Source of Our Confidence

How often do we worry our self sick over some issue in our life? We fret and plot and plan, trying to come up with a way to prevent some real or imagined impending doom.

Jesus advises that we take no thought for tomorrow (Luke 12:22). He tells us to ask, seek and knock, and He will provide our needs (Matthew 7:6-9).

He reminds us to pray in the Spirit as we make our requests to Him (Ephesians 6:28). Effectual prayers are persevering and bathed in gratitude for all that God already did for us (Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).

We are confident that He not only started His work in our life, but He will also finish it (Philippians 1:6). We live a surrendered life for the praise of His glory, and He sanctifies us in stages (Ephesians 1:12; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

We are not occupied with this world and the desires of our flesh. Instead, we dwell in the Temple of our God and enter His presence through the outer court of Salvation, and minister to Him in the Holy Place (Psalm 135:2; Revelation 3:12).

However, there is one step further in our intimacy with God. We encounter the glorious presence of God in the Holy of Holies (Hebrews 9:3). Everything pertaining to life in this world is absent from this cherished place of abiding.

We dwell in this holy chamber, within our spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). We never leave God's presence as we walk in the Spirit and do only those works, which God calls us to perform (Ephesians 2:10).

Prayer:

Father God, although we have lost yesterday, never to get it back again, You have not lost it, because You are not limited by time as we are. We look forward to all of our tomorrows as we walk in Your Spirit and put aside the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:15-25). 

We trust in Your faithfulness to work out all things for our good (Romans 8:28). Our most meaningful and intimate times of worship will not be the dark days of trial and tribulation; but our times of loving fellowship with You alone, in the Holy of Holies within us. 

Once we surrender our life to You, You keep our heart from breaking and we never feel lonely or abandoned again, regardless of whatever experiences we encounter in this temporal life.

Thought for the Day:

We want nothing more from life than to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, and to rest under the shadow of the Almighty. - Psalm 91:1

Surviving a Second Marriage

Too often, a divorcee will run from one bad marriage to another. They do not allow themselves time to recover mentally, emotionally, physically, financially and spiritually from the initial abandonment before jumping into another wedding. This causes them to haul the heavy baggage of their unresolved conflicts into their next marriage.

The mental health experts all advise us to date many people for six months or more. This gives us an extensive idea of what type of person we can enjoy, get along with and live with on a daily basis. Some people worry about being alone for the rest of their life, and they marry the first person who is kind to them or who has the physical attributes that attract them.

This may cause us to marry the same type of person that just divorced us. Many divorcees ignore the red flags, which pop up with a person. The anger in their voice, the controlling attitude, the slight irritation or disappointment, the selfish decision, the broken promise, etc. are all red flags to alert us to the person's real personality. They may mask their true identity for a while, but once they know they won our affections, they gradually let their guard down.

So, when we find someone who really interests us, we should casually date them as a potential mate for three months first; and then at least three more months of seeing the person every day with their family, friends and workmates. This gives us a better view of how they really act, because they cannot pretend in front of people who already know them.

Prayer:

Father God, the devastation of divorce causes us to doubt our self, fear the future and believe that we will be lonely and unhappy for the rest of our life. Teach us that You are our mate and that You will provide for all of our needs, even the intimacy, which we crave (Isaiah 54:5; John 17:21). You stick closer to us than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). You care about all of our needs; so remind us to cast our cares on You, rather than to seek a mate too quickly and to marry out of Your will for us (1 Peter 5:7).

Thought for the Day:

Many people spend half of their life looking for love, but when they put their trust in God, He brings their true love along in His timing and way.

More info at:

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/christian_singles/being_single_and_faithful/reentering_the_dating_scene_after_divorce.aspx

A Secure Life

 

Every trial in life threatens our stability. Physical illnesses, emotional trauma and mental stress take their toll. Sometimes they cause us to lose our job, home, mate, family, bank account and our security. We have nowhere to turn and we end up defenseless, scared and lonely.

Our human independence drives us to deal with life's stresses on our own. We pridefully believe that we can conquer every obstacle without anyone's help. In his day, Paul called people like this "foolish" (Galatians 3:1-3). God did not redeem us to forsake us (Isaiah 43:1). We cannot save our self for eternity and neither can we save our self on a daily basis.

There is only one stable place on this earth, and that is in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father. He sacrificed His Son in order to pay the penalty of our sins and to give us free access to His throne (John 3:16; Hebrews 4:16). He invites us to call upon Him anytime. He will answer us, give us security in our soul - our thoughts, choices and emotions - and work out our circumstances for our ultimate good (Jeremiah 33:3; Romans 2:28).

As authentic Born Again Believers our house is no longer built on the sand of Satan's lies, but on the solid Rock of Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:26; Psalm 18:2). Jesus is our chief cornerstone and He keeps us secure through all of life's stormy trials. God's Spirit within us provides us with a solid foundation (Matthew 7:24-27). As we cast our burdens on our Father God, He tenderly cares for us (Psalm 55:22; Proverbs 16:3; 1 Peter 5:7).

