Security and Rest

Regardless of our choices, God will always protect His 

Saints, even to the point of death. Those Believers who

are imprisoned for their faith and unable to escape, put

their faith in Him, and find that He sustains them from 

the inside out. He gives them His supernatural comfort 

and joy, which surpasses all the horrifying 

circumstances they are forced to experience 

(Philippians 4:6-8).

We grow up with insecurity in many ways. Even the most sincere and loving parent will make mistakes and our insecurities will negatively influence our children. As adults, some of us may feel the need to focus on our human desires which drive us to stay in control of our life and to live it as we choose, rather than in submission to any created or Divine being. 

 

We feel the need to manage our life and the life of all those who have influence over our existence in any way, in order to help us to feel secure. We drive our self needlessly to please others and to make a name for our self. Many of us fail to achieve a life balance between work and rest. We cannot find equilibrium between caring for others and caring for our self. 

 

However, true rest comes from submitting to God’s will for our life. In reality, we could never attain any amount of peace through our own vigilance over the order of our life. Our victory comes when we respond in kindness to those who attempt to abuse us as we rely heavily on the hand of God to use every trial for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). 

 

When the situation is impossible to bear, we do not have to remain in an unsafe or unsavory conditions, and we can remove our self to an alternate space to await God’s will in every circumstance. There is absolutely never any reason to divorce our self from any person or situation; but, if possible, we simply reposition our self in order to have some space and protection from the situation. 

 

We wait on God to move in the circumstance and to work out every detail for our benefit. He often takes His time in these issues, giving the other party plenty of time to repent and to surrender to His will. He will influence their decisions, but He will never force His will on them because He gave each of us a free will in order to choose or reject Him and His will for our life (Romans 8:28; Isaiah 30:15, 32:17-18; Ephesians 2:10).

 

Prayer: 

Father God, Your Word challenges us to do everything, even what we eat and drink, for Your glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). These minor details are as important to You as the more meaningful and life-altering decisions that we make. We start this walk of total dependence on You by developing quiet times in our daily schedule in order to sit in Your presence. Even in Your silence, we can still pray as You bring people to our mind. We spend each moment in praise for who You are and all that You do for us.

 

Guard us from working for You and lead us to allow You to work in and through us. We start dying to self by denying our flesh in simple areas, then we soon develop less of a desire for carnal appetites and more of a desire to live in submission to Your will. Our health often depends on what we eat and drink, and that is why You challenge us to pay attention to every detail in our life and to do everything for Your glory. We owe You for all that we are and all that we are going to be now and throughout eternity.

 

Thought for the Day:

When we totally surrender our life to God, we live in quietness and confidence, which is our strength; and we dwell in peace and safety forever. We live in victory and in praise to Him. God will even lead us in our thoughts, words, and behavior to bring honor and glory for His name’s sake.

-  Joshua 7:9; Psalm 23:1-3, 25:11, 143:11; Isaiah 48:9-11

A Good Marriage - Mutual Support

 

Listening to the emotions behind one another’s words helps our mate to feel like they matter to us, that we are actually interested in their concerns and needs, and that we will not abandon them, but stay committed to them always. 

 

Ignoring our mate’s necessities or lacking in sympathy for their issues in life will tear at the fiber of our marriage. When we listen attentively, help each other, and show compassion and care, we strengthen our relationship and help one another to feel safe, secure, and loved.

 

When we take the time to make sure our mate feels cherished, supported, and important to us, we help them to know beyond a doubt that they are valuable and that we deeply care about their well-being. We can actually take time for an exercise in which we both make a list of interactions that are important to us in our marriage, and make sure we both fulfill something on our partner’s list every day.

 

Learning one another’s love language and giving our spouse love in ways that they need, rather than in ways that they do not really care about, goes a long way in deepening our feelings of love for one another. When we put aside our own worries, cares, and busy schedule for each other, we are present in the moment with one another.

 

Trust is actually more important in a relationship than love, because without trust, love cannot grow and flourish. We also deepen our relationship by living as a person of integrity, remaining an open book, and talking about our day with honesty and vulnerability. Remind us that evading or lying about facts in order to protect each other, or to avoid the inevitable disagreement, will sever that trust and breed suspicions in an overactive imagination.

 

Prayer:

As human beings, we often get caught up in our own little world and fail to include our spouse in our individual life, thoughts and prayers. We fail to quickly forgive each other for slights, disappointments, and broken promises. These issues allow bitterness to erode our love and enjoyment of each other. We grow apart and build walls between one another to keep away further hurt. Remind us that Satan is always ready to capitalize on these human tendencies and to use them to split up our marriage.

