Our Refuge and Strength

Authentic Believers yearn to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of our life, and to gaze on His beauty. In any time of trouble,  He keeps us safe, He hides us in the shelter of His dwelling place, and He sets our feet high upon a Rock (Psalm 27:4-5, 40:2).

We enjoy a fulfilled Christian life only as we submit our self to the guidance of the Spirit of God. When we seek first His Kingdom, He blesses, guides, multiplies and cares for all of our needs (Matthew 6:33). He is our refuge and our strength (Psalm 46:1-2).

Achieving this status takes time, effort and commitment. He truly is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, our Redeemer, our salvation, a refuge in the storm, and our Comforter and Guide. He never leaves us and never forsakes us (John 14:26; Proverbs 18:24; Hebrews 13:5).

He is all we need, want or seek after. Listen to God as He tells you where He wants you to wait on Him and to spend intimate time with Him. It may be at the park, in the attic or basement, under the canopy of leaves on a tree in your backyard, or like me - sitting in the middle of your bed.

God just wants to obtain your undivided attention, and to simplify your life by getting rid of the inner clutter first, and then by leading you to have a garage sale to rid your home and office of all of the unnecessary outer clutter.

He teaches us to perfect the art of living fully within each moment of the day. We develop a calm awareness of God’s continual presence within us. We would never exchange one day of our lifetime of moments with our Savior and Lord (Psalm 84:10-12). 

Prayer:

Father God, rather than working for You, teach us how to allow You to work in and through us. We cut out everything in our life that is not absolutely relevant, so that we can achieve a state of Your peace that overcomes every circumstance (Philippians 4:7). Your joy serves as our constant strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

We want Christ as our life, not just as a philosophy or doctrine that we embrace (Colossians 3:3-4). We want to know You personally, as we are already fully known by You (1 Corinthians 13:12). Thank you for serving as our Rock, our Sword and our Shield as we travel through this dry and distant land called "life."

Thought for the Day:

As we abide in the Vine, and allow the Holy Spirit to transform our thoughts and emotions and choices, we are totally Spirit led; and when we live by God's Word and direction, we will bear much fruit for His kingdom.

- John 15:1-14

Living in Hope

Life rarely transpires as simply as we hope it will. Nothing is ever easy. Something usually goes wrong that rearranges our plans and causes stress, confusion and sometimes even depression.

However, placing our hope in God keeps us from experiencing disappointment, because the love of God fills our heart to overflowing, and His Spirit abides within us to comfort and to direct us (Ephesians 3:16-19; Romans 5:5).

If we have the courage not to give up, and if we hope only in the Lord, then God will strengthen our heart (Galatians 6:9; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26). Daily, God prompts us to learn from our past mistakes and to meet each pure, fresh day with renewed enthusiasm.

If we will devote our life to our Living Savior, yearn for intimacy and union with Him, turn from the sin that presents itself to us through the flesh and the devil and the world, we can lift up our face to the Lord, standing firm without fear (Job 11:13-15).

We view trouble and trials as water that flows through our life. They become distant memories that brought us closer to our loving Heavenly Father. He makes our days brighter than the sun at noon, and our darkest night shines like the morning sunrise (Job 11:16-17).

We find our security from Him, and we place our hope only in the Lord. This allows us to rest in the safety of the shadow of His wings. No one can cause us to fear, and everyone will be drawn to Christ in us (Job 11:18-19; Psalm 91:4).

Prayer:
Father God, You did not promise us tomorrow, but You inspire us with Your hope throughout our day. Your hope sheds light on our path, cheers us on our way, and grows brighter even if our circumstances darken. You also use us to aid others along life’s way, as we empathize with their discouragement, and show compassion for them in their trials.

Remind us to share Bible verses with them, which lightened our heart; so that we can encourage them in their pursuit of holiness and dedication to Your plans for their life. This will teach them the wisdom that we learned when we walked through trials that are similar to theirs. Please keep Your eye on those of us who hope in Your mercy. Remind us that our ultimate hope rests in living both now and for eternity with You (Colossians 1:27).

Thought for the Day:

Sometimes, we wallow in a hopeless cesspool of gloom, and only the mercy of God gives us the hope that we need to climb out of the dark pit of self-pity, which we dig for our self; living our life in Christ gives us the security of His love, and His hope as our eternal strength.

- Colossians 3:3-4

Eternal Reality

At times, living for the sake of the Kingdom of God will take some sacrifice on our part; however, we will gain so much more in this life, than we give up now, as well as in our eternal life in the age to come (Luke 18:29-30).

We will reap the assurance of the things we hoped for by faith, and the honest conviction of the things we cannot even see in this natural world (Hebrews 11:1). One sacrifice I had to make was not seeing my grandchildren very often.

                                   

They live in Missouri, and I lived in the southern-most tip of Florida on the border of the Everglades. Recently, however, God moved us to within three hours of where they live, and I am able to see them more often when our schedules coincide.

God used us to further His Kingdom in south Florida, and also now in southern Illinois - where I am now able to spend more time with my grandchildren. However, I long to be involved in their lives on a daily basis.

I did not want to be satisfied with an occasional visit, or an eternal perspective on this issue. I wanted to be with them now, as well as in eternity. This realization made me recognize yet another level of attachment to this world, which remained entrenched in my soul.

