEN.

“For wherever your treasure is, there will be your heart also.” Luke 12:34

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?

Help Others Because You Can

Mark Farley June 20, 2024 0 Likes 21 Views

Whether we realize it or not, we are around people in need every day.

Some are in our daily lives, and others we encounter randomly, or so it seems.

Now the needs can go from a helping hand to a warm meal, to just a kind word and a smile.

What a difference we can make as followers of Christ, who have experienced His love, by doing good and sharing His grace with others that He so freely and unconditionally gives us. …

Check your experience. ..

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

Lord let the eyes of our hearts remain open to see the needs of others as we go about our day, AMEN.

“And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.” Hebrews 13:16

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

Email today lets chat to see if we can make up a plan for you to get you to where you want to be!

[email protected]

We Are as Sick as Our Secrets

Mark Farley June 19, 2024 0 Likes 26 Views

We are only as sick as our secrets…

Sometimes withholding information is good to do, like when it is not needed for the situation at hand or could overwhelm or overload someone due to their current circumstances.

Most of the time it pays to be transparent and not keep secrets because they have a way of coming to light, especially in this day and age with Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and all the other ways we socialize and communicate.

The spiritual fact is that no matter what is in our hearts or in our minds, the Lord knows through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

So maybe this doesn’t apply to you, but why is it that there are times when I think I can “pull one over” on the Lord, or feel that if I don’t look at it or pray about it He won’t know?

I chalk it up to my weak self-will fueled by either pride or fear, depending on the motivator, but the truth is the longer I hold off from bringing it to the Lord, the harder it is for me to gain grace and be free.

How’s this working out for you?..

Check your experience…

“…we soon became as open minded on spiritual matters as we had tried to be on other questions.” Big Book pg. 48

Lord, let us open our hearts and minds to Your grace and guidance, AMEN.

“For there is nothing covered up that will not be seen. There is nothing hidden that will not be known.” Luke 12:2

Have a blessed day Y’all!

Join us in prayer and with your financial support as we tackle the challenge of helping and mentoring young adults aging out of the Foster Care System.

https://homesfromheaven.org/

A Few Loaves and Some Fish

Mark Farley June 18, 2024 0 Likes 19 Views

Some loaves and a few fish…

Sometimes when worldly needs and demands pile up we can begin to feel overwhelmed with responsibilities and requests that our minds have a hard time wrapping our heads around.

When our heads do the math, it doesn’t always add up causing fear and anxiety.

Just remember, if it is God’s will, it will happen, perhaps not the way we imagine, but it will happen.

Just look at the 4000 Jesus fed with 7 loaves and few fish! …

“Our ideas did not work, but the God idea did.” Big Book pg. 52

Lord, let us bring our needs, wants, and desires to You in prayer and pray to WANT what we get and not to GET what we think we want! AMEN.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6

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 a one-on-one coach to help you achieve your goals?

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!

[email protected]

Guard Your Words

Mark Farley June 18, 2024 0 Likes 21 Views

Guard your words and walk your talk…

Perhaps it’s different for you and I hope it is, but I spent many years reacting to emotions and allowing words fueled by fear, insecurity, and pride to escape from my mouth before sensibility, reason, and wisdom had a chance to respond.

My failure to control my words led to all sorts of situations where I had to amend, apologize, and suffer the consequences.

When I finally learned to respond rather than react, I found not only less stress and chaos in my life, but also learned that this is where the Holy Spirit in us can speak into our hearts and show us not only the words we should use but also the actions we need to back these words.

Are you reacting or responding?..

Check your experience…

“Our behavior will convince them more than our words.” Big Book pg. 83

Lord, thank you for the reminder that while small, our tongue is mighty and we must watch our words, AMEN.

“Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.” James 3: 2-5

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

Email today lets chat to see if we can make up a plan for you to get you to where you want to be!

[email protected]

We Gotta Put It On

Mark Farley June 17, 2024 0 Likes 21 Views

We gotta put it on…

Have you ever noticed that we have to make many choices daily?

We decide what clothes to wear, what foods to eat and even the routes to take to get us from place to place.

Some requires a lot of thought and some very little, but either way we have to give it our thoughts and make our choice.

It’s the same in our Spiritual life.

Even though we are saved and promised eternal life when we take Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He still gives us the free will to choose our Spiritual walk daily.

So how is that working out for you?

Are you choosing to put on your Spiritual Armor daily and walk in His path? ..

Check your experience…

“walk day by day in the path of spiritual progress.” Big Book pg. 100

Lord, let us put on Your Spiritual Armor daily and walk covered and protected, AMEN.

“..and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.” Ephesians 4:24

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 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!

[email protected]

Another Type of Book Learning

Mark Farley June 16, 2024 0 Likes 17 Views

Another type of “Book Learnin'”…

We go to school for 12 or more years to get our education.

Most of us get some sort of on-the-job training from our employers.

A lot of us get many educational lessons from the school of hard knocks.

And a few of us get ongoing education from our Big Book and its daily 12 Step practices.

But what about Spiritual learning?

I have yet to see it on any applications in the working world.

The lessons I am finally learning in life come from the Bible and being in God’s will and Word daily.

Maybe it’s different for you, but my wisdom comes from applying the words in God’s Book to my life.

… Check your experience. …

“There had been a humble willingness to have Him with me and He came. But soon the sense of His presence had been blotted out by worldly clamors, mostly those within myself.

And so it has been ever since. How blind I had been.” Big Book pg. 12&13

Lord let us walk daily in Your Will and Word to gain the wisdom we need, AMEN.

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere.” James 3:17

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?

Just Ask!

Mark Farley June 15, 2024 0 Likes 23 Views

Just ask…

It’s a fact of life that things don’t happen unless we provide the efforts and actions.

We have to work to support ourselves and our loved ones.

We have to put the right foods in our bodies in order to be healthy.

It’s the same in our Spiritual life and growth.

We have to provide the actions in the forms of prayer, grace, and humble motives so the Lord can see that we are freely providing our own efforts to meet His will…

Check your experience…

“Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives.” Big Book pg. 86

Lord let us come to you in prayer with open hearts and minds, AMEN.

“And when you pray, your Father in heaven knows what you need before you ask him.” Matthew 6:7-8

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 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!

[email protected]

Copyright © 2024 Guys With God, LLC