God's Trinity within Us

Jesus promised His disciples that He would not leave them alone once He ascended into Heaven to take His rightful place at the right hand of our Father. He promised to send them an advocate, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17).

Without believing in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we cannot understand the Holy Spirit, or discern His purpose in our life and in the world. He is the Spirit of truth, and He lives in us and is with us.

Since Jesus lives, we will live also, because Jesus is in the Father and we are in Him (John 14:19-20). He never leaves or forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5). The Trinity of God loves us, and we prove our love to Him by keeping His commandments (John 14:21).

We dwell on this earth as the Temple of the living God, and He lives within us, and walks among us. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture (2 Corinthians 6:16). We love Him with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30).

Amazingly, the God of the universe desires our companionship. He also wants to work out every issue in our life for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). He calls us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and to trust Him for all of our needs - no matter how simple or complicated they may be (Proverbs 3:5-6).

This will not happen unless we simplify our schedule, spend time in His Word, and consult Him each moment of our day. As we prioritize our time and exclude every useless endeavor from our agenda, we find Him waiting for us (1 John 1:6).

Prayer:

Father God, we desire to walk in Your presence each moment of our day, and to live our lives as a praise to You. Fill us with your peace, joy and contentment. Draw us ever closer to Your heart, and help us to simplify and to prioritize our life to spend each moment in the center of Your will for us.

Even in old age our significance does not diminish (Psalm 16: 31). We shine with the brilliance of a valuable, ancient golden coin, because of Your glory and divine nature within us. You alone are our true glory, treasure, magnificence, and radiant beauty. We give You all of the praise and honor due to Your name.

Thought for the Day:

Whatever competes for our time with the Lord, or for our affections for Him, is an idol in our life that must be cast down forever; then we can have faith - not only in what we can see, but in what we cannot see as well.

Healing Our Scars

As children, we have no idea how to handle negative words and behavior from our caregivers and other people. We tend to believe what they say to us and about us. Even our siblings and friends wound us. These people are hurting, so they cause hurt in others.

Old wounds prevent us from walking in health in our body, soul and spirit. We develop fear, insecurities and health issues that hound us all the days of our life; some of which are subconscious, but affect us just the same. We live in a downward spiral.

Only God has the power to completely heal these injuries. Our physical scars have a tendency to cause pain of various degrees, and some will even adhere to places in our body in which they do not belong. Scars in our soul - our thoughts and emotions - do the same thing.

The sanctification process of God's Holy Spirit includes healing these deep-seated impairments, and removing their impact on other areas of our life. God uses these devastating experiences in our testimony of His grace and comfort in our life in order to set others free.

Scars also prove our need to depend on God, and they increase our compassion for others, and our intimacy with our Heavenly Father. Jesus suffered in life in every capacity that we all suffer. He is now our advocate, pleading our case and lifting us up in our afflictions.

That is why it is so important for us to lay down the bondage of burdens, which we accepted all of our life, and to take Jesus' yoke upon our shoulders instead. His yoke is easy and light (Matthew 11:28-30), because He is harnessed with us, and we are following His lead throughout life.

Prayer:

Father God, teach us that yoking up with Jesus removes the power of our emotional scars to cause us pain, focuses our obedience on Your direction of our life, and increases our faith in Your faithfulness. Help us to break free of bondage to fear, and to step into the realm of freedom in Christ; so that we can walk in Your Spirit each moment of our day. Our life flows so much easier that way, and we encounter diving appointments more frequently.

Remind us that we cannot protect our self from the pain of life; but in living for You, we can walk in freedom, and rejoice in our light and momentary affliction (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). You are our righteous judge, and we trust only in You. Thank You for Jesus' atoning sacrifice that paid for our sins through His blood, thank You for Your mercy and patience, and thank You for Your justice and justification of those who believe in You (Romans 3:25-26).

Thought for the Day:

Negative experiences drive us deeper under the shadow of God's wings (Psalm 91), improve our friendship with God (John 1:15), open our eyes to the miracles He performs for us each day of our life (Philippians 4:19), prove to us the validity of His promises (2 Corinthians 1:20-22), teach us to rejoice evermore (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), and encourage us to run to the shelter of our church family for prayer and comfort.

A Team Effort

Moses' father-in-law was a very perceptive man. He realized that Moses was burning his candle from both ends and would soon burn out. Therefore, he came up with a plan to suggest to Moses that would prevent a breakdown from happening (Exodus 18:18-27)

We often take too much upon our shoulders as well. We get exhausted and weary from too much responsibility, stress and self-imposed pressure. I often say, "I am only one person, I cannot do more than one thing at a time."

Unlike Moses, we find it hard to ask for help. We do not want to afflict anyone else with our burdens. We insist on independence, so we do not have to rely on anyone else to get the job done; that way we will not be disappointed.

Negative emotions start to erode our peace, joy and focus. We drown in frustration, resentment, impatience and anger, which weigh us down even more. There is no shame in asking for help; in fact, that is why God has His Body.

When we work together as a Body, we share the wisdom God has given to each one of us, and we receive the blessing of giving of our self and helping others to feel useful and needed too. We accomplish God's will together.

With each one of us doing our part, we walk in harmony and peace through every circumstance. Christ is the head of His Body, and He liberally gives each of us His peace that passes all human understanding.

As we delight in the Lord and commit our ways to His direction and care, He promises to direct our steps (Proverbs 3:5-6). We enjoy our union with Him and crave His presence and the fullness of His Spirit in our life each moment of the day.

Prayer:

Father God, the devil has a way of filling our heart and mind with his negative thoughts and feelings, and sometimes they even get blown out of proportion by wounds from our past or current events or fear of the future. Remind us that Jesus in us empowers us to desire and to accomplish Your will for us.

