Get A Grip! Keep Believing!

I don’t know about you, but my life is NOT perfect. I have problems, trials, and testing’s daily. It’s only by God’s grace and mercy that I have the strength to overcome life’s adversities. I have moments where my faith and hope is so big that I immediately remember who I am in Christ and I stand on the Truth of God’s Word. Its during these times that I can instantly resist fear, doubt, anxiety and all the other spiritual forces and emotions that will attack my mind. However there are those other times (which are not often, but they do happen) when I feel tired and worn out. I start looking at my circumstances and over evaluating them, instead of remembering what the Lord has already spoken to me about the situation. That is when I begin to feel despair, anger, bitterness, depression, doubt, and sadly even hatred. God forgive me. I’m sharing this with you because I KNOW that I am NOT the only who has gone through this or is going through this now.

Sometimes we have been praying and hoping for years for a breakthrough in a situation or in the life of a loved one. Since we haven’t seen the full manifestation we may begin to feel a little faithless or hopeless. We may even find that we are allowing our hearts to be hardened over the situation which will only lead to unbelief and it will begin to push us away from God.

IT’S TIME TO GET A GRIP!!

May The God of Hope Fill You With All Joy And Peace As You Trust In Him

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

This one little verse is so powerful and full of insight. If you are facing extreme testing and trouble, trials and persecution hear what the Spirit of God is saying to you here in this verse.

Our God is the God of hope. There is no situation that any of us will ever face that is too big for the God of hope. Our problems don’t surprise Him. He is not moved by them. He saw them before they ever manifested themselves. In fact He has been preparing us for this time. We are equipped in Him to face this situation. The testing and the trials may seem too much to bear ALONE, but we ARE NOT ALONE! His Holy Spirit is with us and in us.

Often times when we are in the middle of the fiery furnace we allow our emotions to get the best of us. When we begin to focus on our problems and listen to our fickle emotions instead of the Word of God we will surely get off track. If we allow our emotions to manage us instead of us managing our emotions we will lose our peace and joy. Emotions are just feelings that we have in the moment and THEY WILL CHANGE. So we cannot be lead by them. Instead we have to be led by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that never changes. It is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is stable and secure. It is true and infallible. It is our hope and confidence. We have to trust it above our emotions and what we see.

When we are in a relationship with the Lord He gives us very specific details for our life and gives us clear instruction on which way to go. We don’t need to freak out when circumstances look the opposite of what God has promised us. Remember that His Word never returns void. So we must keep believing and pressing forward diligently. Most of all we need to be obedient to His direction and leading. We need to desire His will more than our own will for our lives. Unfortunately many people give up on trusting God and harden their hearts toward the Holy Spirit. They turn back to their own way of doing things. Their disobedience hinders their breakthrough and blessings. Brothers and sisters we cannot lose hope and turn away from God’s will for our lives. When we decide to turn away from God’s path we will affect not only our lives but the lives our friends and families too.

There is a saying that God will never put more on you than you can bear. But I think the saying should be that God will never put more on us than we can bear ALONE. When we try to face life’s problems on our own we will most assuredly not be able to bear up under the stress and burdens. We are not strong enough. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to help us. He is our strength and comfort. Apart from Him we can do nothing and then we become hopeless. (John 15:5)

We WILL get our break through! We just have to believe and have trust in the God of hope no matter what. In Romans 15:13 the God of hope has PROMISED that AS WE TRUST IN HIM, He will fill us with all joy and peace so that we can overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t break His promises. He will give us hope in our situation because we trust Him, His promises, and His Word! We must remember that He always works everything out for our good. Even what the enemy tries to use to destroy or harm us He can turn for our good. We are never without hope because the God of hope is on our side.

So let us meditate on Romans 15:13 and allow it to go down deep in our hearts. Let His Word renew our mind so that when we are facing many troubles His Word will fill our thoughts with hope, joy, and peace.

But Those Who Wait On The Lord

There are times when we are going to feel tired, stressed out, and weak from life’s struggles. Sometimes circumstances will seem too much to bear. If we begin to meditate on our problems and feed our emotions with thoughts of defeat we will become exhausted and worn out. Thinking about all the “what if’s” and constantly asking “how much longer” will eventually cause us to stumble and fall under all the pressure.

When we feel like we just can’t go on any longer in our troubles or battles we need to remember what the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Isaiah.

“He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.” Isaiah 40:29-31 (Amplified)

I love how the Amplified translates these verses. Our Lord has not left our side. When we are about to faint and give up He is by our side giving us the power to keep going. He is there for us when we are weary and have no might to continue on. It is Him that causes what strength we do have left to multiply so that it will be enough to press forward. He never leaves us or forsakes us!

Let’s look at the first part of verse 31.

BUT THOSE who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] SHALL CHANGE and renew their strength and power;

Those of us who choose to change our perspective from dwelling on the negative and focusing on our problems to expecting, looking for, and hoping for the Lord to act in our situation will truly be changed. We have to realize that looking at our circumstances and meditating on our problems only feeds worry and births fear and anxiety. Our perspective is what is causing us to faint and become weary. We are focused on the wrong thing. We should be focusing on the Word of God not our circumstances.

