God is in Control - Regardless of Circumstances

As our fleshly, carnal appetites decrease, Christ in us increases. Negative emotions, such as: fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, etc., along with their companion of mental and physical illnesses, decrease in us as well.

We enter God's rest and feel fewer negative emotions. Any negative emotion that does surface is a red flag to draw our attention to some aspect of our life that is overwhelming us or an unresolved conflict.

These unresolved issues paralyze us with fear; they control our thoughts, words and deeds; and they cripple us for the work of the ministry and the quality of our relationships.

As we focus on the presenting emotion, listen to the words in our mind associated with that feeling, and ask God for wisdom concerning the issues causing the emotion, we can find solutions or turn the problems over to God to work out in His way and timing.

God's Word calms our troubled soul, energizes our spirit and empowers our body with health and vitality. We make wiser choices, form more spiritual friendships and enjoy more success in life.

Even if fears and insecurities dog our steps, we learn to trust God's consistent presence in our life. We speak our mind and make sure we have a voice in choices made that affect our life.

There is no reason to fear, because God is always with us. Discouragement holds no place in our life, because He gives us His strength and He helps us. He supports us with His mighty right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

Prayer:
Father God, whenever we are afraid, remind us to put our trust in You (Psalm 56:3). There is no need for us to feel anxious about anything in this life, because through prayer and petition with gratitude in our heart for all You have already done for us, we can present our deepest and most frightening concerns to you (Philippians 4:6).

Then, Your peace, which transcends the issues of life, will guard our heart and our mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). This peace is not the carnal, fleeting peace that the world gives, but the peace of Christ within us. We have no need to feel worried, afraid or upset about anything (John 14:27).

Thought for the Day:

Even when life careens out of our control and we fear for our future, we can still trust in our God who is always in control.

Living in Contentment

 

God equips us to live in His abundant life, but we do not recognize it, because we are too worried about some aspect in our worldly life. We want this person, place or thing more than we want to live in the will of God.

In my walk with the Lord, I have learned that if I do not have something I think that I need, or that I want so much that it consumes my every waking and sleeping thought, it is because God does not want me to have it.

God protects us by withholding from us what is not good for us at this time. If I go out and procure my desire for myself, if I settle for second best and choose my way instead of God's way, I am always disappointed and I cause trouble for myself.

If I focus instead on loving God with each moment, He will provide for me what I need in order for me to accomplish His will for my life. In His provision, which He gives me in His way and timing, I find complete fulfillment, peace and joy.

God has a perfect plan for our life. Altering that plan will bring us discontentment, suffering and unhappiness. He supplies us with His church and the world around us to give us opportunities to serve Him, which helps us to find pure joy in our day.

There is a time for grief in our life too. We can journal our feelings, allow our tears to wash away our grief and tuck our thoughts and feelings in the heart of God for His safe keeping.

I actually purchased a heart-shaped box and I write all of my desires and concerns on little slips of paper in that box. Then when I think about them again, I remind myself that they are in the heart of God, and He will care for them for me (1 Peter 5:7).

I review my little box from time to time and write the date that God answered that prayer and supplied those needs in His timing and way. This builds up my faith and also prevents me from living in torment from overwhelming grief and worries which I cannot control.

Prayer:

Father God, when we are consumed by longings for what we do not have, we are actually insulting You and Your provision for our life. We beg You, quote scriptures at You and attempt to control You by having faith in what we interpret as Your promises. Teach us to enter Your rest and to trust in Your provision.

You are sovereign over the world and our life. You give us what You want us to have when You want us to have it. Remind us that as we seek You and Your Kingdom first, You will provide us with what we require, even if it is often not what we think we want. Your provision is always better than our desires, because You know what is best for us and You have our best interest at heart.

Thought for the Day:

If our faith in God is vibrant, and full of awe and expectation, we will be open to move into the deeper waters of faith and committed service to Him, as we allow Him to provide for us what we need to live in fulfillment and contentment.

Prayer Journal

Contrary to popular belief, God cannot answer the prayers of an unrighteous person. Even if we are Born Again, if we harbor unconfessed sin in our heart, God will not stay in our presence (Psalm 66:18; Proverbs 15:29).

Otherwise, there is no sin too horrific or concern too trivial to bring to Him in prayer. We can talk to God about anything and everything that is on our mind, and then sit in companionable silence to listen as He speaks to us. 

So many people are intimidated by the concept of prayer. They hesitate to speak to God, because they think that He is too busy with the rest of the world to be bothered by our petty concerns.

They would never, ever pray in public, because they are afraid that people might judge their efforts and find them lacking. Yet, prayer is as easy as talking to your best friend. Jesus is our very best friend (Proverbs 18:24).

The only perfect, righteous man ever to live on planet earth bore the shame of the sins of every person ever born. Yet, He is our Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:11).

He willingly gave up His life for our eternal security (John 10:16-18, 15:13). He loves us without measure. He gave us His Word as our comfort and our guide.

Praying Bible verses gives us the life-giving power of the Word behind our prayers. These verses were well written by people who felt just like we do. They inspire us to pray using our own words too.

We can journal in a notebook as we pray, in order to record the issues on our heart. Then, when God answers those prayers we can record the date in our journal, which will increase our faith.

Taking time to listen to God's answers as we pray allows Him to communicate with us in His still, small voice in the center of our being - in our spirit.

The more we sit in those quiet moments, the more we will hear from God, and the more we will come to recognize His voice (Psalm 46:10). He will lead us throughout our day in this same way.

Prayer:

Father God, prayer is the opportunity to speak to You, the God of the Universe. There is no being higher than You and Your ways are beyond human reasoning, because You already know the end from the beginning.

Listening to Your truth through Your Word and by You speaking to us in times of prayer is the greatest opportunity we can ever experience on this earth. We find our true joy only in Your presence in our life.

Draw us ever closer to Your heart and remind us that You are waiting to hear our voice in praise to Your glory, in contrition for our sins, and in wonder, both for who You are and for all that You do for us each day.

Thought for the Day:

Although God may not give us the answer we requested in our prayers, He will always give us something better; even if it does not seem like it at the time.