God is Always in Control

 

 

The window air conditioning unit mounted into the wall of our miniature, antique cottage home quit working. My husband removed the defective unit and went to purchase a new one. During his absence our house quickly swarmed with flies pouring through the opening! 

 

Their constant buzzing got on my nerves, so I commanded them to leave in Jesus’ name. I never doubted that they would go because of God’s promises, so I forgot about them (Psalm 34:15-17, 56:9). After tucking my husband into bed that night, I went to snuggle into the fluffy couch pillows with a Christian novel. 

 

It was not until then that I realized there were absolutely no flies in the house! Humbled that I failed to thank God sooner, I jumped off the couch and joyfully pranced around the living room with my hands raised and loud whispered thanksgiving pouring from my lips to our awesome God. 

 

He did not have to answer my prayer, but He abundantly accomplished my request (Ephesians 3:20-21). God delights in answering the prayers of His Saints (Proverbs 15:8). The perfect antidote for insomnia is to thank Him specifically every night for His faithful care that day.

 

I also sing His praises until I enter the realm of deep, peaceful sleep. Even in the most adverse circumstances, we triumph over every difficulty by waiting on His Spirit’s leading moment by moment throughout the day. When we call on God, He hears us and is faithful to answer us (Jeremiah 33:3). 

 

We simply need to listen to His advice and take advantage of His union with us to overcome our latest trials. When we honor Him with our life, regardless of the issues we face, He satisfies us with His presence and provides us with His salvation (Psalm 91:15-16).

 

Prayer:

Father God, we praise You with every breath we take, every thought we think, and every issue we face – both pleasant and heart-rending. Through it all, we sing and make a melody in our heart to You, because You are worthy of all our praises. We sing in our heart when our eyes pop open in the morning and we continue until our last thought at night.

 

You are Lord of all, You are always faithful to us, and Your love constantly sustains our soul. We rejoice over Your continual intervention on our behalf, and we sing for joy. Your works from creation to the culmination of all things are simply amazing, and Your profound Biblical Words sustain us through all our experiences (Psalm 92:1-5).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

It is good for us to give thanks to the Lord, and to praise Him for answering our prayers. Even in the sad times and the mad times, we sing praises to His holy name and give testimony of His goodness to us to anyone who will listen. We often relish God’s constant provision, but we do not really show Him complete appreciation until we start declaring His loving kindness to our friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors.

- Psalm 100

 

 

Avoiding Temptations

 

 

There is no temptation that we could ever experience that is not common to every person on this earth (1 Corinthians 10:13). Even Jesus experienced every temptation that pressures us; however, He submitted to God, resisted the devil, and He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15; James 4:7-10). 

 

God uses temptations to teach us the evils of sin, the lack of true satisfaction we receive from it, and the greater need we have for a daily walk in Jesus’ presence. If we avail our self of His aid, God delivers us from temptation by His grace (Matthew 6:13). He always hears our cries, and He is close to us at all times (Psalm 34:17).

 

Temptations come from demonic sources, the world, and/or our flesh; but they do not harm us unless we heed their allurement. The first thought that enters our mind is the temptation, but the sin only arises if we entertain that thought and follow it into transgressing against God’s perfect plans for us.

 

Like the deer that longs for a cool drink from the brook, we long to enjoy the presence of the Lord in its fullness (Psalm 42:1). The first step to accessing this intimate union is as easy as 

A-B-C: 

·      Accept that we are a sinner

·      Believe that Jesus died and rose again to save us and to transform us into His image

·      Call on Him to save us.

 

Once we are saved from Hell’s eternal damnation, and we enter a union with Christ by His Spirit, we start a systematic study of God’s Word through our daily prayer and Bible reading, partaking in group Bible studies throughout the week, and worshipping with God’s Saints on Sunday morning as we learn from our Pastor’s Biblical teachings.