When we begin to change our perspective from hopelessness and defeat to faith and hope in the Lord we will go from faint and weary to full of strength and power. Our faith pleases the Lord and He rewards us with a hopeful assurance and a peace which surpasses all understanding because we are trusting in Him. It is our faith and hope in the Lord that causes His power to rise up in us. When we put our faith in His Word and promises our minds will be renewed. Our faith will heal us and make us whole. When we truly wait on the Lord and expect Him to move in our lives we know that we are close to God. We know that He is not far away from us. This knowing inside of us is what will cause us to keep pressing forward and not get tired. We will be able to walk and not faint along the way. Then we will reap a harvest of blessing because we did not get tired and give up. (Hebrews 11:6 Galatians 6:9)

Putting our hope in the Lord will never fail us. He is faithful to His Word. He never leaves us or forsakes us. No matter what situation we are facing if we are a child of God and we love Him we must know with all of our heart that He causes EVERYTHING to work together for our good. He has a purpose and plan for our life. We have to trust Him no matter what! We are in good hands with Him.

Do not fret or worry anymore! Put all of your hope and trust in Him today. Wait expectedly for Him to act. Fill yourself with His Word and meditate on His promises DAILY, day and night. Put on some praise and worship music for the spirit of heaviness that will try to attack you. Praising the Lord will lift your spirit because He inhabits the praise of His people. I promise you that your faith will increase if you do these things consistently. Then you will soar high on wings like eagles. You will run and not grow weary. You will walk and not faint. (Romans 8:28, Isaiah 61:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, 1 Corinthians 1:9, Philippians 4:6-9, Joshua 1:8-9)

His Ways & Thoughts Are Higher Than Ours

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

I really don’t try to figure out any more why our heavenly Father allows certain things to happen in our lives or in those closest to us. I don’t need to know when circumstances will change or when will the unjust receive justice. I have learned to trust Him in every situation, especially the ones I don’t completely understand. I know that He is sovereign, omniscient, and omnipotent and that is all that matters to me.

He has shown me over and over again that no matter what happens in our lives He is always in control. He is never taken off guard by our problems or ‘situations’. We have to learn that even if something in our lives happen that seems unjust or unfair He can use it for our good. Sometimes we will have to walk through the situation and other times the Lord will provide a way of escape. Either why whatever He allows He has our best interest in mind.

If something tragic happens we must know with all of our hearts that He allowed it for reasons beyond our understanding. Let us not be angry or bitter towards God. We must remember that His plans for us are ALWAYS for good not for evil and to give us a future and a hope. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He will be our strength when we go through the storms of life. He never allows us to go through trouble, trials, sorrows, or any change without promising to be with us. (Jeremiah 29:11-13, Hebrews 13:5)


“When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Isaiah 43:2-3

We have to remember that His ways of doing things, His way of bringing about change in us and around us, His way of helping us produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is sometimes beyond our understanding. His thoughts are nothing like our thoughts and His ways are far beyond anything we can imagine. So why do we even question Him? Can we really even grasp His reasoning and purpose?

We have to learn to be ok with trusting Him especially when we don’t understand what’s going on around us or why He allowed certain circumstances. His faithfulness, mercy, and compassion toward us is unending so we should not be afraid of change. Our Lord in all of His wisdom causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purpose. So why should we fear or fret? (Romans 8:28)

Let us remember that everything is only for a season. We will not have trouble or trials forever. So let us not get tired in doing good and trusting Him. We will reap a harvest of blessing if we do not give up prematurely. (Galatians 6:9)

Be blessed brothers and sisters and know with all of your hearts that our heavenly Father is by your side all the time.

Don't Despise This Season

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1 Peter 1:6-7

I want to encourage someone reading this who is in the fire of many trials. Don’t despise this season. It will only be for a little while. There is wonderful joy ahead if you do not give up. Don’t be afraid. Our Lord is with you every step of the way. He has not left you alone, I promise. The fire is just a test. It is meant to refine you. When you come out of this you will not even smell of smoke. Just stay close to Him in the fire.

Recently I was reading the story again in Daniel about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were thrown into a blazing furnace because they refused to worship king Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue. Right before they were thrown into the fiery furnace the king had them bound up. I received a revelation that sometimes right before some of us go into the fire we are all bound up by something. Maybe it is hidden sin, unforgiveness, unsurrendered areas of our lives, bitterness, anger, hopelessness, or maybe slavery to debt. Whatever it is that has us bound wants us to bow down, surrender, and worship it. In some cases we have given in and these strongholds have become our little gods that we are serving, whether we realize it or not. (Daniel 3:16-23)

Now the king had them thrown into the blazing fire and to his surprise instead of hearing screaming and tormenting agony he looks in and sees FOUR men, UNBOUND, walking around in the fire unharmed and the fourth man looked like a god. (Daniel 3:24-25)

We may often times go into the fire bound but praise God it is the refining and purifying fire that burns off whatever has us bound up. While in the fire is when we learn to draw closest to the Lord for comfort and strength. Then we begin to see what really matters the most in our lives. Those hindrances that had us captive are not what we want to be bound to any more so off in the far they go.

The fire is meant to make us stronger and to build up our faith. Just the other night I was lying down to rest for the evening and I turned the station to TBN. There was man singing and he said, “If I didn’t have a problem I would not know that God could solve them”. No one likes to be in the fire, but we don’t have to despise these seasons. They are opportunities for us to see God’s faithfulness. In the fire we see our Lord’s protective power and His miraculous provisions. Going into the fire allows us and others to see God’s goodness.

Now back to the story of the three young men. The king was amazed! He shouted to the men in the fire, “Servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” Everyone there saw that the fire had not harmed them. Not a hair on their heads were singed, and their clothing were not even scorched. In fact they didn’t even smell of smoke! The king made a decree forbidding anyone to talk against their God and he confessed that there is no other god who can rescue like this. Then the king promoted them to even higher positions in the province of Babylon. (Daniel 3:26-30)

Not only does our faith get built up in the fire but our trials can become a testimony to others as well of God’s faithfulness. When they see how we allow the fire to refine and make us stronger they will rejoice and put their faith in God too. They will have hope when they are going through the fire also.

