Trusting God Alone

 

 

Trusting in God alone guards us from the need to defend our self to others. We no longer wrestle with encumbering emotions such as bitterness, anger, and depression, which tie us up in knots and prevent us from experiencing the totality of freedom that we can enjoy in our life in Christ (John 8:36). 

 

Consulting God for His wisdom for each moment of our day delivers us from the futile exercise of attempting to control life in order to prevent the negative consequences of our choices as well as the tribulation inherent in daily living (Proverbs 3:5-6; 2 Thessalonians 3:16). 

 

Relying on our human skills and knowledge limits us in our success in life. We feel constricted and often fail in our attempt to make wise choices. However, God's truth fills us with His limitless knowledge, His spiritual wisdom, His skill for living, and His heavenly understanding, which set us free from the limitations of carnal living. 

 

This new way of relating to our circumstances allows us to walk in a worthy manner, which pleases God in every way and allows us to produce spiritual fruit in all our thoughts, words, and deeds (Colossians 1:9). The older we get, the more we accumulate knowledge that we garner from our mounting collection of experiences. We also improve our understanding of God’s purpose for our life (Job 12:12).

 

With Jesus as our Savior and Lord living within us, He brings with Him the wisdom of the ages and the spiritual revelation that make our life more fulfilled and successful (Ephesians 1:17-18). Acquiring wisdom from God’s Word, as we spend time reading and studying it daily, helps us to realize that God had a plan for mankind even before He formed the galaxies (Provers 2:6; Ephesians 1:4-6; 1 Peter 1:19-20).

 

Prayer:

Father God, remind us to jump off the “hamster’s wheel” which we created as our way of life. Formerly, we thought this hectic lifestyle would bring us success, but now we realize that living according to Your wisdom and direction makes us happier than we ever thought possible in our lifetime. Our values and purpose now focus on Your Kingdom and not on the issues and covetousness of this earth. 

 

When we allow Your love to flow through us to everyone we know as well as to those new people that we meet, the love we feel for our fellow mankind springs from our love for You. This love is more committed and unconditional than our human love, and it bears spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). We start to concentrate on what people say to us, rather than drifting off in thoughts about our own life. Remind us that this focused attention makes people feel valued, and that they actually matter to us.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

As we daily contemplate God’s goodness, majesty, power, mercy, love, wisdom, justice, and sovereignty, we attempt to walk in a different dimension than unregenerated humanity. We make better choices, and we experience more fulfillment in our life. Even if attaining Godly wisdom costs us the loss of what we formerly cherished in this life, we reap a benefit that is eternal and positively affects every area of our present life. 

- Proverbs 4:7

 

Immutable Facts of Faith

 

Photo: Sea of Clouds

Our Father God is so good about teaching us the undisputable facts of His plan, provision, presence, and love for us in our walk with Him. Over the years, we learn to put our trust in Him rather than in people, places, and possessions (Psalm 13:5). We allow patience to have her perfect work in us rather than to worry, scheme, or attempt to control life (James 1:4-8).

 

We learn that our provision does not come through our vocation, because our employment is untenable, even when it seems to be secure. God is our source regardless of where we work. Someone else may sign our paycheck, but God delivers the success or the demise of that business and/or our position there. Nothing on this earth is guaranteed. 

 

Due to the insecurity of life in this world, God teaches us to enter His rest regardless of our circumstances (Hebrews 4:10). This allows us to weather any storm, face any issue, and live victoriously through any trial regardless of how feeble or horrific it may be. He helps us to accept His timing and way in every area of our life (Psalm 27:14). 

 

God plants a seed for a miracle in every moment of trouble, so we can focus on the coming miracle rather than on the troublesome issue we face. We take His yoke on our shoulders, rather than one of our own making, because His is easy and light (Matthew 11:29-30). We consult Him for each step we take, and we do not rely on our own human plans, purpose, or long-term goals that we devise (Proverbs 3:5-6).

 

We are free in Christ from the desire to sin, the slavery to sin, and the effects of sin on our life (Romans 6, 7:24-25, 8:1-2). Our citizenship is in Heaven and not in this world; we live in this world physically, but we are not of this world (Philippians 3:20-21; Galatians 2:20). Our spirit and soul are free to soar like eagles by the power of God’s Spirit within us (Isaiah 40:31; Zechariah 4:6; John 14:26).

