Let’s clean our side of the street first…. 

I hope it’s different for you, but I sure had to do a lot of work before I could escape this type of automatic thinking. I am talking about the type of thinking that naturally looks to find the bad or faults in others and then find another person or 2 to share it with. I remember that false sense of superiority I seemed to get when I took another person’s inventory and automatically found myself to be in a better condition. 

But wait, I forgot to look at my own shortcomings, faults, and character defects. I wish I could say I am completely free of this type of thinking, but I can’t. 

What I can share is that when I do find myself entertaining thoughts of comparing myself to another only looking for the negative, I can now stop this thinking with a simple prayer and ask God to direct my thinking to find the good in others… 

Check your experience… 

“The only condition is that he trust in God and clean house.” Big Book pg 98 

Lord let us look to improve ourselves and work on our own faults and shortcomings before we begin finding the faults and shortcomings in 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 

Looking to volunteer or plug into an existing helping opportunity in the Greater Phoenix AZ area? 

Visit Servants Hearts! 

It’s a free site to help connect folks with volunteer and helping opportunities! 

Furniture Bank and Spiritual Solutions Group are pleased to sponsor and share this free helping service from Faith Through Works Fellowship. 

Pray for its growth to provide helping hearts and willing hands to our organizations that need help! 

http://aservantsheart.us

Have a blessed day y’all! 

Treat others like you want to be treated….. 

We all hear this and know this but are we able to naturally do this or does it take some work on our part?  We want to be recognized for who we are and like to be known for what we do. That is natural pride and ownership of our actions. We come to expect others to know what or “who” we are. 

Now….Think about this for a moment... 

When was the last time you looked a service worker, like a cleaning person, yard person, or fast food clerk directly in the eye and said a heartfelt, honest thank you?  

Did you know that Kurt Warner worked overnights in a grocery store stocking shelves to feed his family? Or that basketball legend Larry Bird worked on the trash truck with his dad to help his family make ends meet? 

We never know who we are encountering, or truly why they seem to be in a “dead end” job, so it’s a good idea to treat others with the same kindness and recognition that we want… 

Check your experience… 

“See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others.” Big Book pg 164 

Lord, let us look to be a friend to those around us, giving them the same grace that you so readily give to us, AMEN.  

“Agree with one another. Don’t be proud. Be willing to be a friend of people who aren’t considered important. Don’t think that you are better than others.” Romans 12:16 

Furniture Bank Continues to help those in need!   

Until we are clear from the world heath challenges, Furniture Bank is neither accepting nor scheduling pick-ups of donated items. 

We are using our cash reserves to order new items that can be drop shipped and delivered to our clients. 

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-taxcredit.html      

Have a blessed day y’all! 

I have these “rights” …..

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seems to go right?  Maybe even a week or longer where things just are not working out? I have a few friends right now that are struggling with life challenges and issues that are taking longer than expected to resolve and it’s no picnic for them.  It’s frustrating when we are going through these times. 

Now maybe it’s different for you but, when things don’t go my way or the way I expect them to, my “rights” move in and  try to convince me that my way is the only way and the best way. This crowds out not only reality, but also the ability for God to work in me and through me to show me what is meant to be.   

I have learned through these times and over the years to look for the good and hold fast to my knowledge and experience that my faith will see me through and my hopes will keep me looking for the positive…  Check your experience…  

“I can watch my serenity level rise when I discard my expectations. But then my “rights” try to move in, and they too can force my serenity level down. I have to discard my “rights,” as well as my expectations,” Big Book pg 420

Lord, remind our hearts in times of struggle and discomfort that this will pass and to look for the good and not focus on the bad, AMEN.  

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 

How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 

Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including Furniture Bank! 

Order today and help us help others! 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Have a blessed day y'all!

In your mind’s eye… 

Have you ever noticed what your mind remembers in minute detail compared to other things that are foggy to the memory? 

Now maybe it’s different for you, but my magic magnifying mind likes to recall in exact detail the perceived wrongs it thinks I have experienced along with focusing on the faults in people, places, and things! 