We cannot be good, holy or spiritual enough to deserve God's blessings; therefore, He loved us while we were still sinners (Isaiah 43:4; Romans 5:8). As we trust in Him, God manifests His glory in and through us during our entire lifetime (Titus 3:4-6; Ephesians 2:8-10). Once we enter God's rest, we no longer strive in our human carnal efforts (Deuteronomy 33:12; Hebrews 4:9-12).

Prayer:

Father God, if we consider more than this one moment of time, we will feel remorse for our past and fear for our future. As we realize that in this one moment we are blessed beyond measure, we can dwell in peace with our confidence in You. You give us peaceful dwellings, secure homes and undisturbed places of rest now and for eternity (Isaiah 32:17-20). Only in You do we have a secure life.

Thought for the Day:

Regardless of life's circumstances, nothing can separate us from the love of God. - Romans 8:31-39

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 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 any bird, animal or tree (Luke 2:27-28).

Start counting your blessings. Stop looking at what you do not have and start thanking God for what you do have. Before long, He will start giving you even more than you 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. She continued to be friends with her husband. God honored their commitment and trust and worked in all of these men's lives.

·       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.

Thought for the Day:

As we place our hope solely in the Lord, we will find true joy, contentment and peace.

Something to Crow About

 

Whenever you find yourself unhappy, put on your praise music in the car or at home. Dance around the house as you do your chores, or fill the car with praises sung to the Lord as loud as your heart desires. This is an opportunity to worship God without distraction. Lay your cares at His feet. Reject Satan's whispered lies in your thoughts that discourage and depress you. God provided for you throughout your life. Praise Him for His blessings. Then, thank God that you possess only what He wants you to have. 

If you are lonely, realize that actually you can still be alone with a mate or in a crowd. If you need people, God will send them to help you at just the right time. However, you are never alone as long as Christ lives within you. Do not just spend time with the Lord, or even most of the day with the Lord. Spend all 1440 moments of the day and night with Him, listening to His Spirit's encouragement, counsel and direction. Rejoice in God’s continual provision for all of your needs. Rest in Him as you pray and read His Word. Obey His Spirit moment by moment throughout the day (Psalm 46:10).

A gardener cuts the branch from one tree and splices it to the trunk of another. This brokenness then transforms the tree and the branch with new life. New colors and shapes infuse the flowers on the tree because of the splice. God splices us into the Vine of Christ. He is the source of our true self-worth. Our self-worth does not come from what we have, who we are or what we do, but from our relationship with God, and His Christ (Colossians 3:3-4). He makes us kings, priests and saints, as well as co-heirs with His Son, Jesus Christ (). Now that is something to crow about!

Our body, soul and spirit each have their own place and function in our life. God gave us the ability to make choices, to admit to the consequences of the result of those choices, to realize our limitations without putting our self down, and to recognize our gifts and talents without taking the glory for them. When our physical desires as well as our thoughts, choices and emotions are subject to God’s Spirit, we start to reflect the fruit of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Our goal for completion in Christ is fulfilled step by step throughout our life.

Prayer:

Father God, Jesus died to give us a full life (John 10:10). However, the busyness of life interferes with our relationship with You. Remind us to rise above the distractions of this world to unite our life completely with you. Then, You can live and move and have Your being within us, just as we live and move and have our being in You (Acts 17:28). Help us to seek Your Kingdom first and to live in righteousness, rejoicing in Your provision for our every need (Matthew 6:33).

Thought for the Day:

Jesus did not tell us to seek His Kingdom along with everything else in life, but to seek Him first.

Lonely, but Never Alone

 

Are you lonely and despondent? You really do not deserve to be in this pit of depression. Don’t allow Satan to tell you that you do. I have been where you are, so I am not belittling your circumstances, just encouraging you to go deeper in God during this time. I felt like you feel, but I learned a secret. Connecting to the Spirit of God in times of aloneness gives us the opportunity to walk in His peace and joy in each moment of the day. We cease our striving and daily enter His eternal rest (Psalm 46:10; Hebrews 3:19).

When we sit alone, we are never lonely as long as the Spirit of God resides within our spirit (Psalm 46:10). You will not find fulfillment with your first child, a new mate, job, hairstyle, wardrobe, car or home, another city in which to live, a facelift, etc. You will only find fulfillment in the center of His will, and this may or may not include any of these things. If His will for you does not include what you want, you will be living out of His will if you have it. You will also be miserable if you get it anyway.

The story is told: “Two teardrops meandered down the stream of life; one belonged to the girl who lost the man she loved, the other belonged to the woman who found him!” It’s all a matter of perspective, and God knows what is best for us.

