Harvest Of Right Living For Those Who Are Trained In This Way

“As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.” - Hebrews 12:7, 11-13


The definition for discipline is:

1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.
2. Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control.

Over the past weeks the Holy Spirit has brought me to different scriptures in the Word showing me where our heavenly Father uses trials, testing, and hardships as divine discipline or training to produce in us godly living and Christ-like character, and also to prepare us for our callings. Even those terrible attacks that the enemy will try to use to destroy us or those bad things that happen in life that we just don’t understand, God turns for our good. He did it for Joseph, Jacob’s son, the dreamer who was sold into slavery by his own brothers.

I’ll give you the very short version of what happened to Joseph. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him and they intended to rid themselves of him forever so they sold him into slavery. He suffered loneliness, betrayal, and sadness. While Joseph was in slavery God never left him. He gave him favor, wisdom, and prophetic dreams with the gift of interpretation. He used these giftings to lift Joseph up to a position of authority and prominence in Egypt. Many years later a famine hit the land and the only place to find grain was in Egypt. So that is where his family went to buy food. Joseph forgives his brothers and the family is reunited. In the end Joseph looked back at all that had happened to him and finally understood why God allowed everything to happen the way it did. It was so that He could use Joseph to save the lives of many, including his own family. (Genesis 50:20)

Now I want to take you to some other scriptures that our Lord brought me to and showed me specifically how He uses life’s troubles to do the following:

Humble us and to prove our character, whether we would keep His commandments or not and to teach us to rely on His Word.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3 “2 Remember how the LORD your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. 3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (NLT)

To test the genuineness of our faith

1 Peter 1:6-7 “6[You should] be exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations, 7So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed.” (Amplified Bible)

To reveal or demonstrate to us the true quality of what‘s in our hearts.

2 Chronicles 32:31 “31 However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.” (NLT)

To teach us patience endurance, maturity of character, joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

Romans 5:3-4 “3Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. 4And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.” (Amplified Bible)

To develop steadfastness and Christ-like character

James 1:2-4 “2Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. 3Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. 4But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.”

It can be difficult while we are going through these holy trials and tribulations. But we must remember that our divine God sees the future and He has always had good plans for our lives. (Jeremiah 29:11) These scriptures confirmed to me that trials and testing are meant to test the reality of our faith and produce the likeness of Christ in us. They are meant to bring out the best in us, if we will allow them to. It’s part of our remolding and refining process. So let us not lose hope when we our heavenly Father lovingly trains us up. He has assured us that EVERYTHING that happens in our lives works together and is fitting into a plan for good to and for those who love God and are called according to His design and purpose. (Romans 8:28)

As I write this I am reminded of when our Heavenly father told the prophet Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So Jeremiah did as He told him and Jeremiah found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so the potter crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Brothers and sisters, God is our potter and I believe the Lord is saying to us today,

“Can I not do with you as the potter does? (Jeremiah 18:6)

Let’s allow Him to continue the good work He has started in us and trust Him in the middle of the refining fire. He is here with us. We will come out unbound and with stronger faith. So keep joyfully and hopefully pressing on! (Philippians 1:6, Daniel 3:26-27)

Pressed In On Every Side

“We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;

We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed;” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 – Amplified

The Lord reminded me of these verses this morning. I read it out of the NLT and then the Amplified. It really hit home for me. You see I am currently going through a season of intense discipline and training through many trials and temptations. (Hebrews 12)The demonic attacks are so evident. I have felt pressed in on every side by spiritual oppression in some of my closest relationships. Even my children are under attack. At times I feel crushed and overwhelmed. The problems and trials I face often times feel like too much to bear. I would be lying if I said that thoughts of giving up don’t run through my mind. But I know who I am in Christ Jesus and I WILL NOT not be driven to utter despair! I know that our Lord has NOT deserted me or my family and left us to stand alone.

I am sharing this with you because I want you to know that if you are suffering through many troubles, trials, and temptations YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Listen to what the Holy Spirit has said through Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:13.

“No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.” – The Message

Here’s parts of this verse out of the Amplified.

