goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Claim the Blessing

By Linda Tancs

When you travel, would you refuse to claim your luggage? Of course not. It’s your property; it belongs to you. But so many people refuse to claim their blessing. Are you one of them? Maybe you believe that you’re not blessed but, if you’re in Christ, the blessing has been given (Ephesians 1:3). Maybe you don’t understand the scope of the blessing given to you. It helps to review what the Bible says about blessings. For instance, it says that God’s mercy is fresh every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). That’s at least one blessing that you can claim every day.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Mercy

By Linda Tancs

In West Virginia, the jury must decide in the sentencing phase of a first-degree murder trial whether the defendant should be accorded “mercy,” which changes the sentence from life without parole to eligibility for parole. So, in some cases, a defendant will receive “life with mercy” and, in other cases, no mercy. Imagine a defendant receiving the edict that he or she will “receive no mercy.” In our economy, a defendant can earn mercy. In God’s economy, mercy is a part of His nature and cannot be earned by us. His mercies never come to an end (Lamentations 3:22-23). Be thankful for that.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Faith-Based Business, Religion, Theology

Never Say Never

By Linda Tancs

Whenever I hear someone express a negative belief about being able to accomplish something, I’m often reminded of one of my favorite quotes attributed to the philosopher Goethe:  “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.” Negative beliefs often surround the subject of going back to school at a later age. Consider a 50-year-old who says: “I can’t go back to school now. I’ll be 54 when I graduate.” Well, you will be 54 (or whatever age it is) in any event. Growing older doesn’t take any talent or ability but it’s all the sweeter if you find opportunity in change. This point was aptly illustrated in a newspaper story about an older woman who elected to rise above some very challenging circumstances and attend a community college. She became homeless after losing her job, lost all her possessions when she couldn’t pay the storage facility, surrendered her children to relatives for their daily care and lost three loved ones to health issues within a single year. She remarked that if she could persevere through school as a homeless person, then anyone with a home could do it, too.

So what causes a person to visit Neverland and take up residence there? Oftentimes, something in the past holds the future captive—a negative life event that leaves one hopeless or depressed and unable to move forward. Conversely, prior success many install fear in a person that the best of times are already behind. In either event, Proverbs 23:7 reminds us that as we think, so we are. So forget the past (Isaiah 43:18), and look to God to lead you in the present (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Never say never; it’s as simple as that.