 

Help us to avoid these pitfalls, and to build a strong tie by giving each other freedom to make decisions for our individual life, times to be with and fellowship and minister in areas that do not include one another; and yet, to build a devotion to each other that does not include anyone else. Teach us that we need to know that we are more important to each other than viewing our mate as a roommate, a paycheck, a companion, a childcare provider, or a cook and housekeeper.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

In our marriage, we need to be able to readily admit mistakes, failings, hurts, negative feelings, and bad choices, without the fear of rejection. We should have no need to wear a mask with our mate, because being open and transparent with each other increases our love for and intimacy with one another. Bringing joy and laughter into our marriage will help to lighten our load of cares and responsibilities and give us shared light-hearted moments to cherish.

 

Truth is Paramount

 

 

In any relationship, truth is even more important than love. If we cannot trust a person, it is impossible to completely love them. There is always a nagging doubt in the back of our mind that erodes our feelings of love. So, without full trust and love, we live in fear and insecurity.

 

These negative feelings effect our whole family and our closest friends. Our resentment borders on bitterness and anger, which spoils the whole house (Ephesians 4:31-32; Hebrews 12:15). They surface from our subconscious every time some current event triggers the thoughts in our mind associated with them.

 

If our children take notice of the lies, which we tell to keep from hurting someone’s feelings, they soon deduce that telling lies is an accepted practice. They may start lying to us in order to stay out of trouble, to gain our attention, or to keep from having to explain their behavior to us.

 

God does not associate with liars (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). His Word challenges us not to forsake mercy and truth, but to inscribe these attributes on our heart and to make them an easily accessible commodity in our daily practice (Proverbs 3:3). It fits a godly nature to tell the truth, admit our faults, and to ask forgiveness when we bring disappointment into someone’s life (James 5:16).

 

We can do this with family, friends, and even our enemies. If we set a practice of expressing remorse over our rude behavior or words, and asking for pardon, others will feel freer to follow suit. When we listen to another’s confession without judgment, this makes the other person trust us even more (James 1:19-20).

 

We no longer over-react or attempt to give counsel to each other. Instead, we have a compassionate and understanding heart, which allows others to be honest with us, and us with them. Then, we can pray together to find God’s will for all of us in each situation.

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

 

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that trust is the foundation on which love blossoms. Our relationships flourish when others know that their secrets are safe with us, and that we will make time available to sit quietly and listen to their troubles without judgment or sermonizing. Help us to show Your love and compassion for others, and not to allow our schedule to get so full that we must abandon a family member or friend during their moment of crisis.

 

Teach us that living a life where we hold You as our primary source, and where our love and trust is evident to everyone, gives people the courage to come to us with their problems and decisions, and gives us the opportunity to sit quietly in prayer as Your Spirit ministers to their inner being and helps them to resolve any issues they are facing. We trust You with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, and we want to help others to do the same (Mark 12:30).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Living a life too stuffed with busyness will thwart us from giving people the time they need to share with us the battles from their day or the indecision they are facing for their future. Instead, when we fully realize the brevity of life, we can go to God for a heart of flesh that embodies His peace, wisdom, and understanding. 

- Ezekiel 36:26; Psalm 90:12

Never Alone

 

I want to encourage every lonely person reading this post to realize from your innermost depths - not just in the surface of your thoughts, but down in the depth of your soul - that you are not alone (Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 46:7, 62:5). God is your husband, and Jesus is the lover of your soul (Isaiah 54:5; John 3:16). Having a loving and nurturing mate in your life is just not as important as you think it is. 

 

If God wanted you to have a special human relationship right now, He would certainly provide one for you. He cares about every area of your life. You can enjoy God’s total peace, if you will completely surrender this issue to the Lord. It is usually not until you are completely happy with Jesus, and you realize that you do not really need a loving mate, that God will provide you with a fulfilled marriage. 

 

The only thing in this life that is truly exciting and fulfilling is serving our King Jesus. When we look for happiness from people or circumstance, we are disappointed. But, when we allow God's Spirit to direct our steps, we find pure joy. Listen to the Spirit and let Him direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6). Soon you will be so busy for God that you will realize that you are already complete and whole in Him (Colossians 2:10). 

 

We cannot change our life by worrying about anything, or by wishing, hoping, or dreaming that it will change. We can take a lesson from the flowers. They bloom right where they are planted. God provides everything they need. We can have the assurance that God will provide for us too. We are even more valuable to God than His creation (Luke 2:27-28).