We feel such an eagerness to bless You with all of our thoughts, words and deeds. We learned from experience that You are worthy of our trust because of Your faithfulness to us in every circumstance. You gave us a passport to Heaven through the blood of Jesus, and we can never thank You enough.

Thought for the Day:

No one is an island, and an effective performance is not accomplished as productively by one person’s labor, as it is through a team effort.

Salt and Light

Most of us do not dabble in satanic rituals, Ouija boards, séances, sorcery, witchcraft, fortune telling, horoscopes, Wicca, tarot cards, voodoo dolls, casting spells, using mystical powers, etc. because these open the door of our life to Satan.

Well, anyone who chooses to be sympathetic toward the issues and political correctness of our society also becomes an enemy of God (James 4:4). If we believe Satan's lies about acceptance and inclusiveness, God considers our thoughts as foolish and futile (1 Corinthians 3:19-20).

We actually prevent our self from becoming a sad statistic in the roaring lion's boneyard (1 Peter 1:8), by walking in the Spirit and not fulfilling the curiosity of our mind or the lusts of our flesh (Galatians 5:15-25).

We keep our mind clear and alert, as we resist Satan (1 Peter 5:8). We may have to stand alone in our circle of friends, co-workers and family, but God gives us His faith and courage to do so (Luke 14:26).

We also have the Body of Christ for our fellowship and support. God equips His Saints to overcome Satan's influence in our life by using weapons of spiritual warfare that are mighty in pulling down his strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4).

As we submit to God, and resist the devil, Satan runs from us (James 4:7). We also resist the urge to trust in our human understanding; and instead, we trust only in the Lord with our whole heart (Proverbs 3:5-6).

God helps us to be sure of what we hope for, even though we cannot see it without faith (Hebrews 11:1). We walk away from the multitude of influences in the world, which attempt to draw us away from God, and we seek to please the One who sacrificed His life for us.

We walk carefully and diligently, through the mine field of this world, toward freedom in Christ (Ephesians 5:15). Jesus is the Light of the World, and when we follow His ways, we walk in light instead of darkness.

Prayer:

Father God, help us to stand strong against the lies of the devil, and to walk in Your wisdom and truth instead. Give us Your discernment to believe Your Word, and to faithfully trump, with Your truth, the cards which Satan tries to deal out to us. We do not want to call good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20).

Instead, we want to walk solely in Your truth throughout our lifetime, following Your precepts and living up to Your standards of holiness by the power of Your Spirit who abides within us. Help us to stand up to the world's philosophy and deceitful deception, and to be a light set on a hill, and salt which preserves righteousness in the world (Matthew 5:13-14).

Thought for the Day:

God's Spirit sanctifies us and transforms us by renewing our thoughts with the mind of Christ (Romans 12:2), which enables us to see things from His point of view, and to base our beliefs on His Word rather than on social issues.

God's Presence all through the Day

When God moves into our life, He calls us to do everything for His glory - even issues as mundane as what we eat and drink (1 Corinthians 10:31). God's presence in us encourages us to simplify our modern schedule and to slow down.

As we walk in the Spirit, rather than in the flesh, and we consult Him before we do anything, we accomplish God's plans instead of our own (Galatians 5:15-25). We walk in obedience, rather than in our humanistic timetable, and we enjoy unprecedented success.

We encounter God-moments of ministry, joy that defies description and that is full of God's glory, and peace like a river that flows through our body, soul and spirit and out into the world around us. We bask in God's presence within us all day long.

Anxiety and worry fade, because we are living by faith in the Son of God who loves us and gave Himself as our ransom for our sins (Galatians 2:20). Life's challenges, trials and pitfalls are simply little bumps in the road that God levels out for us (Psalm 27:11; Isaiah 26:7).

God's Trinity within us bridges the deep chasms of chaos, and provides for us in every circumstance, no matter how challenging they appear. Our part is to simplify our routine, and to consult Him before we do anything, in order to gain His perspective and plans for each moment (Proverbs 3:5-6).

This allows us to discover how easy it is to detach from the cares of this life. We no longer feel any concern about the brand of our clothing or car, the number of shoes in our closet, the amount of tools in our garage, or the amount of toys in our possession, etc.

We delight in the presence of God as we chat with Him throughout the day, and we erupt into praise for His wondrous works on our behalf. Praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) provides us with the assurance that we are making a difference in our world, one step at a time.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that when we use the negative emotions currently present in our soul as a roadmap, we can uncover the cares of this world that are holding us back from walking in Your will. They also reveal to us the neglect we discover in our own life, because Your plans for us are thwarted by our busyness, fears and insecurities.

Help us to relinquish the trappings of this life that we accumulate, because they act as chains around our feet. They hinder our walk with You by their sheer weight and the restrictions they present. We want to frolic in the freedom of Your Spirit each moment of our day, and to accomplish for Your Kingdom the works that You ordained for us to do before we were even born (Ephesians 2:10).

Thought for the Day:

The Holy Spirit is a great organizer, and He wants to clean up the clutter in our life and to streamline our concerns, in order to allow us to accomplish the works for which God created us to accomplish throughout our lifetime; we love the Lord with all of our heart, and we hold nothing back from the scrutiny of His Spirit.

 - Psalm 139:16

Grateful Praise

Grateful Praise

Praising God is for our benefit as much as for God's. Praise keeps us in a good mood, promotes positive thoughts and health, and lifts us from the pit of depression and degradation. Many people watch as we praise Him during our trials, and their thanksgiving also overflows for God's glory (2 Corinthians 4:15; Psalm 35:18).

