Trust in God

  When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.~ Psalm 56:3

Fear is defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.  I deal with  anxiety that can cause crippling fear.  There are times where there is an overwhelming sense of dread, but God reminds me that when I am afraid that I can trust Him.

Trust is defined as the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.  I like this definition because it causes me to be resolved in the truth that my God is reliable.  He can be counted on.  He is real and I can draw courage from Him.

My fears, real or imagined, do not control me.  The emotion is indicator of where I need to turn; to God.  I am trusting in the One who never fails.  The One who sees me and cares.  I can cast my anxiety upon Him and gain strength.  Life has a lot of unknowns, but God is the Master of the universe and nothing surprises Him.  

Lord, when feelings of fear creep in, let me fight it back with Your Word and truth.  Thank You for telling me what do when life gets scary.  Thank You for be trustworthy and true.  Thank You for being God.  In Jesus name. Amen

Chosen

  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ~Ephesians 1:4-6

We are chosen.  Before God created this world He chose us to be holy and blameless in His sight.  I heard a sermon this past Sunday that spoke on this and it touched me.  The Spirit brought clarity to the question of what it means to be holy.  Holy is not perfect, we can't be that.  We will miss the mark.  We will make mistakes because we were born into a sinful world and a sinful nature.  But we can be set apart.  Being holy means being set apart and it requires or demands of us that we "take up our cross of obedience and faithfully follow Christ."

Being holy is being in relationship with Christ.  God has chosen us and made a way through His Son to be in right relationship with Him.  He has adopted us.  We are His children  He did this with His pleasure and will.  It pleases God that we are His.  We don't deserve any of it, but He did it because He loves us and  because of His amazing grace.

I have been thinking on this all week and it has fueled me to hear and follow His voice.  To remember who I am in Christ.  To give Him praise for what He has done, is doing, and will do.  I am set apart for Christ not because I am special, but because He is just that good.

Lord, thank You for choosing me.  Thank You for even thinking of me and including me in your plans.  Help me to deepen my relationship with You and daily follow You.  In Jesus name. Amen

Fresh start

 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.~John 15:7-8

It’s a new year.  A chance to start fresh. As I step into the new year, I reflect on what I want.  What is my desire and focus?  A lot of things come to my mind, but one thought takes center stage.  I want to be closer to Jesus.  I want to be His disciple.  I want to follow hard after Him.  I want to abide in the One who gives me life and peace.  I want to be an example for others so that they too may know that the Lord is good(Psalm 34:8).

In the light of recent tragedies, the enemy would have us question this fact.  Why is evil so prevalent?  We live in a broken world where sin is rampant, but God has not changed.  He remains steadfast and He is our comfort.  Each day is a gift; an opportunity to be in presence.  A chance to abide and follow; to be a disciple.  Showing the world there is another way.

So my hope for this new year is to abide.  To listen to His voice and obey.  To put aside those things that would hinder me.  In Jesus name.

Lord, I thank You for letting me see another year.  You are my focus, so let me abide in You.  Bless the families of those who have lost loved ones.  Help them to know that even in this You are God and You are good.  Let me be resolute in my devotion to You.  In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Let the Celebration Continue

 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.~Isaiah 9:6

Christmas has come, but it has not gone.  This year the excitement of Christmas was palatable.  I looked forward to spending time with loved ones.  There was a peace and joy that filled me to my core.   Guess what?  The peace and joy and the excitement is still here because Jesus is still here.

We celebrate the birth of Jesus and all that it means.  Life, hope, joy, and peace. Jesus was born and He also died on the Cross that I might be redeemed.  Better yet He arose from the grace conquering death and giving me and all who believe on and in Him eternal life.  Jesus is with me.  He is in my heart, so I still have Christmas.  

I have a Savior who is in control of all things.  I have a Counselor to guide me on this journey.  I serve a mighty God and I have Father who loves me.  I have peace.  So the celebration of Christ’s birth will continue.  The hope He brings will continue to fill my heart with gratitude for Jesus is the reason for every season. 

