Tag: Trust

Peace-filled Living, Possible for you and me!

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In light of recent events, I begin to question whether or not living peacefully with others is at all possible. Peace seems like such an illusive thing.  Some days I revel in it and some days it seems out of my reach.   What we can be assured of is that peace is ours through Christ and is always attainable.  Jesus said in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  The peace Jesus gives is not worldly calm and freedom from activity, but a peace with God that will satisfy our souls.  It is the peace the pervades us even when the world is swirling around us.  Paul describes this peace in Romans 5:1-2  “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”   Paul assures us that the peace we have though Christ brings us into relationship with God and is filled with His grace and purposefully holds us no matter what else is happening in our lives.

Believing that Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can have peace in Christ. He promises that His peace is ours for the taking. Why do we struggle with it so much?  I think it is because of the pull of the world on our lives and the loss of focus and faith in the power of our God.  We are free in Christ from the power of sin over our lives but we live in a sinful world.  The effects of sin on us and our lives is unavoidable.  Staying above this and living in peace takes work- unwavering faith, prayer, diligence to stay in the Word and fellowship with other believers.  Are you getting a dose of each of these in your life each day or week?  Summer is a good time to renew commitments and take time to pray, read God’s Word, memorize a verse or two and have fellowship with other believers.  It is good for your soul and will bring you peace!

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Thankful for the power of peace in Christ,

Linda

Promises that Come from Faith

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Lent was an intense writing time for me. Each day I blogged about a promise we have from God. His promises vary from protection, righteousness, hopes in heaven, benefits of knowing Him, etc. The list is long of the things we have because of our faith in Christ. I want to continue in this vein reminding all of us- me too, of what a glorious thing it is to have faith and know Christ. Our faith is truly a gift from God.

To begin our extended journey with God’s promises, let look at 2 Peter 1:3-4. This is the verse I claimed for my book Promises for Dynamic Living.

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4

First, Jesus promises He has given us everything, absolutely everything we need for  a godly life because we know Him.  The promises He has included in His Word should be extremely precious to us as the promises help us to be one in the Spirit with Him and live a life that is above the corruption of this world that is motivated by evil.  I find this simple truth encouraging.  Satan wants us to believe there are things missing from our lives that only the world can provide.  Christ says, “NO!!”,  I have given you everything you need.  Satan wants us to believe that the world is fulfilling and will lead to a good life.  Christ says, “NO!!”, the way of the world leads to destruction and away from godly living.

unchanging God

So what exactly has Jesus provided for us in His promises?  As you study the scriptures, you find that we are promised many things- comfort, love, salvation, hope, peace, joy, understanding of godly things, fellowship with God the Father and Son, infilling of the Holy Spirit, eternal life…..  the list goes on.  Each of these are promised by our faithful loving God.    Hebrews 13:8 tells us “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  God and His truth is unchanging from the creation of everything until now-God does not change and will not change.  We can count on this.  So all the things God promises in His Word from the beginning are still true and unchanging.    Hebrew 6:17-18 further confirms God’s mind for us.  17 “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.“

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How can the truths of 2 Peter 1:3-4 effect our lives?  If we take Jesus at His Word and believe in His great and precious promises, we will live abundant lives that are filled with His Spirit.  He wants us to lead godly lives.   Take the challenge today and look into His Word- seek His precious promises and then claim them in your life.  Need help finding promises?  Get a copy of my book Promises for Dynamic Living- there you will find 70 different promises written in God’s Word just for you to enrich and lead you towards greater godliness in Christ. Or keep following my blog and rediscover His truths and promises to you!

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can trust in God’s promises and know they are for me, for my good and His glory.

Linda

God is For Us! ALWAYS, Trust Him

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 Today’s promise was given to the people of Israel through Moses after 40 years of wandering and countless adventures with God. They were poised to enter the Promised Land and God wanted them to know they could count on Him in so many ways.

Deuteronomy 1:29-31 “Then I said to you, ‘Do not be in dread or afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, 31 and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.’

