Faith Through Works Fellowship

Monday, June 14, 2021

New day, fresh start, new attitude...

Sometimes we get into the routine of our daily lives and what used to be exciting or fresh in our hearts becomes dulled by the daily monotony of habit and comfortable routine.

Overtime, if not checked and renewed, these tasks, routines, and even relationships can suffer from our being taken hostage by monotony.

There is a solution.

Even when our tasks and routines need to contain the same things, we can renew our spirits daily by simply turning our will and our lives over to the Lord daily!

Come on ... Give it a try... and as always... Check your experience…

"This means a new attitude and spirit all around." Big Book pg 99

Lord thank You for allowing us to refresh ourselves and our lives through renewing ourselves daily with your Spirit, AMEN.

"Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” Ephesians 4:23

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?

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Sunday, June 13, 2021

Inner peace…

Have you ever noticed how many products out there that are marketed to us to either provide a solution or bring comfort to help us with our stress, pains, and general discomfort?

There are a few products that I use that help me. I have a special brand of shoes I wear for my duck feet. I have a special pillow for my weird neck, and even ergonomic office products to help me with my posture.

These items bring my body peace but how do we find that inner peace?

Like most of us I have sought my inner peace through a myriad of outer solutions, but the only thing I have found that works and continues to work no matter what is my relationship with Jesus and the peace He brings me through His Holy Spirit in me.

Worldly clamors will continue but I can always look inward and know that there is peace in my heart if I seek it…

Check your experience…

“We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.” Big Book pg 84

Lord, let us know that the peace of mind and heart You have given us remains in us as long as we seek it, AMEN.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

Have a blessed day y’all!

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!

http://aservantsheart.us

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!

Free daily message in your Inbox!

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Saturday, June 12, 2021

Roots and all…

Weeds have the amazing ability to grow anywhere.

Even here in Arizona, weeds find places to take root and thrive. I particularly enjoyed watching a root grow on an overpass I used many times weekly years ago. Over the year the city crews would come and do the landscaping and gardening but even though the weed was cut, it continued to grow back taller and thicker.

The fact of nature is that unless the root is removed, it will continue to grow and thrive.

We also have weeds that take root in our hearts and like other weeds; they will continue to grow as character defects until we remove the root.

Think about it, bitterness, jealousy, and fear take root in us and from them weeds of anger, pride, greed, lust, and all kinds of negativity grow from them.

If these are left to grow then they influence not only our attitudes, but then spread to our behaviors and characters.

When this happens, the weed grows stronger and is harder to remove.

However, we do have a great weed killer that is environmentally friendly!

When we ask the Holy Spirit to help us look at our character defects and then ask Him to remove them root and all, we become free for these weeds!..

Check your experience…

“I ruthlessly faced my sins and became willing to have my new-found Friend take them away, root and branch.” Big Book pg 13

Lord, let us turn our hearts over to You and allow Your grace and mercy to clear the weeds of fear, bitterness, and self-will from us roots and all, AMEN.

“Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Hebrews 12:15

Have a blessed day y'all!

Please help us help others!

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Donate today!

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!

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Friday, June 11, 2021

What is your power source?..

Red Bull, coffee, Protein shakes, Power Bars, and all sorts of other products promise us energy. Many other products promise to enhance our power.

Bodybuilders and folks into fitness and exercise routines gain physical strength and stamina, but…

WHERE do we really get our POWER from?

We see stories from time to time in the media of folks doing superhuman feats to save another or help someone in danger.

I bet if you take a look at the events in your lifetime there has been a few times where you have had to “dig deep” to find that extra needed power for the effort to complete a task or endure an unpleasant situation.

Where did that power come from?

Honestly, I know I am lying to myself if I try to claim it came only from me.

I know for fact that through my faith in Jesus and my 12 Step walk that God equips me with the power I need.

How about you?..

Where does your power come from?..

Check your experience…

“We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves.” Big Book pg 45

Lord thank you for giving us the power we need to not only accomplish the task or endure the situation, but also to allow You to work through us to help others, AMEN.