Our Father qualified us through the blood of Jesus to share in His inheritance with all the righteous people in His Kingdom of Light; therefore, we can give joyful thanks to God, even in our negative circumstances (Colossians 1:12).

As we daily consider His Word, consult His will each moment of the day, and leave all of our cares in His competent hands, we are rooted and grounded in Him, and our faith is strengthened as we overflow with gratitude (Colossians 2:7; Proverbs 3:5-6).

As members of Jesus' Body, when we devote our self to watchful prayer and continual thankfulness, this causes the peace of Christ to control our heart (Colossians 3:15, 4:2). We inherit His Kingdom, which cannot be shaken, and we enthusiastically worship Him in reverence and with awe (Hebrews 12:28).

Even when we do not feel happy, or currently do not see anything to thank God for, we can offer up the sacrifice of praise to Him, by openly professing His righteousness, His mighty works, and the power of His name (Hebrews 13:15; Psalm 9:1, 54:6).

We have no need to feel any shame over our past, or anxiety about our current or future events, as long as we gratefully lift them to God in prayer (Philippians 4:6). Every living creature will give Him, who sits on the throne and who lives forever, all honor and glory and thanks (Revelation 4:9). 

His beloved children continually sing grateful praises to our Most High Lord, and we make music to Him on instruments and with our lips (Psalm 7:17, 147:7), because He is good to us, and His love for us endures through every generation (Psalm 106:1).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for all that you did, do and will do for us all of the days of our life. As sheep of Your pasture, we constantly praise You with our whole heart, because we hope in Your glorious name throughout every generation (Psalm 52:9, 79:13, 86:12). Thank You for Your provision for us of every good and perfect blessing (James 1:17).

You provide us with gifts from above; and we thank You, as our Father of heavenly lights, for not changing like shifting shadows (James 1:17; ); You are the same, yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Since we were bought by the price of the blood of the Lamb, we ask You to teach us to honor You with our whole spirit, soul and body (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Thought for the Day:

The Lord God is our strength, wisdom, strong tower and shield; and our heart trusts only in Him, which causes our heart to leap with joy and a new song to break forth from our lips; we give praise to His name, and we glorify Him with a thankful life. - Psalm 28:7, 69:30

Godly Lessons Learned

My former husband accused me of tearing down my house with my own hands, and of sapping his strength. In the unstable financial, emotional and sometimes physical environment, which he provided for me and my three children, fear and insecurity often overwhelmed me.

I over-reacted when something disturbed the well-planned harmony, which I built around me in order to insulate myself from a world that sometimes really, really scared me. Over the years, I learned a secret, which changed me as a person.

This enabled me to become a wise woman who builds up her husband and home, and is her husband's crown and joy (Proverbs 12:4, 14:1). God taught me how to trust HIM, instead of people or circumstances, especially when I am afraid.

I learned to get all the facts of any situation, and to pray before reacting. This way I can give a lucid response with a loving attitude as I honestly express my feelings, as well as to respond to challenges with kindness and faith (Proverbs 31:26).

Through my experiences, God also taught me the reality of Christ abiding within us (Colossians 1:27). As we grasp this fact, we can actually relinquish all of our anxiety, fear, insecurity, stress and striving as we flourish in His peace and joy.

We take all of our concerns to God in prayer, and we thank Him for a positive outcome in His timing, way and will (Philippians 4:6). Then, the peace of God envelops our soul, guards our heart and mind, frees our body, and encourages our spirit (Philippians 4:7).

Prayer:

Father God, You are our Rock, Fortress, Shield, Horn of Salvation, Stronghold, and Deliverer. We take refuge in You and call to You, and You save us from the terrors in this world, which often threaten to strangle the life right out of us (Psalm 18:2-6). We learn to trust in You alone.

You taught me that sometimes, we need to "go along in order to get along;" but at other times, I need to give others the freedom to make their own decisions; and then if their preferences affect my life adversely, I can seek You to make my own choices, which are in line with Your plans for my life.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus is our Lilly in all of the valleys of life, and our bright and morning star; when life flies at us with blinding speed, we can duck behind the Rock of our Salvation.

- Song of Solomon 2:1, Revelation 22:16, Psalm 62:6

When Bad Things Happen

Many people view trauma as God's punishment (Hebrews 12:4-5). The truth is that, due to Jesus' sacrifice, there is no penalty left for sin (Hebrews 10:26). Retribution is not necessary when we break God's precepts (Hebrews 10:18), because Jesus' blood already covers our sin (Hebrews 8:12).

Or we say trials are proof that God does not care. He allows bad things to happen to good people in order to deepen our intimacy with Him. Trials are just part of life on this sin-cursed globe, but we can have courage through them, because Jesus in us already overcame them (John 16:33).

God intervenes in life to redirect our path, to rescue us from miserable circumstances, to bless us beyond our wildest imagination, to build endurance into our character, to allow patience to perfect us (James 1:2-4), and to teach us gratitude.

God's antidote for disaster is for us to sing praises to His name for what He is going to do, even when we do not see any possibilities (Hebrews 11:1-2). We rest in His love every morning, and praise Him for His faithfulness every night (Psalm 92:1-4).

God's Word provides us with examples from other lives, as well as promises to us that God is trustworthy. Spending daily time in the scripture strengthens our faith and builds our trust in God alone. Fear and control are demolished on the Rock of Christ in us (Colossians 1:27-28).

The key to faith in trials is for us to hide in the cleft of the rock (Jeremiah 49:7-22), to snuggle deeper under His wings, to trust God in the unseen (2 Corinthians 4:18), and to focus on God's eternal plan in it all (Psalm 91:1-4). We concentrate on what we do have and think positively about the future (Philippians 4:8-9).