“NO temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance..

But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [CAN BE TRUSTED] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [ALWAYS] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.”

Did you see it? Our troubles are not new to human experience. Many others before us and many now are going through the same or very similar problems that we are facing today. Others before us have overcome by remembering how faithful God is to His promise to never leave or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 we see that He has promised to never allow the temptations or trials that we face to be more than we can endure. He will ALWAYS provide a way of escape to overcome any temptation the enemy will put before us. He will also ALWAYS provide a way for us to go through whatever trial it is that we may have to face.

No matter what it is that we are facing we need to remember that He is our Strength and WE CAN do ALL things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us! Here is Philippians 4:13 in the Amplified. Read it. Receive it! Believe it! Confess it!

“I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].”

The Lord has spoken to me so many words of encouragement, affirmation, and comfort over the past several weeks. His Holy Spirit has ministered to my heart and given me peace at times where I probably would have fallen apart. He has hugged me through the arms of other believers full of his love and compassion. His presence has filled my room as I slept I knew that He was there with me. His love has sustained me through this all.


He will do the same for you as he is doing for me! Do not give up hope! He is by your side. You will see His promises to you fulfilled. Just keep believing! Keep trusting! Keep seeking Him in prayer, fasting, and in His Word. Keep your eyes on Him and you will not be destroyed. Fight the good fight of faith!

I will continue to share with you the scriptures that He has brought me to in this season of my life. God bless you all and remember what our Lord has said to His disciples,

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” John 16:33 – Amplified

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)

The Word Of God Will Protect Your Mind From Anxiety

I don’t know what your kryptonite is, but mine is anxiety. I used to be so submitted to fear and worry that before I knew it I became a slave to anxiety. Today I have put all of my trust and faith in Jesus, the Word of God, and I am no longer in bondage to anxiety. However, that doesn’t stop the demonic oppression of fear, worry, and heaviness from trying to lure me back into submission to my old master. When I am going through life’s trials, tribulations, and testing’s the enemy will try to catch me slipping and fill my mind with doubt and fear, so that I become depressed and feeling hopeless. He wants me to sulk around with a ‘Woe is me’ attitude. If I allow my emotions to guide me, I will end up all messed up surrendered to anxiety again instead of God’s Word. I will forget all that the Lord has promised me. I will forget all that He has done for me. I will forget that He is faithful to never leave me or forsake me. And I will forget that I am no longer a slave to my flesh. Thank God the Holy Spirit in us is faithful to not allow us to sit in a pile of dung without reminding us that we don’t have to stay there. His Spirit lives in us to comfort and renew our hope and cheer by reminding us of God’s Word.

“ I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. “ Psalm 94:18-19

“Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.” Psalm 119:50

I don’t know about you, but His Word holds me up when I feel like I can’t go on any more. I have learned and am still learning that I MUST trust in His Word no matter what I see going on around me.

Brothers and sister who battle fear and worry run to the Word of God for protection over your mind! You see, when you meditate on the Word of God it will become a shield to your mind. When we are worrying we are actually meditating on our problems, situations, and concerns. We are putting them before God’s Word. We are fixing on our mind on thoughts that only serve to torment us. When we are supposed to fix our mind on what His Word says about us and our situation. When we meditate on the Truth of God’s Word then the peace of God will protect our minds and hearts from the spirit of anxiety. (Proverbs 30:5, Philippians 4:6-8)

I don’t know about you but I have had seasons were it seemed like I was facing trial after trial, testing after testing, and battle after battle. When you are in one of those seasons it may seem like things are so bleak and dark. It may seem like we are being surrounded by an army of problems that is building a wall around us trying to keep us trapped up. Then the Lord shines the light of His Word on our situation and all of a sudden our darkness is exposed. When we find hope in His Word we are filled with His strength to crush the enemy that is attacking us. We then realize that we scale any wall of oppression because God is on our side. We need to cry out to the Lord when we are in a season of battles and trust in His Word. He will answer us because we trust in Him. (Psalm 18:28-29, 1 Chronicles 5:20)

We don’t have to fret and or be anxious over our problems. Many people say it is only natural to worry about our problems. This is true..it is natural, however we are not natural any more. We are supernatural Spirit filled children of God. We are supposed to be lead by the Spirit, not our natural fleshly desires. We are called to believe, not worry.