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for delivering Jesus over to death to pay our sin debt, and for raising Him back to life for our justification (Romans 4:25). At just the right time in Your economy, while we were still powerless against sin, You proved Your love for us when Jesus died for all of the ungodly. Our old, carnal nature was crucified with Him. Now sin is rendered powerless over us, and You free us from living as slaves to sin (Romans 5:5-8).

 

Teach us to crucify the love for and lusts after the desires of our flesh (Galatians 5:24). We give You all the praise and glory because this world no longer has a hold on us (Galatians 6:14). We are buried with Jesus in baptism and raised to walk in a new pattern and lifestyle (Romans 6:4-6, 8, 13). Thank You that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). 

 

Thoughts for the Day:

We continually trust in God, because He constantly proves to us that He is totally trustworthy (Psalm 56:3-4). Our faith finds its source in God’s faithfulness and in the fact that He promises never to leave us or forsake us. We look forward to living in the presence of the Trinity of God throughout eternity (1 Corinthians 1:9; Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 John 1:9; Lamentations 3:22-23; Hebrews 13:5; Revelation 22:3-6).

Praying God's Will

There are many factors which limit God from answering our prayers. Some people blame God for the trauma in our life caused by our own sinful behavior or by the sinful choices made by others in our life. We reap what we sow, as well as the evil in the hearts of those who perpetrate distress on our life. 

 

In these cases, we do not see God as a powerful and benevolent Being, because we feel He could have intervened on our behalf, but He chose not to, was too busy, or was unable to do so. Many lose their faith in God, because we trusted Him to grant our wishes exactly as we prayed them, and He did not. This simply means that God had other plans for us that are even better than our expectations. 

 

Other factors which prevent God from answering our prayers as we anticipate are our sinful motives and personal desires which hinder our prayers (Proverbs 16:2). We are centered on our self more than on God’s will and desires for us in the steps that we take in our daily walk.

 

Some of us are failing to give God the tenth of our income that He requires (Malachi 3:8-12), or we may see someone in need and tell them to go their way and be blessed rather than to share with them from our abundance (James 2:16; Proverbs 21:13); or Satan will fill our mind with lies and prevent us from recognizing that God is answering our prayers in ways that we did not expect.

 

God is not an Aladdin’s Lamp that grants our wishes. In His mercy, God rarely answers our prayers as we request. However, when we call on God in our days of trouble, He delivers us in His timing and way, and His answers will glorify Him. At times, we even offer a prayer as a last resort because we tried everything else first and it failed.

 

At other times, it seems redundant for us to pray for something which we know that God is already aware (Matthew 6:8); therefore, why should we pray for it? Prayer is a great way to unify our relationship with Him because it causes us to spend time with Him and to trust Him as we block out the world, satanic lies, our worries and fears, and our constant responsibilities and busyness.

 

Prayer:

Father God, You often use our trials to further Your Kingdom in the earth (Psalm 34:7,17,19). When doubts fill our mind, Your comfort gives us renewed hope and cheer (Psalm 94:19). When we go through deep difficulties, You are right there with us. If life gets complicated, You never leave us, forsake us, or let us down (Hebrews 13:5). 

 

We may walk through the fire of oppression; yet, You will not allow us to be burned or the flames to consume us (Isaiah 43:2). You encourage us to trust in You alone, regardless of what this sinful world brings our way. You are always close to the brokenhearted; and You rescue those whose spirit is crushed (Psalm 34:18).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

We often pray for selfish desires with wrong motives (James 4:3). We reject God’s call on our life and pursue our own goals, we refuse to share our abundance with those around us who are in need, we create idols in our life and think about them more than we think about God (Psalm 66:18). This is why our egocentric prayers are never affirmatively answered.

 

In this World, but Not of It

 

 

In our modern society, we not only face the usual stressors of life, but also those that we create for our self. We take on more pressure than God provides His strength and wisdom for us to bear. This causes us to we get weary, and our “candle” burns out from both ends.

