God Heals Us

 

God’s Word encourages us not to feel anxiety about any issue that arises in our life. At times, this is hard to do because life knocks us in the gut and all the air seeps out of our lungs. We can’t even stand up straight due to the pressure building inside of us, and our heart is racing out of our chest (Philippians 4:6).

 

However, as soon as we take the issues to God in prayer and with gratitude in our heart, His peace, which is greater than any concern we may have, guards our heart and mind in Jesus, our Savior and Christ (Philippians 4:7). 

 

The key is to trust Him with our whole heart, to ignore our human understanding, to submit to God’s Spirit in all our ways, and He will help us to walk on a level path (Proverbs 3:5-6). God calls us to humble our self, pray and seek His face, so He will hear us from heaven. Then He will forgive our sins and heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

 

If we insist on trusting in our human wisdom, refuse to honor the Lord, and run toward instead of away from evil, our body will suffer physical ailments and our bones will lack the nourishment they need (Proverbs 3:7-8). When we revere God’s name, we will be so joyous that we will go out and frolic like well-fed calves (Malachi 4:2).

 

God‘s Spirit was on Jesus, and He anointed our Messiah to proclaim the Good News to the poor, to give freedom to those who are prisoners to sin’s degradation, to heal the sick, and to set free those oppressed by demonic lies and this world’s circumstances (Luke 4:18). 

 

As authentic Born Again Believers, no weapon forged against us will ever prevail, and God refutes every lying tongue that attempts to defeat us (Isaiah 54:17). He will only allow gracious words that are as sweet as a honeycomb to penetrate our soul, so our bones will be healed (Proverbs 16:24; Matthew 9:6-7). 

 

At times, we get so weary of life and burdened by continual trials, that we want to give up. However, God invites us to hide under the shelter of His wings, to yoke up with Him rather than attempt to pull our load all by our self, and to find lasting rest for our soul (Psalm 139; Matthew 11:28-29). 

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for leaving us Your peace that is far superior to anything this world has to offer to us. Your peace keeps our soul from thinking troubling thoughts and from experiencing negative emotions. When we walk in Your ways and act in Your timing, we never need to feel fear of any kind for any reason (John 14:27).

 

When we slide from Your presence into the depths of depression, loneliness, and feelings of being overwhelmed, we lose hope; however, we can find hope in Jesus as the anchor of our soul. He saves us from the pit of darkness, and if we submit to Him, nothing is impossible with Him (Luke 1:27). Thank You for restoring our soul and making all things new within us (Psalm 23).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

The Lord often sustains us on our sickbed and restores our body to health. As we submit to Him, He brings us up from the realm of the living dead and spares us from eternity in hell. When we believe in Jesus and are saved, He has mercy on us as His children, forgives us when we unintentionally sin against Him, and heals us in body and soul.

- Psalm 30:2-3, 41:3-4; Jeremiah 17:14

Purposeful and Positive Focus

 

 

Whatever we give attention to in our thoughts will influence the health of our mental stability, the prosperity of our soul, and the strength of our spirit. If we allow our mind to concentrate on discouraging thoughts and ones that bring fear to our soul, we will experience defeat and anxiety. 

 

Yet, if we trust in the Lord and focus on His truth, we walk in His peace and joy (Philippians 4:8). We follow the Serenity Principle and change the things in our power to change, and relinquish control of everything else to God’s amazing grace.

 

As human beings we are bombarded with daily fearful thoughts and situations. We fear shame, bullying, abuse, humiliation, deprivation, alienation, loss, grief, illness, death, etc. These negative thoughts and emotions can make us ill mentally and physically.

 

Our only hope is to trade these negative thoughts with positive ones from God’s Word (1 Peter 2:12; 1 Timothy 4:12; Philippians 4:8). Positive thoughts, words, and actions are as sweet to our soul as honey is to our lips, and they are healing to our bones (Proverbs 16:24). 

 

When we focus on God’s Word, the verses are precious to us and cover every subject we will ever face (Psalm 139:17). It renews the spirit of our mind (Ephesians 4:23). When our soul is joyful, it affects us spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally and in every way (Proverbs 17:22; Matthew 6:22).