When you feel lonely, or long for what you do not have, put on your praise music and sing in thanksgiving to God for what you do have. If you want to get your mind off your problems, bake a cake and take it to a neighbor. Go to the homeless shelter and help out any way you can. Go grocery shopping for an elderly person. Take a walk in the park and join in with nature as it sings praises to God. Sit at the beach and soak up the warming rays of the sun. Open your Bible and ask God to speak to your heart through His Word.

In the early morning, during our lunch hour at work or in the later part of the evening, make time to enjoy concentrated alone (all-one) time with the Lord. The world around us may just be waking up or going to sleep. The phone is silent and no one demands our attention. As we get more in-tune with God’s Creation around us, we might hear crickets chirping with an occasional frog adding his opinion to the conversation, or the waves of the sea lapping the shore or the birds singing; and we join our voice to theirs in praise to our God (Psalm 69:34; Psalm 19:1; Psalm 145:10; Luke 19:40).

We develop a deeper relationship with Him with each passing day. We find fulfillment by focusing not only on His benefits, but primarily on who God is (Psalm 103:2). Rather than quoting scriptures at Him and demanding that He fulfill His promises in our life, we simply praise Him for who He is, receiving what He gives us with a grateful heart. Do not waste your time begging God for what you want. Seek first His Kingdom and He will add to your life everything you need (Matthew 6:33). If He does not add it, you do not need it!

Prayer:

Father God, teach us to focus on what we have, rather than on what we do not have (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Then, we will move through the routine of our daily life led by Your Spirit with unending blessings and fullness of joy singing in our heart (Psalm 21:6). If we take time to listen, You make Your will known to us and You fill us with the joy of Your presence in every moment of our life. We receive eternal pleasures in our daily life as we sit at Your right hand (Psalm 16:11). Make us grateful for what You already provided for us, so we will not yearn for, cry over or be upset about what we think we need (Matthew 6:33).

Thought for the Day:

If you are home alone, and you start to feel lonely, either get out and serve, or spend time growing deeper into the presence of God.

Spiritual Anorexia

Read: James 1: 22-27

 

“Not every one that said to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 7:21

As a Pastor’s wife I often get discouraged when I see my husband pouring over the Bible for hours each week to prepare three sermons; and yet, very few people ever come to listen to them, and fewer still ever respond to the Word that he preaches.

He spends as many as 10 hours preparing each sermon. He starts by praying about which series or Biblical book to preach from. Then, he prays over each individual message as he prepares it. He studies the text, researches his subject, reads other sermons concerning the same text or topic, finds illustrations and humor to make it colorful and then he polishes it for days. When he stands in the pulpit, he already internalized his message and he preaches the words with all of his heart. Yet, it seems to go in one ear and right out the other of most of the people in the congregation.

Many preachers are in this same lonely position in the Body of Christ. They faithfully preach the message God gives them. They joyfully delight in the Word of the Lord. They walk faithfully before their God (Jeremiah 15:15-16). They love the Lord and dedicate their every waking moment only to Him. They strive to serve as God’s spokesmen and to speak only the Words He gives them (Jeremiah 15:19). They weave this passion into every sermon they preach, hoping to inspire others to share in their enthusiasm. Yet, the love of many is waxing cold (Matthew 24:12). No wonder the rate of salvations in evangelical churches diminishes ever year.

God’s prophets throughout the ages experienced this same indifference and apathy. Jeremiah was one man who lived with a passion for proclaiming the Word of the Lord. Yet, the people of Israel continually failed to repent and to follow God. After many years of this cold-hearted rejection, the Israelites heard this proclamation from God: "Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go!" (Jeremiah 15:1).

As I was praying about this dilemma, I realized that many people in our churches today have spiritual anorexia. We take in the sacred meal provided for us in every church service, and then we purge everything we consumed as we walk out of the building. We fall back into our old habits and sinful ways, consuming carnal junk food during the week and starving our spirit until the next Sunday morning church service. I researched this idea and there are several authors who give detailed information about this topic.

Sometimes, we skip Sunday worship and stay home to sleep in, half-heartedly watching TV preachers to assuage our conscience. We hide our light under a basket full of dirty laundry and do not give repentance a second thought. We spend so much time in trivial pursuits that we rarely pick up our Bible to read at home. This behavior damages our divine health and even threatens our future spiritual life. Some of us do not even have a personal, life-changing relationship with the Savior of our soul. 

I want to challenge everyone who reads these words to make a commitment today to live as a doer of the Word and not a hearer only (James 1:22). God only blesses those who both hear His Words and walk in them (Luke 11: 28).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I pray for an increased spiritual hunger in the hearts of church people all over the world, but especially in America where hearts have grown cold. Give us a focused hunger, which is satisfied only by our obedience to Your Word. Use us to infect today’s society with a passion for more of You.

Thought for the Day:

Commit to live as a spiritually, well-nourished Child of God and share what you learn as you passionately consume His Word.