Tucked Securely Under God's Wings

God created us in order to share with us His awesome blessings and provision. He gave us Paradise to enjoy and will once again restore the whole earth to this euphoric condition (Revelation 20-21).

The message of the gospel is senseless to those who are lost without Christ as their Savior. In their pride and rebellion, they condemn themselves with their unbelief (John 3:18).

However, for those of us who trust Christ's redemptive work on the cross, it changes our lives (1 Corinthians 1:18-19). God's love gives us a secure foundation on which to place our faith (John 3:16-17).

As we experience and come to understand God's love, we are filled with adoration, gratitude and love for Him (1 John 4:8). As branches, we are nourished through the Vine of Christ by His love, which is our foundational roots (John 15:5).

God inspired the writers of the Bible to relate both the successes and failures of His Saints. By their examples, we learn hope, reassurance and patience (Romans 15:4).

He fills us to overflowing with the presence of His Spirit (Ephesians 3:19), which replaces our carnal nature. We gradually experience His spiritual fruit and divine nature infiltrating our thoughts, choices and feelings.

We need not fear the terror of night or the arrow that flies by day (Psalm 91:5; Ephesians 6:16). In Him we rejoice always, pray continually and see the seed for a miracle in every adventure through which He leads us (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Prayer:

Father God, we cannot help but shed tears of overwhelming joy as we sit in Your presence. Your love encompasses us on every side (Romans 8:35-38). Your wisdom protects us in every decision (Proverbs 4:5; James 1:5). Your Spirit guides our thoughts, words and deeds (John 16:13). Your angels carry us so that we do not even stub our toe (Psalm 91:12).

Thank You for the fellowship of Your Body and the guidance of Your Word, which comfort us during this life of affliction. Thank You for making us heirs with Christ of Your entire Kingdom. Eternity is not long enough for us to have the time to give You all the praise and gratitude, which You deserve.

Thought for the Day:

We are secure in every circumstance as long as we trust God and are tucked safely under the covering of His wings; even in sickness and death He gives us wisdom, provision and protection. - Psalm 91:4

Answered Prayers

The blessing of intercessory prayer is that we can pray wherever we are and no matter what we are doing. God's Spirit prays through us, even for people we do not know. Family, friends, workmates, neighbors, church revival, the worldwide family of God and the unbelievers in every nation are all topics of our times of intercessory prayer.

Our persistent prayer, sometimes accompanied by fasting, actually makes a difference in our world. Tears are often the result of our fervent prayer, and they touch the heart of God (Psalm 56:8). Spirit-led prayers are the most affective, because if we pray in our own strength, legions of demons may attack us with doubt and discouragement. God's will is the key ingredient for answered prayers (1 John 5:14-15).

Through prayer, Born Again Believers, who are filled with God's Spirit, minister with holy boldness in areas where we have no natural abilities. We are delivered from relying on our flesh once we reach the place of totally resting in faith on our Father God. God's Spirit takes us beyond our gifts and callings to places where only Christ in us can accomplish the will of God (Colossians 1:27).

We learn to pray in the Spirit, affecting those areas where God is most interested in ministering. We do not pray with a flowery profundity of words, but only with fervent, effectual prayers (James 5:16). If we say we love God, yet do not love the least of those whom He died for, the Bible calls us a liar (1 John 4:20). God’s love allows us to pray for people, and to identify with them in their plight.

Prayer:

Father God, we know that You often refrain from affirmatively answering our prayers, because You have a higher purpose for the issues in our lives. You use them to allow patience to have her perfect work in us; and You use them for Your ultimate glory. Remind us to pray for our missionaries and fellow Believers in foreign countries and around the USA. We want our prayers to be strategic and effective through Your Spirit's direction.

Thought for the Day:

God often humbles us by not immediately answering our prayers, so that we take no glory in the future when He does answer them.

 

Father God

Read: Ephesians 3: 14-15

“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." – Luke 15:10

God knows everything about us. We are individuals, and unique in Him. He loves us and makes a difference in our life. He knows when we sit down, sleep and rise up. He is familiar with all our ways (Psalm 139:1-3). He knows the exact number of hairs on our head, even when our brush has more than we can count (Matthew 10:29-31). We depend on Him more completely as each day passes, because we learn more about Him and grow closer to Him. In fact, eventually, when we become one with Him, we actually live and move and have our being in Him (Acts 17:28).

God made us in His image (Genesis 1:27). He is Father, Son and Spirit. We are body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:25). We are fearfully and wonderfully made. He knit us together in our mother's womb. He brought us forth on the day we were born (Psalm 139:13-14, 71:6). We are His offspring. He knew us even before we were conceived (Jeremiah 1:4-5). He chose us when He planned creation (Ephesians 1:11-12). He determined the exact time of our birth and where we would live and when we will die (Acts 17:26; Job 14:5). None of us surprised Him with our birth and none of us are a mistake, because all of our days are written in His book (Psalm 139:15-16).