 

We allow our self to get overly committed, and we start to drown in our myriad of responsibilities. Satan whispers false accusations in our ear, and we believe what he says as truth. We start to resent all the demands and the pressure that our decisions place on us, because we are at everyone’s beck and call. 

 

Jonah had these same feelings, and blamed God’s calling for his issues (Jonah 1:3). The fact that he chose to run from God’s perfect plans for him, as well as from the ministry God called him to accomplish, caused him all sorts of trouble. He even cost his fellow shipmates the loss of their income and almost their very lives. 

 

Thwarting God’s will for our life never solves any issue that we face. He guides and provides for us every step of our obedient journey on His straight and narrow road of blessings. During the dry, parched times of life, God causes living water to spring up from within us. We dwell as a well-watered garden, even in the midst of troubles and trials (Isaiah 58:11). 

 

The more we strive to enter God’s rest, the more fulfillment we gain through our obedience to His plans (Hebrews 4:9-16). Eventually, this world no longer holds any great attachment for us. We actually stop caring about what we eat, where we live, or how many possessions we accumulate on this earth, because our citizenship is truly in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

 

Prayer:

Father God, Your Word teaches us that when we come to the place of “coming out of this world,” (John 15:19), our citizenship is truly in heaven instead of on this globe. We no longer worry about any issues in this life, and eternity is our focus instead of on earthly matters (Philippians 3:19; Ephesians 2:19). Thank You that we do not lack any spiritual gift or natural resource that we need to function in Your calling for our life (1 Corinthians 1:7).

 

We eagerly await our Savior either through the veil of death (Philippians 3:21), or through Jesus’ appearing in the clouds to claim His bride (Revelation 1:7). You raised our spirit from the ravages of sin through Christ, and we no longer strive for things of this world, but for spiritual blessings that enable us to perform Your work for us in this world (Colossians 3:1; Galatians 2:20). We desire above all things to bring You glory through our thoughts, words, and actions.

 

Thought for the Day:

We want to keep our mind focused on spiritual issues rather than on the mundane aspects of life on this earth, because once we receive God’s salvation of spirit, Christ is our whole purpose for living; therefore, we do not dread death, because we realize that to enter His physical presence is more to be desired than anything this world has to offer.

- Colossians 3:1-4; Philippians 1:21; Psalm 84:10

 

A Good Marriage - Accepting One Another

 

 

Too often we look at our spouse’s faults, forget that they are human, and we have unrealistic expectations of one another. We resent rather than rejoice when our mate is blessed and has opportunities to enjoy times apart from us. 

 

Satan is ever vigilant and prowls around looking for ways to fill our mind with lies that spawn from our past experiences, our fears, and our personal insecurities. Setting aside a time to discuss God’s Word as a couple and seeking His will for our combined life will do much to prevent any feelings of sadness, neglect, abuse, or abandonment.

 

Of course, some behavior is very abusive, and some people take more time with others and neglect their husband/wife. If we tolerate this behavior, it will probably escalate over the years. Sharing lovingly and honestly about our disappointments and feelings of neglect or abuse as well as praying together (Hebrews 11:6) about a balance in both our lives will help to resolve many issues.

 

Spending some intentional time together cuddling, or out in nature, or even a quick trip to the grocery store during the week will knit us together mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as well as cultivate more intimacy, compassion and security in our relationship.

 

Our commitment to each other is one of the most important vows we can make in our lifetime, and it requires a constant vigil to remain strong as well as a huge blessing to both of us and our entire family. Sin and demonic forces often enter our relationship and drive a wedge between us.

 

These issues are not unforgivable or insurmountable and are ultimately reconcilable if together we take distractions, abuse, and neglect to God in prayer for His wisdom and guidance (Matthew 19:6). We do not blame one another for these issues, but we take responsibility for our own part in the breakdown.

 

Cherishing our mate above everyone else will help to build our bond and affect every area of our life. Our physical make-up and our psychological philosophy of life vary as a man and a woman but give us different perspectives on life’s issues in addition to surprises in our day that we did not anticipate (Genesis 2:18).

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for placing the desire in husbands to support, understand, serve, provide for, and protect their wife; and also, for giving wives the desire to cooperate, respect, admire, serve, and support their own husband. Teach us to pursue balance in our life together. Teach us how to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, and supportive of each other in this complex world in which we live (Ephesians 4:32). 

