God is Aways in Control

Although we feel like every trial is the end of our life, we can walk through each one of them with courage, because God’s future plan for us is just on the other side of this mountain. We need the experience of this current ordeal in order to face what lies ahead. Our faith in God’s faithfulness is strengthened by every negative aspect in our life, because He delivers us from them all (Psalm 34:19).

We enjoy our powerful hope because of God’s wisdom and goodness. Although we know that in this world we surely will experience tribulation, He goes through every one of them with us, and He already overcame every trial known to mankind (John 16:33; Hebrews 4:15). Each negative aspect we experience will turn out for our ultimate good and also conforms us into the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:28-29).

Our Father God is in complete control of our life. Nothing happens to us that is not already part of His plan for us. This is true, even when we reap the negative consequences of our foolish behavior, because He knew what we would do before we were even born (Ephesians 2:10). In fact, He loved us even while we were still sinners, although each sinful choice we made broke His heart (Romans 5:8).

God no longer sees our past sins, but the blood of Christ and His love, which covers a multitude of our sins (1 Peter 4:8). We no longer suffer condemnation for our sins, because we are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). As Believers, we are the Bride of Christ and we look forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb as His beloved spouse (Revelation 19:1-10).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for using the negative aspects of life to strengthen us for future ordeals and to draw us closer to You. Remind us that You will never leaving us alone, because You live within us and accomplishing all things through us (Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 4:13). We rest in the fact that You are in complete control and nothing will occur in our life, which is not in Your perfect will for us. 

Thought for the Day:

We may foolishly make our own plans for our day, but God always directs our steps. – Proverbs 16:9

United With Christ

As Born Again Believers, we are filled throughout our entire body, soul and spirit with all of God’s fullness. We possess the richest measure of His divine presence within us and we are wholly filled and flooded to overflowing with God Himself (Ephesians 3:19, Amplified Bible). We are united with Christ in the very marrow of our spirit (Hebrews 4:12). He provides us with everything we need to live a healthy, Spirit-filled life. Then, His Spirit infiltrates the joints of our soul – our thoughts, choices and emotions - to realistically perform His perfect will in and through us (Hebrews 4:12).

We are liberated from living in this earthly realm, even though we physically continue to dwell here. Paul counted all of his worldly possession and gain as lost when compared to the joy of his salvation and the riches he received from intimately knowing Christ (Philippians 3:7-11). In this same way, we detach from our connection to this world, even the good parts of life which hinder our walk with God, such as family, houses and lands – in order to obtain the better blessings provided for us by Christ (Luke 14:23-33; Philippians 3:10).

We realize that even the worst of adversity in our life comes from God to perfect and to provide for us (Hebrews 11:32-34; Job 1:8, 2:3). What Satan plans to harm us, such as the death of Christ on Calvary’s cross, God means for our good, such as bringing His resurrection life to lost sinners (John 19:10-11). Satan has no authority of his own. He can only do the bidding of our Father God. The Lamb, who is opening the seal, bowl and trumpet judgments, even directs the plans and purposes of the anti-Christ during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 5:2-10).

All of Satan’s wiles against us are orchestrated by God to work out His purpose in us, through us and for our eventual good (1 John 4:4; Romans 8:28). So stop spending so much time fighting Satan. Submit to God instead, then resist the devil and he has to flee from you (James 4:7). This does not mean our trials in life will end, however. Our Heavenly Father loves us and makes us more than conquerors through them all (Romans 8:37). He even makes all of our paths straight because of our enemies (Psalm 27:11; Zechariah 4:7). Jesus is exalted in us as we overcome as His joint heirs by His power within us (1 John 3:2; Ephesians 3:6).

We find our true self, hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). He called us out of sin into His glorious life. God elected us as His holy and stately priests. We are God’s special possession created to declare His praises to a lost and dying world around us (1 Peter 2:9). We actually become the love of Christ to the world (John 2:12-14; Exodus 33:13). Jesus went to the cross with joy in His heart as He focused on the glory awaiting Him in Heaven (Hebrews 12:2). We live life with this same joy in our own hearts, looking forward to sitting together with Christ for eternity (1 Corinthians 4:9-13; 2 Corinthians 6:8 10; Ephesians 1:21, 2:4-6).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You take pre-eminence in our heart over all other aspects of life (1 Corinthians 9:22). We knock on doors and invite our neighbors to church. We pray for them and for everyone You bring to our mind. We shed Your light within us for all the world around us to see, so they may live with us in eternity as the redeemed of the Lord (Psalm 107:2). You bore our sins in Your body on the cross; so that we too can die to sin and live righteously and victoriously, just as You did (1 Peter 2:24). We give You all the praise and glory and honor due Your name (Psalm 96:8).

Thought for the Day:

Problems are simply opportunities for God to prove Himself strong on our behalf. We find out what He is doing in every situation and then join Him.






Thank you, Naturally North, for sharing your beautiful photo.

Spiritually Minded

The Lord Jesus Christ is our God. He saves us, rejoices over us with gladness, quiets us with His love and rejoices over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). He dwells in the midst of our life. His Holy Spirit steadily draws us toward perfection as He convicts us of sin, and empowers us to walk in victory over these transgressions. Slowly, our soul – our mind, will and emotions – is sanctified, and readily rejects worldly pursuits and desires nothing more than to remain hidden with Christ in God.

As we fully absorb the concept that Christ now lives His life in and through us, we, as the Body of Christ, will truly make a difference in the world around us. We seek eternal goals and dreams, rather than material ones. God has a perfect will for our life, which surmounts the physical restrictions of this earthly realm (Acts 8:39). Time, space and matter no longer confine us. Jesus proved this when He walked on water. Christ in us put an end to sin and death in us. Now we can concentrate on His spiritual truth, rather than carnal limitations that we face in life.

We are dead in Christ, but also risen with Christ, in all of His wisdom, power and strength. The negative aspects and encounters we face in life take on a new meaning. We see them as instruments of God to improve our obedience and to perfect our faith. We view trouble and trials from an eternal mindset now. They no longer cause worry or stress, because we know without a doubt that God is in control even in these difficulties. Maybe our house burned down, the boss increased our quota, our loved one passed away, our mate divorced us, the bank account is empty or a child is bent on rebellion, to name a few circumstances. However, God is in control of even these trying times.

The soul in union with Christ no longer wastes any energy on worldly issues. We keep our focus solely on God and His peace reigns in our heart (John 14:27). We live in Him and by Him, because He dwells within us. Jesus gives us this union with the triune God. We have a personal, intimate relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Walking in the Spirit is not reserved for a few individuals, but is available for all authentic Believers who are willing to lay down their life and to allow Christ to live in them and through them (1 Peter 2: 21-25).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we long to live as exact replicas of You! You lived in love, humility and surrender to our Father. Help us to pattern our life after You, so that everything we say and do will last throughout eternity. Your coming brought the eternity into the present for all Believers. We live in eternity with You now, because You reside in our spirit. Thank You for Your sacrifice and for opening Your heart to us and including us in Your Body. You are our joy, our life, our peace and our salvation. We eternally lift up our praises to You .  

Thought for the Day:

We experience God’s best when we completely surrender our life to Him.
 





Thank you, Michelle Benge, for the use of your lovely photo.