Prayer:

Father God, You call us to come to You when we are weary and burdened, so that You can give us Your rest and comfort. We lay down our yoke, and join Jesus in Yours, because it is easy and light with Jesus helping us to carry it (Matthew 11:28-30). Then, we can sleep in peace and safety, regardless of the issues in life that we face (Psalm 4:8).

In quiet trust, we confess our willfulness to You that often causes our predicament, and You give us Your strength (Isaiah 30:15). Even when problems make no human sense at all, we are not anxious about anything, because we live in gratitude to You for Your provision through every trial, as we trust You for the outcome.

Thought for the Day:

God's peace inundates every cell of our being, calms our troubled soul, and restores to us the joy of our salvation, as it guards our heart and mind in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7; Psalm 23

Nobody's Perfect

No one is bad enough for God to give up on them, or good enough to earn God's love (Ephesians 2:8-9). God already loves the whole world, and desires that not one single person will die in their sin to spend eternity separated from Him (John 3:16-18).

It is said that Noah's Ark had enough room in it to house every person living in that area at that time. Yet, only Noah's family chose to believe God and to get aboard the Ark. I think if I saw animals coming two-by-two of their own accord, it would make a Believer out of me.

God never sends judgment without first sending a warning. Noah preached for 120 years, and he spent a great deal of that time building the ark with his sons. Everyone had ample time to see His example, to repent of their ways, to believe God, and to get on board.

The same is true today (Matthew 24:37-51). People are eating and drinking, carry on with their life as usual, with little consciousness of God. Yet, He still loves them. Many others are trying to earn God's love through self-effort; yet, that is not necessary.

When we confess our sins, and accept the sacrifice that Jesus paid for our redemption, we are set free from both sin and death. We start living in eternity at that moment. We are in this world, but not of this world anymore (John 15:19, 17:14-26; 1 John 2:15-17; Romans 12:2). We live for God instead.

God has loving plans for each one of us, which He formulated before we were ever born (Ephesians 2:10). Living in the center of God's will for us is the happiest place on earth. We live, move and have our very existence in Him (Acts 17:28).

Humility and trust lead us to put our faith in the Lord's way, timing, and will for our life. We love the Lord, our God, with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength (Matthew 22:37). We keep our mind focused on Him each moment of our day (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Prayer:

Father God, there is nothing that can separate us from Your love (Romans 8:31-39), except our own choices. You protect us from every principality and power in high places, but You give us a free will to make our own choices. Those choices are often contrary of Your wisdom and will for us. We start to reap from the poor choices we make, and our life goes downhill from there.

Remind us that You have our best interest in Your heart, that You care for us, and that You want to bless us beyond anything we can ever imagine (1 Peter 5:7; 1 Corinthians 2:9). We are so grateful for Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf and for Your plan of salvation to redeem our spirit, to sanctify our soul, and to glorify our body for eternity.

Thought for the Day:

We can pile our troubles on God's capable shoulders, because He cares for us more than we can ever care about our self; He turns our hurts and trials into blessings; He loves us just the way we are, with all of our sins and peculiarities, without judgment and with the promise of a fulfilled future.

- Romans 8:1; Ephesians 3:16-19, Amplified Bible

Our Victory in Christ

Sin separates us from God, and grieves His Holy Spirit. This limits our ability to be used by God, and to form an intimate relationship with Him. We also lose the peace and joy available to us through salvation.

God no longer receives any joy from our behavior either. We crucify the Lord Jesus again by our choices. What a sobering thought that is. We know that this world, including its lusts, will pass away.

However, we have a personal guarantee from the Lord, that authentic Believers will abide throughout eternity (1 John 2:17). Therefore, it is in our best interest to refuse to sin. ; We change our focus to the victory won for us by Jesus' death (Hebrews 6:6; 1 Corinthians 15:56-57).

Temptations often lure us into sin; but God promises to give us a way to escape that allurement (1 Corinthians 10:13). The more we give in to the attraction to unrighteousness, the easier it is to slip into sin again with the next enticement.

Jesus' victory over sin and death actually enables us to counterattack temptation. The Holy Spirit also empowers us to resist temptation, and to walk in Jesus' righteousness (Philippians 2:13). Let us never get comfortable with sin as normal behavior.

God's promises, as well as His faithfulness to bring them to pass in our life, enables us to trust Him to provide us with all of our needs. Jesus walked through life in sinless perfection, and He abides in us by His Spirit to keep us holy as well.

Prayer:

Father God, You help us to resist every temptation that ever arises in our life. We want to be diligent in times of temptation to keep from falling into Satan's trap to steal, kill and destroy us. We draw near to You, resist the devil, and he must flee from us (James 4:7-10). We pursue holiness through the desire and the power of Christ in us (Philippians 2:13).

We rely on You to prevent us from choosing to sin, and to help us choose righteous thoughts, words and deeds instead. Thank you for dwelling within us, and giving us the goal and ability to walk in sinless perfection, and to intimately dwell with You now and for eternity (Philippians 2:12-13; Matthew 5:48).

Thoughts for the Day:

Living in God's ways is the only path through life that benefits us, and does not bring irrevocable harm to us; His plans do not harm us, and they give us a hopeful future. - Jeremiah 29:11

A Good Marriage - Open Communication

 

For the zillionth time, you probably forgot the topic of your last fight with you spouse. Why did you disagree so vehemently? Why was it so important? What fueled your intense emotion and discord? Was it worth the consequences of your words and actions? Did it really matter anyway?

Most of time we would have to answer, "No." Satan has a way of blowing things up in our mind until they seem to be immensely important - important enough to vent our annoyance, to wound our spouse, and to stick to our pride and refuse to compromise on some issue.