 

Help us to be humble enough to apologize quickly when we say or do something that may hurt our spouse and wound them emotionally. Guide us to be honest with each other, to value one another’s feelings, viewpoint, and thoughts even if they seem inconsequential to us. Remind us that You gently exhort us in order to restore our relationship with You, and we can follow Your Word and Jesus’ example when relating to one another too. 

 

Thoughts for the Day:

When disagreements, financial upsets, health issues, disappointments, and discouragement occur, we can seek God to draw us together as husband and wife, and to resolve the issue rather than to allow it to put a wedge of negative emotions and suspicions between us that cause the rift to widen when future upsets arise.

 

God is in Control

 

 

Today, I woke up thinking about the fact that God is in control of the rapidly changing events in our culture and world. This reminded me of the events in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Our president inadvertently left many of our mass weapons of destruction of war at our military bases there. 

 

Now the Taliban has control of those fierce resources. Was that a blip in presidential planning, or part of God’s greater plan for the beginning of the Great Tribulation? I believe it is the later. Those committed to Islam in the Middle East, are descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar, Sarah’s handmaiden (Psalm 83:2-4).

 

Sarah and Abraham eventually gave birth to Isaac, the son of God’s promise to them. These sibling rivalries live on through the continued races of Esau and Jacob. There is a perpetual resentment and competition between these two people groups that also fuels the Middle Eastern hatred against Israel. 

 

Even the decision made by Sarah and Abraham to conceive a son through Hagar did not take God by surprise. He knows the end to the beginning, and His plan has unfolded since Creation, through the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ, even into today and the future. 

 

God, speaking to the leaders of nations through the prophet in Ezekiel 38:4 KJV, said: "And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen..." He continues in Chapter 38 and goes on in Chapter 39 describing a war when the Middle Eastern countries and Russia attempt a joint assault against Israel. 

 

In the Abrahamic covenant, God promises His protection over Israel. He pledges that a Chosen People will come through Abraham (Genesis 22:17–18), through Isaac (Genesis 26:2–4), and through Jacob (Genesis 28:14), and that God would give them the Promised Land (Genesis 15:18; Joshua 1:4). 

 

God is not a liar, nor does He go back on His promises – they are all “Yes and Amen” (1 Corinthians 1:20). He planned for Jesus to come even before the Trinity created the cosmos (Genesis 1:26-28; Ephesians 1:4-6). The tiny baby born in an obscure stable in Bethlehem is the Savior of the whole world (Matthew 1:18-25), and believing in His birth, life, death, and soon return is the only way that we can spend eternity in God’s family.

 

Prayer:

Father God, You gave prophetic Biblical books to us to prove the validity of Your Word, inform us of Your plans, and to keep our hearts from failing us for fear during these tumultuous times in which we live. You are just setting the stage for the last act of the “drama” You planned and that has been unfolding all these thousands of years (Ezekiel 25-27, 37:10; Jeremiah 49:1-6; Obadiah). You bless all those who bless Israel for Your name’s sake. You are gathering Israelites from the ends of earth and returning them to the land that You gave to Abraham centuries ago (Genesis 12:3; Ezekiel 36:22,). You are our amazing God, a generous and provisionary Protector, and a glorious and magnificent Father.

 

You planned that very soon King Jesus will return to put His Kingdom in place on the earth and to reign supreme throughout eternity. In fact, Your Word tells us through all Your prophets that You are actually in charge. King Jesus is definitely coming again (Matthew 24:36), and He will rule and reign over the cosmos soon and very soon. We are so thrilled to realize that this event is a day closer today than it was yesterday. However, we will only benefit from this good news if we already repented of our sinful lifestyle, trusted Jesus as our Savior, and live in submission to Your will for us.

 

Thought for the Day:

It is my surmise that the USA military weapons left in Taliban control in Afghanistan just may be part of prophecy’s fulfillment (Amos 3:7). Twenty-five percent of the Bible is prophecy when it was written, and is very accurate both in our modern translations and even through the original manuscripts, which were written over 3,000 years ago. Archeology has found copies of ancient manuscripts periodically over the years, and the translations we have from the original Greek and Hebrew languages of God’s Word today are fundamentally the same as these ancient copies. 