Our Lord does not want us afraid and discouraged. Just listen to what He says in these verses..

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

“For I hold you by your right hand— I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” Isaiah 41:13

Our Lord is with us. He will strengthen us and hold us up so that we will not fall. He is walking along with us through our trials, tribulations, and battles holding our right hand. He has promised to help us! This is what we have got to meditate on instead of worrisome and tormenting thoughts of fear.

Brother and sisters don’t allow the problems in this world to consume your mind. Protect your mind from anxiety by meditating on the Word of God. His Word will revive you and give you strength to keep you pressing forward. His Word will be the Truth that you need to overcome any situation. Don’t be lead around by your emotions. Be lead by the Spirit of God and walk by faith, not by sight. Our Lord IS here to help you!

"Why Are You Afraid? Do You Still Have No Faith?"

Matthew, Mark, and Luke give an account of a day when Jesus and His disciples got in a boat to cross over the Sea of Galilee when suddenly a great storm broke out. The waves and winds were tossing the boat to and fro. Water was getting into the boat and they were in real danger. Mean while Jesus was resting taking a nap. Luke says that the disciples woke Him up shouting, “Teacher, don’t You care that we’re going to drown?” (Luke 4:38)

When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. ‘Even the wind and waves obey Him!” (Luke 4:39-41)

Is this you? Is your life in the middle of a storm? Are the cares of this life tossing you around and making you feel unstable in your faith? Are the winds causing you to panic and forget that Jesus is in the boat and everything is going to be ok? He does care! When you go through deep waters, He will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. ” (Isaiah 43:2)

Jesus asked them “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” These guys spent intimate time with Jesus. He spoon feed them the Word of God. He personally taught them about kingdom matters. They saw Him do many miracles, heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead. What would it take for them to reject fear and put all of their faith in Christ Jesus? What will it take for us to be sure without a doubt that He will never leave us or forsake us?

Jesus is our Savior. He died a brutal death for us so that we could have peace not like the world gives, but that peace which surpasses all understanding as we trust in Him to see us through every situation. Remember the words in Isaiah 53:5,

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”

He suffered so that we could have freedom in Him. We don’t have to be fretful Christians. We are supposed to be sure without a doubt that our Lord is faithful. We are to be at peace knowing that our Lord is on our side no matter what. We are supposed to be at peace knowing that no weapon formed against us will prosper and that we can overcome all things through Christ who strengthens us and empowers us by the power of His Holy Spirit.

To the reader who has been fighting against the lies of the enemy. To the reader who has been fighting anxiety and fear about you calling or the changes that are to come in your life. To the reader who has allowed the storm to wear them down and has almost lost hope I say, “Be still and know that He is God.” In the name of Jesus I rebuked the wind and the waves in your life and I say, ‘Silence! Be still!”

Our Lord is saying to you right now, “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.]” John 14:27

Be encouraged…

Sincerely,

Trophy of Grace

Without Faith It Is Impossible To Please God

The opposite of worry is faith. Faith is all about trusting the Lord. It’s about believing Him at His Word. It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) He rewards us with a confident assurance and hope in Christ as we draw closer to Him. As we see in His Word that His faithfulness is unending and mercies are new every morning we will be encouraged and know without a shadow of doubt that because He is faithful we are going to be alright no matter what happens. (Lamentations 3:23)

There will be times when we will have plenty, but then there will be other times when we will have a little. We must learn to live in either situation knowing that it is our Lord that will sustain us through times when there is a little. (Philippians 4:10-13) Whether we are having good times or difficult times we have to remember our Lord is in control. He knows what our every need is and He sees our hearts desires. He will make a way out of no way. So trust in the Lord and do good then you will lively safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord and He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit EVERYTHING you do to the Lord. Trust Him and He will help you. (Psalm 37:3-5)

Isaiah 43:1-3 “But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. 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.”

