Good Deeds Mark Farley October 25, 2023 0 Likes 249 Views He sees everything… I love watching people. I learn so much from others. It’s interesting to me to watch folks as they interact with others. My experience has been that different situations bring different actions and behaviors. For instance, at the fast-food drive-through, the focus is on the order, as both the attendant and the customer are centered on the purchase of a pre-established menu item, pretty much a no-brainer. Then there is the grocery store and the need to be in the shortest line. The type A personality versus the passive is fun to watch. The Type A will go all out directly to the short line and heck with whoever has the misfortune of being in their way.While the passive personality will be aware of others and see the Type A and clear out of the way letting them go first. My favorite is unexpected assist. One night a while back, I observed a mom with a toddler attempting to fit all of her bagged purchases into one hand while deftly grabbing car keys and freeing the other arm to hold the baby because the cart would not go outside of the store.While shoppers ignored her and moved around her as they exited the store. She almost went into shock when I asked her if I could help. After the shock wore off, she saw my smiling wife and figured out quickly I was not a psycho stalker, she politely refused and gave us a heartfelt thank you for caring enough to ask. Remember folks, keep the eyes of your hearts open to see who the Lord puts in your path. It’s always good to offer assistance for the right reasons… Check your experience… “It depends on us and on our motives.” Big Book pg 70 Lord, let us perform good deeds with the only motive of being of service to others and not for personal gain, AMEN. “In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light.” 1 Timothy 5: 24-25 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/
Rough Waters Mark Farley October 24, 2023 0 Likes 252 Views When the going gets tough…There are times when we are faced with a difficult decision or situation, it seems to be a part of being human. Perhaps you are healthier mentally and spiritually than me, but my initial gut reaction is to feel alone, isolate, and let my self-generated fears magnify the difficult moment to lead me into making a bad choice with my actions or behaviors. Over the years I have learned to expect this reaction in me and to not act on it. I turn to prayer and invite the Holy Spirit to guide my words, actions, and choices. When I do, I no longer feel alone, defeated, or fearful. Sure, I still have to walk through the situation but I no longer let it control me and my attitudes. I remind myself that God has me covered with His Spiritual Armor and I walk through it. Is God helping you through those rough patches?..Check your experience… “God either is or He isn’t. What was our choice to be?” Big Book pg. 53 Lord, remind our hearts and quiet our minds in times of difficulty that You are with us no matter what, AMEN. “When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown!” Isaiah 43:2 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?
That Plank in My Eye… Mark Farley October 24, 2023 0 Likes 224 Views How’s your eyesight?… Why is it so much easier to see the problems that other people have when compared to our own? Now maybe it’s different for you, but my cross wired head can point out the faults in others while overlooking the issues in my life that need attention. The funny thing is, no one ever asks me what’s wrong with them, yet my head likes to show me what it sees that is wrong with others. Thank goodness I am used to this twisted thinking and for the most part manage to keep my opinions to myself, and my mouth shut. I have learned the hard way that when something in another person bothers me, be it their actions, appearance, behaviors, or words, it’s a strong signal that there is something in me and my life that I need to look at and address… Check your experience…. “Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.” Big Book pg. 84 Lord, let us look in the mirror to see what we can change in us instead of looking to change others, AMEN. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:3 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/
Pulling Weeds Mark Farley October 22, 2023 0 Likes 232 Views Pull the weeds trying to grow near your heart…Static noise and visual distractions are everywhere these days. Our tablets and electronic devices are bombarded with visual ads trying to distract us. I just learned that highway billboard are now electronic and change ads in front of our eyes as we drive! The ads on “free versions” of Internet radio interrupt our music filling our heads with “offers and specials” Peyton Manning humming the Nationwide jingle is still stuck in my head! We experience the same type of distractions with our Spiritual walk with Jesus. Worldly clamors distract us trying to allow fear, worry, and pride to fuel our self-centered minds away from seeking and doing God’s will. How many times daily are your good thoughts challenged with earthly interruptions? Check your experience…“His presence had been blotted out by worldly clamors, mostly those within myself.” Big Book pg 12-13 Lord, please let us focus on your love and will for us despite all of the earthly distractions around us, AMEN. “The seed that fell among the thorny weeds is like those who hear God’s teaching, but they let the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life keep them from growing and producing good fruit.” Luke 8:14 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?
Trading the Truth for a Lie Mark Farley October 20, 2023 0 Likes 242 Views Exchanging the truth for a lie… Part of being human and having free will is dealing with the constant challenges we face daily for our attention and focus. There are all kinds and types of never-ending noise around us attempting to grab our attention and take us hostage emotionally. We are led to believe by many tricksters and false prophets that their product or service will fix us and make us complete. It never ends, or so it seems…The gift of free will is that we can consciously choose what we focus on and what we allow to grab our attention. The person, place, thing, or situation that we allow to dominate our mind will eventually invade our heart and drive our behaviors. It becomes our God. So the suggestion I want to make today is to take a long look in the mirror and ask ourselves, what or who is our God? ..Check your experience…“We had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing.” Big Book pg. 53 Lord let us open our hearts and minds daily to turn our will and lives over to You to be free of the worldly false Gods, AMEN. “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.” Romans 1:25 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?
