Our tricky minds…..Sometimes when I let my mind wander, it tries to take me down the path of doubt. If I permit this “stinkin’ thinkin’” to continue then the path widens to include worry, fear, and ultimately negativity all fueled from my own self-will. What helps me during these times is to remember that the answers are not in my head and that I am no longer in charge of me. When I made the life changing decision to turn my will and my life over to God, HE became not only my “Employer” but also my mentor, guide, and rock. I have learned to stay out of my own head and not go there by myself because it is filled with fear based illusions fueled by the worldly clamors around us. God has us covered. He not only has us here for a purpose, but also HE has a plan for us that we can easily understand if we seek His will daily. Check your experience… . “We had a new Employer. Being all powerful, He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed His work well. Established on such a footing we became less and less interested in ourselves, our little plans and designs.” Big Book pg 63. Lord, let us know in our hearts that You have a purpose and a plan for us that will keep us secure, successful, serene, and covered by Your grace, AMEN. “God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.” Ephesians 2:10 Lord, please let me learn to pray to want what I get instead of getting what I want, AMEN. “Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage;” Psalm 27:14 Have a blessed day y'all! Did you know that your financial gift to Furniture Bank is not only tax deductible but also qualifies you for up to $800 in AZ Tax Credits? Furniture Bank is a 501c3 public charity and every penny donated goes toward helping our families, veterans, and individuals in need. Please help us continue to help others! http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html        

Keep walking toward the light… Have you ever stayed overnight in a hotel or even a friend’s home for the first time and had to find the light switch in the middle of the night? Strange room and unfamiliar surroundings bring us confusion and we find ourselves moving slowly with caution. We know there is light switch there somewhere, so we proceed forward, but ever so slowly because we don’t quite trust our new surroundings and environment. Now think about this with me. Isn’t our reaction the same when we encounter new or unforeseen pressures and circumstances in our lives? How do we handle the new, uncomfortable, and unforeseen? Now maybe it’s different for you, but over time I have learned to seek and trust God’s will in these unfamiliar situations, mainly because, even though I may be uncomfortable and lack experience with handling the situation, I trust in my faith and that God has me covered and will guide me through. How about you?... Check your experience… “I must turn in all things to the Father of Light who presides over us all.” Big Book pg 14 Lord, let us put our faith and trust in You and Your will for us when times get hard and we find ourselves in new or unfamiliar circumstances, AMEN. “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing.” 2 Corinthians 4:8 Have a blessed day y'all!! Start your day on a positive note! Daily devotions from the Big Book and Bible combined! Paperback and Kindle versions available!! Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including our beloved Furniture Bank! Please order yours today and help us help others! https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Different yet the same... Observing people is a hobby of mine. I enjoy learning from others and behavior is usually indicative of a person's habits. Over the years I have seen a blessed pattern emerge when I learn from observing a fellow believer. No matter what the action or activity is, the believer is doing it selflessly to help another without expectation of attention or recognition. This has taught me to remain humble and to keep my focus on others as I continue to grow my relationship with Christ and build my ministry. I constantly remind myself that this (whatever the "this" is) is not about me. ....Check your experience. .... "Helping others is the foundation stone" Big Book pg 97 Lord let our helping actions and activities be focused on helping others and not ourselves, AMEN. "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all." 1 Corinthians 12: 13 -14 Have a blessed day y’all! Hey friends please check out Servants Hearts! It’s a free site to help connect folks with volunteer and helping opportunities! Furniture Bank, Spiritual Solutions Group, and Advocate Phoenix are pleased to share the newest free helping service from Faith Through Works Fellowship! Its Phoenix based for now. Pray for its growth to provide helping hearts and willing hands to our organizations that need help! http://aservantsheart.us/

What goes around COMES around. .. Have you ever played with a bouncing ball? Did you notice that it always comes back to you with the same force you give it? Now I am not trying to teach physics, but the ball example contains today's spiritual thought. I have learned over the years that my relationships with people, places, and things have the same effect. We GET what we GIVE. It's a spiritual principle. When I treat others with grace, I get grace and when I throw out grief and negativity I get it right back. Check your experience. ... "Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity." Big Book pg 68. Lord, let us give others the same grace and joy that you freely give us, AMEN. "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you," Matthew 7:12 Have a blessed Day y’all! Start your day on a positive note! Daily devotions from the Big Book and Bible combined! Paperback and Kindle versions available!! Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including our beloved Furniture Bank! Please order yours today and help us help others! https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