 

As we delight in the precepts of the Lord, and meditate on His scriptures each day, Christ will raise us up to the right hand of God (Psalm 1:2; Colossians 3:1). We will sit with Him in heavenly places and rejoice in His presence forevermore (Ephesians 2:6-9).

 

Prayer:

Father God, help us to rejoice in the hope that You give, to persevere during trying times, and devote our life to communicating with You in prayer each moment of our day (Romans 12:12). Shower the unbelieving world with Your kindness so they will be led by Your benevolence to repent of their sinful ways and submit to Your purpose for their life instead (Romans 2:4).

 

In You there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5), and negative thoughts and emotions cannot dominate any mind that is focused only on You and Your plans for our life (Isaiah 26:3). Thank You for providing us with eternal life through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 John 5:13). We love and appreciate all that You are as well as all that You do for us.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

God sanctifies our soul until we mirror the divine nature of Christ through the fruit of His Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, meekness, self-control, and faith. When we do not seek our own will, but the will of God for our life, we are blessed, because we rely only on His direction within us.

- Galatians 5:22-23; John 5:30

The Good Seed

 

 

There is a huge difference between conviction and conversion. Some children, and even adults, realize that we sin and come short of the holiness God requires of us. We feel sorry for those sins, and we pray for forgiveness. However, this gives us a false hope of going to Heaven.

 

The parable of the sower and the seed (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) shows us that 3/4 of those who repent of their sin have various reactions, but their profession of faith is merely superficial. Only 1/4 of the seed actually took root in fertile soil and sprouted into a healthy plant. 

 

This exemplifies truly converted individuals. They start to bear fruit little-by-little, and over time, their roots sink deeper into the rich soil (Matthew 13:23). Converted people have a true life-change, and grow in spiritual maturity and holiness, because the Spirit of Christ abides within us in an intimate union. 

 

We are hungry to hear God's Word and to read it on our own, to communicate with God throughout the day in prayer, and to tell other people about the replacement of many negative emotions in our soul with the joy and peace of the Lord that true conversion brings. His Spirit fills us with the characteristics of His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). 

If we are the same person we have always been, chances are that we were convicted, but never converted. The cares and riches of the flesh and the world draw us away from God. We reap what we sow, and we bring destruction and condemnation on our self (John 3:18). We can sin with immunity because God only disciplines His children (Hebrews 12:6; Proverbs 3:12). There is a simple solution to this conundrum. 

 

Once we realize that we are not growing in spiritual maturity, and that we still prefer a lifestyle of iniquity rather than pursuing holiness (1 John 3:9), then we can truly repent and turn away from carnality toward God and holiness, walk in His Spirit each moment of the day, and seek His will for our life, rather than pursuing our own fleshly goals and plans.

 

Prayer:

Father God, show us that there is a big difference between Conviction and Conversion in a person's life. Remind us that satanic strongholds in our life may keep us struggling with our walk with You, but we may also be hindered because we do not have a personal relationship with You. Believing is not enough, even Satan and his demons believe in You and tremble (James 2:19).

 

Teach us that if we say that we are saved, but our life is not transformed, we were convicted but not converted. Conversion starts our conformity into the image of Christ. Your Holy Spirit renews our minds and changes our behavior daily. Remind us that if after a few months, we are the same person we were before praying for Christ to be our Savior, we are not converted; we are not born again; and we are not saved.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

There are many examples of good people in the Bible who thought they were saved, but they never had a relationship with God. One way to tell if you are saved is because authentic, Born Again people cannot live in habitual sin. If we completely surrender to Him, God will save us in spirit, body and soul; however, every part of our soul that we hold back from God is controlling our life because we have not given our self completely to Him.

- Matthew 7:21, 25:11; Luke 6:46, 13:25; 1 John 2:3-6, James 1:12-16, 1 John 3:7-10

 

Blessings and Provision

 

 

The earth is the Lord’s, and He abundantly supplies everything we will ever need in our lifetime (Psalm 24:1-3). There is no lack in an authentic Believer’s life, unless we want something that is not good for us either now or later in our life. Our Father God knows the end from the beginning, and He wants only the best for us (Isaiah 46:9-11).

 

As we walk in His ways and wait on His timing, He not only provides for us physically through His Son, Jesus Christ, but also mentally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually (Philippians 4:10). His love, joy, and peace are our constant companions through life, regardless of our circumstances.