 

We learn to walk in the Spirit each moment of the day, by examples in God’s Word and the example of other Saints in our current life. This allows us to develop the habit of following the peace of God in our Spirit (Philippians 4:7; Colossian 3:15). Our soul thirsts for God so we can know Him more intimately, to walk in His Spirit, and to live with Him throughout eternity (Psalm 42:2)

 

Prayer: 

Father God, our soul longs for a personal relationship with You. Our heart and body cry out for Your intervention in our life (Psalm 84:2). You always give us a way to escape every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). You are our strength, our continual guide, and our help in any times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Remind us to take heed when we lose our peace while making any decision.

 

We seek You early while it is still called today, we seek Your counsel for each moment of our day, we soak up Your presence like a dry sponge soaks up water (Psalm 63:1-2). We long for a more intimate union with You, as we learn to walk in Your Spirit throughout our day. We praise You with every breath we breathe, and we look forward to spending eternity in Your presence.

 

Thought for the Day:

Even in times of natural disasters, rampant deviant behavior, unsettling circumstances all around us, and a vast departure from the principles of God’s Word, we cling to our hope in Him, our trust of Him, and our faith in His faithfulness.

- Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Corinthians 1:9; Psalm 31:24, 39:7

 

The Bible’s Relevance Today

 

 

The Bible has been proven to survive through many attempts to burn them, make it against the law to have one, and satanic warfare to take away a person’s desire to read God’s Word as countless family Bibles collect dust on the coffee tables around the world. However, heaven and earth as we know it will pass away, but God’s Words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35).

 

The Bible has been proven true through ancient manuscripts found over the years. The Dead Sea Scrolls are the most famous, and they align with the teachings and admonition in our current Bible. People love to point out “errors” in the Bible, but they can only refer to grammatical differences, a misspelled word here and there, or similar discrepancies. 

 

Biblical Truth is the same in ancient copies as are proclaimed in modern copies, regardless of word order or the use of modern languages. The veracity of the Bible is also proven by historical and scientific proofs, as well as fulfilled prophetic passages:

·      The historical books of the Old Testament align with historical documents available from ancient times. In fact, the Bible has named historical figures that were originally thought to be non-existent until archeological evidence proved that Bible history is even more accurate than anything the unbelieving world recorded.

 

·      NASA and other scientific institutions proved the accuracy of Biblical accounts even as early as the book of Genesis and creation. They discover issues that unravel long-term mysteries, and remove much confusion about Genesis, proving the Bible to be scientifically accurate when read in the context of its original Hebrew language.

 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-discovery-proves-the-bible-scientifically-accurate-says-author-paul-hutchins-196847091.html

 

·      Biblical prophecies quench the human need to understand the future by confirming the past and by predicting current and future events (Deuteronomy 18:15-18, Chapters 28-30; Acts 3:22, 23; Psalms 2, 16, 22 and 40, 45, 72, 110) 

 

In today’s deteriorating political, moral, scientific, and secular climate the Bible accurately predicts what is happening now as the result of a lifestyle devoid of Biblical character and pursuits. 

 

There is an undeniable escalation in a record-breaking moral decline, a lack of respect for human life and rights, and increases in pestilences and natural disasters in our world today (Amos 3:7; Isaiah 7:14; Genesis 3:15; Matthew 1:22-23; Luke 1:31-35; Genesis 4:4; Hebrews 1:1; 2 Peter 1:19; Romans 15:4). 

 

Many people go to psychic individuals to find out their future; however, the Bible proves that mankind does have a future that lasts throughout eternity. Our choice to believe in Jesus Christ as our lone Savior and way to heaven is our only guarantee of spending eternity in God’s presence (John 3:16-18).

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for the hope we have through these changing times in which we live. The corrosion of our society and the way of life we once enjoyed in America is distressing to say the least. However, possessing an increasingly intimate unity with our Creator, Savior, and soon coming King, as we consult You each moment of our day and walk in Your will for our life, gives us peace and joy.

 

Thank You for Your Word that gives us hope in verses such as: Luke 12:32; Matthew 6:31-33; Hebrews 11:1; Romans 5:15; Colossians 1:26-27; Psalm 32:8; Psalm 119:114; Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:38-39; 1 Peter 1:3-4; Ephesians 2:8-10; Isaiah 9:7; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18. 