So why is it that sometimes we think we are walking in faith yet we still have that feeling of doom, failure, and or fear in our heads? Change brings this on more than anything for me. Now maybe it’s different for you, but I have this crazy head and it sometimes doesn’t like to connect with my heart. What I have learned, and mostly the hard way over the years, is that my self-will lives in my head and it loves to tell my heart what a loser and failure it thinks I am. Thanks to God, AA, and a picket fence of friends, I have learned to tune that noise in my head out and focus on my heart where the Holy Spirit resides and directs me if I let Him. So when I get that feeling that perhaps I am going to fail or things are not going to go right, I politely thank my head and then shut the door on those thoughts and focus on what my faith and my heart are saying to me. How do you quiet your head so your heart can lead you?.. Check your experience… “Here was something at work in a human heart which had done the impossible.” Big Book pg 11 Lord, let us turn out will and our lives over to Your care and direction daily, AMEN. “And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?” Luke 24:38 Have a blessed day y’all! Did you know a donation to Furniture Bank gets you an Arizona state tax credit up to $800? Earn yours today. The state of Arizona provides an incredible incentive for taxpayers who donate to certain qualifying charities like Furniture Bank. Thanks to the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit, you can donate up to $800 and get it right back on your Arizona tax return. Furniture Bank works directly with Phoenix based social services, programs, and faith-based communities to assist families, Veterans, seniors, and other folks with a hand up to regain self-sustainability as they work to escape homelessness and helplessness. Please help us help others! Donate today! http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html

Don’t turn a bad moment into a bad day….Have you ever noticed that what you focus on influences how you feel and act? For instance playing with children can make some older folks feel young and more alive. How about the feeling of accomplishment after completing a work out at the gym? What about the uncomfortable and unpleasant parts of our day that we all have? Have you ever noticed what happens when we focus on that? It tends to drag us into the negative mindset and brings us down. Now maybe it’s different for you, but I have found that when I enter into the unpleasant moments of my day, instead of focusing on the anticipation of the impending doom or negativity, I remind myself of all the good in my life and that this is just a moment in my day that will eventually pass. I find that when I greet negative times with cheerfulness, the negativity has a hard time taking me hostage. How’s that working out for you?.. Check your experience… “We were prepared to look at it from an entirely different angle.” Big Book pg 66 Lord, let us walk through the negative times knowing this is but a moment but You are in our heart forever and that we have blessings awaiting us, AMEN. “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” Philippians 2:14-15 Have a blessed day y’all! Did you know a donation to Furniture Bank gets you an Arizona state tax credit up to $800? Earn yours today. The state of Arizona provides an incredible incentive for taxpayers who donate to certain qualifying charities like Furniture Bank. Thanks to the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit, you can donate up to $800 and get it right back on your Arizona tax return. Furniture Bank works directly with Phoenix based social services, programs, and faith-based communities to assist families, Veterans, seniors, and other folks with a hand up to regain self-sustainability as they work to escape homelessness and helplessness. Please help us help others! Donate today! http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html          

Drop the doubt… Facing the Giants is a movie close to my heart. One of the scenes in the movie involves a young man that basically has been crippled by doubt in his abilities and it has spread to his faith. Luckily, he has a few men in his life that see this and help him to work through his doubts and embrace faith not only in his abilities but also grow his faith in God. This reminds me look at myself and examine the areas in my life where doubt has invaded to limit my belief in myself and the power of Jesus. My experience has taught me that when I drop the doubt and replace it with faith in myself and the Lord, amazing things happen. What areas of your life are controlled by doubt and holding you back?... Check your experience… “Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more… You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” Matthew 21-21:22 Lord, let us drop our doubts and replace them with faith in ourselves and You, AMEN. “I was to sit quietly when in doubt, asking only for direction and strength to meet my problems as He would have me.” Big Book pg 13 Have a blessed day y’all! Have a blessed day y’all! Start your day on a positive note! Daily devotions from the Big Book and Bible combined! Paperback and Kindle versions available!! Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including our beloved Furniture Bank! Please order yours today and help us help others! https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss