When we are afraid

Psalms 56:3 NIV

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

 

Seeing the headlines in the news or thinking about storms to come can be scary, but we don’t have to be. His word says that when we are afraid we can ( we will) put our trust in Him.  We put our trust in God who grants us peace when our minds are steadfast and fixed on Him ( Isaiah 26:3).

Keeping our minds on Him and trust in Him removes the burden from trying to solve the problems ourselves.  Rather we put our fears and concerns in the hands of the Almighty who is bigger than any problem.  

We rest assured that we are in the safety of His arms. We run into a strong tower. The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe(Proverbs 18:10). We remember that God is sovereign and their is nothing to hard for our God.

We remember that He is our loving Father who lavishes is with compassionate love knowing that we are mere humans(Psalm 103:14). And we stand affirmed that He is the Almighty God, sovereign over all.  He has us in His hand and nothing can snatch us from His hands( John 10:28-30).So whatever fear or anxiety may raise its head we can crush it with the truth of trusting in all wise Father.

Lord, sometimes I get afraid.  Life can be overwhelming and the enemy wants me to be fear.  But You did not give me the spirit of fear.  So help me to run into the safety of Your arms and trust You.  Trust you with my heart and faith.  Trust You with my relationships and finances.  Trust You with world events.  Trust You with everything and anything that would seek to come between us.  I love You Lord and I thank You for your grace and mercy.  In Jesus name.  Amen

When you feel stuck

 

Psalms 16:5 NIV

LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.

Sometimes it can feel like you are stuck.  Stuck in a job or relationship.  Maybe you feel stuck financially.  Life seems to be moving and passing you by.  You may not be happy with your lot.  But I challenge you, including myself, to see if we are mentally and spiritually stuck.  Perhaps our view of life is “stuck” in a worldly perspective. Maybe our heart posture needs to change or adjusted.

Maybe we need to ask ourselves what is important to us and look at our true inheritance.  Our true inheritance is Christ.  With Christ their is abundant living. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly(John 10:10) The thief doesn’t want you to focus on the goodness of God and the joy He brings.  The thief wants you to feel stuck as if their is no hope.  He wants you to feel like God can’t make that job or relationship whole and complete.  He wants you to forget His promise that you shall not lack( Psalm 23:1)But God can do the impossible(Matthew 19:26) He is our good Shepherd and He wants us to flourish where we are planted.

Perhaps you are playing the comparison game and getting lost in could’ves and should’ves instead praising God for keeping His promises to you. God makes no mistakes and He has us right where He wants us for His purpose and glory.  It’s not to punish you, but polish you.  He is our portion and our cup and the cup He gives runneth over( Psalm 23:5)

When we seek Him first He makes our lots secure.  We are not stuck , but free in Christ.  We are blessed. We can say it is well with my soul.  Our perspectives on our situation changes and we overcome.  Our jobs won’t makes us bitter as we see opportunities for us to serve Lord in that mission field.  Our relationships will have peace because we will walk in peace.  We will walk in love and hope.  Bitterness will not consume us as will not let that root be established in our lives.  We will trust in God for restoration and provision.  We will believe and rejoice in the goodness of the Lord and celebrate our freedom.

Lord, sometimes I feel stuck or allow myself to get in a rut.  I become dissatisfied and disappointed because my eyes and heart are fixed on the wrong things.  Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You.   Help me to remember that You are my portion and my cup.  You are my blessing and lot is secure.  Help me to see You in the midst of the mundane.  Give me the strength to go on and move forward in You.  Help me not to be stuck. Teach me to know and say that whatever my lot it is well, it is well, with my soul because that is what matters.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Communion with God

Jude 1:24-25 ESV

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

This verse is often quoted or said at the end of a church service.  It can become routine to hear it,  but there is so much power and hope in these words.  In this praise to God. This verse reminds me that God is able to keep me.  It reminds me that I am not walking this journey alone for He is with me.  It is He who has the power to keep me from stumbling as I abide in Him and He in me ( John 15:4-11). I am not doing this in my strength, but His.  Sin has no power over me. 

His work on the Cross allows Him to present me blameless before the presence of God because it is His shed blood that covers me. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”(Ephesians 1:7) He does this with joy because He loves us.

I also love how this verse keeps our eyes on the Savior for to God be the glory and majesty(all of it) for all honor belongs to Him.  To Him be the dominion( sovereignty and control)  over all things.  We are safe in His care. To Him be the authority as we submit to Him as Lord and King. His authority is both past, present, and future.  It is without end as He is without end.  

This verse represents communion with God.  It keeps me from striving and instead allows me to exist and have my being in Him (Acts 17:28)I am not alone.  God delights in me and I in Him.

Father thank You for love.  Thank You for keeping me.  Keep my mind stayed on thee and I will be careful to give you all the glory, honor, and praise.  Have your way Lord.  In Jesus name. Amen

A love letter

Psalms 18:1-2 NIV

I love you, LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

The first verse of Psalm 18 stood out to me.  I love you, Lord, my strength. It was like I was writing a love letter to God.  It’s simple and powerful.  I love you, Lord, my strength.  It speaks of relationship.  It’s speaks of devotion to the One who empowers me to love each and every day. Days go by fast and it’s easy to get caught up in routines and miss simple truths, like the love of the Lord. I don’t want to do that. 

All the reading of devotions and His word should never eclipse my love for Him and His for me.  It should be pointing me towards Him and our love daily.  That’s what it’s all about.  Loving Him with all of my heart, soul and mind(Matthew 22:37).

The Psalmist, David, goes on to say that the Lord is my  rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (verse 2) All true statements for God is a firm foundation. He is our refuge and defense.  He shields us from the enemy and He is a place of safety where we can safely hide in the comfort  of His arms. 

He is the strength of our salvation.  He is our everlasting hope.  He is my everything and I love Him.  Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in words,  but the heart of the matter is love.  God in His graciousness allows us to keep it simple and just say I love You. He allows us to acknowledge Him.  In doing so we acknowledge our place with Him.  We acknowledge the Cross and His sacrifice for us.  We acknowledge that it was He that first loved us.  

Lord, I don’t have fancy words or flattering speech, but I do have the truth.  I love you, Lord, my strength.  I thank You for the gift of love. Lord, let me not get lost in the stuff of doing.  Help me to remember that my being is in You.   I thank You for the gift of your strength that empowers me to walk by faith and not by sight.  I thank You for being my stronghold and defense.  Thank You for all that You are and all that You do.I love You Lord.   In Jesus name.  Amen

Will He?

Luke 1:37 KJV

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

There it is in black and white- For with God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37).  God said it, I believe it, so everything should be cool right?  Let me be transparent about my hang up.  I absolutely believe that God can do anything.  I believe that there is nothing too big for my God because He is always bigger. But my problem is believing that He will do it for me.  There is my lack of faith.  It’s not a can He question, but a will He?

This question is what the enemy would have me stuck on because if I am stuck here I won’t move forward in faith. Yet, again my God is greater because the answer to the question is yes.  Wait, stop.  It’s more complex than that for me.  I believe that God will move on my behalf how He chooses to do so because whatever move He makes is for my good.  So the impossible becomes possible.  

It’s not my job to tell Him how to move, but I can humbly ask Him to move on my behalf.  I believe even a no is a yes from God because it’s for my good.  He is able and He is willing to do what is best for me because He loves me.  So I don’t need to get hung up on if He is willing to move for me.  I just need to trust and as a good friend and mentor sang in church last Sunday -Believe on it.

I don’t know if I made sense today, but I am hoping that someone else who may struggle with worrying g about outcomes will trust that God already knows the outcome and it’s for our good.  I am praying that someone else remembers the battles that He has already won for you and believes that He can do it again.  I’m praying that you know He loves us with an immeasurable love and that we shut the door on doubts.  I pray that we walk by faith believing in the impossible because we have God.

Lord, I thank You for letting me wrestle with stuff.  Things you already know.  I thank You that You take the time to reason with me and Your people.  I thank You for nothing being impossible with You.  I trust You with the outcomes.  Lord forgive me for those times that doubt creeps in.  Let me shut the door on it and the lies of the enemy.  In Jesus name.  Amen