 

His grace abounds to us and is sufficient regardless of whatever life throws at us; His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). We can succeed in all our endeavors, as long as we live according to the guidance of His Spirit rather than by our human resources (2 Corinthians 9:8).

 

God’s supply exceeds our wildest imaginations, goals, ideals, and plans. He is constantly working with us and in us and through us (Ephesians 3:20). When we ask for His supply in Jesus’ name, He gives us everything we need to perform His will for us. This ignites our fullness of joy. 

 

The Lord commands blessings for us and He even increases our supply in our storehouse. Everything He leads us to do is blessed by Him (Deuteronomy 28:8). Our ability to traverse life’s rocky path increases, and He often makes our way smooth for us (John 16:24; Isaiah 26:7).

 

When we seek first His Kingdom and holiness, He showers us with His blessings (Matthew 6:33). We ask, and He supplies; we seek and He gives us His wisdom to find what we need; we knock and He opens doors for us that no one can close (Matthew 7:7-8). He is our supply of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for withholding from us those items and relationships that we think we want and need, but that are not truly good for us or our future. Teach us to walk in Your ways and to patiently wait on Your timing in all things. Thank You also for Your love, joy, and peace that pervade our life regardless of the trials that we experience. Your abundant grace covers our life and Your strength within us perfects our weaknesses. 

 

Teach us to walk by the direction of Your Holy Spirit within us. We willingly submit to Your reproof, Your correction, and Your instruction that thoroughly furnish what we need to perform the good works that You ordained for us before we were ever born (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:10). Due to Your blessings in our life, we spend the bulk of our time worshiping You as our Creator, Provider, Savior, and King.

 

Thought for the Day:

Satan only comes to us to steal, kill, and destroy our life; however, God sent Jesus to give us abundant life both in this world and in the next; since God blesses us with every good and perfect gift of spiritual blessings and earthly provision, we turn our gratitude into praise to our Father God, the same Father we share with Jesus Christ. 

- Ephesians 1:3; John 10:10

 

 

 

Out to Change Our World

 

Many of us grow up with a desire to make a positive difference in our world. We follow our passions, or walk in God’s Spirit, and do what we can to influence the world to survive more abundantly. We want to touch lives and make them better for knowing us. We often have a life-changing experience, or a divine encounter orchestrated by God that helps to formulate these passions.

 

Smiling at strangers, actively listening to the concerns of people we encounter along life’s way, helping someone who is struggling with too many packages, holding open a door for the person behind us, etc. are small ways that we can make a difference. However, we often desire to do more and make a greater influence in our world.

 

As an older teen, I read the book by Ann Kiemel (Anderson), “I’m Out to Change My World.” This life-changing autobiography inspired me. I admired her spunk, energy, drive, and passion as she walked in God’s Spirit and made a difference in all the lives around her. Her words motivated me to follow her example.

 

The first step in changing our world is to pay attention to the people around us, to look into their eyes – the windows of our soul, and to discern their plea for help or understanding. The second step is to connect to the compassion of our Savior who abides within us and to show that benevolence to the one God highlights for us to influence.

 

Some may be offended that we approached them, but most are genuinely glad that we cared enough to acknowledge their existence. This does not depend on an exorbitant amount of time out of our busy schedule, but on the sincerity that we exhibit as we speak to them. 

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for caring about the whole world so much that You became our Emmanuel through Jesus Christ and suffered and died to pay our sin debt (John 3:16-18). Inspire us to help those around us who need a shoulder to cry on, a prayer partner, someone to help them after a surgery or illness, or even just provide a smile or a hug or a simple, “Hello.” Help us to be open to the leading of Your Spirit each moment of every day.