We fall for the devil's lies every time, and reap what we sow, which is not really necessary. Unresolved conflicts mount up in our mind and turn into an insurmountable mountain of hurt feelings, wounded egos, lack of communication, neglect, abandonment, disappointments and misunderstandings.

There is always a third option. We never need to choose sides and stubbornly fight to the finish. Instead, we can chat together to find an agreeable solution. The more time we spend together, communicating over daily feelings and issues, the less we fight.

Sharing with each other, and actually listening to each other, showing concern and compassion for one another, etc. improves our bond of love. We actually look forward to seeing each other, and we make time to pray and to play together.

Prayer:

Father God, teach us how to love unconditionally, to nurture our love for one another, to make the time and to reserve the energy it takes to communicate and to enjoy each other's company. Help us to simplify our life, reduce our stress, and spend quality time together.

Your Word reminds us that it is the little foxes (irritations, disagreements, hurts, slights, broken promises) that spoil the vine (Song of Solomon 2:15). Remind us that investing time in our relationship pays big dividends in the long run. Help us to discover shared ministry, interests, hobbies, and even making time to shop and cook together, so that we can increase our intimacy.

Thought for the Day:

Unresolved conflict festers like a splinter under our skin and eventually causes an infection in our relationship; seeking a counselor to help sort through our issues is worth the investment.

God is Our Provider

Even when we work for what we have, it ultimately all comes from God (1 Corinthians 4:7). He provides our job, health, and mental and emotional capacity to work for it; therefore, it all belongs to Him (Psalm 84:11).

God sends His blessings on thousands of generations of those who love Him (Exodus 20:5-6). It grieves God when we use His gifts for our own glory and motives (Proverbs 10:3); therefore, He prunes His children of negative fruit, so that we can bear even more fruit for Him (Romans 8:28-29, 32).

When our motivation in life is service to our King Jesus, we do not care about accolades from people, or the size of our bank account (Matthew 6:33). We trust God for each moment of our life, and He delights in blessing us (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 4:19; Hebrews 11:6).

No one's criticism diminishes our standing with God or our self, and no praise inflates our ego. We thank people for their encouraging praise and give the glory to God. We depend on God for everything, because apart from Him we can do nothing lasting (2 Corinthians 12:9).

We refuse to entertain anxiety over things pertaining to this world, remembering that, "God's got this!" (Matthew 6:25-34). We can ask for what we need to accomplish His will for our life, and He provides it (2 Corinthians 9:8; Psalm 107:9).

God is able to do more for us than we could ever imagine, because His power is working in His Saints throughout every generation (Ephesians 3:20). He is our God, our rock of refuge, our shield of salvation, our fortress, our stronghold and our deliverer (Psalm 18:2).

Prayer:

Father God, You give us everything that we need to sustain us, as we serve You during our lifetime, and we lack no good thing (Psalm 14:10; Matthew 21:22). We did not choose You, but You chose us, and appointed us to bear fruit for Your Kingdom (John 15:6). Remind us to tithe into Your storehouse from our first fruits.

Then, You can open the windows of Heaven for us (Malachi 3:10). We knock and You miraculously open doors for us; we diligently seek, and we always find the answers that we need (Matthew 7:7-8). If we abide in You, and Your words abide in us, we can look to You to supply all of our needs (John 14:13-14, 26; 15:7).

Thought for the Day:

God gives us food in due season, satisfies our desires, and strengthens our inner being with His power through His Spirit, so that we can experience true intimacy with His Son who dwells in our heart through faith.

- Ephesians 3:16-17; 1 John 3:22; Psalm 145:15-16

Relinquishing All of Our Cares

Anger and unforgiveness often go hand-in-hand and wreak havoc in our body, soul and spirit. Chronic worry, fear, anxiety, etc. are sister emotions and are also harmful to our physical, emotional and spiritual health.

Vocational pressure, hyper-schedules, and expectations from our self or others, intensify these toxic emotions. We strive for success and end up in bondage to perfectionism. We make to-do lists that grow longer every day, which overwhelms us.

Shame from satanic lies and our sinful behavior is another toxic emotion. We compare our self with others and feel "less than". Striving in our human power to overcome these issues drains us of energy needed for other things.

Resolving conflicts by communicating our feelings will reduce our anger. Forgiving others does not excuse them, but it removes us from living in bondage to their behavior. Coming to Christ for forgiveness of our sins also helps us to heal (Philippians 2:12-13).

God heals us from Satan's lies, which greatly improves our health, peace and joy. Living in harmony with God's Spirit, and detoxing our emotions and the chemical burden on our body, reduces the inflammation in our body, which causes most of our physical illnesses.

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Daily journaling our thoughts, troubles, worries, negative emotions, and concerns helps us to detoxify many of our negative emotions. Journaling aids us in reducing our stress level, worry and sleepless nights. It frees our soul of an unhealthy toxic burden.

We can accept our negative emotions instead of hiding them in our subconscious mind, or quietly nursing them. Feeling the emotions fully and asking God to help us to change our focus about the issue is very helpful in finding freedom from it.

Prayer:

Father God, when we lay awake with the acid of anxiety churning in our stomach, and worry controlling our thoughts, we are lacking in faith in Your faithfulness. Remind us that if we are fine in this one moment of time, regardless of what happened today, yesterday, or the threats of negative experiences tomorrow, we can let go of our cares by placing them in Your heart and capable hands (1 Peter 5:7).

You are more than proficient in resolving every issue in our life, as we bask in Your presence, praise You for Your blessings, thank You for what you did and do and will do for us, and trust You for each moment of our life. Remind us to trust in You with our whole heart, and not to depend on our human understanding, reasoning and talents.

