I want what I want WHEN I want it….Perhaps it’s different for you, but I can’t tell you how many times this thought has sparked reactions that led to actions with bad outcomes from my hurried and poorly thought out decisions. I get it, the self-willed human in me wants to override my spiritual nature and get that perceived TEMPORARY GAIN. It’s in those moments my self-will blocks me from seeing the long-term outcomes and the effects on my hasty wants and desires. When I quiet those urges through prayer, counsel with others wiser than me, and in trusting my faith, that I wait and let God provide me with the natural choice. More often than not, I am amazed because it turns out way better than I ever expected! Check your experience…. “Patience, tolerance, understanding and love are the watchwords.” Big Book pg. 118. 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       

Leaders Serve…. H Ross Perot once said; “Inventories need to be managed but people need to be led.” Leaders lead by serving. The easiest example I can think of is a coach. We don’t see the coach out on the field physically involved in every play. We see them on the sideline constantly encouraging, guiding, and directing. Always watching and paying attention to help the team by helping each individual improve. Leaders serve by paying attention to the needs of others. Through serving, respect is earned, and trust is gained. Think about this. All managing does is keep things in order. We manage our house, our laundry, and our schedules. When it comes to those you love in your life are you leading or managing? Check your experience… “Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.” Big Book pg 562 Lord, let us lead by serving and let us serve by helping others, AMEN. “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,” Matthew 20:26 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

Don’t drop to their level… Sometimes we encounter people, places, or things that are neither pleasant, nor supportive. Now maybe it’s different for you, but my initial gut reaction (get it?.. REACT-ion) is to give it right back to them the same as they are giving me! Match attitude with attitude and that will show them! Luckily for me, time and bad experiences has taught me that this way does not work and only brings about more misery. Growing up spiritually and emotionally has allowed me to quiet that initial reaction and instead RESPOND in the way that I wish to be treated. That is, no matter what the situation is, I give it grace, tolerance, and open my heart to try to understand instead of “putting them in their place”… What level are you operating on when you encounter conflict or unpleasantness?...Check your experience… “We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions.” Big Book pg 88 Lord, let us match unpleasantness with grace, rudeness with tolerance, and anger with a heart that looks to understand, AMEN. “Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.” Romans 12: 17-19 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/

Now where is THAT key?.. “So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key”… verse from Already Gone by The Eagles. We tend to do many things out of love. There are many types of love. There is the love we have for our spouses, children, and family. We also have love for our friends, pets, community, and materials things. We may even have a love for a hobby, sport, or a job. All of these are love, but different types of love. There is one more kind of love that we spend our lives seeking and it’s the unconditional love that God has for us. The tricky part is that because we are human, sometimes we are let down because we tend to expect unconditional love from our jobs, family, and other earthly things. The blessing is that we have the unconditional love living inside of us through the Holy Spirit. It’s ours for the asking if we can only quiet our minds and turn off our expectations and demands to receive it... Check your experience… “Patience, tolerance, understanding and love are the watchwords.” Big Book pg 118 Lord, let us receive your unconditional love and know it’s the key to our relationships with self and others, AMEN. “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 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

The gift that keeps on giving… Have you ever noticed that most folks have a thing or 2 that they are really good at and then some other things they are not so good at? Michael Jordan is probably one of the best, if not the best ever to play basketball, but he was an “OK” baseball player. There are quite a few famous and successful actors and actresses that cannot sing. I am pretty good with people, but tools and handyman stuff are like a foreign language to me. The point is that each of us has a God given skill that is a talent and it is a spiritual principal that we should share it with others. Had Michael Jordan decided against playing ball after he was cut from his high school team, the world would have never got to enjoy his immense talent and passion for the game. We need to share our talents in an effort to help others. How’s that working out for you?.. Check your experience… “Giving, rather than getting, will become the guiding principle.” Big Book 128 Lord, let us use the gifts and talent You have given us to help others, AMEN. “There are different kinds of gifts. But it is the same Holy Spirit Who gives them. 5 There are different kinds of work to be done for Him. But the work is for the same Lord. 6 There are different ways of doing His work. But it is the same God who uses all these ways in all people. 7 The Holy Spirit works in each person in one way or another for the good of all.” 1 Corinthians 12: 4-7 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

Most of y’all know I am neither a construction guy nor a fix –it repairman. So, I had to figure out why the Lord put this verse in my heart today as I studied His Word… “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” Luke 20:17 Now according to the “Book of Google”, the cornerstone is that stone which forms the junction between the two most prominent walls of a building. From what I understand that without it, the building will not be very secure. What comes to mind is the question I constantly have to ask myself as I measure my motives and efforts in my daily walk. Is what I am doing, saying, thinking, or wanting, helping me to stay in God’s will, or is it guiding me to the illusions of my self- will? Is my foundation based on my cornerstone of faith or am I attempting to construct a free-standing wall based on self that will crumble? What foundation are you using to build on for your life? How’s that working out for you?.. Check your experience… “It has been repeatedly proven among us that upon this simple cornerstone a wonderfully effective spiritual structure can be built.” Big Book pg 47 Lord let us anchor our life to our cornerstone of faith in You and Your Word, AMEN. 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   

Watching our words…. Maybe it’s different for you, but sometimes the thoughts in my head that need to stay there slip out of my mouth as words and it’s never good. I learned a long time ago that words that come from negative emotions as well as reactions instead of responses can harm and hurt just like any other weapon. Luckily for me I have learned to keep these words inside of my head and let the Holy Spirit hear them and advise me and calm my emotions and allow my heart a chance to survey the situation and form a response instead of allowing the emotions of my initial reaction to come out as words. Allowing God to help me filter my words has saved me from many situations that could have proven hurtful had they gone unchecked. How do you filter your words?... Check your experience… “Our behavior will convince them more than our words.” Big Book pg 83 Lord, let us share our thoughts with you first before we form words that come from our mouths, AMEN. “In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” James 3: 5-6Have 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