Promises: God will go before me, fight for me and carry me protectively as a good Father does.

I particularly cherish this promise as it shows the heart God has for me, and how He cares about my wellbeing. He does not want me to live in fear of the problems or difficulties I will face in life but to take strength and courage from His promised presence. He will not wait for trouble to be present but will go before me preparing the way. When troubles and trials do come, and they will, He promises to fight for me. He has my back and wants me to succeed. Lastly, I love and take comfort in the image of God carrying me as one cherished and loved by Him. He knows what I need and will carry me without my even asking as He is my loving heavenly Father. He will always uplift, unburden and comfort those He loves.

What we can now from these verses: God’s presence dispels fear, God goes before me, God will fight for me, God loves me as His child and desires to protect me, God will see me safely to my appointed destinations in life.

Lenten Reflections: Am I pre-praying for events and thanking Him for His protection? Am I trying to fight my own battles or am I asking God to assist?

I have known God’s care as He has given me courage in times of great fear, hope when faced with adversity and comfort when broken hearted or in need of care. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can depend upon God’s loving care and protection. He will never leave me nor forsake me!

Linda

Related verses: 1 John 4:18, Isaiah 49:16, 25, John 1:12, Psalm 41:2, 2 Timothy 4:18, Nahum 1:7, Psalm 91:1-2.

When God says, “I Will”, He WILL!

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In some Bible passages the Lord spoke to His people and gave them multiple assurances. They were nuggets of gold that the people could cling to in their lives which enable them to live with confidence and assurance from God that He was there for them! Those passages do the same for us today. Psalm 91:14-15 is one such passage. Let the truths of God’s words sink into your soul.

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them. 16 I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”

Promises: God promises to: rescue, protect, answer, be with us in trouble, deliver, honor, favor with long life, and save those who love and acknowledge His name.

Any time God says “I will”, we can take that as a truth. God does not lie, Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” God is not like us and will not ever lie nor will He change His mind! God is immutable, unchanging. Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” So unlike us, God means “I will’ with certainty and will not change from it. We can totally count on those promised words.

What a wonderful long list of promises from God of how He intends to care for those who love and honor Him in faith. Which of these means the most to you right now? Do you need God to rescue you from a difficult situation? Pray. Do you need protection? Pray. Do you need answers? Pray. Do you need His presence with you right now? He is omnipresent- pray and ask for Him to comfort you and quiet your fears. Deliverance can be different from rescue. Do you need a new idea at work, something in working with your children, an extra job? Pray and be specific about what you need. Remember the promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13 “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” Ask God to show you your way of escape. It might be right through it though for only God knows what that escape looks like. How has God shown you favor? It may come as providential care, blessings in our lives or mercy. All of us our days are numbered and He determines the length of our life. He promises salvation for those who believe in Jesus. John 17:13 “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.”

What we can know from these verses: God desires for me to love Him, God in His sovereignty can rescue, protect, defend and deliver me from life’s situations, God is accessible and will answer when I call upon Him (pray), God number’s each person’s days, God offers salvation with eternal life, Faith in Jesus shows our love of God and acknowledgement of His name.

Lenten Reflections: How am I showing God that I love Him? Where do I need to call upon God to receive His promised help?

These verses require us to think about the many things we take for granted about God. If we love Him, He is integral in our lives and is our partner in living for Him. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can call to God in faith with all the details of my life and He will be there for me. He is faithful and will not let me down.

Linda

Related verses: Numbers 23:19, 1 Corinthians 10:13, John 17:13, Galatians 1:3-5, Hebrews 4:16, Proverbs 3:1-3, John 3:16.

Advent Day 10, No Worries in Jesus

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On the Second Sunday of Advent we lit the Bethlehem or Peace Candle. Reflecting on peace today we can gain insight and encouragement from Philippians 4:6-8.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

In the stories surrounding Jesus’ birth I see 2 major characters that followed the advice of the Apostle Paul. Zachariah and Mary are good examples to us of peace in crisis. Zachariah was a priest and while on duty in the temple an angel appeared to him and told him his wife of many years would have a child. Zachariah questioned the angel in disbelief and was chastised for his faithlessness by being told he would not speak again until the child was born. He spoke after John was born and proclaimed prophecy about his child and the Messiah to come.