 

Thought for the Day:

God rejoices over His children with singing, and His hope fills us with joy and peace when we believe in Jesus’ sacrificial atonement for our sins by the power of the Holy Spirit within us; He advises us to receive Biblical counsel and instruction so we can be wise and obtain comfort in these later days of this present world.

- Zephaniah 3:17; Romans 15:13; Psalm 147:11; Proverbs 19:20-21

 

Growing Faith

 

In my more than seven decades on this earth, I learned many interesting insights about life. One of them is to value trials and tribulation (James 1:2-3). Crazy, you say? No, I am not delusional. Trials taught me to know without a doubt that I am truly loved. Over the years, God proved His love for me through His intervention in every negative circumstance in my life. 

 

My faith grew by leaps and bounds with each experience in my life. My perseverance and endurance strengthened, my weaknesses were replaced by new depths of character, I had more compassion for others, and my identity as God’s adopted child and co-heir with Jesus are more of a reality to me today than they were in my late teens - when I first asked Jesus to forgive my sins and to save me.

 

When I face a storm, rather than cowering from its fierceness, I look for the seed for a miracle that God planted within it. Our Father God is bigger than any issue we will ever experience in our lifetime, and as we place our trust in Him and keep our focus on Him, He sustains us through it all (Isaiah 26:3).

 

Attempting to control life is as useless as trying to put toothpaste back into the tube. When we realize that our loving, generous, compassionate, powerful, and wise Heavenly Father has everything under His control, we can relinquish our insecurities to Him, and He helps us to overcome our unbelief (Mark 9:24).

 

Our Daddy God gives us spiritual eyes and ears to see past our human limitations and to put our faith in Him. We surrender our insecurities and concerns into His capable hands and loving heart, and we praise His name and goodness forevermore.

 

Prayer:

Father God, You astound us with Your omnipotence (supremely powerful), omnipresence (everywhere at once), and omniscience (all-knowing). Thank You for Your wisdom to traverse today, Your strength to face tomorrow, and Your forgiveness that enables us to relinquish the past. You give us spiritual maturity and persevering courage to push aside our human hesitations and to walk in the faith of Your calling for our life (Ephesians 2:10).

 

Remind us that rather than focusing on our anxiety and concerns, we can focus on Jesus as our center of serenity and joy regardless of circumstances (James 1:2-3). Even when we are weary or overcome by life, help us not to fixate on useless contemplations of what “may” happen, but on Your track record in our life as You prove Yourself faithful, loving, compassionate and kind to us in every way.

 

Thought for the Day:

If we listen to and believe Satan’s lies which he plants in our thoughts, then nagging fears and doubts have a way of undermining our faith; however, when we walk in step with God’s Holy Spirit’s direction at all times, in every way, and in everything we experience - no matter how traumatic - trials work out for our eventual benefit.

- Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 29:11

 

A Good Marriage - Forgiveness and Reconciliation

 

When our spouse wrongs us, we find it hard to forgive them – especially if they do the same thing over and over again. We want vengeance, and for him/her to “pay” for their slight or hurtful behavior. We forget that Jesus loved us enough to die in our place, even while we were still sinners (Romans 5:6-11).

 

We need to come to a place where we place our spouse’s behavior under the blood of Jesus and to quickly forgive them. Too often we make snap assumptions that we think are absolutely true, but once we know all the facts of the situation, we realize that we were wrong to make these suppositions.

 

Forgiveness does not release our spouse from the debt they owe us for their rude or neglectful behavior; but it does release us from the bondage brought to us from unforgiveness, and it allows God to forgive us when we make a mistake or act in a sinful or unbecoming manner (Matthew 6:14-15). 

 

Our spouse often acts or speaks out of their woundedness, and we can show compassion on them. Jesus suffered unjustly to pay our sin debt, and we, His servants, are not greater than our Lord. He even asked God to forgive His persecutors because they had no concept of what they were actually doing (Luke 23:34).

 

Sometimes, we build walls around our heart to prevent future pain from hurts, broken promises, and disappointments. Yet, these same walls keep out the flow of love between us and our mate as well. If we are willing, God will give us the courage and then desire to reconcile with our mate. This reopens the flow of love between us.