 

As we start counting our blessings and stop looking at what we do not have, we start thanking God for what we do have. Before long, He will start giving us even more than we ever dreamed possible. He puts His desires in our heart and fulfills them for us (Psalm 37:4). If having a mate is His desire, He will certainly bring one to you in His timing and way. 

 

·       I met my husband at a bookstore. What are the odds of that???? 

 

·       My girlfriend met her future husband when her plumbing leaked, and she called a plumber. 

 

·       A friend met his future wife when she came in Walmart singing praises to the Lord and he joined her in singing. 

 

·       Another man went to the wrong house looking for a certain address and met another of my friends; a week later he returned to that wrong address and asked my girlfriend on a date. 

 

·       Another girlfriend went to visit a sick friend and was introduced to her future husband at their mutual friend’s sickbed. 

 

·       Another girlfriend met her Canadian fiancé at a church in the USA.

 

·       Several of my friends wanted to divorce their ungodly husbands. Each one decided not to get a divorce and instead to get her own apartment. They continued to be friends with their husband. God honored their commitment and trust and worked in the lives of all these couples.

 

·       Trust God and you will have your own story to tell too.

 

Prayer:

Father God, we want to seek You and Your Kingdom first and stop worrying about the things, which unbelievers are concerned about (Matthew 6:25-33; Luke 12:22-31). We know that You have our best interest in Your heart and that You will supply every one of our needs from Your glorious riches (Philippians 4:19). Help us to focus on You and Your will for us instead of our own will for our life. 

 

Remind us that You love us so much that You sent Your Son to die for us. You often withhold from us the blessings we think we need, because You love us too much to give us what You know is not in our best interest for our future. You may give us a local ministry, call us to a foreign mission field, move us to an area near a good friend or loving family member where our future in Him is about to play out. Help us to trust in You with our whole heart, and not to depend on our human desires or what we think we need.

 

Thought for the Day:

As we place our hope solely in the Lord, we will find true joy, contentment, and peace. We grow deeper in our intimate union with the Lord, and we reap the benefits of this intimacy that is more fulfilling than any human relationship. He helps us to see that even if we live by our self, we are never alone because He is in us and surrounds us with His presence, love, peace, and joy.

A Heavenly Destination

 

 

The entire Word of God is our roadmap for surviving on this earth in a sin-based culture. We form our beliefs from the whole council of God, and not from our own imagination, human concepts, and experiential viewpoint. We do not allow circumstances or finite limitations to influence or to change our adherence to God’s principles, which He clearly spells out in His Word.

 

Individuals today take a creative license with their spiritual doctrine, beliefs, and practice. They make up their own characteristics for God that do not coincide with Biblical verses, or they isolate a few verses, and do not take all of them into account when forming their beliefs. 

 

Many people attribute spirituality to practices that have no Biblical basis. They customize their own faith by merging what they like or feel comfortable with from several different religious beliefs, rather than adhering to God’s Word alone. This blend of beliefs influences their behavior and attitude about their identity, their choices, and their eternal destination (John 3:18).

 

When we share with others our Bible-based convictions and the concept of conversion through Jesus Christ alone, we allow them to discover God’s truth for themselves, which is more real to the soul and spirit than to simply provide teaching that they can accept or reject for shallow reasons. 

 

Some may be tempted to rebuff, minimalize, or make fun of our Christ-centered testimony, or to label us as fanatics, but that is their choice. They often choose “life coaches” or pastoral leadership who will agree with them and share their own experiences as truth, rather than God’s Word. 

 

These human philosophies require little personal cost and provide them with more widespread acceptance by others in their choice of lifestyle. This secular advice may be good at the moment, but only temporarily, and it has no eternal value since it is not based on God’s Word and does not point people to the need for salvation through Jesus Christ alone (John 3:16-18). 

 

Prayer:

Father God, many people attempt to make bargains with You. However, You are absolute, and You hold all the winning cards in Your hand. They relegate You to human standards and finite wisdom and power, when in reality Your ways are higher than our ways, and Your wisdom is more real than any of our thoughts. These individuals tend to attempt to bring You down on our human level.