“With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.” Ephesians 3:20

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?

Free daily message in your morning inbox.

I never share, sell, or publish your email.

https://www.faiththroughworksfellowship.org/blog

Thursday, June 10, 2021

Why can’t reality match the picture in my head?..

Perhaps it’s different for you, but every now and then I get a picture of the way the world is supposed to be in my head and it does not match up with reality.

These are expectations and they come from my own self-centered wants, fears, and pride.

During my walk with Jesus and 12 Step sobriety I have learned that my expectations can spring from my thought process based on my emotional wants.

I have learned that expectations based on my human assumptions can cause me trouble.

These days I try to catch myself when I am trying to set an expectation.

Time, grace, and serenity have taught me that I need to make sure I examine all of the evidence and not just what I want to see or hear.

I ask the Lord to help me let it go and allow my heart to accept people, places, and things as they are right now.

It saves me a lot of anger, grief, and wasted energy!

How’s this working out for you?..

Check your experience…

“And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation -- some fact of my life -- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.” Big Book pg 420

Lord, lets us trade our expectations in for acceptance and knowledge that You are in control, AMEN.

“The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.” Proverbs 10:28

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_nos

How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought?

Free daily message in your morning inbox.

I never share, sell, or publish your email.

https://www.faiththroughworksfellowship.org/blog

Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Where is all the good news?..

We hear stories about road rage and other examples of incidents that are fueled by emotional reactions all the time.

While it grabs our attention for a moment, much like fights in a hockey match, it really is not newsworthy.

Our media loves to show the negative side of life.

YouTube is full of fight and conflict video clips.

Why?

Because it grabs our attention and gives us that momentary human feeling of entitlement based on the thinking; “well at least I am not THAT bad.”

It’s hard to find stories about good works and good deeds, especially anonymous good deeds. For whatever reason it doesn’t get ratings, viewers, or website clicks.

However, when we do something good or helpful for someone else without expecting to be seen, caught, or recognized; our hearts gain this feeling of joy and happiness.

Come on, you know you feel this!

That is the Holy Spirit inside your heart jumping for joy!

We don’t need it to be broadcast on the news or to be in the limelight for it because we are receiving our unasked-for reward from helping others...

Check your experience. …

“…asking each morning in meditation that our Creator show us the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love.” Big Book pg 83

Lord, let us share encouragement and blessings with others in the same way You so freely share with us, AMEN.

“May the patience and encouragement that come from God allow you to live in harmony with each other” Romans 15:5

Have a blessed day y’all!

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!

http://aservantsheart.us

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!

Free daily message in your Inbox!

https://www.faiththroughworksfellowship.org/blog

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Helping others ain't a chance for a selfie or a photo op….

Years ago when I was working at the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter on 12th and B in Sacramento, it used to make me angry on those few occasions where a few people merely came to volunteer just so they could be seen helping a homeless person.

While I was glad to have groups of volunteers come to help us to feed the homeless, I guess what made me so angry, and still does to this day, is that their heart was not in it and their motive in being there was purely selfish.

That is why to this very day I qualify ALL of my volunteers, to make sure they are there to help others and are not just there for a “photo op” to be seen helping another. I am not judging them, but I am dedicated to making sure that those I organize to volunteer are doing so because they want to help another.

I get it, not all of us are comfortable with this type of volunteering.

Heck, I have no mechanical skills and I am honest enough with myself and others not to try to help fix a car or anything requiring tools. Experience has shown me and others that I am merely in the way and not being of service to anyone.

We all have gifts of service, but not in every category.

What are / where are your gifts of service best used?..

Check your experience…

“Helping others is the foundation stone” Big Book pg 97

Lord let us use our gifts and talents in areas that can benefit others and not for gaining attention, AMEN.

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” Mathew 6:1

Have a blessed day y’all

Please help us help others!

http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html

Donate today!

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!

Free daily message in your Inbox!

https://www.faiththroughworksfellowship.org/blog