WE WILL go through deep waters, through rivers of difficulty, and walk through the fire of oppression but God's Word and the Holy Spirit will be faithful to strengthen our hearts when we are going through these tough times. He becomes our source of strength and our refuge. Look at what King David says in Psalm 18:1-2 “I love you, LORD; you are my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.”

Now look at Psalm 59:17 “O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.”

We have to learn to run to Him and His Word every day but especially in our times of need. He has to be our refuge. We have to seek His will and direction for EVERY decision that we will have to make. King David knew that He could run to the Lord and find refuge and be strong in the Lord. He knew God would be the source of His strength. Paul also tells us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)

No matter what our circumstances are we have to put all of our faith in the Lord trusting him to bring us through. If we do not have faith in Him then we are calling Him a liar. We are saying that we do not believe that His Word is true and He will not protect us, guide us, give us favor, help up, bless us, heal us, and go before us to make a way where there seems to be none. Let us not call God a liar by worrying instead of praying. Let us put our faith in Him and trust Him with our entire lives and with the ones we love. Let us lay everything down at His feet because He knows better than us what we truly need.

Don't Panic..The Lord Has Gone Before You

I pray that upon reading this that someone will be delivered of anxiety, fear, and worry. May they be encouraged and truly receive in their heart that our God is truly faithful. May the Lord give you eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying..

I may have shared in the past that I used to have bad panic attacks. I was full of worry and anxiety. I would allow myself to become so unsettled when I could not figure out how things were going to work out in my life. I would fret over everything and anything. I had no peace and joy because I was consumed with unsettling and nagging thoughts of not having enough. I was concerned about bills, gas, food, clothes, our home, and so much more. I wish I would have realized then that our Lord is faithful to care for all of our needs and that my excessive worrying did not resolve anything but only resulted in unhappiness, panic attacks, weight loss, and other physical manifestations. If only I would have really trusted Jesus Words in Luke 12, I would have saved myself a lot of unnecessary drama.

Luke 12:22-31 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

“And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

Little faith is what I had. It was not until I really began to meditate on God’s Word that my faith increased. Our faith increases by hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) Our faith grows strong when we see in God’s Word how faithful He truly is. Reading stories of how our Lord delivered, healed, and restored those that believed in Him should give us hope because we should remember that our Lord is no respector of persons what He did for them He will do for us too. Those that believed His Word were changed forever. Their faith made them whole. Our faith will make us whole too. (Romans 2:11, Mark 5:34, Mark 10:52)

His Word encourages and reminds us that He did not give us a spirit of fear but instead He has given us a Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) The spirit of anxiety and fear are meant to torment us and keep our minds in bondage. If we panic when are standing in front of a mountain of problems then that fear will keep us from telling the mountain. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." (Matthew 17:20-21)

He does not want us worrying about anything. He wants us to trust Him in everything. He wants us to know that He is faithful. I believe that sometimes He allows things to get tight and difficult in our lives so that we can see that He IS an on time God. Difficult times and hardships teach us to preserve. It teaches us to rely on Him as our Provider, as our source of peace and strength. James said it perfectly when he said..

“Dear brothers and sisters, when trouble comes 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 1:1-4)

We have to know with all of our heart that Our Lord is constant, dependable, loyal, and faithful. He is faithful to His Word and His promises. He goes ahead of us and makes a straight path for us. We do not need to be afraid of how things will turn out because His Word says, “So be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

So don't panic brothers and sister the Lord has gone before you and He always makes a way out of now way. Just trust Him in everything. Reject and rebuke fear and anxiety trust in the Lord with all of your hearts and meditate on His Word instead of negative thoughts that go against God's Word. Be blessed..

To be continued..