Those who do not understand His ways, malign God. He is not distant and angry, but is the complete expression of love. And it is His desire to lavish His love on us, simply because we are His children and He is our Father (John 8:41-44; 1 John 4:16, 3:1). He offers us more than our earthly father ever could, because He is the perfect Father. Every good gift that we receive comes from His hand. He is our provider and He meets all of our needs (Matthew 7:11, 5:48; James 1:17; Matthew 6:31-33).

His plans for our future are filled with hope and a promise. He loves us with an everlasting love. His thoughts toward us are as countless as the sand on the seashore. He rejoices over us with singing (Jeremiah 29:11, 31:3; Psalms 139:17-18; Zephaniah 3:17). He will never stop doing good for us. We are His treasured possession. He desires to establish us with all of His heart and soul. He wants to show us great and marvelous things, which we cannot even envision (Jeremiah 32:40, Exodus 19:5, Jeremiah 32:41, 33:3).

If you seek Him with all of your heart, you will find Him. Delight in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart. He is able to do more for us than we could ever imagine. He is our greatest encourager (Deuteronomy 4:29, Psalm 37:4, Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 3:20). Jesus gave up everything He loved and died on the cross so that we might come to know Him. If we receive the gift of Jesus’ righteousness, He comes to reside in our spirit, and nothing will ever separate us from His love again. (Romans 8:31-32, 1 John 2:23, Romans 8:38-39)

He is also the Father who comforts us in all of our troubles. When we are brokenhearted, He is closer to us than at any other time. Just as a shepherd carries a lamb, He has carries us close to His heart (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 40:11). One day He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and take away all the pain we suffered on this earth. For now, He is keeping every tear we shed in His bottle and records them all on His scroll. He will bring revenge on our enemies and give us His everlasting life (Revelation 21:3-4; Psalm 56:8; Hebrews 10:30).

Prayer:

Father God, You love us as much as You love Your son, Jesus. In Jesus, You revealed Your great love for us. Jesus is the exact representation of You. You are in Him and He is in us; therefore we are one with You also (John 17:23, 17:26, Hebrews 1:3; John 17:21). Jesus came to demonstrate that You are for us, not against us. You do not count our sins against us. We condemn our self through our unbelief. Jesus died so that we can be reconciled to You. His death is the ultimate expression of Your love for us (Romans 8:31; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 Jon 3:18; 1 John 4:10)

Thought for the Day:

”Will you draw near to Him? He is waiting for you.” - James 4:8; Luke 15:11-32





Thank you, Marianne Lordi, for the use of your photo.

Living Through Grief

Have you ever felt the effects of grief in your life? Have you experienced the feelings of denial, bargaining, depression, anger, betrayal and abandonment that come with grief? I have felt this way more than once. I am sure you have as well.

Through these experiences, I found that in a time of loss, the greatest comfort we receive comes from clinging to God for consolation and provision. God in His wisdom answers our prayers according to His will, not according to our wishes. He sees the finished project. He knows what is best for our lives. Even when we double over with the emotional or physical pain caused by our circumstances, and we doubt God’s love and wisdom, He is working all things out for our good (Romans 8:28). He has only our blessings in mind, even though it does not appear like that at the moment. 

God promises in Jeremiah 29:11-13 (TLB), “For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. You will find me when you seek me, if you look for me in earnest.”

Paul reminds us in 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (TLB), “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting comfort and hope, which we do not deserve, comfort your hearts with all comfort, and help you in every good thing you say and do.”

God will use this time of recovery to bring good things into your life. Besides your grief, you may also feel intense anger toward your mate, parent, child or God whom you trusted. This is a normal. Your anger is part of your recovery. Anger at God is proof that you still believe in Him. That is a good sign. You may feel debilitating depression with no hope of recovery. You may feel intense fear of the future with no prospects and no peace.

I want to encourage you to keep a journal during this time. Write out all of your uncensored thoughts and feelings as they come to mind. This is very therapeutic and brings you relief to the depths of your soul – your mind, will and emotions. It keeps track of your journey. You may even use it to write a best seller someday!

Stay active and spend time with others. Fill your days with joy that lightens your grief. Find something to look forward to each day. This will help you to face the sunrise without fear and remorse. Adopt a pet to give you companionship and a reason to get out of bed. In serving others in their grief, you will also lighten your own load. Do not be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of all of your tomorrows for you. Live one day at a time, one moment at a time, and give yourself permission to feel the joy of the Lord (Matthew 6:34).

Give God all of your worries and cares, because He always watches out for everything that concerns you. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through circumstances similar to yours (1 Peter 5:6-9). Tears wash away our grief, so never prevent your self from indulging in a good cry. Always remember, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

Prayer:

Lord God, whoever dwells in You will find shelter and rest in the shadow of the Almighty God. You are my refuge and my fortress. You are my God, in whom I trust. God of mercy, Who saves us, I no longer fear the terrors and dark of night, the arrow that flies by day, the plagues or the evil pestilence that may come near my house. I completely trust in Your love, Your provision and Your will for my life. - Psalm 91

Thought for the Day:
I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. - Psalm 121:1-2