Tag: stand firm

About to give up? Look to God’s Word-He has the Answers You need.

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How do you use God’s Word to support your everyday life? Do you have special verses that have helped you though different types of crisis? My friend Elizabeth from Iowa has a collection of verses that she can call upon for support. I will meditate and write on her choices in two blogs- this one and the next.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.

Elizabeth is a young mom who seeks to be a godly wife and mother. These verses in Proverbs give hope and assurance that placing her trust in God is the right thing to do. Acknowledging His ways and not ours, listening to His Word and not the world’s babble, and diligently seeking His will for her life will keep her on God’s desired pathway. I love the reminder to not try to do things ourselves in our own power and in our own way. Living a godly life does not happen by accident but takes persistent focus upon the things of God and a daily walk with Jesus. He knows the pathways of our lives. I am reminded of Psalm 16:6 “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” We can trust Him for the direction and claim His promise of pleasant places now and in the future wherever they may be.

Elizabeth has another verse for when times get wearisome and hard from Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” How many times have I wanted to give up and stop helping, providing, caring, etc. This verse reminds me that God desires daily persistence in my walk with Him. He wants to grow and develop my spiritual muscles so that I can better serve Him and those around me. This verse helps me to regain my focus and know God has a purpose and a plan for all that we do in His name. I am reminded of Ephesians 6:13 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” At the end of the day, when I’m tired and want to give up He desires that I do all that I can and then stand firm. That is faithful persistence in Jesus.

The last highlighted verse of Elizabeth’s today is Lamentations 3:21-23 “

But this I call to mind,
    and therefore I have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

These are wonderful verses filled with hope and assurance. When we get discouraged all I have to do is think back and remember who God is. He will bring HOPE as I mediate on his character and remember what He has done for me in my life: salvation assured, eternal life, being with me 24/7, indwelling me with His Holy Spirit, giving me a future, having plans for my life and showing me how to live for Him just to name a few. I know that God is loving and merciful and I can trust in his great faithfulness. Each day brings hope and renewed mercies. When you are about to give up on things- this verse along with Galatians 6:9 will help to ground you in His love and faithfulness. These verses from Lamentations are ones I frequently blog on at the beginning of the New Year. They are a reminder of the newness of Hope found in God. Each day we choose to walk with Jesus is a new day with our merciful, loving God.

Where do you need hope and strength today? These verses from Proverbs, Galatians and Lamentations are filled with direction and hope. They promise guidance from our heavenly Father and show us that God desires we be persistent in faith. Draw them into your thoughts and meditate upon these hope-filled truths for living from God’s Word.

Linda


Is this You? Unwavering in Faith and Bold in Speech?

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Paul has spent many verses in Chapter 1 of Colossians explaining the supremacy of Christ the Son and the benefits of faith in Him. In the last verse of Chapter 1, he reminds us that all those benefits of faith come to the faithful. He is not suggesting if we fail in our faithfulness that we would lose our salvation but that the true benefit of a daily walk with Jesus would be lost to us. Colossians 1:23 “But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.“

Each of us, like Paul, are commissioned to tell others of the Good News of Jesus. Matthew 28: 18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Accepting this commission from Christ, leads us to speak boldly about Christ and His Good News for the world. Do you hear yourself speaking boldly for Christ? Likewise, we are instructed to stand firm, unwavering, in the truth of the gospel. The gospel is the truth that Christ came and died on the cross and rose from the dead so that we might be reconciled to God and have a relationship with Him for eternity. What better news could there ever be? Through Christ we are new creations! We are loved and cherished by God. So our job as believers is to tell others this good news and to stand firm in His truth.

What happens if we don’t stand firm? James says without the wisdom and knowledge of God we will be tossed and pulled in many ways resulting in not knowing what is right and wrong, being unstable in our faith. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:5-8 Are you plagued by indecision or errant thoughts? Give them to God and ask Him for wisdom and stability in your faith. Dive into His Word and learn about Him. He will keep your faith stable and on a steady course. He will give you the words to speak boldly for Him and remain steadfast in your faith!

Be encouraged today and stand firmly rooted and grounded in your faith. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” Let us hold to our faith and proclaim the Good News to a hurting and lost world. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can proclaim the Good News of love and redemption and hold onto a faith that is strong and unwavering through the power of Christ in me.

Linda