This thought caused the Holy Spirit to drench me with a double dose of conviction. After over 40 years of walking with God on an intimate basis, I found one more area of my life still way too attached to this earthly realm.

Sure, I have no affection for material possessions, worldly success, or recognition of any kind. Now, however, I realized that part of me is still very much bound to this world - the grandma part of me.

Prayer:

Father God, You are not as interested in our natural family as You are in our spiritual family (Mark 10:29-30, Luke 18: 29-30, and Matthew 19:29; Luke 21:16, 17). Jesus felt this same distance from His own friends and family; and the servant is not greater than her Lord (John 15:20).

In eternity, You will free us from all of these natural barriers and conditions that strap us to this earthly sphere. The moment we are absent from this body, we will be present with You, Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), and we will know and be known for eternity (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Thought for the Day:

God’s reality looks nothing like our earthly existence; and we rely on the Lord to give us both the desire and the power to live out His will for us while we remain in this realm, regardless of the circumstances in our life.

- Philippians 2:12-13

Freeing Our Soul

Negative emotions are God's gift to us. They alert us that something is wrong in our life. That way, we can either fix the root cause of the emotion, or take it to the Lord in prayer for His faithful, nurturing assistance.

Some people wallow in their negative emotions, or allow them to rule their thoughts, words and behavior. This is never a good idea, because that is not why God gave them to us. He allows them to manifest, so that we can see issues in our life that need our attention.

Negative emotions will often attempt to imprison us in the despair, bitterness, depression and anxiety that drive them. Emotional abuse, jealousy, a major loss or disappointment, etc. try to cripple us and render us useless for the Lord's service.

Never make a decision based on negative emotions. Hear from God and follow His Spirit's direction in making every decision. Inferiority, false accusations, disillusionment, insecurity, fear, lack of purpose, etc. all host negative emotions.

Then, they spiral out of control and consume our thoughts and emotions. Journaling helps us to trace the emotion back to its original source. This way we can actually take control away from the negative and make changes in our life to get back on a positive track (Philippians 4:8).

Waiting on the Lord, and courageously accepting His ministry to strengthen our heart, will aid us in our walk through the valley of despair (Psalm 17:14). He helps us to nourish constructive emotions that provide us with positive energy to change our circumstances.

Prayer:

Father God, I have noticed that emotional bankruptcy is too often responsible for the destruction of a life. Remind us to intentionally examine all of our negative emotions. As long as we put our trust only in You, there is nothing that happens to us that is too difficult for You to turn around for our good (Luke 18:27; Romans 8:28).

Help us to monitor our balance in our thoughts, choices and feelings, and to use only constructive means in order to meet our soul's needs. Remind us that our greatest help in times of trouble is continual communication with You in prayer, feasting on Your Word, drinking of Your living water, providing opportunities for our soul's refreshment, and fellowshipping with other Believers.

Thought for the Day:

The gift of emotions is one of our assets from the Lord, and should be handled wisely in order to harness them, learn from them, grow from them and discipline our self not to over-react with them; we take into consideration the root cause of them and work with the Lord to discover His will for us in them.

Asking and Receiving

I am learning a new concept from some old and familiar verses. The simple wisdom in Proverbs encourages us to consult the Lord for each moment of our day, and to trust only and implicitly in Him, as we follow His Spirit's direction (Proverbs 3:5-6). I have done this for years, and I found great success is God's formula for life.

Recently, I prayed about some unexplained pain in my ankle and shoulder. The Great Physician informed me that the underlying cause came from Bursitis. I had no idea what that was, until I researched it online and found out the source of the issue and the solution.

Of course, to tell a housewife to rest her ankles and shoulders is giving her an almost impossible task. Accomplishing every chore depends on these joints. So, I waited on the Lord to remove the pain, as He has done several times in my past.

God had already healed my pain from the extensive bodily damage done in a car wreck, and from a dislocated shoulder, and a pinched nerve in my hip, as well as from a broken big toe. Each issue required weeks of recovery, but the pain He lifted immediately.

I prayed about the Bursitis pain, and the Lord reminded me that without the pain, I would abuse my shoulder; and He allowed the pain to remain to teach me how to reprocess my life to stop putting undue stress on my shoulders. His grace was sufficient for me (2 Corinthians 12:9).

He also reminded me of Biblical encouragement to keep on knocking, so the door would open; to keep on seeking so I could find answers and solutions; and to keep on asking in order for me to receive the ultimate healing from this issue (Matthew 7:7).

This is a continual principle for us to live by in every circumstance. Therefore, as I stop abusing my ankle and shoulders, and as I ask for continued healing from the source of the pain, the bursitis will be a distant memory. God delights in faithfully caring for the needs of His children.

Prayer:

Father God, You are such a good provider - compassionate, caring and faithful to all of Your children in every way. Yet, we fail to avail our self of Your supply, because we do not continue to knock, seek and ask. Remind us to consult You immediately about our need, and to specifically ask for a resolution.

Teach us to come to You as Your little children, starry-eyed with faith in Your faithfulness, and knowing full-well that You intend to meet our needs. At times, rather than to heal us, You give us the grace that we need to bear some heavy load or infirmity (2 Corinthians 12:9); however, You are often just waiting for us to humble our self, and to come to You asking specifically for our supply.

Thought for the Day:

From opening jar lids, to receiving the money we needed to pay for unexpected expenses, God is always faithful to His Saints; the more we trust in His mercy and grace and provision, the more He proves Himself worthy of our trust.

