It's All Abot Faith

 

     Can we praise and trust God from the valleys in our lives? It’s easy to shout for joy when we are on the mountaintop, isn’t it? Our comfort zones can leave us lethargic and lukewarm. God asks us to believe and have faith throughout our lives, good and bad, ups and downs, from the pit, and from the top of the world.

     God loves to see our passion and love for Him. Our faith pleases Him. In fact, Scripture tells us it is impossible to please Him without it.

And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists, and  that He rewards those  who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6  

     Whatever your view right now, trust Him. Have faith in His presence. Have faith He is working. Watch for the blessings, even in the time of trials and sorrows. He stands in the pit with you. His hand reaches in to pull you out.  Jesus, the One and Only, is your Savior, your Shepherd, your salvation. Nothing is too hard for Him.

Is anything too hard for the Lord? Genesis 18;14a

Ah, Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17

Jesus,

Take our focus off of our troubles and onto You. You will work it all out in Your eternal time. We trust You above all else.

Amen

Our Comforter

 

     God knows each word that will come from our mouths before we speak them. He understands our deepest desires and our most fervent prayers. Before the beginning of time, He saw us. Our prayers, even before they are uttered, are being worked on by our loving Father in heaven.

     Can we trust Him with our very lives? Looking back over my life, I can say a resounding, “Yes!” There were times I simply did not know how to go on. There have been, and continue to be, times of deep joy and love, more than I could have imagined. He worked through the suffering and brought good. Sometimes the good can be our ability to share the compassion that Christ first gave us.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

     If you are troubled or tired or confused, let Him comfort you. If Jesus has comforted you, pass it along to those in trouble now. The love moves on and on to heaven’s door. He will use our lives in ways we can’t even imagine.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen  Ephesians 3:20-21

All Things

 

     When you pray or focus on Jesus, do you picture Jesus the man or the resurrected Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Jesus, the perfect man shows us the humble, compassionate, love-focused, forgiving One sent to die for us.  Remember, all things were made by Him and for Him. His glorious power and light are available to us!

For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen Romans 11:36

     Jesus, our Savior, created the heavens and the earth. He sits in heaven and rules over all. All of us, all of creation were made for Him.

For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16

Jesus,

All things have been created through You and for You. We don’t understand the magnitude of it all. We are grateful You became one of us. You are above all and through all and in all and we worship You. We bow down before You, Creator of all.

Amen

Children of the Day

 

     What is it about the human race that loves the dark? Like a bug scurrying to go underground when a rock is overturned, we return time and again to our dark and dingy corners. Much of our culture is immersed in the darkness of the world, greed, pride, sexual immorality, carousing and debauchery. Jesus puts it this way:

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. John 3:19

     Once we believe, we become children of the light. I just love that term. I am a child of the light. Jesus changes our desires. He draws us from darkness to light and we begin to crave more and more of it.

You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.  1 Thessalonians 5:5

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.  Ephesians 5:8

     Children of the day. Children of the light. Let us live in the brightness of it all. Allow Jesus to move you from the night and from the dark into glorious light.

Jesus,

You are the light of the world. You allow us to live freely as children of the day. What a relief. What a glorious gift! Let us live as children of light.

Amen

 

His Ways

 

     I pray you have reconnected or become more connected with God this week as we read His words together. He knows you intimately. He hears your voice and knows your heart. He will guide you in the days to come. He is yours forever. His ways, His thoughts are beyond measure.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts. Neither are your ways My ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

.  The wonders of His knowledge of us, our thoughts, our personalities, our foibles and frailties, our gifts are His to use for His glory. Let Him take hold of your life. Ask Him what’s next. He has hope in store for you until you step into heaven with Him.

     And one day, soon, you will see Him face-to-face and you will know Him just as you are fully known. All things will become new. Such hope. Such love. Such grace.

For now, we see only a reflection, as in a mirror. Then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part. Then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12

Father,

One day You will be completely known to us. For now, we trust You and Your mighty words to us. Give us Your Spirit power as we meet each day, knowing You are with us always, to the end of the age.

In Jesus name,

Amen

He Will Never Leave You

 

     God never sleeps. His promises, His words are true and worthy of our time. Not only is He right beside you, not only does He hear you and capture your tears, not only does He guide you, He will never, ever leave you. Until your last day on earth, He is there.

The Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:8

     With God by your side forever and ever, you need not be afraid.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

     The love of God, the presence of His Holy Spirit, the promises of Chist are yours now and forevermore. Nothing, not anything, can separate you from that love.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39

     You are His today and tomorrow. Hold onto these truths and He will give you His peace.

Jesus,

You promise to be with us, now, tomorrow and forever. You know the end from the beginning. Help each one of us to trust You with our very lives. You take it from here.

Amen

 

He Guides You

 

      Feeling stuck? Need a new beginning or just some help taking another step? Know that God will guide you and give you hope. He knows you. He hears you. He will help you in your struggle, catch you if you take a misstep, pick you up if you stumble. When you move again, you will hear His voice behind you.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21

     When you can’t see the way ahead, God can.  He will smooth the way.

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known. Along unfamiliar paths I will guide them. I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. This is what I will do. I will not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16

     God meets you right where you are. He is ready to take your hand and show you the way. Believe Him when He says there is hope ahead.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Dear Father,

We are listening for Your voice. We are waiting for Your guidance. We are looking ahead to hope.

In Jesus name,

Amen