Then on the other side, it has trouble seeing my part in these matters as well as my part in wrongs I have caused! 

Luckily, my daily walk with Jesus, living the 12 Steps, and having a picket fence of friends who can keep me honest helps me to not let my warped mind fall into these illusions. 

I am free of the shackles of self-will and can now focus on the more important things in life – helping others, being of service, and seeking God’s will. 

How’s that working out for you? 

Is your mind constantly reminding you of its perceived wrongs you have incurred?.. 

Check your experience… 

“In this book you read again and again that faith did for us what we could not do for ourselves.” Big Book pg 70 

Lord, let us break free from the shackles of our self-centered will to free our minds and hearts from the illusions fueled by our fears, pride, and insecurities, AMEN. 

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 

How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 

Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including Furniture Bank! 

Order today and help us help others! 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Have a blessed day y'all!! 

There's book smarts, street smarts, and then there is wisdom... 

Most of us can claim to be graduates of the School of Hard Knocks. Experience teaches us much and we learn from our mistakes and even from our victories. 

Some of us can even claim advanced degrees from our School of Hard Knocks, but the ones I have learned the most from are the students of God's Word. 

Some have their under graduate degrees from our Alma Mater, but ultimately their trust in the Lord and thirst for His Word gives them the wisdom we all naturally seek. Who and where are you gaining your wisdom? .... Check your experience. ... . 

"Our ideas did not work. But the God idea did." Big Book pg 50 

Lord fill us with Your wisdom that comes from Your Spirit and Word, AMEN. 

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously" James 1:5 

Looking to volunteer or plug into an existing helping opportunity in the Greater Phoenix AZ area? 

Visit Servants Hearts! 

It’s a free site to help connect folks with volunteer and helping opportunities! 

Furniture Bank and Spiritual Solutions Group are pleased to sponsor and share this free helping service from Faith Through Works Fellowship. 

Pray for its growth to provide helping hearts and willing hands to our organizations that need help! 

http://aservantsheart.us

Have a blessed day y’all! 

Give encouragement, catch someone doing something right.... 

It's all around us, no matter where we look or what the subject is, the fault finders, negativity breeders, and arm chair "experts" are there to quickly point out our faults, wrongs, and why we won't succeed. 

Sheesh, why even bother trying? 

We must keep trying because we can. The negativity can only affect us if we allow it to get a grip on us. We can change this by doing something rarely seen these days. 

We can CATCH someone doing something RIGHT and.... get ready... compliment and ENCOURAGE them! Try looking for the good today. It will change your outlook especially if you encourage another. ... Check your experience. ... 

"...walk day by day in the path of spiritual progress. If you persist, remarkable things will happen." Big Book pg 100 

Lord let us look for the good in people, places, and things today, AMEN 

"Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 

Furniture Bank Continues to help those in need! 

Until we are clear from the world heath challenges, Furniture Bank is neither accepting nor scheduling pick-ups of donated items. 

We are using our cash reserves to order new items that can be drop shipped and delivered to our clients. 

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

Have a blessed Day y’all! 

Wash the dirt away.... 

Most of us shower and or bathe daily, some more than others! On top of that, ESPECIALLY THESE DAYS, we have hand sanitizers and other personal products stashed everywhere so we can use them at our leisure to rid ourselves of dirt, germs, and grime we encounter all day long. 

How about our minds? 

There are books, videos, and seminars always available to help us get a fresh perspective but..... HOW do we get Spiritually clean? I'm sure y'all have a thought or method. .... 

How's that working out for you? ... 

I have found through my walk with Jesus along the 12 Step path is that the only way for me to cleanse my spirit is to daily wash my soul and heart in the Word, along with accountability to others, and finally serving those He puts in my path... Check your experience... 

"What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition." Big Book pg 85 

Lord please help us to cleanse our hearts and minds daily through seeking Your will and being in Your Word, AMEN. 

"First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” Matthew 23:26 

How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 

Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including Furniture Bank! Order today and help us help others! 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Have a blessed day y’all!