Clutter Catastrophe

I cannot stand clutter. Do you have a clutter problem too? If we do not have a place for something, we do not buy it, regardless of how interested we are in having it. We made a place for everything we have, and we put everything back in its place.  

With bursitis in both shoulders, caused by repeatedly reaching up high in our cabinets to retrieve needed dishes, serving platters, glasses, mugs, baking dishes, etc., I developed extreme shoulder pain.

My dear husband helped my shoulders to heal by putting everything, which we often use, down on our counter. That helped my shoulders, but not my soul; because clutter affects our peace, our sense of order, and our health.

Outer clutter contributes to inner clutter, which clouds our judgment and decision-making process as it also produces stress. Many people cannot work in cluttered surroundings either. Our cortisol - stress hormone - raises and causes physical illness.

The chaos also effects our ability to concentrate and lessens our productivity. Tidy and orderly environments work much better for us. Stress caused by clutter wears us out, and we battle with physical pain and depression too.

Our behavior is affected by the anxiety produced in us by a cluttered atmosphere. A cluttered room affects our productivity, quality of sleep, weight gain/loss, overall health, etc. Conversely, a straightened and orderly environment is healthy for us.

Disentangling from clutter is a very wise choice to make. We calm mentally, physically and emotionally when we declutter our home, office, car, schedule, life, etc. We are more efficient with less clutter and accomplish more with our life.

Prayer:

Father God, You are not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). You inspire us to do all things decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40). We can hear Your Spirit's guidance much better when the cacophony of clutter is no longer the tyrannical author of the confusion in our life. Help us not to buy things we do not need, or to collect unnecessary items that clutter our life.

We want to live as good stewards of the finances that You give to us - using them for Your Kingdom, rather than wasting them on items that will only clutter our life; of course, purchasing time and energy saving devices, as well as products that improve our health is always acceptable. Teach us to walk in Your ways and to focus on Christ as our life (Colossians 3:3-4). 

Thought for the Day:

Controlling the order in our surroundings at home, in our vocation and ministry, car, etc. will make a positive impact on our thoughts, feelings, health, decisions and overall peace and joy, as it gives us more energy, time and vision to further God's Kingdom on the earth.

Hidden with Christ in God

We inherit a sin nature from our father Adam; however, once we come to Christ, that sin nature dies with Christ on the cross, and we are now hidden with Christ in God (Galatians 2:20). Our body of sin is dead and we are free not to sin.

We are no longer slaves to carnal lusts and desires (Roman 6:6-7, 8:2). We are not only dead to sin, but we are alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:5; Romans 6:4). God's Trinity dwells in our body now, and sin no longer has dominion over us.

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ set us permanently free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). We live in our body, but it is Christ who lives in and through us (Romans 6:6). We walk in the Spirit and do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:15-25).

Daily, we are renewed according to the image of the One who created us (Colossians 3:10). We are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), in the likeness of Christ, and we now live in righteous, holiness and truth (Ephesians 4:24).

We grasp the revelation that we are baptized into Christ's death, and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb (Romans 6:3). Even as Jesus overcame sin and death through His life and death, we are freed in Him from sin and death, which are no longer controlling our life (Romans 6:6-9).

We must believe in the reality of what happened on the cross, not just positionally, but experientially as well, because God's Spirit transforms us through His sanctifying power (James 1:21). We are actually dead to sin and alive to God through Christ in us (Romans 6:11).

If we are tempted, and drawn away by human lust, it is because we have not fully surrendered that part of our self to God. We are choosing to allow that human tendency to retain power over us (Romans 6:12).

In truth, we are no longer obliged to obey the lusts of our flesh, or the temptations of the world and the devil. We do not present our body and soul as instruments of sin and unholiness (Romans 6:13); but we walk in the Spirit, which guarantees that we will not walk in the flesh (Galatians 5:15-25).

Prayer:

Father God, through Christ, who is our whole reason for living, we present our self to You as one alive from the dead (Colossians 3:3-4). We are a living sacrifice and want to be acceptable to You (Romans 12:1). We cooperate with Your Spirit's sanctifying work in our life, and we disengage from this world and focus on Your Kingdom instead.

Teach us, through the power of the resurrection in us through Christ, to live as slaves of righteousness rather than as slaves to Satan, the world and sin. Jesus already overcame the world, and we overcome the world through His redeeming work in us. Remind us of the reality of the truth that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus only did what He saw our Father doing; and this can be our focus in life as well, because we decrease so that He may increase - walking in the Spirit and not fulfilling the desires of sin that formerly dominated our life.

- Romans 5:15-25

Freedom with an Eternal Perspective

Life often throws us off center by confusion and catastrophe, which come when we least expect it. We get disoriented and feel insecure and fearful, so we panic and make poor decisions, reacting with negative emotions that create even more problems.

Our normally peaceful existence spins out of control, and each compartment of our life, which we meticulously created to provide us with security and a safe haven, suddenly tilts out of balance.

God pulls out of us all of the roots of pride, selfishness and self-reliance that prevent us from fully surrendering to Him. Initially, this pruning is uncomfortable. However, ultimately, it frees us from the encumbrances of the flesh and the world.

God never forsakes those who seek Him. We know the power of His name, and we trust only in Him (Psalm 9:10). Even in calamity, living with an eternal perspective gives life all the vibrancy and fragrance of a blooming flower.