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for committing Your watch-care over our marriage, and for helping us to act lovingly and patiently toward one another. We are both human, and neither of us is perfect, so holding a higher standard for our mate than we do for our self is futile. Remind us to see that we cannot change another person. We can make requests for a change, but our spouse may not be able to make such changes even if they want to do so.

 

Remind us that continual forgiveness, lowering expectations, and allowing each other the freedom to relax in our company and to be our self at home will offer both of us a safe haven in our relationship. This also rids our home of bitterness, resentment, and continual and mounting hurt feelings. Help us to see that we can meet our own needs without having unrealistic expectations of one another. Help us to see that daily reconciliation is a healthy practice for couples.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Forgiving our spouse for physical, mental and/or emotional abuse is possible, even if a time of separation is called for in order to ensure our safety. Getting counseling together for these issues will make both of us better and more compassionate spouses, as well as individuals, by helping us to understand the reasons behind this abuse and helping our spouse to be healed from the behavior that causes them to treat us in such a fashion. Although, at times, a person will have ulterior and selfish reasons for marrying us and will take advantage of us regardless of how we feel.

 

Our Inheritance as Believers

 

 

God’s presence within us is proof of our salvation, and His Spirit is the down payment on our eternal destination (Ephesians 1:14-16). Without God’s grace and mercy in our life we are lost and undone. Jesus is the only way to a Heavenly eternity for everyone (Acts 4:11-12).

 

Humbling our self enough to accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord (James 4:6; Ephesians 1:13, 2:8-9) is the first step to enjoying eternity with the Trinity of God. Being God’s adopted child grants us everything that God gave to Jesus when He returned to Heaven - 40 days after He resurrected from the tomb (Acts 1:1-9; Psalm 16:5-6; Romans 3:24). 

 

We are co-heirs with Jesus to God’s entire Kingdom now and for eternity (Hebrew 1:2; Romans 8:17; Colossians 3:23; Hebrews 9:15; 2 Corinthians 4:17). The Kingdom of God is His righteousness, peace, and joy within us which is provided for us by Jesus’ sacrifice and by God’s Spirit in us (Luke 17:21; Romans 14:17; Ephesians 1:11). 

 

Our inheritance will never perish like earthly treasures, spoil by the aging process, or diminish in splendor or intensity (1 Peter 1:4; Hebrews 7:26; Revelation 21:27). Grace is part of our inheritance from God. He gives us the measure of grace that we need to sustain us throughout our lifetime (Ephesians 4:7).

 

The Kingdom of God also includes New Jerusalem – a cubed city that is 1500 miles in width, height, and depth (Revelation 21:15-16). Architects estimate that it will include 12 feet per story with over 600,000 stories (Hebrews 11:10). As in Noah’s Ark, there is plenty of room for anyone willing to answer God’s call of salvation.

 

God’s amazing grace is ours any time - day or night. Grace gives us the strength to endure trials, the ability to minister to others in their time of need, and the continual undeserved favor of God toward us. Grace sustains us through the best of times and the worst of times (Romans 6:14). Grace protects us from sin’s dominion over us, and we no longer desire to put our self back under sin’s control. 

 

Prayer:

Father God, You told the apostle Paul that Your grace was sufficient to enable him to endure the “thorn in the flesh” that afflicted him. You promised that Your strength is made perfect in our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). Therefore, we can rejoice in our afflictions, because Your grace abounds in us during all our tribulation (Psalm 89:28; Hebrews 4:16). 

 

You are always gracious to us and merciful in all our afflictions (Romans 5:3). You never turn Your face from us or shut up Your ears from hearing our cries to You (Psalm 34:15; 2 Chronicles 30:9). Thank You that Your mercy and grace follow us all the days of our life. We look forward to dwelling in Your house forever (Psalm 23:6)

 

Thoughts for the Day:

God’s grace is a gift that we do not earn and do not deserve, and He shines His face on us and is continually gracious to us. We look forward to dwelling with our Father God and to an eternity of serving His Son, King Jesus, by the power of His Spirit. We are justified by His grace, through the redemption available to us by the work of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross.