The last point I want to make is that sometimes we have to go through the fire before our Lord promotes us to higher positions. To whom much us given much is expected and we are given responsibility based on our abilities. Through the fire we learn endurance, patience, longsuffering, and all the other fruits of the Spirit. If we are going to be used by God we have to go through the refining and purifying fire, so don’t despise this season.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4

Be blessed brothers and sisters…

"All I Can Do Is Pray"

Why is it that when situations get extremely difficult, or seem hopeless, or out of our control do many of us respond by telling ourselves and others, “All I can do is pray.” What do we really mean anyways? What are we really saying? Is it a statement of faith? I don’t think so..It’s almost like when say that it’s as if prayer is our last resort to our tiresome efforts of trying to resolve our own problems. In some cases some of us have made prayer exactly that..our last resort. This statement, “ALL I CAN DO IS PRAY..” usually follows a statement like this:

“I’ve tried everything I can think of to change or fix this situation now..”
“My hands are tied. It’s out of my control now...”
“I just don’t know what else to do...”

Seeking God’s will and direction for our problems, concerns, and decisions should be our very first reaction. We should pray and never give up. Prayer should not be the last resort. Just think of how many times we have only made our circumstances worse by moving ahead with our own ideas of how to resolve our situation without seeking God’s face, without praying first. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 18:1, Proverbs 16:25)

When we are facing troubles or when we are at a fork in the road that is when we need to tune our ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding even more. We need to cry out for insight and ask the Lord for help. We need to recognize and remember immediately that our hope should always be in the Lord. Our hope is in knowing that He leads us down the right path for our lives. He is our lamp. He lights up our darkness. He does not leave us or forsake us in our troubles. He is the answer to every situation. He gives us wisdom and counsel. We don’t have to fix everything on our own and we definitely should not make important decisions in our lives without praying and even fasting first. (Proverbs 2:2-3, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Psalm 23:3, Psalm 18:28)

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:5-6)

I love how Queen Ester handled the horrific news that was brought to her via messenger from her mentor and cousin Mordecai. She was told that there had been a decree of death pronounced by the king and his prime minister, Haman. They planned to kill millions of people-including women and children. Mordecai directed her to go before the king and beg for mercy and to plead for her people. They both knew that if anyone appeared before the king in his inner court without being invited they were doomed to die unless the king held out his gold scepter. Even the queen had to be summoned. This was a terrible dilemma, but she was determined to lay down her life if she needed to, but first she determined to seek God’s will and direction. Queen Ester proclaimed a three day fast for her and her people. They all got on their faces before the Lord asking for God’s help and favor. They prayed for the queen and for their own lives to be spared. (Ester 4)

After those three days and nights of fasting and prayer she got up, cleaned up, and put on her royal robes. She was prepared to go before the king prayed up and trusting the Lord to go before her. Many of you know the story. The Lord gave her great wisdom as to how to tactfully approach the situation. The outcome was that the truth of the plot against her people was revealed to the king and their enemies were defeated. It’s an awesome story! (Ester 5-9)

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16

With every situation that presents it’s self we need to go boldly into the throne room giving thanks immediately to our Lord for the answer and direction that He will provide, because He WILL direct our steps, we just need to seek his face. We don’t have to be afraid or over burdened with troublesome feelings or emotions, confusion, or fear over our circumstances. We need to rise up with the Spirit of power and love, trusting Him and immediately drawing close to the Lord knowing that He will draw close to us.

Let us be determined to seek God first, His will, and His way of handling this life’s troubles. May prayer be our first reaction instead of our last resort. In Jesus name amen…

Be Strong In the Lord and In His Mighty Power

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” (Ephesians 6:10)

We need to truly realize that on this journey through this world we do not have to do anything in our own strength and power. Instead we are to be strong in the Lord and in HIS mighty power, not in our own power. That should be a great relief to everyone. I know it is to me. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities and the calling that I have on my life. There are also times where I feel I am not strong enough to face certain troubles, tests, and even people. Feelings of inadequacy creep in and I feel incapable of fulfilling the visions that our Lord has given me for my family and ministry. Then the truth hits me dead on. I am NOT able to accomplish any of these things and have godly results in my own strength or power. Over and over again I am humbled by this reality and that is when the sweet Spirit of God reminds me of what His Word says, “For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength”. So it is not by our strength or our might but by the Spirit of God that we able to do all that the Lord has called us to do. Thank you Jesus!

As we go through this life living as a servants of Christ Jesus we must remember that it is truly by His grace and mighty power that we have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading the Good News and by being living testimonies. We don’t have to worry about how everything will be accomplished or where the provisions will come from because our Lord is faithful to always provide everything we need. He will give us wisdom and favor. He has given us His power and might. He has given us every spiritual gift we need to do His work and His will as we eagerly await His return. He will keep us strong to the end. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (Ephesians 3:7, 1 Corinthians 1:7-8)

We don’t need to fall apart when we feel weak and incapable. There is no point of beating ourselves up. Instead let us rejoice because when we are weak God’s power works best in us. When we go to Him humbled by our weakness we will see that His grace is truly all we need. When we are weak that is when we see Christ’s power manifests through us. So draw close to the Lord when you feel like you don’t have enough power or strength because there is an incredible greatness of God’s power available for us who believe him and take Him at His Word. This incredible power that helps us is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. It amazes me that this power is available to us! But how many believers actually live by this power? I guess the evidence would be in their fruit. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Ephesians 1:19-20)

Brothers and sisters be encouraged by these scriptures provided above because the Lord does not want us to feel like we are without power or strength. Through His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower us with inner strength through His Spirit. We just need to trust Him with everything in our lives. With every problem, trial, tests, persecution, with EVERYTHING we have to rely on Him. He is the Source of our Strength. We can not face this life and its circumstances on our own and that is not what our Lord intended. So remember to be strong in the Lord and His mighty power! Don’t rely on your own strength and power.(Ephesians 3:16)

Blessings to you all in Christ Jesus name..