Focusing on God's will each moment of our day makes it so much easier to align the desires of our heart according to His ultimate plan for our life. We no longer look to our body or soul to find fulfillment, although we do not neglect our legitimate needs.

We find more delight in reading His Word and in fellowshipping with His Body, and we take every opportunity to invite people to church and to share Christ with every weary soul that He brings our way.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that developing a spiritual mindset allows us to walk in abiding joy, peace and gratitude as we accomplish Your will for our lives on a daily basis. When we sell out for Christ, we live with a stronger desire to please You. We love You with all of our heart; and we lean only on You for our strength, wisdom and guidance throughout the day.

We follow Jesus to the cross and we lose our life for Your sake; but then, we find new life through our glorious intimate relationship with You (Matthew 10:38-39). As we faithfully follow Your precepts, our love for You and our trust in You also increases. When we simply do Your will on a daily basis, we bring both You and us so much joy and satisfaction.

Thought for the Day:

Living in God's will is a continual journey, not an ultimate destination; when we are used to walking in unity with His Holy Spirit each moment of the day, the grief we experience when we live outside of His will sends us running back into His everlasting arms.

Emotional Intimacy

Emotional intimacy in a relationship brings emotional security to our union. This is hard, but not impossible to attain, even if one or both people never learned to freely express their emotions. Intimacy requires that each person fully listens to one another.

Often, we are so consumed with what we want to say next that we barely listen to the other person's viewpoint. At times, we see no validity to their issue, so we ignore them or belittle them. This drives a wedge between us and prevents intimacy.

We often spend more time on our phone or social media than we do with each other. We lack respect for each other's perspective, and we consider one another an interruption or irritation. We are consumed with our own pursuits, and overlook each other.

A good habit to develop that will prevent this from happening in our family is to sit down together in the quiet of the end of the day, turn off the TV and phones, and sit together in the living room. Gaze into each other's eyes as they talk, take note of each other's body language, and listen as you take turns sharing about your day.

We can prevent our self from making judgmental criticisms, berating one another, or dismissing each other's concerns as silly fears or stereotypical behavior. We show that we care about each other's struggles, concerns, stresses and hardships.

We can help each other carry our burdens, and pray for one another. We nurture one another by actively listening and taking each other seriously. We take time together and assure each other of our love, and our joy that we are partners in life.

Prayer:

Father God, please teach us to give each other nurturing affection, loving eye contact, listening ears, and true concern for one another's burdens. We want to dwell together in unity in body, soul and spirit - understanding one another and giving each other honor and attention (1 Peter 3:7). Remind us to compliment and affirm one another by sharing positive traits that we see in each other.

Remind us too, that You gave us to one another to support, to affirm, and to share our strengths to make a better relationship and a deeper unity. Help us to show each other every day that we are vitally important to one another - by doing the little things for each other that make such a huge difference, and by helping to carry each other's burdens.

Thought for the Day:

Some personalities cut to the chase and leave out all the details of an incident - just reporting on the main facts; while others want to understand the details and resent getting the abridged edition of our day; listening to one another, validating each one's concerns, and joining forces to pray about or to discern God's plans in each situation will do much to make our relationships stronger.

Abiding Grace

Grace is one of the sweetest, yet most powerful words in the Bible. Due to Adam's sin, death now reigns in the spirit of every person ever born, throughout all generations. The condemnation of sin is on each person as a result of Adam's disobedience

Yet, justification and life is ours through the obedience of Jesus who paid our debt on the cross and gave us eternal life (Romans 3:23, 5:18-20). God's abundant grace and righteousness are available to all of us through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).

Jesus' sacrifice of His own life restored our fellowship with God (Romans 6:23). Though we do not deserve this love, Christ’s sacrifice demonstrates to the world the true definition of God's grace (Romans 5:8).

Though we often hurtle headlong into sin because of our freedom to choose, amazing grace convicts us to repent and to submit to God’s will for our life. It is in this place of abiding that we find true peace, joy and provision for all of our needs.

God does not condemn the world, but desires that everyone might be saved (John 3:17). Grace grants us a relationship with Christ that begins at salvation, continues through a lifetime of sanctification, and ends in our glorification when we see Jesus Christ face-to-face (1John 3:2).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for making a way to restore our fellowship with You and for showering us with Your grace. Walk in us and with us through every step of our journey in life. Keep us on Your path for us (Ephesians 2:10), and help us to convey your grace to others by living as an example of your unconditional love.

Your love covers all of our sins, and Your grace gives us strength to do better the next time in our pursuit of holiness and intimacy with You (1 Peter 4:8). Remind us that it is Satan who condemns and heaps unforgivable shame on us; however, Jesus convicts and brings blood-bought freedom and forgiveness to anyone who will believe in Him and be saved (Romans 10:9).

Thought for the Day:

There are so many people who believe that if they are good, they will go to heaven; or that if they get baptized, work in the church, or serve others that they will go to heaven; the truth is that salvation is only available through grace, by faith in Jesus' finished work on the cross, and not based on our efforts at all.

- Ephesians 2:5-9; Exodus 31:13; Titus 3:5-7

The Earth in Its Fullness is the Lord's

Astrophysicists in our day unknowingly confirm the Genesis account of creation by suggesting that all of the "matter" in the universe today - including the matter in people, plants, animals, the earth, stars, and galaxies - was created at the very first moment of time.