Living In Peace Is Not About Having the Answers

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 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 my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:17-19

I just recently read the book of Habakkuk again and one of the footnotes in my bible says. Living in peace is not about having the answers; it is about committing the questions to the One who does. This is so true and that’s exactly what Habakkuk did. Habakkuk had many questions and complaints for the Lord and he committed them to God. The book of Habakkuk is only three short chapters. Not much is known about Habakkuk’s background. He isn’t mentioned any where else in the Old Testament. We know that he was a prophet of God and that He lived during the reign of the wicked King Jehoiakim of Judah. This small book records a conversation that Habakkuk had with the Lord.

Habakkuk was troubled by all the evil and wickedness that surrounded him in Judah. He had been praying and interceding on behalf of the people of Judah. He must have been frustrated and just wanted answers. He prayed and asked the Lord how much longer must there be violence every where? How long must he see the evil deeds and watch all the misery? He saw destruction and violence. He was surrounded by people who loved to argue and fight. The law was corrupt and there was no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumbered the righteous. He had been crying out to God for help and wanted to know why God was not listening?

The Lord responds, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed!” For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.” Then the Lord goes on to tell Habakkuk how He plans on using an even more wicked nation to bring judgment on Judah. Well this brings even more concern to Habakkuk’s heart and he proceeds to ask the Lord more questions about what is to come for the future of Judah. The Lord responds again to Habakkuk’s questions and complaints confirming the judgment to come. The book ends with Habakkuk realizing that God’s ways are so much higher than ours. He trust God and His way, even if he did not understand it. The questions end and the praises beginning.

He went from being anxious and making complaints to being full of confidence in God and making states of faith. He trusted that the Lord would work this all out for their good. He trusted God to help him through the situation and to be his strength. He found peace knowing that God was in control. He determined that no matter what happened no matter how bad it got that he would find is joy in the God of his salvation.

Often times it’s hard for believers to live in peace. Many are so worried about their circumstances or problems that they are consumed with anxiety and fear. Fear has such a serious stronghold on their life that they have to be medicated to treat the anxiety attacks. I know because that used to be me. Although I loved the Lord and I did trusted Him I still gave the spirit of fear my ear. I would listen to all the what if’s that fear would present to me about my circumstances. I allowed the fearful thoughts to drown out the Word of God and steal my peace and joy.

We don’t have to allow our circumstances to overwhelm us. We have to know that our Lord is a Just God who has a plan at all times. The world would say it’s natural to fear. Of course it’s natural, but we forget that we are not just natural human beings any more. We are new creations in Christ Jesus, children of the Most High God, destined to be with Him. We have the Holy Spirit living in us. This is the same Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. We are not supposed to be lead by the natural, the flesh, or the world. We are not to walk by sight. We are to walk by faith. We are to be lead by the Spirit of God. If we want to have the peace of God reigning in our hearts and minds then we have to learn to allow faith and hope in God to become our natural reaction to our circumstances. It’s ok to have questions and concerns but we have to bring them to the Lord and allow Him to speak to our hearts. Then trust Him to bring us through whatever it is that we are facing.

Like Habakkuk we too can live in peace regardless of our circumstances; by trusting God and leaning not on our own understanding of the things that happen in our life, and by knowing that His ways are so much higher than ours and His thoughts higher than our thoughts.

May our Lord help us to live by faith instead of by reason. May our joy and peace be in knowing that our God is faithful and sovereign.

Fear Not When..

"But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine, When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.” Isaiah 43:1-2

We should not be surprised when trouble comes upon us. Jesus told us that in this world that we would have many sorrows and troubles, but that we should have peace in Him. James tells us to count all joy when we have troubles because that is when our faith is tested, and our endurance has a chance to grow. When our endurance is fully developed, we will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (John 16:33, James 1:2-4)

But I love what our Lord has told us in Isaiah 43:1-3 the best. He said “Fear Not!”

“Fear not when..”

• You lose your job.
• You fall behind on your mortgage.
• You get a negative report from the doctor.
• You are persecuted.
• Troubles press in on every side and you feel completely overwhelmed.

Our Lord knew that we would have to go through all of this. That’s why he said WHEN you pass through the waters, through the rivers, and walk through the fire. He says, “I will be with you. I will not allow the rivers of trouble to overflow you. You will not be burned by the fire and the flames will not scorch you.” Thank you Jesus!