 

We want to share Your love and compassion with the world around us, to bloom where You plant us, to share one another’s burdens, and to bring joy to someone’s heart. We desire to make a difference in our world as You lead and guide us each moment of our day, in the same way that You make a difference in our life as our Savior and Creator and Caregiver. We love and praise You more each day for who You are and what You provide for each of us.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

25 ideas on how to Make a Difference:

1.  Buy two of something you need and give one to someone else in need.

2.  Grow you own veggies and share them with a neighbor, friend, or stranger.

3.  Buy school supplies and backpacks for students each year.

4.  Adopt unclaimed pets when you want a furry friend.

5.  Forgive someone who perpetrated an unforgiveable act on you or your family member.

6.  Hug people who say they would like one.

7.  Show gratitude for kindnesses done for you.

8.  Send a card or make a phone call to someone you haven’t seen in a while.

9.  Volunteer at a pregnancy resource center or suicide hotline.

10.                Babysit for friends or family who need a break to relax or to date their mate.

11.                Plant trees on Arbor Day with a group of friends.

12.                Recycle paper, cardboard, glass, and plastic; start a compost for food scraps.

13.                Bake goodies for shut-ins or co-workers.

14.                Pay for the coffee for the person behind you in line.

15.                Donate used but good technology to a person, school, or charity.

16.                Adopt a highway as a family and keep it trash free.

17.                Donate your time to teach children or adults how to play the instrument in which you are proficient.

18.                Organize a group of church members to visit nursing homes.

19.                Send monthly donations to missionaries that you know.

20.                Compliment someone’s outfit, hairdo, or behavior.

21.                Take on one of your spouse’s regular chores to relieve their workload.

22.                Donate unused clothing and household items to a church thrift store or to someone who lost theirs in a fire or natural disaster.

23.                Tutor children in your area of expertise.

24.                Show compassion on people – especially children, who are having a hard day.

25.      Donate your long hair for wigs for cancer patients. (Locks of Love: https://locksoflove.org › get-involved ).  

 

 

A Good Marriage - Advice from God’s Word

 

 

God holds the ultimate authority about every controversial topic we face. For instance, God’s Word has much advice about marriage, and the wise will heed its counsel. The world has ignored God’s instruction with its own definition of marriage, but we follow God’s Word in our faith and in our practice (Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9). 

 

God’s view of marriage is that it is honorable, and that sexual immorality of every kind has no place in this union between one man and one woman (1 Corinthians 7:2-11; Hebrews 13:4; Genesis 2:18; Matthew 5:32). King Solomon mentioned that having a good wife is a blessing and brings favor from God (Proverbs 18:22, 19:14).

 

Of course, a man must choose a wife wisely and make sure that he consults the Lord’s will for him before proposing (Proverbs 21:9; 2 Corinthians 6:14). God advises that a man leave the home of his parents and honor his wife as they become united in marriage (Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:22-25).

 

We often glibly profess love to another human being without a complete understanding of what love truly is. Love encompasses patience, kindness, truth, bearing with one another’s faults, enduring hardships together, and believing the best about each other, which will bind us together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 16:14). 

 

God’s Word discourages us from bringing into marriage an envious, boastful, arrogant, rude, irritable, resentful, and unconcerned attitude (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). As we love one another earnestly and joyfully, that love will continue in the face of all our individual faults and the negative circumstances of life (Proverbs 31:10; 1 Peter 4:8; Ecclesiastes 4:12).

 

It is advisable to marry someone who loves God more than he/she loves us; who loves us more than he/she loves their self; and who takes care of his/her needs without codependently neglecting themselves and expecting us to make them happy. A good marriage is a reciprocal and inter-dependent relationship between a man and woman who cherish and care about each other more than any other human being on earth.  

 

Prayer:

Father God, perfect love comes from You. Thank You for giving us Your peace in this unstable and fear-filled environment in which we live. You offer us more hopeful promises than the world does (John 14:27). You teach us to steadfastly love each other. Remind us that if we take the time to discover our mate’s particular “love language,” they will feel secure in our love. With dedicated faithfulness to one another, we can enjoy Your righteousness and peace (Psalms 85:10). 

- https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes

 

Having our spirit regenerated by Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary’s cross helps us to know You and to love each other with Your unconditional love (1 John 4:7). Thank You for instituting marriage with Adam and Eve, so we can walk through life with each other, supporting one another in adversities, sharing warmth both emotionally and physically, and bound together with You to give us strength of purpose to face the issues of life (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

In marriage we love and respect each other. Wives are told to submit to their own husband, because this pleases the Lord; so, women need to be sure their husband will be someone they can respect and admire throughout their lifetime. A husband is challenged to live with his wife with support, consideration, and acceptance of all her shortcomings, always showing her honor, mercy, and an earnest love because they are joint heirs of the grace of life and their prayers will be hindered if he does not. 

- Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Peter 3:7, 4:8; Ephesians 5:33; Proverbs 12:4

 

 

God’s Amazing Love and Care for Us

 

 

The Lord is always everywhere at all times. He knows each thought we entertain, emotion we feel, and action we plan to take (Psalm 94:11). He laughs at most of them because they are so futile (Proverbs 19:21, 37:13; Psalm 2:4, 59:8). Thankfully, His purposes will prevail because our Father knows best (Proverbs 19:21; Psalm 33:11).

 

He graciously disciplines His children when we stray from His narrow path of safety and grants us relief from trouble when we walk in His ways. He never leaves or forsakes us or rejects us in our times of living according to our own goals (Hebrews 13:5). 

 

Before He disciplined us, we strayed from His path; but afterward, we learn to keep His commandments (Psalm 119:67). His justice is always righteous, and His wise Saints follow His direction (Psalm 94:12-15; Hebrews 13:5). A prayerful life, centered around God’s will for us, enables us to live with constant joy (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

 

We devote our life to Him and communicate with Him, heeding His counsel with our spiritual ears and giving thanks to Him with a grateful heart for His care for us (Colossians 4:2; Ephesians 5:20). Our world is filled with His steadfast love toward us, and we actually hunger to know His ways (Psalm 42:1-5). 

 

God is kind in His dealings with us, and He teaches us to make good decisions by using His wisdom, which we value and appreciate (Psalm 119:68, 71). Our trials teach us to keep our mind focused on Him, rather than on worldly, carnal quests.

 

When we completely surrender our life to Him, our trials are fewer and further between them. He raises us with Christ from the deadly destruction of a life in bondage to sin (Colossians 3:3-4). He teaches us to live with a spiritual mind on heavenly issues and to look forward to dwelling with Jesus in eternity (Colossians 3:1-2).

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for rescuing us from a life of degradation and suffering, for providing for us in all our needs, and for protecting us from the destruction that this world is intent on propagating. Remind us not to ignore Your discipline or to lose heart when You correct us (Hebrews 12:5). It is only from Your love for us that You chastise us (Psalm 119:75; Lamentations 3:33).

 

Prior to our submission to Your plans for our life, we disgraced our self by our decisions and behavior. We needlessly caused our self pain until we humbled our self and repented of our iniquity. You are our Lord and our God, and we thank You for restraining us from straying from Your peace and wisdom (Jeremiah 31:18-19). You are our good Shepherd who rescues us when we fail to follow after You (Psalm 119:176). 

 

Thoughts for the Day:

When Christ is our whole life, we daily die to our fleshly desires and live a life that is hidden with Christ in God; and when Jesus appears in the clouds to receive His children to Himself, we will dwell with Him in His heavenly Kingdom of glory for ever and ever.

- Colossians 3:3-4

 

Cry of Our Heart

 

 

A broken heart is not reserved just for a few individuals. In this world, we all have tribulation. We experience various levels of depleted energy, motivation, joy, peace, etc. We also experience an abundance of discouragement, heaviness, grief, depression, etc. with no hope for the future and only gloom and despair staring us in the face.

 

God calls those who are heavy laden to come to Him so He can give us rest (Matthew 11:28-30). He invites us to share our burdens with Him because He longs to sustain us (Psalm 55:22). He gives us rest for our weary soul and encourages us to share His yoke with Him, rather than to carry our own load alone (Matthew 11:28-30). 

 

He lifts the weight of our brokenness, and we find comfort in His presence. We can actually be cheerful in loss, grief, and brokenness because Jesus overcame the world, sin, and death (John 16:33; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57). He is within us, giving us comfort, strength, encouragement, wonder, joy, and peace (Colossians 1:27; Deuteronomy 31:6). 

 

The Lord hears the cry of our heart, and He sustains us through heart-rending experiences (Psalm 3:4-5). Our God embraces us, and showers us with true soluce in body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). He wipes away our tears and collects them all in His bottle and records them in His book (Psalm 56:8-11). 