Scientists will not admit to a Creative Designer who set this all in motion - giving credit to the Big Bang of gases; however, they cannot explain who created the gas. Many Biblical truths point to our Father God as Creator of heaven and earth.

The earth, the world and all who dwell in it belong to the Lord (Psalm 89:11). He founded the land upon the seas and forms the path that rivers take across this land (Psalm 24:1-2). By His Word, He established the heavens, and He gathered the water of the sea (Psalm 33:6-8).

The wonder of creation causes us to stand in awe of our Creator God. By His mighty Word, He commanded and it was accomplished, as well as it stands firm to this day - revolving on its axis at the exact tilt and rotation to sustain life (Psalm 33:9; Romans 1:20).

Even thrones, dominions, ruler and authorities are determined by the counsel of His will. The visible and invisible aspects of creation were created by Him (Colossians 1:16). He is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power.

It is by His power that all things were and are to this day created, and by His will that they all exist (Revelation 4:11). Ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and known of His glory (Psalm 19:1).

Through everything God made, we can clearly see His invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature. So no one has an excuse for not knowing God, and believing in the Gospel of His Son who paid our penalty for our sins (Romans 1:20).

Prayer:

Father God, Your Word describes You as our great Shepherd, who restores our soul (Psalm 23:3). Not only do You award us with complete healing as we enter through the door of death into Heaven, but You also heal us through every dark valley we ever experience during our lifetime on this troubled earth.

We stand in awe of You, and we sing Your praises now and throughout eternity. When difficulties overcome us, You deliver us. When we fail, You still love us; and that is all that really matters. When we see Your purposes in our circumstances, we can trust in Your heart, and know that You will always do what is best for us.

Thought for the Day:

A life of sinless perfection is achieved, one moment at a time, because our only true hope is totally in the Lord, and God takes pleasure in those who hope in His mercy and truth; He always hears us, and we sleep in peace, because He sustains us through debilitating circumstances in body, soul and spirit.

- Psalm 3:2-6, 147:11

Easy Burdens

When oxen are yoked together, they help each other pull the load. Jesus offers the opportunity for us to yoke up with Him, in order to make our burdens easy and light to carry. He is gentle and humble in heart, and we find rest in Him.

Our thoughts, emotions and choices remain on the straight and narrow road when we are yoked with Him (Matthew 11:28-30). He guides us continually, strengthens our bones when we are weary, and satisfies our soul with living water (Isaiah 58:11).

The Hebrew words for soul in God's Word refer to Life (Genesis 1:30), to our person (Deuteronomy 10:22), and to our feelings, desires and affections, which influence our thoughts, choices and actions.

Scientists assert that mental and emotional problems are at the root of many of our physical problems. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder affects not only soldiers on the battlefield, but anyone experiencing traumatic and abusive events in their life.

This trauma affects the connectors in our brain, as well as the very cells of our body. It also causes damage that goes deep into our soul. Job experienced this trauma throughout the trials with which Satan plagued him.

He felt like he teetered on the edge of a deep, dark abyss. He prayed for his soul to be brought back from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life (Job 33:30). He trusted God, because His redemptive powers preserve us.

The Lord wants to heal us in every facet of our spirit, body and soul; so that our fellowship with Him will remain unhindered by the corruption of our flesh, the world and Satanic lies (Hosea 14:4).

Prayer:

Father God, as we submit to You, the God of peace, You entirely sanctify and preserve our spirit, soul and body with Your peace (1 Thessalonians 5:13). Remind us that daily feasting on Your Word and walking in Your Spirit restores our soul's stability and strengthens us (Psalm 23:3).

The inner healing we receive from an intimate relationship with You also eliminates our need to rely on addictive behaviors to anesthetize our soul's pain. We can trust in You, as our Great Physician, to resolve our soul's issues and to allow our body, soul and spirit to prosper (3 John 1:2).

Thought for the Day:

The Lord yearns for the restoration of our soul, in order to return it to the place of harmonious communion with Him, which was lost when Adam and Eve sinned.

- Jeremiah 32:37

Eternal Outlook

 

Jesus suffered on earth, just like we do. He knows how we feel, and has compassion for us. When we trust in Him, He also revives our soul - our thoughts, emotions and choices - in its distress (Isaiah 57:15). He never forsakes those who seek Him (Psalm 9:10).

When our ways displease our Father or grieve His Spirit, He disciplines us like a loving father (Isaiah 57:16-17). He pulls out all of the roots of pride, selfishness and self-reliance that prevent us from fully surrendering to Him.

This may take years if the roots of self-centeredness in us are strong and deep. Initially, this pruning is uncomfortable; however, ultimately, it frees us from the encumbrances of the devil, the flesh and the world.

This new spiritual mindset allows us to walk in His abiding love, joy, and gratitude as we accomplish His will for our lives on a daily basis. God heals us, guides us, gives us His peace, and restores comfort to us as we praise Him (Isaiah 57:18-19).

We no longer look to the desires of our body or soul to find fulfillment, although we do not neglect our legitimate needs; however, we delight more in reading His Word and in fellowshipping with His Body instead of fulfilling the flesh.