 

The truth is that Jesus died to bring us up to Your heights. You write Your Words in our mind and replace our heart of stone with one that is soft and pliable in Your Spirit’s hands (Ezekiel 36:26). We trust in You with our whole heart, and we love You more each day as we experience Your unconditional, compassionate, sacrificial love for all Your Born Again children. We praise Your name and want to deepen our intimacy with You with each passing day.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Those who cling to the Word of God have a consistent and Rock-solid belief system that draws them into a more intimate and secure union with the Trinity of God. They make better choices, live lives that are supernaturally blessed, and their belief in Jesus Christ and surrender to His will for their life guarantees them His peace and joy during this lifetime, as well as a Heavenly destination for eternity.

- Deuteronomy 32:4; 1 Corinthians 10:4; Acts 16:31; John 3:16-18

 

Science and the Bible Agree

 

Science and the Bible are not mutually exclusive from one another. As scientists and Biblical adherents agree to include each other’s findings in their own beliefs and practices, we see a synergy that used to be prohibited by prejudice. Scientific research and Biblical truth can positively influence one another (Romans 1:19-20; Psalm 19:1-4).

 

When scientist study the origin of their art, they find its roots in Bible truths and that their scientific concepts harmonize with scriptural statements. Our suppositions and preconceptions often keep us from realizing this fact. We hold to our divisive thought patterns rather than to allow the essentials of both schools of thought to overcome a particular worldview and to integrate with one another.

 

The intricacies of naturalism and supernaturalism, though each is complex in different ways, can be integrated into one basis for truth with value, purpose, and meaning to us all. Both of these studies have been debated and tested by scientists and theologians and their logic is proven by reality.

 

Medical practitioners have a way to discover the cause of a person’s death either through natural health causes, by physical accidents, or by evil perpetrated on them by a member or group of our deviant society. Gemologist can take a heart-shaped rock and determine if nature or some manmade tool shaped it. 

 

Scientists can also study the origin of the earth and determine if it was accidentally or intelligently designed. Since science predicts that the cosmos had a beginning at some point, there is evidence that it was created by an intelligent Being and not simply some random gathering of gases and dust. This gives credence to the concept that God existed prior to creation, He is the Creator, and He continues to influence all of nature to this day (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 40:28; Psalm 90:2; Job chapters 38-41).

 

Prayer:

Father God, the order and scientific laws that govern our galaxy, as well as the plethora of galaxies beyond our own, gives us a tiny glimpse of Your awesome power, attention to detail, and organization which You set up for living things to dwell on the earth (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17; Malachi 3:6). We look forward to Jesus’ return to the earth, so the government will be on His shoulders and that peace and health will be the predominant status of life.

 

Your creative artistry in every aspect of Your creation is a testimony to the wonders of our beautiful earth (Romans 1:20). We can only imagine what the new heaven and earth – out from under the curse of sin – will be like. We are so blessed that Your Trinity is one God, and that Jesus is Your manifestation in the flesh as our Emmanuel (1 Corinthians 8:6). We are grateful that as Born Again Believers we are made in Your image with a body, soul, and spirit, and that You take delight in all that You made (Genesis 1:26-27, 31; Psalm 104:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). 

 

Thoughts for the Day:

Science and the Bible are so compatible in so many ways. For instance, our Creator God designed a varied assortment of gut microbes to ensure that our body can operate for our lifetime at a high level of efficiency that enables us to fulfill all the purposes for which He created us. As we choose a diet that is sympathetic to our gut microbes, the gut and brain cooperate with each other. We can take time to thank God for the marvelous way He designed our body to provide for us in this way and with so many other benefits. 

- Ephesians 2:10

Loving God Alone

  

 

We love God, not only for what He does for us, but because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). During a time of transition in my life, God wrote a new chapter for me in His way and in His timing; and He will do the same for you. I had to change my home and my location, abandon many of my earthly treasures, lose my close connection to my friends and family, and eventually learn to adjust to a new husband.

 

However, the Trinity of God dwelled within me through all these changes. I developed a deeper relationship with Christ in me. I learned that there is a deep intimacy with Him that is only possible when we trust in Him with our whole heart, and we do not put our faith in the things we can view with our human resources, but only those events we see through God’s wisdom, love, peace, and joy.

 

When we sit alone, we are never lonely, as long as the Spirit of God resides within our spirit (Psalm 46:10). Instead, we have alone (all-one) times with Christ in us, as He fills us with all His fullness throughout our entire body, soul, and spirit (Ephesians 3:16-19). 

 

This does not mean that we quote scriptures at Him to claim His promises, so that, somehow, He will feel obligated to give us what we want. That is a carnal attempt to twist God's arm to work in our behalf. God does not respond to manipulation. In fact, He is already working on our behalf, we just do not appreciate what He has already done and is doing in us and for us. 