When One Door Closes Another One Opens

“However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" 1 Corinthians 2:9

There is no need to freak out when the Lord closes doors in our lives. Whether we’re laid off from work, girlfriend or boyfriend breaks it off suddenly, we weren’t approved for a loan or modification; whatever door has seemingly closed was closed for a reason. We have to immediately rely on the truth that our Lord has good plans for our lives and that He works everything out for our good. We have to accept that maybe this door has closed because it is time to move on. Maybe we even stayed longer than we should have. Only God knows. (Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 8:28)

I have seen in my own life that when the Lord allows doors to close it is because He has something new for me some where else. He wants to teach me new things. He’s just taking me to new training ground and this process will increase my faith and dependence on Him. It’s time to grow and expand and that can not longer be done with where I was at. So I don’t reject change. I have learned to trust what the Lord is doing even when I don’t understand it.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” Isaiah 55:8

Sometimes we feel it in our spirit before it happens that God is calling us to move on and step out in faith. He’s given us a clear vision and He has assured us that we are not crazy, it truly is God Almighty saying, “You have heard Me correctly. Yes it is time to step out. Go now! Do not be afraid I AM with you.” But instead of moving immediately we over analyze our state of affairs and his instructions and we sit in our situation longer. Asking for more confirmation. Lol..That’s when our loving heavenly Father pushes us out of our comfortable nest like a mother bird teaching her fledgling to fly. Much like the baby bird we have become so comfortable in our nest that we do not want to leave, not realizing that if we don’t go we will not learn how to use the muscles in our wings. However, our Lord knows that if we don’t get out of the nest we will not learn how to fly. Thus the gentle push out, He knows it’s for our own good.

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19

The closed door is the beginning of something new and fresh that is going to happen in our lives. It’s a time to draw nearer to the Lord and seek His face like never before. When doors close we should thank Him because we know that He is the one who directs our steps and He will not let us fall. We trust Him to guide us and lead us, so then we must also trust that when He closes one door that He will open another one in due time, in His time. You’ll see!

Don’t wait till you see the physical manifestation of the new thing to praise Him. Praise Him now. Let His praises constantly be on your lips and pray without ceasing while you wait for another door to open. Be confident in what you hope for. Be confident in the word that the Lord has spoken in your heart. Have faith that it will actually happen and be assured about it even though you cannot see it yet. (Hebrews 11:1)

Trust me He loves us so much that He has already made a way. He knows our needs and gives us the desires of our hearts. He knows how to give good gifts. So receive the closed door as a good gift because what He has for you now is better than before. (Matthew 7:11)

Be encouraged as you wait and hope in the Lord..

Overwhelming Victory is Ours!

We did it! We ran 3.1 miles this morning. YAY!! For the past 2 weeks my husband and I have been training to run the 6th annual 5k race for faith scheduled for February 7th, 2009. All proceeds go to First Priority of South Florida. First Priority’s vision is to mobilize the Body of Christ in South Florida for the common purpose of evangelizing, equipping, and empowering middle and high school students on every public school campus. Student led clubs meet every week and the Gospel is shared each month. First Priority builds a bridge from the campus to the church, where students can be discipled and nurtured in a local body of believers. This ministry is doing a great work and we are excited to participate in this run.

It is has not been easy but we have determined that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We know that it is Christ Jesus that has put all of this determination and ability in us to accomplish the dreams and visions that He has given us. Therefore when we set out to fulfill our missions and goals we know that we are not alone in our endeavor. Are confidence is in knowing that Christ Jesus our faithful Lord is right there with us pushing, empowering, and reassuring us that we can do it because He has equipped us for success. Glory be to God! We are more than conquerors!

What about you? Do you realize that you too are more than a conqueror? Realize it, receive it and believe it! No weapon formed against you will prosper. No matter what problems, trials, enemies, and obstacles present themselves we have to realize that we truly are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus who loves us. If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

I love what Romans 8:31-39 says but in an effort to keep this relatively short I want to show you verses 35-37.

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep. No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is our through Christ, who loved us” (NLT)

You see, despite all the troubles that we encounter in this world overwhelming victory is ours through Christ Jesus. There will be times that we will have to go through troubles and we will have to put our faith to action. Through the trials is when we truly learn to develop godly character and faith. That is why James 1:2 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it as an opportunity for great joy.

Great joy? Yes. I understand better now that I have been subjecting my body to this training. It hurts and I get really tired. I do want to give up at certain points during my run but I keep pressing forward knowing that I am building my endurance and perserverance. This will result in my body being healthier, stronger, fit, and better prepared not only for the race but for life. Joy was what I felt this morning when we completed our run.

James goes on to say in verses 3-4,”For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

Therefore we should determine in our minds that we are going to go through every trial, trouble, and persecution as more than a conqueror because we have Christ Jesus on our side. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us and we should always remember that He works everything out for our good. Overwhelming victory is ours!!

It'll Be Ok!!