He is encouraging us to take heart and remember that we are His. We belong to Him and because we are His He will take care of us. Whether He has already made a way of escape or determines that He will walk us through the trials we have been redeemed. We are not alone in our troubles. So when fear comes knocking on the door of your heart allow faith to answer it and fear will flee.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord, For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

If you have allowed your roots to grow down deep in the Word of God then during the times when the heat comes and there is drought in the land you will not be crippled by fear. Instead you will still be full of hope and trust in the Lord. You will keep pressing forward leaving all of your troubles in His hands and knowing in your heart that everything will work out for your good no matter what. You will not lose focus or become distracted by your problems; instead you will continue to produce good fruit in your life. You will be an example to others and when they see your strength they will know that it is by the power of God that you are able to overcome. Your faithfulness and determination will bring glory to our Lord.

So when troubles come fear not! For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Do not be dismayed, for our Lord will help us and strengthen us. He will uphold us with his righteous right hand. (2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 41:10)

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: A Word to the Faithful Servant

“Do not despise humble beginning” says the Lord. “I am teaching and growing you up in Me! I will use you to do great things. You truly have been consecrated to Me. I just want you to be patient and keep studying and preparing. This is just a small piece of what I have for you. I will use you to save many in my name. But you must learn to truly trust Me and not allow fear to control you. I will increase your power and strength in Me. Your words will bring healing and restoration, because they will be My Words. You have a mighty call and a strong word on your mouth. Don’t be afraid! You will not be liked by many, but they did not like me either. Be of good cheer because I will be with you even to the ends of the earth. Watch and see this Word come to pass. Continue to encourage others with My words.”

Zechariah 4:10 “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin”

Ephesians 4:14-15 “That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ”

Colossians 2:7 “Rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.”

Joshua 3:5 Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."

Hebrews 10:36 “For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised.”

2 Timothy 2:15 “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.”

Isaiah 41:13 “For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, who says to you, Fear not; I will help you!

Isaiah 40:29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power to the weak.

Matthew 10:22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Isaiah 55:11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

From the Archives:I AM

It’s Monday again..hopefully your Sunday service was a special as mine was. Thinking about it gives me goose bumps all over again. However, we do not live on goose bumps and feelings. We live by faith. Our faith is in All Mighty God. So as we start off this week let us remember that we serve the great I AM. He is everything that we need. No problem, no trial, no test, there is nothing too big for the Great I AM.

As we think about all the things we want to accomplish this week we have to remember that we no longer have to carry heavy burdens. May the Lord give us wisdom to properly organize our week and manage our time properly. Let us be determined to do our work without grumbling and complaining, always remembering that we actually work for the Creator of Heaven and Earth. So let us bring glory to God in all that we do.

I want to encourage you to leave all of your burdens and cares with our Lord. Leave it all in His hands today. Do your part..whatever He has called you to do, but leave the burden with Him. He is able to carry all of your burdens and relieve you of doubt, fear, anxiety, and worry. Decide to trust in Him and rest in His peace knowing that our God is always in control.

When you feel tempted to worry or meditate on certain problems and situations remember the Words of the Great I Am.

“I AM..Always with you” (Matthew 28:20)
“I AM..Never going to leave you nor forsake you” (Genesis 28:15, Hebrews 13:5)
“I AM..Your strength and comfort” (Psalm 46:1)
“I AM..Your deliver” (Psalm 34:18-19, 2 Timothy 4:18, Psalms 18:1-2)
“I AM..Your provider”(Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:28-33)
“I AM Your defender and vindicator” (Psalm 61:2-4)
“I AM Your healer” (Isaiah 53:4-5, Exodus 15:26)

“I AM all that you need!”

When you mediate on the Word of God instead of your situations you will find freedom and courage to face every day and every situation knowing that He is on your side working everything out for your good. (Romans 8:28-30)

Lord, thank you for your Word that comforts us and gives us hope and faith. We can face each day confidently knowing that the Great I AM is for us. We trust You and meditate on the truth of your Word. We will not be lead by our fickle feelings but we will trust in your Word and leave our cares and burdens in your hands. Let us bring glory to you in all that we do. In Jesus name..Amen.