 

Skill for Living

 

 

God meets us in the morning with His plan for our day, which is full of divine moments for Him to use for His glory. Once we start our day in the anointing of God’s Spirit, we set our course for success. He keeps us in His sheltering arms, and He uses even the unnerving events in our life to bear good fruit for us and His Kingdom. 

 

Even if our day turns sour with trials overwhelming us at every turn, each moment is still a divine rendezvous to allow His light to shine through us. Christ, who is our life, will turn around even the most horrendous situation for our good (Colossians 3:4; Romans 8:28)

 

When we feel negative emotions, they are often enmeshed in Satan's lies planted in us during times of negative experiences. We allow these lies to rule our life, because they affect our soul - our thoughts, emotions, and choices. 

 

When we are feeling fearful, abandoned, unloved, worried, stressed, anxious, helpless, powerless, hopeless, or worthless, this is due to our lie-based beliefs and not because of our circumstances.

 

God's wisdom, which is skill for living, sets us free from every negative thought and experience that we ever encounter in this sin-cursed world in which we live. Christ in us - our only true source of real life, truth, and direction – will protect us from internalizing any pain and conflict, which we experience during our lifetime (Colossians 1:27; John 14:6).

 

When we live in God's peace and truth, we access His wisdom, which produces positive emotions such as: serenity, joy, assurance, confidence, security, and contentment. The peace of Christ fills in our heart, gives us access to God’s constant wisdom, helps us to traverse the trials that come our way, and satisfies the longing in our soul – our thoughts, choices, and emotions (Colossians 3:15).

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for showing us that if we make the time to consult You for Your plans for our life, rather than chasing our own goals, plans, and pursuits, You freely supply us with your wisdom – skill for living (James 1:5; Proverbs 3:5-6). You teach us Your heavenly wisdom and prompt in us a humble attitude in all our deeds (James 3:12). 

 

Relying on our human pride and rebellion brings us more shame and frustration than fulfillment; yet, living in submission to Your will for our life makes us compliant to You and able to access Your wisdom for each moment of our day (Proverbs 11:2). We look to You to provide us with the spiritual wisdom and resources to take advantage of Your divine encounters and to perform inspired deeds according to Your perfect will for us (Ephesians 2:10).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

In this world of trials and trouble, we groan with all creation in eager anticipation of our manifestation as God’s sons. As we walk in the Spirit and not in our fleshly desires, opinions, and goals, we find a shift in our thinking. The joy and peace that God’s wisdom provides for us makes us more relaxed, joyful, and thinking positive thoughts as we experience jubilant and affirmative emotions. 

- Romans 8:19; Galatians 5:15-25

 

Freedom in Christ – What I Have Learned

  

The human mind is so complex. Over my years of life, I discovered how much ancestral issues can affect us. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Perfectionism, Codependency, and Introversion are just a few of the issues that I inherited from my predecessors. 

 

My dad, bipolar before it was recognized as an illness, was in the Korean war and had a great deal of anger stored up in his soul due to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; and my mommy’s mom died when Mommy was about three years old, so my Mommy developed Reactive Attachment Disorder. I learned from their behavior and these issues affected me too.

 

As an adult, I could not understand why I had trouble with trusting people and God, feeling abandoned and lonely, embracing guilt that had no roots in my own behavior, feeling unlovable and that I did not matter, striving as a perfectionist, neglecting myself, and living as a codependent to name a few of the issues, which crippled my soul.

 

As I aged into adulthood, I learned coping skills that helped me to function in society, but many of these issues still plagued me. However, in the last couple of decades, I experienced so much freedom from these debilitating character traits through a loving, caring husband as well as a ministry called, “Transformation Prayer.”

- https://www.transformationprayer.org/preparing-journey-introduction/

 

Satanic destruction no longer eats away at my innermost being, because God taught me that the devil’s lies were the root of these debilitating beliefs which kept me in bondage all of my life so far. Instead, God’s Spirit first revealed these lies to me, and then He taught me His truths that freed me from these beliefs one at a time.

