Tag: Trustworthy

Cling to God’s Faithfulness- He will bring you through it!

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God’s faithfulness is a subject you can never talk enough about. Today’s promise is found in 2 Timothy 2:11-13 and is in a poetic format in the Apostle Paul’s letter to his ‘son’ Timothy.

2 Timothy 2:11-13 11 Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure,  we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us;
13 if we are faithless,  he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

Promises: God promises that our actions towards Him will be rewarded or punished in kind and that above all He is faithful.

Have you ever felt your actions for good will go unrewarded or that the things you say when trying to witness have fallen on deaf ears? This promise call us into account for our own actions towards both man and God. What we say and do does matter! The thing that makes this doable is God’s faithfulness towards us in spite of our failings. If we will cling to Him in faith, we will be victorious. Today if you are tempted to doubt that what you are doing is right then stop and ask God to guide you. Lean into Jesus and call on God’s faithfulness to see you through. Jeremiah 33:3 is one of my favorite truths to hold onto, “3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

What does this verse teach us about God: faith in Jesus brings assurance of salvation, God rewards perseverance, rejecting Christ will result in judgement, when I stumble in my faith God does not lose faith in me, God is faithful.

Lenten Reflections: How am I being faithful in my walk with Jesus? What doubts or temptations do I need to turn over to faithful God?

These lines make me think seriously about how I am relating to and speaking about God. He expects a lot from me in faith but He has given me everything for eternity. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can know the faithfulness of God and cling to Him.

Linda

Related Verses: Jeremiah 33:3, Proverbs 3:3-4, Colossians 3:23-25, James 1:2-4

Advent Day 7: Waiting, a Time for Trust

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The scripture chosen for today is from Mark 13:24-36 which records several prophetic statements Jesus gave about his return and the end times to come. The description given in Mark 13:24-27 matches the vision given to John in Revelation Chapter 6 of the turmoil on earth and in the heavens during the last days.  “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.“

How can we have hope looking at the destruction of the world and judgement for sin? I found encouragement and hope in verse 31 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” God is eternal and will sustain us through those hard times and His Word will continue. Remember Christ is referred to in John 1 as the Word. Christ is eternal and will not leave us. Christ will physically return at the end of time and we will see his glory and power displayed.

How do we know these things will come to pass? Jesus came and fulfilled all the prophecies concerning his first coming. He was born in Bethlehem, his mother was a virgin, he faced a death on the cross and rose from the dead, he preached about his love and kingdom that are enduring and so much more. If we believe these things that we know have come to pass, we can also believe Jesus will return as he says he will. God is faithful and keeps all of his promises! Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,” 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” Numbers 23:19 “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”

Take heart and renew your trust in God this holiday season. Jesus is the reason and He is faithful and trustworthy.

Linda

WOW! What Affirmation of God’s Word and Work in our Lives!

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Psalm 19 is like a balm to the soul as we are reassured over and over of the purity and rightness of God’s Word. Even though we are flawed and are prone to sin, we can seek God and depend upon Him. His Word is our guide and plumb line for actions and reactions as we dive into its depths and soak in its truths. David concludes with his declaration to follow God in words and deeds because God is his savior and Lord. I hope that we can claim the same for ourselves.

Psalm 19:7-14 God’s Words is…...

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, perfect
    reviving the soul. reviving
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, trustworthy
    making wise the simple. simply wise
8 The commandments of the Lord are right, right
    bringing joy to the heart. create joy
The commands of the Lord are clear, clear
    giving insight for living. insightful
9 Reverence for the Lord is pure, pure
    lasting forever. everlasting
The laws of the Lord are true; true
    each one is fair. just
10 They are more desirable than gold, desirable
    even the finest gold. refined
They are sweeter than honey, sweet
    even honey dripping from the comb. honey filled
11 They are a warning to your servant, give warning
    a great reward for those who obey them. rewarding

12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Man is… sinful
    Cleanse me from these hidden faults. in need of cleansing
13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins! willful
    Don’t let them control me. weak willed
Then I will be free of guilt God provides….. freedom
    and innocent of great sin. proclaimed innocence

14 May the words of my mouth David’s conclusion
    and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

David’s conclusion was that he needs God and desires to walk with Him. He realized that God’s Word is a great asset or resource and has the help he needs to walk with God. God’s Word is powerful and can change lives. I pray that I all have this same attitude. Look to God’s Word daily for strength, guidance, hope and encouragement.

As I look this list over myself, I am thankful for scripture and the great help it provides for my daily living. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we have help to understand and apply scripture to our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. If Christ had not died, the Holy Spirit would not have come. But He did and is now our Helper! John 14:25-26 “ “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 16:8-11“When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.” We can live confidently knowing that scripture is not beyond our understanding and that the Holy Spirit will teach us what we need to know to live godly lives.

Thank you Jesus for sending the Holy Spirit.

Linda

Got Hope in 2020? Anchor it in God’s Steadfast Love.

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Hope-in-Gods-Steadfast-LoveAs we look at hope in scripture we see survival hope, hope in His Word and today I see hope in His steadfast love.  God’s love is an anchor for our soul and His love surrounds us 24/7.  Knowing God loves us- gives us Hope, knowing God is trustworthy and faithful gives us Hope that is secure in that love.  John 3:16 reminds us that God’s love is what motivated Him to come after us, free us and send Jesus to suffer and die to redeem us for all eternity.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.   This love, eternal and sacrificial is ours so that we may have Hope.

In the Psalms David captures this love hope and puts it into words we can cling to:  Psalm 33:18 “But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,”    Psalm 33:22  ” May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,  even as we put our hope in you.”   Psalm 147:11 “The Lord delights in those who fear him,  who put their hope in his unfailing love.”     We see in these verses hope comes from knowing God’s unfailing love because we revere, worship and adore Him.   Hope comes when we put our trust in God, and God is pleased or delighted by our reverence and fear.  We know that God is love, and the proof of His love is His sending Jesus to save us.  “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”1 John 4:10

psalm33 22Meditate on God’s steadfast love today and consider how that love gives you HOPE:  1 Chronicles 16:34 “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;  for his steadfast love endures forever!”    Psalm 13:5 “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” Psalm 33:22 “Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.

Begin 2020 with Hope rooted in God’s Steadfast Love,

Linda

Seeing God’s response to me, brings thankfulness!

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A-Thankful-HeartPsalm 28 is a thankful response from David for God’s deliverance.  I want to focus on the verses 6-9.   What was David thankful for in these verses that we know to be absolutely true of God?

Praise the Lord!                                                       
For he has heard my cry for mercy.                 God is accessible, He hears our prayers.
7 The Lord is my strength and shield.                   God is our protector.
I trust him with all my heart.                                  God is trustworthy.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.                    God gives us joy.

8 The Lord gives his people strength.                     God gives us strength to meet the day.
    He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.
9 Save your people!                                                    God saves those who believe in Him.
Bless Israel, your special possession.                 God blesses.
Lead them like a shepherd,                                     God is our good shepherd.
    and carry them in your arms forever.               God is eternal and saves us for                                                                                                                        eternity with Him.

attributes of GodFor which of these attributes are you most thankful today?  I had a friend tell me yesterday that when times are hard she focuses on her joy in the Lord.  What about you?  As you go through today, meditate on God’s goodness and blessings towards you, then take time to thank Him.

Blessings,

Linda