Father, I thank You for the birth of Your Son and all the benefits that it brings.  Thank You for the overflowing joy and sense of peace.  Thank You for Your light that shines bright.  Father, I pray a special blessing for those who are without loved ones this year.  Comfort them as only You can,  in Jesus name. Amen

He's bigger

 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:9 (NIV)

Today I read something that grabbed my attention in a powerful way.  The author Mark Batterson stated that "In the beginning, God created us in His image (Genesis 1:27). We’ve been creating God in our image ever since. That’s our ancient error. "  Wow!  Have I been trying to fit God into what I can understand?  Have I been making Him like me when He is WAY Bigger?  

I know without a doubt that I serve a good and mighty God.  I serve a powerful God.  I serve  a God that intervened in human existence to make a way for my sins to be forgiven through the birth of Jesus through a virgin Mary(Luke 1:26-38).  A God who would sacrifice His Son on the Cross (John 3:16) so that I might not experience condemnation.  I serve the same God who rose Him on the third day giving us victory over death ( 1 Corinthians 15:55-57) .

My God and your God is bigger than any problem or circumstance.  He is our Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)  He is the great I AM (Exodus 3:14).  He is biggen than the darkness that shadows this earth because He is the light of the world( John 8:12).  

Lord, I never want to box You in because You are too big for that.  Thank You for being great Lord.  Thank You for being might and strong to save.  Thank You for being God.  I love You.  In Jesus name. Amen

Jesus is the Light

  Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 ESV

There are a lot of dark things happening in this world, but there is hope because their is Christ.  Jesus is the light of the world.  He is the way and he shows us the way to live fulfilled lives in Christ.

In my First 5 Study we have been focusing on the light.  It has helped me to keep my focus on Jesus and not the sad things of this world.  The light dispels darkness.  It radiates and illuminates truth.  It uncovers things that are hidden.

I am grateful for the light because I could be stumbling around in the dark, but God lights my pathway.  He shows me which way to go.  He exposes the shackles that would bind me and breaks me free.  He is my hope for tomorrow.  My bright and shinning star.

I want to reflect His light so that others may know Him.   I want to be a transparent vessel for His light to shine through.  I want people to see Jesus in me.

Lord, You rule the world.  You are its light.  You allow us to walk in the light of your truth.  You dispel the darkness and it does not overcome us.  Thank You Jesus.  Help us to shine bright for You. In Jesus name.  Amen

His Grace Is Sufficient

  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I am a fragile human being who gets super natural strength from the Father above.  You have heard me talk about my battles with anxiety and depression.  I am not the only one.  The battle is real and the darkness that seeks to overcome me is real, BUT GOD.  There are a couple of things this week that has allowed the power of the Holy Spirit to flow through me and thus grant me victory and bring the Lord glory.  

First, He keeps reminding me to organize my thoughts.  I brings my thoughts into obedience to Christ -2 Corinthians 10:5. "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" 
I speak God's word into my life and reject the lies o the enemy.  I am more than my emotions.  I am more than a chemical imbalance in the brain.  I am daughter of the King and "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me-Philippians 4:13

Second, I trust in God and accept His love.  I realize that a lot of the anxiety is the fear of not being in control. Not being able to get all the things that need to get done accomplished.  Not being perfect.  When I let go of my fears and cast them onto to the Lord ( I Peter 5:7) I am trust the ruler of my life and this world.  I can trust that He will take care of me.  I can trust that my vulnerability is a strength as I rely on the Creator of the Universe.  I trust in the Savior who gave His life for me as I was.  I do not have to be perfect because He is.

Third, I take one day, one moment at a time.  Each moment is a gift and I make the most of it.  I remind myself that I am human and that weaknesses only remind of the Greater God.  It keeps me humble.  Pride goes away and now I can be used today for His glory.  James 4:10: "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up

All of this is possible because of His grace.  His favor towards me, undeserved and unmerited but there none the less because of His love. I have made it through another week, another day because of Him.  To God be all the glory.

Lord thank You for the gift of You.  Thank You for your grace and your mercies that are brand new each and every morning.  I thank You for Your power and Your love.  In Jesus name. Amen