- Romans 3:20-24, 6:14; Ephesians 2:1-22; Numbers 6:25; 1 Timothy 6:15

 

Pets are our Gift from God

 

 

My opinion about caging a dog outside is fine while we are gone from home, because it allows them to relieve their bladder and intestines when needed. However, sometimes people constantly keep their dog outside and forget that they need nurturing, which is an important ingredient in their life.

 

A scratch behind the ear, a belly rub, or just sleeping at our feet makes a dog so happy and content. We may feel diligent because we give an outside pet their food, water, and a regular treat or chew toy, but they need physical and emotional attention from us too.

 

Receiving times of play outside is critical for dogs, because it gives them opportunities for a change of scenery, getting needed exercise, and stimulation for their senses through a variety in their life. However, keeping them caged outside without human contact is, in my opinion, simply unnecessary.

 

Pets are our gift from God. Our cat Calique is getting more and more gray hair in her ears, face, and head...harbingers of what lies ahead for us. This breaks my heart after 18 whole years with her constant attention and company, but I am enjoying every moment I have with her now and cherishing the memories of her "friendship" with me and nurture of me during our many years together. 

 

My husband calls to her every night when he goes to bed, saying, "Callie, come say night-night to Daddy" and she RUNS as fast as her arthritic legs will move and jumps up on the stool and then the bed to snuggle him to sleep. She is slowing down, like I am with age, but she still has daily spurts of playing like a kitten with the cat toys scattered all over our house. 

 

She loves small hidey-holes now too, which is interesting - corners of each room, under furniture, etc. But her favorite place is on the back of the love seat, with us sitting in the chair with her. If we are not there with her, she screams for us to “come NOW”. What a diva!!!! We love her so much, and I am so grateful to God for giving her and Christina, our younger cat, to us. 

 

Appreciating our pet’s place in our life helps to nurture our soul – our thoughts and emotions. Taking them for granted, looking at them as an unwanted detail in our life, or neglecting them robs us of the love they have for us. If we are too busy or uninterested in them, surrendering them to a rescue for adoption by a loving person or family is the better choice for their sake.

 

Prayer:

Father God, help us to better care for the pets that You give us in our life. Remind us that they are not just dumb animals without feelings and emotional needs. They do not have a spirit, but their soul is just as alive as their body. As their caretakers, we receive Your charge to care for all their needs (Proverbs 12:10). We want to be good stewards of Your gifts and to praise You for them.

 

Thank You for the abundance of Your provision for us in every area of our life. Your love, generosity and grace know no bounds. We can never praise You enough for all Your many gifts to us each and every day of our life. Our worship of You is not about habits we cultivate, but about our real, thriving, intimate relationship with You. We praise You, and we thank You for each gift You bring our way.

 

Thought for the Day:

At times, we get so caught up in the details of our life that we do not even realize that God is providing us with a special blessing; we take Him for granted and neglect our relationship with Him unless we take time to walk in His Spirit, and appreciate His constant gifts and His glory that is so evident in His creation.

- Romans 1:20; Ephesians 1:3-4

 

No Need to Fear

 

 

There is no reason for the authentic Born Again Believer to be afraid of anything. When we walk in God’s ways and follow His Spirit’s leading each moment of our day, we stay in the center of His will for us – the happiest and most secure place on earth.

 

God’s faithfulness is our defense and protection (Psalm 91:4). His peace surrounds us with His safety and strength. Christ is the head of His Body, the church. We come to realize that we are totally dependent on Him for His goodness and grace. 

 

Too often, however, we ignore Him, and we disobey His Spirit. We neglect our daily devotion and prayer time, and we fail to walk in His Spirit during each moment of our day. What we do not realize is that Jesus bought us for a great price, and we are no longer our own (1 Corinthians 6:18-19). 

 

The most wondrous gift God imparts to us is that of His presence within us. During any sinful activity we partake in, we drag Him through it right along with us (Proverbs 15:3). Therefore, He calls us to flee iniquity and to live a holy life (1 Corinthians 6:18).