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

It’ll be ok I promise. Sometimes we allow ourselves to get so caught up in trying to figure things out; contemplating all the what ifs, that we lose our peace and joy. We begin to meditate on the dilemma so much that we have forgotten to take it to our Lord in prayer. If we get into trying to fix our problems on our own in our own strength we most certainly will complicate things even further. We have to learn to instinctively run to the throne room full of humility and a willingness to listen and obey. Then we can make our supplications known to God, lay down our will at His feet and accept His Wisdom thankfully. Then His peace will most certainly guard our minds and hearts from worry, fear, and anxiety as we meditate and trust in His Word, Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

James 1:5-8 says “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”

Our Lord is our source of wisdom and direction. Through prayer and reading of the Word the Holy Spirit reveals which way to go. He is always going to be faithful to lead us down the right path when we ask Him for direction. However, we must be willing to accept His divine counsel. It is foolish to seek God’s face and present our problems to Him to only do the exact opposite of what He has shown us to do. Don’t allow fear, doubt, confusion, and especially compromise to deter you from following the Lord’s will and way.

I have learned that sometimes our Lord’s response is far from what I expected and then others time it is confirming and clarifying the vision that He has already given me. However, when His response is totally opposite of what I thought and most certainly not the way the world would handle my situation I remember the words in Isaiah 55:8-9. It says:

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord. And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Let us remember that our Lord is faithful and He always works everything out for our good because He loves us so much. He is our Faithful Father carefully watching over us guiding and protecting because He has promised to. Our hope and faith has to be so devoted to Him that we trust Him at His Word. We have to trust him with all of our hearts, and not depend on our own understanding. If we seek His will in all that we do, He will show us which way to go. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Remember that you do not have to be under the yoke of worry or confusion. Get on your face before God and give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. (Psalm 55:22)

Trust Him and it’ll be ok!!!!

From the Archives: Life's Circumstances-Part of The Remolding Process

God uses everything that happens in our life as part of the remolding process that we as Christians must go through. Like a man molds a lump of clay into a beautiful vase to be used for holding beautiful flowers; our Heavenly Father wants to remold us and pour the riches of His glory into us so that everyone can see how very great His glory is. (Romans 9:23-24) As the clay is in the potter’s hand so we are in God’s hand. Will you allow our Heavenly Father to use your life’s circumstances to mold and refine you?

He can use the financial struggles, the difficult people, incarceration, and even sickness and death to develop our character and to make us stronger, full of patience ready for anything. These situations don’t have to destroy us then can be turned for our good and for His glory if we will only trust God. See how our Lord helped each of these believers through these same struggles.

 Financial Struggles -There was a widow women alone with her son during a famine with no money and just enough food for one last meal. The Lord sends Elijah to her and provides food for all of them. Later when her son becomes sick and dies the Lord uses Elijah to heal her son. (1 King 17)
 Difficult people - Jacob had to work for his lying and cheating father in law, Laban, for fourteen years. Laban was unscrupulous and manipulative. But the Lord saw all that he had done to Jacob and made him wealthy at Laban’s expense. (Genesis 29-31)
 Incarceration – Paul and Silas were severely beaten and thrown into jail for preaching the gospel. While shackled in prison they praised God. All of a sudden there was an earthquake which shook the prison to its foundation. The guard watching over them believed on the Lord Jesus. Then he and his whole family were saved. (Acts 16:16-40)
Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. Later he was sentenced to prison for a crime he did not commit. One day he is brought before the Pharaoh to interpret a dream. He not only interpreted the dream but he also gave Pharaoh wise counsel on how to prepare for the predicted famine. So Pharaoh promoted Joseph from inmate to second in command. Joseph helped rule Egypt. God later used Joseph to save his own family, God’s chosen people, from the famine.(Genesis 37-47)
 Sickness and Death – Jesus’ friend Lazarus becomes sick and dies, but it was just another opportunity for the disciples and the others to believe in Jesus. The purpose of the illness was not death but for the glory of God. (John 11)

As you can see our Lord makes all things to work together for the good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) Life’s circumstances are just part of the remolding process. We are being prepared daily for the calling that He has on our lives to serve Him and others that need Him. When others see what Jesus has done for us they will give glory to God and believe in the name of Jesus! Praise God!

PERSEVERANCE

“Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember you reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God’s will if you want him to do for you all that he has promised. His coming will not be delayed much longer. And those whose faith has made them good in God’s sight must live by faith, trusting Him in everything. Otherwise, if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them.” Hebrews 10:35-38

When I sat down to read the Word I opened up my bible and found a book mark that was given to me years ago. On the back is written ‘To: Lisa From: Jesus’. The front says PERSERVERANCE and it has this scripture “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” Hebrews 10:36

I laughed and cried because I know that the Holy Spirit is reminding me that the promise that the Lord made years ago to me about my family would be fulfilled. It is coming to pass, but not as fast as I would like. I find myself often times impatient and frustrated with the problems and trials. There are times where I just want to give up. Have you ever felt like you just want to throw in the towel? Like things will never change?

Giving up should never be an option for us as believers. We have to persevere no matter what! Persevere means to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly. The scripture that I keep hearing in my spirit is Habakkuk 2:3 “For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.”

We have to trust our Lord is going to do all that He said He would do. Faith is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead. Some of us become impatient giving up hope and faith right before we get our break through. (Hebrews 11:1-2)

It is only through problems and trials that we can learn this perseverance. It is for our own good. Imagine if we always got what we wanted right away or if life was easy with no problems. Smooth sailing the whole way. We would be weak, impatient, and our faith would be little. However, if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn’t happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently. (Romans 8:25)

It is apparent that we can not learn perseverance without learning and applying patience. I feel the need to clarify that patience is not just waiting. It is waiting with a good attitude. Patience is bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like. WOW and OUCH!!! That’s why they say “Patience is a virtue.”