How’s Your Grip? Mark Farley October 19, 2023 0 Likes 257 Views Get a grip… There is a big difference between being in the grip and in getting a grip. When something has a grip on us, like an illness, we are almost powerless over it until it releases us. However, when we get a grip on something, like our Spiritual life, we control the effect it has on us through our motives and efforts. Experience along with good counsel from many wiser than me has taught me to get a grip on my Spiritual life instead of remaining in the grip of the worldly clamors of pride, anger, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, and sloth. (PAGLEGS) How’s this working out for you? As always, please ….check your experience… “It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do.” Big Book pg. 85 Lord, let us get a grip on our relationship with You through time in Your Word and prayer, AMEN. “With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.” 2Thessalonians 2:15 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/
Filling That Hole In Our Heart… Mark Farley October 18, 2023 0 Likes 238 Views Trying to fill that hole in our hearts… Have you ever noticed that in certain times of trial or stress, no matter how much thought, effort, and will you give it, it just doesn’t seem enough? Or perhaps you are struggling with that empty feeling and no matter what you attempt to do or use to overcome it, the hole remains. That hole is in our hearts and no amount of food, relationships, material things, booze, drugs, or any other man-made solution will fill it. That is Jesus knocking on the doors of your heart asking to come in. Perhaps you invited Him in long ago but, like the well-worn pair of shoes in the back part of the closet, you leave them there but no longer use them. When we have a daily relationship with Christ, much like our daily relationships with our loved ones, the hole in our hearts gets filled and we become complete... Check your experience… “There had been a humble willingness to have Him with me — and He came.” Big Book pg 12 Lord, let us look to You to fill the hole in our hearts, AMEN. “You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!” Haggai 1: 4-6 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/
Clear Headed? Mark Farley October 17, 2023 0 Likes 288 Views Clear-headed… Most of us are busy these days trying to live life on life’s terms. From the jobs we have that provide the income that helps us to have homes to live in, food to eat, and things our families need, to the demands on our time to be available for our spouses, children, parents, friends, and family members; we are constantly busy. It’s probably different for you, but one thing I have to constantly watch myself on is to stay engaged and not be “asleep at the wheel”., and not just go through the motions without mentally being present. I have learned the hard way that when I fall into this trap, not only do I miss out on what is happening but also the activity in my head fails to match up with the present. I have learned to stay clear-headed by focusing on the here and now and being present. This keeps my thoughts on what I am currently doing and my head clear of all the other things it wants me to think about instead. How’s this working out for you?.. 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, let us keep our minds and hearts clear so we can be present in the moment, AMEN. “So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6 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?
Giving Brings Getting Mark Farley October 16, 2023 0 Likes 345 Views Getting what we give….. Most of us do a pretty good job of surrounding ourselves with people who we can get along with pretty well. However, every now and then we are put into a situation with strangers who make us uncomfortable with their actions or we have an encounter with others whose behaviors may not match up with what we consider acceptable or normal. Now perhaps it’s different for you, but it’s in these times that my self-centered head likes to hold court and begin judging and condemning others because they are not doing or behaving the way I consider acceptable. You know what I mean. Like the guy who forgot to brush his teeth and you are trapped listening to him go on and on about something you could care less about while your mind tries to determine from his breath what his last meal was. Or the person who is making a mountain out of a molehill over something that is obviously important to them, yet insignificant in your life. Judging others is never good because it warps our opinions and does not give our heart a chance to see why the Lord has put this person in our path. We don’t have to agree with everyone we encounter, but we do need to treat them like we want to be treated...Check your experience… “but we let God be the final judge.” Big Book pg. 70 Lord, open the eyes of my heart and let me seek to understand instead of looking to be understood, AMEN. “Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you?” Romans 2: 3-4 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]
Drop Those Rocks Mark Farley October 15, 2023 0 Likes 232 Views Drop the rocks…Did you ever notice that in times of stress, fear, or extended worry your back usually aches and your shoulders and neck are stiff and tight? Sheesh! What’s up with that? You are probably familiar with the term ‘carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders’; and that is exactly what we are trying to do during these painful times! We can’t change people, places, things, or situations. So why do we load our hearts and minds with the weight of things, we cannot change? When we block our hearts off from the Holy Spirit, our minds become prisoners of our self-induced thoughts our body takes on the weight of this unnatural stress causing pain in our back, shoulders, and neck…Drop those rocks! Give the weight of the world to God and watch your pains go away!..As always….. Check your experience… “But soon the sense of His presence had been blotted out by worldly clamors, mostly those within myself.” Big Book pgs. 12-13 Lord let us give the weight of the world to you freeing us to focus on Your will for us and enjoy Your grace and peace, AMEN. “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11: 29-30 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?