Direct My Path in the New Year

These are just a few of the things I desire to change in the New Year. God wants us to correct those things in our life that are not horning to Him. Take a moment to begin thinking about those things that need changing in the New Year. Get your notebook out and start making a list. The only way to change it is to acknowledge that it needs to be changed!

It is time to get those note pads out and start making your list. Listing all the things you want to change in 2010! I have made a list of a few things I would like to change in 2010. Here is my list!

• Love God more!
• Memorize scripture!
• Be an example to those around me that may not know Christ!


God disciplines us when we need disciplining. He will speak to our hearts when we need speaking too! God challenges us to seek Him with all of our hearts! Still, there are times in our walk with God that we need to be corrected. I like how the writer put these verses in the New Living Translation.

 “I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course. So correct me, Lord, but please be gentle. Do not correct me in anger, for I would die.” Jeremiah 10:23,24NLT

It is so true that we would want the discipline from the Lord just not the severity of it! We would rather that God would be “gentle” with us. Gentle just as the writer states it. Still, we do not know how God will ultimately discipline us. It is in His own agenda that He does this. Yet, no matter how much He disciplines us, He still loves us! He loves us no matter what we have done. He desires so much for us to walk with Him!

So, as the New Year approaches begin to pray, and ask God what He would desire for us to change in our lives. Once you are done, put in on paper, and sit back and watch as God begins to mold you into that person He desires you to be! Start your New Year in the direction God would have you go. Happy New Year! God Bless!

The Real Reason We Celebrate Christmas!

Luke 2:1-21 NLT

(1) And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. (2)This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. (3)So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. (4)Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, (5)to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. (6)So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. (7) And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (8)Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. (9)And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.(10)Then the angel said to them “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. (11)”For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (12)”And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (13)And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying; (14)”Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (15)So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” (16)And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. (17)Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. (18)And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. (19)But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. {20)Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. (21)And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

THIS YEAR LET’S REMEMBER THE TRUE REASON WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS!
CHRIST IS THAT REASON!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Lord Wants To Bless Us!

“The Lord remembers us and will bless us.” Psalms 115:12 NLT

After I read this passage I was blown away by the thought that God wanted to bless me. “Who am I that God would bless little oh me!” I thought as I read this. How could he bless me and why would he want to bless me? I am just a sinner saved by grace!

That thought puzzled me. Then as I read on I realized he has blessed me so much in the little things of life. I can see, I can walk, I can talk, I can hear, and I can feel. If I couldn’t do any of those things my world would feel upside down. Agree?

We need to mindful of the things we already have that many do not have to be blessed with. More importantly it teaches us to trust in God. By trusting in him, we learn how to grow our relationship with Him.
We must be mindful that He is our helper and our shield. This helps me to remember to put my trust in Him. He will also be there for us.

“…be satisfied with what you have. For God said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5 NLT

It is awesome to know He really wants to bless us. He wants to bless our children as well. He delights in knowing we have received a blessing from Him!

Furthermore, we can sing praise to the Lord for our blessing. This tells Him we are happy with the blessings we have received.

“But we can praise the Lord both now and forever!” Psalms 115:18 NLT

He has promised us we can praise Him forever and receive His blessings forever! Join with me this week as we are reminded that He is mindful of us! Have a wonderful week in doing this activity.

Open Doors Are Certainly Gifts from God

Received any open doors lately? God grants us many open doors, and He will close those same doors just as well as He opens them! Certainly, we can acknowledge at times these very doors that are opened for us seem like true gifts from God. God gives us those gifts in various ways!
Can you think of the last gift that God has given you? Maybe you can and maybe you can’t. Nevertheless, He loves us and wants for us to give our all to Him. He desires for us to choose Him!

“…I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word and have not denied My name.” Romans 3:8

God has spoken very clearly here in this verse that if anyone knows my name and kept my commandments. Doors will be opened for you! When those doors are opened no one but God can close them! Wow! How awesome is this!

I know in our lives, we all struggle and many times bare things on our own. Still, we must be reminded even in the hard time that God gives us many gifts, we should all be thankful for. Sometimes those gifts can be staring us right in the face. It is us that need to reach out and take the gifts that God gives us. This is Him showing His compassionate love toward us.