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials for we know they are good for us- they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:3-5

When you find yourself feeling impatient and losing hope don’t hesitate to draw close to the Lord, because He is ready to draw near to you. As quick as you can read or listen to the Word of God so that your spirit is encouraged and renewed. His Word helps us sift through the drama of life. It brings clarity and inspires us to keep pressing forward knowing that though the vision tarries we can be sure that it will come to pass. We know that God’s Word never returns to Him void. So let us keep patiently and confidently trusting our Lord learning perseverance and becoming strong in faith and character.

Let It Roll Off Your Back

" An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all types of sins.” Proverbs 29:22

I used to be full of anger, easily offended, and constantly fighting. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the renewing of my mind with the Word of God over the years, I have conquered anger issues that used to control my moods and emotions. However, I find myself still getting bent out of shape over situations that I just can’t change or people who don’t change. Although I do not react the way I used to, I hate that I still get so angry.

Let me clarify, I don’t want you to get the wrong impression. I am not a time bomb waiting to go off. For the most part I am a pretty chill and easy going person. I’m the first to make excuses for others offenses, trying to see the best in them, and trying to see their point of view. I am also very long suffering and patient. I really don’t care if I am talked about or persecuted because I know that my Lord was too, so I don’t take it personal.

However, recently the enemy has attacked me where it hurts the most, with my family. I see my children facing situations that they don’t deserve. I see my loved ones being tempted and persecuted. My first reaction is anger. Then there is an internal battle between my old nature and my new nature. They war within me each wanting to resolve the situation in their own way. I wish I could say that all the time the new nature wins, but that would be a lie. Sometimes I quickly retort with words of anger, without even thinking.

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” James 1:19-20

I have learned by experience that if I am lead by the emotion of anger I will only make matters worse. Instead of acting out foolishly I have learned and am still learning to give the situation to the Lord and I trust Him to have His way.

Through tears I pray for God’s mercy and grace. Then I sit back and I pray for those that hurt me or those I love. My prayer is always for God to have mercy on them, to help them, and draw them to Jesus. He gives me the power and the willingness to want to forgive them. Then I am full of peace as I trust Him to work it out for our good and for His glory. It is always so amazing to me that He turns my anger into sorrow and compassion for our offender. I KNOW that is a God thing for sure.

Anger is a natural emotion. We will get angry sometimes, but what matters is that when we are angry that we do not sin and that we do not go to bed with that anger still lurking inside of us.

“Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26-27

Recently my pastor taught on anger. The two things that still stand out in my mind that he said are, “Don’t be angry about the things you can’t change. You’re angry for no reason. And don’t get angry about the things you CAN change.”

When I heard him say this I chuckled to myself because is just makes so much sense to me. It’s so simple and yet so profound. It was an on time Word that I needed to hear. I am determined to apply these words of wisdom to my own life and would encourage you to do the same. We will avoid so much unnecessary drama if we do not react in anger but instead we learn to let things roll right off our backs.

Harboring anger will only lead to malice, wrath, bitterness, clamor, slander, resentment, and unforgivness. It will have a huge snowball affect in our lives and will hinder our relationship with God and others. If we sit and really think about it, it’s silly and pointless to get angry about things that we can’t change because what’s done is done. You can’t change it and getting angry isn’t going to help the situation. Getting angry will usually make the situation worse. We may say things that we don’t mean or we may do something that can’t be undone. Dealing with our problems in anger most certainly will have regrettable repercussions.


However, in some situations we have the power to change the problem. Rather than getting angry and adding to the problem we can make a difference and seek change. Instead of anger being our guiding emotion let us be inspired by the Holy Spirit and full of determination to transform our problems.

Anger is pointless. Let it roll of your back and don’t allow anything to steal your joy and peace.

From the Archives: Free From All Your Fears

Here is a posting I wrote back in July that I needed to revisit. I hope it helps someone the way it did me.

Free From All Your Fears

The Lord is close to those whose hearts are broken. He rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins. He hears our cries. The eyes of the Lord are intently watching over all who live good lives, and he gives attention when they cry. He will deliver you from all your fears, but you have to put all your trust in Him.

Over the years I have seen the Lord doing a mighty work in my family’s lives. Our Heavenly Father has shown us He is in total control. The past sixteen months have been a pivotal time in my spiritual journey. I was full of fear, anxiety, and inner turmoil. I always wanted to be in control and have all the answers to our dilemmas but my circumstances could not be fixed by me. I was brought to a point where I had to truly humble myself and get on my face before God. I had to leave me fears and problems at His feet and start focusing on serving Him and others. I knew in my heart that while I tended to God’s business He would tend to mine and He has.

The Lord has been trying for years to get my husband and I on one accord and truly submit to Him. We are learning to reverence Him and trust Him no matter what attacks come, no matter what people say. He wants us to put His Word first. He has been drawing us close to Him so that we could find shelter and refuge in Him. So we have! Our lives have forever been changed. As a deer pants for water so we long for the Lord, we thirst for God, the living God. (Psalm 42:1-2)

Trusting God does not mean that you will not have trouble. The good man does not escape troubles he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and everyone. My favorite Psalm is Psalm 34. It speaks of God saving those who reverence Him from all of their fears and troubles. It has given me comfort and helped build my faith since the first day I read it in 1997. I do not walk in fear and anxiety because I meditate on these verses and I know that:

Ø When I cry he answers me. (Ps. 34:4,6)
Ø He frees me from all my fears. (Ps. 34:4)
Ø Our Lord guards and rescues all who reverence Him (Ps:7)
Ø If I reverence Him I will have everything I need and never lack any good thing. (Ps: 9)
Ø His mercies shower down on me because I trust in Him. (Ps:8)
Ø The Lord hears me when I call to him for help, and saves me out of all my troubles.” (Ps. 34:17)