Thought for the Day:

Worry is toxic and useless, but trusting in God brings added blessings to our life that we never imagined would happen; if we forcefully throw all of our anxiety into God's hands to carry, His peace and joy immediately flood our soul and free us from all anxiety.

- 1 Peter 5:7

Salty Saints

Jesus pointed out two distinct ways that He wants us to live on this earth. One is as salt, and the other is as light. Our dark, depraved society truly needs both of them, and that is our commission from our King Jesus.

In fact, Jesus feels so strongly about this that He declares that if we are not fulfilling this purpose for our life, He will toss us out into the world, and we will get trampled by men (Matthew 5:13). What does it mean to be salt and light?

Well, light is easy to understand. Jesus is our Inner Light and the only way that people around us will not see it, is if we hide it under a covering (Matthew 5:16). As light, we brighten our little spot on the globe, as well as the lives of those we know around the earth.

Salt is harder to comprehend, unless we see what the purpose of salt is in our world. It is good on its own merit, but it makes everything else tastier and richer. It is possible to have too much salt, however; and that is when it affects us negatively.

First, salt is an antibacterial, and was used for centuries of time to protect food from rotting and causing illness. Salt impedes the decomposing process, and prolongs the usefulness of the product it preserves. We help to preserve those whom God is calling to Himself.

We also stand up for the rights of unborn children, the abused and the oppressed. We help others in their hard times, and we keep them encouraged as they face life's wounds and set-backs. We are also examples to others of a healthy life in every area.

Secondly, salt improves the world around us. It brings out the flavor inherent in the food we eat, and in the lives of those we encounter every day - even if we do not know them. As salt, we enhance the flavors in the world around us.

Salt will even make things sweeter by contrast. As our relationship with Jesus grows more harmonious day-by-day, this agreeable flavor affects the world around us. Our Godly example is noticed by many, imitated by some, and an encouragement to others.

Prayer:

Father God, help us to brighten, enhance and flavor the microcosm of our world. Remind us to walk in Your Spirit's direction for each moment of our day, so that we can help to preserve our society for goodness, sanctity and holiness. Teach us that, as light, people see our good works and give You the glory (Matthew 5:16).

Then, as salt, You use us to flavor the lives around us and help to preserve a Godly medicinal value in the rotting world in which we live. Allow all of our friends, relatives, associates and neighbors to be influenced by Your Christ in us. We want to walk in Your will and further Your Kingdom each moment of our day.

Thought for the Day:

We are salty Saints when we help to preserve and flavor the goodness in the world arounds us, and in our church family; we live at peace with one another, full of God's compassion and graciousness, and we endeavor to answer questions and give a reason for the hope that abides within us.

- Colossians 4:6; Mark 9:50

Trusting without Hesitation

God knows our weaknesses, and He gives us strength to trust even when we hesitate. Yet, I would like to trust without reservations of any type or amount. I would like to walk in complete conviction and faith in God's faithfulness.

God blesses us when we place our confidence in His ability, desire and willingness to work out everything for our good (Romans 8:28; Philippians 2:12-13). He reminds us to grow where we are planted, like a tree by the river, sending our roots out into the stream (Jeremiah 17:7).

                                                     

Yet, fear often etches away at our grip on the soil supporting us, and this requires us to intentionally place our faith firmly in the Lord (Psalm 56:3; Proverbs 3:5-6). Knowing that His unfailing love will show us the way to go, we can sleep peacefully (Psalm 143:8).

Our greatest test of faith is entrusting all of our circumstances to Him, and not attempting to work them out in our human effort. Even in times of trouble, God nourishes our faith, and we bear fruit for His Kingdom (Jeremiah 17:8; Isaiah 43:2).

Fears, like the waves of the sea, toss us about in doubt and confusion (James 1:6). I often run to the shelter of God's wings, and I rest in His shadow, because He is the only refuge and fortress worthy of our trust (Psalm 62:7, 91:1-2).

Living by faith rather than by what we perceive with our finite human senses, we hear from God's Spirit for His direction for each moment of our life. This helps us to commit our thoughts, words and actions to the Lord, and He discloses His plans to us (Proverbs 16:3; 1 John 5:14; 2 Corinthians 5:7).

Prayer:

Father God, it is better for us to trust in You more than anyone or anything else (Psalm 118:8). Thank You for never sleeping, and for always watching out for us (Psalm 121:3). Help us to trust in You like creation does, because You consistently care for every creature and blade of grass (Matthew 6:26; Proverbs 29:25). You simply ask for us to rely on Your truth by faith when we call on You, and You will reveal Your presence to us (Psalm 145:18).

The hardest part of faith is waiting on Your provision (Psalm 27:14). You are our help in times of need, and You will never, ever leave or forsake us; so, we can trust and rely on Your love for us, and not be afraid (Hebrews 13:5-6; 1 John 4:16). You provide for all of our needs, and we have no reason to fear (Philippians 4:19; Psalm 37:3).

Thought for the Day:

When we focus on God each moment, rather than on our troubles, His love and peace cast out our fear; when we walk in repentance, and fear God instead of circumstances, we are able to trust, and we find our refuge in Him; then, He abundantly and continually provide for us.

 - Psalm 31:19, 37:5-6; 1 John 3:21-22, 5:15; Nahum 1:7

A Hidden Life with Christ in God

The greatest aspect of our relationship with God is to come to intimately know Him as the one true Father of compassion, the God of all comfort, and to realize that He wants to accomplish His plans through Christ, who abides within us  (2 Corinthians 1:3; John 17:3).

Without the understanding of Christ dwelling within us, we cannot walk in victory over sin, sickness and death. Once we come to an epiphany of our union with Christ, however, anything is possible, according to the will of God (Mark 10:27; Colossians 3:3-4).