As the economy is getting worse every day, I know I am thankful that I can a roof over my head and place to sleep at night. Many folks do not have this. There are many folks living on our streets that have been hit by hard times. Many of those folks are just glad to be alive. To them, that is their open door!

There are many others I could share about the thoughts of opened doors that God has provided to me and to my family. That would take a page or two to write! So, I will leave you with these two thoughts for this week.

“even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3”22-24


All of us can accept Christ through His love. It makes no difference where we come from. He wants so much to love us and to accept Him as God! The God who gave us the open door!

Once we have begun a daily walk with God in our lives, then He can begin to open the doors for us. Then we can begin to recognize them as gifts from God. Because that is what they are! They are true gifts from God.

Counting Your Blessings?

Are you thankful for the blessings God has bestowed upon you? Have you even thought of the blessings you have received? God wants us to be thankful for everything we receive. He also wants for us to enjoy the blessings we receive!

Blessings can come in many ways! We can be blessed with the simple things like our health. We can be blessed that we can see, hear, walk, and write. When we look around at those that are less fortunate than we are it should make us feel blessed. We are blessed that we have such a healthy outlook of life. We are blessed that we have those abilities that others may not have. Things like the ability to see, hear, walk, and write.

How could we ever not see that these are things designed by God? This was a part of God’s great plan. He designed us with His own hand. How amazing is this? This idea and thought alone should cause us to be very thankful and blessed. Yet, many choose to not be thankful and not be blessed for the wonderful things as our health. I can’t understand that? I can’t believe that people would go ungrateful for those simple things that God allows to be blessings in our life.
He desires for the blessing to overtake us. He wants for us to have many blessings in our life. We just have to learn how to find them and recognize them. Once we have been able to recognize them, we can then learn how to be thankful for what He has given us.

“And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the of the Lord your God: The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 28:2,8 NKJV

Look around you and you will quickly see all the wonderful blessings that God has in fact given to you. What a blessing is that to discover all that He has given you? I amazed everyday that I discover a new and wonderful blessing that God has given me.
Thanksgiving is the perfect time for you to be discovering these blessings that God has bestowed upon you. If you can see, hear, walk, and write then you should be blessed.

If you have a family that loves you for you then you should be blessed. There are many simple things that we take for granted every day. Things that we should feel blessed about everyday that we breathe and live.

This week I ask you to look around and find the blessings in your life that God has given you. Let this be your challenge in your life. Learning to acknowledge the blessings that you have been given will change your outlook of life. Make a list of one hundred things you are thankful for. This will help you to discover the things you are truly blessed with. This will also help you to be truly thankful this Thanksgiving! I hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a wonderful time with those you love!

Blessed To Write,

Christine M Ramey

Thirsty?

Have you been thirsty lately? Wanted to trust in God but couldn’t? Struggled to long and can’t trust anyone? Maybe it is time for you to become rehydrated again! Get rehydrated and build your strength with God’s word! He is waiting on you. Are you tired of being thirsty yet?

So, many times in our lives as we Christians we become mundane to the word of God. There doesn’t seem to be time left for God. Because we have become so apart from God, and what he instructs us to do our body then becomes thirsty wanting more. Wanting more than what many of are willing to give at times!
It is the vision of the dog that runs and runs and finally must sit and rest. He has run himself ragged. Not only has he run himself ragged but he has gotten thirsty and can’t seem to get enough to drink. Panting and breathing slowly trying to get every last lick of water he can get.

This is the same picture we get when we have run away from God’s word and truths. The only problem is we then find ourselves tired and thirsty like the dog! Psalms tells how we have become when we are not only tired but thirsty searching to find Him.

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” (Psalms 42:1-3) NKJV

In order to take control of thirst, we must learn how to guard our heart. Knowing how to guard our heart will help to excited about God’s love and all that He can bring to your life! Our once thirsty soul can then be filled and rehydrated with His wonderful love in our hearts.