The more you put your trust in Him and learn not to lean on your own understanding the more you will see that He is in control. There is no problem to big for Him! He makes a way when there seems to be none. You don’t have to fret any more! Just truly surrender and you will not lack any good thing. Cast all your cares on Him. Seek His righteousness, goodness, and kingdom then everything else He’s take care of. Put Him first in everything. You can be free from all your fears by simply trusting Him! (Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 6:33, 1 Peter 5:7)

Taking It One Day At A Time

“So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble” Matthew 6:34

I love this verse. It has taught me that I only have to deal with today’s problems today. I don’t have to worry about tomorrow’s problems now. In fact I don’t have to worry at all and neither do you, because God’s got it. There is nothing that happens in our life that God is not in full control of. What ever situation we are facing, whatever our need we must remember that we are not in it alone. The Almighty One is on our side. So why worry? Why fret? Why fear? He will bring us thru ever time. He never fails!

“And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life?” Matthew 6:27

“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

When we are seeking and striving to do God’s will in our life, His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), then all the things that we need will be given to us. He cares for us so much. We just have to trust Him no matter what, knowing that He will work everything out for our good as He has promised. His Word is true and He does not lie.

Definitions for worry: 1) to afflict with mental distress or agitation: make anxious 2) To feel uneasy or concerned about something; be troubled. (Note: this is NOT a fruit of the Spirit! Galatians 5:22-23)

If we sit around worrying and fretting about our situation we are actually saying that we don’t believe God’s Word. We don’t trust Him to do what He said He would do. Instead of mediating on God’s promises to us we begin to listen and reason with the worrisome thoughts that attack our minds. We have to capture these rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

We will find freedom from worry, fear, and anxiety when we lay our life down at His feet and say, “Lord here is my life. Do with it as you please. I trust you.” I believe with all my heart that when we do this we will learn daily, through the power of the Holy Spirit of course, to be content with whatever He decides to do with us.

I don’t know about you but He can have my problems. I know that He can do much more with them than I could ever do. So this is me taking it one day at time. I pray you do too.

Lord, there are times when our minds are attacked by worry or fear. Help us to remember your promises. Let us hear your Words over the loud voice of anxiety. We trust you with our lives because it is no longer our own. Thank you for your promises. In Jesus name. Amen.

Repost: Garment of Praise For The spirit of Heaviness

Repost from 3/11/08

Often times the enemy sends the spirit of heaviness to torment me. This past weekend that is exactly what happened. Out of no where everything bothered me. I was easily agitated and aggravated with my family. I was feeling sad and emotional for the littlest things. I had a horrible "woe is me" attitude.

I wanted to get some air so I went to walk my dogs when I remembered that just two days prior out the blue I heard the Spirit of the Lord say "The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness". I didn't get it at the time because I wasn't feeling any heaviness. Then I realized that he was warning me of the attack to come, this attack.

Praise is a weapon. God has given us the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Did you know that heaviness is a spirit? (Isaiah 61:3) When you praise God those bad feelings and that heaviness has to leave. You see God inhabits the praise of his people. When we are praising Him and lifting His name up how can any demonic spirit or oppression remain in our prescence? They can't!(Psalm 22:3)

There is a story in the bible where God uses the praises of his people in battle. The king of Judah had a vast army coming up against them. The king and his people fasted and interceded before the Lord regarding the battle. He told them not to be afraid because the battle was not theirs it was his. Read what happens:

2 Chronicles 20:21-22 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

Praise always wins the battle. Listening to praise music can change your whole attitude when you’re going through it. I have had battles with heaviness so severe that I have had to walk around with my iPod on all day just to protect my mind. When I put on my Mary Mary cd or praise playlist I listen to the lyrics and begin to sing along. I find that I almost immediately start feeling peaceful and comforted. I am reminded that the battle that I am going through is the Lord's. I begin thanking, worshipping, and loving on God because of all that He has done for me and all that he is going to do.

Don't let heaviness have its way with you. Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

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Repost: Your Source of Hope

What is the source of your hope? God is the Source of Your Hope! His Word is the source of our Hope. The just should live by faith. (Habakkuk 2:4) Faith in His Word! Faith in God and His provisions, because He is Faithful! (1Corinthians 1:9)

No matter what we go thru..No matter what happens in our life we MUST know that His Word is Truth! It has to be our hope. We can not put our trust and hope in men, our jobs, or in what we see with our eyes. We have to put ALL of our hope in God’s Word because he is faithful to never let his Word return void. Isaiah 55:11 says,

“So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Hope is a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one’s life. If our hope is in the Word of God then we have faith that in all circumstances our God is in control. We know that He is working everything out for our God, even the things we do not understand and especially the things that hurt. Listen to what Habakkuk professes while looking around at the destruction and devastation:

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,

and there are no grapes on the vines;

even though the olive crop fails,

and the fields lie empty and barren;

even though the flocks die in the fields,

and the cattle barns are empty,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord!

I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

The Sovereign Lord is my strength!

He makes me as surefooted as a deer,

able to tread upon the heights. (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

We must walk in faith, trusting Him to help us. Now Faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. (Hebrews 11:1) So we must walk by faith, not by sight.

If you do not know His Word where does your hope come from? What have you put your hope in? Begin filling your self daily with full portions of His Word and see how your faith and hope are increased.

If you know His Word than put your hope in the Truth found in the Word of God. Begin speaking and confessing the Word in your situation and for your life.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Pray Without Ceasing

The Lord has laid it on my heart to study and teach on prayer. This is the first of a series of postings on prayer. May Our Lord teach us what we need to help us with where we’re at on our journey. In Jesus name...Amen!