Luke 1:76-79 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Zachariah learned a valuable lesson that focusing on our doubts and fears is not what God desires for us. God does not want us stuck in unbelief but focusing on what He has for our future and walking in faith each day with Jesus.

Likewise, Mary focused on the possibilities of God when confronted by an angel and was told she would bear a child even though she was a virgin. She wondered how this could be but did not question the ability of God to perform this miracle. Luke 1:35-38  “And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[e] will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” Shortly after this, Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth. There Mary eloquently proclaims for all time the blessing she is receiving from the Lord.

Luke 1:46-49 “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name. Mary’s focus was not on all the problems and worries this pregnancy would bring but on the blessings of the Lord. She was at peace with God’s plan and trusted in Him.

What can you see in your life situation that is cause for worry and fear that you could turn into peace if you trusted in Jesus? Paul tells us that the peace that Jesus gives surpasses all explanation and will guard and protect us as we walk with Him. Just like Zachariah and Mary, we need to keep our minds focused on the good things, on Jesus, on His grace and mercy on the possibilities with God and He will bring us peace.

May you find the Peace of Jesus today.

Linda

Holy Week, Wednesday, Jesus Rests

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It would seem that the gospel’s are silent on the whereabouts of Jesus on this day of Holy Week.  Perhaps he remained in Bethany with Mary, Martha and Lazarus, taking a needed day of rest.  Tomorrow will be a trying day with the Last Supper, Gethsemane, His arrest, beating and trials by night leading to crucifixion on Friday.  Jesus knew what was coming and how his human body would need strength for tomorrow so He rested.  Even though He was God, He felt all the pain and fatigue of a man when He was within His earthly body.  So He needed rest today.

What do you need today? Here are a couple of scriptures for you to mediate on to encourage and strengthen you.  David knew his need for the Lord and relied upon Him each day. Here are two examples: 

 Psalm 138:7-8a 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
    and your right hand delivers me.
8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

Psalm 37:3-6 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.  

Jesus knew the Psalms of King David and perhaps He drew strength and comfort from these words too.  He knew God had a purpose for him to complete and that He needed to trust His heavenly Father and rest in Him. Let David’s words bring you peace and rest today as you walk trusting in Jesus..

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can call upon Him for strength and rest in His ability to give me all that I need.

Linda

I Can Know This…see Psalm 40

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Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can talk to God, accept His rescue and foundation, sing praises to Him and Have No Fear!

Psalm 40 shows us all those things we have in Christ and more.

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

When has God rescued you or answered your prayer? Did you turn to Him in praise? Each act of God listening and answering, rescuing and standing us upright again are cause for praise. Be the large or small it shows us yet again how God loves us and seeks our good. In spite of myself, I see God working and learn to trust in Him and revere Him!

4 Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.
5 Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.

David learned that the one who walks and depends upon God is blessed. Have you learned that too? We have to put aside things of this world and focus upon His goodness and the wonders He has done in our lives. Nothing in this world will compare to the things of God! Praise God!

I pray this psalm speaks to your heart and encourages you walk with Jesus.

Linda

The Waiting Game = Trust and Patience

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The promises in Psalm 37:7-9 bring great comfort.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
    over the man who carries out evil devices! 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
    Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
    but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

God promises to take care of evildoers and asks me to be still and wait patiently, trusting Him to provide.

Similar to the promise in verses 5-6 our job is to wait and let God do the work. He will act! David penned this psalm out of his own personal experiences. He waited fourteen years to be crowned king of Israel after he was anointed by Samuel the prophet. During those 14 years he was pursued and harassed by King Saul, who was literally out to kill him. David was tempted to seek revenge (see 1 Samuel 24 and 26). However, David resisted and was patient. He experienced God’s provision, care and rescue from Saul’s armies. David became king of Israel in God’s time and not his own. Waiting for God’s time is often hard, but these verses caution us that worry and fear will lead to sin. Trust in God alone to resolve your problems, then you will receive His reward.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we are assured that God has a plan to deal with evil. Philippians 2:9-11 gives us a glimpse of that time to come. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father. There are good reminders about God’s plan in Romans 14:12 “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.” Hebrews 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” 1 Peter 4:4-5 “They (unbelievers) are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. “

Walk with patient endurance and trust in Jesus! He will provide.