 

He gives us the privilege of abiding in Him and being united with God in Him (Colossians 3:3-4). This is a cocoon of rest and security that belongs to each member of His family. He does not single us out, nor does He love one of us more than anyone else. He loves the whole world and desires that we all live as part of His eternal family (John 3:16-18).

 

Prayer:

Father God, we have no need to anxiously scrutinize our life, because You are our God and You live in us. You support us, assist us, and lift us up in every situation we encounter along the road of our life (Isaiah 41:10). You are with us through whatever we are afraid of. You are with us every step we take (Matthew 28:20).

 

Your children can do anything You call us to perform, because You live within us, and You give us the strength to do Your will (Philippians 4:13). The reason that You tell us not to fear is because You are with us, in us, and surrounding us with Your self and Your angels (Psalm 91:11). Thank You for Your provision, protection and prophecies that give us a roadmap to our destination in Your Kingdom.

 

Thought for the Day:

Let us live with a conscious awareness of God’s presence in our life, and abide in submission to Him, so His Spirit may cleanse us from all unholiness; we no longer need to live weighted down with the cares of this carnal, earthly world because the child of God has nothing to fear.

- 1 John 1:9; Isaiah 41:10-13

 

God Blesses Us and Carries Our Burdens

 

 

God carries our burdens every single day. He is the God of our salvation in this life as well as in eternity. He is our Deliverer, and He rescues us from daily trials and from eternal death (Psalm 68:19-20; Exodus 18:10). There is no God except for Him. He gives us everlasting life and walks with us through the shadow of death (Deuteronomy 32:39; Psalm 49:15). 

 

If we ask for something we want but do not possess, and God does not provide it, God knows we do not really need it; otherwise, He will provide it. Christ in us enables our spirit, soul, and body to accomplish everything He ordained for us to do before we were ever born (Philippians 4:19, Ephesians 2:10). God always watches out for all those who seek His face. 

 

If the bills are not paid, perhaps we are not spending our money as God desires. Wisdom advises us never to go into debt, but to pay as we go. That means that if we do not have the money for something that we want now, we should save and get it later. Of course, by then, we may not even want it any longer. 

 

If we are in ill health, maybe we are not eating, exercising, and living as God ordained. If we are sad, possibly we are focusing on, and have certain expectations concerning worldly endeavors and relationships, which He has not designed for us. When we change our focus to Him alone, we find everlasting joy.

 

When we see and declare the loving provision of the Lord for us, He saves us from the fear of death and gives us eternal life in its place (Psalm 118:17-18). He preordained the days of our birth and our death, and He brings our body to the grave, but our soul and spirit into eternity (1 Samuel 2:6).

 

At our salvation, God is worthy of our trust. His perfect love triumphs over all our fears, even from the issues of death. He is our strength and our song, and He keeps us from being confused or ashamed (Isaiah 12:2, 45:17-22). He has mercy on us and our entire household (Hosea 1:7).

Prayer:

Father God, You deliver our soul and spirit from death, and You keep our feet from stumbling into sin as You shine Your light into our life (Psalm 56:13). You even attempt to rescue the rebellious sinner, but they are often too prideful to submit to Your loving embrace (Psalm 106:43; Habakkuk 3:13). They consider Your love as restrictive rather than as the true freedom it really is. You provide us with what You know will bring us fulfillment in Your timing and way.

 

Remind us that Hagar is an example of a woman who prayed in faith, and You answered her (Genesis 16:13). Even if we find our self alone in the world, You are always with us - removing our fears and restoring our confidence (Joshua 1:9). Ezekiel was a man who realized this truth and lived it (Ezekiel 48:35). Your presence within us is more special than anything this world offers because Your divinity is love personified.

 

Thought for the Day:

As we seek God’s Kingdom and righteousness, He adds to us everything we need to live a blessed and fulfilled life; He never abandons us nor lets us down, and He provides for all our needs according to His glorious riches.

- Mathew 6:33; Philippians 4:19; Hebrews 13:5