Humans foolishly count our worth through an earthly perception of the fame, fortune and success that we achieve in this world. These are fleeting and transitory and can change in an instant with an unforeseen event, swamping us with a deluge of negative emotions.

Instead of striving to find our place in this world, we can put on the new self, which Jesus is renewing within us (Colossians 3:10). He also gives us His Spirit to teach us all things that we need to know for a successful life of Godliness (1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:3).

We serve our God who graciously forgives our sin debt, as well as saving us from the punishment of our sins (1 John 1:9; Romans 6:23). We no longer yearn to fulfill the deeds of our flesh in our mortal body. God provides us with the desire and the power to bring Him pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

God changes our nature from a carnal, earthly fleshly one, to one full of purity, holiness and spirituality (2 Corinthians 3:18). He gives us a way out of every future temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13), and He walks with us and in us every moment of every day.

He always gives us His strength to go through every trail, as He delivers us through it (Philippians 2:12). With our mind focused on God, we walk in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Our deepest affections are reserved just for Him.

Prayer:

Father God, it is foolish to count our worth according to our fame, fortune or success in this life. These are fleeting and transitory and can change in an instant. Remind us that as followers of Christ, it is anticlimactic to pursue aspects pertaining to this earthly realm.

Help us to focus our mind, affections and goals on Your purposes for us (Colossians 3:2). We no longer desire to fulfill the yearning of our mortal body; because we are putting on the new self, which Jesus is renewing within us (Colossians 3:10). We are never more fulfilled than when we are walking closest to You through Christ in us.

Thought for the Day:

The consequences of our choices and actions follow us into eternity; true abundance in this life only comes when we adopt a spiritual purpose, and focus on an eternal perspective, which allows our interests to center on God’s intentions, instructions and His inclusion of us in His plans.

- Matthew 6:19-21

A Living Hope

Humans cannot live without hope. A disheartening existence crushes our soul, and affects our health in body and spirit (Job 17:15). Adam's sin guaranteed for us a life of struggle and trials; even creation suffers for it.

Yet, when circumstances cut us off from our last thread of hope, many humans will valiantly knit another one to keep from falling into the abyss of depression and hopelessness. Our indomitable human spirit often refuses to give in or to give up.

Authentic Christians realize that we do not belong to this world, because it is not our true home (1 Peter 2:11). Our immovable hope is in God, and our steadfast heavenly mind-set gives us a positive attitude in the discouragement of this life (1 Corinthians 15:54-58).

God is our real hope in times of trouble. As we walk in His truth, we are totally alive and joyful (Proverbs 13:12). Our earthy existence is only a shadow of what God prepared for His Saints (1 Chronicles 29:15).

Although we all suffer trauma in this life, those who are Born Again in spirit have an undefiled inheritance in the next life (John 3:16-17). Our current suffering is but a wisp of vapor compared to eternity (James 4:13-14).

Jesus in us fights for us through every negative experience (Joshua 10:25; John 5:6). We trust in His salvation (1 Peter 1:3-6). We also rest in His presence, lie down without fear, and are secure in the hope, which He provides (Job 11:18-19, 13:15).

Our hopefulness springs from the reality that Jesus paid our sin debt on Calvary's cross, that He conquered death by His resurrection victory, and that He fills us with His Spirit. We look forward to rejoicing and praising God for eternity with all of the Saints.

Prayer:

Father God, we have access to Your throne any time day and night by our faith in Your faithfulness. Our trials produce hope in us, which never disappoints us, and You work out every issue for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). Thank You that, even while we were still sinners, You sent Jesus to die in our place, and that Your Spirit pours out Your love in our heart (Romans 5:2-7; John 10:17-18, 15:13).

You have a perfect plan for our life (Ephesians 2:10). In the face of the worse trial life offers us, we never lose hope, because it is actually light and momentary affliction, when compared to the incomparable, unseen weight of glory, which You have prepared for us in eternity (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Thought for the Day:

Our last breath in this earthly realm is immediately followed by our first breath in our eternal home; yet, while we remain on this earth, the power of God fills our heart with joy and peace, and our hope abounds. - Romans 15:13

Accepted and Loved

As children, it is vital that we bond with our parents and feel an attachment to them. Often, wounded parents wound their children without ever meaning to do so. They parent to the best of their ability; but they are hurting humans, and they pass that pain along.

Cortisol and adrenalin in our body causes our fight/flight response to danger in our life, and are elements in our body that are affected by our relationship with our parents and the world in which we live. Too much, or too little affects our health.

Cortisol levels are affected by our generational ties from previous generations, as well as our relationship to our parents (Exodus 34:6-7). To combat this, many of us will keep people at a distance, preferring to be alone.

We may have a poor relationship with our self also, requiring perfection and erecting high goals for our self to reach. We use addictions, extreme sports, hobbies and activities, etc. to numb our fears, and to ignore the need to accept our self just as we are.

This is never a viable choice, however, because it only increases our insecurities and fears. We live in dread that others may discover who we really are and reject us; so we adopt positive qualities from successful people and incorporate them into our personality.

Bravery is required in order to be our self, so that we can heal our body and soul from ancestral and personal trauma, and live at peace in our world. We need to learn not to define our self by our role or possessions in life, but as a person who has value and integrity in Christ.

We also allow God to exorcise us from the demon of perfectionism; so that we can spend less time obsessing over life, and more time enjoying our world. We learn to laugh at our foibles, and to live a fulfilling life serving God and other people, in the same way that we learn to love our self (Mark 12:30-31).

Prayer:

Father God, teach us to find our value through Your eyes, as Your child, and as co-heirs with Jesus of Your entire Kingdom. Thank You that Jesus took away our shame by taking it with Him to the cross, and that He gave us His righteousness in its place. Remind us that You fill us with your compassion toward our self and others. Teach us to value who we are in You.