Living with an eternal perspective gives life effervescence and the sweet smelling perfume of a blooming flower. This lifestyle makes it so much easier to align the desires of our heart according to God’s ultimate plan for our life.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that true life comes when we totally surrender to Christ. We live with a stronger desire to please You, we love You with all of our heart, and we lean on You for wisdom and guidance throughout the day. We daily die to the desires of our flesh, and we lose our life for Your sake; but then, we find new life through this glorious new intimate union with You (Matthew 10:38-39).

The grief that we experience in this life sends us running back into Your everlasting arms. As we faithfully follow Your precepts, our love for You and trust in You also increases. Simply doing Your will for our individual life each moment of the day brings both You and us so much joy and satisfaction.

Thought for the Day:

God's will is a continual journey, not an ultimate destination; He makes us an instrument of His peace and uses us to inspire others to believe in Him; He gives us His eternal perspective and help when we relinquish to Him the areas of our flesh that bind us to a carnal life.

God Declares us Innocent

When we walk righteously before the Lord, no one else's opinion of us matters. If we are convinced in our own spirit that God has searched us, tried us, and found us innocent, then our critics, liars, gossips and enemies have no grounds to accuse us (Psalm 26:1-2, 35:24).

When we live according to His truth, we trust in the Lord without vacillating, and His unconditional love is ours (Psalm 26:1, 3). People often make snap judgments about us according to their own world-view and prejudices, but they never really know us intimately.

Sometimes, this is our fault, because we wear masks and fail to express how we really feel, or what we really think or need or desire. We are afraid of the censure we will receive if we open up and share who we really are with others.

Or maybe, we have a blind spot and do not realize how our words and actions are painful to other people. We may need someone to speak to us honestly, and explain to us how our behavior is affecting them.

The Christian walk is foreign to most people today. They expect us to enable them without discretion in their poor choices by giving them validation, aid and money. They want a free hand-out and positive affirmation for their sin.

They resent it, if we dare to share the gospel with them, insist that Jesus is the only way of true salvation, or to present to them the blessings of a higher degree of service to God.

A person's opinions or expectations of us only matters if we allow it to affect us. We can refuse to give that much power to another human being. God is our only judge because He is our only Master (Romans 14:4).

Prayer:

Father God, You are the only One who can truly discern the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). If our spirit does not condemn us, we have confidence before You. We are Your dear children. You discipline us if we go astray, as well as comfort us in our times of distress.

If we are falsely accused, we stand in good company, because they also falsely accused and crucified Jesus Christ, an innocent man. We are Your adopted children and we will overcome any obstacle or accusation, because You, who dwell within us, are greater than anyone who is in this world (1 John 3:21; 4:4).

Thought for the Day:

Jesus is our advocate with our Father God, and He intercedes for us, and litigates our case before our righteous Judge (Romans 8:34); therefore, no one's opinion, false accusation, or judgment of us with stand up under His scrutiny, and the light of eternity will always reveal the truth of every matter.

A Good Marriage - Who Meets Our Needs

 

God did not design marriage so that our mate can meet all of our needs. God desires to do that for us. He also gave us the ability to meet many of our own needs. We can ask our mate for what we need and want, but as a human being, he/she is not perfect.

God designed marriage so that we can meet one another's needs - a reciprocal relationship of giving, not taking. We have physical, emotional, financial, mental and spiritual needs that are overwhelming at times.

However, God has a plan to meet all of our needs through His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19). He may not provide what we want, but His supply is always better than and more than we can ever imagine.

Even if His answer is yet another trial, these issues drive us deeper under the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91:4). An intimate relationship with the God of the Universe is our comfort, and our constant supply.

Our mate is capable of giving us some of the attention and affection that we need as human beings, but expecting him/her to meet all of our needs is an impossible requirement.

The only reason our marriage carries the "happily ever after" label is due to the fact that we serve one another. As humans we can never be totally selfless, and neither should we serve our mate to our detriment - this is not healthy.

God does not want us to entertain impossible expectations for our spouse to fulfill, but rather, we are to do our best to serve him/her as God's Spirit directs us all through the day. We learn to love each other with his/her love language. (see: the five love languages quiz)

Life may distract, sidetrack or add undue stress to our life, which makes it even more impossible for us to be a perfect mate. However, our goal is to serve and love our spouse as Christ loves and serves His Bride, the church.

Not as faultlessly as Jesus does, of course; but as we allow Him to love our spouse through us, we make a good team together, working in His service and allowing Him to love the world through us as well.

Prayer:
Father God, help us to live with a forgiving attitude when our mate disappoints us. Remind us not to formulate undue expectations that put unrealistic pressure on our spouse. As we serve each other, teach us to have the humility of Jesus when He washed His disciples' feet (Matthew 23:11; John 13:13-17).

Remind us that none of us is perfect, and expecting our mate to be perfect is unrealistic and unhealthy. Help us to relax and to follow the leading of Your Holy Spirit every moment of the day. As we serve our spouse without expecting anything in return. We want to be Your servant to our mate, and to glorify You in our every thought, word and deed.

Thought for the Day:
Our spouse always deserves the love of Christ through us, regardless of his/her mood, behavior, words, distraction, inattentiveness, busyness, etc.; we are not perfect and neither are they, but God loves us all, all of the time; and He uses us as vessels of His love to our mate.

We Decrease, so He May Increase

The older I get, the frailer my body becomes. Falling is a constant threat due to failing balance issues. Illnesses pop up that I never experienced before now. My memory is diminishing, and my physical and mental abilities are reduced.