From the Archives: Is Anything too Hard for God?

“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind; is there anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 33:27

Our troubles, temptations, strongholds, and enemies are not too big for our God. Often times I have been at the point where I wonder if I am going to be overcome by my troubles. I fear people saying, “Where is your God now.” Then the Holy Spirit reminds me that I serve Elohim, God the Sovereign, Powerful, Creator of Heaven and Earth. He is always there willing to supply all of our needs. He is El Shaddai, God Almighty.

In the movie screen of my mind I see stories of deliverance from the bible playing. I am suddenly filled with excitement and faith knowing that our God is powerful and faithful. One of my all time favorite stories is Daniel in the lions den. You may know the story.

Daniel was one of three presidents of Babylon helping king Darius rule over the Medo-Persian Empire. He was a godly man who proved more capable than the other presidents and governors. The king was contemplating putting Daniel to rule over the entire empire as his administrative officer. This made all of the other presidents and governors very jealous. They began plotting on him, trying to find fault in the way he handled his affairs. But they couldn’t, they knew their only chance was his religion.

They devised a plan to have a law made and approved by the king that no one would worship or pray to any other god. King Darius approved their decree that permitted no petitions to any God or man except to him for a thirty day period. This law was irrevocable under the law of the Medes and Persians. Anyone who disobeyed would be thrown into the lions’ den.

Daniel’s haters knew that he loved God and that he prayed three times daily. Once the law was approved they immediately went to see if Daniel would continue seeking God’s face anyways. They saw him praying in his window and they went running to tell the king. The king was upset with himself and wanted to save Daniel, but he couldn’t undo what had been done. By decree he was forced to order Daniel to be thrown to the lions. The king said to Daniel before throwing him in, “May your God, whom you worship continually, deliver you.” He was so upset that he couldn’t eat, refused entertainment, and couldn’t sleep all night.

(Daniel 6:19-23) Very early the next morning he hurried out to the lion’s den, and called out in anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the Living God, was your God, whom you worship continually, able to deliver you from the lions?” Then he heard a voice! “Your Majesty, live forever!” It was Daniel! “My God has sent his angel,” he said, “to shut the lions’ mouth so that they can’t touch me; for I am innocent before God, nor, sir, have I wronged you.” The king was beside himself with joy and ordered Daniel lifted from the den. And not a scratch was found on him, because he believed in his God.

Daniel’s God is the God we serve, the Deliverer. He is unchanging. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He preserves his people and delivers them. Always remember that nothing is too hard for our God so keep believing in Him.

Your Break Thru Is Coming!

Don’t give up. Your break thru is coming. Keep praying, fasting, and praising Him because every promise from God shall surely come true. Trust Him no matter what opposition comes against you. Remember that He is always for you and never against you. Let us not get tired of doing what we know is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up. (Galatians 6:9)

Consider Mary the mother of Jesus Christ our Lord. She was a mighty woman of faith, who believed that God would do what he said; that is why he gave her such a wonderful blessing. She was carrying the Messiah, the Savior of the world, in her womb. She accepted the honor and was determined to serve her God. She trusted God’s will for her life. She knew that she would face opposition and be talked about and persecuted by those in her community because she became pregnant while she was engaged to her fiancé, Joseph. They were not allowed to have sex until they were married. Joseph could have had her stoned for this apparent unfaithfulness.