By filtering our hearts with the things that God would want for us to have in our lives. We will begin to see his hand at work in our lives again. By doing this, we will filter our minds with the good things like love, goodness, kindness, and we then bring peace to our life!

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9 NKJV

When you become filled with the Holy Spirit, and filled with His word you then find peace. This week discover the key to finding peace with God.


Blessed To Write,



Christine M Ramey

Keeping the Path Straight

Can you picture the ocean and its wave running rapidly through and through and tossing the boats from side to side? If that picture has been captured in your mind then you know how hard it is too keep our heart straight and in line with God’s word! God wants for us to walk with Him not against Him. Yet too often we find ourselves right there far away from Him!

We are like the rolling waves tossing from side to side trying to knock the boats off course. So, how then do we stay on course? How is the ocean’s of our life set back to being calm once again? God is very clear in several places of the Bible that teaches us how to guard our hearts and keep our sights focused on God

Let us look now in Psalms 141:3-4 as He teaches us to guard our mouth! “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.” NKJ

This is often hard for us to do! I know for myself, it is a great challenge to watch the words we say to one another. The words we say can hurt and make us think twice about the relationship we have with the other person. Sometimes, we often wonder how important was it to really say the things we said. Once we have said then it is often too late to apologize for the words we have spoken.

As with the words we say it is also critical for us to guard our hearts! It does not help if we are listening or watching things that we do not need to watch! Things like the television set and different kinds of music. These things are the things that often times set us in the wrong the direction of the path we need to go. We can correct this path by listening to the right kind of music that helps our heart be in the right spirit! By watching the right kind of shows we can be in the right direction of where God would want for us to be.
Taking these steps will allow us to find the path that God would choose for us to go. If our heart and our mind are set in the right direction we will begin to see how we are aligned with the fruits of the spirit.

Our path will then be able to follow Galatians 5:22-26 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, self-control, against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” NKJ

This week I would like to challenge you to walk with Christ and practice these steps in guarding your heart and mind. I look forward to hearing how this challenge has blessed your heart.

Blessed To Write,
Christine M Ramey

Does God Really Hear Our Prayers

God are you listening to me?... I don’t think that you are! Where are you?...Are you really there? These are the thoughts and questions we think of when troubles and tragedies strike our lives. So, ho w do we really know God hears our prayers?

Psalms 102:1-7 speaks of it well as the writer prays his prayer carefully to the Lord. You will notice how the writer is torn with affliction that has been placed upon his life. Even still, he is convinced that the Lord is really there and will hear his verb rant prayer!

“Lord, hear my prayer; let my cry for help come before You. Do not hid Your face from me in my day of trouble listen closely to me; answer me quickly when I call. For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnance. My heart is afflicted, withered like grass;I even forget to eat my food. Because of the sound of my groaning, my flesh sticks to my bones. I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. I awake; I am like a solitaru bird on a roof.”
Psalms 102:1-7 HCSB

Many of us feel just like that writer at times when we have become so engulfed in our own affliction and trials of everyday life. I know I have found myself just like this writer several times! I felt hopeless, and wondering why I must go through these trials I face alone! Why must I feel overwhelmed?

However, I promise you that it is not what God wants for us to feel! He really is there listening to our every need! It may not always be our timing on when He will decide to answer our prayers! Nevertheless, they are answered.

Our prayers are often like a garden. We have taken the time to gather the right soil to plant the seed. Water it and fertilize it. Wait and watch for it to grow! So then, how is this like our prayers? Our prayers are very much like the garden and as we gather the soil or the prayers we intend on praying. We then plant the seed, praying them to God. Just like the garden, we must tend our garden with prayer and waiting, the watering and fertilizing. We then receive an answer, the flower that bloomed!

Sometimes, those flowers may grow slowly and with much time; but other times, they will grow almost instantly! However, in those times when God’s answer to us is a definite “NO” we must understand there is a good reason for it! We may not know that reason right away but we must allow God to work in our lives. Allow Him the opportunity to show us the reason!