Thankfully, my spirit is stronger than ever. I have learned the voice of God, and I can follow the leading of His Spirit continually from one moment to the next. My intimacy with God is at an all-time high.

At the grocery store today, a fellow shopper stopped me mid-aisle and stated, "You are a Christian, aren't you?" Surprised and humbled, but encouraged, I said, "You better believe it." He said, "I can tell. The Holy Spirit radiates all around you."

I appreciated that God chose to encourage me with those words. It reminded me of a slogan I once read, "Preach the Gospel of Jesus at all times; if necessary, use words." Christ in us gives testimony to His unfailing presence in us, as well as His unity with us.

When we are at our weakest, that is when God is His strongest in us. He employs us to share His Truth with a world that is built on illusions and delusions. As we offer our life to Him as a living sacrifice, He uses us for His Glory and for the advancement of His Kingdom on the earth.

God's grace in us and on us is sufficient for all of our needs, and His power in us is made perfect through our increasing weaknesses. We have no accomplishments on which to boast, because our feebleness allows Jesus' power to shine through us (2 Corinthians 12:9).

We delight in our physical limitations, in deprivation, in abandonment, in insults from others, in persecution, and in all of our troubles and failing health; because when we are at our weakest, His power in us is at its strongest (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Prayer:

Father God, circumstances in the world in which we live get more perilous with each passing day. A financial collapse, a current event, or a natural catastrophe can bring the world to its knees at any moment. However, we have no need to fear, because everything is under Your ultimate control and power. Nothing is too difficult for You to work out for our ultimate good (Luke 18:27; Romans 8:28).

Your perfect plans unfold one day at a time. With Your powerful peace in our heart, we reflect Your light to the dying world around us. Help us to remove every trace of self-reliance from our soul, and to trust only and completely in You. Our delight is to see Your power, which works in and through us, as it draws people to You like a magnet (Matthew 5:16).

Thought for the Day:

As ambassadors for Christ on this earth, we cooperate as God's Spirit uses us to plead with others, and to call them to repentance and reconciliation to God; as we all approach God with empty hearts, He can fill all of us to our fullest with all of Himself. 

- 2 Corinthians 5:20; Ephesians 3:16-19

Time Alone with God

In the Genesis account of creation, God uses the phrase, “The evening and morning were the first day.” He repeats this expression with each consecutive day. I find it interesting that He starts His day at sundown.

I do this too. It is quiet during the evening hours, no ringing phones, no insistent people needing help, little traffic whirling past the house at that time, no chores demanding my attention, and plenty of time to focus on God.

The nation of Israel had three Night Watches:

The First or “beginning” watch from sunset to ten o'clock,

the Second or "middle” watch from ten until two, and

the Third or "morning” watch from two to sunrise.

Under control of the Roman Empire, Israel actually had four watches:

The "even” watch from sunset until nine,

the “midnight” watch from nine until midnight,

the “cockcrowing” watch from midnight until three, and

the “morning" watch from three until six. 

Pick your night watch, and spend time alone with our Father God. I used to love the night watches (Genesis 1:1-29). I pondered on my bed, and reflected on God and His Word in the night watches. My favorite time was the middle watch.

I kept God company from ten at night until two in the morning. I created, contemplated, resonated, speculated, formulated, meditated, investigated and communicated with God's Spirit, while other people slept.

I emailed scriptures to hurting people or wrote encouraging notes. I made crafty items for our personal use or for gifts. I talked to other night owls online. I played with our pets and watched a family-style movie, or just enjoy the quiet time.

I wrote my devotion and then posted it on my online blog every night at this time. I prayed for family and friends as God brought them to my mind. I spent time worshipping and praising our living Lord and enjoying His companionship.

Then we opened a Café ministry in our community, and my life has never been the same. Rejuvenating sleep is a thing of the past for me. I am currently waiting on our Daddy God to work out my sleep schedule for me.

Prayer:

Father God, You are always waiting to fellowship with us at any time of the day or night, and we can enjoy our times together with You - even during moments of companionable silence that we share with You. Jesus often prayed all night (Luke 6:12), and I love that time too.

Our soul waits for You more than the watchmen who wait for morning (Psalm 130:6). Our eyes are wide-awake, our senses are alert, and our mind is totally engaged throughout our time of fellowship with You. We are in very good company with at least half of the world regardless of the hours that we share with you.

Thought for the Day:

The Lord puts His desires in our heart, leads us according to His will, inspires us to help those in His body who are hurting, and pours out His Spirit on us during any time that we choose to spend with Him.

Life No Longer Hurts so Much

Have you ever noticed how God protects His Saints through every affliction and in every way? We suffer, but are never defeated; pressured, but not disheartened; attacked, but never devastated.

At times, circumstances rev-up beyond our ability to endure. Our body aches, conflicts plague us from the outside, and fears afflict us from within our soul. Possibly, we are even weary from life and longing for Heaven.

In the midst of any suffering that we experience on this earth, we recognize the symptoms of the death of Jesus in our body; but we also see the life of Christ's resurrection manifested in our spirit, soul and body as well.

God always uses His Word to provide us with comfort, direction and peace. His love prevents life from hurting us so much. Although, at times, we are pressed in from all sides, issues will never crush us (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).