You help us to accept that we are all flawed human beings in need of a Savior, and then You give us Your presence in our life to fulfill us through our entire being (Ephesians 3:16-19, Amplified Bible). We find our peace in the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 91:4). By Your love for us, we are worthy of health and wholeness by the blood of Your Lamb, Jesus Christ. You teach us to live in humility and vulnerability, and to love everyone as a potential friend, because we are Your friend (James 2:21-23; John 15:15-17).

Thought for the Day:

Living an authentic life requires that we trust God to help us to love others as we love our self, to admit when we are wrong without accepting shame from the devil, and to allow our self to vulnerably bond with other people; to live any other way is to invite neurosis, rejection, neglect, abuse, and abandonment, when all we really want is to feel included, affirmed, valued, cherished and appreciated.

- Matthew 22:34-40; James 4:7-8; John 15:13-15

Worthy of All Praise

The Jews proclaimed Jesus as King; and then, a short time later, they demanded His crucifixion. Many humans are fickle at best, and easily persuaded to change their mind with the flow of popular views.

However, the real culprits in this story are you and me. Our sin caused Jesus Christ to leave His home in glory, live a hard life of many sorrows, suffer torture, and submit to His death on the cross. Our pride, rebellion and unbelief is what inflicted all of that pain on our Savior.

I cry every time I think of what I did to Him. I have a nativity set in every room in our home, which reminds me to praise Him continually for His ultimate sacrifice on my behalf. He is so worthy of all of our praise.

We inadvertently injure others by our thoughtless words and actions as well. When I am tempted to complain about the moments in life that I feel broken, confused, crushed, fearful, strained and abused, I just think of the cross.

What Jesus did for us is monumental. We endure an imperfect life on this earth, ruined by the ravages of sin in us and to us by other sinners. However, none of us have ever suffered what Jesus did for us (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Jesus' resurrection ensured our joy and eternal glory, as well as His continual comfort during our lifetime on this earth, if we simply maintain a spirit which is continually humbled and contrite (Psalm 51:17; Matthew 5:4).

He came to heal the brokenhearted by the anointing of God's Holy Spirit in His humanity (Luke 4:18). We are free from discouragement, despair, brokenness, abandonment by God, etc. because of Jesus' obedience to our Father's will (2 Corinthians 7:12; Psalm 34:18).

Prayer:

Father God, teach us to live in humility and obedience to the direction of Your Holy Spirit each moment of the day. We want to rest on the Rock of Christ and enjoy Your peace and joy continually, regardless of our circumstances (Luke 20:18; John 3:16-18). Thank You for including Gentiles in Your plan of Salvation along with Your chosen Jewish nation (Romans 11:19, 25; John 15:5; Matthew 12:20; Revelation 7:4).

We look forward to serving You in Your Kingdom for eternity (2 Timothy 2:12). Draw our family, friends, neighbors and associates to Jesus for salvation, and continue to show us Your great and mighty works that You prepared for us before You even created the earth (Jeremiah 33:33). Thank You for Your sanctifying work in us as we completely surrender to Your will.

Thought for the Day:

We so often resist the love and grace of God, and many forfeit His blessings for most of their life because they do; but if we allow our self to be broken and humbled, He will fill us with His presence and continually provide for us each moment of our day.

- Matthew 26:7; John 10:18; Hebrews 10:19-22

Desires of Our Heart

Many people look to God to give them the desires of their heart. God is a good, good Father, and we are entirely loved by Him. That is why He rarely grants our wishes, unless He knows they are what we really need.

God's Word tells us that we do not receive what we want from Him, nor are we able to attain it on our own, regardless of the methods we use to achieve our goals, because we have the wrong motive and simply want to squander our resources on our own pleasures (James 4:2-3).

When we are caught up in this world and desire earthly treasures, we are in a hostile relationship with God, which results in us living as His enemy (James 4:4). Yes, the Word does tell us that God will give us the desires of our heart, but where is our heart?

We will receive what we ask for only if it is in lock-step with His commandments, pleasing in His sight, and according to His will for us (1 John 3:22, 5:14). Otherwise in His wisdom and love for us, God turns a deaf ear to our demands (Proverbs 1:28; Psalm 66:18).

There are certain criteria required of us, in order for us to receive the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:3-5):

1. Trust in the Lord

2. Do good with our life

3. Cultivate faithfulness to God

4. Commit our life to the Lord, and most importantly

5. Delight in the Lord, and

6. Consult Him at all times

Then if we ask, He will give it; if we seek, we shall find; and if we knock, He will open doors for us (Matthew 7:7-8; Job 22:26, 27:10). When our desires come from Him, He does not withhold our requests (Psalm 21:2).

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that when we honor You with our thoughts, words and actions - when we come to realize that fearing You is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), then You hear our cries to You and You save us (Psalm 145:19). You put Your desires in our heart, and we want nothing more out of life than to abide in Your presence each moment of all of our days.

When we delight in You alone, wanting nothing more than to live as bond servants to Your will for our life on this earth, You make us lie down in green pastures and to ride on mountaintops, as You provide for our every need (Psalm 23:1; Isaiah 58:14). Thank you for the multitude of blessings You give us all day long; and help us to simplify our busy schedule, so that we are aware of every one of Your miracles - great and small.

Thought for the Day:

When God is our Lord, we will open our mouth wide, and He will fill it; when worry and fear threaten to overcome us, His comforts delight our soul; His steadfast love never ceases, His faithfulness surrounds us each moment of our day, and His mercies never ends, because they are new every morning.

- Psalm 81:10, 94:19; Lamentations 3:22-23