 

Our finite view of life is limiting at best and enslaving at its worst. God’s will for us is freeing, energizing, sometimes surprising, but always fulfilling. When we abide in His presence each moment of our day, we grow in His eternal and infinite wisdom and grace.

 

Prayer:

Father God, praising You for who You are, and not only for what You do for us, is a secret to experiencing deeper fulfillment in life than we ever thought possible. As we take time to count our blessings, and to enter into Your joy in every circumstance, our life changes dramatically (Matthew 25:23). You are our good, good Father, and You have only our best interest in mind when You made Your plans for our life (Ephesians 2:10; Jeremiah 29:11). Help us to love You with our whole heart rather than to give you a small portion of our attention and affection.

 

Teach us also to trust in You with our whole heart. We believe, but at times, our soul will need Your help with concerns and eventual roadblocks (Mark 9:23-25). Satanic forces lie to us and attempt to entrench these lies in our heart as truth. However, Your truth dispels these lies and helps us to walk in freedom from the devil’s bondage. His intent is to steal from us, and to kill and destroy us by causing us to grow weary, or resentful, and to walk away from You. Remind us that our true peace, joy, and fulfillment come only from our intimate union with You. 

 

Thoughts for the Day:

When we let go of our desires, and we focus instead on Christ in us and His will for our life, our soul floods with His divine nature and blessings. We learn that if we need something, God will provide it for us in His timing and way, even if it is at the last minute. Thankfully, He rarely provides our carnal desires; but instead, He places His desires for us in our heart. We find fulfillment by pursuing His will rather than our own goals and plans.

Why is This Happening?

 

We often doubt our self when we go through some form of tribulation. We think that God is punishing us or failing to protect us. Sometimes, tribulation comes as a result of us reaping the consequences of our choices. At other times, it is because we are so busy working for God that He cannot work in and through us, and He is attempting to gain our attention and increase our intimacy with Him, His timing, and His ways. 

 

The key to success in tribulation is to learn to seek God’s guidance through it, to rejoice regardless of the situation, to look for God’s little hugs that He provides throughout the day, and to hide under the shelter of His wings (Psalm 61:4). At times, blind faith is all that gets us through the murky waters of life. Reading God’s Word always provides stability and hope for us regardless of our circumstances. 

 

For instance, my former husband of twenty-two years told me that he saw no option for us but divorce, and he sold our home and struck out into the great unknown to seek his place in life. This threw me into immediate turmoil. I had to relocate, find several jobs to support myself, and wonder where God was in the midst of all the insecurity and chaos. 

 

I knew that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16; Matthew 19:9); and I married a Christian Pastor, so why was this happening to me? God immediately started to provide for me. Taking me back to my supportive natural family, God put it in their hearts to take me under their wings. He healed my soul by opening the door at a Montessori training school and divorce recovery programs at two separate local churches. 

 

He introduced me to women friends going through similar circumstances. Confirming to me that He intended to provide for me and not to injure me, He gave me hope for my uncertain future (Jeremiah 29:11). Two years later, I met and married another Pastor whose wife had divorced him. We have been married now for over 25 years. God restored our ministries and gave us unconditional love through His presence in each other.

 

Prayer:

Father God, You always calm the storms for all Your children. You use tribulation in our life to perfect us and to prove Your faithfulness to us. We do not always understand why. That is the reason it is called faith. The wondrous thing about faith is we do not have to understand why...it just is; and You always work out every trial for our eventual good, even if we never comprehend the reasons (Romans 8:28). 

 

You love us enough to sacrifice Your Son on our behalf (John 3:16). You never leave us or forsake us (Hebrew 13:4-6). At times, You must discipline us for our errant behavior, or to prod us back on Your chosen path for us, but simply because You love us. It may be painful for a little while, but it all brings about in us Your peaceable fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11). 

 

Thoughts for the Day:

The Bible gives us many examples of hope in tribulation. Even while obeying Jesus’ directives, the disciples often found themselves in turmoil. One time, they floundered in an angry sea and prepared to meet their death. When their hope ebbed, Jesus walked out to them on the water and calmed the storm. The disciples realized that Jesus truly was the Son of God. Jesus came to them at just the right moment. Tribulation is our opportunity to grow deeper in our faith, love, union, and devotion to God. 