Instead of fear she was filled with faith and determination to do God’s will. Mary said to Gabriel, the angel that brought her the good news of her immaculate conception, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true.” (Luke 1:38)

Like Mary we have to trust our Lord’s Word no matter what. We have to know that He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful to us. We will have trouble and trials but we can not give up and turn from God in anger or disappointment. We must not allow ourselves to be consumed by fear, anxiety, worry, doubt, and unforgiveness to those that have hurt us or even towards God. Our Lord never said that we would have it easy because we are His children. In fact Jesus said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Our peace is in Jesus. Knowing that Jesus is the Word of God, that His Word is truth, and never returns void is powerful! It should give us hope, faith, and determination to keep pressing forward. If we continue to trust His Word and never stop believing it then we will see His Word come to pass and we will fulfill God’s will, just like Mary did. She knew the Word of God and she spoke it out of her mouth and we must do the same. (Luke 1:46-55)

Don’t give up! Start speaking the Word of God with authority and confidence. When you feel that you can’t keep going ask the Holy Spirit to bring to remembrance His promises and then confess them out loud.

Say..”Lord…”

 "I know that you have good plans for me, not for disaster, but to give me a future and a hope. When I pray you will listen. When I look wholeheartedly for you, I will find you." (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
 "I know that You cause everything to work together for my good because I love You and I am called according to your purpose." (Romans 8:28)
 "In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me." (Psalm 86:7)
 "I am strong, courageous, and firm; I fear not and am not in terror, for it is the Lord my God Who goes with me; You will not fail me or forsake me." (Deuteronomy 31:6)
 "I will not let the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful." (Mark 4:19)
"You are the source of my hope. Fill me with all joy and peace by means of my faith in Jesus, so that my hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)
 "I live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)
 "My faith does not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:5)
 "I’m sticking with You. You have proven to be good to me and to all who passionately wait and diligently seek You. It’s a good thing to quietly hope for help from You." (Lamentations 3:24-26)

Don’t give up your break thru is coming. Keep pressing forward believing and confessing His Word over your circumstances. You are about to reap your harvest!

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: Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

Repost from 7/18/08-I know I needed to read this again..

There are many times in my life where I have to make decisions that I am unsure of, or maybe even scared. I pray and ask God to give me wisdom to help me make the right decision. I long with all my heart to do His will, but there are times that I think that I am going to mess everything all up. Then I remember what Proverbs 3:5-6 says and I meditate on these words:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

I begin to realize that I do trust Him with all of my heart. How could I not? I look back at my life and see how He has always been there for me. My Heavenly Father picked me up out the mess I made of my life. He turned me around and put me on the path of righteousness. He delivered me from all my fears. He set my feet on The Rock, Jesus Christ. He is constantly renewing my mind and heart with His Word. He has comforted when I needed to be consoled. He has provided faithfully for my family. We have not lacked any good thing. He has been an On Time God! I trust Him with my life and family.

Lean not on my own understanding? I have learned and I am still learning daily that His ways are not our ways so I can not rely on my own understanding of the things that go on around me. (Isaiah 55:8-9) I can’t figure everything out and I don’t have to. I just know that there is nothing that happens in our lives that God can not use to mold us and make us stronger witnesses for Him. I know that these trials that we go through are testing our faith and developing perseverance. We need to learn perseverance so that we can be mature and complete, prepared so that He can use us to help others. (James 1:2-4)

I believe the trials that we go through are also meant to keep us close to our Heavenly Father. If we did not have troubles in this life how else would we know that He is there to help us and comfort us, unless we needed it? “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. (Hebrews 13:5-6)

In all your ways acknowledge Him..I acknowledge Him in everything I do. I know that apart from Him I can do nothing. (John 15:5) So I seek His counsel and think about Him constantly because I want to honor and glorify Him with every word and every deed. I pray and ask Him to give me wisdom, courage, and strength to make wise decisions. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (2 Chronicles 16:9) So when I have to make a decision I am sure that my Heavenly Father will instruct me and guide me along the best pathway for my life. He will advise me and watch my progress. (Psalm 32:8)

Trust the Lord with all your decisions. Pray about everything, even the ‘small’ things. He will guide us down the right path every time. The best part of it all is that even if we make a mistake and go the wrong way he has made our steps firm so even if we stumble we will not fall flat on our face, for the Lord upholds us with his hand. (Psalm 37:23-24) Begin seeking God in all areas of your life and he will make all the crooked paths straight! (Isaiah 45:2)

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)