Prayer is a vital part of our Christian lives. Prayer is simply talking with God. He wants nothing more than for us to spend time talking and listening to Him just like we do with anyone we love. The more time we spend talking with God the more we will learn to know Him, love Him, and recognize His voice. Our faith, confidence, and trust in Him will grow as we see our prayers being answered. Just knowing that He hears our prayers and cares about every detail of our lives should cause us to want to spend more time talking with Him.

“But certainly God has heard me; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not rejected my prayer nor removed His mercy and loving –kindness from being [as it always is] with me.” Psalm 66:19-20

We are to be in a constant state of prayer; praying without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) I don’t mean walking around looking like a crazy person. I mean we need to be aware that we are not ever alone. His Holy Spirit is with us all the time. The Lord has given us His Spirit to guide and leads us all the days of our lives. He is there when we wake up, when we are driving to work or school, while we are going through our day, and when we come home. He is always with us not only protecting us and watching over us; He is there wanting to be the first one we call if we just want to talk or are going through something.

Psalm 139:7 “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”

Joshua 1:5, 9 The Lord said, “I will not leave you nor forsake you.” “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Almighty God is our Heavenly Father who cares about everything that goes on with us. He wants to provide for ALL our needs. That’s why He says, “Do NOT fret or have any anxiety about ANYTHING, but in EVERY circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) This scripture should give us confidence that we can talk to Him about everything and anything. We can talk to Him about our jobs, our bosses, our enemies, our friends, our spouses, and children. We can ask Him to give us more patience, understanding, wisdom, and compassion. We can request direction and guidance for our lives. There is nothing that we can not talk to our loving God about.

Prayer keeps us dependant on Him. He doesn’t want us to fret, worry, or have anxiety. He wants us to cast all of our cares on Him through prayer, trusting Him to care for our needs. Prayer is our stress relief because once we have prayed and spent time in his presence the peace of God which surpasses all understand will guard our minds and our hearts as we trust Him. Then we can begin to mediate on the fact that He has always been faithful to answer our prayers in the past and we can rejoice and praise Him for His faithfulness and mercy. (Philippians 4:7)

Lord, you are an Awesome God that loves us so much that you long to talk to us and spend time with us through prayer. Remind us that you are always there ready to listen and answer our prayers. Thank you for your Son who as given us full access to your throne room. In Jesus name..Amen

Peace I Leave With You

When fear attacks my mind I remember that the Lord did not give me a spirit of fear, but power of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) For many years I suffered from fear, anxiety, and worry. I was in bondage. About four years ago the Lord said to me, "Stop allowing yourself to be so agitated and full of fear. I have given you my peace. Walk in it"

I knew that I had read that in His Word. It was John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]"

I printed it up and taped it on my bathroom mirror. It is still there to this day. Little did I know how often I would need to see that scripture first thing in the morning or right before I was going to bed. There was even one time when I was going through it and the Lord had one of my best friends send me flowers and in the post card she put that same scripture.

The Lord has gone out of His way to let me know that He wants me have peace and not allow my circumstances to intimidate me. I no longer ALLOW myself to be fearful or cowardly because I know that our God is faithful and He is for me. I fear not because I trust Him!

I encourage you not to allow anything to intimidate you or cause you to be so full of fear that you forget that our God is always on your side. If God is for us, who can ever be against us? (Romans 8:31) There will be things that happen in our lives that we do not like or understand why God has allowed, but we must never forget that God is omniscient. He knows what’s going to happen before it has even happened and He has made a way of escape for us.

When your situations gets scary and you don’t know what to do remember what Philippians 4:6-7 says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

James says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4) We may not like trials and test but they are good for us and we don’t need to fear them.

Lord, thank you for using the trials and tests to make us stronger more useful Christians. Help us to trust at all times and lean not on our own understanding. Give us your peace to protect our minds and hearts as we are in trusting in you to bring us through each of our situations. In Jesus name..Amen

More Than Conquerors

I have tried in the past to live to please myself and gratify the desires of my flesh in so many different ways. I felt like I always had to do things my way, even if I heard the Lord speaking to me. I allowed my circumstances and problems to consume my mind. I used to be full of stress, anxiety and worry. I am not speaking of the old unsaved Lisa. This was the “Christian” me.

What happened? What changed me? I decided to have childlike faith on the Word of God. If His Word says it, I believe it!

 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7

No matter what my circumstances were. I knew His Word is Truth. I began to spend more time in the Word. I would ask God for understanding before I would sit down to read. I truly began to meditate on the Word and allowed the Holy Spirit to teach me.

“But the Counselor, 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 14:26

I began to speak God’s Word over my circumstances instead of accepting what I saw in the physical realm. The Holy Spirit has been faithful to remind me of what the Word has said about my life. I knew by faith that God was always in control. I have learned that I am more than a conqueror in all things because I have Jesus who loves me.

“We are more than conquerors because we have Christ Jesus. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” Romans 8:37

We can be more than conquerors when we truly understand that Jesus loves us and is on our side. He stands next to God interceding on our behalf. We can not allow our circumstances, problems, finances, jobs, tests, and trials to overcome us. We must allow them to refine us and make us stronger so that we can help others who are going through the same problems. We can give them hope by sharing our testimony of how God gave us strength and courage to go through the fire or storm. They need to know that we are more than conquerors over our situations because we have Jesus, the Word of God.

Lord, thank you for your Word that gives us hope and power. We are more than conquerors because we have your Holy Spirit in us teaching and reminding us of your Words. Thank you for always working everything out for our good. In Jesus name..Amen.