- Mathew 14:22; Mark 6:48; Matthew 14:33; Hebrews 12:6-7

A Good Marriage - Loving Our Spouse

 

The joining of two human beings as one is a very difficult prospect (Mark 10:8). The high divorce rate proves that this is often impossible to do. There are basic human needs in each person, some of which were never satisfied in childhood. We carry these needs with us our whole life, trying to find fulfillment for them, even in marriage. 
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs )

 

When two people marry, we take this deprivation into our new relationship. If the couple has incompatible needs or if one person insists on their own needs being met instead of their partner's, there will be conflict in the marriage. However, if the couple is willing to humble themselves and to prefer one another on a daily basis, a happy marriage is possible (Romans 12:10). 

 

Our mate may need help with daily chores, which often overwhelm them (Galatians 6:2). Receiving a little love note or a simple gift during each day will help many other spouses to feel loved (1 Thessalonians 2:7-12). Having a meaningful, undistracted conversation, often accompanied by snuggle time, will do wonders for some relationships (Hebrews 10:24). 

 

The easiest tool to use to ensure peace and harmony in a relationship is to never insist on one's own way. Often, one person will have a need or idea they want to fulfill, but their spouse has a different idea of how to respond to this issue. Neither of you can agree with the other person's assessment, so there is an impasse or a violent argument. 

 

As the popular song recommends, "The road is shorter when we meet in the middle." Rather than focusing on your own needs to the exclusion of your mate's needs, look at the issue from a third perspective. Brainstorm together about the problem until you find a solution that is agreeable to both of you. Rather than your Plan A, or your spouse's Plan B, pray for God’s agenda, and agree on a Plan C about which you both feel God’s peace, even if it defies human reasoning. 

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for providing us with a spouse so we can be a team in serving You throughout our life. Teach us to ask our spouse what he/she needs to feel loved. They may not even realize their basic needs, but You remind us that there is Christian help at the bookstore, counselor's office, and online. Thank You for teaching us that words are either power tools of encouragement or lethal weapons of destruction (Proverbs 18:21). It turns out that many people simply need verbal validation from their spouse to feel loved (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

 

Remind us that You joined us as man and woman for the purpose of serving You together with our lives. Help us to prefer one another and to share with each other what you are teaching us every day. In an impasse, remind us that You have a perfect will for this issue or activity in our life. Rather than insisting on our own way, we need to seek You together in order to find Your solution for the problem. We love You and lift You up as Lord and Savior of our life and our marriage. 

 

Thought for the Day:

Today, there are some great resources to help us to maintain an equitable and successful marriage, starting with The Five Love Languages:  

- http://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/  

 

Taking the time to use these resources can only strengthen our bond as a couple and help us to live as an example of how Jesus loves His bride. Once we learn our spouse’s love language, we can use this information to love them as they truly need to be loved and in order to give them a more secure existence in this ever-changing world. We want to bring God more glory through our every thought, word and deed, especially in our marriage.

 

Effectively Reacting to Life

 

When we are attacked for our choices and feelings, we must fight with spiritual weapons, not carnal and human ones. Our warfare is not against a person, but against the spiritual powers, which operate behind the scenes and through various people. Realizing who the real enemy is enables us to fight with the spiritual weapons which the Lord gives us (2 Corinthians 10:4).

 

My father reacted to life as a bipolar, rage-aholic. In my younger years, I compliantly did as I was told; but with age, I learned his behavior was ill conceived, and I started standing up for myself. I also used anger to protect my interests when anyone made a decision that affected me without including me in the decision, or when they did not listen to my feelings or my needs, discounted or ignored me, or did not take me seriously. 

 

After I surrendered my life to Christ, I still used anger to make people take me seriously. What I did not realize is that anger is not God's way (James 1:20). Anger manipulated me into acting as a tool of the devil. He discouraged and wounded people through my outbursts of anger. The root of any issue goes deeper than human decisions, personalities, schedules, and life choices. 

 

With time, I learned to gain the person's undivided attention and to express very firmly that my needs are either not negotiable, or that an alternate decision needs to be made with which I am more comfortable. This is an effective method if the other person is spirit-led and listens to my needs, does not discount or ignore me, and takes me seriously. 

 

Otherwise, I make it very clear, without anger, that I am upset about the decision which is being made; and if I am forced to live with the choice, then I will make alternative decisions, which will provide for my needs. Divorce is never an option, and quitting a job before securing another one is not advisable, but we can always pray together to find a third option. 