It is funny sometimes, how God chooses to work in our life! We just never know what He has in store for us. Although, some will be disappointed that God has chosen to say no while others will just feel a sigh of relief! I know this to be true in my own prayer life. I have seen those moments when God gave me a definite “NO” and wondered why? Only to learn later in my life that those reasons were the very thing that changed my life! So, I can tell you listen to the answer whatever the answer may be. Even though those choices may not be what we want out of life they are what we need!

Listening to God wills us to build a better relationship with Him and to know He really does love us! He wants to help us through our trials. He wants for us to trust Him in everything! So then, will you allow Him the opportunity to show you the direction He wants for your life? That is the question we must ask ourselves!

Many of you reading this blog will have asked the question of that possibility! You may even be questioning your Faith! Nevertheless, Hebrews 11:1 gently reminds us that Faith is not always what we see! Many of times, it is the things we do not see that teaches us the most! Let us look at Hebrews now!

“Now Faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1 HCSB

In other words, there are times when the answers to those prayers are standing right in front of us but we can’t see them! We are too blinded from the circumstances and troubles in which we lie. Sometimes, we need to step away from those things which bind us and let God direct you back to where you need to be!

At last when you do, you will not believe the blessing you will discover. The things that you have missed from failing to let God be in control of your life! He wants so much for you to know and understand that He really is there listening to you! It is you that needs to listen to Him!

I pray that this devotion has been a good one, and has helped you to grow in your walk with Him! Furthermore, I challenge you to listen closely to the voice of God and know when he has answered your prayers. Maybe, it would help you to write “A.P.” on your calendar every time God has answered a prayer! This will help you in two ways. It will help to see that He has “Answered a Prayer,” and to set a time line to know when God will answer “no” you see why he answered no! I hope this will be an encouragement to you this week!

Blessed To Write,
Christine M Ramey

Do Circumstances Really Change The Person From Who They Were...To The Person They Have Become?

Money, health, confusion, anger, and love are all the circumstances
and choices we must face and deal with daily. Some of these things become
harder or easier from one person to the next depending upon each
individual cases. Why is this? Why do we allow those circumstances to
make us the person whom we have become? How then do we make it better?

Nancy Leigh DeMoss said it very well in her book “Lies Women Believe,”
which is a Bible Study our church has been hosting for several weeks now.
Nancy puts it in this way, Satan would have us believe this lie, “If my
circumstances were different, I would be different.”

The lie has become a big part of who we are as a person. We have become dependant on that instead of allowing God to change us through our circumstances. We must first understand how to trust in Him. How to find comfort in His word and allowing those words to grow inside of our heart and soul. We need to do that, so that, we can rely on Him and trust that He will in fact take care of those circumstances for us.

We can learn how to do this through the verse 2 Corinthians 1:3-6.This verse will teach us that He is our comforter in times of trouble. Lets take a look at that verse now. We will read from the Holman Christian Standard Bible!


“Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies
and the God of all comfort. He comforts
us in all our affliction, so that we may be able
to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction,
through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
For as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so our
comfort overflows through Christ. If we are afflicted, it
is for your comfort, which is experienced in the
endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-6

Wow, what a blessing is this to know He is our comforter during times of trouble and affliction. So, why do many of us complain about our circumstances instead of learning from them? That question has always puzzled me. I will be the first one to tell you that I am a complainer when I am in the midst of my own circumstances. However, after doing this Bible Study I am learning to begin depending more on my Lord to help me through them. Many of you may be in that same situation; but that may also be the same reason why you are still skeptical.

God instructs us that He is our comforter in our times of trouble. We have also learned that because of this, we should begin to be able to learn how to put our trust in Him that He will help us through those affliction and circumstances of life we all face!

He wants for us to understand that He gives us the strength we need to face those circumstances as well. Philippians 4:13 states in the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

“I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13

This verse says very simply that He is our strength! So, if God is our comforter and our strength this should help us understand how to get through the circumstances of life. In dealing with them in a new light it will in turn make us a better person overall!

So, my challenge for you this week, I challenge you to allow God to you trust that He will give you the strength and be the comforter in your circumstances! I pray that this study has been a blessing to you and that you will take this challenge and allow it to begin working in your life. Just enjoy the journey! Until next week God Bless You!