 

God’s revelation of the lies that Satan used to convince me of these former negative feelings, attitudes, and habits, as well as the Holy Spirit healing me with His truth, set me free (John 8:36). I learned to live in harmony with God’s truth and to reject satanic lies that formerly echoed in my heart and soul.

 

Prayer: 

Father God, thank You for teaching me that I can: 

·      put all my trust in You (Psalm 13:5), 

·      enter into Your rest each moment of the day (Hebrews 4:10), 

·      and wait on Your timing and way (Psalm 27:14) as patience does her perfecting work in my soul (James 1:4-8). 

 

I know now, without a doubt that You plant a seed for a miracle in every time of trouble and trial that affects our life (Proverbs 3:5-6). My love for You grows exponentially with each passing day, and my soul has learned to trust in You with my whole heart – without allowing my mind to walk the fence between faith and fear.

 

You also taught me that:

·      I am free in Christ from the desire to sin (Romans 6-8), 

·      My citizenship is in heaven and not on this earth (Philippians 3:20-21), 

·      I can trust You because You continually prove to me that You are absolutely trustworthy (Psalm 56:3-4), 

·      You will never neglect or abandon me (Hebrews 13:5). 

 

I look forward to continuing to yoke up with You through all my days on this earth (Matthew 11:29-30), as well as serving You throughout eternity (Revelation 22:3-6). Your intimate union with me means more to me than anything this world has to offer. I am a foreigner here in this world because I am a citizen of Heaven (1 Peter 2:11).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Those who do not put their trust in God for their salvation, do so because they do not have spiritual ears to hear, or spiritual eyes to see, or a spiritual mind to understand God’s truths. God teaches us to enter His rest, because Jesus came to earth once for all: for every different people group, and for each individual person throughout every single generation from the beginning to the end of time. He did away with our bondage to sin and fear of death. He gave us a hopeful future by sacrificing Himself in our place, and He daily leads us in His ways and His perfect will for our life.

- Hebrews 4:2-4, 9:26; Ezekiel 20:38 

 

Science and Faith Agree

 

 

In today’s unbelieving society, people often discount the blessings of God in our life by attributing them to some scientific or rational explanation.  However, these two viewpoints are not exclusive or contrary to one another. God’s miraculous intervention in our life often works with scientific laws that He put into motion, rather than supernaturally.

 

It amazes me to realize that when Jesus dwelt on the earth, taught in the highways and hills to thousands of people, and did amazing miracles, the people enjoyed the benefits He provided for them – such as a free fish dinner and healing of their infirmities, but most of them were not moved to repentance and to surrender to Him.

 

They were totally oblivious to the God part of Jesus, and they focused only on His obvious human aspects (John 1:11-13). Jesus said that if they saw Him, they saw Father God as well, because the Trinity is one God (John 10:30-36, 14:9), but few believed His words. Even His own family, neighbors, and friends rejected His claim to be God (Luke 4:14-21; Isaiah 61:1-3).

 

The fact that many matters must come together at one time to allow life to exist on our planet points to the supernatural existence of God, because of the improbability of them occurring on their own by some natural cause. Yet, more and more people are attributing this phenomenon to physical sources rather than to God.

 

These two are not exclusive of one another as most people believe. Christian scientists are discovering that scientific beliefs are not contrary to Biblical Truth. They see clearly that these two viewpoints are complementary. They understand that God’s existence does not negate science because believing in God explains science.

 

All creation proves the existence of God (Romans 1:20), and is a constant testimony of His goodness, provision, and love for every person ever conceived on this earth (John 3:16-18). Jesus’ life is the perfect example of how the natural miracles He performed are indeed God breathed and executed.

 

Prayer:

Father God, we give You all the praise and glory for the precise way You created earth for man’s existence. Thank You for creating scientific laws that hold the earth in its exact position to support life, and the way that You use scientific forces to work together to give us the beauty that surrounds us. Thank You for also allowing archeologists to find truth from the earth that proves Your existence and the veracity of Your Word. 