 

Prayer: 

Father God, remind us that we are all living in spiritual warfare (1 Peter 5:8). If Satan can use some decision to split a relationship, he will do it without remorse. Your Word tells us to turn the other cheek and to go the extra mile (Mt. 5:39); but after we do this, we often need to take a stand. We can protect our self from another person's upsetting decisions and behavior, by getting counseling and by using a time of separation to work out the opposing issues needing reconciliation.

 

Help us to journal our feelings, to pray about the situation, to ask You to intervene on our behalf, and then to calmly try to communicate our needs to the offending person once again. Remind us that a period of separation for the purpose of reconciliation allows both parties to live apart for a time, to get counseling for our individual hang-ups and needs, and to find a way to resolve the issue, which is causing us grief. This preserves the relationship and improves it in the long run.

 

Thoughts for the Day:

God desires that we put the devil to flight and preserve our marriage and other relationships by preferring one another, never insisting on our own way, and laying down both sets of preferences and finding a third alternative with which we can both live happily. God’s Word and Christian counseling are relevant resources that help us to resolve issues rather than burying them in our subconscious mind to influence future issues without our conscious awareness.

- James 4:7

Times of Silence

 

The Bible is full of testimonies from Biblical Saints of how they waited for the fulfillment of God’s promises – sometimes for decades of time. God is never in a hurry because He dwells outside of time. He already knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).

 

The trees which are frosted with snow during winter months remind me of our spiritual walk with Jesus. We are dormant branches, hanging out with the trunk of the tree without leaves and bare for all the world to see (John 15:5). When God has no marching orders, exhortation, instruction, or sanctifying work to do in our life, He often remains silent.

 

These times of silence are not caused by Him turning His back on us, or that He is too busy with someone else’s problems, or that He is ignoring us. He will never, ever leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He is simply enjoying our companionable silence and our continued praises in good times and in bad (Psalm 117:1, 150:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

During periods of waiting on God, we can make sure there is no problematic sin in us (Psalm 139:23-24) and that we are doing what God already gave us to accomplish for His will. If we are confessed up and caught up, then we can enter His rest and wait joyfully in His presence as He abides within us.

 

In these quiet times, satanic forces will often attempt to interject thoughts into our mind to discourage us, mislead us, or cause us to believe their lies rather than God’s Word to us. We recognize Satan’s voice when he attempts to distract us from doing God’s will, minimizes us with his shaming thoughts about us, or urges us to heed his discouragement or temptation.

 

Negative emotions are given to us by God as red flags to signal us when we have an unmet need due to our neglect of our self, or our focus on carnal aspects of life, or well-planned satanic attacks. If we take a frequent searching inventory of our soul, God will reveal to us the cause of these feelings and heal us.

 

Prayer:

Father God, You are always faithful to do all things to fulfill Your perfect plans in our life. You dwell outside of our clock and calendar. To You, a thousand of our years is only one day (2 Peter 3:8). As we live in each moment of all our days centered in Your will, we will see the fulfillment of Your desires for us in Your timing and way.

 

We live to praise You in each moment, give homage to Your name, and trust and love You with our whole heart (Matthew 22:37-40; Matthew 6:33). Your presence in us is so much more precious than Your presents to us. You never lose sight of us. We matter to You, and You rejoice over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). Thank You for considering us as the apple of Your eye (Psalm 17:8).

 

Thoughts for the Day:

God may tell us what He will do in our life ahead of time, and we think the years of waiting for that fulfillment means that we either misheard from the Lord, are supposed to force the fulfillment of His promises using our human resources, or that He forgot all about us. Think of Biblical Saints who waited for years for God’s fulfillment of His promises to them. Just wait on the Lord for His perfect timing and way.

 

Our True Rest

 

Our human desires drive us to stay in control of our life and to live it as we choose, rather than in submission to any created or divine being. We feel the need to manage our life and the life of all of those who have influence over our existence in any way. We do not want anyone, who could possibly disturb the orderly peace we create in our sphere of reality, to have the control. 

 

If anyone tries to disrupt our peace, we reject or fight them with every ounce of effort we can muster. However, true rest comes from submitting to God’s will for our life. In reality, we could never attain the amount of peace through our own vigilance over the order of our life. Our true victory is in responding in kindness and forgiveness to those who attempt to abuse us.

 

When the situation is impossible to bear, we do not have to remain in an unsafe or disagreeable situation, and we can remove our self to a safe space to await God’s will in the situation. There is absolutely never any reason to divorce our self from any person or situation; but if possible, we simply reposition our self in order to have some freedom and protection from the situation. 