Life may frustrate us, but it can never take away our hope. Christ in us is our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). As we listen to God's Spirit, He directs each moment of our day and night, and He fills us with overflowing stamina until we soar with the eagles (Isaiah 40:31)

Hoping in the Lord alone eliminates our weariness, enabling us to continue on without feeling faint. He renews our strength to finish the work, which He calls us to do. Although trouble surrounds us on every side, we live in victory through Jesus.

Prayer:

Father God, success is sweeter after we experience trials, which test our intimacy with You. You prove Your faithfulness to us at every challenge. You provide for our needs in all of our requests, and You love us unconditionally. When life gets too hard for us, we always know that You are abiding in us, and we can do all things through Your strength (Philippians 4:13).

You walk with us through every hardship, encourage us in every disappointment, and comfort us in every unexpected trauma. You give us wisdom to face every challenge, and You provide Your power to see us through every difficulty. You shower us with Your joy, which is always our source of strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

Thought for the Day:

Remembering that God is in control through all of our circumstances gives us confidence that there truly is a seed for a miracle in every trial (2 Corinthians 1:8-9); and when our faith is tested, we have a chance to grow in spiritual maturity and in our reliance on Him (James 1:2-4).

God's Loving Patience

Revealed over and over again in Biblical accounts is the fact that God never sends judgment without warning. Jonah warned Nineveh, and they repented. Ezekiel, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc. warned the people in their age and time as well.

God is not willing that any should perish, but that everyone repent and be saved (2 Peter 3:9). He is merciful and patient with us all, giving us many opportunities to walk in His ways and to show Him our love by keeping His commandments (John 14:15).

Sometimes, we attempt to warn our friends, relatives, associates and neighbors about God's coming judgement on the earth, but they turn a deaf ear or make fun of our beliefs. As long as we warn them, their blood is not on our hands (Ezekiel 3:18).

Some refuse to believe, even when we show them that God is fulfilling Bible prophecy of record breaking natural disasters, wars and rumors of war, financial collapses, hearts growing spiritually cold, iniquity abounding, and so many more signs to warn us about the impending judgment coming soon to planet earth.

God gave people in Noah's day 120 years to repent of their wickedness, and to get on the ark before He sent the flood. They all scoffed at Noah's warning. The Bible tells us that the same thing will happen in the last days of the world as we know it (Matthew 24:37).

If you are an unbeliever reading this post, I hope you will heed God's warning. You may need to humble your pride and admit that You need Jesus as your Savior, but the pay backs are worth the humiliation and the benefits are better than you could ever imagine (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Prayer:

Father God, You do not desire that any should perish. However, so many people make their own formula for life, and write You out of their equation. The people of the Old Testament did not succeed by ignoring You in their day, and mankind will not succeed by ignoring You now.

You give us so many warnings in Your Word, in nature, from the prophets of our day. Help us to humble our self under Your mighty hand (James 4:10); so that You will put Your desires in our heart, and we will not sin against You. We look forward to the government being on Your shoulders.

Thought for the Day:

God's Word encourages us not to feel anxious about anything, but to pray about everything with thanksgiving in our heart for who the Lord is, and all that He does for us every day; this allows His peace, which comes to us in spite of our human limitations, to guard our thoughts and emotions through Christ in us.

- Philippians 4:6-7

Aiming to Please

We all miss the bull's eye now and then. We take careful aim, make all the necessary adjustments, focus clearly on the target, put just the right amount of tension on the bow, and send the arrow flying...yet, we miss the mark.

We feel so sad, dejected, incredulous, disgusted and miserable with our self, berating our self for missing our goal once again. Yet, if we walk in the Spirit, rather than relying on our own plans, we hit the bull's eye every time.

God's Word promises us that if we will honestly confess our faults, He is faithful to justly forgive our shortcomings by the blood of Jesus' who died to pay the penalty for our sins, and to make us holy and righteous in God's sight (1 John 1:9).

He simply asks us to repent of our sins, to accept Him as our personal Redeemer and Lord, and to allow His Spirit to transform our lives. He nailed our failings to Calvary's cross, and He sets us free to serve Him with all of our heart.

As a young mother, I learned to multi-task with the best of them. The older I get, however, I am more single-minded, easily forgetting why I went into a room, or what I was going to do next.

I used to watch myself running around after myself, playing catch up rather than following the leader. As flawed humans, our only hope is to walk in the Spirit each moment of the day. We live our best life as we follow His lead.

God's Holy Spirit helps us to accomplish more in less time than it would take us to accomplish the same thing with our finite resources and human abilities. We obey the Holy Spirit, and no longer rely on our human efforts and talents.

Prayer:

Father God, Your plan of salvation is so easy, that many of us miss the point of Your provision for us. We strain at a gnat and swallow a camel (Matthew 23:24). We spin our wheels in an attempt to please You, and to earn Your favor and love; and yet, You already gave us these as a free gift.

Help us to live as an example of a life filled with Your Spirit, inundated by Your peace, and immersed in Your rest, rather than running around meeting our self coming and going. You take all of the stress and worry out of life, when we focus on You and on Your plans for us each moment of the day.

Thought for the Day:

The bleeding, dying, risen Savior gives hope to all of mankind through His example in living, as well as in His accomplishments in dying in our place; all He asks from us is that we love Him with all of our heart, tell other people about what He does for us each day, read His Word and apply its wisdom to our life, and implicitly trust in His goodness and grace to supply all of our needs.