Freedom from this Sin-Cursed World

 

Satan wants us to think that we are helpless victims. He is the god of anyone who has not converted out of his kingdom as a Believer in Jesus Christ. However, he has no authority over the life of an authentic Believer.

The devil is given authority by God (Job) to cause trials in our life; but God already planted a seed for a miracle in every trial. We simply wait for it by faith, knowing that God is always faithful.

We sail through the trials when we keep our mind focused on God's love and benevolence through every moment of our experience. This allows us to avoid health debilitating stress and to sidestep depression, anxiety and anger.

When our flesh produces humanistic reasoning and doubts, it is trying to live independently from God. Our humanity feels as if it needs to stay in control of every situation; yet, Jesus is the only Savior of the world.

Our puny attempts to take His place, in our life or in anyone else's life, is futile. It makes no real sense to endeavor to use our influence, talents, analytical abilities and mortal efforts to keep us and our loved ones safe.

In our first years of sanctification, life is still a struggle. Walking by faith and living in the control of the Holy Spirit every moment of the day is a habit we learn over time.

This attitude gets easier as we dwell with the knowledge that we continually live in the presence of Christ. All the power of the Godhead abides within us.

Prayer:

Father God, we want life to get easier when we accept Christ's sacrifice on the cross; yet we deserve nothing but hell as the punishment for our sins. We forget that we warrant no other favors, because You already saved us from the torments of hell. Thank You for showering us with daily blessings anyway. Thank You for giving us the faith of Jesus Christ and for making us a new creation (Galatians 2:20).

You also saved us from the emptiness, loneliness and deprivation of life in this world. You give us peace even in turmoil, rest in the place of unrest; and joy in the midst of devastation. We can never thank You enough for intervening in our life and awakening our soul to the fact that our spirit was dead in sin and we needed Jesus as our Savior.

Thought for the Day:

We are no longer compelled to live a life enslaved by sin, our flesh, the world and Satan, because Jesus shed His blood to give us His Spirit of life.

God Provides

 

 

When someone asks me how I feel, most of the time I am going to say, “GREAT!” I am well passed the prime of my life, I have flat feet and I have a spine that is so distorted that my chiro does not understand how I am living such a normal life.

I have to pace myself as I age, but I am like the energizer bunny. It is not due to a type A personality, because I do not have one! I am a melancholy and an introvert from birth.

However, I have learned that there is a seed for a miracle in each trial. For instance, while I learned to survive a divorce by my husband of 22 years, God revealed Satan’s lies that I was alone and abandoned. He taught me His truth that He is my husband and that He alone is my strength and my provider (Isaiah 54:5; Psalm 54:4).

Also, I was t-boned in a car accident in 1995 that broke 11 ribs on my left side, punctured my left lung, gave me a concussion, filled the left side of my face with glass and broke the pinky finger on my left hand.

Yet, I was discharged from the hospital the next day after the accident. I was back to work as a full-charge bookkeeper in one week, and I never took one pain pill. God provided for me above all expectations, amazing my doctors and everyone who suffered through even one broken rib.

The Spirit of God continually provides me with supernatural strength and wisdom to combat any physical impairments, and His joy and peace pervade every facet of my life.

Over the years, God taught me to live in the Spirit and not to dwell on the temporal aspects of life for very long, because every instance of tribulation is a new adventure in Christ and a spiritual phenomenon just waiting to happen.

Prayer:

Father God, I prefer peace, order and stability, but life has a way of throwing us curve balls when we least expect it. Even so, You always fill me with Your joy, which is my strength through any tribulation (Nehemiah 8:10). I despise change, but You taught me to handle it with flexibility and joyful acceptance as I witness Your provision for me.

I love the life You gave to me. I enjoy my family and I adore the husband You provided, because he is so adorable! I love people and I never meet a stranger. I enjoy my opportunities of service to You as a wife, mother, grandmother, homemaker, and in the ministry of Your Army as a spiritual mentor and a Pastor's wife. I give You all the praise, which is due to Your name.

Thought for the Day:

God leads us and guides us each moment of the day; and He keeps us on His straight and narrow path, because of the spiritual enemies of His Kingdom. - Psalm 23:3, 5

 

God is in Control - Daily Stress and the Terrors of Life

 

 

Fear comes from imagined or real stress and trials. In God's perfect love, there is no room for fear. His love drives out our fear, because He makes us perfect in His love (1 John 4:18).

God gives us His power, His love and a stable thought life (2 Timothy 1:7). When anxiety threatens to overcome us, His comfort brings joy to our soul (Psalm 94:19).

God calls us by name and redeems us, because we are His children (Isaiah 43:1). He sends His children to cheer our anxious heart with a kind word, so that we do not get too discouraged or weighed down (Proverbs 12:25).

We can even walk through the valley of the shadow of death without fear, because He is with us and comforts us with His guidance and protection (Psalm 23:4).

There is no need for us to succumb to the terror of this life or to allow it to discourage us, because God is with us no matter where we go, and He is coming to our rescue (Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 35:4).

He has our tomorrows in His hand so there is no need to worry about the future. In fact, today has enough trouble without borrowing concerns over the future to add to them (Matthew 6:34).

As we live humbly before God, His mighty hand lifts us up in His own good time. We can leave all of our concerns with Him, because He absolutely cares about every aspect of our life (1 Peter 5:6-7).

Prayer:

Father God, Jesus gave us Your guarantee by promising that we do not have to worry about our life or any aspects of our needs. Remind us that we cannot add one single blessing to our life by worrying, but worry will shorten our life and impede our health if we succumb to it (Luke 12:22-26). You promised to care for us as You do the birds and the flowers.

You are the light of our salvation and our glory and the lifter of our head. We have nothing to fear in life (Psalm 27:1). Every trial is an adventure, and You plant a seed for a miracle in each one of them. We give all of our cares to You, because You sustain us through the good times of life as well as the bad, and there is nothing to fear; You will never allow us to fall (Psalm 55:22; Mark 6:50).

Thought for the Day:

God is our Lord and Redeemer, and He takes hold of our right hand to lift us up, help us, guide us and protect us through the issues of life. - Isaiah 41:13-14