Linda

Promises Require Trust and Commitment

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Psalm 37: 5-6 contains powerful promises we can count upon in your lives. Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.

God promises to act on my behalf, bring out righteousness and justice for me if I will commit myself to Him and trust Him.

How are you at commitment? Do you start things and then lose interest or quit when things get too hard? All of us do that at times but we do not want to make a habit of it. Learning to commit to the Lord is a lifetime process that increases as we study His Word, pray and seek to follow Him. Truly committing to Him, in both faith and action, allows us to walk in God’s light and see His Righteousness and Justice more clearly. The thing I love about this promise is that I am committing and trusting in Him but HE promises to do the acting. God will cause things to come about and work out. I do not need to worry about the outcome- God has it handled. I just need to be committed to Him and trust Him. As we go through life and see this come about over and over, we see our trust in Him grow. When the bigger things in life happen, we have experience with God to refer to and know He will do the acting. God keeps His promises, always! Trusting God with the outcome, we can know that He will not be stopped or thwarted and His way is victorious. He will lead us to light and right and all His ways are just.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can be assured that God desires good for me and is trustworthy. Jesus said on his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:11 “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” God has good things for us and sent His best in Jesus. Christ did this for us and can be trusted, 1 Peter 2:24-25 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.“

Linda

No Worries, Delight in the Lord

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This week we will spend all week in Psalm 37. It is filled with rich promises from God that give us hope and direction for our lives. I devoted 3 days in my book, Promise for Dynamic Living, to this psalm. The psalmist, David, is addressing the fact that evil seems to be triumphant around us. He points us to the Lord and reminds us of who is in charge and why we should not fill our lives with worry.

Psalm 37:1-2 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
    be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
    and wither like the green herb. Worry and envy are not to be in our hearts or on our minds when we consider the happenings in the world. The psalmist knows that evil doers will die and fade away like the spring grasses. They come up green but are short lived. They are soon brown and dried up. So the evil doers we encounter, will not be victorious and will not last.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart. The psalmist says if we trust in God, do good, keep on living rightly, and delight ourselves in the Lord, we will be rewarded. That is a promise we can claim as we know God rewards those who follow Him in faith. Hebrews 11:1 and 6 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” 6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” God wants us to make faithfulness our friend and live daily for Him.

The promise in verse 4 is one we can surely claim in our daily lives and when we pray. I have often prayed this verse for friends who struggle with lifelong desires that do not seem to be in God’s will for their lives. Young men or women waiting for a godly mate (as they so want to be married), those who desire to have a child and cannot seem to conceive, others waiting on a much needed job, while still others struggle with the job they have, wanting to change directions, etc. These are just some of the things people wrestle with that may be considered the desires of their hearts. What I pray for those waiting on God’s timing and plan is that they will grow in trust and faithfulness. Also, that God would be their delight as they wait upon Him and that they would be able to call upon Him for strength and perseverance. I pray that they will be open to what God has for them.

Difficult times require me to delight myself in Him and cling to His faithfulness, trusting He has a perfect plan for my life. Sometimes that which we pray for as the ‘desires of our hearts’ God shows us, in His infinite wisdom, that He has something better for me. Again, I have to trust in Him and His wisdom. God knows me and my desires and He wants good things for me. I have to claim Jeremiah 29:11 “ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Whatever God has for me will be for my good and His glory. It is a walk of faith, day by day Fearless Living for Jesus.

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can walk in complete faith trusting in the completeness of His salvation and His plans for our life. Romans 10:13 “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” Hebrews 10:10 “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Depend upon Him and the truth of His Word.

Linda