 

We wait on God to move in the circumstance and to work it all out for our benefit (Romans 8:28). He often takes His time in these issues, giving the other party plenty of time to repent and to follow His will. He will influence their decisions, but He will never force His will on them. Regardless of their choices, God will always protect His Saints, even in our moment of death. 

 

Those Believers who are imprisoned for their faith and unable to escape, find that He sustains them from the inside out. He gives them His supernatural comfort and joy, which surpasses all the horrifying circumstances they are forced to experience (Philippians 4:6-8). They live in victory and in praise for the honor and glory of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. 

 

Prayer: 

Father God, we start dying to self by denying our flesh in simple areas, such as that second piece of cake; then we soon develop less of a desire for carnal appetites and more of a desire to live in submission to Your will. We start rejoicing in holiness rather than in debauchery and carnal practices. We are drawn toward righteous behavior rather than fleshly conduct. Our intimacy with You grows, and we do everything You show us so we deepen our union with Your Spirit.

 

We start this walk of total dependence on You by developing quiet times in our daily schedule in order to sit in Your presence. Even in Your silence, we can still pray as You bring people to our mind. Ultimately, we spend our time in praise for who You are and all that You do for us. From these habits, we reap intimacy with You and have fewer areas in our life, on which the devil can feed. Our one desire is always to bring glory to Your name.

 

Thought for the Day:

True victory comes into our life when we rely heavily on the hand of God to use every trial for His glory. We live in quietness and confidence, which is our strength; and we dwell in peace and safety forever regardless of our circumstances. God has His perfect plans for our life, and we find complete peace and joy right in the center of His will.

– Isaiah 30:15, 32:17-18

 

God’s Work in Our Life

 

 

As young Christ-followers, we were still ladened with a load of sinful desires and temptations. Well-meaning Saints attempted to help us to walk the straight and narrow road by lecturing us on the obvious sins that we struggled with, but they had no idea about the deep-seeded sins that God’s Spirit was dealing with us about in our private devotion times.

 

We were still slaves to sin, not knowing that God already delivered us on Calvary’s cross from the influence, the bondage, and the devastation of sin. We followed the dictates of our desires and the advice of the world, because we were not familiar with the advice God gives us in His Word (Ephesians 2:1-3).

 

However, over the years, God made us alive in Christ and slowly sanctified our carnality until we learned to walk in His ways and according to His plans for our life. Now, we sit with Jesus in Heavenly places (Ephesians 2:4-6). His mercies are new every single morning (Lamentation 3:22-23), and His amazing love causes Him to hold us close and never let us go (1 John 3:1-3). 

 

God not only saves us but He also drenches us with His grace and kindness in Christ Jesus. We do not earn our salvation by our good works so that we can take the credit, but by the righteousness of Christ which He exchanges for our sinful desires. As we mature spiritually, we join Him in His efforts to reach the lost and to build His Kingdom in the earth (Ephesians 2:7-10).

 

We slowly learn not to take God for granted, but to constantly praise Him for saving us in spirit and soul. We also look forward to the glorification of our body when we see Jesus, because we will be like Him (1 John 3:2). We cannot judge the behavior of others who claim to be Christ-followers, because God is the one who does the redemptive and sanctifying work in their life (Ephesians 2:11).

 

When we study the history of God’s interaction and covenants with His people, we learn that Jesus’ shed blood brought us into a union with God and His Saints from every nation and walk in life both now and for eternity. We all have a new life in Him from the moment of our repentance and belief in Jesus’ saving work for us all (Ephesians 2:12-15).

 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You that Jesus’ death on the cross brought every tribe and nation from the beginning to the end of time as one, equal, and unified Body. We all share in the same Spirit and have equal access to You at any time of the day or night. We no longer aimlessly wander the earth with no clue of our eternal reward or purpose for our life (Ephesians 2:16-19).

 

Thank You that Jesus is building us a home in New Jerusalem that will house us all under one roof so we can enjoy eternal fellowship with You and one another. We love that Jesus is our chief cornerstone, the apostles and prophets are the foundation, and we are the building blocks that You are fitting together - stone upon stone - for a habitation for You by Your Spirit (Ephesians 2:20-22). 

 

Thoughts for the Day:

God is a habitation for the orphans and the widows, as well as all those who put their trust in Him, and He is our refuge where we find mercy and truth. He leads us in the way that we should go, and He provides for all our needs. He determined our number of days on the earth before we were ever born, and He set a boundary around our life.

- Psalm 68:5, 89:14, 91:9, 107:7,36; Acts 17:26