 

He relieves us of our mourning, pain, and grief and holds us in His everlasting arms (Revelation 21:4; Deuteronomy 33:27). He heals the brokenhearted and binds our wounds (Psalm 147:3). When His adopted children call out to Him with all our heart, the Lord always hears and delivers us. 

 

He is constantly near to the brokenhearted and saves all of us who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:17-18). From one end of the earth to the other, all those of us who are overwhelmed receive His watch care as He leads us to the Rock of Jesus Christ (Psalm 61:2,30).

 

Prayer:

Father God, when our heart is overwhelmed and cries out to You, You always lead us to walk in Your ways (Psalm 119:145). You are a shelter for us in the storms we encounter, a strong tower of safety from the burdens of life, and a heritage for those who honor Your name through every generation (Psalm 61:1-5).

 

We shall abide before You for all eternity; and until then, your mercy and truth sustain and preserve us. Your joy is our strength and causes us to praise Your name forever as we daily keep our promises to You (Psalm 61:6-8). Our fainting soul longs for Your presence in the halls of Your glorious heavenly home (Psalm 84:2).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Our Lord God knows us better than we know our self. When we call on the Lord, seek Him with our whole heart, and pray to Him, we will find Him because He continually listens to those of us who do not harbor sin in our heart or who do not ignore His guidance and His plans for our life.

-Ephesians 2:10; Jeremiah 29:12-13; Romans 8:26

 

Humbling Our Self

 

 

When we humble our self under God’s mighty hand, He lifts us up in His timing and way. It may not be as soon as we would like, or in the way that we want, but He is faithful to care for us. We can shift all our cares and worries to His capable shoulders.

 

God protects us from spiritual warfare as we trust solely in Him and submit to His precepts (1 Peter 5:6-8). The Lord also treats us like His children, and He graciously and lovingly disciplines us when we stray from His straight and narrow road of protection (Hebrews 12:6-11; Matthew 7:13-14). 

 

We can get angry with His correction and turn away from Him, or we can embrace His rebuke, and not lose faith in His faithfulness. He only reprimands those that He truly loves – those whom He considers as His own children. If we willfully sin and God does not correct us, then we know that we are not His true son or daughter James 1:2, 5:11). 

 

At one point, we were convicted of our sins, but we were never truly converted in our spirit, which is still dead in sin. Discipline may be painful at the time, but it produces holiness and peace in the soul that is trained by it (Proverbs 3:11-13; Philippians 4:4; 1 Peter 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Romans 5:2-4, 12:12).

 

Today, so many adult children are rejecting their parents for disciplining them as a child, considering spankings as abusive. Yet, Biblical wisdom encourages us not to spare the rod, and we followed this counsel because we love our children and wanted to teach them self-discipline. 

 

I used a thin paint stirring sticks for discipline, and I gave 3 to 5 swats on the outer thigh with each act of willful disobedience. Then, I would explain to my children why I spanked them and then pray with them to obey in the future, and to discipline themselves so I did not have to discipline them.

 

When we are the weakest, we see that we are actually our strongest, because our limitations force us to rely only on the Lord, and not on our human resources (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). We are simple branches who cannot survive on our own. Only as we stay connected to the Vine of Christ can we actually bear fruit (John 15:5).

 

Prayer:

Father God, help us to walk in Your Spirit and to never give up or grow weary. Teach us to identify false teachers and doctrines that attempt to draw us with lies away from Your ultimate truth. Help us to cling to our first love with You (Revelation 2:2-5). Remind us that Your discipline is not for the purpose of tormenting us, but to protect us from bigger issues that lurk around the present moment (Psalm 37:5).

 

You have only our best interest in mind, and You give us rest in turmoil, safety in the penetrating evils, and protection from danger that we cannot see. You guard our life now and provide us with eternal life in the future (Psalm 121:5-8). You defend us when we suffer persecution and protect us in times of trouble; therefore, we can trust You because You will never leave or abandon us (Psalm 9:7-10; Hebrews 13:5)

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Apart from God we can do nothing; therefore, we are wise if we spend quiet times communing with Him throughout the day and walking in His Spirit moment by moment. This allows us not to be overwhelmed by the intense trials that come our way, because we know without a shadow of a doubt that His glory will be revealed in us.

- John 15:5; 1 Peter 4:12-13