 

Your amazing design of the earth emphatically proves that it takes much less faith to believe in Your existence, than it does to believe that arbitrary energies are the cause of what we enjoy in nature and in human resources on the earth and in the cosmos (Romans 1:20). Help unbelievers see that their lack of faith in You not only deprives them of Your daily blessings now, but also condemns them to an eternal existence of pain and suffering (2 Peter 3:9). 

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Satellites, telescopes, and super antennae were invented for the purpose of finding life outside of the earth; but in all the years of searching, mankind has never been able to prove that it does exist or that God does not exist. Christian scientists agree that scientific information based on rational research affirms our faith in God rather than disproves it.

 

Jesus and Santa – The Contest

 

 

When children compare a seemingly insignificant baby born in a smelly stable and surrounded by rag-tag shepherds against a tiny, rotund man in a red suit, sitting in a large red sleigh full of toys, zipping through the sky pulled by flying reindeer, and joyfully yelling “Ho-ho-ho,” what would appeal more? 

 

There is no contest here. Of course, Santa attracts their attention more than Jesus – especially with their parents’ guidance. Jesus lived in insignificance for thirty-three years and only had a three-year ministry, while supposedly Santa consistently granted wishes for every good girl and boy ever since St. Nicholas started his benevolent ministry to the poor, so there is no contest. 

 

When Christmas magic allegedly happens every year through Santa, his army of tiny elves, and his “helpers” in stores all over the world, there is no contest. When the world emphasizes Santa’s imaginary magical powers and demotes or totally disregards the actual miracles of Jesus, there is no contest. When the Christmas story of Santa is read in most homes more religiously than the Bible, there is no contest. 

 

When the more than three hundred prophesies about Jesus are rarely spoken of and Santa’s attributes are promoted for months of every year, there is no contest. Even when the eternally saving power of the blood and name of Jesus is mentioned, or His eminent return to earth to govern the nations is preached, people scoff.

 

They say, “You Christians have been talking about Jesus’ return for thousands of years, and He still hasn’t come.” Today, the reality of Jesus’ coming is closer than it was yesterday. He is taking thousands of years to come again, because He desires that no one should perish in the confines of the flames of hell but that everyone should come to Him in repentance (2 Peter 3:8-10; Luke 16:19-31).

 

God provides every authentic Born Again Believer with an eternity of security and blessings (Psalm 34:7-9). He is longsuffering when it comes to our iniquity, waiting for everyone to make that life-giving choice to repent and to submit to Him (Mark 1:15). All He requires from us is to turn away from chasing this world’s dreams and goals, and to believe in the saving work of Jesus on Calvary’s cross.

 

God’s grandest hope is for everyone to totally surrender our life and desires to His generous and fulfilling will for us each day of our life. When Jesus does indeed return to earth, the concept of this comparison between the Jesus and Santa ends on this terrestrial plain of life. Santa’s imaginary story deflates at the moment that life on this earth is ceaselessly altered by King Jesus forever.

 

Prayer:

Father God, when the cup of Your wrath over the injustices and atrocities of this world is full (Revelation 14:10), Jesus will come for His Bride – those who made themselves ready (Revelation 19:7). Thank You that seven years later, He will return to earth with His Beloved army of Saints who are bought by His sacrifice, and He will cleanse the world of all sin by defeating the armies of the earth with a word from His mouth (Revelation 16:14-16, 19:11-21). We look forward to Him taking the government on His shoulders and constructing His eternal Kingdom (Isaiah 9:6-7).

 

We thank You for Your mercy and grace that gives everyone ever born – even those born during the millennium of His initial rule (Revelation 20:1-3) – with the free gift of eternal life (Romans 3:23, 6:23). We so appreciate the presence of Your Spirit within us who sanctifies us with His fruit, guides us with Your peace (2 Corinthians 1:22), and guarantees that Your promises are true and certain (2 Corinthians 1:20). We give You all the praise and glory both now and throughout our eternal union with Your presence.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Satan cleverly designs his deception to appeal to the carnal mind, and his empty promises are so alluring to the fleshly human nature that the only way we can resist them is to completely trust in the saving work of Jesus on Calvary’s cross. Satan, in the disguise of a beautiful serpent in the Garden of Eden, asked Adam and Eve, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1-8), and he uses those same doubts to entice people even to this day and age of supposed “enlightenment.”